Bài Tin Mừng hôm nay cho
chúng ta biết là ma quỷ hiện hữu và chúng luôn tìm cách xâm nhập vào tâm hồn và
ngay cả thân xác của chúng ta để hãm hãi chúng ta. Ma quỷ luôn cố gắng tìm cách
để tách biệt chúng ta ra khỏi Thiên Chúa bằng cách cám dỗ và làm cho chúng ta
mù quáng không nhìn nhận thấy sự thật, và ngăn cản chúng ta làm những gì đẹp
lòng Thiên Chúa.
Làm thế nào ma quỷ hay nhhững sự gian ác có thể thành
công trong việc đạt được mục tiêu của chúng? Ma quỷ
sẽ tìm cách và làm bất cứ điều gì khiến mọi người chúng ta phải tách rời xa
Thiên Chúa, ví dụ như cách chúng làm cho chúng ta tin rằng chúng ta là bậc thầy
của chính mình, bằng cách tập trung và đạt sự chú tâm của chúng ta vào các giá
trị bên ngoài.
Một khi
chúng ta sống trong đường lối của tình yêu, chân lý và sự thật, nhưng rồi chúng
ta lại để cho bóng tối, hoang vu, tham vọng và những lời nói dối len lỏi vào
trong tâm hồn của chúng ta và chúng sẽ nắm lấy cơ hội đễ chia rẽ chúng ta và
Thiên Chúa. Tuy nhiên, chúng ta không thể tuyệt vọng ngay cả những khi chúng ta
đang ở trong một tình huống như vậy, bởi vì Thiên Chúa sẽ ban cho chúng ta
những ân sủng và cứu chúng ta như Chúa Giêsu đã giải thoát người bị quỷ ám như
trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay. Điều duy nhất là chúng ta cần phải làm là đặt niềm
tin của chúng ta trong Chúa và trong tình yêu vô biên của Ngài, hãy tin tưởng
và chắc chắn rằng Ngài sẽ không bao giờ bỏ rơi chúng ta. Lạy Chúa, xin giải
thoát chúng con thoát khỏi mọi sự dữ của những điều gian ác, và sự cám dỗ của
ma quỷ.
Wednesday13th Week in Ordinary Time
Due to the rapid and advanced
development of science today, people hardly believe that the evil spirit is
still around us trying to mislead us or influence our daily decisions and
lives. Nonetheless, why does the Bible, which is called the book of love and
truth, bother to tell us about the evil spirit? Because the evil spirit is
trying to separate us from God, blind us from seeing the truth, stop us from
doing what pleases God.
How
could evil succeed in achieving its goal? It would do anything that leads
people away from God, for example by making one believe that he is the master
of oneself, by directing one’s attention and focus on external values.
Once
we are away from love and truth, then darkness, desolation, and lies will take
hold of us. However, we are not hopeless even if we are in such a situation,
because God will empower us with grace and rescue us as Jesus liberated the man
in today's gospel. The only thing we need to do is to put our trust in him and
his infinite love, confident that he will never abandon us.
Lord, liberate us from the siege
of evil.
Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time 2023
The swineherds ran away, and
when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had
happened to the demoniacs. Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and
when they saw him they begged him to leave their district. Matthew 8:33–34
Why would “the whole town” beg
Jesus to leave their district as a result of Jesus delivering two of their
fellow townsmen from demons? This event took place on the northeast edge of the
Sea of Galilee near a town of the Gadarenes who were not of Jewish background,
which accounts for the fact that there was such a large herd of swine (the
Jewish people did not eat pork). Two of the Gadarenes were possessed by demons,
and Scripture reports that “They were so savage that no one could travel by
that road.” And when Jesus delivers them from this awful plight, instead of
rejoicing in gratitude, the townspeople begged Jesus to leave.
Saint Jerome says that it is
possible that the people were actually acting in humility, in that they did not
consider themselves worthy to be in the presence of someone as great as Jesus.
Like Saint Peter who fell at the feet of Jesus and cried out, “Depart from me,
for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8), these townspeople may have been in
such awe at what Jesus did for them that they did not see themselves as being
worthy of His presence. However, other Church Fathers point out that it is more
likely that these townspeople signify those who are stuck in their life of sin
and do not want to come face-to-face with the Gospel or with the Person of
Jesus. They prefer to close their ears to the truth and to remain in their life
of ignorance and sin.
It’s also helpful to reflect
upon the relationship between the townspeople and these two demoniacs. Ideally,
when the townspeople saw these two men completely freed of the demons who
tormented them, they would have rejoiced in a way similar to the way the father
of the Prodigal Son rejoiced when his son returned to him. Sadly, in this case,
there seems to be a tremendous lack of excitement by their fellow townsmen over
the freedom these two demoniacs experienced. This shows a clear lack of love
for these two men within the town. Perhaps many of the townspeople took a
twisted form of pleasure in their mockery of these two men over the years, and
they enjoyed telling stories about how crazy they were. Now, they were faced
with these two men who were completely changed, and they may have found it
difficult to speak well of them because of their pride.
This negative example set by
these townspeople gives us an opportunity to reflect upon how we think about
and treat those who have changed their ways and have turned from evil to good.
Perhaps you have a family member who has sincerely tried to change. Or perhaps
someone at work, a neighbor or some other acquaintance has gone from a life of
sin to a life seeking virtue. The real question to ponder is whether you
rejoice over the goodness of others, over their ongoing conversion and pursuit
of holiness, or whether you struggle with truly expressing joy as you see
people you know change for the good. It’s often very easy to criticize but much
more difficult to rejoice in the holy transformation of another.
Reflect, today, upon those in
your life, those close to you and those with whom you are mere acquaintances,
who have been set free by our Lord in some way and have moved from a life of
sin toward a life of virtue. How do you react to them? Are you able to
sincerely rejoice in the goodness of others? Or do you find yourself struggling
with jealousy, anger, envy and the like? As you do see the goodness of God at
work in others, try to put on the mentality suggested by Saint Jerome above.
Allow yourself to be in awe of God’s action in their lives. As you do, humble
yourself before the transforming power of God, admitting that you are not
worthy to witness His transforming power but rejoice in gratitude nonetheless.
My all-powerful Lord, You
overcame the power of the evil one and cast demons from these two men who
suffered through this oppression for many years. Give me the eyes I need to see
You at work in our world and to joyfully bear witness to Your transforming
action in the lives of others. May I always humble myself before Your saving
actions and learn to express true gratitude for all that You do. Jesus, I trust
in You.
Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time 2023
Opening Prayer: Lord, help me put away my distractions and focus on
this encounter with you today, trusting that you will give me all the light and
inspiration I need to hear and absorb your message for me.
Encountering Christ:
1. Subject to God: The devils who possessed two men hiding in the tombs
dared to approach Jesus with an unusual request. Wanting to avoid their
inevitable torment, they asked Jesus if they could be sent into the swine
instead of being sent straight to Hell. Even though they were “savage” and probably
terrifying to behold, Jesus, seemingly unperturbed, granted their request, “Go
then.” With two simple words, Jesus showed us his power over the devil, saying,
“Go then,” as he showed his power over nature when he calmed the storm, saying,
“Be still,” and his power to restore Lazarus to life, saying, “Lazarus arise.”
The Son of God is almighty! Truly, “The Father loves the Son and has given
everything over to him” (John 3:35).
2. Everyone Came: On
the testimony of the swineherds, the whole town came out to meet Jesus, but
instead of welcoming him, they asked him to leave their district. In another
gospel scene, the whole town of Samaria came to believe in Jesus because of the
women's testimony at the well. Personal testimony can be very persuasive. While
the woman at the well evangelized her town, the swineherds apparently dissuaded
their townsfolk from believing in Jesus. What kind of testimony do we give when
we encounter Jesus in our prayer, the sacraments, or life circumstances?
3. Seeing versus Believing: When the Gerasenes saw Jesus, they asked him to leave. It
seemed they were more afraid of Jesus than the demoniacs. We know that not
everyone who met Jesus during his life followed him. Nor does everyone who
encounters Christ today follow him. Let us never take for granted our desire to
follow Jesus! The desire we have in our hearts is itself a gift of God. “For
God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to
work” (Philippians 2:13).
Conversing with Christ: Lord, this Gospel passage reminds me that the
battle between good and evil rages even today. Although I don’t encounter
people who are possessed, I know that I am strongly tempted sometimes to reject
you. Please send your Holy Spirit to rekindle my fervor for you so that I can
resist the pull of evil and bring glory to your name.
Resolution: Lord,
today, by your grace, I will spend a couple of minutes reflecting with
gratitude on my spiritual blessings, including the desire I have to follow you.
Thursday
13th Ordinary Time
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm tuần 13
TN. Mathêu 9:1-8
Bài Tin Mừng hôm nay phản ánh những điểm sau:
- Thứ nhất, Tin Mừng đưa ra những cá tính cuả giáo hội, đó phương
cách Chúa đã chữa bệnh cho
người bại liệt một cách kỳ diệu, điều này cho thấy chiều hướng
đức tin của cộng đồng hay
của những người mang người bại liệt
đến với Chúa Jêsus. đấy không phải chỉ là điều phản ánh đến
sức mạnh của những lời cầu
nguyện mà Chúa Giêsu đã tỏ thương xót và chữa lành cho người bệnh như những gì mà chúng ta chứng kiến trong thời của chúng ta.
- Thứ hai, trong thời của
Chúa Jêsus, người Do Thái tin rằng có một liên hệ giữa tội lỗi và bệnh tật.
Điều này được thể hiện trong hành động của Chúa Jêsus trong việc tha tội cho người bại liệt trước khi Ngài chữa lành và phục hồi sức khoẻ thể xác cho anh
ta.
- Thứ ba, các thầy thông giáo bị xáo trộn bởi việc chữa lành của Chúa Giêsu nên họ đã đối đầu và sự phản đối việc Chúa Jêsus có quyền tha tội và chữa lành người bại liệt.
- Thứ tư, phản ứng của đám đông khẳng định thẩm quyền của Chúa Giêsu để tha
tội. Trong phần kết luận, chúng nhận thấy Chúa Giêsu đã đề cập đến các thành viên của Giáo Hội có quyền
tha tội (Mt 16: 19, 18:18).
Điều này cũng còn hữu hiệu trong thời hiện tại
của chúng ta; Vì vậy sứ vụ chữa lành
và tha thứ tội lỗi của Giáo hội là sự tiếp nối sứ vụ của Chúa Jêsus.
Chúng ta hãy xin với Chúa giúp nâng cao đức tin của chúng ta đặc biệt trong những lúc chúng ta
bị thử thách và đau khổ. Ngày nay chúng
ta đang bị quấy nhiễu vì bạo lực,
mâu thuẫn, tham lam cũng chỉ
vì sự muốn giàu có và quyền
lực đặc biệt là việc sử dụng những tôn giáo trong việc vận dụng quyền lực chính trị.
"Lạy Chúa, xin giúp chúng con biết nâng cao đức tin và Tin vào sự hiện diện của Chúa
trong mọi tình huống và những khi Chúa cùng đồng
hành với chúng con trong cuộc hành trình của chúng ta trên thế
gian này".
Reflection Thursday 13th Ordinary
Time (Mt. 9:1-8)
Today’s Gospel reading reflects the following
points: Firstly, given the ecclesial character of Matthew's gospel, this
miraculous cure of the paralytic shows the communitarian dimension of faith in
the people who brought the paralytic to Jesus. Doesn’t this echo the power
of intercessory prayers which have revealed Jesus’ healing power in the
miracles we witness in our time?
Secondly,
in Jesus’ time, the Jews believed that there was a connection between sin and
sickness. This is shown in Jesus’ action in forgiving the sins of the man
before restoring his physical health.
Thirdly,
the scribes were scandalized by Jesus’ healing action. Confronted by such
opposition, Jesus showed his authority to forgive sins and cured the paralytic.
Fourthly,
the reaction of the crowd which confirms the authority of Jesus to forgive sin. Let us re-commit ourselves and deepen our
faith particularly during the time of trials and sufferings. These days there
are much violence, conflicts, greed for wealth and power especially the
use of religions in the manipulation of political power.“Lord, help us to deepen our faith in Your
ever-presence in all situations as You accompany us in our journey on
earth.”
Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
After entering a boat, Jesus
made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him
a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the
paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” Matthew 9:1–2
Just prior to this passage,
Jesus cast out demons from two men from the town of the Gadarenes. Afterwards,
the townspeople told Him to leave their town, so Jesus departed by boat and
arrived in Capernaum, which was where He had been living after leaving
Nazareth. This encounter with a paralytic on a stretcher is what awaited Him
when He disembarked from the boat.
Recall that when Jesus had
returned to Nazareth, where He grew up, He was not able to perform any miracles
there because of their lack of faith. Their familiarity with Him tempted them
to disbelieve that He was someone special. But now, in His new town where He
had recently moved to, Jesus was able to perform mighty miracles because the
people had manifest faith.
In the passage above, try to
enter the scene. Jesus was just rejected by the Gadarenes, He came by boat to
Capernaum, He disembarked and was immediately met with a group of people who
had clearly been waiting for Him. Try to imagine their conversations while
Jesus was away at the other side of the lake. They knew He would return to His
new home, they prepared a stretcher for the paralytic, and then they waited,
hoped and prayed that Jesus would come and heal the man. It is also clear that
Jesus could immediately sense their faith and was deeply touched by it. One of
the most important parts of this passage is that Jesus did not simply say “Yes”
to the physical healing and leave it at that. Instead, His response to the
paralytic was to first forgive his sins. There is an important lesson
for us to learn from this which will help us know how best to pray.
Oftentimes when we pray, we
pray for this or that favor from our Lord. We pray for what we want Jesus to
grant us. But this story shows us that what Jesus wants for us is different.
First, He wants to grant us forgiveness for our sins. This is His priority, and
it should also be ours. Once the forgiveness of sins takes place with this
paralytic, Jesus also heals, as proof of His power to forgive sins. This story
should help us to order our priorities in prayer according to Jesus’
priorities. If we make sorrow for sin our first priority, we can be certain
that Jesus will answer us. From there, Jesus knows all of our needs. We can
present them to Him but only when we are reconciled within our own heart with
Him.
Reflect, today, upon the way
you pray each day. Try to understand the importance of making a daily
examination of your sins. This must become the first and most important part of
your daily prayer. Though many people do not like to look at sin, it is much
easier to do when the focus is not so much the sin as it is a focus upon the
mercy of forgiveness and spiritual healing you need. The more aware you become
of your daily sin, the more mercy you will receive. And the more mercy for the
forgiveness of your sins you receive, the more our Lord will be able to bless
you abundantly in other ways. Always start with the mercy of our Lord and your
own need for that mercy every day, and all else will be taken care of by our
Lord.
My merciful Lord, You desire
reconciliation with me, in the innermost depths of my heart, to be my daily
priority in prayer. You desire to forgive and to heal me so that I will grow
closer to You. Please do forgive me for my sins, dear Lord, and help me to
become more attentive to the ways that I sin against You and others every day.
Thank You in advance for this saving grace and mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.
Thursday
13th Ordinary Time 2023
Opening
Prayer: Lord, today I feel
like the paralytic, needing your tender touch. Help me to open my heart and
mind to your healing as I reflect on these lines of Scripture.
Encountering Christ:
1. His Heart’s Desire: When friends brought the paralytic to Jesus, he
cured the paralytic spiritually. That was apparently Jesus’s first priority,
his heart’s desire. But Jesus also longs to be known by us, and he cured the
paralytic physically to demonstrate his authority over sin so that we may know
what he values above all—a pure, unsoiled soul. Jesus wants us to trust in his
power to forgive sin so that we will come to him in the Sacrament of
Reconciliation. He is ready to restore our souls and heal our hearts no matter
how badly we misbehaved.
2. Mind Reading: Jesus
knew that his critics were thinking “evil thoughts.” And he knows our thoughts
too. As Psalm 139 reminds us, “Lord, you have probed me, you know me: you know
when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. You sift through my
travels and my rest; with all my ways you are familiar. Even before a word is
on my tongue, Lord, you know it all.” Even though Jesus knew their “evil
thoughts,” he didn’t condemn them. Instead, he offered them proof of his authority
in an effort to win them over. Nor does Jesus condemn us. He perpetually knocks
at the door of our hearts, inviting us to welcome him in.
3. The Paralytic: The paralytic received from Jesus a complete cure—body
and soul. He owed his new beginning to a few good friends who carried him to
Jesus. Sometimes we need a cure, but sometimes God calls us to be that good
friend to a soul in need. Prayer and the sacraments can help put us into good
spiritual shape so that we can do the “heavy lifting” to bring souls in our
path to Jesus.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, this story is hopeful and full of love—the love of
friends for the paralytic; the love of Jesus for the paralytic; and Jesus’s
love for the skeptical Pharisees, which he showed by demonstrating his authority
over sin. You are pure love! Help me to remember that you love me infinitely as
well.
Resolution: Lord,
today, by your grace, I will offer tangible help to someone, as prompted by the
Holy Spirit.
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