November 4, 2022 Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop

2022년 11월 4일 연중 제31주간 금요일

 

제1독서
 필리피서.3,17ㅡ4,1
17 형제 여러분, 다 함께 나를 본받는 사람이 되십시오.
여러분이 우리를 본보기로 삼는 것처럼
그렇게 살아가는 다른 이들도 눈여겨보십시오.
18 내가 이미 여러분에게 자주 말하였고 지금도 눈물을 흘리며 말하는데,
많은 사람이 그리스도의 십자가의 원수로 살아가고 있습니다.
19 그들의 끝은 멸망입니다. 그들은 자기네 배를 하느님으로,
자기네 수치를 영광으로 삼으며 이 세상 것만 생각합니다.
20 그러나 우리는 하늘의 시민입니다.
그리고 그곳에서 구세주로 오실 주 예수 그리스도를 고대합니다.
21 그리스도께서는 만물을 당신께 복종시키실 수도 있는 그 권능으로,
우리의 비천한 몸을 당신의 영광스러운 몸과 같은 모습으로
변화시켜 주실 것입니다.
4,1 그러므로 내가 사랑하고 그리워하는 형제 여러분,
나의 기쁨이며 화관인 여러분,
이렇게 주님 안에 굳건히 서 있으십시오, 사랑하는 여러분!

 

복음
루카. 16,1-8
그때에 1 예수님께서 제자들에게 말씀하셨다.
“어떤 부자가 집사를 두었는데, 이 집사가 자기의 재산을 낭비한다는 말을 듣고,
2 그를 불러 말하였다.
‘자네 소문이 들리는데 무슨 소린가? 집사 일을 청산하게.
자네는 더 이상 집사 노릇을 할 수 없네.’
3 그러자 집사는 속으로 말하였다.
‘주인이 내게서 집사 자리를 빼앗으려고 하니 어떻게 하지?
땅을 파자니 힘에 부치고 빌어먹자니 창피한 노릇이다. 4 옳지, 이렇게 하자.
내가 집사 자리에서 밀려나면
사람들이 나를 저희 집으로 맞아들이게 해야지.’
5 그래서 그는 주인에게 빚진 사람들을 하나씩 불러 첫 사람에게 물었다.
‘내 주인에게 얼마를 빚졌소?’
6 그가 ‘기름 백 항아리요.’ 하자,
집사가 그에게 ‘당신의 빚 문서를 받으시오.
그리고 얼른 앉아 쉰이라고 적으시오.’ 하고 말하였다.
7 이어서 다른 사람에게 ‘당신은 얼마를 빚졌소?’ 하고 물었다.
그가 ‘밀 백 섬이오.’ 하자,
집사가 그에게 ‘당신의 빚 문서를 받아 여든이라고 적으시오.’ 하고 말하였다.
8 주인은 그 불의한 집사를 칭찬하였다. 그가 영리하게 대처하였기 때문이다.
사실 이 세상의 자녀들이 저희끼리 거래하는 데에는
빛의 자녀들보다 영리하다.”

November 4, 2022 

Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop

 

Daily Readings — Audio 

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

Daily Mass :  https://www.youtube.com/c/EWTNcatholictv          : https://www.youtube.com/c/DailyTVMass  

Reading 1

Phil 3:17?4:1

Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters, 
and observe those who thus conduct themselves 
according to the model you have in us.
For many, as I have often told you 
and now tell you even in tears, 
conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their end is destruction.
Their God is their stomach; 
their glory is in their “shame.”
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven, 
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified Body 
by the power that enables him also 
to bring all things into subjection to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, 
in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.

 

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5

R. (1) Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

 

Gospel

Lk 16:1-8

 

Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
‘What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.’
The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.’
He called in his master’s debtors one by one.
To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’
Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’ 
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.’
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than the children of light.”        

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

 

What does God think of the way I am living my life?  Throughout today’s reflection, God provides some incredible insight to answer that question.  In his letter to his beloved Philippians, Paul urges them to be imitators of the model he had laid out to them – the model Jesus Christ exemplified.  Paul evidently had heard rumors that some of his Philippian  brothers and sisters may have lost their way.  He reminds them that conducting one’s life as an enemy of the cross of Christ has dire consequences.  Recklessly pursuing earthly things leads to destruction and shame.  Paul reminds them - and us – that their citizenship is in heaven where they will find their Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  We simply need to stand firm in the Lord, keeping our daily focus upon Jesus and upon our responsibility to point others to Him.

Psalm 122 further defines what living for the Lord looks like.  That act of obedience involves rejoicing as we give thanks in the name of our Lord for all the blessing that he showers upon us each and every day.  That rejoicing is continually reinforced as we routinely go up the house of the Lord.  Yes , regularly joining our church family in worship is a crucial part of living our lives to please our Lord.   Church attendance is truly a privilege, something to rejoice, something we must never take for granted. 

Savoring our church attendance, however is not enough.  The Alleluia from First John reminds us to “keep the word of Christ”.   The love of God is truly perfected through His Word.  Living our lives for Jesus demands that we prioritize our daily time in the Bible.  Studying and listening ! 

While the first three readings for today lay out a prescription for Godly living, but as we often find throughout the Bible, other passages often require a deeper reflection.  Our Gospel message from Luke is just such a message.  According to the world’s view, the story Jesus shared with his disciples doesn’t make sense.  Jesus describes a rich man whose steward squandered his property.  When informed of that issue, the rich man demanded that the steward prepare a full account of his stewardship, which obviously would expose his deceit.  So far, we easily understand where Jesus is taking us.   Then the twist comes - before  preparing that report,  the dishonest steward went to all the creditors and forgave a good part of each debt in an effort to gain favor for himself after he had lost his job.  Jesus’s story then takes a surprising turn, the wise man commended the dishonest steward for “acting prudently”.  How can that be, the dishonest steward had not only cheated his master before he was caught, but he then further cheated him once he was called to account.  Does that sound like prudence?  It certainly doesn’t sound like justice.  Jesus ended this story by noting that “the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than the children of light.” 

Three significant points for us to ponder are found in that story:  First, we must come to grips with the fact that God is the owner of literally everything - our possessions, our families, and even our very lives. We are thus stewards of all that God has blessed us to manage.  How are we managing that responsibility?  Does our stewardship continually point to Jesus?  Do we try to make things easy for us on earth, forgetting the eternal consequences?  Secondly, are we children of this world or are we children of the light?   Children of the light use their lives as examples of God’s love and His precepts.  We must choose each moment of each day to stand firm in the Lord as a true child of God.  And Third, is this story really just reminding us that nothing is hidden from God and that he truly is willing and able to forgive us all our sins, even when justice demands that our sins be punished.  After all, undeserved forgiveness is what our loving God showers upon each of us every moment of every day.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for providing us with your holy word.  Help us to discern what you have to teach us through each and every passage.   Teach us also to prioritize our time with you and in your word each and every day of our lives.
In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen

The Scales That Blind Me Fall Away

In today’s reading we find ourselves invited to join with St. Paul in imitating him as he lives, according to the cross of Christ. What an invitation to live as St. Paul lived! St. Paul’s conversion has always been a source of consolation and challenge for me. I often practice Ignatian contemplative prayer and imagine the scales falling from his eyes and asking God that those scales that blind me fall away as well. I especially ask that the scales that blind me from the injustices around me are peeled away. Whether those injustices are local like disinvestment in communities of color or those states that continue with the death penalty or the national injustice of the disproportionate number of people of color locked up in our jails and prisons, I pray that those scales fall off so I can hear the call to action.

What might I see if those scales that blind me are peeled away?

—Tom Drexler is a graduate of Marquette University High School and Creighton University, and works in advancement with the Midwest Jesuits. 

Prayer 

Good and gracious God, you know my weaknesses and my blind spots. Remove the scales from my eyes that prevent me from seeing your face in those around me, or that prevent me from recognizing injustice in my community. As I come to see you in the needs of the world, give me the wisdom to know how to respond. Amen.

—Jesuit Prayer team 

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

ARE YOU WATCHABLE?

“Be imitators of me.” —Philippians 3:17

St. Paul’s statement to the Christians in Philippi to imitate him sounds a bit overconfident (Phil 3:17). He likewise told the Christians of Corinth: “Imitate me as I imitate Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). Yet St. Paul has a marvelous point. Faith is more often caught than taught. Mothers and fathers are clearly in such a position. Children naturally imitate their parents. Often we see children doing exactly as their parents do, both for good and for bad.

Jesus realized that He was setting “an example” for His disciples (see 1 Pt 2:21). When He washed the feet of His disciples, He said: “What I just did was to give you an example: as I have done, so you must do” (Jn 13:15).

At work, in school, others are watching. Someone is imitating you, consciously or unconsciously. Therefore, beg the Lord for more grace, more of the Holy Spirit (see Lk 11:13). Ask God for the grace to be “a noble example” of a disciple of Christ (see 2 Mc 6:28).

Regardless of whether you are aware of anyone imitating you, “be made perfect” (Mt 5:48). Be imitable. Imitate Christ.

Prayer:  Father, may my life be pleasing to You (Ps 104:34) and worthy of imitation.

Promise:  “He will give a new form to this lowly body of ours and remake it according to the pattern of His glorified body.” —Phil 3:21

Praise:  St. Charles was born into a noble family and could have lived a life of luxury. However, at a young age, he asked his father to use most of his “trust fund” as a gift to the poor.

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

 

  Do you make good use of your money and possessions? Jesus seemed to praise a steward (a manager entrusted with his master's goods) who misused his employer's money. What did the steward do that made Jesus praise him? The steward was responsible for managing his wealthy landowner's property. The steward very likely overcharged his master's tenants for their use of the land and kept more than his fair share of the profit. When the landowner discovered the steward's dishonest practice he immediately removed him from his job, leaving him penniless and ashamed to beg or do manual work.

The necessity of prudent foresight to avert disaster
Before news of his dismissal became public knowledge, the shrewd steward struck a deal with his master's debtors. In discounting their debts he probably was giving up his generous commission. Such a deal won him great favor with the debtors. Since the steward acted as the landowner's agent, such a deal made his master look very generous and forgiving towards those who owed him money. Surely everyone would praise such a generous landowner as the town hero! Since the master could not undo the steward's cancellation of the debts without losing face and making his debtors resent him, he praised the steward for outwitting him and making him appear as a generous and merciful landowner.

Jesus obviously thought that the example of a very clever steward would be a perfect illustration for a spiritual lesson about God and how God treats those who belong to his kingdom. What's the point of Jesus' parable? The dishonest steward is commended not for mishandling his master's wealth, but for his shrewd provision in averting personal disaster and in securing his future livelihood. The original meaning of "shrewdness" is "foresight". A shrewd person grasps a critical situation with resolution, foresight, and the determination to avoid serious loss or disaster.

Faith and prudent foresight can save us from moral and spiritual disaster
Jesus is concerned here with something more critical than a financial or economic crisis. His concern is that we avert spiritual crisis and personal moral disaster through the exercise of faith and foresight. If Christians would only expend as much foresight and energy to spiritual matters, which have eternal consequences, as they do to earthly matters which have temporal consequences, then they would be truly better off, both in this life and in the age to come.

God loves good stewardship and generosity
Ambrose, a 4th century bishop said: The bosoms of the poor, the houses of widows, the mouths of children are the barns which last forever. True wealth consists not in what we keep but in what we give away. Possessions are a great responsibility. The Lord expects us to use them honestly and responsibly and to put them at his service and the service of others. We belong to God and all that we have is his as well. He expects us to make a good return on what he gives us.

God loves generosity and he gives liberally to those who share his gifts with others. The Pharisees, however, had little room for God or others in their hearts. The Gospel says they were lovers of money (Luke 16:14). Love of money and wealth crowd out love of God and love of neighbor. Jesus makes clear that our hearts must either be possessed by God's love or our hearts will be possessed by the love of something else. What do you most treasure in your heart?

Lord Jesus, all that I have is a gift from you. May I love you freely and generously with all that I possess. Help me to be a wise and faithful steward of the resources you put at my disposal, including the use of my time, money, and possessions.

Psalm 98:1-4

1 O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
2 The LORD has made known his victory, he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Jesus recommends the foresight, prudence, and ingenuity of the steward, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Why did the Lord Jesus Christ present this parable to us? He surely did not approve of that cheat of a servant who cheated his master, stole from him and did not make it up from his own pocket. On top of that, he also did some extra pilfering. He caused his master further loss, in order to prepare a little nest of quiet and security for himself after he lost his job. Why did the Lord set this before us? It is not because that servant cheated but because he exercised foresight for the future. When even a cheat is praised for his ingenuity, Christians who make no such provision blush. I mean, this is what he added, 'Behold, the children of this age are more prudent than the children of light.' They perpetrate frauds in order to secure their future. In what life, after all, did that steward insure himself like that? What one was he going to quit when he bowed to his master's decision? He was insuring himself for a life that was going to end. Would you not insure yourself for eternal life?" (excerpt from 359A.10.)

  

https://www.youtube.com/user/AnthonyCompanions/videos

 

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