오늘의 복음

December 19, 2022 Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent

Margaret K 2022. 12. 19. 06:00

2022년 12월 19일 대림 제4주간 월요일

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

제1독서

판관기. 13,2-7.24-25

.그 무렵 2 초르아 출신으로 단 씨족에 속한 사람이 하나 있었는데,

그의 이름은 마노아였다.

그의 아내는 임신할 수 없는 몸이어서 자식을 낳지 못하였다.

3 그런데 주님의 천사가 그 여자에게 나타나서 말하였다.

“보라, 너는 임신할 수 없는 몸이어서 자식을 낳지 못하였지만,

이제 잉태하여 아들을 낳을 것이다.

4 그러니 앞으로 조심하여 포도주도 독주도 마시지 말고,

부정한 것은 아무것도 먹지 마라.

5 네가 임신하여 아들을 낳을 것이기 때문이다.

그리고 아기의 머리에 면도칼을 대어서는 안 된다.

그 아이는 모태에서부터 이미 하느님께 바쳐진 나지르인이 될 것이다.

그가 이스라엘을 필리스티아인들의 손에서 구원해 내기 시작할 것이다.”

6 그러자 그 여자가 남편에게 가서 말하였다.

“하느님의 사람이 나에게 오셨는데,

그 모습이 하느님 천사의 모습 같아서 너무나 두려웠습니다.

그래서 나는 그분이 어디에서 오셨는지 묻지도 못하였고,

그분도 당신 이름을 알려 주지 않으셨습니다.

7 그런데 그분이 나에게,

‘보라, 너는 잉태하여 아들을 낳을 것이다.

그러니 앞으로 포도주도 독주도 마시지 말고,

부정한 것은 아무것도 먹지 마라.

그 아이는 모태에서부터 죽는 날까지

하느님께 바쳐진 나지르인이 될 것이다.’ 하고 말씀하셨습니다.”

24 그 여자는 아들을 낳고 이름을 삼손이라 하였다.

아이는 자라나고 주님께서는 그에게 복을 내려 주셨다.

25 그가 초르아와 에스타올 사이에 자리 잡은 ‘단의 진영’ 에 있을 때,

주님의 영이 그를 움직이기 시작하였다.

복음

루카. 1,5-25

5 유다 임금 헤로데 시대에 아비야 조에 속한 사제로서

즈카르야라는 사람이 있었다.

그의 아내는 아론의 자손으로서 이름은 엘리사벳이었다.

6 이 둘은 하느님 앞에서 의로운 이들로,

주님의 모든 계명과 규정에 따라 흠 없이 살아가는 사람들이었다.

7 그런데 그들에게는 아이가 없었다.

엘리사벳이 아이를 못낳는 여자였기 때문이다.

게다가 둘 다 나이가 많았다.

8 즈카르야가 자기 조 차례가 되어 하느님 앞에서

사제 직무를 수행할 때의 일이다.

9 사제직의 관례에 따라 제비를 뽑았는데,

그가 주님의 성소에 들어가 분향하기로 결정되었다.

10 그가 분향하는 동안에 밖에서는 온 백성의 무리가 기도하고 있었다.

11 그때에 주님의 천사가 즈카르야에게 나타나 분향 제단 오른쪽에 섰다.

12 즈카르야는 그 모습을 보고 놀라 두려움에 사로잡혔다.

13 천사가 그에게 말하였다.

“두려워하지 마라, 즈카르야야. 너의 청원이 받아들여졌다.

네 아내 엘리사벳이 너에게 아들을 낳아 줄 터이니,

그 이름을 요한이라 하여라.

14 너도 기뻐하고 즐거워할 터이지만

많은 이가 그의 출생을 기뻐할 것이다.

15 그가 주님 앞에서 큰 인물이 될 것이기 때문이다.

그는 포도주도 독주도 마시지 않고

어머니 태중에서부터 성령으로 가득 찰 것이다.

16 그리고 이스라엘 자손들 가운데에서 많은 사람을

그들의 하느님이신 주님께 돌아오게 할 것이다.

17 그는 또 엘리야의 영과 힘을 지니고 그분보다 먼저 와서,

부모의 마음을 자녀에게 돌리고,

순종하지 않는 자들은 의인들의 생각을 받아들이게 하여,

백성이 주님을 맞이할 준비를 갖추게 할 것이다.”

18 즈카르야가 천사에게, “제가 그것을 어떻게 알 수 있겠습니까?

저는 늙은이고 제 아내도 나이가 많습니다.” 하고 말하자,

19 천사가 그에게 대답하였다.

“나는 하느님을 모시는 가브리엘인데,

너에게 이야기하여 이 기쁜 소식을 전하라고 파견되었다.

20 보라, 때가 되면 이루어질 내 말을 믿지 않았으니,

이 일이 일어나는 날까지

너는 벙어리가 되어 말을 못하게 될 것이다.”

21 한편 즈카르야를 기다리던 백성은

그가 성소 안에서 너무 지체하므로 이상하게 여겼다.

22 그런데 그가 밖으로 나와서 말도 하지 못하자,

사람들은 그가 성소 안에서 어떤 환시를 보았음을 알게 되었다.

그는 사람들에게 몸짓만 할 뿐 줄곧 벙어리로 지냈다.

23 그러다가 봉직 기간이 차자 집으로 돌아갔다.

24 그 뒤에 그의 아내 엘리사벳이 잉태하였다.

엘리사벳은 다섯 달 동안 숨어 지내며 이렇게 말하였다.

25 “내가 사람들 사이에서 겪어야 했던 치욕을 없애 주시려고

주님께서 굽어보시어 나에게 이 일을 해 주셨구나.”

 

December 19, 2022

monday of the Fourth 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

Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a

There was a certain man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites,

whose name was Manoah.

His wife was barren and had borne no children.

An angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her,

“Though you are barren and have had no children,

yet you will conceive and bear a son.

Now, then, be careful to take no wine or strong drink

and to eat nothing unclean.

As for the son you will conceive and bear,

no razor shall touch his head,

for this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb.

It is he who will begin the deliverance of Israel from the power of the Philistines.”

The woman went and told her husband,

“A man of God came to me;

he had the appearance of an angel of God, terrible indeed.

I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name.

But he said to me,

‘You will be with child and will bear a son.

So take neither wine nor strong drink, and eat nothing unclean.

For the boy shall be consecrated to God from the womb,

until the day of his death.’”

The woman bore a son and named him Samson.

The boy grew up and the LORD blessed him;

the Spirit of the LORD stirred him.

Responsorial Psalm

71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17

R. (see 8) My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!

Be my rock of refuge,

a stronghold to give me safety,

for you are my rock and my fortress.

O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.

R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!

For you are my hope, O LORD;

my trust, O God, from my youth.

On you I depend from birth;

from my mother’s womb you are my strength.

R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!

I will treat of the mighty works of the LORD;

O God, I will tell of your singular justice.

O God, you have taught me from my youth,

and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.

R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!

Gospel

Lk 1:5-25

In the days of Herod, King of Judea,

there was a priest named Zechariah

of the priestly division of Abijah;

his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,

and her name was Elizabeth

Both were righteous in the eyes of God,

observing all the commandments

and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren

and both were advanced in years.

Once when he was serving as priest

in his division’s turn before God,

according to the practice of the priestly service,

he was chosen by lot

to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.

Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside

at the hour of the incense offering,

the angel of the Lord appeared to him,

standing at the right of the altar of incense.

Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah,

because your prayer has been heard.

Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you shall name him John.

And you will have joy and gladness,

and many will rejoice at his birth,

for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.

He will drink neither wine nor strong drink.

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,

and he will turn many of the children of Israelto the Lord their God.

He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah

to turn the hearts of fathers toward children

and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,

to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”

Then Zechariah said to the angel,

“How shall I know this?

For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

And the angel said to him in reply,

“I am Gabriel, who stand before God.

I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.

But now you will be speechless and unable to talk

until the day these things take place,

because you did not believe my words,

which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”

Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah

and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.

But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them,

and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary.

He was gesturing to them but remained mute.

Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.

After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived,

and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,

“So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit

to take away my disgrace before others.

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

As the youngest of three children, there were countless times growing up that my mother stated the following: “Oh, Mardell, your time will come.” I couldn’t wait to do all of the things my older brother and sister got to do. I couldn’t wait to go to school, to have homework, to drive a car, to leave for college… and the list goes on. However, almost every time she said it, I didn’t believe it would happen. And almost every time, regardless of the coveted next milestone, it did.

How many times throughout the Bible does the Lord provide examples of Your time will come? In today’s readings from Judges and Luke there are examples of angels coming to prophecy that good things were indeed to come. However, it was difficult for Manoah and his wife and Zechariah and Elizabeth to even fathom that such a wonderful thing as the birth of a son could occur given each of their histories. Because Zechariah needed more proof than merely the angel Gabriel’s proclamation that if he trusted and was patient, his time would come, he was rendered speechless.

As we read the lessons today, it seems so easy for us to trust and be patient for what was to come next. Why was it so hard for Zechariah or Manoah’s wife? It is simple… we know what comes next. But what about the things we have yet to experience? As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior during this Advent season we have great confidence in what was prophesied. We know that the angels’ proclamations foretelling Samson and John’s births, as well as the birth of Jesus, came true. But what about the next coming of Jesus? Are we as sure that if we trust and we are patient, our Savior will come again? Waiting and trusting that God’s plan is perfect is not easy. We live in a broken and sinful world that oftentimes challenges our faith and trust – not just in God but in one another. How many times do we think that we have to face our adversities alone? Today’s Psalm reminds us that regardless of the challenge, God rescues us from the hand of the wicked.

During this time of Advent it is not that we cannot speak, like Zechariah, but that we must be prepared to listen to God’s word and our time will come.

We pray:

Good and gracious Lord, may your promises of love, mercy and grace mute our doubts as we wait to celebrate the birth of your Son, Jesus, during this Advent season. May our continued faith and trust in your second coming give us the peace that you walk with us in good times and in bad, as we proclaim your wondrous deeds. Amen.

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

WHAT IS THE REAL DISGRACE?

“So has the Lord done for me at a time when He has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.” —Luke 1:25, RNAB

In the Jewish culture at the time of the New Testament, to be childless was considered a “disgrace” (Lk 1:25, RNAB). What a difference from this present age! In the modern secular culture, it is often considered a blessing to be childless.

A culture which condones killing closes itself to life and welcomes death. Accordingly, as He walked to His death, Jesus prophesied: “The days are coming when they will say, ‘Happy are the sterile, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed’ ” (Lk 23:29). Jesus foresaw that a society which solved its problems by killing, such as the culture that sent Him to His crucifixion, would in essence curse itself by considering death a blessing and a solution.

God’s Word teaches that every child is a blessing from God (Ps 127:3). “From the womb,” Samson was “consecrated to God” (Jgs 13:7). Even inside the womb, St. John the Baptizer was filled with the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:15). He leapt for joy inside his mother’s womb at the presence of the pregnant Blessed Virgin Mary (Lk 1:41, 44).

The true disgrace is that life and faith are suppressed by a culture of death. That babies are prevented from being conceived by rampant contraception and aborted by chemical and surgical abortion is a disgrace to Almighty God. This battle for life is the ultimate spiritual battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. “I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life” (Dt 30:19).

Prayer: Father, give me the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16).

Promise: “Many will rejoice at his birth.” —Lk 1:14

Praise: “O Flower of Jesse’s stem, You have been raised up as a Sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in Your presence; the nations bow down in worship before You. Come, let nothing keep You from coming to our aid.”

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

Do you believe that God will fulfill all his promises just as he said? Advent is a time to renew our hope and confidence in God's faithfulness to the covenant he made with his people. In preparing the way for a Savior, we see the wondrous miracle of two barren couples who conceive and bear sons - Samson in the Old Testament (Judges 13) and John the Baptist in the New Testament (Luke 1:5ff) - who are called by God to bring hope and deliverance at a time of spiritual darkness and difficulty for the people of God.

A blessing beyond expectations

Zechariah was a godly man who was tuned to God's voice. He was born into a priestly family and it was his privilege to be chosen to enter the inner court of the temple to offer sacrifice to God. Luke records that the people wondered at Zechariah's delay and were amazed that he was speechless when he withdrew from the inner sanctuary. They rightly perceived that he had a special encounter with God. God's angelic messenger greeted Zechariah with a blessing beyond his expectations.

"Your prayer is heard! You will have a son! And his mission will be great for all of Israel."

Now that seemed like a lot for Zechariah to take in all at once. Could God really do a miracle for his barren wife, Elizabeth? The angel somewhat wisely put Zechariah in his place before God's mighty action. He became speechless until the day the infant was dedicated to the Lord and given the name, John. When God draws us into his presence, he wants us to be still and quiet before him so we can listen to his voice as he speaks to our hearts and reveals his mind to us. Do you listen attentively to the Lord and do you ponder his word in your heart with trust and confidence?

The Lord is gracious

In the annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist, the angel explains to Zechariah the role his son is to play in preparing the way for the Messiah. John will be great in the sight of God. He will live as a Nazarite (see Numbers 6) - a person set apart for the Lord. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even within his mother's womb. And he shall be sent to the people of God, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers and children to God and one another, by turning the "disobedient to the wisdom of the just." The name John means "the Lord is gracious". When God acts to save us he graciously fills us with his Holy Spirit and makes our faith "alive" to his promises. Do you pray that "the hearts of parents and children may be turned to God and one another"?


Lord Jesus, you bring hope and restoration to your people. Restore and strengthen Christian family life today. Help me to love and serve my family. May your love rule in all my relationships and remove any barriers to peace and harmony.


Psalm 71:3-6, 16-17

3 Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.

5 For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth.

6 Upon you I have leaned from my birth; you are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you.

16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come, I will praise your righteousness, yours alone.

17 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Born for prophecy - murdered for truth, by Maximus of Turin (died between 408-423 AD)

"I do not know what is the most important thing that we should preach - that he [John the Baptist] was wonderfully born or more wonderfully slain - for he was born as a prophecy and murdered for truth. By his birth he announced the coming of the Savior, and by his death he condemned the incest of Herod (Matthew 14:3-12). This holy and righteous man, who was born in an uncommon way as the result of a promise, merited from God that he should depart this world by an uncommon death - that he should by confessing the Lord lay aside his body, which he had received as a gift from the Lord. Therefore John did everything by the will of God, since he was born and died for the sake of God's work." (excerpt from SERMON 5.1-.2)