Sunday, August 14, 2011

 

TUESDAY 20TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

AUGUST 16, 2011
MEMORIAL, ST STEPHEN OF HUNGARY
TUESDAY 20TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

Jgs 6:11-24 / Ps 85:9, 11-12, 13-14 / Mt 19:23-30

JUDGES 6:11-24
The Angel of Yahweh came and sat under the sacred tree at Ophrah,
which belonged to Joash, of the family of Abiezer. Gideon, the son of
Joash, was threshing the wheat in the winepress to hide it from the
Midianites. The Angel of Yahweh said to him, "Yahweh be with you,
valiant warrior." Gideon answered, "Please, my lord, if Yahweh is with
us, why is all this happening to us? Where are the wonders which our
fathers recounted to us? Did they not say that Yahweh led them up from
Egypt? Why has he abandoned us now and given us into the hands of the
Midianites?" Yahweh then turned to him and said, "Go, and with your
courage, save Israel from the Midianites. It is I who send you."
Gideon answered: "Pardon me, Lord, but how can I save Israel? My
family is the lowliest in my tribe and I am the least in the family of
my father." Yahweh said to him, "I will be with you and you shall
defeat the people of Midian with one single stroke." Gideon said to
him, "Please give me a sign that it is indeed you who speak. Do not
leave until I return with an offering and present it to you." Yahweh
responded, "I am going to wait for you here." Gideon went and prepared
a young goat, took a measure of flour and baked unleavened bread. He
put the broth in a pot and the meat in a basket, and went to present
them to the Angel under the tree. Then the Angel of God said to him,
"Take the meat and the bread; put them on this rock, and pour the
broth over them." Gideon did so. At that moment, the Angel of Yahweh
extended the staff he was holding and touched the meat and the bread.
Suddenly, fire blazed from the rock. The fire consumed the meat and
the bread, and the Angel of Yahweh disappeared. Gideon realized that
he was the Angel of Yahweh and said, "Alas, O Lord Yahweh! I have seen
the Angel of Yahweh face to face." But Yahweh said to him, "Peace be
with you. Do not fear for you shall not die." Gideon built an altar to
Yahweh in that place and called it Yahweh- Peace. To this day, it is
still in Ophrah of Abiezer.

MATTHEW 19:23-30
Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I say to you: it will be hard for
one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, believe me: it is
easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the one
who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven." On hearing this the
disciples were astonished and said, "Who, then, can be saved?" Jesus
looked steadily at them and answered, "For humans it is impossible,
but for God all things are possible." Then Peter spoke up and said,
"You see we have given up everything to follow you: what will be our
lot?" Jesus answered, "You who have followed me, listen to my words:
on the Day of Renewal, when the Son of Man sits on his throne in
glory, you, too, will sit on twelve thrones to rule the twelve tribes
of Israel. As for those who have left houses, brothers, sisters,
father, mother, children or property for my Name's sake, they will
receive a hundredfold and be given eternal life. Many who are now
first will be last, and many who are now last will be first."

REFLECTION
We often speak of detachment from earthly goods and riches whenever we
meditate this Gospel. But Jesus asks more than this: "And everyone who
has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or land
for the sake of my name will be repaid a hundred times over, and also
inherit eternal life" (Mt 19:29). In our journey towards God, we must
ask ourselves: What do we have in our backpacks that are weighing us
down? Unhealthy relationships, bad habits, obsession with physical
beauty and health, ambitious pursuit of position and recognition,
preoccupation with TV and the internet, unrepented sin?

Complete abandonment to the will of God means abandoning a lifestyle
that is incongruent with a Christian life and giving up almost
anything that can diminish our time, effort and resources for doing
charitable work for our family, church and neighbor.

Let us use our God-given talents and blessings to do our daily work
conscientiously, help a friend in need, speak of God to someone who
needs encouragement, contribute to charity whatever we saved instead
of indulging, detach ourselves from the love of comfort and move a
step closer to the Kingdom of God.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of Delores, Netta, Nick, Kurt &
Barb
…In Thanksgiving: Nick & G
… for the personal intentions of Pauline
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Aurelio Montinola
- Birthday: Norma B. Villegas
- Birthday: David S. Lim
- Birthday: Esperanza T. Lee
- Birthday: Janine Lin
- Birthday: Kristine Anne Villanueva
- Wedding Anniversary: Stewart & Susan Chongson
- In Memoriam (+): Vicente C. Aquino
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation.

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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| Distributed free and for personal use only.
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SOLEMNITY, ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY

AUGUST 15, 2011
SOLEMNITY, ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY
MONDAY 20TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

Rv 11:19; 12:1-6,10 / PS 45: 10, 11, 12, 16 / 1 Cor 15:20-26 / Lk
1:39-56

REVELATION 11:19; 12:1-6,10
Then the sanctuary of God in the heavens was opened, and the Ark of
the Covenant of God could be seen inside the sanctuary. There were
flashes of lightning, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a violent
hailstorm. A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, clothed with the
sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her
head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain, looking to her time of
delivery. Then another sign appeared: a huge, red dragon with seven
heads and ten horns and wearing seven crowns on its heads. It had just
swept along a third of the stars of heaven with its tail, throwing
them down to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was
about to give birth, so that it might devour the child as soon as it
was born. She gave birth to a male child, the one who is to rule all
the nations with an iron scepter; then her child was seized and taken
up to God and to his throne while the woman fled to the desert where
God had prepared a place for her; there she would be looked after for
one thousand two hundred and sixty days. Then I heard a loud voice
from heaven: Now has salvation come, with the power and the kingdom of
our God, and the rule of his anointed. For our brothers' accuser has
been cast out, who accused them night and day, before God.

LUKE 1:39-56
Mary then set out for a town in the Hills of Judah. She entered the
house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's
greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with holy
spirit, and giving a loud cry, said, "You are most blessed among women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb! How is it that the mother of my
Lord comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the
baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you who believed
that the Lord's word would come true!" And Mary said: "My soul
proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God my
savior! He has looked upon his servant in her lowliness, and people
forever will call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for
me, Holy is his Name! From age to age his mercy ex tends to those who
live in his presence. He has acted with power and done wonders, and
scat tered the proud with their plans. He has put down the mighty from
their thrones and lif ted up those who are downtrodden. He has filled
the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He held
out his hand to Israel, his servant, for he remembered his mercy, even
as he promised our fathers, Abraham and his descendants forever."

REFLECTION
The Assumption of Mary is a dogma of our faith. We are called to
believe that Mary was assumed into heaven body and soul. This
certitude of the Church arises not only from our profound veneration
for the worthiness of Mary but from our deep faith in the resurrection
of the body—that the redeeming power of Christ working in us is able
to sanctify not only our souls but our bodies as well—despite any
doubt that our human experience may cast to the contrary. Mary, after
all was able to give to God not only the free assent of her soul but
the total gift of her body which became the noble instrument for the
birth of Christ, who saved us through and in his Body, which was "born
of the Virgin." The mystery of Mary's Assumption, which is but the
culmination of her life and person, wholly given to God body and soul,
reminds us that our bodies are not hopeless bodies programmed to sin
and fated for damnation but bodies designed for holiness and destined
for salvation.

Mary is the sure promise that if we persevere like her, we can win
this race, no matter how difficult, with the grace of our God, who by
His mighty arm and with our willing cooperation like hers, can work
wonders not only in our souls but even through and in these lowly
bodies of ours.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of Delores, Netta, Nick, Kurt &
Barb
…In Thanksgiving: Nick & G
… for the personal intentions of Pauline
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Ofelia C. Rodavia
- Birthday: Sharah Mae Go Kaw
- Birthday: Dulce Festin - Baybay
- Prayer Intention: Sammy & Venus Tan & Family
- Presbyterial Ordination Fr. Etienne Beauregard, SJ
- In Memoriam (+): Rufina Ouano Gotao
- In Memoriam (+): Potenciana Tee
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation.

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!

**************************************************

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:

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| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+


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20TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – A

AUGUST 14, 2011
20TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – A

Is 56:1, 6-7 / Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 / Rom 11:13-15, 29-32 / Mt 15:21-28

ISAIAH 56:1, 6-7
Thus says Yahweh: Maintain what is right and do what is just, for my
salvation is close at hand, my justice is soon to come. Yahweh says to
the foreigners who join him, serving him and loving his name, keeping
his sabbath unprofaned and remaining faithful to his covenant: I will
bring them to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of
prayer. I will accept on my altar their burnt offerings and
sacrifices, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the
nations.

ROMANS 11:13-15, 29-32
Brothers and sisters, listen to me, you who are not Jews: I am
spending myself as an apostle to the pagan nations, but I hope my
ministry will be successful enough to awaken the jealousy of those of
my race, and finally to save some of them. If the world made peace
with God when they remained apart, what will it be when they are
welcomed? Nothing less than a passing from death to life. The call of
God and his gift cannot be nullified. Through the rebellion of the
Jews the mercy of God came to you who did not obey God. They in turn
will receive mercy in due time after this rebellion that brought God's
mercy to you. So God has submitted all to disobedience, in order to
show his mercy to all.

MATTHEW 15:21-28
At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Now a
Canaanite woman came from those borders and began to cry out, "Lord,
Son of David, have pity on me! My daughter is tormented by a demon."
But Jesus did not answer her, not even a word. So his disciples
approached him and said, "Send her away: see how she is shouting after
us." Then Jesus said to her, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the
nation of Israel." But the woman was already kneeling before Jesus and
said, "Sir, help me!" Jesus answered, "It is not right to take the
bread from the children and throw it to the little dogs." The woman
replied, "It is true, sir, but even the little dogs eat the crumbs
which fall from their master's table." Then Jesus said, "Woman, how
great is your faith! Let it be as you wish." And her daughter was
healed at that moment.

REFLECTION
When was the last time we did something extra? Why did we go beyond
duty? To whom or for whom did we do it?

Today's encounter of Jesus with the Canaanite woman is an example of
how Jesus went beyond his original mission which was to bring back the
chosen people to his Father. Seeing the faith of this woman as
evidenced by her persistence and humility, Jesus could not simply
ignore her. He was just impressed with the attitude and disposition of
this woman who was willing to do anything for the welfare of her
daughter who was already suffering much. Isn't it edifying to see how
far a person is willing to go because of love? In another instance,
Jesus healed a foreigner, giving us the clear message that his mission
was indeed universal. His task to proclaim the love, compassion, and
mercy of his Father was made available to anyone willing to listen.
This is of course fulfilled later on by Paul whom we know became the
apostle of the Gentiles. This theme of universalism is also found in
the first reading from the prophet Isaiah. Yahweh indicates His
acceptance of those foreigners who are not originally part of His
Chosen people by saying that they will be brought to His holy mountain
only if they shall be faithful to His laws and commandments. God's
house of prayer shall be made available to all peoples whose burnt
offerings and sacrifices are acceptable only if these are done
together with their faithfulness to God's statutes. In other words,
the Lord has an open invitation to the foreigners to come and worship
Him as long as they are faithful to the precepts and commandments of
Yahweh. For indeed the house of Yahweh shall be a house of prayer for
all peoples.

Is there anything today that we feel Jesus is calling us to do the
extra mile? What is it that Jesus wants us to do in order to respond
to an authentic need? Why do we choose to respond to the invitation of
Jesus? Is it because of the realization that there is indeed a need?
Are we doing it out of love?

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Jo Marcelo
- Jun Lee
- Jonathan Salazar
- Wally Torres
- Mon Torres
- Delores, Netta, Nick, Kurt & Barb
…In Thanksgiving: Nick & G
… for the personal intentions of Pauline
… for the eternal repose of the soul of Sean Ong Co. Eternal rest
grant unto him and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he and all
the dearly departed rest in peace.
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Eugene Ma. Chua
- Birthday: Omie A. Inocencio
- Wedding Anniversary: Augusto & Gloria Dacanay
- Wedding Anniversary: Victory & Olivia Dy Sun
- In Memoriam (+): Thomas Ngo Tiong Tay (1930-1988)+
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation.

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!

**************************************************

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
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+

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SATURDAY 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

AUGUST 13, 2011
MEMORIAL, ST PONTIAN, POPE, MARTYR AND ST HIPPOLYTUS, PRIEST, MARTYR
SATURDAY 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR I

Jos 24:14-29 / Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 11 / Mt 19:13-15

JOSHUA 24:14-29
So fear Yahweh, and be sincere and faithful in serving him. Set aside
those gods your ancestors worshiped in Mesopotamia and Egypt. Serve
only Yahweh. But if you do not want to serve Yahweh, make known this
very day whom you shall serve —whether they be the gods your ancestors
served in Mesopotamia or the gods of the Amorites who formerly
occupied the land in which you now live. As for me, I and my household
will serve Yahweh." The people answered: "May God not permit that we
ever abandon Yahweh to serve other gods! For it was he who brought us
and our ancestors out of Egypt, the house of slavery. It was he who
did those great wonders that we have seen; he protected us on the way
and through all the land where we passed, driving away before us all
the nations especially the Amorites who lived in this land. So we
shall also serve Yahweh: he is our God!" Joshua asked the people:
"Will you be able to serve Yahweh? He is a Holy God, a Jealous God who
does not tolerate wickedness or faults. If you abandon Yahweh to serve
other gods, he will turn against you and just as he has done you so
much good, so shall he punish you and destroy you." The people
replied: "No, may it not be as you say. We will serve Yahweh." Joshua
said: "You yourselves are witnesses that you have chosen Yahweh to
serve him." They answered: "We are witnesses." Joshua then said,
"Remove now from your midst any other gods and serve Yahweh, the God
of Israel, with all your heart." The people answered: "We will serve
Yahweh, our God, and obey his commands." On that day at Shechem,
Joshua made a covenant with the people and fixed laws and ordinances.
He also wrote down everything expressed in the book of the Law of God;
he chose a great stone and put it under the oak tree in the sacred
place of Yahweh. Then Joshua said to the people: "This stone shall be
a witness to all that Yahweh said to us, for it heard all these words.
It shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with Yahweh."
Joshua immediately sent the people away and everyone returned to his
land. After all these deeds, Joshua, son of Nun and servant of Yahweh,
died at the age of a hundred and ten.

MATTHEW 19:13-15
Little children were brought to Jesus that he might lay his hands on
them with a prayer. But the disciples scolded those who brought them.
Jesus then said, "Let them be! Do not stop the children from coming to
me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to people such as these." So
Jesus laid his hands on them and went his way.

REFLECTION
One morning along the sidewalk, a mother was seen carrying her year-
old baby in her arms. The baby was fully awake. She smiled and giggled
as her mother tossed her up into the air and down. She allowed her
mother to toss her up and down without hesitation, without fear and
without uneasiness. In the arms of her mother, she knew that no harm
would come to her. Perhaps she did not have any notion of what fear
is. She just enjoyed being tossed up and down.

For grown-ups like us, do we allow God to toss us up and down with
complete trust and without hesitation whatsoever? Do we allow Him to
journey with us through life's ups and downs?

Lord, we are men of little faith. We beg for the grace of complete
trust that we may allow you to love us unconditionally. Amen.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Aling Summing
- Linda O
- Ben
- Kristin
- Maria
- Eugene R
- Gene
- Frank
- G
- Jo Marcelo
- Jun Lee
- Jonathan Salazar
- Wally Torres
- Mon Torres
…In Thanksgiving: Antonio Evangelista
… for the personal intentions of Pauline
… for the eternal repose of the soul of Sean Ong Co. Eternal rest
grant unto him and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he and all
the dearly departed rest in peace.
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation.

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!

**************************************************

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
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+

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© 2011 Daily-Homily


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