August 7, 2020 Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
2020년 8월 7일 연중 제18주간 금요일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
나훔 예언서. 2,1.3; 3,1-3.6-7
1 보라, 기쁜 소식을 전하는 이, 평화를 알리는 이의 발이 산을 넘어온다.
유다야, 축일을 지내고 서원을 지켜라.
불한당이 다시는 너를 넘나들지 못할 것이다. 그는 완전히 망하였다.
3 약탈자들이 그들을 약탈하고 그들의 포도나무 가지들을 망쳐 버렸지만
정녕 주님께서는 이스라엘의 영예처럼 야곱의 영예를 되돌려 주시리라.
3,1 불행하여라, 피의 성읍!
온통 거짓뿐이고 노획물로 가득한데 노략질을 그치지 않는다.
2 채찍 소리, 요란하게 굴러가는 바퀴 소리, 달려오는 말, 튀어 오르는 병거,
3 돌격하는 기병, 번뜩이는 칼, 번쩍이는 창, 수없이 살해된 자들, 시체 더미,
끝이 없는 주검. 사람들이 주검에 걸려 비틀거린다.
6 나는 너에게 오물을 던지고 너를 욕보이며 구경거리가 되게 하리라.
7 너를 보는 자마다 너에게서 달아나며
“니네베가 망하였다! 누가 그를 가엾이 여기겠느냐?” 하고 말하리니
내가 어디서 너를 위로해 줄 자들을 찾으랴?
복음
마태오. 16,24-28
24 그때에 예수님께서 제자들에게 말씀하셨다.
“누구든지 내 뒤를 따라오려면,
자신을 버리고 제 십자가를 지고 나를 따라야 한다.
25 정녕 자기 목숨을 구하려는 사람은 목숨을 잃을 것이고,
나 때문에 자기 목숨을 잃는 사람은 목숨을 얻을 것이다.
26 사람이 온 세상을 얻고도 제 목숨을 잃으면 무슨 소용이 있겠느냐?
사람이 제 목숨을 무엇과 바꿀 수 있겠느냐?
27 사람의 아들이 아버지의 영광에 싸여 천사들과 함께 올 터인데,
그때에 각자에게 그 행실대로 갚을 것이다.
28 내가 진실로 너희에게 말한다. 여기에 서 있는 이들 가운데에는
죽기 전에 사람의 아들이 자기 나라에 오는 것을 볼 사람들이 더러 있다.”
August 7, 2020
Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass
Reading 1
Na 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7
See, upon the mountains there advances
the bearer of good news,
announcing peace!
Celebrate your feasts, O Judah,
fulfill your vows!
For nevermore shall you be invaded
by the scoundrel; he is completely destroyed.
The LORD will restore the vine of Jacob,
the pride of Israel,
Though ravagers have ravaged them
and ruined the tendrils.
Woe to the bloody city, all lies,
full of plunder, whose looting never stops!
The crack of the whip, the rumbling sounds of wheels;
horses a-gallop, chariots bounding,
Cavalry charging, the flame of the sword, the flash of the spear,
the many slain, the heaping corpses,
the endless bodies to stumble upon!
I will cast filth upon you,
disgrace you and put you to shame;
Till everyone who sees you runs from you, saying,
“Nineveh is destroyed; who can pity her?
Where can one find any to console her?”
Responsorial Psalm
Deuteronomy 32:35cd-36ab, 39abcd, 41
R. (39c) It is I who deal death and give life.
Close at hand is the day of their disaster,
and their doom is rushing upon them!
Surely, the LORD shall do justice for his people;
on his servants he shall have pity.
R. It is I who deal death and give life.
“Learn then that I, I alone, am God,
and there is no god besides me.
It is I who bring both death and life,
I who inflict wounds and heal them.”
R. It is I who deal death and give life.
I will sharpen my flashing sword,
and my hand shall lay hold of my quiver,
“With vengeance I will repay my foes
and requite those who hate me.”
R. It is I who deal death and give life.
Gospel
Mt 16:24-28
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay each according to his conduct.
Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death
until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
http://evangeli.net/gospel/tomorrow
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
As I began to reflect on today’s gospel, I went back to learn about what crucifixion was all about. This really forced me to consider the passion and death of Jesus. I tend to spend a lot of time thinking about this during the Lenten season that occurs in the forty days before Easter Sunday. For some reason, I was more troubled as I reflected this time.
The Romans used crucifixion to humiliate anybody who dared to rebel against their agenda. Those sentenced to this form of punishment endured a most painful death—hanging naked on three nails for ‘however long it took’. Some sources estimate that one may hang on the cross from 6-30 hours. Bleeding to death was the cause of death. Certainly horrific to say the least!
In today’s gospel, Jesus challenges his disciples:
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,take up his cross, and follow me.”
In order to follow Jesus, one must first deny oneself, then take up the cross and follow. So, now that we are familiar with the gravity of dying by the cross, consider the act of denying oneself and following one who was less than popular. To me, this is the ultimate act of humility. Humility is defined as freedom from pride or arrogance: the quality or state of being humble.
We are living in a very troubled world and as I reflected on today’s reading I’ve concluded that lack of humility is a root cause of many troubles.
For example, who determines that a group of people are less than? Who decides that one cause or agenda is paramount, even though harm to others may result?
For today:
Take some time to reflect on what it actually means to die by the cross. Jesus did this to save us!
Consider the position the disciples were in if they continued to follow Christ.
How does pride or arrogance stand in the way of my relationships?
How does pride impact the decisions I make? Personally, professionally, and as a community member?
“The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.” --Saint Vincent de Paul
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
CHANGE JOBS
“What profit would a man show if he were to gain the whole world and destroy himself in the process?” —Matthew 16:26
Every human being wants to show a profit. Most try to save their lives by taking control of things, working hard, and making things happen. That’s what the people of Nineveh did. They raised up great armies and undertook monumental campaigns. By human standards it appeared they were showing a profit, but it turned out just the opposite. The end result for Nineveh was: “Everyone who sees you runs from you, saying, ‘Nineveh is destroyed; who can pity her?’ ” (Na 3:7)
The same thing happens to individuals. If we take charge of our lives, it will backfire and we ruin them (Mt 16:26). How did we ever get the impression we were the ones to manage our lives? We’re just not right for the job and our record proves it. The best thing we can do is deny ourselves and get down to the job we are fitted for, the job of cross-bearing (Mt 16:24). We don’t like the job, but by God’s grace we can do it well. We can lay down our lives for one another. We can suffer persecution for Jesus’ sake. It’s difficult, but we can do the job faithfully. Let’s quit our volunteer job of running our own lives and accept the job that will give us a profit in the long run. “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Mt 16:25).
Prayer: Father, forgive me for being self-employed, rather than God-employed.
Promise: “The Son of Man will come with His Father’s glory accompanied by His angels. When He does, He will repay each man according to his conduct.” —Mt 16:27
Praise: In the middle of the Third Century, Emperor Valerian banned Christians from holding assemblies. Pope St. Sixtus II didn’t comply. He was decapitated shortly after celebrating Mass in the catacombs.
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
What is the most important investment you can make with your life? Jesus poses some probing questions to challenge our assumptions about what is most profitable and worthwhile. In every decision of life we are making ourselves a certain kind of person. The kind of person we are, our character, determines to a large extent the kind of future we will face and live. It is possible that some can gain all the things they set their heart on, only to wake up suddenly and discover that they missed the most important things of all. Of what value are material things if they don't help you gain what truly lasts in eternity. Neither money nor possessions can buy heaven, mend a broken heart, or cheer a lonely person.
The great exchange - my life for His Life
Jesus asks the question: What will a person give in exchange for his or her life? Everything we have is an out-right gift from God. We owe him everything, including our very lives. It's possible to give God our money, but not ourselves, or to give him lip-service, but not our hearts. A true disciple gladly gives up all that he or she has in exchange for an unending life of joy and happiness with God. God gives without measure. The joy he offers no sadness or loss can diminish.
True freedom and gain
The cross of Christ leads to victory and freedom from sin, despair, and death. What is the cross which Jesus Christ commands me to take up each day? When my will crosses with his will, then his will must be done. Are you ready to lose all for Jesus Christ in order to gain all with Jesus Christ?
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and all my will, all that I have and possess. You have given them to me; to you, O Lord, I restore them; all things are yours, dispose of them according to your will. Give me your love and your grace, for this is enough for me." (Prayer of Ignatius of Loyola, 1491-1556)
Psalm 77:11-15,20
11 I will call to mind the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will meditate on all your works, and muse on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders, who has manifested your might among the peoples.
15 You did with your arm redeem your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. [Selah]
20 You led thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Walk as Christ has walked, by Caesarius of Arles (470-543 AD)
"When the Lord tells us in the Gospel that anyone who wants to be his follower must renounce himself, the injunction seems harsh; we think he is imposing a burden on us. But an order is no burden when it is given by one who helps in carrying it out. To what place are we to follow Christ if not where he has already gone? We know that he has risen and ascended into heaven; there, then, we must follow him. There is no cause for despair - by ourselves we can do nothing, but we have Christ's promise... One who claims to abide in Christ ought to walk as he walked. Would you follow Christ? Then be humble as he was humble. Do not scorn his lowliness if you want to reach his exaltation. Human sin made the road rough. Christ's resurrection leveled it. By passing over it himself, he transformed the narrowest of tracks into a royal highway. Two feet are needed to run along this highway; they are humility and charity. Everyone wants to get to the top - well, the first step to take is humility. Why take strides that are too big for you - do you want to fall instead of going up? Begin with the first step, humility, and you will already be climbing." (excerpt from SERMONS 159, 1.4-6)
More Homilies
August 5, 2016 Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
