June 5, 2007 Memorial of Saint Boniface, bishop and martyr

   2007년 6월 5일 연중 제9주간 화요일

성 보니파시오 주교 순교자 기념일

 

 제1독서 토빗기 2,9-14
오순절 밤 나 토빗은 죽은 이들을 묻어 준 다음, 9 몸을 씻고 내 집 마당에 들어가 담 옆에서 잠을 잤는데, 무더워서 얼굴을 가리지 않았다. 10 내 머리 위 담에 참새들이 있다는 것을 나는 알지 못하였다.
그때에 뜨거운 참새 똥이 내 두 눈에 떨어지더니 하얀 막이 생기는 것이었다. 그래서 치료를 받으려고 여러 의사에게 가 보았지만, 그들이 약을 바르면 바를수록 그 하얀 막 때문에 눈이 더 멀어졌다. 그러더니 마침내는 아주 멀어 버렸다. 나는 네 해 동안 시력을 잃은 채 지냈다. 내 친척들이 모두 나 때문에 슬퍼하고, 아키카르는 엘리마이스로 갈 때까지 나를 두 해 동안 돌보아 주었다.
11 그때에 내 아내 안나는 여자들이 하는 일에 품을 팔았다. 12 아내가 물건을 만들어 주인들에게 보내면 주인들이 품삯을 주곤 하였다.
디스트로스 달 초이렛날에 아내는 자기가 짜던 옷감을 잘라서 주인들에게 보냈다. 그러자 그들은 품삯을 다 줄 뿐만 아니라 집에서 쓰라고 새끼 염소 한 마리도 주었다.
13 내가 있는 곳으로 아내가 들어올 때에 그 새끼 염소가 울기 시작하였다. 그래서 내가 아내를 불러 말하였다. “그 새끼 염소는 어디서 난 거요? 혹시 훔친 것 아니오? 주인들한테 돌려주시오. 우리에게는 훔친 것을 먹을 권리가 없소.”
14 아내가 나에게 “이것은 품삯 외에 선물로 받은 것이에요.” 하고 말하였지만, 나는 아내를 믿지 못하여 그 새끼 염소를 주인들에게 돌려주라고 다시 말하면서, 그 일로 아내에게 얼굴을 붉혔다. 그러자 아내가 말하였다. “당신의 그 자선들로 얻은 게 뭐죠? 당신의 그 선행들로 얻은 게 뭐죠? 그것으로 당신이 무엇을 얻었는지 다들 알고 있어요.”

 

 복음 마르코 12,13-17
그때에 13 수석 사제들과 율법 학자들과 원로들은 예수님께 말로 올무를 씌우려고, 바리사이들과 헤로데 당원 몇 사람을 보냈다. 14 그들이 와서 예수님께 말하였다. “스승님, 저희는 스승님께서 진실하시고 아무도 꺼리지 않으시는 분이라는 것을 압니다. 과연 스승님은 사람을 그 신분에 따라 판단하지 않으시고, 하느님의 길을 참되게 가르치십니다. 그런데 황제에게 세금을 내는 것이 합당합니까, 합당하지 않습니까? 바쳐야 합니까, 바치지 말아야 합니까?” 15 예수님께서는 그들의 위선을 아시고 그들에게 말씀하셨다. “너희는 어찌하여 나를 시험하느냐? 데나리온 한 닢을 가져다 보여 다오.” 16 그들이 그것을 가져오자 예수님께서, “이 초상과 글자가 누구의 것이냐?” 하고 물으셨다.
그들이 “황제의 것입니다.” 하고 대답하였다. 17 이에 예수님께서 그들에게 이르셨다. “황제의 것은 황제에게 돌려주고, 하느님의 것은 하느님께 돌려 드려라.” 그들은 예수님께 매우 감탄하였다

 

 

 

 June 5, 2007

 Memorial of Saint Boniface, bishop and martyr

  

 Reading 1
Tb 2:9-14

On the night of Pentecost, after I had buried the dead,
I, Tobit, went into my courtyard
to sleep next to the courtyard wall.
My face was uncovered because of the heat.
I did not know there were birds perched on the wall above me,
till their warm droppings settled in my eyes, causing cataracts.
I went to see some doctors for a cure
but the more they anointed my eyes with various salves,
the worse the cataracts became,
until I could see no more.
For four years I was deprived of eyesight, and
all my kinsmen were grieved at my condition.
Ahiqar, however, took care of me for two years,
until he left for Elymais.

At that time, my wife Anna worked for hire
at weaving cloth, the kind of work women do.
When she sent back the goods to their owners, they would pay her.
Late in winter on the seventh of Dystrus,
she finished the cloth and sent it back to the owners.
They paid her the full salary
and also gave her a young goat for the table.
On entering my house the goat began to bleat.

I called to my wife and said: “Where did this goat come from?
Perhaps it was stolen! Give it back to its owners;
we have no right to eat stolen food!”
She said to me, “It was given to me as a bonus over and above my wages.”
Yet I would not believe her,
and told her to give it back to its owners.
I became very angry with her over this.
So she retorted: “Where are your charitable deeds now?
Where are your virtuous acts?
See! Your true character is finally showing itself!”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 112:1-2, 7-8, 9

R. (see 7c) The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;

the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
An evil report he shall not fear;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear
till he looks down upon his foes.
R. The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel
Mk 12:13-17

Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent
to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.
They came and said to him,
“Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion.
You do not regard a person’s status
but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?
Should we pay or should we not pay?”
Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them,
“Why are you testing me?
Bring me a denarius to look at.”
They brought one to him and he said to them,

“Whose image and inscription is this?”
They replied to him, “Caesar’s.”
So Jesus said to them,
“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God.”
They were utterly amazed at him.

 

 

 Commentary

 

 Tobit is exhausted, and sleeps. Bird droppings fall into his eyes and no matter what he does, with doctors and salves, he goes blind. For four years he cannot see and his wife Anna works as a hired hand. He does not believe her when she brings a goat home as a bonus. His anger is released at her and she, in her frustration, asks him bitterly, "Where are your good deeds now?"-your true character is showing itself. Tobit and Anna are being tried and it takes a toll on them both. [note: the readings will have little or no connection to each other for many weeks]

Factions in Judaism are set to trap Jesus. They approach him with flattery and ask him if they should pay the tax to the emperor. But Jesus will not be caught. He asks them for a coin (which, in the first place, they should not have in the temple). The inscription reads: Caesar est Deus, and Caesar's image is on the coin. Jesus says, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." But he is also aware that we are made in the image of God-each unique-and not in Caesar's image that is uniform. We are to give to God ourselves-and then what is leftover, give to the emperor/government/nation.

 

 

 Today we honor St Boniface, a martyr in the 8th century when the church was still fairly young and being a Christian still carried many risks. A man of consistent faith, St Boniface has been described as a “zealous servant of the Gospel.” Having converted many German tribes, he founded and restored many dioceses in middle Europe. St. Boniface was killed by pagans while preaching to the Frisians, German tribe. In the style of St. Paul, he wrote many letters to relatives and friends that revealed his fears, fatigue and never-ending trust in God. He was determined to serve Christ in spite of the risks to his very being. The following are excerpts of one of those letters:

I love the Lord for he has heard
the cry of my appeal;
for he turned his ear to me
in the day when I called him. . . .
How gracious is the Lord, and just;
our God has compassion.
the Lord protects the simple hearts;
I was helpless so he saved me. . . .
I will walk in the presence of the Lord
in the land of the living.

His writings, his actions, his entire life was focused upon repaying what belongs to God – a central theme is today’s readings.

The theme of separating aspects of our lives and the “masters” of our lives is most evident in today’s Gospel. on the surface, this message may seem quite simple yet there are layers of complexity. Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s. It is easier in some ways to determine what is Caesar’s but sometimes understanding the breadth of what is God’s can be a challenge. As a youngster hearing this gospel, I always thought we were talking about money and paying our way appropriately, that there is a separation of Church and state. Yet, the responsibility for each of us goes beyond such a separation of Church and state. No doubt, we pay taxes and other types of fees for governmental services. In turn we have protection and some basic human needs met.

What is it, then, that God gives to us and how do we pay for “those services and protection.” It was in reading and re-reading many times the story of Tobit and Psalm 112 that I came to the realization of what an awesome responsibility we have to “repay” what belongs to God. The responsorial psalm is explicit in the rewards for those who believe and fear the Lord. It leaves little doubt of the expectations for us all of the everlasting rewards. The challenge lies what we must do, “delight in His commands,” have a “firm, trusting heart,” “be steadfast,” and “lavishly give to the poor.” Are we willing to do this – not just sometimes but always? While we would probably have little hesitation in giving a positive response, the actually living of it is different indeed.

So . . . to give to God what is His, the simple truth is we must give our heart and soul, we must serve Him through others, and trust in him always. In the long run, the giving of the coin to Caesar is a far easier task but the differences in the outcomes are worlds apart. I read a bumper sticker once that asked that we come “work for the Lord” with the caveat that the “retirement benefits were out of this world . . .”

 

 by
Nancy Shirley
School of Nursing

 

 

 "Give to God what belongs to God"

What do we owe God and what’s our obligation towards others? Paul the Apostle tells us that we must give each what is their due (Romans 13:6-8). The Jewish authorities sought to trap Jesus in a religious-state dispute over the issue of taxes. The Jews resented their foreign rulers and despised paying taxes to Cesar. They posed a dilemma to test Jesus to see if he would make a statement they could use against him. If Jesus answered that it was lawful to pay taxes to a pagan ruler, then he would lose credibility with the Jewish populace who would regard him as a coward and a friend of Cesar.  If he said it was not lawful, then the Pharisees would have grounds to report him to the Roman authorities as a political trouble-maker and have him arrested. Jesus avoided their trap by confronting them with the image of a coin.  Coinage in the ancient world had significant political power. Rulers issued coins with their own image and inscription on them. In a certain sense the coin was regarded as his personal property.  Where the coin was valid the ruler held political sway over the people.  Since the Jews used the Roman currency, Jesus explained that what belonged to Caesar must be given to Caesar.

This story has another deeper meaning as well. We, too, have been stamped with God’s image since we are created in his own likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). We rightfully belong, not to ourselves, but to God who created us and redeemed us in the precious blood of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (see 1 Cor. 6:19-20).  Paul the Apostle says that we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1).  Do you acknowledge that your life belongs to God and not to yourself?  And do you give to God what rightfully belongs to Him?

"Lord, because you have made me, I owe you the whole of my love; because you have redeemed me, I owe you the whole of myself; because you have promised so much, I owe you all my being.  Moreover, I owe you as much more love than myself as you are greater than I, for whom you gave yourself and to whom you promised yourself.  I pray you, Lord, make me taste by love what I taste by knowledge; let me know by love what I know by understanding.  I owe you more than my whole self, but I have no more, and by myself I cannot render the whole of it to you.  Draw me to you, Lord, in the fullness of love.  I am wholly yours by creation; make me all yours, too, in love."  (prayer of Anselm, 1033-1109)

Psalm 90:2-4,14-16

2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.
3 Thou turnest man back to the dust, and sayest, "Turn back, O children of men!"
4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad as many days as thou hast afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let thy work be manifest to thy servants, and thy glorious power to their children.

 

 

 Because Judea and Samaria were troublesome areas the Romans imposed direct rule on them  -  and as part of the programme, this census tax.  This was the cause of deep anger and resentment among the people.  Judas the Gaulonite, for example, had proclaimed that taxation was a form of slavery, and he called for violent resistance.  His rhetoric is familiar in our age too: God is the only ruler and they would die for the purity of their faith.  This rhetoric influenced many, and taxation was a burning question.

            The question they asked Jesus was a trap, concealed under a layer of flattery.  If he said it was right to pay the tax, he would incur the anger of the people; and if he said it was not right, he would be reported to the Romans as a revolutionary.  There seemed to be no way out of the dilemma. 

            In the ancient world, coinage was considered the property of the ruler, since it had his image on it.  Jesus asked them to show him a coin.  This was  clever, because by having Roman coins in their pockets they were already showing themselves to be collaborators with the Romans.  This was a sore point, especially for Pharisees.  He only had to say, “Give back to Caesar this worthless thing that belongs to him in any case.”  Then he added, “Give back to God what belongs to God,” as if to say, “You were made in God's image: you have his image stamped on you, just as this coin has Caesar’s image stamped on it.  You don’t owe your souls to Caesar.” 

            This principle has served societies well, when it has been observed. 

 

 

IMAGE-CONSCIOUS

'Whose head is this and whose inscription is it?' Mark 12:16

The Pharisees and Herodians were able to identify the owner of the Roman coin because of what was stamped on it. The seal on the coin marked it as belonging to Caesar.

When we were baptized into Christ, we too were stamped with an image, 'sealed' with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13; 2 Cor 1:22). We were 'formed anew in the image of [our] Creator' (Col 3:10), and now we 'share the image of His Son,' Jesus (Rm 8:29). God marked us with His own seal to identify us as His property (Rm 14:8). Isn't this amazing? The same God Who forbade the making of any graven images out of concern for our falling into idol worship (see Ex 20:4) has now engraved His very own seal upon us (Eph 4:30).

Are you aware that you are marked with the seal of God? Can others tell Who you belong to merely by looking at you? You can polish up your image. Concentrate on your Owner and gaze 'on the Lord's glory.' Then you will be 'transformed from glory to glory into His very image by the Lord Who is the Spirit' (2 Cor 3:18).

Praise: St. Boniface led the newfound Church in Germany for thirty-six years before receiving martyrdom.
Prayer: Father, may all who see me think of You.
Promise: 'Happy the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commands. His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth; the upright generation shall be blessed.' Ps 112:1-2 

 

 

Winifred was the baptismal name for the one we know as Boniface.   He was born in England in 680 A.D.   He became a monk and priest with a desire to convert northern Europe which was still pagan.  After an unsuccessful mission, he was sent with the authority of the state to convert the Germans. 
He literally “axed” the old paganism: He hacked down a pagan sacred oak tree; it collapsed after one or two blows.   The people were impressed.  But they were more impressed by his words, his holiness, and his administrative zeal.  He established the archdiocese of Mainz and was first archbishop.  He also erected other dioceses.   He was still a missionary at heart, and he constantly traveled to bring people to Christ.
In 754, on the Vigil of Pentecost, while he was preparing to have a large outdoor Confirmation, he was attacked by pagans and killed.   He had more influence on Europe than any other Englishman in history.
 

 

 «Return to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's»

Today, we marvel again at Christ's wit and wisdom. With his masterly response, He directly points out to the fair autonomy of the worldly realities: «Return to Caesar what is Caesar's» (Mk 12:17).

Today's Word, however, is something more than knowing how to successfully get out of a conflict; it is something utterly relevant to all aspects of our life: what am I giving God?; is it really what I prize more in my life? Where did I place my heart? Because... «where your treasure is, there will your heart be also» (Lk 12:34).

Yes, indeed, according to St. Jerome, «you must necessarily render unto Caesar the coin in his image; but you willingly give your best to God, because it is his image, not Caesar's, that is on us». Throughout his life, Jesus Christ constantly poses the matter of choice. It is up to us to choose, and our options are clear: either we choose the worldly values to live by or we decide to live by the Gospel's values.

It is always a time for choice before us, a time for conversion, a time to “replace” our life again in the dynamics of God. Our prayer, and specially the prayer made by God's Word, will gradually be discovering us what God expects of us. He who opts for God becomes God's dwelling place, for «if a man loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him» (Jn 14:23). And prayer becomes the true school where, as Tertulian says, «Christ teaches us which was the Father's purpose which He was carrying out in this world, and what a man's ethical behavior should be so that it is in agreement with this very purpose». If only we would succeed in choosing the right way that suits us!

 

 

 This short selection from the Gospel outlines three aspects of the Pharisees’ and Herodians’ approach to Christ.  First, they seek to entrap him in his talk.  Second, they wish to put him to “the test."  Third, he knows their hypocrisy.  Here is the Word of God becoming talk so that God opens His heart to all so that the “talk” is the vehicle for divine union.  And they seek to entrap him in this very talk that falls from the mouth of God!  Oh, it is they who entrap themselves.  I entrap myself in my prayer when I sink into my own egotism and cease from listening to the Word.  "Oh, that today you would hear my voice.  Harden not your hearts….  They are a people of erring hearts; they know not my ways.  Therefore, I swore that they shall not enter into my rest."  Give over the coins of my secular life; give to each one what is required out of love and justice.  Let it be part of the more basic and absolute gift of self to God in Christ.  But harden not your heart.