DAILY- HOMILY

22 October 2016 

Saturday, 29th Week in Ordinary Time

St. John Paul II, Pope     

Green.          

Ep 4:7–16 / Lk 13:1 – 9

Pope St. John Paul II (1920 – 2005), from Poland, had one of the longest pontificates (1978 – 2005) and was the most travelled Pope.  Together with Pope St. John XIII, he   was canonized by Pope Francis on 27 April 2014, in the presence of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

Gospel Reading: Lk 13: 1 - 9 

One day some persons told Jesus what had occurred in the Temple: Pilate had Galileans killed and their blood mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Jesus replied, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this?  I tell you: no. But unless you change your ways, you will all perish as they did.

"And those eighteen persons in Siloah who were crushed when the tower fell, do you think they were more guilty than all the others in Jerusalem? I tell you: no. But unless you change your ways, you will all perish as they did."

And Jesus continued with this story, "A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard and he came looking for fruit on it, but found none. Then he said to the gardener: 'Look here, for three years now I have been looking for figs on this tree and I have found none. Cut it down, why should it use up the ground?' The gardener replied: 'Leave it one more year, so that I may dig around it and add some fertilizer; and perhaps it will bear fruit from now on. But if it doesn't, you can cut it down."

Reflection

Today's Gospel reading speaks about reasons for good things or bad things happening to people. Are good people always rewarded? Are bad people always punished? In truth misfortune happens to both good people and bad people. What is important is we do not persist in doing bad or we would indeed be punished.

Also, in times of misfortune, something good may come out of them.  We just need to see God's hand in everything that happens in our lives.  Therefore, we should pray for faith and courage in times of adversity.  

In the parable of the fig tree, Jesus tells us that God is willing to give us another chance even if we have failed him.  Therefore, we should not give up at once since God does not want to give up on us.  Every time we have disappointed God and other people, we must stand up again, ask for forgiveness and strive to make up for our mistakes.  A Christian should not lose hope, because God is always ready to help him when he asks for it.  We should also give others another chance especially if they come to us repentant and desiring to change for the better.   

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     Antonio La Vina

     Lennie Hong

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.  

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

21 October 2016 

Friday, 29th Week in Ordinary Time

St. Pedro Calungsod, Catechist; 

Bl. Diego Luis de Sanvitores, Priest, Martyrs  

Memorial.        Red.      

Eph 4: 1 – 6 / Lk 12 : 54 – 59.

San Pedro Calungsod (1654 – 1672), Filipino catechist and missionary to Guam, and Bl. Diego Luis de Sanvitores (1627 – 1672), Spanish Jesuit priest and missionary whom San Pedro assisted, were martyed in Guam.  San Pedro was the second Filipino canonized as a saint.

From the 1st Reading: Eph 4: 1 - 2

Therefore I, a prisoner of Christ invite you to live the vocation you have received.  Be humble, kind, patient and bear with one another in love.

Gospel Reading: Lk 12:  54 – 59

Jesus said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once: 'A shower is coming.' And so it happens. And when the wind blows from the south, you say: 'It will be hot'; and so it is.  You superficial people! You understand the signs of the earth and the sky, but you don't understand the present times. And why do you not judge for yourselves what is fit?  When you go with your accuser before the court, try to settle the case on the way, lest he drag you before the judge and the judge deliver you to the jailer, and the jailer throw you in prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the very last penny."

Reflection

The first reading says, "Be humble, kind, patient and bear with one another in love."  These words are exactly what St. Pedro Calungsod did.  He offered to accompany Blessed Diego de Sanvictores to preach Jesus Christ in the island of Guam.  After attracting some of the natives to the Christian faith, both men were martyred by some of the local natives who were against their mission.  St. Pedro offered his life in an attempt to save Fr. Diego.  

How noble their sacrifice, how precious is the blood of these martyrs!  By their courage, faith and love for Jesus, many non-believers will surely come to believe in our Lord.  Now if we believe that the blood of martyrs can convert others, then we should all be offering our time, resources, bodies and efforts to help those who do not believe or who have stopped believing in Jesus.  

What purpose do our lives have if we do not offer them to Jesus?  Realize, then, that Jesus is God and when we offer our lives to Him, we are doing the best thing that a man can do here on earth.  That is why the missionaries go to foreign lands, the sisters remain in the cloister, the pope goes all around the world preaching the faith and we live our daily lives full of meaning because we have offered them to the Lord.   

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     Connie M. Paraan

     Hilarion Larry Uy

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.  

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