2009 년 7 월 1 일 연중 제 13 주간 수요일 제 1 독서 창세기 . 21 , 5 . 8 - 205 아브라함 에게서 아들 이사악 이 태어났 을 때 , 그 의 나이 는 백 살 이 었 다 . 8 아기 가 자라 서 젖 을 떼 게 되 었 다 . 이사악 이 젖 을 떼 던 날 아브라함 은 큰 잔치 를 베풀 었 다 . 9 그런데 사라 는 이집트 여자 하가르 가 아브라함 에게 낳 아 준 아들 이 자기 아들 이사악 과 함께 노 는 것 을 보 고 , 10 아브라함 에게 말 하 였 다 . “ 저 여종 과 그 아들 을 내쫓 으세요 . 저 여종 의 아들 이 내 아들 이사악 과 함께 상속 을 받 을 수 는 없 어요 . ” 11 그 아들 도 자기 아들 이 므로 아브라함 에게 는 이 일 이 무척 이나 언짢 았 다 . 12 그러나 하느님 께서 는 아브라함 에게 말씀 하 셨 다 . “ 그 아이 와 네 여종 때문 에 언짢아하 지 마 라 . 사라 가 너 에게 말 하 는 대로 다 들 어 주 어라 . 이사악 을 통하 여 후손 들 이 너 의 이름 을 물려받 을 것 이 다 . 13 그러나 그 여종 의 아들 도 네 자식 이 니 , 내 가 그 도 한 민족 이 되게 하 겠 다 . ” 14 아브라함 은 아침 일찍 일어나 빵 과 물 한 가죽 부대 를 가져다 하가르 에게 주 어 어깨 에 메 게 하 고는 , 그 를 아기 와 함께 내보냈 다 . 길 을 나선 하가르 는 브 에르 세바 광야 에서 헤매 게 되 었 다 . 15 가죽 부대 의 물 이 떨어지 자 그 여자 는 아기 를 덤불 밑 으로 내던져 버리 고는 , 16 활 한 바탕 거리 만큼 걸어가 서 아기 를 마주 하 고 주저앉 았 다 . ‘ 아기 가 죽 어 가 는 꼴 을 어찌 보 랴 ! ’ 하 고 생각 하 였 던 것 이 다 . 이렇게 그 는 아기 를 마주 하 고 주저앉 아 목 놓 아 울 었 다 . 17 하느님 께서 아이 의 목소리 를 들으 셨 다 . 그래서 하느님 의 천사 가 하늘 에서 하가르 를 부르 며 말 하 였 다 . “ 하가르 야 , 어찌 된 일 이 냐 ? 두려워 하 지 마 라 . 하느님 께서 저기 에 있 는 아이 의 목소리 를 들으 셨 다 . 18 일 어 나 가 서 아이 를 들 어 올려 네 손 으로 꼭 붙들 어라 . 내 가 그 를 큰 민족 으로 만들 어 주 겠 다 . ” 19 그런 다음 하느님 께서 하가르 의 눈 을 열 어 주 시 니 , 그 가 우물 을 보 게 되 었 다 . 그 는 가 서 가죽 부대 에 물 을 채우 고 아이 에게 물 을 먹였 다 . 20 하느님 께서 는 그 아이 와 함께 계셨 다 . 그 는 자라 서 광야 에 살 며 활잡이 가 되 었 다 . 복음 마태오 . 8 , 28 - 3428 예수 님 께서 호수 건너편 가다 라인 들 의 지방 에 이르 셨 을 때 , 마귀 들린 사람 둘 이 무덤 에서 나와 그분 께 마주 왔 다 . 그 들 은 너무나 사나워 아무 도 그 길 로 다닐 수 가 없 었 다 . 29 그런데 그 들 이 “ 하느님 의 아드님 , 당신 께서 저희 와 무슨 상관 이 있 습니까 ? 때 가 되 기 도 전 에 저희 를 괴롭히 시 려고 여기 에 오 셨 습니까 ? ” 하 고 외쳤 다 . 30 마침 그 들 에게서 멀리 떨어진 곳 에 놓 아 기르 는 많 은 돼지 떼 가 있 었 다 . 31 마귀 들 이 예수 님 께 , “ 저희 를 쫓아내 시 려거든 저 돼지 떼 속 으로 나 들여보내 주 십시오 . ” 하 고 청하 였 다 . 32 예수 님 께서 “ 가 라 . ” 하 고 말씀 하 시 자 , 마귀 들 이 나와서 돼지 들 속 으로 들어갔 다 . 그러 자 돼지 떼 가 모두 호수 를 향해 비탈 을 내리 달려 물 속 에 빠져 죽 고 말 았 다 . 33 돼지 를 치 던 이 들 이 달아나 그 고을 로 가 서 는 , 이 모든 일 과 마귀 들렸 던 이 들 의 일 을 알렸 다 . 34 그러 자 온 고을 주민 들 이 예수 님 을 만나 러 나왔 다 . 그 들 은 그분 을 보 고 저희 고장 에서 떠나가 주 십사 고 청하 였 다 . http : / / www . bible . claret . orgJuly 1 , 2009 \ Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 21 : 5 , 8 - 20 aAbraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him . Isaac grew , and on the day of the child ' s weaningAbraham held a great feast . Sarah noticed the son whom Hagar the Egyptianhad borne to Abrahamplaying with her son Isaac ; so she demanded of Abraham : " Drive out that slave and her son ! No son of that slave is going to share the inheritancewith my son Isaac ! " Abraham was greatly distressed , especially on account of his son Ishmael . But God said to Abraham : " Do not be distressed about the boyor about your slave woman . Heed the demands of Sarah , no matter what she is asking of you ; for it is through Isaac that descendants shall bear your name . As for the son of the slave woman , I will make a great nation of him also , since he too is your offspring . " Early the next morning Abraham got some bread and a skin of waterand gave them to Hagar . Then , placing the child on her back , he sent her away . As she roamed aimlessly in the wilderness of Beer - sheba , the water in the skin was used up . So she put the child down under a shrub , and then went and sat down opposite him , about a bowshot away ; for she said to herself , " Let me not watch to see the child die . " As she sat opposite Ishmael , he began to cry . God heard the boy ' s cry , and God ' s messenger called to Hagar from heaven : " What is the matter , Hagar ? Don ' t be afraid ; God has heard the boy ' s cry in this plight of his . Arise , lift up the boy and hold him by the hand ; for I will make of him a great nation . " Then God opened her eyes , and she saw a well of water . She went and filled the skin with water , and then let the boy drink . God was with the boy as he grew up . Responsorial PsalmPs 34 : 7 - 8 , 10 - 11 , 12 - 13 R . ( 7 a ) The Lord hears the cry of the poor . When the poor one 　 called out , the LORD heard , and from all his distress he saved him . The angel of the LORD encampsaround those who fear him , and delivers them . R . The Lord hears the cry of the poor . Fear the LORD , you his holy one 　 s , for nought is lacking to those who fear him . The great grow poor and hungry ; but those who seek the LORD want for no good thing . R . The Lord hears the cry of the poor . Come , children , hear me ; I will teach you the fear of the LORD . Which of you desires life , and takes delight in prosperous days ? R . The Lord hears the cry of the poor . GospelMt 8 : 28 - 34 When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes , two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him . They were so savage that no one 　 could travel by that road . They cried out , " What have you to do with us , Son of God ? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time ? " Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding . The demons pleaded with him , " If you drive us out , send us into the herd of swine . " And he said to them , " Go then ! " They came out and entered the swine , and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the seawhere they drowned . The swineherds ran away , and when they came to the town they reported everything , including what had happened to the demoniacs . Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus , and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district . REFLECTION Today ’ s Genesis story describes a lonely wilderness place , to where Hagar and her son were sent . In wilderness places , one 　 experiences both the presence and the absence of God . When we find ourselves in the wilderness for any length of time , we quickly learn that there are others there , too . No matter what makes our life a wilderness , it can be lonely . But , in the wilderness , God does hear . When everything about us looks like wilderness and threat of death , God opens our eyes , and we see new life . Then again , we know that all of life ' s stories don ’ t have happy endings . Some end in the deathly wilderness , without a sign of the life - giving water of new life . We can also recognize all the ways we alienate ourselves and retreat into places of isolation . But , in our despair , we must not shut God out of our lives or close our hearts to love . We must be comforted by God , who hears our weeping . In our prayer , we can sense God ’ s unconditional love . When we harden our spirits to avoid pain , we must pray to God for help to allow His penetrating love to break through our shell of self - protection . http : / / www . staygreat . com / http : / / www . franciscanretreats . net / Today ’ s Gospel is all about demons . The main meaning of the word “ demons ” is “ devils . ” But as we have seen before , that word demon can signify many things . It can , for example , apply to anything that takes over our lives , something we are obsessed with , or a major problem we have no control over , something that renders us powerless . The various addictions that are more powerful than our will - power and that we cannot , therefore , get rid of by ourselves , can also be called demons . Illnesses that we cannot do a thing about would qualify here too , e . g . , heart disease , lung disease , the various cancers . We are so powerless over all these “ demons . ” And when they happen to us we become very frightened . We want to do something about it , get rid of it , have it go away – but we can ’ t manage this on our own . I think the message of our Gospel today is for us not to be afraid of these things . We are not to let them consume us in fear . Maybe we can ’ t do anything about them , but the Lord Jesus can ! ! Just as he helped the two demoniacs in today ’ s Gospel story , he can help us with our demons , whatever they might be . When I was an active alcoholic , I was very frightened at what was going on in my life . I tried , but there was nothing I could do about the situation . When I finally caught on and turned to Jesus with the problem , he helped me . He drove out the demon and he continues to help me daily with it so it will not return . Let us again remember that nothing is impossible for God . http : / / www . evangeli . net / gospel / gospel . html http : / / www . creighton . edu / CollaborativeMinistry / daily . htmlIn some stories of Jesus doing miracles it is Jesus who takes the initiative , and in others it is someone else who starts the exchange , who seeks a healing or another gift , but almost always the recipient of Jesus ' action is grateful and praises God . Not here . Jesus is clearly in a pagan territory ( Jews would not be raising herds of swine ! ) , and He deals with two men and at the same time with the demons who possess them . He treats the demons in what might almost be described as a friendly manner , granting their request to go into the pigs , and He frees the men to live relatively normal human lives . Gratitude on the part of the demons , or the men , or their families , is far from apparent : the men and the people of the region plead with Jesus to leave them , apparently out of fear that He will take away more of their livelihoods . When Jesus calls us to give up our sins and to accept life , we too have a certain reluctance to do so and we at least consider whether we are ready to let go or not : after all , we have found sin to be attractive and we have had at least some satisfaction in it . We are indeed attached to our demons , to something we believe to be essential to our lives even if it is harmful . This attitude that we know better than God does what is good for us , that we alone know what we need and what will make us happy , is more than a demon in us , more than an external agent , it is our very own willfulness and sinfulness . And if we ask Jesus to stop ruining our lives by calling us to freedom , love , and generosity , He will respect our wishes and leave us alone , radically alone , with our sins . ... http : / / www . rc . net / wcc / readings / " All came out to meet Jesus " Do you ever feel driven by forces beyond your strength ? Two men driven mad by the force of many evil spirits found refuge in the one 　 person who could set them free . Mark ’ s and Luke ’ s gospel accounts describe this force as a legion ( Mark 5 : 9 and Luke 8 : 30 ) . A legion is no small force – but an army 6 , 000 strong ! For the people of Palestine , hemmed in by occupied forces , a legion , whether spiritual or human , struck terror ! Legions at their wildest committed unmentionable atrocities . Our age has also witnessed untold crimes and mass destruction at the hands of possessed rulers and their armies . What is more remarkable – the destructive force of these driven and possessed men , or the bended knee at Jesus ' feet imploring mercy and release ? God ' s word reminds us that no destructive force can keep anyone from the peace and safety which God offers to those who seek his help . A thousand may fall at your side , ten thousand at your right hand ; but it will not come near you . . . Because you have made the Lord your refuge , the Most High your habitation ( Psalm 91 : 7 , 9 ) . Jesus took pity on these men who were overtaken by a legion of evil spirits . The destructive force of these demons is evident for all who can see as they flee and destroy a herd of swine . After Jesus freed the demoniacs the whole city came out to meet him . No one 　 had demonstrated such power and authority against the forces of Satan as Jesus did . They feared Jesus as a result and begged him to leave them . Why would they not want Jesus to stay ? Perhaps the price for such liberation from the power of evil and sin was more than they wanted to pay . Jesus is ready and willing to free us from anything that binds us and that keeps us from the love of God . Are you willing to part with anything that might keep you from his love and saving grace ? " Lord Jesus , unbind me that I may love you wholly and walk in the freedom of your way of love and holiness . May there be nothing which keeps me from the joy of living in your presence . " Psalm 50 : 7 - 13 , 16 - 17 7 " Hear , O my people , and I will speak , O Israel , I will testify against you . I am God , your God . 8 I do not reprove you for your sacrifices ; your burnt offerings are continually before me . 9 I will accept no bull from your house , nor he - goat from your folds . 10 For every beast of the forest is mine , the cattle on a thousand hills . 11 I know all the birds of the air , and all that moves in the field is mine . 12 " If I were hungry , I would not tell you ; for the world and all that is in it is mine . 13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls , or drink the blood of goats ? 16 But to the wicked God says : " What right have you to recite my statutes , or take my covenant on your lips ? 17 For you hate discipline , and you cast my words behind you . http : / / www . daily - meditations . org / index 2 . html http : / / www . contemplative . com / weekday _ readings . htmThe demoniacs who came out to meet Jesus were so fierce that no one 　 could pass by them . How far from that picture is the peace and repose of a believer in silent prayer enfolded in the divine Presence . People should feel safe passing by such a person in prayer with the fruits of that prayer wafting out into the spiritual environment . Each time I pray I share in the exorcism of the world , starting with myself . The demons cry out that they were being " tormented before the time . " " The time " that demons refer to , is the time of Christ , the full reign of God among all people and all creation through the manifested glory of Christ . Before that fullness of time comes , there is the gradual expulsion of the demons that dominate aspects of creation . The demons come out of the possessed and rush into the swine , into the sea . The sea ’ s depths represent the darkness of the outer kingdom . Jesus , my prayer is not separated from your work to establish the Kingdom of the Father . http : / / goodnews . ie / calendar . phpEverything in this story is unclean , untouchable . The city of Gadara was in pagan territory , and so it was “ unclean ” to Jews . It ’ s not surprising to find pigs there : these were “ unclean ” animals , which no Jew would ever have on the land . In this unclean place they were met by two demoniacs who lived in the tombs . A dead body was “ unclean ” , so tombs were “ unclean ” places . onl 　 y a demoniac would think of living there . Everything was unclean . So it was appropriate that all these unclean things and people should be in the one 　 place . There was a kind of right order in that . Peter Chrysologus ( 380 - 450 ) , remarked how fitting it was that the demons should end up in the pigs : “ Foulness begs to be sent from the tombs into the swine , so that it does not think of getting rid of its foul odours but of changing one 　 foul odour for another . ” By the end of the story Jesus has rearranged everything : the demons have gone into the pigs , which in turn have gone into the water . Jews had a great fear of water - for them the sea was the abode of Leviathan , the monster of the deep - so it was appropriate that the pigs should end up there . Besides , it was also fatal to demons : so it was right that they too should end up there . Meanwhile ( in Mark ’ s account ) the demoniac was “ clothed and in his right mind ” ( 5 : 15 ) : he was restored to his family . Thus , in this story , Jesus restores everything to its proper place . He establishes right order . But the other order could be said to be ‘ right ’ too , in a sense . The local people were happy with it . They begged Jesus to go away : he had upset the arrangement of their world . Does this strange story have any relevance to your life and mine ? I think it has . Your demons have established their own order in you , clearly marking what is important to maintain , and what isn ' t ; what is urgent and what isn ' t ; what can be ignored and what cannot . It ’ s amusing to read that the demons upbraided Jesus for not coming at a more convenient time . Your demons always have their own schedule , because they have a different ambition for your life . It makes me think : what are the arrangements in my life that seem ‘ right ’ to me ( at least in the sense of being familiar ) , but which are far from right … ? http : / / www . presentationministries . com / FOR CRYING OUT LOUD " She said to herself , ' Let me not watch the child die . ' As she sat opposite him , he began to cry . " 뾉 enesis 21 : 16 - 17 When children cry , they may be praying . The Lord hears the cry of the poor , especially poor little children . In response to children crying , the Lord sends the guardian angels of these children to deal with the problem . He sends angels to take custody of our lives ( Bar 6 : 6 ) . These guardian angels are not fat little babies themselves , as artists have erroneously pictured them . Guardian angels are mighty creatures not to be trifled with ( see Rv 19 : 17 ) . For example , when Zechariah seemed less than impressed with the angel Gabriel ' s message , he was struck dumb for nine months ( Lk 1 : 19 - 20 ) . Babies throughout the world are crying out with silent screams as they are aborted . Other babies and older children are crying for food as they starve because of the selfishness and unjust politics of others . Some children are abused physically and / or psychologically , and are even sexually exploited through pornography . Millions of angels are being marshalled in response to these deafening cries from millions of babies and children . Jesus warned : " See that you never despise one 　 of these little one 　 s . I assure you , their angels in heaven constantly behold My heavenly Father ' s face " ( Mt 18 : 10 ) . Prayer : Father , may my angel guard me as I serve You in obedient faith . Promise : " The demons kept appealing to Him , ' If You expel us , send us into the herd of swine . ' He answered , ' Out with you ! ' " 뾏 t 8 : 31 - 32 Praise : Bl . Junipero Serra founded twenty - one missions which became the foundations of California ' s first cities . http : / / virtualretreat . blogspot . com / From today ’ s readings : “ On the day of the child ’ s weaning , Abraham held a great feast . .... The Lord hears the cry of the poor . ... When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes , two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met Him . ” Pigs or Persons ? When Jesus exorcized the demoniacs in the territory of the Gadarenes , the demons , at their own request , were sent into a herd of pigs , which were then driven to drowning by the mad monsters . But when the townsmen heard of the miracle , they frowned on it as a catastrophe , for the Gospel mentions that they came out en masse to beg Jesus to leave their district . Presumably some of the townsfolk had stock in the herd , and so , they were naturally upset at their loss . However , any herd of pigs , which Jews consider “ unclean , ” would have been an unwelcome aberration even in the Hebrew hinterlands . one 　 would have expected the majority of the people to have appreciated Jesus both for curing the demoniacs and for getting rid of the pigs ! But rather than recognizing any good that Jesus had done , the residents resented Jesus , for whatever reasons , and so begged Him to leave their district ( and more importantly , to leave them alone ! ). The same annoyed attitude can certainly be found in our own times , probably even in our own communities , and possibly even in our own hearts . For , in order to fully welcome Jesus , one 　 must evict evil entirely - and that always entails a cost ! For some people , the attachment and concern for the unclean things of life outweighs the grace that Jesus brings , so they tragically continue to beg Him to just leave them alone . http : / / www . judeop . org / dailyhomilette . htm http : / / www . judeop . org / daily _ bread . htmI will make a great nation of him also , since he too is your offspring . Jews , Christians and Muslims are all spiritual descendants of Abraham and children of the one 　 God . We sometimes act as though we deserve this honor , and we forget that God bestows the gift of grace for free . God chose Israel to live in his covenant and ultimately bring forth his Son according to the flesh , but the descendants of Ishmael — forerunners of the people of Islam — also received God ’ s blessing . Religious prejudice is ungodly behavior . We do not act like children of God when we treat others as inferior persons . God is Lord of all . Lord , teach us to love all people as you love them . Mew