June 23, 2022 Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

2022년 6월23일 성 요한 세례자 탄생 대축일 



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

제1독서

<나는 너를 민족들의 빛으로 세운다.>

이사야서. 49,1-6

1 섬들아, 내 말을 들어라.
먼 곳에 사는 민족들아, 귀를 기울여라.
주님께서 나를 모태에서부터 부르시고
어머니 배 속에서부터 내 이름을 지어 주셨다.
2 그분께서 내 입을 날카로운 칼처럼 만드시고
당신의 손 그늘에 나를 숨겨 주셨다.
나를 날카로운 화살처럼 만드시어
당신의 화살 통 속에 감추셨다.
3 그분께서 나에게 말씀하셨다. “너는 나의 종이다.
이스라엘아, 너에게서 내 영광이 드러나리라.”
4 그러나 나는 말하였다. “나는 쓸데없이 고생만 하였다.
허무하고 허망한 것에 내 힘을 다 써 버렸다.
그러나 내 권리는 나의 주님께 있고
내 보상은 나의 하느님께 있다.”
5 이제 주님께서 말씀하신다.
그분께서는 야곱을 당신께 돌아오게 하시고
이스라엘이 당신께 모여들게 하시려고
나를 모태에서부터 당신 종으로 빚어 만드셨다.
나는 주님의 눈에 소중하게 여겨졌고
나의 하느님께서 나의 힘이 되어 주셨다.
6 그분께서 말씀하신다.
“네가 나의 종이 되어 야곱의 지파들을 다시 일으키고
이스라엘의 생존자들을 돌아오게 하는 것만으로는 충분하지 않다.
나의 구원이 땅끝까지 다다르도록
나는 너를 민족들의 빛으로 세운다.”

 

제2독서

<그리스도께서 오시기 전에 요한이 미리 선포하였습니다.>

사도행전. 13,22-26
그 무렵 바오로가 말하였다.
“하느님께서는 조상들에게 22 다윗을 임금으로 세우셨습니다.
그에 대해서는 ‘내가 이사이의 아들 다윗을 찾아냈으니,
그는 내 마음에 드는 사람으로 나의 뜻을 모두 실천할 것이다.’ 하고
증언해 주셨습니다.
23 이 다윗의 후손 가운데에서, 하느님께서는 약속하신 대로
예수님을 구원자로 이스라엘에 보내셨습니다.
24 이분께서 오시기 전에 요한이 이스라엘 온 백성에게
회개의 세례를 미리 선포하였습니다.
25 요한은 사명을 다 마칠 무렵 이렇게 말하였습니다.
‘너희는 내가 누구라고 생각하느냐?
나는 그분이 아니다. 그분께서는 내 뒤에 오시는데,
나는 그분의 신발 끈을 풀어 드리기에도 합당하지 않다.’
26 형제 여러분, 아브라함의 후손 여러분,
그리고 하느님을 경외하는 여러분,
이 구원의 말씀이 바로 우리에게 파견되셨습니다.” 

복음

<그의 이름은 요한이다.>

루카. 1,57-66.80
57 엘리사벳은 해산달이 차서 아들을 낳았다.
58 이웃과 친척들은 주님께서 엘리사벳에게 큰 자비를 베푸셨다는 것을 듣고,
그와 함께 기뻐하였다.
59 여드레째 되는 날, 그들은 아기의 할례식에 갔다가
아버지의 이름을 따서 아기를 즈카르야라고 부르려 하였다.
60 그러나 아기 어머니는
“안 됩니다. 요한이라고 불러야 합니다.” 하고 말하였다.
61 그들은 “당신의 친척 가운데에는 그런 이름을 가진 이가 없습니다.” 하며,
62 그 아버지에게 아기의 이름을 무엇이라 하겠느냐고 손짓으로 물었다.
63 즈카르야는 글 쓰는 판을 달라고 하여
‘그의 이름은 요한’이라고 썼다.
그러자 모두 놀라워하였다.
64 그때에 즈카르야는 즉시 입이 열리고 혀가 풀려 말을 하기 시작하면서
하느님을 찬미하였다.
65 그리하여 이웃이 모두 두려움에 휩싸였다.
그리고 이 모든 일이 유다의 온 산악 지방에서 화제가 되었다.
66 소문을 들은 이들은 모두 그것을 마음에 새기며,
“이 아기가 대체 무엇이 될 것인가?” 하고 말하였다.
정녕 주님의 손길이 그를 보살피고 계셨던 것이다.
80 아기는 자라면서 정신도 굳세어졌다.
그리고 그는 이스라엘 백성 앞에 나타날 때까지 광야에서 살았다.

June 23, 2022

Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist 

Daily Readings — Audio

Daily Reflections — Video

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ 

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

Reading 1 Is 49:1-6 Hear me, O coastlands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. . Responsorial Psalm 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15  R. (14) I praise you, for I am wonderfully made. O LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar. R. I praise you for I am wonderfully made. Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works. R. I praise you, for I am wonderfully made. My soul also you knew full well; nor was my frame unknown to you When I was made in secret, when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth. R. I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.   Reading II Acts 13:22-26 In those days, Paul said: “God raised up David as king;  of him God testified, I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish. From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; and as John was completing his course, he would say, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’ “My brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those others among you who are God-fearing, to us this word of salvation has been sent.”   Gospel Lk 1:57-66, 80 When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit,  and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.

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

 

 What is the story of your name?  When I serve as a discussion facilitator, this question is a one I use frequently to help people introduce themselves to one another.  The stories might reveal perspectives on family of origin, sources of inspiration and connections to friends, culture and faith.

Today on the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist we learn the story of how John got his name.  The stories surrounding the birth of John the Baptist have always been quite engaging for me with a special focus on Elizabeth becoming a mother later in life and her relationship with Mary the mother of Jesus.

As I pray with today’s gospel from Luke, through Ignatian contemplative prayer, I enter the scene of people gathering for ceremony for John’s circumcision.  In contemplative prayer we can bring the scripture to life by using our imagination and engaging our senses.  This can be a powerful way to hear God.   As I imagine the scene, I see the many friends, neighbor and family members tightly gathering in the main room of the home of Elizabeth and Zechariah.  The temperature outside is warm on this sunny day and the temperature inside the room continues to climb.  We have a celebratory mood for this precious and long awaited baby.  I can also sense hunger anticipating the delicious food and drink we will enjoy after the ceremony.

As the time for the ceremony draws closer, I am focusing on visiting with friends I have not seen for some time as I am assuming that tradition will prevail and this baby will be named Zechariah.  There is a collective gasp when Elizabeth announces the name John.  All eyes turn to Zechariah to settle this matter and claim his namesake.  In the months since Zechariah was stricken mute we have been seeing him with suspicion and confusion so we are unsure about what is going to happen next.  Once Zechariah wrote the name John on the tablet he begins speaking in praise of God.  This is almost too much for me to handle as I wandered over to enjoy a party and now I am facing these powerful experiences.  We do not know how to understand what is happening, but my friends and I know that we are witnessing something from God.  We are beginning to understand that this baby is not simply a baby who was long awaited by his parents but a “miracle baby” who is destined for great things.

As my imagination leaves the scene of the party I open my heart and listen carefully for the voice of God.  I ask God to show me times I have been stricken metaphorically mute by not putting my abiding faith in God.  I pray for the courage to speak up for those who have been denied the opportunity to speak for themselves… people experiencing poverty, illness, incarceration, violence, shame, homelessness.  I thank God for reminding me that I am surrounded by the support of family, friends and neighbors especially in those moments when I feel alone.

And today I pray for my strong and resourceful grandmothers, Mary and Lena, who were the inspiration for my name.

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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND DEATHDAY

“She gave birth to a son.” —Luke 1:57

The birthday of St. John the Baptizer is halfway between Christmases. Are you ready for Christmas? Today Jesus may come back and the world may end. Are you ready for Jesus’ final coming? (see Mt 24:44)  If Jesus decided to make this your dying day, would that be fine with you?

Many people, even Christians, are not ready for Christ’s comings at Christmas, at the end of the world, or at their deaths. They need John the Baptizer, for his mission is to prepare the way of the Lord (Mk 1:3). He does this by calling us to repentance (Acts 13:24; Mk 1:4). He also turns “the hearts of fathers to their children and the rebellious to the wisdom of the just, and to prepare for the Lord a people well-disposed” (Lk 1:17). In these ways, John prepares us for the Lord’s coming at any time or in any way.

On this birthday, get ready for your deathday, last day, and Christmas day. Respond to John’s prophetic message by repenting, forgiving, and changing your lifestyle.

Prayer:  Father, I will confess my sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation as soon as possible. St. John the Baptizer, pray for me.

Promise:  “Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the Lord.” —Is 49:4

Praise:  “I solemnly assure you, history has not known a man born of woman greater than John the Baptizer. Yet the least born into the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Mt 11:11). Father, thank You for adopting us into Your family.

Reference:  (To make it a Christmas of a lifetime, read the Bible daily. For encouragement, listen to, download or order Ignorance of Scriptures is Ignorance of Christ on CD 82-1 or DVD 82, How to Pray the Bible on CD 82-3 or DVD 82 or How to Read the Bible on CD 46-3 or DVD 46 on our website.)

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

 

 If you could foresee a threat to your life and the loss of your home and goods, wouldn't you take the necessary precautions to avoid such a disaster? Jesus' story of being swept away by flood waters and wind storms must have caught the attention of his audience who knew that terrific storms did occasionally sweep through their dry arid land without any warning signs. When Jesus described the builders who were unprepared for such a life-threatening storm, he likely had the following proverb in mind: When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm for ever (Proverbs 10:25).

The only foundation that can keep us safe
What's the significance of the story for us? The kind of foundation we build our lives upon will determine whether we can survive the storms and trials of life that are sure to come. Builders usually lay their foundations when the weather and soil conditions are at their best. It takes foresight to know how a foundation will stand up against adverse conditions. Building a house on a flood plain, such as a dry river-bed, is a sure bet for disaster! Jesus prefaced his story with a warning: We may fool one another with our words, but God cannot be deceived. He sees the heart as it truly is - with its motives, intentions, desires, and choices (Psalm 139:2).

There is only one way in which a person's sincerity can be proved, and that is by one's practice. Fine words can never replace good deeds. Our character is revealed in the choices we make, especially when we must choose between what is true and false, good and evil. Do you cheat on an exam or on your income taxes, especially when it will cost you? Do you lie, or cover-up, when disclosing the truth will cause you pain or embarrassment? A true person is honest and reliable before God, neighbor, and oneself. Such a person's word can be taken as trustworthy.

Christ is the only rock that can save us
What can keep us from falsehood and spiritual disaster? If we make the Lord Jesus and his word the rock and foundation of our lives, then nothing can shake us nor keep us from God's presence and protection. Is the Lord Jesus and his word the one sure foundation of your life?

Lord Jesus, you are the only foundation that can hold us up when trials and disaster threaten us. Give me the wisdom, foresight, and strength of character I need to do what is right and good and to reject whatever is false and contrary to your will. May I be a doer of your word and not a hearer only.

Psalm 79:1-5,8-9

1 O God, the heathen have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the air for food, the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them.
4 We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those round about us.
5 How long, O LORD? Will you be angry for ever? Will your jealous wrath burn like fire?
8 Do not remember against us the iniquities of our forefathers; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name's sake!

Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: The house falls if Christ is not the rock and foundation, by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD)

"'For neither death nor life nor angels nor other things can separate us from the love of Christ' (Romans 8:38-39). Neither can the flooding of rivers, as in the lands of Egypt and Assyria [symbolize worldly wisdom opposed to God], do harm. Only those are harmed who build on sand, who practice the wisdom of the world. The winds that blow are like the false prophets. All these, coming together in one place, 'beat upon' the house. If it is founded on rock, they do no harm. 'The way of a snake upon a rock' is not to be found (Proverbs 30:19). But in the form of temptations and persecutions, which may mount into a flood, they beat upon even the one who seems to be well-founded. The house falls if it does not have Christ as its basis and foundation. But the truly wise person builds one's house 'upon a rock.' This is the way the Lord builds his church - upon the rock, with steadfastness and strength. This is why 'the gates of hell shall not prevail against it' (Matthew 16:18). All the persecutions that fall upon that house accomplish nothing. The house is founded upon the rock. (excerpt from FRAGMENT 153)

  

More Homilies

June 24, 2020 Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist Mass during the Day