DAILY- HOMILY

11 February 2016

Thursday after Ash Wednesday 

Our Lady of Lourdes

Violet.       

Dt 30:13 – 20 / Lk 9:22 – 25

11 February marks the first of eighteen apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lourdes to fourteen-year old St. Bernadette Soubirous (1844 – 1879) in 1858. In one of the apparitions, the Blessed Virgin proclaimed herself "the Immaculate Conception," which dogma had been defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854.

From the 1st Reading: Dt 30:14 – 16 

On the contrary, my word is very near you; it is already in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can put it into practice.

See, I set before you on this day life and good, evil and death.  I command you to love Yahweh, your God, and follow his ways.  Observe his commandments, his norms and his laws, and you will live and increase, and Yahweh will give you his blessing in the land you are going to possess. 

Gospel  Reading: Lk 9: 22 - 25 

Jesus added, "The Son of Man must suffer many things.  He will be rejected by the elders and chief priests and teacher of the Law, and put to death. Then after three days he will be raised to life."

Jesus also said to all the people, "If you wish to be a follower of mine, deny yourself and take up your cross each day, and follow me.  For if you choose to save your life, you will lose it, and if you lose your life for my sake, you will save it.  What does it profit you to gain the whole world while you destroy or damage yourself?" 

Reflection

In the first reading from the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses, before he dies, reminds the Israelites to keep God's commands and to live according to their covenant with their God and "Yahweh will give them his blessing in the land they are going to possess."  Moses also reminds them that his instructions about following God's law are well known by them:  "my word is very near you; it is already in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can put it into practice."

Indeed God's law and commandments arise from our very nature as creatures of God with responsibility for one another and God's world which he has entrusted to us.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus stresses that to follow him is to follow him as he is, as the suffering Servant prophesied by the Prophet Isaiah, "If you wish to be a follower of mine, deny yourself and take up your cross each day, and follow me." In the same way that Jesus took up his cross and gave up his life on the cross for our salvation, his followers must accept and take up their crosses in their lives in imitation of the Lord.  The follower, the disciple, must follow and be like his/her master.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     Ralph Dixel B. Garro

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     Edward & Jennifer Inocentes

     Gerald & Geraldine Dy Sy

     Jerome & Sally Lim Gotamco

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     Lucia C. Tiu

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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