Suy
Niệm Tin Mừng Ngày 3/5 Lể Thánh Philiphê và Giacôbê Tông Đồ
Tin mừng hôm nay cho chúng ta câu trả lời chi câu hỏi của thánh Philiphê:
“ làm thế nào để cho chúng ta đến với Chúa Cha?”. Để trả lời câu hỏi này, Chúa Giêsu Kitô đã đáp trả
với một góc nhìn đôi: Bất cứ ai đã thấy Chúa
Giêsu, là thấy Chúa Cha (khía cạnh cá nhân), và ai thấy
việc Ngài đang thực hiện là thấy được những việc mà Đức
Chúa Cha làm (khía cạnh liên tác).
Trong các công
trình Chúa Cha đang làm là công việc Chúa Giêsu đang
thực hiện và ngược lại. Bài tin mừng này tiếp tục chuyển
tiếp và mở rộng cho chúng ta theo hai chiều hướng bao
gồm các yếu tố về con người: đó là việc làm,
hành động và việc cầu nguyện.
Việc làm, Hành động: bất
cứ ai tin vào Chúa Giêsu sẽ làm các công việc mà Ngài làm.
Cầu nguyện: bất cứ ai
trong chúng ta xin điều gì vì danh Chúa Giêsu
Kitô, Ngài sẽ ban cho chúng ta điều chúng ta xin
đó. Nhưng, việc đầu tiên phải được nhấn mạnh đến đức
tin ("ai tin ta"); thứ hai, nhấn mạnh về đời
sống thiêng liêng của làm("những việc ta làm").
Các tông đồ có thể không hiểu
được hoàn toàn sự quan hệ hiệp nhất giữa Chúa Cha
và Chúa Giêsu, họ đã không nhận ra Chúa Giêsu là Thiên
Chúa và là con người trong cùng một bản thể. Nhưng
Ngài không giới hạn chính mình để chứng minh sự bình đẳng của Ngài với
Đức Chúa Cha, Ngài cũng nhắc nhở cho họ biết rằng họ
được chọn để tiếp tục thực hiện công việc Cứu chuộc của Ngài: Ngài trao cho họ
sức mạnh để làm phép lạ, Ngài hứa với họ rằng Ngài sẽ ở
bên họ mãi mãi trong mọi ngày, và tất cả mọi thứ gì họ kêu xin
vì danh Ngài, Ngài sẽ ban cho.
Chúng ta là những môn đệ của Chúa
Kitô Hôm nay, Chúa cũng hứa sẽ ở lại với chúng ta luôn mãi và ban cho chúng ta
tất cả những ơn gì mà chúng ta biết chạy đến kêu cầu danh ngài. Nếu chúng ta có
lòng tin và sự hiệp nhất trong Chúa Kitô như các thánh Tông đồ.
Relection 3, 2017 – STS. PHILIP AND JAMES, Apostles
In the Gospel reading today, we
hear Philip asking Jesus, "Lord, show us the Father and that is
enough." Jesus reminds Philip, his apostle-companions and all of us, that
"whoever sees me, sees the Father." Indeed, the Gospel Good News is
about the Triune God loving us and sending the Son in order that he may reveal
the Father and his love for us.
In our younger years, we were
taught in catechism class a song which reflected today's reading: "Jesus
is the way, the truth and the life; his banner over me is love." Though we
did not fully understand the song, we loved to sing it. For adults, what
does the song say? What does it mean for Jesus to be "the way, the truth
and the life"? He is the Way to the Father: we know the Father through
him; he is truth as God is all Truth; he is life as God himself is Life.
The song ends, "his banner
over me is love": Jesus revealed to us the love of the Father for us.
STS. PHILIP AND JAMES, Apostles
Philip
said to Jesus, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do
not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say,
‘Show us the Father’?”
Today’s liturgical feast is in honor of two of
the Apostles, Philip and James the Lesser. Little is known about James
other than that he was chosen by our Lord for the apostolic ministry and that
we have one of his letters, which is contained in the New Testament.
James eventually went to Jerusalem and led the Church for a few decades until
he was stoned to death as a martyr. Philip preached in Greece, Phrygia and
Syria. He and Saint Bartholomew were thought to have been crucified upside
down. Philip preached upside down from the cross until his death.
In
the Gospel for today’s Mass, we are presented with an encounter that Philip had
with Jesus. Though this encounter appears to be a rebuke of Philip by Jesus,
it’s a rebuke that is quite heartfelt. Jesus says, “Have I been with you for so
long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?” Jesus did, indeed, spend
much time with His disciples. They stayed together, ate together, traveled
together and spent much time talking with each other. Therefore, Jesus’
comments to Philip emanated from His real and lived personal relationship with
Philip.
Take the first part of that statement to begin with. “Have I been with you so
long…” Imagine Jesus saying this to you. Is this something He would be able to
say to you? Is it true that you do spend much time with Him? Do you spend time
reading the Gospels, speaking to Him from the depths of your heart, conversing
with Him, praying to Him and listening to His gentle voice?
But
Jesus goes on: “…and you still do not know me…?” This is a humble truth that is
important to admit. It is true that even those who have a very deep and
transforming life of prayer do not know our Lord deeply enough. There is no
limit to the transformation that can take place in our lives when we know Jesus
personally.
Jesus’ statement goes on: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” So the
next question is this: “Do you know the Father?” Do you know the Father’s love,
His care for you, His perfect will? Though the Father and the Son are united as
one God, They are still distinct Persons, and we must, therefore, work to
establish a relationship of love with each one of them.
As
initially mentioned, the comments from Jesus are a gentle rebuke of love to
Philip, and He wants to speak this same gentle rebuke to you. But it’s a rebuke
of love meant to encourage you to get to know Him better. It’s an invitation to
personalize your relationship with Jesus and the Father in a real and concrete
way. Do you know Him? Do you know the Son of God? Do you know the Father in
Heaven?
Reflect,
today, upon these loving questions of our Lord as if they were spoken to you.
Let His words encourage you to get to know Him more deeply. Pray for your
relationship to become more personal and transforming. And as you get to know
our Lord more intimately, know that it is also the Father in Heaven Whom you
are getting to know.
My
divine and personal Lord, it is the deepest desire of Your Sacred Heart to know
me and to love me. Fill my heart with this same desire so that I will not only
know You, dear Lord, but also the Father in Heaven. Heavenly Father, I thank
You for Your perfect love and pray that I may open myself to that love more
fully each and every day. Saints Philip and James, pray for me. Jesus, I trust
in You.
May
3- Feast of Saint Philip and James
Opening
Prayer: Lord
God, throughout the year, I contemplate the example of the saints. They were
holy men and women who sought to heed your word and accomplish your will. I
pray that I, too, may live a holy life like the saints and be attentive to the
action of the Holy Spirit in my life.
Encountering
the Word of God
1.
Life and Letter of James: James was an apostle and a cousin of
Jesus. He was the son of Cleopas and Mary. Cleopas, who was also known as
“Alphaeus,” was Joseph’s brother. James became the first bishop of Jerusalem
and was known as “James the Just.” He is known as “James the Less” because Mark
referred to him as “James the Younger” (see Mark 15:40). As the bishop of
Jerusalem, he accepted the teaching of Peter at the Council of Jerusalem in
A.D. 49. He was martyred thirteen years after the meeting in Jerusalem in A.D.
62. He was likely the author of the Letter of James found in the New Testament.
In the Letter, “James emphasizes the importance of patience while suffering,
exhorts his readers to refrain from showing partiality to their favorites, and
discusses the relationship between faith and works in the Christian life. He
also encourages prudence in speech. In the final chapter of James, the author
discusses the significance of anointing the sick and confession of sins”
(Cavins, Morrow, Rocha, Swafford, A Catholic Guide to the New Testament,
271-272).
2.
Faith without Works is Useless: “A predominant theme of this letter
is the strict relationship between faith and works (especially 2:14-26). For
James, a saving faith does not consist simply believing that God exists, but
must be ‘completed by the works’ (2:22) that accord with faith. Mere belief
without corresponding action (2:15-16) – ‘faith alone’ (2:24) – does not
justify, but is ‘dead’ and ‘useless’ (2:17, 20, 26). Instead, faith must be
accompanied by conduct that manifests the new life in Christ” (Anderson and
Keating, James, First, Second, and Third John, 8).
3.
James and Paul: It
is possible that James wrote his letter to the Church as a response to a
misunderstanding of Paul’s writings on faith. In his letters, Paul was
countering the Judaizers, who wanted Gentile Christians to be circumcised and
observe the rituals of the Law of Moses. Paul also emphasized that salvation is
received initially as a gift from God and is not a human achievement. What
James adds about the need for our faith to flourish in works of charity is in
perfect accord with Paul’s doctrine about “faith working through charity”
(Galatians 5:6). James puts his readers on guard against greed and the love of
money. We also need to control our tongue and not fall into sins of cursing
(3:9-10), slander (4:11-12), and boasting (4:16). “Finally, James instructs his
readers to conduct themselves with gentleness and mercy (2:13; 3:17) and to
pray, no matter the circumstances they find themselves in (5:13-18)” (Anderson
and Keating, James, First, Second, and Third John, 9).
Conversing
with Christ: Lord
Jesus, help my faith flourish in works of love today. Show me your face so that
I may see the Face of the Father. Move my heart to spend time with you and
dwell with you so that I may bring others to encounter you.
Relection 3, 2024
Opening
Prayer: Lord
God, throughout the year I contemplate the example of the saints. They were
holy men and women who sought to heed your word and accomplish your will. I
pray that I too may live a holy life like the saints and be attentive to the
action of the Holy Spirit in my life.
Encountering
the Word of God
1.
Saint Philip the Apostle: Philip was from Bethsaida, a town on the
northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. In the Gospel of John, Philip was the one
who introduced Nathanael (Bartholomew) to Jesus of Nazareth. Philip responded
to Nathanael's skeptical question, “Can anything good come from Nazareth,” by
inviting Nathanael to “come and see” Jesus (John 1:46). In this way, Philip the
Apostle “engages us to become closely acquainted with Jesus” (Benedict XVI,
September 6, 2006). Only by truly encountering Jesus and dwelling with Jesus can
the Apostles proclaim him to all the nations. Like the Apostles, we need to
enter into contact with Jesus by listening to him in prayer, responding to him
in faith and love, and living in communion with him. This communion enables us
to give witness to him and bring ourselves to encounter him and find life. At
the sign of the multiplication of the loaves, it was Philip who told Jesus that
two hundred days’ wages would not be enough to buy bread for the large crowd
(John 6:7). Philip, who has a Greek name meaning “friend of horses,” was also
one of the ones who brought the Greeks to speak to Jesus (John 12:20-22).
Finally, during the Last Supper, Philip was the one who told Jesus: “Lord, show
us the Father, and we shall be satisfied” (John 14:8). Philip learned that
night that seeing the face of Jesus is to behold the face of the Lord God.
Through the Incarnation, “God gave himself a human face, the Face of Jesus, and
consequently, from now on, if we truly want to know the Face of God, all we
have to do is to contemplate the Face of Jesus! In his Face we truly see who
God is and what he looks like!” (Benedict XVI, September 6, 2006). Philip
ultimately gave his life for Christ and, after preaching in Greece, was
martyred at Hierapolis in Phrygia (Asia Minor).
2.
Saint James the Lesser: Two of Jesus’ apostles had the name
“James.” Tradition gave them the titles “greater” (older or taller) and
“lesser” (younger or shorter) to distinguish them. James the Greater was the
son of Zebedee and the brother of John the Apostle and was martyred in A.D. 44.
James the Lesser, whom we celebrate today, was the son of Alphaeus. He came
from Nazareth and was probably a relative of Jesus. In the Acts of the
Apostles, James the Lesser acted as the Bishop of Jerusalem. During the Council
of Jerusalem in A.D. 49, he agreed with Peter’s decision and declared that
Gentile pagans could be received into the Church without first submitting to
circumcision (see Acts 15:13). Today’s First Reading declares that James saw
the risen Lord after Peter. Regarding his martyrdom, Flavius Josephus “says
that the death of James was decided with an illegal initiative by the High
Priest Ananus, a son of the Ananias attested to in the Gospels” (Benedict XVI,
June 28, 2006). During the interval between the Roman Procurator Festus and his
successor Albinus, James was martyred by being thrown from the terrace of the
Temple and then stoned to death. James was likely the author of the Letter
included in the New Testament. The Letter holds that our faith cannot be
reduced to mere lip service but needs to be expressed in charity and good
works. The Letter of James teaches us that “faith must be fulfilled in life,
above all, in love of neighbor and especially in dedication to the poor”
(Benedict XVI, June 28, 2006).
3.
What Do the Two Apostles Teach Us? Philip teaches us to seek Jesus and find
in Jesus, the Face of God. He “teaches us to let ourselves be won over by
Jesus, to be with him and also to invite others to share in this indispensable
company; and in seeing, finding God, to find true life” (Benedict XVI,
September 6, 2006). James teaches us to abandon ourselves to the will of God,
who knows what is truly good for us (Benedict XVI, June 28, 2006). The teaching
of James on how we are justified does not oppose that of Paul. Paul often
speaks about our initial, unmerited justification. Paul teaches that we are
justified not by the works of the Old Law, but by faith in Jesus Christ and by
God’s grace. James emphasizes the ongoing process of our justification and
teaches that we are justified and sanctified not by an empty faith, but by a
faith informed by love and manifested in good and charitable works. As Paul
says in his Letter to the Galatians, what counts is faith working through love
(Galatians 5:6).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, help my faith flourish in works
of love today. Show me your face so that I may see the Face of the Father. Move
my heart to spend time with you and dwell with you so that I may bring others
to encounter you.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, help my faith flourish in works
of love today. Show me your face so that I may see the Face of the Father. Move
my heart to spend time with you and dwell with you so that I may bring others
to encounter you.
Suy
Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy tuần thứ Hai Mùa Phục sinh.
Tin
Mừng hôm nay đã cho chúng ta thấy được những chủ đề về bóng tối và hy vọng. Như
việc các môn đệ ra khơi trên một chiếc thuyền trong buổi chiều tối. Bóng tối của
buổi chiều có thể tượng trưng cho bóng tối ma quỷ, sự dữ và sợ hãi. Trong văn
hóa của người Do Thái biển được biểu hiện cho sự hỗn loạn, sức mạnh của sự dữ
và khó thuần hóa. Các môn đệ đang bị bao phủ giữa màn tối tăm trên mặt biển là
như thế.
"Chúa
Giêsu vẫn chưa đến với họ." Ý chỉ đến sự vắng mặt của Thiên Chúa ở giữa họ.
Và chẳng bao lâu, thuyền của họ bị cơn
bão táp, gió mạnh đánh ập vào thuyền làm
cho thuyền của họ gập ghềnh, chao đão như muốn lật úp. Giữa sự sợ hãi và tuyệt
vọng của họ, Chúa Giêsu đã đến với họ trên mặt nước. Ngài an ủi họ “ Thầy đây!
Đừng sợ”. Sự hiện diện đột nhiên của
Ngài làm lắng dịu đi tình trạng hỗn loạn hoang mang sợ sệt của họ và mang lại
niềm hy vọng mới và sự sống.
Nhiều lần trong cuộc sống của chúng
ta, chúng ta cũng đã phải đối mặt với những cơn giông tố của cuộc đời, với những
sự lo âu, hỗn loạn của những thử thách và đau khổ. Nhưng nếu chúng ta bình
tĩnh, biết lắng nghe, thì trong những tiếng gầm của bão tố, chúng ta vẫn có thể
nghe tiếng Chúa đang nói với chúng ta: "Thầy đây!, đừng sợ."
Lạy Chúa, xin giúp chúng biết bình
tĩnh để chúng con có thể nghe được tiếng thì thầm đầy hứa hẹn và đầy hy vọng của
Chúa nhất là trong những lúc chúng con đang ở trong bóng tối và đang bị những
cơn bão tố của cuộc sống hoàng hành.
Reflection
SG 2016-04-06
Last April a devastating earthquake
hit Nepal. People lost all: life, possessions and livelihood. But in the
darkness of despair and devastation, faith and hope shone through people's
faces as they tried to rise above the tragedy. As the people narrated the
event, they often reiterated that God visited them in their inaccessible places
through volunteers, NGOs and INGOs. Today’s gospel presents the theme of
darkness and hope. As the disciples set out into in a boat, it was evening. The
darkness of evening can symbolize darkness, evil and fear. In Jewish culture
the sea could represent chaos, evil and untamable force. The disciples were
surrounded by such a sea. “Jesus had not yet come to them.” These words indicate
the absence of the Divine among them. Soon their boat was tossed by a strong
wind. Amidst their fear and despair, Jesus walked towards them on the water,
saying ‘It is I! Do not be afraid.’ His revelation quieted the turmoil and
brought new hope and life. Many times in our lives, we have to
face the winds and turbulent waters of trials and tribulations. But if we
listen, through the roar of the waves and wind, we may hear the voice that says
‘It is I — do not be afraid.’
Lord, help us hear Your promising
and hope-filled whispers in times of darkness.
Saturday
of the Second Week of Easter
When
they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and
coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. But he said to them, “It is
I. Do not be afraid.” John 6:19–20
On
October 22, 1978, Pope Saint John Paul II was inaugurated as the 264th pope of
our Holy Church. During his homily, the Holy Father said, “Brothers and
sisters, do not be afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power.” The phrase
“Do not be afraid” was repeated over and over again throughout his pontificate.
In his book, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, which was written as a
preparation for the new millenia, the Holy Father explained the following:
“When pronouncing these words in St. Peter’s Square, I already knew that my
first encyclical and my entire papacy would be tied to the truth of the
Redemption. In the Redemption we find the most profound basis for the words “Be
not afraid!”: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” (cf. Jn 3:16).
This
exhortation against fear is repeated throughout the Bible numerous times. It is
found in the Old Testament over a hundred times in some form and in the New
Testament over fifty times. Again and again, God wants us to conquer fear,
worry, and anxiety. He wants us to trust in Him in all things and place all of
our hope in Him.
What
is it that you fear the most in life? For some, fear comes on a daily basis.
Perhaps you face financial insecurity, poor health, a broken relationship,
psychological difficulties, etc. There are numerous things in life that can
easily tempt us to fear.
In
the Gospel passage for today, Jesus walks toward His disciples on the water
during a turbulent time on the Sea of Galilee. The wind was blowing, and the
waves were distressing. And though these fishermen had spent many nights on the
sea, Jesus chose to come to them at this moment, not so much to help them get
to shore but to teach all of us that no matter what “storm” we face in life, He
will be there in ways that are truly miraculous. Certainly, none of the
disciples ever expected to see Jesus walking on the water in the middle of the
night while the waves were crashing upon their boat. But Jesus did this and
spoke those words, “Do not be afraid,” because He wanted us to know that no
matter what we struggle with in life, He is always there, coming to us in love,
and will see us safely to the shore of His peace.
If
fear is something you struggle with on a personal level, then turn your eyes to
the reality of the Redemption. The Father sent the Son into the world to save
you. Jesus did not only come to teach, or to inspire, or to help. He came to
save. To redeem. To destroy death, fear, sin and all that keeps us from the
Father. His saving act changes humanity forever. If you understand that and
believe it, then nothing can steal away your peace and fill you with fear.
Reflect,
today, upon this powerful little phrase: “Do not be afraid!” Imagine yourself
in the boat with the disciples at night, being tossed by the waves, surrounded
by darkness. And then see Jesus coming to you speaking those words. Know that
He speaks them to you in the darkest moments of your life and that He will
never leave you. Hope in Him and let His saving act of the Redemption transform
your life forever.
Jesus,
my Redeemer, I thank You for coming into this world to save us. Thank You for
the gift of the Redemption of the world. When I am tempted to fear and turn my
eyes to the difficulties of the world, give me the grace I need to turn to You
in hope and trust. Enter the storms of my life, dear Lord, and lift my burden
of fear. Jesus, I trust in You.
Saturday
of 2nd Week of Easter 2025
Saturday
of 2nd Week of Easter
Opening Prayer: Heavenly
Father, I believe in you, I trust in you, and I love you. You have invited me
to this time of prayer. Open my heart to hear and receive your word; increase
my faith, hope, and love and so make me more able to enter deeply into dialogue
with you. I want to let you be more present in my life today, Risen Lord.
Encountering Christ:
Evening, Stormy Darkness: The Apostles were alone. John told us it had already
grown dark, and that Jesus was not with them. This was when the sea stirred up
and strong winds began to blow. In the journey of following the Lord, there are
many storms that come up along the way. Some arise because we ourselves have
turned away from the Lord. Others, perhaps like this one for the Apostles,
appear because the Lord wants to help us grow in our faith. During life’s
storms, our rock-solid faith can strengthen us against the thrashing waves. “I
wish you to be as a rock. A wave dashes against you. Silence. It assails you
ten, a hundred, a thousand times. Silence. Say at most in the midst of the
storm, ‘My Father, my Father, I am all yours! O dear, O sweet will of God! I
adore you!’” (St. Paul of the Cross).
Do Not Be Afraid: How
many times in the Gospels–and all of Sacred Scripture–do these words come forth
from the mouth and heart of God. How well he knows us—and how easily we tend to
fear. We fear surrender, solitude, scarcity, betrayal, abandonment, and coming
up short. There are fears all of humanity shares, in one form or another, and
specific fears that the enemy strives to sew in each of our hearts. “But he
said to them, ‘It is I. Do not be afraid’,” John tells us. In this time of
prayer, may we allow the Lord, whose word is living and effective (Hebrews
4:12), speak the truth anew over our lives. Even in the deepest and loneliest
storm, the Lord is with us in the boat.
Jesus and the Boat: John
tells us they wanted to take Jesus into the boat, but immediately the boat
reached the shore. We see the fruit of the theological virtue of hope at work
here. In his encyclical letter on hope, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI writes,
“There are already present in us the things that are hoped for: the whole, true
life. And precisely because the thing itself is already present, this presence
of what is to come also creates certainty” (paragraph 7). In other words,
through Christian hope we already possess the very thing we long for. The Lord
is already in our boat; the boat is already on its way to the shore.
Conversing with Christ: Jesus,
you know me better than I know myself. You know my fears; you know the storms I
find myself in right now. And you also know that I want to hope in you, to
entrust my life to you. Sometimes the enemy’s voice feels louder than your own,
and the waves crash. And I forget. Increase my hope, increase my trust. You are
with me in the boat, Risen Jesus. You have already suffered all I am carrying,
and you have triumphed. I pray for those who do not know you, Jesus, who do not
know the hope and meaning you have come to bring to our lives. Strengthen my
hope, as you did your apostles, so that I too may be your instrument in the
world.
Saturday
of 2nd Week of Easter
Opening Prayer: Lord come to me as I begin this time of prayer. Calm my
stormy mind so that I can recognize your presence in these words.
Encountering Christ:
In Context?: After feeding the five hundred, the Gospel of Matthew tells us Jesus
“made his disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side” (Matthew
14:22). Jesus wanted to be alone to pray. Although John left this detail out,
it makes sense that the disciples would have gotten into the boat only if Jesus
insisted, telling them he intended to pray. They had seen this behavior before.
Jesus often got up early, or stayed up late, to share some quiet time with his
Father. What a witness Jesus was to them and to us. No matter how busy our
ministry, no matter how needy the crowds, no matter what our collaborators say,
we must make time for prayer. “Let the men eaten up with activity and who
imagine they are able to shake the world with their preaching and other outward
works, stop and reflect a moment... they would be much more useful to the
Church and more pleasing to the Lord, not to mention the good example they
would give to those around them, if they devoted more time to prayer and to the
exercises of the interior life” (Dom Jean-Baptiste Chautard, The Soul of the
Apostolate).
It Was Dark: Jesus prayed well into the night, leaving the Apostles in the dark, in
a boat tossed about by waves. Of course, he knew their plight. Why did he wait
until the fourth watch of the night (Mark 6:48) to make his presence known?
When Jesus postponed his visit to Mary and Martha, it was to raise Lazarus from
the dead—to work a miracle so resplendent that doubting souls might finally
believe (John 11). When the woman with the hemorrhage touched his cloak, Jesus
told her, “Courage daughter, your faith has saved you” (Matthew 9:22). The
disciples in today’s Gospel “had not understood the incident of the loaves. On
the contrary, their hearts were hardened” (Mark 6:52). Their faith needed a
booster shot. Jesus was making it perfectly clear that he is master of the
seas, and through his dramatically bringing them to safety their faith in him
would be strengthened. In our own darkness, we can be assured that Jesus knows
our plight, that his timing is perfect, and that he seeks only our good. No one
relishes the darkness, but “this momentary light affliction is producing for us
an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is
seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen
is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).
No Fear: The
Bible contains more than 140 admonitions to fear not, forty of them in the New Testament.
Jesus’s disciples were afraid. Jesus knows our hearts are also anxious, that
storms crop up to disturb our peace, that we struggle with strong emotions like
anger, jealousy, and loneliness. In this instance, he approached the boat with
the words, “It is I. Do not be afraid,” and so “They wanted to take him into
the boat.” We too want to cling to Jesus in the storm and lay our problems at
his feet. When we do, Jesus calms our anxious hearts, reminding us that he is
enough. Our peace is restored.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, you speak to me about faith in these lines of
Scripture. I see that my faith is weak. I beg you to strengthen me. Many of the
ordinary daily stressors I experience are opportunities to grow in faith. I
know that I can do all that you ask of me with peace and joy, if I only have
faith in you.
Resolution: Lord,
today by your grace I will say, “Jesus I trust in you,” every time I feel the
least bit stressed.
Suy NiệmTin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ
Hai Phục Sinh
Chúng ta thường có tất cả những kinh
nghiệm bất ổn trong cuộc sống của mỗi người, mỗi gia đình của chúng ta và ở
những mức độ khác nhau. Có những cuộc sống của chúng ta như đang bị những đám
mây đen dường như đang lơ lửng trên đầu và đe doạ chúng ta không ngừng. Có
những lúc chúng ta như có thể đang bị bảo tố, mưa gió làm ngập lụt cuộc sống
của chúng với các vấn đề phức tạp trong cuộc sống… như đau bệnh, thất
nghiệp….hay những khó khăn trong việc đối xử vớ những vị thành niên, tuổi trẻ
trong gia đình của chúng ta hoặc thậm chí, khủng hoảng tài chính, hoặc những
xích mích bất đồng ý kiến trong đời sống vợ chồng. Và mỗi ;lần như thế chúng ta
như đang cảm nhận được "cơn sóng lớn trên biển với những cơn bão thổi
mạnh." Đôi khi chúng ta thầm hỏi, "Thiên Chúa ở đâu? mà Chúa để chúng
ta phải chịu đựng những điều này?"
Chúng ta có bao giờ nghĩ rằng: những gì chúng ta đang trải qua là một phần quá
trình của sự cắt tỉa của chúng ta? Có bao giờ chúng ta nghĩ rằng: có thể Thiên
Chúa đang dạy chúng ta bài học gì đó mà chúng ta cần phải học để trở thành một
người tốt, vững chãi hơn và trưởng thành hơn. Có lẽ Ngài cho chúng ta và những
người xung quanh chúng ta một cơ hội để nên thánh. Hoặc có thể đó là gốc rễ của
sự đau khổ mà chúng ta đã tạo ra cho chính mình và nhờ đó mà Thiên Chúa mời gọi
chúng ta đến được gần gũi với Ngài hơn, để Ngài có thế nâng cái gánh nặng
của chúng ta, và để Ngài sẽ đến gần con thuyền của chúng ta và đưa chúng ta vào
bờ.
Có lẽ những gì chúng ta muốn, những
gì chúng tôi đang theo đuổi không phải là những gì là tốt đẹp, hay hữu ích nhất
cho chúng ta, không phải là ý của Thiên Chúa muốn cho chúng ta, đó là lý do tại
sao chúng ta không thành công.
Thiên Chúa luôn luôn ở bên cạnh chúng ta để trấn an chúng ta, "Đừng
sợ." Chúng ta hãy để cho Ngài kiểm soát và hướng dẫn cuộc sống của chúng
ta. Chúng ta hãy để cho Ngài đi đầu dẫn chúng ta theo. Hãy để những lời cầu
nguyện của chúng ta được hài hòa với ý của Thiên Chúa bằng cách cầu nguyện cho
sự biết phân biệt và nhận định. Chúng ta hãy dành thời gian để lắng nghe Ngài,
để chúng ta sẽ có sự bình an trong tâm hồn để chúng ta có thể bất chấp những sự
bất ổn và những cơn bão xung quanh cuộc sống của chúng ta.
REFLECTION
We have all experienced turbulence
in our lives in different degrees, where dark clouds seem to be hovering
unceasingly above us. We may be deluged with problems at work, difficulties in
handling our teenage or even grown-up kids, financial woes, or communication
gap with our spouse. We feel the "roughness of the sea with a strong wind
blowing." Sometimes we ask, "Where is God in all this?"
Have we ever thought that what we
are going through is part of our pruning process? Maybe God is teaching us
something that we need to learn to be a better person. Maybe He is giving us
and those around us opportunities to be holy. Or maybe the root of our
suffering is our own doing and God is calling us to be closer to Him, to lift
up our burdens to Him so that He will come close to our boat and bring us to
shore. Maybe what we want, what we are pursuing is not what is best for us, not
God's will for us – which is why we are not succeeding.
God is always there to reassure us,
"Don't be afraid." Let us allow Him to take control of our lives. Let
us let Him take the lead. Let our prayers be harmonious with God's will by
praying for discernment. Let us take time to listen to Him so that we will have
peace in our hearts regardless of the turbulence and the storms around us.
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ sáu Tuần thứ 2
Phục Sinh
Trong mùa
Phục Sinh, những bài đọc cho chúng ta xem lại những việc mà của Chúa Giêsu đã
làm và tình yêu của Thiên Chúa đối với nhân loại. Hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu muốn mời
gọi chúng ta cùng chia sẻ sự thương tâm với Ngài "Ta mua ở đâu ra bánh để
cho họ ăn đây?"
Có lẽ
chúng ta cũng giống như thánh Philliphê đang ở trong cái sự suy nghĩ vật chất
của thế gian “Có mua đến hai trăm quan tiền bánh cũng chẳng đủ cho mỗi người
một chút”. Việc Chúa Giêsu đã làm phép lạ hoá bánh ra nhiều không phải là ý
định của Chúa Giêsu, những là mối quan tâm của Ngài đối với những nhu cầu cần
thiết tối thiếu của con người “Họ đã theo ta ba ngày rồi mà chẳng có gì để ăn”.
Ngài không để ý hay quan tâm đến việc mọi người muốn tôn vinh Ngài, Ngài chỉ ra
tay hành động để đáp ứng những nhu cầu cần thiết của con người bằng cả với tình
thương yêu chân tình, chứ không phải là làm để lấy uy tín cá nhân.
Chúng ta hãy suy nghĩ về cậu bé với năm chiếc bánh và hai con cá, có
bao giờ chúng ta dám từ bỏ tất cả những gì mà chúng ta đang có để chia sẽ với
những người khác?. 5 chiếc bánh và hai
con cá có thể giúp cậu ta và gia đình được no đủ trong mấy ngày trước khi về
tới nhà, thế mà cậu không ích kỷ, cậu sẵn sàng chia sẽ những chiếc bánh này với
mọi người cho dù chỉ chẳng là bao. Thế nhưng nhờ 5 chiếc bánh và hai con cá đó
mà Chúa Giêsu đã nuôi sống cả ngàn người.
Có lẽ có
những lúc, chúng ta cũng giống như đám người trong đám đông, chúng ta chạy theo
Chúa Giêsu vì chúng ta được nuôi ăn, và hy vọng sẽ có được một cuộc sống thảnh
thơi thoải mái, nhưng lại quên đi hay cố tình không để ý, hay quan tâm đến
những nhu cầu tâm linh mà Ngài đang dạy cho chúng ta? Chúng ta hãy tự hỏi chính mình là: “Tôi đã
yêu mến Thiên Chúa vì những gì Ngài có thể làm cho gia đình, cho chính bản thân
của chúng tôi? hay là chỉ biết tôi yêu
mến Thiên Chúa vì những sự tốt lành của Ngài đã đem đến cho người khác?
REFLECTION
In this Easter season, the readings revisit the total giving of our Lord Jesus
for humankind. This time, the invitation is presented to us "Where shall
we buy bread so that these people may eat?" Do we feel like Phillip, lost
in worldly thinking? Or can we look in the direction of Jesus and see what is
going to happen with a boy with five loaves and two fish, and five thousand
men, not counting the women and children? Probably, the first time we heard the
story we were impressed by the miracle. And probably if there is such a man
today, we also would have done what the crowd had intended: take him and make
him provide all that we want!
But
that was not the intention of Jesus when he multiplied the bread and fish. His
concern was the needs of the people. He was not concerned about how people made
of him when he acted in response to the people's needs. Now look at the boy.
Are we able to give up all that we have to Jesus so that he can meet the needs
of others?
Friday of the Second Week of Easter
“Gather the fragments left over, so
that nothing will be wasted.” So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker
baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they
could eat.” John
6:12–13
John’s Gospel is filled with much
symbolic meaning. The passage above concludes the story of the miracle of the
multiplication of the loaves and fishes. After feeding the multitude of people
with only five barley loaves and two fish, they were able to fill twelve wicker
baskets with what remained. What was the reason for the extra?
Saint Augustine, in commenting upon
this passage, explains that Jesus provided more than the people could eat as a
way of symbolically representing spiritual truths that were beyond what the
vast crowds could comprehend. Thus, Jesus’ teachings spiritually nourished the
crowds to the point that they were fully satisfied. But even though the general
crowds were satisfied with what Jesus taught them, there was still so much more
that He had to teach. These deeper spiritual truths are represented by the extra
twelve baskets.
The twelve baskets represent the
Twelve Disciples. They were the ones specially chosen by Jesus to receive so
much more. Recall the times when Jesus taught the crowds in parables and then,
later, would explain the meaning to the Twelve in private. He revealed to them
certain truths that most people could not understand and accept.
It is helpful to consider three
different groups of people in this miracle and apply those groupings to us
today. The first group of people are those who were not even present for the
miracle. Those who did not make the journey to be with Jesus in the wilderness.
This is the largest group of people within society who go about their daily
lives without even seeking minimal nourishment from our Lord.
The second grouping of people is
this “large crowd” who followed Jesus to the remote side of the Sea of Galilee
to be with Him. These represent those who diligently seek out our Lord every
day. These are those who are faithful to the celebration of the Mass, the
reading of Scripture, to daily prayer and study. To this grouping of people,
our Lord teaches many things, and they are nourished by His holy Word and
Sacraments.
The third grouping of people, the
Twelve Disciples who are represented by the Twelve wicker baskets left over,
are those who are exceptionally faithful to our Lord and continue to be
nourished by Him in a superabundant way. These are those who seek to understand
and embrace the deepest spiritual truths so as to be nourished and transformed
on the deepest level.
Reflect, today, upon the fact that
the spiritual food our Lord wishes to offer you is most often far more than you
can immediately accept and consume. But understanding that fact is the first
step to disposing yourself to receive even more. As you reflect upon this
superabundance of spiritual food from our Lord, recommit yourself especially to
seek out that remaining “twelve wicker baskets” of spiritual truths. If you do,
you will discover that there is truly no end to the transforming depths of the
gifts of grace our Lord wishes to bestow upon you.
My most generous Lord, You not only
give spiritual nourishment to Your people, You give it in superabundance. As I
daily seek You out and am filled with Your mercy, help me to never tire of
feasting upon the superabundant gift of Your grace. Please do nourish me, dear
Lord, and help me to consume Your holy Word. Jesus, I trust in You.
Friday
of 2nd Week of Easter 2025
Opening
Prayer: Lord
God, you have provided me with much more than earthly bread. You have given me
heavenly bread and the gift of eternal life. I thank you today for the wondrous
gifts of your Sacraments and will strive to bring others to share in them.
Encountering
the Word of God
1.
Feast of Passover: In
the context of the second Passover of Jesus’ public ministry, Jesus works his
fourth sign and multiplies the five loaves of bread and two fish for the five
thousand. “The sign takes place in the context of the Passover and anticipates,
in its very language (John 6:11, 23), the last Passover that Jesus will
celebrate with his disciples” (Hahn, “Temple, Sign, and Sacrament,” 124). The
yearly celebration of Passover recalls and makes present the great act of
salvation the Lord did through the leadership of Moses. After the Passover in
Egypt, Moses led the people into the wilderness and to the mountain of God.
Like Moses, Jesus has led the people into the wilderness and up the mountain.
Jesus will bring about the fulfillment of the Passover and establish the New
Passover. Moses led the people from the slavery of Egypt to the border of the
Promised Land. Jesus, through his great act of salvation, leads us from the
slavery of sin to the freedom of the children of God.
2.
New Manna: As
we journey toward the heavenly promised land, we are led through the wilderness
of earthly life by the New Moses, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. And just
as the people of Israel needed bread for their earthly journey, we also need
bread for our journey. The miracle and sign of the multiplication of the loaves
of bread looks back to the feeding of Israel in the desert with manna. The
manna descended each morning and was enough to feed the people for a day. When
we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we ask: “Give us this day, our daily bread.” We ask
God not only to sustain us and meet our physical needs, but we also ask for the
supernatural bread of life. As Jesus will teach in the synagogue at Capernaum:
“Whoever eats this bread will live forever” (John 6:51).
3.
This is the Prophet: When the disciples gathered the fragments left over,
they gathered enough to fill twelve wicker baskets. And when the people saw
this sign, they proclaimed: “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come
into the world” (John 6:14). Like the feast of Passover and the manna, this
also has to do with the connection between Moses and Jesus. When he gave his
last will and testament to Israel on the plains of Moab, Moses promised that
the Lord would send a prophet like himself: “A prophet like me will the LORD,
your God, raise up for you from among your own kindred; that is the one to whom
you shall listen” (see Deuteronomy 18:15). The people had waited centuries for
the ultimate fulfillment of that prophecy of Moses. And so, when Jesus works
the sign and multiplies the bread for the people in a deserted place, they
begin to think that Jesus is the prophet-like-Moses sent by the Lord. The
question is: “Will they listen to the words of Jesus?” The Lord said to Moses:
“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kindred, and will
put my words into the mouth of the prophet; the prophet shall tell them all
that I command” (Deuteronomy 18:18). In a few days we will see how the crowds
react to the words of Jesus about the Eucharist.
Conversing
with Christ: Lord
Jesus, your heart is moved with pity and compassion for your people. You know
their deepest needs and my needs. You give yourself without reserve. Help me to
imitate your self-offering today and serve those around me.
Friday
of 2nd Week of Easter 2022
Opening Prayer: Heavenly
Father, I come to you in faith this day, wanting to hear what you are saying to
my heart. Transform my mind and heart to be more like yours.
Encountering Christ:
Miracles: John
set the stage for this miracle, noting, “The Jewish feast of the Passover was
near.” Immediately, we are invited to draw a correlation between this miracle
and the Passover, which Jesus would bring to fulfillment in his own flesh, and
which we continue to live with intensity during this Easter season. In this
sense, the miracle recounted in today’s passage is eminently Eucharistic.
Although we were not among the hungry crowd delighted by the abundance of fish
and bread, our experience may not be so different from theirs. At Mass, we
observe the miracle of an abundance of Eucharistic bread, broken and
distributed by Jesus in the personhood of his priest to the hungry crowd. “You
come to me and unite yourself intimately to me under the form of nourishment.
Your Blood now runs in mine, your soul, Incarnate God, compenetrates mine,
giving courage and support. What miracles! Who would have ever imagined
such!" (St. Maximilian Kolbe).
From Jesus’ Heart: What
must have been in Jesus’ heart, as he looked upon this crowd and knew that his
own Passover was drawing near? Perhaps we could read today’s passage in light
of the verses from John 3, which have been carrying us through this week.
Jesus, our light and love, looked out over the crowd. His heart was moved to
pity as he turned to his apostles, asking them to assist him, inviting them to
a deeper faith. He fed the crowds superabundantly. In return, he sought only to
be loved as the Son of God. This is Jesus who came not to condemn us but to
save us. He who gave us his own flesh to eat: what would he not do for our
salvation, for the life of the world?
Miracle: What
began as, “What good are these for so many?” became, “Gather the fragments left
over, so that nothing will be wasted.” This miracle came about because the
Apostles trusted in the Lord who asked for their few resources. When they
brought their meager offerings to be blessed by him (again, this passage
foretells of the Eucharist, which Jesus would also take, bless, break, and give
[Matthew 26:26]), those offerings became life-giving to others. Our Lord
delights to work with our poverty to bring about his Kingdom. Let us take
heart, trusting that he will never laugh at the littleness we can offer, but
wishes, rather, to bless it for the life of the world. “Be patient because the
weaknesses of the body are given to us in this world by God for the salvation
of the soul. So they are of great merit when they are borne patiently” (St.
Francis of Assisi).
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, you accepted the few resources your Apostles had
to offer you and made of that very poverty something great for the world. In
the Eucharist, too, you take what seems an ordinary piece of bread and make of
it your Body and Blood. If you can do this, then you can make something of my
own littleness. Here I am, Jesus; you know me better than I know myself. I want
to be a vehicle of your grace for others. Work a miracle of new life in me,
Risen Jesus.
Friday
of 2nd Week of Easter
Opening Prayer:
Lord, thank you for this opportunity to sit quietly with
your word. Please bless me and those I love as I pray and seek your holy will.
Encountering Christ:
Nobody’s Perfect: Did Philip fail Jesus's test by his response, “Two
hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have
a little”? What about Andrew? Andrew pointed out the young boy with the loaves
and fishes, but added hesitatingly, “...what good are these for so many?”
Neither apostle answered with the faith of Mary who said “Fiat” (Luke 1:38) and
“They have no more wine.” (John 2:3); or the nobleman who “took Jesus at his
word and departed” and his son was cured (John 4:50); or the man with leprosy
who said, “If you will it you can make me clean,” (Mark 1:40); or the two blind
men who believed Jesus could cure them (Matthew 9:28). Was Jesus put off by
Philip and Andrew’s timid responses? Apparently not, because he worked the
multiplication of loaves and fishes anyway, involving them in the distribution
and cleanup. We can draw consolation from this story when we fail to rise to a
spiritual challenge. Our Lord doesn’t demand perfection from us. As long as we
stay close to him, Jesus will continually draw us into the work of the kingdom,
in spite of our weaknesses.
Have Them Recline: Jesus ordered Philip, Andrew, and the rest of the
disciples to “Have the people recline” as he prepared to work the miracle. What
anticipation there must have been among the apostles and the crowd as Jesus had
the loaves and fishes brought before him! And what joy Jesus must have felt to
work a miracle that would prefigure the Holy Eucharist, feed thousands of
people, and edify so many more souls who would meditate on this Scripture years
later. Even more important to Jesus was the fulfillment of his Father’s will
and the glory he brought to his Father by this miracle. When we are out and
about doing the work of the kingdom, we can appreciate the miracles, large or
small, and we relish the consolations, but we must attribute all the glory to
God, in imitation of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.
No Waste: Jesus
ordered the disciples to “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will
be wasted.” He could certainly have made exactly what was required, so why were
there leftovers? When Jesus asked that the broken pieces be collected, was he
thinking of the Eucharist? Was he reminding us that the bread, broken and
distributed by priests at altars all over the world, should be consumed and
never wasted? Was he urging us not to “waste” the superabundant graces we
receive there? Let’s recommit ourselves to reverent reception of the Eucharist,
prayerfully anticipating our reception of the host and celebrating afterward in
silent prayer, so as not to “waste” a single grace from Jesus.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, you fed five thousand men on that hillside. How
many thousands have you fed since then with your Eucharist? Thank you for this
Scriptural prefiguration of the Eucharist. Help me to receive you more
reverently each time I attend Mass and worship you more ardently in Adoration.
Suy Niệm
Tin Mừng thứ Năm tuần thứ Hai Phục Sinh SG2016
Nếu chúng
ta thử nghĩ như trong quá khứ, cha ông của chúng ta là Các thánh Tử Đạo Việt
Nam nghe lời dụ dỗ của quan chức và triều đình chấp nhận bỏ đạo, không dậy cho
con cháu về Chúa mà nhận vinh quang với cuộc đời hoàn toàn hạnh phúc, thì chắc
rằng Đạo Công Giáo và lời Chúa không được phổ biến rộng rãi như hôm nay. Cũng
như các tông đồ nếu họ không thực trong lòng, can đảm để phổ biến những câu
chuyện về Chúa Giêsu phục sinh và Chúa đã phải chết như thế nào để chúng ta có
thể có sự tha thứ tội lỗi của chúng ta
và có được sự sống đời đời.
Các Thánh Tử Đạo
Việt Nam, các tông đồ không thể che dấu được những nỗi vui mừng vì biết được
Chân Lý, sự thật, họ không còn sợ hãi những mối đe dọa bắt nạt của những người
có quyền hành, cho dù phải chết. Các Thánh đã làm theo sự lựa chọn của họ: họ
vâng lời Thiên Chúa hơn là vâng lời con người. Họ đã không im lặng về những việc
làm trái với công lý, mà đã đứng lên bênh vực theo lẽ phải, trong tình yêu của Thiên Chúa. Đây không phải là những
gì bí mật, nhưng là sự chia sẻ với tất cả mọi người.
Nhiều điều trong số những giáo huấn
của Chúa Giêsu dường như xa lạ với những người nghe Chúa. Họ dường như cảm thấy
thế giới của họ đang đảo ngược; giá trị của Ngài thì rất khác xa những giá trị
của họ trong thực tại. Thánh Gioan cho chúng ta biết lý do tại sao: Chúa Giêsu
đến từ trên cao, trong khi con người đến ngay bên dưới thế này và hai thế giới
rất khác nhau. Chúng ta không thể xưng là tín đồ của Chúa Giêsu Kitô nếu như chúng ta vẫn cứ tiếp tục cuộc sống của chúng ta như
trước.
Mang DANH Chúa Giêsu có nghĩa là
phài học hỏi liên tục để trở thành một con người khác biệt với những người
khác. Chúng ta hãy nên suy niệm về Chúa Giêsu và thế giới mà ngài đại diện cho
chúng ta trong tư tưởng, lời nói, giá trị và hành động. Chúa Giêsu mời gọi
chúng ta là làm công dân của nước Trời, ngay cả khi chúng ta đang sống trên
trái đất. Và chúng ta có thể bắt đầu cuộc hành trình này bằng cách cho phép
Chúa làm việc trong và qua chúng ta. Lạy
Chúa, Xin Chúa biến đổi lòng trí và trái tim của chúng con.
Reflection
Thursday 2nd Week of
Easter
Perhaps
at some time in the past we had some absolutely joyful piece of news but were
forbidden to tell anyone. It probably felt as if it were burning within us and
that we would explode unless we shared it with someone. The apostles carried in
their hearts the story of the risen Jesus and how he had died so that we might
have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. How could anyone possibly keep this
a secret? The bullying threats of the authorities meant nothing to them. They
made their choice: they would obey God rather than human beings. We should not
be silent about justice, right and wrong, or the love of God. These should not
be secrets, but shared with all.
Many of the teachings of Jesus
seemed strange to the people who heard them. They seemed to turn their world
upside down — his values were very different from theirs. John tells us why:
Jesus came from above, while humans are from below — two very different worlds.
We cannot profess to be followers of Jesus but continue our lives as
before. Bearing the name of Jesus means
learning to be a very different sort of human being. We reflect Jesus and the
world he represents in our thoughts, words, values, and deeds. Jesus calls us
to be people of heaven even while we live on earth, and we begin this journey
by allowing him to work in and through us.
Lord, transform my mind and
heart.
Thursday of the Second Week of
Easter
The Father loves the Son and has given everything
over to him. John 3:35
It’s interesting to note that the words of today’s Gospel appear to be
from Saint John the Baptist, since they come within the context of his
testimony to Jesus. Some commentators, however, suggest that they are words
that were actually spoken by Jesus and that the Evangelist inserts them here as
a continuation of the testimony of the Baptist, attributing them to Saint John.
Regardless of who actually spoke these words, the line quoted above gives us
much to reflect upon, in that it gives us insight into the very meaning and
practice of true love.
What is love? Is it a feeling? An emotion? A drive or a desire for
something or someone? Of course, the secular understanding of love is much
different than a divine understanding of love. Oftentimes the secular view of
love is more self-centered. To “love” someone or something is to want to
possess that person or object. “Love” from a secular view focuses upon the
attraction and desire. But true love, from a divine perspective, is very
different.
The line quoted above tells us two things: First, we are told that “The
Father loves the Son…” But then we are given a definition of that love. We are
told that love in this case results in the Father giving “everything over” to
the Son. When we consider the word “everything” in this passage, it is clear
that this can only refer to the Father giving Himself to the Son in totality.
Within the life of the Father, everything means His very essence, His being,
His personhood, His whole divine self. The Father does not say, “I want;”
rather, the Father says, “I give.” And the Son receives all that the Father is.
Though this is deep and mystical language, it becomes very practical
for our lives when we understand that divine love is not about wanting, taking,
desiring, feeling, etc. Divine love is about giving. It’s about the giving of
oneself to another. And it’s not just about giving some of yourself away, it’s
about giving “everything” away.
If the Father gave everything to the Son, does that
mean that the Father has nothing left? Certainly not. The beautiful nature of
divine love is that it is never ending. The more one gives themself away, the
more they have. Thus, the gift of the life of the Father to the Son is infinite
and eternal. The Father never ceases to give, and the Son never ceases to
receive. And the more the Father gives Himself to the Son, the more the Father
becomes the essence of love itself.
The same is true in our lives. It’s easy to fall into the trap of
thinking that love should only go so far. But if we are to strive to imitate
and participate in the love the Father has for the Son, then we must also
understand that love is about giving, not receiving, and that the giving must
be a gift of everything, holding nothing back. We must give ourselves away to
others without counting the cost and without exception.
Reflect, today, upon your view of love. Look at it from a practical
perspective as you think about the people whom you are especially called to
love with a divine love. Do you understand your duty to give yourself to them
completely? Do you realize that giving yourself away will not result in the
loss of your life but in the fulfillment of it? Ponder the divine love that the
Father has for the Son and make the radical and holy choice today to strive to
imitate and participate in that same love.
My loving
Lord, the Father has given all to You, and You, in turn, have given all to the
Father. The love You share is infinite and eternal, overflowing into the lives
of all Your creatures. Draw me into that divine love, dear Lord, and help me to
imitate and share in Your love by fully giving my life to others. Jesus, I
trust in You.
Thursday
of 2nd Week of Easter 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, as I meditate on the life of your Son, I see how he was
mistreated and misunderstood. He was innocent, yet put to death. This is the
paradox of the Christian life: by dying to myself, I will gain eternal life.
Help me to live that truth and conform my life to that of your Son.
Encountering
the Word of God
1. The
One who Comes from Above: It is not clear in the Gospel if the
words spoken are those of John the Baptist or those of John the Evangelist.
Either way, Jesus is referred to as “the one who comes from above.” This
recalls the conversation with Nicodemus about being born from above and about
the Son of Man descending from heaven (see John 3:3, 7, 13). As the Son of God,
Jesus is above all created things. He was the Word through whom all things were
made and given life (see John 1:1-4). Jesus has revealed God the Father to us and
sent us God the Spirit to guide us toward our heavenly home. Jesus has
testified to what he has seen and heard at the Father’s side. “He came to what
was his own, but his own people did not accept him” (see John 1:11). Many
members of the people of God rejected Jesus, his works, his signs, his
authority, and his testimony. “But to those who did accept him he gave power to
become children of God, to those who believe in his name” (John 1:12). By
accepting the testimony of Jesus, we know that we can trust our heavenly Father
to care for us (see Matthew 6:25-34).
2.
Abundant Gift of the Spirit: John’s testimony here
mentions that Jesus does not ration the Spirit. Jesus is not a stingy giver.
Many of the signs in John’s Gospel speak about Jesus’ abundance. When he turned
the water into wine, he made 120-180 gallons (around 900 bottles of wine!).
When he multiplied the bread, he multiplied 5 barley loaves to feed 5,000 and
ended with 12 wicker baskets of bread left over! When the disciples anointed
Jesus’ body with a mixture of myrrh and aloes, they poured out 75 lbs. worth!
When the disciples return to fishing after the Resurrection, Jesus enables them
to catch 153 fish! And so, when Jesus pours out his Spirit, the Bond of Love
between him and the Father, he does so abundantly: “the love of God has been
poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us”
(Romans 5:5). As Paul teaches us: “Consider this: whoever sows sparingly will
also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God
loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for
you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an
abundance for every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).
3. The
Wrath of God: At the end of our Gospel passage, John mentions the wrath of God.
This does not mean that God is subject to the whims of passion, happy one day,
sad another, and angry another. God is perfectly and infinitely happy and
blessed in himself. The wrath of God is a way of referring to God’s just
punishment of sin. “By refusing the Son, one turns down God’s invitation to
eternal life, thus choosing to remain in spiritual darkness under the
condemnation of sin. Hence, the wrath of God, the punishment due to sin, remains
upon him (see 1 Thess 1:10; 5:9)” (Martin and Wright, The Gospel of
John, 79).
Conversing
with Christ: Lord Jesus, you brought the Old Covenant to fulfillment in the New
through your obedient suffering out of love. You have the power to transform me
and conform my life to yours. Teach me to be an obedient child who heeds the
Word of God.
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Năm tuần thứ
Hai Phục Sinh
Lạy Chúa Giêsu Thánh Thể chúng con tin
rằng Chúa mong mỏi giờ Chầu Chúa và cầu nguyện của chúng con với Chúa chiều nay còn nhiều hơn cả
chúng con. Xin Chúa hãy mở lòng chúng con để đón nhận những lời Chúa dạy cho chúng con qua Tin mừng,
chúng con muốn nghe những gì Chúa muốn nói với chúng con chiều nay. Chúng con
tin cậy nơi Chúa và chúng con yêu mến Chúa.
Lạy Chúa Giêsu Phục Sinh, hôm nay chúng con xin Chúa hãy làm cho trái tim của chúng con được trở nên giống như trái tim của
Chúa hơn một chút.
Thưa quy ÔBACE,
Trong
bài đọc Thứ Nhất hôm nay, các
tông đồ đã nói với Tòa Công luận là họ phải rao giảng Tin Mừng Chúa Giêsu Kitô
vì Ngài là Đấng Cứu Thế bởi vì Chúa Thánh Thần đã bảo họ làm như vậy. Các thành
viên của Tòa Công luận rất búc xúc và tức giận đến mức họ đe doạ muốn giết các
Tông Đồ và cấm các Tông Đồ nêu tên Chúa Giêsu và rao Giảng về Chúa Giêsu Kittô.
Nhưng
các Tông Đồ không hề sợ hải một mực tuyên bố là "sự vâng lời Thiên Chúa là
tối thượng, đến trước sự vâng phục con người". Các tông đồ đã chứng kiến được những điều kỳ diệu khi Chúa Giêsu ở với
họ. Họ đã được nghe những bài giảng
về thiên đường như Bài giảng trên núi, những lời tiên tri nói về Nước Trời
trong Bữa Tiệc Ly, v.v. Họ đã nhận ra được Chúa Giêsu là Con Thiên Chúa đã phải chết như thế nào. Rồi họ cũng đã thấy Chúa Giêsu Kitô Phục sinh
thế nào 40 ngày sau khi Chúa Phục Sinh. Vì vậy,
họ biết rằng lời rao giảng của họ rất quan trọng đến nỗi họ dã đám can đảm và liều mình tuyên xưng chính Chúa Giêsu là Chúa và Đấng Cứu Thế của nhân loại. Với Ơn Chúa Thánh Thần, họ đi khắp mọi nơi làm chứng và loan truyền những gì họ đã nghe và đã
thấy Chúa Giêsu thực hiện. Chúng
ta hãy tự hỏi là chúng ta có cảm thấy bị bắt buộc phải rao giảng Tin Mừng của
Chúa Giêsu cho người khác không?
Nếu nhìn vào những diễn biến của trần thế: Chúng ta nhận thấy có nhiều xung đột chia
rẽ trong các đảng phái chính trị, trong
guồng may chính phủ liên bang và tiểu ban tại Hoa Kỳ, nhưsự bất hòa về biện pháp
khắc phục hay ngăn ngừa dịch COVID-19,
và sự cô lập con người trong xã hội trong năm qua: theo cuộc thăm dò hàng năm của Gallup, Những sự cố đã xảy ra trong nước Mỹ đã dẫn đến một cuộc khủng hoảng chưa từng có đối với
sức khỏe tâm thần của người Mỹ.
Chúng ta hãy thử tưởng tượng những sự khác biệt chúng ta đã thấy trong những hoàn
cảnh của chúng ta đã sống trong một quốc gia mà con người bị ép buộc và mất tự
do, và chúng ta có dám chấp nhận và sống theo lời chứng của “Đấng đã đến
từ Trời” là sống một cuộc sống viễn mãn trong sự sống vĩnh cửu, và hãy nhớ
rằng chúng ta chỉ là những người tạm cư đang sống trên một quê hương khác, sẽ làm giảm bớt phần lớn nỗi buồn mà
chúng ta trải qua khi sống trên thế gian này.
Chúng ta hãy ngước mắt nhìn “Đấng đến từ trên
cao” trong mỗi khi chúng ta dâng lời
cầu nguyện mỗi ngày sẽ giúp chúng ta duy trì
một viễn cảnh cuộc sống vĩnh cửu, bất kể
“mọi thứ trên trái đất” có trở nên hỗn
loạn như thế nào. Chúa Giêsu nói với chúng ta rằng ngài
nói lời của Thiên Chúa Cha trên Trời và không miễn phần ơn sủng Chúa Thánh Thần mà ngài nhận được từ Thiên Chúa Cha là Cha của ngài. Vì vậy, chúng ta có thể tin tưởng khi chúng ta cầu nguyện và đọc Kinh
Thánh vì có sự hiện diện của Chúa Thánh Thần, Chúa Thánh Thần sẽ ban
cho chúng ta những ân sủng mà
chúng ta cần có trong ngày.
Ngay cả những khi
lời cầu nguyện của chúng ta cảm thấy khô khan và vô nghĩa, hoặc chúng ta bị
phân tâm trong suốt thời gian cầu nguyện, chúng ta nên biết
rằng, vì Chúa Giêsu không phân chia các ân sủng của Chúa Thánh
Thần, nên chúng ta có thể trông cậy vào sự hiện diện đầy ân sủng của Ngài để
“thắp lên trong chúng ta ngọn lửa tình yêu của Chúa Thánh Thần.
Cơn thịnh nộ của Thiên Chúa
không phải là một đặc điểm trong tính cách của
Ngài. Chúa là tình yêu thuần khiết, không thay đổi. Đúng hơn, cơn thịnh nộ của
Chúa chỉ là một phần bổ sung sự công lý hoàn hảo của
Ngài. Chúng ta có thể hiểu rõ hơn
về cơn thịnh nộ của Thiên Chúa có ẩn
ý này theo như cha Michalenko đã viết trong sách những cột lửi trong tâm hồn tôi
như sau:
“Thiên Chúa hoàn toàn ghét bỏ và chống lại mọi điều gian ác,
và Ngài sai những tia chớp sấm sét của
Ngài chống lại những sự gian ác của ma quỷ,
tuy nhiên chúng ta lại đeo bám tội lỗi của mình như đeo bám vào cột thu lôi của sự dữ, và rồi chúng ta lại phàn nàn rằng Chúa là
Thần thịnh nộ! (Father Seraphim Michalenko, Seraphim, Pillars of Fire in My
Soul: The Spirituality of St. Faustina, MIC, Marian Press, 2003).
Cơn thịnh nộ cuối cùng của Thiên
Chúa chính là cái hậu
quả của sự bất tuân mà chúng ta đã phạm, hình phạt vĩnh viễn không hồi kết dành cho những người bị phạt trong hỏa ngục.
May mắn thay, Thánh nữ
Faustina đã cho chúng ta biết rằng
chúng ta đang ở trong một thời kỳ của lòng Chúa thương
xót vô song. “Mọi ân sủng phát nguồn từ lòng thương
xót, và giờ lâm tử là giờ chứa chan ơn thương xót cho chúng ta. Đừng một ai
nghi ngờ về lòng nhân lành của Thiên Chúa; tội lỗi chúng ta dù có đen đúa như
bóng đêm thì lòng thương xót Chúa vẫn còn mãnh liệt hơn những nỗi khốn nạn của chúng ta. Chỉ cần một điều: đó là tội nhân phải mở cửa
lòng, dù hé một chút cũng được, để đón nhận một tia ân sủng của lòng thương xót
Chúa, và khi ấy, Thiên Chúa sẽ làm tất cả những gì còn lại. Nhưng đáng thương
thay cho linh hồn nào đóng chặt cửa trước lòng thương xót của Chúa, thậm chí cả
trong giờ lâm tử. Chính những linh hồn ấy đã dìm Chúa Giêsu vào nỗi bi thương
tử nạn trong vườn Cây Dầu; thực vậy, lòng thương xót Thiên Chúa đã trào tuôn từ
chính Trái Tim rất lân tuất Chúa Giêsu. (Nhật ký 1507).
Khi các
Tông Đồ đã đầy dẫy ơn Chúa Thánh Thần tâm hồn họ sẽ bừng cháy lên với tình yêu
của Thiên Chúa và nói về sự cứu rỗi và tha thứ qua Chúa Giêsu. Chúa Jêsus đã
đến thế gian, Ngài sống, chịu đau khổ, chết và sống lại vì sự cứu rỗi của chúng
ta. Chúng ta được mời gọi để được cứu rỗi và sau đó là đem người khác đến với
tình yêu của Thiên Chúa. Điều quan trọng nhất là chúng ta phải làm trong cuộc
sống là giúp những linh hồn thoát khỏi hỏa ngục và
sự nguyền rủa tối đen của ma quỷ và đưa họ về quê thật trên trời
Lạy Chúa, Chúa đã nhắc
nhở chúng con qua Kinh Thánh là Chúa đáng tin cậy, yêu
thương, công bình và nhân hậu. Chúng con cầu xin Chúa cho chúng con và những người chúng con vô cùng yêu mến được trở
nên những người thụ hưởng được lòng
thương xót tuyệt vời của Chúa! Chúng con kêu nài ơn Chúa hứa như lời hứa mà Chúa đã hứa với thánh nữ Faustina: “Lời cầu nguyện làm thỏa lòng Cha nhất là
lời cầu cho các tội nhân ăn năn hối cải. Ái nữ của Cha ơi, con hãy biết rằng
lời cầu ấy luôn được Cha đoái nghe và chấp nhận.”(Nhật ký 1397). Lạy
Chúa, hôm nay nhờ ân điển của Chúa, chúng con
sẽ cố gắng hy sinh làm việc đền tội cho chính bản thân và những
linh hồn mà con biết đang cần đến lòng thương xót của Chúa. Amen
Reflection
Thursday 2nd Week of Easte
Opening Prayer: Lord,
thank you for these several days of reflection on the themes you revealed first
to Nicodemus. May I draw grace and inspiration from my time of prayer today.
Encountering Christ:
Earthly Things: Divisive politics, discord over COVID-19
remedies, Zoom meeting overload, and social isolation: These earthly things
have led to an unprecedented crisis in Americans’ mental health, according to an annual Gallup poll. Imagine how differently we would look upon our
circumstances if, as a country, we accepted and lived by the testimony of “the
one who comes from heaven.” Living life with an eternal perspective,
remembering that we are merely sojourners meant for a different homeland, would
alleviate much of the sadness we experience when we dwell on earthly things.
Lifting our eyes to “the one who comes from above” each day in prayer helps us
maintain an eternal perspective, no matter how chaotic “earthly things''
become.
No Rationing: Jesus tells us that he speaks the word of God and does
not ration the gift of the Spirit he receives from his Father. Therefore, we
can be confident when we pray with the Scriptures that the Spirit is present,
giving us the grace we need for the day. Even if our prayer feels dry and
sterile, or we’re distracted the whole time, we know that, since Jesus does not
ration the gifts of the Spirit, we can count on his grace-filled presence to
“enkindle in us the fire of his love” (Come Holy Spirit prayer).
Disobedience Equals Death: Our Lord’s wrath is not a personality trait of his. He is
unchanging, pure love. Rather, his wrath is an extension of his perfect
justice. God’s wrath may be better understood with this metaphor: “God is
totally opposed to all evil, and sends his lightning bolts to oppose it (so to
speak), yet we cling by our sins to the lightning rod of evil, and then
complain that he is a God of wrath!” (Father Seraphim Michalenko, Seraphim,
Pillars of Fire in My Soul: The Spirituality of St. Faustina, MIC, Marian
Press, 2003). God’s ultimate wrath is the consequence of our
disobedience—unending eternal punishment for sinners in hell. Fortunately,
Sister Faustina tells us that we are in a period of unparalleled mercy. “All
grace flows from mercy, and the last hour abounds with mercy for us. Let no one
doubt concerning the goodness of God; even if a person’s sins were as dark as
night, God’s mercy is stronger than our misery. One thing alone is necessary;
that the sinner set ajar the door of his heart, be it ever so little, to let in
a ray of God’s merciful grace, and then God will do the rest” (Diary 1507).
Conversing with Christ: Lord, you remind us in the Scriptures that you are
trustworthy, loving, just, and merciful. May I and those I so dearly love be
the beneficiaries of your awesome mercy! I claim the promise you made to Sister
Faustina: “The prayer most pleasing to me is prayer for the conversion of
sinners. Know, my daughter, that this prayer is always heard and answered”
(Diary 1397).
Resolution: Lord,
today by your grace I will make a sacrifice (or two) for myself and the souls I
know who are in need of your mercy.
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Năm tuần thứ
Hai Phục Sinh
Những
người quyền thế ở thế gian thường dùng sự sợ đe doạ người khác để bảo vệ quyền
lực của họ và kiểm soát người khác. Các cơ quan chức năng người Do Thái đã đe
dọa thánh Phêrô và các tông đồ với những hình phạt tàn khốc nếu như họ vẫn tiếp
tục làm chứng cho Chúa Giêsu kitô Phục Sinh. Nhưng Thánh Phêrô vẫn can trường
đứng lên tiếp tục làm chứng cho Chúa Kitô , và các tông đồ đã không còn sợ hãi
những đe của những người Do Thái; Chúa Thánh Thần đã nâng đỡ và che chở họ!
Phản ứng của họ là thà chết mà vâng lời Thiên Chúa còn hơn nghe con người, đấy
chính là lời khuyên mà chúng ta nên theo ngày hôm nay.
Một trong những lý do mà chúng ta thấy rằng rất khó khăn cho chúng ta để hiểu
được những điều trên trời và chúng ta không biết Thiên Chúa một cách thân tình,
cá nhân như chúng ta phải biết. Thánh Gioan miêu tả Chúa Giêsu như là một
trong những người đã đến từ bên trên để dạy chúng ta cách mà Thiên Chúa đối xử
với con người chúng ta và dạy cho chúng ta về một Thiên Chúa luôn yêu thương,
mà chúng ta đã không bao giờ thực sự được biết đến. Không chỉ vậy, Chúa Giêsu
còn ban sự sống đời đời cho những ai sẵn sàng tin vào Ngài; Thật vậy, chúng ta
hãy mặc lấy tâm tình với Chúa trong tâm hồn, và Ngài sẽ ban Thánh Thần của Ngài
xuống cho chúng ta một cách "không giới hạn" Thật là một lời
hứa mà tất cả chúng ta chỉ cần thực sự tin tưởng và đến cầu xin nơi Ngài. Chúa
Giêsu đã hứa với chúng ta rất nhiều, và nhiều hơn những gì mà chúng ta có thể
tưởng tượng, nhưng long tin của chúng ta còn qua yếu kém!
Trong mùa Phục Sinh này, chúng ta hãy giữ lời hứa của Chúa Giêsu trong tâm hồn
và trái tim của chúng ta và xin Chúa hướng dẫn, dạy bảo cho chúng ta biết thêm
và hiểu được những điều trên Trời mà Ngài đã mang đến cho chúng ta. Nhưng trên
hết, chúng ta hãy xin Chúa ban cho chúng ta một phần rất lớn Thánh Thần mà Chúa
đã hứa ban cho chúng ta.
Reflection:
Those in worldly authority often use
fear to protect their power and to control others. The authorities threatened
Peter and the apostles with dire punishments if they continued their witness to
the Risen Jesus. But they had lost their fear — the Spirit had taken care of
that! Their response was that it was far better to obey God than humans —
advice we should follow today.
One
of the reasons we find that so difficult is that we do not understand heavenly
things and we do not know God as personally as we ought. John portrays Jesus as
the one who has come from above to teach us the ways of God and to reveal to us
a God we have never really known. Not only that, Jesus gives eternal life to
those who are willing to believe in him — that is, put on his mind and heart —
and he gives the Spirit ‘without measure.’ This is quite a promise — one that
we really need to believe and to ask for. Jesus has promised us so much — more
than we can imagine — and we have settled for so little!
In
this Easter season, let us take the promises of Jesus to heart and ask to be
taught the heavenly things that he has brought for us. But above all, let us
ask for a huge portion of that Spirit that the Lord offers.
Thursday
of 2nd Week of Easter
Opening Prayer: Heavenly
Father, I believe that you desire this time of prayer with me even more than I
do. Open my heart to your words: I wish to hear what you have to say to me
today. I trust in you and I love you, Lord. Risen Jesus, today make my heart
just a little more like yours.
Encountering Christ:
God Made Man: “The
one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly
and speaks of earthly things.” (John 3:31) How can we reconcile these words of
John’s Gospel with the fact of the Incarnation? Truly, Jesus Christ is the one
who has come from above and is above all. And yet he is also the Lord who took
on human flesh—like us, in all things but sin (Hebrews 4:15). The Lord’s
reference to “earthly things” in this passage are the things that are opposed
to the life of the Spirit—the life the God-man came to give. Our Lord illumines
the earthliness around us—not because he shunned it, but because he sanctified
it. “Christ's whole life is a mystery of redemption. Redemption comes to us
above all through the blood of his cross, but this mystery is at work
throughout Christ's entire life: already in his Incarnation through which by
becoming poor he enriches us with his poverty; in his hidden life which by his
submission atones for our disobedience; in his word which purifies its hearers;
in his healings and exorcisms by which ‘he took our infirmities and bore our
diseases’; and in his Resurrection by which he justifies us” (CCC 517).
The Spirit’s Gifts: “The
one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the
Spirit.” Let us also read this truth in light of the Incarnation. Jesus, the
Son of God, who truly took on our human nature, speaks the words of God to us,
but he knows we need his help to understand and internalize them. He,
therefore, showers us with gifts of the Spirit so that we can receive all he
wants to give. What gifts are those? Wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude,
knowledge, piety, and fear of God. “The Gifts are more than a remedy, and they
strengthen and confirm us in following the good inspirations and guidance of
the Holy Spirit. The Gifts bring us to hear and obey God readily, and they make
doing his will our supreme delight” (The Gifts of the Holy Spirit, by Fr. Peter
John Cameron, O.P.).
Belief in the Son: John’s
Gospel reminds us that faith is the pathway to eternal life with God, a life he
intensely desires to give us. We begin our journey at Baptism, which is called
the doorway sacrament (CCC 1213). The graces we
receive through Baptism are kernels that must mature over time as we cooperate
with God’s grace. We can lose our faith, as this passage says, by disobeying
the Son. But because God is so good, we have the sacrament of Reconciliation to
restore us to the right path. God has given us every resource we need to grow
in faith—the sacraments, his word, a faith community, and so much more. May we
journey unwaveringly toward him on the narrow path with hearts full of
gratitude for the graces he gives us along the way.
Conversing with Christ: Jesus,
you came to reveal the face of your Father in your own, and to bring us to
share in your life through the Holy Spirit. I believe that you dwell in my soul
through Baptism; increase my faith in you. Help me to see how you are inviting
me to make this faith real in my life.
Resolution: Lord,
today by your grace when I encounter a moment of difficulty, I will try to
pause and make an act of faith, remembering that you are with me and wish to
help me.
Suy
Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm tuần thứ Hai Mùa Phục sinh.
Trong bài đọc Thứ Nhất,
các tông đồ đã nói với Tòa Công luận là họ phải rao giảng Tin Mừng Chúa Giêsu
Kitô vì Ngài là Đấng Cứu Thế bởi vì Chúa Thánh Thần đã bảo họ làm như vậy. Các
thành viên của Tòa Công luận rất búc xúc và tức giận đến mức họ đe doạ muốn
giết các Tông Đồ và cấm họ nêu tên Chúa Giêsu và rao Giảng về Chúa Giêsu Kittô,
Nhưng các Tông Đồ không hề sợ hải một mực tuyên bố là "sự vâng lời Thiên
Chúa là tối thượng, đến trước sự vâng phục con người".
Khi
các Tông Đồ đã đầy dẫy ơn Chúa Thánh Linh, tâm hồn họ sẽ bừng cháy lên với tình
yêu của Thiên Chúa và nói về sự cứu rỗi và tha thứ tội lỗi qua Chúa Giêsu. Chúa
Jêsus đã đến thế gian, Ngài sống, chịu đau khổ, chết và sống lại vì sự cứu rỗi
của chúng ta. Chúng ta được mời gọi để được cứu rỗi và sau đó là đem người khác
đến với tình yêu của Thiên Chúa. Điều quan trọng nhất là phải làm trong cuộc
sống của chúng ta là giúp những linh hồn thoát khỏi địa ngục và sự nguyền rủa tối
đen của ma quỷ và đưa họ về quê thật trên trời
Các
tông đồ biết rõ điều này vì họ đã chứng kiến được những điều kỳ diệu khi Chúa
Giêsu ở với họ. Họ đã nghe những bài giảng về thiên đường như Bài giảng trên
núi, những lời tiên tri nói về Nước Trời trong Bữa Tiệc Ly, vân vân. Họ đã thấy
được Chúa Giêsu là Con Thiên Chúa đã phải chết như thế nào. Rồi họ cũng đã thấy
Đức Kitô Phục sinh thế nào trong 40 ngày sau khi Chúa Phục Sinh. Vì vậy,
họ biết rằng lời rao giảng của họ rất quan trọng đến nỗi họ đã can đam liều
mình để tuyên bố là chính Chúa Giêsu là Chúa và Đấng Cứu Thế của thế giới, và
cho mọi người trên mặt đất này. Với Ơn Chúa Thánh Linh, họ đi khắp nơi chứng
kiến những gì họ đã thấy và đã nghe nói về Chúa Giêsu. Chúng ta hãy tự hỏi
chúng ta có cảm thấy bị bắt buộc phải rao giảng Tin Mừng của Chúa Giêsu với
người khác?
Reflection
2014:
In the first reading, the apostles told the Sanhedrin that they had to
preach Jesus as the Messiah because the Holy Spirit was telling them to do so.
The members of the Sanhedrin were so angry that they wanted to kill them. But
"obedience to God comes before obedience to men," the apostles
said.
A person filled with the Holy Spirit is on fire with love for God and
speaks of salvation and forgiveness of sins in Jesus alone. Jesus came to our
world, lived, suffered, died and rose for our salvation. We are called to be
saved and then to save others. The most important thing to do in our lives is
to save men from hell and damnation and to bring them to heaven.
The apostles knew this because they have seen heavenly things when Jesus
was with them. They have heard heavenly discourses from Jesus like the Sermon
on the Mount, the parables of the kingdom, the discourse during the Last
Supper, etc. They have seen how Jesus as Son of God had died a horrible death.
Then they saw the Risen Christ for 40 days after his Resurrection.
So they knew that their preaching was so important that they risked
physical harm and proclaimed Jesus as Lord and Saviour of the world, and of
every individual here on earth. Filled with the Holy Spirit, they went
everywhere witnessing to what they had seen and heard about Jesus. Do you feel
compelled to speak about Jesus to others?
