Reflection for Sunday February 21, Second Sunday of Lent; Luke 9:28b-36

Gospel: Luke 9:28b-36

Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

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Reflection:

A young wife has decided to finally leave behind her irresponsible and philandering husband. Before leaving him she wrote a letter which contained all of her angst. At the end of the letter she closed it with this statement: If you want me back you have to change otherwise you will not see me again.

In the transfiguration of Jesus at the mountain of tabor the three disciples: Peter, James and John saw firsthand how Jesus was transfigured. From a mortal like them Jesus’ face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white (Luke 9:29).

What went before the three apostles went to the mountain to witness Jesus transfiguration? The three were doing their mission, they witnessed many miracles being performed by Jesus. Yet, Jesus also intimated to them that He would soon suffer and be put to death by His persecutors (Luke 9:22).

Upon hearing from Jesus that He was going to suffer perhaps the three had a low morale. They couldn’t believe that this was going to happen to their Lord and master. And with this hypothesis Jesus brought them along to the mountain of tabor. For the three of them to know and see His real identity.

With their witness of Jesus transfiguration the three apostles were also transfigured albeit in a different manner. Their witness of Jesus transfiguration energized their sagging spirit it boosted their motivation to continue to move-on with their sacred mission of evangelization.

In our story, when the young wife decided to finally leave behind His philandering and irresponsible husband. That decision was her moment of transfiguration and her decision also influenced her husband. To change and leave behind his philandering and irresponsible ways.  

At what stage are you in your life right now? Are you facing your own share of challenges? Let the transfiguration of Jesus energize you and let it give you hope. Let it change, strengthen and empower you so that you too could be motivated by the powerful transfiguration of Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas     

Reflection for February 20, Saturday of the First Week of Lent; Matthew 5:43-48

Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers and sisters only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

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Reflection:

Are you still capable of loving someone who doesn’t love you anymore?

In the gospel Jesus calls us to a higher form of love: “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44).

It’s not easy to give love to someone who betrayed your trust. But that’s what Jesus is telling us: to love unconditionally. Regardless of the hurts and betrayal done to us we still need to love and pray for those who’ve hurt us.

There’s no winner when we respond betrayal with betrayal, anger with anger. In spite of the injury done to us, why not try to still be meek and forgiving and leave everything in the hands of God? God doesn’t love us selectively; He doesn’t love us because we follow His commands. He still loves us even if we’ve betrayed Him so many times.    

God loves us without any preconditions; He lets the sun rise and the rain to fall on all of us sinners. Therefore we have to love even those who don’t love us anymore. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for February 19, Friday of the First Week of Lent; 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. 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 young man who was working as a houseboy was always being insulted by the family that he worked for. Name all the insulting words around and chances are that it could have been already hurled at him. Eventually the young man reached the limit of his patience so instead of doing something criminal to the family. He just walked away from them emotionally hurting and wounded.  

In the gospel Jesus reminds us to be careful with the words that we say for it can create a permanent wound in the emotions of our fellowmen. If the words that we will say are insulting it’s better not to say it anymore. It’s better to simply shut our mouth and be quite.

Let us remember that insulting words deeply hurts the receiver and it carves a permanent emotional wound in his being. But why do we say words that are not fit to be said? Why are we very quick to insult and belittle? This is primarily brought about by our arrogance, bloated egos and the feeling of superiority.

What is the cure for this unhealthy behavior? The cure is Jesus, if we will follow Jesus and if we will allow Him to change us. He will cleanse us of our arrogance, egotism and feeling of superiority toward our fellowmen.   

Thus, we will now become tolerant, humble, kind and gentle.

Prayer:

Dear Lord I pray that you’ll cleanse me of my arrogance and feeling of superiority. I know that I’ve hurt others with this sinful behavior as such I ask for your forgiveness. Purify me O Lord, teach me how to be humble, teach me kindness and teach how to love and forgive. This I humbly ask of you my Lord. Amen. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for February 18, Thursday of the First Week of Lent; Matthew 7:7-12

Gospel: Matthew 7:7-12

Jesus said to his disciples: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.”

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Reflection:
Do you have a prayer before God? 

God always answers our prayers and petitions oftentimes it’s yes, sometimes No. And there will be times that He will test our patience and say to us wait. Whatever God’s response to us let us simply be patient and continue to pray.  

Almost all of us have our own pending prayer petitions before God. We should not lose our faith and patience. We should continue to hope that in time God will grant us our respective prayer before Him.

When we ask God for something we must not lie idle and wait for the answers to our prayers to simply land on our lap like manna from heaven. We must do our part also for God looks kindly to those who accompany their prayer petitions with actions.

The secret therefore is to not give-up on God and to always believe that God always answers our prayers. We may not initially like God’s reply to us; nevertheless we have to continuously believe in the goodness of God.

What are your prayer petitions before God? Believe and you will have it. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for February 17, Wednesday of the First Week of Lent; 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.”

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Reflection:

Can you still remember the thief on the side of Jesus who asked Jesus to remember him when He is in His kingdom? The thief had an on the spot salvation because he repented from his sins (Luke 23:42-43).

Jesus calls us also to repentance every minute of our life. Let us not be deaf to this call, let us listen and embrace this call.

What is sin that many of us can’t leave it behind? What does it give us?  Does committing sin give us fulfilment that we continue to embrace it? Whatever pleasure sin gives us it’s actually a curse coated in pleasure. For example the sin of adultery, it’s pleasurable for the person who commits adultery.

But as the person enjoys the pleasure, sins start to pile-up as well. Until such time that it destroys the individuals involved in the sinful relationship. However, why wait to be destroyed by sin when Jesus is always offering us repentance. When Jesus is ever and always ready to forget and forgive all our past sins provided we leave it behind.    

There’s a reward that awaits us once we listen to Jesus’ call of repentance. The incentive is maybe like the reward of salvation that He gave to the repentant thief on the cross.

 Perhaps it may not be instant salvation but certainly there would be a reward if we decide to leave our sinful life. Rewards like: peace of mind, peace in the family, a life free from any guilt of conscience and so forth. -  Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for February 16, Tuesday of the First Week of Lent; Matthew 6:7-15

Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15

Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This is how you are to pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

“If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

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Reflection:

If God knows what we need before we ask him, what is then the use of our prayer before him? It is through our consistent prayer life that we get intimate with God. If we are not yet prayerful or we don’t have yet a regular prayer life, just try having a consistent prayer life. And you will be surprised by the growth of your intimacy with Jesus.

So we pray not because we want to ask something from God for indeed He knows beforehand what we need. He in fact knows everything that we desire. We pray because we want to be best friends and intimate with God.  

When we pray with piety our whole being talks to God and in the silence of our hearts He also talks to us. We hear God whispering to us this is hard to explain but this is what occurs when we pray this prayer with devoutness or any form of prayer for that matter.  This kind of prayer relationship with God is a sign of a mature life of prayer.

For example, in a married life relationship the marriage bond is strengthened by constant communication between husband and wife. Through this regular communication they both mature in the marriage relationship. Until such time that they know and understand practically everything about themselves even without verbal expression.

This is the same with our prayer life; the more we pray with our whole being focused to God the more that we would grow in intimacy with God. Then, there will eventually come a time that when we pray to God we will not anymore utter a single word. We will simply keep silent and let our heart talk to our merciful, compassionate and loving God. – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

1Reflection for Sunday February 14, First Sunday of Lent; Luke 4:1-13

Gospel: Luke 4:1-13

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, One does not live on bread alone.” Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me,  and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written: You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.” Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and: With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.

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Reflection:

What do you see in the temptation of Jesus in the desert? Do you see that the devil is powerful too? Yes indeed, the devil is also powerful he can entice us to follow him through the instrument of his many temptations. Temptations that are very hard to resist for those who are disconnected from God. For those who seldom pray and for those who don’t take their faith seriously.

What do you see in Jesus? Do you see the intense connection of Jesus with God and the Holy spirit? Before Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert, Jesus was baptized first by John in the river Jordan and in the process of His baptism He prayed to God and the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit ascended to Him and God said to Jesus, “You are my Son, in whom I am well pleased (Luke 3:21-22).”    

Temptations are part and parcel of our life so as the devil, it’s always there ever ready to sow temptation for us to sin. Yet the love, guidance and protection of God are also always there for us it has not left us since we were baptized. It’s ours to own and take!

We can always ward-off whatever temptation the devil may sow upon our way if we always have a wired or even wifi connection with God. This we can do best through our personal prayers, our pious presence at Holy Mass and our reading and meditation of the words of God in the bible.

As we start to dive into our own forty day’s journey into the wilderness of this world. The good Lord is always reminding us that He is just a prayer away from us. He is always by our side ever and always ready to protect us from the many temptations of the evil one.

Do you always have a connection with the good Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for February 13, Saturday after Ash Wednesday; Luke 5:27-32

Gospel: Luke 5:27-32

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

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Reflection:

Who are the modern day sinners that Jesus wants to call to repentance? Its no other than us, we are sinners; we sin through our thoughts, actions and words. Like the tax collector Levi, Jesus calls us to follow Him, to leave behind us our sinfulness.

Why does Jesus calls us to follow Him? He wants to build a deeper friendship with us. And this would only happen if we would choose to respond to His call. Rather than respond to the call of the devil.

When we respond to the call of Jesus we ensure ourselves of a meaningful life. This doesn’t mean that the moment to we say yes to Jesus we would be free from worries and trials. We would still have our own share of trials and worries. Yet in the midst of our worries and trials we will feel the abiding presence of Jesus in our lives. 

If we decide to follow Jesus there would be people who will despise and perhaps belittle us. But we have nothing to worry with those who will despise us. What is most important is we chose to leave behind our sinfulness in favor of Jesus’ call.

To leave behind our sinfulness is not easy to do because the devil will not easily let us go. Nevertheless, nothing is impossible for Jesus all He asks us is our yes and our firm desire to leave behind our sinfulness.

Lest we forget, a sinful life is a life in union with the devil. Let us therefore respond to this call of Jesus, to leave behind our sinful life. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for February 12, Friday after Ash Wednesday; Matthew 9:14-15

Gospel: Matthew 9:14-15

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

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Reflection:

Do you practice fasting? 

The church teaches us that we have to observe fasting during Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Does it have any basis in the Bible? Yes just to name a few: Jonah 3:7, Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water.

Matthew 4:2: “He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry.”

Matthew 6:16: When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting.

To practice fasting is an edifying experience for we would discover that we can still be productive even without food. For as long as we focus our attention to Jesus who observed fasting for forty days in the desert. And in the process was tempted in-vain by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11).   

But more than the voluntary denial of food it also requires us to fast from doing anything that would offend God and our fellowmen. From doing anything that would defile us physically and spiritually. For example we fast from committing sin, we fast from judging our neighbor and so forth.  

In the gospel Jesus was asked by the Pharisees and John’s disciples why His followers were not fasting. Jesus answered them that there’s no reason yet for them to fast for the reason that He is with them (Matthew 9:15).

When are we going therefore to be with Jesus so that we will not anymore practice fasting? It’s when we die and eventually ascend to heaven, there we will be with Jesus and we will not be fasting anymore. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for February 11, Thursday after Ash Wednesday; Luke 9:22-25

Gospel: Luke 9:22-25

Jesus said to his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”

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Reflection:

Are you ready to carry your cross and faithfully follow Jesus now?

Jesus gives us a paradoxical statement: "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself (Luke 23:25)?"

On the surface this may seem to be an odd statement but if we are faithful followers of Christ these are precious and priceless wisdom filled words from Jesus. The moment we decide to follow the path of Jesus we will deny ourselves with the hedonism of this world and we will courageously carry our cross to follow Him.

Amidst the carrying of our daily cross we will also notice that it is not that heavy simply because Jesus is with us. He is helping us carry whatever cross that we have, making sure that the burdens that we carry right now are still light.

When Jesus was carrying the cross towards Golgotha/Calvary His cross became a sign of suffering and intense pain. However the same cross became the sign of Triumph and Salvation. If we carry our cross with Jesus the same cross would also be our means of purification and salvation.

Are you carrying a cross right now? Humbly ask Jesus to help you carry that cross.

Prayer:

O Lord we humbly beseech you to help us carry our cross. Sinners as we are yet we still know that you will never refuse to help us, you will never refuse to give us hope amidst our many crosses. Make our daily burdens light O Lord no matter how heavy.  This we humbly ask you. Amen. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for February 9, Tuesday, of the Fifth Week; Mark 7:1-13

Gospel: Mark 7:1-13

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.) So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:

This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and Whoever curses father or mother shall die. Yet you say, ‘If someone says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”

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Reflection:

Are you very strict with the observance of your customs and traditions?

The Pharisees were very particular of their custom/tradition they follow it to the letter. So when they saw that Jesus’ disciples ate their meals without washing their hands—they told Jesus about it.

They said to Jesus: “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?" and Jesus told them: You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition." He went on to say, "How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition!

We see that Jesus puts more weight on the commandments of God more than their traditions the interior rather than the exterior, the inside conversion rather than the fake exterior observance of their laws.

The conversion that Jesus desires for us is one that involves a change of our hearts and mindsets. To be more compassionate and not to judge the poor and sinners for we often times are quick to throw judgment at them. Why are we so quick to judge when we are to be judged also.

Lest we forget that we are sinners too! Instead of judging them, why not listen to them and afterwards give them advice so that they wouldn’t feel forsaken. So that they would feel the presence of Jesus in us,  Jesus who is always forgiving and loving.  

How about the well-heeled or the rich and powerful? Of course they are always given respect because of their external appearance. Which is very deceiving to say the least. - Marino J. Dasmarinas