Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Sáng 24/12.. (Lk. 1:67-79 )

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Sáng 24/12.. (Lk. 1:67-79 )
            Trong chúng ta, đôi khi có nhiều điều lo sợ khi nghĩ đến việc Thiên Chúa đến thăm viếng chúng ta, Vì chúng ta tin rằng việc có thể xẩy ra chỉ là sự dồng nghĩa với cơn thịnh nộ, với sự phán xét và trừng phạt. Nhưng Dacaria đã đúng: Việc  viếng thăm của Thiên Chúa đã chứng minh lòng trung tín Thiên Chúa vì Ngài đã luôn giữ đúng với lời hứa của Ngài. Đó cũng là một dấu chỉ của tình yêu trung thành và lòng thương xót của Thiên Chúa, và Ngài đến để mang lại sự giải thoát, sự tự do, và đem ánh sáng của Ngài từ trời cao xuống để hướng dẫn chúng ta. Không có gì phải sợ hãi, trừ khi, chúng ta đã phản bội và chống lại những điều giáo huấn của Thiên Chúa đẵ thay thế công lý và tình thương bằng những sự lạm dụng quyền lực, tham những  và bất công. Việc đến viếng tham chúng ta của Thiên Chúa là những ân huệ và là những hồng ân bao la của Thiên Chúa ban tặng cho chúng ta, nhưng chúng ta phải biết mở rộng cánh của tâm hồn và lòng trí của chúng ta để lãnh nhận những hồng ân này.
            Có lẽ chúng ta vẫn còn sống trong những mối lo sợ này,  hay có thể, chúng ta đã trở thành những người xa lạ đối với những cảm giác của niềm vui và lòng biết ơn. Chúa Giêsu thực sự là ánh sáng ban mai từ trời cao và là sự hiện diện của lòng Thiên Chúa hay thương xót.  Mỗi ngày chúng ta có thể đón nhận Chúa Giêsu vào trong lòng của chúng ta và như thánh Gioan Tẩy Giả đã chuẩn bị cho những người khác để họ nhận được những hồng ân của Thiên Chúa. Chúng ta cũng nên chuẩn bị tâm hồn của chúng ta để đón Chúa Hài đồng đến viếng thăm chúng ta trong đêm nay và Ngài sẽ trở lại để đón chúng ta về với Ngài trong một cuộc sống mới. 
            Lạy Chúa, cởi mở lòng chúng con, để chúng con biết đón nhận những hồng ân và món quà tinh thần của Chúa ban cho chúng con hôm nay.
 
Dec 24th 4th Week of Advent (Morning)
            Many feared the visitation of God, believing that it could only mean wrath, judgment, and punishment. But Zechariah had it right: the visitation of God proved that God kept His promises. It was also a sign of God’s faithful love and tender mercy, and brought deliverance, freedom, and a guiding light from above. There was nothing to fear — unless, of course, you were opposed to all those things and dedicated instead to power and injustice. These were God's gifts — but have we opened our minds and hearts to receive them?  
            Perhaps we still live in fear or are strangers to a sense of joy and gratitude. Jesus is truly the dawning light from on high and the presence of God's tender mercy. Each day we can receive Jesus into our hearts and like John the Baptist prepare others to receive the gift of God. The visitation of God is truly new life.
Lord, open my heart to receive the gift of Your spirit.
 
December 24 in the Morning, Advent Weekday 
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of his servant David…” Luke 1:68–69
These words are the beginning of Zechariah’s song of praise, traditionally called the Benedictus, which he prayed as soon as his mouth was opened at the circumcision of his newborn son, John the Baptist. Priests and religious pray this beautiful song in the Liturgy of the Hours every morning. It recounts the whole plan of salvation that God began with Abraham, outlines the role of the prophets, and points to Zechariah’s son, John, as the “prophet of the Most High” who will “go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins” (Luke 1:76–77).
As we prepare for the great Solemnity of Christmas Day, Zechariah’s song gives us much to ponder. He begins by blessing God Who “has come to his people and set them free.” Christmas is not only about the Most High God Who took on the form of an infant long ago. It’s also an ongoing coming to us by grace and the Sacraments. That same Most High God continuously descends into our souls as He is made visible to us in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Therefore, each of us must sing Zechariah’s song with the same vigor and conviction every time we attend Mass or encounter God’s presence in our lives.
Why did God come to us? He came to set us free. Christmas must be a time when we acknowledge the ways that our sin oppresses us. We need a Savior. We need freedom. We need forgiveness. The only way to be receptive to our Savior is to humbly acknowledge how much we need Him.
We see this in Zechariah’s song when he speaks of the role his son John would play in the whole plan of salvation. John was to give God’s people “knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.” Seeing our sins is essential. Our culture tempts us to downplay sin, to see it as normal or even acceptable. Some hold up their sin with great pride. We must avoid being influenced by this tendency and recognize our sin with clarity and honesty.
Understanding the kind of God we have greatly helps us to see our sin and our need for a Savior. Zechariah goes on to say, “In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Our God is not only compassionate, He offers us a “tender compassion.” He did not come to condemn, but to free us from “darkness and the shadow of death” so that we could be led into the “way of peace.” Deep down, we all want this. The only way to receive it is by listening to John the Baptist’s preaching that we must acknowledge our sins and repent.
Reflect today on the true meaning of Christmas. God became Man to save us from darkness, sin, and death. He came to set us free from all that binds us, oppresses us, and misguides us. He came to free us from the evil one’s lies and the many ways that those lies have permeated our lives and culture. Join with Zechariah today in his song of praise for the gift of salvation, and strive to pray his prayer with the same faith he had.
Blessed are You, Lord my God, for You have come to Your people to set them free. Mighty Savior, as I prepare to celebrate the great Solemnity of Christmas, please help me to see how much I need You in my life. Without You, I am lost and live in darkness and death. Free me, and help me to repent and to receive Your gift of salvation. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Saturday Dec 24th 4th Week of Advent 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, send your Son and Spirit and do not delay so that those who trust in your compassion may find solace and relief from their coming.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Davidic Covenant: When John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, was released from his silence, the first thing he did was praise God with inspired thanksgiving. Zechariah thanks God for fulfilling the Davidic and Abrahamic covenants and looks forward to the forgiveness of sins in the New Covenant. The first part of Zechariah’s hymn of praise considers the covenant with David in the history of salvation (Luke 1:68-71). Zechariah proclaims that God has raised up for us a mighty Savior from the royal House of David. The literal phrase is “horn of salvation.” This phrase recalls the song David sang when he was delivered from his enemies: “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, … my shield and the horn of my salvation (2 Samuel 22:2-3). The horn is a symbol of God’s power. “Zechariah’s words echo the royal hymn of Psalm 132, which celebrated God’s covenant with King David and his descendants. There the Lord said, ‘I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed’ (Psalm 132:17)” (Sri, Dawn of the Messiah, 62). This new anointed king, this new son of David, will be the Messiah who will restore the kingdom and covenant of David.
2. The Abrahamic Covenant: The second part of Zechariah’s hymn considers the covenant with Abraham (Luke 1:72-75). Zechariah utters three lines that all point to this covenant. First, God is said to perform the mercy (Greek: eleos; Hebrew: hesed) promised to our fathers. Second, God is said to remember his holy covenant with Abraham, Issac, and Jacob (see Exodus 2:24; Psalm 105:8-11). Third, Zechariah recalls that God swore an oath to Abraham that he would bless all nations through his descendant (see Genesis 22:15-18). “Hesed is covenant faithfulness. So, to ‘perform hesed’ means the same thing as ‘remember his holy covenant.’ And the ‘holy covenant’ is the same thing as the ‘oath’ God swore to Abraham because the covenant is the extension of kinship by oath” (Bergsma, New Testament Basics for Catholics, 100). Our true enemy, then, is not a physical enemy like King Saul trying to kill David, or the Pharaoh persecuting the tribes of Israel in Egypt, or the Romans oppressing the Jewish people. The deliverance and liberation we need is one that transforms us, frees us from the power of sin and the devil, and leads us to persevere in holiness and righteousness.
3. The New Covenant: The third part of Zechariah’s hymn considers the role of his son, John the Baptist, and looks forward to his preparatory role in bringing about the New Covenant in Christ (Luke 1:76-79). God promised in Jeremiah and Ezekiel that the New Covenant would bring about the forgiveness of sins. In giving knowledge of salvation, Zechariah’s son, John, will not merely give lectures about salvation but will help God’s people to experience it. “While salvation can mean any rescue from danger or death, here it refers to what God’s people receive through the forgiveness of their sins. John’s mission will be to help rescue God’s people from their sins and from the consequences of their sins” (Martin, Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life, 49). Zechariah sees the dawn or day breaking from on high. Luke, here, uses a word in Greek (anatole) that can mean both the dawning of the “rising sun” and the shooting forth of a “new branch.” Since the physical sun normally rises from the earth in the East, the “dawn from on high” is a symbol of the heavenly origin of this new light. The image also recalls the prophecies of a branch or shoot (Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 3:8) coming from the line of David. The new dawn and new branch, which come to fulfillment in Jesus, will bring light to those in darkness, free us from the fear of eternal death, and guide humanity to reconciliation and peace with God.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, Radiant Dawn, Splendor of Eternal Light, and Sun of Justice, come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death. Guide me by your light and your Spirit.
 
Suy Niệm bài Đọc Thánh Lễ sáng Ngày 24/12
Trong bài giảng cho các tu sĩ Dòng Tên vào ngày lễ kính Thánh Saint Inhaxiô, Đức Thánh Cha Phanxicô đã nhắc nhở chúng ta rằng "Điều mà chúng ta phài nhớ là không phải chúng ta xây dựng được Vương quốc của Thiên Chúa, nhưng chúng ta phải luôn luôn biết là nhờ ân sủng của Thiên Chúa làm việc trong chúng ta." Có rất nhiều tài liệu trong Kinh Thánh mà Đức Giáo Hoàng đã làm căn bản để khẳng định như thế, mà trong bài đọc thứ nhất  trong Thánh Lễ hôm nay là một ví dụ tốt.”
            Sau khi đã chiến thắng tất cả các quân thù của mình, Vua David đã muốn có ý tưởng hiến dâng vương miện của Mình cho Thên Chúa bằng việc xây dựng một ngôi nhà cho Chúa. Tuy nhiên qua bài đọc chúng ta biết rằng, trên thực tế, Chính Thiên Chúa là Đấng đã ban cho David chiến thắng, giải hoà và đem hòa bình đến với những kẻ thù của mình. Có vẻ hình như  Chúa đã nhờ tiên tri Nathan để nhắc nhở nhà Vua về sự thật này: " Chính Ta đã cất nhắc ngươi, từ một kẻ lùa chiên ngoài đồng cỏ, lên làm người lãnh đạo dân Ta là Israel.  Ngươi đi đâu, Ta cũng đã ở đó với ngươi; mọi thù địch ngươi, Ta đã diệt trừ cho khuất mắt ngươi. Ta sẽ làm cho tên tuổi ngươi lẫy lừng, như tên tuổi những bậc vĩ nhân trên mặt đất. ^‘’.." Như thế, chúng thấy, Thiên Chúa đã khiển trách vua David bằng cách đưa nhà vua trở lại với thực tế.’
            Thánh Phaolô trong thơ gởi cho giáo đoàn Roma cũng đã nhắc nhở chúng ta là: "Quả thế, mọi lời xưa đã chép trong Kinh Thánh, đều được chép để dạy dỗ chúng ta. Những lời ấy làm cho chúng ta nên kiên nhẫn, và an ủi chúng ta, để nhờ đó chúng ta vững lòng trông cậy." (Rm 15: 4). Qua câu chuyện của vua David trong bài đọc hôm nay có thế giúp chúng ta để áp dụng cho đời sống tinh thần của chúng ta: những lời của Thiên Chúa, đã và đang nói với chúng ta trong Thánh lễ, trong Bí tích Thánh Thể, Chúa đã liên tục đưa chúng ta trở lại với thực tại, về với sự hiện diện của Thiên Chúa trong cuộc sống của chúng ta, cũng như chúng ta cùng đồng hành với Ngài, Đấng Emmanuel. Lạy Cha, trong mùa Chúa Giáng Sinh này, Xin Cha cho chúng con biết ơn và đánh giá cao về mầu nhiệm Chúa Giêsu nhập thể, là "Thiên Chúa ở cùng chúng con".
 
Reflection
In his homily to the Jesuits on the feast of Saint Ignatius, Pope Francis reminded us that “it is not for us to build the Kingdom of God, but it is always the grace of God working within us.” There is much biblical material to ground the Pope's assertion, and the first reading for today’s Mass is a good example.
            After all his victories, David wanted to crown his exploits by building a house for the Lord. The writer carefully notes, however, that, in reality, it was the Lord who had given David his victories and peace from his enemies. David, it seems, needed the Lord to remind him of this truth: “It was I who took you…I have been with you wherever you went…” Thus, the Lord reprimanded David by bringing him back to reality.
            Paul teaches us: “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom 15:4). We may, then, apply this story about David to our own spiritual lives: the word of God, spoken to us at each Eucharist, continually brings us back to the reality of God’s presence in our lives, accompanying us as Emmanuel.
            Father, at Christmas, deepen our appreciation of the mystery of Jesus, “God with us”.