DAILY- HOMILY

JANUARY 18, 2011
TUESDAY 2ND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

Readings: Heb 6:10-20 / Ps 111:1-2, 4-5, 9-10 / Mk 2:23-28

HEBREWS 6:10-20
God is not unjust and will not forget everything you have done for
love of his name; you have helped and still help the believers. We
desire each of you to have, until the end, the same zeal for reaching
what you have hoped for. Do not grow careless but imitate those who,
by their faith and determination, inherit the promise. Remember God's
promise to Abraham. God wanted to confirm it with an oath and, as no
one is higher than God, he swore by himself: I shall bless you and
give you many descendants. By just patiently waiting, Abraham obtained
the promise. People are used to swearing by someone higher than
themselves and their oath affirms everything that could be denied. So
God committed himself with an oath in order to convince those who were
to wait for his promise that he would never change his mind. Thus we
have two certainties in which it is impossible that God be proved
false: promise and oath. That is enough to encourage us strongly when
we leave everything to hold to the hope set before us. This hope is
like a steadfast anchor of the soul, secure and firm, thrust beyond
the curtain of the Temple into the sanctuary itself, where Jesus has
entered ahead of us—Jesus, High Priest for ever in the order of
Melchizedek.

MARK 2:23-28
One sabbath he was walking through grainfields. As his disciples
walked along with him, they began to pick the heads of grain and crush
them in their hands. Then the Pharisees said to Jesus, "Look! they are
doing what is forbidden on the sabbath!" And he said to them, "Have
you never read what David did in his time of need, when he and his men
were very hungry? He went into the house of God when Abiathar was High
Priest and ate the bread of offering, which only the priests are
allowed to eat, and he also gave some to the men who were with him."
Then Jesus said to them, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for
the sabbath. So the Son of Man is master even of the sabbath."

REFLECTION
Observance of the Law of the Sabbath was of life-and-death importance
in Jewish religion and the breaking of it was considered a grievous
sin. The Sabbath lasted from Friday 6:00 p.m. to Saturday 6:00 p.m. or
when the first three stars appeared in the sky. During the Sabbath all
work was forbidden, and work was classified by Scribal Law under 39
categories which included reaping. Therefore, when the Apostles
"reaped" the ears of corn, they were technically doing work, so the
Pharisees seized the opportunity to accuse them of committing a deadly
sin.

Jesus, however, confronted the accusers with Scripture which also
prescribed that human need took precedence over human and even divine
laws. Man was not created to be a victim of myriad rules and
regulations governing the Sabbath.

There is a saying that goes: "Mas papista que el Papa" (more papist
than the Pope). The Pharisees were of this sort – fanatics of the law,
rigorously seeing to the compliance of minute regulations, imposing
legalese to all but twisting the law to suit their own advantage.

Do we have Pharisees in our midst?

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Baby Veloso, Erlinda Roa
- Jo Marcelo, Jun Lee, Tito Torres
- Marge, Gene L, John C, Cindy R, Marge G, Frank M, Maria & Pam
- Vicky Fabella
- Susan
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Ng Yam Bee Tuazon Lao
- Dy Beng
- Rita M
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.
- Wedding Anniversary: James & Alice Chuaunsu
- Thanksgiving: Teresa Chan
- In Memoriam (+): Jose Ma. L. Uy, Sr.
… for world peace and reconciliation.

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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