Noong
panahong iyon, ang mga Judio'y muling kumuha ng bato upang batuhin si Hesus. Kaya't
sinabi sa kanila ni Jesus,: "Maraming mabubuting gawa mula sa Ama ang
ipinakita ko sa inyo; alin ba sa mga ito ang dahilan at ako'y inyong
babatuhin?" Sinagot siya ng mga Judio, "Hindi dahil sa mabuting gawa
kaya ka namin babatuhin, kundi dahil sa paglapastangan mo sa Diyos!
Sapagkat
nagpapanggap kang Diyos gayong tao ka lang." Tumugon si Jesus, "Hindi
ba nasusulat sa inyong Kautusan, 'Sinabi ko, Mga diyos kayo'? Mga diyos ang
tawag sa Kautusan sa mga pinagkatiwalaan ng salita ng Diyos, at hindi maaaring
tanggihan ang sinasabi ng Kasulatan.
Ako'y
hinirang at sinugo ng Ama; paano ninyong masasabi ngayon na nilalapastangan ko
ang Diyos sa sinabi kong ako ang Anak ng Diyos? Kung hindi ko ginawa ang
ipinagagawa ng aking Ama, huwag ninyo akong paniwalaan. Ngunit kung ginagawa ko
iyon, paniwalaan ninyo ang aking mga gawa, kung ayaw man ninyo akong
paniwalaan. Sa gayon, matitiyak ninyong nasa akin ang Ama at ako'y nasa
kanya."
Tinangka na
naman nilang dakpin siya, ngunit siya'y nakatalilis. Muling pumunta si Jesus sa
ibayo ng Jordan, sa pook na noong una'y pinagbabautismuhan ni Juan. Nanatili
siya roon, at maraming lumapit sa kanya. Sinabi nila, "Si Juan ay walang
ginawang kababalaghan, ngunit totoong lahat ang sinabi niya tungkol sa taong
ito." At doo'y maraming sumampalataya kay Jesus.
Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say
to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” So the Jews said to him,
“Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet
you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’
Are you greater than our father Abraham,
who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus
answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father
who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I
know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a
liar.
But I do know him and I keep his word.
Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” So the
Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen
Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham
came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and
went out of the temple area.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
What does Jesus gives us? Jesus gives us
eternal life, we believe that if we have faith in Jesus we will never die. Yes
we literally die through our physical death but after that we believe that we
will be with Jesus in heaven to live eternally.
We primarily believe and love Jesus
because we want to be with Him in heaven someday. But there are still many who
do not believe in Jesus, yes they know Jesus but they don’t believe in
Jesus. Same as with the Jews in our gospel who did not believe Jesus when
He told them that He already had seen Abraham and yet they didn’t believe Him
they even had the temerity to throw stone at Him (John 8:57-59).
So what should we do to those who know
Jesus but do not believe or they believe in Jesus but their belief is in name
only? We must therefore bring them closer to Jesus and to our faith. For
example, this coming Holy Week, let us encourage them to attend the many
liturgical celebrations in our respective parishes. For this surely will
strengthen their union with Jesus and the church that He Himself founded thru
Peter (Matthew 16:18).
Liturgical celebration such as the Way of
the Cross, the Chrism Mass, The institution of the Eucharist in the afternoon,
the Veneration of the Holy Cross during good Friday and the Easter Vigil Mass
during black Saturday. Let us not keep to ourselves our faith and love for
Jesus let us share and live it as well. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong
panahong iyon, sinabi ni Jesus sa mga Judio: "Tandaan ninyo: ang namumuhay
ayon sa aking aral, kailanma'y di makararanas ng kamatayan." Sinabi ng mga
Judio, "Ngayo'y natitiyak naming inaalihan ka nga ng demonyo. Namatay si
Abraham, at ang mga propeta, pero sinasabi mong hindi mamamatay kahit kailan
ang sinumang namumuhay ayon sa iyong aral. Dakila ka pa ba kaysa aming amang si
Abraham? Siya'y namatay, gayon din ang mga propeta. Ano ba ang akala mo sa
sarili mo?"
Sumagot si
Jesus, "Kung ako ang nagpaparangal sa aking sarili, iya'y walang
kabuluhan. Ang aking Ama ang nagpaparangal sa akin at sinasabi ninyong siya ang
inyong Diyos. Hindi ninyo sila nakikilala, ngunit siya'y nakikilala ko. Kung
sabihin kong hindi ko siya nakikilala, ako'y magigng sinungaling tulad ninyo.
Subalit nakikilala ko siya at ginagawa ko ang kanyang sinasabi.
Natuwa ang
inyong amang si Abraham nang mabatid na makikita niya ang araw ng pagparito ko;
nakita nga niya ito at siya'y nagalak." Dahil dito'y sinabi sa kanya ng
mga Judio, "Wala ka pang limampung taon, at nakita mo na si Abraham?"
Sumagot si Jesus, "Sinasabi ko sa inyo: bago ipanganak si Abraham 'Ako'y
Ako Na'. Dumampot sila ng bato upang siya'y batuhin, ngunit nagtago si Jesus at
lumabas ng templo.
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in
him, "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you
will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him,
"We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How
can you say, 'You will become free'?"
Jesus answered them, "Amen, amen, I
say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain
in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if the Son frees you, then
you will truly be free. I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are
trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you. I tell you what I
have seen in the Father's presence; then do what you have heard from the
Father."
They answered and said to him, "Our
father is Abraham." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's
children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to
kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did
not do this. You are doing the works of your father!"
So they said to him, "We were not
born of fornication. We have one Father, God." Jesus said to them,
"If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am
here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me."
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
How can we become true followers of Jesus?
It is only through our adherence to Jesus
teachings that we would become His true followers there is no other way. How
about those who regularly give large sum of money to the church or those who
serve in the church but they disobey Jesus’ teachings? Are they not true
follower? They are not! No matter how big the amount that they regularly give
to the church and no matter who they are in the organizational hierarchy of the
church.
It’s not impossible to become faithful to
Jesus for everyone of us can aspire to become one. But we often times choose
not to be faithful because we allow ourselves to be seduced by the devil. The
devil who is disguised in many worldly forms whose only mission is to snatch us
away from Jesus.
Remember Judas Iscariot? He allowed
himself to be seduced by the devil for he betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of
silver (Matthew 26:15). What was the effect of that betrayal on Judas?
Endless mental torture and guilt of conscience that eventually led him to end
his life (Matthew 27:3-5). – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong
panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa mga Judiong naniniwala sa kanya, “Kung
patuloy kayong susunod sa aking aral, tunay ngang kayo’y mga alagad ko;
makikilala ninyo ang katotohanan, at ang katotohanan ang magpapalaya sa inyo.”
Lahi kami ni Abraham,” tugon nila, “at kailanma’y di kami naalipin ninuman.
Paano mo masasabing palalayain kami?”
Sumagot si
Hesus, “Tandaan ninyo: alipin ng kasalanan ang lahat ng nagkakasala. Ang alipin
ay hindi kabilang sa sambahayan sa habang panahon, subalit ang anak ay kabilang
magpakailanman. Kapag kayo’y pinalaya ng Anak, tunay nga kayong malaya.
Nalalaman
kong lahi kayo ni Abraham; gayunma’y pinagsisikapan ninyo akong patayin,
sapagkat walang pitak sa inyong puso ang aral ko. Sinasabi ko ang aking nakita
sa aking Ama; ginagawa naman ninyo ang inyong narinig sa inyong ama.” Sumagot
sila, “Si Abraham ang aming ama.” “Kung kayo’y mga anak ni Abraham, tutularan
ninyo ang kanyang ginawa,” ani Hesus. “Ngunit pinagsisikapan ninyo akong
patayin, gayong sinasabi ko lamang ang katotohanang narinig ko sa Diyos.
Hindi ganyan
ang ginawa ni Abraham. Ang ginagawa ninyo’y tulad ng ginawa ng inyong ama.”
“Hindi kami mga anak sa labas,” tugon nila. “Ang Diyos ang aming Ama.” Sinabi
ni Hesus, “Kung talagang ang Diyos ang inyong Ama, iibigin ninyo ako, sapagkat
nagmula ako sa Diyos. Hindi ako naparito sa ganang sarili ko lamang, kundi
sinugo niya ako.”
Jesus said to the Pharisees: “I am going
away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going
you cannot come. So the Jews said, “He is not going to kill himself, is he,
because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’? He said to them, “You
belong to what is below, I belong to what is above.
You belong to this world but I do not
belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins.
For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins. So they said to
him, “Who are you? Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning. I
have much to say about you in condemnation.
But the one who sent me is true, and what
I heard from him I tell the world. They did not realize that he was speaking to
them of the Father. So Jesus said to them, When you lift up the Son of
Man then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own but I say
only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left
me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him. Because he spoke this
way, many came to believe in him.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
What prevents us to be close friends with
Jesus? It’s our sinfulness and unfaithfulness to Him. Whenever we sin we put a
barrier that divides us from Jesus the more we sin the more barriers that we
create that separates us from Jesus.
But we also know that this separation is
not permanent because through our humble submission to the Sacrament of
Reconciliation we allow Jesus to reach out to us as we reach out to Him also.
This is what separates us from the many Pharisees of Jesus time: We humbly
submit to the Lord.
By their arrogance and unbelief the
Pharisees created a permanent barrier between them and Jesus. This is one of
the reasons why Jesus told them (Pharisees), where I am going you cannot come.
What then is the key element for us to be able to go eventually where Jesus is?
It’s our humility and faith in Jesus.
We read in the first part of the gospel
that Jesus is somewhat distant and aloft. Yes, in His humanity Jesus was
perhaps exasperated already with the Pharisees. Who would not be? They always
contradict Him, they always find fault in Him and they were full of jealousy
and unbelief.
Nevertheless, Jesus loved them dearly also
the same love that He gave to His
followers and to all of humanity. Jesus did not sacrifice His life on the cross
for those who only believe Him. He died on the cross for all of us believers,
unbelievers and sinners.
If you think that because of your
sinfulness and unbelief you’re already hopeless and out of the loop of the love
of the Lord. Think again because you’re not! You still have hope, you’re still
dearly loved by Jesus who died for you on the cross. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
Noong
panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa mga Pariseo: "Ako'y yayaon; hahanapin
ninyo ako, ngunit mamamatay kayo sa inyong mga kasalanan. Hindi kayo makapupunta
sa paroroonan ko." Sinabi ng mga Judio, "Magpapakamatay kaya siya
kaya niya sinasabing, 'Hindi kayo makapupunta sa paroroonan ko'?"
Sumagot si
Jesus, "Kayo'y taga ibaba ako'y taga itaas. Kayo'y taga sanlibutang ito,
ako'y hindi. Kaya sinasabi ko sa inyo na mamamatay kayo sa inyong mga
kasalanan. Mamamatay nga kayo sa inyong mga kasalanan kung hindi kayo
maniniwalang 'Ako'y si Ako nga'." "Sino ka ba?" tanong nila.
Sumagot si Jesus, "Ako'y yaong sinabi ko na sa inyo mula pa noong una.
Marami akong masasabi at maihahatol laban sa inyo. Ngunit totoo ang sinasabi ng
nagsugo sa akin, at ang narinig ko sa kanya ang ipinapahayag ko sa
sanlibutan."
Hindi nila
nauunawaan na siya'y nagsasalita tungkol sa Ama. Kaya't sinabi ni Jesus,
"Kapag naitaas na ninyo ang Anak ng Tao, malalaman ninyong 'Ako'y si Ako
nga.' Wala akong ginagawa sa ganang sarili ko lamang; nagsasalita ako ayon sa
itinuturo sa akin ng Ama. At kasama ko ang nagsugo sa akin; hindi niya ako
iniwan, sapagkat lagi kong ginagawa ang nakalulugod sa kanya." Marami sa
nakarinig nito ang nainiwala sa kanya.
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. But
early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the
people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. Then the scribes
and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her
stand in the middle. They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the
very act of committing adultery.
Now in the law, Moses commanded us to
stone such women. So what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they
could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write
on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he
straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be
the first to throw a stone at her.”
Again he bent down and wrote on the
ground. And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders.
So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then Jesus straightened up and
said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied,
“No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on
do not sin any more.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
The story is told about a woman who was
being suspected by her husband of carrying an adulterous affair. She was repeatedly
being counseled by her husband to stop it if she was doing it. But she would
always strongly deny it until the time came that she was caught by her husband.
She asked forgiveness and she was forgiven subject to a few conditions which
she complied.
Are you quick to forgive or you don’t
easily forgive? When you are quick to forgive you immediately free yourself
from any disastrous situation that could happen caused by unforgiveness. You
also free yourself from many forms of negative emotions caused by
unforgiveness.
When the woman in our gospel was caught in
the act of adultery, she was immediately condemned by the Pharisees and
scribes. Their hearts were full of unforgiveness and hatred. Perhaps, they
right away want to lay their punishing hands upon the adulterous woman.
But Jesus was there to save the woman from that
perilous predicament. Jesus said this to those who were condemning the
adulterous woman: "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to
throw a stone at her (John 8:7)."
After hearing this wisdom filled words
from Jesus the Pharisees and scribes all walked away. Why? Because they were
all sinners as well. Then Jesus said something very profound to the
woman: “I will not condemn you, go and do not sin anymore (John 8:11).
What does this gospel about the adulterous
woman teach us? It teaches us not to judge and condemn for we are all sinners.
It teaches us to be forgiving because our God is a forgiving God. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
Noong
panahong iyon, si Hesus ay pumunta sa Bundok ng mga Olibo. Kinaumagaha’y
nagbalik siya sa templo. Lumapit sa kanya ang lahat, kaya’t umupo siya at
sila’y tinuruan. Noo’y dinala sa kanya ng mga eskriba at ng mga Pariseo ang
isang babaing nahuli sa pakikiapid. Pinatayo ito sa harapan nila, at sinabi kay
Hesus, “Guro, ang babaing ito’y nahuli sa pakikiapid. Ayon sa Kautusan ni
Moises, dapat batuhinhanggang sa mamatay ang mga gaya niya.
Ano ang
masasabi mo?” Itinanong nila ito upang subukin siya, nang may maisumbong sila
laban sa kanya. Ngunit yumuko si Hesus at sumulat sa lupa sa pamamagitan ng
daliri. Ayaw nilang tigilan nang katatanong si Hesus, kaya’t sila’y tiningnan
niya at sinabi ang ganito, “Sinuman sa inyo na walang kasalanan ang siyang
maunang bumato sa kanya.” At muli siyang yumuko at sumulat sa lupa.
Nang marinig
nila ito, sila’y isa-isang umalis, simula sa pinakamatanda. Walang naiwan kundi
si Hesus at ang babaing naroon pa rin sa harapan niya. Tiningnan siya ni Hesus
at tinanong: “Nasaan sila? Wala bang nagparusa sa iyo?” “Wala po, Ginoo,” sagot
ng babae. Sinabi ni Hesus: “Hindi rin kita parurusahan. Humayo ka, at huwag
nang magkasala.”
The sisters of Lazarus sent word to Jesus, saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.”
When Jesus heard this he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was.
Then after this he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea.” When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.”Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”
He became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.” But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?”
So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him,
“Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus? The siblings Martha, Mary and Lazarus were friends with Jesus they have a personal relationship with the Lord. Jesus loves the three of them dearly.
When Jesus was informed by Martha and Mary than their brother Lazarus was sick the Lord went there. Even if He knew that Lazarus had died already the Lord nevertheless went to the siblings place notwithstanding the developing danger to his life. Why? Because Martha, Mary and Lazarus were best friends with Jesus.
When Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave, He showed us that there is life and resurrection for as long as we believe in Him. There is hope for a new life even if we die but to have this new life we should not only know Jesus. We must also die from our sinfulness and we should be friends with Him as well.
Jesus went to the tomb of his friend Lazarus for only one purpose and that is to bring His friend back to life again. Why? This is for the reason that Jesus wanted them to believe and have faith in Him. Jesus wanted them to know that nothing is impossible for Him, that even death He can mightily defeat.
Jesus’ raising of Lazarus opens our minds to the reality that there’s a new life after our mortal death provided that we are friends with Jesus and provided that we are willing to accept Him as our Lord and savior.
Are you now friends with Jesus and is He already your Lord and Savior? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Mabuting Balita: Juan Juan 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45
Noong panahong iyon: Nagpasabi kay Hesus ang mga kapatid na babae ni Lazaro, “Panginoon, ang kaibigan mong minamahal ay may sakit.” Ngunit nang marinig ito ni Hesus ay sinabi niya, “Hindi magwawakas sa kamatayan ang sakit na ito. Nangyari ito upang maparangalan ang Diyos at sa pamamagitan nito’y maparangalan ang Anak ng Diyos.”
Mahal ni Hesus ang magkakapatid na Marta, Maria at Lazaro. Gayunma’y pinaraan pa niya ang dalawang araw matapos mabalitaang may sakit si Lazaro bago sinabi sa kanyang mga alagad, “Magbalik tayo sa Judea.” Pagdating ni Hesus, nalaman niyang apat na araw nang nakalibing si Lazaro. 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 iyo 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.”
Si Hesus ay napahimutok. “Saan ninyo siya inilibing?” tanong niya. Sumagot sila, “Panginoon, halikayo at tingnan ninyo.” Tumangis si Hesus; kaya’t sinabi ng mga Judio, “Talagang mahal na mahal niya si Lazaro!” Ngunit sinabi ng ilan, “Nakapagpadilat ng bulag ang taong ito. Bakit hindi niya nahadlangan ang pagkamatay ni Lazaro?”
Muling napahimutok si Hesus pagdating sa libingan. Ito’y yungib na natatakpan ng isang bato “Alisin ninyo ang bato,” sabi ni Hesus. Sumagot si Marta, “Panginoon, nangangamoy na po siya ngayon; apat na araw na siyang patay. Sinabi ni Hesus, “Hindi ba sinabi ko sa inyo na kung mananalig ka sa akin ay makikita mo kung gaano kadakila ang Diyos?”
At inalis nila ang bato. Tumingala si Hesus at ang wika, “Ama, nagpapasalamat ako sa iyo, sapagkat dininig mo ako. Alam kong lagi mo akong dinirinig. Ngunit sinabi ko ito dahil sa mga taong nasa paligid ko, upang maniwala silang ikaw ang nagsugo sa akin.” Pagkasabi nito, sumigaw siya, “Lazaro, lumabas ka!” Lumabas nga si Lazaro; napupuluputan ng kayong panlibing ang kanyang mga kamay at paa, at nababalot ng panyo ang kanyang mukha. Sinabi ni Hesus sa kanila, “Kalagan ninyo siya, at nang makalaya.”
Marami sa mga Judiong dumalaw kay Maria ang nakakita sa ginawa ni Hesus at nanalig sa kanya.
The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a
town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he
said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you. But she was greatly troubled
at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her “Do not be
afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in
your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and
will be called Son of the Most High and the Lord God will give him the throne
of David his father and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever and of his
Kingdom there will be no end.
But Mary said to the angel “How can this be
since I have no relations with a man? And the angel said to her in reply, “The
Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow
you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative has also conceived a son in her old age
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren for nothing will be
impossible for God. Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it
be done to me according to your word. Then the angel departed from her.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
What are you going to do if you receive a
shocking announcement? Perhaps the first that would come to your mind is to
pray and ask for guidance and strength from God.
When Mary received the annunciation from
angel Gabriel that she would be pregnant with the baby Jesus. She might have
been in shock for a moment, then right after she perhaps prayed to God for
guidance and strength. After which she was ok and with faith she accepted the
will of the Lord for her.
The pregnancy of the Blessed Virgin Mary
conveys to us that nothing is impossible for God. That God can do miracles as
He did to Mary. It conveys to us that our God is a God of possibilities,
blessings and miracles. Our God can make things happen for us for as long as we
have faith and for as long as we have unwavering belief in Him.
If you somehow feel weariness in your
journey in this world. Do not lose heart, continue to journey with God,
continue to pray, continue to work hard for whatever aspiration that you have
in your heart and continue to have faith and hope. For the Lord will
never abandon those who continue to trust Him. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
