Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai Thứ 7
Tuần Thường Niên
Khi không
có Chúa, thỉ chẳng có việc gi mà các môn đệ làm cho ra hồn, những gì
họ làm đều không được như ý muốn. Trong trường hợp như trong bài Tin mừng hôm
nay, các môn đã cố gắng hết sức mà không thể trừ được thần ô uế ra khỏi một em
bé vì thiếu lòng tin và họ cũng thiếu cả sự cầu nguyện. Kết quả là, họ đã bị
Chúa Giêsu quở trách họ, cũng như quỏ trách tất cả các kinh sư, những người
Pharisêu và những người có mặt vì họ thiếu lòng tin.
Nhưng
ngược lại với các môn đệ, Lúc ban đầu người cha của cậu bé đứng đấy
cũng không có lòng tin và còn nghi ngờ cà sức mạnh của Chúa Giêsu. Chúa Giêsu
lên tiếng mạnh dạn nhắc nhở ông ta rằng đức tin không có giới hạn nơi sức mạnh
của Thiên Chúa. Người đàn ông này đã lớn tiếng kêu xin và thừa nhận sự thiếu
đức tin của mình và xin Chúa tăng thêm lòng tin cho ông ta và cầu xin Chúa Giêsu
giúp đỡ. Như vậy, Chúa Giêsu, đã chữa lành các đứa bé, là nhờ sự tuyên xưng đức
tin của người cha .
Nếu không
có sự hiện của Chúa Giêsu, cũng như các môn đệ, chúng ta cũng đành bất lực. Tuy
nhiên, ngay cả trong những khoảnh khắc tuyệt vọng nhất, Chúa Giêsu củng luọng
mời gọi chúng ta, các môn đệ của Ngài nên đi thêm một bước xa hơn và cầu nguyện
như cha của cậu bé "con tin! Xin thêm sức mạnh cho lòng tin yếu kém của
chúng con! " Bằng cách này, Chúa Giêsu nhắc nhở chúng ta ngày hôm nay là
bất cứ điều gì chúng ta cũng có thể làm được nếu chúng ta có sự tin tưởng vào
nơi Ngài và tin tưởng vững mạnh sâu sắc trong lời cầu nguyện. Vì vậy, chúng ta
phải tìm đến với sự hiệp nhất với Chúa Giêsu trong sự cầu nguyện nếu chúng ta
muốn được Ngài chia sẻ quyền lực của Ngài và có một phần trong công việc của
Ngài cho chúng ta.
Lạy
Chúa Giêsu, xin giúp lòng tin yếu đuối của chúng con, và
xin chúa ban thêm sức mạnh cho lòng tin và sự tin
tưởng của chúng con trong ssức mạnh cứu rỗi của Chúa. Xin hãy cho chúng
con ơn biết tự tin và sự kiên trì, đặc biệt là trong lời
cầu nguyện. Và giúp chúng con biết mang tình yêu, sự
tha thứ và
chân lý của Chúa đến với những người mà chúng
con gặp"
Monday 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
When Jesus is absent, it is as though nothing goes right for
the disciples. In this instance, they are unable to expel an evil spirit. The
disciples were unable to expel the demon because of the lack of belief and
their lack of prayerfulness. As a result, Jesus rebukes them, as well as the
scribes and Pharisees and the people for their lack of faith.
In
contrast to the disciples, stands the father of the boy. Initially, this man
too lacked faith and had doubted the power of Jesus. Jesus strongly reminds him
that faith does not put limits to the power of God. In response, the man cries
out and acknowledges his lack of faith and looks to Jesus for help. As such,
although it is Jesus who heals the boy, it is the father's profession of faith
that Mark holds up for the readers to imitate.
Without
Jesus, like the disciples, we too are helpless. However, even in the most
desperate moments, Jesus invites us, his followers to go one step further and
pray like the boy’s father “I do believe! Help my unbelief!” In this way, Jesus
reminds us today that anything is possible to one who trusts in him and trust
is deepened in prayer. Therefore, we must seek to find union with Jesus in
prayer if we are to share in his power and have part in his work. “Lord, help my unbelief!”
Monday 7th
Week in Ordinary Time 2023
As Jesus came down from the mountain with
Peter, James, John and approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd
around them and scribes arguing with them. Mark 9:14
This line, from the beginning
of today’s Gospel, reveals a transition from an experience of incredible glory
to one that is very sad. On the mountain, Jesus was transfigured before three
of His disciples, and a small glimpse of His divine essence was revealed to
them. The three disciples were overwhelmed with joy and amazement. But as they
came down the mountain, they immediately encountered an argument between the
scribes and the people.
The argument had to do with a
man who brought his son to Jesus’ disciples for healing. The boy had been
possessed by a mute and deaf spirit from childhood, and the disciples were
unable to cast the demon out. What’s more, the scribes appear to be critical of
the whole situation, and the father appears to lack faith. Jesus’ response to
them all was, “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long
will I endure you? Bring him to me.” After the boy was brought to Jesus,
Jesus did two things for the boy. First, He commanded the demon to “come out of
him.” Second, He told the demon to “never enter him again.”
Though there is much we can
learn from this passage, it’s worth pondering this twofold command of Jesus.
Certainly, to set the boy free from the possession of this demon was
significant and life-changing. But this act of mercy would have ultimately
ended in tragedy if the demon were to reenter the boy after Jesus left.
Therefore, the second command, forbidding the demon to ever enter him again, is
also an act of great mercy.
One thing this should teach us
is that overcoming evil is not enough. This is because the temptations and
oppressions that come from the legion of fallen angels are continuous and
relentless. It often happens that once a person finds freedom from some
diabolical influence and from some sin, they later fall back into that sin as
they become lax. Therefore, we must always remember that once we overcome some
sin, temptation or oppression, we must perpetually remain vigilant so that we
do not fall back into these evils. Ongoing vigilance is essential if we are to
remain firmly grounded on the road to virtue and holiness.
Reflect, today, upon any
temptation you have endured and overcome, only to later fall into it again.
Reflect, especially, upon the importance of the vigilance that is necessary so
as to not only refrain from returning to your former sins but to also move
forward in holiness and virtue. The evil one never relents, but God is even
more relentless in His compassion and grace. Keep moving forward in the
spiritual life so that you never slip and fall back into previous sin.
Most glorious Lord, I turn to
You in confidence and beg that You not only free me from the sins with which I
struggle, but that You also keep me from ever turning back to them once I am
free. May I always move forward toward You and never become lax in my journey
of faith. Jesus, I trust in You.
Monday 7th
Week in Ordinary Time 2023
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe in your presence in my life, family
and work. I believe that you ask nothing of me that you do not give me the
strength to do. I trust in the power of your grace and the care of your love. I
love you, Lord, and I wish to love you with this prayer so that I may work
according to your will and in your love.
Petition: I believe you can change me, Lord.
1. Working Without
Faith: The artist Raphael
depicts the poor apostles who, awaiting Our Lord’s return from Mount Tabor and
the Transfiguration, are waving their arms in frustration and excusing
themselves before the desperate father and his family. How often we try to do
what clearly seems to be our work, but without including God in any real way.
Our work seems “dead” until we let Jesus work with us to “raise it up.” Often
we fail even to ask whether what we do is God’s will or not. When we exclude God
from our work or family life, we lack faith. He is there—but we just don’t
allow him room to work. The apostles exercise little faith, thinking this cure
beyond their ability. The father and his family may as well have lacked faith
in what these “apostles” could do. To them, and to us, Christ says, “O
faithless generation!” When do I show a lack of faith in my work or family
life?
2. Jesus’ Ultimate
Intention: Instill Faith: When
Jesus is out of sight, the people could only argue. Yet when he comes into
view, the people are “utterly amazed.” Jesus immediately sees their lack of
faith, so he uses every circumstance to inspire faith. What he did for the
chosen three apostles through the Transfiguration, he does now for the nine at
the foot of the mountain. He allows them to fail so as to teach them faith. He
tests the poor father, too: “If you can!” And he instructs all the apostles on
the need for prayer. What is Christ doing in my life to invite me to greater
faith? Do I respond with that faith or do I simply argue, since Jesus does not
appear present?
3. Our Struggle to
Believe: The father’s
heartfelt cry is all Jesus needs to drive out the unclean spirit. The man
reaffirms his faith while admitting his weakness. How often do we assume that
our faith is sufficient, all the while blaming God for what happens in our
life? Believing is not easy. It requires a constant recognition of our
limitations, our inability to understand the “why’s” of so many occurrences,
the “how’s” of so many challenges. Jesus does not rebuke the struggle to
believe but rather the lack of effort when we stop believing. What the apostles
failed to do was done by the father with one intense but short prayer: “Help my
unbelief!” This humble confession always comes to rest on the greatness of
God’s power and the comprehensiveness of his love. Do I believe that everything
is possible if I only believe?
Conversation with
Christ: Lord, grant me an
increase of faith! Help me to see you present and active in my everyday life.
May I never undertake any work or responsibility without first determining your
will and counting on your assistance. I believe that you can do all things in
me, according to your own will. I believe your will is committed to what is
best for me. Teach me to pray and work with great faith and trust in you.
Resolution: I will reject all worries that I can do nothing about,
confidently acting upon those concerns of mine which I can change.
REFLECTION MONDAY,
7th Week in Ordinary Time
Why do we
have sickness and demonic possessions in the world? Because Satan is at work in
the world. Even if Jesus has triumphed over sin and death through his own
passion, death and resurrection, we still have to contend with evil and evil
spirits in the world. Every day and everywhere there are evil and evil men in
the world.
How
do we combat evil? Jesus tells us that we combat evil by prayer, fasting and
good works and with the grace of God. We pray to God when things are all right;
much more so we should pray to him when things go badly. And because we cannot
really escape from temptations and evil men and situations, we must look to God
and others for help and guidance.
Jesus
himself, in his temptations in the desert before his public preaching, taught
us that there is evil in the world and that we can conquer evil. We should be
sober and alert and fight evil with the weapons of light, truth, integrity and
faith. Indeed the devil exists; so does God and his grace to help us combat
evil.
Monday 7th
Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, grant me a deeper faith vision that
recognizes your salvific presence in the world.
Encountering Christ:
1. Signs of the
Kingdom: How often we look for signs in our life, but perhaps we look
for signs for the wrong reasons. We want signs about which job to take, a sign
that our loved one is in heaven, or that we made a good choice in life. But do
we look for the sign of God’s presence manifested in a deeper conversion of
heart or in an increase of faith, hope, and love? A life that turns from sin
and seeks to live virtue is a sign of God’s Kingdom present in our lives and in
the world. When Jesus began his public ministry he preached repentance and the
coming of the Kingdom. Then he began to heal many people. He manifested signs
of his divine identity and the purpose for his coming. He came to break the
dominion of Satan and restore the Kingdom of God. Healings are a manifestation
of that restoration that he desires to work in the hearts of all people. That
healing can be worked instantaneously as we see him do in the Gospels. But for
most of us, it happe ns progressively through an ongoing process of conversion.
The Lord is always active in a heart open to grace, whether we perceive it or
not.
2. Disbelief in
Action: Jesus revealed his frustration over the disciple's lack of
faith. Perhaps they put too much trust in their own power, rather than in
the power of Jesus. Or perhaps they sought vainglory instead of turning people
back to the Lord. Their disbelief was more than a lack of intellectual assent.
They fell short of recognizing the source of all healing–God. In my life, all
the good that I do, any of the healing and restoration I experience, results
from God acting through grace in my soul. All glory to God!
3. Prayer and Fasting:
Jesus said that the kind of demons his apostles were dealing with could be
expelled only through prayer. Prayer is faith in action. When we pray, we are
telling God that we believe he is there and that he is important enough for me
to seek out. We appeal to the only one who can truly transform us. Prayer
requires a tremendous act of faith. And faith is a theological virtue that
unites us directly to God, the source of life and healing. The deepest healing
is the salvation that comes through the grace Jesus offers us as we turn away
from Satan’s dominion and enter God’s Kingdom. This requires
purification–leaving ourselves behind. Fasting can play a role here. Some
translations of Mark 9:29 mention Jesus saying that some demons can only come
out through fasting. Fasting helps us form the habit of turning away from
obstacles that prevent our union with God. When I want to see healing and/or
interior transformation in myself or others, Our Lord may be asking me for
prayer and fasting.
Conversing with
Christ: Jesus, I believe that you
alone can heal my deepest wounds. Help me to turn from all that does not make
me a daughter or son of your Kingdom.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace, I will renew my prayer life
and offer a sacrifice that helps me give more of my heart to you.
No comments:
Post a Comment