DAILY- HOMILY

January 9, 2015 FRIDAY

CHRISTMAS WEEKDAY

Feast of the Black Nazarene

Quiapo, Manila

White

1 Jn 5: 5–13 / Lk 5: 12-16

[The Black Nazarene, an image of Christ carrying the cross, was brought to Manila in 1606 and has been housed at the Quiapo St. John the Baptist Church since 1787. The procession of the Black Nazarene is the largest annual religious procession in the country.]

Gospel Reading: Lk 5: 12-16

     One day in another town, a man came to Jesus covered with leprosy. On seeing him he bowed down to the ground, and said, "Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean."

     Stretching out his hand, Jesus touched the man and said, "Yes, I want it. Be clean." In an instant the leprosy left him. Then Jesus instructed him, "Tell this to no one. But go and show yourself to the priest. Make an offering for your healing, as Moses prescribed; that should be a proof to the people."

     But the news about Jesus spread all the more, and large crowds came to him to listen and be healed of their sickness. As for Jesus, he would often withdraw to solitary places and pray.

Reflection:

     The problem with a physical miracle is that, if you are not there to witness the miracle, you would not believe that it happened. You would just rely on hearsay but would not be convinced. That is why in a sense, the efficacy of a physical miracle is quite limited. The danger is that people would want to seek Jesus as a way out of sickness and physical suffering, focusing on the healing of physical sicknesses and paying less attention to the greater mission that Christ came for.

     Jesus wanted salvation in a higher context for man. He wanted us to receive eternal life. Our limited and earthly vision is rooted in this world without thinking that another life exists. Christ came for a greater mission than just to cure physical sickness. He came to cure and redeem our spiritual sicknesses, to forgive sin and to bring us to his Kingdom.

     For the meaning of our lives is not just for our bodies to attain a healthy condition, not just to be free from sickness, but to form ourselves with the help of the Holy Spirit to become the likeness and image of God which is one of love. That is why, even for the poor, for the sick, for the handicapped, for the children

with Down syndrome – there is still meaning in their lives. There is meaning in old age, in suffering, in failure, in the crosses that we bear every day.

     If we pray, we will discover the inner joy of our souls. That is why even Jesus needed to withdraw to solitary places to pray. The real miracle in Lourdes, France is that many who go there but are not cured continue to believe and have faith in God. "Happy are those who have not seen and believe!"

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILYPRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     LIZA DE LARA 

     NAZARINA

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     ATTY ANTERO JR & MILA SISON

     HARRIS & EVER NGO

     MICHAEL & CEYLILONA TONG

     ROWIE & ANGELA TORRES

     TONY & LINA BUENAFE

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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   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

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