Ang Mabuting Balita Hunyo 30, Biyernes sa ika-12 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Mateo 8:1-4

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 8:1-4

Nang makababa si Jesus mula sa bundok, sinundan siya ng napakaraming tao. Lumapit sa kanya ang isang ketongin at lumuhod sa harapan niya, "Ginoo," ang wika niya, "kung ibig po ninyo, ako'y inyong mapagagaling." 

Hinipo siya ni Jesus at sinabi, "Ibig ko, gumaling ka." At pagdaka'y nawala ang kanyang ketong. "Huwag mo itong sasabihin kaninuman," bilin ni Jesus. Pumunta ka't pasuri sa saserdote. Pagkatapos maghandog ka ng haing iniuutos ni Moises, bilang patotoo sa mga tao na magaling ka na."

Reflection for Thursday June 29, Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles: Matthew 16:13-19

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 

And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

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Reflection:

Can we know Jesus deeply by our own effort and can we have deep friendship with Jesus by our own will? No, because everything that we know about Jesus and our faith is a gift from God. Through God’s own doing we know something about HIM and our faith, everything is grace and we are mere facilitators of this grace. 

When Simon Peter was able to point out the true identity of Jesus. He was subsequently told by Jesus that he know HIM because of the grace of God. Why did Jesus told Peter that what he knows about HIM is a gift from God? Perhaps it was Jesus way of telling Simon Peter that he must humbly use his knowledge about God to bring others to God and not to bring unto himself the glory that is due to God alone. 

Today is the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Why are Saints Peter and Paul successful in thier mission to propagate the faith? This is for the reason that both of them remained humble in doing their ministry. Peter, did not raise himself to the altar of significance and prominence. Peter remained a humble missioner for Jesus same with Paul after his conversion.   

This is also a very good reminder for all of us who follow Jesus and who  share the words of God. When we share, preach or write about God let us always see to it that we don’t highlight anyone else except God alone.  As Saint John the Baptist said, I must decrease and HE must increase (John 3:30). – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Wednesday June 28, Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr: Matthew 7:15-20

Gospel: Matthew 7:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 

Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them."

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Reflection:

Mr. A is a preacher of the word of God he is very effective in his craft because he often makes people cry. And he knows how to connect with the emotions of his audience. But unknown to his followers Mr. preacher is a lover of luxury for he lives in style he owns lavish properties that can rival any business tycoon. 

There are real life preachers even priests who betrays their vocation. And the trust of their flock by splurging on expensive things and by living lives unfit to their vocation. For example, many years ago I saw on TV a preacher who walked-out of an interview. For the simple reason that the reporter asked him about his many properties. 

We must be careful of these people who pretend to speak for God but live lives contrary to what Jesus wants them to live it; we must not blindly follow them.  We must carefully observe them; once we observe that something is wrong with what they say and do. Let us not think twice and tell them that what they are doing is wrong so that they’ll know that they’re being carefully observed. 

After telling them and they persist with their improper lifestyle it’s about time that we stop following them. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for June 27, Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 7:6, 12-14

Gospel: Matthew 7:6, 12-14

Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces."Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law and the Prophets.

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few."

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Reflection:

The story is told about a man who was advised by his mother to stop going out with his friends that only brought troubles and problems into his life. He adamantly defended his friends and he continued with his friendship with his troublesome, drunkards and drug user friends. He continued this until they met an accident which resulted in him being paralyzed. 

In the gospel Jesus tells us to enter the narrow gate. What is this narrow gate? The narrow gate is the doorway to righteousness and the doorway to be friends with Jesus. The narrow gate is the well-meaning advices of our relatives and friends which many of us don’t follow. 

We often times refuse to enter this narrow gate because it curtails our earthly happiness and desires. We prefer to enter the wide gate because it gives us liberty to follow our earthly desires which only leads us to sin even destruction. 

When we decide to go through the narrow gate there surely would be some discomfort for the simple reason that we are not used to it. For example, from a hedonistic life we now decide to turn a new leaf and begin to live a clean life with Jesus.  

We surely would go through some humps and bumps along the way. However, it’s just temporary sooner we will find out that the narrow gate that leads to Jesus will give us true serenity, happiness and peace. 

Let us prefer the narrow gate that leads to Jesus no matter how hard and difficult it may seem. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita Hunyo 27, Martes ng Ika-12 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Mateo 7:6, 12-14

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 7:6, 12-14

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa kanyang mga alagad, "Huwag ninyong ibigay sa aso ang bagay na banal, sapagkat kayo'y babalingan at lalapain pagkatapos. Huwag ninyong ihagis sa mga baboy ang inyong mga perlas sapagkat yuyurakan lamang nila ang mga iyon." 

"Kaya gawin ninyo sa inyong kapwa ang ibig ninyong gawin nila sa inyo. Ito ang kahulugan ng Kautusan ni Moises at ng turo ng mga propeta." 

"Pumasok kayo sa makipot na pintuan; sapagkat maluwag ang pintuan at malapad ang daang patungo sa kapahamakan, at ito ang dinaraanan ng marami. Ngunit makipot ang pintuan at makitid ang daang patungo sa buhay at kakaunti lang ang nakasusumpong niyon." 

Reflection for June 26, Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 7:1-5

Gospel: Matthew 7:1-5

Jesus said to his disciples: “Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? 

How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”

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Reflection:

Why is it easy for others to judge? This is for the reason that they feel superior than the person that they are judging or they have this attitude of dominance or even arrogance. Otherwise if they don’t feel superior they would not dare judge anyone. 

Very clearly in our gospel for today we hear Jesus telling us to stop judging. This is difficult to follow for those who have superiority complex but easy to follow for those who are docile, and humble. 

It’s always very tempting to be judgmental most especially if the person whom we are judging is at fault. However, what would we get from judging others? Nothing except to increase the value of our arrogance and to increase the worth of our egos. Instead of judging, why not simply advice and impart words that heals rather than words that condemn?   

When we perceive that someone is a sinner let us always think that we are sinners too! So that we would not be tempted to judge them. The reality of life is we are all sinners that is why we have no right to condemn or to judge our fellowmen. 

We can only bring others to Jesus when we are not judgmental, when we are compassionate, loving and forgiving. For who are we to judge? Even Jesus doesn’t judge, therefore; we have no right to judge as well.  

There are sinners who find it hard to get over their sinfulness because many of us do not dare impart and live Jesus’ compassion, forgiveness and love. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Sunday June 25, Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Matthew 10:26-33

Gospel: Matthew 10:26-33

Jesus said to the Twelve: "Fear no one. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 

And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge. 

Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father."

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Reflection:

The story is told about a young man who had trepidation if he would share his reflections about the words of Jesus on the internet. The reason which he was apprehensive of was his personal intellectual inadequacy and his very shallow vocabulary.

Amidst his limitations and apprehensions he proceeded to write his simple reflections. Almost twenty years had passed the man who was fearful of his intellectual shortcomings is still writing his simple reflection on the daily gospel until this present moment.  

In this Sunday’s gospel Jesus tells us to fear no one, this is an encompassing advice from Jesus which surely include our fear if we can speak or write for Jesus. If we let fear into our hearts it would surely paralyze us. However, why fear if we have faith and belief in Jesus? Why fear when Jesus Himself is telling us to share anything that we know about Him, share it with humility of course.

The apostles did not let fear defeat them for they knew that even if there was no physical manifestation of Jesus’ presence. There was always the presence of His spiritual and sacramental manifestation before them.

Jesus calls us all as well, we who are inadequate for He will make us adequate. We who are half-empty for He will fill us until we overflow. And we who are fearful for He will make us courageous.

What He only wants from us is to learn to trust Him for he will equip us with anything that we need. – Marino J. Dasmarinas     

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Linggo Hunyo 25, Ika – 12 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Mateo 10:26-33

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 10:26-33

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa kanyang mga apostol, "Huwag kayong matakot sa mga tao. Walang natatago na di malalantad, o nalilihim na di mabubunyag. Ang sinasabi ko sa inyo sa dilim, ulitin ninyo sa liwanag; at ang ibinulong sa inyo ay inyong ipagsigawan. Huwag ninyong katakutan ang pumapatay ng katawan ngunit hindi nakapapatay ng kaluluwa. 

Sa halip, ang katakutan ninyo'y ang nakapapatay ng kaluluwa at katawan sa impyerno. Hindi ba ipinagbibili ang maya ng dalawa isang pera? Gayunman, kahit isa sa kanila'y hindi nahuhulog sa lupa kung hindi kalooban ng inyong Ama. Maging ang buhok ninyo'y bilang na lahat. Kaya huwag kayong matakot; higit kayong mahalaga kaysa libu-libong maya."

"Ang sinumang kumilala sa akin sa harapan ng mga tao ay kikilanlin ko rin naman sa harapan ng aking Amang nasa langit. Ngunit ang magtatwa sa akin sa harapan ng mga tao ay itatatwa ko rin naman sa harapan ng aking Amang nasa Langit."

Do you know the Health Benefits of Eating Carrots?

 

Anu-ano ang mga Benepisyo ng Pagkain ng Carrots?

 

Reflection for Saturday June 24, Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist: Luke 1:57-66, 80

Gospel: Luke 1:57-66, 80

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” 

But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. 

Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.

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Reflection:

What’s in a name? It seems that the name of the child of Elizabeth and Zechariah has a big bearing on their future. Was the issue confined in the name only of the child or there was something bigger than the name? The relatives wanted to name the child after his father Zechariah but it was not what God wanted them to name the child. 

The Lord wanted to name the child John that’s why Elizabeth and Zechariah insisted that the child be named John. And when they named him John Zechariah was freed from his speech disability. His mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. This took place for the reason that both Elizabeth and Zechariah were faithful to what God wanted them to do. 

Faithfulness to God as evidenced with what happened to Zechariah gives us unfathomable blessings. It opens our lives to the abundant graces from God, and it heals us. 

What does God ask from us? It’s for us to be faithful to HIS will. And what is HIS will for us? It’s for us to live our lives pleasing to HIS eyes alone. The moment we contradict God and we try to live our lives for this temporal world we can expect chaos and complications to follow us. - Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for June 23, Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 6:19-23

Gospel: Matthew 6:19-23

(Jesus said to his disciples) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. 

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.”

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Reflection:

Would it be OK with us if we remain materially poor but spiritually rich? Yes, without any second thought, what are we to do with all the material things of this world if we have no God and if we are empty spiritually? Everything that we have is worthless no matter how expensive it is if we don’t have God in our lives. 

Material possessions can fly away from our hands anytime; we have no hold on it. Material possessions also drive us away from God. It slowly but surely bring us away from our firm belief of God and we must be wary of this. 

Material possession per see is not bad for the simple reason that it could really help us alleviate our wellbeing. But on the same vein we must not also allow it to take control of us. We must take control of material possessions and not material possessions controlling us. 

Let us take a closer look at ourselves and reflect for there may be signs of enslavement of material wealth in favor of God. For example, if we sacrifice our time for God which is a few minutes in favor of our work, if we allow material wealth to corrupt us in favor of our love for God. Then these are sure signs that we allow material wealth to get hold on us rather than God. 

Whether we like it or not all of us will be at the threshold of mortal death someday. Where shall we go then if all we do is to embrace the lifestyle of this world? – Marino J. Dasmarinas       

Reflection for June 22, Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 6:7-15

Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15

Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.   

“This is how you are to pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.   

“If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

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Reflection:

If God knows what we need before we ask him, what is the use of our prayer before him? 

The answer is this: It is through our consistent prayer life that we get close with God. In fact the more we pray the more that we get closer to God. If we are not yet prayerful or we don’t have yet a regular prayer life, just try having a consistent prayer life. And you will be surprised by the growth of your friendship with Jesus.  

So, we pray not because we want to ask something from God for indeed He knows beforehand what we need. He in fact knows everything that we need and desire today, tomorrow and in the future. We pray because we want to be best friends with God.    

When we pray with piety our whole being talks to God and He listens and in the silence of our hearts He also talks to us. We hear God whispering to us this is hard to explain but this is what occurs when we pray this prayer with devoutness.  This kind of prayer relationship with God is a sign of a mature life of prayer.  

For example, in a married life relationship the marriage bond is strengthened by frequent communication between husband and wife. Through this regular communication they both mature in the marriage covenant relationship. Until such time that they know and understand practically everything about themselves even without verbal expression.  

This is the same with our prayer life; the more we pray with our whole being focused to God the more that we would grow in closeness and friendship with God. Then, there will eventually come a time that when we pray to God we will not anymore utter a single word. We will simply go down on our knees and keep silent and let our heart talk to our merciful, compassionate and loving God.  

How is your prayer life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Reflection for Wednesday June 21, Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

(Jesus said to his disciples) “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

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Reflection:

What does Jesus teach us today? It’s about humility and modesty, keep your every acts of piety in secret and don’t trumpet it to the whole wide world including the world of social meadia for HE knows everything. But the world that we are in now is influencing us to discard this teaching of Jesus and embrace publicity and self-proclamation.

Just look at the many vehicles of publicity in the internet such as facebook, instagram, twitter and the like. What are they dictating to us? It dictates us to publicize almost everything that we do, including our acts of piety.

Nothing’s wrong to embrace these social media platforms if we use it to advance our advocacies with no other motive but to help. Yet it becomes wrong when we use it to proudly show to the whole wide world the good that we do. Perhaps Jesus is telling us not to worry if nobody would notice our acts of kindness and piety for HE knows it already.

What is important is we do everything for Jesus and for the greater good of HIS people. It doesn’t matter anymore if we would be noticed or not if people would compliment us or not. What is important is we know that we have a God who knows everything including our unpublicized acts of love, charity and goodness. – Marino J. Dasmarinas