DAILY- HOMILY

July 7, 2018 – WEDNESDAY, 13TH Week in Ordinary Time

St. Elizabeth of Portugal, Widow

Green.

Am 5: 14- 15, 21 - 24 / Mt 8: 28- 34

St. Elizabeth of Portugal (1271 -1336), a daughter of King Peter Ill of Aragon, showed great charity to the poor and needy. She was named after her great grandaunt, St. Elizabeth of Hungary (d. 1231)

FROM THE 1ST READING:             Am 5: 14- 15

Seek good and shun evil, that you may live. Then Yahweh, the God of hosts, aa you have claimed will be with you. Hate wickedness and love virtue, and let justice prevail in the courts; perhaps Yahweh, the God of hosts, will take pity on the remnant of Joseph.

FROM THE GOSPEL READING:     Mt 8: 28- 32

Without warning a fierce storm hit the lake, with waves sweeping the boat. But Jesus was asleep. They woke him up and cried, "Lord save us! We are lost!" But Jesus answered, "Why are you so afraid, you of little faith?" Then he stood up and ordered the wind and sea, and it became completely calm. The people were astonished. They said, "What kind of a man is he? Even the winds and the sea obey him."

When Jesus reached Gadara on the other side, he was met by two demoniacs who came out from the tombs. They were so fierce that no one dared pass that way. Suddenly they shouted, "What do you want with us, you, Son of God? Have you come to torture us before the time?"

At some distance away there was a large herd of pigs feeding. So the demons begged him, "If you drive us out, send us into that herd of pigs." Jesus ordered them, "Go.." So they left and went into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the cliff into the lake and drowned.

REFLECTION

In the first reading the prophet Amos reiterates God's central command: "Seek good and shun evil, that you may live."

Today's Gospel reading Jesus shows his divine powers: he calms the stormy sea by his word and he drives out demons from two men.

The disciples in the boat with Jesus feared for their lives in the sudden strong winds and waves bearing on their boat: "'Why are you so afraid, you of little faith?' Then he stood up and ordered the wind and sea, and it became completely calm."

At the shore, Jesus drives out demons which possessed two men. The demons recognized Jesus as the Son of God: Jesus allows them to leave the men, to go into the herd of pigs which then rushed down the cliff and drowned.

We may not see or experience possession by demons as in the Gospel narrative. But in reality we are possessed by a whole variety of "demons": greed, gluttony, lust, envy, pride and so many prevailing "values" today which trouble and possess us, complicate our lives, bring us to sin and drive us away from our God.

We take comfort knowing that God is present with his grace to help us overcome these demons in our lives. We need prayer; we need faith. God will take care of the rest.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY 

     Zacarias E Gallardo Jr.

     Philp Go Sy 

WEDDING ANNVIERSARY 

     Arsenio & Maria Chua

     Ronald & Aida Tagalog

THANKSGIVING 

     Pasencia Siy

IN MEMORIAM (+) 

     Matthew Patrick C. Sy

OTHER INTENTIONS:

For the special intentions of Mary Wong.

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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