Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Tư tuần thứ 4 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Tư tuần thứ 4 Thường Niên

Con người chúng ta luôn nhận biết sự liên hệ giữa nhân và quả: nếu không có nguyên nhân thì chắ sẽ không bao có hậu quả. Mặc dù thế nhưng đôi lúc chúng ta không thể hiểu được nguyên nhân. Kinh thánh được viết qua nhiều thời đại, khi con người vẫn còn cái nhìn về thế giới với những giải thích về khoa học rất đơn giản khi giải về nguyên nhân của những dữ kiện.đã xảy ra trong thế giới

Lấy câu chuyện về cuộc kiểm tra dân số của vua David nếu hiểu theo nghĩa chúng ta nghĩ là Thiên Chúa có vẻ đã quá tàn nhẫn trong việc trừng phạt dân chúng chỉ vì việc kiểm tra dân số của Vua David. Để hiểu được câu chuyện này theo đúng nghĩa, chúng ta phải vượt qua tất cả các chi tiết trong bài học này.

Nói một cách khách quan thì vấn đề hành chính trong việc kiểm tra dân số chỉ rất đơn giản không phải là việc làm nên tội.  Tuy nhiên, khi Joab báo cáo số người nam "thích ứng để phục vụ trong quân đội", thì vua David dường như đã nhận ra rằng việc tìm biết được sức mạnh của quân đội là một việc làm tự cao và coi thường việc đặt hết sự tin tưởng của mình vào Thiên Chúa và vì vậy ông ăn năn, hối hận về những iệc làm của mình . Ông ta cần nên phải nghĩ đến những hậu quả của những việc làm của mình.

Trong việc Vua David chọn lực một trong ba sự lựa chọn, Bài đọc nà đã dạy cho tắt cả chúng ta biết là Thiên Chúa  là người luôn biết xót thương và đối xử với chúng ta một cách tử tế hơn là những người đồng loại của chúng ta. Lạy Chúa Cha ở trên trời, xin ban cho chúng con những ân sủng của sự khôn ngoan để giúp chúng con luôn luôn biết nghĩ đến hậu quả của những việc làm và những hành động của chúng con trước chúng con bắt đầu hành động.

Wednesday 4^th Ordinary Time

We human beings have always realized that there is a relationship between cause and effect: there is no effect without a cause, even though the cause may not be totally intelligible to us. The Bible was composed during ages when human beings still had a very pre-scientific view of the world and produced rather simplistic explanations of the cause of events. Taking the story of David’s census too literally will make God seem cruel in punishing the people merely because of David’s census. To understand a story like this we must get beyond the details to the teaching. Objectively speaking a mere administrative matter like holding a census would not be a grave sin. However, when Joab reported the number of men “fit for military service”, David seems to have realized that knowing the strength of his army was a matter of pride and a failure to put all his trust in God and so he immediately regretted his action. He should have thought of the consequences of his action. In having David choose between three options, the writer wishes mostly to teach that God is most merciful and deals with us in a kindlier way than our fellow human beings do.

Father in Heaven, grant us the grace of prudence that we will always think of the consequences of our actions before we act.

 Wednesday 4th Week in Ordinary Time

            King David decided to hold a census — a counting — of his people. What was so unusual? Don’t most countries today do the same? But it made God angry, and God delivered a stern rebuke and harsh punishment. Numbering the people was usually done in order to squeeze more taxes from them or to grab them for military service. David’s act was an indication that he didn't entirely trust God to be generous enough with him. Greed and a lust for control over others had taken hold of him.

            We too fail in similar but not so spectacular ways. When we try to impose our will on others or on situations, often it is a sign that we are fearful and do not really trust God to give us what we need. What are the ways in which we ‘count the people’ or try to squeeze others for our own benefit? Sometimes it is difficult to be respected by family, friends, and those with whom we have grown up. They know us too well; they know our quirks and weaknesses and have seen us at our worst as well as our best. Those who do not know us so well can have a very different and much more positive view of us. The people of Jesus’ hometown could not get past outward appearances and past memories of Jesus.

They remained deaf to his message and blind to his deeds. Even he was not able to do much in the face of so much unbelief. Perhaps we do the same thing — we label people and do not look beyond the outward aspects of their personality.  Lord, help me to see others in a new light.

 

REFLECTION
David was a shepherd boy chosen by God to be his servant. A servant appointed as a king over his people. He was the anointed shepherd king to lead God's people. David the king forgot his role due to pride. He forgot that he is a servant of God. He forgot that he is a shepherd of God. Even though he acknowledged his sin, he allowed the people to suffer. Only when he saw the mercy of God, did he realize who he really was – a shepherd appointed to protect the people rather than sacrifice them for his sins. How many of us are leaders?

            Do we realize we are appointed by God to be shepherds? As leaders, how have we treated others? Did we sacrifice others for our mistakes?

            David failed to realize that he was chosen by God to lead his people. In Nazareth, the people failed to realize that Jesus was chosen by God to lead them. Jesus `could work no miracle there' because of their `lack of faith'.  Today, God has chosen priests to be our spiritual shepherds. They are anointed by God and appointed by the Church. Why do these priests not work many miracles in our midst? Is it our lack of faith in God's selection? Aren't our priests ministering to us in the person of Jesus? Do we recognize Jesus in them or do we see what we want to see their past background?