DAILY- HOMILY

FEBRUARY 17, 2013
1ST SUNDAY OF LENT – C

Dt 26:4-10 / Ps 91: 1-2. 10-11. 12-13. 14-15 / Rom 10:8-13 / Lk 4:1-13

DEUTERONOMY 26:4-10
Then the priest shall take the large basket from your hands and place it before the altar of Yahweh, your God, and you shall say these words before Yahweh, "My father was a wandering Aramean. He went down to Egypt to find refuge there, while still few in number; but in that country, he became a great and powerful nation. The Egyptians maltreated us, oppressed us and subjected us to harsh slavery. So we called to Yahweh, the God of our ancestors, and Yahweh listened to us. He saw our humiliation, our hard labor and the oppression to which we were subjected. He brought us out of Egypt with a firm hand, manifesting his power with signs and awesome wonders. And he brought us here to give us this land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring and offer the first fruits of the land which you, Yahweh, have given me."

ROMANS 10:8-13
True righteousness coming from faith also says: The word of God is near you, on your lips and in your hearts. This is the message that we preach, and this is faith. You are saved if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart you believe that God raised him from the dead. By believing from the heart, you obtain true righteousness; by confessing the faith with your lips you are saved. For Scripture says: No one who believes in him will be ashamed. Here there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; all have the same Lord, who is very generous with whoever calls on him. Truly, all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

LUKE 4:1-13
Jesus was now full of Holy Spirit. As he returned from the Jordan, the Spirit led him into the desert where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. He did not eat anything during that time, and at the end he was hungry. The devil then said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into bread." But Jesus answered, "Scripture says: People cannot live on bread alone." Then the devil took him up to a high place, and showed him in a flash all the nations of the world. And he said to Jesus, "I can give you power over all the nations, and their wealth will be yours; for power and wealth have been delivered to me, and I give them to whom I wish. All this will be yours, provided you worship me." But Jesus replied, "Scripture says: You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him alone." Then the devil took him up to Jerusalem, and set him on the highest wall of the Temple; and he said, "If you are God's son, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: God will order his angels to take care of you; and again: They will hold you in their hands, lest you hurt your foot on the stones." But Jesus replied, "It is written: You shall not challenge the Lord your God." When the devil had exhausted every way of tempting Jesus, he left him, to return another time.

REFLECTION
The gospel story of this first Sunday of Lent shows us Jesus forty days after he had been baptized by his cousin John (the Baptist). At his baptism, the Spirit came down upon Jesus and the Father's voice was heard proclaiming that Jesus was to fulfill the mission of the beloved Son of the Father. That mission, according to the prophecy of Isaiah, was a mission to bring good news of liberty to the suffering poor. For Jesus, as he himself understood that mission, it meant so much: feeding the hungry, healing the sick, curing the blind and the lame, even giving new life to the dying. For all of that he was baptized. For all of that he was "anointed" by the Spirit. That was the mission of the Father's Son, the "Son of God"!

But the "way" by which Jesus was to accomplish his mission, according to Isaiah's prophecy was to be a way of suffering and of self-sacrifice. It was not to be the way of pompous self-glorification. Actually Jesus knew that he was being commissioned to a mission of love, and of that perfection of love by which one is willing to love to the extent of even giving one's life for the sake of love. Jesus was to proclaim that there is no greater love than that by which one is willing to die for those who are loved.

Was he ready for that mission? For forty days he had been fasting in the wilderness to help prepare himself. Will he be strong enough spiritually? Ah, that had to be tested! So now he will have his determination challenged. The challenge comes in the form of the temptations that today's gospel recounts. How subtle the tempter is, that crafty devil. The devil does not suggest to Jesus that he is not the Son of God. No, "IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD," the devil whispers, let me show you MY way. I will show you how to feed the hungry! I will give you all the power and glory you will need to show how powerful you are! I will even give you all the kingdoms of the world! Yes, I will do all of this for you IF ONLY YOU WILL BOW DOWN IN HOMAGE BEFORE ME! In other words, don't follow the way of self-sacrifice for which the heavenly Father has given you the Spirit. No! Follow MY WAY. It is more glorious with no suffering!

The clever devil even used quotations from the Scriptures to try to convince Jesus. But Jesus showed that he was indeed prepared to face the clever temptations of the devil. He was indeed well prepared. His fasting in the wilderness for forty days did not weaken him spiritually. He was rather strengthened for his life's mission.

Each year the Church suggests that we take forty days to help prepare ourselves for whatever way the Lord wants us to live our lives. As we begin our Lent this year, can we see it as a season to help prepare ourselves so that our lives today can be lives that show how we, like Jesus, reject self-glorification for the sake of love that is self-giving? That is the meaning of what is called self-denial. Yes, Lent is actually a season to prepare us and to strengthen us to be more loving!

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Eliseo Fabella, Sr.
- Chief Samrose Anyaugo
… for the personal intentions of
- Dr Ugo Anyaugo, Oge Anyaugo, Barr (Mrs) adaugo Barbara Okoronkwo, Engr. Ifeanyi Matt Anyaugo, Chuba Anyaugo and Ezinne Cordelia Anyaugo
- Pauline
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- A. Ojeda
- Felix M. Gonzalez
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.
- Prayer Intention: Benito Ang
- Prayer Intention: Robert Ang
- Prayer Intention: Diana Po Llian Ang Tañedo
… 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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FEBRUARY 16, 2013
SATURDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY – YEAR I

Is 58:9-14 / Ps 86: 1-2. 3-4. 5-6 / Lk 5:27-32

ISAIAH 58:9-14
Then you will call and Yahweh will answer, you will cry and he will say, I am here. If you remove from your midst the yoke, the clenched fist and the wicked word, if you share your food with the hungry and give relief to the oppressed, then your light will rise in the dark, your night will be like noon. Yahweh will guide you always and give you relief in desert places. He will strengthen your bones; he will make you as a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins will be rebuilt, the age-old foundations will be raised. You will be called the Breach-mender, and the Restorer of ruined houses. If you stop profaning the sabbath and doing as you please on the holy day, if you call the sabbath a day of delight and keep sacred Yahweh's holy day, if you honor it by not going your own way, not doing as you please and not speaking with malice, then you will find happiness in Yahweh, over the heights you will ride triumphantly, and feast joyfully on the inheritance of your father Jacob. The mouth of Yahweh has spoken.

LUKE 5:27-32
After this Jesus went out, and noticing a tax collector named Levi, sitting in the tax-office, he said to him, "Follow me!" So Levi, leaving everything, got up and followed Jesus. Levi gave a great feast for Jesus, and many tax collectors came to his house and took their places at the table with the other people. Then the Pharisees and their followers complained to Jesus' disciples, "How is it that you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" But Jesus spoke up, "Health y people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. I have come not to call the just, but sinners to a change of heart."

REFLECTION
Jesus called Levi (Matthew), a tax collector to follow him. Tax collectors before were known to extort from the people and they were considered sinners. Levi must have heard of the many healing miracles Jesus was doing. He was so happy that Jesus came to him that he threw a banquet in his house with his fellow tax collectors. The people didn't like him because he was stealing money from them. Jesus initiates the relationship with the outcasts as he spent time and ate with Levi and a large crowd of tax collectors, treating them as equals and loving and caring for them. He knows that these people can be transformed.

Jesus calls us today. He invites us so that we too can receive his healing. He is all about compassion and grace.

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
- Eliseo Fabella, Sr.
- Chief Samrose Anyaugo
… for the personal intentions of
- Dr Ugo Anyaugo, Oge Anyaugo, Barr (Mrs) adaugo Barbara Okoronkwo, Engr. Ifeanyi Matt Anyaugo, Chuba Anyaugo and Ezinne Cordelia Anyaugo
- Pauline
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Jovita Sy
- A. Ojeda
- Felix M. Gonzalez
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: John Thomas Kyaw Thuwin
- Wedding Anniversary: Joey & Cita Roxas
- Thanksgiving: Carlos Siy & Family
- In Memoriam (+): Quinciana Guieb Fiel
- In Memoriam (+): Victor T Nañagas
- In Memoriam (+): Siok Tuan Ang Lim (Nov 6, 1927 - Feb 16, 2005)
- In Memoriam (+): Felisa Uy Go
… 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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