Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Năm Tuần thứ 20 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Năm Tuần thứ 20 Thường Niên
Tiệc cưới được đề cập trong Tin Mừng hôm nay nhắc nhở chúng ta về lời mời gọi của Thiên Chúa và lời mời gọi đó vẫn đang tiếp tục mời gọi chúng ta ở đây, và hôm nay. Bởi vì chúng ta vẫn còn có thể thấy giao ước giữa tình yêu và cuộc sống. Tin Mừng hôm nay nhắc nhở chúng ta rằng Chúa Giêsu lập Bí Tích Thánh Thể cho tất cả những ai sẵn sàng lắng nghe và thực hành lời dạy của Ngài. Chúa Kitô cho phép tình yêu của Ngài sắp sẵn và đến với tất cả mọi người. Nhưng vấn đề là ở nơi mỗi người chúng ta và sự lựa chọn của mỗi người; chúng ta có sẵn sàng mở rộng tâm hồn để đón nhận tình yêu của Chúa đem đến cho chúng ta? Hay chúng ta vẫn kép kín trái tim của chúng ta.
            Mỗi khi chúng ta được Chúa mời gọi đến cùng thăm dự vào bàn với Ngài, chúng ta nên chấp nhận lời mời của Ngài với một tâm hồn cởi mở và một trái tim rộng lượng. Hãy giữ tâm hồn của chúng ta được trong sạch như chiếc áo cưới mới được mặc lên người mỗi khi chúng ta đến tham dự tiệc với Chúa Giêssu trong Thánh Thể. Chúng ta đã biết là phải tự trọng, chuẩn bị về thể xác, bên ngoài mỗi khi chúng ta được mời và tham dự ăn tiệc với những khách quý, vì thế chúng ta cũng phải biết chuẩn bị, làm sạch tâm hồn và lòng trí của chúng ta mỗi khi chúng ta đến tham dự bàn tiệc với Ngài trong Thánh Lễ. Qua bí tích Thánh Thể mà chúng ta có thể được chia sẻ, canh tân tinh thần với tình yêu của Thiên Chúa đối với chúng ta. Vì thế, chúng ta cũng phải nên biết lắng nghe lời của Ngài.
            Chúng ta phải chuẩn bị cho bản thân và tâm hồn của chúng ta như thế nào để mỗi khi chúng ta tham dự và nhận lời mời gọi của Chúa Kitô trong mỗi thánh lễ?.
 
REFLECTION Thursday 20 Ordinary time
The wedding banquet mentioned in today's Gospel reminds us of God's invitation and calling because it is here where we can encounter the covenant between love and life.  Today's Gospel reminds us that Jesus established the Eucharist for everyone who is willing to listen and practice his teachings. He allowed his love to be available to all. It's a matter of choice; it's a matter of heart.
However, when we are called and invited to his table, we should accept his invitation with an open mind and an open heart. It is similar to wearing a clean wedding garment when we attend a banquet. We must prepare ourselves physically when we attend an invitation, but we must also cleanse our hearts and our minds when we accept the invitation to His banquet.  It is through the Eucharist that we can share spiritual renewal not only because of God's love for us, but also by listening to his word. How do we prepare ourselves when we accept his invitation?
 
Thursday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time 2026
But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen.”  
Among the many layers in today’s Gospel parable, perhaps the most sobering is the image of the guest without a wedding garment. He symbolizes a soul who has received the invitation to salvation but failed to prepare interiorly. Though present at the feast, he is not clothed with the “wedding garment,” which the Church Fathers commonly interpreted as sanctifying grace adorned with charity. Outwardly he may appear to belong, but inwardly he lacks the necessary disposition of soul.
The wedding feast represents the Kingdom of Heaven—a life of grace in the present and, ultimately, eternal union with God in glory. The invitation went first to Israel and now extends to all nations through the Church. In His mercy, God desires to fill His banquet hall. He wills that all be saved, but His justice, which works in perfect harmony with His mercy, requires proper spiritual readiness.
When the king encounters him, the guest without the garment is speechless. He cannot excuse himself; the invitation was free, the conditions clear—you must be clothed with grace and adorned with charity. As the result of his lack of preparedness, he is cast into the outer darkness. This moment reveals the fate of those who presume they are saved without genuine repentance, prayer, and a life grounded in grace.
This parable stands as a powerful warning against the sin of presumption—the false assurance that one may enter Heaven without ongoing conversion or a sincere effort to live the Gospel. It is not enough to be counted among the invited: attending Mass, bearing the name Catholic, or fulfilling outward duties. One must be inwardly transformed, clothed with grace and charity, so that the life of Christ shines from within. Of all the sins referenced in the Gospel, none are more spiritually perilous than the sins against the Holy Spirit—presumption being counted among them (cf. CCC 1864; .
Presumption is grave because it twists trust in God’s mercy into a license to sin, rejecting the urgency of conversion. Presumption assumes salvation without repentance or postpones it indefinitely, hardening the heart and dulling the conscience until it is too late.
Saint Thomas Aquinas, who identifies six sins against the Holy Spirit, teaches that presumption is opposed to the theological virtue of hope (ST II-II, q. 14, a. 2). True hope rests on God’s promises and grace; presumption mimics hope but lacks substance and action. It arises when one expects eternal life without having lived charitably toward others or believes forgiveness is assured without repentance, presuming that God will grant salvation even to those who have not obeyed His will. In doing so, one rejects the very means by which the Holy Spirit brings about salvation.
Reflect today on the man cast out from the feast. Though he was invited, he failed to be properly clothed in grace. Jesus offers this parable not to condemn, but to awaken us to the need for ongoing purification of heart. In many ways, the wedding feast is an image of our parish churches, where the banquet of the Lamb is continually offered in the Holy Eucharist. All are invited—but only those properly disposed through humility, repentance, and faith can enter fully into the joy of the Eternal Feast, which begins here and now through the worthy reception of the Eucharist. Consider your own participation in the Holy Mass and strive to adorn your soul with the beauty of charity, for without this garment of grace, we will be cast out of the eternal Banquet of Heaven.
Most merciful and just Lord, though You invite all to share in the Feast of Grace—both the Eucharist in this life and the Heavenly Banquet in the next—Your Divine Justice requires hearts properly disposed to receive Your gift. Grant me, I pray, the grace of continual repentance, that I may always remain open to the gift of sanctifying grace. May that grace transform me interiorly and bear fruit in the charity to which You call me. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you have invited me to the wedding feast of your Son, the King and Bridegroom of your people. Give me the grace to respond generously to your invitation each day. Do not allow the cares of this world to distract me from your call. Clothe me with charity, that I may enter the feast prepared to share your eternal joy.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Invited to the King’s Feast: Jesus’ parable about a king inviting people to a feast harkens back to one of Jesus’ ancestors, the good King Hezekiah. The king celebrated the Passover and invited the northern tribes of Israel to join him (2 Chronicles 30). Around 715 B.C., Hezekiah restored the Temple, purified it, and sent messengers throughout the northern kingdom, urging them to return to proper worship in Jerusalem. Despite the mockery of some, many from tribes such as Ephraim and Manasseh accepted the invitation. The celebration was marked by great joy and was even extended for an additional seven days. Hezekiah's efforts were a significant attempt to reunite the divided people of Israel in worship. Like Hezekiah, Jesus is gathering God's scattered people, but he is doing so on a far greater scale. He invites Israel and, ultimately, the nations to the wedding feast of the Kingdom of heaven. The feast points toward the New Passover established by Jesus, through which the Davidic kingdom is redeemed from sin, and the twelve tribes are restored from exile. The Eucharistic Passover is the means “by which the Davidic kingdom will be redeemed from sin and the twelve tribes restored from exile” (Pitre, Jesus and the Last Supper, 382). The invitation to the feast is therefore an invitation to enter the restored Kingdom of God's Son.
2. The Wedding Garment: The most challenging part of the parable is the man who arrives at the feast without a wedding garment. He has accepted the invitation and entered the banquet hall, but he has not come prepared for the feast. The wedding garment therefore reminds us that responding to God’s invitation requires more than merely accepting an invitation externally. Grace calls for a genuine transformation of life. We must put on Christ and allow his grace to clothe us in holiness and charity. The man without the wedding garment represents the danger of receiving God’s invitation without allowing it to change us. The parable thus holds together two truths that must never be separated: salvation is a gracious invitation, and that invitation demands a response. We do not earn our place at the feast; the King invites us freely. Yet once invited, we are called to live as members of his Kingdom. The wedding garment is ultimately a garment of charity, holiness, and fidelity to Christ. The Christian life is a continual process of allowing God’s grace to transform us so that we become worthy participants in the wedding feast of the Lamb.
3. Saint Bernard and the Love of the Bridegroom: It is providential that the Church gives us this Gospel on the Memorial of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, one of Christianity’s great teachers of the love of Christ the Bridegroom. Bernard’s spirituality was deeply rooted in the Song of Songs, which he understood as expressing the profound love between Christ and the soul. In his On Loving God, Bernard teaches that God is to be loved simply because he is God and because he first loved us. Our love is a response to the love we have received: “The cause of loving God is God; the measure of it is to love without measure.” Bernard’s Sermons on the Song of Songs similarly invite us to contemplate Christ as the Bridegroom who desires an intimate union with his people. The wedding feast of today’s Gospel therefore points beyond a mere banquet. It reveals the destiny for which Christ has redeemed us: communion with him in love. The proper response to the Bridegroom’s invitation is not indifference but love. Like Saint Bernard, we are called to let the love of Christ become the center of our lives, allowing that love to transform us until we are fully prepared for the eternal wedding feast.
 
Thursday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come.” 
The king in this parable is God the Father, and the wedding is the marriage between Christ and the Church. The Father invites each one of us to be a member of the Church and to enter into divine union with His Son Jesus, thus entering into the life of the Holy Trinity. But we see right away in the parable that the invited guests “refused to come.” As the parable goes on, the king tried even harder to invite the guests, but they all responded in one of two ways. “Some ignored the invitation and went away…” and “The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.” Clearly, this was not the response hoped for by the generous king.
We see in these two responses two levels of rejection of the Gospel that are present in our world today, just as it was at the time of Jesus. The first level of rejection is indifference. Many people are very busy today. We easily become occupied with many things that matter little in the end. Many are consumed by their smartphones, computers and tablets. Many spend countless hours watching television. Others become workaholics, spending most of their time at their occupation and leaving little time for that which is most important, such as family, prayer and service. As a result, it is very easy to become indifferent to the matters of faith and easy to fail to pray every day so as to seek out and fulfill God’s will. This indifference is quite serious.
There is also a rejection of the faith in our world through a growing hostility toward the Church and morality. There are many ways in which the secular world continues to promote a culture that is contrary to the Gospel. And when Christians speak out and oppose these new cultural tendencies, they are condemned and often characterized as being prejudiced or judgmental. Such malice was displayed by the guests in this parable who “laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.” Hostility toward the Church, the faith and clear moral principles laid down by God appears to be growing every year. This form of rejection of the Gospel is even more damaging than the simple indifference mentioned above. In this parable for today, Jesus says that in response to those who were indifferent and hostile, the king “sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.”
This parable should not be read in such a way that we look at others and condemn them as if we were the king and had the right to do so. We do not have that right. Only God does. Instead, this parable should be read from the perspective of your own life. Hopefully you are not one of those who are hostile to the Gospel. But perhaps you and many other Christians struggle with the first form of rejection: indifference. We can easily become indifferent in many various ways and on many different levels. The opposite of being indifferent is to care and to care deeply about going to the wedding feast when invited.
Reflect, today, upon the Wedding Feast to which you are invited. You are invited to enter into the glorious celebration of becoming one with the Savior of the World. You are invited to surrender your life to Him without reserve. You are invited to holiness, moral integrity, unwavering fidelity to God, service of others, charity that knows no bounds and so much more. To enter the Wedding Feast of the Lamb is something that must take place every day and every moment of your day for the rest of your life. God is inviting you. Will you say “Yes” with every fiber of your being?
My inviting Lord, You desire that all people fully accept the invitation You have given to become one with You through spiritual marriage. You call us to the glorious Wedding Feast and eternal rejoicing. May I never be indifferent to Your invitation and always make my response with all my heart. I love You, dear Lord. Help me to love You all the more. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday 20 Ordinary time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I have heard your call to the wedding feast of your Son. Enable me to respond generously each day to this call. Do not allow the cares of this world to distract me from your invitation. I will strive to better my wedding garment through works of mercy and charity empowered by your grace.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Invited to the King’s Feast: Jesus’ parable about a king inviting people to a feast harkens back to one of Jesus’ ancestors, the good King Hezekiah. The king celebrated the Passover and invited the northern tribes of Israel to join (2 Chronicles 30). King Hezekiah, around 715 B.C., restored the Temple, purified it, and sent messengers to the northern tribes, urging them to return to proper worship in Jerusalem. Despite some mockery, many from tribes like Ephraim and Manasseh attended, and the celebration was marked by great joy, extending an extra seven days. This was a significant effort to unite the divided kingdoms in worship. Like King Hezekiah, Jesus is inviting all 12 tribes of Israel and the Gentiles to the wedding feast of the Kingdom of heaven. This is because the New Passover that Jesus establishes will be the “mechanism by which the Davidic kingdom will be redeemed from sin and the twelve tribes restored from exile” (Pitre, Jesus and the Last Supper, 382).
2. Jephthah’s Vow: In the First Reading, we hear one of the more debated stories in the Old Testament. The judge, Jephthah, recklessly made a vow to offer his child as a sacrifice to the Lord. Many interpreters hold that Jephthah offered his daughter as a burnt offering. But a few interpreters hold that the language of “burnt offering” is symbolic. And that is why his daughter laments being her consecrated virginity and not her upcoming death. The Letter to the Hebrews numbers the judge Jephthah among the heroes of faith of the Old Testament. In faith, he vanquished the Ammonites; however, “this victory was marred by the horrendous act of sacrificing his daughter to fulfill a vow that he had rashly made (Judges 11)” (Healy, Hebrews, 251). And so, the judge Jephthah can be held up as a model of trust in the Lord with regard to his military victory, but also as unworthy of imitation because of his rash vow.
3. Pope Saint Pius X: Today, we celebrate the memorial of Pope Saint Pius X (1835-1914), who was known for his profound humility, pastoral zeal, and commitment to the Church’s mission. He was known as the “Pope of the Eucharist” because he promoted the frequent reception of Communion and lowered the age for First Communion to seven. His motto was “To restore all things in Christ.” This motto guided his reforms, which included liturgical renewal, the codification of Canon Law, and the fight against modernist heresies. Modernism was a heresy characterized by agnosticism about the human ability to know God, relativism in faith and morals, the claim that religious truth arises from within the individual rather than from divine revelation interpreted by the Church’s magisterium, and the criticism of the authenticity of Scripture and the role of Tradition. 
 
Suy niệm Tin Mừng Thứ  Nam tuần thứ 20^th Thường niên.
Trong những năm tháng thời non trẻ của chúng ta, chúng ta có thể đã có kinh nghiệm tham gia tụ tập đông người, chúng ta đã không mặc trang phục thích hợp. Đó là đáng xấu hổ như chưa được mặc quần áo đúng. Như chúng ta đã lớn tuổi chúng ta đã học như thế nào và khi nào để ăn mặc cho một dịp.\
     Trong dụ ngôn Tin Mừng mà là để "ném ánh sáng trên thiên đàng," vua trừng phạt những người đàn ông tại bữa tiệc đám cưới, người không mặc quần áo đúng. Nhà vua cảm thấy bị sỉ nhục mà một khách không mặc quần áo đúng cách tại đám cưới của con trai mình. Làm thế nào các khách nhận được vào bữa tiệc không mặc quần áo đúng cách? Đã trợ của nhà vua không cung cấp cho ông các hàng may mặc theo phong tục thuộc về ngày lể? Anh ấy đã từ chối mặc những gì được cung cấp?
     Mỗi người chúng ta được mời đến bữa tiệc trên trời của Đức Chúa Trời. Chúng ta đã được ban cho ân tứ đức tin khi chúng ta đã được rửa tội; trong Giáo Hội Thiên Chúa của chúng ta được ban các bí tích và khác giúp để được tham gia xứng đáng tại bữa tiệc của Thiên Chúa.
     Làm thế nào có chúng ta trả lời để chào của Thiên Chúa? Chúng ta đã sống lời thề rửa tội của chúng ta? Chúng ta đã đánh giá cao các bí tích của Thiên Chúa và giúp cho chúng ta? Chúng ta đã sống ra cuộc sống của chúng ta như vậy mà chúng ta trở thành khách xứng đáng để có mặt tại bữa tiệc tuyệt vời của Chúa?
 
Reflection:
     In our younger years we may have experienced attending gatherings where we did not wear the proper attire. It was embarrassing not to have been properly dressed. As we grew in age we have learned how and when to dress for an occasion.
     In the Gospel parable which was to "throw light on the kingdom of heaven," the king punished the man at the wedding banquet who was not properly dressed. The king felt insulted that a guest was not properly dressed at the wedding of his son. How did the guest get into the banquet not properly dressed? Did the king's assistants not offer him the customary festal garment? Did he refuse to wear what was offered?
     Each one of us is invited to God's heavenly banquet.  We were given the gift of faith when we were baptized; in God's Church we are given the sacraments and other helps to be worthy participants at God's banquet.
     How have we responded to God's offers? Have we lived out our baptismal vows? Have we appreciated God's sacraments and helps to us?  Have we lived out our lives such that we become guests worthy to be at the great banquet of the Lord?

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 21 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 21 Thường Niên
Mỗi khi chúng ta bị gắn cho cái danh từ là đồ thứ 'đạo đức giả' chúng ta thường bực tức và tự kiểm tra chính mình, xem xét lại bản thân của mình và những gì mình đã làm, phần lớn chúng ta không ai muốn bị gọi là kẻ đạo đức giả. Thường khi ra ngoài đường, sống giữa xã hội, chúng ta lo sợ về hình dáng bên ngoài của chúng ta, chúng ta sợ những gì người khác sẽ nói về chúng ta, về vóc dáng, cách ăn mặc nói chung là chúng ta sợ người ngoài nói về “bộ xương cách trí” của chúng ta trong lớp quần áo của chúng ta mặc bên ngoài. Chúng ta có xu hướng che giấu những cái mặt tối hay những cái xấu xa trong cuộc sống của chúng ta, cũng giống như việc chúng ta thích quét bụi bẩn của chúng ta ở mặt trên tấm thảm, còn che đậy đất cát ở bên dưới.
Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu Kitô kêu gọi chúng ta hãy sống thật sự như những người thật đang sống với tâm hồn biết yêu thương và nghĩ tới người khác, mà không phải là sống như người chỉ biết sống trong cái vỏ tầm thường như những người vô đạo chỉ biết nghĩ đến mình, nghĩ đến với cái vỏ hào choáng bên ngoài để khoe khoang diện mạo, để dễ tiện việc kiếm lợi cho cá nhân của mình mà thôi. Vì thế hôm nay Chúa muốn chúng ta nên phải biết sẵn sàng cởi bỏ cái vỏ bề ngoài hay thói đạo đức giả của chúng ta, và biết chân thành ngay chính trong tâm hồn chúng ta, biết yêu thương người như Chúa đã yêu chúng ta?
Lạy Chúa, xin dạy cho chúng con có tâm hồn giống như Chúa, để chúng con có thể biết yêu theo cách mà Chúa đã yêu chúng con.
 
REFLECTION
Whenever we encounter the word `hypocrite' we often are challenged to examine ourselves, mainly because we do not want to be hypocrites. We are concerned about our external image, about what others will say of us, about our skeletons in our closets. We tend to hide the dark side of our lives, we sweep our dirt under the rug. Christ calls us to be REAL loving and caring persons, not in a mediocre way but in an uncompromising real way – HIS WAY. Are we willing to strip off our hypocrisy, be sincere in our hearts, and love as he loves?
Lord, teach our hearts to become like yours that we may love the way you love
 
Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time 2026
He said to one of them in reply, “‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” 
Jesus certainly cares about economic justice, especially as it relates to charity and human dignity. But today’s Gospel reveals something far more profound: the mysterious and generous nature of God’s mercy. This parable is not merely about fairness in wages; it is a revelation of the Kingdom of Heaven and God’s reign as King, both now and in the New Heavens and the New Earth to come.
In the parable, the landowner goes out five times during the day to hire laborers for his vineyard—at dawn, nine o’clock, noon, three, and five. When the day ends, those who worked only one hour receive the same wage as those who labored all day. To earthly ears, this may sound unjust. Indeed, those hired first grumble. From a human point of view, one might even think, “If that’s how he pays, I’ll just come at five o’clock tomorrow.”
But this is not a lesson in labor economics; it is a lesson about the generous heart of God. The denarius, the full day’s wage, symbolizes the reward of eternal life. God does not bestow grace based on the number of hours served, but according to the depth and sincerity of each soul’s response to His invitation.
When each person stands before God in the particular judgment, God will not weigh good deeds against sins on a balance. Rather, He pierces the depths of the heart and judges according to love, by the quality of one’s conversion. It is possible that someone who faithfully attended Mass, prayed daily, and served others for many years may not have responded to grace as deeply as one who, later in life, underwent a radical and sincere conversion. The latter may have endured profound purification, grown rapidly in holiness, and entered into a more intimate union with God, despite having lived many years in spiritual complacency, or even in utter sinfulness.
God’s generosity often confounds our limited sense of justice. But His ways are not our ways (His judgment is not about the quantity of labor but the quality of the heart—a heart that says “Yes” to grace, however late the hour.
In a sense, we should each consider today to be the final hour of the day of our life on earth. Time is short, and there is much work to be done. Just as the landowner went out again and again in search of laborers, so too does God continually seek out souls, inviting them to labor in His vineyard. That vineyard is the Church, planted amidst the world and bearing fruit for the Kingdom of Heaven.
If you have already accepted the invitation to labor in God’s vineyard, remember this: The fruitfulness of your apostolic work is measured not by the quantity of your accomplishments, but by the quality of your service. And that quality is determined by God. It flows from a soul on fire with faith, purified by grace, and burning with charity—not from one who, like the early workers, becomes jealous, self-focused, or resentful of others’ blessings.
Reflect today on how readily and generously you respond to God’s call. Do you labor with a pure heart, seeking only to please Him? Or do you struggle with jealousy and envy, tempted to compare your path to that of others? Ask our Lord for the grace to serve Him with humility, joy, and love, confident that He will reward you according to the perfection of your response to His invitation.
Most generous Lord, Your goodness is never outdone, and Your Divine Mercy is inexhaustible. I pray for all who have grown complacent in their spiritual journeys—including myself. Come to us, Lord. Invite us anew to labor in the vineyard of Your Kingdom, and give us the grace to respond wholeheartedly to Your call. May I give You my entire mind, heart, and soul in humble service to You and to others, so that Your vineyard may bear abundant and eternal fruit. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you promised to shepherd your people and care for your children, and you fulfilled this promise by sending your Son to lead us to eternal life. Help me recognize your voice and faithfully follow your call. Give me the grace to become a good shepherd in my family, leading those entrusted to me toward the pastures of eternal life.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Working in the Lord’s Vineyard: In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells many parables about the Kingdom of Heaven. Some speak about how the seed of the Kingdom is welcomed, grows over time, and embraces people from every nation. Others speak about how good and evil will coexist within the Kingdom until the end of time. Today’s parable directs our attention toward the Final Judgment and the reward given to those who have responded to God’s call. Jesus uses the image of laborers being hired to work in a vineyard. Some people begin their work in God’s Kingdom at a young age; others respond to his call later in life. What matters ultimately is responding to the invitation. Whether a person begins early or responds later is secondary to the fact that God takes the initiative and calls us first. Every good work we accomplish in the Kingdom is made possible by divine grace. Even our ability to respond to God is itself a gift.
2. Divine Generosity: The central point of the parable is that God is generous. Those who work throughout the entire day and those who work only during the final hour receive the same wage: eternal life. This does not mean that God is unjust to those who have served him faithfully. Rather, Jesus is emphasizing that eternal life is fundamentally a gift of divine generosity, not something we can demand as a wage. The parables of Jesus should also be read together because they reveal different and complementary dimensions of the Kingdom. While all who respond to God's call receive the gift of eternal life, the Parable of the Talents suggests that there can also be differences in heavenly reward. As St. Thérèse of Lisieux famously taught, everyone in heaven will be completely filled with happiness, even though each person may have a different capacity to receive it. St. Thomas Aquinas similarly teaches that although all the blessed see God face to face, they participate in the vision of God according to the degree of their charity. Those who possess greater charity are capable of receiving God more fully.
3. The Danger of Comparing Ourselves with Others: The workers who labored all day became envious and angry when they saw those who had worked only one hour receive the same wage. Their problem was not that the landowner had failed to keep his promise; they had received exactly what they had agreed to receive. Their problem was that they compared themselves with others. Comparison can easily produce resentment, envy, and the illusion that God owes us something. The Christian disciple is called instead to rejoice in God’s merciful generosity. The Lord does not diminish his love for us by extending that love to another. His generosity toward another person is not a loss for us. This is especially important when someone turns to God late in life or receives blessings that we believe we deserve more than they do. We should rejoice whenever another person responds to God’s grace, because every soul that enters the vineyard is a cause for thanksgiving. The proper response to God’s generosity is not comparison but gratitude, and not resentment but joy.
 
Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, “Why do you stand here idle all day?” They answered, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You too go into my vineyard”
These are very generous words spoken by the landowner. As the parable explains, this landowner hired workers for his vineyard early in the morning, and then again at nine o’clock, noon, three o’clock and finally at five o’clock. But at the end of the day, he paid them all the same daily wage as if they had all been working since early morning. The ones hired first were upset thinking it was unfair that those who worked just an hour were paid the same wage as they were. But the landowner concludes, “What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?” God, in His mercy, is generous beyond comprehension. But we, as fallen humans, are constantly examining whether we are getting our fair share and comparing ourselves to others. We tend to want more and more and easily become envious when we see others succeed or receive blessings that we do not have. For example, if someone is more popular than us on social media, or drives a nicer car, or has a bigger home, or goes on an expensive vacation, we often tend to notice with a sort of sorrow that we do not have what they do. And that is envy.
The cure for envy is wholehearted generosity. Not just generosity with our money but generosity with our affections and our ability to rejoice in the blessings that others receive. For example, if someone were to tell you that they were going on a nice vacation next month to a place you always wanted to go, how would you react? You might jokingly say, “Wow, I’m jealous!” Jealousy can quickly turn into envy, which is a form of sorrow over the blessings another has that you do not. And that sorrow over the blessings of another can subsequently turn to anger.
These workers in the vineyard who worked all day and received the same amount as those who worked only one hour could have responded by congratulating the later workers and could have even jokingly said, “Lucky you, I wish I would have shown up at five o’clock!” But instead, they grumbled and tried to interfere with the generosity of the landowner saying, “These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.” Again, this is envy, in that their sorrow over the generosity of the landowner led them to try to interfere with the blessing the others received.
Whenever you notice this form of unholy sorrow within you, take notice. It means that you lack a selfless generosity toward others. And if you see God blessing another in spiritual riches, try to generously rejoice in that. Offer praise and thanks to God for His goodness. Don’t dwell on yourself and dismiss every temptation to compare. In many ways, everyone of us is represented by those who worked only one hour and received the full daily wage. This is because we could never earn the grace of salvation. The one and only reason we are able to receive the gift of eternal salvation and every other grace given to us by God is because God is infinitely generous. Therefore, the goodness and generosity of God must be our constant focus, and we must rejoice in that generosity when it is given to us and when it is also given to others.
Reflect, today, upon any tendency you have toward envy. Think about the blessings that others have been given that you have not. Sincerely look at your interior reaction to that and pray that God will grant you the gift of being able to be generous in your rejoicing in those blessings. Every blessing given by God must be the cause of our joy, no matter if those blessings are bestowed upon us or upon others.
My most generous Lord, You bestow Your blessings upon all in superabundance. When I witness the ways that others are blessed by You, help me to foster a sincere gratitude for all that they have received. Help me truly rejoice in the many ways You bless all Your people. Free me from envy, dear Lord, so that I am not burdened down by that ugly sin. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday 20 Ordinary time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you have promised to shepherd your sheep and care for your children. You fulfilled this promise by sending your Son to shepherd us. Help me with your grace to be a good shepherd in my family and lead my loved ones to eternal pastures.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Working in the Lord’s Vineyard: In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells many parables about the Kingdom of Heaven. Some of the parables speak about how the seed of the Kingdom is welcomed, grows over time, and welcomes people from all nations. Other parables speak about how there will be good and evil within the kingdom until the end of time. Today’s parable speaks about the end of the kingdom. The image used by Jesus in the parable is that of being contracted to work in a vineyard. Some people begin their work in God’s Kingdom at a young age; others respond to the call later in life. The parable stresses how what is important is responding to the call. Whether a person begins early or responds later in life is secondary to the fact that God is the one who takes the initiative and makes the first move, so to speak.  Any good we have done in the Kingdom of Heaven has been empowered by divine grace.
2. Divine Generosity: The main point of the parable is that God is generous. Those who work their entire lives in the kingdom and those who only work during the last hour will receive the same wage. The same wage is eternal life. But Jesus’ parables should not be read in isolation. They all reveal different and complementary dimensions of the kingdom of heaven. Thus, while it is true that all those who responded to the call to work in the Lord’s vineyard receive the wage of eternal life, the Parable of the Talents suggests that the heavenly reward will also vary. As St. Terese of Lisieux teaches: Everyone’s glass in heaven will be full, but some glasses will be larger than others. Earlier, St. Thomas Aquinas taught that while all in heaven see God face to face, some will see God more profoundly, according to the degree of their charity. Those with a greater charity are able to receive more.
3. Abimelech: The Book of Judges narrates the story of twelve judges in different parts of the land of Canaan. Not all of the judges were good. In fact, many of the good ones were flawed, and some were outright evil. Abimelech was the son of the judge Gideon and was one of the evil judges. His name in Hebrew means, “my father is king.” Although Gideon declined to be appointed as king by the people, he little by little acted as a tyrannical king and led the people into apostasy. When Abimelech was made king by the citizens of Shechem, a man named Jotham went to the top of Mount Gerizim and called out to the people. Mount Gerizim was one of two mountains that overlooked the city of Shechem. It was the mountain on which the blessings of the covenant of Deuteronomy were proclaimed under Joshua. Jotham’s parable “warns that nothing but disaster can come from sinister politics and power-hungry kings. Gideon and his 70 sons are represented by the noble trees that refuse royal honor, while Abimelech is the bramble shrub that accepts the crown but is fruitless and worthless” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, 388).
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 20 Thường niên
Trong câu chuyện ngụ ngôn về Nước thiên đàng, chủ vườn nho trả công cho những người làm vườn cho ông với số tiền ngang nhau, không kể người làm sớm hay đến trể. Có lúc trong cuộc sống hằng ngày, chúng ta cũng đã thấy những việc như thế xảy ra nhưng chúng ta cũng sẽ không bằng lòng và chấp nhận nếu như chúng ta là những người thợ tới sớm làm sớm. Chúng ta cũng sẽ nghĩ là ông chủ của chúng ta đã không công bằng.... ó lẽ chúng ta cũng sẽ được nghe "Này bạn, tôi đã không bất công với bạn, không phải là chúng ta đã đồng ý về giá cả tiền công cho mỗi ngày rồi sao? Vì vậy, hãy cầm lấy những gì của bạn mà đi. Tôi muốn trả tiền công cho người làm trễ bằng bằng lương công nhật của bạn là quyền của tôi. Anh nghĩ tôi không có quyền làm những việc như tôi muốn với tiền của tôi sao? Tại sao bạn lại ghen tị với cái lòng tử tế của tôi?”
Theo cùng một cách, việc Thiên Chúa sẽ ban thưởng cho chúng ta theo như ý Ngài muốn, cho dù chúng ta đã theo Chúa và phục vụ Chúa cả đời hay chỉ là một phần sau cuối của cuộc đời. Phần thưởng rộng lượng của Chúa ban cho chúng ta là được chia sẻ cuộc sống với Ngài trên thiên đàng là sự tự do của Ngài vì thế Ngài ban cho ai khi nào và cho ai những gì Ngài muốn.  Thực sự không ai trong chúng ta có thể được hưởng phần thưởng của Chúa trên thiên đàng nếu Chúa không rộng lương và khoan hồng cho tội lỗi của chúng ta.
Hai điều quan trọng: thứ nhất, đó là chúng ta phải cộng tác, làm việc với Chúa và cho Ngài những gì khi Ngài cần đến nơi chúng ta, và thứ hai, là chúng ta phải sẵn sàng khi Ngài đến với chúng lần thứ hai và thanh toán sổ nợ đời của chúng ta với Ngài nhất là về cách sống và những việc của chúng ta đã làm trong cuộc sống.
Chúng Ta hãy cảm ơn Chúa vì lòng tốt và nhân hậu của Ngài đã dành cho chúng ta và đối sử với chúng ta một cách tự do hoàn toàn không ép buộc, Chúng ta hãy sống và cầu nguyện để nhận được phần thưởng sự sống đời đời trong Ngài và mãi mãi.
 
Wednesday 20th Ordinary Time: Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16
In this parable about the kingdom of heaven, the vineyard owner pays his workers the same amount, whether they worked from the beginning of the day or started at later hours.. Questioned about this, that this seemed unfair, the land owner retorted, "Friend, I have not been unjust to you. Did we not agree on a denarius a day? So take what is yours and go. I want to give to the last the same as I give to you. Don't I have the right to do as I please with my money? Why are you envious when I am kind?"
In the same way God will reward us as he wishes, whether we have served him all our life or only for part of our life. His generous reward of sharing life with him in heaven is freely his to give, when to give and to whom to give. No one is really entitled to heaven and God's rewards. Two things are important: first, that we do our work for God, and second, that we are ready for him when he comes to demand an accounting on how we have done our work in life.
We thank God for his goodness to us, completely out of his liberality, and live and pray so as to receive his reward of life with him for all eternity.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba tuần 20 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba tuần 20 Thường Niên
Chúa Giêsu nói rằng con lạc đà bước qua cái lỗ của cây kim còn dễ hơn là một người giàu có có thể bước vào được Nước Trời, Chúa Giêsu có lẽ muốn cảnh báo chúng ta về sự nguy hiểm của sự giàu có. Chúa Giêsu mô tả những cái nguy hiểm của sự giàu có. Khi lòng trí con người chúng ta đã bị sự giàu có vật chất thâm nhập vào rồi,  con người chúng ta cũng giống như hạt giống đã rơi vào giữa những bụi gai, khi những thứ vật chất, ham muốn thu hút con người nên họ tự chà đạp lấy lương tâm của họ bởi những sự quan tâm làm giàu của họ với niềm vui trong cuộc sống, và vì đó tâm linh của họ không được phát triển và trưởng thành. Họ rất nhỏ nhoi trong mắt Thiên Chúa. Ham muốn của họ và tình yêu thương của họ không thể mở rộng. Họ đã làm nô lệ cho cả nghìn thứ  nhu cầu, như những áo quần, máy móc thời trang mới nhất, hay một ngôi nhà đẹp lộng lẫy,  phaôi có những chiếc xe ô tô thứ xịn, cộng với những bữa tiệc xa hoa mỗi tuần.
Những người như vậy đang dần dần bóp nghẹn tâm linh và tinh thần của họ như những bụi gái đang lấn ép nhưng hạt giống rơi trong bụi gai. Nếu con người chúng ta đã lăn vào trong cuộc sống dư thừa của cải vật chất, có lẽ chúng ta nghĩ rằng chúng ta có thể làm được tất cả những thứ trên đời này mà chẳng cần đến Thiên Chúa! hoặc Thiên Chúa không còn tồn tại trong lòng chúng ta nữa.
Mặc dù Chúa Giêsu thường nói đến sự nguy hiểm của sự giàu có, nhưng Ngài không nói rằng những người giàu không thể vào Nước Thiên Chúa. Không phải những người giàu nào cũng không có vào được nước Thiên Đàng.  Bởi vì không phải chính sự giàu có điều là những điều xấu xa cả, nhưng sự giàu có chính là mối nguy hiểm cho sự cứu rỗi đời đời của chúng ta. Sự giàu có là một phúc lành hỗn hợp hay là người nghèo có thể là một phúc lành tuyệt vời. Tất cả phụ thuộc vào thái độ của chúng ta đối với sự giàu có và những cách mà chúng ta biết dùng của cái của chúng ta một cách thích hợp.
 
REFLECTION
In saying that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, Jesus is simply warning us of the danger of riches. Jesus' description of the danger of affluence was penetrating. Like seed among thorns, materialists are stifled by the cares, riches and pleasures of life, and they do not mature. They remain ridiculously small in the eyes of God. Their desires and their love cannot expand. They are enslaved by a thousand needs, for the latest fashions, for a beautiful house with two or more cars, for a television and computer set on every floor, another new freezer, costly cocktails and lavish parties. Such people are progressively choked spiritually and mentally.
If people are rolling in wealth for quite some time, they come to think that they can well do without God. Although Jesus often spoke of the dangers of wealth, he did not say that it was impossible for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. It is not that those who have riches are shut out from the kingdom of God. It is not that riches are evil in themselves but they are a danger to our eternal salvation. Being rich is a mixed blessing. Being poor can be a great blessing. It all depends on our attitude towards wealth and its place and its proper use in God's Kingdom here on earth.
 
Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?” 
In light of today’s Gospel, do you want to be rich? Most people do. The thought of buying a big, beautiful home (or several of them) can be enticing. Living the so-called good life, going on extravagant vacations and driving expensive cars, is a difficult desire to shed. Should you strive to shed that desire?
Today’s Gospel immediately follows Jesus’ loving conversation with a rich young man who came to Him with the question: “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” Jesus could see the goodness in the man’s heart, so He wisely drew the young man deeper. In response to Jesus telling him to keep the commandments, the young man  confirmed that he had kept them since his youth. He then asked: “What do I still lack?” Jesus lovingly revealed to him the road to perfection: “Go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” That was not what this rich young man wanted to hear, so he went away sad. The perfection to which Jesus invited this young man was more than he was ready to accept.
Back to our original question: Do you want to be rich? In today’s Gospel, within the context of the young man leaving, Jesus turns to those closest to Him and teaches them a lesson about the danger of material riches. This was so shocking to the disciples that they seemed disillusioned and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
We should see ourselves in both the rich young man and the disciples who reacted with shock. Jesus wanted each of them to be richer than they could ever fathom—but not in the fleeting material things of this world. Though material wealth is not evil, as it is necessary for us to care for our needs and those of our families, money and possessions cannot in any way fulfill us. We might enjoy  money and possessions because they temporarily satisfy our desires and offer sensory comforts, but the only lasting comfort and source of fulfillment is found in God and His holy will.
When pondering the question—“Do I want to be rich?”—we should not hesitate to say, emphatically, “No!” Why would we want something Jesus so strongly warned against? Of course, while Jesus didn’t say it is “impossible” for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, He did say that it is “hard.” Having riches, then, can be compared to playing with fire. There is a good chance of getting burned. 
So it is with money. Based on Jesus’ direct teaching and the sadness of the rich young man, we should all step back and look at our attitudes toward money and possessions. The ideal interior disposition should be one of a desire for simplicity, and even poverty. Not a poverty of destitution, but one that is characterized by accumulating very little, living a simple and humble life, yet enjoying the necessities for self and family. Is this the lifestyle you desire? Do you understand the wisdom behind such a life and the dangers of a life of material wealth?
Reflect today on your desires and attitudes toward material wealth and comfort. Ask yourself honestly whether you see riches as a path to happiness, or whether you are truly open to the freedom that comes with spiritual poverty. Consider the radical invitation Jesus offered the rich young man—not as a burden, but as a gift. Ponder what you may still cling to, and be courageous enough to let it go. Seek to cultivate a heart that finds joy in simplicity, generosity, and trust in God alone. In doing so, you will discover the incomparable riches of a life lived for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Lord of true riches, In You alone do we find the eternal treasure that far surpasses the fleeting riches of this world. Grant me the wisdom and strength to recognize the dangers that come with money and possessions and to freely choose a life of simplicity and detachment. May You and Your holy will be the only treasure I seek, so that I may be drawn into the perfection to which I’m called. Jesus, I trust in You
 
Tuesday 20^th Ordinary Time 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I desire to inherit eternal life and follow your Son into the new creation he has inaugurated. I know that what is impossible for me is possible for you. Free my heart from attachment to earthly wealth, power, and honor. Give me a meek and humble heart, that I may trust your providence and faithfully serve your Kingdom and your people.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Entering the Kingdom of God: Today’s Gospel follows the story of the rich young man, who went away sad because he was unwilling to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Jesus on the way to Jerusalem. Jesus uses the opportunity to teach his disciples about the path that leads to entry into the Kingdom of heaven. Earthly riches, Jesus teaches, can make entry into the Kingdom difficult, but not impossible. Why is this so? Abundant earthly wealth can make us less reliant upon God’s providential care, less prayerful, and more self-reliant. Jesus’ disciples were taken aback at this teaching because they tended to associate earthly prosperity with divine blessing. Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount and the New Covenant deepens and transforms this understanding: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” Those who recognize their dependence upon God and place their trust in him are blessed because they are prepared to receive the Kingdom as a gift.
2. Inheriting Eternal Life: In answering the disciples’ question about who will be saved, Jesus first emphasizes the priority of God’s help: “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” It is impossible for us to save ourselves. We do not possess the power, on our own, to attain eternal salvation. God, however, is capable of giving us the grace necessary to attain eternal life. This is what divine grace and the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity accomplish in us. Jesus then comforts his apostles by promising that those who have given up everything to follow him will “sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” They will share in Christ’s authority as the apostles and shepherds of his Church. Jesus then broadens his promise to everyone who gives up earthly things for his sake: “He will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life.” Through Baptism, we become adopted children of God and heirs of eternal life. Divine life begins in us, grows through grace, and reaches its glorious consummation in heaven. Those who are first in this world – those who place their confidence in wealth, power, and social position – may discover that they are last in the age to come. Those who seem last in this world – the meek, the humble, the poor, and those who serve – will be first in the Kingdom of God.
3. Christ, the First Who Became Last: Jesus concludes with the striking words, “Many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” This is not merely a reversal of worldly fortunes; it reveals the very pattern of Christ’s own life. Jesus is the eternal Son of God, yet he humbled himself, taking the form of a servant and giving his life for the salvation of the world. The One who is first became last in the eyes of the world. He surrendered his divine riches, accepted poverty, embraced rejection, and went to Jerusalem to give himself upon the Cross. Yet through this humility, he was exalted in the Resurrection and now reigns in glory. The Christian life follows the same pattern. We do not seek to become “first” by accumulating wealth, power, or recognition, but by becoming like Christ in humble self-giving. The Kingdom belongs to those who recognize that everything they possess is a gift and who are willing to surrender themselves to God in love. The way of the Kingdom is therefore the way of Christ: from humility to exaltation, from self-gift to glory, and from the Cross to eternal life
 
Tuesday 20^th Ordinary Time 2023
Again, I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” 
According to one tradition, the “eye of the needle” referred to a gate in the wall of Jerusalem. During the day, there was a large gate that was open through which a camel could easily pass. But at night, the larger gate was closed and there was a smaller opening in the center of the gate that allowed people to pass through. A camel, however, could not pass through that smaller opening unless it got down on its knees, had its load removed from its back, and then crawled through. In referencing this story, Saint Anselm states that “the rich should not be able to pass along the narrow way that leads to life, till he had put off the burden of sin, and of riches, that is, by ceasing to love them” (Catena Aurea). So is it possible for a camel to enter through the “eye of the needle” and, therefore, a rich man to enter into Heaven? Yes. But only under the condition of being on their knees, humbling themselves, and ridding themselves of the “baggage” of their riches.
For those who are truly rich in the things of this world, this Gospel passage may be difficult to read and reflect upon. It was spoken in reference to the rich young man who asked Jesus how he can enter into eternal life. Jesus’ answer was “go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” At that, the rich young man went away sad because he was clearly attached to his wealth.
Jesus’ explanation above, however, should give hope to anyone who struggles with this high expectation. The disciples were truly troubled by what Jesus said, and that is why Jesus followed up by saying, “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” For God all things are possible! This statement of fact should be carefully pondered and believed by anyone who struggles with being overly attached to material riches. It should also be noted that one can be attached to riches even if they do not have riches. The desire for more is the attachment that needs to be cleansed, not the actual possession of riches. In fact, it is possible to have many possessions and not be attached to them at all. This is the beauty of poverty of spirit. But be careful not to presume that you have perfected this beatitude too quickly. Jesus’ statement above was said out of love for those who are overly attached to the things of this world. So if this is you, be merciful to yourself and pay close attention to Jesus’ words and your own interior struggle with this.
Reflect, today, upon this clear and unambiguous statement of Jesus. “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” Do you believe this? Can you accept this? Is Jesus speaking to you through this passage? Again, even if you are materially poor, is your desire for riches strong? If so, this passage equally applies to you. Allow this passage to sit within your heart in a prayerful way and try to be as honest as you can with yourself as you read it. Do not hesitate to choose the true riches of Heaven over the passing things of this world. In the end, the value of spiritual wealth infinitely outweighs anything you possess for your short time here on earth.
Lord of true riches, You desire that each of us be filled with spiritual wealth that is infinitely greater than anything we could obtain in this world. Please free me from my attachment to material wealth so that I can live free from that burden. Help me to see the value of the treasures of Your grace and mercy and to make this true wealth the single focus of my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Tuesday 20^th Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I want to inherit eternal life. I want to follow your Son in this new age that he has inaugurated. I know that all things are possible for you. Grant me a meek and humble heart so that I may serve your Kingdom and your people.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Entering the Kingdom of God: Today’s Gospel follows the story of the rich, young man, who went away sad because he was unwilling to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Jesus on the way to Jerusalem. Jesus uses the opportunity to teach his disciples about the path that leads to entry into the Kingdom of heaven. Earthly riches, Jesus teaches, make entry into the Kingdom difficult, but not impossible. Why is this so? Having abundant earthly wealth tends to make one less reliant upon God’s providential care, less prayerful, and more self-reliant. Jesus’ disciples were taken aback at this teaching because they tended to equate the blessing of earthly wealth with divine blessing. Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount and the New Covenant reverses this: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” The Old Covenant curse – poverty – is transformed into the path of New Covenant blessing.
2. Inheriting Eternal Life: In answering the disciples’ question about who will be saved, Jesus first begins by emphasizing the priority of God’s help. It is impossible for us to save ourselves. We do not have the power, on our own, to attain eternal salvation. But God is capable of empowering us to attain eternal life. This is what grace and the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity do. Jesus comforts his apostles and lets them know that those who have given up everything to follow him will sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. This is their role as apostles and overseers (bishops). They are to govern with the authority given to them by Christ. And then Jesus speaks about everyone else who gives up earthly things to follow him. They will inherit eternal life. Through Baptism, we become adopted children of God and thus heirs of eternal life. Divine life begins in us, grows, and reaches its glorious consummation. Those who are first in this world – those attached to their earthly wealth, power, and positions in society – will be last in the age to come. Those who are considered last in this world – the meek, the humble, the poor, those who serve – will be first in the age to come.
3. The Rise and Fall of Gideon: The Book of Judges narrates the stories of twelve judges of Israel, from the death of Joshua to the coronation of King Saul. Joshua did not appoint a leader of Israel before he died, and the conquest of the Promised Land remained unfinished. God raised up the judge Gideon to combat the Midianites. Gideon was hiding from the Midianites when the Lord called him. Gideon, like Moses before him, was hesitant to deliver the people of Israel. Like Moses, Gideon claimed to be too humble to accomplish the Lord’s work. “And yet, as with Moses, it is precisely the weak that God raises up – to show forth his glory. As with Moses, God gives Gideon signs as proof that he is with him. Fire consumes Gideon’s sacrifice, and the fleece left on the ground is dry, although the ground around it is wet with the morning dew. Gideon gathers an army to fight the Midianites, but the Lord repeatedly asks Gideon to reduce his numbers so that it will be clear that the victory is the Lord’s. Even so, after the stunning triumph over Midian, the men of Israel came to Gideon and asked him and his descendants to rule over them as king, ascribing the victory to Gideon, not God. Gideon wisely declines the royal position, but then gets greedy.” (Cavins and Gray, Walking with God, 136). He demanded gold, made for himself a priestly garment, and led the people of Israel into apostasy. Thus, the story of Gideon is a tragic one. Instead of leading the people to the Lord, he led them to play the harlot (Judges 8:27). When the Bible narrates Gideon’s death, it says that Israel went after the Amorite gods. Gideon’s greed and apostasy led the people to forget the Lord and how the Lord rescued them.
 
Tuesday 20^th Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I want to inherit eternal life. I want to follow your Son in this new age that he has inaugurated. I know that all things are possible for you. Grant me a meek and humble heart so that I may serve your Kingdom and your people.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Prideful King of Tyre: The Book of Ezekiel, which we have been reading for over a week, deals with Ezekiel’s ministry before and after the fall of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. The prophecies of Ezekiel 1-24 are prophecies of judgment directed primarily to Israel and concern Ezekiel’s ministry before the fall of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. Chapters 33-39 deal with Ezekiel’s ministry after the fall. Nestled between these two sections are eight chapters (25-32) of prophecies against Gentile nations like Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt. Today, in the First Reading, Ezekiel foretells the ruin of Tyre. The Tyrian King, Ithobaal III, grew prideful, going so far as to think that he was a god and that he had the wisdom of a god. He grew wealthy and this only increased his pride. Because of his pride, Ezekiel says that he will be brought down by strangers and foreigners. In fact, after laying siege to Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar II, the King of Babylon, attacked and laid siege to Tyre for 13 years, beginning in 586 or 585 B.C.
2. The Reversal of Fortunes:  In her Magnificat, Mary will sing about how God humbles the prideful and raises up the lowly: “He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away” (Luke 1:51-53). Jesus today remarks how hard it is for those who are rich to enter the kingdom of God. The King of Tyre grew in wealth and pride and forgot that he was dependent on God, his Creator and Lord. Instead of possessing divine wisdom, he fell into foolishness. He stored up treasure on earth and forgot to store up true treasure in heaven. 
3. The Example of the Apostles: Peter and the other Apostles, in contrast to the King of Tyre, have left everything to follow Jesus. They were given a share in Christ’s royal authority. Jesus assures them that their sacrifices will not go unrewarded. They will receive a hundredfold in this life and, what is more, the gift of eternal life. Jesus’ last saying can be interpreted in this light. The rich young man, who refused to sell his possessions and give to the poor and went away sad, seemed to be among the first in this world but was actually among the last. The Apostles, who were considered among the last in this world, and left everything behind, were actually first in the Kingdom of heaven. This is because the Kingdom of Heaven is a kingdom that belongs to the poor in spirit and not those attached to material wealth.
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba tuần 20 Thường niên
Trong đoạn Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu tiếp tục lên tiếng quở trách và chống lại những kinh sư và những người Pharisêu. Chúa Giêsu chỉ trích họ vì họ đã làm ngơ những sự quan tâm của họ tới nhưng trọng tâm quan trọng của luật pháp, cụ thể là sự công lý, lòng nhân từ và sự trung tín . Họ chỉ chú trọng tới việc tính thuế tôn giáo trên các loại rau thơm và gia vị, nghĩa là họ tìm cách bóc lột người dân nghèo từ mọi thứ. Cái chỉ trich và quở mắng thứ hai hôm nay là sự quan tâm trái ngược của các thầy thông giáo và người Pharisêu vì họ coi trọng việc làm sạch, vệ sinh các thứ trong các nghi lễ của họ như các chén được dùng trong các bữa ăn , nhưng lại coi thường sự tinh khiết trong tâm hồn và đạo đức thật sự của họ. Theo Chúa Giêsu, cái khoảng cách giữa hình thức, nghi thức bên ngoài của kinh sư và người Pharisêu và nội tâm thực hay sự đạo đức của họ thật là khác biệt qua xa.
Trong bài đọc thứ nhất, Thánh Phaolô nhận thức được rằng người dân thành Thessalonica là hãy cảnh giác những người giảng thuyết lang thang. Những người đã dân chúng không dám tin tưởng các nhà truyền giáo vì những người này có khuynh hướng nịnh hót, tham lam và tìm kiếm sự ca ngợi. Qua thư của ông, Thánh Phaolô đã muốn phân biệt chính mình và cái nhóm người giảng thuyết khác. Ông nhấn mạnh rằng lý do ông rao giảng Tin Mừng không phải vì quyền lợi cá nhân nhưng là để làm những gì Thiên Chúa giao phó cho ông. Khi làm như vậy, ông đã tìm cách để làm hài lòng Thiên Chúa, chứ không phải là đến để làm hài long khán giả của mình. Theo thánh Phaolô, khoảng cách giữa hình dáng bên ngoài và nội tâm của một số trong số các giảng sư lang thang đó thực tế là to lớn. Còn chúng ta thi Sao? Có một khoảng cách nào giữa sự đạo đức hình thức bên ngoài, của chúng ta và sự đạo đức thật sự trong nội tâm hay tâm hồn của chúng ta? Là Kitô hữu, chúng ta phải thực hành những gì mà chúng ta đã đón nhận và rao giảng cho người khác như chính bản thân của chúng ta mong đợi từ người khác? Xin Chúa giúp chúng ta biết trả lời những câu hỏi này một cách trung thực vì nếu khống, chúng ta cũng sẽ bị Chúa Giêsu quở trách như Chúa đã quở trách bọn người giả hình Pharisiêu "Khốn cho các ngươi”
Lạy Chúa, giúp tôi có một đệ tử đích thực.
 
Reflection
In today’s gospel passage, Jesus’ continues his woes against the scribes and Pharisees. Through the fourth woe, Jesus criticizes them for neglecting the more important concerns of the law, namely, justice, mercy and faithfulness and for being obsessed with calculating the religious taxes paid on vegetables and spices. The fifth woe contrasts the concern of the scribes and Pharisees with the ritual purity of the vessels used at meals against their moral purity. According to Jesus, among the scribes and Pharisees, the gap between external appearance and internal reality is wide.
In the first reading, Paul is aware that the people of Thessalonica are wary of wandering preachers. The people mistrusted these preachers who had a tendency towards flattery, greed and seeking praise. Through his letter, Paul wishes to distinguish himself from the preachers. He stresses that his reason for preaching is not for any personal gain but to do what God entrusted him. In doing so, he sought to please God, and not his audience. According to Paul, among the wandering preachers, the gap between external appearance and internal reality is wide. What about us? Is there a gap between our external appearance and our inner reality? As Christians, do we practice what we preach to others or we ourselves expect from others? Let us answer these questions honestly lest Jesus pronounces a ‘woe against us. Lord, help me be an authentic disciple.