Reflection for Sunday January 25, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time; Mark 1:14-20

Gospel: Mark 1:14-20

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

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Reflection:

What is the prerequisite in following Jesus? Its repentance and belief in His gospel message, we cannot follow without repentance and firm belief in His gospel message.

 When Simon, Andrew, James and John responded to His call they did not simply respond. Along with their response to Jesus came their desire to repent. They also did not only leave behind them their livelihood and families they also left behind their sinfulness or anything that made them sin.

When the four of them went along with Jesus to become fishers of men they were already renewed by Jesus. They were also equipped by Jesus with practically anything that they would be needing as they go about their mission.

What is the relevance of the gospel to us and to our faith life? We too are being called by Jesus to a life of renewal and repentance. We too are being called by Jesus to follow Him and become fishers of men. Why does Jesus calls us to a life of renewal and repentance? This is for the reason that we are all sinners, no one of us is sinless.

The recent visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines was not only a visit per se. It was also a clarion call for all of us for a life of renewal and repentance. Hundreds and millions of us went to the streets to see the Pope and to greet him. What now after that encounter with Pope Francis?

Let us not waste our encounter with the Pope by doing nothing let us allow it to move us towards our renewal and repentance. The visit of the Pope was also Jesus' direct call to all of us to follow Him so that we too could become His instruments of renewal and repentance by doing so we become fishers of men too!    

To positively respond to Jesus' call of repentance and belief in His gospel message is the best action that we could ever do to our life.

What are we going to do to this call of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for January 24, Saturday; St. Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor; Mark 3:20-21

Gospel: Mark 3:20-21

Jesus came with his disciples into the house. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.

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Reflection:

What happens when we get to serious with our vocation for the Lord? They normally would label us as someone who is out of his/her mind. For example when we prioritize God over money, when we shun friends even relatives from our environment friends/relatives who do not bring us any good. and instead we focus our time and energy  for the glory of God. They would really label us as somebody who is out of his/her mind.

But come to think of it, who is out of his/her mind? Those who focus their time and energy for the greater glory of God or those who focus their time and energy to this world only? If you focus your attention to this world what will happen to you when you die? Where will you end up if you allow yourself to be possessed by this world?  

Jesus was labeled as out of His mind for the reason that He was very zealous in His mission for the Lord. He allowed Himself to be possessed by His mission for the Lord rather than embrace worldliness.

There really are people who will not understand us for the things that we do for the greater glory of God. We must move on nevertheless and continue doing our mission for Jesus. Let us just pray for the enlightenment of those who do not understand or refuse to understand what we do for the Lord.  – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for January 23, Friday of the Second Week; Mark 3:13-19

Gospel: Mark 3:13-19

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: He appointed the Twelve: Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee,and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

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Reflection:

What is the relevance of the selection of the twelve apostles to you? It reminds you that you also have a mission for the propagation of the faith. You may say, I know nothing about the faith therefore I can do nothing for I know nothing.

The twelve that was chosen by Jesus know nothing also about the faith; many of them were in fact laborers and sinners. Yet they were called by Jesus to follow Him. Therefore to say that you know nothing is not an excuse because you will know if you will only try to know something about the faith.

Jesus will not fail you He will even equip you so that from knowing nothing you will now know something. And this something that Jesus will give you will soon grow if you will continue to respond to His call.  

Be not afraid to respond, be not afraid to dive into the deep waters of our faith for Jesus will always be with you. Begin your mission in your family first which is your domestic church. Gently evangelize them about Jesus and about our Roman Catholic faith through your healing words and actions. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for January 22, Thursday of the Second Week; Mark 3:7-12

Gospel: Mark 3:7-12

Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” He warned them sternly not to make him known.

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Reflection:

Do you always go to Jesus in prayer everyday? It’s is a must for all of us believers so that He could always bless and heal us.  If we will not sought Jesus, to where would we go? We go after the ephemeral riches that this world is always offering us?  

Until we become hooked to the many temporal offerings of this world. Then slowly but surely the devil will see to it that he gets hold of us as we go after the many tempting offerings of this world.

In our gospel people from all over the place went after Jesus because they knew that only Jesus could heal and help them. They sought Jesus like a priceless diamond so that they could be healed of their many sickness.

Let us learn from them by seeking Jesus as well in everyday of our life through our prayers, our presence at Holy Mass and other forms of devotions that will show our deep love for Jesus.  Let us not wait for the time that we are already sick before we embrace Jesus.

Let us go to Him now so that as we go on with our journey in this world we will have Jesus journeying also with us by our side. And as He journeys with us He will surely see to it that He will always be there for us. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for January 21, Wednesday Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr; Mark 3:1-6

Gospel: Mark 3:1-6

Jesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched Jesus closely to see if he would cure him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.” Then he said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

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Reflection:

Do you always help when you see somebody in need of help? Or you sometimes make excuses so that you would not be obliged to help. Like pretending not to see anyone who is in need of your help. For example you see a poor man who is in dire need of help, what are you going to do to that poor man? Pretend not to see his obvious need of help?

When Jesus went to the synagogue there was this man with a withered hand. He did not ask Jesus for help but Jesus knew that he needed help so Jesus called him and right after restored his withered hand.

All of us also encounter people who are in need of our help. Perhaps many of us simply pretend not to see them for we don’t want to be disturbed. But there are those who would proactively go out of their way to give help even if they are not asked and these people are like Jesus and they have the heart of Jesus.

Let us always be proactive when we give help and let us always be sensitive to their needs. For there really are people who will not ask for help even if they obviously need help. They will simply leave everything in the hands of God and keep silent in the midst of their agony and distress. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for January 20, Tuesday of the Second Week; Mark 2:23-28

Gospel: Mark  2:23-28

As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. At this the Pharisees said to him “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath? He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest  and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions? Then he said to them “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

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Reflection:

Why was Jesus so popular with the common people of His time? Because He violates some religious norms for the greater good of the people that He loves so dearly.  For example the picking of grain during Sabbath day, doing this was prohibited based on the Jewish religion. But Jesus dared to violate this law for the good of His disciples.

Laws or religious norms are good for the reason that it will teach us obedience and discipline. But there are times that we have to violate it so that it could serve a higher and nobler purpose. In the gospel the nobler or higher purpose why Jesus violated the Sabbath law was to feed the hungry stomachs of His disciples.

Jesus violated the Sabbath law for the reason that humans are more important that laws. We  can amend a law or extinguish the life of a law but are we willing to extinguish the life of a human being to serve the law?

In a deeper sense Jesus is teaching us that the important need of a person (In this case the need for food) is far more important than any law. For Jesus it’s always the good of His followers than the observance of any kind of religious law/s.

This norm of Jesus stands until today we are His priority more than any other rule/law in this world. How about us, is Jesus our priority more than any other undertaking in this world? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for January 19, Monday of the Second Week; Mark 2:18-22

Gospel: Mark 2:18-22

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to Jesus and objected, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast? Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them and then they will fast on that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

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Reflection:

What is Jesus desire for you? It’s to transform you so that you could become fresh wineskin so that He could pour Himself into you. Jesus is the new wine and you are the old wineskin but Jesus doesn’t want you to become old wineskin which cannot accept His renewing presence. He wants you to be renewed or to be the fresh wineskin so that He could come into your life.

What makes us old wineskins or what makes us unworthy for the presence of Jesus? It’s our many sins, these many sins makes us unworthy to Jesus. Nevertheless, Jesus is also offering Himself to us so that he could cleanse us and make us new once again

Will you let Jesus into your life so that He could make things new for you? Or you will continue to shut your heart to Jesus? The choice is yours, if you want to remain contained in the old wineskin of sin or you allow Jesus to renew you and liberate you  from sin.

The correct choice is always to allow Jesus entry into your life and to allow Jesus to make things new in your life once again. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for Sunday January 18, Feast of the Sto.Nino; Mark 10:13-16

Gospel: Mark 10:13-16

People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child* will not enter it.” Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

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Reflection:

There were two best friends who grew-up and eventually grew old still in constant touch with each other. When they were already in their seventies they were sharing stories about their children. Best friend number one (1) was so proud of her children for they became very successful in their respective careers and family life. Best friend number one’s children were also very loving and caring towards their parents.

Best friend number two’s children were the complete opposite of the children of best friend number one (1). Best friend number two’s children had unstable jobs and their respective married life was in turmoil.

While the two best friends were conversing, best friend number two told best friend number one: “I envy you for your children have very good and fulfilled life, while my children have no decent life that they could speak of.

All of us want our children to grow up like the children of best friend number one (1). Successful in their respective careers and family life and caring and loving to their parents as well. What is the key here? The key is to bring your children to Jesus.

In our gospel when Jesus saw His disciples preventing the children from going toward Him He scolded them and told them: “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these (Mark 10:14).

When you bring your children to Jesus great things will happen to them as they grow up. Great not because they will become very rich materially, great because they will grow up being blessed and guided by Jesus.

Can you imagine the great blessings that your children will receive if you would always bring them with you to attend Holy Mass? Can you imagine the spiritual blessing that your children will receive if you would introduce them about the life and teachings of Jesus through the bible? They will grow up to become responsible and God loving children, they will become children that will love and take care of their parents.

Do you always bring your children to Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Welcome Pope Francis!

Reflection for January 16 Friday of the First Week; Mark 2:1-12

Gospel: Mark 2:1-12

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth” –he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.” He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

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Reflection:

What will you do if a sick person who is poor will ask you for help? Will you bring him to a hospital or would you simply ignore and move-on with your life?

The gospel for today gives us a direction on what to do whenever somebody asks us for help regardless of who this somebody is. We must help in whatever way the person in need this was the deed that was done by the four men who went to the roof of the house where Jesus was staying.

The four men brought the paralytic to Jesus. They did not care if they have to open the roof of the house so that they could bring the paralytic in front of Jesus. What is important for them is to extend help to the paralytic in whatever forms and ways.  

What happened to the four men after the paralytic was healed and forgiven of his sins by Jesus? They simply faded away into the sunset; they did not receive any words of appreciation from the crowd and from the man that they’ve helped. But certainly as they walked away and mingled with the ordinary folks. They carried in their hearts this unexplainable joy, joy that no human could give them and joy that no amount of money could buy them. 

This unexplainable joy was given to them by Jesus for a job well done. And for getting out of their own comfort zones so that they could give comfort and help to someone in need.

How about you, what would you do if a sick person who is poor will ask you for help? – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for January 15 Thursday of the First Week; Mark 1:40-45

Gospel: Mark 1:40-45

A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean. Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean. The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them. The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

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Reflection:

Who does the leper represent today? It’s all of us who are sinners! When Jesus was approached by the leper Jesus did not run away from Him. He instead had pity on the leper, offered his healing hand to touch and clean him of his contagious sickness.  

For the reason of their sickness lepers were treated us outcast they were not allowed to mingle with the people. For fear that they may pass on their sickness to those that they would be in touch with. But Jesus never run from the leper He instead did the contrary by offering His healing hand and right there the man was immediately healed.

This is Jesus for all of us! Merciful, full of love and compassion for all of us. Never minding if we are sinners and never judgmental with the sins that we have committed. What is important for Jesus is we approach Him with humility.

 We bare ourselves to Him and tell Him, I strip myself of anything that makes me unworthy before you O Lord heal me. Let us remember that nothing is impossible for Jesus, He makes all things possible including the impossible.

What are the sins that you have committed?  Do you think that you are already unworthy for the reason of your many sins? You are still worthy and precious in the eyes of Jesus. Humbly approach Him and tell Him: Heal me O Lord! – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Reflection for January 14 Wednesday of the First Week; Mark 1:29-39

Gospel: Mark 1:29-39

On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

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Reflection:

Is prayer for healing always part of your daily petitions to Jesus? Perhaps not because we oftentimes confine Jesus’ healing to physical sickness. But in reality Jesus  doesn’t only heal physical sickness He can heal everything that ails us. For example our sickness called arrogance, our sickness called greed, our sickness called lust and so forth. All of these can be healed by Jesus.

There’s a story of an arrogant man who would always want to dominate anyone who would be associated with him. Eventually he noticed that he would always be deserted by his friends. He also became aware that even his family would oftentimes avoid being associated with him.

He knew deep in his heart that the reason of their aversion towards him was caused by his dominating and arrogant behavior. So he prayed to Jesus and asked Him to heal him of his arrogance. After a few weeks he notice a change in his behavior from being arrogant he became more humble, understanding and not anymore dominating like a boss. With His healing of his arrogance he gained more friends and his harmony with his family was restored.  

We must not confine Jesus healing to physical healing only for the simple reason that Jesus physical healings are but a surface of His healing power. Jesus can heal everything that ails us, including sickness that nobody knows except us; we simply have to prayerfully ask Him for this healing.

Have we prayed to Jesus to heal us of our arrogance our greed, our domineering attitude and our many more hidden sickness that nobody  knows except us? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for January 13 Tuesday of the First Week; Mark 1:21-28

Gospel: Mark 1:21-28

Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him. His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

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Reflection:

What are the modern day unclean/evil spirits that could possess us now? It’s our greed, our lack of concern for others, our arrogance, our lustful desires and so forth. Who can defeat these evil spirits that enslaves us? It’s our faith in Jesus! But the big question is do we still have faith in Jesus? Do we always communicate with Jesus through our prayers? Do we thirst for Jesus by always desiring to partake of His body at Holy Mass?

Evil/unclean spirit has no chance to possess us when we are always in union with Jesus. Those who are possessed by evil spirits are those who distance themselves from Jesus. Just try to always get connected with Jesus and you will see that you will always be shielded from the possession of the evil one.

In our gospel for today, Jesus powerfully told the evil spirit that possessed the man to come out of him. And the evil spirit had no choice but to obey the authoritative command of Jesus. Why? Because Jesus has power and authority over anything including the many modern day evils that controls us!

But come to think of it, why was the man in our gospel for today possessed by an unclean spirit? Why was he among the many people in the synagogue? He was lacking in faith in Jesus otherwise he would have not been possessed.   

Let us always strive to always get in touch with Jesus for He is always there for us. By doing so we free ourselves from the possession of the devil and the many modern day evils that lurks around us today.

Do you always create time to prayerfully reach out to Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for January 12 Monday of the First Week in OT; Mark 1:14-20

Gospel: Mark 1:14-20

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel. As he passed by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men. Then they left their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

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Reflection:

There’s a saying that death is like a thief in the night it comes to us when we least expect it. What if for example death surprisingly visits us at night? What would happen to our soul? Where would we end-up? We don’t know when death will come to us, we don’t also know what will happen to us and where would we end-up. Only God with His infinite wisdom knows about it.

In the gospel Jesus calls for repentance and belief in His gospel message. What is the relationship of death to Jesus call of repentance and fidelity to the gospel? Since death is unpredictable Jesus prepares us for this eventuality anytime by calling for our repentance and belief in His gospel message.

This call of repentance of Jesus is not a once in a lifetime call. This is a lifetime call of Jesus for us. He calls us to repentance for as long as we live. For He knows all about our sinfulness; even the sin/s that nobody knows except us, Jesus knows about it also!

What if we don’t heed this call of repentance of Jesus? We then continue to sin we continue to allow the devil to get hold of us and this is very frightening! For the devil will not bring us any good, we may enjoy the enticements of the devil for a period of time. However, time will come that it will eventually destroy us.

Therefore we must listen to this call of repentance of Jesus and we must also read, live and believe His gospel. Our life will turn for the better once we decide to repent and embrace the gospel message of Jesus.

Are we willing to repent and embrace Jesus gospel message? -  Marino J. Dasmarinas