2023년 1월 29일 연중 제4주일
제1독서
스바니야 예언서 2,3; 3,12-13
3 주님을 찾아라, 그분의 법규를 실천하는 이 땅의 모든 겸손한 이들아!
의로움을 찾아라. 겸손함을 찾아라.
그러면 주님의 분노의 날에 너희가 화를 피할 수 있으리라.
3,12 나는 네 한가운데에 가난하고 가련한 백성을 남기리니
그들은 주님의 이름에 피신하리라.
13 이스라엘의 남은 자들은 불의를 저지르지 않고 거짓을 말하지 않으며
그들 입에서는 사기 치는 혀를 보지 못하리라.
정녕 그들은 아무런 위협도 받지 않으며 풀을 뜯고 몸을 누이리라.
제2독서
코린토 1서 1,26-31
26 형제 여러분, 여러분이 부르심을 받았을 때를 생각해 보십시오.
속된 기준으로 보아 지혜로운 이가 많지 않았고
유력한 이도 많지 않았으며 가문이 좋은 사람도 많지 않았습니다.
27 그런데 하느님께서는 지혜로운 자들을 부끄럽게 하시려고
이 세상의 어리석은 것을 선택하셨습니다.
그리고 하느님께서는 강한 것을 부끄럽게 하시려고
이 세상의 약한 것을 선택하셨습니다.
28 하느님께서는 있는 것을 무력하게 만드시려고,
이 세상의 비천한 것과 천대받는 것 곧 없는 것을 선택하셨습니다.
29 그리하여 어떠한 인간도 하느님 앞에서 자랑하지 못하게 하셨습니다.
30 그러나 하느님께서는 여러분을 그리스도 예수님 안에 살게 해 주셨습니다.
그리스도께서는 우리에게 하느님에게서 오는 지혜가 되시고,
의로움과 거룩함과 속량이 되셨습니다.
31 그래서 성경에도 “자랑하려는 자는 주님 안에서 자랑하라.”고 기록되어 있습니다.
복음
마태오 5,1-12ㄴ
그때에 1 예수님께서는 군중을 보시고 산으로 오르셨다.
그분께서 자리에 앉으시자 제자들이 그분께 다가왔다.
2 예수님께서 입을 여시어 그들을 이렇게 가르치셨다.
3 “행복하여라, 마음이 가난한 사람들! 하늘 나라가 그들의 것이다.
4 행복하여라, 슬퍼하는 사람들! 그들은 위로를 받을 것이다.
5 행복하여라, 온유한 사람들! 그들은 땅을 차지할 것이다.
6 행복하여라, 의로움에 주리고 목마른 사람들! 그들은 흡족해질 것이다.
7 행복하여라, 자비로운 사람들! 그들은 자비를 입을 것이다.
8 행복하여라, 마음이 깨끗한 사람들! 그들은 하느님을 볼 것이다.
9 행복하여라, 평화를 이루는 사람들! 그들은 하느님의 자녀라 불릴 것이다.
10 행복하여라, 의로움 때문에 박해를 받는 사람들! 하늘 나라가 그들의 것이다.
11 사람들이 나 때문에 너희를 모욕하고 박해하며,
너희를 거슬러 거짓으로 온갖 사악한 말을 하면, 너희는 행복하다!
12 기뻐하고 즐거워하여라. 너희가 하늘에서 받을 상이 크다.”
January 29, 2023
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass
\: https://www.youtube.com/c/DailyTVMass
Daily Reading : https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Reading 1
Zep 2:3; 3:12-13
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth,
who have observed his law;
seek justice, seek humility;
perhaps you may be sheltered
on the day of the LORD’s anger.
But I will leave as a remnant in your midst
a people humble and lowly,
who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD:
the remnant of Israel.
They shall do no wrong
and speak no lies;
nor shall there be found in their mouths
a deceitful tongue;
they shall pasture and couch their flocks
with none to disturb them.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
R. (Mt 5:3) Blessed the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow the LORD sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading II
1 Cor 1:26-31
Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters.
Not many of you were wise by human standards,
not many were powerful,
not many were of noble birth.
Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise,
and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,
and God chose the lowly and despised of the world,
those who count for nothing,
to reduce to nothing those who are something,
so that no human being might boast before God.
It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus,
who became for us wisdom from God,
as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,
so that, as it is written,
“Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.”
Gospel
Mt 5:1-12a
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
Today’s readings include calls to humility in the words of the prophet Zephaniah, the letters of the apostle Paul, and the beginning of one of history’s most famous teaching sessions, when Jesus pointedly instructs his followers with His Sermon on the Mount. The ten verses we know as the Beatitudes have, individually or collectively, been the focus of countless homilies, sermons, Bible classes, and academic studies. However, that familiarity, and perhaps also the grace and poetry of these beautiful words, can lead us to miss important parts of Jesus’ teaching as we gloss over the words. Poet Hannah Clark eloquently points out that we can become desensitized as we repeatedly read the world “blessed” (in her discussion of Thomas Ingmire’s illumination in The Saint John’s Bible), so our mind wanders and we miss some of the rich meanings of seemingly simple words.
Many people undervalue the word “blessed,” for instance. I know individuals who think of being blessed as some good thing that occurs after having done something on the list, something akin to a spiritual carnival game where one receives a small prize for having hit a target. Being blessed, though, is more than just some good thing happening to us, it is a state of being. The Aramaic word Jesus may have used – toowayhon – conveys a much deeper sense that we are enriched by God’s providence and grace, that we are spiritually fortunate and prosperous, blissful, delighted, and content. One commentator notes that toowayhon includes the idea that blessed persons “enjoy union and communion with God.”
Come to think of it, some individuals subconsciously change the verb tense from present (“Blessed are”) to future (“Blessed will be”). They think of blessings as only occurring in the future, when our “reward will be great in heaven.” However, Jesus did not present a list of If/Then statements, whereby you do a thing and get a token to be redeemed at a later date. We can be blessed now. We can enjoy a deep relationship with our Triune God now.
Don’t worry, I am not going to go through the Beatitudes word by word. I do want to share a few favorite insights I have heard/read that stuck with me over the years.
- When Matthew’s Gospel writes about the poor in spirit, that does not refer to individuals who are weak in the faith. Rather, it refers to those who are not spiritually arrogant but who, having recognized their own limitations, rely completely on God. The poor in spirit are thus doubly blessed because they are closer to God now, and (as one commentator noted) because “this total reliance on God is the doorway into” His kingdom. The “humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the Lord” described by the prophet Zephaniah (from today’s Reading I) fit this category.
- The meek Jesus mentions need not be timid, cowering individuals. Ancient Greeks warriors prized a meek war horse. In battle, the rider had to count on a steed responding quickly to commands. A horse that fights the bit is said to have a hard mouth, but one with a gentle mouth – a meek horse, as the Greeks described it – moves in unison with its rider. We are called to have gentle souls that respond quickly to the Spirit’s guidance so that our thoughts and action are in concert with God’s plan for us. Can you imagine the joy of such an intimate connection with God?
- Blessed are the ones who bring and maintain peace. Peace is more than just the absence of conflict. I recently heard a pastor talk about how our understanding of the meaning of the word “peace” benefits when we look at the Hebrew word shalom. Shalom indicates peace, yes, but also harmony, tranquility, completeness, wholeness, welfare, with all things in their right place. In short, shalom is a peace that comes from God. When Jesus says “Blessed are the peacemakers,” He is talking about persons who bring God’s peace to volatile situations as well as to troubled souls. Part of the blessing of being a peacemaker is the blessing of personally experiencing God’s peace. Only one who possesses God’s peace, even at a small level or for a period of time, can bring that peace to others.
- As you read the parts about “righteousness” – those who hunger and thirst for it, those who are persecuted for its sake – think back to our reading today from I Corinthians. Paul writes that Jesus became righteousness for us – Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness . . . . It can be tempting, and stressful, to focus on a list of Do’s and Don’ts. How much better to hunger and thirst to be with and like Christ.
- In the last of today’s reading, the part about being insulted, persecuted, lied about, the key phrase is “because of me.” As we aspire to live Christ-like, Spirit-led lives, we will find ourselves in difficult situations. Remember that we are promised (Luke 21:14-15) that God will give us the words we need so that our defense is Christ-like and Spirit-led.
Now, go forth and Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth. Be blessed as you serve others. Shalom!
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
DON’T “DO IT YOURSELF”
“How blest are the...” —Matthew 5:3
Jesus said that happiness is:
1) deciding to be materially poor, at least in some areas of our lives (see Mt 5:3),
2) sorrowing for our sins (see Mt 5:4),
3) humbling ourselves by taking the lowest places (see Mt 5:5; Lk 14:10),
4) desiring holiness more than pleasure, comfort, or prestige (see Mt 5:6),
5) giving up our rights in order to show others mercy (see Mt 5:7),
6) making the Lord the only Desire of our hearts (Mt 5:8),
7) making peace by shedding our own blood rather than that of our enemies (see Mt 5:9; Heb 12:4; Col 1:20), and
8) being persecuted, insulted, and slandered as Jesus was (Mt 5:10-11).
Most people, even many Christians, think that Jesus’ ideas on happiness are absurd (see 1 Cor 1:27). However, the happiest people throughout history have been the humble and lowly remnant who have had the faith to live the Beatitudes (see Zep 3:12). Will you make up your own “Beatitudes” only to find out later that you messed up your life and that Jesus knew more about life and happiness than you did? Or will you live Jesus’ Beatitudes and find out later how wise you were?
Prayer: Father, make me happy. I will no longer make happiness a “do it yourself” project.
Promise: “He has made Him our Wisdom and also our Justice, our Sanctification, and our Redemption.” —1 Cor 1:30
Praise: “We were left to feel like men condemned to death so that we might trust, not in ourselves, but in God Who raises the dead” (2 Cor 1:9). Risen Jesus, You are trustworthy.
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
What is the good life which God intends for us? And how is it related with the ultimate end or purpose of life? Is it not our desire and longing for true happiness, which is none other than the complete good, the sum of all goods, leaving nothing more to be desired? Jesus addresses this question in his sermon on the mount. The heart of Jesus' message is that we can live a very happy life. The call to holiness, to be saints who joyfully pursue God's will for their lives, can be found in these eight beatitudes. Jesus' beatitudes sum up our calling or vocation - to live a life of the beatitudes. The word beatitude literally means "happiness" or "blessedness".
God gives us everything that leads to true happiness
What is the significance of Jesus' beatitudes, and why are they so central to his teaching? The beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness that God has placed in every heart. They teach us the final end to which God calls us, namely the coming of God's kingdom (Matthew 4:17), the vision of God (Matthew 5:8; 1 John 2;1), entering into the joy of the Lord (Matthew 25:21-23) and into his rest (Hebrews 4:7-11). Jesus' beatitudes also confront us with decisive choices concerning the life we pursue here on earth and the use we make of the goods he puts at our disposal.
Jesus tells us that God alone can satisfy the deepest need and longing of our heart. Teresa of Avila's (1515-1582) prayer book contained a bookmark on which she wrote: Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you. All things pass - God never changes. Patience achieves all it strives for. Whoever has God lacks nothing -God alone suffices.
Is God enough for you? God offers us the greatest good possible - abundant life in Jesus Christ (John 10:10) and the promise of unending joy and happiness with God forever. Do you seek the highest good, the total good, which is above all else?
The beatitudes are a sign of contradiction to the world's way of happiness
The beatitudes which Jesus offers us are a sign of contradiction to the world's understanding of happiness and joy. How can one possibly find happiness in poverty, hunger, mourning, and persecution? Poverty of spirit finds ample room and joy in possessing God as the greatest treasure possible. Hunger of the spirit seeks nourishment and strength in God's word and Spirit. Sorrow and mourning over wasted life and sin leads to joyful freedom from the burden of guilt and spiritual oppression.
God reveals to the humble of heart the true source of abundant life and happiness. Jesus promises his disciples that the joys of heaven will more than compensate for the troubles and hardships they can expect in this world. Thomas Aquinas said: "No one can live without joy. That is why a person deprived of spiritual joy goes after carnal pleasures." Do you know the happiness of hungering and thirsting for God alone?
Lord Jesus, increase my hunger for you and show me the way that leads to everlasting peace and happiness. May I desire you above all else and find perfect joy in doing your will.
Psalm 146:5-10
5 Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith for ever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free;
8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the sojourners, he upholds the widow and the fatherless; but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10 The LORD will reign for ever, thy God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Perfect blessedness is humility of spirit, by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD)
"'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' The Lord taught by way of example that the glory of human ambition must be left behind when he said, 'The Lord your God shall you adore and him only shall you serve' (Matthew 4:10). And when he announced through the prophets that he would choose a people humble and in awe of his words [Isaiah 66:2], he introduced the perfect Beatitude as humility of spirit. Therefore he defines those who are inspired as people aware that they are in possession of the heavenly kingdom... Nothing belongs to anyone as being properly one's own, but all have the same things by the gift of a single parent. They have been given the first things needed to come into life and have been supplied with the means to use them." (excerpt from commentary ON MATTHEW 4.2)
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