DAILY- HOMILY

November 25, 2015 WEDNESDAY, 34th Week in Ordinary Time

St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr 

Green  

Dn 5:1–6, 13 -14, 16 -17, 25 – 28 / Lk 21:12–19

[St. Catherine of Alexandria (c. 282 - 310), a young princess and scholar, was martyred in the reign of Emperor Maxentius.]

Reading: Dn 5:1–6, 13-14, 16 - 17, 25 – 28

     King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for his nobles, a thousand of them attended and he drank wine with them. Under the influence of wine, he ordered that the gold and silver vessels his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem be brought in so that he and his nobles, his wives and concubines might drink from them. The gold and silver vessels taken from God's temple were brought in, and the king and his nobles, his wives and concubines drank from them. While they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze and iron, of wood and stone.

     Suddenly a man's fingers appeared opposite the lampstand and wrote on the plastered wall of the king's palace. Watching the hand as it wrote, the king turned pale. So terrified was he that his knees knocked and his legs gave way.

     Daniel was brought in and questioned by the king, "Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father brought from Judah? I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods, that you have insight and extraordinary wisdom. 

     I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple, wear a gold chain around your neck, and be appointed third in rank in my kingdom."

     Daniel replied, "You may keep your gifts or give them to someone else. Just the same I will read and interpret the writing for you. 

     So he sent the hand that wrote the inscription which read MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN. And these words mean: MENE, God has numbered the days of your reign and put an end to it; TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting; PARSIN, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians."

Gospel: Lk 21:12 -19

     Jesus said, "Before all this happens, people will lay their hands on you and persecute you: you will be delivered to the Jewish courts and placed in prison, and for my sake you will be brought before kings and governors. This will be your opportunity to bear witness.

     So keep this in mind: do not worry in advance what to answer, for I will give you words and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.

     You will be betrayed even by parents, and brothers, by relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death.  But even though you are hated by all for my name's sake, not a hair of your head will perish. Through perseverance you will possess your own selves. 

Reflection:

     In the first reading from the Book of Daniel, the wise man Daniel interprets for the frightened King Belshazzar the handwriting on the walls, that "God has numbered the days of his reign and put an end to it," that the king "has been weighed on the scales and found wanting," and that his "kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians."  

     For his wisdom Daniel was rewarded and proclaimed the "third highest ruler in the kingdom." "That very night, however, the Chaldean king Belshazzar was slain."

     In the Gospel reading Jesus speaks of the trials and sufferings his followers will meet and endure for his sake; he also assures them of his presence and support in the difficult times to come. Jesus assures his followers that he would give them wisdom and words to defend themselves and inspiration on what to do. Jesus expects fidelity and faithfulness from his followers, especially in times of trials and persecution.

     We are members of a Church which celebrated the Year of the Laity and which stresses service to the poor. The Church has affirmed the need of a New Evangelization in our modern world.

     Are we inflamed by God's challenge to be his followers and witnesses to the world? 

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     DRA. ZENAIDA G. BAGABALDO

     PAUL JOHN I. SEMANERO

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     GLENN & DOROTHY T. JAO

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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November 24, 2015 TUESDAY, 34TH Week in Ordinary Time     

Sts. Andrew Dung-lac, Priest, 

and Companions, Martyrs

Memorial, Red   

Dn 2:31– 45 / Lk 21:5–11

[St. Andrew Dung-Lac (c. 1795 -1839), a Vietnamese priest, was one of 117, of whom eight were bishops and fifty priests, who were martyred over the course of a few years in Vietnam.]

Reading: Dn 2:31 – 45

     In your vision you saw a statue – very large, very bright, terrible to look at. Its head was of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. As you watched, a rock cut from a mountain but not by human hands, struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, smashing them. All at once the iron, clay, bronze, silver and gold crumbled into pieces as fine as chaff on the threshing floor in summer. The wind swept them off and not a trace was left. But the rock that struck the statue became a great mountain that filled the whole earth.

     That was the dream. Now the interpretation. You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given dominion, strength, power and glory, and into whose hand he has placed humankind, the beasts of the field and the birds of the air, making you ruler over them. You are that head of gold.

     After you, another kingdom inferior to yours will rise. Then a third kingdom of bronze will rule the whole world. Last shall be a fourth kingdom strong as iron and just as iron breaks and crushes everything else, so will it break and smash all the others. The partly-clay and partly-iron feet and toes mean that it will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron, just as you saw iron mixed with clay. And as the toes were partly iron and partly clay, the kingdom will be partly strong and partly weak. Just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, the people will be a mixture but will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

     In the time of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom never to be destroyed or delivered up to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and put an end to them. And it will endure forever. This is the meaning of your vision of a rock cut from a mountain not by human hands, the rock which struck the statue and broke into pieces the iron, bronze, clay, silver and gold. The great God has shown the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation reliable."

Gospel: Lk 21:5–11

     While some people were talking about the Temple, remarking that is was adorned with fine stonework and rich gifts, Jesus said to them, "The days will come when there shall not be left one stone upon another of all that you now admire; all will be torn down." And they asked him, "Master, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?"

     Jesus then said, "Take care not to be deceived, for many will come claiming my title and saying, 'I am he, the Messiah; the time is at hand.' Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and troubled times, do not be frightened; for all this must happen first, even though the end is not so soon."

     And Jesus, "Nations will fight each other and kingdom will oppose kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and plagues; in many places strange and terrifying signs from heaven will be seen." 

Reflection: 

     In today's Gospel reading, people are admiring the beauty and splendor of the temple of Jerusalem. Jesus tells them these would not last. People have the tendency to admire that which is fleeting: beauty, intelligence, power, wealth, health, etc. These are all gifts given by a benevolent and loving God.  What is sad is that people tend to focus on the gifts instead of the Giver. They forget that these gifts are given for only two reasons: to praise and honor the Giver for his benevolence, and to share these gifts with all as a sign of thanksgiving to the Giver.  

     In the Gospel reading, Jesus says the same thing. This temple that is so admired by the Jews will one day be destroyed. Nothing will be left. Jesus also tells us to read the signs of the times. The end will come for sure, but no one knows when it will come to pass. "Do not be afraid," Jesus says, "I have already conquered the world!"  

     It may be nice to know when the end will be and when Jesus will come. But perhaps it is not really important. All we need to know and do is to be prepared every single day of our life and live in the way God meant us to live.

     And when that day does come, hopefully it will be our happiest day of days. There will be nothing to fear; only an eager, thrilling expectation to see the Beloved and hear his voice calling us home.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     PATRICIA JOAQUIN

     PEDRO S. REYES JR.

     RHEA CATINDIG

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     ESTRELLA YU CASTILLO

     BERTRAN YU LAI (SEP 19, 1965 – NOV 24, 1996)

     JOHNSON CHUA GOTAMCO (AUG 19, 1925 – NOV 24, 2011)

OTHER INTENTIONS:

For the thanksgiving and personal intentions of Beny Chua.

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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November 23, 2015 MONDAY, 34th Week in Ordinary Time 

St. Clement I, Pope and Martyr; 

St. Columban, Abbot;

Bl. Miguel Augustine Pro, Priest and Martyr            

Green     

Dn 1:1-6, 8–20 / Lk 21:1-4

[St. Clement I, Pope and Martyr (d. 99) was the third Pope after St. Peter.]

[St. Columban, Abbot (545 - 615), an Irish monk, went to France and founded many monasteries; his followers also founded many monasteries in Germany, Switzerland and Italy. In Italy he founded the monastery at Bobbio, which became a center of culture, learning and spirituality.]

[Bl. Miguel Augustine Pro (1891 – 1927), a Mexican Jesuit priest, was martyred  during fierce persecution of the Church in Mexico.]  

Reading: Dn 1:1 -6, 8–20

     In the third year of Jehoiakim's reign as king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged Jerusalem. The Lord delivered into his hands King Jehoiakim of Judah, and some of the vessels from the temple of God as well. These he carried off to the land of Shinar and placed in the treasure house of his god.

     King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his chief eunuch Ashpenaz to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility: young men without physical defect, handsome, intelligent and wise, well-informed, quick to learn and understand, and suitable for service in the king's palace. They were to be taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans. They were allotted a daily portion of food and wine from the king's table and were to be trained for three years, after which they were to enter the king's service.

     Among these were young men of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 

     As Daniel was resolved not to make himself unclean with the king's food  or  wine,  he  begged  the  chief eunuch to spare him this defilement. By the grace of God, the chief eunuch had been sympathetic to Daniel, but he was afraid of the king, and so he said, "If the king, who has allotted your food and drink, sees that you look more emaciated than the other young men of your age, he might think ill of me. It will put my life in danger to give in to your wish."

     Daniel then turned to the steward whom the chief eunuch had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. "Please test your servants for ten days. Give us only vegetables to eat and water to drink, and see how we look in comparison with the young men who eat food from the king's table. Then treat us in accordance with what you see."

     The steward agreed and tested them for ten days, at the end of which they looked healthier and better fed than any of the young men who ate the king's food. So the steward continued to give them vegetables instead of the choice food and wine.

     To these four youths God gave wisdom and proficiency in literature, and to Daniel the gift of interpreting visions and dreams.

     At the end of the period set by the king for the youths' training, the chief eunuch presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them and found none to equal Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. These four became members of the king's court. In any matter of wisdom and discernment about which the king consulted, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Gospel: Lk 21:1– 4

     Jesus looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasure box; he also saw a poor widow dropping in two small coins. And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all of them. For all gave an offering from their plenty, but she, out of her poverty, gave all she had to live on."

Reflection:  

     There is an old saying, "It is better to give than to receive." This is what the widow in today's Gospel tried to fulfill. In fact, she went further and fulfilled yet another saying, "Give until it hurts." This earned her the notice and praise of our Lord. She gave all that she had, despite having very little. She was generous of herself, giving selflessly. Her generosity is also a demonstration of her trust that God will provide for her needs and that she did not need to hold on to the little she had.  

     The simple act of giving by the widow was worth praise in Jesus' eyes. In fact, the deed was so small it could have escaped anyone's notice. Jesus did not only see the act itself, he also saw what it really represented. He observed with the Father's eyes. And he made sure that his disciples understood what he saw. The widow's behavior was not only about giving two copper coins. It was about her acknowledgement of her deep trust and dependence on God: somehow God will provide.    

     The generosity of the widow is extraordinary. It is an act of true faith and love of God. 

     There must have been many who gave donations for the temple; many must have given generously. But our Lord singles out for praise this poor widow who "put in more than all of them. For all gave an offering from their plenty, but she, out of her poverty, gave all she had to live on."

     How generous are we in our charities? How generous are we in the support of our parish? How ready are we to help those in need? How much do we appreciate the kindness and generosity of so many around us, even of many we do not really know?

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     ARVIN VENNET V. CASTAÑEDA

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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November 22, 2015 – CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE

Solemnity.   

Cycle B, White

Dn 7:13-14 / Rev 1:5-8 / Jn 18:33b-37

First Reading: Dn 7:13-14  

I continued watching the nocturnal vision: One like a son of man came on the clouds of heaven. He faced the One of Great Age and was brought into his presence. Dominion, honor and kingship were given to him, and all the peoples and nations of every language served him. His dominion is eternal and shall never pass away; his kingdom will never be destroyed.

Second Reading: Rev 1:5-8  

. .  and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead,  the ruler of the king of the earth. To him who loves us and has washed away our sins with his own blood, making us a kingdom and priests for God his Father, to him be the glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

     See he comes with the clouds and everyone will see him, even those who pierced him; on his account all the nations of the earth will beat his breast. Yes. It will be so. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, he who is, who was and who is to come, the Master of the universe.

Gospel: Jn 18:33b-37   

     Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "Does this word come from you, or did you hear it from others?" Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew?  Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingship does not come from this world. If I were king like those of this world, my guards would have fought to save me from being handed over to the Jews. But my kingship is not from here." Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" And Jesus answered, "Just as you say, I am a king. For this I was born and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is on the side of truth hears my voice."

Reflection:

     The Solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe, was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 to affirm the primacy of Christ and the exaltation of God's rule amidst the encroaching movements of nationalism and fascism. This Solemnity also marks the close of the liturgical year and presents a vision of hope for the ultimate triumph of God's reign at the end of time.

     The Kingdom of Christ is certainly not about dominant claims to worldly power which oftentimes entail violence and greed, pretension and exploitation. Jesus clearly affirms that his kingdom was not of this world: "If I were a king like those of this world, my guards would have fought to save me from being handed over to the Jews. But my kingship is not from here."

     The kingdom which Jesus established on earth during his earthly ministry was pastoral rather than imperial. Jesus showed and lived this in his person. Jesus represented justice, peace and love as the foundation stones of his kingdom: his kingdom reached out in a special way to the poor and the marginalized. His was a kingly self-giving witness of God's mercy and love. The Pharisees and the leaders of the Jews expected an altogether different kingdom of God.

     God's reign surpasses all things and encompasses all for all time, past, present and future, into ageless and endless eternity. God invites all of us to be part of his reign and kingdom.

     In his lifetime Jesus spoke of God's kingdom as being here, "The kingdom of God is at hand, Repent and believe," and yet its full realization and fulfillment was yet to come.

     As we celebrate and affirm Christ's kingship, we ask: Do we accept Christ's rule in our lives in our day-to-day living? What rules our lives? Do we deepen our love for God such that it shows in love and care of our neighbor?  How do we live out life in and with God in our broken world?

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     CECILIA B. GARRUCHO

     JUSTIN EDWARD CHUA TANHUI

     SR. MILA ELENE P. PUNAY, MIC

     ZOE DOMINIQUE L. SALONGA

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     JUDITH & GERALDO L. YU

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     YU LIM GIOK CHANG (1916 – 2005)

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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November 21, 2015 SATURDAY, 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary  

Memorial, White 

Zec 2:14–17 / Mt 12:46–50

Reading: Zec 2:14–17

     "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for I am about to come, I shall dwell among you," says Yahweh.

     "On that day, many nations will join Yahweh and be my people, but my dwelling is among you." The people of Judah will be for Yahweh as his portion in his holy land. He will choose Jerusalem again. 

     Keep still in Yahweh's presence, for he comes, having risen from his holy dwelling."

Gospel: Mt 12:46 - 50

     While Jesus was still talking to the people, his mother and his brothers wanted to speak to him and they waited outside. So someone said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are just outside; they want to speak with you."

     Jesus answered, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "Look! Here are my mother and my brothers.  Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is for me brother, sister, or mother."

Reflection:

     In today's Gospel reading we see Mary the mother of Jesus and some relatives wishing to see and speak to Jesus. When told about them, Jesus points to his disciples, "Look! Here are my mother and my brothers.  Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is for me brother, sister, or mother."

     Jesus wishes to stress the primacy of the Kingdom of heaven and of obedience and dedication to the will of the Father. Those who do the Father's will and serve and advance God's Kingdom are closer to him than even his own mother and relatives.

     Of course we know that there is no one more obedient and more dedicated to God than Mary. Conceived without sin, she was greeted by the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation, "Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you. . . . God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear as on and you shall call him Jesus. He will be great and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High." (Lk 1:28–32)  And Mary is indeed Mother of God.

     Today is the Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to a long standing tradition in the Church, Mary as a young child was presented to the Lord by her parents at the temple in Jerusalem: her presentation to God highlights her obedience to God's will and dedication to the service of God even from her youth. This precisely is what Jesus mentions as the essential requirement for one to be a disciple of Jesus.

     In Jesus' declaration we also see that, when we commit ourselves to the work for the Kingdom, we find a new mother in Mary and new brothers and sisters in all who believe in Jesus. May we be faithful and loving to all of them.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     CECILIA C. ESCOBAR

     KATINCA TAPIA

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     PHILIP & LOUCIANA SY

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     MARCELINO TIU

     ONG TEE

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.  

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