As Jesus
got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up
on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They
came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” He said to them,
“Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the
winds and the sea, and there was great calm. The men were amazed and said,
“What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?”
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Reflection:
Do you always
seek the help of Jesus when you pass through the storms of your life?
While in
the boat with Jesus the disciples encountered a very powerful storm. They were
naturally terrified so they asked Jesus for help, they said to Him; “Lord save us we
are perishing (Matthew 8:25)!”
How many
times have you encountered storms in your life? Many time over perhaps, in
every storm that you encounter always remember that Jesus is always there for
you. Ever ready to help you and bring you out safely of these storms that you
encounter and may encounter still.
What if
Jesus was not with the disciples during that fateful night when their boat was
being battered by the storm? To whom would they be asking for help? To no one,
they could have all perished in that violent storm. But Jesus was there to save
them all.
This is
the advantage of having Jesus in your life. You always have somebody very
powerful to rescue you whenever you are in distress. You always have somebody
who will take away your fears, even your biggest and greatest fears.
Do you
always seek the help of Jesus whenever you pass through the storms of your
life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
When
Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi 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.”
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Reflection:
Do you
know Jesus? Yes you know Jesus but do you feel the presence of Jesus in your
life? Knowing and feeling Jesus are two different things. Many of us know Jesus
but not as many feel His majestic presence in our hearts. We don’t feel the presence of Jesus in our hearts because we lack time for Jesus, that’s how
simple it is. We don’t feel the presence of Jesus in our lives for the
simple reason that we lack time for Him.
Peter did
not only know Jesus, he felt also the presence of Jesus in his life. Peter felt
the presence of Jesus in his life
because Peter had time for Jesus. Among the disciples it was Peter who was always with Jesus it was Peter who had more time for Jesus. Peter went with Jesus to the mountain of transfiguration.
When Jesus walked on water Peter saw Jesus and even asked Jesus if she could go
to him. And there were many other events that Peter was always in the company Jesus.
If you
want to feel the gentle, saving and calming presence of Jesus in your life. You
only have to do one thing and that is to spend more time with Jesus. Be with
Him at Holy Mass, hear Him speaking to
you and telling you stories and parable by reading your bible. Hear Him assuring you of
His abiding presence in your life through your prayers. And be with Him by visiting Him in
the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel.
Do you want
to feel the presence of Jesus in your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
When Jesus had
crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him,
and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus,
came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him,
saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on
her that she may get well and live. He went off with him, and a large crowd
followed him and pressed upon him.
There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for
twelve years. She had suffered
greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she
was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up
behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his
clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in
her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once
that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who
has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to Jesus, “You see how the
crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’ And he looked
around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her,
approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the
whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace
and be cured of your affliction.”
While he was still speaking, people from the
synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why
trouble the teacher any longer? Disregarding
the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official “Do not be
afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside
except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the
house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping
and wailing loudly.
So he went in and
said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but
asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the
child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room
where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha
koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of
twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly
astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she
should be given something to eat.
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Reflection:
What does an
encounter with Jesus do to us? It gives us hope and it cures us. There’s a
story of a woman who had a terminal sickness. She was told by her doctor that
she only had two months to live. But this woman was a woman of strong faith.
She attends Holy Mass every day and does other things to strengthen her faith
in Jesus.
When she was told that
she had two months to live, she told her doctors, I will prove all of you wrong
I’m going to beat this severe sickness with my faith in Jesus. True enough,
after two months the woman of faith was still alive and totally free from her
severe sickness.
We have in our
gospel two stories of faith, hope and healing coursed through an encounter with
Jesus. The first one is the story of
Jairus a synagogue official whose daughter was in death throes. Jairus went to
Jesus to plead Him to cure his young daughter. Seeing the faith of Jairus Jesus
went to his house to cure and bring back to life Jairus’ daughter.
The second story of
faith hope and healing is an unnamed woman who for twelve long years had been
suffering severe hemorrhages. She heard that Jesus would be passing by her way. It gave her hope and it further strengthened her faith. So she did her best to
touch even the cloak of Jesus for she believed that by simply touching it she
would be healed. And she was able to touch Jesus cloak and was indeed
immediately healed.
There could be a
third story of faith, hope and healing by Jesus. And this third story could be
your own story. What is your testimony of faith, hope and healing by Jesus?
Share it so that others faith and hope in Jesus could be strengthened!
All of us one way or
the other have our own story of encounter with Jesus let us not keep this story within
us. Let us share it so that others may know Jesus and hopefully have also an
encounter with Him. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
When
Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him,
saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” He
said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I
am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant
will be healed. For I too am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject
to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he
comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it. When Jesus heard this, he
was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in
Israel have I found such faith. I say to
you, many will come from the east and the west and will recline with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven but the children of the
Kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing
and grinding of teeth. And Jesus said to the centurion, “You may go; as you
have believed, let it be done for you. And at that very hour his servant was
healed.
Jesus
entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a
fever. He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him.
When it
was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove
out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, to fulfill what had been said
by Isaiah the prophet: He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.
+ + + + +
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Reflection:
Why is
Jesus a magnet to people most especially to who are in need? Because Jesus
never refused anyone who asked for His help most especially those who are presistent. Jesus was always available, Jesus
would always have time for them regardless of who they are and where they came
from.
The
centurion/soldier in our gospel came from a faraway place and certainly not a
follower of Jesus. But he knew Jesus and he heard of His miracles so he
ventured to see Him. And when he saw Jesus he asked him to cure his servant.
Jesus never had any second thought of helping the centurion; he even offered to
go his house to personally cure the centurion’s servant.
This gospel
episode invites us to reflect if we also make ourselves available to those who
are in need of our help. Often times we are not willing to help because it will
disturb us. It will affect our personal finances and schedules but it’s not every day that
we are asked for help.
The best
way to share our faith and to share Jesus is not though eloquent or bombastic preaching. The best way to share our faith and to share Jesus is when
we make ourselves available most especially to those who are in need. And to
those who can’t give back the help that we’ve given them.
Do you
take time to make yourself available to those who are in need of your help most
especially the poor? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
When
Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper
approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me
clean. He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made
clean. His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus said to him, “See that
you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that
Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
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Reflection:
Who is this
leaper who courageously approached Jesus to beg for His healing? We don’t know
but one thing is certain the leper is a believer of Jesus. He must have heard
about the healing prowess of Jesus. He must have been longing for an
opportunity to interact with Jesus for him to be healed also. That’s why when
the opportunity presented itself he took advantage of it by approaching Jesus.
Have you
also heard about the miracles that Jesus is capable of doing in your life? What
would you do now if you heard about it? Should you remain static and do nothing
or you become dynamic by hungering and thirsting for Jesus?
The leper
even if he was considered as an outcast had that dynamic attitude for he went
after Jesus. He did not allow his dreaded sickness to prevent him from having
that personal encounter with his savior and healer.
Do you want
to be healed from your sickness also? Whatever that sickness may be humbly ask
Jesus to heal you. For He would never refuse anyone who sincerely ask for his
healing. He will never refuse anyone who would humbly approach Him. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Jesus
said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord, will enter
the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in
heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in
your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds
in your name? Then I will declare to them solemnly ‘I never knew you. Depart
from me, you evildoers.’
“Everyone
who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who
built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and
buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And
everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be
like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and
the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely
ruined.”
When
Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he
taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
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Reflection:
What
would ensure your entry to the kingdom of heaven when your time is up in this
world? It’s your faith built and anchored like a rock. What does this mean? It means
faith that is not in name only. It’s rather a faith that works and faith that
is lived so that others may benefit from it.
How easy
it is to us to say that I have faith, I am a Christian and a followers of
Jesus. But do you put substance to these solemn declarations and do you live
these pronouncements? If you do, then well and good but if you don’t yet, it’s
never too late to renew your faith and commitment to Jesus.
In every
hour of your life God gives you the chance for you to make alive your dormant
and sleeping faith. God wants you to do this so that you would become like the
wise man in the gospel. Who built his house around the rock which nobody could
move or destroy not even the strongest storm.
We all
face or will still be facing our own respective battles with the storms of life.
Do you know what would make you survive these storms? It’s your rock solid
faith in Jesus, faith that is not kept to oneself alone, it’s rather a faith
that is lived and shared.
How’s
your faith right now? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
57 Now
the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, and she gave birth to a son. 58
And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to
her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to
circumcise the child; and they would have named him Zechariah after his father,
60 but his mother said, "Not so; he shall be called John." 61 And
they said to her, "None of your kindred is called by this name." 62
And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he would have him called. 63
And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And
they all marveled. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue
loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors.
And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea;
66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then
will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him. 80 And the
child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the
day of his manifestation to Israel.
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Reflection:
What does
a new born child brings to a family? It brings unfathomable joy and rejoicing.
This was how the couple Elizabeth and Zechariah felt during that time. The new
born child did not only bring joy to his parents, he also brought healing to
his father Zechariah who had problem with speaking.
Every
newly born child brings to you joy and healing also. Do you properly take care
of this child that is given to you as gift by God? Do you teach this child
about God and your faith? Do you teach this child to be humble and to live
simply? Do you bring this growing child to church for Holy Mass?
What can
we learn from the nativity of Saint John the Baptist? We learn that there is a
reward that awaits for parents who are faithful to the will of God. We learn
that when a child is taught about values of simplicity and humility the child
would grow up to be simple and humble also.
Just like
Jesus, John grew up as a simple and humble man, he grew up faithful to God’s
will for him. We cannot only attribute these virtues of John to God alone. Both
Elizabeth and Zechariah (his parents) played also an important role in
instilling him these virtues of humility and simplicity. Zechariah and
Elizabeth did not only teach John about simplicity and humility. Both of them
lived humility and simplicity also.
Do you
teach your child how to be humble and simple and do you live the virtues of
humility and simplicity? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Jesus
said to his disciples: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls
before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to
pieces. “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law
and the Prophets. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the
road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How
narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find
it are few.”
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Reflection:
What is
the difference between a narrow gate and a wide gate? It’s hard to enter the
narrow gate, you may have to twist your body so that you could pass through it.
How about the wide gate? You simply can walk through it no twisting and no
discomfort whatsoever.
You may
ask, what is the relationship of the narrow gate with Jesus? The narrow gate is
the gateway to knowing Jesus. The narrow gate is the gateway toward having a
personal encounter with Jesus. In what way would this narrow gate lead you to
Jesus? This narrow gate will entail for you to make some sacrifices. It will
entail you to do things that you are not normally used of doing.
For
example, in fulfilling your Sunday Holy Mass obligation, in praying the Holy
Rosary or in reading the Holy Bible. You may not be comfortable of doing this because this requires effort
and time. Yet if you dare do this it will lead you to Jesus and it will lead
you to know more about the many truths concerning the church.
If you
want to find the true meaning and purpose of your life and if you want to know
Jesus more deeply. You have to pass thru this narrow gate for this is the way
that will lead you to a life of purpose with Jesus. Forget the wide gate which
consist of the many worldly enjoyment, it will lead you nowhere it will even
lead you to destruction.
Will you
dare enter this narrow gate? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Jesus
said to his disciples: “Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you
judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be
measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but
do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your
brother ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye, while the wooden beam is in
your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you
will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.
+ + + + +
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Reflection:
What do
you get by judging others? Nothing except the accumulation of hatred in your
heart which if not corrected could even cause you sickness even death. What if
you will not judge or you are not quick to judge? There would be no hatred
within you! As such you will feel free, you will look younger and sickness will
not be your best friend.
We may
not know this but we are quick to judge others for the simple reason that we have
a very high regard of ourselves. And this is brought about by our feeling of
superiority towards others. But why do we feel superior towards others? When we
are all created by God as equals. Where
does this superiority feeling emanates?
We have
this feeling of superiority because God is not truly present within us. And God
is not a permanent dweller in our hearts. There’s a story of a woman who was a
regular fixture in church organization. But she was not well liked because she
was so judgmental and self-righteous. Are we not often times also judgmental
and self-righteous?
In our
gospel for this Monday we hear Jesus telling us to stop judging. Why? This is
for the reason that when we judge we already distance ourselves from that
person. We already create a wall that may permanently divide us from that
person. If this is so, how could we covert them? How could we let them feel the
love of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
On that day, as
evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: “Let us cross to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And
other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking
over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern,
asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care
that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea,
“Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked
them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with
great awe and said to one another “Who then is this whom even wind and sea
obey?
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Reflection:
There is a story of
a man who was so afraid of darkness. He feared darkness because he imagines
evil things coming out from it. For the same reason, when sleeping time comes
in the evening he tells his wife not to turn-off the light.
For many of us
evening or darkness depicts uncertainty, it registers fears in our hearts.
Notice when there’s a brownout in your community. Everyone would look for their
flashlights, candles or anything that could defeat darkness.
It was evening when
Jesus and His disciples were crossing to the other side of the lake. They were
in a boat and darkness pervades their environment, when out of the blue they
suddenly encountered a violent storm. All of them were running scared (who
wouldn’t be?) the fear of the violent storm coupled with darkness made them
momentarily forgot that Jesus was with them.
And then they
remembered that Jesus (the light of their lives and our lives too!) was with
them. He was soundly asleep, notwithstanding the violent storm, in the stern on a cushion. So they woke Him up and they asked Jesus for help. And right
in front of them Jesus rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be
still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm (Mark 4:39).
All of us pass thru
certain stretches of darkness and storms in our lives and we naturally fear it.
Many of us would want to avoid these stretches of darkness and storms. Yet we
cannot avoid it for these are part and parcel of our lives.
So what are we going
to do when we pass thru these episodes of storms and darkness? We always have
to remember that Jesus the light of our lives is always with us. We always have
to remember that no storms or darkness can break us down. For we have Jesus
walking with us and lighting our paths.
Are you passing
through a storm or darkness right now? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Jesus
said to his disciples: “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one
and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve
God and mammon.
“Therefore
I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about
your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more
than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they
gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you
more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to
your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild
flowers grow. They do not work or spin.
But I
tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was clothed like one of
them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown
into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little
faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat? or ‘What are we to drink?’
or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly
Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry
about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its
own evil.”
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Reflection:
What does
Jesus mean when He said that we need not worry for God will provide? Is He
telling us to simply lie down and we don’t do anything? Of course not! Yes
Jesus is telling us in the gospel that we should learn to trust in God. But Jesus
did not tell us to be lazy and just open our mouths because food will simply
fall down from heaven.
What we
need to do is we have to have faith and trust in Jesus. Yet we also have to
move and do something and in the process expect the good Lord to bless our
efforts. So its trusting Jesus and we reinforce our trust by our action and
then we leave it up all to the graciousness of the good Lord.
What
makes a meaningful life in this world? It’s a life focused first on God not a
life focused first on this world. When we fix first our attention on God we are
properly guided as we go on and live our lives in this world. We are not easily
tempted to do wrong for the very reason that God is our priority.
If God is
at the front seat we have nothing to worry for we will be able to handle
whatever trials that may come our way. We will certainly survive it splendidly for
the very reason that Jesus occupies the front seat of our lives.
Whom do
you seek first in your life right now? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Jesus
said to his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where
moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures
in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and
steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“The lamp
of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled
with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if
the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.”
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+ +
Reflection:
There’s a
story of a young bright man who declined every opportunity to get wealthy in favour
of serving God. After twenty years his batch had an alumni homecoming. Many of
his batch mates were already executives of private and government corporations.
And him? He
was still serving God. Compared to them
who were complaining of many sickness brought about by the pressure of this
world. His batch mates noticed his refreshing and healthy physical appearance.
When you
focus on God rather than this world and when you store up treasures for heaven
rather than this world. You will not only have good physical appearance you
will also have a healthy spiritual life. You will also have a close
relationship with Jesus.
Spiritual
health is the greatest wealth yet many of us are blinded by material riches
that we consider it our greatest wealth. What good would it do us if we have
accumulated all the wealth in this world if our spirits are in poor health? What
good will it do us if we gain all the wealth in this world if we cannot go to
heaven after our journey is over?
Whatever
we have in this world we will leave behind sooner or later or it may leave us
behind. Yet, whatever we have invested for God in this world will be our
passport to heaven to be with Jesus.
What are you
investing on right now? Are you still investing on the things of this world? –
Marino J. Dasmarinas
Jesus
said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think
that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your
Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is
how you are to pray: ‘Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy
Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day
our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who
trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from
evil.’ “If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will
forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive
your transgressions.”
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+ +
Reflection:
What is the
prayer that reaches the heart of God? It’s prayer that comes from the
heart. It a prayer made in the silence
of your heart. It could be a long or short prayer that comes straight from your
heart.
Jesus
gives us the perfect prayer called the Our Father. This is called the perfect prayer
because Jesus gave it to us. Jesus Himself taught us to pray it. Do we pray this with our hearts or we simply
pray it with our minds wandering elsewhere?
Recall when
you’re at Holy Mass, how do you pray the Our Father or the Lord’s Prayer? Do
you Pray it
with closed eyes or with open eyes? The best way to pray this perfect prayer is
with closed eyes. Because when you close
your eyes you shut yourself from any form of distraction.
Deep in your
heart you seek to connect with God, you hunger and thirst for this God. Most especially
when you pass through moments of loneliness and disillusionment. Why? Because God alone gives meaning to your
life.
Close
your eyes now and seek to connect with Jesus by silently praying the Our Father.
- Marino J. Dasmarinas
Jesus
said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that
people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly
Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites
do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I
say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let
your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be
secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you
pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the
synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to
you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in
secret will repay you.
“When you
fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so
that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have
received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so
that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is
hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
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Reflection:
What
motivates you to do good? For example in giving to the poor, what motivates you
to help them? In giving to the poor Jesus has a major requirement that you
should follow. Do it in secret without anyone knowing about it.
Why in
secret? Because secrecy is the language of Jesus secrecy is also a close
relative of humility which Jesus embodies to the hilt. This teaching of Jesus
on alms giving is totally opposed to the teachings of this world which unfortunately
many of us follow.
This
world teaches us to publicise and to broadcast whatever good that we do. It teaches
us to post to the internet our acts of kindness. So that those who know us may
see it and consequently they will have a good impression about us.
Why
publicise? Perhaps this is brought about by our natural need for recognition.
And there’s no wrong about it for we simply want to be recognised. But Jesus is challenging us not to go after recognition.
Jesus is
challenging us to silently fade away after we have done good to anyone. Could
we measure-up to this challenge of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Jesus
said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your
neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for
those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for
he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the
just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will
you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers
only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect,
just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
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Reflection:
What is
the supreme act of love? It’s the willingness to die for the one that you love.
What is the next supreme act of love? It’s to love even those who are not
lovable to your eyes. It’s to continuously keep the flame of love alive for a
person who does nothing but love you and who does nothing but hurt you.
But are
you capable of following this radical love commandment of Jesus? It’s very hard
to love the person who hates you. Take for example a spouse who does nothing
but hurt you. How can you love him/her? If you only gaze your sight on this
world it’s really difficult to love in such a situation.
But you
are not only made for this world, God created you not only for this world alone.
He created you to become a permanent dweller of heaven eventually. Therefore
you have to love even those who do not love you. You have to pray for those who
do nothing but hurt us.
What will
happen to your spouse if you continue to love him/her even if he/she doesn’t
express his/her love for you? What would happen if you never give-up and
continue to pray for his/her conversion? He/she will eventually see the light
of Jesus and be enlightened by it. For this is the miracle that Jesus gives to those who continue to have faith in Him.
This is
what awaits those who never give up on love and the power of prayer. And this
is the miracle that Jesus gives for those who never waiver on praying to Him.
Do you
easily give up on love? – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
Jesus
said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and
a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When
someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If
anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as
well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two
miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who
wants to borrow.”
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Reflection:
What will
happen if we would become kind to our enemies, if we will not respond to their
mocking? The enemy will simply go away or they might even become our friend.
There is so much hatred in this world because we respond to hatred. We
perpetuate the cycle of anger by anger.
When we
respond to hatred and violence we allow the evil one to take hold of us. And
when the evil one takes control of us it will do nothing but destroy us. And
bring us closer to his kingdom where everyone has hatred in his/her heart.
In our
gospel Jesus convincingly destroys the evil of hatred by love and
humility. Jesus tells us this: “I say to
you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your
right cheek, turn the other one to him as well (Matthew 5:39).
Are we
capable of loving those who despise us and are we willing to humble ourselves
before them? Should we confront them or we simply ignore their insults and
anger? Many regrettable acts of anger would have been avoided if only we have
love and humility in our hearts.
Prayer: O
dear Lord I pray that you give me the virtue of Humility and Love. Sow in my
heart everything that is good. Sow in my heart gentleness, forgiveness and
compassion for those who hate me. Amen. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Jesus said to the
crowds: “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to
scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and through it
all the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the
land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the
ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest
has come.”
He said, “To what
shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is
like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all
the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the
largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky
can dwell in its shade.” With many such parables he spoke the word to them as
they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but
to his own disciples he explained everything in private.
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Reflection:
A young man wants to
write for God but he was hesitant for he knows his limitations. He doesn’t
write well and could hardly compose a decent sentence.
Yet deep in his
heart there was a persistent voice that tells him to write. He therefore submitted
himself to the urgings of the inner voice. And to make a long story short, this
young man who can hardly create a sentence became well known for his meditations
about God.
Jesus speaks about a
small seed that has been scattered into the land. The seed has grown so big and
was soon harvested. Jesus also speaks about a tiny mustard seed that was sown.
After awhile it soon became so big where birds rested in its shade.
Does God sow seed
within us also with the intention of making it grow so that others could also
benefit from it? Yes! God sows a seed in each and every one of us. But more
often than not this small seed doesn’t grow until it eventually dies. Why? Because
many of us are afraid to trust God, so we do not take action.
Surely we will not
be able to do it by ourselves. Yet if we would only learn to call on God, if we
would only learn to have faith in Him. The seed that God sows in our hearts
will surely blossom so that it could be useful to our fellowmen. What is this
seed that God sows within us? It could be a talent, wealth or anything that would
benefit or help our fellowmen.
Try to discover the
seed that God has sown into your heart. Upon discovering it, don’t just keep it
within yourself. Share it so that it could grow bigger, share it so that others
could also benefit from it.
Would you be willing
to discover this seed? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Each year
Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was
twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had
completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in
Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan,
they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and
acquaintances, but not finding him they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After
three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening
to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his
understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and
his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to
us? Your father and I have
been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you
looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they
did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to
Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her
heart.
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Reflection:
When a
family is hit with misfortune, say for example sickness of a child. It’s always
the mother who suffers first. It’s not the father but the mother. Why is this
so? This is for the reason that both mother and child have deeper emotional
connection between themselves.
Before a
child is born to this world he/she stays first in his mother’s womb. For nine
long months both mother and child develops a bond that only death can break.
How did
the Blessed Mother and her husband Joseph feel when she noticed that Jesus was
not with them? It must have been very difficult for both of them but more
difficult perhaps for the Blessed Mother. Jesus was her only child, she took
care of Jesus and before she gave birth to Jesus. Jesus was inside her
immaculate womb for nine months.
Just
imagine the anxiety that the Blessed Mother felt. During that time when they discovered
that the boy Jesus was not in their company. But she remained calm as they went
back to Jerusalem to look for Jesus. And when they found Jesus the Blessed
Mother said this to Jesus, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and
I have been looking for you with great anxiety (Luke 2:48).”
The
Blessed Mother is not only concerned with Jesus’ welfare. She also is very much
concerned with our own well being. Inside her Immaculate heart dwells the deep desire
to look after us too so that she could bring us back closer to Jesus.
Let us
therefore not forget to ask for the intercession of the Blessed Mother. Let us
asks her to watch over us. Let us ask her to pray for us and let us ask her to
bring us closer to Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Since it
was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on
the sabbath, for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked
Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down. So the soldiers came
and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified
with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they
did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and
immediately blood and water flowed out. An eyewitness has testified, and his
testimony is true; he knows that he is speaking the truth, so that you also may
come to believe. For this happened so that the Scripture passage might be
fulfilled: Not a bone of it will be broken. And again another passage says: They
will look upon him whom they have pierced.
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Reflection:
A young
man said to his beloved, I will love you until the last gasp of my breath. The
beloved woman was so smitten by his sweet words so she said yes. After a few
months the young man left the woman he swore to love for a new love.
This is
who many of us are when we love. We love without permanence and security. We
love for as long as we can get something from the person that we swore to love.
And then when we cannot get anything anymore it’s time to move on and find a
new one. Hard to believe but this is true and this is happening.
But how
does Jesus loves? He loves until eternity; He loves us no matter who we are. He
loves us even if we don’t love Him back and He loves us more than His life. This
is the love of Jesus for us, so deep and so profound that we cannot fathom it.
This love of Jesus for us emanates from His Sacred Heart.
Today is
the Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, this represents not only the heart
of Jesus. This Solemnity is also a showcase of His infinite love for all of us
because the heart is a universal symbol of love.
We see
this great love of Jesus for us in the gospel. He hangs on the cross badly
beaten and lifeless (John 19:33). Yet even in death Jesus still suffered. It
happened when a soldier thrust his lance into his side (John 19:34).
Notwithstanding
all the sufferings that He has to endure whenever we sin. The Most Sacred Heart
of Jesus is still full of love and forgiveness for all of us. His love is the
kind of love that immediately forgives. A love that does not count our sins but
only counts our willingness to go back to His loving embrace once again.
Let us
therefore go back to Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Jesus
said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of
the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
“You have
heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills
will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be
answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to
fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall
that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your
gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise
your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over
to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will
not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
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Reflection:
A man who
was full of anger in his heart suddenly died. When he was about to enter the
pearly gates saint Peter suddenly appeared and refused him entry. When the man asked, why? Saint Peter told Him
that when he was still alive his heart was full of anger and arrogance.
Death is uncertain
it may come to us anytime. What if we
suddenly die with our hearts full of anger and arrogance? Many had been brought to perdition by anger
and arrogance yet many of us still don’t learn our lesson. Anger and arrogance
are emotional disease that originates from our egos, high sense of ourselves
and our lack of humility.
In our
gospel we find Jesus giving us lessons on humility. He tells us: if you bring
your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against
you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your
brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly
while on the way to court with him (Matthew 5:23-25).
It’s not
easy to imbibe humility but if we only know that humility makes us closer to
Jesus. If we only know that humility would save us a lot of trouble even grievous
ones. We will not think twice to imbibe humility we may even run after it and
embrace it. – Marino J. Dasmarinas