Reflection for Monday August 15, Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary; Luke 1:39-56

Gospel: Luke 1:39-56

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.”

Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

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Reflection:

Selfless love for others is a rare virtue nowadays; what we have now is the me first or self centered attitude. Before we give ourselves to others we see to it that we are first taken care of. It’s our need first before the needs of others we seldom become a person for others anymore.

 We thus overlook the fact that when we are selfless we make others joyful and happy. We bless others when we give something out of ourselves and we often overlook that the blessing that we give silently comes back to us in many forms.

The Blessed Mother is not like us; she is very concerned with the welfare of others than her own well-being. Notice how the Blessed Mother went to her cousin Elizabeth and stayed there until she gave birth. She made sure first that her cousin would be through with her delicate pregnancy before she left her.  

In this day wherein we are overly concerned with our own happiness and fulfilment the Blessed Mother gives us valuable lesson to live by.

She tells us not to be overly concerned with our own welfare we must look after those who are in need of our love even if we ourselves need love. Who are those who badly need our love and care? The Blessed Mother and Elizabeth are both mothers so for obvious reason first and foremost it’s our mothers.

They are slowly getting old and we may not know it they may quietly leave this world anytime. Let us give our very own mothers our love while they can still appreciate it, express your love for them now say it now. Don’t say that you love them when they’re bodies are cold and not responsive anymore for it’s useless already.

What will it cost you if you express your love for your mother? Nothing except a very little fraction of your voice and saliva and what will be the effect on them? Oh, immeasurable! It will energize and reinvigorate them to say the least.

 There are many who are in need of our love these days they may not say it but they need it. We must look after them even if we will not gain any material things from doing it. Life is never measured by ownership of worldly things; true life is measured by our selfless acts of love and kindness.

On this Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary let us look at the Blessed Virgin Mary’s  very real and selfless expression of true love.  And let us ask ourselves this question: Do I love as the Blessed Mother gave her love and concern to her cousin Elizabeth? – Marino J. Dasmarinas    

Reflection for Sunday August 14, Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Luke 12:49-53

Gospel: Luke 12:49-53

Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

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Reflection:

A sinful man was invited by his friend to attend a parish renewal program. The sinful man was already tired of living a life of sin and he wanted to rid himself of any form of sinfulness. So, he said to his friend, “Ok I will attend.” While in the process of formation he was enlightened about how sin destroys a person and prevent a person from having a personal relationship with Jesus.

After the renewal program was through the sinful man decided to let go of friends who had brought nothing to his life but sin. Thus he was hated by his former friends and was even threatened with physical harm.    

When we decide to live a life according to the will of Jesus we have to expect conflict and misunderstanding. We have to be ready to be hated or lose some of our friends and even our family members as well for this is the reality of following Jesus.

When you truly follow Jesus you set aright what is wrong. You will have the fire in your belly to leave those who do nothing to you except to influence you to sin. You will have the fire in your belly to correct those who continue to sin no matter what it may cost you.

Jesus in the gospel talks about division, He tells us: From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law (Luke 12:52-53).”

Indeed, there are times that division has to occur for good to triumph over evil. Division has to occur so that a wayward behavior can be set aright. We need not worry about the outcome of this kind of division for the reason that this division is a division that purifies a person from the impurities of sin. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Saturday August 13, Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 19:13-15

Gospel: Matthew 19:13-15

Children were brought to Jesus that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” After he placed his hands on them, he went away.

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Reflection:

What can you remember from your childhood?

Many of our present values and habits were given to us when we were children. For example the habit of going to church for Holy Mass.  If our parents brought us up by bringing us to church for Mass, we surely would grow with this saintly habit until we grow old and die.

Another example is if our parents taught us good manners and values. We would also imbibe these manners and values. This is always the situation: We will grow with the values and habits that were taught to us when we were children.

What if we were not given the proper values by our parents? We may grow up without manners and conduct. We may have friends who are bad influence to us, friends who would introduce us to vices and other things that are not good. 

Jesus said in the gospel, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them.” Why were the disciples preventing the children from going to Jesus? Perhaps they wanted Jesus to rest because He was tired.

What is the message of Jesus for us? Jesus wants us also to introduce our children to HIM by teaching them about HIS life and teachings written in the scriptures. Jesus wants us also to bring along our children to the celebration of the Holy Mass.

If we introduce our children to Jesus by way of educating them about His life in the bible. If we bring our children to Holy Mass we can sit back and relax for we are already assured of a secure future for our children.

Have you consciously introduced your children to Jesus? - Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Friday August 12, Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 19:3-12

Gospel: Matthew 19:3-12

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, 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, man must not separate.” They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?” He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.” His disciples said to him, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”

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Reflection:

How’s your marriage?

Every marriage relationship has its own imperfections and it passes though some bumps and humps. Ask any married couple and they will silently say that they have their own share of disagreements and issues.

If they have their problems why do they stay in their marriage covenant and try very hard to make it work? They stay and try hard to make the marriage work because they believe in the sanctity of the Sacrament of Marriage.

Problems and issues are part of the marriage journey but notice also that as you move forward with the married journey. You would also discern that problems and issues will start to dissipate until it eventually disappears. Therefore what will remain is your love for each other and your willingness to sacrifice for the marriage to be forever.  

Be tolerant therefore when you pass through problems in your marriage; stretch your patience. Forgive, never think of separation as an option and pray as a family. Always remember that the family that prays together stays forever. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Thursday August 11, Saint Clare, Virgin; Matthew 18:21-19:1

Gospel: Matthew 18:21-19:1

Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”

When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan.

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Reflection:

What will happen to us if we are forgiving? We feel light, free and there’s no pent-up emotions in our hearts that makes life so heavy for us.  What will happen to us if we don’t forgive? There’s always a heavy burden in our hearts that does nothing to us except to attract negative emotions even sickness.

 Take for example if we see someone who has wronged us which we have not forgiven yet. Our face may turn red an indication of sudden surge of our blood pressure that may become fatal and could result to other health complications.

Therefore it’s always better to be forgiving; this doesn’t mean that when we forgive we forget the lesson/s why we forgave. When we forgive those who’ve wronged us we let bygones be bygones yet the lesson/s learned will remain for this will help us grow and become better individuals. 

In our gospel for today Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. In simple terms Jesus is teaching us that we must always be forgiving no matter how severe the injury done to us. Because when we don’t forgive we only imprison ourselves to this vicious and injurious emotion called hatred.

But let us say we really can’t forgive, let us go down on our knees and pray to Jesus and let us ask Him to heal us and give us the grace of forgiveness. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Wednesday August 10, Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr; John 12:24-26

Gospel: John 12:24-26

Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.”

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Reflection:

Do you love your life in this world?

Jesus gives us today a contradictory statement by saying: “Whoever loves his life loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.” How could this be?

The simple answer to this paradox is this: We love our life if we love the trappings of this world such as wealth, power and other worldly possession. It also includes other self-centered attitudes such as greed, lust, arrogance, egotism to name a few. We will certainly lose our life if we could identify to any of these characteristics.

We hate our life in this world but preserve it for eternal life if we have Christ like behaviors such as: Humility, Selflessness, Prayerfulness, Kind heartedness, Mercy, Forgiveness, Compassion and many more Christ like virtues.

Therefore we are given two choices: To love our life in this world or two hate it. Surely there would be those who will choose to love their life in this world but for what price? 

The problem of loving our present life for the sake of this world is we are slowly but surely closing the door for Jesus to enter our life. Yet we open it widely for the Devil to enter and eventually drive our life.

Discover the true meaning of life by serving Christ or by loving Him. Discover the true meaning of life by denying yourself of the many useless and sinful excesses of this world.

Have you already discovered the true meaning of life – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Tuesday August 9, Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

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 becomes humble 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. What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”

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Reflection:

Many of us if not all of us put premium in recognition.  For example we love it when people recognize our effort and when they commend us for what we do. We nod in approval and deep inside us we feel that we are great already for the recognition that we have received.

In our gospel the disciples asked Jesus about who is the greatest in His kingdom. In reply to their question Jesus called a child and told them, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.” Jesus obviously did this to teach His disciples about the great virtue of humility.

Perhaps Jesus was telling Himself, did they follow me because they want to be great in my kingdom? Did they follow me for the reason that they want to be recognized? Don’t they know that to follow me is the beginning of forgetting of oneself and any personal agenda/s? Don’t they know that the true essence of discipleship lies in humility?

Many of us today are like the disciples, we want greatness and recognition for the things that we do for the church and our fellowmen. But God did not made us to be great and to be recognized we were made by God to be humble.

Therefore, in whatever that we do; let us not aspire to be great or to be recognized. Let us humbly do what we have to do, for this is what Jesus wants us to do.

Let us not worry about recognition, greatness and honor for it will eventually come. Once we humbly do everything for the greater glory of God and not for our own glorification. – Marino J. Dasmarinas