Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and
said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in
him.”Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to
him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael
answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you
believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see
greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you
will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the
Son of Man.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Do you believe that Jesus knows you very
well? Many will not believe but the truth of the matter is Jesus knows each and
everyone of us very well. What we are thinking right now Jesus knows about it
also!
If Jesus knows everything about us
why is it that he doesn’t intervene whenever we are in the verge of committing
sin? This is for the reason that God gave us the freewill or the freedom
of choice to do what we want to do.
However the moment we strive to get closer
to Jesus. For example we religiously attend Holy Mass. We spend time to read
the Holy Bible and live His teachings, we surely would feel the movement of
Jesus in our lives. We therefore invite Jesus to take an active part in our lives
when we strive to get close to Him.
In the gospel Nathanael was surprised that
Jesus knew him in advance. But looking at the life of Nathanael it comes
without surprise that Jesus knew him beforehand. Because Nathanael was also
quietly seeking and thinking about God.
Do you want to feel the movement of Jesus
in your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
47 Nakita
ni Jesus si Natanael na palapit sa kanya at sinabi niya tungkol sa kanya:
“Hayan, isang totoong Israelitang walang pagkukunwari.” 48 Sinabi sa kanya
ni Natanael: “Paano mo ako nakilala?” Sumagot sa kanya si Jesus: “Bago ka pa
man tawagin ni Felipe, habang nasa ilalim ka ng punong-igos, nakita na
kita.”
49 Sumagot
si Natanael: “Rabbi, ikaw ang Anak ng Diyos, ikaw ang Hari ng Israel.”
50 Sumagot si Jesus: Sinabi ko lang sa iyong nakita kita sa ilalim ng
punong-igos, at naniniwala ka na? Higit pa sa mga ito ang makikita mo.”
51 At
idinugtong ni Jesus: “Talagang-talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo, makikita ninyong
bukas na ang langit at panhik-panaog sa Anak ng Tao ang mga anghel ng Diyos.”
When the days for Jesus to be taken up
were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent
messengers ahead of him.
On the way they entered a Samaritan
village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him
because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. When the disciples James
and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from
heaven to consume them?” Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to
another village.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Would you open the door of your house for Jesus?
The Samaritans did not welcome Jesus
because they did not know Him well. If only they knew Him they would have
welcomed Him even if He was going to Jerusalem. But they did not know Him
that’s why they refused to be hospitable to Him.
There are some problematic individuals who
decide to end their life by way of committing suicide. Why? Because they do not
know Jesus, if only they know Jesus they would have not committed that grievous
sin.
We miss so many blessings when we do not
fully know the Lord. For example, the blessing of hope, the blessing of love,
the blessing of understanding, humility, peacefulness and a lot more. These are
but a few of the many blessings that we miss when we do not know Jesus that
well.
But how would we know Jesus? We must read
the bible most especially the first four books of the New Testament. We must
often be present in the celebration of the Eucharist or Holy Mass most
especially during Sundays. If we do these acts of faith, slowly but surely our
eyes of faith would be opened to the friendship of Jesus.
But how about those who do not Jesus? How
would they know Jesus? We have to share Jesus and we have to live His teachings
so that through us they will know Jesus. To know Jesus is still not enough we
have to share Him and we have to live what we know about Him.
Do you want to live a more meaningful life?
If your answer is yes, you therefore have to share and live Jesus. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
51 Nang
papalapit na ang panahon ng pag-aakyat sa kanya, tahasang ipinasya ni Jesus na
pumunta sa Jerusalem. 52 Nagpadala siya ng mga sugo para mauna sa kanya
at pumasok sila sa nayon ng mga Samaritano para ihanda ang kanyang
matutuluyan.
53 Pero
ayaw nila siyang tanggapin dahil papunta siya sa Jerusalem. 54 Kaya
sinabi sa kanya ng kanyang mga alagad na sina Jaime at Juan: “Panginoon, gusto
mo bang tumawag kami ng apoy na babagsak mula sa langit para puksain sila?”
55 Lumingon si Jesus at pinagwikaan sila, 56 at sa ibang bayan sila
nagpunta.
An argument arose among the disciples
about which of them was the greatest. Jesus realized the intention of their
hearts and took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever
receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives
the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who
is the greatest.”
Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw
someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he
does not follow in our company. Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for
whoever is not against you is for you.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Do you sometimes feel that you are above
all for the reason of the things that you do or for the reason of your
achievements and status in life?
We can’t help but ask, why did the
disciples argue as to who among them is the greatest? Perhaps they got carried
away with the sudden fame of being with Jesus. That’s why they were arguing as
to who was the greatest among them. By being mindful of their egos they forgot
that they were with their Lord and Master.
Jesus knew of their selfish desire for
fame thus He took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever
receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives
the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who
is the greatest.”
Least in what aspect? Least in promoting
oneself as the greatest and least in filling up ones ego. It’s indeed very
tempting to use Jesus to enhance our self-image. But reality check first, this
is not what Jesus wants for us to become. Jesus desire for all of us is to
embrace humility at all times.
No one is greatest for Jesus but those who
are humble. And those who silently give their time to help him advance His
teachings. They are the greates in the eyes of Jesus.
If you give your time for Jesus no matter
how little so long as you give it with all your heart. If you give your time
for Jesus without the objective to boast and the selfish desire to be popular.
You’re already the greatest in Jesus eyes. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
46 Nangyari
na ikinabahala nila kung sino nga kaya sa kanila ang pinakadakila.
47 Alam ni Jesus ang pinagtatalunan nila sa kanilang isipan kaya kumuha
siya ng isang bata at pinatayo sa tabi niya. 48 At sinabi niya sa kanila:
“Ang tumatanggap sa batang ito sa ngalan ko ay tumatanggap sa akin, at ang
tumatanggap sa akin ay tumatanggap sa nagsugo sa akin. At isa pa: ang matagpuang
pinakamaliit sa inyong lahat ang siyang dakila.”
49 At
nagsalita si Juan: “Guro, may nakita kaming nagpapalayas ng mga demonyo sa
ngalan mo. Pero pinagbawalan namin siya dahil hindi siya sumusunod na kasama
namin.” 50 Ngunit sinabi ni Jesus sa kanya: “Huwag ninyo siyang pagbawalan
dahil panig sa inyo ang hindi laban sa inyo.”
At that time, 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. 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.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
The Story is told about two
pastors who were trying to convince the people in their place to join their
respective religions. Pastor number one said, nobody can bring you closer to
God except me because others who are
preaching about God are fake preachers so don’t listen to them listen only to me.
Pastor number two said:
Aside from listening to me you can also listen to others who are preaching the
words of God. One of the members of his religion asked the pastor: Why should I
listen to them also? The pastor said: Because I don’t have the monopoly of the
words of God.
In the gospel, a man who
doesn’t belong to the group of Jesus was casting out demons using His name.
John saw this man, thus he tried to prevent the man from using the name of the
Lord (Mark 9:38). However, Jesus told John: Do not prevent him, let him
continue using my name for no one who is using my name will speak ill of me
(Mark 9:39).
Was John feeling superior
when he prevented the man from using the name of the Lord? Why did John has
that mindset of superiority? Because he was with Jesus and he felt that he has
the sole possession of the name Jesus? But Jesus did not likeJohn’s display of arrogance. So
Jesus contradicted John to send a strong message to His apostles that they
don’t have the monopoly of his name.
Jesus did not want to become
an exclusive property of anyone even by those who are very close to Him. As far
as Jesus is concerned, He is for everybody. And for as long as it is for a noble purpose
anyone can use His name anytime.
We must avoid the mindset of
superiority over anybody because nobody will like or join us. Instead, we must
at all times be humble since its only thru our humility that we can bring our
fellowmen closer to the Lord and to our
church. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Noong Panahong iyon sinabi
ni Juan kay Jesus: “Guro, nakita namin ang isang di natin kasama na
nagpapalayas ng mga demonyo sa bisa ng iyong pangalan. Ngunit pinigil namin
siya dahil hindi natin siya kasama.” 39 At sinabi ni Jesus: “Huwag ninyo
siyang pigilan. Wala ngang gumagawa ng himala sa bisa ng aking pangalan na agad
na magsasalita laban sa akin. 40 Ang hindi laban sa atin ay kampi sa atin.
41 At kung may
magpainom sa inyo ng malamig na tubig alang-alang sa aking pangalan dahil kay
Kristo kayo, talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo na hindi siya mananatiling walang
gantimpala. 42 Ngunit kung may tumisod at magpadapa sa isa sa maliliit na
ito na nananalig, mas makabubuti pa para sa kanya na itapon siya sa dagat na
may taling malaking bato sa kanyang leeg.
43 Kung ang kamay mo
ang nagtutulak sa iyo sa kasalanan, putulin mo ito. Mas mabuti pa sa iyo ang
pumasok na pingkaw sa buhay kaysa matapon sa walang hanggang apoy ng impiyerno
na may dalawang kamay. 45 At kung ang paa mo ang nagtutulak sa iyo sa
kasalanan, putulin mo ito. Mas mabuti pa sa iyo ang pumasok na pilay sa buhay
kaysa matapon sa impiyerno na may dalawang paa.
47 At kung ang mata mo
ang nagtutulak sa iyo sa kasalanan, itapon mo ito. Mabuti pa sa iyo ang pumasok
sa kaharian ng Diyos na may isang mata kaysa matapon sa impiyerno na may
dalawang mata, 48 kung saan walang tigil ang mga uod sa kanila at walang
kamatayan ang apoy.
+ + + + + + +
Repleksyon:
May isang kuwento tungkol sa dalawang
pastor na gustong kumbinsihin ang mga tao sa kanilang lugar na sumama sa
kanilang relihiyon. Sinabi ng unang pastor: Walang ibang makapagdadala palapit
sa Diyos sa inyo kundi ako lang. Dahil ang iba na nangangaral tunkol sa Diyos
ay hindi totoo kaya huwag kayong makinig sa kanila bagkus ay sa akin lang kayo
makinig.
Sinabi naman ng ikalawang pastor:
Maliban sa pakikinig nyo sa akin ay pakingan nyo rin ang iba na nangangaral ng
salita ng Diyos. Kaya may nagtanong sa
kanya: Bakit po ba ako makikinig pa sa kanila? At sumagot ang pastor, basta
mabuti ang layunin lahat ay may karapatan na magbahagi ng salita ng Diyos.
Sa atin pong mabuting balita ay may
isang tao na nagpapalayas ng mga demonyo sa pamamagitan ng pangalan ni Jesus.
At ito ay nakita ni Juan kaya pinagbawalan nya ang taong ito. Pero sinalungat
si Juan ni Jesus at sinabi nya huwag itong pigilan dahil walang gumagawa ng
himala sa kanyang pangalan ang mag sasalita laban sa kanya.
Sa palagay ba ni Juan ay mas superior na
sya kaya pinagbawalan nya ang lalaki na gamitin ang pangalan ni Jesus? Bakit ba
si Juan ay nagkaroon ng ganon na pag-iisip? Ito ba ay dahil siya ay palaging kasama ni Jesus? Pero hindi iyon
na gustuhan ni Jesus kaya sinalungat nya sii Juan. At ito ay ginawa ni Jesus
para magbigay nang malakas na mensahe sa kanyang mga apostol na wala silang
monopolyo sa kanyang pangalan.
Ayaw ni Jesus na siya ay maging
exclusibong pag aari ng kahit na sinong grupo na sa tingin nila ay sila ay
malapit sa kanya. Para po kay Jesus siya o ang kanyang pangalan ay para sa
lahat. At lahat ay may karapatan na gamitin ang pangalan nya para sa mabuting
layunin.
Iwasan po natin ang magkaroon tayo
ng pag-iisip na tayo ay mataas na o superior na kaysa iba dahil walang
magkakagusto na sumama sa atin o sa ating pangkat. Bagkus dapat ay tayo ay
palaging mababa ang kalooban dahil sa pamamagitan po lamang nito natin mailalapit
ang ating kapwa kay Jesus at sa ating simbahan. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
While they were all amazed at his every
deed, Jesus said to his disciples, “Pay attention to what I am telling you. The
Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” But they did not understand this
saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it,
and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Why were the disciples afraid to ask Jesus
to elaborate His meaningful statement that He is going to be handed over to
men? Did they sense that something dangerous is going to happen to Jesus soon?
Were they afraid to hear something that would deal with suffering and the
cross? Or the disciples were simply used to the image of Jesus as a powerful
miracle worker and healer?
Is it only for His miracles and healings
that we follow Jesus? Perhaps yes, many of us are only after Jesus the miracle
worker and Jesus the healer. But if we are only after His miracles and healings
then this is not true discipleship.
True discipleship happens to us when we
are also ready to suffer for Jesus and when we are also ready to carry our own
cross for Jesus. We cannot separate Jesus from suffering because He himself
brutally suffered. Thus we cannot also separate ourselves from suffering/s if
we truly follow Jesus.
Nevertheless, let us not be afraid to
suffer for our discipleship for Jesus because our suffering for Jesus will not
be in vain. There is always something glorious after suffering and carrying our
own cross for Jesus. We may not know it immediately but there surely will be
glory after we endure our cross and sufferings. - Marino J. Dasmarinas
Nang lubos na nagtataka ang lahat
dahil sa mga ginagawa ni Jesus, sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad:
44 “Itanim
ninyong mabuti sa inyong pandinig ang mga kataga kong ito: ibibigay ang Anak ng
Tao sa kamay ng mga tao.” 45 Hindi nila naintindihan ang pahayag na ito at
nalingid ito sa kanila upang hindi nila maunawaan. At takot naman silang magtanong
sa kanya tungkol sa pahayag na ito.
Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,
and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I
am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One
of the ancient prophets has arisen.’” Then he said to them, “But who do you say
that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.” He rebuked them and
directed them not to tell this to anyone.
He said, “The Son of Man must suffer
greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and
be killed and on the third day be raised.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Do you live the teachings of Jesus?
When Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do
the crowds say that I am?” they were unsure, some said that He was John the
Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.
Then He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The
Christ of God.”
If Jesus would ask us, “Who do the crowds
say that I am?” I don’t know if we would be able to answer at all. Because
unlike the disciples who walked and lived with Jesus and who shared and
preached the word of God. We may not have preached and shared what we know
about the yet.
What if He will also say to us, “But who
do you say that I am?” Would we be able to reply like Peter who said with
conviction, “The Christ of God.”
These are two simple questions from Jesus
that invites us to examine if we have a personal relationship with Him. If we
don’t have it yet let us do our part by having that thirst and hunger for the
Lord. And surely the Holy Spirit will do its part to bring us closer to Jesus.
– Marino J. Dasmarinas
18 Minsan,
mag-isang nagdarasal si Jesus at naroon din ang mga alagad. Tinanong niya sila:
“Sino raw ako ayon sa sabi ng mga tao?” 19 Sumagot sila: “Si Juan Bautista
raw; may iba namang nagsasabing ikaw si Elias at may iba pang nagsasabi na
isang propeta noong una ang nabuhay.”
20 At
sinabi ni Jesus sa kanila: “Ano naman ang sinasabi ninyo kung sino ako?”
Sumagot si Pedro: “Ang Mesiyas ng Diyos.” 21 At inutusan sila ni Jesus na
huwag sabihin ito kaninuman. 22 Sinabi nga ni Jesus: “Kailangang
magtiis ng marami ang Anak ng Tao. Itatakwil nga siya ng mga Matatanda ng
bayan, ng mga punong-pari at ng mga guro ng Batas. Papatayin siya at muling
babangon sa ikatlong araw.”
Herod the tetrarch heard about all that
was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
"John has been raised from the dead"; others were saying,
"Elijah has appeared"; still others, "One of the ancient
prophets has arisen." But Herod said, "John I beheaded. Who then is
this about whom I hear such things?" And he kept trying to see him.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
The story is told about a lady who was
always being bothered by her conscience every time she sees a baby. For
it always reminds her of her baby which she aborted. She had no closure with
the mortal sin that she did.
Perhaps the same scenario was occurring in
the mind of Herod. He was deeply disturbed by the news about Jesus. And it came
to a point that he thought that John whom he ordered killed has been raised
from the dead.
Why is Herod curious about the true
identity of Jesus and why have that burning desire to see Jesus? This is for
the reason that Herod wants to see if John whom he ordered killed had risen.
We too should have that curiosity about
Jesus not because we want to know if He is John. We have to be curious about
Jesus for the reason that we want to have a deeper intimacy with Him. And this
desire to know more about the Lord should lead us to a deeper faith and love
for the Lord.
To whom does Jesus always manifest Himself
to us during this covid-19 pandemic? He manifest through the poor, the deprived,
the hungry and the oppressed. If we want to know Jesus deeply we must exert
every possible effort to help and love them. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
7 Nabalitaan
naman ng tetrarkang si Herodes ang lahat ng pangyayaring ito at litung-lito
siya dahil may nagsasabing nabuhay mula sa mga patay si Juan.
8 Sinabi
naman ng iba na nagpakita si Elias, at ng iba pa na isa sa mga propeta noon
ang bumangon. 9 At sinabi ni Herodes: “Pinapugutan ko si Juan; sino nga
kaya itong nababalitaan kong gumagawa ng mga iyon?” Kaya sinikap niyang makita
si Jesus.
