Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần 1 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần 1 Thường Niên (Mark 2:13-17)
 Những ràng buộc của chúng ta vào thế giới vật chất bởi vì chúng ta đang ở trong một thế giới tiêu dùng; chúng ta không có thời giờ cho người khác vì lối sống máy móc,với kỹ thuật tân tiến đã hủy hoại các mối quan hệ cá nhân của chúng ta với gia đình và những người khác. Những quy tắc đã trở nên quan trọng hơn con người; chúng ta không nhìn xuyên qua trái tim hay tình cảm mà chỉ biết nhìn bằng mắt thường. Chúng ta không nhận ra rằng các ràng buộc đấy sẽ dẫn đưa chúng ta đến hư không.
Lời Chúa có sức mạnh thâm nhập vào linh hồn và tâm hồn của chúng ta. Lời Chúa đánh giá những suy nghĩ và thái độ của tâm hồn con tim chúng ta. Lời Chúa kêu gọi sự suy nghĩ phán đoán của chúng ta như ông Lêvi (Mathêu) đáp lại lời kêu gọi của Chúa Giêsu. Ông ta lắng nghe Chúa Giêsu, tin vào những gì Chúa Giêsu nói và đi theo Chúa Giêsu không chút do dự. Phản ứng kịp thời của ông Lêvi đối với Lời Chúa đã khiến ông ta mời Chúa Giêsu dùng bữa cơm tối vớiông ta. Thiên Chúa phán xét chúng ta về cách chúng ta đáp lại lời Chúa, không phải về cách chúng ta làm sạch hay giữ vệ sinh bề ngoài, mà chính là sự giữ cho tâm hồn bên trong chúng ta được sạch sẽ.
Chỉ có Chúa mới có thể phán xét và tha thứ vì thế chúng ta không nên xét đoán người khác mà nên biết tha thứ. Chúa Giêsu, là Chúa, Ngài đã trở thành con người như chúng ta, Ngài biết mọi yếu điểm của chúng ta. Là con của Thiên Chúa, Ngài biết mọi nhu cầu vần thiết của chúng ta. Do đó, Ngài biết mọi thứ, kể cả những suy nghĩ và thái độ của chúng ta; không có gì mà có thể che giấu được khỏi tầm nhìn của Ngài. Ngài đã đến là để củng cố tâm hồn chúng ta nếu chúng ta tin tưởng vào Ngài, Ngài sẽ an ủi và dẫn đưa chúng ta nghỉ ngơi trong Ngài.
Lạy Chúa, xin giúp chúng con biết sống theo đức tin.  Xin giúp chúng con biết dùng lời nói và sự suy nghĩ của chúng con tìm thấy sự ưu ái trước tôn nhan Chúa.
 
Saturday on 1st Week in Ordinary Time  Heb. 4:12-16;  Mk. 2:13-17
Our assumptions are worldly because we are in a consumerist world; we do not have time for others because a mechanical life style has ruined our personal relationships. Rules have become more important than human beings; we do not see through hearts but see through our naked eyes. We do not realize that assumptions lead us to nowhere.
The Word of God has the power to penetrate the soul and spirit. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. It calls for our response as Levi responded to Jesus’ call. He listened to Jesus, believed in what he said and followed him without hesitation. His prompt response to the Word of God led him to dine with Jesus. God judges us on how we respond, not on how we are outwardly clean, but inwardly clean.
A clear judgement can come only through Jesus our Lord. Jesus, who became human for us, knows our every weakness. As Son of God he knows our every need. Thus he knows everything of our thoughts and attitudes; nothing is hidden from his sight. He will strengthen us if we trust him alone. He will comfort us if we rest in him.
Dear Lord, help us to live by faith. Let our words and thoughts find favour before You.
 
Saturday of the First Week of Ordinary Time
As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed Jesus. Mark 2:14
How do you know the will of God for your life? In his spiritual classic, The Spiritual Exercises, Saint Ignatius of Loyola presented three ways in which we come to know the will of God. The first way is the clearest and most definitive way. It is a time in which the person experiences a “clarity beyond doubting” as a result of a special grace of God. In describing this experience, Saint Ignatius mentions the passage quoted above as an illustration of this experience.
There is little said about this call of Levi in the Gospel of Mark, which is also recorded in Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 9:9). Levi, who is also known as Matthew, was going about his occupation of collecting taxes at his customs post. It appears that Jesus spoke only these two simple words to Levi: “Follow me.” As a result of these two words, Levi abandons his former life and becomes a follower of Jesus. Why would Levi do such a thing? What was it that convinced him to follow Jesus? Clearly there was much more than just a two-word invitation from Jesus that convinced him to respond.
That which convinced Levi was a special grace of God which produced within his soul a “clarity beyond doubting.” Somehow Levi just knew that God was calling him to abandon his former life and embrace this new life. There was no long discussion, no weighing of the pros and cons, no prolonged thinking about it. Levi just knew, and he responded.
Though this form of clarity in life is rare, it’s important to be aware of the fact that sometimes God does act this way. This is a great gift when it happens! And though this depth of instant clarity is not always the way God speaks to us, it’s important to acknowledge that God does speak to us this way at times.
Reflect, today, upon this call of Levi. Ponder this inner certitude he was given in that moment. Try to imagine what he experienced and what others may have thought of his choice to follow Jesus. Be open to this same grace; and if you ever feel as if God speaks to you with such clarity, be ready and willing to respond without hesitation.
My dear Lord, thank You for calling us all to follow You without hesitation. Thank You for the joy of being Your disciple. Give me the grace to always know Your will for my life and help me to respond to You with total abandonment and trust. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Saturday of the First Week of Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, the world easily attracts all my attention. I can be like Levi with my head buried in numbers and money. Lift my gaze to see your Son calling me to follow him. Give me the strength to leave my earthly customs post behind and dine with your Son at the heavenly banquet.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Second Conflict: In the first conflict, narrated yesterday in Mark’s Gospel, the scribes accused Jesus of blasphemy. Today the local scribes who belonged to the Pharisees accuse Jesus of associating with tax collectors and public sinners. The Pharisees were a reform movement that sought to attain and maintain ritual purity through strict obedience to the Law of Moses and their traditions. They wanted nothing to do with the Roman Gentiles who occupied the land or with the people who collaborated with them, such as tax collectors. They can’t believe that Jesus and his disciples are having a meal in the house of Levi, a tax collector, and dining with other tax collectors and public sinners. Just as the scribes did not openly accuse Jesus of blasphemy, but did so in the thoughts of their hearts, the Pharisees did not directly accuse Jesus, but went to his disciples and tried to undermine their commitment to him.
2. Jesus, the Physician for Sinners: Jesus heard their question and responded by giving a deeper insight into his person and ministry. On the one hand, he identifies himself as a physician. From Mark’s Gospel, we know that Jesus does not just heal physical ailments, but is also capable of healing spiritual ones. He can cast out demons and forgive sins. On the other, Jesus’ ministry is directed to sinners: “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” This contains a riddle for the Pharisees, who thought that they were righteous because of their meticulous fulfillment of the Law of Moses. As Paul will later teach, the works of the Law of Moses were unable to justify or make someone righteous. We are justified, not by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus. The Pharisees were blind to their sin. They didn’t recognize that they needed Jesus, the divine physician, to heal their sickness. They thought that they could be in a right relationship with God through their works. As Christians, however, we know that only the grace of God can justify us and that the only works that are meritorious for eternal life are those works of charity empowered by divine grace.
3. Confidently Approach the Throne of Grace: The Letter to the Hebrews exhorts us to confidently approach the throne of divine grace. Because God’s Word is powerful enough, like a sharp sword, to expose our innermost thoughts and desires, we could be tempted to remain in fear. And yet the letter tells us that when we become aware of ourselves as we truly are, we will recognize our need for a trustworthy and merciful high priest to advocate and intercede before God on our behalf. The letter proclaims that we have such a great high priest, Jesus Christ. Aware of this truth we can confidently approach the throne of grace not out of presumption but because of the mercy of Jesus, our high priest. Jesus is the great high priest, and his priestly ministry surpasses all other high priests in power and efficacy. The ancient Levitical and Aaronic priests passed through the veil of the sanctuary of the earthly temple; Jesus, by contrast, has passed the veil of the heavens into the heavenly sanctuary where God dwells. This is the place of his priestly intercession for us. 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, your Apostle Levi, rose from sitting at his customs post and sat down with you in his house for a meal. Enable me to do the same each day, to leave aside the cares and worries of the present age and experience the transforming and eternal life you offer.
 
Saturday 1st Week in Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer: Lord, you call me today to be a saint, to pass from the darkness of sin to the light of your Son, Jesus Christ. Fill my soul with your holiness and grace so that, like Levi, I can leave everything and follow you.
 Encountering the Word of God
 1. The Call of King Saul: Saul and his servants were having trouble finding the lost sheep of his father, Kish. When Saul learned that there was a seer – a prophet – in the nearby city, he decided to consult him about the sheep. It was revealed earlier to the prophet Samuel that he would encounter a man from the tribe of Benjamin who would be chosen by the Lord God to be the leader of his people. When Samuel saw Saul for the first time, the Lord confirmed that this was the man chosen to be the ruler of his people. Saul was tall and handsome and had many physical attributes and human qualities to be the king and political leader of Israel. He was a valiant and successful warrior and was even a prophet (1 Samuel 10-11). 
 2. The Defects of King Saul: At the same time, Saul had many serious defects. He was given to pride, arrogance, and disobedience. He was impatient and took upon himself the role of a priest and offered the sacrifice before battle (1 Samuel 13:8-9). He uttered a rash oath and curse that marred the victory of Israel and fell upon the head of his son, Jonathan (1 Samuel 14:24-46). Saul disobeyed Samuel’s command to utterly destroy the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:1-22). For assuming the rights of the priesthood, Samuel lost his dynasty. For disobeying Samuel’s command, Samuel lost his kingship. Saul never manifested true repentance when he was confronted for his sins. His pride and arrogance led him to continually choose his own will over God’s will. He lied about the intention of his actions. Saul was a man who sinned and chose to remain in his sin rather than seek God’s mercy.
 3. Levi: The Public Sinner who became a Saint: In contrast to Saul, we have the tax collector, Levi, who can be identified as the future apostle Matthew. As an apostle, Levi was chosen to be a leader of God’s people and sit on a throne, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (see Luke 22:30). As a tax collector, Levi, is considered to be a public sinner. Levi leaves aside his sinful life and begins a new life with Christ. Unlike Saul, Levi does not fail in his mission. He remained united to the vine of Christ and was able to bear fruit for the kingdom of God.
 Conversing with Christ: Lord, you transformed the life of Levi. He was involved with the affairs of this world, yet had a heart open to your word. Many times I am like Levi, immersed in the things of this world, yet I long to hear your voice calling me to leave everything and follow you. Call me by name today, challenge me to follow you, and give me the strength to persevere on the path.
 Resolution: The question posed to us in today’s readings is this: Will we give in to our pride like Saul and fail to respond to God with love and seek forgiveness and mercy? Or will we allow Christ into our lives and allow him to heal us and lead us to the Father?
 
Saturday 1st Week in Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer: Lord, please give me the grace to answer your call. Free me from any wrong thinking or constraint that may hinder me. Teach me humility. Make me keenly aware of my need for your healing and your mercy as I read these words today. 
Encountering Christ:
Calling All Sinners: Jesus’ fame is spread far and wide at this point in his ministry. He needed no one to help him succeed or make him more popular. We don’t know why he called Levi, the tax collector, to follow him, but by doing so, Jesus sent a powerful message to those of us who may feel unwelcome or unworthy to be Christians. Clearly, the Kingdom of God is open to anyone who accepts the invitation. 
Tax Collectors and Sinners: It is especially significant that Jesus “was at table in his (Levi’s) house.” Eating a meal with someone, whether accepting or offering hospitality, can be a sign of intimate friendship. We break bread with those we love or those whom we wish to know better. In his book A Meal with Jesus, author Tim Chester says, “His (Jesus’) mission strategy was a long meal, stretching into the evening. He did evangelism and discipleship around a table with some grilled fish, a loaf of bread, and a pitcher of wine.” Here, in this simple setting, Jesus was exercising his divine physicianship, showing his unconditional love for Matthew and his friends (Matthew 9:12). He has the same unchanging and perfect love for us.
Doctor, Doctor: Just in case the Pharisees or anyone else missed the point, Jesus drove it home with a clear analogy: People do not seek out medical care when they are well. It is when we are sick, injured, or infirm that we seek a doctor. Likewise, people who are full of their own righteousness are sometimes so intent on judging others that they do not always see their deep need for Christ’s healing in their lives. “All have sinned” (Romans 3:23). As sinners, we humbly acknowledge our sicknesses–our attachments–and leave the judgment of others to Christ. We seek with faith and hope our personal cure from the Divine Physician. 
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, how easily I can fall into the trap of judging other people. Please remind me that I will be judged the same way I judge others (Matthew 7:2). Soften my heart that I might look at my sinfulness with honesty and humbly come to you for the cure. Help me to look at the people in my life with love and mercy. I give you thanks for your love, grace, and mercy. 
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will pause before each meal to give praise and thanks for the food and drink you provide, also remembering your merciful love. 
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần 1 Thường Niên (Mark 2:13-17 )
Bài đọc thứ nhất đã giới thiệu chúng ta về con người của Saul, người mà sẽ trở thành vị vua đầu tiên của Israel. Ông được mô tả là đẹp trai, cao ráo và là con của một người giàu có.  Người viết sách này dường như cảnh báo cho chúng ta nhận ra rằng những hồng ân, tài năng của con người không nhất thiết hay không đồng nghĩa với sự chấp thuận của Thiên Chúa và những năng khiếu Chúa ban cho này có thể là nguyên nhân của niềm tự hào, đâm ra kêu ngạo và rồi lại coi thường luật của Thiên Chúa. Lời nhắn nhủ rõ ràng: Không phải là dáng vóc bề ngoài mà Thiên Chúa ưng nhận, nhưng những chính là những gì ẩn chứa trong tâm hồn.
Điều này hiển nhiên rõ ràng trong quyết định của Chúa Giêsu trong việc chọn ông Lêvi (Mathêu) để làm một trong những môn đệ của Ngài. Điều này cho thấy Chúa Jêsus chọn những người có vóc dáng dễ nhìn bên ngoài, giản dị, thậm chí có cả những người có những nghề nghiệp "đáng xấu hổ theo Ngài. Lêvi là người bị những người Do Thái lên án, khinh rẻ vì là ông là người thu thuế, là tay sai cho người La Mã. Nghề nghiệp của ông đã kết tội chính  ông vì thâu thuế ông đã phạm tội phản quốc, phản dân tộc, và còn cả cái tội tham lam và tham nhũng, ..... Điều đáng kể là Chúa Jêsus đã đến nhà của ông và cùng ăn uống với ông và những người thu thuế và tội lỗi khác.
Bằng với cử chỉ trên,  trong cả hai bài đọc hôm nay chúng ta thấy Giáo Hội như muốn nhắc nhở chúng ta rằng Thiên Chúa không "nhìn" bề ngoài như con người đã làm. Thiên Chúa "nhìn thấy" rõ những cái gì đẹp  trong thâm tâm, trong tâm hồn chứ không phải chỉ là những dáng vẻ bên ngoài. Chúng ta hãy cầu nguyện xin Chúa ban cho chúng ta có được ân sủng là để 'thấy' những gì như Chúa 'thấy'.  Lạy Chúa, xin giúp con "được thấy" như Ngài thấy.
 
Sat 13th Jan 2018 - 1st Week in Ordinary Time
The first reading introduces the person of Saul, who later becomes the first king of Israel. He is described as being handsome, taller than most, and the son of a wealthy man. It is interesting that in the two Books of Samuel, there are others who are described as beautiful or handsome, or people of wealth: David, Bathsheba, Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah. More often than not, these people come to an unhappy or tragic end. The author of these Books seem to warn that such external gifts do not necessarily indicate divine approval and that these gifts can infact be a source of pride and disobedience to God’s law. The message is clear: It is not the externals that God approves, but what is in the heart.
This is clearly evident in the decision by Jesus in choosing Levi as one of his disciples. It indicated that Jesus chooses his followers from among those who are seen, externally, as simple and even those with 'disgraceful' occupations. Levi would have been held in contempt by his fellow Jews because as a tax collector, he cooperated with the Romans in exacting taxes for the emperor. His profession would clearly place him among the recognised ‘sinners’ of the Jewish people. Even more significant is that Jesus goes to Levi’s house to associate with other ‘sinners’. By this, the readings today remind us that God does not ‘see’ as human beings do. God ‘sees’ the ‘heart’ and not the externals. May we pray for the grace to ‘see’ as God ‘sees’. Lord, help me to ‘see’ as You see.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần 1 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần 1 Thường Niên (Mark 2:1-1 1 )
Trong cuộc sống yếu đuối của con người hầu như ai trong chúng ta cũng chỉ thấy những cái xấu trong mọi tình huống. Chúng ta có thể thấy những tin tức tiêu cực mà chúng ta đọc hàng ngày qua các báo chí, trên TV. Chúng ta cũng thấy những cái xấu trên Internet hay qua các tin đồn, bàn luận trên Facebook hay trên các trang sinh hoạt của các nhóm xã hội. Với cái nhìn vào trong những cái khía cạnh của sự xấu xa, chúng ta có lẽ hay thích chê bai hay phỉ báng người khác, có lẽ chúng ta muốn “hạ người khác càng xuống thấp hơn” càng tốt để chúng ta cảm thấy sung sướng và an toàn hơn.
            Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta đã thấy những người Pharisêu và các thầy thông giáo đã làm điều đó, Họ coi thường niềm tin của nhiều người khác, và chống đối những nỗ lực của họ khi họ mang một người bại liệt đến gần với Chúa Giêsu. Họ đã cố tìm cách bắt bẻ, gài bẫy và gán ép cho Chúa Giêsu vào một cái tội kêu ngạo và muốn loại bỏ Người ra khỏi vòng pháp luật và tôn giáo của họ, Vì họ coi Chúa Giêsu như là một tội phạm hơn là một Thiên Chúa.
            Chúa Giêsu đã biết rõ rằng những cái khó chịu đó đang âm ỉ trong lòng của họ bởi vì cái thói đạo đức giả và cái niềm tự cao, tự đại của họ mà Ngài đã khẳng định quyền hạn và uy quyền của Ngài bằng cách chữa lành cho người bại liệt này trước những con mắt ngạc nhiên của đám đông. Chúa Giêsu đã cho chúng ta biết rằng là thành viên của Giáo Hội có nghĩa là chúng ta không được phép thách thức quyền năng của Thiên Chúa và những điều tốt đẹp mà Thiên Chúa đã ban cho chúng ta mỗi ngày. Chúng ta có thể có quyền tự do để chỉ trích những sai lầm mà chúng ta thấy thường xảy ra xung quanh chúng ta và trong cuộc sống hàng ngày của chúng ta, nhưng chúng ta không nên đặt mình trên bệ giá cao và tin rằng mình hơn người khác bởi vì chúng ta đều là tạo vật do Thiên Chúa sáng tạo ra và chúng ta đều gọi nhau là Kitô hữu.
            Chúng ta hãy cố tránh những cạm bẫy của niềm tự hào, hay của sự ngoạo mạn và sự kêu ngạo, thay vào đó chúng ta nên làm những việc phục vụ trong sự khiêm tốn như là người tôi tớ khiêm hạ của Thiên Chúa, Chúng ta hãy xin Chúa giúp chúng ta có lòng can đảm để loại bỏ sự cám dỗ của những sự suy nghĩ tiêu cực và biết nắm lấy niềm vui trong Tin Mừng của Chúa Giêsu.
            "Lạy Chúa Giêsu, qua tình yêu, lòng thương xót và sự tha thứ của Chúa, Chúa đã mang đến cho chúng con ơn chữa lành và phục hồi thân xác cũng như linh hồn của chúng con, Xin tình yêu và quyền năng của Chúa xoa dịu cuộc sống của chúng con trong mọi lĩnh vực, Và xin Chúa biến đổi và ban cho chúng con  sức mạnh của Chúa Thánh Thần để chúng con có thể bước đi một cách tự tin trong chân lý, và trong sự công chính của Chúa.
 
REFLECTION
It seems inherent in our human nature to look for the bad in any situation. We can see that in the negative news stories we read in the papers or watch on TV. We also observe it in the gossip that circulates among social groups. By talking about the bad side of others, we perhaps try to bring down people to make ourselves feel good. The scribes at Capernaum in today's Gospel were doing just that. They belittled the faith of several men and brushed off their effort to bring a paralytic close to Jesus. They attempted to make Jesus look like a law-breaker or religious violator instead of the preacher of Good News, which he was doing.
            Jesus was obviously annoyed by the hypocrisy and sky-high pride of the scribes that He asserted His authority and power by healing the paralytic in front of the astonished eyes of the crowd. Jesus gives notice that being members of His Church does not give us the license to challenge His authority and the many good things God provides every day. We may have the freedom to criticize the many wrongs we see happening around us in our daily lives but we should not place ourselves on pedestals and believe ourselves superior to others because we call ourselves Christians. Let us avoid the pitfalls of pride and instead work to be humble servants of God. Let us ask Jesus to remove the temptation of negative thinking and embrace the joy of His Good News.
            "Lord Jesus, through your merciful love and forgiveness you bring healing and restoration to body, soul, and mind. May your healing power and love touch every area of my life -- my innermost thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and memories? Pardon my offences and transform me in the power of your Holy Spirit that I may walk confidently in your truth and righteousness.
 
Friday of the First Week of Ordinary Time
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. Mark 2:3–4
This paralytic is a symbol of certain people in our lives who seem to be incapable of turning to our Lord by their own effort. It’s clear that the paralytic wanted healing, but he was unable to come to our Lord by his own effort. Therefore, the friends of this paralytic carried him to Jesus, opened the roof (since there was such a large crowd), and lowered the man down before Jesus.
The paralysis of this man is a symbol of a certain type of sin. It’s a sin for which someone desires forgiveness but is incapable of turning to our Lord by their own effort. For example, a serious addiction is something that can so dominate a person’s life that they cannot overcome this addiction by their own effort. They need the help of others to even be able to turn to our Lord for help. 
We each must see ourselves as the friends of this paralytic. Too often when we see someone who is trapped in a life of sin, we simply judge them and turn away from them. But one of the greatest acts of charity we can offer another is to help provide them with the means they need to overcome their sin. This can be done by our counsel, our unwavering compassion, a listening ear, and by any act of fidelity to that person during their time of need and despair.
How do you treat people who are caught in the cycle of manifest sin? Do you roll your eyes at them and turn away? Or do you firmly determine to be there for them to give them hope and to assist them when they have little or no hope in life to overcome their sin? One of the greatest gifts you can give to another is the gift of hope by being there for them to help them turn fully to our Lord.
Reflect, today, upon a person you know who seems to be not only caught in the cycle of sin but has also lost hope to overcome that sin. Prayerfully surrender yourself over to our Lord and commit yourself to the charitable act of doing anything and everything you can so as to help them fully turn to our divine Lord.
My precious Jesus, fill my heart with charity toward those who need You the most but seem incapable of overcoming the sin in their lives that keep them from You. May my unwavering commitment to them be an act of charity that gives them the hope they need to surrender their life to You. Use me, dear Lord. My life is in Your hands. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday of the First Week of Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, allow me to experience again the newness of what you have done through the sending of your Son into the world. Do not let me take the grace received in baptism for granted, or be indifferent to the communion I experience with you in the Eucharist.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The First Conflict: Chapter Two in Mark’s Gospel signals a change in the narrative. The “bad guys,” so to speak, are introduced. Chapter One was breathless in narrating one success after another. Jesus taught, healed, and exorcised demons and the people responded to him with faith in his authority and power. Today, we hear of the first opposition to Jesus and his ministry. Jesus returned to Capernaum, to the house of Simon and Andrew, after having traveled around all of Galilee, having preached in the synagogues, and having driven out demons. Many gathered in and around the house in Capernaum to hear Jesus’ preaching. Four men brought a paralytic to Jesus and had to break through the roof of the house to get to Jesus. On seeing the faith of the four men, Jesus responds first not by healing the physical paralysis but by forgiving the spiritual paralysis caused by sin.
2. The Authority of the Son of Man: Instead of believing in Jesus like the four men, the scribes immediately begin to think that Jesus is blaspheming. They know that only God has the power to forgive sins. And if Jesus claims he can do what God alone can do, then he is implicitly claiming to be God. Mark lets us know not only that Jesus is divine because of his power over sickness and demons, but also because Jesus knows the inner thoughts of those around him. God alone knows the human heart, and Jesus manifests this same knowledge. Jesus then performs the miracle of healing to show that he possesses the divine authority to forgive sins. When Jesus says, “Your sins are forgiven,” this is not just lip service or a false claim. If Jesus can forgive physical paralysis, then it is a sign that he can forgive spiritual paralysis and even give this power to forgive sins to his apostles, the successors of the apostles, and the priestly coworkers of these successors.
3. Entering into God’s Rest: The Letter to the Hebrews continues drawing a parallel between the story of the Exodus and our story as Christians. The author notes that the promise of entering into God’s rest remains. The people of the Exodus generation did not enjoy the physical rest offered in the promised land. Even when they entered the land under the leadership of Joshua, they still had to do battle with the pagan peoples who inhabited the land. Only under David, who finished the conquest of Canaan, and Solomon, who built the Temple, did the people experience a partial fulfillment of enjoying divine rest. This period of peace, however, was short-lived. Only through Jesus – who is the New Moses, the New Joshua, the New David, and the New Solomon – are we able to enter into divine rest. We do this through faith: “For we who believed enter into that rest” (Hebrews 4:3). Faith and obediential love go hand in hand. The people of Israel received the Good News of salvation but did not enter into divine rest “because of [their] disobedience.” In these last times, we are encouraged to hear and heed God’s voice and harden not our hearts. Ultimately, Joshua was unable to give the people the promised divine rest, and “a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9). We are able, through Jesus, to enjoy that rest, especially on the Lord’s Day, which is a sharing in and an anticipation of the eternal rest in the heavenly Promised Land.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, bring me into the heavenly Promised Land so that I may taste the fruit of the Tree of Life and experience the cleansing power of your gracious mercy. Grant me a share in the divine life and rest you promise.
 
Friday 1st Week in Ordinary Time 2024
 Opening Prayer: Lord, sometimes I struggle to hear your voice in a world full of noise and distraction. Help me today to quiet my heart and encounter you and your Word.
 Encountering the Word of God
 1. Eli’s Unfamiliarity with God: There was a prophecy made by an unnamed prophet that announced the fall of the priestly line and house of Eli and, as a sign of this, declared that Eli’s wicked sons, Hophni and Phineas, would die on the same day (1 Samuel 2:27-36). The First Reading tells us that Eli can barely see and has given the task of watching over the golden lampstand in the sanctuary of Shiloh to the young Samuel. When the Lord first calls Samuel, Eli is at first unable to recognize what is happening. Eli has grown so unfamiliar with the things of God that he thought that Hannah was drunk when she was in fact praying and was slow to understand that Samuel heard the voice of the Lord in the sanctuary.
 2. Your Servant is Listening: Samuel presents himself as a servant before the Lord and invites God to speak to him. God confirms the message of the unnamed prophet that Eli’s priestly line will end and that he will raise up a faithful priest. The initial fulfillment of this oracle is the faithful priest Zadok (1 Kings 1:32-40). And Zadok’s line will continue for close to a thousand years. The ultimate fulfillment of this oracle is Jesus, who is called the faithful and merciful high priest (Hebrews 2:17) who ministers on our behalf forever.
 2. Jesus’ Mission is Sustained by Prayer: We witness the mercy Jesus brings as our high priest in today’s Gospel. He travels throughout Galilee, which was part of the ancient kingdom of Israel, curing the sick, preaching in synagogues, and casting out demons from the possessed. As our faithful high priest, Jesus sustains his ministry of mercy with humble prayer and deep communion with God the Father. Jesus often prayed the psalms and we can imagine the words of today’s Psalm on the lips of Jesus, who delights in accomplishing his Father’s will. Jesus doesn’t rely on his strength alone to carry out his Father’s plan of salvation. He truly entrusts himself and his work to the Father.
 Conversing with Christ: Here I am, Lord. I come to do your will. I patiently wait for you to answer my cry. I trust in you completely. To do your will, O Lord, is my delight. Your Spirit is in my heart to guide me and lead me on the path of justice and love. I praise you today and look forward to praising you for all eternity in the assembly of heaven.
 Resolution: Our readings today remind us of the importance of daily prayer. Samuel dwells in the sanctuary and is able to hear the gentle voice of God calling him to an important mission. Jesus rises early in the morning to pray in solitude away from the noise of the crowds and the bustle of the village. We can ask ourselves: Where is my quiet place where I can hear God’s word? What is the principal mission God has given me? What is God calling me to do today concretely to be an agent of his merciful love?
 
Friday 1st Week in Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer: Lord, soften my heart and teach me to lose my doubt. I love you; I have faith in you. I want to serve you, but sometimes doubt creeps in. Strengthen my faith and my trust in you. You alone are the source of life and healing. 
Encountering Christ:
Extraordinary: The readings of this first week of Ordinary Time have depicted events that are anything but ordinary. Today’s Gospel is no exception. Jesus had shown that he could heal lepers, free the possessed, and raise the dying. His popularity had exploded. Excitement was at a fever pitch. When the word got out that he was at home, the crowds who followed him unrelentingly gathered there as well. They were all looking for healing, meaning, purpose. We come to Jesus’ home every Sunday. What are we looking for?
Friends Like This: The paralytic has some very devoted and loyal friends. Their faith and devotion moved the heart of Jesus and won for their friend the greatest of all gifts—forgiveness of his sins. Jesus’ message to us is clear: it is good to be physically well, but to avail ourselves of the sacrament of Reconciliation so as to be forgiven our sins is a far greater good. This paralytic, with the help of his friends, went to great lengths to encounter Christ. We have only to prepare our hearts and show up at church at the appointed time. How grateful are we for this experience of divine forgiveness? “Every time you go to confession, immerse yourself in My mercy, with great trust, so that I may pour the bounty of My grace upon your soul. When you approach the confessional, know this, that I myself am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the priest, but I Myself act in your soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy…”) Jesus to Sr. Faustina, Divine Mercy in My Soul).
They Just Didn’t Get It: One would think that the scribes, who had spent their lives studying Scripture, would recall the words of the prophets regarding the Messiah and realize that he was in their midst. Instead, they criticized Jesus and demanded to know why he thought he had the right to forgive sins. Jesus’ brilliant response did three things: it established his authority to heal, it established his authority to forgive sins, and it held the door open for the scribes to accept the Messiah. Jesus, our Savior, is a God of second chances. He truly loves each one of us and wants us to enter into a loving relationship with him. Jesus can reach even the most hardened sinners. Jacques Fesch was a murderer in the 1950s who experienced a profound conversion while in prison. He said of this experience: “At the end of my first year in prison, a powerful wave of emotion swept over me, causing deep and brutal suffering. Within the space of a few hours, I came into possession of faith, with absolute certainty. I believed … Grace came to me. A great joy flooded my soul, and above all a deep peace.” Jacques Fesch is being considered for canonization. Truly no one is beyond the reach of Jesus’ saving grace–not the scribes who tried to derail his mission, not a man who found Our Lord while he was on death row–no one.
Conversation with Christ: Oh my Lord. I am so grateful for two things: that you look beyond my prayer to see what I really need; and that you are a God of second chances. Often I pray for something and you do not grant what I ask. Later I see that you were working the whole time for the betterment of my soul. When I mess up, you are always there to redirect, transform, and forgive me. I give you thanks for your great wisdom and your great mercy. 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần I Thường Niên.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần I Thường Niên. (Mark 1:40-45 )
Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay chúng ta thấy người phong cùi đã tới gần Chúa Giêsu và cầu xin ngài chữa lành. Anh ta đã rụt rè khiêm tốn và chỉ dám đề nghị với Chúa rằng "Nếu Ngài muốn, Ngài có thể làm cho tôi sạch!" anh ta không dám năm nĩ xin Chúa Giêsu chữa anh ta, nhưng anh ta chỉ có ý là anh xin được theo như ý Chúa muốn mà thôi.  Cũng vì cử chỉ khiêm tốn và lòng vững tin đó mà Chúa Giê-su đã động lòng thương xót, Ngài đã sốc vì cái sự rụt rè và khiêm tốn của người cùi này. "Tất nhiên Ta muốn, anh hãy nên sạch!"
           Đôi khi những nỗi sợ hãi và những cảm xúc tiêu cực của chúng ta đã nhốt khoá chính mình trong bóng tối để không thể nhận ra Chúa và nhận ra được những ơn lành và long thương xót nơi Thiên Chúa. Chúng ta cần phải thực tâm và vững tin nơi lòng thương xót và từ bi của  Thiên Chúa. Thiên Chúa luôn có sẵn lòng thương xót, và luôn sẵn sàngvgiúp đỡ chúng ta trong những nhu cầu riêng  của chúng ta, nếu chúng ta biết phó thác và đạt niềm tin nơi Ngài. Một phép lạ cần phải có cả hai đối tượng để thực hiện đó là: Thiên Chúa và chúng ta ! Lạy Chúa, xin gia tăng đức tin của chúng con.
 
Thursday 1st Week in Ordinary Time
           The leper was so used to having people run away in disgust and fear that he was afraid to even ask Jesus for healing. He timidly suggested that Jesus could heal him — but only if he wanted to! Jesus, moved with compassion, was shocked at the man’s timidity. ‘Of course I want to, be healed!’ Sometimes our own fear and negative feelings about ourselves blocks us from receiving help and healing from God. We need to really believe in our heart of hearts that God is compassionate, merciful, and eager to help us in our need. It takes two to make a miracle — God and us!  Lord, increase my faith.
 
Thursday of the First Week of Ordinary Time
A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” Mark 1:40–41
If we come to our divine Lord with faith, kneel down before Him and present our need to Him, then we also will receive the same response given to this leper: “I do will it. Be made clean.” These words should give us hope in the midst of any and every challenge in life.
What is it that our Lord wills for you? And what is it that He desires to make clean in your life? This story of the leper coming to Jesus does not mean that our Lord will grant any and every request we bring to Him. Instead, it reveals that He wills to make us clean of that which afflicts us the most. Leprosy in this story should be seen as a symbol of the spiritual ills that afflict your soul. First and foremost, it should be seen as a symbol of the sin in your life that has become habitual and slowly does great damage to your soul.
At that time, leprosy not only caused grave physical damage to a person, but it also had the effect of isolating them from the community. They had to live apart from others who did not have the disease; and if they came near others, they had to show they were lepers by certain external signs so that people would not come in contact with them. Thus, leprosy had both personal and communal ramifications.
The same is true with many habitual sins. Sin does damage to our souls, but it also affects our relationships. For example, a person who is habitually harsh, judgmental, sarcastic or the like will experience the ill effects of these sins on their relationships.
Returning to the statement of Jesus above, consider that sin which not only affects your soul the most but also your relationships. To that sin, Jesus wishes to say to you, “Be made clean.” He wants to strengthen your relationship by cleansing the sin within your soul. And all it takes for Him to do that is for you to turn to Him on your knees and to present your sin to Him. This is especially true within the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Reflect, today, upon your closest relationships in life. And then consider which of your sins most directly hurts those relationships. Whatever comes to mind, you can be certain that Jesus wants to rid you of that spiritual leprosy within your soul.
My divine Lord, help me to see that which is within me that most harms my relationships with others. Help me to see that which causes isolation and hurt. Give me the humility to see this and the trust I need to turn to You to confess it and seek Your healing. You and You alone can free me from my sin, so I turn to You in confidence and surrender. With faith, I also await Your healing words, “I do will it. Be made clean.” Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday of the First Week of Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I kneel down before you in prayer and ask that you cleanse me from my sin and any attachments to sin. Help me break the sinful bonds of slavery and experience the fullness of true freedom.
 
Encountering the Word of God
1. Healing the Leper: In Mark’s Gospel, the beginning of Jesus’ ministry was one success after another. Jesus didn’t meet any opposition from the religious authorities or any lack of faith. He was teaching in a new way and the people he encountered marveled at his awesome teaching authority. Jesus cast out demons and commanded them to be silent. He healed everyone who came to him. In today’s Gospel, when Jesus touched the leper, the action did not render Jesus unclean. The exact opposite happened. Jesus touched the leper and rendered the leper clean. The reason why Jesus told him to go to the priests and make an offering for his cleansing was so that the leper could be reintroduced into the community (see Leviticus 14). For years, the leper in today’s Gospel was a social outcast, unable to go into the synagogue, unable to go on pilgrimage with the people of God, and unable to worship at the Temple. By showing himself to the priest and the priest declaring that the leper was now clean, the cleansed leper could rejoin the community and worship the Lord God with his brothers and sisters. 
2. New Covenant Healing: While Jesus’ cleansing action is simple and direct, the ritual prescribed for readmitting a cleansed leper into the community in Leviticus 14 was very involved. It consisted in the offering of birds, lambs, and grain, and anointing with oil. The cleansed leper would have oil placed on their ear, thumb, toe, and head. The complicated rites and burdensome laws of the old covenant are being brought to fulfillment by Jesus in the simplicity and freedom of the New Covenant! When we are healed from our spiritual leprosy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we do not need to offer animal sacrifices in gratitude, but we are given a penance. In the Sacrament, we are not anointed with oil, but we are strengthened by the anointing Spirit for the battle against sin. And in the Sacrament, we are reunited with our brothers and sisters in the Church.
3. Harden Not Your Hearts: The Letter to the Hebrews has proclaimed that as God’s definitive Word, Jesus is superior to all the prophets and that as God’s Son, he is superior to all the angels. In chapter three, the letter recalls the Exodus journey of God’s people and hints at Jesus as being superior to Moses. The letter quotes Psalm 95 which invites the people of Israel to not harden their hearts as the people did in the wilderness. Again and again, the people of the Exodus generation rebelled against God and they were punished with not entering into the Promised Land. The letter warns us that we should not imitate the Exodus generation so that we may enter into the eternal rest of the heavenly Promised Land. We are not led by Moses but by Jesus. As we journey through life, we need to recognize that we have become partners of Christ and need to hold firm until the end, preserving in faith and not succumbing to the deceit of sin.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are my true leader. I will follow in your footsteps and walk with you on the way that leads to eternal life. Cleanse my heart and soul as I walk beside you. Sustain me when I am weak and weary. Pick me up when I falter. Carry me, like a Good Shepherd, when I need it most.
 
Thursday 1st Week in Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord, I need to hear your message of mercy over and over again. I can be stubborn and refuse to be merciful. But when I contemplate your love I see that you are always ready to forgive. Help me to do the same.
 Encountering the Word of God
 1. The Ark of the Lord: After the death of the judge of Israel, Samson, there was no warrior to take up Israel’s fight against the Philistines. Today’s First Reading tells us about two battles Israel lost against the Philistines. After the first defeat, Israel attempted to use the Ark of the Covenant to bring them victory in the second battle. In the past, the Ark was a devastating weapon against Israel’s enemies. This time, however, Israel uses the Ark without consulting the Lord through Eli the high priest. By taking the Ark into battle without God’s permission, Israel acted presumptuously. The Ark was captured and Eli’s two priest sons, Hophni and Phineas, were killed. This event was part of the fulfillment of the prophecy about the downfall of Eli’s priestly line (1 Samuel 2:34). When Eli hears about the death of his sons and the capture of the Ark, he falls over and dies (1 Samuel 4:18).
 2. The Mercy Seat: The Ark of the Lord was shaped like a box and had a lid overshadowed by two carved cherubim. This golden lid was called the “mercy seat” or “place of expiation.” Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle blood on the mercy seat to expiate the sins of the people and restore them to fellowship with God (Leviticus 16:1-34). In his Letter to the Romans, Paul identifies Jesus as the mercy seat and the expiation for our sins (Romans 3:25). Jesus is the living seat of God’s presence and the place where atonement is truly made. 
 3. Jesus was Moved with Pity: The Ark was a symbol of God’s mercy. Jesus is the very incarnation of God’s mercy. We see that his heart was moved with pity at the sight of the leper. Jesus saw the pain and suffering the leper endured from the disease and the suffering he endured from being separated from the community. Jesus touches the leper and is not rendered unclean. The reverse happens. The leper is made clean and can be restored to the community of Israel. The irony is that because the leper publicizes the healing, Jesus can no longer go about openly. In this way, Jesus takes upon himself the leper’s previous state. While the leper goes about freely, Jesus has to remain in deserted places to avoid being mobbed by the people.
 Conversing with Christ: Your heart was moved with pity when you saw the leper and his suffering. Your heart is moved with pity when you see me. I have experienced the tender gaze of your love. Help me to be an agent of your mercy and pity today.
 Resolution: Jesus’ invitation to the leper is also addressed to us: Go, show yourself to the priest. We do this especially in the sacrament of Reconciliation when we open our hearts to God and show the state of our soul to his minister. Through this sacrament, we can be healed and restored to the Christian community. Through this sacrament, we are sprinkled with the blood of Christ and washed clean! Let us approach this sacrament with a humble and grateful heart.
 
Thursday 1st Week in Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer: Lord, how I need your healing in my own life! Today I kneel before you, and I beg, that if you wish, I may be made clean.
Encountering Christ: 
Kneeling and Begging: Leprosy was a dreaded disease, and in the time of Jesus lepers were considered unclean and had to live segregated from society. The pain and discomfort of their illness were made even worse by the loss of the comfort they needed from other human beings. This leper was truly in a sad state. It took tremendous courage to break the societal rules isolating lepers and seek out Jesus. He prostrated himself and begged to be made clean. Even though this was a life or death matter for the leper, he didn’t demand healing from Jesus. Instead, he told Jesus that he knew his healing would occur only if Jesus wished it. Is this our posture when interceding with the Lord for blessings, conversion, healings, etc.? Do we beg in the words Jesus taught us during his Agony in the Garden, “yet, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39)?
Healing Touch: The leper’s bravery, faith, and humility were richly rewarded. Jesus did the unthinkable for a man of his time. He reached out and touched the leper, this man with a dreadful and highly contagious disease. Moved with pity, Jesus had not let the human revulsion and fear of contagion stop him from his healing mission. As “other Christs” we are called to reach out to the disenfranchised in much the same way Jesus did. Pope Francis calls all members of the church to be “welcoming those who do not think as we do, who do not have faith or who have lost it. Welcoming the persecuted, the unemployed. Welcoming the different cultures, of which our earth is so richly blessed. Welcoming sinners...” (Pope Francis, July 12, 2015).
Can You Keep a Secret?: 9-
Conversation with Christ: Jesus, please make me aware of my deep need to be made clean. I place my mind, body, and soul into your care.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will make an act of faith, asking for healing of mind, body, and soul, if you will it. 
 
Thursday 1st Week in Ordinary Time Mark 1:40-45
The poor leper was probably used to being rejected or viewed with fear and disgust. He timidly approached Jesus and said, ‘If you choose, you can heal me!’ Jesus was almost indignant ‘of course I choose, be healed!’ But Jesus did something unusual and unheard of he touched the man. He did not view him with fear or disgust, and he was not afraid of impurity or pollution by touching him. This acceptance, affirmation, and physical touch was a major part of the healing power of Jesus. We too heal by affirming and accepting others, as well as by willingness to reach across boundaries. Only fear holds us back, but as with Jesus, we can choose.  Lord, may I be accepting and affirming of others.
 
Thursday 1st Week in Ordinary Time Mark 1:40-45
Introductory Prayer: Lord, thank you for this time together. I need you in my life and the life of my family. It is easy to let activities overwhelm me so that I lose track of you. You fade into the distance, and sometimes sin grows closer. But I know you are always there for me with your unconditional love. Thank you. I love you and long to put you first in my life.
Petition: Lord, wash me from my sins and help me to be detached from them.
1. If You Choose: A leper approaches and falls before Jesus. “If you choose, you can make me clean.” This leper couldn’t free himself from his disease any more than we can free ourselves from our sin. Leprosy was a fatal disease. It separated a man from his family and drove him outside his village to lonely places. Leprosy is a symbol of sin. Sin separates us from God and others. We need to approach Jesus with that same humility and trust we see in the leper. This story is for us, to show us Christ’s heart. It reveals his love and his desire to free us from sin. Am I convinced of the ugliness of all sin and how it defaces our souls?
2. I Do Choose: Jesus chose to heal the leper. Not only did he heal him, but he also touched him. He reached out to the loneliness of that man, and he touched his life to cure him of the disease. This reveals Christ’s heart so beautifully. Our sin never drives him away from us. He is always ready and willing to come to our aid if only we would cry out for his help. Am I capable of opening all of the inner wounds of my sins to Our Lord so that he can heal me, wash me clean and make me whole again?
3. Jesus Wants Us Free: Sin keeps us from being who we were meant to be. “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). Jesus was free from sin and so was free to love and serve others. He wasn’t compelled by greed or anger. He wasn’t moved by pride or impeded by laziness. He was free to love, and he loved to the extent of dying on a cross. Sin closes us in on ourselves. We get absorbed in ourselves, and others take the back seat – or no seat at all. How often do we say “no” to others and turn a blind eye to their needs? Isn’t it sin that blinds us and selfishness that impedes us from loving others as Christ loves us? Christ can free us from sin so that we are empowered to love as he loves.
Conversation with Christ: Jesus, I want to be free, but I need your help. Without you, I can do nothing. Help me to trust you and to turn to you. Don’t let me go off on my own as if I could keep fighting without you. Free me to love you. Free me to love others.
Resolution: I will pray Psalm 51 for myself and my loved ones.