DAILY- HOMILY

April 17, 2014
Holy Thursday

Chrism Mass: Is 61:1-3ab, 6a, 8b-9 / Rev 1:5-8 / Lk 4:16-21

Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper: Ex 12: 1-8, 11-14 / Ps 116: 12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18 / 1 Cor 11: 23-26 / Jn 13: 1-15

First Reading: Ex 12: 1-8, 11-14
Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt and said, "This month is to be the beginning of all months, the first month of your year. Speak to the community of Israel and say to them: On the tenth day of this month let each family take a lamb, a lamb for each house. If the family is too small for a lamb, they must join with a neighbor, the nearest to the house, according to the number of persons and to what each one can eat. You will select a perfect lamb without blemish, a male born during the present year, taken from the sheep or goats. Then you will keep it until the fourteenth day of the month. On that evening all the people will slaughter their lambs and take some of the blood to put on the doorposts and on top of the doorframes of the houses where you eat. That night you will eat the flesh roasted at the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. And this is how you will eat: with a belt round your waist, sandals on your feet and a staff in your hand. You shall eat hastily for it is a Passover in honor of Yahweh. On that night I shall go through Egypt and strike every firstborn in Egypt, men and animals; and I will even bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt, I, Yahweh! The blood on your houses will be the sign that you are there. I will see the blood and pass over you; and you will escape the mortal plague when I strike Egypt. This is a day you are to remember and celebrate in honor of Yahweh. It is to be kept as a festival day for all generations forever.

Second Reading: 1 Cor 11: 23-26
This is the tradition of the Lord that I received and that in my turn I have handed on to you; the Lord Jesus, on the night that he was delivered up, took bread and, after giving thanks, broke it, saying, "This is my body which is broken for you; do this in memory of me." In the same manner, taking the cup after the supper, he said, "This cup is the new Covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do it in memory of me." So, then, whenever you eat of this bread and drink from this cup, you are proclaiming the death of the Lord until he comes.

Gospel: Jn 13: 1-15
It was before the feast of the Passover. Jesus realized that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father, and as he had loved those who were his own in the world, he would love them with perfect love. They were at supper and the devil had already put into the mind of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray. Jesus knew that the Father had entrusted all things to him, and as he had come from God, he was going to God. So he got up from table, removed his garment and taking a towel, wrapped it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing. When he came to Simon Peter, Simon said to him, "Why, Lord, you want to wash my feet!" Jesus said, "What I am doing you cannot understand now, but afterwards you will understand it." Peter replied, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you can have no part with me." Then Simon Peter said, "Lord, wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!" Jesus replied, "Whoever has taken a bath does not need to wash (except the feet), for he is clean all over. You are clean, though not all of you." Jesus knew who was to betray him; because of this he said, "Not all of you are clean." When Jesus had finished washing their feet, he put on his garment again, went back to the table and said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you?  You call me Master and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I, then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also must wash one another's feet. I have just given you an example that as I have done, you also may do.

Reflection:
     The washing of the feet of the disciples is an act of humility performed by Jesus that is meaningful for all of us - our Lord and Master stooping to such a low position and acting as the servant of all of us sinners. Are we ready to do the same for others?
     Let us look into the words of Jesus to Peter, "If I do not wash you, you can have no part with me." (Jn.13:8). Not only is this an act of extreme humility but it is also an act of perfect love. First and foremost, the bottom line is most important and here, love is the bottom line. Love is manifested in Jesus and in everything that he does and say, the true reflection of "God is Love." That is why it is not just a suggestion.  Jesus gave us the commandments to love God and our fellow men for us to obey. It is true that dying to oneself is not easy because it goes against our egos' inclination of putting oneself on a pedestal of honor, beauty, fame, fortune, intellect and power. But how else can we learn what love is and how to love? Jesus was teaching his disciples agape, a self sacrificing love for others. Without humility, one cannot love. The washing of the feet of the disciples was just a practical example. The ultimate act of love is when Jesus died on the cross and poured out his divine love for all. 
     How have we learned and lived up to his example?

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 personal intentions - Teresita Cabrera, Manuel Go, Fr Benjamin Sim SJ
... for the eternal repose of the soul - Wally Francia

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!

**************************************************
These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following:

   +================================================+
   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
   |            http://www.marythequeen.org
   |  Distributed free and for personal use only. 
  +================================================+

April 16, 2014
Wednesday of Holy Week

Is 50:4-9a / Ps 69:8-10, 21-22, 31 and 33-34 / Mt 26:14-25

Reading: Is 50:4-9a
The Lord Yahweh has taught me so I speak as his disciple and I know how to sustain the weary.
Morning after morning he wakes me up to hear, to listen like a disciple. The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear. I have not rebelled, nor have I withdrawn. I offered my back to those who strike me, my cheeks to those who pulled my beard; neither did I shield my face from blows, spittle and disgrace. I have not despaired, for the Lord Yahweh comes to my help. So, like a flint I set my face, knowing that I will not be disgraced. He who avenges me is near. Who then will accuse me? Let us confront each other. Who is now my accuser? Let him approach. If the Lord Yahweh is my help, who will condemn me?

Gospel: Mt 26:14-25
Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went off to the chief priests and said, "How much will you give me if I hand him over to you?" They promised to give him thirty pieces of silver, and from then on he kept looking for the best way to hand him over to them. On the first day of the Festival of the Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said to him, "Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?" Jesus answered, "Go into the city, to the house of a certain man, and tell him: 'The Master says: My hour is near, and I will celebrate the Passover with my disciples in your house." The disciples did as Jesus had ordered and prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, Jesus sat at table with the Twelve. While they were eating, Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you: one of you will betray me." They were deeply distressed and asked him in turn, "You do not mean me, do you, Lord?" He answered, "He who will betray me is one of those who dips his bread in the dish with me. The Son of Man is going as the Scriptures say he will. But alas for that one who betrays the Son of Man; better for him not to have been born." Judas, who was betraying him, also asked, "You do not mean me, Master, do you?" Jesus replied, "You have said it."

Reflection:
The narration of the betrayal describes in detail the treachery of Judas. The name of Judas carries such a stigma that no one would ever want to name any child Judas. Even with civil authorities, treason and treachery carry a grave punishment. To be Judas is also associated with being a traitor - a figure to be despised. And yet in Scripture, there is another disciple known to be a traitor. It is in the figure of Peter, the one whom Jesus handed the keys of the Church. Peter denied knowing Jesus not just once, but thrice. These two figures who betrayed Christ had their own reasons for betraying and denying him. Both of them betrayed, denied Jesus and both of them also regretted after. The main difference is that while Judas took his own life, Peter just wept bitterly and relied on the mercy of the Lord. No one exactly knows the fate of Judas. But we do know that Christ forgave our sins to save mankind.
We have two paths to take when we commit sin. We can either get discouraged and think we are hopeless or we can, as Peter did, repent and be assured of the infinite mercy of the Father.

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
* Louie Relatado, Romie Ang, Lorenzo Sy, Dion Yu, Zeny Balatbat, Rose Lee
... 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!

**************************************************
These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following:

+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+