August 25, 2020 Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

2020년 8월 25일 연중 제21주간 화요일 

 

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

제1독서

테살로니카 2서. 2,1-3ㄱ.14-17
 1 형제 여러분, 우리는 우리 주 예수 그리스도의 재림과

우리가 그분께 모이게 될 일로 여러분에게 당부합니다.
2 누가 예언이나 설교로 또 우리가 보냈다는 편지를 가지고
주님의 날이 이미 왔다고 말하더라도,
쉽사리 마음이 흔들리거나 불안해하지 마십시오.
3 누가 무슨 수를 쓰든 여러분은 속아 넘어가지 마십시오.
14 하느님께서는 우리의 복음을 통하여 여러분을 부르셨습니다.
우리 주 예수 그리스도의 영광을 차지하게 하시려는 것입니다.

15 그러므로 이제 형제 여러분,
굳건히 서서 우리의 말이나 편지로 배운 전통을 굳게 지키십시오.
16 우리 주 예수 그리스도께서 친히, 또 우리를 사랑하시고
당신의 은총으로 영원한 격려와 좋은 희망을 주신 하느님 우리 아버지께서,
17 여러분의 마음을 격려하시고 여러분의 힘을 북돋우시어
온갖 좋은 일과 좋은 말을 하게 해 주시기를 빕니다.

 

복음

마태오. 23,23-26
 그때에 예수님께서 말씀하셨다.

23 “불행하여라, 너희 위선자 율법 학자들과 바리사이들아!
너희가 박하와 시라와 소회향은 십일조를 내면서,
의로움과 자비와 신의처럼 율법에서 더 중요한 것들은 무시하기 때문이다.
그러한 십일조도 무시해서는 안 되지만, 바로 이러한 것들을 실행해야만 했다.
24 눈먼 인도자들아!
너희는 작은 벌레들은 걸러 내면서 낙타는 그냥 삼키는 자들이다.
25 불행하여라, 너희 위선자 율법 학자들과 바리사이들아!
너희가 잔과 접시의 겉은 깨끗이 하지만,
그 안은 탐욕과 방종으로 가득 차 있기 때문이다.
26 눈먼 바리사이야! 먼저 잔 속을 깨끗이 하여라.
그러면 겉도 깨끗해질 것이다.”

August 25, 2020 

Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

Daily Reflections — Video Daily Readings — Audio

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ 

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

 

Reading 1 2 thes 2:1-3a, 14-17

We ask you, brothers and sisters,
with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our assembling with him,
not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly,
or to be alarmed either by a “spirit,” or by an oral statement,
or by a letter allegedly from us
to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.
Let no one deceive you in any way.

To this end he has also called you through our Gospel
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm
and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught,
either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,
who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement
and good hope through his grace,
encourage your hearts and strengthen them
in every good deed and word.
 

Responsorial Psalm 
ps 96:10, 11-12, 13

R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
 

Gospel mt 23:23-26

Jesus said:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin,
and have neglected the weightier things of the law:
judgment and mercy and fidelity.
But these you should have done, without neglecting the others.
Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,
but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.
Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup,
so that the outside also may be clean.”

 

 

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

 

How are you holding up in these troubling times we find ourselves in?  The pandemic with all its implications coupled with all the political unrest could easily shade how we view the world and our place in that world.  There are many voices clamoring to direct our response to everything impacting our lives and even how we think about all that is occurring.

God, as we know, is not surprised or confused with any of this.  HE has the answers for each of us in these troubling times.  We simply need to turn to HIS Word.  In today’s first reading from Paul’s second letter to the church at Thessalonica, he encourages them to “not be shaken ….. or be alarmed.” He goes on to remind them to “let no one deceive you in any way,”  and further “to possess the glory or our Lord Jesus Christ” and to “stand firm”,  That message certainly seems to apply directly to us today. It is so easy to let fear gain the upper hand, to let it overshadow the fact of God’s constant presence with us.  Paul’s message reminds us of God’s love, HIS everlasting encouragement, and our eternal hope through HIS grace – all designed to encourage our hearts and to strengthen us in every good deed and word.

The Responsorial Psalm goes on to remind us that our Lord is indeed in complete control.  No pandemic nor other forms of evil will have the final word.  We can join all creation with joyful confidence that HIS justice will prevail.  The Alleluia from Hebrews further reinforces the fact that the “Word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.”    This amazing fact helps us to understand that God’s Word applies as much to us today as it did for those living in Thessalonica.  Perhaps times of trouble are the most powerful in leading us back to God’s holy word. 

Today’s Gospel from Matthew seems at first glance to interject a troubling thought to our reliance upon the teachers of God’s Word, yet this is a clear message directly from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Perhaps HIS scathing criticism of the scribes and Pharisees is exactly what we need to hear in these times we are currently living through.  HE is reminding us that our actions are what really count.  Our actions are what unveils the true nature of our heart.  Jesus is indeed watching how we respond to those around us with different views, those that react differently to the challenges that threaten to overtake us all.  The Pharisees thought they were right and had all the right answers, yet Jesus points out how far off they really were.  This lesson screams how critical humility is in our walk with Jesus.  Are we listening to the cries of those around us?  Are we seeking to understand the life story of others and are we showing empathy and love?  Do they see Jesus and HIS love through our response to them?  In these troubling times, we must never forget that only God has the answers, only HE has the complete perspective, we are simply called to let HIS amazing love flow through us.

Dear Heavenly Father, you have placed each of us in a unique time, in a unique setting, and with unique people all around us.  Please open our eyes and hearts to your holy will and use each of us with humility to empower our words and actions to point others to YOU.   In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.

 

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

SEDUCTION

“Let no one seduce you, no matter how.” —2 Thessalonians 2:3

Many kinds of lies deceive people into believing the wrong thing or not believing the right thing. Some believe “an oracular utterance, or rumor, or a letter” (2 Thes 2:2) without testing the Spirit (1 Jn 4:1). Some don’t hold fast to the traditions we’ve received in the Bible (2 Thes 2:15). Others don’t hold fast to the traditions we’ve received by word or letter through the Church (2 Thes 2:15). If we don’t go by the Bible, we’ll be deceived, for “ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 133, St. Jerome). If we only go by the Bible, we can still be deceived. We need the Church, “the pillar and bulwark of truth” (1 Tm 3:15).
To avoid being seduced “no matter how” (2 Thes 2:3), we need to know Jesus personally and give Him our lives. We need the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, Who guides us to all truth (Jn 16:13) and protects us from deception (1 Jn 2:26-27). We also need to know and live the Bible. God’s Word is truth (Jn 17:17). Finally, we need the Church. Many Spirit-filled, Bible-believing Christians disagree on important truths. We need the Church to protect us from our human weakness. We need Jesus the Truth (Jn 14:6), the Spirit of truth (Jn 16:13), the Word of truth (Jn 17:17), and the pillar and bulwark of truth (1 Tm 3:15), the Church.

Prayer:  Father, may I accept everything You provide to prevent me from being seduced and deceived.

Promise:  “First cleanse the inside of the cup so that its outside may be clean.” —Mt 23:26

Praise:  St. Joseph taught, “If in serving God you seek your own convenience, you are not serving God but yourself!” His work in educating children and his lively faith drew numerous others to assist him in his ministry.

 

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

 

Do you allow any blind-spots to blur your vision of God's kingdom and his ways? Jesus went to the heart of the matter when he called the religious leaders of his day blind Pharisees and hypocrites! A hypocrite is an actor or imposter who says one thing but does the opposite or who puts on an outward appearance of doing good while inwardly clinging to wrong attitudes, selfish desires and ambitions, or bad intentions. Many scribes and Pharisees had made it a regular practice to publicly put on a good show of outward zeal and piety with the intention of winning greater honors, privileges, and favors among the people. Jesus had a very good reason for severely rebuking the scribes and Pharisees, the religious teachers and leaders, for misleading people and neglecting the heart and essence of God's law - love of God and love of neighbor

What forms our outward practices and habits?
The scribes in particular devoted their whole lives to the study of God's law contained in the five books of Moses (Torah). As the religious experts of their day, they took great pride in their knowledge and outward observance of the commandments and precepts of the law of Moses. They further divided the 613 precepts of the Law of Mosesinto thousands of tiny rules and regulations. They were so exacting in their interpretations and in trying to live them out, that they had little time for much else. By the time they finished compiling their interpretations it took no less than fifty volumes to contain them! Jesus chastised them for neglecting the more important matters of religion, such as justice and the love of God. In their misguided zeal they had lost sight of God and of his purpose for the law.

God's law of love reveals what is truly important and necessary
Jesus used the example of tithing to show how far they had missed the mark. God had commanded a tithe of the first fruits of one's labor as an expression of thanksgiving and honor for his providential care for his people (Deuteronomy 14:22; Leviticus 27:30). The scribes, however, went to extreme lengths to tithe on insignificant things (such as tiny plants) with great mathematical accuracy. They were very attentive to minute matters of little importance, but they neglected to care for the needy and the weak. Jesus admonished them because their hearts were not right. They were filled with pride and contempt for others who were not like themselves. They put unnecessary burdens on others while neglecting to show charity, especially to the weak and the poor.

The scribes and Pharisees meticulously went through the outward observance of their religious duties and practices while forgetting the realities of God's intention and purpose for the law - his love and righteousness (justice and goodness). Jesus used a humorous example to show how out of proportion matters had gotten with them. Gnats were considered the smallest of insects and camels were considered the largest of animals in Palestine. Both were considered ritually impure. The scribes went to great lengths to avoid contact with gnats, even to the point of straining the wine cup with a fine cloth lest they accidentally swallowed a gnat. The stark contrast must have drawn chuckles as well as groans.

God's love shapes our minds and transforms our hearts and actions
What was the point of Jesus' humorous and important lesson? The essence of God's commandments is rooted in love - love of God and love of neighbor, righteousness (justice and goodness), and mercy. God is love and everything he does, including his justice and goodness, flows from his love for us. True love is costly and sacrificial - it both embraces and lifts the burdens of others. Do you allow the love of God to shape and transform the way you live your daily life - including the way you think of others, speak of them, and treat them?

Lord Jesus, fill me with your love and mercy that I may always think, speak, and treat others with fairness, loving-kindness, patience, and goodness.

Psalm 139:1-6

1 O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue, lo, O LORD, you know it altogether.
5 You beset me behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.

Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Neglecting Weighty Matters of Love and Justice, by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD)

"Not only among the Jews but among ourselves as well, we find people sinning in these ways. They are swallowing camels. People of this type frequently show off their religion even in the smallest of things. They are rightly called hypocrites for wanting to exploit their religiosity before men but being unwilling to undertake that very faith which God himself has justified. Therefore the imitators of the scribes and Pharisees must be dislodged and sent away from us, lest a woe touches us in the same way it touches them. The scribes could be described as those who valued nothing found in the Scriptures except its plain sense interpreted legalistically. Meanwhile they condemn those who look into the very depths of God himself. Mint and dill and cummin are only spices for food but are not themselves substantial food. What substantive food would mean in conversion would be that which is necessary for the justification of our souls - faith and love - unlike these legalisms, which are more like condiments and flavorings. It is as if a meal might be thought to consist more of condiments and flavorings than the food itself. The seriousness of judgment is neglected while great attention is given to minor matters. Spiritual exercises which in and of themselves are hardly justice are spoken of as justice and compassion and faith. It is lacking in justice to treat these small parts as the whole. When we do not offer to God the observance of all that is necessary for worship, we fail altogether." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 19-20)

  

 

More Homilies

August 28, 2018