Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm tuần thứ 5 Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm tuần thứ 5 Phục Sinh

“Không phải anh em đã chọn thầy, Nhưng chính thầy đã chọn anh em.”

Sự lựa chọn của chúng ta để đi theo Chúa Kitô rất quan trọng, nhưng điều quan trọng hơn hết là sự lựa chọn mà Chúa hứa và cam kết với chúng ta. Chúa Giêsu yêu thương chúng ta bằng một tình yêu mà chính Ngài đã cam kết, vì vậy mà Ngài đã chấp nhận con đường Thập Giá vì chúng ta. Mặc dầu chúng ta vẫn còn thiếu kém lòng tin, và thiếu sự trung thành với Ngài, nhưng Ngài đã không bao giờ thay đổi tình yêu và sự trung tín của Ngài đối với chúng ta.

            Chúng ta được Chúa kêu gọi và chọn để theo Ngài, Ngài đã “xin” chúng ta thực hiện một sự cam kết với Ngài, đó là đáp lại lời mời gọi của Chúa. Ngài đã chọn chúng ta, và chúng ta phải đáp trả lại bằng tất cả tình yêu và cuộc sống của chúng ta. Chúa Giêsu nói với chúng ta là Ngài yêu thương chúng ta, và Ngài cũng “nài xin” chúng ta hãy yêu thương Ngài cũng như yêu thương những người chung quanh.

            Chúng ta hãy tạ ơn Chúa hôm nay vì Ngài đã ngỏ lời mời chúng ta đến với Ngài trong tình yêu và trong sự trung tín của Ngài. Chúng ta cũng hãy xin Chúa cho chúng ta những ân sủng để chúng ta có thể thực sự cam kết với Ngài.  Xin cho tất cả những gì chúng ta làm, là làm trong hành động của tình yêu, trong lòng biết ơn đối với tình yêu mà Ngài đã luôn tỏ ra cho chúng ta thấy được..

REFLECTION
Jesus makes this very clear in today's Gospel reading when he says: "You did not choose me, it was I who chose you." Our choice to follow Jesus is important, but far more significant is his choice to be committed to us. Jesus loves us with a love that is so committed, so dedicated that it takes him to Calvary for us. Our lack of faithfulness to him never changes his faithful love for us.

            The life of St. Mathias, the saint whose feast we celebrate today, also shows us that what matters most is the Lord's commitment to us. In the first reading, Mathias was chosen to be one of the twelve apostles after Jesus' death and resurrection. He was the replacement for Judas who after betraying Jesus committed suicide. The Apostles drew lots and he won. It was not exactly his decision. Mathias knew that he had not decided to be one of the twelve. He had been chosen by Jesus Christ.

            We are all called and chosen by the Lord. He asks us to make a commitment to him, but the commitment can only be a response to Jesus' call. He has chosen us, and our whole life is to be a response of love to that call. It is a bit like a wedding proposal. Jesus asks us, invites us and proposes to us. He tells us that he loves us, and he asks that we will love him in return.  Let us thank the Lord today for his invitation of love and for being faithful. Let us also ask him for the grace to be really committed to him. May all that we do be an act of love in gratitude for the love that he keeps showering upon us.

REFLECTION
To remain in God's love is a twofold process: we are his beloved, and we are called to love others as he loves us. It is crucial that we make an effort to remain in his love. When we are in union with Jesus, all our thoughts, emotions, intentions and actions are directed to him. His love is there, giving us the source of strength we need as we sustain and build relationships with those around us - family, friends, colleagues at work, our community. In psychological developmental stages, there is a stage of crisis between intimacy and isolation. Jesus' call to love is manifest when we are able to nurture healthy, loving relationships. When we are able to draw others (and sometimes even ourselves) out of isolation, out of our loneliness - we see the power of Jesus' love at work.

Oftentimes we have a lot of requirements when it comes to accepting God's love for us and sharing it with others. We would rather stay within the comfort zone of doing the minimum requirements as followers of Christ - loving only when it is easy and convenient to do so. But God's love cannot be contained within the parameters we set around it his love calls us to complete obedience to his will. The obedience that Jesus asks of us is not obedience to worldly rules, but to the Father who is pure, total love. Obedience means following his commandment to love others with our whole heart, mind, soul and self. A love that brings out the best in people, for God's love is perfect.

            With Jesus dwelling in us, we, too, must dwell in him. Dwelling in Jesus means that we are steadfast in our promise to walk with him, to journey with him. When we dwell in his love, there is no room for selfishness and pride, but there are wide-open spaces where faith, happiness, harmony, goodness, truth and grace can reside. Our union with him is intimate - we are embraced in his loving arms, we are invited to dance with him, to share in his joy for which we were created and which brings the deepest fulfillment to our lives. "To live  in Jesus" is to live in Jesus' love.