Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần 17 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần 17 Thường Niên

Câu chuyện về cái chết của thánh Gioan Tẩy giả là câu chuyện có tính chất chú ý nhiều đến bản tính con người. Chúng ta có thể bị thu hút bởi những câu chuyện có tính chat đầy kịch tính trong điệu nhảy của con gái bà Hêrôdiat và lời thề ngu ngốc của vua Hêrôđê và sự yêu cầu của cô gái xin cho bằng được cái đầu của ông Gioan Tẩy Giả đặt trên mâm. Đằng sau của câu chuyện là khi vua Hêrôđê đã có vợ mà còn muốn kết hôn với bà Hêrôdiat người vợ của anh trai mình. Khi làm như vậy, theo quan điểm của luật Do Thái, ông ta đã phạm hai tội trọng. Việc đầu tiên là ông ly dị người vợ trước của ông mà không có lý do chính đáng. Thứ hai là ông kết hôn với chị dâu của mình, đó là một mối quan hệ bị cấm tuyệt đối.

            Ông Gioan không sợ hãi đê đứng ra chỉ trích và  phê phán nhà vua vì những hành vi của nhà Vua và vì vậy ông đã bị tống giam trong tù. Những lý do cho việc làm của vua Hêrôđê thì quá phức tạp. Có thể nhà vua không thích Gioan, Nhưng trong trái tim của nha vua, ông biết rằng những gì Gioan nói là đúng. Chúng ta không ai thích được nghe nói là chúng ta đang làm điều gì đó mà sai trái; đặc biệt là nếu chúng ta đang cố gắng để đánh lừa chính bản thân là những gì chúng ta đang làm là đều tốt đẹp cả.  Vua Hêrôđê biết rằng ông Gioan là một người thánh thiện và không muốn thực hiện nó, nhưng nó đã không được chuẩn bị để thừa nhận tội lỗi của mình.

Ông Gioan đã trả một cái giá quá mắc cho việc nói sự thật mà không sợ hãi. Đây là việc mà chúng ta được kêu gọi để làm, mặc dù có lẽ trong đó có đầy những tính chất quá kịch tính. Chúng ta phải lên tiếng chống lại những bất công, bóc lột và những việc sai trái ở bất cứ nơi nào mà chúng ta nhìn thấy nó. Trong cách này, chúng ta đang bắt chước không phải chỉ có thánh Gioan Tẩy Giả mà thôi, nhưng chúng ta cũng bắt chước như chính Chúa Giêsu, Người đã bị bắt, chịu khổ hình và bị giết chỉ  vì đã nói lên sự thật; và chúng ta cũng có thể chắc chắn rằng Chúa Giêsu sẽ ở lại với chúng ta khi chúng ta cố gắng để làm đại sứ của Ngài trong một thế giới mà thường là thù địch với giá trị Kitô giáo.

 

REFLECTION

The story of the death of John the Baptist is full of human interest. We can be fascinated by the dramatic story of the dance of Herodias' daughter and Herod's foolish oath and the request of the girl to have John the Baptist's head on a platter. The background to the story is that Herod had married his brother's wife. In doing so, from the viewpoint of the Jewish law, he committed two crimes. The first was that he divorced his first wife without good reason. The second was that he married his sister-in-law, which was a prohibited relationship.

John fearlessly criticized the king for his behavior and so was thrown into prison. The reasons for Herod's conduct are complex. Maybe, he disliked John because, at heart, he knew that what John said was right. We do not like to be told that something we are doing is wrong; especially if we are trying to deceive ourselves that what we are doing is all right. Herod knew that John was a holy man and did not want to execute him, but he was not prepared to admit his guilt.

John paid the price for speaking the truth without fear. This is something that we are all called to do, though probably in less dramatic ways. We should speak up against injustice and wrongdoing wherever we see it. In this we are imitating not only John the Baptist but also Jesus himself, who was put to death for speaking the truth; and we can be sure that Jesus will be with us as we try to be his ambassadors in a world that is often hostile to Christian values.

 

Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” Matthew 14:1–2

Herod the tetrarch was one of three brothers and a sister who became 1st-century rulers to succeed their father, Herod the Great, when he died in 4 B.C. Herod governed much of the territory west of the Sea of Galilee, which was the territory in which Jesus spent most of His time during His public ministry. He also ruled a territory just east of the Dead Sea, which is where he had imprisoned and ultimately killed John the Baptist. Herod was known for being a very busy builder and is prominently known for his role in the deaths of Saint John the Baptist and Jesus.

Recall that Herod had taken his brother’s wife, Herodias, as his own, and John the Baptist publicly opposed this. For that reason, Herod had John arrested and ultimately beheaded at the request of Herodias, who took the Baptist’s criticism very personally. Herod, on the other hand, had a strange sort of admiration for the Baptist.

The Gospel passage quoted above reveals a somewhat unusual statement by Herod. After he had killed Saint John the Baptist, he heard about the reputation of Jesus Who was traveling throughout Herod’s territory preaching and performing many mighty deeds. Word spread fast about Jesus and quickly reached even the ears of Herod. So why did Herod strangely think that Jesus must have been John the Baptist raised from the dead? Though we do not know for certain, we certainly can speculate.

In the version of this story found in the Gospel of Mark, we read, “Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him” (Mark 6:20). Herod may have been a man who had a spark of faith but was ultimately ruled by his passions and desire for power. Perhaps that is why he initially kept John the Baptist alive in his prison. It also appears that Herod had some form of either regret or fear over his beheading of John. And it is most likely for this reason that Herod immediately thought of John when he initially heard of Jesus and the “mighty powers” that were at work within Him.

Regret, fear and guilt are common effects of a conscience that is in conflict. Herod the tetrarch is a good example of what happens when we do not resolve that conflict within ourselves. The only way to resolve the interior confusion of a conflicted conscience is to humbly submit to the truth. Imagine if Herod would have repented. Imagine if he would have sought out Jesus, confessed his sins, and begged for forgiveness. What a glorious story that would have been. Instead, we have the witness of a man who has gone astray and remained obstinate in his sin.

Reflect, today, upon this unholy witness of Herod. God can use all things for His glory, and He can even use the example of Herod to reveal to ourselves any similar tendency. Do you struggle with regret, fear and guilt? Does this cause conflict within you? The good news is that this conflict is easily resolved by a humble heart that seeks the truth. Seek the truth by admitting any long-lasting sin you need to resolve and permit the mercy of God to enter in so as to set you free.

My merciful Jesus, You desire that all people experience freedom from the sins of the past. You desire to penetrate our hearts and to bring resolution and peace. Please help me to open my mind and heart to You in the areas that still cause pain and regret, and help me to be set free by Your infinite mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time 2025

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I hear the stories of how the innocent are persecuted by the wicked. Your servant, John the Baptist, suffered because he called Herod to repent from sin. Your Son, Jesus, suffered to save us from sin and death. Strengthen me in times of suffering so that I may attain your glory.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Book Four in the Gospel of Matthew: Book Four of the Gospel of Matthew (chapters 14-18) focuses especially on the merciful dimension of the Kingdom. The first two chapters (14-15) ramp up the tension between Jesus and his opponents that was highlighted in Matthew 11-12. The increasing opposition is seen in the execution of Jesus’ forerunner, John the Baptist. As well, “the Pharisees castigate Jesus over ritual handwashing and Jesus in turn upbraids them, the disciples worship Jesus, and a pagan woman wins exorcism for her daughter. There is an ever-increasing chasm between those who follow and those who oppose Jesus – the disciples and pagans, on the one hand, and the would-be teachers of Israel, on the other – which will culminate in Jesus’s founding of the Church as a new Israel, a remnant from within Israel, in chapter 16” (Huizenga, Behold the Christ, 265). Unlike the kingdoms of the world, Jesus’ “kingdom of heaven” is based on mercy. “The foundational mercy for the whole kingdom is the mercy of the king, who forgives every one of us the enormous debt of our sin. Having experienced God’s forgiveness, we practice forgiveness toward others” (Bergsma, New Testament Basics for Catholics, 56).

2. The Old Jubilee in Israel: As we continue to read from the first five books of the Bible in the First Reading, it is noteworthy that we only read from Leviticus twice. Yesterday, we read the laws concerning the celebration of the yearly feasts – Passover and Unleavened Bread in the spring, Pentecost at the beginning of summer, and the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles in the fall. Today, we read the laws concerning the celebration of the Jubilee year. Leviticus 25:1-9 commanded that the Israelites observe every seventh year as a year of rest, a Sabbath year, when they would not sow or reap but live off the fullness of God’s provision. Leviticus 25:1-=55 commanded that the year after the seventh Sabbath year, the fiftieth year, would be special: this was the Jubilee Year (see Bergsma, Jesus and the Jubilee, 43). Unlike regular years, which started in the spring on the first day of Nisan, the Jubilee year began on the Day of Atonement in the fall. Thus, the liberation of the Jubilee year began with the spiritual liberation from sin. During the Jubilee Year, any Israelite who was in debt or enslaved because of debt would be set free. And any ancestral land that was sold to pay off a debt was restored. The Jubilee set the people free: free from debt, free from slavery, free from agricultural obligations. The people were freed, redeemed, and restored so that they could worship the Lord in their families. The sad thing was that Israel rarely practiced the Sabbath Years and the Jubilee Year (see Bergsma, Jesus and the Jubilee, 44-49).

3. The New Jubilee in the Church: What the prophet Isaiah promised was that the Messiah would announce the Jubilee Year and act as a redeemer by freeing captives (Isaiah 61:1-2). The Messiah would “proclaim the final jubilee year of human history and make atonement for God’s faithful remnant, thus releasing them from the debt of sin and their bondage to Satan and ushering in the era of God’s kingdom on earth” (Bergsma, Jesus and the Jubilee, 69). The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus, the Messiah, to proclaim the Jubilee. It was also the Spirit who was the actual agent of two of the main responsibilities of the Messiah: he was to forgive the debt of sin and free God’s people from Satan’s power. “All the goals of the jubilee are fulfilled by the gift of the Spirit. The Spirit forgives our sins, grants us freedom from the tyranny of Satan, institutes us as children of God and members of his family, and initiates us into the fullness of God so that we become ‘partakers of the divine nature’ (2 Peter 1:4). For that reason, the Jubilee 2025 is a highly appropriate time for individuals and communities to enter more deeply into the life of the Holy Spirit” (Bergsma, Jesus and the Jubilee, 111).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you know my trials, sacrifices, and suffering. Help me to face my trials and temptations with courage and your grace. Help me to offer up my sacrifices to the Father through you. Help me to persevere through suffering so that I may attain eternal glory with you, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.

 

Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time 2024

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I hear the stories of how the innocent are persecuted by the wicked. Your prophet, Jeremiah, suffered because he preached your word. Your servant, John, suffered because he called Herod to repent from sin. Your Son, Jesus, suffered to save us from sin and death. Strengthen me in times of suffering so that I may attain your glory.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Condemnation of Jeremiah: When Jeremiah gave his temple sermon, he said that if the people of Judah continued to disobey the Lord, not live according to the law, and not listen to the words of the prophets, then the temple of the Lord and Jerusalem will be destroyed like the city and sanctuary of Shiloh. The reaction of the people to Jeremiah’s message was not one of repentance, but of condemnation. The people cried out: “This man deserves death.” Jeremiah defended himself saying that the Lord sent him to prophesy against the Temple, the house of the Lord, and the city of Jerusalem. Jeremiah’s message was simple: Reform your ways and your deeds and listen to the voice of the Lord so that the Lord will repent of the evil with which he threatens you. Jeremiah declared his innocence before the people. If the people were to carry out their judgment upon him, then they would be bringing innocent blood upon themselves.

2. Jeremiah and Jesus: The life and story of Jeremiah look forward to the story and the trial of Jesus. Jesus cleansed the Temple of the sellers and preached that the Temple would be destroyed. In response, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and Pharisees sought to put Jesus to death. When Pilate declared himself innocent of Jesus’ blood, all the people answered: “His blood be on us and on our children!” (Matthew 27:25). The outcomes of Jeremiah and Jesus were different. When Jeremiah declared his innocence, the people immediately switched their cries and said: “This man does not deserve death.” When Pilate declared the innocence of Jesus, the people, led by the chief priests and elders, cried out: “Crucify him! Crucify him!” (Mark 15:13-14; Luke 23:21).

3. Jeremiah and John the Baptist: In today’s Gospel, we can see another contrast between Jeremiah, who was saved from a dungeon pit, and John the Baptist, who was killed by Herod. Both Jeremiah and John preached the truth. Jeremiah revealed the people’s disobedience to them; John revealed Herod’s unlawful union with Herodias. Just as Jeremiah was apprehended, John was also arrested and thrown into prison. Herod did not kill John because many people regarded him as a prophet of the Lord. Herod feared John, knowing that John was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When Herod heard John, he was much perplexed, and yet heard John gladly (Mark 6:20). Just as Pilate didn’t want to hand Jesus over, Herod didn't want to hand John over. Both men, however, gave in to pressure. Pilate feared Rome. Herod felt obliged to fulfill his oaths in the presence of his guests. Jeremiah’s life points to Jesus’ persecution and rejection by the people. The prophet will be thrown into the pit, but he will be rescued from imminent death. John the Baptist, on the other hand, is Jesus’ forerunner not only in life but also in death. John was persecuted for the sake of righteousness, and to him belongs the Kingdom of heaven, inaugurated by Jesus Christ.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you know my trials, sacrifices, and suffering. Help me to face my trials and temptations with courage and your grace. Help me to offer up my sacrifices to the Father through you. Help me to persevere through suffering so that I may attain eternal glory with you, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.

 

Reflection:

     "So you shall not wrong one another but you shall fear your God. . ." These were the words spoken by God to Moses but it seems Herod must have forgotten these words thinking that he shall not wrong another by giving in to the evil request because of his promise under oath to give anything to the daughter of Herodias. His fear of things of the world made him forget about the fear of being separated from God.

     Yes, there are still some individuals, modern day Herods in the different sectors of our society who continue to exist pleasing others or themselves at the expense of others, causing different kinds of death in humanity. We sometimes become like Herod when we opt to follow what is pleasing in the eyes of the world and we forget about what is pleasing to God. Let us not forget about what our greatest fear should be, to be separated from God for all eternity. 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu tuần 17 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu tuần 17 Thường Niên
Trong một bài bình luận về Chúa Giêsu, thánh Gioan Kim Khẩu nói: “Dân làng Nazareth đã lấy làm khâm phục Ngài, nhưng sự ngưỡng mộ của họ không đi đến mức độ là tin vào Ngài hay đúng hơn, họ cảm như thấy ghen tị với Chúa Giêsu, như thể có nghĩa là:" Tại sao là anh ta, mà không phải là tôi”. Chúa Giêsu biết rất rõ những người này, thay vì nghe lời Chúa thì họ lại xúc phạm đến Ngài. Họ là những người thân, là bạn bè của Ngài, là hàng xóm láng giềng mà Ngài đã cảm mến, nhưng đúng ra, họ là những người mà Ngài sẽ không thể nào đem tin mừng cứu độ của Ngài đến với họ được..
Chúng ta không thể làm được phép lạ hay có thể có sự lành thánh như Chúa Kitô vì Ngài không bao giờ có đầu óc hay suy nghĩ về sự ganh tị, tuy nhiên trong một lúc nào đó, nếu chúng ta thực sự cố gắng sống đời sống Kitô hữu một cách chân chính, thì chúng ta thực sự có thể làm được. Tuy nhiên, những gì đến có thể sẽ đến, là chúng ta thường sẽ thấy là những người mà chúng ta yêu thương nhất lại là những người không bao giờ quan tâm hay muốn lắng nghe lời chúng ta. Để ứng hiệu điều này, chúng ta cũng phải nên nhớ rằng những thiếu sót thường được phát hiện rất dễ dàng hơn là những nhân đức tốt và, theo đó, những người gần gũi với chúng ta có thể tự hỏi:” những điều anh đang muốn dạy khôn cho tôi, thì anh nên phải thực hành những điều đó trước đi?”
Trong bình luận thánh Gioan Kim Khẩu nói thêm: “Hãy nhìn vào lòng tốt của Thầy: Ngài đã không trừng phạt họ vì không nghe lời Ngài, nhưng Ngài nói với họ một cách ngọt ngào: "Tiên tri có bị khinh, thì chỉ có ở nơi quê quán và nơi nhà mình thôi!" Mt 13:57). Đây là điều hiển nhiên, Chúa Giêsu có chút buồn bã nhưng dù sao Ngài vẫn tiến hành và tiếp tục đem lời Tin Mừng của Ngài đến với mọi người, cũng như Chúa Giêsu như vậy, chúng ta cũng sẽ phải biết tiếp tục rao giảng và đem Lời Chúa Giêsu đến với những người mà chúng ta yêu thương nhất là những người không muốn nghe chúng ta bằng tất cả sự yêu thương, và bằng sự tha thứ.
 
Reflection:
In a commentary about Jesus, St. John Chrysostom says: «The villagers of Nazareth do admire him, but their admiration does not go to the point of believing in him but, rather, of feeling envious, as if meaning: ‘Why him and not I’». Jesus knew quite well those who, instead of listening to him, took offense at him. They were his relatives, friends, neighbors He appreciated, but precisely to whom He will not be able to let them have his message of salvation.
We —that cannot work out miracles or have Christ's saintliness— will not incite envies (though, at times, if we are really trying to live as true Christians, we may actually do). However, come what may, we shall often find that those we love the most are those who could not care less about listening to us. To this effect, we must also bear in mind that shortcomings are easier to spot than virtues and, accordingly, those closer to us may wonder: —What are you trying to teach me, who used to do (or still does) this or that?
To preach or speak about God with our own people or family may be difficult but necessary. It must be said that when He was going back home, Jesus was preceded by his miracles and his word. Maybe, in our case, we may need a certain reputation for saintliness, whether at home or away, before “preaching” to those at home.
In his previous comment St. John Chrysostom adds: «Please look at the Master's kindness: He does not punish them for not listening to him but He tells them sweetly: ‘The only place where prophets are not welcome is their hometown and in their own family’» (Mt 13:57)».
It is evident Jesus would leave somewhat sadly but nonetheless He would proceed with his preaching until his word of salvation would be welcome by his own people. Likewise, we (that have nothing to forgive or oversee) will have to preach so that Jesus' word reaches those that we love but do not want to listen to us.
 
Friday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?” Matthew 13:54
Today’s Gospel goes on to say that the people in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth took offense at Him, which led Jesus to say, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” It is somewhat surprising that they took offense at Jesus after witnessing His wisdom and mighty deeds. Jesus was very familiar to the townspeople, and it seems that that familiarity led them to doubt that Jesus was someone special.
It should be noted that, in many ways, the people who knew Jesus for many years should have been the first people to see His greatness. And most likely there were some from His hometown who did. They would have known Jesus’ mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and she would have given daily witness to incredible virtues. They would have known Joseph as a truly righteous and just man. And Jesus would have exuded every human virtue to perfection as He grew. And again, that should have been easily noticeable. But many failed to see the holiness of Jesus and the Holy Family.
This experience of our Lord should remind us that it is easy to miss the presence of God all around us. If those who were closest to Jesus did not recognize Him as a man of exceptional virtue and holiness, then how much more might we fail to see the presence of God in the lives of those we encounter every day? For some reason, perhaps because of our struggles with pride and anger, it is easier to look at the faults of another than at their virtues. It’s easy to be critical of them and to dwell upon their perceived weaknesses and sins. But this Gospel story should encourage us to do all we can to look beyond the surface and to see God present in every life we encounter.
On the most fundamental level, God dwells within each and every person He has created. Even those who remain in a state of persistent mortal sin are still made in the image of God and reflect God by their very nature. And we must see this. And those who are in a state of grace carry the presence of God, not only within themselves by nature but also through God’s action in their lives. Every virtue that every person has is there because God is at work in them. And we must work to see this divine activity in their lives.
Begin by thinking about the people with whom you are closest. When you think about them, what comes to mind? Over the years, we can build habits of dwelling upon others’ faults. And those habits are hard to break. But they can only be broken by intentionally seeking out the presence of God in their lives. As noted, if Jesus’ own townspeople had a difficult time doing this with Him Who was perfect, then this should tell us that it will be even harder for us to do with those who lack perfection. But it must be done and is a very holy endeavor.
Reflect, today, upon the important mission you have been given to see the presence of God in the lives of those all around you. What if Jesus had grown up in your town? As your neighbor? And though the Incarnate Son of God does not live next door as He did in Nazareth, He does live in each and every person you encounter every day. Honestly reflect upon how well you see Him and commit yourself to the holy mission of seeing Him more clearly so that you can rejoice in His greatness which is truly manifest all around you.
My Lord of true greatness, You are truly present all around me. You are alive and living in the lives of those whom I encounter every day. Please give me the eyes of faith to see You and a heart that loves You. Help me to overlook the faults and weaknesses of others. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday 17th Week in Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I contemplate today the mystery of the rejection of your Son in his hometown of Nazareth. I pray that I never take offense at Jesus and always welcome him into my life. I believe, Lord, help my faith grow and flourish.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Jesus’ Teaching in the Synagogues of Galilee: The Gospel of Matthew gives us a good sense of the content and style of Jesus’ preaching. Jesus often alluded to the Hebrew scriptures and invited the people to ponder his words and actions in this light. Matthew has just finished narrating the third major discourse of Jesus, which consists of seven parables about the kingdom of heaven. He taught his disciples “by the sea” and in Peter’s house in Capernaum. Jesus then leaves Capernaum and returns to Nazareth and teaches in their synagogue, likely on the Sabbath (Luke 4:16). In Jesus’ day, synagogues were used for scripture reading, prayer, and community gatherings, and were common in Galilee and in Jerusalem and wherever Jews resided outside of Palestine. “That Jesus taught in synagogues was not out of the ordinary: any qualified layman could teach, and visitors might be invited to say a few words (see Acts 13:14-15). He made use of Sabbath assemblies to proclaim his message (see Luke 4:16, 31-33, 44; 6:6; 1310). Jesus’ teaching in synagogues indicates that he is sufficiently well-versed in the law of Moses that he is able to instruct” (Martin, Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life, 114).
2. They Took Offense: The Gospel of Matthew highlights how the people of Nazareth responded to Jesus’ teaching. They were “astonished” (Matthew 13:34; see also Luke 4:22, 32). “Though Jesus has amazed the people with his teaching before (Matthew 7:28), this time the astonishment is not an expression of admiration but of suspicion and anger. The people in his hometown are astonished in the sense that they took offense at him. They know Jesus and his family and cannot believe that he is now a great prophet” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 185). The Gospel of Luke recorded the content of Jesus’ teaching in Nazareth – it concerned the Jubilee of the Messiah. This meant that God’s merciful salvation was about to be poured out. And the people were amazed at first when Jesus proclaimed the Jubilee year (Luke 4:16-22). Almost immediately though they began to doubt Jesus’ credentials: “And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, ‘Isn’t this the son of Jospeh?’” (Luke 4:22). But when Jesus taught that the Gentiles would experience this liberation and mercy, the people reacted harshly, rose up, drove Jesus out of his native town, and tried to throw him down the hill (Luke 4:29). 
3. Unbelief and Rejection of God’s Mercy: The people of Nazareth refused to believe in Jesus and rejected his proclamation of mercy. Mercy is a key theme in the next section of Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 13:54-18:35). All five of Jesus’ discourses in Matthew reveal different dimensions of the mystery of the kingdom. The Sermon on the Mount taught how to be happy and blessed as a kingdom citizen and gave new laws and principles for life in the kingdom (Matthew 5:1-7:27). In his second major discourse, Jesus sent out the royal officers of the kingdom and commissioned them to teach the people, heal the sick, cast out demons, and be courageous amid persecution (Matthew 10:5-42). The parables in Matthew 13, which concluded the third major section of Matthew, stressed the hidden and transformative power of the kingdom. Today’s Gospel begins the Fourth Book in the Gospel of Matthew, which will see Peter and the other Apostles being given the power to forgive sins (see Matthew 16-18). Today’s Gospel, though, is a sad story of how the people of Nazareth refused to believe and rejected God’s mercy. Like the prophet Jonah, who wanted to see their enemies suffer defeat, the people wanted the Gentile Romans to be defeated. Little did they know that the people of the Roman Empire would convert, welcome the Kingdom of God, and receive the blessing of God’s Spirit and merciful love.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I see how the people of your hometown took offense at you. Instead of believing in your words of wisdom and deeds of power, they rejected you. I pray that I do not reject you in my life. Do not let me choose the path of sin or reject the way that leads to eternal life with you.
 
Friday 17th Week in Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I contemplate today the mystery of the rejection of your Son in his hometown of Nazareth. I pray that I never take offense at Jesus and always welcome him into my life. I believe, Lord, help my faith grow and flourish.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Rejection of Jeremiah: When King Jehoiakim was installed as the vassal king of Judah in 609 B.C., Jeremiah took center stage in Jerusalem by preaching his famous “Temple Sermon” (Jeremiah 7:1-15, 26:2-19). Like the prophets who ministered before him, Jeremiah taught that ritual sacrifice without obedience to God and injustice to neighbor provoke God’s wrath. This is why Jeremiah preaches that God will destroy the Temple in Jerusalem just as he had obliterated the sanctuary at Shiloh (see Amos 2:6-4:12; Hosea 4:1-19; Micah 7:1-7) (see Duggan, The Consuming Fire, 295). The reference to Shiloh refers back to the time of the Judges, to the centuries before King David, when the Ark of the Covenant was housed at Shiloh, the de factocapital of Israel at the time. After the Ark was captured in battle by the Philistines and given back to the Israelites some months later, it was taken to Kirjath-jearim for twenty years. King David moved the Ark to the house of Obed-edom for three months and then brought it to Jerusalem, where his son, Solomon, built the Temple. However, during the time of Jeremiah, the city of Shiloh lay in ruins. The punishment for Jerusalem’s disobedience, idolatry, and injustice would be the destruction of the Temple and the city just as Shiloh was destroyed. The people did not want to listen to Jeremiah’s prophesy and laid hold of him, crying out that he should be put to death for speaking against the temple, the house of the Lord. 
2. The Rejection of Jesus, the New Jeremiah: In this way, Jeremiah prefigures Jesus Christ, who foretells the destruction of the Second Temple. Jesus said: “Amen I say to you, there will not be left here a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down” (Matthew 24:1-3). Like Jeremiah, Jesus was arrested and put on trial by priests who demanded his death. False witnesses accused Jesus of saying that he could destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days (Matthew 26:61). They confused his words and did not know that he was speaking about the temple of his body (John 2:19-21). Jesus was also rejected by the Nazoreans, his countrymen, in today’s Gospel. Jesus came to his native place and taught in the synagogue. This time, the people were not amazed in a positive way, but rather in a negative way and took offense at Jesus. They could not believe that the humble carpenter who they had known for so many years was able to speak wisdom and perform mighty deeds. Jesus is the prophet-like-Moses who is greater than Moses. Like the prophets of old, which include Jeremiah, Jesus was not honored in his native place and in his own house.
3. The Lack of Faith in Jesus: Jesus was able to do some mighty deeds in Nazareth, but not many. This was due to the people’s lack of faith. “The word for lack of faith is literally ‘unbelief,’ a word Matthew uses only to describe those who oppose and reject Jesus. When the apostles struggled in faith, they are called ‘men of little faith’ (6:30), whereas the people in Jesus’ hometown are outright unbelievers who take offense at him and reject him” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 185). Throughout our lives, we will at times struggle to believe and love as we ought. This is something the saints in the Gospel teach us. We will struggle. But, at the same time, we pray that we do not lose the gift of our faith and reject Jesus like the Nazoreans and the religious leaders of Israel.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I see how the people of your hometown took offense at you. Instead of believing in your words of wisdom and deeds of power, they rejected you. I pray that I do not reject you in my life. Do not let me choose the path of sin or reject the way that leads to eternal life with you.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm tuần 17 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm thứ Năm  tuan 17th Thường Niên

Qua bài đọc thứ Nhất, chúng ta có thể hình dung một thợ gốm đang chăm chỉ làm việc Người thợ gốm nàydùng một cục đất sét để biến nó thành một thứ gì đó mà ông ta muốn để có hình dáng duyên dáng và đẹp đẽ. Nếu ông ta không hài lòng với thành quả thành phẩm, hoặc nếu có điều gì sai, thì ông ta chỉ cần bắt đầu lại từ đầu. Đó là cách chúng ta sống của chúng ta mà Thiên Chúa đang làm trong các công việc tác thành và hoàn thiện chúng ta.
     Kinh nghiệm của chúng ta, cho dù là tích cực hay tiêu cực tất cả đều là những công cụ mà Thiên Chúa sử dụng nơi chúng ta. Sai lầm không phải là thiên tai; chúng ta luôn có một cơ hội khác. Thiên Chúa không kết thúc với chúng ta, và Thiên Chúa sẽ không ngừng hình thành chúng ta cho đến khi chúng ta phản ánh được cái vẻ đẹp và vinh quang của Ngài.
            Có nhiều loại người trong Nước Thiên Chúa. Chúng ta có xu hướng tách biệt và gắn nhãn cho người khác tốt hay xấu, nhưng không phải lúc nào cũng đơn giản như vậy. Rất ít người hoàn toàn tốt hoặc hoàn toàn xấu xa, nhưng hầu hết là một hỗn hợp đau khổ của cả hai. Cái lưới được thả xuống và kéo lên với tất cả mọi người vào đó, nhưng sẽ được các Thiên Thần của Chúa phân loại và tách ra từng loại trong thời gian cuối đời của chúng ta. Sự gì sẽ xãy ra lúc đó thì quá trễ.
Sự phán thuộc về Chúa và chỉ một mình Chúa, Trong khi phán xét chúng ta có thể tiếp tục được Thiên Chúa làm việc nơi chúng ta mỗi ngày và chúng ta có thể giúp các anh chị em của chúng ta trong cuộc tranh đấu cho của họ ở trần thế trong những lời khẩn cầu trực tiếp của chúng ta trước toà Chúa. Lạy Chúa, xin Chúa tiếp tục hình thành chúng con theo ý muốn của Ngài.
 
17th Week in Ordinary Time
Watching a potter at work is fascinating. The potter shapes a lump of clay into something graceful and beautiful. If he or she is dissatisfied with the results, or if something goes wrong, they merely start over from the beginning. That is how it is with us — God is at work shaping and perfecting us.
Our experiences, both positive, and negative, are the tools that God uses. Mistakes are not disasters; there is always another chance. God is not finished with us, and God will not stop shaping us until we reflect his beauty and glory. There are all sorts of people in the kingdom of God. We tend to separate and label people as either good or bad, but it is not always that simple. Very few people are completely good or totally evil — most are a distressing mixture of both. The net that is cast pulls everyone in but separating good from evil occurs at the end of time, and it is not our job.          Judgement belongs to God alone, not to humans. In the meantime, we can continue being shaped by God each day and we can help our brothers and sisters along the way in their struggles. Lord, continue to form me according to Your will.
 
Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
“Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” Matthew 13:51–52
At times, Jesus’ words are difficult to understand. How well do you understand what He teaches you? He often teaches in figures of speech, as well as with parables. The passage quoted above concludes a section in which He speaks three subsequent parables. The third of these parables, the parable about the fishnet, is contained in the beginning of today’s Gospel passage. But just prior to that parable are the parables about the pearl of great price and the treasure buried in a field. Upon the conclusion of these three parables, Jesus asked His disciples, “Do you understand all these things?” After they affirmed that they did understand, Jesus gave an overview of the mission to which they had been entrusted. These soon-to-be bishops would become the new scribes who were instructed in the Kingdom of Heaven. Their mission would be to bring forth both the “new and the old.”
Many Church Fathers identify the “new and the old” as a reference to the Old Testament and the New Testament. Thus, the Twelve are being entrusted with the mission of being the scribes of the full revelation contained in what will become the full Bible as we have it today. Other commentators suggest that the “old” refers to the old life of sin and the “new” refers to the new life of grace. It will be the mission of the Twelve to instruct people in the full Gospel message, so as to draw them from their old life of sin to the new life of grace.
Though Jesus’ words can be difficult to understand from the perspective of a biblical scholar, the first of His words quoted above are very straightforward. “Do you understand all these things?” As we ponder that question in particular, try to hear our Lord asking that question of you. Though many scholars and saints of old have offered much clarity on what Jesus’ teachings actually mean, the question that Jesus posed to the Twelve must be answered in a more personal way for each of us. As you hear Jesus ask you if you understand these things, the answer you give is not primarily based upon whether or not you have sufficiently studied the text of His teaching and can rationally explain it as a scholar. Instead, the answer He is seeking is whether or not you can respond from faith. He wants you to say, “Yes, I hear You speaking to me, Lord. Yes, my heart is convicted by the words You have spoken. Yes, I understand what I must do. Yes, Lord, I believe.” The Word of God is alive and can only be “understood” properly when we allow our Living Lord to speak to us, personally, as we listen to His holy Word.
Reflect, today, upon this question that Jesus posed to the Twelve. As you do, hear Him asking you this question. How fully do you understand what God is saying to you, right now at this moment in your life? As you read the Scriptures, do you sense God revealing Himself to you? Do you understand what He wants of you? If hearing the voice of God is a challenge at times, then spend more time prayerfully pondering His holy Word so that His Living Voice will more clearly resonate within your soul.
My revealing Lord, You speak to me day and night, continuously revealing Your love and mercy to me. May I learn to become more attentive to Your voice speaking within the depths of my soul. As I hear You speak, please give me the gift of understanding to know Your will and to embrace it with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday 17^th Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I pray today that I welcome the seed of the kingdom with good soil, that I be a good seed which produces abundant wheat in the kingdom, that I dwell safely in the branches of the kingdom, that I be yeast that transforms society with charity and justice, that I sell all that I have to gain the treasure of the kingdom, that I welcome the redemption purchased by your Son, and that I am a righteous fish welcomed into the bucket of eternal life.
Encountering the Word of God
1. A Mixture of Good and Evil in the Kingdom: There is one of the teachings of Jesus about the kingdom of heaven that is especially hard to accept – the teaching that both good and evil will be present in the kingdom until the end of this world and this age. We can accept that the word of God will be rejected or accepted. We can accept that the kingdom will transform society and make it more charitable and just. We can accept that the kingdom is worth more than any earthly treasure. But why is it allowed to have both weeds and wheat (Matthew 13:24-43), good fish and bad fish, treasure and trash (Matthew 13:47-50)? When we see, experience, or hear about sinful and scandalous actions in the Church, it can rock our faith to the core. But the parables of the kingdom can help here. Jesus knows and teaches us that this is how it will be throughout the course of history. 
2. Casting the Nets of Salvation: At least four of Jesus’ twelve apostles were fishermen. They understood the work of casting good nets into the sea. The prophet Jeremiah prophesied almost six hundred years before the coming of Jesus Christ, that the Lord would one day send out many fishermen to catch the people of Israel scattered among the sea of the Gentile nations (Jeremiah 16:16). Thus, the net in the parable can be understood as the Church founded by Christ and entrusted to Galilean fishermen. The net of salvation is cast into the sea of the world and gathers in saints and sinners, sheep and wolves, the pure of heart and hypocrites, those striving for holiness and those resisting God’s grace. 
3. Two Judgments: Who among us can truly judge the human heart? The parable teaches us that only God can truly judge. At the moment of our death and again, at the end of time, we will be judged by God. On our particular judgment at our death, CCC, 1022 teaches: “Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven – through a purification or immediately – or immediate and everlasting damnation.” On the final judgment at the end of time, CCC, 1038 teaches: “The resurrection of all the dead, ‘of both the just and the unjust’ (Acts 24:15), will precede the Last Judgment. This will be ‘the hour when all who are in the tombs will hear [the Son of man’s] voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment’ (John 5:28-29). Then Christ will come ‘in his glory, and all the angels with him. … Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. … And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life’ (Matt. 25:31, 32, 46).”
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the householder. You sowed the good seed that has sprouted and grown into the Church. Do not let me be discouraged by the presence of evil in the world or even in the Church. May I be an example of conversion and repentance for all those I encounter
 
Thursday 17^th Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I pray today that I welcome the seed of the kingdom with good soil, that I be a good seed which produces abundant wheat in the kingdom, that I dwell safely in the branches of the kingdom, that I be yeast that transforms society with charity and justice, that I sell all that I have to gain the treasure of the kingdom, that I welcome the redemption purchased by your Son, and that I am a righteous fish welcomed into the bucket of eternal life.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Acceptance and Rejection in the Parables of the Kingdom: In Matthew 11-12, the narrative highlighted the growing division between those who welcomed Jesus and those who rejected him. Those who welcomed Jesus welcomed his teaching and followed him. Those who rejected Jesus rejected his teaching and refused to repent. The Pharisees largely belong to the second group and have even begun to plot Jesus’ death (Matthew 12:14). Against this background of acceptance and rejection, we can understand Jesus’ eight parables about the Kingdom. Three parables contrast how the two different groups react to Jesus and his message: the first parable (Matthew 13:1-23) contrasted good soil and bad soil; the second (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-42) contrasted good wheat and bad weeds (darnel); and the seventh, which we read today, contrasts good fish with bad fish. One parable, the third, highlighted how the small group that welcomed Jesus will expand throughout history. The fourth explained how that same small group will transform the world around them. The fifth highlighted the need for disciples to give up everything for the treasure of the kingdom. The sixth points to Jesus as the one who redeems all humanity. “Such radical discipleship stands in sharp contrast to the many who fail to value the gospel of the kingdom and accept Jesus’ call to conversion. … Despite some bad soil, bad seed, and bad fish, the kingdom will produce an abundant harvest and a great catch” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 174).
2. The Differences Between the Second and Seventh Parables: The seventh parable, that of the net thrown into the sea, is very similar to the second parable, about the wheat and weeds. They both contrast two groups that coexist throughout time but are separated at the end. The weeds and the bad fish are burned in the fiery furnace “where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth” (Matthew 13:42, 50). But how do the two parables differ? What different dimensions of the mystery of the Kingdom do they each emphasize? The second parable tells us about one of the causes of evil, the devil, who sows the seeds of evil in the field, while the seventh parable is silent on what causes some fish to be bad. The second parable also emphasizes the patience of the householder who lets the weeds grow with the wheat for the sake of the wheat. The seventh parable doesn’t emphasize the patience of the fishermen, but rather the work of Jesus’ apostles and disciples who act as “fishers of men” to gather all types of people from the sea and into the kingdom. The sea is a biblical image that often represents both the deathly abode of evil and the Gentiles. Thus, while both parables teach that there will be good and evil in the Kingdom until their final separation, one parable emphasizes the merciful patience of the Son of Man, while the other emphasizes how good and evil people will be gathered into the kingdom through the efforts of the Son’s disciples. God, so to speak, gives both the weeds and bad fish time to repent and be transformed by grace into wheat and good fish.
3. The Sign of the Broken Potter’s Vessel: In the First Reading, we see Jeremiah go to the potter’s house, take an earthen flask, and break it at the Potsherd Gate near the Valley of Hinnom. “Just as the potter’s vessel is broken, so will ‘this people and this city’ be broken in the overthrow of Jerusalem (Jer 19:11). Once again, the cause is their idolatry and detestable worship of Baal and other foreign gods, which included human sacrifice (Jer 19:1-9)” (Bergsma and Pitre, A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament, 788). The Lord, the divine potter, teaches Jeremiah that he “wants to shape Israel, his clay, into a useful vessel, yet the vessel has become ruined by its determination to do evil. Still, God has the power to reshape the fortunes of Judah, and of all nations, if they repent and yield to his will” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, 48). The sign of the broken potter’s vessel is the culmination of four signs that made visible what Jeremiah preached about the temple, the people, and the city of Jerusalem. “The people did not respond well to such signs of judgment, and in response to the final sign, they begin to make plots against Jeremiah (Jer 18:18). Eventually, Jeremiah is arrested, beaten, and placed in stocks near the Benjamin Gate by Pashhur, the chief priest (Jer 20:1-2). This causes the prophet to curse the day he was born in one of his most poignant laments (Jer 20:7-18)” (Bergsma and Pitre, A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament, 788).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the householder. You sowed the good seed that has sprouted and grown into the Church. Do not let me be discouraged by the presence of evil in the world or even in the Church. May I be an example of conversion and repentance for all those I encounter.
 
Reflection Thursday 17^th Ordinary Time:
We all have a fundamental need to belong to a group. Experience of rejection can cause emotional pain and even affect our behavior.
- Disconnection leads to more pain, so that people are eager to change their behavior and remain in the group with which they feel affinity. Jesus experienced this with his own family, home town, religious leaders and, at the end, even with his disciples. However, he invested his energy more in the relationship with his Father than in human relationships.
The love for God was so real in his life that he could with serenity face all challenges. Rejection by those whom he loved affected Jesus but still he was able to offer his life as a gift to many who wanted to receive him. St. Ignatius of Loyola would often ask God, for the grace to live as Jesus lived, and to love as Jesus loved. This heroic love, which is meek and humble, even rejoices when insulted and humiliated. Human nature often resists vulnerability but grace flourishes in our vulnerability.          
Lord Jesus, you called us to know you more intimately, to love you intensely and to follow You more closely. You embraced vulnerability in becoming a poor human being. Give us the courage to love others without creating barriers in relationships.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 17 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư 17^Th Thường Niên
Trong hai dụ ngộn gắn gọn, Chúa Giêsu dậy cho mọi người biết rằng vương quốc trên Trời là gì: Nước của Thiên Chúa thì giống như một người đi tìm thấy một kho tàng ẩn giấu trong ngoài đồng, khi đã tìm thấy được thì ông ta  bán tất cả những gì ông có để mua cho được cánh đồng đó, và Nước Trời cũng giống như một nhà buôn truy lùng loại ngọc trai quý, khi ông ta tìm  được rồi thì anh ta bán tất cả những gì anh ta có để mua cho được viên ngọc trai quý đó.
  Nước Trời của Thiên Chúa còn rất quý giá hơn những kho tang hay ngọc trai quý giá, vì thế chúng ta nên sẵn lòng bán tất cả những gì chúng ta có để chúng ta có thể đến được Nước Trời của Thiên Chúa.
  Những điều khác nhau có thể làm cản trở việc chúng ta theo đuổi Nước Trời: đó là những giới hạn và điểm yếu của con người, sự thiếu kiên trì và đức tin của chúng ta, vì chúng ta chỉ biết tập trung vào những thứ của thế gian này thay vì những thứ tồn tại ở bên ngoài cái thế giới mà chúng ta đang sống đây với những sự bí hiểm của cái ma quỷ đang vây bủa chung quianh chúng ta. Chúng ta cần có một mối quan hệ cá nhân với Chúa Giêsu cho dù bất kể những trở ngại nào đó có thể xảy ra như Chúa Giêsu đã nói với chúng ta về Nước Trời của Thiên Chúa và chính Ngài là người sẽ dẫn đường cho chúng ta vào tận hưởng trong Nước Trời của Thiên Chúa.
  Xin Chúa giúp dẫn đường, chỉ lối cho chúng ta để chúng ta không bao giờ phải lạc lối trong việc theo đuổi Thiên Chúa Trời và Nước thiên đàng.
 
REFLECTION WEDNESDAY, 17TH Week in Ordinary Time
 In two brief parables Jesus tries to tell people what the kingdom of heaven is about: like one who finds a hidden treasure in the field and sells all he owns to be able to purchase the field and like a trader who finds a truly exceptional pearl and sells all he owns to purchase the pearl.
 The kingdom of heaven is so valuable we should be willing to sell all we own to get to the kingdom of heaven.
 Various things may hinder our pursuit of the kingdom of heaven: our own human limitations and weaknesses, our lack of faith, our focus on things of this earth rather on things which persist beyond this earth and the guiles of the evil one. Whatever the hindrances may be, we do need a personal relationship with Jesus who has told us about the kingdom of heaven and who has led the way for us to enjoy the kingdom of heaven.
 May we never go astray in our pursuit of God and the kingdom of heaven.
 
Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus said to his disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44
Today’s Gospel presents us with two very short and similar parables. In the first, quoted above, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a “treasure.” In the second parable, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a “pearl of great price.” Though these parables are very similar to each other, there are also subtle differences worth pondering. It appears that the treasure mentioned in the first parable is discovered almost by accident. The person simply “finds” it. This is in contrast to the second parable, in that the merchant who finds the pearl of great price did so after “searching” for it. 
We often encounter the Treasure of the Gospel without even looking for it. We do so any time God intervenes in our lives without us seeking His intervention. For example, if someone were to offer an act of charity to you without you seeking it out, this is God giving you a treasure of His Kingdom. Or if someone shares with you their faith, or an inspiration they received, this is indeed a treasure given to you by God. The problem is that many times when we are given these treasures of the Gospel, we do not always see them as treasures. Imagine, for example, if the person in this parable were to stumble upon the treasure in the field and fail to open it out of indifference. They see it from a distance, have a bit of curiosity about what is in the box, but they are not energetic enough to actually open the box and look inside. In that case, the person would have no reason to go and sell all that they have so as to buy the field in which the treasure is found.
One clear message that this first parable reveals is that we must be attentive to the countless treasures of God’s graces given to us each and every day. God is so prolific in offering us grace, that we truly do stumble upon His grace all the time. Thus, having eyes to perceive His actions and ears to Hear His Voice is essential.
A second message clearly given in both of these parables is that once we discover the graces God gives us every day, we must foster within ourselves a desire for those graces that is so strong that we are willing to do anything necessary to obtain them. The discovery is made through the gift of faith, but the discovery by faith must then be followed with a zeal that drives our will to conform to that discovery.
Reflect, today, upon two things. First, have you discovered the treasures God has given to you? If you hesitate in answering this, then it’s most likely the case that there is much you have yet to discover. Secondly, as you do discover the riches that come with the gift of faith, then have you allowed that which God has spoken to you to consume you to such a point that you are willing to sell all you have, meaning, do whatever it takes to further accept all God wants to bestow? Resolutely determine to go forth on this holy search and you will find that the riches of grace that you obtain are of infinite value.
My Lord of all riches, You bestow upon me and upon all Your children countless graces every day. The treasures of Your mercy are of infinite value. Please open my eyes so that I can see and my ears so that I can hear so as to discover all that You wish to bestow. May You and the riches of Your Kingdom become the one and only, all-consuming focus of my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday 17^th Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you sent your Son to seek out the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the fine pearl. I am all three of these. I am the lost sheep who sometimes wanders from the fold. I am the coin lost within your house. I am a pearl of great price who has been found and redeemed by your Son.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Kingdom’s Hidden Nature: All seven parables in the Gospel of Matthew 13 can be seen as emphasizing the hidden nature of the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven has arrived with the coming of Jesus, the royal son of David. But people have a hard time recognizing the kingdom in their midst. “Many of Jesus’ miracles and teachings in chapters 11-12 show a lack of recognition of the kingdom. For example, Matthew 11 opens with John the Baptist sending messengers to Jesus to confirm that he really is the Messiah, the King of Israel (Mt 11:2). Locked up by King Herod and suffering in a dark dungeon, even John was beginning to wonder if Jesus had really brought the kingdom” (Bergsma, New Testament Basics for Catholics, 44). There are prophetic signs that indicate that the kingdom of salvation has arrived: the physically and spiritually blind see, the physically and spiritually lame walk, physical and spiritual leprosy is cured, and the physically and spiritually deaf hear. In Matthew 12, the Pharisees show how hard of heart they are and how they, despite the signs Jesus performs, refuse to accept the kingdom and believe his message. “They cannot recognize the signs of the kingdom or the power of God’s Spirit” (Bergsma, New Testament Basics for Catholics, 45). Only the humble of heart truly welcome the hidden kingdom into their lives.
2. The Kingdom is like a Treasure and a Merchant: The seed of the kingdom is scattered throughout the world and sometimes finds good soil. The small seed must die to become a large shrub. The yeast of the kingdom works in the dough in an unseen way but has a transforming effect within society. In today’s first parable, the kingdom is compared to treasure buried and hidden in a field. There aren’t signs pointing to it in the field. A person has to dig to find it and recognize its value. In today’s second parable, the kingdom is compared to a merchant who finds the pearl of the kingdom among many other jewels and valuable things. Only the pearl of the kingdom is worth selling everything for. “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21). The parables teach that the grace of Christ in the Church works in the world in a hidden way, has a transforming effect in the world, and is worth more than any earthly treasure.
3. The Radiant Face of Moses: In the First Reading, we learn about the radiant face of Moses. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Ten Commandments, the skin of his face had become radiant while he conversed with the Lord. We can hear an echo of this in the priest’s blessing of the people: “The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you” (Numbers 6:25). Moses had to wear a veil to cover his face when he was speaking to the people. Paul interprets the veil that Moses wore as a sign that the glory of the Sinai covenant is destined to fade away (2 Corinthians 3:7-13). The Gospel of Matthew refers back to the radiant face of Moses when it describes the face of Jesus radiating with light on the mount of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2) (see Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, 170). One day, in heaven, we will behold the face of God and share in God’s glorious light.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, thank you for finding me and selling everything to redeem me. I will strive to choose you every day of my life. I know you are the Good Shepherd. Empower me with your Spirit to fight the good fight and finish the race!
 
Wednesday 17^th Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you sent your Son to seek out the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the fine pearl. I am all three of these. I am the lost sheep who sometimes wanders from the fold. I am the coin lost within your house. I am a pearl of great price who has been found and redeemed by your Son.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Hidden Treasure and Fine Pearls: In his parables in Matthew 13, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to seven different things and twice explains the comparisons to his disciples. He explains that the seed can represent either the word of the kingdom sown in people’s hearts or the children of the kingdom. A mustard seed becoming a great shrub represents the supernatural growth of the kingdom throughout history. Leaven in the dough emphasizes how the kingdom will transform society. Today, Jesus uses two more comparisons. First, the Kingdom of Heaven is compared by Jesus to a treasure hidden in a field. Now, most of Jesus’ parables have a twist in them. In the Parable of the Sower, the sower seems to be careless and yet his work yields an abundant yield. The twist in the Parable of the Hidden Treasure is that the man finds the treasure and leaves it in the field, sells everything he has, and buys the field, instead of just taking the hidden treasure out of the field. This alludes to the fact that we cannot be attached to the things of this passing world and to the kingdom of heaven at the same time. Possessing the kingdom in this world is worth more than possessing earthly wealth. In the second parable, the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a merchant in search of fine pearls. Notice, in contrast to the previous parable, that the kingdom is identified with the merchant who seeks and not the fine pearl. The parable, then, can be interpreted in the following way: Christ is the merchant who is searching for us, who are likened to fine pearls. Jesus gives up everything – he gives his entire life – to purchase our redemption. Through his sorrowful passion, Jesus redeems us, his brothers and sisters, from sin and death and brings us into the freedom of the New Covenant. Do I see Jesus searching for me as a fine pearl and giving up everything for my sake? Am I grateful for this?
2. Jeremiah: The First Reading is taken from the second of Jeremiah’s four confessions to the Lord (see 11:18-12:6; 15:10-21; 17:17-18; 18:19-23). “The prayer begins with lament and complaint about his trials (15:10-11), continues with a plea for vindication (15:15), and ends with divine words of reassurance (15:20-21)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, 44). Jeremiah begins his confession with a cry of woe and anguish. When a prophet pronounces “woe” this is a warning that God’s judgment is about to fall on sinful cities or nations. By pronouncing “woe,” the prophet denounces evildoing and makes an appeal for repentance. He is telling the people that they are on the foolish path that leads to the curse of death and not on the wise path that leads to the blessing of life. Here, Jeremiah wrestles with discouragement as he faces opposition, isolation, and the rejection of his message. Jeremiah remembers his prophetic calling, the day when God put divine words into his mouth (Jeremiah 1:9). The First Reading ends with Jeremiah seemingly wanting to abandon his mission but also with him being recommissioned as God’s prophet to Jerusalem and Judah. Have I given in to the temptation to despair as I carry out my mission in life? How can I be restored to hope?
3. The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola: St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) is well known for his Spiritual Exercises (published in 1548). The Exercises are an invitation to meditate on and discern what is most important in life. The Exercises help us see created things as relative and not absolute. They are means and not ends in themselves. They should be used in the measure they help us in our relationships with God and others. Ignatius invites us to contemplate life as a battle. We are asked: Who’s side are you on? Are you rallying under the standard of the devil? Or will you rally under the standard of Christ? As we contemplate the life, passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we are encouraged to conform our lives to that of our king, Jesus Christ. Right now, in this moment, which side am I on? What kind of spiritual battles am I engaged in?
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, thank you for finding me and selling everything to redeem me. I will strive to choose you every day of my life. I know you are a good shepherd and a good general and that your strategy will win the ultimate battle of life. Empower me with your Spirit to fight the good fight and finish the race!

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Ba Tuần thứ 17 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Ba Tuần thứ 17 Thường Niên
Trong thế giới của chúng ta, có những người tốt và xấu, tất cả khác nhau, nhưng cùng sống với nhau. Qua những lời của Thánh YNhã thành Loyola viết trong những bài tập Linh Thao của ông, "những người sống trên mặt đất, với sự đa dạng tuyệt vời trong những trang phục và theo cách diễn xuất.  Một số trắng, một số đen, một số được an lạc và một số sống trong chiến tranh. Một số thì đau khổ, khóc lóc, một số vui cười, hạnh phúc. Một số thì khoẻ mạnh, một số thì bệnh tật; một số được sinh ra với thế giới và một số phải chết, v. v. ". Và Thiên Chúa Ba Ngôi nhìn thấy thế giới này, "Ngài nhìn xuống toàn bộ bề mặt của trái đất, và nầy, tất cả các quốc gia đang sống trong sự mù lòa, tội lỗi, đang đi xuống và đang hướng tới hoả địa ngục."
      Và Thánh Ynhã đã viết: “Bởi vì sự đa dạng của thế giới đang đi vào sự bối rối này mà Thiên Chúa Ba Ngôi trong cõi đời đời đã quyết định sai Con một của Ngài là Ngôi Hai xuống trần gian để làm người như chúng ta và để cứu rỗi con người chúng ta. Vì vậy, khi thời gian viên mãn đã đến, Thiên Chúa đã sai sứ thần Gabriel đến Đức Maria của chúng ta. "
            Ngôi Hai nhập thể của Thiên Chúa Ba Ngôi đến và đem Tin Mừng về Nước Thiên Chúa, Ngài tuyển lựa và mời gọi những người theo Chúa, Ngài đã hiến dâng sự sống của mình trên thập tự giá và Ngài sống lại từ cõi chết, Ngài đã để lại Giáo Hội của Ngài để tiếp tục công trình cứu độ của Ngài, "Hãy đi khắp cả thiên hạ rao giảng tin mừng cho mọi loài thụ tạo. Ai tin cùng chịu thanh tẩy thì sẽ được cứu, còn ai không tin thì sẽ bị luận tội "(Mc 16: 15- 16)
 
 Reflection Tuesday 17^th Ordinary Time:
     Jesus speaks of the ungraspable Kingdom of God in parables. In the context of his audience, the parable of the weeds is readily understandable. In the fields where good seed is sown, weeds from whatever source grow with the plants from the good seed. Before the harvest or at the harvest, the bad weeds are separated and eventually disposed of or burned; the fruit of the good seed is harvested.
     In our world, good and bad people, all different, live together. In the words of St. Ignatius of Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises, "those on the face of the earth, in such great diversity in dress and manner of acting. Some are white, some black' some at peace and some at war; some weeping, some laughing; some well, some sick; some coming into the world and some dying, etc." And the Holy Trinity sees this world, "They look down upon the whole surface of the earth, and behold all nations in great blindness, going down and descending into hell."
     And St. Ignatius writes that it is into this varied and confused world that the Trinity decrees to send the Second Person to save it: "They decree in Their eternity that the Second Person should become man to save the human race. So when the fullness of time had come, They send the Angel Gabriel to our Lady."
     The incarnate Second Person of the Blessed Trinity comes to bring the Good News about the Kingdom of God, chooses and invites followers, gives his life on the cross and rises from the dead, leaving his Church to continue his saving work, "Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; the one ho refuses to believe will be condemned." (Mk 16: 16)
 
Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”  Matthew 13:43
This passage concludes Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Weeds in the Field. Recall that in this parable there were good seeds sown in a field. The Sower is the Son of Man, Jesus, and the seed He sows are the children of the Kingdom, which includes all those who are in a state of grace. The field is the whole world. Thus, Jesus is saying that He has sent His followers, each one of us, into the world to build His Kingdom. But the evil one also sows his “children,” which refers to all of those who live evil lives that are contrary to the will of God. The passage above refers to the reward that the children of the Kingdom receive, whereas the passage just prior to this points out that at the end of the age, the children of the evil one will be condemned and sent “into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”
The end result of being the children of the Kingdom is quite hopeful. “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.” This promise from our Lord should be pondered, believed and become the driving force of our hope in life.
Hope is an essential virtue that we often do not speak of enough. The gift of hope is not simply wishful thinking, such as when one hopes they win the lotto. The theological virtue of hope is a gift from God that is based on truth. The truth that it is based on is the promise of eternal life in Heaven if we accept all that God speaks to us and if we fulfill His glorious will in our lives.
By analogy, say that you have a large mortgage on your home. And say that the bank was doing a promotion in which they were going to pay off the mortgage for one lucky family. And that family was yours. They contacted you and let you know that all you need to do is fill out an application for this grant and that it would then be given to you. What would you do? Of course you would go and fill out the application. The bank is trustworthy, and you are confident that if you do what they ask, a small task of filling out the application, then they will follow through with the promise they made of paying off your mortgage. In a sense, there is hope established within you once you learn of this offer; and that hope, which is based on a true promise, is what drives you to do the small task of filling out the application.
So it is with God. The “mortgage” that He promises to pay is the debt of all our sin. And the requirement to receive this promise is fidelity to all He commands of us for our good. The problem is that we often do not fully understand the reward we are promised. That is: to “shine like the sun” in the Kingdom of our Father in Heaven. Having your mortgage paid off by the bank is something concrete and clear and very desirable. But the reward of shining like the sun in the Kingdom is of infinitely greater value. Do you believe that?
The best way to strengthen the virtue of theological hope in our lives is to become more and more certain of the truthful promise of our Lord. We need to understand Heaven and the infinite value we receive by obtaining it. If we truly understood what Jesus was promising us, we would become so intensely driven to do all that He commands us to do that this would become the single focus of our life. The hope would become a strength so strong that we would become consumed with doing anything and everything necessary to obtain such a reward.
Reflect, today, upon the depth of hope you have in your life. How driven are you by the promises made by our Lord? How clearly do you understand those promises? If you struggle with hope, then spend more time on the end reward that is promised to you by Jesus. Believe what He says and make that end goal the central focus of your life.
My glorious King, You invite all people to share in the glories of Heaven. You promise us that if we are faithful, we will shine like the sun for all eternity. Help me to understand this glorious gift so that it becomes the single object of my hope and the drive of all that I do in life. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Tuesday 17^th Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you know all things and are the Lord of history. You know how the world is a mixture of good and evil, of light and darkness, of saints and sinners. Bring me to a good end and help me overcome sin in my life so that I may truly be a child of your Kingdom.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Jesus’ Explanation of the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds: When Jesus begins to speak in parables in the Gospel of Matthew, this marks a change in his teaching method. Jesus has met with opposition from the religious leaders (Matthew 12:1-50) and started to form his twelve Apostles as the new leaders of the new Israel. Jesus adapts his teaching to this new reality. Parables hide the mysteries of the Kingdom from the learned and the prideful (the scribes and Pharisees) and reveal the mysteries to the humble and childlike (his disciples). Jesus often speaks in parables to the crowds that follow him and then later explains the meaning of the parables in private to his disciples. We see this in today’s Gospel. After the crowds have been dismissed, the disciples approach Jesus and ask him to explain the parable of the wheat and weeds in the field. He explains that he, the Son of Man, is the sower of wheat, of good seed. The devil, the Evil One, is his enemy who sows weeds. The children of the Kingdom of Heaven are the good seed sown by Jesus. The children of the Evil One are the weeds sown by the devil. Jesus is revealing that good and evil people, saints and sinners, will coexist side by side in the kingdom of heaven.
2. The Final Separation of Good and Evil: In Peter’s house, which is an image of the Church, Jesus explains the meaning of his parable. Jesus reveals that only at the end of the age will bad weeds (the unrighteous) and good wheat (the righteous) be separated. Jesus speaks about sending out messengers and angels into the world at harvest time to collect the weeds and throw them into the fire. “The parable shows that even though the kingdom is dawning on the world, wicked and the faithful will coexist with it until the final judgment” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 181). While the wicked will be punished in the furnace of fire, the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Those who rise to eternal life will shine because they share in the light of Jesus’ glory. The image evokes Daniel 12:3, which foresees the day when the wise will be delivered from God’s judgment and shine forever like the stars. What are some lessons we can draw from this parable? First of all, we need to learn the lesson of patience. Wickedness will exist in the world and even in the kingdom of Heaven as it grows throughout history. We need to work to eradicate wickedness from our own lives and overcome injustices in our society. Second, there is a lesson of hope. The children of God the Father will be vindicated at the final judgment. Am I working patiently and persistently to eradicate sin, evil, and wickedness from my own life and from the community around me?
3. Why Have You Struck Us Down? In the First Reading, Jeremiah is encouraged by God to weep for Jerusalem, which is called the “virgin daughter.” Jerusalem is suffering because Judah’s spiritual leaders, tasked with religious instruction, have failed to impart true knowledge of God to the people (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, 43). Jeremiah responds to God by asking if the Lord has rejected Judah and why he has struck her down. “Jeremiah, still unwilling to abandon Judah to conquest and exile, prays again for clemency. This time he confesses the sins of multiple generations (14:20), begs the Lord to uphold his covenant with Israel (14:21), and acknowledges the inability of idols to bring rain (14:22)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, 43). The people of Judah are oppressed by Babylon and by the persistent drought. Jerusalem, the Daughter of Zion, needs to learn that the God of Israel and Judah – not Baal, the Canaanite storm god – controls the weather and the rain. The Lord permits his people to experience deportation and drought in an effort to bring them back to covenant fidelity. Has God permitted me to experience what it is like to be far away from him? Did this experience draw me back to God?
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, teach me to be patient and merciful when I see evil in the world and in the Church. Do not let me become discouraged or give into despair. I will redouble my efforts to be holy with your grace and overcome my attachments to sin.
 
Reflection:
Today, through the parable of the weeds and the wheat, the Church urges us to ponder over the coexistence of good and evil. Good and evil within our heart; good and evil we may spot on others, good and evil we can see in the world, all around us. “Explain to us the parable” (Mt 13:36), his disciples ask Jesus. And, today, we can mean to be more careful with our personal prayer, our everyday dealings with God. —Lord, we can ask him, explain to me why I do not progress enough in my interior life. Explain to me how can I be more faithful to you, how can I look for you in my work, or through these circumstances I do not understand or I do not want. How can I be a qualified apostle? A prayer is just this, to ask God for “explanations”. How is my prayer? Is it sincere?, is it constant?, is it trusting?
Jesus Christ invites us to keep our eyes fixed on Heaven, our eternal home. Quite often, haste can drive us crazy, but we seldom stop to think that there will come a day —, «the man who strives to live must die; whereas the man who does not strive to avoid sin has to live eternally» (St. Julian of Toledo).
We shall reap what we have sown. We have to fight to give today the 100%. So when we are called into God's presence we might be able to go with our hands full: of acts of faith, hope and love. Which result in minor things and events that, when lived on an everyday basis, make us better Christians, saints and human.