Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần thứ 11 Thường Niên (2016)

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần thứ 11 Thường Niên 

“Hãy Yêu thương kẻ thù”

Tình yêu có nhiều ý nghĩa. Một trong số từ ngữ tiếng Hy Lạp chữ "agape" đi kèm với một động từ thì viết là "agapan" có nghĩa chỉ về "lòng nhân từ không thể thắng và thiện chí bất khả chiến bại." (Bình luận của Barclay)

Để yêu thương kẻ thù của chúng ta với lòng yêu thương như thế thật không phải là dẽ. Thương như thế có nghĩa là chúng ta phải sẵn sàng bỏ qua tất cả không bất chấp người đã xúc phạm đến chúng ta, phải làm như không biết là họ xúc phạm hay đối xử không tốt với chúng ta, chúng ta phải đối xử với họ bằng với lòng nhân từ bằng với thiện chí chúng ta phải luôn cố gắng để xem xét đeể đem những gì tốt nhất đến cho những người ấy.

Những loại tình yêu cho kẻ thù của chúng ta sẽ không chỉ là một cái gì đó của trái tim mà còn là một cái gì đó của ý chí. Hơn nữa, loại tình yêu này có thể chỉ có được nếu chúng ta có được ân sủng của Thiên Chúa và một mối quan hệ cá nhân đặc biệt với Chúa Giêsu Kitô. Qua ví dụ của Chúa Giêsu, chúng ta đã học được cách tha thứ như Ngài tha thứ, để yêu thương như Thiên Chúa yêu thương.

Chúng ta đã đáp lại điều răn yêu thương của Chúa Giêsu như thế nào? Chúng ta hãy cầu nguyện xin Chúa cho tất cả những nỗi niềm cay đắng trong lòng của chúng ta và trong thế giới chúng ta đang sống được đổi thành những suối nguồn của sự sống và tình yêu. Chúng ta hãy chúc phúc cho nhau và làm với nhau, kính trọng nhau. "Vậy anh em hãy nên hoàn thiện, như Cha anh em trên trời là Đấng hoàn thiện. ." (Mt 5: 48)

Reflection SG 2016

Love has many meanings. One of these is the Greek word "agape" with an accompanying verb "agapan" which indicates "unconquerable benevolence and invincible goodwill." (Barclay's Commentary) To love our enemies with agape means that no matter what the person does to us, no matter if one insults or persecutes us, we shall regard him/her with that unconquerable benevolence and goodwill always trying to see what would be the highest good for him/her. The kind of love for our enemies will not only be something of the heart but is also something of the will. Moreover, this kind of love is possible only with God's grace and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Through Jesus' example, we have learned to forgive as He forgives, to love as God loves.

I remember an incident in my life when a colleague misunderstood me and I had no way to speak with her. We tried to avoid each other but after a while I felt that I had to settle issues with her. I prayed for her and sent her blessings and positive vibes before I finally faced her. It ended with so much mercy, gentleness and peace. We have both retired but our friendship has remained intact.

How have we responded to Jesus' commandment of love? Let us pray that all the bitterness in our hearts and in this world be changed into springs of life and love. Let us bless one another and make saints of each other. "For your part you shall be righteous and perfect in the way your heavenly Father is righteous and perfect." (Mt 5: 48)

Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time - Matthew 5:43-48

Opening Prayer: Lord, thank you for these moments to reflect on your words in Scripture. Please enlighten my mind to understand more deeply what you mean by “be perfect.”

Encountering Christ:

· Be Perfect?: "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" seems like a tall order. Yes, we're always trying to be better—we are reading reflections like these to help us on the pathway to holiness, right? But only Jesus and Mary have ever been perfect. The rest of us will never do everything perfectly. Even St. Teresa of Avila, a doctor of the church on prayer, said she got distracted at least once every rosary. So when we hear Jesus tell us to "be perfect," it can seem like he's setting us up for disappointment and failure. He wouldn't do that, so what did he mean?

· Perfectionism?: In biblical translations, our English word “perfect” passes through the Latin word "perfecto," which could roughly translate to "made all the way through." But "teleios," the word in the original Gospel, is closer to "complete" or "reaching a finish line.” Jesus didn't ask us to become perfect. He asked us to become perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect. In our search for holiness, trying to become better, or even trying to become the best version of ourselves, is limited by our personal resources. We often commit the sin of pride when we define holiness by the success we perceive in our growth in virtue. We can end up with scruples or a type of “perfectionism” when the perfect is the standard we have set up for ourselves. Furthermore, we can transfer our rules to the behavior of others and then criticize them for failing when they don't meet our standards. Jesus didn't ask us to be perfect like the Pharisees, whose self-righteousness made them no holier. We are God’s children and should strive to become like our Father. We reach our finish line when we fall into his embrace. We will be complete only once we are with him.

· Joy in Being Perfect: Perfection isn't a set of rules or standards. Perfection isn't even getting everything right. Perfection, completion, is when you are with the Father. You and I (and St. Teresa of Avila) will struggle and get distracted in our prayers, but we are talking with God, so we are praying perfectly. Prayer is being with him and loving him. Being “perfect" means being with him, doing all things with him, and letting him work with our weaknesses. If we are living, praying, working, and loving alongside God, then he will finish everything we start. And everything we do will then be perfect.

Conversing with God: Lord, please help me to see my life as “in progress” and under your guidance. Never let me forget that you are my Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. I am nothing without you.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will offer my strengths and failures to you, knowing that both please you because I do everything for you.

For Further Reflection: 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Tuesday (11th TN): “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”

Meditation: Matthew 5:43-48

“Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)

How many times have you heard these words from Jesus, and felt completely helpless? We all have someone in our lives that we simply can’t love or forgive—someone who has hurt us so deeply that we have resigned ourselves to bearing the wound for the rest of our lives.

It is precisely these memories, these fears, even these resentments that the Lord wants to heal. He knows that we will never find the strength to deal with them on our own. He also knows that there are some situations where it would not be wise to try to reconcile—but even in these, he can help us forgive from a safe distance so that we can move on in freedom.

How does Jesus heal us? Not by magically taking everything away in an instant. He does it as we invite him into our wounded memories. If you find yourself struggling with a painful memory, take some time to sit quietly with the Lord. Tell him that you want to be healed. In your heart, picture Jesus sitting with you and with the person who hurt you. See how he loves you, and how he loves that other person. Let his love wash you clean and heal your pain. Sometimes we have to do this a few times, and we may need to ask a trusted friend to pray with us. But healing does come.

Yes, Jesus does want us to love our enemies. He even commands it. But he is not leaving us to figure out how to do this all by ourselves. He is with us every step of the way, offer­ing us his healing and his comfort. He knows how far each of us has to go in this journey, and he is ready to accompany us. He is not put off by our pain not even by our hatred. All he wants is an open heart and an invitation. He wants to set us free.

“Jesus, I welcome you into my heart. I welcome you into my wounded memories. Come, Lord, and teach me how to love and how to forgive. You are the Great Physician, and I trust in you.”

REFLECTION

In His first reading, because Ahab repented and fasted at the warning of the prophet Elijah, God postponed the penalty for his evil deeds. In the Gospel reading we are enjoined to love our enemies. To truly follow God's commandment of love, we cannot love only those easy to love - our parents and family, our friends and benefactors. These people have shown love for us: "If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much?"

Jesus' commandment tells us to take the extra step, to walk the extra mile, to go beyond our comfort zones: to love those difficult to love, our enemies, those who annoy, hurt and persecute us.

And there are also those neglected by society and are victims of social indifference, the poor, the sick, the underprivileged. In one of his quotes, British novelist C.S. Lewis novelist, poet and lay theologian said, "God loves us not because we are lovable but because He is love."

When Jesus told us to love our neighbor, he meant that we be a good neighbor to each and everyone. We cannot afford to choose whom to love and how to love. We can only choose to follow the example of Jesus: "See how God manifested his love for us; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us and we have become just through his blood. Once enemies we have been reconciled with God through the death of his Son." (Rom 8: 8 - lOa)