Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần thứ 6 Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần thứ 6 Phục Sinh
Tin Mừng này hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu nói về sự xuất hiện của Chúa Thánh Thần, Đấng an ủi chúng ta. Chúa Thánh Thần chỉ có thể đến khi Chúa Giêsu đã được lên trời. Đó là việc rất tốt lành mà Chúa Kitô đã để lại cho chúng ta, bởi vì không có sự ra đi của Ngài, Ngài không thể sai Chúa Thánh Thần đến với chúng ta. Chúng ta có thể thấy rằng Đức Chúa Thánh Thần vẫn luôn tồn tại với chúng ta tới ngày nay bởi vì chúng ta thấy bảy ơn thánh của Chúa Thánh Thần đang sống trong chúng ta. Tất cả chúng ta có thể nhận được những ơn Chúa Thánh Thần như là những thành quả của sự khôn ngoan, ơn hiểu biết, ơn biết lo liệu, ơn Sức Mạnh, ơn Thông minh, ơn đạo đức, và ơn Kính sợ hãi Thiên Chúa. Những ơn này giúp chúng ta được sống hạnh phúc với Thiên Chúa. Tất cả những việc làm tốt của chúng ta có mục tiêu mang đến sự vinh quang không phải là cho chính bản thân mình hay cho một người nào khác, nhưng là đem sự vinh quang cho Thiên Chúa. Chúa Giêsu Kitô đã sống cuộc sống con người của Ngài trong thế giới của chúng ta là để tôn vinh Thiên Chúa. Và Thiên Chúa cũng sẽ tôn vinh Chúa Kitô trong việc Ngài đã sống lại từ cõi chết. Đó là sự thống nhất hoàn hảo và hiệp thông với Chúa Cha, Chúa Con và Chúa Thánh Thần. Thiên Chúa Ba Ngôi cùng làm việc với nhau trong sự hiệp nhất vì lợi ích của con người chúng ta.
 
Reflection:  Acts 17:15, 22-18:1 / Ps 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14 / Jn 16: 12-15  
This Gospel speaks about the arrival of the Paraclete. The Holy Spirit can come only when Jesus would have ascended. It is for our own good that Christ has to leave us, because without his departure, he cannot send us the Holy Spirit. We can see that the Holy Spirit exists today because we see the seven fruits of the Holy Spirit alive around us. We can all receive see the fruits of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord to help us be happy with the Lord. All our good deeds have the ultimate goal to give glory not to others or ourselves, but to God. Christ lived his life on earth for this moment - to give glory to God.  And God glorified Christ in return by resurrecting Him from the dead. There is a perfect unity and communion with Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  The Holy Trinity acts together for our benefit.   
 
Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.”  John 16:12–13
This passage still rings true for all of us today. God wants to reveal to us, within the depths of our consciences, the deepest, most profound and transforming truths that flow from the mind of the Father in Heaven. But we cannot bear it all now. Not fully. And eternity will be spent continually deepening our understanding of all that God reveals. And the process of this ongoing and deepening discovery will fill us with an ongoing and deepening joy. This will be our Heaven, but it must begin now.
First of all, it’s important to understand that God does “have much more to tell you.” Interestingly, coming to know how much you do not already know is itself a form of knowledge. Knowing that there is so much more, that God’s wisdom is infinitely beyond you, that the mind of God compared to yours is incomparable is itself a beautiful truth that must be understood. This truth should both humble you and also fill you with a holy awe of God and the infinite depth of wisdom, truth, beauty and glory contained within Him. This is an essential first step.
Furthermore, by saying that “you cannot bear it now” does not mean that you should not try to bear more and more of the truth that God wants to reveal. In fact, it’s a form of invitation, in that it indicates that there will come a time when you will be able to comprehend more. This should once again foster a hope and anticipation for all that remains hidden to be revealed. Humility in the face of the infinite God is necessary for growth in wisdom and knowledge of God.
How does this growth in wisdom and the knowledge of God happen? It happens by the power and working of the Holy Spirit. It is the “Spirit of truth” who will “guide you to all truth.” But even this statement, once again, implies that this is a process. It is the Spirit Who will “guide” you. And this guidance will continue throughout this life and on into eternity.
This teaching of our Lord begs the question: Have you begun the process? Have you begun to allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into the truth? Have there been concrete moments in your life when you came to know God in a new and profound way that could only have been possible by the power and working of God Himself?
Reflect, today, upon these essential questions. If you have had God the Holy Spirit speak clearly to You, then humble yourself before that truth. Pray for more wisdom and more knowledge of all that you do not know. And if you cannot relate to the idea of there being so much more that is beyond you, then humbly turn to our Lord and beg Him to begin to open your mind to all that He wants to say to you. The infinite mind of our God awaits you to be discovered and embraced. Begin the process today and let Him guide you into all truth.
God of all truth, You, Your wisdom, Your love and all of Your glorious attributes are infinite in nature and are beyond my complete comprehension. As I humble myself before these holy truths, dear Lord, please bestow upon me the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, so that I may open my mind more fully to You by Your grace. May the process of deep discovery be one of great joy and become for me a process that continues into eternity. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday Sixth Week of Easter 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I praise you for who you are and thank you for all you have done for me. You have created all things and guide them carefully to their ultimate end. You sent your Son to redeem me and your Spirit to sanctify me. You have done marvelous things and show, in all things, your love and mercy.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Guidance of the Spirit: The Gospel of John reminds us that it is the Holy Spirit who will guide us to all truth. When we are stubborn and reject the Spirit’s guidance, we abuse our freedom. However, when we allow ourselves to be guided by the Spirit, it is then that we are truly free. As Jesus says: “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). When we deviate from the moral law, we violate our own freedom, become imprisoned within ourselves, disrupt fellowship with our brothers and sisters, and rebel against divine truth (CCC, 1740). The grace of Christ and the Holy Spirit do not take away our freedom or act as a rival to our freedom. “On the contrary, … the more docile we are to the promptings of grace, the more we grow in inner freedom and confidence during trials… By the working of grace the Holy Spirit educates us in spiritual freedom in order to make us free collaborators in his work in the Church and in the world” (CCC, 1742).
2. The Speech of the Spirit: Jesus declares at the Last Supper that the Spirit will not speak on his own apart from the Father or the Son. Just as the Son speaks the words of the Father and reveals what the Father has revealed to him, so also the Spirit will speak “what he hears and will declare to you the things that are coming.” We see this action of the Holy Spirit especially in the prophets of Israel. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and all the other prophets were inspired by the Spirit to speak to Israel and Judah about their then-present situations but ultimately pointed forward to the Messianic age. And just as the Spirit inspired the Apostles, the Spirit continues to inspire us about our present but also points our gaze to the future. We need to be attentive to the voice of the Spirit and discern the good path that the Spirit opens up to us.
3. The Spirit Leads Us to Glory: The Spirit guides us and speaks to us with the goal of helping us attain a share in divine glory. Ultimately, this world was created for the glory of God. It is not the result of chaos or just one more world in a never-ending series. God did not create the world because he lacked something or needed something. He didn’t create the world because he was bored. “God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life” (CCC, 1). By allowing the Holy Spirit into our lives, we share in the glory of the Son and of the Father.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the true philosopher and lover of wisdom. You teach the truth about all things and the path that leads to true happiness. Welcome me into your school of wisdom and let me learn from you each day.
 
Wednesday 6th Week of Easter 2022
Opening Prayer: Lord, I come before you humbly and open. I know that I am in your presence. I trust that my well-being matters to you. I love you and worship you in this time of prayer and intimacy with you.
Encountering Christ:
I Have Much to Tell You: In hindsight, we Easter people know exactly what Christ was alluding to here. How beautiful it was for Jesus to reveal the painful truth of his Passion gradually, sharing as much as they could handle at the moment. He does the same with us. According to the Law of Gradualness, people most often grow in virtue step by step, not all at once. We absorb the truth of the Gospel at God’s pace, not ours. He knows what is best for us at any given moment, and we can trust that we are as holy and perfect as he desires for us to be, providing we avoid sin, don’t cling to attachments, and are faithful to prayer and the sacraments. Are there obstacles within us that keep us from loving Christ? May we, by his grace, detach from whatever holds us back.
He Will Guide You: Pontius Pilate once asked Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). Regardless of what we see or hear around us–for example, boy is girl or murder is healthcare– the truth is not democratic; we don’t get to vote on it. And we don’t get to avoid inconvenient truths because we don’t like them. How do we conform our hearts and minds to the truth of the Gospel when it doesn’t seem to jive with what the world says or, perhaps, even with what our own heart wants to hear? This is where we need to cultivate the virtue of trust. God, who is all good, really knows what’s best for us. We are called to live in the Spirit, trusting in the Lord with all our heart (Proverbs 3:5). The proverb continues, “In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path” (Proverbs 3:6). In whom do we trust?
What Is His Is Ours: The Holy Spirit has “everything the Father has,” and everything the Spirit has is ours as children of God. The “things that are coming” include the powerful gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are at work in our lives to this day. Furthermore, “things that are coming” include our own death and resurrection to eternal life (God willing), about which we still know very little except what St. Paul told us, “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). How blessed are we to receive truth and gifts of all kinds from the Father, through the Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit who is present in our lives!
Conversation with Christ: Lord, you have searched me and you do know me. You know that I seek your truth, but that I am weak. Please continue to bless me with your healing and forgiveness. Help me to trust in your mercy, you love, and your Resurrection power.
 
Wednesday 6th Week of Easter
Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, I come to you in prayer today to encounter you in all your majesty. Open my heart that I may learn from you, get to know you better, and love you more so as to serve you always.
Encountering Christ:
 Let Me Introduce You: Yesterday in the Gospel, Jesus was saying farewell to his disciples and today he gave them these comforting words. He introduced his disciples (and us) to the great mystery of the Trinity. Three in one, one in three, what an unfathomable truth! In his great gentleness, Jesus fed us slowly in these verses. We have so much to learn about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Let us keep our hearts open to this pure love and seek to learn more.
 The Perfect Guide: The Holy Spirit wants to guide us in truth. It can be difficult to listen in the noisy world in which we live. Devoted time to prayer can help us be less anxious about the things that are to come. With open hearts, let us listen and rely on the truths that the Holy Spirit, that sweet guest of our souls, is whispering to us and wanting us to share with the world which so desperately needs truth.
Generosity: Jesus is never outdone in generosity! Jesus gave us everything that the Father gave to him—everything: our life, our baptism, the Eucharist, our families. How often do we sit and ponder with Our Lord the greatness of his gifts? How can we show our appreciation? How do we receive such great gifts? Love, love, love!
Conversing with Christ: Father, Son, Holy Spirit–Holy Trinity–thank you for this time. Thank you for opening my mind and my heart to experience this pure love, this pure gift of yourself. May I rest and be at peace knowing you are always with us. Open our hearts to this great truth!
 
6th Week of Easter: Wednesday, Acts 17:15,22-18:1; Jn. 16:12-15
Paul gained the attention of the Athenians by pointing out their statue to an unknown god; something familiar to his audience. Paul was able to use this as a stepping-off point to explain how God, the Creator of the universe and the giver of life to every creature, remained close to each person. Paul spoke in ways that would be understood by his pagan audience. He did not quote Scripture that would be unfamiliar to the Athenians.
Like Paul, when we speak to people about God, we need to use words and images that they will understand. We need to speak clearly and gently for we are not trying to impress with our knowledge; we are asking God to use us to speak to the hearts of others. There were some things that the disciples would not understand before Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus promised them the Holy Spirit, who would be able to guide them “into all the truth”. Jesus explained that the Father had belonged to him too. Whatever the Holy Spirit told the disciples would be from the Father through Jesus. There would be a direct communication line from the Father to the disciples through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. How amazing that must have seemed to the disciples! And how amazing it is for us to realize that, if we are open to the Holy Spirit, we have access to God’s message to each of us. Lord, help me to listen to the Holy Spirit