Noong panahong
iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa kanyang mga alagad: 12 Marami pa sana akong
sasabihin sa inyo pero hindi ninyo masasakyan ngayon. 13 Ngunit pagdating
niya, ang Espiritu ng katotohanan, ihahatid niya kayo sa buong katotohanan.
Hindi siya
mangungusap mula sa ganang sarili kundi ang naririnig niya ang ipangungusap
niya at ang mga bagay na darating ang ibabalita niya sa inyo. 14 Mula sa
akin siya tatanggap at magbabalita sa inyo, at sa gayon niya ako luluwalhatiin.
15 Akin ang tanang sa Ama. Dahil dito kaya ko sinabing ‘Mula sa akin siya
tatanggap at magbabalita sa inyo.’
Jesus said to his disciples: “Now I am going to the one who sent me, and
not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I told you this,
grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you
that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go,
I will send him to you. And when he comes he will convict the world in regard
to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in
me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see
me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Have you been through an episode in your life where you somehow feel that
God has somewhat abandoned you? We all pass through this kind of experience
perhaps not only once but many times over in our lifetime.
But God never leaves us for He is always with us. His presence within us
is coursed through us by the Holy Spirit. Jesus through the abiding presence of
the Holy Spirit is always with us. Thus, we have nothing to fear even this
Covid-19 pandemic we will not fear! For we know that through the Holy Spirit
God is always with us, it’s in fact us who forget of His presence in us.
We only have to connect with God to discern His presence in us. We can do
this by our prayers, if already possible presence at Holy Mass if not we can
attend online Mass in the comfort of our himes. By reading of the words of God
in the bible, by spending time with Him in the adoration chapel if already
allowed, by our interaction with Him through the sacraments of the church.
In the gospel, Jesus is already saying His farewell to His disciples for
he will soon be arrested. Yet He continuously assures them of His sacred
presence in their lives. This presence is made manifest to them by the presence
of the Holy Spirit who would be their helper and advocate in whatever way.
We are never alone in the midst of the many difficulties that we are
going through caused by this Covid-19 pandemic for God through the Holy Spirit
is always with us. The Holy Spirit is ever ready to lift us up whenever we are
feeling down, unloved and neglected by the people of this world. We simply have
to have an awareness of its presence in our lives.
Do we feel the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit? – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
Noong panahong
iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa kanyang mga alagad: 5 Ngayon nama’y papunta ako
sa nagpadala sa akin, at wala sa inyong nag-tatanong sa akin kung saan ako
papunta, 6 kundi tigib ng lungkot ang inyong puso dahil sinabi ko sa inyo
ang lahat ng ito.
7 Ngunit
sinasabi ko sa inyo ang katotohanan: makabubuti sa inyong ako’y umalis sapagkat
kung hindi ako aalis. hinding-hindi darating sa inyo ang Tagapagtanggol. Kung
aalis naman ako, ipadadala ko siya sa inyo. 8 At pagdating niya, hihiyain
niya ang mundo tungkol sa kasalanan, sa daan ng pagkamatuwid at sa paghatol.
9 Ito ang
kasalanan: hindi sila nananalig sa akin. 10 Ito ang daan ng pagkamatuwid:
sa Ama ako papunta, at hindi na ninyo ako mapapansin. 11 At hinatulan na
ang pinuno ng mundong ito: ito ang paghatol.
Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send
you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will
testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the
beginning.
“I have told you this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you
from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you
will think he is offering worship to God. They will do this because they have
not known either the Father or me. I have told you this so that when their hour
comes you may remember that I told you.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Why do others kill for their religion? For example, those who blow up
themselves in the midst of people so that they could kill as many as possible.
They do this because they do not know Jesus. Yes they have a God but what their
God is teaching is not what Jesus is teaching us.
Jesus preaches compassion, love, sacrifice and humility this is always
what Jesus is teaching us. Jesus never taught us to spread violence and to blow
ourselves into kingdom come so that we could inflict damage and fear.
What are we going to do to them? Should we face violence with violence of
course not for the simple reason that violence is not in the resume and teachings
of Jesus. We should rather pray for them so that they can be converted and
enlightened.
Nothing is impossible for our God, we therefore should continue to pray
for the conversion of those who continue to inflict hatred upon us. They may be
members of our family, they may be our former friends or anybody whose
objective is to create catastrophic damage and fear upon humanity. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
Noong panahong
iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa kanyang mga alagad: "Ngunit ang Patnubay, ang
Espiritu ng Katotohan, ang paparito mula sa Ama. Susuguin ko siya sa inyo buhat
sa Ama, at siya ang magpapatotoo tungkol sa akin. At magpapatotoo rin kayo
tungkol sa akin, sapagkat sa pasimula pa'y kasama ko na kayo.
"Sinasabi
ko ito sa inyo upang huwag kayong mawalan ng pananalig sa akin. Palalayasin
nila kayo sa mga sinagoga. Darating ang panahon na ang sinumang pumatay sa inyo
ay mag-aakalang naglilingkod siya sa Diyos. At gagawin nila ito sapagkat hindi
nila ako nakikilala ni ang Ama. Ito'y sinasabi ko sa inyo upang, pagdating ng
oras na gawin nila, maalaala ninyong ipinagpauna ko na ito sa inyo."
Jesus said to his disciples: "If you love me, you will keep my
commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate
to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains
with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because
I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father
and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I
will love him and reveal myself to him."
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Do we once in a
while feel that somebody is watching over us most especially when we are alone?
Do we often times feel that somebody is whispering to us telling us to do what
is right when we are about to do what is wrong?
In this gospel
episode Jesus is soon to leave the disciples but He is promising them the
presence of an advocate after He leaves them. God the Holy Spirit is that
advocate that is always with us, watching over us and always leading us to the
right way of life. This is the same Holy Spirit that we received during our
baptism and the very same Holy Spirit that was strengthened within us when we
received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
The question that
needs to be answered is this: If the Holy Spirit is always with us, how come
that we still commit sin? We still commit sin because we also have a freewill
to do what is wrong or right. And many of us sad to say still choose to do
wrong even if the Holy Spirit is urging us to do what is right. So, we don’t
have peace and we are always disturbed.
The key to always
feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in our life is to love the Lord and to
follow His commandments. This is a very simple instruction from the Lord but
very hard to follow for many of us.Because many of us are easily tempted by satan to sin. Thus, we don’t
feel the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit in our life. What we instead feel
is the presence of satan hence we live sinful, disturbed and complicated lives.
If we still have
peace today despite the disorder that Covid-19 has created in our life the
abiding, guiding and calming presence of the Holy Spirit is within us. This is
so because we love the Lord and we observe carefully His commandments.
Do we still feel
right now the calming and peaceful presence of the Holy Spirit? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad, 15 Kung
mahal ninyo ako, isasakatuparan ninyo ang mga kautusan ko. 16 At
hihingin ko sa Ama at ibibigay niya sa inyo ang bagong Tagapagtanggol upang
makasama ninyo magpakailanman: 17 ang Espiritu ng katotohanan na hindi
matatanggap ng mundo dahil hindi siyanito napapansin ni nakikilala. Kilala ninyo siya sapagkat namamalagi
siya sa inyo at sasainyo siya.
18 Hindi ko kayo iiwang ulila;
pabalik ako sa inyo. 19 Kaunti pang panahon at hindi na ako mapapansin ng
mundo; ngunit papansinin ninyo ako sapagkat buhay ako at mabubuhay din kayo.
20 Sa araw na ’yon ninyo malalaman na nasa Ama ako, at nasa akin kayo at
nasa inyo naman ako.
21 Ang tumutupad sa tinanggap
niyang mga kautusan ko, siya ang nagmamahal sa akin. Mamahalin ng aking Ama
ang nagmamahal sa akin, at mamahalin ko rin siya at ipamamalas ko sa kanya ang
aking sarili.”
Jesus said to his disciples: “If the world hates you, realize that it hated
me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but
because you do not belong to the world and I have chosen you out of the world,
the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater
than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they
kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to
you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
What does it mean to be hated by this world? We would be hated by this
world if we would have the courage to go against the false teachings of this
world. For example, if we would have the courage to say no to anything that is
not good and sinful. Or if we suddenly have the enlightenment to say no to
anyone who brings us nothing but worldliness and sin.
There comes a point in our life that we have to make a decision. Should
we decide to take the side of God or follow this world and live a life away
from God? The best decision is to follow God and discard anyone who brings us
nothing but worldliness and sinfulness. This is for the reason that worldliness
and sin will bring nothing but emptiness and misery in our lives.
Let us not be afraid to follow God, let us not be afraid to sacrifice
this world for our love for God. For this is always the right decision to do.
We can never go wrong with God and nobody has been misled by following God.
If we choose to follow God over this world, we would experience something
that we have not experienced before. And this is the guiding light and
protection of God in our lives. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Sinabi ni Jesus
sa kanyang mga alagad: 18 Kung napopoot sa inyo ang mundo, alamin n’yo na
sa akin muna ito napoot bago sa inyo. 19 Kung kayo’y makamundo, inibig
na sana ng mundo ang sariling kanya. Ngunit dahil hindi kayo makamundo kundi
hinirang ko kayo mula sa mundo kaya napopoot sa inyo ang mundo.
20 Tandaan
ninyo ang salitang sinabi ko sa inyo: ‘Walang lingkod na mas dakila sa kanyang
panginoon.’ Di ba’t inusig nila ako? Uusigin din kayo. Tinupad ba nila ang
aking salita? Gayon din nila tutuparin ang sa inyo. 21 Gagawin nila sa
inyo ang lahat ng ito dahil sa aking pangalan sapagkat hindi nila nakikilala
ang nagpadala sa akin.
Jesus said to his disciples: “This is my commandment: love one another as
I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s
friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you
slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called
you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It
was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear
fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may
give you. This I command you: love one another.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
What would happen if we follow this love commandment of Jesus?
There would be no more betrayal, hatred and separation amongst married
couples only love. But the sad reality is we choose to turn a deaf ear to this
love commandment of the Lord. For the simple reason that we love ourselves more
than we love Jesus and our fellowmen.
There’s a saying that before we give love we have to love ourselves
first. For how would we know how to give love if we have not experienced loving
ourselves first? However this statement does not jibe on how Jesus interprets
love or on how Jesus gives the truest meaning of love.
For Jesus to love is not to love oneself first, to love is to lay down
ones life for the beloved, for Jesus to love is to forgive the many hurts that
has been hurled and inflicted upon us by our beloved. For at the end of the day
if we love the way Jesus loves us what would remain is love no hatred but only
love.
But how do we love? We love selectively and we love with measure, we
calibrate the love that we give by the love that we receive. And we oftentimes
do not love our fellowmen when they do not fulfill our selfish
expectation for them. Let us love without condition and let us love without
expecting love in return for this is how Jesus loved us.
Sinabi ni Jesus
sa kanyang mga alagad: 12 Ito ang kautusan ko: magmahalan kayo kung paano
ko kayo minahal. 13 Wala nang pagmamahal na hihigit pa sa pag-aalay ng
sariling buhay alang-alang sa kanyang mga kaibigan.
14 Mga
kaibigan ko kayo kung ginagawa ninyo ang iniuutos ko sa inyo. 15 Hindi ko
na kayo tinatawag na mga lingkod sapagkat hindi alam ng lingkod ang ginagawa ng
kanyang panginoon. Mga kaibigan
naman ang turing ko sa inyo sapagkat ipinagbibigay-alam ko sa inyo lahat ng
narinig ko mula sa aking Ama.
16 Hindi
kayo ang humirang sa akin, ako ang humirang sa inyo at nagtalaga sa inyo para
humayo at mamunga, at mamalagi ang inyong bunga. At ipagkakaloob sa inyo
anumang hingin n’yo sa Ama sa pangalan ko. 17 Iniuutos ko nga sa inyo:
magmahalan kayo.
Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might
be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has
greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my
friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a
slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.It was not you
who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that
will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This
I command you: love one another.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
A newlywed couple promised to bring to their graves their marriage
vows: For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and
in health, until death do us part. But the irony was, after having one child
and being together for two years they separated already. What happened to their
promise of undying love for each other? What will happen to their only child?
Nowadays, many of us have a very shallow understanding of love, it’s not
anymore undying love or sacrificial love. But love based on convenience, love
based on what I can have and what I can possess. The word love has been
stripped of its real value. This is the reason why we see married couples
flirting with their officemates and friends just to vent out their lust,
immorality and adulterous desires.
This is the distressing reality right now that’s why we find young
couples even middle-aged couples separating. For the self-serving reason that
they are not anymore happy with their marriage. Are they really not happy in
their marriage or they just want to satisfy their own selfish, lust and
adulterous desires?
Jesus in the gospel commands us to love one another. This love is not
based on selfish needs, neither based on convenience. This love is anchored on
fidelity, sacrifice, self-giving and trust. This is the reason why the love of
Jesus for us is most appropriate to incorporate in our married lives. If we
have the love of Jesus we would stay with our marriage no matter what.
Let us remember that Jesus doesn’t give up on us. He keeps on loving us,
He keeps on knocking in our hearts no matter how wayward and sinful we have
become. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Sinabi ni Jesus
sa kanyang mga alagad: 9 Kung paano ako minamahal ng Ama, gayon ko rin
kayo minahal. Mamalagi kayo sa pagmamahal ko. 10 Kung isasakatuparan
ninyo ang mga kautusan ko, mamamalagi kayo sa pagmamahal ko kung paanong isinakatuparan
ko ang mga kautusan ng aking Ama at namamalagi sa kanyang pagmamahal.
11 Sinabi
ko sa inyo ang mga ito upang mapasainyo ang aking kagalakan at maging ganap
ang inyong kagalakan. 12 Ito ang kautusan ko: magmahalan kayo kung paano
ko kayo minahal. 13 Wala nang pagmamahal na hihigit pa sa pag-aalay ng
sariling buhay alang-alang sa kanyang mga kaibigan.
14 Mga
kaibigan ko kayo kung ginagawa ninyo ang iniuutos ko sa inyo. 15 Hindi ko
na kayo tinatawag na mga lingkod sapagkat hindi alam ng lingkod ang ginagawa ng
kanyang panginoon.
Mga kaibigan
naman ang turing ko sa inyo sapagkat ipinagbibigay-alam ko sa inyo lahat ng
narinig ko mula sa aking Ama.
16 Hindi
kayo ang humirang sa akin, ako ang humirang sa inyo at nagtalaga sa inyo para
humayo at mamunga, at mamalagi ang inyong bunga. At ipagkakaloob sa inyo
anumang hingin n’yo sa Ama sa pangalan ko. 17 Iniuutos ko nga sa inyo:
magmahalan kayo.
Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the
vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and
everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already
pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in
you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the
vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the
branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because
without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown
out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a
fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father
glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
How does it feel without connection to the internet? It seems that
something important in our lives is lacking. Most especially right now because we are quarantined in our respective homes caused by our fear of Covid-19. We cannot function properly if our job is reliant on the internet.
Somehow our lives now is associated with the internet be it wifi or cable
based internet connection. When we are outside of our respective houses our
smart phones are ever ready to find wifi connection. We look for it because we
need or we want to be connected.
How about our desire to be connected with Jesus and God? Do we always
seek a connection with Jesus and God? Is our desire for Jesus and God as
intense as our desire for a wifi or internet connection?
In our gospel for this Wednesday Jesus tells us that He is the vine and
we are the branches (John 15:5) and as such we must always be connected with
Him and God. Life without connection with God is meaningless, even if we have
all the material wealth and power it’s still meaningless without God!
If only we would always desire connection with God more than we desire
wifi or internet connection. If only we would invest more time with God as much
as we invest time using our smart phones and laptops. Let us therefore always
seek connection with God through our prayers, presence at Holy Mass. And by
reading and reflecting upon His life transforming worlds in the bible.
The best is yet to come for us even if we are presently being battered by
this Covid-19 pandemic. If we would seek permanent connection with our vine and our
vine grower no other than Jesus and God. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Sinabi ni Jesus
sa kanyang mga alagad: 1 “Ako siyang totoong puno ng ubas at ang Ama ko ang
mag-sasaka. 2 Pinuputol niya ang bawat sangang di namumunga sa akin; at
pinupungusan naman niya’t nililinisan ang bawat namumunga upang higit pang
mamunga. 3 Ngayon malinis na kayo dahil sa salitang binigkas ko sa inyo. 4 Mamalagi
kayo sa akin, at ako sa inyo.
Hindi
makapamumunga ang sanga sa ganang sarili, malibang mamalagi ito sa puno ng
ubas; gayundin naman kayo, malibang mamalagi kayo sa akin. 5 Ako siyang puno ng
ubas, kayo ang mga sanga. Ang namamalagi sa akin at ako sa kanya, siya ang namumunga
nang sagana pagkat hiwalay sa aki’y hindi kayo makagagawa ng anuman. 6 Kung
hindi namamalagi sa akin ang sinuman, ihahagis siya sa labas gaya ng sangang
natuyo na tini¬tipon at ginagatong sa apoy at nagli¬liyab.
7 Kung
mamamalagi kayo sa akin at mamamalagi sa inyo ang mga pananalita ko, hingin
ninyo ang anumang loobin n’yo at magkakagayon sa inyo. 8 Sa ganito parangalan
ang aking Ama: kapag namunga kayo nang sagana at naging mga alagad ko.
Jesus said to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to
you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be
troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you,‘I am going away and I will come back
to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for
the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe. I will no longer speak much with you,
for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me, but the world
must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded
me.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Can we be vehicles of peace in this world? Yes we can certainly be! This
could happen if we are not quick to pass judgement. If we are forgiving and if
we are ready let bygones be bygones. We are free when we are always
peaceful. We are free from the primary sower of hatred and sin in our lives
none other than satan. And we are free from anything that is not good.
The beauty of being vehicles of peace is we allow Jesus to become an active
part of our life. This is for the reason that Jesus Himself lived a life of
peace. Jesus chose peace instead of hatred and Jesus chose peace instead of
revenge.
In the gospel for this Tuesday, Jesus said to His disciples; peace I
leave with you, my peace I give to you (John 14:27). Let us own and accept this
peace being offered by Jesus because this peace is also for us.
One of the best if not the best gift that Jesus gives us is the gift of
peace and we need this peace that comes from Jesus today more than any other
time. But many of us still don’t have peace right at this very moment and this
is caused by our fear of getting sick of Covid-19. But if we have Jesus we
would have peace notwithstanding Covid-19.
Do we have peace in our lives right now? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
27 Kapayapaan
ang iniiwan ko sa inyo; kapayapaan ko ang ibinibigay ko sa inyo. Hindi gaya ng
ibinibigay ng mundo ang ibinibigay ko sa inyo. Huwag mabagabag ang inyong puso,
ni panghinaan ng loob. 28Narinig ninyong sinabi ko sa inyo. ‘Paalis ako pero
pabalik ako sa inyo.’ Kung minahal ninyo ako, magagalak kayo’t papunta ako sa
Ama pagkat mas dakila sa akin ang Ama.
29Ngunit sinabi
ko ito ngayon sa inyo bago pa mangyari ito. 30Hindi ko na kayo kakausapin nang
mahaba sapagkat parating na ang pinuno ng mundo. Walang anumang kanya sa akin
31ngunit dapat malaman ng mundo na mahal ko ang Ama, at ayon sa iniutos sa akin
ng Ama, ito mismo ang aking ginagawa.
(Jesus said to his disciples) “Whoever has my commandments and observes
them is the one who loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Judas, not the Iscariot,
said to him, “Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will
keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our
dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the
word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.
“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my name he will teach you everything and remind
you of all that I told you.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Do we always feel the infinite love of God?
A few years ago every Sunday morning I would go to a middle-aged sick
woman to nourish her with the Body of Christ. After I read to her the Sunday
gospel she would give her short reflection on the same gospel after which I
give her Holy Communion.
One reflection that she told was about the love of God and she said: When
she was still in the pink of health she would never fail to go to Sunday Mass
to manifest her deep love for God. And she said further, now that I am sick and
not anymore able to go to church I still feel this same love of God because God
is still sustaining me with His Body, Blood and Divinity.
In our gospel Jesus tells us: Whoever loves me will be loved by my
Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” This words of Jesus
is very true as I have seen it in the sick woman who loved God by way of going
to Holy Mass every Sunday when she was still healthy. And when she got sick the
Lord gave back the love that she gave Him.
One of the many truths of our life is its very short and it could end
anytime. Therefore while we are still healthy let us express our deep love for
God by our presence at Holy Mass every Sunday. But since we can’t go right now
to gather in the Church for Holy Mass caused by Covid-19 pandemic, we instead attend
online Sunday Mass. We do this not because we are expecting something from God
someday. We do this out of our pure love for God.
How do we express our love for God? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Sinabi ni Jesus
sa kanyang mga alagad: 21 Ang tumutupad sa tinanggap niyang mga kautusan
ko, siya ang nagmamahal sa akin. Mamahalin ng aking Ama ang nagmamahal sa
akin, at mamahalin ko rin siya at ipamamalas ko sa kanya ang aking sarili.”
22 Sinabi
sa kanya ni Judas, hindi ang Iskariote: “Panginoon, paano mangyayaring sa
amin mo ipamamalas ang iyong sarili at hindi sa mundo?” 23 Sumagot si
Jesus at sinabi sa kanya: “Kung may nagmamahal sa akin, isasakatuparan niya
ang aking salita at mamahalin siya ng aking Ama at pupuntahan namin siya at sa
kanya kami gagawa ng silid para sa aming sarili. 24 Hindi naman isinasakatuparan
ng hindi nagmamahal sa akin ang aking mga salita. At hindi sa akin ang salitang
naririnig n’yo kundi sa Amang nagpadala sa akin.
25 Sinabi
ko sa inyo ang mga ito habang namamalagi pa akong kasama ninyo. 26 Ituturo
naman sa inyo ng Tagapagtanggol ang lahat – ang Espiritu Santong ipadadala ng
ama sa ngalan ko – at ipaaalaala niya sa inyo ang lahat ng sinabi ko sa inyo.
Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father's house there are
many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going
to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will
come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way."
Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how
can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and
the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then
you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen
him." Philip said to him, "Master, show us the Father, and that will
be enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so
long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the
Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells
in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is
in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to
you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater
ones than these, because I am going to the Father."
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
To whom do we put
our destiny in this world? Do we put it in the hands of the government or we
put it in the hands of God. In this era of covid-19 pandemic the government has
put our destiny in their own hands. So, what we do is we don’t go out and we
keep ourselves quarantined in our respective homes. We are even prevented from
going out to practice our faith obligations such as to attend Holy Mass during
Sundays.
But where would this
culture of my destiny is in my hands or my destiny rest in the government hands
bring us? This will eventually bring us to an existence in this world with a
nominal God. A God that hardly matters anymore and when God becomes a nonessential
for our existence we become creatures of this world rather than creation of
God.
In the gospel Jesus
tells us that we must believe more in Him more than we believe in ourselves.
Believe more in Him more than we believe in the orders of the government to
quarantine ourselves so that we can avoid getting sick of Covid-19.Hence, we
defy government and we go out as if there is no danger of getting sick of
Covid-19?
No we don’t defy the
government neither we go out as if there is no danger of getting sick of
covid-19. We simply put our destiny in the hands of God more than in the hands
of the government and our own hands. We simply let go of our worries and let
our almighty God take care of it. We therefore have to pray very hard to the
Lord to help us banish this Covid-19 from the face of the earth. Because only
in the hands of God lies the solution to this Covid-19 pandemic.
We cannot do
anything without the intervention of the Lord, we are simply helpless without
God. For only in God’s hands we would have life beyond this word.
To whom do we trust our destiny in this world? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
