Jesus said to the crowds: “To what shall I
compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like
children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, ‘We played the
flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’
For John the Baptist came neither eating
food nor drinking wine, and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of
Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a
drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. But wisdom is vindicated by
all her children.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Are you quick to judge?
Every once in a while, each and every one
of us are guilty of judging our fellowmen by what we exteriorly see on them.
This happened to John and Jesus, they both were unfairly judged based on what
they exteriorly saw. But the danger of judging quickly is we immediately close
our minds to further be enlightened by the person/s that we judge.
But how could we know the person better if
we quickly judge them? How could we see their pureness, gentleness and humility
if we judge them? It’s always better to know the person first and if possible
to get acquainted with them before we judge them.
Because if we do, we would not be judging
or condemning them quickly anymore. This is for the reason that we would be
able to discover who they really are. Those who judged John and Jesus were
deprived of discovering the real identity of Jesus and John. They also
unknowingly deprived themselves of their friendship, blessing and wisdom.
This may happen also to us if we are quick
to judge. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ng
Panginoon, “Sa ano ko nga ihahambing ang mga tao ngayon? At ano ang nakakatulad
nila? Katulad sila ng mga batang nakaupo sa plasa at sumisigaw sa kanilang mga
kalaro: ‘Tinugtugan namin kayo ng plauta, ngunit hindi kayo sumayaw! Nanambitan
kami, ngunit hindi kayo tumangis!
Sapagkat naparito si Juan Bautista na nag-aayuno at hindi umiinom
ng alak, at sinasabi ninyo, ‘Inaalihan siya ng demonyo.’ Naparito naman ang
Anak ng Tao, na kumakain at umiinom tulad ng iba, at sinasabi ninyo, ‘Masdan
ninyo ang taong ito! Matakaw at maglalasing, kaibigan ng mga publikano at ng
mga makasalanan!’ Gayunman, ang karunungan ng Diyos ay napatutunayang matuwid
sa pamamagitan ng kanyang mga anak.”
Jesus
journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd
accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died
was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd
from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for
her and said to her, “Do not weep.” He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” The
dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized
them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has arisen in
our midst,” and “God has visited his people.” This report about him spread
through the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
What does Jesus do to our life?
He makes
miracles for us everyday some of us notice these miracles that’s why we always
thank HIM everyday through prayers. Many of us also do not notice this, so we
live our lives without being aware of the goodness of Jesus.
While on
their way to Nain Jesus saw a funeral march with a grieving widow. Jesus saw
her approached her and told her, “Do not weep.” And thereafter HE approached
the coffin of her son and HE said, Young man I tell you arise! The grieving
widow suddenly became joyous and thankful for the reason that Jesus brought to life
again her only son.
This is Jesus
for you and me, a God who heals, a God who create miracles. And a God that is
always by our side ever ready to help us in whatever way. Therefore, in
everyday of our life we must strive to walk with Jesus. We must discard any
actions and thoughts which would only make us sin.
Do you make a
conscious effort to avoid sin or distance yourself away from people who
influence you to sin? Have you recently thought of submitting yourself to the
healing Sacrament of Reconciliation? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong
panahong iyon, pumunta si Hesus sa isang bayang tinatawag na Nain. Sumama sa
kanya ang kanyang mga alagad at ang napakaraming tao. Nang malapit na siya sa
pintuan ng bayan, nasalubong niya ang libing ng kaisa-isang anak na lalaki ng
isang babaing balo.
Marami
ang nakikipaglibing. Nahabag ang Panginoon nang makita ang ina ng namatay, at
sinabi sa kanya, “Huwag kang tumangis.” Lumapit siya at hinipo ang kinalalagyan
ng patay at tumigil naman ang mga may dala nito. Sinabi niya, “Binata, bumangon
ka!” Naupo ito at nagsalita; at siya’y ibinigay ni Hesus sa kanyang ina.
Sinidlan
ng takot ang lahat at sila’y nagpuri sa Diyos. Sabi nila, “Dumating sa atin ang
isang dakilang propeta! Nilingap ng Diyos ang kanyang bayan!” At kumalat sa
buong Judea at sa palibot na lupain ang balitang ito tungkol sa kanya.
When Jesus had finished all his words to
the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave who was ill and
about to die, and he was valuable to him. When he heard about Jesus, he sent
elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his
slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come,
saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and
he built the synagogue for us.” And Jesus went with them, but when he was only
a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord,
do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to
you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person
subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and
he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’
and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and,
turning, said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have
I found such faith.” When the messengers returned to the house, they found the
slave in good health.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Do you have concern for the poor and powerless? The
concern of the military officer/centurion for his slave is very
admirable. We must emulate his worthy action of giving concern most especially
to those who are poor and powerless.
What if the officer was heartless? There would have
been no healing for the slave. By his act of concern his slave was healed by
Jesus. We often times lose sight of the fact that we need to be concerned as
well with the wellbeing of others especially those who are powerless and
poor.
The me first attitude often times envelope us already
thus we fail to see the many needs of others most especially the poor and
powerless. Why? For the simple reason that we are already overly fixated with
our own needs.
We would reap enormous spiritual blessings if we would
find time to help those who are poor and powerless. Thus, we would be closer to
Jesus who loves the poor dearly. And we will find true joy and fulfillment the
moment we begin to help them. - Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong
panahong iyon, nang maituro ni Hesus sa mga tao ang kanyang aral, siya’y
pumasok ng Capernaum. Doo’y may isang kapitang Romano na may aliping mahal sa
kanya. May sakit ang aliping ito at nasa bingit ng kamatayan. Nang mabalitaan
ng kapitan ang ginagawa ni Hesus, nagpasugo siya sa ilang matatanda sa mga
Judio upang ipakiusap kay Hesus na puntahan at pagalingin ang
alipin.
Nang makita
nila si Hesus, taimtim silang nakiusap sa kanya, “Siya’y karapat-dapat na
pagbigyan ninyo sapagkat mahal niya ang ating bansa,” wika nila. ”Ipinagpatayo
pa niya tayo ng isang sinagoga.” Kaya’t sumama sa kanila si Hesus. Nang
malapit na siya sa bahay, ipinasalubong siya ng kapitan sa kanyang mga kaibigan
at ipinasabi ang ganito: “Ginoo, huwag na po kayong magpakapagod. Hindi ako
karapat-dapat na puntahan ninyo sa aking tahanan. Ni hindi rin po ako
karapat-dapat na humarap sa inyo.
Ngunit
magsalita po lamang kayo at gagaling na ang aking alipin. Sapagkat ako’y isang
taong nasa ilalim ng mga nakatataas na pinuno, at may nasasakupan din po akong
mga kawal. Kung sabihin ko sa isa, ‘Humayo ka!’ siya’y humahayo; at sa iba,
‘Halika! siya’y lumalapit; at sa aking alipin, ‘Gawin mo ito!’ ito’y ginagawa
niya.”
Namangha si
Hesus nang marinig ito, at humarap sa makapal na taong sumusunod sa kanya.
Sinabi niya, “Kahit sa Israel ay hindi ako nakakita ng ganito kalaking
pananalig.” Pagbabalik sa bahay, naratnan ng mga sinugo na magaling na ang
alipin.
Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Christ.” Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him. He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
The story is told of a man who wanted to have a personal encounter with Jesus. He said to Jesus, "Please show yourself to me. I want to see you. I want to follow you, and I want to have a deep friendship with you.
In his dream, Jesus replied, “Would you be willing to follow the path of my suffering and sacrifice?” With a forlorn expression, the man said, no. Jesus then said to him, “So, you will not be able to know me deeply, nor will you be able to have a personal friendship with me.
Just like many of us, Peter seemed to be averse to suffering, as he reproached Jesus after He told him that He must suffer, be rejected, and eventually be killed (Mark 8:31). Why are we afraid of suffering, by the way?
Is it because we love the self-indulgent lifestyle of this temporary world? Which would we prefer: the temporal pleasures of this world or a deep friendship with Jesus? A lot would blindly choose the many short-lived pleasures of this world than to have a deep friendship with Jesus. But a deep friendship with Jesus forged through our sufferings is the best choice.
Many of us lack a personal friendship with Jesus because we love this world more than we love Him. We do not experience personal closeness with Jesus because we easily forsake the Lord in favor of the many temptations and pleasures of this world.
What benefit is there if we gain the world but do not have Jesus in our lives? Nothing—it's pure emptiness! Yes, we may find worldly happiness and enjoyment, but it is always short-lived. It won't last long and will eventually lead us to sin. Then, emptiness and loneliness will follow. Let us not allow ourselves to be deceived by the self-indulgent lifestyle of this world, for we gain nothing from it.
It is only through our faithful discipleship with Jesus that we would be able to find ourselves. It is only through the carrying of our own cross that we would be able to develop personal, deep and lasting friendship with Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon, si Hesus, kasama ang kanyang mga alagad, ay nagtungo sa mga nayon ng Cesarea, sakop ni Filipo. Samantalang sila’y naglalakbay, tinanong niya ang kanyang mga alagad, “Sino raw ako ayon sa mga tao?” Sumagot sila,
“Ang sabi ng ilan ay si Juan Bautista kayo; sabi naman ng iba, si Elias kayo; at may nagsasabi pang isa kayo sa mga propeta.” “Kayo naman – ano ang sabi ninyo? Sino ako? tanong niya. “Kayo ang Kristo,” tugon ni Pedro. “Huwag ninyong sasabihin kaninuman kung sino ako,” mahigpit na utos niya sa kanila.
Mula noon, ipinaalam na ni Hesus sa kanyang mga alagad na ang Anak ng Tao’y dapat magbata ng maraming hirap. Siya’y itatakwil ng matatanda ng bayan, ng mga punong saserdote at ng mga eskriba at ipapapatay. Ngunit sa ikatlong araw, muli siyang mabubuhay.
Maliwanag na sinabi niya ito sa kanila. Kaya’t niyaya siya ni Pedro sa isang tabi at sinimulang pagsabihan. Ngunit humarap si Hesus sa kanyang mga alagad at pinagwikaan si Pedro: “Lumayo ka, Satanas! Ang iniisip mo’y hindi sa Diyos kundi sa tao.”
Pinalapit ni Hesus ang mga tao, pati ang kanyang mga alagad, at sinabi, “Kung ibig ninumang sumunod sa akin, limutin niya ang ukol sa kanyang sarili, pasanin ang kanyang krus at sumunod sa akin.
Ang naghahangad na magligtas ng kanyang buhay ay siyang mawawalan nito; ngunit ang mag-alay ng kanyang buhay alang-alang sa akin at sa Mabuting Balita ay siyang magkakamit niyon.”
Jesus said to Nicodemus: "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."
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.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Why do we suffer and what is the purpose of our suffering in this world? We suffer because we refuse to embrace the love of God. Human suffering is not a suffering that God created for us because it’s us who create our own suffering/s. And when we suffer many of us point not to ourselves as the culprit.
Think about the many wars that the powerful leaders of this world have created. Think about the many personal and family problems that many of us have created for ourselves. Nevertheless, in the midst of our self-created sufferings there’s hope and this hope is being offered to us by Jesus on the cross.
Perhaps, many of us are averse to look at this cross of Jesus because we are reminded of Jesus’ own sufferings. We are reminded that to suffer entails hardship and sacrifice. But how would we know that there’s hope, healing and salvation in the cross of Jesus if we will not look up to it? If we will not embrace it and if we will not hold on to it?
In our first reading the people that were saved by Moses from the slavery of Pharaoh created their own sufferings by complaining to Moses about their hardships. And by complaining they were severely punished by God yet they would also be saved by the same merciful God.
That is If they’ll would look up to the bronze serpent mounted on a pole. We all know that the bronze serpent that was mounted on the pole that healed the suffering people in our first reading is now represented by Jesus on the cross in our gospel.
We have so many sufferings in this world and majority if not all of these sufferings are created by us that we ironically sometimes blame on God. Nevertheless our merciful God so loved us that He let His only begotten son to die on the cross for our salvation.
Do you have a cross with Jesus nailed upon it in your house or in your room? Look at it hold it if you could and prayerfully ask Jesus to heal all your pains and sufferings. - Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus kay Nicodemo, "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.
Gayun 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 maparusahan ang sanlibutan, kundi upang iligtas ito sa pamamagitan niya.
Jesus told
his disciples a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not
both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully
trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the
splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your
own?
How can you
say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when
you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove
the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the
splinter in your brother’s eye.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
What is the
sure-fire recipe for failure in a friendship? It’s the judgmental and
self-righteous attitudes of those inside the friendship relationship. When a
friend is quick to draw judgment and if he/she only listens to himself/herself.
We can be assured that somewhere down the road the friendship vehicle will stop
and will eventually permanently break apart.
Many
friendships fall apart because of our tunnel vision. We manage it with
dominance, we never allow a two-way street or a give and take relationship
thrive inside it. And so the friendship eventually falls apart.
Friendship or
any kind of relationship is always a democratic and participatory relationship.
Never has it become an autocratic and one sided relationship between two or
more different and unique individuals. Therefore the best recipe for success in
friendship is not to allow a judgmental and dominating mindset inside the
friendship.
In the gospel
for this Friday, Jesus warns about being judgmental. Wherein we only choose to
see the fault of the other person yet we purposely don’t notice our own
shortcomings. We are quick to point an accusing finger yet we don’t have the
courage and humility to point the same accusing finger to ourselves. – Marino
J. Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon, tinanong sila ni
Jesus ng patalinghaga: "Maaari bang maging tagaakay ng bulag ang isa ring
bulag? Kapwa sila mahuhulog sa hukay kapag ginawa ang gayun. Walang alagad na
higit sa kanyang guro; ngunit kapag lubusang naturuan, siya'y magiging katulad
ng kanyang guro.
"Ang
tinitingnan mo'y ang puwing ng iyong kapatid, ngunit hindi mo pinapansin ang
tahilan sa iyong mata. Paano mong masasabi sa iyong kapatid, 'Kapatid, bayaan
kong alisin mo ang iyong puwing,' gayong hindi mo nakikita ang tahilan sa iyong
mata? Mapagpaimbabaw! Alisin mo muna ang tahilan sa iyong mata, at makakikita
kang mabuti; sa gayo'y maaalis mo ang puwing ng iyong kapatid."
Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who
hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who
curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not
withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one
who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to
you. For if you love those who love you what credit is that to you? Even
sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to
you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to
those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners
lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies
and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be
great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the
ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be
forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together,
shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure
with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
The story is told of a man who would
always feel pain in his heart whenever he saw his sister, who had wronged him.
It was like that for many years until he had a near-fatal heart attack. He
reflected deeply on what had happened to him and finally decided to forgive his
sister.
What will liberate us from hatred and
negative emotion? Its forgiveness and love. The moment we truly forgive and
love every form of hatred and negativity disappears in our hearts. We become
free we exude nothing but positive aura. But human as we are we from time to
time succumb to hatred thus we allow it to control us instead of us controlling
it.
What is the cure for hatred? Its love,
forgiveness and humility; these three can conquer hatred. And it can free us
from emotions that bring nothing to us but sickness, disgust and negativity.
This could even result to the disruption of our day hence we will not be able
to function properly.
In our gospel reading Jesus tells us to
love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, to bless those who curse us,
to pray for those who mistreat us (Luke 6:27-28). Difficult as it may seem;
nonetheless if we want to be free from the enslavement of Satan, hatred and
negative emotions, we have to follow what Jesus is telling us.
It’s only through forgiveness and humility
that we would be free from hatred. It’s only through the way of love that we
could become true followers of Jesus. There’s no other way but the way of love,
humility and forgiveness.
Would you be willing to forgive those
who’ve done you wrong? - Marino J.
Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus
sa kanyang mga alagad: “Sinasabi ko sa inyo, mga nakikinig: Ibigin ninyo ang
inyong mga kaaway, gawan ninyo ng mabuti ang mga napopoot sa inyo, pagpalain
ninyo ang mga sumusumpa sa inyo, idalangin ninyo ang mga umaapi sa inyo.
Kapag sinampal ka sa isang pisngi,
iharap mo rin ang kabila. Kapag inaagaw ang iyong balabal, ibigay mo pati ang
iyong baro. Bigyan mo ang bawat nanghihingi sa iyo: at kung may kumuha sa iyong
ari-arian ay huwag mo nang bawiin pa ang mga iyon. Gawin ninyo sa iba ang ibig
ninyong gawin nila sa inyo.
“Kung ang iibigin lamang ninyo ay ang
mga umiibig sa inyo, ano pang gantimpala ang inyong hihintayin? Kahit ang mga
makasalanan ay umiibig din sa mga umiibig sa kanila. At kung ang gagawan lamang
ninyo ng mabuti ang gumagawa sa inyo ng mabuti, ano pang gantimpala ang inyong
hihintayin?
Kahit ang mga makasalanan ay gumagawa
rin nito! Kung ang pahihiramin lamang ninyo ay ang mga taong inaasahan ninyong
makababayad sa inyo, ano pang gantimpala ang inyong hihintayin? Kahit ang mga
makasalanan ay nagpapahiram din sa mga makasalanan sa pag-asang ang mga ito’y
makababayad!
Sa halip, ibigin ninyo ang inyong mga
kaaway, at gawan ninyo sila ng mabuti. Magpahiram kayo, na hindi umaasa ng
anumang kabayaran. Sa gayun, malaking gantimpala ang tatamuhin ninyo, at kayo’y
magiging mga anak ng Kataas-taasan. Sapagkat siya’y mabuti sa masasama at sa
mga hindi marunong tumanaw ng utang na loob. Maging mahabagin kayo gaya ng
inyong Ama.”
“Huwag
kayong humatol, at hindi kayo hahatulan ng Diyos. Huwag kayong magparusa at
hindi kayo parurusahan ng Diyos. Magpatawad kayo sa inyong kapwa, at
patatawarin kayo ng Diyos. Magbigay kayo, at bibigyan kayo ng Diyos: hustong
takal, siksik, liglig, at umaapaw pa ang ibibigay sa inyo. Sapagkat ang
takalang ginagamit ninyo sa iba ay siya ring gagamitin sa inyo.”
