DAILY- HOMILY

March 5, 2018 – MONDAY, 3rd Week of Lent

Violet

2 Kgs 5: 1 - 15b / Lk 4: 24- 30

FROM THE 1ST READING:             2 Kgs 5: 9- 15

So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and stopped before the house of Elisha. Elisha then sent a messenger to tell him, "Go to the river Jordan and wash seven times, and your flesh shall be as it was before and you shall be cleansed."

Naaman was angry, so he went away. He thought: "On my arrival, he should have personally come out, and then called on the name of Yahweh, his God. And he should have touched with his hand the infected part, and I would have been healed. Are the rivers of Damascus, Abana and Pharpar not better than all the rivers of the land of Israel? Could I not wash there and be healed?"

His servants approached him and said to him, "Father, if the prophet had ordered you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? But how much easier when he said: 'Take a bath and you will be cleansed."'

So Naaman went down to the Jordan where he washed himself seven times as Elisha had ordered. His skin became soft like that of a child and he was cleansed.

Then Naaman returned to the man of God with all his men. He entered and said to him: "Now I know that there is no other God anywhere in the world but in Israel."

GOSPEL READING:           Lk 4: 24- 30

Jesus added, "No prophet is honored in his own country.. Truly, I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens withheld rain for three years and six months and a great famine came over the whole land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow of Zarephath, in the country of Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, the prophet, and no one was healed except Naaman, the Syrian."

On hearing these words, the whole assembly became indignant. They rose up and brought him out of the town, to the edge of the hill on which Nazareth is built, intending to throw him down the cliff. But he passed through their midst and went his way.

REFLECTION

Naaman, the Syrian army commander, was cured miraculously by Yahweh by washing seven times in the river Jordan. His acknowledgement of the power of Yahweh the God of Israel was another miracle of God.

In the face of the unbelief and opposition of his own towns-folk in Nazareth, Jesus recalls God's wonderful deeds for non-Jews: for the widow of Zarephath in Sidon and for Naaman, the Syrian commander.

Despite our baptism in water and the Holy Spirit, do we live in our lives our faith and trust in God? Are we like the towns-folk of Jesus who refuse to listen to Jesus despite the wisdom of his words and the power of his miraculous deeds?

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY 

     Fr. Guillrey Anthony M. Andal S.J.

     Annica Faye C. Obias

     Javier Ramos

THANKSGIVING 

     Philippine British Assurance Company, Inc., LCPI Directors, Management, Staff and Families

OTHER INTENTIONS:

For the repose of the soul of Eliezer Billanes.

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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