Ang kaharian
ng langit ay katulad din ng isang negosyante na naghahanap ng mga mamahaling perlas.
Nang makakita siya ng isang perlas na napakahalaga, umuwi siya't ipinagbili ang
lahat ng kanyang ari-arian at binili ang perlas na iyon."
Short, Simple and Personal reflections on the daily Holy Mass Gospel. I provide talks.
Ang kaharian
ng langit ay katulad din ng isang negosyante na naghahanap ng mga mamahaling perlas.
Nang makakita siya ng isang perlas na napakahalaga, umuwi siya't ipinagbili ang
lahat ng kanyang ari-arian at binili ang perlas na iyon."
The weeds are the children of the Evil One, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will
collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They
will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and
grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of
their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
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Reflection:
How are you living your life today? Are you living it in accord with what Jesus wants you to live it?
Many of us live life as if there is no tomorrow, we live life to enjoy whatever this world could offer us, including sin. But life lived for this world alone is not the real life; there is something more profound than the life that we enjoy in this fleeting world.
The profound life is a life lived in the company of Jesus. But how could we discover the movement of Jesus in our lives? There are so many ways to discern this movement of Jesus in our lives.
For example, we will discover that Jesus wants to have a deep friendship with us through a relative or a good friend. Through a written commentary that we just read out of nowhere and this written commentary made us think about how we are living our lives today.
The good friend and the written commentary that we’ve read are part of the many seeds that Jesus sows in our hearts. And Jesus expects nothing less from us than to listen to Him so that He could guide us as we journey in this fleeting world.
At the end of the gospel Jesus speaks about harvest time or judgment day. When would this be? This will be at the end of our lives, when we die to be more specific. We will be judged according to what we’ve done in this world. If we listened to Jesus we will have a place in His kingdom. - Marino J. Dasmarinas
38 Ang bukid naman, ang daigdig; ang mabuting buto, ang mga tao ng Kaharian; at ang masasamang damo, ang mga tauhan ng demonyo. 39 Ang kaaway na naghasik sa kanila ay ang demonyo; ang pag-aani ay ang katapusan ng mundo, at ang mga manggagawa ay ang mga anghel.
40 Kung paanong tinitipon ang masasamang damo at sinusunog sa apoy, ganito rin ang mangyayari sa katapusan ng mundo. 41 Ipadadala ng Anak ng Tao ang kanyang mga anghel at titipunin nila sa kanyang kaharian ang mga eskandalo at ang mga gumagawa ng masama.
42 At
itatapon ang mga ito sa nagliliyab na pugon kung saan may iyakan at pagngangalit
ng ngipin. 43 At pagkatapos nito, magniningning ang mga makatarungan
tulad ng araw sa Kaharian ng kanilang Ama. Makinig ang may tainga!
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in
parables. He spoke to them only in parables, to fulfill what had been said
through the prophet: I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has
lain hidden from the foundation of the world.
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Reflection:
Do you want to grow your faith?
The tiny mustard seed became the largest of plants, the yeast was little until it was mixed with three measures of wheat flour after which it grew bigger. There’s that transition in the gospel for both parables from being small both grew big.
By virtue of the Sacrament of Baptism and the Sacrament of Confirmation God planted that small seed of faith within us. God has no other desire but for us to nurture it and let it grow and bloom so other could benefit from it.
God’s desire is for us to nurture our faith, it’s His perpetual yearning for us: to grow our faith. Let us therefore ask Jesus to grant us the grace to increase our faith. And of course let us also do our part by faithfully adhering to the teachings of the church, by our pious presence at Holy Mass if this is not possible caused by the Covid-19 pandemic thru online Holy Mass and by reading the bible.
Thus our faith would grow, just like the tiny mustard
seed which grew big and the yeast which livened the three measures of wheat
flour. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
32 Pinakamaliit ito sa mga buto ngunit paglaki’y mas malaki ito sa mga gulay, at parang isang puno – dumarating ang mga ibon ng langit at dumadapo sa mga sanga nito.” 33 At sinabi ni Jesus ang iba pang talinhaga: “Naikukumpara ang kaharian ng Langit sa lebadurang kinuha ng isang babae at ibinaon sa tatlong takal ng harina hanggang umalsa ang buong masa.”
• 34 Itinuro
ni Jesus ang lahat ng ito sa mga tao sa pamamagitan ng mga talinhaga; hindi
siya nagturo sa kanila na hindi gumagamit ng mga talinhaga. 35 Kaya
natupad ang sinabi ng Propeta: “Magsasalita ako sa talinhaga. Magpapahayag ako
ng mga bagay na natago mula pa sa simula ng daigdig.”
He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people recline."
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, "Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.
"So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with
fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could
eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, "This is truly
the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world." Since Jesus knew that
they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again
to the mountain alone.
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Reflection:
The story is told about a young woman who was doubting if she would be able to fulfill her childhood ambition to become a doctor. So, she asked her mother to pray that she would be able to realize her childhood dream. Then, her mother said to her, “Daughter the Lord will help you achieve your childhood dream for as long you don’t doublt.
Do you sometimes doubt when you have a prayer before Jesus?
Our doubts will always be a stumbling block for the realization of what we pray for. But why doubt? Perhaps our faith is lacking or perhaps we have not yet developed a close friendship with Jesus that is why we doubt. Doubt by itself is a negative word and as such is not good and helpful to us. We therefore have to eliminate doubt in our system of thinking so that we would be able to achieve whatever we want.
In our gospel for this Sunday, Philip and Andrew were already doubting if Jesus would be able to feed the large crowd that have been following Him. Philip said to Jesus, "Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little." (John 6:7) Andrew said to Jesus "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?" (John 6:8-9)
Jesus simply told them: “Have the people recline." (John 6:10) And after which the multiplication of the loaves and fish happened. They therefore were able to feed the five thousand men and they had plenty to spare.
What is the lesson that the Lord is trying to communicate with us in this miracle of the loaves and fish? There is no impossible with Jesus. Everything is possible for those who never doubt, for those who always believe and for those who have faith in Jesus.
Do you want something from the Lord? Trust, believe, have faith and you
will have it. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
5 Kaya pagkatunghay ni Jesus at pagkakita niyang marami ang taong pumupunta sa kanya, sinabi niya kay Felipe: “Saan kayo makabibili ng tinapay para makakain ang mga ito?” 6 Sinabi niya ito bilang pagsubok sa kanya dahil alam na niya kung ano ang napipinto niyang gawin. 7 Sumagot sa kanya si Felipe: “Dalawandaang denaryong tinapay ay hindi sapat sa kanila para makakuha ng tigkakaunti ang bawat isa.”
8 At sinabi naman sa kanya ng isa sa kanyang mga alagad na si Andres na kapatid ni Simon Pedro: 9 "May maliit na bata rito na may limang tinapay na sebada at dalawang isda. Ano ito para sa pagkarami-raming tao?” 10 Madamo sa lugar na iyon kaya sinabi ni Jesus: “Paupuin n’yo ang mga tao.” Kaya nag-upuan sila, halos limanlibo ang mga lalaki.
11 Kaya kinuha ni Jesus ang mga tinapay at pagkapagpasalamat, at ipinabigay sa mga nakaupo. Gayundin naman sa mga isda – gaano man ang gustuhin nila. 12 Nang busog na sila, sinabi niya sa kanyang mga alagad: “Tipunin ninyo ang natirang mga piraso para walang masayang.” 13 Kaya tinipon nila ang mga tira ng mga pinakain, at labindalawang bakol ang napuno ng mga pira-piraso mula sa limang tinapay na sebada.
14 Pagkakita sa tandang ginawa ni
Jesus, sinabi ng mga tao: “Ito ngang talaga ang Propeta parating sa mundo.”
15 At alam ni Jesus na parating sila upang agawin siya para gawing hari
kaya lumigpit siyang muli na siya lamang mag-isa sa bulubundukin.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from? He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might
uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until
harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect
the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my
barn.”
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Reflection:
The story is told about a married man and woman who chose to engage in an adulterous relationship. It's no-brainer that the will of God for both of them is not to engage in that sinful relationship. But, they disregarded God’s will to satisfy their lustful, shameless, wicked and bestial will.
Perhaps we wonder, why there are people who choose to go against the will of God. Instead of living life attuned to the desire of God they live it according to what they want even if what they want is sinful. Therefore, in pursuing what they want they immerse themselves into sin. Thus, they become the sales representatives or the walking advertisements of the devil in this world.
However, why does God allow sin? Why does He allow it to exist and in the process temp or even destroy us? When He can easily eliminate it from our environment? Lest we forget that our God is not a dictatorial God our God is a God of love and part of that love of God is to give us the freewill to choose for ourselves what we want to do in this world.
God has a purpose for allowing sin to exist which is for us to avoid, confront and eliminate it. We have to remember that by virtue of our baptism we became Jesus’ extension in this world. Hence, Jesus expects us not only to avoid, not only to confront but to neutralize sin immediately the moment it rears its devious head.
What if they would not or we would not stop sinning? We must prepare for its many consequences including death. In the Bible Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans tells us that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). And Jesus alludes to this severe punishment in the gospel by saying: “Collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning.” (Matthew 13:30)
Nevertheless, why go to the extent of experiencing the
very painful wages of sin when we can confront and eliminate it immediately? –
Marino J. Dasmarinas
Nang tumubo at magbunga ang trigo, lumitaw din ang mapanirang damo. Kaya't pumunta ang mga utusan sa may-ari ng bukid at nagtanong, 'Hindi po ba mabuting binhi lamang ang inihasik ninyo sa inyong bukid? Bakit po may damo ngayon?'
Sumagot siya, 'Isang kaaway ang may kagagawan nito.' Tinanong siya ng mga utusan, 'Bubunutin po ba namin ang mga damo?' 'Huwag, baka mabunot pati ang mga trigo,' sagot niya. 'Hayaan na lamang ninyong lumago kapwa ang damo at ang trigo hanggang sa anihan.
Pag-aani'y sasabihin ko sa mga tagapag-ani, ipunin muna ninyo ang mga damo at inyong pagbigkis-bigkisin at saka sunugin. Pagkatapos, ipunin naman ninyo ang trigo sa aking kamalig. "
But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit.
But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears
the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or
sixty or thirtyfold."
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How do you respond to the words of God when you encounter it? Do you take time to ponder and reflect upon it even for a short time?
We understand that we are always busy, but we must not let this busyness take us out completely away from God. We must allocate some of our precious time for God no matter how busy we are.
Otherwise we might become walking beings that is totally enslaved by this world. Walking being that is entirely at the mercy of power, riches, flesh and other worldly undertakings that are attractively sugar coated so that it could completely veer us away from God.
Jesus’ wants us to be the rich soil at all times: to hear the word, understand it and live it. This is the reason why He gives us people that will introduce and guide us to God. But some do not even care to listen, some do care to listen but after a while they forget it, some listen and they remember but they forget to practice it in their daily life.
What Jesus wants from us is to hear the world of God,
to reflect upon it and to apply it in our daily lives. By doing so we now
become the seed that was sown on the rich soil which bore fruit and yielded a
hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
20 Ang buto namang nahulog sa batuhan ay para sa taong nakarinig sa salita at kaagad itong tinanggap nang buong kasiyahan. 21 Ngunit hindi ito nag-ugat sa kanyang kalooban at panandalian lamang. Kapag nagkaroon ng pagsubok at pag-uusig dahil sa salita, agad-agad siyang natitisod.
22Ang butong nahulog sa mga tinikan ang nakarinig sa salita ngunit sinikil ito ng mga makamundong kabalisahan at ng pandaraya ng kayamanan, at hindi nakapagbunga ang salita. 23 Ang buto namang nahasik sa matabang lupa ang nakakarinig sa salita at umuunawa rito; nagbubunga siya at nagbibigay ng sandaan, animnapu o tatlumpu.”
Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him
in Hebrew,“Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on
to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and
tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and
then reported what he told her.
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Reflection:
Do you search for Jesus?
If you search for Jesus you will find Him. If you attend Holy Mass Jesus is there, if you open your bible and read the four gospels you will find Jesus there and if you pray the Rosary Jesus is there as well.
Mary Magdalene intensely searched for Jesus, she went to the tomb while it was still dark and was so distressed when she did not find the body of the Lord. However she did not stop looking for HIM she went on with her search until Jesus appeared to her.
The sole secret to find Jesus and to develop closeness with Him is to continuously thirst for HIM like we thirst for water. As water quenches our thirst and invigorates our bodies the Lord also does this to us and more. HE will quench our thirst and HE will invigorate our weary bodies.
HE will do many more incredible things for us provided
we continuously search and thirst for HIM. After finding Jesus we will now have
to share Him so that our fellowmen will be blessed as we’ve been blessed by
Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
11 Nakatayo namang umiiyak sa labas si Maria sa may libingan. Sa kanyang pag-iyak, yumuko siyang nakatanaw sa libingan. 12 At may napansin siyang dalawang anghel na nakaputi na nakaupo, isa sa may ulunan at isa sa may paanan ng pinaglagyan sa katawan ni Jesus.
13 Sinabi sa kanya ng mga iyon: “Ale, bakit ka umiiyak?” Sinabi niya sa kanila: “May kumuha sa Panginoon ko, at hindi ko alam kung saan siya inilagay.” 14 Pagkasabi niya nito, tumalikod siya at napansin niya si Jesus na nakatayo pero hindi niya nakilalang si Jesus iyon. 15 Sinabi sa kanya ni Jesus: “Ale, bakit ka umiiyak? Sino’ng hinahanap mo?” Sa pag-aakala niyang iyon ang hardinero, sinabi niya sa kanya: “Ginoo, kung kayo ang nagdala sa kanya, sabihin n’yo sa akin kung saan n’yo siya inilagay at kukunin ko siya.”
16 Sinabi
sa kanya ni Jesus: “Maria!” Pagkaharap niya’y sinabi niya sa kanya sa
Aramaiko: “Rabbouni!” (na ibig sabihi’y Guro). 17 Sinabi sa kanya ni
Jesus: “Huwag kang humawak sa akin sapagkat hindi pa ako nakaaakyat sa Ama.
Puntahan mo ang mga kapatid ko at sabihin sa kanila: ‘Paakyat ako sa Ama ko at
Ama ninyo, sa Diyos ko at Diyos ninyo.’” 18 Pumunta si Maria Magdalena na
ibinabalita sa mga alagad: “Nakita ko ang Panginoon.” At sinabi niya ang mga
sinabi sa kanya.”
And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some 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. But some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit, a hundred or
sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear."
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Reflection:
Do we listen to Jesus when He speaks to us?
Every time Jesus generously sows the seeds of the gospel to us. With the hope that His sown seeds would eventually grow in our hearts and bear countless fruits through our words and actions. Some of us don’t even care to listen or we listen but after listening we completely forget it.
But there are also those who listen, imbibe and let the seeds of the gospel bear fruit in their lives by living and sharing it. In that process they allow themselves to be used by God as His seeds to bless other people’s lives.
We all have this liberty on how we would receive these seeds of the gospel that God generously sows upon us. However let us not abuse this liberty by choosing to ignore it. Let us listen to it, let us allow it to take root in our hearts.
Let us allow these very same words of God to transform us therefore we would become the seed sown on rich soil. As such we will share it to as many people as possible and we will also give life to the same words of God by living it.
Do you want a new perspective in your life? A
perspective that is free from worldliness, sinfulness and other forms of
worries brought about by this world? If yes, open your bible, read and reflect
on the words of Jesus and allow it to sink deep into you. So that it would take
root, grow and bear much fruit. – Marino J. Dasmarinas