Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần thứ Ba Mùa Vọng
Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, với câu
chuyện dụ ngôn, Đức Giêsu muốn dạy và nhắc nhở chúng ta là đừng xét đoán người
khác nhưng hãy nên chấp nhận những thách thức và hãy tự thay đổi chính mình như
Thánh Hồng Y John Henry Newman đã viết : "Cuộc sống là
những thay đổi. Để cuộc sống được hoàn hảo hơn thì phải có thay đổi
thường xuyên"
Một
đoạn ngắn tương tự như thế đã được phản ánh ngay trong bài đọc thứ nhất hôm
nay, trong đó tiên tri Xô-phô-nia đã tập trung vào Jerusalem và Giu-đa; thành
phố tội lỗi đã nuôi dưỡng những kẻ đàn áp, gây ra những bất công, những chống
đối nổi dậy và làm con người trở nên ô uế và tội lỗi. Họ cử hành nghi lễ tẩy
uế, như là một sự cuộc thánh hoá, nhưng chỉ là cái vỏ bên ngoài, còn trong tâm
hồn họ thì vẫn còn thù hận, ghen ghét baq61t tuân lời Chúavà không chịu sửa đổi
lối sốn hư đốn của họ vì họ chẳng có niềm tin vào Thiên Chúa, Đấng đã hướng dẫn
và dìu dắt họ. Ngược lại, những người đặt niềm tin vào Thiên Chúa là những
người có sự khiêm tốn và nhu mì (Zeph 03:12 và 13), vì họ biết rằng
niềm tự tin và sức mạnh của họ đã được bắt nguồn từ Thiên Chúa.
Xin
Chúa hãy giúp chúng con để chúng con luôn biết tiếp tục tìm kiếm sự hiện diện
của Thiên Chúa trong cuộc sống của chúng con bằng cách tự kiểm tra chính mình
thường xuyên cũng như chúng con luôn biết đổi mới chính mình để đón nhận Chúa
Giêsu vào tâm hồn của chúng con trong dịp mừng Chúa Giáng sinh. "Lạy
Chúa, xin Chúa đến hướng dẫn và dìu dắt chúng con để chúng con biết sống trong
cách mà Chúa hang luôn mong muốn."
During the Advent season, we are constantly
challenged by the daily scripture readings. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus
said that those who were despised, rejected and condemned by the religious
leaders, though they had said ‘no’ to God, they were repenting, performing
God's will and entering the Kingdom. On the other hand, the religious
authorities has loudly said ‘yes’ to God but never did what God said, so they
failed to enter.
Through
this parable, Jesus is speaking to us - reminding us not to judge others but to
accept this challenge and change ourselves. “To live is to change. To be
perfect is to have changed often,” wrote John Henry Newman.
A
similar message is reflected in the first reading wherein the prophet focussed
on Jerusalem and Judah — the guilty city which harboured oppressors, rebels and
defiled people. These people observed ritual cleaning as an external sanctity
and appeared to be pure. They failed to obey God as they had no trust in God
who had directed and guided them. On the contrary, it is the humble and
meek (Zeph 3:12 and 13) who put their trust in God as they knew their
confidence and strength were derived from God.
Let us continue to seek God’s presence in our lives by examining ourselves regularly as we renew ourselves to welcome Jesus into our hearts at Christmas. “Lord, lead us and guide us in Your way.”
Dear Lord, thank you for your word. Thank you
for sending your messenger St. John the Baptist to prepare the way for your
saving plan to take place. Help me to always seek to obediently follow your
plan for me.
Encountering Christ:
1. The Way of Righteousness: St. John the Baptist came “in the way of
righteousness” (Matthew 21:32). To become righteous means to submit to and
cooperate with God’s plan for salvation. Jesus tried to point out to the chief
priests and elders that John's preaching and baptism of repentance was part of
God’s saving plan. Because they refused to listen to John, the chief priests
and elders were not obedient to God’s holy will, and therefore not righteous.
That is why Jesus told them that they would not enter the kingdom of heaven
while sinners who repented would enter. These learned men would have known the
Psalm: “those who hate the righteous are condemned” (Psalms 34:22).
2. Filial Obedience: When we strive to be obedient to God’s will,
we walk in the way of righteousness. We want to say “yes, sir” to what God is
calling us to, but often we make promises to Christ that we struggle to keep.
When this happens, we can ask Mary to help us to answer “yes”–fiat–as she did.
When we are able to say “yes” to God and follow through on our promises, we
show that we are God’s obedient children, worthy of entering the kingdom of
God. Mother Angelica put it this way: “For all those who belong to the kingdom
of light were to be humble, simple, and loving children.”
3. Metanoia: Saying “yes” to God often means saying “no” to something
else; it involves change. Notice that the chief priests and elders refused to
change their minds and believe in John’s preaching of repentance (Matthew
21:32). All spiritual growth depends on metanoia, the transformation of the
soul, repentance. The chief priests’ and elders’ minds were closed. They could
not see God’s plan coming together right in front of them in John or in Jesus.
They were stuck in their own ways and in their own minds. They could not
repent. God continually calls us to metanoia, to deeper conversion and belief.
He wants to move us beyond our own understanding and bring us deeper into the
mystery of God and his marvelous plans for us.
Conversing with Christ: Dear Jesus, open my mind. Help me to be
open to your plans. Help me to be unafraid of deeper conversion, for I know
that it will only bring me closer to you. Help me to conform my will to your
will. Blessed Mother Mary, help me to say “yes” to God’s plan for me, you who
first said “yes” to Christ.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will pray to discern your will
for me this day and reply “yes” to whatever you are asking of me.
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