Noong
panahong iyon, may isang ketonging lumapit kay Hesus, nanikluhod at nagmakaawa:
“Kung ibig po ninyo’y mapagagaling ninyo ako.” Nahabag si Hesus at hinipo siya,
sabay ang wika, “Ibig ko. Gumaling ka!” Noon di’y nawala ang ketong at gumaling
ang tao. Pinaalis siya agad ni Hesus matapos ang ganitong mahigpit na bilin:
“Huwag mong sasabihin ito kaninuman.
Sa halip ay
pasuri ka sa saserdote. Pagkatapos, maghandog ka ayon sa iniutos ni Moises,
upang patunayan sa mga tao na ikaw ay magaling na.” Ngunit umalis siya at
bagkus ipinamalita ang nangyari, anupat hindi na hayagang makapasok ng bayan si
Hesus. Naroon na lamang siya sa labas, sa mga ilang na pook, at doon
pinagsasadya ng mga tao buhat sa iba’t ibang dako.
On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the
house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick
with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her
hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When
it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed
by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick
with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to
speak because they knew him.
Rising very early before dawn, he left and
went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with
him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told
them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For
this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching
and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
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Reflection:
The story is told about a family who had a
bedridden mother. Being in such situation her husband and children confined her
to a room within their house. The mother was wondering, why they isolated her
when she doesn’t have a contagious sickness? Deep in her heart she was wishing
for a daily small talk with her family or even a quick peek from her husband
and children. But they rarely did she eventually died not from her sickness but
from her loneliness.
When Jesus was told that Simon’s
mother-in-law was sick with a fever, He immediately approached her and grasp
her hand. As if to say that I’m here for you and I’m concerned with your
wellbeing. Then she was healed by Jesus before they left her.
What is Jesus telling us in this gospel?
Jesus is telling us that we have to visit the sick. We have to talk to them and
we have to let them know that we are here for them. Many of us don’t visit the
sick because we are so busy with our daily undertakings. Or we don’t visit the
sick because we have no money to help them.
But there’s more to life than our daily
undertakings and there’s certainly more to life than having money. Life is all
about touching lives! It’s making a person feel special more so if she/he is
sick. Just imagine if a sick person would see us, it certainly would brighten
the face and boost the sagging morale of
the sick person.
Nevermind, if we cannot give financial
help since our mere presence is more than enough to help her get well. Our mere
presence is like saying, I’m here for you, you can count on me and I love you
more than words can say.
We must never underestimate the power of a
visit or even a quick visit to a sick relative or friend. It could do wonders
for their wellness of course we are not Jesus thus we would not be able to cure
them physically, but who knows? Nonetheless, it still can do wonders for them
on the level of their emotions and morale.
Jesus is showing us the way on what to do
when somebody is sick we therefore have to follow the way of Jesus. - Marino J.
Dasmarinas
Noong
panahong iyon, mula sa sinagoga, sila'y nagtuloy sa bahay ni Simon at Andres.
Kasama nila sina Santiago at Juan. Nararatay noon ang biyenan ni Simon Pedro,
dahil sa matinding lagnat, at ito'y agad nilang sinabi kay Jesus. Nilapitan ni
Jesus ang babae, hinawakan sa kamay at ibinangon. Noon di'y inibsan ito ng
lagnat at naglingkod sa kanila.
Pagkalubog ng
araw, dinala kay Jesus ang lahat ng maysakit at ang mga inaalihan ng demonyo.
At nagkatipon ang buong bayan sa may pintuan ng bahay. Pinagaling niya ang
maraming maysakit, anuman ang kanilang karamdaman at nagpalayas sila ng mga
demonyo. Hindi niya hinayaang magsalita ang mga ito, sapagkat alam nila kung
sino siya.
Madaling-araw
pa'y bumangon na si Jesus at nagtungo sa isang ilang na pook at nanalangin.
Hinanap siya ni Simon at ng kanyang mga kasama. Nang siya'y matagpuan, sinabi
nila, "Hinahanap po kayo ng lahat." Ngunit sinabi ni Jesus,
"Kailangang pumunta rin naman tayo sa mga kalapit-bayan upang makapangaral
ako roon -- ito ang dahilan ng pag-alis ko sa Capernaum." At nilibot niya
ang buong Galilea, na nangangaral sa mga sinagoga at nagpapalayas ng mga
demonyo.
Jesus came to Capernaum with his
followers, and on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people
were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and
not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he
cried out, “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, “Quiet! Come
out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of
him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with
authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him. His fame
spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
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Reflection:
The story is told about a married man who
succumb to an adulterous relationship with his equally married officemate. The man would always attend Holy Mass with
his wife every Sunday. Yet, he still surrendered to the enticement of the devil
acting through his married officemate by jumping with reckless abandon into
that adulterous relationship.
Why was he overpowered by the woman who
was doing it on behalf of the devil? This is for the simple reason that he had
superficial faith, he did not allow Jesus to take control of his life. He
instead allowed the devil through the woman who was ostensibly nice and
accommodating to her to seduce, control and manipulate him.
When Jesus went to the synagogue He
encountered a man with an unclean spirit or a man possessed by a demon. Then
after conversing with the unclean spirit Jesus drove it away from the man.
Everyone, of us is susceptible to be
possessed by a demon that is if our faith in Jesus is weak and if we don’t live
our faith. Therefore, we are easily tempted by the devil to commit sin no
matter how severe without guilt of conscience. This is what the evil one does
to us he uses people to probe our faith. And if it’s weak and shallow it would
never stop until it capture, ravage and destroy us.
Unclean spirit and evil spirit are very
real it hides deep in our being it only comes out when the environment is
conducive for it to come out. For example, when there’s temptation for us to do
something immoral, adulterous and sinful. When the opportunity presents itself
the demon that hides within us would now suddenly take control of us until it
accomplishes its evil will for us.
Why does the presence of the evil one hide
within us? It hides for the reason that we give it space, in other words it
hides within us because we consent to it. Most especially when the situation to
sin and do evil is favorable.
However, if we really desire to completely
extricate ourselves from any form of evil possession and unclean spirit. We
actually can with the help of Jesus, how would we do it? We must get closer to
Jesus we must always ask Jesus to weed out and to completely overpower, defeat
and eliminate the evil that resides within us.
And of course we also have to do our part.
We have to confront, permanently avoid and distance ourselves from the human
representative of the devil which ostensibly appear to be nice and
accommodating to us. - Marino J. Dasmarinas
Sa lungsod ng
Capernaum sa Araw ng Pamamahinga si Jesus ay pumasok sa sinagoga at nagturo.
Namangha ang mga tao sapagkat nagturo siya sa kanila na parang isang may
kapangyarihan, at hindi tulad ng mga eskriba. Bigla namang pumasok sa sinagoga
ang isang inaalihan ng masamang espiritu, at sumigaw: "Ano ang pakialam mo
sa amin, Jesus na taga-Nazaret?
Kilala kita:
Ikaw ang Banal na mula sa Diyos!" Ngunit iniutos ni Jesus sa masamang
espiritu , "Tumahimik ka! Lumabas ka sa kanya!" Pinapangisay ng
masamang espiritu ang tao, at sumisigaw na lumabas. Nanggilalas ang lahat,
kaya't sila'y nagtanungan. "Ano ito? Bagong aral? Nauutusan niya pati ang
masasamang espiritu. At sinunod naman siya!" At mabilis na kumalat sa
buong Galilea ang balita tungkol kay Jesus.
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the
Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be
baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply,
“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed him.
After Jesus was baptized, he came up from
the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of
God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the
heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
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Reflection:
Why was there a need for Jesus to be baptized
considering that he is God the Son? Jesus went through his own baptism as an
act of solidarity with us sinful humanity.
Jesus’ Baptism is an expression of the
Lord’s great desire to be one with us. The Lord could have avoided baptism but
he went through it also as an expression of his immense love for us. Love that
culminated in the Lord’s death on the cross at Calvary.
Having been baptized too and being of age
already we partake of Jesus’ mission to spread the good news of the faith,
that’s why we have to live our faith. We have to bring people to God, we have
to do acts of mercy and compassion and we have to follow and live the life of
the Lord. The Lord’s life of self-sacrifice, life of love and forgiveness and
the like.
By celebrating the Baptism of Jesus today
we don’t only recall and remember Jesus baptism. We are also reminded that we
have our very own baptismal mission which we have to live and fulfill.
Are we able to live and fulfill our own
Baptismal mission? - Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong
panahong iyon, si Hesus ay dumating naman sa Jordan mula sa Galilea, at lumapit
kay Juan upang pabinyag. Sinansala siya ni Juan na ang wika, "Ako po ang
dapat binyagan ninyo, at kayo pa ang lumalapit sa akin!" Ngunit tinugon
siya ni Hesus, "Hayaan mo itong mangyari ngayon; sapagkat ito ang
nararapat nating gawin upang matupad ang kalooban ng Diyos."
At
pumayag si Juan. Nang mabinyagan si Hesus, umahon siya sa tubig. Nabuksan ang
langit at nakita niya ang Espiritu ng Diyos, bumababa sa kanya, ang isang
kalapati. At isang tinig mula sa langit ang nagsabi, "Ito ang minamahal
kong Anak na lubos kong kinalulugdan!"
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King
Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the
newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him
homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem
with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, He
inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, “In
Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you,
Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the
time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and
search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I
too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the
star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped
over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and
on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened
their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And
having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their
country by another way.
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Reflection:
The story is told about an old woman who was living alone in her
house. A neighbor noticed her and she asked the old woman, “Why are you alone?
Don’t you have children? The old woman replied, “I have children however
they have their respective family already but they still visit me every once in
a while.”
She further said: I used to be lonely but I’m okay now because a
relative introduced me to Jesus: Jesus is in my life now. I go to Mass
everyday, I read my bible and I’m all
right: I submit my life to Jesus because Jesus cured my loneliness, depression
and emptiness.
The Magi were in search for Jesus to give Him homage and to offer
Jesus their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. But come to think of it, was
it the sole purpose why they were in desperate search of the baby Jesus?
There might have been loneliness and emptiness also in their hearts. That is
why they were searching for Jesus for they knew that it was only Jesus who
would cure their hidden loneliness and emptiness.
In our fast moving and technology driven world today wherein
social media connects and drives everyone of us. Many of us are still lonely,
depressed and empty deep inside us. Up to this time we are longing for that something that would inwardly cure our
loneliness and emptiness. This something that we are longing for is none other
than Jesus. We also have to diligently search for Jesus as the Magi diligently
searched for the baby Jesus.
Do you search for the Lord?
- Marino J. Dasmarinas
Si Hesus ay ipinanganak sa Betlehem ng Judea noong kapanahunan ni
haring Herodes. Dumating naman sa Jerusalem ang ilang Pantas mula sa Silangan
at nagtanung-tanong doon: “Nasaan ang ipinanganak na Hari ng mga Judio? Nakita
namin sa Silangan ang kanyang tala at naparito kami upang sambahin siya.”
Nang mabalitaan ito ni haring Herodes, siya’y naligalig, gayun din
ang buong Jerusalem. Kaya’t tinipon niya ang lahat ng punong saserdote at mga
eskriba sa Israel at itinanong sa kanila kung saan ipinanganak ang Mesiyas. “Sa
Betlehem po ng Judea,” tugon nila. “Ganito ang sinulat ng propeta:
‘At ikaw, Betlehem, sa lupain ng Juda,
ay hindi nga huli sa mga pangunahing bayan ng Juda.
Sapagkat sa iyo lilitaw ang isang pinuno
na mamamahala sa aking bayang Israel.’”
Nang mabatid ito, lihim na ipinatawag ni Herodes ang mga Pantas at
itinanong kung kailan lumitaw ang mga tala. At pinalakad niya sila patungong
Betlehem matapos pabilinan ng ganito: “Humayo kayo at inyong hanaping mabuti
ang sanggol. Kapag inyong natagpuan, ibalita agad ninyo sa akin upang ako may
makasamba sa kanya.”
At lumakad na nga ang mga Pantas. Muli silang pinangunahan ng
talang nakita nila sa silangan hanggang sa sumapit ito sa tapat ng kinaroroonan
ng bata. Gayun na lamang ang galak ng mga Pantas nang makita ang tala!
Pagpasok sa bahay, nakita nila ang bata sa piling ng kanyang inang si Maria.
Lumapit sila at nagpatirapa at sinamba ang bata. Binuksan nila ang
kanilang mga sisidlan at inihandog sa kanya ang dala nilang ginto, kamanyang at
mira.
Nang sila’y pabalik na, sinabi sa kanila ng Diyos sa pamamagitan
ng panaginip na huwag na silang babalik kay Herodes. Kaya, nag-iba na sila ng
daan pauwi.
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to
the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They
have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come.”
His mother said to the servers, “Do
whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish
ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them,
“Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them,
“Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water
that had become wine, without knowing where it came from — although the servers
who had drawn the water knew —, the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said
to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk
freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did
this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his
glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.
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Reflection:
How influential is your mother to you? Do
you always listen to her whenever she speaks to you? Influence is
something that Mary has over her son Jesus not only that she exercised
influence over Jesus. She also has the listening ear of Jesus.
The backdrop of Jesus’ first miracle is
the wedding at Cana that run out of wine. The wedding feast could have already
been over in that instance but Mary was there to save the day. She went to
Jesus for the reason that she knows that she exercised influence over her son.
Mary also knows that she has the listening ear of Jesus.
What does Mary teach us? She teaches us
that we always have to go to Jesus when we have issues in our life. We have to
let Jesus take over the driver seat not us taking over it, we have to be
patient and not be demanding toward Jesus.
This simply means that we have to let
Jesus answer our prayers on His own time and terms. Not us dictating the time
and terms of our prayers before our Lord. Mary is also silently teaching us
about humility, patience and acceptance of the will of God for our life. –
Marino J. Dasmarinas
At nang
ikatlong araw ay nagkaroon ng isang kasalan sa Cana ng Galilea; at naroon ang
ina ni Jesus: At inanyayahan din naman si Jesus, at ang kaniyang mga alagad, sa
kasalan. At nang magkulang ng alak, ang ina ni Jesus ay nagsabi sa kaniya, Wala
silang alak. At sinabi sa kaniya ni Jesus, Babae, anong pakialam ko sa iyo? ang
aking oras ay hindi pa dumarating.
Sinabi ng
kaniyang ina sa mga alila, Gawin ninyo ang anomang sa inyo'y kaniyang sabihin.
Mayroon nga roong anim na tapayang bato na nalalagay alinsunod sa kaugaliang
paglilinis ng mga Judio, na naglalaman ang bawa't isa ng dalawa o tatlong
bangang tubig. Sinabi sa kanila ni Jesus, Punuin ninyo ng tubig ang mga
tapayan. At kanilang pinuno hanggang sa labi. At sinabi niya sa kanila, Kunin
ninyo ngayon, at inyong iharap sa pangulo ng kapistahan.
At kanilang
iniharap. At nang matikman ng pangulo ng kapistahan ang tubig na naging alak
nga, at hindi niya nalalaman kung saan buhat (datapuwa't nalalaman ng mga alila
na nagsikuha ng tubig), ay tinawag ng pangulo ng kapistahan ang kasintahang
lalake, At sinabi sa kaniya, Ang bawa't tao ay unang inilalagay ang mabuting
alak; at kung mangakainom nang mabuti ang mga tao, ay saka inilalagay ang
pinakamasama: itinira mo ang mabuting alak hanggang ngayon.
Ang
pasimulang ito ng kaniyang mga tanda ay ginawa ni Jesus sa Cana ng Galilea, at
inihayag ang kaniyang kaluwalhatian; at nagsisampalataya sa kaniya ang kaniyang
mga alagad. Pagkatapos nito ay lumusong siya sa Capernaum, siya, at ang
kaniyang ina, at ang kaniyang mga kapatid, at ang kaniyang mga alagad; at
sila'y nangatira roong hindi maraming araw.
This is what John the Baptist proclaimed:
“One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen
the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit.”
It happened in those days that Jesus came
from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up
out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a
dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my
beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
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Reflection:
What does baptism signify? It signifies
the beginning of our faith life journey with Jesus. It also signifies our
humility and our willingness to become member of the church that Jesus founded
through Peter.
When we were brought to church by our
parents for Baptism our parents did this from their own freewill. Nobody told
them to bring that newly born child to church so that it could be baptized.
They did this because they want their child to become a member of the church
and a certified follower of Jesus.
Unfortunately to many parents this desire
for their child to become a member of the church and a follower of Jesus begins
and ends with the child’s baptism. They fail to recognize that after their
child’s baptism comes the responsibility to bring the child to church for Holy
Mass every Sunday.
When the child is at the right age already
it is also the responsibility of the parents to teach the growing child about
the teachings of the catholic faith. And it is also the responsibility of the
parents to open their bible to the growing child so that the child could be
familiar with the teachings of God.
So what happens to the child? He/she grows
without any awareness about his/her responsibilities as a baptized catholic.
He/she becomes a follower of this world than a follower of Jesus and the church
that He founded. Would you want your child to become a follower of this world
than become a follower of Jesus? Of course not!
The Baptism of the Lord is a timely
reminder for all parents that their faith obligation to their child doesn’t end
with his/her baptism. Baptism is only the beginning after baptism the parents
are tasked to form this child about the importance of God, Jesus, the Holy
Spirit and the church in their faith life. So that this child would
eventually become a good son or a good daughter and a productive citizen of
this world and fruitful follower of Jesus.
How are you raising your child after
his/her baptism or how did your raise your children after they were baptized? -
Marino J. Dasmarinas
