Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai sau tuần thứ Ba Mùa
Chay" không một ngôn sứ nào được chấp nhận tại quê hương mình”
Hôm nay, trong Tin Mừng, Chúa Giêsu nói với chúng ta rằng “không một ngôn sứ nào được chấp nhận tại quê hương mình” (Lc 4:24). Chúa Giêsu đã dùng câu tục ngữ này để giới thiệu cho chúng ta biết chính Ngài là một tiên tri. Chúa Giêsu là một vị tiên tri xuất sắc, là Đấng Cứu Rỗi mà dân Israel hằng mong đợi từ lâu; Và nơi Ngài mà tất cả những lời tiên tri đã được ứng nghiệm. Nhưng, cũng giống như sự việc đã xảy ra vào thời của tiên tri Êlia và Êlisha, Chúa Giêsu cũng không được "đón và tiếp nhận" trong đám người của bà con cùng xóm cùng làng, vì ở đó có những người đã tỏ ra đầy giận dữ “đứng dậy, và lôi Ngài ra khỏi thành” (Lc 04:29 ).
Mỗi người trong chúng ta, sau khi đã nhận được phép Rửa, chúng ta được gọi là con Chúa và cũng được gọi là tiên tri. Do đó: Chúng ta cần phải loan báo Tin Mừng. Để làm được như vậy, như Đức Thánh Cha Phanxicô đã nói, chúng ta phải lắng nghe Lời Chúa một cách tiếp cận chân thành, để cho nó chạm vào cuộc sống của chúng ta, để khôi phục chúng ta, để khuyên nhủ, và động viên chúng ta, bởi vì nếu chúng ta không dành thời gian để cầu nguyện với Lời Chúa, thì sau này, chúng ta sẽ thực sự là một "tiên tri giả", một "kẻ lừa đảo" hay một "lang băm rỗng tếch"
Để sống theo Tin Mừng. Một lần nữa Đức Thánh Cha Phanxicô có nói: “Chúng ta không bắt buộc đòi hỏi phải là hoàn hảo, nhưng phải tiếp tục phát triển và cùng mạnh dạn tiến bước theo con đường Phúc Âm; cánh tay của chúng ta không bao giờ phải mỏi mệt”. Đó là điều cần thiết để chắc chắn rằng Thiên Chúa yêu thương chúng ta, Chúa Giêsu Kitô đã cứu chúng ta, và tình yêu của Ngài là mãi mãi.
Là môn đệ của Chúa Giêsu, chúng ta phải biết nhận thức được rằng cũng giống như Chúa Giêsu đã gặp sự chối bỏ, tức giận và bị ném bỏ, điều này cũng sẽ xảy đến trong cuộc sống mới hàng ngày của chúng ta. Hãy đến với Đức Maria, Nữ Vương các tiên tri, Xin hướng dẫn chúng ta trên con đường của chúng ta đang và sẽ đi tới.
A "Prophet" is someone who speaks on behalf of another, he who carries someone else’s message. Among the Hebrews, the prophets were men sent by God to announce, whether with words, whether with signs, the presence of God, the coming of the Messiah, the message of salvation, peace and hope.
Jesus is the Prophet par excellence, the long awaited Savior; in Him all prophecies are fulfilled. But, just as it did happen at the time of Elijah and Elisha, Jesus is not "well accepted" among their own, for those who are filled with anger «got up, and drow Him out of the town» (Lk 4:29). Each one of us, because of our baptism, is also called to be a prophet. Therefore:
1st. We should announce the Good News. To do so, as Pope Francis said, we have to listen to the Word with a sincere approach, to let it touch our own lives, to let it retrieve us, exhort us, mobilize us, because if we do not dedicate time to pray with that Word, then we shall indeed be a "false prophet", a "swindler" or an "empty charlatan"
2nd. To live by the Gospel. Again Pope Francis says: «We are not asked to be flawless, but to keep growing and wanting to grow as we advance along the path of the Gospel; our arms must never grow slack». It is essential to be sure that God loves us, that Jesus Christ has saved us, that His love is forever.
3rd. As disciples of Jesus, we must be aware that just as Jesus experienced rejection, anger and being thrown out, this will also be present on the horizon of our daily lives. Let Mary, Queen of the prophets, guide us on our way.
When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away. Luke 4:28–30
One of the first places Jesus went to begin His public ministry was His own home town. After entering the Synagogue and reading from the Prophet Isaiah, Jesus proclaimed that the prophecy of Isaiah was now fulfilled in His very person. This caused His townspeople to be outraged at Him, thinking He was blaspheming. So they shockingly sought to immediately kill Jesus by driving Him out of their town to the brow of a hill off which they meant to throw Him. But then something fascinating happened. Jesus “passed through the midst of them and went away.”
The Father eventually permitted the grave evil of the death of His Son to take place, but only in His time. It’s unclear from this passage how Jesus was able to avoid being killed right then at the beginning of His ministry, but what’s important to know is that He was able to avoid this because it was not His time. The Father had more for Jesus to do before He would permit Him to offer His life freely for the salvation of the world.
This same reality is true for our own lives. God does permit evil to happen, at times, because of the irrevocable gift of free will. When people choose evil, God will allow them to proceed—but always with a caveat. The caveat is that God only permits evil to be inflicted upon others when that evil is able to be ultimately used for God’s glory and for some form of good. And it is only permitted in God’s time. If we do evil ourselves, choosing sin rather than the will of God, then the evil that we do will end in our own loss of grace. But when we are faithful to God and some external evil is imposed upon us by another, God permits this only when that evil can be redeemed and used for His glory.
The best example of this is, of course, the passion and death of Jesus. A far greater good came forth from that event than the evil itself. But it was only permitted by God when the time was right, in accord with God’s will.
Reflect, today, upon the glorious fact that any evil or any suffering inflicted upon you unjustly can end in the glory of God and the greater salvation of souls. No matter what you may suffer in life, if God permits it, then it is always possible for that suffering to share in the redeeming power of the Cross. Consider any suffering you have endured and embrace it freely, knowing that if God permitted it, then He certainly has some greater purpose in mind. Surrender that suffering over with the utmost confidence and trust and allow God to do glorious things through it.
God of all wisdom, I know that You know all things and that all things can be used for Your glory and for the salvation of my soul. Help me to trust You, especially when I endure suffering in life. May I never despair when treated unjustly and may my hope always be in You and in Your power to redeem all things. Jesus, I trust in You.
3rd Sunday of Lent 2023 A
Opening Prayer: Speak, Lord; your servant is listening.
1. Amen, I Say to You: Amen: so be it, verily, truth—when the Lord speaks, he speaks in truth. Sometimes we question in prayer, “Is that my voice and my words? Or is it you, Jesus, and your words?” We can let our thoughts or distractions infiltrate our prayer, turning the conversation into a task list or a hurried, one-sided monologue. If we “rest in him,” allowing the Lord to draw our heart and mind back to him, he reminds us that our prayer time is sacred and intimate—a time we don’t want to rush through, for it’s then that he speaks truth into our lives.
2. Filled with Fury: Hearing the truth can be difficult. We don’t always like constructive criticism or negative feedback, but it’s a great reminder that we are not perfect, that we need God. Pride and vanity have strong roots, and emotions can be blinding, but we know that when we give our sinful tendencies and emotions over to the Lord in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we are transformed, and our virtue is strengthened. We are freer to be the person Our Lord created and called us to be.
3. He Passed through the Midst of Them: Jesus, at the end of this passage, speaks to us of sin. When we allow anger to dictate our actions and reactions we are pushing the Lord out of our heart. He simply passes by. Our Lord never forces us to behave in a certain way. He respects our free will and doesn’t intrude. However, he is never far away—he always awaits our return, for the storm to pass, for our contrition to sink in. His patience, mercy, and compassion are limitless, and for this, we are humbled and grateful.
Conversing with Christ: Dearest Jesus, grant me the grace to always recognize and welcome your truth. Grant me the humility to give you my sinful tendencies and emotions, and strengthen me in virtue so that I may be free. I want to be perfect as my heavenly Father is perfect—perfect in love.
Monday
third week of Lent: Gospel
Reading: Luke 4:24-30
Qua bài tin mừng chúng ta thấy Chúa Giêsu đã không ngần ngại quở trách lòng chai đá, tội lỗi cũng như sự thờ ơ và vô tín của người Do Thái, trong khi người Do Thái xúc phạm đến Chúa nơi quê Ngài, vì họ đã mù quáng không nhìn thấy lòng thương xót của Thiên Chúa và kế hoạch cứu chuộc cho tất cả mọi dân tộc. Lời cảnh báo và sự phán đoán của Chúa Giêsu đã làm cho dân Do Thái gây ra sự thù địch với Ngài.
Chúa Giêsu ban ơn chữa lành và tha thứ cho tất cả những người khiêm tốn biết xin lòng thương xót của Ngài và giúp đỡ, Chúa sẵn sàng giải phóng chúng ta mọi thói quen tội lỗi và mọi cách có hại liên quan đến người chung quanh của chúng ta, nếu chúng ta cho phép Chúa tẩy rửa và chữa lành chúng ta. Nếu chúng ta muốn đồng hành và theo sát trong sự tự do và phát triển trong tình yêu và sự thánh thiện, thì chúng ta phải biết khiêm tốn, phải từ bỏ con đường tội lỗi của chúng ta và sống the sự hướng dẫn của Chúa Kitô.
Meditation:
When Jesus proclaimed the good news of God's kingdom to his own people, he did not hesitate to confront them with their sin of indifference and unbelief. He startled his listeners in the synagogue at Nazareth with a seeming rebuke that no prophet or servant of God can receive honor among his own people. He then angered them when he complimented the Gentiles who seemed to have shown more faith in God than the "chosen ones" of Israel. The Jews regarded the unbelieving Gentiles as "fuel for the fires of hell." Jesus' praise for "outsiders" offended the ears of his own people because they were blind-sighted to God's mercy and plan of redemption for all nations. The word of warning and judgment spoken by Jesus was met with hostility by his own people. They forcibly threw him out of the town and would have done him harm had he not stopped them.
The Lord Jesus offers healing and pardon to all who humbly ask for his mercy and help. He will set us free from every sinful habit and every harmful way of relating to our neighbor, if we allow him to cleanse and heal us. If we want to walk in freedom and grow in love and holiness, then we must humbly renounce our sinful ways and submit to Christ's instruction and healing for our lives. Scripture tells us that the Lord disciplines us for our good that we may share his holiness (Hebrews 12:10). Do you want the Lord Jesus to set you free from every sinful pattern and to make you whole and well again? Ask him to show you the way to walk in his love and truth.
"Lord Jesus, teach me to love your ways that I may be quick to renounce sin and wilfulness in my life. Make me whole and clean again that I may I delight to do your will."
REFLECTION
on 2 Kings 5:1-15
The miraculous healing of Naaman would not have taken place if not for the people who were involved leading to it. These include the Israelite servant girl, Naaman's wife, Naaman’s master, the king of Syria, the king of Israel, Naaman’s servants and the prophet Elisha. Each had a role to play.
Of these, two particularly stand out because, although they played a very significant role, in the eyes of the world, they were insignificant people. These are the Israelite servant girl who first mentioned the prophet Elisha to her master’s wife, and Naaman’s servants, who appealed to Naaman to do as the prophet advised. '
We see another excellent example of this in the Gospel passage. To most people in Nazareth, the place where he was brought up, Jesus, the Son of God is seen as someone insignificant because he was merely the son of Joseph, the carpenter. To God, Jesus is the cornerstone, the essential key to His whole plan of salvation. As Christians, although we may not be seen as important by the world, we have to be aware that we too are significant in God's eyes. Just as He used the young Israelite girl or Naaman's servants, He wants to use us in small but significant ways to touch the lives of others. Let us be open to His promoting and be ready to be used by Him today.
Opening Prayer: Speak, Lord; your servant is listening.
1. Amen, I Say to You: Amen: so be it, verily, truth—when the Lord speaks, he speaks in truth. Sometimes we question in prayer, “Is that my voice and my words? Or is it you, Jesus, and your words?” We can let our thoughts or distractions infiltrate our prayer, turning the conversation into a task list or a hurried, one-sided monologue. If we “rest in him,” allowing the Lord to draw our heart and mind back to him, he reminds us that our prayer time is sacred and intimate—a time we don’t want to rush through, for it’s then that he speaks truth into our lives.
2. Filled with Fury: Hearing the truth can be difficult. We don’t always like constructive criticism or negative feedback, but it’s a great reminder that we are not perfect, that we need God. Pride and vanity have strong roots, and emotions can be blinding, but we know that when we give our sinful tendencies and emotions over to the Lord in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we are transformed, and our virtue is strengthened. We are freer to be the person Our Lord created and called us to be.
3. He Passed through the Midst of Them: Jesus, at the end of this passage, speaks to us of sin. When we allow anger to dictate our actions and reactions we are pushing the Lord out of our heart. He simply passes by. Our Lord never forces us to behave in a certain way. He respects our free will and doesn’t intrude. However, he is never far away—he always awaits our return, for the storm to pass, for our contrition to sink in. His patience, mercy, and compassion are limitless, and for this, we are humbled and grateful.
Conversing with Christ: Dearest Jesus, grant me the grace to always recognize and welcome your truth. Grant me the humility to give you my sinful tendencies and emotions, and strengthen me in virtue so that I may be free. I want to be perfect as my heavenly Father is perfect—perfect in love.
Qua bài tin mừng chúng ta thấy Chúa Giêsu đã không ngần ngại quở trách lòng chai đá, tội lỗi cũng như sự thờ ơ và vô tín của người Do Thái, trong khi người Do Thái xúc phạm đến Chúa nơi quê Ngài, vì họ đã mù quáng không nhìn thấy lòng thương xót của Thiên Chúa và kế hoạch cứu chuộc cho tất cả mọi dân tộc. Lời cảnh báo và sự phán đoán của Chúa Giêsu đã làm cho dân Do Thái gây ra sự thù địch với Ngài.
Chúa Giêsu ban ơn chữa lành và tha thứ cho tất cả những người khiêm tốn biết xin lòng thương xót của Ngài và giúp đỡ, Chúa sẵn sàng giải phóng chúng ta mọi thói quen tội lỗi và mọi cách có hại liên quan đến người chung quanh của chúng ta, nếu chúng ta cho phép Chúa tẩy rửa và chữa lành chúng ta. Nếu chúng ta muốn đồng hành và theo sát trong sự tự do và phát triển trong tình yêu và sự thánh thiện, thì chúng ta phải biết khiêm tốn, phải từ bỏ con đường tội lỗi của chúng ta và sống the sự hướng dẫn của Chúa Kitô.
When Jesus proclaimed the good news of God's kingdom to his own people, he did not hesitate to confront them with their sin of indifference and unbelief. He startled his listeners in the synagogue at Nazareth with a seeming rebuke that no prophet or servant of God can receive honor among his own people. He then angered them when he complimented the Gentiles who seemed to have shown more faith in God than the "chosen ones" of Israel. The Jews regarded the unbelieving Gentiles as "fuel for the fires of hell." Jesus' praise for "outsiders" offended the ears of his own people because they were blind-sighted to God's mercy and plan of redemption for all nations. The word of warning and judgment spoken by Jesus was met with hostility by his own people. They forcibly threw him out of the town and would have done him harm had he not stopped them.
The Lord Jesus offers healing and pardon to all who humbly ask for his mercy and help. He will set us free from every sinful habit and every harmful way of relating to our neighbor, if we allow him to cleanse and heal us. If we want to walk in freedom and grow in love and holiness, then we must humbly renounce our sinful ways and submit to Christ's instruction and healing for our lives. Scripture tells us that the Lord disciplines us for our good that we may share his holiness (Hebrews 12:10). Do you want the Lord Jesus to set you free from every sinful pattern and to make you whole and well again? Ask him to show you the way to walk in his love and truth.
"Lord Jesus, teach me to love your ways that I may be quick to renounce sin and wilfulness in my life. Make me whole and clean again that I may I delight to do your will."
The miraculous healing of Naaman would not have taken place if not for the people who were involved leading to it. These include the Israelite servant girl, Naaman's wife, Naaman’s master, the king of Syria, the king of Israel, Naaman’s servants and the prophet Elisha. Each had a role to play.
Of these, two particularly stand out because, although they played a very significant role, in the eyes of the world, they were insignificant people. These are the Israelite servant girl who first mentioned the prophet Elisha to her master’s wife, and Naaman’s servants, who appealed to Naaman to do as the prophet advised. '
We see another excellent example of this in the Gospel passage. To most people in Nazareth, the place where he was brought up, Jesus, the Son of God is seen as someone insignificant because he was merely the son of Joseph, the carpenter. To God, Jesus is the cornerstone, the essential key to His whole plan of salvation. As Christians, although we may not be seen as important by the world, we have to be aware that we too are significant in God's eyes. Just as He used the young Israelite girl or Naaman's servants, He wants to use us in small but significant ways to touch the lives of others. Let us be open to His promoting and be ready to be used by Him today.
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