Sunday, January 15, 2012
MONDAY 2ND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II
MONDAY 2ND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II
1 Sm 15:16-23 / Mk 2:18-22
1 SAMUEL 15:16-23
Samuel then told Saul, "Enough! Let me tell you what Yahweh said to me
last night." Saul replied, "Please tell me." So Samuel went on and
said, "Though you had no confidence in yourself, you became chief of
the tribes of Israel, for Yahweh wanted to anoint you king over
Israel. Then he sent you with this command, `Go. Completely crush the
Amalekite offenders, engaging them in battle until they are
destroyed.' Why then did you not obey the voice of Yahweh but instead
swooped down on the spoil, doing what was evil in his sight?" To this,
Saul replied, "I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh and have carried out
the mission for which he sent me. I have captured Agag, king of Amalek
and completely destroyed the Amalekites. If my men spared the best
sheep and oxen from among those to be destroyed, it was in order to
sacrifice them to Yahweh, your God, in Gilgal." Samuel then said,
"Does Yahweh take as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obedience to his command? Obedience is better than sacrifice,
and submission better than the fat of rams. Rebellion is like the sin
of divination, and stubbornness like holding onto idols. Since you
have rejected the word of Yahweh, he too has rejected you as king."
MARK 2:18-22
One day, when the Pharisees and the disciples of John the Baptist
were fasting, some people asked Jesus, "Why is it that both the
Pharisees and the disciples of John fast, but yours do not?" Jesus
answered, "How can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is
with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot
fast. But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken from
them, and on that day they will fast. No one sews a piece of new cloth
on an old coat, because the new patch will shrink and tear away from
the old cloth, making a worse tear. And no one puts new wine into old
wineskins, for the wine would burst the skins, and then both the wine
and the skins would be lost. But new wine, new skins!"
REFLECTION
Today's readings remind us to look beyond appearances. When Samuel
was tasked to anoint God's chosen leader for Israel, a person Samuel
had never seen before, he was told not to focus on appearances. He was
told that God sees the heart, and he needed to do the same if he were
to anoint the right person. Similarly, Jesus argued with the people of
his day that the Sabbath was made for man, and not the other way
around.
Today, we are challenged to re-think our ways. Are we quick to judge
people based on mere external manifestations? Do we tend to impose our
own sensibilities, our ideas of what is proper and what is not, on
those we encounter? How flexible are we when we interact with others?
To what extent are we able to give others the benefit of the doubt
when they appear to offend our sensibilities?
God challenges us to see others with compassion and generosity. Doing
so enables us to access the grace that God offers us in learning more
about Him and His love for others. This exercise takes effort; it is
not easy. We often judge others based on their appearance. Hence we
sometimes we fall short, because we trust only in our own efforts. Let
us be reminded today to rely on the loving grace of the Lord.
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Bob, Toni, Vera
- Ely Lara
- Eden Batuto
- Tung-Jou Sheh
- Cecilia Yu
… for the personal intentions of
- Jane, Maureen, Nick, Delores, Brian, Michael G, Linda O, Mary Ann, &
Frank
- Rita & Pam, Dana, Eugene R
- Angeli Marmeto
- Josheil Dapo
- Pauline
- Titong Villacorta
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Fernando P. Hofileña, M.D.
- Ricky C. Villacorta
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: Lucy M. Eugenio
- Birthday: Ryan L. Lamar
- Birthday: Ramona Marie C. Tan
- Birthday: Bishop Teodoro Bacani
- Birthday: Sally Mamalateo
- Wedding Anniversary: Liza & Manny Salgado
- Wedding Anniversary: Ramon & Chit Marin
… 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
© 2012 Daily-Homily
2ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – B
FEAST OF THE STO. NIÑO
2ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – B
Is 9:1-6 / Eph 1:3-6, 15-18 / Mk 10:13-16
Readings for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: 1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19 / 1
Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20 / Jn 1:35-42, Green
ISAIAH 9:1-6
The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light. A light has
dawned on those who live in the land of the shadow of death. You have
enlarged the nation; you have increased their joy. They rejoice before
you, as people rejoice at harvest time as they rejoice in dividing the
spoil. For the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressors, you have broken it as on the day of
Midian. Every warrior's boot that tramped in war, every cloak rolled
in blood, will be thrown out for burning, will serve as fuel for the
fire. For a child is born to us, a son is given us; the royal ornament
is laid upon his shoulder, and his name is proclaimed: "Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." To the
increase of his powerful rule in peace, there will be no end. Vast
will be his dominion, he will reign on David's throne and over all his
kingdom, to establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness
from this time onward and forever. The zealous love of Yahweh Sabaoth
will do this.
EPHESIANS 1:3-6, 15-18
Blessed be God, the Father of Christ Jesus our Lord, who in Christ has
blessed us from heaven with every spiritual blessing. God chose us in
Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and without sin in
his presence. From eternity he destined us in love to be his adopted
sons and daughters through Christ Jesus, thus fulfilling his free and
generous will. This goal suited him: that his loving-kindness which he
granted us in his Beloved might finally receive all glory and praise.
I have been told of your faith and your affection towards all the
believers, so I always give thanks to God, remembering you in my
prayers. May the God of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Father of Glory,
reveal himself to you and give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation,
that you may know him. May he enlighten your inner vision, that you
may appreciate the things we hope for, since we were called by God.
May you know how great is the inheritance, the glory, God sets apart
for his saints.
MARK 10:13-16
People were bringing their little children to him to have him touch
them, and the disciples rebuked them for this. When Jesus noticed it,
he was very angry and said, "Let the children come to me and don't
stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly, I
say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it." Then he took the children in his arms and, laying
his hands on them, blessed them.
REFLECTION
Today's celebration is special for the Philippines and somewhat
unique. The devotion to the child Jesus as the Santo Niño (the Holy
Child) can be traced to the popularity of the veneration of the Child
Jesus in 15th century Europe. St. Teresa of Avila was a great promoter
of the devotion. Famous throughout the world is the image of the
Infant of Prague. In 1521 King Charles V of Spain gave an image of the
Child Jesus to Ferdinand Magellan, who in turn gave it to the wife of
the Datu of Cebu. When some years later fire destroyed much of that
city, the same image was found "miraculously" unscathed. Not
surprisingly, popular devotion to the Holy Child was born and spread
with the image of Jesus as boy and king the revered icon. Miracles
were attributed to God's power working through the image. What can
this devotion to the Sto. Niño say for us today, to us who are not
15th century devotees but women and men of our advanced technological
age?
This and other similar devotions may be reminders that our response to
the mystery of God's love and care for us can be expressed in a great
variety of ways. Different cultures and subcultures will have
different ways of affirming that we believe in the ineffable saving
love of our God. There will be valid differences between the
devotional practices of rural folk and those of their urban brothers
and sisters, between the academically learned and the simple
unlettered believers. National differences will manifest uniquely
national variations of expression of religious faith. In all, of
course, there may be need to avoid exaggerations that lead to
superstition, a danger that must be acknowledged. Nevertheless popular
religiosity properly developed is part of the richness of religious
life and should not be unfairly belittled.
But there is something else that this feast offers all of us, and we
are reminded of it in the Gospel. Its message is that the kingdom of
heaven belongs to those who can become like children. The adult Jesus
says to his disciples and to all of us: "I assure you that whoever
does not accept the reign of God like a little child shall not take
part in it." [Mark 10:15] Jesus the adult teacher also told his
disciples: "I assure you, unless you change and become like little
children you will not enter the kingdom of God." [Matthew18:3] Strong
words indeed, and easily misunderstood if taken too literally. But the
message is a healthy reminder that those with simplicity of heart and
soul are the greatest in the kingdom of God, and not those who hold
the most worldly power. The message is a reminder that whoever wants
to be among the "first" in God's kingdom will be those who are
considered in our world as the last (or the least). Following the
example of Christ himself who came not to be served but to serve, the
disciples of Jesus are those who seek not to be served but to serve
and live their lives for others.
A final note for this reflection on this feast of the Sto. Niño is
concerned with growth. Yes, the image of the Sto. Niño is the image of
a young child. But we know that while maintaining the simplicity of
the child who will enter the kingdom of God, the child Jesus had to
grow into manhood. Although the usual image of the Sto. Niño is one of
a child dressed in glorious robes, the child Jesus had to develop into
the garments of his adulthood. Constant growth and development will
also continually challenge us as we develop as women and men of living
faith. There is the challenge to keep ourselves updated in our
changing world. The Church herself is always in need of development.
We can see that as the work of the Holy Spirit moves all of us. How
many years ago the Church, driven by the Spirit at the Second Vatican
Council, developed into the Church we love today, so different in so
many ways from how it seemed to be centuries ago. The Sto. Niño is the
Child who grew and gave his life for all of us. We, too, as disciples
of that Holy Child continue to grow as his followers.
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Tung-Jou Sheh
- Cecilia Yu
- Bob, Toni, Vera
… for the personal intentions of
- Jane, Maureen, Nick, Delores, Brian, Michael G, Linda O, Mary Ann, &
Frank
- Rita & Pam, Dana, Eugene R
- Angeli Marmeto
- Josheil Dapo
… for the eternal repose of the soul of Fernando P. Hofileña, M.D.
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: Antonio S.J. Cabrera
- Birthday: Charlie Tan
- Birthday: James Eberlein
- Wedding Anniversary: Raymond & Charlene Blanche Yu Banzal
- In Memoriam (+): Imelda Reyes
… 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
© 2012 Daily-Homily
SATURDAY 1ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II
SATURDAY 1ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II
1 Sm 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1a / Mk 2:13-17
1 SAMUEL 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1A
There was a man from the tribe of Benjamin whose name was Kish. He
was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a
valiant Benjaminite. Kish had a son named Saul, a handsome young man
who had no equal among the Israelites, for he was a head taller than
any of them. It happened that the asses of Kish were lost. So he said
to his son Saul, "Take one of the boys with you and go look for the
asses." They went all over the hill country of Ephraim and the land of
Shalishah but did not find them. They passed through the land of
Shaalim and the land of Benjamin, but the asses were nowhere to be
found. So, when Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh told him, "Here is the man I
spoke to you about! He shall rule over my people." Saul approached
Samuel in the gateway and said, "Tell me, where is the house of the
seer?" Samuel answered Saul, "I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the
high place, for today you shall eat with me. In the morning, before
you leave, I will tell you all that is in your heart. Then Samuel took
a vial of oil and poured it on Saul's head. And kissing Saul, Samuel
said, "Yahweh has anointed you to rule over and to lead his people
Israel. And this will be Yahweh's sign to you that he has anointed you
MARK 2:13-17
When Jesus went out again beside the lake, a crowd came to him, and
he taught them. As he walked along, he saw a tax collector sitting in
his office. This was Levi, the son of Alpheus. Jesus said to him,
"Follow me!" And Levi got up and followed him. And it so happened that
when Jesus was eating in Levi's house, tax collectors and sinners sat
with him and his disciples; there were a lot of them, and they used to
follow Jesus. But Pharisees, men educated in the Law, when they saw
Jesus eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples,
"Why does your master eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"
Jesus heard them, and answered, "Healthy people don't need a doctor,
but sick people do. I did not come to call the righteous, but
sinners."
REFLECTION
Despised for being a tax collector, Matthew had no friends. But when
Jesus came, he looked at him in a way no one else had ever looked at
him. Matthew felt love and compassion; no judgment, only care and
concern.
As we quietly gaze at Jesus in this narrative, we truly feel grateful
that he came to call us to follow him, sinners as we all are. We
admire our Lord for his courage in going beyond the prevailing norm
and behavior of his time. When he was criticized for eating with tax
collectors and sinners, Jesus said he did not come for the righteous,
but for the sinners. And this gives us hope and strength to journey
toward our loving God.
Were there times we went beyond the barriers of prevailing norms and
behavior in loving and serving our neighbor? What was the
circumstance? Who were the people involved? What did we do in "going
beyond" the usual?
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Chief Samrose Anyaugo
- Tung-Jou Sheh
- Cecilia Yu
… for the personal intentions of
- Dr. Ugo Anyaugo, Mr. Ogechi Anyaugo, Barr Obinna Okoronkwo, Barr Mrs
Barbs Adaugo Okoronkwo, Mr .Ifeanyi Anyaugo, Mr Chuboy Anyaugo,
Cordelia Anyaugo
- Jane, Maureen, Nick, Delores, Brian, Michael G, Linda O, Mary Ann, &
Frank
- Rita & Pam, Dana, Eugene R
… for the eternal repose of the souls of Fernando P. Hofileña, M.D.
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: Dr. Ma. Fides Pacheco
- Birthday: Shay Canon
- Birthday: Fil Christian M. Cruz
- Birthday: Elizabeth Dee
- Birthday: Amador L. Reyes Jr.
- Wedding Anniversary: Brian & Ria Salonga
- In Memoriam (+): Milagros Datu
… 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
© 2012 Daily-Homily
FRIDAY 1ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II
MEMORIAL, ST. HILARY
FRIDAY 1ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II
1 Sm 8:4-7, 10-22a / Mk 2:1-12
1 SAMUEL 8:4-7, 10-22A
Because of this, all the chiefs of Israel gathered together and went
to Samuel in Ramah. They said to him, "You are already old and your
sons are not following your ways. Give us a king to rule over us as in
all the other nations." Samuel was very displeased with what they
said, "Give us a king to rule us," and he prayed to Yahweh. And Yahweh
told him, "Give to this people all that they ask for. So Samuel
answered those who were asking him for a king, and he told them all
that Yahweh said to him, "Look, these will be the demands of your
king: he will take your sons and assign them to his chariot and his
horses and have them run before his chariot. Some he will assign as
commanders over a thousand men and commanders over fifty. Others will
till his ground and reap his harvest, make his implements of war and
the equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters as well to
prepare perfumes, to cook and to bake for him. He will take the best
of your fields, your vineyards and your olive orchards and give them
to his officials. He will take a tenth portion of your grain and of
your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He
will take your menservants and maidservants, the best of your cattle
and your asses for his own work. He will take the tenth of your flocks
and you yourselves will become his slaves. When these things happen,
you will cry out because of the king whom you have chosen for
yourselves. But by then, Yahweh will not answer you." The people paid
no attention to all that Samuel said. They insisted, "No! We want a
king to govern us as in all the other nations. Our king shall govern
us, lead us and go ahead of us in our battles." Upon hearing all that
his people said, Samuel repeated it to Yahweh. But Yahweh said to him,
"Listen to them and give them a king." Samuel then said to the
Israelites, "Go back, all of you, to your own cities."
MARK 2:1-12
After some days Jesus returned to Capernaum. As the news spread that
he was in the house, so many people gathered, that there was no longer
room even outside the door. While Jesus was preaching the Word to
them, some people brought a paralyzed man to him. The four men who
carried him couldn't get near Jesus because of the crowd, so they
opened the roof above the room where Jesus was and, through the hole,
lowered the man on his mat. When Jesus saw the faith of these people,
he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." Now some
teachers of the Law, who were sitting there, wondered within
themselves, "How can he speak like this, insulting God? Who can
forgive sins except God?" At once Jesus knew in his spirit what they
were thinking, and asked, "Why do you wonder? Is it easier to say to
this paralyzed man, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Rise, take
up your mat and walk?' But now you shall know that the Son of Man has
authority on earth to forgive sins." And he said to the paralytic,
"Stand up, take up your mat and go home." The man rose and, in the
sight of all those people, he took up his mat and went out. All of
them were astonished and praised God, saying, "Never have we seen
anything like this!"
REFLECTION
The Catholic Church has Doctors. The title is not the same as those
of physicians or persons who have earned the highest academic degree;
rather, Doctors of the Church are great saints known for their defense
and explanation of the truths of the Catholic Faith. This honor is
given rarely, and only after canonization.
St. Hilary, born in Poitiers, France, probably in 315 A.D., became one
of the early Church Fathers. His parents were wealthy pagans who
provided him with excellent education especially in Latin and Greek
classics. His studies led him to read the Bible for the first time,
where he literally read himself into the faith, and was converted by
the end of the New Testament. He was baptized and lived the faith so
well he was made bishop of Poitiers between 350-353 A.D. During his
time, the Arian heresy was rampant in the eastern Church. Arianism
maintained that Jesus, being the Son of the Father, was not eternal
but was created by the Father from nothing as an instrument for the
creation of the world; Jesus was therefore not coeternal with the
Father, or of the same substance. In other words, it denies the
divinity of Jesus. Hilary opposed both the introduction of Arianism
into France and the emperor's attempt to run Church matters. Emperor
Constantius II, the protector of Arianism, exiled Hilary to Phrygia
(present-day west central Turkey) in 356 A.D. During his exile, Hilary
continued writing against Arianism and completed his masterpiece on
the Trinity. The emperor sent him back to Poitiers for being a
troublemaker. He died probably in 386 A.D. of natural causes.
Centuries later, in 1853, Pope Pius IX proclaimed Hilary Doctor of the
Church for leading the defense against the Arian heresy. He is called
the Doctor of Christ's Divinity.
St. Hilary's gift of intelligence, speech, and writing were used for
the glory of God and His Church. What talent can we offer for God's
glory?
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Mon Torres
- Luis Torres
- Rakkie Villa
- John White
- Don Vickaryous
- Chief Samrose Anyaugo
- Tung-Jou Sheh
- Cecilia Yu
… for the personal intentions of
- men and women of Solar News
- Marquez family
- Cherie Torres
- Pauline
- Dr. Ugo Anyaugo, Mr. Ogechi Anyaugo, Barr Obinna Okoronkwo, Barr Mrs
Barbs Adaugo Okoronkwo, Mr .Ifeanyi Anyaugo, Mr Chuboy Anyaugo,
Cordelia Anyaugo
- Jane, Maureen, Nick, Delores, Brian, Michael G, Linda O, Mary Ann, &
Frank
- Rita & Pam, Dana, Eugene R
… for the eternal repose of the soul of Fernando P. Hofileña, M.D.
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: Antonio G. Co
- Birthday: Onic Catindig
- Birthday: Jennifer Almojuela
- In Memoriam (+): Tang Yee
- In Memoriam (+): Ignacio Yang
… 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
© 2012 Daily-Homily
