October 28-Suy Niệm tin Mừng Lễ kính hai Thánh Tông Đồ Simôn và Giuđa

October 28-Suy Niệm tin Mừng Lễ kính hai Thánh Tông Đồ Simôn và Giuđa.

      Trong Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta thấy Chúa Giêsu, sau khi cầu nguyện và tĩnh tâm,  Ngài đã chính hứ tuyển chọn chọn mười hai tông đồ trong các môn đệ của mình. Trong khi người môn đệ là chỉ là những người the Chúa như  là một tín đồ của Chúa Giêsu, Còn những người  tông đồ được coi như là một "sứ giả, một người đã sai." Theo Truyền Thống  Giáo Hội được kể lại cho chúng ta biết rằng sau khi rao giảng Tin Mừng ở Ai Cập, Tông Đồ Simon đả cùng hợp tác với Tông Đồ  Giuđa (con ông Giacôbê) , và cùng đi rao giảng Tin Mừng ở Ba Tư, Armenia và Lebanon, nơi mà cà hai cùng được phúc tử đạo. Chúng ta có đủ can đảm, nghị lức, và sức mạnh để loan báo Tin Mừng như hai thánh Tông Đồ Simôn và Giuda?  Các tông đồ đã khám phá ra kho báu gì mà đã làm cho họ sẵn sàng từ bỏ cuộc sống của họ cho việc truyền giáo?  Có phải là họ đã tìm thấy ý nghĩa trong sự đau khổ vì Chúa Kitô để dám chấp nhận cái chết?

      Bài đọc thứ nhất cho chúng ta biết rằng nền tảng cho lòng nhiệt thành để loan báo Tin Mừng là Chúa Giêsu Kitô, Đấng là nền tảng đức tin của chúng ta, bởi vì bất cứ ai đã nhận Ngài sẽ không còn phải chết. Quả thật trên trái đất , chúng ta có thể trải nghiệm sự sống đời đời khi chúng ta có Chúa Giêsu trong trái tim của chúng ta, Ngài cũng đã trải qua sự đau khổ và cái chết, và chính Ngài đã làm cho chúng ta có thể được trở thành những người đồng hương với những người của Thiên Chúa và là thành viên trong gia đình của Chúa. Cái chết là một kẻ thù bại trận đã bị mất quyền lực và cái nọc độc hại của nó khi Chúa Giêsu tự sống lại từ cõi chết và lên trời.

            Trong khi chúng ta chuẩn bị cho các ngày lễ kính Các Thánh và các đẳng Linh Hồn, chúng ta hãy cầu xin thánh Simôn và Thánh Giuđa cầu bầu cho chúng ta để chúng ta có thể có cuộc sống học nơi gương cha ông chúng ta là các Thánh Tử Đạo Việt Nam noi gương như hai Thánh  là biết can trường không sợ chết nữa, để chịu đựng những đau khổ mà chúng ta sẽ phải trải nghiệm  trong cuộc sống hàng ngày để chúng ta được sống một cuộc sống có ý nghĩa trong Chúa Giêsu Kitô, và có thể đạt được sự sống đời đời qua mầu nhiệm phục sinh của Chúa Giêsu Kitô, Đấng đã chiến đấu trận chiến này cho chúng ta.

 

Reflection October 28-Saints Simon and Jude

     In today's Gospel, we see how Jesus, after much prayer and meditation, chooses his twelve apostles from among his disciples.  While a disciple is merely a follower of Jesus, an apostle is a "messenger, a person sent forth." Sacred Tradition tells us that after evangelizing in Egypt, Simon joined Jude, and as a team, spread the gospel in Persia, Armenia and Lebanon, where they were both martyred. Do you have the strength and courage to announce the Good News like Simon and Jude? What treasure did the apostles discover that allowed them to give up their lives for the evangelization? Is it possible to find meaning in suffering for Christ to the point of death?

     The first reading tells us that the foundation for the zeal to announce the gospel is Jesus Christ, who is the cornerstone of our faith, because anyone who has received him shall no longer die. Truly, we on earth can experience eternal life when we have Jesus in our hearts, who himself experienced suffering and death, and who makes it possible for us to become fellow citizens with God's people and members of his household. Death is a vanquished adversary who has lost its power and sting when Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. As we approach All Saints' and All Souls' Day, let us ask the intercession of Sts. Simon and Jude. May their lives teach us not to fear death any longer, that the sufferings we experience can have meaning in Jesus Christ, and that eternal life may be with us through Jesus who has fought this battle for us.

 

October 28- Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles - Luke 6:12-16

Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles…  Luke 6:12

Simon and Jude were among those very select few who were chosen by Jesus Himself to be His Apostles. Today’s Simon is not the same person as Simon Peter, and today’s Jude is not the same person as Judas Iscariot. Little is known about these two Apostles. Simon is referred to as a zealot in the Gospels, which could have meant he was a member of a more radical sect within Judaism. Jude is popularly known as the Patron Saint of Hopeless Causes. Some suggest this is because he was often the last Apostle to be prayed to by the early Christian faithful on account of the fact that he shared a name with Judas Iscariot, and praying to Jude reminded people of that betrayer. If that was the case, then in God’s providence, since Jude became the last Apostle to be prayed to, he also became the last hope for many and, thus, the patron saint for those with truly hopeless causes.

One tradition states that Saints Simon and Jude are linked together in the Roman Canon and also share the same feast day because they were both martyred together on the same day, possibly in Syria, Lebanon, or Persia. However, the true details of their missionary journeys and martyrdom is unclear. The one thing that is certain about these Apostles, however, is that they were Apostles. They were chosen by our Lord and appointed by Him as two of the first bishops of our Church and were given a mandate to share the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

From our perspective today, being one of those chosen Twelve is an incredible privilege. The effect of their ministry in establishing the first Christian communities has resulted in our worldwide universal Catholic Church. These men most likely did not realize the impact that their faithful service would have upon the world.

As we honor these two Apostles, we are also reminded that each one of us is called to go forth to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. We each do so in a way specific to the calling and mission that Christ has entrusted to us. We are each called to make an eternal difference in the lives of those whom we serve. And if we are faithful to our mission, we can be certain that the effects of our apostolic service will be felt in the lives of countless others until the end of the world.

Reflect, today, upon Jesus choosing these two men and appointing them as Apostles. As you do, listen to God’s voice as He also speaks to you. Do not underestimate the importance of accepting the mission that Jesus gives to you. Say “Yes” to Him in imitation of these two Apostles and know that your choice to serve our Lord in this way will not only have a great effect in your life, it will also have an effect in the lives of many others for all eternity. 

My glorious Lord, You called these two ordinary men, Simon and Jude, to be Your Apostles. You filled them with Your grace, taught them with Your Word, and sent them forth to preach to the ends of the earth. Please also send me, dear Lord, to whomever You choose. Use me as Your instrument and help me to always remain faithful and zealous, reaching out to those in need, especially to those who lack faith and hope in their lives. Saints Simon and Jude, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

October 28-Saints Simon and Jude 2025

Opening Prayer: Lord God, bring me more deeply into the unity of your family, the Church. Guide my actions, thoughts, and prayers so that I may imitate your Son’s holy Apostles. Help me overcome evil in my life and in my community, and extend your reign in the world around me.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Three Tasks of an Apostle: Today’s liturgy for the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude is an invitation to meditate on the vocation of an apostle, the makeup of the community of the apostles, and some of the themes contained in the Letter of Jude. The Gospel of Luke indicates that an Apostle was someone chosen by Jesus after prayerful dialogue with God the Father. We learn in the Gospel of Mark that the Apostles were chosen for three tasks (Mark 3:13-15). The first task of an apostle is to be with Jesus, to center their lives on him, and to live with him. This leads not only to imitation of Jesus but also to identification with him. Second, an apostle is sent out to preach. The message of an Apostle is the same as that of Jesus Christ – the Kingdom of God. When the Apostles proclaim the Kingdom of God, they proclaim God’s dominion and lordship. They proclaim the mystery of Jesus Christ, who came to save us and dwell with and in us. And they are proclaiming the mystery of the Church as the beginning and seed of the Kingdom. In brief, they proclaim God’s plan for humanity (see CCC, 1). Third, an apostle is given authority to cast out demons. This means especially overcoming the power of evil and the reign of the devil with the sacramental power of the Kingdom of God.

2. The Makeup of the Community of the Apostles: The Gospel of Luke tells us that the Apostle Simon was called a Zealot. Pope Benedict remarked that even if Simon “was not exactly a member of the nationalist movement of Zealots, he was at least marked by passionate attachment to his Jewish identity, hence, for God, his people, and divine Law” (Benedict XVI, October 11, 2006). The Pope notes that if this were Simon’s case, he was worlds apart from Matthew, who worked as a tax collector for the Romans. What this shows us is that Jesus called his disciples and collaborators from the most varied backgrounds. “It was people who interested him, not social classes or labels! And the best thing is that in the group of his followers, despite their differences, they all lived side by side, overcoming imaginable difficulties: indeed, what bound them together was Jesus himself, in whom they all found themselves united with one another” (Benedict XVI, October 11, 2006). This is an invitation to all of us not to give in to the temptation of superficial labels and promoting polarizing divisions within the Church: conservative vs. liberal; doctrinal vs. pastoral; traditional vs. progressive; sacramental vs. missionary; and so on. Unity is not uniformity. Like the Apostles, though, we are called to be of one mind and heart, united in Christ and through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14).

3. The Letter of Jude: The Letter of Jude tells us something about him as an Apostle: one of his main concerns was that Christian communities fight for the true faith against deceivers (Jude 3-4); he cautioned against those who introduce division into the Church (Jude 8); he desired that Christians deepen in their understanding of apostolic doctrine (Jude 2); he appealed that Christians wait prayerfully and patiently for the Lord; and he gave instruction to steady the faith of those who wavered in doubt and were overcome by deception. Jude goes so far as to compare those who spread false doctrine to the fallen angels and those who walk in the way of Cain (Jude 11). On the night of the Last Supper, Jude learned the importance of encountering the Risen Christ: “The Lord does not appear as a thing. He desires to enter our lives, and therefore, his manifestation is a manifestation that implies and presupposes an open heart. Only in this way do we see the Risen One” (Benedict XVI, October 11, 2006). Saints Simon and Jude, then, not only offer us a model of Christian unity but also exhort us to deepen in this mystery by welcoming Jesus into our lives. They intercede before God for us, asking that we may see the Risen One with eyes of faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, keep ourselves in the love of God, and wait for the mercy of Jesus Christ unto eternal life (Jude 20-22).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to imitate your apostles today. Show me where I can spend more quality time with you. Send me out to extend your kingdom. Vanquish any evil in my heart, my family, and my community.

Suy niệm Tin Mừng thứ Hai tuần 30 Thường Niên.

Suy niệm Tin Mừng thứ Hai tuần 30 Thường Niên.

Bài Phúc âm hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu chữa người đàn bà bị quỷ ám gập lưng trong đền Thánh vào ngày Sabat không ngoài mục đích để dậy cho người phái siêu và người do thái bài học là họ phải giữ ngày Sabat, nhưng không phải chỉ giữ khơi khơi bằng môi bằng miệng, nhưng họ phải biết dùng ngày nghĩ để thờ phượng Chúa và làm việc ngay lành phúc đức. Nếu họ biết dùng ngày nghĩ để thả trâu, thả bò, thả gia súc đi ăn, đi uống nước tại sao họ lại cấm Chúa chữa bệnh ngày sabat... Đúng là bọn giả hình. Còn Chúng ta thì sao, chúng ta có giữ ngày chúa nhật như điều răn thứ ba trong mười điều răn của Chúa. Có người trong chúng ta chẳng những không giữ xác ngày Chúa nhật mà còn không đi lễ ngày Chúa nhật, một số chúng ta vì công ăn việc làm, điều đó có thể chập nhận được nhưng cần phải kiếm thời gian đi dự thánh lễ Chúa Nhật, nhưng còn một số không nhỏ trong chúng ta, có tiền có bạc rủng rỉng, chẳng phải đi làm ngày Chúa Nhật, nhưng thích du hí, trên các tàu con du lịch vào ngày cuối tuần.. tha hồ vui chơi chẳng còn nhớ ngày chúa Nhật chẳng còn nhớ thánh lễ buộc trong ngày Chúa Nhật. Ngày Chúa Nhật là ngày của Chúa, Chúa muốn chúng ta nghỉ ngơi có thời gian để đến với chúa, có thời giờ để nghĩ tới Chúa, tới người anh chị em chung quanh chúng ta. 

Bài Phúc âm Chúa Giêsu dậy cho chúng ta thấy ma quỷ có quyền năng, chúng có quyền phép để hành hạ thân xác và tinh thần con người chúng ta nếu chúng ta yếu đuối hoặc để chúng tự do hành động. Nhưng quyền năng của ma quỹ chí có thể hủy hoại con người chứ không thể gải thoát con người khỏi cảnh tù đày trong hố sâu của tội lỗi. Thiên Chúa là người mới có quyền phép để giải thòat chúng ta khỏi sự dữ, sự đau khổ nơi thân xác và tinh thần. Vì thế chúng ta cần siêng đến Chúa, nhất là các ngày lễ Chúa nhật để chúng ta được thêm sức mạnh phần hồn và phần xác qua của ăn chúa ban cho chúng ta bằng chính máu và thịt của Chúa Giêsu. Chúng hãy để thân xác nghĩ ngơi để lời chúa đến và được lắng đọng trong tâm hồn, để lời Chúa đem lại cho chúng bình an và tự do và không bị ràng buộc những thèm khát cám dỗ của Satan.

 

Meditation:

 Is there anything that keeps you bound up or oppressed? Infirmity, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, can befall us for a variety of reasons and God can use it for some purpose that we do not understand. When Jesus encountered an elderly woman who was spent of her strength and unable to stand upright, he gave her words of faith and freedom and he restored her to health. She must have suffered much, both physically and spiritually for eighteen years, since Jesus remarked that Satan had bound her. How can Satan do this?

The scriptures indicate that Satan can act in the world with malice and can cause injuries of a spiritual nature, and indirectly even of a physical nature. Satan's power, however, is not infinite. He cannot prevent the building up of God's kingdom or reign in our lives. Jesus demonstrates the power and authority of God's kingdom in releasing people who are oppressed by physical and emotional sickness, by personal weakness and sin, and by the harassment of the evil one in their lives. It took only one word from Jesus to release this woman instantly of her infirmity. Do you believe in the power of Jesus to release you from affliction and oppression?.    The Jewish leaders were indignant that Jesus would perform such a miraculous work on the Sabbath, the holy day of rest. They were so caught up in their ritual observance of the Sabbath that they lost sight of God's mercy and goodness. Jesus healed on the Sabbath because God does not rest from showing his mercy and love, ever. God's word has power to change us, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Is there anything that keeps you bound up or that weighs you down? Let the Lord speak his word to you and give you freedom. "Lord Jesus, you grant freedom to those who seek you. Give me freedom to walk in your way of love and to praise and worship you always. Show me how I can bring your mercy and healing love to those in need around me.”

 

Monday 30th Ordinary Time

But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, “There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.” The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering?” Luke 13:14–15

Why would the leader of the synagogue be “indignant” that Jesus cured a woman on the sabbath? She was crippled for eighteen years! Imagine, especially, her family. They would have seen her many years of suffering and shared them with her through years of compassion. If they were present when Jesus healed her on the sabbath, would they have immediately thought, “How dare Jesus do this healing of our mother, wife or sister on the sabbath?” Of course not! They would have rejoiced and been filled with awe, gratitude, and even tears. This normal reaction that her family would have had upon witnessing this miracle is the right response. And, of course, the reaction of the leader of the synagogue was deeply disordered. 

Why would this leader of the synagogue do such a thing? Though he and many other scribes, Sadducess, Pharisees and scholars of the law struggled with envy and hypocrisy, others may sometimes react similarly to this leader of the synagogue for other reasons. One such reason is scrupulosity.

Scrupulosity is the tendency to see God and His holy will through the lens of legalism. “Legalism” is not just being faithful to the Law of God, because that is a good thing. Legalism is a misinterpretation of God’s Law by which one tends to put more emphasis upon themselves than upon God. A scrupulous person is preoccupied with themself. They tend to be far more concerned with sin than with God Himself. And though it’s vital to be concerned with sin, when fear of sinning becomes a form of obsession, then that obsession has the effect of clouding the pure will of God and leaves a person heavily burdened and unable to joyfully live out the authentic will of God.

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux was one saint who openly shared her struggles with scrupulosity in her autobiography. Of this struggle, which she referred to as “oversensitivity,” she said, “One would have to pass through this martyrdom to understand it well, and for me to express what I experienced for a year and a half would be impossible.” However, she eventually experienced what she called a “complete conversion” by which the heavy burden of oversensitivity was lifted. Though this oversensitivity oppressed her in various ways, one way it affected her was that she feared that even some of her random thoughts were mortal sins and that she would be condemned for them.

Though the leader of the synagogue was most likely not struggling with “oversensitivity” in the same way as Saint Thérèse, he was acting with an extreme scrupulosity which led him to be harshly judgmental and condemning of our Lord for His good deed done to this crippled woman.

Reflect, today, upon any tendency you may have with these heavy burdens. Do you worry in an irrational way about sin? Do you ever find yourself obsessing over decisions, worrying that you may make the wrong one? Do you think about yourself far more than you think about God and others? If so, you may also be carrying a similar heavy burden that our Lord wants to lift. Serving God and His holy will must become the deepest joy of our lives, not a heavy burden. If you find your Christian Walk more of a burden, then turn your eyes away from yourself and look to the merciful God. Run to Him with the utmost confidence of a child, as Saint Thérèse eventually did, and allow yourself to love Him more authentically, freed of scrupulous and self-imposed burdens.

My merciful Lord, You desire to free me from all that burdens me. You desire that I turn to You with the confidence of a child. Please do free me, dear Lord, from any way that I impose burdens upon myself by my obsessions and irrational worries. May I always understand Your infinite love for me and always walk freely and joyfully in Your ways. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

Monday of the 30h Week in Ordinary Time 2025

Opening Prayer: Lord God, when I am crippled, strengthen me. When I am sick, heal me. When I am proud, humble me. When I am humble, raise me up. Free me from any bondage to sin. Bring me to enjoy the eternal Sabbath rest with you in heaven.

Encountering the Word of God

1. His Adversaries were Humiliated: The Gospel today brings out the theme of the reversal of fortunes. The prideful are humbled, and the lowly are exalted. The leader of the synagogue represents the prideful. He was indignant that Jesus cured on the Sabbath, oblivious to the original meaning and purpose of the Sabbath. The leader was humiliated that day by Jesus’ response. Jesus used the rabbinic technique of the “lower to the greater” (qal va’chomer). The Hebrew expression literally means “the light and heavy.” The technique is used to argue that if a specific rule or law applies in a “less serious” or “less important” case, then it must certainly apply in a “more serious” or “more important” case. In English, we use the Latin phrase “a fortiori” to argue that if a first weaker claim is true, then a second, stronger, and related claim must also be true and with even greater certainty. This is what Jesus does in his teaching today. If the law permits you to untie an animal to lead it out for watering on the Sabbath, then doesn’t it also allow you to free a woman, a daughter of Abraham, from bondage to Satan on the Sabbath? If you can free a brute animal on the Sabbath, then why can’t you free a human being on the Sabbath? And when Jesus said this, all his prideful and arrogant adversaries were humiliated and humbled.

2. The Whole Crowd Rejoiced: The bondage of the evil spirit crippled the woman; the power of the Holy Spirit, by contrast, raised her up. She was crippled, “bent over,” and weighed down by Satan. Through Jesus, however, she was able to stand up straight. Healed by Jesus, she was able to glorify God through Jesus. Her eighteen years of suffering came to an end through the powerful word of Jesus. The woman symbolically represents sinful humanity without Christ. She could have stayed home that day and wallowed in her misery, but she decided to go to the synagogue despite her pain and suffering. She trusted that Jesus could and would cure her. She didn’t even have to call out to Jesus or tell him what was wrong. He saw her! He called out to her. He laid his healing hands on her. He freed her. This teaches us to seek out Jesus and trust that, like the crippled woman, he will heal us and raise us up so that we can glorify the Father. The whole crowd shared in the woman’s glorification of God. They rejoiced in the Spirit and praised the splendid deeds of the Son of God.

3. Living according to the Spirit or the Flesh? In the First Reading, we learn that even though Spirit-filled believers are no longer “in the flesh,” they can still be tempted to live according to the flesh. The grace of the Holy Spirit can be resisted. And so, a believer must make a commitment to follow the Spirit’s leading continually (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 132). Believers need to choose between life and death, final justification and final condemnation. “The one who yields without repentance to the sinful demands of the flesh will die an eternal death apart from God; but the one who prevails over the urges of the body will live an eternal life in God’s presence” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 133).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, pour out your Spirit and renew me. I desire the healing that you offer. I want to be healed physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Help me to think as you do, and have your same sentiments. Move my heart to be merciful and forgiving.

Bài giảng Chúa Nhật 30 Thường Niên Năm C

Sunday 30th Week in Ordinary Time C
In the Gospel, Jesus continues his teaching on prayer with a parable about a Pharisee and a tax collector who went to the temple area to pray. The two prayed in very different ways. The Pharisee stood up proud in the front area, and, we can imagine, with his chest puffed out, while the tax collector was in the back and bent slightly in humility. The Pharisee, Luke says, prayed to himself, while the tax collector truly prayed to God. This indicates that the prayer of the Pharisee wasn’t really a raising of the mind and heart to God in conversation, but more like egotistical and self-centered thoughts. The content of the two prayers was also very different. The Pharisee spent his time comparing himself to others and thought himself superior to them. He confidently listed two of his good deeds: fasting on Wednesday and Friday, and paying tithes on his entire income. While the “rest of humanity” was greedy, he thought himself to be generous because of his tithing. While the “rest of humanity” was dishonest, he thought himself honest because he tithed all, and not just some, of his income. While the “rest of humanity” was adulterous, he thought himself in control of his sensuality and lust because he fasted twice a week. He did not go home “justified.” The prayer of the Pharisee did not bring him into a right relationship with God. In fact, it gave him a false confidence that all was well. He was oblivious to his faults and failings. While the rest of humanity was sinful, he was not. While the rest of humanity needed forgiveness, he did not. While the rest of sinful humanity was despised and rejected by God, he was not.
The prayer of the tax collector, by contrast, is a model prayer. It contains one of the petitions found in the Lord’s Prayer, where Jesus teaches us to ask our Father for forgiveness and mercy. The Lord’s prayer and the prayer of the tax collector both are a humble recognition of our sinful decisions. When we pray like this, we call to mind the times we chose sinful pleasures over sacrificial love. And when we ask for mercy, we don’t try to justify our sins. The First Reading teaches that “The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal, nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds, judges justly and affirms the right, and the Lord will not delay” (Sirach 35:17-18). In its original context, the last line from the Book of Sirach meant that the Lord would soon judge the nations that oppressed Israel: “While Ben Sira may be referring specifically to the Seleucids in the early second century BC, the principle of persevering in prayer applies to all generations (Luke 18:1-8). Ben Sira assures his readers that the Lord will not delay in answering the just person’s prayer: he will show no forbearance to the nations that oppress Israel (Luke 1:71-75; 18:7-8)” (Villenueve, Sirach, 267). In the end, God repays all nations according to their words and deeds; he will judge the case of his people Israel with favor, so that they will rejoice in his merciful salvation. 
In the Second Reading, Paul also exemplifies true humility. He knows that he is near the end of his life and writes to his coworker Timothy, “the time of my departure is at hand.” When he looks back on his life, he sees that he has competed well, finished the race, and kept the faith. Unlike the Pharisee in the Gospel, Paul doesn’t list his fasting or tithing as accomplishments. He affirms that he kept the faith and endured his “first defense” at his trial because the Lord stood by him and gave him strength. Paul knows that his mission is to proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles. This is how he will give glory to God: “The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
: Lord Jesus, you were the servant of all who truly glorified the Father in every word, thought, prayer, and action. Your love knew no limits. May I strive today to follow your example and share more deeply and perfectly in your divine life.
 
Chúa Nhật 30 Thường Niên Năm C
Những câu Kinh Thánh hôm nay được chọn để phản ánh bài đọc Tin Mừng, trong đó chúng ta nghe dụ ngôn về người Pharisêu và người thu thuế lên Đền Thờ cầu nguyện. Một trong những bài học của dụ ngôn được tóm tắt trong lời của bài đọc thứ nhất mà chúng ta nghe hôm nay “lời cầu nguyện của người khiêm nhường thấu đến mây trời.” Nếu chúng ta dành thời gian đọc lại đoạn Kinh Thánh này cũng như các câu Kinh Thánh xung quanh, chúng ta cũng sẽ nghe thấy tiếng vọng của dụ ngôn trong Tin Mừng được nghe trong Chúa Nhật tuần trước về câu chuyện vị thẩm phán vô đạo đức và bà góa hay quấy rầy cũng nhằm dạy chúng ta về sự cầu nguyện`.
Những lời dạy và bài giảng của Chúa Giêsu đã ăn sâu vào trí tưởng tượng của người Do Thái. Khi chúng ta hiểu rõ hơn về Kinh Thánh Do Thái, chúng ta sẽ hiểu rõ hơn những lời của Chúa Giêsu, và nhận ra rằng, là những người theo Chúa Giêsu như chúng ta có chung ý tưởng với những người Do Thái biết bao. Như bài Tin Mừng hôm nay gợi ý, tốt hơn hết là chúng ta đừng so sánh mình với người khác để chứng tỏ mình tốt hơn người khác, nhưng chúng ta hãy khiêm tốn nhìn nhận lỗi lầm của mình và tạ ơn Chúa vì Ngài đã rộng lượng và thương xót chúng ta.
 Lạy Chúa, xin dạy con biết khôn ngoan và thận trọng.
 
Sunday 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Sir. 35:15b-17,20-22; Ps. 34(33):2-3,17-18,19,23;2 Tim. 4:6-8,16-18; Lk. 18:9-14 (Ps Wk II)
Today’s verses were selected to echo the Gospel reading in which we hear the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector who go to the Temple to pray. One of the lessons of the parable is summarized in the words of the first reading we hear today — “the humble man’s prayer pierces the clouds.” If we take time to go back and read the passage again as well as the surrounding verses, we will also hear echoes of the parable which immediately precedes the Gospel passage heard today, the story of the unscrupulous judge and the importunate widow — which also is intended to teach us about prayer.
Jesus’ teachings and preaching were deeply rooted in the Jewish imagination. As we become better acquainted with the Jewish Scriptures, we will come to understand Jesus’ words better, and recognize how much as followers of Jesus we share in common with our Jewish brothers and sisters.
As our Gospel reading today suggests, it is better that we not compare ourselves with others to prove how much better we are, but rather to humbly recognize our own faults, and give thanks that the Lord has been so generous and merciful with all peoples. Lord, teach me to be wise and prudent.
 
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C
“Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector.’” Luke 18:10–11
What a sad prayer. Of course, it wasn’t even a prayer to God since the Pharisee “spoke this prayer to himself.” The prayer of the tax collector, however, was a perfect model for all prayer. We read that the tax collector “stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’” Which prayer more resembles your own prayer?
To honestly answer that question, let’s examine both prayers. First of all, the contrast of these two prayers is a contrast between humility and pride. The Pharisee was clearly full of pride. Pride blinds us from true self-knowledge. Saint Teresa of Ávila teaches us that the very first thing we must do on our journey to God is obtain self-knowledge through humility. Without that, we will never grow in holiness.
The sin of pride is obvious in the prayer of the Pharisee and, therefore, his lack of true self-knowledge is also evident. Note that even his physical posture of standing depicts pride. Throughout the Scriptures, kneeling, or even falling prostrate, is the disposition of the humble. In addition to standing, the Pharisee’s prayer was a list of his own goodness. He very well may have fasted twice a week and paid tithes on his whole income. But his prayer suggests that he did this by his own effort. He did not ascribe those acts to the grace and strength of God, which means they were not true acts of charity. His prayer suggests that he doesn’t need God in order to do good. This is also seen in the fact that he asks nothing of God. Instead, he simply thanks God for how good he is through his own effort. The result is that God gives him nothing, since he asked for nothing.
True prayer must begin with the humble recognition of our weakness and need for God. The tax collector expressed this humility by bowing his head to the ground, not even daring to look up to Heaven. This reveals he did not consider himself worthy of God’s grace. Truth be told, he wasn’t worthy of it. That’s why God’s grace is a mercy. It is all mercy in that He bestows that which we are not worthy to receive. And He only bestows it on those who know they are not worthy of it. The words spoken by the tax collector are the perfect model of prayer because his words depict these truths. As a sinner, he doesn’t deserve mercy but begs for God’s grace as an act of God’s mercy.
When you pray, how do you pray? What is the disposition of your heart and for what do you pray? Begin by considering the physical position in which you pray. Though we can pray standing, sitting, kneeling or even lying down, there is something very good about kneeling or even lying prostrate. It doesn’t mean we have to do so the entire time we pray, but it is a good practice to kneel, bow your head or fall down prostrate before God at least for a moment each day. Do you do this? If not, consider making this a daily habit.
When you pray, do you begin your prayer with humility? We begin the Mass by examining our conscience and confessing our sins. This is a good example of how to begin your prayer every time you pray. Humble yourself by calling to mind your sins and weaknesses. Confess them to God and acknowledge the fact that, because of your sins, you are unworthy of God’s mercy. Humility like this will help you to see yourself as God sees you, and this will help you open yourself to the grace you need from God to grow in holiness.
Reflect, today, upon the humility found in the prayer of this tax collector. As you do, look at your own practice of prayer and discern whether you imitate this tax collector’s disposition and prayer. Try to commit to physically humbling yourself before our Lord every day. Kneel, bow your head, or fall down prostrate every day. When you do pray, beg for mercy as one who doesn’t deserve anything from God. This is the humble truth on which all prayer must be based. The more you can humble yourself this way, the more God will lift you up and pour forth His mercy upon you.
O God, be merciful to me, a sinner. I bow before You, most glorious and merciful God. I offer You my praise and gratitude for Your abundant mercy in my life. I am not worthy of You and Your grace, but You bestow it anyway. For that I thank You with profound gratitude and beg for the ongoing gift of Your grace. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Sunday 30th Week in Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, when I exalt myself, please humble me. When I am truly humble, exalt me and allow me to glorify you by the witness of a holy life. Teach me each day to pray as your Son did. Guide me thoughts and words so that our relationship may grow and flourish.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Pharisee Spoke This Prayer to Himself: In the Gospel, Jesus continues his teaching on prayer with a parable about a Pharisee and a tax collector who went to the temple area to pray. The two prayed in very different ways. The Pharisee stood up proud in the front area, and, we can imagine, with his chest puffed out, while the tax collector was in the back and bent slightly in humility. The Pharisee, Luke says, prayed to himself, while the tax collector truly prayed to God. This indicates that the prayer of the Pharisee wasn’t really a raising of the mind and heart to God in conversation, but more like egotistical and self-centered thoughts. The content of the two prayers was also very different. The Pharisee spent his time comparing himself to others and thought himself superior to them. He confidently listed two of his good deeds: fasting on Wednesday and Friday, and paying tithes on his entire income. While the “rest of humanity” was greedy, he thought himself to be generous because of his tithing. While the “rest of humanity” was dishonest, he thought himself honest because he tithed all, and not just some, of his income. While the “rest of humanity” was adulterous, he thought himself in control of his sensuality and lust because he fasted twice a week. He did not go home “justified.” The prayer of the Pharisee did not bring him into a right relationship with God. In fact, it gave him a false confidence that all was well. He was oblivious to his faults and failings. While the rest of humanity was sinful, he was not. While the rest of humanity needed forgiveness, he did not. While the rest of sinful humanity was despised and rejected by God, he was not.
2. The Prayer of the Lowly: The prayer of the tax collector, by contrast, is a model prayer. It contains one of the petitions found in the Lord’s Prayer, where Jesus teaches us to ask our Father for forgiveness and mercy. The Lord’s prayer and the prayer of the tax collector both are a humble recognition of our sinful decisions. When we pray like this, we call to mind the times we chose sinful pleasures over sacrificial love. And when we ask for mercy, we don’t try to justify our sins. The First Reading teaches that “The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal, nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds, judges justly and affirms the right, and the Lord will not delay” (Sirach 35:17-18). In its original context, the last line from the Book of Sirach meant that the Lord would soon judge the nations that oppressed Israel: “While Ben Sira may be referring specifically to the Seleucids in the early second century BC, the principle of persevering in prayer applies to all generations (Luke 18:1-8). Ben Sira assures his readers that the Lord will not delay in answering the just person’s prayer: he will show no forbearance to the nations that oppress Israel (Luke 1:71-75; 18:7-8)” (Villenueve, Sirach, 267). In the end, God repays all nations according to their words and deeds; he will judge the case of his people Israel with favor, so that they will rejoice in his merciful salvation. 
3. To the Lord Be Glory Forever and Ever: In the Second Reading, Paul also exemplifies true humility. He knows that he is near the end of his life and writes to his coworker Timothy, “the time of my departure is at hand.” When he looks back on his life, he sees that he has competed well, finished the race, and kept the faith. Unlike the Pharisee in the Gospel, Paul doesn’t list his fasting or tithing as accomplishments. He affirms that he kept the faith and endured his “first defense” at his trial because the Lord stood by him and gave him strength. Paul knows that his mission is to proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles. This is how he will give glory to God: “The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you were the servant of all who truly glorified the Father in every word, thought, prayer, and action. Your love knew no limits. May I strive today to follow your example and share more deeply and perfectly in your divine life.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ bẩy tuần 29 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ bẩy tuần 29 Thường Niên
Trong một lúc nào đó trong cuộc sống của chúng ta, có lẽ chúng ta cũng đã giống như cây vả mà Chúa Giêsu đã nhắc tới trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay. Chúng ta cũng thế, chúng ta đều có nguy cơ bị từ bỏ, và bị coi như là thứ vô dụng. Nhưng với tình yêu thương của Thiên Chúa, Ngài đã thương xót chúng ta, và Ngài đã cho chúng ta có một cơ hội khác để sử đổi. Do đó, bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, kêu gọi tất cả chúng ta hãy tỏ lòng biết ơn Thiên Chúa một cách sâu sắc hơn vì Ngài đã cho chúng ta có được cơ hội thứ hai. Đây cũng là một phần đòi hỏi sự quyết tâm thật tình của chúng ta trong nhưng việc làm hầu chúng ta có được cái cơ hội thứ hai.
            Chúng ta sẽ hành động như thế nào ? Có phải là chúng ta sẽ vẫn giữ cái trạng thái trong sự lười biếng thiêng liêng? Thiên Chúa luôn yêu thương và sẽ giúp chúng ta, nhưng Ngài sẽ không ép buộc chúng ta vào thiên đàng. Chúng ta cần phải thay đổi cách sống của chúng ta. Chúng ta cần phải chấp nhận, tin tưởng  và trông cậy vào sự giúp đỡ, và sự yêu thương của Thiên Chúa. Chúng ta cần phải sản xuất những hoa quả của những việc làm tốt trong sự ăn năn, trong sự khiêm tốn và trong tình yêu thương. Với thời gian, không bao giờ là quá muộn hay quá trễ để chúng ta bắt đầu thay đổi cuộc sống của chúng ta để chúng ta được trở nên tốt hơn hay thánh thiện hơn. Chúng ta đừng để Chúa Giêsu Kitô phải thất vọng vì chúng ta, Ngài đã phải hạ mình, từ Thiên Chúa đã xuống làm người, một con người thật hèn hạ để ban cho chúng ta thêm một cơ hội thứ hai là để cứu chuộc chúng ta.
 
Saturday 29^th In Ordinary Time- LUKE 13:1-9
At some point in our lives, many of us were like the fig tree. We, too, were in danger of being rejected as useless. But in his mercy, God took pity on us. We were given another chance. Today's Gospel, therefore, calls forth from us deep gratitude to God for the second chance he has given us. It also calls for a deep determination on our part to make the most of our second chance.
How shall we act? Shall it be with the same spiritual laziness? God will help us but he will not force us into heaven. We need to change our ways. We need to accept the loving help of God. We need to produce the fruit of good deeds in repentance, humility and love. It is never too late to begin to change our lives for the better. Let us not disappoint Jesus who allowed himself to be cut down to give us a second chance to redeem ourselves.
 
Saturday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
“‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”  Luke 13:7–9
How much good fruit is born from your life? This is an important question to answer honestly. One of the best ways to discern whether or not we are serving the will of God is to look at the fruit being born from our lives.
Good fruit is born in various ways and manifests itself in various forms. However, the fruit you must look for is twofold. First, it is the fruit found within your own soul resulting from a life of true prayer and union with God. Second, we must look for the fruit that is born of charity in our actions toward others.
When you look honestly at your own soul, what do you see? Often, you may see a sort of war within you in which your disordered passions and appetites fight against the Spirit of God. Good spiritual fruit will require interior purification. Through prayer, fasting, spiritual reading and the like, you must look for ways in which God’s Spirit takes control of your disordered human nature and reorders it in accord with His holy will. Though we are all sinners and will all fall at times, we must work diligently to overcome every action, desire and temptation that we can objectively discern to be contrary to the will of God. At times, your fallen human nature can so forcefully draw you into sin that it can confuse your intellect and lead you to rationalization of your sins. But if you want the fruit of God’s presence in your life, then you must continually choose to make your interior life a fruitful garden in which the virtues of God grow and are nourished in abundance. So, again, what do you honestly see as you look into your own soul?
As God nourishes the virtues within us, and our disordered passions and appetites fall under the control of the Spirit of God, then we will also discover a need to allow the interior fruits of God’s love to flow forth from our lives into the lives of others. We will begin to desire selfless and sacrificial living. We will begin to desire to put others first. We will consider others’ lives as precious and filled with dignity. And we will overcome judgment, harshness, anger, and the like. We will find ourselves desiring the good of others and will supernaturally be drawn to do many small acts of kindness toward all. But it all starts with one’s interior life which our Lord desires to cultivate and fertilize with His grace so that the interior fruits of His love will grow within and ultimately become very manifest in one’s daily exterior actions toward all.
Reflect, today, upon your soul being like this fig tree that has not been bearing fruit. See our Lord coming to you and asking you to allow Him to cultivate the ground and fertilize it. Know that this requires change on your part. If you are to bear good fruit, then you need this intervention by our Lord. Work with Him, be diligent, and do all you can to begin to bear an abundance of good fruit so that you are not among those who are ultimately cut down by God’s justice.
My laboring Lord, You never cease to work diligently to cultivate the soil of my soul so that the seeds of Your mercy will grow and produce the good fruit You desire to come forth from my life. Please give me the grace I need to be faithful to a daily life of prayer, a practice of penance and a search for Your holy Word. Transform me, dear Lord, and bring forth the good fruit of Your holy Kingdom in my life. Jesus, I trust in You
 
Saturday 29^th In Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are kind and patient with me. Help me respond to your loving care and produce the good fruits of repentance and charity. Do not let me be discouraged by evil in the world. I trust in you and hope that you will bring me to dwell in your house all the days of my life.
Encountering the Word of God
1. If You Do Not Repent, You Will Perish: In the Gospel, we catch a glimpse of Jesus talking with his disciples about current events and news. Discussing the news with family, friends, and coworkers is one of our most common experiences. Gospel passages like this highlight the humanity of Jesus but also teach us how to view things like tragic news from a higher perspective. Some people in the crowd mention a massacre of Galileans by Pontius Pilate while they were offering sacrifices in the Temple in Jerusalem. And Jesus brings up the collapse of a tower in Siloam that killed 18 people. He uses these two tragedies to explain that suffering is not always a punishment for specific sins. Both tragedies teach us that we do not know the day or the hour of our death and, therefore, we need to always be ready to meet our Lord, who will judge us. One way to be prepared is to repent from our sins. As Jesus says twice: “But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”
2. The Parable of Divine Patience: Jesus illustrates the urgency of repentance with the parable of the fig tree that hasn’t produced fruit for three years. At the same time, the parable also shows that God is patient. In the parable, Jesus refers to the practice of cutting a branch from an existing fig tree and planting it. A fig tree cutting can grow 3-4 feet in its first year and can even produce some fruit in the first or second year. A fig tree that is not producing any fruit in the third year likely means something is wrong. It could be due to a lack of sunlight or unhealthy soil. The gardener in the parable convinces the owner to let the fig tree grow another year, and he’ll cultivate and fertilize the soil. But if it doesn’t bear fruit in the fourth year, it can be cut down. The three years can also refer to Jesus’ three years of public ministry. He has traveled around Galilee and Judea for three years “in search of fruit” and has found none. Yes, God is patient, but the time for repentance is coming to an end, and the time of judgment is nearing for Jerusalem, its people, and its temple.
3. Solution to the Problem of Sin: In the First Reading, Paul unveils the solution to the problem of sin laid out yesterday in Romans 7. On our own, we cannot rise above our fallen condition and do the good we ought to do. It led Paul to cry out, “Who will deliver me?” In today’s reading, from Romans 8, Paul answers that Jesus Christ will deliver us: “It is a divine solution orchestrated by the Trinity: The Father sent the Son to redeem the world from sin (8:3) and sent the Spirit to raise the world from death to new life (8:9-13). The flesh and our disordered passions pull us down, but the power of grace lifts us up.
 
Saturday 29^th In Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are kind and patient with me. Help me respond to your loving care and produce the good fruits of repentance and charity. Do not let me be discouraged by evil in the world. I trust in you and hope that you will bring me to dwell in your house all the days of my life.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Urgency of Repentance: The Gospel offers us a glimpse of how Jesus viewed the news of his day. When the people told Jesus about Pilate’s brutality, they likely wanted him to speak and comment about the unjust Roman occupation of their land. But Jesus uses the news about Pilate and the Galileans to teach two things. First, the sufferings of those murdered by Pilate were not a sign that they had sinned. As the Book of Job teaches, at times, the innocent and righteous suffer because God mysteriously permits it. Second, the person the people should truly fear offending is not Pilate but God. Instead of wasting their time thinking about how others might have sinned, they need urgently to repent from their own sins. Jesus drives home the teaching by referring to another event – the eighteen people who perished when a tower near the pool of Siloam fell. Yes, they died tragically and unexpectedly. But this was not because they were guilty of some sin. God knows how and when we will suffer. He also knows how and when we will die. We are ignorant of both things, and because of this, we must strive to be always ready to meet our Creator. And this preparation includes repentance from sin. 
2. The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree: On the one hand, Jesus teaches us through examples of unexpected tragedy that we need to repent and be ready to meet God. On the other, he teaches us in the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree that God is patient and will work with us to help us produce good fruit. The parable invites us to compare the fig tree to Israel and the gardener to Jesus. The owner of the orchard, the Lord God, speaks of a period of three years. This lines up with the time of Jesus’ public ministry. During Jesus’ three years of ministry, God has looked for spiritual fruit from Israel and found none. The parable ends with the gardener pleading for more time, for one more year, hopeful that in the coming year, the tree will bear fruit. This means that while there is still hope for repentance, the time for repentance is running out. Just as the tree cannot fertilize itself, repentance is not something we accomplish by our own strength. We have the gardener working with us, cultivating the soil of our hearts to bring about true repentance and spiritual fruit.
3. Ministry in the Church and Christian Maturity: The Church of Christ is one. It is united but also characterized by a diversity of gifts, spiritualities, and ministries. As members of the Church, we have received God’s grace through Baptism. Certain members of the Church have been given other gifts of grace for the benefit of the Church. Christ has ascended to the right hand of the Father and poured out the Spirit as he bestows gifts and blessings on his people. The list of gifts Paul gives in Ephesians 4:11 focuses on those who speak the word of God and those who fulfill major leadership roles (Williamson, Ephesians, 116). Some, like bishops, are called to be apostles and exercise special authority in the Church. Others are prophets or evangelists. Still others are pastors or teachers. The purpose of these leadership roles is to equip the members of the church, particularly the laity, to accomplish all that ministry entails: service such as hospitality, caring for the poor, sick, and elderly among us, and preaching and teaching the Word of God. The work of ministry is not confined to those with leadership roles and gifts; rather, it is carried out by all the “holy ones,” the baptized believers, whom the leaders have “equipped” (Williamson, Ephesians, 117-118).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am a member of your Body, the Church. Help me to know my role in the Church and the gifts you have bestowed upon me. I promise to spend quality time with you so that I may truly know you and be able to be sent out by you to care for the sheep of your flock.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu Tuần 29 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu Tuần 29 Thường Niên
Bài Tin Mừng hôm nay nhắc nhở chúng ta là những người Kitô hữu phải nên biết sáng suốt với những lời mời gọi của Chúa trong mọi lúc. Bất kể tuổi tác, tình trạng trong cuộc sống, hoặc tập quán, của chúng ta, chúng ta luôn luôn được mời gọi để mang niềm hòa bình và sư hiệp nhất trong chúng ta ngay trong gia đình, trong trường học, trong nơi làm việc, hay trong cộng đồng và xã hội chúng ta đang sống. Một cách chính xác, là chúng ta phải làm như thế nào?, Chúng ta không cần phải nhìn xa để tìm cho câu trả lời. Phản ứng của chúng để đáp lại lời mời gọi này có thể khác với những người khác và tùy thuộc vào hoàn cảnh của chúng ta và người đó. Nhưng tiêu chuẩn của Chúa thì luôn đơn giản giống nhau đó là sự khiêm tốn, nhân từ và kiên nhẫn. Hầu như chúng ta có thể tìm thấy những đặc điểm này là nên tự giúp đỡ nhau, hướng dẫn cho nhau để hoàn tất được công việc mà Chúa Trao phó thành công một cách mỹ mãn. Sự khiêm tốn, kiên nhẫn và lòng nhân từ chính là những công cụ không mất tiền mua, khá mạnh mẽ và sắc bén có thể giúp bồi dưỡng chúng ta cho mùa gặt lớn trong vườn nho của Thiên Chúa. Chúng ta là những hạt giống. Và Thiên Chúa sẽ giúp làm cho chúng ta nẩy mầm và phát triển đức tin của chúng ta.
 
REFLECTION
What is asked of us by the Lord to do now? It is a simple question but we may not have the answer to it all the time. We pray hard but we may not have understood the Lord's message. Maybe we did not listen enough. Or perhaps we understood what the Lord asked of us to do but we complicate it or make different excuses not to act on it. The gospel reminds us Christians to be discerning of the Lord's call at all times. Regardless of our age, status in life, or heritage, we are always called to bring peace and unity in our family, school, workplace, community, and society. How exactly can we make it happen? We need not look far for answer. Our response to this call may differ from one person to another and depending on the person's circumstances. But the Lord's standards are simple and always the same - be humble, gentle and patient. Hardly that we can find these traits recommended in self-help guide to get a fulfilling job or to establish a successful business. But it is a powerful inexpensive tool that we can nurture for a great harvest in the Lord's vineyard. We already have the seeds. And our dear Lord will help us make them grow and put to good use. We just need to act on our faith.
 
Friday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Luke 12:57–59
The Church Fathers offer many different interpretations of this passage. Among them, Saint Bede says that our “opponent” can be seen as the Word of God, in the sense that the Word of God makes war upon our weaknesses and sins. When we listen to the Word of God, our Lord will convict us of our faults so that we can reconcile our lives with the Truth of the Word of God Himself.
When you think about God’s holy Word, in its entirety, what most convicts you? Sometimes we try to downplay such personal convictions. We rationalize our actions and dismiss what God is saying to us. Are there any teachings of Jesus that you recall that have truly stung you to the heart? If so, this is a grace, and it’s an opportunity to fulfill the lesson from our Lord taught in the passage above. God does not convict our hearts so as to condemn us. Rather, He convicts us, as an opponent to our sin, so that we can “make an effort to settle the matter on the way.” The conscience is a wonderful gift from our Lord and can be likened to this passage above. It is a form of courtroom where our Lord desires not to have to issue punishment upon us. Instead, He desires that we engage His holy Word, listen to what He says, and settle our sin by repenting immediately.
Among the many lessons taught by our Lord, it is often the lesson that jumps out at us, even in a startling way, that we need to pay attention to the most. God often brings His most urgent teachings to us by causing us to feel a sense of guilt that cannot be denied. If we listen to these convictions, then we will not have any need to stand before the Judge. But if we do not, if we bury these convictions, downplay them and ignore them, then our Lord will find it necessary to keep at us. We will begin to experience His judgment, and we will see the effects of being out of His good graces. And in the end, if we fail to repent of the more serious sins in our lives, then we will even be held accountable for the smallest of sins. We will be required to “pay the last penny.”
Reflect, today, upon the idea that the Word of God, all that our Lord has taught us, is the opponent to the sin in your soul. This good and holy opponent wants only what is best for you. Commit yourself to an ongoing reading of God’s holy Word so that you will be continually disposed to hear all that God wants to say to you and so that you will be able to reconcile with our Lord before He is compelled to issue forth His judgments. 
My most merciful Judge, You desire that I listen to Your holy Word, revealed through Scripture, so as to receive Your most merciful conviction of my sin. I pray that I will be open to always hear all that You desire to say to me so that I can respond with generosity and trust, reconciling with You and others continually through my journey in life. Enliven my conscience with Your holy Word, dear Lord. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday 29th in Ordinary Time2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, enlighten my mind to discern the signs of the times. I do not want to remain in ignorance or dedicate my life to unimportant things. Human life is so short, barely the blink of an eye. And yet, how I live this short life on earth will determine how I will live for all eternity.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Interpreting the Present: In the Gospel, Jesus has just referred to the prophecy of Micah about inter-familial strife. This was understood as a prophecy about a time of great tribulation that would precede and inaugurate the time of messianic salvation. In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls out the people for not recognizing what is happening. They are hypocrites because while they are good at interpreting the signs of an upcoming weather change, they are ignorant of the upcoming fulfillment of prophetic signs. The age of salvation is approaching, and so Jesus teaches that his disciples need to be reconciled with their brothers and sisters before the time of judgment.
2. I Take Delight in the Law of God: In the First Reading, Paul refers to his own struggle against sin. The Law of God transmitted through Moses was not sinful. It gave knowledge about what was sinful, yet it did not empower the people of Israel to resist sin. God’s law is holy because it promotes virtue and prohibits vice. Here, Paul points to our common experience. We know what is good and right and just, and yet we often choose what is evil. “I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want.” Paul even says that he delights in the law of God within himself. And yet, there is a second law – the law of sin – that tugs at his heart. In our fallen state, we are unable to do the good prescribed by the law. We are in a miserable state! Who will deliver us? Paul is not despairing here, but asking for Jesus, the redeemer, to save us. It is a cry of hope and trust that God will answer his prayer. He moves quickly from lament to thanksgiving: “Paul expresses gratitude to God through Jesus Christ our Lord … The Lord, in sending his Messiah, has accomplished a deliverance that will bring about a renewal of all things, including “the redemption of our bodies” (8:23). Paul’s prayer has already been answered; his problem has already been met with a solution. In the meantime, he is caught in the middle, between serving the law of God with the mind, and the law of sin in the flesh” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 124).
3. Teach Me Your Statutes: Psalm 119 complements the First Reading. It praises God’s wisdom, knowledge, statutes, and commandments. If the Old Testament Laws of Moses were worthy of such praise, how much more is the New Testament Law of Jesus. This New Law is not an abstract commandment written on stone, but is the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, poured into our hearts. We still struggle to overcome sin and evil, as Paul teaches, but we possess a tremendous divine gift: “At the present stage of salvation history, we possess the flesh of Adam, even as we are filled with the Spirit of Christ. We have come to possess eternal life, even as we inhabit a body that is doomed to perish and that still throbs with sinful desire. Understanding this readies us for Paul’s teaching on the Spirit in the next chapter” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 124). The gift of the Spirit is a cause of true joy and delight. And so, when we pray, “Lord, teach me your statutes,” we are asking for the gift and guidance of the Holy Spirit to be poured into our hearts.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I take delight in your law and Spirit. I will strive with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength to love the Father above all things. I will not neglect my brothers and sisters in their material and spiritual needs. I will love my neighbor as I love myself.