Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm tuần 23 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm tuần 23 Thường Niên
Bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu dậy chúng ta bài học về tình yêu thương, một tình yêu biết quan tâm và được thể hiện trong những việc làm. Trong thực tế, Chúa Giêsu đòi hỏi dấu chỉ tình thương yêu đó phải là một dấu chỉ tình yêu chân tình, thực tâm đối với kẻ thù của mình. Những người môn đệ luôn phải biết tha thứ và vui vẻ trưóc kẻ thù, không bao giờ nghĩ đến việc trả thù với những lời lăng mạ, nhưng hãy tỏ ra cho những người thù ghét mình thấy được tình thương yêu và sự tha thứ thật sự bằng với tấm lòng mà không đòi hỏi, không điều kiện hay không cầu lợi riêng cho mình. Điều này có nghĩa là mệnh lệnh của Chúa Giêsu là yêu thương, yêu thương cả kẻ thù của mình bằng cách làm những điều tốt cho họ mà không tính toán, không cần sự đáp trả trở ơn nghĩa.
Vì vậy, là môn đệ đích thực của Chúa Giêsu chúng ta phải biết sống vô tư, không tính toàn hơn thiệt và chỉ có tình yêu tinh khiết đặc biệt là vì lợi ích của người khác. Cũng vì chính tình yêu này mà Chúa Giêsu đã chấp nhận cái chết trên thập giá để làm gương cho chúng ta.
Đối diện với thử thách trong tình yêu này không phải là dễ, chúng ta biết đó là một cuộc tranh đấu rất khó khăn, chúng ta chắc chắn là cần phải xin ơn Chúa Thánh Thần giúp đỡ để chúng ta có thể vượt qua những sự gian ác trong lòng dạ tối đen của chúng ta để đem đến sự tốt lành, đem sự thù ghét đến với tình thương. Những gì Chúa Giêsu đang đòi hỏi nơi chúng ta hôm nay không phải là chỉ chú trọng quá nhiều đến tình thương yêu với đối phương, cũng không phải một tình cảm riêng tư, nhưng là Tình yêu của Thiên Chúa đang hoạt động thực sự nơi chúng ta. Với lời mời gọi sự tha thứ và sự quảng đại của Chúa, chắc chắn là chúng ta sẽ nhận được nhiều hơn nơi Thiên Chúa.
Chúng ta nên nhớ, đây là những gì mà Chúa Giêsu đã dạy trong bài giảng Tám Mối Phúc Thật ở trên núi. Vậy, chúng ta phải làm thế nào để phản ứng cho đúng với những thử thách này? chúng ta hãy tiếp tục xem xét cuộc sống hàng ngày của chúng ta để phát triển, vì đây là những gì cần thiết cho cuộc sống hàng ngày mà chúng ta cần phải tự cải thiện.
"Lạy Chúa, xin giúp chúng con học cách yêu thương kẻ thù của chúng con và cho phép người khác được phát triển và lớn lên trong Danh Chúa Giêsu Kitô Chúa chúng con..

Reflection SG
Jesus speaks of ‘agape’, a love of active concern that expresses itself in deeds of love. In fact, He demands a deep form of active love for one’s enemies. A disciple is expected not to retaliate insults from enemies but show forgiving love (v. 30). In terms of giving, he or she should give without reserve. Verse 31 is known as the ‘golden rule’ based on reciprocal relationship and even beyond this. This means that Jesus’ command to love one’s enemies i.e. by doing good to them without calculating the return of love even when there is no hope of any good act in return. So, true disciples of Jesus are selfless, disinterested and have pure love especially for the good of others. This is because Jesus himself by his death on the cross reveals this kind of love.
Faced with this challenge, we know it is a struggle to overcome evil with good, hate with love. What Jesus is asking us is, not so much to like the enemy nor a question of sentiment of affection but real active agape. The call to forgive and to give with generosity will receive more from God. We recall this is what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount or the Beatitudes. How do we respond to this challenge? Let us continue to review our daily living so as to grow because this is necessary or self-improvement.
The phrase ‘give till it hurts’ implies real ‘giving’. Let us like St Francis of Assisi, in his prayer of peace, take up this challenge to love unconditionally.
“Lord, help me learn to love my enemies and allow others to grow in Your name.”

Thursday 23rd Week in Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer: Lord, you ask a lot of us in these lines of Scripture. As I reflect on your words, help me to see where I need to grow in your grace. I am listening, Lord.

Encountering Christ:
1. To You Who Hear: Our Lord challenged his listeners to live radical charity, and he challenges us as well. How difficult it can be to love, do good, and bless and pray for our enemies! Yet, Jesus began his statement by saying, “To you who hear.” Those of us who hear Jesus and know him realize that he doesn’t ask more from us than we are capable of giving. We say with St. Paul, “I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me” (Philippians 4:12). Corrie ten Boom, a concentration camp survivor, was asked to forgive a guard she knew who approached her after the war. She wrote, “It could not have been many seconds that he stood there, hand held out, but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do… ‘Jesus, help me!’ I prayed silently. ‘I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.’ And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.” Corrie sets an example for us as she trusted in the goodness of God who gave her the grace to do this difficult thing.
2. Follow His Example: Our Lord draws our attention to God the Father, who he says is merciful and kind to the ungrateful and wicked. “Be like your Father,” Jesus says. In fact, “be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect,” Jesus says in Matthew 5:48. But Jesus didn’t just ask us to be good like his Father—Jesus showed us how to do it. He gave us beatitudes, the parables, and his life, lived in union with the Father. “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me....” (John 14:11). If we want to know how to be like the Father, we need only look to Jesus.
3. Rewards: To love our enemies is difficult, but Our Lord encourages us by pointing out the reward for obedience. “Love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High…” There is no greater reward on earth or in heaven than to live as a child of God. When we exercise the virtues of mercy, forgiveness, and non-judgmentalism, we become happier people. Our relationship with Jesus continually enriches our lives. And our eternal reward will be beyond our wildest imaginings. “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him…” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

Conversing with Christ: Lord, help me to keep my eyes fixed on you, especially when I am called upon to do the difficult work of forgiving someone. I want to believe that, by your grace, I build treasures in heaven with each act of love I share today.


23rd Week in Ordinary Time (B) SG 2018
Among the issues that threaten to divide the community in Corinth was that of food offered to the pagan idols. There were some members who considered themselves as ‘strong’ as they were more knowledgeable or enlightened when compared to others. In this instance, the 'strong' presumed they were superior in the way they thought about eating food offered to idols. To them, since idols do not exist, there can be no harm in eating meats which had been offered to them, or served at public banquets. Other members of the Christian communities, however, were scandalised at the participation of the ‘strong’.
Paul’s message to the Corinthians is clear. It is not enough for Christians to profess their faith in God, who is Father, and in one Lord, Jesus. This faith has consequence in one's acceptance of the sensitivities of others. No believer can give offense to others. God, who is Father, calls us to subordinate all things, including knowledge, to the reign of Christ which is love.
In the Gospel, Jesus highlights the point that the mark of a Christian is not just love, but radical love as demonstrated by Jesus and his heavenly Father. The test of discipleship which is the love of enemies makes no sense by earthly standard if it is not based on faith. More is expected from a disciple of Christ than mere niceties and good business. To be like the Father is to be compassionate, not to judge or condemn but to forgive offenses and to give without counting the cost, as God Himself as done. Lord, help me love like You.

REFLECTION
Christ's Gospel today to "love your enemy" is one of his unique sayings. It has no parallel in biblical or other Jewish literature of the period. But why should Jesus make such an incredible statement? Perhaps the answer lies in these words of Jesus: "Be you perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." That is why we must love our enemy. We have to do more than is humanly expected and imitate our heavenly Father, who loves both the good and the bad without discrimination.
But how is such a love possible? An important distinction is necessary. Love is essentially an act of the will and not a feeling. We don't have to experience nice feelings about our enemies, but we have to will at least their healing and salvation. On the cross Jesus showed how far we may have to go in loving our enemies. As he hung on the cross in agony, he prayed: "Father forgive them for they do not no what they are doing". What Christs saying is that we should in some way love those who hurt us, at least by willing their highest good, that we should take some initiative to reach out to them in forgiveness, instead of seeking revenge.