Bài dụ ngôn trong Tin Mừng hôm nay cho thấy sự tương phản giữa Thiên Chúa và vị quan toà hay thẩm phán lạm quyền, tham nhũn, chẳng khác gì thời đại của chúng ta hôm nay, Trong thời Chúa Giêsu các quan toà án thường được vua Hê-rôđê hoặc chính quyền La Mã bổ nhiệm, họ phải là những người con ông cháu cha, hoặc đút lót đẻ mua chức vì thế xã hội không có công lý, mà thường công lý đã được bán cho quan chức hoặc dân có tiền. Chỉ những người giàu có mới có thể mong đợi những phán quyết định có lợi cho họ. Còn bà góa nghèo thì chắc chắn là không bao giờ có hy vọng đạt được sự công lý một cách cộng bằng bởi vì bà ấy nghèo xác nghèo xơ. Nhưng sự kiên trì, khăng khăng đòi cho bằng được công lý , và bà đến toà án quầy rầy và làm phiền vị quan toà đến nỗi ông ta phải sợ bà ấy vì đã làm phiền toái và mất thời giờ của ông ta. Chúa Giêsu cũng cho thấy sự khác biệt giữa thái độ của vị quan toàn (thẩm phán) bất công với người góa bụa và thái độ của Thiên Chúa đối với các con cái của Ngài đang gào thét kêu xin Ngài ban cho sự công lý. Chúa Giêsu cho chúng ta thấy, nếu như vị quan toà bất công mà cuối cùng phải xử tốt cho người góa bụa vì sự kiên trì, dai dẳng của bà ta, Thì chắc chắn Thiên Chúa Cha là đấng yêu thương của chúng ta sẽ đáp lời cầu khấn xin của chúng ta là con cái của Ngài, khi chúng ta kêu xin Ngài ban công lý của Ngài cho chúng ta.
Bài học chính của dụ ngôn hôm nay, thánh Luca đã nói ngay từ đầu, là sự cần thiết cho việc cầu nguyện là chúng ta phải biết kiên trì, không nản lòng và mất niềm tin. Câu hỏi mà Chúa Giêsu đã hỏi cũng là một lời cảnh báo: "Khi Con Người đến, Người sẽ tìm thấy đức tin trên thế giới?" Thật vậy, Ngài sẽ tìm kiếm những người biết kiên trì cầu nguyện, vì đức tin của họ tiếp tục lớn lên và được trưởng thành mạnh mẽ. Để cho câu hỏi cụ thể hơn: nếu Chúa đã đến với chúng ta ngày hôm nay, Ngài có tìm thấy đức tin trong chúng ta?. Một đức tin được thể hiện trong sự kiên trì, không biết nản lòng, không mất niềm tin mặc dù Thiên Chúa đã không ban cho chúng ta những gì mà chúng ta cầu xin?
Đức tin không phải là một hành động của con người, nhưng đó là một món quà , một hồng ân của Thiên Chúa ban cho chúng ta, nhưng chúng ta phải chọn để giữ cho được những món quà, những ân sủng ấy. Đức tin đây là sự tin tưởng vào Thiên Chúa, tin vào những gì mà Ngài đã hứa ban cho chúng ta. Đức tin còn có nghĩa là tin rằng Thiên Chúa không phải quá yếu hèn để mang lại những gì Ngài đã hứa hay là Người quá hay thay đổi để không giữ đúng lời hứa của mình. Thiên Chúa đã hứa sẽ chăm sóc chúng ta. Chúng ta có tin vào Ngài? Đôi khi cuộc sống của thế giới hôm nay đã khiến chúng ta phải nghi ngờ, mất cả niềm tin Đôi khi chúng ta có cảm tưởng hình như Thiên Chúa bỏ quên hay không nhớ đến chúng ta, vì trong thế giới của chúng ta hôm nay đang có rất nhiều đau khổ và bất công.
Có phải thực sự chỉ có Thiên Chúa mới có quyền thế trên tất cả? Chúng ta tin rằng có. Chúng ta hãy tin rằng với khả năng độc lập của chính mình, chúng ta hiểu được và tin rằng Chúa là Thiên Chúa tất cả và có quyền thế trên tất cà mọi người và mọi thứ trên trái đất này. Lạy Chúa, xin cũng cố long tin yếu kém của chúng con, xin cho chúng con biết kiên trì tin tưởng vào lòng thương xót của Chúa mãi mãi.
REFLECTION
The parable in today's Gospel contrasts God with a corrupt judge. A poor widow goes to court to obtain justice. In Jesus' day the magistrates appointed by either Herod or the Romans were utterly corrupt. Justice was not given, it was sold. Only the rich could expect decisions in their favor. The poor widow had no hope of obtaining justice precisely because she was poor. But she insisted on justice and nagged the judge to the point that he was afraid she would do him physical harm! Jesus then contrasts the attitude of the unjust judge to the widow with the attitude of God to his children who are calling out to him for justice. Jesus asks, if the unjust judge finally gives in to the widow because of her nagging, will not God our loving Father answer the prayers of his children when they call out to him for justice? The point of the parable, Luke had said at the beginning, is the necessity of praying always and not losing heart.
The question Jesus asks at the end of the parable is a warning: "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith in the
world?" That is, will he find people who persevere in prayer, their faith continuing strong and sturdy, although it may seem as though God is not listening to them. To make the question more concrete: if the Lord were to come to me or to you today, would he find faith in us-that is, a faith that is expressed in not losing heart even though it may seem that God is not listening to our prayers? Faith is not a human action; it is a gift from God, but we must choose to hold on to the gift. Faith is believing that God will provide what he has promised. Faith means believing that God is neither too weak to bring about what he promised or too fickle to stand by his promise. God has promised to take care of us. Do we believe him? Sometimes this world causes us to doubt. Sometimes it seems like God is not taking care of someone. There is a lot of suffering in this world. Is there really a just God ruling over it all? I believe there is. I believe independently of my ability to understand.
Opening Prayer:
Holy Spirit, teach me how to pray today. Inspire in me those desires which you want to fulfill. Make my desires holy ones.
Encountering Christ:
1. Colorful Story-Telling: The images and words Jesus chose in this parable communicate to us not only the message that if we beseech God in prayer, he will listen, but they tell us something about the love of Jesus’s sacred heart. Jesus told the story in this colorful way because he was expressing a passionate desire to reach everyone—not only the well educated but the childlike. Story-telling can be very effective, and Jesus used parables to help us learn what is most important for our salvation. In this case, he asks us to persevere in prayer.
2. Persevering in Prayer: Jesus clearly wanted us to know that God hears our prayers. Yet, we sometimes wait… and wait... for our prayers to be answered, and our humanity doubts—we struggle, we get bored, we tire of praying. Let’s remember that we are not just praying to a corrupt human judge. We are praying to God and we need to respect his timetable. We won’t see the answers to all of our prayers until we meet him face-to-face—but our faith tells us that our prayers are answered! To encourage us, it can help to remember that when we pray, God has the power to reveal what is to come, heal our pain, enlist us to tear down demonic strongholds, overwhelm us with his presence, help those we love, counsel us on confusing issues, tell us what he thinks of us, forgive us, shower us with grace, and love us (Made to Pray by Chris Heinz).
3. Primacy of Faith: Jesus’s great desire is for us to have faith in his Father. In his farewell discourse (John 14:1-14), Jesus chose those moments just before his death to urge us to know and love his Father—to believe in him. Throughout the Gospels, the presence of faith enabled Jesus to heal and restore people, and when they had little faith, Jesus did not work mighty deeds there (Matthew 13:58). To have faith in God unleashes his power in us. “The disciple of Christ must not only keep the faith and live on it, but also profess it, confidently bear witness to it, and spread it…” (CCC #1816). Let us pray daily for an increase in faith.
Conversing with Christ: Since faith is a theological virtue that must be infused in my soul by you, I beg you, Lord, please increase my faith. Grant me a greater gift of faith so that I may “move mountains” (Matthew 17:20) for your glory. Also allow me, Lord, to have faith to know that you hear all of my prayers and answer them—especially those prayers I have been praying for years.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will review my prayers of petition and thank you for those I know you have answered.
Meditation:
What can a shameless and unjust judge pitted against a crusty and pestering woman teach us about justice and vindication in the kingdom of God? Jesus tells a story that is all too true – a defenseless widow is taken advantaged of and refused her rights. Through sheer persistence she wears down an unscrupulous judge until he gives her justice. Persistence pays off, and that's especially true for those who trust in God. Jesus illustrates how God as our Judge is much quicker to bring us his justice, blessing, and help when we need it. But we can easily lose heart and forget to ask our heavenly Father for his grace and help. Jesus told this parable to give fresh hope and confidence to his disciples. In this present life we can expect trials and adversity, but we are not without hope in God. The Last Judgment will reveal that God's justice triumphs over all the injustices perpetrated by his creatures and that God's love is stronger than death (Song of Songs 8:6). The just who put their trust in God can look forward with hope to that day when they will receive their reward.
Jesus ends his parable with a probing question for us. Will you and I have faith – the faith that perseveres to the end – when Jesus returns in glory to judge the living and the dead? Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to us. If we want to live, grow, and persevere in faith until the end, then we must nourish our faith with the word of God and ask the Lord to increase it (Luke 17:5). When trials and setbacks disappoint you, where do you place your hope? Do you pray with expectant faith and confidence in God's merciful care and providence for you?
"Lord Jesus, make my faith strong that I may never doubt your promises. When I face trials and difficulties, help me to trust in your unfailing love and to find joy and contentment in you alone."
Sat 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time ( Lk. 18:1-8)
“When peaceful silence lay over all, and night had run half of her swift course, your all-powerful word came down from heaven's royal throne”. These words from Wisdom sum up the mystery of the Incarnation. The Romans had imposed on the Mediterranean world a political and military peace, so that there was silence over the earth. But there was a much more important silence, the silence of Mary’s heart open to God’s call to be the mother of God’s all-powerful word made flesh. He would bring a far greater peace for his people: peace as a resurrection gift, bestowed from infinite and irrevocable love. Enlightened by the author of Wisdom, we could well reflect again on the Pope’s September prayer intention: That people today, often over-whelmed by noise, may rediscover the value of silence and listen to the voice of God and their brothers and sisters. We must learn from Mary. She has been described as “a woman wrapped in silence” and justly so. But the silence which wrapped her around came from that “peaceful stillness” deep within her heart and spirit, a silence which allowed no clamour to come between her and God.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, teach us that spiritual silence in which we may hear God’s word.
Encountering Christ:
1. Colorful Story-Telling: The images and words Jesus chose in this parable communicate to us not only the message that if we beseech God in prayer, he will listen, but they tell us something about the love of Jesus’s sacred heart. Jesus told the story in this colorful way because he was expressing a passionate desire to reach everyone—not only the well educated but the childlike. Story-telling can be very effective, and Jesus used parables to help us learn what is most important for our salvation. In this case, he asks us to persevere in prayer.
2. Persevering in Prayer: Jesus clearly wanted us to know that God hears our prayers. Yet, we sometimes wait… and wait... for our prayers to be answered, and our humanity doubts—we struggle, we get bored, we tire of praying. Let’s remember that we are not just praying to a corrupt human judge. We are praying to God and we need to respect his timetable. We won’t see the answers to all of our prayers until we meet him face-to-face—but our faith tells us that our prayers are answered! To encourage us, it can help to remember that when we pray, God has the power to reveal what is to come, heal our pain, enlist us to tear down demonic strongholds, overwhelm us with his presence, help those we love, counsel us on confusing issues, tell us what he thinks of us, forgive us, shower us with grace, and love us (Made to Pray by Chris Heinz).
3. Primacy of Faith: Jesus’s great desire is for us to have faith in his Father. In his farewell discourse (John 14:1-14), Jesus chose those moments just before his death to urge us to know and love his Father—to believe in him. Throughout the Gospels, the presence of faith enabled Jesus to heal and restore people, and when they had little faith, Jesus did not work mighty deeds there (Matthew 13:58). To have faith in God unleashes his power in us. “The disciple of Christ must not only keep the faith and live on it, but also profess it, confidently bear witness to it, and spread it…” (CCC #1816). Let us pray daily for an increase in faith.
Conversing with Christ: Since faith is a theological virtue that must be infused in my soul by you, I beg you, Lord, please increase my faith. Grant me a greater gift of faith so that I may “move mountains” (Matthew 17:20) for your glory. Also allow me, Lord, to have faith to know that you hear all of my prayers and answer them—especially those prayers I have been praying for years.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will review my prayers of petition and thank you for those I know you have answered.
Meditation:
What can a shameless and unjust judge pitted against a crusty and pestering woman teach us about justice and vindication in the kingdom of God? Jesus tells a story that is all too true – a defenseless widow is taken advantaged of and refused her rights. Through sheer persistence she wears down an unscrupulous judge until he gives her justice. Persistence pays off, and that's especially true for those who trust in God. Jesus illustrates how God as our Judge is much quicker to bring us his justice, blessing, and help when we need it. But we can easily lose heart and forget to ask our heavenly Father for his grace and help. Jesus told this parable to give fresh hope and confidence to his disciples. In this present life we can expect trials and adversity, but we are not without hope in God. The Last Judgment will reveal that God's justice triumphs over all the injustices perpetrated by his creatures and that God's love is stronger than death (Song of Songs 8:6). The just who put their trust in God can look forward with hope to that day when they will receive their reward.
Jesus ends his parable with a probing question for us. Will you and I have faith – the faith that perseveres to the end – when Jesus returns in glory to judge the living and the dead? Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to us. If we want to live, grow, and persevere in faith until the end, then we must nourish our faith with the word of God and ask the Lord to increase it (Luke 17:5). When trials and setbacks disappoint you, where do you place your hope? Do you pray with expectant faith and confidence in God's merciful care and providence for you?
"Lord Jesus, make my faith strong that I may never doubt your promises. When I face trials and difficulties, help me to trust in your unfailing love and to find joy and contentment in you alone."
Sat 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time ( Lk. 18:1-8)
“When peaceful silence lay over all, and night had run half of her swift course, your all-powerful word came down from heaven's royal throne”. These words from Wisdom sum up the mystery of the Incarnation. The Romans had imposed on the Mediterranean world a political and military peace, so that there was silence over the earth. But there was a much more important silence, the silence of Mary’s heart open to God’s call to be the mother of God’s all-powerful word made flesh. He would bring a far greater peace for his people: peace as a resurrection gift, bestowed from infinite and irrevocable love. Enlightened by the author of Wisdom, we could well reflect again on the Pope’s September prayer intention: That people today, often over-whelmed by noise, may rediscover the value of silence and listen to the voice of God and their brothers and sisters. We must learn from Mary. She has been described as “a woman wrapped in silence” and justly so. But the silence which wrapped her around came from that “peaceful stillness” deep within her heart and spirit, a silence which allowed no clamour to come between her and God.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, teach us that spiritual silence in which we may hear God’s word.
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