DAILY- HOMILY

25 April 2016

Monday, 5th Week of Easter

St. Mark, Evangelist

Feast.         Red.        

1 Pt 5:5b –14 / Mk 16:15 – 20

St. Mark, who wrote the second Gospel, was a disciple and collaborator of St. Peter the Apostle.  Held as the first Bishop of Alexandria, he is the Patron of Venice and Egypt.

From the 1st Reading: 1 Pt 5:6 –10

Bow down, then, before the power of God so that he will raise you up at the appointed time.  Place all your worries on him since he takes care of you.

Be sober and alert because your enemy the devil prowls about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.  Stand your ground, firm in your faith, knowing that our brothers and sisters, scattered throughout the world, are confronting similar persecutions.  God, the giver of all grace, has called you to share in Christ's eternal Glory and after you have suffered a little he will bring you to perfection: he will confirm, strengthen and establish you forever.

Gospel Reading: Mk 16:15 - 20

Then Jesus told them, "Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; the one who refuses to believe will be condemned. Signs like these will accompany those who have believed: in my Name they will cast out demons and speak new languages; they will pick up snakes and, if they drink anything poisonous, they will be unharmed. They will lay their hands on the sick and they will be healed."

So then, after speaking to them, the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven and took his place at the right hand of God. The Eleven went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied them.

Reflection

"To be sent is to be anointed with the Holy Spirit."  The Holy Spirit goes with us in our mission to evangelize and proclaim the good news of God's Kingdom. 

A true and authentic believer is a witness to miracles.  The greatest miracle is our overcoming with the Holy Spirit against our inordinate desires, pride, wrong egotistic tendencies & sinfulness-our fallen nature.  No wonder St. John the Baptizer once said that "He must increase and I must decrease".  St. Paul said:  "It is no longer I who lives but Christ who lives in me."

With the help of the Holy Spirit we can develop in perfection the love that is necessary to overcome all our sinful tendencies and reverse its destructive effects by infusing the re-creative power of God into the process.  The Holy Spirit acts on our conscience to help us repent and reconcile ourselves to God.  The Holy Spirit enables us with the gift of life during our Baptism and the "spiritual gifts" bestowed on us in our Confirmation to help us with our following Christ in mission in proclaiming the new language of love.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     Jovito Yu (Feb 15, 1948 – Apr 25, 2003)

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!

**************************************************

These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following: 

  +================================================+

   |  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.  

  +================================================+