Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Hai Tuần thánh

 Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Hai Tuần thánh  (John 12:1-11)

Thiên Chúa đã hứa thực hiện những điều tuyệt vời cho dân Israel đang phải lưu vong. Người tôi tớ của Thiên Chúa sẽ thiết lập nền công chính, cũng như một giao ước mới với mọi người. Và họ đã trở nên ánh sáng cho những quốc gia. Nhiều thế kỷ sau, những người Kitô hữu tiên khởi sẽ dùng những câu này để diễn tả về Chúa Giêsu. Thiên Chúa luôn làm những việc kỳ diệu cho chúng ta và luôn mong muốn đem lại hạnh phúc, niềm vui và bồi dưỡng tâm linh của chúng ta. Cho dù đó là thời điểm của tiên tri Isaiah, hay thời đại của Chúa Giê-su hay thời đại của chúng ta, Thiên Chúa luôn hiện diện ở đấy giữa chúng ta; chúng ta phải biết và tin rằng đó là chíng là đức tin của chúng ta.

Cũng sự biểu hiện tình yêu kính trọng tuyệt đối và sự tôn trọng tuyệt vời, cô Maria chị của ông Lazarus đã xức dầu cho Chúa Jesus bằng thuốc thơm đắt tiền và lau chân bằng chính tóc của cô ta. Giuđa phản đối việc làm của cô ta và cho đó là một sự lãng phí; vì số tiền mua thuốc thơm đó có lẽ giúp được bao nhiêu người nghèo. Nhưng đối với Chúa Giêsu Ngài đã nhận ra đó chính là một hành động của lòng tốt yêu thương và dẩu thơm đó cũng dành cho việc xức trên thân xác của ngài trong sự chôn cất của Ngài trong những ngày sắp tới. Chúa Giêsu luôn nhân tờ, bác ái và tỏ lòng từ bi với người khác, nhưng Ngài cũng biết cách đón nhận lòng tốt của người khác. Thường thì đó là điều khó khăn với mọi người , nhất là một số rất giỏi trong việc cho đi nhưng không thể đứng ra để nhận lãnh ăn huệ của người khác. Cho và nhận, cả hai đều có biểu hiện của tình yêu.

Lạy Chúa, xin giúp con biết sẵn cho đi và biết đón nhận.  Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin hãy giúp chúng con dùng thời giờ cho người khác và không quá bận rộn với những thứ khác mà chúng con bỏ lỡ tất cả những gì Chúa đã cho chúng con trong Tuần Thánh này!

 

Monday of Holy Week 15th April 2019 (Is. 42:1-7; Ps. 27(26):1,2,3,13-14; Jn. 12:1-11 )

God promised great things to the people of Israel who were in exile. His servant would establish justice, as well as a covenant with the people. They were to become the light to the nations. Many centuries later, the early Christians would use these verses to describe Jesus. God is always working for us and always desires our well-being, happiness, and spiritual growth. Whether it’s in the time of Isaiah, the time of Jesus, or our own time, God is always there — knowing and believing that is what faith is all about.

As an expression of great love and respect, Mary the sister of Lazarus anointed the feet of Jesus with costly ointment and wiped them with her hair. Judas protested that it was a waste — the money should have been given to the poor. Jesus recognized it for what it was: an act of loving kindness and an anointing for his burial, which was approaching rapidly. Jesus was always kind and compassionate to others, but he also knew how to receive kindness. Often that is difficult for people — some are great at giving but cannot stand to receive. Giving and receiving are both expressions of love.

Lord, help me to give and to receive.

 “Jesus, help me to place you first this week. May I not get so busy with other things that I miss out on all that you have for me this Holy Week!”

 

Monday of Holy Week 2022

Opening Prayer: Blessed Trinity–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–you exemplify love and

truth. I want to know you more intimately and imagine your goodness. Grant me the grace in this meditation to see through the darkness and respond to your light, and to refrain from judging others by appearances. Let me hear your words in Scripture, Jesus, and have them enter both my mind and my heart, so that I can better know the Father, with the help of your Holy Spirit. 

Encountering Christ:

Shedding Light: The eighth chapter of John’s Gospel started with the dark tale of a woman caught in adultery and an angry mob threatening to stone her. The situation was defused by impelling the crowd to come out of the darkness and look at themselves in the light of Christ. Jesus now explained in the following verses that he himself is the light. How should we approach this light? We must follow, close enough to “hear the shepherd’s voice” (John 10:27) and to allow our hearts to be moved by his actions in our lives. May we cultivate a stronger habit of daily prayer, along with more frequent reception of the sacraments, confident that this prescription will keep us from slipping back into darkness.

Staying Close to the Light: Scripture is rich with imagery of darkness and light. The second verse of the Bible tells us that God viewed the beginning of creation and saw darkness, compelling him to utter the first words of his that are recorded: “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). God then assessed, for the first time, that something he created was “good”—light. Perhaps the most famous of all of the psalms, which begins, “The Lord is my shepherd,” reminds us (in today’s psalm response) that this good light is available to us in our most troubled times. “Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side” (Psalm 23:4). Jesus comes to our side and walks with us if we just allow him to be our light in the darkness. When we see a lot of darkness in the world, we know that Jesus has conquered the world. We fear no evil when we keep him close.

Glimpses of the Blessed Trinity: Fearing the light of the world that threatened to expose their hypocrisy, the Pharisees sought to discredit this man Jesus. Why should they believe him? Any individual could make bold claims. The Jews had well-established practices about testimony, and they relied on their principle of two voices being authoritative when verified. Today’s first reading from Deuteronomy 13, about the imperiled Susannah seemingly trapped by false testimony, should have been familiar to the Pharisees from their studies. They conveniently forgot that it isn’t so important how many testify on one’s behalf. Instead, the key is whether the source (or sources) of testimony possess integrity, which can be defined as “being whole or undivided.” Jesus taught them that day, and teaches us today, that he is one with the Father. When we consider the blessed Trinity, do we let this perfect model of integrity move us to glorify Our Lord? “Now this is the Catholic faith: We worship one God in the Trinity and the Trinity in unity, without either confusing the persons or dividing the substance; for the person of the Father is one, the Son's is another, the Holy Spirit's another; but the Godhead of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, their glory equal, their majesty coeternal” (CCC 266).

Conversing with Christ: Lord, I am sorry for often hiding in the shadows, fearful of coming into your light. I should know from your frequent offering of mercy to me, and the many blessings that I have, that it is your will that I be filled with joy. Let me ponder anew the words you spoke to your disciples on the night before you died: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11).

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will slowly and confidently pray Psalm 23, “The Lord is my Shepherd….”

 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Hai Tuần thánh John 12:1-11

Phúc âm hôm nay có ghi rõ rằng cả căn nhà đã được toả đầy mùi thơm của chai dầu thơm mà bà Maria đã xức lên chân Chúa.. bà Maria đã làm một điều mang lại sự yêu thương  ngọt ngào mà bà ta dành cho Chúa, tình yêu này không chỉ ở ý nghĩa thể chất bên ngoài, nhưng cũng bao gồm cả ý thức tâm linh. Hành động đáng yêu của cô cho thấy sự lãng phí mà cô không tiếc dành riêng cho Chúa Giêsu,  một tình yêu mà chúng ta không thể nào bắt chước được. Chúa Giêsu cho chúng ta thấy tình yêu mà Thiên Chúa cho chúng ta còn lãng phí gấp ngàn lần... Tình yêu của Chúa dành cho chúng ta không thể nào có thể so sánh được, Đó chính là giá Máu Chúa Giêsu Kitô đã đỗ ra cho chúng ta vì lợi ích của chúng ta mà Chúa đã xức dầu thơm cho chúng ta bằng chính Chuá Thánh Thần của Người. Thánh Phaolô đã nói “không có gì có thể tách được chúng ta ra khỏi tình yêu của Thiên Chúa trong Chúa Giêsu Kitô (Rô-ma 08:39)”.  Chúng ta có cho phép tình yêu của Chúa Kitô đến để cai trị trong tất cả các suy nghĩ và ý định của chúng ta, và trong tất cả những lời nói và hành động của chúng ta?

 

 Reflection Monday of Holy Week (Gospel John 12:1-11): Extravagant love for Jesus

The gospel records that the whole house was filled with the perfume of the ointment. What Mary had done brought sweetness not only in the physical sense, but the spiritual sense as well. Her lovely deed shows the extravagance of love – a love that we cannot outmatch. The Lord Jesus showed us the extravagance of his love in giving the best he had by pouring out his own blood for our sake and by anointing us with his Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul says that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:39). Do you allow the love of Christ to rule in all your thoughts and intentions, and in all your words and deeds?

 

REFLECTION 2019

     In the Gospel reading we see the love and devotion of Mary who anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume and wiped his feet with her hair: "was she not keeping it for the day of my burial?"

     Judas, who was a thief and would betray Jesus, dared to complain about the "waste": "This perfume could have been sold for three hundred silver coins and turned over to the poor."

     For Mary the expensive perfume was but a sign of her love and respect for the Lord who had taught her and others so much, who had been such a help for so many. For Judas the expensive perfume was a waste because, despite their years and time together, he did not really love and respect the Lord. If one loves, nothing is too expensive for the beloved.

     In the first reading the prophet Isaiah reminds us of the key mission of the Messiah, "as a light to the nations, to open eyes that do not see, to free captives from prison, to bring out to light those who sit in darkness."

     Lord, come and save us.

REFLECTION
The stage is being set for Our Lord's culminating act on this earth. His physical body is being anointed in preparation for this finale. The antagonists are in their place continuously criticizing the illogical actions of Our Lord. Now, all that's left is a final hollow death blow for everyone to witness. We have the privilege of reliving these events after it has transpired so that we can continue to learn from these narratives. Does our seemingly good intention have a hidden ill effect? Do we just join outreach programs for show or do we really want to help the less fortunate? Do we treat as collateral damage other personalities that have hindered our selfish ambition for more power so that we may solidify our privileged position in civil society? The greater good seems to have been placed on the back burner in order for evil desires to take over. There's no rejoicing and wonder for a man who was brought back to life. There's no love for a woman's actions in honor of Our Lord. There are only envious looks and maleficent plans being percolated. What good can come out of this? God always knows the bigger picture. This seeming defeat at the hands of evildoers is just the pretext to a defining triumph. We are reassured that even if we plunged into darkness and despair, the Lord will save us because he has gained victory over the abyss of death. We will always be in his love as long as we don't give in to our sinful nature. We need to keep praying and stay on course because through his grace, everything will fall into place in his appointed time.