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Friday, December 4, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
My Gospel Reflections for November 15; thirty-third Sunday in ordinary time: Mark 12:24-32
My Reflections:
During the end of the millennium (1999) some people predicted that the end times would come. Some even stored food already but nothing happened. We were all successfully ushered to the next millennium. So when is the end times going to happen? Nobody knows but God.
However, each and everyone of us faces our own inevitable end times and that is our deaths. When someone is sick with cancer doctors would even predict the days or months that we are going to last until the inevitable end.
Do we need to be afraid of our own death? It depends; for someone who has not developed a personal relationship with Jesus death is like a plague that needs to be avoided. But for those who have developed an intimate union with Jesus death is nothing but a gateway to something that is beautiful and heavenly.
Jesus in the gospel predicted a frightening depiction of the end times (the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.) perhaps some of the people who was within hearing distance of Jesus were afraid; maybe a few of the disciples were afraid too.
Fear not, continue moving on with your life—if we have this intimate relationship with Jesus we will not be afraid of the end times or of our own deaths. There are even some who would willingly embrace natural death with open arms because they know that death is the start of our everlasting journey with God. When death comes we will be able to see God and we will experience rapturous joy for the reason that we are already with our creator who loved us more than anyone else.
On the other hand, the horrible end times being described by Jesus is also a reality that will certainly happen. This is reserved for those people who know God but refuse to follow His teachings. After their deaths, they will be forever in the dustbin of hell.
In the first reading it says: “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be on everlasting horror and disgrace (Daniel 12:2). …
During the end of the millennium (1999) some people predicted that the end times would come. Some even stored food already but nothing happened. We were all successfully ushered to the next millennium. So when is the end times going to happen? Nobody knows but God.
However, each and everyone of us faces our own inevitable end times and that is our deaths. When someone is sick with cancer doctors would even predict the days or months that we are going to last until the inevitable end.
Do we need to be afraid of our own death? It depends; for someone who has not developed a personal relationship with Jesus death is like a plague that needs to be avoided. But for those who have developed an intimate union with Jesus death is nothing but a gateway to something that is beautiful and heavenly.
Jesus in the gospel predicted a frightening depiction of the end times (the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.) perhaps some of the people who was within hearing distance of Jesus were afraid; maybe a few of the disciples were afraid too.
Fear not, continue moving on with your life—if we have this intimate relationship with Jesus we will not be afraid of the end times or of our own deaths. There are even some who would willingly embrace natural death with open arms because they know that death is the start of our everlasting journey with God. When death comes we will be able to see God and we will experience rapturous joy for the reason that we are already with our creator who loved us more than anyone else.
On the other hand, the horrible end times being described by Jesus is also a reality that will certainly happen. This is reserved for those people who know God but refuse to follow His teachings. After their deaths, they will be forever in the dustbin of hell.
In the first reading it says: “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be on everlasting horror and disgrace (Daniel 12:2). …
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
My Gospel Reflections for MondayJuly 20: Matthew 19:38-42
My Reflections:
Majority of the scribes and the Pharisees were through and through against Jesus. They demand for a sign for what purpose? But Jesus knew them well; He knew the evil in their hearts.
We may not be like the scribes and the Pharisees who persecuted Jesus. But we are like them once in a while because sometimes we also demand for a sign from God. Especially when we are about to make major decisions we ask God for a sign.
For me, asking God for a sign is an indication of weak faith, come to think of it; why will we ask God for a sign if we have our full trust and faith in HIM?
Majority of the scribes and the Pharisees were through and through against Jesus. They demand for a sign for what purpose? But Jesus knew them well; He knew the evil in their hearts.
We may not be like the scribes and the Pharisees who persecuted Jesus. But we are like them once in a while because sometimes we also demand for a sign from God. Especially when we are about to make major decisions we ask God for a sign.
For me, asking God for a sign is an indication of weak faith, come to think of it; why will we ask God for a sign if we have our full trust and faith in HIM?
Friday, June 26, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
My Tribute to our Parish Pastor: Rev. Fr. Leonardo R. Bagos
In a few
days our Parish Priest whom we fondly called Fr. Nards will be leaving us to go
to his new place of assignment here in the Diocese of Imus. How time flies. It
is as if just yesterday when he first set foot in our Parish (Saint Joseph’s
Parish, Carmona Cavite) but the reality of it all is that his six years term
will be over in a few days.
I would
like to write here the many positive improvements that he instituted in the
parish. First is the positive change that is very visible and that is the
church’s edifice. When He took over the church was in the infancy stage of its
construction now it’s done already. I credit him for tirelessly thinking of
ways on how to raise funds for the church’s completion.
It seems
impossible to me that he was able to achieve it considering that nowadays money
is hard to come by due to the economic crisis. But he persisted, he never
waivered in his firm faith in God that He will be able to realize his vision of
a beautiful church.
The next
visible positive change is the very orderly process of Communion wherein
communicants would orderly fall in line per pews. He meticulously instructed
the parishioners how to fall in line and how to properly receive Christ with
respect and reverence.
There
were a lot more positive changes that he instituted to name just a few: Clean
and green church environment, inventory of the church’s properties. He put in
place an excellent sound system to ensure that the Word of God is clearly heard.
But for
me one of the few that would be forever etched in my mind is how he made sure
that proper respect and reverence is given to the Eucharistic celebration and
to the Body of Christ itself. For example during Communion whenever there’s a
communicant who does not say Amen after he says: “The Body of Christ.” He would
politely ask short and probing questions to the communicant once he finds out
that the communicants doesn’t know how sacred the Consecrated Host that they’re
about to receive. He would just place his hand over their heads and pray over
them instead of giving them the Body of Christ. Every now and then he would
also give short catechesis before he gives his final blessings and it often
focuses on the proper respect and reverence to the Body of Christ.
Just like
Jesus during His three years public ministry, Father Nards had also his own
share of persecutors in the parish. If Jesus had the Pharisees and the Scribes;
Father Nards had a few parishioners who wanted to embarrass and malign him. It
pained him I’m sure of it, however being an Alter Christus and knowing him to
have a soft and forgiving heart I am very sure that he had already forgiven
them and even prayed for them too.
Now that
you will soon leave the parish, I’d like to say that I will miss the
friendship, the occasional exchange of ideas, the discipline and the frequent
instructions for the Lay Ministers.
My
prayers will forever be with you Padre. God bless you always!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
I will be back in a few hours.
To everyone,
after two days without broadband connection I'm back again. I hope that you'll visit me again. Thanks for your patience.
God bless,
Marino
Monday, April 6, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The story of the Three Trees
"Once upon a time there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree the woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one," and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.
The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped . At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
"The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best."
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree the woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one," and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.
The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped . At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
"The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best."
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