Saturday, September 24, 2011

The fragility of our lives...

The Fragility of our lives...
by: Marino J. Dasmarinas

Last night our parish secretary informed me that I have a scheduled funeral blessing; I said OK I’ll go.
So I went there, upon finding the place I introduced myself to the relatively young wife then I said: “I will now bless him please gather all the relatives.” As I was saying the blessings and prayers I noticed that the wife was crying profusely.
After I was through, I asked her: “what was the cause of death of your husband and how old is he?” She said: “His fifthly (50) years old and his death is totally unexpected.” He just arrived from work then after a few minutes of rest in the sofa he suddenly died. ... After our short conversation I told her:  “I have to go now” and she said: “Thank you very much” I said in return: “You’re welcome and pray for his soul’s eternal repose.”
As I was walking away from their house, I can’t help but reflect on the fragility of our lives, that it can be taken away from us any time and any place. As I glance back at their house, I told myself maybe she was seriously crying because, there were loving words left unsaid, there were loving embraces left undone and there were loving moments left to pass them by. ...
As an afterthought: Express your love to your relatives and don’t hold back on doing good to everyone.
Remember the fragility of our lives…

The Dash...


THE DASH
by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
and spoke of the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth
and now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.

For it matter not, how much we own,
the cars...the house...the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;
are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile...
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read
with your life's actions to rehash,
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent your dash?

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

My Gospel Reflections for Saturday September 24: Luke 9:43-45


My Reflections:
The disciples did not understand what Jesus meant when He said that He was to be handed over to men. I think they did not understand it because they were all used to Jesus the miracle worker and Jesus the healer. Even us if we were with the disciples at that time we will not also understand these utterance of Jesus.

But now we know what Jesus meant when He said that He was to be handed over to men.

What does this mean to you and me? It simply means that as we follow Jesus there shall be moments of seamless life, glory and triumph.  But let us not get drunk with these for there shall come a time that our discipleship shall be tested by the fire of trials and sacrifices.

Will we be able to steadfastly hold on to our discipleship when that time comes? 

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The Window from which we look ... by: Anonymous

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood.

The next morning while they are eating breakfast, 

The young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.
"That laundry is not very clean", she said.
"She doesn't know how to wash correctly. 
Perhaps she needs better laundry soap."
Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, 
The young woman would make the same comments.
About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a
Nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband:
"Look, she has learned how to wash correctly.
I wonder who taught her this."

The husband said, "I got up early this morning and
Cleaned our windows."

And so it is with life. What we see when watching others
Depends on the purity of the window through which we look!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

My Gospel Reflections for Friday July 29 Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 10:34-42


My Reflections:
What was the better part that Mary did according to Jesus? Mary gave her time to Jesus by listening to Him. How about Martha? She was preoccupied   with worldly things that she had no time to sit down and listen to Jesus.

Martha is essentially very much like all of us very busy with worldly things such as to earn a living, to do our house chores, to take care of our family, to go on vacation and many more worldly activities.  There’s nothing wrong with these activities because we are presently citizens of this world.

But let us not give our everything to this fleeting and temporary world let us allocate precious time with Jesus let us allow Him to speak to us. There are some of us who complain that Jesus is deaf to our pleadings perhaps this is so because we very seldom sit-down and listen to Jesus. …

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

My First Reading Reflections for June 30 Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Genesis 22:1b-19

My Reflections:
With faith Abraham obeyed the command of the Lord to bring his son Isaac to be his offering. Abraham did not hesitate he simply obeyed, then when he was about to kill his son Isaac the Lord’s messenger intervened for he already passed the litmus test of his faith.

Our faith in the Lord is also tested by Him; several of us may already give-up and just walk away from HIM.

Like Abraham, some of us will remain faithful until the very end no matter how dark and dangerous the road ahead we will be steadfast and we will stay the course.

When there’s testing of our faith the best option to take is to be steadfast, hold-on tightly to your faith and stay the course no matter how gloomy the clouds are. Let us all remember that after the clouds there shall be sunshine and that is the blessings of God for those who remain faithful. … 

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

My Gospel Reflections for June 7 Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter: John 17:1-11

My Reflections:
Jesus said: I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. It was mission accomplished for Jesus. In doing his mission there were also instances wherein he stopped for a while and reflected on the sufferings that he will have to go through but in spite of it all he still went through it.

How can we glorify God while we are in this world? It’s very simple: we must follow the way of Jesus. His way of sacrificial love, His way of Humility, His way of self-emptying and self-giving. Jesus was dutiful to the Father’s will; He never questioned God as to why He must pass through suffering. He simply followed the will of God for Him.

As Christians/Catholics we also have our own mission in the Lord’s vineyard. We need to share and live the good news about Jesus. 

The Touch Of The Master's Hand...

Please click on this link:

http://www.sapphyr.net/largegems/master.htm

Friday, June 3, 2011

My Gospel Reflections for June 4, Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter: John 16:23-28

My Reflections:
To have network of friends is very important for us because there will come a time that we will be needing their help.  I think this is also the main reason why there are some who join fraternities, clubs and other organization. They join because they want to build a network of close friends who can directly or indirectly help them when the need arises.

There’s nothing wrong with it but before we join organization to strengthen our network we must ensure first that we are best friends with Jesus. We must see to it that we have this very deep intimacy with Him. For what reason? Because He is the Son of the Father Jesus has that hotline to the Father. He can aid us with our prayer request to the Father.

Jesus states in our gospel for today: ““Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.  

Just imagine if we’re best friends with Jesus, Just visualize how powerful we are if we are intimate with Jesus. …

Sunday, May 29, 2011

My Gospel Reflections for May 30, Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter: John 15:26-16:4

My Reflections:
The Holy Spirit that Jesus gave us all during our baptism it has always been there for us since we were baptized. But not everyone knows that it reside within us, it’s like a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered by us.

But some of us do not discover it in our lifetime.

Jesus told His disciples that He will send the Advocate from the Father it’s the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father. He will send it to them because they’ve remained with Him since the beginning.  

If we will also be always on the side of Jesus, if we will not betray Him for the things and temptations of this world we will also feel the presence of the Advocate in our lives.

Are we always walking on the path of Jesus?

Monday, May 23, 2011

My Gospel Reflections for Tuesday; Fifth Week of Easter May 24: John 14:27-31

My Reflections:
Farewell normally involves trepidation and loneliness on the one who will leave and those who will be left behind this is always the scenario.

However, Jesus gives us a new thought about farewell that He only can give us and that is the feeling of peace and serenity. The peace and serenity that Jesus gives us is very unique because nobody can give it to us except Himself. We cannot find the peace that He gives us on any material wealth nor with any worldly possession.

If we think that the riches and trappings of this world will give us peace then we are badly mistaken it will not give us peace. Take a look at the many rich and famous people who committed suicide because their material wealth did not give them peace.  Take a look at those who take many anti depressant and sleeping pills just to buy peace for a brief moment after which they wake-up again with the same chaotic environment.

Jesus is the only one who can give us heavenly peace, discover Him and get intimate with Him.