Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần thứ 4 Phục Sinh
Chúa Giêsu đã bị những người Do Thái chối bỏ. Họ đã không thể nhận ra Ngài là Đấng Cứu Thế; do đó họ hỏi Ngài một câu hỏi nhớ ngẩn: có phải ông là Đấng Cứu Thế. Câu trả lời của Chúa Giêsu rất đơn giản, Ngài đã chỉ cho họ tới Thiên Chúa Cha, người mà gọi là Cha của Ngài, và tất cả những công trình mà Ngài đã làm là Ngài làm vì danh của Chúa Cha, thậm chí Ngài còn nói với họ rằng Ngài và Chúa Cha là một. Đây là thần bí của Kitô giáo. Đó là trung tâm của Kitô giáo.
Chúa Giê-su, là một con người hoàn toàn như chúng ta, và đã có thể tại sự kết hợp giữa Ngài với Thiên Chúa Cha là cha của Ngài qua sức mạnh của những lời cầu nguyện. Ngài trải qua những king nghiệm trong sự kết hợp này và đó là chính là nguồn gốc của lời nói và hành động của Ngài. Rút tỉa trong kinh nghiệm của sự kết hợp không thể phá vỡ giữa Chúa Cha và Chúa Con, chúng ta cũng được mời gọi để được kết họp và nên một với Thiên Chúa, cho dù chúng ta là giáo dân, tu sĩ hay giáo sĩ, ơn gọi này được dành cho tất cả mọi người chúng ta.
Chúng ta có rất nhiều gương sang và ví dụ như : Thánh Têrêsa Avila, Thánh Joan of Arc, Thánh Inhaxiô Loyola và nhiều người khác, những người đã cảm thấy được mời gọi một cách huyền bí để đưộc kết hợp với Thiên Chúa một cách lạ lung, khó hiểu. Và sự kết hợp này có thể có được chỉ qua việc cầu nguyện và qua sự nhạy cảm với sự thúc đẩy của Chúa Thánh Thần.
Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin cho chúng con, cũng như Chúa, cũng biết trau dồi và phát triển đời sống tinh thần của chúng con và ít nhất là có được một cái nhìn thoáng qua về sự kết hợp của chúng con trên trời với Chúa.
Reflection Tuesday 4th week of Easter
Jesus was rejected by the Jews. They were not able to recognize him as the Messiah; therefore they asked him a plain question whether he was the Messiah. Jesus’ reply was very simple, he referred to his Father, to the works that He did in his Father’s name. He even told them that he and the Father are one. This is the mysticism of Christianity. It is the heart of Christianity.
Jesus, being a fully human being like us, was able to establish his union with his Father through the power of prayer. He experienced this union and it was the source of his words and actions. Learning from this unbreakable union between the Father and the Son, we, too, are called to be one with God. Whether we are lay or religious or cleric, this call is for all of us.
We have many examples: St Teresa of Avila, St Joan of Arc, St Ignatius of Loyola and many others, who deeply felt invited to that mystical union with God. This union is possible only through prayer and being sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Lord Jesus, may we, like You, also grow in our spiritual life and have at least a glimpse of our heavenly union with You.
Opening Prayer: Jesus, reveal the Father to me. I want to draw closer to you. I know only through you am I able to know the Father. Lead me, Good Shepherd, to our heavenly home.
Encountering Christ:
1. It Was Winter: “The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter.” John’s Gospel is rich in providing signs to direct minds and hearts. Every word has meaning. Winter symbolizes many things: cold, waiting, end, death, a precursor to spring and its new life. In these lines of Scripture, “It was winter” means that the long wait for the Messiah was coming to an end. Death would soon be defeated. The winter of Satan’s reign would soon pass into the spring of Jesus’ Kingdom. Those who were not Jesus’ sheep were there to do battle. Those opposed to Jesus gathered around to debate him and cause confusion among the crowds.
2. And Jesus Walked About: “And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.” The Portico of Solomon was on the east side of the Temple and offered protection from the cold winds of the desert, once again referencing winter. It was a feast day, so many Jews from distant lands were arriving and Jesus was “walking about” them. Psalm 87, today’s responsorial psalm, encouraged the dispersed Jews of 6 B.C. who were living in foreign lands to remain children of Zion, God’s people. Jesus was doing the same here. We can imagine Jesus walking about looking in the hearts of those who had come from far away, acknowledging their hopes and desires. And none of them realized that their God was looking lovingly upon them first. Where are the areas of waiting in our life? Places of winter cold or death? God is at this moment walking about those places in our souls. Pope Francis offers us this encouragement: “The Word bec ame flesh and dwelt among us. ‘Dwell’ is the verb […] to signify this reality: It expresses a total sharing, a great intimacy. And this is what God wants: He wants to dwell with us; he wants to dwell in us, not to remain distant.”
3. But You Do Not Believe: “But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” How hurt Jesus must have felt to be among his own people and not be recognized. Every person desires to be acknowledged, affirmed, and appreciated for who he or she is. Our usual response is to self-protect by putting on masks to hide our vulnerability. Jesus wanted to be known and loved, but his response was completely different. God who is Love remained vulnerable and open. Jesus, which means “God Saves,” continued to seek his lost sheep. Jesus, who is Emmanuel, continued to dwell among them even when they failed to recognize him. When it feels like a long winter has settled in our souls, we remember that we are not alone. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is walking about in us. We welcome him.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, where do I fail to see you? Help me to acknowledge your presence in my life. Help me to see and help me to respond. I want to be found by you, Lord.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will take at least twenty minutes to imagine myself coming into the Temple at the Portico of Solomon. I will look at you and remember that you are already looking at me. I will ask you to walk about with me and bring light and warmth to the cold and dark places in my soul.
Reflection
"I have told you, but you do not believe." How little faith we have. When Jesus openly proclaimed that He and the Father are one, no one believed Him. Thus, the only way for Him to open their eyes was to perform miracles. Some believed, yet others like the Pharisees chose instead to not only question, but look for flaws. Their attachment to material wealth and power were so great that they were blinded to the truth. And it did not help that Jesus was also perceived as a threat to their political stature.
Faith is a gift from God. God invites us to freely receive this gift. It is only through his Grace that we can recognize God's tremendous power and God's unconditional love for us. Jesus said, "The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice." Let our prayer be for the Grace that will open our eyes and our ears to whatever we need to strengthen our faith.
4th Week of Easter- WAU
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. (John 10:24)
Picture yourself standing with these Jewish elders as they listened to Jesus. Would you be as skeptical as they were? Of course, knowing what we know today, you would be filled with gratitude at being able to see the Lord in person. You couldn’t imagine questioning his truthfulness or being upset with him in any way. But what if you were one of these elders, born into the Jewish culture and practicing the Jewish faith? What if you were living against a backdrop of pagan occupation and oppression? You might be just as hesitant and skeptical as they were.
For Jews, who weren’t even allowed to speak God’s name, God was shrouded in mystery and awe. Yet here was an ordinary carpenter from a tiny village performing miracles and saying that he was equal to the Father (John 10:30). It wasn’t that the Jews who doubted him didn’t love God. It was that they were shocked by the idea that someone like Jesus could be the Messiah. They weren’t prepared to accept something so radical.
Perhaps understanding the bewilderment of these Jews can help us understand our own lives of faith a little better. It’s possible that even if we’ve known the Lord for some time, there are still some aspects of his teaching that we find hard to put into practice. For instance, how ready are you to extend forgiveness to someone who has deeply hurt you or a loved one? Or maybe your past experience of friendships gone sour has limited your expectations of how much you can trust the Lord. Perhaps you are a very rational person, and the thought of Jesus being present in the Blessed Sacrament still leaves you scratching your head.
The point of these examples is not to accuse us of weak faith or unbelief. Rather, it’s to show that we are still pilgrims on a journey toward heaven. Some may be farther along on the road than others, but none of us has reached the destination! What really matters is that we are all moving forward, fixing our eyes on the goal and willingly parting with whatever may be weighing us down.
“Lord, you know that there are still areas in which I struggle. Please give me the grace to press on in knowing you and surrendering more of myself to you.”
Reflection Tuesday 4th week of Easter
Jesus was rejected by the Jews. They were not able to recognize him as the Messiah; therefore they asked him a plain question whether he was the Messiah. Jesus’ reply was very simple, he referred to his Father, to the works that He did in his Father’s name. He even told them that he and the Father are one. This is the mysticism of Christianity. It is the heart of Christianity. Jesus, being a fully human being like us, was able to establish his union with his Father through the power of prayer. He experienced this union and it was the source of his words and actions. Learning from this unbreakable union between the Father and the Son, we, too, are called to be one with God. Whether we are lay or religious or cleric, this call is for all of us. We have many examples: St Teresa of Avila, St Joan of Arc, St Ignatius of Loyola and many others, who deeply felt invited to that mystical union with God. This union is possible only through prayer and being sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Lord Jesus, may we, like You, also grow in our spiritual life and have at least a glimpse of our heavenly union with You.
Reflection
"I have told you, but you do not believe." How little faith we have. When Jesus openly proclaimed that He and the Father are one, no one believed Him. Thus, the only way for Him to open their eyes was to perform miracles. Some believed, yet others like the Pharisees chose instead to not only question, but look for flaws. Their attachment to material wealth and power were so great that they were blinded to the truth. And it did not help that Jesus was also perceived as a threat to their political stature.
Faith is a gift from God. God invites us to freely receive this gift. It is only through his Grace that we can recognize God's tremendous power and God's unconditional love for us. Jesus said, "The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice." Let our prayer be for the Grace that will open our eyes and our ears to whatever we need to strengthen our faith.
Tuesday 4th Week of Easter-
Opening Prayer: Jesus, reveal the Father to me. I want to draw closer to you. I know only through you am I able to know the Father. Lead me, Good Shepherd, to our heavenly home.
Encountering Christ:
1. It Was Winter: “The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter.” John’s Gospel is rich in providing signs to direct minds and hearts. Every word has meaning. Winter symbolizes many things: cold, waiting, end, death, a precursor to spring and its new life. In these lines of Scripture, “It was winter” means that the long wait for the Messiah was coming to an end. Death would soon be defeated. The winter of Satan’s reign would soon pass into the spring of Jesus’ Kingdom. Those who were not Jesus’ sheep were there to do battle. Those opposed to Jesus gathered around to debate him and cause confusion among the crowds.
2. And Jesus Walked About: “And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.” The Portico of Solomon was on the east side of the Temple and offered protection from the cold winds of the desert, once again referencing winter. It was a feast day, so many Jews from distant lands were arriving and Jesus was “walking about” them. Psalm 87, today’s responsorial psalm, encouraged the dispersed Jews of 6 B.C. who were living in foreign lands to remain children of Zion, God’s people. Jesus was doing the same here. We can imagine Jesus walking about looking in the hearts of those who had come from far away, acknowledging their hopes and desires. And none of them realized that their God was looking lovingly upon them first. Where are the areas of waiting in our life? Places of winter cold or death? God is at this moment walking about those places in our souls. Pope Francis offers us this encouragement: “The Word bec ame flesh and dwelt among us. ‘Dwell’ is the verb […] to signify this reality: It expresses a total sharing, a great intimacy. And this is what God wants: He wants to dwell with us; he wants to dwell in us, not to remain distant.”
3. But You Do Not Believe: “But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” How hurt Jesus must have felt to be among his own people and not be recognized. Every person desires to be acknowledged, affirmed, and appreciated for who he or she is. Our usual response is to self-protect by putting on masks to hide our vulnerability. Jesus wanted to be known and loved, but his response was completely different. God who is Love remained vulnerable and open. Jesus, which means “God Saves,” continued to seek his lost sheep. Jesus, who is Emmanuel, continued to dwell among them even when they failed to recognize him. When it feels like a long winter has settled in our souls, we remember that we are not alone. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is walking about in us. We welcome him.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, where do I fail to see you? Help me to acknowledge your presence in my life. Help me to see and help me to respond. I want to be found by you, Lord.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will take at least twenty minutes to imagine myself coming into the Temple at the Portico of Solomon. I will look at you and remember that you are already looking at me. I will ask you to walk about with me and bring light and warmth to the cold and dark places in my soul.
4th Week of Easter- WAU
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. (John 10:24)
Picture yourself standing with these Jewish elders as they listened to Jesus. Would you be as skeptical as they were? Of course, knowing what we know today, you would be filled with gratitude at being able to see the Lord in person. You couldn’t imagine questioning his truthfulness or being upset with him in any way. But what if you were one of these elders, born into the Jewish culture and practicing the Jewish faith? What if you were living against a backdrop of pagan occupation and oppression? You might be just as hesitant and skeptical as they were.
For Jews, who weren’t even allowed to speak God’s name, God was shrouded in mystery and awe. Yet here was an ordinary carpenter from a tiny village performing miracles and saying that he was equal to the Father (John 10:30). It wasn’t that the Jews who doubted him didn’t love God. It was that they were shocked by the idea that someone like Jesus could be the Messiah. They weren’t prepared to accept something so radical.
Perhaps understanding the bewilderment of these Jews can help us understand our own lives of faith a little better. It’s possible that even if we’ve known the Lord for some time, there are still some aspects of his teaching that we find hard to put into practice. For instance, how ready are you to extend forgiveness to someone who has deeply hurt you or a loved one? Or maybe your past experience of friendships gone sour has limited your expectations of how much you can trust the Lord. Perhaps you are a very rational person, and the thought of Jesus being present in the Blessed Sacrament still leaves you scratching your head.
The point of these examples is not to accuse us of weak faith or unbelief. Rather, it’s to show that we are still pilgrims on a journey toward heaven. Some may be farther along on the road than others, but none of us has reached the destination! What really matters is that we are all moving forward, fixing our eyes on the goal and willingly parting with whatever may be weighing us down.
“Lord, you know that there are still areas in which I struggle. Please give me the grace to press on in knowing you and surrendering more of myself to you.”
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