Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai Tuần thứ Nhất Mùa Chay

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai Tuần thứ Nhất Mùa Chay (Mt 25: 31-46)

 "Ta bảo thật cho các ngươi..” (Mt 25:40) Chúa Giêsu nói , " Vì khi Ta đói, các ngươi đã cho ăn; Ta khát, các ngươi đã cho uống; Ta là khách lạ, các ngươi đã tiếp rước; Ta trần truồng, các ngươi đã cho mặc; Ta đau yếu, các ngươi đã thăm nom; Ta ngồi tù, các ngươi đã đến thăm"(Mt 25:35-36)  Qua những đoạn Tin Mừng trên, Chúa Giêsu đã cho chúng ta thấy trong thực tế Ngài là  ai, Ngài chính là Thiên Chúa, và làm cách nào để chính ta có thể  được trở nên một với Ngài, Thiên Chúa này là Thiên Chúa hằng sống, Thiên Chúa này được gọi là Emmanuel (Thiên Chúa ở cùng chúng ta) Và Chúa cũng đã cảnh cáo chúng ta là ngay cả những người tốt lành và thánh thiện cũng khó mà nhận ra được Ngài ngay trong cuộc sống hằng ngày của họ .

            Hôm nay, mỗi ngày, bất cứ nơi nào, ở khắp mọi nơi,  Chúa đến với chúng ta trong hình ảnh của những người khó nghèo và thấp hèn nhất trong những người khó nghèo, Chúa đến với chúng ta trong hình ảnh của những người anh chị em đau yếu bệnh tật mà chúng ta ruồng bỏ, không thèm để ý tới, những không dám đến gần chúng ta  để cầu xin sự giúp đỡ, hay bố thí. Chúng ta có thấy, Chúng ta có cảm nhận được? Cái Ý nghĩa đó chính là Emmanuel (Thiên Chúa ở cùng chúng ta) đang ở ngay trước mặt chúng ta, đang làm cho trời đất run rẩy. Và làm cho chúng ta run sợ. " hãy mở lòng rộng lượng ! Hãy mở lòng! Hãy mở lòng” Vua Siam ra lệnh trong bộ phim, The King and I. Theo nghĩa đen Thiên Chúa ra lệnh cho chúng ta "hãy mở lòng rộng lượng! Hãy mở lòng! Hãy mở rộng đôi bàn Tay của chúng ta, tâm hồn của chúng tôi, toàn thể con người chúng ta, nếu chúng ta muốn được Chúa tiếp đón chúng ta vào trong nước Trời trong ngày phán xét.  Lạy Chúa, Chúa ở cùng chúng con. Chúng con có thể làm được gì để giúp Chúa ngay bây giờ và ngay tại đây?

 

Reflection:

 "I tell you the truth" Jesus says," when you gave food, when you offered a drink, when you clothed someone, when you visited the sick, when you visited those in prison you did it to me."

    Jesus tells us, shows us who in reality he is who is God, how to find and be one with him, this God who is truly alive, this God called Emmanuel And the Lord warns us, that even the good and saintly people would have difficulty recognizing him in their day to day life.

     Today, everyday, anywhere, everywhere, he comes to us in the guise of the poorest of the poor, of the suffering unwanted brethren of ours, asking for our help, most of the time not even daring to beg for help from us. Do you see, do you sense? The thought that it is Emmanuel in front of me makes heaven and earth tremble. It makes me tremble. "Extend! Extend! Extend! The king of Siam commands in the movie, The King and I. God literally commands us to "Extend! Extend! Our hands, our hearts, our whole being, if we want the Lord to "welcome us into his kingdom on the last judgment.      Lord, Emmanuel, may I help you here? Now?

 

Monday of the First Week of Lent

Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” Matthew 25:31–32

            What an image to ponder! Try to imagine this scene. At one definitive moment in the future, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, now also in human form as the “Son of Man,” will return to earth in glory surrounded by all the angels of Heaven and will sit upon His new and glorious throne. In front of that throne, every person of every nation ever to exist will be gathered together, and each person will be judged according to their deeds. Those who served our Lord and treated the least of His brothers and sisters with mercy and compassion will hear Jesus say, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Those who did not serve Christ and did not treat the least ones with mercy will be sent off to eternal punishment as Jesus says to them, “Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.” On that day, only one thing will matter, because eternity will be determined with permanence. All that will matter is whether you will be placed on our Lord’s right so as to inherit eternal life, or on His left and sent into the eternal fires.

              Sometimes, as we journey through life, we can lose sight of this glorious day. When we think of God and Heaven, it is easy to fall into the presumption that Heaven is guaranteed to us. God is kind and merciful, and He loves us. Therefore, we presume that Heaven is for certain and only the most horrible people will end in hell. But this is not how Jesus depicts the Day of Judgment.

              Jesus explains that at the time of judgment, the righteous will be astonished by the fact that caring for those who are hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, ill, or imprisoned was the same as showing love for God. Likewise, those who neglected the same people will be astonished that they failed to love God by failing to love the least of Jesus’ brothers and sisters. Do not take this teaching lightly. Jesus does not mince His words. He is abundantly clear and definitive.

              In your life, who are these “least ones” of which Jesus is speaking? The hungry and thirsty are not only those with physical needs but also those who have spiritual longings that need to be satisfied. They are those lost or confused in life who need to be given direction. The stranger might be anyone who is lonely and easily ignored. The naked might be those who cannot manage to care for their needs. The ill could be those who are elderly or suffering in various ways. And the imprisoned could include those bound by sin who need help to be set free. Do not fail to seek out our Lord as He is present in those all around you.

                 Reflect, today, upon those in your life who seem most lost and most in need of your compassion. Those to whom we do not feel like reaching out are those who most often need our compassion and mercy. The “least ones” are often those we judge, condemn or ignore. Call to mind the person who seems least deserving of your love and know that Jesus is living within them, waiting for you to love Him by loving them.

                 Most merciful Lord, Your compassion is great and Your judgment is real. Help me to always keep my mind upon that final and glorious day on which You will return in all Your splendor and glory to judge the living and the dead. May I truly heed Your words and prepare for that day by loving You in all people, especially in those most in need. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

Monday of the First Week of Lent 2025

Opening Prayer: Lord God, one day I will stand before your throne and truly see how I lived my life on earth. I hope that I will see a life filled with love and service and not selfishness and sin. Help me to keep this day of judgment ever present in my mind and heart and prepare for it as I should.

 Encountering the Word of God

1. Salvation and Good Works: At the beginning of Lent, it is good to be reminded by the Gospel that not only should we give up certain things but also that we should do certain things. Before considering the need to do good works, we need to remember that scripture teaches salvation is given to us by God as a free gift: “By grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God – not because of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Scripture also teaches that good works are a criterion for salvation and insists that God will judge us according to our works: “And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done” (Revelation 20:12). In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us that, “those welcomed into the kingdom are those who have performed works of mercy. Those who have not performed such works ‘go away into eternal punishment.’ It is the presence or absence of works that determines one’s future destiny” (Barber, The Role of Works in the Final Judgment, 168).

2. With God, all things are Possible: The works of mercy performed by the righteous are the result of their embracing of the gospel. We are called to be perfect and can only attain this perfection because God makes it possible (Matthew 19:26). God is the one who renders our good works meritorious. Just as we can build up debt through sinful actions, we can also build up heavenly credit through good actions: “Sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven” (Matthew 19:21). These good works will store up heavenly treasure only when they are empowered by God’s grace and when we do them united to Christ. Apart from Jesus Christ, we can do nothing that avails for salvation (see John 15:5).

3. The Holiness Code in Leviticus: Our First Reading is taken from the Holiness Code found in the Book of Leviticus. There, we find a summons to be holy as the Lord is holy, a summons that runs throughout the book. “The Lord is holy in a unique way because his goodness and power are infinite and incomparable; likewise, he is separated from sin and unapproachable by sinners (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Old and New Testament, 178). The moral laws given in Leviticus 18-20 are meant to form Israel in justice and charity and to protect them against the godless practices of the Gentiles. Many of the Ten Commandments are repeated in this passage and culminate in the second most important law: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). We should not rely on our own strength to love as we ought, but rely on the power of Christ working within us.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you came to us as a humble servant but will return to us as a glorious judge. Have mercy upon me and prepare me for this encounter. I cannot hide anything from you. All will one day be laid bare. Teach me to serve my brothers and sisters as you did.

 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Hai tuần thứ 2 Mùa Chay:

Con người chúng ta có cái tính rất là dễ thương là rất thích đổ lỗi cho người khác hay rất dễ bào chữa cho những lỗi lầm mà chúng ta phạm. Đôi khi có lúc không phải do lỗi của chúng ta;  nhưng cũng có những trường hợp ngoài sự kiểm soát của chúng ta, mà chúng ta đã phải mang những hậu quả của những sự lựa chọn thiếu may mắn và cách mà chúng ta đã đi lạc khỏi con đường của Thiên Chúa.

            Lời than trách của tiên tri Daniel đặt trách nhiệm cho sự tàn phá Jerusalem và cuộc sống lưu vong ở Babylon ngay trên vai người Do Thái của mình. Sự tôn thờ ngẫu tượng, ngoại tình, và bất công và tất cả bao nhiêu tội lỗi họ gây ra, và bây giờ họ phải gặt hái những đắng cay.

Tuy nhiên, ngay cả khi đó, Chúa luôn có sự tha thứ và hứa cho họ trở lại với cuộc sống mới và khôi phục Thành Thánh của lại sau một thời gian. Nhìn nhận trách nhiệm và phải có sự thay đổi trong tâm hồn là những bước khởi đầu cho con đường dẫn đưa chúng ta đến tới sự chữa lành và bình phục.

            Như người xưa thường nói," Ác giả, ác báo", có nghĩa là lời nói và hành động của chúng ta,  sớm hay muộn gì rồi sẽ trở lại với chúng ta. Chúa Giêsu cảnh báo chúng ta đừng xét đoán người khác, nếu chúng ta đối xử tốt với mọi người, thì chúng ta sẽ được được Thiên Chúa đối xử tương tự trong ngày phán xét.

            Không ai có đủ hoàn toàn đạo đức để đánh giá người khác. Chúa Giêsu cũng khuyên chúng ta là con cái thực sự của Thiên Chúa Tối Cao, chúng ta phải biết nhân từ và yêu thương mọi người như chính Thiên Chúa thương yêu chúng ta. Không có sự xét đoán, không có sự ưu đãi , không có điều kiện  chỉ biết thương yêu  giống như Thiên Chúa. Khi chúng ta từ bỏ một ý thức luân lý và thiêng liêng vượt trội hơn những người khác và bắt đầu biết yêu thương, chúng ta sẽ được bình an với chính mình và thế giới, và chúng ta sẽ gây ảnh hưởng lây đến những người xung quanh chúng ta.  Lạy Chúa, giúp chúng con đừng bao giờ phán xét người khác

 

Monday first Week of Lent

It is very easy to make excuses and blame others when our world comes crashing down on us. For sure, sometimes it is due to no fault of our own — strictly circumstances beyond our control. But often we are only bearing the consequences of the very poor choices we have made and the ways we have strayed from God's path. The lament in Daniel lays the blame for the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile in Babylon squarely on the shoulders of the Israelites themselves. Idolatry, infidelity, and injustice all came together at once and they must now reap the bitter harvest. Even then, however, there is forgiveness and the promise of new life and restoration after a time. Accepting responsibility and having a change of heart is the first step on the road to healing and recovery.

            There is an old saying, ‘What goes around comes around’, meaning that our words and actions come back to us sooner or later. Jesus warns us not to judge others — if we do, we will be held to the same judgment.  No one is morally qualified to judge another. Jesus also exhorts us to be real sons and daughters of the Most High by being just as merciful and loving as God is. No judgment; no preferential treatment; no conditions — just love, just like God. When we give up a sense of moral and spiritual superiority over others and begin loving, we will be at peace with ourselves and the world — and we will influence those around us.

Lord, help me not to judge others.

 

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Matthew 6:7–8

Recall that Jesus used to go off by Himself at times and spend the whole night in prayer. Thus, it’s clear that Jesus is in favor of long and sincere times of prayer, since He gave us His own example as a lesson. But there is clearly a difference between that which our Lord did all night and that which He criticized the pagans for doing when they “babble” with many words. After this criticism of the prayer of the pagans, Jesus gives us the “Our Father” prayer as a model for our personal prayer.

The Our Father prayer begins by addressing God in a deeply personal way. That is, God is not just an all-powerful cosmic being. He is personal, familial—He is our Father. Jesus continues the prayer by instructing us to honor our Father by proclaiming His holiness, His hallowedness. God and God alone is the Holy One from which all holiness of life derives. As we acknowledge the holiness of the Father, we must also acknowledge Him as King and seek His Kingship for our lives and for the world. This is accomplished only when His perfect will is done “on earth as it is in Heaven.” This perfect prayer concludes by acknowledging that God is the source of all of our daily needs, including the forgiveness of our sins and protection from all evil.

Upon the completion of this prayer of perfection, Jesus provides a context in which this and every prayer must be prayed. He says, “If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” Prayer will only be effective if we allow it to change us and make us more like the Father in Heaven. Therefore, if we want our prayer of forgiveness to be effective, then we must live what we pray for. We must also forgive others so that God will forgive us.

Reflect, today, upon this perfect prayer, the Our Father. One temptation is that we can become so familiar with this prayer that we gloss over its true meaning. If that happens, then we will find that we are praying it more like the pagans who simply babble the words. But if we humbly and sincerely understand and mean every word, then we can be certain that our prayer will become more like that of our Lord’s. Saint Ignatius of Loyola recommends pondering every word of that prayer very slowly, one word at a time. Try to pray this way, today, and allow the Our Father to move from babbling to authentic communication with the Father in Heaven.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.  Jesus, I trust in You.

 

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent 2025

Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, I do not know how to pray as I ought. Guide my prayer today. Help me to praise you and thank you. Help me to ask for good things and to seek forgiveness for my sins.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Thy Name Be Hallowed: The first petition in the Lord’s Prayer, “Hallowed be thy name,” asks that God’s holy name be recognized and treated as holy. “When something is holy, it is consecrated, set apart from everything else – in that sense, it is transcendent. Yet it is set apart, not for isolation, but for a personal and interpersonal purpose; not for distance, but for intimacy” (Hahn, Understanding Our Father, 20). God’s holy name is the basis for the covenant relationship between God and humanity: “The name of God, then, is His own covenant identity, His personal identity. It’s what proves our personal relationship with Him. When we call upon that name – “Our Father!” – God responds as a Father, and we receive His help” (Hahn, Understanding Our Father, 21). The first petition asks that God’s plan of salvation be realized and that God’s holiness be made known to all the nations. God’s name is “hallowed” when his people are delivered from evil, are saved from the slavery of sin, and live as a holy nation and royal priesthood. In asking that God’s name be hallowed, we are asking for God’s assistance so that we do not profane God’s name in the world. We are asking to share in God’s holiness: “Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Leviticus 19:2).

2. Thy Kingdom Come: The second petition asks for the coming of God’s Kingdom. “Jesus taught His disciples to pray for the Kingdom because, even though the King has come among us, He has not yet manifested Himself fully. … His Kingdom has entered the world. It is here. Yet it is not fully manifest. … The Kingdom is here, and the King is among us. He is here in all His glory, and He reigns in mystery, in the Eucharist, in the Church” (Hahn, Understanding Our Father, 28-29). When we pray “Thy Kingdom Come,” we are asking that God reign in our hearts and in the world. As the Kingdom expands throughout the world and history, we look forward to and ask for the definitive establishment of the Kingdom at the end of time – when all evil will be vanquished, sin will be eradicated, and death will be no more. When we pray “Thy Kingdom Come,” we recognize three advents (comings) of the Kingdom: The Kingdom has come to us in the past, in the Incarnation; comes to us in the present, in the Eucharist; “and it will come to us in fullness in the future, in the unveiling of divine glory at Christ’s second coming” (Hahn, Understanding Our Father, 30).

3. Thy Will Be Done: The third petition, “Thy will be done,” asks that God’s will be accomplished here on earth. When we pray, we do not seek to change the will of God or inform God of something that he does know. Our prayer changes us, not God. It changes our hearts, not God’s. It disposes our will to do God’s will and us to receive the good things our Father wills to give us. And what God wills for us is our holiness (see 1 Thessalonians 4:3) – that we partake of and, one day, definitively attain God’s eternal and divine life. 

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you gave us the supreme model of prayer. You taught us to call God our Father. You truly sanctified and glorified your Father’s name. You established your Father’s Kingdom. Your Father’s will was your food. As an obedient Son, you resisted temptation and conquered the evil one.

 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai Tuần thứ Nhất Mùa Chay (Mt 25: 31-46 )

 "Ta bảo thật cho các ngươi..” (Mt 25:40) Chúa Giêsu nói , " Vì khi Ta đói, các ngươi đã cho ăn; Ta khát, các ngươi đã cho uống; Ta là khách lạ, các ngươi đã tiếp rước; Ta trần truồng, các ngươi đã cho mặc; Ta đau yếu, các ngươi đã thăm nom; Ta ngồi tù, các ngươi đã đến thăm"(Mt 25:35-36)  Qua những đoạn Tin Mừng trên, Chúa Giêsu đã cho chúng ta thấy trong thực tế Ngài là  ai, Ngài chính là Thiên Chúa, và làm cách nào để chính ta có thể  được trở nên một với Ngài, Thiên Chúa này là Thiên Chúa hằng sống, Thiên Chúa này được gọi là Emmanuel (Thiên Chúa ở cùng chúng ta) Và Chúa cũng đã cảnh cáo chúng ta là ngay cả những người tốt lành và thánh thiện cũng khó mà nhận ra được Ngài ngay trong cuộc sống hằng ngày của họ .

            Hôm nay, cũng như  mỗi ngày trong cuộc sống, Chúa đã đến với chúng ta bất cứ nơi nào, và ở khắp mọi nơi trong hình ảnh của những người khó nghèo và thấp hèn nhất trong xã hội, Chúa đến với chúng ta trong hình ảnh của những người anh chị em đau yếu bệnh tật mà chúng ta ruồng bỏ, khinh chê không thèm để ý tới, những người chúng ta ghê tởm không dám đến gần, những người đang cầu xin sự giúp đỡ, hay sự bố thí của chúng ta. Chúng ta có thấy, và chúng ta có cảm nhận được cái ý nghĩa chính (của chữ) Emmanuel (Thiên Chúa ở cùng chúng ta) Đấng Emmanuel đang ở ngay trước mặt chúng ta, đang làm cho trời đất run rẩy, và làm cho chúng ta run sợ. " Như câu chuyện Vua Siam ra lệnh trong bộ phim, The King and I : “hãy mở lòng rộng lượng ! Hãy mở lòng! Hãy mở lòng” .  Theo nghĩa đen Thiên Chúa ra lệnh cho chúng ta "hãy mở lòng rộng lượng! Hãy mở lòng chúng ta! Hãy mở rộng đôi bàn tay của chúng ta, tâm hồn của chúng ta, và tất cả con người chúng ta, nếu như chúng ta muốn được Chúa tiếp đón chúng ta vào nước Trời trong ngày phán xét.

   Lạy Chúa, Chúa ở cùng chúng con. Chúng con có thể làm được gì để giúp Chúa ngay bây giờ và ngay tại đây?

 

Reflection:

 "I tell you the truth" Jesus says," when you gave food, when you offered a drink, when you clothed someone, when you visited the sick, when you visited those in prison you did it to me."

    Jesus tells us, shows us who in reality he is who is God, how to find and be one with him, this God who is truly alive, this God called Emmanuel And the Lord warns us, that even the good and saintly people would have difficulty recognizing him in their day to day life.

     Today, everyday, anywhere, everywhere, he comes to us in the guise of the poorest of the poor, of the suffering unwanted brethren of ours, asking for our help, most of the time not even daring to beg for help from us. Do you see, do you sense? The thought that it is Emmanuel in front of me makes heaven and earth tremble. It makes me tremble. "Extend! Extend! Extend! The king of Siam commands in the movie, The King and I. God literally commands us to "Extend! Extend! Our hands, our hearts, our whole being, if we want the Lord to "welcome us into his kingdom on the last judgment.

     Lord, Emmanuel, may I help you here? Now?