Reflection for January 16, Monday of the Second Week in O.T; Mark 2:18-22

Gospel Mark 2:18-22

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to Jesus and objected, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast? Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them and then they will fast on that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

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Reflection:

What is wineskin? Wineskin is a dried goat or sheep’s skin used as a container for wine this is perhaps the equivalent of wine bottle or wine drum today. What is the relevance of the new wineskin which represents Jesus?

By our sinfulness we become the old wine that is not fit to be poured into the new wineskin. Yet if we desire to be poured into the new wineskin we have to decide to leave behind our old sinful lives.

Thus we become new wine that is very much appropriate for the new wineskin. And the moment we are poured into this new wineskin we become secure in other words the new wineskin which is Jesus Himself becomes our security blanket.

Jesus is always offering Himself to us so that we could have a secure life in this world. What He only asks from us is to leave behind our sinfulness and that’s it, Jesus now becomes our security blanket.

Has sin done you any good? No it did no good to you and it will never do good to you! You therefore have to leave it behind so that you could journey in this world hand in hand with your new wineskin and your security blanket which is none other than Jesus. -  Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Sunday January 15, Feast of the Sto. Nino; Matthew 18:1-5, 10

Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10

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 humbles himself 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.”

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Reflection:

Why did the disciples ask Jesus: “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” Were they expecting that Jesus would tell them that they’re the greatest in the kingdom of heaven because they are His disciples?

Instead, Jesus called a child and said: “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”

The key that will unlock for us the kingdom of heaven is the humility of a child that we must always emulate. The key that will invite the grace of the Holy Spirit upon us is the same childlike humility.

 It’s no brainer to ask why a child and not an adult?  Unlike adults, children have the simplest and purest minds. Children are not tainted by any form of sin and they are docile humble and obedient. Adults like us are sinful we defy God’s commandments to satisfy our whims and caprices.

As we celebrate the Feast of the Child Jesus or the Santo Nino we are also gently reminded that the children of today are not anymore like the children of yesteryear. Compared to children born forty or thirty or twenty years ago, children today are exposed to gadgets and internet. Gadgets and internet that sometimes corrupts their pure minds.  What intervention can you do to help these children being corrupted by gadgets and internet?

Due to the harshness of life many of our children today are also more exposed to poverty. Just look around and you will see. What intervention can you do to help these children being exposed to poverty? -  Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Sunday January 15, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time; John 1:29-34

Gospel: John 1:29-34

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.' I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel." John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."

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Reflection:

Sickness if not treated could eventually be fatal it could kill us because it will gradually defeat our immune system. Sin like sickness if not healed early could also lead to fatal consequence such as spiritual death. Wherein a person will have no more qualms of committing sin until he/she dies.

When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, he said this: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. John recognized the true identity of Jesus because he lived the virtue of humility to the hilt. There was no fakery and pretension, it was authentic humility.

We also always hear these words of John when we go to Holy Mass. The priest raises the Sacred Host and pronounces these very words of John at Holy Mass before Holy Communion as the faithful kneel and fix its gaze upon it with deep reverence.

Jesus will heal us from all of our sins no matter how grave. But we have to humble ourselves before Him. This kind of humble demeanor without a doubt is with John thus John was able to recognize the majesty of Jesus over anyone else.        

We will never recognize the magnificence of Jesus if we don’t have humility. And we will never fully grasp the reason why John called Jesus the lamb of God. If we are not ready to strip ourselves with anything that is contrary to the virtue of humility. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for January 14, Saturday of the First Week in O.T; Mark 2:13-17

Gospel Mark 2:13-17

Jesus went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed Jesus. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus heard this and said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

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Reflection:

How can we evangelize sinners and bring them closer to Jesus? The answer is very simple, by not judging them and by showing them the love of Jesus.

There are sinners because there are people who don’t care to show the language of love by Jesus. The language of forgiveness, the language of not judging them for what they do. However, the moment we dare show them the language of love, of forgiveness and of not being judgmental. Expect these sinners to walk away from their sinfulness sooner or later.

In the gospel the language of love, of forgiveness and of not being judgmental we can see in the actions of Jesus towards the sinful tax collector Levi. Jesus went to him not minding Levi’s reputation, Jesus even went to Levi’s house to mingle and break bread with him and his fellow sinners.  This is the only way that we can convert sinners.

We cannot convert sinners by judging them as good for nothing and beyond redemption. We cannot convert sinners by bluntly telling them to walk away from their sinfulness or they would die or be imprisoned. And we cannot convert sinners by not showing them the love, forgiveness and gentleness of Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for January 13, Friday of the First Week in O.T; Mark 2:1-12

Gospel Mark 2:1-12

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth” –he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.” He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

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Reflection:

Are you humble enough to admit that you’re a sinner?

We have in our gospel a paralytic who is also a sinner;   in the midst of great odds four men brought him to Jesus. It did not matter to them if they have to climb the roof and broke thru it. Knowing their own frailties the four men and the paralytic himself summoned every ounce of courage that they have to be in-front of Jesus. What an expression of faith, what an expression of hunger to be forgiven by Jesus and what an expression of humility.

The faith of the paralytic and also those who helped him eventually paid off for Jesus forgave him of his many sins. Not only that he was forgiven by Jesus he got a bonus because he was also physically healed of physical sickness.

We may not be aware of this but our spirits longs to be forgiven and healed by Jesus as well through the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession. We may not be aware also that the sins that we have committed are the ones that prevent us more blessings from Jesus.

It takes great courage, effort and tons of humility to approach your priest and ask for his time in confession. If we humbly submit ourselves to this healing Sacrament we would receive enormous spiritual and physical blessings. Let us therefore be like the paralytic and his four companions who braved the great odds just to be near Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas       

Reflection for January 12, Thursday of the First Week in O.T; Mark 1:40-45

Gospel Mark 1:40-45

A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

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Reflection:

What moves you to go to Jesus?

The leper went to Jesus knelled down and begged Jesus by saying, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” And immediately the leper was healed by Jesus. You may ask, what moved the leper to ask Jesus to heal him?

Was it his grave sickness? No, his leprosy is not the driving force that moved him to seek the help of Jesus. It was something far bigger than his sickness and it was the leper’s deep reservoir of faith in Jesus! Otherwise if he does not have faith he wouldn’t have went to Jesus.  And what drove Jesus to heal the leper? Was it His leprosy? No it was not his leprosy that moved Jesus to heal him. It was the leper’s great faith in Him!

What brings us to Jesus and why do we pray to Jesus? Do we pray to Jesus because of our problems? Are we doing this because of our sickness? Our sickness and our problems must not be the primary reason why we go in prayer to Jesus. It must always be our deep faith in Him!

Let us always see to it that our faith is always the main driving force why we want to commune with Jesus. For the reason that the more that we are driven by faith to go to Jesus. The bigger our chance of being heard by Him.

What moves you to pray to Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for January 11, Wednesday of the First Week in O.T; Mark 1:29-39

Gospel: Mark 1:29-39

On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.”  So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

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Reflection:

Jesus is an itinerant Healer and Preacher He is always on the go He wants to cover as much land as He could so that He could touch more lives. This is what the people in the gospel didn't understand.

They wanted to keep Jesus to themselves and Jesus would have none of their selfish attitudes.So after healing a lot of people including the mother in-law of Simon Jesus moved-on to other towns to share His ministry.

Our gift of knowing Jesus must not only rest within us. We must share Him with others whoever they may be.  Share Jesus in what way? Share Him through your words and actions. If you are not good with words share Him through your acts of kindness, love, forgiveness and gentleness.

Many have superficial idea of Jesus because we don’t care to teach and live His teachings. What a blessing it would be for you and those that you interact with if you would care to share Jesus.

Lest you forget you are called to humbly work in the vineyard of the Lord no matter who you are and no matter the sins that you have committed. Your sinful past is immaterial already what is important for Jesus is your here and now. – Marino J. Dasmarinas