Reflection for February 9, Tuesday, of the Fifth Week; Mark 7:1-13

Gospel: Mark 7:1-13

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.) So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:

This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and Whoever curses father or mother shall die. Yet you say, ‘If someone says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”

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Reflection:

Are you very strict with the observance of your customs and traditions?

The Pharisees were very particular of their custom/tradition they follow it to the letter. So when they saw that Jesus’ disciples ate their meals without washing their hands—they told Jesus about it.

They said to Jesus: “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?" and Jesus told them: You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition." He went on to say, "How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition!

We see that Jesus puts more weight on the commandments of God more than their traditions the interior rather than the exterior, the inside conversion rather than the fake exterior observance of their laws.

The conversion that Jesus desires for us is one that involves a change of our hearts and mindsets. To be more compassionate and not to judge the poor and sinners for we often times are quick to throw judgment at them. Why are we so quick to judge when we are to be judged also.

Lest we forget that we are sinners too! Instead of judging them, why not listen to them and afterwards give them advice so that they wouldn’t feel forsaken. So that they would feel the presence of Jesus in us,  Jesus who is always forgiving and loving.  

How about the well-heeled or the rich and powerful? Of course they are always given respect because of their external appearance. Which is very deceiving to say the least. - Marino J. Dasmarinas    

Reflection for February 8, Monday, of the Fifth Week; Mark 6:53-56

Gospel: Mark 6:53-56

After making the crossing to the other side of the sea, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up there. As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.

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Reflection:

Yesterday I went to a sick man to give him Holy Communion. As I was reading to him the Sunday gospel and I as I was giving him a short reflection, I noticed that he was sobbing. I proceeded pretending not to notice his sobs.

As I gave him the Body of Christ tears were already welling in his eyes. After I was through with the rite and about to leave their house, he cried and asked me, “Why am I suffering brother? I can’t bear my sickness anymore and I can’t bear the pain of going through the procedure of chemotherapy anymore.”           

In the gospel those who were able to touch the tassel of Jesus’ cloak were very fortunate for they received healing in return.  It speaks volumes of their faith. But there are also those who have faith but they’re not physically healed. There are those who have faith but they continue to suffer from their sickness. Sometimes it may baffle us why they physically suffer considering that they also have faith that they also love Jesus.

The healing that Jesus gives us is not always physical, oftentimes its spiritual which means that we're given the grace to accept our physical sickness and the grace to completely surrender our life to the great mercy of Jesus.

There are people who are still happy in spite of their physical sickness for they’ve learned to offer to God their suffering. They’ve learned that the suffering that they’re undergoing right now is nothing compared to the suffering that Jesus went through.

Are you suffering right now? Offer your suffering to Jesus ask Jesus to help you endure your suffering/sickness. Though it may be difficult, learn to accept it and continue to have that enormous faith in Him. Jesus is already healing you and He's already purifying your spirit. – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Reflection for Sunday February 7, Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Luke 5:1-11

Gospel: Luke 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

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Reflection:

A middle-aged man wanted to follow Jesus but he would always have second thoughts if he would proceed with his desire because he was sinful. Thus, the feeling of unworthiness creeps into him.

Who among us are worthy to become a follower of Jesus? Nobody for all of us are sinful, all of us have offended the Lord one way or another. Yet in spite of our unworthiness we are always being called by Jesus to follow Him so that He could clean us of our sins no matter how dark and dirty our past. 

The Lord does not call us to condemn us of the countless sins that we have committed. He calls us so that He could restore us of our dignity which we have lost through our sinfulness. He calls us to tell us that His love for us can overcome whatever sins that we have committed. All He want from us is our yes!

In the gospel, after Jesus performed the miracle of the great catch of fish before the very eyes of Simon and the other fishermen (Luke 5:6). Simon Peter kneeled before Jesus and he begged Jesus to leave them for they were all sinful. And therefore unworthy of the miracle that he did for them (Luke 5:8). 

However, Jesus with all the love, mercy and forgiveness in His heart told Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men (Luke 5:10).” Right after bringing their boats to the shore, Simon and the other fishermen left everything including their sinfulness to follow Jesus (Luke 5:11).

Jesus is calling you also to lead a new life with Him, regardless of your sins and your dark past. Will you heed this call of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for February 6, Saturday; Sts. Pedro Bautista, Paul Miki and Companions; martyr Mark 6:30-34

Gospel: Mark 6:30-34

The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them.

When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

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Reflection:

Do you always have time to be with Jesus?

In the gospel, after working so hard to spread the gospel Jesus noticed that the apostles were tired from doing their mission. Thus, He told the apostles to be with Him in a place by themselves to rest.

Why to be with Him and not to be alone by themselves? Because it’s only through Him that they could have complete recovery from their physical and spiritual tiredness. If they go alone to a quite place by themselves they surely could re-invigorate themselves physically. But how could they re-energize their spirits without Jesus?   

In our materially driven world we are always on the move, always busy with work and other things. So we get tired naturally and to ease this tiredness some of us go on vacation to re-charge our tired and weary bodies.

But this earthly vacation is not enough we need to have time for Jesus also so that He could restore and strengthen our weary spirits. We are not only  creatures of this world we are also to become citizens of heaven in the future time appointed by God. Thus, we need to have our regular quite and solemn time for Jesus. To simply be with Him and deepen our intimacy with Him.

In what way can we have an intimacy with Jesus to rest and allow HIM to nourish us? We can go to Mass to listen to His words being proclaimed in the readings. WE can also receive HIM during Holy Communion.

We can have our quite time with Jesus in the Adoration chapel and allow HIM to embrace us with His unconditional love. We can read the bible and meditate on His very words that can transform us anytime. We can also attend a recollection and feel the presence of God there. These are simple ways on how we can spend time with God and be in quite place with HIM.

But sad to say many of us forget it because we are always busy, we allow ourselves to be engulfed by the things and activities of this world which are temporary and passing. We forget the eternal that is Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

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