나바르 매일미사 독서/묵상

Monday

20th Week of Ordinary Time

(I) 1st Reading: Judges 2:11-19

Israel lapses into infidelity, but the Lord keeps coming ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- [11] And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and
served the Baals; [12] and they forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers, who
had brought them out of the land of Egypt; they went after other gods, from
among the gods of the peoples who were round about them, and bowed down
to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. [13] They forsook the Lord, and
served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. [14] So the anger of the Lord was kindled
against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them; and
he sold them into the power of their enemies. [15] Whenever they marched out,
the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had warned, and as
the Lord had sworn to them; and they were in sore straits.

[16] Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the power of those
who plundered them. [17] And yet they did not listen to their judges; for they
played the harlot after other gods and bowed down to them; they soon turned
aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the com-
mandments of the Lord, and they did not do so. [18] Whenever the Lord raised
up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the
hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved to pity
by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. [19] But
whenever the judge died, they turned back and behaved worse than their fathers,
going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them; they did not drop
any of their practices or their stubborn ways.

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

2:1-3:6. The sacred writer explains why they did not manage to dominate the
land; they did not keep the Covenant, so God did not allow them to defeat the
Canaanites (2:1-5).

After repeating almost word for word the short account of Joshua's death and
burial found at the end of the book that bears his name (2:2-9; cf. Josh 24:28-31),
the writer goes on at some length to give a theological interpretation of events in
those distant days (2:11-23). The tribes of Canaan worshipped Baal, the god of
the rains and the harvest, and Ashtoreth (Greek: Astarte; pl. Ashtaroth), the
goddess of fertility; they made little idols, figurines, and worshipped them. The
Israelites were often attracted to these idolatrous customs, forgetting about the
Lord; he was the one who had given them this country, and now he allowed them
to be plundered. But in his kindness and mercy, seeing their plight, he took pity
on his people even before they turned back to him, and sent them judges to be
their deliverers. But once everything was peaceful again, the people fell back in-
to idolatry. Because this pattern continued, God did not totally drive away those
who were harassing his people (2:20-23); this meant that he was able to test the
Israelites' fidelity – only to find that there were continuously unfaithful. That was
the pattern right down as far as the exile. So, the sacred author does not dis-
guise the gravity of the people's sins but he also shows God's mercy, which is
more effective and always prevails. "I once heard someone say very rashly,” St.
J. Escriva preached, "that the experience of one's lapses serves to make one fall
a further hundred times in the same error. I tell you, instead, that a prudent per-
son makes use of these setbacks to be more careful in the future, to learn to do
good and to renew his decision to seek greater holiness. From your failures and
successes in God's service, seek always to draw, together with an increase in
love, a stronger determination to carry on fulfilling your rights and duties as Chris-
tian citizens, no matter what the cost. And do this manfully, without fleeing from
honours or responsibilities, without being afraid of the reactions we produce in
those around us, perhaps originating from false brethren, when we nobly and
loyally try to seek God's glory and the good of our neighbour” (Friends of God,
164).
to its rescue
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(II) 1st Reading: Ezekiel 24:15-23

Death of Ezekiel's wife
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[15] Also the word of the Lord came to me: [16] Son of man, behold, I am about
to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke; yet you shall not
mourn or weep nor shall your tears run down. [17] Sigh, but not aloud; make no
mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your shoes on your feet; do
not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of mourners." [18] So I spoke to the people
in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning I did as I
was commanded.

[19] And the people said to me. "Will you not tell us what these things mean
for us, that you are acting thus?" [20] Then I said to them, "The word of the Lord
came to me: [21] 'Say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I
will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and
the desire of your soul; and your sons and your daughters whom you left behind
shall fall by the sword. [22] And you shall do as I have done; you shall not cover
your lips, nor eat the bread of mourners. [23] Your turbans shall be on your
heads and your shoes on your feet; you shall not mourn or weep, but you shall
pine away in your iniquities and groan to one another.

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Commentary:

24:15-27. The first part of the book ends here with this moving passage revealing
the prophet's feelings about the death of his wife. All this -- the sudden death of
his wife, the fact that he does not publicly mourn her, his profound, silent grief –
is the supreme symbol of what the siege of Jerusalem involved. Ezekiel's wife
must have been still quite young, "the delight of your eyes" (v. 16; cf. Lam 2:4),
and she must have died suddenly. She is a symbol of the temple, of which the
people were so proud; no one could have imagined it would he destroyed. Mour-
ning was a function of the person's social status and the regard in which he or
she was held (cf. 2 Sam 1:2; 3:31; 14:2; 15:30, 32), but even the humblest in so-
ciety would put on a veil and wear that sign of mourning at funeral meals, at the
"bread of mourners" (v. 17). However, Ezekiel was not to weep for his wife; nor
should the exiles show any public sign of grief; this would show that the misfor-
tunes that befell Jerusalem were a private affair between themselves and God.

The mention of the prophet's name (v. 24), which has not appeared since the
title of the book (1:3), gives these verses the stamp of his authority. The same
is true of vv. 25-27 which tell the prophet that on the very day of his wife's death
the fugitive will arrive reporting the destruction of Jerusalem, and Ezekiel will
recover his power of speech (cf. 3:25-27 and 33:21-22).

Gospel Reading: Matthew 19:16-22

The Rich Young Man
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[16] And behold, one man came up to Him (Jesus), saying, "Teacher, what good
deed must I do, to have eternal life?" [17] And He said to him, "Why do you ask
Me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep
the commandments." [18] He said to Him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall
not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear
false witness, [19] Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neigh-
bor as yourself." [20] The young man said to Him, "All these I have observed;
what do I still lack?" [21] Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell
what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven;
and come, follow Me." [22] When the young man heard this he went away sor-
rowful; for he had great possessions.

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Commentary:

17. The Vulgate and other translations, supported by a good many Greek co-
dexes, fill this verse out by saying, "One alone is good, God."

17. 상당 수의 그리스어 (두루마리·납판 이후에 발달한 것으로 책자 모양으로 철해져
있는) 코덱스(codexes)들의 지지를 받고 있는, 라틴어 대중 성경과 다른 번역본들은
"하느님, 한 분만이 선하시다" 라고 말함으로써 이 절을 마무리 합니다.

20-22. "What do I still lack?": The young man kept the commandments that were
necessary for salvation. But there is more. This is why our Lord replies, "if you
would be perfect..." that is to say, if you want to acquire what is still lacking to
you. Jesus is giving him an additional calling, "Come, follow Me": He is showing
that He wants him to follow Him more closely, and therefore He requires, as He
does others (cf. Matthew 4:19-22), to give up anything that might hinder his full
dedication to the Kingdom of God.

20-22. "아직도 무엇이 부족합니까?": 이 젊은이는 구원을 위하여 필요한 계명들을
지켰습니다. 그러나 그 이상의 것이 있습니다. 이것이 우리의 주님께서 "네가 완미한
(perfect) 사람이 되려거든 ..." 달리 말하여, 그대가 자신에게 여전히 부족한 바를
얻고자 원한다면, 하고 답변하시는 바로 그 이유입니다. 예수님께서는 "와서, 나를
따라라" 라는 추가적 부르심(calling, 소명)을 다음과 같이 그에게 제시하고 계십니다:
당신께서는, 당신께서 그가 당신을 더 가깝게 따를 것을 원하시며, 그리하여 그 결과
당신께서는, 당신께서 다른 이들에게 하셨듯이 (마태오 복음서 4,19-22를 참조하라),
하느님 나라(the Kingdom of God)(*)에 대한 그의 최대한의(full) 기여를 방해할
수도 있는 어떠한 것도 포기할 것을 그에게 요구하심을, 보여주고 계십니다.

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(*) 번역자 주: 다음의 주소에 접속하면, 천국(heaven, 하늘, 천당)을 말하는 것이 아닌,
가톨릭 보편 교회 안에 있는 "하느님 나라", 즉 "하늘 나라"에 대한 글들을 읽을 수 있다:
http://ch.catholic.or.kr/pundang/4/soh/intro2KH_JohnPaul_II.htm
-----

The scene ends rather pathetically: the young man goes away sad. His attach-
ment to his property prevails over Jesus' affectionate invitation. Here is sadness
of the kind that stems from cowardice, from failure to respond to God's calling
with personal commitment.

이 장면은 대신에 다음과 같이 슬프게 끝납니다: 이 젊은이는 슬퍼하면서 떠나갑니다.
자신의 재산에 대한 그의 애착이 예수님의 자애로우신 초청보다 우세합니다. 바로
여기에는 겁(cowardice)에서 유래하는, 인격적 헌신(personal commitment)과 함께
하느님의 부르심에 응답하지 못하는, 그러한 종류의 슬픔이 있습니다.

In reporting this episode, the evangelists are actually giving us a case study
which describes a situation and formulates a law, a case study of specific divine
vocation to devote oneself to God's service and the service of all men.

이 에피소드를 보고함에 있어, 이 복음사가는 우리에게, 한 개의 상황(a situation)을
묘사하는 그리고 한 개의 법(a law)을 정식화 하는, 한 개의 사례 연구, 즉, 하느님의
섬김과 모든 사람들의 섬김에 자기 자신을 헌신하라는, 구체적인 하느님에 의한 소명
(specific divine vocation)에 대한 한 개의 사례 연구를 실제로 제시하고 있는 중입니다.

This young man has become a symbol of the kind of Christian whose mediocrity
and shortsightedness prevent him from turning his life into a generous, fruitful
self-giving to the service of God and neighbor.

이 젊은이는, 자신의 평범함(mediocrity)과 근시안적임(shortsightedness)이 그가 자신의
삶을 하느님과 이웃의 섬김으로 향하는 관대하고, 열매를 맺는 자기 희생(self-giving)으로
변화시키는 것을 방해하는, 바로 그러한 종류의 그리스도 사람에 대한 한 개의 상징
(a symbol)이 이미 되어버렸습니다.

What would this man have become, had he been generous enough to res-
pond to God's call? A great apostle, surely.

만약에 그가 하느님의 부르심에 응답할 만큼 충분하게 관대하였더라면, 이 젊은이는
어떤 자가 되었을까요? 확실하게, 한 명의 위대한 사도(apostle)가 되었을 것입니다.
　

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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.