DAILY- HOMILY

JULY 2, 2011
MEMORIAL, ST. BERNARDINO REALINO, ST. FRANCIS REGIS, ST. FRANCIS
JEROME, BL. JULIAN MAUNOIR, BL. ANTHONY BALDINUCCI, PRIESTS
SATURDAY 13TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

Gn 27:1-5, 15-29 / Ps 135:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 / Mt 9:14-17

GENESIS 27:1-5, 15-29
When Isaac was old and his eyes so weak that he could no longer see,
he called Esau, his older son, and said to him, "My son." "Here I am,"
he answered. Isaac con tinued, "You see I am old and I don't know when
I shall die; so take your weapons, your bow and arrow, go out into the
country and hunt some game for me. Then prepare some of the savory
food I like and bring it to me so that I may eat and give you my
blessing before I die." Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to
his son Esau. When Esau went into the country to hunt game and bring
it back. Then Rebekah took the best clothes of her elder son Esau that
she had in the house and put them on Jacob, her younger son. With the
goatskin she covered his hands and the smooth part of his neck, and
she handed to him the bread and food she had prepared. He went to his
father and said, "Father!" He answered, "Yes, my son, who is it?" and
Jacob said to his father, "It is Esau, your first-born; I have done
what you told me to do. Come, sit up and eat my game so that you may
give me your blessing." Isaac said, "How quick you have been my son!"
Jacob said, "Yahweh, your God, guided me." Isa ac said to Jacob, "Come
near and let me feel you, my son, and know that it is you, Esau my
son, or not." When Jacob drew near to Isaac, his father felt him and
said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob but the hands are the hands of
Esau." He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like the
hands of Esau his brother and so he blessed him. He asked, "Are you
really my son Esau?" and Jacob answered, "I am." Isaac said, "Bring me
some of your game, my son, so that I may eat and give you my
blessing." So Jacob brought it to him and he ate. And he brought him
wine and he drank. Then, his father Isaac said to him, "Come near and
kiss me, my son." So Jacob came near and kissed him. Isaac then caught
the smell of his clothes and blessed him, saying, "The smell of my son
is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed. May God give
you of the dew of heaven; and of the richness of the earth; and
abundance of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you and nations bow
down before you. Be lord over your brothers, and let your mother's
sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone that curses you and blessed
be everyone that blesses you!"

MATTHEW 9:14-17
Then John's disciples came to him and said, `Why is it that we and the
Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?' Jesus replied, `Surely the
bridegroom's attendants cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is
still with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom is taken
away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of
unshrunken cloth onto an old cloak, because the patch pulls away from
the cloak and the tear gets worse. Nor do people put new wine into old
wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, the wine runs out, and the
skins are lost. No; they put new wine in fresh skins and both are
preserved.'

REFLECTION
The Gospel according to Matthew was written primarily for a church
which was originally strongly Jewish Christian but which in the course
of time had become one in which Gentile Christians were becoming more
predominant. However, the tension between the Jews and the Greeks had
a long history reaching up to the time of the Maccabees and the
Seleucid kings.

Even as late as the time of Paul, there was still much controversy in
the church as regards the Christian obligation to observe the Mosaic
Law. It was in this context that the evangelist described the tension
in his church as reflected in the practices of the Pharisees as
compared to the followers of Jesus in the Gospel.

As we read the words of Jesus about fasting in the absence of the
bridegroom and celebrating his presence, we must remember that the
church addressed by the gospel is a post resurrection church. This
really means that Jesus was present to them in the same way that he is
to us. It will then be easier for us who are living also in the post
resurrection era to grasp what the evangelist wants to express by this
incident in his Gospel.

How do we understand the controversy as narrated in the Gospel? Are we
more inclined to strictly follow rules and external practices like the
Pharisees? Or are we more liberal as far as rules are concerned but
more particular on the spirit of the law? Finally in celebrating
Christ's presence and the Church's fasting practices, what should be
our attitude every time we encounter the sacramental presence of Jesus
in our celebration of the Holy Eucharist?

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Rolando Madrona
- Julie Manzon
- Estelita Escamilla
- Ditas dela Paz
- Jo Marcelo
- Wally Torres
- Fr. Luis Sierra, OP
… for the personal intentions of
- Julie and Glenn Manzon
- Glenn Bisco
- Estelita Escamilla
- Ma. Fe De Castro
- Mary Ann Castro
- Domingo Barayoga Jr.
- Churchill Barayoga
- Edwin and Jeremy Victorino
- Marites Pinon
…In Thanksgiving: Manzon and Barayoga Family
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Domingo Barayoga Sr., Lourdes Barayoga, Charlie Castro, Ms. Fely
Dumaran.
- Aladino Dasas, Jr.
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.
- Birthday: Aida Capati
- Birthday: Chito Quidote
- Birthday: Jeny Jane Y. Tiu
- Birthday: Elizabeth Jalandoni
- In Memoriam (+): Beatrice Lim Le Hun Co Chan (Dec 23,1928 - July 2,
2007)+
… 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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