Chia sẻ Lời Chúa: April 2021

Friday, April 30, 2021

Monday- Saturday 4th week of Easter 2021

Monday, April 26, 2021

Recognizing the Voice of God

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. John 10:2–4

Do you recognize the voice of the Shepherd? Does He lead you each and every day, guiding you into His holy will? How attentive are you to what He speaks each day? These are some of the most important questions to ponder.

Recognizing God’s voice is something that many people struggle with. There are often many competing “voices” that speak to us each and every day. From the latest news in the headlines, to the opinions of friends and family, to the temptations all around us within the secular world, to our own self-drawn opinions, these “voices” or “ideas” that fill our minds can be hard to sort through. What is from God? And what is from other sources?

Recognizing the voice of God is indeed possible. First of all, there are many general truths that God has already spoken to us. For example, everything contained in the Holy Scriptures are the voice of God. His Word is alive. And when we read the Scriptures, we become more and more familiar with God’s voice.

God also speaks to us through gentle inspirations that result in His peace. For example, when considering a certain decision you may need to make, if you present that decision to our Lord prayerfully and then remain open to whatever He wants of you, oftentimes His answer comes in the form of a deep and certain peace of heart.

Learning to recognize the voice of God in your daily life is accomplished by building an interior habit of listening, recognizing, responding, listening some more, recognizing and responding, etc. The more you hear the voice of God, the more you will recognize His voice in the most subtle of ways, and the more you come to hear the subtleties of His voice, the more you will be able to follow. In the end, this is only accomplished by an ongoing habit of deep and sustaining prayer. Without that, it will be very difficult to recognize the voice of the Shepherd when you need Him the most.

Reflect, today, upon how attentive you are to God in prayer. What does your daily prayer look like? Do you spend time each day, listening to the gentle and beautiful voice of our Lord? Do you seek to form a habit by which His voice becomes clearer and clearer? If not, if you do struggle in recognizing His voice, then make the decision to establish a deeper habit of daily prayer so that it is the voice of our loving Lord Who leads you every day.

Jesus, my good Shepherd, You speak to me each and every day. You are constantly revealing to me Your most holy will for my life. Help me to always recognize Your gentle voice so that I can be led by You through the challenges of life. May my life of prayer become so deep and sustaining that Your voice always echoes within my heart and soul. Jesus, I trust in You.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021 Learning the Language of God

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe.” John 10:24–25

Why is it that these people did not know that Jesus was the Christ? They wanted Jesus to speak “plainly” to them, but Jesus surprises them by saying that He already answered their question but they “do not believe.” This Gospel passage continues the beautiful teaching about Jesus being the Good Shepherd. It’s interesting that these people want Jesus to speak plainly about whether or not He is the Christ, but instead, Jesus speaks plainly about the fact that they do not believe in Him because they are not listening. They have missed what He has said and are left in confusion.

One thing this tells us is that God speaks to us in His own way, not necessarily in the way we would like Him to speak. He speaks a mystical, profound, gentle and hidden language. He reveals His deepest mysteries only to those who have come to learn His language. But to those who do not understand God’s language, confusion sets in.

If you ever find yourself confused in life, or confused about the plan God has for you, then perhaps it’s time to examine how carefully you listen to the way God speaks. We could beg God, day and night, to “speak plainly” to us, but He will only speak in the way He has always spoken. And what is that language? On the deepest level, it’s the language of infused prayer.

Prayer, of course, is different than only saying prayers. Prayer is ultimately a relationship of love with God. It’s a communication on the deepest level. Prayer is an act of God within our soul by which God invites us to believe in Him, to follow Him, and to love Him. This invitation is continually offered to us, but too often we fail to hear it because we fail to truly pray.

Much of John’s Gospel, including Chapter Ten from which we are reading today, speaks in a mystical way. It’s not possible to simply read it like a novel and comprehend all that Jesus says with one read. Jesus’ teaching must be heard in your soul, prayerfully, pondered, and heard. This approach will open the ears of your heart to the certitude of the voice of God.

Reflect, today, upon the mysterious ways in which God communicates to you. If you do not understand how He speaks, then that is a good starting point. Spend time with this Gospel, prayerfully pondering it. Meditate upon Jesus’ words, listening for His voice. Learn His language through silent prayer and allow His holy words to draw you to Himself.

My mysterious and hidden Lord, You speak to me day and night and continually reveal Your love to me. Help me to learn to listen to You so that I may grow deep in faith and may truly become Your follower in every way. Jesus, I trust in You.

Wednesday, April 28, 2021 The Oneness of God

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. John 12:44–45

Note that Jesus’ words in the above quoted passage start by stating that “Jesus cried out…” This intentional addition by the Gospel writer adds emphasis to this statement. Jesus didn’t just “say” these words, He “cried out.” For that reason, we should be extra attentive to these words and allow them to speak to us all the more.

This Gospel passage takes place during the week prior to Jesus’ Passion. He entered Jerusalem triumphantly and, then, throughout the week, spoke to various groups of people while the Pharisees plotted against Him. The emotions were tense, and Jesus spoke with greater and greater vigor and clarity. He spoke about His pending death, the unbelief of many, and His oneness with the Father in Heaven. At one point during the week, as Jesus was speaking of His oneness with the Father, the voice of the Father spoke audibly for all to hear. Jesus had just said, “Father, glorify your name.” And then the Father spoke, saying, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” Some thought it was thunder and others thought it was an angel. But it was the Father in Heaven.

This context is useful when reflecting upon today’s Gospel. Jesus passionately wants us to know that if we have faith in Him, then we also have faith in the Father, because the Father and He are one. Of course, this teaching on the oneness of God is nothing new to us today—we should all be very familiar with the teaching on the Most Holy Trinity. But in many ways, this teaching on the unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit must be seen as new and pondered anew every day.

Imagine Jesus speaking to you, personally, and with great vigor, about His unity with the Father. Consider carefully how deeply He desires that you understand this divine mystery of Their oneness. Allow yourself to sense how much Jesus wants you to understand Who He is in relation to His Father.

Prayerfully understanding the Trinity teaches us much, not only about Who God is but about who we are. We are called to share in the oneness of God by becoming united with Them through love. The early Church Fathers often spoke of our calling to be “divinized,” that is, shared in the divine life of God. And though this is a mystery beyond complete comprehension, it’s a mystery that Jesus deeply desires us to prayerfully ponder.

Reflect, today, upon the passion in the heart of Jesus to reveal to you Who He is in relation to the Father. Be open to a deeper understanding of this divine truth. And as you open yourself to this revelation, allow God to also reveal to you His desire to draw you into Their holy life of unity. This is your calling. This is the reason Jesus came to earth. He came to draw us into the very life of God. Believe it with much passion and conviction.

My passionate Lord, You spoke long ago about Your oneness with the Father in Heaven. You speak again, today, to me, about this glorious truth. Draw me in, dear Lord, not only to the great mystery of Your oneness with the Father but also to the mystery of Your calling to me to share in Your life. I accept this invitation and pray that I become more fully one with You, the Father and the Holy Spirit. Most Holy Trinity, I trust in You.

Thursday, April 29, 2021 Are You Blessed?

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter

When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. John 13:16–17

During this, the Fourth Week of Easter, we return to the Last Supper and will spend a few weeks considering the discourse Jesus gave that Holy Thursday evening to His disciples. The question to ask yourself today is this: “Are you blessed?” Jesus says that you are blessed if you “understand” and “do” what He teaches His disciples. So what did He teach them?

Jesus offers this prophetic action by which He took on the role of a slave by washing the disciples’ feet. His action was much louder than words, as the saying goes. The disciples were humbled by this act, and Peter, at first, refused it. There is little doubt that this humble act of service, by which Jesus lowered Himself before His disciples, made a strong impression upon them.

The worldly view of greatness is much different than the one Jesus taught. Worldly greatness is a process of elevating yourself in the eyes of others, striving to let them know just how good you are. Worldly greatness is often driven by a fear of what others may think of you, and a desire to be honored by all. But Jesus wants to be clear that we will only be great if we serve. We must humble ourselves before others, holding them and their goodness up, honoring them and showing them the deepest love and respect. By washing their feet, Jesus completely abandoned the worldly view of greatness and called His disciples to do the same.

Humility is difficult to understand at times. This is why Jesus said, “If you understand this…” He realized that the disciples, as well as all of us, will struggle with understanding the importance of humbling ourselves before others and serving them. But if you do understand humility, you will be “blessed” when you live it. You will not be blessed in the eyes of the world, but you will be truly blessed in the eyes of God.

Humility is especially accomplished when we purify our desire for honor and prestige, when we overcome all fear of being mistreated, and when, in place of this desire and fear, we desire abundant blessings upon others, even before ourselves. This love and humility is the only way to this mysterious and profound depth of love.

Reflect, today, upon this humble act of the Son of God, the Savior of the World, lowering Himself before His disciples, serving them as if He were a slave. Try to imagine yourself doing this for others. Think about various ways that you can more readily go out of your way to put others and their needs before your own. Seek to eliminate every selfish desire you struggle with and identify any fear that keeps you from humility. Understand this gift of humility and live it. Only then will you be truly blessed.

My humble Lord, You set for us the perfect example of love when You chose to serve Your disciples with great humility. Help me to understand this beautiful virtue and to live it. Free me from all selfishness and fear so that I may love others as You have loved us all. Jesus, I trust in You.

Friday, April 30, 2021 Overcoming a Troubled Heart

Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. John 14:1

In John’s Gospel, Chapters 14–17 present us with what is referred to as Jesus’ “Last Supper Discourses,” or His “Final Discourses.” These are a series of sermons given by our Lord to the disciples the night He was arrested. These discourses are deep and filled with symbolic imagery. He speaks of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, the vine and the branches, the world’s hatred, and these discourses conclude with Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. These discourses begin with today’s Gospel in which Jesus addresses the coming fear, or troubled hearts, that He knows His disciples will experience.

Let’s begin by considering this first line spoken by Jesus above: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” This is a command. It’s a gentle command but a command nonetheless. Jesus knew that His disciples would soon see Him arrested, falsely accused, mocked, beaten and killed. He knew they would be overwhelmed by what they would soon experience, so He took this opportunity to gently and lovingly rebuke the fear that they would soon face.

Fear can come from many different sources. Some fear is helpful to us, such as the fear present in a dangerous situation. In this case, that fear can heighten our awareness of the danger so that we proceed with caution. But the fear that Jesus was speaking of here was of a different kind. It was a fear that could lead to irrational decisions, confusion, and even despair. This was the kind of fear that our Lord wanted to gently rebuke.

What is it that causes you to fear at times? Many people struggle with anxiety, worry, and fear for many different reasons. If this is something you struggle with, it’s important to allow Jesus’ words to resonate within your mind and heart. The best way to overcome fear is to rebuke it at its source. Hear Jesus say to you, “Do not let your heart be troubled.” Then listen to His second command: “You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” Faith in God is the cure for fear. When we have faith, we are under the control of the voice of God. It is God’s truth that directs us rather than the difficulty we are facing. Fear can lead to irrational thinking, and irrational thinking can lead us deeper and deeper into confusion. Faith pierces through the irrationality we are tempted with, and the truths that faith presents to us bring clarity and strength.

Reflect, today, upon whatever it is that causes you the most anxiety, worry and fear in your life. Allow Jesus to speak to you, to call you to faith and to rebuke those troubles gently but firmly. When you have faith in God, you can endure all things. Jesus endured the Cross. The disciples eventually endured their crosses. God wants to strengthen you, too. Let Him speak to you so that you will overcome whatever is most troublesome to your heart.

My loving Shepherd, You know all things. You know my heart and the difficulties I face in life. Give me the courage I need, dear Lord, to face every temptation to fear with confidence and trust in You. Bring clarity to my mind and peace to my troubled heart. Jesus, I trust in You.

Saturday, May 1, 2021

The Ordinary Path to the Extraordinary

Optional Memorial of Saint Joseph the Worker, May 1

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son? Matthew 13:54–55

On December 8, 2020, Pope Francis announced the beginning of the universal celebration of the “Year of Saint Joseph,” which will conclude on December 8, 2021. He introduced this year with an Apostolic Letter entitled “With a Father’s Heart.” In the introduction to that letter, the Holy Father said, “Each of us can discover in Joseph—the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence—an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble.”

The Gospel above, taken from the readings for this memorial, point to the fact that Jesus was “the carpenter’s son.” Joseph was a worker. He worked with his hands as a carpenter so as to provide for the daily needs of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Son of God. He provided them with a home, with food, and with the other daily necessities of life. Joseph also protected them both by following the various messages of the angel of God who spoke to him in his dreams. Joseph fulfilled his duties in life in a quiet and hidden way, serving in his role as father, spouse and worker. Though Joseph is universally recognized and honored today within our Church and even as a prominent historical world figure, during his lifetime he would have been a man who was largely unnoticed. He would have been seen as an ordinary man doing his ordinary duty. But in many ways, that is what makes Saint Joseph an ideal man to imitate and a source of inspiration. Very few people are called to serve others in the spotlight. Very few people are publicly praised for their day-to-day duties. Parents, especially, are often greatly unappreciated. For that reason, the life of Saint Joseph, this humble and hidden life lived out in Nazareth, provides most people with inspiration for their own daily lives.

If your life is somewhat monotonous, hidden, unappreciated by the masses, tedious, and even boring at times, then look to Saint Joseph for inspiration. Today’s memorial especially honors Joseph as a man who worked. And his work was quite ordinary. But holiness is especially found in the ordinary parts of our daily lives. Choosing to serve, day in and day out, with little or no earthly accolades, is a service of love, an imitation of the life of Saint Joseph, and a source of your own holiness in life. Do not underestimate the importance of serving in these and other ordinary and hidden ways.

Reflect, today, upon the ordinary and “unremarkable” daily life of Saint Joseph. If you find that your life is similar to what he would have experienced as a worker, a spouse and a father, then rejoice in that fact. Rejoice in the fact that you are also called to a life of extraordinary holiness through the ordinary duties of daily life. Do them well. Do them with love. And do them in inspiration of Saint Joseph and his spouse, the Blessed Virgin Mary who would have shared in this ordinary day-to-day life. Know that what you do each and every day, when it is done out of love and service of others, is the surest path to holiness of life for you.

My Jesus, Son of the carpenter, I thank You for the gift and inspiration of Your earthly father, Saint Joseph. I thank You for his ordinary life lived with great love and responsibility. Help me to imitate his life by fulfilling my daily duties of work and service well. May I recognize in the life of Saint Joseph, an ideal model for my own holiness of life. Saint Joseph the Worker, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.

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Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ bốn Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ bốn Phục Sinh

Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu nói rõ cho chúng ta biết rằng Chính là Chúa Cha, Đấng đã sai và chúc lành cho Ngài để làm những việc tốt lành. Ngài cũng nói rằng nhiệm vụ của Ngài là đến với thế gian này là để làm những gì mà Chúa Cha đã sai Ngài đến để làm.

Và đối với các thánh cũng thế. Thánh George là một quan lớn trong quân đội La Mã, nhưng sau khi ông được rửa tội và theo Thiên Chúa, ông đã lập tức từ bỏ tất cả của cải trần thế của mình và ông đã bố thí tất cả những gì ông có cho người nghèo. Ông rời bỏ quân đội và sau đó, ông đã đứng lên làm chứng nhân cho Chúa Kitô và đã chết vì đức tin cho Chúa Kitô. Từ cái chết can đảm, dũng khí của ông đã khuyến khích rất nhiều người khác dám chết cho Chúa. Ai đã làm cho Thánh George có đủ can đảm để làm tất cả những điều này? Chính Chúa Giêsu, Người Thầy và là đấng Cứu rỗi của ông ta.

Thánh Adalbert là một người ngoại giáo đã theo đạo Công giáo. Ông trở thành Giám Mục Prague (Thủ đô Tiệp) và ông đã truyền bá Tin Mừng cho người Ba Lan và Hungary. Ông gặp phải nhiều sự chống đối, và cuối cùng ông đã phải chịu tử đạo trong khi cố gắng để rao giảng Tin Mừng cho quân Phổ ở vùng Baltic và kêu gọi họ trở lại. Thánh Adalbert cũng đã lắng nghe tiếng của Thiên Chúa khi ông làm những công việc truyền bá phúc âm của mình.

Chúng ta có nghe tiếng nói của Thiên Chúa trong cuộc sống của chúng ta? Sau khi Ngài đã giúp chúng ta phân loại và nhận định đâu cuộc sống không có mục đích của chúng ta. Đôi khi Ngài cũng đã còn mời gọi một số người trong chúng ta làm việc cho Ngài còn nhiều hơn . Chúng ta đã có bao giờ nghe thấy tiếng gọi ấy?. Xin Chúa Thánh Thần mở long trí và giúp chúng biết nghe tiến Chúa.

Reflection Saturday April 2016 4th Week of Easter

In the Gospel reading, Jesus says clearly that it is the Father who enables him to do good works. He also says that his mission is to do what the Father tells him to do.

This is also true for the saints. St. George was a tribune in the Roman army when he converted to Christianity. Immediately he gave up all his worldly possessions and gave them to the poor. He left the army and was subsequently martyred for standing up for the faith. His death inspired many others to die for the Lord. Who inspired St. George to do all this? Obviously, the Lord, his Master and Savior.

St. Adalbert was a pagan convert to Catholicism. He became the Bishop of Prague and he evangelized the Poles and Hungarians. Encountering much opposition, he was martyred trying to convert the Baltic Prussians. St. Adalbert also listened to the voice of God when doing his evangelical work.

Have you heard the voice of God in your life? After He helps sort out our aimless lives, sometimes He invites some of us to do more for Him. Have you heard this calling?

Opening Prayer:

Here we are, Lord, on the first day of May, the month of Mary, on the first Saturday of the month, Mary’s Saturday, in the year of St. Joseph, during the Easter season. Could this moment be more spiritually rich? Bless me as I listen for your voice while I pray over these words of Scripture.

Encountering Christ:

1. God Bless Philip: Even though he accompanied Jesus for quite some time, Philip still missed an important truth about his master—that the Father and Jesus are one. Yet, Philip spoke from his heart when he begged, “Show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Like Philip, many of us are “seasoned followers of Christ,” having been with him for years in our vocations as priests, consecrated persons, or lay men and women. Like Philip, we often misunderstand Jesus when he reveals something of himself to us, even if we should know better. Philip teaches us that when we ask Jesus sincerely for clarification or greater insight, Jesus answers us. We have this beautiful description of Jesus’s relationship with the Father because Philip asked to see and understand.

2. Doing His Works: Once more, Jesus tells us in these lines of Scripture that by faith we can work miracles. “Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these.” If we’re not doing miracles or witnessing them, the fault lies with us. Perhaps our faith is too weak. Perhaps we haven’t discerned when miracles are called for. Perhaps we aren’t ready to give Jesus all the credit. Or maybe we fail to see miracles for what they are. Is there any greater miracle than to see the light of Christ sparkle in someone’s eyes for the first time as you witness about him? Lectors, eucharistic ministers, and church musicians can be miracle workers, bringing the word to life in people’s souls by their ministries. Healing miracles happen through healing services or by our own intercessory prayers. We are miracle workers every time we act according to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, for we become Christ’s hands and feet for the good of our neighbor.

3. Asking: Jesus told us that if we ask anything of him in his name, he will do it. What a promise! How often do we trust the Lord with our heart’s greatest desires? We think, “I want to be a saint” or “I want the conversion of my fallen-away children.” These things are certainly at the top of our list, but are they truly our greatest desires? Maybe we want to be hugged? Loved? Understood? Do we long for companionship? Physical healing? When we ask the Lord to reveal to us what our greatest desires are, the answers may surprise us. Our Lord knows what we want, so let’s have the courage to tell him the truth from the depths of our hearts. We take these things to Jesus and trust that he hears us and is working on it. And we say with St. Therese of Lisieux, “I am certain... that you will grant my desires; I know it, O my God!”

Conversing with Christ:

Lord, thank you for this month of May to honor your mother and mine. Blessed Mother, watch over the souls entrusted to me. Ask your Son to please increase my faith so that I may be pleasing to him and humbly, obediently, do all that he asks of me. Like St. Therese, I am certain that Jesus knows my heart’s desires and hears and answers my prayers.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will spend ten minutes in intercessory prayer, confident that you hear and answer my prayers.

Saturday 23rd April 2016 4th Week of Easter

Prepare the way of the Lord. Make the pathway level and smooth. Fill in the valleys and lower the mountains so that the way may be easily accessible for everyone. The construction is not finished yet! Clearly there have always been difficulties in preparing the way of the Lord. Whether it is a lack of understanding like on the part of Phillip or the petty jealousy which causes the message of Paul and Barnabas to be rejected without a real hearing, the path to the kingdom is fraught with obstacles and pitfalls and trials.

Where do we begin? We begin at the beginning: with ourselves. Is the person we see in the mirror someone in whom and through whom the Light of the world shines? Are we a means of salvation for one another? Or do we somehow or sometimes obscure the light with our pettiness or some other sin? Do we find our way to the Father through Jesus? Can we see Jesus in the faces of our sisters and brothers?

Perhaps the first thing we need to ask the Father in Jesus’ name is to remove any blindness in us, any unbelief and any pettiness so we can fully receive and embody the good news and glorify the Father through our lives. Being a disciple and preparing the way has never been easy but with God’s grace we may be filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit even in the face of obstacles and rejection and ignorance. Lord, to have seen You is to have seen the Father. Amen.

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Fourth Week of Easter 2021

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Laying Down Your Life

Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year B)—Good Shepherd Sunday

Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.” John 10:11

Traditionally, this Fourth Sunday of Easter is called “Good Shepherd Sunday.” This is because the readings for this Sunday from all three liturgical years come from the tenth chapter of John’s Gospel in which Jesus teaches clearly and repeatedly about His role of being the Good Shepherd. What does it mean to be a shepherd? More specifically, how is it that Jesus most perfectly acts as the Good Shepherd of us all?

The image of Jesus being a shepherd is an endearing image. Many artists have shown Jesus as a gentle and kind man holding a sheep in His arms or on His shoulders. In part, it is this holy image that we put before our mind’s eye to ponder today. This is an inviting image and one that helps us to turn to our Lord, as a child would turn to a parent in need. But though this gentle and endearing image of Jesus as a shepherd is quite inviting, there are other aspects of His role as Shepherd that should also be considered.

The Gospel quoted above gives us the heart of Jesus’ definition of the most important quality of a good shepherd. He is one who “lays down his life for the sheep.” He is one who is willing to suffer, out of love, for those entrusted to his care. He is one who chooses the life of the sheep over his own life. At the heart of this teaching is sacrifice. A shepherd is sacrificial. And being sacrificial is the truest and most accurate definition of love.

Though Jesus is the “Good Shepherd” Who gave His life for us all, we must also daily strive to imitate His sacrificial love for others. We must be Christ, the Good Shepherd, to others every day. And the way we do this is by looking for ways to lay our lives down for others, putting them first, overcoming every selfish tendency, and serving them with our lives. Love is not only experiencing endearing and heartwarming moments with others; first and foremost, love is about being sacrificial.

Reflect, today, upon these two images of Jesus the Good Shepherd. First, ponder the tender and gentle Lord Who welcomes you and cares for you in a holy, compassionate, and endearing way. But then turn your eyes to the Crucifixion. Our Good Shepherd did, indeed, give His life for us all. His shepherding love led Him to suffer greatly and to lay His life down so that we could be saved. Jesus was not afraid to die for us, because His love was perfect. We are the ones who matter to Him, and He was willing to do anything necessary to love us, including sacrificing His life out of love. Ponder this most holy and pure sacrificial love and strive to more fully offer this same love to all those whom you are called to love.

Jesus our Good Shepherd, I thank You profoundly for loving me to the point of sacrificing Your life on the Cross. You love me not only with the utmost tenderness and compassion but also in a sacrificial and selfless way. As I receive Your divine love, dear Lord, help me to also imitate Your love and to sacrifice my life for others. Jesus, my Good Shepherd, I trust in You.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần thứ Tư Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần thứ Tư Phục Sinh

Con người làm nhiều việc khủng khiếp vì sợ hãi, sự thiếu hiểu biết, và vì tội lỗi. Cho đến ngày nay, con người chúng ta vẫn tiếp tục làm nhiều điều tiêu cực. Trong những lời rao truyền về sự đau khổ, và cái chết nhục nhã của Chúa Giêsu trên Thập Giá, Thánh Phêrô không bao giờ khiển trách người Do Thái về những sự bạo hành đó, ông chỉ nói đến sự vui mừng vì Thiên Chúa đã làm cho Đức Giêsu được sống lại từ cõi chết và tôn vinh Ngài. Thiên Chúa luôn luôn là sức mạnh và còn mạnh hơn cả tội lỗi và sự sợ hãi của chúng ta, và Thiên Chúa sẽ luôn luôn tìm cách để giáo huấn chúng ta biết sửa đổi và đem chúng ta đến sự ngay thẳng. Chúng ta đừng quá chán nản và bất mãn về tình trạng tội lỗi của thế giới, nhưng chúng ta cần phải cố gắng mang lại sự hiện diện của Thiên Chúa vào những những nơi tồi tàn và tối tăm nhất.

Trong lúc các môn đệ của Chúa qua lo âu và buồn rầu, Chúa Giêsu đã an ủi họ nói với họ là không nên để cho lòng trí và tâm hồn của họ phải gặp những khó khăn, âu sầu, lo sợ; vì sau khi tất cả, Ngài đã đi trước khi họ chuẩn bị một nơi cho họ trong tương lai. Khi được hỏi làm thế nào đê một người như chúng ta có thể tìm đến một Thiên Chúa, Chúa Giêsu đã cho chỉ cho chúng ta biết là Ngài chính là đường, là sự thật và là sự sống. Cách sống của Ngài chính là cách hay là con đường tâm linh; đưa tới sự khiêm tốn, tình yêu thương, và sự phục vụ. Chúng ta phải bước theo con đường sống theo như cách của Ngài giống như cách sống mà Ngài đã làm. Ngài là chân lý, trong đó, Ngài đã tỏ lộ bản chất thật sự của Thiên Chúa trong hình dạng con người, đó là ánh sáng và tình yêu. Đó là cách chúng ta phải nghĩ về Thiên Chúa, cũng như một mô hình cho cuộc sống của chúng ta. Ngài là sự sống, trong đó Ngài trao sự sống đời đời cho những người biết mở rộng tâm hồn và và con tim của họ. Đặt niềm tin vào Chúa Giêsu không phải là đồng ý với một mớ các học thuyết, nhưng là trung thành bước theo con đường tâm linh của Ngài. Chúa Giêsu vừa là con đường dẫn chúng ta đến Thiên Chúa và cổng Thiên Đàng, và tất cả những ai bước đi trong tình yêu sẽ tìm thấy Ngài. Chúa Giêsu, là con đường của chúng ta và là chân lý, là sự thật của chúng ta.

Friday 4th Week of Easter 22nd April 2019

People do many terrible things through fear, ignorance, and sin. Even today, humans continue to do many negative things. In his proclamation about the crucifixion of Jesus, Peter does not lay blame; he merely rejoices that God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him. God is always stronger than our sin and our fear, and God will always find some way to set us straight. Let us not be overly depressed about the state of the world, but try to bring God’s presence into the darkest corners.

Jesus told his anxious disciples not to let their hearts be troubled; after all, he was going before them to prepare a place. When asked how one reaches God, Jesus pointed to himself as the way, the truth, and the life. His life is the way or spiritual path; humility, love, and service. We must follow that path just as he did. He is truth, in that he reveals the true nature of God in human form, which is light and love. That is how we must think of God, as well as model our lives. He is life, in that he grants eternal life to those who open their minds and hearts. Faith in Jesus is not agreeing to a list of doctrines but faithfully following his spiritual path. Jesus himself is both the path to God and the gate, and all who walk in love will find him. Jesus, be my path and my truth.

Opening Prayer:

Help me open my spiritual eyes to see what you have prepared for me in heaven.

Encountering Christ:

1. Mansions for the Apostles: Jesus saw that the Apostles were troubled. In the last hours of his life, he spoke to them from his heart and comforted them. Although he was to be separated from them and killed, he promised that afterward they would be reunited in a wonderful place, a place where they would have a very special home prepared for each of them; some translations call them mansions. In spite of what would soon happen, nothing could separate them forever. He would come for them and, together, they would live in this place of joy, happiness, and peace.

2. Jesus Knew Exactly What They Liked: The Apostles came from different backgrounds and liked different things. For their heavenly mansions, maybe the fishermen among them would enjoy a property near a lake, with a boat to sail in every day. Matthew, a former tax collector used to finer living, might like a mansion with fine meals and good music. Jesus, without asking, was preparing for each one of them the things they would most appreciate. They would be awed by Jesus’s generosity, and he would delight in surprising them with new gifts and new experiences every day.

3. My Mansion in Heaven: Jesus has a mansion prepared for each one of us as well. Sometimes it is worthwhile to imagine what that mansion would be like. Would it be big or small? How many stories? What rooms? How would they be decorated? What kind of food? What kind of music? And where would the doors open? My mansion includes a door that opens to the Sorrentine Peninsula in Italy, another in central Alaska, another in the Alps above Lake Geneva, another in the jungles of the Yucatan Peninsula, and so on—all places I’ve enjoyed in my life. Every day, Jesus and I would pick a door and walk out to enjoy one of those places together, and before long we would have used up the places I know, and then Jesus would start surprising me by choosing places I’ve never been to but that he knows I would like. No matter what we imagine, or what we think our heavenly home might be like, Jesus tells us it will be better. As St. Paul says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor can the mind of man imagine what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

Conversing with Christ: Jesus, in spite of the difficulties of this life, I can’t lose sight of the fact that it is all worthwhile. What you have prepared for me is so wonderful that in spite of my trying to imagine every detail, I will never come close to knowing how great it will actually be. When I am discouraged or down, remind me that my sacrifices and suffering are worth it because I want to spend eternity with you in the mansion you have prepared for me in heaven!

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace, I will try to accept sacrifice with a more positive attitude–even joy–encouraged by the thoughts of what you have prepared for me in heaven.

Suy Niệm Thứ Năm Ngày 29 Tháng 4 năm 2021

Suy Niệm Thứ Năm Ngày 29 Tháng 4 năm 2021

Lạy Chúa Giêsu Thánh Thể, khi xưa Chúa đã dạy các Tông đồ cầu nguyện, và họ đã tuân theo mệnh lệnh và nghe theo lời Chúa dạy và thực hiện sứ mệnh của họ như là sứ giả của Chúa một cách chuyên cần và không biết mệt mỏi. Xin Chúa hãy giúp chúng con biết siêng năng cầu nguyện trong sự kiên trì mỗi ngày, và hôm nay trước Thánh Thể Chúa, xin Chúa giúp động viên chúng con để chúng con có thể nghe và hiểu được những lời của Chúa. Xin Chúa giúp cho chúng con biết sẵn sàng để được sai đi và làm theo ý Chúa, nhất là trong việc biết giúp đỡ những anh chị em của chúng con đang gặp những việc không may và những người đang đau khổ..

Thưa quý ÔBACE,

Khi xưa, Hai ngàn nâm trước, Chúa Jêsus đã sai các Sứ đồ của Ngài ra đi; và trên thực tế, đó là ý nghĩa của chữ "Tông đồ", Ý nghĩa của chữ Tông đổ có ý chỉ về một người được sai đi như một vị sứ giả. Họ là người duy nhất nhận được một thông điệp cho riêng họ; một thông điệp duy nhất và chỉ có một mình họ mới có thể hiểu được mà thôi, ngoài họ ra, không ai khác có thể sao chép lại hoặc có thể hiểu được ý nghĩa của Thông điệp đó.

Những người được Chúa Giêsu chọn làm tông đồ là những người đã từng được sống chung và ăn ở với Chúa Giêsu trong suốt cuộc đời của Ngài. Mặc dù hầu hết họ là những nhẹ dạ, nhát gan. Họ đã sợ sệt bỏ chạy khi Chúa Giêsu Kitô bị bắt và xét xử, nhưng họ đã ở gần đó với Ngài khi Ngài chết. Họ là những người đã có mặt nơi chôn cất Chúa và chứng kiến được cảnh ngôi mộ trống và sau đó họ nhìn thấy Chúa kitô đã sống lại từ cõi chết. Họ là nhân chứng cho sự Phục sinh. Với tư cách là nhân chứng đầu tiên của Chúa Giêsu Kitô, các Tông đồ đã được Chúa Giêsu sai đi để rao truyền Tin Mừng cho hết mọi người biết là Chúa Giêsu Kitô đã sống lại từ cõi chết và nhờ sự chết và sự Phục sinh của Ngài mà tất cả chúng ta đều được ơn cứu rỗi và thoát khỏi mọi tội lỗi.

Chính Thánh Phaolô vì đã được Chúa Phục sinh cảnh tỉnh, giác ngộ và trở lại trên đường đến Đamascus để bắt hại nhưng người tin vào Chúa. Và chính ông là người đã sốt sắng quên mình đem tin mừng Chúa Kitô Phục Sinh đến với dân ngoại và ông cũng được gọi là một trong các Tông đồ. Vì các Tông đồ đã được Chúa Giêsu sai đi, nên họ đã được những người kitô hữu tiên khởi này kính trọng như họ đã kính trọng chính Chúa Giêsu Kitô nếu như ngài đã đến với họ. Các Tông đồ là sự nối kết giữa chúng ta hay những người Kitô hữu với Chúa Giêsu Kitô. Trên thực tế, Giáo hội sơ khai đã sử dụng tiêu chuẩn này để quyết định những sách nào sẽ được đưa vào trong Tân Ước: Nếu họ tìm thấy có bằng chứng hợp lý hay cụ thể nào chứng minh được là cuốn sách đã được viết bởi một trong các Tông đồ, hoặc ít nhất là một môn đệ của Chúa Kitô đã có sự tiếp xúc với Chúa Giêsu Kitô lúc Ngài còn sống thì Giáo hội Tiên Khởi sẽ coi những cuốn sách đó là một phần trong Tân Ước. Quyền tác giả của một số cuốn sách bị nghi ngờ, và những cuốn sách đó đã không được đưa vào Tân Ước. Giáo hội sơ khai tôn trọng những lời viết trong các sách của những Tông đồ được Chúa Giêsu chọn như thể họ tôn trọng chính Chúa Giêsu đã viết trong những cuốn sách đó.

Hôm nay đây, Chúa Giêsu cũng sai chúng ta ra đi như Ngài đã sai các thánh tông đồ, mặc dù Chúng ta không phải là tông đồ chính thống giống như nhóm Mười Hai và Thánh Phaolô, nhưng chúng ta vẫn được mời gọi để làm chứng cho Chúa Giêsu kitô. Chúng ta được mời gọi để làm chứng cho tình yêu của Người trong cuộc sống của chúng ta: tất cả những điều Chúa Giêsu Kitô đã làm cho chúng ta, tất cả những ân huệ và hồng ân của Ngài đã ban tặng cho chúng ta, và những ân sủng Người đã ban cho chúng ta để giúp chúng ta biết biến đổi, sửa sai và phát triển thành những người kitô hữu tốt hơn, đạo đức hơn.

Nếu chúng ta càng theo Chúa KItô càng lâu, chúng ta càng được nghe tiếng Chúa giáo huấn trong tâm hồn và lòng trí của chúng ta, và chúng ta sớm cảm nhận ra được quyền năng của Chúa đang thể hiện trong cuộc sống hàng ngày của chúng ta, và chúng ta càng có thêm chứng cớ để làm chứng cho Chúa. Chúa Giêsu Kitô hứa ban cho chúng ta tất cả những điều này vì lợi ích riêng của của người chúng ta, nhưng cũng giúp chúng ta có khả năng riêng để chúng ta có thể rao truyền tin mừng và sự Phục Sinh Chúa. Bằng cuộc sống riêng của mỗi người chúng ta, chúng ta có thể mang lại niềm hy vọng cho những người khác trên thế giới đầy dẫy những đau khổ hôm nay, và những người đang cần đến niềm hy vọng trong sự phục Sinh của Chúa Kitô!

Lạy Chúa Giêsu Thánh Thể, chúng con cảm ơn Chúa vì tất cả những điều gì mà Chúa đã ban và làm cho chúng con. Chúng con cảm ơn Chúa vì Chúa đã cho phép chúng con thấy được rằng Chúa là Chúa thật, Và Chúa luôn luôn hiện diện ở giữa chúng con và vẫn đang làm việc trong chúng con ngày hôm nay vì Chúa mãi mãi yêu thương chúng con. Xin Chúa hãy giúp và ban cho chúng con có can đảm để chúng con trở thành tông đồ và sứ giả của Chúa cho tất cả những người đang và sẽ bước vào cuộc sống của chúng coni để họ có được niềm hy vọng và niềm vui phục sinh giống như chúng con!

Lạy Chúa Giêsu Thánh Thể, trong lời Chúa, chúng con tìm thấy sự sống, sự thật và tự do. Xin Chúa Thánh Thể ban cho chúng con không bao giờ nghi ngờ lời của Chúa và cũng không bao giờ quên các điều răn của Chúa. Xin Chúa hãy làm tăng lên tình yêu của chúng con trong chân lý của Chúa, để chúng con có thể đón nhận Chân Lý này một cách trọn vẹn và sống theo chân lỷ của Chúa. Amen.

Thursday 2 APRIL 2021

Opening Prayer: Lord, you taught the Apostles to pray, and they were unstoppable in their mission as your messengers. Help me to pray well now, so I can hear your words of encouragement and be sent out to help my wounded brothers and sisters.

Encountering Christ:

· Christ’s Messengers: Jesus sent out the Apostles; in fact, that is what the word “Apostle” means—someone who is sent out, a messenger. They had been given a message uniquely their own; no one else could duplicate it. They had been with Jesus during his life. Although most of them ran away, they were nearby when he died. They were witnesses of the empty tomb and then saw him risen from the dead. They were witnesses to the Resurrection. As his first-hand witnesses, the Apostles were sent out by Jesus to spread the Good News—that Jesus had risen from the dead and that through his death and Resurrection we are all saved from sin. Later, St. Paul was also called an Apostle because he saw the Risen Lord while on his way to Damascus.

· Respect: Since the Apostles were sent by Christ, they received the same respect from the early Christians as would have been given Jesus if he had come to them. The Apostles were their (and our!) link to Jesus. In fact, the early Church used this criterion to decide what books would be in the New Testament: If there was reasonable evidence that a book had been written by one of the Apostles, or at least a disciple who had contact with Jesus, the early Church considered it a part of the New Testament. The authorship of some books was in doubt, and those did not make it into the New Testament. The early Church respected the words of these messengers chosen by Jesus as if Jesus had written them himself.

· We Are Also His Messengers: Jesus also sends us. We aren’t apostles in the same way the Twelve and St. Paul were Apostles, but we are still called to bear witness to Jesus. We are called to witness to his love in our life: all the things he has done for us, all of his favors and gifts, and the graces he has given us to help us grow into better, more virtuous people. The longer we have followed him, listened to him speak in our hearts, and felt his power in our everyday life, the more we can bear witness to him. Jesus gives us all of these things for our benefit, but also so that we can also spread the good news. By our lives, we can bring hope to others in this world who need it so much!

Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for all the things you have done for me. Thank you for allowing me to see that you are real, that you are still working today, and that you love me. Help me be your messenger to everyone who enters my life so that they can have the same hope and joy that I have!

Meditation

Chúng ta đối xử với những người hay đối nghịch khiến chúng ta phải đau buồn hoặc tổn hại như thế nào, đặc biệt là những người thân thiết với chúng ta theo một cách nào đó? Trong bài giảng dạy cuối cùng của Chúa, Chúa Giêsu đề cập đến vấn đề trung thành và không trung thành trong các mối quan hệ giữa các môn đệ. Chúa Giê-su biết trước rằng một trong các môn đệ của ngài sẽ phản bội ngài. Sự tiên đoán và biết trước như vậy có thể khiến Chúa Giêsu tránh xa những người như vậy rất dễ dàng và bảo vệ mình khỏi bị tổn hại. Nhưng Chúa đã không làm như thế, thay vào đó, Chúa Giêsu bày tỏ tình yêu thương, sự trìu mến và lòng trung thành của Ngài với những người môn đệ thuộc về mình, thậm chí Ngài còn đối xử tốt với người mà ngài biết sẽ là “đâm sau lưng” Ngài khi có cơ hội. Chúa Giê-su đã dùng một câu thánh kinh trích dẫn từ sách Thánh Vịnh 49 mô tả hành động phản bội của người mà chúng ta thân cận nhất. Trong văn hóa thời Chúa Giêsu, ăn chung với ai đó là một cử chỉ của tình bạn và sự tin cậy. Chúa Giêsu mở rộng vòng tay Ngài trong tình bạn thân thiết cho Giuđa như thế thế mà cùng đúng vào lúc đó Giuđa đã âm thầm mưu phản bán đứng Thầy của mình. Sự kiện diễn tả việc “dơ gót chân đạp lại tôi” càng làm rõ thêm bản chất vũ phu của hành động bạo lực đáng từ chối này. Chỉ có Tình yêu và lòng trung thành mới có sự bền bỉ đến cùng.

Chúa Giêsu yêu thương các môn đệ của Ngài đến cùng và chứng tỏ lòng trung thành của ngài với họ cho đến chết trên thập tự giá. Qua cái chết và sự phục sinh của Chúa Kitô, Chúa Giêsu Kitô đã tạo ra cho chúng ta một mối quan hệ và tình tình thiết mới với Thiên Chúa. Chúa Giê-su nói với các môn đệ rằng nếu họ chấp nhận Người thì họ cũng chấp nhận Chúa Cha, Đấng đã sai Người. Nguyên tắc này áp dụng cho tất cả những ai thuộc về Chúa Giêsu Kitô, Đấng Cứu thế và những ai đã người nhân danh Ngài mà mà rao giảng Tin Mừng về nước Trời và sự cứu rỗi của Chúa Kitô. Chấp nhận sứ giả của Chúa Kitô là chấp nhận chính Chúa Giêsu Kitô. Niềm vinh dự lớn lao và trách nhiệm lớn lao của một người Kitô hữu là dám đứng lên làm chứng cho Chúa Giêsu Kitô trong thế gian. Với tư cách là môn đệ và sứ giả của Chúa Kitô (2 Cô-rinh-tô 5:20), chúng ta được kêu gọi để loan truyền tin mừng cứu rỗi của Ngài thay cho ngài. Chúng ta có sẵn sàng đứng lên để làm chứng to Tin Mừng và sự cứu rỗi của Chúa Kitô trước thập giá của Ngài với sự sỉ nhục, bị chối bỏ, bị chống đối, phỉ báng và bị đau khổ không?

Lạy Thiên Chúa Trời hằng hữu, Chúa là ánh sáng của những tâm hồn biết Chúa, Chúa là niềm vui của những tấm lòng yêu mến Chúa, và Chúa là sức mạnh của những người có ý chí phục vụ Chúa; Xin Chúa giúp cho chúng con hiểu biết về Chúa nhiều hơn, để chúng con được thân thiết với Chúa, để chúng tôi có thể thực sự yêu mến Chúa, và yêu Chúa như vậy để chúng con có thể hoàn toàn phục vụ Chúa, người mà phục vụ trong tự do hoàn hảo, trong Chúa Giêsu Kitô Chúa chúng ta. (Lời cầu nguyện của Thánh Augustinô)

Meditation:

How do you treat those who cause you grief or harm, especially those who are close to you in some way? In his last supper discourse, Jesus addressed the issue of fidelity and disloyalty in relationships. Jesus knew beforehand that one of his own disciples would betray him. Such knowledge could have easily led Jesus to distance himself from such a person and to protect himself from harm's way. Instead, Jesus expresses his love, affection, and loyalty to those who were his own, even to the one he knew would "stab him in the back" when he got the opportunity. Jesus used a quotation from Psalm 4:9 which describes an act of treachery by one's closest friend. In the culture of Jesus' day, to eat bread with someone was a gesture of friendship and trust. Jesus extends such friendship to Judas right at the moment when Judas is conspiring to betray his master. The expression lift his heel against me reinforces the brute nature of this act of violent rejection.

Love and loyalty that endure to the end

Jesus loved his disciples to the end and proved his faithfulness to them even to death on the cross. Through his death and resurrection Jesus opened a new way of relationship and friendship with God. Jesus tells his disciples that if they accept him they also accept the Father who sent him. This principle extends to all who belong to Christ and who speak in his name. To accept the Lord's messenger is to accept Jesus himself. The great honor and the great responsibility a Christian has is to stand in the world for Jesus Christ. As his disciples and ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), we are called to speak for him and to act on his behalf. Are you ready to stand for Jesus at the cross of humiliation, rejection, opposition, and suffering?

Eternal God, who are the light of the minds that know you, the joy of the hearts that love you, and the strength of the wills that serve you; grant us so to know you, that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whom to serve is perfect freedom, in Jesus our Lord. (Prayer of Saint Augustine)

Reflection for Thursday 4th Week of Easter

Suy Niệm Thứ Năm Tuần thứ Tư Phục SInh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ 4 Phục Sinh

Mùa Phục Sinh là mùa mang lại cho chúng ta một thông điệp của hy vọng trong sự sống lại với Chúa Kitô trong cuộc sống mới. Trong bài Tin Mừng, Chúa Kitô cho chúng ta biết rằng bất cứ ai tiếp đón một trong những người Ngài gởi đến là tiếp nhận Ngài. Và bất cứ ai tiếp nhận Chúa Kitô là tiếp nhận Chúa Cha, Ngưòi đã sai Chúa Giêsu Kitô đến.
Qua phép rửa tất cả chúng ta được Chúa Kitô giao nhiệm vụ và sai đi để tham gia với Ngài trong nhiệm vụ rao truyền Tin Mừng của Ngài đến với mọi người. Mỗi người chúng ta được kêu gọi nên thánh; chúng ta có nhiệm vụ phải thay đổi lối sống của chúng ta cho tốt hơn, để được sống lại với Chúa Kitô trong cuộc sống mới, để trở nên những chứng nhân tình yêu của Ngài và là niềm hy vọng trong sự sống lại và sự chiến thắng của Ngài.
Chúa Giêsu đã bảo đảm với chúng ta rằng Ngài sẽ ở lại với chúng ta cũng như Ngài đã sai chúng ta đến để làm chứng cho Ngài, Ngài hứa với chúng ta là Ngài sẽ ban ân sủng của Ngài cho chúng ta và sẽ hỗ trợ chúng ta trong việc chia sẻ Tin Mừng tuyệt vời của Ngài cho tất cả mọi người được biết là Chúa Giêsu Kitô đã sống lại, và Thiên Chúa đã yêu thương chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy tin tưởng vào Ngài trong những lời kêu gọi và và hợp tác với Ngài sứ mạng tuyệt vời này.

Reflection Thursday 4th of Easter 2016
The season of Easter gives us the message of hope in rising to new life with Christ. In the Gospel reading, Christ tells us that whoever receives the one he has sent receives him. And whoever received Christ receives the Father who has sent him.
In baptism all of us are commissioned and sent by Christ to join him in his mission. We are called to holiness; we are tasked to change for the better, to rise to new life with Christ, to become witnesses of his love and of hope in his resurrection and triumph.
Jesus' words assures that he will be with us as he send us to be his witnesses, He assures us of his grace and assistance to share the wonderful news that Christ has risen, that God loves us. Let us trust him in this wonderful call and mission.

Opening Prayer:

Lord, you taught the Apostles to pray, and they were unstoppable in their mission as your messengers. Help me to pray well now, so I can hear your words of encouragement and be sent out to help my wounded brothers and sisters.
Encountering Christ:
1. Christ’s Messengers: Jesus sent out the Apostles; in fact, that is what the word “Apostle” means—someone who is sent out, a messenger. They had been given a message uniquely their own; no one else could duplicate it. They had been with Jesus during his life. Although most of them ran away, they were nearby when he died. They were witnesses of the empty tomb and then saw him risen from the dead. They were witnesses to the Resurrection. As his first-hand witnesses, the Apostles were sent out by Jesus to spread the Good News—that Jesus had risen from the dead and that through his death and Resurrection we are all saved from sin. Later, St. Paul was also called an Apostle because he saw the Risen Lord while on his way to Damascus.
2. Respect: Since the Apostles were sent by Christ, they received the same respect from the early Christians as would have been given Jesus if he had come to them. The Apostles were their (and our!) link to Jesus. In fact, the early Church used this criterion to decide what books would be in the New Testament: If there was reasonable evidence that a book had been written by one of the Apostles, or at least a disciple who had contact with Jesus, the early Church considered it a part of the New Testament. The authorship of some books was in doubt, and those did not make it into the New Testament. The early Church respected the words of these messengers chosen by Jesus as if Jesus had written them himself.
3. We Are Also His Messengers: Jesus also sends us. We aren’t apostles in the same way the Twelve and St. Paul were Apostles, but we are still called to bear witness to Jesus. We are called to witness to his love in our life: all the things he has done for us, all of his favors and gifts, and the graces he has given us to help us grow into better, more virtuous people. The longer we have followed him, listened to him speak in our hearts, and felt his power in our everyday life, the more we can bear witness to him. Jesus gives us all of these things for our benefit, but also so that we can also spread the good news. By our lives, we can bring hope to others in this world who need it so much!
Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for all the things you have done for me. Thank you for allowing me to see that you are real, that you are still working today, and that you love me. Help me be your messenger to everyone who enters my life so that they can have the same hope and joy that I have!
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will look for an opportunity to encourage someone who seems down, reminding them that close to you, they will always find a reason to hope.

Thursday 4th of Easter SG 2016
When the Israelites talked about their faith, they always told a story; the story of God’s continual kindness and mercy. Even when Paul talked about Jesus, he placed Jesus in the story that stretched so far back in history. Jesus was the latest and best of God’s gracious gifts. Perhaps when we speak of our faith, we too can relate the many kindnesses and mercies we have been shown. We are part of God’s story, and that story continues until the end of time. This will also help us to grow in gratitude, as our eyes and hearts are opened to a world filled with God’s grace and love.
Jesus made it very clear that if we want to be his disciples, we have to follow his path. In the washing of the feet, he showed that the path was one of humble and loving service. There are no shortcuts. When he sends us on mission, he wants those who encounter us to encounter him through our loving service. We are to be stand-ins or representatives of Jesus — genuine ones, not just fancy words. There is nothing more distressing than one who claims to be a Christian but drives others away through selfishness, unkindness, and cruelty. May Christ always shine through us. Lord, make me a channel of Your mercy and love.

Thursday 4th of Easter
Today, as with those movies that, at the beginning, take us back in time, our liturgy remembers a passage that belongs to the Holy Thursday: Jesus washes the feet of his disciples (cf. Jn 13:12). Thus, this gesture; read from the Easter perspective recovers a perennial validity. Let us consider only three ideas.
In the first place, the centrality of the person. In our society it seems that to do is the thermometer to measure a person's worth. Within this dynamic it is easy for people to be considered as tools; we use each other extremely easy. Today, the Gospel urges us to transform this dynamic into service dynamics: the other party will never be just a tool. It would rather be a matter of living a spirituality of communion, where the other one quoting John Paul II; becomes “someone that belongs to me” and a “gift to me”, whom we have “to give room” to. In our language we could translate it as “to care about other people's feelings”. Do we care about other people's feelings? Do we listen to them when they speak to us?
In our world of image and communications, this is not a message to transmit, but a job to be done, to live up to every day: «and blessed are you if you put it into practice!» (Jn 13:17). Maybe, this is why the Master does not limit himself to an explanation: He imprints into his disciples' memory his gesture of service, to pass it immediately on to the Church's memory; a memory that we demand to become a gesture, time and again: in the lives of so many families, of so many people.
Finally, a warning signal: «The one who shared my table has risen against me» (Jn 13:18). In the Eucharist, Jesus resurrected becomes our servant, He washes our feet. But the physical presence is not enough. We have to learn in the Eucharist and get the necessary strength from so that it may become a reality that «having received the gift of love, we die to sin and we live for God» (Saint Fulgence, Bishop of Ruspe).

Meditation: John 13:16-20
“What Is God’s Will For My Life?” We tend to ask this question in capital letters, as we wonder about God’s grand plan for our careers, our state in life, and our life’s purpose. Of course, these are very important questions. God wants to help us discover his path for us and the impact we can have on his creation.
However, these are not choices that we make day in, day out. We simply take the small step that lies in front of us that day and do it with love. Most of the time, we understand what that step is: “I am supposed to do the laundry, pick up my child from school, or review the end-of-day report at work. I will come to understand other tasks as the day unfolds.” The key question is whether we do each of these things with love for the Lord and love for the person in front of us.
In her book The Ear of the Heart, actress-turned-religious-sister Dolores Hart recounts a conversation with a nun who founded a monastery in the United States after her French convent had been liberated from the Nazis. Explaining what the beginning of that work was like, she said, “The secret to keeping this place going was to do the next thing that had to be done—without wasting time worrying.” Using a construction analogy, she went on to say, “It’s a continuous process of sawing to build and at the same time trying to dispose of the sawdust.”
We seldom have the big picture at the beginning. Instead, God shows us one small step. Then, as we faithfully do our best with this, we come to understand him and his larger plan a little better. It’s like an upward spiral in which each step of obedience opens up new vistas and new opportunities for us to work with God and build his kingdom. It may take many steps before we have any inkling of what we are building, but the results become more and more spectacular over time.“Lord, thank you for inviting me to build with you. Help me today to take the step in front of me, empowered by your love.”

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần thứ 4 Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần thứ 4 Phục Sinh

Trong đoạn Tin Mừng hôm nay Thánh Gioan cho chúng ta thấy những điểm chính của nhũng bài giảng mà Chúa Giêsu muốn dạy chúng ta trước Ngài bắt đầu bước vào cuộc hành trình với sự thương khó, cái chết và sự phục sinh của Chúa Giêsu. Trong đó bao gồm phần tóm lược các nhiệm vụ của Ngài và những lời mời gọi đến đức tin. Thứ nhất, ơn gọi đến vói đức tin không phải chỉ là những gì trong thể chất con người của Thiên Chúa được đóng ấn đi kèm trong con người của Chúa Giêsu. Nhưng nó được toả lan ra bên ngoài, vì mục tiêu của họ là Chúa Cha, Đấng đã mạc khải chính mình Ngài trong Chúa Giêsu. Thứ hai, chính Chúa Giêsu đã thực hiện sứ mệnh của Ngài và Ngài luôn luôn nhận thức rằng ông đại diện cho Cha của Ngài, và do đó, để chiêm ngưỡng Chúa Giêsu trong đức tin là để nhận ra Ngài là người đã tiết lộ cho chúng ta về Chúa Cha. Thứ ba, để tin vào Chúa Giêsu là để được giải thoát ra khỏi bóng tối, thật vậy, vì nếu như chúng ta không Tin vào Thiên Chúa và chúng ta tự từ bỏ chính mình và vì tội lỗi sẽ làm chúng ta xa lánh Thiên Chúa. Thứ Tư là khi chúng ta từ chối Chúa Giêsu và Giáo huấn của Ngài, chúng ta sẽ bị lên án chính chúng ta và trở nên xa lạ với Thiên Chúa. Chúa Giêsu chỉ cứu rỗi những người biết ăn năn và hối cải.

Qua những sách giáo lý dạy cho thấy rằng Chúa Giêsu đã vâng lời Chúa Cha và hoàn thành nhiệm vụ mà Chúa Cha đã sai khiến. Nếu trong quá khứ, những lời của Thiên Chúa, đã được truyền đạt tới dân Israel bởi ông Môisen, và ông Môisen là phương tiện mà Chúa bày tỏ chính Ngài cho dân riêng của Ngài, Thì hôm nay Thiên Chúa đã sai con một của Ngài xuống thế với chúng ta trong ngôi Hai nhập thể để nói giáo huấn con người chúng ta. Tất cả những ai đã chấp nhận Thiên Chúa và đến để được chia sẻ trong sự sống với Chúa Giêsu trong Thiên Chúa Cha. Nếu như đấy chính là Chúa Giêsu, và tất cả những gì Ngài đã làm, thì những điều đấy sẽ được tỏ ra cho chúng ta thấy ai là Thiên Chúa, và những gì Thiên Chúa đã làm vì Chúa Giêsu đã nói bằng Lời Nói và bằng những hành động để cho chúng ta thấy được Chúa Cha. Để biết Chúa Giêsu là để biết được Chúa Cha ở ngay trong tâm hồn của mỗi con người chúng ta.. lạy Chúa Cha, Xin cho chúng con nhận biết Chúa Giêsu để chúng con có thể cũng nhận biết được Chúa là Thiên Chúa của chúng con..

Reflection Wednesday 4th week of Easter (SG 2016)

In today’s Gospel passage, the writer John provides the key points of Jesus’ teachings before he starts on the account of Jesus’ passion and resurrection. It contains a summary of his mission and a call to faith.

Firstly, the call to faith is not merely an attachment to the person of Jesus. It reaches beyond him, for the goal is the Father who reveals Himself in Jesus. Secondly, Jesus himself carries out his mission always in awareness that he represents his Father, and therefore, to contemplate Jesus in faith is to recognize him as the one who reveals the Father. Thirdly, to believe in Jesus is to be liberated from darkness, that is, from the sphere of unbelief, sin and separation from God. Fourthly, to reject Jesus and his message is to condemn oneself and to become alienated from God. Jesus only saves and it is man alone who condemns or judges himself.

The teachings show that Jesus owes his whole mission and message to the Father. If in the past, the words of God, as communicated by Moses to the people, was the means by which God revealed Himself, through Jesus, God’s very words are spoken to the people. Those who accept him come to share in the life of Jesus and his Father. If this is who Jesus is and what Jesus does, it also reveals who God is, and what God does since Jesus by word and action reveals the Father. To know Jesus is to know Father at the very heart of their being.

Father, to know Jesus is to know You.

Opening Prayer:

Lord, thank you for this opportunity to grow in my understanding of your word. Bless me as I ponder these lines of Scripture and try to grow closer to you.

Encountering Christ:

1. Knowing the Father: Jesus “cried out” to teach us that we have a Father who loves us in heaven. Jesus told us over and over throughout the Scriptures how much the Father loves us, but the brokenness of the world and within ourselves can make that truth hard to accept. Perhaps we have a bad image of what a father is because of something we have suffered personally. Perhaps the negativity that the world projects about fathers has confused us. Perhaps we are convinced by the devil’s lies that the Father doesn’t really love us or have our best interest at heart. The words of Jesus are trustworthy. Our Father in heaven loves us without limit. If we could just live as if we believed in that one truth, we would be transformed and our salvation would be assured.

2. Loving, Not Condemning: Jesus came not to condemn us, but he tells us that condemnation will be ours if we ignore the words the Father gave him to speak. We find all of the Lord’s truths–well-articulated, concise, and as relevant today as they have ever been–in the teachings of the Church, summarized in the Catechism. Are we students of the Catechism? How well do we know our faith? Living by these words will save us from condemnation.

3. Living without a Father?: People worry about many things, from the very mundane to matters of life and death. When we worry, are we behaving like we have a Father in heaven who loves us more than we can imagine? If we are in his hands, what could threaten us? We need to embrace this truth, if we haven’t already because Our Lord is asking us to help others know the Father by our words and actions.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, I say the “Our Father” so often that it has become rote. Send your Spirit to enlighten me so that my faith in the Father grows stronger. I want to love the Father as you do.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will say the “Our Father” slowly with meaning, before the tabernacle if possible.

Reflection 2016

In the scriptures, light is equated with God's truth and life. Just as light exposes what is hidden in the darkness, so does God's word enable those with faith, to perceive the truths of God's kingdom. Light also allows living things to grow, just as God's word breathes life to those who receive it with faith.

In today's Gospel, John tells us that Jesus came to bring light into the world, not to judge mankind. It is clear however, that to reject Jesus, is tantamount to rejecting God, and bringing judgment upon oneself. Jesus was sent to bring life and freedom to those who accept Him.

Whoever encounters Jesus and follows Him, walks in God's life-giving light.

"Come, Lord Jesus Christ. Be with us now. Come and renew us. Come, oh, Prince of Peace. Dwell in our hearts. Come, be our way, our truth, and life. Conquer the night. Come, be our light, Emmanuel." ("Come Be Our Light," Manoling Francisco, S.J.)

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần thứ 4 Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba ngày 14 tháng 5 Lễ Thánh Mathhia Tông Đồ

Mặc dù Chúa muốn chọn chúng ta làm môn đệ của Ngài, nhưng Ngài cũng tôn trọng sự tự do của chúng ta trong việc chúng ta ra quyết định. Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta nghe Chúa Giêsu nói: "Không phải là các con đã chọn thầy nhưng là thầy đã chọn các con, và thầy cử các con ra đi, để các con sẽ được sinh hoa kết trái và hoa trái ấy sẽ tồn tại mãi mãi." Cũng như trong việc chúng ta tự do lựa chọn những người mà chúng ta thích và muốn làm bạn. Chúa Giêsu cũng chọn những người mà Ngài rất thích được làm bạn, hầu Ngài chia sẻ tình yêu vĩnh cửu và niềm vui mà Ngài mang đến với những người đó từ nơi Chúa Cha. Chúa Giêsu truyền dạy cho chúng ta là hãy yêu thương nhau như Ngài đã yêu thương chúng ta. Chúa Giêsu đã lựa và chọn chúng ta và ban cho chúng ta một nơi trong thế giới có ý nghĩa và mục đích trong cuộc sống; và ngược lại, chúng ta cũng phải biết cảm nhận và cam kết với sự hợp tác này.

Những người ở lại trong tình yêu thương của Chúa Kitô sẽ được sinh sôi, đơm hoa kết trái mãi mãi. Năng suất cao không có nghĩa là tài quản lý hoặc thành tựu. Cũng như việc tuân thủ trong tình bạn của Chúa Kitô không đòi hỏi sự trì trệ.Thiên Chúa là tác giả mọi cuộc sống, do đó mối quan hệ với Thiên Chúa hằng sống phải là sống sống động trong mọi tâm hồn. Cầu nguyện để cho kết quảhoa trái được phát triển trong tình yêu thương, nhưng tình yêu này phải được phát xuất ngay từ trong đáy lòng của chúngta cũng như là Chúa Kitô đã đem những việc làm tốt đẹp cho thế giới để: "nhờ Lời mà họ sẽ tin vào Con,.. và thế gian tin là Cha đã sai Con." (Gioan 17: 21).

Thánh Matthias, Thánh Tông Đồ, xin cầu cho chúng con.

[St. Matthias đã được chọn để thay thế Judas Iscariot thành một trong số 12 Tông Đồ. Thánh Mathia đã rao giảng Tin Mừng ở vùng Palestine và đã bị ném đá đến chết.]

Tuesday May 14th- St Matthias, Apostle

Much as God reverences our freedom in decision-making, it is the Lord who chooses us when it comes to discipleship. In today’s gospel, we hear Jesus say: “You did not choose me but I chose you, and I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.”

As we freely choose who we want to be friends with, Jesus chooses those whom he loves to be his friends, to share the abiding love and joy that comes to him from the Father. Jesus commands us to love one another as he has loved us. Jesus’ choosing of us gives us a place in the world and a sense of purpose in life; and in return, we feel a sense of commitment to this partnership.

Those who abide in Christ’s friendship will be productive — to bear fruit that will last. Productivity does not mean management or achievement. Nor abiding in Christ’s friendship entails stagnation. God is the author of life, so a relationship with the living God must be lively. Fruit that lasts grows out of the brotherly love that comes from the heart, as well as from the good works that come from professing Christ to the world: “so that the world may believe it was you who sent me.” (John 17:21). St. Matthias, Apostle, pray for us.

[St. Matthias was chosen to take the place of Judas Iscariot as an Apostle. He worked in Palestine and was stoned to death.]

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần thứ 4 Phục Sinh

Chúa Giêsu đã bị những người Do Thái chối bỏ. Họ đã không thể nhận ra Ngài là Đấng Cứu Thế; do đó họ hỏi Ngài một câu hỏi nhớ ngẩn: có phải ông là Đấng Cứu Thế. Câu trả lời của Chúa Giêsu rất đơn giản, Ngài đã chỉ cho họ tới Thiên Chúa Cha, người mà gọi là Cha của Ngài, và tất cả những công trình mà Ngài đã làm là Ngài làm vì danh của Chúa Cha, thậm chí Ngài còn nói với họ rằng Ngài và Chúa Cha là một. Đây là thần bí của Kitô giáo. Đó là trung tâm của Kitô giáo.

Chúa Giê-su, là một con người hoàn toàn như chúng ta, và đã có thể tại sự kết hợp giữa Ngài với Thiên Chúa Cha là cha của Ngài qua sức mạnh của những lời cầu nguyện. Ngài trải qua những king nghiệm trong sự kết hợp này và đó là chính là nguồn gốc của lời nói và hành động của Ngài. Rút tỉa trong kinh nghiệm của sự kết hợp không thể phá vỡ giữa Chúa Cha và Chúa Con, chúng ta cũng được mời gọi để được kết họp và nên một với Thiên Chúa, cho dù chúng ta là giáo dân, tu sĩ hay giáo sĩ, ơn gọi này được dành cho tất cả mọi người chúng ta. Chúng ta có rất nhiều gương sang và ví dụ như : Thánh Têrêsa Avila, Thánh Joan of Arc, Thánh Inhaxiô Loyola và nhiều người khác, những người đã cảm thấy được mời gọi một cách huyền bí để đưộc kết hợp với Thiên Chúa một cách lạ lung, khó hiểu. Và sự kết hợp này có thể có được chỉ qua việc cầu nguyện và qua sự nhạy cảm với sự thúc đẩy của Chúa Thánh Thần. Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin cho chúng con, cũng như Chúa, cũng biết trau dồi và phát triển đời sống tinh thần của chúng con và ít nhất là có được một cái nhìn thoáng qua về sự kết hợp của chúng con trên trời với Chúa.

Opening Prayer:

Lord, help me to pray well so that I may receive the gift of faith: the gift that allows me to follow you out of my comfort zone and into the midst of sacrifices, the gift that makes me part of your flock.

Encountering Christ:

1. Decide for Yourselves: Jesus spent most of his time in Galilee, but he also made trips to Jerusalem to celebrate feast days. The people in Jerusalem had seen miracles done by Jesus. They had heard and been impressed by his preaching. For them, Jesus was more of a curiosity than a source of salvation. When they asked Jesus to make an open declaration that he was the Messiah, he refused. Instead, he told them that the miracles he has done should be enough proof for them. Are we like these people from Jerusalem, asking always for another sign?

2. I Believe It!: The Galileans had perhaps seen more miracles and had more opportunities to hear Jesus preach than did those in Jerusalem. They had never heard Jesus say he was the Messiah either, but for the most part, they believed in him. And they gathered by the thousands to hear Jesus preach there. They walked for miles to be with him, sometimes going without food—in other words, they made sacrifices to make him a part of their lives. Their faith was enriched as they looked for ways to be close to Jesus.

3. A Comfortable Jesus: For the people in Galilee, Jesus was their Savior and they needed him. They thirsted to hear him speak. Some sought his miraculous help. The people in Jerusalem weren’t nearly as interested. They seemed not to need him. They might have gone to see him out of curiosity–“Maybe today he’ll claim to be the Messiah”–but they did not believe. What kind of Jesus are we looking for today? For someone whose presence we need in our lives? Or someone to fix our problems and make us more comfortable?

Conversing with Christ: Jesus, so often I would like my spiritual life to be without challenges so that I can ignore it and focus on what the world offers me. I know that’s not what you want for me. Please bless me with the strength to focus on knowing, loving, and serving you–doing those things that count for eternity–and leave worldliness behind.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will sacrifice some time I usually spend in worldly pursuits to pray a little more.

Reflection Tuesday 4th week of Easter

Jesus was rejected by the Jews. They were not able to recognize him as the Messiah; therefore they asked him a plain question whether he was the Messiah. Jesus’ reply was very simple, he referred to his Father, to the works that He did in his Father’s name. He even told them that he and the Father are one. This is the mysticism of Christianity. It is the heart of Christianity. Jesus, being a fully human being like us, was able to establish his union with his Father through the power of prayer. He experienced this union and it was the source of his words and actions. Learning from this unbreakable union between the Father and the Son, we, too, are called to be one with God. Whether we are lay or religious or cleric, this call is for all of us. We have many examples: St Teresa of Avila, St Joan of Arc, St Ignatius of Loyola and many others, who deeply felt invited to that mystical union with God. This union is possible only through prayer and being sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Lord Jesus, may we, like You, also grow in our spiritual life and have at least a glimpse of our heavenly union with You.

Reflection

"I have told you, but you do not believe." How little faith we have. When Jesus openly proclaimed that He and the Father are one, no one believed Him. Thus, the only way for Him to open their eyes was to perform miracles. Some believed, yet others like the Pharisees chose instead to not only question, but look for flaws. Their attachment to material wealth and power were so great that they were blinded to the truth. And it did not help that Jesus was also perceived as a threat to their political stature.

Faith is a gift from God. God invites us to freely receive this gift. It is only through his Grace that we can recognize God's tremendous power and God's unconditional love for us. Jesus said, "The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice." Let our prayer be for the Grace that will open our eyes and our ears to whatever we need to strengthen our faith.

4th Week of Easter- WAU

If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. (John 10:24)

Picture yourself standing with these Jewish elders as they listened to Jesus. Would you be as skeptical as they were? Of course, knowing what we know today, you would be filled with gratitude at being able to see the Lord in person. You couldn’t imagine questioning his truthfulness or being upset with him in any way. But what if you were one of these elders, born into the Jewish culture and practicing the Jewish faith? What if you were living against a backdrop of pagan occupation and oppression? You might be just as hesitant and skeptical as they were.

For Jews, who weren’t even allowed to speak God’s name, God was shrouded in mystery and awe. Yet here was an ordinary carpenter from a tiny village performing miracles and saying that he was equal to the Father (John 10:30). It wasn’t that the Jews who doubted him didn’t love God. It was that they were shocked by the idea that someone like Jesus could be the Messiah. They weren’t prepared to accept something so radical.

Perhaps understanding the bewilderment of these Jews can help us understand our own lives of faith a little better. It’s possible that even if we’ve known the Lord for some time, there are still some aspects of his teaching that we find hard to put into practice. For instance, how ready are you to extend forgiveness to someone who has deeply hurt you or a loved one? Or maybe your past experience of friendships gone sour has limited your expectations of how much you can trust the Lord. Perhaps you are a very rational person, and the thought of Jesus being present in the Blessed Sacrament still leaves you scratching your head.

The point of these examples is not to accuse us of weak faith or unbelief. Rather, it’s to show that we are still pilgrims on a journey toward heaven. Some may be farther along on the road than others, but none of us has reached the destination! What really matters is that we are all moving forward, fixing our eyes on the goal and willingly parting with whatever may be weighing us down.

“Lord, you know that there are still areas in which I struggle. Please give me the grace to press on in knowing you and surrendering more of myself to you.”

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai Tuần thứ Tư Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai Tuần thứ Tư Phục Sinh

Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta thấy hình ảnh của Chúa Giêsu qua người chăn chiên lành và đã miêu tả mối quan hệ mật thiết giữa chiên cừu và người chăn vì cả hai đều có kiến thức và sự hiểu biết lẫn nhau.

Tuy nhiên, bài Tin Mừng hôm nay Thánh Gioan muốn truyền đạt nhiều hơn nữa. Vì Chúa Giêsu không phải chỉ là một mục tử tốt lành mà Ngài cũng là cánh cổng. Ngài không phải chỉ hướng dẫn những con chiên của Ngài đến với ơn cứu rỗi, Nhưng Chúa Giêsu cũng còn là đường đưa chúng ta đến với ơn cứu rỗi và sự cứu rỗi chính là Ngài. Những kẻ trộm cắp đến để ăn trộm, ăn cắp, giết người để hủy diệt. Nhưng Chúa Giêsu đến để ban cho con người chúng ta cuộc sống. Chúng ta thường xuyên nhận được cuộc sống khi chúng ta phát triển trong tự do.

Qua bài đọc trong sách Công vụ Tông Đồ mô tả cách mà Thiên Chúa đã truyền cảm hứng cho thánh Phêrô để loan báo cho những người trong Giáo Hội tại Jerusalem một sự tự do nhất định cho các tín hữu mới.

Những người không Do Thái có thể trở thành tín hữu và môn đệ của Chúa Kitô mà không bị những hạn chế của lề luật như chế độ ăn uống của người Do Thái. Đây không phải là một thông điệp dễ dàng để loan báo cho những nhà lãnh đạo, kể cả thánh Phêrô để chấp nhận. Tuy nhiên, thánh Phêrô đã cho chúng ta thấy rõ ra rằng là nếu Thiên Chúa muốn chúc lành và ban tặng cho những ai đã theo sự đổi mới của Chúa Kitô có cùng một Chúa Thánh Linh mà Thiên Chúa đã ban cho các các Tông Đồ của Ngài, và lđã giúp cho thánh Phêrô (và những người kế vị các thánh Tông đồ) biết cách để có thể sống theo như cách của Thiên Chúa.

Lạy Chúa, Chúa là mục tử và là sự cứu rỗi tôi. Trường hợp trong cuộc sống mà chúng con đã được Chúa mời gọi chúng con lớn lên trong sự tự do?

Monay 4th Week of Easter

The image of the Good Shepherd portrays an intimate relationship between the sheep and their shepherd. There is a mutual knowledge and familiarity. Yet the gospel writer wants to convey even more. Jesus is not only the shepherd; He is also the gate. He not only leads the sheep to salvation, Jesus the way to salvation and salvation itself. The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. Jesus comes to give life and to give life to us in abundance.

We often receive life when we grow in freedom. The reading from Acts describes how God has inspired Peter to proclaim to the Church leaders in Jerusalem a certain freedom for new believers. People who are not Jewish can become believers and followers of Christ without taking on the restrictions of Jewish dietary laws. This was not an easy message for the leaders, including Peter, to accept. Ultimately, however, Peter points out that if God wants to bless and gift these new followers of Christ with the same Spirit God has given to the leaders themselves, how can Peter (or anyone else) stand in God’s way?

Lord, You are my shepherd and salvation. Where in my life are You inviting me to grow in freedom?

4th Week of Easter

The Holy Spirit fell upon them. (Acts 11:15)

Imagine that you are a neurosurgeon in training, and one day when all of the seasoned doctors are absent, an emergency case arrives. You have to make a choice: operate and risk the consequences or wait and risk even more difficult complications.

In today’s passage, Peter isn’t performing brain surgery, but he does have to make a snap decision that will have lasting ramifications for the Church. Risking the consequences, he went against accepted Jewish practice and decided to include non-Jewish people in the Christian faith. Now he has to defend his actions.

Looking back, it’s hard to believe that Gentiles (which most of us are) weren’t always part of the picture. But it’s true! Centuries of prejudice and distrust had built up toward the Gentiles. They were the “unclean,” sinful peoples who had never received the Torah—not to mention, they had invaded, oppressed, and exploited the Jewish people for centuries. It took a dramatic work of the Holy Spirit to convince Peter to change the accepted approach.

For many of us, the thorny issue of Jewish-Gentile relationships is a foreign concept. Still, other prejudices can shape the way we treat people who are different from us. Maybe it’s the way that a person talks or dresses. Maybe social or racial differences affect us. Perhaps a group of people has a different approach to worship—even within the Church. There is no lack of division among God’s people!

Have you ever noticed that when you think about these people, you feel a little nudge to reach out and maybe even befriend them? It may be faint, and it may pass, but it’s there. That’s the Holy Spirit moving in your heart! He’s helping you look past your personal biases to see these other people as brothers and sisters.

If you are finding it hard to accept someone who is different from you, try inviting the Holy Spirit to help you soften your heart. It’s okay if you don’t “feel” a change right away. Just keep asking the Spirit for his help, and you’ll see changes over time. You’ll find yourself becoming more patient and forgiving. The issues that once bothered you will slowly lose their sting. Stay close to the Spirit, and he will make a difference!“Holy Spirit, come soften my heart. Bring unity among all your people.”

1994

Opening Prayer:

Lord, help me to be convinced to listen to you instead of the “thieves” who often claim they want to help me, because I know that only you want the best for me.

Encountering Christ:

1. Thieves and Robbers: Jesus warned us that there will be people who try to take shortcuts, lie, cheat, and lead us astray. These voices of the culture and the world can be very convincing because, after all, we’re only sheep. But we are protected from these thieves and robbers as long as we follow the Shepherd. His “gate” is the church, where we live out the Ten Commandments, receive the sacraments, and encounter others on the road to heaven. We are safe “out in the world,” and are free to come and go as long as we stay rooted in the truths and teachings of the Church.

2. We Are Led: Our Shepherd wants to lead us safely through this life. Whether we recognize it or not, he’s out front, paving our way, clearing obstacles, and setting us up for ultimate success—a life with him in eternity. All that he requires of us is that we hear his voice, listen to him, and obey. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers. Rather, the law of the Lord is his joy; and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2).

3. Abundant Life: Jesus died on the cross to open for us the gate of heaven. We will enjoy eternal bliss with him one day if we’re faithful. In the meantime, however, Jesus also promises us abundant goodness each day of our life. As his followers, we are able to rejoice in an experience of him in prayer, perceive his presence in the beauty of nature, serve him in our family and neighbors, unite ourselves to him in our sufferings, and so much more. What graces he showers on those who believe!

Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for pointing out my weaknesses and littleness as a sheep. And thank you even more for being my Shepherd. You have provided me with every grace I need to sojourn through this life on my way to heaven. Open my eyes even wider to see you more clearly and appreciate the abundant goodness you send my way each day.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will remind myself to stop once or twice to seek your tangible presence in my day and thank you.