June 6, 2020 Saturday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

2020년 6월 6일 연중 제9주간 토요일

 

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

제1독서 

티모테오 2서 4,1-8

1 나는 하느님 앞에서, 또 산 이와 죽은 이를 심판하실 그리스도 예수님 앞에서,
그리고 그분의 나타나심과 다스리심을 걸고
그대에게 엄숙히 지시합니다.
2 말씀을 선포하십시오. 기회가 좋든지 나쁘든지 꾸준히 계속하십시오.
끈기를 다하여 사람들을 가르치면서, 타이르고 꾸짖고 격려하십시오.
3 사람들이 건전한 가르침을 더 이상 받아들이려고 하지 않을 때가 올 것입니다.
호기심에 가득 찬 그들은 자기들의 욕망에 따라 교사들을 모아들일 것입니다.
4 그리고 진리에는 더 이상 귀를 기울이지 않고 신화 쪽으로 돌아설 것입니다.
5 그러나 그대는 어떠한 경우에도 정신을 차리고 고난을 견디어 내며,
복음 선포자의 일을 하고 그대의 직무를 완수하십시오.
6 나는 이미 하느님께 올리는 포도주로 바쳐지고 있습니다.
내가 이 세상을 떠날 때가 다가온 것입니다.
7 나는 훌륭히 싸웠고 달릴 길을 다 달렸으며 믿음을 지켰습니다.
8 이제는 의로움의 화관이 나를 위하여 마련되어 있습니다.
의로운 심판관이신 주님께서 그날에 그것을 나에게 주실 것입니다.
나만이 아니라,

그분께서 나타나시기를 애타게 기다린 모든 사람에게도 주실 것입니다.

 

복음

마르코 12,38-44

그때에 예수님께서는 군중을 38 가르치시면서 이렇게 이르셨다.
“율법 학자들을 조심하여라.
그들은 긴 겉옷을 입고 나다니며 장터에서 인사받기를 즐기고,
39 회당에서는 높은 자리를, 잔치 때에는 윗자리를 즐긴다.
40 그들은 과부들의 가산을 등쳐 먹으면서
남에게 보이려고 기도는 길게 한다.
이러한 자들은 더 엄중히 단죄를 받을 것이다.”
41 예수님께서 헌금함 맞은쪽에 앉으시어,
사람들이 헌금함에 돈을 넣는 모습을 보고 계셨다.
많은 부자들이 큰돈을 넣었다.
42 그런데 가난한 과부 한 사람이 와서 렙톤 두 닢을 넣었다.
그것은 콰드란스 한 닢인 셈이다.
43 예수님께서 제자들을 가까이 불러 이르셨다.
“내가 진실로 너희에게 말한다.
저 가난한 과부가 헌금함에 돈을 넣은 다른 모든 사람보다 더 많이 넣었다.
44 저들은 모두 풍족한 데에서 얼마씩 넣었지만,
저 과부는 궁핍한 가운데에서 가진 것을,
곧 생활비를 모두 다 넣었기 때문이다.”

 

June 6, 2020

Saturday of the Ninth 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 TM 4:1-8

Beloved:
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,
who will judge the living and the dead,
and by his appearing and his kingly power:
proclaim the word;
be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;
convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.
For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine
but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity,
will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth
and will be diverted to myths.
But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances;
put up with hardship;
perform the work of an evangelist;
fulfill your ministry.
For I am already being poured out like a libation,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well;
I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Responsorial Psalm

 PS 71:8-9, 14-15AB, 16-17, 22

R. (see 15ab)  I will sing of your salvation.
My mouth shall be filled with your praise,
with your glory day by day.
Cast me not off in my old age;
as my strength fails, forsake me not.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
But I will always hope
and praise you ever more and more.
My mouth shall declare your justice,
day by day your salvation.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
I will treat of the mighty works of the Lord;
O God, I will tell of your singular justice.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
So will I give you thanks with music on the lyre,
for your faithfulness, O my God!
I will sing your praises with the harp,
O Holy One of Israel!
R. I will sing of your salvation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alleluia MT 5:3

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gospel

 MK 12:38-44

 

In the course of his teaching Jesus said,
“Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext,
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
“Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood.”

 

 

 

 

 

http://evangeli.net/gospel/tomorrow

 «A poor widow also came and dropped in two small coins»

Fr. Enric PRAT i Jordana
(Sort, Lleida, Spain)

 

 

Today, as in Jesus' times, some pious persons —and even more so, some religious “professionals”— may be tempted by a kind of spiritual hypocrisy. This is evidenced through self-conceited attitudes, which we try to justify by our feeling better than all the rest: after all, we are the believers, the ones who practice..., the pure ones! If nothing else, at times, deep inside our hearts, we may feel like that; without, however, “making a show of being praying” or, even less, trying to “devour anybody's goods”.

In sharp contrast with the masters of the law, the Gospel presents a simple and almost insignificant gesture on the part of a poor widow that provokes Jesus' admiration: «But a poor widow also came and dropped in two small coins» (Mk 12:42). The actual value of her donation is almost nil, but the woman's decision is admirable, heroic: she gives everything she has.

With this gesture, God and the others went ahead of her and of her own needs. She fully let herself in the hands of Providence. She had nothing else to rely upon because, quite willingly, she had given it all to the service of God and to the attention of the poor. Jesus valued her generosity and her desire to praise God and help the poor, as the most important offering of all that had been made —perhaps, most ostentatiously— in that Temple.

Salvation is to be found in the nucleus of our own conscience, when we decide to open ourselves to God and live at the disposal of mankind; and when the election value is not given by the quality or quantity of the work made, but by the purity of intention and loving generosity.

 

 

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

 

In today’s gospel Jesus teaches about the scribes who are describes as those who “go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets.”  Scribes could be likened to a lawyer or professor in today’s society.  These were very important people with a prestigious place in society.  However, Jesus goes on to report that “they devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers.”  The scribes are in a position to take advantage of the vulnerable and they do just that.  Jesus reminds us that they will be severely condemned.

No matter where one goes today, there is social stratification.  The wealthy seem to get more while the less fortunate suffer.  The wealthy sometimes profit at the expense of those on the margins—sometimes because they know how to take advantage of them.

I fear that this may worsen as our world tries to respond to and recover from a global pandemic.  Can we work together for the greater good?  Will some recover while stepping on those with fewer resources causing further harm to those who are already suffering from loss of livelihood, loss of income or decreased ability to provide basic necessities for their families?

Jesus tells of the rich who gave some of their fortune while a poor widow gave a meager contribution, but with great purpose.  This gospel reminds me of an important lesson I learned from an outstanding theology teacher I had in high school.  This instructor was very dedicated to the mission of getting young people to understand their privilege while encouraging each of us to leverage that privilege for the benefit of others. We often heard about the importance of giving of your substance, not of your abundance.  Those words have been with me for many years.  Wouldn’t the world be a wonderful, just and peaceful place if everyone acted according to the lesson Jesus teaches today?

There are many good, generous people providing for the poor and neglected.  For that I am grateful.  However, I’ve witnessed too many decisions centered on money and prestige to the detriment of other. This is contrary to the teachings of the gospel. 

Just for today take some time to consider the giving that occurs in your community, your country and around the globe.  What is the reason behind the gift?  Determine opportunities for personal giving, not out of abundance but from substance.

Prayer for Generosity

Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous; 
teach me to serve you as you deserve, 
to give and not to count the cost, 
to fight and not to heed the wounds, 
to toil and not to seek for rest, 
to labor and not to seek reward, 
except that of knowing that I do your will.
Amen.
---St. Ignatius Loyola

 

 

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

MIGHTY MITE

“He called His disciples over and told them: ‘I want you to observe that this poor widow contributed more than all the others who donated to the treasury.’ ” —Mark 12:43

 

Jesus accused the scribes of devouring the savings of widows and making a show of religion (Mk 12:40). Then He commended a widow for putting “all that she had to live on” into the collection box (Mk 12:44). Why did Jesus commend a widow for helping finance the scribes’ misuse of religion to advance themselves?

In this Scripture passage, Jesus does not seem to focus on how the Temple uses money as much as on the spirit of the giver. He focuses on the widow and her mite (her two coins) rather than on the scribes or the contributions made by the wealthy. Jesus looks at the power in the widow’s faith rather than the sinfulness of the scribes.  We may be concerned that those in authority could waste our offerings. But actually, those in authority who may be so inclined should be concerned that our offerings given in faith could change their hearts. The power is in the faith, not in the sin.

 

Prayer:  Father, may my money explode with power as I give it by faith.

Promise:  “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on a merited crown awaits me; on that Day the Lord, just Judge that He is, will award it to me — and not only to me, but to all who have looked for His appearing with eager longing.” —2 Tm 4:7-8

Praise:  St. Norbert led a worldly life until a brush with death in 1115. He converted to Christ and, after priestly ordination, reluctantly became Archbishop of Magdeburg in central Germany. He worked with St. Bernard to repair the schism of his time.

 

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

 "This poor widow has put in more than the rest"

What is true religion and devotion to God? Jesus warns his disciples against the wrong kind of religion. In his denunciation of the scribes (the religious experts of his day), he warns against three things: the desire for prominence and first place of honor rather than lowly service for the benefit of others; the desire for deference and recognition (and seeking esteem from others) rather than seeking to promote the good of others through humble service and selfless care for others; and thirdly, attempting to use one's position (even a religious position) for self-gain and self-advancement. True religion is relating rightly to God and to one's neighbor with love, honor, and respect. The Lord puts his Holy Spirit within us that we may be filled with the joy of his presence, the joy of true worship, and the joy of selfless giving and love for others. True reverence for God frees the heart to give liberally, both to God and to neighbor.

Love is more precious than gold or silver
Jesus taught his disciples a dramatic lesson in generous giving with love and devotion. Love doesn't calculate - it spends lavishly! Jesus drove this point home to his disciples while sitting in the temple and observing people offering their tithes. Jesus praised a poor widow who gave the smallest of coins in contrast with the rich who gave greater sums. How can someone in poverty give more than someone who has ample means? Jesus' answer is very simple - love is more precious than gold! 

Real giving comes from a heart full of gratitude
Jesus taught that real giving must come from the heart. A gift that is given with a grudge or for display loses most of its value. But a gift given out of love, with a spirit of generosity and sacrifice, is invaluable. The amount or size of the gift doesn't matter as much as the cost to the giver. The poor widow could have kept one of her coins, but instead she recklessly gave away all she had! Jesus praised someone who gave barely a penny - how insignificant a sum - because it was everything she had, her whole living. What we have to offer may look very small and not worth much, but if we put all we have at the Lord's disposal, no matter how insignificant it may seem, then God can do with it and with us what is beyond our reckoning. Do you know the joy and freedom of giving liberally to God and to neighbor with gratitude and love?

"Lord Jesus, all that I have is yours. Take my life, my possessions, my time and all that I have and use them as you desire for your glory."

Psalm 71:8-9,14-17,22

8 My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day. 
9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent. 
14 But I will hope continually, and will praise you yet more and more. 
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. 
16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come, I will praise your righteousness, yours alone. 
17 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. 
22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God;  I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. 

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Mercy and compassion are never worthless, by Leo the Great, 400-461 A.D.

"Although the spite of some people does not grow gentle with any kindness, nevertheless the works of mercy are not fruitless, and kindness never loses what is offered to the ungrateful. May no one, dearly beloved, make themselves strangers to good works. Let no one claim that his poverty scarcely sufficed for himself and could not help another. What is offered from a little is great, and in the scale of divine justice, the quantity of gifts is not measured but the steadfastness of souls. The 'widow' in the Gospel put two coins into the 'treasury,' and this surpassed the gifts of all the rich. No mercy is worthless before God. No compassion is fruitless. He has given different resources to human beings, but he does not ask different affections." (excerpt from SERMON 20.3.1.6)

  

 

 

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