Thursday, January 17, 2013

 

FRIDAY 1ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

JANUARY 18, 2013
FRIDAY 1ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

Heb 4:1-5,11 / Ps 78: 3 and 4bc. 6c-7. 8 / Mk 2:1-12

HEBREWS 4:1-5,11
Therefore let us fear while we are invited to enter the rest of God, lest any of you be left behind. We received the Gospel exactly as they did, but hearing the message did them no good, because they did not share the faith of those who did listen. We are now to enter this rest because we believed, as it was said: I was angry and made a solemn vow: they will never enter my rest — that is the rest of God after he created the world. In another part it was said about the seventh day: And God rested on the seventh day from all his works. But now it is said: They will not enter my rest. Let us strive, then, to enter the rest and not to share the misfortune of those who disobeyed.

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
In our Gospel today, we are told of four men who went out of their way to bring a paralytic man to Jesus. Because they could not carry the man into the house, they opened the roof and lowered the man who needed some healing. They were convinced that Jesus would heal this man, and they made sure that the man would face Jesus. This is proof of their faith in Jesus' power, and their perseverance in bringing this man to Him.

If we found ourselves in a similar situation, how far would we go to ensure that Jesus would hear our petition? What roofs will we open up to bring forth our petition to Jesus' person? How sure are we that we would get what we asked for?

Although God gives freely, we have a share of work when we seek God's grace in our lives. One necessary step is to get ourselves ready to receive the grace we seek by opening up ourselves to this gift. And so, opening up ourselves to God—much like opening up the roof in our Gospel today—may entail broadening our view of our situation and to try to see things the way God does. With our imagination, we can try to understand our situation much like God understands it. With faith and perseverance, we may see God granting us the grace we seek. This grace may not be in the same form as we had originally envisioned. After all, what is harder, to forgive sins or make a paralytic walk?

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; for protection and personal intentions of Dr Ugo Anyaugo, Oge Anyaugo,Barr (Mrs) adaugo Barbara Okoronkwo,Engr. Ifeanyi Matt Anyaugo, Chuba Anyaugo and Ezinne Cordelia Anyaugo
- Lydia and Judo Pe
- Melencio Go
… for the personal intentions of
- Jennette
- Pauline
- Joy
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Rosario Reyes
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: Simion Tiu
- Wedding Anniversary: Andrew & Jan Co
… 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.
+================================================+

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THURSDAY 1ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

JANUARY 17, 2013
MEMORIAL, SAINT ANTHONY OF EGYPT, ABBOT
THURSDAY 1ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

Heb 3:7-14 / Ps 95: 6-7c. 8-9. 10-11 / Mk 1:40-45

HEBREWS 3:7-14
Listen to what the Holy Spirit says: If only you would hear God's voice today! Do not be stubborn, as they were in the place called Rebellion, when your ancestors challenged me in the desert, although they had seen my deeds for forty years. That is why I was angry with those people and said: Their hearts are always going astray and they do not understand my ways. I was angry and made a solemn vow: They will never enter my rest. So, brothers, be careful lest some of you come to have an evil and unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. Encourage one another, day by day, as long as it is called to day. Let no one become hardened in the deceitful way of sin. We are associated with Christ pro- vided we hold steadfastly to our initial hope until the end.

MARK 1:40-45
A leper came to Jesus and begged him, "If you want to, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I do want to; be clean." The leprosy left the man at once and he was made clean. As Jesus sent the man away, he sternly warned him, "Don't tell anyone about this, but go and show yourself to the priest, and for the cleansing bring the offering ordered by Moses; in this way you will give to them your testimony." However, as soon as the man went out, he began spreading the news everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter any town. But even though he stayed in the rural areas, people came to him from everywhere.

REFLECTION
In this Gospel passage, Jesus cures a leper who begged him to make him clean. Why clean? Leprosy at that time was considered a contagious disease, thus a leper had to live outside the town. Besides, they believed that leprosy was an affliction from God and the Jews considered lepers as unclean. Can you imagine how a leper lived an isolated life? It was a very unhappy and depressive life as they were separated from family, friends and all the villagers. So this leper, when he was made clean by Jesus, did not follow his command of not telling anyone. Instead he went around proclaiming the news everywhere, that he was made clean. His heart could not contain the joy of being freed from his suffering. He went on sharing what Jesus had done for him.

There are many lepers around us today, not necessarily being physically sick with leprosy, but because of their situation in life, being isolated and made outcasts of society. The poor, the sick especially of HIV, the elderly, the uneducated, the prisoners, etc. are just a few examples of those who are considered lepers, untouchables, by people who look at themselves as clean.

Do we reach out to them so that in their suffering they will feel comforted, accepted and loved? How can we alleviate the sufferings and difficulties of these marginalized people around us?

The leper in the Gospel received a gratuitous gift of healing that made him proclaim God's goodness to him. We, too, have received certain gifts which have changed our lives. Have we ever thought of sharing them joyfully with others? Have we thanked the giver of this gift?

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
- Fleur Torres
- Ditas dela Paz
- Andy Lecaros
- Virginia Hernandez
- Chief Samrose Anyaugo; for protection and personal intentions of Dr Ugo Anyaugo, Oge Anyaugo,Barr (Mrs) adaugo Barbara Okoronkwo,Engr. Ifeanyi Matt Anyaugo, Chuba Anyaugo and Ezinne Cordelia Anyaugo
- Lydia and Judo Pe
- Melencio Go
… for the personal intentions of
- Jennette
- Pauline
- Joy
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Rosario Reyes
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: Ester Reyes Tagud
- Wedding Anniversary: Karen & Joey de Venecia
… 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.
+================================================+

__._,_.___

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© 2013 Daily-Homily
 
 

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