DAILY- HOMILY

December 10, 2015 THURSDAY, 2nd Week of Advent 

Violet 

Manila: DEDICATION OF THE METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL (1958) 

Feast, White   

Is 41:13 – 20 / Mt 11:11 - 15 

Reading: Is 41:13 – 20

     For I, Yahweh, your God, take hold of your right hand and say to you: "Fear not, I am your assistance."

     Fear not, Jacob, poor worm, and you, people of Israel, so frail. I am your redeemer, says Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, your helper.

     I will make you a thresher, new and with sharp double teeth: you will thresh hills and mountains, crushing them and reducing them to chaff.

     You will winnow them, the wind will carry them off and the storm will scatter them. But you will rejoice in Yahweh and glory in the Holy One of Israel.

     The poor and the afflicted seek water, and find none. Their tongues are parched with thirst. But I, Yahweh, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

     I will open up streams over the barren heights and let the rivers flow through all the valleys; I will turn the desert into lakes and brooks and the thirsty earth into a land of springs.

     I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle and the olive; I will plant in the wasteland fir, cypress and pine – that all may see and know, consider and understand, that the hand of Yahweh has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Gospel: Mt 11:11 - 12

     Jesus said, I tell you this: no one greater than John the Baptist has come forward among the sons of women, and yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven is something to be conquered and the unyielding seize it.

     Up to the time of John, there was only prophesy: all the prophets and the Law; and if you believe me, John is this Elijah, whose coming was predicted. Let anyone with ears listen!"

Reflection:

     With the sin of Adam and Eve at the Garden, pain and suffering entered man's world: "Cursed be the soil because of you!  In suffering you will provide food for yourself from it, all the days of your life. . . With sweat on your face you will eat your bread, until you return to clay." (Gn 3: 17b – 19a) And to the woman, "I will increase your suffering in childbearing and you will give birth to your children in pain. You will be dependent on your husband and he will lord it over you." (Gn 3: 16)

     But from the beginning God gave man hope, "I will make you enemies, you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head and you will strike his heel." (Gn 3: 15)

     The birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Christ initiated the fulfilment of God's promise of redemption.

     In the Gospel reading, Jesus praises John the Baptist: "no one greater than John the Baptist has come forward among the sons of women." When his birth was announced, the angel said, "This son of yours will be great in the eyes of the Lord." (Lk 1: 15)

     At John's birth, Zechariah prophesied, "And you, my child, shall be called prophet of the Most High, for you shall go before the Lord to prepare the way for him and enable his people to know of their salvation when he comes to forgive their sins." (Lk 1: 76 -77)

     Jesus himself said, "What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. For John is the one foretold in Scripture in these words: I am sending my messenger ahead of you to prepare your ways." (Lk 7: 26 – 27)

     John's greatness is seen in his humble appreciation of himself, "I baptize you with water, but the one who is coming will do much more: he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. As for me, I am not worthy to untie his sandal." (Lk 3: 18)

     Yet Jesus said: "the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." The disciples and each one of us have been called to the kingdom of God which has come upon us in the ministry of Jesus while John merely announced the coming of the kingdom. Blessed be God who has blessed us so much!

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     LORETO T. REYES

     PAULA O'GORMAN

     SR. KATHERINE B. BROSO, MIC

THANKSGIVING

     DENNIS, JOCELYN, HENRY, HANNA & HAZEL

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     MANNY & DORY GUTIERREZ

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     JEFFREY GO

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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