DAILY- HOMILY

December 7, 2017 – THURSDAY, 1ST Week of Advent

St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Memorial, White

Is 26: 1 - 6 / Mt 7: 21, 24 - 27

     St. Ambrose (340 - 397), Bishop of Milan, opposed Arianism in the West. He converted and baptized St. Augustine of Hippo (354 - 430).

FROM THE FIRST READING:          Is 26: 2- 4

     Let the righteous nation enter, she who is firm in faithfulness. You keep in perfect peace the one of steadfast mind, the one who trusts in you. Trust in Yahweh forever for Yahweh is an everlasting Rock.

GOSPEL READING:           Mt 7: 21, 24- 27

     Jesus said to his disciples, "Not everyone who says to me: Lord! Lord! will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my heavenly Father.

"So, then, anyone who hears these words of mine and acts accordingly is like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house, but it did not collapse because it was built on rock. But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not act accordingly is like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain poured, the rivers flooded and the wind blew and struck that house; it collapsed and what a terrible fall that was!"

REFLECTION

     When I was a young child, we used to have a tree house built by my father. It was small but large enough for five small children, my four siblings and me. I remember my father climbing the eight steps several times to see how we were and that we were safe in the tree house. We enjoyed that tree house tremendously, where on weekends we played, rested, read books and even ate. My father knew we were safe in the tree house. When I was older I realized that our tree house was safe because it was built on a large and sturdy old tree.

     If our spiritual life with God is built on solid foundation like the big tree trunk for the tree house, our spiritual life will be sturdy and strong. What does this mean for me and my spiritual life? In the Gospel reading Jesus said that "anyone who hears these words of mine and acts accordingly is like a wise man who built his house on rock."

     The faith we received handed on to us at our baptism must be nourished in our lives for it to grow, nourished by prayer and the sacraments, listening and reading God's word and listening to commentaries on God's word and spiritual and corporal acts of mercy and love. These make our faith strong, even in the midst of doubt, temptations and trials. Indeed "not everyone who says to me: Lord! Lord! will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my heavenly Father." To enter the kingdom of heaven, we must do God's will.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY 

     GIANELA NOELLE DYSY

IN MEMORIAM (†)

     CARMELITA YU CO (FEB. 10, 1949 - DEC. 7, 1997)

     CATHERINE JOY YU CO (NOV 14, 1988 - DEC. 7, 1997)

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

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

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