Reflection for April 6 Fifth Sunday of Lent: John 8:1-11

Gospel: John 8:1-11

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. 

They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 

They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him.

Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.

And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”

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Reflection:

Are you a person who is quick to judge?

Many of us like to judge others without realizing that when we judge, we also invite others to judge us. This is our weakness—we are very quick to judge. But what authority do we have to judge and condemn others?

We are quick to judge because we have a mindset of superiority. This mindset compels us to judge those who sin. Otherwise, if we do not have this sense of superiority, we will not judge. Instead, we offer advice or counsel, as this is the best way to help those who have sinned. Well and good if sinners follow our advice; if not, it is up to them.

Judgment or condemnation will never heal a sinner; in fact, it may push them deeper into sin until it ultimately destroys them.

In the Gospel, the woman caught in adultery was very blessed because her accusers brought her to Jesus. Otherwise, if she had been taken somewhere else, she would have been immediately killed by the arrogance of her accusers. But thanks be to God, Jesus was there to save and protect her.

To whom do you turn for shelter and solace when you are condemned and unfairly judged by the people of this world, or when you are burdened by the worries of life? —Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita at Repleksyon para sa Abril 6 Ikalimang Linggo ng Kuwaresma: Juan 8:1-11

Mabuting Balita: Juan 8:1-11

Noong panahong iyon, si Hesus ay pumunta sa Bundok ng mga Olibo. Kinaumagaha’y nagbalik siya sa templo. Lumapit sa kanya ang lahat, kaya’t umupo siya at sila’y tinuruan. Noo’y dinala sa kanya ng mga eskriba at ng mga Pariseo ang isang babaing nahuli sa pakikiapid. 

Pinatayo ito sa harapan nila, at sinabi kay Hesus, “Guro, ang babaing ito’y nahuli sa pakikiapid. Ayon sa Kautusan ni Moises, dapat batuhinhanggang sa mamatay ang mga gaya niya.

  

Ano ang masasabi mo?” Itinanong nila ito upang subukin siya, nang may maisumbong sila laban sa kanya. Ngunit yumuko si Hesus at sumulat sa lupa sa pamamagitan ng daliri. Ayaw nilang tigilan nang katatanong si Hesus, kaya’t sila’y tiningnan niya at sinabi ang ganito, “Sinuman sa inyo na walang kasalanan ang siyang maunang bumato sa kanya.” At muli siyang yumuko at sumulat sa lupa.   

Nang marinig nila ito, sila’y isa-isang umalis, simula sa pinakamatanda. Walang naiwan kundi si Hesus at ang babaing naroon pa rin sa harapan niya. Tiningnan siya ni Hesus at tinanong: “Nasaan sila? Wala bang nagparusa sa iyo?” “Wala po, Ginoo,” sagot ng babae. Sinabi ni Hesus: “Hindi rin kita parurusahan. Humayo ka, at huwag nang magkasala.” 

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Repleksyon:

Ikaw ba ay isang taong madaling maghusga? Marami sa atin ang mabilis humusga sa iba pero  kapag tayo’y humuhusga, iniimbitahan din natin ang iba na husgahan tayo. Diba pag ang ating hintuturo ay itinuturo natin ang tatlong daliri natin ay nakaturo pabalik sa atin?  Ito ang ating kahinaan—napakadali nating humusga. Ngunit anong kapangyarihan ang mayroon tayo upang hatulan at kondenahin ang iba?

Mabilis tayong humusga dahil sa tingin natin tayo ay mas malinis sa ating hinuhusgahan. Ang ganitong kaisipan ang nagtutulak sa atin na hatulan ang mga tinatawag nating makasalanan. Kung wala tayong ganitong pag-iisip ng pagiging nakatataas, hindi tayo manghuhusga.

Sa halip, magbibigay tayo ng payo o paggabay, sapagkat ito ang pinakamainam na paraan upang matulungan ang mga nagkasala. Mabuti kung susundin ng makasalanan ang ating payo; ngunit kung hindi, nasa kanya na iyon. Bast ang importante ay nagbigay tayo ng payo hindi ng pag kondena.

Ang paghatol o pagkondena ay hindi kailanman nakabubuti sa isang makasalanan; dahil, maaari pa itong magtulak sa kanya ng mas malalim pa na pagkakasala hanggang sa tuluyang masira ang kanyang buhay.

Sa atin pong mabuting balita, napakapalad ng babaeng nahuling nangangalunya dahil dinala siya ng kanyang mga tagapag-akusa kay Jesus. Kung dinala siya sa ibang tao, maaaring agad siyang pinatay dahil sa pag kondena ng kanyang mga tagapag-akusa. Ngunit salamat sa Diyos, dinala nila siya kay Jesus kaya siya ay nabigyan ng pagkakataon na mag bagong buhay.

Kanino ka ba lumalapit upang humanap ng magtatanggol saiyo kapag ikaw ay kinokondena at hinuhusgahan nang ng mga tao sa mundong ito? O kapag ikaw ay may pinapasan na mabigat na problema sa iyong buhay? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for April 3 Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent: John 5:31-47

Gospel: John 5:31-47

Jesus said to the Jews: “If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true. But there is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true. You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth. I do not accept human testimony, but I say this so that you may be saved.  

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

Mabuting Balita: Juan 5:31-47

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Jesus sa mga Judio: "Kung ako lamang ang nagpapatotoo tungkol sa aking sarili, huwag ninyong tanggapin, ngunit may ibang nagpapatotoo tungkol sa akin, at totoo ang kanyang sinasabi. Nagpasugo kayo kay Juan, at nagpatotoo siya tungkol sa katotohanan. Hindi sa kailangan ko ang patotoo ng tao; sinasabi ko lamang ito para maligtas kayo. 

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?"

Reflection for April 2 Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent: John 5:17-30

Gospel: John 5:17-30

Jesus answered the Jews: “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God.  

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

Mabuting Balita: Juan 5:17-30

Noong panahong iyon, sinabi ni Hesus sa mga Judio: “Ang aking Ama’y patuloy sa paggawa, at gayun din ako.” Lalong pinagsikapan ng mga Judio na patayin siya, sapagkat nilabag na niya ang batas tungkol sa Araw ng Pamamahinga ay sinasabi pa niyang ang Diyos ang kanyang Ama, at sa gayo’y ipinapantay ang sarili sa Diyos. 

Kaya’t sinabi sa kanila ni Hesus, “Dapat ninyong malaman na walang ginagawa ang Anak sa kanyang sarili lamang; ang ginagawa lamang niya’y ang nakikita niyang ginagawa ng Ama. Ang ginagawa ng Ama ay siya ring ginagawa ng Anak. Sapagkat minamahal ng Ama ang Anak, at ipinakikita sa Anak ang lahat ng ginagawa niya. 

At higit pa sa mga ito ang mga gawang ipakikita sa kanya ng Ama at manggigilalas kayo. Kung paanong binubuhay ng Ama ang mga patay, gayun din naman, bubuhayin ng Anak ang sinumang nais niyang buhayin. Hindi humahatol kaninuman ang Ama. Ibinigay niya sa Anak ang buong kapangyarihang humatol upang parangalan ng lahat ang Anak, tulad ng kanilang pagpaparangal sa Ama. Ang hindi nagpaparangal sa Anak ay hindi nagpaparangal sa Amang nagsugo sa Anak.  

“Sinasabi ko sa inyo: Ang nakikinig sa aking salita at nananalig sa nagsugo sa akin ay may buhay na walang hanggan. Hindi na siya hahatulan kundi inilipat na sa buhay mula sa kamatayan. Tandaan ninyo: darating ang panahon – ngayon na nga – na maririnig ng mga patay ang tinig ng Anak ng Diyos at ang makinig sa kanya ay mabubuhay. Ang Ama ang may kapangyarihang magbigay-buhay at ang Anak ay binigyan niya ng kapangyarihang magbigay-buhay.  

Binigyan din siya ng kapangyarihang humatol sapagkat siya ang Anak ng Tao. Huwag ninyo itong pagtakhan, sapagkat darating ang oras na maririnig ng mga patay ang kanyang tinig. Sila’y muling mabubuhay at lalabas sa kinalilibingan nila. Lahat ng gumawa ng mabuti ay pagkakalooban ng buhay na walang hanggan at lahat ng masama ay parurusahan.”  

“Wala akong ginagawa sa sarili ko lamang. Humahatol ako ayon sa sinasabi sa akin ng Ama, kaya’t matuwid ang hatol ko; hindi ang sarili kong kalooban ang aking sinusunod kundi ang kalooban ng nagsugo sa akin.”