August 1, 2020 Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

2020년 8월 1일 연중 제17주간 토요일

 

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

제1독서

예레미야서. 26,11-16.24
그 무렵 11 사제들과 예언자들이 대신들과 온 백성에게 말하였다.
“여러분의 귀로 들으신 것처럼 이 사람은 이 도성을 거슬러 예언하였으니
그를 사형에 처해야 합니다.”
12 이에 예레미야가 모든 대신들과 온 백성에게 말하였다.
“주님께서 나를 보내시어,
이 집과 도성에 대하여 여러분이 들으신 이것을 예언하게 하셨습니다.
13 그러니 이제 여러분의 길과 행실을 고치고,
주 여러분의 하느님 말씀을 들으십시오.
그러면 주님께서 여러분에게 내리겠다고 말씀하신 재앙을 거두실 것입니다.
14 이 내 몸이야 여러분 손에 있으니
여러분이 보기에 좋을 대로 바르게 나를 처리하십시오.
15 그러나 이것만은 분명히 알아 두십시오.
여러분이 나를 죽인다면, 여러분 자신과 이 도성과 그 주민들은
죄 없는 이의 피를 흘린 책임을 져야 할 것입니다.
참으로 주님께서는 나를 여러분에게 보내시어,
여러분의 귀에 대고 이 모든 말씀을 전하게 하셨던 것입니다.”
16 그러자 대신들과 온 백성이 사제들과 예언자들에게 말하였다.
“이 사람은 사형당할 만한 죄목이 없습니다.
그는 우리에게 주 우리 하느님의 이름으로 말하였습니다.”
24 예레미야는 사판의 아들 아히캄의 도움으로,
백성의 손에 넘겨져 죽임을 당하지는 않게 되었다.

 

복음

마태오. 14,1-12
1 그때에 헤로데 영주가 예수님의 소문을 듣고 2 시종들에게,
“그 사람은 세례자 요한이다.
그가 죽은 이들 가운데에서 되살아난 것이다.
그러니 그에게서 그런 기적의 힘이 일어나지.” 하고 말하였다.
3 헤로데는 자기 동생 필리포스의 아내 헤로디아의 일로,
요한을 붙잡아 묶어 감옥에 가둔 일이 있었다.
4 요한이 헤로데에게 “그 여자를 차지하는 것은 옳지 않습니다.” 하고
여러 차례 말하였기 때문이다.
5 헤로데는 요한을 죽이려고 하였으나 군중이 두려웠다.
그들이 요한을 예언자로 여기고 있었기 때문이다.
6 그런데 마침 헤로데가 생일을 맞이하자,
헤로디아의 딸이 손님들 앞에서 춤을 추어 그를 즐겁게 해 주었다.
7 그래서 헤로데는 그 소녀에게,
무엇이든 청하는 대로 주겠다고 맹세하며 약속하였다.
8 그러자 소녀는 자기 어머니가 부추기는 대로,
“세례자 요한의 머리를 쟁반에 담아 이리 가져다주십시오.” 하고 말하였다.
9 임금은 괴로웠지만, 맹세까지 하였고 또 손님들 앞이어서
그렇게 해 주라고 명령하고,
10 사람을 보내어 감옥에서 요한의 목을 베게 하였다.
11 그리고 그의 머리를 쟁반에 담아다가 소녀에게 주게 하자,
소녀는 그것을 자기 어머니에게 가져갔다.
12 요한의 제자들은 가서 그의 주검을 거두어 장사 지내고,
예수님께 가서 알렸다.

August 1, 2020 

Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, 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

Jer 26:11-16, 24

The priests and prophets said to the princes and to all the people,
"This man deserves death;
he has prophesied against this city,
as you have heard with your own ears."
Jeremiah gave this answer to the princes and all the people:
"It was the LORD who sent me to prophesy against this house and city
all that you have heard.
Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds;
listen to the voice of the LORD your God,
so that the LORD will repent of the evil with which he threatens you.
As for me, I am in your hands; 
do with me what you think good and right.
But mark well: if you put me to death,
it is innocent blood you bring on yourselves,
on this city and its citizens.
For in truth it was the LORD who sent me to you,
to speak all these things for you to hear."

Thereupon the princes and all the people
said to the priests and the prophets,
"This man does not deserve death;
it is in the name of the LORD, our God, that he speaks to us."

So Ahikam, son of Shaphan, protected Jeremiah,
so that he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

 

 

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34

R. (14c)

Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Rescue me out of the mire; may I not sink!
may I be rescued from my foes,
and from the watery depths.
Let not the flood-waters overwhelm me,
nor the abyss swallow me up,
nor the pit close its mouth over me.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me.
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

 

 

Gospel

Mt 14:1-12

Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus

and said to his servants, "This man is John the Baptist.
He has been raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are at work in him."

 

Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison
on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,
for John had said to him,
"It is not lawful for you to have her."
Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people,
for they regarded him as a prophet.
But at a birthday celebration for Herod,
the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests
and delighted Herod so much
that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said,
"Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist."
The king was distressed, 
but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,
he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.
His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,
who took it to her mother.
His disciples came and took away the corpse
and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.

 

http://evangeli.net/gospel/tomorrow

 

 

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

 

The gospel today confronts us with a grizzly, violent and disturbing drama.  Herod the tetrarch, the ruler of a quarter of the land that Jesus would travel in his lifetime, Herodias, his wife, and Salome, her daughter, and John the Baptizer are the principal players in this history.

The opening scene takes place at a feast held by Herod with lots of fine foods, alcoholic beverages and much over-imbibing by the host and his guests.  As part of an oft-told story, the drink turns into prideful overindulgence which initiates the totally unacceptable scene that follows, and the poor choices that followed. 

Herod, clearly over-served, begins to show off.  Enthralled by the overtly erotic dancing of his stepdaughter, Salome, the tetrarch made an incredibly foolish choice.  He asked the girl to name a gift that he could bestow on her, “even to half of my kingdom”.   Her mother had set up Salome to entice the besotted ruler to do what the mother deeply desired. Now Herodias hated John.  John had pointed out to her and Herod that their marriage was a disgrace and against the law. Philip, the first husband, was the brother of Herod.  For Herod to marry Herodias was illegitimate and contrary to the revered customs of the day.

Herod fell into a vicious plan she had concocted.  Herodias counseled the daughter to ask for the head of John the Baptist!  This stunning request resonated through the alcohol to a spot in Herod’s heart; he liked John, or maybe more accurately, he did not hate him as much as she did. 

So, thickening the plot, Herod, not wanting to lose face in front of his rich and powerful guests, gives in to his bravado.  Herodias, true to the skullduggery she had been planning, and a backlash to the judgment John expressed in his confrontation of the ruling couple. Herodias makes her dark request to the dancer, Salome.

In the next scene, the daughter returns to the feasting hall carrying the severed head of the Baptist on a platter.  She presents this gift to her mother.

What shall we draw from the drama Matthew recounts for us?  There is no subtlety here.  The whole affair is rife with strong contradictions in the events of the story.

Most likely, we will not have to be confronted with the deeply dark levels of activities central to this gruesome history: murder, lying, deadly deception, extreme evil, vicious violence and raucous retribution.  But, how about those times that we are met by the push/pull of looking good in the minds of those we know?  What are the incidents of pride that intertwine with our thoughts and actions?  We are subject to anger and the call to be less than truthful that menace us from near and far. We can dissemble like Herod, give in to the moment. Or, we can seek to discover and use the God-given gifts at the core of our being.

Loving God, teach us your ways and give us the courage to live faithful to your call to live and love as Jesus taught us and as your Holy Spirit invites us.

 

 

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

MAD AT THE MAILMAN

“This man does not deserve death; it is in the name of the Lord, our God, that he speaks to us.” —Jeremiah 26:16

God’s Word is a two-edged sword (Heb 4:12), which comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. When God’s Word and our wills cross, we are tempted to blame the teacher, preacher, pastor, or prophet. We blame the mail-carrier for the mail.
The Israelites did this to Jeremiah. He insisted that the Israelites argument wasn’t with him but with the Lord Who had sent him (Jer 26:15). The religious authorities of Jesus’ day confused the messengers with the message and put the apostles in prison (see Acts 5:17-18). Likewise, Herod and Herodias tried in vain to silence the Word by beheading John the Baptizer (Mt 14:10).However, “there is no chaining the word of God!” (2 Tm 2:9) 
When we’re tempted to reject the messengers of God’s messages, we should take the advice of Gamaliel: “You will not be able to destroy them without fighting God Himself” (Acts 5:39).

Prayer:  Father, may I listen to Your Word more than to the world.

Promise:  “For the Lord hears the poor, and His own who are in bonds He spurns not.” —Ps 69:34

Praise:  St. Alphonsus is a Doctor of the Church. He was a prolific author and also founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer for the salvation of the most abandoned souls (the Redemptorists). Pope Pius XII declared him patron of moral theologians.

 

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

 

Do you ever feel haunted by a past failure or a guilty conscience? King Herod, the most powerful and wealthy man in Judea, had everything he wanted, except a clear conscience and peace with God. Herod had respected and feared John the Baptist as a great prophet and servant of God. John, however did not fear to rebuke Herod for his adulterous relationship with his brother's wife. He ended up in prison because of Herodias' jealousy. Herod, out of impulse and a desire to please his family and friends, had John beheaded. Now his conscience is pricked when he hears that all the people are going to Jesus to hear his message of repentance and to see his mighty works. Herod is now haunted by the thought that the prophet he murdered might now be raised from the dead!

A sign of vanity and cowardice
Unfortunately for Herod, he could not rid himself of sin by ridding himself of the man who confronted him with his sin. Herod's power and influence was badly flawed. He could take a strong stand on the wrong things when he knew the right. Such a stand, however, was a sign of weakness and cowardice. Where do you get the strength of will and heart to choose what is right and to reject what is bad?

God is our help and our strength
The Lord Jesus gives grace and help to the humble, to those who acknowledge their weaknesses and their sinfulness, and who look to God for his mercy and pardon, wisdom and strength. His grace and pardon not only frees us from a guilty conscience, it enables us to pursue holiness in every area of our lives, in our thoughts and intentions as well as our words and actions.

Fight fear with faith
God's grace enables us to fight fear with faith and to overcome the temptation to compromise good with evil. Do you rely on God's grace and help to choose his way of holiness and to reject whatever would weaken your faith and loyalty to Jesus Christ?

Heavenly Father, form in me the likeness of your Son Jesus that I may imitate him in word and deed. Help me to live the gospel faithfully and give me the strength and courage I need to not shrink back in the face of hardship and temptation.

Psalm 67:1-7

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, [Selah]
2 that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. [Selah]
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
7 God has blessed us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!

Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Integrity is a hardship for the morally corrupt, by Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD)

"John aroused Herod by his moral admonitions, not by any formal accusation. He wanted to correct, not to suppress. Herod, however, preferred to suppress rather than be reconciled. To those who are held captive, the freedom of the one innocent of wrongdoing becomes hateful. Virtue is undesirable to those who are immoral; holiness is abhorrent to those who are impious; chastity is an enemy to those who are impure; integrity is a hardship for those who are corrupt; frugality runs counter to those who are self-indulgent; mercy is intolerable to those who are cruel, as is loving-kindness to those who are pitiless and justice to those who are unjust. The Evangelist indicates this when he says, "John said to him, 'It is not lawful for you to have the wife of your brother Philip.'" This is where John runs into trouble. He who admonishes those who are evil gives offense. He who repudiates wrongdoers runs into trouble. John was saying what was proper of the law, what was proper of justice, what was proper of salvation and what was proper certainly not of hatred but of love. And look at the reward he received from the ungodly for his loving concern!" (excerpt from SERMONS 127.6-7)

  

 

More Homilies

August 4, 2018