2021년 9월 19일 연중 제25주일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
<그에게 수치스러운 죽음을 내리자.>
지혜서 2,12.17-20
악인들이 말한다.
12 “의인에게 덫을 놓자. 그자는 우리를 성가시게 하는 자,
우리가 하는 일을 반대하며 율법을 어겨 죄를 지었다고 우리를 나무라고
교육받은 대로 하지 않아 죄를 지었다고 우리를 탓한다.
17 그의 말이 정말인지 두고 보자. 그의 최후가 어찌 될지 지켜보자.
18 의인이 정녕 하느님의 아들이라면 하느님께서 그를 도우시어
적대자들의 손에서 그를 구해 주실 것이다.
19 그러니 그를 모욕과 고통으로 시험해 보자.
그러면 그가 정말 온유한지 알 수 있을 것이고
그의 인내력을 시험해 볼 수 있을 것이다.
20 자기 말로 하느님께서 돌보신다고 하니
그에게 수치스러운 죽음을 내리자.”
제2독서
<의로움의 열매는 평화를 이루는 이들을 위하여 평화 속에서 심어집니다.>
야고보서 3,16─4,3
사랑하는 여러분, 16 시기와 이기심이 있는 곳에는 혼란과 온갖 악행도 있습니다.
17 그러나 위에서 오는 지혜는 먼저 순수하고,
그다음으로 평화롭고 관대하고 유순하며,
자비와 좋은 열매가 가득하고, 편견과 위선이 없습니다.
18 의로움의 열매는 평화를 이루는 이들을 위하여 평화 속에서 심어집니다.
4,1 여러분의 싸움은 어디에서 오며 여러분의 다툼은 어디에서 옵니까?
여러분의 지체들 안에서 분쟁을 일으키는
여러 가지 욕정에서 오는 것이 아닙니까?
2 여러분은 욕심을 부려도 얻지 못합니다.
살인까지 하며 시기를 해 보지만 얻어 내지 못합니다.
그래서 또 다투고 싸웁니다.
여러분이 가지지 못하는 것은 여러분이 청하지 않기 때문입니다.
3 여러분은 청하여도 얻지 못합니다.
여러분의 욕정을 채우는 데에 쓰려고 청하기 때문입니다.
복음
<사람의 아들은 넘겨질 것이다. 누구든지 첫째가 되려면, 모든 이의 종이 되어야 한다.>
마르코 9,30-37
그때에 예수님과 제자들은 30 갈릴래아를 가로질러 갔는데,
예수님께서는 누구에게도 알려지는 것을 원하지 않으셨다.
31 그분께서 “사람의 아들은 사람들의 손에 넘겨져 그들 손에 죽을 것이다.
그러나 그는 죽임을 당하였다가 사흘 만에 다시 살아날 것이다.” 하시면서,
제자들을 가르치고 계셨기 때문이다.
32 그러나 제자들은 그 말씀을 알아듣지 못하였을 뿐만 아니라
그분께 묻는 것도 두려워하였다.
33 그들은 카파르나움에 이르렀다.
예수님께서는 집 안에 계실 때에 제자들에게,
“너희는 길에서 무슨 일로 논쟁하였느냐?” 하고 물으셨다.
34 그러나 그들은 입을 열지 않았다.
누가 가장 큰 사람이냐 하는 문제로 길에서 논쟁하였기 때문이다.
35 예수님께서는 자리에 앉으셔서 열두 제자를 불러 말씀하셨다.
“누구든지 첫째가 되려면, 모든 이의 꼴찌가 되고 모든 이의 종이 되어야 한다.”
36 그러고 나서 어린이 하나를 데려다가 그들 가운데에 세우신 다음,
그를 껴안으시며 그들에게 이르셨다.
37 “누구든지 이런 어린이 하나를 내 이름으로 받아들이면 나를 받아들이는 것이다.
그리고 나를 받아들이는 사람은
나를 받아들이는 것이 아니라 나를 보내신 분을 받아들이는 것이다.”
September 19, 2021
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass
Reading 1
Wis 2:12, 17-20
The wicked say:
Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us;
he sets himself against our doings,
reproaches us for transgressions of the law
and charges us with violations of our training.
Let us see whether his words be true;
let us find out what will happen to him.
For if the just one be the son of God, God will defend him
and deliver him from the hand of his foes.
With revilement and torture let us put the just one to the test
that we may have proof of his gentleness
and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death;
for according to his own words, God will take care of him.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8
R. (6b)The Lord upholds my life.
O God, by your name save me,
and by your might defend my cause.
O God, hear my prayer;
hearken to the words of my mouth.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
For the haughty men have risen up against me,
the ruthless seek my life;
they set not God before their eyes.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
Behold, God is my helper;
the Lord sustains my life.
Freely will I offer you sacrifice;
I will praise your name, O LORD, for its goodness.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
Beloved:
Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,
there is disorder and every foul practice.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,
then peaceable, gentle, compliant,
full of mercy and good fruits,
without inconstancy or insincerity.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
for those who cultivate peace.
Where do the wars
and where do the conflicts among you come from?
Is it not from your passions
that make war within your members?
You covet but do not possess.
You kill and envy but you cannot obtain;
you fight and wage war.
You do not possess because you do not ask.
You ask but do not receive,
because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Gospel
Mk 9:30-37
Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee ,
but he did not wish anyone to know about it.
He was teaching his disciples and telling them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.”
But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to question him.
They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house,
he began to ask them,
“What were you arguing about on the way?”
But they remained silent.
They had been discussing among themselves on the way
who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,
“If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”
Taking a child, he placed it in the their midst,
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
This reflection is coming soon. Until then, here is a reflection on these readings by Fr. Rich Gabuzda, from 2015.
The Focus of Our Love
“‘What were you arguing about on the way?’ But they remained silent.”
In the silence that follows the simple question of Jesus, we cringe along with the disciples, almost intuiting the truth which comes then to explicit expression: “They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest.” Not having understood Jesus’ second prediction of his passion (and with it, the implication that their own lives would be drawn into that passion), they relate to one another in very human terms and according to human logic: If there’s a group, someone has to be on top!
The name given by the Letter of James to this all-too-human manner of thinking and acting is “selfish ambition,” which breeds, according to that same Letter, “disorder and every foul practice.” No small thing, this worrying about who is the greatest! James’ diagnosis of human discord, illustrated by Jesus’ friends, points to a disease that afflicts all human hearts, but one that has a particular effect on those closest to Jesus.
Focus on self remains in direct opposition to focus on God. No one can move toward God who remains focused on the self. The spiritual tradition of eastern Christianity names philautia, the love of self, as the “queen of all vices.” This remains true for all, but what of those “closest to Jesus”?
In a passage of his apostolic exhortation on evangelization, Pope Francis speaks to all those who work “in and for the Church,” cautioning them about the temptation to “spiritual worldliness.” That is, he warns about attitudes and behaviors that seek “not the Lord’s glory but human glory and personal well-being.” This, he goes on to say, can take on many forms, depending on the kinds of persons and groups into which it seeps. How can we avoid this? Pope Francis: “. . . by making the Church constantly go out from herself, keeping her mission focused on Jesus Christ, and her commitment to the poor.”
For all, but especially those who work “in and for the Church,” the gospel asks us to pay attention to the focus of our love: Love of self? Or love of Jesus and those whom he loves?
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
HATRED FOR CHRISTIANS
“What you desire you do not obtain, and so you resort to murder.” —James 4:2
In the beginning of the book of Wisdom, a group of people decided to beset, revile, and torture a just man (Wis 2:12, 19). They planned to “condemn him to a shameful death” (Wis 2:20). This group opposing the just man believed there was no life after death, “for haphazard were we born, and hereafter we shall be as though we had not been” (Wis 2:2). Therefore, they decided to “eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” (1 Cor 15:32)
Today, we call this group of people “secular humanists.” They believe man is the measure of all things and this world is all we should be concerned about. Secular humanists like to come across as tolerant. They espouse the philosophy that everybody should do their own thing. They accept and even encourage all kinds of deviant behavior, especially sexual perversions.
However, Christians are the one exemption to the secular humanists’ policy of tolerance. Secular humanists become militantly opposed to any expressions of Christian faith. They believe in free speech for everyone but Christians. They revile and torture Christians and conspire to condemn Christianity to a shameful death (see Lk 21:17). However, in doing this, they prove Christianity true and themselves wrong, as Christianity withstands their attempts to destroy it.
Prayer: Father, may I be worthy of being persecuted for love of You.
Promise: “If anyone wishes to rank first, he must remain the last one of all and the servant of all.” —Mk 9:35
Praise: “He asked life of You: You gave Him length of days forever and ever” (Ps 21:5). Risen Jesus, You are the eternal Son of God!
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
Whose glory do you seek? There can be no share in God's glory without the cross. When Jesus prophesied his own betrayal and crucifixion, it did not make any sense to his disciples because it did not fit their understanding of what the Messiah came to do. And they were afraid to ask further questions! Like a person who might receive a bad verdict from the doctor and then refuse to ask further questions, they, too, didn't want to know any more. How often do we reject what we do not wish to see? We have heard the good news of God's word and we know the consequences of accepting it or rejecting it. But do we give it our full allegiance and mold our lives according to it? Ask the Lord to fill you with his Holy Spirit and to inspire within you a reverence for his word and a readiness to obey it.
Do you compare yourself with others?
How ashamed the disciples must have been when Jesus overheard them arguing about who among them was the greatest! But aren't we like the disciples? We compare ourselves with others and desire their praise. The appetite for glory and greatness seems to be inbred in us. Who doesn't cherish the ambition to be "somebody" whom others admire rather than a "nobody"? Even the psalms speak about the glory God has destined for us. You have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor (Psalm 8:5).
Jesus made a dramatic gesture by embracing a child to show his disciples who really is the greatest in the kingdom of God. What can a little child possibly teach us about greatness? Children in the ancient world had no rights, position, or privileges of their own. They were socially at the "bottom of the rung" and at the service of their parents, much like the household staff and domestic servants.
Who is the greatest in God's kingdom?
What is the significance of Jesus' gesture? Jesus elevated a little child in the presence of his disciples by placing the child in a privileged position of honor. It is customary, even today, to seat the guest of honor at the right side of the host. Who is the greatest in God's kingdom? The one who is humble and lowly of heart - who instead of asserting their rights willingly empty themselves of pride and self-seeking glory by taking the lowly position of a servant or child.
Jesus, himself, is our model. He came not to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Paul the Apostle states that Jesus emptied himself and took the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7). Jesus lowered himself (he whose place is at the right hand of God the Father) and took on our lowly nature that he might raise us up and clothe us in his divine nature.
God wants to fill us with his own glory
God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). If we want to be filled with God's life and power, then we need to empty ourselves of everything which stands in the way - pride, self-seeking glory, vanity, etc. God wants empty vessels so he can fill them with his own glory, power, and love (2 Corinthians 4:7). Are you ready to humble yourself and to serve as Jesus did?
Lord Jesus, by your cross you have redeemed the world and revealed your glory and triumph over sin and death. May I never fail to see your glory and victory in the cross. Help me to conform my life to your will and to follow in your way of holiness.
Psalm 54:1-7, 22
1 Save me, O God, by your name, and vindicate me by your might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For insolent men have risen against me, ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before them. [Selah]
4 Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.
5 He will requite my enemies with evil; in your faithfulness put an end to them.
6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.
7 For you have delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Downward roots enable upward growth, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Observe a tree, how it first tends downwards, that it may then shoot forth upwards. It fastens its root low in the ground, that it may send forth its top towards heaven. Is it not from humility that it endeavors to rise? But without humility it will not attain to higher things (Proverbs 18:12). You are wanting to grow up into the air without a root. Such is not growth, but a collapse." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, SERMON 38.2)
More Homilies
September 23, 2018 Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
