Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ bẩy tuần 29 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ bẩy tuần 29 Thường Niên
Trong một lúc nào đó trong cuộc sống của chúng ta, có lẽ chúng ta cũng đã giống như cây vả mà Chúa Giêsu đã nhắc tới trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay. Chúng ta cũng thế, chúng ta đều có nguy cơ bị từ bỏ, và bị coi như là thứ vô dụng. Nhưng với tình yêu thương của Thiên Chúa, Ngài đã thương xót chúng ta, và Ngài đã cho chúng ta có một cơ hội khác để sử đổi. Do đó, bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, kêu gọi tất cả chúng ta hãy tỏ lòng biết ơn Thiên Chúa một cách sâu sắc hơn vì Ngài đã cho chúng ta có được cơ hội thứ hai. Đây cũng là một phần đòi hỏi sự quyết tâm thật tình của chúng ta trong nhưng việc làm hầu chúng ta có được cái cơ hội thứ hai.
            Chúng ta sẽ hành động như thế nào ? Có phải là chúng ta sẽ vẫn giữ cái trạng thái trong sự lười biếng thiêng liêng? Thiên Chúa luôn yêu thương và sẽ giúp chúng ta, nhưng Ngài sẽ không ép buộc chúng ta vào thiên đàng. Chúng ta cần phải thay đổi cách sống của chúng ta. Chúng ta cần phải chấp nhận, tin tưởng  và trông cậy vào sự giúp đỡ, và sự yêu thương của Thiên Chúa. Chúng ta cần phải sản xuất những hoa quả của những việc làm tốt trong sự ăn năn, trong sự khiêm tốn và trong tình yêu thương. Với thời gian, không bao giờ là quá muộn hay quá trễ để chúng ta bắt đầu thay đổi cuộc sống của chúng ta để chúng ta được trở nên tốt hơn hay thánh thiện hơn. Chúng ta đừng để Chúa Giêsu Kitô phải thất vọng vì chúng ta, Ngài đã phải hạ mình, từ Thiên Chúa đã xuống làm người, một con người thật hèn hạ để ban cho chúng ta thêm một cơ hội thứ hai là để cứu chuộc chúng ta.
 
Saturday 29^th In Ordinary Time- LUKE 13:1-9
At some point in our lives, many of us were like the fig tree. We, too, were in danger of being rejected as useless. But in his mercy, God took pity on us. We were given another chance. Today's Gospel, therefore, calls forth from us deep gratitude to God for the second chance he has given us. It also calls for a deep determination on our part to make the most of our second chance.
How shall we act? Shall it be with the same spiritual laziness? God will help us but he will not force us into heaven. We need to change our ways. We need to accept the loving help of God. We need to produce the fruit of good deeds in repentance, humility and love. It is never too late to begin to change our lives for the better. Let us not disappoint Jesus who allowed himself to be cut down to give us a second chance to redeem ourselves.
 
Saturday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
“‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”  Luke 13:7–9
How much good fruit is born from your life? This is an important question to answer honestly. One of the best ways to discern whether or not we are serving the will of God is to look at the fruit being born from our lives.
Good fruit is born in various ways and manifests itself in various forms. However, the fruit you must look for is twofold. First, it is the fruit found within your own soul resulting from a life of true prayer and union with God. Second, we must look for the fruit that is born of charity in our actions toward others.
When you look honestly at your own soul, what do you see? Often, you may see a sort of war within you in which your disordered passions and appetites fight against the Spirit of God. Good spiritual fruit will require interior purification. Through prayer, fasting, spiritual reading and the like, you must look for ways in which God’s Spirit takes control of your disordered human nature and reorders it in accord with His holy will. Though we are all sinners and will all fall at times, we must work diligently to overcome every action, desire and temptation that we can objectively discern to be contrary to the will of God. At times, your fallen human nature can so forcefully draw you into sin that it can confuse your intellect and lead you to rationalization of your sins. But if you want the fruit of God’s presence in your life, then you must continually choose to make your interior life a fruitful garden in which the virtues of God grow and are nourished in abundance. So, again, what do you honestly see as you look into your own soul?
As God nourishes the virtues within us, and our disordered passions and appetites fall under the control of the Spirit of God, then we will also discover a need to allow the interior fruits of God’s love to flow forth from our lives into the lives of others. We will begin to desire selfless and sacrificial living. We will begin to desire to put others first. We will consider others’ lives as precious and filled with dignity. And we will overcome judgment, harshness, anger, and the like. We will find ourselves desiring the good of others and will supernaturally be drawn to do many small acts of kindness toward all. But it all starts with one’s interior life which our Lord desires to cultivate and fertilize with His grace so that the interior fruits of His love will grow within and ultimately become very manifest in one’s daily exterior actions toward all.
Reflect, today, upon your soul being like this fig tree that has not been bearing fruit. See our Lord coming to you and asking you to allow Him to cultivate the ground and fertilize it. Know that this requires change on your part. If you are to bear good fruit, then you need this intervention by our Lord. Work with Him, be diligent, and do all you can to begin to bear an abundance of good fruit so that you are not among those who are ultimately cut down by God’s justice.
My laboring Lord, You never cease to work diligently to cultivate the soil of my soul so that the seeds of Your mercy will grow and produce the good fruit You desire to come forth from my life. Please give me the grace I need to be faithful to a daily life of prayer, a practice of penance and a search for Your holy Word. Transform me, dear Lord, and bring forth the good fruit of Your holy Kingdom in my life. Jesus, I trust in You
 
Saturday 29^th In Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are kind and patient with me. Help me respond to your loving care and produce the good fruits of repentance and charity. Do not let me be discouraged by evil in the world. I trust in you and hope that you will bring me to dwell in your house all the days of my life.
Encountering the Word of God
1. If You Do Not Repent, You Will Perish: In the Gospel, we catch a glimpse of Jesus talking with his disciples about current events and news. Discussing the news with family, friends, and coworkers is one of our most common experiences. Gospel passages like this highlight the humanity of Jesus but also teach us how to view things like tragic news from a higher perspective. Some people in the crowd mention a massacre of Galileans by Pontius Pilate while they were offering sacrifices in the Temple in Jerusalem. And Jesus brings up the collapse of a tower in Siloam that killed 18 people. He uses these two tragedies to explain that suffering is not always a punishment for specific sins. Both tragedies teach us that we do not know the day or the hour of our death and, therefore, we need to always be ready to meet our Lord, who will judge us. One way to be prepared is to repent from our sins. As Jesus says twice: “But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”
2. The Parable of Divine Patience: Jesus illustrates the urgency of repentance with the parable of the fig tree that hasn’t produced fruit for three years. At the same time, the parable also shows that God is patient. In the parable, Jesus refers to the practice of cutting a branch from an existing fig tree and planting it. A fig tree cutting can grow 3-4 feet in its first year and can even produce some fruit in the first or second year. A fig tree that is not producing any fruit in the third year likely means something is wrong. It could be due to a lack of sunlight or unhealthy soil. The gardener in the parable convinces the owner to let the fig tree grow another year, and he’ll cultivate and fertilize the soil. But if it doesn’t bear fruit in the fourth year, it can be cut down. The three years can also refer to Jesus’ three years of public ministry. He has traveled around Galilee and Judea for three years “in search of fruit” and has found none. Yes, God is patient, but the time for repentance is coming to an end, and the time of judgment is nearing for Jerusalem, its people, and its temple.
3. Solution to the Problem of Sin: In the First Reading, Paul unveils the solution to the problem of sin laid out yesterday in Romans 7. On our own, we cannot rise above our fallen condition and do the good we ought to do. It led Paul to cry out, “Who will deliver me?” In today’s reading, from Romans 8, Paul answers that Jesus Christ will deliver us: “It is a divine solution orchestrated by the Trinity: The Father sent the Son to redeem the world from sin (8:3) and sent the Spirit to raise the world from death to new life (8:9-13). The flesh and our disordered passions pull us down, but the power of grace lifts us up.
 
Saturday 29^th In Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are kind and patient with me. Help me respond to your loving care and produce the good fruits of repentance and charity. Do not let me be discouraged by evil in the world. I trust in you and hope that you will bring me to dwell in your house all the days of my life.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Urgency of Repentance: The Gospel offers us a glimpse of how Jesus viewed the news of his day. When the people told Jesus about Pilate’s brutality, they likely wanted him to speak and comment about the unjust Roman occupation of their land. But Jesus uses the news about Pilate and the Galileans to teach two things. First, the sufferings of those murdered by Pilate were not a sign that they had sinned. As the Book of Job teaches, at times, the innocent and righteous suffer because God mysteriously permits it. Second, the person the people should truly fear offending is not Pilate but God. Instead of wasting their time thinking about how others might have sinned, they need urgently to repent from their own sins. Jesus drives home the teaching by referring to another event – the eighteen people who perished when a tower near the pool of Siloam fell. Yes, they died tragically and unexpectedly. But this was not because they were guilty of some sin. God knows how and when we will suffer. He also knows how and when we will die. We are ignorant of both things, and because of this, we must strive to be always ready to meet our Creator. And this preparation includes repentance from sin. 
2. The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree: On the one hand, Jesus teaches us through examples of unexpected tragedy that we need to repent and be ready to meet God. On the other, he teaches us in the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree that God is patient and will work with us to help us produce good fruit. The parable invites us to compare the fig tree to Israel and the gardener to Jesus. The owner of the orchard, the Lord God, speaks of a period of three years. This lines up with the time of Jesus’ public ministry. During Jesus’ three years of ministry, God has looked for spiritual fruit from Israel and found none. The parable ends with the gardener pleading for more time, for one more year, hopeful that in the coming year, the tree will bear fruit. This means that while there is still hope for repentance, the time for repentance is running out. Just as the tree cannot fertilize itself, repentance is not something we accomplish by our own strength. We have the gardener working with us, cultivating the soil of our hearts to bring about true repentance and spiritual fruit.
3. Ministry in the Church and Christian Maturity: The Church of Christ is one. It is united but also characterized by a diversity of gifts, spiritualities, and ministries. As members of the Church, we have received God’s grace through Baptism. Certain members of the Church have been given other gifts of grace for the benefit of the Church. Christ has ascended to the right hand of the Father and poured out the Spirit as he bestows gifts and blessings on his people. The list of gifts Paul gives in Ephesians 4:11 focuses on those who speak the word of God and those who fulfill major leadership roles (Williamson, Ephesians, 116). Some, like bishops, are called to be apostles and exercise special authority in the Church. Others are prophets or evangelists. Still others are pastors or teachers. The purpose of these leadership roles is to equip the members of the church, particularly the laity, to accomplish all that ministry entails: service such as hospitality, caring for the poor, sick, and elderly among us, and preaching and teaching the Word of God. The work of ministry is not confined to those with leadership roles and gifts; rather, it is carried out by all the “holy ones,” the baptized believers, whom the leaders have “equipped” (Williamson, Ephesians, 117-118).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am a member of your Body, the Church. Help me to know my role in the Church and the gifts you have bestowed upon me. I promise to spend quality time with you so that I may truly know you and be able to be sent out by you to care for the sheep of your flock.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu Tuần 29 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu Tuần 29 Thường Niên
Bài Tin Mừng hôm nay nhắc nhở chúng ta là những người Kitô hữu phải nên biết sáng suốt với những lời mời gọi của Chúa trong mọi lúc. Bất kể tuổi tác, tình trạng trong cuộc sống, hoặc tập quán, của chúng ta, chúng ta luôn luôn được mời gọi để mang niềm hòa bình và sư hiệp nhất trong chúng ta ngay trong gia đình, trong trường học, trong nơi làm việc, hay trong cộng đồng và xã hội chúng ta đang sống. Một cách chính xác, là chúng ta phải làm như thế nào?, Chúng ta không cần phải nhìn xa để tìm cho câu trả lời. Phản ứng của chúng để đáp lại lời mời gọi này có thể khác với những người khác và tùy thuộc vào hoàn cảnh của chúng ta và người đó. Nhưng tiêu chuẩn của Chúa thì luôn đơn giản giống nhau đó là sự khiêm tốn, nhân từ và kiên nhẫn. Hầu như chúng ta có thể tìm thấy những đặc điểm này là nên tự giúp đỡ nhau, hướng dẫn cho nhau để hoàn tất được công việc mà Chúa Trao phó thành công một cách mỹ mãn. Sự khiêm tốn, kiên nhẫn và lòng nhân từ chính là những công cụ không mất tiền mua, khá mạnh mẽ và sắc bén có thể giúp bồi dưỡng chúng ta cho mùa gặt lớn trong vườn nho của Thiên Chúa. Chúng ta là những hạt giống. Và Thiên Chúa sẽ giúp làm cho chúng ta nẩy mầm và phát triển đức tin của chúng ta.
 
REFLECTION
What is asked of us by the Lord to do now? It is a simple question but we may not have the answer to it all the time. We pray hard but we may not have understood the Lord's message. Maybe we did not listen enough. Or perhaps we understood what the Lord asked of us to do but we complicate it or make different excuses not to act on it. The gospel reminds us Christians to be discerning of the Lord's call at all times. Regardless of our age, status in life, or heritage, we are always called to bring peace and unity in our family, school, workplace, community, and society. How exactly can we make it happen? We need not look far for answer. Our response to this call may differ from one person to another and depending on the person's circumstances. But the Lord's standards are simple and always the same - be humble, gentle and patient. Hardly that we can find these traits recommended in self-help guide to get a fulfilling job or to establish a successful business. But it is a powerful inexpensive tool that we can nurture for a great harvest in the Lord's vineyard. We already have the seeds. And our dear Lord will help us make them grow and put to good use. We just need to act on our faith.
 
Friday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Luke 12:57–59
The Church Fathers offer many different interpretations of this passage. Among them, Saint Bede says that our “opponent” can be seen as the Word of God, in the sense that the Word of God makes war upon our weaknesses and sins. When we listen to the Word of God, our Lord will convict us of our faults so that we can reconcile our lives with the Truth of the Word of God Himself.
When you think about God’s holy Word, in its entirety, what most convicts you? Sometimes we try to downplay such personal convictions. We rationalize our actions and dismiss what God is saying to us. Are there any teachings of Jesus that you recall that have truly stung you to the heart? If so, this is a grace, and it’s an opportunity to fulfill the lesson from our Lord taught in the passage above. God does not convict our hearts so as to condemn us. Rather, He convicts us, as an opponent to our sin, so that we can “make an effort to settle the matter on the way.” The conscience is a wonderful gift from our Lord and can be likened to this passage above. It is a form of courtroom where our Lord desires not to have to issue punishment upon us. Instead, He desires that we engage His holy Word, listen to what He says, and settle our sin by repenting immediately.
Among the many lessons taught by our Lord, it is often the lesson that jumps out at us, even in a startling way, that we need to pay attention to the most. God often brings His most urgent teachings to us by causing us to feel a sense of guilt that cannot be denied. If we listen to these convictions, then we will not have any need to stand before the Judge. But if we do not, if we bury these convictions, downplay them and ignore them, then our Lord will find it necessary to keep at us. We will begin to experience His judgment, and we will see the effects of being out of His good graces. And in the end, if we fail to repent of the more serious sins in our lives, then we will even be held accountable for the smallest of sins. We will be required to “pay the last penny.”
Reflect, today, upon the idea that the Word of God, all that our Lord has taught us, is the opponent to the sin in your soul. This good and holy opponent wants only what is best for you. Commit yourself to an ongoing reading of God’s holy Word so that you will be continually disposed to hear all that God wants to say to you and so that you will be able to reconcile with our Lord before He is compelled to issue forth His judgments. 
My most merciful Judge, You desire that I listen to Your holy Word, revealed through Scripture, so as to receive Your most merciful conviction of my sin. I pray that I will be open to always hear all that You desire to say to me so that I can respond with generosity and trust, reconciling with You and others continually through my journey in life. Enliven my conscience with Your holy Word, dear Lord. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday 29th in Ordinary Time2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, enlighten my mind to discern the signs of the times. I do not want to remain in ignorance or dedicate my life to unimportant things. Human life is so short, barely the blink of an eye. And yet, how I live this short life on earth will determine how I will live for all eternity.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Interpreting the Present: In the Gospel, Jesus has just referred to the prophecy of Micah about inter-familial strife. This was understood as a prophecy about a time of great tribulation that would precede and inaugurate the time of messianic salvation. In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls out the people for not recognizing what is happening. They are hypocrites because while they are good at interpreting the signs of an upcoming weather change, they are ignorant of the upcoming fulfillment of prophetic signs. The age of salvation is approaching, and so Jesus teaches that his disciples need to be reconciled with their brothers and sisters before the time of judgment.
2. I Take Delight in the Law of God: In the First Reading, Paul refers to his own struggle against sin. The Law of God transmitted through Moses was not sinful. It gave knowledge about what was sinful, yet it did not empower the people of Israel to resist sin. God’s law is holy because it promotes virtue and prohibits vice. Here, Paul points to our common experience. We know what is good and right and just, and yet we often choose what is evil. “I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want.” Paul even says that he delights in the law of God within himself. And yet, there is a second law – the law of sin – that tugs at his heart. In our fallen state, we are unable to do the good prescribed by the law. We are in a miserable state! Who will deliver us? Paul is not despairing here, but asking for Jesus, the redeemer, to save us. It is a cry of hope and trust that God will answer his prayer. He moves quickly from lament to thanksgiving: “Paul expresses gratitude to God through Jesus Christ our Lord … The Lord, in sending his Messiah, has accomplished a deliverance that will bring about a renewal of all things, including “the redemption of our bodies” (8:23). Paul’s prayer has already been answered; his problem has already been met with a solution. In the meantime, he is caught in the middle, between serving the law of God with the mind, and the law of sin in the flesh” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 124).
3. Teach Me Your Statutes: Psalm 119 complements the First Reading. It praises God’s wisdom, knowledge, statutes, and commandments. If the Old Testament Laws of Moses were worthy of such praise, how much more is the New Testament Law of Jesus. This New Law is not an abstract commandment written on stone, but is the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, poured into our hearts. We still struggle to overcome sin and evil, as Paul teaches, but we possess a tremendous divine gift: “At the present stage of salvation history, we possess the flesh of Adam, even as we are filled with the Spirit of Christ. We have come to possess eternal life, even as we inhabit a body that is doomed to perish and that still throbs with sinful desire. Understanding this readies us for Paul’s teaching on the Spirit in the next chapter” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 124). The gift of the Spirit is a cause of true joy and delight. And so, when we pray, “Lord, teach me your statutes,” we are asking for the gift and guidance of the Holy Spirit to be poured into our hearts.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I take delight in your law and Spirit. I will strive with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength to love the Father above all things. I will not neglect my brothers and sisters in their material and spiritual needs. I will love my neighbor as I love myself.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Năm Tuần 29 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Năm Tuần 29 Thường Niên
Nhiều người thường nghĩ là Chúa Giêsu đến thế giới này để thuyết dạy con người trong sự mềm giẻo trong giáo lý của Ngài. Họ nghĩ rằng là những Kitô giáo, thì họ có thể sống một cuộc sống không bị xáo trộn và yên bình nếu như họ hoàn thành một số nghĩa vụ như đi lễ như luật buộc nhất định. Đối với họ, thì những giá trị như sự tha thứ và bình an được Thiên Chúa ban cho không mà không đòi hỏi họ phải có những nỗ lực ở nơi họ.
Tuy nhiên, trong Tin Mừng ngày nay, Chúa Giêsu nhắc nhở chúng ta rằng những sứ điệp của Ngài đòi hỏi chúng ta là những Kitô hữu phải hoàn thành nghĩa vụ của chúng ta nhiều hơn nữa chứ không phài là việc đi nhà  thờ đi lễ mà thôi. Ngài mời gọi và muốn chúng ta cam kết hoàn toàn với cuộc sống của Ngài. Điều này có nghĩa là chúng ta phải có quyết định một là theo Ngài hay hai là chống lại Ngài. Vì chúng ta không thể trở thành một Kitô Hữu với cái tên... Để trở thành một người Kitô giáo có nghĩa là chúng ta phải biết từ bỏ mọi thứ hay mọi người đang cẳn bước chúng ta trên con đường đến với Đức Kitô mà chúng ta đã hứa.
Đây là lý do tại sao làm môn đệ Chúa Kitô là phải chấp nhận sự tổn thất hoàn toàn. Thật ra, sự lựa chọn theo Đức Kitô có thể gây ra cho chúng ta sự phân chia và mâu thuẫn ngay trong gia đình hay trong cộng đồng. Khi đối mặt với những điều này, là Người Kitô hữu chúng ta  cần phải biết nắm giữ giá trị phúc âm và có những sự ưu tiên rõ ràng. Sự cam kết của chúng ta với Chúa Giêsu không phải là chủ yếu dựa vào quan hệ con người nhưng là việc biết biết để tâm  lắng nghe và làm theo lời của Chúa.
Vì thế chúng ta phải dành cho Chúa Giêsu những gì? Nếu chúng ta chưa hứa sống hoàn toàn với Chúa Giêsu, Chúng ta vẫn còn  thời gian để suy nghĩ đến lời cảnh báo của Chúa Giêsu để cho chúng ta làm một quyết định. Chúa đã đến để thiêu hủy trái đất này. Với ơn Chúa Thánh Thần, Ngài đã bắt đầu tách lúa mì ra khỏi những nhánh rơm khô. Vì vậy, chúng ta đừng chờ đợi quá lâu. Bởi vì trước khi chúng ta biết điều đó xảy ra, thì giờ phán xét đã đến với chúng ta. Lạy Chúa, giúp chúng con luôn giữ mãi lời hứa với Ngài
 
Reflection:
Many people think that Jesus came to preach a soft gospel. They think that as Christians they can live an untroubled and peaceful life by fulfilling certain religious obligations and rituals. To them, values such as forgiveness and peace are readily given and require no effort on their part.
However, in today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that there is a side to his message that demands all of us Christians to do more than fulfill obligations or participate in rituals. He demands that we must commit our lives totally to Him. This means that we have to decide whether we are for him or against him. It is not enough to be a Christian by name. To be a Christian means that we forsake everything and everyone who stands in the way of our total commitment to Christ.
This is why Christian discipleship is costly. The choice that we make for Christ may even cause divisions and conflicts in the family and community or even death. In the face of these, a Christian needs to hold on to a clear set of gospel values and priorities. This commitment to Jesus is not based primarily on human kinship but on hearing and doing God’s word.
So, today are we totally for Jesus? If we have not committed ourselves totally to Jesus, then there is still time for us to make a decision about the warning from our Lord Jesus. He has already come to set the earth on fire. And by sending the Holy Spirit, he has started to separate the wheat from the chaff. So do not wait too long. Because before we know it, the time for judgement will be upon us. Lord, help us to commit ourselves to You totally.
 
Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time.
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!” Luke 12:49–50
There is much that we can take from these teachings of our Lord. Not only did Jesus say, “I have come to set the earth on fire…” He also said that it’s His desire that this fire be “blazing!”
Fire is powerful. A blazing fire, for example, can purify the precious metal gold. When heated to a liquid state, the impurities rise to the surface for easy removal. Fire can also consume. When a blazing fire completes its burning, what’s left are only ashes. Many great saints have reflected upon the image of fire as an image of the purification God wants to do within our souls. Saint John of the Cross, for example, reflected in depth upon this image. He explained that entering into divine union was similar to a log burning. At first, as the log begins to burn, it crackles and pops. This is because the impurities within the wood, such as moisture or sap, do not burn as the wood burns. But as a log continues to burn, as Saint John explains, eventually the log becomes one with the fire. At first, you can distinguish the log from the fire when only part of the log is burning. But once the entire log is engulfed in the flames and all the impurities are burnt out, you have a piece of wood that is one with the fire. It glows and emits light and heat.
When we ponder these words from Jesus regarding His desire to “set the earth on fire,” we must first see this as His desire to purify our souls. Within our souls, there are many impurities that need to be removed if we are to become one with God, emitting His radiance and glory.  This purification involves a process of allowing God to bring our sins to the surface so that they are seen and can be removed. But this is only possible if we allow the blazing fire of God’s purifying love to consume us.
Oftentimes in life, we are content with simply being mediocre in our faith journey. We pray, go to Mass on Sunday, and try to be good. But this is not the life our Lord wants for us. He wants a life that is radically consumed with the blazing fire of His love. He wants us to become so purified from our sin that He is able to become one with us, sending forth the radiance of His glory through our lives. 
Reflect, today, upon this image of a blazing and purifying fire. Use the image of gold melting to the point that all impurities rise to the surface. Or use the image that Saint John of the Cross uses with the log. God wants so much more from you. He wants to transform you and use you in ways beyond your imagination. Do not be afraid to make the radical decision to allow the blazing and purifying fire of our Lord’s mercy to transform you. And don’t wait for this to start tomorrow—kindle that flame today.
My purifying Lord, You deeply desire to set my heart and soul on fire with the transforming mercy of Your love. Please give me the grace I need to permit You to kindle this fire of love in my heart so that it will truly become blazing and all-consuming. May this blaze ignite me in the inner depths of my heart so that You will shine brightly in my life, bringing forth the warmth of Your love into our world. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday of 29th Week in Ordinary Time. 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, send forth your Spirit into my heart that I may understand your divine Word. Grant me the gift of counsel so that I may know what to say and how to act within my family. I want to bring all my family members to share in your divine life.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Fire and Baptism: In the Gospel, we hear how Jesus desires to send the Holy Spirit upon the earth. He will do this fifty days after his “baptism,” that is, after his death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit will manifest itself as tongues of fire on the day of Pentecost. This is how Jesus sets the earth on fire. It is the gift and fire of divine Love that Jesus sends that sets the world ablaze. In this way, Jesus fulfills the promise made to Abraham of a universal blessing for all the families and nations of the world. The fire of the Spirit purifies us and empowers us to give witness to Christ. Fire also symbolizes God’s presence, power, holiness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit truly transforms us to be children of God and soldiers of Christ in the world.
2. The Tribulation of Division: Jesus brings both peace and division. Some will accept and welcome the peace he brings. And others will reject his peace, resulting in division. The division will be so deep that it will affect household relationships. This was prophesied centuries before Jesus by Micah: “For the son belittles his father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and your enemies are members of your household” (Micah 7:6). Micah’s description of familial strife was followed by a description of Israel’s regathering and restoration by the divine Shepherd who performs wonderful signs (Micah 7:12-15). What Jesus foretells is that he, the divine Shepherd, has set in motion this time of tribulation, marked by deep division within Israel concerning him. The time of tribulation will be followed by the time of salvation and restoration. The restoration will continue throughout history and will only be complete at his glorious second coming. Until then, Jesus’ disciples “must be willing to bear with the divisions that may result among family and friends” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 248).
3. The Wages of Sin and the Gift of God: In the Letter to the Romans, Paul is still addressing possible misunderstandings. A person could erroneously think that we should keep sinning so that more grace is unleashed upon the earth by God (Romans 6:1). A person could also erroneously think that we are free to sin because we are not under the law but under grace (Romans 6:15). And Paul answers that our freedom fromsin does not give us the freedom to sin. Paul even argues that we are liberated from sin and its oppression initially through baptism and that this makes us “slaves” of righteousness (Romans 6:18). We have new responsibilities as members of God’s family. At the beginning of today’s First Reading, Paul points out that he is speaking in “human terms.” He is using the metaphor of slavery since this was familiar to the Romans. He also appeals to our common experience of struggling to overcome sin in our lives. We are no longer slaves to impurity and sin. Freed from sin, we have become slaves of God. “Serving God leads to greater and greater degrees of sanctification and eventually to eternal life” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 106). Paul concludes that eternal death is payment (wages) for a life of service to sin and that eternal life is the gift of God that Christ offers us.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I do not know how to pray as I ought. I need to sit again and again at your feet and learn from you. Guide my thoughts and prayers so that I may ask for good things from the Father.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 29 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 29 Thường Niên
Trong bài Dụ ngôn hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu cho chúng ta thấy một thí dụ về người đầy tớ trung thành, biết lo việc nhà và biết trông chờ và sẵn sàng mở cửa cho người chủ trở về không biết lúc nào. dụ ngôn này, Chúa Giêsu đã  nhấn mạnh cho chúng ta biết sự cần thiết về đức tin và sự kỳ vọng thận trọng của chúng ta. Chúng ta biết chắc chắn rằng Thiên Chúa sẽ đến, nhưng chúng ta không biết ngày nào hay giờ nào. Như người đầy tớ khôn ngoan chúng ta phải biết sẵn sàng, tỉnh thức và chờ đợi cho đến khi Chúa đến. Đó mới là người xứng đáng lãnh được phần thưởng nơi Thiên Chúa.
            Thánh Basil đã viết: "Những gì là dấu hiệu của một Kitô hữu? Phải chú ý từng ngày, từng giờ và biết sẵn sàng trong trạng thái chuẩn bị trong sự hoàn hảo đó là phải biết làm đẹp lòng Thiên Chúa, và phải nhớ rằng Chúa sẽ đến trong bất cứ giờ phút nào.". Có lẽ ai trong chúng ta cũng đã phải trải qua một mất mát bất ngờ của một người bạn hoặc người thân, mà trong số họ là những người còn qua trẻ. Có bao giờ chúng ta đã trở nên quá gắn liền cuộc sống của chúng ta với những thứ hay hư nát của thế gian này, mà chúng ta đã quên và không chuẩn bị sẵn sàng cho ngày mà Chúa đã trở lại với chúng ta trong ngày Sau hết.?   Tinh thần và đạo đức của chúng ta phải là một tấm gương sang và trở thành một ví dụ thực sự tốt cho những người khác dưới sự chăm sóc và hướng dẫn của chúng ta. Đó là một trách nhiệm nghiêm trọng có giá trị cao cần phải được phản ánh.
            Xin Chúa giúp chúng con luôn biết sẵn sàng và sống đúng với vai trò và bổn phận của chúng con, để nhờ đó mà những người chung quanh có thể nhận biết Chúa qua những việc chúng con đã và đang làm..
 
REFLECTION Wednesday of 29th Week in Ordinary Time (B)
There are two lessons in the Gospel reading today: preparedness for Jesus' coming, and responsibility to develop and make use of gifts given to us by God.  The parable of the servants waiting for the master's return emphasizes the need for faith and vigilant expectation on our part. We know for sure that God is coming, but we do not know the hour. The wise servant is he who is ready and waiting for the master's arrival. It is he who deserves reward from the master. St. Basil writes: "What is the mark of a Christian? To watch daily and hourly and stand prepared in that state of perfection which is pleasing to God, knowing that at what hour he thinks not, the Lord will come." Perhaps some of us must have experienced an unexpected loss of a friend or relative, some of them still in the youthful years of life. Have we become too attached to things of this world, that we have forgotten to be ready, at all times, for God's coming? 
            The other message tells us of our responsibility and accountability to God for the gifts and talents he has bestowed on each of us. Greater responsibility entails greater accountability. When a person is placed in a position that allows him to guide, care, and influence others, much more is required of his moral, spiritual and ethical life so that he becomes a truly good example to those under his care. It is a responsibility worth serious reflection.
            "Lord, you are faithful even when I fail. Help me to remain ever faithful to you and to not shrink back when I encounter difficulties. Make me diligent in the exercise of my responsibilities and wise and prudent in the use of my gifts, time and resources.
 
Wednesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” Luke 12:39–40
These words from Jesus should cause us to sit up and take notice. This parable, followed by the rest of today’s Gospel, exhorts us to always be prepared for our particular judgment at the conclusion of our earthly life. There are various reasons these words should be heeded.
First of all, the obvious reason is that life for any of us could end at any time. We only need to recall various tragedies in which people have suddenly died from a car accident or from some other unexpected reason. Furthermore, there truly will be a specific moment in time when our Lord does return to earth for the Final Judgment. That moment will take place in an instant without any warning. It’s easy to presume that this end of the world when our Lord “comes to judge the living and the dead” will not happen for hundreds or perhaps even thousands of years. But the simple truth is that it could be at any time, when those who are alive least expect it.
With that said, there is another important reason to always be prepared and ready to meet our Lord for our particular judgment. Even though our particular judgment will take place in a definitive way at the end of our life when we see our Lord face-to-face, we also encounter Him every day, all day, receiving daily rewards for our fidelity or judgment for our sins. It is useful to see this “hour you do not expect” as every moment of every day. If you can live every day with this ongoing expectation that our Lord is coming to you, today, then every moment can be turned into a moment of much grace.
Think about your day today. Does God want to come to you, to inspire you and to lead you to fulfill His holy mission today? Indeed He does. He has a specific mission for you today that will not be there tomorrow. He wants you to be aware of His presence right now so that you can respond to Him with much generosity.
Reflect, today, upon the importance of always being vigilant and attentive to God’s presence in your life. He wishes to speak to you, day and night, so as to guide you into a life of true holiness. If you can build a habit of attentiveness to His continual comings, then you will truly be prepared for that final coming when you meet our Lord face-to-face.
My ever-present Lord, You do come to me day and night, speaking to me, inspiring me, and leading me. Please fill me with the gift of holy vigilance so that I will always be prepared to meet You and hear Your holy voice. May I learn to build a habit of responding to You always. And may I especially be prepared for that glorious moment when I am blessed to see You face-to-face.  Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday of 29th Week in Ordinary Time (B) 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you know all things. You know when and how I will be tempted, how I will fail, and how I will be victorious. Guide me along the right path so that I may be entrusted with more. I am your servant and will strive to care for those you have entrusted to me.
Encountering the Word of God
1. You Must Be Prepared: On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus taught his disciples to be vigilant and prepared for his coming. His disciples need to be vigilant like servants awaiting their master’s return (Luke 12:36-38) and alert like a homeowner on guard against thieves (Luke 12:39-40). The key element in both parables is the unexpected arrival. In one parable, Jesus identifies himself as the Lord and Master who has his servants recline at table while he serves them. In the second parable, Jesus identifies himself as the Son of Man and compares himself to a thief. The first parable teaches the disciples that they must faithfully work until the coming of Jesus. The second teaches that they need to guard and protect the household of the Church. After hearing the second parable, Peter wanted to know if the parable was meant for them or for everyone. Jesus answers Peter’s question with a question: “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge?” This was an indirect way of saying that he is especially addressing Peter and the Twelve, whom he has chosen for leadership positions in the restored Israel (Luke 6:13; 22:29-30). “They and those after them must serve as ‘trustworthy’ (pistos) stewards (1 Cor 4:1-2)” (see Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 245).
2. The Faithful and Prudent Steward in the Church: If Peter, the other apostles, and the successors are vigilant and responsible servants, they will be blessed by the Lord who is coming. Jesus alludes to their responsibility to feed the household of God. The wise steward distributes the food allowance (“measure of grain”) at the proper time, unlike the rich fool who kept the grain for himself (Luke 12:18). “The Twelve literally carry out this task in the early Church and then appoint others to do so (Acts 6:1-6). Spiritually, this task of Church leaders refers to nourishing the faithful in a fitting way with the word (see 1 Cor 3:2; Heb 5:12) and with the Eucharist” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 245).
3. Should we Sin to Unleash More Grace? In his Letter to the Romans, Paul is taking up objections to his thesis. He already addressed the objection that he is overthrowing the entire Old Testament (Romans 3:31). In response, he argued that the Old Testament itself – in the story of Abraham – showed that salvation was a matter of faith and not a matter of keeping the ceremonial laws of Moses. In the First Reading, Paul takes up a second objection and a possible misunderstanding about his argument. He has just argued that “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” And so, someone could think, “If our sins let loose a flood of divine grace, then why not continue to sin to unleash ever more grace?” Here, Paul answers that in Jesus we have died to sin and have begun to live a new life. Sin should not have mastery over us. We are not under the Old Covenant Law of Moses, but we are under the New Covenant grace of Christ. Grace is God’s loving favor toward us, communicated to us as a gift that empowers us to act beyond our natural abilities. With God’s grace, we can believe, hope, and love in a supernatural way.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the supreme example of a Servant. You did the will of your Father perfectly. It was your sustenance. Help me to imitate you and be attentive to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit you have poured out within me.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Ba tuần 29 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Ba tuần 29 Thường Niên
Hôm nay Chúa Giêsu dậy cho chúng ta biết sống cảnh giác, và sự cänh giác như Cha Giêsu đã chỉ dậy đòi hỏi sự từ bỏ niềm vui trần thế và của cải, vì những thứ ấy đánh lạc hướng chúng ta đến với Chúa.. Để duy trì sự thận trọng này, chúng ta cần phải vác cho mình tấm áo giáp tâm linh. Điều này sẽ giúp cho chúng ta chiến đấu mỗi ngày với thế gian mỗi ngày,  Tháng Phêrô viết "kẻ thù của con người chúng ta chính là ma quỉ, như sư tử rống, đi về tìm kiếm ai đó để ăn tươi nuốt sống." - 1 Peter 5,8 . Chúng tôi cần phải luôn luôn cảnh giác hàng ngày, qua lời cầu nguyện liên tục và từ bỏ chính mình trong những cuộc đấu tranh chống lại sự dữ.
Chúng ta phải tách biệt tất cả những thứ vui trần thế, và của cải trong thế gới này, sự từ chối, xa lánh những thứ quá đáng liên quan đến "bóng tối”  vì chúng làm chúng ta lạc hướng và không thể đến với Chúa. Chúng ta hãy xin Chúa giúp cho chúng ta luôn luôn phải cảnh giác hàng ngày, qua việc cầu nguyện liên tục và từ bỏ chính mình trong cuộc chiến đấu chống lại những cám dỗ , ham muốn hang ngày và mọi sự dữ.
 
REFLECTION
Watchfulness is a characteristic of the Christian. To watch is to avoid being taken unawares by an enemy. A person who watches is on the alert so that he can live in darkness without being part of the darkness. We are vigilant because there is a great expectation of the glorious manifestation of Christ. But this hour cannot be foreseen. Therefore, it demands from us a detachment from earthly pleasure and goods, a renouncement of excesses associated with "the night" because they distract us from the Lord's coming. To maintain this vigilance we need to shoulder a spiritual armor. This will keep us from losing fervor and direction because there is a daily combat, "Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion goes about looking for someone to devour." – 1 Peter 5,8. May we always be on guard daily, through constant prayer and self-denial in the struggle against the evil one.
 
Reflection on Tuesday 29^th Ordinary Time
Jesus said to his disciples: “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.”  Luke 12:35–36
What does it mean to “Gird your loins?” This phrase, which is not commonly used today, literally means “tighten your belt.” It traditionally refers to one who is wearing a long robe that makes it difficult to move quickly and easily. Thus, to gird your loins means that you tuck in the long robe and tighten your belt so that you are prepared for some physical activity. It was also commonly used to exhort those preparing for battle to get ready. Symbolically, then, this phrase simply means to be ready for something difficult or challenging. It means to be vigilant and prepared. Spiritually speaking, Jesus is telling His disciples to be ready for the spiritual battle that awaits them.
Jesus then tells His disciples to light their lamps. That phrase could have a variety of meanings, such as “Do not remain in the darkness of sin or ignorance” or “Let the light of charity shine forth as you navigate through life” or “Allow the light of truth to shine within your mind.” Hence, by the light of faith, they are to be prepared and vigilant, ready to do all that the Lord sends them to do.
Today’s Gospel ends by Jesus saying that the disciples will be truly blessed if they remain vigilant even until the second or third watch of the night. Some Church Fathers see this as a reference to three periods in one’s life: childhood being the first watch, middle age being the second, and old age being the third watch.
With these meanings understood, one message we can take from this Gospel is that Jesus is calling us to be vigilant in our faith at every moment of our lives. For those who have lived many years, it may be useful to look back at how faithful you have been throughout every period of your life. God wants to use you in many ways during childhood, through your middle age, and even in old age. The journey of faith must never end. Instead, it must continually deepen as you age. But this will only be possible if you “gird your loins” and “light your lamps.” You must continually be vigilant, continually attentive to the light of faith, and continually be ready to act every time God inspires you to act.
Reflect, today, upon the lifelong journey of faith and service of God to which you are called. Being a Christian is not simply something you are born into. If you were born into the faith, then ponder especially what you have done throughout your life to daily deepen and strengthen that faith. Ponder whether or not you have diligently responded to the countless inspirations of the Holy Spirit to spread the light of faith to others. If you have been truly faithful throughout your life, then give thanks to God and recommit yourself to this fidelity for the rest of your life. If you have lacked faith and vigilant attentiveness to the will of God, then place that in the hands of God’s mercy and resolve from this day forward to do all you can to respond to the will of God the moment God calls. 
My most merciful Lord, I thank You for the countless ways throughout my life that You have spoken to me, calling me to fulfill my mission of faith and love in this world. I commit to You, this day, to always remain vigilant and attentive to You every time You call. Use me, dear Lord, so that I may bring the light of Your saving Gospel to a world in
need. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Tuesday 29^th Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, bless me today as your child and servant. I await the glorious return of your Son and will continue to prepare myself to welcome him. May I be a vigilant and diligent servant as I work in the vineyard of your Kingdom.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Blessed are the Vigilant Servants: On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus instructs his disciples that they need to be alert for his coming. He tells a short parable about servants awaiting the arrival of the master. “Gird your loins” was an expression that meant to tuck an ankle-length robe around the waist. A person did this in battle or sometimes when working or serving. For an Israelite, it recalls the Passover, when the Lord told them before the exodus from Egypt, “This is how you are to eat it; with your loins girt” (Exodus 12:11). Just as Israel was to be vigilant on the night of the Passover (Exodus 12:42), Jesus’ disciples need to be vigilant. Jesus speaks about his return during the second or third watch of the night. While the Romans divided the night into four watches (Mark 13:35), the Jews divided it into three. The first watch went from about 6 P.M. to 10 P.M., and the second and third watches covered the time from 10 P.M. to sunrise (about 6 A.M.). When the Messiah comes during the night, there is a reversal. Instead of the messianic Lord being served by the servants, the Lord will serve his servants. As Jesus says, “I have come not to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28). The meal Jesus serves to us until his glorious coming at the end of time is the Eucharist: “The Eucharist, which Jesus establishes at that meal after his coming to Jerusalem, thus becomes the foretaste and anticipation of the messianic banquet in the kingdom (Luke 22:30) at his second coming” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 244).
2. Sin and Death through Adam’s Disobedience: In the first four chapters of his Letter to the Romans, Paul described the foundation and basis of our justification. Beginning in chapter five, he considers the benefits of justification. Paul does this by making a typological antithesis between Adam and Christ. Adam abused his freedom and introduced sin and spiritual death into the world. Paul “is talking about the death of our original union with God, which only secondarily results in physical death. Adam’s relationship with the Lord was pronounced dead at the very moment he committed the first sin, long before the years left his body lifeless. This is the full scope of ‘death’ that Paul sets in opposition to the gift of ‘eternal life’ (Romans 6:23)” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 81-82). What Paul teaches is that we inherited Adam’s sinful separation from God as his descendants. While Adam alienated human beings from God, Jesus unites his disciples to the Father. 
3. Grace and Life through Jesus’ Obedience: There is a radical difference between the sinful disobedience of Adam and the saving obedience of Christ. The actions of the one affected the many. “Thanks to Adam’s misdeed, virtually every member of the human family died, physically in their bodies and spiritually in their relationship with God. One man determined the lot of all. So it is with the one person Jesus Christ. Having made his life a gracious gift of sacrifice, he caused the grace of God to overflow for the many. Jesus, in other words, accomplished a universal redemption that makes possible the salvation of every descendant of Adam” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 88). The saving grace of Jesus far surpasses the sinful actions of the first Adam. Adam’s transgression brought condemnation and death to all; Jesus’ righteousness brought justification and life to all. Jesus offers us all a gift, but we individually need to accept this gift by faith. The sinful state of humanity will only last for a time and will eventually give way to the holiness of eternal life.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you have recreated all things and brought me to share in them. You have charged me to work in your household and serve my brothers and sisters in the Church and my community. Help me to be a good and faithful servant.