Trong bài Tin Mừng, chúng ta thấy rất nhiều người Do thái kéo đến để nghe lời giảng dạy của Chúa Giêsu và để được chữa lành tất cả các tật bệnh về thể xác cũng như bệnh tinh thần. Thế giới của chúng ta hôm nay thực sự là rất cần một vị cứu tinh như Chúa Giêsu. Trong xã hội hôm nay, chúng ta thấy rất nhiều những người ham thích danh vọng, hưởng thụ, tham lam, hận thù, vv và họ không bao giờ hài lòng với những gì mình có. Họ chẳng bao ngại cho dù họ có phải làm nô lệ cho ma quỷ và xác thịt, miễn sao họ thoả mãn được cái tham vọng hay dục vọng của họ. Một cách sâu sắc hơn, họ đang tìm kiếm sự giải phóng và họ biết có ai đó đang thực sự quan tâm đến họ. Đó là cách mà người Do Thái trong phúc âm đã cảm thấy và họ đều vây quanh Chúa Giêsu.
In the gospel, we see how so many people came to listen to Jesus' words and to be healed of their physical and spiritual ailments. Our world is truly in need of a savior. We see people consumed by greed, hatred, anger, lust, etc. and they are not happy being enslaved by the devil. Deep down they are looking for a liberator and they know when someone truly cares for them. That is how the Jews in the gospel must have felt so they all crowded aroun
d Jesus. It is only Jesus who can truly solve the serious problems of man. Politicians, unless they are truly Christians, will make matters worse. Psychologists can only do so much unless they lead their patients to the Divine Healer. People often turn to all kinds of problem solvers and as a last recourse, ask God's help when they are desperate. But Jesus should be our first option, especially if the problem is emotional, spiritual or psychological. He is the best teacher, guide, friend and helper of us all.
And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground. A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured. Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all. Luke 6:17–19
The Gospel of Luke presents us with what is traditionally known as the “Sermon on the Plain.” Almost everything Luke includes in this sermon is also found in Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount.” Matthew, however, adds some teachings not found in Luke. Matthew’s sermon has three chapters while Luke’s has only one.
In this, the introduction to this “Sermon on the Plain,” from which we will be reading all week, Luke points out that large numbers of people came from far and wide to listen to Jesus. This crowd included many Jews but also included many people from the pagan territory of Tyre and Sidon. And what was it that drew so many of them? They came to “hear” Jesus preach and “to be healed.” They wanted to hear the words of Jesus since He spoke with great authority and in a way that was changing lives. And they were especially amazed by the healing power that Jesus manifested. The last line of the passage above gives great emphasis to this desire for healing. “Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all.”
It’s interesting that Jesus performed so many powerful miracles as He went about His public ministry. This was especially the case as He began His ministry. He became a sort of instant celebrity to many and was the talk of the many surrounding towns. But it’s also interesting to note that, as time went on, Jesus gave more emphasis to His teaching than He did to the miracles.
What is it that draws you to our Lord? Perhaps if there were numerous manifest miracles performed today by God, many people would be amazed. But physical miracles are not the greatest work of our Lord and, therefore, should not be the primary focus of our relationship with Him. The primary reason we should be drawn to our Lord is because His holy Word sinks in deeply, changes us and draws us into communion with Him. This is clearly seen by the fact that now that the Gospel message has been deeply established and the Church formed, physical miracles are rare. They do happen, but not in the same way that they did as Jesus first established His public ministry.
Reflect, today, upon the primary reason you find yourself drawn to our Lord. Seek out His living Word, spoken within the depths of your heart. The most important miracle that takes place today is that of interior transformation. When a person hears God speak, responds to that Word, and allows Him to change their life, this is among the most important miracles of grace that we could ever encounter. And this is the central reason we should be drawn to Him, seek Him out and follow Him wherever He leads.
My miraculous Lord, please draw me to Yourself, teaching in the wilderness of my interior life of silence and solitude. Help me to seek You out so that I can hear Your Word, spoken to me to give me new life. May I always listen to You so that Your holy Word will transform me more fully, making me into the new creation You desire me to be. Jesus, I trust in You.
1. The Hearts of Each of the Apostles: Jesus’ decision in the Gospel to appoint the Twelve Apostles was a prayer event – it was the fruit of his communion with his heavenly Father. Jesus knew each one of his disciples. He knew their faults and failings, their gifts, and their talents. He saw their hearts and was not fooled by outward appearances. Simon Peter would be the Rock who remained firm in the faith, who repented and strengthened his brethren, and who fed and tended the flock of the Church. Andrew, the first-called, would become a fisher of men and call men and women to follow Christ. James and John, the “sons of thunder,” would learn the way of God’s merciful love. Philip would lead men and women along the path that leads to the Father. Nathanael Bartholomew, the one without guile, would teach the way of child-like simplicity, the condition for entry into the Kingdom. Matthew would teach how to leave everything and sell everything to obtain the Kingdom, the pearl of great price. Thomas would lead others on the path to Jerusalem and teach them how to find refuge in the wounds of the risen Christ. James would teach the principles of right conduct and the vanity of faith without love. Simon would be consumed by zeal for Christ, the new temple. Jude appeals to Christians to wait prayerfully and patiently for the Lord and to not give into doubt or let themselves be deceived by false prophets. Finally, Jesus knew that Judas would betray him and hand him over to the temple authorities. He knew how Judas struggled with sin and would despair when faced with the gravity of his sin.
2. Learning from Jesus: Jesus called the Apostles to be with him throughout his public ministry and learn from him. He would teach them how to pray, and how to enter into communion with the Father. They would be his disciples and the sign of the restoration of the twelve tribes of Israel. They were called to humble service, but this service would lead to deep friendship with him. Just as Jesus washed their feet, they would be called to wash the feet of the communities they served.
3. The Vocation of an Apostle: The Apostles would be granted authority to govern the Church. They would be guided by the Holy Spirit so that they could bring the Gospel of the Kingdom to all nations. They would be filled with the Holy Spirit so that they could work for the sanctity of the Church, baptizing, confirming through the laying on of hands, celebrating the Eucharist, forgiving sins, healing the sick, ordaining others for ministry, and bringing men and women into the covenant bond of marriage. The Apostles will lead men and women to inherit the Kingdom of God and do so by combating sin in their lives. Saint Paul today puts Christians on guard about injustice. If we are truly brothers and sisters in the Lord, then we should seek to be reconciled with one another. The condition for entry into the Kingdom is observing the commandments. We have been washed clean through the waters of Baptism. We have been justified by the grace of Christ and are brought to sanctity by the Holy Spirit.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you knew the strengths and weaknesses of each one of your Apostles. You knew how they would be successful and how they would fail. Enlighten me today to know my strengths and weaknesses, where I have loved you, and where I have chosen to love myself more than you and others.
No comments:
Post a Comment