1Reflection for May 16, 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 and sinful. Or if we suddenly have the enlightenment to say no to anyone who brings us nothing but worldliness and sin.

There comes a point in our life 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 and sinfulness. This is for the reason that worldliness and sin will bring nothing but emptiness and misery 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 and protection  of God in our lives. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Mayo 16, Sabado sa Ikalimang Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 15:18-21

Mabuting Balita: Juan 15:18-21

Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad: 18 Kung napopoot sa inyo ang mundo, alamin n’yo na sa akin muna ito napoot bago sa inyo. 19 Kung kayo’y maka­mun­do, inibig na sana ng mundo ang sariling kanya. Ngunit dahil hindi kayo maka­mundo kundi hinirang ko kayo mula sa mundo kaya napopoot sa inyo ang mundo.

20 Tandaan ninyo ang salitang sinabi ko sa inyo: ‘Walang lingkod na mas dakila sa kanyang panginoon.’ Di ba’t inusig nila ako? Uusigin din kayo. Tinupad ba nila ang aking salita? Gayon din nila tutuparin ang sa inyo. 21 Gagawin nila sa inyo ang lahat ng ito dahil sa aking pangalan sapag­kat hindi nila nakikilala ang nagpa­dala sa akin.

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for May 15, 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 would happen if we follow this love commandment of Jesus?

There would be no more betrayal, hatred and separation amongst married couples only love. But the sad reality is we choose to turn a deaf ear to this love commandment of the Lord. For the simple reason that we love ourselves more than we love Jesus and our fellowmen.

There’s a saying that before we give love we have to love ourselves first. For how would we know how to give love if we have not experienced loving ourselves first? However this statement does not jibe on how Jesus interprets love or on how Jesus gives the truest meaning of love.

For Jesus to love is not to love oneself first, to love is to lay down ones life for the beloved, for Jesus to love is to forgive the many hurts that has been hurled and inflicted upon us by our beloved. For at the end of the day if we love the way Jesus loves us what would remain is love no hatred but only love.

But how do we love? We love selectively and we love with measure, we calibrate the love that we give by the love that we receive. And we oftentimes do not love our fellowmen when they do not fulfill our selfish expectation for them. Let us love without condition and let us love without expecting love in return for this is how Jesus loved us.

 How do we love?  -  Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Mayo 15, Biyernes sa Ikalimang Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay:: Juan 15:12-17

Mabuting Balita: Juan 15:12-17

Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad: 12 Ito ang kautusan ko: magmahalan kayo kung paano ko kayo minahal. 13 Wala nang pagma­mahal na hihigit pa sa pag-aalay ng sariling buhay alang-alang sa kanyang mga kaibigan.

14 Mga kaibigan ko kayo kung gina­gawa ninyo ang iniuutos ko sa inyo. 15 Hindi ko na kayo tinatawag na mga lingkod sapagkat hindi alam ng lingkod ang ginagawa ng kanyang panginoon. Mga kaibigan naman ang turing ko sa inyo sapagkat ipinagbibigay-alam ko sa inyo lahat ng narinig ko mula sa aking Ama.

16 Hindi kayo ang humirang sa akin, ako ang humirang sa inyo at nagtalaga sa inyo para humayo at mamunga, at mamalagi ang inyong bunga. At ipagka­kaloob sa inyo anumang hingin n’yo sa Ama sa pangalan ko. 17 Iniuutos ko nga sa inyo: magma­halan kayo.

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for May 14, Thursday Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle: 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 might 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:

A newlywed couple promised to bring to their graves their marriage vows:  For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. But the irony was, after having one child and being together for two years they separated already. What happened to their promise of undying love for each other? What will happen to their only child?

Nowadays, many of us have a very shallow understanding of love, it’s not anymore undying love or sacrificial love. But love based on convenience, love based on what I can have and what I can possess. The word love has been stripped of its real value. This is the reason why we see married couples flirting with their officemates and friends just to vent out their lust, immorality and adulterous desires.  

This is the distressing reality right now that’s why we find young couples even middle-aged couples separating. For the self-serving reason that they are not anymore happy with their marriage. Are they really not happy in their marriage or they just want to satisfy their own selfish, lust and adulterous desires?

Jesus in the gospel commands us to love one another. This love is not based on selfish needs, neither based on convenience. This love is anchored on fidelity, sacrifice, self-giving and trust. This is the reason why the love of Jesus for us is most appropriate to incorporate in our married lives. If we have the love of Jesus we would stay with our marriage no matter what.

Let us remember that Jesus doesn’t give up on us. He keeps on loving us, He keeps on knocking in our hearts no matter how wayward and sinful we have become. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Mayo 14, Huwebes San Matias, apostol: Juan 15:9-17

Mabuting Balita: Juan 15:9-17

Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad: 9 Kung paano ako minamahal ng Ama, gayon ko rin kayo minahal. Ma­ma­lagi kayo sa pagmamahal ko. 10 Kung isasa­katuparan ninyo ang mga kautusan ko, mamamalagi kayo sa pagmamahal ko kung paanong isina­katuparan ko ang mga kautusan ng aking Ama at nama­malagi sa kanyang pagmamahal.

11 Sinabi ko sa inyo ang mga ito upang mapasainyo ang aking kaga­lakan at maging ganap ang inyong kagalakan. 12 Ito ang kautusan ko: magmahalan kayo kung paano ko kayo minahal. 13 Wala nang pagma­mahal na hihigit pa sa pag-aalay ng sariling buhay alang-alang sa kanyang mga kaibigan.

14 Mga kaibigan ko kayo kung gina­gawa ninyo ang iniuutos ko sa inyo. 15 Hindi ko na kayo tinatawag na mga lingkod sapagkat hindi alam ng lingkod ang ginagawa ng kanyang panginoon.

Mga kaibigan naman ang turing ko sa inyo sapagkat ipinagbibigay-alam ko sa inyo lahat ng narinig ko mula sa aking Ama.

16 Hindi kayo ang humirang sa akin, ako ang humirang sa inyo at nagtalaga sa inyo para humayo at mamunga, at mamalagi ang inyong bunga. At ipagka­kaloob sa inyo anumang hingin n’yo sa Ama sa pangalan ko. 17 Iniuutos ko nga sa inyo: magma­halan kayo.

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

1Reflection for May 13, 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. Most especially right now because we are quarantined in our respective homes caused by our fear of Covid-19. We cannot function properly if our job is reliant on the internet.

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 using our smart phones and laptops. 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 even if we are presently being battered by this Covid-19 pandemic. If we would seek  permanent connection with our vine and our vine grower no other than Jesus and God. – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Mayo 13, Miyerkules sa Ikalimang Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 15:1-8

Mabuting Balita: Juan 15:1-8

Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad: 1 “Ako siyang totoong puno ng ubas at ang Ama ko ang mag-sasaka. 2 Pinuputol niya ang bawat sangang di namumunga sa akin; at pinupungusan naman niya’t nililinisan ang bawat namumunga upang higit pang mamunga. 3 Ngayon malinis na kayo dahil sa salitang binigkas ko sa inyo. 4 Mamalagi kayo sa akin, at ako sa inyo.

Hindi makapamumunga ang sanga sa ganang sarili, malibang mamalagi ito sa puno ng ubas; gayundin naman kayo, malibang mamalagi kayo sa akin. 5 Ako siyang puno ng ubas, kayo ang mga sanga. Ang namamalagi sa akin at ako sa kanya, siya ang namumunga nang sagana pagkat hiwalay sa aki’y hindi kayo makagagawa ng anuman. 6 Kung hindi namamalagi sa akin ang sinuman, ihahagis siya sa labas gaya ng sangang natuyo na tini¬tipon at ginagatong sa apoy at nagli¬liyab.

7 Kung mamamalagi kayo sa akin at mamamalagi sa inyo ang mga pananalita ko, hingin ninyo ang anumang loobin n’yo at magkakagayon sa inyo. 8 Sa ganito parangalan ang aking Ama: kapag namunga kayo nang sagana at naging mga alagad ko.

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for May 12, 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 and if we are ready let bygones be bygones.  We are free when we are always peaceful. We are free from the primary sower of hatred and sin in our lives none other than satan. 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 life. This is for the reason that Jesus Himself lived a life of peace. Jesus chose peace instead of hatred and Jesus chose 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.

One of the best if not the best gift that Jesus gives us is the gift of peace and we need this peace that comes from Jesus today more than any other time. But many of us still don’t have peace right at this very moment and this is caused by our fear of getting sick of Covid-19. But if we have Jesus we would have peace notwithstanding Covid-19.

Do we have peace in our lives right now? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Mayo 12, Martes sa Ikalimang Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 14:27-31a

Mabuting Balita: Juan 14:27-31a

27 Kapayapaan ang iniiwan ko sa inyo; kapaya­paan ko ang ibinibigay ko sa inyo. Hindi gaya ng ibinibigay ng mundo ang ibinibigay ko sa inyo. Huwag mabagabag ang inyong puso, ni panghinaan ng loob. 28Narinig ninyong sinabi ko sa inyo. ‘Paalis ako pero pabalik ako sa inyo.’ Kung minahal ninyo ako, magagalak kayo’t papunta ako sa Ama pagkat mas dakila sa akin ang Ama.

29Ngunit sinabi ko ito ngayon sa inyo bago pa mangyari ito. 30Hindi ko na kayo kakausapin nang mahaba sapagkat parating na ang pinuno ng mundo. Walang anumang kanya sa akin 31ngunit dapat malaman ng mundo na mahal ko ang Ama, at ayon sa iniutos sa akin ng Ama, ito mismo ang aking ginagawa.

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for May 11, 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:

Do we always feel the infinite love of God?

A few years ago every Sunday morning I would go to a middle-aged sick woman to nourish her with the Body of Christ. After I read to her the Sunday gospel she would give her short reflection on the same gospel after which I give her Holy Communion.

One reflection that she told was about the love of God and she said: When she was still in the pink of health she would never fail to go to Sunday Mass to manifest her deep love for God. And she said further, now that I am sick and not anymore able to go to church I still feel this same love of God because God is still sustaining me with His Body, Blood and Divinity.    

In our gospel Jesus tells us: Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” This words of Jesus is very true as I have seen it in the sick woman who loved God by way of going to Holy Mass every Sunday when she was still healthy. And when she got sick the Lord gave back the love that she gave Him.

One of the many truths of our life is its very short and it could end anytime. Therefore while we are still healthy let us express our deep love for God by our presence at Holy Mass every Sunday. But since we can’t go right now to gather in the Church for Holy Mass caused by Covid-19 pandemic, we instead attend online Sunday Mass. We do this not because we are expecting something from God someday. We do this out of our pure love for God.

How do we express our love for God? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Mayo 11, Lunes sa Ikalimang Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 14:21-26

Mabuting Balita: Juan 14:21-26

Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad: 21 Ang tumutupad sa tinanggap niyang mga kautusan ko, siya ang nag­ma­mahal sa akin. Mamahalin ng aking Ama ang nagmamahal sa akin, at mamahalin ko rin siya at ipamamalas ko sa kanya ang aking sarili.”

22 Sinabi sa kanya ni Judas, hindi ang Is­kariote: “Panginoon, paano mangyaya­ring sa amin mo ipama­malas ang iyong sarili at hin­di sa mundo?” 23 Sumagot si Jesus at sinabi sa kanya: “Kung may nag­ma­mahal sa akin, isasakatuparan niya ang aking salita at mamahalin siya ng aking Ama at pupun­tahan namin siya at sa kanya kami gaga­wa ng silid para sa aming sarili. 24 Hindi naman isinasaka­tuparan ng hindi nagmamahal sa akin ang aking mga salita. At hindi sa akin ang salitang naririnig n’yo kundi sa Amang nagpadala sa akin.

25 Sinabi ko sa inyo ang mga ito habang namamalagi pa akong kasama ninyo. 26 Ituturo naman sa inyo ng Tagapag­tanggol ang lahat – ang Espiritu Santong ipadadala ng ama sa ngalan ko – at ipaa­ala­ala niya sa inyo ang lahat ng sinabi ko sa inyo.

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for Sunday May 10, Fifth Sunday of Easter: John 14:1-12

Gospel: John 14:1-12

Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way."

Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 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 him, "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."

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Reflection:

To whom do we put our destiny in this world? Do we put it in the hands of the government or we put it in the hands of God. In this era of covid-19 pandemic the government has put our destiny in their own hands. So, what we do is we don’t go out and we keep ourselves quarantined in our respective homes. We are even prevented from going out to practice our faith obligations such as to attend Holy Mass during Sundays.

But where would this culture of my destiny is in my hands or my destiny rest in the government hands bring us? This will eventually bring us to an existence in this world with a nominal God. A God that hardly matters anymore and when God becomes a nonessential for our existence we become creatures of this world rather than creation of God.

In the gospel Jesus tells us that we must believe more in Him more than we believe in ourselves. Believe more in Him more than we believe in the orders of the government to quarantine ourselves so that we can avoid getting sick of Covid-19.Hence, we defy government and we go out as if there is no danger of getting sick of Covid-19?

No we don’t defy the government neither we go out as if there is no danger of getting sick of covid-19. We simply put our destiny in the hands of God more than in the hands of the government and our own hands. We simply let go of our worries and let our almighty God take care of it. We therefore have to pray very hard to the Lord to help us banish this Covid-19 from the face of the earth. Because only in the hands of God lies the solution to this Covid-19 pandemic.

We cannot do anything without the intervention of the Lord, we are simply helpless without God. For only in God’s hands we would have life beyond this word.

To whom do we trust our destiny in this world? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Linggo Mayo 10, Ikalimang Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 14:1-12

Mabuting Balita: Juan 14:1-12

Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad, 1 Huwag mabagabag ang inyong mga puso. Manalig kayo sa Diyos, at manalig din kayo sa akin. 2 Mara­ming silid sa bahay ng aking Ama. Kung hindi’y hindi ko sana sinabi sa inyong: “Pupunta ako upang ipag­handa kayo ng lugar.” 3 At pag pumunta na ako at naipag­handa kayo ng lugar, muli akong darating at dadalhin ko kayo sa akin upang kung saan ako naroon, gayon din naman kayo.

4 At alam n’yo ang daan sa pupun­tahan ko.” 5 Sinabi sa kanya ni Tomas: “Pangi­noon, hindi namin alam kung saan ka pu­punta. Paano namin malalaman ang daan?” 6 Sinabi sa kanya ni Jesus: “Ako siyang daan, ang katotohanan, at ang buhay. Walang nakalalapit sa Ama kundi sa pamamagitan ko. 7 Kung kilala ninyo ako, makikilala rin ninyo ang aking Ama. Ngunit ngayon, kilala n’yo na siya at nakita ninyo siya.”

8 Sinabi sa kanya ni Felipe: “Pangi­noon, ipakita mo na sa amin ang Ama at sapat na sa amin.” 9 Sinabi sa kanya si Jesus: “Ang tagal na panahon n’yo akong kasa­ma at hindi mo pa ako kilala, Felipe? Sa pag­ka­kita sa akin ninu­man, ang Ama ang naki­kita niya. Paano mong masasabi: ‘Ituro mo sa amin ang Ama’?

10 Hindi ka ba naniniwalang nasa Ama ako at nasa akin ang Ama? Hindi mula sa sarili ko sinasabi ang  mga salitang bini­bigkas ko. Sa akin nanu­nuluyan ang Ama, at siya ang guma­gawa ng kanyang mga gawa. 11 Mani­wala kayo sa akin na nasa Ama ako at nasa akin ang Ama. Kung hindi dahil sa akin, maniwala kayo dahil man lamang sa mga gawa.

12 Talagang-talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo, magagawa rin ng nananalig sa akin ang gawang ginawa ko; at mas dakila pa kaysa mga ito ang gagawin niya. Sapagkat sa Ama ako papunta.

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.