Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Tư Tuần thứ Hai Mùa Thường Niên

 Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Tư Tuần thứ Hai Mùa Thường Niên 

Trong đoạn Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đã dủ lòng thương xót đến người đàn ông bị tật. đây là điểm đáng chú ý nhất bắt đầu từ việc Chúa Giêsu đã chữa lành cho người đàn ông bị liệt (Marco 2, 1-12.) Điểm tột đỉnh tự nhiên của nó được trở nên rõ ràng trong ba cách. Thứ nhất, Thánh Marcô đã đặt nơi chữa bệnh là ngay trong đền thờ vào trong ngày Sa-bát, ngay sau khi tuyên bố rằng Chúa Giêsu là Chúa của ngày Sa-bát. Việc chữa bệnh cho người bị tật ở tay là bằng chứng cụ thể và khẳng định rõ ràng là Đức Giêsu là Chúa các Chúa, Vua của của các Vua trên thế gian này 

Thứ hai, không giống như đoạn Tin Mừng trước đó, nơi mà những người Pharisêu người đặt câu hỏi với Chúa Giêsu và họ đã tỏ vẻ khó chịu với Ngài, Và bây giờ là lúc mà Chúa Giêsu đã đặt ra câu hỏi nghi vấn cho những người Pharisêu và Ngài đã trở nên giận dữ với họ. Trong khi đối diện với những câu hỏi của Chúa Giêsu, người Pharisêu đã không thể trả lời được gì cả. Ở đây, Chúa Giêsu chứng tỏ cái uy quyền của Ngài, uy quyền của vị Chúa ngày Sa-bát. 

Thứ ba, sau khi Chúa Giêsu đã tỏ ra cho mọi người thấy được cái sức mạnh của lòng thương xót của Thiên Chúa bằng cách khôi phục lại hoàn toàn cánh tay tật nguyền của người đàn ông này, những người Pharisêu đã rút lui để tìm cách tiêu diệt Chúa Giêsu. Đây là cách Chúa Giêsu đã dậy cho chúng ta thấy rõ rằng cách sống của Chúa Giêsu là được dẫn đưa đến với cái chết 

Mâu thuẫn và thử thách sẽ đến với những ai muốn theo Ngài. Tuy nhiên, đấy vẫn không phải là một vấn đề khó khăn, chúng ta sẽ phải đối diện trong khi cố gắng sống với cuộc sống Kitô hữu, Chúa Giêsu sẽ hiện diện nơi chúng ta và làm việc trong chúng ta. Ngài dám đảm bảo với chúng ta rằng Ngài sẽ sẵn sàng đáp trả với niềm tin của chúng ta một cách quảng đại, Vì nơi Ngài, Ngài đã đến cho những người nghèo khó như một vị Chúa với lòng thương xót của ngày Sa-bát. Lạy Chúa, chúng con cảm tạ ơn Chúa đã cho chúng con thấy được con đường Chúa muốn chúng con đi. 

Reflection SG (2016) 

In the Gospel passage, Jesus’ mercy for the man with the withered hand is the climax of the section that began with Jesus' cure of the paralyzed man in Mark 2, 1-12. Its climactic nature becomes evident in three ways. Firstly, the Gospel writer, Mark, places this synagogue cure on the Sabbath, immediately after the statement that Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. The cure of the man with the withered hand is concrete proof of Jesus’ claim to Lordship. 

Secondly, unlike the previous passages where it is the Pharisees who question Jesus and become upset with him, now it is Jesus who questions the Pharisees and becomes angry with them. In the face of Jesus’ questioning, the Pharisees had nothing to say. Here, Jesus demonstrates his authority as Lord of the Sabbath. 

Thirdly, after Jesus shows his merciful power by perfectly restoring the man's hand, the Pharisees withdraw to plot how they might destroy Jesus. It shows that Jesus’ way of life is leading to death. 

Today’s Gospel narrative of the healing of the man and the conflicts that Jesus has with the Pharisees demonstrates that it is never easy to be a Lord of the Sabbath. Lord, thank You for showing me the way. 

Opening Prayer: 

Lord, I come before you as one who is lame. You see me—a beautiful being marked by the scars of life. I desire to see what you see and humbly rest in the certainty that you make all things new. 

Encountering Christ: 

1. A Withered Hand: When we think about the man with the withered hand, we can imagine a life spent alone, in misery, yet in need. He was an outcast because a deformed hand banned him from living a “normal” life. Years of living in a dirty cave or on the filthy streets begging for food left him a scruffy, soiled mess. If he was noticed at all by the onlookers, it was in disgust. While the Pharisees did not bring this man to the temple, they saw this man’s unfortunate circumstance as an opportunity to exalt their already self-inflated status. It seemed that they were more concerned about their reputation as “Teachers of the Law” than they were about personal holiness, because they disregarded an opportunity for charity by ignoring the need of a fellow man. How often do we find ourselves acting the same way? Do we set ourselves above the poor, the lowly, the lame? 

2. They Watched Him Closely: Why was this outcast, this social pariah, waiting at the synagogue where he knew he was not welcome? Surely he did not stumble upon there by happenstance. It was probable that he came week after week, seeking help from those who claimed to have the “ear” of God. The Pharisees certainly saw him, but they felt validated to avoid this man’s “impurity.” They were invested in stopping the threat that would expose their hypocritical righteousness: Christ. No man had ever exposed their hearts in the manner that Jesus so skillfully did. They should have been watching him to learn from him. Wasn’t that the reason why the man with the withered hand was there? 

3. “Stretch Out Your Hand”: Jesus always taught before he healed. Healing was the tangible part of his teaching. Jesus asked the man to stretch out his hand, and the hand was healed. Christ had no reason to ask the man to stretch out his hand. Healing wasn’t dependent on the man’s participation. Christ was teaching all who were present that the very thing which caused the man to be ostracized from society was a metaphoric sign of belonging. Jesus saw a man with a need, not a needy man. He welcomed the man, not the opportunity to outshine the Pharisees as “Teacher of the Law.” 

Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for teaching me the value of a soul. Help me not to measure by sight, nor to judge another based on my limited understanding, but to welcome all whom I encounter, in your name, for your glory. 

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will ponder your teaching, “Should we do good? Or should we do evil? Should we save life? Or should we destroy it?” and actively respond. 

REFLECTION 2018 

In the Gospel reading Jesus disputes with the Pharisees about their interpretation of the Sabbath law: "What does the Law allow on the sabbath? To do good or to do harm? To save life or to kill?" Despite the opposition of the Pharisees Jesus cures the man with the paralyzed hand on the sabbath: the Pharisees had hardened their hearts and were blind to the real intent of the Sabbath law. 

Jesus tried to reach out to the Pharisees and to teach them to be open­ minded to his teaching and actions. 

Are we close-minded to what God has revealed to us in the teaching and life of Christ? Or in the many happenings in our lives? Do we rely more on ourselves or do we live our trust in God? 

Finally we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Wed 22nd Jan 2014 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) 

Is it permitted to do a good deed on the Sabbath - or an evil one? To preserve life or to destroy it?” Jesus' question may astonish us a little; surely it is never permitted to do an evil deed? To understand Jesus' challenge to the Pharisees and so to derive some spiritual profit from it for our own lives of faith, we must try to understand a little of Hebrew thought patterns. In a world which was much simpler than ours, deliberately to refuse to do a good deed which one was quite capable of doing was the equivalent of doing the opposite evil deed. The Pharisees believed that Jesus could, and so probably would work a miracle and heal the man’s arm; a very good deed. But to do so, in the mind of the Pharisees, was to violate the Sabbath and so do something evil. 

Jesus’ stance was the opposite: not to heal the man on the Sabbath was not simply omitting to do something good; it was actually to do something evil. Hence he was accusing the Pharisees of expecting him to do something evil on the Sabbath. At the Last Judgment, Jesus condemns those who deliberately refuse to help others or care for them. 

Lord Jesus, may we never deliberately harden our hearts to others.