DAILY- HOMILY

February 26, 2017 - 8th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Green

Is 49: 14 -15 / 1 Cor 4: 1- 5 / Mt 6: 24 -34

1ST READING:  Is 49: 14- 15

      But Zion said, "Yahweh has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me." Can a woman forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child of her womb? Yet though she forget, I will never forget you.

2ND READING:  1 Cor 4: 1 - 5

      Let everyone then see us as the servants of Christ and stewards of the secret works of God. Being stewards, faithfulness shall be demanded of us; but I do not mind if you or any human court judges me. I do not even judge myself; my conscience indeed does not accuse me of anything, but that is not enough for me to be set right with God: the Lord is the one who judges me.

      Therefore, do not judge before the time, until the coming of the Lord. He will bring to light whatever was hidden in darkness and will disclose the secret intentions of the hearts. Then each one will receive praise from God.

GOSPEL READING:  Mt 6: 24- 34

      Jesus said to his disciples, "No one can serve two masters: for he will either hate one and love the other, or he will be loyal to the first and look down on the second. You cannot at the same time serve God and money.

      "This is why I tell you not to be worried about food and drink for yourself, or about clothes for your body. Is not life more important than food and is not the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow, they do not harvest and do not store food in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than birds?

      "Can any of you add a day to your life by worrying about it? Why are you so worried about your clothes? Look at the flowers in the fields how they grow. They do not toil or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his wealth was clothed like one of these. If God so clothes the grass in the field which blooms today and is to be burned tomorrow in an oven, how much more will he clothe you? What little faith you have!

      "Do not worry and say: 'What are we going to eat? What are we going to drink? Or what shall we wear?' The pagans busy themselves with such things; but your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Set your hearts first on the kingdom and justice of God and all these things will also be given to you. Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

REFLECTION

      We are all worriers. We worry about a lot of things, even matters of little significance and importance. The Gospel reading today tells us not to worry: "Do not worry and say: 'What are we going to eat? What are we going to drink? Or what shall we wear?' The pagans busy themselves with such things; but your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Set your hearts first on the kingdom and justice of God and all these things will also be given to you. Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself."

      But in our human-ness, we do worry. Some might say it is concern that they feel. Life itself causes us stress. During these times we could forget that God is always present for us. Hopefully by our faith, we know that God is with us always.

      It may not be easy to do things on our own and we need others to help us. But we should always remember that God is, should be above everything else in our lives. Seek the Lord first and we will be abundantly rewarded, not only in this life but also in the next: "Set your hearts first on the kingdom and justice of God and all these things will also be given to you."

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.  

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

__._,_.___