DAILY- HOMILY

September 27, 2018 – THURSDAY, 25TH Week in Ordinary Time

St. Vincent de Paul, Priest and Religious Founder

Memorial. White.

Eccll: 2- 11 / Lk 9: 7- 9

[Anniversary of the Confirmation of the Society of Jesus, 1540]

St. Vincent de Paul (1581 - 1660), a French priest, together with St. Louise de Marillac (1591 -1660), founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity. He also founded the Congregation of the Missions (Vincentians).

FROM THE 1ST READING:             Eccl1: 2 - 7, 9

All is meaningless- says the Teacher- meaningless, meaningless!

What profit is there for a man in all his work for which he toils under the sun? A generation comes and the earth remains forever. The sun rises, the sun sets, hastening to the place where it again rises. Blowing to the south, turning to the north, the wind goes round and round and after all its rounds, it has to blow again.. All rivers go to the sea but the sea is not full; to the place were the rivers come from, there they return again....

What has happened before will happen again; what has been done before will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

GOSPEL READING:           Lk 9: 7- 9

King Herod heard of all this and did not know what to think, for people said, "This is John raised from the dead." Others believed that Elijah or one of the ancient prophets had come back to life.

As for Herod, he said, "I had John beheaded; who is this man about whom I hear such wonders?" And he was anxious to see him.

REFLECTION

The first reading from Ecclesiastes challenges us to reflect on the meaning of our lives. The message of Ecclesiastes which was written in the third century before Christ is reflected in the first reading: What is this world we live in about?

Hopefully with our Christian faith and Judeo-Greek-Roman background we are able to answer the questions and concerns raised in Ecclesiastes.

In the Gospel reading King Herod wonders who this Jesus miracle-worker is: one of the prophets come back to life, Elijah-come-back, or John the Baptist raised to life? Though Herod respected John as "an upright and holy man" and "liked listening to him, although he became very disturbed whenever he heard him" (Mk 6: 20), he had John beheaded at the request of the daughter of Herodias, his consort.

We know that Herod wanted to meet Jesus. He finally met him when Pilate sent Jesus to him at his trial. But he got no reply from Jesus. (Lk 23: 6 -12) Like Herod, we are asked the same question? Who is this Jesus of Nazareth? And, more important, what is he to us now? When Jesus asked his disciples at Caesarea Philippi, "Who do you say I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Messiah." What is our answer?

Have a good day!

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