2022년 12월 31일 성탄 팔일 축제 내 제7일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
<여러분은 거룩하신 분에게서 기름부음을 받았습니다. 그래서 여러분은 모두 알고 있습니다.>
요한 1서. 2,18-21
18 자녀 여러분, 지금이 마지막 때입니다.
‘그리스도의 적’이 온다고 여러분이 들은 그대로,
지금 많은 ‘그리스도의 적들’이 나타났습니다.
그래서 우리는 지금이 마지막 때임을 압니다.
19 그들은 우리에게서 떨어져 나갔지만 우리에게 속한 자들은 아니었습니다.
그들이 우리에게 속하였다면 우리와 함께 남아 있었을 것입니다.
그러나 결국에는 그들이 아무도 우리에게 속하지 않는다는 사실이 드러났습니다.
20 여러분은 거룩하신 분에게서 기름부음을 받았습니다.
그래서 여러분은 모두 알고 있습니다.
21 내가 여러분에게 이 글을 쓰는 까닭은,
여러분이 진리를 모르기 때문이 아니라 진리를 알기 때문입니다.
또 진리에서는 어떠한 거짓말도 나오지 않기 때문입니다.
복음
<말씀이 사람이 되셨다.>
요한. 1,1-18
1 한처음에 말씀이 계셨다.
말씀은 하느님과 함께 계셨는데 말씀은 하느님이셨다.
2 그분께서는 한처음에 하느님과 함께 계셨다.
3 모든 것이 그분을 통하여 생겨났고 그분 없이 생겨난 것은 하나도 없다.
4 그분 안에 생명이 있었으니 그 생명은 사람들의 빛이었다.
5 그 빛이 어둠 속에서 비치고 있지만 어둠은 그를 깨닫지 못하였다.
6 하느님께서 보내신 사람이 있었는데 그의 이름은 요한이었다.
7 그는 증언하러 왔다.
빛을 증언하여 자기를 통해 모든 사람이 믿게 하려는 것이었다.
8 그 사람은 빛이 아니었다. 빛을 증언하러 왔을 따름이다.
9 모든 사람을 비추는 참빛이 세상에 왔다.
10 그분께서 세상에 계셨고 세상이 그분을 통하여 생겨났지만
세상은 그분을 알아보지 못하였다.
11 그분께서 당신 땅에 오셨지만 그분의 백성은 그분을 맞아들이지 않았다.
12 그분께서는 당신을 받아들이는 이들, 당신의 이름을 믿는 모든 이에게
하느님의 자녀가 되는 권한을 주셨다.
13 이들은 혈통이나 육욕이나 남자의 욕망에서 난 것이 아니라
하느님에게서 난 사람들이다.
14 말씀이 사람이 되시어 우리 가운데 사셨다. 우리는 그분의 영광을 보았다.
은총과 진리가 충만하신 아버지의 외아드님으로서 지니신 영광을 보았다.
15 요한은 그분을 증언하여 외쳤다. “그분은 내가 이렇게 말한 분이시다.
‘내 뒤에 오시는 분은 내가 나기 전부터 계셨기에 나보다 앞서신 분이시다.’”
16 그분의 충만함에서 우리 모두 은총에 은총을 받았다.
17 율법은 모세를 통하여 주어졌지만
은총과 진리는 예수 그리스도를 통하여 왔다.
18 아무도 하느님을 본 적이 없다.
아버지와 가장 가까우신 외아드님, 하느님이신 그분께서 알려 주셨다.
December 31, 2022
The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas
Daily Mass : https://www.youtube.com/c/EWTNcatholictv
: https://www.youtube.com/c/DailyTVMass
Reading 1
1 Jn 2:18-21
Children, it is the last hour;
and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming,
so now many antichrists have appeared.
Thus we know this is the last hour.
They went out from us, but they were not really of our number;
if they had been, they would have remained with us.
Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number.
But you have the anointing that comes from the Holy One,
and you all have knowledge.
I write to you not because you do not know the truth
but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 96:1-2, 11-12, 13
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;
announce his salvation, day after day.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult before the LORD.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
The LORD comes,
he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Gospel
Jn 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man's decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father's only-begotten Son,
full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
"This was he of whom I said,
'The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.'"
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only-begotten Son, God, who is at the Father's side,
has revealed him
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
We begin our readings with the “last hour” and end with “the beginning,” which is quite appropriate on this day when we say goodbye to one year and prepare for the next. Just as this time of year is full of emotions and distractions, I find writing this particular reflection to be a somewhat scattered endeavor.
Part of me wants to focus solely on the Gospel reading, which is a favorite of mine. Is there any more glorious news than that the God, Who was, is and ever shall be, came to earth for us?
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we saw His glory, the glory of the Father’s only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth. (verse 14)
From his fullness we have all received . . . grace and truth through Jesus Christ. (verses 16-17)
We who have accepted Christ have been given “the power to become the children of God.” (verse 12)
Another part of me is drawn to the fact that this reflection is scheduled for December 31, the last day of the calendar year. For many of us, this is a time when we simultaneously look back, reviewing the past year and recalling old friends (perhaps while singing Auld Lang Syne), and look ahead, making resolutions for the year to come. These thoughts can be a very self-focused, and as such can be joyful and bright – or painful and dark. I am reminded that, whichever group we fall into, God has been present and blessing us throughout the year; and that the best ways we can resolve to improve ourselves in the upcoming year are those that allow us to serve and glorify God.
If you read this on December 31st, you know that we are smack dab in the middle of the 12 days of Christmas, halfway between the day when we focus on the Christ child’s birth and the day when we celebrate the arrival of the gift-giving Magi. My wife grew up with a tradition that recalled the Magi’s journey by having the three figures positioned on the opposite side of the room from the Nativity set; and each day the children would move them closer until they arrived at the manger on January 6. (Perhaps you had this tradition, too?) That memory brought to mind a sermon I heard many years ago that encouraged using these travelers from the East as models for Christian life. These souls, drawn to Christ, left their homes and families (and safety) to go on a journey. I can just imagine the conversations with their spouses and parents:
Where are you going? Not sure.
How long will you be gone? Don’t know.
Who are you going to see? Someone very important.
Who is that? Not exactly sure.
Why are you taking the gold?
They left not knowing exactly where they were going (although they did have a star to guide them), how long they would be gone, or what dangers they would encounter. They committed their lives and best gifts to seeking and glorifying Christ. None of us knows what 2023 holds for us, but I encourage each of us to resolve to commit our lives to giving our best and our all to following our Lord, to serving Him by serving others, and to glorifying God in all that we do.
Loving God, thank you for the many times you blessed us this past year. Be especially close to those who are filled with pain, fear, want and loneliness. May our resolutions be to follow you, to serve you by serving others, and to use our best gifts – talents, skills, and resources – to glorify you.
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
HOW TO END A YEAR
“Children, it is the final hour; just as you heard that the antichrist was coming, so now many such antichrists have appeared.” —1 John 2:18
Many “antichrists have appeared.” “It was from our ranks that they took their leave — not that they really belonged to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have stayed with us” (1 Jn 2:19). There are baptized Christians who are officially members of the Church but do not belong to the Church in their hearts. These people have joined the Church socially and culturally but have not totally given their lives to Jesus and His Body, the Church. They have been sacramentalized but not evangelized and are in danger of becoming antichrists.
On this last day of the secular year, may each of us make a total commitment to Jesus. Jesus is God (Jn 10:30; cf Jn 8:58). He is the eternal and incarnate Word of God (Jn 1:1, 14). “Through Him all things came into being, and apart from Him nothing came to be” (Jn 1:3). Jesus is “the real Light Which gives light to every man” (Jn 1:9). We are not doing Jesus a favor by giving our lives to Him. We are privileged that He has given us the life, freedom, breath, faith, and love to give our lives to Him. How could we not give our lives to Him! Let’s not allow another year, day, hour, or minute go by without giving everything to Jesus. “To His own He came, yet His own did not accept Him. Any who did accept Him He empowered to become children of God” (Jn 1:11-12). Let’s not only be in the ranks of the Church, but let’s belong to Christ and His Church. Let’s live for Christ and not be antichrists.
Prayer: Abba, as I begin a new year, I respond to Your love by renewing my baptismal promises.
Promise: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we have seen His glory: the glory of an only Son coming from the Father, filled with enduring love.” —Jn 1:14
Praise: Pope St. Sylvester I initiated construction of both the Basilica of St. Peter and the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
Why does John the Evangelist begin his Gospel account with a description of the Word of God and the creation of the universe and humankind? How might the beginning of John's Gospel be linked with the beginning of the first book of Genesis (John 1:1-3 and Genesis 1:1-3)? The "word of God" was a common expression among the Jews. God's word in the Old Testament Scriptures is an active, creative, and dynamic word. "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made" (Psalm 33:6). "He sends forth his commands to the earth; his word runs swiftly" (Psalm 147:15). "Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer which breaks the rock in pieces" (Jeremiah 23:29)?
The eternal Word leaped down from heaven
The writer of the (deutero-canonical) Book of Wisdom addresses God as the one who "made all things by your word" (Wisdom 9:1). God's word is also equated with his wisdom. "The Lord by wisdom founded the earth" (Proverbs 3:19). The Book of Wisdom describes "wisdom" as God's eternal, creative, and illuminating power. Both "word" and "wisdom" are seen as one and the same. "For while gentle silence enveloped all things, and night in its swift course was now half gone, your all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne, into the midst of the land that was doomed, a stern warrior carrying the sharp sword of your authentic command" (deutero-canonical Book of Wisdom 18:14-16).
Truly man and truly God
John describes Jesus as God's creative, life-giving and light-giving Word that has come to earth in human form. "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Jesus is the wisdom and power of God which created the world and sustains it who assumed a human nature in order to accomplish our salvation in it. Jesus became truly man while remaining truly God. "What he was, he remained, and what he was not he assumed" (from an early church antiphon for morning prayer). Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God who, without ceasing to be God and Lord, became a man and our brother. From the time of the Apostles the Christian faith has insisted on the incarnation of God's Son "who has come in the flesh" (1 John 4:2).
Gregory of Nyssa, one of the great early church fathers (330-395 AD) wrote:
Sick, our nature demanded to be healed; fallen, to be raised up; dead, to rise again. We had lost the possession of the good; it was necessary for it to be given back to us. Closed in darkness, it was necessary to bring us the light; captives, we awaited a Savior; prisoners, help; slaves, a liberator. Are these things minor or insignificant? Did they not move God to descend to human nature and visit it, since humanity was in so miserable and unhappy a state?
Christians never cease proclaiming anew the wonder of the Incarnation. The Son of God assumed a human nature in order to accomplish our salvation in it. The Son of God ...worked with human hands; he thought with a human mind. He acted with a human will, and with a human heart he loved. Born of the Virgin Mary, he has truly been made one of us, like to us in all things except sin (Gaudium et Spes).
We become partakers of Christ's divine nature
If we are going to behold the glory of God we will do it through Jesus Christ. Jesus became the partaker of our humanity so we could be partakers of his divinity (2 Peter 1:4). God's purpose for us, even from the beginning of his creation, is that we would be fully united with him. When Jesus comes God is made known as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. By our being united in Jesus, God becomes our Father and we become his sons and daughters. Do you thank the Father for sending his only begotten Son to redeem you and to share with you his glory?
Almighty God and Father of light, your eternal Word leaped down from heaven in the silent watches of the night. Open our hearts to receive his life and increase our vision with the rising of dawn, that our lives may be filled with his glory and his peace.
Psalm 96:1-2,11-13
1 O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!
2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy
13 before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his truth.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: The first-fruits of the Gospels, by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD)
"I think that John's Gospel, which you have enjoined us to examine to the best of our ability, is the first-fruits of the Gospels. It speaks of him whose descent is traced and begins from him who is without a genealogy... The greater and more perfect expressions concerning Jesus are reserved for the one who leaned on Jesus' breast. For none of the other Gospels manifested his divinity as fully as John when he presented him saying, 'I am the light of the world' (John 8:42), 'I am the way and the truth and the life' (John 14:6), 'I am the resurrection' (John 11:25), 'I am the door' (John 10:9), 'I am the good shepherd' (John 10:11)... We might dare say then that the Gospels are the first-fruits of all Scripture but that the first-fruits of the Gospels is that according to John whose meaning no one can understand who has not leaned on Jesus' breast or received Mary from Jesus to be his mother also." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 1.21-23)
