DAILY- HOMILY

March 18, 2015 WEDNESDAY, 4th Week of Lent 

St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Violet

Is 49:8-15 / Jn 5:17-30

[St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386), Bishop of Jerusalem, was exiled three times by Arian heretics.]

Reading: Is 49: 8-15

     This is what Yahweh says: "At a favorable time I have answered you, on the day of salvation I have been your help; I have formed you and made you to be my covenant with the people. You will restore the land, and allot its abandoned farms. You will say to the captives: Come out; and to those in darkness: Show yourselves. They will feed along the road; they will find pasture on barren hills. They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the scorching wind or the sun beat upon them; for he who has mercy on them will guide them and lead them to springs of water.

     I will turn all my mountains into roads and raise up my highways. See, they come from afar, some from the north and west, others from the land of Sinim."

     Sing, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth; break forth into song, O mountains: for Yahweh has comforted his people and taken pity on those who are afflicted.

     But Zion said: "Yahweh has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me." Can a woman forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child of her womb? Yet though she forget, I will never forget you.

Gospel: Jn 5:17-30

     Jesus replied, "My Father goes on working and so do I." And the Jews tried all the harder to kill him, for Jesus not only broke the Sabbath observance, but also made himself equal with God, calling him his own Father.

     Jesus said to them, "Truly, I assure you, the Son cannot do anything by himself, but only what he sees the Father do. And whatever he does, the Son also does. The Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does; and he will show him even greater things than these, so that you will be amazed.

     As the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son gives life to whom he wills. In the same way the Father judges no one, for he has entrusted all judgment to the Son, and he wants all to honor the Son as they honor the Father. Whoever ignores the Son, ignores as well the Father who sent him.

     Truly, I say to you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; and there is no judgment for him because he has passed from death to life.

     Truly, the hour is coming and has indeed come, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and, on hearing it, will live. For the Father has life in himself and he has given to the Son also to have life in himself. And he has empowered him as well to carry out Judgment, for he is a son of man.

     Do not be surprised at this: the hour is coming when all those lying in tombs will hear my voice and come out; those who have done good shall rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.

     I can do nothing of myself, and I need to hear Another One to judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

Reflection:

     In today's reading from the prophet Isaiah, God promises that, though a mother may forget the infant at her breast, he will not forget us. In the Responsorial Psalm the psalmist confirms that "Compassionate and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger and abounding in love. The Lord is good to everyone; his mercy embraces all his creation."

     The Scriptures have so many passages regarding God's wanting to have a lasting relationship with us, more lasting than even the relationship of an infant with its mother.

     We may not know how to maintain such a relationship with God. Jesus tells us how in today's Gospel reading: "Truly, I assure you, the Son cannot do anything by himself, but only what he sees the Father do. And whatever he does, the Son also does. The Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does; and he will show him even greater things than these, so that you will be amazed."

     First of all, to enter into a relationship with God, we need to acknowledge that we are his children: "I am God's child." I am not an insignificant speck in the universe; for God loves me as his child. I can truly pray, "Our Father in heaven."

     Let us ask God our Father to give us his love and to teach us to love him as his children.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     JOAN L. FERNANDEZ

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     GREGORIO & SUZANNE KAW

     ROSALIND & ERWIN TY TAN

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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