Bakit po hindi nag-aayuno ang inyong mga alagad?" Sumagot
siya, "Maaari bang magdalamhati ang mga panauhin sa kasalan habang kasama
nila ang lalaking ikinasal? Kapag wala na siya, saka pa lamang sila
mag-aayuno."
Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to
come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for
my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet
lose or forfeit himself?”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
A man of the world was on the verge of ending his life. He decided to go to a cliff to jump, hoping to end everything. On his way, he saw a church with an inscription of the words of Jesus: "Come, follow me" (Matthew 9:14). He gave it serious thought, changed his mind, and decided to enter the church to inquire about its meaning.
There, he was informed that it was a call to vocation in the service of the Lord. He then chose not to end his life but instead responded to the call of vocation. Soon after, he found God and discerned the true meaning of his life with Jesus.
Many of us spend our lifetime pursuing earthly ambitions, such as wealth and power. Yet, when we reach the pinnacle of our success, we often discover that something is still lacking. We yearn for something meaningful—something that will truly satisfy our inner being.
This deep longing is no other than God. No matter how rich or powerful we become, we will still lack contentment and peace of mind. The simple reason is that only God gives true peace, inner calmness, and healing. However, following God is not easy, as it requires us to carry our own cross.
But the big question is this: Are we willing to carry that cross? Are we willing to give our lives to God so that He may save us and make full use of us? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
At sinabi niya sa lahat, "Kung ibig ninumang sumunod sa akin, limutin niya ang ukol sa kanyang sarili, pasanin araw-araw ang kanyang krus at sumunod sa akin.
Ang naghahangad magligtas ng kanyang buhay ay siyang mawawalan nito; ngunit ang mag-alay ng kanyang buhay alang-alang sa akin ay siyang magkakamit niyon. Ano nga ang mapapala ng tao, makamtan man niya ang buong sanlibutan kung ang katumbas naman nito'y ang kanyang buhay? Ano nga ang mapapala niya kung siya’y mapapahamak?”
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
+ + + + + +
Reflection:
What is the relevance of Ash Wednesday to your life?
Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of our forty-day journey of self-examination and self-reflection on our walk with the Lord and our journey through this fleeting world. We examine ourselves to see whether we have been able to shun the many sins and temptations of this world in favor of our love for God.
We also examine our attitude when we give alms, pray, and fast. Do we perform these acts of piety to serve our own intentions or to fulfill the will of God? Many of us do these acts to show the world our own righteousness rather than to glorify Him.
As we approach the priest or church ministers to receive ashes in the sign of the cross on our foreheads, we are reminded that one day, we shall return to dust, and our mortal bodies will forever remain part of this world.
We will leave behind all our temporal achievements, knowledge, and riches. Eventually, we will be forgotten and permanently fade from the memory of this world.
But God will not forget us—if only we learn to repent and truly turn away from everything that leads us to sin. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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.
When we give up something for someone we dearly love, we can be assured of receiving something more worthy—something that will complete us. This may not make us happy immediately, but certainly, something beautiful will come out of it in place of what we gave up.
If we give up even a portion of our worldly life for Jesus, we can expect something in return from Him. It may not be material riches or worldly power, but we will certainly receive something from Him.
It may be peace of mind, which may have eluded us for the longest time. It could be good health or anything that cannot be measured or seen with our naked eyes, yet it can certainly be felt in our hearts.
When Jesus asks us to give up something for Him, we should hurry to obey and follow. We should never hesitate; instead, we should give it up immediately—like a child jumping with reckless abandon into his father’s arms.
What are you willing to immediately give up for Jesus? — Marino J. Dasmarinas
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 men it is impossible, but not for God. All
things are possible for God.”
+ + + + + + +
What must we do to inherit eternal life? Jesus tells us to follow the commandments, sell what we have, give the proceeds to the poor, and follow Him. This is how Saint Francis of Assisi lived his life. He was the son of a rich merchant, but he disowned all his inheritance and instead chose to help the poor. He lived a life of simplicity and poverty, relying more on God’s providence than on worldly possessions.
There are people who are overly concerned with their material wealth, as if they could take it to the grave. Some are even willing to sell their souls to the devil just to be rich. But we should not invest in these things, for they are temporary and can be taken from us at any time.
Instead, we should focus more on God rather than on this world. We should help those in need and steadfastly follow Christ. There is nothing wrong with being rich, as long as we do not make riches our god—and we can best avoid this by sharing what we have. Let us always remember that we are merely stewards of the things entrusted to us. — Marino J. Dasmarinas
Alam mo ang mga utos: ‘Huwag kang papatay; huwag kang
mangangalunya; huwag kang magnanakaw; huwag kang magsisinungaling sa iyong
pagsaksi; huwag kang magdadaya; igalang mo ang iyong ama’t ina.’” “Guro,” sabi
ng lalaki, “ang lahat po ng iya’y tinutupad ko na mula pa sa aking pagkabata.”
Magiliw siyang tiningnan ni Hesus, at sinabi sa kanya, “Isang
bagay pa ang kulang sa iyo. Humayo ka, ipagbili mo ang iyong ari-arian at
ipamigay sa mga dukha ang pinagbilhan, at magkakaroon ka ng kayamanan sa
langit.
Pagkatapos, bumalik ka at sumunod sa akin.” Namanglaw ang lalaki
nang marinig ito, at malungkot na umalis, sapagkat siya’y napakayaman.
Tiningnan ni Hesus ang mga nasa paligid niya at sinabi sa kanyang mga alagad,
“Napakahirap mapabilang ang mayayaman sa mga pinaghaharian ng Diyos.” Nagtaka
ang mga alagad sa pananalitang ito.
Muling sinabi ni Hesus, “Mga anak, talagang napakahirap mapabilang
sa mga pinaghaharian ng Diyos! Madali pang makaraan ang kamelyo sa butas ng
karayom kaysa pasakop sa paghahari ng Diyos ang isang mayaman.” Lalong nagtaka
ang mga alagad, kaya’t sila’y nagtanungan, “Kung gayo’y sino ang maliligtas?”
Tinitigan sila ni Hesus at sinabi sa kanila, “Hindi ito magagawa ng tao, ngunit hindi ito mahirap sa Diyos. Magagawa ng Diyos ang lahat ng bagay.”
How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me
remove that splinter in your eye,' when you do not even notice the wooden beam
in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye
first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother's
eye.
"A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does
a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For
people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from
brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces
good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the
fullness of the heart the mouth speaks."
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
A woman saw a handsome man. The handsome man, sensing that the woman was looking at him, also looked at her. Their eyes met, and she immediately fell in love with him. After a few weeks, they got married. However, two months into their marriage, the man's domineering and arrogant behavior started to unravel.
Are you easily swayed by outward appearances? For example, have you ever seen a handsome man or a beautiful woman and felt immediately attracted to that person? An attractive outward appearance can be very deceiving. Why? Simply because we cannot fully know a person's true character based on what we see.
What we see
is merely a façade—it can be faked. The exterior is not a reflection of a
person's true character. A person's true nature lies hidden in their heart, and
we can only discover it once we get to know them better.
Many young people today easily fall into the trap of being captivated by outward appearances. This is often what attracts them to their future spouse. However, after marriage, the hidden, dark, and devious aspects of their partner’s character may begin to emerge.
The same applies to friendships. We should not choose friends based solely on wealth or influence. Instead, we should befriend people because of their good character. It does not matter if a person is poor—what truly matters is the goodness that emanates from their heart.
In our first reading, according to the book of Sirach, it says: "One’s speech discloses the bent of one’s mind" (Sirach 27:6). And in our Gospel, Jesus tells us: “From the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).
So, how can we avoid being misled by outward appearances? We must take the time to truly know a person by engaging in conversation with them and carefully discerning their words.
For what a person speaks comes from the heart, and what originates from the heart is the true measure of their character. — Marino J. Dasmarinas
“Ang tinitingnan mo’y ang puwing ng iyong kapatid ngunit hindi mo pinapansin ang tahilan sa iyong mata. Paano mo masasabi sa iyong kapatid, ‘Kapatid, bayaan mong alisin ko ang iyong puwing,’ gayung hindi mo nakikita ang tahilang nasa iyong mata? Mapagpaimbabaw! Alisin mo muna ang tahilan sa iyong mata, at makakikita kang mabuti; sa gayo’y maaalis mo ang puwing ng iyong kapatid.”
“Walang mabuting punongkahoy na namumunga ng masama, at walang masamang punongkahoy na namumunga ng mabuti. Nakikilala ang bawat punongkahay sa pamamagitan ng kanyang bunga. Sapagkat hindi nakapipitas ng igos sa puno ng aroma, at di rin nakapipitas ng ubas sa puno ng dawag.
Ang mabuting tao ay nakapagdudulot ng
mabuti sapagkat tigib ng kabutihan ang kanyang puso; ang masamang tao ay
nakapagdudulot ng masama, sapagkat puno ng kasamaan ang kanyang puso. Sapagkat
kung ano ang bukambibig siyang laman ng dibdib.
Amen, I say
to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter
it.” Then he embraced the children and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
+ + + +
+ + +
Reflection:
Who are the main formators of children? Of course, it’s the parents. From their parents, children learn basic Christian values such as love for God, humility, obedience, and other virtues. Children learn almost everything from their parents.
Therefore, virtues such as these are taught by parents to their children. What is taught by the parents is imbibed by their children. What is observed from parents is copied by children.
For example, if children are taught by their parents about love for God and humility—and these teachings are also lived or practiced by the parents—it’s a no-brainer that they will grow up practicing these virtues throughout their lives. Conversely, if children are taught arrogance and they observe the same behavior from their parents, it’s a cinch that they will also become arrogant.
Therefore, the mind of a child is fertile soil for the inculcation of proper Christian values by their elders, specifically their parents.
In our Gospel, we see people (most probably parents) bringing children to Jesus. These people were trying to instill in the minds of the children that it is essential to go to Jesus, which is always the right thing to do. However, the disciples prevented them. When Jesus saw this, He became angry. He told the disciples to let the children come to Him, then He embraced them and blessed them by placing His hands on them.
Let us not forget that the future of the children whom Jesus loves so dearly rests in our hands. We are the primary formators of our children, and the very first lesson we must teach them is love for God. Let us always bring them to Jesus, for He loves them even more than we do.
Do you teach your children to love Jesus? Do you teach them to pray and listen to Him? —Marino J. Dasmarinas
They replied, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”
In the house
the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, “Whoever
divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she
divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Are you faithful to your marriage vows?
When a man and a woman are wed in the Catholic Church, the priest poses this question to them:
"Do you take [name] as your lawful wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death do you part?" The man and woman will answer: "I do."
The marriage bond is meant to last forever, but the reality is that some married couples separate. I know of three couples who were married in the Church:
Couple #1:
The husband simply left his wife and two very young children.
Couple #2:
The wife left her husband, even though they already had a baby.
Couple #3: The wife carried on an adulterous affair for more than three years. During that time, her husband constantly reminded her to stop, but she refused to listen—until he fully discovered her infidelity.
Oftentimes, couples separate for selfish reasons. They care only about what they want and feel, without giving an iota of concern to the feelings of their spouse and children. Instead of separating, why not walk away permanently from whatever leads us into sin, give love a second chance, and ask Jesus to heal the marriage?
Jesus said to his disciples:
"A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate" (Mark 10:7-9).
Then he added:
"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery" (Mark 10:11-12).
The Sacrament of Marriage is one of the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church. The first miracle performed by Jesus was turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana. The priest who presides over a wedding ceremony does so in the person of Jesus Christ.
Jesus himself said: "What God has joined together, no human being must separate" (Mark 10:9).
Are you doing something to preserve the sanctity of your marriage? — Marino J. Dasmarinas
Tugon niya, “Ano ang utos sa inyo ni Moises?” Sumagot naman
sila, “Ipinahintulot ni Moises na hiwalayan ng lalaki ang kanyang asawa matapos
bigyan ng kasulatan sa paghihiwalay.” Ngunit sinabi ni Hesus, “Dahil sa
katigasan ng inyong ulo kaya niya inilagda ang utos na ito. Subalit sa pasimula
pa, nang likhain ng Diyos ang sanlibutan: ‘Nilalang niya silang lalaki at
babae. Dahil dito’y iiwan ng lalaki ang kanyang ama at ina, at magsasama sila
ng kanyang asawa, at sila’y magiging isa.’ Kaya’t hindi na sila dalawa kundi
isa. Ang pinagsama ng Diyos ay huwag paghiwalayin ng tao.”
Pagdating sa bahay, ang mga alagad naman ang nagtanong kay Hesus tungkol sa bagay na ito. Sinabi niya sa kanila, “Ang sinumang lalaking humiwalay sa kanyang asawa at mag-asawa sa iba ay gumagawa ng masama sa kanyang asawa – siya’y nangangalunya. At ang babaing humiwalay sa kanyang asawa at mag-asawa sa iba ay nangangalunya rin.”
