DAILY- HOMILY

July 16, 2015 THURSDAY, 15th Week in Ordinary Time 

Our Lady of Mount Carmel                           

Green     

Ex 3:13-20 / Mt 11:28 – 30

[In 1251 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Simon Stock (1165 – 1265), Superior-General of the Carmelite Order, with promises for those who wore her scapular.]

Reading: Ex 3:13 – 20

     Moses answered God, "If I go to the Israelites and say to them: 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' they will ask me: 'What is his name?' What shall I answer them?"

     God said to Moses, "I AM WHO AM. This is what you will say to the sons of Israel: 'I AM sent me to you." God then said to Moses, "You will say to the Israelites: 'YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, has sent me.' That will be my name forever, and by this name they shall call upon me for all generations to come.

     Go! Call together the elders of Israel and say to them, 'Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob appeared to me and said: I have seen and taken account of how the Egyptians have treated you, and I mean to bring you out of all this oppression in Egypt and take you to the land of the Canaanites, a land flowing with milk and honey.' 

     The elders of Israel will listen to you and, with them, you shall go to the palace of the king of Egypt and say to him: 'The God of the Hebrews, Yahweh, has met with us. Now let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to Yahweh our God.'

     I well know that the king of the Egyptians will not allow you to go unless he is forced to do so. I will therefore stretch out my hand and strike Egypt in extraordinary ways, after which he will let you go. 

Gospel: Mt 11:28 - 30

     Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. For my yoke is good and my burden is light."

Reflection:

     In the first reading, we see the majesty of God revealing himself to Moses in the burning bush, "I Am Who Am." He reminds Moses of his past dealings with Israel through their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

     Through Moses he will perform many great deeds for them to free them from the slavery of Pharaoh in Egypt and to bring them to the promised land. In their long journey to the promised land God will establish a covenant with them in the Ten Commandments. I Am Who Am, the all powerful Creator God, will do great deeds for Israel. He is also the God who saves and also punishes.

     In the short Gospel reading we see another face of God in his Son Jesus Christ: "Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. For my yoke is good and my burden is light."

     We see Jesus inviting his followers to come to him for rest, peace and re-assurance. We see Jesus telling us that, with him and his grace, our burdens will be light and bearable because we do not bear them by ourselves, but with Christ and his help.

     I Am Who Am, before whom Moses stood in amazement and fear at the burning bush revelation, invites each one of us to the loving heart of Jesus, who is gentle and humble of heart, to ease our burdens and to give us quiet and rest.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     ARNEL HERNANDEZ

     ERICA PASCUA

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     LIM GIOK CHAT (1906 – 1987)

OTHER INTENTIONS:

For the birthday and personal intentions of Jet Quimel & Violeta Espaldon.

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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