DAILY- HOMILY

July 5 2018 – THURSDAY, 13th Week in Ordinary Time 

St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria

Priest and Religious Founder

Green.

Am 7: 10 - 17 / Mt 9: 1 - 8

Born in Cremona, Italy, St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria (1502- 1539) had studied medicine but became a priest. He founded the Congregation of Clerks Regular of St. Paul (Barnabites, 1533) for the purpose of reform of the clergy and the laity. He also founded a congregation for women.

FROM THE 1ST READING:             Am 7: 14- 15

Amos replied to Amaziah, "I am not a prophet or one of the fellow-prophets. I am a breeder of sheep and a dresser of sycamore trees. But Yahweh took me from shepherding the flock and said to me: Go, prophesy to my people Israel.

GOSPEL READING:           Mt 9: 1 - 8

Jesus got back into the boat, crossed the lake again, and came to his hometown. Here they brought a paralyzed man to him, lying on a bed. Jesus saw their faith and said to the paralytic, "Courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven."

Then some teachers of the Law said to themselves, "This man insults God." Jesus was aware of what they were thinking and said, "Why do you have such evil thoughts? Which is easier to say: 'Your sins are forgiven' or 'Stand up and walk'? You must know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." He then said to the paralyzed man, "Stand up! Take up your stretcher and go home." The man got up and went home.

When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe and praised God for giving such power to human beings.

REFLECTION

In ttie first reading Amos prophesies in the name of Yahweh because Yahweh

chose him to prophesy. True prophets speak what God tells them to say:

In the Gospel reading, when the teachers of the Law questioned how Jesus could forgive sins, he asked them, "Why do you have such evil thoughts? Which is easier to say: 'Your sins are forgiven' or 'Stand up and walk'?"

Before they could answer, to prove himself Jesus cured the paralyzed man, "Stand up! Take up your stretcher and go home."

If we had been with Jesus then, we might have reacted as the teachers of the Law did: How could a man like Jesus forgive sins? Would we have believed in Jesus after he cured the paralyzed man? The reading says that the crowd was "filled with awe and praised God for giving such power to human beings." The reading did not say whether the cure convinced the teachers of the Law of the legitimacy of Jesus' message.

Though we have not seen such miracles, do we believe in Jesus as our God and Savior? Are we like the Apostle Thomas who would not believe until he himself saw the risen Christ and his wounds?

There were two miracles in today's Gospel reading: the cure of the paralytic and the forgiveness of his sins. Both healings are miracles of God's loving mercy: may we value the healing of the spirit more.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY 

     Romar Julius P. Lucero 

THANKSGIVING 

     Philippine British Assurance Company, Inc

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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