나바르 매일미사 독서/묵상

January 5

1st Reading: 1 John 3:11-21

Loving One Another
----------------------------
[11] For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we
should love one another, [12] and not be like Cain who was of the evil one and
murdered his brother. And why did he murder him?

Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. [13] Do not
wonder, brethren, that the world hates you. [14] We know that we have
passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not
love remains in death. [15] Any one who hates his brother is a murderer, and
you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. [16] By this we
know love, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives
for the brethren. [17] But if any one has the world's goods and sees his brother
in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?
[18] Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth.

[19] By this we shall know that we are in truth, and reassure our hearts before
Him [20] whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts,
and He knows everything. [21] Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we
have confidence before God.

******************************************************************************** Commentary:

11-22. St John begins this important passage on the subject of brotherly love
with the same elevated tone as in 1:5. As usual with his style, it is difficult to
discern any rigid arrangement of concepts, but there is a clear connection of
ideas, expressed in paradoxes and contrasts. 1) Statement of the central
theme--the commandment of love (v. 11). 2) Its counterpart is the sin of Cain
(v. 12); those who do not practice brotherly love are as much murderers as he
was (vv. 13-15). 3) Our model (a new contrast) is Christ, who gave His life for
us (v. 16); brotherly love, following our Lord's example, must go beyond mere
talk; it must show itself in deed and in truth (vv. 17-18). 4) The consequence
of brotherly love is total confidence in God, who knows everything (vv. 19-22).

This passage of St John has led to many beautiful, touching commentaries
by the Fathers of the Church. "I believe this is the pearl the merchant in the
Gospel was looking for, which when he found it led him to sell everything he
had and buy it (Mt 13:46). This is the precious pearl--charity; unless you have
it, everything else you have is of no use to you; and if you have it alone, you
need nothing else. Now you see with faith; later on you will see with intuitive
vision; if we love now, when we do not see, what degree of love shall we not
attain when we do see! And, meanwhile, what should we be doing?

We should be loving the brethren. You may be able to say, I have not seen
God; but can you say, I have not seen man? Love your brother. If you love
your brother whom you see, you will also see God, because you will see
charity, and God dwells within it" (St Augustine, "In Epist. Ioann. Ad Parthos,
5, 7).

11. The new commandment of brotherly love, which Jesus expressly taught at
the Last Supper (cf. Jn 13:34-35 and note) is the "message" which Christians
have learned from the beginning (cf. 1 Jn 2:7). There is no more sublime
commandment, and all the commandments are summed up in it. As St
Augustine explains, "Everyone can make the sign of the cross of Christ;
everyone can answer, Amen; everyone can sing Alleluia; everyone can have
himself baptized, can enter churches, can build the walls of basilicas. But
charity is the only thing by which the children of God can be told from the
children of the devil. Those who practice charity are born of God; those who
do not practice it are not born of God. An important mark, an essential
difference! You may have whatever you like, but if you lack this, just this,
everything else is of no use whatsoever; and if you lack everything and have
nothing but this, you have fulfilled the law!" ("In Epist. Ioann. Ad Parthos, 5, 7).

12. Cain is the prototype of those who belong to the devil; not only because
he took his brother's life by violence, but because the hatred nestling in his
heart prevented him from recognizing his brother's goodness. The same
reaction can happen today: "Because you don't know, or don't want to know,
how to imitate that man's upright manner of acting, your secret envy makes
you seek to ridicule him" ([St] J. Escriva, "Furrow", 911).

13. In this verse, an aside breaking the flow of the argument, St John seeks to
encourage all Christians, particularly his immediate readers who were probably
experiencing persecution (perhaps that ordered by the emperor Domitian).
Jesus clearly predicted that His disciples would be persecuted as He was (cf.
Jn 15:18-22).

For a Christian, difficulties should provide an opportunity to show firmness in
the faith and not be sad or discouraged (cf. Jn 16:1-4): "If you are reproached
for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory and of God
rests upon you" (1 Pet 4:14).

14-15. The Christian life involves passing from death to life, from sin to grace.
Anyone who does not practice the commandment of love "remains in death
(sin)".

"Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer." This unambiguous statement
echoes the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: "every one who is
angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment" (Mt 5:22). The internal sin
of hatred has the same malicious root as the external act of murder.

By speaking in this way, St John makes it crystal clear that hatred of one's
neighbor is incompatible with the Christian faith.

16-18. From Jesus the Christian learns what love is and what demands it
makes--not only through His sublime teaching (like that about the Good
Shepherd in John 10:1ff or His discourse at the Last Supper) but above all by
His example: "He laid down His life for us", by dying on the cross. We "ought"
to so the same; the Greek word St John uses implies a duty. That is, the
precept of brother love imposes an obligation for two reasons--by the very nature
of things, since all men are brothers and children of God; and because we are
indebted to Christ and must respond to the infinite love He showed by giving His
life for us.

Using an example very like that in the Letter of St James (cf. Jas 2: 15-16), he
shows that true love expresses itself in actions: anyone who "closes his heart"
when he sees others in need does not truly love.

The saints have constantly reminded us of St John's teaching: "what the Lord
desires is works. If you see a sick woman to whom you can give some help,
never be affected by the fear that your devotion will suffer, but take pity on her:
if she is in pain, you should feel pain too; if necessary, fast so that she may
have your food, not so much for her sake as because you know it to be your
Lord's will. That is true union with His will. Again, if you hear someone being
praised, be much more pleased than if they were praising you" (St Teresa of
Avila, "Interior Castle", V, 3. 11).

19-22. The Apostle reassures us: God knows everything; not only does He
know our sins and our frailties, He also knows our repentance and our good
desires, and He understands and forgives us (St Peter, on the Lake of Tiberias,
made the same confession to Jesus, "Lord, you know everything, you know
that I love you": Jn 21:17).

St John's teaching on divine mercy is very clear: if our conscience tells us we
have done wrong, we can seek forgiveness and strengthen our hope in God; if
our conscience does not accuse us, our confidence in God is ardent and bold,
like that of a child who has loving experience of his Father's tenderness. The
love of God is mightier than our sins, Pope John Paul II reminds us: "When we
realize that God's love for us does not cease in the face of our sin or recoil
before our offenses, but becomes even more attentive and generous; when we
realize that this love went so far as to cause the Passion and Death of the Word
made flesh who consented to redeem us at the price of His own blood, then we
exclaim in gratitude: 'Yes, the Lord is rich in mercy', and even: 'The Lord IS
mercy'" ("Reconcilatio Et Paenitentia", 22).

This confidence in God makes for confidence in prayer: "If you abide in Me, and
My words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you" (Jn
15:7; cf. 14:13f; 16:23, 26-27).

Gospel Reading: John 1:43-51

The Calling of the First Disciples (Continuation)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
[43] The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And He found Philip and said
to him, "Follow Me." [44] Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew
and Peter. 45] Philip found Nathaniel, and said to him, "We have found Him of
whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the
son of Joseph." [46] Nathaniel said to him, "Can anything good come out of
Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." [47] Jesus saw Nathaniel
coming to Him, and said to him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no
guile!" [48] Nathaniel said to Him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered
him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."
[49] Nathaniel answered Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the
King of Israel! [50] Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you
under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these."
[51] And He said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see Heaven opened,
and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

******************************************************************************** Commentary:

43. "Follow Me" is what Jesus usually says to all His disciples (cf. Mt 4:19;
8:22; 9:9). During Jesus' lifetime, His invitation to follow Him implied being with
Him in His public ministry, listening to His teaching, imitating His lifestyle, etc.
Once the Lord ascended into heaven, following Him obviously does not mean
going with Him along the roads of Palestine; it means that "a Christian should
live as Christ lived, making the affections of Christ his own, so that he can
exclaim with St Paul: 'It is now no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me"' (J.
Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 103). In all cases our Lord's invitation involves
setting out on a journey: that is, it requires one to lead a life of striving always
to do God's will even if this involves generous self-sacrifice. *************
*************

43. "나를 따라라" 는 예수님께서 당신의 제지들 모두에게 통상적으로 말씀하시는
바입니다(마태오 복음서 4,19; 8,22; 9,9를 참조하라). 예수님의 생애 동안에, 당신을
따르나는 당신의 초대는, 당신의 가르침을 들음, 당신의 생활방식을 모방함 등, 당신의
공적 사목에 당신과 함께 함을 뜻하였습니다. 일단 주님께서 하늘로 승천하시자마자,
당신을 따르는 것은 분명히 팔레스티나(Palestine) 지역의 도로들을 당신과 함께
나아감을 뜻하는 것이 아니며, 이것은 "그리스도 사람은, 그리스도의 애정들을 자신
고유의 것으로 만들어, 그리스도께서 사셨듯이, 살아가, 그리하여 그 결과 성 바오로
(St. Paul)와 함께 다음과 같이 주장할 수 있어야 함을 뜻합니다: '이제는 내가 사는
것이 아니라 그리스도께서 내 안에 사시는 것입니다' (갈라티아 2,20)." [호세마리아
에스크리바 (J. Escriva), "Christ Is Passing By", 103].

45-51. The Apostle Philip is so moved that he cannot but tell his friend Nathanael
(Bartholomew) about his wonderful discovery (verse 45).

45-51. 사도 필립보는 대단히 감동하여 그 결과 그는 자신의 친구인 나타나엘
(Natanael)[바르톨로메오(Bartholomew)](*)에게 자신의 경이로운 발견(제45절)을
말할 수밖에 없습니다.

-----
(*) 번역자 주: 9세기 이후부터 지금에 이르기까지 나타나엘이 사도 바르톨로메오와
동일시되는 이유 등에 대하여서는 다음의 글을 참고하라:
http://ch.catholic.or.kr/pundang/4/soh/1161.htm
-----

"Nathanael had heard from Scripture that Jesus must come from Bethlehem, from
the people of David. This belief prevailed among the Jews and also the prophet had
proclaimed it of old, saying: `But you, O Bethlehem, who are little to be among the
clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler of Israel'
(Micah5:1). Therefore, when he heard that He was from Nazareth, he was troubled
and in doubt, since he found that the announcement of Philip was not in agreement
with the words of the prophecy" (St. John Chrysostom, "Hom. on St. John", 20, 1).

"나타나엘은 예수님께서 베들레헴(Bethlehem)으로부터, 다윗의 사람(the people of
David)들로부터 오셔야 함을 성경 본문으로부터 이미 들었습니다. 이러한 믿음은
유다인들 사이에 널리 퍼져 있었으며 그리고 또한 예언자는 이것을 예로부터 다음과
같이 이미 선포하였습니다: '그러나 너 에프라타의 베들레헴아 너는 유다 부족들
가운데에서 보잘것없지만 나를 위하여 이스라엘을 다스릴 이가 너에게서 나오리라'
(마카 5,1). 그러므로, 당신께서 나자렛 출신(from Nazareth)임음을 그가 들었을 때에,
그는 괴로워졌으며 그리고 의심을 하였는데, 이는 필립보의 알림이 이 예언의 말들과
일치를 하지 않음을 그가 발견하였기 때문이었습니다." [성 요한 크리소스토모
(St. John Chrysostom), "Hom. on St. John", 20, 1].

A Christian may find that, in trying to communicate his faith to others, they raise
difficulties. What should he do? What Philip did--not trust his own explanation,
but invite them to approach Jesus personally: "Come and see" (verse 46). In
other words, a Christian should bring his fellow-men, his brothers into Jesus'
presence through the means of grace which He has given them and which the
Church ministers--frequent reception of the sacraments, and devout Christian
practices.

그리스도인은, 자신의 믿음을 다른 이들에게 나누어 주려고(communicate)(*) 시도함에
있어, 그들이 어려움들을 제기할 수도 있음을 발견합니다. 그는 무엇을 하여야 할까요?
필립보가 하였던 바는 자신 고유의 설명을 신뢰하라고 한 것이 아니라 개별적(personally)
예수님께 다가가도록 다음과 같이 그들을 초대하십시오: "와서 보시오." (제46절).
다른 말로, 그리스도인은, 당신께서 그들에게 제공하고 있는 그리고 교회가 봉사하는
(ministers) 은총의 수단들, 즉 성사들을 자주 모심, 그리고 헌신적인 그리스도인의
실천들을 통하여, 자신의 동료인 사람들을, 자신의 형제들을, 예수님의 현존으로
데려와야만 합니다.

-----
(*) 번역자 주: "communicate" 를 "나누어 주다" 로 번역한 것에 대한 자세한 글은
다음에 있다:
http://ch.catholic.or.kr/pundang/4/soh/1395.htm <----- 필독 권고
-----

Nathanael, a sincere person (verse 47), goes along with Philip to see Jesus;
he makes personal contact with our Lord (verse 48), and the outcome is that
he receives faith (the result of his ready reception of grace, which reaches him
through Christ's human nature: verse 49).

진실한 자(제47절)인 나타나엘은 예수님을 뵙기 위하여 필립보와 함께 가고, 그리고
그는 우리의 주님과 인격적 접촉을 하며(제48절), 그리하여 그 결과는 (그리스도의
인성을 통하여 그에게 도달하는 은총을 그가 기꺼이 받아들임의 결과인(제49절),
믿음(faith)을 그가 받아드리는 것이었습니다.

As far as we can deduce from the Gospels, Nathanael is the first Apostle to
make an explicit confession of faith in Jesus as Messiah and as Son of God.
Later on St. Peter, in a more formal way, will recognize our Lord's divinity (cf.
Matthew 16:16). Here (verse 51) Jesus evokes a text from Daniel (7:13) to
confirm and give deeper meaning to the words spoken by His new disciple.

복음서들로부터 우리가 도출할 수 있는 한, 나타나엘은, 메시아로서의 그리고
하느님의 아드님으로서의 예수님에 대한 믿음(faith)을 명백하게 고백을 한 첫 번째
사도(the first Apostle)입니다. 이후에 성 베드로(St. Peter)는, 더 형상적(formal)
방식으로, 우리의 주님의 신성(divinity)을 인식할 것입니다(마태오 복음서 16,15을
참조하라). 여기서 (제51절) 예수님께서는 당신의 새로운 제자에 의하여 말해진
표현에 대한 더 깊은 의미를 확인하고 또 제공하기 위하여 다니엘서(7,13)로부터
구절 한 개를 불러내십니다.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase
The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.