Reflection for March 13, Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent: John 5:17-30

Gospel: John 5:17-30

Jesus answered the Jews: “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God. 

Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed. 

For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 

Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 

For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself. And he gave him power to exercise judgment because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation. 

“I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.”

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Reflection:

What does faith do to you? It makes you believe in something that is hard to believe for many. 

In the gospel Jesus mentions of His equality with God.  Do you believe it? If you do, count yourself as blessed for others do not believe. After believing in the equality of Jesus and God the Father, what should you do next? You must obey His teachings and help Him spread the good news of His salvation for this is His will for you. 

As we journey in this world there would be instances that we would veer away from Jesus and disobey His commands. We would embrace the teachings of this world, we would embrace sin and in the process we slowly but surely are creating distance between us and Jesus. 

But all is not lost no matter how despicable the sins that we have committed. The infinite love of Jesus is always there for us, it’s there for us to take and to ask for. Therefore, let us be aware of this infinite love and mercy of Jesus while we still have the luxury of time in this world. Let us go to Him and let us turn our backs from sin. 

In the latter part of the gospel Jesus mentions about judgment that would befall those who have done evil. Let us not wait for that judgment to come to us.  – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita Marso 13, Miyerkules sa Ikaapat na Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Juan 5:17-30

Mabuting Balita: Juan 5:17-30

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa mga Judio: “Ang aking Ama’y patuloy sa paggawa, at gayun din ako.” Lalong pinagsikapan ng mga Judio na patayin siya, sapagkat nilabag na niya ang batas tungkol sa Araw ng Pamamahinga ay sinasabi pa niyang ang Diyos ang kanyang Ama, at sa gayo’y ipinapantay ang sarili sa Diyos. 

Kaya’t sinabi sa kanila ni Hesus, “Dapat ninyong malaman na walang ginagawa ang Anak sa kanyang sarili lamang; ang ginagawa lamang niya’y ang nakikita niyang ginagawa ng Ama. Ang ginagawa ng Ama ay siya ring ginagawa ng Anak. Sapagkat minamahal ng Ama ang Anak, at ipinakikita sa Anak ang lahat ng ginagawa niya. 

At higit pa sa mga ito ang mga gawang ipakikita sa kanya ng Ama at manggigilalas kayo. Kung paanong binubuhay ng Ama ang mga patay, gayun din naman, bubuhayin ng Anak ang sinumang nais niyang buhayin. Hindi humahatol kaninuman ang Ama. Ibinigay niya sa Anak ang buong kapangyarihang humatol upang parangalan ng lahat ang Anak, tulad ng kanilang pagpaparangal sa Ama. Ang hindi nagpaparangal sa Anak ay hindi nagpaparangal sa Amang nagsugo sa Anak.  

“Sinasabi ko sa inyo: Ang nakikinig sa aking salita at nananalig sa nagsugo sa akin ay may buhay na walang hanggan. Hindi na siya hahatulan kundi inilipat na sa buhay mula sa kamatayan. Tandaan ninyo: darating ang panahon – ngayon na nga – na maririnig ng mga patay ang tinig ng Anak ng Diyos at ang makinig sa kanya ay mabubuhay. Ang Ama ang may kapangyarihang magbigay-buhay at ang Anak ay binigyan niya ng kapangyarihang magbigay-buhay.  

Binigyan din siya ng kapangyarihang humatol sapagkat siya ang Anak ng Tao. Huwag ninyo itong pagtakhan, sapagkat darating ang oras na maririnig ng mga patay ang kanyang tinig. Sila’y muling mabubuhay at lalabas sa kinalilibingan nila. Lahat ng gumawa ng mabuti ay pagkakalooban ng buhay na walang hanggan at lahat ng masama ay parurusahan.” 

“Wala akong ginagawa sa sarili ko lamang. Humahatol ako ayon sa sinasabi sa akin ng Ama, kaya’t matuwid ang hatol ko; hindi ang sarili kong kalooban ang aking sinusunod kundi ang kalooban ng nagsugo sa akin.”

Reflection for March 12, Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent: John 5:1-16

Gospel: John 5:1-16

There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” 

The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me. Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk. Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. 

Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat. He answered them, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Take up your mat and walk. They asked him, “Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’? 

The man who was healed did not know who it was for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there. After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him “Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.

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Reflection:

How does it feel to be sick? Those who got sick already would answer that it doesn’t feel good to be sick for you feel weak and can’t function properly. Absurd as it may sound but sickness is sometimes God’s gift to us for it’s through our sickness that we get to know God more deeply. It’s through our getting sick that we are reawakened of the presence of God. And it’s through our getting sick the we learn how to pray more deeply.

The blind man in the gospel had this kind of experience. He was beside the pool waiting for someone to help him immerse in the pool. He didn’t know Jesus thus he did not ask Jesus to heal him.  Jesus by Himself desired to appear to this man and He healed him right there. If the man was not sick Jesus would not have appeared to him.   

It’s through our sickness often times that Jesus strongly manifest Himself to us. Through our getting sick we get a clearer picture of who Jesus is. If Jesus healed the man in the gospel without asking for it, would He not heal us as well? We who know Him and we who always pray to Him.    

There's always a silver lining when we get sick, we may not know it immediately but there's certainly a silver lining. And the silver lining is to have that golden opportunity to know Jesus more deeply. 

Do you always call on Jesus to heal you when you are sick? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita Marso 12, Martes sa Ikaapat na Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Juan 5:1-16

Mabuting Balita: Juan 5:1-16

Nang dumating ang pagdiriwang ng pista ng mga Judio, pumunta si Hesus sa Jerusalem. Sa lungsod na ito, malapit sa Pintuan ng mga Tupa, ay may malaking deposito ng tubig na may limang portiko. Kung tawagin ito sa wikang Hebreo ay Betesda. Natitipon dito ang maraming maysakit -- mga bulag, mga pilay, at mga paralitiko. Hinihintay nilang gumalaw ang tubig, sapagkat may panahong bumababa ang isang anghel ng Panginoon at kinakalawkaw ang tubig. 

Ang maunang lumusong pagkatapos makalawkaw ang tubig ay gumagaling, anuman ang kanyang karamdaman. Doon ay may isang lalaking tatlumpu't walong taon nang may sakit, at siya'y nakita ni Hesus. Alam nitong matagal nang may sakit ang lalaki. Tinanong siya ni Hesus, "Ibig mo bang gumaling?" Sumagot ang maysakit, "Ginoo, wala pong maglusong sa akin kapag nakalawkaw na ang tubig; patungo pa lamang ako roon ay may nauuna na sa akin." 

Sinabi sa kanya ni Jesus, "Tumindig ka, dalhin mo ang iyong higaan, at lumakad ka." At pagdaka'y gumaling ang lalaki, dinala ang kanyang higaan, at lumakad. Noo'y Araw ng Pamamahinga. Kaya't sinabi ng mga Judio sa lalaking pinagaling, "Araw ng Pamamahinga ngayon! Labag sa Kautusan na dalhin mo ang iyong higaan." Ngunit sumagot siya, "Ang nagpagaling sa akin ang nagsabing dalhin ko ang aking higaan at lumakad ako." 

At siya'y tinanong nila, "Sino ang nagsabi sa iyong dalhin mo ang iyong higaan at lumakad ka?" Ngunit hindi nakilala ng lalaki kung sino ang nagpagaling sa kanya, sapagkat nawala na si Hesus sa karamihan ng tao. Pagkatapos, nakita ni Hesus sa loob ng templo ang lalaki at sinabihan, "Magaling ka na ngayon!

Huwag ka nang magkakasala at baka may mangyari sa iyo na lalo pang masama." Umalis ang lalaki at sinabi sa mga Judio na si Hesus ang nagpagaling sa kanya. Dahil dito, si Jesus ay sinimulang usigin ng mga Judio, sapagkat nagpagaling siya sa Araw ng Pamamahinga.

Reflection for March 11, Monday of the Fourth Week in Lent: John 4:43-54

Gospel: John 4:43-54

At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee. For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his native place. When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves had gone to the feast. 

Then he returned to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, who was near death. 

Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The royal official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. While the man was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, “The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.” 

The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he and his whole household came to believe. Now this was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea.

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 Reflection:

The story is told about a  woman who was praying to have a boyfriend she however did not get what she wanted from the Lord. So she did not pray anymore and permanently distanced herself from God. For the simple reason that she did not get what she was praying for.   

For many of us miracles are very important anchor of our faith in Jesus. For example, the royal official’s son in the gospel who was cured by Jesus; he and his household believed immediately because his son was healed. 

What if Jesus tested their faith? Would they still believe even if there was no occurrence of healing? Perhaps they will not, and then the father would have searched for someone else who could heal his son. 

Our discipleship in Jesus or our faith in Jesus must not only be anchored on miracles alone. It must be based on our deep friendship with Him. Regardless if we’ve experienced miracles or not, immaterial if we gained material blessings or not we must continue to believe, follow and have faith in Him. 

We have in Jesus a friend who will always be honest with us. There will be times when He will say no to us. Let us not be disheartened by these rejections from Him, for He always knows what’s best for us. Let us remember that it’s not us who knows what is best for us; it’s always Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita Marso 11, Lunes sa Ikaapat na Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Juan 4:43-54

Mabuting Balita: Juan 4:43-54

Noong panahong iyon, umalis si Hesus sa Samaria at nagtungo sa Galilea. Sapagkat si Hesus na rin ang nagsabing ang isang propeta'y hindi iginagalang sa kanyang bayan. Pagdating niya sa Galilea ay mabuti ang pagtanggap sa kanya ng mga tagaroon, sapagkat nasa Jerusalem din sila noong Pista ng Paskua at nakita niya ang lahat ng kanyang ginawa roon.

Nagpunta uli si Hesus sa Cana, Galilea. Doon niya ginawang alak ang tubig. Doon naman sa Capernaum ay may isang mataas na pinuno ng Pamahalaan; at may sakit ang kanyang anak na lalaki. Nang mabalitaan niyang bumalik si Jesus sa Galilea mula sa Judea, pinuntahan niya ito. Pinakiusapan niya itong pumunta sa Capernaum at pagalingin ang kanyang anak na naghihingalo. Sinabi sa kanya ni Hesus, "Hangga't hindi kayo nakakikita ng mga palatandaan at mga kababalaghan, hindi kayo mananampalataya." Ngunit sinabi ng pinuno, "Tayo na po, Ginoo, bago mamatay ang aking anak." Sumagot si Jesus, "Umuwi na kayo; magaling na ang inyong anak."

Naniwala ang lalaki sa salita ni Hesus, at umuwi nga siya. Sa daan pa'y sinalubong na siya ng kanyang mga alipin at sinabing magaling na ang kanyang anak. Tinanong niya sila, "Anong oras siya gumaling?" Siya po'y inibsan ng lagnat kahapong mag-aala-una ng hapon," tugon nila. Naalaala ng ama na noong oras na iyon sinabi sa kanya ni Hesus, "Magaling na ang iyong anak." Kaya't siya at ang kanyang buong sambahayan ay sumampalataya kay Hesus.

Ito ang pangalawang kababalaghang ginawa ni Hesus sa Galilea pagpunta niya roon buhat sa Judea.   

Reflection for Sunday March 10, Fourth Sunday of Lent: John 3:14-21

Gospel: John 3:14-21

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” 

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 

And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

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Reflection:

Why do some people decide to end their lives? There are many reasons, but perhaps one of those reasons is the lack of knowledge about the infinite love of God. If only they knew beforehand the encompassing love of God, they wouldn’t dare decide to end their lives. 

This is the tragedy of our modern times: many of us strive to learn how to use high-tech smartphones, navigate social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and so forth. Yet, many also fail to exert any effort to understand the great love of God freely offered to each and every one of us

For instance, consider our Sunday Holy Mass obligation. If we attend Holy Mass with fidelity and devotion, the Holy Spirit will open our minds so that we may come to know the redemptive and salvific love of God. Unfortunately, many fail to prioritize this sacred Sunday Holy Mass obligation. 

God’s love for us is encompassing. For example, if someone committed a mortal sin such as abortion or adultery.  Does this make the person already unloved by God? The love of God is by no means constrained by our sins even mortal sins. For God’s love is always there for us, it’s ours to take, so to speak. We have to own this love of God that He freely gives to us. 

What kind of love is this that God gives us so freely? It is a salvific love and a redemptive love—a love that saves sinners like you and me. Yes, we sin every so often, but our sins do not diminish the salvific and redemptive love that God has for us.

During this season of Lent, let us wholeheartedly embrace the encompassing, salvific, and redemptive love of God by humbly submitting ourselves to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. – Marino J. Dasmarinas         

Ang Mabuting Balita para Linggo Marso 10, Ikaapat na Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Juan 3:14-21

Mabuting Balita: Juan 3:14-21

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Jesus kay Nicodemo, Kung paanong itinaaas ni Moises ang ahas doon sa ilang, gayundin naman kailagang itaas ang anak ng Tao, upang ang sinumang sumasampalataya sa kanya ay magkaroon ng buhay na walang hanggan.  

Gayon na lamang ang pag-ibig ng Diyos sa sanlibutan, kaya ibinigay niya ang kanyang bugtong na Anak, upang ang sumampalataya sa kanya ay hindi mapahamak, kundi magkaroon ng buhay na walang hanggan. Sapagkat sinugo ng Diyos ang kanyang Anak, hindi upang hatulang maparusahan ang sanlibutan, kundi upang iligtas ito sa pamamagitan niya.

"Hindi hinahatulang maparusahan ang nananampalataya sa Anak ng Diyos; ngunit hinatulan nang parusahan ang hindi nananampalataya sa kanya. Hinatulan sila sapagkat naparito sa sanlibutan ang ilaw, ngunit inibig pa ng tao ang dilim kaysa liwanag, sapagkat masama ang kanilang mga gawa. 

Ang gumagawa ng masama ay ayaw sa ilaw, at hindi lumalapit dito upang hindi mahayag ang kanyang mga gawa. Ngunit ang namumuhay sa katotohanan ay lumalapit sa ilaw; sa gayon, nahahayag na ang kanyang mga ginagawa'y pagsunod sa Diyos.

Reflection for March 9, Saturday of the Third Week of Lent: Luke 18:9-14

Gospel: Luke 18:9-14

Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity --greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector. 

I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

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Reflection:

Have you tried practicing the virtue of humility? When you practice humility all things will be alright with you. For example, you will not anymore harbor resentment and anger towards anyone and your day will be free from any form of stress. 

You will have a positive disposition, you will be able to accept whatever that may come to you even humiliation and trials no matter how severe. Your fellowmen will silently look up to you and admire you without you noticing it. 

Humility therefore is like an effective medicine that cures us: it cures us of our arrogance, our need for attention and most importantly it brings us an awareness of our own sinfulness and our need to get close and be forgiven by God. 

In the gospel, Jesus gives us the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector that went to the temple to pray. The tax collector obviously wants to live a new life, and he wants to be reconciled with God. Moreover, he obviously wants to be cured of his sinfulness that’s why he humbly submitted himself to God and God did not disappoint the tax collector. 

We have everything to gain and nothing to lose if we decide to imbibe and live humility. We will have a positive disposition, we will have peace and contentment and most importantly we will gain the forgiveness of our merciful God. 

Are we ready to abandon ourselves to God by humbly acknowledging our own sinfulness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation? – Marino J. Dasmarinas     

Ang Mabuting Balita Marso 9, Sabado sa Ikatlong Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Lucas 18:9-14

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 18:9-14

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Jesus ang talinghagang ito sa mga taong ang tingin sa sarili'y matuwid at humahamak naman sa iba. "May dalawang lalaking pumanhik sa templo upang manalangin: ang isa'y Pariseo at ang isa nama'y publikano. Tumindig ang Pariseo at pabulong na nanalangin ng ganito: 'O Diyos, nagpapasalamat ako sa iyo pagkat hindi ako katulad ng iba -- mga magnanakaw, mga mandaraya, mga mangangalunya -- o kaya'y katulad ng publikanong ito.

Makalawa akong nag-aayuno sa loob ng sanlinggo; nagbibigay ako ng ikapu ng lahat kong kinikita. Samantala, ang publikano'y nakatayo sa malayo; hindi man lamang makatingin sa langit, kundi dinadagukan ang kanyang dibdib, at sinasabi: 'O Diyos, mahabag po kayo sa akin na isang makasalanan!' Sinasabi ko sa inyo: ang lalaking ito'y umuwing kinalulugdan ng Diyos, ngunit hindi ang isa. Sapagkat ang sinumang nagpapakataas ay ibababa, at ang nagpapakababa ay itataas."

Reflection for March 8, Friday of the Third Week of Lent: Mark 12:28-34

Gospel: Mark 12:28-34

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. 

The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 

And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

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Reflection:

How do we manifest our love for God? 

To love God is to discover more about Him, thus we need to thirst and hunger for Him. We need to always be present at Holy Mass and feel His presence there.  We need to read the bible and be faithful to its teachings. 

If we would read the first four gospels of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) we would have a better appreciation of the true to life story of Jesus.  To love God is to live His teachings as well. 

After we have fully expressed our love for God the next commandment will automatically set in (We shall love our neighbor as ourselves). What is this love for our neighbor? Is this a selective kind of love or an encompassing love? 

The love for our neighbor should always be an encompassing love and not a selective love. This means that we have to love our neighbor whoever that neighbor might be and whatever offense/s that our neighbor has committed against us.

Sometimes, this is where we are deficient because we only choose the neighbor that we love. Hence, we obviously choose the neighbor who gives us love, and those who don’t give us love, we also don’t love them. But this has to change so we would also love this neighbor who doesn’t love us. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita Marso 8, Biyernes sa Ikatlong Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Marcos 12:28b-34

Mabuting Balita: Marcos 12:28-34

Noong panahong iyon, lumapit ang isa sa mga eskriba kay Hesus at tinanong siya, "Alin pong utos ang pinakamahalaga?" Sumagot si Jesus, "Ito ang pinakamahalagang utos, 'Pakinggan mo, Israel! Ang Panginoon na ating Diyos -- siya lamang ang Panginoon. Ibigin mo ang Panginoon mong Diyos nang buong puso, nang buong kaluluwa, nang buong pag-iisip, at nang buong lakas.' Ito naman ang pangalawa, 'Ibigin mo ang iyong kapwa gaya ng iyong sarili.' Wala nang ibang utos na hihigit pa sa mga ito."  

 "Tama po, Guro!" wika ng eskriba. "Totoo ang sinabi ninyo. Iisa ang Diyos at wala nang iba liban sa kanya. At ang umibig sa kanya nang buong puso, buong pag-iisip, at buong lakas, at ang umibig sa kapwa gaya nang kanyang sarili ay higit na mahalaga kaysa magdala ng lahat ng handog na susunugin, at iba pang mga hain." Nakita ni Jesus na matalino ang kanyang sagot, kaya't sinabi niya, "Malapit ka nang mapabilang sa mga pinaghaharian ng Diyos." At wala nang nangahas magtanong kay Jesus mula noon.

Reflection for March 7, Thursday of the Third Week of Lent: Luke 11:14-23

Gospel: Luke 11:14-23

Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute, and when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed. Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons. Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house.  

And if Satan is divided against himself how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.  

When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

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Reflection:

Do you believe in Jesus as your Lord and savior? In the gospel for today, after casting out the demon from a man, Jesus was accused of being one with the demons. They obviously did not believe in Jesus as their Lord and savior. They also can’t believe that Jesus is capable of performing this miracle with good intentions in His heart. Otherwise, they would not have accused Him of being one with the demons.

Who is one with the demons? Is it Jesus or the ones who refuse to believe in Him? There are only two options that we have in this world to believe in Jesus or not to believe in Jesus. To believe means that we should walk the path of Jesus for we can’t say that we believe yet we don’t walk the path of Jesus. Those who don’t believe are those who are vulnerable to the company and possession of the devil. 

Many of the people of today are like those in the time of Jesus who did not believe in Him. For what reasons? Perhaps they are so obsessed with their own selves. That they regard themselves as somebody who know better than Jesus that’s why they don’t believe. Or they believe but they don’t follow the teachings of Jesus.  

But the consequence of not believing in Jesus is enormous. First and foremost is they invite the devil to possess them. And once they are already possessed by the devil they now are capable of doing evil without any guilt of conscience.  

This is the reason why there are mothers who abort their unborn child without any guilt of conscience. This is the reason why there are married couples who engaged in adulterous relationships without guilt of conscience. They are capable of doing these despicable acts because they’ve allowed themselves to be possessed by the devil.      

But there’s still hope for as long as there are people like you who believe in Jesus. People like you who will stand for the teachings and values of Jesus. People like you who will value the gift of life more than the evil of abortion and wicked convenience. 

And people like you who will respect the sanctity of the marriage covenant and not succumb to wicked, evil and lustful desires enticed by the devil. – Marino J. Dasmarinas                

Ang Mabuting Balita Marso 7, Huwebes sa Ikatlong Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Lucas 11:14-23

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 11:14-23

Noong panahong iyon, pinalayas ni Jesus ang isang demonyong sanhi ng pagkapipi ng isang lalaki, at ito'y nakapagsalita na mula noon. Nanggilalas ang mga tao, ngunit may ilan sa kanila ang nagsabi, "Si Beelzebul na prinsipe ng mga demonyo ang nagbigay sa kanya ng kapangyarihang magpalayas ng mga demonyo." 

May iba namang nais siyang subukin, kaya't nagsabi, "Magpakita ka ng kababalaghang magpapakilala na ang Diyos ang sumasaiyo. Ngunit batid ni Jesus ang kanilang iniisip, kaya't sinabi sa kanila, "babagsak ang bawat kahariang nahahati sa magkakalabang pangkat at mawawasak ang mga bahay roon. 

Kung maghimagsik si Satanas laban sa kanyang sarili, paano mananatili ang kanyang kaharian? Sinasabi ninyong nagpapalayas ako ng demonyo sapagkat binigyan ako ni Beelzebul ng kapangyarihang ito. Kung ako'y nagpapalayas ng demonyo sa pamamagitan ni Beelzebul, sino naman ang nagbigay ng kapangyarihan sa inyong mga tagasunod na magbigay na makagawa ng gayon? 

Sila na rin ang nagpapatunay na maling-mali kayo. Ngayon, kung ako'y nagpapalayas ng mga demonyo sa pamamagitan ng kapangyarihan ng Diyos, nangangahulugang dumating na sa inyo ang paghahari ng Diyos. 

"Kapag ang isang taong malakas at nasasandatahan ay nagbabantay sa kanyang bahay, malayo sa panganib ang kanyang ari-arian. Ngunit kung salakayin siya at talunin ng isang taong higit na malakas, sasamsamin nito ang mga sandatang kanyang inaasahan at ipamamahagi ang ari-ariang inagaw. 

"Ang hindi panig sa akin ay laban sa akin, at nagkakalat ang hindi tumutulong sa aking mag-ipon.