DAILY- HOMILY

December 11, 2017 – MONDAY, 2nd Week of Advent 

St. Damasus I, Pope 

Violet

Is 35: 1 - 10 / Lk 5: 17 - 26

     From Spain, St. Damasus I (305- 384), Pope, summoned the 1st General Council of Constantinople (381). He also commissioned St. Jerome (347?- 419/420) to work on the Latin Vulgate and changed the liturgical language of the Western Church to Latin.

FROM THE FIRST READING:          Is 35: 1 - 2a

     Let the wilderness and the arid land rejoice, the desert will be glad and blossom. Covered with flowers, it sings and shouts with joy, adorned with the splendor of Lebanon, the magnificence of Carmel and Sharon.

GOSPEL READING:           Lk 5: 17 - 26

     One day Jesus was teaching and many Pharisees and teachers of the Law had come from every part of Galilee and Judea and even from Jerusalem. They were sitting there while the power of the Lord was at work to heal the sick. Then some men brought a paralyzed man who lay on his mat. They tried to enter the house to place him before Jesus, but they couldn't find a way through the crowd. So they went up on the roof and, removing the tiles, they lowered him on his mat into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.

     When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, "My friend, your sins are forgiven." At once the teachers of the law and the Pharisees began to wonder, "This man insults God! Who can forgive sins except only God?"

     But Jesus knew their thoughts and asked them, "Why are you reacting like this? Which is easier to say: 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Get up and walk'? Now, you shall know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." And Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Get up, take up your mat and go home." At once the man stood before them, he took up the mat he had been lying on and went home praising God.

     Amazement seized the people and they praised God. They were filled with a holy fear and said, "What wonderful things we have seen today!"

REFLECTION

     The first reading extols the return of the exiled Israelites. Their return to their homeland prefigures the coming of the Messiah to a transformed and joyous land: "Let the wilderness and the arid land rejoice, the desert will be glad and blossom.

Covered with flowers, it sings and shouts with joy."

     In the Gospel reading we have the cure of the paralyzed man and the forgiveness of his sins by Jesus. "When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, 'My friend, your sins are forgiven."'

     When the Pharisees wondered how a man could forgive sins, Jesus cured the paralyzed man of his physical illness: "'Now, you shall know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.' And Jesus said to the paralyzed man, 'Get

up, take up your mat and go home."

     We pray for such faith in God.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     FR. VICTOR R. SALANGA SJ

     JOANA MARl G. VILLANUEVA

     MARK ALLAN C. CAMPOSAGRADO

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 

     CHRISTOPHER & LESLEY MEOLI

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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