DAILY- HOMILY

May 21, 2018 – MONDAY, 7th Week in Ordinary Time I

Sts. Cristobal Magallanes, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs

Green.

Jas 3: 13- 18 / Mk 9: 14- 29

St. Cristobal Magallanes (1869 - 1927), a Mexican priest, was martyred together with 21 diocesan priests and three lay people during the anti-Catholic years in Mexico in the 1920s-1930s..

FROM THE GOSPEL READING: Mk 9: 16b- 29

A man answered Jesus from the crowd, "Master, I brought my son to you for he has a dumb spirit. Whenever the spirit seizes him, it throws him down and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth and becomes stiff all over. I asked your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they could not."

Jesus replied, "You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him.

As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it shook and convulsed the boy who fell on the ground and began rolling about, foaming at the mouth. Then Jesus asked the father, "How long has this been happening to him?" He replied, "From childhood. And it has often thrown him into the fire and into the water to destroy him. If you can do anything, have pity on us and help us."

Jesus said to him, "Why do you say, 'If you can?' All things are possible for one who believes." Immediately the father of the boy cried out, "I do believe, but help the little faith I have."

Jesus saw that the crowd was increasing rapidly, so he ordered the evil spirit, "Dumb and evil spirit, I command you. Leave the boy and never enter him again." The evil spirit shook and convulsed the boy and with a terrible shriek came out. The boy lay like a corpse and people said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by his hand and lifted him and the boy stood up.

And after Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive out the spirit?" And he answered, "Only prayer can drive out this kind, nothing else."

REFLECTION

In the Gospel reading the father of a boy possessed by an evil spirit brings his son to Jesus: however, Jesus' disciples could not cure him; they could not expel the evil spirit from him. The father brings his problem to Jesus; he presses Jesus: "If you can do anything, have pity on us and help us."

Jesus tests the faith of the father and replies to him, "Why do you say, 'If you can?' All things are possible for one who believes." The father of the boy cries out, "I do believe, but help the little faith I have." Jesus commands the evil spirit to leave the boy; the boy is cured and restored to his father.

The cure of the possessed boy teaches us about the importance of faith in Jesus and the power of prayer. With faith in God and prayer, "all things are possible."

Do we believe and do we pray enough?

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY 

     Dada M. del Carmen

     Carl Joseph Dy Siy

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 

     Nam & Cecille J. Le

     George & Evelyn Wong

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     Go Kun Ong

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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