April 17, 2021 Saturday of the Second Week of Easter

2021년 4월 17일 부활 제2주간 토요일 

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

제1독서

<성령이 충만한 사람 일곱을 뽑았다.>

사도행전. 6,1-7
1 그 무렵 제자들이 점점 늘어나자,
그리스계 유다인들이 히브리계 유다인들에게 불평을 터뜨리게 되었다.
그들의 과부들이 매일 배급을 받을 때에 홀대를 받았기 때문이다.
2 그래서 열두 사도가 제자들의 공동체를 불러 모아 말하였다.
“우리가 하느님의 말씀을 제쳐 놓고 식탁 봉사를 하는 것은 바람직하지 않습니다.
3 그러니 형제 여러분, 여러분 가운데에서 평판이 좋고
성령과 지혜가 충만한 사람 일곱을 찾아내십시오.
그들에게 이 직무를 맡기고,
4 우리는 기도와 말씀 봉사에만 전념하겠습니다.”
5 이 말에 온 공동체가 동의하였다.
그리하여 그들은 믿음과 성령이 충만한 사람인 스테파노,
그리고 필리포스, 프로코로스, 니카노르, 티몬, 파르메나스,
또 유다교로 개종한 안티오키아 출신 니콜라오스를 뽑아,
6 사도들 앞에 세웠다.
사도들은 기도하고 그들에게 안수하였다.
7 하느님의 말씀은 더욱 자라나, 예루살렘 제자들의 수가 크게 늘어나고
사제들의 큰 무리도 믿음을 받아들였다.

 

복음

<제자들은 예수님께서 호수 위를 걸어오시는 것을 보았다.>

요한. 6,16-21
저녁때가 되자 예수님의 16 제자들은 호수로 내려가서,
17 배를 타고 호수 건너편 카파르나움으로 떠났다.
이미 어두워졌는데도 예수님께서는 아직 그들에게 가지 않으셨다.
18 그때에 큰 바람이 불어 호수에 물결이 높게 일었다.
19 그들이 배를 스물다섯이나 서른 스타디온쯤 저어 갔을 때,
예수님께서 호수 위를 걸어 배에 가까이 오시는 것을 보고 두려워하였다.
20 예수님께서는 그들에게 말씀하셨다. “나다. 두려워하지 마라.”
21 그래서 그들이 예수님을 배 안으로 모셔 들이려고 하는데,
배는 어느새 그들이 가려던 곳에 가 닿았다.

April 17, 2021

Saturday of the Second Week of Easter 

Daily Readings — Audio

Daily Reflections — Video

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ 

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

ading 1

Acts 6:1-7

As the number of disciples continued to grow,
the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews
because their widows 
were being neglected in the daily distribution.
So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,
“It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.
Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,
filled with the Spirit and wisdom,
whom we shall appoint to this task,
whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry of the word.”
The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,
so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas,
and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
They presented these men to the Apostles
who prayed and laid hands on them.
The word of God continued to spread,
and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly;
even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith

 

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19

R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.

 

Gospel

Jn 6:16-21

When it was evening, the disciples of Jesus went down to the sea,
embarked in a boat, and went across the sea to Capernaum .
It had already grown dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.
The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.
When they had rowed about three or four miles,
they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat,
and they began to be afraid.
But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.”
They wanted to take him into the boat,
but the boat immediately arrived at the shore
to which they were heading.

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

 The passage from the Acts of the Apostles shows responsibilities given to members of the community beyond the apostles. The verses from the Psalm reaffirm that God is deserving of our trust. In the Gospel, the apostles encounter Jesus while on a stormy sea.

I find today’s Gospel interesting in the ways that it is different from the other Gospels. In the Gospel according to Mark and in the Gospel according to Matthew, the apostles are saved from drowning in the rough seas by Jesus who walks on the water and puts an end to the stormy weather. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is in the boat with the apostles and is seemingly unconcerned about the storm; He eventually yields to their concerns and calms the waters. In today’s account of Jesus walking on the water in John’s Gospel, He sees that the apostles get safely to the other side, but he does not calm the sea. Somehow John’s version brings to mind my experience of the world in the last 12 months, a turbulent ride from which (perhaps) we are finally emerging safely on the other side.

It is interesting that in addition to a safe arrival, there is another common aspect of the 4 account. Each contains a warning to the apostles concerning their lack of faith, their hardness of heart. If I imagine myself in that boat, I find that I would have experienced the same terror as the apostles. I am not even sure that I would have expected Jesus to save us. I see my own doubts are manifest in the previous paragraph where I felt the need to include the word “perhaps.” Still, if I reflect back on the number of imprudent situations in which I found my myself in this life, I realize that I may not have had faith, but I had hope. My sense is that is what the apostles were experiencing. This is still falling short of the potential which Jesus saw in these men (and in me). My consolation is that I emerged from these precarious situations feeling blessed rather than lucky. My guess is that the apostles were in need of the Pentecost experience. I think that I can say the same thing for myself.

Part of today’s first reading identified the qualities and strengths of the men chosen to be the first deacons. Stephen, who will go on to martyrdom in the next chapter, is singled out and identified as being a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit.

My prayer today expresses a desire for increased trust.

Dear Lord,
I pray for trust in you even in the midst of the storm.
We are hopefully nearing the end of a period unlike the others in our lives.
I regularly encounter conflicting narratives of the situation at hand.
I want to trust but I am nagged by doubts.
I am reminded of the apostles’ failure to trust.
I find some consolation in the faith of the early Church.
I recall the strength that the Spirit brought to that community.
I ask for love and your grace in preparation for the time of Pentecost.
I desire a heart that is open and the fortitude to live up to my potential.

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

 

WHEN SHEEP MAKE SHEPHERDS

“Look around among your own number, brothers, for seven men acknowledged to be deeply spiritual.” —Acts 6:3 “They presented these men to the apostles.” —Acts 6:6

Did you notice that the leaders of the early Church placed the responsibility for finding deacons on the “community of the disciples”? (Acts 6:2) That’s us! We need to be on the lookout for those who would make good leaders in the Church.

This was new for the early Christians. Jewish priests and Levites were born into their positions. The apostles were called and chosen by Jesus Himself. The early Church, however, called the lay people to raise up future leaders from “among [their] own number” (Acts 6:3).

Our priests and bishops today cannot possibly know each person who may hear a call to religious life and other forms of leadership in the Church. They depend on each one of us to do our part in building up the Church. We can do this by:

• asking God to reveal to us those “deeply spiritual and prudent” men and women (Acts 6:3),
• pointing out their gifts to these people,
• encouraging (Heb 10:25) them and praying for them,
• discipling them to be more “spiritual” (Acts 6:3),
• presenting these people to Church leaders by offering to introduce them to vocation directors, paying for them to go on retreats, etc. and
• making disciples (Mt 28:19) by having as many children as God calls us to have and lovingly raising them in the faith.

The leaders of the Church depend on you. “Look around” (Acts 6:3).

Prayer:  Father, may I be full of encouragement (Nm 13:2, 30ff).

Promise:  Jesus “told them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ ” —Jn 6:20

Praise:  Jacob leads retreats for young people, specifically for vocation discernment.

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

 Does the Lord Jesus ever seem distant to you? When John recounted the scene of the apostles being alone at sea in a storm he described the situation as "dark" (John 6:17). It was dark not only physically but spiritually as well. Although they were experienced fishermen, they were fearful for their lives. The Lord's sudden presence - and his supernatural ability to walk towards them on top of the rough waves of the sea - only made them more fearful! John says they were frightened. And Jesus had to calm them with a reassuring command: "Do not be afraid because I am here with you!"

The Lord Jesus is a very present help in trouble
Aren't we like the apostles when we experience moments of darkness, fear, and trials? While the Lord may at times seem absent or very distant to us, he, nonetheless, is always present and close-by. The Scriptures remind us that the Lord is "a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). Whatever storms may beset us, he promises to "bring us to our desired haven" and place of calm rest and safety (Psalm 107:29-30). The Lord keeps watch over us at all times, and especially in our moments of temptation and difficulty. Do you rely on the Lord for his strength and help?

Jesus assures us that we have no need of fear if we put our trust in him and in his great love and care for us. When calamities or trials threaten to overwhelm you, how do you respond? With faith and hope in God's love, personal care, and presence with you?

Lord Jesus, may I never doubt your saving help and your watchful presence in my life, especially in times of trouble. Fortify my faith with courage and give me enduring hope that I may never waver in my trust in you.

Psalm 33:1-5, 18-19

1 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.
2 Praise the LORD with the lyre, make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
3 Sing to him a new song, play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4 For the word of the LORD is upright; and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 that he may deliver their soul from death, and keep them alive in famine.

Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Christ our physician, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"God sent the human race a physician, a savior, One Who healed without charging a fee. Christ also came to reward those who would be healed by Him. Christ heals the sick, and He makes a gift to those whom He heals. And the gift that He makes is Himself!" (excerpt from Sermon 102,2)

 

 

More Homilies

April 14, 2018 Saturday of the Second Week of Easter