DAILY- HOMILY

SATURDAY, NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Feast. White.

Mi 5: 1- 4a [or Rom 8: 28- 30] / Mt 1:1 -16, 18- 23

This fifth-century feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary marks the dedication of a basilica in Jerusalem built, according to tradition, at the location of the home of St. Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

1ST READING:    Mi 5: 1- 4a

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, so small that you are hardly named among the clans of Judah, from you shall I raise the one who is to rule over Israel, For he comes forth from old, from the ancient times. Yahweh, therefore, will abandon Israel until such time as she who is to give birth has given birth.

Then the rest of his deported brothers will return to the people of Israel. He will stand and shepherd his flock with the strength of Yahweh, in the glorious Name of Yahweh, his God. They will live safely while he wins renown to the ends of the earth. He shall be peace.

FROM THE GOSPEL READING:     Mt 1: 1, 16

This is the document of the origins of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham... Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and from her came Jesus who is called the Christ- -the Messiah.

REFLECTION

When they asked St. Bernadette Soubirous to describe the woman who appeared to her at the grotto of Massabielle, she said, "The virgin was beautiful, when one had seen her one longs to die."

When we honor Mary we also honor her Son Jesus and God who blessed and freed her from sin from the moment she was conceived. Today's Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is nine months after the celebration of her Immaculate Conception on 08 December.

We call on Mary in many various titles, Stella Maris, Mystical Rose, Morning Star, and many others. Her primary title is her primary role in salvation history as the Mother of God, which we celebrate on 01 January. Hanging on the cross, Jesus gave her to John, the beloved disciple, to the Church and to all of us, "He said to the Mother, 'Woman, this is your son.' Then he said to the disciple, "There is your mother.' And from that moment the disciple took her to his own home." (Jn 19: 26- 28)

As we honor Mary in our celebration of her birth, we also honor our mothers, who have nurtured, protected and loved us from our conception, birth and growth in the family. We thank our parents for their love and care for us.

In glory in heaven Mary our Mother intercedes for us with the Father and her Son that we may grow in our love for God and live our lives in obedience to God's will. Learning from Mary's example, we pray that we may be faithful followers of Jesus. Human love may fail us, but the love of God and of Mary will never fail us.

"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death."

Have a good day!

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   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

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FRIDAY, 22nd Week in Ordinary Time

Green.

1 Cor 4: 1 - 5 I Lk 5: 33 – 39

FROM THE 1ST READING:             1 Cor 4: 1 - 4

Let everyone then see us as the servants of Christ and stewards of the secret works of God. Being stewards, faithfulness shall be demanded of us, but I do not mind if you or any human court judges me. I do not even judge myself; my conscience indeed does not accuse me of anything, but that is not enough for me to be set right with God: the Lord is the one who judges me.

GOSPEL READING:           Lk 5: 33 - 39

Some people asked Jesus, "The disciples of John fast often and say long prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why it is that your disciples eat and drink?" Then Jesus said to them, "You can't make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them. But later the bridegroom will be taken from them and they will fast in those days."

Jesus also told them this parable, "No one tears a piece from a new coat to put it on an old one; otherwise, the new will be torn and the piece taken from the new will not match the old. No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed as well. But new wine must be put into fresh skins. Yet no one who has tasted old wine is eager to get new wine, but says: The old is good."

REFLECTION

Many people are afraid of change. In the time of Christ, the leaders and teachers of the Jewish people had many minute rules and practices: they expected these to be followed and they were afraid of any change.

The leaders of the Jews saw the ministry of Jesus as a challenge to the religious practices they had, to the life they had dedicated themselves to. They were then suspicious of Jesus and his teaching. As Jesus drew more followers, they were even resentful of Jesus, especially when they saw Jesus seeming to challenge their authority and practices.

Indeed, while the Church is a divine institution founded by Christ and protected by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it is led by ordinary men and women and Christian life is led in a changing world. Key doctrine and morals will remain unchanged but changes are needed as people and times change in many other aspects of the Church and of Christian life and practice.

A key word for Vatican Council II, convoked in 1962 and completed in 1965, was aggiomamento, renewal or bringing up-to-date. The Church renewed its vision of itself from Biblical sources; its liturgical practices were simplified and clarified; it opened up itself to the modern world. Fifty years from Vatican Council II, the Church remains the same Church, though renewed and revitalized.

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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: 

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

   |  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.  

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