Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Marso 9 Martes sa Ikatlong Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Mateo 18:21-35

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 18:21-35
21 Nagtanong naman si Pedro: “Pa­nginoon, gaano kadalas ko naman dapat patawarin ang mga pagku­kulang ng aking kapatid? Pitong be­ses ba?” 22 Sumagot si Jesus: “Hindi, hindi pitong beses kundi pitumpu’t pitong beses.
 
23 Tungkol sa kaharian ng Langit ang kasaysayang ito. Isang hari ang nag­pasyang pagbayarin ng utang ang kanyang mga utusan. 24 Nang simulan niyang suriin ang kuwenta, ini­harap sa kanya ang isang may utang na sampung libong baretang ginto. 25 Dahil walang ma­ibayad sa kanya ang tao, iniutos ng panginoon na ipagbili at maging alipin siya kasama ng kan­yang asawa, mga anak at mga ari-arian bilang bayad-utang.
 
26 At nagpatirapa sa paanan ng hari ang opisyal at sinabi: ‘Bigyan mo pa ako ng panahon, at ba­bayaran kong lahat ang utang ko.’ 27 Naawa sa kanya ang hari at hindi lamang siya pinalaya kundi kinansela pa ang kanyang utang. 28 Pagkaalis ng opisyal na ito, nasa­lu­bong ni­ya ang isa sa kanyang mga kasamahan na may utang namang sandaang barya sa kanya. Si­nung­gaban niya ito sa leeg at halos sakalin habang sumisigaw ng ‘Bayaran mo ang utang mo!’
 
29 Nagpa­tirapa sa paanan niya ang kanyang kasamahan at nag­sabi: ‘Big­yan mo pa ako ng panahon, at baba­yaran kong lahat ang utang ko sa iyo.’ 30 Ngunit tumanggi siya at ipina­kulong ito hanggang maka­bayad ng utang. 31 Labis na nalungkot ang iba nilang kapwa-lingkod nang makita ang nang­yari. Kaya pinuntahan nila ang kani­lang panginoon at ibinalita ang buong pang­yayari. 32 Ipinatawag naman niya ang opisyal at sinabi: ‘Masamang utusan, pinatawad ko ang lahat ng iyong utang nang maki­usap ka sa akin. 33 Di ba dapat ay naawa ka rin sa iyong kasamahan gaya ng pagkaawa ko sa iyo?’ 34 Galit na galit ang panginoon kaya ibinigay niya ang kanyang utusan sa mga tagapag­pa­hirap hang­gang mabaya­ran nito ang lahat ng utang.”
 
35 Idinagdag ni Jesus: “Ganito rin ang gagawin sa inyo ng aking Ama sa Langit kung hindi pata­tawarin ng bawat isa sa inyo mula sa puso ang kanyang kapatid.”

Reflection for March 8 Monday of the Third Week of Lent: Luke 4:24-30

Gospel: Luke 4:24-30

Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land.  

It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

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Reflection: 

How does God give His blessings?  God gives His blessings to anyone that He pleases and He surely doesn’t play the game of favoritism.  

If God has favorites among us because we are prayerful or because we attend Holy Mass and do noble acts. Our worship for God would now be motivated by our actions focused to get His favor.  Therefore our worship for God is not anymore motivated by our love for Him. It’s now rather motivated by the result that we want from Him.   

In our gospel Jesus shared the story of a Syrian named Naaman who was sick with leprosy. There were also many lepers in Israel around that time but God chose to heal a non Israelite named  Naaman. 

Jesus cited the story of Naaman to send a strong message to those who were listening to Him in the synagogue. That they cannot gain God’s favor by means of their self-serving acts of piety 0r worship for God that has selfish motivations.  

This is a good point of reflection for all of us for we may be doing things for God with selfish motives. Or we do things for God and our fellowmen because we want something in return from God.  

For example we would say to God, I will serve you but I request you to bless my family in return. But this is not how it is because our ways is not God’s ways, we cannot force God to do something because we want Him to do it for us.   

When we do acts for God let us make sure that we primarily do it because of our deep love for God. No other motives than our deep love for God. – Marino J. Dasmarinas    

Reflection for Sunday March 7, Third Sunday of Lent: John 2:13-25

Gospel: John 2:13-25

Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace. 

His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this? Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews said “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead his disciples remembered that he had said this and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken. 

While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.

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Reflection:

Is it OK to get angry? Yes, when there is a valid reason for that anger. Anger is not bad per se when you focus your anger to the act and not to the person. Anger should not also last for a long time it should only have a very limited life in our system of thinking so that it will not control us. 

In the gospel, the temple area was not anymore being used according to its purpose which is for  worship of God. It was not OK to have business there for the temple area was intended for the worship of God and nothing else but for the worship of God only. But the people used the temple for business and other unworthy things that defiled its sacredness.   

Therefore Jesus had no other choice but to create order and in the process He got angry but for a very limited time only. Anger that was justified for it reminded the people that the temple area and the temple itself must be free from anything outside of the worship of God. And from anything that is fraudulent, deceitful and immoral. The temple area and the temple itself must always be free from any form of desecration for it is the house of God. 

This is a good reminder for all of us when we go to church to worship God. We should go there only to worship God and not do anything that would defile the church. The defilement or desecration that we do is not limited to physical defilement. We also defile the church when we think of anything that is not good and ungodly while we are in the church. 

So, we go to church for the primary reason of worshipping God at Holy Mass. There should be no other reason but to worship God only. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Linggo Marso 7, Ikatlong Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Juan 2:13-25

Mabuting Balita: Juan 2:13-25

13 Malapit na noon ang Paskuwa ng mga Judio, at umahon si Jesus pa-Jerusalem. 14 Natagpuan niya sa patyo ng Templo ang mga nagtitinda ng mga baka, mga tupa at mga kalapati, at ang mga nakaupong tagapalit ng pera. 15 Kaya gumawa siya ng panghagupit mula sa mga lubid, at ipinagtabuyan ang lahat mula sa Templo, pati ang mga tupa at mga baka, at isinabog ang pera ng mga tagapalit at ipinagtataob ang mga mesa. 

16 At sinabi niya sa mga nagtitinda ng mga kalapati: “Alisin n’yo ang mga ito! Huwag n’yong gawing palengke ang Bahay ng aking Ama.” 17 Naalaala ng kanyang mga alagad na nasusulat: “Tinutupok ako ng mala­sakit sa iyong Bahay.” 18 Kaya sumagot ang mga Judio: “Anong tanda ang maipapakita mo sa amin at ginagawa mo ito?” 19 Sinagot sila ni Jesus: “Gibain n’yo ang templong ito, at ibabangon ko ito sa tatlong araw.” 

20 Sinabi naman ng mga Judio: “Apat­­-napu’t anim na taon nang itina­tayo ang templong ito, at ibabangon mo ito sa tatlong araw?” 21 Ngunit and templong katawan niya ang kanyang tinutukoy. 22 Nang iba­ngon siya mula sa mga patay, naalaala ng kanyang mga alagad ang sinabi niyang ito. Kaya naniwala sila sa Kasulatan at sa salitang sinabi ni Jesus. 

23 Nang nasa Jerusalem siya sa Piyesta ng Paskuwa, maraming nanalig sa kanyang Pangalan nang mapansin nila ang mga tandang ginagawa niya. 24 Ngunit hindi naman nagtiwala si Jesus sa kanila dahil kilala niya ang lahat. 25 Hindi niya kailangang may magpatunay tungkol sa isang tao dahil alam niya mismo kung ano nga ang nasa tao.

Reflection for March 6 Saturday of the Second Week of Lent: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them. So to them Jesus addressed this parable. “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them.  

After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. 

I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers. So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.  

But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found. Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.  

The servant said to him ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound. He became angry and when he refused to enter the house his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.  

But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.

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Reflection:

Would you return and ask forgiveness to someone you’ve hurt? 

After wasting his money on his vices and other sinful cravings the younger son decided to humbly return to his father. He swallowed his pride; he braved the insults and ridicule that might come his way just to be home again with his father who unconditionally loved him.  

There is also a stretch in our lives that we drift away from God; we personally take command of our lives. We indulge in different worldly vices and sins thinking that it would make us happy. Then we realize that there is still this void that has not been filled by our worldly and sinful cravings. 

So  where would we go? We humbly go back to Jesus and ask for His mercy and forgiveness. Jesus will surely not refuse a repentant sinner like us. What we only have to do is to go back to Him. Never mind the many sins that we have committed for Jesus doesn’t count the sins that we have committed.    

He is always looking at our humble and repentant hearts. Therefore, we have to go back to Him for Jesus is eagerly waiting to embrace us once again. WE should not look back at our dark past anymore what is important for Jesus is our now and our future. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for March 5 Friday of the Second Week of Lent: Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

Gospel: Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: “Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned.  

Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.  

What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?” They answered him, “He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times. Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?  

Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit. When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them. And although they were attempting to arrest him, they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

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Reflection:

What is your mission as far as your faith life in this world is concerned? It’s to pay forward or share whatever you know about your faith. It’s to give life to your faith by not keeping it to yourself. And it’s to generously share whatever you know about your faith.  

 In our gospel for today, Jesus gives us the parable of the tenants who were entrusted by the landowner of his property. Before the landowner left them he first ensured that they already have all that they would need to make them productive. And so the landowner left and when harvest time came the landowner was demanding his share from the tenants.  

We are the tenants which Jesus is speaking about in the gospel.  The land or property that Jesus has entrusted to us is no other than our faith. What have we done so far to the gift of faith that He has entrusted us? Have we already shared it? Or we are still up to now keeping it to ourselves?  

If we want to grow in faith we have to humbly share it for it is in sharing our faith that we would grow in faith. It is in sharing our faith that would make us productive followers of Jesus. Many are still not properly educated as far as their faith life is concerned and many are Catholics in name only. And who is to blame for this lack of education of our catholic faith? We are partly to be blamed because many of us have not yet shared the gift of faith that Jesus has entrusted us.  

But it’s not yet late for you still have time.  Therefore you have to do something, start first by inviting your family to attend Holy Mass. Then gently teach them with whatever you know about the Bible and your catholic faith.  

Have courage to do this for God’s blessings will be upon you. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for March 4 Thursday of the Second Week of Lent: Luke 16:19-31

Gospel: Luke 16:19-31

Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.  

The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.' Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’  

He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.' But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent. ’Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’

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Reflection:

The story is told about a man who did not believe in God and in the afterlife. He wantonly wasted his life by living a life of sinful pleasures.   It was always a life of immoral satisfaction for him: drugs, sex, and other sinful things, in other words he had no time for God. This became his life because he did not believe in the existence of the afterlife much less God.  

Is there really an afterlife or a life which will immediately replace our present life after our life in this world is over and done with already? The answer is a resounding yes! The gospel shows us that there is an afterlife which is very different from the life that we have today. There in the afterlife exist two kingdoms: the kingdom of God and the kingdom of satan where he  and his minions dwell.  

In the gospel, we see the characters of the unnamed rich and indifferent man and the poor man named Lazarus. The rich man perhaps did not believe in the afterlife or was not aware that there is an afterlife that’s why he did not mind the poor man Lazarus who was in dire need of his help. He nonchalantly ignored Lazarus as if the poor man did not exist.  

When both of them died there was a reversal of places: The poor man Lazarus who endured a difficult life when he was still alive was in the kingdom of God and the rich man who savored earthly life was in the dark kingdom of the devil.  

Why was there a reversal of places? Because the rich man was indifferent to the crying need of the poor man Lazarus. If he only knew that Lazarus was very close to God. If he only knew that Lazarus could have been God in disguise. The lesson for us is very simple, we should not ignore the crying need of the poor and we should always be sensitive to their plight.      

Do we callously ignore the poor when we encounter them or we help them by giving them something or by praying for them? – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

1Reflection for March 3 Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent: Matthew 20:17-28

Gospel: Matthew 20:17-28

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” 

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”

 They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

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Reflection:

The story is told about a woman who wanted to serve in their parish church as a catechist. So she went to the church and had a conversation with the parish priest about her desire. The priest told her, would you be willing to do volunteer work without expecting anything in return?  And the woman said yes, from thereon she volunteered her time in the service for the church without expecting anything in return.  

In the gospel we read about a woman who is acting like a stage mother for her two sons to be seated at the right and left side of the Lord. She was asking for the grandest position for her two sons but Jesus said to her: “You do not know what you are asking for.” (Matthew 20:22)  

Do you also sometimes aspire for the grandest position in your church, in your community and in your workplace? Do not aspire for those lofty positions let it come to you instead. How would it come to you without aspiring for it? It will just be at your doorstep when you work hard without expecting anything in return.  

The most gratifying rewards that will come to you are those that you don’t expect these kinds of rewards come from the Lord and are born out of your selfless and tireless work. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Marso 3 Miyerkules sa Ikalawang Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Mateo 20:17-28

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 20:17-28

17 Nang umakyat si Jesus sa Jerusalem, isinama niya ang Labindalawa, at habang nasa daan ay sinabi niya sa kanila: 18 “Papunta na tayo sa Jerusalem. Doon ibibigay ang Anak ng Tao sa mga punong-pari at mga guro ng Batas na maghahatol sa kanya ng kama­tayan. 19 Kaya ibibigay nila siya sa mga pagano para pagtawanan, hagupitin at ipako sa krus. Ngunit babangon siya sa ikatlong araw.”  

• 20 Lumapit noon kay Jesus ang ina nina Jaime at Juan kasama ng dalawa niyang anak, at lumuhod sa harap niya para makiusap. 21 Tinanong siya ni Jesus: “Ano ang ibig mo?” At sumagot siya: “Narito ang dalawa kong anak. Iutos mong maupo ang isa sa iyong kanan at ang isa naman sa iyong kaliwa sa iyong Kaharian.”  

22 Sinabi ni Jesus sa magkapatid: “Hindi ninyo nalalaman ang inyong hinihingi. Ma­iinom ba ninyo ang kalis na iinumin ko?” Sumagot sila: “Kaya namin.” 23 Suma­got si Jesus: “Totoong iinom din kayo sa aking kalis, ngunit wala sa akin ang pag­papaupo sa aking kanan o kaliwa. Para sa mga hinirang ng Ama ang mga lugar na iyon.”  

24 Nang marinig ito ng sampu, nagalit sila sa magka­patid. 25 Kaya tinawag sila ni Jesus at sinabi: “Alam ninyo na sinusupil ng mga naghahari ang kani­lang mga bansa at inaapi ng mga nasa kapang­yarihan. 26 Hindi naman ganito sa inyo: ang may gus­tong maging dakila, siya ang maging lingkod ninyo; 27 ang may gustong mauna sa inyo, siya ang maging alipin ninyo. 28 Gayun­din naman, duma­ting ang Anak ng Tao hindi para pag­ling­kuran kundi para mag­lingkod at ibigay ang kanyang buhay bilang pantubos sa marami.”

Reflection for March 2 Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent: Matthew 23:1-12

Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.  

They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’  

As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

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Reflection:

Should we aspire for greatness in our service for Jesus and our fellowmen? No, because the moment we aspire for greatness we are not anymore serving Jesus and our fellowmen. We are rather feeding our own egos and personal agendas.  

Many of us including those who do volunteer work for the church as well as politicians fail in this aspect of true and humble servanthood. For the reason that instead of giving true service we accompany it with our own selfish motives.  

Why are we offering our free time to the church? Is it purely to serve, or we have hidden motives? Same with politicians during campaign they would always offer themselves as servants, but after they’ve won we could hardly see them anymore.  

Jesus is teaching us that if we truly want to serve we must be ready to forget ourselves or forget who we are. We walk our talk without complaining whatsoever. We silently do what we have to do not minding if we would be rewarded for what we do for this is what servanthood is all about.  

Let us not worry if we are not cited for whatever noble undertaking that we do. God is not sleeping He sees everything and knows everything. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for March 1 Monday of the Second Week of Lent: Luke 6:36-38

Gospel: Luke 6:36-38

Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

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Reflection:

Are you merciful, are you not quick to judge and are you generous? 

Jesus gives us today in the gospel guidelines for living our faith. Be merciful, this merciful attitude is not only exclusive to those whom we love or to those whom we are friends with. Let us be merciful to anyone most especially to our enemies and to those who’ve hurt us.   

Stop judging/condemning and you will not be judged/condemned. Try pointing an accusing finger to someone whom you are judging or condemning and you will find out that three of your fingers are pointing back at you. Before you judge others of their iniquities look closely on yourselves first. 

On forgiveness, Jesus tells us to forgive and we will be forgiven. There are some of us who are so heartless that we have no room for forgiveness in our hearts. Jesus gives us insights on how we can liberate ourselves form hateful emotions through forgiveness.

We have to always be forgiving, it is indeed a liberating experience when we forgive; we let go of our pent up emotions that have been enslaving us for so long. Just try giving your wholesale forgiveness to everyone who has hurt you and you will feel as if a big burden has been taken off your back. 

On giving, Jesus tells us to give and gifts will be given to us in return, this is very true. The more that we give the more that we would receive; oftentimes we don’t give simply because we are very concerned with our own needs. In truth, it’s always in giving that we would receive more blessings from the Lord.

Whatever possessions that we have are not ours. We are simply stewards of the material possessions that we have. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

1Reflection for Sunday February 28, Second Sunday of Lent: Mark 9:2-10

Gospel: Mark 9:2-10

Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.  

Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.  

As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.

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Reflection:

Is heaven for real? Yes it is as evidenced by the transfiguration of the Lord. When Jesus brought along the three disciples (Peter, James and John) to have their mountain top experience. He wanted them to see that heaven is for real and not just a creation of the mind. Jesus wanted them to feel how it is to be in heaven literally.  

Indeed, heaven is for real and it is open for all of us. But we have to do also our part so that we could be there. Of course we have to become faithful followers of Jesus and not followers in name only.  We have to become all weather followers and not fair weather followers.  

Someday our journey in this world will be over and we all are surely hoping that we would be with Jesus in heaven. We therefore have to do our part no matter how small. We have to positively change so that we would have a chance to be with Jesus in heaven.  

Nobody of us knows where we would be eventually: Would we be in heaven or hell?  We don’t know only God knows about it but it’s a safe insurance that we ourselves be transfigured. From bad we now become good. From fair-weather followers of Jesus we now become an all-weather and faithful followers of the Lord.

But what is the relevance of the mountaintop experience for Peter, James and John? Why did Jesus ask them to go with Him when he could have went there by Himself? Perhaps Jesus wanted to inspire the three to continue with their mission of evangelization no matter the difficulties that they would be facing. Why? Because there’s a sacred and glorious reward that awaits them and that is the reward of heaven.  

Isn’t this what life is also? There are difficulties here and there we all pass through it most especially right now caused by Covid-19. But for so long as we don’t give up no matter the challenges that are before us right now there would be a reward for us also. What kind of reward we don’t know only God knows. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Linggo Pebrero 28, Ikalawang Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Marcos 9:2-10

Mabuting Balita: Marcos 9:2-10

2 Pagkaraan ng anim na araw, isinama ni Jesus sina Pedro, Jaime at Juan, at umakyat na sila lamang ang kasama sa isang mataas na bundok. At nagbago ang anyo ni Jesus sa harap nila 3 at ku­minang na puting-puti ang kanyang da­mit, na walang makapaglalabang simputi ni­yon sa lupa. 4 At napakita sa kanila sina Elias at Moises na nakikipag-usap kay Jesus.  

5 Kaya nagsalita si Pedro at kanyang sinabi: “Panginoon, mabuti at narito tayo. Gagawa kami ng tatlong kubol: isa para sa iyo, isa para kay Moises, at isa para kay Elias.” 6 Nasindak sila kaya hindi niya malaman kung ano ang sa­sabihin.  

7 At may ulap na lumilim sa kanila. At na­rinig mula sa ulap ang salitang ito: “Ito ang aking Anak, ang Minamahal, pa­king­gan nin­yo siya.” 8 At biglang-bigla, pagti­ngala nila, wala silang nakita liban kay Jesus na kasama nila.  

9 At pagbaba nila mula sa bundok, inu­tu­san niya sila na huwag sabihin ka­ni­nu­man ang nakita nila hanggang ma­ka­ba­ngon ang Anak ng Tao mula sa mga patay. 10 Ini­ngatan nila ang bagay na ito sa kanilang sarili pero nagta­nu­ngan sila kung ano ang pagbangon mula sa mga patay.

Reflection for February 27 Saturday of the First Week of Lent: Matthew 5:43-48

Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

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Reflection:

The story is told about a wife who was betrayed by her husband for a younger woman. After years of separation the wife learned that her husband was now sick. Because of her unconditional love for her husband she went to him and she brought her husband to the hospital to heal. 

Jesus in our gospel today gives us teaching about unconditional love. A love that pervades everyone. Including those who have hurt us or continue to hurt us, this is very hard to do but this is who Jesus is. He gives us teachings that are seemingly hard to follow based on our human standards. However if we are really devoted to Him we will obey and follow. 

What would happen to us if we follow the teachings of Jesus? For example His teaching in today’s gospel about loving and praying for our enemies and persecutors. We free ourselves from undeserved hatred and we free ourselves from self-created psychological and emotional imprisonment  which does not bring us any good anyway. 

Let us observe ourselves when we carry hatred in our hearts. We feel that we may explode anytime and this is very bad for our health most especially to our blood pressure. Observe also when we don’t carry any hatred in our hearts, we feel light and we invite the blessings of Jesus to come to us.  

Will you follow this teaching of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas