February 29, 2020 Saturday after Ash Wednesday

2020년 2월 29일  재의 예식 다음 토요일  

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

제1독서

 이사야서. 58,9ㄷ-14
주님께서 이렇게 말씀하신다.
9 “네가 네 가운데에서 멍에와 삿대질과 나쁜 말을 치워 버린다면
10 굶주린 이에게 네 양식을 내어 주고
고생하는 이의 넋을 흡족하게 해 준다면
네 빛이 어둠 속에서 솟아오르고
암흑이 너에게는 대낮처럼 되리라.
11 주님께서 늘 너를 이끌어 주시고
메마른 곳에서도 네 넋을 흡족하게 하시며
네 뼈마디를 튼튼하게 하시리라.
그러면 너는 물이 풍부한 정원처럼,
물이 끊이지 않는 샘터처럼 되리라.
12 너는 오래된 폐허를 재건하고 대대로 버려졌던 기초를 세워 일으키리라.
너는 갈라진 성벽을 고쳐 쌓는 이,
사람이 살도록 거리를 복구하는 이라 일컬어지리라.
13 ‘네가 삼가 안식일을 짓밟지 않고
나의 거룩한 날에 네 일을 벌이지 않는다면
네가 안식일을 ′기쁨′이라 부르고
주님의 거룩한 날을 ′존귀한 날′이라 부른다면

네가 길을 떠나는 것과 네 일만 찾는 것을 삼가며
말하는 것을 삼가고 안식일을 존중한다면
14 너는 주님 안에서 기쁨을 얻고
나는 네가 세상 높은 곳 위를 달리게 하며
네 조상 야곱의 상속 재산으로 먹게 해 주리라.’
주님께서 친히 말씀하셨다.”

 

복음

 루카. 5,27-32
그때에 예수님께서는
27 레위라는 세리가 세관에 앉아 있는 것을 보시고 말씀하셨다.
“나를 따라라.”
28 그러자 레위는 모든 것을 버려둔 채 일어나 그분을 따랐다.
29 레위가 자기 집에서 예수님께 큰 잔치를 베풀었는데,
세리들과 다른 사람들이 큰 무리를 지어 함께 식탁에 앉았다.
30 그래서 바리사이들과 그들의 율법 학자들이
그분의 제자들에게 투덜거렸다.
“당신들은 어째서 세리와 죄인들과 함께 먹고 마시는 것이오?”
31 예수님께서 그들에게 대답하셨다.
“건강한 이들에게는 의사가 필요하지 않으나
병든 이들에게는 필요하다.
32 나는 의인이 아니라 죄인을 불러 회개시키러 왔다.”

February 29, 2020

Saturday after Ash Wednesday 

Daily Readings — Audio

Daily Reflections — Video

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ 

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

Reading 1 

Is 58:9b-14

Thus says the LORD:
If you remove from your midst oppression,
false accusation and malicious speech;
If you bestow your bread on the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted;
Then light shall rise for you in the darkness,
and the gloom shall become for you like midday;
Then the LORD will guide you always
and give you plenty even on the parched land.
He will renew your strength,
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring whose water never fails.
The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake,
and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up;
"Repairer of the breach," they shall call you,
"Restorer of ruined homesteads."
If you hold back your foot on the sabbath
from following your own pursuits on my holy day;
If you call the sabbath a delight,
and the LORD's holy day honorable;
If you honor it by not following your ways,
seeking your own interests, or speaking with maliceB
Then you shall delight in the LORD,
and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
I will nourish you with the heritage of Jacob, your father,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

 

Responsorial Psalm 

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

R. (11ab) Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
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. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
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. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
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. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

 

Gospel 

Lk 5:27-32

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, "Follow me."
And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.
Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house,
and a large crowd of tax collectors
and others were at table with them.
The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying,
"Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"
Jesus said to them in reply,
"Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners."

http://evangeli.net/gospel/tomorrow

 «I have come to call to repentance; I call sinners, not the righteous»

Fr. Joan Carles MONTSERRAT i Pulido
(Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain)

Today we see how Lent is moving forward and the strength of the conversion our Lord summons us to. The figure of the apostle and evangelist Matthew is very representative of those of us who think that, because of our background, or because of our personal sins or complicated life, we are unworthy of our Lord.

Well, no, we are not; to remove any doubt we might still have, Jesus Christ is offering us the possibility of following him, as He did with the first evangelist, Levi the tax collector, to whom He simply says: «Follow me» (Lk 5:27). With him Jesus does exactly the contrary of what a “sensible” and “wise” mentality would do. If today we wish to pretend being “politically correct”, Levi —instead— came from a world where he was openly rejected by all his compatriots, as he was considered, just because of the fact he was a publican, and a helper of the Romans and, possibly, as much of a corrupt by the “commissions” he might receive, who indulged in choking the poor to collect their taxes; in short, he was considered a public sinner.

Those considering themselves as perfect, could not even think of Jesus not only not requesting them to follow him but not even asking them to his own table.

However, by choosing Levi, Our Lord Jesus Christ is telling us that it is rather this kind of people whom He prefers to call to expand his Kingdom; He has chosen the sick, the sinners, those who consider themselves unworthy: «Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong» (1Cor 1:27). For these are those who need help, and as such, they will also understand those also in need.

We are not to think God wants spotless and immaculate followers to serve him. That privilege belongs only to Our Mother. But for us, subjects of God's eternal salvation and Lent's protagonists, God wants just a contrite and humble heart. In fact, «God has made you weak to give you his own power» (Saint Augustine). This is the type of person who, as the psalm says, God would not despise.

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

 

Ash Wednesday and the following three days are introductory opportunities to engage the liturgical season carefully, even to “ease into” the whole forty-day period of Lent.  These early days are like musical themes that later are woven together in a great chorus or symphonic work, but first are sounded clearly and distinctly so that all can follow these threads in the tapestry of beautiful music that follows.  Each provides an opportunity to look deeply into the three verbs that identify the three “tools” of the life of partnership with Jesus: prayer, fasting and alms giving.  Prayer occurs when we are in right relationship with God, fasting rightly marks a healthy relationship with our own bodies and a just participation in the created order. Alms giving rightly understood stands as a marker for authentic relationship with all other humans.  “Alms giving” is the appropriate sharing of material goods so that all have enough of the limited resources of creation to thrive in their human life.

As we ponder the scripture texts from today’s liturgy in this year’s lectionary the wonderful first reading, taken from the Prophet Isaiah.  It speaks of following goodness, compassion, and the interior freedom of generous love in somewhat the manner that Pope Francis talks about following the path of consolations.  What the Tradition constantly reminds us about is that is a fundamental choice that humans must make and continue making every waking hour – the choice of life over death.  In every measure, being genuinely alive ourselves means that we support the life of community and the very created order.  To be genuinely ALIVE means to thrive.  Because everything in creation comes from God it is interrelated – so we can’t thrive by ourselves but only in union with all that is alive – on earth and in eternal life. So when we use whatever resources we have been given to enable others to thrive – we also choose to thrive (be utterly alive) ourselves. 

The choice for death (even while we are breathing in and out) is a choice of closing in on ourselves, destroying the world of life and hope around us, constantly disrupting and destroying relationships of care, consuming and wasting resources of nature for pleasure – this is the root of evil.  To choose death is to choose a perpetual living hatred and violence.  It presupposes that we are also trying to kill everyone and everything else in some false sense that we can’t thrive if we don’t have it all.  If anyone gets any part of creation to use, then those of us who live in a “zero sum economy” are afraid we won’t have enough.  There is never enough in this set of choices – because such destructive patterns not only harm enemies, but also our friends and us!

Isaiah, speaking as God’s mouthpiece, asserts that if we trust that God will provide enough, and generously share what we do have, if we are open handed and open hearted, all will be provided to be fully alive – this is following the consolation, which is God’s path of joy and peace, even amid difficult times.

Today’s Gospel from Luke reminds us that God’s work is rescuing each one of us from our death choices and opening us up to life choices again.  When we judge those, who frighten us, or refuse to embrace God’s mercy for them or for ourselves, we step off the path of life – and follow the desolation of the Dark Spirit or the enemy of human flourishing.   Jesus’ work, and ours since Baptism, is to open the doors of life within our own hearts to those who haven’t found the path to life.  As we have been invited to be forgiven, so must we invite others to forgiveness and the joy of God’s Mercy.

This season of emerging springtime of grace, that we call Lent –  is the time for us to think about all the gifts we have been given, and determine which of them Jesus is inviting us to use to share in his work of bringing God’s LIFE to all the created order by reconciling those in the dark to themselves, to their human community and to creation itself.  Follow the Consolation of God and discover the fullness of Lent as we move toward the celebration of Easter.

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

FOLLOW-UP FASTING

"They shall call you, 'Restorer of ruined homesteads.' " �Isaiah 58:12

One of the later catalytic effects of fasting is: "The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake, and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up; 'Repairer of the breach,' they shall call you, 'Restorer of ruined homesteads' " (Is 58:12). Our culture of death is by definition a culture of broken relationships. We have mass-produced ruined homesteads. If you will let the Lord rebuild these ancient ruins for your sake, your fasting and obedient follow-up to fasting is exceptionally important to the world. You are the very person the world needs desperately. Think of the broken-hearted, betrayed, rejected, divorced people you can see healed by your obeying the details of Isaiah's teaching on fasting and its multiple, catalytic effects. Think of all the "fatherless" children, those with absent or "multiple" fathers. Think of their confusion and insecurity. Think of the countless abortions, abuses, promiscuities, and contraceptions. In love, fast each day of Lent by limiting your intake of food and drink according to God's will. In love, follow up your fasting by giving others opportunities for freedom, showing them mercy (Mt 5:7), and doing them justice (see Is 58:6-7, 9-10). If you follow up on your fasting, you will see every promise the Lord has given in Isaiah Chapter 58 fulfilled, including the restoration of ruined homesteads. If you continue this follow-up, the Lord "will make you ride on the heights of the earth" (Is 58:14). Show your love in a most needed, practical way. Take God at His Word. Fast and follow up.

Prayer: Father, send the Holy Spirit to teach me Isaiah 58 and give me the faith and power to accept its graces.

Promise: "Leaving everything behind, Levi stood up and became His follower." —Lk 5:28

Praise: Patricia volunteers at a food pantry, offering food, encouragement, and prayers to all she serves.

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

 Jesus calls sinners to follow him

 When your neighbor stumbles through sin or ignorance, do you point the finger to criticize or do you lend a helping hand to lift him or her up? The prophet Isaiah tells us that God repays each in kind. When we bless others, especially those who need spiritual as well as physical and material help, God in turn blesses us.

Who do you point the finger at?
When Jesus called a despised tax collector to be his disciple he surprised everyone including Levi (also known as Matthew). The religious leaders were especially upset with Jesus' behavior towards public sinners like Levi. The Jewish  people were roughly divided into two groups: the orthodox Jews who rigidly kept the law and all its petty regulations, and the rest who didn't keep all the minute regulations. The orthodox treated the latter like second class citizens. They scrupulously avoided their company, refused to do business with them, refused to give or receive anything from them, refused to intermarry, and avoided any form of friendship with them, including table fellowship. Jesus' association with the latter, especially with tax collectors and public sinners, shocked the sensibilities of these orthodox Jews.

A true physician of body, mind, and soul
When the Pharisees challenged Jesus unorthodox behavior in eating with public sinners, Jesus' defense was quite simple. A doctor doesn't need to treat healthy people - instead he goes to those who are sick. Jesus likewise sought out those in the greatest need. A true physician seeks healing of the whole person - body, mind, and spirit. Jesus came as the divine physician and good shepherd to care for his people and to restore them to wholeness of life.

The orthodox were so preoccupied with their own practice of religion that they neglected to help the very people who needed the greatest care. Their religion was selfish because they didn't want to have anything to do with people not like themselves. Jesus stated his mission in unequivocal terms: I came  not to call the righteous, but to call sinners. Ironically the orthodox were as needy as those they despised. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Do you thank the Lord for the great mercy he has shown to you? And do you seek the good of all your neighbors and show them mercy and kindness?

Leave all and follow Christ
What does it mean to "leave all and follow the Lord"? Bede the Venerable (673-735 AD), an Anglo-Saxon monk who wrote numerous commentaries on the Scriptures, explains what it meant for Matthew and for us to "follow" as disciples of the Lord Jesus:

"By 'follow' he meant not so much the movement of feet as of the heart, the carrying out of a way of life. For one who says that he lives in Christ ought himself to walk just as he walked, not to aim at earthly things, not to pursue perishable gains, but to flee base praise, to embrace willingly the contempt of all that is worldly for the sake of heavenly glory, to do good to all, to inflict injuries upon no one in bitterness, to suffer patiently those injuries that come to oneself, to ask God’s forgiveness for those who oppress, never to seek one's own glory but always God's, and to uphold whatever helps one love heavenly things. This is what is meant by following Christ. In this way, disregarding earthly gains, Matthew attached himself to the band of followers of one who had no riches. For the Lord himself, who outwardly called Matthew by a word, inwardly bestowed upon him the gift of an invisible impulse so that he was able to follow."

Are you ready to forsake all for the Lord Jesus Christ?

"Lord Jesus, our Savior, let us now come to you: Our hearts are cold; Lord, warm them with your selfless love. Our hearts are sinful; cleanse them with your precious blood. Our hearts are weak; strengthen them with your joyous Spirit. Our hearts are empty; fill them with your divine presence. Lord Jesus, our hearts are yours; possess them always and only for yourself."  (Prayer of Augustine, 354-430)

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.

A Daily Quote for Lent: Our All-powerful Physician, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 AD

"Our wound is serious, but the Physician is all-powerful. Does it seem to you so small a mercy that, while you were living in evil and sinning, he did not take away your life, but brought you to belief and forgave your sins? What I suffer is serious, but I trust the Almighty. I would despair of my mortal wound if I had not found so great a Physician." (excerpt from Sermon 352, 3)

  

More Homilies

February 17, 2018 Saturday after Ash Wednesday