Đoạn Tin Mừng chúng ta đọc hôm nay tập trung vào đức tin và sự khiêm tốn của người phụ nữ xứ Canaan, Bà thừa nhận sự thấp kém của mình, bà không xứng đáng như những dân Israel. Nhưng bà có lòng tin là Chúa Giêsu là Đấng Cứu Thế, đấng sẽ đến trong thế gia, Ngài vua Do Thái, và là Con vua Đavít, Ngài có khả năng cứu chữa cho con gái của bà khỏi sự chiếm hữu những thần ô uế và ma quỷ. Thật sự Chúa Giêsu không có ý chê bai hay kỳ thị bà ta là xứ người Canaan khi Ngài dùng chữ "trẻ em" so với "chó". Thay vào đó, Chúa Giêsu muốn thử sự kiên trì và lòng tin của bà ta để xem lòng tin và sự kiên trì, sự nhãn nại của bà có sđi tới đâu.
Trong lãnh thổ Do Thái, Chúa Giêsu đã đi khắp nơi, rao giảng và cố thuyết phục mọi người là chính Ngài là con Thiên Chúa, là Đấng Kitô và Ngài đã gặp phải những sự chống đối và sự thù địch. Thế nhưng trong đất Gentile vùng dân ngoại, Ngài đã gặp một người xứ Canaa, một người chưa bao giờ gặp, chưa một lần làm quen, thế nhưng bà đã tin.
Là Môn đệ của Chúa Kitô, sứ mệnh của chúng ta là mang sứ điệp cứu rỗi và Tin Mừng của Ngài đến bất cứ những ai tin vào Ngài. Nếu họ từ chối chúng ta, chúng ta cần cầu nguyện cho họ, Như khi Chúa Giêsu đến với những người dân ngoại, chúng ta cũng thế, chúng ta phải tìm cách đến với những người muốn tìm biết Chúa và sẵn sàng đón nhận Tin Mừng Cứu Rỗi của Ngài.
These verses of the Gospel focus on the great faith and humility of a Canaanite woman, who acknowledges the inferiority of her race as opposed to the Israelites. She is convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, a Jewish King, Son of David, capable of healing her daughter from demon possession. It is not Jesus' intention to belittle her by reminding her of the distinction between Jews and Canaanites, i.e., "children" versus "dogs." Rather, he tests her perseverance, to see how far she would go.
In Jewish territory, Jesus tried to convince people that he was the Messiah and was met with hostility. In Gentile land, he meets a Canaanite who did not know him but believed. Undaunted, the woman humbly took the role of the "dog," willing to pick up the crumbs dropped by the "children" and begged for mercy. Jesus recognizes her great faith. He performs a miracle for a Canaanite in Gentile territory. Here Jesus sets a precedent – his ministry may have initially focused on the Jews but he went to the Gentiles and extended his grace to all who believed in him.
As Disciples of Christ, our mission is to take the message of grace to whomever believes. If we encounter refusal, we pray for them. But as Jesus turned to the Gentiles, we also turn to those who want it and are prepared to receive his message.
Jesus said to his disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44
Today’s Gospel presents us with two very short and similar parables. In the first, quoted above, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a “treasure.” In the second parable, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a “pearl of great price.” Though these parables are very similar to each other, there are also subtle differences worth pondering. It appears that the treasure mentioned in the first parable is discovered almost by accident. The person simply “finds” it. This is in contrast to the second parable, in that the merchant who finds the pearl of great price did so after “searching” for it.
We often encounter the Treasure of the Gospel without even looking for it. We do so any time God intervenes in our lives without us seeking His intervention. For example, if someone were to offer an act of charity to you without you seeking it out, this is God giving you a treasure of His Kingdom. Or if someone shares with you their faith, or an inspiration they received, this is indeed a treasure given to you by God. The problem is that many times when we are given these treasures of the Gospel, we do not always see them as treasures. Imagine, for example, if the person in this parable were to stumble upon the treasure in the field and fail to open it out of indifference. They see it from a distance, have a bit of curiosity about what is in the box, but they are not energetic enough to actually open the box and look inside. In that case, the person would have no reason to go and sell all that they have so as to buy the field in which the treasure is found.
One clear message that this first parable reveals is that we must be attentive to the countless treasures of God’s graces given to us each and every day. God is so prolific in offering us grace, that we truly do stumble upon His grace all the time. Thus, having eyes to perceive His actions and ears to Hear His Voice is essential.
A second message clearly given in both of these parables is that once we discover the graces God gives us every day, we must foster within ourselves a desire for those graces that is so strong that we are willing to do anything necessary to obtain them. The discovery is made through the gift of faith, but the discovery by faith must then be followed with a zeal that drives our will to conform to that discovery.
Reflect, today, upon two things. First, have you discovered the treasures God has given to you? If you hesitate in answering this, then it’s most likely the case that there is much you have yet to discover. Secondly, as you do discover the riches that come with the gift of faith, then have you allowed that which God has spoken to you to consume you to such a point that you are willing to sell all you have, meaning, do whatever it takes to further accept all God wants to bestow? Resolutely determine to go forth on this holy search and you will find that the riches of grace that you obtain are of infinite value.
My Lord of all riches, You bestow upon me and upon all Your children countless graces every day. The treasures of Your mercy are of infinite value. Please open my eyes so that I can see and my ears so that I can hear so as to discover all that You wish to bestow. May You and the riches of Your Kingdom become the one and only, all-consuming focus of my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
1. Have Pity on Me: At first glance, the Gospel passage could make it seem like Jesus was having a bad day or woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Nothing could be further from the truth. Why in the world, then, would Jesus refer to the Canaanite woman as a dog and say that he was sent only to the children of Israel? If we look at the passage in the light of the Old Testament, we see that God tends to test his servants. God tested Noah when he asked him to build an Ark and gather the animals and his family into it. God tested Abraham when he promised him a son and asked him to sacrifice Isaac. God tested Job when he permitted Satan to take away his wealth, his family, and his health. In like manner, Jesus tests the Canaanite woman. Like Noah, like Abraham, and like Job, she passes the test. Instead of turning away, she persists. She doesn’t just double down. She persists a third and a fourth time! She first asks Jesus to have pity on her and release her daughter from the torment of a demon. Jesus answered her with silence. She persists in calling out and Jesus’ disciples ask him about her. When she hears the response of Jesus about only being sent to Israel, she does not give up and instead does homage and asks for help a third time. When Jesus references the separation between Jews (understood as children) and Gentiles (understood as dogs or puppies), she finds a way to make her fourth attempt: “Even the dogs in the house eat the scraps.” She is content with the leftovers and the scraps from the table. She doesn’t demand a place at the table, she only wants the healing of her daughter and her daughter’s release from the powers of darkness.
2. Great is Your Faith: As Jesus points out, the Canaanite woman is a tremendous model of faith. She has heard about the mighty deeds Jesus has done, especially his healings and his exorcisms. She knew that curing the affliction of her daughter surpassed her own power. She was powerless to release her daughter from the torments of the devil. But she believed that Jesus, the Son of David, could. Just as tradition held that Solomon, the first son of David, had the power to exorcise demons, she knew that Jesus, the ultimate Son of David, could exorcise the demon that afflicts her daughter. Her faith is truly great. Neither Jesus’ initial silence, nor the efforts of Jesus’ disciples to silence her, nor the challenge Jesus can stop her prayer of petition.
3. Jeremiah on the End of the Exile: In the First Reading, we read from Jeremiah 31. The end of the chapter contains the prophecy about the New Covenant. Today’s passage speaks about the homecoming of Israel (Ephraim) and Judah. He compares this homecoming – the end of the Exile – with the old exodus: God will bring his people to the Promised Land once again. Jeremiah knows that the chastisement of the Lord will only last for a time. The Lord has scattered the tribes of Israel among the Gentile nations (Jeremiah 31:10), but, because of his everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3), he will correct their behavior and draw them back to himself as a father seeks the return of their first-born child (Jeremiah 31:9). God desires to bestow mercy upon his wayward child (Jeremiah 31:20) (see Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Baruch, 65). The healing of the Canaanite woman’s daughter represents the ingathering of the Gentiles into the New Kingdom of God.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you were sinless from your conception to your death on the cross. You were ever faithful. You knew how to challenge each one of those you encountered. You challenged your mother to ponder the mystery of your divine sonship. And you challenged the Canaanite woman to persist in her prayer. Challenge me today!
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 18 TN -Matthew 15:21-28
Chúng ta phải có thái độ giống như người phụ nữ Canaan trong phúc âm, bà đã kiên nhẫn khiêm tốn hạ mình để cầu xin Chúa Giêsu chữa lành con gái của bà. Với sự nhẫn nhục, bà đã không nẳn lòng, mất kiên nhẫn khi Chúa Giêsu đã ví bà chỉ đáng như loài chó, Nhưng với một lòng tin tưởng, với sự khiêm tốn thấp hèn, người phụ nữ đã , nhẫn nhục quyết tâm và tiếp tục cầu xin Chúa Giêsu cứu chữa con bà. Với lòng tin và sự khiêm tốn của bà, mà Chúa Giêsu đã cảm động và đã chữa lành cho con gái của bà.
Chúng ta có nhẫn nhục, kiên nhẫn, thành tâm và xác tín như người đàn bà xứ Canaan? Chúa Giêsu muốn giúp chúng ta mỗi khi chúng ta gặp phải những khó khăn, nhưng chúng ta phải đến với Chúa với lòng tin tưởng, với sự chân thành, với sự khiêm tốn và kính cẩn. Chúng ta phải cầu nguyện không ngừng để ân sủng thiêng liêng mà Chúa Giêsu sẽ ban cho chúng ta, nếu chúng ta có đủ kiên nhẫn và khiêm nhu. Thiên Chúa muốn ban cho chúng ta mọi thứ trên trời, nhưng Ngài vẫn luôn hằng mong đợi những tâm hồn có tấm lòng thực tâm mong muốn cầu xin Ngài với một đức tin chân thành.
No comments:
Post a Comment