Suy Niệm ngày 6 tháng 1 Tuần Giáng Sinh

Suy Niệm ngày 6 tháng 1 Tuần Giáng Sinh

Thánh Gioan Tẩy Giả đã loan báo Chúa Giêsus là đấng có quyền thế và còn cao trọng hơn chính ông. Cái gì làm Chúa Giêsu có quyền thế và cao trọng? Phép lạ của Ngài như việc ban phát bánh và cá cho hàng ngàn người ăn, đi trên nước, hay chữa bệnh làm cho người mù được thấy, người què đi được và cho Lazarus sống lại ? Có phải là vì Chúa đã tẩy rửa đền thờ không? Hay là Chúa Jêsus có quyền thế vì sự nhân từ với lòng thương xót của Ngài? Có phải vì sự sẵn lòng để yêu thương mọi người dù họ đã có những sự đối xử không hay với Ngài? Có phải vì sự lòng sẵn sàng từ bỏ ý muốn của mình để làm theo ý muốn của Chúa Cha trên trời? Thánh Phanxicô de Sales đã dạy rằng không có gì là mạnh mẽ như sự dịu dàng và không có gì nhẹ nhàng như sức mạnh thực sự.

Chúa Jêsus cao trọng như thế nào? Không phải là về mặt thể chất hoặc xã hội trong suốt cuộc sống của Ngài ở trần gian. Ngài Cao Trọng và uy quyền là vì Ngài là Đấng Thiên Sai và Ngài đã tỏ lộ Thiên Chúa và cho dù  không ai nhận biết Ngài và không có được uy quyền, danh vọng trong suốt cuộc đời của Ngài nhưng Ngài đã thực sự thành công và đã đạt được kết quả mà Ngài đã được sai đến.

Lạy Chúa là Thiên Chúa, xin vì ân sủng của Ngài mà ơn Chúa Thánh Thần có thể ban xuống cho chúng con để chúng con biết cố gắng trung thành sống theo con đường mà Chúa Giêsu đã dạy cho chúng con bằng cách sống với những lời hứa rửa tội của chúng con.

 

6th Jan 2023 - Weekday of Christmas –

John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus as mightier as and greater than John himself was. What made Jesus mighty? His miracles like feeding the thousands, walking on water, curing the sick and resuscitating Lazarus and others?  Was it his cleansing of the temple? Or was Jesus mighty because of his gentle kindness? Was it because of his willingness to love everyone regardless of how he was treated or received by them? Was it because of his willingness to surrender his will to the will of his heavenly Father? Francis de Sales taught that nothing is as strong as gentleness and nothing as gentle as real strength.

How was Jesus mighty? Not physically or politically or socially during his lifetime. He was mighty because he was the messiah and revealed God and although he seemed to have been largely unrecognized and unheeded during his lifetime he was actually quite successful and achieved the end for  which he was sent.

Lord God, with Your grace may Your favour rest upon us as we strive to faithfully follow the path Jesus has shown to us by living our baptismal promises.

 

6th Jan 2023

January 6, when before Epiphany

When Jesus began his ministry he was about thirty years of age. He was the son, as was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Melea… Luke 3:32–24

One of the two options for today’s Gospel is the genealogy of Jesus according to Saint Luke. Recall that Matthew’s Gospel also shares a genealogy of Jesus. Matthew’s version might be more familiar since it comes at the very beginning of his Gospel. Though the two genealogies differ significantly for various reasons, they both have the goal of tracing Jesus’ lineage. Luke inserts the genealogy of Jesus in Chapter Three of his Gospel, after Jesus is baptized and just before His public ministry. He presents the genealogy in ascending order, starting with Jesus and ending with Adam, identifying seventy-seven generations. Matthew presents the genealogy in descending order, beginning with Abraham and concluding with Jesus, identifying forty-one generations.

Saint Augustine, in commenting upon Luke’s genealogy, points out that Luke identifies seventy-seven generations because Jesus states that we must forgive seventy-seven times (Matthew 18:21–22). Furthermore, since Jesus had just entered the waters of baptism, Augustine sees this as a way of saying that the Sacrament of Baptism offers all people of all times the unlimited gift of the forgiveness of sins.

Perhaps one of the most important reflections we can take from either of Jesus’ genealogies is the fact that He came to give us the gift of new life as the new Adam. His gift of baptism is a way of starting over with fallen humanity. From the time of our creation, we sinned. Adam and Eve sinned. And all generations to follow have sinned. Thus, in Christ, through Baptism, we are able to begin again, to be born again, and to be transformed from the natural fallen order to the supernatural order of grace.

We will soon celebrate the Epiphany and the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord. After that, we enter into the beginning of Ordinary Time when we ponder the public ministry of Jesus. As we do so, we must regularly remind ourselves of the reason Jesus came. He did not come simply to inspire us or to teach us His wisdom. Rather, He came to save fallen humanity in accord with the perfect plan of the Father. The Father’s plan began at the beginning of time when humanity fell from grace. From there, the Father prepared the world for the coming of His divine Son through generation after generation of prophets, priests and kings. Slowly, He revealed His plan of salvation until it came to fruition and perfection in the Person of His Beloved Son.

Reflect, today, upon the eternal plan of the Father to save us from sin by sending His divine Son as our Savior. The plan, spanning many generations from the beginning of time, will continue to unfold until the end of time when Jesus will return in splendor and glory. Spend time pondering this incredible plan and incredible gift you have been given. As you do, seek to foster the deepest gratitude in your heart.

Jesus, my Savior, I do thank You for the unfathomable gift You have given me. You took on our fallen human nature and transformed it by this unity of Your divinity and humanity. You died for my sins and the sins of all who turn to You, and You opened the doors to Heaven. May I always grow more deeply in gratitude for all You have done for us. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

6th Jan 2023

Introductory Prayer: My Jesus I believe in you. Your goodness overflows: I long to imitate you more in my life so that others can catch a glimpse of you shining through me. I want to do whatever you tell me. I know this moment of prayer in my day is a chance for an intimate dialogue with you, so here I am: ready to listen and respond with an active faith, hope and love.

Petition: Lord, give me ears to hear your words to me. Give me the faith and trust to act on them.

1. They Have No Wine: Before anyone else, Mary sees the potentially embarrassing situation that faces the families of the bride and groom. She was sitting next to Jesus so she could say to him quietly, mother to son, “They have no wine.” She asks this of him even though his public life is not yet launched. Mary is constantly interceding before her Divine Son on behalf of her children. How often do I turn to her for a favor? Do I realize that there is no greater intercessor in heaven than our Blessed Mother?

2. Do Whatever He Tells You: At his mother’s words, Jesus’ public ministry is launched. Mary’s faith-filled words to the servers are repeated to me today, “Do whatever he tells you.” The servers are given most unusual instructions. They are told by Jesus to fill jars used for the ritual cleansing of feet with water and then draw some out to be taken to the headwaiter to taste. Surely they must fear the angry reaction of their boss, or mockery from the guests. Sometimes when Jesus tells us to speak up for him in unfriendly territory, our human respect and fear of rejection can paralyze us. When was the last time I experienced this fear? Did I overcome it with faith and speak up for the Lord? Or did I silently succumb to the fear of rejection or mockery?

3. Coworker in the Redemption: Jesus addresses his mother as “Woman,” signifying that she is the new Eve who, together with her Divine Son, will crush the Serpent’s head, releasing human beings from the bondage of sin. This moment launches a holy partnership, a mutual acceptance of sacrifice for the salvation of souls, for so the Heavenly Father has willed it. Do we comprehend Mary’s love for each of us? She willingly sacrificed her beloved Son for our redemption, cooperating with him, uniting herself to him every step of the way until she stood beneath the cross. The Holy Eucharist foreshadowed by the feast of Cana is a gift of both Christ and our Lady. Let us ask Mary to purify our hearts for the reception of this Most Holy Sacrament.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, just as your Mother did at Cana, you ask us to have the same eye for detail as we seek to charitably look after the needs of others. Help me to forget about myself, so that I can quickly and efficiently do whatever you ask of me. Help me to trust in your guidance and love. Mother Mary, teach me to welcome sacrifice as you did, so I too can be faithful and follow Jesus to the cross and be a coworker in the redemption.

Resolution: I will overcome my hesitancy and longing for human respect in order to share my faith with someone today.

 

6th Jan 2018

In the first reaing St. John writes that God has granted us eternal life in his Son, Jesus. Provided we believe in the Name of the Son of God we will have eternal life with God.

   In the Gospel reading John speaks of the coming of One greater than himself. While John's baptism in water signified repentance, the One to come will baptize with the Holy Spirit..

    At the baptism of Jesus by John, the Father testified for him, "You are my Son, the Beloved, the One I have chosen," and the Holy Spirit came down on him in the form of a dove.

     We have been baptized with the baptism of Christ, in water and the Holy Spirit. From our baptism we have become temples or dwelling places of the Holy Spirit. In baptism we went down with Christ and rose with him to a new life, a share in God's divine life. In baptism the Father has made us his adopted children and filled us with the grace and presence of the Holy Spirit. He has gifted us with the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity. May we always live our lives in God's loving embrace?