February 4, 2020 Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

2020년 2월 4일 연중 제4주간 화요일 

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

제1독서

 사무엘기 하. 18,9-10.14ㄴ.24-25ㄱ.30ㅡ19,3
그 무렵 9 압살롬이 다윗의 부하들과 마주쳤다.
그때 압살롬은 노새를 타고 있었다.
그 노새가 큰 향엽나무의 얽힌 가지들 밑으로 들어가는 바람에,
그의 머리카락이 향엽나무에 휘감기면서
그는 하늘과 땅 사이에 매달리게 되고,
타고 가던 노새는 그대로 지나가 버렸다.
10 어떤 사람이 그것을 보고 요압에게 알려 주었다.
“압살롬이 향엽나무에 매달려 있는 것을 보았습니다.”
14 요압은 표창 셋을 손에 집어 들고, 압살롬의 심장에 꽂았다.
24 그때 다윗은 두 성문 사이에 앉아 있었다.
파수꾼이 성벽을 거쳐 성문 위 망대에 올라가서 눈을 들어 바라보니,

어떤 사람이 혼자서 달려오고 있었다.
25 파수꾼이 소리쳐 이를 임금에게 알리자,
임금은 “그가 혼자라면 기쁜 소식을 가져오는 자다.” 하고 말하였다.
달려온 그에게 30 임금이 “물러나 거기 서 있어라.” 하니, 그가 물러나 섰다.
31 그때 에티오피아 사람이 들어와 말하였다.
“저의 주군이신 임금님, 기쁜 소식이 있습니다.
주님께서 임금님께 맞서 일어난 자들의 손에서
오늘 임금님을 건져 주셨습니다.”
32 임금이 에티오피아 사람에게 “그 어린 압살롬은 무사하냐?” 하고 묻자,
에티오피아 사람이 대답하였다.
“저의 주군이신 임금님의 원수들과 임금님을 해치려고 일어난 자들은
모두 그 젊은이처럼 되기를 바랍니다.”
19,1 이 말에 임금은 부르르 떨며 성문 위 누각으로 올라가 울었다.
그는 올라가면서 “내 아들 압살롬아, 내 아들아, 내 아들 압살롬아,
너 대신 차라리 내가 죽을 것을. 압살롬아, 내 아들아, 내 아들아!” 하였다.
2 “임금님께서 우시며 압살롬의 죽음을 슬퍼하신다.”는 말이
요압에게 전해졌다.
3 그리하여 모든 군사에게 그날의 승리는 슬픔으로 변하였다.
그날 임금이 아들을 두고 마음 아파 한다는 소식을
군사들이 들었기 때문이다.

 

복음

 마르코. 5,21-43
그때에 21 예수님께서 배를 타시고 건너편으로 가시자
많은 군중이 그분께 모여들었다.
예수님께서 호숫가에 계시는데,
22 야이로라는 한 회당장이 와서 예수님을 뵙고 그분 발 앞에 엎드려,
23 “제 어린 딸이 죽게 되었습니다.
가셔서 아이에게 손을 얹으시어
그 아이가 병이 나아 다시 살게 해 주십시오.” 하고 간곡히 청하였다.
24 그리하여 예수님께서는 그와 함께 나서시었다.
많은 군중이 그분을 따르며 밀쳐 댔다.
25 그 가운데에 열두 해 동안이나 하혈하는 여자가 있었다.
26 그 여자는 숱한 고생을 하며 많은 의사의 손에 가진 것을 모두 쏟아부었지만,
아무 효험도 없이 상태만 더 나빠졌다.
27 그가 예수님의 소문을 듣고,
군중에 섞여 예수님 뒤로 가서 그분의 옷에 손을 대었다.
28 ‘내가 저분의 옷에 손을 대기만 하여도 구원을 받겠지.’ 하고
생각하였던 것이다.
29 과연 곧 출혈이 멈추고 병이 나은 것을 몸으로 느낄 수 있었다.
30 예수님께서는 곧 당신에게서 힘이 나간 것을 아시고 군중에게 돌아서시어,
“누가 내 옷에 손을 대었느냐?” 하고 물으셨다.
31 그러자 제자들이 예수님께 반문하였다.
“보시다시피 군중이 스승님을 밀쳐 대는데,
‘누가 나에게 손을 대었느냐?’ 하고 물으십니까?”
32 그러나 예수님께서는 누가 그렇게 하였는지 보시려고 사방을 살피셨다.
33 그 부인은 자기에게 일어난 일을 알았기 때문에,
두려워 떨며 나와서 예수님 앞에 엎드려 사실대로 다 아뢰었다.
34 그러자 예수님께서 그 여자에게 이르셨다.
“딸아, 네 믿음이 너를 구원하였다.
평안히 가거라. 그리고 병에서 벗어나 건강해져라.”
35 예수님께서 아직 말씀하고 계실 때에 회당장의 집에서 사람들이 와서는,
“따님이 죽었습니다.
그러니 이제 스승님을 수고롭게 할 필요가 어디 있겠습니까?” 하고 말하였다.
36 예수님께서는 그들이 말하는 것을 곁에서 들으시고
회당장에게 말씀하셨다.
“두려워하지 말고 믿기만 하여라.”
37 그리고 베드로와 야고보와 야고보의 동생 요한 외에는
아무도 당신을 따라오지 못하게 하셨다.
38 그들이 회당장의 집에 이르렀다.
예수님께서는 소란한 광경과 사람들이 큰 소리로 울며 탄식하는 것을 보시고,
39 안으로 들어가셔서 그들에게, “어찌하여 소란을 피우며 울고 있느냐?
저 아이는 죽은 것이 아니라 자고 있다.” 하고 말씀하셨다.
40 그들은 예수님을 비웃었다. 예수님께서는 그들을 다 내쫓으신 다음,
아이 아버지와 어머니와 당신의 일행만 데리고
아이가 있는 곳으로 들어가셨다.
41 그리고 아이의 손을 잡으시고 말씀하셨다. “탈리타 쿰!”
이는 번역하면 ‘소녀야, 내가 너에게 말한다. 일어나라!’는 뜻이다.
42 그러자 소녀가 곧바로 일어서서 걸어 다녔다.
소녀의 나이는 열두 살이었다. 사람들은 몹시 놀라 넋을 잃었다.
43 예수님께서는 아무에게도 이 일을 알리지 말라고
그들에게 거듭 분부하시고 나서,
소녀에게 먹을 것을 주라고 이르셨다.

February 4, 2020

Tuesday of the Fourth 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 

2 Sm 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30; 19:3

Absalom unexpectedly came up against David's servants.
He was mounted on a mule,
and, as the mule passed under the branches of a large terebinth,
his hair caught fast in the tree.
He hung between heaven and earth
while the mule he had been riding ran off.
Someone saw this and reported to Joab
that he had seen Absalom hanging from a terebinth.
And taking three pikes in hand,
he thrust for the heart of Absalom,
still hanging from the tree alive.

Now David was sitting between the two gates,
and a lookout went up to the roof of the gate above the city wall,
where he looked about and saw a man running all alone.
The lookout shouted to inform the king, who said,
"If he is alone, he has good news to report."
The king said, "Step aside and remain in attendance here."
So he stepped aside and remained there.
When the Cushite messenger came in, he said,
"Let my lord the king receive the good news
that this day the LORD has taken your part,
freeing you from the grasp of all who rebelled against you."
But the king asked the Cushite, "Is young Absalom safe?"
The Cushite replied, "May the enemies of my lord the king
and all who rebel against you with evil intent
be as that young man!"

The king was shaken,
and went up to the room over the city gate to weep.
He said as he wept,
"My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom!
If only I had died instead of you,
Absalom, my son, my son!"

Joab was told that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom;
and that day's victory was turned into mourning for the whole army
when they heard that the king was grieving for his son.
 

Responsorial Psalm 

Ps 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R. (1a) Listen, Lord, and answer me.
Incline your ear, O LORD; answer me,
for I am afflicted and poor.
Keep my life, for I am devoted to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for to you I call all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me.

 

Gospel 

Mk 5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat
to the other side,
a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.
One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.
Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,
"My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live."
He went off with him
and a large crowd followed him.

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.
She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors
and had spent all that she had.
Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.
She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd
and touched his cloak.
She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured."
Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?"
But his disciples said to him,
"You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,
and yet you ask, Who touched me?"
And he looked around to see who had done it.
The woman, realizing what had happened to her,
approached in fear and trembling.
She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace and be cured of your affliction."

While he was still speaking,
people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said,
"Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?"
Disregarding the message that was reported,
Jesus said to the synagogue official,
"Do not be afraid; just have faith."
He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside
except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official,
he caught sight of a commotion,
people weeping and wailing loudly.
So he went in and said to them,
"Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep."
And they ridiculed him.
Then he put them all out.
He took along the child's father and mother
and those who were with him
and entered the room where the child was.
He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum,"
which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!"
The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.
At that they were utterly astounded.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this
and said that she should be given something to eat

http://evangeli.net/gospel/tomorrow

 «Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace and be free of this illness»

Fr. Francesc PERARNAU i Cañellas
(Girona, Spain)

Today, the Gospel presents us with two of Jesus' miracles that speak of the great faith of two entirely different persons. Whether Jairus —an official of the synagogue— or that poor ailing woman, both displayed much faith: Jairus is certain Jesus can cure his daughter, while that good old woman knows that just touching Jesus' robe will be more than enough to deliver her from her very serious bleeding. And, Jesus, because both are persons with a strong faith, grants them what they wanted.

The woman who thought she was unworthy of Jesus' attention, who did not dare to bother neither the Master nor those influential Jews, was the first one. Noiselessly, she came up behind him and, softly touching Jesus' cloak, she “draws out” her cure, and she can feel how her body is completely healed. Jesus, who knows what has happened, does not want to let her go without saying to her: «Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace and be free of this illness» (Mk 5:34).

To Jairus, Jesus is asking an even stronger faith. As God did with Abraham in the Old Testament, Jesus will ask Jairus to have faith against hope, a faith in impossible things. Jairus had been told the terrible news his little daughter had just died. We can easily imagine the deep anguish and horrible pain he must have felt in that very moment, and perhaps the temptation to despair. But Jesus, who had also heard the news, tells him: «Do not fear, just believe» (Mk 5:36). And, like those ancient patriarchs, hopelessly believing, he could see how his beloved little girl was resurrected by Jesus.

Two great lessons in faith for us. Jairus and the woman suffering a serious bleeding, along with so many others, from the Gospel pages, speak to us of the need to have an unmovable faith. We can make ours that beautiful evangelic exclamation: «O Lord, I believe; help my unbelief» (Mk 9:24).

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

 

 I shall allow no man to so belittle my soul by making me hate him.”   
Booker T. Washington

Today’s readings raise a number of significant issues.  However, the recent celebration of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday and our country’s current divide, kept pulling me back to the first reading about King David and his son Absalom. 

Abbreviated back story with King David and Absalom:  A very handsome and engaging man, Absalom easily drew people to him.  As his popularity grew among the Israelites, Absalom incited a revolt in Hebron.  Despite being one of his father’s favorites, Absalom went to war with King David.  Why would you go to war against your father, especially one who has so abundantly provided for your every need and want?  To most people, it looked like Absalom had everything anyone could possibly want.  Why would someone like him start a war, especially one with his father?  Why is it that we humans always want more…why do we think we have never enough?  Why is it so difficult for me to see how amazing my life is, especially in comparison to so many others in our world? 

Back to King David and his son Absalom… during the battle, Absalom’s beautiful hair got snared on an oak tree and his mule trotted off without him.  King David’s forces found him hanging there and reported it to the Commander, Joab.  Joab, not a fan of Absalom, killed him as he was dangling there.  Upon hearing of his son’s death, King David became distraught and the nation mourned with him. 

For some of us, mourning a son who sought to overthrow you and probably kill you seems counter intuitive.  However, King David was experiencing his son’s death as a significant loss…not only death but living in a future without his beloved son was heart breaking.  King David was mourning as a father, not as an enemy combatant.  The seemingly poetic justice ending of Absalom provided no balm for his grief.  I like to think that King David’s response moved humankind closer to the realization that “A eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” Mohandas Gandhi

So, how do we keep moving forward, as people of God, to a place where we see each other as “beloved”?   To that place that King David was…not gloating over the death of a rival, but mourning his loss?  Being able to see his son for who he was. ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’ and loving and grieving him anyway…  remembering Absalom as God’s beloved child?

Can we learn to love ourselves and our family and friends so well that we will be empowered not to succumb to fear and hate?  How can we learn to see past political parties and skin color and religion  to realize that our differences make us stronger and infinitely more interesting?   Just think what would happen to the ice cream industry if there was no diversity in taste and we only ate vanilla.  Since we have successfully navigated respecting each other’s tastes in ice cream, we can take that next step of recognizing our fear and instead of flight or fight, breathe and ask why?  Why do you think that? What is it about x or y or z that upsets you or makes you afraid?  Let’s have discussions not debates.  I will strive to remember that we all see things based on what has happened to us, who we have been living with and listening to. 

Next time I want to say, “How can you even think that?”, I will stop and open my hand and mind so I can connect, not condemn.  I will try to be better than I am---Instead of making assumptions or writing people off when they voice an opinion so counter to my beliefs, I will stop and listen.  I will try to remember King David’s all-encompassing love for his son, even though his son raised an army against him.
The person I am trying to connect with doesn’t have an army, they have their experiences and fears as I do.  So, if I can love someone whose favorite ice cream is butter pecan, why can’t I try to connect with someone who votes differently than I do?

Let’s go for big hearts in 2020. Our communities, our nation, and our world needs us to step up so all of us have the future God envisioned for us.   

Please help me God to see everyone as your beloved child...
don’t let hate or fear diminish me and others so that I add more pain and suffering to our world.

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

FATHER'S DAY

"My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!" �2 Samuel 19:1

David grieved deeply upon hearing of the death of his son Absalom, who had rebelled against him. However, the true grief of this situation is that it might have been prevented if David had a heart for reconciliation with Absalom a few years earlier. A rift had occurred in David's family. David's son Amnon raped Absalom's blood sister Tamar. David took no action to deal with the situation; he simply "became very angry" (2 Sm 13:21). Is this a pattern parents repeat today, getting angry but not handling the root of the problem? Absalom was infuriated that his father did not handle this problem nor lead his family into reconciliation. So he took matters into his own hands and murdered his half-brother Amnon (2 Sm 13:23ff). Fearing his father's anger, Absalom fled to another country for three years. David longed to reach out to Absalom, but again, failed to take practical action (2 Sm 13:39; see also 2 Sm 14:13). Absalom eventually returned to Jerusalem, but his father David would not condescend to see him for two more years (2 Sm 14:21-28). Finally, Absalom was admitted into the presence of his father, who merely "kissed him," but again did nothing � no heart-to-heart, father and son talk (2 Sm 14:33). That was the last straw for Absalom. Sadly, David had multiple chances to reconcile his family, but did not try. All he was left with was inconsolable grief for his dead son, his broken family, and the loss of 20,000 soldiers. Is there a situation today that you can reconcile? Jesus commands: "Lose no time" (Mt 5:25).

Prayer: Lord, may the hearts of the fathers and mothers be turned to their children and vice versa (Mal 3:24; cf Lk 1:17).

Promise: "It is your faith that has cured you." —Mk 5:34

Praise: Jacob prays daily for reconciliation between his sons.

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

 The woman who took heart in Jesus

Do you approach the Lord Jesus with expectant faith or with skeptical doubt? People in desperate or helpless circumstances were not disappointed when they sought Jesus out. What drew them to Jesus? Was it hope for a miracle or a word of comfort in their affliction? What did the elderly woman who had suffered miserably for twelve years expect Jesus to do for her? And what did a grieving father expect Jesus to do for his beloved daughter who was at the point of death? Jesus gave hope where there seemed to be no human cause for it because his hope was directed to God. He spoke words of hope to the woman (Take heart, daughter!) to ignite the spark of faith in her (your faith has made you well!).

Expectant faith believes in Jesus' power to act in our lives today
Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD), an early church Scripture scholar and author of hymns and commentaries, reflected on the miracle of the woman who was healed of her flow of blood:

"Glory to you, hidden Son of God, because your healing power is proclaimed through the hidden suffering of the afflicted woman. Through this woman whom they could see, the witnesses were enabled to behold the divinity that cannot be seen. Through the Son's own healing power his divinity became known. Through the afflicted women's being healed her faith was made manifest. She caused him to be proclaimed, and indeed was honored with him. For truth was being proclaimed together with its heralds. If she was a witness to his divinity, he in turn was a witness to her faith... He saw through to her hidden faith, and gave her a visible healing."

The Lord Jesus will touch each of us with his healing hands of love and mercy
Jesus also gave supernatural hope to a father who had just lost a beloved child. It took considerable courage and risk for the ruler of a synagogue to openly go to Jesus and to invite the scorn of his neighbors and kin. Even the hired mourners laughed scornfully at Jesus. Their grief was devoid of any hope. Nonetheless, Jesus took the girl by the hand and delivered her from the grasp of death. Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD), an early church father who was renowned for his preaching at Ravena, comments on this miracle:

"This man was a ruler of the synagogue, and versed in the law. He had surely read that while God created all other things by his word, man had been created by the hand of God. He trusted therefore in God that his daughter would be recreated, and restored to life by that same hand which, he knew, had created her... He [Jesus] who laid hands on her to form her from nothing, once more lays hands upon her to reform her from what had perished."

In both instances we see Jesus' personal concern for the needs of others and his readiness to heal and restore life. In Jesus we see the infinite love of God extending to each and every individual as he gives freely and wholly of himself to each  person he meets. Do you approach the Lord with confident expectation that he will hear your request and act?

"Lord Jesus, you love each of us individually with a unique and personal love. Touch my life with your saving power, heal and restore me to fullness of life. Help me to give wholly of myself in loving service to others."

Psalm 86:1-6
1 Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am Godly; save your servant who trusts in you.  You are my God;
3 be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; hearken to my cry of supplication.

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: The long-suffering of parents, by Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD)

"Let us, if it is pleasing to you, speak for a moment of the pains and anxieties which parents take upon themselves and endure in patience out of love and affection for their children. Here, surrounded by her family and by the sympathy and affection of her relations, a daughter lies upon her bed of suffering. She is fading in body. Her father's mind and spirit are worn with grief. She is suffering the inward pangs of her sickness. He, unwashed, unkempt, is absorbed wholly in sorrow. He suffers and endures before the eyes of the world. She is sinking into the quiet of death... Alas! why are children indifferent to these things! Why are they not mindful of them? Why are they not eager to make a return to their parents for them? But the love of parents goes on nevertheless; and whatever parents bestow upon their children, God, the parent of us all, will duly repay." (excerpt from SERMON 33.2)

[Peter Chrysologus, 400-450 AD, was a renowned preacher and bishop of Ravena in the 5th century]

  

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January 30, 2018 Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time