DAILY- HOMILY

AUGUST 18, 2009
MEMORIAL, ALBERTO HURTADO CRUCHAGA, PRIEST
TUESDAY 20TH WEEK 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
The key to everlasting life is to always look to Heaven. Most of the
time, our eyes are fixed on the earth and all the worldly allurements,
including riches. So with our eyes fixed on the ground, with our feet
rooted in this world, we can never "fly off" to Heaven; we cannot soar
to receive faith, to believe that this world is passing and that the
heavenly Jerusalem should be our ultimate goal. For a person cannot
give up home, brothers or sisters, father or mother, or property for
God's sake, unless we are detached from the world. We are living in
the world but not belonging to the world. That is why, especially for
the rich, there is a bigger danger of being sidetracked and distracted
in the heavenly Kingdom because we preoccupy ourselves too much in
building our life in this world which will not last forever.

Many events remind us constantly of the event of death. It is good to
remind ourselves that we are mortal, even if we choose to often ignore
the heeding of the Lord to invest in treasure that lasts, to store up
riches in heaven by works of charity and spreading the Good News to
others. Let us realize that our final destination is Heaven!

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the strength and healing of:
- Dominador F. Rodriguez
- Crisanta Anas
- Francis Torres
- Shiappee
- Richy Ozoa
- Kevin, Keempee and Darlita
- Brenda Domingo-Solis
- Lisa
… for the health and well-being of Fe Vergel de Dios-Domingo
… for the personal intentions of
- Dapo family
- Pauline
… for the safety of San Juan de Dios Hospital
… in Thanksgiving: Enrique and Eufrocina Navarro and family
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Michael Velasco
- Mariano "Bubba" Nocom
- Epifania Ylaya
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: Elena Acero
- In Memoriam (+): Ngo Cahu (Mar 12, 1909-Aug 18, 1998)+
- In Memoriam (+): Vivencio A. Dizon
… 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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