Reflection for May 11, Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter; John 15:26-16:4a

Gospel: John 15:26—16:4a

Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

                                                          

“I have told you this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you.”

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Reflection:               

What strengthens our resolve to continue to move on with our lives? It’s our connection with God and Jesus. Our prayerful connection to both God and Jesus inspires us and gives us hope whenever we are down and weary.

Through our connection with God and Jesus we are given the gift of discerning the presence of the advocate or helper within our midst. For this reason, we have to have regular connection with God and Jesus. For both of them are facilitators of the presence of the advocate within our lives.

In our  gospel Jesus mentions to the disciples the advocate whom He will send to them courtesy of His Father (John 15:26). The advocate will continue to inspire them to be steadfast in their mission no matter the difficulties that they may encounter. It will protect them from dangers and it will lead them to do what is right.

We too can have an awareness of the presence of the advocate if we are always connected with Jesus and God. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for May 10, Sixth Sunday of Easter; John 15:9-17

Gospel: John 15:9-17

Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends,

because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.

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Reflection:

Have you been in love? Many of us have fallen in love already and many have fallen out of love also. For those who are still in love up to this very day. Say for example to your spouse   no matter the hurts and pains. The love that you have in your heart is somewhat near to the love of God.

The love of God is a love that does not discriminate. It is a love that welcomes everyone who desires His love. It does not look at the physical attributes and the social standing of a person. Neither does it look at the moral fitness of the one that desires His love. For the love of God is a love that restores and heals.

In the gospel, Jesus commands us, “love one another as I love you (John 15:12).” Here lies the challenge for all of us because if God’s love is encompassing our love for our fellowmen should be encompassing also. We should be capable of loving even those who’ve hurt us and those who do not love us in return. If we truly love Jesus, we have no other choice but to love like Jesus.  

Today is Mother’s day, how does a mother loves? A mother’s love is like Jesus love for us because her love for her children is encompassing also. A Mother will love her child without pre- condition a mother will love her child no matter who the child may become someday.

How do you express your love? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for May 9, Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter; John 15:18-21

Gospel: John 15:18-21

Jesus said to his disciples: “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.

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Reflection:               

What does it mean to be hated by this world? We would be hated by this world if we would have the courage to go against the false teachings of this world. For example, if we would have the courage to say no to anything that is not good. Or if we suddenly have the enlightenment to say no to anyone who brings us nothing but worldliness.

There comes a point in our lives that we have to make a decision. Should we decide to take the side of God or follow this world and live a life away from God? The best decision is to follow God and discard anyone who brings us nothing but worldliness. This is for the reason that worldliness will bring nothing but emptiness in our lives.

Let us not be afraid to follow God, let us not be afraid to sacrifice this world for our love for God. For this is always the right decision to do. We can never go wrong with God and nobody has been misled by following God.  

If we choose to follow God over this world, we would experience something that we have not experienced before. And this is the guiding light  of God in our lives. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for May 8, Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter; John 15:12-17

Gospel: John 15:12-17

Jesus said to his disciples: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”

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Reflection:               

What will happen if the love of Jesus is present in the family? There would be no conflict, no arrogance, no dominant behavior and no misunderstanding. There would also be forgiveness and humility. All of these factors are present because of the presence of the love of Jesus.

Let us say that we take away the love of Jesus, surely we will have conflict inside the family. This is brought about by arrogance, domination, infidelity, lies and so forth.

When Jesus commanded His disciples to love one another as He loved them (John 15:12). He envisioned harmony, forgiveness, trust and everything that is good for His disciples.  This is for the reason that Jesus wanted His disciples to become successful in their mission of evangelization.

Jesus perfectly knew that without love that originates from Him the disciples will not become successful in their mission. Their efforts would simply be in vain because they will simply be pulling each others leg downward. And there would be jealousy and misunderstanding among His disciples. Therefore there would be failure of their mission of evangelization.

We too will not become successful in our mission for Jesus and we will not have harmony inside the family. Unless we learn to imbibe and live this love commandment of Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for May 7, Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter; John 15:9-11

Gospel: John 15:9-11

Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.”

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Reflection:               

How can we remain within the loop of God’s love? It’s by doing good all the time and by not going against the commandments of God (Exodus 20:1-17) (Matthew 22:36-40).  When we break the commandments we momentarily are cut-off from the love of God. Until such time that we repent for what we did.  In the church repentance is done by humbly submitting ourselves to the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession.

It’s very important for us to remain in God’s love because this is the ideal life or perfect life so to speak. But there’s no ideal life for we are all imperfect beings created by a perfect God. So what should we do when we sin? We have to make amends immediately we have to humble ourselves before God and to the person that we have offended.

We could just imagine a life cut-off from the love of God or cut-off from the person that we love. What kind of life would it be? It’s a life without peace and tranquillity and a life open wide for the devil to create havoc.

Let us take advantage of this healing love of God, because this is always available for us. This is not something that God keeps away from us for us not to have it.

Who would not want peace and tranquillity in his/her life? We all want it certainly! Therefore we should try our very best to remain within the loop of God’s love. If we transgress it we should have the humility to ask for forgiveness from God and from the person that we have offended. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for May 6, Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter; John 15:1-8

Gospel: John 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

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Reflection:

How does it feel without connection to the internet? It seems that something important in our lives is lacking. We cannot function properly most especially if our job is reliant on the internet, say for example medical transcription or a call center related job.

Somehow our lives now is associated with the internet be it wifi or cable based internet connection. When we are outside of our respective houses our smart phones are ever ready to find wifi connection. We look for it because we need or we want to be connected.

How about our desire to be connected with Jesus and God? Do we always seek a connection with Jesus and God? Is our desire for Jesus and God as intense as our desire for a wifi or internet connection?      

In our gospel for this Wednesday Jesus tells us that He is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:5) and as such we must always be connected with Him and God. Life without connection with God is meaningless, even if we have all the material wealth and power it’s still meaningless without God!

If only we would always desire connection with God more than we desire wifi or internet connection. If only we would invest more time with God as much as we invest time connected in the internet. Let us therefore always seek connection with God through our prayers, presence at Holy Mass. And by reading and reflecting upon His life transforming worlds in the bible.

The best is yet to come for us if we would seek a permanent connection with our vine and our vine grower no other than Jesus and God. – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Reflection for May 5, Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter; John 14:27-31a

Gospel: John 14:27-31A

Jesus said to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you,‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe. I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me, but the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.”

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Reflection:

Can we be vehicles of peace in this world? Yes we can certainly be! This could happen if we are not quick to pass judgement. If we are forgiving, if we are ready to reach out and let bygones be bygones.  We are free when we are always peaceful. We are free from the devil’s control who is the primary sower of hatred in our lives. And we are free from anything that is not good.  

The beauty of being vehicles of peace is we allow Jesus to become an active part of our lives. This is for the reason that Jesus Himself lived a life of peace. Jesus choose peace instead of hatred and Jesus choose peace instead of revenge.

In the gospel for this Tuesday, Jesus said to His disciples; peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you (John 14:27). Let us own and accept this peace being offered by Jesus because this peace is also for us.

Prayer:

Thank you O Lord for the gift of peace: Heal my family, deliver me from hatred and fear. Let your peace take root and grow in my heart. So that through you I could also become a vehicle of peace. Amen. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for May 4, Monday, Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter; John 14:21-26

Gospel: John 14:21-26

Jesus said to his disciples:“Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, “Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.

“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”

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Reflection:

How do we convey our love for Jesus? Do we love Him through our words alone or through our words and deeds? The ideal expression of love for Jesus is love through words and deeds. By loving Jesus we also receive love from Him love that is far more than the love that we give Him.

For example in marriage, if a man or a woman would express his/her love through words and deeds. He/she would receive more love than what he/she gives. This is the miracle of love that originates from God’s love for His only begotten Son which Jesus channels  to us.

As we express love to our spouse, relative, friend or to a stranger. Let us not only convey it with words. Let us put  deeds into it for this is how Jesus loved us. Jesus did not only express His love for us through His words. He reinforced it by giving His very life for us on the cross.

Let us be assured that when we give love we would also receive love. Love that is more than the love that we give. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for May 3, Fifth Sunday of Easter; John 15:1-8

Gospel: John 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples:“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

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Reflection:

Where does life lead us without Jesus? It leads us to nowhere and nothingness. Our life is without meaning without Jesus. We are like a boat being buffeted by waves that has nowhere to go.

Life is meaningless without our connection with Jesus, we may have an abundance of everything that this world could give us. But these are all temporary, all of these we will leave behind someday. All of these worldly things will not give us peace of mind, it will even create emptiness in our  lives.

Jesus through the gospel for this Sunday tells us: You will never bear fruit unless you remain in me (John 15:4). Yet Jesus tells us also that we will bear much fruit if only we would decide to remain in Him.

Therefore let us always decide to be connected with Jesus, through our presence at Holy Mass, through the Sacraments and so forth. Let us not let go of Jesus even if life brings us tons of trials. For no trials are insurmountable with Jesus, if we are connected with Him nothing can bring us down. Nobody could tear us apart for His abiding presence is with us.

As the branch cannot survive without its connection to the vine. We too will not be able to survive without our connection with Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for May 2, Saturday, Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church; John 14:7-14

Gospel: John 14:7-14

Jesus said to his disciples:“If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to Jesus, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”

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Reflection:

Do we believe this pronouncement of Jesus that He is one with God? Of course we do, then what’s next after believing? Next after believing is to put into concrete actions what we believe.

Belief only is not enough, we have to translate this into living faith. Faith that is seen though our deeds, because if we only say that we believe. Yet we don’t translate it into actual acts of mercy and compassion, then it’s empty.

Jesus in our gospel tells us, “Whoever believes in me will do the things that I do (John 14:12).” Let us pause and reflect if we are able to somehow measure-up to this challenge of Jesus. Do we do the works of Jesus? Do we volunteer to help someone in need? Do we always say words that heal a broken person? Are we quick to throw judgment and condemnation?

 It’s so easy to say, I believe in the oneness of Jesus  and God.  Yet we are always challenged by Jesus to always prove it by our words and actions. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Friday May 1, St. Joseph the Worker; Matthew 13:54-58

Gospel: Matthew 13:54-58

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, "Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter's son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?" And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house." And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

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Reflection:

Rejection is always hard to accept, but why are we being rejected in the first place? Perhaps we have done a wrongdoing or we have offended the sensibilities of the person who rejected us.

Jesus was rejected when He returned to Nazareth: His native place. Jesus did not do anything offensive, He even taught at their synagogue. Yet He was rejected and the sole reason for His rejection is they know who He was. His town mates were too familiar with Him and His family.

His town mates couldn’t accept the fact that His wisdom was extra-ordinary and for this they rejected Him. But why reject when they could have welcomed Him with open arms? They rejected Jesus because they were envious of Him. Envious of His intelligence and the adulation given to Him by the people.

We will not get anything good if we have envy in our hearts. We are in-fact closing our hearts to the many blessings that Jesus wants to shower us. Instead of being envious, why not simply be happy with our fellowmen’s success?- Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for April 29, Wednesday Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church; John 12:44-50

Gospel: John 12:44-50

Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

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Reflection:

How can we properly reinforce our belief in the oneness of Jesus and God? It’s to follow to the letter the teachings of Jesus. Profession of belief only is not enough, we have to do concrete actions to seal our belief and faith.  For example, if we believe that Jesus and God the Father are one yet we don’t give to somebody in need. What then is the use of our declaration of belief?    

We have to remember that we who profess belief in the oneness of Jesus and God. Are their walking advertisements in this world. As such we should always see to it that we should always do something concrete to reinforce our belief.

In so doing we tell the whole world that we truly are followers not only in words but also in deeds. The truest essence of faith is not exclusively confined to acts of worship alone. It should always be coupled with acts of humility, mercy, compassion and the like.

Is your belief in the oneness of Jesus and the Father always reinforced with sincere acts of humility, mercy, compassion and the like? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for April 28, Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter; John 10:22-30

Gospel: John 10:22-30

The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

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Reflection:

How could we have an encounter with Jesus? We simply have to abide with what Jesus tells us in the scriptures. If He tells us that He and the Father are one we have to believe it without any doubt. Because all of Jesus pronouncements are not empty, it is solidly supported by other passages in the bible.

What separates those who believe and those who don’t? Those who believe receive the full graces of the power that emanates from Jesus. For example, their lives are changed, their faiths are strengthened. And they themselves become an agent of positive change in their own respective environments.

Those who do not believe Jesus are left-out in terms of spiritual graces, their individual faith life ia not strengthened. They are more vulnerable to the many forces of evil and they don’t have the spiritual strength that believers normally have.

What is the secret for us to believe? We have to humble ourselves before Jesus. We have to accept with faith every word that He tells us in the bible. And once we do, this would be the beginning of our new journey with Jesus.

Do we always believe and follow the words of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Reflection for April 27, Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter; John 10:1-10

Gospel: John 10:1-10

Jesus said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” Although Jesus used this figure of speech, they did not realize what he was trying to tell them.

So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

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Reflection:

Do you consider yourself a good shepherd? Each and every one of us is a shepherd in our own little way. For example, if you are a parent, you have your own children to shepherd or guide. What kind of shepherd are you to your children?

Are you a good shepherd to them? Have you taught them already about our faith? Do you bring them to church for Holy Mass? Have you opened the bible to them and taught them about the life of Jesus? The model shepherd is Jesus, he is the one whom we should imitate.

Jesus tells us in the gospel: I am the gate for the sheep (John 10:7). Do we shepherd our own respective families going to Jesus? Or we instead lead them away from Jesus by exposing them to materialism?  

Who is the gate that Jesus mentions to us in the gospel? The gate is Jesus Himself! He is the good shepherd for He gave His very life for us. He established the church for us and He instituted the Eucharist for us His sheep.

Let us reflect on how we have been shepherding those who are under our care and guidance.  Are we good shepherds to them like Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas