1Reflection for Sunday October 2, Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time; Luke 17:5-10

Gospel: Luke 17:5-10

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

“Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’? Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

What is the character of a good and faithful servant? He/she submits to his master. And whatever lawful orders that his master tells him to do he does it even if it’s very difficult.  Therefore a servant is always obedient and faithful to his Lord and master.

Who are we in this fleeting world? We are mere servants! Who do we serve? Many of us are serving this world, for example when we work and work and we sacrifice our love and worship for God in favor of our work and other worldly preoccupations this world becomes our lord and master.

We become obedient to the dictates of this world, whatever this world would tell us we obey it without question. However, the problem is, this world is not a good lord and master. In fact this world is the worst lord and master that we could ever have.

The moment we allow this world to be our Lord and master it will hold us by our necks and never let go of us until we become slaves of this world. And when we become slaves of this world we will eventually die a life devoid of purpose.

Who then is the Lord and Master that we should follow? The same Lord and Master of the apostles whom they humbly asked to increase their faith, none other than Jesus.

Who is your Lord and Master? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Saturday October 1, Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church; Luke 10:17-24

Gospel: Luke 10:17-24

The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Why did Jesus caution the disciples not to rejoice for their human triumphs? The reason for this is there may be a tendency for the disciples to take pride with what they have achieved.

As if Jesus was telling them, when you’re doing your vocation for me. Don’t ever forget to always be humble. To always avoid singular or collective honors, for you were not called to be my followers to reap honors. You were called to bring people to me no other reason but to bring your fellowmen to me.

 

This also is very much applicable for us. Let us not rejoice because we have brought people closer to Christ. Let us not rejoice because we have influenced our fellowmen to read the bible, to go to Holy Mass or to take seriously their faith.

If we follow to the letter this directive of Jesus, we leave no room for the sin of pride and arrogance to take foothold in our lives. And what will remain? Humility only humility and this must always be our guiding light. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Friday September 30, Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church; Luke 10:13-16

Gospel: Luke 10:13-16

Jesus said to them, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’ Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Do you listen to Jesus’ call of repentance?

 Repentance is a perpetual call from Jesus and we must listen to Him. What will happen if we will not listen?  There would be punishment and it will not certainly come from God; punishment will originate from the outcome of our sinfulness.

For example a woman who had been advised by her relatives to stop her adulterous affair. Instead of listening to her relative’s admonition he persisted. Eventually they were caught by their respected spouses; you can just imagine the punishment that they'll receive.

There’s a lot more examples of those who did not listen, so they received their deserved punishment. Punishment which did not come from God, It originated from their stubbornness and refusal to heed God’s call of repentance.

So why not repent and listen to the voice of God who always calls us every minute of the day to change our ways for the better? Are we not afraid of the punishment that is surely forthcoming?

In the church true repentance happens when we humbly submit ourselves to the Sacrament of Confession. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Thursday September 29, Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels; John 1:47-51

Gospel: John 1:47-51

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.”Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Do you believe that Jesus knows you very well? Many will not believe but the truth of the matter is Jesus knows each and everyone of us very well. What we are thinking right now Jesus knows about it also!

 If Jesus knows everything about us why is it that he doesn’t intervene whenever we are in the verge of committing sin?  This is for the reason that God gave us the freewill or the freedom of choice to do what we want to do.

However the moment we strive to get closer to Jesus. For example we religiously attend Holy Mass. We spend time to read the Holy Bible and practice His teachings, we surely would feel the movement of Jesus in our lives. We therefore invite Jesus to take an active part in our life when we strive to get close to Him.

In the gospel Nathanael was surprised that Jesus knew him in advance. But looking at the life of Nathanael it comes without surprise that Jesus knew him beforehand. This is for the reason that Nathanael was also a man who was quietly seeking and thinking about God.

Do you want to feel the intervention of Jesus in your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Reflection for Wednesday September 28, Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time; Luke 9:57-62

Gospel: Luke 9:57-62

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

How do you follow the Lord inside the Sacrament of Matrimony? You follow the Lord by being faithful to your marriage vows. We know for a fact that the priest who marries the husband and wife does it in the person of Jesus Christ. Therefore the two persons  becomes one through the Sacrament of Matrimony courtesy of Jesus.

However, no marriage is made in heaven, every marriage goes through the fire of trials and tribulations. But if both spouses are serious in following the Lord through the Sacrament of Matrimony. Both spouses should always find it in their hearts to forgive whatever offenses that was committed against them.

This simply means that there should always be a sacred room for forgiveness in the heart of hearts of married couples. This is for the reason that married couples are not perfect, in fact both are flawed individuals united by Jesus in the Sacrament of Matrimony.

Therefore, forgiveness must be one of those select requirements for both husband and wife if they want to follow the Lord. But forgiveness doesn’t come cheap, it comes with a very high price tag.

 However, if the Lord is present their union and if both spouses are serious in their desire to follow the Lord. There would always be love, forgiveness and humility until they breathe their last. -  Marino J. Dasmarinas