DAILY- HOMILY

MAY 2, 2009
MEMORIAL, ST ATHANASIUS, BISHOP
SATURDAY 3RD WEEK OF EASTER – YEAR I

ACTS 9:31-42
The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It
was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the
consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers. As Peter was
passing through every region, he went down to the holy ones living in
Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been confined to bed
for eight years, for he was paralyzed. Peter said to him, "Aeneas,
Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed." He got up at once.
And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned
to the Lord. Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which
translated means Dorcas). She was completely occupied with good deeds
and almsgiving. Now during those days she fell sick and died, so after
washing her, they laid (her) out in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was
near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men
to him with the request, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter
got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the room
upstairs where all the widows came to him weeping and showing him the
tunics and cloaks that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter
sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to her
body and said, "Tabitha, rise up." She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and
sat up. He gave her his hand and raised her up, and when he had called
the holy ones and the widows, he presented her alive. This became
known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord.

JOHN 6:60-69
Then many of his disciples who were listening said, "This saying is
hard; who can accept it?" Since Jesus knew that his disciples were
murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you? What if
you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is
the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words
I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you
who do not believe." Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would
not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, "For this
reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted
him by my Father." As a result of this, many (of) his disciples
returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon
Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words
of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you
are the Holy One of God."

REFLECTION
The break-off point is the faith in Jesus. Either one accepts his
words which are spirit and life or one doesn't believe and goes back
home. But for one to come to him it must be given by the Father. It is
the mystery of faith which is not confined by our understanding of our
analyses and our categories because it is first of all a gift from
God. We have always to affirm today perhaps more than ever before this
essential characteristic of our faith before we start speculating how
and to whom God gives it. The essential point is to discover that it
is God who gives himself.

The whole discourse climaxes in the question that Jesus asks them — it
is not "Do you want to stay?" but "Do you want to go away?" The answer
of Peter, in the name of the apostles, shows that he has accepted and
understood Jesus' words. To whom could they go? There is no other way
than that of the "Holy One of God", the Messiah "who has the words of
eternal life." Placed before the choice between the road of return
back home and the uncertain way opened by Jesus, they choose the
second. The choice every Christian has to face is: "Am I with Jesus or
not?"

Scripture warns with a strong voice: there are many gods, but there is
only one true God. Only one is worthy of service, that is, to give
your life to. To opt for God is no blind choice. True, not everything
is clear as yet. Making a choice will always ask of you some share of
trusting self-surrender.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.

… for the healing and strength of:
- Sophia Gonzalez
- Francis Torres
- Mylene Lingad
- Shiappee
- Mimi Chua
- Jebson Joyosa

… for the safety of Johnson Cuiting

… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Daily Prayer Diary.
- Birthday: Adeline S. Lim
- Birthday: Vicky Ganal
- Birthday: Minette Marquez
- In Memoriam (+): Felicisimo. R. Rosete, Sr.
- In Memoriam (+): Francisco Dee

… for the healing and peace of all families

… 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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