Thursday, June 11, 2015

Reflection for June 11, Thursday Saint Barnabas Apostle; Matthew 5:20-26

Gospel: Matthew 5:20-26
Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
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Reflection:
A man who was full of anger in his heart suddenly died. When he was about to enter the pearly gates saint Peter suddenly appeared and refused him entry.  When the man asked, why? Saint Peter told Him that when he was still alive his heart was full of anger and arrogance.

Death is uncertain it may come to us anytime.  What if we suddenly die with our hearts full of anger and arrogance?  Many had been brought to perdition by anger and arrogance yet many of us still don’t learn our lesson. Anger and arrogance are emotional disease that originates from our egos, high sense of ourselves and our lack of humility.    

In our gospel we find Jesus giving us lessons on humility. He tells us: if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him (Matthew 5:23-25).

It’s not easy to imbibe humility but if we only know that humility makes us closer to Jesus. If we only know that humility would save us a lot of trouble even grievous ones. We will not think twice to imbibe humility we may even run after it and embrace it. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Reflection for June 9, Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 5:13-16

Gospel: Matthew 5:13-16
Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
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Reflection:
A young doctor who topped the board exam was offered by a multinational pharmaceutical company to work for them. She was presented with a big signing bonus, offered a huge salary and to top it all was also offered further studies abroad. Yet she refused the very attractive financial windfall and benefits.

When asked why? Her simple but very meaningful reply was this: I intend to go back to my home province and make a big positive difference in the lives of my poor provincemates where I also belong once upon a time.

Jesus in our gospel tells us: You are the salt of the earth and you are the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-14). What does it mean to become salt and light of this world? It simply means that we need to live a meaningful life! A life that is not lived for oneself alone but a life to be lived for others most especially the poor.

Often times we get to fixated on ourselves. We have this me first mentality everything that we do is for ourselves first. Then when the time comes that we are able to achieve our objectives and goals. We think now of giving back to our community, church and the poor.

When Jesus said that you are the salt and light of this world. He did not say fullfil first your dreams to be successful and rich. After which you think now of giving back to your community, church and the poor.

We need to become salt and light for others not tomorrow and certainly not in the future. We need to become salt and light in the lives others today, during this very moment. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Monday, June 8, 2015

Reflection for June 8, Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 5:1-12

Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:
                                                           
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.
Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
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Reflection:
A man thought that he could find his happiness in this world so he went after the things of this world. Only to find out later that worldly happiness was not the key to real happiness.

Jesus in our gospel gives us the eight Beatitudes, what is the meaning of beatitude? It means happiness, not according to the definition of this world. But happiness according to the interpretation of Jesus.

How do you interpret happiness? Do you interpret it according to the standards of this world? For example, many of us have this mindset of finding happiness in the accumulation of money, power and having everything that this world could offer. But these are not the key to real happiness.

Let us seek our happiness and fulfilment in Jesus and according to the eight beatitudes which He gave us and we will surely find it. For Jesus has not refused anyone who seek to find his/her happiness in Him and His teachings.  

Where does your happiness lies right now? Is your happiness focused in this world alone? Try to reflect on these pronouncements of Jesus about the beatitudes. For in Jesus and His beatitudes you will find real happiness. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Saturday, June 6, 2015

1Reflection for Sunday June 7, Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi); Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

Gospel: Mark 14:12-16, 22-26
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there. The disciples then went off, entered the city and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body. Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God. Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
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Reflection:    
A husband went to a place to buy medicine that would save his wife’s life. When he was about to return home with the medicine there was no more available vehicle. That he could ride for it was already midnight. So he made the decision to sacrifice and walk back home so he could save his wife’s life. He arrived dead tired but through his sacrifice he was able to save his wife’s life.

Sacrifice is an essential part of life, particularly in married life. There would be times that you would be called to sacrifice  so that you could save his/her life or even your marriage.

Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). The sacrifice and offering of Jesus Body and Blood through bread and wine. It served as the disciples nourishment as they did their mission without anymore the physical presence of their Lord and Master. Through Jesus offering and sacrifice of His Body and Blood the disciples would also learn to sacrifice and offer their very own lives for the advancement of the mission of Jesus.

Until this very moment we receive the same Body and Blood of Jesus whenever we partake of it during Holy Communion. It serves as our nourishment as we continue to exist in this world. It motivates us to be like Jesus who became selfless for the sake of humanity.

The breaking and sharing of the Body and Blood of Jesus. Communicates to us that we too should learn to share, to become selfless for the greater good and welfare of others most especially the poor and unwanted.

Have you offered or sacrificed your time, your treasure or even a part of your life to advance the mission of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas          

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Reflection for June 5, Friday, Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr; Mark 12:35-37

Gospel: Mark 12:35-37
As Jesus was teaching in the temple area he said, “How do the scribes claim that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said: The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet. David himself calls him ‘lord’ so how is he his son? The great crowd heard this with delight.
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Reflection:
Who is the savior of your life? For many of us our savior is money, there are even those who cannot function properly without money. This is so because they rested their lives already on money. Yet money is not the savior, money may even become our passport to hell.

The real savior is Jesus Christ He is the one referred to as the son of David. Jesus family line connects backward to King David, through Joseph’s acceptance of his responsibility as the foster father of Jesus and by flesh and blood through the Blessed Mother.

The word Son of David means savior, this is the reason why many times in the New Testament Jesus was addressed as the Son of David. For example, the woman whose daughter was possessed by a demon (Matthew 15:22), the two blind men (Matthew 20:30). The poor blind man Bartimaeus (Mark 10:47), all of them called Jesus Son of David. They did this for they knew beforehand that Jesus was the promised Messiah or Savior.

How about us? Do we know something about Jesus? Do we know that Jesus can help us in every aspect of our lives? Do we know that Jesus can also make miracles in our lives?

 Let us strive to discover and know more about Jesus. Let us invite Him to come into our lives. – Marino J. Dasmarinas    

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Reflection for June 3, Wednesday Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs; Mark 12:18-27

Gospel: Mark 12:18-27
Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants. So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants and the third likewise. And the seven left no descendants. Last of all the woman also died. At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be? For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled.”
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Reflection:
What is your idea of the afterlife? Jesus gives us a glimpse of what life is in the afterlife. He tells us that there’s no more human activity in heaven such as marriage for we all will be like angels there (Mark 12:25). But are we going to heaven after our lives are over and done with in this world?  Nobody is sure about this, only God knows where we would we end up after we cease breathing.

But on hindsight even if we don’t hold our destiny after our life is over we also have to do our part. We have to live our lives pleasing to the eyes of God and not pleasing to our own eyes only.  What does it mean to make our lives pleasing to the eyes of God? We have to live the teachings of God and not the teachings of this world.

If we decide to follow Jesus let us follow Him from the moment we decide until the end of our lives. We should not allow sin or anything that contradicts the teachings of God to momentarily derail us. It must be authentic discipleship for Jesus all the way until we stop breathing!

Let us therefore make it a part of our prayers to ask Jesus to bring us to heaven when our time comes. Let us ask Him to shower us His infinite mercy for we all have fell short of His expectations. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Monday, June 1, 2015

Reflection for June 2 Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 12:13-17

Gospel: Mark 12:13-17
Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech. They came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion. You do not regard a person’s status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?” Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at. They brought one to him and he said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this? They replied to him, “Caesar’s. So Jesus said to them “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. They were utterly amazed at him.
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Reflection:
What is your obligation to Jesus? Your obligation is to follow His teachings. And as stated by Jesus in the gospel paying the rightful tax to the government is one of them. We disobey Jesus when we don’t pay the taxes due to the government.

The question of paying the census tax had a deeper meaning for it was created to trap Jesus. Yet Jesus was able to wiggle out of this seemingly complicated situation. This was the reason why at the end of the gospel the emissaries of Jesus’ opponents were utterly amazed at Him (Mark 12:17).

As shown in our gospel, Jesus always makes a way when there seems to be no way. He will always make things possible for us. And He will always be there to help us solve our problems no matter how complicated it may seem.

Where are you in your life right now? Are you in a predicament where you think that you’re about to surrender to your problems? Are you at the point of being overwhelmed by your problems? Call on Jesus and pray to Him. He is there just a prayer away, ever ready to help you solve your problem. – Marino J. Dasmarinas