December 18, 2019 Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent

2019년 12월 18일 대림 제3주간 수요일 

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

제1독서
예레미야서. 23,5-8
5 보라, 그날이 온다! 주님의 말씀이다.
내가 다윗을 위하여 의로운 싹을 돋아나게 하리라.
그 싹은 임금이 되어 다스리고 슬기롭게 일을 처리하며
세상에 공정과 정의를 이루리라.
6 그의 시대에 유다가 구원을 받고 이스라엘이 안전하게 살리라.
사람들이 그의 이름을 ‘주님은 우리의 정의’라고 부르리라.
7 그러므로 이제 그날이 온다. 주님의 말씀이다.
그때에는 사람들이 더 이상 “이스라엘 자손들을 이집트에서 데리고 올라오신,
살아 계신 주님을 두고 맹세한다.” 하지 않고,

8 그 대신 “이스라엘 집안의 후손들을 북쪽 땅에서,
그리고 당신께서 쫓아 보내셨던 모든 나라에서 데리고 올라오신,
살아 계신 주님을 두고 맹세한다.”할 것이다.
그때에 그들은 자기 고향 땅에서 살게 될 것이다.

 

복음
마태오. 1,18-24
18 예수 그리스도께서는 이렇게 탄생하셨다.
그분의 어머니 마리아가 요셉과 약혼하였는데,
그들이 같이 살기 전에 마리아가 성령으로 말미암아 잉태한 사실이 드러났다.
19 마리아의 남편 요셉은 의로운 사람이었고
또 마리아의 일을 세상에 드러내고 싶지 않았으므로,
남모르게 마리아와 파혼하기로 작정하였다.
20 요셉이 그렇게 하기로 생각을 굳혔을 때,
꿈에 주님의 천사가 나타나 말하였다.
“다윗의 자손 요셉아, 두려워하지 말고 마리아를 아내로 맞아들여라.
그 몸에 잉태된 아기는 성령으로 말미암은 것이다.
21 마리아가 아들을 낳으리니 그 이름을 예수라고 하여라.
그분께서 당신 백성을 죄에서 구원하실 것이다.”
22 주님께서 예언자를 통하여 하신 말씀이 이루어지려고 이 모든 일이 일어났다.
곧 23 “보아라, 동정녀가 잉태하여 아들을 낳으리니
그 이름을 임마누엘이라고 하리라.” 하신 말씀이다.
임마누엘은 번역하면 ‘하느님께서 우리와 함께 계시다.’는 뜻이다.
24 잠에서 깨어난 요셉은 주님의 천사가 명령한 대로 아내를 맞아들였다.

December 18, 2019
Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent 

Daily Readings — Audio

Daily Reflections — Video

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ 

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

Reading 1

Jer 23:5-8

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;
As king he shall reign and govern wisely,
he shall do what is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah shall be saved,
Israel shall dwell in security.
This is the name they give him:
“The LORD our justice.”

Therefore, the days will come, says the LORD,
when they shall no longer say, “As the LORD lives,
who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt”;
but rather, "As the LORD lives,
who brought the descendants of the house of Israel
up from the land of the north”? 
and from all the lands to which I banished them;
they shall again live on their own land.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19

RR. (see 7) Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous deeds.
And blessed forever be his glorious name;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

Gospel

Mt 1:18-25

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. 
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. 
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly. 
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. 
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her. 
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.” 
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means “God is with us.” 
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home. 
He had no relations with her until she bore a son,
and he named him Jesus.

http://evangeli.net/gospel/tomorrow

 «Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife»

Fr. Antoni CAROL i Hostench
(Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, the liturgy of the Word invites us to think of the wonderful example St. Joseph gives us. He was extremely sensitive towards Mary, his betrothed.

There is no doubt that both were excellent people, in love with each other like no other couple. However, it is plain to see that the Almighty wanted their love to go through some very demanding circumstances.

The Pope saint John Paul II has written that «Christianity is a surprise from a God who has taken sides with his creature». As a matter of fact, He has taken the initiative: To come to this world He has not waited for us to deserve it. He proposes His initiative; He does not impose it upon us: It is as though God asked us for “permission”. To Mary He proposed —never imposed anything!— the vocation of being the Mother of God: «He, who had the power to create everything from nothing, had refused to rebuild what had been desecrated if Mary had not agreed to it» (Saint Anselm).

But God, not only is asking us for permission, He also wants us to take part in His plans, to make a heroic contribution. And so it was for Mary and Joseph. In fact the Christ-child needed parents. Even more so: He needed his parent's heroism, for they had to go to extremes to defend the life of the “little Redeemer”.

What is really beautiful is that Mary revealed only a few details of her childbearing: Such an important fact is reported in just two verses (cf. Lk 2:6-7). on the other hand, she was more explicit when speaking of Joseph's thoughtfulness towards her. The fact was that «before they lived together, she was found to be preg­nant through the Holy Spirit» (Mt 1:19), and in order not to risk discrediting her, he would have preferred to disappear discretely and to renounce her love (something that was socially unfavorable to him). Thus, before the law of charity had been proclaimed, Saint Joseph was already practicing it: Mary (and his loving attentions with her) was his law.

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

 

So often during Advent, I think about Mary and how amazing she was – her faith, her courage, her unwavering belief.  It is also incredible as to what she had to endure throughout her life.  However, when I read today’s gospel I started thinking a lot about Joseph and what a remarkable man he really was. 

When you realize the time in which Mary and Joseph lived and the rules and norms, it is quite remarkable for Joseph to act the way he did.  Imagine this honorable and good man who does not see his beloved betrothed for a while and then he sees her and she is obviously pregnant.  Of course he knows he is not the father, he has been totally respectful of her and never laid with her.  What must be going through his head – she has been untrue – his sweet Mary – untrue to him.  Even by today’s more liberal thinking, most would say, I’m done – I will let everyone know what this woman has done. In that day, a man could easily call the woman out as an adulteress and the punishment is clear: stoning! Yet Joseph somehow did not even consider that route.  He thought that he could go on and then quietly divorce Mary – he was concerned with her wellbeing even though it appeared that her behavior was less than acceptable.  Joseph was clearly an exceptionally kind, compassionate man.  We all know the story did not end there.

When Joseph receives the angel in a dream, he totally accepts that this is the word of God and is obedient to all that is asked of him.  He does not hesitate or falter.  This is what God expects of him and this is what he will do.  Oh, that I could always be so unwavering in my faith. Joseph never stopped to think of how that changed his plans for his life – he trusted in God’s plan for him and his family.  Mary and Joseph are such wonderful examples of those who trust without question.  Their faith sustained them throughout their lives.  They believed and allowed God’s will to direct their lives and when angels spoke, they listened. 

That brings me to my thoughts about angels.  I truly do believe that angels are here to protect and guide us.  I pray to my guardian angel every day.  My mother taught me that whenever I see an ambulance driving by, I should pray  -- I say the guardian angel prayer for whoever may be in there or whoever they are racing to get.  There is no doubt in my mind that angels intervene at the will of God to direct us in certain ways.  It does, however, require us to be open to them and to recognize the God Winks in our lives.  I also believe that there are people on this earth that are also angels.  No wings, no halos – just loving people who speak to us and reinforce how much we are loved.  As I currently deal with a health scare, I find myself surrounded by earthly angels.  Their prayers are palpable and sustain me – I am enveloped in love and hope.  one of my special friends (aren’t they all special!!), in addition to her prayers and loving support, has “connections.”  She is loved and well-respected where she worked and where I needed to make any appointment.  In her usual caring way, she asked if she could help me get an appointment.  Of course I said yes – she wrote an email to the director and within a couple of hours I had a personal phone call from the director telling me that I could be seen the next day.  These earthly angels may not be quite the same as those that appeared to Joseph and Mary, but there is no doubt in my mind (and heart) that they do exist and are here on divine missions to support and love.  They are here to remind us of how awesome and loving our God is.  They are here to remind us to keep our hearts open, to keep the faith, to trust, and to know that we are never alone.

And to celebrate this Advent season and always trusting even when we don’t know what will happen:
Mary Do You Know . . . .  

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

FOSTERING

"Joseph...did as the angel of the Lord had directed him." �Matthew 1:24

St. Joseph was a foster-father. He was not the biological father of Jesus, but he raised Jesus from birth with all the love and faithfulness as would a biological father. It can also be said that St. Joseph was a foster-husband. Mary's spouse was the Holy Spirit. She conceived Jesus by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit (Mt 1:18). The Church teaches that Mary was a perpetual virgin, devoted to her Spouse, the Holy Spirit (Catechism, 723). St. Joseph thus did not have a conjugal relationship with Mary, yet served her faithfully as her husband with all the devotion and holy protection as would any husband. Mary certainly didn't consider Joseph a substitute husband or father. When she and Joseph found the twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple, her words were "Your father and I," and "why have you done this to us?" (Lk 2:48) Mary followed Joseph's decisions with full confidence in his ability to hear the Lord. God did not consider Joseph a substitute father or husband. The Lord entrusted him with the responsibility and honor of naming Jesus (Mt 1:25). God gave dreams and visions to Joseph. It was his ability to hear the Lord that God relied upon in giving him the orders to flee to Egypt and later return to Israel (Mt 2:13, 19-23). Jesus received His lineage as a royal Son of David through Joseph's standing in the tribe of Judah (Mt 1:16). Joseph may have been a foster-father and foster-husband, but God used him to father Jesus, our Savior, Redeemer, and Messiah. Thanks be to God for St. Joseph.

Prayer: Father, may St. Joseph foster many holy vocations to the priesthood, religious life, holy married and lay single life.

Promise: "The lives of the poor He shall save." —Ps 72:13

Praise: "O sacred Lord of ancient Israel, Who showed Yourself to Moses in the burning bush, Who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: Come, stretch out Your mighty hand to set us free."

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

 "He will save his people from their sins"

Do you hold on to the promises of God at all times, especially when you are faced with uncertainty or adversity? The prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah spoke words of hope in a hopeless situation for Israel. The Davidic dynasty was corrupt and unfit for a Messianic King. Apostates like King Ahaz (2 Kings 16) and weaklings like Zedekiah (Jeremiah 38) occupied the throne of David. How could God be faithful to his promise to raise up a righteous King who would rule forever over the house of David? The prophets trusted that God could somehow “raise up a righteous shoot” from the stump of Jesse (Isaiah 2:11).  Like the prophets we are called “in hope to believe against hope” (Romans 4:18) that God can and will fulfill all his promises.

Mary was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit
Mary had to face an enormous challenge to her faith and trust in God and to the faith of her family and Joseph, the man she chose to marry. She was asked to assume a burden of tremendous responsibility. It had never been heard of before that a child could be born without a natural father. Mary was asked to accept this miraculous exception to the laws of nature. That required faith and trust in God and in his promises. Second, Mary was not yet married. Pregnancy outside of wedlock was not tolerated in those days. Mary was only espoused to Joseph, and such an engagement had to last for a whole year. She was asked to assume a great risk. She could have been rejected by Joseph, by her family, by all her own people. Mary knew that Joseph and her family would not understand without revelation from God. She nonetheless believed and trusted in God's promises.

Joseph believed the angel's message "that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit"
Joseph, a just and God-fearing man, did not wish to embarrass or punish his espoused wife, Mary when he discovered that she was pregnant. To all appearances she had broken their solemn pledge to be faithful and chaste to one another. Joseph, no doubt took this troubling matter to God in prayer. He was not hasty to judge or to react with hurt and anger. God rewarded him not only with guidance and consolation, but with the divine assurance that he had indeed called Joseph to be the husband of Mary and to assume a mission that would require the utmost faith, confidence, and trust in Almighty God. Joseph believed in the divine message to take Mary as his wife and to accept the child in her womb as the promised Messiah.

A model of faith for us
Like Mary, Joseph is a model of faith for us. He is a faithful witness and servant of God's unfolding plan of redemption. Are you ready to believe in the promises of God, even when faced with perplexing circumstances and what seems like insurmountable problems? God has not left us alone, but has brought us his only begotten Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us celebrate Christmas, the feast of the Incarnation, with joyful hearts and let us renew our faith and hope in God and in his redeeming work.

"Lord Jesus, you came to save us from sin and the power of death. May I always rejoice in your salvation and trust in your divine plan for my life."

Psalm 72:1,12-13,18-19

1 Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son!
12 For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy.
18 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.
19 Blessed be his glorious name for ever; may his glory fill the whole earth!  Amen and Amen!

 Daily Quote from the early church fathers: The righteous branch of David is Christ, by Leo the Great, 400-461 A.D.

"There was only one remedy in the secret of the divine plan that could help the fallen living in the general ruin of the entire human race (Jeremiah 23:5-8). This remedy was that one of the sons of Adam should be born free and innocent of original transgression, to prevail for the rest by his example and by his merits. This was not permitted by natural generation. There could be no clean offspring from our faulty stock by this seed. The Scripture says, 'Who can make a clean thing conceived of an unclean seed? Isn't it you alone?' (Job 14:4) David's Lord was made David's Son, and from the fruit of the promised branch sprang. He is one without fault, the twofold nature coming together into one person. By this one and the same conception and birth sprung our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom was present both true Godhead for the performance of mighty works and true manhood for the endurance of sufferings." (excerpt from Sermon 28.3)

  

More Homilies

December 18, 2017 

December 18, 2015