Reflection for Saturday, February 2; Feast of the Presentation of the Lord; Luke 2:22-40

Gospel: Luke 2:22-40

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus

to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted —and you yourself a sword will pierce— so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

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Reflection:

What can you offer the Lord? Would you be willing to offer your time in the service of the Lord? Perhaps, the Lord is not asking you to give all of your time to Him, even a little of our time will already suffice for the Lord. But have you dared yet to give even a little of your time to the Lord?

Mary and Joseph in compliance with their Jewish faith brought Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. Many of us are afraid to give our time for the Lord for there’s no money in the service for the Lord. Yes, indeed there’s no money in the vineyard of the Lord but life is not all about earning money. There’s more to life than simply earning money, we can earn all the money in this world and we still end up empty.

Have we thought of doing something for the Lord? Have we thought of doing something that would give meaning to our inner being no other than our soul? Material things are important for we also need it for our existence but it’s not the be all and end all of life.

The be all and end all of life is God. For our earthly possessions no matter how enormous will pass us by. But God will not pass us by He will be with us here in this world. And He will still be with us beyond this world.

What can you offer our Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Friday, February 1; Third Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 4:26-34

Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and through it all the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.”

He said, “To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

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Reflection:   

A man wants to write for God but he was hesitant for he knows his limitations. He doesn’t write well and could hardly compose a decent sentence. 

Yet deep in his heart there was a persistent voice that tells him to write. He therefore submitted himself to the urgings of the inner voice. And to make a long story short, this man who can hardly create a sentence became well known for his meditations about God.

Jesus speaks about a small seed that has been scattered into the land. The seed has grown so big and was soon harvested. Jesus also speaks about a tiny mustard seed that was sown. After a while it soon became so big where birds rested in its shade.

Does God sow seed within us also with the intention of making it grow so that others could also benefit from it? Yes! God sows a seed in each and every one of us. But more often than not this small seed doesn’t grow until it eventually dies. Why? Because many of us are afraid to trust God, so we do not take action.

Surely, we will not be able to do it by ourselves. Yet if we would only learn to call on God, if we would only learn to have faith in Him. The seed that God sows in our hearts will surely blossom so that it could be useful to our fellowmen. What is this seed that God sows within us? It could be  talent, wealth or anything that would benefit or help our fellowmen.

Try to discover the seed that God has sown into your heart. Upon discovering it, don’t just keep it within yourself. Share it so that it could grow bigger, share it so that others could also benefit from it. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Thursday, January 31; Saint John Bosco, Priest; Mark 4:21-25

Gospel: Mark 4:21-25

Jesus said to his disciples, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.” He also told them, “Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

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Reflection:

Generosity always breeds abundant blessings. For example, if we are always generous, we are always assured that whatever we give will come back to us a hundredfold more. Let us observe those who are generous or those who always lend a helping hand.  

Are they in want of anything or are they lacking in blessings from the Lord? No, they are not in want the flow of God’s blessings to them flows like a stream or a river. On the other hand, notice also those who are miser, those who seldom give help or those who are tightfisted. The blessings of the Lord come into them in trickle.  

Jesus in our gospel reading for today tells us that the measure with which we measure will be measured out to us also (Mark 4:24). Translating this in plain and simple language, this simply tells us that what we give will come back to us.

If we give generously, we would receive more than what we had given this is what Jesus is saying to us. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Wednesday, January 30; Third Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 4:1-20

Gospel: Mark 4:1-20

On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea. A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land. And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them,  “Hear this! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots.  Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold. He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”

And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. He answered them, “The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.”

Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. But they have no roots; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

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Reflection:

Are you open to hear or read the words of Jesus? The word of Jesus are the seed that He sows in your hearts. You can read this when you open your bible, when you go to Holy Mass and when you hear or read commentaries about the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Some of us hear or read this good news of Jesus when we are burdened by our problems. Then after our problems had been solved, we once again distance ourselves from the words of God until the next problem engulfs us. We only treat God like a commodity that we only use when we are in need. Thus, the word of God does not bear fruit in our hearts and we also do not become fruitful followers of Jesus.

How could we become fruitful followers of Jesus? It’s when we read, hear and share His words. It’s when we allow the words of God to bear much fruit in our hearts that it transforms us to become a person with a new mindset soundly grounded upon Jesus. Thus, we become the rich soil that Jesus mentions in the gospel (Mark 4:20)

There are people who allow themselves to be transformed by the seeds or the words of God. For example, from being bad they become good, from being irresponsible they now become responsible, and from being corrupt they become incorruptible. Why? This is for the reason that they allowed God’s words to work miracles in their life!

Will you allow the seeds of the words of Jesus to grow in your heart so that the Lord could bless others through you?  – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for Tuesday, January 29; Third Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 3:31-35

Gospel: Mark 3:31-35

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house. Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you. But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers? And looking around at those seated in the circle he said “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

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Reflection:

In what way could we become a relative of Jesus? It’s when we do acts of mercy and compassion toward anyone in need. It’s when we help Jesus spread His good news of salvation to others most especially to those who have not heard yet of His gospel message.

To do good to our blood relatives is already a given fact of life. We help them because we are connected with them by consanguinity or through common family tree. Jesus in our gospel wants to stretch further our acts of mercy and compassion He wants us not to limit these acts of mercy and compassion to our own family circle only.

Say for example, what if Jesus would ask us, could you also give the same help to a complete stranger in need? The same help that you would normally give to your blood relative/s? This is very difficult to do: To give help to a stranger with the same amount of help that we would normally do to our blood relative/s.

Nonetheless, this is the challenge for all of us if we want to be called a relative of Jesus: We must help anyone in need! In hindsight, why did Jesus said that whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother? Perhaps the purpose of which is to measure our desire to become a relative of Jesus.

Come to think of it, who wouldn’t want to become a relative of Jesus? Of course we all want! Therefore, we must do good at all times to anyone and we must extend help to anyone for this is the will of God for us. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Monday, January 28; Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor; Mark 3:22-30

Gospel: Mark 3:22-30

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons.” Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin. For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.

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Reflection:

What is the antidote to evil possession or who can defeat the devil? It’s our faith in Jesus, only Jesus can defeat the devil. Before we only attribute the presence of the devil to evil possession.  But not anymore today!

The devil of today doesn’t only present itself by way of evil possession. It presents itself in manifold ways such as: greed, lust, covetousness, enslavement to the modernity of time and so forth. Who can defeat the devil today? It’s still Jesus the same Jesus that defeated the devil in our gospel.   

Jesus doesn’t change He is the same Jesus yesterday, today and tomorrow. His power to defeat the devil is still present today as it was present in the gospel. But do we allow Jesus to dwell in our lives? Do we still have time for Him in this era of internet and high-tech gadgets?  

You must at all times give time for Jesus so that you could always ward off the devil from your midst. If you always have Jesus in your life you give no room for the devil to dwell in your life. How do you give time for Jesus? You have to read the inspiring life of Jesus in the bible, you have to be present at Holy Mass. And you have to have your personal prayer time for Jesus every day.  

Do you give time for Jesus even for only a minute every day? – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for Sunday January 27, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Gospel: Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21 

Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

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Reflection:

A father was having problems with his family; his wife was often out of their house with her friends. His children were not different; often they were out of their house also.  Naturally the father was thinking of how he can bring back peace, normalcy and stability to their home.

Many ideas floated in his mind until he remembered the advice given to him by his grandmother years ago.  The advice was for him to have a regular habit of leading his family to read and reflect about the words of God in the bible. So, he did, initially by himself then after a few weeks he asked his wife and children to join him. After a short period of time they lived a happy and contented life. Yes, there were still problems from time to time but they were able to fix it.

The words of God in the bible are living spirit that gives life, it unites us, it enlightens us and refreshes us. We must fully take advantage of this gift by giving it regular time for reading, reflection and meditation. But sad to say many Catholics seldom open their bible to read, reflect and thereafter partake of its wisdom and miracles.

In our gospel, Jesus was in the synagogue for the day of Sabbath. He read aloud the words of the prophet Isaiah that was meant for Him. Jesus never kept it to himself He shared it with those who were present. We must not only be content also with reading our bible we must have the courage to share and live it.

Many are afraid to venture into sharing the words of God; they only keep it to themselves. If we do this, we restrict the power of God’s words within us. we also forgo the opportunity to share in the evangelization ministry of Jesus. God wills us to share what we know about Him so that many lives will be enlightened in that process many souls will be saved.

As Jesus shared the wisdom of the bible so we must also. Let us not be afraid of the obstacles and with our personal limitations for God will always be there to help us. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Saturday, January 26; Saints Timothy and Titus, bishops; 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:

Are you quick to judge based on what you see? Jesus was called as someone who is out of His mind by His relatives. Why? Because Jesus dared to do something out of the ordinary. Just imagine instead of enjoying an ordinary life as a carpenter Jesus did the extra-ordinary.

 Jesus ventured into something that is totally alien to His environment and background. Jesus left His comfort zone to become a nomad, a healer and itinerant preacher. And Jesus relatives couldn’t believe and accept His unorthodox decision.

This is perhaps the reason why they called Him as someone who is out of His mind. Did Jesus’ relatives really know who He was during that time? Yes, perhaps they knew Him as the son of Mary and Joseph but they had no idea about His true identity.

They judged Jesus based on their superficial knowledge about Him. The trouble with judging others is it blinds us of our own faults and shortcomings as if we are perfect, as if we don’t sin. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Friday, January 25; Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle; Mark 16:15-18

Gospel: Mark 16:15-18

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

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Reflection:

Have you already shared Jesus and the gospel to anyone? Jesus tells the apostles and us too: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).”

Perhaps more than half of us would be saying that we’ve not yet shared the word of God and what is the reason? Perhaps lack of time is not the reason because if we can give time to our other worldly activities why can’t we have time to share the words of Jesus?

To share our faith and Jesus is the duty of every baptized Christian no one is exempt from this responsibility. But how can we share if we don’t regularly read the bible? If we seldom go to Holy Mass? So, we read first and we give time to be present at Holy Mass and then we share the blessings and knowledge that we’ve imbibed.

Saint Jerome has said: “Ignorance of the bible is ignorance of Christ.” This is very true, for us to effectively share Jesus we must know Him first. How can we share what we don’t have or know? If we seldom read the words of God in the bible and if we seldom go to Holy Mass. There’s no way for us to share our faith for the simple reason that we cannot give what we don’t have.  

Let us not be stagnant followers of Jesus, let us not be satisfied with this status quo. Let us read God’s words in the bible afterwards let us live it and then let us have the courage to share it in whatever means possible.

Share your faith within your family first, to your spouse, children and to the other members of your household. And see for yourself the miracle that Jesus will create in your life and in your family the moment you share Him.  

When you share Jesus, you assure yourself of a sacred space in heaven when your life in this temporal world is over and done with already. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

1Reflection for Thursday, January 24; Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor; 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:

Why do you follow Jesus?

 Everyone from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, Tyre and Sidon want to have a glimpse of Jesus. During this gospel episode Jesus is like a magnetic celebrity who attracts people from different places.

What was the moving force of their attraction to Jesus; it was Jesus’ miracles and healings. But when Jesus stopped doing miracles. And was already being tortured, made fun of and then killed by the roman soldiers. Only a few dared to follow Him until the end majority of them evaporated like a dew in the morning.

Such is life, almost everyone wants to be attached to us and to know us if we are powerful and popular. But notice also that when we do not have power anymore, when we grow old and get sick. Only a few will remember us, those who would stay by our side will be the few true relatives and friends.

Jesus is not concerned as to who will be staying by His side. What is primordial in His mind is to help.  In like manner we too are being urged to help without any discrimination. No matter who they are no matter if they would be loyal to us until the end or not. What is always important is we do good and we live the teachings of Jesus. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Wednesday, January 23; Second Week in Ordinary Time; 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 there Jesus 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. Therefore, we must do something to help them. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Tuesday, January 22; Second Week in Ordinary Time; 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:

What is a Sabbath?

Sabbath is a day of rest and worship based on this command: “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. Six days you may work and do all your occupation, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD, your God. No work may be done then.” (Exodus 20:8-10)

 Whenever there is a rule there is also a valid exception. And this is what Jesus was pointing out to the Pharisees. For Jesus the fulfilment of a human need is more important than fulfilling the law in this case the Sabbath law.

Law/s should always serve the good of humanity, laws are there to serve humanity not to punish or restrict humanity. 

Some of us create restrictive and oppressive laws inside our own respective fields. Not to serve its purpose but to serve our own selfish purpose and interest. At the end, due to our insistence of fulfilling our self-created and self-serving laws. It results to enmity and discord among us.

And the law that we have created to create order becomes the very reason for disorder, conflict and disunity. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Monday, January 21; Second Week in Ordinary Time; 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:

A renewed catholic has said that his life was never the same since he had a personal relationship with Jesus. He said that since he met Jesus he was always joyful.  And even if there were problems he always ensures that it would never ruin his day. His reason for his newfound joyfulness and happiness is his reenergized faith in Jesus.

Fasting in the context of our gospel reading for today is connected with self-sacrifice or self-denial. Which is actually not bad because it strengthens a person’s faith and dependence on God. But there is something that is very much supreme than fasting and it’s no other than Jesus! If Jesus is in our life we have to rejoice.

For the reason that Jesus will teach us to fast without anyone else knowing it and this is the more important form of fasting: fasting that is not for show and fasting that is not seen and known by anyone except Jesus.

The disciples of John and the Pharisees in our gospel were after the exterior fasting. Fasting that could be seen by our naked eyes and Jesus surely hates this kind of superficiality. If we are already with Jesus we would not be concerned anymore about superficial fasting. For the simple reason that we will fast without broadcasting it for the world to hear and see.

Nobody will know about this kind of fasting except you and Jesus. And this would surely happen the moment you learn how to surrender yourself to the Love, Mercy and Compassion of Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Sunday January 20, Feast of the Santo Nino (Philippines): Luke 2:41-52

Gospel: Luke 2:41-52

Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.

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Reflection:

Today here in the Philippines we celebrate the Feast of the Sto. Nino (The Child Jesus) this is a special event celebrated by the church here in the Philippines duly authorized by the Vatican. There’s festive mode in almost all of the churches here especially those whose Parish church is named after the Sto. Nino. However, the Philippines being a third world country is also poor and there’s a whole lot of suffering and hungry people specially children. 

Just this morning around our neighborhood there were two very poor children one was around seven years old and the other was around ten. I assumed they were brothers they were both scavenging.

They were carrying two half-empty sacks with plastics, bottles, steels and other things that they could salvage/recycle to sell then buy for their food. At a distance I saw that the two were being harassed and insulted by children residing in our community. Then, suddenly the two poor children were being bullied and manhandled already. So, I went to them to intervene and I let go of the two poor children.

I also know of a family with five children the father has a stable job the mother has none. The children are so thin because they are neglected. The father drinks with friends often and the mother doesn’t know how to budget their money. And she also has her own set of wayward friends. Therefore, who suffers? It’s their children again.

These are but two sad stories of suffering children. There’s a lot more out there I’m sure and who is to blame for this? It’s their irresponsible parents! So, where’s the influence of the Sto. Nino? Here lies the problem of our superficial faith, faith that is not imbibed and lived. We celebrate this special feast festively but many parents don’t properly take care of their poor, neglected and hungry children.

In the gospel Mary and Joseph are both exemplar of righteous and responsible parents. Upon taking notice that Jesus was not with them on their way home. They went back and never stopped searching for Jesus until they found Him in the temple in the company of teachers. He was listening to them. The child Jesus was also well taught of proper values by the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph for the reason that He was obedient to them.

It’s not only the children of the poor who are neglected; even the rich children are neglected as well. Some rich parents have this wrong notion that money can substitute for their love, care and time. They pamper their children with money, the latest smart phones and other material things. Therefore, what happens is that these rich but neglected children turn to other vicious things upon entering puberty and adulthood.

On this feast of the Sto. Nino. Let us pray that both poor and rich parents would have the enlightenment and responsibility. To know how to properly care of their long-suffering children. Let us also pray that the rich will not be insensitive to the needs of the poor children. They are many let us look around the peripheries in our respective communities. Perhaps, we can help in whatever way.

Are you a responsible and Godly parent? And would you be willing to help the poor and neglected children? – Marino J. Dasmarinas