DAILY- HOMILY

AUGUST 20, 2011
MEMORIAL, ST. BERNARD OF CLAIRYAUX, ABBOT
SATURDAY 20TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

Ru 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17 / Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4, 5 / Mt 23:1-12

RUTH 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17
Naomi had a well-to-do kinsman, Boaz, from the clan of her husband
Elimelech. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, "Let me go to pick up
the left-over grain in the field whose owner will allow me that
favor." Naomi said, "Go ahead, my daughter." So she went to glean in
the fields behind the harvesters. It happened that the field she
entered belonged to Boaz of the clan of Elimelech. Boaz said to Ruth,
"Listen, my daughter. Don't go away from here to glean in anyone
else's field. Stay here with my women servants. See where the
harvesters are and follow behind. I have ordered the men not to molest
you. They have filled some jars with water. Go there and drink when
you are thirsty." Bowing down with her face to the ground, she
exclaimed, "Why have I, a foreigner, found such favor in your eyes?"
Boaz answered, "I have been told all about you—what you have done for
your mother-in-law since your husband's death, how you have gone with
her, leaving your own father and mother and homeland, to live with a
people you knew nothing about before you came here. So Ruth was taken
by Boaz and became his wife. Yahweh made her conceive and give birth
to a son. The women said to Naomi, "Blessed be Yahweh who has provided
you today with an heir. May he become famous in Israel! He will be
your comfort and stay in your old age, for he is born of a daughter-in-
law who loves you and is worth more than seven sons." Naomi took the
child as her own and became his nurse. And the women of the
neighborhood gave him his name, saying, "A son has been born for
Naomi." They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, who was
David's father.

MATTHEW 23:1-12
Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The teachers of the
Law and the Pharisees sat on the seat of Moses. So you shall do and
observe all they say, but do not do as they do, for they do not do
what they say. They tie up heavy burdens and load them on the
shoulders of the people, but they do not even raise a finger to move
them. They do everything in order to be seen by people; so they wear
very wide bands of the Law around their foreheads, and robes with
large tassels. They enjoy the first place at feasts and reserved seats
in the synagogues, and being greeted in the marketplace and being
called `Master' by the people. But you, do not let yourselves be
called Master because you have only one Master, and all of you are
brothers and sisters. Neither should you call anyone on earth Father,
because you have only one Father, he who is in heaven. Nor should you
be called leader, because Christ is the only leader for you. Let the
greatest among you be the servant of all. For whoever makes himself
great shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be made
great."

REFLECTION
During those times, widows were generally given up to their own means
to take care of themselves. Ruth and her mother-in- law Naomi happened
to be in that situation. Ruth was young and at least had the prospect
of remarrying and could have just left her mother-in-law Naomi to fend
for herself. Instead, when Naomi decided to go home to Israel, she
went with her. In Israel, Ruth worked from sunrise to sunset to gather
whatever was left from the harvest to bring food to Naomi. This
attracted the attention of the rich landowner Boaz, a distant relative
of Naomi. Boaz eventually married Ruth and extended support to Naomi.

This is a classic story of unwavering faithfulness. God will reward
people like Ruth for her loyalty. She represents the "person for
others," unlike the Pharisees during Jesus' time who posture
themselves as holy people and order and demand others to obey
absolutely the law of Moses.

Today we see Ruth in our OFWs who leave home to work in a foreign and
sometimes hostile land. They bear whatever hardships they encounter.
Yet because of their goodness of heart, they, too, attract just
employers like Boaz. We have to stop posturing like the Pharisees, and
be a Ruth.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Wilfredo Tadiosa
- Anna Limpe McAvoy
- Jo Marcelo
- Jun Lee
- Jonathan Salazar
- Wally Torres
- Mon Torres
- Ely Lara
- Rita P. Cuerva
- Bert Villacorta
- Eden Batuto
- Titong V
… for the personal intentions of
- Fr. Sergio Dias
- Josheil Dapo
- Pauline
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Teresita Ronquillo
- Birthday: Detdet Cruz
- Birthday: Felipe Santos
- Birthday: Bebet Gaston
- Birthday: Michelle Sison
- Birthday: Hilda T. So
- Birthday: Jershanale S. Sy
- Birthday: Thelma Kimio Panganiban
- Birthday: Erlinda Gonzales
- Birthday: Ronald Allan Poe
- Birthday: Rosemarie Cabaguio
- Birthday: Alice Fong
… for families who are in need of healing
… 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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