2010년 11월 29일 대림 제1주간 월요일
제1독서
이사야서 4,2-6
2 그날에 주님께서 돋게 하신 싹이 영화롭고 영광스럽게 되리라. 그리고 그 땅의 열매는 이스라엘의 생존자들에게 자랑과 영예가 되리라. 3 또한 시온에 남은 이들, 예루살렘에 남아 있는 이들, 곧 예루살렘에 살도록 기록된 이들이 모두 거룩하다고 일컬어지리라. 4 주님께서는 심판의 영과 불의 영으로 시온의 딸들의 오물을 씻어 내시고, 예루살렘의 피를 닦아 내신 뒤에, 5 시온 산의 모든 지역과 그 회중 위에 낮에는 구름을, 밤에는 타오르는 불길로 연기와 광채를 만들어 주시리라. 정녕 주님의 영광이 모든 것을 덮어 주는 지붕과 6 초막이 되어, 낮의 더위를 피하는 그늘이 되어 주고, 폭우와 비를 피하는 피신처와 은신처가 되어 주리라.
복음
마태오. 8,5-11
5 예수님께서 카파르나움에 들어가셨을 때에, 한 백인대장이 다가와 도움을 청하였다. 6 그가 이렇게 말하였다. “주님, 제 종이 중풍으로 집에 드러누워 있는데 몹시 괴로워하고 있습니다.”
7 예수님께서 “내가 가서 그를 고쳐 주마.” 하시자, 8 백인대장이 대답하였다.
“주님, 저는 주님을 제 지붕 아래로 모실 자격이 없습니다. 그저 한 말씀만 해 주십시오. 그러면 제 종이 나을 것입니다. 9 사실 저는 상관 밑에 있는 사람입니다만, 제 밑으로도 군사들이 있어서, 이 사람에게 가라 하면 가고, 저 사람에게 오라 하면 옵니다. 또 제 노예더러 이것을 하라 하면 합니다.”
10 이 말을 들으시고 예수님께서는 감탄하시며, 당신을 따르는 이들에게 이르셨다. “내가 진실로 너희에게 말한다. 나는 이스라엘의 그 누구에게서도 이런 믿음을 본 일이 없다.
11 내가 너희에게 말한다. 많은 사람이 동쪽과 서쪽에서 모여 와, 하늘 나라에서 아브라함과 이사악과 야곱과 함께 잔칫상에 자리 잡을 것이다.”
November 29, 2010
Monday of the First Week of Advent
Reading 1
On that day,
The branch of the LORD will be luster and glory,
and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor
for the survivors of Israel.
He who remains in Zion
and he who is left in Jerusalem
Will be called holy:
every one marked down for life in Jerusalem.
When the LORD washes away
the filth of the daughters of Zion,
And purges Jerusalem’s blood from her midst
with a blast of searing judgment,
Then will the LORD create,
over the whole site of Mount Zion
and over her place of assembly,
A smoking cloud by day
and a light of flaming fire by night.
For over all, the LORD’s glory will be shelter and protection:
shade from the parching heat of day,
refuge and cover from storm and rain.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 122:1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls,
prosperity in your buildings.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Because of my relatives and friends
I will say, “Peace be within you!"
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Gospel
When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
“Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.”
He said to him, “I will come and cure him.”
The centurion said in reply,
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes;
and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes;
and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
“Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven.”
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.”
It kind of irks me a bit when we say the words quoted above just before we receive the Holy Eucharist at Mass. There was a time (before the redemptive act of Jesus on the cross) when we were not worthy, but we are worthy now (after he has died for our sins.)
This is one of the great graces given us by Jesus. He gave us his flesh to eat and his blood to drink and along with this he bestowed on us the dignity to receive him into our hearts. With this God-given dignity, we can receive him under our roof, into our hearts, every time we go to Mass! I believe this is one of the truths we are being urged to “stay awake to”, during this season of Advent.
As we receive the Eucharist at Mass during Advent, let us remember the words written by St. Francis of Assisi in his Letter to the Entire Order: "The Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles Himself that for our salvation he hides Himself under an ordinary piece of bread! Brothers and Sisters, look at the humility of God, and pour out your hearts before Him! Humble yourselves that you may be exulted by Him! Hold back nothing of yourselves, that He who gives Himself totally to you may receive you totally.”
Truly a beautiful prayer for all of us to remember to say as we receive Jesus in Eucharist.
http://www.evangeli.net/gospel/gospel.html
http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
"On that day, the branch of the Lord will be luster and glory, and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor for the survivors of Israel." Is 4:2
I'm fairly certain these words did not inspire hope in the folks who heard Isaiah speak them. I'm pretty sure they thought Isaiah was nuts! In the midst of the devastation of war and universal corruption and immorality, they would have dismissed him as crazy. How could anyone anticipate a time of the Lord's blessing and glory, God's sovereignty and holiness, and a return to a time of flourishing? Just plain foolishness.
His message is as much a challenge to us now, as it was to folks then. Universal health care? Immigration reform? Economic recovery and increased employment? No matter what your political perspective, it's hard to imagine these happening soon. Anyone that thinks it's possible is crazy. "Too much corruption and dishonesty and greed," "You don't know human nature," or "I'm a realist- it'll never happen".
Our “problem” is not that we have given up on a vision for the future; our “problem” is that we have given up on God's action and presence now... in us, among us, with us. When we think of "hope", it's hard to comprehend that in any other way than looking forward to "a time when....” We see it in the desperate faces of a family praying for healing and health for a loved one, or a spouse praying for employment for her husband, or students praying for an "A" on an exam or to pass a course or to get accepted to professional school. Our hope is too small. We hope for particular outcomes for the future. Yes, it's good to pray for all these ... but can we pray also that we recognize God's laboring for us now, in the present? Can we trust there is something happening here beyond what we can see or know right now? Can we get out of the way?
In Matthew's Gospel reading for today, a centurion tells Jesus that his servant is lying at home, paralyzed, suffering dreadfully. He doesn't tell Jesus what his servant needs; he simply comes to Jesus in faith and trust. Is healing what happens when we are open enough to set aside prejudices, categories, and expectations, coming simply, with trust and faith?
Isaiah's words are a challenge to us, not so much because they encourage us to trust in God's action in and for the future, to hope for "better times to come"; they are a challenge because they encourage us to trust in God's actions now. Can we hope in God's action without demanding a particular outcome? Can we be vulnerable enough to let God be present, in the way God wants to show up? Can we join the Psalmist in praying: "I rejoiced because they said to me, "We will go up to the house of the Lord." and now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem"?
http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings/
"Many will come and sit at table in the kingdom of God"
Are you ready to feast at the Lord's banquet table? God’s gracious invitation extends to all – Jew and Gentile alike – who will turn to him with faith and obedience. Jesus used many images or pictures to convey what the kingdom of God is like. One such image is a great banquest feast given at the King's table. Jesus promised that everyone who believed in him would come and feast at the heavenly banquet table of his Father. Jesus told this parable in response to the dramatic request made by a Roman centurion, a person despised by many because he was an outsider, not one of the "chosen ones" of Israel. In Jesus' time the Jews hated the Romans because they represented everything they stood against – including foreign domination and pagan beliefs and practices.
Why did Jesus not only warmly receive a Roman centurion but praise him as a model of faith and confidence in God? In the Roman world the position of centurion was very important. He was an officer in charge of a hundred soldiers. In a certain sense, he was the backbone of the Roman army, the cement which held the army together. Polybius, an ancient write, describes what a centurion should be: "They must not be so much venturesome seekers after danger as men who can command, steady in action, and reliable; they ought not to be over-anxious to rush into the fight, but when hard pressed, they must be ready to hold their ground, and die at their posts." The centurion who approached Jesus was not only courageous, but faith-filled as well. He risked the ridicule of his cronies as well as mockery from the Jews by seeking help from an itinerant preacher from Galilee. Nonetheless, the centurion approached Jesus with great confidence and humility. He was an extraordinary man because he loved his slave. In the Roman world slaves were treated like animals – something to be used for work and pleasure and for bartering and trade. This centurion was a man of great compassion and extraordinary faith. He wanted Jesus to heal his beloved slave. Jesus commends him for his faith and immediately grants him his request. Are you willing to suffer ridicule in the practice of your faith? And when you need help, do you approach the Lord Jesus with expectant faith?
The prophet Isaiah foretold a time of restoration for the holy city Jerusalem and for its remnants (see Isaiah 4:2-6) and also a time of universal peace when all nations would come to Jerusalem to "the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob" and "beat their swords into plowshares" (Isaiah 2:2-4). Jesus fulfills this prophecy first by restoring both Jew and Gentile to fellowship with God through the victory he won for us on the cross. When he comes again he will fully establish his universal rule of peace and righteousness and unite all things in himself (Ephesians 1:10). His promise extends to all generations who believe in him that we, too, might feast at the heavenly banquet table with the patriarchs of the Old Covenant who believed but did not see the promised Messiah. Do you believe in God's promises and do you seek his kingdom first in your life? The season of Advent reminds us that the Lord wants us to actively seek him and the coming of his kingdom in our lives. The Lord will surely reward those who seek his will for their lives. We can approach the Lord Jesus with expectant faith, like the centurion in today's gospel reading, knowing that he will show us his mercy and give us his help.
"Lord Jesus, you feed us daily with your life-giving word and you sustain us on our journey to our true homeland with you and the Father in heaven. May I never lose hope in your promises nor lag in zeal for your kingdom of righteousness and peace."
Psalm 122:1-9
1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!"
2 Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!
3 Jerusalem, built as a city which is bound firmly together,
4 to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5 There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! "May they prosper who love you!
7 Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers!"
8 For my brethren and companions' sake I will say, "Peace be within you!"
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.
http://www.daily-meditations.org/index2.html
http://www.contemplative.com/weekday_readings.htm
http://goodnews.ie/calendar.php
St Augustine commented on this, “By declaring himself unworthy, the centurion showed himself worthy – worthy to receive the Lord not indeed into his house but into his heart. Nor could he have said this with so much faith and humility, had he not already welcomed in his heart Him whom he feared to have in his house. And indeed it would have been no great privilege that Jesus should enter his house, if He had not already entered into his heart.”
St Augustine had a keener eye than most for paradox. Even if he had never written another word he would be remembered for saying that we could not seek God unless we had already found God: for how would we know it was God we found unless we already knew God? Augustine himself had been lost for many years, and he understood the mind and heart of the seeker. Then he came to understand the deepest thing about searching for God: that in our very searching, God is searching for us. This insight has been a guiding light for searchers down the ages: the “Hound of Heaven” is on the chase.
This is the theme of Advent. We wait for God, knowing that God is waiting for us. We long for God, knowing that God is longing for us. We say, “Come, Lord Jesus,” and he says, “Come!”
http://www.presentationministries.com/
LIGHT-YEAR "We will go up..." 뾒salm 122:1 The Church compares Advent to climbing a mountain. The purpose of mountain climbing is to reach the summit where we can see the view. We climb the mountain of Advent also to see, not with physical sight but with spiritual insight. On top of Advent's mountain, we will see the Christmas light of Christ, and He will instruct us in His ways (Is 2:3). This instruction, light, and insight will profoundly change us and our world. Implements of death will be recycled for life. War and even armies will cease (Is 2:4). The whole world will be dramatically changed when we "walk in the light of the Lord" (Is 2:5). Christmas is a festival of light. This is the origin of the candles on the Advent wreath, the lights on the Christmas tree, and other Christmas lights. We celebrate Christmas following the winter equinox when it begins to grow lighter each day. In the new year will you be like the sun, growing brighter? Or will you walk in darkness? Jesus said: "I am the Light of the world. No follower of Mine shall ever walk in darkness; no, he shall possess the light of life" (Jn 8:12). Prayer: Father, create light in me this Christmas. Promise: "A centurion approached Him with this request: 'Sir, my serving boy is at home in bed paralyzed, suffering painfully.' He said to him, 'I will come and cure him.' " 뾏t 8:5-7 Praise: Gene and Jennifer, a married couple, repented of adultery, forgave each other, and went to Confession for the first time in years. Then Gene reversed his vasectomy, and they conceived a child. They quit their jobs and began a fruitful ministry to married and engaged couples.
http://www.judeop.org/daily_bread.htm
He said to him, ‘I will come and cure him.’ Jesus is amazed at the centurion’s humility, empathy and faith and responds exactly as the man hopes — with understanding, mercy and love. The centurion sees his servant’s suffering and reaches out in compassion to the one who shows even greater care. As we enter into this season of preparation and anticipation for the coming of the Lord, whether we put ourselves in the centurion’s role or the servant’s place, we’re in good hands. Like the centurion, we can put aside our pride and trust completely that when the Lord comes he will listen mercifully to our appeal. Like the servant, we can trust that the master values us deeply and will seek the best for us. Come, Lord Jesus, we pray. PR