Star of Hope (Epiphany Sunday A)

When did giving hope become wrong?

I recall an episode of the TV series Honesto . In one powerful scene, Lourdes—the adoptive mother—is anxious because her son longs to know his real father. She is disturbed that people around the child are giving him hope. Then her old father, Lemuel, gently but firmly confronts her and asks: "When did it become bad to give hope?" Lourdes answers defensively, "When you know there is no hope!" But Lemuel looks at her and says with wisdom: "There is always hope. Just be afraid of losing the child."

That question echoes in our hearts today: When did hope become something to fear?

The Feast of the Epiphany gives us a clear answer: it is never wrong to give hope. What is wrong is extinguishing hope out of fear, insecurity, or selfishness.

Star of Hope in a Dark World. In today's Gospel (Mt 2:1-12), a star appears—a star of hope . It leads the wise men through darkness, uncertainty, and long journeys until they find the Child, Jesus. This star announces that God has entered history , that light has broken into the night, and that salvation is not only for Israel but for all nations .

Yet not everyone welcomed this hope.

King Herod, the most powerful man in the land, was deeply troubled. Why? Because hope threatens those who cling to power, control, and fear. What was good news for the poor and the searching became a danger for the insecure. So Herod plotted death instead of welcoming life.

Here we see a painful truth: hope can be resisted —especially by those who benefit from darkness.

The Enemies of Hope: Fear, Resignation, and Pessimism. If we are honest, sometimes we are like Herod . Sometimes we are like Lourdes before her awakening. We hesitate to allow others to hope.

What are the enemies of hope today?

Fatalistic resignation : "This is just life." We tell ourselves and others that poverty, corruption, injustice, and violence are unchangeable—that this is our destiny.

Defeatist pessimism : We no longer believe that honesty can triumph, that leaders can be accountable, that peace is possible. Everything is mocked, doubted, and dismissed.

Crab mentality and fear of being left behind : When someone tries to rise, to change, to dream, we pull them down—because their hope exposes our own fear.

These attitudes become especially dangerous amid the current struggles of our country--- corruption that steals from the future of our children;  workers and farmers barely surviving;  families burdened by rising prices and job insecurity;  young people tempted to leave the country—or worse, to give up on life.

When hope is crushed, despair grows. And despair is not from God.

Becoming Missionaries and Stars of Hope. The Epiphany invites us to make a choice: Will we be Herods—or wise men?

The wise men did not stop at darkness. They journeyed . They searched . They trusted the light they were given , even if it was just a star.
Hope is not passive. Hope walks. Hope seeks. Hope believes that God is already at work, even when we do not yet see the full picture.

Pope Francis, in his Bull for the Jubilee of Hope, reminds us: "Hope does not disappoint, because it is born of love and grounded in the love that flows from the pierced heart of Jesus." This is why Christian hope survives corruption, poverty, and suffering—because it is anchored not in politics or power, but in Christ.

To be Christians today is to be missionaries of hope : In our families, by refusing to give up on one another; in our communities, by choosing honesty over convenience; in our nation, by believing that change is possible and working for it; in our Church, by pointing people not to ourselves, but to Christ.

When we carry Christ in our hearts, we ourselves become stars —guiding those who are lost, comforting those who are tired, and reminding those in darkness that God has not abandoned them.

It is never wrong to give hope. Hope is lost only when we surrender to fear and despair. As we celebrate this Epiphany, may we seek the Lord like the wise men and dare to become bearers of hope in a wounded world. To those walking in darkness today, may they find light in us.

When did it become a bad thing to give hope? Never. Because our hope is the Lord.

Guarding Jesus in the Home (Holy Family A)

In today’s Gospel, a short phrase appears again and again. The angel says to Joseph: “Take the child and his mother” (Mt 2:13, 20, 21).

This is Joseph’s mission. This is the mission of the Holy Family: to guard the Child.

Jesus enters the world as a fragile baby, and Herod wants to destroy Him. God could have sent angels, armies, fire and power—but no. He entrusts His Son to a family. To the care of a father and mother. Today, we hear those same words directed to us: “Take the child and his mother.”

Take Jesus into your home. Guard His presence in your children, in your marriage, and in the vulnerable families around you.

The family is the guardian of the Child Jesus today. Let us reflect on this in three points:

Families Under Threat: Guarding Christ in the Home

The angel warns Joseph: “Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him” (Mt 2:13). Herod is afraid of losing power, and his fear becomes violence. Today, there are still “Herods”—not a king with soldiers, but forces that enter our homes and threaten faith: A culture of distraction that leaves no time for God; media and content that destroy innocence and distort truth; consumerism that teaches: “You are what you have,” instead of “You are loved by God;” conflict and unforgiveness that choke love.

The Holy Family teaches us that holiness does not mean having a perfect life. They were poor, displaced, afraid, and in danger—yet they stayed faithful. They protected the Child. So how do we guard Jesus in our homes?

• Guard the atmosphere. What enters the house—words, content, music, attitudes? Ask: Would Jesus feel at home here?

• Guard prayer and Sunday. If work, sports, and entertainment always come first, and God is always the one sacrificed, then the Child Jesus disappears quietly.

• Guard relationships. Simple habits—“please,” “thank you,” “I’m sorry”—protect love and keep Christ at the center.

Pope Francis reminds us in Amoris Laetitia: “The home must be the place where we learn the beauty of faith, to pray and to serve our neighbour” (AL 287). So first, guard Jesus in your home.

Joseph the Guardian: Parents as First Protectors of Faith

Joseph never speaks in Scripture, but he moves. He obeys. He acts. The Gospel describes him with verbs:.“He rose, took the child and his mother… departed” (Mt 2:14).

This shows the mission of parents today: not just to provide things, but to protect faith. Guarding Jesus in the home is not about having religious decorations only. It is about choices: Being present—not just physically, but with attention and love; setting boundaries on gadgets, content, and influences; modeling the faith—children learn more from what they see than what they hear.

Pope Francis calls Joseph “creatively courageous.” Parents today need that same creativity: to pray—even 1 minute—if that’s all you can handle; to make faith concrete—acts of kindness, generosity, honesty; to talk about blessings—“Where did we see God today?”

The family is the first Church, the first school of love, the first mission field.

Reaching Out: Caring for Displaced & Struggling Families

The Holy Family begins their story as refugees: “He departed for Egypt” (Mt 2:14). Jesus, Mary and Joseph experience what many Filipino families experience today: Displacement from typhoons, floods or earthquakes; separation due to poverty or work abroad; migration for safety or survival; homelessness and unemployment in our own barangays.

If Jesus were born today, He might be born in an evacuation center, in a small shanty, or in a home where parents are far away. To guard the Child Jesus today means not only guarding Him in our home, but also seeking Him in the homes of others—especially where life is most fragile.

So let us ask: Who are the “Egypt families” around us? Families running away from hunger, debt, or danger?

This year, can our families accompany a struggling neighbor? Or share goods with someone displaced by calamity? Or perhaps offer prayer and friendship, not just money?

Not all of us can solve poverty. Not all can rebuild homes. But every family can love.

When we protect the poor, we protect Jesus. When we sit with the wounded, we sit with Jesus.

Conclusion. Every family here has struggles. The Holy Family did too. But God was with them—and He is with us. So today, let us ask for the grace to hear the call: “Take the child and his mother.”

Take Jesus home. Put Him at the center. Guard His presence in your house and in this wounded world. 

Joseph’s Magnanimous Heart (4th Sunday Advent A)

Joseph is another important Advent figure as attested to by today’s gospel account of “The annunciation to Joseph.” Let us train our gaze onto him and be edified by his display of a magnanimous heart as he participates in the preparation of the coming of the Messiah.

Let me recall first a romantic film, Till I Met You. In this movie, Gabriel (Robin Padilla) and Luisa (Regine Velasquez) meet in the hacienda of Señor Manuel (Eddie Garcia). Gabriel is the trusted right-hand man of the haciendero, Señor Manuel and he has only deep respect for the generous old man; he loves him as his own father because Manuel has supported him since his childhood. Now, Gabriel slowly falls in love with Luisa as he knows her better even her wounded past. But Luisa is staying there in the hacienda in preparation for her wedding with Señor Manuel. Should Gabriel fight for his love and pursue the lovable Luisa? Or should he forget about his feelings out of his deep respect for the old man?

In Filipino, we have a word for giving up something precious to oneself for the interest of someone else whom one deeply cares about—pagpaparaya. Of course, Gabriel cannot betray the old man whom he respects deeply. Kailangan niyang magparaya. So, he painfully decides not to get in the way between Luisa and Señor Manuel.

In today’s gospel (Mt 1:18-24), we can view Joseph’s reaction to his knowledge about Mary’s virginal conception as an act of “pagpaparaya”—giving up the love of his life out of deep reverence for God. Verse 19 states, “Joseph, being a just man… resolved to send her away quietly.” Joseph could not take as his wife a woman whom God had chosen to be his own. Fr. Nil Guillemette, SJ explains: The “justice” of Joseph is a religious justice and prevents him from stepping in uninvited into God’s plan of salvation by assuming the paternity of the Messiah.”

Yet, in a dream, Joseph got invited into this huge plan of salvation. The angel Gabriel announced to him the mystery of incarnation: “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She has conceived by the Holy Spirit, and now she will bear a son.” Part of this mystery was his role in this great plan: “You shall call him ‘Jesus’ for he will save his people from their sins” (v. 20-21). To this, Joseph responded with willingness.

What stands out in this gospel reading is Joseph’s magnanimous heart. This is shown in two ways: In his selfless love and in his committed love.

Joseph’s Selfless Love. Joseph loved Mary. His love for her was never possessive. When he learned of Mary’s pregnancy and, perhaps, of Mary’s own explanation even before the dream, Joseph was willing to let her go. Not with a bitter heart but a magnanimous heart seeking only whatever is good for his beloved and maintaining deep reverence for God’s plan. Handang magparaya. Letting go of something or someone very precious to oneself for a better cause calls for a magnanimous heart. It’s an act of selfless love.

Kaya ko bang magparaya? Do I have what it takes to give up something dear to me for a greater cause without turning bitter? We are all called to love. Loving in its essence is selfless. Yet, many a times we suffer from fixation to our childish neediness. To survive as a child, we necessarily demand attention and care for ourselves for we live in total dependence on others. But we need to outgrow the needy child in us; for we are called to become mature people capable of loving selflessly. This Advent season, try to think of yourself less and less and reach out to those who are in need. Give up something precious to you for the sake of another whom you care about. Pray for the grace of selfless love.

Joseph’s Committed Love. While Joseph was willing to let Mary go very carefully as not to disgrace her, he was magnanimous in yet another way as he manifested willingness to commit himself to God’s purpose. When the angel Gabriel announced to him his important role to be the legal father of Jesus by the act of naming him, He willingly obeyed. He saw his own purpose in life. God had chosen him for this. It was not a coincidence that he was a descendant of David; his acceptance conferred the same Davidic lineage to Jesus, thus, fulfilling what had been prophesied about the Messiah who was to come from the line of David.

Joseph is great because he embraced with a committed love his God-designated purpose in life. We are called to the same greatness too. To lead a great life is to live according to the purpose God has designated for each one of us. No one among us is an accident. God is not a clumsy Creator. He is the God of order and harmony and of wise designs. He has a purpose for his every act. He has a purpose for each one of us. Our task is to discern, by reflection, by self-examination, or even through our dreams, what on earth are we here for? And then like Joseph, may we have a big heart to embrace our own calling.

To end, let’s go back to the film: Señor Manuel and Luisa are preparing now for their wedding. Gabriel is willing to sacrifice his love for Luisa. Little did he know, Señor Manuel has known Gabriel’s feelings and the sacrifice he and Luisa are willing to take. The good old man, then, declares that there’s not going to be a wedding. He knows that Luisa and Gabriel, these two persons dear to him, will be much happier and fulfilled together. So the story ends with another person’s display of a magnanimous heart. It’s edifying to watch a great person.

This Advent season, let us aspire to be great, like Joseph, by cultivating a magnanimous heart—a heart willing to love and lose for a greater cause and a heart willing to love and embrace the purpose God has set for our lives.