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Reflection:
Do you have regular solemn moments of reflection in your life? Solemn moment of reflections concerning your relationship with God, your family and an honest to goodness assessment of your life’s true purpose in this world.
Jesus had those solemn moments, every now and then He would go to the mountain primarily to pray and commune with God. Then after His private moments in the mountain He would make important decisions. In the gospel, after going to the mountain He called and appointed the twelve apostles.
We should also have our own private moments with God for us to reflect and know our deeper purpose in this fragile world. We should not allow ourselves to be eaten by the frenetic pace of this world. Otherwise before we know it we are not anymore in touch with God and God has no more say in our life. This is very dangerous because the moment that God is not anymore in our life that’s also when the devil comes in to temp and eventually destroy our life.
We therefore must always allocate our
daily private moments with God. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Ito ang
labindalawang hinirang niya: Si Simon na tinagurian niya ng Pedro, Si Santiago
at si Juan, na mga anak ni Zebedeo, sila’y tinagurian niyang Boanerges, na ibig
sabihi’y mapupusok; sina Andres, Felipe, Bartolome, Mateo, Santiago na anak ni
Alfeo, at Tadeo; si Simon na makabayan, at si Judas Iscariote na siyang
nagkanulo sa kanya.
He told his disciples to have a boat ready
for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured
many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch
him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and
shout, "You are the Son of God." He warned them sternly not to make
him known.
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Reflection:
Why do you follow Jesus? Many were pressing themselves towards Jesus because of His healing touch. Do we also follow Jesus for the reason of the miracles that we can receive from Him? But it’s not all the time that Jesus would heal us. There would be times that we will still be sick no matter how hard we push ourselves towards Jesus.
Let us not lose faith in Jesus even if He doesn’t heal us physically because the Lord has His own reasons. Perhaps it’s a test of our faith; perhaps Jesus wants us to journey with Him in His suffering towards Calvary. The more that healing seems elusive that more that we must intensely follow Jesus.
How about the miraculous healings of Jesus? Does Jesus wants His miraculous healings publicized? No! Jesus would never want publicity from His miracles and healings. The more that His actions are unknown the more the He likes it, the more that He is not given credit the more that He appreciates it.
This is attributed to Jesus’ Humility and Self-effacing behavior. Let us therefore forget about prestige and honor and let us not fret if we are not given honor for the things that we do. It’s already enough that we do silent acts of kindness with no one noticing it.
Would you want to emulating the humility
and self-effacing attitude of Jesus? - Marino J. Dasmarinas
Nagpahanda
si Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad ng isang bangkang magagamit niya, upang hindi
siya maipit ng mga taong dumaragsa. Marami na siyang pinagaling, kaya't
pinagdumugan siya ng lahat ng maysakit upang mahipo man lamang nila. Bawat
inaalihan ng masamang espiritu na makakita sa kanya ay nagpapatirapa sa harapan
niya at sumisigaw, "Ikaw ang Anak ng Diyos!" At mahigpit silang
pinagbawalan ni Jesus; ayaw niyang ipasabi kung sino siya.
But they remained silent. Looking around
at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the
man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against
him to put him to death.
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Reflection:
Do you always help when you see somebody in need of help or you sometimes make excuses so that you would not be obliged to help? Like, pretending not to see anyone who is in need of your help. For example you see a poor man who is in dire need of help, what are you going to do to that poor man? Pretend not to see his obvious need of help?
When Jesus went to the synagogue there was this man with a withered hand. He did not ask Jesus for help but Jesus knew that he needed help so Jesus called him and right there Jesus restored his withered hand.
All of us also encounter people who are in need of our help. Perhaps many of us simply pretend not to see them for we don’t want to be disturbed. But there are those who would proactively go out of their way to give help even if they are not asked and these people are like Jesus and they have the heart of Jesus.
Let us always be proactive when we give help and let us always be sensitive to their needs. For there really are people who will not ask for help even if they obviously need help. They will simply leave everything in the hands of God and keep silent in the midst of their agony and distress. Therefore, we must do something to help them. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Tinawag ni Jesus ang lalaking patay ang kamay: "Halika rito sa unahan!" Tinanong niya pagkatapos ang mga tao, "Alin ba ang ayon sa Kautusan: ang gumawa ng mabuti o gumawa ng masama sa Araw ng Pamamahinga? Magligtas ng buhay o pumatay?"Ngunit hindi sila sumagot.
Habang
tinitingnan ni Jesus ang mga nasa paligid niya, galit at lungkot ang nabadha sa
kanyang mukha, dahil sa katigasan ng kanilang ulo. Bumaling siya sa lalaki at
sinabi, "Iunat mo ang iyong kamay." Iniunat naman ng lalaki ang
kanyang kamay at ito'y gumaling. Umalis ang mga Pariseo at nakipagsabwatan sa
mga kampon ni Herodes upang ipapatay si Jesus.
How he went into the house of God when
Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests
could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions?” Then he said to them,
“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of
Man is lord even of the sabbath.”
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Reflection:
What would be your stand if you are made to choose between the observance of the law or the lawful need of your fellowmen? Jesus gives us a clear choice, for Him it’s always the primary need of our fellowmen. As exemplified by His mention of David who violated the Sabbath to address their need to satisfy their hunger.
Rules and laws are created to create order and to prevent chaos. But there are times that it’s disregarded for a much higher and noble purpose. If the welfare of our fellowmen are at stake their interest must come first. This is what we must always follow and we must also not create rules to serve our own selfish ends.
For example, in a family setting, parents would normally have rules for their children to follow. However, we should always be amenable to bend these rules no matter how stringent. We do this if there is a valid need or reason. Stringent rules can also be bent when parents want to show that they love their children more than the implementation of their house rules.
Jesus is a compassionate God, He would not
mind if we violate religious rules for so long as there is a higher and noble
purpose. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Sinagot sila ni Jesus, "Hindi pa ba ninyo nababasa ang ginawa ni David noong si Abitar ang pinakapunong saserdote? Nang siya at kanyang mga kasama'y magutom at walang makain, pumasok siya sa bahay ng Diyos at kumain ng tinapay na handog sa Diyos. Ayon sa Kautusan, ang mga saserdote lamang ang may karapatang kumain niyon, ngunit kinain iyon ni David, at binigyan pa ang kanyang mga kasama.
Sinabi
pa ni Jesus, "Itinakda ang Araw ng Pamamahinga para sa kabutihan ng tao;
hindi nilikha ang tao para sa Araw ng Pamamahinga. Kaya't maging ang Araw ng
Pamamahinga ay nasa ilalim ng kapangyarihan ng Anak ng Tao."
But the days will come when the bridegroom
is taken away from them and then they will fast on that day. No one sews a
piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away,
the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. Likewise, no one pours new wine
into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine
and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”
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Reflection:
What is a wineskin? A wineskin is a dried goat or sheep’s skin used as a container for wine this is perhaps the equivalent of wine bottle or wine drum today. What is the relevance of the new wineskin which represents Jesus?
By our sinfulness we become the old wine that is not fit to be poured into the new wineskin. But if we desire to be poured into the new wineskin we have to decide to leave behind our old sinful lives.
Thus we become new wine that is very much appropriate for the new wineskin. And the moment we are poured into this new wineskin we become secure. In other words the new wineskin which is Jesus Himself becomes our security blanket. Jesus is always offering Himself to us so that we can have a new life in this world. What He only asks from us is to leave behind our sinfulness.
Has sin done us any good? No it did no
good to us and it will never do good to us in the future! We therefore have to
leave it behind so that we could journey in this world hand in hand with our
new wineskin and our security blanket which is none other than Jesus. -
Marino J. Dasmarinas
"Walang
nagtatagpi ng bagong kayo sa lumang kasuutan; pag urong ng bagong kayo,
mababatak ang luma at lalong lalaki ang punit. Wala rin namang nagsisilid ng
bagong alak sa lumang sisidlang-balat. Kapwa masasayang ang alak at ang
sisidlan. Bagong alak, bagong sisidlang-balat!"
And whoever
receives one child such as this in my name receives me. “See that you do not
despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”
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Reflection:
Why did the disciples ask Jesus: “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” Were they expecting that Jesus would tell them that they’re the greatest in the kingdom of heaven because they are His disciples?
Instead, Jesus called a child and said: “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3-4)
The key that can unlock for us the kingdom of heaven is the humility of a child that we must always emulate. The key that can invite the grace of the Holy Spirit upon us is the same childlike humility.
It’s no brainer to ask why a child and not an adult? Unlike adults, children have the simplest and purest minds. Children are not tainted by any form of sin and they are docile humble and obedient. Adults like us are sinful we defy God’s commandments to satisfy our whims and caprices.
Life nowadays is not easy as well many of our children today are also more exposed to poverty than before. We just need to open our eyes wide and we would see it. What intervention can we do to help these children? - Marino J. Dasmarinas
I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel. John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him.
I did
not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On
whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will
baptize with the Holy Spirit. Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son
of God.”
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Reflection:
Would we be willing to give our life so that others may live? Jesus did that for us, He gave His very life on the cross so that we may live and have life. What have we given Jesus in return? Have we thought of silently helping the poor and unwanted which Jesus always represent?
We often have this me and myself mentality; me first, myself first before the wellbeing of others. But Jesus did not think of Himself first, it was us first and never Himself otherwise He would not have freely given His life on the cross.
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world as John the Baptist referred Him to be in our gospel. Let us not simply forget this ultimate sacrifice of Jesus by doing nothing, by not helping the poor and unwanted. We have to do something good for them no matter how small or insignificant for this is our responsibility.
Just imagine the good that we will be doing if we would help the poor and unwanted. What we do to the poor and unwanted we do to Jesus. We help the poor we help Jesus, we give water and food to the poor and unwanted we give it to Jesus. Let us never worry for whatever help that we silently give to the poor Jesus will give back to us in manifold ways.
Have you silently given help to the poor? - Marino J.
Dasmarinas
Ito ang patotoo ni Juan, “Nakita ko
ang Espiritung bumababa buhat sa langit, gaya ng isang kalapati, at nanatili sa
kanya. Hindi ko nga siya lubos na nakikilala noon, ngunit ang nagsugo sa akin
upang magbinyag sa tubig ang nagsabi sa akin, ‘Makikita mo ang Espiritu na
bababa at mananatili sa isang tao – siya ang magbibinyag sa pamamagitan ng
Espiritu Santo.’ Nakita ko ito, at pinatototohanan kong siya ang Anak ng
Diyos.”
Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that
Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his
disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners? Jesus heard
this and said to them “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick
do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
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Reflection:
Are we sometimes quick to judge those who sin? For example, we judge somebody as sinner because of his/her sinful lifestyle.
However, the moment we judge we also begin
to distance ourselves from the person that we judge. And in doing so we deprive
ourselves of the opportunity to convert this person.
Those who sin are not permanent sinners there comes a certain point in their lives that they want to change. This change is facilitated when they are not judged for the things that they’ve done. Instead, they are listened, forgiven and given the freedom to live a new life.
Jesus in our gospel reading did not judge Levi a tax collector and labeled as a sinner by those who know him. What did Jesus do? Instead of judging or even condemning Levi; He went to Levi talked to him and told Levi to come and follow Him. And immediately Levi left whatever that he was doing and followed Jesus.
What if Jesus judged Levi as sinner and told Levi that that he deserves to be roasted in hell? There would have been no conversion and healing on the part of Levi. These acts of mercy, compassion and forgiveness of Jesus should serve as a lesson for all of us.
If we want conversion from sinners, we should not judge them. Because who are we to judge when we are also sinners like them? We should instead help them live a new life permanently away from their former sinful lives. - Marino J. Dasmarinas
Nang si Hesus at ang kanyang mga alagad ay kumakain sa bahay ni Levi, nakisalo sa kanila ang maraming publikano at mga makasalanang sumunod sa kanya. Nakita ito ng ilang eskribang kabilang sa pangkat ng mga Pariseo at tinanong nila ang kanyang mga alagad, “Bakit siya sumasalo sa mga publikano at sa mga makasalanan?”
Narinig ito ni Hesus, at siya ay sumagot, “Hindi nangangailangan ng manggagamot ang walang sakit, kundi ang maysakit. Naparito ako upang tawagin ang mga makasalanan, hindi ang mga banal.”
After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’? But
that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”
–he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”
He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything
like this.”
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The gospel for today gives us direction on what to do whenever somebody asks us for help regardless of who this somebody is. We must help in whatever way the person in need this was the deed that was done by the four men who went to the roof of the house where Jesus was staying.
The four men brought the paralytic to Jesus. They did not care if they have to open the roof of the house so that they could bring the paralytic in front of Jesus. What was important for them was to extend help to the paralytic in whatever forms and ways.
What happened to the four men after the paralytic was healed and forgiven of his sins by Jesus? They simply fade away into the sunset; they did not receive any words of appreciation from the crowd and from the man that they’ve helped.
But certainly, as they walked away and mingled with the crowd. They carried in their hearts this unexplainable happiness. Happiness that no human could give them, happiness that no amount of money could satisfy them and happiness that only Jesus can give them.
This unexplainable happiness was given to them by Jesus for a job well done. And for getting out of their own comfort zones so that they could give comfort and help to someone in need.
How about us, what would we do if a sick
person who is poor would ask us for help? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Hindi nila ito mailapit kay Hesus dahil sa dami ng tao, kaya’t binakbak nila ang bubong sa tapat niya, at inihugos ang paralitikong nakaratay sa kanyang higaan. Nang makita ni Hesus kung gaano kalaki ang kanilang pananalig, sinabi niya sa paralitiko, “Anak, ipinatatawad na ang mga kasalanan mo.”
May nakaupo roong ilang eskriba na nagsaloob ng ganito: “Bakit nagsasalita ng ganito ang taong ito? Kalapastanganan sa Diyos iyan! Hindi ba’t Diyos lamang ang makapagpapatawad ng mga kasalanan?” Talos ni Hesus ang kanilang iniisip, kaya’t sinabi niya, “Bakit kayo nagsasaloob ng ganyan? Alin ba ang lalong madali: ang sabihin sa paralitiko, ‘Ipinatatawad na ang mga kasalanan mo,’ o ang sabihing, ‘Tumindig ka, dalhin mo ang iyong higaan ay lumakad ka’?
Patutunayan ko sa inyo na dito sa lupa, ang Anak ng Tao ay may kapangyarihang magpatawad ng mga kasalanan.” Sinabi niya sa paralitiko, “Tumindig ka, dalhin mo ang iyong higaan, at umuwi ka!” Tumindig naman ang paralitiko, binuhat ang kanyang higaan at umalis na nakikita ng lahat. Sila’y pawang nanggigilalas at nagpuri sa Diyos. “Hindi pa kami nakakikita ng ganito!” sabi nila.
Then he said to him, “See that you tell no
one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing
what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The man went away and
began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was
impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted
places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.
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Reflection:
What moves you to go to Jesus?
The leper went to Jesus knelled down and begged Jesus by saying, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” And immediately the leper was healed by Jesus. You may ask, what moved the leper to ask Jesus to heal him?
Was it his grave sickness? No, his leprosy was not the driving force that moved him to seek the help of Jesus. It was something far bigger than his sickness and it was the leper’s deep reservoir of faith in Jesus! Otherwise if he did not have faith he wouldn’t have gone to Jesus. And what drove Jesus to heal the leper? Was it His leprosy? No it was not his leprosy that moved Jesus to heal him. It was the leper’s great faith in Him!
What brings us to Jesus and why do we pray to Jesus? Do we pray to Jesus because of our problems? Are we doing this because of our sickness? Our sickness and our problems must not be the primary reason why we go in prayer to Jesus. It must always be our deep faith in Him!
Let us always see to it that our faith is always the main driving force why we want to commune with Jesus. For the reason that the more that we are driven by faith to go to Jesus. The bigger our chance of being heard by Him.
What moves you to pray to Jesus? – Marino
J. Dasmarinas
Sa halip ay
pasuri ka sa saserdote. Pagkatapos, maghandog ka ayon sa iniutos ni Moises,
upang patunayan sa mga tao na ikaw ay magaling na.” Ngunit umalis siya at
bagkus ipinamalita ang nangyari, anupat hindi na hayagang makapasok ng bayan si
Hesus. Naroon na lamang siya sa labas, sa mga ilang na pook, at doon
pinagsasadya ng mga tao buhat sa iba’t ibang dako.
