Reflection for Wednesday August 9, Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 15:21-28

Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28

At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, "Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon." But he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, "Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us." He said in reply, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But the woman came and did him homage, saying, "Lord, help me." He said in reply, "It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters." Then Jesus said to her in reply, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed from that hour.

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Reflection:

How strong is your faith in the Good Lord?

Our faith is always measured by our persistence. No matter how impossible our petition before God if we will persist and never give up God shall grant us what we wish for.

This was proven by the Canaanite woman who never gave up on Jesus to heal her daughter (Tormented by a demon). She persisted no matter the rejection by Jesus until He saw her great faith. If the woman easily gave up her daughter would have not been healed by Jesus but she persisted with faith, then Jesus granted the wish of her heart.

We too have our own request before God; we may have been praying before Jesus for something and He may seem deaf to our pleadings. Let us not give up for He will grant us what we want in His own perfect time. Let us work silently, let us be patient and let us continue to pray for His guidance.  

Work for what you want to have in your life, never give up, continue to pray and ask God to grant your prayers. He shall surely smile at you someday so long as you never quit. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for Tuesday August 8, Saint Dominic, Priest: Matthew 14:22-36

Gospel: Matthew 14:22-36

Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side of the sea, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. "It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." Peter said to him in reply, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" After they got into the boat, the wind died down. those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God."

After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret. When the men of that place recognized him, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought to him all those who were sick and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak, and as many as touched it were healed.

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Reflection:

Do you have a diminishing faith?

The gospel for today introduces us to a disciple who has diminishing faith. That disciple is Peter; he wanted to go to Jesus and walk on water as well. He was actually able to do it but after a few moments he started to sink because he lacked faith. What prompted Peter to doubt? It was the big waves that were coming onto him.

On the latter part of the gospel we also see the huge faith of the people of Gennesaret. After hearing of the information that Jesus is in their town they brought all of their sick to HIM. Jesus never failed them; all of their sick were cured.

If we would reflect deeply on the gospel today; we may see ourselves in the person of Peter whose faith is diminishing. We may also see ourselves as one of the nameless people of Gennesaret who never wavered on their faith in Jesus. We need to have faith in the midst of the many problems that threatens us everyday otherwise we may end up like Peter who was nearly swallowed by the sea.  

If your faith is diminishing humbly ask the Good Lord to increase your faith for He doesn’t fail anyone who humbly ask for His help. -  Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Monday August 7, Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 14:13-21

Gospel: Matthew 14:13-21

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, "This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves." He said to them, "There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves." But they said to him, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have here." Then he said, "Bring them here to me," and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over– twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.

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Reflection:

Once in a while we need to withdraw from the madding crowd to be by ourselves only and God. We need these regular quite moments with God for us to discern His presence in our lives.

Upon learning of the beheading of His relative John the Baptist Jesus went to a deserted place by himself for personal reflections. He was sad over the death of His relative and He wanted to be re-harged and be strengthened by God.

We also need these brief interludes of peace and quite in which there’s nobody else except us and God.  And it’s on these quite moments that we will strongly feel the presence of the Lord in our lives. Who invite us all who are thirsty and weary to go to Him for He will strengthen us. 

Let us not get hooked on the deafening environment of this noisy world wherein money, possessions and power rules and even worshipped by many as God. Let us dig deeper into our spiritual lives and let us discover that beneath our mortal life is the Lord God who wishes to spiritually strengthen us with His infinite love.

After His solitary recollection Jesus was again ready to continue His mission His first act is to cure the sick who were following Him.

The disciples wanted to get rid of them that’s why they said to Jesus: “Dismiss the crowd for it’s getting late already (Matthew 14:15). However, Jesus told them: “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves (Matthew 14:16).” Then the miracle of the loaves and fish happened; there were only five loaves and two fish but Jesus was able to feed more than five thousand and there were plenty to spare. 

How did this miracle happen? It happened because of the generosity and love of Jesus if we are stingy with what we have, if we don’t want to give even if we have plenty.  Jesus is not like many of us.

Jesus is forever generous and loving to us that is why out of His generosity and love He instituted the Eucharist or the Holy Mass and up to this very day He continuous to feed us with His Body and Blood when we receive Him in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

Let us learn from the generosity and love of Jesus, let us forever give, let us all remember that it is in our generosity and love that we will receive. -  Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Sunday, August 6; Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord; Matthew 17:1-9

Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and do not be afraid." And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, "Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

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Reflection:

Do you want to be in heaven when your journey in this world is over? Of course you want to be in heaven only a fool would say that he doesn’t want to be in heaven.  Would you be willing to sacrifice something of yourself for you to go to heaven? Let us say, even a little bit of your comfortable life.

The episode of the Transfiguration of the Good Lord clearly tell us that there is heaven. And we should aspire to be heaven bound and not hell bound someday. However, there is no free ride going to heaven you have to sweat it out for you to go to heaven.

Many of us may be afraid to sweat it out for the simple reason that sweating it out would require for us to sacrifice something of ourselves. But what is sacrifice in exchange of heaven, what is sacrifice in exchange of everlasting life and what is sacrifice when you’ll be in the kingdom of God?

After the fleeting heavenly experience of Peter, James and John they descended back to this world. To face their respective share of sacrifice for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. They could have easily avoided the sacrifice by detaching themselves from their Lord and Master. But they chose to stick it out with Jesus in spite of all the hardships and trials.

What sacrifice/s for the advancement of the Kingdom of God are you willing to face head on so that you could also be in heaven someday? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Saturday August 5, Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 14:1-12

Gospel: Matthew 14:1-12

Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him. Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for John had said to him “It is not lawful for you to have her. Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people, for they regarded him as a prophet. But at a birthday celebration for Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and delighted Herod so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist. The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. His disciples came and took away the corpse and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.

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Reflection:

There is a saying that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. King Herod is an example of a man who was corrupted by his absolute power. He allowed his power to rule over him and not him ruling over his power. Otherwise if King Herod was in control of his power he would have not ordered the beheading of John.

When a leader allows his power to get into his head he would do many foolish things. For example, he may act as if he is more powerful than God by saying words and doing things that are inconceivable for a normal person to say and do.

In the gospel we have a character named King Herod he is a perfect example of a leader who is drunk with power. His power made him arrogant and it made him act as if he is more powerful than God for the reason that he ordered the killing of John. But we also know that those who arrogantly abuse power suffers defeat at the end.   

So what is the lesson for us here? Simple, we should not abuse the power that we hold otherwise we will have to pay for it someday. As they say, what goes around comes around. In other words this simply tell us that whatever evil that we do today brought about by our abuse of power will eventually catch up with us someday. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Friday August 4, Saint John Vianney, Priest: Matthew 13:54-58

Gospel: Matthew 13:54-58

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, "Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter's son' Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas' Are not his sisters all with us' Where did this man get all this?" And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house." And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

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Reflection:

Unbelief ruled the feelings of Jesus’ town mates towards Him because they were familiar with Him. To them He was just a carpenter’s son; they know Him so well that they were full of skepticism with His miraculous actions and moving teachings.

But looking deeper into their motives we can also see that they were envious of the adulation that Jesus gets from the people. This is the reality of life there really are people who are envious of the success of their fellowmen. It happened to Jesus and it’s still happening right now.

Envy and scorn are unhealthy emotion that muddle one’s mind and heart and it prevents a person from achieving a positive outlook in his own life.

Jesus knew of their envy, scorn and lack of faith that’s why He did not perform much miracle in His native place. If only they were not envious and scornful of Jesus, if only they were not lacking in faith they could have witnessed and even received many miracles from Jesus.

We must always have faith in Jesus and we must discard any envious feelings toward anyone from within our hearts. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Thursday August 3, Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 13:47-53

Gospel: Matthew13:47-53

Jesus said to the disciples: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."

"Do you understand all these things?" They answered, "Yes." And he replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old." When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

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Reflection:

A mother was pleading to her son to straighten-up his life. But the son would pretend not to hear the pleadings of his mother. So he continued to commit sin until he grew old and eventually died. After dying the son was immediately whisked into hell by the devil.

Hell and the devil is not only an afterlife reality, it’s also a present life reality. We would become a close confidant of the Devil and taste hell in this present life if we continue to sin. We will have no peace of mind; our lives would be problematic. The root cause of this problematic life is our refusal to leave behind sin.

Our gospel for today clearly states this: “Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth (Matthew 13:49-50).”

There’s a hellish price for our sinfulness. But why suffer the grievous price of sin when we can walk-a-way from it?  Why not walk away from sin now, right now. – Marino J. Dasmarinas