Reflection for July 14, Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 11:20-24

Gospel: Matthew 11:20-24

Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum: Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.

For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

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Reflection:

Do you get frustrated or even get angry every once in a while? It’s ok for as long as your frustration and anger is for a good reason. And for as long as your anger doesn’t stay for long in your heart.  For example, you advice a relative or a friend to mend his/her ways but she/he doesn’t listen to you.  

In his humanity Jesus also gets frustrated like us and it is shown in the gospel. When He reproached the towns of Chorazin and Bethsaida due to their refusal to repent. Jesus wanted the inhabitants of the two towns to change their wicked ways and accept His good news.

Some of us if not majority of us are like the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida full of stubbornness. Yes, we believe that there’s a God but believing is very different from listening to God and letting Him live in our hearts.

In pushing His good news to us Jesus touches us in so many ways. There are also times when He uses our fellowmen and other forms of modern medium such as the internet in order to touch us. Yet we often times don’t listen or pay attention, we remain stubborn and continue to commit sin.

God desires our company and friendship. He wants us to have that special relationship with Him. Yet we don’t pay attention and we continue to sin, but until when we are going to sin? Until such time that sin could destroy us?

Let us run away from sin because sin is evil and whomever embraces sin will eventually be destroyed by sin. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for July 13, Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 10:34—11:1

Gospel: Matthew 10:34—11:1

Jesus said to his Apostles: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s enemies will be those of his household.

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.

Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple–amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”

When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.

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Reflection:

There’s a saying that goes, “No pain no gain”. How could there be gain in pain? Why not gain without pain? When you gain something without pain what you gain can easily fly away and it can easily be forgotten. But when you gain something that is accompanied with pain and sacrifice you will treasure it and properly take care of it.

Would you be able to know Jesus more deeply without going through life’s many pains? No you  will not gain Jesus and you  will not have an up close and personal encounter with Him. For there’s no easy way going to Jesus.

 you have to pass through the many painful obstacles of life in order to find Jesus. You may even have to give-up every inch of your worldliness in order to find Jesus. Therefore self-sacrifice is an important ingredient in finding Jesus in your lives.

Would you be willing to go through pains and sufferings so that you could experience an encounter with Jesus? If you really desire Jesus in your life you will embrace without any second thought suffering/s and pains.

But worldly life has already conditioned us to veer away as much as we could from our crosses and pains. No small wonder that many if not majority of us have not yet found Jesus in our  lives. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Sunday July 12, Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Mark 6:7-13

Gospel: Mark 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

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Reflection:   

A young man was considering a career in writing for God. But he was hesitant for he knows deep in his heart that he will not intellectually measure-up to such a huge responsibility. And this is for the reason that he doesn’t have any background in writing.

He told a friend about his desire and his intellectual shortcoming. The advice of his friend was to move forward and follow his desire. He was also told by his friend not to be disturbed by his intellectual shortcoming for God will fill whatever he was lacking. 

The twelve apostles who were sent by Jesus to their mission are like many of us. Many of them were ordinary fishermen who became fishers of men courtesy of Jesus. Perhaps when they were about to be sent by Jesus to their mission many of them were asking themselves this question; will I measure-up with  this huge responsibility? Perhaps, some were even thinking of backing out and then simply return to their old jobs. But Jesus was there to assure them of His support so they went ahead with their mission.

Jesus gave them full authority over unclean spirit (Mark 6:7). Jesus instructed them to take nothing for their journey except for a walking stick (Mark 6:8). As if Jesus was telling them to simply follow and not be bothered by their inherent weaknesses and shortcomings. For He will fill-up whatever is lacking in them.

They followed the order of Jesus and trusted their mission to His guidance. Therefore they became successful in their mission. They drove out many demons and they cured the sick upon their anointment of holy oil (Mark 6:13).

Often times we don’t achieve what Jesus wants us to do for Him because we don’t trust Him and we lack faith in Him. For the same reason we are also afraid to take the first step towards the realization of our mission for God. Therefore we get stuck and we fail to not only move forward we also fail to achieve our mission for Christ.

If you desire to follow Jesus you have to follow Him with faith and you have to learn to fully trust Him. Do you always have faith  and trust in Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for July 11, Saturday Saint Benedict, Abbot: Matthew 10:24-33

Gospel: Matthew 10:24-33

Jesus said to his Apostles: “No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the slave that he become like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household! “Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

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Reflection:

What is the mark of a true and faithful follower of Jesus? It’s the mark of obedience, a true follower will obey the command of Jesus to share His good news. But you  may say that sometimes it’s hard to share Jesus because the environment is not conducive for sharing Jesus. If this is the case when are you going to share Jesus?

If you wait for the right environment to share Jesus. That right environment may not come at all, so you will not be able to share Jesus?  As the apostles were commissioned by Jesus to share the gospel we too are tasked to do the same. Let us not wait for the right environment to share Jesus because every environment is right for Jesus.

No harm will fall upon you if you share Jesus because you are sharing the good news of humanity’s salvation. If you share Jesus you will be able to change lives and you will be able to give hope which many of us badly needs today.

The apostles treated with sacredness their commissioning from Jesus and as a result of it they became very successful in their mission. How about you? When are you going to share Jesus? Would you still wait for the right environment? It may not come, why not share Jesus now? And in the process be blessed by Jesus as Jesus blesses others’ lives though you. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for July 10, Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 10:16-23

Gospel: Matthew 10:16-23

Jesus said to his Apostles: “Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.

But beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

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Reflection:

Are you ready to give your life for the mission of Jesus? This is a very hard question to answer but there are many already who dared to willingly give their lives for the mission of Jesus. What fuels them to give their lives when they have a choice to save it?

 It’s their witness for Jesus, its Jesus who strengthens them to endure and continue with their mission even at the cost of their lives. To be a real follower of Jesus is easier said than done. It’s easy to say I am a Christian but to live this Christian pronouncement is another story altogether. How about you? Are you willing to give your life for the mission of Jesus?   

When you give your life to Jesus you will face persecution as well. But what is consoling here is the midst of your trials and persecution you also will feel the abiding presence of Jesus in your life. Because Jesus has never abandoned anyone who gave his/her life for His mission in this world.

Be not afraid to give your life for the mission of Jesus. For when you decide to do so you will soon after find the real purpose of your life. – Marino J. Dasmarinas      

Reflection for July 9, Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 10:7-15

Gospel: Matthew 10:7-15

Jesus said to his Apostles: “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave. As you enter a house, wish it peace. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you. Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words— go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment than for that town.

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Reflection:

Do you expect to receive something in return for the things that you do for the greater glory of God? Better not expect because when your expectations are not meet you will be disappointed. Just do good and be content with the fact that you’ve done a good deed to your fellowmen.

Money rules they say, but for those who follow Jesus money does not rule and money doesn’t dictate. It’s Jesus who rules and dictates, when you allow Jesus to rule and dictate your life. You are free from worries that emanates from this world and you are not beholden to anybody in this world.     

When Jesus was sending off his twelve apostles to their mission. One of His specific declarations for them is this: not to let money or anything that is worldly rule over them. Jesus instead wanted His apostles to let Him rule their lives.

When you let Jesus rule your life you will not anymore care with worldly possessions. You instead will be satisfied with what you have no matter how meager the things that you have. For you already believe that the essence and fullness of life is not measured by material ownership.

What is with material things when it can be taken away from you anytime? Seek to have Jesus in your life for when you have Jesus you have everything. – Marino J. Dasmarinas    

Reflection for July 8, Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 10:1-7

Gospel: Matthew 10:1-7

Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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Reflection:

Where does The Kingdom of Heaven lies? It lies within you and it has been with you since you’ve been baptized. But you may say,  if the kingdom of heaven is within me, why is it that my life is still problematic? This is for the reason that you refuse to live your life according to God’s will for you. You are living your life according to your own will and not according to God’s will.

So what happens when you live your life according to your own terms? You open your life to many problems, problems that you could actually avoid if you only live your life according to the will of God. But many of us do not have an awareness of the will of God because we overpower it with our own selfish will for ourselves.

It’s not difficult to know God’s will for you, by going to Holy Mass you will begin to discern God’s will for your life. By reading your bible you will discern the will of God for you. By your frequent interactions with Jesus through your prayers you will discern the will of God for you.  

Many of us are lost in this world because we are not always in touch with Jesus. Yet we are always in touch with materialism and other worldly things. Thus we have no awareness of the kingdom of heaven that resides within us already. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for July 7, Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 9:32-38

Gospel: Matthew 9:32-38

A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus, and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

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Reflection:

How does the gospel speak to you today? Does it tell you that you need to do something for the kingdom of God? Jesus tells the disciples in our gospel and He tells this to you too! “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few (Matthew 9:37)”.

Indeed, the harvest is abundant yet those who venture to volunteer their time for the glory of God’s kingdom are still few. We don’t know the reason behind but perhaps we could guess that we have become very materialistic. We devote our entire time for our own glory in this world. So we forget that there is a much greater glory beyond this world that awaits us and that is the kingdom of God.  

When we are near death already the labors that we have given to this world will not matter anymore. We will not think about how big our  bank accounts. We will not think about our many worldly achievements.

What we will be thinking about is the status of our soul after we die. This is what confronts a dying person: The status of his/her soul after it departs from his/her body. Therefore to avoid this dilemma let us do something for the advancement of the kingdom of God in this world.

Any effort that we do today for God no matter how small. For so long as we sincerely do it for His greater glory. Will be permanently etched in  the heart of God and will become our passport to heaven when our departure time comes. - Marino J. Dasmarinas    

Reflection for July 6, Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 9:18-26

Gospel: Matthew 9:18-26

While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, “My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.” Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” And from that hour the woman was cured.

When Jesus arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping. And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land.

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Reflection:

Do you believe that Jesus can cure you of whatever that ails you? The woman who had been bleeding for twelve years believed that she would be healed by Jesus. She believed that the moment she touched even the tassel of Jesus cloak she will be healed. What a display of deep faith!

Sometimes we don’t get what we wish from Jesus because we doubt. We allow the devil to disturb our faith in Jesus thus we don’t get what we want. We see in the gospel a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages she obviously has deep faith. Faith that is willing to overcome whatever obstacles that are put in front of her.  Do you have the same deep faith as this woman in the gospel?

When Jesus noticed this woman of faith, He told her, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you (Matthew 9:22).” And the result was immediate physical healing coming from Jesus and surely the woman was completely healed.

Are you suffering from any form sickness right now? Prayerfully ask Jesus to heal you! Beseech Him to give you the same healing that He gave the woman in the gospel. Jesus will surely heal you for He will not refuse anyone who approach Him with deep faith. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Sunday July 5, Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Mark 6:1-6

Gospel: Mark 6:1-6

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

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Reflection:   

A successful man who died was being given lavish praises by his relatives and friends during his eulogy. Lavish praises that he richly deserved for he was a good and humble man. Lavish praises that they purposely did not tell him while he was still alive for they envied him.

When Jesus went back to the place where he grew up in Nazareth. He went to their Synagogue to give a lecture and He did it with wisdom and eloquence. Yet Jesus did not receive any congratulatory acknowledgement not even a simple handshake. Or a  gesture of recognition from his former town mates.

Instead Jesus received from them derision and scorn. Because they could not accept that a former carpenter could speak to them with so much wisdom and eloquence. A former carpenter whom they knew very well could someday speak in their house of worship.  So they belittled Jesus instead of giving Him a well-deserved recognition.

Don’t we also act often times like the town mates of Jesus? We are very quick to judge and belittle our fellowmen and even our relatives who achieved a certain degree of success in their lives.

Why are we very quick to belittle? Why are we very quick to give unjust judgment? This is because of our very high regard of ourselves, perhaps this is brought about by our riches, education and status in life.

We place ourselves in a pedestal so high that we cannot anymore bend our knees in humility. We cannot anymore recognize worthy achievement because our eyes are already clouded with the cataract of our egos and high self-image.

If we are quick to draw judgment and scorn we also open ourselves to the same judgment and scorn. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for July 4, Saturday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 9:14-17

Gospel: Matthew 9:14-17

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

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Reflection:

What can we learn from our gospel today? We learn that when we already have Jesus in our lives we are already like a fresh wineskin. Fresh or new wineskin is sturdy and strong. It can withstand the pressure when a new wine is poured into it.

This is what we become when we already have Jesus in our lives. We can withstand whatever problems that life would bring to us. Nobody and no problem no matter how difficult can break us because we have Jesus in our lives.

It’s so hard for many of us to feel the presence of Jesus because we hardly have time for Him. We don’t invest time with Jesus yet we can invest time for other things. Some of us would even reason out that we hardly have time to be with Jesus because of the many pressures of life.   

But how come we have time for other things? For example, why is it that we can squeeze time to do facebook and for other worldly things?  If we can do facebook and for other worldly things. Why can’t we have time for Jesus our life giver? This is the paradox of our modern time right now: We don’t have time for Jesus yet we create time for other worldy things.

If you want to have a fresh and positive viewpoint about your future and about life in general. Let Jesus come into your life do not close your heart to Him in favor of the things of this world. Which would bring you nothing in the end except more troubles and pressures.

Is Jesus already an important component of your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas    

Reflection for July 3, Friday; Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle: John 20:24-29

Gospel: John 20:24-29

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

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Reflection:

Do you sometimes need an affirmation of your faith in Jesus? That is perfectly ok because it show signs of your growing faith. If you want your faith in Jesus to be affirmed you simply have to be sensitive to the movement of Jesus in your life.

For example the new life that is given to you every morning. It’s not a routinary  flow of life that you wake-up every morning. It’s Jesus giving you a new life every morning! If you are sensitive to the movement of Jesus in your life. You would discover that the dawning of a new day that you experience every morning is a miracle from Jesus.

Thomas needed an affirmation of his faith from his Lord and Master (John 20:25). He wanted to see first the wounds of Jesus before he believes. He wanted to touch it and put his finger into the very wounds of Jesus before he believes that Jesus had resurrected (John 20:25).  

Are we not like Thomas too? We often times want our faith in Jesus to be affirmed by His signs? Jesus has been giving us signs that He moves in our lives everyday, we simply have to be sensitive to these signs. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for July 2, Thursday; Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 9:1-8

Gospel: Matthew  9:1-8

After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, :Why do you harbor evil thoughts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”– he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He rose and went home. When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

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Reflection:

What does this story of the paralytic who was brought to Jesus tells us? It tells us that we too need to go to Jesus for Him to heal us and to forgive us of all our sins. This tells us also that we also need to bring others to Jesus to be healed and forgiven by Him too!

We all have a need for Jesus in our lives. We may not need Him now because we are in the pink of health. But time will certainly come that we will be forced to go to Him even beg Him so that Jesus could heal us also.

Let us not anymore wait for that time to come when we are already sick before we go to Jesus. Let us go to Him now while we are healthy or in the pink of health Let us not delay for tomorrow may be late already.   

In like manner we too are encouraged by the gospel to bring others to Jesus. This we could do best through our acts of love, mercy and compassion. For we can’t bring others to Jesus without loving them, without showing them our mercy and compassion.

We certainly can’t bring others to Jesus if we judge them. Let us rather help them and try to understand them and be more patient with them. So that they could be enlightened by Jesus as Jesus has enlightened us. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for June 30, Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 8:23-27

Gospel: Matt Matthew 8:23-27

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

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Reflection:

Do you always seek the help of Jesus when you pass through the storms of your life?

While in the boat with Jesus the disciples encountered a very powerful storm. They were naturally terrified so they asked Jesus for help, they said to Him; “Lord save us we are perishing (Matthew 8:25)!”   

How many times have you encountered storms in your life? Many time over perhaps, in every storm that you encounter always remember that Jesus is always there for you. Ever ready to help you and bring you out safely of these storms that you encounter and may encounter still.

What if Jesus was not with the disciples during that fateful night when their boat was being battered by the storm? To whom would they be asking for help? To no one, they could have all perished in that violent storm. But Jesus was there to save them all.

This is the advantage of having Jesus in your life. You always have somebody very powerful to rescue you whenever you are in distress. You always have somebody who will take away your fears, even your biggest and greatest fears.

Do you always seek the help of Jesus whenever you pass through the storms of your life?  – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for June 29, Monday; Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles; Matthew 16:13-19

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi 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.”

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Reflection:

Do you know Jesus? Yes you know Jesus but do you feel the presence of Jesus in your life? Knowing and feeling Jesus are two different things. Many of us know Jesus but not as many feel His majestic presence in our hearts. 

We don’t feel the presence of Jesus in our hearts because we lack time for Jesus, that’s how simple it is. We don’t feel the presence of Jesus in our lives for the simple  reason  that we lack time for Him.

Peter did not only know Jesus, he felt also the presence of Jesus in his life. Peter felt the presence of Jesus in his  life because Peter had time for Jesus. Among the disciples it was Peter who was always with Jesus it was Peter who had more time for Jesus. 

Peter went with Jesus to the mountain of transfiguration. When Jesus walked on water Peter saw Jesus and even asked Jesus if she could go to him. And there were many other events that Peter was always in the company Jesus.

If you want to feel the gentle, saving and calming presence of Jesus in your life. You only have to do one thing and that is to spend more time with Jesus. Be with Him at Holy Mass, hear Him  speaking to you and telling you  stories and parable by  reading your bible. Hear Him assuring you of His abiding presence in your life through your prayers. And be with Him by visiting Him in the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel.

Do you want to feel the presence of Jesus in your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Reflection for Sunday June 28, Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Mark 5:21-43

Gospel: Mark  5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live. He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to Jesus, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’ And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”

 While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer? Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.

So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

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Reflection:   

What does an encounter with Jesus do to us? It gives us hope and it cures us. There’s a story of a woman who had a terminal sickness. She was told by her doctor that she only had two months to live. But this woman was a woman of strong faith. She attends Holy Mass every day and does other things to strengthen her faith in Jesus.

When she was told that she had two months to live, she told her doctors, I will prove all of you wrong I’m going to beat this severe sickness with my faith in Jesus. True enough, after two months the woman of faith was still alive and totally free from her severe sickness.

We have in our gospel two stories of faith, hope and healing coursed through an encounter with Jesus. The first one is the story  of Jairus a synagogue official whose daughter was in death throes. Jairus went to Jesus to plead Him to cure his young daughter. Seeing the faith of Jairus Jesus went to his house to cure and bring back to life Jairus’ daughter.

The second story of faith hope and healing is an unnamed woman who for twelve long years had been suffering severe hemorrhages. She heard that Jesus would be passing by her way. It gave her hope and it further strengthened her faith. So she did her best to touch even the cloak of Jesus for she believed that by simply touching it she would be healed. And she was able to touch Jesus cloak and was indeed immediately healed.    

There could be a third story of faith, hope and healing by Jesus. And this third story could be your own story. What is your testimony of faith, hope and healing by Jesus? Share it so that others faith and hope in Jesus could be strengthened! 

All of us one way or the other have our own story of encounter with Jesus let us not keep this story within us. Let us share it so that others may know Jesus and hopefully have also an encounter with Him.  – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for June 27, Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 8:5-17

Gospel: Matthew 8:5-17

When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it. When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven but the children of the Kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. And Jesus said to the centurion, “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you. And at that very hour his servant was healed.

Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him.

When it was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.

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Reflection:

Why is Jesus a magnet to people most especially to who are in need? Because Jesus never refused anyone who asked for His help most especially those who are presistent. Jesus was always available, Jesus would always have time for them regardless of who they are and where they came from.

The centurion/soldier in our gospel came from a faraway place and certainly not a follower of Jesus. But he knew Jesus and he heard of His miracles so he ventured to see Him. And when he saw Jesus he asked him to cure his servant. Jesus never had any second thought of helping the centurion; he even offered to go his house to personally cure the centurion’s servant.

This gospel episode invites us to reflect if we also make ourselves available to those who are in need of our help. Often times we are not willing to help because it will disturb us. It will affect our personal finances and schedules but it’s not every day that we are asked for help.

The best way to share our faith and to share Jesus is not though eloquent or bombastic preaching. The best way to share our faith and to share Jesus is when we make ourselves available most especially to those who are in need. And to those who can’t give back the help that we’ve given them.       

Do you take time to make yourself available to those who are in need of your help most especially the poor? – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Reflection for June 26, Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 8:1-4

Gospel: Matthew 8:1-4

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean. He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean. His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”

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Reflection:

Who is this leaper who courageously approached Jesus to beg for His healing? We don’t know but one thing is certain the leper is a believer of Jesus. He must have heard about the healing prowess of Jesus. He must have been longing for an opportunity to interact with Jesus for him to be healed also. That’s why when the opportunity presented itself he took advantage of it by approaching Jesus.

Have you also heard about the miracles that Jesus is capable of doing in your life? What would you do now if you heard about it? Should you remain static and do nothing or you become dynamic by hungering and thirsting for Jesus?

The leper even if he was considered as an outcast had that dynamic attitude for he went after Jesus. He did not allow his dreaded sickness to prevent him from having that personal encounter with his savior and healer.

Do you want to be healed from your sickness also? Whatever that sickness may be humbly ask Jesus to heal you. For He would never refuse anyone who sincerely ask for his healing. He will never refuse anyone who would humbly approach Him. – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Reflection for June 25, Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 7:21-29

Gospel: Matthew 7:21-29

Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name? Then I will declare to them solemnly ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

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Reflection:

What would ensure your entry to the kingdom of heaven when your time is up in this world? It’s your faith built and anchored like a rock. What does this mean? It means faith that is not in name only. It’s rather a faith that works and faith that is lived so that others may benefit from it.

How easy it is to us to say that I have faith, I am a Christian and a followers of Jesus. But do you put substance to these solemn declarations and do you live these pronouncements? If you do, then well and good but if you don’t yet, it’s never too late to renew your faith and commitment to Jesus.

In every hour of your life God gives you the chance for you to make alive your dormant and sleeping faith. God wants you to do this so that you would become like the wise man in the gospel. Who built his house around the rock which nobody could move or destroy not even the strongest storm.

We all face or will still be facing our own respective battles with the storms of life. Do you know what would make you survive these storms? It’s your rock solid faith in Jesus, faith that is not kept to oneself alone, it’s rather a faith that is lived and shared.

How’s your faith right now? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for June 24, Wednesday the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist; Luke 1:57-66, 80

Gospel: Luke 1:57-66, 80

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, and she gave birth to a son. 58 And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they would have named him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother said, "Not so; he shall be called John." 61 And they said to her, "None of your kindred is called by this name." 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all marveled. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea; 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him. 80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel.

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Reflection:

What does a new born child brings to a family? It brings unfathomable joy and rejoicing. This was how the couple Elizabeth and Zechariah felt during that time. The new born child did not only bring joy to his parents, he also brought healing to his father Zechariah who had problem with speaking.

Every newly born child brings to you joy and healing also. Do you properly take care of this child that is given to you as gift by God? Do you teach this child about God and your faith? Do you teach this child to be humble and to live simply? Do you bring this growing child to church for Holy Mass?

What can we learn from the nativity of Saint John the Baptist? We learn that there is a reward that awaits for parents who are faithful to the will of God. We learn that when a child is taught about values of simplicity and humility the child would grow up to be simple and humble also.

Just like Jesus, John grew up as a simple and humble man, he grew up faithful to God’s will for him. We cannot only attribute these virtues of John to God alone. Both Elizabeth and Zechariah (his parents) played also an important role in instilling him these virtues of humility and simplicity. Zechariah and Elizabeth did not only teach John about simplicity and humility. Both of them lived humility and simplicity also.       

Do you teach your child how to be humble and simple and do you live the virtues of humility and simplicity? – Marino J. Dasmarinas