Reflection for January 30 Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 4:35-41

Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. 

Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

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Reflection:

Are you easily rattled when you pass through stormy episodes in your life? Or you remain calm amidst the storms because you know that Jesus is always there for you.  

The disciples were in a boat together with Jesus when it suddenly encountered a violent storm. They were terrified for they thought that the boat might not be able to withstand the storm.  Why were they terrified when Jesus was with them? Perhaps they were overtaken with fear that’s why they suddenly forgot that Jesus was with them.  

For as long as we exist in this world we would continue to encounter also our own share of storms and worrisome moments in our lives. But we have nothing to worry if we have faith in Jesus, we have nothing to worry if we have a personal relationship with Jesus.  

 We simply have to constantly be connected with Him for the reason that He will take care of everything. Jesus will calm us in the midst of our distressful storms. Jesus will make a way when there seems to be no way.  

 All He asks from us is to have faith and this we can have if we ask Him to give us the gift of faith. Because faith is a gift that Jesus gives to those who sincerely ask for it. 

Prayer:

O Lord in the midst of the many storms in our life we beseech you to give us the gift of faith. So that we would be able to withstand whatever worrisome situation that we may encounter. Forgive our feeble faith, forgive us for not trusting you and for not always recognizing that you’re with us with us. Amen. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for January 29 Friday of the 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 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:

Do you want to feel the kingdom of God in your life? Then you should open your life to God. In everyday of your life God showers you with every blessing that He could give you. But do you notice and acknowledge these blessings that God gives you?  

For example, the blessing of a new life when you wake up in the morning, the sunlight, the air that you breathe and so forth. Do you care to thank God for all of these blessings?  

Acknowledgement of God’s many blessings is the first step for you to feel the kingdom of God in your life. When you recognize the majesty and power of God you also open your life to His kingdom. And you let God come into your life; eventually you let God rule your life.  

Then little by little you let God take charge of your life and not you anymore taking charge of your own life. Thus, you would be able to avoid sin no matter how tempting. And you would be able to carefully discern right from wrong.  

This is where the kingdom of God begins to take root in your life. It grows little by little until it blooms wherein you would be able to fight temptation in whatever forms and shapes.   

Jesus in our gospel for this Friday mentions about the small mustard seed which is none other than Himself and His kingdom. This small mustard seed once acknowledged and recognized by the soil (Which is no other than you). Begins to sprout until it blooms and eventually grows bigger so that those who needs shelter can go there. 

Do you always acknowledge, recognize and discern the presence of God’s kingdom in your life? - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for January 28 Thursday, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church (M): 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:

There was a man who had an enormous thirst for God. He reads his bible everyday in the process he could already remember majority of the bible verses. But he was selfish and not willing to share what he knew about the bible with his friends.  

He defends his selfishness by saying: How could they be encouraged to read the bible if I would share my knowledge with them? He further said that it would be better for them to invest some of their time in reading the bible also.  

But this is not what Jesus commands us Jesus doesn't want us to be stingy with whatever knowledge we know about Him. Jesus doesn’t want us to create self-serving reason to escape sharing what we know about God.  

Jesus wants us to be generous with our knowledge about Him. He wants us to share Him with others so that He can continue to change lives. Most importantly, Jesus wants us to live His teachings. So that it could spread even to the farthest corner of the world.  

When we share and live the teachings of Jesus we become like lighted lamps in the midst of darkness. This is the purpose why we are in this world; to be Christ light which brightly illuminates and enlightens those who are in darkness. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for January 27, Wednesday of the Third Week in OT: 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:

How can we become the seed that fell on rich soil? We have to attend Holy Mass as often as possible most especially on Sundays, we have to read the bible, we have to be prayerful, we have to ask the guidance of the Holy Spirit and we have to live our faith.  

Many of us go off course and do not become the seed that fell on rich soil for the simple reason that we don’t take seriously our faith. We attend Holy Mass, we read the bible but we don’t practice what we read and hear. We simply let it inside our ear and let it pass on the other side of our ear.  

What we have to do is to let what we hear go down to our hearts afterwards we let it go up to our brains. Thus, we would be able to live what we read and hear.  

There is a story of a man who goes to Mass every Sunday and who profess to be faithful to his wife. However, his wife discovered that she was not the only woman in his life. Why did it happen that he was not true to his profession of fidelity towards his wife? This is for the reason that his faith was superficial and many of us are like this man: We have superficial faith.  

How could we transform this superficial faith for it to become the seed which fell on rich soil and produced hundredfold of fruits?  

We have to be docile to the desire of the Holy Spirit and that is to transform us to become a faithful follower of Jesus. And this is very possible for the simple reason that nothing is impossible to our God. 

Is your faith in the Lord bearing fruit already? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for January 26, Tuesday Saints Timothy and Titus, bishops (M): Luke 10:1-9

Gospel: Luke 10:1-9

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.  

Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.' If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.  

Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.'"

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Reflection:

Why do we sometimes waver in our discipleship for the Lord? I think it is for the reason that we lack focus, we don’t trust God and we like this world more than we like God. As a result we become half-hearted until we do not anymore trust the providence of God. After which we now trust more on ourselves and Jesus becomes a minimal factor in our lives.  

But what is the message of our gospel today? Its full trust and dependence on God alone! If we would only learn to entrust our lives to Jesus and if we would only learn to be faithful to the mission that He has given us. Then we would see how God would provide for us, but the problem is some of us don’t even know what is our mission in this world.  

We don’t know our mission because we don’t take our faith seriously. We hardly give it time because we are always busy with our worldly undertakings. Worldly undertakings that can evaporate from us anytime. Worldly undertakings that will not bring us eternal peace and happiness.  

But what is our mission? Our mission is to become modern day zealous disciples that will help Jesus spread the good news of our salvation.  

Have you already shared the Lord's good news? – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for January 25, Monday the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle (Feast): 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:

There is a story of a woman who would always share pictures of herself on social media. Her husband who was a pastor would always tell her to share instead bible quotations so that she could inspire others to know more about God and in the process share in the mission of Jesus as well. 

Transmission of communication nowadays is very fast, for example if we post something on the internet. And if the content of what we post is good, we could be assured that it will go viral and it can reach the farthest corner of the world thru internet. 

During the time of Jesus transmission of communication was on a word of mouth basis. No internet and other high-end form of communication. It was simple word of mouth only. And yet the gospel was able to spread until it reached us. The key element in the spread of the gospel was the committed apostles and Saint Paul whose conversion we celebrate today. 

The desire of Jesus today is for us to become the modern day apostles and Saint Paul to whom he could entrust the mission of evangelization. He trusts us that we could also proclaim the gospel using the many forms of social media mode of communication today.   

There’s no more excuse for us not to help Jesus spread the gospel because we have in our fingertips the internet. Let us exploit the use of this technology to reach as many as possible.  

For example, if you’ve been posting updates about yourself using facebook, twitter, instagram and other forms of social media portals. Why not post quotations from the bible instead? Why not post something that would inspire others to take seriously their faith?  By doing so you inspire others, you change lives and you help Jesus spread the gospel.  

Have you already propagated the faith using social media? -  Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Reflection for Sunday January 24, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time: Mark 1:14-20

Gospel Mark 1:14-20

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”  

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they left their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

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Reflection:

A father would always call his children to go home for lunch as they play in front of their house. The moment his children hears his voice they would immediately pack things up to respond to his call. Why? For the simple reason that he is their father the one who takes care of them, who feeds them and who gives his time for them. 

The four disciples knew something that we don’t know that’s why they responded to Jesus’ call. Jesus did not promise them anything verbally but perhaps Jesus was silently talking to them in their hearts. That if they would respond they would have a new perspective about life and the afterlife.  And if they would respond He would take care of them for the rest of their lives. 

What is it that keeps us from responding to the call of Jesus? Are we afraid to lose our financial security? Are we afraid to leave behind our family and friends? Are we afraid to leave behind the usual sinful lifestyle that has become part already of our daily lives? We have to remember that we are only on a temporary journey in this world. Whatever worldly things that we presently have are temporary and passing, we will leave it all someday. 

Jesus is calling us to follow Him and leave whatever worldliness and sinfulness that we have. For example, the call would go this way: Follow me and leave behind your sinful life, follow me and begin to live a fulfilled, peaceful and meaningful life. 

Perhaps, Jesus is not asking us to leave our present environment and be with Him in another place. Perhaps Jesus is telling us this: Follow me where you are today by leaving behind whatever sinfulness that you are in right now. Never worry when you do so for I will take care of you and will never leave you alone. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for January 23, Saturday of the Second Week: 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:

There is a story about an intelligent young man who decided to enter the seminary against the will of his parents. Being poor and the only child his parents wanted him to be a doctor so that he’ll become rich and eventually properly take care of them when they become old. But he was adamant in his desire thus he was labelled as someone who is out of His mind by his relatives and friends. 

Jesus too was called as someone that is out of his mind by his relatives because He chose to live the life of an itinerant preacher. He chose to fight for the poor and oppressed, he chose to go against some of the Jewish laws specifically the law of the Sabbath. Thus earning the ire of the powerful Jewish elite. 

Be not afraid to tread the less travelled road of Jesus. Follow it for so long as you are not steeping on the toes of anyone and you’re not doing any wrong. They may oppose it now but in God’s time they surely would be enlightened and they will understand you. 

The voice of God is much superior than any worldly voice. You therefore have to hear it and follow it notwithstanding the contradiction and opposition. -  Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Enero 23, Sabado sa Ikalawang Linggo ng Taon: Marcos 3:20-21

Mabuting Balita: Marcos 3:20-21

20 Pagkauwi ni Jesus, nagsidating ang mga tao kayat hindi na sila nakakain. 21 Nang mabalitaan ito ng kanyang mga kamag-anak, lumabas sila para hulihin siya. Sinasabi nga nilang “Nababaliw   siya.”

Reflection for January 22, Friday of the Second Week: Mark 3:13-19

Gospel: Mark 3:13-19

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. 

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

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Reflection:

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

The twelve that were chosen by Jesus knew nothing also about the faith; many of them were in fact ordinary men and they were sinners too like us. Yet they were called by Jesus to follow Him. Therefore to say that we know nothing is not an excuse because we will know if we would only try to know something about the faith. 

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

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

Reflection for January 21, Thursday Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr (M): Mark 3:7-12

Gospel: Mark 3:7-12

Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. 

He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” He warned them sternly not to make him known.

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Reflection:

Do you believe in the saying: "To see is to believe." 

Large number of people from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idulmea, Jordan, Tyre and Sidon were following Jesus because of the physical and spiritual healing that He did for them. And after experiencing healing from Jesus they surely would spread it through word of mouth and by other means. 

This kind of situation is no different in our time right now. Whenever we hear that someone heals in the name of Jesus it immediately goes viral, it spread and soon after populate the internet. And naturally we would all go there (if we could) and see and experience it for ourselves as they say: “To see is to believe.” We therefore go to see and once we see it as if on cue we would now immediately believe. 

On the other hand there’s the silent majority who follow Jesus not because of His miracles and healings. They follow Him for the simple reason that they feel it in their hearts their need for Jesus, immaterial of His miracles and healings. It doesn’t even matter if he would be able to heal or not. They follow already for their love and thirst for the Lord. 

The ideal and true followers are those who follow even without experiencing miracles. Are you one of those? Or you still need to see and feel a miracle before you follow the Lord. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

1Reflection for January 20, Wednesday of the Second Week: 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? 

To help those who are in need is for all season; it is not strictly confined nor enclosed to certain days or hours. As long as there are those who are in need of our help, then we must help by all means for this is what God wants us to do.  

We see it in the gospel today; there is this man with a withered hand but it so happen that it was a Sabbath day. Did Jesus thought of not healing this man because it was Sabbath day and His usual critics were closely monitoring Him? 

No He did not! He instead called the man and said: Come up here before us and He said again: Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored. 

We must not be afraid to help regardless of who the person is and no matter the circumstances that we are in. If we have the capacity to help by all means we must help. But the reality of it all is this: Some of us help selectively, we choose the person that we would help. Many of us specially help those who can reciprocate the help that we’ve done; perhaps this is human nature.  

But Jesus is challenging us through our gospel that we must transcend it and not be selective on extending help. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for January 19, Tuesday of the Second Week: Mark 2:23-28

Gospel: Mark 2:23-28

As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. At this the Pharisees said to him “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath? He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry?  

How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest  and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions? Then he said to them “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

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Reflection:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gospel: Mark 2:18-22

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to Jesus and objected, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast? Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them and then they will fast on that day.   

No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

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Reflection:

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

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

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

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