Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy, Tuần 2 Mùa Chay

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy, Tuần 2 Mùa Chay

  Qua Bài dụ ngôn hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu cho chúng ta biết về sự tha thứ của Thiên Chúa, như Người cha nhân từ mong mỏi chờ đợi người con hư đốn trở về.. Thiên Chúa như người cha già đã vui mừng khi thấy ngưòi con đã trở về từ đằng xa. Khi người con đến, ông đã tha thứ cho anh ta mà không một có lời trách cứ. Đó là cách mà Thiên Chúa đã tha thứ cho chúng ta.
            Sự trở về của người con hoang đàng không phải là sự kết thúc của câu chuyện. Còn người anh trai nữa, Anh đã thực sự không hài lòng khi biết rằng người em của mình đã trở về và được người cha tiếp đón tiệc đãi linh đình. Người Anh này đại diện cho những người Pharisêu tự mãn, những người chỉ muốn thấy những tội nhân phải được tiêu diệt hơn là tha thứ và được cứu rỗi. Thái độ của anh ta cho thấy rằng những năm anh ta đã vâng phục cha mình, là những năm anh làm nhiệm vụ của mình trong sự  khắc nghiệt chứ không phải là sự phục vụ trong yêu thương. Thái độ của anh ta là một trong những thái độ thiếu sự thông cảm hoàn toàn, khi anh ta từ chối người Cha đến với bữa tiệc mừng người em trở về.
            Tiên tri Micah đã viết về tình yêu trung tín của Thiên Chúa và chúng ta không thể đứng trước mặt Thiên Chúa mà nói rằng chúng ta công chính; Thiên Chúa mới là Đấng từ bi và nhân hậu.
            Lạy Chúa, cho chúng con thấy được tình yêu trung tín của Chúa và xin thương xót chúng con mãi mãi.
 
Saturday 2^nd week of Lent
Today’s Gospel should never have been called the parable of the Prodigal Son, for the son is not the hero. It should be called the parable of the Loving Father, for it tells us rather about a father’s love than a son’s sin.
            It tells us much about the forgiveness of God. The father must have been waiting and watching for the son to come home, for he saw him a long way off. When he came, he forgave him with no recriminations. There is a way of forgiving, when forgiveness is conferred as a favour, but that is not the forgiveness which Jesus speaks about.   The Prodigal’s return is not the end of the story. There enters the elder brother who was actually sorry that his brother had come home. He stands for the self-righteous Pharisees who would rather see a sinner destroyed than saved. His attitude shows that his years of obedience to his father had been years of grim duty and not of loving service. His attitude is one of utter lack of sympathy, but the Father includes him in the feast.
            Prophet Micah and psalmist write about the faithful love of God. We cannot stand before God saying we are righteous; it is God who is compassionate and merciful.
Lord, show us your faithful love and have mercy on us for ever.
 
Saturday of the Second Week of Lent
“Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.” Luke 15:22–24
This was the reaction of the faithful son in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Recall that after squandering his inheritance, the Prodigal Son returns home humiliated and poor, asking his father if he will take him back and treat him as if he were a hired hand. But the father surprises him and throws a huge party for the son to celebrate his return. But the father’s other son, the one who remained with him throughout the years, would not join in the celebration.
Was it fair that the father killed the fatted calf and threw this large party to celebrate his wayward son’s return? Was it fair that that same father apparently never even gave his faithful son a young goat to feast on with his friends? The right answer is that this is the wrong question.
It’s easy for us to live in such a way that we always want things to be “fair.” And when we perceive that another receives more than us, we can get angry and bitter. But asking whether or not this is fair is not the right question. When it comes to the mercy of God, God’s generosity and goodness far exceed what is perceived as fair. And if we are to share in the abundant mercy of God, we too must learn to rejoice in His superabundant mercy.
In this story, the act of mercy given to his wayward son was exactly what that son needed. He needed to know that no matter what he had done in the past, his father loved him and rejoiced in his return. Therefore, this son needed an abundance of mercy partly to reassure him of his father’s love. He needed this extra consolation so as to become convinced that he made the right choice in returning.
The other son, the one who had remained faithful throughout the years, was not treated unfairly. Rather, his discontent came from the fact that he himself lacked the same abundant mercy present in the heart of his father. He failed to love his brother to the same extent and, therefore, failed to see the need to offer this consolation to his brother as a way of helping him understand he was forgiven and welcomed back. Mercy is very demanding and far exceeds what we may at first perceive as rational and just. But if we desire to receive mercy in abundance, we must be ready and willing to offer it to those who need it the most.
Reflect, today, upon how merciful and generous you are willing to be, especially toward those who do not appear to deserve it. Remind yourself that the life of grace is not about being fair; it’s about being generous to a shocking extent. Commit yourself to this depth of generosity toward all and look for ways that you can console another’s heart with the mercy of God. If you do, that generous love will also bless your heart in abundance.
My most generous Lord, You are compassionate beyond what I can fathom. Your mercy and goodness far exceed what any of us deserve. Help me to be eternally grateful for Your goodness and help me to offer that same depth of mercy to those in most need. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Saturday 2^nd week of Lent 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are my merciful Father always ready to embrace me when I return home. Comfort me in your arms and wipe my tears away. Do not let me forget how good it is to be in your house.
 Encountering the Word of God
 1. God will Cast All our Sins into the Sea: God does not want the sinner to remain and die in their sin and works untiringly to restore his children to life when they have strayed. When we return to God with humility and a contrite heart, God removes our guilt and pardons our sins. The image used by the prophet Micah is very vivid: God will tread our guilt underfoot and cast our sins into the depths of the sea. The Gospels teach us that the reign of sin and death is over, for Jesus has conquered both. In fact, in the Book of Revelation we are told that the sea, the place where our sins are cast, “was no more” (Rev 21:1). There is no place for sin and death in heaven, the dwelling of God’s love. The passage from Micah ends by recalling God’s faithfulness to the covenants made with Abraham and Jacob. Even though we fail and are unfaithful, God remains faithful to his covenant and seeks to bring us into the New Covenant of Christ’s blood.
 2. The Merciful Father: The characteristics of God in the Book of Micah apply perfectly to the father of the two sons in today’s Gospel. On the one hand, God the Father delights in clemency and has compassion on sinners; on the other, the father in the Gospel parable shows mercy and compassion toward both of his sons. He welcomes his prodigal younger son, runs toward him with open arms, and restores him to sonship. He leaves the feast to plead with his indignant older son to forgive his younger brother and enter into the feast to celebrate. Whether we have sinned like the younger son by our greed and sensuality or sinned like the older son by our pride and anger, God the Father is ready to welcome us back into his embrace and household. The return of the sinner is not a cause for judgment but for rejoicing. Even though it is difficult, we need to imitate our heavenly Father in his mercy and welcome our brothers and sisters back into God’s household with joy.
 3. Which Son Are We? Jesus has taught us that we will be judged as we have judged others. And in the Lord’s Prayer, we pray that God forgive us our trespasses – the debt we have incurred due to sin – as we forgive those who trespass against us. If we show mercy to others, God will show mercy to us. Sometimes we can reduce Jesus’ parable to the return and forgiveness of the prodigal son. This forgets the fact that the parable is addressed to the Pharisees and scribes who are acting like the older son. When we hear the parable, are we like the younger son, who needs to repent from sin and return to the Father’s house? Or are we like the older son, who is angry at his Father’s mercy toward his brother?
 Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, your parables continue to speak to me and reveal the mysteries of God and the Kingdom. Help me to be merciful like you and your Father. When I struggle to repent, move my heart with your grace. When I struggle to forgive, soften my heart with your grace.
 Living the Word of God: What are my main sins? If I list them out, am I more like the younger son or the older son? Do I need to be forgiven today like the sons in the parable or do I ne
 
 
Saturday 2^nd week of Lent
Opening Prayer: 
Father, help me to see you more clearly through your son’s words. Help me to know you the way he knows you—as the father who loves me more than I can imagine and who always does everything you can to call me back to you when I have strayed. 
Encountering Christ:
1. Let Me Tell You about My Father: Jesus would like to show us how much the Father loves us, but he doesn’t have many good examples to draw from. There were many great, virtuous men in Israelite history, but they all had flaws. None would do as an example of the Father’s love because of their shortcomings. How could he make us understand, give us at least a glimmer of the Father’s love? In the end, he invented a father in this parable–a parable we often call “The Prodigal Son” because we identify more with the younger son–but which many theologians and Scripture scholars call “The Father of Mercies” because it is the father in the parable who is the real hero.
2. Breaking All the Rules: Jesus went out of his way to invent a son who was the lowest of the low. This son insulted his father by asking for the inheritance before his father died—as if to say, “You’re worth more to me dead.” He then sold that same property (which the Jews considered to be entrusted to the family by God)—an unthinkable sin for the Jews. He liquefied his assets and left the Promised Land—another unthinkable sin from the point of view of the Jews. He then proceeded to squander his money on debauchery. Jesus’s listeners must have been standing there in open-mouthed amazement by the time he finished describing what the son did. They would never dream that someone could commit so many unthinkable sins so fast. The crowning moment? The son ended up feeding pigs—another unthinkable sin for the Jews. He had sunk as low as was possible in Jewish eyes.
3. The Father’s Reaction? Love More! Instead of being offended by his son’s actions and turning his back on him, this father continued to love him, and do everything he could to welcome his son back. Although he knew where his son was, he didn’t send him money and gifts once things went badly for him. Instead, the father lets his son hit rock bottom in the hope that he would come to his senses—and he did! We know the father was constantly thinking of the son because he saw him while he was still far away—he must have been watching every day, hoping for his return. He cut off the son’s apology; it wasn’t important to him. Instead, he threw a feast. This is not a parable that tells us how to raise teenagers. It is a parable that tells us about our relationship with the eternal Father. When we insult him in the worst ways, he takes it. When we use his gifts to do terrible things, he allows it. When we return, sometimes more for our own well-being than for love of him, he accepts us back—not as servants, but as sons and daughters! His reaction to our sinfulness is not anger—it’s to love more. 
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, too often I look at you and your Father as being like me—proud, unforgiving, more concerned with myself than with the good of others. You help me to see that your Father is not like that. Instead of putting limits on his love–as I do–he lets his love flow out more generously when he encounters a sinner like me. 
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will look for a relationship where I have limited my love and find a way to love more.
 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Luke 15:1-3,11-32 - Thứ Bẩy Tuần 2 Mùa Chay
Giống như người cha nhân lành trong bài dụ ngôn hôm nay, Thiên Chúa không không bao giờ biết hẹp hòi cố chấp những lỗi lầm trong quá khứ của chúng ta.  Chúa biết tất cả những yếu đuối và tội lỗi của chúng ta, nhưng khi chúng ta biết mở lời thú tội trước Chúa, Chúa đã nhận lời tha thứ, Ngài rất vui mừng khi chúng ta trở về với vòng tay âu yếm và nhân từ của Ngài. Chúa đã thứ tha và quên hết những lỗi lầm của chúng ta từ khi chúng ta vẫn còn ở đàng xa, như người cha già ngóng đợi ngườì con thoang đàng đang trở về.
            Mùa Chay là thời điểm cho tất cả chúng suy ngẫm và cố gắng phản ánh về tình hình nội tâm hiện tại của chúng ta là những người tội lỗi. Quả thật, tội lỗi đã lôi kéo phẩm giá con người của chúng ta xuống quá  thấp  và đặt chúng ta vào một vị trí thật là đáng xấu hổ nhất. Tuy nhiên, nếu chúng tự thấy chính mình bị đè nặng nặng bởi tội lỗi, chúng ta có thể quay trở về với Chúa là Cha rất nhân lành bất cứ lúc nào, và Ngài luôn luôn ngóng đợi và sẵn sàng chạy đến ôm chầm lấy chúng ta trong sự vui mừng vì chúng ta đã tìm thấy con đường sám hối ăn năn và trở về với Ngài.
- Như người Pharisiêu và các thầy thông giáo, người anh tự cho mình là người sống trong sự ngay chính, nên đã không mấy vui mừng khi thấy một tội nhân trở về với Thiên Chúa. Lòng tị hiềm, oán giận, ghen tương, giận dữ, ích kỷ đã biến người anh ra nhỏ nhen, không còn bác ái để tha thứ cho em mình.  Hôm nay, chúng ta hãy tự xét mình, tự hỏi chính mình xem đã bao lần chúng ta đã ngạo mạn giống như ngưòi anh trong bài dụ ngôn hôm nay, cố chấp, ghen tương, nhỏ mọn?.  Xin Chúa giúp chúng ta có can đảm, thêm lòng bác ái để từ bỏ cái tôi của chúng ta, đế biết đối xử với nhau một cách rộng lượng và nhân từ hơn.
 
Reflection.
God delights in showing mercy. This is wonderful news for anyone who has ever sinned. Today we hear a story filled with images of the nature of sin and the nature of mercy — the prodigal son. We see how selfish behavior and sin may seem delightful at times. Ultimately, however, sin does not deliver on what it promises. Like the wandering son, we discover that it makes us isolated, lonely, disappointed and hungry for something that will truly fill the hole in our hearts.
            The returning son comes to the father sorry and willing to change. For the father, this is more than enough. The father does not even allow the son to give his apology speech, he runs to him and embraces him in love. The son’s return is celebrated.  Is there a place in my life that I hunger for reconciliation with God? Is there a space in my heart that I desire to be filled by God’s healing and love?
            Today is an opportunity to humbly approach the Father and ask for what we desire. If a person is sorry and willing to change, there is no sin that is unforgiveable. God yearns to be reconciled with us

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Sau Tuần 2 Mùa Chay

 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Sau Tuần 2 Mùa Chay -Matthew 21:33-46 
Trong bài dụ ngôn hôm nay, Chúa đã dạy cho chúng ta thấy về lòng quảng đại và sự tin tưởng của Thiên Chúa. Như ông chủ vườn nho, Thiên Chúa đã tin tưởng chúng ta, cho chúng ta sự tự do để chạy theo cuộc sống riêng như chúng ta muốn. Dụ ngôn này cũng cho chúng ta thấy được sự kiên nhẫn và sự công bằng của Thiên Chúa.
            Không phải chỉ một mà nhiều lần ông Chủ đã tha thứ cho những người thuê vườn. Tuy nhiên, những người thuê vườn lại có ác tâm với và lợi dụng sự kiên nhẫn của ông chủ vườn, và cuối cùng thì sự phán quyết và công lý của ông chủ đã toàn thắng .
            Chúa Giêsu tiên báo trước cái chết và sự chiến thắng phục sinh của mình. Chúa biết Ngài sẽ bị chối bỏ và bị hành hình, nhưng Ngài cũng biết rằng rồi cũng sẽ có hồi kết thúc. Vì sau cuộc khổ nạn, Ngài sẽ  đến trong vinh quang. Sự vinh quang của Ngài là sự sống lại và lên trời ngự bên tay phải của Thiên Chúa Cha. Chúa đã chúc phúc cho dân của Ngài ngày hôm nay với hồng ân của Nước Trời. Và Ngài hứa sẽ ban cho chúng ta được sinh nhiều hoa trái, nếu chúng ta sống trong ơn nghĩa với Ngài (xem Gioan 15:1-11).
            Thiên Chúa phó thác tình yêu và ân sủng của Ngài cho mỗi người chúng ta và Ngài trao việc thừa hành và quản lý vườn nho của Ngài cho chúng ta để hưởng lợi, đó chính là Thân thể Chúa Kitô.  Chúa cũng đã hứa rằng: những công việc của chúng ta làm sẽ không trở nên vô ích nếu chúng ta kiên trì với đức tin của chúng ta cho đến cùng (1 Cô-rinh-tô 15:58). Chúng ta có thể gánh chịu những thử thách, bị bắt bớ và giam cẩm. Nhưng cuối cùng chúng ta sẽ thấy sự chiến thắng
 
Meditation:.
This parable speaks to us today tells us of God's generosity and trust. The vineyard is well equipped with everything the tenants need. The owner went away and left the vineyard in the hands of the tenants. God, likewise trusts us enough to give us freedom to run life as we choose. This parable also tells us of God's patience and justice. Not once, but many times he forgives the tenants their debts. But while the tenants take advantage of the owner's patience, his judgment and justice prevail in the end.
Jesus foretold both his death and his ultimate triumph. He knew he would be rejected and be killed, but he also knew that would not be the end. After rejection would come glory – the glory of resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father. The Lord blesses his people today with the gift of his kingdom. And he promises that we will bear much fruit if we abide in him (see John 15:1-11). He entrusts his gifts and grace to each of us and he gives us work to do in his vineyard – the body of Christ. He promises that our labor will not be in vain if we persevere with faith to the end (see 1 Corinthians 15:58). We can expect trials and even persecution. But in the end we will see triumph. Do you labor for the Lord with joyful hope and with confidence in his victory?
 
Friday of the Second Week of Lent - Building the Kingdom
“Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.” Matthew 21:42
Are you among those from whom the Kingdom of God will be taken away? Or among those to whom it will be given so as to produce good fruit? This is an important question to sincerely answer.
The first grouping of people, those who will have the Kingdom of God taken away from them, are represented in this parable by the tenants of the vineyard. It is clear that one of their greatest sins is greed. They are selfish. They see the vineyard as a place through which they can enrich themselves and care little about the good of others. Sadly, this mind frame is easy to adopt in our own lives. It’s easy to see life as a series of opportunities for us to “get ahead.” It’s easy to approach life in a way that we are constantly looking out for ourselves rather than sincerely seeking the good of others.
The second grouping of people, those to whom the Kingdom of God will be given so that it will produce good fruit, are those who understand that the central purpose of life is not to simply enrich themselves but to share the love of God with others. These are the people who are constantly looking for ways that they can be a true blessing to others. It’s the difference between selfishness and generosity.
But the generosity to which we are primarily called is to build up the Kingdom of God. This is done through works of charity, but it must be a charity that is motivated by the Gospel and has the Gospel as its ultimate end. Caring for the needy, teaching, serving and the like are all good only when Christ is the motivation and end goal. Our lives must make Jesus more known and loved, more understood and followed. In fact, even if we were to feed a multitude of people in poverty, care for those who were sick, or visit those who were lonely, but did it for reasons other than to ultimately share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then our work would not produce the good fruit of building up the Kingdom of Heaven. In that case, we would only be philanthropists rather than missionaries of the love of God.
Reflect, today, upon the mission given to you by our Lord to produce an abundance of good fruit for the upbuilding of His Kingdom. Know that this can only be accomplished by prayerfully seeking out the way God is inspiring you to act. Seek to serve His will alone so that all you do will be for God’s glory and the salvation of souls.
My glorious King, I pray that Your Kingdom will grow and that many souls will come to know You as their Lord and God. Use me, dear Lord, for the upbuilding of that Kingdom and help all my actions in life to bear abundant and good fruit. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday 2nd week of Lent 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you carefully direct the course of history. You knew how the story of Joseph would end and permitted him to suffer and be tested. You knew everything that would happen to your Son and his Apostles. You know my story and how it will unfold. Guide me each day so that I may be with you.
 Encountering the Word of God
 1. Salvation through Joseph’s Suffering: When we hear the story of Joseph and his brothers, we cannot help but think of Jesus and how he was betrayed by Judas. Joseph was sold by his brothers as a slave for twenty pieces of silver; Jesus was betrayed and sold by Judas for thirty pieces of silver. Just as the sons of Jacob became envious of their father’s love for Joseph and sought to get rid of Joseph, so also the Pharisees are acting like the wicked tenants in today’s Gospel and are plotting to kill the landowner’s son. When we read the story of Joseph in Genesis it is important to remember that God brought good out of the evil actions of Joseph’s brothers (Genesis 50:20). In Egypt, Joseph eventually rose to second in command and saved his brothers from a devastating famine. And, just as God brought about the salvation of Jacob’s family through the sufferings of Jacob’s son, Joseph, so also God brings about the salvation of the families of the world through the sufferings of his Son, Jesus Christ.
 2. Salvation through Jesus’ Suffering and Death: Jesus directed the parable of the vineyard and the wicked tenants to the chief priests and the elders of the people. Through the parable, Jesus warns them that they are acting like the wicked tenants and are plotting his death just like the tenants plotted the death of the landowner’s beloved son. In the parable, the landowner of the vineyard represents God the Father, the vineyard is Jerusalem, the tenants are the leaders of Israel, the servants sent by the landowner are the prophets, and the son sent by the landowner is Jesus. Like the landowner’s son who was killed outside the walls of the vineyard, Jesus is the Son of God who will be crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem. The death of the tenants at the end of the parable is a prophetic reference to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70. The ending of the parable means that God will lease his vineyard – the New Jerusalem and the Kingdom of God – to other tenants, to the Apostles and their successors.
 3. Offering up our Sufferings as a Sacrifice: The wicked tenants thought they would acquire the inheritance reserved for the landowner’s son by killing the son. This is a very deep and mysterious reference to the saving effect of Jesus’ death on the cross. By dying, Jesus destroyed our death. His death lifts the ancient curse and establishes the New Covenant that grants us a share in the inheritance of the Son of God (Romans 8:17). As children of God and members of a royal priesthood, we are called to offer up our lives as a pleasing sacrifice to God our Father. We are to unite our sufferings, which are transformed by love into a sacrifice, to the suffering and sacrifice of Christ (Colossians 1:24).
 Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I unite my life and my sufferings to yours. All that I am I offer to your Father and my Father. I humbly ask that you present my offering to the Father today and purify it with your love.
 Living the Word of God: Where is there suffering in my life right now? How am I dealing with it? How can I unite it to the offering of Jesus today?
 
 
Friday 2nd week of Lent
Opening Prayer: 
Lord, help me to pray well to overcome my selfishness. Instead of thinking of myself and my own comfort, enjoyment, and entertainment, help me to think first of the needs of others and especially how I might help them take a step closer to you today.
Encountering Christ:
1. For the Benefit of Others: The tenants in the parable used their talents for their own enjoyment, comfort, and entertainment, and they eventually lost everything. When Jesus created us, he gave us talents to use for a mission. Not only are we supposed to work to get ourselves to heaven, but the Lord also invites us to help bring others there as well. The talents and abilities we have are meant to be used for this task—not for our own profit. When we accomplish the Lord’s work, we are rewarded as people “that produce fruit.”
2. Am I Profitable for God?: The tenants could have used part of the fruits of their labor to take care of their personal needs (and they would have received even more than they needed), but these tenants wanted it all. In the same way, God allows us to use our talents to take care of our own needs as well as to enjoy life—after all, God ordered us not to work every single day, but to set aside the seventh day for worship, rest, and recreation. However, like the tenants in the parable, we are also expected to make a profit for him. Do we use our talent–our time, energy, intelligence, creativity–for his profit? This is the way we love the Lord with our “whole heart and with all my soul and with all my mind and with all my strength” (cf. Mark 12:30).
3. Final Reckoning: Everything in the vineyard belonged to the landowner. The property was his. He planted the vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. All the tools belonged to him as well. The tenants provided only the labor. Our life is similar. We provide only the labor. None of the tools–our talents–belong to us. They come from God. He has the right to expect us to use them, not only for our own needs, but for his profit as well—for the good and salvation of those around us. He sends us people to remind us of this. Do we ignore them? Do we treat them the way the tenants treated the landowner’s servants? 
Conversing with Christ: Lord, so often I forget about you and end up focused on my own goals and desires. Yet you put me here to cooperate with you in your saving mission. You gave me the tools I need to fulfill this mission. Help me to remember this truth throughout my day, to “always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks me for a reason for my hope” (cf. 1 Peter 3:15).
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will look for an opportunity to give reasons for my hope, realizing that the greatest preaching I can do is to live an example of Christian charity that wins hearts for Christ and helps people remember that he has not forgotten his world.
 
REFLECTION
In the parable of the vineyard owner and the unworthy tenants, Jesus addressed the Pharisees, the priests and the leaders of the Jewish people of his time. He admonished them that God expected them to bear fruit and offer them to God. Instead, they maltreated and killed the prophets and killed even the Son of God himself who came to redeem them, because what the prophets and the Son of God told them to do interfered with what they had become comfortable with and their worldly self interest.
            The word of God, however, is addressed not only to the Pharisees and the High Priest and the Jewish people of ancient history. The word of God is addressed to everyone for all times and for all peoples, including ourselves. We too are tenants in the vineyard of God. God is expecting us to bear fruit for him. Are we bearing fruit and sharing with God the fruits of His vineyard or are we like the followers of the Pharisees and the High Priest, selfishly thinking only of our own comfort and worldly desires? In our lives, are we choosing the will of God over our own craving for fame and fortune, comfort and pleasure?
 
REFLECTION
The first reading narrates the beginning of Joseph's story. It is a tale of the jealousy and hatred of his brothers over the pride of Joseph and his dreams. Stopping at the point where Joseph is sold by his brothers, with his bloodied coat making it appear like a violent death from an animal attack, it seems like another sad ending to a bible story. Who would have thought there is a better ending to this unhappy drama – that many years later, Joseph would be the salvation of the Egyptian nation and its neighbors, including his family, during a time of great famine! Yet many times we encounter similar situations in our lives. Why do bad and sad things happen to us, why this untimely death of a child, why an unjust accusation from which we cannot defend ourselves, why a devastating flood that demolished the homes of hapless people? God weaves such fascinating narratives with unexpected happy endings to stories such as these. And if we fail to look at events in our lives with the eyes of faith and lose hope instead of patiently awaiting the outcome of this chapter in our lives, we miss out on seeing all the good God does for us, how He molds us by unlikely occurrences, how like the potter that He is, He teaches us patience and perseverance by the trials that come our way.
            O loving Father, when seemingly cruel events happen in our lives, help us to trust with patience that Your love and mercy will bring everything to a good ending. Amen.
 
Friday 2nd Week of Lent- Here comes that dreamer! (Genesis 37:19)
In many ways, Joseph was naive and innocent. In his seventeen years of life, he had been protected and showered with love and special treatment by his father. He probably thought that the rest of the world loved him just the same. But his naiveté got him in trouble when he told his brothers about his dreams and showed off the beautiful coat his father had given him. He probably couldn’t imagine that they would be offended—he was the golden boy, after all!
Even though his brothers assaulted him and sold him into slavery, Joseph did not give up on God’s commandments. Even when he was falsely accused and jailed for molesting his master’s wife, he held firm to God. When in prison, his ability to interpret dreams became known to Pharaoh, who ultimately released him and raised him up to a position second only to his own. Just as Joseph believed he would, God brought good out of evil for him. And not only for himself but for all the people around him. In his new position, Joseph was able to save both Egypt and the Israelites from a devastating famine.
This is a classic story of good and evil: the goodness of Joseph contrasted with the evil done by his brothers and those who appear later in the story. This story tells us that though they may seem locked in a never-ending struggle, goodness eventually triumphs over evil. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:28, “All things work for good for those who love God.”
God always works good for those who love him. We should never let hard times keep us from turning to our Father and asking him to sustain us. If we always seek to do good and try to forgive those who harm us, miracles can happen—not only in our lives but in the lives of those around us. Let’s not run away from tough times but instead face them with faith and trust in God’s promises. Who knows what blessings God has waiting for us?
“Father, I surrender my life into your hands. When I get weary of fighting the good fight, lift me up and hide me in your presence. Keep me safe until I am able to praise and thank you once again.”

Suy Niệm Tin MừngThứ Năm Tuần 2 Mùa Chay

Suy Niệm Tin MừngThứ Năm Tuần 2 Mùa Chay: Luke 16:19-31 
Chúa Giêsu cho chúng ta một bài học hôm nay đó là ‘Hãy đặt Thiên Chúa làm trọng tâm” trong cuộc sống của chúng ta. Như trong bài dụ ngôn, người giàu có đã tự đặt mình trên hết trước cả Thiên Chúa. Thiên Chúa chỉ là khoảng cách xa vời, không quan trọng đối với ông ta. Có lẽ chúng ta cũng có thể thấy được một chút “cái TÔI” của mình trong người đàn ông giàu có trong bài dụ ngôn hôm nay. Có lẽ chúng ta cũng đã đặt những thứ vật chất, danh vọng, ham muốn của chúng ta trước nghĩa vụ của chúng ta đối với Thiên Chúa và tha nhân, do đó mà bỏ quên đức bác ái.;
            Đối với ông Lazarus, người đàn ông nghèo khốn, thiếu thốn đủ mọi điều vì ông đã đau khổ quá nhiều về thân xác. Đôi lúc chúng ta tự nghĩ:  có lẽ Thiên Chúa đã quên và bỏ rơi ông Lazarus, trong khi đó Thiên Chúa lại thiên vị với người giàu có kia, vì Chúa đã ban nhiều ơn phúc cho người giàu có kia, người ta đã giàu mà Chúa còn cho được giàu có them.
Tuy nhiên, Lazarus, người đàn ông nghèo khó đó có một điều: đó là ơn cứu độ của Thiên Chúa. Ông chỉ biết tin tưởng và hy vọng vào một mình Thiên Chúa và chẳng có một thứ gì khác để ông ta phải phụ thuộc.  Đây không phải là lời đề nghị để chúng ta chối bỏ tất cả các thứ cần thiết, các nhu cầu thiết yếu của cuộc sống trong cuộc sống của chúng ta, nhưng một bài học giúp cho chúng ta biết rằng, sau hết chỉ có một điều là đáng quan trọng trong đời sống của chúng ta: đó là đặt tình yêu Thiên Chúa làm trọng tâm cho cuộc sống của chúng ta.
            Tin Mừng hôm nay nhắc nhở cho chúng ta biết rằng để đạt được Nước Trời, chúng ta cần quay về với Thiên Chúa và phải đặt chúng ta vào sự tùy thuộc hoàn toàn ở nơi Ngài.  Và ước muốn của chúng ta là được ở gần với Chúa và mang Chúa đến tới cho càng nhiều linh hồn càng tốt. 
Xin Chúa ban cho chúng ta có sự cố gắng trong các nỗ lực đem tình yêu Thiên Chúa đến với mọi người và chia sẻ tình yêu của Thiên Chúa với tất cả những người mà chúng ta gặp gỡ trong cuộc sống của chúng ta.
 
REFLECTION: Luke 16:19-31
Jesus is advising us, in today Gospel, put him at the center of our lives. The rich man in the parable put himself first. God was distant, unimportant to him. Perhaps we can see a little of ourselves in the rich man. Perhaps we put material things ahead of our duties towards God and our neighbor, thus neglecting the virtue of charity.
            The poor man, Lazarus, was in need of a great deal. He suffered much. It would seem that God had forgotten him; whereas with the rich man, it would seem that God heaped blessing upon blessing on him. However,  the poor man had one thing: his salvation. He hoped in God alone. What else could he depend on? This is not to suggest that we give up the necessities of life, but it goes to show us that in the end, only one thing matters: put ting God at the center of our lives.
            Today's Gospel reminds us that in order to gain the Kingdom of God, we need to turn to Jesus in complete dependence. It should be our one desire to be with Jesus and also want to bring to him as many other souls as possible. Let us make the effort to work hard to do all the good possible and to share Jesus' love with all those whom we meet on the road of life. Let us be Jesus' untiring apostle.
 
Thursday of the Second Week of Lent - A Powerful Contrast
Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.” Luke 16:19–21
One of the reasons this story is so powerful is because of the clear descriptive contrast between the rich man and Lazarus. The contrast is not only seen in the passage above, it is also seen in the final outcome of each of their lives.
In the first contrast, the rich man’s life seems much more desirable, at least on the surface. He is rich, has a home to live in, dresses in fine clothing and eats sumptuously every day. By contrast, Lazarus is poor, has no home, has no food, is covered with sores and even endures the humiliation of dogs licking his wounds. Which of these persons would you prefer to be?
Before you answer that question, consider the second contrast. When they both die, they experience very different eternal fates. When the poor man died, he was “carried away by angels.” And when the rich man died, he went to the netherworld, where there was ongoing torment. So again, which of these persons would you prefer to be?
One of the most seductive and deceptive realities in life is the lure of riches, luxury and the fine things in life. Though the material world is not bad in and of itself, there is great temptation that goes along with it. In fact, it is clear from this story and from the many other teachings of Jesus on this topic that the lure of riches and its effect on the soul cannot be ignored. Those who are rich in the things of this world are often tempted to live for themselves rather than living for others. When one has all the comforts this world has to offer, it’s easy to simply enjoy those comforts without concern for others. And that is clearly the unspoken contrast between these two men. Though poor, it is clear that Lazarus is rich in the things that matter in life. This is evidenced by His eternal reward. It is clear that in his material poverty, he was rich in charity. The man who was rich in the things of this world was clearly poor in charity and, thus, upon losing his physical life, he had nothing to take with him. No eternal merit. No charity. Nothing.
Reflect, today, upon that which you desire in life. Too often, the deception of material wealth and worldly possessions dominate our desires. In fact, even those who have little can easily become consumed with these unhealthy desires. Seek, instead, to desire only that which is eternal. Desire love of God and love of neighbor. Make this your only goal in life and you, too, will be carried away by angels when your life is completed.
My Lord of true riches, You chose to be poor in this world as a sign to us that true riches come not with material wealth but with love. Help me to love You, my God, with all my being and to love others as You love them. May I be wise enough to make spiritual riches my single goal in life so that these riches will be enjoyed for all eternity. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Reflection Thursday second week of Lent 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you know all things. Guide me along the path that leads to life with you. Protect me from danger and give me your grace to fight the good fight, finish the race, and receive the victorious crown of your glory.
 Encountering the Word of God
 1. Reward and Punishment: The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that we will be rewarded or punished according to the way we live our lives. The rich man in the Gospel is indifferent to the sufferings of Lazarus. Instead of loving God above all things, the rich man trusts solely in his human strength and power. Although he is rich and has many material possessions, he reveals himself to be barren. He is barren, like a bush in the desert, and empty, like salted earth or a lava waste. Because his life is not anchored in God, he is like chaff that the wind drives away. Ultimately, the rich man’s indifference to God and others brings upon himself the curse of eternal separation from God. Lazarus, on the other hand, is blessed. Despite his hunger, suffering, and material want in this life, he continues to place his trust and hope in the Lord. He is not consumed by fear, because he knows that God is at his side. Lazarus is like a tree that is firmly rooted in the ground, with deep roots that reach the waters of life. Lazarus perseveres in difficult times because his security is not in things that pass away, but in God who is always faithful.
 2. Rich and Poor: The Gospel teaches us that, if we are materially rich, we are called to be good administrators of wealth who seek to alleviate the sufferings of the poor. United to the vine of Christ, all Christians rich and poor, are called to bear much fruit – thirty, sixty, and one hundredfold. All people, including the rich, are called to store up heavenly treasures and to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to their brothers and sisters. Those who are blessed with earthly wealth should make sure that their prayer is one of thanksgiving for the benefits received. As well, they should ask especially for the virtue of prudence so that they use their goods wisely on behalf of the poor. If, however, we are materially poor, we should not complain about our situation, but rather place our trust in God and work to better our situation as we are able.
 3. The Responsibility of Caring for Christ in the Poor: Jeremiah points out that it is difficult to understand the human heart. This is because the heart is the inner sanctuary where man and God meet. It is the place of encounter where we mysteriously decide for or against God. As Jesus’ disciples, we are called to prefer Jesus to everything and everyone. Detachment from riches and love for neighbor are obligatory for entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. Christ calls us to sell all that we have, give generously to the poor, and follow him. What we do for the least of our brethren, we do for Christ. Not only are we called to serve the poor, but we are called to be poor and be detached from the things of this passing world.
 Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to see your face in the poor. Move my heart to have compassion on those who need my help. Do not let me be indifferent to you and the needs of my brothers and sisters.
 Resolution: One of the three practices of Lent is almsgiving. This Lent, how have I used the wealth I have on behalf of the poor? What changes do I need to make? What is God asking me to be detached from?
 
Reflection Thursday second week of Lent
Opening Prayer: 
Lord, help me in this prayer to open my heart more and more to you so that I may begin to open it to others. They are your children. Help me to love them as you do. 
Encountering Christ:
1. Life Is Good!: The rich man enjoyed life. He had the finest clothes and the best foods. He had lots of money and he used it for his own benefit. Remember, the Jews believed that if a man was righteous, God would bless him with riches, health, and many other benefits. Perhaps this man was at peace, thinking that God had been pleased by the way he lived. Yet at his gate, there was someone who should have stolen his peace away. 
2. All for Me and None for You: Jewish people were taught that it was a good thing to give alms to the poor, and that they could be forgiven for sins by doing so. The rich man passed Lazarus every day and, as a Jew, his conscience should have prompted him to help, but he did nothing at all. Because he neglected Lazarus, the rich man was separated for all eternity by a great chasm from the bosom of Abraham. He had the wherewithal to beg for his brothers, but even those pleas were fruitless. By his covetousness while he was alive, he secured abject poverty for all eternity. It’s a good reminder for us that our actions each day have eternal consequences.
3. Am I the Rich Man?: Many of us lead comfortable lives. Does God see in us any semblance of what he saw in the rich man? How aware are we of the poor or needy who live nearby? We may not walk over them every time we enter our house, but perhaps we see them on our way to work or school or the supermarket. None of us can take care of all the needy people in the world, but we can certainly help them one at a time.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, open my eyes to see life as you see it. Show me how you want me to use my gifts for others, and where I may be holding back. You taught us the spiritual and corporal works of mercy and I know that these please you. May I seize the opportunity to serve everyone in my path, according to your holy will. 
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will review the spiritual and corporal acts of mercy (see CCC 2447) and find one that needs to be extended toward my neighbors.
 
Reflection Thursday second week of Lent.
We hear people say that life is a journey. People who say this have a point. Our life on earth ends when we die: an eternity follows. In the context of an eternity, our life on earth seems microscopic in the grand scheme of things.  And yet our eternity depends upon our life on earth.
  We can compare it to going to another country to work. What you do there and how well you do will determine the type of welcome and reception when you return home.  Did you do well in your work? Did your work in the other country help to secure your future and that of your family?  Were you rewarded for work well done or were your employers not satisfied with your work?  
   It is the same with our life.  We can consider our life as work outside of our heavenly and permanent home. In truth we are just transients, sort of passing through.  When our life ends, like a contract in a foreign country, we will be judged on how we have been and on what we have accomplished.  How we have been and what we have done in our lifetime will determine our eternity: reward or punishment.
   The parable of the rich man and the poor man Lazarus is a lesson and a warning for us.  As Abraham told the rich man, they have Moses and the prophets and indeed Christ himself. Do not say that we have not been taught and warned.