May 2, 2022 Memorial of Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

2022년 5월 2일 부활 제3주간 월요일 

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

제1독서

<그들은 스테파노의 말에서 드러나는 지혜와 성령에 대항할 수가 없었다.>

사도행전. 6,8-15
그 무렵 8 은총과 능력이 충만한 스테파노는
백성 가운데에서 큰 이적과 표징들을 일으켰다.
9 그때에 이른바 해방민들과 키레네인들과 알렉산드리아인들과 킬리키아와
아시아 출신들의 회당에 속한 사람 몇이 나서서 스테파노와 논쟁을 벌였다.
10 그러나 그의 말에서 드러나는 지혜와 성령에 대항할 수가 없었다.
11 그래서 그들은 사람들을 선동하여,
“우리는 그가
모세와 하느님을 모독하는 말을 들었습니다.” 하고 말하게 하였다.
12 또 백성과 원로들과 율법 학자들을 부추기고 나서,
느닷없이 그를 붙잡아 최고 의회로 끌고 갔다.
13 거기에서 거짓 증인들을 내세워 이런 말을 하게 하였다.
“이 사람은 끊임없이 이 거룩한 곳과 율법을 거슬러 말합니다.
14 사실 저희는 그 나자렛 사람 예수가 이곳을 허물고
또 모세가 우리에게 물려준 관습들을 뜯어고칠 것이라고,
이자가 말하는 것을 들었습니다.”

15 그러자 최고 의회에 앉아 있던 사람들이 모두 스테파노를 유심히 바라보았는데,
그의 얼굴은 천사의 얼굴처럼 보였다. 

 

복음

<너희는 썩어 없어질 양식을 얻으려고 힘쓰지 말고 길이 남아 영원한 생명을 누리게 하는 양식을 얻으려고 힘써라.>

요한. 6,22-29
예수님께서 오천 명을 먹이신 뒤,
제자들은 호수 위를 걸어오시는 예수님을 보았다.
22 이튿날, 호수 건너편에 남아 있던 군중은, 그곳에 배가 한 척밖에 없었는데
예수님께서 제자들과 함께 그 배를 타고 가지 않으시고
제자들만 떠났다는 것을 알게 되었다.
23 그런데 티베리아스에서 배 몇 척이,
주님께서 감사를 드리신 다음 빵을 나누어 먹이신 곳에 가까이 와 닿았다.
24 군중은 거기에 예수님도 계시지 않고 제자들도 없는 것을 알고서,
그 배들에 나누어 타고 예수님을 찾아 카파르나움으로 갔다.
25 그들은 호수 건너편에서 예수님을 찾아내고,
“라삐, 언제 이곳에 오셨습니까?” 하고 물었다.
26 예수님께서 그들에게 대답하셨다. “내가 진실로 진실로 너희에게 말한다.
너희가 나를 찾는 것은 표징을 보았기 때문이 아니라
빵을 배불리 먹었기 때문이다.
27 너희는 썩어 없어질 양식을 얻으려고 힘쓰지 말고,
길이 남아 영원한 생명을 누리게 하는 양식을 얻으려고 힘써라.
그 양식은 사람의 아들이 너희에게 줄 것이다.
하느님 아버지께서 사람의 아들을 인정하셨기 때문이다.”
28 그들이 “하느님의 일을 하려면 저희가 무엇을 해야 합니까?” 하고 묻자,
29 예수님께서 그들에게 대답하셨다.
“하느님의 일은 그분께서 보내신 이를 너희가 믿는 것이다.” 

May 2, 2022

Memorial of Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Daily Readings — Audio

Daily Reflections — Video

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ 

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

Reading 1

Acts 6:8-15

Stephen, filled with grace and power,
was working great wonders and signs among the people.
Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyreneans, and Alexandrians,
and people from Cilicia and Asia ,
came forward and debated with Stephen,
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
Then they instigated some men to say,
“We have heard him speaking blasphemous words
against Moses and God.”
They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes,
accosted him, seized him,
and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
They presented false witnesses who testified,
“This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law.
For we have heard him claim
that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place
and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”
All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him
and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

 

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30

R. (1ab) Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Though princes meet and talk against me,
your servant meditates on your statutes.
Yes, your decrees are my delight;
they are my counselors.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R. Alleluia.
I declared my ways, and you answered me;
teach me your statutes.
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Remove from me the way of falsehood,
and favor me with your law.
The way of truth I have chosen;
I have set your ordinances before me.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R. Alleluia.

 

Gospel

Jn 6:22-29
[After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea.]
The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea
saw that there had been only one boat there,
and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat,
but only his disciples had left.
Other boats came from Tiberias
near the place where they had eaten the bread
when the Lord gave thanks.
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there,
they themselves got into boats
and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
“Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus answered them and said,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me
not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you. 
For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” 
So they said to him,
“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them, 

“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” 

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

 

 Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a celebration for First Holy Communication for a precious young friend.  It had been a while since I attended a First Communion. The pastor spoke to the children about the reality that the bread and wine is transformed into the body and blood of Christ.  He was very intentional in explaining that this was not a symbolic change, but an actual transformation.  We as believers are able to receive strength and grace when we receive the Body and Blood.  The faith in these little people is so curious and pure. 

As I reflect on today’s gospel the importance of faith is most certainly the theme.  Just after Jesus fed the crowds, he could not be found. When the people finally found Jesus he called them out:

“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me
not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”

I imagine there was nervousness and embarrassment.  The people inquired about how to accomplish the works of God.  Very simply Jesus provides guidance: “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”
Jesus challenges people to have faith and to believe.  This seems to be a common lesson during and just after the Easter season.

Spend some time around little children—they are wonderful teachers, particularly around matters of trust and faith. 

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

WORKING ON WORK

“What must we do to perform the works of God?” —John 6:28

Since we have been raised up in company with Christ, we set our hearts on what pertains to higher realms (Col 3:1). “The old order has passed away; now all is new!” (2 Cor 5:17; cf Rv 21:5) For example, now that we have been baptized into Jesus’ death and Resurrection, we look at work in a new, risen way. We no longer work “for perishable food but for food that remains unto life eternal” (Jn 6:27). We do “the work of God,” that is, we “have faith in the One Whom He sent” (Jn 6:29). We may still get paid and receive benefits, but these are no longer the reasons for which we work. We work only for love of God. This may mean that we change jobs as did Sts. Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew. Usually, however, working for God means changing not our jobs but the way we do our jobs.

When we work for God, we also work with God. That means that we receive God’s power by which we work. Then, like St. Stephen, we work “great wonders and signs” (Acts 6:8). Also, like Stephen, we work so powerfully and fruitfully for God’s kingdom that we become a threat to the devil. Then he tempts us more and tries to intimidate us and even kill us. However, this backfires on him; the persecution and martyrdom makes our work even more fruitful (Jn 12:24).

Work for, with, and in God.

Prayer:  Father, work on my work so that it will be pleasing to You.

Promise:  “Throughout, Stephen’s face seemed like that of an angel.” —Acts 6:15

Praise:  St. Athanasius was one of the most important and revered early Church Fathers. He courageously fought against the Arian heresy, which denied that Christ was fully God.

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

 

 What do you most hunger for - wealth, peace, health, love, the good life? Jesus addressed this issue with those who sought him after the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves. Were they simply hungry for things which satisfy the body or for that which satisfies the heart and soul? Jesus echoes the question posed by the prophet Isaiah: "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy" (Isaiah 55:2)? There are two kinds of hunger - physical and spiritual. Only God can satisfy the hunger in our heart and soul - the hunger for truth, for life, and for love.

Jesus also spoke about the works of God and what we must do to be doing the works of God, namely to believe in God' Son whom he has sent into the world. Jesus offers a new relationship with God which issues in a new kind of life: A life of love and service, and the forgiveness of others which corresponds to God's mercy and kindness; a life of holiness and purity which corresponds to God's holiness; and a life of submission and trust which corresponds to the wisdom of God. This is the work which Jesus directs us to and enables us to perform in the power of the Holy Spirit. Do you hunger for the bread which comes down from heaven and thirst for the words of everlasting life?

Lord Jesus, you alone can satisfy the deepest longing and hunger in our hearts. May I always hunger for the imperishable bread, that I may be satisfied in you alone as the True Bread of Heaven. Nourish and strengthen me that I may serve you with great joy, generosity, and zeal all the days of my life

Psalm 119:23-30

23 Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes.
24 Your testimonies are my delight, they are my counselors.
25 My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to your word!
26 When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes!
27 Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
28 My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!
29 Put false ways far from me; and graciously teach me your law!
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness, I set your ordinances before me.

Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: God is our landlord, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Our wish, you see, is to attain to eternal life. We wish to reach the place where nobody dies, but if possible we do not want to get there via death. We would like to be whisked away there while we are still alive and see our bodies changed, while we are alive, into that spiritual form into which they are to be changed when we rise again. Who wouldn't like that? Isn't it what everybody wants? But while that is what you want, you are told, Quit. Remember what you have sung in the psalm: 'A lodger am I on earth'" If you are a lodger, you are staying in someone else's house; if you are staying in someone else's house, you quit when the landlord bids you. And the landlord is bound to tell you to quit sooner or later, and he has not guaranteed you a long stay. After all, he did not sign a contract with you. Seeing that you are lodging with him for nothing, you quit when he tells you to. And this, too, has to be put up with, and for this, too, patience is very necessary." (excerpt from Sermon 359A,8)

  

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