First Gift

"Jesus was confronted by the chief priests and the elders"

Gospel                            Mt 21:23-27

When Jesus had come into the temple area,

the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him

as he was teaching and said,

“By what authority are you doing these things? 

And who gave you this authority?” 

Jesus said to them in reply,

“I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me,

then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things. 

Where was John’s baptism from?

Was it of heavenly or of human origin?” 

They discussed this among themselves and said,

“If we say ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say to us,

‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 

But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd,

for they all regard John as a prophet.” 

So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” 

He himself said to them,

“Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Navigating Truth and Peace in a Digital World

by Cris Balla

In Matthew 21:23-27, the chief priests and elders question Jesus about His authority. Instead of giving a direct answer, He asks a question they cannot answer without trapping themselves. For me, this passage is a reminder to be discerning and courageous in standing for the truth.

As an electronics engineer, I see parallels in today’s digital age. The internet and social media have given everyone a voice, but this also brings challenges—conflicting opinions, fake news, and noise that can blur the truth. Navigating this digital landscape requires critical thinking and respect. As a pilgrim of hope, I must carefully filter the information I consume and share, ensuring it uplifts rather than divides.

Take, for example, the rise of K-pop groups like BTS or local artists like SB19 and BINI. Listening to their music (often with our four daughters), I have noticed how they use their platforms to share positive and universal messages of hope, self-love, and unity. Their songs connect millions of people and break cultural and language barriers. This is proof of how technology, when used well, can promote peace and build community.

But I think that building peace online is not passive. It requires us to engage responsibly. It means choosing kindness over negativity. It means fact-checking before sharing information. It means creating content that inspires and brings clarity, not confusion.

As an engineer, I know that signals must be filtered, cleaned, and amplified to serve their purpose. Similarly, in this digital world, I think we are called to filter out hatred, clean up misinformation, and amplify hope. By doing so, we can be the “light in the algorithms”.

And I think that if we do this, we fulfill our role as pilgrims of hope and builders of peace in an ever-changing, connected world.

Prayer

"Lord, in this digital age, guide me to seek truth and spread hope. Help me to use my voice to inspire kindness, build understanding, and promote peace. Let me be a light in the noise, sharing clarity wherever I go. Amen."

Gift for Jesus

In this digital age, let us not contribute to the negativity and hate. We must be responsible in engaging in social media; spreading only truth and love.

Cris Balla, is a loving husband to Ana Payod Balla, a member of Anluwage's Editorial board.  They have four daughters,  Cristine, Cereza, Cailin and Crysta.