DAILY- HOMILY

January 19, 2019 – SATURDAY, 1ST Week in Ordinary Time

Sts. John Ogilvie, Stephan Pongracz and Melchior Grodziecki, Priests,

and Marco Krizevcanin, Canon, M artyrs /

Bl. Ignatius de Azevedo, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs / Bl. James Sales, Priest,

and William Saultemouche, Religious, Martyrs

Memorial. Red

Heb 4: 12 – 16 / Mk 2: 13 – 17

St. John Ogilvie (1579 – 1615), Scottish Jesuit priest, was martyred in Glasgow.

Sts. Stephan Pongracz (1583 – 1619), Jesuit priest from Romania, Melchior Grodziecki (1584 – 1610), Polish Jesuit priest, and Marco Krizevcanin, Canon of Estergom, were martyred in Kosice.

Bl. Ignatius de Azevedo (1527 – 1570), Jesuit missionary from Portugal, and 39 others were martyred by the Huguenots in the Canary Islands.

Bl. James Sales (1556 – 1593), French Jesuit priest, and William Saultemouche, French Jesuit lay brother, were martyred in Aubenas during the French War of Religions.

From the 1st Reading:    Heb 4: 15 – 16

Our high priest is not indifferent to our weaknesses, for he was tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sinning. Let us, then, with confidence approach God, the giver of grace; we will obtain mercy and, through his favor, help in due time..

Gospel Reading:               Mk 2: 13 – 17

When Jesus went out again beside the lake, a crowd came to him and he taught them. As he walked along, he saw a tax collector sitting in his office. This was Levi, the son of Alpheus. Jesus said to him, "Follow me." And Levi got up and followed him.

And it so happened that while Jesus was eating at Levi's house, tax collectors and sinners were sitting with him and his disciples for there were indeed many of them. But there were also teachers of the Law of the Pharisees' party, among those who followed Jesus, and when they saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples "Why! He eats with tax collectors and sinners!"

Jesus heard them and answered, "Healthy people don't need a doctor; but sick people do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

REFLECTION

In today's Gospel reading when the Pharisees question why he was eating with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus replies, "Healthy people don't need a doctor; but sick people do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

In the first reading we are told that Christ was our High Priest, like us with our weaknesses, except that he was without sin, to obtain God's mercy and pardon for us. As God and man, he was the perfect mediator with the Father for humankind.

We should also note how Jesus calls Levi, a tax collector, among those hated and despised by the people, to be a follower and an apostle. Jesus came to call and save sinners; he also called common people and sinners (Peter who betrayed him before common house-maids and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him for thirty pieces of silver and brought him to his death) to help him fish for people, to save them from their sins.

What has Our Lord called us to do for him?

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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   |  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.  

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