Reflection for Wednesday March 19 Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a

Gospel: Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. 

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. 

Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. 

She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

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Reflection:

Are you obedient to the will of God?

When Joseph discovered that Mary was pregnant, he decided to quietly separate from her—quietly, because that was his character. He was a quiet and humble man. As much as possible, Joseph did not want to create a scene that could result in Mary’s being ostracized by her townspeople.

Perhaps the devil was already insidiously trying to provoke Joseph to do something that would humiliate Mary. But Joseph calmly resisted whatever evil machinations the devil had. He overcame them by listening to what the angel told him to do. 

Thus, Joseph faithfully loved and protected his family. By his act of obedience to the will of God, we can safely conclude that Joseph loved Mary deeply.

Many fathers today easily give up when their marriage is tested by fire. They quickly succumb when tempted by the devil, no longer listening to the voice of God, who always calls them to uphold the sanctity of marriage and family life.

Let us be inspired by the life of Saint Joseph—his humility, his obedience to the voice of God, and his unconditional love and protection for his wife, Mary, and his child, Jesus.

Saint Joseph, Patron Saint of Fathers, Patron Saint of Families, and Patron Saint of a Happy Death, we beseech you to always pray for us. —Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for March 18 Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent: Matthew 23:1-12

Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. 

All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. 

Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” 

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Reflection: 

Do you lead by example? 

The principle of leadership by example means that a leader sets the standards to be followed and personally adheres to them. Similarly, parents should establish benchmarks in their homes and fully embody them so their children can emulate their example. 

On the other hand, bad or ineffective leaders instruct their people to do this and that, yet they fail to follow their own commands. They preach the standards but do not practice what they preach. The same applies to irresponsible parents—they tell their children to observe certain disciplines, but ironically, they do not follow these disciplines themselves. 

During the time of Jesus, the Pharisees and scribes were the religious leaders, and they were supposed to lead by example. However, they failed to do so. They were good at giving orders, but when it came to practicing what they preached, they fell short. 

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the common people of that time began to gravitate toward Jesus. They saw in Him a leader who led by example—someone who empathized with them, was approachable and humble, and ate and mingled with them. In other words, Jesus lived what He preached. 

What lesson does our Gospel teach us? We must always be true to our words and actions. We must not be like the Pharisees and scribes, who were excellent at preaching but severely lacking in practicing what they preached. 

Instead, we must strive to be like Jesus, who lived by His teachings. Jesus was always true to His words and actions. He led by example and truly walked His talk. 

Do you always live what you preach? Are you always true to your words? — Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for March 17 Monday of the Second Week of Lent: Luke 6:36-38

Gospel: Luke 6:36-38

Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 

“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. 

For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

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Reflection:

Are you merciful? Are you not quick to judge? Are you generous?  

Jesus gives us, in today’s Gospel, guidelines for living our faith. Be merciful. This merciful attitude should not be exclusive to those we love or to our friends. Let us be merciful to everyone, especially to our enemies and those who have hurt us. 

Stop judging and condemning, and you will not be judged or condemned. Try pointing an accusing finger at someone you are judging or condemning, and you will find that three of your fingers are pointing back at you. Before you judge others for their iniquities, look closely at yourself first. 

On forgiveness, Jesus tells us: Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Some of us are so heartless that we have no room for forgiveness in our hearts. Jesus gives us insight into how we can free ourselves from hateful emotions through forgiveness. 

We must always be forgiving. It is truly a liberating experience when we forgive because we release the pent-up emotions that have enslaved us for so long. Just try offering your wholehearted forgiveness to everyone who has hurt you, and you will feel as if a great burden has been lifted from your shoulders. 

On giving, Jesus tells us: Give, and gifts will be given to you in return. This is very true. The more we give, the more we receive. Oftentimes, we hesitate to give because we are overly concerned with our own needs. In reality, it is always through giving that we receive more blessings from the Lord. 

Whatever possessions we have are not truly ours. We are merely stewards of the material things entrusted to us. — Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for March 16 Second Sunday of Lent: Luke 9:28b-36

Gospel: Luke 9:28b-36

Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. 

Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. 

While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

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Reflection:

A carefree young man had a car accident that nearly cost him his life. During his recovery, he carefully discerned the implications of that accident on his life and said to himself, “I need to change my lifestyle; otherwise, I will die.” That car accident became his moment of transfiguration. Hence, he became responsible, shunned his undesirable friends, and served as a catechist in their parish church. 

Have you already had your own moment of transfiguration? 

In the transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor, the three disciples—Peter, James, and John—saw firsthand how Jesus was transfigured. From a mortal like them, Jesus’ face changed in appearance, and His clothing became dazzling white (Luke 9:29). 

What was happening before the three apostles went up the mountain to witness Jesus’ transfiguration? They had been with the Lord, carrying out their mission. They had witnessed many miracles performed by Jesus. Yet, Jesus also told them that He would soon suffer and be put to death by His persecutors (Luke 9:22). 

Upon hearing this, the three likely felt disheartened. They could not believe that such suffering awaited their Lord and Master. It was in this context that Jesus brought them to Mount Tabor—to reveal His true identity to them and to show them what awaited them if they remained faithful to their mission until the end. 

By witnessing Jesus’ transfiguration, the three apostles were also transformed—though in a different way. Their encounter with Jesus in His glorified state uplifted their spirits, renewed their strength, and motivated them to continue their sacred mission of evangelization. 

At what stage are you in your life right now? Are you facing your own share of challenges? Don’t give up. Remember, this is just temporary. In the end, there is a prize that awaits you—the eternal joy of being with Jesus in heaven. 

Let the transfiguration of Jesus energize you, strengthen you, and give you hope. May His powerful transfiguration inspire you to move forward in faith, no matter what difficulties you may encounter. — Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for March 15 Saturday of the First Week of Lent: Matthew 5:43-48

Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 

For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 

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Reflection:

The story is told of a wife who was betrayed by her husband for a younger woman. After years of separation, the wife learned that her husband was now sick. Because of her unconditional love for him, she went to him and brought him to the hospital to heal. 

In our Gospel today, Jesus gives us a teaching about unconditional love—a love that extends to everyone, including those who have hurt us or continue to hurt us. This is very hard to do, but this is who Jesus is. He gives us teachings that seem difficult to follow based on human standards. However, if we are truly devoted to Him, we will obey and follow. 

What happens when we follow the teachings of Jesus? Take, for example, His teaching in today’s Gospel about loving and praying for our enemies and persecutors. We free ourselves from undeserved hatred and release ourselves from self-created psychological and emotional imprisonment, which does not bring us any good anyway. 

Let us observe ourselves when we carry hatred in our hearts. We may feel like we are about to explode, which is very bad for our health, especially for our blood pressure. On the other hand, when we do not carry hatred in our hearts, we feel light, and we invite the blessings of Jesus into our lives. 

Will you follow this teaching of Jesus? — Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for March 14 Friday of the First Week of Lent: Matthew 5:20-26

Gospel: Matthew 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.   

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.   

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” 

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Reflection: 

What is the cure for anger? It’s humility. 

Nobody is perfect. Once in a while, we get angry, but do we have the humility to make amends after we have injured someone with our arrogance? Only a gentle and humble person would have the courage to say, “I’m sorry,” or to apologize. 

But saying “I’m sorry” is not easy. Only a humble person would summon enough courage to say these magic words that have healed so many disputes and arguments. In our Gospel for today, Jesus gives us a teaching about anger. 

Jesus tells us that we must be reconciled with those with whom we have differences and feelings of enmity. But why do we get angry in the first place? We get angry because we lack humility. We get angry because we have a superiority complex against our fellowmen. 

It is only humility that can deescalate and eventually eliminate our anger. Let us, therefore, pray for the grace of humility. Let us ask God the Holy Spirit to give it to us. The best test of humility is our willingness to apologize and admit our mistakes to those whom we have hurt. — Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Thursday March 12 Thursday of the First Week in Lent: Matthew 7:7-12

Gospel: Matthew 7:7-12

Jesus said to his disciples: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 

Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. 

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.”

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Reflection:

What do you do when your child asks for something from you? You try your very best to give what he or she is asking for. Why? Because you love your child and don’t want to disappoint him or her. 

What if your parents ask something from you? For the same reason, you will also try your very best to give what they are asking for. 

The love of Jesus is far greater than the love of a parent for a child or a child’s love for his or her parents. What does this mean? If we are willing to do everything to grant the requests of our loved ones, Jesus will surely grant whatever we sincerely ask of Him. 

Our sincerity matters when we ask something from Jesus. For example, when Jesus said to His disciples, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7), He was emphasizing the importance of sincerity. 

This is also what Jesus expects from us when we pray to Him. The purity of our desire is a major factor in Jesus granting us what we ask of Him. If Jesus sees that there is no purity or sincerity in our prayers, or if our prayers are centered on serving our selfish interests, then we can be assured that nothing will come of them. 

In hindsight, this is also an invitation for us to reflect on our prayers to Jesus. If He has not yet granted some of our prayers, perhaps we need to reassess our objectives. Perhaps we need to be more sincere and selfless in our prayers. 

Are you always sincere and selfless when you pray to the Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for March 12 Wednesday of the First Week in Lent: Luke 11:29-32

Gospel: Luke 11:29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.  

At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. 

At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

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Reflection:

A sinful man had a conversion. When he was asked what moved him to become good and Godly, he replied: “I have a terminal illness, so I don’t want to be in hell when I depart from this world. Hell is real, as well as heaven, and those who continue to sin and ignore God’s call to conversion will certainly end up in hell someday.” 

Some of us may ask, "Is heaven and hell real?" Yes, they are both real, and they are already here in our midst. If we always do good, our life will be like heaven on earth. Yes, we may face problems from time to time, but we will always overcome them because Jesus is always by our side to help. On the other hand, if we continue to do evil, we can expect our lives to be in a state of suffering—like hell on earth. This is the practical reality of heaven and hell. 

However, God loves us so much that He calls us to repent and permanently walk away from our sinfulness. This is because the good Lord wants us to experience heaven while we are still here in this world. He also wants us to be in heaven after we pass from this world. This is God's great love for us. He constantly calls us to repentance every day, every hour, every minute, and every second of our lives. 

Someday, when we die, some of us will say, "If only I had listened to Jesus’ call to repentance, I would not be in this hellish place right now. But I did not. Instead, I continued to enjoy the many pleasures brought to me by the devil." 

Nonetheless, all is not lost yet, because there is still time for us to repent and walk away from anything that leads us to sin. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for March 11 Tuesday of the First Week of Lent: Matthew 6:7-15

Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15

Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.    

“This is how you are to pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  

“If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” 

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Reflection:

What is the secret to closeness with God? It is prayer that comes from the depths of our being. This is the foundation of our closeness with God. From the fountain of our prayerful life will emanate the God-given desire to know more about Him. Do we always pray with our hearts and minds fully engaged? Or do we only pray when we feel the need or when we have the time? 

The most effective method of prayer is to pray without any excess baggage in our hearts. What does this mean? It means praying without carrying any hatred. For example, if someone has wronged us and is asking for our forgiveness, what would we do? Would we forgive or refuse to forgive? 

Of course, we must forgive. For how can God forgive us when we ourselves are unwilling to forgive? How can we be open to the many blessings of God if our hearts are full of unforgiveness? We must live forgiveness if we want God to hear and forgive us. 

We are mere passersby in this world. Sooner or later, the curtain of our life in this world will close. How can we enter heaven if we carry the weight of unforgiveness in our hearts? And how can we go to heaven if we carry the burden of hatred? 

When Jesus was dying on the cross, He said a short yet deeply meaningful prayer to God. While gasping for breath, Jesus prayed: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) If Jesus can forgive, why can’t we? 

Do you have hatred or any form of unforgiveness in your heart right now? Let go of it. And if you still cannot let go, humbly pray to Jesus and ask Him to heal you. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for March 10 Monday of the First Week of Lent: Matthew 25:31-46

Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 

Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.' 

Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?' And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.' 

Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.' Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?' 

He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.' And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." 

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Reflection:

What is the significance of this Gospel in our lives? It encourages us to make Jesus the center and King of our lives; it persuades us to make Jesus the priority of our lives. In other words, before anything else, it must be Jesus first. 

But look at what is happening now—Jesus is the least priority for some of us. We need no factual statistics to validate this; we simply need to look at the attendance at Holy Mass. We observe the spiraling crime rate, corporate greed, and the massive destruction of the environment, which results in calamitous disasters and flooding. There is also political corruption and the arrogance of many politicians, and so forth. 

Obviously, the Kingship of Christ is nowhere in their hearts. The kingship of Jesus is eroded by the kingship of materialism, greed, and arrogance. 

Would we allow this erosion of the Kingship of Jesus in favor of the kingship of the secular world, which Satan represents? We must not allow this to happen! We, who are followers of Christ, must see to it that He is always part and parcel of our daily lives. We may not verbally preach Him, but we must learn to preach Him through our daily lives. 

Saint Francis of Assisi once said, “Preach the Gospel at all times; use words if necessary.” This means that we must live the Gospel in every moment of our lives. By doing so, we would be perpetuating the Kingship of Christ in this world. But this is seldom done now. What is often preached instead is greed, materialism, arrogance, and other forms of destructive secular teachings. 

We are therefore being challenged by Jesus to help Him become more relevant in this present world. Now more than ever, the world needs Jesus—His values and His teachings. Let us not run away from this responsibility that Jesus gave us. Let us live Him, embrace Him, and share Him. 

Can we measure up to this challenge? — Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for March 9 First Sunday of Lent: Luke 4:1-13

Gospel: Luke 4:1-13

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 

Jesus answered him, “It is written, One does not live on bread alone.” Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.” 

Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written: You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.” Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and: With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” 

Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.

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Reflection:

A man gave in to the temptation of an adulterous affair. His sister constantly advised him to end the immoral relationship, but he did not listen. He reasoned that his wife would never catch him. Indeed, he was never caught, but when he died, the devil immediately brought his soul to hell. 

Today is the first Sunday of Lent, and we read that Jesus was tempted by the devil three times. The first was to transform a stone into bread, the second was to worship the devil in exchange for power and glory, and the third was to jump from the parapet. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus rejected all three temptations and walked away from the devil. 

Why do we succumb to temptation? Why can’t we refuse or simply walk away from the devil? The answer is simple: we take control of our lives instead of surrendering to God. Rather than following His authority, we follow our own sinful desires—desires that the devil feeds into our minds. 

If we follow the devil’s ways, we will gain nothing but hell. If we sell our souls to him, we will reap only misery. What happened to Judas when he gave in to the devil’s temptation and betrayed Jesus (Matthew 27:3-5)? Did he profit from it? No. Likewise, we will gain nothing good if we yield to the devil’s many temptations. 

Let us make this Lent a time to deeply strengthen our relationship with Jesus so that we can resist whatever temptations the devil places before us. 

What are you doing to strengthen your relationship with Jesus? —Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Marso 9 Unang Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Lucas 4:1-13

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 4:1-13

Noong panahong iyon: Umalis si Hesus sa Jordan, puspos ng Espiritu Santo. Dinala siya ng Espiritu doon sa ilang, at sa loob ng apat-napung araw ay tinukso ng diyablo. Hindi siya kumain sa buong panahong iyon, kaya’t gutom na gutom siya. 

Sinabi sa kanya ng diyablo, “Kung ikaw ang Anak ng Diyos, iutos mo na maging tinapay ang mga batong ito.” Ngunit sinagot siya ni Hesus, “Nasusulat, ‘Hindi lamang sa tinapay nabubuhay ang tao.’” 

Dinala siya ng diyablo sa isang napakataas na lugar at sa isang saglit ay ipinakita sa kanya ang lahat ng kaharian ng sanlibutan. “Ibibigay ko sa iyo ang lahat ng kapangyarihan at kadakilaan ng mga kahariang ito,” wika ng diyablo. “Ipinagkaloob ito sa akin at maibibigay ko sa kaninumang ibigin ko. Kaya’t kung ako’y sasambahin mo, magiging iyong lahat ito.” Sumagot si Hesus, “Nasusulat, ‘Ang iyong Diyos at Panginoon ang sasambahin mo, at siya lamang ang iyong paglilingkuran.’” 

At dinala siya ng diyablo sa taluktok ng templo ng Jerusalem, at sinabi sa kanya, “Kung ikaw ang Anak ng Diyos, magpatihulog ka, sapagkat nasusulat, ‘Ipagbibilin niya sa kanyang mga anghel na ingatan ka’ at ‘Aalalayan ka nila, upang hindi ka matisod sa bato.’” 

Subalit sinagot siya ni Hesus, “Nasusulat, ‘Huwag mong subukin ang Panginoon mong Diyos!’” Pagkatapos siyang tuksuhin ng diyablo sa lahat ng paraan, ito’y umalis at naghintay ng ibang pagkakataon.

Reflection for March 8 Saturday after Ash Wednesday: Luke 5:27-32

Gospel: Luke 5:27-32

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them.   

The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

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Reflection:

Who are the modern-day sinners that Jesus wants to call to repentance? It’s no other than us—we are sinners. We sin through our thoughts, actions, and words. Like the tax collector Levi, Jesus calls us to follow Him and leave behind our sinfulness. 

Why does Jesus call us to follow Him? Because He wants to build a deeper friendship with us, and this can only happen if we choose to respond to His call—rather than respond to the call of the devil, who always tempts us to sin. 

When we respond to the call of Jesus, we ensure ourselves a meaningful life. This doesn’t mean that the moment we say yes to Jesus, we will be free from worries and trials. We will still have our share of struggles, yet in the midst of them, we will feel the abiding presence of Jesus in our lives. 

If we decide to follow Jesus, there will be people who will despise and perhaps belittle us. But we have nothing to worry about when faced with such opposition. What is most important is that we choose to leave behind our sinfulness in favor of Jesus’ call. 

Leaving behind our sinfulness is not easy because the devil will not easily let us go—he seeks to destroy us through sin. Nevertheless, nothing is impossible for Jesus. All He asks of us is our "yes" and our firm desire to turn away from sin. 

Lest we forget, a sinful life is a life in union with the devil, and a sinful life is a problem-filled life—problems that may seem pleasurable in the eyes of the world but will ultimately lead to our destruction. Let us, therefore, respond to the call of Jesus. 

Would you respond to the Lord’s call? —Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for March 7 Friday after Ash Wednesday: Matthew 9:14-15

Gospel: Matthew 9:14-15

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” 

Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

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Reflection:

Have you ever tried abstaining from food? 

The question of fasting is most relevant to all of us during this season of Lent because this is when the Church actively reminds us about it. The gospel for today reiterates this reminder. 

It may seem that Jesus is defending His disciples for not fasting. But in hindsight, they were actually fasting—not in the literal sense to appease the discriminating eyes of John's disciples. The disciples of Jesus were fasting from self-righteousness, from doing wrong, and from judging others as good for nothing. 

This is the deeper form of fasting that Jesus wants from all of us, and it should not be practiced only during the season of Lent. Are we capable of permanently fasting from doing wrong, from feeling superior, and from judging others? 

This is the deeper form of fasting that Jesus appreciates. For what good is it if we fast from food but do not change our undesirable attitudes? For example, what if we fast yet continue to be arrogant, judgmental, unforgiving, uncaring, and so forth? What, then, is the use of our fasting? – Marino J. Dasmarinas