Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 25 Thường Niên.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 25 Thường Niên. (Lk. 9:1-6).
“Anh em đừng mang gì đi đường, đừng mang gậy, bao bị, lương thực, tiền bạc, cũng đừng có hai áo” (Lk. 9:3). Đấy là những điều kiện mà Chúa Giêsu muốn đòi hỏi các môn đệ của Ngài phải thực hiện khi ra đi làm nhiệm vụ rao giẳng Tin Mừng. Nếu chúng ta chịu khó để ý thì thấy những quãng đường họ phải đi qua nào là đồi núi, quanh co và sỏi đá thế mà họ phải đi bộ để chu toàn sứ mạng của các ngài, vậy mà Chúa Giêsu bảo không mang gì hết để đáp ứng những nhu cầu tối thiểu của chúng ta, chắc chắn chúng ta sẽ thấy rằng đó chính là một nhu cầu đầy thách thức. Tuy nhiên, các môn đệ đã làm theo như lời Chúa Giêsu dạy, và tất cả mọi sự và mọi việc đã được diễn ra rất suông sẻ và thành công.
            Trong cuộc sống hàng ngày của chúng ta, chúng ta đánh giá rất nhiều về những nhu cầu và các nguồn lực cần thiết để thực hiện những gì chúng ta cho là quan trọng. Đôi khi, cuộc sống của chúng ta đã trở nên tê bại, liệt cứng khi chúng ta không thành công trong việc thúc đẩy những kế hoạch của chúng ta bởi vì chúng ta thiếu lòng tin và lo sợ rằng chúng ta sẽ không có được những nguồn lực, ý chí cần thiết để tiến hành những dự án đó của chúng ta. 
            Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu như muốn nhắc nhở với chúng ta là hãy hết lòng tin tưởng vào Ngài. Lẽ tất nhiên, điều này chỉ có thể thành công khi chúng ta thật lòng để tâm, để trí và thực sự thực hiện ý muốn của Thiên Chúa và chứ không phải chỉ đơn thuần nhằm mục đích riêng của chúng ta để tự tôn vinh và mang lai sự quang vinh cho chính mình.
            Lạy Chúa Giêsu Kitô, xin ban cấp cho chúng con được những hồng ân của Chúa nhất là lòng tin tuởng và phó thác hoàn toàn trong tình yêu vô điều kiện của Chúa.
 
 
Wednesday 25th Week in Ordinary Time
“Take nothing for the journey — no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.” This is what Jesus required of the disciples as they set out on mission. If we take account of the distances to be covered by walking and the material needs to be met, we see that bringing nothing was a challenging demand. However, the disciples did as Jesus said and everything went smoothly.
            In our daily life, we value very much the supply of resources necessary to carry out what we deem important. Sometimes, our lives become paralyzed as we fail to push forward plans because we are afraid that we will not obtain the resources needed. Jesus tells us just to go on trusting him wholeheartedly. Obviously, this is only possible when we are truly carrying out his will and not simply aiming at our self-glorification or fame.
            Accepting the mission and acknowledging our weaknesses and unworthiness — just as Ezra recognizes in front of God the sins of his people — will make us humbler so as to be able to see God's hand in our lives. Only in this way, we are also led to meet the demands of our daily life and achieve our goals.
Lord Jesus Christ, grant us, we pray, the grace of full trust in Your unconditional love.
 
Wednesday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke 9:1–2
This is the first time that Jesus sends His Apostles out on a mission. On this mission, He is preparing them for their ultimate mission, which will come at the time of Pentecost, after Jesus dies, rises and ascends to Heaven. But for now, Jesus commissions these Apostles to do three things: to cast out demons, heal the sick and proclaim the Kingdom of God.
Just like the Apostles, we are called to combat the devil and his demons. They are fallen angels who retain their natural powers, and they use those natural powers to try to deceive us, oppress us and, in some cases, even possess us. But demons are powerless in the face of God, and God gives us spiritual authority over them. And though there are some who are given the unique ministry of exorcism within the Church, all of us do have spiritual authority over demons, especially over their natural spiritual attacks of temptations.
We combat demons primarily by revealing their lies and bringing them to light. Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in his spiritual classic The Spiritual Exercises, explains to us some of the ordinary tactics these demons use and how we overcome them. He says that for those steeped in a life of serious sin, the demons continually place before their mind the lie that their sins are enjoyable and rewarding, so that they will continue to choose them. And for those who are striving for holiness, these demons try to discourage them in their deepening conversion. They “bite, sadden and put obstacles, disquieting with false reasons, that one may not go on” (Rule 2). The way to overcome these temptations is by turning to the truth. First, by realizing that the false “pleasures” of sin are just that: false, fleeting and ultimately demeaning. Furthermore, we overcome these temptations by receiving from God “courage and strength, consolations, tears, inspirations and quiet, easing, and putting away all obstacles.” In other words, we overcome the demons by allowing God to strengthen us, clear our thinking, dispel all false obstacles on the road to holiness and by receiving the abundant consolations that God bestows as help on the journey.
Reflect, today, upon the fact that our Lord wants to minister to you in this threefold way. If you can work to overcome the obstacles, put in your path by these demons, then you are in a good position to share in the other two missions given to the Apostles. You will be able to experience mental, emotional and spiritual healing in your life, and you will be able to allow the Kingdom of God to grow strong and powerful within your own soul. From there, you will be sent on a mission by our Lord to bring these graces to others in need.
My all-powerful Lord, You have authority over evil, the power to heal and offer all the gifts of eternal salvation. Help me to be open to the ways that You desire to come to me. Please free me from the attacks of the evil one, bring healing and hope, and bring forth the abundance of Your glorious Kingdom in my life. Jesus, I trust in You
 
Wednesday 25th Ordinary 202
Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, you are my Lord and my God. I trust in you. I long to dwell in your house all the days of my life. I look forward to the day when, in heaven, I will sing your glorious praises with the heavenly host, with all the angels and saints.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Take Nothing for the Journey: In the Gospel, Jesus bestowed power and authority upon his Twelve Apostles. This gift included the power to cast out demons and to heal the sick. It also included the authority to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. As they carry out this mission of healing and teaching, the Apostles are not to trust in the strength of their own abilities. Jesus commands them to take nothing with them and leave everything behind (see Luke 5:11, 28). Although they might be good administrators, they are not to take money with them to buy food or a place to spend the night. Instead, they are to trust in the generosity of the people who welcome them to stay with them. Such practices will help them trust more in God’s providential care. And when they perform signs and wonders, and cast out demons, and heal the sick, they will more readily give glory and praise to God and not fall into the sin of pride and vainglory. As well, if they follow Jesus’ commands, then they will be less likely to fall into the perilous trap of using religion for financial gain.
2. Ezra as a Type of Christ: On Monday, we began reading from the Book of Ezra as our First Reading. The first part of the Book of Ezra (1-6) dealt with the rebuilding of the Temple from 538 to 515 B.C. Ezra 7 moves forward to the middle of the fifth century B.C. and the situation of the Judeans living in Jerusalem. Here, we are introduced to the priest and scribe Ezra, who served as an official in Persia under Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:1-6). “Artaxerxes grants Ezra permission by official decree to return to Jerusalem with the goal of restoring Torah observance (see Ezra 7:7-8, 11-26). The following passage captures the heart of Ezra’s mission: ‘For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach his statutes and ordinances in Israel’ (Ezra 7:10). He gathers Levites to come with him to Jerusalem and they fast in preparation (Ezra 8:15-23)” (A Catholic Guide to the Old Testament, 237). When Ezra arrived in Jerusalem, he found that the people had been unfaithful to the Lord and that the upper classes, especially, had intermarried with the Gentile nations in the land. It was not a question of race, but of the officials and chief men of Judah seeking to advance their power and wealth by intermarrying with foreign nobles. This was seen by Ezra as an injustice to faithful Jewish women, as breaking the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 7:1-4), and as a danger of falling into idolatry. Ezra then pleaded with the Lord, fasting and interceding for the people. In this way, he is seen as a type of Christ, who makes sorrowful intercession and fasts for the people. 
3. Ezra’s Spiritual Leadership: Ezra goes into a long prayer that confesses the collective sin of the people of Judah. “The people respond to Ezra’s exhortation and even agree to part with their foreign wives (10:1-17). Again, the text is clear: elite priests and Levites were at the forefront of the guilty here (see Ezra 10:18-24). With Ezra’s spiritual leadership – and the absence of royal Davidic leadership – we can see the gradual movement toward governance of the people by priests and religious leaders, while still remaining subject to various foreign powers. This is the situation at the time of Jesus, with rule by the priestly establishment, along with the Herodian rulers, all of whom serve under the auspices of the Roman authorities” (A Catholic Guide to the Old Testament, 237). Reading the Book of Ezra, then, helps us understand the history of the Jewish people and the influence of the religious authorities during the life and times of Jesus. Jesus comes not to promote a theology of separation between the Jewish people and the Gentiles, but to inaugurate the New Covenant and establish the Kingdom of God that welcomes people of all nations.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, send me to proclaim the Kingdom of God today. I pray that my actions correspond to my Christian faith and that I may witness to you in my words and good deeds. Empower me with your grace and the virtues of faith, hope, and charity so that what I do may give glory to you and the Father.
 
Wednesday 25th Ordinary 2024
Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, you are my Lord and my God. I trust in you. I long to dwell in your house all the days of my life. I look forward to the day when, in heaven, I will sing your glorious praises with the heavenly host, with all the angels and saints.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Proclaiming God’s Lordship Over All Things: Jesus’ Twelve Apostles were sent out to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God, to cast out demons, to heal the sick, and to cure diseases. This power and authority does not come from themselves but from God. Jesus is the one who gave them power and authority. The Apostles are not to rely on their own talents or strength but on the Father’s providence. The way they are sent out is itself a proclamation of the Kingdom. By not taking a walking stick, money, or second tunic, they proclaim God’s Lordship over creation and his providential care. They proclaim the dominion of God. God is God – He is in charge. He holds in his hands the threads of the world. God is acting now in our lives. He is a living God (Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, vol. I, 55-60). Where God is absent, nothing can be good. Where God is not seen, man and the world fall to ruin (Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, vol. I, 145).
2. Jesus as the Answer to Agur’s Questions: The Book of Proverbs concludes with the words of Agur (30:1-33); the words of Lemuel (31:1-9); and the praise of a good wife (31:10-31). Today’s First Reading is taken from the words of Agur. Agur begins with questions that challenge his listeners to see that God’s power and wisdom surpass them. He asks: “Who has ascended to the heavens and come down?;” “Who has gathered the wind in his fists?;” “Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?;” “Who has established all the ends of the earth?;” “What is his name, and what is his son’s name?” (Proverbs 30:4). The first question implies that no human being has acquired divine, heavenly wisdom. Only Jesus can claim such wisdom (John 3:13) (see Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon, 51). The second, third, and fourth questions contemplate the magnitude of God's creation – it too surpasses us. The last question about the Son of God is difficult to understand, but with the coming of Christ, however, we know that God the Father has an eternal Son. This Son has come down from heaven, dwelt among us, demonstrated power over the wind and waters, and ascended to his heavenly throne where he now reigns!
3. God’s Providential Care: Human beings receive divine wisdom from God and the Word of God is trustworthy. When we hear the Word of God and accept it, it becomes for us a shield since it protects us from false and evil ways. Agur’s petition, in the First Reading, is full of humility. He asks to be removed from falsehood and to receive only what he needs. He feels that if he is poor he will be tempted to steal and that if he is rich he will be tempted to forget his dependence on God. In the Old Testament, then, Agur proclaims the greatness of God’s wisdom and power as well as our dependence on God, who cares for us and protects us. In the New Testament, the Apostles testify to the coming of the Kingdom of God through miraculous signs, which testify to the end of the reign of evil and sin, and through their poverty, they testify to God’s providential care. The Apostles share directly in Jesus’ mission to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom; they will witness the glory of the Kingdom on Mount Tabor; they will witness the inauguration of the Kingdom at the Last Supper and on the Cross; they will be sent out after the Resurrection and Pentecost to proclaim and extend the Kingdom established by Christ.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, send me to proclaim the Kingdom of God today. I pray that my actions correspond to my Christian faith and that I may witness to you in my words and good deeds. Empower me with your grace and the virtues of faith, hope, and charity so that what I do may give glory to you and the Father..
 
Wednesday 25th Ordinary 2023
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, I look to you as my Father and the source of my being. I know that your heart is heavy with sorrow over the sufferings of your creatures. I want to be with you and console you during this time of prayer. Help me to hear your heartbeats and to feel compassion for those who suffer.
Encountering Christ:
Apostleship: Anyone who has encountered the love of God becomes an apostle because, as St. Paul says, we are new creations...“the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). As the Lord’s apostles, we share in his power and authority. How many of us live our lives recognizing that, as followers of Christ, we can be the Lord's hands, feet, and mouthpiece? “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12). 
Take Nothing: One of the conditions of being an apostle is a reliance on the Lord. We are called to give Christ, not ourselves. This requires emptying ourselves of personal interest, of receiving something in return, of relying on our talents. An apostle is an ambassador of the Lord, giving others Christ’s riches. When we detach from false securities, trusting in God as our one security and knowing that he will provide everything, we are truly instruments of His power and authority. 
“Whatever House You Enter, Stay There”: If we encounter someone on the journey who is open to the Lord, God may ask us to stay there, to linger and deepen that relationship. There is wisdom in planting a seed deeply and cultivating the ground around it before moving on to plant another seed. As Scripture tells us, the seed that falls in the dry ground will not bear much fruit, but the one that falls in the fertile ground will bear much fruit. When we take the time to prepare the ground by patiently answering questions, providing quality resources, and testifying to Chris’s love in the little things of everyday life, we are sharing the healing power of Christ’s love with those to whom God sends us. 
Conversing with Christ: Lord, I want to know your heart, to love what you love, and to minister as you would. Grant me the grace of total security in you and reliance on you. Help me to be docile to your inspirations, reaching out to souls you place in my path and generously giving them all they need to encounter you. 
 
Wednesday 25th Ordinary
Opening Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I thank you for the gift of my faith. Please increase my faith to see your presence and action in my life. Strengthen my hope to stand firm in you when things seem hopeless. Increase my love so that through me your loving grace may touch many around me. Finally, I ask you to bless all those you have entrusted to my prayer. 
Encountering Christ:
He Gave Power and Authority: “He summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal.” When God gives us a mission, he gives us the graces to complete that mission. We refer to this principle as the grace of state. In giving the apostles the mission of building his Church, he also gave them the corresponding power and authority to do so. Traditionally, the Church has understood that the Magisterium has threefold power: to govern, to teach, and to sanctify (CCC 888-895). This passage refers to teaching and sanctifying, implied by the healing. Jesus established a visible Church upon the foundation of the apostles, and that foundation still stands today in the person of the pope and the bishops in union with him. Our Lord’s Church continues to wield his power in order to continue his mission to “proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal.” 
He Sent Them: Jesus sent the apostles to “proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal.” The Church was never meant to be self-referential. Its sole purpose is to be a sign of God’s presence in the world. It comes from God and goes out to man. The Church in its very essence is missionary. St. John Paul II wrote that “All renewal in the Church must have a mission as its goal if it is not to fall prey to a kind of ecclesial introversion” (Evangelii Gaudium, n. 27). While it is true that we must at times look inward in our prayer and formation, even that must be oriented towards mission. The Church participates in Christ’s zeal to go from town to town to proclaim the Gospel (Mark 1:38).
They Set Out: “Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.” It must have been with great joy and excitement that the apostles set out for their first mission. They had often witnessed Our Lord preach, refute the Pharisees, and heal the sick. They had been eagerly awaiting their turn. They wanted to do great things for the Lord and prove that he had done well in choosing them. They were also somewhat nervous. Would they be able to cast out demons as he did? He commanded them to do so; therefore, in their childlike confidence, they tried and it worked! They still had much growing and learning to do as his messengers, but they were willing students and collaborators. 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus Christ, increase in my heart the zeal for souls. Help me to go beyond my comfort zone to proclaim your Gospel to those around me. Give me the light and grace necessary for the fulfillment of my duties in my state of life. Help me to understand that fulfilling your will with as much love as I can is the best thing I can do for the Church and society.