Suy Niệm Thứ Bẩy Tuần Thánh trong Ngày

 Suy Niệm Thứ Bẩy Tuần Thánh trong Ngày

Hôm nay sự im lặng đã bao trùm vũ trụ và ngự trị trong tất cả các loài sáng tạo: Chúa Giêsu đã chết và đang nằm trong mồ. Hôm nay là ngày mà cả Giáo Hội Công Giáo không có nơi nào được cử hành Thánh lễ: bởi Thiên Chúa, Đấng Tạo Hóa, thực sự đã chết trong cái bản chất tạo vật của Ngài. Mầu nhiệm của những sự huyền bí, mà chúng ta phải cúi mình thờ lạy và khuất phục.

Tại Bêlem, Thiên Chúa được cuốn trong chiếc tã mỏng manh, trong đêm đông giá lạnh, Ngài nằm co ro với tấm thân trần trong máng cỏ thấp hèn. Trong Vườn Cây Dầu, Chúa Giêsu đã bị căng thẳng với quá nhiều lo âu và buồn bã đến đỗi mồ hôi và máu đã tuôn ra; Tại thành Jerusalem, Thiên Chúa đã bị xét xử như một tên trộm cướp, bị đánh đòn, bị đội mão gai; và trên thập giá Chúa Giêsu đã chết, chết vì yêu thương loài người chúng ta đã hư mất. Còn Chúa Giêsu, khi giờ đã đến, Ngài đã sẵn sàng hy sinh và chịu mất mạng sống mình vì chúng ta. Không có bất cứ một tôn giáo nào khác mà có thể nghĩ đến một thực tế như vậy. Không có một “thần linh hay chúa nào khác “có thể đã điên cuồng trong tình yêu như Chúa Giêsu Kitô.

Thánh Maria, Mẹ của đau khổ: Xin hãy tha thứ cho chúng con. Mẹ đã săn sóc, lo lắng cho Chúa Giêsu trong hơn ba mươi năm. Nhưng khi Ngài đã rơi vào tay của những kẻ thù, Ngài hầu như đã không còn được sống nổi trong hơn mười hai giờ đồng hồ. Và bây giờ một cách huyền bí, chúng ta có được Ngài, Ngài đã chịu đau khổ, đã chịu chết và Ngài đã sống lại từ cõi chết, Ngài hiện diện trong Thánh Thể. Cuộc sống hiện tại của chúng ta là phải dành riêng cho việc chăm sóc Ngài. Chúng ta hãy chuẩn bị cho việc ghi nhớ sự đơn độc của Đức Maria để sống trong ánh sáng của Phục Sinh và để chào mừng và tuyên xưng đức tin của chúng ta khi một ngày đáng buồn này đã qua đi; khi chúng ta sống với người mẹ mới, đó là Hội Thánh Công Giáo: Chúa Giêsu Kitô đã sống lại, cũng giống như Ngài đã nói! (x Mt 28: 6).

March 31, 2018 – Saturday of HOLY WEEK

Holy Saturday - The death of Christ

Today silence reigns in all of creation: Jesus is dead in the tomb. There are no Celebrations in Catholic Churches: God, the Creator, really has died of his creatures. Mystery of mysteries! Before which we should prostrate ourselves in adoration and submission.

In Bethlehem, God is swaddling clothes, in The garden of Olives, God stressed, so much so as to sweat blood; in Jerusalem, God judged, scourged and crowned with thorns; and on the cross God died. To love one most loose oneself: God, the hour arrives, willingly, lost his life for us. Never has any other religion thought such a fact. There are no other "Gods" so madly in love as Jesus Christ.

Holy Mary, mother of suffering: Forgive us. You looked after Jesus for more than thirty years. But when he falls into means hands, He barely survived for more than twelve hours. Now miraculously, we have him, He suffered, died and has risen from the dead— in the Eucharist. My life will be dedicated to looking after him!

Opening Prayer: 

Lord, open my eyes of faith as I contemplate the mystery of your Resurrection so that I can be a better herald of your kingdom.

Encountering Christ:

1. The Tomb Was Empty: The faithful women who followed Jesus arrived that morning to tend to his dead body and found that the tomb was empty. This was the first evidence of the Resurrection and the only evidence that many of his followers had initially. Jesus didn’t immediately start appearing to the disciples, although eventually, he appeared to over five hundred of them. Imagine the women’s dismay at finding a stranger in the tomb! They must have been greatly consoled by the concrete instructions the white-robed man gave them: “But go and tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.” They did exactly as he instructed. When we’re confused, befuddled, or dismayed, the best course of action is discernment in prayer and prompt obedience to the Word of God.

2. The Tomb is Empty Today: The tomb of Jesus is still in Jerusalem, and anyone can make a pilgrimage to see it. Jesus is not there. In spite of “stories” that Jesus survived the crucifixion (something that was very unlikely considering he had a spear thrust through his heart after close inspection indicated he was already dead; the Romans weren’t known for botching executions), there is no other tomb. Since Christianity quickly spread all over the Roman Empire and outside it, one would think Jesus would have been quite the celebrity and people would have tracked his coming and goings. But the fact is, after Easter, no one claimed to know where Jesus went, what he did for a living, or other facts about his ongoing earthly life. Rather, the universal idea was that while he had returned to life, he very soon ascended into heaven and remained there. Any ideas to the contrary came much later. His post-Resurrection presence was shrouded in mystery, like so much about Christ that requires deep faith.

3. Touch and Believe: Jesus would offer greater evidence of his Resurrection as the days went on. He would appear to his followers and, in each case, they would have the opportunity to “touch and believe.” While we can visit that empty tomb, how much we would like to have been able to “touch and believe” as the Apostles did! We may not be able to see him in flesh and blood, but we can see his sacramental body in the Eucharist, just like the disciples of Emmaus did. Each reception of Holy Communion can be an Easter revelation that strengthens our faith.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, help my weak faith. Make each encounter with the Eucharist a moment of growth in faith, like it was for Mary Magdalen, for the Apostles in the upper room, for the disciples in Emmaus, for Thomas. I am your follower too, and I want my faith to increase each time I receive your Eucharistic body.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will take the time to prepare myself to receive Communion well so that it is a true encounter with you, the Risen Christ.

Reflection

Today is a time to rejoice and hope. The fast is over, giving way to feast. No matter what we are undergoing, aster allows us to hope for the simple reason that the Lord is risen. He suffered and died but now, he is alive. He has overcome death. Our father in heaven has vindicated His son for being faithful until the end. Victory and joy are what we feel as Jesus conquers all. Light now prevails over darkness.

And so with the resurrection of Jesus, we see some light and hope. After three years of creative ministry that brought about joy and opposition leading to his suffering and death, Jesus' prediction of his resurrection has come true. Even his friends could not fathom that the expected Messiah did not conform to their previous impressions and understanding, particularly in his cruel death. More so, their confusion, fear, and sadness were aggravated by his claim of his resurrection, something that was totally alien to them. Not surprisingly, his friends were not present during his passion and death.

And so in the Gospel account of the resurrection, we see Mary Magdala visiting the tomb of Jesus only to discover that it is empty, which is subsequently confirmed by Peter and the other disciple. Moreover, an angel tells them that the Lord is alive. They are then instructed to tell his disciples that they are to meet in Galilee. Why Galilee? It was where the apostles had their first encounter with Jesus and memories of such wonderful encounter had to be relived in order to be able to start again.

Our Galilee experience allows us to begin anew. No matter what we undergo especially when we are faced with situations of helplessness and hopelessness, we just have to recall that Jesus is there for us. He is alive. Death has been conquered and thus, life triumphs over death. Such truth is sufficient reason for us to move on in life with courage and joy.

Saturday, April 3, 2021 - Holy Saturday with Mother Mary

Holy Saturday

The Savior of the World died a cruel death upon the Cross. His broken body was laid in the tomb. His disciples scattered and were fearful that they would be next. But our Blessed Mother kept vigil in the perfect hope that her Son would soon rise.

Traditionally, Saturdays within the Church year are dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. This ancient tradition developed in part due to the belief that, as others were filled with fear and confusion, Mother Mary kept vigil on Holy Saturday in prayerful anticipation of Jesus’ resurrection. She knew her Son would rise. She had hope beyond hope. Her faith was certain. Her love kept her vigilant as she awaited the return of her Son.

For many centuries, it has been suggested that the first person to whom Jesus appeared after His Resurrection was His own mother. Pope Saint John Paul II believed this. Saint Ignatius of Loyola believed it. And many others throughout the centuries shared this belief.

For these reasons, Holy Saturday is an ideal day to ponder the pondering heart of our Blessed Mother. There are several times in Sacred Scripture where we are told that Mother Mary pondered the mysteries of her Son’s life in her heart. She was one of the few who stood by Him in His agony and death. She stood before the Cross and prayerfully pondered His perfect sacrifice. The Blessed Mother held His dead body in her arms and pondered where His spirit had gone. And today she keeps vigil, pondering His imminent return to her.

Ponder her pondering heart. Try to unite your own heart with hers. Try to understand what she was thinking and hoping. Try to feel what she felt this sorrowful day. Try to experience her faith, her trust and her joyful expectation.

So many people in this world walk in despair and confusion. So many have lost hope in the new life that awaits them. So many have their own form of interior death without allowing God to draw them into His Resurrection. So many people today need the hope that was so alive in the heart of our Blessed Mother that first Holy Saturday.

Ponder the reality of Holy Saturday in silence this day and allow the glorious heart of our Blessed Mother to inspire you and draw you more deeply into her life of faith, hope and love.

Dearest Mother Mary, on that first Holy Saturday, you kept vigil for your Son. You allowed the divine gift of hope to grow within you, and you allowed that hope to be your strength in the midst of the horror of the Cross. Pray for me that I may ponder your beautiful heart this day so that I, too, may be filled with hope as I endure the challenges of this earthly life. Give me a heart of joyful anticipation as I await the grace of new life our Lord so deeply desires to bestow upon me. Mother Mary, pray for me. Jesus, I do trust in You.