Wednesday, February 25, 2026

The Greatest Miracle

February 25, 2026
Wednesday of the First Week of Lent
Readings for Today

Jonah by Lawrence OP, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

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While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” Luke 11:29

Today’s Gospel takes place during the midpoint of Jesus’ public ministry. By this time, He had healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, preached many powerful sermons, and changed many hearts. Despite that, many in the crowds did not believe in Him and demanded more signs.

Additionally, the Pharisees were becoming increasingly hostile toward our Lord. In Luke’s Gospel, they confront and criticize Jesus several times before this passage. In today’s Gospel, Jesus addresses His rebuke to these Pharisees and the unbelieving crowds.

If Jesus’ generation was “an evil generation,” what would He say about our own? In many ways, we are becoming a global culture. While there are countless faithful followers of Christ worldwide, evil seems to be more pervasive today, perhaps more noticeable due to the ease of worldwide communication.

Though Jesus delivered His sermons to specific people in His time, His words transcend time and are meant for every generation. When He says, “This generation is an evil generation…,” we must understand that He is also speaking to us today.

When Jesus says His generation “seeks a sign,” He points out a common human temptation. Many approach the Gospel skeptically, demanding irrefutable proof that they should change their lives, believe in the Good News, and abandon sin. In today’s world, some even glorify sin, treating virtue as outdated or foolish. This distorted outlook leads many to disregard the most important sign of all—Jesus’ Death and Resurrection.

Yet Jesus is clear: “…no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” Jonah’s three days in the belly of the fish prefigured Jesus’ three days in the tomb. In other words, Jesus’ Death and Resurrection is the one and only sign given to us. This is striking because so many fail to pay attention to this ultimate sign of salvation. In the end, we can only change ourselves and hope that our conversion becomes a witness to others.

Do you believe in this sign? Do you believe that Jesus’ Life, Death, and Resurrection is the sole path to salvation? Most likely, you do. But how deep is that belief?

Though Jesus performed many miracles during His earthly ministry, He did so as a response to the faith already present in those around Him. Today, the same is true. Physical miracles mean little compared to the saving Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. They are merely reflections of the greatest miracle—eternal salvation. If you truly want to witness a miracle, turn to this supreme gift of grace and mercy. Believe with all your heart, and you will witness the transformation of your soul, which is the greatest miracle of all.

Reflect today on Jesus’ rebuke of the evil surrounding us, which demands proof but refuses to see the one sign that truly matters. The only proof Jesus offers is the grace that transforms us. When we discover and embrace this grace, we will know, believe, and be changed. Open your heart to the miracle of conversion that God desires to bestow upon you, and become a witness of Christ’s greatest miracle for others to see.

My miraculous Lord, though many in every age seek superficial signs, You offer the one true miracle that brings salvation—Your Life, Death, and Resurrection. Please help me to believe with unwavering faith, and protect me from the evil of this generation. Transform my heart so that I may be the fruit of the miracle You wish to give to the world. Jesus, I trust in You.
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Tuesday, February 24, 2026

How to Pray

February 24, 2026
Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
Readings for Today

Image via Adobe Stock

Video

Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This is how you are to pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name…” Matthew 6:7–8

Prayer is so essential to our spiritual lives that we should strive to live in a state of constant prayer, all day, every day. However, saying prayers is very different from truly praying. Jesus begins by teaching that prayer is not about “babbling many words.” We do not pray to change God’s mind or to convince Him to do our will. That is not the essence of prayer. Jesus is very clear: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

So, how do you pray? Do you come to God with a list of requests, thinking that if you ask enough or in the right way, He will grant your wishes? Consider how a child might plead with a parent until the parent finally gives in. Is this how God wants us to approach Him in prayer? Certainly not.

Prayer must be constant—asking, pleading, and even begging—but for what? Should we beg God to conform to what we think is best? No. True prayer is when we ask, plead, and beg that God change us and conform us to His perfect will.

The Our Father teaches us both the sentiments and content of true prayer. We begin by acknowledging who God is—our loving and intimate Father who dwells in Heaven. Though He is transcendent and beyond us, He is also near, like a father who lovingly watches over His children.

God is holy—wholly other, perfect in every way, the Holy One. For this reason, we adore Him, proclaiming that even His name is holy.

What do we ask of God in prayer? Not that He fulfills our will, but that “Thy will be done!” His will is accomplished when His Kingdom is established in our lives—when He governs us and we live in obedience to His every precept. This requires deep trust and surrender.

We also ask for our “daily bread,” which includes all that we need materially and spiritually. We must trust that God will never forsake us as long as we remain faithful to Him. He always provides. Those who rely on worldly riches rather than on God’s providence may find themselves spiritually impoverished, so we ask God to provide for every need according to His will.

One of our greatest needs is for forgiveness. We all sin and are in need of mercy, which only God can provide. However, God’s forgiveness comes with a condition—we must forgive others as well. If we do not extend forgiveness to others, we cannot fully receive it ourselves. True forgiveness, once received, transforms us so profoundly that it must overflow to others as freely and abundantly as it was given to us.

The Lord’s Prayer concludes by acknowledging the reality of the evil one and the temptations that surround us. Only God’s grace can protect us from these snares. This truth should lead us to complete dependence on God's grace and on the ministry of His angels to guard and guide us.

Reflect today on how you pray, especially when you recite the Our Father. Do you fully understand what you are saying? Do you believe it with all your heart? Your Father in Heaven knows your needs. Trust Him, turn to Him, acknowledge His holiness, worship Him, rely on His providence, seek and extend forgiveness, and allow Him to protect you from evil. If you do, you will pray as Jesus desires.

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Jesus, I trust in You.
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Monday, February 23, 2026

HUSTISYA WALANG HANGGANAN: When Sovereignty Becomes a Shield for Impunity

Tindig Pilipino 
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HUSTISYA WALANG HANGGANAN: When Sovereignty Becomes a Shield for Impunity
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Hindi nakakatawa. Hindi rin ito simpleng political drama.
This is what happens when justice gets locked out of its own house.
Paulit-ulit nating naririnig ang sigaw:
“𝐈𝐂𝐂 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐭𝐲!”
Pero ang tanong:
𝐍𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐠𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐤𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚?
Because let’s be brutally honest.
Hindi basta-basta sumugod sa ICC ang mga pamilya ng EJK victims.
They didn’t wake up one day and say, “Let’s go international.”
They went there because 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨.
Sa Pilipinas, for years, the cases barely moved.
Complaints stalled.
Witnesses were terrified.
Investigations crawled.
Habang ang libu-libong bangkay ay nakahandusay sa kalsada, ang hustisya naman ay nakahandusay sa filing cabinet.
And that is exactly why the ICC exists.
Hindi ito first option.
Ito ang huling hantungan kapag pumalya ang sariling sistema.
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📍
The Truth They Don’t Want You to Remember
Fact check muna.
The Philippines 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐂𝐂 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟏 when it ratified the Rome Statute.
Hindi tayo pinilit.
Hindi tayo ginipit.
Hindi tayo sinakop.
𝐖𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗, when the withdrawal became effective.
At dahil member tayo noon, the 𝐈𝐂𝐂 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟏 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗 - kabilang ang drug war killings.
Hindi ito foreign interference.
Ito ay enforcement ng treaty na tayo mismo ang sumang-ayon.
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📍
Why Duterte, Go, and Bato Ended Up There
Ito ang pinakaimportanteng punto na pilit binubura sa narrative:
The ICC case didn’t exist because of politics.
It existed because 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬.
Under international law, the ICC only acts 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞.
At iyon ang masakit na katotohanan.
Domestic accountability mechanisms were widely seen as ineffective - which is precisely why the ICC investigation moved forward.
Kaya napunta sa ICC ang kaso ni Duterte - kasama ang mga alleged co-perpetrators like Bong Go and Bato dela Rosa - dahil:
Hindi umusad ang hustisya sa loob ng bansa.
Hindi dahil sa foreign interference.
Kundi dahil sa kawalan ng accountability.
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📍
The Sovereignty Argument - A Convenient Illusion
Kaya kapag sinasabi ng PDP na ito ay “panghihimasok,”
they are flipping the narrative.
Hindi ICC ang sumira sa soberanya.
𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐚 𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐚.
Because sovereignty does NOT mean:
👉
the power to kill without consequence
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the power to silence victims
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the power to block justice forever
𝐒𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.
Responsibility to protect citizens.
Responsibility to investigate crimes.
Responsibility to prosecute wrongdoing.
Kapag nabigo ang hustisya sa loob ng bansa,
hindi ICC ang dapat sisihin.
Ang gobyernong nagbulag-bulagan.
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🛑
The Brutal Irony
They shout “national dignity” today -
yet thousands died without dignity yesterday.
They shout “independence” now -
yet victims’ families had to seek justice abroad because they had none at home.
At ito ang pinakamatinding reality check:
The ICC is not proof that the Philippines lost sovereignty.
It is proof that some leaders abused it.
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Final Words
Kapag ang soberanya ay ginamit bilang panangga sa krimen -
hindi na iyon kalayaan.
It becomes a hiding place.
Because in the end, one truth stands taller than any political slogan:
𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲.
Hindi hadlang ang bandila sa katotohanan.
At kapag isinara ang korte sa loob ng bansa,
ang mundo mismo ang magiging hukom.
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📚 SOURCES:
- The Manila Times: PDP: Go, ‘Bato’ indictment illegal (Feb 16, 2026)
- Inquirer: Dela Rosa, Go, Aguirre, 5 others bared as Duterte ‘co-perpetrators’ (Feb
- Georgetown Journal of International Affairs: The ICC Investigation and Accountability in the Philippines (Jan 28, 2022)
- International Criminal Court: ICC welcomes the Philippines as a new State Party (Nov 8, 2011)
- Coalition for the International Criminal Court: The Philippines’ membership in the ICC comes to an end (March 15, 2019)
- Human Rights Watch: Philippines: ICC Hearing to Confirm Duterte Charges (Feb 16, 2026)
- International Criminal Court: Situation in the Philippines: Rodrigo Roa Duterte in ICC custody (March 12, 1025)
- UP Institute of International Legal Studies: Frequently asked questions on the arrest, surrender and proceedings involving President Duterte at the International Criminal Court
- Human Rights Watch: International Criminal Court’s Philippines Investigation (Feb 13, 2023)
- Human Rights Watch: ICC Authorizes Resumed Philippines Investigation (Jan 27, 2023)
- Just Security: The ICC Has Jurisdiction Over Rodrigo Duterte’s Drug War Crimes (Aug 7, 2025)
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