Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần 18 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần 18 Thường Niên - Matthew 16:13-20 - TN

“Tư tưởng của ngươi không phải là tư tưởng của Thiên Chúa, mà là của loài người".. (Matthew16: 23)

Thật là dễ dàng hơn cho con người chúng ta khi đọc các sách Phúc Âm như là độc một tập truyện sử chứ không phải là để suy ngẫm để nghe Đức Giêsu nói chuyện trực tiếp với chúng ta.

Trong Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đặt các môn đệ của Ngài, và chúng ta, trong một tình thế thật khó hiểu và lúng túng khi hỏi, “Còn các ngươi, các ngươi nói Ta là ai?" Họ, như chúng ta, khi được hỏi, có thể đang cố gắng để tìm ra cho một câu trả lời thích đáng! Nhưng khiChúa Giêsu vừa hỏi xong! Phêrô đã trả lời rằng Ngài không là ai khác hơn, Ngài chính là Chúa Kitô là con Thiên Chúa! Một sự mặc khải thậtvững chắn. Thế nhưng, sau đó khi nghe Chúa Giêsu nó về những gìChúa Giêsu phải gặp và sẽ phải thực hiện, Phêrô dã cẳn ngăn Ngài vàChúa Giêsu đã đuổi Phêrô tránh xa Ngài và còn gọi Phêrô là Satan.(Matthew 16:23)

Tất cả chúng ta cần phải biết rằng Chúa Giêsu là người đã đượcThiên Chúa chọn, và Ngài đã phải chịu chết cho chúng ta để ban chochúng ta có được sự sống đời đời. Nếu chúng ta có thể chấp nhận với Ngài và tất cả những người xung quanh của chúng ta rằng là chúng taphải sẵn sàng để bắt chước Chúa làm như vậy, chúng ta sẽ không thể là những người bàng quang, chỉ đọc sách để giải tri! Chúa Giêsu muốn chúng ta biết Ngài, hiểu Ngài và sẵn sàng đem người khác đến để biếtNgài khi họ nhìn thấy chúng ta.

Để làm được điều đó, Chúa Giêsu không phải chỉ ở trong tâm hồn và trái tim của chúng ta mà thôi nhưng Ngài cũng phải là mục đích của cuộc sống và hành động của chúng ta Suy nghĩ và hành động khôngthể bị ngắt ngồn kết nối khi nói đến con đường của sự sống đời đời.

REFLECTION 2019 Master, it is good that we are here

Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Mount Tabor, like Mount Sinai, is the place of the proximity to God. It is the prominent space, regarding our daily existence, where we can breathe the pure air of the Creation. It is the place of prayer where we are in the company of the Lord, like Moses and Elijah, who appear with Jesus Transfigured, talking with Him about the Exodus He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (i.e. his Passover).

His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them» (Mk 9.3).This fact symbolizes the purification of the Church. And Peter said to Jesus: "Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah" (Mk 9:5)" St. Augustine beautifully mentions that Peter thought of the three shelters because he did not yet know the accord between the Law, the Prophecy and the Gospel.

«Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: 'This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him' "(Mk 9.7). The Transfiguration is not a change in Jesus, but the Revelation of His Divinity. Peter, James and John, while contemplating the Divinity of the Lord do, prepare themselves to confront the scandal of the Cross. The Transfiguration is a foretaste of the Resurrection! "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here" (Mk 9:5). The Transfiguration reminds us that the joys God sows in our life are not points of arrival, but lights He gives us in our earthly pilgrimage so that "only Jesus" may be our Law, and His Word the criterion, joy and blessing of our existence.

Thursday 18th Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, grant me the grace of an interior knowledge of your heart, a heart that desires the salvation of souls no matter the cost.

Encountering Christ:

1. God’s Intention: In today’s first reading, Jeremiah spoke from the heart of God. We saw his intention to make a New Covenant, a binding relationship of love in which God claimed his people as his own, personally executing their exodus from slavery as a Father rescuing a beloved son or daughter. Jeremiah’s prophetic words offer hope of a God who is near at hand, who stakes his rightful claim over his people, and who will give them a fresh start, “never more calling their sin to mind.” Let’s ponder God’s intention for his people, an intention he continues to hold today for you and for me.

2. Evoking Conviction: In the Gospel, Jesus progressively asked his disciples to consider and confess their convictions about who he is. His leading question, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” took a personal turn when he asked, “But you, who do you say I am?” Is there a distinction? Perhaps Jesus was provoking an awareness of their belief. Did they believe what others said about him or did they come to a deep conviction based on their experience and the authority of his word and deeds? If we imagine Jesus asking us this question, what voices resound within that define who Jesus is? Do they come tainted with negative human experience from who mainstream culture tells us he is, or from our sincere encounters with him? When Peter professed his conviction that Jesus was the “Messiah, the Son of the living God,” Jesus recognized that the response came from neither superficial emotions nor human agencies but from the Father who revealed the truth. How do we make space in our life to receive the same revelation from the Father and truly discover who Jesus is in his word and deeds?

3. A New Name, a New Mission: After Peter’s heartfelt and enlightened confession of faith, Jesus gave him a new name and mission. “Peter, upon this rock I will build my Church.” To know Christ is to be caught up in his life by existing for others. Peter was integrated into the mission of Jesus, sent by the Father. He would lead God’s people and hold the keys to the Kingdom, the keys that offer access to the New Covenant mediated by Jesus Christ through his paschal mystery. But as soon as Peter received this new mission, he was tempted to carry it out according to his criteria, not God’s criteria: “suffering, death, and rising on the third day.” Jesus struck back against Peter’s rash and pragmatic mindset, inviting him to think like God, who sacrificed his only Son. It is a testament to the criteria that a true disciple must embody, one of laying down one’s life for the other.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you invite me to enter a New Covenant with you and in you. Open my eyes to see how this translates into following you in my daily life. Grant me new hearing attentive to the secular mindset that obscures my capacity to follow your heart.

Resolution: Lord, I will be attentive today to my thoughts, particularly those that need to be infused with greater faith.

REFLECTION 2019

In the Gospel reading it seemed so easy for Peter to reply "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God," when asked, "but you, who do you say I am?" Jesus affirms that Peter's confession of faith needed God's assistance: "for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you but my Father in heaven." Peter's confession follows his personal experience of the very person of Jesus, of time spent with him as his follower, disciple and friend.

Following Peter's confession, Jesus promises him greater responsibility: "You are Peter (or Rock) and on this rock I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it."

The confession of Peter that Jesus was "the Messiah, the Son of the living God," is a climactic moment in all three Synoptic Gospels: with God's assistance, Peter and the apostles were able to profess their faith on who Jesus was. As followers of Jesus, we too are asked the same question, "But you, who do you say I am?" What would our answer be? Who is Jesus for us?

Let us pray for God's grace for a firm and solid faith in the Lord Jesus.

Meditation: "This is My Son, the Beloved - Listen to Him!"

Are you prepared to see God's glory? God is eager to share his glory with us! We get a glimpse of this when the disciples see Jesus transfigured on the mountain. Jesus' face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white (Mark 9:2,3). When Moses met with God on Mount Sinai the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God (see Exodus 34:29). Paul says that the Israelites could not look at Moses' face because of its brightness (2 Corinthians 3:7). In the Gospel account Jesus appeared in glory with Moses, the great lawgiver of Israel, and with Elijah, the greatest of the prophets, in the presence of three of his beloved apostles - Peter, James, and John.

What is the significance of this mysterious appearance? Jesus went to the mountain knowing full well what awaited him in Jerusalem - his betrayal, rejection and crucifixion. Jesus very likely discussed this momentous decision to go to the cross with Moses and Elijah. God the Father also spoke with Jesus and gave his approval: This is my beloved Son; listen to him. The Father glorified his son because he obeyed. The cloud which overshadowed Jesus and his apostles fulfilled the dream of the Jews that when the Messiah came the cloud of God's presence would fill the temple again (see Exodus 16:10, 19:9, 33:9; 1 Kings 8:10; 2 Maccabees 2:8).

The Lord wants to share his glory with each of us

The Lord Jesus not only wants us to see his glory - he wants to share this glory with us. And Jesus shows us the way to the Father's glory: follow me - obey my words - take the path I have chosen for you and you will receive the blessings of my Father's kingdom - your name will be written in heaven.

Jesus succeeded in his mission because he went to Calvary so that Paradise would be restored to us once again. He embraced the cross to obtain the crown of glory that awaits each one of us, if we will follow in his footsteps.

Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD), an early church bible scholar and writer, shows us how the transfiguration can change our lives:

"When he is transfigured, his face also shines as the sun that he may be manifested to the children of light who have put off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, and are no longer the children of darkness or night but have become the sons of day, and walk honestly as in the day. Being manifest, he will shine unto them not simply as the sun, but as demonstrated to be the sun of righteousness."

Stay awake spiritually - Don't miss God's glory and action

Luke's Gospel account tells us that while Jesus was transfigured, Peter, James, and John were asleep (Luke 9:32)! Upon awakening they discovered Jesus in glory along with Moses and Elijah. How much do we miss of God's glory and action because we are asleep spiritually? There are many things which can keep our minds asleep to the things of God: Mental lethargy and the "unexamined life" can keep us from thinking things through and facing our doubts and questions. The life of ease can also hinder us from considering the challenging or disturbing demands of Christ. Prejudice can make us blind to something new the Lord may have for us. Even sorrow can be a block until we can see past it to the glory of God.

Are you spiritually awake? Peter, James, and John were privileged witnesses of the glory of Christ. We, too, as Disciples of Christ are called to be witnesses of his glory. We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18). The Lord wants to reveal his glory to us, his beloved disciples. Do you seek his presence with faith and reverence?

"Lord Jesus, keep me always alert and awake to you, to your word, your action, and your daily presence in my life. Let me see your glory."