By Mel Jasmin 

St. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was born in the Galilean village of Bethsaida. Originally a disciple of St. John the Baptist, Andrew then became the first of Jesus’ disciples (John 1:35-40). His name regularly appears in the Gospels near the top of the lists of the Twelve. It was he who first introduced his brother Simon to Jesus (John 1:41-42). He was, in a real sense, the first home missionary, as well as the first foreign missionary (John 12:20-22). Tradition says Andrew was martyred by crucifixion on a cross in the form of an X. In AD 357, his body is said to have been taken to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople and later removed to the cathedral of Amalfi in Italy. Centuries later, Andrew became the patron saint of Scotland. St. Andrew’s Day determines the beginning of the Western Church Year, since the First Sunday in Advent is always the Sunday nearest to St. Andrew’s Day.

Though he is only mentioned in the Gospels a few times, St. Andrew has proved himself to be a crucial figure in the New Testament. Each time St. Andrew appears in the Gospels, it is a turning point or famous act in Jesus’ ministry. Although the spotlight does not shine on St. Andrew as brightly as other apostles (compared to his brother St. Peter), St. Andrew has three profound lessons we can learn from his life, especially as we prepare for his feast day on November 30.

How do we speak up about our faith even when it is uncomfortable or seems silly?  How do we teach others about Christ?  Do we share our meager solutions, even when it seems they are impossible to work, just like the loaves and fishes seemed impossible?  Sometimes, by sharing Jesus with others, we can pave the way for something or someone even greater than us, just like St. Andrew bringing Peter, “the rock” of Jesus’ church.

By Mel Jasmin

Try reading to Gospel today, Luke 21:5-11 that speaks about temple’s adornments and votive offerings.

After hearing their words, Jesus makes a statement that must have been unsettling to his listeners.  He said: “All that you see here, the days will come when there will not be left stone upon stone upon another stone.  All of the stones will be thrown down.”

Naturally, his disciples said: “When will this happen?  What signs can we look for so we will be prepared?”  Jesus then tells his disciples to “beware.”  He says: “Many people will come and try to deceive you, saying ‘I am he’ or ‘The time has come.’  However, do not follow them.”  Jesus also predicts “one nation will rise against another nation.  And there will be earthquakes, famines, and plagues.”

Jesus’ description sounds like the state of our world today.  Nations are at war.  Men and women are starving and living in destitution.  Everyday women, men, and children are abused physically, sexually, and emotionally. Numerous people are killed on the streets.  And as we well know, the United States is not an exception.  Yet we claim to be civilized, a “first world country.”

Today Jesus encourages us to “seek what will last,” to seek what is good and loving.  If each one of us did this, we might change our hearts, our country and perhaps our world.  What will we choose today?  Will we simply maintain the status quo?

By Mel Jasmin

 The gospel about Zacchaeus is a gospel of mercy and forgiveness – traits that each Christian is called to do.

Many Christians have read and sung the story of Zacchaeus, the rich tax collector, who encountered Jesus from the branches of a sycamore tree. This short New Testament story speaks volumes to the church about the importance of a just distribution of wealth in our world.

Zacchaeus had grown very wealthy by taking advantage of his position of tax collector. No doubt he had cheated people along the way, after all, that’s just the way business was done. The power of the Roman Empire backed up his enterprise. But for some reason, Zacchaeus was interested in seeing and hearing Jesus. His encounter with Jesus was transformative; it gave him a new commitment to economic justice. Zacchaeus volunteered to give half of his wealth to the poor and to pay back anyone he had defrauded four times the amount he took unfairly.

Jesus response was, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.” Jesus accepted Zacchaeus’ repentance and his self-imposed penitence as signs of his salvation.

This story challenges us today to consider how just our society’s economic system is and the role we play in any injustices. In recent years, the rich have grown richer and the poor and not-so-poor have grown poorer. In the Philippines, election time is again coming and candidates are again masking themselves as pro-poor.

May we become more discerning who to vote for. May God guide us always in choosing our next leaders.

By Fr. Bernard Holzer, aa 

Two major events are taking place this month.

COP26 which focused on climate change and the decisions to be taken to leave our children and grandchildren a habitable and prosperous land, and the preparation of the Synod on Synodality.

These two events are linked. They provoke us to change, to a conversion, to another way of approaching living together in a responsible way in society and in the Church, to prepare for the future: we cannot get it by on our own. We need each other.

Election time is coming to the Philippines. It could be a time conducive to this reflection, dialogue and mobilization. We can prepare for this by rereading – why not with others - the last two encyclicals of Pope Francis: "Laudato Si" and "Fratelli Tutti".

“Once more, I appeal for a renewed appreciation of politics as “a lofty vocation and one of the highest forms of charity, inasmuch as it seeks the common good.” (“Fratelli Tutti”, 180)

“Approaching, speaking, listening, looking at, coming to know and understand one another, and to find common ground: all these things are summed up in the one word “dialogue”.

If we want to encounter and help one another, we have to dialogue.” (“Fratelli Tutti”, 198)

We are also called to pray for these intentions.

By Father Bernard Holzer, aa

 More than 120 world leaders met in Glasgow on Monday to tackle the climate crisis and avert a looming global disaster: « If we don’t get serious about climate change today, it will be too late for our children to do so tomorrow” said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the opening of COP26.

What can we do? What do we need to do?

In his message to the COP26 meeting participants, Pope Francis underlined that “climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic have exposed our deep vulnerability and raised numerous doubts and concerns about our economic systems and the way we organize our societies.”

 “It is essential that each of us be committed to this urgent change of direction, sustained by our own faith and spirituality. In the Joint Appeal, we spoke of the need to work responsibly towards a “culture of care” for our common home, but also for ourselves, and the need to work tirelessly to eliminate “the seeds of conflicts: greed, indifference, ignorance, fear, injustice, insecurity and violence”.

By Mel Jasmin

On October 28, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Saint Jude Thaddeus.

We turn to St. Jude particularly because of his long-standing association with hope and healing, and the cleansing newness—the freshly-scrubbed sense of the spirit—inviting him into our lives provides. Gathering our thoughts for the prayers we offer in devotion is its own form of spiritual reflection, one we know very well.

These questions should come from a place of self-love and learning, leading us to a path of growth both spiritually and then reflected in our daily lives, too. The questions will most likely evolve the deeper we get into our self-awareness, but they are not meant to be self-criticism. There is a distinct difference between self-criticism and self-reflection; if we feel the line between the two is getting a bit blurred, don’t hesitate to offer a spontaneous prayer to St. Jude to keep you focused in positive reflection.

As we shape our tone with ourselves to hold the same kind of gentleness we would use with our beloved family and friends, we’re much better able to hear our own sense of what’s needed for change, what our strengths are, and where our next spiritual growth opportunity might be.

By Mel Jasmin

On October 24, the Catholic Church in the Philippines commemorates Prison Awareness Sunday, together with World Mission Sunday.

The Catholic Church in the Philippines is set to mark Prison Awareness Week on the last week of October to encourage the faithful to remember and pray for all the inmates in the country.
 
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on the Laity encourages the faithful to pray for all prisoners especially at this time of crisis.
 
“Prison Awareness Week seeks to remind us that we have brothers and sisters who are in jail. As Jesus said, ‘I was in prison and you visited Me.’ Let us look at them as our brothers and sisters whom Jesus loves. At this time of pandemic, it has become more difficult for them with their cramped quarters,” said CBCP-ECL chairman and Manila Archdiocese Apostolic Administrator Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo over Radio Veritas.
 
“It is important to decongest our prison cells. Keep on praying for our inmates,” he said. The Church leader, likewise, encouraged the faithful to send help to the inmates like food, medicines, and hygiene kits.
 
“Let us also pray for the speedy resolution of their cases. Many of them are already eligible for parole. Let us always pray for them and make them feel that they are always remembered,” Pabillo said.

Our brothers and sisters in prisons are a part of our marginalized sector. This Sunday, we are called to remember them and by remembering we called to care and to love them. They are still part of the Catholic Church.

These two saints are like a chain that leads us to the Synod on Synodality, what Pope Francis has just launched. He invites all Christians to listen to the "signs of the times" as the Council was able to do.  But this listening will not only be the work and the duty of the bishops, but of all Christians, of the faithful of other religions, and of all women and men of good will.

Pope Francis sends us a questionnaire-guide of ten themes to begin to dialogue, to listen, to dream, to make proposals for a new spring for the Church and the world.

Let's go online, download this questionnaire, and engage in this reflection to make the world more human. Let us not forget to reread "Gaudium et Spes", one of the central documents of the Second Vatican Council and "Fratelli Tutti", the last encyclical of Pope Francis. These are stimulating documents that allow us to discover God in our brothers and sisters.