1Reflection for Sunday April 10, Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord: Luke 22:14 – 23:56

Gospel: Luke 22:14-23:56
When the hour came, Jesus took his place at table with the apostles. He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for, I tell you, I shall not eat it again until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; for I tell you that from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”  

Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.  

“And yet behold, the hand of the one who is to betray me is with me on the table; for the Son of Man indeed goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed.” And they began to debate among themselves who among them would do such a deed.  

Then an argument broke out among them about which of them should be regarded as the greatest. He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them and those in authority over them are addressed as ‘Benefactors’; but among you it shall not be so. Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. For who is greater: the one seated at table or the one who serves? Is it not the one seated at table? I am among you as the one who serves. It is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred one on me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  

“Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.” He said to him, “Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you.” But he replied, “I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day, you will deny three times that you know me.”  

He said to them, “When I sent you forth without a money bag or a sack or sandals, were you in need of anything?” “No, nothing, “ they replied. He said to them, “But now one who has a money bag should take it, and likewise a sack, and one who does not have a sword should sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me, namely, He was counted among the wicked; and indeed what is written about me is coming to fulfillment.” Then they said, “Lord, look, there are two swords here. ”But he replied, “It is enough!” 

Then going out, he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. When he arrived at the place he said to them,“Pray that you may not undergo the test.”After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling, he prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me;still, not my will but yours be done.” And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him. He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground. When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples, he found them sleeping from grief.He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test.” 

While he was still speaking, a crowd approached and in front was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas. He went up to Jesus to kiss him. Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked, “Lord, shall we strike with a sword?” And one of them struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said in reply, “Stop, no more of this!”Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him. And Jesus said to the chief priests and temple guards and elders who had come for him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? Day after day I was with you in the temple area, and you did not seize me; but this is your hour, the time for the power of darkness.”  

After arresting him they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest; Peter was following at a distance. They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter sat down with them. When a maid saw him seated in the light, she looked intently at him and said, “This man too was with him.” But he denied it saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” A short while later someone else saw him and said, “You too are one of them”; but Peter answered, “My friend, I am not.” About an hour later, still another insisted, “Assuredly, this man too was with him, for he also is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.” Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed, and the Lord turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” He went out and began to weep bitterly. The men who held Jesus in custody were ridiculing and beating him. They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying, “Prophesy!  Who is it that struck you?” And they reviled him in saying many other things against him.  

When day came the council of elders of the people met, both chief priests and scribes, and they brought him before their Sanhedrin. They said, “If you are the Christ, tell us, “but he replied to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I question, you will not respond. But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” He replied to them, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “What further need have we for testimony? We have heard it from his own mouth.”  

Then the whole assembly of them arose and brought him before Pilate. They brought charges against him, saying, “We found this man misleading our people; he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar and maintains that he is the Christ, a king.” Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He said to him in reply, “You say so.” Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds, “I find this man not guilty.” But they were adamant and said, “He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to here.”  

On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean; and upon learning that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time. Herod was very glad to see Jesus; he had been wanting to see him for a long time, for he had heard about him and had been hoping to see him perform some sign. He questioned him at length, but he gave him no answer. The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile, stood by accusing him harshly. Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him, and after clothing him in resplendent garb, he sent him back to Pilate. Herod and Pilate became friends that very day, even though they had been enemies formerly. Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people and said to them, “You brought this man to me and accused him of inciting the people to revolt. I have conducted my investigation in your presence and have not found this man guilty of the charges you have brought against him, nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us. So no capital crime has been committed by him. Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.”  

But all together they shouted out, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us.” — Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion that had taken place in the city and for murder. — Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus, but they continued their shouting, “Crucify him!  Crucify him!” Pilate addressed them a third time, “What evil has this man done? I found him guilty of no capital crime. Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.” With loud shouts, however, they persisted in calling for his crucifixion, and their voices prevailed. The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted. So he released the man who had been imprisoned for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked, and he handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished.  

As they led him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus. A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him.Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.’ At that time people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall upon us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?” Now two others, both criminals, were led away with him to be executed.  

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” They divided his garments by casting lots. The people stood by and watched; the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.” Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.” Above him there was an inscription that read, “This is the King of the Jews.”  

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.” The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”  

It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last.  

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.  

The centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said, “This man was innocent beyond doubt.” When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their breasts; but all his acquaintances stood at a distance, including the women who had followed him from Galilee and saw these events. Now there was a virtuous and righteous man named Joseph who, though he was a member of the council, had not consented to their plan of action. 

He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea and was awaiting the kingdom of God. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. After he had taken the body down, he wrapped it in a linen cloth and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb in which no one had yet been buried. It was the day of preparation, and the sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come from Galilee with him followed behind, and when they had seen the tomb and the way in which his body was laid in it, they returned and prepared spices and perfumed oils.  Then they rested on the sabbath according to the commandment.

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 Reflection:

Denials and betrayals perhaps these two words best describe the fate which sealed the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus would have not been crucified if he was not denied and betrayed by the very people who followed Him, people who benefited from His miracles and people who were praising Him to high heavens as he entered Jerusalem astride on a donkey.  

Why was Jesus betrayed? Jesus was betrayed because there were no more earth-shaking miracles coming from Him. There were no more displayed of powerful healings and eloquence of speech. What they saw was a defeated and powerless man, a man who couldn’t defend Himself. So unlike of the powerful image of Jesus before He entered Jerusalem, thus they left Jesus to fend for himself!  

Such is our human behavior, we side with the powerful and when the powerful is not anymore powerful we hastily abandon ship. To cling to the new power, this is what happened to Jesus, He was abandoned by the very people who were supposed to defend Him.         

Perhaps in His humanity Jesus was expecting to be defended by those who benefited from Him. But His expectation did not become a reality. In His humanity Jesus saw for Himself the pain and agony of betrayal.  

This is the reality of life during the time of Jesus and this is still the reality of life today during this very hour. We love to side with the powerful even if they are already manipulating and using us to advance their own selfish agenda. They use fake news, lies and historical revisionism to put and eventually perpetuate themselves in power.  

If we continue to side with the powerful who are simply using and manipulating us with their endless dispensing of fake news, lies and historical revisionism to perpetuate their deceitful ambitions. We will not find Jesus because Jesus is not with them.  

Jesus is with the powerless, those who are being oppressed and those who have nothing in life except the tattered clothes that they are wearing.   Jesus is with those who fight and advance the welfare of the poor, the marginalized and those whose integrity are beyond question.   

As we begin our journey this Palm Sunday perhaps it’s good to ask ourselves this questions: Have I already encountered this Jesus who is with the poor, this Jesus who fights for the welfare of the poor and marginalized and this Jesus in the person of a politician whose character and intentions  are beyond question? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

1Reflection for April 9, Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent: John 11:45-56

Gospel: John 11:45-56

Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.” 

But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish. He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.  

So from that day on they planned to kill him. So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews, but he left for the region near the desert, to a town called Ephraim, and there he remained with his disciples. Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before Passover to purify themselves. They looked for Jesus and said to one another as they were in the temple area, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?

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Reflection:

What would be your reaction if someone you know has achieved greatness? Will you envy and eventually decide to bring down this person? Or you will be happy for his/her success and you will even wish him/her more success.  

Because of His many miracles Jesus was already becoming popular to the people especially the poor. And the ruling authorities (Pharisees) were already threatened by Jesus growing popularity. So they did what they have to do to silence Jesus. They hatched an evil plan of killing Jesus with the thought in mind that if Jesus dies so goes also His popularity. But it did not happen that way, for their plan did not go as they want it to be.  

What if the Pharisees did not envy Jesus? What if they simply had a dialogue with Jesus so that they could work hand in hand to help the poor? The Pharisees could have been an agent of positive change in the lives of the poor. But they chose to allow the devil to sow envy and greed in their hearts. Hence, they hatched a despicable plan to kill Jesus.  

Can envy and greed do us any good? No, it will not do us any good, it will only push us to do evil just like what the Pharisees did to Jesus. Let us therefore weed out any feeling of envy and greed in our hearts. Instead of being envious let us be happy with those who succeed. Instead of being greedy, why not become generous? - Marino J. Dasmarinas      

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Abril 9 Sabado sa Ika-5 Linggo ng Apatnapung Araw na Paghahanda: Juan 11:45-56

Mabuting Balita: Juan 11:45-56

45Marami nga sa mga Judio ang nagsiparoon kay Maria at nangakakita ng ginawa ni Jesus, ay nagsisampalataya sa kaniya. 46Datapuwa't ang ilan sa kanila ay nagsiparoon sa mga Fariseo, at sinaysay sa kanila ang mga bagay na ginawa ni Jesus.  

47Ang mga pangulong saserdote nga at ang mga Fariseo ay nangagpulong, at nagsipagsabi, Ano ang ginagawa natin? sapagka't ang taong ito'y gumagawa ng maraming tanda. 48Kung siya'y ating pabayaang gayon, ang lahat ng mga tao ay magsisisampalataya sa kaniya: at magsisiparito ang mga Romano at pagkukunin ang ating kinaroroonan at gayon din naman ang ating bansa.  

49Nguni't ang isa sa kanila na si Caifas, na dakilang saserdote nang taong yaon, ay nagsabi sa kanila, Kayo'y walang nalalamang anoman. 50Ni inyong niwawari na sa inyo'y nararapat na ang isang tao ay mamatay dahil sa bayan, at hindi ang buong bansa ay mapahamak.  

51Ito nga'y sinabi niya na hindi sa kaniyang sarili: kundi palibhasa ay dakilang saserdote nang taong yaon, ay hinulaan niya na si Jesus ay dapat mamatay dahil sa bansa; 52At hindi dahil sa bansa lamang, kundi upang matipon din naman niya sa isa ang mga anak ng Dios na nagsisipangalat.  

53Kaya't mula nang araw na yaon ay pinagsanggunianan nilang ipapatay siya. 54Si Jesus ay hindi na naglalakad ng hayag sa gitna ng mga Judio, kundi naparoon doon sa lupaing malapit sa ilang, sa isang bayan na tinatawag na Efraim; at siya'y nanahanan doong kasama ng mga alagad.  

55Ang paskua nga ng mga Judio ay malapit na: at maraming nagsiahon sa Jerusalem mula sa lupaing yaon bago magpaskua, upang magsipaglinis. 56Pinaghahanap nga nila si Jesus, at pinaguusapan ng isa't isa, samantalang nangakatayo sila sa templo, Anong akala ninyo? Na hindi na kaya siya paririto sa pista?

1Reflection for April 8, Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent: John 10:31-42

Gospel: John 10:31-42

The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, ‘You are gods”‘? If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and Scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?  

If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Then they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power.  

He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” And many there began to believe in him.

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Reflection:

How deep is your faith in Jesus? 

As we near Holy Week we hear Jesus inviting us all to believe in Him. Why is He inviting us to  believe Him? Because He wants us all to be saved from the evils of this world, this is the primary reason why Jesus wants us to believe. 

We will not lose anything except our sins, worldliness and vices if we would choose to believe and embrace Jesus.  Everything is ours to gain including eternal life if we would decide to finally believe and follow Jesus. 

 Everything in this world is passing and temporary we are in fact not in control with our lives. We can even evaporate from this world anytime and this is reality. Life is so fragile and fleeting.  

 Jesus invites us to believe in Him for this will serve as our security blanket. And our assurance that no matter what happens in our lives we are firmly secured in the loving arms of Jesus.  Ket us not gamble our life in this world by embracing its many evils which are attractively packaged to entice us.  

Let us embrace the love of Jesus which He generously offers to us free of any cost. Thus, we already secure our life here in this world and our future life after this world.  

Would you embrace Jesus?  – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

1Reflection for April 7, Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent: John 8:51-59

Gospel: John 8:51-59

Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died?  

Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar.  

But I do know him and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.  So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM. So they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

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Reflection:

How would you feel if a religious leader would tell you this, “If you follow me you will never die.” You will not believe this leader for the simple reason that this is not true. Jesus in the gospel tells us that anyone of us who would keep His word will never see death.    

What is this death that the Lord is speaking about?  Obviously this doesn’t pertain to physical death for we all will die. The death that Jesus is alluding to is the death in the spirit. We are taught by our faith that when we die our mortal remains will decay. And we are also taught that if we have a close and personal relationship with Jesus our spirit will continue to live for it does not die along with our mortal death.  

No one of us has been to the afterlife but this one is true: We will not be afraid to pass through physical death if we are close to Jesus. And if we have a personal relationship with Him for the reason that we know that everlasting life will only come after our mortal death. 

Mortal death is our launching pad to eternal life. But we have to believe first in Jesus and we have to have a personal relationship with Him for us not to experience spiritual death.  The Jews in our gospel were critics of Jesus and as such they do not believe in Jesus much less have a personal relationship with Him. 

Do you strive to have a personal relationship with Jesus? - Marino J. Dasmarinas 

1Reflection 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  

1Reflection 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

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  

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