DAILY- HOMILY

November 23, 2013

Saturday 33rd Week in Ordinary Time- Year I

Memorial, Blessed Michael Augustine Pro, priest and martyr

1 Mac 6:1-13 / Ps 9: 2-3. 4 and 6. 16 and 19 / Lk 20:27-40

1 Macabees 6:1-13

When king Antiochus was making his way through the upper regions of Persia, he received news about Elymais, a city renowned for its wealth in silver and gold. They kept in the wealthy temple of their city golden armor, breast- plates and weapons left there by the Macedonian king, Alexander the son of Philip, the first sovereign of the Greeks. So Antiochus went there but the inhabitants came out armed against him when they learned of his intention, so his at- tempt to take the city failed. He had to turn back, and he returned much embittered to Babylon. While he was still in Persia, it was reported to him that the armies sent to Judea had been defeated. They told him that although Lysias had gone with a strong army, he had to flee before the Jews who had been strengthened with the weapons and the abundant booty taken from the neighboring armies. He heard too that the Jews had destroyed the abominable idol he had erected on the altar in Jerusalem, and had rebuilt the temple walls to the same height as before, and had also fortified the city of Bethzur. When he received this news, he was terrified and deeply upset. He fell sick and became greatly depressed because things had not turned out the way he had planned. So he remained overcome by this terrible anguish for many days. He felt that he was dying, so he called his friends and said to them, "Sleep has fled from my eyes and I am greatly crushed by my anxieties. And I keep on asking why such grief has come upon me—I who was generous and well-loved when in power—and now I am so discouraged. Now I remember the evils I did in Jerusalem, the vessels of gold and silver that I stole, the inhabitants of Judea I ordered to be killed for no reason at all. I now know that because of this, these misfortunes have come upon me, and I am dying of grief in a strange land."

Luke 20:27-40

Then some Sadducees arrived. These people claim that there is no resurrection, and they asked Jesus this question, "Master, in the Law Moses told us, 'If anyone dies leaving a wife but no children, his brother must take the wife, and any child born to them will be regarded as the child of the deceased.' Now, there were seven brothers; the first married a wife, but he died without children; and the second and the third took the wife; in fact, all seven died leaving no children. Last of all the woman died. On the day of the resurrection, to which of them will the woman be a wife? For all seven had her as a wife." And Jesus replied, "Taking a husband or a wife is proper to people of this world, but for those who are considered worthy of the world to come, and of resurrection from the dead, there is no more marriage. Besides, they cannot die, for they are like the angels. They are sons and daughters of God, because they are born of the resurrection. Yes, the dead will be raised, as Moses revealed at the burning bush, where he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob'. For God is God of the living, and not of the dead, for to him everyone is alive." Some teachers of the Law then agreed with Jesus, "Master, you have spoken well." They didn't dare to ask him anything else.

Reflection

During his time, Jesus, through his emphasis on substance over form, was considered a radical. He was despised by religious conservatives like the Sadducees whose main passion was to impose many rules and sanctions to keep control over the people.

In the First Reading, King Antiochus suffered misfortunes. God was angry with him not so much because of his collection of loots of gold, silver and idols in his temple, but because he murdered a lot of innocent human beings in his desire for power and conquest.

In the gospel, God admonishes us not to be distracted by mundane notions of whose wife a woman will be in the afterlife. Rather, for the Lord, it is more important that we are always aware of the really significant things: respect for His creation, love, charity, our conduct while in this world.

Let us pray that we are blessed with clarity of thought in our minds and firm conviction in our hearts to know and live God's will each day of our lives.

Prayer Requests

We pray …

… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.

… for the speedy recovery and healing of

Lorenzo Meoli

Don Dinning's brother

… for the personal intentions of Pauline

… for the eternal repose of the souls of

Elsa Supsup

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: Myrna Navarrete

… 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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