Reflection for October 30, Wednesday; Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 13:22-30

Gospel: Luke 13:22-30

Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from. And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

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Reflection:

A lady who was very obedient to her catholic faith was asking herself this question: “What should I do to be in heaven someday”? She herself answered her question by saying, I need to be at the Eucharistic celebration every Sunday, I need to pray the rosary everyday and I need to humbly submit myself to the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a year.

She did all of these acts of piety for she believed that this would be her passage to heaven. When she died she was confident of having a hassle free passage towards the door of heaven. However when she was about to enter an angel prevented her from passing through the door. Therefore her acts of piety were not enough to enter heaven. What is the secret ingredient that is lacking in her recipe to enter heaven?

In the gospel for this Sunday someone asked Jesus, "Lord will only a few people be saved?" Jesus said strive to enter the narrow gate, for many I tell you will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough (Luke 13:23-24).

Our acts of piety and worship for God are good for it will lead us to know more about God and it will surely deepen our relationship with Him. But we still need to take that extra step to complete the recipe to enter the narrow gate that leads to heaven.

  

We need to put flesh to our acts of piety. In other words we need to translate our worship for God to living acts of mercy, love, compassion, humility and the like.

What is the use of going to Holy Mass every Sunday if we don’t allow it to transform us? What is the use of reading the bible if we don’t live the teachings of Jesus in the bible? What is the use of praying the Holy Rosary if we don’t live the humility of the Blessed Mother? – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Oktubre 30, Miyerkules: Ika-30 na Linggo ng Taon: Lucas 13:22-30

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 13:22-30

22 Dumaan si Jesus sa mga lunsod at mga nayon, na nagangaral habang papunta siya sa Jerusalem. 23 May nagtanong sa kanya: “Panginoon, kakaunti nga ba ang maliligtas?” At sinabi ni Jesus sa mga tao: 24 “Mag­pumilit ka­yong pumasok sa makipot na pintuan sapagkat sinasabi ko sa inyo: marami ang gustong pumasok at di maka­pa­pasok. 25 Kapag tumindig na ang may-ari ng bahay at naisara na ang pinto, tatayo kayo sa labas na kumakatok at magsasabing ‘Pangi­noon, buksan mo kami.’ Sasagot naman siya sa inyo: ‘Hindi ko alam kung taga­saan kayo.’

26 Kaya sasabihin ninyo: ‘Kami ang kumain at uminom na kasalo mo, at sa aming mga lansangan ka nangaral.’ 27 Pero sasagutin niya kayo: ‘Hindi ko alam kung tagasaan kayo. Lumayo sa akin, kayong mga gumagawa ng ma­sama.’  28 Naroon ang iyakan at pag­­-nga­ngalit ng mga ngipin pagkakita ninyo kina Abraham, Isaac, Jacob at sa lahat ng pro­peta sa kaharian ng Diyos, at ipagtatabuyan naman kayo sa labas. 29 At maki­kisalo naman sa Kaharian ng Diyos ang mga darating mula sa sila­ngan, kanluran, timog at hilaga. 30 Oo, may mga huli ngayon na mauuna at may mga una na mahu­huli.”

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for October 29, Tuesday; Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 13:18-21

Gospel: Luke 13:18-21

Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”

Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened.

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Reflection:

Can you suppress the growth of the kingdom of God in your life? Yes, you can suppress it that’s why many do not grow in faith. But as far as Jesus is concerned He surely wants you to allow the kingdom of God to grow and blossom within you so that through you others would benefit from it.

How wonderful it is if we only take time to share whatever knowledge that we have about Jesus. If we do so we surely can make a big impact in our fellowmen lives. By sharing Jesus we can give hope to the hopeless and we can give life to the lifeless in spirit.  

Through our baptism God plants the seed of our faith. As we grow up we start to have an awareness of our spiritual identity. Some of us nurture this spiritual identity by continuously thirsting for Jesus, so it would grow. Others would simply ignore this tiny seed of faith that Jesus had planted; this is the reason why some of us do not grow in faith.

If you will not nurture this seed of faith, how would it grow and how would others know through you that there’s a God who saves, a God who forgives a God who loves them so dearly?  - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Oktubre 29, Martes: Ika-30 na Linggo ng Taon: Lucas 13:18-21

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 13:18-21

18 Sinabi pa ni Jesus: “Ano ang katulad ng kaharian ng Diyos? Sa ano ito maiku­kumpara? 19 Tulad ito sa buto ng mustasa na kinuha ng isang tao at itinanim sa kanyang hardin: lumaki, naging parang puno at sumi­silong sa kanyang mga sanga ang mga ibon ng langit.”

20 At sinabi niya uli: “Sa ano ko iku­kumpara ang kaharian ng Diyos? 21 Ka­tulad ito ng lebadura na kinuha ng isang babae at ibinaon sa tatlong takal ng harina hanggang umalsa ang buong masa.”

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for October 28, Monday; Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles: Luke 6:12-16

Gospel: Luke 6:12-16

Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

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Reflection:

Do you have the habit of prayer?

Before making the crucial decision to appoint the twelve apostles Jesus prayed first for guidance from God. Perhaps Jesus also asked the guidance of the Holy Spirit, this is how it should always be for us also. Whenever we will make a crucial decision or any decision in our life we must pray first and ask guidance from God.

After praying Jesus went on to choose the twelve apostles. They were ordinary people like us, some were fishermen who became fishers of men and they were sinners like us. What does this gospel tells us? It tells us that everyone of us can be a partner of Jesus in His mission of evangelization.  

We are now in the era of social media thus evangelization is not anymore limited to face to face evangelization. We can evangelize using the cyberspace:  write about Jesus, post on your facebook anything about Jesus and your Christian faith. 

 We all can now be a cyber missionary. The avenues for effective evangelization in cyberspace is unlimited. Let us therefore take advantage of the technology that is available in the palms of our hands.

Be not afraid to respond to this call of Jesus. Because He will empower you, He will guide you and He will be there for you. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Oktubre 28, Lunes: San Simon at San Judas Tadeo, mga apostol (Kapistahan): Lucas 6:12-16

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 6:12-16

12 Nang panahong iyon, umakyat si Jesus sa bundok para manalangin at mag­palipas ng magdamag sa pagdarasal sa Diyos. 13 Nang nag-umaga na, tinawag niya ang kanyang mga alagad at pumili siya ng labindalawa sa kanila na tinawag niyang apostol: 14 si Simon na pinanga­lanan niyang Pedro, si An­dres na kapatid nito; si Jaime, si Juan, si Felipe, si Bartolome, 15 si Mateo, si To­mas, si Jaimeng anak ni Alfeo, si Simon na tinataguriang Zelota, 16 si Judas na kamag-anak ni Jaime, at si Judas Iska­riote na naging tagapagka­nulo.

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for Sunday October 27, Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 18:9-14

Gospel: Luke 18:9-14

Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

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Reflection:

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton once said, “The gate of heaven is very low; only the humble can enter it.”

Is humility the key to the heart of God? Yes it is. By our humility we are able to access the sacred passageway to the heart of God. By our humility we are able to make God smile at us and we are able to make God embrace us.  

Humility is not only the key to the heart of God for this is also the key to the heart of our fellowmen. We are silently admired and respected if we are always humble and if we don’t seek exaltation and prominence.

In our gospel reading this Sunday there’s a Pharisee who boasted about his good qualities before God. Why did he boast? Perhaps the Pharisee thought that in doing so God would take notice and be impressed of his good qualities. But we cannot impress God and we certainly cannot use our good deeds to bully our way to the heart of God.

On the other hand the tax collector and judged as sinner by many did not only humble himself before God. He also acknowledged his own sinfulness in front of God. By humbly admitting his own sinfulness and shortcomings the tax collector gained the mercy, forgiveness and favor of God.

Do you also want to gain the mercy, forgiveness and favor of God? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Linggo October 27, ika-30 na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Lucas 18:9-14

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 18:9-14

9 Sinabi ni Jesus ang talinha­gang ito tungkol sa ilang taong kumbinsido na mabuti sila at minamata naman ang iba: 10  “Dalawang tao ang umakyat sa Templo para mana­langin: Pariseo ang isa at publikano naman ang isa pa. 11 Nakata­yong na­na­na­la­nging mag-isa ang Pari­seo. Si­nabi niya: ‘O Diyos, salamat at hindi ako gaya ng ibang mga tao – mga magnanakaw, mandaraya, nakikiapid, o gaya ng ko­lek­tor ng buwis na iyan. 12 Da­­lawang beses akong nag-aayuno isang linggo, nagbibigay ako ng ikapu sa lahat kong ari-arian.’

13 Nasa likuran naman ang kolektor ng buwis at hindi man lang makatingala sa langit. Dinadagukan niya ang dibdib sa pagsasabing ‘O Diyos, kaawaan mo ako na isang makasala­nan.’

14 Sinasabi ko sa inyo na ito ang umu­wing nasa grasya ng Diyos ngunit hindi ang isa. Sa­pagkat ibababa ang la­hat ng nagpapakataas at itataas naman ang nagpapakababa.”

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for October 26, Saturday; Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 13:1-9

Gospel: Luke 13:1-9

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them— do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”

And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”

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Reflection:

Why is there a need for us to repent now? The simple answer is because we are all sinners. We sin almost every day through ours words, actions and thoughts.

What if we suddenly die and we are not able to repent for the reason that we keep on delaying our repentance? We miss the golden opportunity to be with Jesus in heaven and we have nobody to blame but us.

Repentance frees us from the burden of sin and guilt. It frees our soul and it opens the door of God’s blessings for us. What if we refuse to repent and instead continue on sinning? We then have to be prepared for the consequence/s of our stubbornness and sinfulness.

In the church complete repentance occurs the moment we decide to humbly submit ourselves to the healing Sacrament of Reconciliation. Here we humbly ask forgiveness from the Lord, here we allow God to heal us from the wounds of sin.

When was your last Confession? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Oktubre 26, Sabado: Ika-29 na Linggo ng Taon: Lucas 13:1-9

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 13:1-9

• 1 Dumating naman ang ilang tao na nagbalita kay Jesus ng  nangyari sa Templo. Ipinapatay nga ni Pilato ang mga taga-Galilea at nahalo ang kanilang dugo sa mga handog nila. 2 Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanila: “Sa akala ba ninyo’y mas makasalanan ang mga taga-Galileang iyon kaysa lahat ng mga taga-Galilea dahil sila ang nagdusa? 3 Hindi. At sinasabi ko sa inyo: kung hindi kayo magbabago, mapapahamak din kayong lahat.

4 Gayon din naman sa namatay na la­bing­walong taong nabagsakan ng tore sa Siloe, sa akala ba ninyo’y mas may utang sila sa Diyos kaysa lahat ng na­ninirahan sa Jerusalem? 5 Sinasabi ko: hindi, pero kung hindi kayo magba­bago, mapapahamak din kayong lahat.”

6 At sinabi ni Jesus ang talinhagang ito: “May taong may isang puno ng igos sa kanyang ubasan. At pumunta siya para mag­hanap ng mga bunga pero wala siyang nakita. 7 Kaya sinabi niya sa nag-aalaga ng ubasan: ‘Tatlong taon na akong pumaparito sa pag­hahanap ng mga bunga sa punong-igos na iyan at wala akong nakita. Putulin mo iyan at pampasikip lang sa lupa.’ 8 Ngunit su­ma­got sa kanya ang tauhan: ‘Ginoo, pabayaan mo na siya ngayong taon. Maghuhukay ako sa paligid nito at lalagyan ng pataba. 9 Baka sakaling ma­munga siya ngunit kung hindi’y saka mo siya putulin.”

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for October 25, Friday; Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 12:54-59

Gospel: Luke 12:54-59

Jesus said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.

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Reflection:

A philandering and irresponsible husband was always being advised by his mother to change his ways and focus his sole attention to his family. But the lure of temptation was too attractive to let go, so he did not listen to his mother.  After some time the limits of his wife’s patience has finally reached its boiling point.  So she and her children left Him, being alone he finally realized how irresponsible he was.

This is who many of us are we keep on sinning .We are numb to well meaning advice because by its earthly nature sin is attractive. And the devil will keep pushing sin to us (disguised as pleasures) until it destroys us completely.

However, Jesus has a message for us in the gospel. It’s for us to completely walk away from our sinfulness before it destroys us. For the reason that the moment we allow sin to take hold of us it will destroy not only us but even those that we love dearly. This may take time before it happen but it will surely happen.

In our gospel Jesus denounced the crowd for their hypocrisy, they could predict the clouds and the weather. However they were purposely deaf to His call of repentance, aren’t many of us like them? We only listen to the dictates of this world but we shut our ears when it comes to Jesus!

 Let us listen to Jesus who always call upon us to repent because this is the right course of action to take. Jesus teachings may be unacceptable to us initially because it will entail painful purification and a change of lifestyle. But purification with Jesus always involves temporal difficulties that will eventually translate to a life of tranquility and contentment.

Would you care to listen to Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Oktubre 25, Biyernes: Ika-29 na Linggo ng Taon: Lucas 12:54-59

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 12:54-59

54 Sinabi rin ni Jesus sa mga tao: “Kapag nakita ninyong tumataas ang ulap sa kanluran, kaagad ninyong sinasabi, ‘Uulan,’ at ganoon nga ang nang­yayari. 55 At kung umiihip naman ang hangin galing timog, sinasabi ninyong ‘Magiging napakainit,’ at nangyayari nga ito. 56 Mga mapagkunwari! Nabi­bigyan ninyo ng ka­hu­lugan ang anyo ng lupa at langit pero bakit hindi ninyo sinusuri kung ano ang panahong ito?

57 At bakit hindi kayo mismo ang ma­ka­pag­pas­ya kung ano ang tama? 58 Sa pag­punta mo sa mayka­pang­ya­rihan kasama ng kalaban mo, sikapin mong ma­kipag-areglo sa kanya sa daan; baka iharap ka sa hukom, at ibigay ka naman ng hukom sa pulis para ipakulong sa bilangguan. 59 Sinasabi ko sa iyo: hindi ka makalalabas doon hanggang hindi mo nababaya­ran ang kahuli-hulihang sentimo.”

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

1Reflection for October 24, Thursday; Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 12:49-53

Gospel: Luke 12:49-53

Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

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Reflection:

A sinful man was invited by his friend to attend a parish renewal program. The sinful man was already tired of living a life of sin and he wanted to rid himself of any form of sinfulness. So, he said to his friend, “Ok I will attend.” While in the process of formation he was enlightened about how sin destroys a person and prevents a person from having a personal relationship with Jesus.

After the renewal program was through the sinful man decided to let go of friends who had brought nothing to his life but sin. Thus he was hated by his former friends and was even threatened with physical harm.    

The moment we decide to live a life according to the will of Jesus we have to expect conflict and misunderstanding. We have to be ready to be hated or lose some of our friends and even our family members as well for this is the reality of following Jesus.

When you truly follow Jesus you set aright what is wrong. You will have the fire in your belly to leave those who do nothing to you except to influence you to sin. You will have the fire in your belly to correct those who continue to sin no matter what it may cost you. 

Jesus in the gospel talks about division, He tells us: From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law (Luke 12:52-53).”

Indeed, there are times that division has to occur for good to triumph over evil. Division has to occur so that a wayward behavior can be set aright. We need not worry about the outcome of this kind of division for the reason that this division is a division that purifies a person from the impurities of sin. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Oktubre 24, Huwebes: Ika-29 na Linggo ng Taon: Lucas 12:49-53

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 12:49-53

Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad, 49 Dumating ako upang maghagis ng apoy sa lupa, at ganoon na lamang ang pagnanais kong magliyab na sana ito! 50 Ngunit dapat akong mabinyagan ng isang binyag, at ganoon na lamang ang pagkabalisa ko hanggang di ito na­ga­ganap! 51 Sa akala ba ninyo’y duma­ting ako para magbigay ng kapa­yapaan sa lupa? Hindi, sinasabi ko sa inyo, kundi paghihiwa-hiwalay! 52 Sa­pagkat mula ngayo’y magkakahati-hati ang limang nasa isang sambahayan, tatlo laban sa dalawa at dalawa laban sa tatlo; 53 mag­kakahati-hati sila: ama la­ban sa anak na lalaki at anak na lalaki laban sa ama, ina laban sa anak na babae at anak na babae laban sa ina, biyenang babae laban sa kanyang manugang na babae at manu­gang na babae laban sa biye­nang babae.”

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for October 23, Wednesday; Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 12:39-48

Gospel: Luke 12:39-48

Jesus said to his disciples: “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, he will put him 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.”

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Reflection:

Are you prepared for the coming of the Lord?

Here in our gospel Jesus tells us to be prepared for we do not know the time of His coming. Aside from being prepared Jesus gives us another responsibility none other than to share whatever we know about Him. It’s not enough for Jesus that we know Him.  He wants us to move and do the next step and this is to share what we know about Him.

The Christian faith that God has given to us is not to be kept to ourselves. We must share and live it for it is in sharing and living our faith that we are able to completely follow Jesus. To whom we would share? Start within your family most especially your children. If you are able to successfully evangelize you will have no problem of what will happen to them when they become adults.

But the dilemma of many of us is we don’t share with our children what we know about Christ. Not because we know nothing about Jesus, many of us actually don’t have a shortage of knowledge about Jesus. In fact many of us know abundantly about Jesus but the problem is we don’t live and practice what we know about Christ and His teachings. This is one of the major reasons why we are not able to share Jesus with our children and with our friends.

We must aspire to learn more about Christ Jesus and after learning more about Him. We must live what we’ve learned from Him, thus we become prepared for His coming anytime. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Oktubre 23, Miyerkules: Ika-29 na Linggo ng Taon: Lucas 12:39-48

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 12:39-48

Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad 39 Isipin ninyo ito: kung nalaman lamang ng may-ari ng bahay kung anong oras ng gabi ang dating ng magnanakaw, hindi sana niya paba­bayaang looban ang kanyang bahay. 40 Kaya maging han­da kayo sapagkat duma­rating ang Anak ng Tao sa oras na hindi ninyo inaakala.”

41 Sinabi ni Pedro: “Panginoon, ka­nino mo ba sinasabi ang talinhagang ito, sa amin o sa lahat?” 42 Sumagot ang Pangi­noon: “Isipin ninyo ito: may tapat at mata­linong katiwala na panga­nga­siwain ng panginoon sa kanyang mga tauhan para bigyan sila ng rasyon sa tamang oras. 43 Kung sa pagdating ng kan­yang panginoon ay matagpuan siya nitong tumu­tupad nang gayon, mapalad ang lingkod na iyon. 44 Talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo, panganga­siwain siya nito sa lahat nitong ari-arian. 45 Ngunit maaari namang maisip ng lingkod na iyon: ‘Matatagalan pang dumating ang panginoon ko’ at simulang pagmalupitan ang mga utusang lalaki at babae, at kumain, uminom at maglasing. 46 Ngu­nit darating ang panginoon ng lingkod na iyon sa araw na di niya inaasahan at sa oras na di niya nalalaman. Palala­yasin niya ang katulong na ito at pakiki­tunguhang gaya ng mga di-tapat.

47 Maraming hampas ang tatang­gapin ng katulong na nakaaalam sa kalooban ng kanyang panginoon pero hindi nag­handa ni sumunod sa kalooban niya. 48 Kaunti lang naman ang tatanggapin ng walang nalalaman sa kalooban niya ngu­nit gumawa ng mga bagay na dapat parusahan. Hihingan nga ng marami ang binigyan ng marami at hihingan nang higit ang pinag­katiwalaan nang higit.

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for October 22, Tuesday; Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 12:35-38

Gospel: Luke 12:35-38

Jesus said to his disciples: “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.

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Reflection:

There’s no substitute for being ready or prepared. For example, death this is the most dreaded occurrence that no one wants to experience among us. But whether we like it or not it will come to us we just don’t know when.

Being ready for what may happen gives us that sense of security. Whatever comes our way we are prepared and we will accept it. For the reason that we have been preparing for it for so long. In whatever aspect of life preparation is essential and this is what the gospel is telling us today.  

We who are all servants of God should always be prepared for any eventualities that may come our way. The best preparation that we could ever do is to always be in touch with Jesus through the Sacraments, prayers and by our attendance at Holy Mass. Do you always submit yourself to the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession? Are you prayerful? Do you always make yourself available for Holy Mass?  

In the gospel Jesus told the disciples that they must always be prepared; He used the parable of the master’s return from a wedding as an example. Therefore we too should always be prepared for anything in our life. And the best preparation is to have a personal friendship with Jesus.

Are you always prepared? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for October 21, Monday; Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 12:13-21

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 the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”

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Reflection:

Which would you prefer to have the treasures of this world of to possess treasures about God? Many of us would certainly prefer to have worldly treasures rather than possess knowledge about God. Why? Because this is what this world is teaching us: to have and accumulate worldly treasures.

How about the choice to possess God? Perhaps only a few would prefer to possess God. This materially centered world would always dictate upon us to have whatever material possession that we can possess so that we can attain worldly success in whatever manner possible.

But earthly success is not in the vocabulary of God, what God wants from us is for us to become His followers. God did not create us for this world He created us for us to be with Him in heaven someday.  

We were created by God to become spiritually fruitful so that others can learn from us about God.  Earthly success will count for nothing at the end, what will count during that time is the relationship that we have built with God and His people.

Life that is built around chasing earthly wealth and power is empty and meaningless. On the other hand life that is centered upon God is fruitful and meaningful.

Are you seeking for a meaningful life?  -  Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Reflection for Sunday October 20, Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 18:1-8

Gospel: Luke 18:1-8

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’” The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

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Reflection:

After the death of Mother Teresa a book about her was published titled: Come be my light. It contained Mother Teresa’s letters regarding her struggle with her own faith. She said that she never experienced the presence of God since the founding of her religious congregation in 1948.

Notwithstanding the emptiness that she felt Mother Teresa did not give up on her mission of helping the poor and the abandoned. She never gave up waking up 4:30 in the morning everyday to pray and converse with Jesus.         

What do you do when it seems that Jesus is deaf to your prayers? When you don’t see any visible signs of reply from Jesus? Do you give up and simply walk away from Him? Or you continue to hold on to Jesus, you continue to pray and hope that somehow you would see signs of His reply.

In the Gospel Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He told them about a dishonest judge who neither feared God nor respected any human being.

 There is also a woman who keeps on bothering the judge to give her justice.  Due to her persistence the judge finally listened to the woman and gave her justice. And the Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them?

God’s word is always alive that it speaks to us! What Jesus is saying is we need to be prayerful and we must not give up even if we don’t see signs of reply from Him.

In our short journey in this world there will be disappointments, there will be failures and struggles. Yet these trials must not lead us to abandon our faith. We must continue to be persistent in our prayers, we must continue to trust in the Lord and we must continue to believe and have faith. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Linggo October 20, ika-29 na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Lucas 18:1-8

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 18:1-8

1 Dapat laging manalangin at huwag masiraan ng loob – ito ang sinabi ni Jesus sa kanila sa isang talin­haga. 2 Sinabi niya: “Sa isang lunsod, may isang hukom na walang takot sa Diyos at walang pakialam sa mga tao. 3 May isa ring biyuda sa lunsod na iyon na madalas pumunta sa kanya at sinasabi: ‘Igawad mo sa akin ang kataru­ngan laban sa aking kalaban.’ 4 Ma­tagal siyang umayaw pero naisip niya pag­katapos: ‘Wala man akong takot sa Diyos at walang pakialam sa tao, 5 igagawad ko pa rin ang kata­rungan sa bi­yudang ito na bumu­bu­wisit sa akin at baka masiraan pa ako ng ulo sa pag­punta-punta niya’.”

6 Kaya idinagdag ng Panginoon: “Pa­kinggan ninyo ang sinabi ng di-matuwid na hukom. 7 Di ba’t igagawad ng Diyos ang katarungan sa kan­yang mga hini­rang na araw-gabing tumatawag sa kanya? Pababayaan ba niya sila? 8 Sinasabi ko sa inyo, agad niyang igagawad sa kanila ang kata­rungan. Ngu­nit pag dating ng Anak ng Tao, maka­kakita kaya siya ng pana­nampalataya sa lupa?”

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for October 19, Saturday; Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and Companions, Martyrs: Luke 12:8-12

Gospel: Luke 12:8-12

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.

“Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”

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Reflection:

Do you acknowledge the majesty and goodness of God before others? To acknowledge God is to proclaim His goodness towards us. To acknowledge God is to proclaim and share His blessing with others. For example, when you say God bless you to someone, you are already acknowledging the goodness of God in your life. And by saying God bless you, you want your friends to be blessed by God as well.

To acknowledge God in one’s life is to live and share His teachings. Do we live and share His teachings? We become productive followers of Jesus when we share Him and when we live His teachings. Profession of faith is not good enough we have to humbly show that we are living our faith and in turn we become active and not passive followers of God.

We always acknowledge the presence of God in our lives when we do good and shun whatever forms of evil. When we are always humble and loving even if our others are not humble and loving towards us. This is for the reason that Jesus is a God of love and humility. Do we strive to live the love and humility of Jesus?

 It’s tempting to ego trip most especially when we have the power and means to do so but this is against the will of God. How would Jesus be seen in us and how could we acknowledge the presence of Jesus in our lives if we are egoistic and arrogant?

Love, Mercy, Humility just to name a few are the language and lifestyle of God and when we live these virtues we are acknowledging the presence of God in our lives. – Marino J. Dasmarinas