DAILY- HOMILY

July 25, 2015 SATURDAY, 16th Week in Ordinary Time 

ST. JAMES, Apostle 

Feast, Red    

2 Cor 4:7 – 15 / Mt 20: 20 – 28

[St. James the Apostle, called "The Greater," was a son of Zebedee and the brother of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist.   Beheaded in Jerusalem in 42 AD, he was the first apostle martyred. ] 

Reading: 2 Cor 4: 7 – 15

     However, we carry this treasure in vessels of clay, so that this all-surpassing power may not be seen as ours but as God's. Trials of every sort come to us, but we are not discouraged. We are left without answer, but do not despair; persecuted but not abandoned, knocked down but not crushed. At any moment we carry in our person the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in us. For we, the living, are given up continually to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may appear in our mortal existence. And as death is at work in us, life comes to you.

     We have received the same spirit of faith referred to in Scripture that says: I believed and so I spoke. We also believe and so we speak. We know that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and bring us, with you, into his presence. Finally, everything is for your good, so that grace will come more abundantly upon you and great will be the thanksgiving for the glory of God.

Gospel: Mt 20:20 - 28

     Then the mother of James and John came to Jesus with her sons, and she knelt down to ask a favor. Jesus said to her, "What do you want?" And she answered, "Here you have my two sons. Grant that they may sit, one at your right and one at your left, when you are in your kingdom. 

     Jesus said to the brothers, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They answered,  "We can." Jesus replied, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right or at my left is not for me to grant. That will be for those for whom the Father has prepared it." 

     The other ten heard all this and were angry with the two brothers. Then Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations act as tyrants, and the powerful oppress them. It shall not be so among you; whoever wants to be more important in your group shall make himself your servant. And if you want to be first, make yourself the servant of all. Be like the Son of Man who has come, not to be served but to serve and to give his life to redeem many."

Reflection:

     In today's Gospel reading Jesus teaches us about his mission "to serve and to give his life to redeem many."

     James and his brother John supported by their mother asked for places of honor with Jesus.  It was an opportune occasion for Jesus to teach them and his other disciples about the real meaning of service.

     "To serve and give his life to redeem many:" Jesus served and gave his life to save humankind; he gave his life to show his love for us. He did everything out of love.  

     By experiencing Jesus' love and his goodness, hopefully we learn to love like Jesus. When we love like Jesus, the expression of love will come freely. When you truly love someone, it may cause you to suffer; authentic love remains even if we suffer, just as how Jesus loved as he suffered.  

     There is a saying that goes: "You have not loved enough if you have not suffered." Perhaps, this was the message of Jesus to his disciples when he taught them about service and giving up life for others. 

     He was already telling his disciples of the experience of the paschal mystery. Serve, suffer for the one you love. Die to yourself and you will experience the glory of the resurrection to meet our Father in heaven. 

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     FEMA D. SAGUM

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     RODNEY & KIM UY YU

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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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: 

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   |  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.  

July 24, 2015 FRIDAY, 16th  Week in Ordinary Time 

St. Sharbel Makhluf, Priest                                

Green    

Ex 20:1 – 17 / Mt 13:18 – 23

[St. Sharbel Makhluf (1828 – 1898) was a Lebanese monk and hermit.]

Reading: Ex 20:1 – 17

     God spoke all these words.   He said, "I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

     Do not have other gods before me.

     Do not make yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything in heaven, or on the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them. For I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God; for the sin of the fathers, when they rebel against me, I punish the sons, the grandsons and the great-grandsons; but I show steadfast love until the thousandth generation for those who love me and keep my commandments.

     Do not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain for Yahweh will not leave unpunished anyone who takes his name in vain.

     Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy. For six days you will labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath for Yahweh your God. Do not work that day, neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter nor your servants, men or women, nor your animals, nor the stranger who is staying with you. For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day he rested; that is why Yahweh has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

     Honor your father and your mother that you may have a long life in the land that Yahweh has given you.

     Do not kill.

     Do not commit adultery.

     Do not steal.

     Do not give false witness against your neighbor.

     Do not covet your neighbor's house. Do not covet your neighbor's wife, or his servant, man or woman, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is his."

Gospel: Mt 13:18 – 23

     Jesus said to his disciples, "Now listen to the parable of the sower. 

     "When a person hears the message of the Kingdom but without taking it to himself, the devil comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed that fell along the footpath. 

     "The seed that fell on rocky ground stands for the one who hears the word and accepts it at once with joy. But this is fickle and has no roots. No sooner is he harassed or persecuted because of the word, than he gives up.  

"The seed that fell among the thistles is the one who hears the word, but then the worries of this life and the love of money choke the word, and it does not bear fruit.  

     "As for the seed that fell on good soil it is the one who hears the word and understands it; this bears fruit and produces a hundred, or sixty, or thirty times more."

Reflection:

     To sow good seed, we need a healthy environment, which will be conducive for the word of God to bear fruit. We need a place where the Holy Spirit can flourish and inspire and help our faith grow. One of these vessels where the good soil can be found is in the family. 

     Yet, today the family is deeply wounded and divided. The devil seeks to destroy the family because the devil knows that the family is where this seed can grow and develop. So the devil thinks that if he destroys the family, he can destroy man and his beginnings, and therefore the word of God cannot bear fruit.  

     St. Pope John Paul II has said that the family is our last sanctuary of life.  Therefore we should defend our family with great conviction and tenacity! Same sex marriages, divorce and abortions are all threats to our family which is under constant attack today. We must protect our family with great attention so that good seed may be sown.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     BENITA YAO SIO ENG

     YVETTE DY 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!

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

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.  

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