DAILY- HOMILY

March 13, 2018 – TUESDAY, 4th Week of Lent

Violet.

Ez 47: 1 - 9, 12 / Jn 5: 1 - 16

FROM THE 1ST READING:             Ez 47: 9, 12a

Wherever the river flows, swarms of creatures will live in it; fish will be plentiful and the sea water will become fresh. Wherever it flows, life will abound. . . . Near the river on both banks there will be all kinds of fruit trees with foliage that will not wither and fruit that will never fail.

FROM THE GOSPEL READING:     Jn 5: 1 - 13

After this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now, by the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem, there is a pool (called Bethzatha in Hebrew) surrounded by five galleries. In these galleries lay a multitude of sick people - blind, lame and paralyzed.

All are waiting for the water to move, for at times an angel of the Lord would descend into the pool and stir up the water; and the first person to enter after this movement of the water would be healed of whatever disease that person had.

There was a man who had been sick thirty-eight years. Jesus saw him, and since he knew how long this man had been lying there, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" And the sick man answered, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is disturbed; so while I am still on the way, another steps down before me."

Jesus said to him, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his mat and walked.

Now that day happened to be the sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had just been healed, "It is the sabbath and the Law doesn't allow you to carry your mat." He answered them, "The one who healed me said to me: 'Take up your mat and walk."'

They asked him, "Who is the one who said to you, 'Take up your mat and walk?"' But the sick man had no idea who it was who had cured him, for Jesus had slipped away among the crowd that filled the place.

REFLECTION

Both readings today speak of life-giving water: the first reading of water from the Temple which gives life to fish and fruit trees; the Gospel reading of an extraordinary pool with special healing power.

In the Gospel reading Jesus cured the sick man but enraged the Jews because he healed on the sabbath and told the cured man to take up his mat, something not allowed on the sabbath.

God desires to give us all we need for a full life. The waters of his grace and the pool of his mercy never run dry. Are we ready to depend on him?

The Jews did not appreciate Jesus' kindness in curing the paralyzed man: all they saw was Jesus violating the sabbath. How much do we appreciate God's continuing goodness and care for us? Are we at times hypocrites like the Jewish leaders?

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

IN MEMORIAM (+) 

     Feron Yang Lon 

     Helen G. Syliangco (17 Oct 7948 - 13 Mar 2017)

     George K Young 

     Dionesia Luy Yu

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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