October 10, 2021 Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

2021년 10월 10일 연중 제28주일 

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

제1독서

<나는 지혜에 비기면 많은 재산은 아무것도 아니라고 생각하였다.>

지혜서. 7,7-11
7 내가 기도하자 나에게 예지가 주어지고
간청을 올리자 지혜의 영이 나에게 왔다.
8 나는 지혜를 왕홀과 왕좌보다 더 좋아하고
지혜에 비기면 많은 재산은 아무것도 아니라고 생각하였으며
9 값을 헤아릴 수 없는 보석도 지혜와 견주지 않았다.
온 세상의 금도 지혜와 마주하면 한 줌의 모래이고
은도 지혜 앞에서는 진흙처럼 여겨지기 때문이다.
10 나는 지혜를 건강이나 미모보다 더 사랑하고
빛보다 지혜를 갖기를 선호하였다.
지혜에서 끊임없이 광채가 나오기 때문이다.
11 지혜와 함께 좋은 것이 다 나에게 왔다.
지혜의 손에 헤아릴 수 없이 많은 재산이 들려 있었다.

제2독서

<하느님의 말씀은 마음의 생각과 속셈을 가려냅니다.>

히브리서 4,12-13
12 하느님의 말씀은 살아 있고 힘이 있으며 어떤 쌍날칼보다도 날카롭습니다.
그래서 사람 속을 꿰찔러 혼과 영을 가르고 관절과 골수를 갈라,
마음의 생각과 속셈을 가려냅니다.
13 하느님 앞에서는 어떠한 피조물도 감추어져 있을 수 없습니다.
그분 눈에는 모든 것이 벌거숭이로 드러나 있습니다.
이러한 하느님께 우리는 셈을 해 드려야 하는 것입니다.

복음

<가진 것을 팔고 나를 따라라.>

마르코10,17-30<또는 10,17-27>
 그때에 17 예수님께서 길을 떠나시는데

어떤 사람이 달려와 그분 앞에 무릎을 꿇고,
“선하신 스승님, 제가 영원한 생명을 받으려면 무엇을 해야 합니까?” 하고 물었다.
18 그러자 예수님께서 그에게 이르셨다.
“어찌하여 나를 선하다고 하느냐? 하느님 한 분 외에는 아무도 선하지 않다.
19 너는 계명들을 알고 있지 않느냐?
‘살인해서는 안 된다. 간음해서는 안 된다. 도둑질해서는 안 된다.
거짓 증언을 해서는 안 된다. 횡령해서는 안 된다.
아버지와 어머니를 공경하여라.’”
20 그가 예수님께
“스승님, 그런 것들은 제가 어려서부터 다 지켜 왔습니다.” 하고 대답하였다.
21 예수님께서는 그를 사랑스럽게 바라보시며 이르셨다.
“너에게 부족한 것이 하나 있다.
가서 가진 것을 팔아 가난한 이들에게 주어라.
그러면 네가 하늘에서 보물을 차지하게 될 것이다. 그리고 와서 나를 따라라.”
22 그러나 그는 이 말씀 때문에 울상이 되어 슬퍼하며 떠나갔다.
그가 많은 재물을 가지고 있었기 때문이다.
23 예수님께서 주위를 둘러보시며 제자들에게 말씀하셨다.
“재물을 많이 가진 자들이 하느님 나라에 들어가기는 참으로 어렵다!”
24 제자들은 그분의 말씀에 놀랐다.
그러나 예수님께서는 그들에게 거듭 말씀하셨다.
“얘들아, 하느님 나라에 들어가기는 참으로 어렵다!
25 부자가 하느님 나라에 들어가는 것보다
낙타가 바늘귀로 빠져나가는 것이 더 쉽다.”
26 그러자 제자들이 더욱 놀라서,
“그러면 누가 구원받을 수 있는가?” 하고 서로 말하였다.
27 예수님께서는 그들을 바라보며 이르셨다.
“사람에게는 불가능하지만 하느님께는 그렇지 않다.
하느님께는 모든 것이 가능하다.”
28 그때에 베드로가 나서서 예수님께 말하였다.
“보시다시피 저희는 모든 것을 버리고 스승님을 따랐습니다.”
29 예수님께서 말씀하셨다. “내가 진실로 너희에게 말한다.
누구든지 나 때문에, 또 복음 때문에 집이나 형제나 자매,
어머니나 아버지, 자녀나 토지를 버린 사람은 30 현세에서 박해도 받겠지만
집과 형제와 자매와 어머니와 자녀와 토지를 백 배나 받을 것이고,
내세에서는 영원한 생명을 받을 것이다.”

October 10, 2021

Twenty-eighth Sunday 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
Wis 7:7-11
I prayed, and prudence was given me;
I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
I preferred her to scepter and throne,
and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her,
nor did I liken any priceless gem to her;
because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand,
and before her, silver is to be accounted mire.
Beyond health and comeliness I loved her,
and I chose to have her rather than the light,
because the splendor of her never yields to sleep.
Yet all good things together came to me in her company,
and countless riches at her hands.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
R. (14) Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Make us glad, for the days when you afflicted us,
for the years when we saw evil.
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Let your work be seen by your servants
and your glory by their children;
and may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!

Reading II
Heb 4:12-13

Brothers and sisters:
Indeed the word of God is living and effective,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow,
and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
No creature is concealed from him,
but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him
to whom we must render an account.

Gospel
Mk 10:17-30 or 10:17-27
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
"Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? 
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother." 
He replied and said to him,
"Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth."
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
"You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." 
At that statement his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
"How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the kingdom of God !" 
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
"Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God ! 
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 ." 
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
"Then who can be saved?"
Jesus looked at them and said,
"For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. 
All things are possible for God." 
Peter began to say to him,
"We have given up everything and followed you." 
Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you,
there is no one　who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come."

or

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
"Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 
Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? 
No one　is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother."
He replied and said to him,
"Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth."
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
"You are lacking in one thing. 
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
At that statement his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
"How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the kingdom of God !"
The disciples were amazed at his words. 
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
"Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God ! 
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 ." 
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
"Then who can be saved?"
Jesus looked at them and said,
"For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.  

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

 In the first reading Solomon praises wisdom as more valuable than power or riches. The Psalm considers the preciousness of our time on this earth and is a call to God for His support. The passage from the Letter to the Hebrews makes the focus God’s Word. In the Gospel, Jesus asks that we are more than good; Jesus asks that we provide support for each other. The passage begins with the story of a man who is attached to his wealth and continues with Jesus’ warning against the false sense of security that wealth can create.

Jesus brings a message that is at odds with some traditional thought. We would like to suppose that good things happen to good people. Many believe that wealth is a sign that one is among the elect. Indeed, this belief may have been one of the major contributors to the historical roots of the American work ethic. Jesus is challenging these ideas in his discourse on the difficulty of salvation for the rich.

Since retiring, I often tell people that my wife is my primary source of joy, and my grandchildren are my primary source of purpose. I think that we are much more tolerant of our situation if we think that there is a purpose to it. My mother would tell me that there is a reason for everything. That was a thought that guided my family through the time when my oldest sister died, although it was hard to see how the loss of a mother of 9 could be part of a grand plan. In his book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People, Rabbi Harold Kushner also is at odds with some traditional thought. I would describe his view of God as the Great Comforter (as opposed to being the Great Intervener). I think that over the years, I have moved more in Rabbi Kushner’s direction. Although I still find myself praying for changes for the better in this world, I am not expecting God to cheat on the sometimes chaotic physics and biology that define this time and this place. Still, I continue to think that it is having a purpose that keeps us going, and I see this as a purpose that grows out of our “free will.”

My prayer today deals with flipped expectations.

Dear Lord,
I like to imagine a world in which the rewards of health, wealth, power, and happiness fall to those who are most deserving. That isn’t the way that things are and that isn’t the way that things were. I think of the lives of those we hold up as a saint or as a Savior.

I am reminded of St. Ignatius’ guidance that rather than focusing on where we stand in terms of of health, riches, honor, and longevity, we should instead focus on the end (or purpose) for which we are here.
Heavenly Father, help me recognize and appreciate the support that You provide.
Strengthen my will in providing support to those who are in my sphere of influence.
Guide me in wisely investing the time that I have on this earth.

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

 

LOVING GOD IS NOT ENOUGH

“Jesus looked at him with love and told him, ‘There is one thing more you must do.’ ” —Mark 10:21

The Lord’s will is not only that we love Him but that we love Him with all our hearts, all our souls, all our strength, and all our minds (Lk 10:27). It is relatively easy to give ninety-five percent, even ninety-eight percent, of our lives to the Lord. However, the great decision and the fiercest battle is about giving that last percent or two of our lives to God. That last percent is our all, the “one thing” more we must do (Mk 10:21).

Your one thing more may be to “sell what you have and give to the poor” (Mk 10:21). Other examples of “one thing more” are:

• forgiving (Eph 4:32),
• loving an enemy (Mt 5:44),
• admitting an addiction and taking it to the Lord,
• repenting and going to Confession,
• deciding to stop contracepting,
• starting to evangelize,
• tithing,
• serving and washing the feet of others (Jn 13:5),
• saying “yes” to a particular vocation, and
• entering into Christian community.

At this moment, Jesus is looking at you with love. Give Him the “one thing more.” Give Him all your love.

Prayer:  Father, I am all Yours.

Promise:  “Indeed, God’s word is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword.” —Heb 4:12

Praise:  “Tell me, if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how is it that some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead?” (1 Cor 15:12) Risen Jesus, illuminate my mind!

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

 What gives hope and satisfaction to our desire for happiness and security? A young man who had the best the world could offer - wealth and security - came to Jesus because he lacked one thing (Mark 10:17-27). He wanted the kind of lasting peace and happiness which money could not buy him. The answer he got, however, was not what he was looking for. He protested that he kept all the commandments - but Jesus spoke to the trouble in his heart. One thing kept him from giving himself whole-heartedly to God. While he lacked nothing in material goods, he was nonetheless possessive of what he had. He placed his hope and security in what he possessed. So when Jesus challenged him to make God his one true possession and treasure, he became sad.

Misplaced hope and treasure
Why did he go away from Jesus with great sorrow and sadness rather than with joy? His treasure and his hope for happiness were misplaced. Jesus challenged the young man because his heart was possessive. He was afraid to give to others for fear that he would lose what he had gained. He sought happiness and security in what he possessed rather than in who he could love and serve and give himself in undivided devotion.

The greatest joy possible
Why does Jesus tell his disciples to "sell all" for the treasure of his kingdom? Treasure has a special connection to the heart, the place of desire and longing, the place of will and focus. The thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure. The Lord himself is the greatest treasure we can have. Giving up everything else to have the Lord as our treasure is not sorrowful, but the greatest joy. [See Jesus' parable about the treasure hidden in a field in Matthew 13:44.] Selling all that we have could mean many different things - letting go of attachments, friendships, influences, jobs, entertainments, styles of life - really anything that might stand in the way of our loving God first and foremost in our lives and giving him the best we can with our time, resources, gifts, and service.

The priceless treasure of God's kingdom
Those who are generous towards God and towards their neighbor find that they cannot outmatch God in his generosity towards us. God blesses us with the priceless treasures of his kingdom - freedom from fear and the gripping power of sin, selfishness and pride which block his love and grace in our lives. Freedom from loneliness, isolation and rejection which keep his children from living together in love, peace, and unity. And freedom from hopelessness, despair, and disillusionment which blind our vision of God's power to heal every hurt, bind every wound, and remove every blemish which mar the image of God within us. God offers us treasure which money cannot buy. He alone can truly satisfy the deepest longing and desires of our heart. Are you willing to part with anything that might keep you from seeking true joy with Jesus?

Why does Jesus issue such a strong warning to the rich (as well as to the rest of us who desire to be rich)? Was he really against wealth? 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 teaching of the Old Testament wisdom: 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).

Where do we find true security?
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 in Palestine. 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 after dark. A normal sized man had to "lower" himself to enter that gate. A camel would literally have to knell and crawl through it.

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" (Revelation 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 also neglected to serve God.

We lose what we keep - we gain what we give away
Right after a wealthy young man refused to follow Jesus, Peter, somewhat crudely wanted to know what he and the other disciples would get out of it since they had freely accepted Jesus' offer to follow him unconditionally (Mark 10:28-30). Jesus spoke with utter honesty: Those who left all for him would receive a hundred times more now, even in this life, as well as unending life in the age to come.

The Gospel presents us with a paradox: we lose what we keep, and we gain what we give away. When we lose our lives for Jesus Christ, we gain a priceless treasure and an inheritance which lasts forever. Whatever we give to God comes back a hundredfold. Generosity flows from a heart full of gratitude for the abundant mercy and grace which God grants. And generosity will be amply repaid, both in this life and in the life to come (Proverbs 3:9-10, Luke 6:38).

What's the best investment you can make with your life now and the future? 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 to this earth unless we guard our hearts and set our treasure on God and his everlasting kingdom. Where is your treasure?

Jesus did not hesitate to tell his disciples that they can expect both blessing from God and persecution from the world which is opposed to God and his ways. We should neither be surprise nor fear those who try to intimidate us or oppose us when we take a stand for God's kingdom of truth and righteousness. No earthly reward or treasure can outmatch the joy and bliss of knowing God's love, mercy, and peace and the joy of knowing that our names are written in heaven where we will dwell with God forever. Do you know the joy of the Lord and the treasure he has stored up for us in heaven?

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 111:1-2,5-6,9-10c

1 Praise the LORD. I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who have pleasure in them.
5 He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations.
9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant for ever. Holy and awesome is his name!
10 His praise endures for ever!

Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Seek the life that endures, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"The Lord said to a certain young man, 'If you would enter life, keep the commandments' (Matthew 19:17; Mark 10:17; Luke 18:18). He did not say 'If you would have life' but 'If you would enter life,' defining that life as eternal life. Let us first consider then the love of this life. For this life is loved, whatever its quality; and however troubled it is, however wretched, people are afraid to end it. Hence we should see, we should consider, how much eternal life is to be loved, when this miserable life that must at some time be ended is so loved. Consider, brothers, how much that life is to be loved when it is a life you never end. You love this life, where you work so much, run, are busy, pant. In this busy life the obligations can scarcely be counted: sowing, plowing, working new land, sailing, grinding, cooking, weaving. And after all this hard work your life comes to an end. Look at what you suffer in this wretched life that you so love. And do you think that you will always live and never die? Temples, rocks, marbles, all reinforced by iron and lead, still fall. And a person thinks that he will never die? Learn therefore, brothers, to seek eternal life, when you will not endure these things but will reign with God forever." (excerpt from SERMON 84.1.9)

 

 

More Homilies

October 14, 2018 Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time