DAILY- HOMILY

January 23, 2015 

FRIDAY, 2nd Week in Ordinary Time

Green

Heb 8: 6–13 / Mk 3: 13-19

Reading: Heb 8: 6–13

     Now, however, Jesus enjoys a much higher ministry in being the mediator of a better covenant, founded on better promises. If all had been perfect in the first covenant, there would have been no need for another one. Yet God sees defects when he says:

     The days are coming - it is the word of the Lord - when I will draw up a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.

     It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. They did not keep my covenant, and so I myself have forsaken them, says the Lord.

     But this is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel in the days to come: I will put my laws into their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people.

      None of them will have to teach one another or say to each other: Know the Lord, for they will know me from the least to the greatest. I will forgive their sins and no longer remember their wrongs.

     Here we are being told of a new covenant; which means that the first one had become obsolete, and what is obsolete and aging is soon to disappear.

Gospel: Mk 3:13-19

     Then Jesus went up into the hill country and called those he wanted and they came to him. So he appointed twelve to be with him; and he called them apostles. He wanted to send them out to preach, and he gave them authority to drive out demons.

     These are the Twelve: Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John his brother, to whom he gave the name Boanerges, which means "men of thunder," Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alpheus, Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

Reflection:

     The purpose of calling disciples was to send them to preach the Good News. What is the Good News? That there is a way out of death. There is the possibility to have a joy that comes from above. There is this possibility to remove darkness from our lives.

     Christ allows us to overcome and expose the devil's lies and deceits. The demons have only one purpose: to discourage us, to instill in us doubt of God's love for us.

     For the real tragedy is the absence of this love. This is what makes man suffer, that we experience an ontological death, the death of being, because we have cut ourselves off from the tree of life, which is the love of God. In all situations of suffering, when we fail to see the love of God in these events, we are destroyed. We are forced to cling to the idols of the world to seek happiness. The slavery that the demons force upon us are the true causes of suffering and sadness.

     The only joy that lasts is in knowing that we are really children of God, created in his image. That is why the Good News comes to free us from the lies of the demons. And Christ specifically has given the disciples the authority to drive out the demons in men's lives. Every sacrament has the grace to bring in the Holy Spirit to enter into us, so that this dwelling may be protected and kept safe from evil. Let us not doubt the strength and power of God over all the demons! Christ is victorious, Lord and Kyrios over all!

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     RUBEN CHAN HWAN (1958-2010)

     YU CHENG KHO (1916-1993)

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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