나바르 매일미사 독서/묵상

Monday

9th Week of Ordinary Time

(I) 1st Reading: Tobit 1:1-3, 2:1a-8

[1] The book of the acts of Tobit the son of Tobiel, son of Ananiel, son of Aduel,
son of Gabael, of the descendants of Asiel and the tribe of Naphtali, [2] who in
the days of Shalmaneser [3] walked in the ways of truth and righteousness all
the days of my life, and I performed many acts of charity to my brethren and
countrymen who went with me into the land of the Assyrians, to Nineveh.

Tobit’s misfortune
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2 [1] When I arrived home and my wife Anna and my son Tobias were restored
to me, at the feast of Pentecost, which is the sacred festival of the seven weeks,
a good dinner was prepared for me and I sat down to eat. [2] Upon seeing the
abundance of food I said to my son, "Go and bring whatever poor man of our
brethren you may find who is mindful of the Lord, and I will wait for you.” [3] But
he came back and said, "Father, one of our people has been strangled and
thrown into the market place.” [4] So before I tasted anything I sprang up and
removed the body to a place of shelter until sunset. [5] And when I returned I
washed myself and ate my food in sorrow. [6] Then I remembered the prophecy
of Amos, how he said,

"Your feasts shall be turned into mourning,
and all your festivities into lamentation.”

And I wept.

[7] When the sun had set I went and dug a grave and buried the body. [8] And
my neighbors laughed at me and said, "He is no longer afraid that he will be put
to death for doing this; he once ran away, and here he is burying the dead
again!”

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Commentary:

1:1-3:17. The first part of the book of Tobit introduces the main characters in the
story – Tobit, his wife, his son Tobias, Sarah, her parents, and the angel Raphael
– and describes the dire situation of Tobit in Nineveh (Assyria) and Sarah in Ec-
batana (Media). Although they are living about a thousand kilometers (625 miles)
apart, and their circumstances are different, they have a lot in common: they are
both members of the Jewish people in the diaspora, and members of the same
tribe; both are righteous and pure in the eyes of God – Tobit because he keeps
to the letter of the Law, and Sarah because she faithfully obeys her parents; both
of them seem to be in a hopeless position; and at the very same moment they
have recourse to God in prayer, placing themselves in his hands; and both of
them are going to be rescued from their plight through the help of God’s messen-
ger, the angel Raphael. The plot of the story is well organized, even though the
outcome is known from the start. Already, the central message of the book is
easy to see: God helps those who trust in him and try to do what is good for the
right reasons.

1:1-2 The main character begins by introducing himself – Tobit, the father of To-
bias. He tells us the tribe he comes from, his place of origin, and the time in
which he lives (the last years of the eighth century BC). The name Tobias (cf.
1:9) means "my God is the Lord”, and that is what the story bears out: God and
the observance of his Law are what matters to Tobit, when things go well and
also when misfortune strikes; that is why God’s goodness and mercy will come
to his aid to rescue him when all seems lost.

1:3-22 At the point Tobit himself begins to recount his life, emphasizing that he
has always dutifully kept the law of God, despite the fact that his compatriots, the
Israelites of the Northern kingdom, kept it neither at home nor in exile. Prior to
the exile, Tobit had continued to go up to Jerusalem to worship God, as the Law
commanded (cf. Deut 12:1-18), and he never offered sacrifice to the golden
calves et up by Jeroboam (cf. 1 Kings 12:26-32); he was also meticulous about
the three tithes (cf. Num 18:12ff; Deut 14:22-23, 28-29); and, in keeping with the
Law, he married a wife of his own nation (cf. Deut 7:3). Later, exiled far from his
country, he never ate the unclean food of the Gentiles (cf. Lev 11:1-49; Deut 14:
3-21); and now that he cannot bring tithes to the temple, he gives alms to the
poor and heroically performs the works of mercy, especially as regards burying
the dead. The type of piety described here is not in fact in keeping with the
period in which the writer implies Tobit to have lived; the rules referred to stem
from the reform instituted by Josiah in 622 BC and from the time of the return
from the Babylonian exile. But the sacred writer uses them to depict Tobit as an
example of a pious Jew, be he in the land of Israel or in the diaspora. In this
respect, the teaching in the book of Tobit contrasts with that of the Gospel, which
extends the concept of neighbour to include anyone, of whatever nation, race or
religion (cf. Lk 10:29-37).

2:1-14 The festival of the Seven Weeks or Pentecost, so-called because it was
held fifty days after Passover (cf. Deut 16:9-12; Lev 23:16), was one of the festi-
vals involving pilgrimage to Jerusalem: during the exile it seems to have been
commemorated by a special meal held as a remembrance rite for the feast. By
looking after the needy, Tobit is fulfilling what the Law laid down should be done
during this festival – taking an interest in strangers, orphans and widows (cf.
Deut 16:14), although he is applying it to "brethren . . . mindful of the Lord” (v.
2). Despite his devoutness and ritual purity (v. 5; cf. Neh 19:11-12), Tobit has
to share in the suffering inflicted on the people on account of their sins (v. 6;
cf. Amos 8:10). But it gets worse than that: his works of mercy bring him mis-
fortune (first blindness and then penury), to the point that his wife has to take
paid work to make ends meet. Later, she queries whether he deserves to be
suffering in the way that he is. He can put up with physical blindness because
his family comes to his aid; but his wife’s criticism casts a shadow on his soul.

Tobit’s situation parallels that of everyone who strives to be faithful. As St Paul
says in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down,
but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the
life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” The Vulgate version of the
Bible includes after v. 10 some reflections on why Tobit should have had to
suffer in this way: see the RSVCE note on p. 615.

(II) 1st Reading: 2 Peter 1:2-7

Greeting
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[2] May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of
Jesus our Lord.

Divine Largesse
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[3] His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, [4]
by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through
these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion,
and become partakers of the divine nature.

Christian Virtues
------------------------
[5] For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,
and virtue with knowledge, [6] and knowledge with self-control, and self-control
with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, [7] and godliness with
brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

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Commentary:

1-2. As in other New Testament writings and in ordinary letters of the time the
opening greeting gives the name of the sender, that of the addressees and the
greeting as such.

1-2. 우리의 신약 성경 저술들에 있어 및 그 시대의 일상적인 편지들에 있어 그러하였듯이,
이 시작하는 인사말은 발신자의 이름, 수신자들의 이름들 그리고 이와 같은 인사말을
제공합니다.

"Simon": the original Greek text says "Simeon", using the Hebrew form of the
same name (cf. Acts 15:14). To this he adds that of "Peter", the name the Lord
gave him when he promised to make him the head of the Apostles (cf. Jn 1:42).

"시몬(Simon)": 원 그리스어 본문은, 꼭 같은 이름의 히브리어 형태를 사용하여, "시메온
(Simeon)"을 말합니다(사도행전 15,13를 참조하라). 여기에다 그는 "베드로"라는 이름을
추가하는데, 이 이름은 주님께서, 그를 사도들의 수장으로 만드실 것을 약속하셨을 때에,
그에게 주신 이름입니다(요한 복음서 1,42를 참조하라).

The original addressees of the letter may have been the faithful of the communi-
ties of Greece or Asia Minor (cf. the Introduction).

이 편지의 원 수취인들은 그리스 혹은 소아시아의 공동체들의 열심 신자들이었을
것입니다.

The greeting contains two words frequently used in this setting "grace and peace"
(cf. 1 Pet 1:2 and note)--which sum up the benefits the Christian has received.
The true "knowledge of God and of Jesus" is a frequent point of reference in the
letter (cf. 1:1, 8; 2:20; 3:18). It is not just intellectual knowledge, but rather the
knowledge that comes from familiarity with the Lord and conduct consistent with
the faith (cf. 1:5-7). The author emphasizes this point from the very start, because
he wants to forestall the influence of false teachings which undermine the faith.

이 인사말은 이러한 설정에서 자주 사용되었던 두 개의 표현들인 "은총과 평화"를
포함하고 있는데(1베드로 1,2와 주석을 참조하라), 이것은 그리스도인들이 이미
받고 있는 이로움(benefits)들을 요약합니다. 참된 "하느님에 대한 그리고 예수님에
대한 지식"은 이 편지에 있어 자주 도달하는 언급(point of reference)입니다(1,1.8;
2,20; 3,18을 참조하라). 이것은 지성적 지식을 말하는 것이 아니라, 오히려 주님과의
친숙함 그리고 믿음과 일치하는 처신에서 유래하는 지식을 말합니다(1,5-7을 참조하라).
저자는 바로 그 시작에서부터 이 점을 강조하는데, 이는 그가 믿음을 약화시키는 거짓
가르침들의 영향을 미연에 방지하는 것을 원하기 때문입니다.

"The righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ": this may be a reference
to God the Father AND Jesus; but, given that the Greek text uses only one defi-
nite article, it is probably a title of Jesus Christ, whom he calls "God and Savior",
in the same way as elsewhere he describes him as "Lord and Savior" (1:11; 2:20;
3:2, 18). Thus, the divinity of Jesus Christ, which is often proclaimed in the New
Testament, is openly acknowledged at the very start of the letter.

"우리의 하느님이시며 구세주이신 예수 그리스도의 의로움": 이것은 성부이신 하느님
그리고 예수님에 대한 언급일 수 있을 것이나, 그러나, 그리스어 본문이 단지 한 개의
정관사를 사용하고 있음을 고려할 때에, 이것은 아마도, 그가, 다른 장소에서(1,11; 2,20;
3,2.18) 그가 "주님이시며 구원자"로 당신을 묘사하는 꼭 같은 방식으로 "하느님이시며
구원자"로 그가 부르는, 예수 그리스도에 대한 호칭일 것입니다. 따라서, 신약 성경에
있어 자주 선포되는 그리스도의 신성(divinity)은 이 편지의 바로 시작에서 공개적으로
인정되고 있습니다.

3-21. The first part of the letter is an appeal for steadfastness in the faith and for
growth in Christian life. Firstly, he encourages his readers to pursue virtue; the
reasoning he uses is both simple and profound (vv. 3-11): by his power, God has
chosen the Apostles and conferred on them wonderful graces in which all the
faithful share (vv. 3-4); they must respond to this divine initiative by practicing
virtue so as to reach the goal and fullness to which the Christian is called (vv.
5-11).

He goes on (vv. 12-21) to remind them that hope in our Lord's second coming is
something well founded, something that belongs to the deposit of faith: the
transfiguration of our Lord was a foretaste of his final coming (vv. 16-18); it was
something foretold in many prophecies and no one has the right to argue against
it (vv. 19-21). Therefore, the final coming of the Lord is something quite certain
and helps to keep our hope alive.

3-4. In these verses the same pronoun is repeated three times: "granted to US",
called US", "granted to US"; although he may mean all Christians, it is more like-
ly that he is referring only to the Apostles.

The basis of Christian morality and of the practice of virtue (vv. 5-9) is God's
initiative in calling the Apostles (v. 3) and endowing them with graces (promises)
sufficient to make all Christians "partakers of the divine nature".

"His divine power": usually in the Bible calling is attributed to God the Father (cf.,
e.g., 1 Pet 1:15; 2:9; 5:10); by emphasizing here that it is Jesus Christ who calls
"by his own glory and excellence", the author is clearly acknowledging Jesus as
God.

"His precious and very great promises": the promises made in the Old Testament,
especially those to do with the coming of the Messiah and Savior. Jesus Christ
brought about the Redemption, whereby all men have access to the supernatural
good things of which the prophets spoke.

"Partakers of the divine nature": this succinct phrase sums up the fruits that the
good things (especially grace) produce in Christians. This sharing in God's own
life is both the beginning and the final goal of Christian life. It is the beginning in-
sofar as it is incorporation in Christ through Baptism, and brings with it (through
grace and adoptive divine filiation) a sharing in God's own life. It is the final goal
of the Christian life since this participation attains its fullness and enduring perf-
ection in heaven with the contemplation of God "as he is" (1 In 3:2 and note on
same).

Of course, already in this life the Blessed Trinity dwells in the soul in grace (cf.,
e.g., Jn 14:17-23; 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19; and notes on same). "Our faith teaches us
that man, in the state of grace, is divinized--filled with God" (J. Escriva, "Christ
Is Passing By", 103).

Partaking of the divine nature is a basic feature of the Christian vocation. Pope
Pius XII reminds us of this marvelous fact, which is closely linked to the mystery
of the Incarnation: "If the Word 'emptied himself, taking the form of a servant' (Phil
2:7), he did so in order that his brethren according to the flesh might be made
partakers of the divine nature (cf. 2 Pet 1:4), both during this earthly exile by
sanctifying grace and in the heavenly home by the possession of eternal beati-
tude. For this reason the Only-begotten of the Father chose to become a son
of man, that we might be made conformable to the image of the Son of God (cf.
Rom 8:29) and be renewed according to the likeness of him who created us (cf.
Col 3:10)" ("Mystici Corporis", 20).

On this subject, see also the notes on Rom 8:14-15 and Gal 4:6.

5-9. Lists of Christian virtues are also to be found in other parts of the New Testa-
ment (cf., e.g., Gal 5:22-23; 1 Tim 6:11; Rev 2:19). This passage provides a list
which is well conceived from a pedagogical point of view--simple to remember,
because each virtue is linked with the one before it; and the emphasis is on faith
and charity, which mark the beginning and end of the list. St Ignatius of Antioch
commented on the value of these two theological virtues: "Given an unswerving
faith and love for Jesus Christ, there is nothing in all this that will not be obvious
to you; for life begins and ends with those two qualities. Faith is the beginning,
and love is the end; and the two together lead to God. All that makes for a soul's
perfection follows in their train, for nobody who professes faith will commit sin,
and nobody who possesses love can feel hatred" ("Letter to the Ephesians", 14,
1-2).

For Christians, virtues are not an end in themselves but a means necessary for
attaining knowledge of Christ (cf. note on 1:1); but union with the Lord calls for
works, and if we failed to practice virtues we could not see Christ (v. 9). St Tere-
sa of Avila constantly stresses the need to combine contemplation and action:
"I repeat that if you have this in view you must not build upon foundations of
prayer and contemplation alone, for, unless you strive after the virtues and prac-
tice them, you will never grow to be more than dwarfs. God grant that nothing
worse than this may happen--for, as you know, anyone who fails to go forward
begins to go back" ("Interior Castle", VII, 4, 9).

Gospel Reading: Mark 12:1-12

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
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[1] And he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, and
set a hedge around it, and dug a pit for the wine press, and built a tower, and let
it out to tenants, and went into another country. [2] When the time came, he sent
a servant to the tenants, to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. [3]
And they took him and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. [4] Again he
sent to them another servant, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him
shamefully. [5]And he sent another, and him they killed; and so with many others,
some they beat and some they killed. [6] He had still one other, a beloved son;
finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' [7] But those te-
nants said to one another, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheri-
tance will be ours.' [8] And they took him and killed him, and cast him out of the
vineyard. [9] What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy
the tenants, and give the vineyard to others. [10] Have you not read the scripture:
'The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner;
[11] this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?" [12] And they
tried to arrest him but feared the multitude, for they perceived that he had told the
parable against them; so they left him and went away.

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Commentary:

1-12. This parable is a masterly summary of history of salvation. To explain the
mystery of his redemptive death, Jesus makes use of one of the most beautiful
allegories of the Old Testament the so-called "song of the vineyard," in which
Isaiah (5:1-7) prophesied Israel's ingratitude for God's favors. On the basis of this
Isaiah text, Jesus reveals the patience of God, who sends one messenger after
another--the prophets of the Old Testament--until at last, as the text says, he
sends "his beloved son", Jesus, whom the tenants will kill. This expression, as
also that which God himself uses to describe Christ at Baptism (1:11) and the
Transfiguration (9:7), points to the divinity of Jesus, who is the cornerstone of
salvation, rejected by the builders in their selfishness and pride. To the Jews lis-
tening to Jesus telling this parable, his meaning must have been crystal clear.
The rulers "perceived that he had told the parable against them" (v. 12) and that
it was about the fulfillment of the Isaiah prophecy (cf. note on Mt 21:33-46).
　

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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.