Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Chúa Nhật Thứ 5 Phục Sinh A

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Chúa Nhật Thứ 5 Phục Sinh A

Chúa Giêsu phán cùng các môn đệ: “Lòng các con đừng xao xuyến. Hãy tin vào Thiên Chúa, và hãy tin vào Thầy. Trong Nhà Cha Thầy, có nhiều chỗ ở. Nếu không, Thầy đã chẳng nói với các con là Thầy đi dọn chỗ cho các con sao?” (Gioan 14:1–2)

Những lời an ủi và khích lệ này được Chúa Giêsu nói với các Tông đồ trong Bữa Tiệc Ly được thốt lên ngay sau khi ông Giuđa đã bỏ đi để phản bội Chúa, và sau khi Chúa Giêsu nói với ông Phêrô trước sự hiện diện của những người khác rằng ông Phêrô sẽ chối Thầy ba lần trước khi gà gáy. Vì thế, Nhóm Mười Hai (lúc này chỉ còn Mười Một người) hẳn đã cảm thấy nản lòng, đặc biệt là ông Phêrô. Chúa Giêsu đã thấu hiểu điều này và phán: “Lòng các con đừng xao xuyến…”

Ông Phêrô đã được báo trước rằng ông sẽ sớm phạm một tội trọng là chối bỏ Chúa Giêsu. Như chúng ta được biết sau này, ngay khi vừa phạm tội ấy, ông Phêrô đã hối hận ra ngoài và khóc lóc thảm thiết. Có lẽ, trong lúc ấy, ông đã nhớ lại những lời của Chúa Giêsu: “Lòng các con đừng xao xuyến…”

Việc bị cám dỗ phạm tội có thể khiến ta nản lòng. Nhưng điều đó lại có thể biến thành một điều tốt đẹp. Nếu chúng ta không cảm thấy day dứt trước những cám dỗ, thì tức là chúng ta thiếu tình yêu đối với Thiên Chúa. Và nếu chúng ta chiều theo những cám dỗ ấy mà lại không cảm thấy đau buồn, thì điều đó còn tồi tệ hơn nữa. Tuy nhiên, sự nản lòng vì tội lỗi không thể kéo dài mãi; nó phải chuyển hóa thành điều đối nghịch, đó là nhân đức cậy trông. Hy vọng chỉ nảy sinh từ tội lỗi khi chúng ta lắng nghe và thấu hiểu lời hứa của Chúa Giêsu, như đã thấy ở trên.

Chúa Giêsu không chỉ bảo các môn đệ đừng xao xuyến, mà Ngài còn giải thích cho họ biết lý do tại sao. Chúa Giêsu hứa với họ rằng Ngài sẽ dọn sẵn một chỗ cho họ trên Thiên Đàng, và sẽ trở lại đón họ về nơi ấy trong Nhà của Cha Ngài bất chấp những yếu đuối và sa ngã của họ. Nhờ đức tin, ồng Phêrô và các tông đồ khác sẽ có thể xua tan nỗi nản lòng lúc ban đầu mà họ cảm thấy trước những yếu kém của bản thân, để rồi quay trở về với Thiên Chúa cùng với niềm mong đợi hướng về Thiên Đàng.

Chúng ta có cảm thấy nản lòng vì tội lỗi của chính mình không? Chúng ta hãy bắt đầu bằng việc hồi tưởng lại bất kỳ tội lỗi nào mà chúng ta thường xuyên phải chật vật để vượt qua. Đặc biệt là những tội lỗi theo thói quen; chúng sẽ dẫn chúng ta đến một trong hai kết cục: hoặc là sự đau buồn, lòng sám hối và niềm hy vọng; hoặc là sự nản lòng dẫn đến tuyệt vọng và việc từ bỏ các nhân đức. Giống như Thánh Phêrô, chúng ta phải nỗ lực để biết khóc lóc thảm thiết trước những tội lỗi của chính mình. Chúng ta phải biết để cho những tội lỗi của mình cùng với cám dỗ đi đến sự tuyệt vọng và trở thành động lực để dẫn chúng ta tìm lại niềm hy vọng, lòng can đảm và sự quyết tâm. Điều này chỉ có thể thực hiện được nếu chúng ta luôn lắng nghe lời Chúa như Chúa Giêsu đã phán cùng chúng ta: “Lòng các con đừng xao xuyến…” Chúng ta phải cảm nhận được lòng trắc ẩn và sự dịu dàng của Ngài, đồng thời để cho tình yêu ấy lấp đầy ta bằng niềm xác tín rằng một ngày nào đó, chúng ta sẽ chiến thắng mọi tội lỗi và được đón nhận vào Nhà Cha.

Hôm nay, chúng ta hãy suy ngẫm về bất cứ tội lỗi nào mà chúng ta thường xuyên phải chật vật đối mặt. Khi suy ngẫm, hãy tự hỏi xem liệu sự nản lòng của chúng ta đang dẫn lối đến sự tuyệt vọng hay dẫn lối đến niềm hy vọng. Niềm hy vọng không bắt nguồn từ khả năng tự mình chiến thắng tội lỗi của chúng ta; trái lại, nó đến từ lòng trắc ẩn của Chúa và lời hứa cứu chuộc mà Ngài dành cho chúng ta.  Nếu lòng chúng ta đang cảm thấy xao xuyến, thì đó lại là một điều tốt. Đó chính là điểm khởi đầu cho niềm hy vọng. Xin hãy để Chúa Giêsu nâng đỡ trái tim đang xao xuyến của chúng ta, và hướng ánh mắt chúng ta về Thiên Đàng.

Lạy Chúa đầy lòng trắc ẩn, dẫu chúng con là những kẻ tội lỗi, Chúa vẫn nói với chúng con bằng tất cả sự dịu dàng và mời gọi chúng con ăn năn sám hối, để chúng con luôn giữ vững niềm hy vọng vào Thiên Đàng. Xin Chúa ban cho chúng con biết thống hối chân thành và trong sự thánh thiện, biết cố gắng sửa đổi những tội lỗi của mình; xin giúp chúng con luôn biết quay trở về cùng Chúa, để một ngày kia, chính Chúa sẽ dẫn chúng con vào hưởng trọn vẹn niềm hạnh phúc trong Nhà Cha. Lạy Chúa Giêsu, chúngcon tín thác vào Chúa.

 

5^th Sunday of Easter 2023

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” John 14:1–2

These consoling and encouraging words, spoken by Jesus to the Apostles at the Last Supper, come immediately after Judas left to betray Jesus and after Jesus told Peter, in the presence of the others, that Peter would deny Jesus three times before the cock crowed. As a result, the Twelve (now Eleven) would have been discouraged, especially Peter. Jesus senses this and says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled…”

Peter was told that he would soon commit a grave sin against Jesus. As we are later told, as soon as Peter committed these sins, he went out and wept bitterly. Perhaps, as he did, he would have recalled Jesus’ words: “Do not let your hearts be troubled…”

Being tempted toward sin can be discouraging. But that can turn into a good thing. If we are not affected by our temptations, then we lack love for God. And if we give into those temptations and fail to experience sorrow, this is even worse. However, discouragement over our sins cannot remain; it must turn into its opposite, the virtue of hope. Hope will result from sin only when we hear and understand Jesus’ promise, seen above.

Jesus not only tells the disciples not to be troubled, He also tells them why. Jesus promises them He will prepare a place for them in Heaven and will come to take them to that place in His Father’s House, despite their failings. By believing, Peter and the other apostles will be able to dispel the initial discouragement they feel over their failings and turn back to God with the anticipation of Heaven.

Do you get discouraged by your sin? Begin by calling to mind any sin that you regularly struggle with. Habitual sin, especially, will lead to either sorrow, repentance and hope, or to a discouragement that ends in despair and the abandonment of virtue. Like Saint Peter, we must strive to weep bitterly over our sins. We must let our sins, and the temptation toward despair, become a motivation to regain hope, courage, and determination. This will only be possible if we always hear Jesus say to us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled…” We must sense His compassion and tenderness and allow that love to fill us with confidence that we will one day overcome all sin and be welcomed into the Father’s House.

Reflect, today, upon any sin with which you regularly struggle. As you do, consider whether your discouragement leads to despair or hope. Hope does not come from your ability to overcome sin on your own. It comes from the compassion of our Lord and His promise to redeem you. If you do have a troubled heart, that is good. It is the starting point for hope. Allow Jesus to lift your troubled heart and to point your eyes to Heaven.

Most compassionate Lord, though I am a sinner, You speak to me with tenderness and call me to repent so that I will always have hope in Heaven. Please give me a true and holy sorrow for my sins and help me to always turn back to You so that You will one day lead me to the fullness of the Father’s House. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

4^th Sunday of Easter 2023

Introductory Prayer: Lord, thank you for allowing me to spend this time with you. There are things in life, Lord, that attract me, but you attract me more. I hope in you, and I love you. Maybe I don’t understand what it means to love, and maybe I don’t love the way I should, but I do love you.

Petition: Lord, help me be patient and accept your timing.

1. Nostalgia: Few of us feel at home in this world. We are exiles, often homesick, waiting for news from a faraway land. We have heard of this land many times, but have never seen it. To compensate for our homesick emptiness, we work hard to fill our existence with material goods. When we have them, we suffer from boredom. When we don’t, we suffer from ambition. “Vanity of vanities and all things are vanity!” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). We long for something that can fill that emptiness.

2. Right Now: Lord Jesus, I know that you are hidden behind the veil of the Eucharist and that you are in your Father’s house. In your Father’s house, there are many rooms. Right now, as I pray, you are preparing a place for me. Lord, may I tell you how I would like my room to be? (Imagine being an interior decorator and being able to make that room any way you like.)

3. One Day: One day, when I least expect it, you will come and take me home. When I get there, I will know it is the place I have been mysteriously longing for all my life. In some way, it will be as I imagined, and yet, it will be different. It will be a place of no more nostalgia, no more pining. I will be able to meet many friends there again. Each day will get better and better. Yes, it is important to dream about that day and what it will be like because that keeps me motivated in my struggle to attain eternal life.

Conversation with Christ: Meanwhile, Lord, I am here, right here, and I have work to do. Some of today’s tasks don’t excite me; however, I will do them for you. In those moments of my day when I don’t feel you, I wait. I know you are coming.

 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Chúa Nhậtt Thứ 5 Phục Sinh

Hôm nay, trong cảnh mà chúng ta được xem thấy trong bài Tin Mừng đã giải thích sự thân mật tồn tại giữa Chúa Giêsu Kitô và Chúa Cha; nhưng không chỉ có vậy; nhưng bài Tin Mừng này còn mời gọi chúng ta khám phá ra mối quan hệ giữa Chúa Giêsu Kitô và các môn đệ của Ngài "Sau khi Thầy đi dọn chỗ cho anh em, thì Thầy sẽ trở lại và đem anh em về với Thầy, để Thầy ở đâu, anh em cũng ở đó." (Ga 14:03): Những lời này của Chúa Giêsu, không phải chỉ để nói với các môn đệ ở một góc độ của tương lai, nhưng cũng khuyên họ tiếp tục trung thành trong quá trình mà họ đã quyết định theo Chúa. Để được chia sẻ với Chúa trong cuộc sống vinh quang, họ cũng phải chịu những đau khổ, tù đày , bắt bớ và chịu chết theo cùng một cách mà Chúa Giêsu Kitô phải chịu để họ có thể hướng về nhà ở của Cha Ngài.

"Thưa Thầy, chúng con không biết Thầy đi đâu, làm sao chúng con biết được đường?"(Ga 14:05). Chúa Giêsu trả lời: Chính Thầy là con đường, là sự thật và là sự sống. Không ai đến với Chúa Cha mà không qua Thầy.  Nếu anh em biết Thầy, anh em cũng biết Cha của Thầy. Ngay từ bây giờ, anh em biết Người và đã thấy Người".(Ga 14:6-7).

 Chúa Giêsu không phải chỉ đề xuất một cách đơn giản, nhưng Ngài chỉ cho chúng ta con đường nào và cách nào để chúng ta làm theo. Trong thực tế, Ngài chính là đường dẫn chúng ta tới với Chúa Cha; qua sự phục sinh của Ngài, Ngài trở thành con đường chính, là phương cách để hướng dẫn chúng ta trong những ân sũng và hồng ân của Chúa Thánh Thần, Ngài khuyến khích và củng cố chúng ta để chúng ta không đánh mất tâm hồn và trái tim của chúng ta trong cuộc hành trình đến với Chúa Cha "Anh em đừng xao xuyến! Hãy tin vào Thiên Chúa và tin vào Thầy."(Ga 14:1).

Trong lời mời gọi, Chúa Giêsu muốn chúng ta  đến Chúa Cha qua Ngài, với Ngài và trong Ngài, nhiệm vụ sâu sắc nhất của Ngài và sự mong muốn chân tình nhất của Ngài là muốn chúng ta làm anh em với Ngài, và do đó Thánh Gregory of Nassa đã viết:" Ngài chính là Thiên Chúa hiện diện bằng xương thịt con người  như tất cả mọi người chúng ta, Ngài đại diện cho tất cả con người chúng ta trước Thiên Chúa Cha và  là Cha thật  bằng cách đem theo với Ngài tất cả  những người bà con họ hàng riêng của Ngài."

Lạy Chúa xin giúp chúng được hiểu biết đường lối của Chúa, để chúng con biết rao giảng chân lý của Ngài và để chúng con cùng đồng hưởng sự sống trong niềm vui trong Chúa Giêsu Kitô.

                               

Comment:

Today, the scene we consider in the Gospel explains the existing intimacy between Jesus Christ and the Father; but not only that; it invites us to discover the relationship between Jesus Christ and his disciples. «After I have gone and prepared a place for you, I shall come again and take you to me, so that where I am, you also may be» (Jn 14:3): these words of Jesus, not only place his disciples in a perspective of future, but also exhort them to keep on faithfully following the course they had begun. To share with the Lord the glorious life, they also have to partake the same way that takes Jesus Christ towards the dwellings of his Father.

«Lord, we don't know where you are going; how can we know the way?» (Jn 14:5). Jesus answers: «I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me. If you know me, you will know the Father also; indeed you know him and you have seen him» (Jn 14:6-7). Jesus does not certainly propose a simple way, but he points out the path to follow. In fact, He becomes himself the Way to the Father; through his resurrection, He becomes the Walker who is to guide us; with the gift of the Holy Spirit, He encourages and fortifies us so that we do not lose heart in our pilgrimage: «Do not be troubled; trust in God and trust in me» (Jn 14:1).

In the invitation Jesus makes to us, to go to the Father through Him, with Him and in Him, his deepest mission and most intimate desires are revealed: «He, who is the Son of God who became the Son of Man, wants to make us his brothers and, thus, He is in Himself presenting all humanity to its God and true Father, by taking with him all of his own kin» (St. Gregory of Nyssa).

A Way to walk, a Truth to proclaim, a Life to share and enjoy: Jesus Christ.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ bốn Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ bốn Phục Sinh
Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu nói rõ cho chúng ta biết rằng Chính là Chúa Cha, Đấng đã sai và chúc lành cho Ngài để  làm những việc tốt lành. Ngài cũng nói rằng nhiệm vụ của Ngài là đến với thế gian này là để làm những gì mà Chúa Cha đã sai Ngài đến để làm.
 Và đối với các thánh cũng thế.  Thánh George là một quan lớn trong quân đội La Mã, nhưng sau khi ông được rửa tội và theo Thiên Chúa, ông đã lập tức từ bỏ tất cả của cải trần thế của mình và ông đã bố thí tất cả những gì ông có cho người nghèo. Ông rời bỏ quân đội và sau đó, ông đã đứng lên làm chứng nhân cho Chúa Kitô  và đã chết vì đức tin cho Chúa Kitô. Từ cái chết can đảm, dũng khí của ông đã khuyến khích rất nhiều người khác dám chết cho Chúa. Ai đã làm cho Thánh George có đủ can đảm để làm tất cả những điều này? Chính Chúa Giêsu, Người Thầy và là đấng Cứu rỗi của ông ta.
            Thánh Adalbert là một người ngoại giáo đã theo đạo Công giáo. Ông trở thành Giám Mục Prague (Thủ đô Tiệp) và ông đã truyền bá Tin Mừng cho người Ba Lan và Hungary. Ông gặp phải nhiều sự chống đối, và cuối cùng ông đã phải chịu tử đạo trong khi cố gắng để rao giảng Tin Mừng  cho quân Phổ ở vùng Baltic và kêu gọi họ trở lại. Thánh Adalbert cũng đã lắng nghe tiếng của Thiên Chúa khi ông làm những công việc truyền bá phúc âm của mình.
  Chúng ta có nghe tiếng nói của Thiên Chúa trong cuộc sống của chúng ta? Sau khi Ngài đã  giúp chúng ta phân loại và nhận định đâu cuộc sống không có mục đích của chúng ta. Đôi khi Ngài cũng đã còn mời gọi một số người trong chúng ta làm việc cho Ngài còn nhiều hơn . Chúng ta đã có bao giờ nghe thấy tiếng gọi ấy?. Xin Chúa Thánh Thần mở long trí và giúp chúng biết nghe tiến Chúa.
 
Reflection Saturday 4th Week of Easter
In the Gospel reading, Jesus says clearly that it is the Father who enables him to do good works.  He also says that his mission is to do what the Father tells him to do.
This is also true for the saints.  St. George was a tribune in the Roman army when he converted to Christianity.  Immediately he gave up all his worldly possessions and gave them to the poor.  He left the army and was subsequently martyred for standing up for the faith.  His death inspired many others to die for the Lord.  Who inspired St. George to do all this?  Obviously, the Lord, his Master and Savior.
            St. Adalbert was a pagan convert to Catholicism.  He became the Bishop of Prague  and he evangelized the Poles and Hungarians.  Encountering much opposition, he was martyred trying to convert the Baltic Prussians.  St. Adalbert also listened to the voice of God when doing his evangelical work.   Have you heard the voice of God in your life?  After He helps sort out our aimless lives, sometimes He invites some of us to do more for Him.  Have you heard this calling?
 
Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter
“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. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.” John 14:12–14
How is it that we are called to do greater works than the works that Jesus Himself did? Of course, it’s true. This is our calling. We know that, because this is what our Lord promised us. This truth should fill us with gratitude for being used so powerfully by God.
Among the “greater” works of which Jesus speaks is, first and foremost, the sharing of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. As Jesus walked the earth, His mission was primarily to the people of Israel. But when He ascended to Heaven and sent the Holy Spirit upon the Church, He also empowered all who would receive the Holy Spirit to share the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Thus, the conversion of hearts is the greatest work that we can cooperate with.
Do you want to do great things? Most children dream of doing so because this desire is written upon our human nature. We want to make a difference. We want to be great. But too often we become confused about true greatness. We attempt to fulfill that innate desire through acts of worldly and passing greatness. We seek recognition, wealth, and other passing rewards that stem from selfish ambitions. None of these ultimately fulfill us, even if we were to achieve them to the greatest extent. For example, imagine if you won the Nobel Peace Prize, or became the leader of a nation, or became the wealthiest person alive. Would the attainment of one of these goals fulfill you? Only if it were the will of God. If not, it would be an empty and meaningless act.
Begin by looking within. Do you see the desire within you to do great things? Hopefully you do. From there, remind yourself that the greatest thing you can do, so as to fulfill the desire within you, is to do that which is the will of God for your life. Jesus says, “If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.” Asking in Jesus’ name means asking for the fulfillment of His will. It means asking that God use you to bring His saving grace to others any way He chooses. If you ask our Lord for this grace, He will grant it.
This form of prayer requires humility and a complete detachment from our own will. It requires that we ask the Father only for that which the Son asks the Father for us. But the reward of such a humble prayer is that God will bestow His grace and mercy on others through us. This is His perfect will.
R         eflect, today, upon this high calling. Do so by looking at the desire within your own soul for greatness and then unite that desire with God’s will as the only thing that can fulfill you. Pray for this gift every day with humility and detachment and you will become an instrument of acts that give eternal glory to God. In Heaven, this will be your eternal joy.
Providential Lord, Your will is perfect and glorious. Please help me to humble myself before You, every day, so that I will understand Your will for my life and choose it always. May I be an instrument of Your saving grace to all whom You wish to touch through me. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Saturday 4th Week of Easter 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, my deepest desire is eternal communion with you. I long to see your face and enjoy your blessedness. Guide me on my journey to you and empower me to accomplish the greater works your Son has revealed. Glorify your name!
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Face of God the Father: During the Last Supper, Philip makes a legitimate request, “Show us the Father.” His request was reminiscent of the request of Moses, who asked to see the Glory of the Lord (Exodus 33:18). During his earthly life, Moses went from talking with God “face-to-face,” to only being permitted to see the backside of God’s glory (Exodus 33:23). This change in relation is connected to his intercession and self-offering for the sinful people of Israel. In a mysterious way, however, Moses was permitted to see the glory of God at Jesus’ Transfiguration. Moses beheld the glorious face of Jesus and spoke with him and, in doing so, beheld the glorious face of God the Father. Philip and the other apostles learned the same lesson at the Last Supper.
2. The Face of God the Son: In the Old Testament, there was a longing of the people of Israel to behold the Face of God. The priests blessed the Israelites and asked: “May the Lord bless and keep you; May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.” The hope of this Old Testament blessing was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The face of the Lord shone upon Israel in and through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Whoever saw the face of Jesus saw the face of the Father. And what did the apostles and disciples contemplate in the face of Jesus? A face of humility, service, justice, peace, charity, mercy, meekness, purity, and persecution. The face of Jesus perfectly imaged the face of his Father.
3. The Face of God the Spirit: The Incarnation of the Son is complemented by the Pentecost of the Spirit. While the mission of Jesus was to assume our human nature and redeem it through his sacrificial offering, the mission of the Spirit is to sanctify our human nature and bring it to its consummation. The Spirit has manifested itself as a peaceful dove, as an enveloping cloud, as a powerful wind, and as tongues of fire. The Spirit reconciles us with the Father, brings us into the mystery of the Triune God, directs us here and there, and enkindles the Love of God and neighbor within our hearts. While the people of Babel could not understand one another due to the effects of pride and sin, the people at Pentecost became one in the Spirit, in faith, in Baptism, and in the Body of Christ. Although we do not see the face of the invisible Spirit, the Spirit brings us to contemplate as individuals and as a community the face of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you have forgiven my sins and established me in a right relationship with God the Father. I have been healed and justified by your grace and granted divine sonship. Help me to live as a true child of God and heed the words of my Father in heaven.
 
Saturday 4^th week of easter
Opening Prayer: Here we are, Lord, on the first day of May, the month of Mary, on the first Saturday of the month, Mary’s Saturday, in the year of St. Joseph, during the Easter season. Could this moment be more spiritually rich? Bless me as I listen for your voice while I pray over these words of Scripture.
Encountering Christ:
God Bless Philip: Even though he accompanied Jesus for quite some time, Philip still missed an important truth about his master—that the Father and Jesus are one. Yet, Philip spoke from his heart when he begged, “Show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Like Philip, many of us are “seasoned followers of Christ,” having been with him for years in our vocations as priests, consecrated persons, or lay men and women. Like Philip, we often misunderstand Jesus when he reveals something of himself to us, even if we should know better. Philip teaches us that when we ask Jesus sincerely for clarification or greater insight, Jesus answers us. We have this beautiful description of Jesus’s relationship with the Father because Philip asked to see and understand.
Doing His Works: Once more, Jesus tells us in these lines of Scripture that by faith we can work miracles. “Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these.” If we’re not doing miracles or witnessing them, the fault lies with us. Perhaps our faith is too weak. Perhaps we haven’t discerned when miracles are called for. Perhaps we aren’t ready to give Jesus all the credit. Or maybe we fail to see miracles for what they are. Is there any greater miracle than to see the light of Christ sparkle in someone’s eyes for the first time as you witness about him? Lectors, eucharistic ministers, and church musicians can be miracle workers, bringing the word to life in people’s souls by their ministries. Healing miracles happen through healing services or by our own intercessory prayers. We are miracle workers every time we act according to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, for we become Christ’s hands and feet for the good of our neighbor.
Asking: Jesus told us that if we ask anything of him in his name, he will do it. What a promise! How often do we trust the Lord with our heart’s greatest desires? We think, “I want to be a saint” or “I want the conversion of my fallen-away children.” These things are certainly at the top of our list, but are they truly our greatest desires? Maybe we want to be hugged? Loved? Understood? Do we long for companionship? Physical healing? When we ask the Lord to reveal to us what our greatest desires are, the answers may surprise us. Our Lord knows what we want, so let’s have the courage to tell him the truth from the depths of our hearts. We take these things to Jesus and trust that he hears us and is working on it. And we say with St. Therese of Lisieux, “I am certain... that you will grant my desires; I know it, O my God!”
Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for this month of May to honor your mother and mine. Blessed Mother, watch over the souls entrusted to me. Ask your Son to please increase my faith so that I may be pleasing to him and humbly, obediently, do all that he asks of me. Like St. Therese, I am certain that Jesus knows my heart’s

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần thứ Tư Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần thứ Tư Phục Sinh
Con người làm nhiều việc khủng khiếp vì sợ hãi, sự thiếu hiểu biết, và vì tội lỗi. Cho đến ngày nay, con người chúng ta vẫn tiếp tục làm nhiều điều tiêu cực. Trong những lời rao truyền về sự đau khổ, và cái chết nhục nhã của Chúa Giêsu trên Thập Giá, Thánh Phêrô không bao giờ khiển trách người Do Thái về những sự bạo hành đó, ông chỉ nói đến sự vui mừng vì Thiên Chúa đã làm cho Đức Giêsu được sống lại từ cõi chết và tôn vinh Ngài. Thiên Chúa luôn luôn là sức mạnh và còn mạnh hơn cả tội lỗi và sự sợ hãi của chúng ta, và Thiên Chúa sẽ luôn luôn tìm cách để giáo huấn chúng ta biết sửa đổi và đem chúng ta đến sự ngay thẳng. Chúng ta đừng quá chán nản và bất mãn về tình trạng tội lỗi của thế giới, nhưng chúng ta cần phải cố gắng mang lại sự hiện diện của Thiên Chúa vào những những nơi tồi tàn và tối tăm nhất.
Trong lúc các môn đệ của Chúa qua lo âu và buồn rầu, Chúa Giêsu đã an ủi họ nói với họ là không nên để cho lòng trí và tâm hồn của họ phải gặp những khó khăn, âu sầu, lo sợ; vì sau khi tất cả, Ngài đã đi trước khi họ chuẩn bị một nơi cho họ trong tương lai. Khi được hỏi làm thế nào đê một người như chúng ta có thể tìm đến một Thiên Chúa, Chúa Giêsu đã cho chỉ cho chúng ta biết là Ngài chính là đường, là sự thật và là sự sống. Cách sống của Ngài chính là cách hay là con đường tâm linh; đưa tới sự khiêm tốn, tình yêu thương, và sự phục vụ. Chúng ta phải bước theo con đường sống theo như cách của Ngài giống như cách sống mà Ngài đã làm. Ngài là chân lý, trong đó, Ngài đã tỏ lộ bản chất thật sự của Thiên Chúa trong hình dạng con người, đó là ánh sáng và tình yêu. Đó là cách chúng ta phải nghĩ về Thiên Chúa, cũng như một mô hình cho cuộc sống của chúng ta. Ngài là sự sống, trong đó Ngài trao sự sống đời đời cho những người biết mở rộng tâm hồn và và con tim của họ. Đặt niềm tin vào Chúa Giêsu không phải là đồng ý với một mớ các học thuyết, nhưng là trung thành bước theo con đường tâm linh của Ngài. Chúa Giêsu vừa là con đường dẫn chúng ta đến Thiên Chúa và cổng Thiên Đàng, và tất cả những ai bước đi trong tình yêu sẽ tìm thấy Ngài. Chúa Giêsu, là con đường của chúng ta và là chân lý, là sự thật của chúng ta.
 
Friday 4th Week of Easter 22nd April 2019
People do many terrible things through fear, ignorance, and sin. Even today, humans continue to do many negative things. In his proclamation about the crucifixion of Jesus, Peter does not lay blame; he merely rejoices that God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him. God is always stronger than our sin and our fear, and God will always find some way to set us straight. Let us not be overly depressed about the state of the world, but try to bring God’s presence into the darkest corners.
Jesus told his anxious disciples not to let their hearts be troubled; after all, he was going before them to prepare a place. When asked how one reaches God, Jesus pointed to himself as the way, the truth, and the life. His life is the way or spiritual path; humility, love, and service. We must follow that path just as he did. He is truth, in that he reveals the true nature of God in human form, which is light and love. That is how we must think of God, as well as model our lives. He is life, in that he grants eternal life to those who open their minds and hearts. Faith in Jesus is not agreeing to a list of doctrines but faithfully following his spiritual path. Jesus himself is both the path to God and the gate, and all who walk in love will find him.  Jesus, be my path and my truth.
 
Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” John 14:1
In John’s Gospel, Chapters 14–17 present us with what is referred to as Jesus’ “Last Supper Discourses,” or His “Final Discourses.” These are a series of sermons given by our Lord to the disciples the night He was arrested. These discourses are deep and filled with symbolic imagery. He speaks of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, the vine and the branches, the world’s hatred, and these discourses conclude with Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. These discourses begin with today’s Gospel in which Jesus addresses the coming fear, or troubled hearts, that He knows His disciples will experience.
Let’s begin by considering this first line spoken by Jesus above: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” This is a command. It’s a gentle command but a command nonetheless. Jesus knew that His disciples would soon see Him arrested, falsely accused, mocked, beaten and killed. He knew they would be overwhelmed by what they would soon experience, so He took this opportunity to gently and lovingly rebuke the fear that they would soon face. Fear can come from many different sources. Some fear is helpful to us, such as the fear present in a dangerous situation. In this case, that fear can heighten our awareness of the danger so that we proceed with caution. But the fear that Jesus was speaking of here was of a different kind. It was a fear that could lead to irrational decisions, confusion, and even despair. This was the kind of fear that our Lord wanted to gently rebuke.
What is it that causes you to fear at times? Many people struggle with anxiety, worry, and fear for many different reasons. If this is something you struggle with, it’s important to allow Jesus’ words to resonate within your mind and heart. The best way to overcome fear is to rebuke it at its source. Hear Jesus say to you, “Do not let your heart be troubled.” Then listen to His second command: “You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” Faith in God is the cure for fear. When we have faith, we are under the control of the voice of God. It is God’s truth that directs us rather than the difficulty we are facing. Fear can lead to irrational thinking, and irrational thinking can lead us deeper and deeper into confusion. Faith pierces through the irrationality we are tempted with, and the truths that faith presents to us bring clarity and strength.
Reflect, today, upon whatever it is that causes you the most anxiety, worry and fear in your life. Allow Jesus to speak to you, to call you to faith and to rebuke those troubles gently but firmly. When you have faith in God, you can endure all things. Jesus endured the Cross. The disciples eventually endured their crosses. God wants to strengthen you, too. Let Him speak to you so that you will overcome whatever is most troublesome to your heart.
My loving Shepherd, You know all things. You know my heart and the difficulties I face in life. Give me the courage I need, dear Lord, to face every temptation to fear with confidence and trust in You. Bring clarity to my mind and peace to my troubled heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday 4th Week of Easter 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I want to dwell in your house all the days of my life. Your house is one of eternal peace and joy, where sin and death are no more, and where every tear is wiped away. Help to experience that peace and joy even now as I journey home.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Faithful Hearts: At the Last Supper, Jesus speaks about our hearts. On the one hand, he exhorts us that we should not let our hearts give in to fear or anxiety. In fact, one of the principal missions of Jesus was to free us from the fear of death. Adam and Eve, our first parents, rejected God’s plan and will and introduced the fear of death into their lives and our lives. When Jesus was raised from the dead, he showed us that we have no need to fear death. Therefore, when one of our loved ones dies, we have the confidence that they will live on and encounter our merciful Father. Having been baptized into the death of Christ, we have hope that they will rise with Christ. Faith is not just an act of our intellect. It is an act of personal entrustment to God. In faith, we give all that we are over to God, our Father, our Savior, and our Sanctifier.
2. The Father’s House: One of the most powerful images of heaven is that of a house with many rooms or dwelling places. Many of us can be impressed by a royal palace with over one hundred rooms or a multi-million dollar mansion. The heavenly palace that awaits us infinitely surpasses any earthly mansion or palace: “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.” The best of home life is characterized by servicial love, tasty food and desserts, fun times and games, sacrificing for others, good conversation, gift-giving, rest, and relaxation. All of those earthly blessings are nothing compared to the blessings of heaven. Love is imperfect here on earth and will be brought to perfection in heaven. Earthly food is nothing compared to communion with God at the heavenly banquet. Any excitement we have through fun and games and competition is nothing compared to the ecstasy of heaven. No earthly conversation can compare to seeing all things through the divine essence. No earthly gift can compare to the beauty and crown of glory. No earthly rest or weekend, or retirement can compare to the eternal rest of sharing in divine life.
3. Jesus, the Way: Jesus encourages his disciples with the words, “You know the way.” While some religions proclaim a way to enlightenment, Jesus is more radical and proclaims that he himself is the Way. In the Old Testament, Abram followed the way marked out by God to the Promised Land; the people of Israel followed the way from Egypt through the wilderness to the Promised Land; and the people of Judah returned along the way from Babylon to Jerusalem. All of these were images and symbols that pointed to the future Way. Just as Abram heeded the word of God and walked along the way, we are called to heed God’s Word. Just as the people of Israel followed the cloud and pillar of fire in the wilderness, we are called to follow the cloud and fire of the Spirit in the wilderness of our lives. And just as the people of Judah were freed from captivity and returned home from exile, we are called to enjoy the freedom of the children of God, be freed from the captivity of sin, and dwell in our heavenly home.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I want to dwell with you in the Father’s house all the days of my life. You have prepared a place for me, and I look forward to the eternal gathering of God’s family in heaven. May my thoughts turn often to this heavenly dwelling as I journey through this world!
 
Friday 4th Week of Easter
Opening Prayer: I want to believe and follow you, Lord Jesus, but it is difficult for me at times to understand how I am to act and speak as your disciple in the circumstances of my day. I believe in you, Jesus; help my unbelief. 
Encountering Christ:
Slave and Messenger: Several verses before this Gospel passage and the few after it revealed that Jesus had an enemy among his Apostles. When Jesus said, “No slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him,” he was warning his Apostles of this sinister threat. Judas had already accepted the blood money in exchange for turning Jesus over to the authorities, but it was not too late for him to repent here. He did not. Perhaps Judas believed he was in control, able to twist events to his advantage without losing his place among his brother Apostles. Judas would soon realize he was never in control but instead had become a slave to Satan and his messenger of evil. We too often fall for the lie that we are in control of our lives. God has given every person free will, but “The exercise of freedom does not imply a right to say or do everything. It is false to maintain that man, ‘the subject of this freedom,’ is ‘an individual who is fully self-sufficient and whose finality is the satisfaction of his own interests in the enjoyment of earthly goods’” (CCC 1740). “Freedom makes a man a moral subject. When he acts deliberately, man is, so to speak, the father of his acts. Human acts, that is, acts that are freely chosen in consequence of a judgment of conscience can be morally evaluated. They are either good or evil” (CCC 1749). Jesus taught his Apostles, and teaches us, that our acts of free will are subject to two choices: good or evil. 
In Control: John writes Jesus was “…fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God […] (John 13:3), and then described the Son of God, fully empowered, stooping to wash the feet of his Apostles. This is the amazing witness of Jesus’ words, “Blessed are the meek, they shall possess the land” (Matthew 5:4). Meekness, Archbishop Fulton Sheen says, is “self-possession. That is why the reward for meekness is possession.” The Greek origin of the word meek is “strength under control.” In ancient Greece, war horses were meeked: trained to be strong and powerful yet under control and willing to submit. Jesus was fully in control of his humanity through his divinity, manifested in his obedience to the Father. This is meekness, the strength under control that Jesus witnessed to us, and we are called to imitate him.
I AM: “From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.” Jesus was taking the precious little time he had left to prepare his Apostles for what was to come. He had spent the past three years walking with them, teaching them, and witnessing what they were to do, and now it all came down to their belief in his words that he, Jesus, their friend, and Master, is God: I AM. “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” When the situation soon became out of the Apostles’ control and their Lord was taken from them, their belief was shaken but not destroyed. This outcome was helped by the witness of those who stood at his cross: the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, John, and a few others. It would be Mary Magdalene whom the resurrected Jesus sent and was received by the Apostles. When we experience our “out of control” situations, we can remember that Jesus prepares us and teaches us what to do through the graces we receive in the sacramental life of his Catholic Church. “If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.” 
Conversing with Christ: Lord, so often I try to control situations, and this leads to division and unrest instead of the unity and peace I want. You teach us that the way to unity and peace can only be achieved by surrendering our will to you. You are the way, Jesus. I will follow you. 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ 4 Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ 4 Phục Sinh
            Mùa Phục Sinh là mùa mang lại cho chúng ta một thông điệp của hy vọng trong sự sống lại với Chúa Kitô trong cuộc sống mới. Trong bài Tin Mừng, Chúa Kitô cho chúng ta biết rằng bất cứ ai tiếp đón một trong những người Ngài gởi đến là tiếp nhận Ngài.  Và bất cứ ai tiếp nhận Chúa Kitô là tiếp nhận Chúa Cha, Ngưòi  đã sai Chúa Giêsu Kitô đến.
            Qua phép rửa tất cả chúng ta được Chúa Kitô giao nhiệm vụ và sai đi để tham gia với Ngài trong nhiệm vụ rao truyền Tin Mừng của Ngài đến với mọi người. Mỗi người chúng ta được kêu gọi nên thánh; chúng ta có nhiệm vụ phải thay đổi lối sống của chúng ta cho tốt hơn, để được sống lại với Chúa Kitô trong cuộc sống mới, để trở nên những chứng nhân tình yêu của Ngài và là niềm hy vọng trong sự sống lại và sự chiến thắng của Ngài.
            Chúa Giêsu đã bảo đảm với chúng ta rằng Ngài sẽ ở lại với chúng ta cũng như Ngài đã sai chúng ta đến để làm chứng cho Ngài, Ngài hứa với chúng ta là Ngài sẽ ban ân sủng của Ngài cho chúng ta và sẽ hỗ trợ chúng ta  trong việc chia sẻ Tin Mừng tuyệt vời của Ngài cho tất cả mọi người được  biết  là Chúa Giêsu Kitô đã sống lại, và Thiên Chúa đã yêu thương chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy tin tưởng vào Ngài trong những lời kêu gọi và và hợp tác với Ngài sứ mạng tuyệt vời này.
 
Reflection Thursday 4th of Easter 2016
            The season of Easter gives us the message of hope in rising to new life with Christ.  In the Gospel reading, Christ tells us that whoever receives the one he has sent receives him. And whoever received Christ receives the Father who has sent him.
            In baptism all of us are commissioned and sent by Christ to join him in his mission.  We are called to holiness; we are tasked to change for the better, to rise to new life with Christ, to become witnesses of his love and of hope in his resurrection and triumph. 
            Jesus' words assures that he will be with us as he send us to be his witnesses, He assures us of his grace and assistance to share the wonderful news that Christ has risen, that God loves us.  Let us trust him in this wonderful call and mission.
 
Thursday 4^th week of Easter 2025
When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.” John 13:16–17
During this, the Fourth Week of Easter, we return to the Last Supper and will spend a few weeks considering the discourse Jesus gave that Holy Thursday evening to His disciples. The question to ask yourself today is this: “Are you blessed?” Jesus says that you are blessed if you “understand” and “do” what He teaches His disciples. So what did He teach them?
Jesus offers this prophetic action by which He took on the role of a slave by washing the disciples’ feet. His action was much louder than words, as the saying goes. The disciples were humbled by this act, and Peter, at first, refused it. There is little doubt that this humble act of service, by which Jesus lowered Himself before His disciples, made a strong impression upon them.
The worldly view of greatness is much different than the one Jesus taught. Worldly greatness is a process of elevating yourself in the eyes of others, striving to let them know just how good you are. Worldly greatness is often driven by a fear of what others may think of you, and a desire to be honored by all. But Jesus wants to be clear that we will only be great if we serve. We must humble ourselves before others, holding them and their goodness up, honoring them and showing them the deepest love and respect. By washing their feet, Jesus completely abandoned the worldly view of greatness and called His disciples to do the same.
Humility is difficult to understand at times. This is why Jesus said, “If you understand this…” He realized that the disciples, as well as all of us, will struggle with understanding the importance of humbling ourselves before others and serving them. But if you do understand humility, you will be “blessed” when you live it. You will not be blessed in the eyes of the world, but you will be truly blessed in the eyes of God.Humility is especially accomplished when we purify our desire for honor and prestige, when we overcome all fear of being mistreated, and when, in place of this desire and fear, we desire abundant blessings upon others, even before ourselves. This love and humility is the only way to this mysterious and profound depth of love.
Reflect, today, upon this humble act of the Son of God, the Savior of the World, lowering Himself before His disciples, serving them as if He were a slave. Try to imagine yourself doing this for others. Think about various ways that you can more readily go out of your way to put others and their needs before your own. Seek to eliminate every selfish desire you struggle with and identify any fear that keeps you from humility. Understand this gift of humility and live it. Only then will you be truly blessed.
My humble Lord, You set for us the perfect example of love when You chose to serve Your disciples with great humility. Help me to understand this beautiful virtue and to live it. Free me from all selfishness and fear so that I may love others as You have loved us all. Jesus, I trust in You
 
Thursday 4^th week of Easter 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are all-powerful and know all things. You know how my life will unfold and how I will be judged. I renew my trust in you that you will guide me and bring me to safe harbor. Strength me in times of temptation and trial so that I may share in the victory of your Son.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Washing Feet at the Last Supper: It is understood that John wrote his Gospel for several reasons: first, to defend the divinity of Jesus; second, to add to what the other three Gospels already proclaimed; and third, to proclaim the mystery of the sacraments of the Church. John, then, did not need to recount the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. What he wanted to add to those narrations in Matthew, Mark, and Luke were Jesus’ actions, the commandment of love, and the promise of sending the Holy Spirit. What does the washing of feet mean? First, it recalls the ritual washings commanded by Moses. These ritual washings symbolized how the people of God needed to separate themselves from the uncleanliness of sin. Second, they recalled the ritual washing of the bride before her marriage. The marriage between God and humanity would be consummated on the Cross of Jesus. And so we see Jesus at the Last Supper humbly washing his bride’s feet. Third, the washings signified the self-emptying of Jesus. Jesus assumed our human nature and identified himself with the humble actions of a servant. In this way, the washing of feet symbolically anticipated his death on the Cross. Fourth, the humble action of washing feet looks forward to the ministry of the Church, which seeks to cleanse the new people of God from their sin in the Sacrament of Reconciliation after the fundamental and initial washing of Baptism.
2. Believe that I AM: At the Last Supper, Jesus highlights how he is telling his disciples beforehand what is going to happen to him so that they may believe that he is God, “that I AM.” From the other Gospels, we know that Jesus announced his passion, death, and resurrection three times on the final journey to Jerusalem. At the Last Supper, he announced that he would be betrayed and that this betrayal was pre-announced in the Psalms. As Psalm 41:8-10 proclaims: “All those who hate me; they imagined the worst about me … Even my trusted friend, who ate my bread, has raised his heel against me.” If we continue to read Psalm 41, it goes on to manifest hope that God will grant his servant the grace and gift of resurrection: “But you, Lord, take note of me to raise me up that I may repay them” (Psalm 41:11). Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead, and raise the just to eternal life and condemn the unjust to eternal death.
3. Receiving Jesus: At the end of today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about the mystery of receiving his disciples, himself, and his Father. When we receive either one of Christ’s disciples or someone in need, we are receiving Jesus. We need to receive the poor because in receiving them, caring for them, and giving ourselves to them, we receive Jesus, care for Jesus, and give ourselves to Jesus. And when we receive Jesus and welcome him, we receive and welcome the Father, who sent and sends Jesus. 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Christ and the Son of God. You have called me to be your disciple and follow you on the way that leads to the Cross. Keep me close to you so that I may learn your ways and truly be your disciple in this world.
Thursday 4^th week of Easter
Opening Prayer: Lord, you taught the Apostles to pray, and they were unstoppable in their mission as your messengers. Help me to pray well now, so I can hear your words of encouragement and be sent out to help my wounded brothers and sisters. 
Encountering Christ:
Christ’s Messengers: Jesus sent out the Apostles; in fact, that is what the word “Apostle” means—someone who is sent out, a messenger. They had been given a message uniquely their own; no one else could duplicate it. They had been with Jesus during his life.  Although most of them ran away, they were nearby when he died. They were witnesses of the empty tomb and then saw him risen from the dead. They were witnesses to the Resurrection. As his first-hand witnesses, the Apostles were sent out by Jesus to spread the Good News—that Jesus had risen from the dead and that through his death and Resurrection we are all saved from sin. Later, St. Paul was also called an Apostle because he saw the Risen Lord while on his way to Damascus.  
Respect: Since the Apostles were sent by Christ, they received the same respect from the early Christians as would have been given Jesus if he had come to them. The Apostles were their (and our!) link to Jesus. In fact, the early Church used this criterion to decide what books would be in the New Testament: If there was reasonable evidence that a book had been written by one of the Apostles, or at least a disciple who had contact with Jesus, the early Church considered it a part of the New Testament. The authorship of some books was in doubt, and those did not make it into the New Testament. The early Church respected the words of these messengers chosen by Jesus as if Jesus had written them himself.
We Are Also His Messengers: Jesus also sends us. We aren’t apostles in the same way the Twelve and St. Paul were Apostles, but we are still called to bear witness to Jesus.  We are called to witness to his love in our life: all the things he has done for us, all of his favors and gifts, and the graces he has given us to help us grow into better, more virtuous people. The longer we have followed him, listened to him speak in our hearts, and felt his power in our everyday life, the more we can bear witness to him. Jesus gives us all of these things for our benefit, but also so that we can also spread the good news. By our lives, we can bring hope to others in this world who need it so much!
Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for all the things you have done for me. Thank you for allowing me to see that you are real, that you are still working today, and that you love me. Help me be your messenger to everyone who enters my life so that they can have the same hope and joy that I have!