Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Memorial, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, religious
June 21, 2006
Memorial, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, religious
Wednesday 11th Week in Ordinary Time - Yr II
1 KINGS 2:1, 6-14
When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, he
and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha,
"Please stay here; the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan." "As the LORD
lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you," Elisha replied.
And so the two went on together. Fifty of the guild prophets followed
and when the two stopped at the Jordan, they stood facing them at a
distance. Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up and struck the water,
which divided, and both crossed over on dry ground. When they had
crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask for whatever I may do for
you, before I am taken from you." Elisha answered, "May I receive a
double portion of your spirit." "You have asked something that is not
easy," Elijah replied. "Still, if you see me taken up from you, your
wish will be granted; otherwise not." As they walked on conversing, a
flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them, and Elijah went
up to heaven in a whirlwind. When Elisha saw it happen he cried out,
"My father! my father! Israel's chariots and drivers!" But when he
could no longer see him, Elisha gripped his own garment and tore it in
two. Then he picked up Elijah's mantle that had fallen from him, and
went back and stood at the bank of the Jordan. Wielding the mantle that
had fallen from Elijah, Elisha struck the water in his turn and said,
"Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" When Elisha struck the water it
divided and he crossed over.
MATTHEW 6:1-6, 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples: "Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no
recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a
trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the
streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have
received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left
hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be
secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. "When you
pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the
synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I
say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to
your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And
your Father who sees in secret will repay you. "When you fast, do not
look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that
they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have
received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash
your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except
to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden
will repay you."
REFLECTION
"Be on guard against performing religious acts for people to see,"
Jesus says. It should be noted that this caution does not contradict
what Jesus said earlier in the Sermon on the Mount, "Let your light
shine before men so that they may see the goodness in your acts and
give praise to your heavenly Father." It's all a question of intention,
of motivation.
Whom shall we contrast with the pseudo-religious politician? Try Mother
Teresa. Every act she performed was a religious act. In every act she
performed, people recognized the purity of her motivation. Her one
motive in all she did was the praise of God. Other motives were her
love, compassion and respect for the people she served.
Fr. Bruce Vawters summarizes Jesus' teaching in this Gospel passage:
"Almsgiving, [prayer and fasting] should be for God and the sake of his
poor; their purpose should not be either to excite the admiration of
others or to induce a feeling of euphoria and self-satisfaction ...
[religious practices] which try to employ religion as a lever and as a
tool foreign to its avowed purpose, ultimately repel rather than
attract; people can ordinarily discern very well what has been staged
for their benefit and what they have merely been allowed to see."
Perhaps we ought to examine our own religious acts. Is there any trace
of hypocrisy in the religious acts we perform?
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
- for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
- for the personal intentions of Jose Rigor.
- for the speedy recovery of Ding Vidanes.
- for the personal intentions of Gini Hernandez.
- for the personal intentions of the Delos Reyes Family.
- for the good health of the parents of J. San Juan.
- for the speedy recovery of Antonio O. Tansingco.
- for the eternal repose of the soul of Gerry Kamus. Eternal rest
grant unto him and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he and
all the souls of the dearly departed rest in peace.
- for the speedy recovery of Bongbong Aguado.
- for the personal intentions of Lito and his family.
- for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Carlos Gabriel Chuaunsu
- In Memoriam (+): Teresa Tan Le King
- Prayer Intention: Emelinda Teck Yu
- 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.
Have a good day!
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� 2006 Daily-Homily
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