DAILY- HOMILY

December 8, 2017 – FRIDAY

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Principal Patroness of the Philippines 

Solemnity, Holyday of Obligation, White.

Gn 3: 9 -15, 20 / Eph 1: 3- 6, 11- 12 / Lk 1: 26- 38

     Originating from a 7th century celebration of the "Conception of Mary by St. Anne," Pope Clement XI established this Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the entire Church in 1708. In the papal Bull lneffabilis Deus (08 December 1854), Pope Pius IX defined that "the doctrine that maintains that the most Blessed Virgin Mary in the first moment of her conception ... was preserved from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore must be firmly and constantly held by all the faithful." The Immaculate Conception BVM was declared Patroness of the Philippines by Pope Pius XII in 1942.

1ST READING:    Gn 3: 9- 15, 20

     Yahweh God called the man saying to him, "Where are you?" He said, "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid." God said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree I ordered you not to eat?" The man answered, "The woman you put with me gave me fruit from the tree and I ate it." God said to the woman, "What have you done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me and I ate."

     Yahweh said to the serpent, "Since you have done that, be cursed among all the cattle and wild beast! You will crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. I will make you enemies, you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head and you will strike his heel." ... The man called his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.

FROM THE GOSPEL READING:     Lk 1: 28 - 34, 38a

     The angel came to her [Mary], "Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you." Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean.

     But the angel said, "Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a son and you shall call him Jesus. He will be great and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his ancestor; he will rule over the people of Jacob forever and his reign shall have no end." 

     Then Mary said, "I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said."

REFLECTION

     My 84-year-old sister dabbles in stocks. A friend offered her money to invest, "No," she said, "I take great risks other people don't take.. That's my DNA. My grandfather gambled big, lost and reduced his family to penury. If I lose my own money, I won't feel

bad! If it is somebody else's, I'd feel terrible!"

     One meaning of "original sin" that has helped me refers to our carrying the wounds of our parents, grandparents and ancestors. When we actualize, re-activate and make real the same wounds, the same or similar emotional and psychological bruises, we re-affirm the reality of "original sin" in our lives.

     When Mary was conceived, she was freed from the wounds of her parents and ancestors, not because of merit or worth, but simply out of the gracious love and grace of God. She then became a wonderful and worthy vessel to bring forth Jesus, our Redeemer.

     When the ancient writers wrote the story of Adam and Eve, they found this story an apt way, especially for the people of their time, to explain and intuitively address this true and mysterious reality, namely, that each person truly carries the wounds of his/her parents, grandparents and ancestors.

     What are the wounds of your parents, grandparents and ancestors that you carry in your lives today? By being conscious and aware of them, we may be able to avoid repeating and re­ confirming them in our own lives. And so we are able to choose other options that work for our health of mind, body and spirit and for our continuous growth in life.

     Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     ACERO AMBROSIO

     AMBROSIO T.C. ACERO

     MARIA CONCEPCION BAILLANES

     ROMARICO T. ALVAREZ

THANKSGIVING

     ELMER & SOLIE SUBA & CHILDREN

     MAMER & VIRGIE DOMINGO & CHILDREN

     ANNA PASHMINA ICA CLASS '72

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 

     CHARLENE & MANOLETTE CARLOS

PRAYER INTENTION 

     REDEMPTORIS MATER MISSIONARY SEMI ARY -1996

IN MEMORIAM (†)

     CHUA CHEN

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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