DAILY- HOMILY

December 14, 2013

Saturday 2^nd Week of Advent - Year I

Memorial, Saint John of the Cross, priest and doctor

Sir 48:1-4,9-11 / Ps 80: 2ac and 3b. 15-16. 18-19 / Mt 17:10-13

Sirach 48:1-4,9-11

Then came the prophet Elijah like a fire, his words a burning torch. He brought a famine on the peo ple and in his zealous love had them reduced in number. Speaking in the name of the Lord he closed the heavens, and on three occasions called down fire. How marvelous you were, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! Who could ever boast of being your equal? You were taken up by a whirlwind of flames in a chariot drawn by fiery horses. It was written that you should be the one to calm God's anger in the future be - fore it broke out in fury, to turn the hearts of fathers to their sons and to restore the tribes of Jacob. 11 Happy are those who will see you and those who die in love, for we too shall live.

Matthew 17:10-13

The disciples then asked him, "Why do the teachers of the Law say that Elijah must come first?" And Jesus answered, "So it is: first comes Elijah to set everything as it has to be. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but they did not recognize him, and treated him as they pleased. And they will also make the Son of Man suffer." Then the disciples understood that Jesus was referring to John the Baptist.

Reflection

Today, we celebrate the memorial of St. John of the Cross (Juan de la Cruz). A Carmelite priest from Spain, he was also a great mystic and poet and his works are now considered masterpieces of spirituality and Spanish literature. Together with his contemporary, St. Teresa of Avila and St. Therese of Lisieux, both doctors of the Church, he is honored today as one among the three greatest figures of the Carmelite order whose lives and works greatly influenced the Catholic Church. However, in his time, for his efforts to reform the life of his religious confreres, he was very much misunderstood and even imprisoned by his Carmelite brothers. It was during this period of great desolation and anguish that he produced some of his greatest works on spirituality which are considered to be some of the greatest legacies of the Carmelite order to the Church.

As we reflect on the life of St. John of the Cross and our readings today from Matthew's gospel and the Old Testament, we can see that people have not changed through the centuries. The people then, and we now, still ignore the prophets and reformers in our midst. Through the centuries, our loving Father continues to speak to us and call us to reform our lives (metanoia) through human intervention – like the prophet Elijah to the ancient Israelites, St. John the Baptist at the time of our Lord, Juan de la Cruz in medieval Spain and through different people in our modern age. Surely we can recall that the Baptist had cried out in the wilderness to his hearers to make way for the advent of the Lord. Now, how can we prepare ourselves and respond more fully to God's invitation to effect a change in our hearts and lifestyles, keeping in mind that we are now approaching the celebration of the birth of the Son of Man at Christmas?

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

-                  Cely Katigbak

-                  Ditas dela Paz, Toots Monfort, Virginia Hernandez, and Fleur Torres

-                  Eric

… for the personal intentions of

-                  Pauline

-                  Beny Chua

-                  Joshua Chua

-                  Feliciana Bonsol

… for the eternal repose of the souls of Victor Borja. 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: Paolo Gabriel Chikiamco

Birthday: Hubert See Co

Wedding Anniversary: Carlos & Lynda Lao

… 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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