DAILY- HOMILY

September 9, 2015 WEDNESDAY, 23RD Week in Ordinary Time

St. Peter Claver, Priest 

Memorial, White            

Col 3:1–11 / Lk 6:20-26

Reading: Col 3:1 – 11

     So then, if you are risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on earthly things. For you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, reveals himself, you also will be revealed with him in Glory.

     Therefore, put to death what is earthly in your life, that is immorality, impurity, inordinate passions, wicked desires and greed which is a way of worshiping idols. These are the things that arouse the wrath of God.

     For a time you followed this way and lived in such disorders. Well then, reject all that: anger, evil intentions, malice; and let no abusive words be heard from your lips. 

     Do not lie to one another. You have been stripped of the old self and its way of thinking to put on the new, which is being renewed and is to reach perfect knowledge and the likeness of its creator. There is no room for distinction between Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, foreigner, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all.

Gospel: Lk 6:20 - 26 

     Then looking at his disciples, Jesus said, "Fortunate are you who are poor, the kingdom of God is yours." Fortunate are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Fortunate are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Fortunate are you when people hate you, when they reject you and insult you and number you among criminals, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. Remember that is how the ancestors of this people treated the prophets. But alas for you who have wealth, for you have been comforted now. Alas for you who are full, for you will go hungry. Alas for you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Alas for you when people speak well of you, for that is how the ancestors of these people treated the false prophets.

Reflection:

     In today's Gospel, Jesus says that the Kingdom belongs to those who are poor and hungry in this world. St. Peter Claver (1581 - 1654) showed the slaves of his time that they were blessed with the dignity of God's Kingdom. 

     A Spaniard, Claver joined the Jesuits at the age of 21. When he was in Majorca studying philosophy, Claver was encouraged by Brother Alphonsus Rodriguez, the saintly doorkeeper at the Jesuit college, to volunteer for the missions in the Americas. In 1610 he arrived in Cartagena, Colombia.

     Claver was deeply disturbed by the harsh treatment and living conditions of the black slaves being brought from Africa. By his time the slave trade had been long established in the Americas and Cartagena was a center for it.  Ten thousand slaves poured into the port each year, crossing the Atlantic from West Africa under conditions so foul and inhuman that an estimated one third of them died in transit.

     When a ship arrived, Claver begged for fruits, biscuits or sweets to bring to the slaves. He went on board to share his goods as well as his skills as a doctor and a teacher. Claver entered the holds of the ships and would not leave until every person had received some measure of care. He gave short instructions in the Catholic faith and baptized as many as he could. In this way he did his best to prevail on the slave owners to give humane treatment to fellow Christians.

     In forty years of ministry to the slaves, Claver baptized more than 300,000 slaves. Ill for the last four years of his life, he suffered from what we now know as Parkinson's disease. At his death in 1654 the city turned out to give him an elaborate funeral. He was beatified in 1851 and canonized in 1888.

     Claver understood that concrete services like the distribution of food, medicines and care to the slaves were more effective for preaching of the Good News than mere words: "We must speak to them with our hands before we try to speak to them with our lips."

     In our efforts for all peoples to live in harmony, St. Peter Claver teaches us to see every person we encounter, especially those different from us, as brother or sister in Christ.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     EVELYN BAUTISTA

     GIANFRANCO V. AMURAO

     JOYCE TIU

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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September 8, 2015 TUESDAY, NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Feast, White

Mi 5:1 - 4a / Mt 1:1 - 16, 18 - 23

Reading: Mi 5:1 - 4a  

     But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, so small that you are hardly named among the clans of Judah, from you shall I raise the one who is to rule over Israel. For he comes forth from of old, from the ancient times.

     Yahweh, therefore, will abandon Israel until such time as she who is to give birth has given birth. Then the rest of his deported brothers will return to the people of Israel.

     He will stand and shepherd his flock with the strength of Yahweh, in the glorious Name of Yahweh, his God. They will live safely while he wins renown to the ends of the earth. He shall be peace.

Gospel: Mt 1:1 - 16, 18 - 23

     This is the document of the origins of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham. 

     Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (their mother was Tamar), Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron of Aram. Aram was the father of Aminadab, Aminadab of Nahshon, Nahshon of Salmon. Salmon was the father of Boaz. His mother was Rahab. Boaz was the father of Obed. His mother was Ruth. Obed was the father of Jesse.

     Jesse was the father of David, the king. David was the father of Solomon. His mother had been Uriah's wife. Solomon was the father of Rehoboam. Then came the kings: Abijah, Asaph, Jehoshaphat, Joram, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah,  Manasseh, Amon, Josiah. Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

     After the deportation to Babylon Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel and Salathiel of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud, Abiud of Eliakim, and Eliakim of Azor.  Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, and Akim the father of Eliud.  Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar of Matthan, and Matthan of Jacob.  Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and from her came Jesus who is called the Christ – the Messiah.

     This is how Jesus Christ was born. Mary his mother had been given to Joseph in marriage but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. . . .

     All this happened in order to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and he will be called Emmanuel which means: God-with-us. 

Reflection:

     Though today's feast is of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Gospel reading is the genealogy of her Son Jesus on the male line through Joseph his foster-father to David all the way back to Abraham. Mary's key role in salvation history is to be Mother of the Son of God: "the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father . . . became incarnate from the Virgin Mary and was made man."   

     The genealogy of our Lord confirms and emphasizes his humanity: "And the Word was made flesh; he had his tent pitched among us, and we have seen his Glory, the Glory of the only Son coming from the Father: fullness of truth and loving kindness."  (Jn 1:14)

     "Impart to your servants, O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin may bring deeper peace to those for whom the birth of her Son was the dawning of salvation."

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     BELLIE REYES VILLANUEVA

     FR. RODNEY HART, SJ

     HANANI M. BAUTISTA

     NATY LANSIGAN

     VINO NAÑAGAS

IN MEMORIAM:

     Bernardo Santiago Jr.

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.