Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần 24 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần 24 Thường Niên Luke 7:11-17 ,
Nhiều người trong chúng ta đã chết rồi mà không biết. Chúng ta đã chết khi chúng ta đã không còn nắm bắt được những ý nghĩa đích thực của cuộc sống, chúng ta thực sự đã chết, mặc dù rằng khi thân thể chúng ta di động, còn hít thở không khí của trần gian. Chúng ta sống chẳng khác gì cái thây ma, bởi vì chúng ta như cái máy vô cảm chỉ biết làm việc chăm chỉ, ăn uống và sống chỉ để thỏa mãn những dục vọng xác thịt của chúng ta, chúng ta chạy đua với vận tốc cao mà không cần định hướng. Bởi vì nơi chúng ta qua là những bận rộn, chúng ta không bao giờ thật sự có thời giờ để suy nghĩ tất cả những gì cho cuộc sống. Chúng ta có rất ít thời gian hoặc không có thời gian nào cho Thiên Chúa. Lý do thâm niên của chúng ta là "Chúng ta quá bận rộn."  Khi bệnh tật nằm liệt giường, thật tình mà nói đó là một ân phúc và cũng là môt phúc lành được ngụy trang để cho chúng ta được dừng lại và tạm nghỉ để tính đến cuộc sống của chúng ta và đó cũng là một cơ hội để chúng ta có thể bắt đầu kiểm tra cuộc sống, để chúng ta tự hiểu  được rằng những gì mới  thực sự là đièu quan trọng cho cuộc sống của chúng ta.
            Hôm nay Chúa Giêsu làm cho chàng thanh niên trẻ được sống lại, Ngài cũng đang cố gắng làm cho chúng ta được sống lại từ giấc ngủ vùi sâu trong cuộc sống hôm nay, Ngài mời gọi chúng ta thức dậy để nhìn được bức tranh to hơn của cuộc sống. Con người chúng ta đã được tạo ra, là để SỐNG và để YÊU, được yêu. Tình yêu là những gì làm cho cuộc sống của chúng ta có ý nghĩa. Tình Yêu là để cho chính mình và cho người khác, như Chúa Kitô đã làm. Chúng ta hãy nên có "nỗi sợ Thánh Thiện" để được sống nhưng không sống trong sự áp đảo quá nhiều của thế giới vật chất mà chúng ta đã quên rằng thế giới này đang qua đi quá nhanh mà chúng ta chỉ kẻ đi qua đường. Chúng ta có thể còn sống trong cái thể xác hay hư mất của chúng ta. Ngày hôm nay Chúa Kitô đến để "lấp đầy cuộc sống của chúng ta" với niềm tin và tình yêu. Vì khi chúng ta mất đi cuộc sống của chúng ta, là khi chúng ta sẽ tìm thấy nó và chúng ta đã thật sự là còn sống.
 
Reflection Tuesday 25th Ordinary Time
Many of us are already dead without knowing it. When we have lost grasp of the true meaning of life, we are actually dead, even if our bodies move around physically. We are like zombies, working hard, eating and living just to satisfy our concupiscence of the flesh, running the rat race without any spiritual direction.
We never really have time to think about what life is all about. We have very little time or no time for God. Our perennial excuse is "We are too busy." When sickness makes us bedridden, sometimes it is a blessing in disguise for us to stop and pause, take account of our lives and start examining what is really important in life.
Today Jesus is also attempting to resurrect us from our deep sleep, inviting us to wake up to see the bigger picture of life. We were created, we LIVE in order to LOVE. Love is what makes life meaningful. It is to give ourselves for others, as Christ has done.
Let us have this "holy fear" to be alive and not be overwhelmed to dwell too much in the world that we forget that this world is passing and we are just passing through. We may be physically alive but in a state of eschatological death. Christ comes today to "fill our lives" with faith and love. When we lose our life, we will find it and really be alive
 
Reflection Tuesday 25th Ordinary Time
Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. Luke 7:11–12
Try to imagine this mother. She had been married, she and her husband had a child, they raised their child, she and her son watched her husband die, and then she watched her son die and was participating in his funeral. Since he was her only son, she was now alone.
When we think about this woman, it is easy to feel compassion for her. Her heart would have been filled with a sorrow that is tangible to anyone with empathy. Her heart might also have been filled with fear. At that time, a widow would have had a very difficult time taking care of herself in a rural village. With her husband gone, she would have had to rely upon her son to provide for her as she aged. But now that he was gone, her heart would have not only felt the pain of his loss, but also fear for her future. What would become of her? Who would provide food for her year after year? Would she be reduced to begging and poverty?
It is in the context of this very real sorrow and fear that Jesus enters her life. We do not know if she knew anything about Jesus. It appears she was not one of His followers and might not have even heard about Jesus since He had not been ministering publicly for very long. Jesus’ encounter with her and her dead son appears to be unplanned and unexpected. What is it that moves Jesus to raise this man from the dead? It does not appear to be a response to anyone’s faith within the village. It is not even done at anyone’s request. Instead, it appears to be done purely out of Jesus’ compassion for this mother. At least that’s how it seems at first read. And though Jesus clearly acted out of compassion for her, if we consider the entire context, there might also be a secondary motive.
Jesus, his disciples and a large crowd were all walking together through this village. Since Jesus’ miracles were normally performed in response to people’s faith, it is most likely that faith was a contributing factor to this miracle. The faith that called forth this miracle, however, could only have come from the crowds of people who were walking with Jesus from Capernaum. The day prior, these same crowds witnessed Jesus heal the servant of a centurion. They clearly believed in Jesus. As they walked with Him and encountered this funeral procession, it was not only Jesus’ heart that was moved with compassion, it was also the hearts of His followers. Therefore, as Jesus’ followers witnessed this mother’s sorrow and then witnessed Jesus’ own human sorrow and compassion for her, they would have had hope that He would do something. Their hope would have been supernatural in origin, which means that it was also united with faith. By faith, they knew Jesus would act. Thus, in a very real way, the compassion, hope and faith of the people traveling with Jesus would have called forth His almighty power to heal, and Jesus responded.
There are many ways to act as mediators of God’s grace. One way to do so is by growing in compassion for others and hope in God. When we witness the sufferings of others, allow ourselves to feel compassion for them, manifest hope in the power of God to heal, and then stand there, in faith, waiting for God to act, God will be compelled to act. Our holy compassion, hope and faith act as a prayer to which God always responds. The crowds accompanying Jesus through the Village of Nain appear to have acted in this manner and, inspired by their witness, we, too, must act as intercessors for others in the same way.
Reflect, today, upon anyone in your life who resembles this widow of Nain. Who is it that God wants you to notice and to feel compassion for? As your empathetic heart notices those who need your compassion, open yourself, also, to the supernatural gift of hope. Have divine hope that God will heal them. As you do, allow that hope to manifest faith in God and offer that compassion, hope and faith to God as your prayer for those who are in need.
Most compassionate Lord, You are always attentive to our needs and our sorrows. Your Heart is filled with compassion for all. Please give me a truly empathetic heart so that I will see those in need. As I do, fill me with hope and faith that You will pour forth Your mercy upon them so that I will become an intercessor for all. Jesus, I trust in You
 
Reflection Tuesday 25th Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you have visited your people and continue to visit your people. You call me to eternal communion with you and will raise me up through your Son. I praise and glorify you for who you are and thank you for all you have done for me.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Parallels with Elijah: When Jesus restores the widow of Nain’s son to life, the miracle he accomplishes refers back to how the prophets Elijah and Elisha both restored people to life. Jesus himself, when he preached in the synagogue at Nazareth, recalled how Elijah and Elisha both did mighty works for Gentiles. Elijah and Elisha both prophesied in Northern Israel, the same territory that Jesus is now ministering in. Just as Elijah was met by a widow at the gate of a city (1 Kings 17:10), so also Jesus encountered the widow and her dead son at the gate of the city of Nain. In the case of Elijah, he raised the widow’s son by praying: “Lord, my God, let the life breath return to the body of this child” (1 Kings 17:21). Just as Elijah gave the son to his mother (1 Kings 17:23), so also Jesus gave the son to his mother. Jesus’ “outreach is in keeping with the spirit of Old Testament commandments regarding care for widows (Deut 14:28-29; 24:17, 19-21; 26:12-13), but by showing pity (or ‘compassion,’ RSV), he fulfills his own command. ‘Be merciful’ (Luke 6:36)” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 143).
 
2. Parallels with Elisha: When the people of Nain saw that Jesus restored the widow’s son to life, they all glorified God and proclaimed Jesus as a great prophet. This title evokes the prophecy of Moses that God would raise up a prophet like himself (Deuteronomy 18:15). Elijah and Elisha were both prophets-like-Moses, but they were not the ultimate fulfillment of the prophecy. Jesus is truly the prophet-like-Moses, and his mighty works far surpass those of Elijah and Elisha. “As a prophet, Jesus is like Elijah, who raised the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17-24), and Elisha, who raised the son of the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:32-37). As ‘Lord’ (Luke 713), Jesus is greater than these prophets, healing by his own word rather than by praying to God. In the saving help that Jesus brings, God has visited his people, as in the days of Moses (Exodus 4:31; 13:19 RSV) and as prophesied earlier in the Gospel (Luke 1:68, 78). Because of the miracle, Jesus’ fame continues to spread (4:14, 37; 5:15)” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 144).
3. The Royal and Prophetic Roles of Bishops: In the First Reading, Paul is giving Timothy a list of the qualities that the bishops (overseers) and deacons (servants) of the Church should possess. He first points out that the man who aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. This desire should not be a disordered one for power and prestige, but is truly a desire to serve as Christ did and care for the Church as Christ did. Paul lists the following qualities for a bishop: “a bishop must be irreproachable, married only once, temperate, self-controlled, decent, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money” (1 Timothy 3:2-3). A bishop, according to Catholic theology, is conformed to Christ, who is priest, prophet, and king. The prophetic role is seen especially in the teaching authority of the Bishop, who needs to safeguard the deposit of the Church’s faith. The kingly role is seen in the pastoral governance of the bishop. And here Paul gives sage advice. He tells Timothy to look at how the man governs and manages his own household and how his children behave, “for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of the church of God” (1 Timothy 3:5). This is similar to the teaching of Jesus, who says that the one who is faithful in small things, will be faithful in greater ones (see Luke 16:10) and can be entrusted with greater responsibilities. 
 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I contemplate today the great sign of restoring the widow’s son to life. You have restored me from death to new life through Baptism and granted me the grace of eternal life. Raise me up on the last day to enjoy your eternal presence.
 
Tuesday 24^th Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you have visited your people and continue to visit your people. You call me to eternal communion with you and will raise me up through your Son. I praise and glorify you for who you are and thank you for all you have done for me.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Tears Move Jesus’ Heart: Jesus is the Lord of life. His miracle today recalls those of Elijah and Elisha: Elijah raised the only son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17-24) and Elisha raised the only son of the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:31-17). During his ministry, we know that Jesus restored the dead to life at least three times. On the Sea of Galilee, he raised the daughter of Jairus (Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:22-43); in Nain, he raised, the widow’s son; and in Bethany, he restored his friend Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, to life (John 11:11-44). Jesus was moved to act by Jairus’ faith and was moved to pity by the widow's tears; again, he was moved to act by Martha’s faith and moved in the spirit by Mary’s tears. Saint Ambrose compares the widow’s tears to those of the Church, who weeps for her sons and daughters who are dead because of their sin. Mother Church does not abandon her children, but rather intercedes for them and this moves Jesus’ heart. Just as he told Jairus not to fear (Mark 5:36), Jesus tells the widow not to weep, for her only son will live.
2. Healings Manifest the Kingdom of God: Through his works, signs, and miracles, Jesus manifests that the Kingdom of God is present in him. These mighty deeds attest that he is the promised Messiah and that God the Father has sent him. The deeds also invite belief in him and strengthen faith in him. “By freeing some individuals from the earthly evils of hunger, injustice, illness, and death, Jesus performed messianic signs. Nevertheless, he did not come to abolish all evils here below, but to free men from the gravest slavery, sin, which thwarts them in their vocation as God’s sons and causes all forms of human bondage” (CCC, 549).
3. Unity and Diversity in the Church: In his First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul teaches us that the Church is one body, the Body of Christ. Like the members of the human body, we, as members of the Church, work together and bring different talents and gifts to the table. The unity of the Church is not uniformity, but harmony. Some members of the Church are like the Apostles, who stay close to Christ and are sent out with authority. Others are like the prophets, who communicate God’s word to the people. Others are teachers who have the ability to instruct others in the faith. There are also those who have charismatic gifts of healing, speaking in tongues, and interpreting what is said. While these gifts are good, Paul encourages all Christians to strive for and desire the higher, spiritual gifts of faith, hope, and love. Jesus, we saw, was moved to work mighty deeds for his people by faith and love. He is moved to heal us when we turn to him in faith, when we place our hope in him, and when we love him above all things. What is my role in the Mystical Body of Christ?
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I contemplate today the great sign of restoring the widow’s son to life. You have restored me from death to new life through Baptism and granted me the grace of eternal life. Raise me up on the last day to enjoy your eternal presence.
 
Tuesday 24^th Ordinary Time
In today Gospel, We can see tenderness in the heart of Jesus!  He moved with compassion at the sight of the weeping widow whose only son had died, he restored the dead man to life.
Seeing her grief, Jesus first comforted her. Then, touched by her sorrow and need, he manifested both his mercy and his power by raising the young man with a touch of the coffin and a word of command: “Arise!” (Luke 7:14).  Jesus showed kindness and compassion to this bereaved woman, even though no one asked him for help. No one even showed any real faith in him. In fact, they may not have even known who he was. Jesus took the initiative all by himself.
The Gospel story may tells us another real fact which is not recorded in the Gospels. That Jesus appeared to his Mother Mary after the resurrection and before all other appearances has been part of Christian tradition from the earliest Church times. It is not recorded in the Gospels, but Christian piety has taken it for granted that Mary, who had given him birth and had stood beside his Cross, would be the first to encounter the risen Christ and receive the good news of the Resurrection.
Let us isolate the elements of this story of the widow’s son: A widow, an only son, dead and being carried to burial outside the city; Jesus raised him from the dead and, significantly, gave him back to his mother.
As far as we know, Mary was a widow; Jesus was her only Son. He was crucified, died and was buried outside the city of Jerusalem. When he rose from the dead, Jesus gave himself back to his Mother.
We can see there is tenderness in the heart of Jesus for each of us. In compassion, he reaches out even before we ask for help, even if we have just a little faith.
If we’re grieving the loss of a loved one, if we’re feeling wounded or despondent, if we’re suffering from a serious illness; whatever trial we are facing, turn to Jesus. He has words of comfort and consolation just for us.
But don’t stop there. Let the compassion that we have received flow out of us. Just as Jesus touched the coffin of that dead young man, you can take just one step toward touching someone else’s life. It doesn’t have to be much. Just a simple gesture, a kind word, or an offer to help. We can help raise people from their own tombs of sadness and fear.
            Let’s give thank to Jesus, for His compassion! Thank to Jesus for giving us the hope and helping us to rise again.”

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai tuần 24 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai tuần 24 Thường Niên Luke 7:1-10
Khi viên đội trưởng nhờ người đến cầu xin Chúa Giêsu đến để chữa lành người đầy tớ của ông, ông nghĩ rằng ông không có hy vọng là Chúa Giêsu sẽ chú ý đến lời cầu xin của ộng ta; Ông chỉ tin rằng nếu Chúa Giêsu muốn, Ngài chỉ nói một lời thì mọi sự sẽ xảy ra. Viên đội trưởng này đã cầu xin Thiên Chúa những điều thật tuyệt vời vì  những gì ông ta xin không phải xin cho ông, nhưng ông đã xin cho  một người đầy tớ của ông.
         Là một người ngoại giáo, viên đội trưởng có thể đã cảm nhận được rằng Chúa Giêsu, là Đấng đã khá nổi tiếng sẽ nghĩ rằng ông ta chỉ là một người ngoài cuộc; Thật vậy, tuy nhiên, khát vọng lớn lao của ông là muốn được thấy người đầy tớ của mình được ơn chữa lành như ông đã cố công cố sức với các nỗ lực để yêu cầu mọi người giúp cho ngưòi đầy tớ của ông được lành. Khi viên đội trưởng này biết rằng Chúa Giêsu là người có uy quyền và sức mạnh của Thiên Chúa, Ngài có thể làm nhiều việc kỳ diệu và ông tin rằng Chúa Giêsu không cần phải đến nhà ông, Vì  nếu như Ngài muốn, Ngài chỉ cần phán lên một tiếng  thì người tôi tớ của ông sẽ được chữa lành.
            Lòng tin của viên đội trường trái ngược với lòng tin của Thánh Tôma, người cần thấy rõ bằng chứng hiện hình rõ ràng trước khi tin rằng Chúa Giêsu đã sống lại từ cõi chết. Giờ đây và một lần nữa, Chúa Giêsu nhắc nhở chúng ta là  chúng ta cần phải tin tưởng vào những gì chúng ta không thể nhìn thấy. Bằng chứng về sự hiện hữu của Chúa Giêsu thường được tranh luận. Cũng như quan niệm riêng của chúng ta về Thiên Chúa khác với con người Thiên Chúa thực sự. Sau khi thắc mắc quá nhiều câu hỏi về Thiên Chúa, chúng ta có thể đi đến với một câu trả lời không thể tránh khỏi: Thiên Chúa là một Đấng bí ẩn. Và khi chúng ta đi đến kết luận này, điều gì sẽ đảm bảo cho chúng ta tin rằng Ngài là đấng hiện hữu mà không cần phải lên trên các báo để loan tin tức, để mọi người thấy, hay đưa hình ảnh của Ngài  trên internet, quảng cáo trên truyền hình, hay đưa các chi tiết về một phép lạ nào trên video. Nhưng với kinh nghiệm đức tin riêng của chúng ta làm cho chúng ta chắc chắn biết và tin rằng Ngài chính là Thiên Chúa.
            Đức tin tập trung vào Thiên Chúa là đối tượng rất hợp lý. Đức tin không đòi hỏi đối tượng phải nhìn thấy. Hầu hết tất cả niềm tin đòi hỏi một tình yêu, và lòng nhân hậu như đức tin của viên đội trưởng, là một ân phúc cho người khác. Còn chúng ta, chúng ta đã làm được gì trong đức tin của mình? Xin hãy tự trả lời.
 
Reflection Monday 24th in Ordinary Time
When the centurion asked Jesus through other people to heal his servant, he did not expect him to come. He simply believed that if Jesus would only will it, it would happen. He asked great things from a great God. Yet what he asked was not for himself but for someone who worked for him.
Being a Gentile, the centurion probably felt that Jesus, who was already quite famous at that time, would think of him as an outsider. It was, however, his great desire to see his servant healed that he made the effort to ask people for help. Knowing that powerful people could do many things, he believed that Jesus need not come to his house, for he only had to will it and his servant would be healed.
The believing centurion is the opposite of Thomas who needed physical proof before believing that Jesus did rise from the dead. Time and again, Jesus would remind us of our need to believe in what we could not see. Proof of esus' existence is often debated upon. Also our own notion of God is different from who God really is. After asking too many questions about God, we come up with one inevitable answer: God is a mystery. And when we come to this conclusion, what would assure us that He is there and He is in charge would not be news reports of sightings, pictures on the internet, ads on TV, detailed miracles on video but our own faith experiences which make us sure that HE IS HE.
 Faith focuses on God as its proper object. It does not require visible audience. Most of all faith, like the faith of the centurion, is a blessing for others. Have we taken a leap of faith?
 
Monday 24th in Ordinary Time 2024
“Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed.” Luke 7:6–7
What’s interesting is that these humble words, spoken by a Roman centurion, were not actually spoken by the centurion to Jesus. This is because the centurion did not believe he was even worthy of going to Jesus himself. Therefore, he sent some of his friends to speak these words to Jesus on his behalf. In a real way, the friends of this centurion acted as intercessors before Jesus. Jesus’ response was to express amazement at the centurion’s faith. Jesus said to the crowd who was with Him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” And at that point, the servant was healed by Jesus from a distance.
Most of the time, if we have an important request to make of another, we do so in person. We go to the person and speak face-to-face. And though we certainly can go to our Lord in prayer, face-to-face, person to Person, there is something very humble about bringing our needs to our Lord through the intercession of another. Specifically, there is something very humble about asking for the intercession of the saints.
Seeking the intercession of the saints before our Lord is not done because we are afraid of our Lord or because He would be offended by us going directly to Him. It is ideally done as an act of the utmost humility. By entrusting our prayer to those who are in Heaven, gazing upon the face of God, we do entrust our prayer to God. But relying upon the intercession of the saints is also a way of acknowledging that we are not worthy, by our own merits, to stand before the Lord and bring Him our request. This humility can be difficult to understand at times, but it’s important to try.
What is it that you need to pray for in your life right now? As you call that to mind, pick a saint to act as your friend and intercessor before God. Turn to that saint in humility and say a prayer to that saint, admitting that you are not worthy of going to our Lord on your own. Then entrust your petition to that saint and ask him or her to present that prayer to our Lord on your behalf. Praying to our Lord, through the intercession of a saint, is a way of also saying that you know Jesus’ response to you is pure mercy on His part. And the good news is that Jesus deeply desires to shower His mercy when we humble ourselves before Him, especially by coming to Him through the mediation of the saints. 
Reflect, today, upon the humility of this well-respected Roman centurion. Try to understand the power of his humble approach by which he sent his friends to Jesus on his behalf. As you do, pick a saint in Heaven and ask them to go to our Lord on your behalf and request that our Lord grant you the same humility and faith as this centurion. Doing so will lead our Lord to be amazed at your faith and humility also.
Saints of God, please offer to Jesus my humble request that I grow more in humility and faith. My precious Lord, I do bring this and all my prayers to You. As I do, I acknowledge that I am not worthy of Your Divine Mercy. But through the mediation of the saints in Heaven, if it be Your will that You bestow Your mercy upon me, then I humbly make this request of You through them. Mother Mary, I especially entrust all my prayers to Your holy intercession. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Monday 24th in Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I desire a deep faith like that of the centurion. I believe that your Son, Jesus Christ, can heal me physically, mentally, psychologically, and spiritually. I want to conform my life to that of your Son; I want to think as he thinks. I unite the offering of my life to his sacrificial offering.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Centurion of Capernaum: After preaching the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:17-49) to both Jews and Gentiles, Jesus returned to his home base in Capernaum. Capernaum was a border town with a customs post (Matthew 5:27) and likely had a garrison of one hundred soldiers under the command of a centurion (see Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 139). This centurion was likely subject immediately to Herod Antipas, who was appointed tetrarch by Rome and ruled over Galilee. The centurion in today’s Gospel was in good favor with the local Jewish people. The elders of the Jews told Jesus that the centurion loved their nation and that he had built the local synagogue. “In Acts, Luke will describe another centurion, Cornelius, ‘respected by the whole Jewish nation’ (Acts 10:22), whose baptism leads to peaceful coexistence between Jews and Gentiles in the Church (Acts 11:18; 15:7-11). God’s universal plan of salvation thus unfolds through these two centurions (see Luke 2:30-32; 3:6), as Jesus had earlier foretold by mentioning Naaman, the Gentile officer healed by Elisha (Luke 4:27; 2 Kings 5:1-15)” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 139). How is God’s plan of salvation unfolding through me and my family?
2. The Faith of the Gentile Centurion: As Jesus made his way to the centurion’s house to heal the centurion’s slave, the centurion sent his friends to Jesus to relay a message about not needing him to enter his house to work the healing. This shows that the centurion was aware of the traditional prohibition for a Jew to enter the house of a Gentile. The message manifested the deep faith of the Centurion. On the one hand, he was deeply respectful of God’s Law given through Moses and the interpretation given by the religious authorities. On the other, he believed that Jesus could heal from a distance and through his powerful word. The centurion truly understands authority. He himself was subject to authority and exercised authority over others. The centurion’s faith surpassed that of many Israelites. Every mass, we imitate the faith of the Centurion and pray: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” The next time I am at mass, can I pray these words with deep faith and reverence?
3. Guidelines for the Christian Community in Corinth: When Paul sent the First Letter to the Corinthians, one of the issues he wanted to address was how the community was becoming careless in their celebration of the Eucharist. There was division in the community, especially between the poor and the rich. “Disunity among the Corinthians contradicts the very purpose of the Eucharist to unify believers with Christ and one another” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 301). Paul faithfully transmitted to the community how to celebrate the Eucharist. He taught that it was the fulfillment of the old Passover and now commemorates how Jesus, as the New Passover sacrifice, delivered us from sin and death. It is not an ordinary meal and should not be characterized by class division: “When you gather to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, you must not treat it like a profane dinner party, divided by class or selfishly filling yourselves while others go hungry. It is the Lord’s Supper!” (Prothro, The Apostle Paul and His Letter, 105).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, reign in my heart today. I welcome you under my roof. I know that I am not worthy to receive you and yet you are here and dwell within me. Remain with me and in me always.
 
Monday 24th in Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, transform my heart so that I can acknowledge my unworthiness and humbly trust in your healing love and forgiveness. 
Encountering Christ:
Gracious in Victory: The Jewish elders interceded for the centurion, a leader in the military rulers of Israel. Why? Because he had shown love and compassion for the defeated people. He helped build their synagogue, allowing them dignity and peace to live out their faith while under military rule. His kindness and mercy endeared him to the Jewish elders. So often our past actions come back, either to haunt us or to help us. Deeds of kindness can lead to mercy and kindness returned to us when we need it most. Our uncharitable actions lead to the exact opposite. How do we treat those under our authority?
Acknowledging Christ as King: The centurion’s words showed that he recognized exactly who Jesus was: the king of heaven and earth. The centurion knew he was not worthy to entertain Jesus in his home (really, who among us is worthy?). He also knew that Jesus had supreme authority and did not need to come to his house to heal the servant. He trusted that Jesus was a benign king who would heal any subjects who ask him, no matter how unworthy they might be. Do we show the same trust in Jesus?
The Faithful’s Lack of Faith: Amazed at the humble and confident request of the centurion, Jesus remarked that he had not seen this faith in Israel—the chosen people of God! How easy it is to claim we have faith when we attend Mass and say our prayers. Yet we can tightly cling to the illusion that we are in control of our lives. How easy it can be to turn to a friend, an online advice board, or a secular book when we face troubles instead of humbly and confidently approaching the author of our entire lives, Jesus Christ, with our problems.
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, you are the Lord of my life and the author of human history. Teach me to turn to you with humility and faith, trusting in your goodness and your providence. Help me to always remember that your love for me is constant despite any troubling circumstances. 

Suy Niệm Lễ Kính Đức Mẹ Sẩu Bi, Sept 15

Suy Niệm Lễ Kính Đức Mẹ Sẩu Bi, Sept 15

Trước khi Chúa Giêsu chết trên thập giá, Chúa đã trao phó Đức Maria, mẹ của mình cho Thánh Gioan, môn đệ Ngài yêu dấu để chăm sóc, "Đây là mẹ của con," và Ngài cũng nhắn nhủ với mẹ mình là hãy chấp nhận Thánh Gioan như con trai của mình, "Này bà, đây là con bà." 

Những lời mà Đức Kitô giao phó Mẹ Ngài cho thánh Gioan và Thánh Gioan cho Mẹ Ngài, chính là những lời mà Giáo Hội đã coi như là những lời di chúc và bằng chứng mà Chúa Kitô đã trao phó Mẹ Ngài cho chúng ta,  và Ngài cũng đã phó thác tất cã mỗi người chúng ta trong sự gìn giữ, lo lắng và chăm sóc của Đức Maria.  Vì thế Đức Maria là Mẹ của mỗi người chúng ta, những người theo Chúa Kitô.

Tin Mừng Thánh Gioan cho chúng ta biết là:"Và từ giờ đó, môn đồ đã lĩnh lấy bà về nhà mình." (Gn 19:27). Từ giờ phút đó thánh Gioan đã rước Đức Maria về nhà mình và đã yêu thương, kính trọng và chăm sóc của Đức Maria như là mẹ của mình.

            Giờ đây Đức Trinh Nữ Maria cả xác lẫn hổn đã được vinh quang với Con của Mẹ và tất cả những người được chọn và các thiên thần ở trên Thiên Quốc. Đức Maria không cần sự chăm sóc, thương yêu chúng ta như Mẹ đã cần sự chăm sóc của Thánh Gioan lúc xưa khi còn ở trần thế.  Đức Maria ở trên trời là một người Mẹ có quyền thế và sức mạnh nhất, Mẹ luôn yêu thương giúp đỡ và hướng dẫn mỗi người chúng ta. Chúng ta nên học theo cách yêu mến của Con Mẹ là Chúa Giêsu và tập sống giống như Mẹ.

      Cảm ơn Chúa đã ban cho chúng con Mẹ của Chúa để làm  Mẹ của chúng con. Xin cho chúng con có thể học cách yêu Mẹ như Chúa. Xin cho chúng con có thể luôn luôn biết quay về với Mẹ để học cách yêu Chúa như chính mẹ và Kính Yêu Chúa.  Cảm ơn Chúa đã ban cho những người mẹ của chúng con, những người sinh dưỡng chúng con cũng là người giúp chúng con biết phản ánh tình yêu của Đức Maria, Mẹ của Chúa.

 

Reflection Sep 15:

     When we are asked to care of our friend's belongings, we do so with great care. What if we are asked to look after our friend's mother? Would we be able to undertake such a task?

     Dying on the cross our Lord leaves his Mother Mary to the care of the beloved disciple John, "There is your mother," and also tasks his Mother to accept John as her son, "Woman, this is your son."

     The Church has read Christ entrusting his Mother to John and the beloved Apostle John to his Mother as Christ's lasting will and testament to entrust his Mother to each of his followers and to entrust each of his followers to Mary's care.  Thus Mary is the Mother of each one of us, of each one of the followers of Christ and each one of us is her son or daughter.

     John's Gospel said that "from that moment the disciple took her to his own home." From that moment John loved and took care of Mary as his mother. Tradition has it that John and Mary eventually moved to Ephesus where to this date there is a shrine of their home. The Blessed Virgin Mary is now body and soul in glory with her Son and all the elect and angels in heaven. She does not need us to take care of her as she needed John's love and care during her lifetime.  

     Mary in heaven is a most powerful and loving Mother of each one of us. With her help and guidance, may we learn to love her Son as she does.  

     Thank you, Lord, for giving your Mother to be our mother. May we learn to love her as you do. May we always turn to her to learn to love you as she does.  

     Thank you for our own mothers who reflect the love of your Mother Mary.  

 "Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.  To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but, in your mercy, hear and answer me.

 

Suy Niệm Lễ Kính Đức Mẹ Sẩu Bi, Sept 15

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. John 19:25

Our Blessed Mother, the Mother of the Son of God, loved her Son with a perfect love. She enfleshed every virtue to perfection. Her love for her Son was a love that was beyond what we could ever imagine. She conceived Him miraculously, bore Him in her womb, gave birth to Him, nursed Him, raised Him and loved Him throughout His life. It’s difficult to even imagine the depth and beauty of the love she had for Jesus. Generally speaking, a mother’s love is powerful, unwavering, deep and filled with tenderness. Try to imagine the Immaculate Heart of Mother Mary and the amazing depth of love alive in her heart.

Imagine also the scene depicted in the Gospel passage quoted above. This loving mother stood at the foot of the Cross, gazing upon her crucified Son, continuing to exude every motherly virtue. And because it’s hard to fathom the depth of her love for her Son, it’s also very hard to imagine the depth of sorrow and interior suffering she endured as she watched the cruelty toward Jesus unfold. All she could do in that moment was stand by Him and with Him in this moment of extreme agony. Her love was expressed, in that moment, by her fidelity to Him.

What’s beautiful to know is that love, sorrow, compassion and suffering were united as one within her Immaculate Heart. Within the beauty of her heart was every human emotion, fueled by God’s grace, enabling her to give to her Son the greatest gift she had: her motherhood. She was a true mother throughout her life, and, in this moment, as her Son hung on the Cross, her motherhood culminated in a perfect human expression.

We all long to be loved by another. To give and receive love is the greatest gift that we can give and receive. Love is what we were made for and is the source of our fulfillment in life. We can be certain that as Mother Mary stood at the foot of the Cross, her human heart experienced the greatest fulfillment ever known. Her heart was fulfilled because she exercised her motherly love to perfection.

Gaze upon the image of the Mother of God this day. Ponder, especially, all that she would have experienced within her human heart. Though theologians could write volumes on this meditation, the best way to understand her heart of love is through prayerful meditation. Ask our Blessed Mother to reveal her heart to you today. Find some time to sit in silent adoration of this holy image of perfect motherly love. As you do, know two things. First, know that Mother Mary has this same depth of love for you. Do not doubt it. Her heart burns with compassion as she gazes upon you, even in your sin. Second, know that our Blessed Mother’s love must also fill your heart and overflow into the lives of others. We all must allow her compassion, concern, fidelity and mercy to flow through our hearts. Who do you need to love with the heart of our Blessed Mother? Seek to receive the love in the heart of the Mother of God and seek to give that love. Receive it in and then allow it to flow forth. There is truly nothing in this world more beautiful and awe inspiring than the holy image of this love.

My Immaculate and Sorrowful Mother, you stood at the foot of the Cross of your Son with the perfection of a mother’s love. Your heart was filled with a sorrow that was mixed with every holy virtue. Pray for me that I may understand this love more fully, so that I may also open up my own heart to your love. As I do, I pray that I will become an instrument of the love in your heart toward those in my life who suffer and are in most need of tender compassion and mercy. Sorrowful Heart of Mary, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I humbly ask you to bring me more deeply into the mystery of suffering and how to unite my sufferings to those of your Son so that they have a powerful redemptive value.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Foundation of the Order of the Servants of Mary: Today, we celebrate the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. The devotion was promoted especially by the Servite Order, or the Order of the Servants of Mary. The order was founded by seven holy men in Florence, Italy, around the year 1233. All seven experienced a similar vision of Mary on August 15, 1233, and heard the call to “leave the world, the better to serve almighty God.” The mendicant order they began was recognized in 1259 and approved by Pope Benedict XI in 1304. The seven founders were canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1888. Some of their Marian devotions include the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows and the Via Matris (“Way of the Mother”), which also involves meditating at stations on Mary’s seven sorrows or sufferings.

2. The First Three Sorrows and Jesus’ Early Life: The first three sorrows and sufferings of Mary complement the five joyful mysteries of the Rosary. This teaches us an important lesson that moments of joy in our lives are often accompanied by moments of sorrow and suffering. The joy of presenting the child Jesus at the Temple was accompanied by Simeon’s prophecy about the child being a sign of contradiction and about a sword piercing Mary’s heart. The joy of Jesus’ birth eventually gave way to the sorrow and suffering of fleeing to Egypt to escape the murderous intentions of King Herod. The joy of finding Jesus in the Temple was preceded by the sorrow and suffering of losing Jesus for three days. Our suffering, when united to the sufferings of Christ, has a redemptive value. As John Paul II taught: “Christ has also raised human suffering to the level of the Redemption. Thus each man, in his suffering, can also become a sharer in the redemptive suffering of Christ” (John Paul II, Salvifici doloris, 19).

3. The Last Four Sorrows and Jesus’ Passion and Death: The last four sorrows of Mary are all connected to Jesus’ Passion and Death. First, tradition holds that Mary, like the women of Jerusalem, met her Son on the way to Calvary. Second, Mary stood faithfully by the foot of the Cross, accompanied by Mary of Magdala, the beloved disciple, John, and her sister-in-law, Mary, the wife of Clopas. Third, Mary received the dead body of her son into her arms. Finally,  Mary helped bury her Son. A couple of decades ago, in 2005, the then-Cardinal Ratzinger wrote the meditations for the Way of the Cross. This was his reflection on the Fourth Station and the Fourth Sorrow of Mary: “On Jesus’ Way of the Cross, we also find Mary, his Mother. During his public life, she had to step aside, to make place for the birth of Jesus' new family, the family of his disciples. She also had to hear the words: ‘Who is my mother and who are my brothers?... Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is brother, and sister and mother’ (Mt 12:48-50). Now we see her as the Mother of Jesus, not only physically, but also in her heart. Even before she conceived him bodily, through her obedience she conceived him in her heart. It was said to Mary: ‘And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son. He will be great and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David’ (Lk 1:31ff.). And she would hear from the mouth of the elderly Simeon: ‘A sword will pierce through your own soul’ (Lk 2:35). She would then recall the words of the prophets, words like these: ‘He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he was like a lamb that is led to slaughter’ (Is 54:7). Now it all takes place. In her heart she had kept the words of the angel, spoken to her in the beginning: ‘Do not be afraid, Mary’ (Lk 1:30). The disciples fled, yet she did not flee. She stayed there, with a Mother’s courage, a Mother’s fidelity, a Mother’s goodness, and a faith which did not waver in the hour of darkness: ‘Blessed is she who believed’ (Lk 1:45). ‘Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?’ (Lk 18:8). Yes, in this moment Jesus knows: he will find faith. In this hour, this is his great consolation.”

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you bring those you love into the depths of sacrifice and suffering. You test and purify your followers. I want to be united to you more fully and humbly offer my life to you so that you may present it to the Father as a pleasing sacrifice.

 

REFLECTION

In the first reading, Paul writes that he certainly did not deserve to be in the presence of the Lord nor be in His service because he was "a blasphemer, a persecutor and a rabid enemy"; but, Jesus had mercy on him and changed his heart on the road to Damascus. Jesus gifted him with faith and love, making him trustworthy to be in his service. The same theme can be seen in today's gospel. A disciple of Jesus is one "who is not above the master, but when fully trained, he will be like his master." As true disciples, we are to behave like our Master. We are to conform our hearts to the heart of Jesus who is not critical of us and accepts us as sinners. Jesus encourages us to look into ourselves instead of judging those around us. So that we may follow his teachings more closely, we need his grace and his strength, as Paul says. We cannot do this on our own but only through God's gracious permission. We pray that one day, our character may mirror that of Jesus.

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, September 14- 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time C

Ngày 14/9 - Chúa Nhật 24th Ordinary Time Year C:
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Lễ Suy Tôn Thánh Giá John 3:13-17 
Vì Thiên Chúa yêu thương thế gian đến nỗi đã ban Con Một của Người, để ai tin vào Người thì khỏi phải chết, nhưng được sống muôn đời. Vì Thiên Chúa sai Con Người đến thế gian, không phải để lên án thế gian, nhưng để thế gian nhờ Người mà được cứu độ. (Jn 3:16–17)
Nếu Chúa Giêsu không bao giờ hy sinh mạng sống trên thập giá để cứu độ thế gian, thì thập giá đã không bao giờ được nhìn thấy trong “sự hân hoan”. Thập giá, tự thân nó, là một công cụ của cái chết, một cái chết kinh hoàng và đáng sợ.  Thập Giá cũng là một công cụ của sự sỉ nhục và tra tấn. Tuy nhiên, ngày nay, Thập giá được xem là một vật thánh đáng kính và được chúc phúc.
Chúng ta treo thập giá trong nhà, đeo thập giá quanh cổ, cất thập giá trong tràng hạt Mân Côi trong túi, và dành thời gian cầu nguyện trước thập giá. Thập giá giờ đây là một hình ảnh cao quý mà chúng ta hướng về Thiên Chúa trong lời cầu nguyện và phó thác. Nhưng điều đó chỉ đúng vì chính trên thập giá mà chúng ta đã được cứu rỗi và được đưa đến sự sống đời đời.
Nếu chúng ta thử quay lùi lại và suy ngẫm về sự thật đáng kinh ngạc rằng một trong những công cụ được dùng để tra tấn và thi hành bản án tử hình độc ác nhất giờ đây lại được xem là một trong những hình ảnhddasng kính, thánh thiện nhất trên trái đất, thì điều đó hẳn phải rất đáng kinh ngạc. Hiểu được sự thật này sẽ dẫn chúng ta đến nhận thức rằng Chúa có thể làm bất cứ điều gì và làm được mọi thứ. Chúa có thể sử dụng điều tồi tệ nhất và biến nó thành điều tốt nhất. Ngài có thể dùng cái chết để mang lại sự sống.
Mặc dù hôm nay chúng ta mừng kính, “Lễ Suy Tôn Thánh Giá”, trước hết và trên hết là một đại lễ mà chúng ta tôn vinh Chúa Cha vì những gì Ngài đã làm trong Ngôi Vị của Con Thiên Chúa, nhưng đó cũng là một lễ mà chúng ta phải khiêm tốn hiểu rằng Chúa có thể “tôn vinh” mọi thập giá mà chúng ta chịu đựng trong cuộc sống và mang lại nhiều ân sủng qua những thập giá ấy.
Thánh giá nặng nề nhất của chúng ta là gì? Nguồn gốc của nỗi đau khổ lớn nhất của chúng ta là gì? Rất có thể, như chúng ta nghĩ, Thập giá khiến chúng ta phải chịu đựng những đau đớn. Thông thường, những thập giá và đau khổ của chúng ta là những thứ chúng ta tìm cách để trốn thoát và cố tránh né những đau khổ  trần thế. Chúng ta rất dễ dàng chỉ ra những thập giá trong cuộc sống và đổ lỗi cho đó là vì chúng ta thiếu may mắn và thiếu hạnh phúc. Chúng ta dễ dàng nghĩ rằng nếu chỉ cần điều này hay điều kia thay đổi hoặc được gỡ bỏ, thì cuộc sống của chúng ta sẽ tốt đẹp hơn. Vậy thập giá đó là gì trong cuộc đời của chúng ta?
            Sự thật cho dù là thập giá nặng nề nhất của chúng ta là gì, thì thập giá đó vẫn có tiềm năng phi thường để trở thành nguồn ân sủng thực sự trong cuộc đời chúng ta và trên thế giới. Nhưng điều này chỉ có thể xảy ra nếu chúng ta biết đón nhận thập giá đó trong đức tin và hy vọng, để Chúa có thể kết hợp thập giá của chúng ta với thập giá của Ngài, và để thập giá của chúng ta cũng có thể chia sẻ sự tôn vinh Thập giá của Chúa Kitô. Mặc dù đây là một mầu nhiệm đức tin vô cùng sâu sắc, nhưng nó cũng là một chân lý vô cùng sâu sắc trong đức tin của chúng ta.
Hôm nay, hãy suy ngẫm về những thập giá của chính chúng ta, Khi làm vậy, chúng ta hãy cố gắng đừng xem những thập giá đó là gánh nặng. Thay vào đó, hãy nhận ra tiềm năng bên trong những thập giá đó. Hãy cầu nguyện, nhìn những thập giá của chúng ta như những lời mời gọi chia sẻ Thập giá của Chúa Kitô. Hãy nói "Vâng" với những thập giá của chúng ta, chúng ta hãy tự do lựa chọn chúng. Hãy kết hợp chúng với Thập giá của Chúa Kitô. Khi làm vậy, chúng ta hãy hy vọng rằng vinh quang của Chúa sẽ xuất hiện trong cuộc đời chúng ta trong thế giới này thông qua việc chúng ta đã biết tự do đón nhận những thập giá ấy. chúng ta hãy biết rằng những “gánh nặng” này sẽ được biến đổi và trở thành nguồn sinh sực và nâng đỡ cho cuộc đời chúng ta qua quyền năng biến đổi của Thiên Chúa.
 
Lạy Chúa, chúng ta hướng về Ngài trong cơn hoạn nạn và với đức tin tuyệt đối vào quyền năng cứu rỗi thiêng liêng của Ngài. Xin Chúa ban cho chúng ta những ân sủng cần thiết để chúng con biết phó thác trọn vẹn để đón nhận mọi thập giá trong đời sống với hy vọng và đức tin nơi Ngài. Xin biến đổi những thập giá của chúng ta để Ngài được tôn vinh qua chúng và để chúng trở thành những khí cụ cho vinh quang và ân sủng của Ngài.
 
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.  John 3:16–17
If Jesus would never have given His life on a cross for the salvation of the world, then a cross would never have been seen in “exultation.” A cross, in and of itself, is an instrument of death, a horrific and violent death. It’s also an instrument of humiliation and torture. Yet, today, the Cross is seen as a holy and blessed object. We hang crosses in our homes, wear them around our neck, keep them in our pocket on the end of the rosary, and spend time in prayer before them. The Cross is now an exalted image by which we turn to God in prayer and surrender. But that is only the case because it was on a cross that we were saved and brought to eternal life.
If you step back and consider the amazing truth that one of the worst instruments of torture and death is now seen as one of the holiest of images on earth, it should be awe inspiring. Comprehending this fact should lead us to the realization that God can do anything and everything. God can use the worst and transform it into the best. He can use death to bring forth life.
Though our celebration today, the “Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross,” is first and foremost a feast by which we give glory to the Father for what He did in the Person of His divine Son, it is also a feast by which we must humbly understand that God can “exalt” every cross we endure in life and bring forth much grace through them.
What is your heaviest cross? What is the source of your greatest suffering? Most likely, as you call this to mind, it is painful to you. Most often, our crosses and sufferings are things we seek to rid ourselves of. We easily point to crosses in life and blame them for a lack of happiness. We can easily think that if only this or that were to change or be removed, then our life would be better. So what is that cross in your life?
The truth is that whatever your heaviest cross is, there is extraordinary potential for that cross to become an actual source of grace in your life and in the world. But this is only possible if you embrace that cross in faith and hope so that our Lord can unite it to His and so that your crosses can also share in the exaltation of Christ’s Cross. Though this is a profoundly deep mystery of faith, it is also a profoundly deep truth of our faith.
Reflect, today, upon your own crosses. As you do, try not to see them as a burden. Instead, realize the potential within those crosses. Prayerfully look at your crosses as invitations to share in Christ’s Cross. Say “Yes” to your crosses. Choose them freely. Unite them to Christ’s Cross. As you do, have hope that God’s glory will come forth in your life and in the world through your free embrace of them. Know that these “burdens” will be transformed and become a source of exaltation in your life by the transforming power of God.
My exalted Lord, I turn to You in my need and with the utmost faith in Your divine power to save. Please give me the grace I need to fully embrace every cross in my life with hope and faith in You. Please transform my crosses so that You will be exalted through them and so that they will become an instrument of Your glory and grace. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
September 14, 2025- Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I am humbled by the immensity and depth of your love. You did not spare your own Son but sent him into the world to die for us and release us from the ancient curse of death. You love me with an eternal love. Help me return that same love.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross: Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. It recalls the discovery of the relic of the True Cross by St. Helena in A.D. 326. It is celebrated on September 14 because the dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher took place on September 13, 335, and the veneration and public exaltation of the cross happened on the following day, September 14. The feast, which began in the seventh century, also celebrated the recovery of the relic from the Persians in A.D. 628 by the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius. The Persian Emperor Khosrau (Chosroes) II captured Jerusalem in A.D. 614 and took the relic of the True Cross as a trophy. Over a decade passed until Heraclius successfully defeated the Persians. He placed the relic first in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, but then returned the relic to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in a grand ceremony on March 21, 630. Today, we honor the cross of Christ as the instrument of Christ’s redemptive and salvific death and as the symbol of God’s love for us. 
2. Voluntarily Confronting Suffering: The episode in the First Reading, in Numbers 21, has a profound psychological and theological dimension. By having the people of Israel look at the image of the bronze serpent, it was an invitation to the people to voluntarily confront their sufferings, trials, temptations, and tribulations. This is an important step to heal psychologically from a trauma and to grow in maturity. In the moral and spiritual life, we need, with God’s help and guidance, to confront the root causes of our sin, to do battle against the temptations of this world, to choose the path to the blessing of life over the path to the curse of death. God’s remedy is not to take away our suffering, but to help us grow and mature through suffering. The model is Jesus Christ, “who learned obedience through what he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). Just as Jesus’ human nature was perfected through his life, passion, death, and resurrection, so also our nature will be perfected through sharing in Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection.
3. The Hymn in Philippians 2: Jesus’ humiliation and glorification is the dynamic outline of the great hymn to Christ found in the Second Reading, from Philippians 2. Christ humbled himself for us in his incarnation and crucifixion; therefore, God the Father exalted him highly, and all creation will confess him as Lord (Philippians 2:6-11). “Christ’s willing death on the cross is not only the greatest act of self-giving love for others (Romans 5:8; Galatians 2:20) but also the very charter of the Philippians’ salvation as God’s redeemed people. God calls the Philippians to live as the people of this self-giving Lord, who set aside the glory that was rightfully his as God’s eternal Son and humbly gave himself for others” (Prothro, The Apostle Paul and His Letters, 193). 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you were lifted up on the cross for the forgiveness of sins and to reconcile us with the Father. You were innocent, yet condemned. You were sinless, yet bore our sins. Grant me a share in your suffering so that I may also share in your exaltation.
 
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross: 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I am humbled by the immensity and depth of your love. You did not spare your own Son but sent him into the world to die for us and release us from the ancient curse of death. You love me with an eternal love. Help me return that same love.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Sin and Salvation: Today’s feast recalls both the discovery of the True Cross of Jesus by Saint Helena in A.D. 326 and the recovery of the relic of the Cross from the Persians in A.D. 628. These events are the occasion for today’s contemplation of the mystery of the Cross, the instrument of our redemption and salvation. The First Reading introduces us to the dynamic of sin and salvation. The people of Israel sinned by grumbling and complaining in the desert against God and Moses. For this, they were punished with fiery serpents, who bit some of the people. This punishment awakened the people to their sin and they confessed to Moses: “We have sinned in complaining against the Lord and you”. In response, Moses interceded for the people and prayed for them. The Lord had compassion on the people and provided them with a saving sign. If they were bitten by a serpent, they were to look to the bronze serpent mounted on a pole. If they did this, they would live. “The image is striking: they were forced to look upon an exalted representation of the consequences of their own sin and, by doing so, were saved from the full penalty themselves” (Prothro, The Bible and Reconciliation, 196).
2. The Symbol of the Bronze Serpent: The symbol of the bronze serpent looks to the past, but is also a foreshadowing of something greater in the future. The bronze serpent makes us think of the ancient serpent in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve listened to the lies of the serpent and, by eating the forbidden fruit, they were bitten, so to speak, by the ancient serpent. They brought the curse of death upon themselves and their children. When they were confronted by God about their sin, they mercifully received the promise of a Savior. God said that the serpent would continue to bite at their heel, but one day, one of their descendants would crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). The bronze serpent also looks to the future. Jesus, in the Gospel, unlocks the mystery hidden for the ages: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” Just as the symbol of death (the bronze serpent) became an instrument of life and healing, the instrument of Jesus’ death (the Cross) became an instrument of life and salvation. The bronze serpent contained no magical power; it was only a symbol. By looking at the bronze serpent, the people of God manifested their faith and trust in God and in his promise. In like manner, we look with faith upon the Crucified Christ. This delivers us from the full penalty of sin. “Yet in contemplating the cross, we too are gazing on an image of our sins’ consequences” (Prothro, The Bible and Reconciliation, 196-197).
3. Christ Crucified: With Saint Paul, we proclaim Christ crucified: Christ died and rose for me. The Cross cannot be a stumbling block for us; rather, it reveals the power of God to us. It reveals his love. “Centuries after Paul we see that in history it was the Cross that triumphed and not the wisdom that opposed it. The Crucified One is wisdom, for he truly shows who God is, that is, a force of love which went even as far as the Cross to save men and women. God uses ways and means that seem to us, at first sight, to be merely weakness. The Crucified One reveals on the one hand man's frailty and on the other, the true power of God, that is the free gift of love: this totally gratuitous love is true wisdom” (Benedict XVI, October 29, 2008). The wisdom of the Cross guides our actions since it teaches us the way of humility; the power of the Cross gives us strength since it introduces us into the weakness of renunciation; the blood of the Cross washes us clean since it is the instrument of our redemption. Today we embrace our daily cross and follow in the footsteps of the Crucified One.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you were lifted up on the cross for the forgiveness of sins and to reconcile us with the Father. You were innocent, yet condemned. You were sinless, yet bore our sins. Grant me a share in your suffering so that I may also share in your exaltation.
 
Chúa Nhật 24th Ordinary Time Year C:
Lễ Suy Tôn Thánh Giá Ngày 14/9 Suy Niệm Tin Mừng John 3:13-17 
Tại sao những người tốt lành phải chịu đau khổ? Thiên Chúa đã không cho chúng ta được một câu trả lời nào thỏa đáng cả. Nhưng một điều mà ai trong chúng ta biết là Thiên Chúa là Đấng đã yêu chúng ta vô bờ, vô bến vì chính Ngài đã chấp nhận mặc lấy thân phận con người như chúng ta, và để chia sẻ cuộc sống đau khổ trần thế với chúng ta, Ngài sẵn sàng chịu chết, chết một cách nhục nhã cho chúng ta trên cây thập giá. Thiên Chúa chắc chắc là không bao giờ vui thích chiến tranh, không bao giờ muốn có sự cướp bóc và bóc lột giã man, không thích khi thấy lũ lụt và bão táp, ung thư và bệnh tật.
Chúng ta sẽ không bao giờ có thể hiểu được những bí ẩn, là tại sao những người ăn ngay, ờ lành như chúng ta, như những người thân yêu cũa chúng ta lại phải gánh chịu những đau khổ hay phải chết, tại sao lại có bao nhiêu người đang đau khổ trong bệnh viện, người nghèo đói trong các công viên. Nhưng những gì chúng ta có thể làm được bây giờ là dâng lên cho Thiên Chúa những sự đau khổ của chúng ta như là những của lễ hy sinh cao cả và đừng bao giờ để những đau khổ đó trở nên lãng phí trong tuyệt vọng..
            Bằng cách nào đó chúng ta hãy cố gắng biến đổi những đau khổ của chúng ta có thành những hy sinh. Đó một sự khác biệt. Hy sinh là đau khổ có mục đích. Thế giới con người của chúng ta đã học được một bài học đau khổ đã từ lâu: Sự hiệp nhất hoàn hảo với một ai đó hoặc một cái gì đó thân yêu; con người với con người, nam hay nữ, già, hay trẻ, kiến ​​thức, hay nghệ thuật, có thể đạt được trong điều kiện tự hiến cũng chỉ vì tình yêu.
            Trong mầu nhiệm của Đạo thánh Chúa Kitô, tình yêu tự hiến đã được nêu gương trong sáng bởi chính Chúa Giêsu qua đoạn Tin Mừng thánh Luca: "Ai muốn theo ta, phải từ bỏ chính mình, vác thập giá mình hằng ngày mà theo."(Lk 9:23). Một cái NẾU rất to: Nếu chúng ta muốn theo Chúa Giêsu Kitô, nếu chúng ta muốn trở thành môn đệ của Ngài, nếu chúng ta yêu Ngài thật sự và dám chịu nhận những đau khổ vì Ngài như Ngài đã bị đau khổ, bị khạc nhổ vào mặt, bị khinh bỉ, bị đánh đòn và  bị đóng đinh cho chúng ta.
 
REFLECTION
Why do good people suffer? God does not give any satisfactory answer. But this much we know. A God who loved me enough to take up a human body to share my life, to die shamefully and willingly for me on a cross - this God does not take pleasure in earthquakes, and war, in floods and volcanic eruption, in cancer and massacres. We cannot unravel the mystery; why our near and dear ones, why good people die. Why all the suffering people in our hospitals. What we can do is to keep our suffering from becoming sheer waste.
            How? By transforming suffering into sacrifice. There is a difference. Sacrifice is suffering with a purpose. Our world has long since learned a painful lesson: Perfect oneness with someone or something beloved - man, woman, or child, music or medicine, knowledge or art - can be achieved only in terms of self-giving, only in terms of love.  In the Christian mystery the self-giving love was summed up by Jesus in today's Gospel: "If you want to come after me, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow in my steps."(lk 9:23) A big if: If you want to come after him, if you want to be his disciple, if you love him enough to suffer for him as willingly as he was crucified for you.