Ross Dizon
Palms of Martyrdom, of Witness
Jesus is the faithful witness and the King of martyrs. To welcome him means to follow him to the end with palms in...
Holy and Just in the Sight of God
Jesus ushers in the new creation. He comes to make all things new. Hence, he wants us to be just and holy. The...
Come to Our Senses about Our Sins
Jesus is divine mercy in person. Hence, he is ready to forgive us if we come to our senses and decide to turn back to...
Fruit of Righteousness that the Kingdom Demands
The fruit of righteousness comes through Jesus Christ for the praise and glory of God. And those who remain in Jesus and he in them bear much fruit. God expects righteousness from his people. In fact, God’s people prove themselves before him through the fruit of...
Petty and Narrow Self-Interests
Jesus dies for us sinners. That is how the God of unfathomable goodness proves his love for us as petty and stingy as we are. Our petty desires for gain, power and security hinder the revelation of truth. And not knowing the truth leads to people’s...
Forsake the Ways and Thoughts of the World
Jesus teaches us to forsake the ways and thoughts of the world. Replacing them with those of God, we become fools before the world, yet wise before God. To forsake the needy is a sure sign that one follows the ways and thoughts of the world. And the parable of the...
Forgive as our heavenly Father Forgives
Jesus calls us to repentance and forgiveness. And we heed his call in so far as we are ready to forgive our brothers and sisters. The Gospel teaches that we are to avoid those who refuse to listen even to the community. But the teaching is no reason not to forgive...
Name that Is above Every Other Name
Christ is the reason why his followers bear the name of Christians. They are other Christs, then, anointed to announce repentance and the kingdom of God. Jesus assures those who gather in his name and pray together that they will receive what they ask. And it will...
Strongly Following the Ways of God
Christ himself is the fulfillment of God’s strongly expressed intent to do something new. Those who are one with Christ are the new creation. Jesus shows that he must suffer greatly, die and then rise. Peter strongly disagrees and rebukes him. But who could blame...
Knowledge for Christian Service
Knowledge of Christ is what matters above all. Those who know him receive in trust keys of authority to serve others faithfully and caringly. The Father, Lord of heaven and earth, gives to the childlike the knowledge he hides from those who are wise. Peter is among...
Caring for Those in the Outskirts
To see Jesus is to see the merciful God who is caring towards those in the outskirts who cry out to him. Jesus is a Jew. It seems he is even portrayed as siding with those who show their contempt for the Gentiles by calling them dogs or swine. This closed and...
Astounding Very Much Indeed!
Jesus, the astounding Son of Man, will astound us even at the last judgment. He wants us to put him in the center. Among other things, the way Jesus teaches is astounding. He teaches with authority. This means, says St. Gregory the Great, that his authority does...