DAILY- HOMILY

11 June 11, 2016   

Saturday, 10th Week in Ordinary Time

St. Barnabas, Apostle

Memorial.        Red.        

Acts 11:21b -26; 13:1– 3 / Mt 10:7 – 13

St. Barnabas, a companion of St. Paul the Apostle, was stoned to death in Cyprus.

From the 1st Reading: Acts 13:2 – 3

On one occasion while they were celebrating the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, "Set apart Barnabas and Saul and send them to do the work for which I have called them."  So, after fasting and prayer, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Gospel Reading: Mt 10:7 -13

Jesus told the Twelve, "Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. You received this as a gift, so give it as a gift. Do not carry any gold, silver or copper in your purses. Do not carry a traveler's bag, or an extra shirt, or sandals, or walking-stick: workers deserve their living.

"When you come to a town or a village, look for a worthy person and stay there until you leave.

"As you enter the house, wish it peace. If the people in the house deserve it, your peace will be on them; if they do not deserve it, your blessing will come back to you."

Reflection    

Sometimes, we encounter people walking two by two on the streets and knocking at our doors evangelizing.  They are so persistent up to the point that we get annoyed.  If we think deeper, we should be glad that there are still Christians doing these things.  Except for some Catholics, this is not generally practiced.  During this memorial of St. Barnabas, we should reflect on how he and St. Paul were commissioned by God to preach the gospel, travelling to many countries, encountering many difficulties and finally martyrdom.

We might think our mission on earth is just to evangelize our families.  No, we should go out of our way to evangelize others too.  It will not be an easy task, but we should not be discouraged if people are not easily converted or do not believe in God's infinite goodness.  

There are people who just do not want to know about God.  This may be difficult for us to accept, but we should remember that Jesus was also rejected by many people.  We should ask for the Holy Spirit to guide and encourage us to persevere in our mission to evangelize.  The time to start is now.  It is never too early or too late to spread the Gospel.    

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     Lorenzo Meoli

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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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: 

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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.  

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

10 June 2016 

Friday, 10th Week in Ordinary Time

Green.         

1 Kgs 19: 9a, 11 – 16 / Mt 5:27–32

Gospel Reading: Mt 5:27 - 32

Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said: Do not commit adultery. But I tell you this: anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has in fact already committed adultery with her in his heart.

"So, if your right eye causes you to sin, pull it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell.

"It was also said: anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.  But what I tell you is this: If a man divorces his wife except in the case of unlawful union, he causes her to commit adultery. And the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

Reflection

A gangrenous foot or part of the body is best amputated to prevent the gangrene from spreading to the rest of the body.  Is this also true for Christianity?

Christ speaks of gouging our eyes or amputating our body parts if they cause us to sin in order to preserve the rest of the body.  Is this to be understood literally?  Our body can be a vessel for holiness but it can also be a vessel for self-destruction.  The mouth and tongue that praise God are also used to gossip and make use of foul language.  With the eyes we can contemplate the beauty of God's creation but they can also be used to watch pornography.  

What is the mutilation referred to in the gospel?  It is a radical losing of oneself to follow Jesus.  It entails sacrifices and risks for love of Christ and neighbor – cutting off from illicit relationships, avoiding barkadas that lead to the practice of drunkenness, etc.  

Fasting is one weapon which we can practice against excessive use of computer or television.  Temperance is a virtue whereby we eat and drink in moderation and use the goods of the world properly.  Our body, according to St. Francis of Assisi, is like a stubborn donkey that needs to be beaten at times to make it submit to us.  

Sacrifices, therefore, make the spirit healthier, because since we are both flesh and spirit, we have not been created just to satisfy the cravings of the flesh. So spending more time to listen to God's words is giving food for the soul. God's word will teach us how to fight the temptations of the flesh.     

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.  

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