Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 26 Thường Niên

 Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 26 Thường Niên 

Trong bài đọc Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta thấy những người muốn theo Chúa Kitô, Họ đã có được sự cảm xúc và sự thúc đẩy qua những lời giáo huấn và chính cuộc sống của Chúa Giêsu và họ đã theo Ngài và làm môn đệ của Ngài. Thật không may, trong khi họ muốn theo Chúa Kitô, những họ vẫn còn có điều kiện: "Trước hết, tôi phải chôn cha tôi"; "trước tiên, hãy để tôi nói lời vài tạm biệt chia tay với gia đình tôi." Ý chí của Họ đã bị cản trở bởi thứ vật chất, tình cảm bên ngoài đã dính liền mà không thể dứt khoát, hoặc là những nghĩa vụ mà họ nghĩ là quan trọng hơn. 
Chúa Kitô đã cho chúng ta thấy rằng đã thực sự theo Chúa Kitô thì không có gì quan trọng hơn nữa, và không thể để cho bất cứ một điều kiện nào được tiên quyết, "Hãy để kẻ chết chôn kẻ chết; Còn anh, anh hãy đi loan báo triều đại của (Nước) Thiên Chúa"; "Ai đã ra tay cầm cày, mà còn ngoái lại phía sau, thì không thích hợp với Nước Thiên Chúa." 
Chúng ta hãy cầu nguyện để xin Chúa Giêsu, người anh em của chúng ta, ban cho chúng ta những ân sủng này qua lòng rộng lượng chủa Chúa để chúng ta có can đảm để đáp lại ơn gọi này. Xin Chúa có thể soi sáng cho chúng ta biết ơn, trân trọng những hồng ân mà Chúa đã ban cho chúng ta và để cúng ta luôn biết tìm kiếm kho báu vĩnh viễn trong Nước Chúa. 

Reflection: 
In the Gospel reading we see people who wished to follow Christ. They were touched and moved by Jesus' preaching and life to follow him and be his disciples. Unfortunately, while they wished to follow Christ, they were willing to do so under certain conditions: "first, I want to bury my father"; "first, let me say goodbye to my family." They were hindered by other attachments or by what to them were more important obligations. 
Christ points out that the following of Christ was truly demanding and allowed no pre-conditions, "Let the dead bury the dead; as for you, leave them and proclaim the kingdom of God"; "Whoever puts his hand on the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God." 
The Church has declared 2014 as the "Year of the Laity." The Church reminds and encourages the laity who make up the great majority of the Church to fully live out their vocations as members of Christ's Church and followers of Christ. The Church reminds all of the primacy of our call to be "Christians" and to be "Christ-like." 
Let us pray to Jesus, our brother, for the gift of generosity and courage to answer this call. May he enlighten us to gratefully appreciate the many gifts given to us and to always seek for treasures which last forever. May we learn to use and value whatever we have always looking forward to the kingdom of heaven. May we learn to be generous in our response to Christ


Introductory Prayer: In you, Lord, I find all my joy and happiness. How could I offend you by chasing after fleeting success and lifeless trophies? I believe in you because you are truth itself. I hope in you because you are faithful to your promises. I love you because you have loved me first. I am a sinner; nevertheless, you have given me so many blessings. I humbly thank you. 
Petition: Let me willingly accept the cost of following in your footsteps 

1. Hidden Expenses: A would-be disciple of Jesus' boasts that he will follow Our Lord anywhere, whatever the sacrifice. Jesus' response makes us wonder whether the fellow understood what he would be getting into. Following Christ is demanding — and not always glamorous. We might dream of doing great things for Christ, but then find the day-to-day struggle distasteful ("the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head"). Unglamorous challenges take many forms. A new wife might discover to her chagrin that her husband can't handle finances. Or a parent with high hopes learns that a child has a learning disability that will limit her ability to excel. Or a husband takes a higher-paying job to support his family, only to find his new boss is a tyrant. Or a teen suffers ridicule at public school for her modest clothes. All these trials can be the cost of following Christ. What price am I willing to pay? 
2. Family Ties: Christ tries to dissuade another would-be follower from "burying his father." The man was probably settling his father's estate and getting too involved in family finances. Our Lord wanted him to cut with all that, immediately, and get on with the work of the Kingdom. Too often money matters distract us from doing what Christ wants. No wonder St. Paul warns, "The love of money is the root of all evils" (1 Timothy 6:10). Is money holding me back in my relationship with Christ? Am I working longer hours than I need to, just for the sake of money? 
3. Long Goodbye: The moment of decision had arrived. But instead of joining Jesus' camp, the would-be disciple felt the tug of family ties. As followers of Christ, we have to be willing to make a fundamental option for Christ — an option that by necessity excludes other paths. Does this sound hard? It should sound familiar. Think of the young woman who says yes to a proposal of marriage. She does so assuming that her beloved has long broken off other romantic relationships. Or take the student who decides to go out for the soccer team at school. He rules out spending hours of practice on the basketball court. By extension, if we want to follow Christ, why do we fritter away hours in activities that have nothing to do with our faith or the Church? Are there things I need to weed out of my life? 

Conversation with Christ: Lord, help me focus my energies better on you and what you are asking of me. Let me not be distracted by activities or material possessions or even relationships that aren't helping my spiritual life. 
Resolution: I will weed out one thing from my life that doesn't fit in with my state as a Christian. It could be a Web site, a subscription to a publication, an immodest piece of clothing, a relationship. 

REFLECTION 2017 
In the Lord's description of the three would-be disciples in our Gospel reading, the commitment of each is faulty because it has implied limits. These three, then, are examples of conflicting commitments. Each one professes a commitment "to follow Christ," but in a partial way or with a pre-condition. 
All of us have a call to follow Christ. Following Jesus is a life-call for all the baptized, to follow our brother, leader and Lord. All of us are called to live our following of Christ in whatever life or occupation we may have, at whatever age we may be, with whatever talents and gifts we may have. 
Following Christ begins with knowing him and trusting in him as God's promised Messiah and as our Savior. For it is by faith in him that we have our sins forgiven and we are helped by God's grace to lead a life prepared for eternal life. 
The Gospel reading today gives examples of those called by Christ to follow and be with him, as his apostles and disciples, as helpers and ministers in preaching the Gospel. For them, today's ministers and priests of the Church and religious, the following of Christ is their life. For most of us lay people, the following of Christ is living according to the Gospel values and prioritizing these Gospel values in our lives and careers, in our families and daily lives. 
The Kingdom of God is for all those who follow Christ's values in their lives, who lead their lives according to God's commandments. The following of Christ is living our lives in preparation for eternal happiness with God in heaven.