December 3, 2021Friday of the First Week of Advent

2021년 12월 3일 대림 제1주간 금요일 

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

제1독서

<그날, 눈먼 이들의 눈도 보게 되리라.>

이사야서. 29,17-24
주 하느님께서 이렇게 말씀하신다.
17 “정녕 이제 조금만 있으면 레바논은 과수원으로 변하고
과수원은 숲으로 여겨지리라.
18 그날에는 귀먹은 이들도 책에 적힌 말을 듣고
눈먼 이들의 눈도 어둠과 암흑을 벗어나 보게 되리라.
19 겸손한 이들은 주님 안에서 기쁨에 기쁨을 더하고
사람들 가운데 가장 가난한 이들은
이스라엘의 거룩하신 분 안에서 즐거워하리니
20 포악한 자가 없어지고 빈정대는 자가 사라지며
죄지을 기회를 엿보는 자들이 모두 잘려 나가겠기 때문이다.
21 이들은 소송 때 남을 지게 만들고
성문에서 재판하는 사람에게 올가미를 씌우며
무죄한 이의 권리를 까닭 없이 왜곡하는 자들이다.
22 그러므로 아브라함을 구원하신
야곱 집안의 하느님이신 주님께서 이렇게 말씀하신다.
‘야곱은 더 이상 부끄러운 일을 당하지 않고

더 이상 얼굴이 창백해지는 일이 없으리라.
23 그들은 자기들 가운데에서 내 손의 작품인 자녀들을 보게 될 때
나의 이름을 거룩하게 하리라.’
그들은 이스라엘의 거룩하신 분을 거룩하게 하며
이스라엘의 하느님을 두려워하게 되리라.
24 그리고 정신이 혼미한 자들은 슬기를 얻고
불평하는 자들은 교훈을 배우리라.”

복음

<예수님을 믿는 눈먼 두 사람의 눈이 열렸다.>

마태오. 9,27-31
그때에 27 예수님께서 길을 가시는데 눈먼 사람 둘이 따라오면서,
“다윗의 자손이시여, 저희에게 자비를 베풀어 주십시오.” 하고 외쳤다.
28 예수님께서 집 안으로 들어가시자 그 눈먼 이들이 그분께 다가왔다.
예수님께서 그들에게
“내가 그런 일을 할 수 있다고 너희는 믿느냐?” 하고 물으시자,
그들이 “예, 주님!” 하고 대답하였다.
29 그때 예수님께서 그들의 눈에 손을 대시며 이르셨다.
“너희가 믿는 대로 되어라.”
30 그러자 그들의 눈이 열렸다.
예수님께서는 “아무도 이 일을 알지 못하게 조심하여라.” 하고 단단히 이르셨다.
31 그러나 그들은 나가서 예수님에 관한 이야기를 그 지방에 두루 퍼뜨렸다.

December 3, 2021

Friday of the First Week of Advent

Daily Readings — Audio

Daily Reflections — Video

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ 

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

Reading 1

Is 29:17-24

Thus says the Lord GOD:
But a very little while,
and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard,
and the orchard be regarded as a forest!
On that day the deaf shall hear
the words of a book;
And out of gloom and darkness,
the eyes of the blind shall see.
The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD,
and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
For the tyrant will be no more
and the arrogant will have gone;
All who are alert to do evil will be cut off,
those whose mere word condemns a man,
Who ensnare his defender at the gate,
and leave the just man with an empty claim.
Therefore thus says the LORD,
the God of the house of Jacob,
who redeemed Abraham:
Now Jacob shall have nothing to be ashamed of,
nor shall his face grow pale.
When his children see
the work of my hands in his midst,
They shall keep my name holy;
they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob,
and be in awe of the God of Israel.
Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding,
and those who find fault shall receive instruction.

 

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14

R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

 

Gospel

Mt 9:27-31

As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out,
"Son of David, have pity on us!" 
When he entered the house,
the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them,
"Do you believe that I can do this?" 
"Yes, Lord," they said to him. 
Then he touched their eyes and said,
"Let it be done for you according to your faith." 
And their eyes were opened. 
Jesus warned them sternly,
"See that no one knows about this." 
But they went out and spread word of him through all that land

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

 A few years ago, I had the privilege of joining some trustees and friends of Creighton University on an Ignatian pilgrimage to Spain and Rome. That trip was filled with many special moments but one that was dear to my heart was a visit to the family castle of Saint Francis Xavier and a visit to the little chapel across it that contained the font that he was baptized in. Even though I was born and raised in the city of Pune, India, my family is from Goa. This is the place that Francis Xavier was sent to by Saint Ignatius at the request of the King of Portugal in 1541. Saint Francis Xavier is thus considered the first Jesuit missionary. His body is still intact (to a large extent) at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa, except for his right arm which is in the church of the Gesu in Rome.

As we celebrate today’s memorial, we are reminded of the zeal and vigor that marked Francis Xavier’s passion for spreading the gospel, so much so that he is considered a missionary apostle second only to Saint Paul. Francis Xavier’s strength was his total, unwavering faith in the saving power of Jesus. In today’s gospel reading, Jesus asks the two blind men who were following him if they believed he could cure them, and they said they did. As we reflect on this gospel, we can ask ourselves whether we truly believe in the saving, healing power of Jesus. We might not be called to be missionaries in distant lands but are indeed called to be missionaries wherever we are, to continue to build the kingdom of God, a kingdom of joy, peace, justice, and righteousness.

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

 

“IN YOUR LIGHT WE SEE LIGHT” (PS 36:10)

“As Jesus moved on from there, two blind men came after Him crying out, ‘Son of David, have pity on us!’ ” —Matthew 9:27

Among other things, Christmas is a celebration of Christ, the Light of the world (see Jn 1:5). But what if we cannot see the Light of life (Jn 8:12) and the Light of Christmas? We must be healed of our blindness this Advent. The Lord promises: “Out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see” (Is 29:18). Jesus will touch our eyes, and we will recover our sight (Mt 9:29-30). This happens when we by faith (see Mt 9:29) accept God’s grace to repent of our sins, which have blinded us to the Lord.

Imagine going through Christmas pretending you see the Christmas lights and candles. When others would remark on the beauty of the lights, you would pretend to agree but not have any idea what you were not seeing. So many people go through Christmas in an even worse condition. They use the word “Christmas” without seeing what it means. They see the manger scene with their physical eyes but are blinded to its significance. They sing “O come, let us adore Him,” but are blinded to the divinity of Christ, which makes Him adorable. We need an Advent healing from spiritual blindness to see and celebrate the Christmas light.

Jesus, You opened my eyes at Baptism. Touch my eyes and renew my Baptism to see You, the Light.

Prayer:  Father, “I once was lost but now I’m found, was blind but now I see” (from the song “Amazing Grace”).

Promise:  “They shall keep My name holy; they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob, and be in awe of the God of Israel. Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding, and those who find fault shall receive instruction.” —Is 29:23-24

Praise:  St. Francis Xavier evangelized in Japan and India. He and St. Thérèse of Lisieux are co-patrons of the missions.

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

  Are there any blind-spots in your life that keep you from recognizing God's power and mercy? When two blind men heard that Jesus was passing their way, they followed him and begged for his mercy. The word mercy literally means "sorrowful at heart". But mercy is something more than compassion, or heartfelt sorrow at another person's misfortune. Compassion empathizes with the sufferer. But mercy goes further; it removes suffering. A merciful person shares in another person's misfortune and suffering as if it were their own.

God shows mercy to those who recognize their need for his forgiveness and healing
When two blind men approached Jesus, he questioned their earnestness. "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" Jesus put them to the test, not to rebuff them, but to strengthen their faith and trust in God's mercy. He touched their eyes, both to identify with their affliction and to awaken faith in them. Their faith grew as they responded to his word with confident hope. Jesus restored their sight - both physically and spiritually to the reality of God's kingdom. Faith opens the way for us to see the power of God's kingdom and to experience his healing presence in our lives.

In Jesus we see the fullness of God's mercy and the power of his kingdom - power to save from death and destruction, to forgive sins and lift the burden of guilt, and to heal infirmities and release the oppressed. Jesus never refused to bring God's mercy to those who earnestly sought it. How can we seek and obtain God's mercy? God gives mercy to the lowly in heart - to those who recognize their need for God and for his forgiveness and healing power.

God transforms those who put their hope and trust in him
God wants to change and transform our lives to set us free to live as his sons and daughters and citizens of his kingdom. Faith is key to this transformation. How can we grow in faith? Faith is a gift freely given by God to help us know God personally, to understand his truth, and to live in the power of his love. For faith to be effective it must be linked with trust and obedience - an active submission to God and a willingness to do whatever he commands. The Lord Jesus wants us to live in the confident expectation that he will fulfill his promises to us and bring us into the fullness of his kingdom - a kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Do you know the peace and joy of God's kingdom?

Lord Jesus, help me to draw near to you with faith and trust in your saving power and mercy. Free me from doubt and unbelief that I may approach you confidently and pray boldly with expectant faith. Let your kingdom come and may your will be done in me.

Psalm 27:1-4, 13-14

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assail me, uttering slanders against me, my adversaries and foes, they shall stumble and fall.
3 Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD!

Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: They saw because they believed in the Messiah, by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD)

"At that point, two blind men follow the Lord as he was passing by. But if they could not see, how could the blind men know of the Lord's departure as well as his name? Moreover, they called him 'Son of David' and asked to be made well. In the two blind men, the entire earlier prefiguration [miracles in Matthew 9:18-26] is complete. The ruler's daughter seems to be from these people, namely, the Pharisees and John's disciples, who already made common cause in testing the Lord. To these unknowing persons the law gave evidence as to the one from whom they sought a cure. It indicated to them that their Savior in the flesh was of the line of David. It also introduced light to the minds of those who were blind from past sins. They could not see Christ but were told about him. The Lord showed them that faith should not be expected as a result of health but health should be expected because of faith. The blind men saw because they believed; they did not believe because they saw. From this we understand that what is requested must be predicated on faith and that faith must not be exercised because of what has been obtained. If they should believe, he offers them sight. And he charges the believers to be silent, for it was exclusively the task of the apostles to preach." (excerpt from commentary ON MATTHEW 9.9)

 

 

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