December 11, 2019 Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent
2019년 12월 11일 대림 제2주간 수요일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
이사야서. 40,25-31
25 “너희는 나를 누구와 비교하겠느냐? 나를 누구와 같다고 하겠느냐?”
거룩하신 분께서 말씀하신다.
26 너희는 눈을 높이 들고 보아라. 누가 저 별들을 창조하였느냐?
그 군대를 수대로 다 불러내시고
그들 모두의 이름을 부르시는 분이시다.
그분께서는 능력이 크시고 권능이 막강하시어 하나도 빠지는 일이 없다.
27 야곱아, 네가 어찌 이런 말을 하느냐?
이스라엘아, 네가 어찌 이렇게 이야기하느냐?
“나의 길은 주님께 숨겨져 있고
나의 권리는 나의 하느님께서 못 보신 채 없어져 버린다.”
28 너는 알지 않느냐? 너는 듣지 않았느냐?
주님은 영원하신 하느님, 땅끝까지 창조하신 분이시다.
그분께서는 피곤한 줄도 지칠 줄도 모르시고
그분의 슬기는 헤아릴 길이 없다.
29 그분께서는 피곤한 이에게 힘을 주시고
기운이 없는 이에게 기력을 북돋아 주신다.
30 젊은이들도 피곤하여 지치고 청년들도 비틀거리기 마련이지만
31 주님께 바라는 이들은 새 힘을 얻고 독수리처럼 날개 치며 올라간다.
그들은 뛰어도 지칠 줄 모르고 걸어도 피곤한 줄 모른다.
복음
마태오 11,28-30
그때에 예수님께서 말씀하셨다.
28 “고생하며 무거운 짐을 진 너희는 모두 나에게 오너라.
내가 너희에게 안식을 주겠다.
29 나는 마음이 온유하고 겸손하니 내 멍에를 메고 나에게 배워라.
그러면 너희가 안식을 얻을 것이다.
30 정녕 내 멍에는 편하고 내 짐은 가볍다.”
December 11, 2019
Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent
Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass
Reading 1
Is 40:25-31
says the Holy one.
Lift up your eyes on high
and see who has created these things:
He leads out their army and numbers them,
calling them all by name.
By his great might and the strength of his power
not one of them is missing!
Why, O Jacob, do you say,
and declare, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD,
and my right is disregarded by my God”?
Do you not know
or have you not heard?
The LORD is the eternal God,
creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint nor grow weary,
and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny.
He gives strength to the fainting;
for the weak he makes vigor abound.
Though young men faint and grow weary,
and youths stagger and fall,
They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength,
they will soar as with eagles’ wings;
They will run and not grow weary,
walk and not grow faint.
Responsorial Psalm
PS 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
Gospel
Mt 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
http://evangeli.net/gospel/tomorrow
«My yoke is good and my burden is light»
Fr. Jacques PHILIPPE
(Cordes sur Ciel, France)
Today, Jesus leads us to rest in God. He certainly is a demanding Father, because He loves us and invites us to give Him everything; but He is not an executioner. When He requires something of us it is to help us grow in His love. His only commandment is to love. We can suffer for love, but we can also rejoice in love and rest in love...
Meekness toward God releases and opens up our heart. This is why, Jesus, while encouraging us to give ourselves up and take up our cross to follow him, tells us: "My yoke is good and my burden is light" (Mt 11:30). Although sometimes we may have troubles in obeying God's will, to comply with it in love just winds up in filling us with joy: "Direct me in the path of Your commands, for there I find delight” (Ps 119:35).
I would like to tell you something. Sometimes, when after a rather exhausting day I go to sleep, I perceive a slight inner feeling that tells me: -would you not come for a moment in the chapel to keep Me company? After a few instants of confusion and resistance, I end up by consenting and spend a few minutes with Jesus. Then, I go to sleep in peace and very happy, and the following morning I am not more tired than usual.
Yet, sometimes it is the other way round. Before a serious problem that concerns me, I say to myself: -Tonight I will pray for an hour in the chapel for it to be solved. And when going to the Chapel, a voice tells me at the bottom of my heart: -You know something? I would rather you would go to bed immediately and trust me; let Me look after your problem. And remembering my happy condition of "useless servant", I go to sleep in peace, leaving everything in the hands of the Lord...
All this is to say that God's will is where maximum love dwells, but not necessarily where there is maximum suffering... There is more love in resting thanks to our confidence than in letting our concern distress us!
«Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you»
Fr, Jaume GONZÁLEZ i Padrós
(Barcelona, Spain)
Today, the cycle of readings which have Isaiah as the protagonist comes to an end. Through him we can see how the Messiah's coming had been announced prophetically.
Waiting for the return of the Lord, for his “adventus”, demands a very clear determination not to lose heart, whatever happens in the meantime. We cannot ignore that the wait may not be easy, and we could easily end up thinking that, given our weakness, we would not be capable of persevering in living a Christian life tenaciously. The temptation to lose heart is always near for us who are weak by nature.
It can easily be forgotten that the Kingdom of God is open to man primarily as a result of God willing it to be, in spite of the resistance put up by those of us who lack a “determined determination”, determined enough to seek it ahead of all other things as an absolute priority. Too often do we complain about how tired we are: once we have analyzed our results and found that our achievements are little, we may not be able to help reproaching the Lord for the little help we think he has provided us with, given the amount of work we have put in. Here is our sin! Turning God into our assistant, instead of understanding that the initiative is always his and that it is He who invests the most.
Isaiah, from the eschatological perspective that characterizes the first weeks of Advent, reminds us of how great and irresistible the power of the Holy one is.
We find the fulfillment of the prophet's words in Jesus. «Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you» (Mt 11:28). In the Lord, in his loving heart, we all find the necessary rest and strength not to lose spirit and, thus, to wait for him with renewed love, while our souls do not stop blessing him and our memories never forget his favors.
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
Come and Rest
Some might say, “God never gives us more than we can handle.” At times it can seem as though He does. Others might say, “Give it (whatever the issue) to God”. As if it were some sort of gift.
I have a very dear friend who has suffered with chronic depression for years. I have no personal experience with this debilitating disease. From my perspective, I see a prayerful, grace-filled, self-reflective person. A person of faith. A person who lives most days and nights in degrees of suffering and pain – mental and physical. Depression, as described to me, is like being deep within such darkness that with eyes open there is still no sight – endless blackness prevails. Not seeing any way out of the dark. Somehow, at some point there seems to be a sort of surfacing. Bruised, battered and fragile. This sense of being relatively “better” can last days, weeks or months. Eventually the dark returns. Through all of it, my friend has been in treatment, therapy, and on medication. Through all of it, there has been ‘hope’. Even when ‘hope’ seemed to have no meaning. As in scriptural lamentations, desperate cries of helplessness to God to take whatever burden away have not seemingly lightened or removed the “labor or burden”. Still hope survives.
A neighbor stands accused of a very heinous crime against a child. Guilty or innocent, I have no way of knowing. As might a Samaritan of Jesus’ culture, prior to any legal action, my neighbor stands tried and convicted by bystanders. I cannot begin to fathom the pain and suffering of the situation. Not only the person, but family and friends suffer as well. Shunned by neighbors, ‘friends’ and even family.
In today’s reading in Matthew we do not hear Jesus say anything to the effect that ‘you’ can handle it. Or, just give me all your sorrows, pains and suffering. I’ll take care of it all; I will fix it.
What we do hear is “…Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.” Jesus is saying to us, I will teach you how to carry your own burdens. I will help you carry your burdens. Watch, listen and learn from me. Jesus wants us to come to him, invite him into our hearts, share our joys and sorrows with him. Let Me in, I can help you. Isaiah says “He (God) does not faint or grow weary…” as we often do. Jesus is meek, humble, gentle, kind and compassionate. He too lived in faith and hope in his Father. He too labored and grew weary. He too carried burdens and labored. Jesus’ invitation is to ‘come’, be with me in my burdens and I will be with you in yours. We will walk together. Isaiah reminds us, “They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength…” Jesus says, “I will give you rest”.
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
A CHRISTMAS TREAT | ||
| "Come to Me." �Matthew 11:28 | ||
When Jesus came to us, we usually made His life burdensome. He carried the burden of our sins (Mt 8:17), and He carried the cross to pay for our sins (Jn 19:17; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 598). When Jesus came to us, we usually did not refresh Him. He was rejected (Jn 1:11), ridiculed (Mt 27:42), spurned (Jn 18:40), disbelieved (Mt 17:17), avoided (Is 53:3), mocked (Mk 15:19-20), and crucified (Jn 19:18). How wonderful that Jesus does not deal with us according to our sins and requite us according to our crimes! (Ps 103:10) Jesus is "merciful and gracious," "slow to anger and abounding in kindness" (Ps 103:8). "He pardons all [our] iniquities" (Ps 103:3). "He crowns [us] with kindness and compassion, He fills [our] lifetime with good" (Ps 103:4-5). He refreshes, teaches, guides, and helps us (Mt 11:28-30). Praise Jesus forever that He doesn't treat us as we had once treated Him. Let us treat Him as He has treated us. Like St. Martha, let's throw open our home and our life to Jesus and welcome Him with open arms (Jn 12:2). Like Mary of Bethany, let us lavish love and praise on Jesus (Jn 12:3). Like the magi, let us give Jesus our very best gifts (Mt 2:11). Come to Jesus (Mt 11:28). Love Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength (Lk 10:27). "Let every heart prepare Him room." Make Jesus welcome this Advent, Christmas, and forever. | ||
| Prayer: Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus! (Rv 22:20) Come to me, and I will love You. | ||
| Promise: "They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles' wings." —Is 40:31 | ||
| Praise: Pope St. Damasus I encouraged his secretary Jerome to study the Scriptures. Ultimately, this led to the Vulgate, the Latin translation of Scripture. |
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
"Come to me and I will give you rest"
What kind of yoke does the Lord Jesus have in mind for each one of us? And how can it be good for us? The Jewish people used the image of a yoke to express their submission to God. They spoke of the yoke of the law, the yoke of the commandments, the yoke of the kingdom, the yoke of God. Jesus says his yoke is "easy". The Greek word for "easy" can also mean "well-fitting". Yokes were tailor-made to fit the oxen well for labor. We are commanded to put on the "sweet yoke of Jesus" and to live the "heavenly way of life and happiness". Oxen were yoked two by two. Jesus invites each one of us to be yoked with him, to unite our life with him, our will with his will, our heart with his heart.
Jesus carries our burdens with us
Jesus also says his "burden is light". There's a story of a man who once met a boy carrying a smaller crippled lad on his back. "That's a heavy load you are carrying there," exclaimed the man. "He ain't heavy; he's my brother!" responded the boy. No burden is too heavy when it's given in love and carried in love. When we yoke our lives with Jesus, he also carries our burdens with us and gives us his strength to follow in his way of love. Do you know the joy of resting in Jesus' presence and walking daily with him along the path he has for you?
In the Advent season we celebrate the coming of the Messiah King who ushers in the reign of God. The prophets foretold that the Messiah would establish God's kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy. Those who put their trust in God and in the coming of his kingdom receive the blessings of that kingdom - peace with God and strength for living his way of love, truth, and holiness (Isaiah 40). Jesus fulfills all the Messianic hopes and promises of God's kingdom. That is why he taught his disciples to pray, "thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). In his kingdom sins are not only forgiven but removed, and eternal life is poured out for all its citizens. This is not a political kingdom, but a spiritual one.
Freed from the burden of sin and guilt
The yoke of Christ's kingdom, his kingly rule and way of life, liberates us from the burden of guilt and disobedience. only the Lord Jesus can lift the burden of sin and the weight of hopelessness from us. Jesus used the analogy of a yoke to explain how we can exchange the burden of sin and despair for a yoke of glory, freedom, and joy with him. The yoke which the Lord Jesus invites us to embrace is his way of power and freedom to live in love, peace, and joy as God's sons and daughters. Do you trust in God's love and truth and submit to his will for your life?
"Lord Jesus, inflame my heart with love for you and for your ways and help me to exchange the yoke of rebellion for the sweet yoke of submission to your holy and loving word. Set me free from the folly of my own sinful ignorance and rebellious pride that I may wholly desire what is good and in accord with your will."
Psalm 103:1-4, 8-10
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor requite us according to our iniquities.
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Grace bear us, by an anonymous early author from the Greek church
"'My yoke is easy and my burden light.' ... The prophet says this about the burden of sinners: 'Because my iniquities lie on top of my head, so they have also placed a heavy burden on me' (Psalm 38:4)' ...'Place my yoke upon you, and learn from me that I am gentle and humble of heart.' Oh, what a very pleasing weight that strengthens even more those who carry it! For the weight of earthly masters gradually destroys the strength of their servants, but the weight of Christ rather helps the one who bears it, because we do not bear grace; grace bears us. It is not for us to help grace, but rather grace has been given to aid us.' (excerpt from INCOMPLETE WORK on MATTHEW, HOMILY, the Greek fathers).
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