Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Bẩy tuần 28 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Bẩy tuần 28 Thường Niên
Bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta có cảm giác lạ và khác thường khi chúng ta nghe Chúa Giêsu nói về một thứ tội mà không thể tha thứ được.  Qua bức hoạ của Thánh Luca về Chúa Giêsu thì Chúa là một người luôn có bàn tay mở rộng và luôn tha thứ cho những người tội lỗi, Chúa là người mà dường như không thể có khả năng từ chối sự tha thứ cho những ai có tội. Tuy nhiên, hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu nói về một thứ tội lỗi mà không thể nào có thể tha thứ được.
Khi những người Pharisi đã thấy Chúa Giêsu làm phép lạ và trừ quỷ ra khỏi người bị quỷ ám. thế nhưng họ cho rằng Chúa Giêsu bị ám bởi quỷ Beelzebul, và khi Ngài trừ quỷ ra khỏi người bị quỷ ám này ngài đã  nhờ chính sức mạnh của các hoàng tử quỷ. Họ nhìn Chúa Giêsu mà coi như Ngài như là chúa quỷ Sa-tan; họ nghĩ là họ đang chứng kiến rõ ràng ​là Thiên Chúa không còn chấp nhận  việc làm tốt của Chúa Giêsu đã làm mà họ chỉ thấy việc làm hiện tại của Sa-tan. Họ đã mù quáng và không còn thấy được lòng thương xót đầy nhân hậu và sự thật nơi Chúa Giêsu. Họ không còn có thể phân biệt giữa cái ác và tội lỗi khi họ  phải đối mặt với chúng. Kể từ khi họ không còn có thể nhìn thấy tội lỗi là tội lỗi, họ không còn thấy sự cần thiết cho sự ăn năn. Họ bị sa lầy vĩnh viễn trong tội lỗi của họ. Họ đã khổng thể thấm nhuần được những ân sủng của Chúa Thánh Thần.
      Trong cuộc sống hiện tại Chúng ta cũng có lúc phải đối mặt với mối nguy hiểm này. Tội lỗi phải được công nhận là tội lỗi, tội ác xấu xa là tội ác, sự thật và sự thiện hảo phải là sự thật và  thiện hảo. Nếu chúng ta có thói quen không nhìn thấy tội lỗi ở những nơi tội lỗi, thì chúng ta có thể đã đánh mất đi cái khả năng của chúng ta để phân biệt giữa thiện và ác. Mặc dù có tội, chúng ta sẽ không còn có khả năng ăn năn. Chúng ta đã bị mù trong chính tâm hồn của chúng ta.
 
REFLECTION
It's very strange to hear Jesus speak about an unforgivable sin. The portrait Luke paints of Jesus is of a man whose arms are constantly open to sinners, who seemingly is incapable of refusing forgiveness to sinners. Yet today, Jesus speaks of the unforgivable sin,
We also face this danger. Sin must be recognized as sin, evil as evil, truth and goodness as truth and goodness. If we get in the habit of not seeing sin where there is sin, we will lose our ability to discern good and evil. Though culpable, we will be incapable of repentance. We will have blinded ourselves.
The Pharisees had looked at Jesus working miracles and driving demons out of people possessed. What they saw was Jesus possessed by Beelzebul, driving demons out of people possessed by the power of the prince of demons. They looked at Jesus and saw Satan; they witnessed the obviously God-sanctioned works of Jesus and saw Satan at work. They blinded themselves to the goodness and truth in Jesus. They could no longer discern between evil and sin when confronted by them. Since they could no longer see sin as sin, they no longer saw the need for repentance. They were mired permanently in their sin. They had made themselves impermeable by the grace of the Spirit.
 
Saturday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.” Luke 12:11–12
Jesus lived this Gospel passage in His own life to perfection. He was arrested, interrogated, falsely condemned and questioned by the Chief Priest, Herod and Pontius Pilate. During His interrogations, sometimes He spoke and at other times He remained silent. In preparation for these interrogations, Jesus did not study each ruler ahead of time, trying to figure out what He should say and not say. He did not prepare a defense but relied upon His perfect union with the Holy Spirit and with the Father to be led at every moment in His human nature.
Though it may be unlikely that you will be arrested for your faith and put on trial for being Christian by the civil authorities, it is possible that you will experience various other forms of interrogation and condemnation at times during which you are challenged to respond. And more likely, if you are judged by another, you may be tempted to defend yourself in anger, attacking back.
This Gospel passage, when clearly understood and lived, should have the effect of calming you and reassuring you during any and every experience of judgment. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “To avoid rash judgment, everyone should be careful to interpret insofar as possible his neighbor’s thoughts, words, and deeds in a favorable way” (# 2478). And though you must always strive to do this yourself, there will most likely be times when others do not act in this careful and truthful way toward you. Thus, if you are judged by another, even if what they say has truth to it, it is important that you not react with defensiveness and anger, unless the Holy Spirit has unmistakably led you to do so. The key message Jesus gives is that you must trust that the Holy Spirit will always lead you as you humbly and continually seek to follow His every prompting. This is only possible if you have built a firm habit of attentiveness to the Voice of God within your conscience.
Because the experience of rash judgment, detraction, calumny and the like are painful to encounter, you must prepare your defense ahead of time by learning to only rely upon the Holy Spirit in all things. Jesus exhorts us to do so! Therefore, if you daily and humbly seek to fulfill God’s will, hear His voice, and respond with generosity, then you can be certain that when the time comes and you experience these forms of judgment, you will be ready. The Holy Spirit will speak to you, inspire you, console you and give you every grace you need to respond in accord with God’s will. Do not doubt this. Have faith and confidence in these words and this promise of our Lord.
Reflect, today, upon the ways that you have responded in the past to the judgment of another. Try to call to mind specific moments when this has happened. Did you respond with similar judgments? Were you filled with anger? Did you brood over injury? Did you lose your peace of heart? If you have fallen into these temptations, then commit yourself in faith to believe what Jesus says today. Trust Him. Trust that He will be with you in those difficult moments in the future and pray that you will be graced to respond only as the Holy Spirit directs you.
My innocent Lord, You were put on trial, judged and falsely condemned. Yet in all of that, You were the Innocent Lamb Who always loved and spoke truth with perfection. When I experience judgment in my life, please fill me with peace of heart and trust in Your promise that the Holy Spirit will be with me, inspiring me and leading me in accord with Your perfect will. Holy Spirit, I abandon myself to You now and always. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Saturday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, do not let me become hard of heart. Open my heart to the gift of your Spirit. Empowered by your Spirit, help me to be fearless in acknowledging you, confessing your name, and living a life of holiness.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Acknowledging vs. Denying the Son of Man: On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus gave a long sermon on genuine discipleship (Luke 12:1-13:9). He began the sermon by putting his disciples on guard against hypocrisy: “Beware of the leaven – that is, the hypocrisy – of the Pharisees.” A hypocrite is someone who wears a mask. The Pharisees were hypocrites because they wore a mask on the outside and acted as if they were upright and good, but inside, they were full of evil (see Luke 11:39). The Pharisees “were quick to point out what they perceived as the faults of others but did not see their own” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 235). The Pharisees chose to oppose Jesus early on (Luke 5:17-6:11). They were prime examples of people who denied Jesus. In fact, they went so far as to plot together against Jesus (Luke 6:11). Unlike the Pharisees who denied Jesus, we need to acknowledge Jesus. We need to do this not just through our internal faith and external confession but also in our words and actions. If we do this, then Jesus, as the glorified Son of Man, will acknowledge us when we are judged in the next life (see Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 237). If we deny Jesus – like many of the Pharisees – then we will be denied by Jesus at our judgment.
2. Forgivable Words against the Son vs. Unforgivable Blasphemy against the Spirit: In the Gospel, Jesus contrasts two sinful actions – one that is forgivable and the other that cannot be forgiven. When we sin, we commit an offense against God, set ourselves against God’s love for us, and turn our hearts away from God’s love. Sin is a disobedience, a revolt against God. Instead of accepting the difference between good and evil, we want to determine for ourselves “like gods” what is good and what is evil. When we speak a word against Jesus, we sin. However, if we turn from these sins, they can be forgiven (CCC, 1850). By contrast, blasphemy against the Spirit is the deliberate refusal to accept God’s mercy. It is a rejection of the forgiveness of sins. It is a rejection of the salvation that God offers. It is a hardening of the heart that leads to final impenitence and eternal loss (CCC, 1864). The only thing that cannot be forgiven, then, is the refusal to seek and accept God’s forgiveness.
3. May God Give You a Spirit of Wisdom: In the Letter to the Ephesians, Paul prays that the Ephesians grow in their wonder of God’s work and Christ’s majesty. Paul asks for two gifts to be given to the members of the Church. The first gift is that of the Holy Spirit, who is called the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. The second gift is for the eyes of their hearts to be enlightened. The gift of the Spirit will impart intimate knowledge of God and God’s plan of salvation. This gift of enlightenment will instill hope for eternal life. By welcoming these two gifts, we can contemplate the mystery of Jesus’ ascension to heavenly glory and his heavenly seat at the right hand of the Father. “Christ has been exalted, and those who believe are governed and strengthened unto salvation by his universe-ruling power” (Prothro, The Apostle Paul and His Letters, 177). Instead of thinking according to the false spirit of the world that the wicked and prideful flourish, we can discern how God is reigning over and acting in the world according to the true Spirit of wisdom. Those who humbly and mercifully serve truly flourish and will be exalted with Jesus.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I trust in you and welcome your mercy and forgiveness. Help me to know my faults and sins, confess them humbly, and make amends with those I have offended.
 
Saturday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer: Holy Spirit, you are my light and guide. Please bless me during this time of prayer by opening my ears to hear the message you have for me today.
Encountering Christ:
1. Angels as Our Witnesses: Christians by definition acknowledge that they live for Christ. We do our best to know, love, and serve the Lord and we begin each day by reflecting on his holy word so as to grow more “Christian.” Today, we learn that Jesus may someday “introduce” us to the angels—perhaps by name. What delight! It’s good to reflect from time to time on heaven and imagine what it might be like. These thoughts can help to enliven our faith and motivate us to do just a little bit better today than we did yesterday, all for God’s glory.
2. Blaspheming the Spirit: Can’t Jesus forgive anything we do? Yet, he tells us in this Scripture that we will not be forgiven if we blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. Saint John Paul II explains: “‘Blasphemy’ does not properly consist in offending against the Holy Spirit in words; it consists rather in the refusal to accept the salvation which God offers to man through the Holy Spirit, working through the power of the cross” (Dominum et Vivificantem, #46). If we are so hard of heart as to reject the mercy God offers through the Holy Spirit, “it may lead to final impenitence and eternal loss,” according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1864. May our pride never be so great as to assume we can’t be forgiven for something we’ve done!
3. No Words: How many times have we found ourselves at a loss for words? Or speaking the wrong words? Jesus reassures us in this Gospel passage that when we call on the Holy Spirit in those moments of grief, fear, or suffering, we will find the words we need to communicate God’s love to another. What a consolation it is to know that the Holy Spirit stands by to put his words on our hearts, so that we may speak God’s healing into this needy world. May we often whisper a prayer to the Holy Spirit before we speak! “Set a guard, Lord, before my mouth, keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalms 141:3).
Conversing with Christ: Lord, as someone who often speaks before I think, I find the promise you make to send the Holy Spirit to inspire my words very comforting. Thank you for sharing your awesome power and might, your light and love with me. May I always bring glory to you in speech and actions.

Suy Niệm Ngày lễ kính Thánh Luca, Thánh Sử 10/18/

Suy Niệm Ngày lễ kính Thánh Luca, Thánh Sử 10/18/
            Thánh Luca là ai? Chúng ta chỉ biết qua là ông đã sinh ra ờ thành phố Antioch và làm nghề thầy thuốc. Ông đã theo Thánh Phaolô như là người môn đệ trung thành của thánh Phaolô.. Qua các bài đọc trong sách Tông đồ công vụ, chúng ta có thể đoán được là Thánh Luca là người đồng hành rất thân thiết với Thánh Phaolô trên đường rao giảng tin mừng cho dân ngoại, và đặc biệt nhất là trong những giai đoạn gần cuối cuộc đời của Thánh Phaolô. Mặc dù có nhiều người bỏ rơi Thánh Phaolô trong những năm qua tù đày ở Rome, nhưng Thánh Luca đã luôn trung thành và ở gần với Thánh Phaolô cho đến khi thánh Phaolô được tử vì đạo.
Thánh Luca đã viết cả hai cuốn sách đó là sách Tin Mừng Thánh Luca và cuốn Tông Đồ Công Vụ. Trong số những thứ khác, tác phẩm của ông đã thể hiện tình thương yêu sâu sắc mà Chúa Giêsu đã dành cho người đau bệnh, những người nghèo khổ, những người phụ nữ bị bỏ rơi và những người sống bên lề của xã hội. Tin Mừng của Thánh Luca đã mang lại cho những người này có tiếng nói. Thánh Luca cho chúng ta thấy được sự chăm sóc dịu dàng của Chúa Giêsu đối với những người có yếu thế, nghèo hèn, đau khổ và Thánh Luca còn nhấn mạnh cái tầm quan trọng của họ trong ánh mắt của Thiên Chúa.
            Có những tin đồn người ta nói rằng Thánh Luca có thể là một trong bảy mươi hai người mà Chúa Giêsu đã chọn và sai đi rao giảng Lời Chúa như trong đoạn Tin Mừng hôm nay (Lc. 10). Vì lý do mà ông đã theo Chúa ngay từ lúc đầu, nên Thánh Luca đã chứng kiến được ​​tận mắt những việc mà Thiên Chúa đã chữa lành những ngưòi bệnh tật, cũng như chứng kiến được cảnh Chúa Giêsu luôn có những cử chỉ săn sóc và để ý riêng đến những người thiếu may mắn và cần có nhu cầu. Qua Tin Mừng của Thánh Luca, chúng ta đã nhìn được rõ sự thương yêu của Chúa Giêsu nơi mọi người một cách riêng biệt và sâu sắc.
            Tin Mừng của Thánh Luca được gọi là Tin Mừng của lòng nhân hậu, từ bi và Tin Mừng của niềm vui. Có bao giờ chúng ta đã cảm nhận được là Chúa Giêsu đã nhìn chúng ta bằng con mắt nhân từ với lòng từ bi, nhân hậu??     Lạy Chúa, giúp chúng con biết mang lại niềm vui Tin Mừng đến cho mọi người
 
St Luke, Evangelist (2 Tim. 4:10-17; Lk. 10:1-9 )
St Luke was a close companion of Paul, including near the end of Paul's life. Many people deserted Paul in these last years, but Luke chose to faithfully remain with Paul.
            Who is St Luke? We know that he came from the city of Antioch and worked as a physician. Eventually, he wrote both the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles. Among other things, his writings express the deep compassion Jesus had for the sick, the poor, women and people living on the margins of society. The Gospel of Luke gives these people a voice. Luke reveals Jesus' tender care for people in need and emphasizes how important they are in God’s sight.
            It is said that Luke was also one of the seventy people sent out by Jesus in today’s Gospel passage (Lk. 10). Accordingly, Luke witnessed firsthand how God healed, nourished and blessed people in need. Luke saw that Jesus loved people personally and profoundly. The Gospel of Luke is known as the Gospel of compassion and the Gospel of joy.
            Have I ever sensed Jesus looking upon me with compassion?
Lord, help me to bring the Joy of the Gospel to many people
 
Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist, October 18
The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Luke 10:1–2
Saint Luke, whom we honor today, was a true evangelist. As an evangelist, he followed the inspiration from our Lord and was used to bring God’s saving message to the ends of the earth. And there is little doubt that his ministry will continue to have a transforming effect on the lives of many until the end of the world. Tradition states that Saint Luke became a martyr, being hanged on an olive tree. He is identified in the New Testament as a physician and as a disciple of Saint Paul. Both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are attributed to him. Saint Luke is often spoken of as an evangelist to the gentiles. His Gospel was written in such a way that it didn’t presume a full understanding of the Jewish faith and customs. Therefore, it is believed to have been primarily written for those who are not of Jewish origin. Thus, the life and mission of Saint Luke must remind us that the Gospel needs to be shared with all people, especially with those who do not have a deep and sustaining relationship with God.
In today’s Gospel from Saint Luke, we read that Jesus sent seventy-two disciples “to every town and place he intended to visit.” Only Luke mentions the larger scale sending of seventy-two disciples. The other Gospels only mention the sending of the Twelve. Though many of these seventy-two disciples would have gone to Jewish territory, some would have unquestionably gone to non-Jewish territory. The mission of these seventy-two was to prepare everyone they encountered for the preaching of Jesus and for the establishment of the Kingdom of God.
As we honor Saint Luke today and read this passage from his Gospel, we are reminded that we are all sent by our Lord. We are sent to those who share our faith, such as family, friends and fellow parishioners. We are sent to love them and do all we can to help deepen their faith and love of God. But we are also called to share the Gospel with those who do not yet know Jesus as their Savior. There are so many people we encounter every day who have never truly met our Lord. Are there people in your life that God is calling you to reach out to? Who do you know that God may be calling you to share the Gospel with?
Reflect, today, upon the fact that the Gospel is meant for everyone. Speak to our Lord and tell Him that you are ready and willing to be used by Him to bring His saving message to others. As you do so, wait on the Lord, listen to His inspiration, and respond when He calls. If someone comes to mind whom you sense God is calling you to evangelize, begin to pray for that person. Pray for them every day and be attentive to any inspiration God gives you to share His love and saving message with them. Do not be afraid to be an evangelist like Saint Luke. Doing so might make an eternal difference in someone’s life.
My saving Lord, You sent Your disciples on a mission to share Your saving message with all. Today I especially thank You for the life and ministry of Saint Luke. Please use me, dear Lord, to imitate his wonderful example and to share Your glorious life with others. Please lead me and inspire me to especially reach out to those whom You have put into my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist, October 18 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, send me as a laborer into your harvest! Let me bring peace to those I encounter today. When I am united to you through your grace, I am a bearer of the Kingdom in this world. May your reign be extended by my actions, prayers, and words to many hearts today!
Encountering the Word of God
1. Paul and Luke: When we read the Gospel of Luke at daily mass, it is usually but not always paired with a reading from one of Paul’s 13 letters. This arrangement in the Liturgy of the Word reflects how Paul and Luke travelled together, ministered to God’s people together, and how they mutually influenced one another in presenting the Gospel. In fact, St. Irenaeus said that Luke was Paul’s follower and “set down in a book the Gospel that was preached by Paul” (Against the Heresies, 3,1,1). Luke’s account of the institution of the Eucharist, for example, is closer to Paul’s account in 1 Corinthians than the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. Luke was likely from Antioch and was either a Gentile or a Hellenistic Jew. He wrote his Gospel for Gentile Christians in the Roman Empire. One unique characteristic of Luke’s Gospel is the account of the five joyful mysteries at the beginning of his Gospel. If Luke was a Gentile and converted with the preaching of Paul, this was a likely source of joy. As a pagan, there was little or no hope for anything beyond the grave. What Paul taught Luke was that God so loved us that he became one of us, suffered for us, and died for us. “Jesus of Nazareth was God in the flesh: he showed the way to eternal life. Whoever trusted in him and followed his teachings could have confidence of a life to come in the loving embrace of God. This was such good news! How could one not be joyful to hear it?” (Bergsma, New Testament Basics for Catholics, 85).
2. What Luke’s Gospel Emphasizes and Teaches: More than the other Gospels, Luke’s account of Jesus emphasizes him as the one who brings God’s salvation to Israel and the entire world. “Luke also emphasizes that Jesus is Lord (Greek kyrios), the same title used for the lord God of Israel” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 22). Also unique to Luke is the attention he gives to Gentiles, Samaritans, and women. If we didn’t have Luke’s Gospel, we would not know how women aided Jesus’ ministry and the growth of the early Church. The Acts of the Apostles was also written by Luke and teaches us that God guides the history of the world and the Church through his Spirit. We, like the Apostles and early disciples of Jesus, need to be filled with the Holy Spirit and moved by the Spirit in our lives. We are not the protagonists, and our success is not measured by earthly standards.
3. Reading Luke Today: “In several ways, Luke’s Gospel both invites and challenges today’s readers. It invites them to answer Jesus’ call to discipleship – ‘Follow me’ (5:27; 9:23, 59; 18:22) – while challenging them to take seriously his words about detachment from material possessions and merciful care of the poor and needy (10:37; 12:15-21; 14:13; 16:19-31). It invites them to develop a life of prayer (11:1-13) modeled after Jesus’ own prayer (3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 22:40-46), while challenging them to persevere ‘without becoming weary’ (18:1) when an answer to prayer seems a long time in coming. It invites them to be witnesses (24:48) to the risen Jesus by their words and deeds, while challenging them to maintain their testimony in the face of persecution (21:12-13). Despite the challenges, however, Luke invites readers to experience the joy of the gospel (2:10; 15:32; 24:52)” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 23). In brief, Luke especially warns us about loving money and neglecting the poor, about how to pray, and how to live out our Christian liberation from sin and the new life of grace. 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are my King. I belong to you and am a member of your royal, priestly, and prophetic family. I will strive to imitate the mercy of your heavenly Father and imitate your meekness and humility in all that I do today.
 
October 18- Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, send me as a laborer into your harvest! Let me bring peace to those I encounter today. When I am united to you through your grace, I am a bearer of the Kingdom in this world. May your reign be extended by my actions, prayers, and words to many hearts today!
the Word of God
1. Luke’s Life and Writings: Luke was a close companion and collaborator of Paul. He was a medical doctor by profession (Colossians 4:14). He was a well-educated, culturally Greek (Hellenized) Jew from Antioch. He became a Christian missionary who joined up with Paul on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:10). Luke stayed in Philippi for a time to evangelize (Acts 16:12) but later sailed with Paul from Philippi to Troas and went with him to Jerusalem (Acts 20:6). Luke sailed with Paul to Rome (Acts 27:1) and stayed with Paul while Paul was imprisoned there (2 Timothy 4:11). Luke wrote his Gospel after those of Matthew and Mark for educated Greco-Romans as well as for Greek-speaking Jews from a variety of theological backgrounds. Luke wrote a second volume, known as the Acts of the Apostles, to complete his Gospel. In the Acts of the Apostles, he shows how the Holy Spirit’s work in the life of Jesus now operates in the living community of Christ’s mystical body, the Church (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 99). Because the second volume doesn’t include important events such as the martyrdoms of the protagonists of the story, Peter and Paul, and doesn’t mention the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the Gospel of Luke and Acts were likely written sometime between A.D. 62-67 (see Pitre, The Case for Jesus, 98-100). According to tradition, Luke was martyred and hanged from an olive tree in Thebes at the age of 84.
2. The Royal Son of David and Son of God according to Luke: In his Gospel, Luke shows how Jesus is the Davidic king, the royal Son of David, who journeys to Jerusalem, the city of David, as part of his mission to restore the kingdom of David (Hahn, “Christ, Kingdom, and Creation: Davidic Christology and Ecclesiology in Luke-Acts,” 122). Jesus is presented not only as the Son of David but as the Son of God. Jesus is the new Adam who originates a new humanity. What Jesus possesses as the royal Son of David, the Kingdom, is transmitted to his apostles at the Last Supper. In the Acts of the Apostles, Luke shows that “the apostles are commissioned by Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit to extend the kingdom they have received to ‘the ends of the earth’” (Hahn, “Christ, Kingdom, and Creation,” 138). The Church, as Luke sees it, unites both the restored Kingdom of David and the renewed creation: “God’s plan for Adam and creation, renewed with David and his kingdom, is thus fulfilled by Christ in the Church” (Hahn, “Christ, Kingdom, and Creation,” 138).
3. The Good News of Merciful Salvation according to Luke: What does Luke’s Gospel say that Jesus, the Son of David and Son of God, brings to humanity? In a word, Jesus brings God’s merciful salvation through the Church to all humanity! First, Luke shows how Jesus is the Savior of Israel, God’s Old Covenant people. The Gospel recounts how Jesus began the restoration of Israel and reunited the scattered tribes of Israel into his kingdom (Luke 1:33, 68; 22:28-30). Throughout his Gospel narrative, Luke is attentive to show how Jesus saves the Samaritans, who were the descendants of the northern Israelites. Second, Luke narrates how Jesus extended forgiveness and salvation to the Gentiles. The Gospel begins with Simeon calling Jesus a light for revelation to the Gentiles (Luke 2:32) and ends with Jesus telling the apostles that forgiveness must be carried from Jerusalem to all nations (Luke 24:47). Third, Luke focuses especially on the salvation of the lowly, the outcasts, the poor, and the disreputable. In Luke’s Gospel, the Lord is shown to have a special concern for the lowly and oppressed. Luke also gives women a prominent position in his Gospel, and they play leading roles in the story of Jesus despite their social status in the ancient world (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 100).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are my King. I belong to you and am a member of your royal, priestly, and prophetic family. I will strive to imitate the mercy of your heavenly Father and imitate your meekness and humility in all that I do today.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu Tuần 28 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu Tuần 28 Thường Niên
Qua bài Tin Mừng, Chúa Giêsu cho chúng ta biết là cuộc sống chúng ta đang sống hôm nay thật sự chỉ là cuộc sống tạm thời. Chúng ta không nên sợ cái chết ở trần thế, mà nên sợ cái chết đời đời. Đó là lý do tại sao chúng ta không nên chỉ chú ý đến cuộc sống trần gian, nhưng chúng ta phải chú ý đến sự sống vĩnh cửu đời đời ngày sau. Vĩnh cửu, đời đời là những chữ mà chúng ta thấy khó để liên kết với con người bởi vì tất cả mọi thứ ở đây không thể kéo dài mãi được. Tất cả mọi sự ỡ đời này đều có sự giới hạn. Vì tất cả mọi thứ, dù có bao bền lâu bao nhiêu, rồi cũng sẽ bị huỷ diệt. Ngay cả thế giới này cũng thế, rồi thì cũng qua đi. Và bất cứ điều gì chúng ta làm, đặc biệt là những điểu ẩn kín vẫn được Thiên Chúa nhìn thấy rất tỏ tường. Tất cả những hành động của chúng ta sẽ được phát hiện khi chúng trình diện mặt Chúa trong ngày sau hết của cuộc đời.
Chúng ta hãy bắt đầu ngay bây giờ, hãy bắt đầu làm việc cho những thứ cần thiết cho thiên đường, chứ không phải là chỉ để mắt của chúng ta hướng về những mối quan tâm trần thế, hữu hình. Hãy nhớ, Thiên Đàng thì tồn tại mãi mãi và có thật!
 
Reflection Friday 28^th Ordinary Time:
     It is clear that the life we live today is temporary. We are not to fear the earthly death, but rather the eternal death. That is why we should not just pay attention to the earthly life, but rather also to the eternal life. Because eternal life lasts forever. Forever is a word we find hard to relate with because all things here do not last. Warranties are limited and guarantees have a lifespan of its own, no matter the assurances we get, All things, no matter how durable get broken. Even this world is passing away slowly. And whatever we do, especially those hidden, are seen by God. All our actions will be uncovered and exposed at the end of time. Nothing will escape God's sight. Let us then start working then for the things of Heaven, rather than just fix our eyes always and only on tangible earthly concerns. Heaven exists. Forever is real!
 
Reflection Friday 28^th Ordinary Time:
     It is clear that the life we live today is temporary. We are not to fear the earthly death, but rather the eternal death. That is why we should not just pay attention to the earthly life, but rather also to the eternal life. Because eternal life lasts forever. Forever is a word we find hard to relate with because all things here do not last. Warranties are limited and guarantees have a lifespan of its own, no matter the assurances we get, All things, no matter how durable get broken. Even this world is passing away slowly. And whatever we do, especially those hidden, are seen by God. All our actions will be uncovered and exposed at the end of time. Nothing will escape God's sight. Let us then start working then for the things of Heaven, rather than just fix our eyes always and only on tangible earthly concerns. Heaven exists. Forever is real!
 
Friday 28^th Ordinary Time 2024
“There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.” Luke 12:2–3
Immediately prior to this passage quoted above, Jesus told His disciples: “Beware of the leaven—that is, the hypocrisy—of the Pharisees.” This comes after Jesus gives a long and very direct series of condemnations of these leaders in the previous chapter. Jesus is quite serious about their destructive actions. So, after directly confronting them, He then turns to His disciples to warn them of the consequences of these hypocritical leaders.
A hypocrite is one who pretends to have some moral virtues but, in truth, is only deceiving himself and attempting to deceive others. For that reason, Jesus assists His disciples by sharing with them the fact that all truth will eventually come to light. Thus, every good deed will eventually be seen by all for its goodness, and every evil intent, no matter how hidden, will eventually come to light. 
Though the immediate temptation for many in hearing this passage will be to think about others who they think fall into the sin of hypocrisy, it may be far more useful to ponder these truths for oneself. The simple message that Jesus preaches is that we must be people who are truthful in every way. We must be honest with ourselves and make sure that we are fully aware of our inner life, seeing ourselves only in the way that God sees us. This act of honesty and integrity is one of the best ways by which we prepare ourselves for eternal life. How sad it would be if we went through life pretending, on the surface, to be something we were not, only to have the full truth divulged at our final judgment when it is too late to change.
Being honest with ourselves can be difficult. It’s normal for us to want to be good, to want to be holy, and to want others to think this way about us. For that reason, it is very common for us to put forth only the best image of ourselves, hiding many other things that may embarrass us and even humiliate us. And though we do not have any moral obligation to tell everyone about every sin we struggle with interiorly, it is morally essential that we face it ourselves and do so with the grace of God.
One practical way to do this is to ponder the above Scripture passage. Jesus makes it clear that at some time, in some way, everything within us in our hearts and minds will come to light. For some this will happen, by God’s grace, during this life as a way for them to change. For others, these secrets will only come to light at their final judgment. The truth, however, is that all that we are, all that we think, and all that we do in a hidden way will come to light. And if that frightens you in some way, that is good. Sometimes we need a holy fear to encourage us to look inward and to deal with all that we keep hidden from others.
Reflect, today, upon the importance of striving for a life of true transparency and integrity. The best way to do this is to live every day as if everything within your heart were visible for all to see. If that means you need to change in some way so as to be at peace with what will eventually come to light, then work diligently on making that change here and now. The opposite of hypocrisy, for which the Pharisees were firmly condemned, is honesty and sincerity. Spend time reflecting upon these beautiful virtues and pray that the Lord will gift you with them so that you can live a life of true integrity here and now in preparation for that glorious day of judgment, when all will be “known” and “proclaimed on the housetops.”
My revealing Lord, You see all things. You know my heart in every way. Please grace me with the ability to see myself as You see me and to know my inner heart as You know me. As the deepest truths of who I am come to light for me to see, I pray that I will also have the grace to sincerely change so that I may truly glorify You with my actions and become a source of authentic inspiration to all. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Reflection Friday 28^th Ordinary Time: 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you lovingly care for me as my Heavenly Father. Help me to experience this truth more deeply in my life. I am tempted to trust in myself and my abilities rather than you. Do not let me fall into this temptation. May I see all good things as coming from you.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Pharisaical Hypocrisy: In the Gospel, Jesus has just left the Pharisee’s house, where he delivered a blistering warning. Now, with his disciples gathered around him, he focuses in on the heart of the matter and also how it applies to his disciples. This prevents his disciples from getting puffed up with pride and thinking that they were better than the Pharisees and scholars of the law. In just a few words, Jesus identifies a real danger for those steeped in religious practice – the sin of hypocrisy. He compares it to leaven or yeast that inflates dough. A person can easily become inflated about how good they are and how pious they are and how they are better than everyone else because of their pious practices. The Father, Jesus teaches, sees everything. Nothing is hidden from God, especially the real intentions driving our actions. God the Father is not fooled by the hypocrite. The Gospel concludes not with another condemnation of Pharisaical hypocrisy, but with how to overcome it – filial trust in God’s loving care for us.
2. The Justifying Faith of Abraham: In the First Reading, Paul is going to show from the Old Testament that we are justified and made right with God, not through the works of the old law, but through faith. His prime example is Abraham. Paul alludes to the fact that Genesis 15 says that Abraham was made righteous through his belief in God. And it is only in Genesis 17 that Abraham was circumcised. This means that Abraham was justified by faith apart from one of the works of the law – that of circumcision, which incorporated a man into God’s covenant family. If Abraham was justified by faith and not by such works, then the same would apply to us. Paul emphasizes that our initial faith and grace of justification are a gift of God and not something we earn like a wage. We do need to build up spiritual and heavenly treasure, but we cannot do this without the initial empowerment and continual sustenance of divine grace. 
3. The Psalms of David on Blessedness and Righteousness: After referring to how Abraham was justified by faith, Paul then quotes the Book of Psalms to show that it teaches the same doctrine. Paul refers to David as the author of Psalm 32 and says, “So also David declares the blessedness of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not record’” (Romans 4:7-8; Psalm 32:1-2). The one who is forgiven is the recipient of God’s mercy. Paul here teaches that the Psalm means that justification includes divine forgiveness and that our transgressions are no longer held against us. What is more, this initial justification and forgiveness is an unmerited gift and not a wage that we earn by our human efforts. God’s actions in justifying us include crediting righteousness, forgiving iniquities, and covering and not recording our sins. God truly cleanses us through justification, but the sins we commit cannot be undone and remain forever as events of history. “God can remove the guilt of our sins; likewise, God can without the punishment that our sins deserve. But their occurrence remains forever inscribed in the annals of past time. This is something that God’s mercy must simply overlook” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 62).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, thank you for warning me about the danger of hypocrisy. I only seek to be a humble servant and child in your vineyard. May I attribute any success in extending your kingdom to the power of your grace and the work of the Holy Spirit. I am a poor vessel of your divine grace.
 
Friday 28^th Ordinary Time
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that you are present here as I turn to you in prayer. I trust and have confidence in your desire to give me every grace I need to receive today. Thank you for your love, thank you for your immense generosity toward me. I give you my life and my love in return.
Petition: Lord, give me courage to keepnot to shy away from following you even in the face ofwhen I am faced with anytemptation.
11. Lion Food: St. Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, was arrested and then transported to Rome, where death by lions awaited him. During the journey he wrote letters to some of the Christian communities he passed through, most notably the Christian community in Rome. In thea letter, he urges the Romansthem to do him no “untimely charity” of interceding with the emperor to spare him from execution. He writes to them, “I beseech of you not to show an unseasonable goodwill towards me. Suffer me to become food for the wild beasts, through whose instrumentality it will be granted me to attain to God” (Letter to the Romans). When Christ speaks of having no fear of those who kill the body but after that can do no more, he means it quite literally. If we encounter a situation in which we must either be faithful to Christ or cave in to pressure and abandon the path of the Lord, we should never hesitate. Follow Christ. Do not fear those who might “kill” by their criticism or disapproval of our rectitude of conscience. Do not be afraid.
2. Becoming Eucharist: St. Ignatius continues, “I am the wheat of God, and am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of God” (Letter to the Romans). He is drawing a connection between his own coming martyrdom—wheat ground by the teeth of wild beasts—and the Eucharist—the pure bread of God. These words are not just grisly yet pious analogy; rather, they touch on the most profound meaning of the mystery of the Eucharist and our participation in it. The Eucharist is the most complete worship given to God the Father: It is the Incarnation of God among us, it is Christ’s sacrifice of his body on the Cross, and it is his Resurrection from death to eternal life. Through the EucharistChrist’s incarnation, sacrificial death, and resurrection are not merely examples we are called to imitate in the way an amateur athlete might imitate a professional. The Eucharist is much more profound than that. In receiving the Eucharist, we are united to Christ’s humanity (the Incarnation), his suffering to fulfill the Father’s loving will, his death to sin and his resurrection (our life in grace here and eternal life in the next). In this union we become the “pure bread of God”, as St. Ignatius writes. Wwe become an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord. We need to offer the struggles and challenges of each day in order to remain united with Christ in the Eucharist.
3. More than Birds: In our daily life we take many small things for granted because they seem to have little import in the grand scheme of things. “What were the high and low temperatures a year ago today?” “What does it matter now?” we might as well respond. “Where will the four sparrows I saw in the park two weeks ago get food to eat?” It’s not even a question that occurs to us. We have many other things of immediate importance that require our attention and action. Yet such a question is important enough to occur to God. Christ tells us in Luke 12:24, “They do not sow or reap; they have no storehouses and no barns; yet God feeds them.” He continues, “And how much more are you worth than the birds!” If God would make time to think about something so insignificant among all the goings-on in the world, how much more will he be taking care of our needs!
Conversation with Christ: Lord, when I look at the difficulties and rough spots I know I will be facing today, I worry about the sacrifices I’ll have to make. Maybe I won’t be as patient or generous as I ought. Maybe events won’t turn out as I hope. Help me to have confidence and trust in you like St. Ignatius. Help me realize that you have taken care of every minute detail of all that will occur today.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Năm Tuần 28th Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Năm Tuần 28th Thường Niên
Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đã quở máng những người Pharisêu và các thầy thông giáo vì những luật lệ họ đã áp đặt trên dâan chúng và những hành động đạo đức giả của họ. Trong khi họ khoe khoang và rao giảng sự công bình và công lý, nhưng chính họ lại thiếu đức bác ái và còn hành động ngược lại với những gì họ rao giảng. Họ xây dựng đài tưởng niệm cho các tiên tri, những người mà tổ tiên của họ đã giết. Họ đã không sống cuộc sống tốt lành: "Khốn cho các người, hỡi những nhà thông luật! Các người đã cất giấu chìa khoá của sự hiểu biết, các người đã không vào, mà những kẻ muốn vào, các người lại ngăn cản.".." (Lc 11: 52)
Ngược lại trong bài đọc thứ nhất trong thư gửi cho các Kitô hữu ở Êphêsô, Thánh Phaolô đã chúc lành ông mang tình yêu, lòng nhân ái với ân sủng của Thiên Chúa đến với "các vị thánh ở Ephêsô," "Trong Đức Ki-tô, Bởi chưng Người đã chọn ta trong Ngài, từ trước tạo thiên lập địa, để ta được nên thánh và vô tì tích trước mặt Người.."(Eph 1: 4) Chúng ta hãy cầu nguyện để cho chúng ta không giống như những người Pharisêu đạo đức giả và các thầy thông luật mà Chúa Giêsu đã nguyền rủa trong bài tin mừng hôm nay, chúng ta hãy xin Chúa cho chúng ta được trở nên một trong những" vị thánh " ở thành Êphêsô mà Thánh Phaolô đã yêu mến, nuôi dưỡng và dậy dỗ.
 
Reflection Thursday 28^th Ordinary Time
In the Gospel reading Jesus strongly admonishes and even puts curses on the Pharisees and the Jewish teachers of the Law for their hypocrisy. While preaching righteousness and justice, they themselves were lacking in action and even did the opposite of what they preached. They built memorials for the very same prophets whom their ancestors had rejected and even killed. They had not lived good lives and had not taught people well; thus their people had not led good lives because they knew no better: "for you have taken the key of knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have prevented others from entering." (Lk 11: 53)
 In contrast in the first reading from his letter to his beloved Christians in Ephesus, Paul blesses God for his loving-kindness and grace to the "saints in Ephesus," to those "God chose in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and without sin in his presence" (Eph 1: 4) We pray that we be not counted with the hypocritical Pharisees and teachers of the Law whom Jesus cursed but be among the "saints" whom Paul loved, taught and nourished.
 
Thursday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees began to act with hostility toward him and to interrogate him about many things, for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say. Luke 11:53–54
Over the past few days, we have been reading Saint Luke’s version of Jesus’ “Woe to you” rebukes of the scribes, Pharisees and the scholars of the law. Today’s Gospel concludes these rebukes of love by pointing out that these religious leaders did not convert. Instead, they began plotting against Jesus so as to “catch him at something he might say.” This is what happens when people use God’s holy law as a weapon to attack.
Normally, we take inspiration from the Holy Scriptures in a positive way, meaning, by reflecting upon Jesus’ words and actions and applying them to our lives. However, we can also learn from the evil others commit and allow their actions to inspire us to avoid their sin. In today’s Gospel, we are invited to ponder the obsessive plotting of these religious leaders so as to consider whether we also are guilty of their sin.
First, note that at the conclusion of Jesus’ rebukes, these religious leaders “began to act with hostility” toward Jesus. Normally, when we act with hostility toward another, it is done with the mindframe that we are right and they have done something wrong. We justify our hostility by pointing to their perceived sin. However, it must be understood that every act of hostility on our part is a clear indication that we have started down the road of sin and are not justified in our obsession.
Notice also that these religious leaders exercised their hostility toward Jesus by interrogating Him. In other words, in their anger, they kept asking Him questions so as to find some fault with Him. They tried to trick Him and trap Him with their speech using God’s very Law handed down through Moses and the prophets. But they manipulated that Law so as to justify their hostility and, out of pride, to falsely accuse Jesus.
Think about any times in your life in which you found yourself somewhat obsessed with what you judged to be the sin of another. Hostility in this case can even be passive, meaning you may present a kind disposition on the surface, but interiorly you are obsessively thinking about how you can condemn the person. Often when this happens, we can feel justified in that we convince ourselves that justice must be done and that we are the dispensers of that justice. But if God is in control of our lives, He will not call us to obsessive plotting in regard to another. Instead, when we are following the will of God, we will sense Him inspiring us to act with immediacy, calm, joy, kindness, honesty, and freedom from all anger and obsession.
Reflect, today, upon any way that you have seen this misguided tendency within your own life. If you can identify a time when you struggled with hostility toward another, look at the fruit it bore. Was God glorified through your actions? Did this leave you at peace or agitated? Were you fully objective in your thinking? Be honest with these questions and you will begin to discover the road to freedom from such obsessive thinking. God wants you to be at peace. If there is injustice, trust that our Lord will sort it out. You, for your part, must continually work to forgive, act with charity, and direct your attention to the will of God as it is gently presented to you.
My patient and kind Lord, You were falsely accused and condemned by many of the religious leaders of Your time because You spoke the pure truth with love, clarity and boldness. When I act with hostility and anger toward another, help me to turn from these sins so that I will never condemn, never judge and never manipulate Your divine Law for my own purposes. Fill me with Your peace and charity alone, dear Lord. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Reflection Thursday 28^th Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, thank you for calling and sending us your prophets. They are your divine messengers who call us back to you. You do not abandon your people when we are unfaithful, but gently and firmly call us to repentance and conversion.
Encountering the Word of God
1. I will send them Prophets and Apostles: In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus continues his series of six warnings pronounced first upon the Pharisees and then upon the “scholars of the Law.” Jesus warned the Pharisees that they were neglecting justice and love of God, seeking earthly honors, and leading others into impurity. Jesus then warned the “lawyers” or “scholars of the law” that they were placing heavy burdens upon the people, persecuting God’s prophets and apostles, and preventing people from understanding the scriptures and the most important principles of the Old Covenant. The scholars of the law and the generation to which they belonged were ignorant about what was going to happen. They were ignorant about how the past, recorded in Scripture, foretold the future. Just as Jeremiah prophesied to his generation that, because they did not listen to the prophets that God sent them, the Temple and city of Jerusalem would be destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C., so also Jesus is prophesying and warning that “this generation” will not pass away (Luke 21:32) until the Temple and Jerusalem itself are destroyed (Luke 21:5-6, 20-24). This event happened 40 years after the religious authorities in Jerusalem put Jesus to death. In A.D. 70, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, signaling the definitive end of the Old Covenant temple sacrifices. The scholars of the law were oblivious to how Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant and inaugurated the New. The scholars took away the key of knowledge concerning the Kingdom of God and were preventing the people they served from entering that kingdom.
2. All, Jews and Gentiles, Have Sinned: One of the main goals in Paul’s Letter to the Romans was to explain how the Old Covenant was brought to fulfillment in the New. In the opening chapters of the letter, Paul has argued that both Jews and Gentiles are in a similar situation of sin and are freed from that situation in the same way. Paul acknowledges the tremendous gifts that were given to Israel, including the oracles or utterances of God (Romans 3:2). This is a way of referring to the entire Old Testament – the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Writings. Despite this gift, the Jews have been unfaithful even though the Lord God has been true and faithful (Romans 3:3-4). Paul concludes that all men – both Jews and Greeks – are under the power of sin (Romans 3:9). Furthermore, the works of the law of Moses – especially the ceremonial laws like circumcision, animal sacrifices, and dietary restrictions – are not able to justify a person; they only give knowledge of sin and not the power to overcome sin (Romans 3:20). The Law defined what is good and evil, pure and impure, holy and profane.
3. A Person is Justified by Faith: How, then, are we made righteous? As Paul says, “the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it” (Romans 3:21). The law and the prophets point to the coming of Jesus the Messiah. We are given the righteousness of God, not through the observances of the law, but “through faith in Jesus Christ” (Romans 3:22). We are initially justified – put in a right relationship with God – by God’s gift of grace. This grace was obtained for us through Jesus’ work of redemption. Jesus expiated our sins through his sacrifice, and we welcome this redemption through faith. God is righteous and just and justifies the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26). We do not obtain our initial justification through the works of the Old Law but through faith in Jesus Christ. This teaching does not oppose what is contained in the law, but actually supports it. And this is what Paul will try to show in the next section of the letter. In the sacrificial death of Jesus, the old animal sacrifices have been superseded. “Human sin and divine love have made contact in the bleeding and dying of Jesus in such a way that definitive forgiveness is now open to all who believe” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 47).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you have the true key of knowledge! You have unlocked the gates of heaven through your passion, death, resurrection, and ascension. Guide me to those open gates and embrace me with merciful love when I stand before you.
 
Reflection Thursday 28^th Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I recognize today how much I need your grace and merciful love. Without you, I can do nothing, but with you, all things are possible. Help me to extend your reign in my family and my community and help my brothers and sisters enter your holy Kingdom of justice and charity.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Spilling the Blood of All the Prophets: After pronouncing three woes on the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, wickedness, and failure to help God’s people, Jesus pronounced three woes or covenant curses upon the Scholars of the Law. We read the first woe yesterday, which warned the Scholars that they were burdening the people of God with their interpretation of God’s Law. We read the second woe at the beginning of today’s Gospel. Jesus tells the Scholars that they, like the Pharisees, are hypocrites. He points out that they build and care for the memorials of the prophets killed by their ancestors. It was like they were saying, “We are the ones who honor and respect God’s prophets and would never do what our ancestors did.” But interiorly consenting to what their ancestors did. They prefer to keep the prophets of the Lord God dead and buried instead of meditating on and putting into practice their words recorded in Scripture. What is worse, they were plotting to kill not just another prophet but the Messiah sent by God! If they truly knew the Scriptures, they would discern that all throughout human history, the wicked have persecuted and killed the innocent, the righteous, and the messengers sent by God. They would realize that they themselves belong to a wicked generation. They need to heed Jesus’ warning that if they continue to act with hostility toward him, they will be charged with the blood of all the prophets.
2. Taking Away the Key of Knowledge: The third woe is Jesus’ warning that the Scholars of the Law have taken away the key of knowledge. Instead of unlocking the Word of God for the people through their diligent study, prayerful contemplation, and teaching, they, like the Pharisees, have focused on the lesser matters in the Law and neglected what is most important – love, justice, and mercy (Luke 11:42). The Pharisees and the Scholars do not heed Jesus’ woes or warnings as a call to repentance and conversion. Instead, they plot to catch Jesus in his speech so that they can accuse him in some way. “For his part, Jesus will continue teaching his followers and the crowds the nature of true discipleship” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 233). The Pharisees and the scholars manifest the exact opposite of true discipleship. They are hypocrites who put on a show of religiosity but, in truth, are far from God and lead others astray. 
3. The Letter to the Ephesians: During the next two weeks, the daily First Reading will be taken from the Letter to the Ephesians. The letter was likely written while Paul was under house arrest in Rome (A.D. 60-62). It is a message of encouragement that teaches the Gentiles in Ephesus about the plan of God (Ephesians 1:3-23) and their place in it as co-heirs of the promises of Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10). Christ, Paul teaches, now reigns supreme over all things and works to make us participants in his royal, priestly, and prophetic mission to the world. The mystery of Christ is also the mystery of his Body, the Church. “The Church [Paul] describes is nothing less than God’s new creation in Christ (2:10, 15; 2 Cor 5:17). She is a holy and universal community that shines out to a world shattered by sin. Her life comes from the divine Trinity, as her members are made the children of the Father (1:5), the body and bride of the Son (5:22-32), and the temple of the Holy Spirit (2:21-22)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 344).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you have the true key of knowledge! You have unlocked the gates of heaven through your passion, death, resurrection, and ascension. Guide me to those open gates and embrace me with merciful love when I stand before you.

Suy Niệm thứ Tư Tuần 28 Thường niên

Suy Niệm thứ Tư Tuần 28 Thường niên
Công lý và hòa bình
Qua Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta thấy trong cuộc tranh cãi với những người Pharisêu, Chúa Giê Su đã đặt nặng vấn đề công lý và tình yêu của Thiên Chúa như là lõi cốt chính của cuộc sống chung trong xã hội trên hơn tất cả bất cứ quan điểm cá nhân nào. Hòa bình và Pháp luật, Công lý và Hoà bình được kết nối không thể tách rời. Khi Luật Pháp bị chà đạp và sự bất công nổi lên nắm quyền, thì hòa bình luôn bị đe dọa.
Những tiêu chí chính trị phải dựa trên những giá trị đạo đức, chứ không phải là do con người chúng ta tạo ra, nhưng chúng phải được công nhận trên sự bình đẳng cho tất cả mọi người. Nếu không có sự bình đẳng thì Luật pháp có thể được áp dụng theo hình thức của những người có quyền theo kiểu cường hào ác bá bởi vì luật pháp được lập ra vì những lợi ích của phe phái hay phe nhóm có quyền.
Hai yếu tố sau đã làm nổi bật vì chúng biến công lý không còn có ý nghĩa mà là công cụ̣ bất chính cho kẻ cầm quyền. Thứ nhất, "chủ nghĩa hoài nghi của hệ tư tưởng", làm cho lương tâm trở nên tồi tệ hơn khi tìm mọi cách để biện minh cho những việc làm bất lương của kẻ cầm quyền bằng bất kỳ phương tiện nào để đạt được những mục tiêu và quyền lợi phe nhóm. Thứ hai, "chủ nghĩa hoài nghi cùa trong việc kinh doanh (khai thác vô nguyên tắc các nguồn tài nguyên thiên nhiên), khi con người lợi dụng những tài nguyên thiên nhiên dùng quyền lực để thay thế Luật pháp.
Lạy Chúa, đạo giáo của Chúa Kitô không làm cho  lý trí của chúng con ra mù quáng, nhưng xin Chúa hãy soi sáng cho chúng con biết dùng lý trí để mang lại sự hoà bình và xin đức tin của chúng con có thể lấy lại sự bình tĩnh cho lý trí bởi vì cuộc sống hiện tại luôn có sự bóp méo sự thật và kìm chế tư tưởng của chúng con..
 
Justice and Peace
Today, in controversy with the Pharisees, Jesus Christ places justice and God’s love, as axes of social coexistence by setting them above personal viewpoints. Peace and Law, Justice and Peace are inseparably connected. When Law is trampled on and injustice comes to power, peace is always threatened.
            Political criteria should be based on those moral values, not created by us, but recognized and equal for all men. Without them Law can be criminally used with factional purposes. Two factors of justice dilution stand out. First, the “cynicism of ideology”, which obfuscates consciences by justifying any means to achieve factional objectives. Second, the “cynicism of business” (unscrupulous exploitation of natural resources), where the useful also takes the place of the good and power displaces Law.
              O Lord, Christianity do not lead us far from reason, but illuminates it instead: make that to achieve peace, faith may calm down reason, often distorted by ideological tyranny.
 
Wednesday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply, “Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.” And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”  Luke 11:45–46
This scholar of the law had been listening to Jesus firmly rebuke the Pharisees. As he listened, his own conscience was pricked, and he challenged our Lord. What does Jesus do? He quickly and firmly rebukes the scholar of the law, pointing out that the scholar uses the law to impose heavy burdens on people. Jesus did not back down in this rebuke of love. Instead, He directed it to the very place that His rebuke was bearing fruit: in the conscience of this scholar of the law.
This experience of the scholar of the law teaches us two important lessons. First, we learn from him the importance of paying attention to our conscience when it is “pricked.” Second, it teaches us that when this happens, it is very easy to become defensive.
What is it that pricks your own conscience? Think back over the past month and reflect upon anything that you became defensive about. Did something someone said bother you? If so, pay attention to this. Sometimes we are bothered for reasons other than our own sin. But oftentimes, what actually bothers us is that we come face-to-face with some sin with which we struggle, and we do not want to admit it.
What if this scholar of the law would have listened to Jesus and, instead of being offended, became grateful for Jesus’ words? What if he would have humbly looked at his own life and realized that he was also guilty of the very things that Jesus was condemning the Pharisees for? If he would have done that, he would have been put in a position to sincerely examine his actions and begin a process of change. But this is hard to do.
Reflect, today, upon anything that has recently offended you. Be honest and admit that it is often the case that when God presents you with your sin through some means such as the loving rebuke of another, you must work diligently to overcome any pride. And when you feel defensive, you must immediately see that as an indication that there is something in your life that you need to change. A pricked conscience is a gift from God. Rejoice when that happens, rather than being offended, and you will discover one of the best ways by which you can grow in holiness of life by becoming free of the very sin our Lord is presenting to you.
My challenging Lord, You are constantly speaking to me in various ways. Sometimes You are gentle, and at other times You lovingly rebuke me. Please help me to see my sin. As I do, I pray that I will not become defensive or dismissive, rationalizing my erroneous actions. May I learn to rejoice in all that You say to me, especially when You speak Your rebukes of love. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday 28^th Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, enlighten my heart to know how I am responding to your gracious love. I hear the warning your Son gave to the Pharisees and the Scholars of the Law. Help me to know if I have unknowingly fallen into hypocrisy and sinful ways. May I help your people attain salvation!
Encountering the Word of God
1. Woe to you Pharisees! In the Gospel, Jesus is dining at an unnamed Pharisee’s home. The Pharisee was shocked that Jesus did not follow the prescribed washings before meals. And Jesus used the opportunity to warn the Pharisees about how they were living. The Pharisees mistakenly thought that holiness was a question of meticulous fulfillment of the law of Moses and separation from the impurity of the Gentiles. They built up an entire tradition of practices aimed at living the law perfectly. In the case of washing hands before meals, it was a way of extending the priestly rituals of washing before offering a sacrifice to every meal. Holiness, then, was seen as something exterior rather than interior. The Pharisees gave meticulous attention to lesser commandments like paying their taxes, but neglected the virtue of justice and the first commandment to love God above all things. In fact, their fulfillment of hundreds of human traditions puffed them up in pride, rather than walking humbly before God. They sought the praise of men and not the glory of God. Instead of teaching the people to walk humbly, they corrupted those they taught. The scholars of the law were not exempt from this warning. They too built up wearisome burdens for the people in their teachings and traditions instead of bringing the people to the heart of the law – love for God and neighbor.
2. To Those who Judge Others: One of the main traits of the Pharisees was their tendency to judge others. Paul addresses this in his Letter to the Romans. He speaks to Jewish persons who pass judgment on Gentile sinners. “Evidently, some, inflated with a sense of moral superiority, felt justified in playing the judge and condemning the non-Jewish world for its wickedness” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 22). Yes, pagan practices were abominations and worthy to be condemned. However, Paul criticizes his debate partner here for holding others to a standard that they themselves struggle to attain. Paul then charges his fellow Jews with the same sins committed in the pagan world (Romans 2:1). Paul is making a parallel here: just as the pagan Gentiles are inexcusably culpable for sinning against God’s revelation in creation, so the Jews are culpable for sinning against God’s revelation in the Torah (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 22). According to Paul, the Jews have fallen into hypocrisy – like the Pharisees and scholars of the law in the Gospel – and infidelity and presumption. They have a prideful overconfidence that they, as members of God’s people, will escape the judgment of God. “It seems that some Jews regarded their ethnic ties to the patriarchs, along with the privilege of being counted among God’s people, as an insurance policy against the fiery day of judgment. It was a false confidence that every Israelite was guaranteed mercy, no matter what” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 23).
3. Judgment according to Works: Paul argues that we will be judged not by our ethnicity, but by our works. “This is the belief that God will hold every person accountable for his or her actions, public or private, and assign each person a corresponding destiny. One will either receive eternal life at the final judgment, or face the wrath and fury of the God who punishes evil” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 24). This teaching that we will be judged on our works is not opposed to Paul’s later teaching in the letter that we are initially justified not by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, Chapter Two concludes with a teaching on the necessity for both Gentiles and Jews to observe the law. While the Jews have the revealed law of God written in the Torah, the Gentiles have the natural law of God written in their hearts. The Gentiles also have a conscience which bears witness to what is good and evil. What Paul teaches is that we are initially justified by grace, and this grace of justification is not dependent on our works. It is an unmerited gift of God given to us through Jesus and the Spirit. However, the gift is an empowering gift that enables the Christian to perform works that result from God’s operative power in the believer. The works the believer does in union with Christ have a salvific value. And that is why we, as believers, need to work out our salvation (Philippians 2:12) (see Barber, Four Views on the Role of Works at the Final Judgment, 157-159).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to hear with fresh ears your warnings against hypocrisy. I pray that I may see myself as your Father sees me, as I truly am. Guide me in my thinking so that I can know my faults, failings, and imperfections. Purify my intentions as I serve others in love.
 
Wednesday 28^th Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, enlighten my heart to know how I am responding to your gracious love. I hear the warning your Son gave to the Pharisees and the Scholars of the Law. Help me to know if I have unknowingly fallen into hypocrisy and sinful ways. May I help your people attain salvation!
 Encountering the Word of God
1. The Three Woes Pronounced upon the Pharisees: Earlier in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus pronounced a series of four covenant blessings and four covenant curses or “woes” (Luke 6:20-26). A “woe” is a cry of warning of coming judgment. Jesus taught that the poor, the hungry, those who weep, and those who are reviled on account of him enjoy God’s blessing. The rich, those who are full, those who laugh, and those who are spoken well of are given a warning. Jesus voices this cry “to warn that disaster awaits the comfortable of the world whose prosperity and notoriety have turned them away from God and the demands of his covenant” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 118). In today’s Gospel, Jesus warns the Pharisees with three “woes” that judgment is coming upon them. They are first warned about their religious hypocrisy. This means that they present themselves as righteous because of their detailed exterior fulfillment of lesser matters of the Law, and yet, interiorly, they are full of wickedness. They are two-faced: exteriorly and superficially, they give the appearance of holiness while, at the same time, they are interiorly and deeply wicked. Second, they are then warned about how they strive to attain temporal earthly honors instead of eternal heavenly glory. Third, Jesus warns them that they have become like unseen sources of defilement. Instead of bringing the people to God, they keep the people from entering the Kingdom of God. In short, Jesus warns the Pharisees that they are hypocrites, that they are full of evil, and that they have failed in their religious duties. For this, they are judged by Jesus and given a covenant warning of woe.
2. The First Woe Pronounced upon the Scholars of the Law: When the Scholars of the Law object that Jesus, by calling out the religious hypocrisy of the Pharisees, is insulting them too, Jesus does not apologize to them. He doubles down, so to speak, and pronounces three “woes” upon the Scholars of the Law. We hear the first one in the Gospel today and will hear the second and third warnings tomorrow. The first warning that Jesus gives concerns their interpretation of the Law of Moses. Jesus accuses them of burdening the people and not helping to ease the load. This means that they have added their human traditions to God’s Law and made it even harder to bear. In contrast to the Scholars of the Old Law, when Jesus gives us the New Law, he also gives the strength and power to fulfill it: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Although the New Law is a higher standard than the Old Law, we are empowered to fulfill it through the gift of the Holy Spirit and the merits and grace of Jesus Christ.
3. Works of the Flesh vs. the Fruit of the Spirit: In the Letter to the Galatians, Paul speaks about what it means to enjoy freedom in Christ. This is not freedom to choose between and to do good or evil, but a freedom to do good and serve one’s brothers and sisters in love (Galatians 5:13-14). Instead of having to submit to the Old Law, we are guided and empowered by the Spirit to live according to the New Law. We need to walk by the Spirit in this freedom Christ has given us (Galatians 5:15-17). “The works of the flesh are obvious, and [Paul] has warned [the Galatians] before of the judgment coming against them. But avoiding them is a matter not of the law but the Spirit, who produces good fruit in those joined to Christ. So live by the Spirit” (Prothro, The Apostle Paul and His Letters, 156). Paul lists fifteen works of the flesh, including immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, strife, selfishness, rivalry, dissension, division, envy, and drunkenness (see ESV-CE translation). He then lists nine fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you truly lived according to the Spirit. You loved, were full of joy, brought peace, were patient and kind, were generous beyond measure, were faithful to your Father’s will, were gentle, and manifested self-control in everything. Help me to imitate you in all that I do today.