Qua Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta thấy trong cuộc tranh cãi với những người Pharisêu, Chúa Giê Su đã đặt nặng vấn đề công lý và tình yêu của Thiên Chúa như là lõi cốt chính của cuộc sống chung trong xã hội trên hơn tất cả bất cứ quan điểm cá nhân nào. Hòa bình và Pháp luật, Công lý và Hoà bình được kết nối không thể tách rời. Khi Luật Pháp bị chà đạp và sự bất công nổi lên nắm quyền, thì hòa bình luôn bị đe dọa. Những tiêu chí chính trị phải dựa trên những giá trị đạo đức, chứ không phải là do con người chúng ta tạo ra, nhưng chúng phải được công nhận trên sự bình đẳng cho tất cả mọi người. Nếu không có sự bình đẳng thì Luật pháp có thể được áp dụng theo hình thức của những người có quyền theo kiểu cường hào ác bá bởi vì luật pháp được lập ra vì những lợi ích của phe phái hay phe nhóm có quyền.
Hai yếu tố sau đã làm nổi bật vì chúng biến công lý không còn có ý nghĩa mà là công cụ̣ bất chính cho kẻ cầm quyền. Thứ nhất, "chủ nghĩa hoài nghi của hệ tư tưởng", làm cho lương tâm trở nên tồi tệ hơn khi tìm mọi cách để biện minh cho những việc làm bất lương của kẻ cầm quyền bằng bất kỳ phương tiện nào để đạt được những mục tiêu và quyền lợi phe nhóm. Thứ hai, "chủ nghĩa hoài nghi cùa trong việc kinh doanh (khai thác vô nguyên tắc các nguồn tài nguyên thiên nhiên), khi con người lợi dụng những tài nguyên thiên nhiên dùng quyền lực để thay thế Luật pháp.
Lạy Chúa, đạo giáo của Chúa Kitô không làm cho lý trí của chúng con ra mù quáng, nhưng xin Chúa hãy soi sáng cho chúng con biết dùng lý trí để mang lại sự hoà bình và xin đức tin của chúng con có thể lấy lại sự bình tĩnh cho lý trí bởi vì cuộc sống hiện tại luôn có sự bóp méo sự thật và kìm chế tư tưởng của chúng con..
Justice and Peace
Today, in controversy with the Pharisees, Jesus Christ places justice and God’s love, as axes of social coexistence by setting them above personal viewpoints. Peace and Law, Justice and Peace are inseparably connected. When Law is trampled on and injustice comes to power, peace is always threatened. Political criteria should be based on those moral values, not created by us, but recognized and equal for all men. Without them Law can be criminally used with factional purposes. Two factors of justice dilution stand out. First, the “cynicism of ideology”, which obfuscates consciences by justifying any means to achieve factional objectives. Second, the “cynicism of business” (unscrupulous exploitation of natural resources), where the useful also takes the place of the good and power displaces Law. O Lord, Christianity do not lead us far from reason, but illuminates it instead: make that to achieve peace, faith may calm down reason, often distorted by ideological tyranny.
Introductory Prayer:
Lord, I believe that you are present here as I turn to you in prayer. I trust and have confidence in your desire to give me every grace I need to receive today. Thank you for your love, thank you for your immense generosity toward me. I give you my life and my love in return.
Petition: I want to see my heart as you see it, Lord, make my heart more like yours.
Encountering Christ:
1. Falling into the Same Trap: Do we ever find ourselves rooting for Jesus in this Gospel passage? “Give it to ’em hard, Lord! They deserve it!” We imagine ourselves there in the scene—our arms sternly crossed, our heads shaking in disapproval of those oh-so hypocritical Pharisees. Soon our thoughts turn to someone we know who “should also receive a good verbal lashing!” Even a priest or a bishop might be the subject of our mental reprimand. In this second scene, however, Christ has faded or disappeared altogether, and we are the ones telling it like it is. Yet we now find ourselves right in the shoes of the very Pharisees we so deplore: Our hearts are embittered and dry. Although we are able to condemn with the Lord, we do not love with the Lord. We forget that Christ would lay down his life for these Pharisees he is calling to conversion—even if they were the only ones who needed to be saved. We’ve become like the lawyers who bind up loads of criticism, yet won’t offer a prayer of help. Pointing the finger is easy, but a call to conversion can come only from a heart that loves.
2. The Grumpy Catholics Guild: Is there anyone who can’t find at least one thing wrong in their parish or diocese? As long as the Church is made of human beings there will always be aspects to improve. One thing is to see, pray for, and help resolve these difficulties. Another matter is to dwell on them. That is what the members of the “Grumpy Catholics Guild” (GCG) do. They could be in the most thriving diocese in the country, in the most fervent and engaging parish, yet they have only negative things to say. This Gospel passage is the one exclusive lens through which they view everything. For the Rosary, members of the GCG pray the “Vengeful Mysteries”: Jesus curses the fig tree, Jesus clears the temple, Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus separates the sheep from the goats and sends the goats to “you know where”. Might I be an anonymous member—or at least a supporter—of the GCG? Christ used hard words, but they were only fruit of an intense love and longing for the scribes’ and Pharisees’ salvation, not an intense bitterness toward them. If I have any bitterness in my heart, I need to ask Christ for the grace to forgive and to forgive as Christ forgives.
3. Helping Hand: Our Lord was the greatest teacher, the great pedagogue of the fullness of life: the love of the Father. He knew how to bring souls along little by little, at their pace and to the extent they were capable. The way he dealt with the Samaritan woman is exemplary (cf. John 4:5-29). If anyone’s life could have been used by Christ as the occasion for a series of ‘woes to you’, hers could have served well. But that is not how Christ dealt with her. He didn’t heap opprobrium on her; rather, he gently brought her to recognize her own desire for the goodness and love of God. The same can be said of Christ’s treatment of the woman caught in adultery (cf. John 8:3-11). Because of his love, he forgave her and set her back on her feet. The opposite is true of the lawyers at the end of this Gospel passage. They would load restrictions, unwieldy responsibilities and weighty sacrifices upon the people, but would not reach out a helping hand to assist the people in carrying the weight. As Christians we are called to help illuminate the consciences of those around us so that they might have a closer relationship with God. However, if illuminating their consciences is merely our euphemism for “throwing the book at them”, we need to stop and see if Christ’s words don’t apply to us as well: “You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”
Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, at times I look at my heart and see that it is hard and bitter. It is ready to jump self-righteously at the first opportunity self-righteously to condemn someone else, but only so as to assure myself of my own moral superiority. Grant me a heart, meek and humble like yours.
Resolution: If I find myself thinking critically about someone today, I will pray for them and look for two good qualities in them.
Wednesday 28th Ordinary Time
Suy niệm lời Chúa Thứ Tư 28 thuờng niên (Luke 11:42-46)
Điểm chính của bài học mà Chúa Giêsu dạy chúng ta hôm nay là cốt lõi của giới răn Thiên Chúa đó là tình yêu thương, yêu thương là giới răn quan trong nhất, và yêu mến Thiên Chúa và thương yêu những người chung quanh là những người được tạo dựng nên theo giống hình ảnh Thiên Chúa. Thiên Chúa là tình yêu (1 Gioan 4:8) và tất cả mọi thứ Ngài dựng nên đuộc phát sinh ra từ tình yêu của Ngài cho chúng ta. Tình yêu Thiên Chúa là Tình yêu vô điều kiện và hoàn toàn hướng tới những lợi ích cho người khác. Tình yêu thương chân thật đều biết chia xẻ và nâng đỡ những gánh nặng của người khác. Thánh Phaolô đã nhắc nhở chúng ta như trong thư gửi tín hữu Rôma rằng "Thiên Chúa đã đổ tình yêu của Ngài vào lòng chúng ta, nhờ Thánh Thần mà Người ban cho chúng ta." (Rô-ma 5:5).
Mỗi ngày trong cuộc sống của chúng ta, Thiên Chúa đã ban cho mỗi người chúng ta những hồng ân của Ngài hầu giúp chúng ta có đủ sức mạnh để chúng ta yêu thương nhau như Ngài đã yêu thương chúng ta và giúp chúng ta dỡ bỏ những gánh nặng của người khác để họ cũng có thể trải nghiệm được ân sủng và tình yêu của Chúa Giêsu Kitô.
Reflection Luke 11:42-46
The point of lesson Jesus teach us today is the essence of God's commandments is love; love of the supreme good ; and Love God himself and love of our neighbor who is made in the image and likeness of God. God is love (1 John 4:8) and everything he does flows from his love for us. God's love is unconditional and is wholly directed towards the good of others. True love both embraces and lifts the burdens of others. Saint Paul reminds us in the letter to the Romans that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given us" (Romans 5:5).
Each day in our lives, God gives each of us sufficient grace in order for us to love as he loves and to lift the burdens of others that they, too, may experience the grace and love of Jesus Christ.
Petition: I want to see my heart as you see it, Lord, make my heart more like yours.
Encountering Christ:
1. Falling into the Same Trap: Do we ever find ourselves rooting for Jesus in this Gospel passage? “Give it to ’em hard, Lord! They deserve it!” We imagine ourselves there in the scene—our arms sternly crossed, our heads shaking in disapproval of those oh-so hypocritical Pharisees. Soon our thoughts turn to someone we know who “should also receive a good verbal lashing!” Even a priest or a bishop might be the subject of our mental reprimand. In this second scene, however, Christ has faded or disappeared altogether, and we are the ones telling it like it is. Yet we now find ourselves right in the shoes of the very Pharisees we so deplore: Our hearts are embittered and dry. Although we are able to condemn with the Lord, we do not love with the Lord. We forget that Christ would lay down his life for these Pharisees he is calling to conversion—even if they were the only ones who needed to be saved. We’ve become like the lawyers who bind up loads of criticism, yet won’t offer a prayer of help. Pointing the finger is easy, but a call to conversion can come only from a heart that loves.
2. The Grumpy Catholics Guild: Is there anyone who can’t find at least one thing wrong in their parish or diocese? As long as the Church is made of human beings there will always be aspects to improve. One thing is to see, pray for, and help resolve these difficulties. Another matter is to dwell on them. That is what the members of the “Grumpy Catholics Guild” (GCG) do. They could be in the most thriving diocese in the country, in the most fervent and engaging parish, yet they have only negative things to say. This Gospel passage is the one exclusive lens through which they view everything. For the Rosary, members of the GCG pray the “Vengeful Mysteries”: Jesus curses the fig tree, Jesus clears the temple, Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus separates the sheep from the goats and sends the goats to “you know where”. Might I be an anonymous member—or at least a supporter—of the GCG? Christ used hard words, but they were only fruit of an intense love and longing for the scribes’ and Pharisees’ salvation, not an intense bitterness toward them. If I have any bitterness in my heart, I need to ask Christ for the grace to forgive and to forgive as Christ forgives.
3. Helping Hand: Our Lord was the greatest teacher, the great pedagogue of the fullness of life: the love of the Father. He knew how to bring souls along little by little, at their pace and to the extent they were capable. The way he dealt with the Samaritan woman is exemplary (cf. John 4:5-29). If anyone’s life could have been used by Christ as the occasion for a series of ‘woes to you’, hers could have served well. But that is not how Christ dealt with her. He didn’t heap opprobrium on her; rather, he gently brought her to recognize her own desire for the goodness and love of God. The same can be said of Christ’s treatment of the woman caught in adultery (cf. John 8:3-11). Because of his love, he forgave her and set her back on her feet. The opposite is true of the lawyers at the end of this Gospel passage. They would load restrictions, unwieldy responsibilities and weighty sacrifices upon the people, but would not reach out a helping hand to assist the people in carrying the weight. As Christians we are called to help illuminate the consciences of those around us so that they might have a closer relationship with God. However, if illuminating their consciences is merely our euphemism for “throwing the book at them”, we need to stop and see if Christ’s words don’t apply to us as well: “You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”
Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, at times I look at my heart and see that it is hard and bitter. It is ready to jump self-righteously at the first opportunity self-righteously to condemn someone else, but only so as to assure myself of my own moral superiority. Grant me a heart, meek and humble like yours.
Resolution: If I find myself thinking critically about someone today, I will pray for them and look for two good qualities in them.
Wednesday 28th Ordinary Time
Suy niệm lời Chúa Thứ Tư 28 thuờng niên (Luke 11:42-46)
Điểm chính của bài học mà Chúa Giêsu dạy chúng ta hôm nay là cốt lõi của giới răn Thiên Chúa đó là tình yêu thương, yêu thương là giới răn quan trong nhất, và yêu mến Thiên Chúa và thương yêu những người chung quanh là những người được tạo dựng nên theo giống hình ảnh Thiên Chúa. Thiên Chúa là tình yêu (1 Gioan 4:8) và tất cả mọi thứ Ngài dựng nên đuộc phát sinh ra từ tình yêu của Ngài cho chúng ta. Tình yêu Thiên Chúa là Tình yêu vô điều kiện và hoàn toàn hướng tới những lợi ích cho người khác. Tình yêu thương chân thật đều biết chia xẻ và nâng đỡ những gánh nặng của người khác. Thánh Phaolô đã nhắc nhở chúng ta như trong thư gửi tín hữu Rôma rằng "Thiên Chúa đã đổ tình yêu của Ngài vào lòng chúng ta, nhờ Thánh Thần mà Người ban cho chúng ta." (Rô-ma 5:5).
Mỗi ngày trong cuộc sống của chúng ta, Thiên Chúa đã ban cho mỗi người chúng ta những hồng ân của Ngài hầu giúp chúng ta có đủ sức mạnh để chúng ta yêu thương nhau như Ngài đã yêu thương chúng ta và giúp chúng ta dỡ bỏ những gánh nặng của người khác để họ cũng có thể trải nghiệm được ân sủng và tình yêu của Chúa Giêsu Kitô.
Reflection Luke 11:42-46
The point of lesson Jesus teach us today is the essence of God's commandments is love; love of the supreme good ; and Love God himself and love of our neighbor who is made in the image and likeness of God. God is love (1 John 4:8) and everything he does flows from his love for us. God's love is unconditional and is wholly directed towards the good of others. True love both embraces and lifts the burdens of others. Saint Paul reminds us in the letter to the Romans that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given us" (Romans 5:5).
Each day in our lives, God gives each of us sufficient grace in order for us to love as he loves and to lift the burdens of others that they, too, may experience the grace and love of Jesus Christ.
Reflection 2018
Jesus spoke with so much emotion in today's Gospel reading. Woe connotes elements of sadness and anger. Jesus laments that people who should know better behave in such unloving manner. At the same time he is angry exactly for the same reason.
In Sacred Space, the author says that "Jesus is attacking a certain mentality which can all too easily be among us Christians and if we are honest, sometimes in ourselves. It is the scrupulous observance of even the tiniest regulations, not because it is wrong but because they by-pass the love of God which is what really matters."
God's commandment is rooted on love of God and love of neighbor. In essence it is life giving. Often it becomes a measure by which people regard each other. Following it to the letter does not guarantee one's goodness in the eyes of God. Such mindset ignores the fact that salvation comes from God's grace and mercy.
We also have to face the reality that as human beings we are all sinners. Accepting our sinful nature is the first step to conversion. For only when we see our sinful state will we be able to appreciate God's goodness towards us. Then and only then can we be thankful for this grace. Our response to His immense love will be our gratuitousness in the form of our love toward our neighbor.
The question now is, do we accept that we are sinners?
Reflection:
Have you ever found yourself making a judgment on another person and then realizing that you are guilty of the same offense? Probably not often because we so easily see the faults of other people but are very hesitant to admit our own.
When it comes to sinfulness and wrongdoing we tend to be demanding and harsh on others, but kinder and more considerate on ourselves. How readily we assail graft and corruption in government officials? And yet we are not unwilling to evade paying the correct taxes? When others curse or use foul language, they are foul-mouthed and boorish; when the same comes out of our mouths, they are harmless "expressions." The courts would easily condemn a cell-phone thief-snatcher but take ages to convict a plunderer.
In the Gospel reading Jesus condemns the Pharisees and the teachers and leaders of Israel for their self-righteousness and hypocrisy: they focus on externals and minutiae of observance of the Law and forget the Spirit and real purpose of the Law. They stress observance of the Law and forget about the people to be served and protected and helped by the Law.
How much of the Pharisees condemned by Jesus is there in each one of us? How much hypocrisy is there in us? How easily do we judge others? How much do we ourselves focus on externals? How often have we forgotten the spirit behind the Law and that the real purpose of Law is to help and protect real people?
Jesus spoke with so much emotion in today's Gospel reading. Woe connotes elements of sadness and anger. Jesus laments that people who should know better behave in such unloving manner. At the same time he is angry exactly for the same reason.
In Sacred Space, the author says that "Jesus is attacking a certain mentality which can all too easily be among us Christians and if we are honest, sometimes in ourselves. It is the scrupulous observance of even the tiniest regulations, not because it is wrong but because they by-pass the love of God which is what really matters."
God's commandment is rooted on love of God and love of neighbor. In essence it is life giving. Often it becomes a measure by which people regard each other. Following it to the letter does not guarantee one's goodness in the eyes of God. Such mindset ignores the fact that salvation comes from God's grace and mercy.
We also have to face the reality that as human beings we are all sinners. Accepting our sinful nature is the first step to conversion. For only when we see our sinful state will we be able to appreciate God's goodness towards us. Then and only then can we be thankful for this grace. Our response to His immense love will be our gratuitousness in the form of our love toward our neighbor.
The question now is, do we accept that we are sinners?
Reflection:
Have you ever found yourself making a judgment on another person and then realizing that you are guilty of the same offense? Probably not often because we so easily see the faults of other people but are very hesitant to admit our own.
When it comes to sinfulness and wrongdoing we tend to be demanding and harsh on others, but kinder and more considerate on ourselves. How readily we assail graft and corruption in government officials? And yet we are not unwilling to evade paying the correct taxes? When others curse or use foul language, they are foul-mouthed and boorish; when the same comes out of our mouths, they are harmless "expressions." The courts would easily condemn a cell-phone thief-snatcher but take ages to convict a plunderer.
In the Gospel reading Jesus condemns the Pharisees and the teachers and leaders of Israel for their self-righteousness and hypocrisy: they focus on externals and minutiae of observance of the Law and forget the Spirit and real purpose of the Law. They stress observance of the Law and forget about the people to be served and protected and helped by the Law.
How much of the Pharisees condemned by Jesus is there in each one of us? How much hypocrisy is there in us? How easily do we judge others? How much do we ourselves focus on externals? How often have we forgotten the spirit behind the Law and that the real purpose of Law is to help and protect real people?
No comments:
Post a Comment