Reflections on Lk 13:22–30 Christ, in last Sunday’s Gospel reading, spoke of sowing division in his presence, something that also disturbed the people who were listening to him at that time. This Sunday, Christ seems to be making it more difficult for us to follow and to eventually be with…

Reflection on Lk 12:49–53 We’ve grown accustomed to hearing and proclaiming Christ as the Prince of Peace, especially during the Christmas season. Easter is no different, as Christ, in his appearance to the Apostles, always greets them with the word, “Shalom”, which means, “Peace be with you.” Yet here we…

Reflections on Martha and Mary We’re brought to explore another well-known, and oft-cited or quoted Gospel story this Sunday, as told to us by Luke. In a nutshell, you see Jesus visit the home of both Martha and Mary. We also see the two diverse responses between the two leading…

Being at a critical juncture in our country’s history with the national elections looming over our heads, Christ, in the Sunday’s Gospel, offers a clear picture of the kind of leader a country should choose, its citizens should elect, the voting public should put in positions of power. Yet the…

And how we still do it to this day In every nook and cranny of the social media sphere, the term “cancel culture” is nothing new. …

Finding God in the midst of the curveballs in life — Ave Maria readers who follow Emmaus and the Sunday reflections that I write have surely noticed that there wasn’t any activity this whole first quarter of 2022, and for a reason that may well need a lot of explanation. My 2021 ended with a spiritual drought. I was thirsty, parched…

Solemnity of the Lord’s Epiphany Lots of people are often surprised that there is no mention of the term “three kings” in the Gospel readings connected to the Solemnity of the Epiphany. There is no mention of the names of Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar either. What’s often overlooked in the…

On the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God Starting off 2022, the Gospel reading brings us once more to the manger where Jesus was born. It was probably a dark and dirty place, where donkeys used by travelers are staying, along with some sheep. Here, Luke gives us…

Realizations from the first Christmas We’ve grown familiar with a glittery, sparkly Christmas season filled with lights, color, festivity, and cheer. It’s not wrong at all, considering that it is indeed a season of joy. Yet if we look back to that first Christmas night, we have to realize that…