DAILY- HOMILY

October 26, 2015 MONDAY, 30th Week in Ordinary Time   

Green 

Rom 8:12-17 / Lk 13:10-17    

Reading: Rom 8: 12-17

     Then, brothers, let us leave the flesh and no longer live according to it. If not, we will die. Rather, walking in the Spirit, let us put to death the body's deeds so that we may live.

     All those who walk in the Spirit of God are sons and daughters of God....  If we are children, we are heirs, too. Ours will be the inheritance of God and we will share it with Christ; for if we now suffer with him, we will also share Glory with him.

Gospel: Lk 13:10-17

     Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath, and a crippled woman was there. An evil spirit had kept her bent for eighteen years, so that she could not straighten up at all. On seeing her, Jesus called her and said, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." Then he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight and praised God.

     But the ruler of the synagogue was indignant, because Jesus had performed this healing on the Sabbath day, and he said to the people, "There are six days in which to work. Come on those days to be healed, and not on the Sabbath!"

But the Lord replied, "You hypocrites! Everyone of you unties his ox or his donkey on the Sabbath, and leads it out of the barn to give it water. 

     And here you have a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound for eighteen years. Should she not be freed from her bonds on the Sabbath?"

 When Jesus said this, all his opponents felt ashamed. But the people rejoiced at the many wonderful things that happened because of him.

Reflection:

     The Readings for today point to two conditions, that of the frail, sickly, and tentative human condition and that of being sons and daughters of God.  

     In the first reading, St. Paul reminds the followers from Rome to leave the flesh and to walk in the Spirit and become the sons and daughters of God.  As children of God, we can share in God's glory. 

     In the Gospel, Jesus demonstrates that Glory by curing a woman crippled for 18 years. The narrative gives us two lessons:  1) that sometimes in doing good works, we will encounter difficulties and criticisms; and 2) that many times, we have to discern what is the more loving thing to do.  

     In this situation, Jesus encounters the hypocritical ruler of the synagogue who thinks that Jesus violated the Sabbath by curing the cripple.  And yet, as Jesus demonstrates, even in the Sabbath, people work; isn't it much more loving to cure, and do good?  The discernment that is asked of us in situations like this is – what is more pleasing to the Father, to obey the Sabbath, or to cure the cripple and relieve her of 18 years of pain and suffering.  

     Many times, we will encounter difficult situations but we must discern and answer the question, WHAT IS THE MORE LOVING THING TO DO?   WHAT WOULD THE FATHER WANT US TO DO?

Let us end with a prayer: 

IT'S BETWEEN YOU AND GOD

People are often unreasonable, irrational and self-centered.

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, hidden motives.

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will get some false friends and some true enemies.

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you.

Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.

Create anyway.

If you find happiness and serenity, others will be jealous.

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will forget tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Give the world your best, and it may never be enough.

Give your best anyway.

Why?

Because in the final analysis, all of these is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     FR. GIL G. DONAYRE, SJ

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     ROBERT & NAZARINA

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.  

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

October 25, 2015 - 30th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Cycle B, Green

Jer 31:7 – 9 / Heb 5:1 – 6 / Mk 10:46 - 52.

First Reading: Jer 31:7 - 9  

     For Yahweh says this: Shout with joy for Jacob; rejoice for the greatest of nations. Proclaim your praise and say, "Yahweh has saved his people, the remnant of Israel!" Look, I will bring them back from the land of the north, gather them from the ends of the earth, the lame and the blind, mothers and women in labor -- a great throng will return. They went away weeping, they will return in joy. I will lead them by the streams of water, on a level path so that no one will stumble, for I am Israel's father and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Second Reading: Heb 5:1 – 6

     Every High Priest is taken from among mortals and appointed to be their representative before God to offer gifts and sacrifices for sin. He is able to understand the ignorant and erring for he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he is bound to offer sacrifices for his sins as well as for the sins of the people. Besides, one does not presume to take this dignity, but takes it only when called by God, as Aaron was.

  Nor did Christ become High Priest in taking upon himself this dignity, but it was given to him by the One who says: You are my son, I have begotten you today. And in another place: You are a priest forever in the priestly order of Melchizedek.

Gospel: Mk 10:46 -52   

     They came to Jericho. As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth passing by, he began to call out, "Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me!"  Many people scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he shouted all the louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

     Jesus stopped and said, "Call him" So they called the blind man saying, "Take heart. Get up, he is calling you." He immediately threw aside his cloak, jumped up and went to Jesus. Then Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said, "Master, let me see again!" And Jesus said to him, "Go your way, your faith has made you well." And immediately he could see, and followed Jesus along the road.   

Reflection:

     The blind man Bartimaeus knew no other work than to beg in public places in Jericho. Blind, he must have heard about the preacher and miracle-worker named Jesus. He must have heard about the many good works he had done, miracles of cure and healing, of cleansing of those possessed by evil spirits. He must have patiently prayed, hoped and waited for the day Jesus would pass by him at the roadside. All he needed was the opportunity to request for healing, to give him his sight. When that day came, he courageously cried out loudly, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me."

     True healing begins when we desire it. St. Augustine of Hippo says that we are all beggars in front of the Lord. A beggar knows what he truly wants; he knows what he needs; he does not ask for unessential things but begs for food, clothing and enough funds to last the day.  

     Like a beggar, our attitude should be that of total dependence in the Lord and his healing presence. When we become beggars we are forced to retreat into our inmost core, into our heart's deepest longings and needs. We become in touch with the essential things for life. Only in such deep desiring can true healing take place. This is the initial step.

     True healing is fueled by an intense faith in God: "Faith means holding on to God's mighty works in our lives. Faith enables us to affirm how the Lord had stretched out his hand in times of crisis and need. By recalling those moments in our lives, we may share in the Psalmist cry of joy, "The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy."

     True healing arouses discipleship. Since God intends to restore all of us into his healing love, he also calls us to proclaim this healing love through our graced lives. The healing we receive from him is so great and generous that we cannot contain it within ourselves only.  

     We pray that he may increase in us the capacity to desire and love him. We pray too that, in and through our broken and humbled lives, we may share God's healing love with others.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     BETTY LIMPE NGO

     DAVID SAN PEDRO

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.  

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