Missionary Disciples of the Merciful Heart of Jesus - MDMHJ

25/04/2026

Fourth Sunday of Easter
Good Shepherd Sunday
First Reading: Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Psalm 23" The Lord is my Shepherd; there is nothing I shall.want."
Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:20b - 25
Gospel : John 10:1-10

The Heart of the Good Shepherd
By: Br.Resty M.Castillo, MDMHJ

Fourth Sunday of Easter is The Good Shepherd Sunday. JESUS presents himself as the good shepherd as well as the gate for the sheep's den. He offers fullness of life to us by laying down his life for us. JESUS is the promised Good Shepherd (Ezekiel 34), who knows each one of his sheep, who offers his life for them and wishes to gather them together as one flock with one Shepherd (John 10: 11-16).He is the Shepherd who has come not to be served but to serve (Matthew 20:28), who in the Paschal action of the washing of the feet (John 13:1-20) leaves to his disciples a model of service to one another and who freely offers himself as thw innocent lamb' sacrificed for our redemption (John 1:36)
Today's gospel on the Good Shepherd Sunday reminds us that the Lord considers each one of us as his own.His love and concern for us is always personal.While it is true that all of us belong to one human race, his love for each one of us is always uniquely special. He knows all of us by name. He declares ," With age - old love I have loved you," (Jeremiah 31:3) It is precisely because his.love for each one is unique that the care he bestows is always suited to one's needs, one's temperament and psychological makeup.It is a love that respects and gives consideration for our individual uniqueness as persons.
Whatever our position in life may be ,today’s gospel reminds us that effective leadership demands that personal touch be given to those under our care.The challenge in Christian leadership lies in our ability to see the person in every man and woman, rather than seeing them as just another man or woman.The real worth of an individual lies in the gift of person, not on how efficiently one performs one's function.
Let usnremember thatnour concern for.the personal needs and growth of.others will bring forth better relationships and a well- functioning community. After all , the test of true leadership is fellowship.This is the leadership style of Jesus the Good Shepherd.
As we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, we pray for the grace to realize that Jesus guides and inspires us always. May we who are shepherds in our own right truly have the heart ,the love, and the concern of the Good Shepherd. And may he continue to raise from within our ranks leader - shepherds whose hearts are made after his own heart.

25/04/2026

Pamayanan ng Our Lady of Fatima as animation during the POLP Monthly BEC kumustahan

25/04/2026

BEC Monthly Kumustahan and Meeting/report /diad sharing/Leadership Formation.

18/04/2026

April 19, 2026
Gospel Reflection:
Journey to Holiness – The Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35)

In the gospel of Luke – the road to Emmaus mirrors our own path toward holiness. The story of the two disciples moving from Jerusalem is a deeply human journey. They carried the confusion, disappointment, and unanswered questions because they hoped in Jesus to save them from the Roman empire. Their hearts were heavy, and their eyes were “prevented from recognizing Him.”
Holiness does not begin in perfection—it begins in this very place of struggle.

God is never absent in our journey. As the disciples walked, Jesus Himself drew near, though unrecognized. This reminds us that even in moments of doubt, dryness, or spiritual blindness, Christ walks with us. Holiness is not about always seeing clearly, but about continuing to walk—even when we do not understand.
In our own lives, growth in holiness often comes when we allow God to reinterpret our wounds, failures, and struggles through His Word. What we once saw as defeat may become the very place of grace. As Jesus listened patiently to their story then revealing the truth. He opened the Scriptures and helped them see that suffering was not meaningless, but part of God’s saving plan.

God’s revelation is not always in grand experiences, but in quiet encounters that our hearts are transformed. In the experience of the disciples, they recognized Jesus in the point where he breaking of the bread. In that simple, sacred moment, their eyes were opened—they recognized Him. This reminds us that holiness is deeply Eucharistic. Christ reveals Himself most intimately when we encounter Him in the sacramental and ordinary moments of life.
Finally, the disciples rise immediately and return to Jerusalem. Their encounter with Christ moves them from despair to mission. This is the fruit of holiness: a heart set on fire, eager to proclaim, to serve, and to witness.

“Were not our hearts burning within us?”

The journey to holiness is not a straight or easy path. It includes confusion, waiting, listening, and conversion. But it is always a journey with Christ—who walks beside us, speaks to us, nourishes us, and sends us forth.

Like the disciples, may we learn to recognize Him in our daily journey, and allow our hearts to be set on fire by His presence.

15/04/2026

Celebrating the Memorable Birthday of our Beloved Superior, Br.Resty Castillo, MDMHJ.

12/04/2026

11/04/2026

Second Sunday of Easter
Divine Mercy Sunday
First Reading: Acts 2: 42-47
Psalm 118 " Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting. "
Second Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9
Gospel: John 20:19-31

HEALING OUR WOUNDS OF DISBELIEF
- Br.Resty M.Castillo, MDMHJ

In today’s Gospel ,Thomas called the Twin ,I also in crisis.His world has crumbled.He thought himself a brave man, ready to die with Jesus . The group found him and told him the Good news of Jesus' resurrection. But Thomas would not believe them.

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I always thought that reading Christ’s appearance to the Apostles on Divine Mercy Sunday was simply for liturgical reasons. But now I see that this passage also perfectly fits because Thomas experiences God’s Mercy in a very, very real way.

Two quotes of Christ to St. Faustina Kowalska bring this connection beautifully to light:

“I do not want to punish mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My merciful Heart.”

“Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy.”

Thomas, though he doubted, was not afraid to make an appeal to Christ and acknowledge the littleness of his trust in God. As Christ told St. Faustina, He cannot resist the soul who appeals to Divine Mercy.The Lord chose to give this message to Sister Faustina. Our Lord asked Sister Faustina to tell the whole world of his unfathomable Mercy. Jesus promised to defend throughout their lives all those who would proclaim HIS Mercy to everyone that they would meet. Jesus asks us to be reflections of him through love and Mercy. He reminds us to be merciful towards others, especially towards sinners. Love everyone out of love for Jesus.
Doubt is a human weakness and if allowed to linger , it can destroy a person. The Lord would not allow the disciples to be shattered by theor doubts in him and in themselves. And so he appears to them and addresses Thomas, the one who was vocal about his Doubt.Thomas learns that Jesys is true to his promises and to his love for him and his companions.
To Doubt is part of our being human, and need not end in despair.At times ,it can be the beginning of a journey to a greater faith.People Doubt because things do not turn our according to their expectations. But if they have trust and confidence to hope and wait, they will find out that God makes all things serve the good of those he loves. This is the experience of Thomas the Twin.

St.Gregory the Great said" in a marvelous way God's mercy arranged that the disbelieving disciple , in touching the wounds of his master's body, should heal our wounds of disbelief. The disbelief of Thomas has done more for our faith than the faith of the other disciples."

11/04/2026

Feast of.Kawan ng Divine Mercy..Spiritual(patrician) Talk about the Mercy of God and Eucharistic Mass.

04/04/2026

Easter Vigil at POLP ,Alleluia.! the.Lord is risen!

04/04/2026

Reflection: Easter Vigil 2026

A Call to Holiness in Simple Ways

(Matthew 28:1–10)

God often chooses the simple and ordinary moments of life to manifest His greatest works. This profound truth reveals in the resurrection account in Matthew 28:1–10 starts quietly, with Mary Magdalene and the other Mary going to the tomb at dawn. Their action was not extraordinary. They weren't anticipating a miracle, just honoring their love and devotion to the one who was gone. However, in this very simple act, they become the initial witnesses to the resurrection.

This Gospel passage teaches that holiness is not reserved for grand and heroic deeds alone. Rather, it is found in the sincerity of small, faithful actions. The women did not fully understand what awaited them, but they still went. Their willingness to show up, even in grief and uncertainty, becomes the doorway through which God reveals His glory. In this sense, holiness begins with faithfulness—doing what is right and loving even when clarity and consolation are absent.

“Do not be afraid,” a message from an angel that speaks to all believers and not only to the women. Fear often prevents us from living a holy life. There are moments in our life that we worry about failing, about being turned away, or even about what it takes to truly follow Christ. As we listen to the Gospel, it reveals that the resurrection of Jesus offers a powerful reminder. It is God's strength surpasses our anxieties and all our problems. Living a holy life, day by day, means opting for trust instead of fear, even in the little things. In how we treat others, in our humility, and in our quiet determination to keep going. This is about saying "yes" to God in the everyday moments:

Moreover, as the risen Jesus transforms encounters the women who are passive mourners turns into active messengers. After meeting Christ, they are sent to proclaim the good news to the disciples. This highlights another dimension of holiness: it is not only personal but also missionary. A holy life naturally overflows into witness. However, this witness does not always take dramatic forms. Often, it is expressed through simple acts—kind words, compassionate listening, and a life that radiates hope.

The Gospel also emphasizes joy as a fruit of holiness. The women depart “with fear and great joy.” This paradox reflects the reality of Christian life: even amid uncertainty, there is a deep joy rooted in the presence of the risen Lord. Holiness, therefore, is not a burden but a joyful response to God’s love. It is living each day with the quiet assurance that Christ is alive and walks with us.

In today’s fast-paced and achievement-driven world, holiness can seem distant or difficult. We may think it requires extraordinary sacrifice or visible success. Yet Matthew 28:1–10 gently corrects this misconception. It invites us to rediscover holiness in the ordinary rhythms of life. It is in waking up each day with a heart open to God, in fulfilling our responsibilities with love, and in remaining faithful even when no one notices.

Ultimately, this passage calls us to recognize that the path to holiness is simple but not always easy. It is a path marked by faith, courage, and love expressed in everyday actions. Like the women at the tomb, we are invited to approach our daily lives with openness to God’s surprises. For it is often in the simplest moments that we encounter the Risen Christ—and in encountering Him, we are transformed.

01/04/2026

April 1, 2026
Holy Wednesday
First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9
Psalm 69 " Lord, in your great love ,answer me."
Gospel: Matthew 26: 14-25

The Kiss of Betrayal

Many of us are thinking that if God is an all-knowing ,how come he chose Judas to be part of the group ? Jesus chose him because he has the capacity or potential to be good and holy, like every one of us, the Lord look gently on our potential to do go because we have the instinct to do goodness because we are created by God. And like every one of us, Judas freely chose the other direction of life. As educators even when we do our best ,we are still dealing with free agents - they can choose to learn or not, to do good or not because we cannot force them- just as Jesus did with Judas.
So, the queation here is: Why did Judas betray his Master? Was his treachery motivated by greed, bitter disappointment with Jesus, or hatred because of disillusionment? It may be that Judas never intended for his Master to die. Maybe he thought Jesus was proceeding too slowly and not acting aggressively enough in setting up his messianic kingdom. Perhaps Judas wanted to force Jesus' hand by compelling him to act. Nonetheless, his tragedy was his refusal to accept Jesus as he was. Aren't we tempted to use God for our own purposes? It is not God who must change, but we must be changed by him. Jesus knew beforehand what would befall him.
As Jesus ate the passover meal with his twelve apostles he put them under trial and suspicion (one of you will betray me) to teach them to examine themselves rightly, lest they be highminded and think themselves more strong than they were. We, also must examine ourselves in the light of God's truth and grace and ask him to strengthen us in faith, hope, and love that we may not fail him or forsake him when we are tempted. Do you pray with confidence in the words Jesus gave us to pray: Do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil?

In the Jewish tradition, every male Jew, who was of age and lived within 15 miles of Jerusalem, was bound to celebrate Passover every year in Jerusalem. This annual feast commemorated the deliverance of the people of Israel from their slavery in Egypt (see Exodus 12). On that night the angel of death slew the first-born of the Egyptians; but he "passed over" the homes of the Israelites, because the lintel of their doors was smeared with the blood of an unblemished lamb sacrificed for the occasion. It was at Passover time that Jesus came to Jerusalem knowing he would be betrayed and put to death as the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Jesus fulfilled the Passover. His death and resurrection, which occured at Passover time, redeems us from enslavement to sin, death, Satan, and the world. His blood, like the blood of the first Passover lamb, protects God's people from the angel of death and breaks the oppressive rule of Satan. Easter is the Christian Passover (1 Cor. 5:7-8). Do you celebrate the Passover with sincerity and truth (see 1 Cor. 5:7-8)?

Let us ask God to help us to choose what is good and right.
"God our Father, we are exceedingly frail and indisposed to every virtuous and gallant undertaking. Strengthen our weakness, we beseech you, that we may do valiantly in this spiritual war; help us against our own negligence and cowardice, and defend us from the treachery of our unfaithful hearts; for Jesus Christ's sake."

31/03/2026

Holy Tuesday
First Reading: Isaiah 49:1-6
Psalm 71 " I.will sing of your salvation. "
Gospel: John 13: 21-33,36-38

" A Tragedy of Selfishness and Vile of Greed."

Judas was an ultimate tragedy—probably the greatest tragedy that ever lived. He is the perfect and prime example of what it means to have opportunity and then lose it. He becomes all the more terrible because of the glorious beginnings he had. Judas followed the same Christ as the others. For three years, day in and day out, he occupied himself with Jesus Christ. He saw the same miracles; heard the same words; performed some of the same ministries; was esteemed in the same way the other disciples were—yet he did not become what the others became. In fact, he became the very opposite. While they were growing into true apostles and saints of God, he was progressively forming into a vile, calculating tool of Satan.

For three years, he moved and walked with Jesus. Initially, he must have shared the same hope of the Kingdom that the other disciples had. He likely believed that Jesus was the Messiah. He too, had left all and followed Jesus. Certainly he became greedy, but it is doubtful that he joined the apostles for what money he could get, because they never really had anything. Perhaps his motive at the outset was just to get in on this Kingdom that Jesus would bring.

Whatever the reasons, he ended in absolute disaster, the greatest example of lost opportunity the world has ever seen. On the night he betrayed Jesus, he was so prepared to do Satan's bidding that Satan was able to enter him and take complete control of him. A few days before this in Bethany, he had met with the leaders of Israel and bargained for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave—about twenty to twenty-five dollars. Now his evil deed comes to full fruition on the eve of the crucifixion.

Jesus and his disciples (including Judas) were in the upper room. The vile traitor was sitting there, having already made his bargain to betray Jesus for money. He had already initiated the plan, and now he had returned to spend these moments with the disciples, looking for the right moment to betray Jesus' presence to the Jewish leaders.

Even though Jesus knew what Judas was about to do, He washed his feet. It was only one example of the marvelous love of Jesus Christ and the way He reached out to Judas. The measures He took to win Judas even at this late hour made His love all the more wonderful. One would think the experience of having Jesus wash his feet would be enough to break any man's heart. But not Judas's, so cold was he. He was determined to sell the Master to the executioners.

Today's Gospel reminds of our relationship with the Lord. How we matured in spiritual life and our faith. Are we like Judas who are in opposite way despite of the many teachings and witnessing. Sometimes, we also betray the Lord when we feel life is easy without Him, in our successes, achievements, or even in time we feel his absence in our life.
Let us learn from the humility and.love of Jesus, despite of the betrayal he washes the feet of Judas. May this example of Jesus challenge us to.remain faithful and loving even in moments of weakness.