DAILY- HOMILY

FEBRUARY 9, 2010
TUESDAY 5TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II

1 KINGS 8:22-23, 27-30
Then, in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, Solomon stood
facing the altar of Yahweh and, stretching out his hands towards
heaven, said, 'Yahweh, God of Israel, there is no god like you in
heaven above or on earth beneath, as loyal to the covenant and
faithful in love to your servants as long as they walk wholeheartedly
in your way. Yet will God really live with human beings on earth? Why,
the heavens, the highest of the heavens, cannot contain you. How much
less this temple built by me! Even so, listen favourably to the prayer
and entreaty of your servant, Yahweh my God; listen to the cry and to
the prayer which your servant makes to you today: day and night may
your eyes watch over this temple, over this place of which you have
said, "My name will be there." Listen to the prayer which your servant
offers in this place. 'Listen to the entreaty of your servant and of
your people Israel; whenever they pray in this place, listen from the
place where you reside in heaven; and when you hear, forgive.

MARK 7:1-13
The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered round him, and they noticed that some of his disciples were
eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. For the
Pharisees, and all the Jews, keep the tradition of the elders and
never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on
returning from the market place they never eat without first
sprinkling themselves. There are also many other observances which
have been handed down to them to keep, concerning the washing of cups
and pots and bronze dishes. So the Pharisees and scribes asked him,
'Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat
their food with unclean hands?' He answered, 'How rightly Isaiah
prophesied about you hypocrites in the passage of scripture: This
people honours me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far
from me. Their reverence of me is worthless; the lessons they teach
are nothing but human commandments. You put aside the commandment of
God to observe human traditions.' And he said to them, 'How
ingeniously you get round the commandment of God in order to preserve
your own tradition! For Moses said: Honour your father and your
mother, and, Anyone who curses father or mother must be put to death.
But you say, "If a man says to his father or mother: Anything I have
that I might have used to help you is Korban (that is, dedicated to
God)," then he is forbidden from that moment to do anything for his
father or mother. In this way you make God's word ineffective for the
sake of your tradition which you have handed down. And you do many
other things like this.'

REFLECTION
The point that today's first reading wishes to drive home to us is
that God is all around us. Solomon, although highly pleased about the
temple, realized that it could not contain God nor limit him to one
place. God is everywhere in the work of his creation.

Jesus in the today's gospel declared all things clean, for all things
come from God and bear his creative presence. All things are sacred.
Even simple bread and ordinary wine are not unworthy to be the signs
of divinity. God is present not only in the book of scripture but also
in the book that men and women write. God is present not only in his
people but in all his creatures. Even when we are not inside a church,
we walk on sacred ground, we breathe holy air, and we touch and use
holy things.

God is not limited; so we should not limit our vision of God only to
things that are sacred. As Christians, it is our duty to open our eyes
in faith to see the goodness and love of God all around us.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the strength and healing of:
- Brenda
- Renan Lacida
- John Benedict "JB"
- Walter Stamatelaky
- Josefina T. Lichauco
- Filmore T.
- Francis Torres
- Mon Torres
- Jessy
- Jo Marcelo
… for the eternal repose of the soul of Lolita Sycip. Eternal rest
grant unto her and may perpetual light shine upon her. May she and all
the dearly departed rest in peace.
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Prayer Intention: Mina & Victor Cotek
- In Memoriam (+): Michael Ong Se Hai
- In Memoriam (+): Fe Chua Giak Lim (Oct 22, 1913- Feb 9, 2005)+
… 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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