April 24, 2021 Saturday of the Third Week of Easter
2021년 4월 24일 부활 제3주간 토요일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
<교회는 굳건히 세워지고, 성령의 격려를 받아 그 수가 늘어났다.>
사도행전 9,31-42
그 무렵 31 교회는 유다와 갈릴래아와 사마리아 온 지방에서
평화를 누리며 굳건히 세워지고,
주님을 경외하며 살아가면서 성령의 격려를 받아 그 수가 늘어났다.
32 베드로는 모든 지방을 두루 다니다가
리따에 사는 성도들에게도 내려가게 되었다.
33 거기에서 베드로는 애네아스라는 사람을 보았는데,
그는 중풍에 걸려 팔 년 전부터 침상에 누워 있었다.
34 베드로가 그에게 말하였다.
“애네아스, 예수 그리스도께서 당신을 고쳐 주십니다.
일어나 침상을 정돈하십시오.” 그러자 곧 애네아스가 일어났다.
35 리따와 사론의 모든 주민이 그를 보고 주님께 돌아섰다.
36 야포에 타비타라는 여제자가 있었다.
이 이름은 그리스 말로 번역하면 도르카스라고 한다.
그는 선행과 자선을 많이 한 사람이었는데,
37 그 무렵에 병이 들어 죽었다.
그래서 사람들이 그의 시신을 씻어 옥상 방에 눕혀 놓았다.
38 리따는 야포에서 가까운 곳이므로,
제자들은 베드로가 리따에 있다는 말을 듣고 그에게 사람 둘을 보내어,
“지체하지 말고 저희에게 건너와 주십시오.” 하고 청하였다.
39 그래서 베드로가 일어나 그들과 함께 갔다.
베드로가 도착하자 사람들이 그를 옥상 방으로 데리고 올라갔다.
그러자 과부들이 모두 베드로에게 다가가 울면서,
도르카스가 자기들과 함께 있을 때에 지어 준 속옷과 겉옷을 보여 주었다.
40 베드로는 그들을 모두 밖으로 내보내고 나서
무릎을 꿇고 기도를 드린 다음
시신 쪽으로 돌아서서, “타비타, 일어나시오.” 하고 말하였다.
그러자 그 여자가 눈을 떴다. 그리고 베드로를 보고 일어나 앉았다.
41 베드로는 손을 내밀어 그를 일으켜 세운 다음,
성도들과 과부들을 불러 다시 살아난 도르카스를 보여 주었다.
42 이 일이 온 야포에 알려지자 많은 사람이 주님을 믿게 되었다.
복음
<저희가 누구에게 가겠습니까? 주님께는 영원한 생명의 말씀이 있습니다.>
요한. 6,60-69
그때에 예수님의 제자들 가운데 많은 사람이 60 말하였다.
“이 말씀은 듣기가 너무 거북하다. 누가 듣고 있을 수 있겠는가?”
61 예수님께서는 제자들이 당신의 말씀을 두고 투덜거리는 것을 속으로 아시고
그들에게 이르셨다.
“이 말이 너희 귀에 거슬리느냐?
62 사람의 아들이 전에 있던 곳으로 올라가는 것을 보게 되면 어떻게 하겠느냐?
63 영은 생명을 준다. 그러나 육은 아무 쓸모가 없다.
내가 너희에게 한 말은 영이며 생명이다.
64 그러나 너희 가운데에는 믿지 않는 자들이 있다.”
사실 예수님께서는 믿지 않는 자들이 누구이며
또 당신을 팔아넘길 자가 누구인지 처음부터 알고 계셨던 것이다.
65 이어서 또 말씀하셨다.
“그렇기 때문에, 아버지께서 허락하지 않으시면
아무도 나에게 올 수 없다고 너희에게 말한 것이다.”
66 이 일이 일어난 뒤로, 제자들 가운데에서 많은 사람이 되돌아가고
더 이상 예수님과 함께 다니지 않았다.
67 그래서 예수님께서는 열두 제자에게, “너희도 떠나고 싶으냐?” 하고 물으셨다.
68 그러자 시몬 베드로가 예수님께 대답하였다.
“주님, 저희가 누구에게 가겠습니까?
주님께는 영원한 생명의 말씀이 있습니다.
69 스승님께서 하느님의 거룩하신 분이라고 저희는 믿어 왔고
또 그렇게 알고 있습니다.”
April 24, 2021
| Saturday of the Third Week of Easter |
Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass
Reading 1
The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria
was at peace.
She was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers.
As Peter was passing through every region,
he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda.
There he found a man named Aeneas,
who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed.
Peter said to him,
“Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.”
He got up at once.
And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him,
and they turned to the Lord.
Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha
(which translated is Dorcas).
She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving.
Now during those days she fell sick and died,
so after washing her, they laid her out in a room upstairs.
Since Lydda was near Joppa,
the disciples, hearing that Peter was there,
sent two men to him with the request,
“Please come to us without delay.”
So Peter got up and went with them.
When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs
where all the widows came to him weeping
and showing him the tunics and cloaks
that Dorcas had made while she was with them.
Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed.
Then he turned to her body and said, “Tabitha, rise up.”
She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.
He gave her his hand and raised her up,
and when he had called the holy ones and the widows,
he presented her alive.
This became known all over Joppa,
and many came to believe in the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (12) How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD
R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said,
“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.
The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.”
Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
and the one who would betray him.
And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father.”
As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer walked with him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
esus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6
This gospel has often been very helpful for my spirit. The context is that in Chapter 6 of John's Gospel, we've been hearing Jesus reveal to us that he is the Bread of Life - the Bread that gives life. He goes further to call us to eat this bread to have eternal life. The notion of eating Jesus' body and blood - his literal self-giving love for us, for our nourishment - is just "too much" for some. They call it a "hard saying," that is, "this is hard to swallow." And, some of them turn away from him.
Jesus turns to the Twelve and asks them, "Do you also want to leave?" It is the perfect question for us. No matter how strong our faith, we have to recognize that we live in a world in which our faith is quite counter cultural. It is not only that the world doesn't accept or even understand the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, or the meaning of our "communion" with him, when we receive him in the Eucharist. Much of the world doesn't believe in who Jesus is for us. It's good to ask ourselves, not really, "Do I want to leave?" but more precisely, "How totally with him am I?" Our faith is not like belonging to a club, where we keep our membership up to date. It's a relationship with Jesus, which shapes who we are and how we are in relation to others and our world. It is asking myself, "Am I all in?" And, "Where am I resistant or reluctant or how do I withhold my communion with him?" Is there a cost to intimacy with Jesus that is "too much" for me?
Peter comes through with the dual insight and response. First of all he answers, "Master, to whom shall we go?" It is a great and profound question. Is there anyone else who is offering us more? Peter goes further: "You have the words of eternal life." No one else is offering us that. No one. It is the transformative, liberating insight. "You alone!"
Peter goes all the way: "We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." We not only believe; we are convinced. He's the one. For us, for me. Jesus alone.
Having this desire to have this faith, this conviction is so revelatory for us. It shows us what we want to believe - how deeply want desire to be in communion with him. We can feel sorrow for and repent of the obvious other attachments or unfeedoms we have, but embracing Peter's insights can be quite freeing today. For me, it helps me re-embrace this desire. It helps me to say, more deeply in my heart, "Where else would I go? Really, where else?" It helps me say, "You alone are offering me complete mercy and the gift of eternal life." It can deepen my freedom to love more self-less-ly. This renewal can be life redefining for us.
Most of all, this gospel can help each of us embrace the Eucharist more joyfully the next time we are able to receive it. We'll say "Amen," but we can say it to mean, "You alone."
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
THE COMPANY LINE
“From this time on, many of His disciples broke away and would not remain in His company any longer.” —John 6:66
What on earth could Jesus have possibly said that would result in many of His disciples refusing to remain in His company? He said something “hard to endure” and take seriously (Jn 6:60):
- “I Myself am the living bread come down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread he shall live forever; the bread I will give is My flesh, for the life of the world” (Jn 6:51).
- “If you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you” (Jn 6:53).
- “He who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood has life eternal, and I will raise him up on the last day” (Jn 6:54).
- “My flesh is real food and My blood real drink. The man who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in Him” (Jn 6:55-56).
- “Just as the Father Who has life sent Me and I have life because of the Father, so the man who feeds on Me will have life because of Me” (Jn 6:57).
- “The man who feeds on this bread will live forever” (Jn 6:58).
Do these hard words of Jesus “shake your faith”? (Jn 6:61) They’re supposed to. Therefore, Jesus refused to recant or modify them just to keep the group together. After the disbelieving disciples left, Jesus then asked those who remained with Him, “Do you want to leave Me too?” (Jn 6:67) How will you answer Jesus?
Prayer: Jesus, so many have refused to remain with You. Use me to restore many thousands to You.
Promise: “Jesus Christ cures you!” —Acts 9:34
Praise: St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen was nicknamed “the poor man’s lawyer.” His prayer was that he never be lukewarm in his fidelity to Jesus.
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
Why do some find it easier while others find it harder to accept the claims which Jesus made? Many were attracted to Jesus because he offered them something irresistible - a visible sign of God's mercy and favor which Jesus demonstrated in his wonderful works of healing, deliverance, and miraculous signs, including the multiplication of the loaves and fish when he feed the five thousand who had gathered to hear him speak. Many stumbled, however, when Jesus made claims which only God can make. Jesus' discourse on "eating his flesh and drinking his blood" (see John 6:51-59) which pointed to the Last Supper, caused offence to many of his followers.
The blessing of full union with God through Christ
Jesus claimed to be the bread of heaven, the very life of God given to us as spiritual food to sustain us on our journey to our promised homeland with the Father in heaven. Jesus did not leave any middle ground for his hearers. They must either accept his word as divine or reject it as the claim of an imposter. Even the apostles admitted that this was a "hard saying". This expression meant that it was not just hard to understand, but hard to accept. Jesus pressed the issue with his beloved disciples because he wanted to test their faith and loyalty to him as the Holy One sent from the Father in heaven. Jesus promised his disciples nothing less than the full blessing of eternal life and union with God. Jesus assures his disciples that it is his heavenly Father who gives the invitation and the grace to believe and follow even in the "hard sayings". Jesus knew that some would not only reject him and his word, but would do so with violence fueled by hatred, envy, and even betrayal by one of his own disciples.
"My words are spirit and life"
Jesus told his disciples that his words were "spirit and life" (John 6:63) - his words came from the heavenly Father who is the Author of life and the One who breathes his Spirit into those who believe in him. Through the gift of faith Peter was able to receive spiritual revelation of who Jesus truly is - the Holy One of God, the eternal Son sent from the Father in heaven to redeem a fallen human race and reconcile them with God.
Faith is a gift and a personal response to God's revelation of himself
How does God help us grow in faith and trust in his word, even the hard sayings which are difficult to understand? Faith is a gift which God freely gives to those who listen to his word and who put their trust in him. Faith is a personal response to God's revelation of himself. Faith is neither blind nor ignorant. It is based on the truth and reliability of God's word. True faith seeks understanding. Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) said, "I believe in order to understand, and I understand the better to believe." The Lord Jesus offers all of his followers his life-giving word and Spirit to help us grow in our knowledge and understanding of God.
We can know God personally through his word
Paul the Apostle tells us that it is the work of the Holy Spirit who enlightens the eyes of our heart and mind to understand the truth and wisdom which comes from God (Ephesians 1:17-18). Faith is the key to understanding and experiencing God's action and work in our personal lives. Paul the Apostle tells us that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). We can know God personally, and we grow in recognizing his voice as we listen to his word and obey his instruction. Do you believe, as Peter did, that Jesus has the words of everlasting life and the power to change and transform your life? Ask the Lord Jesus to increase your faith that you may grow in knowing, loving, and serving him as your Lord and Redeemer, Teacher and Healer, Master and Savior.
Lord Jesus, you have the words of everlasting life. Help me to cast aside all doubt and fear so that I may freely embrace your word with complete trust and joy. I surrender all to you. Be the Lord of my life and the Ruler of my heart. May there be nothing which hinders me from trusting in your love and following your will.
Psalm 116:12-17
12 What shall I render to the LORD for all his bounty to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD,
14 I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
16 O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your handmaid. You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Eat Life - Drink Life, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"'Unless you eat My Flesh and drink My Blood, you shall not have life in you,' says the Lord. Eat life - drink life. You will then have life, and life is complete. Then the Body and Blood of Christ will be life for each person under this condition: what is eaten visibly in the Sacrament be spiritually eaten and spiritually drunk in truth itself." (excerpt from Sermon 102,2)
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