DAILY- HOMILY

August 4, 2014
Monday 18th Week in Ordinary Time
[Memorial, St. John Mary Vianney]

Jer 28: 1-17 / Ps 119: 29, 43, 79, 80, 95, 102 / Mt 14: 22-36

Reading: Jer 28: 1-17
Early in the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, the prophet Hana-niah spoke to me. Hananiah son of Azzur from Gibeon proclaimed in Yahweh's House in the presence of the priests and the people, "This is what Yahweh the God of hosts and the God of Israel says: I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two years I will bring back to this place all the objects that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took away from Yahweh's House and carried to Babylon. I will likewise bring back Jeko-niah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all who were taken from Judah and deported to Babylon. For I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon - word of Yahweh." Then Jeremiah replied to Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people, "So be it! May Yahweh fulfill the words you have spoken and bring back from Babylon to this place the objects taken from the House of Yahweh and all the exiles. Yet hear now what I say in your hearing and the hearing of all the people. The prophets who came before you and me continually prophesied war, disaster and plague to many nations and great kingdoms. So the prophet who prophesies peace will not be recognized as truly sent by Yahweh, until his predictions are fulfilled." Then Hananiah took the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah and broke it. Hananiah proclaimed in the presence of all the people, "Yahweh says this: In the same manner within two years will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar from the neck of all the nations." Then Jeremiah the prophet went on his way. Some time later, a word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, "Go and tell this to Hananiah: This is what Yahweh says: You have broken a wooden yoke but in its place you will get a yoke of iron. For this is what Yahweh the God of hosts and the God of Israel says: I am placing a yoke of iron on the neck of all the nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals." Then Jeremiah said to Hananiah, "Listen! Hananiah, you have not been sent by Yahweh and yet you have deceived these people, giving them false hope with your lies. That is why Yahweh says with regard to you: I am removing you from the face of the earth. You will die this very year because you have counseled rebellion against Yahweh." And in the seventh month of that year Hananiah died.   

Gospel: Matthew 14: 22-26
Immediately Jesus obliged his disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the crowd away. And having sent the people away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. At nightfall, he was there alone. Meanwhile, the boat was very far from land, dangerously rocked by the waves for the wind was against it. At daybreak, Jesus came to them walking on the lake. When they saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, thinking that it was a ghost. And they cried out in fear.

Reflection:
     "And having sent the people away, he went up to the mountain to pray. At nightfall, he was there alone." Jesus, although he is God, draws his strength by communicating to his Father in silence and solitude. In this way, he listens to the will of the Father for him.
     The mountain is the place where we find stillness and peace. Most of us have learned to turn aside from our busy life from time to time to come in contact with God's presence in nature. Gazing at the beauty of nature - the vast lands, lush trees, green plants, naturally formed rocks and even the insects that crawl on the ground - fills us with awe and wonder at God's creation. Seeing a tree full of fireflies shining with their sparkling bright light on a dark night makes us feel God's grandeur. If these creatures are so beautiful, how much more the God who created them.  We join the psalmist in saying "Yahweh, what variety you have created, arranging everything so wisely! Earth is completely full of things  You have made."
To quote Fr. Maloney, S.J.: "Modern man needs to turn into his "heart" and in silence, he must enter deeply into himself and hear his true self, the Absolute Ground of all being tell him through experiential knowledge, through enlightenment, that the world of senses is not the totality of reality, but through an experience man understands that he is one with all being."
     Our indigenous people have more contemplative hearts than we who live in urban areas because they are less distracted with our noisy world. "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

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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