DAILY- HOMILY

OCTOBER 4, 2011
MEMORIAL, ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
TUESDAY 27TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

Jon 3:1-10 / Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 7-8 / Lk 10:38-42

JONAH 3:1-10
The word of Yahweh came to Jonah a second time: "Go to Nineveh, the
great city, and announce to them the message I give you." In obedience
to the word of Yahweh, Jonah went to Nineveh. It was a very large
city, and it took three days just to cross it. So Jonah walked a
single day's journey and began proclaiming, "Forty days more and
Nineveh will be destroyed." The people of the city believed God. They
declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put
on sackcloth. Upon hearing the news, the king of Nineveh got up from
his throne, took off his royal robe, put on sackcloth and sat down in
ashes. He issued a proclamation throughout Nineveh: "By the decree of
the king and his nobles, no people or beasts, herd or flock, will
taste anything; neither will they eat nor drink. But let people and
beasts be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call aloud to God, turn
from his evil ways and violence. Who knows? God may yet relent, turn
from his fierce anger and spare us." When God saw what they did and
how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not
carry out the destruction he had threatened upon them.

LUKE 10:38-42
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he entered a village,
and a woman called Martha welcomed him to her house. She had a sister
named Mary, who sat down at the Lord's feet to listen to his words.
Martha, meanwhile, was busy with all the serving, and finally she
said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the
work? Tell her to help me!" But the Lord answered, "Martha, Martha,
you worry and are troubled about many things, whereas only one thing
is needed. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken
away from her."

REFLECTION
People frequently interpret today's Gospel story as an insight into
Jesus' attitude toward two states of life, the contemplative and the
active. Martha is seen as embodying the active type of person, and
Mary, the contemplative. And, of course, Jesus tells Martha that her
sister Mary has chosen the better part. So they conclude Jesus
therefore clearly thinks the contemplative way of life is superior to
the active.

Jesus was not suggesting that Martha's activity-filled life was a less
worthy type of service or was morally or spiritually less acceptable
than Mary's contemplative way. Martha's service to Jesus was very much
in line with the activity of the Good Samaritan, showing kindness to,
being concerned about people; and we saw how Jesus praised the
Samaritan.

It's not a matter of measuring Martha against Mary or activity against
contemplation. Both were needed in the early days of the Church, and
both are necessary today. Both should be par t of the life of every
individual Christian.

On one occasion Jesus' lifestyle was so active that his family thought
he might be going out of his mind. On another occasion we see him so
weary that he was sleeping in a boat, undisturbed by a fierce storm
that had his companions, experienced fishermen, crying out in terror.
Luke also notes, however, that Jesus was always going off to a quiet
place to spend time listening to his Father.

Why did Jesus chide Martha? Surely, it is not because Martha was
activity-prone. But perhaps, it is because Martha criticized Mary, who
took time to sit and listen to Jesus; Martha took time to be
contemplative.

If the Gospel scene were relived in our day, maybe Jesus would behave
no differently from what he did in the home of Martha and Mary. Active
people tend today to lose themselves in activity as did Martha then.
We need also to incorporate into our active lives a bit of the
contemplative.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of:
- Elizabeth Mah
- Peter Lim
- Marge, Linda O, Mary Ann, Delores, Maureen, Kristen, Frank, Eugene
R, John C, Betty B
- Susan Sanchez
- Normita Siaco
- Myra Lao Jucutan
- Jo Marcelo
- Mon Torres
… for the personal intentions of
- Mary Wong
- Glenn and Julie Manzon, Glenda and Joel Bisco, Marichu and Churchill
Barayoga, Estelita and Salvador Escamilla, Mary Castro, Domingo Jr and
Edralyn Barayoga, Ma. Fe and Florante De Castro, John Dale and Glenn
Dale Manzon, Marites Pinon, Jocelyn and Noli Caparida, Jeremy & Edwin
Victorino, Imelda and Edwin Bacolod, Melinda Sarmiento, Emmanuel and
Melinda Dabay
- Meghan & Dana
… In thanksgiving: Barayoga Family, Manzon Family
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Domingo B. Boy, Jr.
- Birthday: Paul Louie N. Sy
… 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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