나바르 매일미사 독서/묵상

Friday

32nd Week of Ordinary Time

(I) 1st Reading: Wisdom 13:1-9

Created Things Tell Us of God
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[1] For all men who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature; and they were
unable from the good things that are seen to know him who exists, nor did they
recognize the craftsman while paying heed to his works; [2] but they supposed
that either fire or wind or swift air, or the circle of the stars, or turbulent water, or
the luminaries of heaven were the gods that rule the world. [3] If through delight
in the beauty of these things men assumed them to be gods, let them know how
much better than these is their Lord, for the author of beauty created them. [4]
And if men were amazed at their power and working, let them perceive from them
how much more powerful is he who formed them. [5] For from the greatness and
beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator. [6]
Yet these men are little to be blamed, for perhaps they go astray while seeking
God and desiring to find him. [7] For as they live among his works they keep
searching, and they trust in what they see, because the things that are seen are
beautiful. [8] Yet again, not even they are to be excused; [9] for if they had the
power to know so much that they could investigate the world, how did they fail
to find sooner the Lord of these things?

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Commentary:

13:1-9. This is the great biblical text on the proof of the existence of God by
means of analogy. It constitutes a searching critique of many of the philosophies
in fashion at the time, and of idolatry involving the "elements" of nature and hea-
venly bodies (cf. the notes on 11:1-12:2). The line of reasoning here is something
not seen before in the Old Testament, and it is developed in the New Testament
in Romans 1:18-32. Using these passages from Wisdom and Romans, the
Church teaches that it is possible to have natural knowledge of God by working
up from visible creation: "The world, and man, attest that they contain within them-
selves neither their first principle nor their final end, but rather that they participate
in Being itself, which alone is without origin or end. Thus, in different ways, man
can come to know that there exists a reality which is the first cause and final end
of all things, a reality 'that everyone calls "God" (St Thomas Aquinas, "Summa
Theologiae" 1, 2, 3)" ("Catechism of the Catholic Church", 34).

13,1-9. 이것은 유비에 의한(by means of analogy) 하느님의 존재 증명에 대한 훌륭한
성경의 본문입니다. 그 시기에 유행된(in fashion) 많은 철학들에 대한, 그리고 자연의
"정령(elements)"들과 천상의 무리(heavenly bodies)들을 수반하는 우상 숭배에 대한
엄밀한 비평의 구성 요소가 되었습니다(11,1-12,2에 대한 주석을 참조하라). 여기서의
사유의 방법(the line of reasoning)은 구약 성경에 있어 이전에 보이지 않았던 어떤 것이며,
그리고 이것은 신약 성경 로마서 1,18-32에 발전시켜져 있습니다. 지혜서(Wisdom) 및
로마서(Romans)로부터의 이들 구절들을 사용하여, 교회는 다음과 같이 가시적 피조물
(visible creation)로부터 열심히 일을 함으로써 하느님에 대한 자연적 지식을 가지는
것이 가능하다고 가르칩니다: "이 세상, 그리고 사람은, 그들이 그 자신들 안쪽에 자신들의
첫 원리와 그들의 최후의 목표를 지니고 있지 못하나, 그러나 대신에 그들은, 당신만이
원천과 끝이 없으신 분이신, 거룩한 존재자(Being) 당신 자체에 참여합니다. 그러므로,
다른 방식들로, 사람은 모든 사물들의 첫 원인이며 최종 목표인 하나의 실재, 즉 모든 사람이
"하느님"이라고 부르는 하나의 실재가 존재함을 알게 되는 데에 도달할 수 있습니다"
[성 토마스 아퀴나스(St Thomas Aquinas), "신학 대전(Summa Theologiae)" 1, 2, 3]"
["가톨릭 교회 교리서(Catechism of the Catholic Church)", 제34항].

The Magisterium of the Church has laid much stress, especially since
(1870), on the fact that "God, the beginning and the end of all things, can be
known with certainty from created things through the natural light of human rea-
son" ("Dei Filius", Chap. 2). Vatican II, for its part, says that "Holy Scripture tea-
ches that man was created 'to the image of God,' as able to know and love his
Creator," and it added: 'The dignity of man rests above all on the fact that he is
called to communion with God. The invitation to converse with God is addressed
to man as soon as he comes into being. For if man exists it is because God had
created him through love, and through love continues to hold him in existence"
("Gaudium Et Spes", 12 and 19).

교회의 교도권(Magisterium)은, 특별히 제1차 바티칸 공의회(Vatican I) (1870년)
이후부터, "모든 사물들의 시작이며 끝이신 하느님은 인간 이성(human reason)의
자연적 빛을 통하여 창조된 사물들로부터 확실하게 알게 될 수 있다" [제1차 바티칸
공의회(Vatican I), "Dei Filius", Chap. 2] 는 사실을 크게 강조해 왔습니다. 제2차
바티칸 공의회(Vatican II)는, 그 역할에 있어, "성경은 사람이 '자신의 창조주에 대하여
알게 되고 또 사랑할 수 있도록, 하느님의 모습에 따라' 창조되었다고 가르칩니다"
라고 말하며, 그리고 다음과 같이 덧붙였습니다: "사람의 존엄은 무엇보다도 그가
하느님과의 하나 됨(communion, 친교, 통공)에 부름을 받는다는 사실에 의존하고
있습니다. 하느님과의 대화로의 초대는 사람에게, 그가 존재하게 되자마자, 전해졌습니다.
이는 사람이 존재한다면 이것은 하느님께서 사랑을 통하여 그를 이미 창조하셨으며,
그리고 사랑을 통하여 존재 안에 그를 계속하여 수용하고 계시기(hold) 때문입니다"
[제2차 바티칸 공의회(Vatican II), "현대 세계의 교회에 관한 사목 헌장 「기쁨과 희망」
(Gaudium Et Spes)", 12 and 19].

By God's mercy, natural reason is aided by su pernatural Revelation, which never
contradicts reason or supplants it, but raises it onto a higher level and enlightens it:
"For man to be able to enter into real inti macy with him, God willed both to reveal
himself to man, and to give him the grace of being able to welcome this revelation
in faith. The proofs of God's existence, however, can predispose one to faith and
help one to see that faith is not opposed to reason" ("Catechism of the Catholic
Church", 35).

하느님의 자비(mercy)에 의하여, 결코 이성과 상반되거나 혹은 이성을 밀어내고 대신하는
것이 아니라, 이성을 더 높은 수준으로까지 들어 올리고 그리고 이성을 계몽하는, 초자연적
거룩한 계시(supernatural Revelation)에 의하여, 자연적 이성(natural reason)은 도움을
받습니다: "하느님께서는, 사람이 당신과의 실제적 친밀함(real intimacy) 안쪽으로 들어가는
것을 가능하게 하기 위하여, 사람에게 당신 자신을 드러내시는(to reveal) 것, 그리고 신앙
(faith, 믿음, 신덕) 안에서 바로 이 계시(revelation)를 기꺼이 맞이하는 것을 가능하게 하는
은총(grace)을 그에게 제공하시는 것, 둘 다를 의도하셨습니다(willed). 하느님의 존재에
대한 증명(the proofs of God's existence)들은, 어떠한 방식으로라도(however), 우리를 신앙
(faith, 믿음, 신덕) 쪽으로 기울어지게 할 수 있고 그리하여 우리가 신앙(faith, 믿음, 신덕)이
이성(reason)에 상반되지 않음을 우리가 볼 수 있도록 도와줍니다" ["가톨릭 교회 교리서
(Catechism of the Catholic Church)", 제35항].

The created world is itself a (natural) Revelation of God: "Even before revealing
himself to man in words of truth, God reveals himself to him through the universal
language of creation, the work of his Word, of his wisdom: the order and harmony
of the cosmos--which both the child and the scientist discover --'from the great-
ness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their
Creator', 'for the author of beauty created them' (Wis 13:5)" ( "Ibid"., 2500). De-
veloping these teachings, John Paul II explains: "This is to recognize as a first
stage of divine Revelation the marvelous 'book of nature', which, when read with
the proper tools of human reason, can lead to knowledge of the Creator" ("Fides
Et Ratio", 19).

창조된 세상은 그 자체가 다음과 같이 하느님에 의한 하나의 (자연적) 거룩한 계시입니다:
"심지어 진리의 말씀들로 사람에게 당신 자신을 드러내시기 이전에, 하느님께서는,
당신의 거룩한 말씀의, 당신의 지혜의 위업인, 창조라는 보편적 언어를 통하여 사람에게
당신 자신을 다음과 같이 드러내십니다: '아름다움의 조물주(the author of beauty)가
그들을 창조하였기에(지혜 13,5)', 창조된 사물들의 위대함과 아름다움으로부터 그들의
창조주에 대한 하나의 대응하는 인식(a corresponding perception)이 떠오르는, 어린이와
과학자 둘 다가 발견하는, 우주(the cosmoss)의 질서와 조화" ["가톨릭 교회 교리서
(Catechism of the Catholic Church)", 제2500항]. 이러한 가르침들을 발전시키면서, 요한
바오로 2세 교황은 다음과 같이 설명합니다: "이것은, 하느님의 거룩한 계시에 대한 하나의
첫 번째 단계로서, 인간의 이성에 기인하는 적절한 도구들과 함께 읽혔을 때에, 창조주에
대한 지식으로 인도할 수 있는, 이 경이로운 '자연의 책(book of nature)'을 알아차리는
것을 말합니다 ["신앙과 이성(Fides Et Ratio)", 19].
　

(II) 1st Reading: 2 John 4-9

The Law of Love
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[4] I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children following the truth, just as we
have been commanded by the Father. [5] And now I beg you, lady, not as though
I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the begin-
ning, that we love one another. [6] And this is love, that we follow his command-
ments; this is the commandment, as you have heard from the beginning, that
you follow love.

Precautions Against Heretics
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[7] For many deceivers have gone out into the world, men who will not acknow-
ledge the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh; such a one is the deceiver and the
antichrist. [8] Look to yourselves, that you may not lose what you have worked
for, but may win a full reward. [9] Any one who goes ahead and does not abide
in the doctrine of Christ does not have God; he who abides in the doctrine has
both the Father and the Son.

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Commentary:

4-6. Among all similarities of language and content between the Second and
Third Letters, this passage is a particularly significant one.

The Apostle's joy (v. 4) is based on the fact that the Christians have learned that
walking in the truth entails keeping the commandment of brotherly love, which
they have had from the beginning. The verses sum up one of the main themes of
the First Letter, where St John expounds these teachings at greater length (cf.
1 Jn 2:7-11; 3:11-24; 4:7-21 and notes on same).

"That you follow love": the Greek is ambiguous and literally says "that you follow
it"; "it" could refer to the commandment (that is how the New Vulgate reads it)
or to love. The sense is not very different, if one remembers that in St John's tea-
ching the commandments reduce to love of God and love of neighbor: "Listen
carefully to a brief precept", St Augustine exhorts, "love and do what you like"
("In Epist. Ioann Ad Parthos", 7, 8).

St John also emphasizes that this is a commandment they have had "from the
beginning" (vv. 5 and 6); that is, Tradition is so definite on this point that anyone
who teaches otherwise is a liar and a deceiver. This helps to explain the connec-
tion between these verses and the ones which follow. In fact the false teachers
were causing harm in two ways -- by corrupting the faith and by destroying unity
and mutual love.

7-ll. These warnings are a summary of things said in the First Letter (cf. 2:18-29;
4:1-6; 5:1-5; and notes on same). St John shows how to recognize these heretics
--by the fact that they do not acknowledge the divinity of Jesus Christ incarnate
(cf. 1 Jn 4:2-3 and note); and he warns that anyone who turns his back on sound
teaching is abandoning the Father and the Son (cf. 1 Jn 2:22-25 and notes). The
passage ends with instructions on precautions to take in dealings with those
people (vv. 10-11).

On the "antichrist" (v. 7), see the note on 1 Jn 2:18.

8. "That you may not lose what you have worked for": many important codexes
read "what we have worked for", referring to the efforts of the Apostles. Both rea-
dings have equal support in the Greek codexes; both make sense and show that
in order to persevere in the faith (and obtain the reward for doing so) care and
effort are needed, on the part of both pastors and other faithful.

St Cyril of Jerusalem exhorted: "Keep careful watch, to ensure that the enemy
does not make off with any who are off guard or remiss; and that no heretic may
pervert part of what you have been given. Accepting the faith is like putting into
the bank the money we have given you; God will ask you for an account of this
deposit" ("Catechesis V, Defide Et Symbolo").

Gospel Reading: Luke 17:26-37

The Day of the Son of Man (Continuation)
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(Jesus said to His disciples,) [26] "As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in
the days of the Son of Man. [27] They ate, they drank, they married, they were
given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came
and destroyed them all. [28] Likewise as it was in the days of Lot--they ate, they
drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built, [29] but on the day when
Lot went out from Sodom fire and brimstone rained from Heaven and destroyed
them all--[30] so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

[31] On that day, let him who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house,
not come down to take them away; and likewise let him who is in the field not
turn back. [32] Remember Lot's wife. [33] Whoever seeks to gain his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. [34] I tell you, in that night there will
be two men in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. [35] There will be
two women grinding together; one will be taken and the other left." [37] And they
said to Him, "Where Lord?" He said to them, "Where the body is, there the ea-
gles will be gathered together."

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Commentary:

23-36. These words of our Lord are a prophecy about the last coming of the Son
of Man. We should remember that prophecy often involves events on different le-
vels, many symbols, a terminology of its own; the "chiaroscuro" which they cre-
ate gives us insight into future events, but the concrete details only become clear
when the events actually occur. Our Lord's last coming will be something sudden
and unexpected; it will catch many people unprepared. Jesus illustrates this by
giving examples from sacred history: as in the time of Noah (cf. Genesis 6:9-19:
7) and that of Lot (cf. Genesis 18:16-19:27) divine judgment will be visited on
men without warning.

However, it is useful to recall here that everyone will find himself before the divine
Judge immediately when he dies, at the Particular Judgment. Thus Jesus' tea-
ching has also a present urgency about it: here and now a disciple should scru-
tinize his own conduct, for the Lord can call him when he least expects.

33. "Will preserve it": what the Greek word literally means is "will engender (his
life)", that is to say, "will give true life to the soul". Thus our Lord seems to mean
the following: he who wants to save his life at all costs, making it his basic value,
will lose eternal life; whereas he who is ready to lose his earthly life--that is, to
resist even to death the enemies of God and of his soul--will obtain eternal hap-
piness through this struggle. In content this passage is almost identical with
Luke 9:24.

36. In the Vulgate this verse reads: "Una assumetur, et altera relinquetur. Duo in
agro; unus assumetur, et alter relinquetur" ("One will be taken and the other left.
Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left"). These words
seem to be an addition to Luke, taken from Matthew 24:40; they do not appear
in the better Greek manuscripts, which is why the New Vulgate omits them.

37. "Where the body is, there the eagles will gather": the Greek text uses a word
which could mean either eagle or vulture. In any event the proverb indicates the
speed with which birds of prey swoop down on their victims -- apparently referring
to the sudden, unexpected way the Second Coming or Last Judgment will hap-
pen. Sacred Scripture also deals with this subject in other passages: "But as to
the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need to have anything written
to you. For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a
thief in the night" (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2). Once more Jesus is exhorting us to
be watchful: we should never neglect the most important thing in life--eternal sal-
vation. "All that, which worries you for the moment, is of relative importance.
What is of absolute importance is that you be happy, that you be saved" (St. J.
Escriva, "The Way", 297). So curious are the Pharisees and the disciples about
the time and place of the Last Coming that they are distracted from Jesus' main
point; the same thing happens to us: for example, we can spend a lot of time
pondering the circumstances of the deaths of people we know, and fail to grasp
the warning these deaths contain--that this life is going to end one way or ano-
ther and that after it we too will meet God.
　

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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.