DAILY- HOMILY

July 9, 2015 THURSDAY, 14TH Week in Ordinary Time

Sts. LEON-IGNACE MANGIN,

AUGUSTINE ZHAO RONG, Priests, and COMPANIONS, Martyrs

Memorial, Red

Gn 44:18 - 21, 23b-29; 45:1 – 5 / Mt 10: 7 - 15

[Today is the Memorial of 120 Martyrs of China, 87 Chinese and 33 Western missionaries, from 1648 to 1900, canonized by St. Pope John Paul II in 2000. St. Leon-Ignace Mangin (1857 – 1900) was a French Jesuit missionary; St. Augustine Zhao Rong (d. 1815) was a Chinese diocesan priest.]

Reading: Gn 44:18 - 21, 23b-29; 45:1 – 5

     Judah then went forward and said, "My lord, allow your servant to speak. Do not be angry with your servant, although you are equal to Pharaoh himself. The last time you questioned your servants saying: 'Have you a father or a brother?' We said to my lord: 'We have an aged father who had a child in his old age. His brother is dead and he is the only one left of his mother's children. And his father loves him.' Then you said to us: 'Bring him down so that I can see him for myself.' 

     You then told us that if our youngest brother did not come with us, we would not be admitted to your presence. All this we said to our father on returning there. So when he told us to come back and buy a little food, we said: 'We cannot go down again unless our youngest brother is with us. We shall not be admitted to the lord's presence unless our brother is with us.' Then my father said: 'You know that my wife had two children. One went away from me and has surely been torn to pieces since I have not seen him anymore. If you take this one from me and something happens to him you will bring my gray hair in sorrow to the grave.' 

     Now Joseph could no longer control his feelings in the presence of all those standing by and he called out, "Leave my presence, everyone!" And only his brothers were with him when Joseph made himself known to them. He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard and the news spread through Pharaoh's house.

     Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" And his brothers could not answer because they were terrified at seeing him. Joseph said, "Come closer," and they drew nearer. "I am Joseph your brother, yes, it's me, the one you sold to the Egyptians. Now don't grieve and reproach yourselves for selling me, because God has sent me before you to save your lives. 

Gospel: Mt 10:7 - 15

     Jesus said to the twelve. "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. Do not carry any gold, silver or copper in your purses. Do not carry a traveler's bag, or an extra shirt, or sandals, or walking-stick: workers deserve their living.

     "When you come to a town or a village, look for a worthy person and stay there until you leave.

     "As you enter the house, wish it peace. If the people in the house deserve it, your peace will be on them; if they do not deserve it, your blessing will come back to you. 

     "And if you are not welcomed and your words are not listened to, leave that house or that town and shake the dust off your feet." I assure you, it will go easier for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than it will for the people of that town.

Reflection:

     In the first reading, Joseph, who was sold as a slave to Egypt by his brothers, finally reveals himself to them now that he was the chief minister of Egypt. He understood that God's designs included his being sold as a slave and his subsequent sufferings which eventually led to his vindication and exaltation.  He forgave his brothers because he loved them.   

     In the Gospel reading we see Jesus missioning the Twelve to proclaim the Good News to the various towns and communities of Israel: "The kingdom of heaven is near." As witness to their message they are given powers to "heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons." They are to exercise these gifts and powers freely; they are to depend upon the hospitality and generosity of the communities they visit. 

     In his infinite wisdom and power, God had decreed that the Good News is to be preached to Israel and the world then and for all time by men and women invited by God.

     The 120 martyrs of China, 87 Chinese and 33 missionaries from Europe. priests and lay people, whose memorial is celebrated today, like the Twelve, have been missioned by the Church to preach the Good News to the people of China at various times and places from the mid-seventeenth century to the nineteenth century. Like our Lord whom they loved and followed, they gave their lives in witness to the Good News they preached.  

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     SR. ZENY VEE M. PACHECO, MIC

     THEODORE GOTAMCO TAN

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     ORLANDO & RIZALINA RAMOS (57TH WA)

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     REI CATINDIG

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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