Suy Niệm Chúa Nhật thứ Nhất Mùa Vọng, Năm B

 Suy Niệm Chúa Nhật thứ Nhất Mùa Vọng, Năm B 

Hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đang khuyến cáo chúng ta là phải cẩn thận, mỗi ngày chúng ta đều có cơ hội để quan sát và nhận biết các biểu hiệu về sự hiện diện của Chúa trong cuộc sống của chúng ta. Khi chúng ta cố gắng sống theo ý muốn của Chúa, Chúa sẽ chỉ đường cho chúng ta đến với Nước Thiên Chúa. Chúa Giêsu luôn luôn nói trò truyện với chúng ta, nhưng vì bản chất sa ngã của con người chúng ta, nên đã có những lúc chúng ta thờ ơ và không chú ý đến Chúa và những lời nhắc nhở của Ngài. Chúng ta thường quá bận rộn với những lo lắng hàng ngày, lo nghĩ cách kiếm tiền làm giàu, lo cho sự thoả mãn cá nhân mà để cho chính mình bị phân tâm hết lần này đến lần khác. Chúng ta quên rằng chúng ta đang sống một cuộc sống tạm bợ và đang chờ ngày Chúa Giêsu trở lại và đón chúng ta về với Chúa Cha cùng với Ngài.
Chúng ta hãy đặc biệt chuẩn bị trong Mùa Vọng này để gặp gỡ Chúa trong khoảng khắc ngắn ngủi, trong lời cầu nguyện, trong việc tiếp xúc với những người khác mà Chúa đã đặt họ trên con đường mà chúng ta đang tiến bước, và trong những khoảnh khắc bất ngờ mà Chúa đã dành cho chúng ta, để chúng ta luôn biết chuẩn bị một tấm lòng xứng đáng cho Chúa trong dịp Giáng sinh.
Chúng ta hãy cảm tạ ơn Chúa Giêsu vì Chúa đã kêu gọi chúng ta đến với mối quan hệ mật thiết với Ngài. Chúng ta hãy cầu xin Chúa giúp chúng ta biết dùng thời gian đúng cách trong Mùa Vọng này, để chúng ta có cơ hội chuẩn bị, luôn biết tỉnh thức và chú ý cẩn trọng khi Chúa cho chúng ta biết sự hiện diện của Ngài.

Reflection
Today, Jesus is asking us to be Watchful, every day is full of opportunities to watch for signs of Our Lord’s presence in our lives. As we strive to live according to his will, he shows us the way.
The Lord Jesus is always speaking with us, but because of our fallen nature, we are not always paying attention. We busy ourselves with the day-to-day worries and allow ourselves to be distracted over and over again.
Let’s prepare in this special season of Advent to encounter him in small moments: in prayer, in contact with others he places in our path, and in those unexpected moments he provides for us, so as to prepare a heart worthy of him for Christmas.
Let’s thank Jesus for calling us into relationship with Him. Ask Him to help us to use this time of Advent well, so that we can be prepared, stay awake, and be attentive when He make His presence known to us.

Opening Prayer: Lord, as we begin this new season of Advent, awaken my spirit within me so that I may be ready at every moment to recognize your presence in my life today and every day.

Encountering Christ:
1. Pay Attention: Jesus had just given his discourse on what seemed to be the end of times, and his own passion and death. He does not intend to frighten us, but to call us to repentance and spiritual alertness. Jesus knows we can grow tired very easily....not just physically tired, but spiritually tired. Prayer can become routine--not a heartfelt conversation with him. As we go through the motions of our prayer, we might miss the movements the Lord wants to make in our soul. Jesus is inviting us during the season of Advent to regroup and “pay attention” when we pray.
2. Make Time for Christ: The Lord is always speaking with us, but because of our fallen nature, we are not always paying attention. We busy ourselves with the day-to-day worries and allow ourselves to be distracted over and over again. Jesus is asking us to be intentional in our prayer time, to cultivate an interior and exterior silence. For any task that requires our complete attention, including prayer, we need to create an environment that is conducive and aids our focus. Do you have a designated place and/or time for prayer?
3. Expect the Unexpected: Every day is full of opportunities to watch for signs of Our Lord’s presence in our lives. As we strive to live according to his will, he shows us the way. Let’s prepare in this special season of Advent to encounter him in small moments: in prayer, in contact with others he places in our path, and in those unexpected moments he provides for us, so as to prepare a heart worthy of him for Christmas.
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, thank you for calling me into relationship with you. Help me to use this time of Advent well, so that I can be prepared, stay awake, and be attentive when you make your presence known to me.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will examine my day to make note of all the times you spoke to me in prayer and through the circumstances and people I met today. Then, I will say a short prayer of gratitude.

Reflection 1st Sunday of Advent.
Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come. The Advent season reminds us that we are living in the end times. The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is for certain, the time of his appearance is not yet disclosed. The Lord's day of visitation and judgment will come swiftly and unexpectedly.
Jesus warns all of us not be caught off guard when that day arrives. It will surely come in God's good time! The Lord Jesus invites us to pray for the coming of his kingdom into our present lives and future as well. Jesus taught his disciples to pray "may your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10).
The prophet Isaiah tells us that God will surely reward those who wait for his visitation: Our Lord Jesus Christ, has entrusted us with his gifts and graces, his abundant favors and blessings. He expects us to make good use of the gifts and resources he gives us for his glory and for the benefit of helping and blessing others as well. He does not want us to use the present time we have here on earth in idleness or wasted living. He has work for us to do; loving, honoring, and serving him and loving, honoring, and serving our families, neighbors, and communities as well. The Lord Jesus urges us to vigilance and to active prayer that his "kingdom may come" and his "will be done on earth as it is in heaven". We are not only to watch for Christ, but to watch with Christ. The Lord Jesus wants us to have our hearts and minds fixed on him and his word. He wants us to be ready for his action and work of grace in our lives and in our world. He will surely come with his grace and saving help. The season of Advent is a time for rousing our minds and hearts for the Lord's coming. As his servants we watch for his will; continually seeking him. We watch for his word and his power that he may act now to save and to deliver. And we watch for his visitation; He will surely come again! Servants of the Lord rouse yourselves! Be vigilant, be alert, be "watchmen" for the Lord pointing the way for his coming. Let us ask our Lord Jesus awaken our heart and mind to receive His word and to prepare for His coming again. Let’s ask Him to free us from complacency, from the grip of sin and worldliness, and from attachments to things which pass away. So, we always be eager to receive His word and be ready to meet Him when He comes again.