DAILY- HOMILY

March 21, 2015 SATURDAY, 4th Week of Lent

Violet

Jer 11:18-20 / Jn 7:40-53

Reading: Jer 11:18-20

     Yahweh made it known to me and so I know! And you let me see their scheming: "Take care, even your kinsfolk and your own family are false with you and behind your back they freely criticize you. Do not trust them when they approach you in a friendly way."

     But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me that they were plotting, "Let us feed him with trials and remove him from the land of the living and let his name never be mentioned again."

     Yahweh, God of hosts, you who judge with justice and know everyone's heart and intentions, let me see your vengeance on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause.

Gospel: Jn 7:40-53

     Many who had been listening to these words began to say, "This is the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Christ." But some wondered, "Would the Christ come from Galilee? Doesn't Scripture say that the Christ is a descendant of David and from Bethlehem, the city of David?" The crowd was divided over him. Some wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

     The officers of the Temple went back to the chief priests who asked them, "Why didn't you bring him?" The officers answered, "No one ever spoke like this man." The Pharisees then said, "So you, too, have been led astray! Have any of the rulers or any of the Pharisees believed in him? Only these cursed people, who have no knowledge of the Law!" Yet one of them, Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier, spoke out, "Does our law condemn people without first hearing them and knowing the facts?" They replied, "Do you, too, come from Galilee? Look it up and see for yourself that no prophet is to come from Galilee." And they all went home.

Reflection:

     The first reading is about the plot against the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah has set his goal to perform his mission for God so passionately that he was not even aware that people were out to kill him. He had entrusted his goal and life to his Lord and had placed his faith in God to protect him.

     So it is with us. When we have discerned and decided in undertaking a project that God has willed for us, we put our heart and soul, our love and passion to do a good job. What does it mean, however, to have faith and trust in him while undertaking his mission? In the journey, especially when it entails espousing social justice, or the like, there will be some misunderstandings or hostile elements that can impede one's accomplishment of the mission, thereby sowing chaos in us, and darkness can overtake our sight.

     But if we set our eyes on Jesus, his light will illumine our dark tunnel, and in the depths of our weakness as in giving up, he will be our strength and our consoler, our Balm of Gilead for all the wounds we shall bear! Such is the power and essence of Christ's life on earth here with us.

     His full humanity assures us that he had been there himself and still bears these with us....all these that we anticipate because we had decided to undergo in the course of doing God's will!

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     PATRICIA REYES

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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