August 21, 2021 Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

2021년 8월 21일 연중 제20주간 토요일

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

제1독서

<주님께서 그대에게 대를 이을 구원자가 끊어지지 않게 해 주셨다. 그가 다윗의 아버지인 이사이의 아버지다.>

룻기. 2,1-3.8-11; 4,13-17
 엘리멜렉의 아내 1 나오미에게는 남편 쪽으로 친족이 한 사람 있었다.

그는 엘리멜렉 가문으로 재산가였는데 이름은 보아즈였다.
2 모압 여자 룻이 나오미에게 말하였다.
“들로 나가, 저에게 호의를 베풀어 주는 사람 뒤에서 이삭을 주울까 합니다.”
나오미가 룻에게 “그래 가거라, 내 딸아.” 하고 말하였다.
3 그래서 룻은 들로 나가 수확꾼들 뒤를 따르며 이삭을 줍는데,
우연히 엘리멜렉 가문인 보아즈의 밭에 이르게 되었다.
8 보아즈가 룻에게 말하였다.
“내 딸아, 들어라. 이삭을 주우러 다른 밭으로 갈 것 없다.
여기에서 멀리 가지 말고 내 여종들 곁에 있어라.
9 수확하는 밭에서 눈을 떼지 말고 있다가 여종들 뒤를 따라가거라.
내가 종들에게 너를 건드리지 말라고 분명하게 명령하였다.
목이 마르거든 그릇 있는 데로 가서 종들이 길어다 놓은 물을 마셔라.”
10 그러자 룻은 얼굴을 땅에 대고 절하며 그에게 말하였다.
“저는 이방인인데,
저에게 호의를 베풀어 주시고 생각해 주시니 어찌 된 영문입니까?”
11 보아즈가 대답하였다.
“네 남편이 죽은 다음 네가 시어머니에게 한 일과
또 네 아버지와 어머니 그리고 네 고향을 떠나
전에는 알지도 못하던 겨레에게 온 것을 내가 다 잘 들었다.”
4,13 이렇게 보아즈가 룻을 맞이하여 룻은 그의 아내가 되었다.
그가 룻과 한자리에 드니, 주님께서 점지해 주시어 룻이 아들을 낳았다.
14 그러자 아낙네들이 나오미에게 말하였다.
“오늘 그대에게 대를 이을 구원자가 끊어지지 않게 해 주신
주님께서는 찬미받으시기를 빕니다.
이 아이의 이름이 이스라엘에서 기려지기를 바랍니다.
15 그대를 사랑하고 그대에게는 아들 일곱보다 더 나은 며느리가 아들을 낳았으니,
이제 이 아기가 그대의 생기를 북돋우고 그대의 노후를 돌보아 줄 것입니다.”
16 나오미는 아기를 받아 품에 안았다.
나오미가 그 아기의 양육자가 된 것이다.
17 이웃 아낙네들은 그 아기의 이름을 부르며,
“나오미가 아들을 보았네.” 하고 말하였다.
그의 이름은 오벳이라 하였는데, 그가 다윗의 아버지인 이사이의 아버지다.

 

복음

<그들은 말만 하고 실행하지는 않는다.>

마태오. 23,1-12
1 그때에 예수님께서 군중과 제자들에게 말씀하셨다.

2 “율법 학자들과 바리사이들은 모세의 자리에 앉아 있다.
3 그러니 그들이 너희에게 말하는 것은 다 실행하고 지켜라.
그러나 그들의 행실은 따라 하지 마라.
그들은 말만 하고 실행하지는 않는다.
4 또 그들은 무겁고 힘겨운 짐을 묶어 다른 사람들 어깨에 올려놓고,
자기들은 그것을 나르는 일에 손가락 하나 까딱하려고 하지 않는다.
5 그들이 하는 일이란 모두 다른 사람들에게 보이기 위한 것이다.
그래서 성구갑을 넓게 만들고 옷자락 술을 길게 늘인다.
6 잔칫집에서는 윗자리를, 회당에서는 높은 자리를 좋아하고,
7 장터에서 인사받기를, 사람들에게 스승이라고 불리기를 좋아한다.
8 그러나 너희는 스승이라고 불리지 않도록 하여라.
너희의 스승님은 한 분뿐이시고 너희는 모두 형제다.
9 또 이 세상 누구도 아버지라고 부르지 마라.
너희의 아버지는 오직 한 분, 하늘에 계신 그분뿐이시다.
10 그리고 너희는 선생이라고 불리지 않도록 하여라.
너희의 선생님은 그리스도 한 분뿐이시다.
11 너희 가운데에서 가장 높은 사람은
너희를 섬기는 사람이 되어야 한다.
12 누구든지 자신을 높이는 이는 낮아지고
자신을 낮추는 이는 높아질 것이다.”

August 21, 2021  

Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Daily Readings — Audio

Daily Reflections — Video

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ 

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

Reading 1
Ru 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17
Naomi had a prominent kinsman named Boaz,
of the clan of her husband Elimelech.
Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi,
“Let me go and glean ears of grain in the field
of anyone who will allow me that favor.”
Naomi said to her, “Go, my daughter,” and she went.
The field she entered to glean after the harvesters
happened to be the section belonging to Boaz
of the clan of Elimelech.

Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter!
Do not go to glean in anyone else’s field;
you are not to leave here.
Stay here with my women servants.
Watch to see which field is to be harvested, and follow them;
I have commanded the young men to do you no harm.
When you are thirsty, you may go and drink from the vessels
the young men have filled.”
Casting herself prostrate upon the ground, Ruth said to him,
“Why should I, a foreigner, be favored with your notice?”
Boaz answered her:
“I have had a complete account of what you have done
for your mother-in-law after your husband’s death;
you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth,
and have come to a people whom you did not know previously.”

Boaz took Ruth.
When they came together as man and wife,
the LORD enabled her to conceive and she bore a son.
Then the women said to Naomi,
“Blessed is the LORD who has not failed
to provide you today with an heir!
May he become famous in Israel !
He will be your comfort and the support of your old age,
for his mother is the daughter-in-law who loves you.
She is worth more to you than seven sons!”
Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and became his nurse.
And the neighbor women gave him his name,
at the news that a grandson had been born to Naomi.
They called him Obed.
He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 128:1b-2, 3, 4, 5
R.  (4)  See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R.   See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
You wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R.  See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
R.  See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
The LORD bless you from Zion :
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R.  See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.

Gospel
Mt 23:1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
“The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one　on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

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

 Jesus’ words in Matthew give us great food for thought: Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.

Motivational speakers and pop psychologists have made a good living off talks, workshops, and books based on this Bible verse. They have bombarded us with adages such as, “You preach a better sermon with how you live your life than with your lips,” “The best way to succeed in life is to act on the advice we give others,” “Is it fair to ask of others what we are not willing to do ourselves?” and, “It is always the ones with the dirty hands pointing the finger.”

So, why are we so interested in this topic? Because marrow deep all of us want to live our lives with meaning and purpose. We all want to know that our all-too-brief time on this earth was not just one big platitude, but that our actions, as well as our words, made a difference. That how we conducted ourselves and how we lived our lives had a positive impact on our loved ones, on our communities and to those in need.

To practice what we preach sounds easy, but it is so, so hard to do. What can we do to make this important task more manageable, as part of our daily lives and how we interact with others?

Maybe like the Olympic athletes we just watched; we should get a coach to help keep us focused on our goals. And what better coach could we have than the Lord, for he is with us in times of strength and in times of weakness, and when we are searching for solace in his warm daily embrace of each and everyone of us. Through the Holy Spirit, God is present and ready to shape and mold us into the type of persons we all desperately want to be. Always prodding us to strive for the Magis, to become better in each and everything we do.

As we reflect on our shortcomings, do not despair, for we have the best set of coaches any athlete could ever hope for. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are there to help us achieve our aspirational goals.

As we go about our daily routines this week, let’s make a concerted effort to pray more. Let’s not be satisfied with the 12 minutes to read the Daily Readings and Reflection but carve out some additional time during the day to let God into our lives and to feel his presence. Maybe by putting more energy and focus into our prayer life, we can practice what we preach and live lives that not only have meaning and purpose but give glory to our Lord and Savior.

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

 

HAVE YOU HUGGED YOUR PASTOR TODAY?

“The scribes and the Pharisees have succeeded Moses as teachers; therefore, do everything and observe everything they tell you. But do not follow their example.” —Matthew 23:2-3

At times, people belong to churches where pastors, priests, and ministers do not live holy lives. Some pastors have not even turned their lives over to Jesus. Some stifle the Spirit (1 Thes 5:19) and are even unknowingly used by Satan. What do you do under these circumstances? Do you leave the church? No, you don’t leave the body because of one part. 

Your pastor needs love and respect. Give him God’s kind of love: unconditional love. Sure, you and many others may have been hurt by the pastor. You are grieved to see your pastor working for rather than against the devil. Nonetheless, love him unconditionally. God does, and He’s calling you to do the same. Love is “the way which surpasses all the others” (1 Cor 12:31). “Love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Pt 4:8). Love is as strong as death (Sg 8:6, RSV-CE). “Love casts out all fear” (1 Jn 4:18). “Love never fails” (1 Cor 13:8).

It’s still possible that after all that’s happened, you may not be able to love your pastor. Pray for that grace.

Prayer:  Father, may our churches be characterized by unconditional love. May I begin a wave of unconditional love. May they know we are Christians by our love (see Jn 13:35).

Promise:  “Blessed is the Lord Who has not failed to provide you today with an heir! May he become famous in Israel! He will be your comfort and the support of your old age.” —Ru 4:14-15

Praise:  Pope St. Pius X fought modernism by renewing the Church, especially the early reception of the Eucharist.

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

 Who doesn't desire the praise and respect of others? We want others to see us at our best with all of our strengths and achievements - rather than at our worst with all of our faults and shortcomings. God sees us as we truly are - sinners and beggars always in need of his mercy, help, and guidance. Jesus warned the scribes and Pharisees, the teachers and rulers of Israel, to teach and serve their people with humility and sincerity rather than with pride and self-promotion. They went to great lengths to draw attention to their religious status and practices. In a way they wanted to be good models of observant Jews. "See how well we observe all the ritual rules and regulations of our religion!" In their misguided zeal for religion they sought recognition and honor for themselves rather than for God. They made the practice of their faith a burden rather than a joy for the people they were supposed to serve.

True respect for God inclines us to humble ourselves and to submit to his wisdom and guidance. We cannot be taught by God unless we first learn to listen to his word and then obey his instruction.

One Father and Teacher
Was Jesus against calling anyone a rabbi, the Jewish title for a teacher of God's word (Matthew 23:7-8), or a father? The law of Moses in Scripture specifically instructed all fathers to be teachers and instructors for their children to help them understand and obey God's instructions (Deuteronomy 6:7)? Why did Jesus rebuke the scribes and Pharisees, the religious authorities of the Jewish people, in the presence of his disciples? Jesus wanted to warn both his own disciples and the religious leaders about the temptation to seek honors and titles that draw attention to ourselves in place of God and his word. Pride tempts us to put ourselves first above others.

The Scriptures give ample warning about the danger of self-seeking pride: Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; Proverbs 3:24). Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD), an early Christian teacher and bible scholar, reminds those who teach and lead to remember that they are first and foremost "disciples" and "servants" who sit at the feet of their Master and Teacher the Lord Jesus Christ:

"You have one teacher, and you are all brothers to each other...Whoever ministers with the divine word does not put himself forward to be called teacher, for he knows that when he performs well it is Christ who is within him. He should only call himself servant according to the command of Christ, saying, Whoever is greater among you, let him be the servant of all."

True humility
Respect for God and for his ways inclines us to humility and to simplicity of heart - the willing readiness to seek the one true good who is God himself. What is the nature of true humility and why should we embrace it as essential for our lives? We can easily mistake humility as something demeaning or harmful to our sense of well-being and feeling good about ourselves. True humility is not feeling bad about yourself, or having a low opinion of yourself, or thinking of yourself as inferior to all others. True humility frees us from preoccupation with ourselves, whereas a low self-opinion tends to focus our attention on ourselves. Humility is truth in self-understanding and truth in action. Viewing ourselves honestly, with sober judgment, means seeing ourselves the way God sees us (Psalm 139:1-4).

A humble person makes a realistic assessment of oneself without illusion or pretense to be something one is not. A truly humble person regards oneself neither smaller nor larger than one truly is. True humility frees us to be ourselves as God regards us and to avoid falling into despair and pride. A humble person does not want to wear a mask or put on a facade in order to look good to others. Such a person is not swayed by accidentals, such as fame, reputation, success, or failure. Do you know the joy of Christ-like humility and simplicity of heart?

Humility is the queen or foundation of all the other virtues because it enables us to see and judge correctly, the way God sees. Humility helps us to be teachable so we can acquire true knowledge, wisdom, and an honest view of reality. It directs our energy, zeal, and will to give ourselves to something greater than ourselves. Humility frees us to love and serve others willingly and selflessly, for their own sake, rather than for our own. Paul the Apostle gives us the greatest example and model of humility in the person of Jesus Christ, who emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and... who humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:7-8). Do you want to be a servant as Jesus loved and served others? The Lord Jesus gives us his heart - the heart of a servant who seeks the good of others and puts their interests first in his care and concern for them.

Lord Jesus, you became a servant for my sake to set me free from the tyranny of selfish pride and self-concern. Teach me to be humble as you are humble and to love others generously with selfless service and kindness.

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: God is our father and teacher, by Jerome(347-420 AD)

"No one should be called teacher or father except God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is the Father, because all things are from him. He alone is the teacher, because through him are made all things and through him all things are reconciled to God. But one might ask, 'Is it against this precept when the apostle calls himself the teacher of the Gentiles? Or when, as in colloquial speech widely found in the monasteries of Egypt and Palestine, they call each other Father?' Remember this distinction. It is one thing to be a father or a teacher by nature, another to be so by generosity. For when we call a man father and reserve the honor of his age, we may thereby be failing to honor the Author of our own lives. One is rightly called a teacher only from his association with the true Teacher. I repeat: The fact that we have one God and one Son of God through nature does not prevent others from being understood as sons of God by adoption. Similarly this does not make the terms father and teacher useless or prevent others from being called father."(excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW)

 

 

More Homilies

August 26, 2017 Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time