"Sinasabi ko sa inyo ang mga bagay na ito upang makahati kayo sa kagalakan ko at malubos ang inyong kagalakan."
Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me will be
thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them
into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in
you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my
Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
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Reflection:
How does it feel without connection to the internet? It seems that something important in our lives is lacking. We cannot function properly if our job is reliant on the internet.
Somehow our lives now is associated with the internet be it wifi or cable based internet connection. When we are outside of our respective houses our smart phones are ever ready to find wifi connection. We look for it because we need or we want to be connected.
How about our desire to be connected with Jesus and God? Do we always seek a connection with Jesus and God? Is our desire for Jesus and God as intense as our desire for a wifi or internet connection?
In the gospel for this Wednesday Jesus tells us that He is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:5) and as such we must always be connected with Him and God. Life without connection with God is meaningless, even if we have all the material wealth and power it’s still meaningless without God!
If only we would always desire connection with God more than we desire wifi or internet connection. If only we would invest more time with God as much as we invest time using our smart phones, computers and laptops. Let us therefore always seek connection with God through our prayers, presence at Holy Mass. And by reading and reflecting upon His life transforming worlds in the bible.
The best is yet to come for us If we would
seek permanent connection with our vine and our vine grower no other
than Jesus and God. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Nalinis na kayo sa pamamagitan ng salitang sinabi ko sa inyo.
Manatili kayo sa akin at mananatili ako sa inyo. Hindi makapamumunga ang
sangang hindi nananatiling nakakabit sa puno. Gayon din naman, hindi kayo
makapamumunga kung hindi kayo mananatili sa akin.
"Ako ang puno ng ubas, kayo ang mga sanga. Ang nananatili
sa akin, at ako sa kanya, ang siyang namumunga ng sagana; sapagkat wala kayong
magagawa kung kayo'y hiwalay sa akin.
Ang hindi nananatili sa akin ay itatapon at matutuyo, gaya ng sanga. Ang gayong mga sanga ay titipunin at susunugin. Kung nananatili kayo sa akin at nananatili sa inyo ang mga salita ko, hingin ninyo ang inyong maibigan, at ipagkakaloob sa inyo. Napararangalan ang Ama kung kayo'y namumunga nang sagana at sa gayo'y napatutunayang mga alagad ko kayo.
And now I have told you this before it
happens, so that when it happens you may believe. I will no longer speak much
with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me, but
the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has
commanded me.”
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Reflection:
What is this peace that Jesus mentions to us in the gospel? It’s the peace that no one in this world can ever give us. We cannot find this peace with worldly power or riches. Because the more worldly power and riches we have the more that we’ll have no peace in our hearts.
Many of us think that we will have peace by having power and wealth that’s why we aspire for it! We don’t even care if we sin as long as we could have this corrupted wealth and power. But we must be wary for the reason that the devil has always a concession for us to have immoral wealth and power and the concession is sin. And by accepting the offer of the devil we are permanently under the devil’s devious spell until we die and we end up in hell.
On the contrary, Jesus offers us His peace. Peace that no amount of worldly power and wealth could measure up. Peace that will keep us permanently away from sin and peace that will plant contentment in our hearts. Therefore, we must embrace this peace that Jesus offers us.
Do you already have the peace of Jesus in
your heart? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Jesus answered and said to him, "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.
"I have told you this while I am with
you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name— he
will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you."
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Reflection:
Do you deeply love Jesus?
Love begets love, for example if a husband will show his love for his wife he gets love in return from his wife. As the marriage move on the love between spouses flounders it passes through stormy waters. And it will take humility and forgiveness for both spouses to triumphantly pass through that turbulence.
The love of Jesus for us is unconditional He loves us even if we have betrayed Him so many times. It is not even attached to any actions that we do for God has already forgiven us for the many betrayals that we’ve caused Him.
However, even if Jesus has forgiven us already it is still our obligation to always humble ourselves before Him. We show Jesus that we love Him deeply when we humbly say sorry to Him for the many hurts that we’ve caused Him. This we do when we humbly submit ourselves to the healing Sacrament of Reconciliation.
When was your last you’ve been through the
Sacrament of Reconciliation? Would you want to show your love for Jesus by
humbly submitting yourself to this healing Sacrament? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Sumagot si Jesus, "Ang umiibig sa akin ay tutupad ng aking
mga salita; iibigin siya ng aking ama, at kami'y sasakanya at mananahan sa
kanya. Ang hindi umiibig sa akin ay hindi tumutupad sa aking mga salita. Hindi
akin ang salitang narinig ninyo, kundi sa Amang nagsugo sa akin.
"Sinasabi ko sa inyo ang mga bagay na ito samantalang kasama pa ninyo ako. Ngunit ang Patnubay, ang Espiritu Santo na susuguin ng Ama sa pangalan ko, ang siyang magtuturo sa inyo ng lahat ng bagay at magpapaalaala ng lahat ng sinabi ko sa inyo.
Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
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Reflection:
Where does life lead us without Jesus? It leads us to nowhere and nothingness. Our life is without meaning without Jesus. We are like a boat being buffeted by waves that has nowhere to go.
Life is meaningless without our connection to Jesus. We may possess abundance in worldly goods, yet these are all temporary; one day, we will leave them behind. Worldly possessions cannot provide peace of mind; instead, they often disturb our inner peace.
Jesus, through the gospel for this Sunday, tells us: 'You will never bear fruit unless you remain in me' (John 15:4). Yet, Jesus also tells us that we will bear much fruit if only we decide to remain in Him.
Therefore, let us always decide to be connected with Jesus through our presence at Holy Mass, through the Sacraments, through our visits to the Adoration chapel, and through reading His words in the Bible.
Let us not let go of Jesus even when life brings us numerous trials. For no trial is insurmountable for Jesus; if we are connected to Him, nothing can defeat us. No one could dampen our spirits, for His abiding presence is with us.
As the branch cannot survive without its connection to the vine. We too will not be able to survive without our connection with Jesus. Are you always connected to Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Nalinis na kayo sa pamamagitan ng salitang sinabi ko sa inyo. Manatili kayo sa akin at mananatili ako sa inyo. Hindi makapamumunga ang sangang hindi nananatiling nakakabit sa puno. Gayon din naman, hindi kayo makapamumunga kung hindi kayo mananatili sa akin.
"Ako ang puno ng ubas, kayo ang mga sanga. Ang nananatili sa akin, at ako sa kanya, ang siyang namumunga ng sagana; sapagkat wala kayong magagawa kung kayo'y hiwalay sa akin.
Ang hindi nananatili sa akin ay itatapon at matutuyo, gaya ng sanga. Ang gayong mga sanga ay titipunin at susunugin. Kung nananatili kayo sa akin at nananatili sa inyo ang mga salita ko, hingin ninyo ang inyong maibigan, at ipagkakaloob sa inyo. Napararangalan ang Ama kung kayo'y namumunga nang sagana at sa gayo'y napatutunayang mga alagad ko kayo.
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes
in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because
I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that
the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I
will do it.”
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Reflection:
Whenever I go for a vacation in our province, I would always reunite with my relatives and friends. They would always say that they are reminded of my father because of how I look and sound. I always reply with a thank you and a smile in return.
In the gospel Philip said to Jesus, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9).” The two personalities or the Trinity is revealed by Jesus, him and God the Father and they are acting as one person. Jesus further told them whoever believes in me will do the works that I do (John 14:12).
There is a great responsibility on us when we say that we are followers of Christ because Jesus tells us that if we are believers we must do the works that he did in other words we must emulate him if we profess to be His followers.
If we are true followers of Jesus we have
no other choice but to do His works in the process we will be closer to Him.
And whenever others would see us they will be reminded of Jesus. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
Sinabi sa kanya ni Felipe, "Panginoon, ipakita po ninyo sa
amin ang Ama, at masisiyahan na kami." Sumagot si Jesus, "Matagal na
ninyo akong kasama, Felipe! Diyata't hindi mo pa ako nakikilala? Ang nakakita
sa akin ay nakakita na sa Ama. Bakit mo sinasabing ; 'Ipakita mo sa amin ang
Ama'? Hindi ka ba naniniwalang ako'y sumasa-Ama at ang Ama'y sumasaakin?
Ang mga salitang sinasabi ko ay hindi ko sinasabi sa ganang
aking sarili. Ang Amang sumasaakin ang gumaganap ng kanyang mga gawain.
Maniwala kayo sa akin: ako'y sumasa-Ama at ang Ama'y sumasa-akin. Kung ayaw
ninyong maniwala sa sinasabi ko maniwala kayo dahil sa mga gawang
ito.
Sinasabi
ko sa inyo: ang nananalig sa akin ay makagagawa ng ginagawa ko at higit pa
rito, sapagkat pupunta na ako sa Ama. At anumang hingin ninyo sa Ama sa aking
pangalan ay gagawin ko, upang maparangalan ang Ama sa pamamagitan ng Anak.
Gagawin ko ang anumang hihilingin ninyo sa pangalan ko."
Where [I]
am going you know the way. Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where
you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and
the truth* and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
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Reflection:
Do you know
where would you go after your journey in this world is over?
Perhaps many
of us may lose sleep by mere mention of death, we don’t want to die at this
point because we are not yet prepared. But who is prepared to die? Nobody, we
are not prepared to die. Why? For the simple reason that majority of us still
love to be in this world and enjoy whatever it can still offer us.
Nevertheless,
Jesus is telling us in the gospel not to be troubled. For as long as we have
faith in Him we would be OK even if we die. For our faith and friendship with
Jesus is more than enough to conquer our fear of death.
Therefore, we have to do our part to get close to Jesus for as long as we live. If we are close to Jesus we have nothing to fear, even death we will not fear. Jesus Himself assures us with these words: Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places (John 14:1-2). - Marino J. Dasmarinas
Ang mga sumasampalataya ay magtataglay ng ganitong tanda ng
kapangyarihan: sa pangalan ko'y magpapalayas sila ng mga demonyo at magsasalita
ng ibang wika; sila'y hindi maaano dumampot man ng ahas o uminom ng lason; at
gagaling ang mga may sakit na mapatungan ng kanilang kamay."
Pagkatapos magsalita sa kanila, ang Panginoong Jesus ay iniakyat sa langit, at lumuklok sa kanan ng Diyos. Humayo nga ang mga alagad at nangaral sa lahat ng dako. Tinulungan sila ng Panginoon sa gawaing ito. Pinatotohanan niya ang Salitang kanilang ipinangangaral sa pamamagitan ng kapangyarihang gumawa ng himala, na ipinagkaloob niya sa kanila.
They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if
they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the
sick, and they will recover.” Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was
taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went
forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed
the word through accompanying signs.
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Reflection:
Do you take time to share in whatever way possible
what you know about Jesus?
The gospel speaks is the end of the earthly ministry
of Jesus and the start of the ministry of the apostles. We all know that the
apostles were very successful in their mission of evangelization. But it was
not easy for they worked very hard and except for one all of them died for
their mission.
It’s so easy to remain in our comfort zones and just
live the lifestyle that we want. We do everything for ourselves and we tend to
forget God and our mission to spread the gospel as well. Then, when
we are at the sunset of our lives we will find out that nothing really matters
except God. Yes, at the end nothing really matters except God alone: Money
will not matter influence and power will not matter either.
God wants us to spread the good news in whatever way
possible. He wants us to proclaim our faith not necessarily by words alone but
through our actions as well. If we can proclaim our faith thru our
actions that would be much better since actions speaks volumes than
words.
As the Lord ascends to heaven He is gently reminding you about your baptismal mission. Which is to help the Lord spread the faith through your words and actions. - Marino J. Dasmarinas
