Saturday, December 15, 2012

Gospel:
The crowds asked John the Baptist, "What should we do?" He said to them in reply, "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise." Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He answered them, "Stop collecting more than what is prescribed." Soldiers also asked him, "And what is it that we should do?" He told them, "Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages."

Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying, "I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people.
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My Reflections
A boy was taught by his father that there was only one way to be happy and it was none other than to accumulate wealth. He imbibed his father’s teachings so he studied very hard and he eventually became one of the very rich in their town. On his quest to acquire worldly treasures he stepped on the toes of many people, he created many enemies on his way up and upon reaching the pinnacle of his ambition he became greedy and he subsequently discovered that it was very lonely at the top.  

He was on his quest once again to find the magic formula to happiness so he went to a wise old man in the mountain to seek his advice. The wise old man gave him only one advice: Learn to share whatever you have for it is in sharing that you will find happiness. He followed the wise advice and he felt happiness as he had never felt it before.

In our gospel the crowds asked John the Baptist, "What should we do?" (This was in response to John’s call for them to repent) John said to them in reply, "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise." Perhaps the crowds were becoming self-centered already. They only cared for their own needs and never on the needs of their fellowmen.

The season of Christmas is not about what we will receive. It is about what we can freely share. The real essence of Christmas is in sharing not in receiving. Let us try to wholeheartedly share and we will feel the highest degree of happiness that we would not be able to feel when we accept gifts.

On this third Sunday of advent John the Baptist message is loud and clear it is about learning to share no matter how little so long as it comes from the bottom of our hearts. Let us share to the poor, to those who are badly in need, let us share to those who cannot pay back our generosity. There are many of them in poor communities and in places affected by disasters and calamities. Like our brothers and sisters who were badly affected by the devastating  typhoon named Bopha or Pablo in Mindanao.
  
Let us bring Jesus to them by generously sharing whatever we can give. …

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Milagros Mila O. Dasmarinas November 28 1948 - November 27, 2012)



Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace.  Amen. 

Please offer Mass for her intentions and please remember her in your prayers.

Thank you for everything and Farewell to you my Dear auntie Mila.  . . .

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Cardinal-designate Luis Tagle, 55, of Manila, Philippines. A future Pope?

Excerpt: 
The second youngest of six cardinals announced Oct. 24 is widely lauded for his theological gifts and his humility. Cardinal-designate Luis Tagle, 55, of Manila, Philippines, “really takes care of people … he’s so simple and generous and there’s no class structure when he deals with people; everyone is equal in his eyes,” said Nemie Anciado, a longtime custodian at the cathedral in Imus, Philippines, where the cardinal-designate was bishop from 2001 to 2011.


Please click on this link for the whole article:

Cardinal-designate Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle’s feelings regarding his appointment and his views on the topics in the current (October 2012) Synod.

Please click this link:


http://media01.radiovaticana.va/audiomp3/00340269.MP3

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

No to Reproductive Health (RH) Bill: By Dr. Bernardo M. Villegas

Excerpts: 
A recent report from Bloomberg (one of the leading business news agencies) was just headlined “Philippines Leads in Demographic Dividend of Supply of Young Workers.” The very bullish article about the Philippines—just echoing many others that have come out since the beginning of the current year—pointed out that the so-called demographic dividend from a rising supply of young workers is one reason Japan’s second-largest shipbuilder expanded in the Philippines, where workers are on average half the age of its Japanese employees.  Passing the RH Bill would literally be killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Already China and Thailand—still with relatively large populations—are suffering from labor shortages because of the rapid aging  of their populations over the last decade or so. According to Nobel prize winner George Akerlof, who combines the study of economics and psychology, contraceptives tend to degrade marriage and lead to more extramarital sex, more fatherless children, more single mothers and more psychologically troubled adolescents. Harvard Director of AIDS Prevention, Edward C. Green, once wrote that according to the best evidence available, condoms give a false sense of security and prompt people to be more reckless in assuming sexual risks, thus worsening the spread of the sexually transmitted diseases. Thailand, which has the highest incidence of AIDS-HIV in East Asia, could be cited as a testimony to this.

Please click this link to read the full article:

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Jesse M. Robredo, (May 27, 1958-Aug. 18, 2012)

Farewell to a great Filipino, an honest, simple and humble public servant. A model family man, a true man of God and of faith, a true man of the poor (Jessie M. Robredo, May 27, 1958-Aug. 18, 2012). 

Eternal rest grant unto him o Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

My Reflections for Sunday August 5, Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time John 6:24-35


Gospel:
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they found him across the sea they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" Jesus answered them and said, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal." So they said to him, "What can we do to accomplish the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent." So they said to him, "What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.? So Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

So they said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst."
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My Reflections:
There’s a saint named Catherine of Siena, she was badly sick during the latter part of her life that she would spew out every kind of food that she swallowed. What sustained her during that crucial period of her life was her daily reception of Jesus through Holy Communion. She was sustained for a number of years by the Bread of Life until she eventually died.

Jesus in our gospel for this Sunday boldly tells us that He is our true bread of life that we must look for, the true bread of life that we must always hunger for. Why? Because once we find Jesus we will never hunger and thirst any longer for the material things of this world which in reality is very fleeting and can be taken away from  us anytime.

There are people who treat material possession, money, power, influence and the like as their own bread of life. However this is not the real bread of life but the bread of the world. There’s no satisfaction with this bread of this world because the more that we possess it the more that we crave for it. We will continuously hunger and thirst for this bread of the world until it completely possess and destroy us.

There’s a true story of a woman who complained about her pressure packed work. She grumbled that since her re- employment she is now often sick with high blood pressure, ulcer and other sickness caused by her pressure packed work. Her friend asked her why she keeps on working when she can comfortably live for the rest of her life  with her deposited money in the bank. 

Her curt reply was this: she wants to save some more because she will buy a much bigger house. This is always the scenario once we allow ourselves to be enslaved by the bread of this world: We will endlessly crave for things and possession even if we actually don’t need it anymore.

But what if we seek the true Bread of Life that is Jesus? We will be satisfied with whatever we have, we will not crave for material possession or wealth we will not experience so much pressure. We will instead be serene and peaceful because Jesus the true Bread of Life is with us.

Let us always hold close in our hearts this very powerful statement of Jesus: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." (John 6:35)

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

What is LENT?

Aggie Catholics: LENT 2012: Once again, it is time for our Aggie Catholics annual Lenten mega-post . Links, videos, and resources will be added and updated thro...

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

My Reflections for Saturday February 4; 1st reading 1st Kings 3:4-13


My Reflections:
In our first reading the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said: "Ask something of me and I will give it to you." Solomon did not ask for any material things; he instead asked for an understanding heart to judge the people and to distinguish right from wrong. Why did Solomon ask for this wisdom instead of temporary things?

Because the most important things in this world are not those that are seen or perceive by our worldly senses. The most important things are those that are felt by our hearts and minds. It doesn’t matter anymore if we are not rich if we don’t have power. It’s enough that we are able to guide, nurture and mentor those who are in our sphere of influence.

The legacy that lasts is not the structures that we’ve built but the hearts that we've touched and converted.

If the Lord will give us the same opportunity what will we ask from Him? 

Monday, January 2, 2012

My Reflections for January 6 Friday Luke 3:23-38

My Reflections:
Death is a unifying factor in the family for example during wake. We will be introduced to relatives whom we have never seen in our entire lives. Then we normally talk with them; through this we will be able to trace how we are intricately connected.

As we talk with our relatives let us take this opportunity to get to know them better. Let us be nice and helpful towards them and let us humble ourselves before them.  

Who knows with these behaviors we might be the instruments for them to get closer to Jesus. …