DAILY- HOMILY

August 21, 2007
Memorial, St. Pius X, pope
Tuesday 20th Week in Ordinary Time - Year I

JUDGES 6:11-24A
The angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth in Ophrah that
belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. While his son Gideon was beating out
wheat in the wine press to save it from the Midianites, the angel of
the LORD appeared to him and said, "The LORD is with you, O champion!"
Gideon said to him, "My Lord, if the LORD is with us, why has all this
happened to us? Where are his wondrous deeds of which our fathers told
us when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' For now
the LORD has abandoned us and has delivered us into the power of
Midian." The LORD turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you
have and save Israel from the power of Midian. It is I who send you."
But Gideon answered him, "Please, my lord, how can I save Israel? My
family is the lowliest in Manasseh, and I am the most insignificant in
my father's house." "I shall be with you," the LORD said to him, "and
you will cut down Midian to the last man." Gideon answered him, "If I
find favor with you, give me a sign that you are speaking with me. Do
not depart from here, I pray you, until I come back to you and bring
out my offering and set it before you." He answered, "I will await
your return." So Gideon went off and prepared a kid and a measure of
flour in the form of unleavened cakes. Putting the meat in a basket
and the broth in a pot, he brought them out to him under the terebinth
and presented them. The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and
unleavened cakes and lay them on this rock; then pour out the broth."
When he had done so, the angel of the LORD stretched out the tip of
the staff he held, and touched the meat and unleavened cakes.
Thereupon a fire came up from the rock that consumed the meat and
unleavened cakes, and the angel of the LORD disappeared from sight.
Gideon, now aware that it had been the angel of the LORD, said, "Alas,
Lord God, that I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!" The
LORD answered him, "Be calm, do not fear. You shall not die." So
Gideon built there an altar to the LORD and called it Yahweh-shalom.

MATTHEW 19:23-30
Jesus said to his disciples: "Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for
one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it
is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one
who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God." When the disciples heard
this, they were greatly astonished and said, "Who then can be saved?"
Jesus looked at them and said, "For men this is impossible, but for
God all things are possible." Then Peter said to him in reply, "We
have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?"
Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me,
in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory,
will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or
father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will
receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many
who are first will be last, and the last will be first."

REFLECTION
In saying that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a
needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, Jesus is
simply warning us of the danger of riches. Jesus' description of the
danger of affluence was penetrating. Like seed among thorns,
materialists are stifled by the cares, riches and pleasures of life,
and they do not mature. They remain ridiculously small in the eyes of
God. Their desires and their love cannot expand. They are enslaved by
a thousand needs, for the latest fashions, for a beautiful house with
two or more cars, for a television and computer set on every floor,
another new freezer, costly cocktails and lavish parties. Such people
are progressively choked spiritually and mentally.

If people are rolling in wealth for quite some time, they come to
think that they can well do without God. Although Jesus often spoke of
the dangers of wealth, he did not say that it was impossible for the
rich to enter the kingdom of God. It is not that those who have riches
are shut out from the kingdom of God. It is not that riches are evil
in themselves but they are a danger to our eternal salvation. Being
rich is a mixed blessing. Being poor can be a great blessing. It all
depends on our attitude towards wealth and its place and its proper
use in God's Kingdom here on earth.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
... for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
... for the strength, healing and speedy recovery of:
- Damaso Guevara
- Myra
- Matet Rey
- Dodo
- Tom Diokno
- Ely
... for the personal intentions of:
- Jasmin
- Guevara Family
- San Juan de Dios Hospital
... In Thanksgiving: Balangit Family
... for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Ernesto Guevara
- Remberto Gascon, Estrella Gascon, Danilo Gascon, Florence Gascon
Eternal rest grant unto them and may 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.
- Birthday: Felipe Santos
- Birthday: Fernando Poe, Jr.
- Birthday: Hilda T. So
... 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!

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Group "DAILY-HOMILY".

GROUP CONTACT
To subscribe email: dailyhomily@gmail.com
Or go to: http://homily.dailyfoodforthought.org/
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to:
daily_homily-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
To contact: dhmoderator@dailyfoodforthought.org

SUPPORT THE DAILY-HOMILY MINISTRY:
Daily-Homily is solely supported by its subscribers. Any donation that you would like to make to help offset the cost of this ministry would be greatly appreciated.
To donate to this ministry, go to: http://dhdonation.dailyfoodforthought.org/

Feel free to forward this to your friends, family and associates!

(c) 2007 Daily-Homily
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---