Reflection for Monday September 5, Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time; Luke 6:6-11

Gospel: Luke 6:6-11

On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the Sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him. But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up and stand before us.” And he rose and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” Looking around at them all, he then said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so and his hand was restored. But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

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Reflection:

Do you have the guts to defy someone so that you could do something positive to your fellowmen?

Jesus cured the man with a withered hand notwithstanding the presence of the Pharisees and the scribes who were keenly watching Him. Jesus defied the Pharisees and scribes who were strictly observing the Sabbath law.

Jesus put more importance on the need to help the sick man rather than be afraid. What an unquestionable courage. Let us say that there shall come a time that we will also be in the same situation with Jesus. What shall we do then?

Would we simply forgo helping those who are in need because we are afraid that we might offend someone who is very influential? Or we will be like Jesus who courageously faced the very powerful Pharisees and scribes.

The best path to take is to be courageous like Jesus, to help those who are in need no matter the threat against us. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for Sunday September 4, Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time; Luke 14:25-33

Gospel: Luke 14:25-33

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”

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Reflection:

A dying man was given two choices by the angel of God. One choice was to be well again and live a worldly life and the other one was to die immediately and enter the pearly gates to be with Jesus. The dying man chose to die and be with Jesus, baffling as it may seem for many of us yet the dying man made the right choice. 

What is the essence of life if it’s only lived for this world? What is the reason for living if it’s empty of Jesus’ presence? To choose to follow Jesus over this world is to discover the real meaning of life in this world. To fill your life with Jesus is to finally discover the real reason why you’re existing and breathing in this world.

The core of life is a life lived in union with Jesus. Surely, Jesus will forgive us if we contradict Him by immediately jumping into discipleship without careful thinking -- Jesus is a God of love and forgiveness anyway.         Because if we carefully think first we may be overwhelmed by the daunting task of discipleship. And we immediately back-out without even trying and experiencing how it feels to be a follower or a disciple. 

Whereas, if we immediately decide to follow Jesus we will right away have an experience about how to be His follower. If we find it hard or difficult let us never hesitate to call on Jesus. For He is always there for us, by our side walking with us as we wade through the flood of difficulties and challenges of being a follower or a discipleship. – Marino J. Dasmarinas       

Reflection for Saturday September 3, Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor; Luke 6:1-5

Gospel: Luke 6:1-5

While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath, his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Have you not read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering, which only the priests could lawfully eat, ate of it, and shared it with his companions?” Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”

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Reflection:

What kind of Lord and Master is Jesus? He is a loving and caring Lord and Master, He will always see to it that His people are properly taken care of no matter what the circumstances are. If there’s a need and a precedence to violate certain laws so be it for as long as it could help His people.

When Jesus defended His disciples from the rebuke of the Pharisees (From picking and eating grains on a Sabbath day) He was simply saying that the need of His disciples always takes precedence over any observance of the Jewish law/s.

Jesus was indirectly saying to His critics that they sometimes have to be flexible also anyway they did not commit any criminal act. The disciples were simply hungry and that was it they simply have to satisfy their need.  In fact King David also did that in the old testament as told to them by Jesus(1 Samuel 21:2-7).

Here we see what kind of Lord and Master Jesus is, He properly takes care of His people. Jesus is even willing to violate the sacred Sabbath law for as long as it would be beneficial to His followers. By virtue of our baptism we already are followers of Jesus we may not be faithful to Him all the time. Nevertheless, His love, care and concern for us will always be there by our side no matter the circumstances we are in. - Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Friday September 2, Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time; Luke 5:33-39

Gospel: Luke 5:33-39

The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.” Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” And he also told them a parable. “No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloak. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”

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Reflection:

A lady was giving her personal testimony on how Jesus made a big impact on her life and how Jesus filled her life with joy and contentment. She said further that now that Jesus is in her heart. She now will always ask Jesus to take over her sadness and other trials.

Whether we admit or not sadness and other lonesome emotions will once in a while visit us. This is normal for we are all beings with emotions. However if we have Jesus, we have nothing to worry even if these lonesome feelings will come to us.

We would know how to handle it for the simple reason that we already have Jesus in our lives. We have nothing to worry about anything that may come to us. Thus, we continue to move ahead with hope because Jesus is by our side.

Assuring us that no human affliction and emotion no matter how severe could bring us down anymore. Not even the saddest moment in our lives for we have already been renewed and poured into the fresh wineskin which is Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Thursday September 1, Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time; Luke 5:1-11

Gospel: Luke 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

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Reflection:

A married couple was being convinced by their neighbor to join them in their weekly bible sharing. The couple said that they are not worthy to be with them because they are sinners. However, the persistent neighbor told them that, nobody is perfect. He further said that all of us are sinners. For we have offended God for so many times yet God in His infinite love and mercy is persistently calling us to follow Him and eventually serve Him.

In our gospel Simon was told by Jesus to go into deep water and lower their nets. Then Simon said, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.”

Soon after they’ve caught hundreds of fish that their nets were breaking already, Simon felt that he was unworthy of the Lord and the bountiful fish that they’ve caught. So he said to Jesus: “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”

Who is worthy before the Lord? Who is qualified to follow Jesus? None of us are worthy; none of us are qualified for we are all sinners. But our sinfulness should never be an excuse for us not to follow the Lord and leave behind our life of sin.

Jesus always qualifies the unworthy, He always purify the unworthy to become worthy before His eyes. The infinite love and mercy of Jesus is always there for us ever ready to purify us no matter who we are, no matter how sinful we are. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Wednesday August 31, Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time; Luke 4:38-44

Gospel: Luke 4:38-44

After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them.

At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.

At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

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Reflection:

Have you asked Jesus to heal somebody close to you? Have you brought to Jesus a relative or a friend? Your faith and relationship with Jesus becomes more meaningful when you are able to bring/introduce someone to Him. For the reason that this means that your faith has already matured and is bearing fruit already.

In the gospel for today, Simon’s humbly asked Jesus to heal his mother in-law who was sick with fever. And right there and then Jesus went to her and immediately healed her. What if Simon did not asked Jesus to heal his mother in-law? Of course his mother in-law would not been healed but she was healed courtesy of Simon’s prayerful and humble intercession.

This act of Simon of asking Jesus to heal her mother in-law is a very good reminder for us. That we too must see to it that we also pray to Jesus to heal and enlighten someone. Many are very much in need of enlightenment and healing from Jesus. Let us not take for granted the power of our prayerful intercession for others most especially for the sick and for those who are not enlightened yet about the love of Jesus.

This is for the reason that our prayerful intercession for them can heal and change them. For example Saint Monica (the mother of Saint Augustine) she was forced to marry a non-believer but through her unceasing prayer she was able to convert her husband to the catholic faith. Saint Monica also unceasingly prayed for 17 long years for the conversion of her son Augustine who was living a life of sin at that time. And through her humble and persevering prayers she was eventually heard by God.  

We are being challenged by our gospel for today to bring someone closer to Jesus though our intercession and prayers.

Have you already brought somebody closer to Jesus? - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Tuesday August 30, Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time; Luke 4:31-37

Gospel: Luke 4:31-37

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

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Reflection:

Do you recognize the authority of Jesus over you?

When Jesus speaks He speaks with authority and being so we have to listen to Him. For example, His teachings about love, forgiveness and humility. Do we love and forgive the way Jesus loves and forgives? Do we live the virtue of humility? For example if there’s misunderstanding in the family, are we humble enough to extend our hand of forgiveness even if we are not the culprit?

In our gospel even the demon recognized the power and authority of Jesus. If the demon listens to Jesus why can’t we listen to Jesus? We don’t listen to Jesus because we prefer to listen to our own selves.

The aspect of forgiveness and humility is where we are usually weak. We usually find it hard to forgive and we find it very hard to humble ourselves. Why? Because we override the teaching of Jesus with our ego driven teachings.

We must listen to Jesus if we want peace and quiet in our lives. Otherwise there would always be an absence of peace within us and absence of harmony within our own homes. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Monday August 29, the Passion of Saint John the Baptist; Mark 6:17-29

Gospel: Mark 6:17-29

Herod was the one who had John the Baptist arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. Herodias’ own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.” He even swore many things to her, “I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request, “I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

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Reflection:

How would you react if you see an adulterous relationship? Would you simply keep your mouth shut for fear of the consequence once you speak against it? Or you courageously correct it never minding the consequence that it may bring you?

Saint John the Baptist chose the road less travelled, he denounced the adulterous relationship of King Herod and Herodias. Thus, he dearly paid for it with his life. John could just have pretended to see no evil and hear no evil. But John did not let their adulterous relationship pass by him quietly, he made noise by denouncing it.  

What if we are John?  How would we react? Would we just let it happen, be indifferent and do nothing? The problem with this kind of attitude is we are perpetuating and consenting with evil. And we all know that evil will not bring us any good. So the moral action that we must do is to correct any form of evil and immorality.

Just like what John did, this is very difficult to do but we have to do it otherwise we are consenting with evil. By correcting them we are actually leading them to the right and moral path of life. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Sunday August 28, Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time; Luke 14:1, 7-14

Gospel: Luke 14:1, 7-14

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.

He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place. Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Then he said to the host who inited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

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Reflection:

What is the advantage of a humble person over an egotistical person? The humble person never competes with anyone he is always peaceful. He does things quietly without trumpeting it to anyone. The humble one can calmly walk away from anyone without resentment even those who’ve hurt him.

 If the person that he loves has betrayed his love for her. The humble person can also quietly muster enough strength to silently leave behind his beloved and evaporate with the sunset to permanently fade away from her sight.

In the gospel for this Sunday Jesus talks about humility. Jesus tells us that if we are invited into a wedding banquet or any banquet for that matter. We should choose to seat at the back and not in the place of honor, not because we feel inferior or we have an inferiority complex.  We seat at the back for this is the right action to do, afterwards if the host would call our attention to be seated elsewhere then we should humbly follow.

What if for example a person is egotistical could he/she be converted to have the virtue of humility? Yes absolutely! He/she could be converted provided that he would be ready to follow the leadings of Jesus in his life.

This is for the reason that Jesus would always want us to be humble. And the virtue of humility if this is present in a person’s life could become his/her walkway towards Jesus.    

Strive to be humble and ask Jesus to make you humble for nothing is impossible for Him. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Saturday August 27, Saint Monica; Matthew 25:14-30

Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one– to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’”

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Reflection:

Do you recognize that Jesus has given you talent/s to help Him advance His teachings in this world?

Whether we like it or not our day of reckoning will eventually come. There He will ask us this question: What have you done to the talent/s that I have given you? Did you properly use it to help those who are in need? Did you use it to advance my teachings?

Some of us will answer in the affirmative. Others will be on the negative for the reason that we only used our God given talents for our own self interest: to earn a living and so forth. 

Others would even have excuses like: How can I use my talents for the church when I don’t know anybody there? How can I give my talents for the church when I don’t even have enough time for my family? These are valid excuses, right?

However, if there’s a will to be of service in our local churches there would be a way. God will find it for us.

The big question mark is, are we selfless enough to share the talent/s that God has only loaned to us? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Friday August 26, Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 25:1-13

Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.  At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

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Reflection:

What is the advantage of being prepared? You are always ready for what may happen during any time of the day.

In the gospel, Jesus said to his disciples: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come (John 25:13). Indeed, nobody knows the moment of His coming, that’s why it is a must that we always do good. As much as possible we must avoid doing things that would hurt us (sin) and the feelings of others especially to those who are close to us.

It is very easy to say that we will always be prepared for His coming but sometimes it is only lip service without real conviction to do so. We are easily tempted to sin again, to hurt people again, to ignore those who are in need most specially the poor.

To be egoistic and have that superiority attitude again. We are like that we are only good for a short period of time then we wrap ourselves again with sin. Why is this so and what must we do to avoid backsliding to our sinful behavior again?

We must have a continuous encounter with Jesus through our attendance at Mass, through the Sacrament of Confession, through our prayers, through reading the Bible and through our visits to the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel. For this is the only way for us to keep ourselves from backsliding into sinfulness again. – Marino J. Dasmarinas