Suy Niệm Tin Mừng -Thứ Ba Tuần 22 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng -Thứ Ba Tuần 22 Thường Niên 
Trong Tin Mừng hôm nay Chúa Giêsu đã có những lời nói đầy uy thẩm quyền và thế lực. Chính thế, chỉ một lời phán của Ngài mà Ngài có thể làm biến đổi tất cả mọi sự, kể cả việc chữa lành các bệnh tật nan y khó chữa cho những ai đã tin vào Ngài. Nhũng lời rao giảng của Ngài đã gây rất nhiều bị ảnh hưởng trong dân chúng; và sức mạnh Tinh thần của Ngài đã được truyền đi để gieo vào tâm hồn của dân chúng, phép lạ của Ngài cho thấy Chúa Giêsu là Người có quyền điều khiển và chinh phục cả Satan, là người bác sĩ chữa lành tất cả mọi thứ bệnh tật. Uy quyền của Chúa Giêsu không phải chỉ bằng lời nói và những giáo huấn, như câu tuyr65n trong Tin Mừng hôm nay, Ngay trong hội đường của người Do Thái, Ngài đã làm cho ma quỷ trong nguời bị quỷ ám phải sợ hãi và phải vậng lện ngài mà rời bỏ thoát ra khỏ người bị quỷ ám đấy.
            Ma quỷ đã phải sợ hãi Chúa Giêsu và sức mạnh của Ngài: "Ngài đã đến để diệt chúng tôi? Tôi biết Ngài là ai, là Đấng Thánh của Thiên Chúa. " Hầu hết trong chúng ta ai cũng có một chút quyền hành trong cuộc sống, trong công việc làm, trong gia đình, cho dù là một người mẹ, một giáo viên, một chuyên viên với trách nhiệm và v.v…. \
            Chúng ta hãy tin rằng, chúng ta sẽ sử dụng quyền hành của chúng ta trong một cách nào đó để giúp người khác có cơ hội phát triền tài năng của họ, chứ không dung quyền hành của mình để hã uy tín và gây khó dễ cho người khác. Chức quyền, và quyền hành của chúng ta phải được dựa trên tình yêu thương thực sự và cúc quyền này phải nên được dùng cho mục đích xây dựng nhân loại.
            Chúng ta hãy cầu xon Chúa cho tất cả những người đã lạm dụng quyền hành của họ biết thay đổi và có thể học nơi Chúa cách dung quyền hành của mình trên cơ sở của lòng yêu thương, nhân hậu thực sự.\
 
Reflection Tuesday 22nd Ordinary Time-Scripture: Luke 4:31-37
            In today’s gospel Jesus spoke with authority and power. That is, his word had power to transform, heal and set free those who believe in him. His preaching much affected the people; and a power went with it to touch people's conscience. His miracles showed Jesus to be a controller and conqueror of Satan, a healer of diseases. Jesus' authority was not only in word and teaching. Right there in the synagogue as he spoke to a man possessed by an “unclean spirit”, that spirit spoke through the possessed man.
            It spoke in fear of the power of Jesus. “Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” Most of us possess authority of some kind, whether as a parent, a teacher, a professional with responsibility and so on. Let us make sure that we use that authority in such a way as to enhance the abilities of others rather than diminish them. Our authority should be based on real love and it should be used for the purpose of building humanity. 
  Let us pray for all those people who misuse authority so that they may learn to use it on the basis of real love.
 
Tuesday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time 2026
In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. Luke 4:33–35
Yesterday, we began reading from the Gospel of Luke in our weekday liturgies, and we will continue to do so until the season of Advent. Luke’s Gospel was written especially for Gentile converts—those unfamiliar with Jewish customs—presenting Jesus not only as the fulfillment of Israel’s hopes but also as the Savior of all humanity. Unlike Matthew, who highlights Christ’s fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, Luke reveals a broader vision: a universal Savior who brings healing, mercy, and salvation to the poor, the outcast, and the sinner.
In today’s passage, that universal mission is subtly foreshadowed through Jesus’ divine authority. Though the setting is a Jewish synagogue in Capernaum, His actions speak to a power not confined to time, place, or people. With a simple word, Jesus rebukes the demon, silences its protest, and frees the afflicted man. The astonishment of the crowd—“What is there about his word?”—captures the essence of the moment: Here is One whose authority reaches even into the unseen spiritual world and commands it.
Though He ministers among His own people, Jesus is not merely a teacher of the Law or a local prophet. His authority is absolute, His identity divine. The demon’s cry—“I know who you are, the Holy One of God!”—offers a strange testimony: Even the spiritual forces of darkness recognize and submit to Him. This is not just a healing; it is a confrontation between the kingdom of God and the powers of evil. And it is only the beginning.
Luke includes this scene early in his Gospel to show that Jesus’ mission is one of liberation—liberation from sin, bondage, and every form of darkness. The fact that this miracle occurs in a synagogue reminds us that no place, however sacred, is immune to the presence of evil. But more importantly, it reminds us that no evil is immune to the authority of Christ.
It is also helpful to recall the broader context. This event comes shortly after Jesus’ baptism, His forty days in the desert, and His rejection in Nazareth. That rejection led Him to Capernaum, a humble fishing village that would become the center of His Galilean ministry. It is here that He will call Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew—men who will carry His Gospel to the ends of the earth. Thus, what begins in a small synagogue soon echoes to the nations.
Reflect today on the universal scope of Luke’s Gospel, which we will hear over the coming months. Though Jesus begins within Israel, His mission reaches every soul. By beginning His ministry with a confrontation against evil, Jesus reveals that He has come not only to teach but to conquer—to break the chains of darkness and bring divine healing to the world. His Word still speaks with authority. May we listen, believe, and be set free from the evil one and all his demonic powers, so that we may help proclaim Christ’s Kingdom to the ends of the earth in our own unique ways.
My Lord and Holy One of God, from the very beginning of Your public ministry, You established Your divine authority over evil, revealing that You came to destroy the kingdom of darkness and to build Your Eternal Kingdom of truth and grace. Please cast out all evil and sin from my heart, so that Your reign may take full possession of my soul. Use me as You will to further Your Kingdom on earth, bringing Your light and truth to the ends of the earth—one soul at a time. Jesus, I trust in You
 
Tuesday 22nd Ordinary Time 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are the source and Lord of all creation, and your Son, Jesus Christ, possesses all authority in heaven and on earth. Speak your word into my life today and cast out everything that keeps me from loving and serving you. Deliver me from the power of sin and evil, calm the fears and anxieties of my heart, and bring every part of my life under the gentle authority of Christ. May I trust in his power and follow his word with faith and obedience.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Demon’s Lack of Faith: When we read the Gospel account of the exorcism in Capernaum, it seems like the “unclean demon” makes an act of faith by proclaiming that Jesus is the “Holy One of God.” This was not actually what was going on. What the demon was trying to do was to control Jesus by invoking his name. In the ancient world, naming something, or knowing its name, means having or exercising power over that thing. The Lord God, in Genesis, gave Adam the power to name things and granted him a shared dominion over the animals and material creation. Even today, a Catholic exorcist priest, according to the Rite of Exorcism, will ask the demon what its name is. And then, in the Name of Christ, the exorcist will attempt to cast the demon out of the possessed person. The unclean demon, in today’s Gospel, was not confessing its faith in Jesus as the Son of God. It was desperately attempting to control Jesus or have power over Jesus.
2. The People were Amazed: When the people saw the exorcism, they were amazed. They were impressed by the power and authority of Jesus’ word. Jesus demonstrates that he is more powerful than unclean spirits. These demons are fallen angels, who, after they were created, chose to love themselves more than the one who created them. They rejected God and God’s plan immediately after they were created. And so, the Gospel passage is a question about authority and power. The fallen angels don’t have absolute power. We will see that the scribes and Pharisees don’t have true divine authority. Jesus reveals himself as more powerful in his exorcisms than the fallen angels. He is true God and true man. Jesus reveals himself as more authoritative in his teaching than the scribes and Pharisees. He is true God and true man. Jesus’ teaching and actions invite the people to ask in their hearts who Jesus is.
3. The Authority of Christ Over My Life: The unclean spirit recognized who Jesus was, but recognizing Jesus’ identity did not lead the demon to love him or willingly submit to him. This distinction is important for our own spiritual lives. We can know who Jesus is and still resist his authority. We can believe that he is the Son of God and yet continue to hold on to sinful habits, resentments, fears, or attachments that we do not want to surrender. The question of the Gospel, therefore, is not simply, “Do I believe that Jesus has authority?” It is also, “Have I placed myself under his authority?” Jesus does not exercise his authority as a tyrant. His authority is the authority of the Creator who desires the freedom and salvation of his creatures. His word liberates because it frees us from whatever enslaves us. When we allow Christ to exercise his authority in our lives, he does not diminish our freedom; he restores it. The same Jesus who commanded the unclean spirit to depart desires to speak his liberating word into the places of our own lives where sin, fear, pride, or anxiety have gained a foothold. The proper response to his authority is therefore not fear but trust: “Lord, have your way in me.”
 
Tuesday 22nd Ordinary Time
They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region. Luke 4:36–37
Jesus had just encountered the wrath of many in His hometown of Nazareth, so He left there and traveled about 30 miles to Capernaum, a town just north of the Sea of Galilee. This was to become His new home during His public ministry. The reaction He received in Capernaum was much different than that which He received in Nazareth. As He taught in the Synagogue in Capernaum, a man with a demon came to Him, Jesus rebuked the demon and cast it out, and the people were amazed. Word spread about Jesus quickly. After this, Jesus performed many other miracles, and the people continued to be in awe of Him.
What was it that impressed the people of Capernaum? In part it was the “authority and power” with which Jesus spoke and acted. But it was not only this, since Jesus had done so also in Nazareth where the people failed to believe in Him. In Capernaum it wasn’t that Jesus was different, it seems that the people were different. Jesus won over many hearts in Capernaum because the people were open to the gift of faith. In fact, when Jesus was preparing to leave from Capernaum, the people begged Him to stay. Though eventually Jesus would also encounter resistance from the people there, their initial reaction was one of faith.
Do you want Jesus to act powerfully in your life? Do you want Him to act upon you with authority and power? Many people, from time to time, can feel as though their lives are somewhat out of control. They experience weakness, confusion, a lack of direction and the like. For that reason, true spiritual “authority and power” is very welcome. What sort of authority and power do you need Jesus to exert over your life today?
Think of a small child who is frightened. When this happens, the child turns to a loving parent for comfort and security. The embrace of a parent immediately helps to dispel the fear and worry of the child. So it is with us.
We must see Jesus as the source of calm in our lives. He is the only one Who is capable of ordering our lives, freeing us from the attacks of the evil one, bringing peace and calm to our disordered emotions and clarity to our questions and doubts. But this will only be possible if we are open. His power never changes, but it can only enter our lives when we change and when we recognize our weakness and our need for Him to take control.
Reflect, today, upon the infinite spiritual authority and power of our Lord. It is a power beyond anything else we could imagine. He wants to exercise this authority in your life out of love. What is hindering Him from taking greater control of your life? What sin or temptation does Jesus want to rebuke in your life? From what oppression does He want to set you free? Reflect upon yourself being a member of the town of Capernaum who fully welcomes Jesus, is amazed at Him and desires Him in your life. His working in your life depends upon you and your response to Him. Call on Him and let Him in.
My most powerful Lord, You and You alone are able to take authority over my life and bring order and peace. Please remove any doubt and stubbornness from my heart so that I can open myself to You and Your grace. Take authority of my life, dear Lord, and lead me into Your most holy will. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Tuesday 22nd Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are the ultimate authority and are all-powerful. You are the author of life and existence itself. Conquer the forces of evil in this world and bring all things to their consummation according to your divine plan.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Holy One of God: When we read the account of the exorcism in Capernaum, it seems like the “unclean demon” makes an act of faith by proclaiming that Jesus is the “Holy One of God.” This is not actually what is going on. What the demon is trying to do is to control Jesus by invoking his name. Naming something, or knowing its name, means having power over that thing. God, in Genesis, gave Adam the power to name things and granted him a shared dominion over the animals and material creation. Even today, a Catholic exorcist priest, according to the Rite of Exorcism, will ask the demon what its name is. And then, in the name of Christ, the exorcist attempts to cast the demon out of the possessed person. The unclean demon, in today’s Gospel, is not confessing their faith in Jesus as the Son of God. It was desperately attempting to control Jesus or have power over Jesus.
2. The People were Amazed: When the people saw the exorcism, they were amazed. They were impressed by the power and authority of Jesus’ word. Jesus demonstrates that he is more powerful than unclean spirits. These demons are fallen angels, who, after they were created, chose to love themselves more than the one who created them. They rejected God and God’s plan immediately after they were created. And so, the Gospel passage is a question about authority and power. The fallen angels don’t have absolute power. We will see that the scribes and Pharisees don’t have true divine authority. Jesus reveals himself as more powerful in his exorcisms than the fallen angels. He is true God and true man. Jesus reveals himself as more authoritative in his teaching than the scribes and Pharisees. He is true God and true man. Jesus’ teaching and actions invite the people to ask in their hearts who Jesus is.
3. The Day of the Lord: Today, we conclude our reading of Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians. Paul speaks about the “Day of the Lord” and how it will come like a thief in the night. In the Old Testament, the “Day of the Lord” was a term used by prophets. Joel, for example, uses it as the unifying theme of his book. (see Joel 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14). The “Day of the Lord” is a day of judgment when God comes to settle accounts with Israel and the nations. “It will melt the hearts of all (Isaiah 13:6-16) because it comes as a day of darkness, doom, and distress (Jeremiah 46:10; Ezekiel 30:3; Amos 5:18-20; Zephaniah 1:14-16). On this day the Lord will bring low all that is proud and lifted up against him (Isaiah 2:11-22). He will battle against nations who assault and exploit his people (Obadiah 1:15), bring healing and blessing to all who repent (Malachi 4:1-6), and manifest his divine kingship over the world (Zechariah 14:1-9)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, 1508). The days of judgment that punctuate Israel’s history and world history point forward to the ultimate “Day of the Lord” at the end of time. This will be the “day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 1:14). “On this day, which will come like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2), all people and nations will stand before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10), who God has appointed to judge the world (Acts 17:31) (CCC, 678-82)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, 1508). Paul doesn’t know when Jesus will appear as Savior and Judge. In his follow-up letter to First Thessalonians, he will point out signs that will lead up to the last day.