1Reflection for September 3, Friday Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church (M): Luke 5:33-39

Gospel: Luke 5:33-39

The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.” Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?  

But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” And he also told them a parable. “No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloak.  

Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”

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Reflection:

The story is told about a lady who was giving her personal testimony on how Jesus made a big impact in her life and how Jesus filled her life with joy and contentment. She said further that now that Jesus is in her heart. She now will always ask Jesus to take over her sadness and other trials.  

Whether we admit or not sadness and other lonesome emotions will once in a while visit us. Most especially right now wherein so life is uncertain because of the covid-19 pandemic but this is normal for we are all beings with emotions. However if we have Jesus, we have nothing to worry even if these lonesome feelings will come to us.  

We would know how to handle it for the simple reason that we already have Jesus in our lives. We have nothing to worry about anything that may come to us. Thus, we continue to move ahead with hope because Jesus is by our side.  

Assuring us that no human affliction and emotion no matter how severe could bring us down anymore. Not even the saddest moment in our lives for we have already been renewed and poured into the fresh wineskin which is Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

1Reflection for September 2, Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 5:1-11

Gospel: Luke 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.  

Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch. Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets. When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them.

They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man. For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

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Reflection:

What is it with Jesus that He can make ordinary fishermen to become fishers of men? This is for the reason that all things are possible with our Lord and Savoir Jesus Christ.  

The encounter of Simon Peter and the other fishermen with Jesus by the lake of gennesaret is a magical and whirlwind encounter. It was an encounter that transformed their very lives! An encounter that moved them out of their own comfort zones so that they could follow Jesus.  

We too have our own encounter/s with our Lord. We encounter Him through the celebration of the Eucharist/ Holy Mass. We encounter Him when we take time to read His very words in the bible. We encounter the Lord when we pray and there are many more encounters that occurs between us and the Lord. Many of these encounters with the Lord we fail to discern.  

All of these encounters with Jesus are specifically designed to transform us. So that like Simon Peter and his companion of fishermen we too could be converted and become Jesus’ followers. Our every encounter with Jesus is always life-changing, transformative and enlightening.

Do you also want to encounter the Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Setyembre 2 Huwebes sa Ika-22 Linggo ng Taon: Lucas 5:1-11

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 5:1-11

1 Dinagsa si Jesus ng napakaraming taong nakikinig sa salita ng Diyos at nakatayo naman siya sa baybayin ng Lawa ng Genesaret. 2 Nakita niya noon ang dalawang bangka sa baybay. Kaba­baba pa lamang ng mga mangi­ngisda mula sa mga ito para hugasan ang mga lambat. 3 Kaya suma­kay siya sa isa rito na pag-aari ni Simon at hiniling dito na lumayo nang kaunti mula sa dalampasigan. Umupo siya at mula sa bangka’y sinimulang turuan ang maraming tao.  

4 Matapos siyang magsalita, sinabi niya kay Simon: “Pumalaot ka at ihulog ninyo ang inyong mga lambat para hu­muli.” 5 Ngunit sumagot si Simon: “Guro, buong magdamag kaming nagpagod at wala kaming nakuha pero dahil sinabi mo, ihuhulog ko ang mga lambat.” 6 At nang gawin nila ito, naka­huli sila ng napaka­raming isda kaya halos mag­kandasira ang kani­lang mga lambat. 7 Kaya kinawayan nila ang kanilang mga kasamahang nasa kabilang bang­ka para lumapit at tulungan sila. Du­mating nga ang mga ito at pinu­no nila ang dalawang bangka hang­gang halos lumu­bog ang mga iyon.  

8 Nang makita ito ni Simon Pedro, nag­pa­tirapa siya sa harap ni Jesus at sinabi: “Lumayo ka sa akin, Panginoon, sapagkat taong makasalanan lamang ako.” 9 Tala­ga ngang nasindak siya at ang lahat niyang kasama dahil sa huli ng mga isda na nakuha nila. 10 Gayundin naman ang mga anak ni Zebedeo na sina Jaime at Juan na mga kasama ni Simon.  

Ngunit sinabi ni Jesus kay Simon: “Huwag kang matakot; mula ngayo’y mga tao ang huhulihin mo.” 11 Kayat nang ma­dala na nila ang mga bangka sa lupa, iniwan nila ang lahat at sumu­nod sa kanya. 

Reflection for September 1, Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 4:38-44

Gospel: Luke 4:38-44

After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them.  

At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from many, shouting, "You are the Son of God." But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.  

At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, "To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent." And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

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Reflection:

What do you do after a busy and tiring day? Do you seek to be alone by yourself to commune with God? After a tiring day of healing Jesus went to a deserted place at daybreak to commune with God.  

Jesus always finds time for God no matter how busy He was. Why? Because Jesus derives strength from His communion with God. Do you also derive strength from God? Do you seek communion with Jesus everyday?  

The beauty of always being in touch with Jesus is you will never be lost in this sin filled world. Through Jesus you always have a strong shield against sin. Do you feel lost every once in while in this world? If you are don’t hesitate to ask Jesus to give you the direction and guidance for He surely will give it to you. Ask Jesus to be with you so that He could protect you against covid-19 as you go out of your house everyday to earn a living.  

Always remember that as you go through the daily grind of your life. Jesus is always there for you ever ready to help you in whatever way possible. Always call on Jesus and always seek His abiding presence in your life.  

Do you always seek the presence of Jesus in your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for August 31, Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 4:31-37

Gospel: Luke 4:31-37

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”  

 Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

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Reflection:

Do you have time to read the words of Jesus in the bible, do you have a regular prayer life and do you give time for Jesus at Holy Mass? Many of us do not have time but when it comes to worldly things we create time.  

If only we would give time for Jesus we would certainly feel His authority and power working within us. How does the authority and power of Jesus work in us? For example, if during the time that you still don’t know Jesus you were temperamental. After discovering Jesus in your life you will now become calm and peaceful.  

If before you are easily affected by sad events that come your way. Not so much anymore now, for the simple reason that you already learned to surrender your life to Jesus. There are other true stories of transformed lives all because of Jesus. These are example of Jesus power and authority at work in your life.  

But many have not yet experienced the power and authority of Jesus in their lives. So, what are you going to do? You who have already experienced the transforming power and authority of Jesus! You have to lead them to Jesus, you have to encourage them to open and read the bible, you have to teach them to pray and you have to encourage them to go to Holy Mass.  

You certainly will be blessed by Jesus if you do so. Perhaps not material blessing for it’s temporal and fleeting anyway. What Jesus will give you is His friendship and His abiding presence in your life. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for August 30, Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 4:16-30

Gospel: Luke 4:16-30

Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: 

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. 

Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Is this not the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “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:

Have you experience going back to the place of your childhood? 

Homecoming is always an event that we look forward to because of the warmth of the reception that we receive from our relatives and friends. Take for example if you’ve not been to the place of your childhood for a number of years. Just imagine the warm welcome that you’ll receive from your relatives and childhood friends. However, not all homecoming are filled with warmth and welcoming people there are sad homecomings also. 

Jesus was initially admired and was warmly received by His town mates for He spoke with brilliance. But when He spoke of something that His town mates did not like to hear the admiration turned to derision and the warm reception became cold as ice.  This led His town mates to push Him away towards a hill so that He would fall and be killed. What a sad ending of His coming home, Jesus certainly did not expect this kind of sad homecoming. 

But this is the reality of life, people will like us for as long as they like what we say even if what we say is already false for as long as its music to their ears. But when we talk about the truth they will not like us anymore. They will also drive us away as if we are carrying a contagious disease.  And the worst part is they may attempt to harm us.   

Nevertheless, we should not be cowed from speaking the truth even if it will hurt those who would hear it. This is for the reason that by speaking the truth we correct what is wrong. And by speaking the truth expose what is evil, immoral and sinful.  - Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Sunday August 29, Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Gospel: Mark  7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. —For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders.  

And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?”  

He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”  

He summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile. 

“From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”

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Reflection:

The story is told about an arrogant leader who would always tell his people to obey his every command. Thus, the fearful people would follow every pronouncement that the arrogant leader would say. But as the years passed by they noticed the leader’s incompetence and manipulative behavior. So the people decided to fight him until they defeated him.  

Many of the Pharisees during Jesus time had the same manipulative behavior also. They were very strict in observing their many traditions and rituals. For example the washing of hands before meal, purifying oneself after going to the marketplace and they have countless more: They wanted these all to be strictly observed.

In the gospel the Pharisees saw the followers of Jesus eating their meals without washing their hands. They therefore questioned Him: "Why did they not wash their hands first?" But as always Jesus knew about their motives, Jesus knew that they were only good with the external observance of their traditions. But deep inside them they were still the same arrogant and overbearing group of people who always push their weight around.  

The problem with being strict is it creates a division that  may produce a permanent wedge amongst individuals.  Jesus knew about this problem that's why he often times disregards the rules in favor of the welfare of the people. For Jesus it is first and foremost the welfare of His people before the observance of the traditions. For Jesus it is first the interior cleansing before the exterior observance of the rituals.     

Strictness always results to alienation, division and permanent separation. While compassion and understanding always results to love, healing and unity. Jesus would want us to always be compassionate, to always be merciful and to always be loving.  

Because it's only through these acts of love, mercy and compassion that we can become effective vessels of His teachings. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for August 28, Saturday Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church: Matthew 25:14-30

Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one– to each according to his ability. 

Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. 

After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ 

Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ 

Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? 

Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’”

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Reflection:

Do you know that the Good Lord has given you talent/s that you can use to help Him advance His kingdom in this world? 

There were three servants who were entrusted with talents by the Master who went on a journey. The first servant was given five talents, the second two and third one. The talents were given to them according to their abilities. 

After a period of time the Master came back and settled accounts with them. There was no problem with the first two for both of them were productive, they were able to exactly follow what the Master wanted them. However, the third servant was not productive with the talent that was given to him. 

The Master was so angry with him that He lectured him that it was much better if he had put the money in the bank so that it could have earned interest. Then, he was punished. The talent was taken from him and he was banished into the darkness where there was wailing and grinding of teeth. 

What a frightening punishment for the unproductive servant, if only he risked using what was given him. He could have avoided the embarrassment and the chilling punishment. 

What does this gospel say about us? About our talents that we choose to keep to ourselves rather than share it with the church and our fellowmen. Some of us are just content to just come and go to the church every Sunday for Mass and give money during collection. We think that this is already enough. But if we are sensitive to the needs of the church we would notice that from time to time it announces its need for parishioners to share whatever talents that they can share. 

You may have the talent for singing, why not join the choir? You may have the charism for service; why not join the Mother Butler or any other community oriented organization in the church? You may have the talent for teaching, why not become a catechist? And so on and so forth. 

Let us learn to share the talent that we have to our church and to our fellowmen. So that it would grow and bear much fruit in the hearts and minds of our fellowmen. Let us share it not because we are afraid of the punishment that may befall us if we would not. Let us share our talents out of our great love for Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for August 27, Friday Memorial of Saint Monica: Matthew 25:1-13

Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. 

Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you.  

Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

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Reflection:

Are you always prepared for the arrival of the Lord? 

In the gospel there are two sets of virgins composed of five women who waited for the bridegroom. The one set belongs to the five who were foolish and the other set belongs to the wise ones. 

 We would always want to be identified with the five wise virgins who brought more than enough oil. The oil that they brought keep their lamps burning until the arrival of the bridegroom. By doing so they gained entry to the wedding reception which is the kingdom of heaven.  

The other five were not as fortunate for they were refused entry. They have nothing to blame but themselves, if only they were like the five wise virgins they could have also been present in the wedding feast.  

One of the realities of life is its fragility it could end anytime. We don’t hold our life its God who knows when would our call time to the great beyond will be. This is the mystery of our life, it’s temporary and uncertain. So while we are still alive let us always be prepared so that we will have no worries when our time comes. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for August 26, Thursday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 24:42-51

Gospel: Matthew 24:42-51

(Jesus said to his disciples) “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.  

“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so.  

Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, the servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

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Reflection:

What are you going to do if you’re assigned a responsibility? 

You surely will do whatever it takes to properly accomplish the responsibility immediately.  There will be no dilly-dally you will immediately do with what you have to do because this is the responsibility given to you.  

In our gospel for today Jesus tells the disciples: Be prepared for the son of man will come at an hour you do not expect. What kind of preparation does Jesus wants from His disciples? Of course it is to live their lives the way Jesus lived His life, this they could achieve through their humility, their concern for the poor and by living their lives in the service of others.  

How should we prepare for Jesus? Should we prepare by making ourselves busy on how to increase our material wealth? Of course not! The preparation that Jesus speaks about is the same preparation that He required from His disciples. So that when He knocks we would be able to let Him enter our lives. 

Therefore, we must not always busy ourselves on how to increase our wealth and how to satisfy our earthly desires. For these are not the be all and end all of life.  The best preparation for the coming of Jesus into our lives is to create time for Him no matter how busy we are for this is the only way we could prepare for His coming.    

How are you preparing for Jesus? - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Agosto 26 Huwebes sa Ika-21 Linggo ng Taon: Mateo 24:42-51

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 24:42-51

Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad 42 Magbantay kayo sapagkat hindi ninyo alam ang araw ng pag­dating ng inyong Panginoon. 43 Isipin ninyo ito: kung alam ng may-ari ng bahay kung anong oras ng gabi dara­ting ang magnanakaw, magbabantay siya at hindi niya pababayaang pasu­kin ang bahay. 44 Kaya maging handa kayo sapagkat sa oras na hindi ninyo inaasahan darating ang Anak ng Tao.  

45 Isipin ninyo ito: may tapat at matalinong katulong at sa kanya ipinagkatiwala ng kanyang amo ang sambahayan nito para bigyan sila ng pagkain sa tamang oras. 46 Kung sa pag­­dating ng kan­yang amo ay matagpuan siya nitong tu­mu­tupad sa kanyang tung­kulin, mapalad ang katulong na ito. 47 Talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo na ipagkakatiwala sa kanya ng amo ang lahat nitong pag-aari.  

48 Sa halip ay nag-iisip naman ang ma­samang ka­tulong: ‘Magtatagal ang aking panginoon.’ 49 Kayat sinimulan niyang pagmalupitan ang mga katulong na kasama niya samantalang nakikipagkainan at nakiki­pag-inu­mang kasama ng mga lasing. 50 Ngunit dara­ting ang panginoon ng katulong na iyon sa oras na di niya inaasahan at sa panahong di niya alam. 51 Paaalisin  niya ang katulong na ito at pakikitu­nguhang gaya ng mga mapag­kunwari. Doon nga may iyakan at pag­ngangalit ng ngipin.

1Reflection for August 25, Wednesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 23:27-32

Gospel: Matthew 23:27-32

Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing. 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets; now fill up what your ancestors measured out!

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Reflection:

Why is Jesus so aghast with the scribes and the Pharisees? Because they don’t walk their talk, what they say is contrary to what they do. They tell their people to do this and that yet they don’t do it themselves. They are only good at giving command and it ends with the giving of command.  

They also are very much conscious with their outside appearance. They always put their best foot forward so to speak yet they don’t care about their manipulative behaviors.  

They are very much like many powerful people who project clean public image but lacking in integrity. They manipulate people for them to be looked up to as if they are more powerful than God. But nothing last forever in this world; eventually the powerful will become without power and the arrogant will crushed and shamed.  

We therefore have to become transparent and sincere toward our fellowmen. No manipulation, no arrogance and superficiality because Jesus’ abhors these kinds of pharisaic attitudes and behaviors. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

1Reflection for August 24, Tuesday Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle: John 1:45-51

Gospel: John 1:45-51

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth. But Nathanael said to him “Can anything good come from Nazareth? Philip said to him, “Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel.  

There is no duplicity in him. Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me? Jesus answered and said to him “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree. Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.  

Jesus answered and said to him “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this. And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.

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Reflection:

How do you encounter Jesus in your life? The best encounter with Jesus that you could ever have is through the Holy Mass, prayer and reflections of His words in the bible. Because it’s through these sacred acts that you always unite with Jesus.  

Nathanael in the gospel had an encounter with Jesus. And he was never the same again after that encounter for he was profoundly blessed by Jesus.  

Our spiritual development hinges on our hunger and thirst for Jesus. The more that we hunger for it the more that Jesus becomes more real to us. And the more that we feel His abiding presence in our lives.  

The more also that we are freed from our fears, worries and vulnerabilities from the scheming of the devil. Let us therefore create time for the Lord because this is the key for us to have an encounter and friendship with Him. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

1Reflection for August 23, Monday Saint Rose of Lima, virgin Secondary patroness of the Philippines (M): Matthew 23:13-22

Gospel: Matthew 23:13-22

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves. 

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’ Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’ You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.”

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Reflection:

What is the meaning of the word woe? 

Woe is a word that has a negative meaning and Jesus has three woes addressed to the Pharisees and the Scribes. Why? This is for the reason that many of the Pharisees and scribes are hypocrites. They teach their subjects to practice this and that yet they themselves are not practicing what they are teaching and preaching. 

These woes are not exclusively addressed to the Pharisees and Scribes, this is also for many of us who are hypocrites. We who are not true to our word and we who often are good only with worship for God yet very much wanting in living our faith. 

But it’s not yet late for us to turn things around, to make amends with God. For the simple reason that all of us no matter how sinful have hope before the Lord. For Jesus condemnation is not forever because He can easily erase His condemnation and replace it with mercy, forgiveness  and love.   

Remember the sinner who was crucified with Jesus? He was originally sinful but he repented, thus Jesus brought him along to paradise. (Luke 23:43). Let us therefore repent from our sinfulness while we still have the luxury of time. – Marino J. Dasmarinas