Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bảy Tuần thứ 5 Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bảy Tuần thứ 5 Phục Sinh
Trong bài đọc thứ nhất, chúng ta nghe hai lần, Chúa Thánh Thần đã ngăn cản thánh Phaolô làm theo kế hoạch của riêng của ông.  Trước hết Thánh Phaolô không được phép rao giảng ở châu Á, và sau đó, không được phép đi đến Bithynia (miền bắc vùng Tiểu Á). Sách Công-vụ Tông Đồ đã không nói là Chúa Thánh Thần đã  hành động như thế nào, nhưng có lẽ qua lời cầu nguyện hay lời tiên tri. Tuy nhiên, Sách CVTĐ có cho chúng ta biết là khi ở thành phố Troas Thánh Phaolô đã được thị kiến và được Thánh Thần sai đến Macedonia.
Thật vậy, trong Công Vụ Tông Đồ, chúng ta thấy Chúa Thánh Thần đã dùng nhiều phương tiện để hướng dẫn các Kitô hữu, Thánh Luca tác giả CVTĐ thường xuyên đề cập đến vấn đề cầu nguyện, sự thị kiến, hay sự xuất hiện của các Thiên Thần, những lời tiên tri và những giấc mơ. Mục đích của Thánh Luca là thể hiện mối quan hệ chặt chẽ giữa những hành động của Cha Kitô Phục Sinh và của Chúa Thánh Thần.
Mặc dù Chúa Thánh Thần hầu như không được đề cập đến trong các câu cuối cùng của chương 15 trong Tin Mừng Gioan, nhưng Chúa Thánh Thần là trọng tâm trong những lời cầu nguyện của Chúa Giêsu, ngay ở đầu chương 16. Chúa Giêsu nói với các tông đồ rằng Chúa Thánh Thần sẽ liên tục hướng dẫn họ. Là Thánh Thần của sự thật, Ngài sẽ nói với họ. Qua Chúa Thánh Thần mà những gì mà Chúa Giêsu nói khi Ngài đang ngự bên Hữu của Đức Chúa Cha bây giờ sẽ được truyền đến cho các môn đệ.
Khi Chúa Giêsu rời khỏi cuộc sống ở trần tục của Ngài, Ngài đã ban cho chúng ta Chúa Thánh Thần, Người mà đem Chúa Giêsu Kitô phục sinh đến và hiện diện trong chúng ta. Cũng như Chúa Jêsus đã từng nói trong bản tính xác thịt của Ngài, bây giờ Ngài nói với chúng ta qua Chúa Thánh Thần. Giống như Phao-lô, chúng ta hãy sẵn sàng lắng nghe tiếng của Chúa qua Chúa Thánh Thần!
Lạy Chúa Thánh Thần, Xin đến và hướng dẫn chúng con hôm nay.
 
Reflection: 2014                    
In the first reading, we read how twice, the Holy Spirit prevents Paul from pursuing his plans. First, Paul was forbidden to preach the word in Asia, and later, not permitted to travel to Bithynia. The writer of Acts, Luke, does not say how the Spirit acted, that is, whether, through prayer or prophecy. He does tell us, however, that it was a vision or dream in the city of Troas that directed Paul to sail to Macedonia.
Truly, in the Acts of the Apostles, we see how the Holy Spirit uses many means to guide Christians. Luke most frequently mentions prayer, visions, appearances of angles, prophecies and dreams. Luke’s aim is to show the close relationship between the actions of the Risen Christ and that of the Holy Spirit.
Although the Holy Spirit is barely mentioned in the final verses of chapter 15 of John, he is at the centre of Jesus’ prayer at the beginning of chapter 16. Jesus tells the apostles that the Holy Spirit will be a constant guide to them. As the Spirit of Truth, he will speak to them. Through the Spirit, what Jesus says at the right hand of the Father will now be transmitted to the disciples.
When Jesus departed from his earthly life, he gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit, who enables the Risen Christ to be present to us and in us. Just as Jesus once spoke in the flesh, he now speaks to us through the Spirit. Like Paul, let us be ready to listen to his voice! Holy Spirit, guide me today.
 
Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Jesus said to his disciples: “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.” John 15:18–19
No one wants to be hated. Yet our Lord makes it very clear that because He has “chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.” He doesn’t say that the world “might” hate you or that you “might” suffer some injustice. He declares that those whom He has chosen out of the world will be hated by the world. This is one of the paradoxes of our faith—living in Christ brings love from Him but hatred and persecution from the world. Yet this hatred is a sign of a deeper reality: We are no longer bound by the fleeting values of this fallen world but are participants in God’s eternal Kingdom, where joy, peace, and true freedom are found.
The “world” in this context is not Creation itself. All that God created is good. The world represents the fallen spiritual order, caught up in sin. Those who “belong to the world” are those who conform to diabolical values, such as seeking power for power’s sake, wealth as a selfish means to fulfillment, or carnal indulgence in an attempt to satiate oneself. Living in accord with the values of the fallen world is foolishness. It leads to a superficial life that cannot ultimately satisfy our deeper spiritual cravings and shares in the envy and hatred of the demons.
Breaking free of worldly attachments is difficult at first because those who have become worldly are blinded by their disordered desires. Sin is a slippery slope: compromising even in small ways to gain acceptance risks losing clarity of purpose and rootedness in Christ. The more people sin, the more miserable they become, and the more miserable they become, the more they seek satisfaction from sin. Only when that cycle is broken does peace begin to take hold and freedom is found. Yet, in the midst of this struggle to detach from worldly illusions, Jesus offers a profound truth: “I have chosen you out of the world.”
To be chosen by Christ is to be set apart for a life of divine purpose and eternal fulfillment. This call draws us into communion with Him, transforming suffering into a path to glory. The disciples’ identity is not self-made but rooted in His choice. This divine election sets them apart for a mission that challenges the temptation to worldly ambitions. Their call to holiness and truth inevitably provokes hostility because it shines a light on the darkness of the world’s sin and draws others to conversion. Yet with this call also comes the promise of eternal joy.
This raises an important question for each of us: Does the world love or hate you? Do you fit in or stand in opposition to worldly values? If we try to gain the world’s love, from those who have embraced worldly ambitions and values, then we will find ourselves compromising to gain acceptance. But if we remain steadfast, even when persecuted, we share in Jesus’ victory and the promise of eternal life.
Jesus tells us this sober truth as a way of preparing us for the inevitable: “Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). We must remember His word, His warning, so that if we experience persecution, hatred, or any form of judgment or criticism, we will not become discouraged or fearful. Understanding the consequences of living contrary to worldly values will prepare us for the rejection that our Lord Himself experienced.
Reflect today on being chosen by God and the consequences of being called out of the world. Consider any ways that living your faith openly results in criticism or persecution. As you do, recall that you are called to be like Jesus, including being given a share in His sufferings—but also a share in His glory. As Saint Paul reminds us, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us” (Romans 8:18). Do not give in to fear. Remain courageous and confident that along with Jesus’ call comes the grace to respond and endure whatever comes your way, knowing that the joy of the Resurrection awaits.
Victorious Lord, You have conquered the world, sin, and death, and You have called me out of this fallen world into the light of Your grace. Strengthen me with courage and steadfastness when I face persecution for my faith. Help me to trust in Your victory, to endure with hope, and to find joy in the promise of sharing in Your eternal glory. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, guide me always with your Spirit. Help me to be docile to the Spirit’s urgings so that my faith may work through love and charity to extend your Kingdom.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Paul and Timothy: After the Council of Jerusalem in A.D. 49, Paul and Barnabas, accompanied by Judas and Silas, went to Antioch to deliver the decree of the Council (Acts 15:22-23, 30). Paul and Silas continued on to the churches of Syria and Cilicia and delivered the decisions (dogmata) that had been reached by the apostles and presbyters (priests) who were in Jerusalem (Acts 16:4). “IN the nearby city of Lystra, they were joined by Timothy, ‘the son of a Jewish woman’ (Acts 16:1) who had probably become a disciple during the earlier journey of Paul and Barnabas (see Acts 14:6-7). Although Timothy’s father was a Gentile, he would have been considered a Jew by other Jews on account of his mother, albeit one who was living in violation of the Deuteronomic Law due to his lack of circumcision. Paul therefore circumcised Timothy to avoid giving scandal to other Jews” (Pimentel, Envoy of the Messiah, 5).
2. Paul’s Second Missionary Journey: The Acts of the Apostles narrates the beginning of Paul’s Second Missionary Journey (A.D. 50-52). Paul set out and invited Barnabas to come with him, saying, “Come, let us return and visit the brethren in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are” (Acts 15:37). Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them, but Paul disagreed with Barnabas because Mark had abandoned them during the first missionary journey. Thus, Paul and Barnabas decided to separate: Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed to the cities of his homeland in Cyprus. Paul, on the other hand, took Silas with him and went through Syria and Cilicia and returned to the cities of Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch in Pisidia. During their journeys, both Barnabas and Paul were able to communicate the recent decision of the Council of Jerusalem to the newly founded churches. The Council had decided that Gentiles who came to believe in Jesus did not have to be circumcised according to the Law of Moses. There were still some difficulties in accepting this teaching. We see this in Paul’s decision to circumcise Timothy. Paul did this “on account of the Jews” of the region and because Timothy was considered a Jew, and not a Gentile, on his mother’s side. As Paul handed on the teaching of the Council to the recently founded churches, they grew stronger in faith and increased in number.
3. Persecution Awaiting in Macedonia: After ministering to the churches in Galatia, Paul and Silas wanted to go north toward Bithynia, but were prevented by the Spirit of Jesus and led instead to the port city of Troas. During the night, Paul had a vision of a Macedonian imploring him to cross over to Macedonia and help them. In the morning, Paul and Silas discerned that this was God’s will for them: they would preach the Gospel of the Kingdom in Europe. At Troas, they probably met up with Luke, who accompanied them for a time and set sail with them to Macedonia. During their evangelizing mission, Paul and Silas suffered persecution in Macedonia, especially in the city of Philippi: they were stripped, beaten with rods, and imprisoned. Jesus’ Last Supper discourse in the Gospel of John refers to the persecutions that the Apostles would endure as they spread the Gospel to all nations. Jesus’ disciples must know that the world will hate them because it first hated him. Jesus tells us (in John 7:7) that the world, considered here as something negative, hates him because he shows the world that its sinful ways are evil. As the Lamb of God, however, Jesus has come to take away the sin of the world and purify and renew it.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, when I contemplate your life, I see how you were driven by the Spirit in every moment. Your apostles, too, were led by the Spirit. I need to imitate your example and that of the saints, and discern in prayer how the Spirit is guiding my thoughts, words, and actions.
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bảy Tuần thứ 5 Phục Sinh
Thiên Chúa luôn hướng dẫn Giáo Hội trong sự phát triển. Trong Bài Đọc I, chúng ta nghe thánh Phaolô đã tuyển chọn ông Timôthê người cai quản sau này trở thành giám mục của xứ Cypus (Síp). Sau đó, nghe lời hướng dẫn của Chúa Thánh Thần,  ông Phaolô đã quyết định đi rao giảng Tin Mừng ở miền Troas và Macedonia. Có Chúa ThánhThần hướng dẫn và thêm sức mạnh. ông Phaolô đã được Chúa Thánh Thần thêm sức mạnh và lòng can đảm trong tất cả các cuộc hành trình truyền giáo của ông ta. Tuy nhiên, ông cũng đã phải gặp nhiều sự chống đối của người Do Thái và những người dân ngoại không tin.
            Như vậy cuộc đời rao giảng Tin Mừng của Thánh Phaolô đã được ứng ngiệm như lời của Chúa Giêsu đã ứng nghiệm trước là những người theo Chúa sẽ phải bị áp bức và hãm hại. Vì những lý do khác nhau, nhiều người đã từ chối và không thể chấp nhận Tin Mừng. Vì những lý do khác nhau và cũng có nhiều lần có những người rao giảng Tin Mừng cũng bị nhục mạ, mắng rủa và bị bắt bớ.
Sự ác luôn muốn tiêu diệt những sự tốt lành.  khi sự tốt lành muốn chinh phục sự ác với tình yêu và lòng tốt. Cuộc chiến dường như không công bằng nhưng sự yếu đuối của Thiên Chúa chính là sức mạnh của con người. Qua cái chết và sự đau khổ, nhiều người đã được trở lại với đức tin. Qua sự đổ máu của các thánh vị Tử Đạo, nhiều người đã can đảm bước theo Chúa và tiếp tục đem Tin Mừng cho tất cả vì lợi ích của những người sẽ tin Vào Chúa.
 
Reflection
God is always guiding the Church in her growth.  In the first reading, St. Paul recruits Timothy who eventually became the bishop of Cyprus. Then, listening to the Holy Spirit, Paul decides to evangelize in Troas and Macedonia.   The Lord guides and strengthens Paul in all his missionary journeys. However, he encounters much opposition from Jews and non-believing Gentiles. 
 Thus is fulfilled in Paul's life and ministry Jesus' words about his followers being persecuted. For various reasons, many refuse to listen and accept the Goid News. For various reasons many times have those who preach the Good News also reviled and persecuted.
Evil wants to destroy good while good wants to conquer evil with love and kindness.  The fight seems so unequal but God's weakness is man's strength. Through death and persecution, many people have been converted to the faith. Through the shedding of the blood of many martyrs, many have entered the sheepfold.  We continue to bring the Good News to all for the sake of those who will believe.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ 6 Tuần thứ 5 Phục Sinh

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Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ 6 Tuần thứ 5 Phục Sinh
Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta có thể tóm lại trong bốn sự quan sát có giá trị trong luật yêu thương Chúa Giêsu muốn dạy chúng ta;
- Thứ nhất, sự yêu thương mà chúng ta nói ở đây, không phải là sự yêu thương về cảm giác. Tình yêu đòi hỏi một mối quan hệ mà đi vượt ra ngoài lĩnh vực của cảm giác và xúc cảm. Một người thực sự yêu ai đó sẽ cố gắng mang lại những gì tốt đẹp nhất mà họ có thể dâng hiến và sẵn sàng hy sinh tất cả mọi thứ họ có cho người mà họ yêu. Chúa Giêsu đã hy sinh mạng sống của Ngài cho chúng ta để chúng ta có được sự sống đời đời với Chúa Cha.
Đôi khi, chúng ta có thể quên mình cho người khác như Chúa Giêsu, Chúa không cần đòi hỏi gì nhiều nơi chúng ta, mà chỉ cần chúng ta biết giúp đỡ người khác, chẳng hạn như người khuyết tật, biết dành thời giờ thăm các bệnh nhân, hay là giúp cho một người đang đau khổ tìm được sự an ủi và bình an.’
 - Thứ hai, Chúa Giêsu đang muốn làm bạn với chúng ta trong mối tình thân thiết, nhưng điều kiện cho tình bạn với Ngài không phải là một mối quan hệ bình thường. Nhưng nó đòi hỏi chúng ta phải biết trung thành và vâng lời. Chúng ta chắc chắn không có thể yêu được người khác, nếu chúng ta không biết đầu hàng cái ý chí của chúng ta, hay biết hy sinh từ bỏ những ham muốn, những cái tôi của mình để làm vừa lòng người mình yêu.
-  Thứ ba, Chúa Giêsu chấp nhận chúng ta như những người bạn của Ngài, mà không coi chúng ta như là tôi tớ, của Ngài. Người tôi tớ bắt buộc phải làm những gì khi ông chủ ra lệnh. Tuy nhiên, là bạn bè của Chúa Giêsu, chúng ta được tự do, được chia sẻ sự tin tưởng và tình cảm với Ngài. Khi chúng ta trở thành bạn của Chúa Giêsu, chúng ta sẽ trải nghiệm được cái nhìn sâu sắc vào Thánh Kinh. Chúng ta sẽ nghe Lời của Thiên Chúa một cách rõ ràng hơn. Những suy nghĩ của chúng ta sẽ trở nên giống như suy nghĩ của Chúa. Chúng ta sẽ thực thi mục đích của Chúa trên trái đất này cũng như ở trên trời.
-  Thứ tư, Chúa Giêsu muốn chúng ta yêu thương nhau như Ngài yêu thương chúng ta, hết lòng và không có sự do dự. Tình yêu của Ngài tràn ngập trong lòng chúng ta và sẽ biến đổi tâm trí và giải phóng chúng ta để chúng ta có thể phục vụ cho người khác. Nếu chúng ta biết  mở rộng tâm hồn của mình cho tình yêu của Thìên Chúa và biết tuân theo mệnh lệnh của Ngài, chúng ta dễ dàng yêu thương những người chung quanh của chúng ta. Và nhờ đó chúng ta sẽ sinh nhiều hoa trái trong cuộc sống của chúng ta, những hoa quả đó sẽ trường tồn mãi mãi.
            Trong mùa Phục Sinh này, chúng ta hãy phát triển tình bằng hữu của chúng ta với Chúa Giêsu, trong Chúa Kitô bắt đầu là sự sơ giao, giản dị và từ từ sẽ đưa đến sự thân mật để chúng ta có thể trở nên giống như Chúa Giêsu biết sẵn sàng đêm tình yêu ấy cho những người khác, và luôn mong muốn có một kết quả tốt đẹp đó là làm đẹp lòng Cha, Đấng hay yêu thương chúng ta.
 
Reflection:
     There are four observations worth noting in this commandment of love:
    First, love we are told here, isn't about feeling. Love entails a relationship which goes beyond the realm of feelings and emotions. Though emotions are involved, at its heart, love is a decision to seek the good of others. Loving as Jesus does means offering what is the most loving thing you can do for a particular person in a particular moment. A true lover gives the best he can offer and is willing to sacrifice everything he has for the beloved. Jesus gave his very life for us so that we have everlasting life with the Father. Sometimes, laying down our lives as Jesus does entails nothing more than to help someone who is handicapped, to take the time to visit the sick, or to offer comfort to someone who is in grief.
     Second, Jesus is seeking intimate friendship with us, but He gives condition for his friendship.  Friendship with Jesus is not a casual relationship. It demands "abiding," being loyal and obedient. We just can't love another without some surrender of our will.
     Third, Jesus is accepting us as his friends, not as his slaves. A slave is expected to do what his master instructs him to do, whether or not he likes it, and whether or not he understands why he is commanded to do it. But as Jesus' friends, we share a mutual trust and affection with him. As we become Jesus' friends, he will disclose his plans and purposes to us. He will share his thinking, his goals, and his motivations for doing things. We will come to know his heart and mind. We will experience a greater degree of insight into the Scriptures. We will hear the voice of God more clearly. Our thoughts will become more like his thoughts. We will carry out his purposes on earth as they are in heaven.
     Fourth, Jesus wants us to love one another just as he loves us, whole-heartedly and without reserve. His love fills our hearts and transforms our minds and frees us to give ourselves in loving service to others. If we open our hearts to his love and obey his command to love our neighbor, then we will bear much fruit in our lives, fruit that will last for eternity.    
             During this Easter season, let us develop our friendship with Jesus, from casual to intimate so that we may become like Jesus willing to be put out for others, desirous to bear fruit that is pleasing to our loving Father. 
 
Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter
“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” John 15:13–15
Is it possible to know everything that Jesus knows? Certainly not. Yet, Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” Jesus Himself is the full revelation of the Father. Therefore, in Him we have been given perfect access to the life of God. Even though God has revealed everything to us, we are limited in our ability to receive it because we are finite creatures. Nonetheless, our imperfect natures do not limit what Jesus has told us from the Father.
By analogy, consider water. When we are thirsty, we drink a glass of water. If we are very thirsty, we might drink several glasses. However, we are limited in how much water we can consume in one sitting. All that Jesus has revealed to us from the Father is like an infinite ocean of grace. He doesn’t offer us only one glass or even several. He offers us the ocean. Though He bestows it on us fully, we are limited in what we can receive by our finite nature and sin.
The goal of the Christian life is not to take one “sip” or “glass” of grace. Our goal is to continuously increase our capacity for receptivity. The greatest of saints spent their lives doing so. The more grace they received, the greater their capacity, and the greater their capacity, the more they received. St. Teresa of Ávila described this process as progressing through the “mansions” of the interior castle, with each step drawing the soul closer to union with God. St. John of the Cross taught that detachment from worldly attachments and the purification of the soul increase our receptivity to God’s grace. St. Thomas Aquinas explained that the theological virtues, especially charity, expand the soul’s capacity for divine love.
The presence of grace in any soul ensures that the soul will attain Heaven upon death. However, the level of glory that each will experience for eternity is determined by how much the soul’s capacity for grace expands in this life. This capacity is built through love. Jesus teaches, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” The love of charity is the process by which we lay down our lives for others. Jesus is not only the source of such love, He is also the Model. His choice to die on the Cross in His human nature exemplifies the kind of sacrificial love we are called to embody.
That form of sacrificial charity can be difficult to comprehend and live. Our fallen human nature tempts us toward selfishness. We can easily become deceived into thinking that taking is better than giving, being served is better than serving, and looking out for ourselves is better than putting others before us. The only way out of such deception is to enter into friendship with Jesus: “You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
The freedom to love is found through obedience to God. Though we cannot arrive at such obedience instantaneously, we can grow into it through prayer, penance, and fidelity to His commands. What does He command us to do? “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you” (John 15:12). Jesus loved us by laying down His life for us. In turn, we are called to lay down our lives for others. This means thinking of others before ourselves, anticipating their true needs, and working for their highest good—the salvation of their souls.
Reflect today on how Christ’s infinite ocean of grace flows into your life. What areas of selfishness or fear prevent you from receiving more of His love? Commit to growing in charity by laying down your life in concrete ways for those whom God has placed in your path. Seek to imitate Jesus who calls you His friend and shares everything with you that He has heard from the Father. Remember His command: “Love one another as I love you.” The more you love, the more your soul will expand, and the more you will share in His eternal glory.
My infinite Lord, the depth of love within Your soul is incomprehensible, yet You have revealed that love to us and invited us to receive it. Please flood me with the gift of charity so that I will not only share more fully in Your eternal glory, but so that You will touch others through the charity You place within my heart. Grant me the grace to embrace sacrificial love, laying down my life for others as You laid down Your life for me. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I love seeing the early Church figure things out slowly but surely. It encourages me to see that they didn’t have all the answers right away, but were guided by your Holy Spirit to all truth. Help me to contemplate more deeply what the pastoral leadership of Peter, the preaching and experience of Paul, and the pastoral concerns of James all mean for my life today.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Interpreting the Prophets on the Restoration of David’s Kingdom: After the Council of Jerusalem, the Apostles and presbyters sent a letter to the Church in Antioch about the decision they reached. Led by Simon Peter, the Church decided that the Gentiles did not have to follow many of the laws of the old covenant, especially those regarding circumcision. Many of the laws of Moses had a temporary character and were a cultural and social safeguard against contact with pagan Gentiles. That barrier of separation was being torn down in the forty years between Jesus’ death and the destruction of Jerusalem. At the Council, Paul and Barnabas confirmed Peter’s decision by relating how God was acting through them among the Gentiles. The apostle James also confirmed Peter’s decision and referred to the prophetic passages that described the return from exile and the restoration of Israel during the last days (Hosea 3:4-5; Jeremiah 12:15; Amos 9:11-12; and Isaiah 45:21). Jeremiah, for example, used the imagery of the Gentiles being built up like a building in the midst of Israel and this suggests their incorporation into the new temple, the Body of Christ. “Drawing on this imagery, James considers the gathering of the Gentiles in the midst of Israel to be the key to interpreting the Scriptures concerning the Gentile disciples during the last days” (Pimentel, Witnesses of the Messiah, 134). James also interprets the prophet Amos to mean that when God rebuilds the kingdom of David, it will be made up of all those – Gentiles included – who are united to the Messiah. 
2. The Church and the Gentiles: When James interprets the prophets, he understands that with the restored Kingdom of Jesus, there are not two separate people of God – Jews and Gentiles – but one People of God. The Deuteronomic covenant was national in character, but the Davidic covenant was always intended to be international and universal. “The collective message of the various prophetic texts that James alludes to or quotes is that in the last days, when the kingdom of David is restored by the Messiah, God will build a new temple in which the Gentiles may dwell with Him. According to the teaching of the apostles, the new temple is the Church (see 1 Peter 2:4-10; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:19-22). The Gentiles can therefore be brought into the People of God without submitting to the Deuteronomic Law (see Acts 15:19). Nevertheless, James immediately proposes a decree for Gentile believers that contains four prohibitions that seem to be derived from the Mosaic Law (see Acts 15:20). In the words of the final decree, the Gentiles should ‘abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity’ (Acts 15:29)” (Pimentel, Witnesses of the Messiah, 136). James understood that, even though many parts of the Mosaic Law were no longer binding on the Gentiles, they were in a transitional phase of overlap between the Old Covenant and the New. “During this transitional phase, the Mosaic Law was no longer binding but had not yet been externally removed by the destruction of the Temple” (Pimentel, Witnesses of the Messiah, 137).
3. The Apostolic Decree: The apostolic decree, communicating the decision of the Council to the Gentiles, had a temporary character. The three prohibitions about food only endured until the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70. All four prohibitions, though, were inspired by Leviticus 17-18, which laid out precepts for the Gentiles living amid God’s people in the land of Israel. These four prohibitions, then, became the four precepts that James considered applicable to the Gentile disciples during the last days. Improper sacrifices were prohibited in Leviticus 7:8-9; the consumption of blood was prohibited in Leviticus 17:10-12; the prohibition of consuming animals not properly slaughtered was derived from Leviticus 17:13; and the prohibition of sexual immorality was found in Leviticus 18:6-23 and 26. In this way, what James did was seek a compromise with the “circumcision party,” i.e., those who wanted the Gentile converts to follow the entire Law of Moses. James was trying to soften the blow, since the apostolic decree expressly condemns the actions of the circumcision party (see Acts 15:24). Paul and Barnabas were sent to Antioch and the churches of Syria and Cilicia, along with Judas and Silas, to convey the decree and decision of the council. “To assure the Church’s survival and growth after Jerusalem falls, Paul continues with his missionary journeys in order to plant the Church securely among the Gentiles before Jerusalem is destroyed [in A.D. 70]. The Church has been born, but she is still attached by the umbilical cord to the womb of Jerusalem, and that cord will soon be cut. The People of God has undergone a transition of covenants and thus of covenantal laws, from the Deuteronomic Law to the New Law of the Spirit. The circumcision party grasped the implication of this transition and resisted it. If members of the People of God could remain outside the Deuteronomic Law, then the Deuteronomic covenant and the national boundaries that it upheld were no more. Thus, the apostolic decree clearly signaled that the People of God could no longer be identified with a single nation, but would henceforth embrace all nations. The judgment of Jerusalem [in A.D. 70] would complete the transition of covenants, replacing the Temple made with human hands with the new temple of the Holy Spirit” (Pimentel, Witnesses of the Messiah, 139-140).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I contemplate today your Holy Spirit at work in the early Church. Contemplating the Council of Jerusalem, I realize that debates continue and will continue for centuries. In every age, the Church needs to discern how to live out the New Law that you gave and address the “new things” and “new situations” that arise.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm tuần thứ 5 Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm tuần thứ 5 Phục Sinh
“Không phải anh em đã chọn thầy, Nhưng chính thầy đã chọn anh em.”
Sự lựa chọn của chúng ta để đi theo Chúa Kitô rất quan trọng, nhưng điều quan trọng hơn hết là sự lựa chọn mà Chúa hứa và cam kết với chúng ta. Chúa Giêsu yêu thương chúng ta bằng một tình yêu mà chính Ngài đã cam kết, vì vậy mà Ngài đã chấp nhận con đường Thập Giá vì chúng ta. Mặc dầu chúng ta vẫn còn thiếu kém lòng tin, và thiếu sự trung thành với Ngài, nhưng Ngài đã không bao giờ thay đổi tình yêu và sự trung tín của Ngài đối với chúng ta.
            Chúng ta được Chúa kêu gọi và chọn để theo Ngài, Ngài đã “xin” chúng ta thực hiện một sự cam kết với Ngài, đó là đáp lại lời mời gọi của Chúa. Ngài đã chọn chúng ta, và chúng ta phải đáp trả lại bằng tất cả tình yêu và cuộc sống của chúng ta. Chúa Giêsu nói với chúng ta là Ngài yêu thương chúng ta, và Ngài cũng “nài xin” chúng ta hãy yêu thương Ngài cũng như yêu thương những người chung quanh.
            Chúng ta hãy tạ ơn Chúa hôm nay vì Ngài đã ngỏ lời mời chúng ta đến với Ngài trong tình yêu và trong sự trung tín của Ngài. Chúng ta cũng hãy xin Chúa cho chúng ta những ân sủng để chúng ta có thể thực sự cam kết với Ngài.  Xin cho tất cả những gì chúng ta làm, là làm trong hành động của tình yêu, trong lòng biết ơn đối với tình yêu mà Ngài đã luôn tỏ ra cho chúng ta thấy được..
 
REFLECTION
Jesus makes this very clear in today's Gospel reading when he says: "You did not choose me, it was I who chose you." Our choice to follow Jesus is important, but far more significant is his choice to be committed to us. Jesus loves us with a love that is so committed, so dedicated that it takes him to Calvary for us. Our lack of faithfulness to him never changes his faithful love for us.
            The life of St. Mathias, the saint whose feast we celebrate today, also shows us that what matters most is the Lord's commitment to us. In the first reading, Mathias was chosen to be one of the twelve apostles after Jesus' death and resurrection. He was the replacement for Judas who after betraying Jesus committed suicide. The Apostles drew lots and he won. It was not exactly his decision. Mathias knew that he had not decided to be one of the twelve. He had been chosen by Jesus Christ.
            We are all called and chosen by the Lord. He asks us to make a commitment to him, but the commitment can only be a response to Jesus' call. He has chosen us, and our whole life is to be a response of love to that call. It is a bit like a wedding proposal. Jesus asks us, invites us and proposes to us. He tells us that he loves us, and he asks that we will love him in return.  Let us thank the Lord today for his invitation of love and for being faithful. Let us also ask him for the grace to be really committed to him. May all that we do be an act of love in gratitude for the love that he keeps showering upon us.
 
Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.” John 15:9–10
Imagine being loved by someone with a perfect love. Perfect love has no bounds, and experiencing it would be the source of indescribable joy. Now imagine further that the one who loves you is all-powerful and all-knowing. When combined with being all-loving, there is no limit to what such a relationship can do in your life.
Of course, we do not need to only imagine such a love—we can receive that love from God. Jesus’ words are deep, personal, and intimate: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you.” His love for you is not conditional, limited, or selfish. When He says to you, “I love you,” He means it with every power of His divine soul.
Jesus beautifully describes His love for us: “As the Father loves me…” The love the Father has for the Son is so deep, perfect, and all-consuming that we cannot fully comprehend it—even in Heaven. For all eternity, we will gaze with wonder and awe at this shared love and never tire of contemplating it. What’s more, the love between Father and Son is so strong that it cannot be contained within Themselves. Their love overflows in superabundance, pouring out upon us, inviting us to enjoy perfect fulfillment within it.
Jesus’ next words are both an invitation and a command: “Remain in my love.” God’s love for us is far more than an emotion or affectionate concern. His love is a gift of His very Self, drawing us into communion with Him. To “remain” in His love means to live, move, and exist in His presence. Divine love is transforming, enduring, and life-changing. It unites us to the divine Lover and establishes the life-giving communion for which we were made.
After inviting us to remain in His love, Jesus clarifies how we can receive His ongoing and transformative gift: “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in His love.” At first, these words might seem challenging, especially when we consider our fallen nature and tendency toward pride. Yet they only feel burdensome if we misunderstand His commandments.
In order to fully embrace Jesus’ commandments, we need to see them for what they are: expressions of pure love gushing forth from the shared love of the Father and the Son. Note that Jesus doesn’t ask anything of us that He Himself was unwilling to do. His love for the Father was perfect because He kept the Father’s commandments. What did the Father command the Son to do? He commanded Him to love with a selfless, sacrificial love, culminating in laying down His life for us.
If we want to receive God’s love and share in its perfection, we too must love—just as the Father loves the Son, the Son loves the Father, and they both love us. Like Jesus, we must become an unconditional gift of self for others. This is the nature of true love.
By becoming an unconditional gift of self, we do not become anyone’s savior; rather, we allow the one true Savior to touch others through us. True love is divine. It does not originate within us but flows from God to us and through us. If we attempt to keep that love to ourselves, it is extinguished.
Reflect today on the perfect love within the Most Holy Trinity. Hear Jesus invite you to share in that perfect love on the condition that you become an instrument of it for others. This is His commandment: “Love one another as I love you” (John 15:12). Only in this way will we share in the perfect joy God desires to bestow upon us for all eternity.
My loving Lord, Your love is perfect, all-consuming, and transforming. Your invitation to remain in Your love is an invitation to share in Your very life, the life You share with the Father and Holy Spirit. I accept Your invitation, dear Lord, and vow to keep Your commandments so as to become an instrument of Your love for others. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, by sending your Son and Spirit, you have rebuilt the fallen hut of David and established the Church as the seed and beginning of your Kingdom on earth. I am so blessed to be a part of that Kingdom.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Controversy in the Early Church: The mission of Paul and Barnabas to the Gentiles was not without controversy. It seems that John Mark left the mission due to his disagreement with Paul about the Gentile converts not having to follow all of the Laws of Moses. And even Barnabas, it seems, had his doubts (see Galatians 2:13). The controversy was noted early on in the Acts of the Apostles, when Peter returned to Jerusalem after baptizing the Gentile Cornelius and his family. Peter was criticized, not for baptizing Cornelius, but for eating with someone who was uncircumcised. And so, there was a debated question. Some, like Paul, held that the Gentile converts did not need to be circumcised; others, who were called “the circumcision party,” held that they did. When Peter arrived in Antioch (Galatians 2:11), he began to eat with the Gentiles. But when people, sent by James the Lesser, came from Jerusalem to Antioch, Peter started to separate himself from the Gentile Converts. “With that the controversy burst into flame, threatening the unity and very identity of the new Christian movement” (Gray and Cavins, Walking with God, 296).
2. Joy During the Debates at the Council of Jerusalem: According to the First Reading, the joy of Christ lasted even when the disciples endured trials. The early followers of Jesus were known to rejoice even under persecution. We can suppose that true Christian joy lasted throughout the Council of Jerusalem (in A.D. 49). The Council’s debates, discussions, and discernment all took place in the context of prayer and Christian charity. The Apostles and elders (presbyters) of the Church earnestly sought the will of God and sought to understand the signs and wonders God worked through them among the Gentiles. At the Council of Jerusalem, Peter affirmed that both Jews and Gentiles receive the gift of salvation through faith and the grace of Christ, and not through circumcision and the burdensome yoke of the Old Law. To demand that the Gentile believers submit to the sign of circumcision and the Old Law would mean putting God to the test (like the Israelites in the desert) and would only place a yoke of burden on the Gentiles. Paul and Barnabas confirmed what Peter decided and spoke of the signs and wonders God worked through them among the Gentiles. The Sacrament of Baptism commanded by the Messiah, not the sign of circumcision commanded by Moses, was the way of entry into the New People of God.
3. James Agreed with Peter: James the Lesser – who was the son of Alpheus, the brother of the Lord, and the Bishop of Jerusalem – agreed with the decision of Peter: “We should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God.” But James also taught that, in accord with the Law (Leviticus 17:8-18:30), the Gentile believers should refrain from several things: eating meat sacrificed to pagan gods; sexual immorality; eating meat with blood in it; and eating meat from animals slaughtered improperly or not properly drained of blood. James was concerned that if the Gentile believers continued to do such things, this would destroy the communion and table fellowship between Jewish and Gentile Christians. James quoted the prophet Amos, who foretold of the day when God would rebuild the fallen hut of David. As a descendant of David, Jesus accomplished this restoration and rebuilt David’s hut, tabernacle, tent, or dwelling (skene). What is more, Amos foresaw that this restoration signaled the day when all the Gentile nations, and not just the tribes of Israel, would seek the Lord and be welcomed into his people. The Gentile believers are to be welcomed not with the burden of the Old Law, which was powerless to save, but with the grace and love of Jesus Christ, which does save. It was important to highlight how James agreed with Peter, since James was more traditional in his beliefs and was the one who, for a time, resisted the idea that the Gentiles did not need to follow everything in the Law of Moses when they converted to Jesus Christ.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are my Savior. You have rescued me from the slavery of sin and the scourge of death. Strengthen me today to abide in you and keep your commandment to love. Pour out your Spirit so that I may enjoy true and lasting joy as I journey toward the eternal joy of heaven.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần thứ 5 Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần thứ 5 Phục Sinh
Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm này, Chúa Giêsu cho chúng ta biết là Chúa đã ban cho chúng ta sự sống thật, sự sống dồi dào được xuất phát từ nơi Thiên Chúa và cho thấy kết quả hoa trái tuyệt vời. Những người trồng nho phải biết tỉa những nhánh cây nho rất cẩn thận trước khi giàn nho có thể đơm bong kết trái và cho những chum nho tốt. Chúa Giêsu đã đùng hình ảnh giàn Nho để cho chúng ta thấy có hai loại nhánh trong cùng một cây Nho trong giàn: đó là những nhánh nho (hay là chỉ về những người) biết đơm hoa kết trái và những nhành nho xấu ăn hại (người) không làm cho hoa, trái mà còn ăn hại đất màu.
Những nhánh cây cằn cỗi phải được cắt tỉa cẩn thận, để bảo tồn chất dinh dưỡng và sức mạnh cho những nhánh cây còn lại để nó sinh hoa kết trái và trái của nó được tốt hơn. Chúa Giêsu đã dùng hình ảnh này để mô tả những  cuộc sống mà Ngài là cây Nho đã sản xuất trong những người đã biết hiệp nhất với Ngài, là kết quả của "sự công chính, bình an và hoan lạc trong Thánh Thần." Chúa Giêsu nói rằng chúng ta có thể sẽ không sinh ra được hoa trái trong cuộc sống của chúng ta nếu chúng ta không ở trong và lên một với Ngài.  Hoa Quả mà ngài đã nói chính là hoa quả của Chúa Thánh Thần.
Sự thật rất đơn giản ở đây: Chúng ta là một trong hai nhánh trong cùng một cây nho. Chúng ta có thể là những nhánh Nho cho hoa trái tốt tuơi, hay chúng ta có thể là những nhánh nho cằn cỗi chẳng bao giờ nở hoa và cho trái. Nhưng nhánh nho mang hoa trái khỏe mạnh, cần phải được cắt tỉa và chăm sóc luôn. Chúa Giêsu đã hứa rằng chúng ta sẽ sinh ra nhiều hoa trái, nếu chúng ta cứ ở trong Ngài và cho phép Ngài “cắt tiả” săn sóc và làm sạch chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy tin tưởng vào sự hiện diện vĩnh cửu của Chúa nơi chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy để Chúa Giêsu là người trồng nho chăm sóc chúng ta như người làm vườn chăm sóc dàn nho của họ, để cho Ngào săn sóc, cắt tỉa, và làm sạch chúng ta để hoa trái được phát sinh ra chúng ta. Hãy để Ngài thay đổi cuộc sống của chúng ta.         "Lạy Chúa, chúng con có thể làm một với Ngài trong tất cả những gì chúng con nói và làm. Xin đưa chúng con đến gần tới Chúa đê chúng con có thể tôn vinh Chúa luôn mãi vàn đơm hoa kết trái cho Nước Chúa."
 
Reflection SG. 2016
Jesus offers true life, the abundant life which comes from God and which results in great fruitfulness. The vinedresser must carefully prune the vine before it can bear good fruit. Vines characteristically have two kinds of branches: those which bear fruit and those which do not.
            The barren branches must be carefully pruned back in order for the vine to conserve its strength for bearing good fruit. Jesus used this image to describe the kind of life he produces in those who are united with him, the fruit of “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Jesus says there can be no fruit in our lives apart from him. The fruit he speaks of is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
            There is a simple truth here: We are either fruit-bearing or non-fruit-bearing. There is no in-between. But the bearing of healthy fruit requires drastic pruning. The Lord promises that we will bear much fruit if we abide in him and allow him to purify us. Let us trust in the Lord's abiding presence with us? Let Jesus be our vinedresser, let him purify us for fruitfulness. Let him change our lives.
“Lord, may I be one with You in all that I say and do. Draw me close that I may glorify You and bear fruit for Your kingdom.”
 
Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter
“Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” John 15:4–5
Jesus is the source of life and fruitfulness. Yet, too often, we try to bear fruit of our own making. Truly good fruit can only come forth if we remain in Christ, for He is the source of all good fruit in our lives.
Bearing good fruit, meaning performing good works, does not save us by itself. Salvation is a gift of grace through Christ. However, good works, as fruits of grace, reveal the depth of our union with Him and are necessary expressions of a life transformed by God’s love. Just as a healthy vine naturally produces abundant grapes, so too does a soul united to Christ bear abundant spiritual fruit for the glory of God and the good of others. This fruit, above all, is charity—the eternal gift that reflects the presence of Christ in us and draws others to Him.
By analogy, a grapevine produces good grapes when it is healthy and well-nourished. A diseased or poorly nourished vine will produce useless grapes. If we want to make a difference in the world and in the lives of others, we have only one choice: We must remain firmly attached to our Lord, living in Him as He lives in us, so that the spiritual nourishment He provides will produce an abundance of grace in and through us.
Consider the people whom you love. If you could do anything for them, what might it be? You might wish to alleviate their sufferings, such as a chronic illness, financial struggle, or some heavy cross they bear. While such desires reflect our care for them, even the greatest worldly comforts pale in comparison to the spiritual blessings of faith and divine grace. The greatest good we can do for others is to allow God to use us as instruments of His love, inspiring faith and leading them closer to Him.
The best way to make a difference in others’ lives is to first care for our own souls by ensuring we are united to our Lord. We must pray daily, seeking ways to deepen and extend our time of prayer. We must be faithful to the Commandments, regularly attend Mass, celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, meditate on and read the Scriptures, familiarize ourselves with the lives of the saints, and know the teachings of Christ’s Church. All of this is for two purposes: First, it transforms us and more fully unites us with God. Second, it enables God to produce charity in our lives, which is His way of using us to touch others with His mercy.
In the end, every good we do for another passes away except for the greatest good—charity. Charity alone remains throughout our lives and even into the next. In Heaven, the treasure of charity will remain with us and will be our eternal delight, and the recipients of that charity will forever be grateful for the gift God gave them through us.
Reflect today on the charity that is borne from your life and how it affects others. Can you point to concrete ways that God has used you to make a difference in their lives? Especially ponder the works of charity that touch their souls, drawing them closer to our divine Lord. Set your eyes on this goal, for if you do bear good fruit in this way, you will know with certainty that your life is in Christ, and His life is in you.
My Lord the true vine, You and You alone are the source of nourishment in my life. You sustain me and bear the good fruit of charity in my life. Please draw me close to You and live in me so that I can live in You. As You do, please produce an abundance of good fruit and lavish that good fruit—charity—upon others through me. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
 
Wednesday 5th Week of Easter 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I thank you and praise you today for sending your Son to inaugurate the New Covenant and for sending your Spirit to sanctify your New Covenant people. Grant me today the wisdom of your Word and the charity of your Spirit.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Proclaiming the Gospel to the Gentiles: In the First Reading, some believers go from Judea down to Antioch to demand that the Gentiles, who have come to believe in Jesus Christ, be circumcised and follow the prescriptions of the Law of Moses. Otherwise, according to this “circumcision party” or “party of the Pharisees,” the new Gentile Christians cannot be saved. Some have proposed that John Mark abandoned the mission with Paul and Barnabas when they started proclaiming the Gospel to the Gentiles and did not require them to be circumcised. Luke told us that Mark went directly to Jerusalem, and not back to Antioch. So he was likely the one who told the Church in Jerusalem what Paul and Barnabas were preaching. Some disciples, then, went to Antioch without a mandate from the apostles and “were instructing the brothers, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved.’” (Acts 15:1). The Church in Antioch was the first church to have a large number of Gentile disciples (see Acts 11:20-21). Because of this, questions about whether circumcised Jewish Christians could have table fellowship with non-circumcised Gentile Christians arose.
2. Meeting with the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem: At the heart of the debate that followed were deep questions such as: Was the sign of circumcision (Genesis 17:10-14), the sign of entry into God’s covenant people, fulfilled and surpassed by the Sacrament of Baptism, the sign of entry into the New People of God? Do the obligations of the Law of Moses remain in effect for all peoples, or were they only binding on the Jewish people? Was the observance of the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 28) brought to fulfillment by Jesus in the New Law of the New Covenant? If so, how was it fulfilled? Does someone have to fulfill first the social, ritual, and cultural obligations connected with the Old Covenant to enjoy the fruits of the New Covenant? The Church in Antioch tried unsuccessfully to resolve the dispute and decided to send Paul and Barnabas with some others up to Jerusalem to meet with the Apostles and the elders (presbyters) about the matter. This meeting became known as the Council of Jerusalem and took place around A.D. 49, some two decades after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Just as there was debate in Antioch, there will be debate in Jerusalem. At one point, Simon Peter will stand up and resolve the matter. We will learn about his decision in tomorrow’s First Reading.
3. Circumcision and Baptism: Paul will take up the relationship between the old rite of Jewish circumcision and the new rite of Christian Baptism in his letters to the Colossians (2:11-13) and the Philippians (3:3). He will take up the relationship of the Old Law of Moses to the New Law of Christ in his Letter to the Galatians and his Letter to the Romans. Already in the Law of Moses, there was the imperative to “circumcise your hearts” (Deuteronomy 10:16). Scripture tells us that God himself, and not man, will accomplish this circumcision of the heart (Deuteronomy 30:6). “If literal circumcision of the flesh was a sign of covenant dedication and membership in the people of God, ‘circumcision of the heart’ meant an interior disposition that truly matched the meaning of the external sign” (Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, 199). Paul, in Philippians 3:3, Christianizes the Hebrew understanding of circumcision to refer to the New Covenant through Baptism into the body of Christ. Baptism truly entails stripping off the carnal body – the old self with its practices. Baptism is truly a death to self (Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, 199-200).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am comforted to know that from the early days of Christianity until the present, there have been and will be contentious debates and discussions. I pray that all the members of the Church may always be united to you, the true vine, and guided to all truth by the Holy Spirit. Do not let me be discouraged in times of confusion.