Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuàn thứ Nhất Mùa Vọng

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuàn thứ Nhất Mùa Vọng
Hôm nay, chúng ta đã một tuần chuẩn bị cho lễ Giáng sinh, chúng ta thấy rằng một trong những đức tính mà chúng ta cần phải có trong Mùa Vọng là hy vọng. Hy Vọng không chỉ theo cách thụ động, giống như một người đang chờ tàu, mà là hy vọng tích cực, hy vọng giúp chúng ta sẵn sàng trao đi tất cả những gì cần thiết để thấy Chúa Giêsu được tái sinh trong lòng chúng ta.
Chúng ta không thể vui khi chỉ nghĩ về những gì chúng ta đang hy vọng, chúng ta phải nghĩ về những gì mà Chúa hy vọng ở chúng ta. Chúa muốn chúng ta theo Chúa, giống như Chúa đã muốn nơi các tông đồ của Ngài 2000 năm trước.
Hôm nay Chúa nói với chúng ta qua tiên tri Isaiah trong bài đojc thứ Nhất hôm nay: “chính tai ngươi sẽ nghe có tiếng nói đằng sau ngươi:"Ðường kia kìa, hãy đi theo đó!" (Is 30:21). Thiên Chúa hy vọng chúng ta sẽ làm chứng nhân cho Ngài, mỗi người trong mỗi hoàn cảnh riêng và trong những bối cảnh riêng của mỗi người: “Nước Trời đã gần bên”. (Mt 10: 7).
Như bài Tin mừng hôm nay cho chúng ta thấy được cái thái độ của Chúa Giêsu đã làm trước đám đông rất đông người, Ngài đã cảm thấy xót thương cho họ khi Ngài nói “Mùa màng nhiều, thợ gặt ít! Vậy các ngươi hãy xin Chủ mùa sai thợ gặt đồng lúa của Người” (Mt 9: 37-38). Chúa luôn luôn muốn đặt niềm tin tưởng vào chúng ta, trong dù bất hoàn cảnh đa dạng nào của chúng ta Ngài luôn muốn chúng ta trở nên những tông đồ đích thực của thế giới chúng ta đang sống. Nhiệm vụ mà Thiên Chúa đã trao sai Con một của Ngài là đến với thế giới này đều phụ thuộc vào sự cộng tác và sự liên tục của chúng ta hôm nay. Như chúng ta đang thấy trong thời đại ngày nay cũa chúng ta, chúng ta  nhận thấy một số các linh hồn đang tuyệt vọng và mất định hướng, họ khao khát vào Tin mừng Cứu độ mà Chúa Kitô đã mang đến cho chúng ta, và trong đó chúng ta là những sứ giả. Đó là một nhiệm vụ mà Chúa đã giao phó cho mỗi người chúng ta. Ý thức được những khuyết điểm yếu và yếu đuối, thất bại của chúng ta, chúng ta luôn nhận được sự hỗ trợ mà chúng ta cần được phát xuất ra trong việc cầu nguyện liên tục và chúng ta có thể rất vui mừng bởi vì với cách này chúng ta có thể hợp tác với Chúa trong kế hoạch cứu chuộc mà Chúa Kitô đã loan báo.
 
Reflection Saturday 1st week of Advent
Today, a week into our preparation for the celebration of Christmas, we see that one of the virtues which we have to work on during Advent is hope. Not in a passive way, like that of someone waiting for a train, but active hope, hope which gets us ready to give all that is needed for Jesus to be born again in our hearts.
We can't be happy just thinking about what it is we are hoping for, we have to think about what it is that God hopes of us. He wants us to follow him, just like he did the apostles. He tells us through Isaiah: «This is the way, walk in it» (Is 30:21, today's first reading). God hopes of us that we will give witness, each one in his own particular situation and circumstances that «the kingdom of heaven is near» (Mt 10:7).
Today's Gospel tells of how Jesus, in front of that huge crowd, felt compassion and said «the harvest is abundant but the workers are only few. Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest» (Mt 9:37-38). He has always wanted to be able to count on us, he wants us, in all our diverse circumstances to become real apostles of the world in which we move and live. The mission for which God sent his son to the world depends on us for its continuation. We find in our present day a mass of desperate and disorientated souls, thirsting for the Good News of Salvation that Christ has brought us, and of which we are the messengers. It is a mission which has been entrusted to every one of us. Conscious of our weaknesses and our failings, we get the support we need from constant prayer and are happy that this way we can collaborate with the plan for redemption that Christ has revealed.
 
Saturday of the First Week of Advent
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Matthew 9:37–38
What does God want of you? What is your mission? Some fervent Christians may dream of becoming a popular evangelist. Some may dream of doing heroic acts of charity that are praised by all. And others may wish to live a very quiet and hidden life of faith, close to family and friends. But what does God want of YOU?
In the passage above, Jesus exhorts His disciples to pray for “laborers for his harvest.” You can be certain that you are among the “laborers” of which our Lord speaks. It’s easy to think that this mission is for others, such as priests, religious and full-time lay evangelists. It’s easy for many to conclude that they do not have much to offer. But nothing could be further from the truth.
God wants to use you in exceptionally glorious ways.  Yes, “exceptionally glorious!” Of course, that does not mean that you will be the next most popular YouTube evangelist or enter the spotlight like Saint Mother Teresa did. But the work God wants of you is just as real and just as important as any of the greatest saints of old or who are alive today.
Holiness of life is discovered in prayer but also in action. As you pray each and every day and grow closer to Christ, He will exhort you to “Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons” (Matthew 10:8) as today’s Gospel goes on to state. But He will call you to do this in the unique way within your own vocation. Your daily duty is not to be ignored. So who in your daily encounters are those who are the sick, the dead, the lepers and the possessed? Most likely they are all around you, to one extent or another. Take, for example, those who are “lepers.” These are those who are the “rejects” of society. Our world can be harsh and cruel, and some may find themselves feeling lost and alone. Who do you know who may fall into this category? Who needs a bit of encouragement, understanding and compassion? God has given you a daily duty that He has not given to another, and, for that reason, there are some who need your love. Look for them, reach out to them, share Christ with them, be there for them.
Reflect, today, upon this exceptionally glorious calling you have been given to be Christ to another. Embrace this duty of love. See yourself as one called to be a laborer for Christ and commit yourself to the full and glorious fulfillment of this mission, no matter how it is to be lived out in your life.
My dear Lord, I commit myself to Your divine mission. I choose You and Your holy will for my life. Send me, dear Lord, to those who are most in need of your love and mercy. Help me to know how I can bring that love and mercy to those entrusted to me so that they will experience in their lives Your glorious and saving grace. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Saturday 1st week of Advent 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I am a lost sheep at times. I can wander from the fold when I choose the path of sin. Help me always to remain in communion with you, with your Son as my Shepherd, and with my brothers and
Encountering the Word of God
1. You Shall See Your Teacher: The prophet Isaiah promised that the people of Jerusalem would one day see their Teacher (Isaiah 30:19-21). This prophecy comes to fulfillment in Jesus, who went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues” (Matthew 9:35). Much of Jesus’ teaching in the synagogues showed how what was promised in the scriptures is now fulfilled in his person. In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus declared that Isaiah’s prophecies about the Great Jubilee Year were fulfilled in their hearing (Luke 4:16-30). In the synagogue at Capernaum, Jesus argued that the provision of manna in the desert under Moses was a sign that pointed to the Bread of Life, his flesh and blood, that he would provide (John 6:22-59). He preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in synagogues (Matthew 4:23 and Luke 4:43-44). In the synagogues, Jesus likely explained the mystery of the Kingdom through parables that concealed the mystery from the prideful and, at the same time, revealed it to the humble. How can I better be a disciple of Jesus and center my life on his teachings?
2. The Gospel of the Kingdom: Jesus is a compassionate teacher and healer. At the heart of his teaching and preaching is the Gospel of the Kingdom. Everyone is called to enter the Kingdom. It was first announced to the children of Israel, but it is intended to welcome people from all nations. To enter the Kingdom, one must first accept Jesus’ word (CCC, 543). The Kingdom belongs not to the prideful, but to the poor and lowly, to those who have accepted it with humble hearts. The “poor in spirit” are blessed, and to them belongs the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus has revealed the mystery of the Kingdom to little ones and hidden it from the wise and the learned. “Jesus shares the life of the poor, from the cradle to the cross; he experiences hunger, thirst, and privation. Jesus identifies himself with the poor of every kind and makes active love toward them the condition for entering his kingdom (CCC, 544). Jesus invites sinners to the table of the Kingdom; he invites them to that conversion without which one cannot enter the Kingdom. He shows the poor and humble in both word and deed his Father’s boundless mercy for them, and the heavenly joy over one sinner who repents. “The supreme proof of his love will be the sacrifice of his own life ‘for the forgiveness of sins’” (CCC, 545). Do I meditate often on the mystery of the Kingdom? What attachments to pride keep me from understanding this mystery?
3. The Twelve Share in Jesus’ Authority: Jesus gave the Twelve disciples a share in his authority and power (Matthew 10:1). “The Twelve will now do what Jesus himself has been doing by himself, as he shares with them his authority to teach, preach, exorcise, and heal. Indeed, they are to proclaim, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (10:7), as John the Baptist did in 3:2 and Jesus himself did in 4:17). Here we see the identity of Jesus connected with the Church. Ultimately the Church is Christ’s body, doing what he does” (Huizenga, Behold the Christ, 214). The signs worked by Jesus invite people to believe in him. And to those who turn to Jesus in faith, he grants what they ask. The miraculous healings of Jesus strengthen faith in him who does the Father’s works. They bear witness that he is the Son of God. And Jesus’ disciples and their successors will continue his works in works of charity and the Sacraments of the Church, which bring eternal life, healing, comfort, forgiveness, and communion. Do I see the Sacraments as efficacious signs of grace? Do I need to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation this Advent to be healed?
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd of my soul, send forth your Spirit into my heart and renew me from within. I repent of my sins and ask for your healing grace.
 
Saturday 1st week of Advent 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I am a poor laborer in your fields and vineyard. Teach me the art of the harvest, how to be a good example to my brothers and sisters, how to spread the Gospel message, how to know when to invite, and how to teach the truth about you and your plan of salvation for humanity.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Isaiah’s Appeal to Jerusalem: The First Reading, from Isaiah 30, recalls our situation of need: we need bread and water; we need God’s blessing; we need a divine teacher; and we need our wounds to be bound up and healed. The sending of Jesus, as the Gospel shows, is God’s response to our cry. Isaiah 30 is an appeal to the city of Jerusalem to understand that God was ready to answer the prayers of his people. In verses 23-26, Isaiah symbolically describes Jerusalem’s recovery following the siege of the city by the Assyrians in 701 B.C. “This will be a time when the Lord provides an abundance of water, food, and light for the remnant of his people who are left” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bibl: Isaiah, 60). When Isaiah speaks about the “day of the great slaughter,” he is referring to the day when Jerusalem was delivered and when the angel of the Lord slew 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in a single night to save the city. When everything in life seems bleak and dark, do I complain to God and blame him for my misery, or do I renew my trust in God that he will deliver me?
 
2. The Work of Jesus: In the Gospel, the Pharisees have just accused Jesus of working with Satan (Matthew 9:34). The old leadership of Jerusalem (the elders, the scribes, and the Pharisees) is ending, and Jesus will establish new leadership for the New Jerusalem. The Gospel first directs our attention to Jesus and his proclamation of the Good News of the Kingdom. He proclaims the word of salvation that God reigns. Jesus cures the sick and leads them as a shepherd. Secondly, the Gospel tells us that Jesus invited his twelve Apostles to share in his mission. The Twelve were sent out, and they were given authority over unclean spirits, disease, and illness. Like Jesus, they preached the Gospel of the Kingdom. Like Jesus, they cured the sick, raised the dead to life, cleansed lepers, and drove out demons. The evil kingdom of Satan has been conquered by Jesus and, one day, like the evil Assyrian empire that once threatened Israel, will definitively fall. 
3. Our Mission: Each and every day, we have the opportunity to share in Jesus’ work of establishing and growing the Kingdom of God. By our baptism and incorporation into Christ, we share in Jesus’ mission. We are like the apostles, who were called to stay with Jesus, spend time with him, learn from him, and abide in him. And, like the Apostles, we have been sent out in various ways to spread the Gospel and invite people to welcome Jesus into their lives. We are not the protagonists in this. Our action stems from Christ and leads to Christ. Without him, we can do nothing; with him, all things are possible. The Psalm captures this expression of God’s omnipotence: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; to his wisdom there is no limit.”
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to trust in you. All that I am, I owe to you. Teach me to pray as I ought and ask for good things from the Father through you and in the Spirit
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuàn thứ Nhất Mùa Vọng
 Tiên tri Isaiah loan báo vào một thời điểm khi "những người điếc được nghe, người mù được thấy." Thời gian đó đã ra trong bối cảnh mà chúng ta nhận thấy trong các bài Tin Mừng trong tuần này.. Chúa Giêsu đã bộn rộn với sứ vụ, làm phép lạ, chữa lành, và rao giảng Tin Mừng qua các thị trấn và làng mạc của Israel, nơi mà nhiều người mù được Chúa cho thấy, và điếc được chúa cho nghe, và kết quả là họ ca ngợi và tạ ơnThiên Chúa .
            Chúng ta có thể nghĩ đó chỉ là những việc Chúa làm trong thời gian quá khứ, và câu chuyện của Chúa Giêsu được coi như đã hoàn thành lời tiên đoán trước của tiên tri Isaiah. Chúa Giêsu không còn hiện diện ở đây với chúng ta trên trái đất nữa và như thế con người chúng ta có thể khó tin, nếu không bị coi như là kẻ ngu si để đếm và tin vào các phép lạ mà Ngài đã làm?.
            Điều này có thể rất đúng vì Chúa Giêsu đã không còn ở đây như sự hiện diện tương tự của Ngài hơn 2000 năm trước đây, Với lòng Tin, chúng ta nhận được rằng Chúa Giêsu vẫn luôn luôn còn ở với chúng ta. Ngài hiện diện ngay trong tâm hồn và trong thân xác của chúng ta qua Bí Tích Thánh Thể. Ngài đang ở đây giữa chúng ta và lắng nghe lời chúng ta khấn nguyện và Ngài cũng đã đáp lại lời cầu nguyện của chúng ta, và Ngài cũng vẫn mãi luôn đang còn ở giữa chúng ta đây, vẫn đang tích cực làm việc với chúng ta và qua chúng ta Ngài đã chữa lành cho những người đau yếu, bệnh tật giữa chúng ta, Ngài cho phép người mù được nhìn thấy và những kẻ điếc nghe được. Chúa Giêsu đã cùng với các Tông Đồ trong nhiệm vụ đầu tiên của họ và ngày này, Ngài cũng đã và đang hiện diện với chúng ta trong Giáo Hội, nơi mà mọi người Kitô hữu đến với nhau như một cộng đồng để công bố Lời của Ngài và làm tròn bổn phận của chúng ta là môn đệ của Người.
            Điều mà tất cả chúng ta phải làm là hãy  tin tưởng và xây dựng đức tin của chúng ta, và hãy nhớ rằng Chúa Kitô rất muốn được ở ngay bên cạnh chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy gạt bỏ đi tất cả những mối nghi ngờ, sự cứng lòng tin  và phải biết rộng  mở tâm hồn chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy cùng nhau cầu nguyện với gia đình và với cộng đoàn giáo hội của chúng ta vì Chúa Kitô ở ngay giữa chúng ta.  Chúa đã nói :"Vì ở đâu có hai ba người họp lại nhân danh Thầy, thì ta ở giữa họ." (Mt 18:20)”
            Lạy Chúa, xin giúp chúng con biết đến gần  Chúa với lòng tự tin và sự tin tưởng vào sức mạnh trong ơn Cứu chuộc và lòng thương xót của Chúa.  Xin Chúa giải thoát chúng con khỏi mọi sự nghi ngờ và sự bất tín của chúng con, để chúng con có thể đến gần với Chúa một cách tự tin và một cách dạn dĩ hơn với những lời cầu xin rất chân thành. Xin cho Nước Chúa trị đến và Ý Chúa được thực hiện nơi chúng con.
REFLECTION
Isaiah proclaims a time when "the deaf shall hear [and] the eyes of the blind shall see." That time came amid Jesus' busy ministry through the towns and villages of Israel, where many blind and deaf people were healed and, as a result, they praised God in thanksgiving. We may think that that time is now in the past. The story of Jesus, after all, has fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah. Jesus is no longer physically present here on earth and it would be unwise to count on miracles.
            As it may be true that Jesus is not here in the same presence as He did more than 2,000 years ago, Jesus is very much still with us. He is with us spiritually in our hearts and physically with us through the Holy Eucharist. He is here listening to us and answering our prayers and he is here still actively working with us and through us to heal the sick, to enable the blind to see and the deaf to hear. He was with the Apostles during their very first missions and he is very much present as we in the Church come together as a community to proclaim His Word and do our duty as His followers.
            All it takes is for us to believe and to build our faith, and to remember that he is very much alongside us. Let us cast away the doubts and open our hearts. Let us pray together with our families and with our church community. "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Mt 18:20)
            "Lord, help me to draw near to you with confidence and trust in your saving power and mercy. Free me from doubt and unbelief that I may approach you confidently and pray boldly with expectant faith. Let your kingdom come and may your will be done in me."

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần thứ Nhất Mùa Vọng

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần thứ Nhất Mùa Vọng
Tiên Tri Isaiah đã cho mọi người một niềm hy vọng vì ông ta đã chỉ cho mọi người biết đến thời gian mà Thiên Chúa sẽ đến con người rất gần kề, do vậy, chúng ta không thể không cảm nhận được sự hiện diện của Chúa. “Người điếc sẽ được nghe, và người mù sẽ được thấy, và những sự bất công sẽ không còn nửa và những kẻ không tin sẽ tin vào nơi Thiên Chúa”. Những lời nhắn nhủ này cho biết là những điều tiêu cực không bao giờ đến từ nơi Thiên Chúa. Những sự đau khổ trong cuộc đời này chỉ là tạm bợ, không phải là mãi mãi, và Thiên Chúa không phải là Thiên Chúa của sự đau khổ. Khi chúng ta quay đầu trở lại với Thiên Chúa, Ngài sẽ mở lòng trí chúng ta, chữa lành và sẽ biến đổi lòng và trí chúng ta.
            Như chúng ta thấy trong bài Tin Mừng, Hai người mù tìm thấy được Thiên Chúa và đó là niềm vui của họ. Mặc dù họ đã bị mù loà trên thân xác, nhưng họ có cái nhìn sâu sắc trong tâm hồn và trong tinh thần của họ, nhờ đó mà họ đã nhận ra Chúa Giêsu là "Con Vua David ', đó một danh hiệu của Đấng Thiên sai.
Những người khác có đôi mắt lành nặn, có cái nhìn thể lý rất rõ ràng, thế nhưng, họ lại không thể "nhìn thấy" được điều này. Đức tin của hai người mù đã  cho họ cái tầm nhìn bằng tâm hồn nên sâu sắc hơn, và Chúa Giêsu đã xác quyết rằng là "vì đức tin của họ" mà họ đã được chữa lành.
Nói cách khác, việc được chữa lành của  họ được Thiên Chúa cứu chữa tương xứng theo như cái niềm tin sâu sắc và cái nồng độ mà họ tin tưởng và trung thành với Thiên Chúa. Thường chúng ta không thể biết hay để ý những gì đang diễn tiến và liên tục xảy ra trong cuộc hành trình trong đời của chúng ta và không phải lúc nào chúng ta cũng  có thể nhìn thấy được con đường trải nhựa láng bóng trước mặt. Tuy nhiên, với một đức tin sâu sắc và biết chấp nhận,  tuân hành sẽ kim chỉ nang hướng dẫn chúng ta đến với Thiên Chúa Và nó sẽ cho chúng ta có môt cái hiểu biết rõ hơn về con đường mà chúng ta cần phải đi tới.
            Lạy Chúa, xin cho mở mắt chúng con trong tâm hồn để cho chúng con biết nhìn Chúa và con đường Chúa muốn con đi một cách rõ ràng và thông suốt hơn.
 
Friday 1st week of Advent
            Isaiah gave people hope by pointing to a time in which God would come so close that we could not fail to sense God’s presence. The deaf would hear, and the blind would see, and injustice would vanish along with unbelief. The message is that these negative things do not come from God. Suffering is temporary, not forever, and God is not about suffering. When we turn to God and open our hearts, healing and transformation begin.
`           The two blind men discovered this to their delight. Even though they were physically blind, they had spiritual insight, for they recognized Jesus as ‘son of David’, which is a messianic title. Others who had physical sight were not able to ‘see’ this. The faith of the two blind men gave them this deeper vision, and Jesus confirmed that by healing them ‘according to their faith.’ In other words, their healing would be in proportion to how deeply and fervently they trusted and believed in God.
            Often we do not know what is coming next on our journey and we are not always able to see the road in front of us. But a deep and abiding faith will be our inner GPS — it will give us insight into the path that we must travel.  Lord, grant me spiritual insight.
 
Friday of the First Week of Advent
And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread word of him through all that land. Matthew 9:30–31
Who is Jesus? This question is much more easily answered today than it was at the time Jesus walked the Earth. Today we are blessed with countless saints who have gone before us who have prayerfully and intelligently taught much about the person of Jesus. We know Him to be God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Savior of the World, the promised Messiah, the Sacrificial Lamb and so much more.
The Gospel above comes from the conclusion of the miracle in which Jesus healed two blind men. These men were overwhelmed with their cure, and their emotion overtook them. Jesus instructed them to “See that no one knows about this” miraculous healing. But their excitement could not be contained. It’s not that they were intentionally disobedient to Jesus; rather, they did not know how else to express their sincere gratitude other than to tell others about what Jesus had done.
One reason Jesus told them not to tell others about Him is because Jesus knew they did not fully understand Who He was. He knew that their testimony about Him would fail to present Him in the way that was most truthful. He was the Lamb of God. The Savior. The Messiah. The Sacrificial Lamb. He was the One Who came into this world to redeem us by the shedding of His blood. Many of the people, however, wanted a nationalistic “messiah” or a miracle worker alone. They wanted one who would save them from political oppression and make them a great earthly nation. But this was not Jesus’ mission.
Oftentimes we can also fall into the trap of misunderstanding Who Jesus is and Who He wants to be in our lives. We can want a “god” who will save us only from our daily struggles, injustices and temporal difficulties. We can want a “god” who acts in accord with our will and not vice versa. We want a “god” who will heal us and free us of every earthly burden. But Jesus taught clearly throughout His life that He would suffer and die. He taught us that we must take up our own crosses and follow Him. And He taught us that we are to die, embrace suffering, offer mercy, turn the other cheek, and find our glory in that which the world will never understand.
Reflect, today, upon whether Jesus would caution you about speaking too loudly about your vision of Who He is. Do you struggle with presenting a “god” who is not actually God? Or have you come to know the very Person of Christ our Lord to such an extent that you are able to give witness to Him Who died. Do you boast only in the Cross? Do you proclaim Christ crucified and preach only the deepest wisdom of humility, mercy and sacrifice? Recommit yourself to a true proclamation of Christ, setting aside any and all confused images of our saving God.
My true and saving Lord, I commit myself to You and pray that I will come to know and love You as You are. Give me the eyes I need to see You and the mind and heart I need to know and love You. Remove from me any false vision of Who You are and replace within me a true knowledge of You, my Lord. As I come to know You, I offer myself to You so that You may use me to proclaim Your greatness to all. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday 1st week of Advent 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, let me see your glory as you pass by. I am always in need of being cured by you of my spiritual blindness. I believe, Lord, help my unbelief! I trust in you, Lord, help me when I despair. I love you, Lord, help me overcome my selfish
1. The Eyes of the Blind Shall See: In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah promised that, “out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see” (Isaiah 29:18). The Gospel today is seen as fulfillment of that ancient prophecy. When the blind regains their sight, it would be a sign that the age of salvation had arrived. Physical blindness was terrible. It often led to a lifetime of poverty and daily begging for food just to survive. Isaiah promised that, in the age of salvation, the blind would see, the deaf would hear, the lame would walk, and prisoners would be set free. How can I see more clearly with the eyes of faith? How can I hear more clearly and be more attentive to the Word of God? How can I walk more perfectly in the footsteps of Christ? How can I break free from the chains of sin in my life?
2. Faith in the Son of David: The blind men call out to Jesus with an important title, “Son of David.” This is an acknowledgment that Jesus is the hidden King of Israel. Jesus, they acknowledge, is the royal descendant of David, who is destined to rule over heaven and earth. What the men ask for, in faith, is mercy. They recognize that the kingship of Jesus is not about earthly wealth or power. It is about healing, forgiveness, and merciful love. Jesus is like David, yet superior to him in so many ways. Jesus and David were both anointed with the Spirit of God. David gave Israel rest from their physical enemies (2 Samuel 7:1), Jesus offers eternal rest – a share in God’s own life – and has conquered our true spiritual enemy once and for all. David acted as a priest-king and provided food for his people (1 Chronicles 16:3), and this sustained them for a brief time. Jesus, by contrast, is our eternal high priest and eternal king, and he provides us with his own body and blood as food and drink, leading to eternal life.
3. They Spread Word of Him: When Jesus cured the two blind men in Capernaum, he warned them sternly not to tell anyone. Why is it that Jesus didn’t want publicity about his healing power? Why is it that the men, mercifully healed by Jesus, disobeyed his command? On the one hand, Jesus was cautious about people misrepresenting his identity and mission. The blind men called out to Jesus with the title, “Son of David.” They could be thinking that Jesus will be a political Messiah, one who will lead armies to overthrow the Romans and establish the earthly Kingdom of David. On the other hand, Jesus wants to encounter people not merely as a miracle-worker, but as a savior and redeemer. In the end, the two men spread the word about Jesus throughout the land. This notoriety, we are told in other Gospels, leads to Jesus retreating and withdrawing. Jesus doesn’t want the people to have false notions about his person. How do I relate to Jesus? As my brother and Lord? As a miracle-worker?
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me, a poor sinner. Turn your gaze toward me. You know what I most need. When I am selfish, I pray that you lift my eyes to see the needs of those around me.
 
Friday 1st week of Advent 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, let me see your glory as you pass by. I am always in need of being cured by you of my spiritual blindness. I believe, Lord, help my unbelief! I trust in you, Lord, help me when I despair. I love you, Lord, help me overcome my selfishness.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Healing Both Types of Blindness: Isaiah prophesies around the 8^th century B.C. that, one day in the future, “the eyes of the blind shall see,” and Jesus, in the first century A.D., fulfills that prophecy. But there is something more at work in the Gospel than the healing of physical blindness. Even the prophet Isaiah looks forward to a time when Israel will be blessed with renewed vision, understanding, and joy. When Jesus heals the eyes of the blind, this is a sign that the age of salvation has come. Before healing the blindness of the two men, Jesus invites them to be cured of their spiritual blindness through faith in him. They pass from the blindness and darkness of sin to the sight and light of faith.
2. The Son of David: The blind men call out to Jesus with an important title, “Son of David.” This is an acknowledgment that Jesus is the hidden king. He is the royal descendent of David, who is destined to rule over heaven and earth. What the men ask for, in faith, is mercy. The kingship of Jesus is not about earthly wealth or power. It is about healing, forgiveness, and merciful love. Jesus is like David and yet superior to him in so many ways. Jesus and David were both anointed with the Spirit of God. David gave Israel rest from their physical enemies (2 Samuel 7:1), Jesus offers eternal rest – a share in God’s own life – and has conquered our true spiritual enemy once and for all. David acted as a priest-king and provided food for his people (1 Chronicles 16:3), and this sustained them for a brief time. Jesus, by contrast, is our eternal high priest and eternal king, and he provides us with his own body and blood as food and drink, leading to eternal life.
3. Saint Nicholas: Today, we celebrate the optional memorial of Saint Nicholas. Nicholas was a bishop of Myra, in modern-day Türkiye, in the fourth century A.D. On the one hand, Nicholas is commemorated for his charity and care for the poor and those in need. On the other, Nicholas is remembered as a defender of the truth of the Incarnation of the Son of God proclaimed at the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325. Both are lessons we can learn this Advent. When we buy gifts this season for our families and friends, let us not forget the poor, who struggle to pay rent or buy warm clothes for winter. When we pray the creed at mass, let us thank God for guiding the Church to teach the truth about Jesus, the Son of God, who came to save us from sin and death. Jesus is true God and true man. He became man so that we might become God. In the fullness of time, the eternal Son of God assumed our lowly human nature, so that we might share, through grace and glory, in the divine nature and enter into the eternal embrace of God’s family.
 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, true God and true man, you are my faithful and merciful high priest! Intercede before the Father for me and my family. Ask for what we most need. Gather us under your wings and protect us from all evil.