December 7, 2019 Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

2019년 12월 7일  대림 제1주간 토요일

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

제1독서

이사야서. 30,19-21.23-26
이스라엘의 거룩하신 주 하느님께서 이렇게 말씀하신다.
19 “예루살렘에 사는 너희 시온 백성아
너희는 다시 울지 않아도 되리라.
네가 부르짖으면 그분께서 반드시 너희에게 자비를 베푸시고
들으시는 대로 너희에게 응답하시리라.
20 비록 주님께서 너희에게 곤경의 빵과 고난의 물을 주시지만
너의 스승이신 그분께서는 더 이상 숨어 계시지 않으리니
너희 눈이 너희의 스승을 뵙게 되리라.
21 그리고 너희가 오른쪽으로 돌거나 왼쪽으로 돌 때
뒤에서 ‘이것이 바른길이니 이리로 가거라.’ 하시는 말씀을
너희 귀로 듣게 되리라.
23 그분께서 너희가 밭에 뿌린 씨앗을 위하여 비를 내리시니

밭에서 나는 곡식이 여물고 기름지리라.
그날에 너희의 가축은 넓은 초원에서 풀을 뜯고
24 밭일을 하는 소와 나귀는 삽과 거름대로 까불러 간을 맞춘 사료를 먹으리라.
25 큰 살육이 일어나는 날, 탑들이 무너질 때
높은 산 위마다, 솟아오른 언덕 위마다, 물이 흐르는 도랑들이 생기리라.
26 또 주님께서 당신 백성의 상처를 싸매 주시고
당신의 매를 맞아 터진 곳을 낫게 해 주시는 날
달빛은 햇빛처럼 되고 햇빛은 일곱 배나 밝아져
이레 동안의 빛을 한데 모은 듯하리라.”

 

복음

마태오. 9,35ㅡ10,1.6-8

그때에 35 예수님께서는 모든 고을과 마을을 두루 다니시면서,
회당에서 가르치시고 하늘 나라의 복음을 선포하시며,
병자와 허약한 이들을 모두 고쳐 주셨다.
36 그분은 군중을 보시고 가엾은 마음이 드셨다.
그들이 목자 없는 양들처럼 시달리며 기가 꺾여 있었기 때문이다.
37 그래서 제자들에게 말씀하셨다. “수확할 것은 많은데 일꾼은 적다.
38 그러니 수확할 밭의 주인님께 일꾼들을 보내 주십사고 청하여라.”
10,1 예수님께서 열두 제자를 가까이 부르시고
그들에게 더러운 영들에 대한 권한을 주시어,
그것들을 쫓아내고 병자와 허약한 이들을 모두 고쳐 주게 하셨다.
5 예수님께서 이 열두 사람을 보내시며 이렇게 분부하셨다.
6 “이스라엘 집안의 길 잃은 양들에게 가라.
7 가서 ‘하늘 나라가 가까이 왔다.’ 하고 선포하여라.
8 앓는 이들을 고쳐 주고 죽은 이들을 일으켜 주어라.
나병 환자들을 깨끗하게 해 주고 마귀들을 쫓아내어라.
너희가 거저 받았으니 거저 주어라.”

December 7, 2019

Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Daily Readings — Audio

Daily Reflections — Video

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ 

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

Reading 1 

Is 30:19-21, 23-26

Thus says the Lord GOD,
the Holy one of Israel:
O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem,
no more will you weep;
He will be gracious to you when you cry out,
as soon as he hears he will answer you.
The Lord will give you the bread you need
and the water for which you thirst.
No longer will your Teacher hide himself,
but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,
While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears:
"This is the way; walk in it,"
when you would turn to the right or to the left.

He will give rain for the seed
that you sow in the ground,
And the wheat that the soil produces
will be rich and abundant.
On that day your flock will be given pasture
and the lamb will graze in spacious meadows;
The oxen and the asses that till the ground
will eat silage tossed to them
with shovel and pitchfork.
Upon every high mountain and lofty hill
there will be streams of running water.
On the day of the great slaughter,
when the towers fall,
The light of the moon will be like that of the sun
and the light of the sun will be seven times greater
like the light of seven days.
On the day the LORD binds up the wounds of his people,
he will heal the bruises left by his blows.

 

Responsorial Psalm 

Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R. (see Isaiah 30:18d) Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
Praise the LORD, for he is good;
sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;
it is fitting to praise him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;
the dispersed of Israel he gathers.
R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars;
he calls each by name.
R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
Great is our LORD and mighty in power:
to his wisdom there is no limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly;
the wicked he casts to the ground.
R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.

 

Gospel 

Mt 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest."

Then he summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
"Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give."

http://evangeli.net/gospel/tomorrow

 «Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest»

Fr. Xavier PAGÉS i Castañer
(Barcelona, Spain)

Today, a week into our preparation for the celebration of Christmas, we see that one of the virtues which we have to work on during Advent is hope. Not in a passive way, like that of someone waiting for a train, but active hope, hope which gets us ready to give all that is needed for Jesus to be born again in our hearts.

We can't be happy just thinking about what it is we are hoping for, we have to think about what it is that God hopes of us. He wants us to follow him, just like he did the apostles. He tells us through Isaiah: «This is the way, walk in it» (Is 30:21, today's first reading). God hopes of us that we will give witness, each one in his own particular situation and circumstances that «the kingdom of heaven is near» (Mt 10:7).

Today's Gospel tells of how Jesus, in front of that huge crowd, felt compassion and said «the harvest is abundant but the workers are only few. Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest» (Mt 9:37-38). He has always wanted to be able to count on us, he wants us, in all our diverse circumstances to become real apostles of the world in which we move and live. The mission for which God sent his son to the world depends on us for its continuation. We find in our present day a mass of desperate and disorientated souls, thirsting for the Good News of Salvation that Christ has brought us, and of which we are the messengers. It is a mission which has been entrusted to every one of us. Conscious of our weaknesses and our failings, we get the support we need from constant prayer and are happy that this way we can collaborate with the plan for redemption that Christ has revealed.

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

 

In the midst of this fallen world, is God really always with us?  During the many trials of our lives, that question certainly seems to haunt us more than we would choose to admit.  Today’s scriptures provide solid direction for those times when we catch ourselves feeling abandoned and hopeless.

In Isaiah’s message, we see God speaking to the people of Israel.  They are experiencing hardships of many kinds and they seem confused about where to turn for help. Isaiah reminds them that God has not forgotten them and that He will provide all their needs.  He will never forget them nor forsake them, even when they are suffering, even when they seem to have forgotten all the ways that they have been blessed.   God has always been at their side.

We too need this constant reminder.   It is so easy to forget all the instances in our lives when God has brought us through trials, hardships and heartbreaks.  We get trapped in the “what have you done for me lately” mindset, when it should actually be so easy to keep our focus upon God, simply be remembering all His blessings throughout our life’s journey.  Today’s Psalm further reminds us to maintain our focus upon our mighty God and all that he continues to do in our life – even when His plan and His timing are difficult for us to understand.  We are called to simply wait for the Lord in faith, trusting in His everlasting presence.

In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus provides us with a clear example of what it means to follow Him.  Jesus spent time in this world traveling “around all the towns and villages, teaching in the synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom”.   These were likely the things He did every day.  Perhaps not too different from us as we go about the daily routines in our life.  But Jesus taught us a very important distinction.  While doing his daily work, he specifically took the time to notice those around Him.  He did not let His daily routines crowd out  the importance of the people around Him.  His heart was moved by their suffering.  He didn’t simply notice them, He did something about it, curing their diseases and illnesses.   However,  meeting the needs of those in direct contact with Him  was not enough, for He noted that the need for compassion was great – the “harvest is abundant.”  And then Jesus made a remarkable observation – “the laborers are few;” so, Jesus sent out his disciples to “Go to the lost sheep” and while proclaiming the good news, actually helping them in their troubles.

It is hard to miss this stark example, this directive.  Rather than focusing on our trials, we have the responsibility of seeking Jesus’ eyes and ears, to notice those He has placed in our lives.  To see their hurts and to actually do something about them.    We know that Jesus’ care and love will always be with us throughout every moment of our lives.  Jesus clearly reminds us that we are to extend this care and love to those we encounter each and every day.  We need to take this directive seriously – as the harvest is indeed abundant in today’s world.  How will you choose to answer this call?    

Dear Heavenly Father  open my heart to the hurts and needs of those I encounter each and every day.  Help me to focus upon them in lieu of whining about my problems.  Thank you for your care, your love, and your eternal patience.  In the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.

 http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp

IS IT CHRISTMAS YET?

"The reign of God is at hand." �Matthew 10:7

When the Messiah, the Christ, comes: "No more will you weep" (Is 30:19). Our prayers will be answered quickly (Is 30:19). The Lord will meet our needs (Is 30:20). The Lord, our Teacher, will give us practical direction for our lives (Is 30:20-21). We will prosper (see Is 30:23ff). We will live in a supernatural light (Is 30:26). The Lord will bind up our wounds and heal us (Is 30:26). Partly because these messianic promises do not seem fulfilled, conservative Jews believe that the Messiah, the Christ, has not yet come and therefore the true Christmas has not yet come. Christians believe that these promises and many more have been fulfilled in the Incarnation, death, and Resurrection of God Himself. We Christians admit that the new, abundant life given us by Jesus (Jn 10:10) has not been fully accepted because of our sins. However, this does not mean that the Lord has not fulfilled these messianic promises (see Jos 23:14). This Christmas, let us repent of sin and receive His messianic promises. Thereby we show that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, and that Christmas is real.

Prayer: Father, by my total commitment to Christ, make my life a Christmas present to all I meet.

Promise: Jesus "said to His disciples, 'The harvest is good but laborers are scarce. Beg the Harvest-Master to send out laborers to gather His harvest.' " —Mt 9:37-38

Praise: St. Ambrose was not intimidated by civil authorities. In his disputes with Emperor Auxentius, he declared, "The emperor is in the Church, not above the Church."

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

 "The kingdom of heaven is at hand"

Who doesn't want a life of good health, peace, and well-being? Isaiah foretold that God's kingdom would overcome sorrow and adversity and bring true peace and prosperity to God's people. Jesus understood his mission to bring the kingdom in all its fulness to us. The core of the Gospel message is quite simple: the kingdom or reign of God is imminent!

The kingdom of God is imminent
What is the kingdom of God? It's the power of God at work in that society of men and women who trust in God and who honor him as their King and Lord.  In the Lord's prayer we dare to ask God to reign fully in our lives and in our world: "May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 5:10 ). Jesus' preaching of God's kingdom was accompanied by signs and wonders. People were healed not only spiritually, but physically as well. Do you believe in the power of God's kingdom for your life? Let his word transform your mind and heart that he may reign supreme in every area of your life.

Jesus commissioned his disciples to carry on the works which he did - to speak God's word and to bring his healing power to the weary and oppressed. Jesus said to his disciples: Freely you have received, freely give (Matthew 10:8). What they had received from Jesus (all free of charge) they must now pass on to others without expecting any kind of payment or reward. They must show by their attitude that their first interest is God, not material gain.

The kingdom of heaven comes to those who receive Christ with faith
Jesus' words are just as relevant today. The kingdom of heaven is available to those who are ready to receive it. We cannot buy heaven; but if we accept the love and mercy of Jesus we already possess heaven in our hearts! The Lord brings his kingdom or heavenly reign to those who receive him with faith and obedience. When the Lord returns in his glory he will fully restore his kingdom of everlasting peace and justice. Do you pray and watch with confident hope for God's kingdom to come in all its fullness?

"Lord Jesus, rouse my spirit from complacency and stir my faith to see you act today. Give me boldness to live and proclaim the message of the kingdom of heaven and to be a prophetic sign of that kingdom to this generation."

Psalm 147:1-6

1 Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God;  for he is gracious, and a song of praise is seemly.
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars, he gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our LORD, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.
6 The LORD lifts up the downtrodden, he casts the wicked to the ground.

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: In remembrance of heavenly life, by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.

"Why should the lunar reckoning be calculated from the noontide hours, seeing that the moon had not yet been placed in the heavens or gone forth over the earth? on the contrary, none of the feast days of the law began and ended at noon or in the afternoon, but all did so in the evening. Or else perchance it is because sinful Adam was reproached by the Lord 'in the cool of the afternoon' (Genesis 3:8) and thrust out from the joys of Paradise. In remembrance of that heavenly life which we changed for the tribulation of this world, the change of the moon, which imitates our toil by its everlasting waxing and waning, ought specifically to be observed at the hour in which we began our exile. In this way every day we may be reminded by the hour of the moon's changing of that verse, 'a fool changes as the moon' (Sirach 27:11) while the wise man 'shall live as long as the sun' (Psalm 72:5), and that we may sigh more ardently for that life, supremely blessed in eternal peace, when 'the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days.' Indeed, because (as it is written) 'from the moon is the sign of the feast day' (Sirach 43:7), and just as the first light of the moon was shed upon the world at eventide, so in the law it is compulsory that every feast day begin in the evening and end in the evening (see Exodus 12:18). (excerpt from THE RECKONING OF TIME 3.43)

  

More Homilies

 December 9, 2017 Saturday of the First Week of Advent

December 7, 2013 Saturday of the First Week of Advent