Suy
Niệm Bài Đọc thứ Ba Tuần thứ 15 Thường Niên
Nhiệm vụ quan trọng nhất của Chúa Giêsu là đến để hướng dẫn dân riêng của Ngài trước hết, như Tin Mừng đã cẩn thận chỉ dẫn cho các môn đệ và chúng ta về ơn cứu
độ của Thiên Chúa. Tuy
nhiên, Ngài cũng cảnh báo sự chối bỏ Thiên Chúa
và tội lỗi của dân chúng trong các thành phố Chorazin, Bethsaida và Capernaum. Họ còn không tin vào Thiên Chúa mặc dù Chúa Giêsu đã dành nhiều thời giờ giảng dạy và làm rất nhiều phép
lạ cho họ ở đó. Nhưng họ vẫn còn nghi ngờ và thờ ơ nguội lạnh với những lời giáo huấn của Chúa. Trong thời ấy, thuật phù thủy là một hành vi phạm tội sẽ bị trừng phạt bằng cái chết. Bởi vì đó là hành vi cuồng tín,
gây ra sự chống đối Chúa Giêsu và giáo huấn của Ngài. Vì vậy, Chúa Giêsu đã cho họ lời cảnh báo trước để họ biết ăn năn, hối cải, tránh xa đường lối và những sự xấu xa của họ.
Tội chối bỏ Thiên Chúa của họ còn lớn hơn cả
cái tội mà dân thành Sodom đã phạm và họ sẽ bị xét xử một cách khắc nghiệt trong ngày phán xét. Chúng ta hãy tự
xét mình và kiểm thảo cuộc sống của chúng ta mỗi ngày và nhất là trong ngày hôm
nay, chúng ta đã làm gì, chúng ta đã chống lại Thiên Chúa bằng những việc làm,
lời nói và sự suy nghĩ của chúng ta?. Tội chống lại Thiên
Chúa là tội chống lại giới răn thứ nhất và cũng là điều răn lớn nhất.
The mission of Jesus was directed to his own people first and foremost, as the Gospels are careful to show. Yet he warns them that their response will show them to be less than the pagans whom they despise. Matthew was primarily writing his gospel for Jewish Christians to whom it caused great pain that pagans responded to the Good News in greater numbers than their own people. This passage demonstrates that Jesus Himself shared their amazement and sorrow at the lack of response by Israel. Lord, grant us the grace to respond to Your Word always.
In both readings today we are reminded of faith and trust in God. In the first reading the prophet Isaiah reminds King Ahaz of Israel's covenant with Yahweh and that Israel must rely on the Covenant and Yahweh's continuing protection.
In the Gospel reading Jesus
denounces the cities in which he had preached and performed many of his
miracles. Despite his many great deeds, very few received his message and
repented in Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. Jesus tells them that, if his
great deeds and miracles had been performed in Tyre, Sidon and Sodom, the
people in those places would have listened and repented.
We may no longer worship false gods and images, as the ancient Greeks and Romans did; but we do have many gods in our lives such as money and success, power and prestige, the approval of others and our own self-esteem, sex and drugs; the list goes on. The evil one is very good in turning what may be good in itself into idols to replace God in our lives.In pursuing these, we may be shutting out the voice and values of Christ in our lives. Despite the many good things and talents God has given us, we can forget about him in our pursuit of these false gods and values. We can be so attached to our own will and "success" that we forget God's will and values.Let us heed the warnings in today's readings that we may discern God and his actions in our lives, repent and keep his commandments.
Miracles may be
often relegated to the realm of fairy tales and dreams, especially in the pragmatism
that surrounds modern life. But the truth is, they do happen on a daily basis,
but we have the tendency to be blind to them. More accurately, we have the
tendency to remain unmoved. A miracle is
actually what happens when we see the hand of the Divine in our lives. But it
is not a one way street. It requires not only God's intervention – it also
involves us, as witnesses, as believers, as persons changed by the realization
that God is ceaselessly reaching out to us through signs, big and small. People say
there can be no miracles without faith. But in today's Gospel reading about the
public ministry of Christ, the miracles were there, but faith did not follow.
To say that our Lord was frustrated would be an understatement. Jesus continues
to work "miracles" in our lives every single day, hoping that his
extravagant display of love will be enough to move us, draw us back to his
love, and transform us into the best versions of ourselves. We see many
miracles of God's grace in the kind people around us, in the loving parents
raising children, in the selfless works of charity and care of so many in the
world today. We see God's love and holiness reflected in the lives of many.
Tuesday of the Fifteenth
Week in Ordinary Time- Re proach for repentant
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, let me never tire in
spirit or become interiorly resistant to see where your love is calling me to
ask for your forgiveness. May my help and my salvation be always to lean more
deeply upon your mercy and to be more spiritually aware of what in my life
causes your heart sorrow.
Encountering
Christ:
1.
Repentance: Throughout
this discourse, we can detect in the voice of Jesus a note of exasperation. His
heart is lamenting the unrequited love of stubborn hearts unwilling to repent;
the ingratitude, indifference, and rejection of such hearts in this moment of
anguish. He finds no comfort in hearts who betray him and cannot see what
mighty deeds he has done for us.
2.
Rejection and Remorse: The spiritual battle going on in our hearts is real. There are
difficulties, struggles, and hardships that we have to conquer to be faithful
in courageously living for Christ’s Kingdom of justice and love. We are all
caught up in this drama. While following the Lord I have fallen and turned away
from him and resisted his will. At times, I have said “no” out of fear,
defiance, and greed. Lord, I come to you and humbly ask for your forgiveness
and mercy. Forgive me my sins. Do not let me turn away from you.
3.
Judgment Day: The
hour is coming, our hour to be welcomed into the eternal embrace of the Father.
It will also come with a settling of accounts where we will see the truth of
our lives in the full light of God’s merciful love. Jesus’s passionate
exhortation invites us to look into our hearts now, to imagine our final
reckoning. This practice can be a good remedy against any inclination we have
to pass judgment on others. It can help to soften the harshness or stubbornness
of our hearts.
Conversing
with Christ: Lord,
be with me throughout this day, guiding my mind and heart to see the wonders of
your actions, the great things you are doing in my life. Grant me the courage
to face whatever happens today by responding in a way that pleases you so that
I can see the Father’s plan for me more clearly. Open my heart and mind to be
attuned to your presence both within me and through those around me today.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace, I will
be quick to seek forgiveness of any fault or harm I may cause you or others and
I will make a special effort not to judge others, asking for your grace to
dismiss any harsh thoughts or criticisms.
For
Further Reflection: Delve deeper into the life of St. Kateri Tekawitha with the
Retreat Guide A Virgin’s
Courage, a free, do-it-yourself retreat available in video format,
audio, and PDF download.
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