Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu Tuần thứ 3 Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu Tuần thứ 3 Phục Sinh
Trong những ngày trước, Chúa Giêsu đã làm phép lạ hoá bánh và cá ra nhiều để nuôi sống muôn người. Người Do Thái nhận ra có một điều đặc biệt ở đây, đó là Chúa Giêsu có thể là Đấng Thiên Sai hoặc ít nhất là một tiên tri. Họ đã tò mò tiếp tục theo Chúa. Họ đã thích thú tất cả những gì mà Chúa đã truyền dậy cho họ, cho dù họ vẫn chưa hiểu được một đoạn Thánh kinh hoàn toàn và chính xác, nhưng họ cũng đủ hiểu với những gì họ quen nghe, nên điều đó khiến họ không gặp những khó khăn. Họ tiếp tục đặt câu hỏi, tìm kiếm sự hiểu biết, đặc biệt là sự hiểu biết mà họ có thể thoải mái.
Những khi chúng ta gặp phải những điều khó xử  và thử thách trong cuộc sống của chúng ta, chúng ta sẽ có thái độ thế nào khi chúng ta đặt câu hỏi với Chúa? Có phải chúng ta sẽ cố tìm cách để hiểu được ý của Thiên Chúa để rỗi chúng ta sẽ tuân thủ và thực hành theo như kế hoạch của Thiên Chúa, hay chúng ta phản ứng theo sự phụ thuộc vào mức độ hiểu biết riêng của chúng ta?.
            Hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đã nói lên những lời thực sự gây sốc cho chúng ta, Ngài muốn chúng ta ăn thịt và uống máu Ngài! Cho đến thời điểm này, hầu hết đám đông đã sẵn sàng chấp nhận Ngài như một người ban phát của ăn cho họ. Ngài cho họ ăn uống no thoả hôm qua. Có lẽ, nếu họ cố ở lại bên ngài mỗi ngày, Ngài sẽ làm phép lạ hoá bánh cho họ ăn no thoả nữa. Ý nghĩ của họ về Đấng Thiên Sai quá vật chất, họ chỉ nghĩ Chúa Giêsu là người sẽ tái lập Vương quốc của David mà tiêu diệt quân thù La Mã. Thế nhưng Chúa Giêsu lại muốn đưa họ đến với mầu nhiệm của lòng thương xót, yêu thương và quảng đại của Thiên Chúa. Giống như xưa, Thiên Chúa đã ban bánh manna cho họ ở nơi hoang dã, nay, Ngài muốn ban cho họ một cái gì đó tuyệt vời hơn nhiều. Tuyệt vời như Vương quốc David, Ngài muốn cho họ một vương quốc vĩ đại hơn. Điều này vượt xa tất cả những gì mà họ đang tìm kiếm; họ sẽ không thể hiểu được những gì Ngài đang làm và đang ban cho họ. Và điều này chỉ có thể được chấp nhận trong đức tin.
            Chúng ta có thể hiểu được nhiều thứ, thậm chí nhiều thứ thuộc về tâm linh. Trong lòng tốt của mình, Thiên Chúa đã ban cho chúng ta trí thông minh để chúng ta có thể hiểu được một số sự thật về Ngài. Nhưng những điều đơn giản thật sự hơn là Ngài không muốn tiết lộ vinh quang trọn vẹn của Thiên Chúa. Chúa Giêsu muốn ban cho nhân loại thịt mình để ăn và máu của Ngài để uống. Ngài đã nói rõ điều này với đám đông, và vì họ thiếu niềm tin, nên họ không hiểu nổi. Một số người đã chán nản bỏ đi, họ đi tìm một người khác.
Hy vọng, số người trong chúng ta đang tìm kiếm sự mặc khải về mầu nhiệm bí ẩn của Thiên Chúa. Những hồng ân to lớn nhất mà Thiên Chúa có thể ban cho chúng ta vì chúng ta không tìm cách lấp đầy cái dạ dày hay tâm trí của chúng ta. nhưng chúng ta đang tìm cách lấp đầy trái tim thương yêu của chúng ta. Đây là những hồng ân mà Chúa Giêsu dự định sẽ ban tặng cho chúng ta và ban rất nhiều cho chúng ta.
 
Friday of the Third Week of Easter
What is it I Truly Seek?
On the preceding day, Jesus multiplied loaves and fishes to feed the multitude. The Jews realize there is something special here, that Jesus may be the Messiah or at least a prophet. They are curious enough to continue following him and asking him questions. They have liked everything he has said up till now. Some of it they have not understood completely or correctly, but it has been close enough to what they are used to hearing that it causes them no great difficulty. They continue to ask questions, looking for understanding, especially understanding they can be comfortable with. What is my attitude when I question Our Lord about events and challenges in my life? Am I seeking to understand so I can embrace God’s plan better, or does my response depend on how much I comprehend?
2. Opening Our Horizons: Now Jesus has said something truly shocking. He wants them to eat his flesh and drink his blood! Up to this point, most of the crowd has been willing to accept him as a bread-provider. He fed them yesterday. Maybe, if they hang around long enough, he will do it again. Their ideas about the Messiah are too materialistic, based only on the re-establishment of David’s Kingdom at the expense of the Romans. Jesus, on the other hand, wants to take them to a new level. He wants to take them into the mystery of the loving generosity of God. As good as the manna in the wilderness was, he wants to give something much better. As wonderful as David’s Kingdom was, he wants to give a greater kingdom. This is so far beyond what they are looking for; they will not be able to understand what he is offering. It will have to be accepted in faith.
3. Great Gifts Come in Small Packages: We can understand many things, even many spiritual things. In his goodness, God has given us intelligence so that we can understand some of the truths about him. But these simpler truths don’t reveal the full glory of God. They are not as fulfilling as some of the more important truths about him. Jesus wants to give his flesh to eat and his blood to drink. He reveals this to the crowds, and since they lack faith, they don’t understand. Some straggle off to find another “wonder-worker.” Others, looking for understanding, go off to look for a “teacher” who makes sense to them. Hopefully, some are looking for the revelation of the mysteries of God, the greatest gifts that God can offer. They are not looking to fill their stomachs or their minds. They are looking to fill their hearts. These are the kinds of gifts that Jesus intends to give – and in abundance.
Conversation with Christ: Dear Lord, so often I am looking for material gifts from you. Help me to realize that the greatest gifts you give may be beyond my understanding. Yet, if I am willing to accept them on faith, they will fill my heart. Perhaps with time, it will be possible for me to understand something of them as well, but the greatness of faith lies in my trust in you.
Resolution: What spiritual gift I am most in need of? Faith? Charity? Humility? Something else? Today I will set aside some time to ask God in prayer to grant me that gift.
 
Friday of the Third Week of Easter
“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink. John 6:53–55
On a philosophical level, it’s useful to consider various things that appear to be “competing forces.” Good appears to be the opposite of evil. Light the opposite of dark. Heat the opposite of cold. And life the opposite of death. But are they truly opposites in the sense of being competing forces? When considered carefully, it is clear that good and evil, light and dark, heat and cold, and life and death are not actually “competing forces;” rather, evil is simply the absence of good, darkness the absence of light, cold the absence of heat, and death the loss of life. And though this philosophical distinction may not seem that interesting to some, and confusing to others, it is a helpful truth to ponder in light of today’s Gospel.
Today’s Gospel tells us that failure to “eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood” results in death. Death is the loss of life, and the Eucharist is the source of life. Jesus says that if you fail to eat His Flesh and drink His Blood, “you do not have life within you.”
This bold teaching of Jesus should cause us to stop and examine our approach to the Most Holy Eucharist. Sometimes we can fall into the trap of thinking that going to Mass and receiving Communion is something we do as a “favor” to our Lord. But in truth, it’s God’s most profound favor to us, because the Eucharist is the gateway to eternal life. And without it, we have no life within us. Our spirits die because we lose the presence of God.
Looking at the negative effect of not receiving the Most Holy Eucharist can be very useful. Sometimes we need to consider the consequences of our actions as a way of motivating us to greater fidelity. For that reason, considering the fact that failure to eat the Flesh of the Son of God results in death should be very motivating. It should fill us with a holy fear of the loss of the life-giving presence of God within us. This “holy fear” is a true gift from God and is, in fact, one of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Reflect, today, upon your interior attitude toward the Most Holy Eucharist. Do you see your participation in the Holy Mass more as a favor you offer to our Lord? Or do you see it as it is: the life-giving source of eternal life? Reflect upon how important this precious gift truly is and recommit yourself to a faithful and devout participation in this most holy Gift.
My Eucharistic Lord, Your Flesh and Blood are truly the source of eternal life for all who receive You in faith. I thank You, dear Lord, for this most precious Gift of the Most Holy Eucharist, and I pray that I will be filled with a deep hunger and thirst for You always. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday of the Third Week of Easter 2023
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe you are present here and now as I turn to you in prayer. I trust and have confidence in your desire to give me every grace I need to receive today. Thank you for your love; thank you for your immense generosity toward me. I give you my life and my love in return.
Petition: Lord, help me to face challenges and continue to follow you in faith.
1. What is it I Truly Seek? On the preceding day, Jesus multiplied loaves and fishes to feed the multitude. The Jews realize there is something special here, that Jesus may be the Messiah or at least a prophet. They are curious enough to continue following him and asking him questions. They have liked everything he has said up till now. Some of it they have not understood completely or correctly, but it has been close enough to what they are used to hearing that it causes them no great difficulty. They continue to ask questions, looking for understanding, especially understanding they can be comfortable with. What is my attitude when I question Our Lord about events and challenges in my life? Am I seeking to understand so I can embrace God’s plan better, or does my response depend on how much I comprehend?
2. Opening Our Horizons: Now Jesus has said something truly shocking. He wants them to eat his flesh and drink his blood! Until now, most of the crowd has been willing to accept him as a bread provider. He fed them yesterday. Maybe, if they hang around long enough, he will do it again. Their ideas about the Messiah are too materialistic, based only on the re-establishment of David’s Kingdom at the expense of the Romans. Jesus, on the other hand, wants to take them to a new level. He wants to take them into the mystery of the loving generosity of God. As good as the manna in the wilderness was, he wants to give something much better. As wonderful as David’s Kingdom was, he wants to give a greater kingdom. This is so far beyond what they are looking for; they will not be able to understand what he is offering. It will have to be accepted in faith.
3. Great Gifts Come in Small Packages: We can understand many things, even many spiritual things. In his goodness, God has given us intelligence so that we can understand some of the truths about him. But these simpler truths don’t reveal the full glory of God. They are not as fulfilling as some of the more important truths about him. Jesus wants to give his flesh to eat and his blood to drink. He reveals this to the crowds, and since they lack faith, they don’t understand. Some straggle off to find another “wonder worker.” Others, looking for understanding, go off to look for a “teacher” who makes sense to them. Hopefully, some are looking for the revelation of the mysteries of God, the greatest gifts that God can offer. They are not looking to fill their stomachs or their minds. They are looking to fill their hearts. These are the kinds of gifts that Jesus intends to give – and in abundance.
Conversation with Christ: Dear Lord, so often I am looking for material gifts from you. Help me to realize that the greatest gifts you give may be beyond my understanding. Yet, if I am willing to accept them on faith, they will fill my heart. Perhaps with time, it will be possible for me to understand something of them as well, but the greatness of faith lies in my trusting in you.
Resolution: What spiritual gift am I most in need of? Faith? Charity? Humility? Something else? Today I will set aside some time to ask God in prayer to grant me that gif
 
Friday, April 23, 2021
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, break open your word to me as I turn my hearts to you in prayer. I long to remain in you and let you remain in me. Just as you challenged the crowds with the truth of your Flesh and Blood being offered for them, you challenge me with the truth which gives me life. And as I have prayed all week, make my heart burn while you speak to me.
 Encountering Christ: 
Questioning Jesus: The reading says that the Jews quarreled among themselves as they grappled with the meaning of his words. They were struggling and asking how this could be possible. Like their forefather Moses who doubted and struck the rock twice, or Jacob who wrestled with God in order to obtain a promise, so did their descendants wrestle and quarrel. And Jesus didn’t make it easy on them, but rather repeated the challenging truth, for which there was no obvious resolution other than to believe in him and his words. Belief and trust is often the only answer when we don’t understand what God is doing or saying in our lives. 
Our Ancestors: Jesus referred to the ancestors of the Jews who ate manna in the desert and still died. That bread was to sustain them until they got to the promised land of Cana, which it did. Yet this new manna of Jesus’s Flesh and Blood will sustain us until we all arrive in our heavenly promised land. There is no death for us if we believe in him and are fed by him. Jesus makes clear that the result of the bread he offers is “unlike” that of the bread their ancestors ate. He promises life!
Teaching in the Synagogue: Jesus was teaching in Capernaum, the hometown of Peter, Andrew, and James. This was a town of commerce at the base of the hill where he taught the beatitudes of the kingdom. It was the town on the seashore of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus originally called his Apostles. It was the town–the apostle’s small and busy town–where he challenged them with the truths he came to teach. Jesus did not shy away from the tougher-to-believe aspects of his messages. He shared them with everyone in the synagogue, all of his disciples' family and friends. Although these truths were difficult to believe, they are also extremely beautiful. God wants to nourish us in this life and bring us to eternal life. God wants to sustain us in the desert of this life! God wants to be our manna! He challenges us because Jesus loves us and wants us to follow him, even if we don’t understand everything he says at the moment! 
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, your words are truth and life. Like Peter, we have believed and come to know. To whom shall we go, for you have the words of everlasting life. I will never turn away from the challenging yet life-giving words you speak to me in the Catholic Church and in your Scriptures. Speak Lord, your servant is listening! Amen. 
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will renew my “yes” to you frequently. The “yes” of my baptism. The “yes” of my confirmation. The “Amen” of my first communion. The “yes” of my life’s vocation. 
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu Tuần thứ 3 Phục Sinh
Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta có thể tưởng tượng hầu như Chúa Giêsu đã tuyên bố công khai 3 điều quan trọng, chẳng hạn như: việc chúng ta phải ăn Mình và uống Máu Thánh của Con Người; Nếu như chúng ta không rước nhận Mình và Máu Thánh Chúa, chúng ta không thể có được sự sống; và đó là cuộc sống sống đời đời và đó là điều cần thiết cho sự sống (Ga 6: 53-58).
            Chúng ta là người Công Giáo nhưng không chắc lúc nào chúng ta cũng luôn luôn mong muốn được nhận lãnh Thánh Thể. Vì có những lần, chúng ta cố "sống" một cách vô tư , mà không nghĩ hay cần đến những bí tích mà Chúa Giêsu đã thiết lập. Bởi thế Thánh Gioan Phalồ đệ Nhị đã viết "Thánh Thể là món quá lớn, một món quà để thừa nhận bất cứ những sự mơ hồ và sự cần thiết tối thiểu " là" ăn để sống ". Ăn thịt của Con người là để được sống như Con người. Thức ăn này được gọi là sự "hiệp thông". Đó là "món ăn", và chúng ta nói là "thức ăn" để rồi không có sự nghi ngờ liên quan đến sự đồng hóa của nó, Nhờ đó chúng ta nhận dạng ra đó là Chúa Giêsu. Chúng ta rước Mình Thánh Chúa để duy trì sự hợp nhất với Chúa; để suy nghĩ như Ngài, nói như Ngài, để yêu thương như Ngài.
            Người Kitô hữu chúng ta đang đánh mất thông điệp về Thánh Thễ cùa thánh Giáo Hoàng Gioan Phaolô đệ II, Giáo Hội sống nhờ Thánh Thể. Đó là một thông điệp nồng nàn: đó rất "Nóng Bỏng" Bởi vì Thánh Thể là sự nguồn sức mãnh liệt..
            Trên thực tế, chúng ta đã đào sâu vào ruột tạng của những mầu nhiệm, như Thánh Tomas  đã được chạm vào vết thương của Chúa Kitô phục sinh.  Kitô hữu chúng ta cần nên sửa đổi lại lòng trung thành của chúng ta  với Thánh Thể một cách thực tế như là sự hiện diện thật sự của Chúa Giêsu Kitô  như Giáo Hội đã đề nghị chúng ta. Và một lần nữa chúng ta cần phải sống nhạy cảm hơn trong việc tôn kính Thánh Thể: cũng như  phải bái gối nghiêm trang trước Thánh Thể và siêng năng việc rước Mình và Máu Chúa hơn... Và, bắt đầu từ Thánh Thể, con người từ từ sẽ tìm đến đời sống thiêng liêng,và có cuộc sống thánh thiện hơn ,
Reflection:
«Truly, I say to you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you»
Today, Jesus makes three key public statements, such as: that we are to eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood; that if we do not take the Holy Communion, we cannot have life; and that this life is the eternal life and the condition for resurrection (cf. Jn 6:53-58). There is nothing in the Gospel so clear, so emphatic and so definite as these statements of Jesus.  
We Catholics are not always up to the level the Eucharist requires: at times, we try “to live” without the living conditions set up by Jesus and, yet, as John Paul II has written «Eucharist is too big a gift to admit any ambiguities and reductions».“Eat to live”: to eat the flesh of the Son of Man is to live as the Son of Man. This food is called “communion”. It is “food”, and we say “food” so that there is no doubt with respect to its assimilation, to its identification with Jesus. We receive Holy Communion to remain united: to think like him, to speak like him, to love like him. We Christians were missing John Paul II's Eucharistic Encyclical, The Church lives from the Eucharist. It is a passionate encyclical: it is “fire” because the Eucharist is ardent.
«How I have longed to eat this Passover with you before my death!» (Lk 22:15), Jesus was saying that evening of the Holy Thursday. We have to recuperate the Eucharistic fervor. No other religion has a similar initiative. It is God himself who descends to man's heart to establish a mysterious love relationship. And as of that point the Church is built and participates in the Eucharist apostolic dynamism and ecclesial mission.
We are actually digging into the entrails of the mystery, as Thomas did when he was touching the wounds of Christ resurrected. We Christians should revise our fidelity to the Eucharistic fact just as Jesus Christ has revealed it and the Church proposes it to us. And we should live once more the “tenderness” towards the Eucharist: well made and slow genuflexions, increase the number of spiritual communions... And, starting from the Eucharist, men will look sacred, as they just are. And we shall serve them with renewed tenderness.