Suy Niệm Tin
Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần thứ 5 Mùa Chay - John 8, 31-42
Hôm nay, Chúa Kitô mời gọi chúng ta đón nhận Lời Chúa để Lời Chúa làm chủ tâm hồn của chúng ta. Ngài cũng nói rằng tất cả mọi thứ trên đời này sẽ qua đi nhưng Lời Ngài sẽ chẳng bao giờ qua đi, nhưng sẽ tồn tại vĩnh cửu. Vì Lời Chúa chính là Thiên Chúa.
Qua lịch sử của loài người chúng ta thấy. Con người đã phát minh và đưa ra rất nhiều chân lý, và triết lý khác nhau qua những triều đại và những đế quốc có lúc rất là thịnh vượng, nhưng rồi cũng đã bị diệt vong, như đế quốc La Mã hay Mông Cổ với Thành Cát Tư Hãn... Thế giới của chúng ta luôn luôn thay đổi và phát triển liên tục. Để nhận biết chân lý sự thật, chúng ta cần phải nhận thức, Chúng ta cần có một cái mỏ neo tinh thần để có thể chịu đựng được những sự thử thách của thời gian.
REFLECTION Gospel Reading: John 8:31-42
Today, Jesus Christ invites us to make his Word our home. He also says that everything passes away but the Word of God remains because it is eternal. And Word is God Himself. Human history raised up many truths and philosophies. Dynasties and empires rose and fell. The world is constantly changing and evolving. To know the truth, we need discernment. We need a spiritual anchor that can withstand the test of time. The word of God "instructs, refutes falsehood, corrects errors, gives encouragement." (2 Tm 4:2) It also goes beyond the limits of time. But it should not only be listened to but put into practice as well so that we can gather fruits of faith, hope and charity.
Wednesday
of the Fifth Week of Lent
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” John 8:31–33
In this chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus’ teaching about His divine identity becomes clearer as the conversation progresses. As a result, many among the Jews become increasingly hostile toward Him. Today’s Gospel, however, begins with a sign of hope: “Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him…” Could it be that some of them were actually coming to believe in Him? The next line suggests that Jesus noticed the beginning of faith and sought to nurture it: “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” What a beautiful teaching and transforming truth to comprehend and believe. Sadly, Jesus’ words did not take root in their hearts.
At first, the Jews object to Jesus’ suggestion that they need to be set free. They are offended that He implies they are enslaved. However, Jesus was not referring to political or physical enslavement but to their bondage to sin, which they failed to recognize. Midway through the conversation, Jesus exposes the truth: “But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you” (John 8:37).
This contrast between their initial flicker of faith and their growing hostility teaches us an important lesson: The more clearly we understand God’s Word, the more it will demand from us. The faith these Jews initially expressed was shallow. They might have sensed something unique and inspiring about Jesus, sparking their interest and a flicker of faith. Yet, when Jesus’ message confronted their pride—“We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone”—their hearts hardened, and the conversation went from bad to worse.
A key lesson from this exchange is that the more clearly we understand God’s Word, the more it demands from us. If we are unwilling to change, we can resist His Word, for God does not force Himself upon us. But if we remain open—reading, listening, and studying—His truth will become clearer, and with it, His call for us to change.
Of course, only a fool would ignore God’s Word. As we listen to what our Lord wants to teach us, we should be prepared to be challenged. These challenges come in various ways. On one hand, sins such as pride might surface as we realize how deeply we are enslaved to sin when God offers us freedom. Accepting His invitation to freedom requires that we confess our bondage and acknowledge that only God can set us free. On the other hand, God’s invitation to deeper prayer, charity, and penance will call us out of our comfort zones. As we increase these practices, we will also need the courage to embrace change.
Ideally, when we hear our Lord say, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” we will respond with humility and courage. Humility allows us to admit that we do not fully understand the truth, while courage strengthens us to remain in His Word and live as His disciples.
Reflect today on this conversation between Jesus and the Jews by putting yourself in their shoes. First, are you attentive to God’s Word? Do you recognize how far you still are from the fullness of divine truth? If you do, resolve to remain humble and open to God’s Word, knowing that true discipleship always comes with challenges. Second, pray for courage. Doing so is not only an admission that you need that virtue, but also a way of opening yourself to its increase. Reject the hostility and resistance that these Jews showed toward Jesus’ beautiful invitation, and listen to Him as His Apostles and dear mother did. Allow the flickering flame of faith to grow into a consuming fire, purifying those sins to which you are enslaved, so that you can walk in the freedom God wants to give you.
Jesus, Word of God, You came to reveal Yourself as the fullness of Truth and to show us the way to the Father, where we will find freedom and peace. Please give me the humility and courage I need to heed Your every word and respond to every challenge I face so that I may become Your most obedient and faithful disciple. Jesus, I trust in You.
Wednesday
of the Fifth Week of Lent - The
Truth Will Set You Free
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31–32
These words have the potential to make a transforming difference in our lives. Note that Jesus spoke these words “to those Jews who believed in him.” That is, those who had accepted His word and were, therefore, His true disciples. We who also believe in Jesus should consider these words carefully. The heart of this teaching is twofold: you must come to “know the truth” so that the truth you come to know “will set you free.”
This teaching of Jesus is exceptionally helpful on both a psychological and spiritual level. First of all, on a purely psychological level, one of the greatest helps to good mental health is the truth. Most often when one struggles with various forms of depression, it’s because they are seeing aspects of their life with confusion. “Why did this person do this to me?” Or “How will I ever get through this?” Or “My life is a mess and there is no way out.” These and other similar thoughts will inevitably lead to depression for one simple reason: they are based on erroneous thinking.
One of the best forms of psychological counselling is what could be called “truth therapy.” Every despairing question that we have and every depressing conclusion that we have come to in life must be reexamined in the light of the mind of God. What does God think? What is in the mind of God in this regard? Those truths that are waiting to be discovered are the truth that “will set you free.” Depression is more easily overcome when we look at our life in the way that God looks at our life. This produces hope, and hope brings freedom to the chains of depression and confusion.
On a spiritual level, these principles apply all the more. The truth about sin, forgiveness, salvation and Heaven must be known deeply and embraced fully. When we deny the truth of sin or forgiveness, then we live within a lie and we remain bound by that lie. True spiritual freedom that leads to salvation and eternity in Heaven is obtained only when we wholeheartedly embrace the holy and perfect spiritual truth given to us by God. We must clearly know our sin, repent of it, seek the forgiveness of God, amend our lives and live the new life of grace to which we are called.
Reflect, today, upon this powerfully transforming teaching of Jesus: “know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” What psychological and spiritual truths do you need to more deeply know? What confusion or blindness remains? Seek the remedy of the Truth as it is in the mind of God and know that freedom awaits.
God of all Truth, Your Word is liberating, transforming and fills us with hope. May I turn my mind to You and to Your holy Word so that I may know the Truth as You speak it and allow that transforming Truth to set me free. Jesus, I trust in You.
Hôm nay, Chúa Kitô mời gọi chúng ta đón nhận Lời Chúa để Lời Chúa làm chủ tâm hồn của chúng ta. Ngài cũng nói rằng tất cả mọi thứ trên đời này sẽ qua đi nhưng Lời Ngài sẽ chẳng bao giờ qua đi, nhưng sẽ tồn tại vĩnh cửu. Vì Lời Chúa chính là Thiên Chúa.
Qua lịch sử của loài người chúng ta thấy. Con người đã phát minh và đưa ra rất nhiều chân lý, và triết lý khác nhau qua những triều đại và những đế quốc có lúc rất là thịnh vượng, nhưng rồi cũng đã bị diệt vong, như đế quốc La Mã hay Mông Cổ với Thành Cát Tư Hãn... Thế giới của chúng ta luôn luôn thay đổi và phát triển liên tục. Để nhận biết chân lý sự thật, chúng ta cần phải nhận thức, Chúng ta cần có một cái mỏ neo tinh thần để có thể chịu đựng được những sự thử thách của thời gian.
Today, Jesus Christ invites us to make his Word our home. He also says that everything passes away but the Word of God remains because it is eternal. And Word is God Himself. Human history raised up many truths and philosophies. Dynasties and empires rose and fell. The world is constantly changing and evolving. To know the truth, we need discernment. We need a spiritual anchor that can withstand the test of time. The word of God "instructs, refutes falsehood, corrects errors, gives encouragement." (2 Tm 4:2) It also goes beyond the limits of time. But it should not only be listened to but put into practice as well so that we can gather fruits of faith, hope and charity.
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” John 8:31–33
In this chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus’ teaching about His divine identity becomes clearer as the conversation progresses. As a result, many among the Jews become increasingly hostile toward Him. Today’s Gospel, however, begins with a sign of hope: “Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him…” Could it be that some of them were actually coming to believe in Him? The next line suggests that Jesus noticed the beginning of faith and sought to nurture it: “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” What a beautiful teaching and transforming truth to comprehend and believe. Sadly, Jesus’ words did not take root in their hearts.
At first, the Jews object to Jesus’ suggestion that they need to be set free. They are offended that He implies they are enslaved. However, Jesus was not referring to political or physical enslavement but to their bondage to sin, which they failed to recognize. Midway through the conversation, Jesus exposes the truth: “But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you” (John 8:37).
This contrast between their initial flicker of faith and their growing hostility teaches us an important lesson: The more clearly we understand God’s Word, the more it will demand from us. The faith these Jews initially expressed was shallow. They might have sensed something unique and inspiring about Jesus, sparking their interest and a flicker of faith. Yet, when Jesus’ message confronted their pride—“We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone”—their hearts hardened, and the conversation went from bad to worse.
A key lesson from this exchange is that the more clearly we understand God’s Word, the more it demands from us. If we are unwilling to change, we can resist His Word, for God does not force Himself upon us. But if we remain open—reading, listening, and studying—His truth will become clearer, and with it, His call for us to change.
Of course, only a fool would ignore God’s Word. As we listen to what our Lord wants to teach us, we should be prepared to be challenged. These challenges come in various ways. On one hand, sins such as pride might surface as we realize how deeply we are enslaved to sin when God offers us freedom. Accepting His invitation to freedom requires that we confess our bondage and acknowledge that only God can set us free. On the other hand, God’s invitation to deeper prayer, charity, and penance will call us out of our comfort zones. As we increase these practices, we will also need the courage to embrace change.
Ideally, when we hear our Lord say, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” we will respond with humility and courage. Humility allows us to admit that we do not fully understand the truth, while courage strengthens us to remain in His Word and live as His disciples.
Reflect today on this conversation between Jesus and the Jews by putting yourself in their shoes. First, are you attentive to God’s Word? Do you recognize how far you still are from the fullness of divine truth? If you do, resolve to remain humble and open to God’s Word, knowing that true discipleship always comes with challenges. Second, pray for courage. Doing so is not only an admission that you need that virtue, but also a way of opening yourself to its increase. Reject the hostility and resistance that these Jews showed toward Jesus’ beautiful invitation, and listen to Him as His Apostles and dear mother did. Allow the flickering flame of faith to grow into a consuming fire, purifying those sins to which you are enslaved, so that you can walk in the freedom God wants to give you.
Jesus, Word of God, You came to reveal Yourself as the fullness of Truth and to show us the way to the Father, where we will find freedom and peace. Please give me the humility and courage I need to heed Your every word and respond to every challenge I face so that I may become Your most obedient and faithful disciple. Jesus, I trust in You.
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31–32
These words have the potential to make a transforming difference in our lives. Note that Jesus spoke these words “to those Jews who believed in him.” That is, those who had accepted His word and were, therefore, His true disciples. We who also believe in Jesus should consider these words carefully. The heart of this teaching is twofold: you must come to “know the truth” so that the truth you come to know “will set you free.”
This teaching of Jesus is exceptionally helpful on both a psychological and spiritual level. First of all, on a purely psychological level, one of the greatest helps to good mental health is the truth. Most often when one struggles with various forms of depression, it’s because they are seeing aspects of their life with confusion. “Why did this person do this to me?” Or “How will I ever get through this?” Or “My life is a mess and there is no way out.” These and other similar thoughts will inevitably lead to depression for one simple reason: they are based on erroneous thinking.
One of the best forms of psychological counselling is what could be called “truth therapy.” Every despairing question that we have and every depressing conclusion that we have come to in life must be reexamined in the light of the mind of God. What does God think? What is in the mind of God in this regard? Those truths that are waiting to be discovered are the truth that “will set you free.” Depression is more easily overcome when we look at our life in the way that God looks at our life. This produces hope, and hope brings freedom to the chains of depression and confusion.
On a spiritual level, these principles apply all the more. The truth about sin, forgiveness, salvation and Heaven must be known deeply and embraced fully. When we deny the truth of sin or forgiveness, then we live within a lie and we remain bound by that lie. True spiritual freedom that leads to salvation and eternity in Heaven is obtained only when we wholeheartedly embrace the holy and perfect spiritual truth given to us by God. We must clearly know our sin, repent of it, seek the forgiveness of God, amend our lives and live the new life of grace to which we are called.
Reflect, today, upon this powerfully transforming teaching of Jesus: “know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” What psychological and spiritual truths do you need to more deeply know? What confusion or blindness remains? Seek the remedy of the Truth as it is in the mind of God and know that freedom awaits.
God of all Truth, Your Word is liberating, transforming and fills us with hope. May I turn my mind to You and to Your holy Word so that I may know the Truth as You speak it and allow that transforming Truth to set me free. Jesus, I trust in You.
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