Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần 10 Thường Niên

 Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần 10 Thường Niên,

            Ngay trong Bữa Tiệc Ly, Thánh Phêrô đã dám tuyên bố rằng ông sẽ sẵn sàng theo Chúa Giêsu cho đến chết, nhưng sự can đảm và nhiệt tình đó không còn nữa ngay ông ta khi nhìn thấy Chúa Giêsu đã tự nộp mình cho quân dữ trong vừa cây dầu. Thánh Phêrô khám phá ra sự thật đáng buồn là ông không thể theo Chúa Giêsu đến nơi thập giá với sức mạnh của sự quyết tâm nơi mình. Mãi đến sau khi Chúa Thánh Thần Hiên Xuống thì ông ta mới nhận được sức mạnh của Chúa Thánh Thần và có can đảm và vững tâm rao giảng Tin Mừng mà không còn sợ hãi những khi phải đối mặt với sự bắt bớ, trừng phạt và cái chết.

            Mỗi người chúng ta cũng cần phải phấn đấu để trở thành những người chân tình và trung thành như Thánh Phêrô. Cũng như Chúa Giêsu có thể nhìn thấy chân lý phản ánh qua các môn đệ, những người xung quanh chúng ta sẽ thấy chân lý và sự chân thành được phản ánh trong những  hành vi và việc làm của chúng ta. Trong thực tại, thật là dễ dàng để chúng ta thổi phồng và tô điểm sự thật. 

            Khi chúng ta tự đầu hàng con tim và tâm thức chúng ta với Chúa, chúng ta có thể làm chủ cuộc sống tâm linh, tình cảm của chúng ta qua kinh nghiệm  sống trong sự  liêm chính, và thánh thiện trọn vẹn. Thực tại của thiên đường, những lời hứa của một Thiên Chúa trung thành, và một nỗi sợ hãi tội lỗi lành mạnh sẽ làm việc với nhau để hình thành trong chúng ta một sự cam kết chân thành với chân lý, sự thật mà Chúa Giêsu đã cho thấy. Chúng ta hãy tôi tiếp tục cầu xin Thánh Thần nắn đúc chúng ta theo hình ảnh của Chúa Kitô. Thế giới đang chờ đợi những việc làm chúng của chúng ta..

 

 

REFLECTION

Why is it so hard for us to be truthful? Is it because we are afraid or insecure? Is it because we are too proud to admit that we might be wrong? Or maybe it is hard to face the consequences of the truth. In contrast to Peter's denial was Jesus' response when he was asked if he was the Messiah. Jesus simply replied, "I am." By giving such an answer, Jesus signed his own death warrant. Fear did not overcome him because he had placed himself in his Father's hands and knew that God's word could never be overcome.

            At the Last Supper, Peter said that he would willingly die for Jesus, but his bravado and enthusiasm soon left him when he saw how meekly Jesus surrendered to his captors. Peter discovered the sad truth that he could not follow Jesus to the cross solely by the power of his own resolve. It was only after Pentecost that he received the power of the Spirit and began to preach the Gospel with boldness — even in the face of punishment and death.

            Each one of us should strive to be sincere and truthful people. Just as Jesus could see truth reflected in his disciples, those around us should see truth and sincerity reflected in our conduct. It is too easy to exaggerate and embellish the truth. For example, frequently during election time, we hear people saying they do not know whom to vote for, because they cannot trust politicians. Has anybody lost trust in us?

As we surrender our hearts and minds to the Spirit, we too can master our emotional life and experience a godly wholeness and integrity. The reality of heaven, the promises of a faithful God, and a healthy fear of sin will work together to form in us the simple commitment to the truth that Jesus showed. Let us continue to ask the spirit to mold us into the image of Christ. The world is waiting for our witne

Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

Introductory Prayer: Father of love, the source of all blessings, you have led me throughout my life, and you lead me still. Thank you for your paternal care. Jesus, Son of God, you died for me on the cross to pay for my sins and manifest your unconditional love for me. Thank you for showing me the way home to the Father. Holy Spirit, sweet guest of the soul, you heal me and strengthen me and set me on fire from the most intimate depths of my soul. Thank you for your loving presence within me.

Petition: Lord, help me to be honest and sincere in my dealings with others.

1. So Help Me, God! An oath is a solemn invocation of God to witness the truth of what one asserts to be the case or the sincerity of one’s undertakings concerning future actions. Most Christians have acknowledged the importance and appropriateness of oath-taking on occasions of great importance. We see the President take an oath of office; we see men and women of the military swear an oath to serve and defend our country faithfully; we see people who take the stand in a courtroom place their hand on the Bible, raise their right hand, and take an oath that they will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth … and they end by saying, “So help me, God.” All of the above are calling on God to help them be true to their word because what they are swearing to do is a humanly difficult task, one who needs divine assistance to remain true.

2. Base Your Mutual Relationships on Truth: In Christ’s time, the making of sworn statements was so frequent and the casuistry surrounding them so intricate that the practice was being grossly abused. All this meant great disrespect for the name of God. Jesus lays down here the criterion that his disciples must apply in their lives. It is based on re-establishing mutual trust, nobility, and sincerity. The devil is “the father of lies” (John 8:44). Therefore, Christ’s Church must teach that human relationships cannot be based on deceit and insincerity. God is truth, and the children of the Kingdom must, therefore, base mutual relationships on truth. Jesus consistently condemned hypocrisy in his teachings, and he praised sincerity as one of the finest of virtues: “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” (spoken of Nathanael, John 1:47). Do I eschew any form of hypocrisy in my life?

3. Anything More Is from the Evil One: Would it be reading too much into the words of Our Lord — to say simply “yes” if we mean yes, and “no” if we mean no — to apply them to the origins and intentions of lying in our lives? Jesus affirms that anything obscuring what we ought to say, or anything meant to mislead, cover up or falsify by false emphasis, “comes from the Evil One.” He shows us that insincerity is how political and economic life become and remain alienated from truth, become destructive of the kingdom of God, of the kingdom of him who was, and remains, “a sign that is spoken against” (Luke 2:34). Am I honest with my family members and work colleagues?

Conversation with Christ: You see it all, Lord, and you read my heart. You look on in sorrow as I allow myself to play by the rules of the Evil One. Help me to re-commit myself to living in the light, doing away with all falsehood. From now on, my “yes” will be yes, and my “no” will be no.

Resolution: I will start today by seeking to patch up any relationship — especially my relationship with my spouse — which may have been harmed by a lack of truthfulness and sincerity.

REFLECTION

Today our Lord reminds us to speak truthfully and so live with integrity.

Our words are powerful. Our words can mislead people, set wrong directions, hurt feelings, divide a community and maybe even kill. We must take care that what we say is what we honestly and truly mean. And what we honestly mean is what is truthful and real.

Simply put, our words must be words lived out always in a life of truthful love. We need not take an oath to profess our compassion for others, especially the weak: we need only to express it daily in heartfelt and generous charity. We need not pronounce vows to assure others of our sincerity: we need only to be consistent in our humble service. We need not swear unremitting loyalty to prove that we are trustworthy: we only need faithfulness in our day-to-day responsibilities and respect for our dreams for the least in our society.

It is only when our words reflect and signify the Truth that the Word-made­ Flesh has revealed to us that our words could be truly powerful, life-giving and life-sustaining. Let us then pray to the God of Truth that we may speak truthfully and so live with integrity.

10th Week in Ordinary Time: Saturday 15th June 2019

2 Cor. 5:14-21; Ps. 102:1-2,3-4,8-9,11-12; Mt. 5:33-37

Following Jesus is not just ‘being good,’ but taking part in renewing the world and all humanity. Jesus remade the world, and anyone who lives in Christ is a new person for an encounter with Christ should transform us. Living always in Christ makes us his ambassador with a mission to continue his plan to reconcile the world to God and people to one another. That sounds like a very big job — and it is — but we are fortunate to have the power and strength of the Holy Spirit dwelling in our midst and within our hearts.

Our words are precious, and they have power. When we misuse them, we show contempt for God’s gift and we damage God’s work. In our own time, we are the victims of many lies and manipulative speech. Words have become very cheap. Jesus urges us to be trustworthy and honest people, so that when we say ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ people will believe us because of our reputation. We must always speak from the heart and with integrity. Let us speak words that heal, reconcile, and build up — when we do so, we are taking part in God’s holy mission. Lord, renew my heart and mind.