DAILY- HOMILY

JANUARY 29, 2010
FRIDAY 3RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II

2 SAMUEL 11:1-4, 5-10, 13-17
At the turn of the year, at the time when kings go campaigning, David
sent Joab and with him his guards and all Israel. They massacred the
Ammonites and laid siege to Rabbah-of-the-Ammonites. David, however,
remained in Jerusalem. It happened towards evening when David had got
up from resting and was strolling on the palace roof, that from the
roof he saw a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David made
enquiries about this woman and was told, 'Why, that is Bathsheba
daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite.' David then sent
messengers to fetch her. She came to him, and he lay with her, just
after she had purified herself from her period. She then went home
again. The woman conceived and sent word to David, 'I am pregnant.'
David then sent word to Joab, 'Send me Uriah the Hittite,' whereupon
Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah reached him, David asked how Joab
was and how the army was and how the war was going. David then said to
Uriah, 'Go down to your house and wash your feet.' Uriah left the
palace and was followed by a present from the king's table. Uriah,
however, slept at the palace gate with all his master's bodyguard and
did not go down to his house. This was reported to David; 'Uriah',
they said 'has not gone down to his house.' So David asked Uriah,
'Haven't you just arrived from the journey? Why didn't you go down to
your house?' The next day, David invited him to eat and drink in his
presence and made him drunk. In the evening, Uriah went out and bedded
down with his master's bodyguard, but did not go down to his house.
Next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by Uriah. In the
letter he wrote, 'Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is
fiercest and then fall back, so that he gets wounded and killed.'
Joab, then besieging the city, stationed Uriah at a point where he
knew that there would be tough fighters. The people of the city
sallied out and engaged Joab; there were casualties in the army, among
David's guards, and Uriah the Hittite was killed as well.

MARK 4:26-34
He also said, 'This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters
seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake,
the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own
accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full
grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, at once he starts to
reap because the harvest has come.' He also said, 'What can we say
that the kingdom is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like
a mustard seed which, at the time of its sowing, is the smallest of
all the seeds on earth. Yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest
shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the
air can shelter in its shade.' Using many parables like these, he
spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding
it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained
everything to his disciples when they were by themselves.

REFLECTION
A beginner in gardening would experiment on the plants he tends.
First, he would plant a seed or a stem. Then he will water it and
allow the seed or the stem to grow while giving it some sunlight. At
times he will be successful with the seed or the stem growing some
roots and leaves. But not all of the plants grow in full for sometimes
he over waters them or lets them go dry too long. This makes him try
all over again.

In the parable that Jesus tells us, we notice that God's kingdom needs
no experimenting at all. It will grow by itself. The power of God to
make himself known, to make His love felt, to make his word understood
has no limit. This he assures us. And we thank God for this as we
begin to gain confidence in joining Jesus in his mission. We must do
what He asks us to do and He will do the rest.

A mustard seed is so small that one could hardly see it . But this
seed can grow to be a big tree where birds could build a nest and
stay. If the kingdom of God is like this mustard seed then we can only
praise and give him thanks in all humility. His love is everlasting!

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the strength and healing of:
- Brenda
- Julian Santiago, Sr.
- Abraham A.
- Francis Torres
- Mon Torres
- Jessy
- Don V
- Julie B. Manzon
- Gemma
- Davis Danao
… for the personal intentions of:
- Veronica Yap
- Joaquin
- Med Villanueva
- Josheil Dapo
- Mariano M.
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Nestor "Boy" Laruda
- Go Bon Shu
- Ricardo Villanueva
- Tan Siukim
Eternal rest grant unto him and may perpetual light shine upon him.
May he and all the dearly departed rest in peace.
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- In Memoriam (+) Librada M. Ong
- In Memoriam (+) Leoncio G. de Guzman
… 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!

**************************************************
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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