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The ADVOCATEs, Hilongos (2026)

26/05/2026

Today's Gospel(May 27, 2026)
Mark 10:32-45

At that time: The disciples were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the Twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise.” And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him, and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the chalice that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The chalice that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the Ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

TODAY’S REFLECTION:
There is always a natural tendency to desire, among other things, to be the first, the leader, to be the head. Jesus is not against such desires. He only explains that to be the first or the head is to be a servant. The acceptable leadership position in Christianity is servant leadership. A leader is a servant, not a lord. A leader serves, does not dominate. A leader cares rather than controls. A leader honours the flock, does not demand respect. A leader leads by example, not by directives. A leader is a symbol of love, not a symbol of power. Anyone desiring to be first or to be in the lead must be willing to serve.

Let us pray:
Grant us, O Lord, we pray, that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and that your Church may rejoice, untroubled in her devotion. Amen.

Have a good day and God bless!

25/05/2026

Today's Gospel(May 26, 2026)
Mark 10:28-31
ST PHILIP NERI, PRIEST (MEMORIAL)

At that time: Peter began to say to Jesus, “Behold, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you; there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many that are first will be last, and the last first.”

TODAY’S REFLECTION:
It is true that following Jesus has its pain. Joyfully enough, it also has an immeasurable reward. Interestingly, Jesus teaches that the greater one’s following the greater one’s reward. A great reward awaits all who leave everything to follow Jesus. To follow Jesus is to put your trust in nothing that is not God, that is not perfect, that is not noble, that is not charitable, that is not true, and that is not holy. To follow Jesus is to free your mind from the worries of the world, the desires of the flesh, the pride of life, and the lust of the eyes. To follow Jesus is to take total refuge in the grace of God.

TODAY’S SAINT AND QUOTE:
St Philip Neri – May 26th

-A man without prayer is an animal without the use of reason.
-If we wish to keep peace with our neighbor, we should never remind anyone of his natural defects.
-Bear the cross and do not make the cross bear you.

Let us pray:
O God, who never cease to bestow the glory of holiness on the faithful servants you raise up for yourself, graciously grant that the Holy Spirit may kindle in us that fire with which he wonderfully filled the heart of Saint Philip Neri. Amen.

Have a good day and God bless!

24/05/2026

Today's Gospel(May 25, 2026)
John 19:25-34
MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH (MEMORIAL)

Stand by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciples there whom he loved, he said to his mother. “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold you mother,” And from that hour the disciples took her into his home. After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled. Jesus said, “I thirst.” There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head he handed over the spirit. Now since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the Sabbath, for the Sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and them of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

TODAY’S REFLECTION:
Today we celebrate the feast of Mary, Mother of the Church – MATER ECCLESIAE. Mary’s role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it. This unbreakable union of Mother and Son in the work of salvation is made manifest from the time of Christ’s virginal conception up to His passion and death. Thus the Blessed Mother advanced in her pilgrimage of faith and faithfully persevered in her relationship with her Son the intensity of His suffering. On the cross, our dying plan, enduring with her only son the intensity of His suffering. On the cross, our dying Savior gave His mother to his beloved disciple. This marked the beginning of another level of her relationship with the disciples, up to the Pentecost event and even after Mary, you who are truly the Mother of the Church, pray for us!

Let us pray:
Blessed Mother, guide me to love your Son more deeply. Help me to live with your faith, peace, and humility. Amen.

Have a good day and God bless!

23/05/2026

Today's Gospel(May 24, 2026)
John 20:19-23
PENTECOST SUNDAY (SOLEMNITY)

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

TODAY’S REFLECTION:
At Pentecost, we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and Mary, giving birth to the church that courageously bears witness to the risen Lord, Jesus’ promise of sending an Advocate to guide his disciples is fulfilled. The Holy Spirit is sent for a purpose… to remind the disciples of the teachings of Jesus and to instruct them further; to invest the apostles with the authority to forgive sins; to build up the faith and unity of the Christian community through various gifts of the spirit. Today, there is a major renewal of interest in the Holy Spirit and spiritual charisms. Unfortunately, however, many ‘gifts of the spirit’ are restricted to spectacular, extraordinary and momentary phenomena which often become a cause of rivalry, conflict and division. Charisms that build up faith and unity in the Christian community, and lead to greater understanding, forgiveness and service, are true signs of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

PENTECOST DAY:
The purpose of Pentecost is the introduction to God doing something He has never done before, that of filling the faithful with His Holy Spirit. The purpose is that we become witness to His character, presence, power and authority. Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and other disciples following the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ ( Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2), and it marks the beginning of the Christian church’s mission to the world PENTECOST.

Let us pray:
O God, who by the mystery of today’s great feast sanctify your whole Church in every people and nation, pour out, we pray, the gifts of the Holy Spirit across the face of the earth and, with the divine grace that was at work when the Gospel was first proclaimed, fill now once more the hearts of believers. Amen.

Have a wonderful Pentecost Sunday ahead and God bless!

22/05/2026

Novena to the Holy Spirit
Day 9 - The Fruits of the Holy Spirit

In preparation for the upcoming Pentecost Sunday this May 24, 2024.

22/05/2026

Today's Gospel(May 23, 2026)
John 21:20-25

At that time: Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had lain close to his breast at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!” The saying spread abroad among the brethren that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

TODAY’S REFLECTION:
Not all that Jesus did and said is exhaustive in the Sacred Scripture because the scripture itself attested to this. The Gospel of John tells us that there are also many other things which Jesus did that no single book can contain (John 21:25). The Sacred Scripture is the written tradition. There is also the oral tradition. The scripture itself reveals it, “so then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth [oral tradition] or by letter [written tradition]” (2 Thess. 2:15). Let us hold firm to the traditions we received. Let us not be deceived by those who say, “Scripture alone”.

Let us pray:
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that we who have celebrated the paschal festivities may by your gift hold fast to them in the way that we live our lives.

Have a good day and God bless!

21/05/2026

Novena to the Holy Spirit
Day 8 - The Gift of Wisdom

In preparation for the upcoming Pentecost Sunday this May 24, 2024.

21/05/2026

Today's Gospel(May 22, 2026)
John 21:15-19
ST RITA OF CASCIA, RELIGIOUS

When [Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and] they had finished breakfast, he said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you fastened your own belt and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will fasten your belt for you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, “Follow me.”

TODAY’S REFLECTION:
Love is something to give and receive. It is good to love and allow yourself to be loved. One should dispose oneself to receive love. To love without having a disposition to receive love is selfishness. One can love without being lustful and receive love without defiling the body. Some people are so closed-up that they do not allow anyone to show them love. By this very gesture of Peter’s reassurance of his love to Jesus today, Jesus also shows through this encounter with Peter that one who loves should allow himself or herself to be loved. Do not resist love. To love is not enough, we should also allow ourselves to be loved.

Let us pray:
O God, who by the glorification of your Christ and the light of the Holy Spirit have unlocked for us the gates of eternity, grant, we pray, that, partaking of so great a gift, our devotion may grow deeper and our faith be strengthened. Amen.

Have a good day and God bless!

20/05/2026

Novena to the Holy Spirit
Day 7 - The Gift of Counsel

In preparation for the upcoming Pentecost Sunday this May 24, 2024.

20/05/2026

Today's Gospel(May 21, 2026)
John 17:20-26

At that time: [Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed, saying,] “I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory which you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to behold my glory which you have given me in your love for me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you; and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

TODAY’S REFLECTION:
Unity is divine as it marks the presence of the Lord. The Jews who gathered against Paul were divided into two parties, the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Division weakened their plan. Jesus prayed that the disciples may be one because he knows the danger of disunity. We must avoid those things that contribute to disunity among Christians such as calumny, dissension, insincerity, gossip, selfishness, pride, arrogance, self-centeredness, selfish ambition, discrimination, tribalism, nepotism, and favourism.

Let us pray:
May your Spirit, O Lord, we pray, imbue us powerfully with spiritual gifts, that he may give us a mind pleasing to you, and graciously conform us to your will. Amen.

Have a good day and God bless!

The ADVOCATEs

26/05/2026

25/05/2026

24/05/2026

23/05/2026

22/05/2026

22/05/2026

21/05/2026

21/05/2026

20/05/2026

20/05/2026

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