Team Jesus

REJOICE! EXULT! SHOUT FOR JOY! THE LORD IS NEAR! Our translation, "Yehey! It's Christmas time!"   Christmas decors everywhere. Beautiful lights are carefully arranged on walls and on Christmas trees. Mothers are busy buying gifts at the malls while others are busy wrapping gifts for the manitos and manitas. There's just so much preparation happening for the most awaited Christmas Eve.   It's true, these kind of preparations bring joy to us. However, these acts are just external preparations for that Big Day. What can truly bring us lasting happiness is our Internal (inner) preparation as we anticipate the coming of the Lord.   The Gospel reading for today rightfully speaks of this inner preparation.   When many people we're about to believe that John the Baptist was the Messiah -the one who shall reign forever and bring salvation to God's people, he chose to do what is right and what God's mission is for him. He reminded people that there is o

In the Gospel today, the word of God came to John. He called people to repent and baptized them in the Jordan River. The baptism of John is seen as a purification rite to prepare for the coming of Jesus. On this Second Sunday of Advent, his words resound to call us to prepare the way of Jesus, the Messiah and the Lord. When I was younger all I thought during this time of year was giving presents and receiving. But now things have changed, I've thought of giving Christ a present too! It's me preparing spiritually with repentance and prayer so I could be my best self when the King arrives ! As we hustle in buying gifts and in preparing for a grand banquet for Christmas, let us take time in cleansing ourselves for the coming of the Lord. We are all called to have repentance and reconciliation with God. Let us humble down and make ourselves worthy of the salvation the Messiah has brought to us. -Rona De Castro

The scripture for today talks about the way Pilate summons Jesus and asks Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Later, Jesus asks Pilate if he came to this question by himself. Pilate then asks Jesus what crime He has committed to lead to His arrest. Jesus replies that His kingdom is not from this world. His followers could have used violence to prevent His arrest but this is not the way of His kingdom. God’s kingdom is about the power of love more than anything else. Human as we are, it’s normal for us to experience times of hardship and experience pain that is caused by all sorts of reasons. It is normal to say that life will never be easy. Often times, we find ourselves caught up in all (if not in others’) problems and end up feeling hopeless and empty and turn to worldly things to fill in the void of the hole that is in ourselves. We tend to turn to things that are bad for us, but make us feel some sort of temporary happiness. We tend to forget the real solution to our problems a

It says in the Gospel that Jesus promises his disciples that they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory; that the angels will come and gather his elect from the four winds. His coming will also be preceded by unhappiness, pains and sufferings. The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in heaven will be shaken. These will be signs just as fig leaves sprouting are a sign that summer is near. Jesus adds that their generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Though heaven and earth will pass away, his words will not pass away. Then Jesus says: "But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." In the gospel, I think it is the judgement day that will be coming where the Son of man will judge the living and the dead. And our faith will be tested - Who were the ones who stayed faithful and who are the ones

I’m sure most of us are guilty of “people watching”. When we’re bored alone or waiting for someone, we’re often left with our own imagination as a source of entertainment. By people watching, we merely partake in the act of observing others (usually, in hopes that they do something entertaining). I remember back in high school, I would often get picked up late after dismissal and was left to wait along the hall near the main door of the school. Instead of using this time to be productive and do my homework, I passed the time watching the people who came in and out of the door instead. Sometimes, I would wonder where some of them were going, or why some of them were smiling, or what some of them were thinking. I learned that you could learn a lot about some people just by watching them. For example, I once saw one of the “weird” kids in class waiting for her ride near the entrance door one day. She often stayed silent in class unless spoken to and would often doodle to pass the time in

The Gospel merely tells us the eight Beatitudes or rather, the BE HAPPY ATTITUDES, as I like to call it. First of all, what is happiness and what is the basis of being happy? Happiness, according to the internet, is a mental or emotional state of well-being defined by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Some may look at wealth and power as their basis of happiness but no, that’s not it. Happiness is so much more than that. So much more than what the eyes can see. We have all been happy one way or another even if we don’t admit it. Happiness radiates through us when we carry a cheerful face with a cheerful smile. Jesus tells us to be happy in the simple things even in the midst of suffering, pain and confusion. Yes, it is easier said than done but once more it was never easy to die on the cross. Am I right? You see, God simply asks us to be happy. Be happy and contented. We complain and complain about a lot of things and we fail to see that we

I guess I never imagined myself giving a reflection to all of you. Before, when I attended praise and worships, I was always in the audience listening to the person in front and be amazed of their reflections . I thought to myself, magka chance din kaya ako ng ganun? Siguro hindi. But what do you know; here I am in front of all of you. Funny no? I think the reason is because I had faith in myself and faith in God’s works and plans for me. Our Gospel talks about faith. It teaches us of what it means to follow Jesus. Si Bartimaeus , he was blind. Bartimaeus was hoping for a miracle. All that he needed was his sight and he knows that only Jesus can offer him healing and hope. And what’s so special about him, is that he was unlike the other disciples. He was different. Aside from the fact that he was blind, he had faith . Do you remember the story in the calming of the storm, Jesus asked the disciples, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith? (Mark 4:40) The disciples

                For me, the striking part in today’s Gospel is that James and John asked special places of authority at Jesus' right hand and left hand. They recognized that victory awaits them because they knew that the authority Jesus has showed in his ministry will lead to something big. And they plan to take advantage on that.                 Even today, there a lot of people who are taking advantage of situations, similar to what James and John did. At home, sometimes, we do household chores for our own personal interest. We work, maybe, to get increased allowance, "laag money" from our parents. It is not necessarily a bad thing but would it be better if we work or do things out of love and concern for our family instead of doing it for the reward?                 In school, we also ask for a reward in everything we do. We want to pass or even get high grades. Sometimes, we only just want to please our parents and teachers and even classmates for fame. But w

Do you remember a time when you loved something so much that you wouldn't let go of it but you needed to give it up? It could be your lucky charm since you were a child. It could be a shirt which someone special gave to you. However, Jesus is telling us to detach from material possessions. Our Lord said, "Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." In our generation today, it’s hard to let go of material possessions. Everyone, especially the youth, is so attached to it particularly to technology. To some, having many expensive things can bring fame and popularity. So who could resist, right? Who wouldn't want to be rich, famous and popular? But it shouldn't be like this. We should humble ourselves down and set Jesus as our example for He gave up everything, even His life, for me, for others, and for you. Jesus said, "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us to be strong, to be brave and not to give up when faced with problems. We rarely find it being valued in its truest sense within a relationship . In the context of marriage, our Lord Jesus shows us that being committed is not a simple relating of feelings to the other. Commitment is not a selective attitude over possible choices. Commitment is a gift of the whole person to the other; it is the act of uniting oneself not only in the level of feelings or of intellect. It is the capacity to assume the other to oneself, embracing the other even his defects along with the things which initially attracts us. Jesus takes up the ever controversial issue of marriage to profoundly communicate to man the challenge of serious commitment. Being married is not easy, as married couples would say. You need to choose the right person who you’d spend a lifetime with. They are many problems when you get married and much more during marriage. But Jesus is always rig

In today's Gospel, Jesus wants to tell us that if there are things, people or habits in our life that hinder us from maintaining a healthy relationship with God, then we must keep it away from us. I encounter situations like these.. As a teenager, sometimes, I find it hard to avoid occasions that lead to sin. There are many temptations around me, at school, at home or everywhere I go. We have this thing called "weakening of Christian sense of sin" and it is where we consider sin as not a sin anymore because it is being practiced today in our generation or it is said to be a "trend". Though sometimes, I may be one of those kids of today who goes with the trend, I still know my limitations as a person. I still know what's right and what's wrong and that's why I'm so thankful to become a part of this Youth Ministry because it reminds me that I am a child of God and I should respect myself and others. I should not be drowned by these worldly desires

Everyone wants to be the first: the first in line, the first in class, the first to see a movie, the first to post a picture, the first to know a secret. But Jesus tells us to be humble. He said, "Whoever wants to be the first must be last of all and the servant of all." It does feel good to be the first. You'll feel superior among others, you'll feel like no one is better than you. But that should not be your mentality. In fact, that is the complete opposite of what you should think. Being the first, like what Jesus said, means being the last. Why do you have to be the last when you want to be the first? Isn't that just confusing? I know, I ask that question too. But that is the paradox of being the first. Being the first means that you should humble down yourself and not be prideful. Being the first means that you should think of others first before yourself. Being the first means not getting your reward here on earth but instead claiming a bigger reward

In our daily lives, we both encounter and experience many things. They may be simple yet difficult, or may be very difficult yet seem so simple. We may say it is possible but sometimes at the back of our minds we think it’s impossible.  The question is, “Who is the person behind who would make things simple and possible?” Only God alone. Believing in God makes all things somehow simple and very possible. When we don’t have faith in the Lord, we think that everything is impossible and very difficult.  “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.” In denying oneself, we need to give up anything that we would want or seek that would obstruct our doing the will of God. It isn’t wrong if we want something. It means we must place Jesus and his will as our priority in life and not our wants and desires. "Taking up your cros

There have been times where we have not felt whole. It’s as if there’s something missing. And for as long as we can, we look for that missing piece. We yearn for it.   But for those who cannot find it, they search for cures. Feeling incomplete can bring oneself so much doubt and pain and we need something or someone to remedy that. In The Book of Mark, the Gospel usually ends with Jesus healing someone. Here, in Mark 7: 31-37, Jesus is seen healing a deaf and mute man. That man wasn’t whole, as per human standards. He was, after all, deaf AND mute. People saw him as a broken man who needed help. That is why a crowd had brought him to Jesus to be healed. And healed he was. I feel like we are all that deaf-mute man. I don’t know everyone’s struggles, but what I do know is that I have them too. We all do. There are times when I feel insufficient beside other people. It seems as though there’s a huge arrow pointing at me that reads, “She can’t do what they can!” and I don’t li

Basically the Gospel is about the Holy Eucharist and this passage has many points for reflection. The following points can help you reflect on your relationship with Jesus and the people around you. Let me first talk about my relationship with Jesus. I’ve known Jesus since I was young but I really didn’t know how important he is in my life especially during the time I felt like giving up. We all have problems in life and some people just don’t know how to bear with the pain that life is giving us. Before joining BLD, I could describe my life as meaningless. It came to a point when I forgot to respect myself and worst, I forgot who Jesus was in my life. I smoke and drink and so people see me as a “party girl”. I don’t know why but I find peace in doing those kind of stuff. It made me happy. It felt like I could just go on like that every day. It became my habit to go out on Saturday and go home Sunday morning. I didn’t care if my mom would get mad at me as long as I’m happy of what

In the Gospel Jesus told the Jews, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." The Jews did not believe Him for they know that Jesus is the son of Joseph and Mary and not God. Then Jesus told them, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and i will raise him on the last day.” Jesus is trying to tell them that they should have faith in Him for they are gathered there because God led them there. And whoever believes has eternal life. Jesus also told them, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven, whoever eats this bread will live forever and the bread that i will give is my flesh for the life of the world." Whoever believes in Jesus will be saved because Jesus will sacrifice His life to redeem the world from sin.  We can only experience eternal life if we believe in Jesus who was sent by our God the Father. If we only give our full love and faith in Jesus, nothing is impossible. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not

This gospel talks about how Jesus tested Philip and Andrew’s faith. When Philip and Andrew said that the food would not be enough to feed the entire crowd, Jesus wanted to tell them that “Nothing is impossible if you’re with Me.” At first, I think, it is impossible to feed 5,000 people with 5 barley loaves and 2 fishes but God made me believe that nothing is impossible! How can Jesus satisfy the people with just a few loaves of bread? Jesus, himself, is the only who can satisfy their hunger, our hunger because He is the true bread of heaven who can satisfy our deepest hunger in life. We are hungry; hungry not only for food but also hunger for values and morality. In the readings, Jesus said “They shall eat and there shall be some left over.”  And when they had eaten, there were indeed some left overs. God, abundantly, gives us blessings. He gives us more than what we need so that we may be able to share it with others especially to those who are in need.   Let us be grateful to God

This Sunday’s Gospel tells us that we need to  “Come away by ourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”  The gospel story suggests that we must in fact find the quiet place in our hearts (deserted place) to which we can withdraw at any time, whether at school or at work. It’s not just withdrawing from school or work to find peace but also finding that quiet place in our hearts even when we are at school or at work. I love how the Gospel shows the reality of being a disciple of Jesus or just being a human – napapagod din sila. Napapagod rin tayo . Remember the Gospel last Sunday? Jesus sent his 12 apostles for a mission. The apostles went off to preach repentance. They even drove out demons and anointed with oil the sick and cured them. So can you imagine? Dun sa Gospel, kagagaling lang nila sa mission . So when  The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught.  They must have been SUUUUUPER tired. That’s why Jesus told them to  "Come away

The Gospel for today talks about simplicity. What is simplicity? It is state of being simple and being ordinary. Each one of us has shown simplicity in our lives without us even realizing that we are showing it. We may have shown it to our pets, our friends, our relatives, our family, and even to strangers. However, simplicity doesn’t mean that if you are ordinary, then you cannot do great things. Jesus, for example, was a simple man. But He was able to perform miracles. He was able to save us from our sins. For me, this means that in simplicity, there is also greatness. In the Gospel, the Twelve Apostles were called to be simple. Even though they were just these simple men who came from simple beginnings, Jesus gave them the authority over unclean spirits. This goes to show that Jesus didn’t just love His disciples. He also trusted them that they will be able to use that given authority in good ways. Just like the Twelve, each one of us is called by Jesus to be simple and we should ac

The Gospel today tells about faith and honor. What does it mean to even have honor? What is honor, anyway? Honor is to have high respect. Every one of us has a certain degree of honor that is much like dignity. We all have it and we take care of it. But to have such a high degree of respect, we have to earn it. Much like respect itself, we don’t have it with just a flick of a finger but we earn it. We work hard for it. The Gospel also tells about mighty deeds. Deeds can either be good or bad depending on the reasons we do them. It doesn’t really matter if we’re rich or poor when we do some deeds. In the Gospel and Jesus’ life, we can see that He can only perform miracles when we as people have faith in Him and in God. We experience small to big good deeds in our life and at the same time, we also made good deeds to others. The Gospel simply speaks and tells a message of doing things that are good to others. It doesn’t really matter if they repay us back but feeling good about havi

In this Gospel, we learn the value of faith. So what is faith? Faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. But putting your complete faith is a risk. So what is risk? Risk is like shooting a ball at its last second. Risk is like telling your feelings to someone you love or adore. All of us take a risk every day. With faith, we learn to believe and trust. Having faith is like writing a reflection about the todays Gospel, because of faith, I am able write this reflection which you are reading right now. Look what faith can do to our lives. It gives us confidence, strength and pushes us to persevere. But despite all the risks, it deepens our faith in God. In that scenario, we take a leap of faith even if we don’t know what the future holds or even what God has planned for us. If you have complete trust, you will not mind the risks even if it’s just a little or too big of a risk. There will be always a time when you can’t put your complete trust to God. Why? It is becaus

The Gospel today reminds me to keep my faith in Jesus. Jesus tested the disciples by sleeping in the midst of the storm. Jesus' sleeping presence on the storm symbolizes the sleeping faith of the disciples. They were terrified even though they knew that their master was on the same boat. Sometimes, we all have to agree that we are like the disciples. At the very beginning of this Gospel, the disciples took Jesus with them in their journey to cross the sea. Like them, we accept Jesus whole-heartedly in our lives without hesitation. But as our lives meet the storms such as the storms of adversity, sorrow and temptation, we begin to be frightened and soon we forget that our Lord is here with us. There are instances in my life that I showed my fear and my lack of faith. Recently, my new cell phone could not be opened. I got so mad because even if I handled my phone with so much care, it still broke. I was afraid that it wont be fixed anymore. In my  happens to me frustration, I started

It is always beautiful to see Jesus, he gave us a life and guided us in our everyday doings, he sacrifices a lot of things for us. In this Gospel, Jesus narrates the two brief stories which take place every day in the life of all us: the story of the seed itself and the story of the small mustard seed which grows into the biggest shrub”  The story of the seed which grows alone: A farmer who plants and knows the procedures: seed, the green sprout, leaf, spike, grain. The farmer knows how to wait, he does not cut down the grain before it is time. But he does not know how the soil, the rain, the sun and the seed have this force or strength to make the plant grow from nothing until it bears a fruit. This is how the Kingdom of God is. It is a process, there are stages and moments of growth. It takes place and time. It produces fruit at the just moment, but nobody knows how to explain its mysterious force.  The story of the small mustard seed which grows and becomes big. The mustard seed is

In this Gospel the disciples asked Jesus "Where do you want us to go and prepare to eat the passover?" Jesus sent his two disciples and said "Go into the city and a man will meet you carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house "The teacher says "Where is my guest room where I may eat the passover with my diciples?" Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there." The disciples then went off, entered the city and found it just as he had told him and they prepared the passover.  The summary of the story is about faith in Jesus. Jesus is telling us that we shouldn't doubt him, we shouldn't hesitate to follow his words. Jesus is telling us to have faith in Him and nothing will go wrong. Personally when I have problems I just lift them up to Jesus and say "Ikaw na bahala Lord." Then I realized gradually that everything is turning out fine, that m

Most of us in this community were fortunate enough to have been born into our faith. Within our mother’s womb, our faith was already gifted to us by our parents and later upheld through our baptism and other sacraments. Even if this isn’t the case for you, we all have our own story on how we encountered God, and how at this point in your life, you claim to believe.  In Matthew 28:16-20, the apostles encountered the resurrected Jesus and received His final command: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” This gospel, along with its other versions, is therefore often recognized as “The Great Commission”. In order to more easily understand this order, we turn to another line in the Bible: “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21). As Our Heavenly Father sent Jesus to the world to share His message, Jesus delegates the same duty—not just to the apostles—but also to us.  In our world toda