DAILY- HOMILY

October 31, 2014

Friday 30th Week in Ordinary Time

[Memorial, St. Alphonsus Rodriguez]

Phil 1: 1-11 / Ps 111: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 / Lk 14: 1-6 

Reading: Phil 1: 1-11

From Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to the saints in Philippi, with their bishops and deacons; to you all in Christ Jesus: May grace and peace be yours from God, our Father, and Christ Jesus the Lord. I give thanks to my God each time I remember you, and when I pray for you, I pray with joy. I cannot forget all you shared with me in the service of the Gospel, from the first day until now. Since God began such a good work in you, I am certain that he will complete it in the day of Christ Jesus. This is my hope for you, for I carry you all in my heart: whether I am in prison or defending and confirming the Gospel, you are with me and share the same grace. God knows that I love you dearly with the love of Christ Jesus, and in my prayers I ask that your love may lead you each day to a deeper knowledge and clearer discernment, that you may have good criteria for everything. So you may be pure of heart and come blameless to the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of holiness that comes through Christ Jesus, for the glory and praise of God.

Gospel: Luke 14:1-6

One Sabbath Jesus had gone to eat a meal in the house of a leading Pharisee, and he was carefully watched. In front of him was a man suffering from dropsy; so Jesus asked the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?" But no one answered. Jesus then took the man, healed him, and sent him away. And he said to them, "If your lamb or your ox falls into a well on a Sabbath day, who among you doesn't hurry to pull it out?"  And they could not answer.

Reflection:

     The theme for today's liturgy emphasizes the prayer of St Paul in the beginning of our Epistle "that your love may lead you each day to a deeper knowledge and clearer discernment." Again, the central focus on love and deeper love, which is exemplified in the Gospel when Jesus shows that while fulfilling the law, the law of deeper love and concern for others should prevail. 

     What is today's deeper knowledge and clearer discernment?  The Lord continues to us the question:  What is the MORE loving thing to do? To follow the legality of curing on a Sabbath or to help the man with dropsy. (Note that dropsy is the old term for a person with edema due to a congestive heart failure.)

     Take note also that Jesus was eating a meal in the house of a leading Pharisee and was being carefully watched, and so the Lord took the opportunity to teach clearer discernment in asking the question "Is it lawful to heal on a Sabbath?" And then, the Lord healed the man and sent him on his way.

     Are there opportunities for us to use this clearer discernment and show greater love and concern for others? How do we handle people who ask us for help? Do we do just enough to get rid of them or do we take the time and trouble to really help them? How many neighbors have we helped in the past week? Let us pray for each other to get this grace of more knowledge and clearer discernment from the Lord. 

Prayer Requests:

We pray ...

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

... for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary

... 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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