DAILY- HOMILY

MARCH 23, 2013
SATURDAY 5TH WEEK OF LENT – YEAR I

Ezk 37:21-28 / Jer 31: 10. 11-12abcd. 13 / Jn 11:45-57

EZEKIEL 37:21-28
You will then say to them: Thus says Yahweh: I am about to withdraw the Israelites from where they were among the nations. I shall gather them from all around and bring them back to their land. I shall make them into one people on the mountains of Israel and one king is to be king of them all. They will no longer form two nations or be two separate kingdoms, nor will they defile themselves again with their idols, their detestable practices and their sins. I shall free them from the guilt of their treachery; I shall cleanse them and they will be for me a people and I shall be God for them. My servant David will reign over them, one shepherd for all. They will live according to my laws and follow and practice my decrees. They will settle in the land I gave to my servant Jacob where their ancestors lived. There they will live forever, their children and their children's children. David my servant will be their prince forever. I shall establish a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I shall settle them and they will increase and I shall put my sanctuary in their midst forever. I shall make my home at their side; I shall be their God and they will be my people. Then the nations will know that I am Yahweh who makes Israel holy, having my sanctuary among them forever."

JOHN 11:45-57
Many of the Jews who had come with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw what he did; but some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called together the Council. They said, "What are we to do? For this man keeps on giving miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, all the people will believe in him and, as a result of this, the Romans will come and destroy our Holy Place and our nation." Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all, nor do you see clearly what you need. It is better to have one man die for the people than to let the whole nation be destroyed." In saying this Caiaphas did not speak for himself, but being High Priest that year, he foretold like a prophet that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also would die to gather into one the scattered children of God. So, from that day on, they were determined to kill him. Because of this, Jesus no longer moved about freely among the Jews. He withdrew instead to the country near the wilderness, and stayed with his disciples in a town called Ephraim. The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and people from everywhere were coming to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover. They looked for Jesus and, as they stood in the Temple, they talked with one another, "What do you think? Will he come to the festival?" Mean while the chief priests and the elders had given orders that anyone who knew where he was should let them know, so that they could arrest him.

REFLECTION
"The Passover of the Jews was at hand and people from everywhere were coming to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover ...... "What do you think? Will he come to the festival?" ...... Every year, following tradition, many Jews, even to this day, purify themselves before the Passover festival. Many of them go to Jerusalem, or come together as a family to be reunited with one another, and celebrate together in remembrance of how their people were then saved by God from the cruelty of the Egyptians.

We Christian Catholics go through a kind of purification ourselves during the Lenten season. Sin separates us from God, and this is the time of year when we go back to Him through the sacrament of reconciliation. As retribution for our sins, we do acts of penance, give alms, fast, pray more, do acts of mortification, and attend recollections. We do all this to be reunited with God and to come closer to Him and experience His compassion and love.

Indeed, like the Jews looking for Jesus in the temple, we await the glory of the Risen Lord. Let us prepare to meet Him in His glorious feast by purifying ourselves and reconciling with Him.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
… for the eternal repose of the soul of Carmen Reyes-Santos. 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: Beatrix Atienza
- Birthday: Sofie Rose Coleongco Lim
- Wedding Anniversary: Raul & Susan Aquino
… 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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