Monday, February 1, 2016

51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) 2016 - Catechesis by Most Rev. Robert Barron, DD 1/26/2016

Hillsong - The Power Of Your Love [with lyrics]


51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) 2016 - Catechesis by HE Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, DD 1/28/2016

Reflection for February 1, Monday of the Fourth Week; Mark 5:1-20

Gospel: Mark 5:1-20
Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him. The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain. In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, crying out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) He asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.” And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory.

Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. And they pleaded with him, “Send us into the swine. Let us enter them.” And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. Then they began to beg him to leave their district. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.
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Reflection:
Do you plead to Jesus to change you and make you a better person?

The man possessed by the legions of devil pleaded with Jesus not to drive them away from the territory instead they wanted Jesus to send them into the herd of pigs. So Jesus did what they wanted: He allowed them to enter the group of swine/pigs. However the herd rushed into the sea where they drowned.

Why did Jesus did not annihilate the legion (evils) instantly instead He allowed them to transfer to the herd of swine only to die by drowning? Perhaps, Jesus acceded to their request because Jesus wanted them to convert and get rid of their evil ways, but they did not.

In our own very life we would always encounter life changing occurrences. Such as survive a major health problems or major accidents. And it serves as our wake-up call from God to change our ways and leave behind sinfulness. There are some of us who get an awareness of this life changing episode so we change and leave behind our sinfulness. However there are also those who refuse to change and they move-on with their sinful ways.

What would happen to those who refuse to leave behind sinfulness? To those who continue to ignore God’s call to conversion? To those who were given by God a second chance but refused to grab it? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Sunday, January 31, 2016

1Reflection for Sunday January 31, Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Luke 4:21-30

Gospel: Luke 4:21-30
Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’ And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.
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Reflection:
Do you have an attitude of exclusivity? For example you want to reside in an exclusive community so that those who are not members and those who are not rich will not be able to disturb your peace. You want to be in the company of those who are rich because it enhances your status of being member of an exclusive group of people.

Jesus is not in favor of this exclusive mentality, Jesus mindset is inclusive regardless of who you are. Even if you are poor and uneducated, Jesus desires everyone to come to Him and He reaches out to everyone regardless of faith. Regardless of physical appearance, status in life, learned or not. Jesus welcomes everyone for He is for everyone.

In the gospel, Jesus town mates were angry with Him because they wanted Him to be their exclusive property. His town mates wanted Jesus to exclusively heal and do miracles in their community. But Jesus wanted to reach-out even to those who were not members of their faith.

Our exclusive mentality if we allow it to envelope us would detach us from reality. It will dictate upon us to have a superiority mindset. It will force us to look down on others especially the poor and unlearned and regard them with contempt and condescension. – Marino J. Dasmarinas      

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Reflection for January 30, Saturday of the Third Week; Mark 4:35-41

Gospel: Mark 4:35-41
On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”
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Reflection:
Are you easily rattled when you pass through stormy episodes in your life? Or you remain calm amidst the storms because you know that Jesus is always there for you.

The disciples were in a boat together with Jesus when it suddenly encountered a violent storm. They were terrified for they thought that the boat might not be able to withstand the storm.  Why were they terrified when Jesus was with them? Perhaps they were overtaken with fear that’s why they suddenly forgot that Jesus was with them.

For as long as we exist in this world we would continue to encounter also worrisome moments in our life. But we have nothing to worry if we have faith, we have nothing to worry if we have a personal relationship with Jesus.

 We simply have to constantly be connected with Him for the reason that He will take care of everything. Jesus will calm us in the midst of our distress. Jesus will make a way when there seems to be no way.

 All He asks from us is to have faith and this we can have if we ask Him to give us the gift of faith. Because faith is a gift that Jesus gives to those who sincerely ask for it.

Prayer:
O Lord in the midst of the many storms in our life we beseech you to give us the gift of faith. So that we would be able to withstand whatever worrisome situation that we may encounter. Forgive our feeble faith, forgive us for not trusting you and for not always recognizing that you’re with us and you always walk with us. Amen. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) 2016, Testimony of Ms Marianne Servaas 1/26/2016