Suy Niệm Bài đọc Thứ Sáu Tuần 2 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Bài đọc Thứ Sáu Tuần 2 Thường Niên (Tin Mừng Mark 3:13-19)

Bài đọc thứ nhất hôm nay cho chúng ta thấy lòng tha thứ quảng đại, và từ bi vĩ đại của David. Câu chuyện này là một ví dụ hoàn hảo về sự yêu thương kẻ thù của mình. Vua Saolô, người đã săn lùng và tìm kiếm cho được David để giết ông ta, nhưng qua những ngày săn lùng mệt mỏi, Saolô ngủ say trong lều của mình, nơi mà David và đoàn tuỳ tùng đang ẩn náu.

    Đây là cơ hội tốt cho David và những người tuỳ tùng để trả thù, David có thể giết Saolô trong lúc này rất dễ dàng và tự giải thoát lấy chính bản thân mình, nhưng David đã không lỡ hại Saolô chỉ cắt một phần của chiếc áo choàng của Saolô để làm bằng cớ mà thôi. Đây cũng là một bài học mà Thiên Chúa muốn cho Saolô nhận thức được về những việc xấu mà ông ta đã làm, và để Saolô tự xấu hổ với chính mình. "Con đã đối xử tốt với Cha, còn cha thì xử ác với con."

    Nếu chúng ta lấy sự ác để trả thù cho cái ác thì chúng ta đã cố ý làm tăng gấp đôi số lượng của cái ác. Nếu chúng ta trả nợ những cái ác bằng những cái tốt, bằng sự thương yêu, bằng tình bác ái, vị tha thì sự ác đó có thể dẫn đến sự tha thứ, sự hòa giải và đem lại hòa bình. Khi gặp những sự khó xử về sự tha thứ, chúng ta hãy nhớ lại lời Chúa Giêsu khi Ngài bị đóng đinh tàn nhẫn trên thập giá. "Lạy Cha, xin tha cho họ ..." Đây là một điều thật sự rất khó cho chúng ta để thực hiện, nhưng thực sự đó là một cách duy nhất để chúng ta bước theo Chúa. Hãy rộng lượng và tha thứ như chính Chúa đã yêu thương chúng ta. Lạy Chúa, xin hãy giúp chúng con có can đảm, nghị lực để noi theo những gương sáng của Chúa là biết sống thật sự trong tình yêu vô điều kiện của Chúa cho tất cả.

Friday 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today’s first reading reveals the greatness of David. This story is a perfect example of how to love one's enemy. Saul, who was tracking David down to kill him, slept in his tent. David, with his men, came in quietly and cut off a part of Saul’s cloak as he slept. David could so easily have killed Saul and thereby saved his own life. That is what any ‘normal’ soldier would have done in the circumstances. When Saul became aware of what happened, he was filled with shame. “You have repaid me with good while I have repaid you with evil.”

To repay evil with evil is to double the amount of evil. To repay evil with good can result in forgiveness, reconciliation and peace. Remember Jesus as He was being brutally nailed to the Cross. “Father, forgive them…” It is sometimes very difficult but it is really the only way to go. O Lord, let me be more and more a living example of Your unconditional love for all.

Friday 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer: Lord, you appointed people to be with you, and to be sent out to preach. As I spend time with you today, listening to your word, help me to hear your call to me. Open my ears that I may listen as each of the Twelve Apostles did, that I may be ready to hear you and respond.

Encountering Christ:

1. Appointed to Be with Him: For what purpose did Jesus call the apostles? What was the principal reason he chose them? First and foremost, they were called to simply be with Christ. The most important thing for the heart of Christ was not what they would accomplish or how effective their work would be–yes, he did want them to bear fruit–but his first concern was the relationship they would have with him. We often tend to want to be apostles first, to get things done, rather than putting our emphasis on the simple joy of being with him. Jesus calls us primarily to be still and know that he is God (Psalm 46:10).

2. Appointed to Be Sent Forth: The Apostles were chosen by Jesus to be his emissaries. They were being given a task, one that probably none of them felt prepared for. Perhaps they felt afraid in these moments and had to grow in trust, as we do! Jesus didn't decide to do all of the work of saving humankind on his own back then, and he doesn't do it alone now. He still appoints emissaries. In fact, he has decided to involve us in his work, which is the greatest project ever carried out on earth: the salvation of souls. The work that we do for Christ should always be a source of great joy, since he has invited us by name and given us unique talents with which to take part in this amazing mission, unworthy as we are!

3. Given Authority: Jesus has special authority. He can expel evil spirits and they obey him without the freedom to dissent. When he commands someone to be healed, it happens. He even rules over nature, as he did with the sea and waves during a storm. Here, Jesus shared this authority with the men he had chosen to represent him. What a gift it is to be called to work with him, to work beside him, and to represent him! If we don’t see the power of miracles in our life, we can ask for that grace. Our Lord invites us to be His hands and feet to demonstrate his power and might as we spread the Good News and expand the Kingdom of God in our ordinary everyday lives.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, you have chosen me. You want me to be a close collaborator. I see myself in a world that is threatening and contrary to your Gospel, yet you want to send me out with authority and power. Give me your courage. Let my heart be so on fire that I can spread your love and your word with confidence. I am working alongside you, the one to whom all power and dominion belong.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will overcome any fear of representing you and make a point of speaking about you as the opportunity presents itself.