Reflection for Sunday October 4, Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time; Mark 10:2-16

Gospel: Mark 10:2-16

The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?" They replied, "Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate." In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

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Reflection:

A blind man fell in love with his neighbor. When he was asked by his parents what made him love the woman, he said I can sense her inner beauty. Her caring and loving ways she also has a very gentle and good heart.

Eventually this man was cured from his blindness and he now has a clear picture of the physical appearance of the woman which he fell in love. He saw that the woman was not physically beautiful nevertheless he still decided to marry her.  After a few months the lack of physical beauty somehow diminished his love for her. Soon after, he deserted her for a young and physically attractive woman.

In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus talks about the insolubility of the marriage covenant between a man and a woman. That nobody has the right to dissolve this marriage, Jesus himself said: What God has joined together, no human being must separate (Mark 10:9).

However, many of us still violate with impunity the sanctity of the marriage covenant. Many of us are like the man in the story, we still allow ourselves to be smitten by the external appearance of a person even if we are already forbidden. But what is external beauty when it will eventually fade away?

There is far more important than the external appearance of a person and that is the inner character of a person. Inner beauty is far more valuable than what is seen by our eyes. The attitude, the goodness, the gentleness counts far more than physical appearance.

Let us be faithful to our marriage covenant! Let us not give room for the devil to destroy this marriage covenant! The devil which comes to us with a beautiful/handsome face and a beautiful body. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for October 3, Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 10:17-24

Gospel: Luke 10:17-24

The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

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Reflection:

Long time ago there was a religion that had a penchant of arrogantly showing their influence. They would boast that they are the true religion and that nobody would go to heaven except their members. Instead of attracting others to join them they were instead shunned by those they thought could be their future members. Eventually this religion stopped growing until it evaporated in the religious landscape.

What could attract people to join a religion? It’s certainly not arrogance but humility. Arrogance is generally disliked by many as opposed to humility which is very much liked by the majority. Humility is like a magnet that attracts and gains the sympathy people.

For example, would you prefer to belong to a religion that arrogantly flaunts its misplaced influence? Of course not! Would you prefer to befriend an arrogant person or a humble person? Of course you would prefer to befriend the humble one.

In like manner, we could bring more people to our faith and we would become more effective fishers of men. If we live humility and if we become breathing example of Jesus’ humility. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for October 2, Friday the Holy Guardian Angels: Matthew 18:1-5, 10

Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10

The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

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Reflection:

Try looking at the face of a child, try also looking at the face of an adult. Which of them give you more joy? Of course it’s the face of the child.

Jesus in the gospel gives us the secret on how we can enter the kingdom of heaven. No other than to become like children or to be childlike, why? It’s for the reason of the pureness of their thoughts and the absence of sin.  No wonder being childlike is the key for us to enter God’s kingdom in heaven.

But are we childlike in terms of the pureness of our thoughts and absence of sin? Of course we are not! Who among us could say that our thoughts are as pure as a child?  Who among us could say that we are without sin? Of course nobody because we are all sinners we sin through our words, actions and thoughts.

Nevertheless, it’s not yet late for us to go back to Jesus and be childlike before Him. Jesus through the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession is always inviting us to humble ourselves before Him. To be like a child who humbly runs to his parents with reckless abandon once he sees them coming home.

It takes childlike humility for you to go to Confession, are you humble like a child? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for October 1, Thursday Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church: Luke 10:1-12

Gospel: Luke 10:1-12

Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”

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Reflection:

Do you want to help Jesus in His mission of evangelization?

Jesus talks about the commissioning of His Seventy two disciples; He said to them that there’s an enormous work for them at hand. They are few but the people whom they will preach the gospel are many.

Up to this very day there are few who preach and fewer still those who preach and live the gospel yet there are millions who needs it badly. They are yearning to hear the words of Jesus and more has not even heard of the life changing words of Jesus.

So what are you doing about it? Will you sit still and stay in your comfort zone and do nothing to share in the ministry of Jesus? Preaching nowadays is not anymore confined to face to face vocal preaching. You could now preach using the internet via your computer and high tech mobile phone.

 Instead of posting anything about yourself which many are not actually interested. Post anything that is related to Jesus, post anything about your faith. Post anything that could bring someone closer to God. If you do this you now become a follower not only in words but in deeds as well.

See to it also that you live what you preach or you live what you post in your social media accounts. The perfection of your discipleship for Jesus comes when you live what you preach. For example, if you preach simple living live simply as well, if you preach humility live humility. If you preach forgiveness then be forgiving and throwaway whatever bitterness that you may be keeping in your heart.    

Jesus wants you to be His co-laborers in His vineyard; you should not worry about your needs, For he will surely provide for you. Will you help Jesus in His mission of evangelization?  – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for September 30, Wednesday Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor: Luke 9:57-62

Gospel: Luke 9:57-62

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”

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Reflection:

What does it require for someone who wants to follow Jesus? It requires total surrender and abandonment to His will. When a person decides to follow Jesus he is ready to leave everything in favor of the Kingdom of God. He is ready to leave his own comfort zone and embrace the challenge of going to an unknown zone in the company of the Lord.

The gospel tells us that it’s not easy to follow the Lord. We have to adjust and make the necessary sacrifices. This may seem hard from a far but once you go near Jesus begin your journey with Him. Things will now suddenly fall into its proper places this is for the reason that the Lord will make his way to accommodate us.

Has the Lord abandoned those who decided to leave everything for the advancement of His kingdom? Nobody has been abandoned by Jesus. He is always there by their side helping and strengthening those who courageously decide to follow Him.

In this era of high tech communication the Lord still wants us to follow Him. He may not even require us anymore to leave our love ones. Perhaps the Lord wants us to follow Him where we are at now.

For example, if you’re working or you have a business you can follow the Lord by being honest with your dealings. The opportunity to follow the Lord is manifold and limitless. We simply have to signify our desire and thereafter begin our own journey with Him.    

Would you also be willing to follow the Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for September 29, Tuesday Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels: John 1:47-51

Gospel: John 1:47-51

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

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Reflection:

Do you reflect about God when you are alone? Many of us are forced to think about God when we encounter bumps and humps in our life. But contemplate of God? When we are not bothered by any problems only a few of us perhaps do this.

What was Nathaniel doing under the fig tree? Was he contemplating about God? Was Nathaniel praying before God to lead him to Him? Nathaniel was reflecting about God while he was under the fig tree, he was silently asking God to manifest Himself to him. Then soon enough the call from Jesus came.

When we think of God often we will slowly but surely have a clearer picture of the identity of God. We would have an idea about who really God is and the role that He plays in our lives. To many of us God seems so distant but is it God who is distant or us who distance ourselves from God?

Jesus is never distant from us He is always there for us anytime and every time. It’s us who do not have time for Him or us who refuse to create time for Him except when we are in dire need of Him. – Marino J. Dasmarinas    

Reflection for September 28, Monday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 9:46-50

Gospel: Luke 9:46-50

An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”

Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.” Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

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Reflection:

What does a child represent? It represents humility and submission.

The disciples were arguing who among them is the greatest. Therefore Jesus brought in a child to impart to them lessons about humility and submission to the will of God. When a person is humble he doesn’t care about who is the greatest. What he only cares for is to serve never mind if there is no recognition for as long as he is able to serve.

In the vineyard of the Lord to be the greatest should not be an objective of anyone. The objective that a person should rather have is to be the servant of everyone. When a person aims to be a star in his service for the Lord he also strips himself of the right to serve the Lord. Because how can he be authentic in his service for the Lord if his motives are not? How can he truly serve the Lord if his objective is to be the star of his group?

It’s not for anyone to seek greatness when he is serving in the vineyard of the Lord. It’s for God to bestow greatness and God always bestows it generously to those who are humble. Never He bestows it to those who seek it to serve their selfish agendas. – Marino J. Dasmarinas