DAILY- HOMILY

December 31, 2017 – SUNDAY, HOLY FAMILY

Feast, White

Gn 15: 1-6: 21: 1- 3 [or Sir 3: 2-6, 12-14] / Heb 11: 8, 11-12 / Lk 2: 22- 40

From the GOSPEL READING:        Lk 2: 22- 23, 25- 35, 39- 40

     When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, they brought the baby up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. ...

     There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon: the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law.

     Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed God, saying, "Now, 0 Lord, you can dismiss your servant in peace, for you have fulfilled your word and my eyes have seen your salvation, which you display for all people to see. Here is the light you will reveal to the nations and the glory of your people Israel."

     His father and mother wondered at what was said about the child. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, "See him; he will be for the rise or fall of the multitudes of Israel. He shall stand as a sign of contradiction, while a sword will pierce your own soul. Then the secret thoughts of many may be brought to light."...

     When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their own, Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew in stature and strength and was filled with wisdom: the grace of God was upon him.

REFLECTION

     The Holy Family at Nazareth was holy. Is holiness also attainable by me and my family? How difficult is it to be holy?

     Pope Francis' teachings on holiness are surprisingly very simple. He shared these at the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, USA, in September 2015..

     Simple gestures of holiness: "Like happiness, holiness is always tied to little gestures: These little gestures are those we learn at home, in the family; they get lost amid all the other things we do, yet they do make each day different. They are the quiet things done by mothers and grandmothers, by fathers and grandfathers, by children, by siblings. They are little signs of tenderness, affection and compassion. Like the warm supper we look forward to at night, the early lunch awaiting someone who gets up early to go to work. Homely gestures.. Like a blessing before we go to bed, or a hug after we return from a hard day's work ....

     "Love is shown by little things, by attention to small daily details which make us feel at home. Faith grows when it is lived and shaped by love. That is why our families, our homes, are true domestic churches. They are the right place for faith to become life, and life to grow in faith.....

     "Jesus tells us not to hold back these little miracles. Instead, he wants us to encourage them, to spread them. He asks us to go through life, our everyday life, encouraging all these little signs of his own living and active presence in the world.."

     Simple experiences of holiness. "Living together is an art, a patient, beautiful, fascinating journey. It does not end once you have won each other's love... Rather, it is precisely there where it begins! This journey of every day has a few rules that can be summed up in three phrases, which I have already repeated many times to families and which you have already learned to use among yourselves: 'May 1,' 'Thank you,' and 'I am sorry."'

     Following Pope Francis, our great coach on holiness, may our families be happy, healthy, humble and holy.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     JONATHAN C. GO

     NET ALBURQUERQUE

IN MEMORIAM (†)

     FELIPE QUE CHUA MD ONG HUAY KIA

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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   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

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