Reflection for Sunday March 3, Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 6:39-45

Gospel: Luke 6:39-45

Jesus told his disciples a parable, "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,' when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite!  Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother's eye.

"A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks."

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Reflection:

A woman saw a handsome man. The handsome man sensing that the woman was looking at him looked as well to the woman. Their eyes met and she immediately fell in love with the handsome man. After a few weeks they got married, but two months after their marriage the domineering and arrogant behavior of the man started to unravel. 

Are you easily swayed by outward appearance? For example, you saw a handsome man or a beautiful woman and you were immediately attracted to that person.  An attractive outward appearance is very deceiving. Why? For the simple reason that we will not fully know the true character of the person based on what we see.

What we see is simply a façade it can be faked. The exterior is not the true color or true character of the person. The true color or character lies hidden in the heart of the person. And we can only discover this hidden character once we get to know the person better.

Many young people today are easily lured to this trap of outward appearance. This is what attracts them to their future wife or husband. However, after marriage the hidden, dark and true character of their spouse will begin to show.

This also applies in relationship concerning friendship. We must not make friends with someone simply because the person is rich or influential. We should be friends with a person because of the good character of that person. It doesn’t matter if the person is poor what is important is the character and the goodness that emanates from that person’s heart.    

In our first reading according to the book of Sirach it says: one's speech disclose the bent of one's mind (Sirach 27:6). And in our gospel Jesus tells us: “From the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45).”

So, what are we going to do so that we will not fall into this false impression based on the exterior appearance? We have to know the person better by way of speaking to that person. By carefully discerning his/her utterances or the words that he/she speaks. 

Because what he/she speaks comes from the heart and what originates from the heart is the measure of a person’s true character. – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Ang Mabuting Balita at Repleksyon para sa Marso 3, Ika-8 na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Lucas 6:39-45

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 6:39-45

39 Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad ang isang talinhaga: “Puwede nga kayang akayin ng isang bulag ang isa pang bulag? Di ba’t kapwa sila mahuhulog sa kanal? 40 Hindi higit sa kanyang guro ang alagad. Magiging katulad ng kanyang guro ang ganap na alagad.

41 Bakit mo tinitingnan ang puwing sa mata ng iyong kapatid? At di mo pansin ang troso sa iyong mata. 42 Paano mo masasabi sa iyong kapatid: ‘Kapatid, pahintulutan mong alisin ko ang puwing sa mata mo,’ gayong hindi mo nga makita ang troso sa mata mo? Mapag­kunwari! Alisin mo muna ang troso sa mata mo, at saka ka makakakitang mabuti para alisin ang puwing sa mata ng kapatid mo.

43 Hindi makapamumunga ng masa­ma ang mabuting puno, at ang masamang puno nama’y hindi maka­pa­mumu­nga ng mabuti. 44 Nakikilala ang ba­wat puno sa bunga nito. Hindi makapi­pitas ng igos mula sa tinikan ni maka­aani ng ubas mula sa dawagan. 45 Nag­lalabas ang taong mabuti ng mabuting bagay mula sa yaman ng kabutihan sa kanyang puso; ang masama nama’y naglalabas ng ma­sa­mang bagay mula sa kanyang kasamaan. At sinasabi nga ng bibig ang uma­apaw mula sa puso.

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon   

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Repleksyon:

May isang babae na nakakita ng isang guapong lalaki. Nang mapansin ng lalaki na tinitingnan siya ng babae ay tumingin din siya sa babae. Nag panagpo ang kanilang mga mata at ang babae ay kaagad agad na umibig sa lalake. Pagkalipas ng ilang lingo sila ay nag pakasal ngunit pagkatapos ng ilang buwan ay unti-unting lumabas ang hindi mabuting pag-uugali ng lalake.

Madali ka bang mabighani ng panlabas na kaanyuan? Halimbawa ay may nakita ka na magandang babae o guapong lalake at ika’y kaagad na humanga sa kanya. Kaya ang nangyari ay ibinigay mo kaagad ang iyong puso sa kanya. Ang panlabas na kaanyuan kadalasan ay hindi totoo. Bakit? Dahil hindi natin lubos na makikilala ang tao sa pamamagitan lamang ng kanyang anyong panlabas.

Ang anyong panlabas ay isang pakitang tao lamang. Ang panlabas na anyo ay hindi ang tunay na kulay o ugali ng isang tao. Dahil ang tunay na kulay at ugali ay nasa puso at ito ay atin lamang malalaman pag mas nakilala na natin ng ang isang tao.

Sa ating modernong panahon ngayon ay maraming kabataan ang akaagad-agad ng nasisilo ng panlabas na anyo. Ito ang nagiging instrumento para mabighani sila sa kanilang magiging asawa. Pero, pag sila ay natapos ng ikasal ang totoong at kadalasan na masamang pag uugali ipinapakita na nya. 

Ang ganitong sitwasyon ay angkop na angkop din sa sitwasyon ng pakikipag kaibigan. Dapat hindi po tayo nakikipag kaibigan sa isang tao dahil siya ay mayaman o maykapangyarihan. Kailagan tayo ay nakikipagkaibigan dahil mabuti ang isang tao. Hindi na bale kung hindi siya mayaman o makapangyarihan basta ang importante ay ang nangagaling sa kanyang puso ay pawang kabutihan lamang.

Sa ating pong unang pagbasa ayon sa aklat ni Sirac ay ito ang sinasabi: Sa sinasabi naman ng tao nakikilala ang kanyang damdamin (Sirac 27:6). At sa ating mabuting balita ay ito ang sabi ni Jesus: “Sinasabi nga ng bibig ang umaapaw mula sa puso (Lucas 6:45).”

Ano po ang dapat nating gawin para hindi tayo mahulog sa patibong ng panlabas na kaanyuan? Dapat po ay lubusan muna nating makilala ang isang tao sa pamamagitan ng pakikipag usap sa kanya. At sa pamamagitan ng masusing pakikinig sa kanyang mga sinasabi.

Bago natin siya pagkatiwalaan. Dahil ang kanyang mga sinasabi ay nagmumula sa kanyang puso at ang nag mumula sa kanyang puso ang sukatan ng tunay nap ag-uugali ng isang tao. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Saturday, March 2; Seventh Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 10:13-16

Gospel: Mark 10:13-16

People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Then he embraced the children and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

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Reflection:

Have you introduced Jesus to your children?

According to an explanation there was a valid reason why the children were prevented by the disciples from going to Jesus. But Jesus saw how the children wanted to go to Him so He broke the barrier that separates Him and the children by letting them go to Him. Jesus did not only allow the children to go to Him. He even embraced them, blessed them and placed His hands upon them.  

This is Jesus for you and me, ever willing to be disturbed by anyone. Ever willing to embrace, bless and lovingly place His guiding hand upon us. Jesus is not a distant God, He is a God that is with us; a God that is very sensitive to our needs and prayers.

Therefore, let us always go to Him with reckless abandon like little children for He is always there for us. Sometimes we don’t feel the love of Jesus for the reason that we don’t go to Him with the trusting attitude of a child. We don’t go to Him with the humility of a child.

In the last sentence of the gospel Jesus embraced, blessed and placed His hands on them. If you’re a parent and you are not yet doing these acts of love to your children, why don’t you do it to them? It will surely give them a sense of security and assurance that they are always loved by you and that you're always there for them. The same feeling of security and love that Jesus always generously showers upon us.

Do you always pray for your children and do you always embrace them? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Friday, March 1; Seventh Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 10:1-12

Gospel: Mark 10:1-12

Jesus came into the district of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom, he again taught them. The Pharisees approached him and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” They replied, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

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Reflection:

Are you faithful to your marriage vows?

When a man and a woman are wed in the Catholic church the Priest pose this question to them: "Do you take__as your lawful wife/husband, to have and to hold, to this day onward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?"

The man and woman will answer: I do.

The Marriage bond is forever, but the reality of it all is some married couples separate. I know of three married couples who were married in the church, couple # 1: husband simply left his wife and two very young children. Couple # 2: The wife left the husband even though they already have a baby. Couple # 3: The wife carried an adulterous affair for more than three years. Within that span of time the wife was constantly being reminded by her husband to stop it if she was doing it. But the adulterous wife did not listen until it was fully discovered by her husband.

Oftentimes couples separate for selfish reasons. They only care of what they want and feel; they don’t give an iota of concern to the feeling of their spouse and children. Instead of separating, why not walk away permanently from whatever that makes us sin and give love a second chance and why not ask Jesus to heal the marriage?

Jesus said to his disciples: a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh (Mark 10:7). So, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” Then he said again: “Whoever divorces his wife and marries commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery (Mark 10:11-12).”

The Sacrament of Marriage is one of the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church, the first miracle made by Jesus was when he made water into wine in the wedding at Cana. The Priest that presides in the wedding ceremony does it in the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus himself said it: “What God has joined together; no human being must separate (Mark 10:9).”

Are you doing something to preserve the sanctity of your marriage? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Thursday, February 28; Seventh Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 9:41-50

Gospel: Mark 9:41-50

Jesus said to his disciples: “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

“Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”

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Reflection:

Are you generous to the church and those who volunteer their time for the church?  

Many find joy in giving to the church and its workers without strings attached on it. If we’ll ask them why they are so generous towards the church and its workers. They will say that they just want to share what they have with those who labor in the vineyard of the Lord.

 What they don’t notice is that whatever they gave they receive it back in various forms. Such as financial blessings, good health, peace in the family and so forth. Their blessing flows like a stream that never runs out of water, this is the reward of those who are generous.

Why not try also being generous to the church and its workers? Why not be generous to anyone who needs your help and see for yourself the great blessings that will come your way? Saint Francis had said: “It is in giving that we receive.” Surely the more you are generous with what you have the more that you will be blessed by God.

Jesus said to His disciples: “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Wednesday, February 27; Seventh Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 9:38-40

Gospel: Mark 9:38-40

John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”

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Reflection:

Have you encountered an arrogant person?

Arrogance and superiority complex are something that enslaves us every once in a while. We sometimes think that we have the monopoly of knowledge about Jesus. But Jesus tells us that we don’t have it all. In addition, Jesus tells us that His name is not exclusively for us it’s for everyone even to those who don’t believe in Him.

The same is true with our daily personal lives. There are times that we fall to the trap of self-righteousness. We look down on our less educated and materially handicapped brothers and sisters.

 But this is very wrong. Before the eyes of God almighty we are all equal none of us have an upper hand as far as He is concerned. So, let us at all times be tolerant, humble and gentle towards our fellowmen.

Most especially to those who have less in life, those who are uneducated. Those who are struggling to follow the Lord. Why? Jesus is with them also. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Tuesday, February 26; Seventh Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 9:30-37

Gospel: Mark 9:30-37

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it. He was teaching his disciples and telling them, "The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise." But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him.

They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, "What were you arguing about on the way?" But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest. Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, "If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all." Taking a child, he placed it in the their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, "Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.

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Reflection:

Why do you follow Jesus?

As Jesus and the disciples were walking He told them: “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.” But they did not pay much attention to what Jesus told them because they were also busy conversing as to who amongst them is the greatest.

We assume that Jesus and the disciples were just through doing their mission of preaching the kingdom of God. They performed miracles such as: Healing the sick, expelling demons and a lot more. Because of these miraculous acts that they have done the disciple’s high regard for themselves got the better of them. They were already angling to covet the title as the greatest among the disciples.

Are not many of us like the disciples? Do we not have hidden motives when we do acts of kindness? Do we not desire to be praised for what we do?  Do we not feel proud when we do good things? Was it possible that the disciples were feeding their own egos that is why they were already discussing who was the greatest amongst them?

In the midst of their bloated egos, Jesus gave them a valuable lesson about humility and on how it is to become humble servants of the Lord and the people. Thus He told them: “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”

In other words if you want to be the leader then be a humble servant leader who is always ready to serve not minding the accolades and honors. Inside the heart of a true leader is the desire to humbly serve, he is always there silently walking his talk, practicing what he preaches. This is what Jesus wanted the disciples to imbibe: For them to become humble servants.

This is also what Jesus wants for us but some of us are the opposite of the servant leader that Jesus wants the disciples to become. Instead of putting the title leader into our hearts we put it instead into our heads. That is why we become fake and arrogant leaders who only want to give orders. Who only want to abuse and take advantage of our innocent followers.

We therefore only want to serve our own personal interest. The servant leadership that Jesus wants us to have is permanently eased out from our system because what takes over is our greed for power, our ego and our arrogance.

What must we do so that we can rightfully claim that we truly follow the greatest servant leader who ever walked this earth?  We must be humble at all times, we must continuously decrease while Jesus continuously increase through our acts of humility.

The mistake of many of us who follow Jesus is we often times act without humility. We feel that we are above all because we have this distorted sense that we are close to Jesus when in fact we are not. Our closeness or intimacy with the Lord is not defined by our religious titles, ranks and position neither it is defined by the frequency of our worship for Him.

Our closeness to Jesus is determined by how we live HIS virtue of humility. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Monday, February 25; Seventh Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 9:14-29

Gospel: Mark 9:14-29

As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, John and approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. Immediately on seeing him, the whole crowd was utterly amazed. They ran up to him and greeted him. He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit. Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.” He said to them in reply, “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.” They brought the boy to him. And when he saw him, the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions.

As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around and foam at the mouth. Then he questioned his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He replied, “Since childhood. It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.” Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering, rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!” Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out. He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!” But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up. When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private, “Why could we not drive the spirit out?” He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

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Reflection:

Is it possible for the disciples to lack faith? Yes, even if they were always with Jesus it was very possible for them to lack faith. Perhaps because they were with Jesus everyday it became ordinary for them already that they treated Jesus as one of them. Their extraordinary discipleship with Jesus became ordinary for them.

That’s why they did not have anymore that strong faith and add to this was their lack of prayerful life. The end result of their lack of faith and prayer was their failure to drive out the bad spirit from the boy. Therefore, Jesus admonished them to strengthen their faith and give more fire to their prayer life.

Why are there marriage failures? It’s because both spouses often times forget to have faith on the sacredness of their marriage. By being together everyday they become very familiar with each other. That their treatment with each other becomes ordinary. There’s no more fervent unifying prayer life in their marriage thus their marriage becomes the casualty.

Let us take personally the admonishment of Jesus to the disciples to have faith and to have a more blazing prayer life. Let us take it as an advice also for us to have a more prayerful life inside our married life.

If only we would invest more prayer in our respective marriages. Perhaps, there would be no more failures in marriage. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Sunday February 24, Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 6:27-38

Gospel: Luke 6:27-38

Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.

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Reflection:

A man would always feel pain in his heart whenever he sees her sister who had done him wrong. It was always like that for many years until he had a near fatal heart attack. He reflected deeply about what happened to him until he finally decided to forgive his sister.   

What will liberate us from hatred and negative emotion? Its forgiveness and love. The moment we truly forgive and love every form of hatred and negativity disappears in our hearts. We become free we exude nothing but positive aura to our fellowmen. But human as we are we from time to time succumb to hatred thus we allow it to control us instead of us controlling it.

What is the cure for hatred? Its love, forgiveness and humility; these three can conquer hatred. And it can free us from emotions that bring nothing to us but disgust and negativity. This could even result to the disruption of our day hence we will not be able to function properly.

In our gospel reading Jesus tells us to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, to bless those who curse us, to pray for those who mistreat us (Luke 6:27-28). Difficult as it may seem; nonetheless if we want to be free from the enslavement of hatred and negative emotions, we have to follow what Jesus is telling us.

It’s only through forgiveness that we would be free from hatred. It’s only through the way of love that we could become true followers of Jesus. There’s no other way but the way of love and forgiveness.

Would you be willing to forgive those who’ve done you wrong? -  Marino J. Dasmarinas 

1Reflection for Saturday, February 23; Saint Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr; Mark 9:2-13

                                                                      Gospel: Mark 9:2-13

Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." Suddenly, looking around, the disciples no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant. Then they asked him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" He told them, "Elijah will indeed come first and restore all things, yet how is it written regarding the Son of Man that he must suffer greatly and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him."

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Reflection:

Do you want to be in heaven with the Lord when your journey in this world is already over?

Jesus showed to the three apostles what heaven was like; He gave them a fleeting taste of heaven. But then, He said not yet; let us go down first and continue my mission of salvation. By doing so He would go through severe hardship, pain and betrayal. But at the end of these all Jesus rose up triumphantly to defeat the darkness of evil.   

Before we achieve success, we must toil in the sun and sacrifice. Before we go to heaven we have to do something for the Lord and His church. And this will surely entail sacrifice even hardship.

Why? Because that’s how it is, there are no shortcuts to triumph. We must go through the eye of the needle to fully enjoy the sweetness of our victory and success. Free riders and freeloaders have no place in the mission for Christ.

We have to sacrifice if we want to be with the Lord in heaven someday. We have to sweat it out if we want to taste success in this world. There are no shortcuts.   – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Friday, February 22; Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle; Matthew 16:13-19

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19

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:

Can we know Jesus deeply by our own effort and can we have deep friendship with Jesus by our own will? No, because everything that we know about Jesus and our faith is a gift from God. Through God’s own doing we know something about HIM and our faith, everything is grace and we are mere facilitators of this grace.

When Simon Peter was able to point out the true identity of Jesus. He was subsequently told by Jesus that he know HIM because of the grace of God. Why did Jesus told Peter that what he knows about HIM is a gift from God? Perhaps it was Jesus way of telling Simon Peter that he must humbly use his knowledge about God to bring others to God and not to bring unto himself the glory that is due to God alone.

Today is, also the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter one of the  two pillars of the church. Why is Peter successful in his mission to spread the faith? This is for the reason that remained humble in doing his ministry. Peter, did not raise himself to the altar of significance and prominence. Peter remained a humble missioner for Jesus.  

This is also a very good reminder for all of us who share the words of God. When we share, preach or write about God let us always see to it that we don’t highlight anyone else except God alone.  As Saint John the Baptist said, I must decrease and HE must increase (John 3:30). – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for Thursday, February 21; Sixth Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 8:27-33

Gospel: Mark 8:27-33

Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Christ.” Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

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Reflection:

Have you suffered for someone you love?

Suffering is part and parcel of loving, there’s no real love without suffering for that love. For so long as you love you should expect some big and little sufferings along the way. Why? Because suffering perfects and purifies love, love without suffering is not love it’s simply lust or a shallow object of attraction. 

For example, a man and a woman decided to marry. So, after their marriage they move to a place to be together.  After a few months the man found out that his partner is sick of cancer so he decided to leave her.  It was not real love that attracted the man to the woman. It was simply lust for he was not willing to suffer for his beloved.

Jesus in the gospel gives us the best example of perfect love when He said that the Son of man must suffer greatly. To whom did Jesus suffer? For us, He suffered out of His great love for us; He could have avoided going thru intense suffering for He was God too. But He chose to tread the road of suffering so that we can be redeemed from our sinfulness.

Have you done something to reciprocate this perfect love of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

1Reflection for Wednesday, February 20; Sixth Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 8:22-26

Gospel: Mark 8:22-26

When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida, people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked, “Do you see anything?” Looking up the man replied, “I see people looking like trees and walking.” Then he laid hands on the man’s eyes a second time and he saw clearly; his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly. Then he sent him home and said, “Do not even go into the village.”

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Reflection:

A woman who was a come and go Catholic suddenly decided to leave the church in favor for another Christian denomination. When she was asked why she decided to leave she said: “The protestant faith opened my eyes to the real Christian church.”

Perhaps we know of Catholics who are not well versed about the basic teachings of the church. They are also vulnerable to abandon the faith. What should we do? We must be the vehicle for their enlightenment about the truths of the catholic faith.

Let us open their eyes and let them know that we don’t worship the saints. Let us open their eyes and let them know that the Catholic church was founded by Jesus through Peter. Let us open their eyes and let them know that the Holy Bible is the book of the church that we must always read.

There are many more truths about the church that our fellow Catholics do not know yet. Let us allow ourselves to be Jesus’ vehicle so that their eyes of faith will be opened. So that they will not anymore be blinded to decide to leave the church which Jesus founded through Peter. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Tuesday, February 19; Sixth Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 8:14-21

Gospel: Mark 8:14-21

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. They concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread. When he became aware of this he said to them, “Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up? They answered him, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?” They answered him, “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

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Reflection:

Power corrupts people who don’t know how to handle it.

The Pharisees and King Herod were very powerful but they did not use their power responsibly they in fact abused it. They used it to oppress and manipulate people. Eventually they allowed the same power that they have to corrupt them.

Opposed to the manipulative and arrogant power of the Pharisees and Herod is the power of Jesus that emanates from God. Power that is used to sincerely help and power that is used with humility and purity. This power was shown to them by Jesus when He feed twice the thousands of people.

Many of us handle power like how the Pharisees and Herod handled it. We use it to manipulate, we use it to advance our selfish agendas. Many politicians use their power to steal money from the government in the guise of helping the poor. The power of the Pharisees and King Herod is temporary it doesn’t last and this kind of power has a retribution factor in the end.

Of course, we know the power of Jesus; it forever leaves an imprint in our hearts. It’s power firmly rooted in humility and power that will bring us safely to God’s kingdom someday.

Whose power do you embrace? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Monday, February 18; Sixth Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 8 11-13

Gospel: Mark 8:11-13

The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation. Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore.

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Reflection:

What does it mean when we seek signs from the Lord Jesus? It means weakness of faith, it means that Jesus is not yet enough for us to hold on for our salvation for we still need signs and wonders from Jesus. A true believer and a person of faith will not anymore seek a sign from the Lord. He/She will trust the Lord Jesus regardless of if he/she will see or not see signs from Him.

If we truly love the Lord and if we have faith in the Lord we will not anymore ask for a sign from Him. Why? Because His name alone is more than enough to deliver us from all of our fears and doubts.  This is for that reason that we always feel His abiding presence in our lives.

The Lord is with us the moment we reverently attend Holy Mass most especially when we partake of His Body and Blood during Holy Communion. The Lord speaks to us the moment we reverently read His words in the bible. Jesus is with us the moment we pray with reverence the Holy Rosary.  

If only we would invest time to dive deeper into the life of Jesus and our catholic faith we will not anymore ask for any signs from Jesus. Because as we invest time for Him, we will also notice slowly but surely His abiding presence in our life.

Let us not ask for signs let us instead get intimate with Jesus and our faith by our faithful presence at Holy Mass. By having a daily habit of reading our bible and by having a daily quite time in prayer with Him. – Marino J. Dasmarinas