Do You Know the Health Benefits of Eating Bamboo Shoots?/Alam Mo ba ang mga Benepisyo ng pagkain ng Labong?

 

Reflection for August 31, Thursday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 24:42-51

Gospel: Matthew 24:42-51

Jesus said to his disciples: “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. 

“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. 

But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, the servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

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Reflection:

Are you afraid to die? 

Death is like a thief in the night it comes when we least expect it. There are even people who are healthy who suddenly die without any apparent reason. That’s life it can be taken from us anytime for we don’t own it we simply are stewards of this life that we have. 

 In the gospel Jesus oddly compared the Lord to a thief who comes unexpectedly. Maybe He did this to inculcate into the stubborn minds of some of His followers the value of always doing good so that if they unexpectedly die they can still be with Him in heaven. 

This is a wake up call to all of us to change our ways for the better. Let us always remember that we too are walking on this earth on borrowed time. Our life can be taken from us anytime thus it is a must that we are always ready by doing good and by detesting sin. 

God has given us this temporary life and eventually at His appointed time He will take it away from us. We therefore have to always be prepared for we really do not know our time of departure from this world. Only God knows, God gives and God takes. 

What are you doing with your life right now? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para Agosto 31, Huwebes ng Ika-21 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Mateo 24:42-51

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 24:42-51

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa kanyang mga alagad, "Kaya magbantay kayo, sapagkat hindi ninyo alam kung anong araw paririto ang inyong Panginoon. Tandaan ninyo ito: kung alam lamang ng puno ng sambahayan kung anong oras ng gabi darating ang magnanakaw, siya'y magbabantay at hindi niya pababayaang pasukin ang kanyang bahay. Kaya maging handa kayong lagi, sapagkat darating ang Anak ng Tao sa oras na di ninyo inaasahan.  

Ang tapat at matalinong alipin ang siyang pinapamahala ng kanyang panginoon sa ibang mga alipin, upang bigyan sila ng kanilang pagkain sa karampatang panahon. Mapalad ang aliping iyon, kapag dinatnan siyang gumagawa ng gayon sa pagbabalik ng kanyang panginoon! Sinasabi ko sa inyo: pamamahalain siya ng panginoon sa lahat ng kanyang ari-arian.  

Ngunit kung masama ang aliping iyon, sasabihin niya sa sarili, 'Matatagalan pa bago magbalik ang aking panginoon, at sisimulang bugbugin ang kanyang mga kapwa alipin, at makipagkainan at makipag-inuman sa mga lasenggo. Babalik ang panginoon ng aliping iyon sa araw na hindi niya inaasahan at sa oras na hindi niya alam. Buong higpit na parurusahan siya ng panginoon, at isasama sa mga mapagpaimbabaw. Doo'y tatangis siya at magngangalit ang kanyang ngipin.

Reflection for August 30, Wednesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 23:27-32

Gospel: Matthew 23:27-32

Jesus said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing. 

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous, and you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets' blood.' Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets; now fill up what your ancestors measured out!"

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Reflection:

The story is told about a politician who possessed an exceptional ability to resonate with the pulse of the people. He spoke the language of the common people and promised them assistance if they elected him into office. To make a long story short, he was voted into office due to his glib tongue and the image he projected. However, he did not fulfill the promises he made. 

Jesus is criticizing the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees because they were only focused on outward appearances. They neglected the most important requirement: nothing less than interior purity and transformation. 

Jesus would not have minded if the scribes and Pharisees were unable to meet their self-created external standards, as long as they underwent interior cleansing and eradicated whatever would lead them to sin. However, they refused to acknowledge Jesus's constructive criticism. They even had the audacity to take offense at Jesus, which led them to plot His death. 

Somehow many of us are not alien to this self-righteous behavior of the scribes and Pharisees. Be presentable outside but neglect the more important aspect of life which is interior cleansing, renewal and transformation. 

But we still have time to rid ourselves of all the fakery, self-promotion and manipulation. And become like Jesus who served the people with utmost sincerity. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para Agosto 30, Miyerkules ng Ika-21 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Mateo 23:27-32

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 23:27-32

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus, "Sa aba ninyo, mga eskriba at mga Pariseo! Mga mapagpaimbabaw! Ang katulad ninyo'y mga libingang pinaputi, magaganda sa labas, ngunit sa loob ay puno ng kabulukan at buto ng mga patay. Ganyang-ganyan kayo! Sa paningin ng tao'y mabubuti kayo, ngunit ang totoo, punong-puno kayo ng pagpapaimbabaw at kasamaan." 

"Sa aba ninyo, mga eskriba at mga Pariseo! Mga mapagpaimbabaw! Ipinagtatayo ninyo ng mga libingan ang mga propeta at ginagayakan ang mga puntod ng mga taong namuhay nang matuwid. At sinasabi ninyo, 'Kung kami sana'y nabuhay sa kapanahunan ng aming mga ninuno, hindi namin ipapapatay ang mga propeta.' Sa sinabi ninyong iyan, inaamin ninyong kayo'y mga anak ng mga nagpapatay sa mga propeta! Sige! Tapusin ninyo ang pinasimulan ng inyong mga ninuno!

Do You Know the Health Benefits Of eating Squash?/Alam Mo ba ang Benepisyo ng pagkain ng Kalabasa?

 

Reflection for Tuesday August 29, Memorial of 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 discover an adulterous relationship? Would you simply keep quite for fear of the consequence once you speak against it? Or you courageously speak against 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 behavior is we are perpetuating and consenting to evil. And we all know that evil will not bring us any good. So the moral action that we must do is to defeat 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 to evil. By speaking out we are actually leading these people who are engaged in an adulterous relationship to the right and moral path of life. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para Martes Agosto 29, Ang Pagpapakasakit ni San Juan ang Tagapagbinyag, martir (Paggunita): Marcos 6:17-29

Mabuting Balita: Marcos 6:17-29

Noong panahong iyon, si Herodes ang nagpahuli, nagpagapos at nagpabilanggo kay Juan dahil kay Herodias. Ang babaing ito'y asawa ni Felipe kapatid ni Herodes ngunit ito'y kinakasama niya. Laging sinasabi sa kanya ni Juan, "Hindi matuwid na kunin ninyo ang asawa ng inyong kapatid." Kaya't si Herodias ay nagkimkim ng galit kay Juan. 

Hinangad niyang ipapatay ito, ngunit hindi niya ito magawa, sapagkat natatakot si Herodes kay Juan. Alam niyang ito'y taong matuwid at banal, kaya't ipinagsasanggalang niya. Gustong-gusto niyang makinig kay Juan, bagama't labis siyang nababagabag sa sinasabi nito.  Sa wakas ay nagkaroon ng pagkakataon si Herodias nang anyayahan ni Herodes sa kanyang kaarawan ang kanyang mga kagawad, mga pinuno ng hukbo, at ang mga pangunahing mamamayan ng Galilea. 

Pumasok ang anak ni Herodias at nagsayaw. Labis na nasiyahan si Herodes at mga panauhin, kaya't sinabi ng hari sa dalaga, "Hingin mo sa akin ang anumang ibig mo at ibibigay ko sa iyo." At naisumpa pa niyang ibibigay kahit ang kalahati ng kanyang kaharian kung ito ang hihilingin.   

Lumabas ang dalaga at tinanong ang kanyang ina. "Ano ang hihingin ko?" "Ang ulo ni Juan Bautista," sagot ng ina. Dali-daling nagbalik ang dalaga sa kinaroroonan ng hari. "Ang ibig ko po'y ibigay ninyo ngayon din, sa isang pinggan, ang ulo ni Juan Bautista," sabi niya. Labis na nalungkot ang hari, ngunit dahil sa kanyang sumpa na narinig ng kanyang mga panauhin, hindi niya matanggihan ang dalaga.   

Kaagad niyang iniutos sa isang bantay na dalhin sa kanya ang ulo ni Juan. Sumunod ang bantay at pinugutan si Juan sa bilangguan, inilagay ang ulo sa isang pinggan, at ibinigay sa dalaga. Ibinigay naman iyon ng dalaga sa kanyang ina. Nang mabalitaan ito ng mga alagad ni Juan, kinuha nila ang kanyang bangkay at inilibing.

Do You Know the Health Benefits of eating Watermelon?/Alam Mo ba ang Benepisyo ng pagkain ng Pakwan?

 

Do you know the health benefits of eating papaya?/Alam mo ba ang benepisyo ng pagkain ng papaya?

 

Reflection for Monday August 28, Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church: Matthew 23:13-22

Gospel: Matthew 23:13-22

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves.

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’ Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’ You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.”

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Reflection:

Do you allow your faith in Jesus to transform you to become a practicing follower?

 For example, His teaching on how many times you should forgive (Matthew 18:21). Do you follow this teaching that says that you should always be forgiving or you put limitations and conditions before you forgive? Or you appear to forgive but deep in your heart you still keep a deep seated hatred toward those who did you wrong?

Jesus in our gospel condemns in strongest terms the scribes and Pharisees because they teach but they themselves don’t follow what they teach. They do mission to convert people to their faith but when they are already converted. 

They condition and indoctrinate their minds for them to follow whatever they say. By doing so the followers don’t anymore follow the teachings of God but the self-serving teachings and caprices of their leaders.

What Jesus wants from us is to lead by example; we should mean what we say and do what we say. We should not only put lip service to what we say and profess. For example, if we say we follow Jesus it is incumbent upon us to live the life of Jesus. His life of simplicity, humility, forgiveness and so forth. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para Lunes Agosto 28, San Agustin, obispo at pantas ng Simbahan (Paggunita) : Mateo 23:13-22

Mabuting Balita: Mateo 23:13-22

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus, “Sa aba ninyo, mga eskriba at mga Pariseo! Mga mapagpaimbabaw! Hinahadlangan ninyo ang mga tao upang hindi sila mapagharian ng Diyos. Ayaw na ninyong pasakop sa paghahari ng Diyos, hinahadlangan pa ninyo ang ibig pasakop! 

“Sa aba ninyo, mga eskriba at mga Pariseo! Mga mapagpaimbabaw! Inuubos ninyo ang kabuhayan ng mga babaing balo, at ang sinasangkalan ninyo’y ang pagdarasal nang mahaba! Dahil dito’y lalo pang bibigat ang parusa sa inyo! “Sa aba ninyo, mga eskriba at mga Pariseo! Mga mapagpaimbabaw! Nilalakbay ninyo ang karagatan at ginagalugad ang buong daigdig, makahikayat lamang kayo ng kahit isang Hentil sa pananampalatayang Judio. At kung mahikayat na’y ginagawa ninyong masahol pa kaysa inyo, kaya’t nagiging ibayo ang dahilan para siya’y parusahan sa impiyerno. 

“Sa aba ninyo, mga bulag na taga-akay! Itinuturo ninyo na kung ipanumpa ninuman ang templo, walang anuman ito, ngunit kung ang ipanumpa ay ang ginto ng templo, dapat niyang tuparin ang kanyang sumpa. Mga bulag! Mga hangal! Alin ang mas mahalaga, ang ginto o ang templong nagpapabanal sa ginto? Sinasabi rin ninyo na kung ipanumpa ninuman ang dambana, walang anuman ito, ngunit kung ang ipanumpa ay ang handog na nasa dambana, dapat niyang tupdin ang kanyang sumpa. 

Mga bulag! Alin ba ang mas mahalaga, ang handog o ang dambanang nagpapabanal sa handog? Kaya nga, kapag ipinanumpa ninuman ang dambana, ipinanunumpa niya iyon at ang lahat ng handog na naroon. Kapag ipinanumpa ninuman ang templo, ipinanunumpa niya iyon at ang tumatahan doon. At kapag ipinanumpa ninuman ang langit, ipinanunumpa niya ang trono ng Diyos at ang nakaluklok doon.”

Do you know the health benefits of eating orange?/ Alam mo ba ang benepisyo ng pagkain ng orange?

 

Reflection for Sunday August 27, 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time: Matthew 16:13-20

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 

Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 

And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

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Reflection:

If Jesus were to ask us the same question that he asked his disciples—'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?'—of course, all of us would say that He is Jesus, the second person in the Trinity, and He is Jesus, the son of Joseph and Mary. These answers are what our minds would feed us.

But looking deeper into our hearts, 'Who is Jesus to us?' If we have a personal relationship with Jesus, our answer would be: He is Jesus, my God, Savior, and Friend who is always there for me.

To personally know Jesus, we need to read the Bible, especially the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Because it is in these four Gospels that we would gain an in depth knowledge of who Jesus really is. We also need to attend Holy Mass consistently because at Holy Mass Jesus is always present. 

The Word of God is read in the Liturgy of the Word, and in the Liturgy of the Eucharist, Jesus is made present by the priest through Consecration. Upon consecration, the ordinary bread and wine are transubstantiated to become the body and blood of Jesus.

If only we would read the Bible; if only we would be attentive and observant during Holy Mass. Carefully listening to the words of God being read by the lectors and to the Gospel reading being proclaimed by the priest. 

Being observant of his every movement and gesture —, if we would be like that, eventually, the grace of the Holy Spirit would be upon us. It would be the beginning of a much more profound relationship with Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

Among the disciples present, it was only Simon Peter who said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus said to him in reply, 'Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father' (Matthew 16:16-17).

It was pure grace from God that Simon Peter knew the true identity of Jesus. Among the disciples, why was Peter chosen? Maybe because Peter was always close to Jesus; he had the hunger to always be in the Lord's company.

For example, when Jesus went to the mountain to be transfigured, Peter was there (Matthew 17). When Jesus walked on water, Peter was also there, walking on water towards Jesus (Matthew 14:29). When Jesus was about to be arrested, it was Peter who defended Jesus by cutting off the ear of the soldier Malchus (John 18:10).

Peter is also the first apostle to enter the empty tomb of Jesus, (Luke 24:12). And Peter is the first apostle to whom Jesus appeared after His resurrection, (Luke 24:34). Of course Peter had his own shortcomings too because he denied Jesus but he was remorseful of his denials.

Jesus rewarded Peter by founding the Church through him: When he said 'And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it' (Matthew 16:18). This is still the same Catholic Church to which we belong right now. From Peter, who is our first Pope, to our present Pope, Pope Francis, who is the 266th successor of Peter.

After our lifetime, Jesus may ask us, 'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?' How would we answer Jesus during that time? - Marino J. Dasmarinas