DAILY- HOMILY

November 11, 2014

Tuesday 32nd Week in Ordinary Time

[Memorial, St. Martin of Tours]

 

Ti 2: 1-8, 11-14 / Ps 37: 3-4, 18 and 23, 27 and 29 / Lk 17: 7-10 

Reading: Ti 2: 1-8, 11-14

Let your words strengthen sound doctrine. Tell the older men to be sober, serious, wise, sound in faith, love and perseverance. The older women in like manner must behave as befits holy women, not given to gossiping or drinking wine, but as good counselors, able to teach younger wo-men to love their husbands and children, to be judicious and chaste, to take care of their households, to be kind and submissive to their husbands, lest our faith be attacked. Encourage the young men to be self-controlled. Set them an example by your own way of doing. Let your teaching be earnest and sincere, and your preaching beyond reproach. Then your opponents will feel ashamed and will have nothing to criticize. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, teaching us to reject an irreligious way of life and worldly greed, and to live in this world as responsible persons, upright and serving God, while we await our blessed hope-the glorious manifestation of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus. He gave himself for us, to redeem us from every evil and to purify a people he wanted to be his own and dedicated to what is good.

Gospel: Luke 17: 7-10

Who among you would say to your servant coming in from the fields after plowing or tending sheep: 'Come at once and sit down at table'? No, you tell him: 'Prepare my dinner. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink; you can eat and drink afterwards.' Do you thank this servant for doing what you commanded? So for you. When you have done all that you have been told to do, you must say: 'We are no more than servants; we have only done our duty.'"

Reflection:

     During the time of Jesus, a servant did not have the same rights and privileges as his master. A servant knew this and he did not expect gratitude or praise for doing his work simply because it was his duty to do so.  This may seem harsh and un-Christian but this parable is teaching us the right attitude of a Christian. Jesus himself fully embodies the suffering servant who did not complain, who did not question and who was totally obedient to his Father. He did all this despite knowing he was the Son of God because he knew his mission was to suffer and die for the sins of humanity.  Similarly we must consider ourselves servants of God whom God sometimes burdens with a lot of trials. We understand that what we suffer and do as Christians help to save others and we do not ask for a reward for our sufferings. Love is the key here.  We are more than willing to suffer for those we love.  We are called to love God and our neighbor, even our enemies. In reality whenever we do God's work we experience a great spiritual peace and greater love of God.  So God does reward us for doing our duties as Christians.

     The first reading tells us concretely how to behave as Christians. St. Paul tells us as believers to teach sound doctrine, to be temperate and self-controlled, to be prudent in speech, to love and take care of our families, not to be drunkards or slanderers, and to be pure and chaste. Christianity is not just a set of beliefs; it is also meant to be practiced in our daily lives.        

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

We pray especially for Lorenzo Sy: 

     That his doctors may be guided in the cure of Lorenzo

     that his surgery may be successful

     and that he may be granted a long term cure.  

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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