December 15, 2021 Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent

2021년 12월 15일 대림 제3주간 수요일 

 

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

제1독서

<하늘아, 위에서 이슬을 내려라.>

이사야서. 45,6ㄴ-8.18.21ㅂ-25
6 내가 주님이고 다른 이가 없다.
7 나는 빛을 만드는 이요 어둠을 창조하는 이다.
나는 행복을 주는 이요 불행을 일으키는 이다.
나 주님이 이 모든 것을 이룬다.
8 하늘아, 위에서 이슬을 내려라. 구름아, 의로움을 뿌려라.
땅은 열려 구원이 피어나게, 의로움도 함께 싹트게 하여라.
나 주님이 이것을 창조하였다.
18 주님께서 말씀하신다. 하늘을 창조하신 분, 그분께서 하느님이시다.
땅을 빚으시고 땅을 만드신 분, 그분께서 그것을 굳게 세우셨다.
그분께서는 그것을 혼돈으로 창조하지 않으시고
살 수 있는 곳으로 빚어 만드셨다.
내가 주님이다. 다른 이가 없다.
21 나 주님이 아니냐? 나밖에는 다른 신이 아무도 없다.

의롭고 구원을 베푸는 하느님, 나 말고는 아무도 없다.
22 땅끝들아, 모두 나에게 돌아와 구원을 받아라.
나는 하느님, 다른 이가 없다.
23 내가 나 자신을 두고 맹세한다.
내 입에서 의로운 말이 나갔으니 그 말은 돌이킬 수 없는 것이다.
정녕 모두 나에게 무릎을 꿇고 입으로 맹세하며 24 말하리라.
“주님께만 의로움과 권능이 있다.
그분께 격분하는 자들은 모두 그분 앞에 와서 부끄러운 일을 당하리라.
25 이스라엘의 모든 후손들은 주님 안에서 승리와 영예를 얻으리라.”

 

복음

<요한에게 가서 너희가 보고 들은 것을 전하여라.>

루카. 7,18ㄴ-23
그때에 18 요한은 자기 제자들 가운데에서 두 사람을 불러
19 주님께 보내며, “오실 분이 선생님이십니까?
아니면 저희가 다른 분을 기다려야 합니까?” 하고 여쭙게 하였다.
20 그 사람들이 예수님께 다가와 말하였다.
“세례자 요한이 저희를 보내어, ‘오실 분이 선생님이십니까?
아니면 저희가 다른 분을 기다려야 합니까?’ 하고 여쭈어 보라고 하셨습니다.”
21 그때에 예수님께서는 질병과 병고와 악령에 시달리는 많은 사람을 고쳐 주시고,
또 많은 눈먼 이를 볼 수 있게 해 주셨다.
22 예수님께서 그들에게 대답하셨다.
“요한에게 가서 너희가 보고 들은 것을 전하여라.
눈먼 이들이 보고 다리저는 이들이 제대로 걸으며,
나병 환자들이 깨끗해지고 귀먹은 이들이 들으며,
죽은 이들이 되살아나고 가난한 이들이 복음을 듣는다.
23 나에게 의심을 품지 않는 이는 행복하다.”

 

December 15, 2021 

 Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent

Daily Readings — Audio 

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

Reading 1
Is 45:6b-8, 18, 21b-25
I am the LORD, there is no other;
I form the light, and create the darkness,
I make well-being and create woe;
I, the LORD, do all these things.
Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above,
like gentle rain let the skies drop it down.
Let the earth open and salvation bud forth;
let justice also spring up!
I, the LORD, have created this.

For thus says the LORD,
The creator of the heavens,
who is God,
The designer and maker of the earth
who established it,
Not creating it to be a waste,
but designing it be lived in:
I am the LORD, and there is no other.

Who announced this from the beginning
and foretold it from of old?
Was it not I, the LORD,
besides whom there is no other God?
There is no just and saving God but me.

Turn to me and be safe,
all you ends of the earth,
for I am God; there is no other!
By myself I swear,
uttering my just decree
and my unalterable word:
To me every knee shall bend;
by me every tongue shall swear,
Saying, “Only in the LORD
are just deeds and power.
Before him in shame shall come
all who vent their anger against him.
In the LORD shall be the vindication and the glory

of all the descendants of Israel .”

Responsorial Psalm
85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
R. (Isaiah 45:8)  Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD ?for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps. 

R. Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.

Gospel
Lk 7:18b-23

At that time,
John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask,
“Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” 
When the men came to the Lord, they said,
“John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask,
‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’”
At that time Jesus cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits;
he also granted sight to many who were blind. 
And Jesus said to them in reply,
“Go and tell John what you have seen and heard:
the blind regain their sight,
the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.

And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

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

 For thus says the LORD, The creator of the heavens, who is God, The designer and maker of the earth who established it, Not creating it to be a waste, but designing it be lived in: I am the LORD, and there is no other.

Perhaps the words in the above passage that stand out to most of us are “Not creating it (the earth) to be a waste, but designing it be lived in.”

These lines resonate in our world today. With concerns of climate change all around us, we have a heightened sense of how fragile our planet is.

From this sense of increased awareness, many of us have changed our habits so our lifestyles are not as harmful to our environment as they were in the past, to not lay waste to what God has created. Kudos to us.

But let’s keep in mind that not only did God create this wonderful, beautiful earth; he created us. And like the earth, he did not create us to be a waste, but to live full and productive lives in service to him, to our faith, to our families and to those we encounter each day.

With the birth of our Savior just 10 days away, let’s guide our attention to how precious each minute of our lives is and that we should not waste the wonderful gift God has bestowed upon each of us.

Let’s focus on how we can grow in our faith, our love for others, and equally as important, our own personal growth to better serve the Lord.

Maybe silencing our cellphones for a few hours a day so we have more time to dwell on our relationship with God and realize he is there by our side each day might be a good place to start.

Maybe showing more gratitude for the little things that people do as we go about our lives, from the sacker at the grocery store to the Salvation Army volunteer bell ringer on the corner.

Maybe stopping to spend an hour at church in prayer and reflection instead of running to the mall to get one last present that really isn’t necessary.

Let’s not waste these last few days before Christmas, but use them wisely. Better yet, let’s resolve to retain some of this increased focus and dedication throughout the upcoming year, to make sure we do not waste the gift God has given to us.
God bless and wishing you all a blessed and merry Christmas.

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

 

THE ONLY WAY TO CHRISTMAS DAY

“Only in the Lord are just deeds and power.” —Isaiah 45:24

There’s only one name, only one Lord, and only one Way to be saved, go to the Father, and have Christmas (Jn 14:6). Jesus is not only the Way to salvation (Acts 4:12); He is also the Way to healing, victory, freedom, and Christmas. Jesus is not only “the reason for the season,” He’s the only Way to Christmas Day. Jesus is both the Beginning and the End of Christmas (see Rv 22:13). He is “the Lord, there is no other” (Is 45:6).

Some people try to make Christmas like they try to “make love.” A human being can make neither a true Christmas nor true love. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing, including Christmas (Jn 15:5). As we approach Christmas, we don’t need to do more or “do it ourselves.” Rather, we must “let it be done” to us according to God’s Word (Lk 1:38).

We must be at the feet of Jesus, like Mary of Bethany (Lk 10:39, 42), to have a “Mary” Christmas. At Christmas, we don’t need working hands as much as praying hands. We must learn to receive before we give, to wait before we run. Christmas is first a gift from Christ to you before you make it a gift to Christ from you. Remember, Jesus loved us first (1 Jn 4:19).

Prayer:  Jesus, may I immerse myself so deeply in You that I have no room for the attractions of this world.

Promise:  “Blest is that man who finds no stumbling block in Me.” —Lk 7:23

Praise:  James investigated many religions before finding the Catholic Faith.

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

  How can we know that Jesus is who he claims to be, the Son of God, the promised Messiah, and Savior of the world? Is our faith a blind leap we must take without certainty or proof? John the Baptist sent his disciples to question Jesus about his claim to be God's anointed Messiah. Did John have doubts about Jesus and his claim to divinity? Not likely, since John had earlier revealed Jesus' mission at the River Jordan when he exclaimed, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29).

John saw from a distance what Jesus would accomplish through his atoning sacrifice on the cross - our redemption from bondage to sin, condemnation, and death, and our adoption as sons and daughters of God and citizens of the kingdom of heaven. John very likely sent his disciples to Jesus because he wanted them to hear and see firsthand for themselves the signs and proof that the Messiah had indeed come in the person of Jesus who was sent by the Father in heaven and anointed by the Spirit at the River Jordan.

The Messiah performs the signs of God's kingdom power
The miracles which Jesus performed and the message he proclaimed about the coming of God's kingdom in his person was a direct fulfillment of what the prophets had foretold many centuries before (see Isaiah 29:18-19; 35:5-6; 61:1). Isaiah had prophesied that the Messiah would come in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring freedom and new life for all who were oppressed by afflictions, infirmities, sin and guilt, and demonic spirits (see Isaiah 61:1-2).

Jesus came in the power of God's kingdom to release those bound up by sin, fear, and hopelessness. His miracles and exorcisms are direct signs of God's power and presence and they confirm that the Father has sent his only begotten Son to be our Messiah (which means the Anointed One) and Savior.

Through Jesus' atoning death on the cross and through the power of his resurrection we receive the first-fruits of God's kingdom - the forgiveness of our sins, adoption as sons and daughters of God, new life in the Holy Spirit, and the promise that we will be raised to everlasting life with God in his kingdom. The Gospel is "good news" for all who receive it and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you know and witness to others the joy and good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Lord Jesus, you are the fulfillment of all our hopes and desires.Set my heart aflame with the fire of your love and with the power of the Holy Spirit that I may boldly witness the joy of the Gospel and serve your kingdom wherever you place me.

Psalm 85:8-13

8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.
12 Yes, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him, and make his footsteps a way.

Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Miracles testify that Jesus is the Messiah, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)

"'In that same hour he healed many of sicknesses and of scourges, and of evil spirits; and gave sight to many that were blind.' He made them spectators and eyewitnesses of his greatness and gathered into them a great admiration of his power and ability. They then bring forward the question and beg in John's name to be informed whether he is 'he who comes.' Here see, I ask, the beautiful art of the Savior's management. He does not simply say, 'I am.' If he had spoken this, it would have been true. He leads them to the proof given by the works themselves. In order that having accepted faith in him on good grounds and being furnished with knowledge from what had been done, they may return to him who sent them. 'Go' he says, 'tell John the things that you have seen and heard.' 'For you have heard indeed,' he says, 'that I have raised the dead by the all-powerful word and by the touch of the hand. While you stood by, you have also seen that those things that were spoken of old time by the holy prophets are accomplished: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the dumb hear, the dead rise, and the poor are preached to. The blessed prophets had announced all these things before, as about in due time to be accomplish by my hands. I bring to pass those things that were prophesied long before, and you are yourselves spectators of them. Return and tell those things that you have seen with your own eyes accomplished by my might and ability, and which at various times the blessed prophets foretold.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 37)

 

 

More Homilies

December 16, 2020 Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent