[ Green ] Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time.
입당송 Introit Antiphon Psalm 106(105),47
O Lord God, save us.
Gather us from among the nations.
That we may give thanks to Your holy name,
And glory in Your praise.
본기도 Collect
Merciful Lord God,
May we honor You with all our hearts
And love all people with the love of Christ.
In the name of the Father, and of the Holy Spirit,…….
제 1독서 First Reading
< Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. >
▥ A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews. Hebrews 13:1-8
Let brotherly love continue.
Do not neglect hospitality,
for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.
Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment,
and of the ill-treated as of yourselves,
for you also are in the body.
Let marriage be honored among all
and the marriage bed be kept undefiled,
for God will judge the immoral and adulterers.
Let your life be free from love of money
but be content with what you have,
for he has said,
I will never forsake you or abandon you.
Thus we may say with confidence:
The Lord is my helper,
and I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?
Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you.
Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
The Word of the Lord.
◎ Thanks be to God.
화답송 Responsorial Psalm Psalm 27:1, 3, 5, 8b-9abc
◎ The Lord is my light and my salvation.
○ The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid? ◎
○ Though an army encamp against me,
my heart will not fear;
Though war be waged upon me,
even then will I trust. ◎
○ For he will hide me in his abode
in the day of trouble;
He will conceal me in the shelter of his tent,
he will set me high upon a rock. ◎
○ Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off. ◎
복음 환호송 Alleluia Luke 8:15
◎ Alleluia, alleluia.
○ Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart,
and yield a harvest through perseverance.
◎ Alleluia, alleluia.
복음 Gospel
< John the Baptist has been raised from the dead;
It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up. >
✠ The Holy Gospel according to Mark . Mark 6:14-29
King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread,
and people were saying,
"John the Baptist has been raised from the dead;
That is why mighty powers are at work in him."
Others were saying, "He is Elijah";
still others, "He is a prophet like any of the prophets."
But when Herod learned of it, he said,
"It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up."
Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison
on account of Herodias,
the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married.
John had said to Herod,
"It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."
Herodias harbored a grudge against him
and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so.
Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man,
and kept him in custody.
When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed,
yet he liked to listen to him.
Herodias had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday,
gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers,
and the leading men of Galilee.
His own daughter came in and performed a dance
that delighted Herod and his guests.
The king said to the girl,
"Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you."
He even swore many things to her,
"I will grant you whatever you ask of me,
even to half of my kingdom."
She went out and said to her mother,
"What shall I ask for?"
Her mother replied, "The head of John the Baptist."
The girl hurried back to the king's presence and made her request,
"I want you to give me at once on a platter
the head of John the Baptist."
The king was deeply distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests
he did not wish to break his word to her.
So he promptly dispatched an executioner
with orders to bring back his head.
He went off and beheaded him in the prison.
He brought in the head on a platter
and gave it to the girl.
The girl in turn gave it to her mother.
When his disciples heard about it,
they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
The Gospel of the Lord.
◎ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
예물 기도 Prayer over the Gifts
Lord,
As we offer these gifts upon Your altar,
Graciously accept them and make them a sacrament of our salvation.
Through Christ our Lord,…….
영성체송 Communion antiphon Psalm 31(30),17-18 or Matthew 5,3.5
Lord, let Your face shine upon Your servant, and save me in Your mercy.
Since I have called upon You, let me not be put to shame.
< or >
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
영성체 후 묵상 Meditation after Communion
< Let us take a moment to pray in our hearts, united with Christ. >
영성체 후 기도 Prayer after Communion
Lord,
As we receive this Sacrament of salvation, we humbly pray
That through the power of this pledge of eternal life,
True faith may grow within us.
Through Christ our Lord,…….
오늘의 묵상 Today's Meditation
In today’s Gospel, the stark contrast between the unwavering righteousness of John the Baptist and the cowardly weakness of King Herod is clearly revealed. It is a contrast between a man imprisoned for proclaiming God’s justice and those who live according to power, greed, and pleasure. It is a contrast between one who upholds justice rather than seeking his own benefit and those who ignore all justice for their own gain. It is a contrast between the resolute voice of a man who fearlessly denounces the sins of the powerful and those who, driven by momentary emotions, make reckless oaths, prioritize their pride or grudges, and disregard the life of the righteous.
John, who called all people to repentance, rebuked the king without considering the consequences for himself. Too often, rather than exposing and correcting injustice, we declare, "It has nothing to do with me," as long as we are not personally affected. However, as brothers and sisters under one Father, we are not unrelated to one another. Saint John Chrysostom reminds us that we are unrelated only to the devil, but we are connected to all of humanity. Those who, despite being criticized for meddling, strive to correct injustice, and those who take on the burdens of others as their own, accepting their responsibility to care, are prophets.
Herod and Herodias believed they had silenced John’s tongue forever, but even today, his voice continues to echo within the Church, crying out, “It is not right.” The tyrant may have severed John’s head, but he could not silence the voice of God’s prophets, which still resounds to this day.
( Sister Bang Gracia, National Chunshim )
