Reflection for May 23, Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter: John 16:23b-28

Gospel: John 16:23b-28

Jesus said to his disciples: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

"I have told you this in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the Father. On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you. For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."

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Reflection:

The story is told about an old man who was on his death bed and he was calling on Jesus to bring him into His kingdom. His relatives were whispering among themselves that he was already hallucinating. Then, suddenly the dying man breathed deeply and said to them: Jesus is here now and He’s holding my hand after which the dying man breathed his last with a smile on his face.

The name of Jesus is very powerful it can give us peace and serenity it can ward off evil thoughts and spirits. But do we invoke Jesus name often? Maybe yes or no or perhaps we only remember to call on Jesus when we are in dire need of Him. But after we’re through and over with our difficulties we once again forget Him. For example, surely many are praying hard right now because of Covid-19 but after this Covid-19 pandemic? Would many of us pray deeply to the Lord as before?

The name of Jesus is very powerful let us never forget to always invoke it. Let us call upon the powerful name of Jesus when we are tired of the daily grind of life. Let us call upon the powerful name of Jesus when we are losing hope caused by this Covid-19. Let us call upon the powerful name of Jesus when we are sick and so forth.   

In good times and in bad times let us always remember to call on Jesus. Let us ask Him to bring our prayers to the Father for He will never fail us.  – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Mayo 23, Sabado sa Ikaanim na Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 16:23b-28

Mabuting Balita: Juan 16:23b-28

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa kanyang mga alagad: Sa araw na iyon, wala na kayong itatanong sa akin sapagkat talagang-tala­gang sinasabi ko sa inyo na ipagkakaloob sa inyo anumang hingin ninyo sa Ama sa Ngalan ko. 24 Hanggang ngayo’y wala pa kayong hiningi sa Ngalan ko. Humingi kayo at tatanggap kayo upang maganap ang inyong kaga­lakan.

25 Sa mga paghahambing ko ipina­ngungusap sa inyo ang mga ito. Ngunit may oras na sasapit na hindi sa pagha­hambing ako mangungusap sa inyo kundi lantaran ko nang ihahayag sa inyo ang tungkol sa Ama. 26 Sa araw na ’yon, sa ngalan ko kayo hihingi; hindi ko sinasabi sa inyo na makikiusap ako sa Ama alang-alang sa inyo 27 pagkat iniibig kayo mismo ng Ama dahil iniibig n’yo ako at pinaniniwalaang sa Diyos ako galing. 28 Galing ako sa Ama at dumating sa mundo. Muli kong iniiwan ang mundo at papunta sa Ama.

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for May 22, Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter: John 16:20-23

Gospel: John 16:20-23

Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.”

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Reflection:

Are we afraid to go through suffering/s? We all are, as much as possible we don’t want sufferings in our life. What we want is a suffering free life but a suffering free life is not a possibility for believers of Jesus. For without sufferings we would not be able to intensely feel the abiding presence of Jesus in our lives.

Jesus will help us conquer our sufferings for as long as we steadfastly hold on to Him. For example, we are all suffering right now one way or another caused by this Covid-19 pandemic. Yet in spite of this suffering that we are going through right now we continue to hold tightly to our faith in Jesus. And through our steadfast faith Jesus will sooner or later pull us out of this suffering.

In our gospel for this Friday, Jesus tells His disciples: You will weep and mourn (John 16:20). Jesus told them this for His hour of arrest, passion and death would soon come. Yet they will be joyful and triumphant after a period of time. Joy and triumph that nobody can take away from them. Joy and triumph which are brought about by Jesus resurrection and triumph over death.

What is important in life is we continue to steadfastly hold on to Jesus no matter how severe the trials that we may face. For there surely be triumph over our trials if we remain unwavering in our faith in the Lord. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for May 21, Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter: John 16:16-20

Gospel: John 16:16-20

Jesus said to his disciples: “A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.” So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ of which he speaks? We do not know what he means.” Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing with one another what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”

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Reflection:

Do you believe that after sorrow and pain comes redemption?

When Jesus said to his disciples: “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices; you will grieve but your grief will become joy (John 16:20).” Jesus was already alluding about his forthcoming passion and death that he has to go through and to his subsequent resurrection.

 Jesus even compared it with a woman who is in labor pain. But after she has given birth she would forget that painful experience altogether because of the great joy that the newly born child would give her (John 16:21).

Married life is not always blissful, the husband and wife will go through humps and bumps that would test the strength of their fidelity before Jesus. But if they persevere and decide to stay in their union amidst their trials there would be joy in their hearts at the end.    

Same with our walk with Jesus, it will not always be a bed of roses, there would be trials, and sometimes we will be persecuted because of what we do for God.

In spite of these all let us continue to follow Jesus, for at the end there will be redemption for those who are faithful to Him. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for May 20, Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter: John 16:12-15

Gospel: John 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples, I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”

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Reflection:

How can we feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in our life? We need to live our lives according to how Jesus wants us to live it based on the commandments of love (Luke 10:27). Everything starts from following these commandments and the moment we follow and live it, we would have an awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit.  

Therefore we must learn to live Jesus’ commandments of love. But do we live these love commandments of the Lord? Are we not selective when we give our love? For example, the command of Jesus pertaining to love of our neighbor, it’s so easy to follow this when the person is loving us in return. But when the person is hurting us it’s now very difficult for us to give our love. The challenge for us is to love even more those who are not loving us in return.

The situation is basically the same on how we express our love for God. For many of us God is easier to love when HE answers all our prayers. But when HE doesn’t answer our prayers it’s sometimes difficult for us to express our love for God.  The challenge therefore for all of us is to  love God and neighbor in good times and in bad.

Do we have an awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our life? If our answer is no, then, we must start to follow Jesus’ commandments of love. Not according to how we want to follow it but according to how Jesus wants us to follow and live it. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for May 19, Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter: John 16:5-11

Gospel: John 16:5-11

Jesus said to his disciples: “Now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

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Reflection:

Have you been through an episode in your life where you somehow feel that God has somewhat abandoned you? We all pass through this kind of experience perhaps not only once but many times over in our lifetime.

But God never leaves us for He is always with us. His presence within us is coursed through us by the Holy Spirit. Jesus through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit is always with us. Thus, we have nothing to fear even this Covid-19 pandemic we will not fear! For we know that through the Holy Spirit God is always with us, it’s in fact us who forget of His presence in us.

We only have to connect with God to discern His presence in us. We can do this by our prayers, if already possible presence at Holy Mass if not we can attend online Mass in the comfort of our himes. By reading of the words of God in the bible, by spending time with Him in the adoration chapel if already allowed, by our interaction with Him through the sacraments of the church.

In the gospel, Jesus is already saying His farewell to His disciples for he will soon be arrested. Yet He continuously assures them of His sacred presence in their lives. This presence is made manifest to them by the presence of the Holy Spirit who would be their helper and advocate in whatever way.

We are never alone in the midst of the many difficulties that we are going through caused by this Covid-19 pandemic for God through the Holy Spirit is always with us. The Holy Spirit is ever ready to lift us up whenever we are feeling down, unloved and neglected by the people of this world. We simply have to have an awareness of its presence in our lives.

Do we feel the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for May 18, 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:

Why do others kill for their religion? For example, those who blow up themselves in the midst of people so that they could kill as many as possible. They do this because they do not know Jesus. Yes they have a God but what their God is teaching is not what Jesus is teaching us.

Jesus preaches compassion, love, sacrifice and humility this is always what Jesus is teaching us. Jesus never taught us to spread violence and to blow ourselves into kingdom come so that we could inflict damage and fear.

What are we going to do to them? Should we face violence with violence of course not for the simple reason that violence is not in the resume and teachings of Jesus. We should rather pray for them so that they can be converted and enlightened.   

Nothing is impossible for our God, we therefore should continue to pray for the conversion of those who continue to inflict hatred upon us. They may be members of our family, they may be our former friends or anybody whose objective is to create catastrophic damage and fear upon humanity. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Sunday May 17, Sixth Sunday of Easter: John 14:15-21

Gospel: John 14:15-21

Jesus said to his disciples: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him."

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Reflection:

Do we once in a while feel that somebody is watching over us most especially when we are alone? Do we often times feel that somebody is whispering to us telling us to do what is right when we are about to do what is wrong?

In this gospel episode Jesus is soon to leave the disciples but He is promising them the presence of an advocate after He leaves them. God the Holy Spirit is that advocate that is always with us, watching over us and always leading us to the right way of life. This is the same Holy Spirit that we received during our baptism and the very same Holy Spirit that was strengthened within us when we received the Sacrament of Confirmation.

The question that needs to be answered is this: If the Holy Spirit is always with us, how come that we still commit sin? We still commit sin because we also have a freewill to do what is wrong or right. And many of us sad to say still choose to do wrong even if the Holy Spirit is urging us to do what is right. So, we don’t have peace and we are always disturbed.      

The key to always feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in our life is to love the Lord and to follow His commandments. This is a very simple instruction from the Lord but very hard to follow for many of us.  Because many of us are easily tempted by satan to sin. Thus, we don’t feel the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit in our life. What we instead feel is the presence of satan hence we live sinful, disturbed and complicated lives.

If we still have peace today despite the disorder that Covid-19 has created in our life the abiding, guiding and calming presence of the Holy Spirit is within us. This is so because we love the Lord and we observe carefully His commandments.

Do we still feel right now the calming and peaceful presence of the Holy Spirit? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Linggo Mayo 17, Ikaanim na Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 14:15-21

Mabuting Balita: Juan 14:15-21

Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad, 15 Kung mahal ninyo ako, isasa­katupa­ran ninyo ang mga kautusan ko. 16 At hihingin ko sa Ama at ibibigay niya sa inyo ang bagong Tagapag­tang­gol upang makasama ninyo magpaka­ilan­man: 17 ang Espiritu ng katoto­hanan na hindi matatang­gap ng mundo dahil hindi siya  nito napapansin ni nakikilala. Kilala ninyo siya sapagkat namamalagi siya sa inyo at sasainyo siya.

18 Hindi ko kayo iiwang ulila; pabalik ako sa inyo. 19 Kaunti pang panahon at hindi na ako mapapansin ng mundo; ngunit papansinin ninyo ako sapagkat buhay ako at mabu­buhay din kayo. 20 Sa araw na ’yon ninyo malalaman na nasa Ama ako, at nasa akin kayo at nasa inyo naman ako.

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.”

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection 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

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  

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

Reflection 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   

1Reflection 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