God gave His word to mankind
The real problem in this life is our great love for ourselves. As such, we tend to attribute all our laurels to no one but ourselves. God, in our natural experience, seems to be just another Grandpa in our trying times. We don’t see some big deal with Him. We don’t give God the honor and glory due Him as our Heavenly Father and Creator. Our mind and heart are all focused on ourselves, on our money, job, or our relationships. Even in our deathbed, we tend to call God only as an Emergency Assistant. We all have the great love for ourselves and less love for our God.
How is one piece of wood, the so-called Black Narazene, making both news and history every January of each year in the Philippines since Catholic “devotees” worshiped it as a miraculous idol for hundreds of years? The Black Nazarene symbolizes the ordinary Filipinos’ Catholicism and devotion to a god made of wood. “Not at all,” protested the learned academicians and intellectuals who were into the Black Nazarene worship, too. It is how deep the Black Nazarene cult has permeated into the matrix of the Filipino faith system for over 200 years.
When Christ cried out with a loud voice: “Lazarus come forth!,” the other dead Lazaruses didn’t rise–only the brother of Mary and Martha. There’s a big difference if you’re KNOWN of the Lord. People claim they know Jesus; but does Christ KNOW them? Are we experiencing Christ’s ownership of our soul?
Jun P. Espina 1 min read
Updated on February 17th, 2020
What is a Feminist Movement and how relevant it is to our understanding of marital and family relationships? Is the assertion of most wives that they are better off without their weak husbands the ideal model to follow?
Jun P. Espina 1 min read
Updated on February 17th, 2020
Today is Valentine’s Day, a feast of Saint Valentine to a few Christian denominations—the day we traditionally send flowers or love notes or a valentine’s card or a text message to our special loved one. The question is: Is it relevant today? Is it meaningful? Is it necessary?
Wikipedia says that “The first recorded association of Valentine’s Day with romantic love is in Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer. Chaucer wrote: “For this was on seynt Volantynys day Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make. [‘For this was on Saint Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.’]”
I like Chaucer’s description of Valentine’s Day: “to choose his mate.” Or, that Valentine’s Day is the special day for lovers or married people or for someone who’s in love (definitely not the kind of love you have for your sick grandfather, neither that so-called love for the same sex—but rather, for the opposite sex!). It is the day you and your sweetheart would want to have more fun together, more celebration to your relationship.
Understanding erotic love. The love of the opposite sex is very unstable among our youth. Why? Because of the idealism of the young for perfection, fame, money, and good looks. Hence, a long engagement is essential before marriage. The lovers need to first clear up the cobwebs of youthful dreams for a life partner. For proof that it is so, one study shows that a year of relationship before marriage is much better compared to a rush union.