PAN DE LA SEMANA

15 th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) July 15, 2012 The two words that came to mind after reading today’s first reading – the sending away of Amos from Bethel and his banishment to Judah – are simply “so what?”   So what if Bethel were the “king’s sanctuary and a royal temple?” Amos, who was ruffling not just a few feathers and rattling the nerves of those who were being hard hit, just could not be tolerated any more. Amaziah himself, supposedly a “man of the cloth” sort of, acted as spokesman and told him what was almost like a death sentence for the outspoken and truthful prophet: “Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah!” Flimsy reasons; phony rationalizations! The words of Amaziah were nothing but plain baloney! Last week, we spoke partly about rejection. I reminded you about my own experience of being unwanted and downright rejected. I also reminded everyone how we share a lot of things in common, for each and everyone of us had that not-too-e...

Sixth Sunday of Easter (A) May 29, 2011   I am amazed at how people focused and bent on doing something, find every reason under the sun to justify whatever it is they want. We all know that. We always find what we are looking for. The New Agers call it the Law of Attraction, using pseudo science and pseudo spirituality to talk about attracting positive ions to oneself, by sheer force of focus and mind control.   They speak about the Age of Aquarius, replete with planets aligning and forces gathering to bring about a new age of splendor, a new age of peace, and everything nice, fine, and dandy. Wishful thinking, no less … But one has to give it to them that they do have a ready answer at hand to non-believers. The conviction with which adherents of the “flower power” movement of yore stood for what they believed, is, indeed, remarkable. So is the rabid enthusiasm of those who are for or against the RH bill in Philippine setting. Both sides are ready with reasons gal...