May 9, 2022 Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

2022년 5월 9일 부활 제4주간 월요일 

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

제1독서

<이제 하느님께서는 다른 민족들에게도 생명에 이르는 회개의 길을 열어 주셨다.>

사도행전. 11,1-18
그 무렵 1 사도들과 유다 지방에 있는 형제들이
다른 민족들도 하느님의 말씀을 받아들였다는 소문을 들었다.
2 그래서 베드로가 예루살렘에 올라갔을 때에 할례 받은 신자들이 그에게 따지며,
3 “당신이 할례 받지 않은 사람들의 집에 들어가
그들과 함께 음식을 먹다니요?” 하고 말하였다.
4 그러자 베드로가 그들에게 차근차근 설명하기 시작하였다.
5 “내가 야포 시에서 기도하다가 무아경 속에서 환시를 보았습니다.
하늘에서 큰 아마포 같은 그릇이 내려와 네 모퉁이로 내려앉는데
내가 있는 곳까지 오는 것이었습니다.
6 내가 그 안을 유심히 바라보며 살피니, 이 세상의 네발 달린 짐승들과
들짐승들과 길짐승들과 하늘의 새들이 보였습니다.
7 그때에 ‘베드로야, 일어나 잡아먹어라.’ 하고
나에게 말하는 소리가 들렸습니다.
8 나는 ‘주님, 절대 안 됩니다. 속된 것이나 더러운 것은
한 번도 제 입속에 들어오지 않았습니다.’ 하고 말하였습니다.
9 그러자 하늘에서 두 번째로 응답하는 목소리가 들렸습니다.
‘하느님께서 깨끗하게 만드신 것을 속되다고 하지 마라.’
10 이러한 일이 세 번 거듭되고 나서
그것들은 모두 하늘로 다시 끌려 올라갔습니다.
11 바로 그때에 세 사람이 우리가 있는 집에 다가와 섰습니다.
카이사리아에서 나에게 심부름 온 이들이었습니다.
12 성령께서는 나에게 주저하지 말고 그들과 함께 가라고 이르셨습니다.
그래서 이 여섯 형제도 나와 함께 갔습니다. 우리가 그 사람 집에 들어가자,
13 그는 천사가 자기 집 안에 서서 이렇게 말하는 것을 보았다고
우리에게 이야기하였습니다.
‘야포로 사람들을 보내어 베드로라고 하는 시몬을 데려오게 하여라.
14 그가 너에게 말씀을 일러 줄 터인데,
그 말씀으로 너와 너의 온 집안이 구원을 받을 것이다.’
15 그리하여 내가 말하기 시작하자,
성령께서 처음에 우리에게 내리셨던 것처럼 그들에게도 내리셨습니다.
16 그때에 나는 ‘요한은 물로 세례를 주었지만
너희는 성령으로 세례를 받을 것이다.’ 하신 주님의 말씀이 생각났습니다.
17 이렇게 하느님께서는 우리가 주 예수 그리스도를 믿게 되었을 때에
우리에게 주신 것과 똑같은 선물을 그들에게도 주셨는데,
내가 무엇이기에 하느님을 막을 수 있었겠습니까?”
18 그들은 이 말을 듣고 잠잠해졌다.
그리고 “이제 하느님께서는 다른 민족들에게도
생명에 이르는 회개의 길을 열어 주셨다.” 하며 하느님을 찬양하였다. 

 

복음

<나는 양들의 문이다.>

요한 10,1-10

그때에 예수님께서 말씀하셨다.
11 “나는 착한 목자다. 착한 목자는 양들을 위하여 자기 목숨을 내놓는다.
12 삯꾼은 목자가 아니고 양도 자기 것이 아니기 때문에,
이리가 오는 것을 보면 양들을 버리고 달아난다.
그러면 이리는 양들을 물어 가고 양 떼를 흩어 버린다.
13 그는 삯꾼이어서 양들에게 관심이 없기 때문이다.
14 나는 착한 목자다. 나는 내 양들을 알고 내 양들은 나를 안다.
15 이는 아버지께서 나를 아시고 내가 아버지를 아는 것과 같다.
나는 양들을 위하여 목숨을 내놓는다.
16 그러나 나에게는 이 우리 안에 들지 않은 양들도 있다.
나는 그들도 데려와야 한다.
그들도 내 목소리를 알아듣고 마침내 한 목자 아래 한 양 떼가 될 것이다.
17 아버지께서는 내가 목숨을 내놓기 때문에 나를 사랑하신다.
그렇게 하여 나는 목숨을 다시 얻는다.
18 아무도 나에게서 목숨을 빼앗지 못한다. 내가 스스로 그것을 내놓는 것이다.
나는 목숨을 내놓을 권한도 있고 그것을 다시 얻을 권한도 있다.
이것이 내가 내 아버지에게서 받은 명령이다.”

May 9, 2022

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Daily Readings — Audio

Daily Reflections — Video

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ 

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

Reading 1

Acts 11:1-18
The Apostles and the brothers who were in Judea
heard that the Gentiles too had accepted the word of God. 
So when Peter went up to Jerusalem
the circumcised believers confronted him, saying,
‘You entered the house of uncircumcised people and ate with them.” 
Peter began and explained it to them step by step, saying,
“I was at prayer in the city of Joppa
when in a trance I had a vision,
something resembling a large sheet coming down,
lowered from the sky by its four corners, and it came to me. 
Looking intently into it,
I observed and saw the four-legged animals of the earth,
the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky. 
I also heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat.’ 
But I said, ‘Certainly not, sir,
because nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 
But a second time a voice from heaven answered,
‘What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.’ 
This happened three times,
and then everything was drawn up again into the sky.
Just then three men appeared at the house where we were,
who had been sent to me from Caesarea. 
The Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating. 
These six brothers also went with me,
and we entered the man’s house. 
He related to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, saying,
‘Send someone to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter,
who will speak words to you 
by which you and all your household will be saved.’ 
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them
as it had upon us at the beginning,
and I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said,
‘John baptized with water
but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 
If then God gave them the same gift he gave to us
when we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,
who was I to be able to hinder God?”
When they heard this,
they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying,
“God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too.”

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 42:2-3; 43:3, 4

R. (see 3a) Athirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
As the hind longs for the running waters,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling-place.
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.

 

Gospel

Jn 10:1-10

Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
they did not realize what he was trying to tell them.

So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; 

I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”  

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

 

 In today’s readings John 10: 1-10 Jesus message centers on a parable of a shepherds' life.  The parable’s message focuses on how important it is for the shepherd and their flock to spend time together. Their time together is invaluable and provides an opportunity for the human/animal bond to strengthen and grow.  This time enhances the shepherd and sheep’s ability to communicate with each other.  Their understanding of each other's quiet movements, pace, mannerisms, and sounds increases. There is an energy of communal engagement in which the bond and trust of both the shepherd and sheep deepens and strengthens.  

Applying this to my own life.  How do I choose to spend time with my Shepherd, Jesus? Do I listen, really listen? Do I consciously turn off the iPhone, the TV, the music, and just listen? Do I recognize Jesus' voice, the spirit speaking to me? How do I change the pace in my life, slow down and find a space where myself and Jesus can be alone?  If I listened and followed Jesus' voice, what has changed and what would change in my life? 

I would like to answer these questions and share my experiences.  

How do I choose to spend time with my Shepherd Jesus?  In the morning upon arising, I read today’s reading in Sacred Space, 2022. I have my journal available in case I am moved to write and reflect.  I do the EXAMEN (daily).  I have it on my calendar as a reminder.  Before any meetings I quietly say a prayer to be present and available for what is most needed during this time.

Do I listen, really listen?  I try to arise early when the house is quiet. I have two designated places in the house, my prayer room or my conversation room.  There is no T.V. or anything portable that can be distracting in these spaces. There is a window in which I can look out upon nature.  However, I find myself distracted a lot.  I call it my ‘monkey brain’ which includes a “to do” list forming when I arise. My phone and computer are very distracting with the pop ups from email, news, twitter, and social media ongoing. I do better at managing the distractions if I silent my phone or put it on ‘airplane mode’. However, when I am successful at creating the quiet space and when I listen, really listen it is golden and so calming.  I yearn for that time every morning.  

Do I consciously turn off the IPhone, the TV, the music and just listen?  Yes, I have learned how important this is to my prayer life. 

Do I recognize Jesus' voice, the spirit speaking to me?  Yes, I hear, feel and sense Jesus. Sometimes I see something that I am sure is a sign from the Holy Spirit.  Does this occur 100% of the time? No, but I do believe Jesus is always there with me in my space, in nature and all around me.  So, the grace of creating that quiet time and space is always rewarded in some way. 

How do I change the pace in my life, slow down, and find a space where myself and Jesus can be alone?  Awareness is key. I have found taking time to be part of prayer groups,  have conversations within community, take classes, find a spiritual director, go on Ignatian retreats has been important to increase my awareness of my wholeness and spiritual dimension. So, I value slowing down, finding space for Jesus and to sit quietly together. 

If I listened and followed Jesus' voice, what has changed and what would change in my life? 
Everything.  My education, career, the person I chose to marry (and stay married), my children, my choice of home and community, where I work and a multitude of other things in my life have been impacted, on whether I listened or did not?  Currently in my life I know how important it is to ask Jesus for guidance in my life’s decisions.  

So, in this 4th week of Easter, I remember Christ has Risen! Jesus knows us by name and has carved out a space for me and you for a purpose.  I pray to continue to receive the grace of the Spirit to take the time to listen, connect and hear the call of Jesus. 

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

HEAR YE, HEAR YE

“They will not follow a stranger; such a one they will flee, because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” —John 10:5

Did you ever unknowingly put yourself in a situation which in retrospect was definitely not God’s will? Obviously you weren’t hearing the Lord. He must have warned you hundreds of times, but you must have missed it time after time. This seems to indicate that Jesus’ voice is strange to you. You’re in trouble. When you don’t hear Jesus, you don’t hear the Word (Jn 1:1) and the Truth (Jn 14:6). You don’t hear the only One Who can rightly direct your life. You’re out of control.

To hear the Lord, we must:

1)      Repent of the sins impairing our hearing. Go to Confession.

2)      Totally commit our lives to Him. Jesus said: “Anyone committed to the truth hears My voice” (Jn 18:37).

3)      Set a time each day for listening prayer.

4)      Pray, read, and live the Bible. Hearing comes by the Word of God (see Rm 10:17).

5)      Be quiet for a while each day. Shut off or throw out the TV and put down the handheld electronic devices.

6)      Simplify our lifestyle.

Prayer:  Father, may I hear every word You speak (Jn 8:47).

Promise:  “As I began to address them the Holy Spirit came upon them, just as It had upon us at the beginning.” —Acts 11:15

Praise:  Robert and Alice read Scripture and pray together at least once a day.

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

 

  Do you know the peace and security of the Good Shepherd who watches over his own? The Old Testament often speaks of God as shepherd of his people, Israel. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (Psalm 23:1). Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! (Psalm 80:1) We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3). The Messiah is also pictured as the shepherd of God's people: He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms (Isaiah 40:11). Jesus says he is the Good Shepherd who will risk his life to seek out and save the stray sheep (Matthew 18:12, Luke 15:4). He is the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls (1 Peter 2:25).

The Good Shepherd and Guardian of our souls
What can shepherding teach us about God and our relationship with him? At the end of each day the shepherd brought his sheep into shelter. They knew the voice of their shepherd and came at his beckoning. So familiar was the shepherd and his sheep, that each was called by a distinct name. In the winter the sheep were usually brought to a communal village shelter which was locked and kept secure by a guardian. In the summer months the sheep were usually kept out in the fields and then gathered into a fold at night which was guarded by a shepherd throughout the night. He was literally the door through which the sheep had to pass.

The Scriptures describe God as a shepherd who brings security and peace to his people. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore (Psalm 120:8). Even the leaders of God's people are called shepherds: they shall lead them out and bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep which have no shepherd (Numbers 27:17). Just as a shepherd kept watch over his sheep and protected them from danger, so Jesus stands watch over his people as the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls (1 Peter 2:25). Do you know the peace and security of a life fully submitted to God?

Jesus willingly laid down his life for us - the sheep he ransomed with his own blood
St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) writes: "He has accomplished what he taught us: He has shown us what He commanded us to do. He laid down his own life for his sheep, that within our mystery he might change his body and blood into food, and nourish the sheep he had redeemed with the food of his own flesh. He has shown us the way we must follow, despite fear of death. He has laid down the pattern to which we must conform ourselves. The first duty laid on us is to use our material goods in mercy for the needs of his sheep, and then, if necessary, give even our lives for them. He that will not give of his substance for his sheep, how shall he lay down his life for them?" (Tr. 46 in John). Do you look to Jesus the Good Shepherd, to receive the strength and courage you need to live and serve as his disciple?

Lord Jesus, you always lead me in the way of true peace and safety. May I never doubt your care nor stray from your ways. Keep me safe in the shelter of your presence.

Psalm 23:1-6

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want;
2 he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Green pastures and still waters, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"The pastures that this good shepherd has prepared for you, in which he has settled you for you to take your fill, are not various kinds of grasses and green things, among which some are sweet to the taste, some extremely bitter, which as the seasons succeed one another are sometimes there and sometimes not. Your pastures are the words of God and his commandments, and they have all been sown as sweet grasses. These pastures had been tasted by that man who said to God, 'How sweet are your words to my palate, more so than honey and the honeycomb in my mouth!'" (excerpt from Sermon 366,3,1)

  

More Homilies

April 26, 2021 Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter