Jesus summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever
wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life
for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his
life? What could one give in exchange for his life? Whoever is ashamed of me
and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be
ashamed of when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
He also said to them, “Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death until they see that the Kingdom of God has come in
power.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
What is this cross that Jesus wants us to carry the moment we decide to follow
Him?
The cross that Jesus mentioned is the cross of suffering but let us not
worry because we will not be overburdened by this cross. No matter how
hard/heavy this cross will be we will be able to carry it. Why? Because Jesus
will be there to help us carry it.
It is also in carrying our life’s crosses that we will have a clearer
picture of who really is Jesus. Therefore, Jesus will become more real to us
because of this cross. Lest we forget, life with Jesus is not a bed of roses;
it’s rather a bed of crosses.
We therefore have to be ready to carry our own cross and let us not be
afraid to carry that cross. Because life without carrying our own cross is life
without Jesus.
Are you carrying your own cross right now? If you are you have nothing to
worry because Jesus’ abiding presence is with you. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
• 34 At tinawag ni Jesus ang kanyang mga alagad pati ang mga
tao, at sinabi: “Kung may gustong sumunod sa akin, itakwil ang kanyang sarili
at kunin ang kanyang krus para sumunod sa akin. 35 Sapagkat ang
naghahangad na magligtas ng kanyang sarili ay mawawalan nito, at ang mawawalan
ng sarili alang-alangsa akin at sa
ebanghelyo ang magliligtas nito.
36 Ano ang pakinabang ng tao tubuin man niya ang buong daigdig kung
sarili naman niya ang mawala? 37 At pagkatapos ay ano ang maibibigay niya
para mabawi ang kanyang sarili? 38 Ang ikinahihiya ako at ang akingmga salita sa harap ng di-tapat at
makasalanang lahing ito ay ikahihiya rin ng Anak ng Tao pagdating niyang taglay
ang luwalhati ng kanyang Ama, kasama ng mga banal na anghel.”
9 • 1 At idinagdag ni Jesus: “Toto ong
sinasabi ko sa inyo na di daranas ng kamatayan ang ilan sa mga naririto
hanggang hindi nila nakikita ang kaharian ng Diyos na dumarating na may kapangyarihan.”
Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said
in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.” Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be
rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and
rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and
began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God
does, but as human beings do.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Are you afraid of sufferings?
When Jesus told the disciples that He will have to go through severe
sufferings and eventually be killed. Peter took Jesus aside and he rebuked
Jesus. Perhaps Peter had this notion that Jesus was immune to sufferings
because he is God. But to suffer severely was part of Jesus destiny, He had to
go through it to achieve His salvific mission for us.
What happened after Jesus suffering and death on the cross? There was
glorious resurrection, salvation and after a few days ascension into to heaven.
What could have happened if Jesus did not suffer, if Jesus did not die on
the cross?
We being humans are also bound to suffer, there will be episodes of
sufferings in our lives for so long as we exist. But let us not be afraid of
these sufferings for these are part of our lives. Let us rather take these
sufferings as our glorious opportunity to get closer to Jesus. For it’s in our
sufferings that we’ll achieve personal relationship with Jesus.
If Jesus suffered who are we not to go through sufferings? – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
27 Pumunta si Jesus kasama ang kanyang mga alagad sa mga nayon ng
Cesarea ni Filipo. At habang nasa daa’y tinanong niya ang kanyang mga alagad:
“Sino raw ako ayon sa mga tao?” 28 Sumagot sila: “May nagsasabing si
Juan Bautista ka; may iba pang nagsasabing si Elias ka o isa sa mga propeta
kaya.”
29 At tinanong niya sila: “Ngunit ano naman ang sinasabi ninyo kung
sino ako?” At sumagot si Pedro: “Ikaw ang Mesiyas.” 30 At inutusan niya
sila na huwag sabihin kaninuman ang tungkol sa kanya.
31 At sinimulan niyang ituro sa kanila na 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 pagkatapos
ng tatlong araw. 32 At buong-tapang siyang nagsalita. Dinala naman siya
ni Pedro sa isang tabi at sinimulan siyang pagsabihan. 33 Ngunit
pagtalikod ni Jesus, nakita niya na naroon din ang kanyang mga alagad. Kaya pinagsabihan
niya si Pedro: “Sa likod ko, Satanas! Hindi sa Diyos galing ang iniisip mo
kundi mula sa tao.”
When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida, people brought to him
a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand
and led him outside the village. Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands
on the man and asked, “Do you see anything?”Looking up the man replied, “I see
people looking like trees and walking.” Then he laid hands on the man’s eyes a
second time and he saw clearly; his sight was restored and he could see
everything distinctly. Then he sent him home and said, “Do not even go into the
village.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Have you brought someone to Jesus?
When Jesus and His party arrived at Bethsaida people brought to Him a blind
man and they asked Jesus to cure him. Who were those people who brought the
blind man to Jesus? We don’t know who they were. But even if we don’t know them
we know that they believed in Jesus. We also know that they lived their faith
otherwise they would have not brought the blind man to Jesus.
Do you believe in Jesus and are you living your faith? It’s quite easy to
say that we believe in the Lord but have we brought someone closer to the Lord?
Believing in the Lord is not enough we also have to live our belief in the
Lord. What is the use if we say that we believe yet we don’t live our belief?
We therefore have to live this belief in the Lord by bringing our fellowmen
closer to the Lord.
Jesus wants us to know that there are many more blind men and women out
there who badly need to be brought to Him. Let us look around our environment
and we would find them. Let us make friends with them by living our faith and
let us share the life changing words of Jesus with them. Our faith bears more
fruits when we bring others closer to Jesus.
Have you already brought someone closer to Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
22 Pagpasok ni Jesus at ng kanyang mga alagad sa Betsaida, isang
bulag ang dinala sa kanya at hiniling sa kanyang hipuin ito. 23 Inakay ito
ni Jesus sa labas ng bayan, pinahiran ng laway ang mga mata nito at ipinatong
ang kanyang mga kamay. At saka niya ito tinanong: “May nakikita ka ba?” 24 Tumingin
ang tao, at sinabi nito: “Parang mga punongkahoy ang nakikita ko pero
lumalakad, tiyak na mga tao ito.” 25 Kaya agad na ipinatong ni Jesus ang
kanyang mga kamay sa mga mata nito, at nakakilala siya at gumaling, at nakita
nga niya nang malinaw ang lahat.
26 Pinauwi ito ni Jesus sa pagsasa- bing: “Huwag kang pumasok
kahit na sa nayon.”
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf
with them in the boat. Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out, guard against the
leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. They concluded among
themselves that it was because they had no bread. When he became aware of this
he said to them, “Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do
you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have
eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the
five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments
you picked up? They answered him, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven loaves for
the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?” They
answered him, “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
What do you do when you go through your life’s trials? Do you fully trust
the Lord to make things better for you? Do you say, Lord I give to you all my
worries and I trust the you will take care of it and you will give me
help.
If your mindset is to surrender everything to the Lord, it then speak
volumes of you enormous faith in Jesus. Come what may you will trust Jesus more
than trust yourself and anybody else. Is your faith in Jesus as strong as this
that you trust Jesus more than anybody else?
In our gospel, when the disciples together with Jesus were already in the
boat they found out that they had only one bread. And they were naturally
worried, for how could this one bread fill all of their hungry stomachs?
In the midst of their worries Jesus reminded them about His miracle of
the loaves where He feed the thousands. As if Jesus was telling them: Why are
you worried that you will not be able to eat when I am with you!
The disciples failed their test of faith; they doubted if Jesus would be
able to help them. Did they doubt or they momentarily forgot that Jesus was
with them in that boat?
We all face our own set of test of faith. Perhaps many of us also fail
this test of faith and we doubt if we would be able to achieve what we want in
life. Or for the reason of our many worries we simply forget that we have a
powerful friend and God in Jesus.
Let us doubt no more let us fully trust Jesus for He will never fail us.
– Marino J. Dasmarinas
14 Nakalimutan ng mga alagad na magdala ng tinapay at isa lang ang
dala nila sa bangka. 15 At pinagsabihan sila ni Jesus: “Mag-ingat at
huwag magtiwala sa lebadura ng mga Pariseo at sa lebadura ni Herodes.” 16 At
sinabi ng mga alagad sa isa’t isa: “Oo nga, ano? Wala tayong dalang tinapay.”
17 Alam ni Jesus ang mga ito kaya sinabi niya sa kanila: “Bakit
ninyo pinag-uusapan ang tinapay na wala sa inyo? Hindi pa ba ninyo maisip at
maunawaan? Mapurol ba ang inyong pag-iisip? 18 May mata kayong di nakakakita
at may taingang di nakakarinig? Hindi na ba ninyo naaalala 19 nang
pinira-piraso ko ang limang tinapay para sa limang libo, ilang basket na puno
ng mga pira-piraso ang inyong naipon?” At sumagot sila: “Labindalawa.” 20 “At
nang may pitong tinapay para sa apat na libo, ilang bayong na puno ng mga
pira-piraso ang inyong naipon?” At sumagot sila: “Pito.” 21 At sinabi
ni Jesus: “Hindi pa ba ninyo nauunawaan?”
The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from
him a sign from heaven to test him. He sighed from the depth of his spirit and
said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will
be given to this generation.” Then he left them, got into the boat again, and
went off to the other shore.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
A woman wanted to see a sign from her beloved so that she could finally
say yes to him. So she said if this man would bring me flowers and
chocolates that would be the sign that he loves me. Lo and behold the man came
knocking at their gate with flowers and chocolates. To make a long story short
she finally said yes to him but after a few months they broke up.
Unlike the love of a suitor which is often times bounded by time, Jesus
love for us is always there it’s not bounded by time. What are the signs of
God’s love? The food on the table, the new life in the morning and
countless more! These are obvious signs of Jesus infinite love for us.
But often times these are still not enough for us, we still seek more
signs to strengthen our faith in Him. When we seek additional signs from Jesus
it also shows how feeble our faith in Him. Otherwise if we have full faith and
confidence we would not anymore seek or ask for whatever sign/s.
Do we sometimes seek signs from the Lord to validate our faith in Him? – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
11 Dumating ang mga Pariseo at nagsimulang makipagtalo kay Jesus.
Gusto nilang subukan si Jesus at humingi ng isang makalangit na tanda. 12 Nagbuntung-hininga
siya at sinabi: “Bakit humihingi ng palatandaan ang lahing ito? Talagang
sinasabi ko sa inyo: walang tandang ibibigay sa lahing ito.” 13 Kaya
iniwan sila ni Jesus at sumakay sa bangka patawid sa kabilang ibayo.
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish
the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say
to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the
smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken
place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and
teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But
whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the
kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the
scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill;
and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is
angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to his brother,
‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will
be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and
there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there
at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and
offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will
hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to
you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I
say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed
adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear
it out and throw it away It is better for you to lose one of your members than
to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you
to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your
members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
“It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of
divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife - unless the
marriage is unlawful - causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a
divorced woman commits adultery.
“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a
false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do
not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for
it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do
not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let
your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil
one.”
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Everything starts in our hearts and minds, good intentions and bad
intentions it all takes root in our hearts and minds first. For example
successful people start their journey towards success by planting the seeds of
their successful journey into their hearts and minds.
In the same vein sinful people starts their sinful journey towards hell by
thinking first about their unlawful and sinful acts. They think about it and
they let it take root in their hearts after which they start to do something
that is immoral or criminal.
In this Sunday’s gospel Jesus warns us not to kill and He further
strengthens it deeper by saying that whoever is angry with his brother will be
liable to judgment. People do not usually kill instantly they plan it, they let
it take root in their hearts and minds and then they carry it out.
Anger per see is not bad because Jesus in His public ministry got angry
too but for a good reason just to name a few: When He cursed the barren fig
tree (Mark 11:12-14) and when He cleared the temple for the reason that they
turned it into a den of thieves (Mark 11:15-17)..
However, if we get angry for the wrong reason that’s when things
will get ugly that may lead us to do something that is not good or even
unlawful. For example, when our egos are provoked we immediately harbor ill
feelings because we have a very high regard for ourselves. This
usually happens to people who are arrogant or with those who have superiority mindset.
They think that they’re already above everyone else that they don’t want to be
criticized anymore and the moment they’re criticized or someone contradicts
them they get angry.
Jesus warns us also about committing adultery! Nowadays it’s so easy for
men and women to be unfaithful to their respective spouses and to their
marriage vows. We need not look at statistics anymore we simply have to look
around and we’ll see that this is true. Jesus tells us that it initially begins
by looking at a woman with lustful intentions. It indeed starts within
ourselves in our minds and hearts then it begins to morph, then we sin by diving
into that adulterous, immoral and wicked relationship.
There are many willing victims of this immoral liaison but what is the
cost of this bestial behavior? Therefore, if there's temptation lurking around
we have to avoid or ignore it. And the moment we do, that person will simply
fade away for he/she knows that we can't be tempted.
There is always a heavy price to pay when we succumb to these wrongdoings
that Jesus mentions in the gospel. We may not realize it here in our earthly
journey but the moment we are off this world then that would be our real day of
reckoning.
We therefore have to listen to Jesus’ voice in the gospel. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
17 Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad, huwag
ninyong akalain na naparito ako para pawalang-bisa ang Batas at Mga Propeta.
Naparito ako hindi para magpawalang-bisa kundi upang magbigay-kaganapan.
18 At talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo: habang hindi nababago ang langit at
lupa, hindi mababago ni isang kudlit o kuwit ng Batas: lahat ay matutupad.
19 Kung may lumabag sa pinakamaliit na
ipinag-uutos ng Batas at magturo ng ganoon sa mga tao, ituturing din siyang
pinakamaliit sa Kaharian ng Langit. Ngunit kung may magsagawa at magturo ng
mga ito sa mga tao, magiging dakila siya sa Kaharian ng Langit.
20 Sinasabi ko sa inyo na kung hindi mas ganap ang inyong kabanalan kaysa
sa mga guro ng Batas at mga Pariseo, hinding-hindi kayo makapapasok sa Kaharian
ng Langit.
21 Narinig na ninyo na sinabi sa inyong mga
ninuno: Huwag kang papatay; ang sinumang pumatay ay lilitisin. 22 Sinasabi
ko naman sa inyo: Ang sinumang magalit sa kanyang kapatid ay lilitisin. Ang
sinumang manuya sa kanyang kapatid ay lilitisin sa Sanggunian. At ang sinumang
manghiya sa kanyang kapatid ay nararapat lamang itapon sa apoy ng impiyerno.
23 Kaya sa paglalagay mo sa altar ng iyong
hain at naalaala mong may reklamo sa iyo ang kapatid mo, 24 iwan mo muna
ang iyong hain sa harap ng altar at puntahan mo ang iyong kapatid para makipagkasundo
sa kanya. At saka ka bumalik at ialay ang iyong hain sa Diyos.
25 Makipagkasundo na sa iyong kaaway habang
papunta pa kayo sa hukuman, at baka ipaubaya ka niya sa hukom na magpapaubaya
naman sa iyo sa pulisya na magkukulong sa iyo. 26 Talagang sinasabi ko sa
iyo: hindi ka makalalabas hangga’t di mo nababayaran ang kahuli-hulihang
sentimo.
• 27 Narinig na ninyo na sinabing:
Huwag kang makiapid. 28 Ngunit sinasabi ko naman sa inyo: ang sinumang
tumingin nang may pagnanasa sa isang babae ay nakiapid na rin sa kanyang puso.
29 Kaya kung ang iyong kanang mata ang
nagbubuyo sa iyo sa kasalanan, alisin mo ito at itapon! Makabubuti pa sa iyo
na mawalan ng isang bahagi ng iyong katawan kaysa matapon ang buo mong katawan
sa impiyerno.
30 Kung ang iyong kanang kamay naman ang
nagbubuyo sa iyo sa kasalanan, putulin mo ito at itapon! Mas makabubuti sa iyo
ang mawalan ng isang bahagi ng iyong katawan kaysa matapon ang buo mong
katawan sa impiyerno. • 31 Sinabi rin namang: Kung may makikipagdiborsiyo
sa kanyang maybahay, bigyan niya ito ng katibayan. 32 Ngunit sinasabi ko
sa iyo: kung may magpaalis sa kanyang maybahay sa ibang dahilan maliban sa
kawalang-katapatan, pinapakiapid niya ito. At nakikiapid din ang nagpapakasal
sa babaeng diborsiyada.
• 33 Narinig na rin ninyo na sinabi sa
inyong mga ninuno: Huwag kang sisira sa iyong sinumpaan. Tuparin mo ang
sinumpaang pangako sa Panginoon. 34 Ngunit sinasabi ko naman sa inyo:
huwag kayong manumpa sa ngalan ng Langit pagkat naroon ang trono ng Diyos,
35 ni sa ngalan ng lupa pagkat ito ang tuntungan ng kanyang mga paa, ni sa
ngalan ng Jerusalem pagkat ito ang lunsod ng Dakilang Hari.
36 Huwag kang manumpa ni sa ngalan ng iyong
ulo pagkat ni hindi mo kayang paputiin o paitimin ni isang hibla ng iyong
buhok. 37 Sabihin mong oo kung oo at hindi kung hindi. Ano pa mang
sasabihin mo’y sa demonyo na galing.
In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat, Jesus summoned the disciples and said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance. His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place?” Still he asked them, “How many loaves do you have? They replied, “Seven.” He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the crowd. They also had a few fish. He said the blessing over them and ordered them distributed also. They ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets. There were about four thousand people.
He dismissed the crowd and got into the boat with his disciples and came to the region of Dalmanutha.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Do you know how it feels to be hungry?
Having nothing to eat is an indescribable feeling of being weak. We cannot do the things that we would normally want to do. We may even limit our movement because the more we move the more that we feel the pain of hunger.
In the gospel reading; Jesus speaks about the crowd without anything to eat: “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance (Mark 8:2-3)."
Then, He asked His disciples, "How many loaves do you have (Mark 8:5)?" They replied, "Seven." He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Afterwards He gave thanks, broke them and gave them to the disciples to give to the crowd. The same happened to the few fish that they have; the four thousand people were able to eat and they still had seven basketfuls of excess bread and fish.
What lesson does Jesus wants us to learn from the miracle of the loaves and fish? Perhaps Jesus wants us to learn how to give, why? For the simple reason that many are going hungry. Let us not worry of the cost of giving that would bring us because the more we give the more that we would receive.
When we give let us also not give what we have in surplus because we would not feel the true joy of giving. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
1 Maraming tao ang sumama kay Jesus at wala silang makain. Kaya tinawag ni Jesus ang kanyang mga alagad at sinabi sa kanila: 2 “Labis akong naaawa sa mga taong ito, pangatlong araw ko na silang kasama at wala nang makain 3 at kung paalisin ko silang gutom, baka mahilo sila sa daan. Galing pa sa malayo ang ilan sa kanila.”
4 Sumagot ang kanyang mga alagad: “At paano naman makakakuha ng tinapay para pakainin sila sa ilang na ito?” 5 Tinanong sila ni Jesus: “Ilan bang tinapay meron kayo?” Sumagot sila: “Pito.”
6 Pinaupo ni Jesus sa lupa ang mga tao, kinuha ang pitong tinapay at nagpasalamat sa Diyos. Pinagpira-piraso niya ang mga ito at ibinigay sa kanyang mga alagad para ihain; at inihain nila ang mga ito sa mga tao. 7 Meron din silang ilang isda. Binasbasan ito ni Jesus at iniutos na ihain din ang mga ito.
8 Kumain sila at nabusog at inipon ang mga natirang pira-piraso – pitong bayong. 9 Apat na libo ang naroon, at saka sila pinauwi ni Jesus. 10 Agad siyang sumakay sa bangka kasama ang kanyang mga alagad at pumunta sa lupain ng Dalmanuta.
Again Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!” — And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
In the gospel we are presented with an authentic healing presided by Jesus. A deaf man who had a speech impediment is brought to Jesus for healing. To make a long story short Jesus healed the deaf man: he was able to hear and talk again.
I’d like to zero in on the personal healing actions of Jesus. They walked away from the madding crowd and once they were both by themselves Jesus conducted the personal healing. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!” And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.
This healing action of Jesus is very much opposite to what we see nowadays. Healers now want it to be publicized they want to be noticed they want to maximize their media exposure so to speak! I can only speculate of their true motives.
Is it still possible for us to have this personal and one on one healing with Jesus now? Yes, a pious presence at Holy Mass or quite visit to our church’s Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel would do it for us. Jesus is there personally waiting for us to heal us of our sickness our personal hurts and pains.
If only we would discover the healing and calming presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, if only we will learn to allocate a portion of our time to give Him a visit there. We would also have an Ephphatha experience.
Our hearts and minds would also be opened to this personal and wondrous healing experience with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and with Jesus at Holy Mass. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
Jesus went to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.
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Reflection:
Are you persistent when you pray before The Lord?
A Greek woman went to Jesus to ask Him to drive out a demon from her daughter. What is very significant here is the woman is an outsider, not a follower of Jesus not even a Jew. But with courage and faith she went to Jesus for help, her mind was focused on reaching out to Jesus.
When she finally was able to reach Jesus, she told Him about her sick daughter. Jesus was reluctant at first to help. But she persisted and she humbled herself before Jesus after which her daughter was healed.
We all have our own problems that we carry in our hearts and we surely have brought these problems to Jesus. Let us not lose heart if we have not yet received a response from Jesus. Let us continue to persist, continue to humble ourselves before Him and untiringly beseech His guidance and help.
The woman never gave up until she got what she wanted from Jesus. So we too must never give up we must continue to badger Jesus with our humble and persistent prayers. Often times we don’t get what we want from Jesus because we easily give up. Same as with our ambitions in life; we don’t get what we want because we give up.
What if we never give up? What if we continue to persist and humbly ask the Good Lord to grant us our prayer/s? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
24 Lumayo si Jesus patungo sa hangganan ng Tiro. Pumasok siya roon sa isang bahay at kahit na ayaw niya itong malaman ninuman, hindi ito nalihim. 25 May isang babaeng nakabalita tungkol sa kanya. Inaalihan ng maruming espiritu ang kanyang dalagita kaya pumunta siya at nagpatirapa sa kanyang paanan. 26 Isa siyang paganong taga-Sirofenicia. At ipinakiusap niya kay Jesus na palayasin ang demonyo sa kanyang anak.
27 Sinabi naman ni Jesus sa kanya: “Bayaan mo munang mabusog ang mga anak. Hindi tama na kunin ang tinapay sa mga bata at itapon ito sa mga tuta.” 28 Sumagot ang babae: “Totoo nga, Ginoo, pero kinakain ng mga tuta sa ilalim ng mesa ang mga nalalaglag mula sa mga bata.” 29 At sinabi sa kanya ni Jesus: “Dahil sa sinabi mong ito, lumabas na sa iyong anak na babae ang demonyo.” 30 Kaya umuwi ang babae at nakita niya ang bata na nakahiga sa kama; lumabas na nga ang demonyo.
Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.”
When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) “But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”
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Reflection:
Do we discern the voice of the Lord when it speaks to us ?
When Jesus said, “Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” The disciples were asking Him about the meaning of His statement. As if they were saying, Come again Lord, we did not understand what you’ve said. And perhaps in exasperation Jesus said, “Are even you likewise without understanding?
In our walk with the Lord there would be times that we will not understand also the things that are happening in our lives. For example, we might ask the Lord, Why is this happening to me Lord? I don’t get your message; I don’t understand the reason of this event/s in my life.
Why is it that we don’t understand? Because we don’t listen carefully to Him or we may listen but our attention is focused on something else. If only we would learn to carefully listen to the Lord and if only we would try to live to the fullest His teaching.
But how are we going to listen to the Lord? We have to consistently go to Holy Mass. We also have to consistently read the bible which more often than not is not being read. We also have to be humble for the reason that humility is the key for us to discern the voice of the Lord.
Then, we would know and we would understand that everything that happens in our life is for a good reason. We would discern that Jesus has a purpose why we are going through this and that trial. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
14 Tinawag ni Jesus ang mga tao at sinabi sa kanila: “Pakinggan ako at unawain sana ninyong lahat. 15 Hindi ang pumapasok sa tao mula sa labas ang nakapagpaparumi sa kanya kundi ang lumalabas sa tao ang nakapagpaparumi sa kanya. 16 Makinig ang may tainga.”
17 Pagkalayo ni Jesus sa mga tao, nang nasa bahay na siya, tinanong siya ng kanyang mga alagad tungkol sa talinhagang ito. 18 At sinabi niya: “Wala rin ba kayong pang-unawa? Hindi ba ninyo nauunawaan na sa bituka pumupunta ang anumang pumapasok sa tao mula sa labas? 19 Sapagkat hindi sa puso ito pumapasok kundi sa tiyan at pagkatapos ay itinatapon sa labas.” (Sa gayo’y sinabi niya na malinis ang tanang mga pagkain.)
20 At idinagdag niya: “Ang lumalabas sa tao ang nagpaparumi sa tao. 21 Sa puso nga ng tao nagmumula ang masasamang hangarin – kahalayan, pagnanakaw, pagpatay sa kapwa, 22 pakikiapid, kasakiman, kasamaan, pandaraya, kalaswaan, pagkainggit, paninira, kapalaluan, kabuktutan. 23 Ang masasamang bagay na ito ang nagpaparumi sa tao.
