God's Word and Daily Life

How to love God, your neighbor, and yourself?

How to love God, your neighbor, and yourself?

By Fr. Bernard Holzer, aa 

In a pastoral letter released a day after their Plenary Assembly in Bohol province on Tuesday, July 8, Philippine bishops expressed concern over some issues confronting the Filipino people and the world today, among which: the violence in Gaza, the plight of workers seeking fair wages, and the call for impeachment for accountability in governance.

The Bishops call to action and to prayer. They invite all of us, clergy, laity, workers and political leaders “to join hands in building a just and peaceful society as we do justice, love goodness and walk humbly with our God.”  And they added: “In this Jubilee Year, let us enkindle our hope, strengthen our solidarity and remain vigilant in our stewardship of truth, justice, and the dignity of every human person. May Our Lady of Peace intercede and pray for us, to be instruments of God's justice and love.”

Let us pray. Let us dialogue about these issues. Let us discern how to express God’s love for his people, to be instruments of God’s justice and love and maker of peace.

 

For the full version of the pastoral letter, please click the link:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15qWBZphcJ/

 

 

Photo credit: CBCP News

Am I an addict and an actor of a “theatre of the absurd”?

Am I an addict and an actor of a “theatre of the absurd”?

By Father Bernard Hozer, aa 

In his Facebook page, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan reports that the Filipino government is complicit in exposing children and families to the dangers of gambling addiction by legalizing online platforms that are accessible around the clock, even to minors.

This has a great impact on Filipino families, especially children of overseas Filipino workers who may be using hard-earned remittances to gamble online. “Goodbye studies. Goodbye decent jobs. Goodbye the hope of hardworking families,” he said. “And hello — hello to a whole generation of gambling addicts.”

Am I informing myself, am I training myself to understand the effects of new technologies that are means to get informed, meet others, and train, but can also dominate and weaken our critical thinking and judgment? Are we aware of the financial and ideological stakes at play? It is urgent!

Why don’t we practice fasting from social media to better use and appreciate their true value? We cannot serve two masters, God and money!


Photo credit: Glenda Flaviano
Pillars of the Church

Pillars of the Church

By Loida Castillo

On the 29th of June, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.

This feast is a moment of spiritual and cultural importance for all Catholics like our own people. These two great apostles are pillars of the Church — Peter, the rock upon which Christ built His Church, and Paul, the tireless missionary to the Gentiles. Their lives, sacrifices, and witness to the faith speak powerfully to the Filipino soul, shaped by centuries of Catholic tradition and a profound love for the Church.

Saint Peter's life resonates with many Filipinos because of his humanity — his weaknesses, doubts, and eventual conversion into a bold leader. Like Peter, we often struggle with faith amid trials, but through God's mercy, we rise again with deeper trust.

Saint Paul, on the other hand, embodies the missionary spirit — one that we strongly embrace. As a predominantly missionary country, we, Filipinos serving as priests, nuns, and lay workers around the world, Paul’s passion to preach the Gospel mirrors the Filipino call to evangelization.

Their feast reminds all of us about the unity of the Church. Despite their different missions, Peter and Paul stood united in Christ, giving witness even unto martyrdom. In a country often divided by politics, social inequality, and natural calamities, this feast is a call to remain united in faith, in service, and in love — guided by the teachings of Christ handed down through the apostles. Sts. Peter and Paul, pray for us!

 

Cover: Sts. Peter and Paul fiesta by Maricris Oliveros
Celebrating the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ

Celebrating the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ

By Loida Castillo

On June 22, we will celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ or Corpus Christ.

The Feast of Corpus Christi holds profound meaning for ordinary Catholics. At its heart, Corpus Christi affirms the central belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. For many Catholics, this feast rekindles a sense of awe and reverence toward the sacrament they may receive every Sunday, or even daily. It’s a reminder that the Eucharist is not merely symbolic, but a living encounter with Christ—something extraordinary that becomes part of their ordinary rhythm of life.

On a more human level, the feast invites Catholics to reflect on their relationship with Jesus and with their community. The Eucharist is not a private devotion but a communal celebration. In this way, Corpus Christi encourages a renewed commitment to living out the Gospel—caring for others, building unity, and being Christ to the world.

Why don’t we prepare ourselves in a special way by going to confession before receiving Jesus on Sunday? After all, we are going to receive the Blessed Sacrament- Jesus himself- calling us to be a people of gratitude, presence, and transformation carrying Jesus’ love to the poor and the needy.

 

Photo credit: Fr. Treb Futol of the Diocese of Sorsogon
Pentecost renews the Church and the world!

Pentecost renews the Church and the world!

By Fr. Bernard Holzer, aa

This is the strong message of our new Pope Leo XIV! The Pope is inviting us to welcome the Holy Spirit in our lives:

“May the strong wind of the Spirit come upon us and within us, open the borders of our hearts, grant us the grace of encounter with God, enlarge the horizons of our love and sustain our efforts to build a world in which peace reigns.”

This will make the “ordinary time” an extraordinary time where the love of God is welcomed in our lives, in our families, in our society. Then, all will change. As Saint Paul is telling us, the fruit of the Spirit is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Gal 5:22).

“In this way, tells us our Pope, the Spirit broadens the borders of our relationships and opens us to the joy of fraternity. This is also a critical yardstick for the Church. For we are truly the Church of the Risen Lord and disciples of Pentecost if there are no borders or divisions among us; if we are able to dialogue and accept one another in the Church, and to reconcile our diversities; and if, as Church, we become a welcoming and hospitable place for all.”

Let us build bridges and no walls, fraternity and no hatred!


Photo credit: Parish of the Holy Spirit, BF Homes, Quezon City
The great need to promote a personal encounter with God

The great need to promote a personal encounter with God

By Fr. Bernard Holzer, aa

 

In his message sent to participants in the seminar “Evangelizing with families today and tomorrow. Ecclesiological and pastoral challenges”, Pope Leo XIV is inviting us vigorously to promote a personal encounter with God, “whose tender love values and loves the story of every person!”

 

“Faith is primarily a response to God’s love, and the greatest mistake we can make as Christians is, in the words of Saint Augustine, “to claim that Christ’s grace consists in his example and not in the gift of his person”. How often, even in the not too distant past, have we forgotten this truth and presented Christian life mostly as a set of rules to be kept, replacing the marvelous experience of encountering Jesus – God who gives himself to us – with a moralistic, burdensome and unappealing religion that, in some ways, is impossible to live in concrete daily life.”

 

There will be no changes in our families, communities, church, society without a personal encounter with God. In these days before Pentecost, let us pray to the Lord to send us his Spirit of love!


Photo credit: Wikimedia commons
Mary’s visitation and the Philippine nation

Mary’s visitation and the Philippine nation

By Alicia Santos

On May 31, we celebrate The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The event recalls the beautiful and humble journey of Mary to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was also miraculously with child. This event, found in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:39-56), is a profound moment of faith, service, and joy. Mary, though newly pregnant with Jesus, does not focus on herself—she travels in haste to assist Elizabeth. In this encounter, the Holy Spirit moves powerfully, resulting in Elizabeth’s joyful recognition of Mary as “the mother of my Lord,” and Mary’s own proclamation of the Magnificat, a song of praise that exalts God’s mercy and justice.

As a nation, the Visitation holds deep spiritual and cultural relevance. Mary’s example of selfless service and joyful solidarity mirrors the values Filipinos hold dear: bayanihan (communal unity), hospitality, and deep familial care. The way Mary went out of her way to help another echoes the spirit of countless Filipinos who, in times of need, reach out to one another with generosity—whether through disaster response, community support, or simply looking after neighbors and relatives.

Thus, the Visitation is a model for how Filipinos can live out their faith today. It calls the nation to be a people of presence, compassion, and prophetic joy. Like Mary, may the Philippines always be ready to rise in haste, not for personal glory, but to bring Christ’s love to others and to sing, through words and action, the Magnificat of a just, compassionate, and faithful people.



Photo credit: Wikipedia Commons
A tale of two saints

A tale of two saints

By Alicia Santos 

I wish to reflect on the lives of two, not so popular saints, in the Philippines yet their feasts remain in our calendar. They are St. Christopher Magallanes and St. Eugene de Mazenod. St. Christopher is a martyr while St. Eugene is a bishop and proclaimed the “patron saint of dysfunctional families”. I didn’t expect dysfunctional families have a patron saint. Maybe many of us should pray to St. Eugene. 

St. Christopher Magallanes stands as a powerful witness to the strength of faith in the face of persecution. A Mexican priest during a time of intense anti-Catholic government oppression in the early 20th century, he remained steadfast in his vocation, ministering to his people despite the risks. His life challenges us to consider how we respond to adversity and whether we remain committed to truth and justice when it is unpopular or dangerous. 

On the other hand, St. Eugene de Mazenod was a man transformed by God’s mercy and driven by a profound love for the poor and abandoned. Born into nobility during a time of political turmoil in France, he experienced both privilege and suffering. His personal encounter with Christ, especially during a Good Friday service, awakened in him a deep awareness of his own brokenness and the immense compassion of God. This encounter became the foundation of his mission and spirituality.

Both saints contributed in our rich Catholic faith. One is a martyr, the other is a bishop. Both are called to different paths of holiness. May we, too, find the path we are called to be holy. Sts. Christopher and Eugene, pray for us!


Procession on the Feast of Sts. Christopher and Eugene from Fr. Treb Futol
Welcome, Pope Leo XIV!

Welcome, Pope Leo XIV!

By Fr. Bernard Holzer, aa

To welcome the new Pope, is to welcome what the Holy Spirit inspired him when he addressed himself to the College of Cardinals last May 10:

“I would like us to renew together today our complete commitment to the path that the universal Church has now followed for decades in the wake of the Second Vatican Council. Pope Francis masterfully and concretely set it forth in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, from which I would like to highlight several fundamental points: the return to the primacy of Christ in proclamation (cf. No. 11); the missionary conversion of the entire Christian community (cf. No. 9); growth in collegiality and synodality (cf. No. 33); attention to the sensus fidei (cf. Nos. 119-120), especially in its most authentic and inclusive forms, such as popular piety (cf. No. 123); loving care for the least and the rejected (cf. No. 53); courageous and trusting dialogue with the contemporary world in its various components and realities (cf. No. 84; Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 1-2).”

May these values become our values in our personal life, in our family, parish, barangay and nation. May these values be translated into prayer and commitment, with the Lord’s help!

 

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

In a time of elections: prayer and discernment

In a time of elections: prayer and discernment

By Fr. Bernard Holzer, aa

In a few days, we will witness and act in two elections: the election of the pope in Rome and the elections of our local leaders and legislators for the next three years in the Philippines.

For the election of the Pope, we pray that the College of Cardinals will elect the successor of St. Peter, who is best able to guide the Church in our time.

For the midterm elections, we pray that voters will discern on the candidates who will serve the common good, bring  justice and harmony to our people, and care for the poor.

May each elector pronounce the oath that each cardinal will declare before casting his vote in the papal conclave: “I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to one who, before God, I believe should be elected”!

May God assist us and guide us. Amen!

 

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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