Reflection for Sunday November 18, Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time: Mark 13:24-32

Gospel: Mark 13:24-32

Jesus said to his disciples: "In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. "And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.

"Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the gates. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. "But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

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Reflection:

Every now and then there are movies with end times' story lines such as extensive flooding, hunger, tsunami disasters, wars and the like. This is not only happening in movie themes, this is in fact already part of our life’s reality. Just watch the news and you will see many depressing situations. What if these frightening events that we see are really signs of the end times? Are we ready for it?

All of us perhaps are not yet ready for these end times scenarios and all of us are not yet ready for these end times pronouncement by Jesus in the gospel. He tells us this: "In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken(Mark 13:24-25)." This is unimaginable and horrifying, but what if it suddenly comes like a thief in the night? What will happen to us? Where would we end up?

We may not all be ready for these horrific events, we may lose sleep thinking about these dreadful scenarios. But for so long as we have God in our hearts and for so long as we live within the ambit of His teachings. We need not worry for God will give us faith to endure all of these tribulations. He will give us peace in the midst of the absence of peace in our hearts.

But often times we forget the power of God over everything that happens and exists in this world. We often times forget that God is above all these tribulations. Yes, all of these may happen at a time when we least expect it but if we have faith we have nothing to worry. If we love and believe in Jesus we have nothing to worry. 

Let us always learn to give all our worries to God, let us always learn to invite Him to dwell into our hearts. By doing so we will not dread anything even the horrific end times we will not fear.

Do you always pray to the Lord and ask Him to come in to your life? Do you always ask Him to make you strong in the midst of the tribulations and problems in your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for November 17, Saturday; Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious: Luke 18:1-8

Gospel: Luke 18:1-8

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary. For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’ The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

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Reflection:

Do You always pray with persistence? Meaning you pray and pray and never lose heart until you have what we’ve been praying for. Jesus in our gospel is teaching us that we must be persistent in prayer. Even if what we’ve been praying seems impossible we still have to persistently pray because the impossible becomes very much possible with God.

In our gospel there’s the presence of a heartless judge who feared and respected no one. Yet when he was pestered by the widow for a just decision he gave. Why? Because the widow did not give up.

If we are in the shoes of the widow and we know that this judge is impertinent would we still pursue our request for a decision? Or we simply give up and if possible request for another judge who would be more sympathetic to our plight?   

When we have a prayer request before God we must always have the motivation to humbly request God again and again to grant us what we want to have from Him. Never mind if it will take time before God answers what is important is we continue to pray and we never give up. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for November 16, Friday; Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 17:26-37

Gospel: Luke 17:26-37

Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise one in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.” They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.”

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Reflection:

Are you afraid of the end times? Of course, we all are, Jesus mentions frightening scenarios in our gospel reading for this Friday. He mentions similar destructive occurrence like in the days of Noah where everyone on the face of the earth were wiped out except for Noah and his group.

The same destruction happened in the place of Sodom and Gomorrah where the people there became very sinful. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah committed despicable sins such as sexual sins, thus earning the wrath of Yahweh.    

Our own respective end time will come to us; we cannot prevent this from happening for this is the nature of our life. But then again, we hold in our hands what kind of end time and life after our end time we would have. If it would be a hellish end time or a heavenly and peaceful  end time. What Jesus mentioned to the disciples is a fair reminder for all of us to straighten our lives.

Let us leave behind everything that makes and influence us to sin while we still have the luxury of time  . Let’s seriously reflect on this call of Jesus to repentance, sin has done nothing good to us. It made our lives miserable and if we would not leave it behind us it would further make our lives more miserable until it completely destroys us. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for November 15, Thursday; Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 17:20-25

Gospel: Luke 17:20-25

Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”

Then he said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”

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Reflection:

Could you say that you have the kingdom of God? You already have the kingdom of God in your heart if you have Jesus in your life. You already have the kingdom of God if you feel the love of Jesus in your heart. You already have the kingdom of God when you have peace and contentment in your heart.

Many of us including our politicians today seek the kingdom of this world. We amass wealth even corrupted wealth. We amass vast properties to serve as our earthly kingdoms. But this kind kingdom will not last forever. We will leave behind everything eventually, we have to remember that we came into this world with nothing and we will leave this world with nothing.  

At what price are we willing to pay just to have this earthly kingdom? Are we willing to sell our souls to the devil just to have possession of this earthly kingdom? Let us wake up before it’s too late otherwise our greed for earthly kingdom would become our passage to hell.  

In our gospel for this Thursday Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you (Luke 17:20-21).

Indeed, the kingdom of God is within our midst already yet it cannot be physically seen and measured nor could it be bought by any amount of money.  This kingdom of God is planted into our hearts by Jesus Himself.

Do you also want to have the kingdom of God? - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for November 14, Wednesday; Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 17:11-19

Gospel: Luke 17:11-19

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us! And when he saw them, he said, "Go show yourselves to the priests. As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, "Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God? Then he said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you."

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Reflection:

Do you always thank the Lord for the countless blessings that He showers upon you?

After healing the ten leapers only one returned (a Samaritan). That’s why Jesus said: Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? (Luke 17:17) Indeed, what happened to the other nine who were members of Jesus faith?

Jesus was looking for them perhaps being one in faith with Him Jesus was expecting them to also return back and signify also their gratitude to Him.  But the nine were missing in action, they were good only in soliciting favors from Jesus. After they got what they wanted they evaporated from His sight.

Such is the behavior of many of us, we earnestly pray when we need something from Jesus. Burt after getting what we want, Jesus is sometimes forgotten or Jesus is not given importance once again. Actually, it’s not only through Jesus that we show our ingratitude. Even to our family members or friends we are sometimes full of ingratitude.

Think of your spouse, children, parents and friends, have you acknowledge their goodness to you?   Have you said a word of gratitude to them, for the little and big favors that they’ve done for you? Or you haven’t done anything to acknowledge their goodness. Such is our behavior sometimes very forgetful or even ungrateful.

Let us think of Jesus, have we thanked Him for the many blessings that He has been giving us? The blessing of life, the blessing of sunlight every morning, have we thanked Him through our  prayers?

In everything let us be grateful to Jesus, for our life, for our health for the numerous healings. That we often times fail to recognize for the reason that we are always fixated on our problems. Thus, we miss out the goodness of Jesus to us. Even in the midst of our trials let us also be thankful because it purifies us and it makes us better individuals.

Do you always thank the Lord? -  Marino J. Dasmarinas  

1Reflection for November 13, Tuesday; Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini: Luke 17:7-10

Gospel: Luke 17:7-10

(Jesus said to His disciples) “Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished? Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’

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Reflection:

What is the frequent failing of many who serve in the vineyard of the Lord Jesus Christ? It’s the feeling of being above everyone and the feeling that he/she is special because he/she is serving in the church.

Take for example a priest who has a high sense of himself and who gives orders to those who are at church as if they are his slaves. Sad to say but this is true: there are ill-mannered priest. It’s not only the priest who is guilty of this kind of failing we too are often guilty of this kind of ill-mannered behavior.

If we are like this then how could we bring others closer to Jesus and how could they see Jesus in us? Let us not forget that we who are followers of Jesus are His walking advertisement in this world. If we are arrogant and ill-mannered, how can we bring them closer to Jesus?

In our gospel Jesus reminds us that we are all servants before Him and our fellowmen. It doesn’t matter how high our position in the church, it doesn’t matter how educated/rich we are. If we are true followers of Jesus we must then become the servant of everyone.

For it’s in serving others and in our humility that we become real and authentic followers and servants of Jesus. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for November 12, Monday; Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr: Luke 17:1-6

Gospel: Luke 17:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry, you should forgive him.”

And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

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Reflection:

Why do we sin? We sin because we allow sin to envelope us and we sin because our faith in Jesus is weak it is easily defeated by temptations. The devil is like a drone that always hovers above us it sees us and it detects if our faith in Jesus is weak. The moment that the devil finds out that our faith is weak he then quickly sends his slaves to entice us with sinfulness.

What is the antidote to sin? Very simple, yet we often neglect to harness this antidote called faith in Jesus. This is what defeats the devil and sin, the moment we ask Jesus to strengthen our faith He will surely oblige our request. But do we humbly and prayerfully ask Jesus to strengthen our faith? Are we faithful Holy Mass goers? Do we read our bible? Do we pray the Holy Rosary?

If we want to have an increase of faith we should not only ask Jesus we should also show Jesus that we are deserving of this faith. The moment we do so we would notice a significant improvement in our faith life and in our journey with Jesus in this world.

Faith is a gift but at the same time faith is also given by Jesus to those who ask for it. And one testament of a person who deserves the gift of faith is someone who strives to know more about Jesus. And someone who endeavors to share his/her faith about Jesus.

Do you want to have an increase of faith? Try to know more about the life of Jesus and don’t forget to share what you know about Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Sunday November 11, Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time: Mark 12:38-44

Mark 12:38-44

In the course of his teaching Jesus said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation." He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, "Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood."

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Reflection:

There is a story of a poor woman who was always ready to give anything that she has for the sake of those who are in need. Because of her generosity there were instances that her children would gently remind her not to overly give and reserve something for them.

But the kindhearted woman would tell her children that it is always in giving that they would receive unfathomable blessings from God. True enough, there were no instance wherein they were in need of anything.

Even if they were poor, they always have something for themselves. Why? because God takes care of those who are generous. Very much like the poor widow in our first reading. She generously gave water and bread to the prophet Elijah. After which  the good Lord provided for her and her son. 

Many of us may not know this, but the poor are the most generous people in the world.  They give from the pureness of their hearts no matter how small.  They don’t give because they are not in need. They give for the simple reason that they are simply generous.

Compare this with many rich people who give from their excess. For example, the billionaires and millionaires who give millions to their favorite charities. Perhaps, most of them give because the money that they would give would never hurt their pockets anymore. They have already earmarked that money for charity.

True generosity is epitomized by the poor widow in the gospel. For she gave whatever little money that she has and she gave even if she herself needs it. She could have bought food with the two small coins to satisfy her hunger. But it never came to her thought, she simply gave from the goodness of her heart.

What is paramount for the poor widow is to give without any strings attached. Jesus consequently favored the poor widow because He saw the pureness of her intentions and the pureness of her generosity.

How do you give to your church? How do you give to the poor and to those who are need? Do you give generously as well like the poor widow in the gospel or you give because that is your excess already? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for November 10, Saturday; Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church: Luke 16:9-15

Gospel: Luke 16:9-15

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. And he said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”

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Reflection:

What is dishonest wealth and true wealth that Jesus speaks about in our gospel? Dishonest wealth is any material wealth that you presently possess true wealth is no other than Jesus Himself. Material wealth is dishonest wealth in the sense that it will not give you peace, serenity and contentment no matter how big.

Has anyone of us found peace and contentment with the money that we have? No, we have not found the serenity that we have been looking for. In fact, the more money, power and wealth we have the more that we have no peace of mind. This is the paradox of earthly wealth and power: it will not give us the peace of mind that we have been longing for.  This is the reason why this is called dishonest wealth.

What is true wealth then? When you have Jesus in your life you already have this true wealth no matter if you are materially poor and no matter if you are sick. Because when you have Jesus in your life you lack nothing and you will not anymore desire for anything.

What is the worth of your life if you have all the wealth and power in this world yet you don’t have Jesus? - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for November 9, Friday; Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica: John 2:13-22

Gospel: John 2:13-22

Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?”But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.

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Reflection:

What do you do when you go to church to pray or for Holy Mass? Do you always go there so that you could feel its solemn atmosphere so that you could have a personal encounter with Jesus?

The church is always our place of worship and this is our safe refuge whenever we are burdened by life’s challenges. It is also here where we get to have a personal encounter with Jesus before, during and after the celebration of the Holy Mass.

Do we still observe the proper discipline when we are at church? Do we still dip our finger in the holy water font, make the sign of the cross and genuflect with our eyes fixed on the tabernacle before we officially enter the church and before we go outside of the church?   

In our gospel we read about Jesus who went to the temple, to His dismay he found the temple in disarray. For they made the temple of worship to a temple of commerce. The people who were supposed to worship was there to do business and other things not related with worship for God. Therefore to create order and to restore the sanctity of the temple Jesus angrily drove out all those who were corrupting the temple.   

This is a good reminder for all of us when we are at church for Holy Mass or to pray. We go to church to encounter, to worship and to give glory and honor to Jesus. The church is not a business office where wheeling and dealing occurs.

When we go to church to pray or for Holy Mass let us go there with our focus on Jesus. So that when we go out of the church we carry with us this renewed strength and hope that will energize us as we once again face our life’s challenges. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for November 8, Thursday; Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 15:1-10

Gospel: Luke 15:1-10

The 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 Jesus addressed this parable to them. “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. 

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

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Reflection:

What is your attitude toward the so-called sinners of our society? For example, if you have a brother and you perceive him to be a sinner, how would you treat him? Should you simply ignore him? Or you would build bridge to seek him out and let him know that the love of Jesus knows no bounds. That the love of Jesus upon him is not diminished by the sins that he has committed.

There are many of us who give up on the lost or sinners and we cannot blame ourselves for this because this is basic human nature. For example if you have a spouse who is a serial womanizer  and you have forgiven him for so many times and yet he does not change his ways. What is your natural reaction to this kind of attitude? Isn’t that your natural reaction is to raise your hands in surrender and give up on that unrepentant spouse?

If we give up with sinners, Jesus doesn’t give up He will continuously seek out the lost or sinners until He finds them. And when Jesus finds them, He will do everything (without questions asked!) to let this sinner feel His infinite love and forgiveness.   

The parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin is a showcase of the infinite love of Jesus for us. We who are all sinners, we who continue to struggle with sin. There’s hope after all for all of us sinners. And this hope is brought to us by the infinite love and mercy of Jesus. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for November 7, Wednesday; Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 14:25-33

Gospel: Luke 14:25-33

Great crowds were travelling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”

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Reflection:

Have you already watched a life testimony about Jesus? Majority of these testimonies deals with the many blessings that they’ve received from the good Lord. You would also  hear testimony about their sufferings and crosses and how Jesus helped them carry it.

In our gospel for today, Jesus speaks to us about the suffering and crosses that is incorporated with our discipleship. Jesus tells us: “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” What do these profound words of Jesus convey?

This conveys that if we want to follow Jesus we should also open ourselves with the carrying of our own cross and enduring also our suffering. Because it is only through these two that we could have that true feeling of companionship with Jesus. If we say, that life is all bed of roses since we’ve followed Jesus. Then, we have not really felt the true companionship of Jesus in our lives.

True discipleship for Christ Jesus is felt only when we suffer for His sake, when we are willing to carry our cross for His sake. And when we are willing to give even our very lives so that others may live and have that encounter with Jesus. This is the real essence of authentic discipleship for Jesus.

In the silence of our hearts let us examine our own discipleship for Christ Jesus. Have we already suffered for Him? Have we already carried our cross for Him? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for November 6, Tuesday; Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 14:15-24

Gospel: Luke 14:15-24

One of those at table with Jesus said to him, “Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God.” He replied to him, “A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ‘Come, everything is now ready.’ But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I have purchased a field and must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to evaluate them; I ask you, consider me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.’ The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.’ The master then ordered the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.’

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Reflection:

What occurs in a dinner? There’s breaking of the bread, there’s sharing, interaction, exchange of ideas and the like. We are not invited to a dinner to simply eat and go. We are invited because the host wants to know more about us. The host wants to bless us with the food that he prepared.  And he wants to exchange even for a brief moment small talk that could further enhance and strengthen the relationship between the invited guest and the host.

When we honor the Holy Mass with our presence we respond to the invitation of Jesus to be present at this Sacred and Holy celebration. We break bread with Jesus, we interact with Jesus and we open ourselves to the innumerable blessings that Jesus alone could bestow upon us.

But like in the gospel many of us would refuse to go to Holy Mass because we have our other preoccupations. We miss a lot when we decline to be present at Holy Mass foremost of this is we miss the great previledge to know Jesus deeply.

It’s sad to think that many Catholics leave the church for other Christian churches. Because as they would say: “They want to develop a personal relationship with Jesus through His written words in the bible.”

But if only they would take time to religiously be present at Holy Mass. Jesus Himself will give them the grace to know Him deeply. Jesus Himself would prod them to open their bibles so that He could reveal more about Himself to them.

The deepening of our friendship with Jesus emanates from our presence at His dinner banquet which is none other than the Holy Mass. Let us therefore go to this one hour sacred celebration and build a deeper relationship with Jesus.   

Do you always honor this invitation of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for November 5, Monday; Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 14:12-14

Gospel: Luke 14:12-14

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees. He said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

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Reflection:

Who do you normally invite when you have a banquet in your home?

The leading Pharisee who invited Jesus obviously was well known and powerful. Thus we could surmise that his circle of friends was naturally well known and powerful also. And Jesus knew about this that’s why Jesus gave the Pharisee something to think about or food for thought as far as inviting guest is concerned.

Jesus said to him; when you have a lunch or a dinner. Do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind. Wow! This is very hard to do for the Pharisee and for us as well!

How could we invite them when they are not inside our circle of friends? How could we invite them when most of them live in an environment foreign to our environment? How could we invite them when they are not externally presentable and there are many more reasons not to invite them.

If we don’t invite them, we are judging them already based on what we see about them. And most of the time what we see on them is unpleasant and not worthy for our very judgmental eyes. But we don’t see the heart of the poor, the lame, the cripple, the lame and the blind. If only we could see what’s in their hearts, it’s none other than Jesus, Jesus dwells in their hearts.

Let us seriously take note of these teachings of Jesus because when we invite them we are actually inviting Jesus to come to our home. – Marino J. Dasmarinas