1Reflection for October 12, Saturday; Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:27-28

Gospel: Luke 11:27-28

While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

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Reflection:

Are you taking care of your mother? Many of us today pamper our mother with material things. But when a mother is old and already a member of the senior citizen's club she is not anymore concerned with material things. She is more concerned with the love and care that she will receive from her children.

A mother will never say to her children to give her love and care rather than material things. Yet she will greatly appreciate it if she would be given love and care by her children love and care that she richly deserves. Let us not forget that our mothers carried us in their wombs for nine long months and we gained nourishment from them as well.

In the gospel, a woman who perhaps knows the Blessed Virgin Mary told Jesus: “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed (Luke 11:27).” She possibly said this to honor Mary for properly rearing Jesus.

Yet Jesus gave the more profound honor to His Mother Mary by saying: “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it (Luke 11:27).” For the Blessed Mother heard the word of God, she treasured it in her heart and followed it.

How is your relationship with your mother? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Oktubre 12, Sabado: Ika-27 Linggo ng Taon: Lucas 11:27-28

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 11:27-28

27 Habang nagsasalita pa si Jesus, isang babae mula sa dami ng tao ang malakas na nagsabi sa kanya: “Mapa­lad ang nag­dala sa iyo sa kanyang sina­­­pupunan at nagpasuso sa iyo.” 28 Ngu­nit sumagot si Jesus: “Kaya talagang ma­pa­lad ang mga nakikinig sa salita ng Diyos at tumu­tupad nito.”

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for October 11, Friday; Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:15-26

Luke 11:15-26 

When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said: “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me,  and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’ But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”

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Reflection:

Does Jesus deserve the accusation that He is a demon? Has he done any demonic actions to earn the accusation? No Jesus doesn’t deserve the accusation and He surely has not done any actions contrary to His mission. None at all!

The crowd’s accusation originates from the deceit and envy in their hearts. And who planted that deceit and envy? It’s Beelzebul the prince of demons himself! So it was actually the accusers who were in fact possessed by the demon.

We must be careful not to allow deceitful/envious and other negative emotions to takes root in our hearts for these are temptations that originate from the devil. We should instead fill our hearts and minds with thoughts that are Godly.  Of course we must choose to be with Jesus for this is always the correct choice.  If we are not for Jesus, then we are against Jesus there’s no middle ground.

Why should we choose to be in the company of the devil when it will not do any good to our lives? The devil will bring us nothing but problems and perdition.  Though he often times disguises his diabolical intentions and himself through the many attractive things of this world.  

We should therefore be discerning because the devil may already be enticing  us without us knowing it. How would we able to discern if the devil is already laying his enticement upon us? We have to be close to Jesus and should not walk away from Jesus. For this is the only way that we could discern the presence of the devil.  The same devil who always seeks to destroy us by trying his very best to snatch us away from the love of Jesus.

Let us therefore always align ourselves with Jesus. And let us never compromise with anything that is wrong and evil no matter how tempting it may appear. Why? Because it will only bring us unfathomable trouble. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Oktubre 11, Biyernes: Ika-27 Linggo ng Taon: Lucas 11:15-26

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 11:15-26

15 Nang naka pagpalayas si Jesus ng demonyo  sinabi ng ilan sa kanila: “Pinalalayas niya ang mga ito sa tulong ni Beelzebul na pinuno ng mga demonyo.” 16 Gusto naman ng iba na subukin si Jesus at humi­ngi sila sa kanya ng isang tanda galing sa langit.

17 Alam ni Jesus ang kanilang iniisip kaya sinabi niya sa kanila: “Mabu­buwag ang bawat kahariang nagka­kahati-hati at magigiba roon ang mga samba­hayan. 18 Ngayon, kung nagkakahati-hati si Sa­tanas, paano mag­ta­tagal ang kanyang kaharian? Di nga ba’t sinasabi ninyo na nagpapalayas ako ng mga de­monyo sa tulong ni Beelzebul? 19 Kung sa pamamagitan ni Beelzebul ako nag­pa­palayas ng mga demonyo, paano na­man napalalayas ng inyong mga ka­anib ang mga ito? Sila mismo ang nara­rapat sumagot sa inyo.

20 Sa daliri ng Diyos ako nagpapa­layas ng mga demonyo kaya sumapit na sa inyo ang kaharian ng Diyos. 21 Kung sandatahang binabantayan ni Malakas ang kanyang palasyo, hindi magagam­bala ang kanyang mga pag-aari. 22 Pero kung salakayin siya ng mas makapang­yarihan sa kanya at talunin siya, maa­agaw nito ang kanyang mga armas na kanyang inasahan at ipamamahagi ang kanyang mga ari-arian.

• 23 Ang hindi panig sa akin ay laban sa akin, at ang hindi nagtitipong kasama ko ay nagpapangalat.

• 24 Kapag lumabas sa tao ang maruming espiritu, nagpapalabuy-laboy ito sa mga lugar na walang tubig sa paghahanap ng pahingahan. Pero wala siyang natatagpuan at sinasabi niya: ‘Babalik ako sa inalisan kong tirahan.’ 25 Pag­dating niya, natatagpuan niya ito na nawalisan na at maayos pa. 26 Kaya nag­­hahanap siya at nagsasama ng pito pang espiritung mas masama pa kaysa kanya; pu­ma­pa­sok ang mga ito at doon tumitira. Kaya mas masama ang huling kalagayan ng taong iyon kaysa dati.”

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for October 10, Thursday; Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:5-13

Gospel: Luke 11:5-13

Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.

“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

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Reflection:

Do you believe in the power of persistence? The power of persistence tells us that for as long as we don’t give up. And for as long as we continue to trust in Jesus we would be able to have what we want. Therefore persistence always pays off, but should we continue to persist when the horizon is dark?

In the gospel, Jesus tells us that we have to persist even if it seems useless to persist for those who persist are always rewarded by God. Come to think of it, persistence gives us great rewards even in our worldly activities. Take for example an average student who persist in his studies he surely would be able to hurdle his studies because he is persistent.

However, not all of us have persistent mindset; many of us are easily discouraged when we see no positive result with what we are doing. So we fail and fail to achieve what we want because we gave up without trying our very best first.

Lest we forget, many or almost all of our life’s battles are won because we are persistent but why do we persist? We persist because we believe that God always rewards those who are persistent and those who couple their persistence with humble and expectant trust in God. -  Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Oktubre 10, Huwebes: Ika-27 Linggo ng Taon: Lucas 11:5-13

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 11:5-13

5 Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad: “Ipalagay nating may kaibigan ang isa sa inyo at pinuntahan mo siya sa ha­tinggabi at sinabi: ‘Kaibigan, pahiram nga ng tatlong pirasong tinapay 6 dahil kararating lang mula sa biyahe ng isa kong kaibigan at wala akong maihain sa kanya.’ 7 At sasagutin ka siguro ng nasa loob: ‘Huwag mo na akong gambalain. Nakatrangka na ang pinto at nakahiga na kami ng mga bata; hindi na ako maaaring tumayo para bigyan ka.’ 8 Sinasabi ko sa inyo, kung hindi man siya bumangon para mag­bi­gay dahil sa pakikipagkaibigan, baba­ngon pa rin siya at ibibigay sa iyo ang lahat mong kailangan dahil sa pagpu­pumilit sa kanya.

9 Kaya sinasabi ko sa inyo: humingi at kayo’y bibigyan, maghanap at mata­tag­puan ninyo, kumatok at bu­buk­san ang pinto para sa inyo. 10 Talaga ngang tumatanggap ang humihingi, nakaka­tagpo ang naghahanap at pinag­bubuk­san ang ku­makatok.

11 Sino sa inyo ang amang magbi­bigay ng ahas sa kanyang anak kung isda at hin­di ahas ang hinihingi nito? 12 Sino ang magbibigay ng alakdan kung itlog ang hinihingi? 13 Kaya kung kayo mang ma­sa­sama’y marunong magbigay ng ma­bu­buting kaloob sa inyong mga anak, gaano pa kaya ang Ama mula sa langit? Tiyak na ibibigay niya ang banal na Espi­ritu sa mga hihingi sa kanya.”

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for October 9, Wednesday; Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:1-4

Gospel: Luke 11:1-4

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.”

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Reflection:

Do you often call upon the name of God? For example somebody is sick in the family, do you pray over that family member by invoking the very powerful name Jesus? The name of God is very powerful it can cure us of our many sickness if we would pray it with faith.

When one of Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach him how to pray Jesus told the man that the name of God is holy. Being holy it’s therefore sacred and powerful and this we can always call upon whenever we want.

What should we do so that we can always call upon this holy and powerful God? We should strive to live holy lives as well and we should strive to know more about God. The moment we try to live holy lives and the moment we strive to know more about Jesus. We surely could invoke His mighty name anytime.

You therefore have to run away from anything that would make you sin for this is the beginning of holiness. You also have to strive to know more about God and Jesus by reading your bible and by making yourself available for Holy Mass.

Try doing these two and you will see that you would be able easily call upon the name of God anytime most especially during distressful times. -  Marino J. Dasmarinas     

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Oktubre 9, Miyerkules: Ika-27 Linggo ng Taon: Lucas 11:1-4

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 11:1-4

1 Isang araw, nananalangin si Jesus sa isang lugar at pagka­tapos niya’y sinabi sa kanya ng isa sa kanyang mga alagad: “Panginoon, turu­an mo kaming manalangin kung pa­anong tinu­ruan ni Juan ang kanyang mga alagad.” 2 At sinabi ni Jesus sa kanila: “Kung mana­nalangin kayo, sa­bihin nin­yo:

Ama, sambahin ang ngalan mo, dumating ang kaharian mo, 3 bigyan mo kami araw-araw ng pagkaing kailangang-kailangan namin, 4 patawarin mo kami sa aming mga sala; tingnan mo’t pinatatawad din namin ang lahat ng may utang sa amin, at huwag mo kaming dalhin sa tukso.”

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for October 8, Tuesday; Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 10:38-42

Gospel: Luke 10:38-42

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.

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Reflection:

What makes us anxious and what influence our worries? It’s our detachment from Jesus. When a person is detached from listening to Jesus he/she is easily overtaken by anxiousness and worries.

This doesn’t mean that if we always have our regular listening time with Jesus we would already be immune from anxiousness and worries. We would still have our own share of worries because it’s part of life. However, we will always be able to handle and manage these pressures and anxiousness of daily life for the reason that we are connected with Jesus.

Jesus obviously favored Mary’s act of listening to Him. Why? Because it's more important to listen first to Jesus than do other chores. The same is true with our relationship with Him. If we will spend more time in prayer to Jesus we will learn more from Him. And we will receive more blessings and enlightenment from Him.

If we have our regular listening and prayer time with Jesus we are always connected to the source of eternal power. Thus we will always become His useful and productive followers. For the reason that we have within us the source of eternal  power none other than Jesus Himself.

Just imagine a light bulb not connected to the source of electric power? It will never be useful or it will never radiate light no matter how big the wattage. This is the same with a journey in this world bereft of connection from Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas     

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Oktubre 8, Martes: Ika-27 Linggo ng Taon: Lucas 10:38-42

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 10:38-42

Sa kanilang paglalakbay, pumasok si Jesus sa isang nayon at pinatuloy siya ng isang babaeng nagnga­ngalang Marta. 39 May kapatid siyang babae na tina­tawag na Maria. Naupo ito sa may paa­nan ng Panginoon at nakikinig sa kanyang salita. 40 Abalang-abala naman si Marta sa mga pagsisilbi kaya lumapit siya at sinabi: “Panginoon, hindi mo ba napapansing pinabayaan ako ng aking kapatid na babae na magsilbing mag-isa? Pakisabi mo naman sa kanya na tulungan ako.”

41 Sumagot sa kanya ang Panginoon: “Marta, Marta, abala ka’t balisa sa ma­raming bagay; 42 isa lang naman ang ka­ilangan. Pinili nga ni Maria ang ma­inam na bahagi na hindi kukunin sa kanya.”

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Reflection for October 7, Monday; Our Lady of the Rosary: Luke 10:25-37

Gospel: Luke 10:25-37

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

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Reflection:

Is there such a word as perfect love? Yes, there is it’s when we are able to live our love for God and neighbor. To love God is to worship Him with all our being and to love our neighbor is to humanize our love for God.

It was very ironic that the priest who was supposed to love God failed to humanize his love for God same as with the Levite who was also involved in the service for God. Both the priest and the Levite failed the test of true love and discipleship because they simply ignored the man in need of their help.

They might have reasons for ignoring the man in need but whatever reasons that they might have was not valid at all. What if the Samaritan did not pass by? The victim may have died due to the indifference of the two.

It was good that the exemplar of perfect love (Samaritan) passed by otherwise the victim might have bleed to his death.

Many of us who love and worship God fails to translate this love to a love for our fellowmen. Some of us are able to translate this love for God to a love for our neighbor. But we oftentimes limit our love for our neighbor to those whom we only know and to those who are only good to us.

If the person in need of our help is not good to us we may simply pass them by and ignore them just like what the priest and Levite did. Jesus urges us to follow the example of the Good Samaritan who exemplified perfect love. He took care of the victim even if he doesn’t know him. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Oktubre 7, Lunes: Mahal na Birhen ng Rosaryo: Lucas 10:25-37

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 10:25-37

May tumindig na isang guro ng Batas para subukin si Jesus. Sinabi niya: “Guro, ano ang gagawin ko para makamit ang buhay na walang hang­gan?” 26 Suma­got sa kanya si Jesus: “Ano ba ang nasu­sulat sa Batas, at pa­ano mo ito naiin­tin­dihan?” 27 Suma­got ang guro ng Batas: “Mamahalin mo ang Panginoon mong Diyos nang buo mong puso at nang buo mong kaluluwa at nang buo mong lakas at nang buo mong pag-iisip. At nasusulat din naman: Mamahalin mo ang iyong kapwa gaya ng iyong sarili.”

28 Noo’y sinabi ni Jesus sa kanya: “Tama ang sagot mo. Gawin mo ito at mabubuhay ka.” 29 Pero gustong ma­ngat­wiran ng guro ng Batas kaya sinabi niya kay Jesus: “At sino naman ang aking kapwa?” 30 Sinagot siya ni Jesus: “May isang taong bumaba mula sa Jerusalem papunta sa Jerico at nahu­log siya sa kamay ng mga tulisan. Hinubaran siya ng mga ito at binugbog at saka iniwang ha­los patay na. 31 Nag­ka­taon namang may isang paring pababa rin sa daang iyon. Pag­ka­kita sa kanya, lumihis ito ng daan. 32 Ga­yun­din naman, may isang Levitang napadaan sa lugar na iyon; nang makita siya’y lumihis din ito ng daan.

33 Pero may isang Samaritano namang naglalakbay na napadaan sa kina­roro­o­nan niya; pagkakita nito sa kanya, naawa ito sa kanya. 34 Kayat lumapit ito, binu­husan ng langis at alak ang kanyang mga sugat at binendahan. Isinakay nito ang tao sa sarili niyang hayop at dinala sa isang bahay-panuluyan at inalagaan. 35 Kinabu­kasan, du­mukot ang Samaritano ng dalawang denaryo, ibinigay sa may-ari ng bahay-panuluyan at sinabi: ‘Alagaan mo siya; sasagutin ko ang anu­mang karag­da­gang gastos pagbalik ko’.”

36 At sinabi ni Jesus: “Sa palagay mo, sino sa tatlong ito ang naging kapwa sa taong nahulog sa kamay ng mga tuli­-san?” 37 Sagot ng guro: “Ang nagda­lang-habag sa kanya.” Kaya sinabi ni Jesus sa kanya: “Humayo ka’t ganoon din ang gawin.”

Ang Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon.

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa October 6, ika-27 na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon: Lucas 17:5-10

Reflection for Sunday October 6, Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 17:5-10

Gospel: Luke 17:5-10

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.

“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:

Were the apostles lacking in faith, that’s why they asked Jesus to increase their faith? Yes, they were already lacking in faith otherwise they would have not asked Jesus. Are you sometimes tempted to ask the Lord for an increase of faith as well? 

Diminishing faith is an ever present danger in our relationship with Jesus. Most especially today where our faith in God is severely being tested by the enormous trials that we face. Does faith in God still matters today wherein smart phones, gadgets and the internet rules? Of course! Notwithstanding the modernity of our time our faith in Jesus still matters now more than any other time.

Our life today is full of challenges and problems. There is always that danger that these challenges and problems might overwhelm us. And it may lead us to believe that there is no God. But there is a God and we believe in this God.

Jesus answer to His apostles desire for an increase of faith is very deep and interesting. He told His apostles, “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.

We all know that a mustard seed is tiny or small when it’s planted. However, when it’s nurtured it grows big. Perhaps, the Lord is telling us that from now on begin to nurture the faith that you have in your heart right now. It does not matter how small that faith is what is important is you nurture it so that it could grow big.

How are you going to nurture this tiny faith? You have to nurture it through your presence at Holy Mass. You have to nurture it by being faithful to the teachings of Jesus and you have to nurture this faith by your actual acts of faith.

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