Dear Family of God,

Why is fraternal correction necessary?

To correct an erring brother or sister, especially when they are young, is a form of love, we call them tough love. We care enough for them that we don’t want them to persist in error that will result in self-destruction or even lead them to prison in the long run.

Dear Family of God,

Why do we display the crucified Christ instead of resurrected Christ in our Churches?

Suffering is not an end in itself; it is a pathway to glory. Jesus has taken on the full weight of human suffering and transformed it, giving it life-giving value. This is why we willingly display the crucifix instead of rejecting it.

Dear Family of God,

Have you ever heard that someone say that the Catholic Church is just a bunch of rules and regulations, do’s, and don’ts, it is against freedom?

G.K. Chesterton says: “Catholic doctrines and disciplines may be walls, but they are walls of a playground. Freedom exists only within a rule. The greatest act of freedom is obedience, not disobedience; breaking the rules does not make us happy and certainly does not make us free.”

Dear Family of God,

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus’ seemingly harsh treatment to a Canaanite woman in the end brought out the best in her. She was determined no matter what and she got what she asked for. Jesus said of her: “O Woman great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.

Dear Family of God,

What is courage? How do we acquire this virtue?

Courage or Fortitude is one of the Cardinal Virtues, CCC 1808 defines it as “the Moral Virtue that ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good.” We all need courage in order to live uprightly and with dignity especially as followers of Jesus. Only in faith with Jesus Christ that we can live our faith with courage and perseverance, not with fear and retreat.

Dear Family of God,

Last June, I had an opportunity to watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy for the 13-hour flight from Los Angeles to Manila and back. This Sunday’s Readings reminded me of the Eucharistic symbolism of this movie, especially the Lembas bread that strengthened Frodo and Sam’s bodies and spirit as they journeyed through the darkness of Modor.