Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần Thánh

  Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần Thánh

Tại sao Giu-đa đã phản bội Thầy của mình?

Sự phản bội của Giuđa được thúc dục bởi lòng tham lam, vì sự cay đắng và thất vọng với Chúa Giêsu? Hay có thể là vì sự hận thù, vì vỡ mộng? Cũng có thể ông Giuđa đã nghĩ rằng Chúa Giêsu đã xúc tiến công việc của Ngài quá chậm và không quyết liệt trong việc thiết lập vương quốc của Ngài. Cũng có thể ông Giuđa không có ý định là muốn cho Thầy của mình chết vì ông ta nghĩ rằng thầy của mình là đấng có quyền phép, có thể tự cứu lấy chính mình khỏi tay quân dữ. Và cũng có lẽ ông Giuđa đã mưu mẹo ép buộc Chúa Giêsu phải ra tay hành động để giải cứu dân Do Thái khỏi ách đô hộ của người La Mã thời bấy giờ...Tuy nhiên thảm kịch của Giuđa là sự từ chối, không chấp nhận Chúa Giêsu như là Thiên Chúa của sự yêu thương, vị tha và khiêm tốn,.

Chúa Giêsu đã biết trước được những gì sẽ xảy ra và xảy ra với Ngài. Như trong bữa tiệc (Tiệc Ly) ăn mừng lễ Vượt Qua với mười hai tông đồ Chúa Giêsu đã đặt họ dưới sự giám sát và nghi ngại “một trong số các con sẽ phản thầy” để dạy cho họ chính họ biết tự kiểm điểm chính mình một cách đúng đắn, vì sợ rằng họ có tư tưởng cao ngạo và nghĩ rằng họ có sức mạnh hơn chính bản thân mà Thiên Chúa ban cho họ. Chúng ta cũng phải xem xét chính bản thân của chúng ta trong sự sáng của chân lý và ân điển của Thiên Chúa và cầu xin Ngài củng cố chúng ta trong đức tin, trong niềm hy vọng và tình yêu trong Ngài để chúng ta không thể làm cho Chúa của chúng ta phải thất vọng vì sự yếu kém, sợ sệt trong cơn ám dỗ mà chúng ta phải chối bỏ Thiên Chúa.

Chúng ta hãy thành tâm cầu khấn với lòng tin kính chân thành vào lời Chúa Giêsu đã dạy để cho chúng ta can đãm vững tin mỗi khi chúng ta gặp phải những ơn cám dỗ. Như lời kinh chúng ta đọc mỗi ngày “Xin chớ để chúng con sa chước cám dỗ, nhưng cứu chúng con cho khỏi sự dữ (Mathêu 6:13)?

Meditation:

Why did Judas betray his Master? Was his treachery motivated by greed, bitter disappointment with Jesus, or hatred because of disillusionment? It may be that Judas never intended for his Master to die. Maybe he thought Jesus was proceeding too slowly and not acting aggressively enough in setting up his messianic kingdom. Perhaps Judas wanted to force Jesus' hand by compelling him to act. Nonetheless, his tragedy was his refusal to accept Jesus as he was.

Jesus knew beforehand what would befall him. As Jesus ate the Passover meal with his twelve apostles he put them under trial and suspicion (one of you will betray me) to teach them to examine themselves rightly, lest they be high minded and think themselves more strong than they were. We, also must examine ourselves in the light of God's truth and grace and ask him to strengthen us in faith, hope, and love that we may not fail him or forsake him when we are tempted. Do you pray with confidence in the words Jesus gave us to pray: Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13

Opening Prayer: 

Lord, help me to pray well so I can continue to be close to you during this very special week and understand you better.

Encountering Christ:

1. Judas a Betrayer?: When Jesus said that one of them would betray him, the disciples didn't all immediately think of Judas. In fact, each one thought it might be himself. Most of the disciples didn’t see Judas as being any different from themselves. Only John seemed to know that Judas was stealing from the common purse, but perhaps he only found out later, after Jesus’s death. The Lord was the only one at the table who knew what was in the hearts of his followers. Still today, only Jesus can judge the hearts of men.

2. Could I Betray Jesus?: Why did the disciples say, “Surely not me, Lord?” They were all afraid. They had left Jerusalem at one point because it was too dangerous. They had gone to Jericho for a while until the death of Lazarus. When Jesus announced he was going to Bethany to awaken Lazarus, Thomas said, “Let’s go and die with him.”(cf. John 11:16) They expected to die. And now, they had been in Jerusalem for a few days and they realized that the only thing protecting them from death were the adoring crowds during the days and the fact that the Pharisees and the high priest didn’t know where to look for them at night. With danger around every corner, tensions were high. When we place ourselves prayerfully in their shoes, how would we react on that dark moonless night in Gethsemane when the soldiers arrived? Lord, protect us from our weakness!

3. Love Is in the Details: While we might be very sure we would never betray Jesus in a big way, we all betray him in small ways. Every venial sin is a betrayal. We can tell ourselves that it’s not that important, and so we do what suits us instead of what Jesus would like us to do. We don’t think of ourselves as being like Judas, and perhaps we aren’t, but in some sense, we are little Judases—we fall to small temptations we can’t seem to overcome. These little things can have a negative impact on our spiritual life over time. “Men do not differ much about what things they call evils; they differ enormously about what evils they will call excusable” (G. K. Chesterton).

Conversing with Christ: Jesus, I look down on Judas because I think I would never betray you as he did, but sometimes in small things I give in. I fail to fight hard because it doesn’t seem important. Help me to see that every betrayal is important for someone who loves you. Lord, “lead me not into temptation.”

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will examine my conscience and ask, “Is there some small betrayal that I habitually allow myself?” Not today!

Wednesday, March 31, 2021- Rejecting Empty Promises

Wednesday of Holy Week

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. Matthew 26:14–16

The desire for money can become a powerful incentive to betray our Lord. In this Gospel passage, it seems clear that Judas’ betrayal was based on his desire for money. He most likely had some level of faith in our Lord, or he wouldn’t have become His disciple. But even if Judas did have some level of faith, his desire for money appeared to overshadow the faith he may have had.

One of the central lessons we can learn from Judas is that the desire for money is a powerful incentive for the decisions we make. So many of the great saints have taught us that the path to holiness consists, first, in a purification of all our disordered affections. And since one of the most powerful attachments that many struggle with is an attachment to money, this is an important desire to purify in all of our lives.

It’s true that material possessions are not evil when they are used for the fulfillment of God’s will. But the desire for more, for an excess, will always cloud our ability to see clearly the will of God and live for His glory alone.

Once Judas had betrayed our Lord and Jesus was arrested, recall that Judas “deeply regretted what he had done.” And during Jesus’ trial, Judas went back to the chief priests and said “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood” in an apparent attempt to stop the trial. But Jesus’ death was set in motion and could not be stopped. As a result, Judas returned the money and sadly went off to hang himself (See Matthew 27:3–5).