October 31, 2019 Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

2019년 10월 31일  연중 제30주간 목요일

오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp

제1독서

 로마서. 8,31ㄴ-39
형제 여러분, 31 하느님께서 우리 편이신데 누가 우리를 대적하겠습니까? 32 당신의 친아드님마저 아끼지 않으시고 우리 모두를 위하여 내어 주신 분께서, 어찌 그 아드님과 함께 모든 것을 우리에게 베풀어 주지 않으시겠습니까?
33 하느님께 선택된 이들을 누가 고발할 수 있겠습니까? 그들을 의롭게 해 주시는 분은 하느님이십니다.
34 누가 그들을 단죄할 수 있겠습니까? 돌아가셨다가 참으로 되살아나신 분, 또 하느님의 오른쪽에 앉아 계신 분, 그리고 우리를 위하여 간구해 주시는 분이 바로 그리스도 예수님이십니다.
35 무엇이 우리를 그리스도의 사랑에서 갈라놓을 수 있겠습니까? 환난입니까? 역경입니까? 박해입니까? 굶주림입니까? 헐벗음입니까? 위험입니까? 칼입니까? 36 이는 성경에 기록된 그대로입니다.
“저희는 온종일 당신 때문에 살해되며 도살될 양처럼 여겨집니다.”
37 그러나 우리는 우리를 사랑해 주신 분의 도움에 힘입어 이 모든 것을 이겨 내고도 남습니다.
38 나는 확신합니다. 죽음도, 삶도, 천사도, 권세도, 현재의 것도, 미래의 것도, 권능도, 39 저 높은 곳도, 저 깊은 곳도, 그 밖의 어떠한 피조물도 우리 주 그리스도 예수님에게서 드러난 하느님의 사랑에서 우리를 떼어 놓을 수 없습니다. 

 

복음

 루카. 13,31-35
31 그때에 바리사이 몇 사람이 예수님께 다가와, “어서 이곳을 떠나십시오. 헤로데가 선생님을 죽이려고 합니다.” 하고 말하였다.
32 그러자 예수님께서 그들에게 이르셨다. “가서 그 여우에게 이렇게 전하여라. ‘보라, 오늘과 내일은 내가 마귀들을 쫓아내며 병을 고쳐 주고, 사흘째 되는 날에는 내 일을 마친다. 33 그러나 오늘도 내일도 그다음 날도 내 길을 계속 가야 한다. 예언자는 예루살렘이 아닌 다른 곳에서 죽을 수 없기 때문이다.’
34 예루살렘아, 예루살렘아! 예언자들을 죽이고 자기에게 파견된 이들에게 돌을 던져 죽이기까지 하는 너! 암탉이 제 병아리들을 날개 밑으로 모으듯, 내가 몇 번이나 너의 자녀들을 모으려고 하였던가? 그러나 너희는 마다하였다.
35 보라, 너희 집은 버려질 것이다. 내가 너희에게 말한다. 너희가 ‘주님의 이름으로 오시는 분은 복되시어라.’ 하고 말할 날이 올 때까지, 정녕 나를 보지 못할 것이다.” 

 October 31, 2019

Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Daily Readings — Audio

Daily Reflections — Video

http://www.usccb.org/bible/

Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass

Reading 1 

Rom 8:31b-39

Brothers and sisters:
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He did not spare his own Son
but handed him over for us all,
how will he not also give us everything else along with him?
Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones?
It is God who acquits us.
Who will condemn?
It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised,
who also is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us.
What will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?
As it is written:

For your sake we are being slain all the day;
we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.

No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor future things,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Responsorial Psalm 

Ps 109:21-22, 26-27, 30-31

R. (26b) Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.
Do you, O GOD, my Lord, deal kindly with me for your name's sake;
in your generous mercy rescue me;
For I am wretched and poor,
and my heart is pierced within me.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.
Help me, O LORD, my God;
save me, in your mercy,
And let them know that this is your hand;
that you, O LORD, have done this.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.
I will speak my thanks earnestly to the LORD,
and in the midst of the throng I will praise him,
For he stood at the right hand of the poor man,
to save him from those who would condemn his soul.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.

 

Gospel 

Lk 13:31-35

Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said,
"Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you."
He replied, "Go and tell that fox,
"Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow,
and on the third day I accomplish my purpose.
Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day,
for it is impossible that a prophet should die
outside of Jerusalem."
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,
how many times I yearned to gather your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
but you were unwilling!
Behold, your house will be abandoned.
But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

http://evangeli.net/gospel/tomorrow

 «Jerusalem, Jerusalem! How often have I tried to bring together your children, but you refused!»

Fr. Àngel Eugeni PÉREZ i Sánchez
(Barcelona, Spain)

Today, we can admire Jesus' resolve to accomplish the mission his Father in Heaven has entrusted him with. Nothing would stop him: «I drive out demons and heal today and tomorrow» (Lk 13:32). With this attitude, the Lord set out the rules giving guidance on how the messengers of the Gospel should have to behave in front of the persecutions they would be facing through the centuries to come: not to be afraid of any temporal power. St. Augustine says that, in troubled times, the shepherds are not to abandon their flock: neither those who will suffer martyrdom nor those who will survive. Just like the Good Shepherd who, when He sees the wolf coming, does not desert the flock, but risks and lays down his own life for the sheep. But, realizing the fervor with which all the pastors of the Church were willing to shed their own blood, He points out that the best thing to do will be to draw lots to see who will have to suffer martyrdom and who will be spared to look, later on, after the survivors.

Unfortunately, in our time and with undue frequency, we hear the news of new religious persecutions, tribal violence or ethnic riots in the Third World. Western embassies advise their fellow citizens to move over from these areas and repatriate their personnel. The only ones who remain are the missionary and volunteer organizations, who feel they would betray “their own faithful” should they desert them in those moments of trouble.

«O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you slay the prophets and stone your apostles! How often have I tried to bring together your children, as a bird gathers her young under her wings, but you refused! Look, your house is left to you desolate» (Lk 34:35). This lamentation of the Lord has very especial and sad connotations for us Christians of the 21st century, due to the bloody conflict between Palestinians and Jews. This area of the Near East is for us, the Holy Land, the land of Jesus and Mary. And the clamor for the peace everywhere has to be more intense and sincere for the restoration of peace between Israel and Palestine.

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

 

Today’s reading from the Letter to the Romans, reminded me of my Ignatian Pilgrimage and the time we spent, while in Rome, visiting the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.  Tradition holds that this church was built on St. Paul’s burial site.  The Basilica we visited was opened in 1840 after a fire, in 1823, destroyed the original structure.  My reminiscing led me to recall that the Apostle Paul wrote his Letter to the Romans before visiting that Christian community and while they were suffering under Emperor Claudius.  Paul’s Letter was intended to offer comfort and reassurance and a reminder of God’s love.  Next, I wondered how Romans 8:31B – 39, might be applied to me. 

St. Paul assures us that “Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,” is capable of separating us from God.  Still, there is one thing that can separate me from God - free will.  I can freely turn to God for everything, or I can go my own way.  I have the power to reject God, but as a person of faith, I do not perceive this as a rational choice.  However, by including the Examen in my daily prayer, I know I make decisions without first consulting God. 

When facing something new, or the need to make changes, my default response is, “How am I going to handle this?”  As a student of Ignatian Spirituality, I know my starting point should be, “God, how are we going to handle this?”  Our culture often says to me that I should be able to make decisions without asking for help.  That mindset is foreign to what God wants.  God is delighted when I ask for help, and Paul reminds me in Romans 8:34, Jesus Christ will also intercede, if I ask.

I experience Jesus as advocating for me in two ways.  First, from Paul’s writing, “He is seated at the right hand of God who indeed intercedes for us,” and secondly, through Gospel examples of Jesus living for God.  In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus repeatedly shows a preferential concern for the marginalized (women, the poor, the outcast, the sinner, and the afflicted) and anyone that recognizes their dependence on God.  He is also compassionate and caring while he keeps his focus on serving God.  An example of this is His refusal to listen to the Pharisees’ suggestion to flee from Herod but instead stands firm in his conviction to go to Jerusalem, even though He knows this will involve suffering as Jesus states, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you.”

The Letter to the Romans and the reading from the Gospel of Luke set the tone for how I should treat others and how I should live.  That is, I should show compassion and concern, especially for the marginalized, and when making decisions start with, “God, how are we going to handle this?”  No matter what I encounter, if I use my free will to remain centered on God, nothing has the power to separate my soul from its destiny to be with God.

Help me, O Lord, my God, save me, in your mercy, and let them know that this is your hand; that you O LORD, have done this.  Psalm 109:26-27 

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"If God is for us, who can be against us?" �Romans 8:31

St. Paul asks: "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Trial, or distress, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword?" (Rm 8:35) This was no mere rhetorical question for Paul. He had experienced first-hand all of these dangers and more (see 2 Cor 11:23ff). He knew for "certain" that nothing could separate him from the love of God (Rm 8:38, 39). This certain knowledge of God's personal love for him gave Paul the courage to be more than a conqueror (Rm 8:37). No threat could deter Paul from carrying out his mission. When the Pharisees told Jesus that Herod was trying to kill him (Lk 13:31), this was no idle threat. Herod had just finished killing John the Baptizer, and he would also kill his own son who posed a threat to his kingdom. Jesus, however, was also certain of His Father's enduring love for Him. Undaunted, Jesus proceeded directly toward Jerusalem, Herod's hometown (Lk 13:33). It turned out that Herod indeed had the chance to kill Jesus, but didn't even harm Him (Lk 23:8ff). No threat could deter Jesus from carrying out His mission. We are baptized into Jesus, and like Paul, we have a mission from God. "Do not be afraid" (Mt 10:31). Let no threat deter you from carrying out your God-given mission.

Prayer: Father, I will not be intimidated (Mt 10:26) by threats to stop me from loving and serving You.

Promise: "He stood at the right hand of the poor man, to save him from those who would condemn him." —Ps 109:31

Praise: Carol was turned away from several religious orders before becoming a third-order Carmelite.

 http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/

 "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

When your security is threatened and danger strikes do you flee or stand your ground? When King Herod, the ruler of Galilee, heard that thousands of people were coming to Jesus, he decided it was time to eliminate this threat to his influence and power. That is why some of the Pharisees warned Jesus to flee from the wrath of Herod. Jesus, in turn, warned them that they were in greater spiritual danger of losing both soul and body to hell (Matthew 10:28) if they refused to listen to God and to his messengers the prophets (Luke 13:34). Like John the Baptist and all the prophets who preceded him, Jesus posed a threat to the ruling authorities of his day.

Do not fear those who oppose God
Jesus went so far as to call Herod a fox. What did he mean by such an ｅxpression? The fox was regarded as the slyest of all animals and one of the most destructive as well. Any farmer will tell you how difficult it is to get rid of foxes who under the cover of night steal and destroy. The fox became a symbol of what was worthless,  insignificant, and destructive. It takes great courage to stand up and openly oppose a tyrant. Jesus knew that he would suffer the same fate as the prophets who came before him. He not only willingly exposed himself to such danger, but he prayed for his persecutors and for those who rejected the prophets who spoke in God's name. Do you pray for your enemies and for those who oppose the Gospel message today?

Jesus came to set people free from sin and to give them new life
Jesus contrasts his desire for Jerusalem - the holy city and temple of God - with Jerusalem's lack of desire for him as their long-expected Messiah. Jesus compares his longing for Jerusalem with a mother hen gathering her chicks under her protective wings. Psalm 91 speaks of God's protection in such terms: He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge (Psalm 91:4). Jesus willingly set his face toward Jerusalem, knowing that he would meet certain betrayal, rejection, and death on a cross. His death on the cross, however, brought about victory and salvation, not only for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but for all - both Jew and Gentile - who would accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Open the door of your heart to the Lord Jesus
Jesus' prophecy is a two-edged sword, pointing to his victory over sin and death and foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem and the dire consequences for all who would reject him and his saving message. While the destruction of Jerusalem's temple was determined - it was razed by the Romans in 70 A.D. - there remained for its inhabitants a narrow open door leading to deliverance. Jesus says: I am the door; whoever enters by me will be saved (John 10:9).

The Lord Jesus opens the way for each of us to have direct access to God who adopts us as his children and who makes his home with us. Do you make room for the Lord in your life? The Lord is knocking at the door of your heart (Revelations 3:20) and he wishes to enter into a close personal relationship with you. Receive him who is the giver of expectant faith, unwavering hope, and undying love. And long for the true home which God has prepared for you in his heavenly city, Jerusalem (Revelations 21:2-4).

"Lord Jesus, I place all my trust and hope in you. Come make your home with me and take possession of my heart and will that I may wholly desire what is pleasing to you. Fill my heart with love and mercy for others that I may boldly witness to the truth and joy of the gospel through word and example, both to those who accept it and to those who oppose it."

Psalm 109: 21-22, 26-27,10

21 But you, O GOD my Lord, deal on my behalf for your name's sake;  because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!
22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within me.
26 Help me, O LORD my God! Save me according to your steadfast love!
27 Let them know that this is your hand; you, O LORD, have done it!
30 With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD; I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who condemn him to death.

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Jesus foreshadows his triumphant entrance into Jerusalem, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)

"'And I tell you,' he says, 'you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.' What does this mean? The Lord withdrew from Jerusalem and left as unworthy of his presence those who said, 'Get away from here.' And after he had walked about Judea and saved many and performed miracles which no words can adequately describe, he returned again to Jerusalem. It was then that he sat upon a colt of a donkey, while vast multitudes and young children, holding up branches of palm trees, went before him, praising him and saying, 'Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord' (Matthew 21:9). Having left them, therefore, as being unworthy, he says that when the time of his passion has arrived, he will then barely be seen by them. Then again he went up to Jerusalem and entered amidst praises, and at that very time endured his saving passion in our behalf, that by suffering he might save and renew to in-corruption the inhabitants of the earth. God the Father has saved us by Christ." (excerpt from COMMENTARY on LUKE, HOMILY 100)

  

More Homilies

 October 29, 2015 Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time