Beloved Son

This May 3 (Saturday), the Catholic Church celebrates the universal feast of Saints Philip and James the Less—Apostles of the Lord!

Philip and James were among the original twelve apostles that Jesus called to form the core of His Church. Both men are, therefore, given their rightful place in the liturgical calendar.

There are several mentions of Philip in the Gospels. He was likely a close friend of Peter and Andrew since he also lived in Bethsaida, their hometown. He was also proficient in Greek, as evidenced when some Greek-speaking Gentiles talked to him about the Messiah. Philip originally submitted himself as a disciple of John the Baptist and was present during the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ in the Jordan. After he accepted Jesus’ invitation to follow Him, Philip gradually became exposed to the everyday affairs of the ministry, and his personality as an extremely practical man was displayed. At the Feeding of the Five Thousand, Philip quickly pointed out that they did not have enough money to buy the required food. Likewise, at the Last Supper, he was clueless about the spiritual unity of the Father and the Son and instead insisted on a physical revelation, which Jesus quickly corrected.

James was the son of Alphaeus and Mary, two close relatives of Christ, which likely meant that James and Jesus were cousins. He is often nicknamed “the Less,” “the Just,” or “the Brother of the Lord” so as not to confuse him with another apostle named James. Unlike Philip, there is hardly any mention of James in the gospels other than that he was one of the Twelve. In the Pauline Epistles and the Acts of the Apostles, however, James had a more prominent role, serving as the first bishop of the Jerusalem diocese. When the Council of Jerusalem was convened to deal with the pressing question of whether Gentile converts should be circumcised or not, James was the last to speak in honor of his position, after which he gave pastoral advice on how best to carry out Peter’s earlier doctrinal pronouncement that the Jewish Law should no longer be held binding on Christians.

Both these men eventually shared in the martyrdom of their Master. Philip went to the Greek city of Hierapolis to preach the Good News and was crucified or beheaded, depending on the account. James the Less was thrown from the top of the Temple Tower by an angry mob of Jews. They share the same feast day because their relics were transferred to Rome simultaneously.

Many Christians tend to overemphasize the allure of heaven at the expense of earth. Thus, the tasks of daily life are seen as trivial and treated as mere stepping stones to the ultimate reward of the life to come. That has never been the position of the Church. Since Christ has both a human body and a divine nature, earth and heaven have the same importance, and to treat the former as inferior to the latter is to literally “dehumanize” Jesus.

Drawing as examples the attitude of Philip and James, who poured themselves wholeheartedly into earthly matters, we should likewise allow ourselves to be swept away with the things that demand our attention, whether as grueling as giving bread to the poor or as cerebral as studying the correct theology. Even though these works might seem transient, they are not because in God, heaven and earth kiss each other in the eternal embrace of holy matrimony.

Saints Philip the Apostle and James the Less, pray for us!


|Painting used: Saint Philip / Saint James the Less c. 1886-94 by James Tissot

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Beloved Son

This May 2 (Friday), the Catholic Church celebrates the universal memorial of Saint Athanasius of Alexandria—the Defender of Christ’s Divinity!

Athanasius was born to wealthy Egyptian parents who gave him a solid secular education. His schooling allowed him to master Greek and familiarize himself with the day’s leading philosophical and theological theories. Once, Athanasius and his friends played near the seashore and decided to baptize each other out of fun. Alexander, the bishop of Alexandria, saw them and brought them in for questioning. He discovered they had used the proper form and matter, which meant the sacrament was valid. The bishop then encouraged the boys to pursue clerical careers. Athanasius followed his advice and was ordained as a deacon.

His entrance into the Church was timely—a priest named Arius was spreading the error that Christ was not of the same godhead as the Father and was, therefore, a creature like the rest of humanity. When the bishop died, Athanasius was elected to take his place, and he focused all his knowledge and energy toward combatting the Arian movement. The debate became so intense that Athanasius was exiled no less than five times by political leaders sympathetic to the Arian cause. Even the Pope himself was sent to prison, where he was coerced into signing a pro-Arian document and excommunicating Athanasius (both orders were largely ignored since they were made under duress and possibly torture).

Due to the widespread support of kings and bishops, the crisis reached such a degree that most of Christendom became infected with the heresy. Few people supported Athanasius, but he continued his writings defending the validity of Jesus’ divinity. Eventually, the leadership changed, and the orthodox positions of the Incarnation and the Trinity slowly took root once again, allowing Athanasius to return home. He died peacefully in his sleep and is universally recognized as the main instrument that prevented Arianism from overcoming the Church.

Many Catholics today grapple with a distorted view of the Magisterium that can fall into two extremes—either the bishops must be right about everything, or the bishops must be wrong about everything. This can lead to clericalism on the one hand or rebellion on the other. The balanced attitude of Athanasius can prove enlightening to those who are reeling on the deck of Peter’s Boat because of the unsteady hands of its captains: Athanasius was adamant in defending his position but never to the point of separating himself from his colleagues. Christ’s Church is stronger than any one man, and Athanasius knew it. He remained steadfast in his defense of doctrine but did not succumb to the all-too-real temptation of thinking that the fate of Christianity depended solely on him.

The deposit of faith is always pure. Dirt may stick to its surface, but the passage of time ultimately washes away all errors.

Like Athanasius, let us remain confident in our Lord’s promise that the gates of hell will never prevail against His Church.

Saint Athanasius, pray for us!


|Painting used: Icon of Saint Athanasius by Unknown

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Beloved Son

This April 29 (Tuesday), the Catholic Church celebrates the universal memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena—the Great Peacemaker!

Catherine was the daughter of an Italian cloth merchant and was so easygoing during her childhood that they gave her the Greek nickname “Euphrosyne” (which means “Joy” in English). By the time she reached adolescence, Catherine had already dedicated her life to the Lord. Unfortunately, her parents wanted to marry her off, and in protest, Catherine went on a hunger strike and shaved her head to avoid looking attractive. Despite her rebellious nature, she saw her family as representatives of Christ and was always kind towards them.

Her mother and father ultimately surrendered, allowing Catherine to follow her own will. Women who undertook vows of celibacy usually went on to become cloistered nuns, but Catherine chose to remain a layperson. She continued living in her parents’ house (much to their annoyance since she had a habit of giving away their possessions to the poor without asking permission).

At age 21, Catherine received a vision from Jesus telling her to go on public missions on His behalf. She accepted, and Jesus gave her a wedding ring to symbolize their marriage. (Controversially, Catherine said that the ring was made of Christ’s foreskin, a rather visceral sign of their complete and total spiritual and physical bond).

For several years, Catherine embarked on various journeys, attending to clergy and laity alike, urging them to reform their lives and the Church. In particular, the papacy at that time had resettled in Avignon, France, because of political pressure from the French monarchy. Catherine wrote multiple letters to Pope Gregory XI, requesting, pleading, and even threatening him to return to Rome. The Pope finally heeded her demands and transferred the papal office back to the Vatican.

Political affairs were also not exempted from Catherine’s wrath, and she constantly meddled in them, which was relatively uncommon for a woman of that period. Eventually, Catherine became a well-known ambassador and frequently visited leaders in warring countries, attempting to convince them to sue for unity and peace. Not all her efforts were successful, but the respect she gained from both the high and low classes was undeniable.

Catherine died at the age of 33, mainly as a result of extreme fasting and mortification that reached a point wherein she could no longer voluntarily eat or drink. Her last words were the same as her Husband’s: “Father, into Your hands I commend my soul and my spirit.”

People nowadays consider peace a lack of conflict, but this is antithetical to the true peace that Catherine of Siena tried to impart. She was well aware that the problems of this world were caused by silence and discomfort in addressing the pressing issues that were right in front of everyone. Because of this conviction, Catherine became an extremely noisy peacemaker, using her voice and platform to call attention to the ills that her peers desperately tried to ignore. The number one enemy of goodwill and harmony is not conflict but denial.

Let us beg the Lord to give us the same courage that He bestowed on Catherine so that we can face difficulties in the Church and society without using the mask of respectability as an excuse to stay out of the fight.

Saint Catherine of Siena, pray for us!


|Painting used: Saint Catherine of Siena c. 1611-90 by Baldassare Franceschini

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Beloved Son

This April 27 (Sunday), the Catholic Church celebrates the universal solemnity of Divine Mercy Sunday—the Second Sunday of Easter!

Divine Mercy Sunday is a relatively recent liturgical solemnity inspired by Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who received visions from Jesus asking her to spread devotion to His compassionate heart so that sinners worldwide may find solace and comfort. To accomplish this, Christ ordered her to create a portrait of Himself highlighting His clemency for souls. He also wanted her to inaugurate the Sunday after Easter in honor of His divine mercy.

These tasks were beyond Kowalska’s capabilities (she was neither a painter nor a pope)!

God, however, ultimately provides.

The former was accomplished when Kowalska teamed up with Fr. Michał Sopoćko, a priest who believed in the authenticity of her visions. He quickly commissioned a local artist named Eugeniusz Kazimirowski to draw the artwork under the guidance of Kowalska. The result is an image where Christ is taking a step forward (symbolizing His initiative to go after the lost sheep) with His right hand raised in a sign of blessing and His left hand unveiling His Sacred Heart. Two rays of light are shooting out of His chest, one red (symbolizing His passion and blood) and the other white (symbolizing water and baptism), collectively referred to as the “Fountain of Mercy.” Emblazoned in the portrait are the iconic words: Jesus, I trust in You.

The latter was accomplished when Karol Wojtyła was elected Pope John Paul II. By the time he had ascended to the papal throne, Kowalska was long dead, and the Vatican had even suppressed veneration of the Divine Mercy because it was highly suspicious of the supposed apparition and was afraid that Polish nationalists would use the image for political reasons. By sheer coincidence (or providence), Pope John Paul II became the first non-Italian pope since the 16th century, and the fact that he also came from Poland made it even more remarkable. He was highly sympathetic towards his fellow citizens, reversed the ban, and canonized Kowalska as a saint, simultaneously instituting the Feast of Divine Mercy on the Second Sunday of Easter just like she wanted it. A plenary indulgence was even attached to the feast.

While private revelations are not infallible, the support of the magisterium and the worldwide devotion that followed make Kowalska’s claims reliable. Likewise, they are consistent with sacred scripture and tradition: Jesus, whose sole purpose in taking on human form was to liberate us from the bondage of death, has a special concern for sinners and continues to intercede for us even after His ascension to the Father.

Justice is often associated with God, but mercy is frequently set aside. On Divine Mercy Sunday, let us recognize Christ’s complete love for us, which swallows all our infidelities and constantly calls us back into communion with Him.

Jesus, King of Mercy, we trust in You!


|Painting used: Image of the Divine Mercy c. 1934 by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski

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Beloved Son

This April 20 (Sunday), the Catholic Church celebrates the universal solemnity of Easter Sunday—Christ’s Resurrection from the Dead!

Easter is the most important celebration in the Catholic Church because it celebrates Jesus’ complete and absolute victory over the power of death, humanity’s greatest enemy. In a nutshell, the resurrection was not just some fancy miracle that happened to an obscure Jewish Rabbi but God’s gift of immortality to every man and woman.

We will live forever.

Since the beginning of history, countless people have undergone quests to obtain perpetual life. The mythical “Fountain of Youth” long sought after by Spanish explorers, the cryptic “Philosopher’s Stone” that alchemists concocted in their laboratories, and even the modern fascination with superhero stories all point to an innate desire in the human psyche for an everlasting existence.

Of course, the bad news is that the things mentioned above are fantasy, the figments of imagination.

The good news is that the central gospel message is real: God became man so that we might become gods.

Today, we celebrate the first manifestation of that core truth.

While Christ’s resurrection might seem like a one-off event, the Apostles’ Creed speaks of a general resurrection of the dead at the end of time where every one of us, from the first to the last, will experience a physical form that will never end. In light of this, every Christian should no longer fear those who can destroy the body. The Father Himself will safeguard our members and raise them again.

May Easter remind us of our eternal destinies: sons and daughters of the living God.


|Painting used: The Resurrection of Christ c. 1625 by Alonso López de Herrera

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Beloved Son

This April 19 (Saturday), the Catholic Church celebrates the universal solemnity of Holy Saturday—Christ’s Descent into the Dead!

It might seem strange to have a celebration of Jesus’ body lying undisturbed in the tomb one day after His crucifixion. Still, Holy Saturday’s commemoration is not so much the inactivity on earth but rather the momentous descent of Christ’s Spirit into the realm of the dead.

Also known as the Harrowing of Hell, this event is barely mentioned in the Bible, but it is significant enough that the Church even included it in the formulation of the Apostles’ Creed: He descended into hell. The word “hell” here does not refer to the domain of the damned nor to purgatory, but rather to a spiritual prison that theologians call the “Limbo of the Fathers” or “Abraham’s Bosom,” where the souls of the just who died before Christ’s saving passion were temporarily detained.

Because God locked the gates of paradise after the fall of Adam and Eve, and since only the perfect sacrifice of His Son could break open that lock, then it stands to reason that every single man and woman who perished in a state of grace was unable to enter heaven until Jesus completed His act of selfless love.

The Harrowing of Hell occurred right after Jesus died on the cross. His spirit moved into the Limbo of the Fathers to preach the good news to the patriarchs, prophets, and all the holy souls who came before Him, finally releasing them from their bondage and leading them into the Father’s house once and for all. It is also a longstanding tradition of the Catholic Church that Adam and Eve were among the dead whom Christ rescued, bringing salvation full circle from the time of creation to the time of redemption.

We can’t directly relate to our brothers and sisters in the underworld since we’re still on our mortal pilgrimage, but we can experience the feeling of longing for something good to happen. In our quest to carry out God’s will in our lives, there is a sense of yearning, a sense of hoping that this pain and suffering will soon end and that we will be united with Christ forever. From our perspective, it might seem like a long time, but Jesus does not delay. He will arrive, and similar to how our forefathers in the old covenant hungered for their eternal rest and were not disappointed, we will also be satiated when it is our turn.

Come, Lord Jesus!


|Painting used: Harrowing of Hell c. 1430 by Fra Angelico

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Beloved Son

This April 18 (Friday), the Catholic Church celebrates the universal solemnity of Good Friday—the Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord!

Good Friday demonstrates the absolute benevolence of Christ as He sacrifices Himself to redeem fallen humanity.

As far as the specifics are concerned, however, there’s nothing “good” about the events leading up to the crucifixion. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciples fall into a deep sleep, choosing to relieve their anxiety and discomfort rather than providing much-needed succor to Christ. Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ best friends, soon arrives with a cadre of guards to arrest Him. As an added insult, Judas doesn’t just point Christ out but sarcastically kisses him on the cheek. From there, Jesus is temporarily detained and embarrassed in front of the Sanhedrin, who appoint false witnesses to bring trumped-up charges against Him. When morning breaks, He is shuffled back and forth between Pilate and Herod, two godless politicians who consider Him a nuisance and want nothing to do with His fate. Despite acknowledging His innocence, Pilate condemns Christ to death after significant pressure from a mob composed of Jesus’ fellow Jews, many of whom were probably the beneficiaries of His miracles and teachings. Then Christ is brutally whipped with iron-tipped scourges, crowned with sharp spikes, and led out in an ignoble procession down the Via Dolorosa Street (most likely naked since this was what the Romans did to condemned prisoners). His own Mother, along with other women, sees Him in this miserable state. Exhausted from the ordeal and the weight of the wood on His back, Jesus fails in his strength to the point where He falls three times, and upon arriving at Calvary, He endures another six hours of suffering as He is nailed to His cross. While hanging, the spectators, including another prisoner, mock Him relentlessly. Finally, He dies and is hurriedly buried without the proper ceremony because His few remaining friends were fearful of transgressing the impending Sabbath rest, a rest that Christ Himself instituted.

All of this is rather disgusting, and they should not be treated any other way since the crucifixion was the worst act of rebellion in history.

And yet, we call it “Good” because God, foreseeing that humanity tends not to believe in mere words alone unless actions back them up, decided to demonstrate His love in the most visceral way possible. The physical cause of death was shock and blood loss, but spiritually, Jesus died of a broken heart, rejected by those whom He desperately wanted to marry.

As gory as it is, the image of Christ crucified is a constant reminder of our tendency to spurn God’s love in favor of worldly idols. Let us not sentimentalize it. Instead, let us learn from our mistakes, repent, and heal the split in Jesus’ Spirit, cut in two because of our sins and infidelities.


|Painting used: Isenheim Altarpiece - First View c. 1512-16 by Matthias Grünewald

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Beloved Son

This April 17 (Thursday), the Catholic Church celebrates the universal solemnity of Maundy Thursday—the Lord’s Last Supper!

Maundy Thursday occurs just before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. Several significant events happen in these 24 hours commemorated by the Catholic Church, foremost of which is Christ’s final meal with His apostles. It is during this solemn Passover dinner that He delivers a lengthy discourse about the new commandment of love written in the hearts of men that will transcend the old Jewish commandment of the Mosaic Law written in stone tablets, hence the name “Maundy,” which is derived from the Latin word “mandatum” (or “commandment” in English).

During the Last Supper, the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Holy Orders were established. At the table, Jesus blessed bread and wine, gave them to His disciples, and told them that the food was His body and blood to be broken and poured out for the whole world. He also explicitly instructed them to do this in memory of Him. The Council of Trent has dogmatized these verses to mean that Christ instituted transubstantiation and the ministerial priesthood.

Since then, the successors of the Twelve have allowed Christians in every generation to experience God’s abundant generosity in Masses worldwide, where Christ transcends space and time and becomes truly and fully present in His body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Holy Eucharist.

As if this were not enough, Jesus also demonstrated the meaning of greatness to His followers by washing their feet, a practice of servant-leadership that is on display in today’s vigil ceremony. Maundy Thursday is likewise the time of the year when the sacred oil (called “chrism”) used in baptism, confirmation, holy orders, anointing of the sick, and several other rites is consecrated by the bishops and distributed to their dioceses. It serves as a sign of unity for the faithful towards their respective episcopal leaders.

In the flurry of all these activities, it’s easy to lose sight of the grand picture: Christ, with only a few hours left on earth and faced with the prospect of a ruthless death, still chose to stay and teach His apostles the true meaning of sacrifice. It’s a sobering thought.

May we also follow Jesus and not run away from danger when our own Maundy Thursday arrives.


|Painting used: Christ Washing the Feet of the Apostles c. 1475 by Master of the Housebook

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Beloved Son

This April 13 (Sunday), the Catholic Church celebrates the universal solemnity of Palm Sunday—the Triumphant Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem!

Palm Sunday is the official beginning of Holy Week, a seven-day period when the events of our Lord’s passion unfold. The grand reception of Christ into Jerusalem was triggered right after he publicly resurrected his friend Lazarus from the dead. News of this divine miracle quickly spread throughout Israel, so when Jesus finally entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, a huge crowd gathered and shouted, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Many disciples waved palm branches and laid their cloaks before His path.

All of these actions were direct references to prophecies in the Old Testament—the procession was parallel to Solomon’s coronation in 1st Kings, the donkey was specifically mentioned in Zechariah, the crowd’s chants were connected to verses in Psalm 118, the palm branches (symbols of victory) were an allusion to Israel’s liberation from the Greeks in 1st Maccabees, and the cloaks on Jesus’ way was the customary “red-carpet treatment” for welcoming the arrival of stately rulers.

Passover became a significant festival that brought with it a nationalistic zeal for the coming of the Messiah (who many believed to be Jesus), and the main reason for the raucous fanfare was that the Jews were eagerly awaiting their liberation from Roman oppression. Naturally, this caught the attention of the Scribes and Pharisees, who had already been plotting Christ’s murder. It gave them the perfect excuse to commit it a few days later by accusing Jesus of being a revolutionary.

In paintings that depict this scene, the Jews are usually portrayed as wild and celebratory. In contrast, only two beings are seen as stoic and calm. The first is Jesus, who knows that the people ready to crown Him as their King will be the same ones who will shout for His crucifixion on Good Friday. The second, surprisingly, is the donkey, who, in its animal nature, is immune from the pride that infects human beings and can thus ignore the flattering words that are being showered their way.

Sometimes, it’s tough to emulate Christ since His power and majesty are often beyond our willingness to reach. However, we can most certainly lower ourselves to the attitude displayed by the donkey by carrying the commandments of Jesus in our hearts and shouldering the burdens that they impose on our bodies. When the Lord arrives to claim His throne, let us remain aloof and indifferent to the temptation of gaining honor among men, knowing full well that they will turn on us in our moments of weakness, and cling only to the One who will never abandon us in our darkest hours.

Hosanna in the highest!


|Painting used: The Procession in the Streets of Jerusalem c. 1886-94 by James Tissot

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Beloved Son

This March 30 (Sunday), the Catholic Church celebrates Laetare Sunday—the Fourth Sunday of Lent!

Laetare Sunday is approximately the halfway point of the Lenten season. It comes from the Latin word “laetare,” which means “to rejoice,” a reference to Isaiah 66, which foretells the imminent arrival of the Messiah to Jerusalem to rescue His people. This prophecy will be fulfilled on Palm Sunday when Jesus is welcomed as King of the Jews, and ultimately on Easter Sunday, when death is finally destroyed after Christ’s resurrection. Priests are required to wear unique rose-colored vestments when celebrating Mass today, a color that symbolizes joy.

Traditionally, Laetare Sunday is also called Mothering Sunday because many Christians follow the custom of visiting the church where they were baptized—it is a show of appreciation for their entrance into the Catholic Church, who is the mother of us all.

At first glance, Laetare Sunday might seem out of place, mainly since it’s celebrated during Lent, a time marked by sorrow and repentance. A more cynical view would be to see it as a convenient excuse to abandon the fasting and mortification practices expected from Catholics because it is one of the few days during the Lenten season when feasting and relaxation are allowed. Its true purpose, however, is to serve as a reminder of the Eternal Tomorrow. No matter how much suffering there is in life, they will all ultimately end someday, and what’s waiting for us on the other side is joy beyond expectation. The devil works by narrowing our field of vision so that we end up despairing over our present circumstances. Conversely, God points us to our future and asks us to be patient with our cross. After the Passion always comes the Resurrection, and Laetare Sunday, much like the Transfiguration of Christ, is a brief respite amid our trials here on earth, giving us the strength to carry on while whetting our insatiable appetite for heaven, our true home.

May you use this day to reinforce your faith and prepare yourself for the last stretch of the journey, knowing that all your sacrifices will be worth it at the Final Judgment.


|Photo used: Golden Rose c. 1818-19 by Giuseppe and Pietro Paolo Spagna

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