DAILY- HOMILY

FEBRUARY 14, 2010
6TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – C

JEREMIAH 17:5-8
Yahweh says this, 'Accursed be anyone who trusts in human beings, who
relies on human strength and whose heart turns from Yahweh. Such a
person is like scrub in the wastelands: when good comes, it does not
affect him since he lives in the parched places of the desert,
uninhabited, salt land. 'Blessed is anyone who trusts in Yahweh, with
Yahweh to rely on. Such a person is like a tree by the waterside that
thrusts its roots to the stream: when the heat comes it has nothing to
fear, its foliage stays green; untroubled in a year of drought, it
never stops bearing fruit.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:12, 16-20
Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of
you be saying that there is no resurrection of the dead? For, if the
dead are not raised, neither is Christ; and if Christ has not been
raised, your faith is pointless and you have not, after all, been
released from your sins. In addition, those who have fallen asleep in
Christ are utterly lost. If our hope in Christ has been for this life
only, we are of all people the most pitiable. In fact, however, Christ
has been raised from the dead, as the first-fruits of all who have
fallen asleep.

LUKE 6:17, 20-26
He then came down with them and stopped at a piece of level ground
where there was a large gathering of his disciples, with a great crowd
of people from all parts of Judaea and Jerusalem and the coastal
region of Tyre and Sidon. Then fixing his eyes on his disciples he
said: How blessed are you who are poor: the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are hungry now: you shall have your fill. Blessed
are you who are weeping now: you shall laugh. 'Blessed are you when
people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as
criminal, on account of the Son of man. Rejoice when that day comes
and dance for joy, look!-your reward will be great in heaven. This was
the way their ancestors treated the prophets. But alas for you who are
rich: you are having your consolation now. Alas for you who have
plenty to eat now: you shall go hungry. Alas for you who are laughing
now: you shall mourn and weep. 'Alas for you when everyone speaks well
of you! This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.

REFLECTION
The Lucan version of the beatitudes like that of Matthew clearly does
not promote poverty, weeping, hunger, and hurt. These realities in
life are not supposedly glorified. Destitute poverty is not something
to desire for. Rather, it is a condition to be prevented as it
deprives the human person of his/her basic dignity.

Some biblical scholars believe that these beatitudes or sayings of
Jesus are not prescriptions for becoming poor, hungry, mournful, or
afflicted. These are addressed to those who are already involved in
the work of salvation, in the enterprise of proclaiming the good news
of Jesus. They serve as examples and gives instances of what happens
when God reigns in this broken and fragmented world. They reflect
various experiences that people go through as a result of their
involvement in God's way of doing things. There is, however, the
promise and assurance that God can handle poverty, hunger, tears, and
rejection.

In this regard, Jesus becomes our inspiration in that he has shown us
the way. His commitment and mission to share God's providence, love,
and mercy inevitably entailed suffering in terms of misunderstanding.
There were people who wanted to volunteer themselves to follow his way
but he could not even offer a place for them to rest. Jesus
experienced hunger, not just hunger that can be satisfied with solid
food but the hunger that can only be fulfilled by doing what is right.
Jesus had the reason to weep and mourn not only for the death of his
friends Lazarus but also for the lost opportunities of his own people
especially his "kababayans" when their faith was lacking and thus lost
the opportunities to accept him as the promised messiah. But the most
painful and hurting fact are the persecution and murder of Jesus for
being so faithful in his mission. Jesus, thus, knew and felt the
reality of rejection, betrayal and abandonment by his best friends.
The good news is his vindication when God raised him from the dead,
something that we believe and hope for if we remain as staunch
followers of Jesus. Jesus led a life constantly aware that his Father
blessed and accompanied him as he always sought his Father in prayer
especially during moments of doubt and hesitation as evidenced in the
Garden of Gethsemane.

In view of such reservations, the excerpt from the prophet Jeremiah
becomes consoling in that it reminds us to put our trust to the One
who will sustain us. Consider the imagery used: "He is like a tree
planted beside the waters that stretch out its roots to the stream; it
fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; in the year
of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit." Corollary,
for those who fail to entrust themselves to God, the word of God has
this to say: "Cursed is the one whose heart turns away from the Lord
for he would be like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change
of season but stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth."

We then pray for a deeper trust in Jesus whose beatitudes no matter
how seemingly difficult these may be will eventually lead us to life.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the strength and healing of:
- Brenda
- Abraham A.
- Pureza Flor Gaerlan
- Jerry Solis
- Filmore T.
- Alberto Atrero
- Renan Lacida
- Walter Stamatelaky
… for the personal intentions of
- Pauline
- Joel Dapo, Sheila Marie Y. Dapo, Josheil Dapo
.. Birthday: Vicky Lu – Choa
… for the eternal repose of the soul of
- Cecille Ann Quintos
- Eugene Yang
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: Allan Ramos
- Birthday: Rogelio Vicencio
- Birthday: Claire S. Diokno
- 25th Wedding Anniversary: Dr. Antonio & Maria Elmer Evidente
- Wedding Anniversary: Fred & Carol David
- Wedding Anniversary: Tony & Jennifer Gotamco Tan
- In Memoriam (+): Salud Nuqui Inocentes (Feb 14,1914-Oct 23,1978)
- In Memoriam (+): Vicente F. Fabella
- In Memoriam (+): Silemon Aguilar , Sr.
- In Memoriam (+): Eduardo Yu Chui Keng (May 27, 1923-Feb 14, 2009)+
- In Memoriam (+): Stephen Ng Lim (Apr 25, 1956-Feb 14, 1957)+
… 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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