DAILY- HOMILY

SEPTEMBER 25, 2019, WEDNESDAY, 25th Week in Ordinary Time
Green.

Ezr 9: 5 – 9 / Lk 9: 1 – 6

FROM THE 1ST READING: Ezr 9: 8 – 9
For a brief moment, the mercy of Yahweh, our God, has been shown to us. He made a remnant of our people survive, and allowed the survivors to settle once again in his Holy Place; he has given us joy and life, though we are in bondage. We are no more than slaves, but in the midst of our slavery, God has not abandoned us, he has extended a merciful hand over us to support us before the kings of Persia. He has revived our life, enabled us to rebuild the House of our God and to have walls in Jerusalem and in the other cities of Judah.

GOSPEL READING: Lk 9: 1 – 6
Then Jesus called his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to drive out all evil spirits and to heal diseases. He instructed them, "Don't take anything for the journey, neither walking stick, nor bag, nor bread, nor silver coins; and don't even take a spare tunic. Whatever house you enter, remain there until you leave that place. And wherever they don't welcome you, leave the town and shake the dust from your feet: it will be a testimony against them."

So they set out and went through the villages, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

REFLECTION
In the first reading the people of Israel in exile in Babylon are allowed by King Cyrus to return and re-build Jerusalem and their nation.. In their return they hoped to maintain the worship of Yahweh, their one true God.

In the Gospel reading Jesus sent his disciples out to the villages and towns to proclaim the good news and to heal the sick. Jesus instructed them to depend upon the people for their housing and other needs.

The disciples were, like their successors even in our time, human instruments helped and strengthened by the Holy Spirit in doing God's work of preaching the Good News and establishing the Kingdom of God. As Bishop Kenneth Untener of Saginaw wrote, we are "workers and not master builders, ministers and not messiahs, an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest."

With God's grace, we should be confident and not fearful. For "with God nothing is impossible." (Lk 1: 37)

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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