DAILY- HOMILY

AUGUST 3, 2011
WEDNESDAY 18TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

Nm 13:1-2, 25—14:1, 26-29, 34-35 / Ps 106:6-7, 13-14, 21-22, 23 / Mt
15:21-28

NUMBERS 13:1-2, 25—14:1, 26-29, 34-35
Yahweh then spoke to Moses, saying, "Send men to explore the land of
Canaan that I am giving to the Israelites; send one man from each of
the ancestral tribes, all of them leaders." After forty days of
exploration, they returned. They went and met Moses, Aaron and the
whole community of Israelites in the wilderness of Paranat Kadesh.
They gave an account to them and the whole community and showed them
the fruit of this land. And they said, "We entered the land where you
sent us, truly a land flowing with milk and honey and here is the
fruit. But how strong are the people who inhabit the land! The cities
are fortified with walls and bars, and we even saw there descendants
of the Anakites. Amalekites live in the region of the Negeb; Hittites,
Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; the Canaanites are by
the sea and along the banks of the Jordan." Caleb then quieted the
people who rose up against Moses and said, "We should go up and take
over the land, for we shall surely overcome it." But the men who had
gone up with him said, "We cannot advance against these people for
they are stronger than we are." And they spread an unfavorable report
about the land that they had explored, saying to the Israe l ites,
"The land we went through to explore is a land that devours its
inhabitants and all the people we saw there are men of great size. We
even saw giants (these giants were the Anakites). We felt like
grasshoppers before them, and to them we must have seemed the same."
Then all the community broke out in loud cries and wept during the
night. Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron saying, "How long will
this wicked community grumble against me?" I have heard the grumblings
of the people of Israel against me. Say to them: As truly as I live,
it is Yahweh who speaks, I will do to you what you have said in my
hearing. All of you of twenty years or more, numbered in the census,
who grum bled against me, your corpses will fall in the desert.
According to the number of days spent in exploring the land—forty
days, for every day a year—for forty years you shall bear the guilt of
your sins and you shall know what it is to oppose me. I, Yahweh, have
spoken. Surely this is what I will do to this wicked community that
has conspired against me. In this wilder ness they shall be destroyed
and this is where they shall die."

MATTHEW 15:21-28
Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Now a Canaanite woman
came from those borders and began to cry out, "Lord, Son of David,
have pit y on me! My daughter is tormented by a demon." But Jesus did
not answer her, not even a word. So his disciples approached him and
said, "Send her away: see how she is shouting after us." Then Jesus
said to her, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of
Israel." But the woman was already kneeling before Jesus and said,
"Sir, help me!" Jesus answered, "It is not right to take the bread
from the children and throw it to the lit tle dogs." The woman
replied, "It is true, sir, but even the lit tle dogs eat the crumbs
which fall from their master's table." Then Jesus said, "Woman, how
great is your faith! Let it be as you wish." And her daughter was
healed at that moment.

REFLECTION
"I am the king of the world!" proclaimed an aging, cancer stricken man
who was resting smilingly in his dilapidated shack.

"Dad, you're old and sick. How can you be the king when you are
struggling to live?" asked his young and wealthy son. The man looked
at his son lovingly and said, "For many years, I have fought and lived
with my Christ. My great faith in him delivered me from loneliness and
defeat. Only a true king with immense faith can conquer his last
battle and rise against the wind. Son, my faith has brought me
victory. I cannot ask for more."

The faith of the Canaanite woman and the cancer-stricken old man has
been tested time and time again, but they triumphed to their own great
joy and healing. Their faith only grew stronger as the weight it must
bear grew heavier. In the end, the Lord granted them His blessings.

Jesus strengthens our faith by continually testing it. He wants to see
how far we are willing to stretch and walk that extra mile in pursuit
of him. Our prayers, for instance, are often met by what seems to be a
silent and uncaring heaven. But when it is rewarded, a great lesson
has been learned and we, believers, will never be the same. That is
what faith is and what it does. Jesus may constantly put our faith to
test but the best part of it all is that it becomes stronger than ever
before.

Let us put our faith to work and be the king of the world.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Jo Marcelo
- Jun Lee
- Jonathan Salazar
- Mon Torres
- Wally Torres
- Anna Limpe McAvoy
- Antonio Evangelista
- Rita P. Cuerva
- Eden Batuto
- Bert Villacorta
- Ely Lara
… for the personal intentions of
- Pauline
- Julie and Glenn Manzon
- Estileta & Salvador Escamilla
- Ma. Fe and Florante De Castro
- Fe Edralyn & Domingo Barayoga Jr.
- Mary Ann Castro
- Joy and Noli Caparid
- Melinda Sarmiento
- Imelda & Edwin Bacolod
- John & Glenn Dale Manzon
- Angeli
- Titong
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Sean Kester Go
Eternal rest grant unto them and may perpetual light shine upon them.
May they and all the dearly departed rest in peace.
… 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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