DAILY- HOMILY

January 15, 2018 – MONDAY, 2nd Week in Ordinary Time

Green.

1 Sm 15: 16- 23 / Mk 2: 18- 22

FROM THE 1ST READING:             1 Sm 15: 22- 23

Samuel then said, "Does Yahweh take as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obedience to his command? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission better than the fat of rams. Rebellion is like the sin of divination, and stubbornness like holding onto idols. Since you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he too has rejected you as king."

FROM THE GOSPEL READING:     Mk 2: 18- 20

One day, when the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees were fasting, some people asked Jesus, "Why is it that both the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but yours do not?"  Jesus answered, "How can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast..  But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them and on that day they will fast."

REFLECTION

The first reading tells us that before God, obedience to his command is much important than sacrifice and burnt offerings, for reasons we do not understand God told Saul through Samuel to "attack Amalek and destroy completely all that he has, Do not spare them- man, woman, infant or suckling, ox or sheep, camel or ass."  In total victory Saul "spared the best sheep and oxen to sacrifice to Yahweh ... But the rest have been destroyed."

God was most displeased with Saul, "Why then did you not obey the voice of

Yahweh but instead swooped down on the spoil, doing what is evil in his sight?"

For Saul's disobedience, "since you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he too has rejected you as king."

God's ways are indeed not our ways: "Obedience [to him] is better than sacrifice, and submission better than the fat of rams."

In the Gospel reading Jesus tells the people that he has come to bring a new dispensation: his followers may not be fasting now; as in a wedding feast they do not fast. But times will come when they have to fast. Even more, they will endure trials and sufferings as himself would.

Fasting and penance are good and most helpful. Jesus has come to stress the law of love as he declared when he washed the feet of his disciples at the last supper: "If I, then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also must wash one another's feet."  (Jn 13: 14) "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (Jn 14:15)

His law of love simply reiterates love of God and neighbor as the supreme commandment.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY 

   Lauren Arzel Coyco

   Rois Dones

   Charlie Garlan

   Ricky Perez 

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 

   Raymond & Charlene Blanche Yu Banzai

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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