2021년 8월 17일 연중 제20주간 화요일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
<기드온, 이스라엘을 구원하여라. 바로 내가 너를 보낸다.>
판관기. 6,11-24ㄱ
그 무렵 11 주님의 천사가 아비에제르 사람 요아스의 땅 오프라에 있는
향엽나무 아래에 와서 앉았다.
그때에 요아스의 아들 기드온은
미디안족의 눈을 피해 밀을 감추어 두려고, 포도 확에서 밀 이삭을 떨고 있었다.
12 주님의 천사가 그에게 나타나서,
“힘센 용사야, 주님께서 너와 함께 계시다.” 하고 말하였다.
13 그러자 기드온이 천사에게 물었다.
“나리, 외람된 말씀입니다만, 주님께서 저희와 함께 계시다면,
어째서 저희가 이 모든 일을 겪고 있단 말입니까?
저희 조상들이 ‘주님께서 우리를 이집트에서 데리고 올라오지 않으셨더냐?’
하며 이야기한 주님의 그 놀라운 일들은 다 어디에 있습니까?
지금은 주님께서 저희를 버리셨습니다.
저희를 미디안의 손아귀에 넘겨 버리셨습니다.”
14 주님께서 기드온에게 돌아서서 말씀하셨다.
“너의 그 힘을 지니고 가서
이스라엘을 미디안족의 손아귀에서 구원하여라. 바로 내가 너를 보낸다.”
15 그러자 기드온이 말하였다. “나리, 외람된 말씀입니다만,
제가 어떻게 이스라엘을 구원할 수 있단 말입니까?
보십시오, 저의 씨족은 므나쎄 지파에서 가장 약합니다.
또 저는 제 아버지 집안에서 가장 보잘것없는 자입니다.”
16 그러나 주님께서는, “내가 정녕 너와 함께 있겠다.
그리하여 너는 마치 한 사람을 치듯 미디안족을 칠 것이다.” 하고 말씀하셨다.
17 그러자 기드온이 또 말하였다. “참으로 저에게 호의를 베풀어 주신다면,
저와 이 말씀을 하시는 분이 당신이시라는 표징을 보여 주십시오.
18 제가 예물을 꺼내다가 당신 앞에 놓을 터이니,
제가 올 때까지 이곳을 떠나지 마십시오.”
이에 주님께서, “네가 돌아올 때까지 그대로 머물러 있겠다.” 하고 대답하셨다.
19 기드온은 가서 새끼 염소 한 마리를 잡고
밀가루 한 에파로 누룩 없는 빵을 만들었다.
그리고 고기는 광주리에, 국물은 냄비에 담아 가지고
향엽나무 아래에 있는 그분께 내다 바쳤다.
20 그러자 하느님의 천사가 그에게 말하였다.
“고기와 누룩 없는 빵을 가져다가 이 바위 위에 놓고 국물을 그 위에 부어라.”
기드온이 그렇게 하였더니, 21 주님의 천사가 손에 든 지팡이를 내밀어,
그 끝을 고기와 누룩 없는 빵에 대었다.
그러자 그 큰 돌에서 불이 나와 고기와 누룩 없는 빵을 삼켜 버렸다.
그리고 주님의 천사는 그의 눈에서 사라졌다.
22 그제야 기드온은 그가 주님의 천사였다는 것을 알고 말하였다.
“아, 주 하느님, 제가 이렇게 얼굴을 맞대고 주님의 천사를 뵈었군요!”
23 그러자 주님께서 그에게,
“안심하여라. 두려워하지 마라. 너는 죽지 않는다.” 하고 말씀하셨다.
24 그래서 기드온은 그곳에 주님을 위하여 제단을 쌓고,
그 이름을 ‘주님은 평화’라고 하였다.
복음
<부자가 하느님 나라에 들어가는 것보다 낙타가 바늘구멍으로 빠져나가는 것이 더 쉽다.>
마태오. 19,23-30
그때에 23 예수님께서 제자들에게 말씀하셨다.
“내가 진실로 너희에게 말한다. 부자는 하늘 나라에 들어가기가 어려울 것이다.
24 내가 다시 너희에게 말한다. 부자가 하느님 나라에 들어가는 것보다
낙타가 바늘구멍으로 빠져나가는 것이 더 쉽다.”
25 제자들이 이 말씀을 듣고 몹시 놀라서,
“그렇다면 누가 구원받을 수 있는가?” 하고 말하였다.
26 예수님께서는 그들을 눈여겨보며 이르셨다.
“사람에게는 그것이 불가능하지만 하느님께는 모든 것이 가능하다.”
27 그때에 베드로가 그 말씀을 받아 예수님께 물었다.
“보시다시피 저희는 모든 것을 버리고 스승님을 따랐습니다.
그러니 저희는 무엇을 받겠습니까?”
28 예수님께서 말씀하셨다. “내가 진실로 너희에게 말한다.
사람의 아들이 영광스러운 자기 옥좌에 앉게 되는 새 세상이 오면,
나를 따른 너희도 열두 옥좌에 앉아 이스라엘의 열두 지파를 심판할 것이다.
29 그리고 내 이름 때문에 집이나 형제나 자매,
아버지나 어머니, 자녀나 토지를 버린 사람은 모두 백 배로 받을 것이고
영원한 생명도 받을 것이다.
30 그런데 첫째가 꼴찌 되고 꼴찌가 첫째 되는 이들이 많을 것이다.”
August 17, 2021
Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass
Reading 1
Jgs 6:11-24a
The angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth in Ophrah
that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite.
While his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press
to save it from the Midianites,
the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said,
“The LORD is with you, O champion!”
Gideon said to him, “My Lord, if the LORD is with us,
why has all this happened to us?
Where are his wondrous deeds of which our fathers
told us when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt ?’
For now the LORD has abandoned us
and has delivered us into the power of Midian.”
The LORD turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have
and save Israel from the power of Midian.
It is I who send you.”
But Gideon answered him, “Please, my lord, how can I save Israel ?
My family is the lowliest in Manasseh,
and I am the most insignificant in my father’s house.”
“I shall be with you,” the LORD said to him,
“and you will cut down Midian to the last man.”
Gideon answered him, “If I find favor with you,
give me a sign that you are speaking with me.
Do not depart from here, I pray you, until I come back to you
and bring out my offering and set it before you.”
He answered, “I will await your return.”
So Gideon went off and prepared a kid and a measure of flour
in the form of unleavened cakes.
Putting the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot,
he brought them out to him under the terebinth
and presented them.
The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and unleavened cakes
and lay them on this rock; then pour out the broth.”
When he had done so,
the angel of the LORD stretched out the tip of the staff he held,
and touched the meat and unleavened cakes.
Thereupon a fire came up from the rock
that consumed the meat and unleavened cakes,
and the angel of the LORD disappeared from sight.
Gideon, now aware that it had been the angel of the LORD,
said, “Alas, Lord GOD,
that I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!”
The LORD answered him,
“Be calm, do not fear. You shall not die.”
So Gideon built there an altar to the LORD
and called it Yahweh-shalom.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 85:9, 11-12, 13-14
R. (see 9b) The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD?for he proclaims peace
To his people, and to his faithful one s,
and to those who put in him their hope.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Gospel
Mt 19:23-30
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich
to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Again I say to you,
it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God .”
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said,
“Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For men this is impossible,
but for God all things are possible.”
Then Peter said to him in reply,
“We have given up everything and followed you.
What will there be for us?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you
that you who have followed me, in the new age,
when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory,
will yourselves sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel .
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or children or lands
for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more,
and will inherit eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
This reflection is coming soon. Until then, here is reflection from our archives by Andy Alexander, S.J. for this day in 2011.
It is I who sent you. - Judges 6
"It will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven."
“Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,“For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” - Matthew 19
It seems to me that we tend to forget that Jesus warned us about the dangers of being rich. Much of the world doesn't know the gospel or has forgotten his words about it being as hard for the rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven as it is for "a camel to pass through the eye of a needle." Upon really hearing this gospel, all of us are one with his first disciples is immediately asking him, "Then tell us, just WHO can be saved?" Of course, the consolation is that what Jesus really wants us to know is that "for God all things are possible."
That assurance of Jesus takes some translation. My guess at a translation is: "yes, it is very difficult, and will take great conversion, but with God's help, since all things are possible, even this kind of conversion is possible." There is hope for us, if we hear God's word and realize the message of Jesus calls us to a new way of seeing ourselves in the world, a new way of seeing our relationship with each other. Because God is love, we are called to loving, compassionate and giving of ourselves, as Jesus did.
So, if the values around us shape our desires to want more in order to be more, and success is defined in these terms, we need to let God's grace effect a conversion - a turning around in the other direction - toward a different set of values, outlined in Jesus' gospel.
What's wrong with being rich? Experience shows us that the more we have, the more energy it takes to maintain the wealth we have. And, it inevitably happens that the more we have, the more we want. And, sadly, the more we have, the more it seems we think we deserve what we have. Of course, there are outstanding exceptions. There are wealthy people who are incredibly generous and who work hard for the benefit of others. Unfortunately, that isn't the way it always works.
St. Ignatius, the founder of the Society of Jesus, puts it in terms of the two competing strategies of Jesus and the Evil One. The "Enemy of our human nature" has a strategy of drawing us to his side by attracting us to riches, which lead to honors, which ultimately trap us in pride - which ultimately is what ruins us. Pride takes away from God. St. Augustine said that pride is, "the love of one's own excellence." In contrast, Jesus draws us to himself by attracting us to poverty, which leads to dishonor, which ultimately offers us the gift of humility. [For a fuller explanation of the Two Ways of Desiring, see Week 17 of the Online Retreat, also on this website: onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/guide17.html ]
I find myself most challenged by how Jesus asks us, later in Matthew's gospel, Chapter 25:41-46, to live. It is our mission to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless and care for the sick and imprisioned. That is how we will be judged. It is stunning to me sometimes to realize that much of what I think is important, much of what troubles me, much of what takes up so much of my time, has nothing to do with caring for "the least" of Jesus' brothers and sisters. Too often the "riches" of talents and energies and our place in the world so insulate us from the day to day life and struggle of the poor that we can be seduced into the path that leads to pride, rather than the holy and simplifying path that leads to humility.
It is an examination we all can make and we can continually pray for the grace to heed the loving warnings of Jesus and ask for the graces of conversion.
Lord, guide us, each in our own situation, to be freer to serve you and your people. With you, all things are possible, so we entrust ourselves and our world to your care today. You cannot have willed such a horrible gap between the very wealthy and the very poor. Your desire must be for the greater care and dignity of all your people, around the world. Help us to find a way for your Kingdom to come and your will to be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. And, simplify my heart, so I can even experience some of the dishonor and humiliation that the poor so often experience, so that I may know the humility that will draw me to your own compassionate heart.
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
GIDEON AND MIDIAN
“The last shall come first.” —Matthew 19:30
The Israelites were oppressed externally by the nation of Midian, and internally by their own idolatry. Joash the Abiezrite, father of Gideon, had built an altar to an idol (Jgs 6:25), as well as a sacred pole used in idol worship. God called the fearful Gideon to deliver Israel from Midianite oppression (Jgs 6:14).
When Gideon assembled a large army, God told him, “You have too many soldiers with you for Me to deliver Midian into [your] power” (Jgs 7:2). So, God told Gideon to send the fearful men home, which reduced the army to 32% of its original force. God said: “There are still too many soldiers” (Jgs 7:4). Then God devised a test to show which of those who were not afraid would be alert, ready, and prepared for battle (Jgs 7:5; cf Mt 25:1-13). After this test, less than 1% of the original soldiers remained. It was through these three-hundred lowly, obedient Israelites that God received glory when He delivered Israel through Gideon. God chooses the weak, “insignificant” (Jgs 6:15; cf 1 Cor 1:27), and lowly so that He will receive glory (see Ex 14:18). The last come first (Mt 19:30).
The victorious Gideon refused to grab the glory from the Lord. He instead told the people to subject themselves to the Lord instead of their former idols, saying: “The Lord must rule over you” (Jgs 8:23). God doesn’t need multitudes to be victorious. What He wants is Spirit-filled servants who abandon themselves to Him (Jgs 6:34) and leaders who put His will above all else (Jgs 6:25ff; Mt 19:29).
Prayer: Lord, I want to be a “champion” for You (Jgs 6:12).
Promise: “For man it is impossible; but for God all things are possible.” —Mt 19:26
Praise: Sam felt called to start a Catholic radio station. He persisted, overcoming numerous obstacles, and in so doing, led many back to the Church.
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
Was Jesus really against wealth (Matthew 19:23)? And why did he issue such a strong warning to the rich (as well as to the rest of us who desire to be rich)? We know that Jesus was not opposed to wealth per se, nor was he opposed to the wealthy. He had many friends who were well-to-do, including some notorious tax collectors! One even became an apostle! Jesus' warning reiterated the wisdom of the Old Testament: "Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is perverse in his ways" (Proverbs 28:6; see also Psalm 37:16). "Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to desist" (Proverbs 23:4).
We are all poor beggars in need of God
Jesus seems to say that it is nearly impossible for the rich to live as citizens of God's kingdom. The camel was regarded as the largest animal known by the Jews where Jesus lived and taught. The "eye of the needle" could be interpreted quite literally or it could figuratively describe the narrow and low gate of the city walls which was used by travelers when the larger public gate was locked at night. Normal sized people had to "lower" themselves to enter that gate. A camel would literally have to kneel and crawl through it. Until we humbly kneel before the Lord and acknowledge our total need and dependence on him, we will not find true peace, security, and happiness that can sustain us now and forever. Only God alone can satisfy our deepest need and longing.
Augustine of Hippo reminds us that we are all poor beggars of God.
"Even though you possess plenty, you are still poor. You abound in temporal possessions, but you need things eternal. You listen to the needs of a human beggar, yet you yourself are a beggar of God. What you do with those who beg from you is what God will do with his beggar. You are filled and you are empty. Fill your empty neighbor from your fullness, so that your emptiness may be filled with God's fullness." (Sermon 56,9)
Possessions can create false security and independence
Why is Jesus so cautious about wealth? Wealth can make us falsely independent. The church at Laodicea was warned about their attitude towards wealth and a false sense of security: "For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing" (Revelations 3:17). Wealth can also lead us into hurtful desires and selfishness (see 1 Timothy 6:9-10). Look at the lesson Jesus gave about the rich man and his sons who refused to aid the poor man Lazarus (see Luke 16:19ff). They neglected to serve God. Only those who put their trust in God and who depend on him, and who share what they have with those in need, will find true peace, security, and happiness which lead to everlasting life and joy in God's kingdom.
Where is your treasure?
The Scriptures give us a paradox - we lose what we keep and we gain what we give away. Generosity will be amply repaid, both in this life and in the age to come (Proverbs 3:9-10, Luke 6:38). Jesus offers us an incomparable treasure which no money can buy and no thief can steal. The thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure. Material wealth will shackle us, like a bound slave, to this earth unless we guard our heart and set our treasure in God and his kingdom of everlasting life and joy. Where is your treasure?
Lord Jesus, you have captured our hearts and opened to us the treasures of heaven. May you always be my treasure and delight and may nothing else keep me from giving you my all.
Psalm 85:8-13
8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.
12 Yes, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him, and make his footsteps a way.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Who can enter the kingdom of heaven? by John Chrysostom, 347-407 A.D.
"What then did Christ say? 'How difficult it will be for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.' He was not criticizing money itself but the wills of those who are taken captive by it. If it will be difficult for the rich, how much more so for the avaricious! For if stinginess with one's own wealth is an impediment to gaining the kingdom, think how much fire is amassed for taking someone else's. But why does he say that it is hard for the rich man to enter the kingdom, to the disciples, who were poor and had nothing? He teaches them not to be ashamed of their poverty and, as it were, gives the reason why he did not allow them to possess anything. After saying it is hard, he also shows them that it is impossible, and not simply impossible but even in an exaggerated way impossible. He shows this from the comparison of the camel and the needle: 'It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.' Hence Christ demonstrates that there is a significant reward for the wealthy who can practice self-denial. He also said that this had to be the work of God, that he might show that great grace is needed for anyone who is going to achieve it." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 63.2)
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