DAILY- HOMILY

December 5, 2015 SATURDAY, 1st Week of Advent                

Violet       

Is 30:19 -21, 23 – 25 / Mt 9:35 -10: 5 - 8

Reading: Is 30:19 - 21, 23 – 25 

    O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. When you cry, he will listen; when he hears, he will answer.

     When the Lord has given you the bread of anguish and the water of distress, he, your teacher will hide no longer. Your own eyes will see him, and your ear will listen to his words behind you: "This is the way, walk in it."

     He will then give rain for the seed you sow and make the harvest abundant from the crops you grow. On that day your cattle will graze in wide pastures. Your beasts of burden will eat silage tossed to them with pitchfork and shovel.

     For on the day of the great slaughter, when fortresses fall, streams of water will flow on every mountain and lofty hill.

Gospel: Mt 9:35 -10:5 - 8

     Jesus went around all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and he cured every sickness and disease. When he saw the crowds he was moved with pity, for they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the workers are only few. Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest."

     Jesus sent these twelve on mission with the instruction: "Do not visit pagan territory and do not enter a Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost sheep of Israel. Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers. And drive out demons. You received this as a gift, so give it as a gift."  

Reflection:

     We just heard Jesus say in today's Gospel reading that "the harvest is abundant but the workers are only few." Usually when we hear this Gospel reading we think of the vocation of priests and religious; that the Lord is calling for more priests and religious. During the time of the early Church, there were no religious and priests as we know them today. Hence, these words of Jesus were addressed to all Christians of the community of Matthew for whom the Gospel was written.

     Even today, Jesus calls each one of us to be witnesses to the Good News. We look around and see the magnitude of the world's problems: hunger, hostility, natural disasters, crime and wars. We have cheating, disloyalty, disrespect, hostility towards religion. 

     The first reading from Isaiah assures us of God's help and our triumph against adversity. The season of Advent reinforces our faith and hope in the successful preaching of the Good News and the universal reign of the kingdom of heaven.

     Vatican II reminds us of the duty of all to spread the Good News: "The obligation of spreading the faith is imposed on every disciple of Christ, according to his state." (Lumen Gentium, 17)

     While we pray to the "the Master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest," let us also do whatever we can, especially by our example and lives, to preach the Good News wherever we can.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     FELICIDAD KHONG HUN UY

     VIKY ROMAN

     HANS ZARAGOZA

     EDEN FERNANDEZ

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     KENG KOK & MARY CO

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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