2022년 12월 29일 성탄 팔일 축제 내 제5일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
<자기 형제를 사랑하는 사람은 빛 속에 머무릅니다.>
요한 1서. 2,3-11
사랑하는 여러분, 3 우리가 하느님의 계명을 지키면,
그것으로 우리가 예수님을 알고 있음을 알게 됩니다.
4 “나는 그분을 안다.” 하면서 그분의 계명을 지키지 않는 자는 거짓말쟁이고,
그에게는 진리가 없습니다.
5 그러나 누구든지 그분의 말씀을 지키면,
그 사람 안에서는 참으로 하느님 사랑이 완성됩니다.
그것으로 우리가 그분 안에 있음을 알게 됩니다.
6 그분 안에 머무른다고 말하는 사람은
자기도 그리스도께서 살아가신 것처럼 그렇게 살아가야 합니다.
7 사랑하는 여러분, 내가 여러분에게 써 보내는 것은 새 계명이 아니라,
여러분이 처음부터 지녀 온 옛 계명입니다.
이 옛 계명은 여러분이 들은 그 말씀입니다.
8 그러면서도 내가 여러분에게 써 보내는 것은 새 계명입니다.
그것은 그리스도께도 또 여러분에게도 참된 사실입니다.
어둠이 지나가고 이미 참빛이 비치고 있기 때문입니다.
9 빛 속에 있다고 말하면서 자기 형제를 미워하는 사람은
아직도 어둠 속에 있는 자입니다.
10 자기 형제를 사랑하는 사람은 빛 속에 머무르고,
그에게는 걸림돌이 없습니다.
11 그러나 자기 형제를 미워하는 자는 어둠 속에 있습니다.
그는 어둠 속에서 살아가면서 자기가 어디로 가는지 모릅니다.
어둠이 그의 눈을 멀게 하였기 때문입니다.
복음
<그리스도는 다른 민족들에게는 계시의 빛이십니다.>
루카 2,22-35
22 모세의 율법에 따라 정결례를 거행할 날이 되자,
예수님의 부모는 아기를 예루살렘으로 데리고 올라가 주님께 바쳤다.
23 주님의 율법에 “태를 열고 나온 사내아이는 모두
주님께 봉헌해야 한다.”고 기록된 대로 한 것이다.
24 그들은 또한 주님의 율법에서
“산비둘기 한 쌍이나 어린 집비둘기 두 마리를”바치라고 명령한 대로
제물을 바쳤다.
25 그런데 예루살렘에 시메온이라는 사람이 있었다.
이 사람은 의롭고 독실하며 이스라엘이 위로받을 때를 기다리는 이였는데,
성령께서 그 위에 머물러 계셨다.
26 성령께서는 그에게 주님의 그리스도를 뵙기 전에는
죽지 않으리라고 알려 주셨다.
27 그가 성령에 이끌려 성전으로 들어갔다.
그리고 아기에 관한 율법의 관례를 준수하려고
부모가 아기 예수님을 데리고 들어오자,
28 그는 아기를 두 팔에 받아 안고 이렇게 하느님을 찬미하였다.
29 “주님, 이제야 말씀하신 대로 당신 종을 평화로이 떠나게 해 주셨습니다.
30 제 눈이 당신의 구원을 본 것입니다.
31 이는 당신께서 모든 민족들 앞에서 마련하신 것으로
32 다른 민족들에게는 계시의 빛이며
당신 백성 이스라엘에게는 영광입니다.”
33 아기의 아버지와 어머니는 아기를 두고 하는 이 말에 놀라워하였다.
34 시메온은 그들을 축복하고 나서 아기 어머니 마리아에게 말하였다.
“보십시오,
이 아기는 이스라엘에서 많은 사람을 쓰러지게도 하고 일어나게도 하며,
또 반대를 받는 표징이 되도록 정해졌습니다.
35 그리하여 당신의 영혼이 칼에 꿰찔리는 가운데,
많은 사람의 마음속 생각이 드러날 것입니다.”
December 29, 2022
The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Daily Mass : https://www.youtube.com/c/EWTNcatholictv
: https://www.youtube.com/c/DailyTVMass
Reading 1
Beloved:
The way we may be sure that we know Jesus
is to keep his commandments.
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments
is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps his word,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:
whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked.
Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you
but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.
The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
And yet I do write a new commandment to you,
which holds true in him and among you,
for the darkness is passing away,
and the true light is already shining.
Whoever says he is in the light,
yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.
Whoever loves his brother remains in the light,
and there is nothing in him to cause a fall.
Whoever hates his brother is in darkness;
he walks in darkness
and does not know where he is going
because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
The LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty go before him;
praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Gospel
When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice of
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
“Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.”
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
(and you yourself a sword will pierce)
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness. 1 John 2
The parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord. Luke 2
We are just four days after Christmas and the first reading challenges us. Who among us, in our experience of Christmas, didn't have some difficult experience with someone? It is almost inevitable each year that Christmas time can become a very stressful time. Christmas often gathers us with family and friends. Sometimes the most difficult relationships of our lives come together. Alcohol - intended as a traditional holiday element to add "cheer" - can make everything much worse. A word was said meanly. An old wound was re-opened. Someone was going through a hard time and was coping very badly. I re-discover how much someone really drives me crazy. As a result, I can understand the challenge of the First Letter of John: I want to be in the Light that is Jesus, but at the same time, there is somebody that I really hate or really resent or simply can't stand to be around, and that places me still in the darkness.
Christmas is about the Love of God coming into the world, to be Light in the midst of the world's darkness. It is about the invitation to receive the Light into our hearts and to let that Light shine in us as it did in him. This first reading helps us so directly: "whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked." To be a disciple of the Light, we have to let go of the darkness and let the Light into our hearts. We have to forgive. We have to love the way he has loved. The only way we can do that is to continue to let the healing grace of Christmas touch us. Innocence is born in poverty and suffers greatly trying to be faithful to his way.
Mary and Joseph walked the simple way of innocent trust in God in a most loving way. In today's gospel - this year, the same as Sunday's Holy Family gospel - they go up to the temple in Jerusalem to be faithful to the law. They meet Simeon, such an Old Testament prophet type of person, who comes into the temple "in the Spirit." In that moment, Simeon is able to hold on to the promise he has hoped in with innocent trust. Simeon's hope has not been narrow. He has been listening to the promise carefully. He is beholding not only "the glory of your people, Israel," but "a light to reveal you to the nations." Simeon's longing coincided with God's longing - that all God's children be one. In the Spirit, how else could Simeon dream, except with a reconciling and loving spirit?
Simeon's hope is not naive. And so he instructs Joseph and Mary in its depths. There will be people who contradict this vision of unity and peace. They will choose being unique and special, being chosen and righteous over being inclusive and forgiving. And, of course, Mary's own heart will be part of the suffering that is the cost of discipleship. To see her precious son so rejected would be like a sword piercing her own heart. Simeon himself could not have imagined how true that would be as she would behold his heart opened with a lance on the cross.
The poor couple, who could only afford two small birds for their offering, came home blessed. We can only imagine what they taught their child about being a light for all people, about unity and forgiveness, about trust in God and sacrifice. When Jesus was led into the desert by the same Spirit that was with Simeon, he was ready for his mission.
Dear Lord, Jesus, we thank you for your becoming one with us. We thank you for these days to help us continue to understand and embrace your coming. We thank you for being light in our darkness. We thank you for these scriptures which help us see what you wish to reveal to us. So we ask you today to heal whatever darkness might be left over after Christmas. Restore your own peace in our hearts. Let your Spirit lead us to the places where we can reveal your light to others. Prepare us for the swords that will pierce our hearts as we give ourselves to being your disciples for others.
Andy Alexander, S.J. wrote this reflection in 2008.
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
OBEDIENCE: THE ROAD TO LOVE
“Whoever keeps His word, truly has the love of God been made perfect in him.” —1 John 2:5
The purpose of the Christmas season is to grow greatly in love for Jesus. To grow in love requires God’s grace, our willingness to accept His grace, and a process by which we are transformed and made more capable of loving. We go through this process of transformation by taking step after step in obedience. “By obedience to the truth” we purify ourselves “for a genuine love” (1 Pt 1:22). “The way we can be sure of our knowledge of Him is to keep His commandments” (1 Jn 2:3).
By obedience, Mary conceived Christ and loved Him more deeply than anyone has ever loved Him. By obedience, Joseph became the foster-father of Jesus and grew from love to love. By obedience, the shepherds and wise men saw the infant Jesus and began a new life of love forever. By obedience, Simeon “came to the temple” (Lk 2:27) where he met Jesus, the Light to the Gentiles, the Glory of Israel (Lk 2:32), and the God Who is Love (1 Jn 4:16).
Christmas is a journey into “the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ’s love” (Eph 3:18). We do not know the way, but Jesus, the Way (Jn 14:6), will tell us each step to take. Obey Love on the road to love.
Prayer: Abba, lead me to love with a martyr’s love.
Promise: “This Child is destined to be the downfall and the rise of many in Israel, a sign that will be opposed — and you yourself shall be pierced with a sword — so that the thoughts of many hearts may be laid bare.” —Lk 2:34-35
Praise: St. Thomas Becket, archbishop of Canterbury, refused to allow King Henry II to interfere in affairs of the Church. Four knights of the King killed Thomas in the Canterbury Cathedral.
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
Do you know the favor of the Lord? After Jesus' birth, Mary fulfills the Jewish rite of purification after childbirth. Since she could not afford the customary offering of a lamb, she gives instead two pigeons as an offering of the poor. This rite, along with circumcision and the redemption of the first-born point to the fact that children are gifts from God. Jesus was born in an ordinary home where there were no luxuries. Like all godly parents, Mary and Joseph raised their son in the fear and wisdom of God. He, in turn, was obedient to them and grew in wisdom and grace. The Lord's favor is with those who listen to his word with trust and obedience. Do you know the joy of submission to God? And do you seek to pass on the faith and to help the young grow in wisdom and maturity?
The Holy Spirit reveals the presence of the Savior of the world
What is the significance of Simeon's encounter with the baby Jesus and his mother in the temple? Simeon was a just and devout man who was very much in tune with the Holy Spirit. He believed that the Lord would return to his temple and renew his chosen people. The Holy Spirit also revealed to him that the Messiah and King of Israel would also bring salvation to the Gentile nations. When Joseph and Mary presented the baby Jesus in the temple, Simeon immediately recognized this humble child of Bethlehem as the fulfillment of all the messianic prophecies, hopes, and prayers. Inspired by the Holy Spirit he prophesied that Jesus was to be "a revealing light to the Gentiles". The Holy Spirit reveals the presence of the Lord to those who are receptive and eager to receive him. Do you recognize the indwelling presence of the Lord with you?
The 'new temple' of God's presence in the world
Jesus is the new temple (John 1:14; 2:19-22). In the Old Testament God manifested his presence in the "pillar of cloud" by day and the "pillar of fire" by night as he led them through the wilderness. God's glory visibly came to dwell over the ark and the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-38). When the first temple was built in Jerusalem God's glory came to rest there (1 Kings 8). After the first temple was destroyed, Ezekiel saw God's glory leave it (Ezekiel 10). But God promised one day to fill it with even greater glory (Haggai 2:1-9; Zechariah 8-9). That promise is fulfilled when the "King of Glory" himself comes to his temple (Psalm 24:7-10; Malachi 3:1). Through Jesus' coming in the flesh and through his saving death, resurrection, and ascension we are made living temples of his Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Ask the Lord to renew your faith in the indwelling presence of his Spirit within you. And give him thanks and praise for coming to make his home with you.
Mary receives both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow
Simeon blessed Mary and Joseph and he prophesied to Mary about the destiny of this child and the suffering she would undergo for his sake. There is a certain paradox for those blessed by the Lord. Mary was given the blessedness of being the mother of the Son of God. That blessedness also would become a sword which pierced her heart as her Son died upon the cross. She received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow. But her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope, and trust in God and his promises. Jesus promised his disciples that "no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22). The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and which neither life nor death can take away. Do you know the peace and joy of a life surrendered to God with faith and trust?
Our hope is anchored in God's everlasting kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy
What do you hope for? The hope which God places in our heart is the desire for the kingdom of heaven and everlasting life and happiness with our heavenly Father. The Lord Jesus has won for us a kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). The Holy Spirit gives hope to all who place their trust in the promises of God. God never fails because his promises are true and he is faithful. The hope which God places within us through the gift of the Spirit enables us to persevere with confident trust in God even in the face of trails, setbacks, and challenges that may come our way.
Is there anything holding you back from giving God your unqualified trust and submission to his will for your life? Allow the Lord Jesus to flood your heart with his peace, joy, and love. And offer to God everything you have and desire - your life, family, friends, health, honor, wealth, and future. If you seek his kingdom first he will give you everything you need to know, love, and serve him now and enjoy him forever.
Lord Jesus, you are my hope and my life. May I never cease to place all my trust in you. Fill me with the joy and strength of the Holy Spirit that I may boldly point others to your saving presence and words of everlasting life.
Psalm 128:1-5
Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.
5 The Lord bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life!
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Simeon and Anna represent both sexes awaiting their Redeemer, by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.
"Simeon and Anna, a man and a woman of advanced age, greeted the Lord with the devoted services of their professions of faith. As they saw him, he was small in body, but they understood him to be great in his divinity. Figuratively speaking, this denotes the synagogue, the Jewish people, who, wearied by the long awaiting of his incarnation, were ready with both their arms (their pious actions) and their voices (their unfeigned faith) to exalt and magnify him as soon as he came. They were ready to acclaim him and say, 'Direct me in your truth and teach me, for you are my saving God, and for you I have waited all the day' (Psalm 25:5). What needs to be mentioned, too, is that deservedly both sexes hurried to meet him, offering congratulations, since he appeared as the Redeemer of both." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.18)
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