Short, Simple and Personal reflections on the daily Holy Mass Gospel. I provide talks.
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Tuesday, April 09, 2024
Ang Mabuting Balita, Abril 13 Sabado sa Ikalawang Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 6:16-21
Reflection for April 12, Friday of the Second Week of Easter: John 6:1-15
When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.”
One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”
So they collected them, and filled twelve
wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more
than they could eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This
is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” Since Jesus knew
that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew
again to the mountain alone.
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Reflection:
The story is told about a married couple who always find it hard to sustain their family's basic needs. A relative advised them to always be present at the Holy Mass celebration in their village's chapel. The married couple asked their relative, "Why is there a need for us to always be present during Holy Mass?" Their relative told them that they need to be present because this is where they meet, interact, and become one with the Bread of Life, which is Jesus Himself.
The big crowd in the gospel was running after Jesus, primarily because of His miracles, healings, and life-changing sermons. The crowd numbered more than five thousand, and Jesus was naturally concerned for their welfare. Therefore, He wanted to feed them, but there was not enough bread and fish. So what Jesus did was ask for whatever bread and fish they had.
Upon receiving the bread and fish, He looked up in thanksgiving to God. Thereafter, Jesus distributed the bread and fish to the crowd, and He was able to feed them all! They even had plenty to spare: twelve wicker baskets full of fragments. Jesus not only satisfied the crowd's physical hunger but also quenched their spiritual thirst.
When we attend Holy Mass, we are also fed by Jesus with the same bread which He gave the crowd. It happens the moment we partake of His Body and Blood during Holy Communion. During Holy Communion, we are also nourished physically and spiritually by the Bread of Life which is Jesus Himself!
This is what occurs when we attend Holy Mass.
We are always being nourished by Jesus Himself! The same Jesus that fed the
crowd who were following Him in the gospel. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Ang Mabuting Balita, Abril 12 Biyernes sa Ikalawang Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 6:1-15
Tumanaw si Jesus, at nakita niyang dumarating ang napakaraming tao.
Tinanong niya si Felipe, "Saan tayo bibili ng tinapay upang makakain ang
mga taong ito?" Sinabi niya ito upang subukin si Felipe, sapagkat alam ni
Jesus ang kanyang gagawin. Sumagot si Felipe, "Kahit na po halagang
dalawandaang denaryong tinapay ang bilhin ay di sasapat para makakain ng
tigkakaunti ang mga tao."
Sinabi ng isa sa kanyang mga alagad, si Andres na kapatid ni Simon
Pedro, "Mayroon po ditong isang batang lalaki na may dalang limang tinapay
na sebada at dalawang isda. Ngunit gaano na ito sa ganyang karaming tao?"
"Paupuin ninyo sila," wika ni Jesus. Madamo sa lugar na yaon. Umupo
ang lahat -- humigit-kumulang sa limang libo ang mga lalaki.
Kinuha ni Jesus ang tinapay at matapos magpasalamat sa Diyos ay
ipinamahagi sa mga tao; gayon din ang ginawa niya sa isda. Binigyan ang lahat
hangga't gusto nila. at nang makakain na sila, sinabi niya sa mga alagad,
"Tipunin ninyo ang mga lumabis para hindi masayang." Gayon nga ang
ginawa nila, at nakapuno sila ng labindalawang bakol.
Nang
makita ng mga tao ang kababalaghang ginawa ni Jesus, sinabi nila, "Tunay
na ito ang propetang paririto sa sanlibutan!" Nahalata ni Jesus na lalapit
ang mga tao at pilit siyang kukunin upang gawing hari, kaya muli siyang umalis
na mag-isa patungo sa kaburulan.
Monday, April 08, 2024
Reflection for Thursday April 11, Memorial of Saint Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr: John 3:31-36
For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He
does not ration his gift of the Spirit. The Father loves the Son and has given
everything over to him. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but
whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon
him.
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Reflection:
Why is it hard for many of us to convince others to go
to church for Holy Mass and why can’t we share Jesus with them? This is for the
reason that many of us don’t live the teachings of Jesus we don’t live our
faith in other words.
What must we do if we are in this kind of
predicament? Should we easily give up or should we change our ways and
live our faith? It’s no brainer that the right choice is to change our ways and
not give up. Because if we would give up, who will evangelize them? We leave
them to be evangelized by those from other faiths?
We must teach our faith but we must do it with
humility, patience and love. We have to employ humility, patience and love so
that we could open their hearts to the teachings of Jesus and our faith. For
example our gospel for today tells us about the love of God for His Son. How
would they know about this if we would not teach them if we would not practice
love?
We have to teach them using humility, patience and
love. We will always become effective evangelizers/sharers of our faith if we
are humble, patient and loving. For these are the qualities of Jesus. – Marino
J. Dasmarinas
Ang Mabuting Balita Huwebes Abril 11 San Estanislao obispo at martir (Paggunita): Juan 3:31-36
Sapagkat
ang sinugo ng Diyos ay nagpapahayag ng salita ng Diyos; at walang sukat ang
kanyang pagkakaloob ng Espiritu Santo. Minamahal ng Ama ang Anak, at ibinigay
sa kanya ang kapamahalaan ng lahat ng bagay. Ang nananalig sa Anak ay may buhay
na walang hanggan; ngunit ang hindi tumatalima sa Anak, hindi magkakaroon ng
buhay -- mananatili sa kanya ang poot ng Diyos.
Reflection for Wednesday April 10, Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter: John 3:16-21
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-begotten 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:
Can we be saved by simply believing in Jesus? Is it
enough to believe and not live that belief?
We must believe and we must live and give substance to
what we believe by making a positive difference in the lives of others and by
detesting sin. For example, if we say that we love Jesus but we ignore the cry
for help of those who are in need what then is the use of saying we believe and
love Jesus? If we say that we believe yet we continue to allow ourselves to sin
and be captured by the devil. What then is the use of our profession of belief
in Jesus?
When we say we believe we should firmly stand by our
word by detesting sin in whatever forms and shapes. For the simple reason that
this is the only way to Jesus, we are simply fooling ourselves if we say we
believe yet we continue to sin.
There are many of us who continue to say that we
believe in Jesus but when testing comes. We push aside the light of Jesus to
plunge into the darkness to be in the company of the devil. And then what
comes after that are the many punishments that we impose upon ourselves thru
our engagement with sin and the devil.
So, why go with sin and the devil when Jesus is always
there for us patiently asking us to leave sin and the devil? We therefore have
to confront and then leave behind our sinful lives so that the Lord can embrace
us with His forgiveness, mercy and love.
Would you confront and leave behind sin and satan? You
may ask, why is their a need to confront? Why not simply leave behind? You need
to confront sin and satan first because when you confront you immediately and
permanently bury whatever relationship you have with sin and satan. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Ang Mabuting Balita Miyerkules Abril 10, Ikalawang Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 3:16-21
"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 Tuesday April 9, Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter: John 3:7b-15
Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and
we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If
I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if
I tell you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one
who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And 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.”
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Reflection:
Do you seek
Jesus?
Nicodemus is a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin a Jewish judicial body.
Why did he follow Jesus? He must have discovered something in Jesus that made
him follow Him even until Jesus death on the cross. Nicodemus followership of
Jesus did not stop on His death on the cross, Nicodemus also took care of
the body of Jesus after His death (John 19:39).
What would it take for us to become a follower of
Jesus? Do we still need to see a miracle before we become a faithful follower?
It might be too late already, why not follow Jesus now? Let us look up at Jesus
on the cross, that man on the cross died for us! Would we not take a second
look to that man on the cross? Would we not thank Him for giving His life for
us?
Nicodemus was initially not a follower of Jesus but
when he heard about Jesus he strived to know Jesus until he met the Lord. From
the point of hearing about the Lord transformation was also happening in the
life of Nicodemus which led him to become a faithful follower of the Lord.
Nobody knows the deepest core of our lives; nobody
knows our gravest sins except us. Nevertheless, we have to decide to follow the
Lord now for He is ready to transform us. To give us peace in our lives which
this world cannot give us. It’s no problem for Jesus if we would become a
secret follower like Nicodemus what is important for Jesus is we follow
Him.
Would you follow the Lord beginning today? – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
Ang Mabuting Balita Martes Abril 9, Ikalawang Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 3:7b-15
Gayon din ang bawat ipinanganak sa Espiritu." "Paano
pong mangyayari ito?" tanong ni Nicodemo. Sumagot si Jesus, "Guro pa
naman kayo sa Israel ay hindi ninyo nauunawaan ang bagay na ito? Tandaan ninyo:
ang aming nalalaman ang sinasabi namin, at ang aming nasaksihan ang
pinatototohanan namin, ngunit hindi ninyo tinatanggap ang aming patotoo.
Kung hindi ninyo paniniwalaan ang sinasabi ko tungkol sa mga bagay
sa sanlibutang ito, paano ninyo paniniwalaan kung ang sabihin ko'y tungkol sa
mga bagay sa langit? Walang umakyat sa langit kundi ang bumaba mula sa langit
-- ang Anak ng Tao."
"At kung paanong itinaas ni Moises ang ahas doon sa ilang, gayon din naman, kailangang itaas ang Anak ng Tao, upang ang sinumang sumasampalataya sa kanya ay magkaroon ng buhay na walang hanggan.
Sunday, April 07, 2024
Reflection for Monday April 8, Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord: Luke 1:26-38
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.
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Reflection:
Do you always accept the will of the Lord for your
life or you sometimes contradict it?
The Solemnity of the Annunciation remembers the
announcement of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary about her being chosen as
the mother of Jesus.
The Gospel tells us that God thru the Angel Gabriel
had chosen the Blessed Mother to be the Mother of Jesus, of all women why the
Blessed Mother? We don’t know the answer but the Blessed Mother’s humility,
docility and abandonment to the will of God speaks volumes about
her.
The Blessed Mother humbly followed God’s desire and will when she said: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word (Luke 1:38)." Mary humbled herself before God, Mary trusted her life to the will of God and Mary discerned the desire of the Holy Spirit in her life.
Like the Blessed Mother, are you willing to humble yourself before the Lord? Are you willing to abandon your life to the will of God? And do you always discern the desire of the Holy Spirit in your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Saturday, April 06, 2024
Reflection for Sunday April 7, Second Sunday of Easter Sunday of Divine Mercy: John 20:19-31
Gospel: John 20:19-31
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
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Reflection:
Where was Thomas when Jesus appeared to His disciples in the upper room? We don’t know we can only surmise that he was doing something that made him miss their meeting. Was his activity during that night more important than to meet and pray with his fellow disciples?
By missing their meeting Thomas subsequently missed also the sacred presence of the risen Christ. He missed being blessed by Jesus’ miraculous presence and Thomas missed being imparted the blessing of peace by the Lord. What a lost of opportunity for Thomas! If only he knew beforehand that their Lord and Master would be making a miraculous appearance in their meeting he would have not dared miss it.
Some of us may see ourselves in Thomas, we who oftentimes miss to go to church for Holy Mass. We who put our Sunday sacred meeting with the Lord at the backseat in favor of our many worldly preoccupations.
What do we miss when we absent ourselves for Holy Mass? We miss to be with Jesus, we miss to partake of His Body and Blood. We miss to be blessed by His powerful and blessings- filled words. We miss to be in powerful prayer meeting with our brothers and sisters in faith. We also miss to receive His healing and blessing of peace which He silently gives to us every time we are at Mass.
Thomas learned his lesson; that’s why he made himself available in their second meeting. We too should learn our lesson by always prioritizing our sacred meeting with the Lord at Holy Mass.
Do you always try your very best not to miss your encounter with the Lord during Sunday Mass? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Ang Mabuting Balita para Linggo Abril 7, Ikalawang Linggo ng Pasko ng Muling Pagkabuhay Linggo ng Banal na Awa ng Panginoon: Juan 20:19-31
Pagkasabi nito, ipinakita niya ang kanyang mga kamay at ang kanyang tagiliran. Tuwang-tuwa ang mga alagad nang makita ang Panginoon. Sinabi na naman ni Jesus, "Sumainyo ang kapayapaan! Kung paanong sinugo ako ng Ama, gayon din naman, sinusugo ko kayo." Pagkatapos, sila'y hiningahan niya at sinabi, "Tanggapin ninyo ang Espiritu Santo. Ang patawarin ninyo sa kanilang mga kasalanan ay pinatawad na nga; ang hindi ninyo patawarin ay hindi nga pinatawad."
Ngunit si Tomas na tinaguriang Kambal, isa sa Labindalawa, ay wala roon nang dumating si Jesus. Kaya't sinabi sa kanya ng ibang alagad, "Nakita namin ang Panginoon!" Sumagot si Tomas, "Hindi ako maniniwala hangga't di ko nakikita ang butas ng mga pako sa kanyang mga kamay, at naisusuot dito ang aking mga daliri, at hangga't hindi ko naipapasok ang aking kamay sa kanyang tagiliran."
Makalipas ang walong araw, muling nagkatipon sa loob ng bahay ang mga alagad; kasama nila si Tomas. Nakapinid ang mga pinto, ngunit pumasok si Jesus at tumayo sa gitna nila. Sinabi niya, "Sumainyo ang kapayapaan!" Saka sinabi kay Tomas, "Tingnan mo ang aking mga kamay at ilapit dito ang iyong daliri.
Ipasok mo ang iyong kamay sa aking tagiliran. Huwag ka nang mag-alinlangan, maniwala ka na." Sumagot si Tomas, "Panginoon ko at Diyos ko!" Sinabi sa kanya ni Jesus, "Naniniwala ka na ba sapagkat nakita mo ako? Mapapalad ang mga naniniwala kahit hindi nila ako nakita."
Marami pang kababalaghang ginawa si Jesus na nasaksihan ng mga alagad, ngunit hindi natatala sa aklat na ito. Ang mga natala rito'y sinulat upang sumampalataya kayong si Jesus ang Mesias, ang Anak ng Diyos, at sa gayo'y magkaroon kayo ng buhay sa pamamagitan niya.
Friday, April 05, 2024
Reflection for April 6, Saturday in the Octave of Easter: Mark 16:9-15
Ang Mabuting Balita, Abril 6 Sabado sa Oktaba ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Marcos 16:9-15
Ngunit hindi sila naniwala sa sinabi ni Maria na buhay si Hesus at
napakita sa kanya. Siya’y napakita rin sa dalawang alagad na naglalakad patungo
sa bukid, ngunit iba ang kanyang kaanyuan. Bumalik sa Jerusalem ang dalawa at
ibinalita sa kanilang kasamahan ang nangyari, ngunit sila ma’y hindi
pinaniwalaan.
Pagkatapos, napakita siya sa Labing-isa samantalang kumakain ang mga ito. Pinagwikaan niya sila dahil sa hindi nila pananalig sa kanya, at sa katigasan ng ulo, sapagkat hindi sila naniwala sa mga nakakita sa kanya pagkatapos na siya’y muling mabuhay. At sinabi ni Hesus sa kanila, “Humayo kayo sa buong sanlibutan at ipangaral ninyo sa lahat ang Mabuting Balita.”