Pasanin
ninyo ang aking pamatok, at mag-aral kayo sa akin; ako'y maamo at
mababang-loob, at makasusumpong kayo ng kapahingahan para sa inyong kaluluwa.
Sapagkat maginhawang dalhin ang aking pamatok, at magaan ang pasaning ibibigay
ko sa inyo."
And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he
rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the
same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little
ones be lost.”
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Reflection:
Can we measure God’s love for us? No for God’s love is not bound by any kind of measurement or limited by time and space. God will continue to love us even if we are the most sinful person in this world.
The Parable of the lost sheep in our gospel is a showcase of this infinite love of God. Who is the man who looked for the lost sheep? He is our loving and merciful God! Who is the lost sheep that went astray? It’s us we who are sinful and we who oftentimes love sin more than God.
Nevertheless, even if we love to sin and even if we run away from the love of God. He is always there looking for us. Ever ready to forgive and forget all the sins that we have committed. Let us all be cognizant of this infinite love of God and let us also not be quick to judge our brothers and sisters who sin.
Instead of judging those who sin let us rather emulate God who looked for and reached out to the lost sheep. Instead of judging let us help them get up on their feet so that they could free themselves from the bondage of sin. There are sinners because no one is willing to reach out to them, no one is willing to pay forward the infinite love of God.
Are you quick to judge those who sin?
Would you care to reach out to them so that they could feel the infinite love
of God? - Marino J. Dasmarinas
Sinasabi
ko sa inyo; kapag nasumpungan niya ito, higit niyang ikinagagalak ang isang ito
kaysa siyamnapu't siyam na hindi naligaw. Gayon din naman, hindi kaloob ng
inyong Amang nasa langit na mapahamak ang isa sa maliliit na ito."
Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”– he said to the one who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
He stood up immediately before them,
picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then
astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they
said, “We have seen incredible things today.”
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Reflection:
How far are you willing to go to help a person in need? We have in our gospel a paralytic who was brought to Jesus by selfless men. Men who did not think of their own safety so that they could help. Men who did everything so that they could bring somebody to Jesus.
What if there were no selfless men who dared to help the paralytic? The paralytic would have remained paralytic for the rest of his life. But he was very blessed that he encountered these men who help him go near Jesus.
When we help someone in need we are opening ourselves to enormous blessings from God. This is what happened to the men who brought the paralytic to Jesus. They were blessed by Jesus and was forgiven of their many sins (Luke 5:20).
As we continue our journey in this world we will continue to encounter those who are in need. Let us never let go of these opportunities to help be it material or spiritual help. If it would require us to momentarily forget our own selves so that we could extend a helping hand, let us help by all means.
Every effort that we do for others is
always rewarded by Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Nagpipilit silang makapasok sa bahay upang mailagay sa harapan ni Hesus ang maysakit, subalit wala silang maraanan dahil sa dami ng tao. Kaya’t umakyat sila sa bubungan at binutas iyon, saka inihugos sa harapan ni Hesus ang paralitikong nasa higaan. Nang makita ni hesus kung gaano kalaki ang kanilang pananalig, sinabi niya sa paralitiko, “Kaibigan, pinatatawad ka na sa iyong mga kasalanan.”
Sa loob-loob ng mga eskriba’t Pariseo: “Sino itong nagsasalita ng kalapastanganan sa Diyos? Hindi ba’t Diyos lamang ang makapagpapatawad ng mga kasalanan?” Ngunit batid ni Hesus ang kanilang iniisip, kaya’t sinagot niya sila, “Bakit kayo nag-iisip ng ganyan? Alin ba ang lalong madali: ang sabihin sa paralitiko ‘Pinatatawad ka na sa iyong mga kasalanan’ o ang sabihing ‘Tumindig ka at lumakad’? Patutunayan ko sa inyo ang Anak ng Tao ay may kapangyarihan dito sa lupa na magpatawad ng mga kasalanan.”
At
sinabi niya sa paralitiko, “Iniuutos ko: tumindig ka, dalhin mo ang iyong
higaan at umuwi ka!” Pagdaka’y tumindig ang tao sa harapan ng lahat, binuhat
ang kanyang higaan at umuwing nagpupuri sa Diyos. Nanggilalas sila at tigib ng
takot na nagpuri sa Diyos. “Nakakita kami ngayon ng mga kahanga-hangang bagay!”
wika nila.
At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.
Therefore every
tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I
am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me
is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear
his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will
burn with unquenchable fire.
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Reflection:
The story is told about a mother who had a wayward son. The mother would always plead to her son to change his ways and repent. However, the son would always turn a deaf ear to her mother’s pleadings. The mother eventually died without seeing her son’s repentance. After a few years the son also died brought about by his living a life of sin.
During the time of John the Baptist he called also for repentance because the people of Judea were living in sin. John was a Prophet who lived his life in utter simplicity and humility. He wore clothing made of camel’s hair his food was locust and wild honey.
Many listened to his call because he was worthy of his advocacy, he showed the people of his time that he was walking his talk; he lived according to what he was preaching.
We can endlessly preach repentance to our fellowmen but if we do not live what we preach. And if we do not walk what we talk nobody would listen to us. That’s what separate’s John the Baptist from us, he was a worthy herald for Jesus simply because he walked his talk. He supported his call of repentance by living it and by shunning the trappings and comforts of his environment.
This second week
of Advent let us ask ourselves these two questions: have I called for
repentance to people who are within my circle of influence? And am I currently
living John the Baptist’s life of simplicity and humility? – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
Hinabing balahibo ng kamelyo ang
damit ni Juan, at balat ang kanyang pamigkis. Ang kanya namang pagkai’y balang
at pulot-pukyutan. At pumunta sa kanya ang mga taga-Jerusalem, taga-Judea, at
mga naninirahan sa magkabilang panig ng Jordan. Ipinahayag nila ang kanilang
mga kasalanan, at sila’y bininyagan ni Juan sa Ilog Jordan.
Ngunit nang makita niyang marami sa
mga Pariseo at mga Saduseo ang lumalapit upang pabinyag, sinabi niya sa kanila,
“Kayong lahi ng mga ulupong! Sino ang nagbabala sa inyo upang tumakas sa
parusang darating? Ipakilala ninyo sa pamamagitan ng inyong pamumuhay na kayo’y
nagsisisi. At huwag ninyong ipangahas na kayo’y anak ni Abraham.
Sinasabi ko sa inyo: Ang Diyos ay
makalilikha ng mga tunay na anak ni Abraham mula sa mga batong ito. Ngayon pa’y
nakaamba na ang palakol sa ugat ng punungkahoy; ang bawat punungkahoy na hindi
mabuti ang bunga ay puputulin at ihahagis sa apoy. Binibinyagan ko kayo sa
tubig bilang tanda ng pagsisisi ninyo’t pagtalikod sa inyong mga kasalanan;
ngunit ang dumarating na kasunod ko ang magbibinyag sa inyo sa Espiritu Santo
at sa apoy.
Siya’y makapangyarihan kaysa akin,
hindi ako karapat-dapat kahit tagadala ng kanyang panyapak. Hawak niya ang
kanyang kalaykay upang alisin ang dayami. Titipunin niya sa kamalig ang trigo,
ngunit ang ipa’y susunugin sa apoy na di mamamatay kailanman.”
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.
Jesus sent out these Twelve after
instructing them thus, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go,
make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick,
raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have
received; without cost you are to give.”
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Reflection:
Have you done something to bring others to the Lord? For example, you asked a friend to go with you to the church to attend Holy Mass. Or you counseled a friend to read the Bible so that he/she could know Jesus deeply.
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few (Matthew 9:37).” These words of Jesus rings loudly to our ears today than ever before. Indeed this is very true and very relevant for our times. We just need to look around our environment and we would see the sad reality that there’s are many more who don’t know Jesus.
Our labor for God must not be limited to our vocation in the church as Preist, Extra-Ordinary Ministers of the Holy Communion, as Catechist, as Lectors/commentators and as members of other church ministries. We must put more flesh in our involvement in our church by going out to those who are hungry, who are physically/emotionally sick. We need to bring Jesus out to the poor of our society for they too need Jesus and surely they need Jesus to guide them.
Even if we are ordinary parishioners by virtue of our baptism we too are called to share Jesus. A faith that grows is a faith that is shared. Beginning this Advent season and onwards let us allow Jesus to use us as His instrument of healing by helping the poor and the deprived.
But there are those who follow Jesus based on their own terms and standards. They impose their own rule and not the rule of Jesus they follow Christ based on their own self-rule. Thus, instead of embracing humility they choose to embrace arrogance. Instead of winning converts and followers they become the main reason why others walk away from the faith.
A good follower has rock solid faith, is neither self seeking nor arrogant. Always humble and content to silently do his mission for the greater glory of God. Are you this kind of follower? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Kaya’t sinabi niya sa kanyang mga alagad, “Sagana ang anihin, ngunit kakaunti ang mag-aani. Idalangin ninyo sa may-ari ng anihin na magpadala siya ng mga manggagawa sa kanyang anihin.” Tinipon ni Hesus ang labindalawang alagad at binigyan ng kapangyarihang magpalayas ng masasamang espiritu at magpagaling ng mga may karamdaman.
Sila’y
pinagbilinan ni Hesus: “Hanapon ninyo ang mga nawawalang tupa ng sambahayan ng
Israel. Humayo kayo at ipangaral ninyo na malapit nang maghari ang Diyos.
Pagalingin ninyo ang mga maysakit at buhayin ang mga patay. Pagalingin ninyo
ang mga ketongin at palayasin ang mga demonyo. Yamang tumanggap kayo nang
walang bayad, magbigay naman kayo nang walang bayad.”
Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let
it be done for you according to your faith. And their eyes were opened. Jesus
warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this. But they went out and
spread word of him through all that land.
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Reflection:
What are you willing to do to receive healing from God? Are you willing to humble yourself and kneel before God and ask Him to give you the gift of healing? Healing is a gift that Jesus freely gives to those who have faith. Even if you will not ask for it Jesus will give it to you for as long as you humble yourself and have faith in front of Him.
In the gospel for this Friday we have two humble blind men with rock-solid faith who cried to the Lord for healing. Why did they cry when they could have shouted at Jesus to get His attention? They cried because they felt hope, mercy and healing from Jesus. For the two blind men Jesus was their only hope to have the gift of sight.
Let us also ask Jesus to give us the gift of Healing for nothing is impossible for those who believe and humble themselves before God. Even the impossible is very much possible for as long as we have faith.
Whatever that you’re going through right now, believe that Jesus will heal you. And believe that He will answer your prayers for nothing is impossible for Jesus. This is best exemplified by the two incredible blind men of deep faith in our gospel.
How’s your faith in the Lord? - Marino J.
Dasmarinas
At
hinipo niya ang kanilang mga mata, at sinabi, “Mangyari sa inyo ang ayon sa
inyong paniniwala.” At hinipo niya ang kanilang mga mata at sinabi, “Mangyari
sa inyo ang ayon sa inyong paniniwala.” At nakakita na sila. Mahigpit na
ipinagbilin sa kanila ni Hesus na huwag sasabihin ito kaninuman. Ngunit nang
sila’y makaalis, ibinalita nila sa buong lupaing yaon ang ginawa sa kanila ni
Hesus.
