DAILY- HOMILY

October 2, 2014

Thursday 26th Week in Ordinary Time

[Memorial, The Holy Guardian Angels]

Jb 19: 21-27 / Ps 27: 7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14 / Mt 18: 1-5, 10 

Reading: Jb 19: 21-27

Have pity my friends, have pity, for God's hand has struck me! Why do you hound me as God does? Will you never have enough of my flesh? Oh, that my words were written, or recorded on bronze with an iron tool, a chisel or engraved forever on rock! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and he, the last, will take his stand on earth I will be there behind my skin, and in my flesh I shall see God. With my own eyes I shall see him - I and not another. How my heart yearns!

Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Then Jesus called a little child, set the child in the midst of the disciples, and said, "I assure you that unless you change and become like little children, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever becomes lowly like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and whoever receives such a child in my name receives me.  See that you do not despise any of these little ones, for I tell you: their angels in heaven continually see the face of my heavenly Father.

Reflection:

           We wish all of us would have the hearts of little children. What makes children pleasing to God is their simple love, dependence, innocence, and trust in those who nurture them.  We know that God provides for us, nurtures us and takes good care of us. Just like little children who grow as time passes by, God wants each one of us to also grow in our relationship with Him. Just like little children who express their needs to their parents, God also wants us to have an intimate conversation with Him. Just as little children who give their full trust in their parents, God also wants us to give our full trust in Him. Because we have been conditioned by worldly behaviour, we tend to rely more on our own abilities and act as if we are masters in our own right and have no need for God. It seems prevalent among those belonging to the top echelons of society, those who are spoiled by the sense of entitlement, to have everything handed to them on a silver platter. Let us not forget that none of our plans can bear fruit without God's blessings. If we truly believe in this, then we will be prompted to share our blessings with the least of our brethren - the street children roaming the streets daily selling "sampaguita" or those asking for alms.  We must see Jesus in others in order to change our attitude towards the poor and those dependent on assistance. How we react and think is very much influenced by our pessimism. Unless we change our attitudes towards the poor and helpless, we can never see God. We should never despise them just as God never despises us. Instead, we should look at them with compassion just as God looks at us with mercy and compassion. Isn't it time that we should collectively do something in order to alleviate their present condition just as God helps us with our daily concerns? This is God's mandate to us. He loves all of the street children and He expects us to love them the way we love our own children. 

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 wisdom, perseverance and clarity of mind as they prepare and take their exams:

     * Dennis Puno who takes the Mechanical Engineering Board Exams on October 3 - 4, 2014

     * Karen Tuala who takes the bar exams on the coming four (4) consecutive weekends

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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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: 

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   |  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.  

  +================================================+

October 1, 2014

Wednesday 26th Week in Ordinary Time

[Memorial, St. Therese of the Child Jesus]

Jb 9: 1-12, 14-16 / Ps 88:10bc-11, 12-13, 14-15 / Lk 9: 57-62     

Reading: Jb 9: 1-12, 14-16

Then Job answered: Very well I know that it is so. But how can a mortal be just before God? If one were to contend with him, not once in a thousand times would he answer. His power is vast, his wisdom profound. Who has resisted him and come out unharmed? He moves mountains before they are aware; he overturns them in his rage. He makes the earth tremble and its pillars quake. He commands the sun, and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars. He alone stretches out the skies and treads on the waves of the seas. He made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and every constellation. His wonders are past all reckoning, his miracles beyond all counting. He passes by, but I do not see him; he moves on, but I do not notice him. If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, "What are you doing?" How then can I answer him and find words to argue with him? If he does not answer when I am right, shall I plead with my judge for mercy? Even if I appealed and he answered, I do not believe that he would have heard.

Gospel: Luke 9:57-62

As they went on their way, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." To another Jesus said, "Follow me." But he answered, "Let me go back now, for first I want to bury my father." And Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their dead; as for you, leave them and proclaim the kingdom of God." Another said to him, "I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family." And Jesus said to him, "Whoever has put his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God."

Reflection:

     In the Gospel passage, St. Luke enumerates the hardships of the apostolic calling. First he says that the apostle/missionary should be ready to be sent anywhere, even far away from home.  Wherever he goes, he should be prepared to stay in a nice house or in one that is quite bare. If he has to sleep on a hard bed, he must be prepared to do so. The number of meals he will eat may vary from day to day. In other words, he must be ready for discomforts, deprivations and hardships for love of Christ.

     The second condition in becoming an apostle is to be able to cut off all familial ties.  No matter how much he loves his family, the missionary puts the evangelization mission as first priority before his natural desire of being surrounded by the love and comfort of family.  He has the duty to make people become children of God which is very important.  He now surrounds himself with a bigger family - the Church, the Christian community.

     Lastly, the apostle must be ready to do his mission for all his life. Once a missionary, always a missionary. Once we have decided to serve the Lord, we know it is a lifetime work.  A father will always be father to his children, always husband to his wife, etc. When we start serving the Lord who has served us first, we realize our lives have no meaning apart from that service. So the missionary works tirelessly and cheerfully for the growth of the Church.  

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 the complete healing of Arturo David

... for world peace and reconciliation

... for wisdom, perseverance and clarity of mind as they prepare and take their exams:

     * Dennis Puno who takes the Mechanical Engineering Board Exams on October 3 - 4, 2014

     * Karen Tuala who takes the bar exams on the coming four (4) consecutive weekends

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.  

  +================================================+