Reflection for Friday February 14 Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop: Mark 7:31-37

Gospel: Mark 7:31-37

Again Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. 

He took him off by himself away from the crowd.  He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!” — And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. 

He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

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Reflection:

The story is told of a man who was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Of course, he was troubled—who wouldn’t be? But the man had great faith in Jesus, so he earnestly prayed for healing. He attended Mass every day, prayed the rosary regularly, and read his Bible fervently. 

As the days, weeks, and months passed, there was a noticeable decline in his physical appearance. However, those around him also observed a deepening of his faith and confidence in Jesus. They noticed the peacefulness and calmness he exuded—so unlike a dying man. 

In the Gospel, we are presented with a story of physical healing: a deaf man was able to speak again through the healing power of Jesus. With the help of those around him, the deaf man was brought closer to Jesus, after which he begged Him to lay His hand on him. 

Jesus took the man away from the crowd, and in the stillness of the moment, He groaned and said, “Ephphatha!”—which means “Be opened.” The man was immediately healed; he could hear and speak once again. 

Eventually, every one of us will fall ill, and we will all pray for physical healing from Jesus. However, not all of us will experience healing like the deaf man in the Gospel. Some of us will receive deep spiritual healing—the same kind of healing that the terminally ill man in our story received from Jesus. 

Therefore, we must take steps to draw closer to Jesus and build a relationship with Him. Let us take the initiative now, rather than wait until we are in dire need of Him. —Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for February 13 Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 7:24-30

Gospel: Mark 7:24-30

Jesus went to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.  

He said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

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Reflection: 

What is the key to receiving what we ask from Jesus? 

It is persistence. If we feel that Jesus does not hear our prayers, we must continue to call upon Him, never losing hope. We should never give up, because giving up is a sign of our lack of faith in Jesus. 

The Syrophoenician woman in today’s Gospel never gave up on her request, even when she was tested by Jesus. She persisted and humbly begged Him to heal her daughter, who was possessed by a demon. Eventually, her persistence bore fruit—when she returned home, she discovered that her daughter was no longer possessed. 

As we journey through this temporary world, we will inevitably face many challenges. However, we must not allow these trials to discourage us or separate us from Jesus. Instead, the more difficulties we encounter, the more we should persistently turn to Him for help. 

For it is only through Jesus that we can endure the many trials and tribulations of this world. But what if, despite our persistent prayers, Jesus does not seem to answer? What should we do? We must continue to pray and have faith. The more we feel ignored, the more we must pray and trust in Him. 

How strong is your faith in the Lord? —Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for February 12 Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 7:14-23

Gospel: Mark 7:14-23

Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” 

When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 

“But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”

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Reflection:
The story is told of a married man who was caught by his wife having an adulterous relationship with his officemate. The wife told him, “I never thought that you would be capable of doing this to me because you promised me that you would be faithful until the end.”

Why is it that many of us commit sin and fail to live out our faith? When tempted by Satan, we easily give in. Why is this so? I don’t know. Perhaps it is due to our weak and superficial faith or because we love this world more than we love God.

Jesus, in the Gospel, mentions that nothing that enters us makes us sin, but what comes out of us does. Therefore, we must be careful and discerning about the things we do. If we believe that our actions may lead us to sin, then by all means, we should avoid them.

If there is a strong temptation to sin, we must confront and resist it; otherwise, it will capture us. The danger with sin is that it will never stop until it completely destroys us. For example, in the case of adultery, couples engaged in this sinful relationship will likely continue until they are caught and punished.

They indulge in this sin because Satan makes it appear more attractive in their eyes. Under Satan’s spell, they continue without guilt of conscience—the same Satan whose hidden and ultimate desire is to destroy them.

Come to think of it—why is it that, even when we know something is sinful, many of us still do it? The simple answer is that many choose to embrace Satan rather than Jesus. Many gamble their very lives with Satan instead of investing them with Jesus.

When you choose to be with Satan, you will be destroyed sooner or later. However, when you turn away from sin and surrender to Jesus, He will tirelessly work within you, to transform your heart and free you from the grip of sin.  —Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for February 11 Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 7:1-13

Gospel: Mark 7:1-13

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves.  

And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.) So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: 

This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.

You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and Whoever curses father or mother shall die.

Yet you say, ‘If someone says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”

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Reflection:

Are you very strict in observing your customs and traditions? 

The Pharisees were very particular about their customs and traditions, following them to the letter. So, when they saw that Jesus’ disciples ate their meals without washing their hands, they questioned Him about it. 

They said to Jesus, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” 

Jesus responded, “You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition.” He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition!” 

We see that Jesus placed more importance on God's commandments than on human traditions—on the interior rather than the exterior, on inner conversion rather than mere outward observance of laws. 

The conversion that Jesus desires for us is one that involves a true change of heart and mindset. For example, instead of indulging in sin, we strive to avoid it. Instead of remaining in an environment where we have sinned, we completely walk away from it. 

For Jesus, what matters most is not our external actions but our internal conversion and renewal.—Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Monday February 10 Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin: Mark 6:53-56

Gospel: Mark 6:53-56

After making the crossing to the other side of the sea, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up there. As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.  

Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.

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Reflection:

The story is told about a man sick with cancer who asked the Lord, “Why am I suffering, Lord? I can’t bear my sickness anymore, and I can’t endure the pain of going through chemotherapy any longer.”

In the Gospel, those who were able to touch the tassel of Jesus’ cloak were very fortunate, for they received healing in return. This speaks volumes about their faith and the power of Jesus.

But not everyone who has faith is healed. There are those who have faith but continue to suffer from their sickness. Sometimes, it may baffle us why they physically suffer, considering that they also have faith and love Jesus.

The healing that Jesus gives us is not always physical; oftentimes, it is spiritual. This means that we are given the grace to accept our physical sickness and the strength to completely surrender our lives to the great power and mercy of Jesus.

There are people who remain happy despite their physical sickness because they have learned to offer their suffering to God. They understand that the suffering they are undergoing is nothing compared to the suffering that Jesus endured.

There will come a time when we, too, will get sick and suffer. Let us never forget to offer our suffering to Jesus. Let us ask Him to help us endure our trials. Though it may be difficult, let us learn to accept them and continue to have enormous faith in the Lord.

How is your faith in the Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for February 9 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 5:1-11

Gospel: Luke 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

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Reflection:

The story is told of a middle-aged man who wanted to follow Jesus. However, he always had second thoughts about proceeding with his desire because he was sinful. The feeling of unworthiness constantly crept into him. Yet, there was always that inner voice whispering to him to follow the Lord, no matter his sinfulness.

Who among us is worthy to become a follower of Jesus? Nobody—for all of us are sinful, and all of us have offended the Lord in one way or another. Yet, despite our unworthiness, we are always being called by Jesus to follow Him so that He can purify us of our sins, no matter how dark they may be.

The Lord does not call us to condemn us for the countless sins we have committed. He calls us so that He can restore the dignity we lost through our sinfulness. He calls us to remind us that His love for us can overcome whatever sins we have committed.

All He wants from us is our yes and our firm commitment to walk away from our sins! When we say yes to the Lord, we must also be willing to leave behind the environment that led us to sin. We must distance ourselves from those who influenced us to sin. In other words, there is no turning back or looking back the moment we decide to follow the Lord. The Lord is not interested in our sinful past—what matters to Jesus is our present and future with Him.

In the Gospel, after Jesus performed the miracle of the great catch of fish before the very eyes of Simon and the other fishermen (Luke 5:6), Simon Peter knelt before Jesus and begged Him to leave them, for they were all sinful and therefore unworthy of His presence and the miracle He had performed for them (Luke 5:8).

However, Jesus, full of love, mercy, and forgiveness, told Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10). After bringing their boats to shore, Simon and the other fishermen left everything to follow the Lord (Luke 5:11).

Regardless of your sins and your dark past, Jesus is calling you to begin a new life with Him. Would you respond to His call? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for February 8 Saturday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 6:30-34

Gospel: Mark 6:30-34

The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” 

People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them.

When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

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Reflection:

Do you always have time for Jesus? 

In the Gospel, after working so hard to spread the Good News, Jesus noticed that the apostles were tired from their mission. Thus, He told them to be with Him in a place by themselves to rest. 

Why be with Him and not alone by themselves? Because only through Him could they experience complete recovery from both physical and spiritual exhaustion. If they went alone to a quiet place, they might reinvigorate themselves physically. But how could they reenergize their spirits without Jesus? 

In our materially driven world, we are always on the move—always busy with work and other commitments. Naturally, we get tired, and to ease this exhaustion, some of us take vacations to recharge our weary bodies. However, have we considered going to Jesus in prayer to restore both our bodies and spirits? 

We need to make time for Jesus so that He can renew and strengthen our weary souls. Why? Because we are not only citizens of this world but are also called to be citizens of heaven in God’s appointed time. Thus, we need to set aside regular, quiet, and solemn moments with Jesus to deepen our friendship with Him. 

How can we develop a deeper friendship with Jesus so that He can nourish us? We can spend quiet time with Him in the Adoration Chapel and allow Him to embrace us with His unconditional love. We can read the Bible and meditate on His words, which have the power to transform us. We can attend Holy Mass and pray the Holy Rosary. 

But sadly, many of us forget this because we no longer make time for God. We allow ourselves to be consumed by our fears and the temporary distractions of this world. In doing so, we forget the eternal—Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for February 7 Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 6:14-29

Gospel: Mark 6:14-29

King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” Others were saying, “He is Elijah”; still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.” 

But when Herod learned of it, he said, “It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.” Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. 

Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. Herodias had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. His own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. 

The king said to the girl, “Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.” He even swore many things to her, “I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” Her mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request, “I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 

The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. 

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Reflection:

There’s always a heavy price attached to speaking out against wrongdoing and evil. For example, in a family setting, if a wife notices that her husband is playing with fire, she must call his attention or even confront her philandering husband. 

But this kind of boldness sometimes comes with a heavy price. Either there will be conflict in their marriage, or it may even lead to estrangement. However, even if there’s a heavy price to pay, we must still speak out; otherwise, we are consenting to what is wrong, evil and immoral. 

John the Baptist paid a heavy price for speaking out against adultery—he was beheaded for speaking the truth. Such is the irony of life. We speak the truth, yet we still suffer for doing so. But how could we correct a wrongdoing if we do not denounce it? 

True followers of Jesus are those who are not afraid to speak out, regardless of the consequences. And John the Baptist is one of the best, if not the best, models of what it means to be a true follower of Jesus. 

How would you react should there come a time when you must face this kind of predicament? Would you keep quiet and consent to what is wrong, or would you correct it by speaking your mind? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Thursday February 6 Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs: Mark 6:7-13

Gospel: Mark 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick –no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. 

He said to them wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them. So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

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Reflection:

What is the advantage of not being attached to worldly things? We learn to trust in the providence of God and recognize that the things of this world do not matter, for they are temporary and fleeting. We realize that our faith in God is more than enough to compensate for our lack of worldly possessions. 

Come to think of it, how much money do we really need to earn in our lifetime? There are people who work tirelessly to accumulate wealth—money that, if we are not discerning, could even contribute to our own sickness! And in the end, this same hard-earned money may not even be enough to cover our hospital bills. 

In the Gospel, when Jesus told His disciples not to bring food, money, or other provisions, He was essentially telling them not to worry, for He would provide for them. If God can provide for the birds and other animals, will He not provide for us, whom He created in His image (Genesis 1:27)? 

Many of us are overly concerned with material and physical aspects of life, such as the clothes we wear or the high-tech gadgets we own. Yet, upon closer reflection, we realize that we can actually live without these material things. 

Our problem is that we allow this world to dictate our priorities. This is why many of us push ourselves to work excessively hard just to earn money. But for what purpose? To show off how wealthy we have become? 

Jesus invites us to rethink our way of living, for we may have already become slaves to this world rather than His faithful and trusting followers. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

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