Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Năm Tuần 16 Thường Niên
Hôm nay, chúng ta tự hỏi: có phải những lời của Chúa Giêsu hôm nay cũng đã dành cho chúng ta? Sự viên mãn của thời gian được mang tới với Chúa Giêsu, và chúng ta cũng tìm thấy mình trong sự viên mãn này; chúng ta đã ở trong khung thời gian của Chúa Kitô, trong thời gian của sự cứu rỗi ...
Chắc chắn, chúng ta đã không nhìn thấy Chúa Giêsu với đôi mắt thường của chúng ta, nhưng chúng ta đã thực sự biết Ngài. Chúng ta biết Ngài dù Chúng ta đã không nghe tiếng của Ngài bằng với đôi tai của chúng ta, nhưng chúng ta đã chắc chắn là đã nghe tiếng của Ngài. Những kiến thức đức tin của chúng ta mang đến cho chúng ta, mặc dù chúng ta không thể nhận thức được đó là một kiến thức thật sự, nhưng chúng ta được mang đến với sự thật vì thế mà chúng ta cảm thấy hạnh phúc và hân hoan. Chúng ta đừng nhìn vào Chúa Giêsu ngày hôm nay để thấy ngày hôm qua, nhưng từ ngày hôm nay đến hôm nay; để chúng ta thực sự chia sẻ thời gian của Chúa, một thời gian không bao giờ kết thúc.
Qua việc cầu nguyện và trong Thánh Thể chúng ta đã được đảm bảo sự gần gũi với Chúa và nhờ đó Chúa đã làm cho chúng ta có được hạnh phúc thực sự khi nhìn chúng ta nhìn lên Chúa bằng với con mắt đức tin và nghe lời Chúa với đôi tai của đức tin chúng ta.
"Lạy Chúa Giêsu, niềm tin trong lời của Chúa là cách đến với sự khôn ngoan, và để suy ngẫm về những hoạch định thiêng liêng của Thiên Chúa là để phát triển chân lý trong sự thật. Xin Chúa mở mắt của chúng con để thấy những việc làm của Chúa, và xin mở tai chúng con để chúng con nghe nhận được tiếng gọi của Chúa, để chúng con có thể hiểu được ý định của Chúa muốn cho cuộc sống của chúng con và giúp chung con sống theo ý Chúa. "
The parables of Jesus
Today, we wonder: can Jesus' words be also intended for us? The fullness of time is brought with him, and we find ourselves in this fullness; we are already in Christ's time, in Salvation's time...
Certainly, we have not seen Jesus with our own eyes, but we have, indeed, known Him. We do know Him. We have not heard his voice with our own ears, but we have definitely heard his words. We do hear them. The knowledge our faith gives us, even though not perceptible, is a true knowledge, which brings us near the truth making us, therefore, feel happy and jubilant. Let us not look at Jesus from today to yesterday, but from today to today; let us actually share his time, a never-ending time. Jesus, the prayer and the Eucharist assure us this nearness to You, and make us really happy while looking at You with the eyes and ears of our faith.
«Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear»
Today, we remember the “encomium” Jesus Christ addressed to those around him in those days: «Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear» (Mt 10:16). And we wonder: can Jesus' words be also intended for us, or only for those who saw and heard him directly? It looks like they, who were lucky enough to share their lives with Jesus, and physically and sensibly remained by his side, should be the only blessed ones. Whereas we should rather belong in the group of the upright people and prophets —without being either the upright ones or the prophets! — we would have liked to see and hear.
But we should not forget the Lord is referring to righteous people and prophets before his arrival, before his Revelation: «For I tell you that many prophets and upright people would have longed to see the things you see, but they did not» (Mt 10:17). The fullness of time is brought with him, and we find ourselves in this fullness; we are already in Christ's time, in Salvation's time... Certainly, we have not seen Jesus with our own eyes, but we have, indeed, known him. We do know him. We have not heard his voice with our own ears, but we have definitely heard his words. We do hear them. The knowledge our faith gives us, even though not perceptible, is a true knowledge, which brings us near the truth making us, therefore, feel happy and jubilant.
Let us be grateful to our Christian faith, let us be joyous. Let us try to make our relationship with Jesus not a remote one, but as close as possible one, as that of those disciples, who were by his side, who saw and heard him, treated him. Let us not look at Jesus from today to yesterday, but from today to today; let us actually share his time, a never-ending time. Prayer —to speak with the Lord— and the Eucharist —to receive him— assure us this nearness to him, and make us really happy while looking at him with the eyes and ears of our faith. «Receive, therefore, God's image, that you lost because of your bad deeds» (St. Augustine).
Reflection
Today, we remember the “encomium” Jesus Christ addressed to those around him in those days: «Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear» (Mt 10:16). And we wonder: can Jesus' words be also intended for us, or only for those who saw and heard him directly? It looks like they, who were lucky enough to share their lives with Jesus, and physically and sensibly remained by his side, should be the only blessed ones. Whereas we should rather belong in the group of the upright people and prophets —without being either the upright ones or the prophets!— we would have liked to see and hear.
But we should not forget the Lord is referring to righteous people and prophets before his arrival, before his Revelation: «For I tell you that many prophets and upright people would have longed to see the things you see, but they did not» (Mt 10:17). The fullness of time is brought with him, and we find ourselves in this fullness; we are already in Christ's time, in Salvation's time... Certainly, we have not seen Jesus with our own eyes, but we have, indeed, known him. We do know him. We have not heard his voice with our own ears, but we have definitely heard his words. We do hear them. The knowledge our faith gives us, even though not perceptible, is a true knowledge, which brings us near the truth making us, therefore, feel happy and jubilant.
Let us be grateful to our Christian faith, let us be joyous. Let us try to make our relationship with Jesus not a remote one, but as close as possible one, as that of those disciples, who were by his side, who saw and heard him, treated him. Let us not look at Jesus from today to yesterday, but from today to today; let us actually share his time, a never-ending time. Prayer —to speak with the Lord— and the Eucharist —to receive him— assure us this nearness to him, and make us really happy while looking at him with the eyes and ears of our faith. «Receive, therefore, God's image, that you lost because of your bad deeds» (St. Augustine).
Reflection
The encounter of the Israelites with God on Mt. Sinai was a terrifying experience. It was dangerous, requiring all sorts of precautionary measures and purifications. The ancient peoples believed that an experience of the divine was fraught with danger, and they tried to keep their distance. This is certainly not the sort of God we pray to, or the sort of God who was incarnate in Jesus Christ. We need to put the frightening images out of our mind and know that we can approach God through Jesus as though to a friend.
Why didn’t Jesus give all of his teachings in a plain and clear manner? Why did he use parables? Often we do not benefit from what is merely given to us. We need to wrestle with teachings, pondering over the meaning. Parables are designed to rest in our mind and work on our way of looking at things. If we are spiritually alive, we will benefit from the parable over time. Our life can be like a parable too — many things do not make immediate sense. It is only when we reflect and pray in light of our experience that things become clearer.
Those with an open heart and mind are usually able to break open the inner meaning of the parables. Let us not be too quick to make judgments or decisions, but take the time to probe the deeper levels of meaning. Lord, grant me a discerning heart and mind.
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