Reflection for May 24, Tuesday of the Eighth Week in OT; Mark 10:28-31

Gospel: Mark 10:28-31

Peter began to say to Jesus, “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. But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

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Reflection:

A worldly man had a dream, in his dream he saw Jesus calling him to leave behind his life of sin and follow Him. The morning after the man seriously thought about this dream and he was in a dilemma as to how he will survive once he decides to follow Jesus. Night time came and he had a dream once again and he heard Jesus told him not to worry for He will provide for Him.

With these encounters with Jesus, he decided to leave behind his sinful life and he decided to follow Jesus. After which he was never in want of anything he was very well provided for by Jesus.

It is hard for many of us to decide to follow Jesus for the reason that it is not financially rewarding to follow Him. But life is not about storing-up treasures in this world there’s more to life than accumulation of earthly wealth. Life is also about following the footsteps of Jesus and about making a positive impact in the lives of others.

Never would we find the real meaning of life by following the dictate of this world. It's only in following Jesus that we would discover life and its true meaning.

Why not slowly shift the orientation of your life from worldliness to a life in the company of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for May 23, Monday of the Eighth Week in OT; Mark 10:17-27

Gospel: Mark 10:17-27

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 men it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”

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Reflection:

A businessman was on his deathbed, being his last moment in this world, his wife and all of his children were there. Seeing them all he suddenly had a worried face and said: why are you all here? Who’s tending the business? In the throes of death, yet his mind was still fixated on his material wealth.

What must we do to inherit eternal life? Jesus tells us to follow the commandments and sell what we have and give the proceeds to the poor and follow Him. This is how Saint Francis of Asisi lived his life. He was the son of a rich merchant but he disowned all of his inheritance he instead chose to help the poor. He lived a life of simplicity and poverty relying more on God’s providence than on this world.

There are people who are overly concerned with material wealth as if they can bring it to their grave. Some are even willing to sell their soul to the devil just to be rich. We should not invest on these things for all these are temporary and it could be taken from us anytime.

We should rather focus more on God rather than on this world. We should help those who are in need and steadfastly follow Christ. Nothing is wrong with being rich for as long as we don’t make riches our God and this we can do best by sharing it. Let us always remember that we are just stewards of the things that we have. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Sunday May 22, Solemnity of the Most Blessed Trinity; John 16:12-15

Gospel: John 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples: "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you."

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Reflection:

A responsible husband suddenly died without any sign of sickness. The bereaved wife and her children were asking God, why it happened? There really are events in our lives that are very hard to explain.

However we have to accept these mysterious things. And we have to believe that somewhere or somehow there shall be enlightenment and acceptance for so long as we will never lose our faith in God.

Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, the three Gods that became one or the three persons in one God. How can it be that God the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit who are all distinct and separate from each other could become one?

The secret of the oneness and unity of the Blessed Trinity is love. What make God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit one is love and what binds them together is love. Love at its purest and love without envy and deceit. Come to think of it what unifies a family, what makes friendship true and forever? It’s also love the same love that is always present in the Holy Trinity.

For many of us this is very hard to explain and much harder to believe. However there are teachings of the church that we have to embrace without a single doubt. And the Dogma about the Holy Trinity is one of these teachings.

On the other hand, how can we embrace this dogma/teachings about the Holy Trinity if we seldom go to church for Holy Mass? If our bibles are only gathering dust in the lonely corner of our respective homes?  If we seldom reserve daily time for God and if we do not put essence to our faith by living it? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for May 21, Saturday of the Seventh Week in OT; Mark 10:13-16

Gospel: Mark 10:13-16

People were bringing children to Jesus 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 the children and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

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Reflection:

We trust Children more than adults, don’t we?

Jesus doesn’t only trust children; he also loves them dearly because children’s trust in Jesus is pure. A child’s humility is untainted with deceit and a child’s trust in Jesus is without question. Just look at a child when he/she prays and you can see how pure his/her faith and prayer before Jesus.

We need to be childlike in our trust in Jesus and in our humility. So that when our retirement from this world comes we will be able to enter the kingdom of God and see Jesus there ever ready to embrace us.

All of us are mere passersby in this finite world and someday we will leave this place for another place. Let us therefore see to it that we trust and love Jesus like a child. We humble ourselves before Jesus and our fellowmen like a child. And our faith in Jesus is like that of a child.

Are you always childlike in your love and trust in Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for May 20, Friday of the Seventh Week in OT; Mark 10:1-12

Gospel: Mark 10:1-12

Jesus came into the district of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom, he again taught them. The Pharisees approached him 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.”

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Reflection:

Are you faithful to your marriage vows?

When a man and a woman are wed in the Catholic church the Priest pose this question to them: "Do you take__as your lawful wife/husband, to have and to hold, to this day onward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?"

The man and woman will answer: I do.

The Marriage bond is forever, but the reality of it all is some married couples separate. I know of two couples who were married in the church, couple # 1: husband simply left his wife and two very young children. Couple # 2: The wife left the husband even though they already have a baby.

Oftentimes couples separate for selfish reasons. They only care of what they want and feel; they don’t give an iota of concern to the feeling of their spouse and children. Instead of separating why not explore every possible means to reconcile? Instead of separating, why not give love a second chance and why not ask Jesus to heal the marriage?

Jesus said to his disciples: a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh (Mark 10:7). So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” Then he said again: “Whoever divorces his wife and marries commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery (Mark 10:11-12).”

The Sacrament of Marriage is one of the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church, the first miracle made by Jesus was when he made water into wine in the wedding at Cana. The Priest that presides in the wedding ceremony does it in the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus himself said it: “What God has joined together, no human being must separate (Mark 10:9).”

Are you still faithful to your marriage vows? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for May 19, Thursday of the Seventh Week in OT; Mark 9:41-50

Gospel: Mark 9:41-50

Jesus said to his disciples: “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

“Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”

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Reflection:

Are you generous to the church and those who volunteer their time for the church?  

Many find joy in giving to the church and its workers without string attached on it. If we’ll ask them why they are so generous towards the church and its workers they will  say that they just want to share what they have.

 What they don’t notice is that whatever they gave they receive it back in various forms. Such as financial blessings, good health, peace in the family and so forth. Their blessing flows like a stream that never runs out of water, this is the reward of those who are generous.

Why not try also being generous to the church and its workers? Why not be generous to anyone who needs your help and see for yourself the great blessings that will come your way? Saint Francis had said: “It is in giving that we receive.” Surely the more you are generous with what you have the more that you will be blessed by God.

Jesus said to His disciples: “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for May 18, Wednesday of the Seventh Week in OT; Mark 9:38-40

Gospel: Mark 9:38-40

John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”

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Reflection:

Why do some Catholics leave the church in favor of other Christian church?  If we will ask them why they left they would normally say that they felt Jesus’ presence more in their lives when the Pastor of the Christian church shared passages about Jesus in the bible.

Should we get angry with these Christian churches for taking away some of our brethren who grew bored in our church? Of course not! We should rather be more innovative in our preaching about the word of God so that the faithful will feel Jesus’ presence in their lives.

John said to Jesus: “someone is driving out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied: “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”

We should at all times be gentle, tolerant and loving towards other Christian religions for we preach the same God. We may have our differences with them but at the end of the day we preach the same God and the same Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for May 17, Tuesday of the Seventh Week in OT; Mark 9:30-37

Gospel: Mark 9:30-37

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it. He was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him.

They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they remained silent. For they had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest. Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”

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Reflection:

Who is the greatest? Of course it’s no other than Jesus but Jesus’ greatness is shown in His humility, selflessness and in His obedience to the will of God the Father.

What is the evidence so that we can rightfully claim that we follow the greatest person who ever walked this earth?  It’s also our humility, selflessness and obedience to Jesus. The mistake of many of us who follow Jesus is we often times act without any iota of humility, selflessness and obedience.

We often times project power and arrogance and we feel that we are above all because we sense that we are close to Jesus when in fact we are not. Our closeness or intimacy with Jesus is never defined by our religious titles, ranks or position in our church. 

It’s truly defined by how we practice the greatness of Jesus through His humility, selflessness and obedience. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for May 16, Monday of the Seventh Week in OT; Mark 9:14-29

Gospel: Mark 9:14-29

As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, John and approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. Immediately on seeing him, the whole crowd was utterly amazed. They ran up to him and greeted him. He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit. Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.” He said to them in reply, “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.” They brought the boy to him. And when he saw him, the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions. As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around and foam at the mouth. Then he questioned his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He replied, “Since childhood. It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.” Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering, rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!” Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out. He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!” But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up. When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private, “Why could we not drive the spirit out?” He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

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Reflection:

How strong is your faith in Jesus?

In the gospel, a boy was possessed by an evil spirit, his father asked the disciples for help but they were unable to drive it out. Then the father saw Jesus who just came from the mountain. The father asked for help, he told Jesus: “I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.”

 Jesus said to them in reply, “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Jesus was quite exasperated with his disciples because they were not able to drive out the evil spirit.

Jesus was also frustrated with the Father because he told him: “If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.” Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”

Jesus was frustrated with both the disciples and the father of the boy the reason behind was their lack of faith! If only the disciples had faith they could have easily drove out the evil spirit but they had weak faith.

Are we not like the father and the disciples once in a while? We petition God to grant us our prayers yet we easily get impatient when He doesn’t reply immediately. And the reason for this impatience is our lack of faith.

Let us continue to bear in mind this words of Jesus: “ Everything is possible to one who has faith.” – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for May 14, Saturday Saint Matthias, Apostle; John 15:9-17

Gospel: John 15:9-17

Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”

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Reflection:

A newlywed couple promised to bring to their graves their marriage vows:  For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part, they said. But the irony is, after having one child and being together for two years they separated already. What happened to their promise of undying love for each other? What will happen to their only child?

Nowadays, many of us have a very shallow understanding of love, it’s not anymore undying love or sacrificial love. But love based on convenience, love based on what I can have and what I can possess. The word love has been stripped of its real value. This is the reason why we see married couples flirting with their officemates and friends just to vent out their lust and immoral desire for each other.  

This is the distressing reality right now that’s why we find young couples even middle-aged couples separating. For the self-serving reason that they are not anymore happy with their marriage. Are they really not happy in their marriage or they just want to satisfy their own selfish and immoral desires?

Jesus in the gospel commands us to love one another. This love is not based on selfish needs, neither based on convenience. This love is anchored on fidelity, sacrifice, self-giving and trust. This is the reason why the love of Jesus for us is most appropriate to incorporate in our married lives. If we have the love of Jesus will stay with our marriage no matter what and we will pray to Jesus for guidance and enlightenment.

Let us remember that Jesus doesn’t give-up on us. He keeps on loving us. He keeps on knocking in our hearts no matter how wayward or sinful we are. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for May 13, Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter; John 21:15-19

Gospel: John 21:15-19

After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them, he said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

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Reflection:

Are you afraid to grow old?

The reality of life is this: we will eventually grow old; this is a course of nature that no one of us can stop. Whether we like it or not we will all be growing old and we will be at the mercy of those who will be with us by that time.

Can we assure ourselves that we will be properly treated when we become old and powerless? None of us can assure that there will be proper treatment for us by that time but Jesus gives us some hint on how to assure proper and equitable treatment for us when we become old and gray.

He tells us in the gospel to feed and take care of His people, in other words feed and take care of anyone who is hungry. Don’t be selective; help everyone who is in need. But let us not help with the motive in mind that we will do it because we will be in need of help also in the distant future when we are old.

Help because this is the right thing to do, help because this is what Jesus wants from us immaterial if we will be helped or not in the future. – Marino J. Dasmarinas