DAILY- HOMILY

01 January 2016

MARY, MOTHER OF GOD

(Octave of Christmas) 

Solemnity.      Holy day of obligation.      White.  

Nm 6: 22 - 27.         Gal 4: 4 - 7.       Lk 2: 16 - 21.

1st Reading:  Nm 6: 22 – 27

Then Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to Aaron and his sons and say to them: 'This is how you shall bless the people of Israel;  you shall say:  May Yahweh bless you and keep you!  May Yahweh let his face shine on you and be gracious to you!  May Yahweh look kindly on you, and give you his peace!  In that way shall they put my name on the people of Israel and I will bless them,"

2nd Reading:  Gal 4: 4 – 7

But when the fullness of time came, God sent his Son.  He came born of woman and subject to the Law, in order to redeem the subjects of the Law, that we may be given our full rights of sons and daughters of God. And because you are sons, God has sent into your hearts the Spirit of his Son which cries out:  'Abba!  That is, Father.'  

You yourself are no longer a slave but are a son or daughter, and yours is the inheritance by God's grace.

Gospel  Reading:    Lk 2:16 – 21

So they came hurriedly and found Mary and Joseph, with the baby lying in the manger. On seeing this they related what they had been told about the child, and all were astonished on hearing the shepherds.

As for Mary, she treasured all these messages and continually pondered over them. 

The shepherds then returned giving glory and praise to God for all they had heard and seen, just as the angels had told them.

On the eighth day the circumcision of the baby had to be performed;  he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

Reflection

"May Yahweh bless you and keep you!"  This is how the Lord instructed Moses to bless the people.  When we think of blessings, we always think of good things, of positive things, of riches, name and fame and a good life.  In the Book of Numbers, following this instruction on how to bless the people, we have more rules and regulations from God to Israel.

The Gospel reading relates what the shepherds said, saw and heard from the angels on high while they were in the fields watching their flocks and when they visited the Child lying in the manger.  And Mary kept all these in her heart. Mary who was called blessed also had to witness and endure the sufferings of her Son.

While some blessings may not be pleasant, always they mean the same thing, that God is in or with the person considered blessed.  While we may desire pleasant and good things, the presence of God in our lives transforms all experiences as experiences of loving and being loved.

Today we celebrate the Motherhood of Mary.  We draw inspiration and strength from her experience of being blessed.  She saw the face of God and lived.  Hopefully in our own lives and especially in our Mary-like experiences of caring for others, we will always see God's hand in our lives.  There may be a gauge of being blessed:  the measure of peace in our hearts indicates our capacity to have allowed God's blessing to rule our lives. 

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     Amy Aguilar Cheang

     Belen Abuel Sim

     Janwee D. Alapar

PRAYER INTENTION

     Family of Olivia T. Ng

     Joseph Lim Sinche

THANKSGIVING

     Castillo Family

     Glennweek Commercial Inc & Egghead System & Network Inc.

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     Dr. Generosa Oreta-Dizon

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

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

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