DAILY- HOMILY

December 13, 2017 – WEDNESDAY, 2ND Week of Advent

St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

Memorial, Red

Is 40: 25 – 31 / Mt 11: 28- 30

     St. Lucy (d. 304) was martyred in Syracuse. She is the patroness of those with afflictions of the eyes.

FROM THE FIRST READING:          Is 40: 27- 31

     How can you say, 0 Jacob, how can you complain, 0 Israel, that your destiny is hidden from me, that your rights are ignored by Yahweh? Have you not known, have you not heard that Yahweh is an everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth? He does not grow tired or weary, his knowledge is without limit. He gives strength to the enfeebled, he gives vigor to the wearied. Youth may grow tired and faint, but those who hope in Yahweh will renew their strength. They will soar as with eagle's wings; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and never tire.

GOSPEL READING:           Mt 11: 28- 30

     Jesus said to his disciples, "Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. For my yoke is good and my burden light."

REFLECTION

     Both readings today speak of God's untiring support and help for us in our life endeavors. His help and support make our burdens light and our problems bearable.

     I would like to speak about how God walked with us and gave us strength and support at the illness and death of our youngest two-month old son, Jesse, who died of a severe case of pneumonia, leading to cardiac arrest and multiple organ failure in mid-March 2016.

     Daily for three weeks we visited him at the hospital neo-natal ICU and prayed, hoped and waited for his recovery; many friends especially from our Couples for Christ group prayed and supported us.

     It was a roller-coaster emotional ride: some progress and hope at times; bad discouraging news at other times. On the third week, though there were signs of improvement, his vital signs collapsed and there was no more hope of recovery.

     Before he died, the hospital chaplain visited and blessed Jesse. God spoke to us and comforted us, "Do not stop the children from coming to me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to people such as these." (Mt 19: 14) At that moment we knew God wanted Jesse to be with him, that God wanted us to bid Jesse goodbye.

     Waiting for God is difficult especially when we were asking for a specific answer to our prayers. With our experience at Jesse's illness and death, we realized that the renewed strength God gives us when we pray to him does not come because our prayers are answered as we had asked but because God teaches us to accept his will in our prayers. We can then move forward with hope and joy knowing we are doing God's will.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY 

     ALEXANDER D. WONGCHUKING

     CHRISTIAN EMMANUEL CHING

     FR. JOSEPH EMMANUEL A. LIWANAG SJ

     HAROLD S. MACASAQUIT

     JAMES LIM YU 

     JESSICA HO GOTAMCO

     ROGELIO O. SANTOS

IN MEMORIAM (†)

     JAMES YAO E. HEONG

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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   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

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