Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm tuần 13 TN

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm tuần 13 TN. Mathêu 9:1-8
Bài Tin Mừng hôm nay phản ánh những điểm sau:
- Thứ nhất, Tin Mừng đưa ra những cá tính cuả giáo hội, đó phương cách Chúa đã chữa bệnh cho người bại liệt một cách kỳ diệu, điều này cho thấy chiều hướng đức tin của cộng đồng hay của những người mang người bại liệt đến với Chúa Jêsus. đấy không phải chỉ là điều phản ánh đến sức mạnh của những lời cầu nguyện mà Chúa Giêsu đã tỏ thương xót và chữa lành cho người bệnh như những gì mà chúng ta chứng kiến ​​trong thời của chúng ta.
- Thứ hai, trong thời của Chúa Jêsus, người Do Thái tin rằng có một liên hệ giữa tội lỗi và bệnh tật. Điều này được thể hiện trong hành động của Chúa Jêsus trong việc tha tội cho người bại liệt trước khi Ngài chữa lành và phục hồi sức khoẻ thể xác cho anh ta.
- Thứ ba, các thầy thông giáo bị xáo trộn bởi việc chữa lành của Chúa Giêsu nên họ đã đối đầu và sự phản đối việc Chúa Jêsus có quyền tha tội và chữa lành người bại liệt.
- Thứ tư, phản ứng của đám đông khẳng định thẩm quyền của Chúa Giêsu để tha tội. Trong phần kết luận, chúng nhận thấy Chúa Giêsu đã đề cập đến các thành viên của Giáo Hội có quyền tha tội (Mt 16: 19, 18:18).
Điều này cũng còn hữu hiệu trong thời hiện tại của chúng ta; Vì vậy sứ vụ chữa lành và tha thứ tội lỗi của Giáo hội là sự tiếp nối sứ vụ của Chúa Jêsus.
Chúng ta hãy xin với Chúa giúp nâng cao đức tin của chúng ta đặc biệt trong những lúc chúng ta bị thử thách và đau khổ. Ngày nay chúng ta đang bị quấy nhiễu vì bạo lực, mâu thuẫn, tham lam cũng chỉ vì sự muốn giàu có và quyền lực đặc biệt là việc sử dụng những tôn giáo trong việc vận dụng quyền lực chính trị.
"Lạy Chúa, xin giúp chúng con
"Lạy Chúa, xin giúp chúng con biết nâng cao đức tin và Tin vào sự hiện diện của Chúa trong mọi tình huống và những khi Chúa cùng đồng hành với chúng con trong cuộc hành trình của chúng ta trên thế gian này".
 
Reflection (Mt. 9:1-8) Thursday 13^th OD
Today’s Gospel reading reflects the following points: Firstly, given the ecclesial character of Matthew's gospel, this miraculous cure of the paralytic shows the communitarian dimension of faith in the people who brought the paralytic to Jesus. Doesn’t this echo the power of intercessory prayers which have revealed Jesus’ healing power in the miracles we witness in our time?
            Secondly, in Jesus’ time, the Jews believed that there was a connection between sin and sickness. This is shown in Jesus’ action in forgiving the sins of the man before restoring his physical health.
            Thirdly, the scribes were scandalized by Jesus’ healing action. Confronted by such opposition, Jesus showed his authority to forgive sins and cured the paralytic.
            Fourthly, the reaction of the crowd which confirms the authority of Jesus to forgive sin.    Let us re-commit ourselves and deepen our faith particularly during the time of trials and sufferings. These days there are much violence, conflicts, greed for wealth and power especially the use of religions in the manipulation of political power.“Lord, help us to deepen our faith in Your ever-presence in all situations as You  accompany us in our journey on earth.”
 
Thursday 13^th Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for this time of prayer. I struggle to quiet my soul and listen to the wisdom you have for me. I offer my distractions to you. Purify my mind and speak to my heart.
Encountering Christ:
1.      Spoke to Themselves: The scribes did not address Jesus directly with their accusations of blasphemy. They grumbled to themselves. But Jesus knew what they were thinking. He also knows what we are thinking. When we come before him in prayer, Jesus is overjoyed to receive us. If, in the moment, we are angry, confused, grieving, or suffering, we can be tempted to postpone our prayer and instead grumble to ourselves. Or we put on a “prayer face,” pretending nothing is wrong. Jesus can handle our strong emotions and invites us to come forward as we are. He wants us to trust him and bring our authentic selves to encounters with him in prayer and the sacraments so that he can strengthen us, shower us with gifts of the Holy Spirit, heal our wounds, and forgive our sins. 
2.      Authority to Forgive Sins: The accusation of the scribes has born beautiful fruit for us! We need never wonder whether Jesus can forgive us. No matter how dark and ugly our sin has been, “the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Our venial sins can be forgiven by attending Mass worthily and receiving Communion, doing corporal and spiritual works of mercy, fasting and almsgiving, and receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation. For mortal sin, the sacrament of Reconciliation is necessary. We can foster a contrite heart to prepare for a good Confession by doing a daily examen, which can include an Act of Contrition. 
3.      Valuing Spiritual Healing: When the paralytic went home carrying his mat, we can imagine the surprise and joy among his family members and in his community. We too are overjoyed when we experience miraculous cures in ourselves, our loved ones, or even third-hand. But the greater miracle is the forgiveness of our sin. As we leave the confessional with snow-white souls, not much has changed in our physical bodies, but our souls have been thoroughly rehabilitated. We have been strengthened by grace and empowered to sin no more. By God’s grace, we are once again on the path to eternal life. There is no greater miracle of restoration on this side of Heaven.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, help me to keep my eyes on you and anticipate with hope and joy a heavenly reward, as St. Paul did. With this eternal perspective, I will appreciate more deeply the sacramental forgiveness of sins, and how much my sin hurts your Sacred Heart. Thank you for the sacrament of Reconciliation.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will make a thorough examination of conscience in preparation for my next Confession.
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm tuần 13 TN. Mathêu 9:1-8
            Trong Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu thực hiện quyền lực của mình trên tất cả mọi thứ. Ngài bất chấp tất cả những bệnh tật, và đem các thứ bệnh hoạn đó ra khỏi cơ thể của người bại liệt, Ngài cho chúng ta thấy rằng Ngài có quyền thế trên tất cả mọi thứ. Chúng ta không thể có lòng yêu thương chân tình sâu sắc như Chúa Giêsu đãyêu thương con người chúng ta; một trong những cách mà chúng ta có thể hy vọng để thể hiện tình yêu và sự tận tâm của chúng ta là bằng cách đặt niềm tin của chúng ta một cách trọn vẹn và hoàn toàn trong Chúa Giêsu và Chúa Cha.
            Xin Chúa giúp chúng ta có thể luôn luôn biết cầu nguyện để được Chúa Thánh thần hướng dẫn trong nhưng việc làm đúng; và nếu chúng ta có cơ hội để giúp đỡ bất cứ ai, xin cho chúng ta có can đam, nhẫn nại và quảng đại để có thể bất chấp những chỉ trích mà chúng ta có thể nhận được, để chúang ta có thể có khiêm tốn để tiếp tục công việc làm sáng danh Chúa (không phải là để làm sang danh chúng ta).
 
REFLECTION
            In the Gospel, Jesus is exercising his authority over everything. By disregarding the sickness, and driving it out from the paralytic's body, he is showing us that he has the final say in everything. We cannot love as deeply as Jesus loved; one of the few ways that we can hope to express our love and devotion is by placing our trust fully and wholly in Jesus and the Father.
            May we always pray for guidance in doing the right thing; and if we have the opportunity to help, in spite of the criticisms we may receive, may we have the courage to continue.
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm tuần 13 TN. Mathêu 9:1-8.
Đức Chúa Jêsus thấy đức tin của những người khiêng người bị bại liệt nằm trên giường đến với Chúa,. Với lòng từ bi cũng như bất chấp sự thù nghịch và sự chống đối của những người luật sĩ, những người biệt phái và những người đứng đầu các hội trường, Chúa đã làm phép lạ là chữa lành người bại liệt. Người bại liệt được chữa lành không chỉ vì anh ta tin vào Chúa Giêsu mà còn vì những người khiêng anh ta đã có đức tin tuyệt vời.
            Khi chúng ta cố gắng để giúp đỡ người khác, Chúa Giêsu trân trọng đức tin và lòng tốt của chúng ta và vì lợi ích của người đó và Ngài sẽ hành động để giúp đỡ tất cả chúng ta. Trái lại, người luật sĩ và những  nhà lãnh đạo tôn giáo chỉ biết kiêu ngạo, phô trường và khoe khoang sự hiểu biết của họ trong mọi cơ hội, vì thế họ lên tiếng tố cáo Chúa Giêsu đã phạm thượng và la mắng Chúa Giêsu khi Chúa chữa người bại liệt kia trong ngày Sa-bát.
            Qua Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đã tuyên bố cho nhóm người Do Thái biết rằng chỉ có Chúa mới là đấng có thẩm quyền tha tội và Chúa Giêsu không những chỉ chứng minh bằng quyền lực của Ngài đến từ Thiên Chúa, mà Ngài đã còn cho họ thấy sức mạnh của tình yêu cứu chuộc và lòng thương xót của Thiên Chúa qua việc chữa lành người bị bại liệt. Người này đã không phải chỉ bị bại liệt về thể chất mà thôi, nhưng cả phần linh hồn nữa. Chúa Giêsu đã giải cứu anh ta khỏi gánh nặng và gông cùm tội lỗi nơi anh mà còn phục hồi cơ thể của anh ta nữa.
            Chúa Giêsu luôn sẵn sàng để đến với chúng ta để chữa những căn bệnh đang làm bại liệt tâm hồn và thể xác của chúng ta. . Ân sủng của Ngài sẽ giúp đưa chúng ta thoát khỏi quyền lực của tội lỗi và khỏi sự trói buộc của ma quỷ luôn đang rình rập nơi sự yếu đuối của chúng ta.  Chúng ta nên hãy sẵn sang mở rộng tâm hồn để đón nhận quyền năng của Chúa Giêsu đến để chữa lành chúng ta.
 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Lẽ Kính Thánh Tôma Tông Đồ

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Lẽ Kính Thánh Tôma Tông Đồ
Chúng ta đang sống trong một nền văn hóa mà chúng ta phải biết tất cả mọi thứ. Nếu không có sự thật, nếu thiếu bằng chứng, thì chúng ta sẽ từ chối không tin. Đôi khi, chúng ta cũng chẳng chịu tin ngay cả khi sự thật và bằng chứng được bày ra trước mặt. Đôi khi chúng ta biết rằng đức tin đó mời gọi mọi người chúng ta phải cam kết hoàn toàn với ơn Chúa Thánh Thần (Dei Verbum5).
Ông Thomas từ chối tin vào sự sống lại của Chúa Giêsu khi các Tông đồ đã nói vợi ông về cuộc gặp gỡ với Chúa khi Chúa hiên ra với họ sau khi sống lại: “ Chúng tôi đã thấy Chúa” (Gioan 20:25). Nhưng lời nói của các Tông đồ đã không lay chuyển lòng cứng tin của ông Thomas. Ông ta biết rằng Chúa đã chết. Có lẽ ông ta đã đến mộ Chúa Giêsu vào ngày thứ bảy khi ông ta đã thấy những người lính Lamã bảo vệ đóng quân ở đó và ông ta đã tưởng rằng không có cách nào để Chúa ra khỏi ngôi mộ? Chúng ta chắc cũng có những lý do gì để đưa ra và thuyết phục lòng tin của chúng ta như thế?
            Ông Thomas đã nhìn thấy Chúa và nói Chúa:“Tôi nhớ lại lời Chúa phán: phàm ai xưng Ta ra trước mặt người đời, thì Ta cũng xưng kẻ ấy ra trước mặt Cha Ta, Ðấng ngự trên trời.” (Mt 10:32). Chúa đã mời gọi ông Thomas thực hiện đức tin đó theo từng bước, từng bước một: hãy bỏ lại sau lưng tất cả mà chấp nhận sự Phục sinh của Chúa. Ông đã thấy Chúa Giêsu làm cho ông Lazarus sống lại, và bây giờ Ngài mời gọi ông ta hãy tin vào sự sống lại của Chúa Giêsu và sự hằng sống của Ngài. Chúa là Thiên Chúa, Ngài là sự sống và sự sống thật. Chúa Giêsu cũng đang mời gọi chúng ta cũng giống như ông Thomas ngày xưa là hãy tin rằng Chúa vẫn luôn sống mãi trong cuộc sống của chúng ta.
Lạy Chúa, chúng con muốn luôn có sự hiện diện của Chúa trong cuộc đời của chúng con.
            Phúc cho những ai chưa thấy mà tin. Lạy Chúa chúng con không thể lên được thiên đàng mà không có đức tin. Những lời Chúa phán với ông Thomas đã ám chỉ những gì mà Chúa sẽ dành cho chúng con nếu chúng con biết đặt niểm tin của chúng con vào Chúa cho đến khi chết. Chúng con đã chưa có sự sống khi Chúa đến trong thế giới này, nhưng ánh sáng trong lời Chúa phán với ông Thomas, Chúng con có thêm lý do để thực hành đức tin của chúng con và cầu nguyện như ông Thomas đã làm: “Lạy Chúa tôi và là Thiên Chúa của tôi! “. Chúa, mong muốn chúng con có niềm tin vào Chúa cũng giống như Chúa muốn lòng tin của ông Thomas. Chúa Thật tuyệt vời biết bao! Giáo lý Giáo hội Công giáo dậy chúng con là “Trước hết, tin là sự gắn bó bản thân của con người với Thiên Chúa; đồng thời và một cách bất khả phân ly, tin là  tự do ưng thuận tất cả chân lý mà Thiên Chúa đã mạc khải. (Giáo lý Giáo hội Công giáo, câu 150).
Lạy Chúa chúng con muốn tin theo Chúa, vì  Chúa là Chúa của chúng con và Thiên Chúa của chúng con.
 
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of faith I received with baptism. I believe all that you have revealed, though I recognize that my faith is still small. I now submerge my weak faith in your overflowing goodness and mercy, and I trust in you completely. I love you, my Lord, and my God, with all my mind, heart, soul, and strength.
Petition: Lord, increase my faith.
1. “I Will Not Believe.” Lord, I live in a culture where I have to know everything. If there are no facts, if I lack evidence, then I refuse to believe. At times, Lord, even with facts and evidence in front of me, I still refuse to believe. I know, Lord, that faith calls for man “to commit his entire self to God” (Dei Verbum5). Thomas refuses to do this when the apostles share the exciting news: “We have seen the Lord” (John 20:25). But their news does not correspond to what Thomas knows. He knows that you died. Maybe he went to the tomb on Saturday. He would have seen the guards stationed there and would have imagined that there was no way to take you from the tomb. Do I come up with convincing reasons not to believe? If I do, how can I answer better through faith?
2.“Do Not Be Unbelieving But Believe.” Lord, Thomas looks at you in the Upper Room as you say this. I recall the words: “Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32). You invite Thomas to take that step of faith: to leave behind what he knows and to accept your Resurrection. He had seen you raise Lazarus, and now you invite him to believe that you are forever alive. You are God, both living and true. There in the Upper Room, you invite me, as you did Thomas, to believe that you are alive in my life. Lord, I want you to have a strong presence in my life.
3.“Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Seen and Have Believed.” Lord, I cannot make it to heaven without faith. Your words to Thomas allude to what lies in store for me if I believe until death. I was not alive when you walked on the earth, but in the light of what you say to Thomas, I have all the more reason to exercise my faith and pray as Thomas did: “My Lord and my God.” You desire my faith, Lord, just as you desired Thomas’. How great you are, Lord! “Faith is first and foremost a personal adherence of man to God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 150). I want to adhere to you, my Lord, and my God.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I believe that you want to be the epicenter of my life. You want to be the Lord of it. My faith is so little. Help me to increase my faith. Give it what it needs to grow.
Resolution: Today, during the day, I will read numbers 150-152 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church about faith, to work to increase my faith in God.
 
Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle 3-7
“Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” John 20:27–29
Thomas the Apostle, in many ways, represents each and every one of us in this exchange with Jesus. We’d like to believe that we always believe and are not unbelieving. But it’s important to admit the humble truth that we may not believe as deeply as we should. And it’s important to reflect upon our own reaction to the blessings that others receive that we do not.
Recall that Thomas was not among the other Apostles when Jesus first appeared to them. Therefore, when Thomas returned and heard that Jesus had appeared and that he missed His appearance, he clearly felt bad. Unfortunately, the sorrow Thomas felt at not being present when the Lord appeared to the others left him with a certain bitterness rather than joy. This is the sin of envy. Envy is a certain sorrow over the blessings others receive that we do not. Ideally, Thomas would have rejoiced at the blessing that the other Apostles received by encountering the risen Lord. But, instead, his sorrow at missing this even left him sad. He said, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Why was Thomas absent from this encounter with our Lord? Perhaps it was by divine providence, in that God wanted Thomas to set an example for us. If so, then one example Thomas set was that we must humbly rejoice in the blessings others receive when we are not also the recipient. Of course, if Thomas were there, then it would have been easier for him to share in the joy. But, in many ways, Thomas’ absence provided him an even greater opportunity. An opportunity that he failed to embrace.
When you see others receive blessings from God, how do you respond? Many people respond by immediately looking at themselves, wishing they were blessed in the same way. They struggle with envy. They think, “I wish I had received that blessing.” This form of envy is not always easy to see. For that reason, Thomas is given to us as a witness of what not to do in this situation.
Of course, Thomas is not a horrible person, which is why Jesus does later appear to him. That time, Thomas spoke words that are traditionally spoken as a devotion by the faithful at Mass when the Consecration occurs. He said, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus then gently rebukes Thomas by saying, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” But this gentle rebuke was an act of love, in that Jesus wanted Thomas to ponder the reason for his unbelief. Jesus clearly wanted Thomas to examine the unbelief caused by envy, which appears to have led to an intentional lack of faith.
Reflect, today, upon this holy Apostle. Today, Saint Thomas the Apostle is among the great saints in the Kingdom of Heaven. God used him to teach us these important lessons about envy, humility and faith. Let his weakness, from which he fully recovered, help you examine your own struggle with envy over the blessings that others receive that you do not. Learn to rejoice always in the ways that God is at work in our world and learn to grow in humility, so that when others are blessed in ways that you are not, you react as Saint Thomas ultimately did: “My Lord and my God!”
My most generous Lord, You pour forth Your blessings upon others, day and night. As I see those blessings, help me to overcome all temptations toward envy so that I may rejoice in Your grace given to all. You are my Lord and my God, and I thank You for every way that You bless my life and the lives of those around me. Fill me with a deeper gratitude, dear Lord, for every grace and blessing I see every day, especially those graces not given directly to me. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle 3-7
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I renew my faith in your Son. I humbly ask for help to overcome any unbelief that remains. I trust in you, Lord, and will spend my life in the service of your Kingdom. Grant me your peace.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Jesus Waited: Each encounter with the Risen Jesus has very unique and personal notes. We can ask, “Why did Jesus wait to encounter Thomas?” Jesus could have easily appeared to Thomas on Easter Sunday, wherever he was. Instead, Jesus knew that it was best for Thomas to wait. Thomas was tested all week: Would he believe the other apostles and the women that Jesus appeared to them and was risen from the dead? The longing in his heart to see his Lord built up day after day. And when Jesus appeared, Thomas was ready for his great act of faith: “My Lord and my God!” The story of Thomas teaches us that God knows the times and the places. He knows when we are ready and when we are not. God is gentle, patient, and meek. Love cannot be forced. When God seems to be absent in our lives, we need to be like Thomas and allow the longing for God to grow, so that when he appears we may welcome him as Thomas did. 
2. All Christians are Called to Be Like Thomas: The story of Thomas teaches an important lesson for all those who came after the first generation of Christians who knew and saw Jesus in his earthly life and after his resurrection. Jesus pronounces a blessing upon all those who will not see his resurrected body: “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Every Christian who is baptized is welcomed into this faith in the Risen Jesus. When we bring our children to the baptismal font, we are confessing, “My Lord and my God!” And Jesus, from heaven, sees our act of faith, and pours out his blessing upon us and our family.
3. Bringing the Gospel to India: Thomas the Apostle eventually made his way to India some two decades after his encounter with the Risen Jesus. Tradition holds that after evangelizing in Syria and Persia, he arrived in Western India, at Muziris in present-day Kerala, around A.D. 52. He established seven churches over the course of two decades. He was martyred near Madras around A.D. 72. Stories are told of how he performed miracles before members of the Brahmin caste to demonstrate the truth of the Gospel he preached. He worked to bring the people from idolatry to the worship of the God of Jesus Christ.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you know me better than I know myself. You know the depths of my heart. Grant me true knowledge so that I may better serve my brothers and sisters. Help me to know my strengths and my weaknesses, and where I need your grace.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Tư, tuần 13 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Tư, tuần 13 Thường Niên

Bài Tin Mừng hôm nay cho chúng ta biết là ma quỷ hiện hữu và chúng luôn tìm cách xâm nhập vào tâm hồn và ngay cả thân xác của chúng ta để hãm hãi chúng ta. Ma quỷ luôn cố gắng tìm cách để tách biệt chúng ta ra khỏi Thiên Chúa bằng cách cám dỗ và làm cho chúng ta mù quáng không nhìn nhận thấy sự thật, và ngăn cản chúng ta làm những gì đẹp lòng Thiên Chúa.
            Làm thế nào ma quỷ hay nhhững sự gian ác có thể thành công trong việc đạt được mục tiêu của chúng? Ma quỷ sẽ tìm cách và làm bất cứ điều gì khiến mọi người chúng ta phải tách rời xa Thiên Chúa, ví dụ như cách chúng làm cho chúng ta tin rằng chúng ta là bậc thầy của chính mình, bằng cách tập trung và đạt sự chú tâm của chúng ta vào các giá trị bên ngoài.
            Một khi chúng ta sống trong đường lối của tình yêu, chân lý và sự thật, nhưng rồi chúng ta lại để cho bóng tối, hoang vu, tham vọng và những lời nói dối len lỏi vào trong tâm hồn của chúng ta và chúng sẽ nắm lấy cơ hội đễ chia rẽ chúng ta và Thiên Chúa. Tuy nhiên, chúng ta không thể tuyệt vọng ngay cả những khi chúng ta đang ở trong một tình huống như vậy, bởi vì Thiên Chúa sẽ ban cho chúng ta những ân sủng và cứu chúng ta như Chúa Giêsu đã giải thoát người bị quỷ ám như trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay. Điều duy nhất là chúng ta cần phải làm là đặt niềm tin của chúng ta trong Chúa và trong tình yêu vô biên của Ngài, hãy tin tưởng và chắc chắn rằng Ngài sẽ không bao giờ bỏ rơi chúng ta. Lạy Chúa, xin giải thoát chúng con thoát khỏi mọi sự dữ của những điều gian ác, và sự cám dỗ của ma quỷ.

Wednesday13th Week in Ordinary Time
Due to the rapid and advanced development of science today, people hardly believe that the evil spirit is still around us trying to mislead us or influence our daily decisions and lives. Nonetheless, why does the Bible, which is called the book of love and truth, bother to tell us about the evil spirit? Because the evil spirit is trying to separate us from God, blind us from seeing the truth, stop us from doing what pleases God.
            How could evil succeed in achieving its goal? It would do anything that leads people away from God, for example by making one believe that he is the master of oneself, by directing one’s attention and focus on external values.
            Once we are away from love and truth, then darkness, desolation, and lies will take hold of us. However, we are not hopeless even if we are in such a situation, because God will empower us with grace and rescue us as Jesus liberated the man in today's gospel. The only thing we need to do is to put our trust in him and his infinite love, confident that he will never abandon us.
Lord, liberate us from the siege of evil.
 
Wednesday13th Week in Ordinary Time
The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district. Matthew 8:33–34
Why would “the whole town” beg Jesus to leave their district as a result of Jesus delivering two of their fellow townsmen from demons? This event took place on the northeast edge of the Sea of Galilee near a town of the Gadarenes who were not of Jewish background, which accounts for the fact that there was such a large herd of swine (the Jewish people did not eat pork). Two of the Gadarenes were possessed by demons, and Scripture reports that “They were so savage that no one could travel by that road.” And when Jesus delivers them from this awful plight, instead of rejoicing in gratitude, the townspeople begged Jesus to leave.
Saint Jerome says that it is possible that the people were actually acting in humility, in that they did not consider themselves worthy to be in the presence of someone as great as Jesus. Like Saint Peter who fell at the feet of Jesus and cried out, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8), these townspeople may have been in such awe at what Jesus did for them that they did not see themselves as being worthy of His presence. However, other Church Fathers point out that it is more likely that these townspeople signify those who are stuck in their life of sin and do not want to come face-to-face with the Gospel or with the Person of Jesus. They prefer to close their ears to the truth and to remain in their life of ignorance and sin.
It’s also helpful to reflect upon the relationship between the townspeople and these two demoniacs. Ideally, when the townspeople saw these two men completely freed of the demons who tormented them, they would have rejoiced in a way similar to the way the father of the Prodigal Son rejoiced when his son returned to him. Sadly, in this case, there seems to be a tremendous lack of excitement by their fellow townsmen over the freedom these two demoniacs experienced. This shows a clear lack of love for these two men within the town. Perhaps many of the townspeople took a twisted form of pleasure in their mockery of these two men over the years, and they enjoyed telling stories about how crazy they were. Now, they were faced with these two men who were completely changed, and they may have found it difficult to speak well of them because of their pride.
This negative example set by these townspeople gives us an opportunity to reflect upon how we think about and treat those who have changed their ways and have turned from evil to good. Perhaps you have a family member who has sincerely tried to change. Or perhaps someone at work, a neighbor or some other acquaintance has gone from a life of sin to a life seeking virtue. The real question to ponder is whether you rejoice over the goodness of others, over their ongoing conversion and pursuit of holiness, or whether you struggle with truly expressing joy as you see people you know change for the good. It’s often very easy to criticize but much more difficult to rejoice in the holy transformation of another.
Reflect, today, upon those in your life, those close to you and those with whom you are mere acquaintances, who have been set free by our Lord in some way and have moved from a life of sin toward a life of virtue. How do you react to them? Are you able to sincerely rejoice in the goodness of others? Or do you find yourself struggling with jealousy, anger, envy and the like? As you do see the goodness of God at work in others, try to put on the mentality suggested by Saint Jerome above. Allow yourself to be in awe of God’s action in their lives. As you do, humble yourself before the transforming power of God, admitting that you are not worthy to witness His transforming power but rejoice in gratitude nonetheless.
My all-powerful Lord, You overcame the power of the evil one and cast demons from these two men who suffered through this oppression for many years. Give me the eyes I need to see You at work in our world and to joyfully bear witness to Your transforming action in the lives of others. May I always humble myself before Your saving actions and learn to express true gratitude for all that You do. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday13th Week in Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I want to be a good tree in your orchard. Prune me and nourish me so that I may bear good fruit for your Kingdom. Cut away the stubbornness of my heart. Fill me with the warm light of your Son and the life-giving water of your Spirit.
Encountering the Word of God
1. From Promises to Covenants: When we read the Genesis story of Abram, later named Abraham, we see how God elevates each of his three promises to Abram to covenants. The first promise was that God would make Abram a great nation. As the years passed, Abram grew somewhat impatient when he didn’t see the fulfillment of that promise. In the First Reading, we hear him complain that he has no children and that one of his servants was going to end up as his heir. God responded to Abram’s complaint by asking him to contemplate the stars and number them: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so shall your descendants be.” Abram responded to God with faith, not doubt. Now, on a clear night away from the city, we can only see between 2,000 and 4,500 stars. You reach this number of descendants in 11 to 12 generations. In response, Abram trusted that God would be faithful to his promise and covenant and that his descendants would be numerous. God added that Abram’s descendants would possess the land of Canaan. And when Abram asked for a sign, the Lord God responded by making a binding covenant. The Lord passed through the sacrificed animals alone, signifying that he would be faithful to his promise and covenant. Abram believed the Lord God, and this act of faith was rewarded with the “grant covenant” of nationhood and land: “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River the Euphrates.”
2. The Lord Remembers His Covenant Forever: Psalm 105 is a prayer that contemplates the fidelity of the Lord to his covenants. “The psalm accents the Lord’s faithfulness to Israel: all the miracles, provisions, and acts of deliverance displayed in early biblical history show that God went to great lengths to fulfill his covenant oath to give Abraham’s offspring ‘the land of Canaan … for an inheritance’ (105:11)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, 920). The covenant that God made with Abraham was reiterated to his son, Isaac, and his grandson, Jacob (Israel) (Psalm 105:9-11). We notice that God did not require Abram to walk between the covenant pieces. This means that it was a grant covenant, like that given to Noah. Just as Noah believed God, so also Abram believed. And just as God swore to Noah that he would not destroy the earth again with a flood, so also God swore to Abram that he would father a great nation and his descendants would occupy the land of Canaan. God is faithful to his covenants, even when we are not.
3. Warning against False Prophets: In the Gospel today, Jesus warns his followers to be on guard against false prophets, who claim to speak for God but actually teach in opposition to the Gospel. False prophets are wolves dressed like sheep. How can we distinguish false prophets from true teachers? “Jesus tells us to examine their behavior. On the principle that like produces like, we are to evaluate the fruits of their lives. If their actions and their character show forth good things, such as grapes and figs, then the prophet is a good and trustworthy tree. However, if the works of the alleged prophet produce prickly thistles or a harvest of bad fruit, then he has blown his cover – the self-styled prophet is really a rotten tree that cannot be trusted” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 120). With time, the sheepskin the false prophet wears will fall off, and the fruit of their works will be revealed as rotten. With time, the works of true prophets reveal that they are good and lasting. They are true sheep who faithfully heed the voice of the Good Shepherd.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the Davidic king and good shepherd who protects me from the ravenous wolves dressed as sheep. Take the fruit I produce today, purify it, transform it, and offer it to the Father as a pleasing sacrifice.  

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần 13 Thường niện

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần 13 Thường niện
Đoạn Tin Mừng của Thánh  Mathêô hôm nay rất quang trọng vì có chủ yếu là diễn tả một câu chuyện thật kỳ diệu, để cho chúng ta thấy sức mạnh và quyền năng của Chúa Giêsu,  thậm chí Ngài có quyền trên cả vũ trụ và thiên nhiên. Tuy nhiên, trong Tin Mừng này nói nên cho chúng ta biết được là những đòi hỏi nơi mỗi người chúng ta nếu chúng ta thưc sụ muốn theo và làm môn đệ của  Chúa Giêsu. Vì như chúng ta thấy, đoạn khởi đầu bài Tin Mừng là các môn đệ đã theo lên một chiếc thuyền theo sau Chúa Giêsu. Khi Chúa Giêsu đã lên thuyền và vào trong khoang thuyền, Ngài đã làm khoang thuyền này trở nên một chỗ cho chúng ta có thể đến với Ngài qua môn đệ, và qua việc từ bỏ mọi thứ mà theo Ngài.
            Câu chuyện Tin Mừng hôm nay sẽ trở trở thành một dụ ngôn cho chúng ta thấy về cuộc sống trong Giáo Hội trong sự hiệp nhất với Chúa Giêsu. Các cơn bão dữ dội là một biểu tượng của những khó khăn, những nguy hiểm về sự ngăn cấn và bắt đạo và thậm chí cả những vụ bê bối của các giáo sĩ một cách nghiêm trọng và đang làm đau khổ và ảnh hưởng đến Giáo Hội trên thế giới. Đối mặt với tội lỗi ngay bên trong hội thánh, chúng ta có thể cảm nhận như thấy rằng Thiên Chúa đang ngủ trong con thuyền hội thánh, mà Ngài đã bỏ rơi chúng ta. Như thế, chúng ta cần phải cầu nguyện cho hội thánh, như Chúa Giêsu nói chúng ta cần phải cầu nguyện với lòng can đảm và trong đức tin.           Lạy Chúa, trong những thời gian khó khăn và thử thách, Xin Chúa chúc lành cho chúng con và tất cả các thành viên của Giáo Hội có một lòng can đảm vững mạnh hơn và một đức tin sâu sắc hơn.
 
Reflection from Jesuit
This passage from Matthew’s Gospel is a fine example of the pedagogical techniques of the Evangelists. They weave together different types of material and so educate us to look into the deeper meanings of the Gospel and consequently into the deeper meaning which we can derive from or give to things that occur in our own lives.
            This passage from Matthew is essentially and primarily a miracle story, showing the power of Jesus even over nature. However, within the Gospel it is set after a number of stories about following Jesus, about discipleship. So the passage begins with Jesus getting into a boat and the disciples following him. As Jesus gets into the boat he makes it a place where we can be with him through discipleship, through following him.
            The story then becomes a parable of life in the Church in union with Jesus. The violent storm is a symbol of the difficulties, dangers and even scandals which seriously and grievously affect the Church in the world. Facing the sinful side of the church we may often feel that God is asleep, that he has abandoned us. Then we must pray, as Jesus says, with courage and faith.
Lord, in times of difficulties, bless us and all members of the Church with greater courage and a deep faith
 
Tuesday 13^th Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer: Lord, I come to you today to give you thanks for all the blessings in my life. Please help me to remember that, no matter how dark this life gets for me, you are always in my boat and always ready to restore calm in my heart.
Encountering Christ:
1.      In the Darkest Times, Pray: “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” comes from Psalm 130 and is a de profundis prayer: “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications” (v. 1-2). Psalm 130 is the official prayer of the Church for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. It is the prayer offered at the darkest times of our lives, when we feel completely powerless to help ourselves. Jesus sleeping in the midst of a storm is a very powerful image of God’s sovereignty over even the darkest times in our lives. St. Therese of Lisieux used to meditate on this passage in times of inner confusion or darkness. Yet she wouldn’t wake the Lord. For her, it was enough just to sit beside him as he slept. 
2.      Yet You Are There: Notice that Jesus said “O you of little faith.” These men had faith, but it was just too little. Their faith, like ours, grows only when it is tested. The Father knows what we need even before we ask. Jesus is always with the Father, and that reality is the key to peace in the storms of life. Do we believe that the Father will not try us beyond our strength? Do we believe that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains? Lord, please increase our faith.
3.      The Power of Jesus: Just before this passage, in Matthew 8, Jesus cleansed a leper, healed a centurion’s servant, and healed many at the house of Peter. He was truly a physical healer. Here, we also saw his power over nature; even the winds and the seas obeyed him. Yet, all these healings pale in comparison to his power to heal us from the worst affliction of all and the only one that matters: sin. Jesus came to take away sin by becoming sin and crucifying it on the cross, in his very person. He paid a price we couldn’t pay for our sins that he didn’t commit. There is no greater love–and no greater power–than the power of Jesus Christ, the only son of God. The Gospels of Mark (4) and Luke (8) also tell their version of this calming of the storm at sea. In his famous painting of “The Storm on the Sea of Galilee,” Rembrandt depicted this scene in all its terror. When we imagine ourselves in the scene, how do we react?
Conversing with Christ: Lord, I know you are with me in all the storms of my life. I know that you will never leave me orphaned. Help me to cry out to you in desperate times. Lord, I believe. Increase my faith.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will pray with Psalm 130 and, if possible, commit it to memory.
 
Meditation: 
How can we fight fear with faith? Jesus' sleeping presence on the storm-tossed sea reveals the sleeping faith of his disciples (Matthew 8:25). They feared for their lives even though their Lord and Master was with them in the boat. They were asleep to Christ while he was present to them in their hour of need.
Why are you afraid? 
The Lord is ever present to us. And in our time of testing he asks the same question: Why are you afraid? Have you no faith (Matthew 8:26)? Do you recognize the Lord's presence with you, especially when you meet the storms of adversity, sorrow, and temptation? Whenever we encounter trouble, the Lord Jesus is there with the same reassuring message: "It is I, do not be afraid" (Matthew 14:27).
Faith nourished with the word of God 
What are the characteristics of faith and how can we grow in it? Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to us. Believing is only possible by grace and the help of the Holy Spirit, who moves the heart and who opens the eyes of the mind to understand and accept the truth which God has revealed to us. Faith enables us to relate to God rightly and confidently, with trust and reliance, by believing and adhering to his word, because he is utterly reliable and trustworthy. If we want to live, grow, and persevere in faith, then it must be nourished with the word of God.
Let the love of Christ rule your heart and mind 
Fear does not need to cripple us from taking right action or rob us of our trust and reliance on God. Courage working with faith enables us to embrace God's word of truth and love with confidence and to act on it with firm hope in God's promises. The love of God strengthens us in our faith and trust in him and enables us to act with justice and kindness towards our neighbor even in the face of opposition or harm. Do you allow the love of Jesus Christ to rule in your heart and mind, and to move your will to choose what is good in accordance with his will?
"Lord Jesus, increase my faith in your redeeming love and power that I may always recognize your abiding presence with me. Give me courage and strength to face every difficulty, trial, and temptation with trust in your saving help and guiding presence."
 
Epriest 2019
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I come to you in this meditation, ready to do whatever it is you ask. Left to myself, I often take the easy and convenient path, yet I know the way of a Christian is through the narrow gate. In you, I find the reason to abandon the easy path for a more perfect mission of love. I’m ready to learn the meaning of your command: “Follow me.”
Petition: Lord, grant me the grace of a mature faith.
1. God’s Silence, Man’s Faith: We can imagine ourselves in the place of the apostles, in this poor boat tossed by the turbulent waves. The situation instantly speaks to our worst of fears; yet Jesus sleeps. Our temptation is to wake him…and too many souls do so through complaining incessantly, despairing attitudes, withdrawing from prayer, or unloading anger on others. When in a moment of trial we find life is no longer under our complete control, the option of meltdown is always at hand. But we mustn’t take that route; instead we must contemplate the power that emanates from the sleeping Christ. Trials are intended by God to draw us closer to him and increase our dependence on him. We have to live from faith; otherwise all that reigns is fear, insecurity and bitterness. The “Silence of Christ” is powerful. To pass over its meaning lightly is to abandon some of the deepest lessons of Christ’s heart. The “Silence of Christ” must teach us.
2. The “Silence of Christ” Speaks to Our Faith: What is Christ’s sleep like? As a young mother, Mary watched Jesus sleep many times. Archbishop Martinez writes:
“Jesus was exceedingly beautiful when he spoke the words of eternal life, accomplished wonders, looked with love, pardoned with mercy and caressed with tenderness. But I would like to have seen him while he was sleeping because I could have contemplated him to my heart’s content, without the fascination of his gaze distracting me, without the perfection of his beauty and the glory of his splendor dazzling my eyes and enrapturing my soul. The beauty of Jesus awake is far too great for my smallness. Who could support it? I felt it more suited to me veiled by sleep, as the glory of the sun is more adapted to my eyes when I look at it through a translucent lens” (When Jesus Sleeps, p.15).
May I trust the power of Christ just as much when he chooses not to act as when he does.
3. God’s Eternal Pedagogy: Water, a boat, the apostles and Christ… this scene repeats itself over and over again in the Gospel. Water is a symbol of the experiences of life taken on a human level; the boat is the experience of faith on a supernatural level -- it is our life with Christ. Christ’s message is that we can never let our experiences of life overwhelm our experience of faith. We have to live not from the surface level of impressions of the moment, but from the deep channel of faith that reveals the action of God, the wisdom of his Providence and the ultimate destiny of eternity. Faith is what reveals Christ’s presence in our boat; faith is what makes us believe that every wave and wind gust are blessed invitations to confide in the One who rules all. Faith is what permits God to console our hearts, calm our fears and preserve our joy in the midst of problems and difficulties that may take months or years to run their course.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I know belief makes me vulnerable. But I know that I will not know your love if I do not believe that you can make me happier than I can be by myself. If I do not face the enemies of my soul and my mission and abandon myself to your grace, I will not know your victory.
Resolution: Today I will take a problem and, with complete trust and confidence in him, leave it totally in God’s hands.