Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 25 Thường Niên.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 25 Thường Niên. (Lk. 9:1-6).
“Anh em đừng mang gì đi đường, đừng mang gậy, bao bị, lương thực, tiền bạc, cũng đừng có hai áo” (Lk. 9:3). Đấy là những điều kiện mà Chúa Giêsu muốn đòi hỏi các môn đệ của Ngài phải thực hiện khi ra đi làm nhiệm vụ rao giẳng Tin Mừng. Nếu chúng ta chịu khó để ý thì thấy những quãng đường họ phải đi qua nào là đồi núi, quanh co và sỏi đá thế mà họ phải đi bộ để chu toàn sứ mạng của các ngài, vậy mà Chúa Giêsu bảo không mang gì hết để đáp ứng những nhu cầu tối thiểu của chúng ta, chắc chắn chúng ta sẽ thấy rằng đó chính là một nhu cầu đầy thách thức. Tuy nhiên, các môn đệ đã làm theo như lời Chúa Giêsu dạy, và tất cả mọi sự và mọi việc đã được diễn ra rất suông sẻ và thành công.
            Trong cuộc sống hàng ngày của chúng ta, chúng ta đánh giá rất nhiều về những nhu cầu và các nguồn lực cần thiết để thực hiện những gì chúng ta cho là quan trọng. Đôi khi, cuộc sống của chúng ta đã trở nên tê bại, liệt cứng khi chúng ta không thành công trong việc thúc đẩy những kế hoạch của chúng ta bởi vì chúng ta thiếu lòng tin và lo sợ rằng chúng ta sẽ không có được những nguồn lực, ý chí cần thiết để tiến hành những dự án đó của chúng ta. 
            Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu như muốn nhắc nhở với chúng ta là hãy hết lòng tin tưởng vào Ngài. Lẽ tất nhiên, điều này chỉ có thể thành công khi chúng ta thật lòng để tâm, để trí và thực sự thực hiện ý muốn của Thiên Chúa và chứ không phải chỉ đơn thuần nhằm mục đích riêng của chúng ta để tự tôn vinh và mang lai sự quang vinh cho chính mình.
            Lạy Chúa Giêsu Kitô, xin ban cấp cho chúng con được những hồng ân của Chúa nhất là lòng tin tuởng và phó thác hoàn toàn trong tình yêu vô điều kiện của Chúa.
 
 
Wednesday 25th Week in Ordinary Time
“Take nothing for the journey — no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.” This is what Jesus required of the disciples as they set out on mission. If we take account of the distances to be covered by walking and the material needs to be met, we see that bringing nothing was a challenging demand. However, the disciples did as Jesus said and everything went smoothly.
            In our daily life, we value very much the supply of resources necessary to carry out what we deem important. Sometimes, our lives become paralyzed as we fail to push forward plans because we are afraid that we will not obtain the resources needed. Jesus tells us just to go on trusting him wholeheartedly. Obviously, this is only possible when we are truly carrying out his will and not simply aiming at our self-glorification or fame.
            Accepting the mission and acknowledging our weaknesses and unworthiness — just as Ezra recognizes in front of God the sins of his people — will make us more humble so as to be able to see God's hand in our lives. Only in this way, we are also led to meet the demands of our daily life and achieve our goals.
Lord Jesus Christ, grant us, we pray, the grace of full trust in Your unconditional love.
 
Wednesday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke 9:1–2
This is the first time that Jesus sends His Apostles out on a mission. On this mission, He is preparing them for their ultimate mission, which will come at the time of Pentecost, after Jesus dies, rises and ascends to Heaven. But for now, Jesus commissions these Apostles to do three things: to cast out demons, heal the sick and proclaim the Kingdom of God.
Just like the Apostles, we are called to combat the devil and his demons. They are fallen angels who retain their natural powers, and they use those natural powers to try to deceive us, oppress us and, in some cases, even possess us. But demons are powerless in the face of God, and God gives us spiritual authority over them. And though there are some who are given the unique ministry of exorcism within the Church, all of us do have spiritual authority over demons, especially over their natural spiritual attacks of temptations.
We combat demons primarily by revealing their lies and bringing them to light. Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in his spiritual classic The Spiritual Exercises, explains to us some of the ordinary tactics these demons use and how we overcome them. He says that for those steeped in a life of serious sin, the demons continually place before their mind the lie that their sins are enjoyable and rewarding, so that they will continue to choose them. And for those who are striving for holiness, these demons try to discourage them in their deepening conversion. They “bite, sadden and put obstacles, disquieting with false reasons, that one may not go on” (Rule 2). The way to overcome these temptations is by turning to the truth. First, by realizing that the false “pleasures” of sin are just that: false, fleeting and ultimately demeaning. Furthermore, we overcome these temptations by receiving from God “courage and strength, consolations, tears, inspirations and quiet, easing, and putting away all obstacles.” In other words, we overcome the demons by allowing God to strengthen us, clear our thinking, dispel all false obstacles on the road to holiness and by receiving the abundant consolations that God bestows as help on the journey.
Reflect, today, upon the fact that our Lord wants to minister to you in this threefold way. If you can work to overcome the obstacles put in your path by these demons, then you are in a good position to share in the other two missions given to the Apostles. You will be able to experience mental, emotional and spiritual healing in your life, and you will be able to allow the Kingdom of God to grow strong and powerful within your own soul. From there, you will be sent on a mission by our Lord to bring these graces to others in need.
My all-powerful Lord, You have authority over evil, the power to heal and offer all the gifts of eternal salvation. Help me to be open to the ways that You desire to come to me. Please free me from the attacks of the evil one, bring healing and hope, and bring forth the abundance of Your glorious Kingdom in my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday 25th Ordinary 2023
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, I look to you as my Father and the source of my being. I know that your heart is heavy with sorrow over the sufferings of your creatures. I want to be with you and console you during this time of prayer. Help me to hear your heartbeats and to feel compassion for those who suffer.
Encountering Christ:
Apostleship: Anyone who has encountered the love of God becomes an apostle because, as St. Paul says, we are new creations...“the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). As the Lord’s apostles, we share in his power and authority. How many of us live our lives recognizing that, as followers of Christ, we can be the Lord's hands, feet, and mouthpiece? “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12). 
Take Nothing: One of the conditions of being an apostle is a reliance on the Lord. We are called to give Christ, not ourselves. This requires emptying ourselves of personal interest, of receiving something in return, of relying on our talents. An apostle is an ambassador of the Lord, giving others Christ’s riches. When we detach from false securities, trusting in God as our one security and knowing that he will provide everything, we are truly instruments of His power and authority. 
“Whatever House You Enter, Stay There”: If we encounter someone on the journey who is open to the Lord, God may ask us to stay there, to linger and deepen that relationship. There is wisdom in planting a seed deeply and cultivating the ground around it before moving on to plant another seed. As Scripture tells us, the seed that falls in the dry ground will not bear much fruit, but the one that falls in the fertile ground will bear much fruit. When we take the time to prepare the ground by patiently answering questions, providing quality resources, and testifying to Chris’s love in the little things of everyday life, we are sharing the healing power of Christ’s love with those to whom God sends us. 
Conversing with Christ: Lord, I want to know your heart, to love what you love, and to minister as you would. Grant me the grace of total security in you and reliance on you. Help me to be docile to your inspirations, reaching out to souls you place in my path and generously giving them all they need to encounter you. 
Resolution: Lord, today, by your grace, I will take some time in quiet prayer to ask you where you call me to share your message in some tangible way with others. 
 
Wednesday 25th Ordinary
Opening Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I thank you for the gift of my faith. Please increase my faith to see your presence and action in my life. Strengthen my hope to stand firm in you when things seem hopeless. Increase my love so that through me your loving grace may touch many around me. Finally, I ask you to bless all those you have entrusted to my prayer. 
Encountering Christ:
He Gave Power and Authority: “He summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal.” When God gives us a mission, he gives us the graces to complete that mission. We refer to this principle as the grace of state. In giving the apostles the mission of building his Church, he also gave them the corresponding power and authority to do so. Traditionally, the Church has understood that the Magisterium has threefold power: to govern, to teach, and to sanctify (CCC 888-895). This passage refers to teaching and sanctifying, implied by the healing. Jesus established a visible Church upon the foundation of the apostles, and that foundation still stands today in the person of the pope and the bishops in union with him. Our Lord’s Church continues to wield his power in order to continue his mission to “proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal.” 
He Sent Them: Jesus sent the apostles to “proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal.” The Church was never meant to be self-referential. Its sole purpose is to be a sign of God’s presence in the world. It comes from God and goes out to man. The Church in its very essence is missionary. St. John Paul II wrote that “All renewal in the Church must have a mission as its goal if it is not to fall prey to a kind of ecclesial introversion” (Evangelii Gaudium, n. 27). While it is true that we must at times look inward in our prayer and formation, even that must be oriented towards mission. The Church participates in Christ’s zeal to go from town to town to proclaim the Gospel (Mark 1:38).
They Set Out: “Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.” It must have been with great joy and excitement that the apostles set out for their first mission. They had often witnessed Our Lord preach, refute the Pharisees, and heal the sick. They had been eagerly awaiting their turn. They wanted to do great things for the Lord and prove that he had done well in choosing them. They were also somewhat nervous. Would they be able to cast out demons as he did? He commanded them to do so; therefore, in their childlike confidence, they tried and it worked! They still had much growing and learning to do as his messengers, but they were willing students and collaborators. 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus Christ, increase in my heart the zeal for souls. Help me to go beyond my comfort zone to proclaim your Gospel to those around me. Give me the light and grace necessary for the fulfillment of my duties in my state of life. Help me to understand that fulfilling your will with as much love as I can is the best thing I can do for the Church and society. 
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will pray for a renewal of the Church’s missionary zeal. 
 
Meditation:
What kind of power and authority does God want you to exercise in your personal life and in your service of others? God's word has power to change and transform our lives. Jesus gave his apostles both power and authority to speak and to act in his name – to cast out evil spirits, to heal, and to speak the word of God. When Jesus spoke of power and authority he did something unheard of. He wedded power and authority with love and humility. The world and the sinful flesh seek power for selfish gain. Jesus teaches us to use it for the good of our neighbor.
            Why does Jesus tell the apostles to travel light with little or no provision? Poverty of spirit frees us from greed and preoccupation with possessions and makes ample room for God's provision. The Lord wants his disciples to be dependent on him and not on themselves. He wills to work in and through each of us for his glory. Are you ready to handle the power and authority which God wishes you to exercise on his behalf? The Lord entrusts us with his gifts and talents. Are you eager to place yourself at his service, to do whatever he bids you, and to witness his truth and saving power to whomever he sends you?
            "Lord Jesus, make me a channel of your grace and healing love that others may find life and freedom in you. Free me from all other attachments that I may joyfully pursue the things of heaven. May I witness to others the joy of the gospel both in word and deed."