2022년 11월 5일 연중 제31주간 토요일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
필리피서. 4,10-19
형제 여러분,
10 여러분이 나를 생각해 주는 마음을 마침내 다시 한번 보여 주었기에,
나는 주님 안에서 크게 기뻐합니다.
사실 여러분은 줄곧 나를 생각해 주었지만
그것을 보여 줄 기회가 없었던 것입니다.
11 내가 궁핍해서 이런 말을 하는 것은 아닙니다.
나는 어떠한 처지에서도 만족하는 법을 배웠습니다.
12 나는 비천하게 살 줄도 알고 풍족하게 살 줄도 압니다.
배부르거나 배고프거나 넉넉하거나 모자라거나
그 어떠한 경우에도 잘 지내는 비결을 알고 있습니다.
13 나에게 힘을 주시는 분 안에서 나는 모든 것을 할 수 있습니다.
14 그러나 내가 겪는 환난에 여러분이 동참한 것은 잘한 일입니다.
15 필리피 신자 여러분,
복음 선포를 시작할 무렵 내가 마케도니아를 떠날 때,
여러분 외에는 나와 주고받는 관계에 있는 교회가 하나도 없었음을
여러분도 알고 있습니다.
16 내가 테살로니카에 있을 때에도
여러분은 두어 번 필요한 것을 보내 주었습니다.
17 물론 내가 선물을 바라는 것은 아닙니다.
여러분에게 많은 이익이 돌아가기를 바랄 뿐입니다.
18 나는 모든 것을 다 받아 넉넉하게 되었습니다.
여러분이 에파프로디토스 편에 보낸 것을 받아 풍족합니다.
그것은 향기로운 예물이며 하느님 마음에 드는 훌륭한 제물입니다.
19 나의 하느님께서는 그리스도 예수님 안에서 영광스럽게 베푸시는
당신의 그 풍요로움으로, 여러분에게 필요한 모든 것을 채워 주실 것입니다.
복음
루카. 16,9ㄴ-15
그때에 예수님께서 제자들에게 말씀하셨다.
9 “불의한 재물로 친구들을 만들어라.
그래서 재물이 없어질 때에
그들이 너희를 영원한 거처로 맞아들이게 하여라.
10 아주 작은 일에 성실한 사람은 큰일에도 성실하고,
아주 작은 일에 불의한 사람은 큰일에도 불의하다.
11 그러니 너희가 불의한 재물을 다루는 데에 성실하지 못하면,
누가 너희에게 참된 것을 맡기겠느냐?
12 또 너희가 남의 것을 다루는 데에 성실하지 못하면,
누가 너희에게 너희의 몫을 내주겠느냐?
13 어떠한 종도 두 주인을 섬길 수 없다.
한쪽은 미워하고 다른 쪽은 사랑하며,
한쪽은 떠받들고 다른 쪽은 업신여기게 된다.
너희는 하느님과 재물을 함께 섬길 수 없다.”
14 돈을 좋아하는 바리사이들이 이 모든 말씀을 듣고 예수님을 비웃었다.
15 그러자 예수님께서 그들에게 이르셨다.
“너희는 사람들 앞에서 스스로 의롭다고 하는 자들이다.
그러나 하느님께서는 너희 마음을 아신다.
사실 사람들에게 높이 평가되는 것이 하느님 앞에서는 혐오스러운 것이다.”
November 5, 2022
Saturday of the Thirty First Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Mass : https://www.youtube.com/c/EWTNcatholictv : https://www.youtube.com/c/DailyTVMass
Reading 1
I rejoice greatly in the Lord
that now at last you revived your concern for me.
You were, of course, concerned about me but lacked an opportunity.
Not that I say this because of need,
for I have learned, in whatever situation I find myself,
to be self-sufficient.
I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances;
I know also how to live with abundance.
In every circumstance and in all things
I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry,
of living in abundance and of being in need.
I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.
Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.
You Philippians indeed know that at the beginning of the Gospel,
when I left Macedonia,
not a single church shared with me
in an account of giving and receiving, except you alone.
For even when I was at Thessalonica
you sent me something for my needs,
not only once but more than once.
It is not that I am eager for the gift;
rather, I am eager for the profit that accrues to your account.
I have received full payment and I abound.
I am very well supplied because of what I received from you
through Epaphroditus,
“a fragrant aroma,” an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
My God will fully supply whatever you need,
in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Responsorial Psalm
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
“I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters
is also trustworthy in great ones;
and the person who is dishonest in very small matters
is also dishonest in great ones.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.”
The Pharisees, who loved money,
heard all these things and sneered at him.
And he said to them,
“You justify yourselves in the sight of others,
but God knows your hearts;
for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”
Who do you serve?
If asked whether we serve God or wealth, most of us would quickly respond that we serve God. But most choices that we face are not presented in such a black and white contrast. Jesus reminds us not to be driven by a quest for material goods, power, prestige, or awards. Saint Ignatius says that we should be indifferent to whether or not these things come our way, and instead should focus our energy on serving the Lord. In his rules for discernment, he advises that we first look at the orientation of our lives. Am I oriented toward God, or away from God? Am I straying from the right path, or am I trying to live a decent life as a Christian? As we ask ourselves these questions, Jesus reminds us that God knows our hearts, and often cares little for those things the world values.
In your daily life, who do you serve?
—Jesuit Prayer team
Prayer
Lord God,
help me to orient my life toward you.
Help me to serve you rather than wealth.
Help me to prioritize those things that matter to you,
and forget about what the world values.
Help me to follow the path that you prepare for me.
Amen.
—Jesuit Prayer team
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
In preparing for this reflection, I read and listened to a few accounts of Apostle Paul’s experience as he writes his letters to the Philippians. In Philippians 4:10-19 the focus is on Apostle Paul’s appreciation for others who cared for him while in prison. He shares that this experience has been his greatest teacher. Words such as generosity, gratefulness and gratitude kept emerging. I decided to write about gratitude and so this reflection has this focus.
Gratitude is a beautiful expression of self-awareness and provides me with a beautiful start to the day. Gratitude for faith, love, family, work, health, and all that impacts my life. I have no doubt that when the start of my day begins with gratitude the lens through which I view my appointments, conversations, and tasks shifts and the day becomes a blessing, another opportunity, another chance …to do something meaningful, to reverence the work of others, to make someone smile, to let someone know how important they are to me. The complex problems to solve become clearer and manageable, the sadness or disappointments change recognizing these are an important part of our human experience, a reminder for me to reflect on the why and learn from the meaning.
Gratitude can become a habit, but it must be attended to daily. This means writing about gratitude’s has a place/reminder on my calendar. A special calendar book is used to write my gratitude for the day (it stays close to me and can be found in my suitcase or work bag or on a table close to me). The closeness of my gratitude journal provides another daily reminder to document my gratitude for this date and year. The gratitude book was a gift and one that I treasure. As I look back over the years at my gratitude journal…faith, family, work, and our beautiful world/nature are the predominant themes. These themes are all gifts from God whom I feel blessed to know, love and cherish.
I have no doubt that many who read this have their own way of expressing their gratitude but if not…start today and see how your day goes.
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
GETTING A PROMOTION
“If you can trust a man in little things, you can also trust him in greater; while anyone unjust in a slight matter is also unjust in greater.” —Luke 16:10
Think of something you believe God wants you to do. You have thought about this for some time, but you have never been able to do it. What is the problem? Possibly you have not been faithful in small matters (see Lk 19:17) so that God has not promoted you to greater things.
For example, for decades we have been trying to stop abortion, reverse the seemingly relentless march of the culture of death, and replace it with a civilization of love and life. We are sure the Lord wants us to do this, but we have not been successful in doing it. Possibly we have not been faithful in smaller matters, such as praying with our spouses, shutting off the TV, putting down our handheld electronic device, going to Confession regularly, fasting frequently, speaking of Jesus at work, etc.
The Lord has “an eye for detail” — detailed obedience. If we are obedient across the board, we can do great things by bringing down the strongholds, lies, and pretensions of the evil one (2 Cor 10:4, 6). We can even make every thought captive to Jesus (2 Cor 10:5).
Jesus was faithful in small matters, such as many years of obscurity, family life, and manual labor. He was entrusted with the greatest work — the salvation of all people. Be faithful as Jesus was faithful.
Prayer: Father, may I do all the works You have planned for me (see Eph 2:10).
Promise: “What I say to you is this: Make friends for yourselves through your use of this world’s goods, so that when they fail you, a lasting reception will be yours.” —Lk 16:9
Praise: “In Him Who is the Source of my strength I have strength for everything” (Phil 4:13).
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
What does "tainted money" (or "unrighteous mammon") have to do with heavenly treasure and eternal life? Jesus exhorts his disciples to be like the shrewd steward who used money generously to make friends and win for himself a secure and happy future (see the parable of the dishonest steward in Luke 16:1-9). Generous giving is connected with alms-giving - the sharing of our financial and material resources with those in need (Luke 12:33). Those who receive alms become your friends because you are merciful to them in their time of need, just as God is merciful to you in your need for his forgiveness and help.
The rabbis had a saying, "The rich help the poor in this world, but the poor help the rich in the world to come." Ambrose, a 4th century bishop commenting on the parable of the rich fool who tore down his barns to build bigger ones to store his goods. said: The bosoms of the poor, the houses of widows, the mouths of children are the barns which last forever. The true treasure which lasts is the treasure stored up for us in heaven. God richly rewards those who give generously from the heart to help those in need.
True generosity does not impoverish - but enriches the giver
What is the enemy of generosity? It's greed, the excessive desire for personal gain and security. However, we do not need to be afraid for true generosity does not impoverish the giver, but enriches that person a hundredfold! Generosity expands the soul - but greed contracts it. God is generous and superabundant in lavishing his gifts upon us. We can never outmatch God in generosity. He has given us the best of gifts in sending us his only-begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who offered up his life for us on the cross. The Father also offers us the gift of the Holy Spirit who fills us with the fruit of peace, joy, patience, kindness, love, and self-control (Galatians 5:22) - and many other blessings as well. Everything we have is an outright gift of God. Do you know the joy and freedom of blessing others with the gifts and resources God has given to you?
What controls or rules your life?
Jesus concludes his parable with a lesson on what controls or rules our lives. Who is the master (or ruler) in charge of your life? Our "master" is that which governs our thought-life, shapes our ideals, and controls the desires of the heart and the values we choose to live by. We can be ruled by many different things - the love of money or possessions, the power of position, the glamour of wealth and prestige, the driving force of unruly passions and addictions. Ultimately the choice boils down to two: God and "mammon". What is mammon? "Mammon" stands for "material wealth or possessions" or whatever tends to "control our appetites and desires."
When a number of the religious leaders heard Jesus' parable they reacted with scorn (Luke 16:14). Jesus spoke to the condition of their hearts - 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 heart must either be possessed by God's love or our heart will be possessed by the love of something else.
The Lord alone can satisfy our desires and give us generous hearts
There is one Master alone who has the power to set us free from greed and possessiveness. That Master is the Lord Jesus Christ who died to set us free and who rose to give us new abundant life. The Lord Jesus invites us to make him the Master and Lord of our lives. He alone can satisfy the desires of our heart and transform us in his love through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Our money, time, and possessions are precious resources and gifts from God. We can guard them jealously for ourselves alone or allow the love of the Lord to guide us in making good use of them for the benefit of others - especially those in need - and for the work of the Lord in advancing his kingdom. Ask the Lord to fill your heart with a spirit of generosity and joy in sharing what you have with others.
Lord Jesus, may the fire of your love burn in my heart that I may be wholly devoted to you above all else. Free me from greed and attachment to material things that I may be generous in using the gifts and resources you give me for your glory and for the good of my neighbor.
Psalm 112:1-6,8a-9
1 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house; and his righteousness endures for ever.
4 Light rises in the darkness for the upright; the LORD is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered for ever.
8 His heart is steady, he will not be afraid
9 He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever; his horn is exalted in honor.
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.
"Mammon is the Hebrew word for 'riches,' just as in Punic the word for 'profit' is mammon. What are we to do? What did the Lord command? 'Make yourselves friends with the mammon of iniquity, so that they too, when you begin to fail, may receive you into eternal shelters.' It is easy, of course, to understand that we must give alms and a helping hand to the needy, because Christ receives it in them... We can understand that we have to give alms and that we must not really pick and choose to whom we give them, because we are unable to sift through people's hearts. When you give alms to all different types of people, then you will reach a few who deserve them. You are hospitable, and you keep your house ready for strangers. Let in the unworthy, in case the worthy might be excluded. You cannot be a judge and sifter of hearts." (excerpt from Sermon 359A.11-12)
https://www.youtube.com/user/AnthonyCompanions/videos
More Homilies
November 7, 2020 Saturday of the Thirty First Week in Ordinary Time
