DAILY- HOMILY

May 18, 2017 – THURSDAY, 5th Week of Easter 

St. John I, Pope and Martyr 

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Acts 15: 7- 21 / Jn 15: 9 - 11

   St. John I (d. 536), elected Pope in 523, was the first Pontiff to visit Constantinople; he worked to restore unity in the Church after the Acacian Schism (482- 519)

FROM THE 1ST READING:     Acts 15: 13, 19- 21

     After they had finished, James spoke up, "Listen to me, brothers. Symeon has just explained how God first showed his care by taking a people for himself from non-Jewish nations....

     "Because of this, I think that we should not make difficulties for those non­ Jews who are turning to God. Let us just tell them not to eat food that is unclean from having been offered to idols; to keep themselves from prohibited marriages; and not to eat the flesh of animals that have been strangled, or any blood. For from the earliest times Moses has been taught in every place, and every sabbath his laws are recalled."

GOSPEL READINg:     Jn 15:9- 11

     Jesus said to his disciples, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain in my love. You will remain in my love if you keep my commandments, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love.

     "I have told you all this, that my own joy may be in you and your joy may be complete."

REFLECTION

   Since time immemorial and painfully even to this day, racism has constantly been present. Humanity seems to find it so difficult to rid itself of this nasty tendency to exclude or discriminate against people who are different.

     In the first reading we see the early Christians deciding on what to require of non-Jews in their preaching of the Good News. Guided by the Holy Spirit they finally decided that the Good News of Jesus is indeed for all.

     In the Gospel reading Jesus reaffirms his spreading of God's love to all, "that my own joy may be in you and your joy may be complete."

     We show our love for Jesus by keeping his commandments; in return he will love us just as the Father has loved him.

     Let us pray that we be his good servants keeping his commandments and spreading and sharing his message of love to all the world.

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.  

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

May 17, 2017 – WEDNESDAY, 5th Week of Easter

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Acts 15: 1- 6 / Jn 15: 1 - 8

FROM THE 1ST READING:     Acts 15: 3

     Paul and Barnabas were sent on their way by the Church. As they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria they reported how the non-Jews had turned to God, and there was great joy among all the brothers and sisters.

FROM THE GOSPEL READING:     Jn 15: 1 - 6

     Jesus said to his disciples, "I am the true vine and my Father is the vinegrower. If any of my branches doesn't bear fruit, he breaks it off; and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, that it may bear even more fruit.

     "You are already made clean by the word I have spoken to you; live in me as I live in you. The branch cannot bear fruit by itself but has to remain part of the vine; so neither can you if you do not remain in me.

     "I am the vine and you are the branches. As long as you remain in me and me in you, you bear much fruit; but apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not remain in me is thrown away as they do with branches and they wither. Then they are gathered and thrown into the fire and burned."

REFLECTION

     In the Gospel reading from Jesus' discourse after the Last Supper, Jesus uses images of the vinegrower, the vine and its branches to clarify the relationships among his heavenly Father, himself and his followers and believers.

     The Father is the vinegrower: in so many parables Jesus used to picture the Kingdom of God, the Father was the landowner or the master of the household. Jesus, his Son and messenger, our Savior, is the main vine and we, his disciples and followers, the branches of the main vine.

     Clearly we have life with and from Jesus only if, like the branches of the vine, we remain with him and follow his words and teachings. If we have life with Jesus, like the branches and the main vine, we will bear fruit. If some branches of the main vine die, they are cut off and thrown away. Branches which bear fruit are pruned so that they may bear even more fruit. Similarly followers who stray away may be separated from Christ and die away from him. Followers who are fruitful are challenged and grow even stronger in their faith and in their fruitfulness for Christ.

     In the first reading we hear about Peter and Barnabas being sent off to Rome to clarify whether following Jewish law and practices such as circumcision for males is necessary for non-Jews and the Gentiles to whom Paul and Barnabas had been preaching the Good News.

     It is in union with Christ and with the help of his divine grace that we remain with Christ and his Father and become fruitful not only in living the Gospel message but also in bringing this message to all the world.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     DR. FLORANTE GONZAGA

     JESUS M. PINEDA, JR. 

     JOHANN STANLEY DYCO

OTHER INTENTIONS:

For the successful procedure and complete healing of Renan Lacida.

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.  

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