Short, Simple and Personal reflections on the daily Holy Mass Gospel. I provide talks.
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Ang Mabuting Balita Miyerkules Abril 24, Ikaapat na Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 12:44-50
Monday, April 22, 2024
Reflection for April 23, Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter: John 10:22-30
The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But
you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never
perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to
me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The
Father and I are one.”
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Reflection:
How can we have an encounter with Jesus? We have to
abide with what Jesus tells us in the scripture/bible. If He tells us that He
and the Father are one we have to believe it without any doubt. For the simple
reason that all of Jesus pronouncements are not empty, it is solidly supported
by other passages in the bible.
What separates those who believe and those who don’t?
Those who believe receive the full graces of the power that emanates from
Jesus. For example, their lives are changed, their faith is strengthened, and
they themselves become agents of positive change in their own respective
environments.
Those who do not believe or who take Jesus
nonchalantly are left out in terms of spiritual graces, their individual faith
life is not strengthened. They are more vulnerable to the many forces of evil
and they don’t have the spiritual strength that faithful believers
have.
What is the secret for us to believe? We have to humble ourselves before Jesus. We have to accept with faith every word that He tells us in the scripture/bible and we have to be present during Holy Mass most especially Sunday Holy Mass. The moment we do so, this would be the beginning of our renewed life with Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Reflection for April 22, Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter: John 10:1-10
When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” Although Jesus used this figure of speech, they did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to
you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and
robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters
through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief
comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have
life and have it more abundantly.”
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Reflection:
The story is told about a poor family. The husband had an ordinary low paying job and the wife was a housewife they had six (6) children. Because of the meager salary of the husband they could barely survive and they always borrow money from their relatives.
Despite of their poor financial standing this family was faithful to Jesus and the church; they would always attend Sunday Holy Mass. The parents introduced their children to Jesus and they educated their children the values of the faith. The mother would always lead in the prayer of the Holy Rosary and the father would always be there to join them.
Eventually all of their children became very successful in their respective field of endeavors. Hence, they’ve given back the love and guidance that their parents gave them. Obviously the parents were Good shepherds for they introduced their children to the gate of life that is Jesus.
Jesus in the gospel tells the crowd that He is the good shepherd that desires only the best for them. Jesus also tells them that He is the gate of life but they did not believe Him.It is said that: “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” Thus, we know for a fact that Jesus is really our Good Shepherd.
We believe and feel in our hearts this declaration of Jesus. He desires nothing for us but our wellbeing. This is the reason why Jesus wants us to follow Him and make Him our Good Shepherd. We also know that He is our only gateway to the many truths about our faith. He too is our gateway towards life beyond this world and without Him in our lives there would be no life beyond this world.
There are still many who do not know about Jesus as the Good Shepherd. There are still many who do not know that Jesus is the gateway to the many truths of our faith. There are still many who do not know that Jesus is the gateway to a life beyond this world. Why? Because they do not allow Jesus to be their Good Shepherd. They instead allow worldliness and the many lies of Satan to shepherd them thus they are enslaved by money, power and sin.
Who is shepherding you right now? – Marino
J. Dasmarinas
Ang Mabuting Balita Lunes, Abril 22, Lunes sa Ikaapat Linggo ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay: Juan 10:1-10
Tinatawag
niya ang kanyang mga tupa sa kani-kanilang pangalan, at inilalabas sa kulungan.
Kapag nailabas na, siya’y nangunguna sa kanila at sumusunod naman ang mga tupa
sapagkat nakikilala nila ang kanyang tinig. Hindi sila sumusunod sa iba, bagkus
pa nga’y patakbong lumalayo, sapagkat hindi nila nakikilala ang kanyang tinig.”
Sinabi
ni Hesus ang talinghagang ito, ngunit hindi nila naunawaan ang ibig niyang
sabihin.
Kaya’t
muling sinabi ni Hesus, “Tandaan ninyo: ako ang pintuang dinaraanan ng mga
tupa. Ang mga nauna sa akin ay mga magnanakaw at mga tulisan, ngunit hindi sila
pinakinggan ng mga tupa. Ako ang pintuan. Ang sinumang pumapasok sa pamamagitan
ko’y maliligtas.
Papasok
siya’t lalabas, at makatatagpo ng pastulan. Kaya lamang pupunta rito ang
magnanakaw ay upang magnakaw, pumatay, at magwasak. Naparito ako upang ang mga
tupa’y magkaroon ng buhay – isang buhay na ganap at kasiya-siya.”
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Reflection for Sunday April 21, Fourth Sunday of Easter: John 10:11-18
Gospel: John 10:11-18
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.”
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Reflection:
A husband and his six children were left behind by his wife for another man. To assure his children of his guidance and protection, he gathered them, looked each of them in the eye, and told them: 'I will take care of you regardless of whatever difficulties we may face. I will see you through, and I will be with you until the end no matter what.
Jesus, in the gospel, tells us that He is our good shepherd who will give His very life for us, so that He could find and save us no matter how sinful we are. What have we done to merit this love and shepherding from Jesus? Nothing, we have even offended Him for countless times; nevertheless, His infinite love and shepherding are always there for us.
We will sin for as long as we live in this world, but the infinite love of Jesus, our good shepherd, is always there for us. Let us therefore not be deaf to His search and longing for us. He wants us back in His loving and unconditional embrace.
Many of us continuously loiter in the abyss of sinfulness; we purposely turn a blind eye to Jesus' search for us. But at what cost? For the cost of our own life? We would sin and continuously sin until it cost us our life? Jesus our good shepherd is knocking at the door of our hearts, let us open our hearts to Him.
Would you open the door of your heart to the Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Ang Mabuting Balita para Linggo Abril 21, Ikaapat na Linggo ng Pasko ng Muling Pagkabuhay: Juan 10:11-18
Tumatakas siya palibhasa'y upahan lamang at walang malasakit sa tupa. Ako ang mabuting pastol. Kung paanong nakikilala ako ng Ama at siya'y nakikilala ko, gayon din naman, nakikilala ko ang aking mga tupa at ako nama'y nakikilala nila. At iniaalay ko ang aking buhay para sa mga tupa.
Mayroon akong ibang tupa na wala sa kulungang ito. Kinakailangang sila'y alagaan ko rin; pakikinggan nila ang aking tinig. Sa gayo'y magiging isa ang kawan at isa ang pastol. "Dahil dito'y minamahal ako ng Ama, sapagkat iniaalay ko ang aking buhay, upang ito'y kunin kong muli.
Walang makakukuha nito sa akin; kusa ko itong ibinibigay. Mayroon akong kapangyarihang ibigay ito at kunin uli. Ito ang utos na tinanggap ko sa aking Ama.
Reflection for April 20, Saturday of the Third Week of Easter: John 6:60-69
It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is
of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are
some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who
would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, “For this
reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by
my Father.”
As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to
their former way of life and no longer walked with him. Jesus then said to the
Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom
shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and
are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
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Reflection:
How is your faith in Jesus right now? Is it still
solid as a rock or feeble as a sand castle?
After extensively telling His followers that He is the
Bread of Life. It was now time for Jesus to weigh up the disciples faith on Him.
Unfortunately, many did not believe the Bread of Life discourse of Jesus. So
they went back to their old lives, therefore they disconnected themselves from
actively following Jesus.
If we are made to choose between Jesus and the
trappings of this world such as power, wealth and the like. Many of us would
also choose to be with this world rather than to be with Jesus. Why? What does
this world offer us that we love it more than we love the Lord? This world
offers us temporal power, wealth, influence and the like.
Why is it that many of us have chosen to embrace worldliness?
Perhaps we have not yet experienced the power of Jesus in our lives. Otherwise
if we have already felt the power of God in our lives. We would surely leave
behind all forms of worldliness and sin for God.
Would it be possible to have the best of both sides
(We follow God and we follow also this world). No, we have to choose which one
we want to embrace. It’s either we embrace this temporal world or we embrace
our infinite God. The righteous choice is always to be with God and never to be
with this world.
What would it benefit you if you gain all the power
and riches of this temporal world but you don’t have God? Nothing else except
emptiness and more emptiness. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Reflection for April 19, Friday of the third Week of Easter: John 6:52-59
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal
life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my Flesh is true food, and my
Blood is true drink. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me
and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the
Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of
me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike
your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live
forever.” These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
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Reflection:
Are you a regular Sunday Mass goer or even a daily
Mass goer? How do you feel if you fail to be at Holy Mass? Do you feel that
something is lacking in your system of being? If your answer is yes, you have
this feeling not because you miss a routinary activity.
Truth be told, you have this feeling because you miss
to be with Jesus. And you miss to partake of the Body and Blood of Jesus which
(you may not know) is the source of your every Sunday and daily
nourishment.
How many times have you been to Holy Mass without
paying attention to what’s going on during the celebration? Perhaps countless
times already, what do you do after noticing that your attention was not in the
Mass? Do you say sorry to Jesus and then make it a point to be attentive
again?
In every Holy Mass that we attend we should see to it
that our full attention is in the sacred celebration. So that when the part
comes that we are about to partake of His body our focus is centered on what we
are about to receive. Which is no other than the most precious bread in the
entire world because we receive the life giver, Jesus Himself.
Perhaps you may not believe this now because you are
still young, healthy and perhaps you have money and power. And these temporal
things serve as your security blanket right now. However when the time comes
that you are already old and sickly. You will know that nothing matters anymore
except the Bread of life, Jesus Himself. You will not desire anything except to
partake of His Body which will become the source of your daily
nourishment.
Why wait for that time to come in the future? When you can already desire to be close to Jesus by faithfully partaking of His Body and Blood now and onwards? Why make the temporal things of this world your security blanket? When you can make the Body of Christ your security blanket now? Yes now. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Reflection for Thursday April 18 of the Third Week of Easter: John 6:44-51
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him
comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God;
he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal
life.
I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna
in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so
that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from
heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will
give is my Flesh for the life of the world.”
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Reflection:
Are you afraid to die?
There are many reasons why many are afraid to
die; foremost amongst these reasons is we are not prepared yet. We still have
our own worldly preoccupation that we must take care of first. But we all know
that at a time that we don’t expect, we have to go and leave this world
permanently.
In today’s gospel Jesus gives us an ironclad
protection against our fear of death. He enjoins us to regularly partake of the
living bread that is available to us during Holy Communion no other than
Himself. This is the same bread that is given to those who are sick and not
anymore able to go to church for Holy Mass.
Why don’t we try to regularly partake of His Body
during Holy Communion? And see how it will form, change and make us fearless of
mortal death. We will not die anymore if we are with Jesus and we will not fear
death anymore if we reverently partake of Him at Holy Mass during Holy
Communion.
Our marching order therefore is to bring others to
Holy Mass. So that they will also be blessed, nourished and enlightened by
Jesus Christ.
Have you been able to bring someone to church for Holy
Mass, so that they too can come to know Jesus more deeply and not fear anything
that may happen to them in this world? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Reflection for Wednesday April 17 of the Third Week of Easter: John 6:35-40
And this is
the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of
what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the
will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have
eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”
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Reflection:
Is Jesus the bread of our lives? When we make Jesus the bread of our
lives we are already assured of heavenly dwelling someday. But how are we going
to make Jesus the Bread of our lives? We have to receive Him at Holy Communion
whenever we attend Holy Mass.
We have to read the life story of Jesus in the
Holy Bible and we have to allow Jesus to transform us. We also have to have a
daily quality and quite time with Jesus every day of our lives. In our daily
quite and quality time with the Lord we have to listen to Him.
In the gospel for today, Jesus tells us this: I
am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever
believes in me will never thirst. Jesus further tells us, I will not reject
anyone who comes to me.
This bread of life discourse of Jesus invites us
also to reflect on our own life in this world. Have we already touched lives as
Jesus touched lives? Have we given hope to the hopeless as Jesus has given hope
to the hopeless? Are our hearts always on fire to help those who come to us? –
Marino J. Dasmarinas
Monday, April 15, 2024
Reflection for April 16, Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter: John 6:30-35
So they said to Jesus, “Sir, give us this
bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes
to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
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Reflection:
Would we be willing to give our very life for Jesus?
In the first reading, Stephen was killed because of his unending profession of faith in Jesus. He could have saved his life if he had not proclaimed his love for Jesus, but he chose to boldly declare it. As a result, he was stoned to death.
What a price to pay for professing his faith and love for the Lord. But this is the reality with our discipleship for Jesus. If we really are true and faithful followers we would not hesitate to give a certain part of our life or even our own life for our love for Jesus.
Every now and then there would be instances wherein the steadfastness of our faith in Jesus would be tested. It may not cost our life anymore; perhaps the test of our commitment to Jesus may come through many forms of temptations and trials. For example, temptation such as temptation of the flesh and trial such as unexpected sickness. Would we still be faithful to Jesus amidst these temptations and trials?
It’s really not easy to follow Jesus, some of us may have already given up on Jesus and we instead chose to follow the many temptations of this world.
But if we would not follow Jesus and if we
will not sacrifice a part of ourselves for the advancement of the kingdom of
God. Who are we going to follow? We follow the devil and his master, the
supreme manipulator and deceiver Satan? Those who chose to follow Satan lived
miserably until the end of their lives.– Marino J. Dasmarinas
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Reflection for April 15, Monday of the Third Week of Easter: John 6:22-29
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his
disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking
for Jesus. And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi,
when did you get here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to
you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the
loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes but for the food
that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him
the Father, God, has set his seal.” So they said to him, “What can we do to
accomplish the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the
work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”
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Reflection:
Why do we go to church for Mass or why do we pray? Is
it for our love of Jesus or for our need of Jesus? Some of us go to church for
Holy Mass because of our need for Jesus, some of us pray for the same reason as
well.
After our need for Jesus has been addressed
already many of us would slacken and go back to our old ways. Until
such time that we again encounter humps and bumps in our lives then we again
will need Jesus and we naturally attend Holy Mass again.
The people who were following Jesus were looking for
Him because they saw how He feed them in the miracle of the loaves and fish. It
was not for the love of Jesus that they were looking for Him neither for their
desire to join Jesus disciples in their mission of evangelization.
If we look for Jesus let us not look for Him because of our need for Him alone. We look for Him because we love Him and we want to share in His mission of evangelization. It’s always better to look for Jesus rooted in our love for Him. Since this love that we have for Him is always rewarded by Jesus in many ways: such as good health, peace of mind, peace in the family. feeling of contentment and the like.
Why do you look for the Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Tuesday, April 09, 2024
Reflection for Sunday April 14, Third Sunday of Easter: Luke 24:35-48
Gospel: Luke 24:35-48
While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” they gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them.
He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”
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Reflection:
A compassionate woman would always go to a poor community to give food to those who are hungry. The poor, whom she had helped, would ask her, 'Why are you doing this to us?' The woman would reply, 'I want to share the love and compassion of Jesus with you.'
How would we know that we are witnessing for the risen Christ? It’s when we hunger to do the things that Jesus did when He walked for three years in this world. For example, we saw a poor begging for food and we felt compassion for that person which led us to give food. Or whenever we see a person in need we always feel the drive to help.
If we feel these emotions in our hearts we are in fact already witnessing for the Risen Christ. The Lord is manifesting Himself through us and we become the living and breathing witnesses that Jesus has indeed risen!
Why are we witnessing for Jesus? We witness for Jesus because we want others to experience Him as close as we do in our own lives. Our witnessing for the Lord is a reflection of the positive impact that Jesus has made in our lives. And we desire the same transformative encounter for others too. Through our witness, others can come to know Jesus and feel His presence and love through us.
In the gospel, the two disciples recounted to their fellow disciples Jesus’ manifestation to them in the breaking of the bread. When we break bread or share our food with the poor and hungry, we are doing acts of mercy and compassion. By breaking bread or sharing our food with the hungry, we bear witness for Jesus and become His face to them. - Marino J. Dasmarinas
Ang Mabuting Balita para Linggo Abril 14, Ikatlong Linggo ng Pasko ng Muling Pagkabuhay: Lucas 24:35-48
Kaya't sinabi ni Hesus sa kanila, "Ano't kayo'y nagugulumihanan? Bakit nag-aalinlangan pa kayo? Tingnan ninyo ang aking kamay at paa, ako nga ito. Hipuin nga ninyo at pagmasdan. Ang multo'y walang laman at buto, ngunit ako'y mayroon, tulad ng nakikita ninyo." At pagkasabi nito, ipinakita niya sa kanila ang kanyang mga kamay at mga paa. Nang hindi pa rin sila makapaniwala dahil sa malaking galak at pagkamangha, tinanong sila ni Hesus, "May makakain ba riyan?" Siya'y binigyan nila ng kaputol na isdang inihaw, kinuha niya ito at kinain sa harapan nila.
Pagkatapos, sinabi sa mga alagad, "Ito ang tinutukoy ko nang sabihin ko sa inyo noong kasama-sama pa ninyo ako: dapat matupad ang lahat ng nasusulat tungkol sa akin sa Kautusan ni Moises sa mga aklat ng mga propeta at sa aklat ng mga Awit." At binuksan niya ang kanilang mga pag-iisip upang maunawaan nila ang mga Kasulatan.
Sinabi niya sa kanila. "Ganito ang mga nasusulat: kinakailangang magbata ng hirap at mamatay ang Mesias at muling mabuhay sa ikatlong araw. Sa kanyang pangalan, ang pagsisisi at kapatawaran ng mga kasalanan ay dapat ipangaral sa lahat ng bansa, magmula sa Jerusalem. Kayo ang mga saksi sa bagay na ito."






