Gospel: John 8:1-11
My Reflections...
Short, Simple and Personal reflections on the daily Holy Mass Gospel. I provide talks.
LET US PRAY FOR THE HEALING OF POPE FRANCIS.
Thursday, April 03, 2025
Reflection for April 6 Fifth Sunday of Lent: John 8:1-11
Gospel: John 8:1-11
Ang Mabuting Balita at Repleksyon para sa Abril 6 Ikalimang Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Juan 8:1-11
Wednesday, April 02, 2025
Reflection for April 3 Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent: John 5:31-47
He was a burning and shining lamp, and for a while you
were content to rejoice in his light. But I have testimony greater than John’s.
The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform
testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. Moreover, the Father who sent
me has testified on my behalf.
But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form,
and you do not have his word remaining in you, because you do not believe in
the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures, because you think you have
eternal life through them; even they testify on my behalf. But you do not want
to come to me to have life.
“I do not accept human praise; moreover, I know that
you do not have the love of God in you. I came in the name of my Father, but
you do not accept me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will accept
him. How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another and do not
seek the praise that comes from the only God?
Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father:
the one who will accuse you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. For if
you had believed Moses, you would have believed me, because he wrote about me.
But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
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Reflection:
How are you
as a witness for Jesus? Do you live and share His teachings? A good witness for
Jesus is someone who walks with Him through all the seasons of his/her life.
What do you gain from witnessing for Jesus? There will be times when you are ridiculed. It doesn’t matter, because everything is worth it for Jesus, including ridicule and chastisement. You may not immediately see the fruits of your witness for Jesus, but in His perfect time, you shall harvest them.
In our Gospel, Jesus mentions John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Him. John told those who were acclaiming him as the Messiah that he was not. He declared that someone greater was coming after him, and that person was Jesus.
John was an effective witness for Jesus because he did not take credit for what belonged to the Lord. He was content to fade away so that Jesus would be glorified. Through John’s witness for Jesus, we learn valuable lessons about witnessing and humility.
Humility is
one of the greatest—if not the greatest—virtues we can cultivate to effectively
bring and lead others to Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Ang Mabuting Balita Abril 3 Huwebes sa Ikaapat na Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Juan 5:31-47
Si Juan ay parang maningas na ilaw na nagliliwanag noon, at kayo'y sandaling nasiyahan sa kanyang liwanag. Ngunit may patotoo sa akin na higit sa patotoo ni Juan: ang mga gawaing ipinagagawa sa akin ng Ama, at siya ko namang ginaganap -- iyan ang patotoo na ako'y sinugo niya. At ang Amang nagsugo sa akin ay nagpapatotoo rin tungkol sa akin.
Kailanma'y hindi ninyo narinig ang kanyang tinig, at nakita ang kanyang anyo. Walang pitak sa inyong puso ang kanyang salita, sapagkat hindi kayo nananalig sa akin na sinugo niya. Sinasaliksik ninyo ang Kasulatan, sa paniwalang doon ninyo matatagpuan ang buhay na walang hanggan. Ang mga ito ang nagpapatotoo tungkol sa akin, ngunit ayaw naman ninyong lumapit sa akin upang kayo'y magkaroon ng buhay.
"Hindi ako naghahangad ng parangal ng mga tao. Ngunit kilala ko kayo; alam kong wala kayong pag-ibig sa Diyos. Naparito ako sa ngalan ng aking Ama, at ayaw ninyo akong tanggapin. Kung may ibang pumarito sa kanyang sariling pangalan, siya'y inyong tatanggapin. Ang hinahangad ninyo'y ang parangal ng isa't isa, at hindi ang parangal na nanggagaling sa iisang Diyos; paano kayong makapaniniwala?
Huwag ninyong isiping ako ang magsasakdal sa Ama laban sa inyo; si Moises na inaasahan ninyo ang siyang maghaharap ng sakdal laban sa inyo. Kung talagang pinaniniwalaan ninyo si Moises, ako'y paniniwalaan din sana ninyo, sapagkat sumulat siya tungkol sa akin. Ngunit kung hindi ninyo pinaniniwalaan ang mga sinulat niya, paano ninyong paniniwalaan ang mga sinasabi ko?"
Tuesday, April 01, 2025
Reflection for April 2 Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent: John 5:17-30
Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed.
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself.
And he gave him power to exercise judgment because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation.
“I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.”
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Reflection:
Do you believe that Jesus and the Father are one? The critics of Jesus did not believe in this oneness of the Father and the Son because their mindset was based on human understanding, which is always subject to limitations.
What separates us from the critics of Jesus in our Gospel? We believe in the oneness of the Father and the Son. We believe because we have faith—faith that is not limited to what our eyes can see and our ears can hear.
If our faith is confined only to what we can see and hear, then it is not true faith, because deep faith requires believing even without seeing. Through our faith in both the Father and the Son, we are able to discover many truths about our Catholic faith. We also grow in faith and deepen our knowledge of our universal Church.
Perhaps some of us may ask, Why am I not growing in faith? The answer is that we may lack something—perhaps it is our faithful adherence to the teachings of our universal Church.
For example, we may lack adherence to the indissolubility of the Sacrament of Matrimony, the sanctity of human life, the healing and cleansing value of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and many other teachings of our Catholic faith. We will certainly not grow in faith if we do not believe in these teachings.
Do you believe in the oneness of the Son and the Father? And do you also believe in and practice the teachings of our Catholic faith?—Marino J. Dasmarinas
Ang Mabuting Balita Abril 2 Miyerkules sa Ikatlong Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Juan 5:17-30
Monday, March 31, 2025
Reflection for April 1 Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent: John 5:1-16
The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.
Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” He answered them, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’“ They asked him, “Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there.
After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, “Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.
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Reflection:
Is there a relationship between sickness and sin? Based on the pronouncements of Jesus in the Gospel, there is.
The man who had been sick for thirty-eight long years was asked by Jesus, “Do you want to be well?” (John 5:6). The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.”
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” (John 5:7-8). Then, in the latter part of the Gospel, Jesus said to the healed man, “Look, you are well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may happen to you.” (John 5:14).
We may not realize it, but many of our sicknesses are brought about by our sins. For example, the sins of greed, anger, and gluttony. In many ways, greed and anger are among the triggers for illnesses such as high blood pressure. The same is true of gluttony—overindulging in any kind of food will eventually make us sick in the long run.
Let us therefore repent of our sins and avoid them thereafter. The moment we repent through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we will be free from guilt and surely free from the possession of the devil, which sometimes disguises itself as sickness.
Let us therefore discard sin from our lifestyle so that we will have a much clearer picture of the presence of the Lord in our lives. — Marino J. Dasmarinas
Ang Mabuting Balita Abril 1 Martes sa Ikaapat na Linggo ng Kuwaresma : Juan 5:1-16
Ang maunang lumusong pagkatapos makalawkaw ang tubig ay
gumagaling, anuman ang kanyang karamdaman. Doon ay may isang lalaking
tatlumpu't walong taon nang may sakit, at siya'y nakita ni Hesus. Alam nitong
matagal nang may sakit ang lalaki. Tinanong siya ni Hesus, "Ibig mo bang
gumaling?" Sumagot ang maysakit, "Ginoo, wala pong maglusong sa akin
kapag nakalawkaw na ang tubig; patungo pa lamang ako roon ay may nauuna na sa
akin."
Sinabi sa kanya ni Jesus, "Tumindig ka, dalhin mo ang iyong
higaan, at lumakad ka." At pagdaka'y gumaling ang lalaki, dinala ang
kanyang higaan, at lumakad. Noo'y Araw ng Pamamahinga. Kaya't sinabi ng mga
Judio sa lalaking pinagaling, "Araw ng Pamamahinga ngayon! Labag sa
Kautusan na dalhin mo ang iyong higaan." Ngunit sumagot siya, "Ang
nagpagaling sa akin ang nagsabing dalhin ko ang aking higaan at lumakad
ako."
At siya'y tinanong nila, "Sino ang nagsabi sa iyong dalhin mo
ang iyong higaan at lumakad ka?" Ngunit hindi nakilala ng lalaki kung sino
ang nagpagaling sa kanya, sapagkat nawala na si Hesus sa karamihan ng tao.
Pagkatapos, nakita ni Hesus sa loob ng templo ang lalaki at
sinabihan, "Magaling ka na ngayon! Huwag ka nang magkakasala at baka may
mangyari sa iyo na lalo pang masama." Umalis ang lalaki at sinabi sa mga
Judio na si Hesus ang nagpagaling sa kanya. Dahil dito, si Jesus ay sinimulang
usigin ng mga Judio, sapagkat nagpagaling siya sa Araw ng Pamamahinga.
Sunday, March 30, 2025
Reflection for March 31 Monday of the fourth Week of Lent: John 4:43-54
Then he returned to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, who was near death.
Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The royal official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. While the man was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, “The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.”
The father
realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,”
and he and his whole household came to believe. Now this was the second sign
Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea.
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Reflection:
How profound
is your faith in Jesus?
To have faith
is to believe in something you do not see yet. The official in the Gospel who
begged Jesus to heal his sick son had this kind of faith. He wanted Jesus to go
and personally heal his son, who was near death at that time.
But Jesus did
not grant his request. Instead, He simply told the official, “Go; your son will
live.” So the man went home without Jesus but with faith in His words in his
heart. When he arrived home, he found that his son was already recovering.
Believing in
something we do not see yet is very difficult, especially for those with feeble
faith. But for those who have faith, they will believe no matter the odds
against them. If the official in our Gospel had not believed in Jesus, his son
surely would not have been healed. But he believed!
We all have our own petitions before the Lord. He asks nothing from us but to have faith, for He will take care of everything. What are your petitions before Jesus? Simply believe, have faith, and work for it as well—for He will never fail you.—Marino J. Dasmarinas
Ang Mabuting Balita Marso 31 Lunes sa Ikaapat na Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Juan 4:43-54
Nagpunta uli si Hesus sa Cana, Galilea. Doon niya ginawang alak ang tubig. Doon naman sa Capernaum ay may isang mataas na pinuno ng Pamahalaan; at may sakit ang kanyang anak na lalaki. Nang mabalitaan niyang bumalik si Jesus sa Galilea mula sa Judea, pinuntahan niya ito.
Pinakiusapan niya itong pumunta sa Capernaum at pagalingin ang kanyang anak na naghihingalo. Sinabi sa kanya ni Hesus, "Hangga't hindi kayo nakakikita ng mga palatandaan at mga kababalaghan, hindi kayo mananampalataya." Ngunit sinabi ng pinuno, "Tayo na po, Ginoo, bago mamatay ang aking anak." Sumagot si Jesus, "Umuwi na kayo; magaling na ang inyong anak."
Naniwala ang lalaki sa salita ni Hesus, at umuwi nga siya. Sa daan pa'y sinalubong na siya ng kanyang mga alipin at sinabing magaling na ang kanyang anak. Tinanong niya sila, "Anong oras siya gumaling?" Siya po'y inibsan ng lagnat kahapong mag-aala-una ng hapon," tugon nila. Naalaala ng ama na noong oras na iyon sinabi sa kanya ni Hesus, "Magaling na ang iyong anak." Kaya't siya at ang kanyang buong sambahayan ay sumampalataya kay Hesus.
Ito ang pangalawang kababalaghang
ginawa ni Hesus sa Galilea pagpunta niya roon buhat sa Judea.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Reflection for March 30 Fourth Sunday of Lent: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’”
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Reflection:
What if the prodigal son had not decided to go back to his father?
It is certain that he could have ended up in a very problematic situation. But he returned because he realized his mistake. He returned because he desperately wanted to once again feel the unconditional love of his father.
This parable is also for us who are like the prodigal son. Jesus is inviting us all to repent of our own sinfulness and return to Him. He wants us to know that He is there, eternally waiting for us—ever ready to embrace us again with His unconditional love and forgiveness.
Where would we go if we do not return to Jesus? Should we embrace this world? This world will only lead us to sin. This world cannot give us peace of mind for the simple reason that only God can give us true peace.
When the prodigal son decided to return, he knew that nothing compares to the love of his father. He knew that his father would still accept him without any questions asked.
We are the
modern-day prodigal sons, and Jesus wants to embrace us with His unconditional
love. — Marino J. Dasmarinas
Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Marso 30 Ikaapat na Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Lucas 15:1-3, 11-32
Kaya’t sinabi sa kanila ni Hesus ang talinghagang ito: “Isang tao ang may dalawang anak na lalaki. Ang wika ng bunso, ‘Ama, ibigay na po ninyo sa akin ang mamanahin ko.’ At binahagi sa kanila ng ama ang kanyang ari-arian. Pagkalipas ng ilang araw, ipinagbili ng bunso ang kanyang ari-arian at nagtungo sa malayong lupain, taglay ang buo niyang kayamanan, at doo’y nilustay na lahat sa di wastong pamumuhay.
Nang malustay na niya ang kanyang kayamanan, nagkaroon ng matinding taggutom sa lupaing yaon, at nagdalita siya. Kaya’t namasukan siya sa isang mamamayan ng lupain yaon. Siya’y pinapunta nito sa bukid upang mag-alaga ng baboy. Ibig sana niyang punan ang kanyang pagkain kahit ng mga bungang-kahoy na ipinakakain sa mga baboy ngunit walang magbigay sa kanya.
Nang mapag-isip-isip niya ang kanyang ginawa, nasabi niya sa sarili, ‘Ang mga alila ng aking ama ay may sapat na pagkain – at lumalabis pa – samantalang ako’y namamatay ng gutom dito! Babalik ako sa kanya, at sasabihin ko, “Ama, nagkasala po ako sa Diyos at sa inyo. Hindi na po ako karapat-dapat na tawagin ninyong anak; ibilang na lamang ninyo akong isa sa inyong mga alila.”, At tumindig siya at pumaroon sa kanyang ama.
“Malayo
pa’y natanawan na siya ng ama at ito’y labis na nahabag sa kanya, kaya’t
patakbo siyang sinalubong, niyakap, at hinagkan. Sinabi ng anak, ‘Ama,
nagkasala po ako sa Diyos at sa inyo. Hindi na po ako karapat-dapat na tawagin
ninyong anak.’ Ngunit tinawag ng ama ang kanyang mga alila, ‘Madali! Dalhin
ninyo rito ang pinakamahusay na damit at isuot sa kanya.
Suutan siya ng singsing at panyapak. Kunin ang pinatabang guya at patayain; kumain tayo at magsaya! Sapagkat namatay na ang anak kong ito; ngunit muling nabuhay; nawala, ngunit nasumpungan.’ At sila’y nagsaya.
"Nasa bukid noon ang anak na panganay. Umuwi siya, at nang malapit na sa bahay ay narinig niya ang tugtugan at sayawan. Tinawag niya ang isa sa mga alila at tinanong: 'Bakit? May ano sa atin?' Dumating po ang inyong kapatid!' tugon ng alila. 'Ipinapatay ng iyong ama ang pinatabang guya, sapagkat nagbalik siyang buhay at walang sakit.'
Nagalit ang panganay at ayaw itong pumasok sa bahay. Kaya't lumabas ang kanyang ama at inamu-amo siya. Ngunit sinabi nito, 'Pinaglingkuran ko po kayo sa loob ng maraming taon, at kailanma'y hindi ko kayo sinuway. Ngunit ni minsa'y hindi ninyo ako binigyan ng kahit isang bisirong kambing para magkatuwaan kami ng aking mga kaibigan.
Subalit nang dumating ang anak ninyong lumustay ng inyong kabuhayan sa masasamang babae, ipinagpatay pa ninyo ng pinatabang guya!' Sumagot ang ama, 'Anak, lagi kitang kapiling. Lahat ng ari-arian ko'y sa iyo. Ngunit dapat tayong magsaya at magalak, sapagkat namatay na ang kapatid mo, ngunit muling nabuhay; nawala, ngunit nasumpungan.
Reflection for March 29 Saturday of the Third Week of Lent: Luke 18:9-14
The Pharisee
took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that
I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even
like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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Reflection:
Is humility part and parcel of your way of life?
Aside from Jesus, there are two main characters in this Gospel: the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee is an educated believer who seriously observes and teaches God’s law, while the tax collector is known to be greedy, corrupt, and sinful. They both went to the temple to pray.
The Pharisee was self-righteous. He claimed that he was not greedy, unjust, or adulterous. He was so sure of his goodness, holiness, and perhaps even his own salvation that he despised the tax collector.
The tax collector, on the other hand, was a repentant sinner who did not dare to raise his eyes to heaven. Remorsefully beating his breast, he kept asking God for forgiveness.
Jesus said, "The tax collector went home at peace with God." And the Pharisee? He did not gain any favor from God because he was self-righteous and proud.
This Gospel
is a good reminder for all of us who are self-righteous, proud, or egotistical.
It is also for those who look down on their fellowmen simply because they are
rich and learned. — Marino J. Dasmarinas
Ang Mabuting Balita Marso 29 Sabado sa Ikatlong Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Lucas 18:9-14
Tumindig ang Pariseo at pabulong na
nanalangin ng ganito: 'O Diyos, nagpapasalamat ako sa iyo pagkat hindi ako
katulad ng iba -- mga magnanakaw, mga mandaraya, mga mangangalunya -- o kaya'y
katulad ng publikanong ito.
Makalawa
akong nag-aayuno sa loob ng sanlinggo; nagbibigay ako ng ikapu ng lahat kong
kinikita. Samantala, ang publikano'y nakatayo sa malayo; hindi man lamang
makatingin sa langit, kundi dinadagukan ang kanyang dibdib, at sinasabi: 'O
Diyos, mahabag po kayo sa akin na isang makasalanan!'
Sinasabi ko sa inyo: ang lalaking ito'y umuwing kinalulugdan ng Diyos, ngunit hindi ang isa. Sapagkat ang sinumang nagpapakataas ay ibababa, at ang nagpapakababa ay itataas."