Reflection for April 6, Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent: John 8:31-42

Gospel: John 8:31-42

Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.  

A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free. I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you. I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence; then do what you have heard from the Father.” 

They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. You are doing the works of your father!” So they said to him, “We were not born of fornication. We have one Father, God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”

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Reflection:

What would happen to us if we decide to faithfully follow Jesus? Jesus will set us free from all forms of worldliness. He will open our minds about the deeper truths of life and our faith. He will make us appreciate that our life in this world is just a bridge that we must pass through for us to go to His kingdom.  

But there’s a condition for us to have this enlightenment. We must always choose to remain in the company of Jesus. We should not believe the many lies of the devil no matter how attractive and tempting his lies are. 

However, why is it that many are still choosing this world over Jesus? They do so for the simple reason that they are more comfortable with the material and sinful offerings of this world. They do so because they’ve not allowed the teachings of Jesus to take root in their hearts.   Until they get sick or they encounter a crucial event in their lives which would now force them to look for God.  

Let us not wait for that crucial moment to come before we choose to become faithful to Jesus. Let us do it now while we are still healthy and in complete control of our health and mental faculties. 

Let us therefore decide to embrace Jesus now and leave behind our sinfulness while we have the luxury of time. Let us not wait for tomorrow for tomorrow may be too late already. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Abril 6 Miyerkules sa Ika-5 Linggo ng Apatnapung Araw na Paghahanda: Juan 8:31-42

Mabuting Balita: Juan 8:31-42

Noong panahong iyon 31Sinabi ni Jesus sa mga Judiong yaon na nagsisisampalataya sa kaniya, Kung kayo'y magsisipanatili sa aking salita, kung magkagayo'y tunay nga kayong mga alagad ko; 32At inyong makikilala ang katotohanan, at ang katotohana'y magpapalaya sa inyo. 33Sa kaniya'y kanilang isinagot, Kami'y binhi ni Abraham, at kailan ma'y hindi pa naging alipin ninomang tao: paanong sinasabi mo, Kayo'y magiging laya?  

34Sinagot sila ni Jesus, Katotohanan, katotohanang sinasabi ko sa inyo, Ang bawa't nagkakasala ay alipin ng kasalanan. 35At ang alipin ay hindi nananahan sa bahay magpakailan man: ang anak ang nananahan magpakailan man. 36 Kung palayain nga kayo ng Anak, kayo'y magiging tunay na laya. 37Talastas ko na kayo'y binhi ni Abraham; gayon ma'y pinagsisikapan ninyong ako'y patayin, sapagka't ang salita ko'y hindi magkasiya sa inyo. 38Sinasalita ko ang mga bagay na aking nakita sa aking Ama: at ginagawa rin ninyo ang mga bagay na inyong narinig sa inyong Ama. 

39Sila'y nagsisagot at sa kaniya'y sinabi, Si Abraham ang aming ama. Sa kanila'y sinabi ni Jesus, Kung kayo'y mga anak ni Abraham, ay gagawin ninyo ang mga gawa ni Abraham. 40Datapuwa't ngayo'y pinagsisikapan ninyo akong patayin, na taong sa inyo'y nagsaysay ng katotohanan, na aking narinig sa Dios: ito'y hindi ginawa ni Abraham. 41Ginagawa ninyo ang mga gawa ng inyong ama. Sinabi nila sa kaniya, Hindi kami inianak sa pakikiapid; may isang Ama kami, ang Dios. 42Sinabi sa kanila ni Jesus, Kung ang Dios ang inyong ama, ay inyong iibigin ako: sapagka't ako'y nagmula at nanggaling sa Dios; sapagka't hindi ako naparito sa aking sarili, kundi sinugo niya ako.

Reflection for April 5, Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent: John 8:21-30

Gospel: John 8:21-30

Jesus said to the Pharisees: “I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above.  

You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning. I have much to say about you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world.”  

They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.” Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

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Reflection:

What does sin do to us? It separates us from the infinite love of God, the more we sin the more that we widen the distance between us and God.  Why do we sin? We sin because we succumb to the devil’s temptation. But we are not beyond redemption for the reason that we have someone who is always there for us to save us from the bondage of sin and He’s no other than Jesus.  

The moment we submit ourselves to the sacrament of Reconciliation we allow Jesus to extricate us from the bondage of sin.  We allow Jesus to heal whatever wounds we have caused by our sinfulness. 

As we get closer to the holiest of weeks we are slowly but surely being brought by the church closer to Jesus. For what reason is this? To make us realize about the great love and sacrifice that Jesus did on the cross. Jesus died for us on the cross, He need not die on the cross but He gave His life for His love for us.  

At the end of the day it’s still upon us if we want to permanently separate ourselves from the love of Jesus. Or if we go to Jesus and accept His offer of salvation Jesus is always there waiting for us ever ready to forgive whatever sins that we have committed. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Abril 5 Martes sa Ika-5 Linggo ng Apatnapung Araw na Paghahanda: Juan 8:21-30

Mabuting Balita: Juan 8:21-30

21 Sinabi ni Jesus sa mga Pariseo: “Aalis ako at hahanapin ninyo ako, at sa inyong kasalanan kayo mama­matay. Kung saan ako pupunta, hindi kayo makaparoroon.” 22 Kaya sinabi ng mga Judio: “Magpapa­kamatay kaya siya kaya niya sinasabing ‘Kung saan ako pupunta, hindi kayo makaparo­roon’?”   

23 At sinabi ni Jesus sa kanila: “Taga-iba­ba kayo; taga-itaas naman ako. Taga-mun­dong ito kayo. Hindi ako taga-mundong ito. 24 Kaya sinabi ko sa inyo na sa inyong mga kasalanan kayo mama­matay. Sa inyong mga kasa­lanan nga kayo mamamatay kung hindi kayo mani­niwalang Ako Siya. 25 At sinabi nila sa kanya: “Sino ka ba?” sinabi naman sa kanila ni Jesus: “Ba’t pa kaya ako mangungusap sa inyo? 26 Mara­mi akong masasabi at ma­hu­hukuman tungkol sa inyo. Totoo nga ang nagpadala sa akin; at ang narinig ko mula sa kanya – ang mga ito ang sinasabi ko sa mundo.”  

27 Hindi nila naintindihan na ang Ama ang tinutukoy niya. 28 At sinabi ni Jesus: “Kapag itinaas ninyo ang Anak ng Tao, maiintindihan ninyong Ako siya at wala akong ginagawa sa ganang sarili ko kundi ayon sa iniaral sa aking ng Ama – ang mga ito ang aking sinasabi. 29 Kasama ko nga ang nagpadala sa akin at hindi niya ako iniiwang nag-iisa pagkat lagi kong ginagawa ang mga kalugud-lugod sa kanya.” • 30 Habang sinasabi ito ni Jesus, marami ang nanalig sa kanya.  

Reflection for April 4, Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent: John 8:12-20

Gospel: John 8:12-20

Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” So the Pharisees said to him, “You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be verified.” Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified, because I know where I came from and where I am going. 

But you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone. And even if I should judge, my judgment is valid, because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me. Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men can be verified.  

I testify on my behalf and so does the Father who sent me.” So they said to him, “Where is your father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words while teaching in the treasury in the temple area. But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

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Reflection:

Who is the light of your world? Is it Jesus or the things of this world?  Many of us make the things of this world our light. We are motivated to succeed in this world that it becomes our primary focus. And Jesus becomes our second priority if at all our second priority. But the problem of making this world the light of our world is our life in this world is not forever and this world will not give us true peace and contentment.  

In the gospel, Jesus boldly proclaims to us that He is the light of the world that illuminates each and everyone of us (John 8:12). Some of us know this some of us don’t because we continue to allow ourselves to be lighted by this world.  

For those who had been enlightened by the light of Jesus. They ensure that this light of Jesus will illuminate others most especially those who don’t know the Lord fully well. And those who continue to allow themselves to be enslaved by the sinful things of this world. 

Let us therefore allow the proclamation of Jesus that He is the light of the world to echo through us by making the Lord the light of our world also. The moment we do so, we would always have a protection and insurance against the tribulations of this world. 

Is Jesus the light of your world? – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Abril 4 Lunes sa Ika-5 Linggo ng Apatnapung Araw na Paghahanda: Juan 8:12-20

Mabuting Balita: Juan 8:12-20

Noong panahong iyon 12  muling nangusap si Jesus sa kanila at nagwika: “Ako siyang liwanag ng mundo. Magkakaroon ng liwanag ng buhay ang sumusunod sa akin at hinding-hindi magpapalakad-lakad sa karimlan.” 13 Kaya sinabi sa kanya ng mga Pari­seo: “Ikaw ang nagpapatunay sa iyong sarili. Hindi totoo ang patunay mo.”  

14 Sumagot si Jesus sa kanila: “Kahit na nagpapatunay ako sa aking sarili, totoo ang patunay ko dahil alam ko kung saan ako galing at kung pasaan ako. Pero hindi n’yo alam kung saan ako galing at kung pasaan ako. 15 Ayon sa laman kayo nag-huhukom; hindi ko hinuhukuman ang sinu­man.  

 16 Kung humukom man ako, totoo ang paghu­hukom ko dahil hindi ako nag-iisa, kundi ako at ang Amang nagpa­dala sa akin. 17 Nasusulat sa Batas ninyo na totoo ang patunay ng dalawang tao. 18 Ako ang nagpapatunay sa aking sarili at nagpapa­tunay naman tungkol sa akin ang Amang nagpadala sa akin.”  

19 Kaya sinabi nila sa kanya: “Na­saan ba ang Ama mo?” Sumagot si Jesus: “Ni ako o ang aking Ama ay hindi n’yo kilala. Kung kilala ninyo ako, kilala rin sana ninyo ang aking Ama.” 20 Sinabi niya ang mga pananalitang ito sa may Kabang-yaman sa pangaral niya sa Templo. At walang dumakip sa kanya dahil hindi pa sumasapit ang kanyang oras.

Reflection for Sunday April 3, 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:

How would you react if you happen to see a sinner? Would you immediately condemn that sinner? Would you instantly judge that sinner? Or you may even be averse to be identified with that sinner. This normally is our human behavior towards sinners: Aversion and judgment.  

In the gospel the Pharisees and scribes saw a woman caught in the act of committing adultery. So they immediately condemned her and sentenced her to die by stoning for that was the punishment during that time. They were so consumed by their judgment that they forgot that they themselves were sinners as well. Did they forget or they purposely forgot that they were also sinful because they were the ruling class?  

In the midst of their judgment Jesus reminded them about their own sinfulness. He told them: “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then, they all walked away from her for they were sinners too!  

Let us not forget that the moment we judge we expose ourselves also to judgment. But who will judge us? When nobody knows about our secret sins except us; there’s somebody who knows our best kept sins and He is none other than Jesus. All of us are exposed before Jesus; He knows every detail of our lives most especially our best kept sins.  

So what should we do if we happen to encounter so-called sinners? We should not judge them for we too are to be judged. Instead of judging them let us rather extend the love, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus for in Jesus every sinner has a future. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for April 2, Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent: John 7:40-53

Gospel: John 7:40-53

Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said, “This is truly the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he? Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.  

So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?” The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this man.” So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?  

But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.” Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, “Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” Then each went to his own house.

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Reflection:

What happens when we engage in useless self-centered debates or conversation? The protagonist would try very hard to upstage each other. And then it will turn ugly by trying to destroy each other’s reputation. No worthy outcome comes out of it, only mudslinging and character assassination.  

The crowd were debating about Jesus’ origin that it created division within their ranks. They were trying to outdo each other in terms of their knowledge about the origin of Jesus. Thoughts were running in their minds, such as if Jesus was a prophet and the promised messiah. They were like little children in a contest of arguments as to who amongst them had the best idea about Jesus.     

This scenario still exists today, many of us argue about Jesus to prove that one has a superior knowledge about Him over the other. However, what would we get if we argue? If we try to show that we know more than anyone else? Nothing except a showcase of our arrogance, feeling of superiority and bloated egos which results to more division and alienation.  

Instead of arguing let us show through our works the love, humility, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus. Why? Because the love, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus always unifies and it heals wounds of discord. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for April 1, Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent: John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

Gospel: John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

Jesus moved about within Galilee; he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret.  

Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they are trying to kill? And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ? But we know where he is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.”  

So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me. So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come.

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Reflection:

Does Jesus fear death? Yes, He feared death, yet Jesus did not allow His fear of death to paralyze His movement and desire to do His mission for God. He continued with His mission and became more creative in doing it until He reached His appointed time of arrest, persecution and death on the cross.  

We see this in the gospel reading for today, Jesus did not want to travel to Judea for the reason that the Jews were planning to kill Him. But it was the feast of tabernacles, a sacred Jewish feast that He must observe. So, Jesus went albeit secretly and there He preached with passion as if there was no threat on His life.    

Do you also have fears in your life? Whatever your fears are don’t let it paralyze you. You have to face it so that you could conquer and defeat it. If Jesus let His fear of death overcome Him.  There would have been no triumphant death on the cross and there would have been no salvation for all of us.  

When we face our fears we live our dreams and we are able to achieve great things for us and our fellowmen. Fear is an instrument of the devil to prevent us from achieving great things for us and for God. What are your fears? Ask Jesus to help you overcome it for He will surely help you. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for March 31, 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 do we testify our life as a follower of Jesus? The best testimony of a follower is how he/she lives his own life. Does he live his life with forgiveness, humility, simplicity, sacrifice, unconditional love and the like?  Many of us call ourselves follower of Jesus but when it comes to forgiving those who’ve hurt us we cannot forgive.  

If we cannot forgive those who’ve hurt us we then are followers in name only and sad to say many of us are like that: Followers in name only. On the aspect of humility; we can best testify that we are followers of Jesus when we don’t seek prominence and we silently do our work for the lord without any fanfare or publicity.  

On the aspect of simplicity, Jesus is the supreme model of simplicity. He is content with whatever that He has Jesus did not desire expensive things and other appendages. Many of us live complicated lives for the simple reason that we live the life of this world rather than live the life of Jesus.  

So, in the end we will find out that we have been living an empty life because we lived our life testifying for this world instead of testifying for the Lord.  However, it’s not yet late to change this worldly life that we presently have we still can turn it around by living our life for  the Lord and not for this world. – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

1Reflection for March 30, 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 this oneness of the father and the son. Because their mindset is based on their 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 subject to what our eyes and ears can see and hear.  

If our faith is confined to what we could only see and hear this is actually not faith because true faith or deep faith requires believing even without seeing.  Through our faith in both the father and the son we are able to discover the many truths about our catholic faith.  And we are also able to grow more in faith and knowledge about our universal church.  

Perhaps some of us may ask, Why am I not growing in faith? The answer to this is we lack something, perhaps this something is our lack of faithful adherence to the teachings of our universal church.  

Say for example our lack of adherence to the insolubility of the Sacrament of Matrimony, the Sanctity of human life, the healing and cleansing value of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the many more teachings of our catholic faith. We will certainly not grow in faith if we don’t believe these teachings.  

Do you believe in the oneness of the Son and the Father and do you also believe and practice the teachings of our catholic faith? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for March 29, Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent: John 5:1-16

Gospel: John 5:1-16

There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” 

The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.  

Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” He answered them, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’“ They asked him, “Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there. 

After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, “Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.

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Reflection:

Is there a relationship between sickness and sin? Based on the pronouncements of Jesus in the gospel there is.  

The man who had been sick for thirty-eight long years was asked by Jesus, “Do you want to be well (John 5:6)?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk (John 5:7-8).” Then on the latter part of the gospel Jesus said to the healed man: “Look, you are well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may happen to you (John 5:14).” 

We may not know it but many of our sickness are brought about by our sins. For example, the sin of Greed, Anger and Gluttony, in so many ways Greed and Anger are one of the triggers for us to have sickness such as high blood pressure and the like. The same is true with Gluttony, over indulging on any kind of food will eventually make us sick in the long run.  

Let us therefore repent from our sins and avoid it thereafter. The moment we repent by way of the Sacrament of Reconciliation we would be free from any guilt of conscience and surely free from the possession of the devil which sometimes disguises itself as sickness.  

Let us therefore discard sin in our lifestyle so that we would have a much clearer picture of the presence of the Lord in our lives. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for March 28, Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent: John 4:43-54

Gospel: John 4:43-54

At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee. For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his native place. When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves had gone to the feast.  

Then he returned to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, who was near death. Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The royal official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.”  

The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. While the man was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, “The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.” The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he and his whole household came to believe. Now this was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea. 

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Reflection:

How deep is your faith in Jesus? Is your faith limited to what you can perceive and see? Or your faith is not bounded by what you can perceive and see?  

 Sometimes it’s hard to have faith if we don’t see something concrete that would reinforce our faith. But faith that is dependent on what we can see is shallow. Deep faith is something that we hold in our hearts even without visible manifestation.  

The royal official in our gospel has this deep faith. He believed what Jesus told him even without any visible manifestation. He simply believed in the words of Jesus. When Jesus told him to go back home for his sick son will live, he left without asking any question. He held close to his heart the very words of Jesus that his son would live. And upon arriving home his son was indeed healed the very same time that Jesus uttered the miraculous words to him.  

There will come a time that our faith in Jesus will be tested, say for example a severe sickness. What are we going to do when we reach this point of no return? What are we going to do if for example the doctor would tell us that we only have a few months to live?  

We must hold on tightly to our faith in Jesus and never give up no matter what our present circumstances are. This is for the reason that our faith in Jesus is much bigger than any trials or problems that we may face. Our faith in Jesus is far stronger than any sickness that could kill our bodies but not diminish our rock-solid faith in Jesus.  

How strong is your faith in the Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

1Reflection for Sunday March 27, Fourth Sunday of Lent: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them Jesus addressed this parable. “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’  

So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. 

So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. 

I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.  

He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 

Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing.  

He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. 

He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ 

He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’”

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Reflection:

What if the prodigal son did not decide to go back to his father? What would have happened to him? It’s sure that he could have ended in a very problematic situation. But he returned for he realized his mistake, he returned because he badly wants to once again feel the unconditional love of his father.

This parable is also for us who are like the prodigal son. Jesus is inviting us all to repent from our own sinfulness and go back to Him. He wants us to know that He is there eternally waiting for us. Ever ready to embrace us again with His unconditional love and forgiveness. 

Where would we go if we will not go back to Jesus? We embrace this world? This world will only make us sin.9 This world cannot give us peace of mind for the simple reason that only God can give us peace of mind.

When the prodigal son decided to return, he knew that nothing compares to the love of his father. He knew that his father will still accept him without any questions being asked against him. 

We are the modern-day prodigal sons and Jesus wants to embrace us with His unconditional love. – Marino J. Dasmarinas