DAILY- HOMILY

February 12, 2015 THURSDAY, 5th Week in Ordinary Time

Green

Gn 2: 18–25 / Mk 7:24-30

Reading: Gn 2: 18–25

     Yahweh God said, "It is not good for Man to be alone; I will give him a helper who will be like him." Then Yahweh God formed from the earth all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air and brought them to Man to see what he would call them; and whatever Man called every living creature, that was its name.

     So Man gave names to all the cattle, the birds of the air and to every beast of the field. But he did not find among them a helper like himself. Then Yahweh God caused a deep sleep to come over Man and he fell asleep. He took one of his ribs and filled its place with flesh. The rib which Yahweh God had taken from Man he formed into a woman and brought her to the man. The man then said, "Now this is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken from man." That is why man leaves his father and mother and is attached to his wife, and with her becomes one flesh. Both the man and his wife were naked and were not ashamed.

Gospel: Mk 7: 24-30

     When Jesus left that place he went to the border of the Tyrian country. There he entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there, but he could not remain hidden.

     A woman, whose small daughter had an evil spirit, heard of him and came and fell at his feet. Now this woman was a pagan, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.

     Jesus told her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." But she replied, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the crumbs from the children's bread." Then Jesus said to her, "You may go your way; because of such a reply the demon has gone out of your daughter." And when the woman went home, she found her child lying in bed and the demon gone.

Reflection:

     In the first reading, God looks for a suitable partner for Adam and he creates Eve from a rib taken from Adam. God has made man and woman different from each other. But there is a natural attraction between the two sexes. That is why eventually man and woman marry each other. They have so much to give to each other that is why we say that love is a many splendored thing. After the courtship and engagement and all the fireworks, couples now have to multiply and raise families. A Christian marriage and family exist when both husband and wife understand their roles in raising their children to be good Christians.

     They endeavor to emulate the Holy Family by teaching their children to be diligent, loving, prayerful and God-fearing. If they do this, their families will be a place of love and happiness.

     In the Gospel, a Syrophoenician woman asks Jesus to cure her daughter of an illness and Jesus obliges her. This is the role of the mother and parent – to look after her children. We know that to be a parent isn't a piece of cake, especially if you are poor and have many children to feed and raise. Some parents spend too much time at work and do not give enough attention to their kids. The father usually does the earning and the mother does the nurturing. But oftentimes this is not the case. What is important is that both parents take seriously their roles to be good parents who should be present as often as possible to guide or just to be with their kids. The reward for good parenting is having good children. The effort put into good parenting cannot be measured and its worth is priceless. When parental care is freely and lovingly given, the result is emotionally secure and spiritually strong children. God bless all parents!

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     DIANE STEPHANIE CHING

     LEE OCHOA

     STELLA T. DY & ANGELA TAN

     VIRGINIA NAÑAGAS-BACTAD

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     MARCUS CU (1938-2000)

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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