DAILY- HOMILY

July 2, 2015 THURSDAY, 13TH Week in Ordinary Time

Sts. Bernardine Realino, John Francis Regis, and Francis de Geronimo,

Bl. Julian Maunoir and Anthony Baldinucci, Priests

Memorial, White 

Gn 22:1b-19 / Mt 9:1-8

[Today's Memorial is of Jesuit saints and blessed in Europe: Sts. Bernardine Realino, Italian (1530-1616), John Francis Regis, French (1597-1640), and Francis de Geronimo, Italian (1642-1716); Bl. Julian Maunoir, French (1606-1683) and Anthony Baldinucci, Italian (1665-1717). All were engaged in missions and pastoral work in various parts of Europe.]

Reading: Gn 22: 1b-19

     Some time later God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he answered, "Here I am." Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I shall point out to you."

     Abraham rose early next morning and saddled his donkey and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He chopped wood for the burnt offering and set out for the place to which God had directed him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance, and he said to the young men, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship and then we will come back to you."

     Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He carried in his hand the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke to Abraham, his father, "Father!" And Abraham replied, "Yes, my son?" Isaac said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?" Abraham replied, "God himself will provide the lamb for the sacrifice." 

     They went on, the two of them together, until they came to the place to which God had directed them. When Abraham had built the altar and set the wood on it, he bound his son Isaac and laid him on the wood placed on the altar. He then stretched out his hand to seize the knife and slay his son. But the Angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"

     And he said, "Here I am." "Do not lay your hand on the boy; do not harm him, for now I know that you fear God, and you have not held back from me your only son."

     Abraham looked around and saw behind him a ram caught by its horns in a bush. He offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place 'The Lord will provide.' And the saying has lasted to this day. 

     And the Angel of Yahweh called from heaven a second time, "By myself I have sworn, it is Yahweh who speaks, because you have done this and not held back your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the lands of their enemies. All the nations of the earth will be blessed through your descendants because you have obeyed me." 

     So Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba and it was there that Abraham stayed.

Gospel: Mt 9:1-8

   Jesus got back into the boat, crossed the lake again, and came to his hometown. Here they brought a paralyzed man to him, lying on a bed. Jesus saw their faith and said to the paralytic, "Courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven."

   Then some teachers of the Law said to themselves, "This man insults God." Jesus was aware of what they were thinking, and said, "Why have you such evil thoughts? Which is easier to say: 'Your sins are forgiven' or 'Stand up and walk'? You must know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." He then said to the paralyzed man, "Stand up! Take your stretcher and go home." The man got up, and went home.

   When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and praised God for giving such power to human beings

Reflection:

   The first reading recounts the sacrifice of Isaac on Mount Moriah. In obedience to God's command, Abraham is about to sacrifice his son as a holocaust when God stops him from doing so. He rewards Abraham for his obedience and faith with more blessings. Do we have this magnificent faith of Abraham? Are we ready to give up our prize possessions, our hard-earned wealth and even our successes if God wants us to? Do we love God above everything, even our own family and friends? The faith of Abraham is so great, and some traditions say that Isaac was also willing to be sacrificed. In other words, both father and son were of one mind. This self-sacrifice prefigures the Passion of our Lord who accepted to die for all men in obedience to God his Father.

   In the Gospel reading, we see the power of Jesus to cure not only the physical illnesses of men but also their spiritual ones. Which is more important for us - to be physically healthy or to be spiritually healthy? Let us desire the second kind of healing more than the first kind because it will bring us to heaven while the other cannot.

     Let us ask to be first cleansed of our sins before asking other graces from God. Jesus is the Divine Healer - we only need to approach him in sincerity and ask for his healing and he will surely heal us, both spiritually and physically

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     BEATRICE LIM LE HUN CO CHAN (DEC 23, 1928 – JUL 2, 2007)

OTHER INTENTIONS:

For the complete healing of Anita Lecaros & Peggy Velasco

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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