DAILY- HOMILY

February 7, 2018 – WEDNESDAY, 5th Week in Ordinary Time

Green.

1 Kgs 10: 1 - 10 / Mk 7: 14- 23

FROM THE 1ST READING:             1 Kgs 10: 6- 7, 9

Then the queen of Sheba said to King Solomon, "All that I heard in my own land concerning you and your wisdom was true. But I did not believe the reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. And what did I see! I was told only half the story; for your wisdom and wealth surpass the report I heard.....

Blessed be Yahweh your God, who has looked kindly on you and has put you on the throne of Israel! Because of Yahweh's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so that you may dispense justice and righteousness.

GOSPEL READING:           Mk 7: 14- 23

Jesus then called the people to him again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and try to understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can make that person unclean. It is what comes out from within that makes unclean. Let everyone who has ears listen."

When Jesus got home and was away from the crowd, his disciples asked him about this saying, and he replied, ""So even you are dull? Do you not see that whatever comes from outside cannot make a person unclean? Since it enters not the heart but the stomach and is finally passed out" Thus, Jesus declared that all foods are clean.

And he went on, "What comes out of a person is what defiles, for evil designs come out of the heart: theft, murder, adultery, jealousy, greed, maliciousness, deceit, indecency, slander, pride and folly. All these evil things come from within and make a person unclean."

REFLECTION

In the first reading the queen of Sheba blesses Yahweh for giving king

Solomon such wisdom in ruling his people.

In the Gospel reading we find Jesus teaching his followers the essence of true obedience to the Law. Unlike the scribes and the Pharisees who emphasized various laws governing ritual cleanliness and behavior of people, he taught his followers the importance of obeying the spirit rather than the letter of the Law. In order to correctly fulfill the essence of the Law, it may be necessary to go beyond the letter of the Law and be guided by the intention or spirit of the Law, especially as regards numerous external prescriptions. Since God is love, the law of love overrides every other. History and experience have shown us that many laws have been abused and have then at times been even hindrances to the primordial law of love and justice.

As we reflect on our attitude on the teachings of God and of the Church, do we take careful effort to understand and appreciate the essence or reason for what God through the Magisterium of the Church desires to teach us? In our life­ journey are we more concerned with a "minimalist" attitude of merely "fulfilling the law" rather than living up to the law's spirit or intention?

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY 

     Rey Liao

     Deily Joson Lim 

IN MEMORIAM (+)         

     Fr. Georges-Etienne Beauregard S.J.

     Ong Su Khun

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

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

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