Wednesday, August 10, 2011

 

FRIDAY 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

AUGUST 12, 2011
FRIDAY 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

Jos 24:1-13 / Ps 136:1-3, 16-18, 21-22, 24 / Mt 19:3-12

JOSHUA 24:1-13
Joshua summoned all the tribes of Israel in Shechem, and assembled the
elders, leaders, judges and secretaries. And together they presented
themselves before God. Addressing the people, Joshua said to them:
"Yahweh, the God of Israel, commands me to say to you: Your ancestors
lived beyond the Euphrates River—Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor—
serving other gods. But I brought Abraham your father from beyond the
Euphrates and led him through the whole land of Canaan. Then I gave
him a son Isa ac, that he might have numerous descendants. And to
Isaac, I gave two sons: Esau and Jacob. Esau received the mountains of
Seir as his inheritance, while Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.
Then I sent Moses and Aaron to punish Egypt in the way that you know,
that you might leave. Then I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and
you came to the sea. The Egyptians pursued you with chariots and
horses as far as the Red Sea. Then you cried to Yahweh, and he put
immense darkness between you and the Egyptians. He made the sea go
back on them and they were drowned. You have witnessed all the things
he did in Egypt, and then you lived in the desert for a long time.
Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites who were on the east of
the Jordan. You fought them but it was I who gave them into your hand;
you destroyed them and you seized their lands. Balak, the son of
Zippor, king of Moab, declared war on Israel and commanded Balaam son
of Beor to curse you. But I would not listen to him, so Balaam blessed
you and I saved you from the hands of Balak. Then you crossed the
Jordan and came to Jericho. And the landlords of Jericho fought
against you: the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites,
Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites declared war on you, but I gave
them to you. The two Amorite kings fled from you because of the swarm
of hornets that attacked them and not because of your sword and bow. I
gave you lands which you have not tilled, cities which you did not
build but in which you now live. I gave you vineyards and olive groves
which you did not plant but from which you now eat.

MATTHEW 19:3-12
Some Pharisees approached him. They wanted to test him and asked, "Is
a man allowed to divorce his wife for any reason he wants?" Jesus
replied, "Have you not read that in the beginning the Creator made
them male and female, and he said: Man has now to leave father and
mother, and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one body?
So they are no longer two but one body; let no one separate what God
has joined." They asked him, "Then, why did Moses command us to write
a bill of dismissal in order to divorce?" Jesus replied, "Moses knew
your stubborn heart, so he allowed you to divorce your wives, but it
was not so in the beginning. Therefore I say to you: whoever divorces
his wife, unless it be for concubinage, and marries another, commits
adultery." The disciples said, "If that is the condition of a married
man, it is better not to marry." Jesus said to them, "Not everybody
can accept what you have just said, but only those who have received
this gift. There are eunuchs born so from their mother's womb. Some
have been made that way by others. But there are some who have given
up the possibility of marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.
Let the one who can accept it, accept it."

REFLECTION
The Gospel speaks about the vocation of a Christian – to be married or
to be single. Concerning marriage which is the road usually taken, the
couple should make sure they have a mature relationship before they
decide to marry. It means that they know each other quite well,
including the weaknesses of one another, and understand that marriage
is a lifetime commitment. So when they are married and encounter
problems, their relationship will remain strong. As God permanently
loves us, spouses must permanently love each other. Divorce or
separation must be out of the equation, as the Gospel says.

For those who in their adult life decide to remain single, it would be
best if they offer their singleness to God. We are beings with hearts
that love and emotions towards the other. So single persons should
channel their emotions to God first and then to others. A single
doctor can devote his life to healing; a single laborer, to working
hard and to being a witness to Jesus in the workplace. For the single
Christian, his status means that he may completely dedicate his life
and his chastity to God. On the other hand, married people, in order
to be truly happy, must also dedicate their lives to God. By bringing
up their children in the fear of the Lord, they are fulfilling their
mission to be Christian parents.

Therefore the basic vocation of a Christian is not to be married or to
be single, but to love God and to serve Him.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Aling Summing
- Linda O
- Ben
- Kristin
- Maria
- Eugene R
- Gene
- Frank
- G
- Jo Marcelo
- Jun Lee
- Jonathan Salazar
- Wally Torres
- Mon Torres
…In Thanksgiving: Antonio Evangelista
… for the eternal repose of the soul of Sean Ong Co. Eternal rest
grant unto him and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he and all
the dearly departed rest in peace.
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Felisa S. Keh
- In Memoriam (+): Pilar H. Faisan
… 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!

**************************************************

These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only.
Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends,
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following:

+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+

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THURSDAY 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

AUGUST 11, 2011
MEMORIAL, ST CLARE, VIRGIN
THURSDAY 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

Jos 3:7-10, 11, 13-17 / Ps 114:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 / Mt 18:21—19:1

JOSHUA 3:7-10, 11, 13-17
Then Yahweh said to Joshua: "Today I will begin to make you great in
the eyes of Israel and they shall know that I am with you as I was
with Moses. Give this order to the priests who carry the Ark of the
Covenant: As soon as you come to the banks of the Jordan, stand still
in the river." And Joshua said to the Israelites: "Come nearer and
listen to the words of Yahweh, our God. Do you want a sign that
Yahweh, the living God, is in your midst, he who drives away before
you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, as well as the
Girgashites, Jebusites and Amorites? See, the Ark of the Covenant of
the Lord of all the earth is going to cross the Jordan before you.
When the priests who carry the Ark of the Lord of all the earth put
their feet into the water of the Jordan, the water coming from
upstream shall stop flowing and stand in one single mass." When the
people set out from their camp to cross the Jordan, the priests who
carried the Ark of the Covenant went before them. There was much water
in the Jordan, for it was overflowing its banks at this time of the
barley harvest. Nevertheless, when those who carried the Ark went down
to the river and their feet touched the edge of the water, the water
from upstream stopped flowing. The water stood still, forming
something like a dam very far from that place, near Adam, the
neighboring city of Zarethan. The water flowing down to the Dead Sea
was completely cut off, and so the people could cross opposite
Jericho. The priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant remained in
the middle of the river which dried up, until all the Israelites had
crossed the Jordan.

MATTHEW 18:21—19:1
Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, how many times must I forgive the offenses
of my brother or sister? Seven times?" Jesus answered, "No, not seven
times, but seventy-seven times. This story throws light on the kingdom
of heaven. A king decided to settle the accounts of his servants.
Among the first was one who owed him ten thousand gold ingots. The
official threw himself at the feet of the king and said, `Give me
time, and I will pay you back everything.' The king took pit y on him
and not only set him free but even canceled his debt. This official
then left the king's presence and he met one of his companions who
owed him a hundred pieces of silver. He grabbed him by the neck and
almost strangled him, shouting, `Pay me what you owe!' His companion
threw himself at his feet and asked him, `Give me time, and I will pay
everything.' The other did not agree, but sent him to prison until he
had paid all his debt. His companions saw what happened. They were
indignant and so they went and reported everything to their lord. Then
the lord summoned his official and said, `Wicked servant, I forgave
you all that you owed when you begged me to do so. Weren't you bound
to have pity on your companion as I had pity on you?' The lord was now
angry, so he handed his servant over to be punished, until he had paid
his whole debt."

REFLECTION
In the first reading God shows us how powerful He is as He walks with
Joshua and His people. When He marches ahead of them in their almost
impossible and difficult journey, the God of Heaven and earth, the God
of Moses and of Joshua, shows that indeed He is the Mighty God, and
His Presence alone brings tremendous miracles. The forces of nature
stop and are filled with fright!! They lose their power in His
presence!

In the Gospel, this Mighty God teaches us and gives us the picture of
what happens when we do not forgive others their faults. Jesus tells
us that everything we have and everything we are, we owe to God, and
that at every moment we need His mercy. We breath His air, we eat His
food, we live because He shares His life with us. But why are we so
unforgiving and exacting when it comes to the faults and debts others
owe us? The mighty God of heaven and earth tells us that in order to
"stop the forces of nature and travel safely along the mighty seas of
our life, we must have the power of God. His presence always works in
us by being forgiving, by forgiving not only seven times, but seventy
times seven, in other words, always.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Aling Summing
- Linda O
- Ben
- Kristin
- Maria
- Eugene R
- Gene
- Frank
- G
- Jo Marcelo
- Jun Lee
- Jonathan Salazar
- Wally Torres
- Mon Torres
…In Thanksgiving: Antonio Evangelista
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Ulysses Yap
- Sean Ong Co
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: Enrique G. Cunanan
- Birthday: Betty L. Gan
- Birthday: Iluminada Mapa
- Birthday: Francisco Hing
- In Memoriam (+): Rudy T. Bermejo
- In Memoriam (+): Sis. Imelda Paredes
… 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!

**************************************************

These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only.
Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends,
colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the
following:

+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+

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© 2011 Daily-Homily


 

WEDNESDAY 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

AUGUST 10, 2011
FEAST, ST LAWRENCE, DEACON, MARTYR
WEDNESDAY 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

2 Cor 9: 6-10 / Ps 112: 1-2, 5-6, 7-8, 9 / Jn 12: 24-26

2 CORINTHIANS 9: 6-10
Remember: the one who sows meagerly will reap meagerly, and there
shall be generous harvests for the one who sows generously. Each of
you should give as you decided personally, and not reluctantly as if
obliged. God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to fill you with
every good thing, so that you have enough of everything at all times,
and may give abundantly for any good work. Scripture says: He
distributed, he gave to the poor, his good works last forever. God who
provides the sower with seed will also provide him with the bread he
eats. He will multiply the seed for you and also in - crease the
interests of your good works.

JOHN 12:24-26
Jesus said, Truly, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls to
the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much
fruit. Those who love their life destroy it, and those who despise
their life in this world keep it for everlasting life. Whoever wants
to serve me, let him follow me and wherever I am, there shall my
servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

REFLECTION
"You are destined for greatness. You have a face that can launch a
thousand ships, a brain that can put the great Einstein to shame and a
hear t so pure and true. Go, therefore and inspire many," said a
mother to his paralyzed son. The son believed his mother and so, for
the first time, he went out of their house to fulfill his destiny.
Alas! Things did not happen as what was foretold. He was ridiculed,
laughed at and driven away but he never gave up. He surrendered his
fears and failures to the Lord. Not once did he consider his condition
a liability. He pursued and he succeeded.

In the gospel, Jesus reminds us that there is no harvest without
death. Death may be in the form of pain, sufferings and problems.
Jesus, himself, submitted everything to the will of his Father. It
cost him his life but it won him the harvest. The paralyzed son did
not crunch nor crumble in the face of his own "death." He took courage
and bore the fruits of his hard labor.

Jesus and the paralyzed son planted and nurtured the seeds of goodness
despite great adversities. In so doing, their seeds sprouted and grew
into great crops.

Have we produced a crop of spiritual fruit lately? Let us plant our
seeds today and ask our Lord to help us pull up any weeds that may
stand in our way of following Him.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Aling Summing
- Linda O
- Ben
- Kristin
- Maria
- Eugene R
- Gene
- Frank
- G
…In Thanksgiving: Antonio Evangelista
… for the eternal repose of the soul of Ulysses Yap. 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: Cardinal Gaudencio B. Rosales, DD
- Birthday: Mercedes Reyes
- Wedding Anniversary: Bong & Beth Navarro
… 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!

**************************************************

These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only.
Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends,
colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the
following:

+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GoogleGroup Address: http://groups.google.com/group/daily_homily
To subscribe from this free mailing service, send email to: dailyhomily@earthlink.net
To unsubscribe: daily_homily-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

© 2011 Daily-Homily


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