4th Week: Feb 2-7:
Feb 2 Monday: The Presentation of the Lord: Lk
2: 22-40 or 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 firstborn
son, 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 back 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), (The
“Pidyon haBen” Service) with the payment of “five shekels (=15
Denarius = wage for 15 days of work), 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 sacrificeof alamb (or two
turtledoves 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 on 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 messages: 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 (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Feb 3 Tuesday: Mk 5: 21-43:
The context: Today’s Gospel is a beautiful
presentation of two miracles, a healing, and a revival and restoration of life.
These miracles were worked by Jesus as rewards for the trusting Faith of a
synagogue ruler and of a woman with a hemorrhage (Metrorrhagia). Though
the ruler trusted Jesus out of desperation, and the woman’s Faith was a bit
superstitious, even their defective Faith was amply rewarded.
The ruler and the woman: The ruler of the synagogue
supported Jewish orthodoxy. He could have despised Jesus who befriended
sinners. But he bravely approached Jesus as a last resort when all the doctors
had failed, and his daughter was dying. Since the Jews believed that one was
not actually dead until three days had passed after one stopped breathing, when
word came that the child had died, the ruler showed courage and Faith in
staying with Jesus, ignoring the ridicule of fellow-Jews. In the same way, the
woman with the bleeding disease was ritually unclean, and she was not supposed
to appear in public. She had the courage and Faith to ignore a social and
religious taboo in order to approach and touch the garment of Jesus from
behind. Both the ruler’s child and the sick woman were brought back to life and
to the community.
Life message: 1) Jesus accepts us as we are. Hence,
we need not wait until we have the correct motive and strong Faith to bring our
problems before Jesus. Let us bring before him our bodily, mental, and
spiritual wounds and ask for his healing touch today. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Feb 3 Tuesday: Mk 5: 21-43: St. Blaise:
Legends: 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, (Turkey)
in 316. Stories tell how, when the Christian persecutions began, he withdraw to
a cave in the woods when inspired to do so by the Lord. Since he had been a
physician before he became a bishop, Blaise soon became the friend of wild
animals that were ill or wounded. They sought him out. One day the governor’s
hunters searching for animals to bring to the city’s amphitheater were shocked
when they happened upon Blaise. There he was, kneeling and praying — surrounded
by totally docile wolves, lions and bears, tame in his presence. When they took
him prisoner, on the way to the jail he got more chances to perform miracles
besides healing the boy with the fishbone. He met a poor woman in great
distress because a wolf had snatched her small, young pig. She asked his help.
Blaise commanded the wolf to return the pig. Right away, the wolf heard and
brought back the pig which was not harmed. The woman continued to visit him in
prison, bringing him food and candles to bring him light in his dark cell.
The cult of St. Blaise spread throughout the
entire Church in the Middle Ages because of the healing of a boy. Details
regarding the miraculous healing of the boy vary. One account relates that the
miracle occurred during his journey to prison when he placed his hand on the
boy’s head and prayed. In anther version of the story, 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 supplied by that woman which Blaise used while
in prison.
Martyrdom and miracles: Another version: 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.
The Rite of Blessing: 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. 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 they are instructed not to
make the sign of the cross. The recipient, of course, may always make the Sign
of the Cros upon receiving the blessing.
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, Bishop and Martyr, 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 (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Feb 4 Wednesday: Mk 6:1-6:
The context: Today’s Gospel passage describes
the scorn of bland 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; elsewhere, there is reference to
Jesus’ sisters (cf. Mt 6:3). But, in Mt 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 (Mk 6:3) or
the carpenter’s son (Mt 13:55). The Church has always maintained as an
absolutely certaity 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. 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 (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Feb 5 Thursday: St. Agatha, Virgin, Martyr: Mk
6:7-13:
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 to the people whom
Jesus would visit. They were to preach the coming of the Kingdom of God, or
God’s rule in their lives. They were also to show the people listening HOW to
prepare their hearts for God’s rule — repenting of their sins, then 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 also 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 are 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 to others as we have experienced his
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 be liberated ourselves and to
help others to accept from Jesus full liberation from these demons.
Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Feb 6 Friday: St. Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs :
Mk 6:14-29:
Who is Jesus? The text begins with a survey of
the opinions of the people about Jesus, and of Herod about Jesus. Some
associated Jesus to John the Baptist and to Elijah. Others identified him with
a Prophet, that is, with someone who spoke in the name of God, who had the
courage to denounce the injustices of the powerful and who knew how to animate
the hope of the little ones. Persons tried to understand Jesus starting from
the things that they themselves knew, believed, and hoped. They tried to make
him fit into familiar criteria of the Old Testament with its prophecies and its
hopes, and of the Tradition of the Ancient, with their laws. But these criteria
were not sufficient. Jesus could not fit in those criteria because Jesus
overtopped them!
The cause for the killing of John. Galilee, the land
of Jesus, was governed by Herod Antipas, the son of King Herod the Great, from
the year 4 BC up to the year 39 after Christ, a reign of 43 years! During the
whole lifetime of Jesus, then, there had been no changes in the government of
Galilee! Herod Antipas was the absolute Lord of everything; he listened to no
one and did whatever he pleased. But the one, who really commanded in
Palestine, from the year 63 BC, was the Roman Emperor under the Procurator the
Emperor appointed to rule the new Province. Herod, in order not to be removed
from office, tried to please Rome in everything. He insisted above all, upon an
efficient administration which would provide income for the Roman Empire. The
only thing that concerned or worried him was his security and promotion. This
is why he repressed any type of subversion. Falvio Giuseppe, a writer of that
time, says that the reason for the imprisonment of John the Baptist was the
fear that Herod had of a popular revolt. Herod liked to be called benefactor of
the people, but in reality he was a tyrant (Lk 22:25). The denouncement of John
against him (Mk 6:18), was the drop which filled up the cup, and John was
thrown into prison.
The Murder Plot. The anniversary and the banquet of
the feast, with dancing and orgies! This was an environment in which the
alliances were plotted. To the feast attended and were present “the
great of the court, the officials and important persons from Galilee.” In
this environment, the murdering of John the Baptist was plotted. John, the
prophet, was a living denouncement in this corrupt system. This is why he was
eliminated under the pretext of a problem of personal vengeance. All this
reveals the moral weakness of Herod. So much power accumulated in the hands of
a man who did not control himself! Under the enthusiasm of the feast and of the
wine, Herod swore lightly to give something to the young dancer. And
superstitious as he was, he thought that he had to maintain his oath. For
Herod, the life of his subjects counted nothing and had no value. He used them
as he wanted and decided what to do with them, just as he decided where to
place the chairs in his house. Mark gives an account of how things happened and
lets the community draw the conclusions.
Personal Questions Do you know the case of
persons who have died victims of corruption and of the dominion of the
powerful? And do you know persons in our community and in our Church, victims
of authoritarianism and of an excess of power?
Herod, the powerful one who assumed he was the owner of life
and death of the people, was also a very superstitious person,so he feared the
resurrection John the Baptist whom he had so wronged.. Herod was was a coward
before the great, a corrupt man before the girl. Superstition, cowardice, and
corruption distinguished the exercise of the power of Herod. Compare this with
the religious and civil power today in the various levels of society and of the
Church.
Feb 7 Saturday: Mk 6:30-34:
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
unwinding and rest on their return. He was also 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 (Ps 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 Pt 2:25).
Life messages: 1) Let us show to all those entrusted to our care the same mercy, compassion, care, and concern which Jesus the Good Shepherd showed to the crowds around him. 2) Let us become good sheep of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, by leading pure, innocent, humble, selfless lives, by obeying Christ’s commandment of love, and especially by gaining daily spiritual strength from the Body and Blood of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, in Holy Communion. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
