Short, Simple and Personal reflections on the daily Holy Mass Gospel. I provide talks.
My Youtube: Pls. Subscribe, Like and Share. Thanks and God Bless You!!!
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Reflection for Sunday October 18, Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Mark 10:35-45
Gospel: Mark 10:35-45
James and John, the
sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to
do for us whatever we ask of you." He replied, "What do you wish me
to do for you?" They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may
sit one at your right and the other at your left." Jesus said to them,
"You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with
the baptism with which I am baptized?" They said to him, "We
can." Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink, and
with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at
my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has
been prepared." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James
and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, "You know that those who
are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great
ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather,
whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be
first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be
served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
A young man aspired
to become a priest. When this young man was asked by the person in-charge of
screening the aspirants why he wanted to become a priest. The young man said, I
want to serve the people and I want to become their servant.
However this was not his real motivation. The
young man wanted to become a priest because he wants to be powerful. And he
wants the people of their community to look-up to him and he yearned for
respect and adulation.
We have in our
gospel the brothers James and John who asked that they be seated beside Jesus
in His kingdom. Why did they ask for this underserved honor? What were they
thinking when they said this shameful request? Were they really following Jesus
because they want to serve or they simply want power and adulation?
We see that the real
intention of James and John was they wanted the people to see that they are
close to Jesus. Therefore to their minds; seating beside Jesus evokes power and
influence! So they would also be revered and adored as Jesus was being revered
and adored.
How many of us
really know that to follow Jesus is to follow Him with humility? How many of us
really know that to be close to Jesus is to strip ourselves of power. How many
of us really know that to be close to Jesus is not to hunger for adulation and
respect?
We will never be
close to Jesus if we want power and adulation. This is for the reason that real
closeness with Jesus requires us to detest power and adulation. And when we
detest power and adulation we now begin to embrace servanthood and humility.
Why do you follow
Jesus? - Marino J. Dasmarinas
Friday, October 16, 2015
Reflection for October 17, Saturday Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr: 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.”
+ + + + +
+ +
Reflection:
Do we
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
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?
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Reflection for October 16, Friday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 12:1-7
Gospel: Luke
12:1-7
At that
time: So many people were crowding together that they were trampling one
another underfoot. Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples, “Beware of the
leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees.
“There is
nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.
Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and
what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the
housetops. I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but
after that can do no more. I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one
who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be
afraid of that one. Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one
of them has escaped the notice of God. Even the hairs of your head have all
been counted. Do not be afraid.
You are
worth more than many sparrows.”
+ + + + +
+ +
Reflection:
Have you
openly voiced out your opinion on something that is wrong? For example, you’ve
noticed that something is wrong in your family, what do you normally do? Do you
simply let it be as if you see nothing and hear nothing for the reason that you’re
afraid that you will be rebuked?
The best
course of action to take in such situation is to do something that will
contribute to the resolution of the problem. To keep silent and pretend to see
and hear nothing is never an option. We have to act and do something appropriate
and good.
As
followers of Jesus we should see to it that we are always relevant and always
in the thick of things. We have to see to it that we are catalyst in building
bridges so that there would be peace and harmony. This is always the right
course of action to take as followers of Jesus.
To be effective
we have always have to undertake this with calmness and humility. We should not
push our weight around and bully people so that they would follow us. For how
could we become an instrument of healing and reconciliation if we will act like
a dictator? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Reflection for October 15, Thursday Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church: Luke 11:47-54
Gospel: Luke 11:47-54
The Lord said: “Woe to you
who build the memorials of the prophets whom your fathers killed. Consequently,
you bear witness and give consent to the deeds of your ancestors, for they
killed them and you do the building. Therefore, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will
send to them prophets and Apostles; some of them they will kill and persecute’
in order that this generation might be charged with the blood of all the
prophets shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the
blood of Zechariah who died between the altar and the temple building. Yes, I
tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood! Woe to you,
scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves
did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.” When Jesus left, the
scribes and Pharisees began to act with hostility toward him and to interrogate
him about many things, for they were plotting to catch him at something he might
say.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Do you listen to those who
care for you and to those who give you meaningful advice? Or you don’t care to
listen for the reason that you want to drive your own life?
In our lifetime there shall
be people who will come into our lives to give us advice and to guide us. Or
people who by the example of their lives would make us think to change our life
for the better and live behind sinfulness.
Some of us will care to listen to them but many will simply ignore and
continue to live sinfulness.
Why is it that many don’t
care to listen? Stubbornness is already inherent in our mindset that is why we
don’t listen. We want to live life that way we want it. And our usual reason is:
This is my life not yours! Many of us even get angry with those who give us
advice. What happens to those who don’t listen? They learn their lesson the
hard way: their lives become mired in sin and they naturally suffer for it.
Reflection for October 14, Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:42-46
Gospel: Luke
11:42-46
The Lord
said: “Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every
garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God. These
you should have done, without overlooking the others. Woe to you Pharisees! You
love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in marketplaces. Woe to you!
You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.”
Then one
of the scholars of the law said to him in reply, “Teacher, by saying this you
are insulting us too.” And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You
impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one
finger to touch them.”
+ + + + +
+ +
Reflection:
Are you a
good leader? For example in your house do you walk your talk or do you lead by
example?
We read
in the gospel that Jesus is angry with the Pharisees and with the teachers of
the law. Why? It’s for the reason of their superficial faith and leadership.
The Pharisees were supposed to be the leaders of their community and therefore
it was expected of them that they will lead by example.
They love
to lead and tell people what to do but it stops there. When it comes to living
their faith they’re deficient. Jesus wants them to walk their talk and to lead
by example. Unfortunately the Pharisees and the teachers of Law are not like
that in the gospel.
A good leader leads
by example; he doesn’t only give orders he also shows the way. A good leader
should not only be superficial in his actions he must walk his talk even if
nobody is watching him. Some of the Pharisees were the personification of fake
leadership and exterior show of piety.
It is
very important that we live our faith and we practice what we preach. These
were the factors that moved Jesus to give His woes to the Pharisees and the
scholars of the law. They were supposed to be role models but they were only
good at telling their subjects to do this and that but when it comes to doing
it themselves they were inadequate.
The very
clear lesson for us is this: we must practice and live what we learn about our
faith. We must not limit ourselves to giving orders, we must lead the way. –
Marino J. Dasmarinas
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Reflection for October 13, Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:37-41
Gospel: Luke
11:37-41
After
Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and
reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not
observe the prescribed washing before the meal. The Lord said to him, “Oh you
Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you
are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside
also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold,
everything will be clean for you.”
+ + + + +
+ +
Reflection:
What do we do when we invite people to dine in our house? Of course we discreetly
observe them especially if our invited guest are few the more that we observe
them. We sometimes pretend to be busy but we still observe them quietly.
However,
amidst our observation Jesus wants to tell us something: let us not judge them
based on their external behavior. Because our judgment based on what we see do
not really represent who they really are. There’s a whole lot more that we
could discover from our fellowmen if we would not be quick on judging them.
It feeds
our ego when we are noticed based on our external appearance: What we do, the
clothes that we wear, our physical appearance etc. The more that we are noticed
the more that we will reinforce our external actions. These are all
superficial, before God these egocentric actions count for nothing before the
eyes of God.
What
counts before God are those that are not seen by our eyes. What counts before Him
is what is inside us not what is outside of us. Those that are not seen such
as: a pure conscience, a caring, forgiving and loving heart and a mind that has
no place for ill thoughts.
Perhaps,
the Pharisee in our gospel invited Jesus to his house not out of his goodwill
and kindness. He invited Jesus because he wants to see if Jesus would subscribe
to the many rituals of their Jewish faith.
Are we
not like the Pharisee? When friends come to our house we also observe them as
to how they would behave. And based on what we saw we will now conjure our
unfavourable conclusion towards them.
But our judgment
is often wrong for we don’t know the heart of the person and besides it’s hard
to judge based solely on the few times that we’ve observed them. Let us not
judge quickly and let us not judge based on what we see.
Monday, October 12, 2015
Reflection for October 12, Monday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:29-32
Gospel: Luke
11:29-32
While
still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation
is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except
the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the
Son of Man be to this generation. At the judgment the queen of the south will
rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she
came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is
something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will
arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah
they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”
+ + + + +
+ +
Reflection:
We meet
or we are acquainted with Godly people for a good reason. They don’t just come
into our lives it’s always for a good reason.
For
example, if you become friends with a good and Godly person. God led you to
this person for you to become good and godly also. You did not become friends
with him/her for you to be bad. Jesus sent this person to you so that you’ll be
converted this is always the reason.
Some of
us may listen to this Godly friend thus we become good and godly also. But
unfortunately this is not always the scenario because there are many who don’t
care to listen. No matter how many times God call them to renewal they will
really not listen.
Jonah, in
our gospel was sent by God to the people of Nineveh to call for their
repentance. And they listened to him
that’s why God spared them from punishment. After Jonah there were many more
prophets who were sent by God they called also for conversion.
Until
Jesus came, many listened to Jesus call for repentance and conversion. But sad
to say many more did not listen also. There was hardness in their hearts, they
ignored Jesus they instead continued to embrace sin.
Jesus
call of repentance did not stop with Him, the call for repentance continues to
flow until this very moment. And we now are the ones who are in-charge to call
for repentance and conversion.
What have
you done so far to echo this call of repentance by Jesus? – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Reflection for Sunday October 11, Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Mark 10:17-30
Gospel: Mark 10:17-30
As Jesus was setting
out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, "Good
teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him,
"Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the
commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not
steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your
father and your mother." He replied and said to him, "Teacher, all of
these I have observed from my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and
said to him, "You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and
give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow
me." At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had
many possessions.
Jesus looked around
and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to
enter the kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at his words. So
Jesus again said to them in reply, "Children, how hard it is to enter the
kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than
for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were exceedingly
astonished and said among themselves, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus
looked at them and said, "For human beings it is impossible, but not for
God. All things are possible for God." Peter began to say to him, "We
have given up everything and followed you." Jesus said,
"Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or
sisters or mother or father
or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not
receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and
sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life
in the age to come."
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
There is a story of
two neighbors, one was rich and the other was poor. The rich’s neighbor’s family
was always busy and they hardly have time for God. The poor neighbor’s family
would always see to it that they have time to worship Jesus at Holy Mass. They
also have time to pray as a family in their house.
After fifteen (15)
years there was a reversal of fortunes for these two neighbors. The rich family
became poor and the children did not become successful. The poor family on the
other hand became rich and the children were successful in their chosen careers.
Our obsession and
greed with earthly treasures if not corrected will always lead us away from
loving and following Jesus. This could also lead to our downfall and disgrace.
What is the use of
earthly treasures if we have no peace of mind? What is the use of a big house
and enormous property if this is the cause of disagreements and arguments in
the family? What is the use of temporal wealth if it will take away communication
in the family?
It’s better to be
poor for as long as you have God in your family. It’s better to stay in a small
house in the company of God rather than a mansion without the presence of God. It’s
better not to own any material treasure for as long as you have the greatest
treasure which is no other than Jesus.
In our gospel for
this Sunday, there is this man who was at the threshold of following Jesus. Yet
he walked away from Jesus because he couldn’t give up his material treasures.
Material treasures which by the way are temporary and material treasures which always
disturbs our minds instead of giving us peace of mind.
How about you, will
you give up your temporal treasures in favor of having Jesus in your life? –
Marino J. Dasmarinas
Friday, October 9, 2015
Reflection for October 10, Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:27-28
Gospel: Luke 11:27-28
While Jesus was speaking, a
woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried
you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are
those who hear the word of God and observe it.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Are you properly taking care
of your mother? Many of us today pamper our mother with material things. But
when a mother is old and already a member of the senior citizens club she is
not anymore concerned with material things. She is more concerned with the love
and care that she will receive from her children.
A mother will never say to her children to give her
love and care rather than material things. Yet she will greatly appreciate it
if she would be given love and care by her children love and care that she
richly deserves. Let us not forget that our mothers carried us in their womb
for nine long months and we gained nourishment from their milk as well.
In the gospel, a woman who is obviously an admirer of
the Blessed Virgin Mary told Jesus: “Blessed is the womb that carried you and
the breasts at which you nursed (Luke 11:27).” She perhaps said this to honor
Mary for properly rearing Jesus.
Yet Jesus gave the more profound honor to His Mother
Mary by saying: “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it
(Luke 11:27).” For the Blessed Mother heard the word of God, she treasured it
in her heart and observed it.
How is your relationship with your mother? – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
Reflection for October 9, Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:15-26
Gospel:
Luke 11:15-26
When
Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said: “By the power of
Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him,
asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every
kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against
house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For
you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out
demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they
will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards
his palace, his possessions are safe. But when
one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on
which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against
me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
“When an
unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for
rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’
But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and
brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell
there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”
+ + + + +
+ +
Reflection:
What
motivates us to accuse falsely or to destroy the good reputation of our
fellowmen? Its greed, anger, envy and other negative emotions. These emotions
are so dangerous that it could even lead us to kill. All of these are devious instruments
of the devil. All of these are used by the devil to entice us to be at his
side.
How could
we refuse these enticements of the devil? We must always pray, we must always
do good and we must at all times be focused on our mission to spread the
teachings of Jesus through our words and actions.
By doing
good Jesus was accused as being with the Demon, what a reckless accusation
emanating from the crowd! Is it Jesus siding with the demon or the crowd siding
with the demon? The demon will never do good it will always seek to create
chaos and manufacture baseless accusations.
Come to
think of it, by accusing Jesus the crowd allowed themselves to be used by the
demon himself. In like manner we also allow ourselves to be an instrument of
the demon when we purposely accuse people even without a grain of truth.
The demon
or devil is a clear and present danger to all of us. It’s always there imminently
present looking for the right timing to lure us. However if we are close to
Jesus and we practice and live the teachings of Jesus. We have nothing to worry
for the simple reason that the devil can do nothing to us.
Do you always
live the teachings of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)