April 2019

Talk: Role of the Youth in the Church slideshow by Rev. Fr. Napoleon B. Sipalay, Jr., OP 46th HNS National Convention, Century Park Hotel, Manila download here   * To download our slideshow file, right-click (or click and hold on a Macintosh) on the file link and select "Save Target As..." or "Save Link As..." , then navigate to the location on your drive where you want to save the file.

January 2015

National Executive Board Retreat slideshow Betania Retreat House, Tagaytay City download here   * To download our slideshow file, right-click (or click and hold on a Macintosh) on the file link and select "Save Target As..." or "Save Link As..." , then navigate to the location on your drive where you want to save the file.

February 28, 2013

"Pilate had an inscription placed on the cross which read: JESUS THE NAZAREAN, KING OF THE JEWS. The inscription in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek was read by many of the Jews... The chief priests complained to Pilate, "You should not have written, 'The King of the Jews.' Write instead, 'This man claimed to be the king of the Jews.'" Pilate answered: "What I have written, I have written." The letters "INRI" are initials for the Latin title that Pontius Pilate had written over the head of Jesus Christ on the cross (Jn 19:19). The words read "IESUS NAZARENUS REX IUDAEORUM," JESUS of NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS." Pontius Pilate forever will be remembered as the one who passed judgment for the crucifixion of Jesus upon the insinuation of the angry Jews who accused Him of blasphemy by saying: He is the Son of God. He washed his hands as a gesture of ridding himself of guilt by condemning an innocent man. On the one hand, Pilate named Jesus King with the inscription placed on the cross, that invites people to look up and pay homage with reverence, and “to whom every knee must bend." Reflection: Jesus Christ is King not only of the Jews, but the whole of humanity. His crucifixion is His crowning glory culminated in His resurrection and ascension into heaven. We look up to Him as King who reigns out of love and peace. The cross that was the symbol of death becomes the symbol of life, the symbol of condemnation becomes the symbol of justification, the symbol of shame becomes the symbol salvation. When we make the sign of the cross, we profess Jesus our King as we invoke the Holy Trinity to bless our very being!

February 21, 2013

JESUS CHRIST: The Latin Iesus represents the Hebrew and Aramaic Yesu'a, a late form of Hebrew Yehosu'a (cf Joshua). The name Yeshua was very common in the New Testament times. The meaning of the name "Yahweh is my salvation" is alluded in Mt 1:21 and Lk 2:21. The title of "savior" refers to Jesus who is the "light and salvation" of the world. The Greek christos is translated in Hebrew masi'ah, "anointed one." Therefore, the name Jesus Christ means "Anointed Savior" (See, McKenzie, SJ, John, Dictionary of the Bible, New York: MacMillan Publishing, 1965) . The monogram IHS means Iesus Hominum Salvator, Jesus Savior of the Men. And the ancient Christian symbol of the Greek ICHTHUS meaning fish is the acronym of Iesos Christos Theou Yios Soter, Jesus Christ Son of God, Savior. To give utmost reverence to the name of Jesus as our Lord and Savior, St. Paul wrote to the Philippians: So that at Jesus' Name, every knee must bend. In the heavens, on the earth, and under the earth; And every tongue proclaim to the glory of God the Father, JESUS CHRIST IS LORD! Reflection: In my life Jesus Christ is my Lord and Master. He is the light that shines in the darkness and that brightens my path. He is the Good Shepherd that "brings me to green pastures and living waters; that though I walk in the valley of the darkness I fear no evil for He is always with me" (Psalm 23).