What feeds your mind? by: Marino J. Dasmarinas

This is the one million dollar question: What feeds your mind? Is it your worries? Is it your desire for money? There are a lot of things that feeds our mind and we may not know it that some of these are actually depreciating us.

Worry no more, the Bible tells us: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)
Is it your desire for money? The Bible has this to say: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (1st Timothy 6:10)
Feed your mind with God and you will not go wrong; this is what the Bible tells us: “Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you." (Matthew. 6:33).

Pray, Read the Bible specially the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John (this is where you will intimately know who really Jesus is) and meditate on its words. Attend Mass or your Church service (if you’re not a Catholic). When you feed your mind with God you’ll have peace in your heart and you’ll feel Jesus presence in your life every step of the way.

What are you feeding your mind right now?

How did the word CATHOLIC came into being?

The original existing reference to the “Catholic Church” occurred in a letter written by St. Ignatius of Antioch.

In his Letter to the Smyrnaeans written in 107 AD the following statement was written: “Wherever the bishop is, let the people be there; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.” This declaration is interesting for numerous reasons. One reason is that the name “Catholic” used to designate Jesus’ Church was apparently not new. St. Ignatius felt no need to clarify or defend the name. This points to an earlier year for the beginning of the name Catholic. It is not a stretch to conceive the beginning of the name “Catholic” to the first century. Another reason that this statement is remarkable is that the man that first wrote that the Church was called “Catholic” was from Antioch. It was also in Antioch that the followers of Jesus were first called “Christians” (Acts 11:26). One other reason that this statement from St. Ignatius is interesting is that Jesus and the Catholic Church are united as one. “Wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.” In other words, Jesus is always found with the Catholic Church. This fulfills the words of our Lord, “Behold, I am with you always even until the end of the world!” (Matthew 28:20).

Why do Catholics have crucifixes?

Please click on the link:

http://www.thebostonpilot.com/articleopinion.asp?ID=6018

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Please click on this link:

http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/entiretoc1.htm

or

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM

My Reflections for the fifth Sunday of Lent (John 11:3-7,17,20-27,33-45) March 9, Jesus, Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus

My reflections:
Our relationship with our friends has different degrees; there are friends whom we can freely unburden whatever emotions we have. There are those whom we are wary of sharing our deepest secrets for fear of betrayal and scorn. This is also true on how we give our love to our friends. There is superficial love and there’s sacrificial or agape love towards our friends.

In the gospel we clearly see the deep friendship and love amongst Jesus and sisters Mary and Martha together with their brother Lazarus. When Lazarus got sick both sisters went to see Jesus and told him: "Master, the one you love is ill." ( Jn 11:3). On Jn 11:5 it says “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” On Jn 11:20 it says: “When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him.” Then when Jesus was already in their house Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Jn. 11:21.
When Jesus saw where Lazarus was buried he wept. Jn. 11:35.
What does these following Bible passages tell us? It simply tells us that Jesus can also be our friend; he is a friend that is not bounded by time and space, he is an ever present friend; we must be aware of his presence in our lives. He is a friend that is always there ready to listen, ready to help us lighten our load. We just need to be open to him.

On Matthew 11:28 Jesus tells us: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

The Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Isaiah 11:2

The Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
There are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit as quoted in Isaiah 11:2 the first is Wisdom second is Understanding, third is Counsel, and fourth is Fortitude fifth is Knowledge sixth is Piety and the seventh is Fear of the Lord.

The Gift of Wisdom
The gift of wisdom points those who have it to see things from God’s perspective. Wisdom is completeness of knowledge. Wisdom inspires us through meditative reflection on what we believe. The gift of wisdom supports the virtue of faith and shields us against foolishness.

The gift of Understanding
The gift of understanding gives to the mind of those who have it a charm for understanding Jesus’ public disclosure without any difficulty. It helps those who have it penetrate to the heart of discovered fact even when they do not fully understand its entirety.

The gift of Counsel
The gift of counsel perfects in those who have it the virtue of carefulness. It enables an individual to judge without delay and correctly, as by intuition, what should be done in difficult situations through the gift of counsel the Holy Spirit speaks to the heart and shows those who have it what to do. Jesus gave His followers a gift like counsel when He told them, Mt 10:19 “When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

The gift of Fortitude
The gift of fortitude brings to those who have it a determined spirit of resolution, decisiveness of mind, and indomitable will to persevere with a profound faith in God’s providence that overcomes all obstacles. It brings courage to persevere despite trials, sickness, maltreatment or external failure. A Catholic who becomes steadfast in his faith will be condemned by the world, but the gift of fortitude will sustain him.

The gift of Knowledge
The gift of knowledge enables those who have it to make wise judgment and opinion. He can see God’s providence in everything that happens to his life and he is able to wisely discern the good and bad side of it.

The gift of Piety
The gift of Piety creates an instinctive love for God and fidelity to those who are consecrated to God. Piety arises from the Holy Spirit’s supernatural communication, rather than from effort or acquired habit.Piety is the gift wherein, at the Holy Spirit's initiation, we give worship and duty to God as our Father."

The gift of Fear of the Lord
The gift of fear of the Lord confirms profound respect for God’s splendor and self-sacrificing love for God. It protects us from sin through fear of offending God. I just want to make it clear that this gift has nothing to do with fear of punishment. We express fear of the Lord in a perfect act of contrition/repentance.

N.B. If we will look through Isaiah 11:2 there are only six gift of the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t include the gift of Piety. However the foundation of the established names of the gifts of the Holy Spirit which is the Septuagint and the Vulgate read "piety" for fear of the LORD when it first came out, therefore listing seven gifts.

THE WORLD NEEDS MEN (author unknown)

I bought this poster in a Christian bookstore way back June 19, 1992, I want to share this with you all.

...Who cannot be bought;

...Whose word is their bond;

...Who put character above wealth;

...Who possess opinions and will;

...Who are larger than their vocations;

...Who do not hesitate to take chances;

...Who will not lose their individuality in a crowd;

...Who will be as honest in small things as in great things;

...Who will make no compromise with wrong;

...Who will not say they do it: "Because everybody else does it;

...Who are true to their friends in adversity as well as in prosperity;

...Who do not believe that shrewdness, cunning, and hardheadedness are the best qualities for winning success;

...Who are not ashamed or afraid to stand for the truth when it is unpopular, who can say "no" with emphasis, although all the rest of the world says "yes".

...Whose ambitions are not confined to their own selfish desires.

THE BUM (A touching story about needing and giving help)

Everyone respects and helps the millionaire, the famous, the boss, those with beauty and brains.What about the bum on the street?

This is a real story. It happened to the writer of MountainWings.com. Let us read his story:

I was parked in front of the church cleaning out my Jeep. I was waiting on someone. Coming my way from across the street was what society would consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money.

There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those "don't want to be bothered times." "I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought. He didn't. He came and sat on the wall in front of the bus stop to wait on the bus.

After a few minutes he spoke. "That's a very pretty Jeep," he said. He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly blond beard keep more than his face warm. I said, "thanks," and continued cleaning out the Jeep.

He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came. As the silence between us widened something inside said, "ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice.

"Do you need any help?" I asked. He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.

We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments. I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me.

"Don't we all?" he said. I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun.

Don't we all? I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to take a cab anywhere in the city and get food and shelter for the day.

Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help. Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that.

You never know when you may see someone who appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see.

Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets.

Maybe he was more than that.

Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves. Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a bum, then said, "go minister to that man cleaning the Jeep, that man needs help."

Don't we all?

Holy Mass

My first official activity for January 1, was to served in our 7:30 am Mass here at our parish church. For years, this has been my regular activity. For us Catholics January first (1) being the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God is also a holiday of obligation.

It is very good to start our first day of the year with our presence at Holy Mass because this is our highest form of worship to God. Aside from that, nothing can compensate with our presence at Mass. Without us knowing it, we derive a lot of blessings from it. Based on the history of the church a lot has been blessed with their regular attendance at Mass.

Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, said, "If you don't get anything out of Mass, it's because you don't bring the right expectations to it.” The Mass is not entertainment, he said. It is worship of the God who made us and saves us. It is an opportunity to praise God and thank Him for all that He has done for us.

Bishop Sheen further said: “If we have a correct understanding of Mass, it will become more meaningful for us. We will want to go to Mass. We will understand why the Mass is God's precious gift to us, and we wouldn't think of refusing that gift.

My regular attendance at Mass has enormously changed me; why not give it a try?

A CHRISTIAN'S WAY TO REDUCE STRESS (author unknown)

An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain.Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."

1. Pray

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more.. (Although one is often not enough, two are often to many.)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects overtime; don't lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, findout what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13 . Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra housekey buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can preventan enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough rest.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.

22. Every day, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot.. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.

36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.

37. Attend Holy Mass if possible everyday or during Sundays.

GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?"(Romans 8:31)

Life begins at 40?

Today, December 26 is my 40th birthday. How time flies I’m already 40, it’s just like yesterday when I was studying and working at the same time to earn my college degrees and my post graduate study. It was as if yesterday when I was dreaming of becoming rich, owning a very nice car and having a big house but I remain to be materially marginalized. It was as if yesterday when I had my countless conversations with my father who died thirteen years ago; it was as if yesterday when I married my beautiful wife but that was almost twelve (12) years ago and it was as if yesterday when we were deputized by our Bishop to officially become Extra- Ordinary Ministers of the Holy Communion. There’s a whole lot of: “as if yesterdays” memories that seems still within my reach but it’s beyond me already. I just have to look back and relish those memories once in a while.

I’m in the irreversible present and I’m forty (40), they say: “life begins at forty” I don’t know who coined this quote that our life begins at forty. I beg to disagree, life doesn’t begin at forty. Life begins when we were freed from the doctrine of Original Sin and we officially become a member of the Universal Church. That’s our Baptismal date but the funny thing is: we remember our birthday but doesn’t know our Baptismal date.

Life begins when we become aware of our responsibilities towards our family, our fellowmen and God. Responsibilities that reminds us that we don’t live for our own self-centered sake.

Life begins at forty? I beg to completely disagree!

The fragility of our lives...

The fragility of our lives...

by: Marino J. Dasmarinas

Last night our Parish secretary informed me that I have a scheduled funeral blessing; I said OK I’ll go.

So I went there, upon finding the place I introduced myself to the relatively young wife then I said: “I will now bless him please gather all the relatives.” As I was saying the blessings and prayers I noticed that the wife was crying profusely.

After I was through, I asked her: “what was the cause of death of your husband and how old is he?” She said: “His fifthly (50) years old and his death is totally unexpected.” He just arrived from work then after a few minutes of rest in the sofa he suddenly died. ... After our short conversation I told her:  “I have to go now” and she said: “Thank you very much” I said in return: “You’re welcome and pray for his soul’s eternal repose.”

As I was walking away from their house, I can’t help but reflect on the fragility of our lives, that it can be taken away from us any time and any place. As I glance back at their house, I told myself maybe she was seriously crying because, there were loving words left unsaid, there were loving embraces left undone and there were loving moments left to pass them by. ...

As an afterthought: Express your love to your relatives and don’t hold back on doing good to everyone.

Remember the fragility of our lives…

A certain man and his three friends.

There is an old Jewish story which goes like this. A certain man had three friends.

He liked two of them; but had little use for the third. One day he was ordered to appear in court. Alarmed, he looked around for someone to defend him. He immediately thought of his two favorite friends.

One said, "No way! I'm not going into any court." The second one said, "I'll go as far as the king's gate but no farther."

In despair the man then asked his least-loved friend for help. He said, "Sure, I'll come." And he did come, and he defended the man so well that he won his case.

Jewish rabbis go on to explain the story like this: Every person has three friends when Death calls and he must appear before his Creator. The friend he loves most is money; but it cannot go with him a single step.

The second friend is his circle of relatives and neighbors. They can only accompany him to the grave side. In no way can they defend him before the Judge.

His third friend, whom he neither likes nor esteems, is the only one that accompanies him to the judge and wins his case.

That friend is his list of good deeds done during his lifetime. ... (Jacob Braude)

My narrative on the last two days of my Aunt: Gilda D. Altamia (Feb 1, 1934-Nov. 9, 2007)

(Mila, Cynthia Villar, Gem and Eden)

Last Friday (Nov. 9), Auntie Gilda succumbed to her lingering ailment. She triumphantly defeated her oppressive sickness. I was there and I witnessed her last two days in this material world to which we presently belong.

It was last Thursday (November 8) when I first saw her in the hospital. Her two sisters (Mila and Eden) were taking care of her. I was with my siblings (Grace, Jun-jun, Darwin, and Nino). Upon seeing her, I had this gut feeling that it is just a matter of time before she departs to the great beyond. She was very thin, and her breathing was deep, her eyes barely open. There were three nurses with her they were frantically trying to find a vein where they could insert a needle to facilitate the passage of medicines to her body. They tried it on her hands, they tried it on her feet to no avail. We therefore asked: “What’s the problem?” they told us that they can’t locate a vein. They went out for about thirty minutes then they were at it again trying to locate a vein: They were successful this time.

Afterward, I said, 'Hi, Auntie,' while slowly massaging her forehead. It was a very painful sight to see for a woman who was always full of life. To keep the mood light, I said to her, 'You'll get well.' She slowly nodded, as if saying, 'Yes, I will get well. 

Every now and then she would be restless. She would move side to side then she would slowly motion that she wants to be seated. So, I would lift her up, only for her to lie down again. This became her routine for the day.

Later in the afternoon her doctor told us that she was slowly being poisoned by her blood and it results in her constant unguarded movements. After the doctor left she motioned again to be seated. This time it was auntie Mila who helped her to be seated and while seated Mila embraced her while saying: ‘We love you, do you love us?’ And she would groan as if saying: Yes I also love you all! I lost count of those beautiful and touching exchanges of loving words and groans. I was looking at them and I witnessed a very moving sight of love: Agape love.

Around 7:00 pm her doctors came again and frankly told us that she needed to be put on a breathing machine (ventilator) or she would probably die anytime. We huddled for a brief moment and said, please do whatever it takes to extend her life. After a while, the machine was brought in, and we were politely instructed to leave the room first so that they could proceed with the procedure.

After about 30 minutes, we were informed that the ventilator had already been attached, and we could go inside now. So, we entered the room and saw her with all these tubes attached to her. This time, she was unresponsive to our whispers and urgings; I think she was already in a comatose state by then. 

Subsequently, Auntie Gilda's grandchildren and daughter-in-law also came. After a few minutes, her daughter (Gem) arrived from Singapore. Here, I witnessed another moving and heart-rending scene. Gem was sobbing deeply while caressing her Mama and saying, 'Mama, you told me we would still talk. You told me that you would wait for me.' Motionless, I suddenly saw tears flowing from my aunt's eyes, as if to tell her that she was hearing her cries and pleas. Then, she slowly started to move one of her hands toward her mouth as if trying to remove the ventilator so that she could talk, even for a short time. We gently blocked her hand and whispered to her not to remove the tube. After a while, her son (Boyet) called, and the cell phone was put to her ear. I believe she heard him because tears started to slowly flow from her eyes again. 

Around 12:30 am we went home. 

The next day, we were there again. We arrived around 5:30 pm, and it was the last hour and a half that I would see her breathing. After staying out of the room for about 15 minutes, I went inside and quickly went outside to call our relatives. Then we closed the door and prayed. We made the sign of the cross and prayed the Our Father (the prayer that Jesus told us to pray, Matthew 6:9-15), with three Hail Marys and one Glory Be. Then, I followed it up with a spontaneous prayer, lifting, commending, and entrusting her to God, while my relatives were saying 'Yes, Lord' and 'Amen.' After the prayers, I tenderly caressed her forehead while silently saying a prayer.

(Cynthia Villar, Mila and Elsa)

After that, I went out of the room while my relatives were praying the Rosary. When they were through, I went inside again with a prayer booklet that I got from the lobby where the image of Mama Mary was located. I prayed to Mama Mary to take care of my aunt's journey towards heaven. Then, we made the sign of the Cross, and I read the prayers and the litanies. My aunt was still breathing, softly and very slowly, and the line on the screen that monitored her heartbeat was nearly flat already.

I went out of the room again and after that went back inside and I witnessed her last grasp of breath, the line on the indicator was already flat. I softly touched her still-warm body while saying my silent prayer for her and I closed her eyes, kissed her on the forehead and I slowly walked towards the door: my eyes welling up with tears.   

Death is always a good wake-up call for all of us who are still on this temporary journey. It is a reminder that we will also go through this process. There's no exception: rich or poor, learned or not.

For me, life is as simple as the rising and setting of the Sun. In the morning, we slowly see the Sun beautifully rising, and late in the afternoon, we see it magnificently setting as well. It's also like a song, with its beginning and eventual ending, and it's like rain; it pours, and after a while, the pouring ends.

(Mila, Boyet and Cynthia Villar)

That’s our life too: we have our beginning and eventual ending. What is important while we are still actively on this journey called life is that we know who Jesus is and have a deep friendship with Him. 

We can always develop a deep friendship with Jesus through the Holy Mass. In the Holy Mass, the words of God are read in the Liturgy of the Word, and Jesus is made present in the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Upon the consecration of the Priest who acts in Persona Christi (in the Person of Christ), the ordinary bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus. In the Mass, the scene of the Last Supper is repeated, when on the night before His crucifixion, Jesus instituted the Eucharist, and that was the first celebration of the Holy Mass (Luke 22:14-20).

It is also important that we read the Bible, especially the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, because in these Gospels, we will gain personal knowledge of who Jesus really is.

If we know Jesus, we need not fear death because death is the final hurdle to be in heaven with the angels, with the saints, and with Mama Mary. And finally, to be in the permanent company of our Triune God.

Eternal rest grant unto Gilda O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. - Marino J. Dasmarinas