Noong panahong iyon, lumapit kay Hesus sina Santiago at Juan na
mga anak ni Zebedeo, at ang sabi, “Guro, may hihilingin po sana kami sa inyo.”
“Ano iyon?” tanong ni Hesus. Sumagot sila, “Sana’y makaupo kami katabi ninyo sa
inyong kaharian – isa sa kanan at isa sa kaliwa.”
“Hindi ninyo nalalaman ang inyong hinihingi,” sabi ni Hesus sa
kanila. “Mababata ba ninyo ang hirap na babatahin ko? Pabibinyag ba kayo sa
binyag na daranasin ko?” “Opo,” tugon nila. Sinabi ni Hesus, “Ang hirap na
babatahin ko’y babatahin nga ninyo, at kayo’y bibinyagan sa binyag na daranasin
ko. Ngunit wala sa akin ang pagpapasiya kung sino ang mauupo sa aking kanan at
sa aking kaliwa. Ang mga luklukang sinasabi ninyo’y para sa mga pinaghandaan.”
Nang marinig ito ng sampung alagad, nagalit sila sa magkapatid.
Kaya’t pinalapit sila ni Hesus at sinabi, “Alam ninyo na ang mga itinuturing na
pinuno ng mga Hentil ay siyang pinapanginoon, at ang mga dinadakila ay siyang
nasusunod. Ngunit hindi ganyan ang dapat umiral sa inyo.
Sa halip, ang sinuman sa inyo na ibig maging dakila ay dapat
maging lingkod. At sinumang ibig maging pinuno ay dapat maging alipin ng lahat.
Sapagkat ang Anak ng Tao ay naparito, hindi upang paglingkuran kundi upang
maglingkod at ibigay ang kanyang buhay sa ikatutubos ng lahat.”
Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you,
everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge
before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied
before the angels of God.
“Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man
will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not
be forgiven. When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and
authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what
you are to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you
should say.”
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Reflection:
Do you want
to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life?
One of the major requisites for us to have an
awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to first
acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Then, after that the gift of the
presence of the Holy Spirit and everything else about the faith and church
would follow.
The Holy Spirit will open our minds to the various
avenues about the majestic history of the church and the many truths about it.
We also would start to become more aware of the true purpose of our life in
this world.
As the Holy Spirit opens us to the many truths of the
church it simultaneously works in our lives by purifying us. It enlightens us
to the gifts of: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety
and Fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2-3).
Let us therefore seek out Jesus Christ first by
knowing more about Him. Let us be faithful to Him and we surely would feel the
outpouring gifts of the Holy Spirit. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus
sa kanyang mga alagad, "Sinasabi ko sa inyo, ang sinumang kumikilala sa
akin sa harapan ng mga tao ay kikilanlin din naman ng Anak ng Tao sa harapan ng
mga anghel ng Diyos. Ngunit ang magtatwa sa akin sa harapan ng mga tao ay
itatatwa ko rin naman sa harapan ng mga anghel ng Diyos.
"Ang
sinumang magsalita laban sa Anak ng Tao ay mapatatawad; ngunit ang lumait sa
Espiritu Santo ay hindi mapatatawad. "Kapag kayo'y dinala nila sa
sinagoga, o sa harapan ng mga tagapamahala at ng mga maykapangyarihan upang
litisin, huwag ninyong isipin kung paano ninyo ipagtatanggol ang sarili o kung
ano ang inyong sasabihin. Sapagkat sa oras na iyon, ang Espiritu ang magtuturo
sa inyo kung ano ang dapat ninyong sabihin."
The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two
disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he
intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers
are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his
harvest.
Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs
among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along
the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household. If
a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will
return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is
offered to you for the laborer deserves payment. Do not move about from one
house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set
before you cure the sick in it and say to them ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand
for you.
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Reflection:
Why did Jesus send the seventy-two disciples in pairs?
Jesus could have sent them one by one so that they could cover more ground thus
the spread of the gospel would be much faster. But Jesus chose them to go in
pairs.
In pairs for the reason that He wanted them to help
each other in doing their mission for Him. Jesus had it already in
His mind that to do His mission is realistically not that easy. So, He deemed
it right and wise to send them in pairs for them to help each other as they
face the many challenges of their mission.
Why do we exist in this world? Do we exist for
ourselves only? Of course not! We exist in this world for a reason. And that
reason is to help our fellowmen; we need to extend to them the good news about
Jesus. We need to feed the hungry; we need to clothe those who do not have
clothes. And we need to give hope to those who are losing
hope.
This is our vocation and mission as followers and
missioners of Christ Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon, ang Panginoon ay
humirang pa ng pitumpu't dalawa. Pinauna sila ng dala-dalawa sa bawat bayan at
pook na patutunguhan niya. Sinabi niya sa kanila, "Sagana ang aanihin,
ngunit kakaunti ang mga manggagawa. Idalangin ninyo sa may-ari na magpadala
siya ng manggagawa sa kanyang bukirin. Humayo kayo!
Sinusugo ko kayong parang mga kordero sa gitna ng mga asong-gubat.
Huwag kayong magdala ng lukbutan, supot, o panyapak. Huwag na kayong titigil sa
daan upang makipagbatian kaninuman. Pagpasok ninyo sa alinmang bahay, sabihin
muna ninyo, 'Maghari nawa ang kapayapaan sa bahay na ito!' Kung maibigin sa
kapayapaan; ngunit kung hindi, hindi sila magkakamit nito.
Manatili
kayo sa bahay na inyong tinutuluyan; kanin ninyo at inumin ang anumang idulot
sa inyo -- sapagkat ang manggagawa ay may karapatang tumanggap ng kanyang upa.
Huwag kayong magpapalipat-lipat ng bahay. Kapag tinanggap kayo sa alinmang
bayan, kanin ninyo ang anumang ihain sa inyo; pagalingin ninyo ang mga maysakit
doon, at sabihin sa bayan, 'Nalalapit na ang pagahahari ng Diyos sa inyo.'
The Lord said: “Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets whom your fathers killed. Consequently, you bear witness and give consent to the deeds of your ancestors, for they killed them and you do the building.
Therefore, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and Apostles; some of them they will kill and persecute’ in order that this generation might be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who died between the altar and the temple building.
Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood! Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.” When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees began to act with hostility toward him and to interrogate him about many things, for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.
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Reflection:
Do you listen to those who care for you and to those who give you meaningful advice? Or you don’t care to listen because you want to drive your own life?
In our lifetime there shall be people who will come into our lives to give us advice and to guide us. Or people who by the example of their lives would make us think to change our lives for the better and live behind sinfulness. Some of us will care to listen to them but many will simply ignore and continue to live sinfulness.
Why is it that many don’t care to listen? Stubbornness is already inherent in our mindset that is why we don’t listen. We want to live life the way we want it. And our usual reason is: “This is my life and I’m responsible for my life!” Many of us even get angry with those who give us meaningful advice. What happens to those who don’t listen? They learn their lesson the hard way: their lives become mired in sin and they naturally suffer for it.
Nevertheless there’s still hope we can reverse the vicious cycle of sinfulness. We just need to change our way of life. Or follow the advices given to us by people whose only desire is for our own good. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus, "Kawawa kayo! Ipinagtatayo ninyo ng magagarang libingan ang mga propetang pinagpapatay ng inyong mga magulang. Sa ganitong paraan, kayo na rin ang nagpapatunay na sang-ayon kayo sa mga ginawa ng inyong mga magulang; sapagkat sila ang pumatay sa mga propeta at kayo naman ang nagtatayo ng libingang puntod ng mga yaon.
Dahil rito'y sinabi rin ng Karunungan ng Diyos, 'Magsusugo ako sa kanila ng mga propeta at ng mga apostol; ang iba'y papatayin nila at uusigin ang iba.' Sa gayo'y lalagpak sa lahing ito ang parusa dahil sa pagpatay sa mga propeta buhat nang itatag ang sanlibutan, magmula kay Abel hanggang kay Zacarias na pinatay sa pagitan ng dambanang sunugan ng mga handog at ng gusali ng Templo.
Sinasabi ko sa inyo, lalagpak sa lahing ito ang parusa dahil sa kanilang ginawa. "Kawawa kayo, mga dalubhasa sa Kautusan! Sapagkat inalis ninyo ang susi ng karunungan. Ayaw na ninyong magsipasok, hinahadlangan pa ninyo ang mga nagnanais pumasok." At umalis si Jesus sa bahay na iyon. Mula noon, tinuligsa na siya ng mga eskriba at mga Pariseo at pinagtatanong tungkol sa maraming bagay, upang masilo siya sa kanyang pananalita.
(Jesus said)
“Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden
herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God. These you
should have done, without overlooking the others. Woe to you Pharisees! You
love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in marketplaces. Woe to you!
You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.”
Then one of
the scholars of the law said to him in reply, “Teacher, by saying this you are
insulting us too.” And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You
impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one
finger to touch them.”
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Reflection:
Where does
this anger of Jesus toward the Pharisees and the scholars of the law come from?
It originates from their hypocrisy! The Pharisees and the scholars of the law
are good at creating laws for the people to follow, yet they don’t follow them
themselves.
They use
their self-created laws as instruments to beguile and eventually enslave their
people. Instead of introducing God to them, they ultimately present themselves
as gods to their people.
Their style
of leadership is leadership by deception and many of our Politicians has this
kind of leadership. They pretend and project themselves to be leaders. But they
have the stomach to corrupt money that is for the poor, how could they do this
to the masses that they are supposed to truthfully serve?
Politicians
are not alone in this kind of pharisaic mentality we too are often times guilty
of this mentality. We tell others or even our children not to do this and that
yet when nobody is watching anymore we are the main violators of the rules that
we create.
The truth
hurts, but it is the truth, and we have to accept it. Hopefully, we can use
this as a springboard to live our lives according to the teachings of Jesus,
rather than the false and self-serving teachings of the Pharisees and the
scholars of the law. - Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong
panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus, "Kawawa kayo, mga Pariseo! Ibinibigay
ninyo ang ikapu ng yerbabuena, ng ruda, at ng iba pang gulayin, ngunit
kinaliligtaan ninyo ang katarungan at ang pag-ibig sa Diyos. Tamang gawin ninyo
ito ngunit huwag naman ninyong kaliligtaang gawin ang mga iba.
"Kawawa
kayo, mga Pariseo! Sapagkat ang ibig ninyo'y ang mga tanging luklukan sa mga
sinagoga, at ang pagpugayan kayo sa mga liwasang-bayan. Sa aba ninyo! Sapagkat
para kayong mga libingang walang tanda, at nalalakaran ng mga tao nang hindi
nila nalalaman."
Sinabi
sa kanya ng isa sa mga dalubhasa sa Kautusan, "Guro, sa sinabi mong iyan
pati kami'y kinukutya mo." At sinagot siya ni Jesus, "Kawawa rin
kayo, mga dalubhasa sa Kautusan! Sapagkat ipinapapasan ninyo sa mga tao ang
mabibigat na dalahin, ngunit ni daliri'y ayaw ninyong igalaw sa pagdadala ng
mga iyon."
After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited
him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee
was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the
meal.
The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you
cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder
and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But
as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”
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Reflection:
What do you do when you invite people to dine in your
home?
Many of us discreetly observe them especially if our
invited guests are few the more that we observe them. We sometimes pretend to
be busy but we observe them quietly: How they behave and so forth.
However, amidst our being observant Jesus wants to
tell us something: Let us not judge them based on their behavior. Because our
judgment based on what we see do not really represent who they really are.
There’s a whole lot more that we could discover from them if we would not be
quick on judging them.
It feeds our ego when we are noticed based on our
external appearance: What we do, the clothes that we wear, our physical
appearance etc. The more that we are noticed the more that we would reinforce
our external actions. These are all superficial, before God these egocentric
actions count for nothing before the eyes of God.
What counts before God are those that are not seen by
our eyes. What counts before the Lord is what is inside us not what is outside
of us. Those that are not seen such as: Clean conscience, a caring, forgiving
and loving heart and a mind that has no place for ill thoughts.
Perhaps, the Pharisee in the gospel invited Jesus to
his house not out of his goodwill and kindness. He invited Jesus because he
wants to see if Jesus would subscribe to the many rituals of their Jewish
faith.
Are many of us not like this Pharisee? When friends
come to our house we also observe them as to how they would behave. And based
on what we saw we would now conjure our unfavorable conclusion towards
them.
But our judgment is often wrong for we don’t know
what’s inside the heart of the person. And besides, it’s hard to judge based
solely on the few times that we’ve observed them. Let us not judge quickly and
let us not judge based on what we see.
Noong panahong iyon, pagkatapos
magsalita ni Hesus, siya’y inanyayahan ng isang Pariseo upang kumain, kaya’t
pumunta siya sa bahay nito. Pagdulog sa hapag, nagtaka ang Pariseo nang makita
niyang kumain si Hesus nang hindi muna naghugas ng kamay.
Sinabi
sa kanya ng Panginoon, “Kayong mga Pariseo, hinuhugasan ninyo ang labas ng tasa
at ng pinggan, ngunit ang loob ninyo’y punong-puno ng kasakiman at kasamaan.
Mga hangal! Hindi ba’t ang may likha ng labas ang siya ring may likha ng loob?
Ngunit ipamahagi muna ninyo sa mga dukha ang mga laman ng mga sisidlan at
magiging malinis ang lahat ng bagay para sa inyo.”
While still more people gathered in the
crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a
sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah
became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this
generation.
At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with
the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the
ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater
than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with
this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they
repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”
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Reflection:
How would you react if somebody tells you to mend your
ways and repent from all of your sinfulness? Will you not feel insulted and
antagonized? Many of us would feel insulted and antagonized because the call
for us to mend our ways is prophetic and true.
We get angry when others tell us to repent and walk
away from all of our sinfulness but why get angry when they are telling the
truth? Why get angry when those who are telling us to mend our ways are only
concerned for our own well-being?
Many listened to Jesus during His public
ministry but a lot more did not listen as well. In fact very few listened
to Jesus among the high and mighty because they loved sin more than the wise
counsel of Jesus. Isn’t this happening today? Many of us love sin
(disguised as pleasure/s) more than we love Jesus?
This is the paradox of our social media driven times
today. Many of us today give more time to our high-tech gadgets than listen to
Jesus by reading His words. Many of us have more time with our earthy
undertakings than have our important quite time with Jesus. What will happen to
us if we don’t anymore listen to Jesus? - Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong panahong iyon, samantalang
dumaragsa ang mga tao, sinabi ni Hesus, “Napakasama ng lahing ito! Naghahanap
sila ng palatandaan mula sa langit, subalit walang ipapakita sa kanila maliban
sa palatandaang inilalarawan ng nangyari kay Jonas.
Kung paanong naging isang palatandaan
si Jonas sa mga taga-Ninive, gayun din naman, magiging isang palatandaan sa lahing
ito ang Anak ng Tao. Sa Araw ng Paghuhukom, titindig ang Reyna ng Timog
laban sa lahing ito at sila’y hahatulan niya ng kaparusahan. Sapagkat
nanggaling siya sa dulo ng daigdig upang pakinggan ang karunungan ni Solomon;
ngunit higit na di-hamak kay Solomon ang naririto!
Sa Araw ng Paghuhukom ay titindig ang
mga taga-Ninive laban sa lahing ito at hahatulan ng kaparusahan, sapagkat
nagsisi sila dahil sa pangangaral ni Jonas; ngunit higit na di-hamak kay Jonas
ang naririto!”
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother."
He replied and said to him, "Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, "You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God." Peter began to say to him, "We have given up everything and followed you."
Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come."
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Reflection:
There were two neighbors: one was rich, and the other was poor. The rich neighbor’s family was always busy, and they hardly had time for God. The poor neighbor’s family always made sure to set aside time to worship Jesus at Holy Mass. They also made time to pray together as a family at home.
After fifteen (15) years, there was a reversal of fortunes for the two neighbors. The rich family became poor, and their children did not achieve success. The poor family, on the other hand, became wealthy, and their children were successful in their chosen careers.
Our obsession and greed for earthly treasures, if not corrected, will always lead us away from loving and following Jesus. It can also result in our downfall and disgrace.
What is the use of earthly treasures if we have no peace of mind? What is the value of a big house and vast property if they only lead to disagreements and arguments within the family? What is the benefit of temporal wealth if it destroys communication among family members?
It’s better to be poor as long as you have God in your family. It’s better to live in a small house with God’s presence than in a mansion without Him. It’s better to own no material wealth as long as you have the greatest treasure of all, which is Jesus.
In our Gospel this Sunday, there is a man who stood on the verge of following Jesus. Yet, he walked away because he couldn’t part with his material treasures—treasures that, by the way, are temporary and often disturb our minds rather than bring us peace.
How about you? Will you give up your temporal treasures in favor of having Jesus in your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
