DAILY- HOMILY

JANUARY 31, 2010
4TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR C

JEREMIAH 1:4-5, 17-19
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying: 'Before I formed you in the
womb I knew you; before you came to birth I consecrated you; I
appointed you as prophet to the nations.' 'As for you, prepare
yourself for action. Stand up and tell them all I command you. Have no
fear of them and in their presence I will make you fearless. For look,
today I have made you into a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall
of bronze to stand against the whole country: the kings of Judah, its
princes, its priests and the people of the country. They will fight
against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you, Yahweh
declares, to rescue you.'

1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-13
Love is always patient and kind; love is never jealous; love is not
boastful or conceited, it is never rude and never seeks its own
advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances. Love does
not rejoice at wrongdoing, but finds its joy in the truth. It is
always ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure
whatever comes. Love never comes to an end. But if there are
prophecies, they will be done away with; if tongues, they will fall
silent; and if knowledge, it will be done away with. For we know only
imperfectly, and we prophesy imperfectly; but once perfection comes,
all imperfect things will be done away with. When I was a child, I
used to talk like a child, and see things as a child does, and think
like a child; but now that I have become an adult, I have finished
with all childish ways. Now we see only reflections in a mirror, mere
riddles, but then we shall be seeing face to face. Now I can know only
imperfectly; but then I shall know just as fully as I am myself known.
As it is, these remain: faith, hope and love, the three of them; and
the greatest of them is love.

LUKE 4:21-30
Then he began to speak to them, 'This text is being fulfilled today
even while you are listening.' And he won the approval of all, and
they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips.
They said, 'This is Joseph's son, surely?' But he replied, 'No doubt
you will quote me the saying, "Physician, heal yourself," and tell me,
"We have heard all that happened in Capernaum, do the same here in
your own country." ' And he went on, 'In truth I tell you, no prophet
is ever accepted in his own country. 'There were many widows in
Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah's day, when heaven remained shut
for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the
land, but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a
widow at Zarephath, a town in Sidonia. And in the prophet Elisha's
time there were many suffering from virulent skin-diseases in Israel,
but none of these was cured -- only Naaman the Syrian.' When they
heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their
feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow
of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him off the
cliff, but he passed straight through the crowd and walked away.

REFLECTION
Today's second reading from the letter of Paul to the Corinthians is a
familiar passage especially for those who are getting married. In this
short excerpt, Paul explains the many meanings of love.

Let us, however, focus on one particularly in that love does not
rejoice in what is wrong but rejoices with the truth.

This is indeed true for anyone who truly loves cannot contradict
himself when something unfavorable happens to anyone. It is only out
of jealousy and envy that we become not capable of wishing well
others. It is safe to say that a member of the family loves his/her
siblings. Unless this person is so insecure about oneself, that person
can never be happy in the event of a tragedy or a crisis involving his
siblings. How can one rejoice to see how one is violated either
through rape, violence, and maltreatment?

Nonetheless, is the proposition that love rejoices with the truth
readily acceptable? How can this be when we also know that the truth
hurts? The joy can only come about because the truth shall set us
free, something that Jesus said too. For when the truth surfaces, no
matter how unacceptable it may seem to be, a feeling of equanimity and
peace that is truly liberating is realized. The experiences of wives
who have been victims of marital infidelities would readily testify
that their discovery of the affairs of their husbands were initially
hurting for these have become opportunities for self-examination. But
when they are able to finally realize and accept that they are not
solely to be blamed for these unfortunate experiences, they are able
to move on with life with more freedom and self-confidence.

For anyone to truly love, one cannot desire anything that is contrary
to God who is love. That is the truth of it all, something that we can
truly rejoice.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the strength and healing of:
- Brenda
- Julie B. Manzon
- Gemma
- Davis Danao
- Renan Lacida
… for the personal intentions of:
- Josheil Dapo
- Mariano M.
- Abraham A.
… Birthday: Julie Cinco - Ching & Mary Ong
… for the eternal repose of the soul of Tan Siukim. 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.
- Birthday: Reine Pineda
- Birthday: Jimmy C. Reburiano
- Birthday: Renee Co
- Birthday: Leah Reyes
- Wedding Anniversary: Randy and Dowa Manaloto
… 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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