DAILY- HOMILY

January 3, 2009
Memorial, Holy Name of Jesus
Saturday before Epiphany - Year I

1 Jn 2:29–3:6
If you consider that God is righteous,
you also know that everyone who acts in righteousness
is begotten by him.
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God's children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,
as he is pure.
Everyone who commits sin commits lawlessness,
for sin is lawlessness.
You know that he was revealed to take away sins,
and in him there is no sin.
No one who remains in him sins;
no one who sins has seen him or known him.

Jn 1:29-34
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said,
"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
He is the one of whom I said,
'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.'
I did not know him,
but the reason why I came baptizing with water
was that he might be made known to Israel."
John testified further, saying,
"I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky
and remain upon him.
I did not know him,
but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me,
'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,
he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'
Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."

REFLECTION
Why do we still celebrate Jesus' name today if he has already
fulfilled his destiny by dying on the cross for us? We celebrate
Jesus' name because his is the name by which we are saved. According
to St. Bernard of Clairvaux, "The sweet name of Jesus produces in us
holy thoughts, fills the soul with noble sentiments, strengthens
virtue, begets good works, and nourishes pure affections. This name is
the cure for all diseases of the soul." St. Bernard was not implying
that the name of Jesus worked like a magic spell. Like John in today's
Gospel, he knew that without the Holy Spirit's revelation and power,
Jesus' name had no power at all.

Catechism teaches us: "To pray 'Jesus' is to invoke him and to call
him within us. His name is the only one that contains the presence it
signifies. Jesus is the Risen One, and whoever invokes the name of
Jesus is welcoming the Son of God who loved and gave himself up for
him".

While the name of Jesus will always be sacred to all Catholics, how we
live from day to day demonstrates what the name of Jesus means to us.
In the name of Jesus, do we act as he did in acknowledging the dignity
and worth of each individual? Do we reject all violence and practice
the peace that is consistent with all that the Son of God taught? A
name in itself may be an arbitrary choice for identity. However, in
the name of Jesus Christ, we discover our deeper, truer sense of
belonging. When we take on the name "Christian", we forever identify
ourselves with Jesus. In the name of Jesus, we are brought home to
eternal joy in the kingdom of God, our Father.

Let us call upon his name with faith and trust. Let us believe that
the Spirit will reveal Jesus to us in a way that fills our heart with
confidence and joy, no matter what we may face. Let the name Jesus be
always in our thoughts, our lips and our heart.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Chato Dizon
- Sophia Gonzalez
… In Thanksgiving: Gascon-Lomuntad families
… for the personal intentions of Pauline
… for the priests, laity and friends of San Jose Manggawa Parish and
Barangka Marikina
… for the eternal repose of the souls of Remberto, Estrella, Florence,
Danilo, Alfredo, Gloria, Beatriz, Filomena, Rosario.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: Dr. Veronica Nañagas-Devon
- Birthday: Caridad B. Yang
- Birthday: Emmanuel G. Hio Jr.
- Birthday: Anna N. Morabe
- Thanksgiving: Teacher League - Good Health
- Thanksgiving: Pasig Teachers Good Health for all Teachers
- Wedding Anniversary: Dennis & Cornelia Tan Ang
… for the healing and peace of all families

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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