Reflection for April 27 Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter: John 10:22-30

Gospel: John 10:22-30

The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”  

Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

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Reflection:

How can we make others believe in Jesus as our Messiah/Savior? We have to share our faith in Jesus and we have to live His teachings. 

For example, if we say that we follow Jesus what comes after that is an honest to goodness self-examination about ourselves. Are we humble? Are we forgiving? Are we simple? Do we live and practice the faith? 

In our gospel for this Tuesday, the Jews gathered around Jesus and they said to HIM, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly (John 10:24)." They’re obviously unbelievers/non-followers, yes they know Jesus but they don’t believe in Jesus. 

From the time of Jesus let us fast forward today; our present technology driven times. Many are still unbelievers today, yes they know Jesus but it ends there. There’s no personal encounter and relationship with Jesus and there’s no living faith in Jesus. What are we going to do about this? 

The challenge before us all is so plain and so simple, we have to learn to share and live our faith in Jesus. So that those who don’t believe will now believe, those who don’t know Jesus will know Jesus and those who don’t have faith will now have faith. Why? Because we dared to share and live our faith in the Lord. 

Will you share your faith in Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Abril 27 Martes sa Ikaapat na Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 10:22-30

Mabuting Balita: Juan 10:22-30

22 Piyesta ng Pagtatalaga sa Jerusalem, taglamig noon. 23 Palakad-lakad si Jesus sa Templo sa patyo ni Solomon, 24 at pina­ligiran siya ng mga Judio at sinabi sa kanya: “Hanggang kailan mo ba kami ibibitin? Kung ikaw ang Kristo, sabihin mo sa amin nang lantaran.” 25 Sinagot sila ni Jesus: “Sinabi ko na sa inyo pero hindi kayo nanini­wala. Nag­papatunay tungkol sa akin ang mga gawang tinatrabaho ko sa ngalan ng aking Ama. 26 Ngunit hindi kayo nani­niwala sapagkat hindi kayo kabilang sa aking mga tupa. 

27 Dinidinig ng aking mga tupa ang aking tinig at kilala ko sila, at sumu­sunod sila sa akin. 28 Buhay magpa­kailanman ang ibinibigay ko sa kanila at hin­ding-hindi sila kailanman mapa­pahamak ni walang aagaw sa kanila mula sa kamay ko. 29 Mas dakila sa anuman ang ibinigay sa akin ng aking Ama, at walang maka­aagaw mula sa kamay ng Ama. 30 Iisa kami: ako at ang Ama.”

Reflection for April 26 Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter: John 10:1-10

Gospel: John 10:1-10

Jesus said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  

When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” Although Jesus used this figure of speech, they did not realize what he was trying to tell them.  

So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

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Reflection:

The story is told about a woman who tried very hard to provide for her three children. She worked very hard for them and she taught them also about the role of God in their lives. Her three children eventually became very successful courtesy of her proper shepherding.  

Jesus wants nothing but the best for us as well this is the reason why He patiently shepherds us. And His end objective is for us to live our lives according to what He desires it for us. However, many of us still veer away from the shepherding of Jesus.  

So what happens to us when we veer away from the shepherding of the Lord? We endlessly labor for this world to acquire its temporal things. Temporal thing that amounts to nothing at the end for the simple reason that it will not satisfy us.  

In our gospel Jesus tells us this: “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture (John 10:9).” If only we would deeply reflect on this statement of the Lord we would find out that it is only thru the Lord that we would discover that it’s only through the shepherding of the Lord that we would find the real meaning of life.  

Would you allow Jesus to shepherd your life from here on? – Marino J. Dasmarinas     

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Abril 26 Lunes sa Ikaapat na Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 10:1-10

Mabuting Balita: Juan 10:1-10

 Sinabi ni Jesus 1 “Talagang-talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo, magnanakaw at tulisan ang hindi dumaraan sa pintuan pagpasok sa kulungan ng mga tupa kundi lumukso sa ibang dako. 2 Ang pastol ng mga tupa ang pumapasok sa pintuan.  

3 Pinagbu­buksan siya ng bantay-pinto, at naki­kinig ang mga tupa sa kanyang tinig. At tina­tawag niya sa pangalan ang sarili niyang mga tupa at inaakay palabas. 4 Kapag napalabas na niya ang tanang kanya, sa harap nila siya nagla­lakad at sa kanya sumusunod ang mga tupa, pagkat kilala nila ang kanyang tinig. 

5 Hinding-hindi sila susunod sa dayu­han kundi lalayuan nila ito sapag­kat hindi nila kilala ang tinig ng mga dayuhan.” 6 Ito ang talinhagang sinabi ni Jesus sa kanila. Ngunit hindi nila naintindihan ang gusto niyang sabihin sa kanila. 7 Kaya sinabi uli ni Jesus: “Tala­gang-talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo: Ako siyang pintuan ng mga tupa. 8 Magna­nakaw at tulisan ang lahat ng nauna sa akin.  

Ngunit hindi sila pina­kinggan ng mga tupa. 9 Ako siyang pintuan; kung may pumapasok sa pamamagitan ko, maliligtas siya, at papasok at lalabas, at maka­katagpo ng pastulan. 10 Hindi dumarating ang magna­nakaw kundi para lamang magnakaw, pumaslang at magpa­hamak. Dumating naman ako upang magkaroon sila ng buhay at lubos na magkaroon nito.

Reflection for Sunday April 25, Fourth Sunday of Easter/Good Shepherd Sunday: John 10:11-18

Gospel: John 10:11-18

Jesus said: "I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.  

I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father."

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Reflection:

The story is told about a father who tried his very best to provide for the spiritual and material needs of his family. The father would always work hard for the wellbeing of his family and he would never neglect to bring his family every Sunday to church for Mass. When he retired the father received nothing but love, praises and affection from his family. Why? Because he took care of his family. 

This father in our story is a good shepherd to his family and he is like Jesus who gave His life for our welfare. Do we completely trust our lives to Jesus our good shepherd? In our lifetime many would  appear in our lives so that they can shepherd us but they are false shepherds.  

For example, the lure of material wealth or power is a false shepherd. Why? Because this would not bring us peace neither contentment the more that we allow these worldly ambitions to shepherd us the more that peace and contentment becomes elusive for us.  

However, the moment we allow Jesus to shepherd us we also begin our journey to peace, contentment and spiritual enlightenment. Material blessings may not present itself to us if we make Jesus our good shepherd. But who needs material things when it gives us nothing but false hope, security and happiness? Many have commited the mistake of allowing the things of this world to shepherd them only to end with emptiness in the end.   

We would never go wrong in this world if we allow Jesus to shepherd us.Why? Because the Lord will lead us to paradise someday, paradise which we can actually experience right now if we allow Jesus to shepherd us.  

Is it the Lord who is shepherding you right now? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Abril 25 Ikaapat na Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay/Linggo ng Mabuting Pastol: Juan 10:11-18

Mabuting Balita: Juan 10:11-18

Sinabi ni Jesus 11 Ako siyang mabuting pastol. Nag-aalay ng kanyang buhay alang-alang sa mga tupa ang mabuting pastol. 12 Ang upa­han at hindi pastol, na hindi naman kanya ang mga tupa, pag napansin ni­yang duma­rating ang asong-gubat, ini­iwan niya ang mga tupa at tumatakas. 

Kayat inaagaw ng asong-gubat ang mga ito at pinanga­ngalat. 13 Sapagkat upahan siya at wala siyang pakialam sa mga tupa. 14 Ako siyang mabuting pastol. Kilala ko ang mga akin at kilala ako ng mga akin, 15 kung paanong kilala ako ng Ama at kilala ko ang Ama. At iti­nayo ko ang aking buhay para sa mga tupa.” 

16 May iba akong mga tupa na di mula sa kulungang ito. Maging sila ay kaila­ngan kong akayin palabas, at maki­kinig sila sa tinig ko at magka­karoon ng iisang kawan, iisang pastol. 17 Kaya mahal ako ng Ama dahil itina­taya ko ang aking buhay, at saka muli ko itong kukunin.  

18 Walang nag-aalis nito sa akin, kundi ako ang ku­sang nagtataya nito. May kapang­yari­han akong itayo ito, at may kapang­­yarihan akong kunin itong muli. Ito ang utos na tinanggap ko mula sa aking Ama.”

Reflection for April 24 Saturday of the Third Week of Easter: John 6:60-69

Gospel: John 6:60-69

Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 

It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.” 

As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer walked with him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

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Reflection:

How is your faith in Jesus right now? Is it still solid as a rock or feeble as a sand castle? 

After extensively telling His followers that He is the Bread of Life and anyone that drinks His blood and eats His bread would never anymore thirst or hunger. It was now time to weigh up the disciples faith on Jesus. Unfortunately many did not believe the Bread of Life discourse of Jesus. So they went back to their old lives, therefore they disconnected themselves from actively following Jesus. 

If we are made to choose between Jesus and the trappings of this world. Many of us would also choose to be with this world rather than to be with Jesus. Why? What does this world offer us that we love it more than we love our God? This world offers us temporal power, wealth, influence and the like. 

Why is it that many of us have chosen to embrace worldliness? Perhaps we have not yet experienced the power of Jesus in our lives. Otherwise if we have already felt the power of God in our lives. We would surely leave behind all forms of worldliness and sin for God. 

Would it be possible to have the best of both sides (We follow God and we follow also this world). No, we have to choose which one we want to embrace. It’s either we embrace this  temporal world or we embrace our infinite God. The righteous choice is always to be with God and never to be with this world. 

What would it benefit you if you gain all the power and riches of this temporal world but you don’t have God?  Nothing except emptiness and more emptiness. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for April 23 Friday of the Third Week of Easter: John 6:52-59

Gospel: John 6:52-59

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you.  

Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.  

This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

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Reflection:

Are you a regular Sunday Mass goer or even a daily Mass goer? How do you feel if you fail to be at Holy Mass? Do you feel that something is lacking in your system of being? If your answer is yes, you have this feeling not because you miss a routinary activity.  

Truth be told, you have this feeling because you miss to be with Jesus. And you miss to partake of the Body and Blood of Jesus which (you may not know) is the source of your every Sunday and daily nourishment.  

How many times have you been to Holy Mass without paying attention to what’s going on during the celebration? Perhaps countless times already, what do you do after noticing that your attention was not in the Mass? Do you say sorry to Jesus and then make it a point to be attentive again?  

In every Holy Mass/online Mass that we attend we should see to it that our full attention is in the sacred celebration. So that when the part comes that we are about to partake of His body our focus is centered on what we are about to receive. Which is no other than the most precious bread in the entire world because we receive the life giver, Jesus Himself.  

Perhaps you may not believe this now because you are still young, healthy and perhaps you have money and power. And these temporal things serve as your security blanket right now. However when the time comes that you are already old and sickly. You will know that nothing matters anymore except the Bread of life, Jesus Himself. You will not desire anything except to partake of His Body which will become the source of your daily nourishment.  

Why wait for that time to come in the future? When you can already desire to be close to Jesus by faithfully partaking of His Body and Blood now and onwards?  Why make the temporal things of this world your security blanket? When you can make the Body of Christ your security blanket now? Yes now. – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Abril 23 Biyernes sa Ikatlong Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 6:52-59

 

Mabuting Balita: Juan 6:52-59

52 Nagtalu-talo ang mga Judio at nagsalita: “Paano tayo mabi­bigyan ng taong ito ng laman para ka­inin?” 53 Sinabi naman ni Jesus sa kanila: “Talagang-talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo, kung hindi n’yo kakanin ang laman ng Anak ng Tao at iinu­min ang kanyang dugo, wala kayong buhay sa inyong sarili. 54 May buhay magpakailanman ang ngumu­nguya ng aking laman at umiinom ng aking dugo, at itatayo ko siya sa huling araw.  

55 Sapagkat totoong pagkain ang aking laman at totoong inumin ang aking dugo. 56 Ang ngumunguya ng aking laman at umiinom ng aking dugo ay namamalagi sa akin at ako naman sa kanya. 57 Sinugo nga ako ng Amang buhay at buhay ako dahil sa Ama, gayundin naman dahil sa akin mabu­buhay ang ngumunguya sa akin. 

58 Ito ang tinapay na pumanaog mula sa Langit, hindi gaya sa inyong mga ninuno na kumain at nangamatay pa rin. Mabu­buhay naman magpakailan­man ang ngu­munguya ng tinapay na ito.” 59 Sinabi niya ang mga bagay na ito sa sinagoga habang nangangaral siya sa Capernaum.

Reflection for April 22 Thursday of the Third Week of Easter: John 6:44-51

Gospel: John 6:44-51

Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets: They shall all be taught by God.  

Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.  I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.”

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Reflection:

How could you have eternal life?  You have to regularly receive the Body of Christ at Holy Mass. Always receive it with reverence and piety never doubt and don’t  think of it as a simple bread because what you receive is Jesus Himself.  

Just imagine the enlightenment and unfathomable blessing that it will bring you if you would always partake of the body of Christ. Just imagine the countless spiritual blessing that it would bring you if you would believe that Jesus is the Consecrated Host that you receive during Holy Communion.  

Your belief and faith in the bread of life will open your mind to the many truths about Jesus and the church that He founded. Things that are hard to explain but is real and felt by the heart, all you have to do is to believe and have faith.  

For without faith and belief you will not fully comprehend how this small and ordinary bread becomes the body of Jesus after it is consecrated by the priest. How this ordinary bread becomes your life and your reason for existing in this world. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Abril 22 Huwebes sa Ikatlong Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 6:44-51

Mabuting Balita: Juan 6:44-51

44 Sinabi ni Jesus sa mga tao: Walang ma­ka­lala­pit sa akin kung hindi siya aakitin ng Amang nagpadala sa akin. At itatayo ko siya sa huling araw. 45 Na­susulat sa Mga Propeta: Tuturuan nga silang lahat ng Diyos. Kaya lumalapit sa akin ang bawat nakarinig at tinuruan ng Ama.  

46 Wala ngang nakakita sa Ama liban sa kanya na galing sa Diyos; siya ang naka­kita sa Diyos. 47 Talagang-tala­gang sina­sabi ko sa inyo, may buhay magpaka­ilanman ang naniniwala. 48 Ako siyang tinapay ng buhay. 49 Ku­main nga ng manna sa disyerto ang inyong mga ni­nuno at nangamatay pa rin. 50 Narito naman ang tinapay na puma­panaog mula sa Langit, upang maka­kain nito ang sinuman at di ma­matay.  

51 Ako siyang tinapay na buhay, na pumanaog mula sa Langit. Kung may kakain ng tinapay na ito, mabubuhay siya magpa­kailanman. At ang laman ko ang tinapay na aking ibibigay alang-alang sa ikabu­buhay ng mundo.

1Reflection for April 21 Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter: John 6:35-40

Gospel: John 6:35-40

Jesus said to the crowds, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. But I told you that although you have seen me, you do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. 

And this is the will of the one who sent me,  that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”

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Reflection:

Is Jesus the bread of our lives? When we make Jesus the bread of our lives we are already assured of heavenly dwelling someday. But how are we going to make Jesus the Bread of our lives? We have to receive Him at Holy Communion whenever we attend Holy Mass.

We have to read the life story of Jesus in the Holy Bible and we have to allow Jesus to transform us. We also have to have a daily quality and quite time with Jesus every day of our lives. In our daily quite and quality time with the Lord we have to allow Him to talk to us.

In our gospel for today Jesus tells us this, I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. Jesus further tells us, I will not reject anyone who comes to me.

This bread of life discourse of Jesus invites us also to reflect on our own life in this world. Have we already touched lives as Jesus touched lives? Have we given hope to the hopeless as Jesus has given hope to the hopeless? Are our hearts always on fire to help those who come to us? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Abril 21 Miyerkules sa Ikatlong Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 6:35-40

Mabuting Balita: Juan 6:35-40

35 Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanila: “Ako siyang tinapay ng buhay. Hinding-hindi magugutom ang lumalapit sa akin at hinding-hindi mauuhaw ka­ilanman ang nananalig sa akin. 36 Pero sinabi ko sa inyo: nakita n’yo, at hindi naman kayo naniniwala.  

37 Lalapit sa akin ang bawat ibini­bigay sa akin ng Ama, at hinding-hindi ko ipagtatabuyan sa labas ang luma­lapit sa akin. 38 Sa­pagkat pumanaog ako mula sa Langit hindi para gawin ang aking kalo­oban kundi ang kalooban ng nagpadala sa akin.  

39 Ito ang kalooban ng nagpadala sa akin: na huwag kong pabayaang ma­wala ang bawat ibinigay niya sa akin; sa halip ay itatayo ko ito sa huling araw. 40 Ito nga ang kalooban ng Ama ko: magkakaroon ng buhay magpakailan­man ang bawat pumapansin sa Anak at nananalig sa kanya, at itatayo ko siya sa huling araw.” 

Reflection for April 20 Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter: John 6:30-35

Gospel: John 6:30-35

The crowd said to Jesus: "What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat."  

So Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."  

So they said to Jesus, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst."

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Reflection:

The story is told about a woman who has brain cancer, she was already given by her doctors two months to live. Being so her relatives requested their Parish Priest to administer her the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.  

The family of the woman requested the priest if he could assign an Extra-Ordinary Minister of the Holy Communion for regular Sunday visit so that she could receive Jesus every Sunday. To make a long story short the Priest assigned an Extra-Ordinary Minister to give her Holy Communion every Sunday. 

With the grace of the Lord the two months life that was given her by her doctors became five years.  And her mother would always tell the Extra-Ordinary Minister that the additional four years and ten months of her life was a miracle of the Good Lord which she always receives every Sunday.    

In our gospel today, after Jesus mentioned about the bread from heaven that gives life to the world. The crowd told Him "Lord, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst."  

The sick woman and her mother believed without a single doubt this declaration of Jesus that He is the Bread of Life. How about you? Do you also believe? – Marino J. Dasmarinas