Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Wednesday 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
September 6, 2006
Wednesday 22nd Week in Ordinary Time - Yr II
1 CORINTHIANS 3:1-9
Brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as spiritual people, but
as fleshly people, as infants in Christ. I fed you milk, not solid
food, because you were unable to take it. Indeed, you are still not
able, even now, for you are still of the flesh. While there is jealousy
and rivalry among you, are you not of the flesh, and walking according
to the manner of man? Whenever someone says, "I belong to Paul," and
another, "I belong to Apollos," are you not merely men? What is
Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? Ministers through whom you became
believers, just as the Lord assigned each one. I planted, Apollos
watered, but God caused the growth. Therefore, neither the one who
plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the
growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive
wages in proportion to his labor. For we are God's co-workers; you are
God's field, God's building.
LUKE 4:38-44
After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon's
mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded
with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left
her. She got up immediately and waited on them. At sunset, all who had
people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his
hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from
many, shouting, "You are the Son of God." But he rebuked them and did
not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ. At
daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went
looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him
from leaving them. But he said to them, "To the other towns also I must
proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose
I have been sent." And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
REFLECTION
Quarrels and jealousy abounded among the Christians of Corinth.
Quarrels and jealousy within Christian groups were, and still are,
marks of spiritual immaturity.
Paul and Apollos, who both preached the Jesus' good news, unknowingly
were at the center of one of these quarrels. Paul laid the foundation
of the local church and when he departed, Apollos took up the task of
building on the foundation Paul had laid. For whatever reason, factions
formed, one looking to Paul as its leader, the other to Apollos.
Today, Paul reprimands the Corinthians.
In the competition generated by this foolish loyalty, the message of
Christ was lost. Christ preached love. Love lay smothered under the
misguided allegiance each group offered to its hero. Paul is quite
strong on this point: messengers are not of any importance. They are
not to be distractions drawing attention away from the message or from
God.
There's something similar going on in the Gospel. Jesus refuses to
allow the evil spirits to distract people from his message. Popular
belief in Galilee held that the Messiah was to be a political
liberator. Jesus did not want false expectations to cloud the spiritual
nature of his message. As Fr. Krempa puts it, Jesus' task was to
establish within individuals a deep, personal faith in and commitment
to the kingdom of God. Once faith and commitment have been established,
it is, as Krempa says, to be authenticated by the way it would be lived
out in society. But he adds, "Jesus sternly refused to reverse this
priority."
In our day too the thoroughness of our Christian living will be
proportionate to the depth of our faith and the firmness of our
commitment.
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
- for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
- for the healing of Sis. Jasmin.
- for the eternal repose of the soul of Rollie Estrada. 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 all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Wedding Anniversary: Ric & Jean Yap
- 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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