DAILY- HOMILY

JULY 28, 2012
SATURDAY 16TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II

Jer 7:1-11 / Mt 13:24-30

JEREMIAH 7:1-11
These words were spoken by Yahweh, to Jeremiah, "Stand at the gate of Yahweh's house and proclaim this in a loud voice: Listen to what Yahweh says, all you people of Judah (who enter these gates to worship Yahweh). Yahweh the God of Israel says this: Amend your ways and your deeds and I will stay with you in this place. Rely not on empty words such as: `Look, the Temple of Yahweh! the Temple of Yahweh! This is the Temple of Yahweh!' It is far better for you to amend your ways and act justly with all. Do not abuse the stranger, orphan or widow or shed innocent blood in this place or follow false gods to your own ruin. Then I will stay with you in this place, in the land I gave to your ancestors in times past and forever. But you trust in deceptive and useless words. You steal, kill, take the wife of your neighbor; you swear falsely, worship Baal and follow foreign gods who are not yours. Then, after doing all these horrible things, you come and stand before me in this temple that bears my Name and say, `Now we are safe.' Is this house on which rests my Name a den of thieves? I have seen this myself—it is Yahweh who speaks.

MATTHEW 13:24-30
Jesus told them another parable, "The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the plants sprouted and produced grain, the weeds also appeared. Then the servants of the owner came to him and said, `Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? Where did the weeds come from?' He answered them, `This is the work of an enemy.' They asked him, `Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?' He told them, `No, when you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat with them. Let them just grow together until harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the workers: Pull up the weeds first, tie them in bundles and burn them; then gather the wheat into my barn.'"

REFLECTION
Good and evil will be present until the end of the world. Good and evil, light and dark, will always be found in society, institutions, and in people. In each and every one of us, there is that potential, that capacity for either one to grow. Jesus asks us to listen to the parable, and to decide – which one do you choose? "Are you wheat or are you weeds? Do you seek to follow My word, or do you tend to listen more to the evil one? "

This is where discernment comes in – we try to listen for Jesus' voice in the noisy din of everyday life. God respects us and gives us the freedom to make decisions on our own. He knows that temptation can be strong, and can make our good intentions waver. He also knows that we can make time to actively seek His will, to pray, discern and decide to keep on choosing what is good.

With discernment also comes patience – Jesus challenges us to avoid the traps of self- righteousness and being overly judgmental. We tend to immediately exclude and isolate those we see as threats to goodness, without giving these people a chance for conversion to happen in their lives and ours. Sometimes we may not realize that the evil we see around us is also somehow present inside of us. These two forces of good and evil will keep battling with each other until the end of time. So it is not for us to judge and label people. The task of separating the good and the bad is in God's hands alone – He will decide how evil will be conquered, and overcome by the mystery of the cross, overcome by the goodness that comes from Him alone.

God alone knows what is in our hearts, and with trust in Him, with constant discernment, we pray that we will choose that which will transform evil to good.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Fr. Ismael Zuloaga, SJ
- Chief Samrose Anyaugo
- Cipriano Maribojoc
- Mon Torres
- Ditas dela Paz
- Tito Oreta
- Samson Merced
- Chief Samrose Anyaugo
… for the personal intentions of
- Ifeanyi Anyaugo and Obinna Okoronkwo, Dr Ugonna Anyaugo, Ogechi Anyaugo, Barr Obinna Okoronkwo; Barr (Mrs) Barbs Adaugo Okoronkwo, Eng Ifeanyi Matt Anyaugo, Mr. Chuba Anyaugo, Cordelia Anyaugo
- Veronica Yap
- Trinna Maningat, Abbie,Gailey, Karen
- Ifeanyi Anyaugo and Obinna Okoronkwo, Dr Ugonna Anyaugo; Ogechi Anyaugo; Barr Obinna Okoronkwo; Barr (Mrs) Barbs Adaugo Okoronkwo; Eng Ifeanyi Matt Anyaugo; Mr.Chuba Anyaugo; Cordelia Anyaugo
…In Thanksgiving: Renan Lacida
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Rowena Lacida-Yap
- Rodney Lacida

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: Geraldine S. Lim
- Birthday: Rebecca Ngo
- Birthday: Manuel C. Tagaza
- Birthday: Henry Dee
- Birthday: Sr. Elizabeth Wang
- Birthday: Celso S. Bate
- Wedding Anniversary: Erwin & Jenen Tangco
… 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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