DAILY- HOMILY

April 4, 2014
Friday Fourth Week of Lent 
[St. Isidore, Bishop and Doctor of the Church]

Wis 2: 1a, 12-22 / Ps 34: 17-18, 19-20, 21 and 23 / Jn 7: 1-2, 10, 25-30

Reading: Wis 2: 1a, 12-22
Led by mistaken reasons they think, "Life is short and sad and there is no cure for death. Let us set a trap for the righteous, for he annoys us and opposes our way of life; he reproaches us for our breaches of the Law and accuses us of being false to our upbringing. He claims knowledge of God and calls himself son of the Lord. He has become a reproach to our way of thinking; even to meet him is burdensome to us. He does not live like others and behaves strangely. According to him we have low standards, so he keeps aloof from us as if we were unclean. He emphasizes the happy end of the righteous and boasts of having God as father. Let us see the truth of what he says and find out what his end will be. If the righteous is a son of God, God will defend him and deliver him from his adversaries. Let us humble and torture him to prove his self-control and test his patience. When we have condemned him to a shameful death, we may test his words." This is the way they reason, but they are mistaken, blinded by their malice. They do not know the mysteries of God nor do they hope for the reward of a holy life; they do not believe that the blameless will be recompensed.   

Gospel: Jn 7:1 -2, 10, 25 - 30
After this Jesus went around Galilee; he would not go about in Judea, because the Jews wanted to kill him. Now the Jewish feast of the Tents was at hand. But after his brothers had gone to the festival, he also went up, not publicly but in secret. Some of the people of Jerusalem said, "Is this not the man they want to kill? And here he is speaking freely, and they don't say a word to him? Can it be that the rulers know that this is really the Christ? Yet we know where this man comes from; but when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from." So Jesus announced in a loud voice in the Temple court where he was teaching, "You say that you know me and know where I come from!  I have not come of myself; I was sent by the One who is true, and you don't know him.  I know him for I come from him and he sent me." They would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him because his time had not yet come.

Reflection:
     All of us have experienced days when we don't feel like doing a task at hand because it seems such a drudgery. We'd rather do a shortcut or just forget about it. But then we also know that it is important to finish the job and we feel good when we complete it.
     Jesus had been going around Palestine preaching the Good News. There were people who believed in his message and followed him. There were also others who did not believe and felt threatened by his message because they thought it would end the status quo and their comfortable positions. Jesus hesitated going up to Jerusalem (in Judea) because of the threats on his life. But because of his love for and obedience to his Father and his strong commitment to his mission,  he entered Jerusalem and continued with his preaching, knowing full well that he would invite strong opposition from the Jews and earn their ire.  
     In the Temple court of Jerusalem, the center of life in the city, Jesus boldly proclaimed, "I have not come of myself; I was sent by the One who is true, and you don't know him. I know him for I come from him and he sent me." Jesus' intimacy with the Father gave him the courage and steadfastness to carry on with his mission and fulfill his Father's will. In the same way, we need to build an intimate relationship with Jesus and follow him. If we know Christ, then we'll also know the Father. And just as Jesus was sent by the Father, so does Jesus send each one of us to continue his mission of bringing the Good News to everyone.

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
... for the repose of the soul of Johnny Ong

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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