2021년 9월 30일 연중 제26주간 목요일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
<에즈라가 율법서를 펴고 주님을 찬양하자 온 백성은 “아멘, 아멘!” 하고 응답하였다.>
느헤미야기 8,1-4ㄱ.5-6.7ㄴ-12
그 무렵 1 온 백성이 일제히 ‘물 문’ 앞 광장에 모여,
율법 학자 에즈라에게 주님께서 이스라엘에게 명령하신
모세의 율법서를 가져오도록 청하였다.
2 에즈라 사제는 남자와 여자,
그리고 말귀를 알아들을 수 있는 모든 이로 이루어진 회중 앞에
율법서를 가져왔다. 때는 일곱째 달 초하룻날이었다.
3 그는 ‘물 문’ 앞 광장에서, 해 뜰 때부터 한낮이 되기까지
남자와 여자와 알아들을 수 있는 이들에게 그것을 읽어 주었다.
백성은 모두 율법서의 말씀에 귀를 기울였다.
4 율법 학자 에즈라는 이 일에 쓰려고 만든 나무 단 위에 섰다.
5 에즈라는 온 백성보다 높은 곳에 자리를 잡았으므로,
그들이 모두 보는 앞에서 책을 폈다. 그가 책을 펴자 온 백성이 일어섰다.
6 에즈라가 위대하신 주 하느님을 찬양하자,
온 백성은 손을 쳐들고 “아멘, 아멘!” 하고 응답하였다.
그런 다음에 무릎을 꿇고 땅에 엎드려 주님께 경배하였다.
7 그러자 레위인들이 백성에게 율법을 가르쳐 주었다. 백성은 그대로 서 있었다.
8 그들은 그 책, 곧 하느님의 율법을 번역하고 설명하면서 읽어 주었다.
그래서 백성은 읽어 준 것을 알아들을 수 있었다.
9 느헤미야 총독과 율법 학자며 사제인 에즈라와
백성을 가르치던 레위인들이 온 백성에게 타일렀다.
“오늘은 주 여러분의 하느님께 거룩한 날이니, 슬퍼하지도 울지도 마십시오.”
율법의 말씀을 들으면서 온 백성이 울었기 때문이다.
10 에즈라가 다시 그들에게 말하였다.
“가서 맛있는 음식을 먹고 단 술을 마시십시오.
오늘은 우리 주님께 거룩한 날이니,
미처 마련하지 못한 이에게는 그의 몫을 보내 주십시오.
주님께서 베푸시는 기쁨이 바로 여러분의 힘이니, 서러워하지들 마십시오.”
11 레위인들도 “오늘은 거룩한 날이니, 조용히 하고 서러워하지들 마십시오.” 하며
온 백성을 진정시켰다.
12 온 백성은 자기들에게 선포된 말씀을 알아들었으므로,
가서 먹고 마시고 몫을 나누어 보내며 크게 기뻐하였다.
복음
<너희의 평화가 그 사람 위에 머무를 것이다.>
루카 10,1-12
그때에 1 주님께서는 다른 제자 일흔두 명을 지명하시어,
몸소 가시려는 모든 고을과 고장으로 당신에 앞서 둘씩 보내시며,
2 그들에게 말씀하셨다. “수확할 것은 많은데 일꾼은 적다.
그러니 수확할 밭의 주인님께 일꾼들을 보내 주십사고 청하여라.
3 가거라. 나는 이제 양들을 이리 떼 가운데로 보내는 것처럼 너희를 보낸다.
4 돈주머니도 여행 보따리도 신발도 지니지 말고,
길에서 아무에게도 인사하지 마라.
5 어떤 집에 들어가거든 먼저 ‘이 집에 평화를 빕니다.’ 하고 말하여라.
6 그 집에 평화를 받을 사람이 있으면 너희의 평화가 그 사람 위에 머무르고,
그렇지 않으면 너희에게 되돌아올 것이다.
7 같은 집에 머무르면서 주는 것을 먹고 마셔라.
일꾼이 품삯을 받는 것은 당연하다. 이 집 저 집으로 옮겨 다니지 마라.
8 어떤 고을에 들어가든지 너희를 받아들이면 차려 주는 음식을 먹어라.
9 그곳 병자들을 고쳐 주며,
‘하느님의 나라가 여러분에게 가까이 왔습니다.’ 하고 말하여라.
10 어떤 고을에 들어가든지 너희를 받아들이지 않으면 한길에 나가 말하여라.
11 ‘여러분의 고을에서 우리 발에 묻은 먼지까지
여러분에게 털어 버리고 갑니다.
그러나 이것만은 알아 두십시오. 하느님의 나라가 가까이 왔습니다.’
12 내가 너희에게 말한다. 그날에는 소돔이 그 고을보다 견디기 쉬울 것이다.”
September 30, 2021
Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass
Reading 1
Neh 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12
The whole people gathered as one in the open space before the Water Gate,
and they called upon Ezra the scribe
to bring forth the book of the law of Moses
which the LORD prescribed for Israel.
On the first day of the seventh month, therefore,
Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly,
which consisted of men, women,
and those children old enough to understand.
Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate,
he read out of the book from daybreak until midday,
in the presence of the men, the women,
and those children old enough to understand;
and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform
that had been made for the occasion.
He opened the scroll
so that all the people might see it
(for he was standing higher up than any of the people);
and, as he opened it, all the people rose.
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God,
and all the people, their hands raised high, answered,
“Amen, amen!”
Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD,
their faces to the ground.
As the people remained in their places,
Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God,
interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.
Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest-scribe
and the Levites who were instructing the people
said to all the people:
“Today is holy to the LORD your God.
Do not be sad, and do not weep”–
for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.
He said further: “Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks,
and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared;
for today is holy to our LORD.
Do not be saddened this day,
for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!”
And the Levites quieted all the people, saying,
“Hush, for today is holy, and you must not be saddened.”
Then all the people went to eat and drink,
to distribute portions, and to celebrate with great joy,
for they understood the words that had been expounded to them.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
R. (9ab) 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 precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye;
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.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Gospel
Lk 10:1-12
Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter, first say,
‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves his payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’
Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you,
go out into the streets and say,
‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet,
even that we shake off against you.’
Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand.
I tell you,
it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
In the first reading everyone comes out to hear the word of God – everyone – men and women and the children who are old enough to understand. In so many biblical passages they only talk about the men, but here everyone is included and it’s acknowledged that this information is important for everyone, not just the men, even the children. Everyone who is capable of understanding comes to hear this important information, the word of God. And they listen carefully, thoughtfully, all day. And they do understand it. They are so moved by this information that they weep. Ezra tells them not to be sad, that the word of God is joy to them, but I think they already know this. I think they are weeping for the intense emotion, not for sadness but for joy. They are told to now celebrate this word of God, to eat and drink and celebrate together. The law of God is perfect and refreshes them.
In the Gospel Jesus is sending out disciples ahead of him to prepare the people, in essence, for the word of God. He sends them out to scope out the place, see who will be receptive to the word, and who will reject it. And unlike the first reading, the whole of the people are not listening attentively and weeping with joy at the information. This is dangerous work and takes serious devotion. Those who undertake this journey could be walking into their deaths. Jesus says, “behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.” This is not an easy task Jesus is asking, but he is asking his friends to lay down their lives for him. This takes the utmost devotion. It would be easier to walk away. It would be easier to deny Christ. What devotion it takes for these friends to risk life and limb. Not many people have the devotion it takes. "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.” There is much work to be done, and enough work for many people, but few will make that commitment, few have that devotion.
The people in the first reading found joy in the word of God, and the ones in the Gospel who would reject the word will have it worse than the city of Sodom, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
DOUBLE EXPOSURE
“Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God, interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.” —Nehemiah 8:8
Ezra read the Bible to the people from daybreak until midday (Neh 8:3). The people heard God’s Word for nearly six hours. This extensive exposure to the Word led them to life-changing commitment (Neh 8:6), tearful repentance (Neh 8:9), and joyful celebration (Neh 8:10).
When we expose ourselves to God’s Word for an extended time, amazing things happen. For example, the risen Jesus spent much of the afternoon on His Resurrection day explaining the Scriptures to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24:27). By the power of God’s Word, their hearts began burning within them (Lk 24:32). After the beheading of St. John the Baptizer and before the multiplication of the loaves and fish, Jesus taught a vast crowd “at great length” (Mk 6:34). After healing the lame man, Sts. Peter and John preached from about 3 PM into the evening (Acts 4:3). “Many of those who had heard the speech believed; the number of the men came to about five thousand” (Acts 4:4). On one occasion, St. Paul preached to the Christians of Troas all night long and closed the Mass by raising a dead man (Acts 20:7ff).
There are things which will never happen in our lives without an extended exposure to God’s Word. Devour the Word. May it be the joy and happiness of your heart (Jer 15:16).
Prayer: Father, may reading Your Word daily (see Acts 17:11) deepen my relationship with You through Jesus and in the Spirit.
Promise: “The harvest is rich but the workers are few; therefore ask the harvest-Master to send workers to His harvest.” —Lk 10:2
Praise: St. Jerome found grace and salvation (Rm 1:16) in the study of Holy Scripture.
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
What kind of harvest does the Lord want us to reap today for his kingdom? When Jesus commissioned seventy of his disciples to go on mission, he gave them a vision of a vast field that is ready to be harvested for the kingdom of God. Jesus frequently used the image of a harvest to convey the coming of God's reign on earth. The harvest is the fruition of much labor and growth - beginning with the sowing of seeds, then growth to maturity, and finally the reaping of fruit for the harvest.
God's word grows like a seed within us
In like manner, the word of God is sown in the hearts of receptive men and women who hear his word, accept it with trust and obedience, and then share the abundant fruit of God's word in their life with others. The harvest Jesus had in mind was not only the gathering in of the people of Israel, but all the peoples (and nations) of the world. John the Evangelist tells us that "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
Be a sower of God's word of peace and mercy
What does Jesus mean when he says his disciples must be "lambs in the midst of wolves"? The prophet Isaiah foretold a time when wolves and lambs will dwell in peace (Isaiah 11:6 and 65:25). This certainly refers to the second coming of the Lord Jesus when all will be united under the Lordship of Jesus after he has put down his enemies and established the reign of God over the heavens and the earth. In the meantime, the disciples must expect opposition and persecution from those who would oppose the Gospel. Jesus came to lay down his life for us, as our sacrificial lamb, to atone for our sins and the sins of the world. We, in turn, must be willing to offer our lives with gratitude and humble service for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are called to speak and witness in God's name
What is the significance of Jesus appointing seventy disciples to the ministry of the word? Seventy was a significant number in biblical times. Moses chose seventy elders to help him in the task of leading the people through the wilderness. The Jewish Sanhedrin, the governing council for the nation of Israel, was composed of seventy members. In Jesus' times seventy was held to be the number of nations throughout the world. Jesus commissioned the seventy to a two-fold task - to speak in his name and to act with his power.
Jesus gave his disciples instructions for how they were to carry out their ministry. They must go and serve as people without guile, full of charity (selfless giving in love) and peace, and simplicity. They must give their full attention to the proclamation of God's kingdom and not be diverted by other lesser things. They must travel light - only take what was essential and leave behind whatever would distract them - in order to concentrate on the task of speaking the word of the God. They must do their work, not for what they can get out of it, but for what they can give freely to others, without expecting reward or payment. "Poverty of spirit" frees us from greed and preoccupation with possessions and makes ample room for God's provision. The Lord Jesus wants his disciples to be dependent on him and not on themselves.
God gives us his life-giving word that we may have abundant life in him. He wills to work in and through each of us for his glory. God shares his word with us and he commissions us to speak it boldly and plainly to others. Do you witness the truth and joy of the Gospel by word and example to those around you?
Lord Jesus, may the joy and truth of the Gospel transform my life that I may witness it to those around me. Grant that I may spread your truth and merciful love wherever I go.
Psalm 19:8-11
8 the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever; the ordinances of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Jesus the Good Shepherd changes wolves into sheep, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"How then does [Jesus] command the holy apostles, who are innocent men and 'sheep,' to seek the company of wolves, and go to them of their own will? Is not the danger apparent? Are they not set up as ready prey for their attacks? How can a sheep prevail over a wolf? How can one so peaceful conquer the savageness of beasts of prey? 'Yes,' he says, 'for they all have me as their Shepherd: small and great, people and princes, teachers and students. I will be with you, help you, and deliver you from all evil. I will tame the savage beasts. I will change wolves into sheep, and I will make the persecutors become the helpers of the persecuted. I will make those who wrong my ministers to be sharers in their pious designs. I make and unmake all things, and nothing can resist my will.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 61)
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