2021년 9월 26일 연중 제26주일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
<너는 나를 생각하여 시기하는 것이냐? 차라리 주님의 온 백성이 예언자였으면 좋겠다.>
민수기. 11,25-29
그 무렵 25 주님께서 구름 속에서 내려오시어 모세와 말씀하시고,
그에게 있는 영을 조금 덜어 내시어 일흔 명의 원로들에게 내려 주셨다.
그 영이 그들에게 내려 머무르자 그들이 예언하였다.
그러나 다시는 예언하지 않았다.
26 그때에 두 사람이 진영에 남아 있었는데,
한 사람의 이름은 엘닷이고 다른 사람의 이름은 메닷이었다.
그런데 명단에 들어 있으면서 천막으로 나가지 않은 이 사람들에게도
영이 내려 머무르자, 그들이 진영에서 예언하였다.
27 한 소년이 달려와서,
“엘닷과 메닷이 진영에서 예언하고 있습니다.” 하고 모세에게 알렸다.
28 그러자 젊을 때부터 모세의 시종으로 일해 온, 눈의 아들 여호수아가 말하였다.
“저의 주인이신 모세님, 그들을 말리셔야 합니다.”
29 모세가 그에게 말하였다.
“너는 나를 생각하여 시기하는 것이냐?
차라리 주님의 온 백성이 예언자였으면 좋겠다.
주님께서 그들에게 당신의 영을 내려 주셨으면 좋겠다.”
제2독서
<그대들의 재물은 썩었습니다.>
야고보서. 5,1-6
1 자 이제, 부자들이여!
그대들에게 닥쳐오는 재난을 생각하며 소리 높여 우십시오.
2 그대들의 재물은 썩었고 그대들의 옷은 좀먹었습니다.
3 그대들의 금과 은은 녹슬었으며, 그 녹이 그대들을 고발하는 증거가 되고
불처럼 그대들의 살을 삼켜 버릴 것입니다.
그대들은 이 마지막 때에도 재물을 쌓기만 하였습니다.
4 보십시오, 그대들의 밭에서 곡식을 벤 일꾼들에게 주지 않고 가로챈 품삯이
소리를 지르고 있습니다.
곡식을 거두어들인 일꾼들의 아우성이 만군의 주님 귀에 들어갔습니다.
5 그대들은 이 세상에서 사치와 쾌락을 누렸고,
살육의 날에도 마음을 기름지게 하였습니다.
6 그대들은 의인을 단죄하고 죽였습니다.
그러나 그는 그대들에게 저항하지 않았습니다.
복음
<우리를 반대하지 않는 이는 우리를 지지하는 사람이다. 네 손이 너를 죄짓게 하거든 그것을 잘라 버려라.>
마르코. 9,38-43.45.47-48
그때에 38 요한이 예수님께 말하였다.
“스승님,
어떤 사람이 스승님의 이름으로 마귀를 쫓아내는 것을 저희가 보았습니다.
그런데 그가 저희를 따르는 사람이 아니므로,
저희는 그가 그런 일을 못 하게 막아 보려고 하였습니다.”
39 그러자 예수님께서 이르셨다.
“막지 마라. 내 이름으로 기적을 일으키고 나서,
바로 나를 나쁘게 말할 수 있는 사람은 없다.
40 우리를 반대하지 않는 이는 우리를 지지하는 사람이다.
41 내가 진실로 너희에게 말한다.
너희가 그리스도의 사람이기 때문에 너희에게 마실 물 한 잔이라도 주는 이는,
자기가 받을 상을 결코 잃지 않을 것이다.
42 나를 믿는 이 작은 이들 가운데 하나라도 죄짓게 하는 자는,
연자매를 목에 걸고 바다에 던져지는 편이 오히려 낫다.
43 네 손이 너를 죄짓게 하거든 그것을 잘라 버려라.
두 손을 가지고 지옥에, 그 꺼지지 않는 불에 들어가는 것보다,
불구자로 생명에 들어가는 편이 낫다.
45 네 발이 너를 죄짓게 하거든 그것을 잘라 버려라.
두 발을 가지고 지옥에 던져지는 것보다,
절름발이로 생명에 들어가는 편이 낫다.
47 또 네 눈이 너를 죄짓게 하거든 그것을 빼 던져 버려라.
두 눈을 가지고 지옥에 던져지는 것보다,
외눈박이로 하느님 나라에 들어가는 편이 낫다.
48 지옥에서는 그들을 파먹는 구더기도 죽지 않고 불도 꺼지지 않는다.”
September 26, 2021
Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass
Reading 1
Nm 11:25-29
The LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses.
Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses,
the LORD bestowed it on the seventy elders;
and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied.
Now two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad,
were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp.
They too had been on the list, but had not gone out to the tent;
yet the spirit came to rest on them also,
and they prophesied in the camp.
So, when a young man quickly told Moses,
"Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp, "
Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses' aide, said,
"Moses, my lord, stop them."
But Moses answered him,
"Are you jealous for my sake?
Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!
Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!"
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14
R. (9a) The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
the decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Though your servant is careful of them,
very diligent in keeping them,
yet who can detect failings?
Cleanse me from my unknown faults!
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
From wanton sin especially, restrain your servant;
let it not rule over me.
Then shall I be blameless and innocent
of serious sin.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Reading 2
Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten,
your gold and silver have corroded,
and that corrosion will be a testimony against you;
it will devour your flesh like a fire.
You have stored up treasure for the last days.
Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers
who harvested your fields are crying aloud;
and the cries of the harvesters
have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure;
you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.
You have condemned;
you have murdered the righteous one;
he offers you no resistance.
Alleluia
Cf. Jn 17:17b, 17a
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
"Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us."
Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.
Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
Why would we be jealous unless we are angling to be first at something? I grew up in a family of ten siblings, seven brothers and two sisters. I was one of the two in the middle and had three older brothers and four younger. One sister was the oldest and one the youngest. It was a competitive crowd to be a part of. In struggling to get attention and approval from our overworked parents we often fought over who was “better” or “more loved.” It may not have been that obvious, it might have been over the value of Christmas gifts, or the time spent with each of us, but there were signs and symbols easy to discover that encouraged us to be jealous of anyone else’s success.
The passages from today’s liturgy – both about Moses’ leadership group of 72 and Jesus’ leadership group of 12 – challenge me every time I ponder them. All too often it is easy to look at life as a “zero sum” game where there are never enough material resources for all the projects to be supported, never enough time and emotional energy for everyone to be assured of their innate value. Competition is therefore built in, both to reward the “extra edge” that someone has and to protect the parents or teachers or bosses from being perceived as favoring someone (they still are, of course) or to put everyone in the right category or even caste. We even treat love itself as a commodity that is limited. Unfortunately, our experience shows us that humans are indeed limited; there is only so much “love” in terms of time, attention, gifts etc. to be given.
But shortly after college I was privileged to make the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius in a directed 30-day retreat. There I discovered that God is limitless. There are no boundaries on Divine Love. Furthermore, it cannot be earned or manipulated. It is freely and infinitely given.
The amazing process of unlearning the dynamics of budgeted love and embracing instead the stunning generosity of limitless compassion as pure and undeserved gift, is a huge challenge. When I think of Jesus gazing on the disciples with this kind of love after they have been sniping behind his back or cutting each other down I realize why it is so difficult for us to cooperate with God in overcoming racism or various forms of categorization of human superiority (such as money, education, or talent). While we engage in untruths, we project the lies we tell ourselves onto others, while we profess care, we ignore; while we seem to admire others, we think of ways “to be better than” they are. We even take terms for core spiritual values that build up the Reign of God and use them as weapons to overcome God’s Reign.
“Magis” is one of those loaded words that becomes a tool to make us idolators. The Ignatian implication of the Latin word is a shorthand for doing all that one can do for the sake of God’s Reign and to express gratitude for God’s glory, It involves engaging with children and those who are not valued; discovering not what we can do for them, but what God wants to do for us and for all together. To be about Magis is not to be smarter, richer or more charming (necessarily) but is precisely to do what will bring God the “greater glory.”
If my talent makes me think I am better, it will drive me outside of God’s love (Gehenna). It is better to give up such a gift than to end up in hell for the applause and admiration it brought me.
That is quite an invitation on this beautiful day in the Kingdom of God.
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
JEALOUS CHRISTIANS
“Are you jealous?” —Numbers 11:29
People who have been given a new life in Jesus and are filled with the Spirit seem especially tempted to spiritual jealousy. They’re jealous of Eldad and Medad prophesying (Nm 11:29), of Moses leading (Nm 12:1), of a stranger expelling demons (Mk 9:38), or of John and James trying to get a “spiritual” promotion (Mt 20:24).
The Lord does not tolerate spiritual jealousy. Miriam became a snow-white leper after her outbreak of jealousy against Moses (Nm 12:10). Jesus said that being drowned or maimed is preferable to falling into the sin of spiritual jealousy (Mk 9:42-47). The first murder was committed because of spiritual jealousy. Cain was jealous that Abel’s offering was accepted by God and his own was not (Gn 4:4-5). Jesus was crucified because of the jealousy of the religious leaders (Mt 27:18). The Jews of Antioch in Pisidia persecuted Paul and Barnabas because of jealousy (Acts 13:45).
Some of history’s worst sins can be attributed to spiritual jealousy. Resist any temptations to jealousy and repent of any sins of jealousy.
Prayer: Father, may I rejoice that others are more gifted and more honored than I am.
Promise: “Any man who gives you a drink of water because you belong to Christ will not, I assure you, go without his reward.” —Mk 9:41
Praise: “He has robbed death of its power and has brought life and immortality into clear light through the gospel” (2 Tm 1:10). Risen Jesus, You are worthy of praise!
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
Do you rejoice in the good that others do? Jesus reprimands his disciples for their jealousy and suspicion. They were upset that someone who was not of their company was performing a good work in the name of Jesus. They even "forbade" the man "because he was not following us". Jesus' reply is filled with wisdom: "No one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me." Are we not like the disciples when we get upset at the good deeds of others who seem to shine more than us? Paul says that "love is not jealous... but rejoices in the right" (1 Corinthians 13:4,6).
Love does not envy others
Envy and jealousy, its counterpart, are sinful because they lead us to sorrow over what should make us rejoice - namely, our neighbor's good. The reason we may grieve over another's good is that somehow we see that good as lessening our own value or excellence. Envy forms when we believe that the other person's advantage or possession diminishes or brings disgrace on us. Envy is contrary to love. Both the object of love and the object of envy is our neighbor's good, but by contrary movements, since love rejoices in our neighbor's good, while envy grieves over it.
The love of God frees us from envy and jealousy
How can we overcome envy? With the love that God has put into our hearts through the gift of the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). The Holy Spirit purifies our heart and frees us from our disordered passions, such as envy, jealously, greed, and bitterness. God's love is a generous and selfless love which is wholly oriented towards our good. The love that God places in our hearts seeks the highest good of our neighbor. God's love purifies and frees us from all envy and jealousy - and it compels us to give generously, especially to those who lack what they need.
Love gives freely and generously in kind deeds
Every one in need has a claim on us because they are dear to God who created them in his own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). God created us in love for love. We are most free and happy when we love as he loves. The love and charitable help we show to our neighbor also expresses the gratitude we have for the abundant mercy and kindness of God towards us. Jesus declared that any kindness shown and any help given to those in need would not lose its reward. Jesus never refused to give to anyone in need who asked for his help. As his disciples we are called to be kind and generous as he is. Are you grateful for God's mercy and kindness towards you and are you ready to show that same kindness and generosity towards your neighbor?
Gregory of Nyssa (330-395 AD), an early church father wrote:
"God never asks his servants to do what is impossible. The love and goodness of his Godhead is revealed as richly available. It is poured out like water upon all. God furnishes to each person according to his will the ability to do something good. None of those seeking to be saved will be lacking in this ability, given by the one who said: 'whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward'" (ON THE CHRISTIAN MODE OF LIFE 8.1)
Those who show kindness and charity will be greatly rewarded
Who in their right mind would want to lose their reward and then be deprived of joy in the end? We have been given the greatest of rewards - God himself who is perfect love and source of abundant life and unending happiness. Paul the Apostle tells us that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit" (Romans 5:5). God's love purifies our hearts and compels us to express kindness and charity towards our neighbor who is created in the image and likeness of God. Do you allow the love of Christ to transform your heart that you may treat your neighbor with loving-kindness and mercy?
Avoiding evil and the near occasion of sin
Was Jesus' exaggerating when he urged his followers to use drastic measures to avoid evil and its harmful consequences (Mark 9:42-47)? Jesus set before his disciples the one supreme goal in life that is worth any sacrifice, and that goal is God himself and his will for our lives which leads to everlasting peace and happiness. Just as a doctor might remove a limb or some part of the body in order to preserve the life of the whole body, so we must be ready to part with anything that causes us to sin and which leads to spiritual death.
Jesus warns his disciples of the terrible responsibility that they must set no stumbling block in the way of another, that is, not give offense or bad example that might lead another to sin. The Greek word for temptation (scandalon) is exactly the same as the English word scandal. The original meaning of scandal is a trap or a stumbling block which causes one to trip and fall. The Jews held that it was an unforgivable sin to teach another to sin. If we teach another to sin, he or she in turn may teach still another, until a train of sin is set in motion with no foreseeable end. The young in faith are especially vulnerable to the bad example of those who should be passing on the faith. Do you set a good example for others to follow, especially the young?
Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may radiate the joy of the Gospel to others. May your light and truth shine through me that others may find new life and joy in you, and freedom from sin and oppression.
Psalm 49:1-10
1 Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high, rich and poor together!
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,
6 men who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly no man can ransom himself, or give to God the price of his life,
8 for the ransom of his life is costly, and can never suffice,
9 that he should continue to live on for ever, and never see the Pit.
10 Yes, he shall see that even the wise die, the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Encouraging good works done in Christ, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"We ought not be disturbed because some who do not belong or do not yet belong to this temple, that is, among whom God does not or does not yet dwell, perform some works of power, as happened to the one who cast out devils in the name of Christ (Mark 9:38, Luke 9:49). Although he was not a follower of Christ, Christ ordered that he be allowed to continue because it gave a valuable testimony of his name to many... The centurion Cornelius also saw the angel that was sent to him to say that his prayers had been heard and his alms accepted (Acts 10:3-4), even before he was incorporated into this temple by regeneration." (excerpt from LETTER 187, TO DARDANUS 36)
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