Reflection for February 15, Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 8:14-21

Gospel: Mark 8:14-21

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” They concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread. When he became aware of this he said to them, “Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend?  

Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?” They answered him, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?” They answered him, “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

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Reflection:

Why do we often times do not get the message that Jesus wants us to understand? Because we allow ourselves to be distracted by the things around us. We thus lose focus on the message that Jesus wants us to imbibe.  

This is the situation in our gospel; Jesus wanted the disciples to be wary of the teachings and over zealousness of the Pharisees and Herod to externally fulfill their laws. But Jesus used the word leaven and since they have no bread they understood it as something that relates to their lack of bread. 

This is what happens when we have shallow faith, when we allow ourselves to be distracted by our worldly preoccupations. We are not able to get what Jesus wants us to understand. So, we get lost in this worldly jungle that is dominated by materialism, deception, arrogance, greed, lust and the like.  

Try focusing your attention on Jesus alone, try being faithful to Him and disregard worldly temptations. This will therefore result in your deeper friendship  with Him and you surely will understand the message that Jesus wants to convey to you. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Pebrero 15 Martes ng Ikaanim na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Marcos 8:14-21

Mabuting Balita: Marcos 8:14-21

14 Nakalimutan ng mga alagad na magdala ng tinapay at isa lang ang dala nila sa bangka. 15 At pinagsabihan sila ni ­Jesus: “Mag-ingat at huwag magtiwala sa leba­dura ng mga Pariseo at sa lebadura ni Herodes.” 16 At sinabi ng mga alagad sa isa’t isa: “Oo nga, ano? Wala tayong dalang tinapay.”   

17 Alam ni Jesus ang mga ito kaya si­nabi niya sa kanila: “Bakit ninyo pinag-uusapan ang tinapay na wala sa inyo? Hindi pa ba ninyo maisip at maunawaan? Mapurol ba ang inyong pag-iisip? 18 May mata kayong di nakakakita at may ta­i­ngang di naka­karinig? Hindi na ba ninyo naaalala 19 nang pinira-­piraso ko ang limang tinapay para sa limang libo, ilang basket na puno ng mga pira-piraso ang inyong naipon?”   

At suma­got sila: “Labin­dalawa.” 20 “At nang may pitong tinapay para sa apat na libo, ilang ba­yong na puno ng mga pira-piraso ang inyong na­ipon?” At suma­got sila: “Pito.” 21 At si­nabi ni ­Jesus: “Hindi pa ba ninyo nauunawaan?”

Reflection for Monday February 14, Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop: Mark 8:11-13

Gospel: Mark 8:11-13

The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation. Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore.

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Reflection:

What does it mean when we seek signs from Jesus? It means weakness of faith, it means that Jesus is not yet enough for us to hold on for our salvation for we still need signs, miracles and wonders from Jesus. A true believer and a person of faith will not anymore seek a sign from the Lord. He/She will trust the Lord Jesus regardless of if he/she will see or not see signs from Him.  

If we truly love the Lord and if we have faith in the Lord we would not anymore ask for a sign from Him. Why? Because His name alone is more than enough to deliver us from all of our fears and doubts.  This is for that reason that we always feel His abiding presence in our lives.  

The Lord is with us the moment we reverently attend Holy Mass most especially when we partake of His Body and Blood during Holy Communion. The Lord speaks to us the moment we reverently read His words in the bible. Jesus is with us the moment we pray with reverence the Holy Rosary.   

If only we would invest time to dive deeper into the life of Jesus and our catholic faith we would not anymore ask for any signs from Jesus. Because as we invest time for Him, we will also notice slowly but surely His abiding presence in our life.  

Let us not ask for signs let us instead develop deeper friendship with Jesus by our faithful and pious presence at Holy Mass. By having a daily habit of reading our bible and by having a daily quite time in prayer with Him. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Lunes Pebrero 14, San Cirilo, monghe at San Metodio, Obispo (Paggunita): Marcos 8:11-13

Mabuting Balita: Marcos 8:11-13

Noong panahong iyon, 11 Dumating ang mga Pariseo at nagsimulang makipagtalo kay Jesus. Gusto nilang subukan si Jesus at humingi ng isang makalangit na tanda. 12  Nagbuntung-hininga siya at sinabi: “Bakit humihingi ng palatandaan ang lahing ito? Talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo: walang tandang ibibigay sa lahing ito.” 13 Kaya iniwan sila ni Jesus at sumakay sa bangka patawid sa kabilang ibayo.

Reflection for Sunday February 13, Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 6:17, 20-26

Gospel: Luke 6:17, 20-26

Jesus came down with the Twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with 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. And Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said: 

“Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.  

Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. 

But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

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Reflection:

The story is told about a mountaineer who went to climb the world’s highest peak. When he was at the peak of the mountain he felt that he was so blessed. Because he was in the midst of the cloud and he had an impressive view of the topographical environment beneath him. 

When he was descending already he saw a group of poor people worshipping God and singing, “I am so blessed because I know that God loves me even if I am poor.” It was the long refrain of the song thus he keeps on hearing it until he passed by them and he saw for himself how happy they were even if they were poor.  

What makes you happy and blessed right now? There are many factors that would make you feel happy and blessed. For example, if you can afford to live a comfortable life and you are not suffering from any sickness you may be are happy already and you may think that you are blessed already.  

But are you really happy and blessed because you have a comfortable life and you are not suffering from any sickness? You may say, “Yes” but in deeper retrospection this kind of life that you are having right now is not the be all and end all of life.  

Because the be all and end all of life is to live it with God, even if you are not living a comfortable life and even if you are suffering from sickness for as long as you have God you are blessed. Why? Because God is Supreme in this world and God’s supremacy extends beyond this world.  

Hence, you are blessed even, if you are poor, even if you are suffering, even if you got sick with covid-19 and even if you are weeping and hurting because God’s love, mercy and protection is  with you.

Do you feel blessed by the Lord?  – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Linggo Pebrero 13, Ikaanim na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon (K): Lucas 6:17, 20-26

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 6:17, 20-26

Noong panahong iyon 17 Pagkababa ni Jesus kasama ang labing dalawa tumayo siya sa isang patag na lugar. Naroon ang maraming alagad niya, at napakarami ring tao mula sa buong Judea at Jerusalem at mula sa baybaying dako ng Tiro at Sidon.

20 Tumingala noon si Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad at sinabi: “Mapapalad kayong mga dukha sapagkat sa inyo ang kaharian ng Diyos. 21 Mapapalad kayong mga nagugutom ngayon sapagkat bubusugin kayo. Mapapalad kayong mga umiiyak ngayon sapagkat tatawa kayo. 22 Mapapalad kayo kapag kinapopootan kayo ng mga tao at itinatakwil at iniinsulto, at sinisiraang-puri dahil sa akin. 23 Magsaya kayo at lubos na magalak sa araw na iyon sapagkat malaki ang inyong gantimpalang nasa Diyos; gayundin ang ginawa ng kanilang mga ninuno sa mga propeta.

24 Ngunit sawimpalad kayong mayayaman sapagkat tinatamasa na ninyo ang inyong ginhawa! 25 Sawimpalad kayong mga busog ngayon sapagkat magugutom kayo! Sawimpalad kayong humahalakhak ngayon sapagkat magluluksa kayo’t iiyak!

26 Sawimpalad kayo kapag pinag-uusapan kayo nang mabuti ng lahat ng tao dahil ganoon din ang ginawa ng kanilang mga ninuno sa mga bulaang propeta.

Reflection for February 12, Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 8:1-10

Gospel: Mark 8:1-10

In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat, Jesus summoned the disciples and said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance.  

His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place?” Still he asked them, “How many loaves do you have? They replied, “Seven.” He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the crowd.  

They also had a few fish. He said the blessing over them and ordered them distributed also. They ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets. There were about four thousand people.  

He dismissed the crowd and got into the boat with his disciples and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

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Reflection:

What kind of God is Jesus? He is a God of compassion and mercy, Jesus feels our loneliness when we are lonely. Jesus cries with us when we cry. Jesus feels the heavy load that we carry when we are so burdened by it. Does this feeling of compassion and mercy stops with Jesus empathy? No, Jesus never stops of thinking of ways on how He can lighten the burdens that we carry.  

We see this deep compassion and mercy of Jesus in our gospel today. When Jesus saw the crowd who had been following them for days He had deep compassion for them for they were already hungry and tired. And His mercy and compassion led Him to think on how He could feed them.  

So Jesus asked His disciples for whatever food that they may have and out of seven loaves and few fish Jesus miraculously multiplied it to feed almost four thousand. This is how merciful and compassionate Jesus is to those who follow Him.  

What does this gospel tell us? This tells us that we will never go hungry the moment we decide to faithfully follow Jesus! Jesus will never let us go hungry for He will take care of our food and He will take care of our needs. This may be hard to believe for others but this is very true! Jesus provides for those who faithfully follow Him.  

Are you a faithful follower of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Pebrero 12, Sabado ng Ikalimang Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Marcos 8:1-10

Mabuting Balita: Marcos 8:1-10

1 Maraming tao ang sumama kay Jesus at wala silang makain. Kaya tinawag ni Jesus ang kanyang mga alagad at sinabi sa kanila: 2 “Labis akong naaawa sa mga taong ito, pangatlong araw ko na silang ka­sama at wala nang makain 3 at kung paalisin ko silang gutom, baka mahilo sila sa daan. Ga­ling pa sa malayo ang ilan sa kanila.”  

4 Sumagot ang kanyang mga alagad: “At paano naman maka­kakuha ng tinapay para pakainin sila sa ilang na ito?” 5 Tinanong sila ni Jesus: “Ilan bang tinapay meron kayo?” Sumagot sila: “Pito.”   

6 Pinaupo ni Jesus sa lupa ang mga tao, kinuha ang pitong tinapay at nag­pa­salamat sa Diyos. Pinagpira-­piraso niya ang mga ito at ibinigay sa kan­yang mga alagad para ihain; at inihain nila ang mga ito sa mga tao. 7 Meron din silang ilang isda. Binasbasan ito ni Jesus at iniutos na ihain din ang mga ito.  

8 Kumain sila at nabusog at inipon ang mga natirang pira-piraso – pitong bayong. 9 Apat na libo ang naroon, at saka sila pinauwi ni Jesus. 10 Agad siyang sumakay sa bangka kasama ang kanyang mga alagad at pumunta sa lupain ng Dalma­nuta.

Reflection for February 11, Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 7:31-37

Gospel: Mark 7:31-37

Again 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 man who was diagnosed to have a terminal sickness, of course he was bothered, who would not be? But the man had great faith in Jesus so he earnestly prayed for his healing.  He went to Mass everyday, he prayed the rosary regularly and he read his bible fervently.   

As the days, weeks and months passed by there was observable decline on his physical appearance. But those around him noticed also the increase in his faith and confidence in Jesus. They’ve noticed the peacefulness and calmness that he exudes so unlikely of a dying man.  

We are presented in the gospel a story of physical healing, a deaf man was able to speak again through the healing power of Jesus.  With the help of those around him the deaf man was brought closer to Jesus. After which he begged Jesus to lay His hand on him. 

Jesus took the man away from the crowd. And in the stillness of the environment Jesus groaned and said, “Ephphatha!” which means be opened. The man was immediately healed, he was able to hear and speak once again.  

Eventually, everyone of us will get sick and everyone of us will also pray for physical healing from Jesus. But not all of us would experience physical healing like what the deaf man experienced in the gospel. Some of us would experience deep spiritual healing, the same spiritual healing that the terminally sick man in our story received from Jesus.  

We must therefore take steps also to get closer and build a relationship with Jesus. Let us take the initiative and do it by ourselves now. Let us not wait for the time to come that we will go to the Lord because we are already in dire need of Him. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Thursday February 10, Saint Scholastica, Virgin (M): Mark 7:24-30

Gospel: Mark 7:24-30

Jesus went to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.  

He said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

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Reflection:

What is the key for us to have what we want from Jesus? 

It’s persistence, if we think that Jesus doesn’t hear our prayers, we should continue to beg Him to grant us what want. We should never give up because giving up is a sign of our lack of faith in Jesus. 

The Syrophoenician woman in our gospel never gave up on her prayer request even if she was already being tested by Jesus. She persisted and humbly beg Jesus to cure her daughter possessed by the devil. Eventually her persistence bore fruit for when she went home she found out that her daughter was not anymore possessed by the devil.  

As we continue our journey in this temporal world, we surely will be facing a lot of problematic situations. Let us not let these disappointing events bring us down and let us not let these situations separate us from Jesus. The more we encounter trials in our lives the more that we go persistently to Jesus for help.  

For it’s only Jesus and it’s only through Jesus that we would be able to survive the many trials and tribulations in this world.  What if for example we persistently pray to Jesus for help and he does not help us? What are we going to do? We simply have to continue to pray and have faith, the more that we are ignored by the Lord the more that we have to pray and have faith.  

How’s your faith in the Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Huwebes Pebrero 10, Santa Escolastica, dalaga (Paggunita): Marcos 7:24-30

Mabuting Balita: Marcos 7:24-30

24 Lu­ma­yo si Jesus patungo sa hangganan ng Tiro. Pumasok siya roon sa isang bahay at kahit na ayaw niya itong malaman ninuman, hindi ito nalihim. 25 May isang babaeng nakabalita tung­kol sa kanya. Inaalihan ng maruming espiritu ang kan­yang dalagita kaya pumunta siya at nag­patirapa sa kan­yang paanan. 26 Isa siyang paga­nong taga-Sirofenicia. At ipinaki­usap niya kay Jesus na palayasin ang demonyo sa kanyang anak.  

27 Sinabi naman ni Jesus sa kanya: “Ba­ya­an mo munang mabusog ang mga anak. Hindi tama na kunin ang tinapay sa mga bata at itapon ito sa mga tuta.” 28 Su­ma­got ang babae: “Totoo nga, Ginoo, pero kinakain ng mga tuta sa ilalim ng mesa ang mga nalalaglag mula sa mga bata.” 29 At sinabi sa kanya ni Jesus: “Dahil sa sinabi mong ito, lumabas na sa iyong anak na babae ang demonyo.” 30 Kaya umuwi ang babae at nakita niya ang bata na naka­higa sa kama; lumabas na nga ang demonyo. 

Reflection for February 9, Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 7:14-23

Gospel: Mark 7:14-23

Jesus 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.”  

When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.)  

“But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, 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:

Where does the desire to commit sin emanates? It first emanates from within us. It begins when we think about it and if we don’t stop thinking about our desire to commit sin it slowly progresses. Until we actually give flesh to our desire to sin by actually doing it.  

For example, the desire of a husband/wife to betray their marriage vows. He/she starts by thinking about it and when she/he sees that the situation is conducive to commit the act of sin/betrayal. The spouse will now succumb to commit this immoral sin. Therefore, the desire to commit sin originates from within us first.  

How then could we avoid sin? We pray to Jesus and ask His help to exterminate whatever sinful desires that we have in our minds. Then we also have to do our part by taking action to rid ourselves of the desire to sin and by confronting the sin and stepping on it so that it would die. Because if we pray yet our actions are not according to what we have been praying for we would still commit sin sooner or later. As the saying goes God help those who help themselves. 

But come to think of it, why do we commit sin? The simple answer is we don’t take our faith in Jesus seriously this is the reason why we commit sin when we want to commit it. Are we not tired yet of sinning? Are we not tired yet of mortgaging our lives to the devil? When we continuously mortgage our lives to the devil through sin, there is the danger that we may not anymore be able to get out of it! 

It’s about time that we change this cycle of sin, it’s about time that we rid ourselves of any sinful thoughts and desires. It’s about time that we free ourselves from any problems and complication brought about by sin.  – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Pebrero 9, Miyerkules ng Ikalimang Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Marcos 7:14-23

Mabuting Balita: Marcos 7:14-23

14 Tinawag ni Jesus ang mga tao at sinabi sa kanila: “Pakinggan ako at unawain sana ninyong lahat. 15 Hindi ang pumapasok sa tao mula sa labas ang nakapagpaparumi sa kanya kundi ang lumalabas sa tao ang nakapagpaparumi sa kanya. 16 Makinig ang may tainga.”   

17 Pagkalayo ni Jesus sa mga tao, nang nasa bahay na siya, tinanong siya ng kanyang mga alagad tungkol sa talin­hagang ito. 18 At sinabi niya: “Wala rin ba kayong pang-unawa? Hindi ba ninyo na­uunawaan na sa bituka pumu­punta ang anumang pumapasok sa tao mula sa labas? 19 Sapagkat hindi sa puso ito puma­pasok kundi sa tiyan at pagkatapos ay itinatapon sa labas.” (Sa gayo’y sinabi niya na malinis ang tanang mga pagkain.)  

20 At idinagdag niya: “Ang luma­labas sa tao ang nagpaparumi sa tao. 21 Sa puso nga ng tao nagmumula ang masa­samang hangarin – kahalayan, pagna­nakaw, pag­patay sa kapwa, 22 pakiki­apid, kasa­kiman, kasamaan, pandaraya, ka­las­waan, pagkainggit, paninira, kapala­luan, kabuktutan. 23 Ang masasamang bagay na ito ang nagpaparumi sa tao.

Reflection for February 8, Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 7:1-13

Gospel: Mark 7:1-13

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 went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and Whoever curses father or mother shall die. Yet you say, ‘If someone says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”

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Reflection:

Are you very strict with the observance of your customs and traditions?  

The Pharisees were very particular of their customs/traditions they follow it to the letter. So, when they saw that Jesus’ disciples ate their meals without washing their hands—they told Jesus about it.  

They said to Jesus: “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?" and Jesus told them: You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition." He went on to say, "How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition!  

We see that Jesus puts more weight on the commandments of God more than their traditions the interior rather than the exterior, the inside conversion rather than the fake exterior observance of their laws. 

The conversion that Jesus desires for us is one that involves change of our hearts and mindsets. For example, from indulging in sin we now try our very best to avoid sin. From staying in an environment where we’ve sinned, we now completely walk away from that environment and so on. For Jesus, what matters most is not our external acts but our internal conversion and renewal.   - Marino J. Dasmarinas