Good fruits require good plants, good soil, and a good gardener Luke 13:1-9. The parable of the fig tree What does it mean to be converted? To be transfigured? To undergo metamorphosis? Real transformation cannot happen to a basic entity alone without any interaction with other entities, similar to how fig trees cannot bear fruit […]
Authentic righteousness is fair and merciful Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a. Joseph finds out about Mary’s pregnancy Imagine you are a man engaged to a woman, then suddenly, you find out that the woman you are engaged with is pregnant, and you did not have intercourse with this woman. What would you reasonably conclude? Most likely, […]
Caring means enabling the plant to bear fruit Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46. The Kingdom of God will be taken away from evil men and given to a people that will produce its fruit The reward is in giving, caring, and loving. The reward is the act of enabling a plant to bear fruit or enabling a […]
Ignorance versus innocence Luke 16:19-31. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus It’s very convenient to turn a blind eye to the suffering around us. Our temporary comfort can feel like a distraction from those who need us, and in this sense, indeed, ignorance is bliss. Do ignorance and innocence mean the same thing? […]
Finding authenticity in the leadership roles and positions we play Matthew 20:17-28. The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve When we know people holding positions of power, we naturally strive to build goodwill with that leader so that we may gain some sort of favor. Consistent with the previous […]
Listen to the speaker’s “good talks”, but do not follow the speaker’s “bad walks” Matthew 23:1-12. The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses Sometimes, we humans do not walk our talk. We have heard countless horror stories coming from moral authorities and ethicists preaching what is supposed to […]
Competing with one’s self Luke 6:36-38. Because the standard you use will be the standard used for you The prayer for serenity, courage, and wisdom is a very beautiful prayer because it makes us reflect about our reasonable controllables and non-controllables. One thing I learned in studying a critical realist view of causality is the […]
In pursuit of personal change Luke 9:28b-36. The transfiguration of Jesus The transfiguration is a mystical event, a form of literal metamorphosis; a radical change or conversion. Should we aspire for our own version of transfiguration? I do not think it is necessary. I remember one of my dad’s favorite quotes he uses in his […]
Doing and being good is not without pain Matthew 5:43-48. Love your enemies The Christian calling is to go above what is required or expected. Doing so entails sacrifices. Fasting and abstinence during lent are reminders that the path to virtue is not without pain; there are sacrifices and suffering along the way. How do […]
Righteousness is not self-righteousness Matthew 5:20-26. Righteousness that surpasses Pharisees and scribes The Pharisees have become experts of self-righteousness, complying with the letter of the commandments for the sake of spectacle. The challenge is to go beyond or even avoid spectacle for appearance’s sake, for what matters is what a person or organization does outside […]