37 Kung tinatawag siya ni David mismo
na Panginoon, puwede bang anak siya ni David?” Nasisiyahan ang bayan sa
pakikinig sa kanya.
The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with
understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And
no one dared to ask him any more questions.
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Reflection:
How do we manifest our love for God?
To love God is to discover more about Him, thus we need to thirst and hunger for Him. We need to always be present at Holy Mass and feel His presence there. We need to read the bible and be faithful to its teachings.
If we would read the first four gospels of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) we would have a better appreciation of the true to life story of Jesus. To love God is to live His teachings as well.
After we have fully expressed our love for God the next commandment will automatically set in (We shall love our neighbor as ourselves). What is this love for our neighbor? Is this a selective kind of love or an encompassing love?
The love for our neighbor should always be
an encompassing love and not a selective love. This means that we have to love
our neighbor whoever that neighbor might be and whatever sin/s that neighbor
has committed against us. Sometimes this is where we are deficient because we
only choose the neighbor that we love. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
29 Sumagot si Jesus na “Ito ang una: Makinig nawa, O Israel! Iisa lang ang Panginoong ating Diyos. 30 At mamahalin mo ang Panginoon mong Diyos nang buo mong puso, nang buo mong kaluluwa, nang buo mong pag-iisip at nang buo mong lakas. 31At pangalawa naman ito: Mamahalin mo ang iyong kapwa gaya ng iyong sarili. Wala nang utos na mas mahalaga pa kaysa mga ito.”
32 Kaya sinabi ng guro ng Batas: “Mabuti, Guro, totoo ang sinabi mong isa Siya at wala na maliban sa kanya. 33 At ang mahalin siya nang buong puso at nang buong kaluluwa at nang buong lakas, at mahalin din ang kapwa gaya ng sarili ay mas mahalaga kaysa mga sinunog na handog at mga alay.”
34 Nakita ni Jesus na tama ang sinabi nito kaya sinabi niya: “Hindi ka malayo sa kaharian ng Diyos.” At wala nang nangahas magtanong sa kanya.
So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants, and the third likewise. And the seven left no descendants. Last of all the woman also died. At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be? For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
When they rise from the dead, they neither
marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. As for
the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage
about the bush, how God told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are
greatly misled.”
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Reflection:
The story is told about a sick man who was given by his doctor two months to live. After hearing the pronouncement of his doctor the man kneeled before God and beg Him to indefinitely extend his life. Why are we afraid to die? We are afraid because we have strong attachment to this world and we don’t know also what awaits us after we die.
When Jesus was asked by the Sadducees whose wife would the woman be in the afterlife. Jesus told them that she will not belong to anyone of them because life in heaven is totally different from our present life.
There is an afterlife and there is heaven as Jesus tells us in the gospel. So while we are still alive we must always see to it that we live our lives according to the will of God. Not according to our own sinful will but according to the will of God.
Why? This is for the reason that we want to go to heaven when our time in this world is over and done with already. Let us not be blinded by the glitters of this world for all that we have here no matter how expensive we will leave behind at some point in our lives.
Let us look forward to heaven for this is
where all of us are destined to be someday. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
20 Ngayon, may pitong magkakapatid. Nag-asawa ang panganay at namatay na walang anak. 21Kaya kinuha ng ikalawa ang kanyang asawa, at namatay ring walang anak. Ganito rin ang nangyari sa pangatlo. 22 Silang pito nga ay namatay nang hindi nagkaanak. At sa huli’y namatay din ang babae. 23 Ngayon, sa muling pagkabuhay, kung mabubuhay silang muli, kanino sa pito siya magiging asawa? Ang pito nga ang umangkin sa kanya.”
24 Sumagot si Jesus: “Di kaya bunga ng di ninyo pagkaunawa sa Kasulatan at sa kapangyarihan ng Diyos ang inyong pagkakamali? 25 Sa muling pagkabuhay nga nila, hindi na mag-aasawa ang lalaki o babae kundi para na silang mga anghel sa Langit.
26 At tungkol naman sa mga patay at sa muling pagkabuhay, hindi ba ninyo inunawa ang sinabi sa inyo ng Diyos sa aklat ni Moises, sa kabanata ng palumpong: Ako ang Diyos ni Abraham, ang Diyos ni Isaac at ang Diyos ni Jacob? 27 Hindi siya Diyos ng mga patay kundi ng mga buhay. Maling-mali kayo.”
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to
Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?” Knowing their hypocrisy he
said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at. They
brought one to him and he said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?
They replied to him, “Caesar’s. So Jesus said to them “Repay to Caesar what
belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. They were utterly amazed at
him.
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Reflection:
What is your obligation to Jesus? Your obligation is to follow His teachings. And as stated by Jesus in the gospel paying the rightful tax to the government is one of them. We disobey Jesus when we don’t pay the taxes due to the government.
The question of paying the census tax had a deeper meaning for it was created to trap Jesus. However, Jesus was able to wiggle out of this complicated situation. This is the reason why at the end of the gospel the emissaries of Jesus’ opponents were utterly amazed at Him (Mark 12:17).
As shown in our gospel, Jesus always makes a way out when there seems to be no way. Thus, He will always make things possible for us as well. Because He is always there to help us solve our problems no matter how complicated it may seem.
Where are you in your life right now? Are you in a predicament where you think that you’re about to surrender to your problems? Call on Jesus and pray to Him. He is there just a prayer away, ever ready to help you extricate yourself out of your problem. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
15 Nang makita ni Jesus ang kanilang
pagkukunwari, sinabi niya sa kanila: “Bakit ninyo ako sinusubok? Akin na ang
isang denaryo.” 16 Iniabot nila sa kanya ang isang denaryo at sinabi sa
kanila ni Jesus: “Sino ang nakalarawan dito, na narito rin ang kanyang pangalan?”
Sumagot sila: “Ang Cesar.” 17 At sinabi niya sa kanila: “Ibigay nga sa
Cesar ang para sa Cesar, at sa Diyos ang para sa Diyos.” Lubha silang namangha
sa kanya.
And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."
And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever."
Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.
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Reflection:
Why did Mary remain with her cousin Elizabeth for three months?
The gospel for today tells us that the blessed Mother stayed with her cousin Elizabeth for three months. Why three months? Why not one month or two months instead? Three months because the Blessed Mother ensured first that she would be with her cousin Elizabeth until she gives birth to her son John. This is the reason why the Blessed Mother was with her cousin for three months.
Considering that she was also pregnant during that time Mary could have decided to just stay with her for a month. Then go home so that she could also prepare for the birth of her son Jesus. But she chose to be with Elizabeth until she gave birth. This is how compassionate, loving and selfless with her time is the blessed Mother.
We live now in a world driven by time, for the majority of us time is gold and surely we want to use majority of our time to earn a living or money. But the Blessed Mother is telling us to use our time not only to earn a living.
We also have to use our time or even waste
our time to touch lives. To help those who are in need like those affected by this covid-19
pandemic in that process we also silently bring Jesus to them. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
44 Nang umabot sa aking pandinig ang iyong pagbati, sumikad sa tuwa ang sanggol sa aking sinapupunan. 45 Pinagpapala ang naniniwalang magaganap ang mga sinabi sa kanya ng Panginoon.” 46 At sinabi ni Maria: “Dinadakila ng aking kaluluwa ang Panginoon 47 at nagagalak ang aking espiritu sa Diyos na aking Tagapagligtas 48 dahil isinaalang-alang niya ang abang utusan niya, at mula ngayon, ituturing akong mapalad ng lahat ng salinlahi. 49 Dakila nga ang ginawa sa akin ng Makapangyarihan, banal ang kanyang Pangalan.
50 Patuloy ang kanyang awa sa mga sali’t salinlahi para sa mga may pitagan sa kanya. 51 Ipinakita niya ang lakas ng kanyang bisig, ipinagtabuyan ang mga taong may mapagmataas na balak. 52 Pinatalsik niya sa luklukan ang mga makapangyarihan, itinampok naman ang mga bale-wala. 53 Binusog niya ng mabubuting bagay ang mga nagugutom at itinaboy namang walang-wala ang mayayaman.
54 Nilingap niya ang Israel na
kanyang lingkod, inalaala ang kanyang awa 55ayon sa ipinangako niya sa ating
mga ninuno, kay Abraham at sa kanyang angkan magpakailanman.” 56 Mga
tatlong buwang nanatili si Mariang kasama ni Elizabeth at saka nagbalik sa
kanyang bahay.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until
the end of the age.”
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Reflection:
There’s a story about St. Augustine, while he was walking on the seaside and reflecting on the mystery of the Trinity. He saw a boy who created a big hole in the sand and the boy was continuously filling the big hole with water. St. Augustine asked him, “What are you doing?” The boy said: “I’m going to pour the entire ocean into this hole.” “That is impossible, the whole ocean will not fit in the hole that you have created” said St. Augustine. The boy replied, “And you will not comprehend also the mystery of the Trinity in your brain.” The boy vanished and St. Augustine saw an angel where the boy was located.
If we are asked today about the Most Holy Trinity some of us may be able to answer it as the fusion of the three persons into one God. Some of us may not be able to answer because we don’t have any knowledge about the Holy Trinity. It doesn't matter anymore if we are able to answer or not on the question about the Trinity. What is important is we believe this seemingly unbelievable doctrine of the church.
The Trinity represents love and unity it shows us that the impossible will become possible for so long as there is love and unity amongst us. What makes a family happily united? What makes church organization successful? It’s love! Love that forgives, love that is willing to sacrifice, love that is honest and love that is humble. This kind of pure love is the embodiment of the Holy Trinity that is why they’re able to coexist as one God even if they are actually three persons.
In our gospel we have Jesus commissioning the eleven apostles to go and make disciples of all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). What compelled them to faithfully follow this command of Jesus even at the cost of their lives? It’s the same Trinitarian love.
This Trinitarian love is what is presently missing right now: In many families, in many church communities/organizations and in many governments around the world. Why? Because there are many broken families, there are many church organization/communites that can’t agree to move as one. And there are many governments around the world that fails to address the needs of their people.
Is there a solid manifestation of the Trinitarian love in your family? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
19 Kaya humayo kayo at gawing mga
alagad ang lahat ng bansa. Binyagan sila sa Ngalan ng Ama at ng Anak at ng Espiritu
Santo, 20 at turuan sila na sundin ang lahat ng iniutos ko sa inyo. Kasama
ninyo ako sa lahat ng araw hanggang sa wakas ng panahon.”
Jesus said to them, “I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me. They discussed this among themselves and said “If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’
But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’? they
feared the crowd, for they all thought John really was a prophet. So they said
to Jesus in reply, “We do not know. Then Jesus said to them, “Neither
shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.
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Reflection:
Is it natural for the chief priest, scribes and elders to question the authority of Jesus?
It was natural for the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders to question the authority of Jesus for they were not his followers. They know Jesus based only on what they see and hear they have no personal interactions with the Lord. If only they were His followers they would have not questioned His authority.
This is what normally happens to us when we have no personal friendship with Jesus. When our knowledge about Jesus is based only on what we see and hear. We may question Him also when we pass through some difficulties and trials in our lives.
We would only understand the authority of
Jesus or the role of Jesus in our lives once we start to know Him deeply. Let
us not be content with what we see and hear about Jesus. Let us delve deeper by
exerting effort to know Him deeply. Thus, we eliminate doubts about His
authority over us and His authority to move in our lives. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
Sino ang nagbigay sa iyo ng karapatang ito?” Sumagot si Hesus, “Tatanungin ko rin kayo. Pag sinagot ninyo ako, saka ko naman sasabihin sa inyo kung ano ang karapatan kong gumawa ng mga bagay na ito. Kanino nagmula ang karapatan ni Juan upang magbinyag – sa Diyos ba o sa mga tao?”
At
sila’y nag-usap-usap: “Kung sabihin nating mula sa Diyos, itatanong naman niya
sa atin, ‘Bakit hindi ninyo siya pinaniwalaan?’ Ngunit kung sabihin nating mula
sa tao,” natatakot naman sila at baka kung ano ang gawin sa kanila ng mga tao,
sapagkat kinikilala ng lahat na si Juan ay isang propeta. Kaya’t sumagot sila
kay Hesus, “Hindi namin alam!” Sinabi ni Hesus sa kanila, “Hindi ko rin
sasabihin sa inyo kung ano ang karapatan kong gumawa ng mga ginawa ko.”
The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry. Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf, he went over to see if he could find anything on it. When he reached it he found nothing but leaves; it was not the time for figs. And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again! And his disciples heard it.
They came to Jerusalem and on entering the temple area he began to drive out those selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area. Then he taught them saying, “Is it not written: My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. But you have made it a den of thieves.”
The chief priests and the scribes came to hear of it and were seeking a way to put him to death, yet they feared him because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching. When evening came, they went out of the city.
Early in the morning, as they were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered to its roots. Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered. Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God. Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, all that you
ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours. When
you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that
your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.”
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Reflection:
Do you always see Jesus as someone who is always, merciful, gentle and compassionate? Some parts of this gospel somewhat show us the other side of Jesus. A Jesus who gets angry with those who choose not to bear fruit. A Jesus who gets angry with those who do not give the respect and reverence that the temple of God truly deserves.
Is this anger of Jesus justified? Of course it’s justified! His anger toward the fig tree was not for the fig tree per se. It was for those people who know that they could do something for His mission. But for reasons of selfishness and not daring to go out of their own comfort zones they chose not to do anything.
Many of us are like them we don’t do something to advance the mission of Jesus in this world. We don’t want to labor for Jesus, we don’t want to sacrifice our time for Jesus. We rather choose to spend time for our own self-interest and gratification.
Why is it that many of us do not want to labor and sacrifice for Christ? Is it because there’s no money that could motivate us to do it? However, money is just a miniscule part of life, we will not find the true meaning of life with money, with power or anything that emanates from this world.
We can only find the true essence and
meaning of life with Jesus only with Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
