DAILY- HOMILY

November 21, 2015 SATURDAY, 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary  

Memorial, White 

Zec 2:14–17 / Mt 12:46–50

Reading: Zec 2:14–17

     "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for I am about to come, I shall dwell among you," says Yahweh.

     "On that day, many nations will join Yahweh and be my people, but my dwelling is among you." The people of Judah will be for Yahweh as his portion in his holy land. He will choose Jerusalem again. 

     Keep still in Yahweh's presence, for he comes, having risen from his holy dwelling."

Gospel: Mt 12:46 - 50

     While Jesus was still talking to the people, his mother and his brothers wanted to speak to him and they waited outside. So someone said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are just outside; they want to speak with you."

     Jesus answered, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "Look! Here are my mother and my brothers.  Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is for me brother, sister, or mother."

Reflection:

     In today's Gospel reading we see Mary the mother of Jesus and some relatives wishing to see and speak to Jesus. When told about them, Jesus points to his disciples, "Look! Here are my mother and my brothers.  Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is for me brother, sister, or mother."

     Jesus wishes to stress the primacy of the Kingdom of heaven and of obedience and dedication to the will of the Father. Those who do the Father's will and serve and advance God's Kingdom are closer to him than even his own mother and relatives.

     Of course we know that there is no one more obedient and more dedicated to God than Mary. Conceived without sin, she was greeted by the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation, "Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you. . . . God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear as on and you shall call him Jesus. He will be great and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High." (Lk 1:28–32)  And Mary is indeed Mother of God.

     Today is the Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to a long standing tradition in the Church, Mary as a young child was presented to the Lord by her parents at the temple in Jerusalem: her presentation to God highlights her obedience to God's will and dedication to the service of God even from her youth. This precisely is what Jesus mentions as the essential requirement for one to be a disciple of Jesus.

     In Jesus' declaration we also see that, when we commit ourselves to the work for the Kingdom, we find a new mother in Mary and new brothers and sisters in all who believe in Jesus. May we be faithful and loving to all of them.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     CECILIA C. ESCOBAR

     KATINCA TAPIA

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     PHILIP & LOUCIANA SY

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     MARCELINO TIU

     ONG TEE

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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