DAILY- HOMILY

22 April 2016

Blessed Virgin Mary,

Mother of the Society of Jesus

Feast.     White.       

Gal 4: 4 – 7 / Mt 1: 20b – 23. 

Gospel Reading: Mt 1: 20 – 23

An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.  She has conceived by the Holy Spirit, and now she will bear a son.  You shall call him 'Jesus' for he will save his people from their sins."

Reflection

Do you find Jesuits humble? More than in learning or apostolic competence, St. Ignatius of Loyola expected Jesuits to be humble, aspiring even to the "third degree of humility."  I say Jesuits "are supposed to be humble," because many Jesuits may at times seem to be quite far from being humble.

This is why Jesuits need to look today at Mary, the Mother of the Society of Jesus, to teach them what true humility is.

Mary comes to us in our need.  "Kung sinong may kailangan, siya ang lumapit" is a common saying. There is a risk in volunteering to help others  who may reject our help.  This is why we sometimes wait for people to come to us before we help them.  Yet we find Mary going on her own to help her cousin Elizabeth upon learning she was with child. Mary volunteers to help the newlyweds at Cana even before they ask for help. 

Mary is sensitive to the needs of others more than her own. Mary traveled a good distance of rugged semi-desert terrain to visit her cousin Elizabeth.  Mary risked being judged imprudent when she approached  Jesus regarding the impending embarrassment of the newly-weds in Cana: "Woman, your thoughts are not mine! My hour has not yet come," Jesus tells her. Yet Mary confidently tells the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." (Jn 2: 4 -5)

Mary stays with us in our need.   This is the quality we expect and demand from our helpers and drivers: "Inday, huwag kang aalis hanggang hindi ako matapos kumain!" "Opo, Senora." "O, Bitoy, iparada mo ang kotse at hintayin mo akong matapos mag-golf."  Beyond the brief and token help we often give, the truly humble know how to wait.  They consider the other as more important than themselves. 

Mary stayed for three months with Elizabeth until she gave birth. We can suppose that Mary stayed in touch with the young couple from Cana, which was not too far from Nazareth, ready to help them amidst the travails of married life.  Above all, Mary stood by the cross of Jesus to the very end.

We pray:  "Mary, Mother of the Society of Jesus, beg Jesus your Son, that we learn to be humble like you, that we reach out to those in need without waiting for them to beg us, that we be sensitive to the  needs of others, putting their needs above our own and that we remain with those in need beyond mere token help.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     Gloria C. Yu

     Sr. Agnes Guillen OCD

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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