DAILY- HOMILY

29 February2016

Monday, 3rd Week of Lent  

Violet.         

2 Kgs 5:1-15b / Lk 4: 24 – 30.

From the 1st Reading: 2 Kgs 5: 14 - 15

So Naaman went down to the Jordan where he washed himself seven times as Elisha had ordered..  His skin became soft like that of a child and he was cleansed.

Then Naaman  to the man of God with all his men.  He entered and said to him, "Now I know that there is no other God anywhere in the world but in Israel.  I ask you to accept these gifts from your servant."

Gospel Reading: Lk 4: 24 - 30

Jesus added, "No prophet is honored in his own country. Truly, I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens withheld rain for three years and six months and a great famine came over the whole land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow of Zarephath, in the country of Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, the prophet, and no one was healed except Naaman, the Syrian."

On hearing these words, the whole assembly became indignant. They rose up and brought him out of the town, to the edge of the hill on which Nazareth is built, intending to throw him down the cliff. But he passed through their midst and went his way.

Reflection

"Jesus added, 'No prophet is honored in his own country.'" (Lk 4: 24)

When I was new in the renewal programs and community, I was on fire to evangelize. I wanted to preach the Good News in my workplace. I didn't know how to go about it. 

I knew that my officemates were turned off by the 'Praise-the-Lord' charismatics in the office and so I couldn't go that route for fear of being rejected as Jesus was in Luke 4:24, and so I just kept quiet until eventually my fervor to preach died down. I just went on quietly trying to be a good follower of Jesus and the teachings of the community, having a regular prayer time and growing in the Lord. 

After some time, I gathered enough courage to initiate a Christian Life Program (a Life in the Spirit Seminar) at the office and was surprised to see many of my officemates become participants. At the end of the 12-session program, one office-mate shared that he joined the program because of me. I was surprised because I felt like I never did anything to evangelize at the office. I guess that it was my being open to the Holy Spirit and my personal relationship with Jesus that did the preaching and evangelizing for me. 

Did you ever have the occasion to witness to the Lord without actually speaking?

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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