HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 1ST WEEK OF ADVENT
Homily for Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent (Memorial of St. Francis Xavier (Priest) Isaiah 30:19-21,23-26; Matthew 9:35---10:1,5a,6-8. Prophet Isaiah tells us in the First Reading: "O people in Sion who dwell at Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hear it, he will answer you" (Isa.30:19). For the Lord to be gracious to us, we have to cry to him. We have to make our earnest and hearty appeal to him for mercy. Our cry will be answered as soon as it is heard, that is, as soon as it is uttered. Even without the crowds in today's Gospel crying to him, Jesus on seeing them had compassion for them, " because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matt.9:36). With this in mind, Jesus summoned and commissioned His Apostles for their great missionary work. He gave them authority over unclean spirits, with power to drive them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and illnesse...