DAILY- HOMILY

October 12, 2013

Saturday 27^th Week in Ordinary Time - Year I

Jl 4:12-21 / Ps 97: 1-2. 5-6. 11-12 / Lk 11:27-28

Joel 4:12-21

Rise up, O peoples, and come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, nations. Bring a sickle for the harvest is ripe; come and tread for the winepress is full and the vats overflow, so great is their wickedness! Multitudes and more multitudes in the Valley of Verdict! The day of Yahweh is near in the Valley of Verdict! The sun and the moon become dark, the stars lose their radiance. Yahweh roars from Zion and raises his voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth are shaken. Indeed Yahweh is a refuge for his people, a strong hold for the Israelites. You will know that I am Yahweh, your God, dwelling on Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem will be a holy place, and foreigners will never pass through there again. On that day the mountains shall drip wine and the hills flow with milk; all the streams of Judah will run with water and a fountain will spring from the House of Yahweh, and water the valley of Shittim. On the other hand, Egypt will be devastated and Edom will become a deserted wasteland because they com mitted violence against Judah, and shed innocent blood in their country. But Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem through all generations. And I shall avenge their blood and not leave it unpunished, for Yahweh dwells in Zion.

Luke 11:27-28

As Jesus was speaking, a woman spoke from the crowd and said to him, "Blessed is the one who gave you birth and nursed you!" Jesus replied, "Truly blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it as well."

REFLECTION

Through Jesus, the promises of God made through the prophecies of old will be fulfilled. "You will learn then that I am the Lord your God."

Prior to the verses of our gospel for today, Jesus spoke about "the fundamental truth that you cannot leave a man's soul empty. It is not enough to banish the evil thoughts and the evil habits and the old ways and leave the soul empty. An empty soul is a soul in peril . . . You've got to fill a man with something. It is not enough to drive out evil; good must come in . . . The woman who spoke was carried away by a moment of emotion. Jesus pulled her back to reality. The moment of emotion is a fine thing; but the greatest thing is a life of obedience in the routine things of every day. No amount of fine feeling can take the place of faithful doing." (William Barclay)

The Jewish baby was always suckled by its own mother even up to two or three years. It was a duty that the rabbis reminded them of. When a child was at last weaned, a feast and sacrifice was made in memory of Abraham's celebration of the time Sarah stopped suckling Isaac. Thus the child was solemnly made a member of the religious community and marked by the seal of God in circumcision for a male child. (Daily Life in Palestine at the time of Christ by Henri Daniel-Rops)

Jesus elevated this sanctity of being marked with the "seal of God" from its ritual roots to one's commitment to living the faith in God's word.

Prayer Requests

We pray …

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

… for the speedy recovery and healing of

Benny, Herb, Ed, Bob M (MN), Debbie(AZ), Denise(TX), Nick(MD), Randy & Bob F

Nick Lucena

Joy Droke

… for the personal intentions of

Ben,Nancy,Mary Ann M, Netta, Mrs D, Joan's son, Fr. Larry & his dad

Pauline

Aaron L.

… for the eternal repose of the souls of

-               Josefina Villafuerte

-               Mike Joseph, Tita Tudik, Bong Lacida, Weng Lacida Yap, Grace Bongalo, Xavier Javier, Jess Garces, Raul Lacida, Nellie Lacida

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.

60^th Wedding Anniversary: Uy Kim & Felisa L. Uy

… 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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