DAILY- HOMILY

JANUARY 8, 2010
FRIDAY AFTER EPIPHANY – YEAR II

1 JOHN 5:5-13
Who can overcome the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the
Son of God? He it is who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not
with water alone but with water and blood, and it is the Spirit that
bears witness, for the Spirit is Truth. So there are three witnesses,
the Spirit, water and blood; and the three of them coincide. If we
accept the testimony of human witnesses, God's testimony is greater,
for this is God's testimony which he gave about his Son. Whoever
believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him, and whoever
does not believe is making God a liar, because he has not believed the
testimony God has given about his Son. This is the testimony: God has
given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the
Son has life, and whoever has not the Son of God has not life. I have
written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that
you may know that you have eternal life.

LUKE 5:12-16
Now it happened that Jesus was in one of the towns when suddenly a man
appeared, covered with a skin-disease. Seeing Jesus he fell on his
face and implored him saying, 'Sir, if you are willing you can cleanse
me.' He stretched out his hand, and touched him saying, 'I am willing.
Be cleansed.' At once the skin-disease left him. He ordered him to
tell no one, 'But go and show yourself to the priest and make the
offering for your cleansing just as Moses prescribed, as evidence to
them.' But the news of him kept spreading, and large crowds would
gather to hear him and to have their illnesses cured, but he would go
off to some deserted place and pray.

REFLECTION
The passages before this Gospel tell us that Jesus had just come down
from the forty days retreat in the desert and had just finished
calling His followers to be fishers of men, and was at the start of
his public life, that part of his life where He shows us how to deal
with ordinary, regular people. Today's Gospel is about the leper, an
outcast of society, a marginalized person, much life many people in
our society.

Perhaps out of desperation, or a tremendous need to get healed, or
some innate gut feel, this leper recognizes the power of Jesus to cure
him, and so is able to set up an opportunity that allows God to be
glorified. Further, this leper almost knows that Jesus will help him.

Firstly, it is the leper that approaches Jesus, pays him homage, and
then says "If you are willing, you can make me clean". When was the
last time that we sought out the Lord, paid him homage, and then asked
for something? Normally, we ask the Lord to help us immediately, even
without acknowledging and giving him homage.

And the Lord helps this outcast and glorifies God. How do we normally
relate to the outcasts of society? The marginalized, the people who
have no one to care for them? Do they have to come and pay homage
before we help them? Should not we simply help them and glorify God?

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the strength and healing of:
- Brenda
- Fe
- Marietta Triunfante
- Ma. Raphaelle Zenadine Dasas
- Gemma
- Davis Danao
- Francis Torres
- Mon Torres
- Jessy
… for the personal intentions of:
- Esther Sompud
- Jazmine
- Josheil Dapo
- Mariano Montemayor
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Pablo David
- Lee Lian Tao
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: Yeng Tupaz
- Wedding Anniversary: Boy and Cora Morando
- In Memoriam (+): Chan Chin Sing
- In Memoriam (+): Eugenia Guieb Castillo
- In Memoriam (+): Jose Ma. L. Uy, Sr.
… 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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Parish Priests' e-mail:
Fr. J. Cesar R. Marin, S. J. parishpriest@marythequeen.org

Assistant Parish Priests' e-mails:
Fr. R. Hart, S. J. rodneyhart@marythequeen.org
Fr. Thomas O'Gorman, S. J. thogorman@marythequeen.org
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