DAILY- HOMILY

October 15, 2015 THURSDAY, 28TH Week in Ordinary Time

St. Teresa of Avila, Virgin and Doctor of the Church  

Memorial, White  

   

Rom 3:21-30 / Lk 11:47-54

Reading: Rom 3:21-30

     But, now it has been revealed altogether apart from the Law, as it was already foretold in the Law and the Prophets: God makes us righteous by means of faith in Jesus Christ, and this is applied to all who believe, without distinction of persons. Because all have sinned and all fall short of the Glory of God; and all are graciously forgiven and made righteous through the redemption effected in Christ Jesus. For God has given him to be the victim whose blood obtains us forgiveness through faith.

     So God shows us how he makes us righteous. Past sins are forgiven which God overlooked till now. For now he wants to reveal his way of righteousness: how he is just and how he makes us righteous through faith in Jesus.

     Then what becomes of our pride? It is excluded. How? Not through the Law and its observances, but through another law which is faith. For we hold that people are in God's grace by faith and not because of all the things ordered by the Law. Otherwise, God would be the God of the Jews; but is he not God of pagan nations as well? Of course he is, for there is only one God and he will save by faith the circumcised Jews as well as the uncircumcised nations. 

Gospel:  Lk 11:47-54   

     A curse is on you, for you build memorials to the prophets your ancestors killed. So you approve and agree with what your ancestors did. Is it not so? They got rid of the prophets, and now you can build!" (The Wisdom of God also said,) "I will send prophets and apostles and this people will kill and persecute some of them. But the present generation will have to answer for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was murdered between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, the people of this time will have to answer for them all. A curse is on you, teachers of the Law, for you have taken the key of knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you prevented others from entering." As Jesus left that place, the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to harass him, asking him endless questions, setting traps to catch him in something he might say.

    

Reflection:     

     In the Gospel, Jesus challenges the motives of the Pharisees and the scribes on showing off their good deeds. This kind of hypocrisy is still very much alive in our generation.  We are driven to show off what we have or do because of our need to be appreciated and recognized. Showing off our material wealth and success is often a cover up of our iniquities and incapacity to love. That is why in the first reading, God is encouraging us not to be scandalized of our sins because the sacrifice of Jesus to die on the cross was an act of love that has the power to redeem us, and his resurrection can free us from our sins.  

     This life transformation took flesh in St. Teresa. She had a lot of sufferings and pains early in her life struggles which ordinary people like us experience.  But through prayer and faith in the love of God, she overcame all her "dark nights" and saw the light of Christ. She said, "Prayer is an act of love, and words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts us from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love." She also said that "it is of great importance, when we begin to practice prayer, not to let ourselves be frightened by our thoughts." If we embrace this kind of attitude in our prayer life, we can remain happy and be at peace in the midst of our daily life struggles. May these words of St. Teresa comfort us, "Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing make you afraid. All things are passing. God alone never changes. Patience gains all things. If you have God, you will want for nothing. God alone suffices."   

     

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     BENJAMIN ONG

     PERRY LANSIGAN

     RALPH GAVIN P. TRINIDAD

     ARLENE ARAO

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     J. GO & GG GO

     REY & TERESITA LOO

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     FELIX A. ESTRADA

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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