DAILY- HOMILY

July 6, 2017 – THURSDAY, 13th Week in Ordinary Time 

St. Maria Goretti, Virgin and Martyr 

Green

Gn 22: 1b- 19 / Mt 9: 1 - 8

     St. Maria Goretti (1890 -1902), a twelve-year old Italian maiden, was stabbed to death by one who wished to seduce her.

FROM THE GOSPEL READING:     Mt 9: 1 - 8

     Jesus got back into the boat, crossed the lake again, and came to his hometown. Here they brought a paralyzed man to him, lying on a bed. Jesus saw their faith and said to the paralytic, "Courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven."

     Then some teachers of the Law said to themselves, "This man insults God." Jesus was aware of what they were thinking and said, "Why do you have such evil thoughts? Which is easier to say: 'Your sins are forgiven' or 'Stand up and walk'? You must know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." He then said to the paralyzed man, "Stand up! Take up your stretcher and go home." The man got up and went home.

     When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe and praised God for giving such power to human beings.

REFLECTION

     When the teachers of the Law questioned in their minds how Jesus could forgive sins, he asked them, "Why do you have such evil thoughts? Which is easier to say: 'Your sins are forgiven' or 'Stand up and walk'"?

     And before they could answer, to prove himself Jesus cured the paralyzed man, "Stand up! Take up your stretcher and go home." And the man got up and went home.

     Indeed we do make decisions on what to say: we choose what words to speak, what stories to tell, what details to stress. Approached for advice or opinion or when volunteering information, we would tell what we consider more favorable to ourselves and our image and reputation.

     Like most everything in life, it is our choice. We may choose to "save face," or to go with the more popular opinion or position or to honestly speak the truth, based on what we know and believe.

     The paralyzed man was brought to Jesus to be cured, as he had cured so many others. Though Jesus knew this as his petition, Jesus wanted to give importance to a more important cure, a more important healing, of his relationships with God. So he began with this more important cure and lesson, "Courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven."

     Only after that, at the unexpressed query of the biased teachers of the Law, does he physically cure him, "Stand up! Take up your stretcher and go home."

     Both healings are miracles of God's loving mercy: may we value the healing of the spirit more.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     GEORGE CHRISTIAN LU YOUNG Ill

THANKSGIVING

     LUCIA AND ROLAN ONG AND FAMILY

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 

     SUSANA LIM LORENZO & JOSE LORENZO

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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   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

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