DAILY- HOMILY

December 1, 2014

Monday, First Week of Advent

[Memorial, Sts Edmund Campion and Robert Southwell and their companions]

Is 2: 1-5 / Ps 122: 1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9 / Mt 8: 5-11 

Reading: Is 2: 1-5

The vision of Isaiah, son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In the last days, the mountain of Yahweh's house shall be set over the highest mountains and shall tower over the hills. All the nations shall stream to it, saying, "Come, let us go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths. For the Teaching comes from Zion, and from Jerusalem the word of Yahweh. He will rule over the nations and settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not raise sword against nation; they will train for war no more. O nation of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!" 

Gospel: Matthew 8: 5-11

When Jesus entered Capernaum, an army captain approached him to ask his help, "Sir, my servant lies sick at home. He is paralyzed and suffers terribly." Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." The captain answered, "I am not worthy to have you under my roof. Just give an order and my boy will be healed. For I myself, a junior officer, give orders to my soldiers. And if I say to one: 'Go,' he goes, and if I say to another: 'Come,' he comes, and to my servant: 'Do this,' he does it." When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those who were following him, "I tell you, I have not found such faith in Israel. I say to you, many will come from east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven

Reflection:

     The centurion was perhaps a Syrian, certainly a pagan, an officer in the Roman military.  He was clearly a good person, an admirable man.  Yet, this foreigner must have respected and cared about his Jewish servant so much that he wanted him relieved of his sickness. And for that he was willing to open himself to the censure of his superiors and to the behind-the-back remarks of his associates and subordinates by begging humbly to this wandering Jewish healer to cure his very sick servant. Jesus was amazed at the solid and firm faith of the centurion. 

     Do we have the same firm and solid faith as the centurion's?  Advent is a time for strengthening our own faith. It is the time for us to renew our faith and trust in Jesus.  Perhaps if we work at strengthening our faith, we will be pleased to hear Jesus speak of us, although not as he spoke of the centurion, "My child, I have seen your faith grow."

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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