Suy Niệm Tin Mừng 21 tháng 12.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng 21 tháng 12.
Đức Maria thực sự là một mẫu người gương mẫu cho chúng ta nên bắt chước sống trong Mùa Vọng nhất là việc chuẩn bị cho việc Chúa Cứu Thế đến. Đức Maria đã được Thiên Chúa Cha chuẩn bị để xứng đáng làm mẹ Con của Người ngay từ lúc đầu Maria mới được tạo thành trong lòng bà Thánh Anna. Là người phụ nữ Israel trung thành với Thiên Chúa Giavê, Maria đã biết cầu nguyện xin cho sự xuất hiện của Đấng Thiên sai ngay từ lúc còn bé. Khi Maria còn là một cô gái trẻ, Maria đã khám phá ra rằng mình chính là một phần trong câu trả lời của Thiên Chúa nhưng theo một cách trổi vượt xa hơn những lời cầu xin mà Maria đã xin: không phải là Đấng Thiên sai chỉ là con của Maria, mà con trai của Maria cũng chính là Thiên Chúa. Sự đồng ý tán thành của Maria với Tổng lãnh Thiên Thần Gabriel, đã khởi sự việc chuẩn bị sẵn sàng cho sự ra đời của Đức Giêsu, Đấng Thiên sai.
Qua việc đến viếng thăm và săn sóc bà Elizabeth, Đức Maria đã mang Chúa Giêsu trong lòng, như thế Maria đã trở thành người ra đi truyền giáo đầu tiên, người mang sứ điệp Tin Mừng đầu tiên đến với người chị họ của mình. Maria đã thay đổi hoàn toàn lịch sử con người. Đức Maria đã mang lại niềm vui không thể tin được đến cho  bà Elizabeth và Gioan Tẩy giả khi còn trong bụng của bà vì Maria mang Chúa Kitô đến với họ. Và cũng chính vì thế mà Đức Maria đã vui mừng và cất lên tiếng ca ngợi Thiên Chúa với lời kinh Magnificat.
Để mang lại niềm vui cho người khác trong mùa Giáng sinh này, chúng ta nên bắt chước Đức Maria là hãy mang Chúa Kitô đến với mọi người. Ngài là món quà tuyệt vời nhất mà chúng ta có thể mang đến cho bất cứ ai mà chúng ta yêu mến. Tất cả các món quà vật chất trên cõi đời này đều không có gì sánh bằng. Nếu không chia sẻ Chúa Giêsu với người thương yẻu của chúng ta, chúng ta sẽ không cho những người thân yêu của chúng ta những gì là thiết thực và bền lâu. Hãy mang Chúa Kitô đến với mọi người.
Xin Chúa Giáng Sinh ban cho chúng ta có can đãm và nghị lực để bắt chước Đức Maria về đức tin, vì đức tin đó sẽ hướng dẫn cho chúng ta đi trọn cuộc hành trìmh đức tin của chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy lắng nghe nhịp đập của trái tim và sự suy ngẫm của Đức Maria, để Giáng sinh của chúng ta có thể có hiệu quả như lần Giáng Sinh đầu tiên hơn hai ngàn năm trước.
 
REFLECTION December 21, 2019 - 
 Mary is truly the model of how we should be living Advent in preparing for Christ’s arrival. God the Father prepared her from the first moment of her conception to be the worthy mother of his Son. Like a faithful daughter of Israel, she had prayed throughout her youth for the coming of the Messiah. When she was a young lady, she discovered that she was part of God’s answer to that prayer, but in a way that would have far exceeded any Hebrew maiden’s prayers: not only would the Messiah be her son, but her son would also be God. Her “fiat,” her wholehearted “yes!” to the Archangel Gabriel, launched the proximate preparation for the birth of Jesus the Messiah. Let us enter into Mary’s response of faith, which is a guide for us along our pilgrimage of faith. Let us listen to the beat of Mary’s contemplative heart, so that our Christmas may be as fruitful as that first Christmas.
            By going to Elizabeth’s aid, Mary carrying the tiny Jesus in her womb — became the first missionary, the first bearer of the Good News that would change all of human history. Mary was able to bring incredible joy to both Elizabeth and John the Baptist in her womb precisely because she was bringing Christ. And Mary was able to burst out with her beautiful Magnificat for the very same reason. To bring joy to others this Christmas, we have to bring them Christ. He is the greatest gift we could ever bring to someone we love — all the material goods in the world fall flat in comparison. Without sharing Jesus, we are not giving our loved ones anything that is truly lasting. Bring Christ, and you bring everything.
 
December 21, Advent Weekday
Mary set out in those days and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.   Luke 1:39–40
We are presented today with the glorious story of the Visitation. When Mary was about two months pregnant, she traveled to be with her cousin Elizabeth who was to give birth within a month. Though much could be said about this as an act of familial love given from Mary to Elizabeth, the central focus immediately becomes the precious Child within the womb of Mary.
Imagine the scene. Mary had just traveled about 100 miles. She was most likely exhausted. As she finally arrived, she would have been relieved and joyful at the completion of her journey. But Elizabeth says something quite inspiring at that moment, which elevates the joy of all present, including the joy of Mother Mary. Elizabeth says, “For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy” (Luke 1:44). Again, imagine the scene. It was this tiny child within Elizabeth’s womb, John the Baptist, who immediately perceived the presence of the Lord and leaped for joy. And it was Elizabeth who immediately perceived the joy in her child living within her womb. As Elizabeth expressed this to Mary, who was already joyful at completing her journey, Mary was suddenly all the more overjoyed at the realization that she had brought to Elizabeth and John the Savior of the World living within her womb.
This story should teach us much about what is most important in life. Yes, it’s important to reach out in love to others. It’s important to care for our relatives and friends when they need us the most. It’s important to be sacrificial with our time and energies for the good of others, because through these acts of humble service, we certainly share the love of God. But most importantly, we must bring Christ Jesus Himself to others. Elizabeth was not filled with joy first and foremost because Mary was there to help her in her pregnancy. Rather, she was overjoyed primarily because Mary brought her Jesus, her Lord, living within her womb.
Though we do not bring Christ in the same way as our Blessed Mother did, we nonetheless must make this our central mission in life. First, we must foster a love and devotion to our Lord so deep that He truly dwells within us. Then, we must bring Him who dwells within us to others. This is unquestionably the greatest act of charity we will ever be able to offer to another.
Reflect, today, not only upon your mission to invite your Lord to dwell within you as our Blessed Mother did but also upon your Christian duty to then bring Him who dwells within you to others. Do others encounter Christ living within you with joy? Do they sense His presence in your life and respond with gratitude? Regardless of their response, commit yourself to this holy calling of bringing Christ to others as an act of the deepest love.
Lord, please do dwell within me. Come and transform me by Your holy presence. As You do come to me, help me to then become a missionary of Your divine presence by bringing You to others so that they may encounter the joy of Your presence. Make me a pure instrument, dear Lord, and use me to inspire all whom I encounter every day. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
December 22, Advent Weekday 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, my soul waits for you. You are my help and my shield. My heart rejoices in you and I trust in your holy name.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Journey of the New Ark: The Gospel of Luke portrays Mary in its opening chapter as the New Ark of the Covenant. Yesterday, we read the account of the Annunciation, where Gabriel spoke about the Power of God overshadowing Mary. This recalls how the cloud of God’s glory overshadowed the old Ark of the Covenant. In today’s Gospel passage, we read that Mary “arose and went with haste” (ESV) to the hill country of Judah. When she greeted Elizabeth, John leapt in Elizabeth’s womb, and Elizabeth cried out with joy. “This echoes the great event when David ‘arose’ and ‘went’ with the Ark of the Covenant up into the hill country of Judah, to Jerusalem itself, and there he leapt with joy before the Ark as the procession entered the city. Mary is like a new Ark of the Covenant. The Ark contained the Ten Commandments (the Word of God), the manna (bread from heaven), and the staff of Aaron, the high priest. Jesus, in Mary’s womb, was the Word of God, the bread from heaven, and our true high priest” (Bergsma, New Testament Basics for Catholics, 95).
2. The Mercy Seat of the Ark: The purpose of the old Ark of the Covenant was to be a sign of the Lord God’s presence among his people as they traveled through the desert. The golden cover of the Ark was overshadowed by carved cherubim and was called the “mercy seat” (kapporet) and “place of expiation.” Every year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would sprinkle blood on the mercy seat to expiate the sins of the people and restore them to fellowship with the Lord (Leviticus 16:1-34). In Romans 3:25, Paul identifies Jesus as the mercy seat and expiation for our sins. Jesus is the living seat of God’s presence and the place where atonement for our sins is made with his own sacrificial blood (see Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 262). As the New Ark, Mary’s womb acts for nine months as the place of the new mercy seat. While the old Ark was a sign of God’s presence, the new Ark contains not just a sign of God’s presence but holds and nourishes the Incarnate Son of God in her womb. God truly tabernacles among us in the womb of Mary!
3. The Song of Daughter Zion: In the reading from Zephaniah, the prophet invites the people to shout for joy and sing joyfully. He uses the twin expressions “Daughter Zion” and “Daughter Jerusalem.” These expressions are a way of personifying the city of Jerusalem and its people. The city of Jerusalem is described by the prophets either as a virgin daughter (Lamentations 1:15) or as a mother (Lamentations 1:5-6). “Either way, Jerusalem is the object of the Lord’s affection and care. She is called to rejoice in the presence of the God who lives in her midst (Zephaniah 3:14; Zechariah 2:10) and who comes to rescue her from captivity (Isaiah 52:2; 62:11)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Minor Prophets, 124). Zephaniah presents Daughter Zion as a royal bride who is waiting for her royal husband to come and bring salvation. The Lord is likened by the prophet to a warrior-king who renews his love and affection for Jerusalem. The Lord, the bridegroom king and warrior, will gather his humble remnant into the holy city of Jerusalem and restore its fortunes. Zephaniah hopes that communion between God and his people will be restored through liturgical worship in Zion (Jerusalem). By reading Zephaniah’s song during Advent, the Church anticipates the second glorious coming of our Bridegroom King, who, through his first coming in the flesh, assumed our lowly human nature.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you have brought mercy to this fallen world. I need to be more merciful, just as your heavenly Father is merciful. Move my heart to forgive always and work purpose.

Suy Niệm Bài Tin Mừng Thứ Sau 20/12

Suy Niệm Bài Tin Mừng Thứ Sau 20/12
Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta có thể thử tưởng tượng Đức Maria đã có cảm giác như thế nào khi Thiên sứ đến truyền tin? Vào lúc mà Đức Maria được Thiên sứ truyền tin thì Đức Maria còn rất trẻ, lúc đó Maria mới khoảng chừng 13 - 15 tuổi, và còn trong trắng.  Và khi sứ thần của Thiên Chúa đến nói với Maria rằng cô sẽ mang thai Con Thiên Chúa. Nhưng thay vì đặt câu hỏi về Thiên Chúa hay từ chối những gì mà thiên sứ dã truyền, Đức Maria đã chấp nhận ngay mà không có sự đòi hỏi nào khác. Bởi vì Đức Maria luôn đạt niền Tin của Cô nơi Thiên Chúa, Cô chấp nhận tất cả đớn đau tủi nhục của xã hội để nhận làm Mẹ Thiên Chúa một cách mù quáng vâng (theo nghĩa Thế gian). Nếu chúng ta là Đức Maria hôm nay, chúng ta sẽ phải đáp lại lời của Thiên sứ như thế nào? Chúng ta có dám khiêm tốn nói rằng chúng ta cũng sẽ làm theo như ý Chúa như vậy chăng?
            Để học nơi gương Đức Maria và bắt chước như Đức Maria, Chúng ta phải biết đầu hàng tất cả mọi thứ đang cản trở niềm tin tưởng của chúng ta vào Thiên Chúa, chúng ta phải biết quên chính mình và khiêm tốn. Đức Maria đã có một đức tin vẹn toàn, và đã cô đặt vững niềm tin đó hoàn toàn trong những việc mà Thiên Chúa đã làm trong cuộc sống của cô. Cô đã có một thái độ rất khiêm tốn, như một người đầy tớ, nữ tỳ của Thiên Chúa.
            Thánh Maria, Đức Mẹ Chúa Trời, chúng con cảm tạ và khen ngợi Mẹ vì tình yêu quảng đại và can đảm của Mẹ trong việc Mẹ đã khiêm tốn xin Chúa hãy thực hiện nơi Mẹ  theo ý Chúa.  Nguyện xin Mẹ Maria cầu bầu cho chúng con để chúng con biết mong muốn được sống như Mẹ, và khi Thiên Chúa giao cho chúng con một nhiệm vụ nào đó, dù có khó khăn hoặc có thể không thể thực hiện được, Xin giúp chúng con biết đặt niềm tin vào Thiên Chúa và biết lắng nghe tiếng mời gọi thật sự cùa Ngài, để Ơn Chúa Thánh Thần hướng dẫn và giúp chúng con.
            .
Reflection 20/12:
Can you imagine how Mary must have felt during this time? She was very young, a virgin, and not to mention engaged, when an angel of God told her that she would be pregnant with the Son of God. But instead of questioning God or rejecting what the angel said, she immediately accepted it and blindly obeyed God. Can we say that we will do the same?
We must surrender everything that hinders our complete trust in God. Mary had complete and utter faith in what God was doing in her life. She had a very servant-like attitude; I think we should aspire to be like that. When God gives us a difficult or impossible task, will we doubt, or will we listen?
 
December 20, Advent Weekday 2024
And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” Luke 1:35
Try to set aside all that you know about Jesus and simply ponder these words of the Archangel Gabriel as if you were to hear them as our Blessed Mother did for the very first time. She was told she would have a child, even though she had not had relations with a man. She was told that this pregnancy would happen by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. And she was told that her Child would be the Son of God. What was Mary to think about these amazing revelations given to her by this most glorious archangel?
The ordinary person would most likely conclude that this was some sort of hallucination and that what they were seeing and hearing was the result of some temporary psychological disorder. Perhaps she was dreaming? Or perhaps it was something she unknowingly ingested that has led to this experience?
But our Blessed Mother was no ordinary person, and she had no ordinary mind. Her mind was perfectly sharp on account of her immaculate nature. And her mind was continually “full of grace,” as Gabriel said in his greeting to her. She knew God’s voice, and she knew that this archangel was speaking to her a message from on high. As a result, she listened, accepted, believed and consented.
We can also conclude that Mary did even more than merely consent. The love she had for God and His will would have been so strong that she would have been filled with an immediate and burning desire to fulfill this command of the archangel. She would have been filled with a holy desire to do all she could to bring about this miraculous calling she had received. And this calling would have immediately become the central purpose of her life.
Though none of us has been given the unique and glorious vocation that was given to our Blessed Mother, we are all most certainly given a mission by God. Sometimes we listen and consider it. Sometimes we choose to embrace it. But the ideal is that we imitate our Blessed Mother and run to it. We must not only be open. We must not only submit. We must also allow every desire within our soul, every passion we have and every longing within us to work toward the accomplishment of God’s will.
What is it that God is calling you to do in life? What is your purpose? What is your mission? If you struggle in answering these questions, then perhaps start by praying for the deep and all-consuming holy desire to accomplish that which God has chosen for you. If all you desire is the fulfillment of the will of God, then when God reveals His will to you, you will more easily and more quickly be able to accomplish it.
Reflect, today, upon the unique mission that God has given to you. Whatever He has called you to do with your life is a calling given only to you. Do not run from it. Do not reluctantly accept it. Instead, run to it with your whole being and allow God to do great things through you.
Most holy Lord, I know that You have a perfect plan for my life. I know that You have given me a mission that has not been given to anyone else. Please flood my soul with a holy desire to fully accomplish Your will and to do so with the most fervent commitment and strength. I, too, am a servant of You, O Lord; may it be done to me according to Your will. Mother Mary, pray for us.  Jesus, I trust in You.
 
December 20, Advent Weekday 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are the King of Glory. You created all things and have invited me to ascend your holy mountain. Guide my steps as I approach you. Cleanse my heart today and bless me with your grace.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Joseph and the Royal House of David: In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph. Luke doesn’t just say that Joseph was a descendant of David, but that he is of the “House of David” (Luke 1:27; 2:4). Even though Joseph belonged to the royal house of David, he was laboring as a humble carpenter in the small town of Nazareth. Just as Matthew uncovered the genealogy of the royal house of David that continued after the return of the Judeans to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. In 2 Samuel 7:4-17), God promised to David that he would build him a house in the form of a dynasty. Joseph, the Gospels of Matthew and Luke reveal, is the “hidden king” and true heir to the throne of David.
2. Gabriel’s Message and the Davidic Covenant: Gabriel announces to Mary, the betrothed of Joseph, that she will conceive and bear a son, that this son will be great (Luke 1:32), that this son will be called “Son of the Most High,” that this son will receive the throne of his father, David, from the Lord God, and that his Kingdom will be everlasting. Gabriel’s announcement echoes the covenant promise that God made to David, that his name will be great (2 Samuel 7:9), that his royal sons would be “sons of God” by divine adoption (2 Samuel 7:14), and that David’s kingdom, throne, and house would be “established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16).
3. The Fulfillment of Isaiah’s Prophecy: In the First Reading, Isaiah announces that the Lord will give a sign to the “House of David.” In its original context, it was a sign that God would protect and intervene on behalf of the royal house of David. At the time of Isaiah’s prophecy, the Kingdom of Judah was threatened by a military alliance between Syria (Damascus) and Israel (Samaria), and King Ahaz sought to make Judah a vassal of the Assyrian Empire in exchange for protection against Syrian-Israelite aggression (2 Kings 16:7) (see Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Isaiah, 29). Isaiah’s prophetic sign is both simple and marvelous. It is simple, because it is the sign of a virgin conceiving and bearing a son. It is marvelous, because it points to the virginal conception of Jesus and his two natures. This son is “Immanuel,” which means “God-with-us.” The one person, Jesus Christ, is fully human and fully divine, eternally begotten of the Father, and born in time of the Virgin Mary.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, eternal Son of God, bring me safely home to dwell in your heavenly mansion. Lord Jesus, faithful Son of David, reign in my life! Lord Jesus, merciful Son of Mary, comfort me as I journey toward the heavenly Promised Land.
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng 20/12
Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Giáo Hội mời gọi chúng ta một lần nữa hãy gợi nhớ và suy ngẫm về Mầu Nhiệm Nhận Thể làm Người của Thiên Chúa. Trong niềm vui Giáng sinh của chúng ta bắt đầu bước vào lịch sử nhân loại của con người: Thiên thần truyền tin cho Đức Maria .Mầu nhiệm Nhập Thể có nguồn gốc thực sự ngay trong tình yêu vĩnh cửu của Thiên Chúa, Đấng tạo dựng nên muôn loài tạo vật và chúng ta. Và Ngài cũng muốn chúng ta sẽ là những gì mà Ngài đã tạo ra cho chúng ta là có được hình ảnh giống như Ngài. Con Thiên Chúa đã trở thành người chỉ vì tội lỗi của ông Adam và bà Evà?
Câu hỏi đó đôi khi cần phải suy nghĩ, qua sách Khải Huyền chúng ta có thể được coi như là một câu trả lời có thể chấp nhận được.  Nhưng nếu như đó, giả sử là hành động yêu thương của Thiên Chúa dành cho Con của Người phụ thuộc vào tội lỗi của con người, điều mà một số nhà thần học sẽ xem là hơi khó chấp nhận. Sau đó, có một suy nghĩ khác: rằng Chúa Giêsu thực sự sẽ trở thành con người để trở thành Cha của chúng ta, vì ngay cả khi không có tội lỗi, chúng ta vẫn rất hạn chế như những sinh vật và cần Chúa Hướng dẫn rất cụ thể.
Nhưng nếu như đó là hành động yêu thương của Đức Chúa Trời Người đã cho Con của Người ông là phụ thuộc vào tội lỗi của con người, trong đó một số nhà thần học sẽ thấy là phần nào không thể chấp nhận. Có nghĩa là, sau đó, một suy nghĩ khác: Chúa Giêsu sẽ thực sự đã trở thành người đàn ông để có cách của chúng ta với Chúa Cha, cho dù không có tội lỗi chúng ta vẫn còn rất hạn chế như các sinh vật và cần sự hướng dẫn rất cụ thể của Thiên Chúa.
            Trên trái đất này, chúng ta sẽ không bao giờ biết được câu trả lời, nhưng điều đó không làm giảm khả năng của chúng tôi để vui mừng trong sự ra đời của Chúa Giêsu, Mẹ Maria thành Nazareth đã có thể cho chúng ta bằng sự rộng lượng và lòng can đảm.
            Trên trái đất này, chúng ta sẽ không bao giờ biết được câu trả lời, nhưng điều đó không làm giảm khả năng của chúng tôi để vui mừng trong sự ra đời của Chúa Giêsu, Mẹ Maria thành Nazareth đã có thể cho chúng ta bằng sự rộng lượng và lòng can đảm.
 
Reflection
Today we are invited once again to recall and meditate on the moment when our Christmas joy began to enter our human history: the Annunciation to Mary. The Incarnation has its true origin in eternity in the eternal love of God, who created us and desires that we will be what he created us to be in his divine image and likeness.
            Did the Son of God only become man because of Adam's sin? That question is sometimes pondered and, from the accounts in Genesis it seems an acceptable answer that that is so. But then it seems as if God’s loving action of giving his son was dependent on human sin, which some theologians will see as somewhat unacceptable.  There is, then, another thought: that Jesus would indeed have become man in order to be our way to the Father, for even without sin we are still very limited as creatures and need God’s very concrete guidance.
   On this earth we will never know the answer, but that does not reduce our capacity for rejoicing in the birth of Jesus, which Mary of Nazareth made possible for us by her generosity and courage.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, we thank you and praise you for your generous and courageous love in asking God to let it be done to You according to his word.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Ngày 19/12/2019. Luke 1:5-25

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Ngày 19/12/2019. Luke 1:5-25

Hôm nay, sứ thần Gabriel của Thiên Chúa hiện ra báo tin cho ông Zechariah về sự ra đời của ông Gioan Tẩy giả, người mà sẽ đi trước và chuẩn bị cho sứ mệnh của Đấng cứu thế. Qua sự quan phòng yêu thương của Thiên Chúa, Ngài đã chuẩn bị cho sự ra đời của Chúa Giêsu cùng với ông Gioan. Vấn đề không có con được của Isavê không phải là một vấn đề với Thiên Chúa vì Chúa muốn thực hiện một phép lạ như vậy để chứng tỏ tình yêu của Ngài dành cho con người chúng ta, những sinh vật của Ngài.

     Như bài Tin Mừng cho thấy ông Zechariah, đã không có lòng tin vào lời Sứ thần : “Làm sao tôi có thể tin điều này? Tôi cũng đã già rồ và vợ tôi cũng không còn trẻ nữa” (Lc 1, 18).  Là con người, ông ta có một cách nhìn quá thực tại của con người về mọi phương diện. Có lẽ chúng ta cũng không thể trách ông đã thiếu niềm tin vào sứ thần Gabriel cũng như kế hoạch đã sắp đặt sẵn của Thiên Chúa, vì kế hoạch của Thiên Chúa luôn to lớn hơn những sự sắp xếp của con người chúng ta; trong trường hợp này, không gì khác hơn là sự Nhập thể làm Người của Con Thiên Chúa để cứu rỗi nhân loại! Sứ thần tìm thấy trong con người ông Zechariah có sự khác biệt con người thành thật nhưng chậm hiểu trong các vấn đề của Thiên Chúa.

       Mùa Giáng sinh đang đến, và chỉ còn vài ngày nữa thôi, Chúng ta hãy xin sứ thần Gabriel của Thiên Chúa giúp chúng ta biết sẵn sàng, không như Zechariah nhưng biết giống như Đức Maria. Điều cần thiết là chúng ta phải biết cố gắng giữ mình trong sự hiện diện của Thiên Chúa mỗi ngày, nghĩa là biết tăng thêm tình yêu thương của chúng ta đối với Chúa Giêsu Kitô trong những lời kinh cầu nguyện của chúng ta, siêng năng rước lễ với lòng sùng kính Thánh Thể: bởi vì Chúa Giêsu đã được sinh ra và đến với chúng ta! Chúng ta nên có một cái nhìn siêu nhiên hay cái nhìn đức tin về tất cả các vấn đề của chúng ta. Chúng ta cần một tầm nhìn như vậy trong công việc chuyên môn của chúng ta, trong các nghiên cứu của chúng ta, trong hoạt động tông đồ, ngay cả trong những thất bại hàng ngày của chúng ta. Không có gì có thể thoát khỏi sự quan phòng của Thiên Chúa! Với sự chắc chắn và niềm vui khi biết rằng chúng ta đang hợp tác với các thiên thần và Thiên Chúa trong các kế hoạch yêu thương, cứu rỗi của Thiên Chúa.

 

Reflection on  December 19, 2019

Today, the angel Gabriel announces the “supernatural” birth of John the Baptist, the man who will prepare the mission of the Messiah to the priest Zechariah. God, in His loving providence, prepares Jesus' birth along with John's. Isabel's sterility is not a problem. God wants to perform such a miracle because of His love for us, his creatures.

But Zechariah, on this occasion, does not show much supernatural faith: «How can I believe this? I am an old man and my wife is elderly, too» (Lk 1:18). He has an excessively human way of looking at things. He lacks trust in God's plans, which are always bigger than ours: in this case, nothing more than the Incarnation of the Son of God for the salvation of mankind! The angel finds an “absent-minded” Zechariah, slow in Godly matters, a bit “off the air”.

With Christmas being only a few days away, may the angel of the Lord find us ready, just as Mary was. It is necessary that we try to keep ourselves in the presence of God during the day, to intensify our love for Jesus Christ in our prayer, to receive Holy Communion with devotion: because Jesus is going to be born and come to us! We should have a supernatural outlook about all our affairs. We need such a vision in our professional work, in our studies, in our apostolate, even in our daily setbacks. Nothing escapes divine providence! With the certainty and joy of knowing that we are cooperating with the angels and the Lord in the loving, salvational plans of God.

 

Reflection on  December 19, 2024, Advent Weekday

“I am Gabriel, who stand before God.  I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.  But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”  Luke 1:19–20

Imagine if the Archangel Gabriel appeared to you. What would that have been like? This particular Archangel stands before the incomprehensible beauty and splendor of the Most Holy Trinity and brings forth messages of the greatest importance. Gabriel is God’s most notable messenger. Take a moment to ponder what such a glorious apparition would have been like.

In the passage above, this glorious Archangel appears to Zechariah as he is fulfilling his priestly duty to burn incense before the Lord within the Holy of Holies. As Zechariah enters the sanctuary while all the people remain outside praying, he suddenly has a vision of the Archangel telling him that his wife Elizabeth will have a child, even though she is advanced in years. But even though Zechariah hears this message from Gabriel, the Archangel who stands before God, he doubts what he is being told.

Would you have believed the Archangel Gabriel if you were Zechariah? Or would you have doubted? Though there may not be a way to know the answer to that question, it’s helpful to ponder the humble truth that you very well may have doubted. It takes true humility to admit that possibility. Like Zechariah, we are all weak and sinful. We lack the perfect faith that our Blessed Mother had. And if you can humbly admit this, then you are in a great position to overcome the weakness of faith you struggle with. Zechariah suffered much for his lack of faith, but that suffering led to a renewal of faith when he named his child John in obedience to the Archangel.

Reflect, today, upon how well you listen to all that God says to you. Do you listen, believe and obey? Or do you question and doubt God’s voice. Know that God speaks to you each and every day. Admit the ways that you lack perfect faith and allow that act of humble acknowledgment to strengthen you where you need help the most. Lord, I know I lack the depth of perfect faith that I so deeply desire to have. I know that You speak to me day and night, and I fail to listen and obey. As I humble myself before You and confess my weakness of faith, strengthen me to respond more fully each day to all that You say to me. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

 

Reflection on  December 19, 2024

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you sent your angel Gabriel in the fullness of time to announce the day of your salvation. I welcome your saving grace. My mouth is filled with your praises, and I sing to your glory! Be my rock of refuge and rescue me from the hand of the wicked.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Zechariah Offers the Tamid (the Daily Sacrifice) and Encounters Gabriel: The past two days, we read the first chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. Today, and the days leading up to Christmas, we will read the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel. The Gospel opens with the priest Zechariah being chosen to burn incense in the sanctuary of the Temple. He was a member of one of the twenty-four divisions of priests. Twice a year, each of the twenty-four divisions served in the Temple. One of their tasks was to offer the daily sacrifice, called the tamid, in the morning and in the evening. There were so many priests at the time that this responsibility was chosen by lot. At the time, a priest would only offer this sacrifice once in their lifetime. When Zechariah entered the sanctuary, he encountered the angel Gabriel, who announced that Zechariah, despite his old age, would father a son.

2. The Nazirite Vow: Among the things that Gabriel says about Zechariah’s future son is that his son will take the Nazirite vow. Gabriel says: “he will drink neither wine nor strong drink.” This was one of the three things that characterized a Nazirite (Numbers 6:1-21). The other two things were to not cut their hair and to not touch a dead body. Zechariah’s son, John, will be dedicated or consecrated to the Lord for special service like a Nazirite (Numbers 6:5; Judges 13:4). John will not only be consecrated for service but be filled with the Holy Spirit as a prophet. He will be a New Elijah who will bring the people to repentance in preparation for the coming (advent) of the Lord and his Messiah.

3. Samson and the Nazirite Vow: The First Reading narrates the birth of Samson, one of the last judges of Israel. When the angel announces the birth of a son to Manoah’s wife, the angel indicates that the child is to be consecrated to the Lord and take the Nazirite vow. The child is not to drink wine or alcohol, and he is not to cut his hair. This child is destined to deliver Israel from the power of the Philistines. We know that Samson was not faithful to his Nazirite vow. He partied hard (Judges 14:10-20), he ate honey from the carcass of a dead lion (Judges 14:5-9), and he allowed his hair to be cut off by Delilah (Judges 16:13-22). The story of Samson ends, however, with him delivering the Israelites from the Philistines. By contrast, the story of John the Baptist ends not with him violating his consecration but with him bearing witness to Jesus in both word and deed. John does not fall into sin like Samson but works tirelessly to invite the people to repent from their sins and welcome the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am your servant and desire to grow in faithfulness to you. I consecrate my actions, words, and thoughts to you today

 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Ngày 19/12/ Luke 1:5-25

Đã có bao giờ chúng ta chứng kiến một phép lạ hay đã có những kinh nghiệm về những sự kiện dường như không thể xảy trên cuộc đời trần thế này? Đã có bao giờ chúng ta đặt câu hỏi là tại sao lại có những sự việc đã xảy ra trong thế giới này mà con người chúng ta không thể giải thích được, ngay cả khoa học hiện đại cũng không thể chứng minh được? Như ông Dacaria, ông đã không thể tin được là vợ của ông là bà Elizabeth vẫn có thể mang thai và sinh con được khi cả hai ông bà đang ở trong cái tuổi già khi thiên sứ đến và báo tin cho ông là vợ ông là bà Elizabeth sẽ mang thai và sinh cho ông một một người con trai.

Việc chúng ta nghi ngờ về sự quan phòng của Thiên Chúa cho chúng ta có thể cản trở sự nhận dạng, hay đánh giá đúng mức về những phúc lành của Ngài đã và đang ban cho chúng ta. Và những sự nghi nhờ có thể sẽ ngăn trở chúng ta thực hiện những kế hoạch của Thiên Chúa trong cuộc sống của chúng ta và cũng có thể ảnh hưởng dây chuyền tới những người khác khi chúng ta nói "Không" với những gì Thiên Chúa muốn nơi chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy mở mắt để nhìn, mở đôi tai để lắng nghe, mở rộng trái tim để tiếng nói của Thiên Chúa qua ơn Chúa Thánh Thần, và để cho ý nghĩ của chúng ta luôn biết kết hợp với ý muốn của Thiên Chúa và để cho kế hoạch của Thiên Chúa được thực hiện nơi chúng ta, và những quyết định của chúng ta làm ảnh hưởng đến những người khác trong việc theo Chúa, và được trở nên thành tựu.

            Khi chúng ta để cho Thiên Chúa hoạt động trong chúng ta và đi vào cuộc sống của chúng ta, các phép lạ sẽ xảy ra ngay trong cuộc sống của chúng ta như lòng chúng ta hằng ước muốn, Vì vậy, chúng ta hãy chuẩn bị sẵn sàng để đón Chúa sắp đến với chúng ta trong Mùa Vọng này, Hãy chuẩn bị cho ngày giáng sinh của Chúa trong tâm hồn chúng ta. Đây là thời gian và là mùa của triều đại của Chúa Thánh Thần khi người hiếm muộn sinh con và mang lại những hoa quả của Thiên Chúa đến với nhân loại.

Reflection on Dec 19

Have we ever experienced or heard of seemingly impossible events that occurred against all odds? Have we ever questioned how in the world this happened as there is no scientific explanation for it?  Just like Zechariah. It was hard for him to believe that his wife Elizabeth could still bear a child at her advanced age, even when the messenger was a messenger from God! 

 Our doubts regarding God's providence may hinder us from recognizing, appreciating His blessing and may not allow us to effect God's plan for our life and for those that may be affected by our saying "No" to what He wants of us.  Let us open our eyes, ears, heart and mind to God's voice through the Holy Spirit so that our will is aligned to God's will and that God's plan for us, and for others affected by our decision to follow Him, will come to fruition.

Suy niệm Tin Mừng, Dec 18 Matthew 1:18-25

Suy niệm Tin Mừng, Dec 18 Matthew 1:18-25
Trong phúc âm hôm nay, chúng ta thấy sự yếu hèn của Thánh Giuse, Vì ngài cũng chỉ là con người như thấp hèn như chúng ta. Nhưng với là con người thích sự công chính, và nhờ vào sự cầu nguyện và tin vào lời của Thiên Chúa, mà thánh Giuse đã nhận Đức Maria làm vợ và nhận đứa trẻ trong lòng bà là Đấng Cứu Thế như lời đã hứa. Cũng Như Đức Mẹ, Thánh Giuse là một mô hình của đức tin cho chúng ta, Nhờ Thánh Giuse là một người công chính, một nhân chứng trung thành mà một phần kế hoạch cứu rỗi của Thiên Chúa đã được thực hiện.
Còn chúng ta, chúng ta đã sẵn sàng để tin vào lời Chúa đã hứa,? Ngay cả trong những khi chúng ta phải đối mặt với hoàn cảnh khó khăn bối rối và những vấn đề nan giản không lối thoát?
Thiên Chúa đã không để cho chúng ta phải mồ côi một mình, nhưng Ngài đã đem chính Con một của Ngài là Đức Giêsu Kitô, Đấng Cứu Thế đến với chúng ta. Vì vậy chúng ta hãy nên chuẩn bị tâm hồn để đón mừng Chúa Giáng sinh, Chúa Nhập Thể với tâm hồn trong sang và vui tươi. Chúng ta cũng hãy canh tân đức tin và niềm hy vọng của chúng ta vào Thiên Chúa và trong công cuộc cứu chuộc của Ngài.
            Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin Chúa đến để cứu chúng con thoát khỏi mọi tội lỗi và sức mạnh của sự chết, Xin Cho chúng con luôn luôn được vui mừng với sự cứu rỗi của Chúa và luôn biết tin tưởng vào những kế hoạch thiêng liêng mà Chúa đã sắp sẵn cho con.
 
REFLECTION
Joseph was a just man. In the Bible, as consequently in our Christian life, the justice which matters most is never any mere human social or political justice but only the justice of God. Joseph’s justice, as well as his relationship with Mary, is only known to us from Scripture. The Word of God, is therefore revealed to us only as part of the mystery of the Incarnation. A first superficial and common notion is that Matthew accepted that Joseph was just with respect to the law of Moses, which seemed to demand that, not knowing how Mary came to be pregnant, he should divorce Mary, but being a kindly man, he decided to do this “quietly” or secretly. This notion, however, is not adequate or commensurate with the whole atmosphere of holiness and divine mystery which pervades the whole Gospel account. A more reasonable explanation is that Joseph was a holy man, sensitive to the presence of God and this would have naturally led him to the realization that somehow Mary’s situation was the work of God and that he should withdraw so as not to interfere with God's work. Teach us, Lord, to be just and sensitive to Your presence in our lives so that we may never be a hindrance to Your work
 
Wednesday Dec 18, 3rd Week of Advent 2024
December 18, Advent Weekday
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Matthew 1:18–19
Mary’s pregnancy was truly mysterious. In fact, it was so mysterious that even Saint Joseph initially couldn’t accept it. But, to Joseph’s defense, who could accept such a thing? He was faced with what was a most confusing situation. The woman to whom he was engaged was suddenly with child, and Joseph knew he was not the father. But he also knew that Mary was a holy and pure woman. So, naturally speaking, it makes sense that this situation simply did not make immediate sense. But that’s the key. “Naturally speaking” this did not make immediate sense. The only way to understand the situation of Mary’s sudden pregnancy was through supernatural means. Thus, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and that dream was all he needed to accept this mysterious pregnancy in faith.
It’s amazing to consider the fact that the greatest event to ever take place in human history happened under a cloud of apparent scandal and confusion. The angel revealed the deep spiritual truth to Joseph secretly, in a dream. And though Joseph may have shared his dream with others, it’s most likely the case that many people still assumed the worst. Most would have presumed that Mary was pregnant either by Joseph or by someone else. The idea that this conception was the working of the Holy Spirit would have been a truth beyond what their friends and relatives could ever comprehend.
But this presents us with a great lesson about judgment and the action of God. There are countless examples in life when God and His perfect will lead to judgment, apparent scandal and confusion. Take, for example, any martyr of old. We now look at the many acts of martyrdom in a heroic way. But when the martyrdom actually happened, many would have been deeply saddened, angered, scandalized and confused. Many, at the time of a loved one being martyred for the faith, would be tempted to question why God permitted this.
The holy act of forgiving another could also lead some to a form of “scandal” in life. Take, for example, the crucifixion of Jesus. From the Cross, He cried out, “Father, forgive them…” Were not many of His followers confused and scandalized? Why didn’t Jesus defend Himself? How could the promised Messiah have been found guilty by the authorities and killed? Why did God allow this? 
Reflect, today, upon the mystery of God’s actions in life. Are there things in your own life that are hard to accept, to embrace, or to understand? Know that you are not alone in this. Even Saint Joseph experienced this. Prayerfully commit yourself to a deeper faith in God’s wisdom in the face of any mystery with which you struggle. And know that this faith will help you to live more fully in accord with the glorious wisdom of God.
Lord, I turn to You with the deepest mysteries of my life. Help me to face them all with confidence and courage. Give me Your mind and Your wisdom so that I can walk each day in faith, trusting in Your perfect plan, even when that plan appears mysterious. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday December 18, 2024, Matthew 1:18-25
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I thank you for sending your only-begotten Son to be with us and save us. I praise you for your marvelous works. Help me to know my role in your plan of salvation and sanctification.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Question of Jesus’ Genesis: Yesterday, we began our reading of the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke. We meditated on the genealogical lineage of Jesus in the Gospel according to Matthew. The genealogy, however, didn’t mention who generated Jesus. Instead of saying, “Joseph begat Jesus,” it said Jesus was born of Mary and left the question of Jesus’ genesis open. Today’s Gospel passage answers that question: “This is how the genesis (birth) of Jesus Christ came about … [Mary] was found with child through the Holy Spirit.” In addition to Jesus’ human origin as the “son of Mary,” Matthew reveals to us that Jesus has a divine origin and genesis!
2. The Virginal Genesis of Jesus: Mary is introduced by Matthew as a woman “betrothed to Joseph.” This means she was Joseph’s wife, but that they did not yet live together. To understand this, we need to recall that in ancient Judaism, there were two stages in the marriage process. A couple would begin the first stage by exchanging their consent before witnesses. After this betrothal, the wife would continue to live with her parents for up to a year. Often, the husband would use this time to prepare their future home. The second stage of marriage was their “coming together,” in which the marriage was consummated. But Matthew insists when Joseph took Mary “into his home,” they did not consummate their marriage on their wedding night or in the months leading up to Jesus’ birth. This provides grounds for the Church’s teaching that Mary remained a perpetual virgin and yet was the Mother of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She is the Virgin Mother!
3. A Righteous Shoot of David: Like Isaiah and other prophets, Jeremiah, in the First Reading, foretells that the fallen Kingdom of David, often symbolized as a tree that has been hewn down to a stump, will bring forth a branch or shoot. Jeremiah prophesies that this shoot will be a righteous king who will reign and govern wisely, unlike the majority of the royal sons of David. From the New Testament, we know that this long-awaited king is Jesus, who not only is just himself but effects our righteousness. Jesus is the King who brings us into a right relationship with God our Father. He does this by sacrificing himself and establishing the New Covenant. We enter into this covenant through faith and baptism, and we remain in this covenant through faithful love.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, the Righteous Shoot of David, reign in my heart! Make it yours. Dispel any darkness or evil so that I may walk in your light. You, the Son of God, are truly with me and dwell within me.
 
Wednesday December 18, 2021
Opening Prayer: Lord, help me quiet my heart. Let the outside world fall away. In this time with you, I seek to grow in love and faith. Do not let the concerns of the day mar this opportunity to spend time with you. 
Encountering Christ:
Gentle Righteousness: Joseph was faced with a devastating series of events. He had become betrothed to Mary in a binding religious ceremony, committing to her as his wife. Since the precepts of his time dictated a waiting period between the formal betrothal and taking her into his home as his wife, her pregnancy was a terrible shock to him. He had every reason to believe that his betrothed wife had been unfaithful. Yet, instead of bringing down the full wrath of the law on Mary, he planned to divorce her quietly. She could have been put to death for adultery, and Joseph, as heartbroken and mortified as he must have been, simply did not want that. What a gentle and kind heart he must have had. Are we as gracious and kind when we believe we have been wronged?
The Dream: Joseph was a practical man, a carpenter who made his living working with his hands. Yet, he was also a student of Scripture and a man of prayer. When the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, it might have been easy for Joseph to wake up and convince himself that he had not had a visitation from an actual angel. On the contrary, his heart and soul were open to the extraordinary possibility that the Scripture was, at last, being fulfilled. The more time we spend in prayer and in studying the word of God, the more ready we are to hear the Lord when he speaks to us. 
The Prophecy Fulfilled: It is hard to imagine the wonder and awe mixed with fear that both Joseph and Mary must have experienced during this tumultuous time. Joseph did exactly what the angel told him to do, despite the difficulty it must have caused him. There may have been gossip about Mary’s pregnancy. They faced the hardship of traveling to fulfill the census when his young wife was about to give birth. Joseph had a quiet strength and he drew this strength from his obedience to God’s will. As St. Teresa of Avila was to say so many years later, “I know the power obedience has of making things easy which seem impossible” (Interior Castle, preface). The consequence of Joseph’s obedience was the fulfillment of the prophecy; Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” 
Conversation with Christ: Lord, help me to keep you first in my life, to keep my focus on you. By reflecting on the amazing events surrounding Jesus’ birth and the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, my faith and trust in you are strengthened. You are my Lord, the author of my life. I surrender my life to you. 
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng 18 Tháng 12
Trong Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta được nghe kể là Đức Maria đã đính hôn với Thánh Giuse và mỗi người đang còn sống riêng trong thời gian tìm hiểu. Theo phong tục Do Thái thì khoảng thời gian tìm hiểu này là khoảng một năm, Trong thời gian đó hai người sống với gia đình riêng của họ, vẫn tách biệt không gần gũi nhau. Vì vậy, khi biết Đức Maria đã thụ thai, thì việc này coi như thể là Đức Maria đã phạm tội ngoại tình và phản bội Thánh Giuse trong thời gian của mà họ đang hứa hôn. Theo như luật Môisen, Đức Maria sẽ bị ném đá cho đến chết vì đó là hình phạt cho tội ngoại tình.
            Khi Thánh Giuse được thiên thần hiện ra và báo tín, ông ấy vẫn không thể hiểu được chính xác sự việc đã xảy ra là như thế nào, qua Chúa Thánh Thần, Thiên Chúa đã trở thành một con người trong lòng Đức trinh nữ  Maria. Tuy thế, ông vẫn chọn là Tin vào lời tin báo của Thiên Chúa. Trong bối cảnh và tình hình khó khăn này, ông sẵn sàng chọn tin vào Chúa mà không còn phải lo sợ. Ông đã chọn để nói với Thiên Chúa một tiếng “xin Vâng”.
            Câu chuyện giáng sinh của Chúa Giêsu bao gồm những người biết chấp nhận những sự may rủi trong Thiên Chúa, thay vì đồng ý với những gì vật chất mà họ muốn và có thể hiểu hay kiểm soát được, ngay cả Đức Maria và Thánh Giuse đã chọn để đặt niềm Tin vững chắc vào Thiên Chúa, ngay cả những khi họ không thể đoán được hay nhìn thấy con đường phía trước mà họ sẽ phải đi tới.
            Trong chính những khoảnh khắc khó khăn như thế, sẽ làm lòng tin tưởng vững mạnh vào Chúa của chúng ta được nảy nở và phát triển vững mạnh hơn. Lòng tin vững mạnh như thế sẽ làm hài lòng Thiên Chúa. Với sự hợp tác này sẽ đem lại những phúc lành của Thiên Chúa cho cuộc sống của chúng ta và phúc lành cho những người xung quanh chúng ta.
            Lạy Chúa, xin Chúa giúp chúng con không phải lo sợ và giúp chúng biết nhận ra tiếng của Chúa và tin tưởng vaò Lời Chúa trong cuộc sống của chúng con.
 
Reflection Dec 18
In today’s Gospel we hear that Mary and Joseph are engaged or betrothed. This was a period of approximately one year during which time the two people lived with their own families, still apart from one another. So when Mary is found to be with child, it appears as though she has been unfaithful to Joseph during their time of betrothal. The law prescribed death as punishment for adultery.
            When Joseph received the angel’s message, he could not have understood exactly how, through the power of the Holy Spirit, God had become a human being in Mary’s womb. However, he chose to trust God's message. In the midst of this difficult situation, he chose not to be afraid. He chose to say ‘yes’ to God.
            The story of Jesus’ birth includes people taking risks in God. Instead of agreeing to only what they could understand or control, both Mary and Joseph choose to trust deeply in God even when they cannot see the road ahead. It is precisely in such moments of vulnerability and deep trust in God that our faith grows. Such trust pleases God. Such cooperation leads to blessing for our lives and blessing for those around us.
Lord, help me not to be afraid. Help me to recognize and trust Your voice in my life.