2020년 11월 25일 연중 제34주간 수요일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
요한 묵시록 15,1-4
나 요한은 1 크고 놀라운 다른 표징이 하늘에 나타난 것을 보았습니다.
일곱 천사가 마지막 일곱 재앙을 가지고 있었는데,
그것으로 하느님의 분노가 끝나게 될 것입니다.
2 나는 또 불이 섞인 유리 바다 같은 것을 보았습니다.
그 유리 바다 위에는 짐승과 그 상과 그 이름을 뜻하는 숫자를
무찌르고 승리한 이들이 서 있었습니다. 그들은 하느님의 수금을 들고,
3 하느님의 종 모세와 어린양의 노래를 부르고 있었습니다.
“전능하신 주 하느님, 주님께서 하신 일은 크고도 놀랍습니다.
민족들의 임금님, 주님의 길은 의롭고 참되십니다.
4 주님, 주님을 경외하지 않을 자 누구이며
주님의 이름을 찬양하지 않을 자 누구입니까?
정녕 주님 홀로 거룩하십니다. 모든 민족들이 와서 주님 앞에 경배할 것입니다.
주님의 의로운 처사가 드러났기 때문입니다.”
복음
루카. 21,12ㄴ-19
그때에 예수님께서 제자들에게 말씀하셨다.
12 “사람들이 너희에게 손을 대어 박해할 것이다.
너희를 회당과 감옥에 넘기고,
내 이름 때문에 너희를 임금들과 총독들 앞으로 끌고 갈 것이다.
13 이러한 일이 너희에게는 증언할 기회가 될 것이다.
14 그러나 너희는 명심하여, 변론할 말을 미리부터 준비하지 마라.
15 어떠한 적대자도 맞서거나 반박할 수 없는 언변과 지혜를
내가 너희에게 주겠다.
16 부모와 형제와 친척과 친구들까지도 너희를 넘겨
더러는 죽이기까지 할 것이다.
17 그리고 너희는 내 이름 때문에 모든 사람에게 미움을 받을 것이다.
18 그러나 너희는 머리카락 하나도 잃지 않을 것이다.
19 너희는 인내로써 생명을 얻어라.”
November 25, 2020
Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass
Reading 1
I, John, saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring:
seven angels with the seven last plagues,
for through them God’s fury is accomplished.
Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire.
On the sea of glass were standing those
who had won the victory over the beast
and its image and the number that signified its name.
They were holding God’s harps,
and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God,
and the song of the Lamb:
“Great and wonderful are your works,
Lord God almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O king of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
or glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All the nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
Responsorial Psalm
R. (Rev. 15: 3b) Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
Let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to rule the earth;
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Gospel
Jesus said to the crowd:
“They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
It’s not easy to do the right thing. Sometimes we have to make difficult choices around how we react to the world, at our jobs or even among our family members. We may do or say things that we believe are right that will not be popular. Following the Gospels and Jesus can be challenging in a seemingly throw-away world, where cutting corners, lying, cheating and overindulging are celebrated. We are often told by the world to look out for No. 1, to think only of ourselves, that being selfish is seen as an attribute, not a failing. Jesus knows what we face. By becoming human, living and then dying at the hands of those who rose up against him, Jesus offers us more. In today’s Gospel from Luke, Jesus tells us to persevere. He will provide wisdom and make sure we are safe.
Sadly, it seems this isn’t one battle, one fight. We will be tested again and again and often we will do the opposite of what society seems to tell us in streams of social media and words spilling out of TV screens. Care for your neighbor and for the world, now and in the future. Do the right thing especially when no one can see. Plant seeds of respect and trust. Stand up for what is those whose voices aren’t often heard over the clamor. Find God in all things.
The world can be a frightening place, but we have to be alert to moments of joy and happiness. We can be sure that God will not abandon us. I pray today for the strength to do the right thing and for those struggling. I pray for the strength to not be caught up in a tide of spite and meanness. I pray for the strength to listen to and respect those close to me and those far away.
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
PASS WORDS
“I will give you words and a wisdom which none of your adversaries can take exception to or contradict.” —Luke 21:15
Under the most overwhelming circumstances — in the face of death, on trial, betrayed by our families — we will be given a supernatural wisdom. We won’t know what we’re going to say before we say it (Lk 21:14). We’ll be surprised at the words of wisdom and of courage which will come out of our mouths. We’ll even be able to sing God’s praises in the face of destruction (Rv 15:3).
We won’t be the only ones surprised at ourselves. Those separated from God won’t be able to account for the wisdom of our words without giving God the credit. What seemed a terrible situation will become an ideal forum for proclaiming the Good News of Jesus.
When people see God’s power shining through our weakness (2 Cor 12:9), they will proclaim that the Lord is present and working. This will open the door of faith, and many unbelievers will believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. All we have to do is live a life that is persecutable. The Lord will put the words in our mouths and do the rest.
Prayer: Father, give me the faith to risk my life for love of You.
Promise: “By patient endurance you will save your lives.” —Lk 21:19
Praise: St. Catherine of Alexandria became a Christian after a vision of Jesus and Mary at the age of 14. She lived in the Fourth Century. Catherine’s debating skills led the Church to designate her patron saint of philosophers and lawyers!
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
If the Gospel message is good news, then why do so many people treat Christians with contempt and hostility for their beliefs and practices? Jesus warns his followers that they will be confronted with wickedness, false teaching, persecution, as well as the temptation to renounce their faith when it is put to the test.
Satan destroys and kills - God restores and gives life
The real enemy of the Gospel - the good news of Jesus Christ - is Satan (also called Lucifer), the powerful leader of the fallen angels who rebelled against God and who were cast out of heaven. Satan opposes God and all who follow his rule of peace and righteousness (moral goodness) on the earth. Jesus calls Satan a "murderer" who turns brother against brother and the "father of lies" who twists the truth and speaks falsehood (John 8:44). Satan not only opposes God's rule, he seeks to destroy all who would obey God. Satan will use any means possible to turn people away from God. He tempts people through envy, deception, hatred, and fear to provoke hostility towards those who follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
What is Jesus' response to hostility and persecution? Love, forbearance, and forgiveness. Only love - the love which is rooted in God's great compassion and faithfulness - can overcome prejudice, hatred, and envy. God's love purifies our heart and mind of all that would divide and tear people apart. Knowing God as our compassionate Father and loving God's word of truth and righteousness (moral goodness) is essential for overcoming evil. Jesus tells us that we do not need to fear those who would oppose us or treat us harshly for following the Lord Jesus. He promises to give us supernatural strength, wisdom, and courage as we take a stand for our faith and witness to the truth and love of Christ.
The Gospel is good news for the whole world because it is God's eternal word of truth, love, pardon, and salvation (being set free from sin and evil) through his Son, Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus has won the victory for us through his atoning death on the cross for our sins and his rising from the grave - his resurrection power that brings abundant life and restoration for us. That is why the Gospel has power to set people free from sin, fear and death, and bring peace, pardon, and new life.
Endurance never gives up hope in God
Jesus tells his disciples that if they endure to the end they will gain their lives - they will inherit abundant life and lasting happiness with God. Endurance is an essential strength which God gives to those who put their trust in him. Endurance is the patience which never gives up hope, never yields to despair or hatred. Patience is long-suffering because it looks beyond the present difficulties and trials and sees the reward which comes to those who persevere with hope and trust in God. That is why godly endurance is more than human effort. It is first and foremost a supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit which enables us to bear up under any trial or temptation.
Endurance is linked with godly hope - the supernatural assurance that we will see God face to face and inherit all the promises he has made. Jesus is our supreme model and pioneer who endured the cross for our sake (Hebrews 12:2). "God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus willingly shed his blood for us - to win for us pardon and peace with God. Our joy and privilege is to take up our cross each day to follow the Lord Jesus.
True martyrs live and die as witnesses of Christ and the Gospel of peace
The word "martyr" in the New Testament Greek means "witness". The Book of Revelation says that "Jesus was the faithful witness ...who freed us from our sins by his blood" (Revelation 1:5). Tertullian, a second century lawyer who converted when he saw Christians singing as they went out to die by the hands of their persecutors, exclaimed: "The blood of the martyrs is seed." Their blood is the seed of new Christians, the seed of the church.
The third century bishop, Cyprian said: "When persecution comes, God's soldiers are put to the test, and heaven is open to martyrs. We have not enlisted in an army to think of peace and to decline battle, for we see that the Lord has taken first place in the conflict." True martyrs live and die as witnesses of the Gospel. They overcome their enemies through persevering hope and courage, undying love and forbearance, kindness, goodness, and compassion.
God may call some of us to be martyrs who shed their blood for bearing witness to Jesus Christ. But for most of us, our call is to be 'dry' martyrs who bear testimony to the joy and power of the Gospel in the midst of daily challenges, contradictions, temptations and adversities which come our way as we follow the Lord Jesus.
We do not need to fear our adversaries
What will attract others to the truth and power of the Gospel? When they see Christians loving their enemies, being joyful in suffering, patient in adversity, pardoning injuries, and showing comfort and compassion to the hopeless and the helpless. Jesus tells us that we do not need to fear our adversaries. God will give us sufficient grace, strength, and wisdom to face any trial and to answer any challenge to our faith. Are you ready to lay down your life for Christ and to bear witness to the joy and freedom of the Gospel?
Lord Jesus Christ, by your atoning death on the cross you have redeemed the world. Fill me with joyful hope, courage, and boldness to witness the truth of your love for sinners and your victory over the powers of sin, Satan, and death.
Psalm 119:33-40
33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.
35 Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.
36 Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to gain!
37 Turn my eyes from looking at vanities; and give me life in your ways.
38 Confirm to your servant your promise, which is for those who fear you.
39 Turn away the reproach which I dread; for your ordinances are good.
40 Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: The faithful Christian is recognized by belief in the resurrection of the body, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"We should have no doubt that our mortal flesh also will rise again at the end of the world... This is the Christian faith. This is the Catholic faith. This is the apostolic faith. Believe Christ when he says, 'Not a hair of your head shall perish' Putting aside all unbelief, consider how valuable you are. How can our Redeemer despise any person when he cannot despise a hair of that person's head? How are we going to doubt that he intends to give eternal life to our soul and body? He took on a soul and body in which to die for us, which he laid down for us when he died and which he took up again that we might not fear death." (excerpt from Sermon 214.11-12)
More Homilies
November 28, 2018 Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
