The Underpinning

By Fr. Roy Cimagala If we wonder why Christ had to be baptized by St. John the Baptist, the quick answer is that Christ wanted to institute the Sacrament of Baptism, through which we would be recreated from our wounded human nature due to the sin of our first parents to a new man, a …

By Fr. Roy Cimagala There are times when we have to wait, desist from acting at the moment, and hope for a better time that will surely come, although in ways that may not be according to our expectations. We are reminded of this act of prudence in that gospel parable about the good seed …

By Fr. Roy Cimagala The Solemnity of the Lord’s Epiphany reminds us that Christ is meant for all of us, and not just a few, and like the Three Magi, we should make an effort to look for him, that is, to look for God, in everything in our lives — in the people we …

By Fr. Roy Cimagala Every New Year reminds us, of course, of another opportunity to make a new beginning in our life. This is a law that governs us in this life. We have to begin and begin again because no matter how far we have reached and how much we have gained in terms …

By Fr. Roy Cimagala With the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, celebrated this year on December 29, we are once again reminded of the crucial role the family plays in our life. The Holy Family is the standard and model of every human family. A family that strays from that …

By Fr. Roy Cimagala The joy of Christmas springs from the fact that Jesus Christ, our savior, is born. “Puer natus est nobis,” says the entrance prayer in the Christmas Mass. A child is born for us, he is Christ the Lord, our Savior. This good news should give us unspeakable joy. Whatever we may …

By Fr. Roy Cimagala Imagine the meeting between Mary and Elizabeth, the greatest women of all time, enjoying the greatest dignity, especially Mary! (cfr. Luke 1:39-45) The exchange of greetings between the two can only reflect the highest honor and privilege any human being can enjoy. Mary, already aware of being the mother of the …

By Fr. Roy Cimagala This is what we can learn from Christ who once said: “This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.” (Matthew 13:13) He continued: “Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear …

By Fr. Roy Cimagala As we enter the Third Sunday of Advent, we are reminded of how the people to whom John the Baptist preached started asking what they should do to be worthy of being baptized. (cfr. Luke 3:10-18) That’s when John the Baptist told them that, while he would baptize them by water, …

By Fr. Roy Cimagala “For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God.” (John 3:34) With these words of Christ, we are made to understand that Christ is the word of God who would lead us to eternal life. The immediate conclusion that we can derive from these words is that we should …