나바르 매일미사 독서/묵상

Monday

4th Week of Ordinary Time

(I) 1st Reading: Hebrews 11:32-40

The Faith of Moses, of the Judges and of the Prophets
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[32] And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon,
Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets--[33]
who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received pro-
mises stopped the mouths of lions, [34] quenched raging fire, escaped
the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in
war, put foreign armies to flight. [35] Women received their dead by resur-
rection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might
rise again to a better life. [36] 0thers suffered mocking and scourging, and
even chains and imprisonment. [37] They were stoned, they were sawn in
two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and
goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated--[38] of whom the world was not worthy
-- wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
[39] And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what
was promised [40] since God had foreseen something better for us, that
apart from us they should not be made perfect.

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Commentary:

32-38. Up to this point, the passage has been recalling outstanding exam-
ples of faith from the time of the Patriarchs down to that of Joshua (18th to
13th century B.C.). The epistle now goes on to their exploits and sufferings,
wherein their faith brought them victory; the sacred writer then mentions the
testimony of faith of heroes, judges, kings, prophets and martyrs from the
time of the conquest of Palestine to that of the Maccabees (13th to 2nd
centuries B.C.). Not in any strict chronological order, he mentions only the
most important Judges (Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah), the grea-
test of the kings (David) and the most famous of the early prophets (Samuel).
Finally he refers to exploits and other deeds inspired by faith and fidelity,
without giving names.

We know from Sacred Scripture that many of these people had shortcomings
and, in some cases, committed grave sins. However, those weaknesses did
not prevent their filling key roles in God's plans: they let themselvesbe used
by God to apply his policy and are therefore worthy of being proposed as
examples of faith.

33-35a. "Through faith (they) conquered kingdoms": a reference to the men
who conquer the promised land: Barak, who overcame the Canaanites (cf.
Judg 11), Gideon, who conquered the Midianites (cf. Judg 7), Jephthah, who
conquered the Amonnites (cf. Judg 11), Samson, who defeated the Philis-
tines (cf. Judg 14), and David, who succeeded in subduing all the enemies
of Israel (cf. 2 Sam 5:17-25; 8:1f; 10).

"Enforced justice": a reference to the authority exercised by the Judges on
a tribal basis, and by Samuel and the kings over the whole of Israel (cf. 1
Sam 12:3; 2 Sam 8:15); it can also be understood as meaning those who
practised righteousness in God's name and made it effective, the prophets
being the outstanding examples.

"Received promises": the righteous of the Old Testament received an ear-
nest of the messianic promises in the form of the fulfillment of certain pro-
phecies made by God. Barak defeated Sisera as God had promised (cf.
Judg 4:14f); Gideon overcame the Midianites (cf. Judg 6:14; 7:7); David
brought peace to the whole land, as Nathan had predicted (cf. 2 Sam
7:11); etc.

"Stopped the mouths of lions": a reference to feats performed by Samson
(cf. Jud 14:6), David (cf. 1 Sam 17:34-35), and Benaiah (cf. 2 Sam 23:20),
it especially recalls the episode of Daniel in the lion's den: when thrown
there by the king on account of his faith, he told him, "My God sent his
angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me" (Dan 6:22).

Sacred history also includes people who "quenched raging fire" (like the
three young men in the fiery furnace in Babylon: cf. Dan 3:21-94); or who
"escaped the edge of the sword" (as Moses did, in his flight from Pharaoh's
wrath: cf. Ex 18:4); or like David, who "won strength out of weakness" in
his victories over Goliath and Saul (cf. 1 Sam 17:34ff; 18:11; 19:11).
Thanks to his faith Elijah found protection from Jezebel's persecution (cf.
1 Kings 19:1f); and the Jewish people were able to escape extermination
during King Ahasuerus' reign thanks to the prayer and intercession of
Esther and Mordecai (cf. Esther 3:6ff).

Through faith King Hezekiah was miraculously cured of mortal illness (cf.
Is 38) and Samson received his strength after becoming weak and blind
(cf. Judg 15:19; 16:28-30). Faith enabled the Hebrews, under the Judges,
to take on and defeat the pagan peoples of Palestine; it led Judith to be-
head Holofernes and bring about the destruction of his army; and it enabled
the Maccabees to repel the foreign armies of Antiochus (cf. 1 Mac 1:38).

Then there is the example of the widow of Zarephath, who sheltered Elijah
and had her son restored when the prophet cured him (cf. 1 Kings 17:17f).
And Elisha brought back to life the son of the Shunammite widow (cf. 2
Kings 4:33f).

All these examples show the effectiveness of faith, when it involves a
person's whole life and lifestyle, influencing both everyday events and
great exploits.

35b-36. Faith not only enables people to perform exploits and miracles:
it also enables them to persevere in doing good and to bear all kinds
of moral and physical pain, even torture and the most cruel forms of
death. And so the text refers to various sorts of suffering inflicted on the
prophets and many other just members of the people of Israel.

The writer may have in mind, for example, the death of Eleazar (cf. 2
Mac 6:19ff) and of the seven brothers (cf. 2 Mac 7), who underwent most
cruel torture during the persecution mounted by Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
The king had promised them their lives if they gave up their faith and
laws by eating forbidden meat; but they stayed true to God and were
mercilessly martyred.

However, they had unshakeable faith in the rightness of God's judgment
and in future resurrection (2 Mac 7:19, 14, 23, 29). They desired to "rise
again to a better life": they put their faith in an incomparably more valua
-ble, more real, life than that of a few more years on earth, which would
have been the reward of apostasy. "They did not escape death," St
Thomas writes, "not because God was not looking after them but so that
they might obtain eternal life, which is a more excellent thing than being
set free from any present affliction or being raised up again to this life"
("Commentary on Heb.", 11, 5).

The example of these men and women whom faith strengthened to endure
suffering, should encourage Christians to face persecution courageously
and defend their faith at all costs. "Let us pray to God that we do not
suffer persecution, but if that does happen, let us bear it bravely. It befits
a prudent man not to fling himself lightly into danger, but it befits a brave
man to rise to the occasion when danger falls on him" ("Hom. on Heb.", 5).

37-38. Some righteous men were stoned for their faith--Zechariah, for
example, who was killed by order of King Joash (cf. 2 Chron 24:2021);
Naboth, condemned to death through the lies spread by Jezebel (cf. 1
Kings 21:13); and the prophet Jeremiah also, according to an ancient
tradition. Others were sawn in two--Isaiah, for example, whom another
Jewish tradition says was martyred by King Manasseh.

Elijah, in flight from persecution, went around dressed in skins (cf. 1 Kings
19:3ff); similarly Mattathias and his sons during the war against the Seleu-
cid kings, were forced to hide in the mountains and had only goatskins to
wear (cf. 1 Mac 2:28).

In our own time there are also people who profess their faith in God by
undergoing comparable persecution; but usually hatred of Christ and his
followers takes more subtle forms.

40. This verse is the conclusion following from all the examples
provided. The righteous of the Old Law were outstanding for their faith
and endurance, but for all that they did not have the strength that the
grace of Christ bestows; Jesus remarked, when John the Baptist was
praised to him, "Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there
has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in
the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Mt 11:11); and he reminded
his disciples of their privileged position: "Blessed are the eyes which
see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired
to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and
did not hear it" (Lk 10:23-24; cf. Mt 13:16-17).

God did not deny their reward to the righteous of the Old Testament, but
he postponed it until heaven's gates were opened by the death and resur-
rection of our Lord. They too now enjoy eternal life and they will attain their
final perfecting when their bodies rise in glory on the last day. God is like
a good father, St John Chrysostom comments, who says to his beloved
children when they finish their work, that he will not give them their supper
until their other brothers come back also. "And you, are you annoyed
because you have not received your reward? What should Abel do, then.
He was the first to gain the victory, but remained uncrowned. And Noah?
And all those of those times who are waiting for you and for those who
will come after you? Do you not see how much better off we are? That is
why he says: God in his providence had arranged something better for us.
And, in order that it should not be thought that those people were superior
to us because they received their crown earlier, God disposed that all
should be crowned at the very same time; and he who won his many years
earlier will be crownedalong with you [...]. For if we are all the one body,
this body will the more rejoice if all are crowned at the same time and not
one by one" ("Hom. on Heb.", 28).

(II) 1st Reading: 2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16-5-13

David's Flight
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[13] And a messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel
have gone after Absalom." [14] Then David said to all his servants who were with
him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee; or else there will be no escape for us
from Absalom; go in haste, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon
us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword."

Hushai Undertakes to Work for David
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[30] But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went,
barefoot and with his head covered; and all the people who were with him covered
their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went.

Shimel Curses David
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[5] When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of
the house of Saul, whose name was Shime-i, the son of Gera; and as he came
he cursed continually. [6] And he threw stones at David, and at all the servants
of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand
and on his left. [7] And Shime-i said as he cursed, "Begone, begone, you man
of blood, you worthless fellow! [8] The LORD has avenged upon you all the blood
of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has given
the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your ruin is on you; for you
are a man of blood."

[9] Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog
curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head." [10] But the king
said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because
the LORD has said to him, 'Curse David,' who then shall say, 'Why have you
done so?'"And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, my own
son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Let him alone,
and let him curse; for the LORD has bidden him. [12] It may be that the LORD
will look upon my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for this
cursing of me today." [13] So David and his men went on the road, while Shime-i
went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, and threw stones
at him and flung dust.

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Commentary:

15:13-17. Faced with the imminent arrival of his usurping son, David takes flight.
In a poignant scene he processes out of the city, as if accepting that God's plan
includes Absalom's revolt. He does not want to delay, in case that should put the
city itself at risk (v. 14). David's original conquest of the city was a sign of God's
protection; now it most seem as though God has abandoned him. The humbled
king leaves on foot (15:30) but he cherishes the hope that the city will remain the
royal capital: he has left his concubines in the palace and they will look after it
for whomever the Lord chooses to be its master.

Although this is humiliating flight, David is consoled by unconditional support from
certain quarters (vv. 18, 23). He stops at the last house to bid farewell to the city
he founded.

15:24-37. The ark must stay in Jerusalem, the religious capital, as a sign that
the Lord will continue to protect its inhabitants and the rightful king, whoever he
may be. David hopes to return to the ark if he still finds favor with the Lord. Even
though David knows that leaving Jerusalem is a punishment from God (v. 26),
he continues to act as king and he sends trusted men to the city to be his spies
and report back on the position there (v. 28). Meanwhile he loses some adherents,
including the treacherous Ahithophel (v. 31), and gains better ones.

16:1-14. For David the flight from Jerusalem is a time of sorrow, although it serves
to purify his soul. Not only does he have to abandon his beloved city; he is jeered
and despised by many of his subjects. The first two persons who come out to
meet him (Ziba and Shimei) are from the north and they serve to remind him that
there are still supporters of Saul who hate him. Ziba, who has his own reasons for
doing so, informs David that Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son and a man treated with
deference at David's court (cf. 9:6-13), has gone over to Absalom. David takes a
decision which will be moderated when he later discovers Mephibosheth's part in
the plot not to have been so very serious (cf. 19:25-31). Shimei acts in a cowardly
and disrespectful way towards David; but the king, instead of reacting with violence,
accepts these humiliations as coming from God. Thus, his religious piety is growing
and he is learning to accept his well-deserved punishment.

Gospel Reading: Mark 5:1-20

The Gerasene Demoniac
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[1] They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.
[2] And when He (Jesus) had come out of the boat, there met Him out of the
tombs a man with an unclean spirit, [3] who lived among the tombs; and no one
could bind him any more, even with a chain; [4] for he had often been bound with
fetters and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the fetters he broke in
pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. [5] Night and day among
the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out, and bruising himself
with stones. [6] And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped Him;
[7] and crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have You to do with me,
Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure You by God, do not torment me."
[8] For He had said to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" [9] And
Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion; for
we are many." [10] And he begged Him eagerly not to send them out of the
country. [11] Now a great herd of swine is feeding there on the hillside; [12] and
they begged Him, "Send us to the swine, let us enter them." [13] So, He gave
them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the swine; and the
herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea,
and were drowned in the sea.

[14] The herdsmen fled, and told it in the city and the country. And people
came to see what it was that had happened. [15] And they came to see Jesus,
and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the man who
had had the legion; and they were afraid. [16] And those who had seen it told
what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine. [17] And they began to
beg Jesus to depart from their neighborhood. [18] And as He was getting into the
boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged Him that he might
be with Him. [19] But He refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and
tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on
you." [20] And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much
Jesus had done for him; and all men marvelled.

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Commentary:

1-20. The inhabitants of Gerasa were mostly pagans, as one can gather from the
fact that there was such a huge herd of swine there (which must have belonged
to a number of different people). Jews were forbidden to raise pigs or eat pork
(Leviticus 11:7).

1-20. 게라사(Gerasa)의 주민들은, 거기에 (다수의 다른 사람들에게 속하였을 것이
틀림없는) 그와 같은 많은 돼지 떼가 있었다는 사실로부터 우리가 추측할 수 있듯이,
대부분 다신교도(pagans)들이었습니다. 유다인들은 돼지를 키우거나 혹은 돼지
고기를 먹는 것이 금지되어 있었습니다(레위기 11,7).

This miracle emphasizes, once more, the existence of the devil and his influence
over men's lives: if God permits it, the devil can harm not only humans but also
animals. When Christ allows the demons to enter the swine, the malice of the
demons becomes obvious: they are tormented at not being able to do men harm
and therefore they ask Christ to let them, at least, inflict themselves on animals.
This He does, in order to show that they would have the same effect on men as
they have on these swine, if God did not prevent them.

이 기적은, 다시 한번 더, 마귀(the devil)의 존재와 사람들의 삶들에 대한 마귀의
영향을 다음과 같이 강조합니다: 만약에 하느님께서 허락하시면, 마귀는 인간들뿐만이
아니라 또한 동물(animals)들도 해칠 수 있다. 그리스도께서 마귀들이 돼지에게
들어가는 것을 허락하셨을 때에, 마귀들의 악의(malice)는 다음과 같이 자명하게 됩니다:
그들은 사람들을 해칠 수 없게 됨 때문에 괴로워하게 되어 그리하여 그들은, 적어도,
그들이 동물들에게 고통을 겪게 하는 것을 그리스도께서 허락해 주실 것을 요청합니다.
당신께서는, 만약에 하느님께서 그들을 막지 않으셨더라면, 그들이 이들 돼지들에게
끼치는 것과 꼭 마찬가지의 영향을 사람들에게 끼칠 수 있었을 것임을 보이시고자,
이것을 허락하십니다.

Clearly it was not Jesus' intention to punish the owners of the swine by the loss
of the herd: since they were pagans that were not subject to the precepts of the
Jewish law. Rather, the death of the swine is visible proof that the demon has
gone out of the possessed man.

돼지 떼의 손실로써 이 돼지들의 소유주들을 벌하는 것은 분명히 예수님의 의도가
아니었는데, 이는 그들은 유다 율법(Jewish law)의 규범들의 적용을 받지 않았던
이교도인들이었기 때문입니다. 그 보다는, 돼지들의 죽음은, 더러운 영이 들린
사람(the possessed man)으로부터 악마(the demon)가 이미 떠났다는 가시적인
증거입니다.

Jesus permitted the loss of some material goods because these were of infi-
nitely less value than the spiritual good involved in the cure of the possessed
man.

예수님께서는 일부 물질적 재화(material goods)들의 손실을 허락하셨는데 이는
이들이 더러운 영에 들린 사람의 치유에 개입된 영적 재화(the spiritual good)보다
무한히 적은 가치를 가지고 있기 때문입니다.

15-20. Notice the different attitudes to Jesus Christ: the Gerasenes beg Him
to go away; the man freed from the devil wants to stay with Him and follow Him.
The inhabitants of Gerasa have had our Lord near them, they have seen His di-
vine powers, but they are very self-centered: all they can think about is the
material damage they have suffered through the loss of the herd; they do not
realize the marvel Jesus has worked. Christ has invited them and offered them
His grace but they do not respond: they reject Him. The man who has been
cured wants to follow Jesus with the rest of His disciples but our Lord refuses;
instead He gives him a task which shows Christ's unlimited compassion for all
men, even for those who reject Him: the man is to stay in Gerasa and proclaim
to the whole neighborhood what the Lord has done for him. Perhaps they will
think again and realize who He is who has visited them, and escape from the
sins their greed has led them to commit. These two attitudes are to be found
whenever Christ passes by--as are Jesus' mercy and continuous offer of grace:
our Lord does not want the death of the sinner but rather that he should turn
from his way and live. (cf. Ezekiel 18:23).

15-20. 다음과 같이 예수 그리스도에 대한 다른 태도들을 주목하십시오: 게라사인들은
떠나주실 것을 당신께 청하였으며, 그리고 마귀로부터 자유롭게 된 사람은 당신과
함께 머무르고 그리고 당신을 따르는 것을 원합니다. 게라사의 주민들은 자신들
가까이에 우리의 주님을 모셨으며, 그들은 당신의 하느님의 힘을 이미 보았으나,
그러나 그들은 다음과 같이 대단히 자기중심적입니다: 그들이 생각할 수 있는 것
전부는 돼지 때의 손실을 통하여 자신들이 이미 겪었던 물질적 피해뿐이었지, 그들은
예수님께서 이미 일하셨던 바로 그 경이(the marvel)을 알아채지 못하였습니다.
그리스도께서는 그들을 초대하셨으며 그리고 그들에게 당신의 은총을 베푸셨으나
그러나 그들은 응답하지 않습니다: 그들은 당신을 거부합니다. 이미 치유가 된
사람은 당신의 나머지 제자들과 함께 당신을 따르는 것을 웝합니다만 그러나
우리의 주님께서 거절하시며, 대신에 당신께서는, 모든 사람들을 위한, 심지어
당신을 거부하는 자들을 위한, 그리스도의 무제한의 자비(unlimited compassion)를
보여주는, 다음과 같은 임무를 그에게 주십니다: 그 사람은 게라사에 머물 것이며
그리고 전체 이웃에 자신을 위하여 주님께서 행하셨던 바를 선포할 것입니다.
아마도 그들은 자신들을 찾아오셨던 분이신 당신께서 누구이신지에 대하여 다시
생각할 것이며 그리고 알아차릴 것이며, 그리고 자신들의 욕심이 그들로 하여금
범하게 하였던 제들로부터 빠져나올 것입니다. 이러한 두 개의 태도들은, 예수님의
자비와 지속적인 은총의 제공에서 그러하듯이, 예수님께서 스쳐 지나가실 때마다
발견될 것입니다: 우리의 주님께서는 죄인의 죽음을 원하시는 것이 아니라 오히려
그가 자신의 길로부터 돌아서서 그리하여 사는 것을 원하십니다 (에제키엘 18,23을
참조하라).

20. The "Decapolis" or "country of the ten cities", among the more famous of
which are Damascus, Philadelphia, Scythopolis, Gadara, Pella and Gerasa.
The region was located to the east of the lake of Gennesaret and was inhabited
mainly by pagans of Greek and Syrian origin. This territory came under the
Roman governor of Syria.

20. "데카폴리스(Decapolis)" 지방 혹은 "열 개의 도시들로 이루어진 지역", 이들
중에서 더 유명한 도시들은 다마스쿠스(Damascus), 필라델피아(Philadelphia),
스키토폴리스(Scythopolis), 가다라(Gadara), 펠라(Pella) 그리고 게라사(Gerasa)
입니다. 이 지역은 겐네사렛 호수(the lake of Gennesaret)(즉 갈릴래아 호수)의
동쪽에 위치하고 있었으며 그리고 주로 그리스(Greek) 및 시리아(Syria) 출신의
다신교도들이 살고 있었습니다. 이 지역은 시리아의 로마 총독(Roman governor)
의 관할 아래에 있었습니다.
　

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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.