DAILY- HOMILY

October 21, 2014

Tuesday 29th Week in Ordinary Time

Eph 2: 12-22 / Ps 85:9ab-10, 11-12, 13-14 / Lk 12: 35-38    

     

Reading: Eph 2: 12-22   

At that time you were without Christ, you did not belong to the community of Israel; the covenants of God and his promises were not for you; you had no hope and were without God in this world. But now, in Christ Jesus and by his blood, you who were once far off have come near. For Christ is our peace, he who has made the two peoples one, destroying in his own flesh the wall - the hatred - which separated us. He abolished the Law with its commands and precepts. He made peace in uniting the two peoples in him, creating out of the two one New Man. He destroyed hatred and reconciled us both to God through the cross, making the two one body. He came to proclaim peace; peace to you who were far off, peace to the Jews who were near. Through him we - the two peoples - approach the Father in one Spirit. Now you are no longer strangers or guests, but fellow citizens of the holy people: you are of the household of God. You are the house whose foundations are the apostles and prophets, and whose cornerstone is Christ Jesus. In him the whole structure is joined together and rises to be a holy temple in the Lord. In him you too are being built to become the spiritual sanctuary of God.

         

Gospel: Luke 12: 35-38

Be ready, dressed for service, and keep your lamps lit,  like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding. As soon as he comes and knocks, they will open to him. Happy are those servants whom the master finds wide-awake when he comes. Truly, I tell you, he will put on an apron and have them sit at table and he will wait on them. Happy are those servants if he finds them awake when he comes at midnight or daybreak!

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Reflection:

     As children, it was a tradition in the family to wake up very early to find out what gifts Santa Claus had brought us on Christmas Eve. We would rush to the window where we hung our bags and socks, full of joy and excitement. The gospel brings back this memory of our Christmas tradition because, on the eve of Christmas we are really awake in anticipation of something exciting that is about to happen. In the same spirit, the gospel invites Christians to be vigilant, to keep awake and be ready to meet the master when he returns.  

     What is the meaning of this passage in our daily lives? The coming of the Lord is made manifest in many forms and in different circumstances. Being ready and awake means that we recognize Christ in these different forms and circumstances, even when they are far from being pleasant and desirable. Do we recognize Christ in our spouse who prefers to spend his time watching television instead of sharing his day's experiences? Do we see Christ in our co-employee who has nothing better to do than to notice how untidy our desk is? Do we recognize Christ in our employer who makes unreasonable and oppressive demands on us?

     Keeping awake also means that our life is animated and directed by our baptism - that Christ and his Spirit that dwells in us, gives meaning and direction to our life. If we have this genuine relationship with Christ, we will experience that He waits on us when we celebrate the Holy Eucharist. He waits on us when we receive the forgiveness of our sins in the sacrament of penance. Christ waits for us when we reach out and forgive our employer who oppresses us, our co-employee who irritates us and our spouse who ignores us.  Christ does all these for us and in us.       

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 healing of Rita Cuerva

... for world peace and reconciliation

... for wisdom, perseverance and clarity of mind for those who prepare and take their exams:

     * Karen Tuala and Lisette Mandocdoc who will take the bar exams on the four (4) consecutive weekends of October

     * Elmer and Liza who will take their exams on October 25, 26, 28

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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