Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu tuần 17 Thường Niên

 Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu tuần 17 Thường Niên

Trong một bài bình luận về Chúa Giêsu, thánh Gioan Kim Khẩu nói: “Dân làng Nazareth đã lấy làm khâm phục Ngài, nhưng sự ngưỡng mộ của họ không đi đến mức độ là tin vào Ngài hay đúng hơn, họ cảm như thấy ghen tị với Chúa Giêsu, như thể có nghĩa là:" Tại sao là anh ta, mà không phải là tôi”. Chúa Giêsu biết rất rõ những người này, thay vì nghe lời Chúa thì họ lại xúc phạm đến Ngài. Họ là những người thân, là bạn bè của Ngài, là hàng xóm láng giềng mà Ngài đã cảm mến, nhưng đúng ra, họ là những người mà Ngài sẽ không thể nào đem tin mừng cứu độ của Ngài đến với họ được..

    Chúng ta không thể làm được phép lạ hay có thể có sự lành thánh như Chúa Kitô vì Ngài không bao giờ có đầu óc hay suy nghĩ về sự ganh tị, tuy nhiên trong một lúc nào đó, nếu chúng ta thực sự cố gắng sống đời sống Kitô hữu một cách chân chính, thì chúng ta thực sự có thể làm được. Tuy nhiên, những gì đến có thể sẽ đến, là chúng ta thường sẽ thấy là những người mà chúng ta yêu thương nhất lại là những người không bao giờ quan tâm hay muốn lắng nghe lời chúng ta. Để ứng hiệu điều này, chúng ta cũng phải nên nhớ rằng những thiếu sót thường được phát hiện rất dễ dàng hơn là những nhân đức tốt và, theo đó, những người gần gũi với chúng ta có thể tự hỏi:” những điều anh đang muốn dạy khôn cho tôi, thì anh nên phải thực hành những điều đó trước đi?”

    Trong bình luận thánh Gioan Kim Khẩu nói thêm: “Hãy nhìn vào lòng tốt của Thầy: Ngài đã không trừng phạt họ vì không nghe lời Ngài, nhưng Ngài nói với họ một cách ngọt ngào: "Tiên tri có bị khinh, thì chỉ có ở nơi quê quán và nơi nhà mình thôi!" Mt 13:57). Đây là điều hiển nhiên, Chúa Giêsu có chút buồn bã nhưng dù sao Ngài vẫn tiến hành và tiếp tục đem lời Tin Mừng của Ngài đến với mọi người, cũng như Chúa Giêsu như vậy, chúng ta cũng sẽ phải biết tiếp tục rao giảng và đem Lời Chúa Giêsu đến với những người mà chúng ta yêu thương nhất là những người không muốn nghe chúng ta bằng tất cả sự yêu thương, và bằng sự tha thứ.

Reflection:

    In a commentary about Jesus, St. John Chrysostom says: «The villagers of Nazareth do admire him, but their admiration does not go to the point of believing in him but, rather, of feeling envious, as if meaning: ‘Why him and not I’». Jesus knew quite well those who, instead of listening to him, took offense at him. They were his relatives, friends, neighbors He appreciated, but precisely to whom He will not be able to let them have his message of salvation.

    We that cannot work out miracles or have Christ's saintliness— will not incite envies (though, at times, if we are really trying to live as true Christians, we may actually do). However, come what may, we shall often find that those we love the most are those who could not care less about listening to us. To this effect, we must also bear in mind that shortcomings are easier to spot than virtues and, accordingly, those closer to us may wonder: —What are you trying to teach me, who used to do (or still does) this or that?

    To preach or speak about God with our own people or family may be difficult but necessary. It must be said that when He was going back home, Jesus was preceded by his miracles and his word. Maybe, in our case, we may need a certain reputation for saintliness, whether at home or away, before “preaching” to those at home.

    In his previous comment St. John Chrysostom adds: «Please look at the Master's kindness: He does not punish them for not listening to him but He tells them sweetly: ‘The only place where prophets are not welcome is their hometown and in their own family’» (Mt 13:57)».

    It is evident Jesus would leave somewhat sadly but nonetheless He would proceed with his preaching until his word of salvation would be welcome by his own people. Likewise, we (that have nothing to forgive or oversee) will have to preach so that Jesus' word reaches those that we love but do not want to listen to us.

Opening Prayer:

    Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to be your disciple, faithful to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and sagacious in sharing the good news with those I love.

Encountering Christ:

1. Our Native Place: What brought Jesus to his native place? To see his mother? To preach to the people he knew from his childhood days? What was in his heart? Like ourselves, perhaps Jesus was most interested in those he cared for from childhood. He wanted them to discover the light and the truth. But those with whom we are closest are often the hardest ones to talk to about the faith. When our loved ones reject our faith, it can feel like a personal rejection, especially when the faith means so much to us. Let’s ask the Lord for strength and wisdom to share what is important to us with those we most love.

2. They Took Offense at Him: Imagine the suffering heart of Jesus as his teaching was rejected in his own native place. What is his outward reaction? He did what he could without forcing their hand. He knew that they were free to choose to believe or not believe. His sadness was not directed at himself because he was personally rejected, but at their hard-heartedness. He was sad for them, for what they would miss out on—the gifts that the Father so longed to give them. He was sad that they did not recognize the call to live in the kingdom of God for which they were created. When we find ourselves rejected, we can ask to have a heart like Christ’s and offer our sadness or hurt for the good of those who reject us.

3. Mighty Deeds and Faith: The Gospel says that Jesus did not work mighty deeds among them because of their lack of faith. This speaks of the power of faith. While faith is a gift, it is also a human act of opening the door. We welcome the Lord’s action and presence in our lives. With faith, we “give God permission” to do what he sees fit to do. Faith also implies trust that God seeks to give us good things. Faith permits God to perform salutary actions, which heal the deepest wounds and orient us toward the greatest freedom found in union with God through the grace of Jesus Christ.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of faith and for wanting to give me the gift of friendship with you. Help me to welcome this gift daily and share it with others. Give me courage and wisdom so I may also be a channel of your grace to others.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will be attentive to opportunities to share the good news with others through my words, deeds, and silent prayers.

Friday 17th Week in Ordinary Time

We all have a fundamental need to belong to a group. Experience of rejection can cause emotional pain and even affect our behavior. Disconnection leads to more pain, so that people are eager to change their behavior and remain in the group with which they feel affinity.

Jesus experienced this with his own family, home town, religious leaders and, at the end, even with his disciples. However, he invested his energy more in the relationship with his Father than in human relationships. The love for God was so real in his life that he could with serenity face all challenges. Rejection by those whom he loved affected Jesus but still he was able to offer his life as a gift to many who wanted to receive him.

Reflection:

After having been with his disciples for a couple of years, it was important for Jesus to ask them who he was to them. They first told him what they heard from others, that he was John the Baptist or Elijah or one of the prophets of old. But Jesus wanted to hear what they thought, "Who then do you say I am?" Jesus was asking him what they themselves thought.

    Peter's reply was a bold proclamation of Jesus as the "Messiah of God." Subsequently Jesus predicts his passion and death, "The Son of Man must suffer many things. He will be rejected by the elders and chief priests and teachers of the Law, and put to death. Then after three days he will be raised to life."

Understandably the disciples did not understand what Jesus told them. Even Peter, who had confessed him as "the Messiah of God" and would later be privileged to witness his transfiguration and had been warned about his betrayal of the Lord, could not understand how Jesus could be arrested, beaten up and put to death on the cross. Before common-folk Peter deserted and betrayed him.