Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thừ Năm Tuần 31 Thường Niên

 Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thừ Năm Tuần 31 Thường Niên. Luke 15:1-10.

Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Thánh Luca mô tả Thiên Chúa không phải là người ưa thích báo thù hay muốn trừng phạt con người, nhưng là một Thiên Chúa đầu yêu thương, Ngài hằng mong tìm kiếm những con người tội lỗi để đem họ về trong ơn cứu rỗi. Thiên Chúa đang tìm kiếm chúng ta, những con người tội lỗi, và yếu kém đức tin! Trong bài dụ ngôn hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đuợc mô tả như một người mục tử nhân từ đang tìm kiếm con chiên đi lạc trong sa mạc. Và khi tìm thấy được nó, anh ta không tức giận, la mắng hay trừng phạt nó vì cái tội đi lang thang để bị lạc bày, nhưng anh ta đã đặt nó trên vai và mang nó về nhà với niềm vui hớn hở. Tương tự như vậy, Thánh Luca tiếp tục miêu tả Thiên Chúa như người phụ nữ tìm đồng tiền bị mất của mình. Cô quét nhà, thắp đèn cho sáng, cô đã bỏ ra hằng giờ và cố công để tìm cho ra đồng bạc bị mất của mình. Mặc dù đồng bạc ấy có giá trị không bằng cái công đã bỏ ra đi tìm, và có thể cô còn tốn tiền nhiều hơn cái giá trị của đồng tiền trong việc ăn mừng với bạn bè làng xóm sau khi cô đã tìm thấy được đồng bạc ấy.

    Kitô giáo của chúng ta chú trọng về việc Thiên Chúa tìm kiếm chúng ta, con người tội lỗi hơn là việc chúng ta đi tìm kiếm Thiên Chúa: việc Thiên Chúa tha thứ, đón nhận, và mời gọi chúng ta đến với Bí Tích Thánh Thể. Kinh Thánh mời gọi chúng ta suy ngẫm về những gì chúng ta có thể đã vô tình đánh mất. Có lẽ chúng ta đã đánh mất một cái gì đó đọc đường trong cuộc sống vất vả, cam go, hay chúng ta bị thất lạc những gí đó trong một cuốc sống đầy bon chen vật chất, hoặc chúng ta đã vô tình hay cố ý bỏ lại sau lưng những gì đó vì cuộc sống đầy vội vã, và đua chạy với đồng tiền, danh vọng.. Chúng ta đã mất những gì? Chúng ta cỏn thiếu những gì cho cuộc sống của chúng ta? Thiên Chúa đang tìm kiếm chúng ta, đang chờ đợi chúng ta và sẵn sàng chào đón và đưa chúng ta về nhà Chúa. Hãy đến với với tâm hồn thống hối và ăn năn. Lạy Chúa, linh hồn chúng con đang mong chờ và đợi Chúa, xin cho chúng con biết vtin tưởng vào lời Chúa đã hứa.

Thursday 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time 

The gospel today portrays God, not as vengeful and punishing, but as a God who searches for sinners so he can save them. God is searching for us! In the first parable Jesus describes a shepherd searching for a lost sheep in the desert. When he finds it, he does not scold or punish it for wandering off and becoming lost, but puts it on his shoulders and brings it home with great joy.

    Likewise Luke portrays God as a woman searching for her lost coin. She sweeps the house, lights a lamp. She spends more time and energy searching for her coin than it is probably worth and probably spends more than its value in celebrating its finding with her friends.

    Christianity is more about God seeking us than it is about us seeking God: about God forgiving, welcoming, and inviting us to the Eucharist, sinners though we all are. The scriptures invite us to reflect upon what we may have unknowingly lost. What is missing? Perhaps something we dropped or have misplaced or accidentally left behind or maybe just gradually fell away unnoticed. Perhaps something was taken from us. What have we lost? What’s missing? God is looking for us, waiting to welcome us home. My soul is waiting for the Lord, I count on his word.

Thursday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time - Welcoming Sinners

    The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:1-2

    How do you treat the sinners you encounter? Do you shun them, talk about them, ridicule them, pity them, or ignore them? Hopefully not! How should you treat the sinner? Jesus allowed them to draw near to Him and He was attentive to them. In fact, He was so merciful and kind to the sinner that He was harshly criticized by the Pharisees and scribes. How about you? Are you willing to associate with the sinner to the point that you open yourself up to criticism?

    It’s quite easy to be harsh and critical toward those who “deserve it.” When we see someone clearly going astray, we can almost feel justified in pointing the finger and putting them down as if we were better than them or as if they were dirt. What an easy thing to do and what a mistake!

    If we want to be like Jesus we must have a very different attitude toward them. We must act differently toward them than how we may feel like acting. Sin is ugly and dirty. It’s easy to be critical toward one who is caught in a cycle of sin. Yet if we do so, we are no different than the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus’ time. And we will most likely receive the same harsh treatment right back from Jesus for our lack of mercy.

    It’s interesting that one of the only sins that Jesus consistently rebukes is that of judgmental-ness and criticalness. It’s almost as if this sin shuts the door on God’s mercy in our lives.

    Reflect, today, upon how you look at and treat those whose sins are somewhat manifest. Do you treat them with mercy? Or do you react with disdain and act with a judgmental heart? Recommit yourself to mercy and a complete lack of judgment. Judgment is Christ’s to give, not yours. You are called to mercy and compassion. If you can offer just that, you will be much more like our merciful Lord.

    Lord of mercy, help me when I feel like being harsh and judgmental. Help me to turn an eye of compassion toward the sinner, seeing the goodness You put in their souls before seeing their sinful actions. Help me to leave judgment to You and embrace mercy instead. Jesus, I trust in You.

Thursday 31st Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I love you very much. I want to spend this time with you, to hear what you have to tell me. I need your Gospel, and I need your message of mercy. Grant me your grace and hear my prayer.

Encountering Christ:

· Starting to Complain: The Pharisees and scribes began to complain about Jesus’ behavior: “He focuses way too much on sinners!” They felt that his emphasis on mercy was exaggerated. They thought that religion was about being good and pure; so why all the focus on the moral outcasts? God will always have a special love for sinners and those who suffer. And he’s always going to ask us to be his instruments of mercy for those people. That can be a difficult reality. Sometimes we can sometimes feel like being faithful to God’s will is too costly. When we recognize this sentiment in our hearts, face it honestly, and bring it to God he will bless and enlighten, restore and redeem us.

· Left in the Desert: Jesus left ninety-nine good sheep to go searching for one miserable wanderer. In my contemplation, Jesus seems to ask me, “Wouldn’t you go after the one sheep?” Well, I wouldn’t. I don’t think I would leave my friends alone and vulnerable to try to rescue an enemy. Rereading this passage, we learn that God searched for the lost sheep to show us how much he loves every single one of us individually. He also shows us how much we are supposed to love each other: “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” God is challenging us to stay close to the Shepherd so that we grow in mercy.

1. Called to Rejoice: God called upon the ninety-nine to rejoice. We are to rejoice and make merry over every repentant brother, every time someone accepts God’s mercy. How hard this can be for us if we have been wounded by that person in some way! Only by God’s grace can we extend mercy the way that Jesus does. When we pray for that gift, our stone hearts melt and we are led from unforgiveness and judgment to peace and authentic joy.

    Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I have experienced your mercy in my own life and, with a heart full of gratitude, I want to be able to extend your mercy to others. Reaching out this way can be difficult for me! Unite me to your merciful heart, so that I may become more merciful.

    Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will reflect on these two parables and ask myself, “What parable would you tell about me?” I’ll pray about it, and write it down.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thừ Tư Tuần 31 Thường Niên.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thừ Tư Tuần 31 Thường Niên. Luke 14:25-33

Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay Chúa Giêsu nêu rõ cho chúng ta thấy ba điều kiện để trở thành môn đệ của Ngài. Trước hết: mối quan tâm chính cho cuộc sống cho những ai muốn làm môn đệ của Chúa:

- Mối quan hệ với gia đình, người thân và thậm chí mối quan tâm đến chính cuộc sống riêng của chính mình được coi là thứ yếu. Chữ ghét ' ở đây được sử dụng như một cách so sánh của tiếng Do Thái để thể hiện sở thích.(“Thích” là thích nhiều còn “ghét” là thích nhưng ít hơn). Có nghĩa là mối quan hệ giữ chúng ta và gia đình đứng thứ hai sau mối quan hệ với Chúa Giêsu. Điều này là một sự cam kết tuyệt đối đến Nước Trời, ngay cả khi chúng ta phải liều mạng chịu chết trong cuộc tử đạo bởi mà không cói suy tính được thua thiệt cho chính bản than mình.

- Thứ hai, (V 27) là vác thập giá của chúng ta mà theo Chúa Giêsu . Cây thập giá "là một biểu tượng của sự cùng cực, nhục nhã, tự hy sinh mà những người theo Chúa Giê-su đặt kỳ vọng và chấp nhận số phận giống như Chúa Giêsu Kitô.

- Thứ ba ( v33 ) là sự từ bỏ triệt để tất cả của cải vật chất của chúng ta. Một môn đệ của Đức Kitô cần đánh giá tất cả các nguồn lực tài nguyên của mình trước khi theo Chúa Giêsu . Tuy nhiên, các nguồn lực vật chất thế gian, thì không thể nào là các nguồn lực thực sự cho các môn đệ của Chúa Giêsu, do đó phải từ bỏ .

    Như vậy, để theo Chúa Giêsu chúng ta đòi hỏi phải làm một quyết định dứt khoát và đớn đau. Có nghĩa là chúng ta phải loại bỏ tất cả những chướng ngại vật chất, cũng như tinh thần để làm môn đệ đích thực của Chúa. Theo Chúa Giêsu là một sự lựa chọn và phải được thực hiện với những suy nghĩ chính chắn, trưởng thành vi quyết định này sẽ có ảnh hưởng đến cả cuộc sống của chúng ta. Trên hết tất cả, vai trò môn đệ liên quan đến hành động trong tình yêu chân thành, và tuyệt hảo của Chúa Kitô và những người khác. Điều này thực sự đã được xác định trong bài đọc thứ nhất hôm nay: Trong tất cả mọi thứ, tình yêu phải là điều kiện duy nhất . Lạy Chúa, xin giúp chúng con biết yêu thương giống như Chúa và làm tất cả mọi thứ chỉ vì tình yêu vẹn toàn của Chúa.

Wed 6th Nov 2013 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Rom. 13:8-10; Lk. 14:25-33

Today’s Gospel reading spells out clearly the three conditions for discipleship.

    The first (v26) is to make discipleship the key concern in life. Relationship with family, relatives and even concern for one’s own life are to be considered as secondary. The word ‘hate’ here is used in a Semitic way for expressing preferences. It means to make family relationship secondary to following Jesus. This is an absolute commitment to the kingdom — even to risk one’s life in martyrdom for there is no compromise.

    The second (v27) is to bear one’s own cross and come after Jesus. The ‘cross’ is a symbol of the extreme humiliating self-sacrifice that is expected of Jesus’ followers and to accept the same fate as Jesus.

    The third (v33) is the radical renunciation of all one’s possessions. A disciple of Christ should assess all his resources before following Jesus. However, the material resources are in no way the real resources for discipleship, thus to be renounced. As such, to follow Jesus entails painful decisions. All obstacles to discipleship ought to be removed. To follow Jesus is a choice and it has to be made with mature deliberation and should affect our entire lives. Above all, discipleship involves a perfect act of love for Christ and others. This is so truly affirmed in the first reading that in all things, love must be the only condition. Lord, help us to love like You and to do all things out of pure love of You.

Wednesday 31st Ordinary

Opening Prayer: O God, you are God and Father of us all. You welcome my poor attempt to pray. Strengthen my weak heart and fill me with your grace.

Encountering Christ:

· Thin the Ranks: Jesus’ bold challenge to his disciples is shocking. It’s as if he wished to thin the ranks of his followers! In Judges 7, we read of Israel’s leader Gideon, who, with a host of some thirty-two thousand soldiers, opposed Midian and Amalek. Surprisingly, “The Lord said to Gideon: ‘You have too many soldiers with you for me to deliver Midian into their power, lest Israel vaunt itself against me and say, “My own power saved me.”’” God permitted nearly the entire army to disband, and with only three hundred men won a great victory. This is a mysterious lesson about the power of God. The only Son of God died for all men; the one Catholic Church is the sacrament of salvation among all mankind; and one disciple who carries his cross sanctifies the whole mystical body of Christ.

· Make a Choice: Jesus exhorts us to realism. Don’t start a tower you can’t finish. Don’t fight a battle you can’t win. Be strategic; make the tough choices. In other words, let’s make the love of Christ our number one priority. We look into the eyes of Jesus and know he means it: “If you want to follow me, then follow me with everything, wholeheartedly, or not at all.” In Joshua 24, we read how Joshua exhorted the Israelites: “Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve him completely and sincerely. Cast out the gods your ancestors served…if it is displeasing to you to serve the Lord, choose today whom you will serve… As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

· True Renunciation: What does renunciation really mean? It cannot mean to throw away all we own, or simply do without it. Renunciation means recognizing that everything we have—including relationships with loved ones—comes from the Lord and therefore should be entrusted to him. In 2 Samuel 7, the Lord recalled his countless gifts to the king. “I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to become ruler over my people Israel. I was with you wherever you went, and I cut down all your enemies before you. And I will make your name like that of the greatest on earth…” David possessed very much—health, riches, wisdom, strength. But what did David do? He “renounced” these possessions by accepting them humbly and praising God’s name. He did not try to stop God’s largesse. “Do, then, bless the house of your servant, that it may be in your presence forever—since you, Lord God, have promised!” May we joyfully welcome and embrace the gifts of God in our lives, never forgetting from where they come.

    Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, your words are difficult. Sometimes I must literally renounce possessions or relationships because I follow you, while at other times I must simply entrust them to you, again and again. Help me to discern the difference, and never allow anything to be an obstacle to my discipleship.

    Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will make an examination of conscience, asking for the light to discover anything which distracts me from following you.

Wednesday 31st Ordinary

Opening Prayer: Dear Lord, I thank you for the opportunity to spend time in prayer with you. I need your grace to sustain and strengthen my love for you and for my neighbor. Help me to appreciate more deeply the gift of being your disciple.

Encountering Christ:

1. "Great Crowds Were Traveling with Jesus": It is easy to draw a crowd of curious onlookers. People like to be entertained, catch the latest news, and follow the latest trend. The crowd itself attracts more onlookers: "What’s going on that’s so exciting?" Jesus could clearly draw a crowd. He spoke as no one else had ever spoken. His miracles were fascinating with dramatic cures, exorcisms, and the multiplication of loaves, to name only a few. It was enough to be in his presence to feel close to God. While the people’s interest was for the most part sincere, the excitement of it all ran the risk of people superficially following Jesus as long as the fun remained. We can all be tempted to seek the consolation of God more than the God of consolation. Curiosity is a natural start, but it must develop and grow into a relationship, discipleship, and love.

2. "Whoever Does Not Carry His Own Cross": Jesus has a simple formula for maturing his followers; it is the cross. "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." However, the question may legitimately arise, "Why is the cross a condition of following Jesus?" Jesus provides an answer in this passage. When he speaks of "hating father and mother" and even one’s "own life," Jesus is indicating that the price of discipleship is to love him above all other things— even good and holy things like mother and father. Only God may have the first place in our lives: "...seek his kingdom, and these other things will be given you besides" (Luke 12:31). Whenever we choose something, we necessarily leave other options behind, and that entails sacrifice. For example, when you pick a job, you leave the other jobs aside. Christ is saying that all of our decisions must be subordinate to love of him and his will. "Will this decision transgress one of the Ten Commandments?" "Is this decision in accord with my vocation or state in life?" "Is this decision God’s will for me at this moment?" That is where we must prayerfully discern what God wants for us. This is not meant to create a scrupulous fear of "making the wrong decision," but rather seeking to please God in all we do in the light of faith.

3. Able to Finish: Now it is easy to be enthusiastic and even sacrificial for a day. Love proves itself and matures over time. Perseverance is essential to love. Wedding vows beautifully reflect this determination to love for a lifetime: "to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part." Following Jesus requires calculating the cost of enduring to the end. There is something deeply inspiring about the soul that perseveres in love. We admire the aged couple that still holds hands. We respect the elderly priest or nun who still prays with fervor. Their example gives us the hope of seeing our own journey to the end. God’s grace and the sacrifices that fidelity entail are the means by which we persevere in love.

    Conversing with Christ: Dear Lord Jesus, I cannot know what the future holds. To say "yes" to you for a lifetime can be frightening. Do I have what it takes? Help me to understand that your love and grace will sustain me when I am weak. Help me to renew frequently my love for you in the smallest of tasks. Let me keep my eyes focused on you and not on the sacrifices. You have been so good to me. I desire to follow you until you call me to be with you in heaven.

    Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will prayerfully reflect before making any significant decision today: "Lord, what would you have me do?"

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Lễ Các Linh Hồn Ngày 2 tháng 11

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Lễ Các Linh Hồn Ngày 2 tháng 11

Chắc chắn ai trong chúng ta cũng có một người thân trong gia đình đã được Chúa “cất” đi. Và lúc đó là một trong những lúc đau đớn và khó khăn nhất của chúng ta. Tuy nhiên, vào ngay ngày hôm đó, người thân yêu của chúng ta đã được tỉnh thức ở phía bên kia của sự chết. Họ tỉnh dậy trong ngày vui mừng hoan hỉ. Người thân yêu của chúng ta đã vui mừng trong sự hân hoan vui sướng, mà tiên tri Isaiah đã hát lên trong bài đọc I: Thiên Chúa đã dỡ bỏ tất cả những tấm màn sô, hay nhữngn khăn tang trong khắp các nước, tất cả các dân tộc; Ngài đã hủy diệt sự chết và lau đi những giọt nước mắt. Ngài là Thiên Chúa, Đấng mà tình yêu tìm cách để cứu chúng ta.

    Cuộc sống của những người mà chúng ta yêu thương đã không kết thúc và mạng sống đó đã không mất đi trong sự chết của họ nhưng họ đã được thay đổi trong sự sống của Thiên Chúa. Chúng ta đã không thực sự mất đi những người chúng ta yêu thương vì họ đã đến với sự chết, nhưng chúng ta đã đặt họ trong sự yêu thương, trong lòng thương xót của Chúa, nơi đó, họ sẽ nghỉ ngơi trong niềm vui cho đến khi chúng ta cũng sẽ chết đi ngay trong thế giới này được đánh thức trong niềm vui cùng với họ. Đối với chúng ta cũng thế, cuộc sống này sẽ không bao giờ kết thúc, nhưng đó chỉ là một sự thay đổi.

    Khi chúng ta suy niệm về bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta hãy tự hỏi: Đã có bao giờ chúng ta đã cảm thấy chán nản, buồn bã và cô đơn chúng ta đã mất đi một người thân? Hay chúng ta đã tìm thấy sự an ủi, sự bình thản hơn trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay? Qua bài Tin Mừng này, Xn Chúa giúp chúng ta biết yêu thương và tin tưởng nơi Chúa Giêsu là Chúa của chúng ta nhiều hơn.

REFLECTION

The day a loved one dies is among the most difficult and painful times we will ever experience. On that day, however, the loved one awakens on the other side of death. He awakens to a day of exultant joy. The loved one celebrates the joy of which Isaiah sings in the first reading: God has lifted all mourning veils from all peoples; he has destroyed death and wiped away all tears. He is the God whose love seeks to save us.

    Life has not ended for those whom we have loved and have lost to death; their lives have changed. We have not really lost these people we love to death. We have placed them in the loving, merciful hands of God where they will rest in joy until we too die to death in this world only to awaken to the same joy that sustains them. For us too, life will not end, it will be changed.

    After reflecting on today's Gospel, let us ask ourselves: have we ever lost a loved one that made us feel depressed, sad and lonely, but found comfort in today's Gospel? Did the Gospel help us love and trust Jesus' more?

All Souls Day, November 2

Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, you invite me to discover my identity as beloved, protected, and called to eternal life by the Father. Help me to live according to that call.

Encountering Christ:

Given by the Father: Today, we pray for those who still await eternal glory in perfect unity with the Holy Trinity. In this Gospel, Jesus shares with his listeners the Father’s ultimate desire for each and every one of us. Jesus speaks these words in the synagogue at Capernaum to a multitude of people. He had performed a great miracle of the multiplication of the loaves the day before, attracting more attention. He set off for Capernaum by boat and the people followed in search of him. There Jesus offered the famous Bread of Life discourse, challenging his listeners to believe that he is the Bread of Life given by the Father. But Jesus also told them that they too were given to him by the Father. Thus, those whom the Father has given to Jesus also receive Jesus so that he may give them life through the Eucharist.

    The Will of the Father: Jesus revealed the heart of the Father. He desires that not one of those given by the Father be lost. The heart of the Father is magnanimous. His love is bountiful. He not only sends his Son to gather together a people to call his own, but also provides them with manna from Heaven. Thirteen hundred years before Jesus was incarnate, the Father called and sent Moses to his people caught in literal slavery and in danger of eternal slavery because of idol worship in their culture. He led them out of slavery into the desert, providing them with their daily bread, the manna that came down from Heaven. Today, Jesus, who is one with the Father, offers his own Body and Blood to become the manna from Heaven for those the Father wills to gather together in Christ’s mystical body, the Church. He gave his life so that not one of us would be lost. And he continues to give us his life through his Body and Blood so that we might not be lost as sojourners towards our heavenly home.

    Look to the Son: During the long trek through the desert, the chosen people faced many trials. The greatest trial was trust in God’s providence. Numbers 21 recounts the story of their complaint. They had no bread or water, and they complained that they would die. According to the account, the Lord sent venomous snakes; many were bitten and died. The people cried out to God in repentance, and Moses interceded for them. The Lord commanded a bronze snake to be placed on a pole for the people to look at and be cured. They looked to the very thing that bit them to find their cure. So it is with Jesus, raised upon the cross. The Father will raise up to eternal life all those who look upon the Son, the Son who took upon himself the sins of the world. He “becomes sin” so we may receive the everlasting cure in salvation. Let us not take our eyes off of Jesus, for this is the gift and the will of the Father.

    Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, grant me trust and faith in the goodness of the Father. I praise and thank you for taking on the sins of the world so that we might have eternal life. Grant that I may be a messenger of this Good News so that others will fix their gaze on you.

    Resolution: Lord, today I will examine the underlying motives of my actions to see if I am motivated by fear of eternal damnation or gratitude for the gift of salvation, and to see if I operate from a paradigm of secular values or from a Christian worldview. By your grace I will trust in providence to provide for the one most important goal in life—union with you in eternity.

All Souls Day), November 2 - The Holy Souls in Purgatory

    Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day), November 2

As we celebrate the Commemoration of All Souls, let’s reflect upon our Church teaching on Purgatory. The following excerpt is from Chapter 8 of My Catholic Faith!:

    The Church Suffering: Purgatory is an often misunderstood doctrine of our Church. What is Purgatory? Is it the place we have to go to be punished for our sins? Is it God’s way of getting us back for the wrong we’ve done? Is it the result of God’s anger? None of these questions really answer the question of Purgatory. Purgatory is nothing other than the burning and purifying love of our God in our lives!

    When someone dies in God’s grace they are most likely not 100% converted and perfect in every way. Even the greatest of saints most often would have some imperfection left in their lives. Purgatory is nothing other than that final purification of all remaining attachment to sin in our lives. By analogy, imagine that you had a cup of 100% pure water, pure H2O. This cup will represent Heaven. Now imagine that you want to add to that cup of water but all you have is water that is 99% pure. This will represent the holy person who dies with just some slight attachments to sin. If you add that water to your cup then the cup will now have at least some impurities in the water as it mixes together. The problem is that Heaven (the original cup of 100% H2O) cannot contain any impurities. Heaven, in this case, cannot have even the slightest attachment to sin in it. Therefore, if this new water (the 99% pure water) is to be added to the cup it must first be purified even of that last 1% of impurities (attachments to sin). This is ideally done while we are on Earth. This is the process of getting holy. But if we die with any attachment, then we simply say that the process of entering into the final and full vision of God in Heaven will purify us of any remaining attachment to sin. All may already be forgiven, but we may not have detached from those things forgiven. Purgatory is the process, after death, of burning out the last of our attachments so that we can enter Heaven 100% freed of everything to do with sin. If, for example, we still have a bad habit of being rude, or sarcastic, even those tendencies and habits must be purged.

    How does this happen? We do not know. We only know it does. But we also know it’s the result of God’s infinite love that frees us of these attachments. Is it painful? Most likely. But it’s painful in the sense that letting go of any disordered attachment is painful. It’s hard to break a bad habit. It’s even painful in the process. But the end result of true freedom is worth any pain we may have experienced. So, yes, Purgatory is painful. But it’s a sort of sweet pain that we need and it produces the end result of a person 100% in union with God.

    Now since we are talking about the Communion of Saints, we also want to make sure to understand that those going through this final purification are still in communion with God, with those members of the Church on Earth, and with those in Heaven. For example, we are called to pray for those in Purgatory. Our prayers are effective. God uses those prayers, which are acts of our love, as instruments of His grace of purification. He allows us and invites us to participate in their final purification by our prayers and sacrifices. This forges a bond of union with them. And no doubt the saints in Heaven especially offer prayers for those in this final purification as they await full communion with them in Heaven. It’s a glorious thought and a joy to see how God has orchestrated this entire process for the ultimate purpose of the holy communion to which we are called!

    Lord, I pray for those souls going through their final purification in Purgatory. Please pour forth Your mercy upon them so that they may be freed of all attachment to sin and, thus, be prepared to see You face to face. Jesus, I trust in You.

Suy Niệm bài đọc thứ Ba Tuần 31 TN

 Suy Niệm bài đọc thứ Ba Tuần 31 TN

Chúng ta có thể tưởng tượng nếu một thế giới mà tất cả mọi người đều giống hệt nhau? Đó là việc không thể nào có được và nếu mà có như thế thì thế giới này sẽ rất nhàm chán! Thiên Chúa thông biết mọi sư, Ngài đã tạo dựng nên mỗi người chúng ta đều rất khác nhau, khác nhau về cái nhìn bề ngoài, khác nhau về cá tính bên trong, như sức mạnh, sự suy nghĩ,..v.v..theo ý riêng của Ngài. Vì thế. chúng ta cần phải tôn trọng những quy tắc và không nên bắt buộcngười khác phải có quan niệm và hành vi, cũng như ý tưởng giống mình. Nhưng trên phương diện mức độ sâu, mỗi chúng người chúng ta đểu hợp nhất, đặc biệt là trong một cộng đồng Kitô hữu dựa trên tâm linh, Vì tất cả chúng ta được tạo dựng theo hình ảnh của Thiên Chúa và giống Thiên Chúa, và Thiên Chúa là tình yêu. Thánh Phaolô khẳng định rằng cái dấu hiệu của những người thực sự sống trong cùng một thân thể với Chúa Kitô là sống một cuộc sống của tình yêu, của sự khiêm tốn, sự rộng lượng, nhân từ, tử tế, và kính trọng người khác. Trong một thế giới đang bị giằng xé bởi những chia rẽ, thù hận và bạo lực như vậy, chúng ta có thể đóng góp tích cực thực tế bằng cách giải quyết duy nhất là thực hiện những phẩm chất này trong cuộc sống của chúng ta. Chúng ta không thích bị ai coi thường, và Thiên Chúa cũng thế. Đôi khi những người “quá đạo đức” có thể đã quá bất cẩn và lười biếng, thờ ờ trong mối quan hệ của họ với Thiên Chúa. Trong bài dụ ngôn hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu cho chúng ta hình ảnh một vị vua có quyền thế đã gửi thơ mời những vị khách quý đến dự một tiệc lớn, nhưng mọi người đều có lý do và không ai tới được. "Tôi quá bận rộn“ không phải là một lựa chọn. Như câu chuyện dụ ngộn khẳng định, không ai nắm giữ Thiên Chúa và Thiên Chúa sẽ gia hạn và mở rộng lời mời của Ngài ttới cho tất cả những ai mong muốn và sẵn sàng đáp ứng với lời mời gọi của Ngài. Mỗi ngày Thiên Chúa mời gọi chúng ta đến tham dự bữa tiệc thánh với Ngài qua mỗi Thánh lễ. Chúng ta hãy cố gắng để đừng bao giờ quá bận rộn.

    Lạy Chúa, Xin cho chúng con biết luôn luôn sẵn sàng chuẩn bị để đến với bàn tiệc của Chúa và biết sống trong ơn gọi của Chúa

Reflection 31st Tuesday in Ordinary Time; Lk. 14:15-24

Can you imagine a world in which everyone was exactly the same? It’s impossible — and it would be very boring! Everyone is so different in their personalities, gifts, strengths, and weaknesses — and that is the way God intended it. We should respect that and not try to make others conform to our own ideas. But on a deeper level we are united, especially in a spiritually based Christian community. We are all created in the image and likeness of God — and God is love. Paul insists that the mark of those who are truly living in the body of Christ is a life of love, humility, generosity, kindness, and respect for others. In a world so torn by divisions and violence we can make a real positive contribution by resolving to show these qualities in our own life.

We don’t like to be taken for granted and neither does the Lord. Sometimes religious folks can be quite careless and lazy about the quality of their relationship with God. In the story, the king sends invitations to a lavish banquet but everyone has excuses not to come. ‘I’m too busy’ is not an option. As the story insists, no one owns God and God will extend an invitation to anyone who is eager and willing to respond. Each day God invites us to a banquet; let us never be too busy. Lord, may I always be open to Your call. 

Reflection 31st Tuesday in Ordinary Time 

Opening Prayer: Dear Lord, I thank you for the gift of faith. Please help me to deepen my faith so that I may discover you in all things. Let this time of prayer make me ever more attentive to your voice and to your will in my life. May I grow in awareness of your goodness towards me so that my confidence in you may also grow.

Encountering Christ:

1. Man Gave a Great Dinner: “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). We cannot begin to appreciate truly the incredible gift God is offering us with heaven. It is an invitation to communion with the Blessed Trinity. We will contemplate the face of God in union with all the angels and saints. This will be the ultimate fulfillment of all our “deepest human longings” (see Catechism #1023-1024). Scripture struggles to find words to describe sufficiently the joy associated with heaven: “a great dinner,” “a wedding feast,” “a feast.” Such worldly joys, good though they are, are but a shadow of the joy awaiting us in heaven. As Catholics, we should cultivate our longing for heaven by frequently meditating on our vocation to be with God eternally.

2. He Invited Many: The man giving the banquet does the inviting. You may not simply “crash” such a party; you must be invited. Alone and through our own effort, we may neither enter into nor merit heaven. It is a gratuitous gift (see Catechism #1727). God sought us out before we were aware of heaven, or even when we resisted: “But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God’s invitation may take various forms, such as the sacraments, Scripture, the example of holy people, a conversation, an answered prayer, and even a crisis. God is constantly renewing his invitation to each person in the very depths of our heart. Even when rebuffed, God continues to search for souls who will accept his gift.

3. They Began to Excuse Themselves: Sadly, we often find ourselves too busy to bother with God’s invitation to communion with him: “But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves.” They had good things to do, but good things can often get in the way of the best options. We might be too busy with work, projects, or even family to find time for God. Our Lord calls these “excuses,” because there should be no real conflict between our duties and God. Lived well, all our responsibilities should lead us to God, not away from him. The key is to put God above all things. We are called to put him first in setting aside some time daily for prayer, to put God first in living out our responsibilities to work, family, and community. We put God first when we remember to rely upon his grace in our lives. By doing so, we live in communion with God in this life and, with his grace, we will live with him for all eternity.

Conversing with Christ: Dear Lord Jesus, I thank you for the countless times you have invited me to an ever-growing communion with you: when you created me, called me into your Church, and invited me to live my particular vocation in life. You continue to ask me to walk with you in the smallest of details in my life—in work, in chores, in prayer, in encountering others, and in rest. Help me to live all my experiences as an offering with Christ for the salvation of souls and the glory of God the Father in the Holy Spirit.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I plan to pause briefly once or twice to make a small prayer of self-offering to you.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Ba Tuần 31 TN (Lc 14:15-24)

"Tôi quá bận rộn“ không phải là một lựa chọn

Chúng ta không thích bị ai coi thường, và Thiên Chúa cũng thế. Đôi khi những người “quá đạo đức” có thể đã quá bất cẩn hay lười biếng, thờ ờ với mối quan hệ của họ với Thiên Chúa. Trong bài dụ ngôn hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu cho chúng ta thấy hình ảnh của một vị vua có quyền thế đã gửi thơ mời những vị khách quý đến dự một tiệc lớn xa hoa, nhưng mọi người đều có lý do và không ai tới được. .

    Nếu một lãnh chúa lớn hay một vị vua mời bạn bè của mình đến dự tiệc, tại sao các khách quý lại từ chối lời mời của ông? Thông thường chủ tiêc mỗi khi đãi một bữa tiệc, họ sẽ tốn nhiều tiền để sắm tiệc và cũng mất rất nhiều ngày giờ để chuẩn bị. Và thư mời cũng phải được gửi ra trước cho các khách được mời, do đó, họ sẽ có nhiều thời gian để chuẩn bị cho sự kiện sắp tới.Thật là một sự phỉ bang, kinh thường đã xúc phạm đến người chủ tiệc khi các vị khách được mời đến dự tiệc, nhưng sau cùng lại từ chối nay khi thời gian tiệc mừng đã đến! Họ (các vị khách được mời) đã coi nhẹ lời mời của nhà vua, hay chủ tiệc, vì họ đặt quyền lợi của họ trên hết.

    Chúa Giêsu cho chúng ta thấy những lý do tại sao mọi người đã tự bào chữa cho sự từ chối lời mời đến tham dự nơi bàn tiệc của Ngài.

    Lý do đầu tiên: Người có kinh doanh riêng: viện lý vì kinh doanh riêng và công công việc làm nên không thế đến dự tiệc được. Những người này đã đặt quyền ưu tiên của họ hơn là những ưu tiên, những yêu cầu của Thiên Chúa. Thói thường, chúng ta đã cho phép bất cứ công việc nào hay bất cứ nỗ lực trong cuộc sống thu hút chúng ta quá nhiều đến mức làm chúng ta không còn nghĩ đến Thiên Chúa?

    Lý do thứ hai là chúng ta đã cho phép tài sản vật chất của chúng ta đến trước Thiên Chúa. Chúng ta đã cho phép các phương tiện truyền thông và phương tiện giải trí khác chiếm hết thời giờ của chúng ta dành cho Thiên Chúa trong những lời cầu nguyện và việc thờ phượng Chúa hàng ngày.

    Lý do thứ ba là chúng ta đã đặt nhà cửa và gia đình trước Thiên Chúa. Thiên Chúa không bao giờ có ý để cho gia đình và những mối quan hệ gia đình của chúng ta được quan tâm một cách ích kỷ. Cách tốt nhất để phục vụ Thiên Chúa là chúng ta hãy mời Thiên Chúa vào hiện diện trong công việc của chúng ta, trong ngôi nhà của chúng ta, và trong cuộc sống cá nhân của chúng ta và trong những lúc chúng ta chia sẻ vật chất của chúng ta với những người khác.

    Như câu chuyện dụ ngôn, Chúa Giêsu khẳng định rằng, không ai nắm giữ Thiên Chúa cả và Thiên Chúa sẽ gia hạn và gởi lời mời rộng rãi đến tất cả những ai mong muốn và sẵn sàng đáp ứng lời mời gọi của Ngài. Mỗi ngày Thiên Chúa mời gọi mỗi người chúng ta đến cùng tham dự bữa tiệc với Ngài trong Thánh Lễ để chúng ta có thể cùng được chia sẻ trong niềm vui với Ngài. Lạy Chúa, xin Chúa đừng bao giờ để chúng con quá bận rộn.

Meditation:

What does it mean to "eat bread in the kingdom of heaven"? In the ancient world the most notable sign of favor and intimate friendship was the invitation to "share bread" at the dinner table. Who you ate with showed who you valued and trusted as your friends. A great banquet would involve a lavish meal of several courses and a large company of notable guests and friends. One of the most beautiful images of heaven in the scriptures is the royal wedding celebration and banquet given by the King for his son and friends. We, in fact, have been invited to the most important banquet of all! The last book in the Bible ends with an invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb and his Bride, the church: The Spirit and the Bride say, Come! (Revelations 22:17). The 'Lamb of God' is the Lord Jesus Christ and his bride is the people he has redeemed by his own precious blood which was shed upon the cross for our salvation.

    Jesus' "banquet parable" must have startled his audience. If a great lord or king invited his friends to a banquet, why would the guests turn down his invitation? A great banquet would take many days to prepare. And personal invitations would be sent out well in advance to the guests, so they would have plenty of time to prepare for the upcoming event. How insulting for the invited guests to then refuse when the time for celebrating came! They made light of the King's request because they put their own interests above his.

    Jesus probes the reasons why people make excuses to God's great invitation to "eat bread" with him at his banquet table. The first excuse allows the claims of one's personal business or work to take precedence over God's claim. Do you allow any task or endeavor to absorb you so much that it keeps you from the thought of God? The second excuse allows our possessions to come before God. Do you allow the media and other diversions to crowd out time for God in daily prayer and worship? The third excuse puts home and family ahead of God. God never meant for our home and relationships to be used selfishly. We serve God best when we invite him into our work, our homes, and our personal lives and when we share our possessions with others.

    The second part of the story focuses on those who had no claim on the king and who would never have considered getting such an invitation. The "poor, maimed, blind, and lame" represent the outcasts of society – those who can make no claim on the King. There is even ample room at the feast of God for outsiders from the highways and hedges – the Gentiles who were not members of the chosen people, the Jews. This is certainly an invitation of grace –undeserved, unmerited favor and kindness! But this invitation also contains a warning for those who refuse it or who approach the wedding feast unworthily. Grace is a free gift, but it is also an awesome responsibility.

    Dieterich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor who died for his faith by opposing the false Nazism, contrasted cheap grace and costly grace: "Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves... the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance... grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, and grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate... Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life."

    God invites each of us to his banquet that we may share in his joy. Are you ready to feast at the Lord's banquet table?

    "Lord Jesus, you withhold no good thing from us and you lavish us with the treasures of heaven. Help me to seek your kingdom first and to lay aside anything that might hinder me from doing your will."

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng -Lễ Kính Các Thánh 1/11

 Suy Niệm Tin Mừng -Lễ Kính Các Thánh 1/11

Trong Tin Mừng Chúa Giêsu hôm nay cho chúng ta thấy rằng cuộc sống của Ngài là một cuộc sống trong Tám Mối Phúc Thật, và chúng ta cũng nên cập nhật cuộc sống chúng ta theo tinh thần của Tám Mối Phúc Thật. Trong các mối phúc thật, chúng ta có thể làm thành một bảng tóm tắt là “làm thế nào”, trong những giai đoạn khác nhau trong  cuộc sống của chúng ta, trong những tình huống và những sự thử thách khác nhau, và cách mà chúng ta phải cư xử theo nghĩa vụ riêng của mình.  Chúng ta được mời gọi để chấp nhận cuộc sống theo gương của Chúa Giêsu như chính Ngài đang sống ở giữa chúng ta.  Đó việc góp phần vào việc xây dựng nền móng cho của Nước Thiên Chúa mà Chúa Giêsu không ngừng mời gọi chúng ta.  

            Trong quá trình này, có rất nhiều sự khó khăn nhắc nhở chúng ta về sự cần thiết để thánh hoá và thanh lọc qua sự đầu hàng Thiên Chúa với tất cả những gì chúng ta đang có. Sự cam kết này phải được đánh dấu với niềm hy vọng như thư của thánh Gioan đã nói với chúng ta: “Tất cả những người có niềm hy vọng này dựa vào Ngài làm cho mình thanh tịnh, vì Ngài là đấng thật là tinh khiết"

            Chúng ta cũng được mời gọi để kiểm tra liên tục lại cuộc sống của chúng ta một cách thường xuyên mỗi ngày để chúng ta có thể khám phá ra những lĩnh vực trong của cuộc sống đang làm cản trở việc xây dựng Vương quốc của Thiên Chúa. Để đạt được điều này, Chúa Giêsu đến để mời gọi chúng ta tìm kiếm những hình ảnh của Thiên Chúa trong mọi sự, ngay cả trong những sự bất công hay bắt bớ. Trong khi chúng ta phải đối mặt với những tình huống này, chúng ta được chứng kiến lòng thương xót của Thiên Chúa một cách nhân lành.

Xin Chúa, ban cho chúng con có được những ân sủng của Chúa để làm chứng cho tình yêu và lòng thương xót của Chúa trong tất cả những kinh nghiệm trong cuộc sống hàng ngày của chúng con. Trong những khi chúng con phải đối diện với những trường hợp thử thách, xin giúp chúng con can đảm để chứng kiến lòng thương xót của Thiên Chúa đối với chúng con.

 

Reflection

In today’s Gospel Jesus reveals to us that his life is a life of the Beatitudes and that we should also fashion our lives in the spirit of the Beatitudes. In the Beatitudes, we find a summary of how, in our different stages of life, in the different situations and challenges, we are supposed to behave. The behavior we are invited to adopt mirrors Jesus' life amongst us. It also contributes to the building of the foundations for the Kingdom of God to which Jesus constantly invites us. In this process, the many difficulties remind us of the need for purification through a total surrender to God. This commitment should be marked with hope as the first letter of John tells us: “everyone who has this hope based on Him makes himself pure, as He is pure.”

            We are also called to examine our lives constantly on a daily basis so as to discover those areas of our lives that hinder the building of the Kingdom of God. In order to achieve this, we are invited to seek the face of God in all things even in injustices or persecutions. As we face these situations, we are to witness meekly to the mercy of God.  Grant us, Lord, the grace to witness to Your love and mercy in all our daily life experiences

 

Solemnity of All Saints, November 1

Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, open my ears to hear your invitation to have a heart like yours.

Encountering Christ:

1.      The Mountainside: Many great biblical epiphanies have occurred upon a mountain. In this passage, we have Jesus sitting down on the mountainside to teach his disciples and reveal what characterizes his heart and those who set out to follow him. The beatitudes have often been called a sort of snapshot of Christ himself. He not only resembles these aspects in their fullest sense, but possesses their reward. He lives and possesses the fullness of the beatitudes, offering us hope of attaining the same. 

2.      Blessed Revelation: The Eight Beatitudes are a type of revelation that allows us a glimpse into the characters of Christ and those whom he calls disciples. Poor in spirit, they desire only what glorifies the Father. Mournful over true injustices, they do not shrink from solidarity in the suffering of others, even suffering for others' sins. In them meekness reigns, not as in those who resign themselves to the evils of the world, but as in those who treat others with gentleness and patience in long suffering. Hungering and thirsting for righteousness, they do not seek violence but rather magnanimity in the fight to establish truth. They offer mercy to others because they themselves have fully received it as a gift from God. Pure of heart, they live a simplicity of intention for the things of God, not tainted by selfishness. Persecuted and insulted, they rejoice that they can suffer what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ.

3.      More than Mere Imitation: The beatitudes are the crowning jewels of the spiritual life. They are both characteristics to be modeled and graces to be received. But more than mere imitation of Christ through external actions, they are the fruit of much purification of one’s ego. They are the product of grace, beautifying a person’s natural capacities of perception and feeling. The beatitudes both form and are born of a person’s new vision of the world, one in which they perceive blessing in living according to the heart of Christ, many times at the expense of being perceived as countercultural in the eyes of the world. 

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, grant me a heart like yours. Transform my vision of the world to see what is truly the blessed path versus a path toward destruction. Form my heart to be a model of these characteristics in a world that needs you.

Resolution: Lord, today, by your grace, I will choose one of these beatitudes and reflect on how to live it practically. I will reflect on how they are tools in my Christian journey.

Solemnity of All Saints, November 1

Today we honor those holy men and women who have gone before us in faith and have done so in a glorious way. As we honor these great champions of faith, let’s reflect upon who they are and what role they continue to play in the life of the Church. The following excerpt is from Chapter 8 of My Catholic Faith!:

    The Church Triumphant: Those who have gone before us and now share in the glories of Heaven, in the Beatific Vision, are not gone. Sure, we do not see them and we cannot necessarily hear them speak to us in the physical way they did while on Earth. But they are not gone at all. St. Thérèse of Lisieux said it best when she said, “I want to spend my Heaven doing good on Earth.”

    The saints in Heaven are in full union with God and make up the Communion of Saints in Heaven, the Church Triumphant! What’s important to note, however, is that even though they are enjoying their eternal reward, they are still very much concerned about us.

    The saints in Heaven are entrusted with the important task of intercession. Sure, God already knows all our needs and He could ask us to go directly to Him in our prayers. But the truth is that God wants to use the intercession, and therefore, the mediation of the saints in our lives. He uses them to bring our prayers to Him and, in return, to bring His grace to us. They become powerful intercessors for us and participators in God’s divine action in the world.

    Why is this the case? Again, why doesn’t God just choose to deal with us directly rather than go through intermediaries? Because God wants all of us to share in His good work and to participate in His divine plan. It would be like a dad who buys a nice necklace for his wife. He shows it to his young children and they are excited about this gift. The mom comes in and the dad asks the children to bring the gift to her. Now the gift is from her husband but she will most likely thank her children first for their participation in giving this gift to her. The father wanted the children to be part of this giving and the mother wanted to make the children a part of her receiving and gratitude. So it is with God! God wants the saints to share in the distribution of His manifold gifts. And this act fills His heart with joy!

    The saints also give us a model of holiness. The charity they lived on Earth lives on. The witness of their love and sacrifice was not just a one time act in history. Rather, charity is living and continues to have an effect for the good. Therefore, the charity and witness of the saints lives on and affects our lives. This charity in their lives creates a bond with us, a communion. It enables us to love them, admire them and want to follow their example. It is this, coupled with their continuing intercession, that establishes a powerful bond of love and union with us.

    Lord, as the saints in Heaven adore You for eternity, I beg for their intercession. Saints of God, please come to my aide. Pray for me and bring to me the grace I need to live a holy life in imitation of your own lives. All saints of God, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai Tuần 31 Thường Niên

 Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai Tuần 31 Thường Niên Luca 14:12-14

Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu dạy chúng ta ý nghĩa thực sự của lòng quảng đại Kitô giáo: Hãy học cách để cống hiến chính mình cho người khác. "Khi nào bạn đãi khách ăn trưa hay ăn tối, thì đừng kêu mời bạn bè, anh em, hay bà con, hoặc láng giềng giàu có, kẻo họ cũng mời lại bạn, và như thế bạn được đáp lễ rồi. ”(Lc 14:12). Kitô hữu chúng ta hài hoà sống trong thế giới này cũng như những bao nhiêu người nào khác, nhưng mục đích căn bản của chúng ta là đối phó với những người chung quanh, láng giềng không thể là phần thưởng nơi con người hoặc hư vinh, trên tất cả mọi thứ khác, chúng ta phải tìm kiếm sự vinh quang của Thiên Chúa trước hết cũng như không hề nghĩ đến sự báo đáp trả ơn nào khác hơn là thiên đàng. " khi bạn đãi tiệc, hãy mời những người nghèo khó, tàn tật, què quặt, đui mù. Vì họ không có gì đáp lễ, và như thế, bạn mới thật có phúc: vì bạn sẽ được đáp lễ trong ngày các kẻ lành sống lại". Lc 42:13-14).

    Chúa mời gọi tất cả chúng ta cống hiến chính chúng ta cho mọi người và nhân loại một cách vô điều kiện , chỉ có tình yêu thương của chúng ta cho Thiên Chúa và anh em là động cơ thúc đẩy chúng ta trong Chúa. "Nếu anh em cho vay mà hy vọng đòi lại được, thì còn gì là ân với nghĩa? Cả người tội lỗi cũng cho kẻ tội lỗi vay mượn để được trả lại sòng phẳng"(Lc 06:34). Mọi thứ như thế bởi vì Chúa giúp chúng ta hiểu rằng, nếu chúng ta dâng hiến chính mình một cách không ích kỷ, không mong đón nhận lại một điều gì, Thiên Chúa sẽ đáp trả cho chúng ta một phần thưởng lớn hơn và sẽ xác nhận chúng ta là con cái yêu quý của Ngài. Đấy là lý do tại sao Chúa Giêsu nói với chúng ta: "Anh em hãy yêu kẻ thù, hãy làm ơn và cho vay mà chẳng hề hy vọng được đền trả. Như vậy, phần thưởng dành cho anh em sẽ lớn lao, và anh em sẽ là con Ðấng Tối Cao"(Lc 6:35). Chúng ta hãy cầu xin của Đức mẹ là Mẹ Thiên Chúa cho chúng ta có đũ lòng rộng lượng đủ để chúng ta có thể trốn tránh tất cả những sự cám dỗ của sự ích kỷ, tham lam như Con của Mẹ đã làm.

Comment:

When you give a feast, invite instead the poor (…). Fortunate are you then, because they can't repay you; you will be repaid at the Resurrection of the upright

    Today, the Lord teaches us the true meaning of Christian generosity: to learn how to devote ourselves to others. «When you give a lunch or a dinner, don't invite your friends, or your brothers and relatives and wealthy neighbors. For surely they will also invite you in return and you will be repaid» (Lk 14:12).

    Christians move about in this world as any other person; but the fundamental purpose to deal with our neighbor cannot be either humans rewards or the vainglory; over everything else, we have to seek the Glory of God pretending no other recompense than Heaven. «When you give a feast, invite instead the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind. Fortunate are you then, because they can't repay you; you will be repaid at the Resurrection of the upright» (Lk 42:13-14).

    The Lord invites all of us to give ourselves unconditionally to all men, motivated only by our love to God and to our brothers in the Lord. «And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thank have you? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again» (Lk 6:34).

    Things are like that because the Lord helps us to understand that, if we give ourselves unselfishly, without expecting anything in return, God will repay us with a greater reward and will confirm us as his favorite children. This is why Jesus tells us: «But love you your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the Highest» (Lk 6:35).

    Let us beg from the Mother of God enough generosity so that we can elude any temptation of selfishness, as his Son did. «Selfish! You...always looking out for yourself. You seem unable to feel the brotherhood of Christ. In others you don't see brothers; you see stepping-stones. (...)» (St. Josemaria Escriva).

Monday 31st Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer: Come, Lord Jesus, come! I invite you into my life. I ask you to draw me into yours. Thank you for coming to save me! Jesus, I love you.

Encountering Christ:

1. Encounter: Encounters with God are the greatest moments in a person’s life. We rejoice over the unexpected spark of recognition in which our soul meets its Creator and realizes it is seen, known, and loved. If nourished, this spark becomes a flaming fire of love which lights, warms, and purifies the soul. In this Gospel passage, Jesus was teaching the Pharisee by speaking many words that encourage this encounter with the living God– Sabbath, dine, home, host, invite, hold, banquet–words that call to mind the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

2. Invite: From the moment that Abraham unknowingly extended hospitality to God, who appeared to him as “three men” at the entrance of his tent (Genesis 1-5), hospitality has been important to the culture of the people of God. In addition to inviting guests to a Sabbath meal, a wedding banquet, or any lunch or dinner, a number of places were also set for strangers who may appear as the Lord did to Abraham. By saying, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment,” Jesus was reminding the Pharisee that an important part of their Jewish heritage was the friendly welcome of strangers. This is also true for Christians today. “Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ, for he is going to say: I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew. 25:35).

3. Blessed: “Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.” We know from Jesus that “the poor will always be with us” (Matthew 26:11), and our obligation as Catholics is to serve them. However, this command of Jesus’ may not necessarily require volunteering at a soup kitchen (although that’s very admirable). As Mother Teresa said, “There’s two kinds of poverty. We have the poverty of material; for example, in some places like in India, Ethiopia, and other places, where the people are hungry for a loaf of bread—real hunger. But there is a much deeper, much greater hunger; and that is the hunger for love, and that terrible loneliness and being unwanted, unloved—being abandoned by everybody.” To serve these individuals requires prayerful discernment and an open and willing heart. We are to extend ourselves in hospitality not for earthly reward but for treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:20). Jesus tells us, “For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

Conversing with Christ: Lord, you did not come to condemn me. You came to give me life in abundance, and I am to share your life with others, especially with the poor. Help me to heed your call and direct my energies toward the apostolic work you have laid out for me so that I may fulfill your will and bring glory to your name.

Resolution: Lord, today, by your grace, I will invite a person you place in my path to an event or to a work, school, or social function and accompany him or her during it.

Monday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time -  Mercy

“…when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 14:13-14

    Too often in life we fall into the trap of working for immediate rewards. If we do well, we want to be noticed, thanked and repaid. But this exhortation from Jesus reveals that our lives of service should be lived in such a way that we expect no repayment here and now. Rather, we should anticipate our reward in Heaven.

    This mission from our Lord can be hard to actually live. It requires great selflessness and concern about the other without expecting anything in return. But when we understand this spiritual principle, we will realize that “payment” is not only awaiting us in Heaven, it is also received through our act of selflessness here and now.

    The “payment” we receive here and now for acts of selfless service to others is holiness of life. We achieve holiness of life when we seek to bestow mercy upon others. Mercy is an act of love given to one in need without any selfish motivation. It’s not something done on the condition that you receive something back. Mercy is offered as love of another for the good of the other and for no other reason. But the good news is that true mercy has an effect upon the one who offers it in a profound way. By showing selfless mercy to another, we imitate our merciful God and become more like Him. This is a greater reward than we could ever receive from another.

    Reflect, today, upon how willing you are to be merciful to others in need. Are you willing to give without expectation of repayment from them? If so, you will find far greater blessing in this selfless act than in anything else for which you obtain worldly recognition.

    Most merciful Lord, give me a heart that is full of mercy and compassion for all those in need. May I daily seek to serve them without any expectation of reward. May these acts of mercy be reward enough and become a source and foundation of my holiness of life. Jesus I trust in You.

Suy Niệm Chúa Nhật 31 Thường Niên Năm C

 Suy Niệm Chúa Nhật 31 Thường Niên Năm C

"Giakêu, mau xuống đi, hôm nay ta phải ở nhà ngươi."

    Tại sao ông Giakêu đã ở trên một cái cây.? Thực tế mà nói, ông ta ở trên một cái cây vì ông ta quá thấp bé và ông ta muốn nhìn thấy Chúa Giếu khi Chúa Giêsu đi ngang qua. Nhưng biểu tượng này con cho chúng ta thấy ý nghĩa khác to lớn hơn nhiều.

    Điều trước tiên là chúng ta phải lưu ý là ông Giakêu là một người giàu có và được kính trọng. Trong mắt thế giới, ông ấy là người thành công. Nhưng bất chấp sự giàu có của ông ta, ông ta hầu như có vẻ cảm thấy là mình như vẫn còn thiếu một thứ gì đó. Ông đã nghe nói về Chúa Giêsu và muốn biết về Ngài. Đoạn Tin Mừng hôm nay thật hấp dẫn bởi vì nó hẳn là một cảnh tượng bất thường khi thấy một người chủ đám thu thuế giàu có và thành đạt đã leo cây trước sự chứng kiến của đám đông. Thực tế, điều bất thường đó đã làm Chúa Giêsu lập tức nhận thấy điều này.

    Chúa Giê-su cũng chú ý đến ông Giakêu vì một điều gì đó quan trọng nhiều hơn so với việc một người lớn tuổi và thành công leo lên cây. Chủ yếu việc Ông Giakêu được Chúa Giêsu để ý đến là vì Chúa Giêsu có thể đã cảm nhận được những ước muốn của ông và trái tim rộng mở của ông ta. Ông Giakêu, người giàu có và thành đạt này, có lẽ đang thiếu thốn một thứ gì đó và ông ta đã rất sốt sắng và mong muốn để có được nó. Ông ta đang khao khát Chúa Giêsu và ước muốn này đã được Chúa Giêsu đáp ứng với lòng từ bi và cảm nhận.

    Bất kể chúng ta có “thành công” theo quan điểm của thế gian hay không, điều cần thiết là chúng ta cũng phải nhận ra một sự ước muốn nào đó vẫn chưa được thực hiện hoặc chưa được thỏa mãn trong lòng của mình. “Ước muốn chưa được thực hiện” đó ám chỉ bất cứ bằng cách nào đó mà chúng ta chưa hoàn toàn đặt Thiên Chúa làm trọng tâm của cuộc sống của chúng ta. Một số người trong chúng ta đang cố gắng thực hiện mong muốn này bằng nhiều cách theo nghĩa thế gian. Đó làm tìm cách thỏa mãn những đòi hỏi ham muốn của xác thịt như tiền, tình và danh vọng. Nhưng những ai giống như ông Giakêu sẽ nhận ra rằng Chúa Giêsu là câu trả lời. Và khi ai đó trong chúng ta đã nhận ra sự thật này, chúng ta chắc chắn sẽ tìm cách tìm gặp Chúa vả ở lại với Chúa bất kể khoảng khắc thời gian và chướing ngại trên đường.

    Hôm nay, hãy suy ngẫm và tự hỏi chính mình một câu hỏi đơn giản là: Chúng ta đã sẵn sàng đi bao xa để gặp được Chúa Giêsu? Chúng ta có sẵn sàng làm bất cứ điều gì mà chúng ta phải làm để được nhìn thấy Ngài, nghe thấy Ngài và ở với Ngài không? Điều này có thể là một hành động khiêm tốn và chúng ta có thể phải hành động một cách triệt để. Nếu chúng ta làm được như vậy chúng ta sẽ có thể kêu cầu đuọc lòng thương xót của Chúa chúng ta và Ngài sẽ đáp lại chúng ta với nhiều quảng đại giống như Ngài đã làm với ông Giakêu.

    Lạy Chúa, chúng con mong muốn chọn Ngài trên hết mọi sự. Cầu xin Chúa giúp cho chúng con không bao giờ bị thu hút bởi những thứ của thế giới này nhiều hơn những gì mà chúng con đang Chúa lôi cuốn chúng con. Xin Chúa tăng them sự ham muốn của chúng con đối với Chúa và cho chúng con có can đảm chúng con cần để luôn trung thành với Chúa. Lạy Chúa chúng con yêu mến Ngài. Xin Chúa hãy gia tăng tình yêu của Chúng con. Chúa ơi, xin giúp chúng con tin vào Chúa*

Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)  Overcoming Obstacles

“Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” Luke 19:5

    Zacchaeus was up a tree. Why? Practically speaking, he was up a tree because he was short and he wanted to see Jesus as Jesus passed by. But the symbolism reveals far greater meaning.

The first thing we must note is that Zacchaeus was a wealthy and well respected man. In the eyes of the world he was successful. But despite his wealth, it appears there was something missing. He heard about Jesus and desired to know Him. This passage is fascinating because it must have been an unusual sight to see a wealthy and successful man climbing a tree in the presence of a large crowd. In fact, it was so unusual that Jesus immediately noticed it.

    Jesus also noticed Zacchaeus because of something far more significant than a grown man climbing a tree. Zacchaeus was noticed by Jesus primarily because Jesus was able to perceive the desire and openness of his heart. Zacchaeus, this wealthy and successful man, was missing something and he was zealous to obtain it. He longed for Jesus and this desire is fulfilled by the compassion of our Lord.

Regardless of whether or not you are “successful” from a worldly point of view, it’s essential that you, too, recognize the unfulfilled desire of your heart. That “unfulfilled desire” refers to any way that God is not fully the center of your life. Some people try to fulfill this desire in many worldly ways. But those who are like Zacchaeus will realize that Jesus is the answer. And when someone recognizes this fact, they will go to any length necessary to see Him and be with Him.

    Reflect, today, upon a simple question: How far am I willing to go to see Jesus? Are you willing to do anything you have to so as to see Him, hear Him and be with Him? It may take an act of humility and you may have to act in a radical way. Doing so will call out to the heart of our Lord and He will respond to you with much generosity just as He did to Zacchaeus.

    Lord, I desire to choose You above all things. May I never be drawn to the things of this world more than I am drawn to You. Increase my desire for You and give me the courage I need to be faithful to You always. I love You, dear Lord. Please increase my love. Jesus, I trust in You.

Sunday 31st Ỏdinary Time C 2022

Opening Prayer: Lord you are gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. Lord, you are good to all and compassionate toward all your works. Come, Lord Jesus, enter my heart and grant me the grace to receive you mind, heart, and soul.

Encountering Christ:

    Jesus Passes Through: “At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.” When Jesus “passed through,” it was not merely to make his way from one town to the next; nothing with God happens by chance. Jesus, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, was on the prowl to reclaim his people, his pride. Jesus did not attack, he did not force himself on Zaccheaus. When he passed Zacchaeus, who was “seeking to see who Jesus was,” Jesus made himself present to him and called him by name: “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” Pope Francis wrote in Joy of the Gospel, “Whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms.”

    Received with Joy: “When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, ‘Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.’ And he came down quickly and received him with joy.” Did Jesus receive Zacchaeus with joy or is it Zacchaeus who received Jesus with joy? Both! As chief tax collector Zacchaeus had been adept at skimming off the top and taking unfair advantage of people. However, when Zaccheus encountered Jesus, he recognized his spiritual poverty and opened his heart to receive Jesus. This openness is what Jesus called poor in spirit: “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God” (Matthew 5:3). We can be poor in spirit and still possess a full bank account like Zacchaeus if we also possess humility. To be humble is to know our place before God. To be humble also means “low in height, level; small in size,” which Zacchaeus was both physically and spiritually, as indicated b y his willingness to literally go out on a limb in order to receive Jesus. How willing are we to open our hearts and minds to a deeper understanding of God? How willing are we to receive “a tax collector” in kindness and hospitality?

    Salvation Has Come: Jesus must have proclaimed with infinite joy, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” In other passages, Jesus called our attention to his joy over the lost sheep who had been found, the lost coin that had been recovered, the prodigal son who returned. We share in Jesus’ rejoicing every time we help a “Zaccheus” return to the Church family. And with profound gratitude, we can rejoice every time we, ourselves, are forgiven in the sacrament of Reconciliation for having gone astray. “... there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance” (Luke 15:7).

    Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, thank you for your mercy toward me, a sinner. By receiving you open the way for me to witness to my family and loved ones so that they may one day receive you as did Zaccheus. I know that you rejoice over saving what has been lost. Come! Seek! Save! I believe in you, Jesus.

    Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will receive you in the Trinity by praying the Our Father prayer and inviting you to dwell in the deepest recesses of my heart.