December 1, 2022Thursday of the First Week of Advent

 

2022년 12월 1일 대림 제1주간 목요일

 

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

제1독서

<신의를 지키는 의로운 겨레가 들어간다.>

이사야서. 26,1-6

1 그날 유다 땅에서는 이러한 노래가 불리리라.

“우리에게는 견고한 성읍이 있네.

그분께서 우리를 보호하시려고 성벽과 보루를 세우셨네.

2 신의를 지키는 의로운 겨레가 들어가게 너희는 성문들을 열어라.

3 한결같은 심성을 지닌 그들에게 당신께서 평화를, 평화를 베푸시니

그들이 당신을 신뢰하기 때문입니다.

4 너희는 길이길이 주님을 신뢰하여라. 주 하느님은 영원한 반석이시다.

5 그분께서는 높은 곳의 주민들을 낮추시고 높은 도시를 헐어 버리셨으며

그것을 땅바닥에다 헐어 버리시어 먼지 위로 내던지셨다.

6 발이 그것을 짓밟는다.

빈곤한 이들의 발이, 힘없는 이들의 발길이 그것을 짓밟는다.”

 

복음

<아버지의 뜻을 실행하는 이라야 하늘 나라에 들어간다.>

마태오. 7,21.24-27

그때에 예수님께서 제자들에게 말씀하셨다.

21 “나에게 ‘주님, 주님!’ 한다고 모두 하늘 나라에 들어가는 것이 아니다. 하늘에 계신 내 아버지의 뜻을 실행하는 이라야 들어간다.

24 그러므로 나의 이 말을 듣고 실행하는 이는 모두 자기 집을 반석 위에 지은 슬기로운 사람과 같을 것이다. 25 비가 내려 강물이 밀려오고 바람이 불어 그 집에 들이쳤지만 무너지지 않았다. 반석 위에 세워졌기 때문이다.

26 그러나 나의 이 말을 듣고 실행하지 않는 자는 모두 자기 집을 모래 위에 지은 어리석은 사람과 같다. 27 비가 내려 강물이 밀려오고 바람이 불어 그 집에 휘몰아치자 무너져 버렸다. 완전히 무너지고 말았다.”

December 1, 2022

Thursday of the First Week of Advent

 

Daily Readings — Audio

Daily Reflections — Video

http://www.usccb.org/bible/

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

: https://www.youtube.com/c/DailyTVMass

 

Reading 1

Is 26:1-6

On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah:

 

"A strong city have we;

he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us.

Open up the gates

to let in a nation that is just,

one that keeps faith.

A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace;

in peace, for its trust in you."

 

Trust in the LORD forever!

For the LORD is an eternal Rock.

He humbles those in high places,

and the lofty city he brings down;

He tumbles it to the ground,

levels it with the dust.

It is trampled underfoot by the needy,

by the footsteps of the poor.

 

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 118:1 and 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a

R. (26a) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his mercy endures forever.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD

than to trust in man.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD

than to trust in princes.

R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Open to me the gates of justice;

I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.

This gate is the LORD's;

the just shall enter it.

I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me

and have been my savior.

R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

O LORD, grant salvation!

O LORD, grant prosperity!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;

we bless you from the house of the LORD.

The LORD is God, and he has given us light.

R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

 

Gospel

Mt 7:21, 24-27

Jesus said to his disciples:

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,'

will enter the Kingdom of heaven,

but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

 

"Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them

will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.

The rain fell, the floods came,

and the winds blew and buffeted the house.

But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.

And everyone who listens to these words of mine

but does not act on them

will be like a fool who built his house on sand.

The rain fell, the floods came,

and the winds blew and buffeted the house.

And it collapsed and was completely ruined."

 

 

A Solid Foundation

I grew up in the Adirondack Mountains and sometimes climbed Blue Mountain with my family. I remember reaching the top and sitting on the exposed rock thrilled at my accomplishment and amazed by the creation I could see. To get to the top we had to hike sandy paths and slippery boulders and when we got to the top I was relieved to be standing on solid, dry rock.

Faith can be like climbing up a mountain, sometimes unstable and slippery, sometimes strong and solid. Consistent prayer helps to solidify my foundation. I also like to keep symbols of faith in my prayer space as visual reminders. While most of us can’t climb a mountain today, I encourage you to find a rock and keep it where you pray during Advent. Let this rock be a reminder that whatever you encounter in the world, your faith provides a solid foundation.

—Kay Gregg is the Assistant Department Chair for Campus Ministry at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois.

 

Prayer

Loving God, you offer me a sure foundation for my faith, even when I stumble. Help me to deepen my prayer so that I can deepen my relationship with you. Amen.

—Jesuit Prayer team

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

 

“Whoever does the will of my Father will enter the kingdom of heaven”

I found much to ponder in the readings for today. The overall tone of preparing for the Lord manifests in how we live, how we build our houses (our selves).

Building takes time: the idea first, then the detailed planning, the careful selection of people to do the actual work and of utmost importance: location, location, location.

The United States has recently seen a number of houses washed into storm-tossed seas and flooded rivers – a great hardship for the owners. One wishes they had been able to live on higher ground. These tragic events always bring to mind the reading from Matthew: “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. (“Trust in the Lord forever! For the Lord is an eternal Rock.” Is: 26:1-6) And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand…”…You know the rest.

So we can’t just listen – we have to act. We are to do the Father’s will…..”Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

Our commission to do the Father’s will seems difficult – how do we know what that is and how do we go about finding out?

For me, I like to boil things down to their least complex form, the simplest. In this matter of doing the Father’s will I turn in trust to Jesus, the very enfleshment of the Father’s will. His word builds the firm foundation of our lives.

Hopefully our actions flow from a frequent reading and pondering of his word, such that even without thinking, we express his love and mercy in all we do and say. I’m still working on it. Compassion is never wrong, even for ourselves.

And now, for me, the really good news in these readings: As we do the will of the Father we are already in heaven. In my thinking, heaven can begin here and now, as we manifest the goodness of the Lord.

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EXTREME HEART MAKEOVER

“Trust in the Lord forever!” —Isaiah 26:4

Advent is a time to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. Just as a mother has nine months to prepare her home for the arrival of her baby, so we have four weeks to prepare the way of the Lord in our life. It’s easy to give Jesus only lip-service, and not life-service (see Mk 7:6-7). A litmus test for our hearts is to compare our lifestyle and our actions against the Word of God:

1) Are you keeping God’s commandments? Jesus says: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (see Jn 14:21; 15:10).

2) Are you allowing God’s Kingdom to come? For example, when you pray the Our Father, you tell God “Your will be done,” but if you are contracepting, you block His life so that His Kingdom cannot come (see Mt 6:10).

3) Are you behaving like an orphan, even though you are a child of God? For example, are you fearful that you can’t feed your family, even though Almighty God has promised to provide for you? (Mt 6:32-34)

There are many other Scriptures by which we can measure our hearts against God’s Word. Does your lifestyle show that your heart trusts in God? “Fear is useless; what is needed is trust” (Mk 5:36). Ask the Lord this Advent to give you a new heart (Ez 36:26).

Prayer: Lord Jesus, not knowing Scripture means not knowing You (Catechism, 133). This Advent, I devote myself to relating to You by Your standards (see 2 Cor 5:16).

Promise: “None of those who cry out, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of God but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.” —Mt 7:21

Praise: When he prayed for God’s help in a spirit of total surrender, Steven received the grace to overcome his addiction.

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

 

What's the best security against disaster and destruction? In the ancient world a strong city, an impregnable fortress, and a secure house were built on solid rock because they could withstand the forces of nature and foe alike. Isaiah speaks of God as an "everlasting rock" (Isaiah 26:4). He is the rock of refuge and deliverance (Psalm 18:2) and the rock in whom there is no wrong (Psalm 92:15). Scripture warns that destruction will surely come to those who place their security in something other than God and his kingdom. Jesus' parables invite us to stake our lives on the coming of his kingdom or face the consequences of being unprepared when the day of testing and destruction will surely come.

 

The only foundation that can keep us safe

When Jesus told the story of the builders 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). 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 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 humans with our speech, 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 are tested. 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 injury or embarrassment? A true person is honest and reliable before God, one's 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.

출처 입력

Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27

1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever!

8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.

20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.

21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.

25 Save us, we beseech you, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech you, give us success!

26 Blessed be he who enters in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.

27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar!

출처 입력

Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Turn your vision to the Savior, by Verecundus (died 552 AD)

"When Hezekiah, the king of Judah and son of Ahaz, was gravely ill and had learned of his coming death by the prophecy of Isaiah, he turned his face to the wall and wept bitterly (2 Kings 20:1-3). Immediately the Lord in his mercy not only averted the destruction of imminent death but also added fifteen years to the man's life. Then, at last, Hezekiah sang this song (Isaiah 38:10-20). Hezekiah, a holy man who reigned at that time over all of Israel, displayed the Lord's form: clearly he had every movement of body, soul and mind in subjection to himself, and he accepted the consequences of his infirmity and weakness. He knew without doubt through the prophetic message that the end of his life was approaching. For the longer we seem to live, the more indubitably is our future death foreknown to us. And if we turn our face to the wall when struck by the fear of death, that is, if we direct the vision of our hearts to the Savior, who is here represented by the wall because he is elsewhere called 'a wall,' we will be saved, inasmuch as he saves the faithful who dwell within him from a great many attacks. 'In the city of our strength,' says Isaiah, 'is the Savior established as a wall and a fortress' (Isaiah 26:1). Behold, the Savior is said to be a wall." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON THE CANTICLE OF EZEKIEL 5.1-2)

 

[Verecundus was an African Christian writer and bishop in the 6th century AD.]

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More Homilies

December 2, 2021 Thursday of the First Week of Advent

 

 

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