DAILY- HOMILY

July 4, 2007
Wednesday 13th Week in Ordinary Time - Year I

Happy 4th of July!!!

GENESIS 21:5, 8-20A
Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
Isaac grew, and on the day of the child's weaning Abraham held a great
feast. Sarah noticed the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to
Abraham playing with her son Isaac; so she demanded of Abraham: "Drive
out that slave and her son! No son of that slave is going to share the
inheritance with my son Isaac!" Abraham was greatly distressed,
especially on account of his son Ishmael. But God said to Abraham: "Do
not be distressed about the boy or about your slave woman. Heed the
demands of Sarah, no matter what she is asking of you; for it is
through Isaac that descendants shall bear your name. As for the son of
the slave woman, I will make a great nation of him also, since he too
is your offspring." Early the next morning Abraham got some bread and
a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. Then, placing the child on her
back, he sent her away. As she roamed aimlessly in the wilderness of
Beer-sheba, the water in the skin was used up. So she put the child
down under a shrub, and then went and sat down opposite him, about a
bowshot away; for she said to herself, "Let me not watch to see the
child die." As she sat opposite Ishmael, he began to cry. God heard
the boy's cry, and God's messenger called to Hagar from heaven: "What
is the matter, Hagar? Don't be afraid; God has heard the boy's cry in
this plight of his. Arise, lift up the boy and hold him by the hand;
for I will make of him a great nation." Then God opened her eyes, and
she saw a well of water. She went and filled the skin with water, and
then let the boy drink. God was with the boy as he grew up.

MATTHEW 8:28-34
When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who
were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one
could travel by that road. They cried out, "What have you to do with
us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed
time?" Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. The demons
pleaded with him, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of
swine." And he said to them, "Go then!" They came out and entered the
swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea
where they drowned. The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the
town they reported everything, including what had happened to the
demoniacs. Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when
they saw him they begged him to leave their district.

REFLECTION
One would have thought that on seeing the miracle that Jesus had
worked, the Gadarenes would have a Jesus to stay for a while with
them. Instead they urged Jesus to leave their territory. Why?

We are followers of Christ who gave up the glory of heaven for the
narrowness of earth land who gave up the joy of God for the pain of
the cross. It is human not to want to have our comfort disturbed; but
it is divine to be willing to be disturbed that others may have more.

Instinctively people say, "Don't disturb my possessions." Very few
people really willingly give up anything they possess. We can soon see
whether a person really accepts his Catholic faith and whether he
really believes in his principles, by seeing if he is willing to
become poorer for the sake of his fellowmen.

Then again, there are people who say: "Don't disturb my beliefs."
There are people who do not want to know anything new, for they know
that if they did, they might have to go through the mental sweat of
rethinking things and coming to new conclusions.

There is a cowardice of thought, a lethargy of mind, and a sleep of
the soul, which are terrible things. The Gadarenes that day banished
the disturbing Christ. Even today, many people seek to do the same.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
.. for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
.. for the strength, healing and speedy recovery of:
- Dodo
- Ely
- Stef
- Tolentino A. Sandoval
.. for the personal intentions and guidance of:
- Jasmin
- Lydia and family
- Peter and family
- Guevara family
- Pauline
.. for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Jerry Guevara
Eternal rest grant unto them and perpetual light shine upon them. May
they and all the dearly departed rest in peace.
.. 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.

Have a good day!

Happy 4th of July!!!

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(c) 2007 Daily-Homily
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