Trong mùa Chay này, chúng ta hãy suy ngẫm về cuộc sống của chúng ta. Hãy tự vấn lương tâm, tự hỏi hỏi mình: chúng ta đã thể hiện tình yêu thương và biết quan tâm tới những người khác? Chúng ta có biết làm việc bác ái để chứng tỏ rằng chúng ta thật sự là môn đệ của Chúa Kitô? Chúng ta hãy cầu nguyện , xin Chúa ban những hồng ân của ngài xuống trong cuộc sống của chúng ta.
A lot of people are scrambling for positions, power and authority. The noble desire to serve may end up as self-serving. Adulation, recognition, pride and desire for money can destroy the best intentions. Christ chose the path of being the least, to become a servant. He was insulted, spat on, laughed at, and died on the cross, an instrument to punish criminals. He underwent all these out of love for us. Love should then be the reason behind all forms of leadership and service.
Just after Christ prophesied his passion, the Zebedees, James and John, wanted an assurance of their place in glory. They understood very little about the mission of Christ. "Gentiles are the ones who want to make their authority felt." A lot of people are scrambling for positions, power and authority. The noble desire to serve may end up as self-serving. Adulation, recognition, pride and desire for money can destroy the best intentions. Christ chose the path of being the least, to become a servant. He was insulted, spat on, laughed at, and died on the cross, an instrument to punish criminals. He underwent all these out of love for us. Love should then be the reason behind all forms of leadership and service.
Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took
the Twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, “Behold,
we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the
chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him
over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be
raised on the third day.” Matthew 20:17–19
What a conversation that must have been! As
Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem with the Twelve just prior to the first Holy
Week, Jesus spoke openly and clearly about what would be waiting for Him in
Jerusalem. Imagine what the disciples would have thought. In many ways, it
would have been too much for them to comprehend at the time. In many ways, the
disciples probably preferred not to hear what Jesus had to say. But Jesus knew
they needed to hear this difficult truth, especially as the moment of the Crucifixion
drew near.
Oftentimes the full message of the Gospel is
difficult for us to accept. This is because the full message of the Gospel will
always centrally point us to the sacrifice of the Cross. Sacrificial love and
the full embrace of the Cross needs to be seen, understood, loved, fully
embraced and confidently proclaimed. But how is this done? Let’s start with our
Lord Himself.
Jesus was not afraid of the truth. He knew
that His suffering and death was imminent, and He was ready and willing to
accept this truth without hesitation. He didn’t see His Cross in a negative
light. He did not look at it as a tragedy to be avoided. He didn’t allow fear
to deter Him. Instead, Jesus looked at His imminent sufferings in the light of
truth. He saw His suffering and death as a glorious act of love that He was
soon to offer, and, therefore, He was not afraid to not only embrace these
sufferings but also to speak of them with confidence and courage.
In our own lives, we are given the invitation
to imitate Jesus’ courage and love every time we must face something difficult
in life. When this happens, some of the most common temptations are to be angry
about the difficulty, or to look for ways to avoid it, or to blame others, or
to give into despair and the like. There are numerous coping mechanisms that
kick in by which we tend to try and avoid the crosses that await us.
But what if we followed the example of our
Lord instead? What if we faced any and every pending cross with love, courage
and a willing embrace? What if instead of looking for a way out, we looked for
a way in, so to speak? That is, we looked for a way to embrace our suffering in
a sacrificial way, without hesitancy, in imitation of Jesus’ embrace of His
cross. Every cross in life has the potential of becoming an instrument of much
grace in our own lives and in the lives of others. Therefore, from the perspective
of grace and eternity, crosses must be embraced, not avoided or cursed.
Reflect, today, upon any difficulty you are
facing. Do you see it in the same way that Jesus sees it? Can you see every
cross you are given as an opportunity for sacrificial love? Are you able to
embrace it with hope and confidence, knowing that God can bring good out of it?
Seek to imitate our Lord by joyfully embracing the difficulties you face and
those crosses will ultimately share in the Resurrection with our Lord.
My suffering Lord, You freely embraced the
injustice of the Cross with love and courage. You saw beyond the apparent
scandal and suffering and transformed the evil done to You into the greatest
act of love ever known. Give me the grace to imitate Your perfect love and to
do so with the strength and confidence that You had. Jesus, I trust in You.
Wednesday Second Week of Lent
2025
Suy
Niệm Tin Mừng Ngày 19 tháng 3, 2018 lễ kính thánh Giuse
Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta được mời gọi
để hiểu biết thêm về thánh Giuse. Thánh Giuse thực sự chỉ là một người đàn ông
bình thường "và một người chồng mẫu mực. Điều này có một ý nghĩa rất quan
trọng trong số rất nhiều cuộc hôn nhân tan vỡ trong thời buổi xã hội hôm nay của
chúng ta. Người chồng hoặc người cha thường được coi là người đứng đầu của một
gia đình. Là người thường đưa ra các quyết định quan trọng cho gia đình: Trong
bức thư của Thánh Phao-lô gởi cho dân thành Ê-phê-sô, ông kêu gọi các bà vợ
"vâng lời và phục tùng chồng mình, như Thiên Chúa" (Eph 5:22)
Thánh Phao-lô cũng kêu gọi người chồng " hãy yêu người vợ của mình như
Chúa Kitô đã yêu mến Giáo Hội và phó thác chính mình cho Giáo hội. "
(Ê-phê-sô 5: 25). Khi biết Đức Maria đã có thai trước khi chung sống cùng nhau,
Thánh Gisue đã nghĩ đến việc ly hôn để bảo vệ Đức Maria. Nhưng thiên thần của
Chúa đã báo mộng và bảo đảm với Thánh Giuse rằng Đức Maria đã ở Thai Chúa Giêsu
là bởi quyền năng của Chúa Thánh Thần. Thánh Gisu đã cho thấy tình yêu đích thực
của ngài đối với Đức Maria, ông sẵn sàng từ bỏ ước muốn riêng của mình, để vâng
lời và tuân theo những sứ điệp của thiên sứ và đồng ý làm chồng của Đức Maria,
là cha và nuôi của Chúa Giêsu và là người đứng đầu Thánh Gia.
Sự đầu hàng những sư khó khăn này để thể hiện tình yêu đích thực thường thiếu
thấy trong xã hội của chúng ta và chính thế mà đã gây ra những sự tan rã của
nhiều gia đình. Qua gương sáng và sự cầu bầu của Thánh Giuse, chúng ta xin
Thánh Giuse giúp cho những người chồng có thể học được tình yêu chân thật dành
cho người vợ của mình và tình yêu chân thật mà người vợ dành cho người chồng
của mình. Và xin cho chúng ta cũng có thể học hỏi tình yêu đích thực đối với
Thiên Chúa và với người chung quanh của chúng ta
REFLECTION 3/19/ 2017
Our Gospel reading invites us to
understand how Joseph was indeed "an upright man" and a model
husband. In our times this bears great significance in the midst of so many
marriage-breakups. The husband or father is usually considered the head
of the family. As head of the family, he makes major decisions for the family:
In Paul's letter to the Ephesians, he urges wives "to submit to their
husbands, as to the Lord" (Eph 5:22) Paul also urges husbands "to
love their wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her."
(Eph 5: 25)
Finding Mary with child before they lived together,
Joseph considered divorcing her secretly to protect her. An angel of the Lord
assured Joseph that Mary was with child by the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph
showed his true love for Mary, giving up his own will, and followed the angel's
message and agreed to be husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus and head of
the Holy Family. This difficult act of surrender to show true love is
often lacking and causes the break-up of many families. Through the example and
intercession of St. Joseph, may husbands learn true love for their wives and
wives for their husbands? And may we also learn true love for God and our
neighbor.
March 19 Solemnity
of Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of
the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. Matthew 1:24
What is it that made Saint Joseph so
great? He wasn’t immaculately conceived as our Blessed Mother was. He was not
divine like Jesus. But he was the head of the Holy Family, its guardian and its
provider. He became the legal father of the Savior of the World and the spouse
of the Mother of God. But Joseph is not great only because he was given such
incredible privileges. First and foremost, he was great because of the choices
he made in life. Today’s Gospel refers to him as a “righteous man” and as a man
who “did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.” Thus, his greatness is
primarily on account of his moral righteousness and obedience to the will of
God.
Joseph’s obedience is especially seen in
the fact that he obeyed the voice of God given to him in the four dreams
recorded in Scripture. In his first dream, Joseph is told “do not be afraid to
take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this
child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him
Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20–21).
In his second dream, Joseph is told, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee
to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the
child to destroy him” (Matthew
2:13). In his third dream, Joseph is told, “Rise, take the child and his
mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are
dead” (Matthew 2:20).
And in his fourth dream, Joseph is warned to go instead to Galilee rather than
Judea (Matthew 2:22).
When these dreams are read in succession,
it is clear that Saint Joseph was attentive to the voice of God. We all have
dreams, but Joseph’s dreams were different. They were clear communications from
God, and they required a willing recipient. Joseph was open to the voice of God
and listened in faith as that willing recipient.
Joseph also responded with complete
submission and full determination. The commands Joseph received were not
insignificant. His obedience required that he and his family travel great
distances, take up residence in strange lands and do so all in faith.
It’s also clear that Joseph took his
vocation seriously. Pope Saint John Paul II gave him the title “Guardian of the
Redeemer.” Over and over, he showed his unwavering commitment to his role as
the guardian of his legal Son, Jesus, and of his wife, Mary. His life was spent
providing for them, protecting them and offering them a father’s heart.
Reflect, today, upon the unique vocation
of Saint Joseph. Ponder, especially, the early years of his marriage and the
raising of Jesus. Consider his fatherly commitment to care for, provide for and
protect his Son. We all must seek to imitate Saint Joseph’s virtues by
protecting the presence of Christ within our own hearts, the hearts of our
family and friends and in the world as a whole. Pray to Saint Joseph, asking
him to help you follow his example so that the hidden presence of our Lord in
our lives will grow and come to full maturation.
Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of
the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed
her trust; with you Christ became man. Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself
a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy and
courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen. (Prayer from Patris
Corde)
March 19- Saint Joshep 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord
God, you invite me to believe in you and trust in you as my loving Father. When
I sin, I reject you, your plan, and your love. When I sin, I mistakenly trust
in myself. Never let me doubt your love and be separated from you through sin.
Encountering the Word of God
Joseph’s Role in the History of
Salvation: Joseph has an important role in the
history of salvation. He is part of the fulfillment of the covenant promises
made to Abraham (Second Reading) and David (First Reading). Paul’s Letter to
the Romans presents Abraham as the father “of many nations.” Abraham’s
universal fatherhood is obtained not through the rite of circumcision or the
Law of Moses, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. All who
follow the “faith of Abraham” are considered his spiritual descendants. And
these, in turn, will share in the covenant promises made to Abraham. Abraham is
our father, not according to the flesh, but according to according to faith.
2. Abraham’s Faith: Paul
highlights two aspects of the “faith of Abraham.” First, there Abraham’s belief
in God as the Creator of all. God “calls into being what does not exist.” We
profess this faith every Sunday: “I believe in One God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.” Believing that
God is our creator means that we believe that all things depend on him and that
he guides all things to himself through his providential plan. Second, Paul
writes that the faith of Abraham includes the belief that God “gives life to
the dead.” In his letter, Paul will bring out an analogy between the faith of
Abraham and Christian faith: just as Abraham believed God could bring new life
(Isaac) from Sarah’s dying body, Christians believe that God brought new life
to the crucified body of Jesus by raising him from the dead (see Ignatius
Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, p. 263). Above all, Abraham trusted in
God and his promises; he “hoped against hope” and glorified God, fully
convinced that God was able to do what he had promised (Romans 4:21). Paul
writes that God promised Abraham and he and his descendants would “inherit the
world.” This calls to mind the passage in Genesis when God promised Abraham a
worldwide family through his offspring (Genesis 22:16-22). It also brings to
mind Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus teaches that the meek “will
inherit the land,” that the poor in spirit and the persecuted will inherit “the
kingdom of heaven,” and that the pure of heart will “see God.” What this tells
us is that our inheritance, received through Baptism and faith in Jesus Christ,
is divine sonship and eternal life with God.
3. Joseph’s Faith: The First Reading begins to shed light on what
all this has to do with Joseph. David, we learn, is promised an heir who will
build a house for God’s name. Through this heir, the house and the kingdom of
David would endure and the throne of David would stand firm. God will ask
David, like Abraham, to place his trust in him and his promise of an
everlasting kingdom, for David will not live to see the day when Jesus, his
heir, inaugurates the Kingdom of God. Today’s Gospel follows after Matthew's
long genealogy (Matthew 1:1-16) that guides us from Abraham and David, through
the fall of the kingdom and exile, to “the royal child to whom all of Israel’s
history was directed: Jesus” (E. Sri and C. Mitch, The Gospel of
Matthew, 41). Jesus is called the Messiah and is the King who will deliver
Israel from their sin and suffering and fulfill the royal covenant made with
David. Joseph is not introduced as the biological father of Jesus but as the
husband of Mary. By calling Joseph “son of David,” the angel “calls attention
to Joseph’s own royal heritage and his crucial role of passing on Davidic
descent to Jesus.” Joseph fulfills this role by naming Jesus and claiming the
child as his own. In this obedient act of naming the child, Joseph makes Jesus
a legal heir to David (E. Sri and C. Mitch, The Gospel of Matthew,
42). Joseph is a just and upright man, who, in a way superior to Abraham and
David, trusts God fully and totally. Joseph’s faith and trust are fully
manifested in his filial obedience to God’s commandment: he does just as the
angel of the Lord commanded him, taking Mary into his home and naming the child
Jesus.
Conversing with Christ: Lord
Jesus, Son of David, I trust in you as my Savior. Help me imitate Saint Joseph,
who welcomed you, cared for you, and embraced his role in the divine plan of
salvation. Help me to welcome you in the stranger, care for you in the poor,
and embrace the Father’s will for me.
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