Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ 14 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ 14 Thường Niên
            Vở kịch dài về ông Giuse ở Ai Cập đã kết thúc ở nơi mà mọi thứ đã bắt đầu; ở Canaan ông bị các anh bắt cóc, bán cho bọn người buôn làm nô lệ, rồi bị ở tù. Chuyện cuộc đời ban đầu ở Aicập của ông đầy dẫy những đau thươ và khổ nhục, nhưng đó chính là kế hoạch của Thiên Chúa đã thực hiện nhằm cứu vớt gia đình của ông Giacóp (tổ phụ 12 chi tộc Israel) và nhờ đó đã mà hậu thế của họ đã thoát khỏi những cảnh hạn hán đói khát….
            Có lễ chúng ta chỉ thường hay chú trọng và tập trung vào những tình huống khó khăn hay đau khổ và lập tức bỏ qua những việc điều tra nghiên cứu để xét coi những điều này có phù hợp với 'bức tranh to với tất cả những chi tiết toàn vẹn. Điều quan trọng là chúng ta phải nhớ và biết trung thành với Thiên Chúa trong mỗi bước đi trong cuộc hành trình và trong mọi tình huống mà chúng ta gặp phải. Thiên Chúa sẽ luôn luôn ở với chúng ta Ngài hướng dẫn và nâng đỡ chúng ta.\
            Sợ hãi là một sức mạnh cám dỗ, vì sự sợ hãi đã ngăn cấm con người chúng ta nói lên và thực hiện sự thật. Vì những sợ hãi, làm cho chúng ta nhụt chí và hoang mang, nhất là khi chúng ta gạp phải bắt bớ giam cầm, do dớ mà chúng ta đã chối bỏ Thiên Chúa và sự thật.
            Qua bài Tin Mừng, Hôm nay Chúa Giêsu đã mời gọi những người theo Ngài là phải thét to lên lời Chúa, tin mừng của Ngài ngay trên những mái nhà; đừng sợ! Ngay cả những chú chim sẻ không đáng hai xu , không đáng kể, thê nhưng chúng không thể rơi xuống đất mà Chúa không biết, và chúng ta còn đáng giá hơn cà những con chim sẻ. Chúa Jêsus không nói rằng chúng ta sẽ không phải chịu đau khổ, chỉ có Thiên Chúa mới biết được điều, và quan trọng hơn, Thiên Chúa sẽ đặc biệt quan tâm đến chúng ta. Vì thế chúng ta đừng bao giờ phải sợ hãi để làm và nói nên những gì là sự thật hoặc nói lên sự tốt lành của Thiên Chúa.\
            Lạy Chúa, xin cho chúng con có lòng can đảm và sự an tâm.
 
REFLECTION
The long drama of Joseph in Egypt ended where it all began — in Canaan. His kidnapping and enslavement seemed terrible — and at the time it was — but it was all part of God’s plan to save Joseph’s entire family and ensure their posterity. Often, we focus on our immediate painful situation and neglect to consider how this might fit into the overall ‘big picture’. It is important for us to remember and be faithful to God every step of the journey and in every situation. God will be with us always.
            Fear is very powerful, and it prevents many people from speaking and doing the truth. They fear ridicule, persecution, and rejection. Jesus exhorted his followers to shout the good news from the rooftops — fear nothing! Even the insignificant sparrow does not fall to the ground without God’s knowledge, and we are worth much more than sparrows. Jesus did not say that we would not suffer, only that God will know, and more importantly, God will care deeply. Let us never be afraid to do and say what is right or to speak of God’s goodness. Lord, grant me courage and assurance.
 
Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
“What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” Matthew 10:27
What is it that our Lord speaks to you in the “darkness” and what is it that you “hear whispered” by Him? This is an important question to consider, since whatever it is that is spoken that way must be spoken “in the light” and proclaimed “on the housetops.”
Recall that when people first came to Jesus, curious about Him, He would often speak in a veiled way, in figures of speech and in parables. This method of teaching is the first step in Jesus’ ongoing deepening revelation to us. His parables and various figures of speech are meant to draw the listener in so that they are attentive to the deeper message.
Recall, also, that Jesus said to His disciples, “I have told you this in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the Father” (John 16:25). In which way does our Lord speak to you?
As we grow in faith, and become more and more familiar with our Lord, He will begin to “lift the veil,” so to speak, and will begin to whisper His deepest truths to us within the depths of our souls. He will communicate to us in ways that go far beyond the veiled message of His parables and figures of speech and will communicate His very self to us, in ways that are beyond words.
The Gospel passage above, when taken by itself, seems to clearly indicate that there is much God wants to say to us in a clear way. But He wants to speak it to us in the “darkness” of our interior life and with gentle whispers that can only be heard when we give Him our full attention. Saint John of the Cross, for example, speaks much of the “darkness of faith” by which the deepest communications from our Lord are received. These communications are beyond words, concepts and images and can only be communicated in a direct and spiritual way through infused prayer. Infused prayer is not something you can accomplish on your own; it is a gift by which God continually draws you deeper, you respond and are called even deeper, and you continue to respond.
The Gospel passage above also clearly indicates that God wants us to share this most pure faith with others. To share it in the light and to proclaim it on the housetops. This is first done by the witness of our lives, by allowing the transforming grace of God to shine forth through us in ways that He can only do. It is also done by being attentive to those moments when God wants to use you to share His deeper and often veiled truths with others. God must first speak them to you, and then at the promptings of His grace, He will, at times, use you to share Him with others.
Reflect, today, upon this twofold action commanded by our Lord. First listen to Him. Listen to Him in the “darkness of faith.” Let Him draw you into the deepest and most certain convictions about His love and mercy and His very Self. Then, as you savor these hidden and holy communications from our Lord, look for ways by which He wants to speak to others through you. You do not have to initiate this proclamation, you only need to respond when He directs you. By building a deep level of prayer in this way, you will not only come to know our Lord in ways that are beyond words, you will also know how and when He wants to speak to others through you.
My good Jesus, You desire to speak to me and all Your children in ways that are deep, profound and beyond words. Please do draw me deeper into these communications of Your love so that I may see beyond the veil and come to know You as You are. Please also use me, dear Lord, to speak to others as You choose. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Saturday 14^th Ordinary 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, what an awesome task you have entrusted me with! I am called to bring your Word to my family, friends, coworkers, and community. I know my limitations, and yet I trust in you and your grace. Empowered by your Spirit, I will be fearless as I proclaim your Word.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Human Dignity: In the Gospel, Jesus emphasizes how we are loved and cared for by God the Father. All the hairs of our head are counted, all the cells in our body are known and sustained in existence by God. Jesus declares, “So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” What is the value of a human being? Can a price be put upon a human life? What Jesus teaches in the Gospel and the Church teaches down through the ages is that a human being is priceless. As spiritual creatures, made in the image and likeness of God, we possess an infinite dignity. What does this mean? Briefly, it means that we are absolute goods that cannot be used as means for another end. A steer, for example, does not have infinite dignity. It is a good, but only a relative good. It can be bought and sold, and slaughtered for food. A steer can be used as a means to sustain human life. Human life is sacred, priceless, and an absolute good.
2. How Do I Respect the Dignity of Other Human Beings? If we see the value of a human being as infinite and absolute, it raises the question of how I am treating others. For example, if I own a business, how am I treating my customers? Do I treat them as means to another end, as people who have money that I want for myself? Or do I see myself as providing a service for them and helping them flourish as human beings and children of God? We should reflect not just on how we are able to do good for others and promote the dignity of others, but also on how our sins are offenses against human dignity. For example, when a person views pornography, they are attempting to use the other person as an object. They are violating their dignity, their absolute worth, as a human being. Sin is not only an abuse of our freedom and a wounding of our human nature, but almost always wounds and offends the dignity, the absolute good, of our brothers and sisters.
3. Joseph and His Brothers: The theme of human dignity can also be discerned in the First Reading about Joseph and his brothers. When Joseph’s brothers were envious of him and sold him into slavery, this was a serious violation against human dignity. They treated Joseph, their brother, as a commodity. Then they lied to their father, Jacob, about what happened, violating the truth and devastating their father through deception. Even after Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers continued to try to deceive Joseph to protect themselves. They lied about Jacob’s last words, not realizing their brother had already forgiven them. Joseph saw how God brought good out of evil: “Have no fear… Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve his present end, the survival of many people.” Even though we sin grievously, God is able to conquer the evil in our lives and bring about a greater good.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you can do all things. I hear your voice and the gentleness of your call. Grant me your grace and pour out your Spirit so that I may respond to you with generosity. Help me as I discern your will today.
 
Saturday 14^th Ordinary 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, what an awesome task you have entrusted me with! I am called to bring your Word to my family, friends, coworkers, and community. I know my limitations and yet I trust in you and your grace. Empowered by your Spirit, I will be fearless as I proclaim your Word.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Mission of Isaiah to Judah: Elijah, Elisha, Amos, and Hosea were all prophets in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. They sought to turn Israel away from idolatrous worship and back to God. Some twenty years before the fall of Israel (722 B.C.), the Prophet Isaiah was called by God to prophesy to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Today’s First Reading tells us about this extraordinary event and calling which occurred in the year that King Uzziah died (742/740 B.C.). We are told that Isaiah had a vision of the Lord God enthroned as a king, yet whose greatness cannot be contained. Before the throne, Seraphim praised God as the most holy, as the commander of armies, and affirmed that God’s glory fills the whole earth. Isaiah’s experience of God's holiness seems to take place in the Temple, during an offering of a sacrifice on the altar. “The holiness of God simultaneously reveals the uncleanness of Isaiah, who fears for his life. But his uncleanness is purified when a seraph burns away his sin and guilt by touching his lips with a burning coal taken from the altar. There is a connection between Isaiah’s lips and his mission to speak: in order for Isaiah to speak the words of the holy God, his lips must be pure” (Leclerc, Introduction to the Prophets, 167).
2. Purification and Empowerment: The smoke Isaiah saw was no longer the smoke from the sacrificial offering, but rather the cloud of God’s presence. The voices he heard were no longer those of the earthly choir, but those of the angelic choir. Isaiah was empowered by his purification and responded enthusiastically to God’s question: “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah responds: “Here I am! Send me!” Just as Isaiah needed to be purified and empowered to preach God’s words, so also Jesus’ disciples needed to be purified and empowered by the Spirit to proclaim the Gospel. At the Last Supper, the Apostles are sanctified by the truth of God’s word. Jesus prays that evening that the Father draw the Apostles toward him and into his holiness. The Apostles were drawn deep within God by being immersed in the Word of God. “The word of God is, so to speak, the bath which purifies them, the creative power which transforms them into God’s own being” (Benedict XVI, April 9, 2009).
3. Fearlessness: Jesus tells the Apostles not to fear those who can kill the body. Jesus is the master who will himself be killed. His disciples will follow their master and will share in Jesus’ suffering and death. The proclamation of the Gospel by the Apostles will lead to their martyrdom. In this way, the Apostles bear witness to the truth. We learn, today, that despite our weakness, failings, and sin, God sends us out into the world to proclaim the Gospel. If we allow God into our lives, he will purify us, strengthen us, and guide us. The message we preach, the saving doctrine we teach, is not our own. Rather, we have received it at the foot of the altar, at the feet of Jesus himself. Like Isaiah and the Apostles, we are fragile vessels that bear a great treasure, a pearl of great price: the Word of God and the Charity of God.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you can do all things. I hear your voice and the gentleness of your call. Grant me your grace and pour out your Spirit so that I may respond to you with generosity. Help me as I discern your will today.
Living the Word of God: When I am in prayer, do I hear the voice of God? Am I listening to myself? Or the world? Or the temptations of the evil one? Do I know how to discern what comes from God? What criteria do I use in this discernment?
 
Saturday 14^th Ordinary 2023
Opening Prayer: Lord, I’m here with you again in spirit to have a heart-to-heart conversation. Help me to open myself up to you so that you can inflame my faith, hope, and charity. Help me to see that everything I am is in your hands and that nothing I do or happens to me goes unnoticed by you. Lord, increase my trust!
Encountering Christ:
1. Disciples like the Master: “No disciple is above his teacher,” Our Lord says in today’s Gospel. However, he does make a qualification: “It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher.” For the Apostles and for us, this is the essence of our Christian lives—transformation into other Christs. We are transformed when we go about doing good, suffering, loving, and blessing as he did despite obstacles. Our Lord had many enemies, so we might also, right? Christ simply tells us, “Therefore do not be afraid of them.” Instead, we pray, “Jesus I trust in you.”
2. All in God’s Hands: Christ tells us that two sparrows are practically worthless from an earthly perspective, yet “not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.” Everything that happens to us, everything we do, happens under the loving gaze of God the Father. What an enduring source of comfort! Nothing in our life is meaningless because the Lord knows and loves us—he knows the number of hairs on our heads and promises we are “worth more than many sparrows.” 
3. Acknowledging Christ: The relationship Jesus offers transforms us to the degree that we open ourselves to his love. As we are filled with his love, our hearts can’t help but love reciprocally! And what person who truly finds himself in love keeps that love hidden? It seems unthinkable. Jesus tells us that when we acknowledge our love for him before others, he acknowledges us before the Father. May we be evangelists—souls so in love with Christ that we share his truth without fear or hesitation. 
Conversing with Christ: Lord, may my life be a transformation process into you; help me consciously work toward this goal. Help me to see how the Father holds me in his hands with love and sees everything in my life with the greatest understanding. Lord, give me the strength to proclaim your name boldly to others, propelled by your love!
Resolution: Lord, today, by your grace, I will take a moment to pray before I start and end my work.
 
Saturday 14^th Ordinary
Opening Prayer: Lord, help me to be more and more like you with each passing day. Help me to see in others the worth you see in me. Most of all, go before me—I will follow and will lead others to your perfect love. 
Encountering Christ:
1.      More and More like the Master: An up-and-coming actor agreed to play the biographical role of a very famous actor, now deceased. To prepare for the role, this actor listened every morning to recordings of the famous actor’s voice. In this way, he was able to train himself to be more and more like his master. Jesus invites us to be more and more like him and to do that we need to listen to his word, reflect on it deeply, and receive him in the sacraments frequently.  The more we hear, the more we meditate, the more we try to live his word, and the more like him we will become.
2.      Proclaim the Good News from the Housetops: What a beautiful picture these verses paint of a believer proclaiming the Good News from a housetop! Where are our modern housetops?  Social media? Religious statues or pictures in our homes or workplaces? How “public” is our devotion to the Lord? If we were challenged, would we profess our faith, or make excuses for it? Do we pray for the courage to face threats to our faith, or do we seek the safety of the trending popular culture? Where can we proclaim the Good News today?
3.      Even the Hairs on Your Head: These verses call to mind a new mother, stroking her baby’s little forehead and counting his fingers and toes. Jesus wants to love us this intimately. Everything about us, every detail, every part of us, has been created in his image. Would we want to approach him with a tongue that had been gossiping, eyes that had seen images or media we shouldn’t be watching, or hands used for idle distractions instead of useful work? May our mind and heart be pure so as to offer a proper dwelling place for Jesus most holy.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, how I long to be more like you! Help me to resist the temptations that lead me away from you and from your love. Knowing how you value me, help me to value others and to treat them with the tenderness you demonstrate to me. 
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I resolve to find a “rooftop,” a place, however small I may think it is, where I can proclaim your truth. 
 
REFLECTION
The first reading depicts the reconciliation of sinful Israel with God. After God punished Israel for her unfaithfulness, He restores her and gives her His grace to follow Him again. It is God who destroys and who builds up Israel. We, too, after a period of disobeying and offending God, should turn back to Him for healing. Whomever God chastises, He can also heal. There is no sin that God cannot erase if we only ask for His mercy with sincerity.
            The Gospel depicts the persecution of the missionaries and disciples of Jesus. It tells us that if we are true followers of Jesus, we may one day also be persecuted for our faith. But we should not be afraid because God will give us the courage and wisdom to speak the right words in the name of Jesus. Let us lead Christian lives so that, when confronted with challenges, we will, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, have the courage to proclaim our faith in Jesus.

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Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần thứ 14 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần thứ 14 Thường Niên
Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm Chúa Giêsu nhắc nhở các môn đệ về cái giá mà các môn đệ phải trả khi họ chấp nhận theo Chúa:  Là họ sẽ bị ghét bỏ, bị bắt bớ, bị giam cần, bị bức hại và thậm chí còn phải chết vì tin theo Chúa Jêsus. Nhưng Chúa Jêsus bảo đảm với họ là Thiên Chúa Cha se sai Chúa Thánh Thần nâng đỡ và giúp sức cho họ để họ can đảm làm nhân chứng cho Chúa Kitô và sứ điệp của Ngài
     Thật vậy ngay từ đầu các Tông đồ và những người Kitô hữu đã bị ghét bỏ, bị bắt bớ giam cầm và bị ngược đãi và họ đã bị giết, tử đạo chỉ vì họ là những người tin theo Chúa Giêsu..
     Theo sách Tông Đồ Công Vụ (Công-vụ 6: 8- 15, 7: 1-60) chúng ta thấy Thánh Têphanô,  đã bị ném đá cho đến chết và ngài là vị tử đạo đầu tiên của Chúa Kitô, vì ông đã chết vì làm chứng cho đức tin của ông nơi Chúa Jêsus. Từ tiếng Hy Lạp chữ (martyr) tử đạo có nghĩa là nhân chứng ngày hôm nay chúng ta gọi những vị tử đạo là những người bị bắt bớ, bị đau khổ hay những là người đã bị giết vì những gì họ đã tin và can đảm đứng lên để làm chứng và bênh vực sự thật.
            Tất cả chúng ta đều được mời gọi để làm những nhân chứng cho Chúa Jêsus và để làm  "Người tử vì đạo". Là nhân chứng của Chúa, chúng ta nên biết sẵn sàng để lãnh chịu những sự chế nhạo, phỉ báng vì Danh Chúa Kitô, và vì Sự Thật. Chúng ta sẽ bị ghét bỏ, bị bách hại và có khi còn bị giết hại: với ơn Chúa và sự trợ giúp của Chúa Thánh Thần, chúng ta có thể luôn biện kiên gian và trung thành với ơn gọi là làm chứng nhân cho Chúa Kitô.
 
REFLECTION
     In the Gospel reading Jesus forewarn his disciples about the cost of discipleship: As followers of Jesus and witnesses to Christ and his message, they would be hated, arrested, brought to trial, persecuted and even put to death because they were followers of and believers in Jesus. Jesus assured them of God's help.
     Indeed from the beginning the Apostles and the Christians were hated, arrested and persecuted and even put to death because they were Christians.
     The Acts of the Apostles (Acts 6: 8- 15; 7: 1 -60) tells us about St. Stephen, the first martyr for Christ, who died in witness of his faith in the Lord Jesus. The Greek word martyr originally meant witness: today we call martyrs those who suffered or died for what they believed or stood for. All of us are called to be "martyrs," witnesses to Jesus. As witnesses we should be ready to be ridiculed and hated, persecuted and even put to death: with God's grace and the assistance of the Holy Spirit, may we remain faithful witnesses, "martyrs."
 
Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
“When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Matthew 10:19–20
This is an easy lesson to understand but very hard to live. This teaching of Jesus comes within the context of Him telling His Apostles that as they go forth to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, they will be handed over to courts, scourged in synagogues, and led before governors and kings. They will be persecuted in one town after another for sharing the Gospel. Though such a “pep-talk” may not at first seem that encouraging, the Gospel passage quoted above should provide much encouragement. Encouragement, that is, if they can follow Jesus’ advice in faith.
When we are condemned, judged, misunderstood and the like, it is very common to begin mounting our defense within our minds right away. We justify our actions, set up a tribunal in our minds by which we act as judge and jury of the other, finding them guilty and issuing them punishments. The sin traditionally referred to as “self-love” is a sin that stems from pride and is not love at all. It tempts us to defend ourselves, using our own human wisdom and counsel.
If we carefully consider Jesus’ teaching above, most people will realize that it is a very hard teaching to embrace. Essentially, when you are condemned or mistreated by another, remain silent in your heart. Do not immediately dwell on the wound they have inflicted. Do not become obsessed with the apparent injustice. Do not worry or become filled with anxiety at the perceived persecution. Instead, turn your eyes to Jesus, consider only His Voice and His Truth. And instead of looking at the wound that was inflicted upon you, look at the person inflicting it. And look at them with love. They are not the enemy, they are the battleground for Truth, and it is your mission to help them hear God’s truth. So how do you do that? Jesus’ answer is straightforward. “You will be given at that moment what you are to say.” Furthermore, Jesus makes it clear that it must be the “Spirit of your Father” who is to speak through you in such a case.
Living such a teaching especially requires two things: humility and trust. Humility will allow the temptation to self-love (pride) to be set aside. This is essential if you are to hear the Voice of God speaking to you and, ultimately, allow Him to speak through you. Second, it is essential that you trust that what Jesus says is true. You must trust that, if you are humble and open to His Voice, that He will give you His words when He wants them spoken. This is difficult, because we often want to say far more than God chooses to say. God often calls us to silence in the face of injustice. A silence that is also imbued with love for the persecutor. This requires much trust in the grace of God, which results in an abundance of charity on your part.
Reflect, today, upon this teaching of our Lord. Consider how you react when someone condemns or judges you. How do you respond to such persecutions? Begin with silence, turn your eyes to the other out of love for them, and then listen and wait on the Lord. Wait until He gives you the words to say. Doing so is not only good for the persecutor, it is also exceptionally good for your own soul and holiness of life.
My patient Lord, You, Who are the Savior of the World and the God of all, allowed Yourself to be falsely accused, judged and condemned. During it all, You remained silent and spoke only when the Father spoke through You. Help me to be freed of all pride, dear Lord, so that I will speak only Your holy words, think only the thoughts inspired by You and act only on Your holy command of love. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday 14^th Ordinary 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, may your Spirit always speak through me! Teach me truly to be shrewd as a serpent and as simple as a dove when I proclaim your Gospel in word and deed.
Encountering the Word of God
1. God Cares for Us: Like the Book of Amos, which we read last week, the Book of Hosea, which we have read this week, concludes on a positive note. Amos ended by foretelling the day when God would raise up the fallen hut of David, bring new wine to his people, and restore the fortunes of Israel (Amos 9:13-15). Hosea concludes with a plea for Israel to return to the Lord and ask for forgiveness. In response, God will heal the people and love them. Israel will flourish like a garden and blossom like a vine. Hosea tells Israel not to trust in Assyria to save them, nor in idols to protect them. Rather, God is the one who answers Israel’s prayers and cares for Israel. When we approach God, who is steadfast like a cypress tree, we shall blossom like the lily and take root like the poplar tree. God is the one who gives us life, nourishes us, and builds us up. The Psalmist today recognizes that God is the one who teaches us wisdom. The wise man understands the action of God in history and in the heart of man: on the one hand, God purifies us, wipes out our offense, washes us from our guilt, and cleanses us of our sin; on the other, God raises us up, giving us a new heart and a new spirit. This is the action of the grace won for us by Christ: it purifies us from sin and elevates us to divine life in the Spirit.
2. Hosea in the New Testament: Hosea’s symbolic use of marriage to describe the relationship between God and his people was used throughout the New Testament. Jesus is the bridegroom who, through his passion and death, weds himself to God’s people in the New Covenant. Paul develops Hosea’s image to symbolize the union between the Christian community and Jesus Christ achieved through word and sacrament. In his Letter to the Ephesians, Paul emphasizes the self-emptying love that Christ has revealed on the cross to manifest most completely the covenant love and affection (hesed) God has always had for his people. “By sharing in the love of Christ, husband and wife manifest the divine hesed to one another in their mutual self-giving. In the Book of Revelation, marriage symbolizes the union between the Lord and his people in the heavenly Jerusalem” (Duggan, The Consuming Fire, 255). Hosea foretold not only the exile of Israel into Egypt (Hosea 8:13) but also that God will call Israel out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1). Matthew quotes this same passage and shows how it is fulfilled in the sojourn of the Holy Family in Egypt (Matthew 2:13-21). Jesus identifies himself with God’s people by reliving their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land (see Duggan, The Consuming Fire, 255). As the New Moses, Jesus leads the new people of God on a New Exodus.
3. Jesus and Hosea: Jesus quotes the Book of Hosea in his confrontation with the Pharisees. The Lord God desires merciful love, not empty sacrifices. Hosea exhorted Israel to act with integrity toward God and neighbor and avoid any worship connected with the pagan god Baal. When the Pharisees criticize Jesus’ fellowship with sinners and actions on the Sabbath, Jesus teaches them that “compassion toward others must override self-concerned legalism” (Duggan, The Consuming Fire, 255). Through the New Covenant, what Israel lost through their unfaithfulness to the old covenant, Gentiles and Jews are granted through Jesus Christ: “Now that [the Gentiles] have received the preaching of the Gospel and have been justified by faith in Christ, the Gentiles along with Jews in the Christian community are ‘children of the living God’ (Hosea 2:1) and can rejoice in the Lord calling them ‘my people’ through the new covenant (Romans 9:25-10:13)” (Duggan, The Consuming Fire, 256). In appointing the Apostles and sending them out, Jesus is gathering the tribes together and restoring Israel. On their mission to the lost sheep of Israel, the Apostles are themselves like sheep amid wolves: they are told that they will encounter opposition from Jews, Gentile rulers, and even their own families. Jesus’ statement about not finishing their mission to the towns of Israel before the coming of the Son of Man can be interpreted in at least three ways. It could mean that the Apostles will not finish visiting all of the towns before Jesus’ passion and death in A.D. 30. It could also mean that they will not finish before the judgment of the Temple in A.D. 70. Or it could mean that the mission to Israel will continue until Jesus comes again in glory at the end of time (see Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 146). 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you have restored the kingdom of David and inaugurated the Kingdom of Heaven. Allow me to see how the Kingdom has transformed the world around me so that I may be encouraged and filled with hope as I work on your behalf.
Living the Word of God: Let us thank God today for his faithful and merciful love toward us. We need to ask for forgiveness for all the evil we have committed and ask God to purify us and grant us eternal life. We need to ask him for the courage to preach the Gospel in our words and through our actions. We should rejoice that we are part of his people and we look forward to his coming in glory and to sharing in the wedding feast of the Lamb.
 
Friday 14^th Ordinary 2023
Opening Prayer: Lord, I thank you for this moment of quiet prayer. Draw me close to your heart, and inflame my heart with faith, hope, and charity. Help me to see what you want me to see, and hear what you want me to hear, in this moment of prayer. Stir up the Holy Spirit in me, Lord Jesus! 
Encountering Christ:
1. Shrewd as Serpents, Simple as Doves: At times, the world certainly seems as though it is entirely opposed to the Church and deaf to the Gospel message. While this may not always be the case, Christ exhorts us to be prudent and discerning (“shrewd as serpents”) in our dealings with the secular world. We need to be armed, but with what? Jesus tells us that childlike simplicity, being “simple as doves,” will keep us safe from the world’s wolves. This simplicity requires strong faith and docility so that we are able to submit to what God has asked of us, placing ourselves in the capable arms of the Father. 
2. Wisdom of the Spirit: Christ promised his disciples that the Spirit of God would speak through them when they were persecuted and questioned about their faith. He promises the same to us today. This doesn't mean, however, that we shouldn’t prepare ourselves through study and prayer. Indeed, the most effective preparation we can make for ourselves is prayer, where we first encounter and come to know the voice of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. It is from this encounter that we can draw the strength and wisdom of the Spirit to defend our faith in the public square.
3. Whoever Endures “to the End”: This phrase of Jesus sounds strange. Is he saying that if we white-knuckle through life’s trials, we’ll make it to Heaven? The Greek word for end, telos, gives us a different view of what Jesus means here. The common meaning of the word telos refers to the finish line in a race. Here we've been immediately reminded of St. Paul’s words to the Corinthians about running the race so as to win. We are not exhorted to perseverance merely to push ourselves for suffering’s sake; rather, Christ wants us to endure life’s trials as he did, relying on his grace so that he can bring us to where he is in heaven.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, it sometimes feels like the world is growing more hostile to your message. Help me fan the flame of the Holy Spirit that I received in baptism so that you may melt frozen hearts through me! I know difficulties will come, Lord. I trust in you. Forgive me when I lack trust and allow me to cling even more strongly to you. 
Resolution: Lord, today, by your grace, I will recite the simple prayer “Jesus, I trust in you” when I experience difficulty.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ 14 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ 14 Thường Niên
Những giá trị mà Chúa Giêsu đã muốn đưa ra cho chúng ta trong Tin Mừng hôm nay là giá trị của sự đơn giản, sự khó nghèo như Chúa đã dạy cho các Tông đồ khi trên đường truyền giáo, hành trang lên đường không nên có gì, và cũng chẳng cần gì, vì Chúa muốn tập cho các môn đệ của Ngài biết sống một cuộc sống đơn giản, biết Tin Tưởng. Hay nói cách khác, đây là giá trị của việc không nên lệ thuộc quá nhiều vào của cải vật chất, vì những thứ này có thể cản ngăn bước tiến của chúng ta tới gần Thiên Chúa và tới gần những người xung quanh của chúng ta trong việc phục vụ như Chúa muốn nơi chúng ta. Hãy phó thác và tin tưởng vào sự quan phòng của Thiên Chúa
            Những cách sống như nào mà sẽ chúng ta sẽ phải sống để đạt được cái giá trị này? Những kế hoạch và cách sống mà đã được Thiên Chúa đề xuất cho chúng ta chắc chắn sẽ còn không hợp lý, hợp tình với thế giới vật chất mà chúng ta đang sống hôm nay, vì nó chẳng còn có ý nghĩa gì cả với cuộc hiện đại ngày nay!. Hãy tưởng tượng một linh mục đi bộ hay cỡi một con lừa để leo núi, vượt sông trên vài chục cây số để thăm kẻ liệt hay làm lễ trong vùng sâu, vùng xa  thay  vì lái xe hơi hay cỡi xe máy. Vì vậy, khi Chúa Giêsu dạy chúng ta hãy lên đường đừng mang gì theo người cũng cuộc như hành trình trong suốt cuộc đời của  chúng ta , Ngài không phải là muốn nói với chúng ta là chúng ta phải sống nghèo thật nghèo, không cần xe để làm phương tiện, không cần tiền bạc. Tuy nhiên, Ngài muốn nói với chúng ta là không nên để cho những thứ đố vật chật và hàng xa sĩ phẩm làm loà đôi mắt của chúng ta, làm cho chúng ta quên sự phụ thuộc vào Thiên Chúa, đừng nên cứng lòng, và ich kỷ, bủn xỉn trong việc giúp đỡ cho người nghèo. Chúa Giêsu đang thúc giục chúng ta không nên ích kỷ, hà tiện với những gì chúng ta đang có để chúng ta không bao giờ có thể  trở nên vô cảm đối với những sự bất công và áp bức đang diễn ra hàng ngày trong cuộc sống chung quanh chúng ta.
            Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xưa Chúa đã dậy các tông đồ, biết sống đơn sơ, giản dị trong sự khó nghèo, trong sự vâng phục và trong sự phó thác và Tin tưởng vào quyền năng và quan phòng của Chúa xin giúp chúng con có can đảm để từ bỏ những lối sống vật chất, đua đòi hôm nay và biết đạt niếm tin và phó thác vào sự quan phòng của Chúa.
 
REFLECTION
The value that Jesus holds out to us in today's gospel is the value of
The value that Jesus holds out to us in today's gospel is the value of  travelling lightly through life by living more simply. Or to put it another way, it is the value of not making too much of material things so that they may not get in the way of our reaching out to God in trust or to our neighbor in service.
Now what strategies would we use to achieve this value? The strategies suggested by our Lord certainly do not make sense in today's modern world. Imagine a businessman walking a long distance from his house to a business meeting with a bundle of notes under his arm instead of going by car and carrying his notes in a briefcase. So when Jesus instructs us to travel lightly as we journey through life, he is not telling us that we have  to get rid of our cars, empty our freezers, clean out our closets or cut up our credit cards. But he is telling us not to let our material goods make us forget our dependence on God or harden our hearts to the poor. He is urging us not to become selfish with what we have so that we may not become insensitive to the injustice and oppression that surrounds us.We travel the safest if we travel the lightest. We gain more by giving than by getting.
 
Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
“Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.” Matthew 10:14–15
Recall how Jesus harshly condemned the Pharisees for their hardness of heart. In Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 23, Jesus issues seven “woe to you” condemnations of these Pharisees for being hypocrites and blind guides. These condemnations were acts of love on Jesus’ part, in that they had the goal of calling them to conversion. Similarly, in today’s Gospel, Jesus gives instructions to His Twelve about what they are to do if they preach the Gospel in a town and are rejected. They are to “shake the dust” from their feet.
This instruction was given within the context of Jesus sending the Twelve to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” with the commission of preaching the Gospel. At that time, they were to go to those who had already been entrusted with the message of the Law of Moses and the prophets but were to now proclaim that the Kingdom of God has arrived. Jesus was the promised Messiah, and He was now here. And for those of the house of Israel who reject Jesus, they were to be condemned by this prophetic act of the wiping of the dust of their town from the Apostles’ feet.
At first, this can seem somewhat harsh. One can think that patience, ongoing discussions, gentleness and the like would be more effective. And though that may be the case in many of our experiences today, the fact remains that Jesus gave the Twelve this command.
Just like the condemnation of the Pharisees, this prophetic action of wiping the dust from their feet was an act of love. Certainly, the Apostles were not to do this out of an irrational anger. They were not to do so because their pride was wounded by rejection or because of their disdain for these people. Rather, the Apostles were to do so as a way of showing the consequences of the townspeople’s actions. When these towns of the chosen people rejected the promised Messiah, they needed to understand the consequences. They needed to know that by rejecting the messengers, they were rejecting the saving grace of the Gospel.
First of all, it’s important to consider those about whom Jesus was speaking. He was speaking about those who “will not receive” nor even “listen” to the message of the Gospel. These are those who have fully rejected God and His saving message. They, by their free choice, have separated themselves from God and His holy Gospel. They are stubborn, obstinate and hard of heart. Thus, it is in this most extreme case, of being completely closed to the Gospel, that Jesus instructs His Apostles to leave with this prophetic act. Perhaps upon seeing this done, some people would experience a certain sense of loss. Perhaps some would realize they made a mistake. Perhaps some would experience a holy sense of guilt and would eventually soften their hearts.
This teaching of Jesus should also open your eyes. How fully do you receive and listen to the message of the Gospel? How attentive are you to the saving proclamation of God’s Kingdom? To the extent that you are open, the floodgates of God’s mercy flows forth. But to the extent that you are not, the experience of loss is encountered.
Reflect, today, upon your being present in one of these towns. Consider the many ways that you have been closed to all that God wants to speak to you. Open your heart wide, listen with the utmost attentiveness, be humble before the message of the Gospel and be ready to receive it and to change your life as you do. Commit to being a member of the Kingdom of God so that all that God speaks to you will have a transforming effect upon your life.
My compassionate Lord, Your firmness and chastisements are an act of Your utmost mercy for those who are hard of heart. Please soften my heart, dear Lord, and when I am stubborn and closed, please rebuke me in Your great love so that I will always turn back to You and Your saving message with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday 14^th Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are love itself. This is a mystery that far surpasses my understanding. Each day, I hope to be immersed a little more into the depths of your love. You love the Son with an eternal love and draw me into that communion of love with your Spirit.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Hosea’s Images: Throughout his book, the prophet Hosea used the image of a husband and wife to speak about God’s relationship to Israel. Although God was faithful to Israel and sent prophets to the people to bring them back, Israel was unfaithful to God, worshiped foreign gods, and rejected both God’s law, communicated through Moses, and God’s word, communicated through the prophets. Now, Hosea employs the image of a loving parent toward their child to affirm that, through the covenant, God will offer to Israel the gift of sonship. While the image of a husband and wife stresses the mutual relationship of faithful, compassionate love, and mutual responsibility, the image of a parent and child stresses the gratuitous and merciful actions of God toward Israel: he taught Israel how to walk, he took Israel into his arms, he heals Israel. God even stoops down to feed his child. These actions are ultimately brought to fulfillment in Jesus Christ: he teaches his apostles and disciples to walk in the light, he takes them into his arms like sheep and little children, and he heals them physically and spiritually. Through the Incarnation, God stoops down in an unheard-of way: he comes to his people and brings them the New Manna of the Eucharist.
2. God’s Just and Merciful Love: Today’s First Reading also highlights a difference between the prophets Hosea and Amos. Last week we heard God’s judgment, which is unremitting in Amos. Judgment is balanced this week in Hosea by a message of compassion and mercy (Leclerc, Introduction to the Prophets, 153). We learn that God’s heart is moved by pity and instead of destroying Israel for continually breaking the covenant, God promises to save Israel from the flames. The Psalm humbly asks God to look down from heaven, from his heavenly throne, and take care of Israel, which is likened to a vine that needs protection. All three images (husband and wife; parent and child; vine-dresser and vine) tell us something about God’s love: his love is faithful and compassionate; his love is gracious, gratuitous, and merciful; his love gives life, protects, and saves.
3. The Missionary Sermon: In the Gospel, Jesus continues his second great discourse in the Gospel of Matthew, called the missionary sermon. After the twelve were appointed as Jesus’ Apostles, they were sent out to preach the core of Jesus’ message: “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” By asking the Apostles to travel without money, a second tunic, sandals, or walking stick, Jesus is asking them to place their trust in God and testify, through their actions, to the Kingdom: “By traveling in such simplicity, they will be a prophetic sign bearing witness to Jesus’ teaching that the heavenly Father will provide for those who seek first the kingdom and trust in him” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 144). The apostles will encounter both those who welcome them with hospitality and those who reject the proclamation of the kingdom. Those who welcome Jesus and his disciples receive the gift of peace; those who reject Jesus and his disciples will be judged more severely than the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you have done marvelous and wondrous things. There is a beautiful simplicity in all that you do. Instead of doing everything yourself, you entrusted your disciples, including me, with a mission and gave clear instructions. Help me to hear your instruction anew and conform my preaching of the Gospel to your Word.
Living the Word of God: How do I relate to God? Is God primarily my judge, my friend, my Lord, my bridegroom, or my Father? What experiences in my life have shaped this relationship?
 
Thursday 14^th Ordinary Time 2023
Opening Prayer: Lord, I thank you for this moment of prayer to quiet my soul and listen to your voice. Enlighten my faith, hope, and charity, and help me remember that you give me the grace of true prayer. Grant me the grace of seeing my Christian faith as a gift, and help me not to take this gift for granted.
Encountering Christ:
1. “Without Cost You Are to Give”: Something I have encountered during the New York Street Missions is that people are hesitant to take the rosaries that missionaries offer, lest they be duped into buying them. We strive to tell people that the rosaries are a gift from the Church to them. In today’s Gospel, Jesus sent the Apostles to preach the Good News for free. The Gospel is God’s gift to mankind, made manifest in Jesus Christ. Do I have a sense of appreciation for this gift, or do I take Christ’s message and the Kingdom for granted?
2. “No Sack for the Journey”: The Apostles were told to take nothing on their first missionary journey. Why would that be? Jesus wanted them to learn what relying on God’s Providence means. God doesn’t typically drop out of the sky or write letters to tell us what he wants us to do. Nor does he give us extraordinary means to accomplish his will. He prefers to communicate through the people in our lives or our circumstances. How do I see God speaking to me and equipping me for the mission I have been given?
3. “The Kingdom of Heaven Is at Hand”: This first mission was like a “practice run” for the Great Commission, which we find at the end of the Gospel of Matthew: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19). Christ gave them their marching orders and showed them where to go. Similarly, he shows us that our mission starts now, not later. “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,” not just when we evangelize at street missions or preach to large groups, but when we gather at the water cooler or go to a baseball game with a couple of friends. Here I am Lord, send me!
Conversing with Christ: Lord, the harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few. Thank you for granting me a missionary vocation to proclaim your Kingdom to all the world. I know I am weak and that faith is a precious gift, but I trust in your mercy that I may be a light for others. Send me, Lord, to those who need your light!
Resolution: Lord, today, by your grace, I will spend a moment before I go to bed to write down three things about my faith for which I am thankful.
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ 14 Thường Niên
Nước Thiên đàng hay triều đại của Thiên Chúa là gì? Đó là một xã hội của những người biết phục tùng Thiên Chúa và tự do tôn vinh Thiên Chúa là Chúa và Vua của nhân loại. Trong lời cầu nguyện mà Chúa Giêsu đã đạy chúng ta trong kinh lạy cha là, chúng ta nguyện xin cho danh Chúa được vinh danh, và luôn ngự trị mãi mãi trong cuộc đời và trong thế giới của chúng ta: Chúng ta cầu xin cho vương quốc của Thiên Chúađến ngự trị giữ thế gian và ý muốn của Chúa luôn luôn được thực hiện dưới đất cũng như trên trời.
Sống trong Thế giới của thế kỷ XXI này cũng giống như đang sống trong thời Kinh thánh, chúng ta thấy có rất nhiều linh hồn đang bệnh tật, và đang giãy chết về mặt tinh thần, hoặc đang đau bệnh về thể xác hoặc tâm thần. Ma quỷ ở khắp mọi nơi. Và chúng ta cần có sự chữa lành. Chúa Giê-su nói với các môn đệ rằng, họ đã có được đức tin “miễn phí”, thì họ phải đem đức tin đó cho không đến vối những người khác.
Chúa Giêsu cũng bảo chúng ta phải làm như vậy. Chúng ta được ơn kêu gọi để chia sẻ Tin Mừng đến trong gia đình của chúng ta, đến với những lân cận và đến với cộng đồng của chúng ta. Nhưng để làm được như vậy, chúng ta phải tiết kiềm chế, biết sống lành mạnh với sự tách rời của cải vật chất, biết đặt niềm tin vào Chúa Giê-su vì Chúa sẽ ban cho chúng ta những gì chúng ta cần để trở thành nhân chứng hữu hiệu về tình yêu của Ngài cho thế giới.
Qua tin mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giê-su đã ủy quyền cho các môn đệ của Ngài thực hiện các công việc mà ngài đã làm, là trao cho ho có được quyền năng chữa lành và lòng thương xót của Thiên Chúa để đem đến cho những người đang đau khổ, mệt mỏi và bị áp bức
Tin Mừng của Chúa có quyền năng giải thoát mọi người chúng ta thoát được khỏi tội lỗi, bệnh tật, sợ hãi và áp bức. Chúa Jêsus sẽ giải thoát chúng ta thoát khỏi bất cứ những điều gì ngăn cản chúng ta yêu mến Chúa và những người chung quanh với niềm vui và sự tự tin.
Chúa Giêsu nói với các môn đệ: Anh em đã đón nhận thiên Chúa một cách tự do, anh em cũng hãy tự do cho đi. Tất cả những gì các môn đệ đã nhận được từ nơi Chúa Giê-su, giờ đây họ phải truyền lại cho người khác những gì họ có mà không mong đợi một sự đáp trả lại từ nơi người khác bất cứ thứ gì, cho dù đó là một món quà hay một sự trả ơn. Họ phải thể hiện bằng thái độ vì đó là mối quan tâm hàng đầu của họ là phụng sự Thiên Chúa là Chúa mà không nhận lại bất cứ một lợi ích vật chất nào. Họ phải biết phục vụ thiên Chúa mà không có chủ đích, nhưng với lòng đầy bác ái, nhân hậu, và giản dị. Họ phải chú ý hoàn toàn vào việc rao truyền nước Thiên đàng của Thiên Chúa và không được làm chệch hướng bởi những thứ vật chất mà họ đem theo.
Trên đường mục vụ, họ phải biết đặt niêm tin cậy vào Chúa, không mang theo hành trang hay bất cứ thứ gì trong suốt cuộc hành trình làm mục vụ của họ, và họ phải biết bỏ lại sau lưng tất cả những gì có thể làm cản trở công việc rao truyền Tin Mừng nước Thiên đàng mà Chúa đã giao phó cho họ. Để tập trung vào nhiệm vụ rao giảng lời Chúa. Họ phải làm công việc mà Chúa trao cho họ phải thực hiện, chứ không phải làm những việc làm vì những lợi ích cá nhân hay những gì họ có thể kiếm được trong cuộc hành trình này; Những gì họ làm là những gì họ có thể cho người khác một cách tự do, mà không mong đợi những đặc ân hay bất cứ một phần thưởng nào. “Sự nghèo khó trong tinh thần” sẽ giải thoát chúng ta thoát khỏi cái lòng tham lam và bận tâm đến của cải và dành nhiều chỗ cho sự chu cấp của Thiên Chúa. Chúa muốn các môn đệ của ngài biết lệ thuộc vào Người chứ không phải lệ thuộc vào chính họ hay các thứ vật chất bên ngoài.
Thứ hai, Chúa Giê-su nói: người thợ xứng đáng được ăn lương. Ở đây chúng ta thấy một lẽ thật nhân đôi, là người làm việc của Thiên Chúa không được quan tâm quá mức đến vật chất, nhưng con dân của Thiên Chúa không bao giờ được thất bại trong bổn phận giúp cho người làm việc cho Thiên Chúa có được những gì họ cần để duy trì chính họ trong các công việc của Chúa.
Chúng ta cần cầu nguyện cho công việc rao giảng Tin Mừng và chúng ta cần  hộ trợ công việc này bằng những nguồn vật chất và tài chính của mình nếu có thể.Chúa Giê-su kết thúc lời chỉ dẫn của Ngài bằng một lời cảnh báo: Nếu con người từ chối lời mời của Thiên Chúa và từ chối lời Chúa, thì chính người ấy sẽ bị sự phán xét và sự kết án cho chính họ. Khi Thiên Chúa ban cho chúng ta lời của Ngài, thì trách nhiệm to lớn của chúng ta là phải đáp lại. Sự thờ ơ của chúng ta là sẽ đi ngược lại với ý muốn của Thiên Chúa.
Chúng ta có thể vâng lời và theo Chúa hay chúng ta thờ ơ và  chống lại Thiên Chúa trong cách chúng ta đáp lại lời mời gọi của Ngài. Thiên Chúa ban cho chúng ta lời của Ngài là chúng ta có thể có sự sống và có sự sống dồi dào trong Ngài. Ngài muốn làm việc trong chúng ta và qua mỗi người chúng ta vì vinh danh của Ngài.
Thiên Chúa qua Chúa Giếu đã chia sẻ lời Ngài với chúng ta và Ngài uỷ quyền cho chúng ta mạnh dạn loan truyền những điều đó với những người khác chung quanh chúng ta qua việc làm, lời nói và gương sáng của chúng ta. Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin cho niềm vui và lẽ thật của Tin Mừng biến đổi cuộc đời của chúng con để chúng con có thể làm chứng cho những người xung quanh. Xin Chúa ban cho chúng con có được lòng can đản để chúng con có thể truyền bá sự thật, ánh sáng phúc âm của Chúa ở bất cứ nơi nào mà chúng con sẽ đến.
 
Thursday 14^th Ordinary
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to see you in those around us, and to bring you to those who need your grace, your peace, and your healing touch. Be with me on each step of my journey, especially during these moments of prayer. 
Encountering Christ:
There Is Work to Be Done: The world in the twenty-first century, as in biblical times, has many souls who are sick, spiritually dead, or physically or mentally ill. Demons are everywhere. There is a need for healing. Jesus told the disciples that, as they had obtained their faith “without cost,” they were to offer that faith to others at no charge. He tells us to do the same. We are called to share the Good News in our families, our neighborhoods, and our larger community. But to do so, we must pare down–live with a healthy detachment from material goods–and trust that Jesus will provide what we need to be effective witnesses of his love to the world.  
The Laborer Deserves His Keep: Jesus’ followers were told to “look for a worthy person” in each town they visited, and to lodge in that person’s household until it was time to move on. We can be that “worthy person” by opening our hearts and homes to missionaries, our parish priests, charitable groups, bible studies, etc. By this hospitality, we support the works of the Spirit in our neighborhood and community. Furthermore, we can be hospitable, in the fullest sense, to those who do the Lord’s work, by contributing our own time, talent, and treasure, as well as by prayer and sacrifice. 
Shake the Dust: Within a few sentences, Jesus offered what could be seen as a paradoxical message. On the one hand, he sent his Apostles out to heal the sick, raise the dead, and drive out demons. On the other hand, if they were blocked from doing so in a particular place, he told them to move on! The Scriptures speak often of “hardness of heart.” Some individuals are simply not open or ready to receive the Good News. We meet them where they are, love them, serve them, and still they reject us. When that happens, we must leave them, at least for a while, and pray and fast for their total restoration by grace.  
Conversing with Christ: Lord, too often I have gone about doing your work, with the expectation of a temporal reward. Help me to turn away from the need for praise, knowing that you are the one worthy of our praise and thanksgiving. Through the intercession of St. John the Baptist, help me to live simply, and by my hospitality and witness of faith and humility, lead others to your peace. 
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace, I resolve to support, through prayer and penance, your missionaries throughout the world. I resolve to participate, joyfully, in your work of salvation, however, and wherever you choose to use me to do your will.