449 total reads
Biyernes ng Ika-21 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon (II)
MASS PRESIDER: Rev. Fr. John Harvey Bagos
[fb_plugin video href=https://www.facebook.com/DZRV846/videos/853134209005179]
[give_form id=”72114″ show_title=”true” show_goal=”false” show_content=”none” display_style=”onpage”]
112 total reads
Amid the wave of student protests sweeping across Europe, some of which have unfortunately turned violent, I find this story from Serbia particularly refreshing.
In an October 21 opinion article in The New York Times, Serbian scholar Filip Balunović describes how a student protest movement that began almost two years ago has grown into a remarkable experiment in participatory democracy.
It began with a tragedy in November 2024, when the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad killed 16 people. The students demanded accountability for what they believed was a disaster caused by corruption and government negligence. Their protests grew into a nationwide movement challenging the government of President Aleksandar Vučić, whose party has dominated Serbian politics for 14 years.
But what is particularly inspiring is how these young people have moved beyond protesting against something to organizing themselves for something.
Instead of rallying behind a charismatic political personality, they developed a system of collective leadership and democratic decision-making. Through consultations, interviews, and deliberations involving thousands of students, they selected a slate of 250 parliamentary candidates—not merely politicians, but professors, scientists, doctors, workers, artists, and ordinary citizens.
And now, in the snap parliamentary elections this coming Sunday, October 25, this student-led movement will face the country’s entrenched political establishment.
What a fascinating David-and-Goliath story!
Of course, the outcome remains uncertain. The students themselves have suffered intimidation, arrests, and violence. But whatever happens on election day, they have already demonstrated something important: Democracy is not just about changing the people in power. It is also about changing the way power is exercised, shared, and held accountable.
I cannot help wondering what our young Filipinos might learn from this experience.
We have a generation of young people who are increasingly disillusioned with corruption, political dynasties, patronage politics, and the apparent inability of our democratic institutions to hold the powerful accountable.
But perhaps Serbia’s students are reminding us that indignation alone is not enough. Neither is merely replacing one set of political personalities with another.
What we need is a deeper renewal of our democratic culture—one that encourages participation rather than dependency, collective discernment rather than personality cults, public accountability rather than blind loyalty, and the common good rather than vested interests.
I find something profoundly hopeful in young people who refuse to surrender either to cynicism or to violence, and who are willing to undertake the patient and difficult work of building democratic institutions.
Perhaps this is the most refreshing lesson from Serbia: The young are not merely the future of democracy. They can already be among its most creative builders today.
And perhaps the real victory of David over Goliath begins long before election day—when ordinary people discover that they need not remain powerless before seemingly invincible political giants.
(Filip Balunović, The New York Times, October 21, 2026
131 total reads
Gospel Reading for October 22, 2026 – Luke 12: 49-53
INEVITABLE
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
————
It is ironic to see religions dividing people in today’s world. Worse still, religion can cause division within a family, when it is supposed to bring love and peace to the family. But as Jesus said, he would cause division even within families. This happens when family members are baptized Christians but are merely nominal Christians. When family members do not embrace or live by the teachings of Jesus, division becomes INEVITABLE.
This is even more challenging in interfaith marriages, which, according to some studies, generally experience higher rates of divorce and lower marital satisfaction than marriages between people of the same faith. Issues such as where the children will be baptized, which schools they will attend, and other religious differences can cause unnecessary stress and friction between spouses.
How important it is for family members to be on the same page as Jesus so that the family may be healthy, united, and purposeful.
Lord Jesus, may our families be Christ-centered by listening attentively to your Word and putting it into practice, so that we may enjoy love and peace in our families. Amen.
5,035 total reads
Gospel Reading for October 21, 2026 – Luke 12: 39-48
A GREAT BLESSING
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
————
“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
Indeed, when we are entrusted with much or even more, it is not something to be proud of. Rather, it is A GREAT BLESSING because we are given a mission to do something for the world and an opportunity to live a fruitful life here on earth.
If we are Church workers or volunteers, we are expected to provide excellent service to the Church community so that its members’ relationship with God may deepen and grow.
If we are executives in a company or commercial establishment, we are expected to give our best to help the company or establishment grow and prosper.
If we hold positions in government, we are expected to safeguard public funds and ensure that they are spent for the betterment of life of our citizens and on programs that alleviate the suffering of our citizens.
Luke 16:10 says, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
St. Pedro Calungsod, whose feast we celebrate today, was a young Filipino catechist who accompanied Spanish Jesuit missionaries from the Philippines to evangelize the Chamorros of the Mariana Islands.
He was killed by two natives because he was a Christian, taught the Chamorros about the faith, and helped administer the Sacrament of Baptism. Although he was killed and his body was thrown into the deep ocean, his faithfulness in fulfilling the mission entrusted to him by God meant that his killers took only his physical life, not his soul.
He may have drowned, but his spirit never did, because his martyrdom continues to inspire others to remain loyal to God, even in the face of death.
Lord, teach us to live each day as though it were our last day on earth so that we may be found worthy to share eternal life with you when you come again. Amen.
51,546 total reads
51,546 total reads Mga Kapanalig, nang tanungin ang kanyang opinyon tungkol sa umano’y pagtanggap ng pera mula sa China at Hong Kong ng isang kompanyang iniuugnay
99,418 total reads
99,418 total reads Mga Kapanalig, bumili na raw tayo ng mga timba, balde, at iba pang imbakan ng tubig bilang paghahanda sa paparating na Super El
203,365 total reads
203,365 total reads Mga Kapanalig, hindi nakatutuwang pagtawanan ang mga taong may kapansanan o persons with disability. Siguradong narinig na ninyo ang tungkol sa episode ng
289,479 total reads
289,479 total reads Kapanalig, mahalaga sa sinumang lider ang pagtataglay ng katangiang “compassion” o kabutihang loob bilang servant leadership, dalisay na pagsisilbi sa taumbayan. Sinasabi sa
357,107 total reads
357,107 total reads Mga Kapanalig, just energy transition now! Ito ang panawagan ng Diyosesis ng San Jose de Antique kung saan nakapaloob ang isla ng Semirara.
428,856 total reads
428,856 total reads Ika-28 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon (A) Tagapagdiwang: Rev. Fr. Orly Jimeno, OFM [fb_plugin video href=https://www.facebook.com/DZRV846/videos/1339410410283109] [give_form id=”72114″ show_title=”true” show_goal=”false” show_content=”none” display_style=”onpage”]
428,836 total reads
428,836 total reads Paggunita sa Mahal na Birheng Maria tuwing Sabado Tagapagdiwang: Rev. Fr. Jerome Secillano [fb_plugin video href=https://www.facebook.com/100069518821428/videos/640919728176053] [give_form id=”72114″ show_title=”true” show_goal=”false” show_content=”none” display_style=”onpage”]
428,781 total reads
428,781 total reads Paggunita sa Mahal na Birheng Maria tuwing Sabado Tagapagdiwang: Rev. Fr. Victor Sadaya, CMF [fb_plugin video href=https://www.facebook.com/DZRV846/videos/307434575241976] [give_form id=”72114″ show_title=”true” show_goal=”false” show_content=”none” display_style=”onpage”]
428,764 total reads
428,764 total reads Paggunita sa Mahal na Birheng Maria tuwing Sabado Tagapagdiwang: Rev. Fr. Joel DL. Rescober, CM [fb_plugin video href=https://www.facebook.com/DZRV846/videos/358163723302254] [give_form id=”72114″ show_title=”true” show_goal=”false” show_content=”none”
428,755 total reads
428,755 total reads Paggunita sa Mahal na Birheng Maria ng Fatima Tagapagdiwang: Rev. Fr. Joel Camaya, SDB [fb_plugin video href=https://www.facebook.com/DZRV846/videos/660940865819605] [give_form id=”72114″ show_title=”true” show_goal=”false” show_content=”none” display_style=”onpage”]
BECOME A KAPANALIG MEMBER AND EUCHARISTIC ADVOCATE!
THE PHILIPPINES CATHOLIC CHURCH ONLINE DIRECTORIES
