DAILY- HOMILY

July 13, 2007
Friday 14th Week in Ordinary Time - Year I

GENESIS 46:1-7, 28-30
Israel set out with all that was his. When he arrived at Beer-sheba,
he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. There God,
speaking to Israel in a vision by night, called, "Jacob! Jacob!" He
answered, "Here I am." Then he said: "I am God, the God of your
father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make
you a great nation. Not only will I go down to Egypt with you; I will
also bring you back here, after Joseph has closed your eyes." So Jacob
departed from Beer-sheba, and the sons of Israel put their father and
their wives and children on the wagons that Pharaoh had sent for his
transport. They took with them their livestock and the possessions
they had acquired in the land of Canaan. Thus Jacob and all his
descendants migrated to Egypt. His sons and his grandsons, his
daughters and his granddaughters- all his descendants-he took with him
to Egypt. Israel had sent Judah ahead to Joseph, so that he might meet
him in Goshen. On his arrival in the region of Goshen, Joseph hitched
the horses to his chariot and rode to meet his father Israel in
Goshen. As soon as Joseph saw him, he flung himself on his neck and
wept a long time in his arms. And Israel said to Joseph, "At last I
can die, now that I have seen for myself that Joseph is still alive."

MATTHEW 10:16-23
Jesus said to his Apostles: "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in
the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But
beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you
in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings
for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand
you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to
say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will
not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through
you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his
child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to
death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever
endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town,
flee to another. Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of
Israel before the Son of Man comes."

REFLECTION
Jesus never hesitated to predict that his Church and his true
followers would undergo severe trials. Those whose faith is weak would
see only a dark future. But always, Jesus came through with a great
note of optimism, an assurance of deep interior joy gained through
these sufferings. Jesus says in today's Gospel: "Whoever holds out to
the end will be saved." Can we really be optimists by habit? Can there
be a bright fire of happiness deep inside us all the time, even when
everything is going wrong?

Our trouble naturally is with the present state of affairs. We are in
the stage of suffering and dying with Christ. That has never been
easy. But was it easy for Christ? If anything comes through clear in
the life of Jesus, it is the daily failures he encountered. He did not
succeed in beating Herod out of his crown, but had to flee to Egypt.
There were always temple police around, wanting to arrest him. Jesus
did not even seem to be a successful teacher, if we are to count his
friends at the end when he needed them, or if we are to consider the
enthusiasm his people had for defending him. But he gave his life in
this way, to teach us what all of life really means. It is a strange
mystery but that is the way God chose to live it. Can we trust his
infinite wisdom?

Let us pray for the grace today to follow this very crooked road of
suffering that leads us to final glory and happiness.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
... for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
... for the strength, healing and speedy recovery of:
- Tolentino A. Sandoval
- Ely
- Julie Manzon, Delly David, Charlie Castro, Magdalena Jacob,
Allan Manzanila, Nanay Mystica, Glenn Bisco, Linda Manzon, Pat
Manzon, Glenn Manzon
... good health for Marietta Joy Therese
... for the personal intentions and guidance of:
- Pauline
- Glenn & Julie Manzon, Barayoga Family, Manzon Family,
Manzanilla Family, Bisco Family, Escamillan Family, Castro Family, De
Castro Family, Jennifer Dumalaon
... safe travel of the Sun family
... health and thanksgiving: Julie Manzon & family
... for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Domingo Barayo Sr.
- Lourder Vergara Barayoga
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.
- Wedding Anniversary: Charllie & Carolyn Co Buenavista
... 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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