DAILY- HOMILY

July 11, 2015 SATURDAY, 14TH Week in Ordinary Time

St. Benedict, Abbot     

Memorial, White

Gn 49:29 - 32; 50:15 - 26a / Mt 10:24 - 33

[St. Benedict (480 -547), born in Norcia, organized monastic lifer with his Rule for the Benedictines. He was proclaimed Patron of Europe by Pope Paul VI.]

Reading: Gn 49: 29 - 32; 50: 15 – 26a

     He then gave them these instructions: "I am soon to be gathered to my people; bury me near my fathers, in the cave in the field of Ephron, the Hittite; in the cave in the field of Machpelah, to the east of Mamre in Canaan, the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place. It was there that Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried. There they buried Leah. The field and the cave in it were purchased from the Hittites."

     When Joseph's brothers realized that their father was dead they said, "What if Joseph turns against us in hate because of the evil we did him?" So they sent word to Joseph saying, "Before he died your father told us to say this to you: Please forgive the crime and the sin of your brothers in doing evil to you. Forgive the crime of the servants of your father's God." When he was given the message, Joseph wept. His brothers went and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves," they said. But Joseph reassured them, "Don't be afraid! Am I in the place of God? You intended to do me harm, but God intended to turn it to good in order to bring about what is happening today – the survival of many people. So have no fear! I will provide for you and your little ones." In this way he touched their hearts and consoled them.

     Joseph remained in Egypt together with all his father's family. He lived for a hundred and ten years, long enough to see Ephraim's great-grandchildren, and also to have the children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, placed on his knees after their birth.

     Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am going to die, but God will surely remember you and take you from this country to the land he promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." Joseph then made the sons of Israel swear, saying, "When God comes to bring you out from here, carry my bones with you." Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten.

Gospel: Mt 10:24 - 33

     Jesus said to the twelve, "A student is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master. A student should be glad to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If the head of the family has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of the family! So, do not be afraid of them.

     "There is nothing covered that will not be uncovered, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. What I am telling you in the dark, you must speak in the light. What you hear in private, proclaim from the housetops. 

     "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but have no power to kill the soul. Rather be afraid of him who can destroy both body and soul in hell. For only a few cents you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent. As for you, every hair of your head has been counted. So do not be afraid: you are worth much more than many sparrows.  

     Whoever acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven.  Whoever rejects me before others I will reject before my Father in heaven."

Reflection:

     "Do not be afraid." This is mentioned four times in today's readings. Once in the first reading as Joseph reassures his brothers that no harm will come to them; and then three times in the Gospel reading.

     Jesus wants to allay our fears and to strengthen us not be afraid of the things of the world. That is if we acknowledge him before the Father in heaven. 

     We continue to have so many fears. What are these fears? We fear pain, serious illnesses, losing material things, getting hurt, separation from our loved ones, failures, embarrassment even the unknown. 

     Being mindful of the presence of our Lord Jesus in our life helps us to conquer these fears because we are reminded that his love conquers our fears.  

     If there is any fear that we should really come upon us, it should be the fear of being separated from God. As we know sin separates us from God. Thus if we avoid sin, and be reconciled with God through the Sacraments our fears will be banished. Receiving the Sacraments of reconciliation and holy communion makes us come closer to the Lord and really feel his presence. So let us go and receive the Sacraments. "Do not be afraid."

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     ANDREA NICOLE C. SYLING

     JUYIN CHENG

     LAL MANALO

     MARCIANA ZENAIDA CUNANAN

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     EDMUND & MILLIE DY

OTHER INTENTIONS:

For the eternal repose of the soul of Anita Lecaros.

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

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July 10, 2015 FRIDAY, 14th Week in Ordinary Time         

Green           

Gn 46:1 – 7, 28 – 30 / Mt 10: 16 - 23

Reading: Gn 46:1 – 7, 28 – 30

     Israel left with all he owned and reached Beersheba where he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. God spoke to Israel in visions that he had during the night, "Jacob! Jacob!" "Here I am," he said. "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I will go with you to Egypt and I will bring you back again and Joseph's hand will close your eyes."

     Jacob left Beersheba and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father with their little children and their wives in the wagons that Joseph had sent to fetch him. They also took their flocks and all that they had acquired in Canaan. And so it was that Jacob came to Egypt and with him all his family, his sons and his grandsons, his daughters and his granddaughters, in short all his children he took with him to Egypt.

     Jacob sent Judah ahead to let Joseph know he was coming and that he would soon arrive in the land of Goshen.

     Joseph got his chariot ready in order to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself, threw his arms around his father and wept on his shoulder for a long time. Israel said to Joseph, "Now I can die, for I have seen your face and know you are alive."

Gospel: Mt 10:16-23 

     Jesus said to the twelve. "Look, I send you out like sheep among wolves. You must be clever as snakes and innocent as doves. Be on your guard with respect to people, for they will hand you over to their courts and they will flog you in their synagogues. You will be brought to trial before rulers and kings because of me, and so you may witness to them and the pagans. 

     "But when you are arrested, do not worry about what you are to say and how you are to say it; when the hour comes, you will be given what you are to say. For it is not you who will speak; but it will be the Spirit of your Father in you. 

     "Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child; children will turn against parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but whoever stands firm to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. For sure, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes."

Reflection:

     Expect that when the Lord comes into our lives, our lives will not remain the same. When the Holy Spirit descends upon us, we can be sure that our lives will be set in motion. There will always be a dynamic activity, an interaction that comes from above. And for sure conflict will arise when we stand up as witnesses for Christ. 

     Whether in the office or in the family, there may be many topics and views contrary to the teachings of the Church. In the world, we will be caught in tension as we strive to follow the will of God. We will be tempted, and many trials will await us. We may be subjected to ridicule, criticism and even hatred when we stand by Christ. 

     The world does not value Christ. Many of the teachings in the Gospel are against the values of the world. We are in the world, but yet we do not belong to the world.  

     Today's Gospel reading invites us to stand firm in our Christian beliefs, during opportune and inopportune times. We may lose many friends, jobs, business opportunities and securities. It is a great sacrifice, but then we follow God and not men, and our reward will also be great in heaven.  

     The consolation is that the Holy Spirit will defend us and make us righteous.  In the midst of the difficulties and trials because of our commitment to our faith,  God will provide. He will take care of us. We should consider it an honor to follow his footsteps, to experience some "crucifixion" and to complete whatever is lacking in his passion through our suffering with him. 

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     JOYCE MARIE C. ALVAREZ

     ENRIQUE-JAIME CASTILLO

     EVER LIM NGO

     HITCHELLE E CARSTENSEN

     JOSEFINA N. TANDIAMA

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     MACARIA CO YU (JUN 25, 1924 – JUL 10, 1988)

     WILFRED S. SY (OCT 12, 1944 – JUL 10, 1994)

     YU CHENG PHO (1911 – 1989)

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!

**************************************************

These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following: 

  +================================================+

   |  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.  

  +================================================+