Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần 14 Thường Niên.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần 14 Thường Niên.

Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đã chữa lành một người bị quỷ ám. Nhưng trớ trêu thay, những người Biệt Phái và Pharisiêu đã chế nhạo và buộc tội Chúa Giêsu là hoàng tử, là con của quỷ vương nên mới có quyền phép để trừ quỷ như thế. Cho những lời cáo buộc này không có chứng cớ hay cơ sở gì cả, nhưng những người Biệt Phái và Pharisêu đã buộc phải nói điều này bởi vì trong lòng họ cảm thấy Chúa Giêsu như là một mối đe dọa lớn về quyền lợi cho họ. Có bao giờ chúng ta tự thấy chính mình cũng thường hay có những tâm trạng tương tự? Nhiều khi tấm lòng của chúng ta đã quá hạn hẹp, quá ích kỷ, tự cao nên chúng ta đã làm mất sự kiểm soát những cái cảm xúc của chúng ta, để rồi chúng ta chỉ tay vả buộc tội người khác, ngay cả những lúc chúng ta chẳng có một bằng chứng gì.

. Trong phần thứ hai của bài Tin Mừng, Chúa Giêsu nói đến: "Lúa chín đầy đồng mà thợ gặt thì ít." Điều này phản ánh tình hình trong Giáo Hội ngày nay trong thế giới. Nhiều người có thể đã được ơn Chúa Thánh Thần soi sáng, nhưng tiếc thay, những người thực sự tham gia tích cực vào trong việc loan truyền Lời Chúa thì rất ít.

Có lẽ chúng ta có thể học hỏi nơi bài Tin Mừng hôm nay bằng cách là: Thay vì bàn tán, lan truyền những lời chỉ trích, nói hành, nói xấu hay buộc tội sai người khác và để cho những hận thù gặm nhấm và chiếm ưu thế trong tâm hồn của chúng ta, thì chúng ta hãy nên cố gắng rộng lượng, tha thứ và tập trung vào sự chú ý của chúng ta trong về việc truyền bá chân lý sự thật, truyền bá Tin Mừng Cứu Rỗi và thông điệp tình yêu của Thiên Chúa tới mọi người bằng những việc làm, lời nói và hành động bác ái trong sự chân thành của chúng ta với những người chung quanh kể cả những người chúng ta không thích.

REFLECTION

In the first part of the Gospel, Jesus cures someone possessed by a demon. Ironically, the Pharisees then accuse Jesus of being the Prince of Demons. This accusation has no basis, but the Pharisees say this because they see Jesus as a threat to them.

    How often do we find ourselves in the same situation? We lose control of our emotions, and point an accusing finger at someone, even without proof or merit.

    In the second part of the Gospel, Jesus says, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few." This reflects the situation in the Church today. Many can be enlightened by the Good News of our Lord, but those who actively participate in delivering the Word of God are few. Perhaps we can learn from today's Gospel. Instead of spreading false accusations and allowing hatred to prevail, let us focus our attention on spreading the truth and the message of love from God.

Tuesday 14th Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer: Jesus, have mercy on me. Too often, I have wandered, like a sheep, away from your truth. If it is your will to send me out as a laborer, grant me the humility to seek always your ways and your wisdom, that others may, through me, be guided back to you.

Encountering Christ:

    1. Are We the Bringer or the One Brought?: The demons had taken away the possessed man’s very ability to speak. It is only because he was brought to Jesus, St. Matthew’s Gospel recounts, that he could be healed, and could then speak for himself. Do we (gently) bring to Jesus those who cannot even speak his name? Do we guide those around us toward an encounter with the living God of love? Or, perhaps, we are, or were, like the mute man in the story, the one brought to Jesus for restoration. In either circumstance, we should praise Jesus. “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be always in my mouth” (Psalm 34:2). With the praise of Jesus on our lips, we will be powerful evangelizers, sons, and daughters with hearts full of gratitude for all Jesus does for us.

    2. Jesus Is Powerful, Yet He Wants Our Assistance: Jesus didn’t just heal a little bit, here and there. The Gospel reminds us he went to “all the towns and villages,” preaching the Good News, healing the sick, and driving out demons. But his work was not completed alone. Crowds began to gather and Jesus asked his followers for their help. The “harvest” (of souls) was abundant, but the “laborers” were few, even in Jesus’ time. Later, as the infant Church was growing, the Apostles appointed the first deacons to help them with the ministry (Acts 6:1-15). How do we assist him in our life? Are we open to his call and obedient to his instructions, or do we let worldly cares or technological distractions drown out his voice?

    3. How Often Do We Wander?: Jesus saw the crowds and was “moved with pity” for these “sheep without a shepherd.” Our urbanized modern world may not provide us with many encounters with sheep, but those who heard this Gospel before around 1940 had experienced what sheep can be—aimless, looking only for the next sweet patch of grass, dispersing widely when they sense a threat. Like sheep, we sometimes spend our energy on things outside of God’s will. Or we let others (who may be more lost than we are) lead us astray. When our faith is threatened, we run. Jesus, then and now, wants us to be led by him and by his Church to the truth and love that he has in store for us. He will always be our Good Shepherd. We need only turn to Him and be reconciled.

    Conversing with Christ: Lord, there are times when I can’t even articulate what I desire from you: your strength, your mercy, your love. In those times, allow me to be led to you. When I wander, send a shepherd to guide me back to you. Help me to hear the good news and to bathe in the love you desire me to know.

    Resolution: Lord, today by your grace, I will be reminded that you healed and preached in many places. Help me to remember that there is no place, most especially within my heart, that you are not willing to go, to bring me back to you. Help me to share this good news–that you are my Shepherd–with a friend or family member as the opportunity arises.

Reflection:

In the first reading, God is angry at those who presume to worship Him or do things for Him which He did not order them to do. He warns people who show off their love of God, but inside they do not truly love Him because they do not follow His commands. This happens to us when we pray a lot and do good deeds and make a big show of it. But when God wants us to give up something for Him, we hesitate. We have our own ideas of how to serve God when all He wants us to do is to obey his law of love. "Love one another as I have loved you." Jesus went to the people in need of his help and gave his time and effort for them. Many saints have followed in His footsteps. As he did, Jesus wants us to show our love in action - helping the poor and the sick, treating people justly including paying our workers their just wage. If we do otherwise, God, who sees everything, will make clear to us his displeasure.

    The gospel tells us that there is a strong demand for harvesters who will help Jesus bring people to the knowledge of God. Jesus worked tirelessly proclaiming the Kingdom of God, reminding people to turn to God for healing, and personally curing their illnesses. We are to continue his mission to preach the Good News to a pagan society. We must pray for more vocations and also lay missionaries who will devote their lives to saving men and women by introducing them to the Kingdom of God.

REFLECTION

When Christ performed the miracle narrated in today's Gospel, the people were glad. They said that they had never seen such wonders before. The Pharisees on the other hand claimed that Christ had driven out that devil because he had the power of the devil. The Pharisees were jealous and so they could not rejoice in the good that was done. Their jealousy prompted them to find some wrong reason to explain God's goodness.

    Perhaps sometime in our lives jealousy has often taken possession of us as well. Jealousy has certainly taken possession of us if we are disturbed when someone has better or more talents than we, or worse, when we have the better talent but someone else shares his poor talent in better ways than we do. Jealousy is pride exalting ourselves though there is nothing really to be proud of. In fact, there is reason to be ashamed because we love God so poorly.