Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần 13 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần 13 Thường Niên

Đoạn Tin Mừng hôm nay đoạn cho chúng ta thấy được niềm hy vọng, vì Chúa Giêsu đến để kêu gọi và cứu chữa những con người tội lỗi. Người thu thuế Mathêô chắc chắn đã có thấu hiểu đưoơc về sự vô nghĩa của việc tích lũy của cải vật chất. Và vì thế ông đã từ bỏ tất cả để chạy theo và nghe những lời Chúa Giêsu giảng dạy.  Tất cả của cải vật chất trên thế giới và sự đam mê của chúng sẽ không thể đáp ứng cho con người chúng ta. Chỉ có Chúa Giêsu, Con Thiên Chúa là vị cứu tinh của thế giới mới có thể đem lại chúng ta những niềm vui và hạnh phúc nước trời.

            Lạy Chúa Giêsu, là Đấng Cứu Thế của chúng con, xin Chúa, sưởi ấm tâm hồn của chúng con với tình yêu vị tha của Chúa. Vì tâm hồn của chúng con đang mang đầy tội lỗi; Xin tẩy sạch chúng con bằng máu quý báu của Chúa. Va xin lấp đầy tâm hồn của chúng con với sự hiện diện của Chúa Thánh Thần.  Lạy Chúa Giêsu,  tâm hồn của chúng con là của Chúa; Xin Chúa hãy chiếm hữu tâm hồn chúng con và chỉ có Chúa mới là sở hữu tâm hồn con mà thôi.

 

Reflection:
Today gospel passage gives us hope. Jesus comes to save sinners. The tax collector Matthew must have experienced the meaninglessness of accumulating riches, exploiting others, etc.  He must also have resolved to amend his ways after listening to Jesus preach. The world and all its allurements cannot satisfy man. Only Jesus, Son of God and saviour of the world, can.

            Do we believe this?  Have you finally realized this? If you are still thinking that the world can give you happiness, true happiness, Jesus is coming to you and inviting you to change your mentality. Do not be like the Pharisees who were self-righteous and who looked down on others. Jesus is willing to dine with us even if we are sinners. Are we interested in dining with him or do we prefer the company of the devil? 

 

REFLECTION 2017

     There are two key points we could consider from the Gospel reading today.

     The first is how Matthew, the tax collector, was called by Jesus. Walking by the custom-house, Jesus sees Matthew, a tax collector, Jesus simply tells him, "Follow me!" and, without any hesitation or thought, Matthew "got up [from his seat at the custom-house] and followed him."

     Matthew's response was one of great generosity and trust in Jesus: what did Matthew know about Jesus? What kind of a man was Matthew? Except that he was named among the Twelve, there is nothing more about Matthew in the Gospels. Matthew wrote the first Gospel which was written in Aramaic. Tradition says Matthew preached in Persia and Ethiopia. He was martyred in Ethiopia.

     The second key point was Jesus' reiteration of his mission in life, "Healthy people do not need a doctor, but sick people do... I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

     This was a simplified statement of his mission, as compared to what he had read and affirmed from the prophet Isaiah, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and new sight to the blind; to free the oppressed and announce the Lord's year of mercy." "Today these prophetic words come true even as you listen." (Lk 4:18- 19, 21)

     Hence, we see Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners; we see him forgiving sin; we hear him give the parable of the Prodigal Son and the Merciful Father. We see him promising heaven to the good thief and praising the humility and faith of the publican in his parable.

     We thank the Lord for his loving mercy for all of us, sinners that we are.

 

Reflection:
“Come to me all you that labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest”. This quotation from Matthew's Gospel, chosen for today’s Alleluia verse, has been described as “the sweetest verse in Scripture.” Although this verse occurs in a later Chapter, the Gospel passage we read today illustrate how Jesus looks for and chooses those who labour and are burdened.
            As a tax-collector, Mathew was despised and marginalized, and the friends whom he could invite to dinner in his home were tax-collectors and those whom religious leaders looked down upon as “sinners” — ordinary hard-working people who did not know the Law as the scholars did. These religious leaders presumed that the people were not capable of living according to it.
            In spite of what the leaders thought, these poor people were probably living lives of quiet desperation, and striving to live as decently as possible. They came together in Matthew’s house to be with Jesus and would have felt something of the comfort of his presence and acceptance.

            Jesus, when we are burdened by the cares and worries of life and wonder where we can find God, draw us to Yourself for spiritual rest and consolation.