Suy Niệm Chúa Nhật thứ 33 Thường Niên Year A

Suy Niệm Chúa Nhật thứ 33 Thường Niên Year A

Hai tuần nữa, chúng ta sẽ bắt đầu Mùa Vọng, và chúng ta kết thúc năm phụng vụ với lời nhắc nhở là Chúa Giê-su sẽ trở lại. Và bài Tin Mừng hôm nay kêu gọi chúng ta luôn bận rộn với công việc của Chúa. Chúa Giê-su nói với các môn đồ rằng “chúng ta không biết ngày nào và giờ nào,” và Thánh Phao-lô đã viết trong thư gửi tín hữu Têsalônica; " Ngày của Chúa sẽ đến như kẻ trộm trong đêm tối." Chúng ta có thể đáp lại việc Chúa Giêsu đến theo hai cách; một là sống với sự sợ hãi về ngày tận thế, hai là tiếp tục sống với cuộc sống của chúng ta sao cho phù hợp với Đức Kitô và trong sự bình an. 

Có một truyền thuyết kể rằng một ngày nọ, khi đang làm việc trong vườn, một người hành hương đã nhìn thấy Thánh Phanxicô và hỏi ngài: "Thầy sẽ làm gì nếu biết rằng ngày hôm nay sẽ là ngày tận thế?" Thánh Phanxicô dừng lại, suy nghĩ một lúc và nói, "Tôi nghĩ tôi sẽ tiếp tục làm việc trong vườn." 

Chúng ta sẽ làm gì nếu biết rằng ngày hôm nay là tận cùng của thế giới? Chúng ta sẽ kinh hoàng sợ hãi, hay chúng ta sẽ vẫn bình tĩnh làm những công việc thường nhật của mình? Bài dụ ngôn mà Chúa Giêsu dạy chúng ta hôm nay, cũng bài đọc thứ hai của Thánh Phao-lô đều cho chúng ta biết hãy an tâm, vì nếu chúng ta đang làm công việc của Chúa thì không có gì phải sợ. 

Hôm nay, Chúa Giê-su cho chúng ta biết rằng trước khi lên đường, người chủ đã giao cho ba người tôi tớ của ông với những nế vàng. Những nén vàng này là đồng tiền có giá trị, và hai người đã dủng những nén vàng của chủ giao cho họ và họ đầu tư những nén vàng này và giá trị những nén vàng này sẽ tăng gấp đôi khi chủ nhân trở lại. Còn người thứ ba thì đã sợ sệt ông chủ và đem chôn nén vàng của anh ta và nén vàng này không tăng thêm giá trị. 

Câu chuyện cho chúng ta biết điều này cũng giống như mối quan hệ của chúng ta với Thiên Chúa. Ngài ban cho chúng ta sự sống, đức tin, sự tha thứ, các bí tích, tài năng của chúng ta; và vô số ân sủng. Và nếu chúng ta sử dụng chúng tốt, chúng sẽ phục vụ cho mục đích của chúng, đó là đưa chúng ta đến gần Thiên Chúa hơn, khoả lấp tâm hồn của chúng ta với trí tuệ và con tim của chúng ta với niềm vui, ở đây trên quả đất này cũng như mãi mãi đời sau ở trên trời. Nếu chúng ta lạm dụng những món quà đó, hay biết làm tăng giá trị cùa nó thì chúng ta có thể sẽ bị cắt đứt mối quan hệ của chúng ta với Thiên Chúa.

Bài Dụ ngôn cho chúng ta biết rằng mỗi người trong chúng ta đều được ban cho những tài năng, không phải là những nén vàng hay những đồng tiền trong Cựu Ước, nhưng chúng là những tài năng và năng khiếu để chúng ta dụng xây dựng Nước Thiên Chúa trên Trời. Trong thư thứ nhất gửi cho tín đồ Côrintô, Thánh Phaolô nói đến những ân sủng của Thiên Chúa, và cũng nói với chúng ta rằng các ân sủng mà Chúa Thánh Thần ban cho chúng ta là để phục vụ cho cộng đồng. 

Có những người có đặc ân hiếu khách, họ dùng năng khiếu giao tiếp riêng Chúa ban để đứng cuối nhà thờ và nồng nhiệt chào đón mọi người, những người có óc quản lý tài ba, họ dùng tài năng chúa ban để tổ chức những sinh hoạt sống động cho giáo xứ, mọi người tập hợp với nhau để cầu nguyện cho cho nhau cho các thành viên trong giáo ứ, và V.v... 

Đây không chỉ là những ân sủng tuyệt vời, những người sử dụng chúng giống như những tôi tớ khôn ngoan đã biết dùng tài năng cùa mình đem những nén vàng chủ trao để đầu tư, như việc sử dụng tài năng của chúng ta để xây dựng vương quốc cho Nước Chúa trên Trời. Chúng ta phải sử dụng những món quà, những năng khiếu, những ân sủng mà Chúa đã ban cho chúng ta như thế nào? Những bài đọc hôm nay kêu gọi chúng ta đừng ngại ngùng, sợ sêt mà chôn giấu tài năng ân sủng Chúa ban mà chúng ta hãy mong mắn mạnh dạn và quảng đại trong việc 0sử dụng nhứng ân sủng này theo ý Chúa.. 

Bài Tin Mừng cho chúng ta biết người đầylãng phí cơ hội ngày càng yêu mến Thiên Chúa của chúng ta, nhưng hãy nen* hòa mình vào niềm vui của Ngài. Hãy đến và dành một chút thời gian với Chúa trong việc cầu nguyện. Đây là cơ hội để chúng ta dùng nén vàng thời gian chua ban để đầu tư cho tương lai của chúng ta trong vương quốc của Thiên Chúa trên Trời. 

Chúng ta hãy trả lại cho Chúa khoảng thời gian Ngài đã ban cho chúng ta và hãy ở lại với Ngài trước Thánh Thể để cầu nguyện cho Giáo Hội, cho thế giới, cho đất nước và cho gia đình của chúng ta. Chúng ta vẫn còn thời gian, và còn nhiều thời gian để đầu tư một cách khôn ngoan. Thiên Chúa toàn năng của chúng ta không bao giờ mệt mỏi khi ban ơn lành cho những ai biết ơn Ngài và chia sẻ thành quả của mình với người khác. Chúng ta có thể có ngày càng phong phú hơn trong ân sủng, bởi vì Thiên Chúa rất hào phóng và quảng đại. Tất cả những gì chúng ta trải qua là cơ hội để chúng ta được trưởng thành trong ân sủng và sự thánh thiện. 

Chúng ta hãy cầu xin Chúa chỉ cho mỗi người chúng ta biết chính xác nơi Ngài muốn chúng ta thực hiện những khoản đầu tư siêu nhiên của chúng ta, và hãy cầu xin Ngài giúp chúng ta có can đảm để làm làm điều đó. 

Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, Mt 25: 14-30 

In two weeks, we begin the Advent Season, and we end the church year with the reminder that Jesus will come again. The Gospel today calls us to be busy about the work of the Lord. Jesus tells his followers that “we know not the day nor the hour,” and Saint Paul wrote in the letter to the Thessalonians; “the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” We can respond to Jesus’ coming in two ways; with fear of the end, or to continually conform our lives to Christ and to be at peace. There is a legend that one day while working in the garden a pilgrim saw Saint Francis of Assisi and asked, “What would you do if you knew that today the world would end?” Saint Francis paused, thought for a moment and said, “I think I would continue to work in the garden.” 

What would we do if we learned that today the world would end? Would we be in fear and panic, or would we peacefully go about our regular business? Both the parable Jesus gives us today, and the second reading from Saint Paul tell us to be at peace, for if we are doing the Lord’s work there is nothing to fear. 

Today, Jesus tells us that before leaving on a journey, the master entrusted three of his servants with talents. A talent was a coin of value, and two took their talents and invested them and the value was doubled when the master returned. The third buried his talent out of fear of the Master and it did not increase in value. The S tory tell us that like in our relationship with Christ. He gives us life, the world, our faith, forgiveness, the sacraments, our talents; innumerable gifts. And if we use them well, they will serve their purpose, which is to bring us closer to him, to fill our minds with wisdom and our hearts with joy, here on earth and forever in heaven. If we abuse those gifts, we can cut off our relationship with the one who gave them to us. 

The parable tells us that each one of us are given talents, not the Old Testament coins, or money, but they are gifts and abilities that are to be used to build up God’s Kingdom. In the First letter to the Corinthians Saint Paul speaks of the many gifts, and tells us that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are intended for the community. 

There are the people with the genuine gift of hospitality who stand at the entrance of the church and warmly welcome people, those who are gifted administrators and can organize all sorts of parish events, those who gather people together to pray for members of the parish, and so on. 

These are not only wonderful gifts, those who use them are like the wise servants who invested the talents, but their use of talents builds up God’s kingdom. How do we use the gifts God has given us? The readings today call on us not to be shy and hide them, but to be bold and to generously use them. 

Next week we have the Feast of Christ the King. This Feast that will concludes our Liturgical Year and also, our Parish will introduce a new dimension of solidarity with God, which will bring us together in prayer. Start this Thursday November 19 our parish will begin 40 hours of devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and this devotion will be end on Saturday 21. 

Gospel reading tells us that the servant who received ten talents was also given the talent that had been hidden. When we “have, more will be given” and we can grow rich. Jesus is revealing not a temporal truth, but a spiritual one. Every moment is a “talent.” Let’s not waste our opportunity to love God more and more, and so enter into his joy. Come and spend some time with the Lord in pray in these 40 hours of devotion. This is an opportunity for us to put the down payment to invest for our future in the kingdom of God. 

Let’s give God back the time He has given us and stay with Him in front of the Blessed Sacrament to pray for our Church, for the world, for our country and for our families. There is still time, plenty of time, to invest wisely. Our almighty God never tires of bringing graces on those who receive them gratefully and share the fruits with others. We can truly grow ever-richer in grace, because God is so very generous. Everything we experience is a chance to grow in grace and in holiness. 

Let's ask Christ to show each one of us exactly where he wants us to make our next supernatural investment, and let's beg him for the courage to do it. At the end of the Church year, we are told to consider the end of time, including the end of our own time. We are reminded that the end has not yet come. There is still time, time to take advantage of a bull market of grace. We can and we must reach out to others. We can use the grace we have received well. There is still time, plenty of time, to invest wisely. 

33^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then he went away.” Matthew 25:14–15

Many people dream of doing great things in this life. Those who play sports dream of winning the championship. Those in business dream of growing their business. Artists and actors dream of becoming well-known. In almost everything we do, we dream of excelling. This drive is part of the natural desires God has given to us.

When it comes to the most important part of our lives, we must strive to excel also. What is the most important part of our lives? It is the calling we have received to serve the will of God. Therefore, we must strive to unite our natural desire for excellence with our faith so that we will be driven to fulfill the glorious mission God has entrusted to each one of us.

Every natural ability we have must be seen as a gift, given to us by God for the purpose of glorifying Him and furthering His Kingdom on earth. In our parable today, the man who went on a journey entrusted each of his servants with a large sum of money. To one he entrusted five talents; to another two; to a third, one. A talent was a measurement of precious metals such as silver or gold. In today’s value, one talent of silver would be worth about $30,000 USD. That’s a lot of money entrusted to each of these servants. However, when the master returned, he referred to this initial gift to each as a small amount and then promised to entrust a large amount to the two servants who used the talents well.

From a human perspective, we should see the natural gifts that God has given us as a huge amount. From a divine perspective, we must see every natural gift from God as only the beginning. God has so much more He wishes to bestow upon us. In order to obtain those riches of grace, we must first use well what we have been given for God’s glory and for the furtherance of His Kingdom.

What has our Lord entrusted to you? What gifts and talents do you have? As you think about your natural talents, consider how well you use them for the service of God. Using your natural abilities only for yourself is the same as refusing to use them for God. To the one man who was entrusted with one talent and did nothing with it, the master said, “You wicked, lazy servant!” He then took the one talent away and gave it to the one with ten who was responsible with the master’s money. So in our lives, if we fail to dedicate our natural abilities to the service of God, we will lose even the little we have. But if we unite our natural desire for greatness with the call to serve the will of God, then there is no limit to the riches of grace God will bestow.

Reflect, today, upon how diligent you are in your drive to fulfill the will of God in your life. If you feel as though you cannot make much of a difference, then try to dispel that idea. Try to do small things well. Work at perfecting your charity in your daily life. Commit yourself to daily prayer. Strive to weed out all sin in your life. Do the small things well and God will smile on these little offerings and transform them into a superabundance of grace.

Most generous Lord, You have entrusted to me a particular mission in life. May I work to excel in that mission, even if it seems small and insignificant. As I do, please pour forth Your abundant blessings of grace so that I will excel in giving You the greatest glory possible and will be a greater instrument of the coming of Your Kingdom on earth. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

Opening Prayer: 

Lord, thank you for being with me. Teach me to listen to your word in the Gospel, in my heart, and in the events of life. I know that you are always speaking, and that you are always drawing me closer to your heart. 

Encountering Christ: 

1. Share Your Master’s Joy: We could easily read this parable as a story about the servant who buried his talents and was punished. We might mistake this as a warning— as if God was saying, “This is what happens when we don’t live up to expectations.” But what a poor human conception we would have of God! The first two servants did what they could with their talents and so shared their master’s joy. Let’s not forget that we can actually make God happy! God is not like a judge who decides that someone is guilty, but like a father or a friend who is genuinely pleased when we succeed! God says, “You are my servant; I chose you, I have not rejected you—Do not fear: I am with you; do not be anxious: I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand (Isaiah 41:9-10). 

2. The Fearful Servant: The servant who hid his talents was afraid—afraid of investing them, afraid of failure, and ultimately afraid of God himself. In his fear, he neglected to look for help in the one place he could have found it: by praying to God. How often we find ourselves worrying! What is your antidote to worry? Distraction? Shopping? A glass of wine? Or do you spend some time reading and praying with the Scriptures? As the Psalmist said, “O Most High, when I am afraid, in you I place my trust” (Psalm 53:3-4). 

3. Using Our Talents: The servant who received ten talents was also given the talent that had been hidden. When we “have, more will be given” and we can grow rich. Jesus is revealing not a temporal truth, but a spiritual one. Almighty God never tires of showering graces on those who receive them gratefully and share the fruits with others. We can truly grow ever-richer in grace, because God is so very generous. Everything we experience is a chance to grow in grace and in holiness. Every moment is a “talent.” Let’s not waste our opportunity to love God more and more, and so enter into his joy. 

Conversing with Christ: Lord, show me your loving face. I often see you as a taskmaster; someone I need to satisfy rather than a Father I long to please. I love you, and I want to love you more. Help me to follow you more closely today 

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will take time in prayer to make a list of the talents you’ve given me and pray about how you are asking me to put them in practice.

 

Sunday 33rd in Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer: Lord, thank you for being with me. Teach me to listen to your word in the Gospel, in my heart, and in the events of life. I know that you are always speaking, and that you are always drawing me closer to your heart.

Encountering Christ:

1.  Share Your Master’s Joy: We could easily read this parable as a story about the servant who buried his talents and was punished. We might mistake this as a warning— as if God was saying, “This is what happens when we don’t live up to expectations.” But what a poor human conception we would have of God! The first two servants did what they could with their talents and so shared their master’s joy. Let’s not forget that we can actually make God happy! God is not like a judge who decides that someone is guilty, but like a father or a friend who is genuinely pleased when we succeed! God says, “You are my servant; I chose you, I have not rejected you—Do not fear: I am with you; do not be anxious: I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand (Isaiah 41:9-10).

2.  The Fearful Servant: The servant who hid his talents was afraid—afraid of investing them, afraid of failure, and ultimately afraid of God himself. In his fear, he neglected to look for help in the one place he could have found it: by praying to God. How often we find ourselves worrying! What is your antidote to worry? Distraction? Shopping? A glass of wine? Or do you spend some time reading and praying with the Scriptures? As the Psalmist said, “O Most High, when I am afraid, in you I place my trust” (Psalm 53:3-4). 

3.  Using Our Talents: The servant who received ten talents was also given the talent that had been hidden. When we “have, more will be given” and we can grow rich. Jesus is revealing not a temporal truth, but a spiritual one. Almighty God never tires of showering graces on those who receive them gratefully and share the fruits with others. We can truly grow ever-richer in grace, because God is so very generous. Everything we experience is a chance to grow in grace and in holiness. Every moment is a “talent.” Let’s not waste our opportunity to love God more and more, and so enter into his joy.

Conversing with Christ:  Lord, show me your loving face. I often see you as a taskmaster; someone I need to satisfy rather than a Father I long to please. I love you, and I want to love you more. Help me to follow you more closely today

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will take time in prayer to make a list of the talents you’ve given me and pray about how you are asking me to put them in practice.