Suy Niệm Bài đọc thứ Sáu Tuần 26 Thừơng Niên

 Suy Niệm Bài đọc thứ Sáu Tuần 26 Thừơng Niên

Qua bài Tin Mừng chúng ta được nghe đến những thành phố Chorazin và Bethsaida là những thành phố đông đúc dân chúng, nhiều người đã được nhìn thấy Chúa được nghe những lời giảng dạy và chứng kiến những điều huyền diệu, phép lạ mà Chúa Giêsu đã thực hiện ở đây; Nhưng họ vẫn không mấy ấn tượng và không chịu thay đổi cách sống của họ, Vì thế Chúa Giêsu đã phải thốt ra lời nguyền rủa là : “họ sẽ không có được một tương lai hạnh phúc”, và ngay cả vùng Capernaum cũng đã bị chỉ trích. Họ tự đánh giá cao chính bản thân của họ, nhưng họ không chịu nghe lời răn bảo của Chúa mà ăn năn hay tỏ ra được sự xám hối, Họ từ chối không chấp nhận Chúa Giê-su khi Ngài đi qua và giảng dạy trên các đường phố của họ, Họ đã chối từ Thiên Chúa.

Phần chúng ta, nếu chúng ta tự xét mình, chắc chắn cũng có lúc nào đó trong cuộc sống chúng ta cũng có những hành động như những người này, vì chúng ta đã có những động thái tốt! Nhưng điều quan trọng là chúng ta phải biết tự sửa mình là không được tự mãn hay hoài nghi, nhưng luôn luôn cởi mở và mong muốn được nghe những lời giảng dạy về Phúc âm để tự phát triển tâm linh. Để giữ được một mối quan hệ tốt với Chúa Giêsu là chúng ta phải biết thay đổi. Lạy Chúa, Xin cho Lời Chúa có thể biến đổi chúng con và cuộc sống của chúng con.

Friday 26th Ordinary Time

The towns of Chorazin and Bethsaida had seen great things done in their midst; the teaching and the miracles of Jesus. But they remain unimpressed and unwilling to change their ways. Jesus uttered a warning; they did not have a happy future. Even Capernaum was criticized; they thought highly of themselves but did not show the fruits of repentance. To reject Jesus when he walked and taught in their streets was the same as rejecting God. Not a good move! It is important not to be complacent or cynical, but always open and eager to be taught and to grow spiritually. A relationship with Jesus means change.

Lord, may Your word transform me.

Friday 26th Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer: Lord, help me see your mighty deeds with the eyes of faith. If it is your will that I am to carry your word to those I encounter today, keep my heart pure and my mouth obedient to your will. Amen.

Encountering Christ:

1. Time and Place: As we read in the Gospel stories of the many signs, wonders, and miracles that Jesus performed, we might tend to envision that the crowds were persuaded to devote themselves to following Christ. But we see from this passage that Jesus knew that some of those who were firsthand witnesses of those signs and wonders had chosen not to change their evil ways—and Jesus knew what divine justice would be meted out to them. He warns all of us by the words of warning he spoke to them.

2. Do We Listen?: Do you believe in miracles? At the core of the Christian faith, the answer to that question must be yes—that we believe Jesus truly was conceived by God, born of a virgin, died on a cross, and rose from the dead. All miracles! In his brief public ministry, Jesus made the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the dead return to life, the lepers clean. If all of these things are true, then we must also believe that whatever in us is “unclean” can be healed and redeemed by Jesus.

3. Do We “Disagree in Spirit”?: A great challenge for Catholics is to believe that their sins are completely forgiven in the sacrament of Reconciliation. In that miraculous encounter, if the confession is complete and sincere, the person who leaves the confessional has been forgiven, the sins wiped away. Not to believe that is to deny the power of the Lord himself—to “reject” him. Sometimes, strangely, we’d prefer to keep our sins around! But, more than anything, Jesus wants us to believe in him and in the disciples and their successors who follow him. His warnings to the unrepentant could not be clearer. But, when we listen, repent, and truly believe, we have a beautiful gift of grace waiting for us.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, you know precisely which habits keep me from fully embracing your miraculous healing touch. Help me to form new habits of faith that will bring me closer to you and to the healing you know I need.

Resolution: Lord, today, by your grace, I will grow in my awareness of the miracles recounted in the Scriptures and in the lives of the saints to enliven my faith so that I may play a part in the growth of your Kingdom on earth.

Reflection

In today's Gospel Jesus accuses the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida for their hardness of heart, for their indifference to the Gospel. The Good News had reached them but they did not respond. Great wonders had been done among them but they were not convinced. To have the Good News presented to us is indeed a blessing from God. It is a privilege. The Good News is the word of God addressed to us. While there are millions of people who have accepted the Gospel message, there are also quite a lot of people who, like the people of Capernaum, have rejected it. Others have heard Christ's message but failed to think deeply on it; they are indifferent about it. They just don't want to think about sin and so they have no interest in thinking about redemption. As Christians, we have been blessed with the Good News. Do we really try to learn all we can about it? To have heard God's word is a great responsibility. A person will be judged according to what he has learned. When a person receives God's word of wisdom - the Good News of Salvation, it becomes for that person a gift, a great glory. But each word of God that has been received carries with it a responsibility. As Christians we need to give witness to his word.