2019년 10월 2일 연중 제26주간 수요일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
느헤미야기. 2,1-8
1 아르타크세르크세스 임금 제이십년 니산 달, 내가 술 시중 담당이었을 때, 나는 술을 가져다가 임금님께 올렸다. 그런데 내가 이제까지 임금님 앞에서 슬퍼한 적이 없기 때문에, 2 임금님께서 나에게 물으셨다.
“어째서 슬픈 얼굴을 하고 있느냐? 네가 아픈 것 같지는 않으니, 마음의 슬픔일 수밖에 없겠구나.”
나는 크게 두려워하면서, 3 임금님께 아뢰었다. “임금님께서 만수무강하시기를 빕니다. 제 조상들의 묘지가 있는 도성은 폐허가 되고 성문들은 불에 타 버렸는데, 제가 어찌 슬픈 얼굴을 하지 않을 수 있겠습니까?”
4 그러자 임금님께서 나에게, “네가 바라는 것이 무엇이냐?” 하고 물으시기에, 나는 하늘의 하느님께 기도를 올리고, 5 임금님께 아뢰었다.
“임금님께서 좋으시다면, 그리고 이 종을 곱게 보아 주신다면, 저를 유다로, 제 조상들의 묘지가 있는 도성으로 보내 주셔서, 그 도성을 다시 세우게 해 주시기를 바랍니다.”
6 그때에 왕비께서도 옆에 계셨는데, 임금님께서는 “얼마 동안 가 있어야 하느냐? 언제면 돌아올 수 있겠느냐?” 하고 나에게 물으셨다. 임금님께서 이렇게 나를 보내시는 것을 좋게 여기셨으므로, 나는 임금님께 기간을 말씀드렸다.
7 나는 또 임금님께 아뢰었다. “임금님께서 좋으시다면, 유프라테스 서부 지방관들에게 가는 서신 몇 통을 저에게 내리게 하시어, 제가 유다에 다다를 때까지 그들이 저를 통과시키도록 해 주십시오. 8 또 왕실 숲지기 아삽에게도 서신을 내리시어, 하느님의 집 곁 성채의 문과 도성의 벽, 그리고 제가 들어가 살 집에 필요한 목재를 대게 해 주십시오.”
내 하느님의 너그러우신 손길이 나를 보살펴 주셨으므로, 임금님께서는 내 청을 들어주셨다.
복음
루카. 9,57-62
그때에 예수님과 제자들이 57 길을 가는데 어떤 사람이 예수님께, “어디로 가시든지 저는 스승님을 따르겠습니다.” 하고 말하였다.
58 그러자 예수님께서 그에게 말씀하셨다. “여우들도 굴이 있고 하늘의 새들도 보금자리가 있지만, 사람의 아들은 머리를 기댈 곳조차 없다.”
59 예수님께서는 다른 사람에게 “나를 따라라.” 하고 이르셨다. 그러나 그는 “주님, 먼저 집에 가서 아버지의 장사를 지내게 허락해 주십시오.” 하고 말하였다.
60 예수님께서는 그에게, “죽은 이들의 장사는 죽은 이들이 지내도록 내버려 두고, 너는 가서 하느님의 나라를 알려라.” 하고 말씀하셨다.
61 또 다른 사람이 “주님, 저는 주님을 따르겠습니다. 그러나 먼저 가족들에게 작별 인사를 하게 허락해 주십시오.” 하고 말하였다.
62 예수님께서 그에게 이르셨다. “쟁기에 손을 대고 뒤를 돌아보는 자는 하느님 나라에 합당하지 않다.”
October 2, 2019
Memorial of Holy Guardian Angels
Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass
Reading 1
Neh 2:1-8
when the wine was in my charge,
I took some and offered it to the king.
As I had never before been sad in his presence,
the king asked me, "Why do you look sad?
If you are not sick, you must be sad at heart."
Though I was seized with great fear, I answered the king:
"May the king live forever!
How could I not look sad
when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins,
and its gates have been eaten out by fire?"
The king asked me, "What is it, then, that you wish?"
I prayed to the God of heaven and then answered the king:
"If it please the king,
and if your servant is deserving of your favor,
send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors? graves,
to rebuild it."
Then the king, and the queen seated beside him,
asked me how long my journey would take
and when I would return.
I set a date that was acceptable to him,
and the king agreed that I might go.
I asked the king further: "If it please the king,
let letters be given to me for the governors
of West-of-Euphrates,
that they may afford me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah;
also a letter for Asaph, the keeper of the royal park,
that he may give me wood for timbering the gates
of the temple-citadel and for the city wall
and the house that I shall occupy."
The king granted my requests,
for the favoring hand of my God was upon me.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
By the streams of Babylon
we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
On the aspens of that land
we hung up our harps.
R. Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!
Though there our captors asked of us
the lyrics of our songs,
And our despoilers urged us to be joyous:
"Sing for us the songs of Zion!"
R. Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!
How could we sing a song of the LORD
in a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
may my right hand be forgotten!
R. Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!
May my tongue cleave to my palate
if I remember you not,
If I place not Jerusalem
ahead of my joy.
R. Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!
Gospel
"Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?"
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
"Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever humbles himself like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
"See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."
Lk 9:57-62
on their journey, someone said to him,
"I will follow you wherever you go."
Jesus answered him,
"Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head."
And to another he said, "Follow me."
But he replied, "Lord, let me go first and bury my father."
But he answered him, "Let the dead bury their dead.
But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God."
And another said, "I will follow you, Lord,
but first let me say farewell to my family at home."
Jesus answered him, "No one who sets a hand to the plow
and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God."
http://evangeli.net/gospel/tomorrow
«Follow me»
Fr. Lluc TORCAL Monk of Santa Maria de Poblet
(Santa Maria de Poblet, Tarragona, Spain)
Today, the Gospel invites us to mull over the central point of our faith, in a clear and insistent way: the radical following of Jesus. «I will follow you wherever you go» (Lk 9:57). How easily can one suggest something that may completely change a person's life!: «Follow me!» (Lk 9:59). Our Lord's words admitting no excuses, delays, conditions or betrayals...
Christian life demands this radical following of Jesus. Radical, not only because it must be guided, all the way, by the Gospel (hence, to the last days of our life), but, mostly, because all their aspects, from the most extraordinary to the most ordinary ones, want to be and must be the manifestation of the Spirit of Jesus Christ inspiring us. In fact, since the day of our Baptism, our life is no longer that of just any person: we carry with us, in our body, the life of Christ! Because of the Holy Spirit instilled in our hearts, it is no longer us who live, but Jesus Christ who lives within us. This is what the Christian life is like, because it is Christ’s full life, because it exudes Christ from his deepest roots: this is the life we are called to live.
When the Lord came to this world, «all mankind had its place, but He did not have one: He had nowhere to go amongst men (...), but to the barn, amongst the beasts, the animals, and the more innocent and unassuming people. This is why he says: ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head’» (St Jerome). The Lord will find his place amongst us, if we, as John the Baptist did, let Him grow while we lessen, that is, if we let grow He who already lives inside us, while being ductile and obedient to his Spirit, the source of all humility and innocence.
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
St. Peter Faber, S.J., one of the co-founders of the Society of Jesus, always prayed to the guardian angels of a locality, where he was going to exercise his priestly ministry. Most of us, I surmise, were taught in our childhood to pray to our personal guardian angel and those night prayers probably remained in our memories for some time. Personally, I have to admit that I have let go of that devotion and I am not necessarily proud of it.
Although it has never been defined by the Church as Catholic doctrine, devotion to the Guardian Angels has a long tradition in the Church. In today’s gospel reading Jesus does refer to the little children’s “angels in heaven”. In the Old Testament we read on more than one occasion that the angel of the Lord appeared and talked to someone like Abraham or Gideon, but then the person visited responds by addressing the angel as Lord or God. As far as I know, within Catholic Theology “angelology” is far from clearly or completely established.
But there is a scene in the very beginning of the book of Genesis [4: 8], where Cain, who had just murdered his brother Abel and was being questioned by God about it, responds with a question of his own: Am I my brother’s keeper? In a way, he was telling God that he did not consider himself his brother’s “guardian angel”. God did not answer Cain’s question directly, but God’s reproach and condemnation of Cain’s deed amounts to an affirmative answer. We may not consider ourselves our brothers’ or sisters’ “guardian angels”, yet we do have some responsibility not only not to hurt them, but also to help them in their various needs to the extent that we can.
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
ON GUARD! | ||
| "For to His angels He has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways." �Psalm 91:11 | ||
When thousands of people are killed in a tragedy, the question arises: "What happened to their guardian angels? They didn't seem to do such a good job of guarding their charges." The response to this question is wrapped in another question: "Why did Jesus' guardian angels let Him be crucified?" Jesus stopped the angels from protecting Him. He said: "Do you not suppose I can call on My Father to provide at a moment's notice more than twelve legions of angels?" (Mt 26:53) Jesus might also choose to stop angels from protecting others, especially those baptized into Him. He wants to include us in the Paschal mystery of His death and Resurrection. Guarding us from natural evils is insufficient. The Lord wants to guard us from the worst evils: sin and damnation. To do this, He lets us share through suffering in His Paschal mystery. Although the guardian angels primarily guard us from the worst evils, that is, spiritual evils, they also guard us from natural evils. It may well be that many of us would have died several times but for God's protection through our guardian angels. Guardian angels are very active for those living in the Holy Spirit, for their job is to mow down the enemies of those moving in the Holy Spirit (see Ex 23:20ff). If we are what we are called to be, the guardian angels will be able to do what they are called to do. | ||
| Prayer: Father, may I live a life conducive to full angelic activity. | ||
| Promise: "See that you never despise one of these little ones. I assure you, their angels in heaven constantly behold My heavenly Father's face." —Mt 18:10 | ||
| Praise: Referring to Guardian Angels, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, "From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession" (Catechism, 336). They not only protect individual souls but also communities, dioceses, and nations. |
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
"Fit for the kingdom of God"
Are you ready to follow the Lord Jesus wherever he may lead you? With the call the Lord gives the grace to respond and the strength to follow all the way to the end. Why does Jesus issue a challenge with the call? Jesus was utterly honest in telling people what it would cost to follow him. When a would-be disciple approached Jesus and said he was ready to follow, Jesus told him it would require sacrifice - the sacrifice of certain creaturely comforts. Jesus appealed to this man's heart and told him to detach himself from whatever might hold him back. Spiritual detachment is a necessary step for following the Lord. It frees us to give ourselves without reserve to the Lord and his service. While many of us may not need to give up the comfort of our own home and bed to follow Jesus, we, nonetheless, must be willing to part with anything that might stand in the way of doing God's will.
Don't let anything hold you back from following the Lord Jesus
Another would-be disciple said he would follow as soon as he had buried his father. What he meant by this ｅxpression was that he felt the need to return to his home to take care of his father through old age until he died. The third had no obligation to return home, but simply wanted to go back and say good-bye. Jesus surprised these would-be disciples with the stark truth that nothing should hinder us from following the Lord. Was Jesus being harsh and rude to his would-be followers? Not really. We are free to decide whether we will take the path which Jesus offers. But if we choose to go, then the Lord wants us to count the cost and choose for it freely.
Don't miss the good path God has set for you - it will lead to joy and freedom
What does the story of a plowman have to do with the journey? A plowman who looked back while plowing his field caused the line or furrow he cut into the soil to become crooked. one crooked line easily leads to another until the whole field is a mess. The plowman had to look straight ahead in order to keep the plow from going off course. Likewise, if we look back on what we have freely left behind to follow the Lord - whether that be some distraction, attachment, or sinful habit which leads us away from doing God's will - our path will likely diverge and we'll miss what God has for us.
Will you say "yes" to the Lord's call for your life?
The Gospel does not record the response from these three would-be disciples. We are only left with the question which Jesus intends for us as well. Are you ready to take the path which the Lord Jesus offers? His grace is sufficient and his love is strong. There is nothing greater we can do with our lives than to place them at the service of the Lord and Master of the universe. We cannot outmatch God in his generosity. Jesus promises that those who are willing to part with what is most dear to them for his sake "will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life" (Matthew 19:29). The Lord Jesus offers us a kingdom of lasting peace, unending joy, surpassing love, enduring friendship, and abundant life. Is there anything holding you back from pursuing the Lord and his will for you life?
"Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess you have given me. I surrender it all to you to be disposed of according to your will. Give me only your love and your grace - with these I will be rich enough and will desire nothing more." (Prayer of Ignatius Loyola, 1491-1556)
Psalm 88:2,9b-14
2 Let my prayer come before you, incline your ear to my cry!
9 Every day I call upon you, O LORD; I spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the shades rise up to praise you? [Selah]
11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your saving help in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I, O LORD, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 O LORD, why do you cast me off? Why do you hide your face from me?
15 Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Put to death what is earthly in you, by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD)
"The statement 'Let the dead bury their dead' implies spiritually: Waste no more time on dead things. You are to 'put to death therefore what is earthly in you: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry' (Colossians 3:5). These things therefore are dead. Cast them away from you. Cut them off as you would cut off gangrenous flesh to prevent the contamination of the whole body, so that you may not hear it said, 'Leave the dead [spiritually dead] to bury their dead' (Matthew 8:22). But to some it seems abnormal and contradictory that the Savior does not allow the disciple to bury his father. It seems inhumane. But Jesus does not in fact forbid people from burying the dead, but rather he puts before this the preaching of the kingdom of heaven, which makes people alive (Luke 9:60). As for burying the body, there were many people who could have done this." (excerpt from Fragment 161)
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