Reflection for Wednesday February 5 Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr: Mark 6:1-6

Gospel: Mark 6:1-6

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. 

They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” 

And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

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Reflection:

Was Jesus expecting to be treated like a powerful celebrity when He returned to His hometown? No, because it was not in His character to flaunt Himself. As much as possible, Jesus wanted to be treated like an ordinary person; never did He desire publicity or recognition. He performed miracles without any fanfare or hype, and we attribute this to His humility. 

Let us reflect on ourselves as individuals—don’t we desire recognition? Don’t we crave to be heard? We love it when people acknowledge the things we do, and this is often due to our yearning to satisfy our bloated egos. But isn’t it possible for us to be humble and low-profile like Jesus? 

As we do good deeds or do anything for God, let us not seek recognition; instead, let us simply fade into the background. Let us not crave adulation, for those who seek it are often abandoned like a hot potato in the end. Those who thirst for admiration ultimately end up in disgrace. 

Let us not be disheartened if we are not recognized or honored, for such recognition is merely temporary, given by temporal humans like us. In all things, let us seek the humility of Jesus. Let us long for the silent approval of Jesus rather than the noisy, false, and fleeting recognition of this world. –  Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for February 4 Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 5:21-43

Gospel: Mark 5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live. He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.  

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 

Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to Jesus, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’ And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”  

 While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer? Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 

So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.  

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Reflection:   

What does an encounter with Jesus do to us? It gives us hope and heals us. 

There is a story of a woman who had a terminal illness. Her doctor told her that she only had two months to live. But this woman was a woman of faith. She attends Holy Mass every day and did other things to strengthen her faith in Jesus.  

When she was told that she had only two months to live, she told her doctors, “I will prove all of you wrong. I’m going to beat this severe illness with my faith in Jesus.” True enough, after two months, the woman of faith was still alive and completely healed of her severe illness.  

In our Gospel, we find two stories of faith, hope, and healing through an encounter with Jesus.  

The first is the story of Jairus, a synagogue official whose daughter was on the verge of death. Jairus went to Jesus to plead with Him to heal his young daughter. Seeing Jairus’ faith, Jesus went to his house to cure and bring his daughter back to life.  

The second story of faith, hope, and healing is about an unnamed woman who had been suffering from severe hemorrhages for twelve long years. She heard that Jesus would be passing by her way. This gave her hope and further strengthened her faith. She believed that if she could touch even the cloak of Jesus, she would be healed. With great determination, she reached out and touched His cloak—and was immediately healed.  

There could be a third story of faith, hope, and healing through Jesus. And this third story could be your story.  

What is your testimony of faith, hope, and healing through Jesus? Share it so that others' faith and hope in Jesus may be strengthened! 

All of us, in one way or another, have our own story of an encounter with Jesus. Let us not keep this story to ourselves. Let us share it so that others may come to know Jesus and, hopefully, experience an encounter with Him as well. — Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for February 3 Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 5:1-20

Gospel: Mark 5:1-20

Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him. The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain. 

In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. 

Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, crying out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) He asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.” And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory. 

Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. And they pleaded with him, “Send us into the swine. Let us enter them.” And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. 

As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. 

Then they began to beg him to leave their district. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed. 

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Reflection: 

Do you fear the devil? If you have faith in Jesus, you need not fear the devil! But human as we are, many of us still do. What is the reason for this fear? It is our feeble faith in Jesus. 

In the Gospel, there is a man violently possessed by an evil spirit. He is so powerful that no one can subdue him. Perhaps the possessed man was briefly in control of himself before being overtaken again by the evil spirit. 

In his brief moment of self-control, he saw Jesus from a distance and ran to Him. To shorten this story, the man was eventually freed by Jesus from the devil’s possession. 

Today, many evils possess us: the evils of greed, lust, pride, materialism, arrogance, and many more that take control of our lives. Do you want to be healed from these evils? Humbly pray to Jesus and ask Him to free you. 

Oftentimes, we underestimate the power of Jesus to make a big impact in our lives. This is usually caused by our lack of faith and fidelity to His teachings. This is the main reason why many remain possessed by the evils of this world. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita Pebrero 3 Lunes sa Ikaapat na Linggo ng Karaniwang Panahon: Marcos 5:1-20

Mabuting Balita: Marcos 5:1-20

Noong panahong iyon, dumating sina Hesus at ang mga alagad sa ibayo ng lawa, sa lupain ng mga Geraseno. Pagkababa ni Hesus sa bangka, siya’y sinalubong ng isang lalaking galing sa libingan. Ang lalaking ito’y inaalihan ng masamang espiritu at sa libingan naninirahan. 

Hindi siya maigapos nang matagal, kahit tanikala ang gagamitin. Malimit siyang ipangaw at gapusin ng tanikala, ngunit pinaglalagut-lagot niya ito at pinagbabali-bali ang pangaw. Talagang walang makasupil sa kanya. Araw-gabi’y nagsisisigaw siya sa libingan at sa kaburulan, at sinusugatan ng bato ang kanyang sarili. 

Malayo pa’y natanawan na niya si Hesus. Siya’y patakbong lumapit at nagpatirapa sa harapan niya, at sumigaw nang malakas, “Hesus, Anak ng Kataas-taasang Diyos, ano ang pakialam mo sa akin? 

Huwag mo akong pahirapan, alang-alang sa Diyos!” Sinabi niya ito, sapagkat iniutos sa kanya ni Hesus, “Masamang espiritu, lumabas ka sa taong ito!” Tinanong siya ni Hesus, “Ano ang pangalan mo?” “Pulutong, sapagkat marami kami,” tugon niya. At mahigpit nilang ipinakiusap kay Hesus na huwag silang palayasin sa lupaing iyon.

Doon naman sa libis ng bundok ay may malaking kawan ng mga baboy na nanginginain. Nagmakaawa kay Hesus ang masasamang espiritu na ang wika, “Papasukin mo na lang kami sa mga baboy.” At sila’y pinahintulutan niya. Lumabas sa tao ang masasamang espiritu at pumasok nga sa mga baboy. Ang kawan, na may dalawanlibo, ay sumibad ng takbo tungo sa pampang ng lawa, nahulog sa tubig at nalunod. 

Nagtatakbo ang mga tagapag-alaga ng kawan at ipinamalita ito sa bayan at sa mga nayon; kaya’t pumaroon ang mga tao upang tingnan kung ano nga ang nangyari. Paglapit nila kay Hesus ay nakita nila ang lalaking inalihan ng mga demonyo. Nakaupo ito, may damit at matino na ang isip. At sila’y natakot. Isinalaysay sa kanila ng mga nakakita ang nangyari sa inalihan ng mga demonyo at ang sinapit ng mga baboy. Kaya’t ipinamanhik nila kay Hesus na umalis sa kanilang lupain.

Nang sumasakay na si Hesus sa bangka, nakiusap ang inalihan ng mga demonyo na isama siya, ngunit hindi pumayag si Hesus. Sa halip ay sinabi niya, “Umuwi ka at sabihin mo sa iyong mga kasambahay ang lahat ng ginawa sa iyo ng Panginoon, at kung paanong nahabag siya sa iyo.” Umalis ang taong iyon at ipinamalita sa Decapolis ang ginawa sa kanya ni Hesus. At nanggilalas ang lahat ng nakarinig niyon.

Reflection for Sunday February 2 Feast of the Presentation of the Lord: Luke 2:22-40

Gospel: Luke 2:22-40

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, They took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. 

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. 

He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, He took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel."  

The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted —and you yourself a sword will pierce— so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."  

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.  

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

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Reflection: 

Do you always bring your children to church for Holy Mass? Do you present them to the Lord and say, “I offer my children to You. Take care of them, my Lord and Savior, Jesus.” 

Because of our busyness and perhaps because many of us were not raised to attend Holy Mass every Sunday, we often forget to bring our children to church. We also fail to teach them the importance of the Holy Mass in their lives. If this is our current situation, we must correct it. 

First and foremost, we must bring our children closer to Jesus, as this is our primary duty as parents. We must introduce them to Him by reading and sharing His life from the Bible. Additionally, we must instill in their minds the importance of regularly reading the Scriptures. 

What will it profit our children if they have the best and latest material possessions yet do not have Jesus in their hearts? Nothing! Just observe the behavior of children raised with the teachings and values of Jesus compared to those raised in worldliness and materialism. What would we find? We would discover that children brought up with Jesus’s values and teachings live more peaceful and contented lives. 

Just as Joseph and Mary brought the child Jesus to the temple to present Him to the Lord, parents are strongly encouraged to bring their children to church for Holy Mass. Why? Because when you bring your children to the Sacred Celebration of the Holy Mass, you assure them of the Lord’s guidance and protection in this world and beyond this world. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for February 1 Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 4:35-41

Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up.  

Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

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Reflection:

Are we easily rattled when we pass through stormy episodes in our lives? Or do we remain calm amidst the storms because we know that Jesus is always there for us? 

The disciples were in a boat with Jesus when they suddenly encountered a violent storm. They were terrified, thinking the boat might not withstand the storm. Why were they afraid when Jesus was with them? Perhaps they were overtaken by fear. 

As long as we exist in this world, we will continue to encounter our own share of storms and worrisome moments. But let us not be afraid—let us remain calm in the midst of life's storms. Let us learn to always trust the Lord, for He knows what is best for us. The Lord will not let us down; He will always be there to save us. 

We simply need to stay constantly connected with the Lord because He will take care of everything. Jesus will calm us in the midst of our distressing storms. He will make a way when there seems to be no way.

All He asks from us is to have faith, and we can receive this if we ask Him for the gift of faith. Faith is a gift that Jesus gives to those who sincerely ask for it. 

Prayer:

O Lord, in the midst of the many storms in our lives, we beseech You to give us the gift of faith so that we may withstand whatever worrisome situations we encounter. Forgive our feeble faith. Forgive us for not trusting You and for not always recognizing that You are always with us. Amen. — Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Friday January 31 Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest: Mark 4:26-34

Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

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 through it all 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:   

The story is told about a man who wanted to write for God, but he was hesitant because he knew his limitations. He didn’t write well and could hardly compose a decent sentence. 

Yet, deep in his heart, there was a persistent voice telling him to write. He, therefore, submitted himself to the urgings of this inner voice. To make a long story short, this man, who could hardly create a sentence, became well-known for his meditations about God. 

Jesus speaks about a small seed that was scattered into the land. The seed grew so big that it was soon harvested. Jesus also speaks about a tiny mustard seed that was sown. After a while, it grew so large that birds rested in its shade. 

Does God sow seeds within us with the intention of making them grow so that others may also benefit? Yes! God sows a seed in each and every one of us. But more often than not, this small seed doesn’t grow until it eventually dies. Why? Because many of us are afraid to trust God, so we do not take action. 

Surely, we will not be able to do it by ourselves. Yet, if we would only learn to call on God—if we would only learn to have faith in Him—the seed that God sows in our hearts will surely blossom so that it can be useful to our fellowmen. 

What is this seed that God sows within us? It could be talent, wealth, or anything that would benefit or help others. 

Try to discover the seed that God has sown in your heart. Upon discovering it, don’t just keep it to yourself. Share it so that it can grow bigger. Share it so that others may also benefit from it. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for January 30 Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 4:21-25

Gospel: Mark 4:21-25

Jesus said to his disciples, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.” 

He also told them, “Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

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Reflection:

Generosity always breeds abundant blessings. For example, if we are always generous, we can be assured that whatever we give will come back to us a hundredfold. Let us observe those who are generous or those who always lend a helping hand. 

Are they in want of anything, or are they lacking in blessings from the Lord? No, they are not in want. The flow of God’s blessings to them is like a stream or a river. 

On the other hand, notice those who are miserly, those who seldom give help, or those who are tightfisted. The blessings of the Lord come to them only in a trickle. 

Jesus, in our Gospel reading for today, tells us: “The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you” (Mark 4:24). In plain and simple language, this means that what we give will come back to us. 

If we give generously, we will receive more than what we have given. This is what Jesus is telling us. —Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for January 29 Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 4:1-20

Gospel: Mark 4:1-20

On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea. A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land. And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them, “Hear this! A sower went out to sow. 

And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots.  Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. 

And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold. He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”  

And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. He answered them, “The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.”  

Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. But they have no roots; they last only for a time.  

Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

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Reflection:

How can we become the seed that fell on rich soil? We must attend Holy Mass as often as possible, especially on Sundays. We must read the Bible, be prayerful, seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and live our faith.

Many of us go off course and fail to become the seed that fell on rich soil simply because we do not take our faith seriously. We attend Holy Mass and read the Bible, but we do not practice what we read and hear. We let it enter one ear and pass out the other.

What we must do is allow what we hear to enter our hearts, then let it rise to our minds. By doing so, we will be able to live out what we read and hear.

There is a story of a man who attends Mass every Sunday and professes to be faithful to his wife. However, his wife later discovers that she is not the only woman in his life. Why did he fail to uphold his profession of fidelity? Because his faith was superficial. Many of us are like this man—we have superficial faith.

How can we transform this superficial faith so that it becomes the seed that falls on rich soil and bears a hundredfold of fruit? We must be docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, who desires to transform us into faithful followers of Jesus. And this is entirely possible because nothing is impossible for our God.

Is your faith in the Lord already bearing fruit? —Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Tuesday January 28 Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church: Mark 3:31-35

Gospel Mark 3:31-35

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house. Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, "Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you." 

But he said to them in reply, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."

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Reflection:

A homeless boy was given shelter by a compassionate family. They treated him as a member of their family and supported his education until college. After finding a job, he generously gave back to the family. All the love and care they had given him, he returned a hundredfold. 

The family who assumed responsibility for this boy is a relative of Jesus, and this poor, God-fearing boy is a brother of Jesus. Why? Because Jesus tells us that whoever does the will of God is His brother, sister, and mother. 

What about those who do not live according to the commandments of Jesus? Those who do no good for the poor and needy and those who are sinful? Are they already cut off from Jesus? No, they are not—for the simple reason that Jesus is a merciful and forgiving God. He patiently waits for those who are misguided, those who lack compassion and love, until they find enlightenment. 

The infinite mercy of Jesus is always available to us, no matter who we are. Yet, Jesus also challenges us to do good for our fellowmen. —Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for January 27 Monday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 3:22-30

Gospel: Mark 3:22-30

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons.” Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 

And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

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Reflection:

The story is told about a family who would always attend Holy Mass together as a family. Whenever there was a problem in their household, the father or mother would always see to it that they reconciled before the day was over, for to them, God always desired a unified family. Indeed, God is an advocate of unity. 

Yet, the devil seeks to destroy the unity of the family for the simple reason that he thrives on disunity, problems, and conflict. When there is discord and conflict, the evil one has the opportunity to come in and sow more havoc and division. 

In the Gospel, Jesus talks about the importance of unity. He tells us: ‘If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.’ (Mark 3:24-25) 

Unity is indeed very important and essential, especially in a family. What would happen if there is no unity between the father and mother? The same applies to friendship—how can a friendship last if friends are not on the same wavelength? 

The same is true if we are not united with Jesus in our daily lives. What would happen to us if we lived apart from Him and tried to stand on our own in this world? We would end up with nothing but division, loneliness, and evil. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for Sunday January 26 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Gospel: Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. 

He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

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Reflection:

A father was having problems with his family. His wife was often out of the house with her friends, and his children were no different—often, they were out as well. Naturally, the father wondered how he could bring back peace, normalcy, and stability to their home.

Many ideas floated in his mind until he remembered the advice given to him by his grandmother years ago. She had told him to develop a regular habit of leading his family in reading and reflecting on the words of God in the Bible. So, he started—at first by himself, then, after a few weeks, he invited his wife and children to join him. Before long, they were living a happy and contented life. Yes, there were still problems from time to time, but they were able to resolve them.

The words of God in the Bible are a living spirit that gives life. They unite us, enlighten us, and refresh us. We must fully take advantage of this gift by dedicating regular time to reading, reflection, and meditation. Sadly, however, many Catholics seldom open their Bible to read, reflect, and partake of its wisdom and miracles.

In our Gospel, Jesus was in the synagogue on the Sabbath. He read aloud the words of the prophet Isaiah, which were meant for Him. Jesus did not keep them to Himself—He shared them with those who were present. Likewise, we must not only read the Bible but also have the courage to share and live its teachings.

Many are afraid to venture into sharing the words of God; they keep them to themselves. By doing so, they restrict the power of God's words within them and miss the opportunity to participate in the evangelization ministry of Jesus. God wills us to share what we know about Him so that many lives may be enlightened, and in the process, many souls will be saved.

As Jesus shared the wisdom of the Bible, so must we. Let us not be afraid of obstacles or our personal limitations, for God will always be there to help us. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Linggo Enero 26 Ikatlong Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Lucas 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Kagalang-galang na Teofilo:

Marami na po ang nagsikap na, sumulat tungkol sa mga bagay na naganap sa gitna namin. Ang kanilang sinulat ay ayon sa sinabi sa amin ng mga nakasaksi nito buhat sa pasimula at nangaral ng Salita. Matapos na ako’y makapagsuri nang buong ingat tungkol sa lahat ng bagay na ito buhat pa sa pasimula, minabuti ko pong sumulat ng isang maayos na salaysay para sa inyo upang lubusan ninyong matiyak ang katotohanan ng mga bagay na itinuro sa inyo. 

Noong panahong iyon, bumalik si Hesus sa Galilea, at sumasakanya ang kapangyarihan ng Espiritu Santo. Kumalat sa palibot na lupain ang balita tungkol sa kanya. Nagturo siya sa kanilang mga sinagoga; at dinakila siya ng lahat.

Umuwi si Hesus sa Nazaret na kanyang nilakhan. Gaya ng kanyang kinagawian, pumasok siya sa sinagoga nang Araw ng Pamamahinga. Tumindig siya upang bumasa; at ibinigay sa kanya ang aklat ni Propeta Isaias. Binuksan niya ang aklat sa dakong kinasusulatan ng ganito:

“Sumasaakin ang Espiritu ng Panginoon, sapagkat hinirang niya ako upang ipangaral sa mga dukha ang Mabuting Balita. Sinugo niya ako upang ipahayag sa mga bihag na sila’y lalaya, at sa mga bulag na sila’y makakikita; upang bigyang-kaluwagan ang mga sinisiil, at ipahayag ang pagliligtas na gagawin ng Panginoon.”

Nilulon niya ang kasulatan, at matapos isauli sa tagapaglingkod, siya’y naupo. Nakatitig sa kanya ang lahat ng nasa sinagoga. At sinabi niya sa kanila: “Natupad ngayon ang bahaging ito ng Kasulatan samantalang nakikinig kayo.”

Reflection for Saturday January 25 Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle: Mark 16:15-18

Gospel: Mark 16:15-18

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.  

These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. 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.”

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Reflection:

Have you already shared Jesus and the Gospel with anyone? Jesus tells the apostles—and us, too—“Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

Perhaps more than half of us would say that we have not yet shared the Word of God. But what is the reason? A lack of time is likely not the issue, because if we can make time for our worldly activities, why can’t we set aside time to share the Word of the Lord?

Sharing our faith and spreading the message of Jesus is the duty of every baptized Christian—no one is exempt from this responsibility. But how can we share our faith if we don’t regularly read the Bible? If we seldom attend Holy Mass? It is by immersing ourselves in God’s Word and making ourselves present at Holy Mass that we become effective sharers of our faith.

Saint Jerome once said, “Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ.” This is very true. To effectively share Jesus, we must first know Him. How can we share our faith if we rarely read the Word of God in the Bible or if we seldom go to Holy Mass? We cannot share what we do not have.

Let us not be stagnant followers of Jesus. Let us not be satisfied with the status quo. Instead, let us read God’s Word in the Bible, live it, and have the courage to share it by whatever means possible.

Start by sharing your faith within your family—your spouse, children, and other members of your household. Then, witness for yourself the miracles Jesus will create in your life and in your family as you spread His message.

When you share Jesus, you secure for yourself a sacred place in heaven when your time in this temporary world comes to an end. – Marino J. Dasmarinas