Thursday, June 23, 2005
FRIDAY, 12TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
FRIDAY, 12TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - YR I
JUNE 24, 2005
ISAIAH 49:1-6
Hear me, O coastlands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me
from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name. He made of me a
sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made
me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he
said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. Though I thought I
had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength,
yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now
the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that
Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am
made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my
strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to
raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I
will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to
the ends of the earth.
ACTS 13:22-26
In those days, Paul said: "God raised up David as king; of him God
testified, I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own
heart; he will carry out my every wish. From this man's descendants
God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.
John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to
all the people of Israel; and as John was completing his course, he
would say, `What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one
is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his
feet.' "My brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those others
among you who are God-fearing, to us this word of salvation has been
sent."
LUKE 1:57-66, 80
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth
to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown
his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they
came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to
call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in
reply, "No. He will be called John." But they answered her, "There is
no one among your relatives who has this name." So they made signs,
asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a
tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke
blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these
matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who
heard these things took them to heart, saying, "What, then, will this
child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child
grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the
day of his manifestation to Israel.
REFLECTION
John's conception and birth were attended by mysterious happenings.
An angel foretold his conception to his father, Zechariah. His
parents were already old, beyond their fertile years, when he was
conceived. From the day his conception was foretold, Zechariah was
struck mute. His speech was restored to him only when he and his
wife insisted that the child's name was to be John, even though his
relatives insisted otherwise. "Who will this child be?" the people
round about asked in wonder and awe.
Who will this child be? This child will be lauded by his cousin,
Jesus of Nazareth, as "the greatest born of woman." He will be, as
Jesus will put it, Elijah, returned to earth again to herald the
coming of the Lord. He will be a man of principle, who will direct
his own disciples away from himself to another Master, whom he will
recognize as a greater than himself; a man of principle who in the
end will refuse to compromise the truth, though it will earn him the
enmity of Herodias, the king's wife, and deliver him to martyrdom.
John also will be a man whose last hours will be spent in lonely
questioning. He will send his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you
really the one who is to come, the one I was to point out to the
people?" Doubts will assault him because Jesus will not be the type
of Messiah he's expecting him to be. Jesus will not condemn sinners;
will not threaten them with dire sufferings. Instead he will eat and
drink with them and defend them against the religious leaders of
Israel. At the end John will be in anguish, `have I failed in my
mission, is my life now unfulfilled, without meaning, did I point to
the wrong man when I pointed to Jesus?'
These doubts will assault John in Herod's dungeon. Knowing the proud
and vengeful character of Herodias and the proud but weak character
of Herod, he will be anxious also for his life.
John has been canonized by the Christian people. He rose above the
desolation that burdened him at the end. He is a saint Christians
can turn to when anxiety and anguish burden their own lives.
PRAYER
"Lord Jesus, you bring hope and salvation to a world lost in sin and
suffering. Let your grace refresh and restore your people today in
the hope and joy of your great victory over sin and death."
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
- for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
- For the special intentions of Jojo and Sheila.
- For peace and harmony for all families.
- For the food health of Papa Fabio, Papa Raul.
- For the speedy recovery of Mr. Fredo Olol.
- For the birthdays of: Clara Isabel Autor, Lilian Capuchino-Vergara,
Jorel Mateo, Annlyn Faustino.
- For the eternal repose of the souls of Remberto, Florence and
Danilo. May perpetual light shine upon them.
- Personal intentions of JP.
- Personal intentions of Lydia and family.
- Birthday blessings for Jasmin.
- For healing of Maria Alyssa Martina Balingit.
- For the eternal repose of the soul of Jaime Cardinal Sin, D.D.
- for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our
prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
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2005 Daily-Homily (c)
