Feb 1 Monday: Mk 5: 1-20: 1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of Gerasenes. 2 And when he had come out of the boat, there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 who lived among the tombs; and no one could bind him anymore, even with a chain; 4 for he had often been bound with fetters and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the fetters he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains, he was always crying out, and bruising himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped him; 7 and crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”
8 For he had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 And he begged him eagerly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; 12 and they begged him, “Send us to the swine, let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea. 14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus, and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the man who had the legion; and they were afraid. 16 …20. USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/
The context: Today’s Gospel episode demonstrates
Jesus’ power over the devil in a Gentile town of the Decapolis, east of the
Jordan, called Gadara (Matthew), or Gerasa (Mark and Luke). A
demon-possessed man (two men in Matthew) came out of a tomb-filled desolate
place. The demons, recognizing Jesus as the Son of God, begged Him to send them
into a herd of swine. The possessed man’s demons named themselves Legion (ca
5000 men), indicating their number. Jesus did as the evil spirits requested,
and the now-possessed swine ran down the slope and drowned in the sea. The
frightened people of the city asked Jesus to leave their city. The people
considered their swine more precious than the liberation given to the possessed
man. If we have a selfish or materialistic outlook, we fail to appreciate the
value of Divine things, and we push God out of our lives, begging Him to go
away, as these people did.
Life messages: 1) We need to come out of
our tombs: Jesus is calling us to come out of the tombs. Our tombs are the
closed-in, sealed-off areas of our hearts where Life in the Spirit of God has
died because we haven’t let Jesus minister to us through others. Such ungodly
persons are lonely. They try to fill their inner emptiness by packing their
lives with money, promiscuity, addictions or workaholism, but
nothing works.
2) Jesus the Liberator is ready to free us from
the tombs of our evil addictions and habits If we will only let og of
everything and give Jesus a chance , He can, and will, help us to experience
the joy and freedom of the children of God.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/21
Feb 2 Tuesday (The Presentation of the Lord): ((https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/presentation-of-the-lord ) https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/ Lk
2:22-32: The context: Today’s Gospel presents the head of the Holy
Family, Joseph, faithfully obeying God’s law given through Moses concerning the
purification of the mother and the redeeming of the child by presenting Mary
and the Baby Jesus in the Temple. The events recounted appear elsewhere in the
liturgical year but are those we traditionally celebrate today, February 2nd,
with the Feast of Presentation of Jesus. This is a combined
feast, commemorating the Jewish practice of the purification of the
mother after childbirth and the presentation of the child in the Temple. It is
known as the Hypanthe feast or Feast of the
Purification of Mary (by the offering two pigeons in the Temple),
the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (by prayers
and the payment of “five shekels to a member of the priestly family” (Nm
3:47-48; NAB Note on Lk 2:22), to redeem or buy the firstborn male child back
from the Lord’s service), and the Feast of Encounter (because
the New Testament, represented by the Baby Jesus, encountered the Old
Testament, represented by Simeon and Anna). On February 2nd, we celebrate these
events as a formal ending of the Christmas season. The same day, we also
celebrate the Feast of Candlemas (because candles
are blessed then for liturgical and personal use).
Purification and redemption ceremonies: The
Mosaic Law taught that, since every Jewish male child belonged to Yahweh, the
parents had to “buy back” the child (“redeem” him), with the payment of “five
shekels (by the rich) to a member of the priestly family” (Nm 3:47-48; NAB Note
on Lk 2:22). In addition, (Nm 18:15) every mother had to be purified after
childbirth by prayers and the sacrifice of a lamb (or two turtle doves for the
poor) in the Temple. Joseph kept these laws as an act of obedience to God.
The encounter with Simeon and Anna: By the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the old, pious, Spirit-filled Simeon and the
very old widow, Anna, both of whom who had been waiting for the revelation of
God’s salvation, were present in the Temple the day Joseph and Mary brought
Jesus to Present Him to the Father. Simeon recognized Jesus as the Lord’s
Anointed One, and in his prayer of blessing, he prophesied that Jesus was meant
to be the glory of Israel and a Light of revelation to the Gentiles. While he
blessed Mary, Simeon warned that her child would be “set for the fall and
rising of many in Israel, and for a sign of
contradiction” and that “a sword will pierce through your own
soul. Simeon was prophesying both the universal salvation that would
be proclaimed by Jesus and the necessity of suffering in the mission of the
Messiah.
Life message: Every Holy Mass in which we
participate is our presentation. Although we were officially presented to God
on the day of our Baptism, we present ourselves and our dear ones on the altar
before God our Father through our Savior Jesus Christ at every Holy Mass.
Hence, we need to live our daily lives with the awareness both that we are
dedicated people consecrated to God and that we are obliged to lead holy lives.
Let us also remember and pray for our godparents who presented us to the Lord
on the day of our Baptism
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/21
Feb 3 Wednesday (St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-blaise : Mk
6: 1-6: (Mt 13:54-58): USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/
The context: Today’s Gospel passage describes
the painful indifference Jesus met in his audience and the jealous, hurtful
comments Jesus heard when, as a carpenter-turned-Rabbi with a band of his own
disciples, he started preaching in the synagogue of his hometown, Nazareth.
A prophet without honor: The people of Nazareth literally
jammed the synagogue, eager to see their familiar
carpenter-turned-miracle-working preacher, Jesus, working miracles as he had
done in neighboring towns and villages. But they were jealous, incredulous, and
critical, rather than believing, which prevented Jesus from doing miraculous
healings. They were jealous of the extraordinary ability of a former carpenter
without formal education in Mosaic Law to give a powerful and authoritative
interpretation of their Holy Scriptures. A carpenter’s profession was
considered low in social ranking. Besides, they could not accept a
prophet coming from so low a family background as Jesus’ was, nor could they
accept his “blasphemous” claim to be the promised Messiah. Jesus’ relatives,
known to them, were equally unimportant people. But the most offensive thing he
did, in their judgment, was to point out to them their own unbelief, citing
examples of the famous prophets Elijah and Elisha favoring Faith-filled
Gentiles over unbelieving Jews.
Brothers and sisters of Jesus: “Ancient Hebrew, Aramaic and
other languages had no special words for different degrees of relationship,
such as are found in more modern languages. In general, all those belonging
to the same family, clan, and even tribe, were brethren. Jesus had
different kinds of relatives, in two groups–some on his mother’s side, others
on St. Joseph’s. Matthew 13:55-56 mentions, as living in Nazareth, “His
brethren” James, Joses, Simon and Judas, and elsewhere
there is reference to Jesus’ sisters (cf. Matthew 6:3).
But in Matthew 27:56 we are told that James and Joses were sons of a Mary
distinct from the Blessed Virgin, and that Simon and Judas were not brothers of
James, or St. Joseph’s children from a previous marriage. Jesus, on the other
hand, was known to everyone as the son of Mary (Mark 6:3)
or the carpenter’s son (Matthew 13:55). The Church has
always maintained as absolutely certain that Jesus had no brothers or sisters
in the full meaning of the term: it is a dogma that Mary was ever-Virgin” (Navarre
Bible Commentary)
Life messages:
1) Perhaps we have experienced the pain of rejection,
betrayal, abandonment, violated trust, neglect, or abuse from our own
friends and relatives. On such occasions, let us face rejection with
prophetic courage and optimism. 2) Let us not, like the people in
Jesus’ hometown, reject God in our personal lives.
3) Our country needs to hear God’s Truth from
Spirit-filled Christians with the prophetic courage of their convictions.
4) Trusting Faith in the Divinity and goodness of
Christ is essential, if Jesus is to work miracles in our personal lives.
In addition, we need to be docile to the Holy Spirit living within
us, so that He may work miracles in our lives. 5) When we are challenged
by the Gospel and by the Church, we should be thankful and should not
allow the prophetic voice of the Church die in our hearts. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/21
Feb 3: Mark 6: 1-6: (In the U. S. St. Blaise,
Bishop & Martyr and the blessing of throats):
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-blaise/ &
Video: https://youtu.be/qoqX63YaJYQ?list=PL58g24NgWPIzvBk2IQVES_xC4WTm6-CDI
We have only a few legends and no historical documents about
St. Blaise and his martyrdom. But some Eastern Churches observe his feast day
as a day of obligation. The British, German and Slavic people honor his memory.
The U.S. Catholics seek his intercession for the healing of throat diseases by
the ritual of blessing of throats. According to the Acts of St.
Blaise written in the eighth century, Bishop Blaise was martyred
in his episcopal city of Sebastea, Armenia, in 316. When the governor
of Cappadocia (in Modern Turkey) began to persecute the Christians,
St. Blaise was arrested. The governor of Cappadocia tried in vain to
persuade Blaise to sacrifice to pagan idols. The first time Blaise refused, he
was beaten. The next time he was suspended from a tree and his flesh torn with
iron combs or rakes. Finally, he was beheaded. As he was led to the place of execution
a poor mother rushed up to him, begging him to save her child who was
choking to death on a fishbone. The bishop gave him a blessing which enabled
the child to cough up the bone. Later Bishop Blaise was cruelly tortured
and beheaded.
His cult spread throughout the entire Church in the Middle
Ages because of the healing of the boy. Details regarding the miraculous
healing of the boy vary. One account relates that the
miracle occurred during the journey to take Blaise to prison when he placed
his hand on the boy’s head and prayed; another that the miracle happened while
Blaise was in prison when he picked up two candles provided to him and formed a
cross around the boy’s throat. The use of candles for the blessing of throats
stems from the candles that Blaise used while in prison. When an old woman’s
pig had been miraculously rescued from a wolf by Saint Blaise, she would visit
him in prison, bringing him food and candles to bring him light in his dark
cell.
The blessing of throats may be given by a priest, deacon, or
a lay minister who follows the rites and prayers designated for a lay minister.
(Since these are Covid-19 days, the minister should take care that the candles
do not touch the throat of any person). The priest or deacon makes the sign
of the cross over the recipient as the blessing is said. If necessary,
laypersons are permitted to give the blessing of the throats but are instructed
not to make the sign of the cross.
Life message: We all need some type of healing
in some parts of our body, mind, or soul. Let us ask the intercession of St.
Blaise with repentant hearts, so that Jesus the healer may place his healing
touch on us as we present ourselves for the ritual of the blessing of the
throats. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/21
Feb 4 Thursday: Mk 6: 7-13: 7 And he
called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them
authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their
journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9 but to
wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10 And he said to them, “Where you
enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11 And if any place will
not receive you and they refuse to hear you, when you leave, shake off the dust
that is on your feet for a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and
preached that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed
with oil many that were sick and healed them. USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/
The context: Today’s Gospel describes the
commissioning of the twelve Apostles. They were sent out in pairs with power
and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. They were to
preach to the people whom Jesus would visit the coming of the Kingdom of God,
or God’s rule in their lives, and show them how to prepare their hearts for
God’s rule by repenting of their sins and asking for God’s forgiveness and
liberation from their evil habits. The Apostles were also expected to follow
Jesus’ detailed action plan.
Jesus’ instructions and travel tips. From his
instructions, it is clear that Jesus meant his disciples to take no supplies
for the road. They were simply to trust that God, the Provider, would open
the hearts of believers to take care of their needs. Jesus’ instructions also
suggest that his disciples should not be like the acquisitive priests of the
day, who were interested only in gaining riches. His disciples should be
walking examples of God’s love and providence. The Jews supported their rabbis
and judged doing so a privilege as well as an obligation, because hospitality
was an important religious tradition in Palestine. The Apostles should choose
temporary accommodation in a reputable household, should bless the residents
with God’s peace, should be satisfied with the food and accommodation they had
received, and should not search for better ones. They were to preach “’the
Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,’ heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers,
and cast out demons.”
Life messages: 1) We all have a witnessing
mission: Each Christian is called, not only to be a
disciple, but also to be an apostle, bearing witness to Christ. As apostles, we
have to evangelize the world by sharing with others not just words, or ideas or
doctrines, but our experience of God and His Son, Jesus. It is through our
transparent Christian lives that we must show Jesus, whom we have experienced,
to others as unconditional love, overflowing mercy, forgiveness, and concern
for the people around us. 2) We also have a liberating mission. There
are many demons which can control the lives of people around us making them
helpless slaves —the demon of nicotine, the demon of alcohol or drugs, the
demon of gambling, the demon of pornography and promiscuous sex, the demons of
materialism, secularism, and consumerism. We need the help of Jesus to liberate
ourselves and others from these demons. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/21
Feb 5 Friday (St. Agatha, Virgin, Martyr): https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-agatha Mk
6:14-29: 14 King Herod heard of it; for Jesus’ name had become
known. Some said, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; that is why
these powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “It is Elijah.” And
others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when
Herod heard of it he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” 17 For
Herod had sent and seized John, and bound him in prison for the sake of
Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; because he had married her. 18 For
John said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19
And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could
not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and
kept him safe. When he heard him, he was much perplexed; and yet he heard
him gladly. 21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a
banquet for his courtiers and officers and the leading men of Galilee. 22
For when Herodias’ daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his
guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and
I will grant it.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give
you, even half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out, and said to her mother,
“What shall I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the baptizer.” 25 And she
came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying, “I want you to
give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was
exceedingly sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to
break his word to her….29 USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/
The context: Today’s Gospel presents the last
scene of a tragic drama with three main characters, Herod, Herodias and John
the Baptist. Herod was a jealous, weak, puppet-king with a guilty
conscience. He feared the prophet John, because John had publicly scolded him
for divorcing his legal wife without adequate cause and for marrying his
sister-in-law Herodias, thus committing a double violation of Mosaic
Law. Herodias was an immoral, greedy woman, stained by a triple guilt
and publicly criticized by John. 1) She was an unfaithful woman of loose
morals. 2) She was a greedy and vengeful woman. 3) She was an evil mother who used
her teenage daughter for the evil purposes of murder and revenge by encouraging
her to dance in public in the royal palace against the royal etiquette of the
day. John the Baptist was a fiery preacher and the herald of the
Promised Messiah. He was also a Spirit-filled prophet with the courage of
his prophetic convictions who dared to criticize and scold an Oriental monarch
and his proud wife in public.
God’s punishment: After the martyrdom of John, Herod
was defeated by Aretas, the father of his first wife. Later, both Herod and
Herodias were sent into exile by Caligula, the Roman emperor.
Life messages: 1) Our sins will haunt us,
ruining our mental peace, as happened to Herod and Herodias. 2) Brutal sins
against others will not go unpunished. 3) We need to stand up for truth
and justice in the spirit of John the Baptist. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/21
Feb 6 Saturday (St. Paul Miki and companions,
Martyrs) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-paul-miki-and-companions :
Mk 6: 30-34: 30 The apostles returned to Jesus, and told him all
that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves
to a lonely place, and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they
had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a lonely place
by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going, and knew them, and they ran there on
foot from all the towns, and got there ahead of them. 34 As he went ashore he
saw a great throng, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep
without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. USCCB video
reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/
The context: Today’s Gospel passage presents the
sympathetic and merciful heart of Jesus who lovingly invites his Apostles to a
desolate place for some rest. Jesus realized that the Apostles he had
sent on a preaching and healing mission to be neighboring towns and villages
needed some rest on their return. He was eager to hear about their missionary
adventures as they proudly shared their experiences. In no time, however, they
were surrounded by the crowd, and Jesus resumed his preaching and teaching
because he saw the crowd as sheep without shepherd.
Today’s Gospel describes how Jesus became a Good Shepherd.
The Old Testament describes God as shepherd of His people, Israel. The
Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:1). The prophet
Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would feed his flock like a
shepherd, he would gather the lambs in his arms (Isaiah 40:11). Jesus
told his disciples that he was the Good Shepherd who was willing to lay down
his life for his sheep. In his epistle, Peter calls Jesus the Shepherd
and Guardian of our souls (1 Peter 2:25).
Life messages: 1) Let us show the mercy,
compassion, care and concern of Jesus the Good Shepherd to those entrusted to
our care. 2) Let us become good sheep of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, by leading
pure, innocent, humble, selfless lives, obeying Christ’s commandment of love
and gaining daily spiritual strength from the Body and Blood of Jesus, the Good
Shepherd, in Holy Communion.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/21
