Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ Hai Mùa Vong

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ Hai Mùa Vong

Nếu tiếng Chúa đang gọi chúng ta dể phục vụ Ngài hay để làm một cái gì đó cụ thể trong tận nơi đáy lòng của chúng ta, Chúng ta phải phản ứng như thế nào?
Có phải chúng ta sẽ rụt rè, sợ hãi, hay thu mình lại thụ động hay tìm cách tránh né khỏi công việc đó. Hay chúng ta cầu nguyện để tìm kiếm ân sủng và quyền năng của Chúa Thánh Thần giúp chúng ta nắm vững vấn đề, lên dự án và rồi chúng ta hành động?
            Thiên Chúa của chúng ta luôn luôn giữ lời hứa với chúng ta và Ngài sẽ không bỏ rơi chúng ta một mình, đặc biệt là những khi chúng ta đang làm theo ý muốn của Ngài. Chúng ta hãy nhớ rằng Ngài dùng các tông đồ, những người đánh cá, quê mùa và ít học thức hơn là các kinh sư và người Pharisêu, để rao giảng Tin Mừng.
            Thiên Chúa đã ban cho các tông đồ những Ân Sũng, những món quà về ngôn ngữ  qua sức mạnh của Chúa Thánh Thần trong ngày Chúa Thánh Thần Hiện Xuống  và Ngài đã sai họ đi đến các chân trời góc biển để rao truyền Tin Mừng của Ngài. Thiên Chúa không hứa với chúng ta là “theo” Ngài, chúng ta sẽ có một cuộc sống dễ dàng, và giàu sang. Những gì Ngài đã hứa là Ngài sẽ luôn ở bên chúng ta để  nắm giữ bàn tay của chúng ta và giúp chúng ta trong suốt cuộc hành trình của chúng ta, miễn là chúng ta biết luôn trung thành với Ngài. Ngài sẽ cho chúng ta những cơ hội và giúp chúng ta thành công trong công việc mà Ngài đã vạch ra cho chúng ta.
            Không có những việc phục vụ quá nhỏ hoặc quá không đáng kể. 
Mọi hành động nhỏ trong sự hòa hợp với ý muốn của Thiên Chúa, khi vướng mắc với nhau, chúng ta đã biến những tấm thảm đó  thành các mảnh hình ghép (Puzzle) để thực hiện kế hoạch của Thiên Chúa được nên thực tế, và tất cả mọi linh hồn cũng sẽ được thừa hưởng vương quốc của Ngài trên trời. Những người không tin sẽ đến để nhận biết Thiên Chúa của chúng ta, qua những cử chỉ, hành vi thương yêu của chúng ta, và qua những việc làm thường ngày  lòng tốt , lời nói và cách sống của chúng ta.
 
Thursday of the Second Week of Advent
“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.”  Matthew 11:12
Are you among those who are “violent” and are taking the Kingdom of Heaven “by force?” Hopefully you are!
From time to time, Jesus’ words are difficult to understand. This passage above presents us with one of those situations. Of this passage, Saint Josemaría Escrivá states that the “violent” are Christians who have “fortitude” and “boldness” when the environment they find themselves in is hostile to the faith (See Christ is Passing By, 82). Saint Clement of Alexandria says that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs “to those who fight against themselves” (Quis dives salvetur, 21). In other words, the “violent” who are taking the Kingdom of Heaven are those who vigorously fight against the enemies of their soul so as to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven.
What are the enemies of the soul? Traditionally, we speak of the world, the flesh and the devil. These three enemies have caused much violence within the souls of Christians who are striving to live within God’s Kingdom. So how do we fight for the Kingdom? By force! Some translations say that the “attackers” are taking the Kingdom by force. This means that the Christian life cannot be one that is purely passive. We cannot simply smile our way into Heaven. The enemies of our soul are real, and they are aggressive. Therefore, we must also become aggressive in the sense that we must directly take on these enemies with the fortitude and boldness of Christ.
How do we do this? We take on the enemy of the flesh by fasting and self-denial. We take on the world by remaining grounded in the Truth of Christ, the Truth of the Gospel, refusing to conform to the “wisdom” of the age. And we take on the devil by becoming aware of his malicious plans to deceive us, confuse us and mislead us in all things so as to rebuke him and reject his actions in our life.
Reflect, today, upon your call to grow in fortitude and boldness so as to combat those enemies that attack within. Fear is useless in this battle. Confidence in the power and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ is the only weapon we need. Rely upon Him and do not give in to the many ways that these enemies seek to rob you of the peace of Christ.
My glorious and victorious Lord, I trust in You to pour forth Your grace so that I may stand strong against the world, the temptations of my flesh and the devil himself. Give me courage, boldness and fortitude so that I can fight the good fight of faith and never waver from seeking You and Your most holy will for my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday 2nd Week in Advent 2023
Opening Prayer: Lord God, open my ears to hear your message of salvation. Mold my heart and will, so that I can accept it. Grant me the strength and resolve to bring your message of salvation to others.
Encountering Christ:
1. The Kingdom of Heaven: If the great John the Baptist is less than the least in the kingdom of heaven, how great must that kingdom be! We usually think of heaven as happiness, and rightly so. Catechism of the Catholic Church 1024 reminds us, “Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness.” But today’s Gospel points to the greatness of heaven. In this regard, CCC 1026 explains: “He makes partners in his heavenly glorification those who have believed in him and remained faithful to his will.” God’s plan for us is glorious. We must merely be willing to accept it.
2. God’s Plan for Our Salvation: The New Jerusalem Bible renders verse 13 this way: “Because it was towards John that all the prophecies of the prophets and of the Law were leading.” This makes Advent exciting! We see that we are caught up in God’s loving plan of salvation which started with his chosen people, whose prophets and Law pointed to a future time when “Elijah” would come again. John the Baptist was this Elijah pointing to Christ. And Christ is the Messiah who came to bring us to our real home, the kingdom of heaven, where “he makes partners in his heavenly glorification those who have believed in him and remained faithful to his will.” During Advent, the Church calls us precisely to this: belief and fidelity to God’s will!
3. Whoever Has Ears Ought to Hear: As always, Christ’s teachings exhort us to become our most true selves. Nothing is more natural for ears than to hear. John the Baptist undoubtedly spent many solitary hours praying, reflecting, and simply listening to God in the quiet of the desert. Hearing comes in many forms. When we read the Bible, we hear the word of God. When we pray, we also hear God’s voice. We must also be ready to listen to our neighbor, as God does. Psalm 34:18 says, “The righteous cry out, the Lord hears and he rescues them from all their afflictions.” 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, thank you for your patient revelation of the good news of salvation. I embrace it with all my soul. I welcome it into my heart as Mary welcomed Baby Jesus into hers. Help me to do your will out of love this Advent, now and forever. 
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will offer up all my work and prayer, knowing that this is part of your will for my salvation.
 
Thursday 2nd Week in Advent 2022
Opening Prayer:
 Lord God, thank you for these meek and humble words. Help me to open my heart so that your gentle invitation can seep into my soul. I want the rest that you promise. “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. In green pastures he makes me lie down; to still waters he leads me; he restores my soul (Psalms 23).”
Encountering Christ:
1. Come to Me: In this Gospel passage, Christ made it very clear that he himself ought to be our center of attention. Psalm 123 reminds us, “Like the eyes of a maid on the hand of her mistress, so our eyes are on the Lord our God.” And here it’s as if Christ says, “Come to me; I’m the one who will give you rest. Why do you look to football games and shopping and television to satisfy you? Neither do work or school, or even family or friends, fill the God-shaped hole in your heart. If you come to me, I will put you at peace.”
2. Take My Yoke: Sometimes we do not want to accept Christ’s yoke, finding it too burdensome. But then we find we cannot plow; we cannot make any headway through the hard dirt of the field of our life. Sometimes we take up a different yoke–even one which is heavier or more irritating–because we think it is more efficient or more rational than Christ’s yoke. But then we find that this yoke is too cumbersome, that it wounds our shoulders, that it numbs our faith. This is the yoke of the world, and it is not good for us. Christ wants us to take up his yoke, because then he can plow at our side, shouldering the brunt of the burden.
3. Learn from Me: This is the third time Christ says “me” or “my”: Come to me, take my yoke, learn from me. Learning implies newness. It implies letting ourselves take a journey to new shores, to change position so that we see what we saw before, but from a new perspective. When Christ says, “learn from me,” he’s telling us, “I’m not some statue carved in stone. I live and breathe and act. Learn from how I live, how I am, how I love.” In order to learn from him, we have to come to him, to move toward new vistas, and take the concrete step of shouldering his yoke. Then we will have rest—his rest.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I turn my eyes to you! You are the one who never disappoints me. Indeed, you fascinate and attract me by your humility and friendliness. I feel drawn to you; do not let the evil one lead me away.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will pray Psalm 23 asking you to “restore my soul” (verse 3).