Noong panahong iyon, habang nagtatakip-silim na, sinabi ni Hesus sa kanyang mga alagad, "Tumawid tayo sa ibayo." Kaya't iniwan nila ang mga tao, at sumakay sa bangkang kinalululanan ni Jesus upang itawid siya. May kasabay pa silang ibang mga bangka. Dumating ang malakas na unos. Hinampas ng malalaking alon ang bangka, anupa't halos mapuno ito ng tubig.
Si Jesus nama'y nakahilig sa unan sa may hulihan ng bangka at natutulog. Ginising siya ng mga alagad, "Guro," anila, "di ba ninyo alintana? Lulubog na tayo!" Bumangon si Jesus at iniutos sa hangin, "Tigil!" At sinabi sa dagat, "Tumahimik ka!" Tumigil ang hangin at tumahimik ang dagat.
Pagkatapos, sinabi niya sa mga alagad, "Bakit kayo natatakot? Wala pa ba kayong pananampalataya?" Sinidlan sila ng matinding takot at panggigilalas, at nagsabi sa isa't isa, "Sino nga kaya ito, at sinusunod maging ng hangin at ng dagat?"
Jesus said to his disciples: “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin.
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat? or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’
All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”
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Reflection:
What does Jesus mean when He said that we need not worry for God will provide? Is He telling us to simply lie down and we don’t do anything? Of course not! Yes Jesus is telling us in the gospel that we should learn to trust in God. But Jesus did not tell us to be lazy and just open our mouths because food will simply fall down from heaven.
What we need to do is we have to have faith and trust in Jesus. Yet we also have to move and do something and in the process expect the good Lord to bless our efforts. So its trusting Jesus and we reinforce our trust by our action and then we leave it up all to the graciousness of the good Lord.
What makes a meaningful life in this world? It’s a life focused first on God not a life focused first on this world. When we fix first our attention on God we are properly guided as we go on and live our lives in this world. We are not easily tempted to do wrong for the very reason that God is our priority.
If God is the driver of our lives we have nothing to worry for we will be able to handle whatever trials that may come our way. We will certainly survive it splendidly for the very reason that Jesus occupies the driver’s seat.
Who is driving your life right now? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa kanyang mga alagad:
"Walang makapaglilingkod ng sabay sa dalawang panginoon sapagkat kapopootan niya ang isa at iibigin ang ikalawa, paglilingkuran ng tapat ang isa at hahamakin ang ikalawa. Hindi kayo makapaglilingkod ng sabay sa Diyos at sa kayamanan.
"Kaya't sinasabi ko sa inyo: huwag kayong mabagabag, tungkol sa pagkain at inumin na kailangan ninyo upang mabuhay, o tungkol sa damit na kailangan ng inyong katawan. Hindi ba't ang buhay ay higit na mahalaga kaysa pagkain, at ang katawan kaysa pananamit? Masdan ninyo ang mga ibon: hindi sila naghahasik ni nag-aani o kaya'y nagtitipon sa bangan.
Gayunman, pinakakain sila ng inyong Amang nasa langit. Hindi ba't higit kayong mahalaga kaysa mga ibon? Sino sa inyo ang makapagpapahaba ng kanyang buhay nang kahit isang oras sa pamamagitan ng kanyang pagkabalisa? "At bakit kayo nababagabag tungkol sa pananamit? Isipin ninyo kung paanong sumisibol ang mga bulaklak sa parang; hindi sila nagpapagal ni humahabi man.
Ngunit ito ang sasabihin ko sa inyo: maging si Solomon ay hindi nakapagsuot ng kasingganda ng isa sa mga bulaklak na ito, bagamat napakariringal ang mga damit niya. Kung ang mga damo sa kabukiran, na buhay ngayon at kinabukasa'y iginagatong sa kalan, ay dinaramtan ng Diyos, kayo pa kaya? Kay liit ng pananalig ninyo sa kanya! Kaya't huwag kayong mabalisa sa inyong kakanin, iinumin, o daramtin.
Sapagkat ang mga bagay na ito ang kinahuhumalingan ng mga taong wala pang pananalig sa Diyos . Alam ng inyong Amang nasa langit na kailangan ninyo ang lahat ng ito. Ngunit pagsumakitan ninyo ng higit sa lahat ang pagharian kayo ng Diyos at mamuhay nang ayon sa kanyang kalooban, at ipagkakaloob niya ang lahat ng kailangan ninyo. Kaya, huwag ninyong ikabahala ang para sa araw ng bukas; saka na ninyo harapin kapag ito'y dumating. Sapat na sa bawat araw ang kanyang mga suliranin."
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store
up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves
break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor
decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is,
there also will your heart be.
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If your
eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is
bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness,
how great will the darkness be.”
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Reflection:
There’s a story of a young, bright man who
declined every opportunity to get wealthy in favor of serving God. After twenty
years, his batch had an alumni homecoming. And many of his batchmates were
already executives of private and government corporations.
How about him? He was still serving
God. Compared to them who were complaining of many sickness brought about by
the pressure of this world. His batch mates noticed his refreshing and healthy
physical appearance.
When you focus on God rather than this
world and when you store up treasures for heaven rather than this world. You
will not only have good physical appearance you will also have a healthy
spiritual life. You will also have a close relationship with Jesus.
Spiritual health is the greatest wealth
yet many of us are blinded by material riches that we consider it our greatest
wealth. What good would it do us if we have accumulated all the wealth in this
world if our spirits are in poor health? What good will it do us if we gain all
the wealth in this world if we cannot go to heaven after our journey is over?
Whatever we have in this world we will
leave behind sooner or later or it may leave us behind. Yet, whatever we have
invested for God in this world will be our passport to heaven to be with Jesus.
What are you investing on right now? Are
you still investing on the things of this world? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon sinabi ni Jesus
sa kanyang mga alagad: "Huwag kayong mag-impok ng kayamanan dito sa lupa;
dito'y may naninirang tanga at kalawang, at may nakapapasok na magnanakaw. Sa
halip, impukin ninyo ang mga kayamanan sa langit; doo'y walang naninirang tanga
at kalawang, at walang nakapapasok na magnanakaw.
Sapagkat
kung saan naroon ang inyong kayamanan, naroon din naman ang inyong puso."
"Ang mata ang pinakailaw ng katawan. Kaya't kung malinaw ang iyong mata,
maliliwanagan ang iyong katawan. Ngunit kung malabo ang iyong mata, madirimlan
ang buo mong katawan. Kaya't kung ang liwanag na nasa iyo ay kadiliman pala,
napakadilim niyan!"
(Jesus said to his disciples) “In praying,
do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of
their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before
you ask him. “This is how you are to pray:
‘Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this
day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who
trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from
evil.’
“If you forgive others their transgressions, your
heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither
will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
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Reflection:
How do you
pray?
Do you pray with a set of structured prayer such as the Our Father, Hail Mary,
Glory be and many other Catholic prayers? Nothing is wrong with these prayers
for it brings you closer to God. What is important is, when you pray you dive
inside your prayer this means that your whole being is in communion with your
prayer.
There is no wrong either with your
spontaneous/personal prayers for these are prayers that originate deep in your
heart. Your whole being should always be with your prayers and by doing so you
establish your connection with God.
So you know how to pray and that is very good! But think
about the many others who do not know ho w to pray (There are many of
them). Perhaps you can make it your mission to teach them how to pray and in
the process you bring them closer to Jesus.
You become productive follower of Jesus when you pay
forward whatever you know about Jesus most especially this prayer that HE
taught the disciples and you too to pray.
Have you already shared the Our Father prayer? –
Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus
sa kanyang mga alagad, "Sa pananalangin ninyo'y huwag kayong gagamit ng
napakaraming salita, gaya ng ginagawa ng mga Hentil. Ang akala nila'y
pakikinggan sila ng Diyos dahil sa dami ng kanilang salita. Huwag ninyo silang
tutularan. Sapagkat alam na ng inyong Ama ang inyong kinakailangan bago pa
ninyo hingin sa kanya.
Ganito kayo mananalangin: 'Ama naming nasa langit, Sambahin nawa
ang pangalan mo. Ikaw nawa ang maghari sa amin, Sundin nawa ang iyong kalooban
dito sa lupa tulad ng sa langit. Bigyan mo kami ng pagkaing kailangan namin sa
araw na ito; At patawarin mo kami sa aming mga kasalanan, Tulad ng aming
pagpapatawad sa mga nagkakasala sa amin. At huwag mo kaming iharap sa mahigpit
na pagsubok, Kundi ilayo mo kami sa Masama!
Sapagkat
iyo ang kaharian at ang kapangyarihan at ang kapurihan, magpakailanman! Amen.'
Sapagkat kung pinatatawad ninyo ang mga nagkakasala sa inyo, patatawarin din kayo
ng inyong Amang nasa langit. Ngunit kung hindi ninyo pinatatawad ang mga
nagkakasala sa inyo, hindi rin kayo patatawarin ng inyong Ama."
Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care
not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise,
you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do
not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in
the streets to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received
their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your
right is doing, so that your alms giving may be secret. And your
Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you pray, do not be like the
hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their
reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door and pray to
your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay
you.
“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the
hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to
be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you
fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others
to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees
what is hidden will repay you.”
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Reflection:
What motivates us to do good? For example in giving to
the poor, what motivates us to help them? In giving to the poor Jesus has a
major requirement that we should follow. Do it in secret without anyone knowing
about it.
Why in secret? This is for the reason that secrecy and
humility is the language of Jesus secrecy is also a close relative of humility
which Jesus embodies to the hilt.
The teaching of Jesus on almsgiving is totally opposed
to the teachings of this world, which, unfortunately, many of us follow. This
world teaches us to publicize and broadcast whatever good we do. It encourages
us to post our acts of kindness on Facebook and other social media platforms so
that those who know us may see them and consequently have a good impression of
us.
Why publicize? Perhaps this is brought about by our
hunger for recognition. And there’s no wrong about it for we simply want to be
recognized. But Jesus is challenging us not to go after recognition
and to not publicize what we do. Jesus is challenging us to silently fade away
after we have done good to anyone.
Can you measure up to this challenge of the Lord? –
Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus
sa kanyang mga alagad: “Pag-ingatan ninyo na huwag maging pakitang-tao lamang
ang paggawa ninyo ng mabuti. Kapag ganyan ang ginawa ninyo, wala kayong
matatamong gantimpala buhat sa inyong Amang nasa langit.
“Kaya nga, kapag naglilimos ka, huwag mo nang ipagmakaingay ito,
katulad ng ginagawa ng mga mapagpaimbabaw doon sa sinagoga at sa mga lansangan.
Ginagawa nila ito upang purihin sila ng mga tao. Sinasabi ko sa inyo: tinanggap
na nila ang kanilang gantimpala. Ngunit kung naglilimos ka, huwag mo nang
ipaalam ito kahit sa iyong pinakamatalik na kaibigan upang malihim ang iyong
paglilimos. At gagantihan ka ng iyong Amang nakakikita ng kabutihang ginagawa
mo nang lihim.
“At kapag nananalangin kayo huwag kayong tumulad sa mga
mapagpaimbabaw. Mahilig silang manalangin nang patayo sa mga sinagoga at sa mga
panukalang-daan, upang makita ng mga tao. Sinasabi ko sa inyo: tinanggap na
nila ang kanilang gantimpala. Ngunit kapag mananalangin ka, pumasok ka sa iyong
silid at isara mo ang pinto. Saka ka manalangin sa iyong Amang hindi mo
nakikita, at gagantihan ka ng iyong Amang nakakikita ng kabutihang ginagawa mo
nang lihim.
“Kapag
nag-aayuno kayo, huwag kayong magmukhang malungkot, tulad ng mga mapagimbabaw.
Hindi sila nag-aayos upang malaman ng mga tao na sila’y nag-aayuno. Sinasabi ko
sa inyo: tinanggap na nila ang kanilang gantimpala. Kapag ikaw ay nag-aayuno,
mag-ayos ka ng buhok at maghilamos upang huwag mapansin ng mga tao na
nag-aayuno ka. Ang iyong Amang hindi mo nakikita ang siya lamang nakaaalam
nito. Siya, na nakakikita ng kabutihang ginagawa mo ng lihim, ang gaganti sa
iyo.”
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have
heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I
say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you
may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad
and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what
recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you
greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the
same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
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Reflection:
Would we obey the command of Jesus to love
and pray for our enemy?
Who are we to not obey the command of
Jesus to love even our enemy? We are mere mortals and sinful beings of God. If
God loves us unconditionally, why can’t we do the same to our fellow humans?
Our problem is that we give so much
importance to our high sense of ourselves, to our egos. That’s why we often
say, 'If you don’t love me, I will not love you either,' or 'If you’re angry
with me, then I will be angry with you too.' These kinds of reasoning reflect a
person who is full of himself.
The call of Jesus for us it to do away
with our very high regard of ourselves and this would only be possible if we
would become humble. Humility therefore is the key factor for us to be able to
follow this command of Jesus: To love even our enemies.
Let be humility an integral part of our
way of life. Let us always learn to reach out, let us always be forgiving and
let us not harbor ill feelings to those who’ve wronged us. If we’re able to do
these, we can now say that we would be able to love and pray for everyone even
our enemies.
Are you capable of loving your enemy? –
Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus
sa kanyang mga alagad, “Narinig na ninyong sinabi, ‘Ibigin mo ang iyong
kaibigan at kapootan mo ang iyong kaaway.’ Ngunit ito naman sabi ko: ibigin
ninyo ang mga umuusig sa inyo, upang kayo’y maging tunay na anak ng inyong
Amang nasa langit.
Sapagkat pinasisikat niya ang araw sa
masasama at sa mabubuti, at pinapapatak niya ang ulan sa mga banal at sa mga
makasalanan.
Kung
ang mga umiibig sa inyo ang siya lamang ninyo iibigin, ano pang gantimpala ang
inyong hihintayin? Hindi ba’t ginagawa rin ito ng mga publikano? At kung ang
binabati lamang ninyo’y ang inyong mga kapatid, ano ang nagawa ninyong higit
kaysa iba? Ginagawa rin iyon ng mga Hentil! Kaya, dapat kayong maging ganap,
gaya ng inyong Amang nasa Langit.”
Jesus said to his disciples: You have
heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to
you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your
right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over
your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service
for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and
do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.
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Reflection:
Do you know that exacting revenge against
someone who wronged you will not do you any good? For example, if you discover
that your spouse is unfaithful to you, and you get back at your spouse by being
unfaithful as well, do you know that you are only enveloping yourself in sin?
There’s a psychological study that says
that when a person is at the height of his anger that person momentarily loses
his rationality. This is the reason why a person commits sin that is
unthinkable for that person to do.
In the gospel passage this Monday Jesus
told the disciples: “offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone
strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone
wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles
(Matthew 5:39-41).
Jesus did not retaliate for all the
punishments and insults that His persecutors did to Him. He was always meek and
humble. May we always be meek and humble also to those who sin against us most
especially sin inside the marriage covenant.
May we learn to turn the other cheek, hand
our cloak and learn to walk some more miles for the sake of peace and eventual
harmony inside the marriage covenant.
Instead of retaliating with the betrayal
of the marriage covenant, which will only lead to sin, why not engage in
dialogue, prayer, and forgiveness? Or why not simply walk away and live a quiet
and solitary life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa mga
alagad, "Narinig ninyo na sinabi, 'Mata sa mata at ngipin sa ngipin.'
Ngunit ngayo'y sinasabi ko sa inyo: huwag ninyong labanan ang masamang tao.
Kung may sumampal sa iyo sa kanang pisngi, iharap mo pa sa kanya ang
kabila.
Kung
ipagsakdal ka ninuman upang makuha ang iyong baro, ibigay mo sa kanya pati ang
iyong balabal. Kung sapilitang ipapasan sa iyo ng manlulupig ang kanyang dala
nang isang kilometro, pasanin mo ito nang dalawang kilometro. Magbigay ka sa
nanghihingi sa iyo, at huwag mong pahindian ang nanghihiram sa iyo.
Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the Kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.”
He said, “To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.
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Reflection:
A woman would habitually share inspirational and wisdom-filled Bible verses to her friends thru Facebook and other social media platforms. Regardless of whether she received a reply of appreciation or not, she would always send them.
One day, she met by chance one of those friends who regularly read her inspirational Bible verses. Her friend told her, "Thank you for the daily inspirational verses that you’ve been tirelessly sending me. You’ve been planting the seeds of God’s kingdom in my heart. It gives me hope to move forward and it strengthens my faith in Jesus.
In the Gospel, Jesus used two comparisons to describe the Kingdom of God: the man who scattered seed and the mustard seed that became a great tree. Both seeds grew and became useful. The scattered seed grew and was harvested, while the small mustard seed that was sown became big and had large branches where birds dwelt in its shade.
Let us think about and ask ourselves if we have planted seeds of faith, goodness, and humility in the hearts of others. Let us reflect on whether we have planted the seed of Jesus in their hearts. So that it may also grow within them and become as big as the mustard seed, where others could benefit from it.
Let us also think and reflect on whether we have already sown or scattered the seeds of forgiveness, mercy, and love, so that they could grow and multiply in the hearts of others. Hence, they too could sow the seeds of forgiveness, mercy, and love to those around them.
Have you already done something to sow the seeds of Jesus' words and teachings? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
