PAN DE LA SEMANA

28 th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A October 12, 2014 IN WANT. IN PLENTY. BLEST. IN ALL THINGS! Everybody loves a feast. Fiesta, in rustic Philippine settings, had always been a day to look forward to and look back to. It was, and still is, a time to splurge, a day to be thankful, an occasion to celebrate. All sorts of mirth-making are done with abandon, at least for one whole day in the year. Fiestas in the Philippines refer to ALL. All are invited. All are happy. All are in the mood to act and behave like life is good … all the time. All stops are figuratively pulled to do that once-a-year celebration without restraint. Why do I think of such things today, you might ask? Simple. All three readings are profuse about giving all, doing all, sharing all … to all … for all sorts of reasons … “in verdant pastures,” with “cups overflowing,” “all the days of our lives.” I am one who can appreciate a glass of good, rich, ...

18 th Sunday Year C August 4, 2013 ABAJO, ARRIBA, A DENTRO! Hispanics use this all the time when celebrating (and eating and drinking) wih friends. They sound to me exactly like what the three readings today speak about. The first reading, from Qoheleth, tells us what it means to be focused solely on the things of this world, on things and activities below – a bajo – here on this mortal earth. And what wisdom does he offer us? He says it’s all vanity. “Vanity of vanities!” But just like friends toasting one another before a drink, we need to raise things to a higher level. Like Paul did. He counsels us to “seek what is above, not what is on earth.” He advises us to set our sights on the higher realities of life, not merely on things that are below. Arriba! This is what he tells us to do. But there is more … In the Gospel passage from Luke, we are confronted with two brothers who apparently are wrangling about material goods...