Reflection for September 14, Tuesday Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross: John 3:13-17

Gospel: John 3:13-17

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”  

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

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Reflection:

Do you know the story of the true cross of Jesus?

After the death of Jesus there was an intense persecution of Christians. But during the year 312 AD the church entered a new era and that was when Constantine I, adopted the Christian faith and became the first Christian Emperor of Rome. One of his first edict was to stop the persecution of Christians.

It was said that Constantine I, deputized his mother Helena to gather Christian relics. So she travelled to the Holy Land, while there she discovered the three crosses used during the crucifixion of Jesus and the two thieves (Dismas and Gestas).

Since there were three crosses her dilemma was to find the real cross of Jesus. So she called on the sick people of the community and let them touch each of the three crosses. Among the three there was one that stood out, because it instantly healed those who touched it. Helena declared it to be the true cross of Jesus.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, unlike other Christians whose cross is without Jesus. Our cross is never complete without Jesus on it.

Often times, our cross symbolizes the burdens that we carry. A young mother who was asked, who is your cross and she instantaneously replied: “It’s my irresponsible husband because he is always with his friends indulging in drinking sprees and whenever he arrives he subjects me to physical and emotional abuse.”

Each and everyone of us has our own cross that makes life difficult for us. Sometimes we may even say: why is it that the more that I go near Jesus the heavier the cross that I carry? The cross that we carry is a test of our faith, we would not be able to fully comprehend the presence of Jesus in our lives without silently carrying and enduring our own cross.

What is important is whenever we carry our cross we invite Jesus to help us carry it and implore Him to journey with us with our cross. Let us not question why we have our cross because the cross that burdens us right now is nothing compared to the cross of Jesus.

The paradox of it all is this: The cross that has given Jesus tons of sufferings became the catalyst in the completion of His mission. This cross is also the symbol of our salvation so long as we believe and look up to Jesus who died for us on the cross. There is no exaltation of the cross without the salvific sacrifice of Jesus.

Are you carrying your own cross or do you have a cross right now? A cross that makes life so difficult for you? Look up to Jesus then close your eyes and humbly ask Him to help you carry it. – Marino J. Dasmarinas     

1Reflection for September 13, Monday St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church: Luke 7:1-10

Gospel: Luke 7:1-10

When Jesus had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. 

They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.” And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 

When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

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Reflection:

Do you have concern for the poor and powerless? The concern of the military officer/centurion  for his slave is very admirable. We must emulate his worthy action of giving concern most especially to those who are poor and powerless. 

What if the officer was heartless? There would have been no healing for the slave. By his act of concern his slave was healed by Jesus. We often times lose sight of the fact that we need to be concerned as well with the wellbeing of others especially those who are powerless and poor. 

The me first attitude often times envelope us already thus we fail to see the many needs of our fellowmen most especially the poor and powerless. Why? For the simple reason that we are already overly fixated with our own needs.   

We would reap enormous spiritual blessings if only we would find time to help those who are poor and powerless. Thus, we would be closer to Jesus who loves the poor dearly. And we will find true joy and fulfillment the moment we begin to help them. -  Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Lunes Setyembre 13 San Juan Chrisostomo, Obispo at pantas ng Iglesya (Paggunita): Lucas 7:1-10

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 7:1-10

1 Matapos ituro ni Jesus ang mga ito sa mga tao, pumasok siya sa Capernaum. 2 May isang kapitan na may katulong na naghihingalo at pinahahalagahan niya ito. 3 Pagkarinig niya tungkol kay Jesus, nagpapunta siya sa kanya ng mga Matatanda ng mga Judio para pa­ki­usapang pumunta at pagalingin ang kanyang ka­tulong. 4 Pagdating ng mga ito kay Jesus, taimtim nila siyang pinakiusapan: “Marapat lamang na pag­big­yan mo siya; 5 mahal nga niya ang ating bayan at siya ang nag­patayo ng aming sinagoga.” 

6 Kaya kasama nilang pumunta si Jesus. Nang hindi na siya kalayuan sa bahay, nagpapunta naman sa kanya ng mga kaibigan ang kapitan para sa­bihin: “Ginoo, huwag ka nang mag-abala pa; hindi nga siguro ako karapat-dapat para tumuloy ka sa aking bahay. 7 Kaya hindi ko man lang inakalang nararapat akong lumapit sa iyo. Mag-utos ka lang at ga­galing na ang aking katulong. 8 Mababa nga lang ang ranggo ko pero may mga sundalo sa ilalim ko. At kung iutos ko sa isa, ‘Umalis ka,’ uma­alis siya; at sa iba naman, ‘Halika,’ at puma­parito siya. At pag sinabi kong ‘Gawin mo ito,’ sa aking katulong, gina­gawa nga niya ito.” 

9 Humanga si Jesus pagkarinig niya nito. Lumingon siya sa mga sumusunod sa kanya at sinabi: “Sinasabi ko sa inyo, sa Israel ma’y hindi ko natagpuan ang ganitong pananalig!” 10 At nang magbalik sa bahay ang mga sinugo, natagpuan nilang magaling na ang katulong.

Reflection for Sunday September 12, Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Mark 8:27-35

Gospel: Mark 8:27-35

Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?”  Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Christ.”   

Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him. He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” 

He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.”

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Reflection:

A man was given a choice to stay with his family or to work in a faraway place so that he can fulfill his lifelong ambition to be rich. Without much thought this man chose the option to be rich rather than be with his family. 

Are you ready to sacrifice your personal ambition so that Jesus teachings could continue to spread? For example would you give up your worldly life to do something for the greater glory of God? 

Perhaps you will not give up your worldly life for a life of sacrifice with Jesus. Who would give up a life of ease and comfort in this world in favor of a life with Jesus? Maybe only a few because in truth and in fact to follow Jesus is not easy. 

But we were not brought into this world by God to become citizens of this world. God brought us into this world so that we could do something to partake with the mission of His son Jesus. This is the desire of God for each and every one of us: To help Jesus spread His mission. 

The time will come that we will become old and we surely will look back about how we lived our lives. And during that reflection we will discover that we lived a worthy, meaningful and fulfilled life because we chose to devote our lives for the mission of Jesus. 

Thus, we have to be ready to carry our own cross for Christ no matter how heavy it may be. We have to be ready to lose our life in this world so that we could find its real purpose and meaning with Jesus.  – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Reflection for September 11, Saturday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 6:43-49

Gospel: Luke 6:43-49

Jesus said to his disciples: “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. 

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built. But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.”

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Reflection:

What will happen to a child when he/she is taught with proper values and when this very values are lived by his/her parents?  The child would grow-up to become a good and God loving person. This is always the result whenever a child is properly taught by his/her parents. 

On the other hand, if a child is not taught with proper moral values and the parents do not live the same moral values. We can be assured that this child will grow-up with a distorted sense of values. For the simple reason that he/she was not taught about it or saw it being lived by his/her parents.   

In our gospel reading this Saturday Jesus said to his disciples: “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit (Luke 6:43-44). The good tree is the parents and the good fruit is their child. 

Jesus tells us that whatever good that we teach our children will be imbibed by them. And the good that we do and teach our children will form a great part of their rock solid moral foundation. 

Many of the modern parents of today are always busy. They hardly have time to teach their children about good moral values much less love of God. So what children are they rearing? Children that are boorish, lacking in values and love of God and nobody are to blame for this but their parents. 

Do you teach your children about good values and love of God and do you live it also? – Marino J. Dasmarinas    

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Sabado Setyembre 11 sa Ika-23 na Linggo ng Taon: Lucas 6:43-49

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 6:43-49

Sinabi ni Jesus sa mga alagad, 43 Hindi makapamumunga ng masama ang mabuting puno, at ang masamang puno nama’y hindi makapamumu nga ng mabuti. 44 Nakikilala ang bawat puno sa bunga nito. Hindi makapi-pitas ng igos mula sa tinikan ni maka¬aani ng ubas mula sa dawagan.  

45 Naglalabas ang taong mabuti ng mabuting bagay mula sa yaman ng kabutihan sa kanyang puso; ang masama nama’y naglalabas ng masamang bagay mula sa kanyang kasamaan. At sinasabi nga ng bibig ang uma¬apaw mula sa puso.  

 46 Bakit pa ninyo ako tinatawag na ‘Panginoon, Panginoon,’ gayong hindi naman ninyo tinutupad ang sinasabi ko? 47 Ilalarawan ko sa inyo ang lumalapit sa akin at nakikinig sa aking mga salita at tumutupad nito. 48 May isang taong nagtatayo ng bahay, na humukay nang malalim at sa batuhan inilagay ang mga pundasyon. 

Pagdating ng baha, hinampas ng agos ang bahay na iyon pero wala itong lakas para yanigin iyon sapagkat mabuti ang pagkakatatag niyon. 49 At kung may nakaririnig ngunit di naman nagsasagawa, matutulad siya sa nagtatayo ng bahay sa ibabaw ng lupa na wala namang pundasyon. Hinampas ito ng agos at kaagad bumagsak. Anong laki ng pagkawasak ng bahay na iyon!”

Reflection for September 10, Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 6:39-42

Gospel: Luke 6:39-42

Jesus told his disciples a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?  

How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”

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Reflection:

Are you self-righteous?  

Every once in a while we all become guilty of this offense called self-righteousness. We see ourselves as someone who is above all. Hence, we are quick to point out the offense of our fellowmen. Why is this so? Is this brought about by our self-serving perception that we are closer to God than anyone else? Is this brought about by our social or economic status?  

It’s all of the above and more. But the problem with self-righteous individuals is they only see the shortcomings of others but not their own. They are very quick to judge the wrongs of others but not their own.  

The moment we judge others we also open our very selves to judgment. By judging them we also invite them to judge us. If we don’t want others to judge us let us stop being judgmental and let us abhor condemnation.  

Instead of judging why not motivate? Why not apply gentle correction and why not give advice? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for September 9, Thursday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 6:27-38

Gospel: Luke 6:27-38

Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  

Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.  

“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

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Reflection:

How do you love? 

All of us will agree that we can easily love those who give us love in return. But are we willing to love those who’ve hurt us or those who continue on hurting us? Mother Teresa once said: “If you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” A wife or a husband who truly love would continue to love his/her spouse notwithstanding the betrayal of the their marriage covenant.  

Many marriages fail because we put limits on how we give love. For example, if a wife discovers that her husband is playing around. The reaction of the wife is perhaps to take revenge and play around also and not to anymore love her philandering husband. But what will happen if our attitude is like that? There would be many broken marriages, there would be many suffering children simply because we put limits on how we give our love.  

Jesus in our gospel is advising us to change this mindset of reactive love. And to bring our understanding of love to a much higher level. Perhaps, to the level of God’s love for us.  But are we capable of raising to a higher level our love and on how we give love?  

If we truly love Jesus we would be able to forgive and once again love a spouse who betrayed us. We would be able to love our siblings/relatives who’ve hurt us and who don’t want to listen to our well-meaning advice/s. We would be able to love a friend who betrayed our trust.   

Jesus tells us in the gospel:  For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same (Luke 6:32-33). - Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for September 8, Wednesday Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23

Gospel: Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23

The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.  

Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king.  

David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile.  

After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan,Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.  

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:  

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”

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Reflection:

Do you believe that parents play a critical role in the life of their children?   

Today is the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, why is Mary so humble and docile to the will of God? Is it an inherent character of Mary? The humility and docility of Mary is a gift from God.  

But it was also influenced upon her by her parents: Joachim and Anna, it was said that they were childless until an angel appeared to Anna and told her that she would conceive. Somehow the appearance of the angel to Joachim and Anna would tell us what kind of individuals the parents of Mary.  

Both of them loved God deeply—both of them were prayerful, humble and docile to the will of God. Therefore God gifted them with a new child and that is Mary. Mary is an epitome of prayerfulness, humility and docility as well. Without Mary Jesus would have not been born; thus a savior was born because of the prayerfulness, humility and docility of Mary.  

As we remember the birth of the Blessed Mother let us not forget the role of her parents. Let us also not forget to inculcate upon our children the importance of prayerfulness, humility and docility for it will define their character as they grow up.  

Have you taught your children about their need to be prayerful, humble and docile to the movement of God in their lives? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Setyembre 8 Miyerkules Ang Pagsilang ng Mahal na Birheng Maria (Kapistahan): Mateo 1:1-16, 18-23

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 1:1-16, 18-23

1 Ito ang libro ng pinagmulan ni Jesu¬cristo, anak ni David at anak ni Abraham. 2 Si Abraham ang ama ni Isaac, si Isaac ang ama ni Jacob, si Jacob ang ama ni Juda at ng kanyang mga kapatid. 3 Si Juda ang ama nina Parez at Zerah (si Tamar ang kanilang ina), si Parez ang ama ni Esron, at si Esron ni Aram. 4 Si Aram naman ang ama ni Aminadab, si Ami¬¬nadab ni Naason, si Naason ni Sal¬mon. 

5 Si Salmon ang ama ni Boaz, at si Rahab naman ang kanyang ina. Si Boaz ang ama ni Obed, si Ruth ang kanyang ina. Si Obed naman ang ama ni Jese. 6 Si Jese ang ama ni David na hari. Si David ang ama ni Solomon, at ang na¬ging maybahay ni Urias ang kanyang ina. 

7 Si Solomon ang ama ni Rehoboam na ama ni Abias, at sumunod naman ang mga haring sina Asa, 8 Yosafat, Yoram, Ocias, 9 Yoatan, Ahaz, Ezekias, 10 Mana¬ses, Amon at Yosias. 11 Si Yosias ang ama ni Yekonias at ng kanyang mga kapatid, sa panahon ng pagkatapon sa Babilonia. 12 Pagkatapos naman ng pagkatapon sa Babilonia – si Yekonias ang ama ni Salatiel na ama ni Zorobabel. 

13 Si Zorobabel ang ama ni Abiud, si Abiud ni Eliakim, at si Eliakim ni Azor. 14 Si Azor ang ama ni Sadok, si Sadok ni Akim, at si Akim ni Eliud. 15 Si Eliud ang ama ni Eleazar, si Eleazar ni Matan at si Matan ni Jacob. 16 Si Jacob ang ama ni Jose – ang asawa ni Maria na siyang pinagmulan ni Jesus na tinawag na Kristo. 

18 Ganito ipinanganak si Jesucristo. Ipinag¬kasundo na kay Jose ang kanyang inang si Maria pero bago sila nagsama bilang mag-asawa, nagdadalantao na siya gawa ng Espiritu Santo. 19 Kaya binalak ni Jose na hiwalayan nang lihim ang kanyang asawa. Matuwid nga siya at ayaw niya itong mapahiya. 

20 Habang iniisip-isip niya ito, napa¬kita sa kanya sa panaginip ang Anghel ng Panginoon at sinabi: “Jose, anak ni David, huwag kang matakot na tang¬ga¬pin si Maria bilang iyong asawa. Gawa ng Espi¬ritu Santo kaya siya naglihi, 21 at ma¬nga¬nganak siya ng isang sanggol na lalaki, na panga¬ngalanan mong Jesus sapagkat siya ang magliligtas sa kanyang samba¬yanan mula sa kanilang mga kasa¬lanan.” 

22 Nangyari ang lahat ng ito para matu¬pad ang sinabi ng Panginoon sa pamama¬gitan ng Propeta: 23 “Maglilihi ang birhen at magsisilang ng isang sanggol na lalaki at tatawagin nila siyang Emmanuel na ibig sabihi’y Nasa-atin-ang-Diyos.” 

1Reflection for September 7, Tuesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 6:12-19

Gospel: Luke 6:12-19

Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.  

And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground. A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured. Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all.

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Reflection:

What is the significance of this call on the apostles in our lives?  

Looking back on the lives of the apostles, except for Judas all were faithful followers of the Lord. They were His eyes and ears they were His collaborators in His mission. The apostles did not lead lives of ease and comfort in fact except for Judas who betrayed the Lord. Almost all of them were martyred in doing the mission that Jesus bestowed upon them.  

By virtue of our Baptism we too are called to collaborate with Jesus to spread the good news of our salvation. We are called to lead Holy lives so that others may see Jesus in us.  We are called to be patient, to shun the temptation of the flesh and materialism, to persevere and to be enduring and faithful until the very end.  

If you say that you love Jesus it means that you’re always ready to suffer and be humiliated for the sake of the advancement of His kingdom. Ready to persevere and ready to face the hardship that may come your way. For this is the mark of a true and faithful follower.  

Would you respond to the call of the Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for September 6, Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 6:6-11

Gospel: Luke 6:6-11

On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the Sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him. But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up and stand before us." And he rose and stood there.  

Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" Looking around at them all, he then said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did so and his hand was restored. But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

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Reflection:

Is doing good always in season?  

To do good is always in season there’s no exception in doing good and Jesus proves this point by healing a man’s withered hand even on a Sabbath day. To do good also encompasses anyone be it our friends, relatives, strangers and even our enemies; we must do good to them always.  

This is the point that Jesus wants us all to emulate: To always make a positive difference in the lives of our fellowmen even during holy days such as the Sabbath day (in the Jewish tradition). And let us not also be selective on the people that we give our help.  

In the three years’ public life of Jesus, He would always heal without discrimination of the season and the people. He was not even afraid even if there was threat of physical and verbal abuse on His person His main priority was to impart His miraculous help to everyone.  

Are we like Jesus who always seeks to do good even to those who persecuted Him? Hard to do, right? However, this is the challenge that confronts us, we who profess to follow the greatest man who ever walked this earth. – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

1Reflection for Sunday September 5, Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time: Mark 7:31-37

Gospel: Mark 7:31-37

Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. 

He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. 

He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.

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Reflection:

The story is told about a young man who was complaining to his father that he doesn’t feel the presence of Jesus in his life. His father told him, examine your lifestyle, you are always out with your friends. If you are home you are always in front of the computer if not you are playing with your smart phone or watching TV. The father also said, if you continue with that lifestyle you would really not feel the presence of Jesus in your life. 

How can we have an up close and personal encounter with Jesus? It’s when the environment around us  is silent there’s no presence of anyone except us and Jesus. This is always the most conducive environment for us to have an encounter with the Lord.  It’s very difficult to encounter and feel the presence of Jesus when there are many people around and when there is noise. 

Only in the quietness of our lives we would be able to encounter and feel the healing presence of Jesus. And in the quietness of our lives we would be able to hear the voice of Jesus. Telling us what we need to hear so that we can have the motivation and energy to move on amidst the noisy grind of our lives. 

Do you feel the presence of Jesus in your life? If not then try to live a quite life and try to give time for Jesus more than you give time satisfying your pleasure seeking and loud lifestyle. This doesn’t mean that you will be isolating yourself from your friends and usual environment. 

This simply means that you’ll lessen the noise in your life and you lessen your engagement with worldly pleasures. Yet you still connect yourself to this world not anymore to seek earthly pleasures. But to seek people who are engaged with earthly pleasures so that you can bring them closer to Jesus. 

The deaf mute man in our gospel was healed by Jesus not in the midst of the noisy crowd. Jesus instead brought the deaf mute man away from the crowd. To be with Him alone in a quiet place and in the stillness of the environment Jesus healed him (Mark 7:33-35). 

Do you regularly have your own quiet time with the Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for September 4, Saturday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 6:1-5

Gospel: Luke 6:1-5

While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath, his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” 

Jesus said to them in reply, “Have you not read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering, which only the priests could lawfully eat, ate of it, and shared it with his companions?” Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”

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Reflection:

What kind of God is Jesus? He is a loving and caring God, He will always see to it that His people are properly taken care of no matter what the circumstances are. For Jesus the need of His people always takes precedence over the observance of laws and traditions. 

When Jesus defended His disciples from the rebuke of the Pharisees (From picking and eating grains on a Sabbath day) He was simply saying that the need of His disciples always takes precedence over any observance of the Jewish law/s. 

Jesus was indirectly saying to His critics that they sometimes have to be flexible also for the greater good. The disciples were simply hungry and that was it, they simply have to satisfy a valid need. 

Here we see what kind of God Jesus is, He properly takes care of His people. Jesus is willing to violate the sacred Sabbath law for as long as there is a valid need. We may not be faithful to our Lord all the time. Nevertheless, His unconditional love, care and concern is always there for us in all the seasons of our lives. - Marino J. Dasmarinas