Reflection for Sunday May 15, Fifth Sunday of Easter: John 13:31-33a, 34-35

Gospel: John 13:31-33a, 34-35

When Judas had left them, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

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Reflection:

A Wife was distraught upon discovering that her husband had fathered a child outside of their marriage. She confronted him, the husband admitted his sin and asked for forgiveness but she never forgave him for what he did.  

There’s an absence of true love in this story otherwise the wife could have forgiven the  betrayal of her husband. And they could have started afresh as if nothing happened. But such is our attitude we oftentimes harbor in our hearts hatred instead of love and forgiveness.  

When Jesus told the apostles to love one another He meant that their love for each other must be like His love for them. And what is the love of Jesus? It’s a love that forgives, a love that is not dependent on the love that it receives. A love that doesn’t count the cost of loving and a love that is very much willing sacrifice.   

Perhaps, what Jesus wants to convey to us is we should try our very best to love as He loves. To love without counting the cost of loving and to love by being ready to suffer for the person that we love. Some of us may say that this kind of love doesn’t fit anymore our social media driven times today where love and sex are not anymore regarded with sacredness by many. But it’s still relevant today as it was relevant during Jesus’ time in this world. In fact, this love commandment of Jesus to His apostles is not hindered by the limitation of time.

When you love as Jesus loves you would also be willing to forgive no matter how deep the wound that it caused you. You would be willing to bury the past and let bygones be bygones. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Linggo Mayo 15, Ikalimang Linggo ng Pasko ng Muling Pagkabuhay: Juan 13:31-33a, 34-35

Mabuting Balita: Juan 13:31-33a, 34-35

Pagkaalis ni Judas mula sa Huling Hapunan, sinabi ni Jesus, "Ngayo'y mahahayag na ang karangalan ng Anak ng Tao; at mahahayag din ang karangalan ng Diyos sa pamamagitan niya. At kung mahayag na ang karangalan ng Diyos, ang Diyos naman ang maghahayag ng karangalan ng Anak, at gagawin niya ito agad. Mga anak, kaunting panahon na lamang ninyo akong makakasama.

Isang bagong utos ang ibinibigay ko sa inyo: mag-ibigan kayo! Kung paanong inibig ko kayo, gayon din naman, mag-ibigan kayo. Kung kayo'y mag-iibigan, makikilala ng lahat na kayo'y mga alagad ko."

Reflection for Saturday May 14, Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle: John 15:9-17

Gospel: John 15:9-17

Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.  

“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing.  

I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”

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Reflection:

What is an ideal life in this world? It’s a life that is forever attached to the love of God. Without attachment to the love of God life would simply be empty, barren and meaningless. The love of God is the essence of life for we were not born to love this world. We came into this world to live and love God.    

Let us think about loving this world more than God and we only create emptiness in our lives we end up with nothing except emptiness. It’s a fact of life that everything that is in this world is temporary: wealth, power and the like. All of these we will leave behind or will eventually leave us, but the love of God will always be there for us.  

What matters is the love of God nothing else but the love of God. It’s no brainer therefore why Jesus is telling us to remain in His love. For if we always remain in the love of God we would be able to hurdle whatever trials that may come our way. And we would be able to conquer whatever fears that we may have even the fear of death.  

Would you embrace this love that the Lord is offering you? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para Sabado Mayo 14, San Matias, apostol (Kapistahan): Juan 15:9-17

Mabuting Balita: Juan 15:9-17

Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad: 9 Kung paano ako minamahal ng Ama, gayon ko rin kayo minahal. Ma­ma­lagi kayo sa pagmamahal ko. 10 Kung isasa­katuparan ninyo ang mga kautusan ko, mamamalagi kayo sa pagmamahal ko kung paanong isina­katuparan ko ang mga kautusan ng aking Ama at nama­malagi sa kanyang pagmamahal.   

11 Sinabi ko sa inyo ang mga ito upang mapasainyo ang aking kaga­lakan at maging ganap ang inyong kagalakan. 12 Ito ang kautusan ko: magmahalan kayo kung paano ko kayo minahal. 13 Wala nang pagma­mahal na hihigit pa sa pag-aalay ng sariling buhay alang-alang sa kanyang mga kaibigan.   

14 Mga kaibigan ko kayo kung gina­gawa ninyo ang iniuutos ko sa inyo. 15 Hindi ko na kayo tinatawag na mga lingkod sapagkat hindi alam ng lingkod ang ginagawa ng kanyang panginoon. Mga kaibigan naman ang turing ko sa inyo sapagkat ipinagbibigay-alam ko sa inyo lahat ng narinig ko mula sa aking Ama.  

16 Hindi kayo ang humirang sa akin, ako ang humirang sa inyo at nagtalaga sa inyo para humayo at mamunga, at mamalagi ang inyong bunga. At ipagka­kaloob sa inyo anumang hingin n’yo sa Ama sa pangalan ko. 17 Iniuutos ko nga sa inyo: magma­halan kayo. 

Reflection for May 13, Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter: John 14:1-6

Gospel: John 14:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.  

Where I am going you know the way.” Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

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Reflection:

There were two senior citizens who were near death one was a believer the other was not. The non-believer was deeply troubled on what would happen to his soul when he dies. The believer was very calm and was not afraid to die. 

There are those who dread the mere mention of death as if it’s a plague that needs to be avoided. But no matter how hard we avoid death using our wealth and power we cannot escape it because it’s a certain fact of life and it’s the rite of passage for the next life.  

In the gospel Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places (John 14:1-2).” Therefore, Jesus is assuring us that we already have a place reserved for us there someday.  

But we are still here in this world and the big question is can we be there someday to be with our Lord? Nobody knows about it except the Lord, what we have to do is to simply follow His teachings.  

We do it not to buy our way to His Father’s house; we follow His teachings because that’s what the Lord wants us to do. Then, when our time comes we simply submit our fate to Him.  – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Mayo 13, Biyernes sa Ika-4 na Linggo ng Pasko ng Muling Pagkabuhay: Juan 14:1-6

Mabuting Balita: Juan 14:1-6   

Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanyang mga alagad: 1 Huwag mabagabag ang inyong mga puso. Manalig kayo sa Diyos, at manalig din kayo sa akin. 2 Mara¬ming silid sa bahay ng aking Ama. Kung hindi’y hindi ko sana sinabi sa inyong: “Pupunta ako upang ipag-handa kayo ng lugar.” 3 At pag pumunta na ako at naipag¬handa kayo ng lugar, muli akong darating at dadalhin ko kayo sa akin upang kung saan ako naroon, gayon din naman kayo.   

4 At alam n’yo ang daan sa pupuntahan ko.” 5 Sinabi sa kanya ni Tomas: “Pangi-noon, hindi namin alam kung saan ka pupunta. Paano namin malalaman ang daan?” 6 Sinabi sa kanya ni Jesus: “Ako siyang daan, ang katotohanan, at ang buhay. Walang nakalalapit sa Ama kundi sa pamamagitan ko.  

Reflection for May 12, Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter: John 13:16-20

Gospel: John 13:16-20

When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen.  

But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me. From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

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Reflection:

Are you afraid of suffering and betrayal? In His humanity Jesus was also afraid of sufferings and betrayal. But His fears did not prevent Him from achieving His salvific mission. It even strengthened His resolve to continue amidst the difficulty of His mission. Jesus never gave up no matter how hard the odds against Him for He knew that He has a mission to fulfill.  

Marriage starts like a rose garden and it seems that everything is rosy, beautiful and sweet. But after a period of time problems would crop up, there shall be sufferings and sometimes betrayal of vows. So what must we do? Should we simply walk away with our heads bowed in defeat? Or we stay, bear the brunt of the sufferings/betrayal and fight for the sanctity of the marriage covenant.  

We must stay and fight for the sanctity of the marriage covenant. Let us remember that Jesus remained with His mission notwithstanding the sufferings and betrayals. What if Jesus simply gave up and walked away from His mission of salvation? Anyway He’s God and powerful but He remained for His love for God and for all of us.  

Many married couples nowadays choose the easy way out when testing comes to their marriage. They choose to betray and eventually walk away from their marriage covenant. They simply walk away notwithstanding their sacred vows and the welfare of their children.  

Jesus never walked away from His responsibilities towards humanity notwithstanding the sufferings and betrayals. He faced it all and triumphed over it. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Mayo 12, Huwebes sa Ika-4 na Linggo ng Pasko ng Muling Pagkabuhay: Juan 13:16-20

Mabuting Balita: Juan 13:16-20

Nang mahugasan na ni Jesus ang mag paa ng mga alagad sinabi ni Jesus 16 Talagang-talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo, walang ali­ping mas dakila sa kanyang pangi­noon, ni walang sinugong mas dakila sa nagpadala sa kanya. 17 Kung alam ninyo ito, mapalad kayo kung isina­sagawa n’yo ang mga ito.  

18 Hindi kayong lahat ang tinutukoy ko. Kilala ko ang mga hinirang ko. Ngunit kaila­ngang ma­ganap ang Kasu­latan: Ang nakikisalo sa aking pag­kai’y tumalapid sa akin.” 19 Sinasabi ko ito ngayon sa inyo bago pa mang­yari upang maniwala kayong Ako Nga kapag nangyari ito. 20 Talagang-talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo: ako ang tinatanggap ng tuma­tanggap sa ipinadadala ko, at ang nagpa­dala sa akin ang tinatanggap ng tuma­tang­gap sa akin.”

Reflection for May 11 Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter: John 12:44-50

Gospel: John 12:44-50

Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.  

Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

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Reflection:

How can we reinforce our belief in the oneness of Jesus and God? It’s to follow to the letter the teachings of Jesus. Profession of belief only is not enough, we have to do concrete actions to seal our belief and faith.  For example, if we believe that Jesus and God the Father are one yet we don’t give to somebody in need. What then is the use of our declaration of belief?     

We who profess belief in the oneness of Jesus and God are their walking advertisements in this world. As such we should always see to it that we should always do something concrete to reinforce our belief by our acts of goodness.  

In so doing we show the whole world that we truly are followers not only in words but also in deeds. Because the truest essence of faith is not exclusively confined to acts of worship alone it should always be coupled with acts of goodness.  

Is your belief in the oneness of Jesus and the Father always reinforced with acts of goodness? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Mayo 11, Miyerkules sa Ika-4 na Linggo ng Pasko ng Muling Pagkabuhay: Juan 12:44-50

Mabuting Balita: Juan 12:44-50

44 Malakas namang sinabi ni Jesus: “Ang nananalig sa aki’y hindi sa akin kundi sa nagpadala sa akin. 45 Ang puma­pan­sin sa aki’y pumapansin sa nagpadala sa akin. 46 Dumating ako na liwanag sa mundo upang hindi mamalagi sa dilim ang bawat nananalig sa akin. 47 Kung may nakaka­ri­nig sa aking mga salita at hindi ito iniinga­tan, hindi ako ang humahatol sa kanya sapagkat duma­dating ako hindi para hatulan ang mundo kundi para iligtas ang mundo.  

48 May humahatol sa bumabale-wala sa akin at di tumatanggap sa mga pana­nalita ko. Ang salitang ipina­ngusap ko ang siyang hahatol sa kanya sa huling araw. 49 Sapagkat hindi ako nangusap sa ganang sarili ko; ang nag­padala sa akin – ang Ama – siya mismo ang nag-utos sa akin kung ano ang sasabihin ko at ipangu­ngusap. 50 Alam kong buhay magpa­kailan­man ang kanyang utos. Kaya ang ipinangu­ngusap ko’y ipina­ngu­ngusap ko gaya ng sinabi sa akin ng Ama.  

1Reflection for May 10 Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter: John 10:22-30

Gospel: John 10:22-30

The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe.  

The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

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Reflection:

How can we have an encounter with Jesus? We have to abide with what Jesus tells us in the scripture/bible. If He tells us that He and the Father are one we have to believe it without any doubt. For the simple reason that all of Jesus pronouncements are not empty, it is solidly supported by other passages in the bible.  

What separates those who believe and those who don’t? Those who believe receive the full graces of the power that emanates from Jesus. For example, their lives are changed, their faiths are strengthened. And they themselves become an agent of positive change in their own respective environments.  

Those who do not believe or who take Jesus nonchalantly are left-out in terms of spiritual graces, their individual faith life is not strengthened. They are more vulnerable to the many forces of evil and they don’t have the spiritual strength that faithful believers have.  

What is the secret for us to believe? We have to humble ourselves before Jesus. We have to accept with faith every word that He tells us in the scripture/bible. And the moment we do, this would be the beginning of our renewed life with Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Mayo 10, Martes sa Ika-4 na Linggo ng Pasko ng Muling Pagkabuhay: Juan 10:22-30

Mabuting Balita: Juan 10:22-30

22 Piyesta ng Pagtatalaga sa Jerusalem, taglamig noon. 23 Palakad-lakad si Jesus sa Templo sa patyo ni Solomon, 24 at pina­ligiran siya ng mga Judio at sinabi sa kanya: “Hanggang kailan mo ba kami ibibitin? Kung ikaw ang Kristo, sabihin mo sa amin nang lantaran.” 25 Sinagot sila ni Jesus: “Sinabi ko na sa inyo pero hindi kayo nanini­wala. Nag­papatunay tungkol sa akin ang mga gawang tinatrabaho ko sa ngalan ng aking Ama. 26 Ngunit hindi kayo nani­niwala sapagkat hindi kayo kabilang sa aking mga tupa.  

27 Dinidinig ng aking mga tupa ang aking tinig at kilala ko sila, at sumu­sunod sila sa akin. 28 Buhay magpa­kailanman ang ibinibigay ko sa kanila at hin­ding-hindi sila kailanman mapa­pahamak ni walang aagaw sa kanila mula sa kamay ko. 29 Mas dakila sa anuman ang ibinigay sa akin ng aking Ama, at walang maka­aagaw mula sa kamay ng Ama. 30 Iisa kami: ako at ang Ama.”

Reflection for May 9 Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter: John 10:1-10

Gospel: John 10:1-10

Jesus said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.   

When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.  

So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

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Reflection:

Are you a good shepherd to your children?  

Parents are shepherds to their children as such they are expected not only to provide for the material and spiritual needs of their children. They are also expected to mold their children’s character and values. So that when the time comes for their children to become parents themselves. It’s also expected that they too will become good shepherds to their own children someday.  

Jesus is the best example of a good shepherd for He gave His very own life for us. Being a good shepherd, He led by example, He gave up His own comfort and He embraced His passion and death on the cross for our sake. He could have easily avoided dying on the cross but He chose to give His life because that is what is expected from a good shepherd.  

Regardless of who we are, we too are shepherds in our own way. Thus, it’s expected from us that we must also model our lives after Jesus. We listen to His voice as He listened to the voice of God. We must be ready to sacrifice for our flock even if this sacrifice would require us to give up our own comforts even if it leads us to give up our very own life.  

Come to think of it, it’s not actually easy to become a good shepherd. We just need to look at the path that Jesus went through. Nonetheless, to be a good shepherd is very much worth it, we may not see the reward now but someday we will.  

Are you a good shepherd? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Mayo 9, Lunes sa Ika-4 na Linggo ng Pasko ng Muling Pagkabuhay: Juan 10:1-10

Mabuting Balita: Juan 10:1-10

 Sinabi ni Jesus 1 “Talagang-talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo, magnanakaw at tulisan ang hindi dumaraan sa pintuan pagpasok sa kulungan ng mga tupa kundi lumukso sa ibang dako. 2 Ang pastol ng mga tupa ang pumapasok sa pintuan.  

3 Pinagbu­buksan siya ng bantay-pinto, at naki­kinig ang mga tupa sa kanyang tinig. At tina­tawag niya sa pangalan ang sarili niyang mga tupa at inaakay palabas. 4 Kapag napalabas na niya ang tanang kanya, sa harap nila siya nagla­lakad at sa kanya sumusunod ang mga tupa, pagkat kilala nila ang kanyang tinig.  

5 Hinding-hindi sila susunod sa dayu­han kundi lalayuan nila ito sapag­kat hindi nila kilala ang tinig ng mga dayuhan.” 6 Ito ang talinhagang sinabi ni Jesus sa kanila. Ngunit hindi nila naintindihan ang gusto niyang sabihin sa kanila. 7 Kaya sinabi uli ni Jesus: “Tala­gang-talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo: Ako siyang pintuan ng mga tupa. 8 Magna­nakaw at tulisan ang lahat ng nauna sa akin.  

Ngunit hindi sila pina­kinggan ng mga tupa. 9 Ako siyang pintuan; kung may pumapasok sa pamamagitan ko, maliligtas siya, at papasok at lalabas, at maka­katagpo ng pastulan. 10 Hindi dumarating ang magna­nakaw kundi para lamang magnakaw, pumaslang at magpa­hamak. Dumating naman ako upang magkaroon sila ng buhay at lubos na magkaroon nito.