DAILY- HOMILY

February 21, 2018 – WEDNESDAY, 1st Week of Lent

St. Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Violet.

Jon 3: 1 - 10 / Lk 11: 29- 32.

St. Peter Damian (1001 - 1072), a Benedictine monk who became Cardinal­ Bishop of Ostia, doctor of the Church, wrote on the liturgy, theology, morals and the religious life.

FROM THE 1ST READING:             Jon 3: 3- 5, 10

In obedience to the word of Yahweh, Jonah went to Nineveh. It was a very large city, and it took three days just to cross it. So Jonah walked a single day's journey and began proclaiming, "Forty days more and Nineveh will be destroyed."

The people of Nineveh believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth....

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened upon them.

GOSPEL READING:           Lk 11: 29- 32

As the crowd increased, Jesus began to speak in this way, "People of the present time are evil people. They ask for a sign, but no sign will be given to them except the sign of Jonah.. As Jonah became a sign for the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be a sign for this generation.

"The Queen of the South will rise up on Judgment Day with people of these times and accuse them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and here there is greater than Solomon. The people of Nineveh will rise up on Judgment Day with the people of these times and accuse them, for Jonah's preaching made them turn from their sins, and here is greater than Jonah."

REFLECTION

In the first reading the prophet Jonah warns the people of Nineveh about the city's destruction by God. The people of Nineveh repented and fasted: God did not carry out the destruction of Nineveh.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus castigates the people for their hardness of heart and unwillingness to see and to listen to his message. He reminds them that the Queen of the South traveled far to listen to Solomon and yet "here (today) there is greater than Solomon"; the people of Nineveh repented in sackcloth and ashes at the preaching of Jonah and yet "here (today) there is greater than Jonah."

God through the Scriptures and the Church continues to call us to repentance for our sinfulness and conversion to God's ways. The Church continually calls for justice and peace in the world. Yet so many continue in their sinful ways; so many ignore God. There is so much hatred, injustice and corruption in our world.

What can we do as individuals and as groups to repent of our evil tendencies and ways and to work for peace, justice and righteousness? The people of Nineveh believed Jonah: we pray that we may believe in Christ and his Gospel message.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY 

     Girlie E. Dueñas

     Gregory Noah Nazal Kaw

     Francis Nikko V. Perez

     Irene Corazon S. Vicedo 

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 

     Godfry & Anita Lim Pek Chuan

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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