DAILY- HOMILY

19 February 2016                                                         

Friday, 1st Week of Lent                                                             

Violet.             

Ez 18:21–28 / Mt 5:20 – 26.  

From the 1st Reading: Ez 18:21 - 22

If the sinner turns from his sin, observes my decrees and practices what is right and just, he will live, he will not die.  None of the sins he committed will be charged against him; he will live as a consequence of his righteous deeds.

From the Gospel Reading: Mt 5: 20 - 24  

Jesus said, "I tell you, then, that if you are not righteous in a much broader way than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. 

"You have heard that it was said to our people in the past: Do not commit murder; anyone who does kill will have to face trial. But now I tell you: whoever gets angry with a brother or sister will have to face trial. Whoever insults a brother or sister deserves to be brought before the council; whoever calls a brother or a sister "Fool" deserves to be thrown into the fire of hell. So, if you are about to offer your gift at the altar and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with him, and then come back and offer your gift to God."

Reflection

The first reading is very encouraging for people who want to change their lives for the better.  It says that whoever chooses to live a new life has the blessing of God.  But it warns good people not to be complacent and think that God will not punish them if they turn to doing evil.

In the Gospel, we are told that to be angry and to be berating people are tantamount to killing them. There are unkind people who are always badmouthing others. They do not realize that God is very disappointed with them. You don't need to hurt someone physically to mistreat him. Verbal abuse can be as damaging, especially to young people when done in their own homes.  Many in our society enjoy bullying those whom they perceive to be weak. Others are simply full of venom and hatred and make the lives of others miserable by their unkind words. We must examine ourselves. Do we speak to others with kindness and patience or not?  For sure we will discover that there is still room for improvement. Yet the gospel gives us hope. It says that while there is still time, we must reconcile with those whom we have hurt with our unkind words. God knows that we may have hurt others in the past, so He invites us to simply say sorry and ask for forgiveness. If we do so, God, who is merciful and compassionate, will help us to reconcile with those whom we have hurt.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     Vanissa O. Almodal

     Luis P. Sayo

     Philip Go

     Franz Darwin A. Saw

IM MEMORIAM (+)

     Feliciana Marin

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

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

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