DAILY- HOMILY

February 22, 2018 – THURSDAY, 1st Week of Lent

CHAIR OF ST. PETER, Apostle

Feast. White.

1 Pt 5: 1 - 4 / Mt 16: 13- 19

The feast of the Chair of St. Peter, Apostle, dates to the oldest Roman calendar of 394; it commemorates St. Peter at Antioch.

FROM THE 1ST READING:             1 Pt 5: 2- 4

Shepherd the flock which God has entrusted to you, guarding it not out of obligation but willingly for God's sake; not as one looking for a reward but with a generous heart; do not lord it over those in your care, rather be an example to your flock. Then, when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will be given a crown of unfading glory.

GOSPEL READING:           Mt 16: 13- 19

After that Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciples, "What do people say of the Son of Man? Who do they say I am?" They said. "For some of them you are John the Baptist, for others Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

Jesus asked them, "But you, who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "It is well for you, Simon Barjona, for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. And I say to you: You are Peter (or Rock) and on this rock I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it.

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and what you unbind on earth shall be unbound in heaven."

REFLECTION

Today's Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, Apostle, emphasizes for all the primacy of the See of Peter in the Church.

In the first reading Peter in Rome, probably two years before his martyrdom, urges the leaders of the Church to be generous shepherds of their flock.

The Gospel reading is about the confession of Peter and the apostles that Christ was "the Messiah, the Son of the living God" and the promise of Christ to Peter that his Church would be founded on him.

Christ confirms Peter as head of the Church at his appearance to the disciples at the Sea of Galilee after his resurrection: "Feed my sheep." The Church was founded on the faith and love of St. Peter and the apostles and continues on the faith and love of the Church leaders and members today.

Christ, the Good Shepherd, is the model for all leaders: leadership in the family, in whatever group, in the country and in the Church, is lived with a sense of service and love for those being led. Let us pray for our leaders.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     Che B. Concepcion

     Augusto Bengzon

     Lazaro Fajardo

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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These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following: 

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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.  

  +================================================+

February 21, 2018 – WEDNESDAY, 1st Week of Lent

St. Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Violet.

Jon 3: 1 - 10 / Lk 11: 29- 32.

St. Peter Damian (1001 - 1072), a Benedictine monk who became Cardinal­ Bishop of Ostia, doctor of the Church, wrote on the liturgy, theology, morals and the religious life.

FROM THE 1ST READING:             Jon 3: 3- 5, 10

In obedience to the word of Yahweh, Jonah went to Nineveh. It was a very large city, and it took three days just to cross it. So Jonah walked a single day's journey and began proclaiming, "Forty days more and Nineveh will be destroyed."

The people of Nineveh believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth....

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened upon them.

GOSPEL READING:           Lk 11: 29- 32

As the crowd increased, Jesus began to speak in this way, "People of the present time are evil people. They ask for a sign, but no sign will be given to them except the sign of Jonah.. As Jonah became a sign for the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be a sign for this generation.

"The Queen of the South will rise up on Judgment Day with people of these times and accuse them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and here there is greater than Solomon. The people of Nineveh will rise up on Judgment Day with the people of these times and accuse them, for Jonah's preaching made them turn from their sins, and here is greater than Jonah."

REFLECTION

In the first reading the prophet Jonah warns the people of Nineveh about the city's destruction by God. The people of Nineveh repented and fasted: God did not carry out the destruction of Nineveh.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus castigates the people for their hardness of heart and unwillingness to see and to listen to his message. He reminds them that the Queen of the South traveled far to listen to Solomon and yet "here (today) there is greater than Solomon"; the people of Nineveh repented in sackcloth and ashes at the preaching of Jonah and yet "here (today) there is greater than Jonah."

God through the Scriptures and the Church continues to call us to repentance for our sinfulness and conversion to God's ways. The Church continually calls for justice and peace in the world. Yet so many continue in their sinful ways; so many ignore God. There is so much hatred, injustice and corruption in our world.

What can we do as individuals and as groups to repent of our evil tendencies and ways and to work for peace, justice and righteousness? The people of Nineveh believed Jonah: we pray that we may believe in Christ and his Gospel message.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY 

     Girlie E. Dueñas

     Gregory Noah Nazal Kaw

     Francis Nikko V. Perez

     Irene Corazon S. Vicedo 

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 

     Godfry & Anita Lim Pek Chuan

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!

**************************************************

These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following: 

  +================================================+

   |  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.  

  +================================================+