Ang Mabuting Balita sa Biyernes Hulyo 29, Santa Marta, Santa Maria at San Lazaro (Paggunita): Juan 11:19-27

Mabuting Balita: Juan 11:19-27

Noong panahong iyon, marami sa mga Judio ang dumalaw kina Marta at Maria upang sila’y aliwin. Nang marinig ni Marta na dumarating si Hesus, sinalubong niya ito; ngunit si Maria’y naiwan sa bahay. Sinabi ni Marta, “Panginoon, kung kayo po’y narito, hindi sana namatay ang aking kapatid.  

Ngunit nalalaman kong kahit ngayo’y ibibigay sa inyo ng Diyos ang anumang hingin ninyo sa kanya.” “Muling mabubuhay ang iyong kapatid,” wika ni Hesus. Sumagot si Marta, “Nalalaman ko pong siya’y mabubuhay uli sa huling araw, sa muling pagkabuhay.” Sinabi naman ni Hesus, “Ako ang muling pagkabuhay at ang buhay.  

Ang nananalig sa akin, kahit mamatay ay muling mabubuhay, at sinumang nabubuhay at nananalig sa akin, kahit mamatay ay mabubuhay kailanman. Pinaniniwalaan mo ba ito?” “Opo, Panginoon!” sagot niya. “Nananalig ako sa inyo. Kayo po ang Anak ng Diyos, ang Mesiyas na inaasahang paparito sa sanlibutan.”

Reflection for July 28, Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 13:-47-53

Gospel: Matthew13:47-53

Jesus said to the disciples: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."  

"Do you understand all these things?" They answered, "Yes." And he replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old." When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

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Reflection:

The story is told about a mother who was pleading her son to straighten up his wayward life. But the son would pretend not to hear the pleadings of his mother. So he continued to commit sin until he grew old and eventually died. After dying the son was immediately whisked into hell by the devil.  

Hell and the devil are not only an afterlife reality, it’s also a present life reality. We would become a close confidant of the Devil and taste hell in this present life if we continue to sin. We will have no peace of mind; our lives would be problematic. The root cause of this problematic life is our refusal to leave behind sin.  

Our gospel for today clearly states this: “Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth (Matthew 13:49-50).”  

There’s a price for our sinfulness that we have to pay at an appointed date as they say sin is like a credit card enjoy now but pay later. But why suffer the grievous price of sin when we can walk-a-way from it?  Why not walk away from sin now, right now? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita sa Hulyo 28, Huwebes sa Ika-17 na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Mateo 13:47-53

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 13:47-53

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa mga tao, "Ang paghahari ng Diyos ay katulad din ng isang malaking lambat na inihagis sa dagat at nakahuli ng sari-saring isda. Nang mapuno ay hinila ito sa pampang. At naupo ang mga tao upang pagbukud-bukurin ang mga isda: tinipon nila sa mga sisidlan ang mabubuti, ngunit itinatapon ang mga walang kwenta.  

Gayon din ang mangyayari sa katapusan ng daigdig. Darating ang mga anghel at ihihiwalay ang mga makasalanan sa mga banal, at ihahagis ang mga makasalanan sa maningas na pugon. Doo'y mananangis sila at magngangalit ang kanilang ngipin."  

"Nauunawaan na ba ninyo ang lahat ng ito?" tanong ni Jesus. "Opo," sagot nila. At sinabi niya sa kanila, "Kaya, nga ang bawat eskriba na kumikilala sa paghahari ng Diyos ay tulad ng isang puno ng sambahayan na kumukuha ng mga bagay na bago at luma sa kanyang taguan."

Nang masabi na ni Hesus ang mga talinghagang ito, siya’y umalis doon.

Reflection for July 27, Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 13:-44-46

Gospel: Matthew 13:44-46

Jesus said to his disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 

Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”

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Reflection:

A lady who finds the greatest love of her life is very much willing to give up everything that stands on her way: be it the love of her parents, siblings and even her inheritance. She will be willing to give it all up for the sake of her great love.  

There are two important characters in the gospel. The first one is the person who sold everything that he owns so that he could buy the treasure filled land. The second one is the merchant who found the pearl. The field with treasure and the pearl of great price represents the kingdom of heaven.  

After finding it they were never the same again because they found something that would satisfy them for life. And without them knowing it what they’ve found would serve as their passage to heaven in the afterlife.  

Finding Jesus is more than finding the greatest love of your life. It’s like finding the greatest treasure and pearl. It’s an unexplainable feeling that tells you that you’ve already found the greatest possession that you can ever have in this world. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita sa Hulyo 27, Miyerkules sa Ika-17 na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Mateo 13:44-46

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 13:44-46

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa mga tao, “Ang paghahari ng Diyos ay katulad ng kayamanang nakabaon sa isang bukid. Nahukay ito ng isang tao at tinabunan uli. Sa laki ng tuwa, siya’y humayo at ipinagbili ang lahat ng ari-arian niya at binili ang bukid na iyon.                           

“Gayun din naman, ang paghahari ng Diyos ay katulad nito: may isang mangangalakal na naghahanap ng mamahaling perlas. Nang makakita ng isang perlas na napakahalaga, siya’y humayo at ipinagbili ang lahat ng kanyang ari-arian at binili iyon.”

 

Reflection for Tuesday July 26, Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary (M): Matthew 13:36-43

Gospel: Matthew 13:36-43

Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." He said in reply, "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 

The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear."

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Reflection:

The story is told about a sinful man who suddenly died he was therefore immediately ushered by the devil to his fiery kingdom. The sinful man was wailing and resisting his instant enrolment to Satan’s den but he couldn’t do anything to change his destiny. 

If only he repented from his sinfulness, if only he listened to the advice of his relatives to change for the better and embrace God. He could have not ended in hell, but he never listened.  

There are two opposing powers in this world one is God and the other is Satan. God sows good seeds to us satan sow’s weeds. From our conception, birth until our death God has only one desire for us and that is to sow His good seeds in our hearts. 

However, as we mature satan will always try to overpower us with his many inducements. Which if we bite would only result to our perdition and passage to his horrifying kingdom. 

Let us hate sin or any action that will make us sin, let us hate and walk away from the devil and his countless enticements. Let us rather embrace God and follow the way of Jesus no matter how hard for this is the right way and the way to heaven someday. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita sa Martes Hulyo 26, San Joaquin at Santa Ana, mga magulang ng Mahal na Birheng Maria: Mateo 13:36-43

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 13:36-43

Noong panahong iyon, iniwan ni Hesus ang mga tao at pumasok sa bahay. Lumapit ang kanyang mga alagad at sinabi sa kanya, “Ipaliwanag po ninyo sa amin ang talinghaga tungkol sa masasamang damo sa bukid.”  

Ito ang tugon ni Hesus, “Ang Anak ng Tao ang naghahasik ng mabuting binhi. Ang bukid ay ang sanlibutan. Ang mga taong pinaghaharian ng Diyos ang mabuting binhi at ang mga taong pinaghaharian ng diyablo ang masasamang damo. Ang kaaway na naghasik ng mga iyon ay walang iba kundi ang diyablo. Ang pag-aani ay ang katapusan ng daigdig, at ang mga anghel ang mga tagapag-ani.  

Kung paanong iniipon ang mga damo at sinusunog, gayun din ang mangyayari sa katapusan ng daigdig. Susuguin ng Anak ng Tao ang kanyang mga anghel, at iipunin nila mula sa kanyang pinaghaharian ang lahat ng nagiging sanhi ng pagkakasala at ang lahat ng gumagawa ng masama, at ihahagis sa maningas na pugon. Doo’y mananangis sila at magngangalit ang kanilang ngipin. At magliliwanag na parang araw ng mga matuwid sa kaharian ng kanilang Ama. Ang may pandinig ay makinig!”

Reflection for Monday July 25, Feast of Saint James, Apostle: Matthew 20:20-28

Gospel: Matthew 20:20-28

The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom.”  

Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers.  

But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

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Reflection:

Do you love to be in front, do you love prominence and do you love to always be in the starring role? 

Prominence or to be with someone influential is something that we all want. For example, we love to post pictures on facebook and other social media portals the places that we’ve visited.  

We love to post pictures of these beautiful places. This is perhaps human nature, who wouldn’t want to post pictures of nice and idyllic places?  We all want it, but the essence of life is not about advertising the famous places that we’ve visited or the famous personalities that we’ve been seen with.  

The true essence of life is to serve anyone who is need of our help. It doesn’t matter anymore if the acts of service and compassion that we do are seen or not what is important is we’re able to help. As we follow Jesus let us always be reminded that HE never walked in this world to gain publicity and prominence.  

Jesus walked on this world to serve and not be served, HE never aspired to become famous. All He wanted was to simply follow the will of God for HIM no matter how difficult it was. This must also be our guiding principle.  

Many are attracted to serve in the church not because they want to help advance the teachings of Jesus. Their attraction comes from what the church can give or what they could derive from the church and Jesus if they would serve.  But we all know that this kind of motive is built upon a person’s self-image and therefore useless.  

True service in the vineyard of the Lord is all about humility. Not thinking of what we can derive from the church, but what we can humbly give to God and His church. True service for the church is not about having power and influence it’s actually based on losing power and influence for the greater glory of God. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita sa Lunes Hulyo 25, San Santiago, apostol (Kapistahan): Mateo 20:20-28

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 20:20-28

Noong panahong iyon, lumapit kay Jesus ang asawa ni Zebedeo, kasama ang kanyang mga anak. May ibig siyang hingin, kaya't lumuhod siya sa harapan ni Jesus. "ano ang ibig mo?" tanong ni Jesus. Sumagot siya, "Sana'y ipagkaloob ninyo sa dalawa kong anak na ito ang karapatang makaupong katabi ninyo sa inyong kaharian -- isa sa kanan at isa sa kaliwa."  

"Hindi ninyo nalalaman ang inyong hinihingi," sabi ni Jesus sa kanila. "Mababata ba ninyo ang hirap na babatahin ko?" "Opo," tugon nila. Sinabi ni Jesus, "Ang hirap na babatahin ko'y babatahin nga ninyo. Ngunit wala sa akin ang pagpapasiya kung sino ang mauupo sa aking kanan at sa aking kaliwa. Ang mga luklukang sinasabi ninyo'y para sa pinaghandaan ng aking Ama."  

Nang marinig ito ng sampung mga alagad, nagalit sila sa magkapatid. Kaya't pinalapit sila ni Jesus at sinabi sa kanila, "Alam ninyo na ang mga pinuno ng mga Hentil ay naghahari sa kanila, at ang mga dinadakila ang siyang nasusunod. Ngunit hindi dapat ganyan ang umiral sa inyo. Sa halip, ang sinuman sa inyo na ibig maging dakila ay dapat maging lingkod. At sinumang ibig maging pinuno ay dapat maging alipin ninyo, tulad ng Anak ng Tao na naparito, hindi upang paglingkuran kundi upang maglingkod at iaalay ang kanyang buhay upang matubos ang marami. 

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Reflection for Sunday July 24, 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:1-13

Gospel: Luke 11:1-13

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test." 

And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him, and he says in reply from within 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.' I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. 

"And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

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Reflection:

How do you pray or what is your recipe for prayer? Do you follow a certain procedure or you spontaneously pray to God what is in your heart?

In the gospel for this Sunday Jesus is asked by a disciple: Lord teach us to pray and Jesus obliged him and taught the disciple the perfect prayer which is the Our Father. If we try to deeply reflect on this prayer we would notice that the Our Father contains our Adoration for God (Hollowed be your name) our Contrition/Repentance for the sins that we have committed (Forgive us our sins) and our Supplication: we request God to give us the food that we need (Give us each day our daily bread).

If we say this prayer with our hearts and minds deeply focused towards God we would feel something that we don’t usually feel. This feeling is very hard to explain but we would certainly notice this healing experience the moment we learn how to pray the Our Father with all our being.

We must always be prayerful and we must not give up on our being prayerful. Because when we pray we connect ourselves with God, we open ourselves to the enormous blessings that are always at God’s disposal when we pray.   

Prayer is not asking God to give us this and that. Prayer is essentially satisfying our longing for God. And the God that we always long for will grant us the desires of our hearts because we always thirst and hunger to be with Him in prayer. 

Do you have a prayer before God?  Don’t give up, continue to believe, have faith and you will soon have it. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Linggo Hulyo 24 Ika - 17 na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon : Lucas 11:1-13

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 11:1-13

Minsan nanalangin si Jesus pagkatapos niya sinabi ng isa sa kanyang mga alagad. panginoon turuan niyo po kaming manalangin. Katulad ng ginawa ni juan sa kanyang mga alagad.  Sinabi ni Hesus, kung kayo’y mananalangin ganito ang sabihin ninyo.

Ama  sambahin nawa ang ngalan mo. Magsimula na sana ang iyong paghahari. Bigyan mo kami ng aming makakain sa araw-araw. At patawarin mo kami sa aming mga kasalanan sapagkat pinatatawad na namin ang bawat nagkasala sa amin. At huwag mo kaming iharap sa mahigpit na pagsubok .

Sinabi pa rin nya sa kanila, ipalagay natin ang isa sa inyo ay nagpunta sa isang kaibigan isang hatinggabi at nagsabi. Kaibigan bigyan mo muna ako ng tatlong tinapay. Dumating kasi ang isa kong kaibigang naglalakbay at wala akong maihain sa kanya! At ganito naman ang sagot ng kanyang kaibigan sa loob ng bahay. Huwag mo nga akong gambalain! Naka tranka na ang pinto at nakahiga na kami ng aking mga anak. Hindi na ako makababagon pa upang bigyan kita ng iyong kailagan.

Sinasabi ko sa inyo hindi naman siya bumangon dahil sa kanilang pagkakaibigan. Babangon siya para ibigay ang hinihingi ng kaibigan dahil sa pagpupumilit nito. Kaya sinasabi ko sa inyo, humingi kayo at kayo ay bibigyan, humanap kayo at kayo’y makasusumpong; kumatok kayo at ang pinto’y bubuksan para sa inyo. Sapagkat tumatanggap ang bawat humihingi; nakasusumpong ang bawat humahanap at binubuksan ang pinto sa bawat kumakatok.

Kayong mga ama, bibigyan ba ninyo ng ahas ang inyong mga anak kung humihingi ng isda? Bibigyan ba ninyo siya ng alakdan kung siya ay humihingi ng itlog? Kung kayong masasama ay marunong magbigay ng mabubuting bagay sa inyong mga anak, gaano pa kaya ang inyonng amang nasa langit! Ibibigay niya ang Espiritu Santo sa mga humihingi sa kanya.

Reflection for July 23, Saturday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 13:24-30

Gospel: Matthew 13:24-30

Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.  

When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’  

He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

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Reflection:

Do you fear the judgment of God?  

God’s judgment is something that we all fear to come to us the reason perhaps is we are not yet prepared for it. There are times however that God’s judgment day would come to us when we least expect it. And when it comes to us we can’t do anything about it anymore we have to accept it whether we like it or not. For example if God will bar us from entering heaven we have to accept it and we can’t do anything about it no matter how hard we resist it.  

If God will judge us to be in hell it simply means that the time that we spent in this world during our lifetime was not worthy in HIS eyes.  This means that we led sinful lives most of the time. Perhaps there were also instances wherein somebody called our attention to embrace God and leave behind everything that makes us sin. Yet we chose to ignore that call towards repentance.   

Our gospel today offers us hope. It tells us that before God’s judgment comes to us. God will offer us first many chances for renewal or repentance. Let us therefore take advantage of this offering of God. This we can do by walking away from all our sins and by humbly asking forgiveness from HIM.  

The Good Lord will not immediately judge us for what we do now no matter how sinful it is. This is for the reason that HE knows that deep within us lies goodness and our willingness to walk away from all of our sins. Truth be told, God is a patient God, a God of forgiveness, hope and love. A God of second chances HE will wait for us until we heed HIS call of repentance.  

But what if we choose to ignore HIS call of repentance no matter the many chances that HE gave us, what will happen to us sinners if we ignore God’s call of repentance? -  Marino J. Dasmarinas