Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần I Thường Niên.

 Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần I Thường Niên. Mark 1:29-39 

Trong cuộc sống trên đời này, con người không ai có thể tránh được tất cả những bệnh tật, đau khổ và những khó khăn trong cuộc đời. Vì thế chúng ta cần đến với Chúa, nhưng ma quỷ luôn ở bên cạnh và luôn muốn có sự ảnh hưởng trong cuộc sống tâm linh của chúng ta, nên chúng ta cũng cần phải biết khiêm tốn đến Chúa xin Chúa ban ơn giải thoát cho chúng ta tránh khỏi được những sự dữ. Tuy nhiên, trước khi chúng ta biết những gì chúng ta muốn, Chúa đã biết và sẵn sàng giúp ban cho chúng ta những gì chúng ta cần. Ngài chắc chắn sẽ nắm chắc lấy bàn tay run rẩy của chúng ta để cho những cơn sốt, những đau bệnh và sự dữ có thể trục xuất ra khỏi con người của chúng ta. Chúa vẫn vẫn còn đang tiếp tục sứ mệnh cứu chuộc của Ngài trong ngày nay. Nhưng điều này chỉ có thể xảy ra nếu chúng ta sẵn lòng để Thiên Chúa chiếm ngự cuộc sống của chúng ta. Và điều này chỉ có thể ảnh hưởng đến chúng ta nếu chúng ta bằng lòng cho phép Ngài ôm giữ chúng ta, và để Ngài quan tâm đến cuộc sống tâm linh của chúng ta.
Trong bài Tin Mừng, chúng ta nghe Chúa đã làm rất nhiều phép lạ và cứu giúp rất nhiều người khỏi hẳn những bệnh tật. Khi con người cảm thấy tuyệt vọng tột cùng, họ đã ngã mình xuống dưới chân Chúa để cầu xin sự giúp đỡ vì họ biết rằng Chúa luôn sẵn sàng ban cho họ những ơn mà họ xin. Tuy nhiên, nếu chúng ta cảm nhận được những “phép lạ” mà Thiên Chúa đã ban riêng cho mỗi người chúng ta. Những sự cứu chữa khỏi bệnh tật và chinh phục được những sự cám dỗ của ma quỷ ở nơi chúng ta chỉ có thể thành công tốt đẹp nếu như chúng ta biết thành tâm đặt niềm tin cậy vào nơi Chúa như một người bạn thân qua những lời nguyện xin trong sự khiêm tốn, Tin vào sự hiện diện liên tục của Đức Kitô ở nơi giữa chúng ta.
Chúng ta hãy cầu xin cho chúng ta được ơn biết nhận thức ra tình yêu của Chúa trong những nơi và những khi thật bất ngờ và trong những khoảnh khắc đáng ngạc nhiên mà Chúa đã tạo ra.

REFLECTION
As daunting illness enters into our reality, we imploringly pray for healing. When there are evil forces out there that seem to be affecting our balance, we humbly ask for deliverance. However, even before we know what we want, Jesus is already willing to give us what we need. He firmly grasps our trembling hands so that the fever may leave us. He places his gentle palms over us, and the tormenting voices are silenced. The mission continues even up to this very day. But this can happen only once we let him into our lives. This can affect us only if we allow him to hold us, to deeply care for us.
In the Gospels, we read about how he helped so many people in distress. When they felt that they were on their last legs, they threw themselves at his feet begging for help which he willingly offered. However, if we just let these miracles remain as words on pages, we can never truly experience his love being etched in our hearts. But salvation from sickness and conquest of demons in our midst becomes possible only with his touch of love and compassion. And this can unfold in the most subtle of ways – through the gentle and reassuring embrace of a trusted friend, from the inspiring conversation with an acquaintance, through the prayers sent over the internet — these are all humble manifestations of the continuing presence of Christ in our midst. Let us beg for the grace of awareness so that we may recognize his love in the most unexpected of places and in the many surprising moments he creates.

1st Week in Ordinary Time/ 1 Sam. 3:1-10,19-20/ Mk. 1:29-39.
Jesus is busy. Already, in the first chapter of Mark, people seek out Jesus for his healing, wisdom and peace. Amidst this busyness, however, there is something special: “In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.” (Mk. 1:35)
Although Jesus is God, he makes time to be silent and listen to the Father’s voice. This intimate time with the Father influences his decisions. After praying, Jesus decides to move on to the next town.
Listening for God, however, is not easy. Samuel will one day become a great prophet, yet today, even he has difficulty identifying God’s subtle voice.
So how can we hear God’s subtle voice in our lives? How do we know what the Lord would like us to do? Like Jesus, we need to make time for quiet. In silence, we can bring an important question to the Lord and ask for guidance. Then notice: what arises in my heart?
Often, the path God wants us to choose will bring peace to our hearts or a sense that Jesus is close to us. God sometimes speaks with words. Sometimes, God speaks through his presence and deep peace.
Lord, I long to hear You. Help me to recognize Your voice more clearly.

Opening Prayer:
Lord, bless me as I come before you in these moments of silence to reflect on the Scriptures. Teach me as you taught these listeners so long ago.
Encountering Christ:
1. Amazed by Christ’s Words: When Christ spoke in the temple that day, the Jews knew he was teaching in truth with authority. They were amazed, but they were unsure what it meant for their lives. Ultimately, as we know, the words of Jesus would revolutionize their lives—and ours. As we pray with these words of Scripture, are we baffled like the Jews were, wondering what needs to change, or are we overjoyed because we have encountered Christ and received the grace to know him and love his holy will?
2. Amazed by Christ’s Power: In this Gospel, we see Christ’s power over what is seen and unseen as he cast out a demon and brought peace to the man. There is no evil–seen or unseen–that Christ cannot subdue when we believe in him and accept his forgiveness of our sins. Yet, Christ awaits an invitation. He won’t barge in and take over unless we hand ourselves over in all of our weakness to the Great Physician.
3. Christ’s Identity: The evil spirit knew exactly who Christ was—“The Holy One of God.” In the face of Christ’s rebuke, the spirit had no choice but to obey the Son of God and come out of the man. No one else present, however, seemed to know Christ’s true identity. They had heard Christ teach and watched him work miracles, but they weren’t certain who he was. We, too, hear Christ teach us through the Church, and we witness miracles like transubstantiation weekly and sometimes daily. Yet, our understanding of Christ’s identity can remain a fact in our head and not a reality in our heart. Christ wants to be known and loved for who he is: the second person of the Trinity, creator, redeemer, and sanctifier. May we strive each day to better know and love Christ the way he loves each one of us.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for your word and your power. Deepen my understanding of your truest identity so that I may love you from the heart, with all my strength.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will spend an extra five minutes in silence, praying to deepen my love for you.