Reflection for August 12, Monday; Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 17:22-27

Gospel: Matthew 17:22-27

As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were overwhelmed with grief.

When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes,” he said. When he came into the house, before he had time to speak, Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?” When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the subjects are exempt. But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you.”

+ + + +  + +

Reflection:

To pay or not to pay the temple tax, of course Jesus did right when He decided to pay. What if Jesus decided not to pay the temple tax? He would have been a bad example to His followers and He would have given His opponents a window of opportunity to persecute Him earlier than expected.

 For Jesus to do right is always His top priority to do wrong is never in His mind it’s always to do whatever is good and right. And we must always do good and do right also all the time.

Although we are not required to give a certain percentage of our income to the church. In hindsight this gospel invites us also to examine our generosity toward our church, how generous are we in giving to our church? For example, during Holy Mass, how generous are we during offertory? Do we give from the heart or we give out from our spare or crumbs?

We must give generously for whatever we give generously to the church the Good Lord will give  back to us a hundredfold. We can never out give God for the more that we give Him the more that we would receive from Him. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for Sunday August 11, Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 12:32-48

Gospel: Luke 12:32-48

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

“Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, the master will put the servant in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

A generous rich man gave everything he had to charitable institutions and to the poor near his affluent community.  He practically did not own anything when he died yet thousands upon thousands went to his wake. And the heavenly gates immediately opened for him upon his death. Why? For the reason that he used his wealth for the right purpose.   

What is the purpose of your life in this world?

In the gospel Jesus counsels us to travel light in this world. What does travelling light means? This simply means that we must not let ourselves be attached with worldly possessions: be it power or wealth. Worldly possessions come and go, it will leave us anytime or we will leave it anytime as well.

So, what is the use of accumulating these worldly things if we would leave it anytime? In hindsight, can we bring along those material things when we die? No we can’t we will leave it all in this world. Accumulation of worldly possession is like chasing the wind, its meaningless and without purpose.  

Instead of accumulating worldly possessions why not learn to give it all away to those who are in need of it? When we learn to give we are actually building our inexhaustible treasure in heaven.

So what happens when we imbibe the travel light journey in this world? We are always prepared for the coming of the master that is Jesus. We are always prepared for His judgment that may come to us anytime. In some ways this judgment comes to us through our death.

When we die; we shall be face to face with our Lord and He shall ask us this question. Were you a faithful and always prepared servant? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Aug 10, Saturday; Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr; John 12:24-26

Gospel: John 12:24-26

Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Do you love your life in this world?

Jesus gives us today a contradictory statement by saying: “Whoever loves his life loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.” How could this be?

The simple answer to this paradoxical statement by Jesus is this: We love our life if we love the trappings of this world such as wealth, power and other worldly possession. It also includes other self-centered attitudes such as greed, lust, arrogance, egotism to name a few. We will certainly lose our life if we could identify to any of these characteristics.

We hate our life in this world but preserve it for eternal life if we have Christ like behaviors such as: Humility, Selflessness, Prayerfulness, Kind heartedness, Mercy, Forgiveness, Compassion and many more Christ like virtues.

Therefore we are given two choices: To love our life in this world or two hate it. Surely there would be those who would choose to love their life in this world but for what price? 

The problem of loving our present life for the sake of this world is we are slowly but surely closing the door for Jesus to enter our life. Yet we open it widely for the Devil to enter and eventually drive our life.

Discover the true meaning of life by serving Christ or by loving Him. Discover the true meaning of life by denying yourself of the many useless and sinful excesses of this world.

Have you already discovered the true meaning of life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Aug 9, Friday; Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 16:24-28

Gospel: Matthew 16:24-28

Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay each according to his conduct. Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

What does the cross signify to you? Does it signify hardship and burden? During the time of Jesus the cross was a sign of judgment and suffering.

By saying to the disciples that they have to take up their own cross if they desire to follow Him. Jesus was telling them that they have to be ready to be oppressed, ready to face hardships and ready to be unfairly judged. Many of the disciples took this challenge of Jesus and in so doing they found the real meaning of life.

Many of us seek the life of ease and comfort thinking that this is what life is all about. But life of ease and comfort is not the real essence of life. Could you find your life by living a worldly life? Could you find purpose in this world by living the lifestyle of the rich and famous? Many rich and famous personalities in this world committed suicide because they struggled to find the purpose of their lives.

It is only through following Jesus and carrying His cross that you would find your life. Therefore you have to be ready to carry your cross for you to be called a true follower of Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

1Reflection for Aug 8, Thursday; Saint Dominic, Priest; Matthew 16:13-23

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-23

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

+ + + +  + +

Reflection:

Many years ago I used to visit a former Extra-Ordinary Minister of Holy Communion for his Sunday nourishment of the Body of Christ. He was frail and bed ridden already but whenever he noticed that I was in their house. He would muster enough strength so that he could sit down for Holy Communion. Until the time came that he was so weak already that he couldn’t anymore sit down. 

One important thing that I noticed about him was he never complained why he was poor and suffering. As I go to him every Sunday never did I hear him complain about anything. He carried his suffering without questioning God until he eventually died. Perhaps he knew that to suffer was part of his discipleship with Jesus. 

When Jesus told Peter and the disciples that He must undergo sufferings for the accomplishment of His mission. Peter reacted with indignation, perhaps Peter couldn’t accept the fact that this powerful and charismatic man would suffer. Perhaps because of the power of Jesus peter thought that Jesus was already immune of suffering/s. But Jesus was not exempted from suffering HE had to go through it for it was part of His destiny and mission. 

How about us, don’t we question Jesus why we have to go through sufferings?  Don’t we question Jesus, why me Lord considering that I am your follower? Perhaps Jesus would tell us this: Take courage my child, your suffering/s is a reminder that I am always here for you call on me because I am ever ready to help you carry your suffering. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Aug 7, Wednesday; Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 15:21-28

Gospel: Matthew 15: 21-28

At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

How strong is your faith in Jesus? Can it endure severe testing?

The great faith of the Canaanite woman whose daughter was tormented by a devil is very evident in the gospel. She was initially snubbed by Jesus but she persisted. She heard the disciples told Jesus: “Send her away.” But she did not budge a bit.

Then being a Canaanite woman, Jesus told her: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The more that she persisted; she knelt before and said: “Lord help me.”

After a few more dialogues Jesus saw how strong was her faith after which He said: “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.

We too have our own special petitions for Jesus and we too must have been snubbed or ignored a number of times. It may even seem that Jesus is turning a deaf ear to our pleadings.

In spite of these all we must continue to have faith and be always persistent in following Him. God’s silence and rejections to our petitions are a test of faith for us. God wants to see until where are we willing to stretch our patience. He wants to see if we are still willing to walk an extra mile in our pursuit of Him.  

How strong is your faith in Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for Aug 6, Tuesday; Transfiguration of the Lord; Luke 9:28b-36

Gospel: Luke 9:28b-36

Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up a 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.

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

There’s a story of a man who wanted very much to discover deeper intimacy with the Lord in his prayer life. Whenever he prays he would always be distracted by other thoughts that disturbs his mind. He tried very much to focus on his prayer life to no avail. It has always been the case whenever he prays: There are always thoughts that disturb his attention towards God.

This man’s story of his prayer life could be ours too, we want to have deeper intimacy in our prayer life. But there’s always distractions that disturbs our concentration towards God. How can we discover this mind and heart intimacy in our prayer life?

The gospel reading for today gives us insight to discover that mind and heart intimacy with the Lord. Jesus went to the mountain with Peter, John and James to meet and pray before God. For a brief moment Jesus escaped to the mountain so that he would not be disturb by anyone. His heart and mind were totally focused on his desire to connect with God.

 It helped also that Peter, James and John were taken over by their tiredness that’s why they slept. Suddenly Jesus’ face changed in appearance and His clothes became dazzling white: a sure sign that Jesus got what He wanted: Deeper intimacy with God thru intense prayer no less.

If we want to develop a deeper connection with God in our life. We need to make an extra effort to discover Him in prayerful silence. We need to climb our own mountain of silence so that we could connect with Him. We need to totally focus our attention to God and disregard for a moment the disturbance around us. 

Do you always have your moment of silence before God? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Aug 5, Monday; Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 14:13-21

Gospel: Matthew 14:13-21

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” Then he said, “Bring them here to me, ” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over—twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

What will happen to us if we are generous? We never run out of things to give be it money, goods, intellect or anything that we are generous of giving. Everything flows back in return a hundredfold.  Why is this so? The reason behind is, the moment we give; we don’t only give to the person who needs it we also give to Jesus. And Jesus whom we can never outdo in generosity gives back to us many times over what we give Him.

The crowd in the gospel who were following Jesus had nothing more left in them, they were hungry. And Jesus saw this that’s why He graciously did the miracle of loaves and fish. With five loaves and two fish He feed the nearly five thousand people not including women and children. After all of them had eaten they had an excess of twelve wicker baskets.

The simple message of the gospel for us is we must be generous at all times. This is for the reason that we will never run out of anything to give and the more that we give the more that we would receive.

We just have to look at what is happening during Holy Mass which is very similar to what happened with the feeding of the five thousand people in our gospel. Inside every Holy Mass Jesus generously gives to us His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity during Holy Communion. Has Jesus stopped giving Himself to us during Holy Mass? No, Since HE instituted the Eucharist up until this very moment Jesus has been generously giving Himself to us through Holy Communion.

As Jesus is merciful and generous most especially to the poor so we must be also. Let us not worry if our pockets will hurt from our being merciful and generous. For Jesus will always see to it that we will be filled with anything that we need. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Sunday August 4, Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 12:13-21

Gospel: Luke 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Then he told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

A rich woman unexpectedly died without leaving behind a last will and testament. Her children were bickering since each one of them wanted to have the biggest share of the wealth. Therefore the once strong and loving sibling relationship became divided and distant and the reason behind was their greed for material wealth.

There are people who feel secure with material wealth as if it could save them from the certainty of death. There are people who think that because they have material wealth they can now buy even the honor of their fellowmen. These are all false notions for the reason that material wealth is temporary and it is not the be all and end all of life.

Material wealth by itself is not bad because this can sustain our life in this world. This can also be our instrument in spreading the love and mercy of God. For example, we help somebody in need using our material wealth which is surely not bad. Material wealth becomes evil when we become greedy that we allow it to possess and dictate upon us.

In the gospel Jesus tells us that life is not about material possession. If life is not about material possession what is life all about? Life is about God! If we have all the material wealth in this world yet we don’t have God in our life our life is still empty and barren.

This is for the simple reason that material wealth can be swiftly taken from us anytime. And it surely cannot bring us to heaven when our time of departure in this world comes. On the other hand if we choose to have God, God will be with us until eternity.

What is your priority in this world: To have material wealth or to have Jesus in your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Aug 3, Saturday; Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 14:1-12

Gospel: Matthew 14:1-12

Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”

Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people, for they regarded him as a prophet. But at a birthday celebration for Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and delighted Herod so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. His disciples came and took away the corpse

and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Do you always see to it that you always do good so that you would have a clear conscience? Guilt of conscience is the worst enemy that we can ever have because we don’t see it yet it keeps on bothering us.

When King Herod heard of Jesus he thought that John had been raised from the dead. Why was he thinking of John? Because he was the one responsible for John’s undeserved death, the injustice that he did to John was perpetually bothering him.  

It had been haunting him for the longest time, that’s why upon hearing of the reputation of Jesus he became so afraid because he thought that Jesus was John.

The wrongs that we’ve done in the past would hang around our neck like an albatross. We would be reminded of it every now and then unless we make a positive action to heal it.

Let us avoid doing anything that would hurt anyone, let us always do good and let us always be humble and peaceful. And if ever we offend or hurt the feelings of someone we must not do it again and we have to apologize. -  Marino  J. Dasmarinas 

1Reflection for Aug 2, Friday; Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 13:54-58

Gospel: Matthew 13:54-58

(Jesus) came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

+ + + +  + +

Reflection:

What if Jesus was a doctor during His time; would they treat Him differently? Would they treat Him with high esteem instead of belittling Him? Of course His townmates would have treated Him with high respect for He was a doctor. But the reality is He was a carpenter and a carpenter’s son. So, they belittled Him and as a result Jesus did not do many miracles in their place.

Sad to say but this is also happening to us, we have different measures and treatment for different people. Many of us treat the rich and educated with high esteem and we regard differently those who are poor and less educated.

Education and status in life is a deceiving standard to gauge the morality, sincerity and kindness of a person. In the heart of an ordinary person we often times find moral fitness, sincerity and kindness. This we often fail to recognize for the reason that we already judge them based on their life's status.

The town mates of Jesus failed to discover this in Jesus because they judge Him based on His life's status. If only they did not disparage Jesus they could have discovered the gentleness of Jesus but they belittled Him for He was just an ordinary carpenter’s son for them.

Perhaps one of the many lessons the gospel imparts to us is not to belittle anyone regardless who they may be. Who knows the people that we belittle are the ones with pure hearts and the ones who will be there for us in our time of need. 

Are we quick to judge for the reason of one’s physical appearance, education and status in life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for Aug 1, Thursday; Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor; Matthew 13:47-53

Gospel: Matthew 13:47-53

Jesus said to the disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

“Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

A desperate man was set to end his life, when he was about to do it he heard the voice of God which told him not to end his life. The man told God, “I am a grievous sinner my Lord I don’t deserve to live anymore, I deserve to die and be in hell.” The Lord told the man, I love you my son no matter who you are and no matter what you have done.

The love of God is like a net thrown into the sea which collects fish of every kind (Matthew 13:47). It does not discriminate; it catches every fish, the good and bad alike. This is the love of God for each and everyone of us: Sinner and non sinner alike.

Yet this love that God gives us freely is not also being forced upon us. We also have the freedom if we would respond by renewing our lives or we continue with our sinful ways. If we renew our lives and permanently walk away from sin then we save our life.

 But if we continue on sinning notwithstanding the fact that God has already called us. We therefore have to be ready for the grievous consequence that may befall us.  It’s no brainer therefore that we have to discontinue our sinful lives and take advantage of the love of God that he perpetually offers us.

Let us choose to embrace the love of God and permanently dump into oblivion the sinful offering of the devil. Why? Because the love of God is peace the love of God is heaven on earth. The offering of the devil will bring us nowhere but disturbance, problems and hell. - Marino J. Dasmarinas    

1Reflection for July 31, Wednesday; Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest; Matthew 13:44-46

Gospel: Matthew 13:44-46

Jesus said to his disciples: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."

+ + + + + + +

Reflections:

Would you give up your worldly possessions for the kingdom of God?

Jesus depicts His kingdom as treasure and pearl that whoever will find it will give up everything just to have it. Indeed, the kingdom of God is a priceless treasure and pearl that we must all desire. For what it will do us if we have treasures in this world yet we don’t have God in our lives?

The riches of this world are all passing and temporary we will leave it all somewhere along the path of our lives. Whether we like it or not we have to leave everything that we have in this world. So who will remain without end?   The one that will forever be there for us is God; the one that shall bring us to heaven is God. These temporary things that presently surround us will not be able to bring us to our eternal heavenly destination. It’s only through God that we would be able to go to heaven someday.

In our gospel, the person found the true treasure of life that is God; he gave up everything just to have Him. The same also with the merchant when he found the true pearl of his life that is God he sold everything in his possessions so that he could possess the greatest pearl that is God. Many saints have done this too; they gave up everything just to have Jesus. 

What are you willing to give up to have the Lord in your life? -  Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for July 30, Tuesday; Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 13:36-43

Gospel: Matthew 13:36-43

Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." He said in reply, "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.

The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear."

+ + + + + + + 

Reflection:

A sinful man suddenly died he was therefore immediately ushered by the devil to his fiery kingdom. The sinful man was wailing and resisting his instant enrolment to Satan’s den but he couldn’t do anything to change his destiny.

If only he repented from his sinfulness, if only he listened to the advice of his relatives to change for the better and embrace God. He could have not ended in hell, but he never listened.

There are two opposing powers in this world one is God and the other is the evil one. God sows good seeds to us the evil one sow’s weeds. From our conception, birth until our death God has only one desire for us and that is to sow His good seeds in our hearts. 

However, as we mature the evil one would try to overpower us with his many inducements. Which if we bite would only result to our perdition and passage to his horrifying kingdom.

Let us hate sin or any action that will make us sin, let us hate and walk away from the devil and his countless enticements. Let us rather embrace God and follow the way of Jesus no matter how hard for this is the way to heaven. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for July 29, Monday; Memorial of Saint Martha; John 11:19-27

Gospel: John 11:19-27

Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died]. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Who is Jesus to you? Is He your best friend that you always go to whenever you are disturb by the many worries of this world? Jesus was the best friend of the sisters Martha and Mary they have that close interaction with Him.

 When Jesus was going to their house to comfort them about the death of their brother Lazarus. Martha went to meet Jesus while He was still on His way to their house.  Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died (John 11:21).

 If Jesus was an ordinary friend Martha would not have bothered to meet Jesus, she would simply wait for Jesus to arrive in their house. But Jesus was their close friend, thus Marta met Him while He was on His way to their house.

How could you have a close friendship with Jesus? You have to become prayerful. You have to ask Jesus to increase your faith, you have to attend Holy Mass as frequent as you can. You have to learn more about the life of Jesus by reading your bible.

The best thing that could ever happen to your life is not to have the riches of this world. For it will fade away and you will leave it someday. The best thing that could ever happen to you is to have the friendship of Jesus. For He will always be there for you forever. This is the best thing that could ever happen to you in this world.

Is Jesus your best friend? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Sunday July 28, Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:1-13

Gospel: Luke 11:1-13

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test."

And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,' and he says in reply from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.' I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.

"And I tell you, ask and you will receive; 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. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven

give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

The story is told about a knight who was plotting to kill his king. While in the process of executing his plan the knight was caught by the bodyguards of the king. So, the knight was sentenced to die, he begged for mercy and forgiveness from his king but the king did not listen to him.

Can you measure God’s love and mercy for you? No you can’t because God’s love and mercy is infinite. It is not like the mercy and love that we have towards our fellowmen which is always bounded by time, circumstances and space.

In our first reading for this Sunday we read about Abraham having a conversation with God. While he was conversing with God he tried to measure the love and mercy of God towards the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. He asked God if He would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah notwithstanding the presence of innocent people: God said no to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

The same love and mercy of God is coursed through a story told by Jesus in the gospel. It is about a persistent friend who never gave up asking for three loaves of bread. By his persistence he uncovered the infinite love and mercy of God towards him.

The same love and mercy is also available for us: We simply have to persistently ask God, to persistently seek God and to persistently knock on the heart of God. Sooner or later we would have what we’ve been wishing from God to give us. Therefore, the key that would make God say yes to what we want from Him is our persistence.

What is it that you want the Lord to give you? Don’t quit continue to persist in prayer and you will soon have it. – Marino J. Dasmarinas