Suy Niệm Tin Mừng 21 tháng 12.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng 21 tháng 12.
Đức Maria thực sự là một mẫu người gương mẫu cho chúng ta nên bắt chước sống trong Mùa Vọng nhất là việc chuẩn bị cho việc Chúa Cứu Thế đến. Đức Maria đã được Thiên Chúa Cha chuẩn bị để xứng đáng làm mẹ Con của Người ngay từ lúc đầu Maria mới được tạo thành trong lòng bà Thánh Anna. Là người phụ nữ Israel trung thành với Thiên Chúa Giavê, Maria đã biết cầu nguyện xin cho sự xuất hiện của Đấng Thiên sai ngay từ lúc còn bé. Khi Maria còn là một cô gái trẻ, Maria đã khám phá ra rằng mình chính là một phần trong câu trả lời của Thiên Chúa nhưng theo một cách trổi vượt xa hơn những lời cầu xin mà Maria đã xin: không phải là Đấng Thiên sai chỉ là con của Maria, mà con trai của Maria cũng chính là Thiên Chúa. Sự đồng ý tán thành của Maria với Tổng lãnh Thiên Thần Gabriel, đã khởi sự việc chuẩn bị sẵn sàng cho sự ra đời của Đức Giêsu, Đấng Thiên sai.
Qua việc đến viếng thăm và săn sóc bà Elizabeth, Đức Maria đã mang Chúa Giêsu trong lòng, như thế Maria đã trở thành người ra đi truyền giáo đầu tiên, người mang sứ điệp Tin Mừng đầu tiên đến với người chị họ của mình. Maria đã thay đổi hoàn toàn lịch sử con người. Đức Maria đã mang lại niềm vui không thể tin được đến cho  bà Elizabeth và Gioan Tẩy giả khi còn trong bụng của bà vì Maria mang Chúa Kitô đến với họ. Và cũng chính vì thế mà Đức Maria đã vui mừng và cất lên tiếng ca ngợi Thiên Chúa với lời kinh Magnificat.
Để mang lại niềm vui cho người khác trong mùa Giáng sinh này, chúng ta nên bắt chước Đức Maria là hãy mang Chúa Kitô đến với mọi người. Ngài là món quà tuyệt vời nhất mà chúng ta có thể mang đến cho bất cứ ai mà chúng ta yêu mến. Tất cả các món quà vật chất trên cõi đời này đều không có gì sánh bằng. Nếu không chia sẻ Chúa Giêsu với người thương yẻu của chúng ta, chúng ta sẽ không cho những người thân yêu của chúng ta những gì là thiết thực và bền lâu. Hãy mang Chúa Kitô đến với mọi người.
Xin Chúa Giáng Sinh ban cho chúng ta có can đãm và nghị lực để bắt chước Đức Maria về đức tin, vì đức tin đó sẽ hướng dẫn cho chúng ta đi trọn cuộc hành trìmh đức tin của chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy lắng nghe nhịp đập của trái tim và sự suy ngẫm của Đức Maria, để Giáng sinh của chúng ta có thể có hiệu quả như lần Giáng Sinh đầu tiên hơn hai ngàn năm trước.
 
REFLECTION December 21, 2019 - 
 Mary is truly the model of how we should be living Advent in preparing for Christ’s arrival. God the Father prepared her from the first moment of her conception to be the worthy mother of his Son. Like a faithful daughter of Israel, she had prayed throughout her youth for the coming of the Messiah. When she was a young lady, she discovered that she was part of God’s answer to that prayer, but in a way that would have far exceeded any Hebrew maiden’s prayers: not only would the Messiah be her son, but her son would also be God. Her “fiat,” her wholehearted “yes!” to the Archangel Gabriel, launched the proximate preparation for the birth of Jesus the Messiah. Let us enter into Mary’s response of faith, which is a guide for us along our pilgrimage of faith. Let us listen to the beat of Mary’s contemplative heart, so that our Christmas may be as fruitful as that first Christmas.
            By going to Elizabeth’s aid, Mary carrying the tiny Jesus in her womb — became the first missionary, the first bearer of the Good News that would change all of human history. Mary was able to bring incredible joy to both Elizabeth and John the Baptist in her womb precisely because she was bringing Christ. And Mary was able to burst out with her beautiful Magnificat for the very same reason. To bring joy to others this Christmas, we have to bring them Christ. He is the greatest gift we could ever bring to someone we love — all the material goods in the world fall flat in comparison. Without sharing Jesus, we are not giving our loved ones anything that is truly lasting. Bring Christ, and you bring everything.
 
December 21, Advent Weekday
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Luke 1:41–43
Elizabeth experienced a double blessing. First, she encountered the living presence of the Son of God, coming to her as He dwelled in bodily form in Mary’s womb. Second, Elizabeth was blessed by the fact that the mother of her Lord came to visit her. The presence of both Jesus and His mother blessed Elizabeth.
Elizabeth teaches us how we should respond to God’s presence as He comes to us every day in many forms. We must be attentive to God’s presence. How did Elizabeth know that her Lord and God was living within Mary’s womb? Though her unborn son’s leap of joy in her womb was an indication, that physical movement was not enough. Elizabeth, who was “filled with the Holy Spirit,” also needed Understanding, one of the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The Gift of Understanding is just that—a gift. We cannot acquire it by our own effort. Only God can bestow it on a mind that is receptive to that gift. Understanding enables us to perceive divine mysteries in ways that are beyond natural human understanding. With the Gift of Understanding, Elizabeth immediately perceived God’s presence within the Child in Mary’s womb.
Because the Mother of God was “full of grace,” Elizabeth also perceived God’s presence living within Mary’s very soul. Mary’s verbal greeting to Elizabeth was most likely an ordinary greeting. However, due to the spiritual Gift of Understanding, Elizabeth immediately understood that Mary was blessed among women and the mother of her Lord.
How attentive are you to God’s presence all around you? First, when you enter a church and appear before the tabernacle, does your soul perceive the presence of God and rejoice? Jesus is just as present in the tabernacle as He was within the womb of His Blessed Mother.
We must also be open to perceiving God’s presence in those all around us. Though we will never encounter a person who is as “full of grace” as was our Blessed Mother, we daily encounter people who are in a state of grace. And even those who are not in a state of grace have God’s indwelling presence within them by the fact that they are made in God’s image.
Reflect today on the holy response Elizabeth made as she encountered her God in the Person of Jesus and His Blessed Mother. As you do, pray for the Gift of Understanding so that you will become more aware of God’s presence in your life. Seek Him in prayer, in the Sacraments, and in the people you come in contact with every day. As you encounter Him, rejoice with Elizabeth and give thanks for such an encounter.
My ever-present Lord, You came to Elizabeth in the womb of Your dear Mother and in Your mother’s Immaculate Heart. You are present today all around me and come to me in countless ways. Please give me the Holy Spirit so that I will grow in the Gift of Understanding, enabling me to more clearly perceive You in my life, in the Sacraments, and in the lives of others. Jesus, I trust in You.

Suy Niệm Bài Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy - Tuần Bát Nhật trước giáng Sinh Ngày 20 tháng 12 2025

Suy Niệm Bài Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy - Tuần Bát Nhật trước giáng Sinh Ngày 20 tháng 12 2025
Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta có thể thử tưởng tượng Đức Maria đã có cảm giác như thế nào khi Thiên sứ đến truyền tin? Vào lúc mà Đức Maria được Thiên sứ truyền tin thì Đức Maria còn rất trẻ, lúc đó Maria mới khoảng chừng 13 - 15 tuổi, và còn trong trắng.  Và khi sứ thần của Thiên Chúa đến nói với Maria rằng cô sẽ mang thai Con Thiên Chúa. Nhưng thay vì đặt câu hỏi về Thiên Chúa hay từ chối những gì mà thiên sứ dã truyền, Đức Maria đã chấp nhận ngay mà không có sự đòi hỏi nào khác. Bởi vì Đức Maria luôn đạt niền Tin của Cô nơi Thiên Chúa, Cô chấp nhận tất cả đớn đau tủi nhục của xã hội để nhận làm Mẹ Thiên Chúa một cách mù quáng vâng (theo nghĩa Thế gian). Nếu chúng ta là Đức Maria hôm nay, chúng ta sẽ phải đáp lại lời của Thiên sứ như thế nào? Chúng ta có dám khiêm tốn nói rằng chúng ta cũng sẽ làm theo như ý Chúa như vậy chăng?
            Để học nơi gương Đức Maria và bắt chước như Đức Maria, Chúng ta phải biết đầu hàng tất cả mọi thứ đang cản trở niềm tin tưởng của chúng ta vào Thiên Chúa, chúng ta phải biết quên chính mình và khiêm tốn. Đức Maria đã có một đức tin vẹn toàn, và đã cô đặt vững niềm tin đó hoàn toàn trong những việc mà Thiên Chúa đã làm trong cuộc sống của cô. Cô đã có một thái độ rất khiêm tốn, như một người đầy tớ, nữ tỳ của Thiên Chúa.
            Thánh Maria, Đức Mẹ Chúa Trời, chúng con cảm tạ và khen ngợi Mẹ vì tình yêu quảng đại và can đảm của Mẹ trong việc Mẹ đã khiêm tốn xin Chúa hãy thực hiện nơi Mẹ  theo ý Chúa.  Nguyện xin Mẹ Maria cầu bầu cho chúng con để chúng con biết mong muốn được sống như Mẹ, và khi Thiên Chúa giao cho chúng con một nhiệm vụ nào đó, dù có khó khăn hoặc có thể không thể thực hiện được, Xin giúp chúng con biết đặt niềm tin vào Thiên Chúa và biết lắng nghe tiếng mời gọi thật sự cùa Ngài, để Ơn Chúa Thánh Thần hướng dẫn và giúp chúng con.
            .
Reflection 20/12:
Can you imagine how Mary must have felt during this time? She was very young, a virgin, and not to mention engaged, when an angel of God told her that she would be pregnant with the Son of God. But instead of questioning God or rejecting what the angel said, she immediately accepted it and blindly obeyed God. Can we say that we will do the same?
We must surrender everything that hinders our complete trust in God. Mary had complete and utter faith in what God was doing in her life. She had a very servant-like attitude; I think we should aspire to be like that. When God gives us a difficult or impossible task, will we doubt, or will we listen?
 
December 20, Advent Weekday
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.” Luke 1:26–29
The phrase “full of grace” is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It can be translated more literally as “having been graced” or “you who have been fully graced.” The tense of the word indicates that Mary has been graced by God in a unique and ongoing way, implying that this grace was not a one-time event but something encompassing her entire being and continuing to have effect.
What was the Blessed Virgin Mary’s response to this amazing greeting? She pondered the archangel’s greeting with humility and initially responded with silence and in awe. Gabriel, aware of Mary’s humility in her silence, says, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God…” Gabriel then goes on to tell her she will conceive the Son of God within her womb.
Given her immaculate nature and the fullness of grace within her soul, Mary immediately obeyed the archangel’s command and did not give into fear. Yet her “greatly troubled” heart led her to ongoing pondering and contemplation of all that was said to her.
As we draw closer to the Solemnity of Christmas, we are invited to share in the Blessed Mother’s contemplation of the mystery of the Incarnation. We can be certain that as Gabriel departed from her, her prayerful pondering did not cease. The ongoing fullness of grace within her soul led her to the deepest contemplation of this divine mystery that was humanly possible. Her mind would have penetrated the words spoken to her and perceived the mystery of the Incarnation taking place within her womb in ways that even she could not explain. With the fullness of grace came the fullness of infused knowledge, which is beyond human articulation.
In our lives, we often fail to humbly ponder the profound reality of the Incarnation. We must have a “troubled heart” in the sense of remaining in awe of what God has done for us by taking on our human nature. We must allow Mary’s pondering to become our own so that we enter more deeply into the great mystery we celebrate.
As we prepare for the celebration of Christmas, reflect upon Mary’s pondering mind and heart. Though we will never engage in her depth of contemplative prayer, she is our model. We must accept every divine mystery revealed to us with faith and then grapple with each mystery on a deeper level that can only be accomplished by contemplative prayer. Those who attain this depth of prayer are drawn exceptionally close to God Who uses them to continue the effect of the Incarnation by spiritually giving birth to Christ in their lives.
Immaculate Mother of God, you were called “full of grace” by the Archangel Gabriel. You humbly listened to all that was spoken to you and accepted it with faith, surrender, and humility. Please pray for me, that I will imitate your pondering Immaculate Heart so that I will be better prepared for the great Solemnity of Christmas Day. Mother Mary, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
December 20, Advent Weekday 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are the King of Glory. You created all things and have invited me to ascend your holy mountain. Guide my steps as I approach you. Cleanse my heart today and bless me with your grace.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Joseph and the Royal House of David: In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph. Luke doesn’t just say that Joseph was a descendant of David, but that he is of the “House of David” (Luke 1:27; 2:4). This means that even though Joseph was laboring as a humble carpenter in the small town of Nazareth, he belonged to the royal house of David. Just as Matthew revealed the genealogy of the royal house of David that continued after the return of the Judeans to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile, Luke also indicated that the line of David continued and was preserved in Joseph. In 2 Samuel 7:4-17, God promised to David that he would build him a house in the form of a dynasty. Joseph, the Gospels of Matthew and Luke reveal, is the “hidden king” and true heir to the throne of David.
2. Gabriel’s Message and the Davidic Covenant: Gabriel announces to Mary, the betrothed of Joseph five things: that she will conceive and bear a son, that this son will be great (Luke 1:32), that this son will be called “Son of the Most High,” that this son will receive the throne of his father, David, from the Lord God, and that his Kingdom will be everlasting. Gabriel’s announcement echoes the covenant promise that God made to David, that David’s name would be great (2 Samuel 7:9), that his royal sons would be “sons of God” by divine adoption (2 Samuel 7:14), and that David’s kingdom, throne, and house would be “established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16).
3. Mary’s Faith: Yesterday, we read the annunciation to Zechariah about John’s conception and birth. There are many parallels with the annunciation to Mary about Jesus. But an important difference is found in how each one responded to Gabriel’s message. Zechariah asked: “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” Mary asked: “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” In Zechariah’s case, he doubted God’s word and power and pointed out how it was naturally impossible for him and his wife to conceive. In Mary’s case, she believed and trusted. But she pointed out her vow of virginity. She didn’t object to the angel’s message like Zechariah did, but asked how she could accomplish God’s will while keeping her vow. Zechariah didn’t trust in the Lord and wanted a sign. Mary didn’t waver in her trust but eagerly asked how she could accomplish the Father’s will. Zechariah was punished with silence for nine months. Mary broke out in praise and set out immediately to help her cousin. 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, eternal Son of God, bring me safely home to dwell in your heavenly mansion. Lord Jesus, faithful Son of David, reign in my life! Lord Jesus, merciful Son of Mary, comfort me as I journey toward the heavenly Promised Land.
 
December 20, Advent Weekday 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you sent your angel Gabriel in the fullness of time to announce the day of your salvation. I welcome your saving grace. My mouth is filled with your praises, and I sing to your glory! Be my rock of refuge and rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Zechariah Offers the Tamid (the Daily Sacrifice) and Encounters Gabriel: The past two days, we read the first chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. Today, and the days leading up to Christmas, we will read the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel. The Gospel opens with the priest Zechariah being chosen to burn incense in the sanctuary of the Temple. He was a member of one of the twenty-four divisions of priests. Twice a year, each of the twenty-four divisions served in the Temple. One of their tasks was to offer the daily sacrifice, called the tamid, in the morning and in the evening. There were so many priests at the time that this responsibility was chosen by lot. At the time, a priest would only offer this sacrifice once in their lifetime. When Zechariah entered the sanctuary, he encountered the angel Gabriel, who announced that Zechariah, despite his old age, would father a son.
2. The Nazirite Vow: Among the things that Gabriel says about Zechariah’s future son is that his son will take the Nazirite vow. Gabriel says: “he will drink neither wine nor strong drink.” This was one of the three things that characterized a Nazirite (Numbers 6:1-21). The other two things were not to cut their hair and not to touch a dead body. Zechariah’s son, John, will be dedicated or consecrated to the Lord for special service like a Nazirite (Numbers 6:5; Judges 13:4). John will not only be consecrated for service but be filled with the Holy Spirit as a prophet. He will be a New Elijah who will bring the people to repentance in preparation for the coming (advent) of the Lord and his Messiah.
3. Zechariah’s Unbelief: The situation of Zechariah is very understandable. He is now old and childless. His wife is barren, and they have no one to carry on their line. He and his wife were righteous and blameless. And yet, when the angel of the Lord assured him that he and his wife would conceive a son, he doubted. He was righteous and blameless, yet not perfect. Would any one of us have done better? Don’t we usually think in natural, human terms, and aren’t we slow to trust in God’s supernatural power? The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth invites us to lift up our gaze toward heaven and entrust our petitions to the Father, who will grant us what we ask in Jesus’ name. Zechariah’s unbelief was punished with nine months of silence. This enabled him to ponder the angel’s message and God’s power. His nine months of silence, however, came to an end in a beautiful prayer of benediction, which the Church prays every morning in the Liturgy of the Hours. 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am your servant and desire to grow in faithfulness to you. I consecrate my actions, words, and thoughts to you today.
 
Suy Niệm Bài Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Dec 20 2025
Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Giáo Hội mời gọi chúng ta một lần nữa hãy gợi nhớ và suy ngẫm về Mầu Nhiệm Nhận Thể làm Người của Thiên Chúa. Trong niềm vui Giáng sinh của chúng ta bắt đầu bước vào lịch sử nhân loại của con người: Thiên thần truyền tin cho Đức Maria. Mầu nhiệm Nhập Thể có nguồn gốc thực sự ngay trong tình yêu vĩnh cửu của Thiên Chúa, Đấng tạo dựng nên muôn loài tạo vật và chúng ta. Và Ngài cũng muốn chúng ta sẽ là những gì mà Ngài đã tạo ra cho chúng ta là có được hình ảnh giống như Ngài. Con Thiên Chúa đã trở thành người chỉ vì tội lỗi của ông Adam và bà Evà?
Câu hỏi đó đôi khi cần phải suy nghĩ, qua sách Khải Huyền chúng ta có thể được coi như là một câu trả lời có thể chấp nhận được.  Nhưng nếu như đó, giả sử là hành động yêu thương của Thiên Chúa dành cho Con của Người phụ thuộc vào tội lỗi của con người, điều mà một số nhà thần học sẽ xem là hơi khó chấp nhận. Sau đó, có một suy nghĩ khác: rằng Chúa Giêsu thực sự sẽ trở thành con người để trở thành Cha của chúng ta, vì ngay cả khi không có tội lỗi, chúng ta vẫn rất hạn chế như những sinh vật và cần Chúa Hướng dẫn rất cụ thể.
Nhưng nếu như đó là hành động yêu thương của Đức Chúa Trời Người đã cho Con của Người ông là phụ thuộc vào tội lỗi của con người, trong đó một số nhà thần học sẽ thấy là phần nào không thể chấp nhận. Có nghĩa là, sau đó, một suy nghĩ khác: Chúa Giêsu sẽ thực sự đã trở thành người đàn ông để có cách của chúng ta với Chúa Cha, cho dù không có tội lỗi chúng ta vẫn còn rất hạn chế như các sinh vật và cần sự hướng dẫn rất cụ thể của Thiên Chúa. Trên trái đất này, chúng ta sẽ không bao giờ biết được câu trả lời, nhưng điều đó không làm giảm khả năng của chúng tôi để vui mừng trong sự ra đời của Chúa Giêsu, Mẹ Maria thành Nazareth đã có thể cho chúng ta bằng sự rộng lượng và lòng can đảm.
 
Reflection
Today we are invited once again to recall and meditate on the moment when our Christmas joy began to enter our human history: the Annunciation to Mary. The Incarnation has its true origin in eternity in the eternal love of God, who created us and desires that we will be what he created us to be in his divine image and likeness.
            Did the Son of God only become man because of Adam's sin? That question is sometimes pondered and, from the accounts in Genesis it seems an acceptable answer that that is so. But then it seems as if God’s loving action of giving his son was dependent on human sin, which some theologians will see as somewhat unacceptable.  There is, then, another thought: that Jesus would indeed have become man in order to be our way to the Father, for even without sin we are still very limited as creatures and need God’s very concrete guidance.
   On this earth we will never know the answer, but that does not reduce our capacity for rejoicing in the birth of Jesus, which Mary of Nazareth made possible for us by her generosity and courage.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, we thank you and praise you for your generous and courageous love in asking God to let it be done to You according to his word.
 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Ngày 19/12/2025`. Luke 1:5-25

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Ngày 19/12/2025`. Luke 1:5-25
Hôm nay, sứ thần Gabriel của Thiên Chúa hiện ra báo tin cho ông Zechariah về sự ra đời của ông Gioan Tẩy giả, người mà sẽ đi trước và chuẩn bị cho sứ mệnh của Đấng cứu thế. Qua sự quan phòng yêu thương của Thiên Chúa, Ngài đã chuẩn bị cho sự ra đời của Chúa Giêsu cùng với ông Gioan. Vấn đề không có con được của Isavê không phải là một vấn đề với Thiên Chúa vì Chúa muốn thực hiện một phép lạ như vậy để chứng tỏ tình yêu của Ngài dành cho con người chúng ta, những sinh vật của Ngài.
     Như bài Tin Mừng cho thấy ông Zechariah, đã không có lòng tin vào lời Sứ thần : “Làm sao tôi có thể tin điều này? Tôi cũng đã già rồ và vợ tôi cũng không còn trẻ nữa” (Lc 1, 18).  Là con người, ông ta có một cách nhìn quá thực tại của con người về mọi phương diện. Có lẽ chúng ta cũng không thể trách ông đã thiếu niềm tin vào sứ thần Gabriel cũng như kế hoạch đã sắp đặt sẵn của Thiên Chúa, vì kế hoạch của Thiên Chúa luôn to lớn hơn những sự sắp xếp của con người chúng ta; trong trường hợp này, không gì khác hơn là sự Nhập thể làm Người của Con Thiên Chúa để cứu rỗi nhân loại! Sứ thần tìm thấy trong con người ông Zechariah có sự khác biệt con người thành thật nhưng chậm hiểu trong các vấn đề của Thiên Chúa.
       Mùa Giáng sinh đang đến, và chỉ còn vài ngày nữa thôi, Chúng ta hãy xin sứ thần Gabriel của Thiên Chúa giúp chúng ta biết sẵn sàng, không như Zechariah nhưng biết giống như Đức Maria. Điều cần thiết là chúng ta phải biết cố gắng giữ mình trong sự hiện diện của Thiên Chúa mỗi ngày, nghĩa là biết tăng thêm tình yêu thương của chúng ta đối với Chúa Giêsu Kitô trong những lời kinh cầu nguyện của chúng ta, siêng năng rước lễ với lòng sùng kính Thánh Thể: bởi vì Chúa Giêsu đã được sinh ra và đến với chúng ta! Chúng ta nên có một cái nhìn siêu nhiên hay cái nhìn đức tin về tất cả các vấn đề của chúng ta. Chúng ta cần một tầm nhìn như vậy trong công việc chuyên môn của chúng ta, trong các nghiên cứu của chúng ta, trong hoạt động tông đồ, ngay cả trong những thất bại hàng ngày của chúng ta. Không có gì có thể thoát khỏi sự quan phòng của Thiên Chúa! Với sự chắc chắn và niềm vui khi biết rằng chúng ta đang hợp tác với các thiên thần và Thiên Chúa trong các kế hoạch yêu thương, cứu rỗi của Thiên Chúa.
 
Reflection on  Friday December 19, 2025
Today, the angel Gabriel announces the “supernatural” birth of John the Baptist, the man who will prepare the mission of the Messiah to the priest Zechariah. God, in His loving providence, prepares Jesus' birth along with John's. Isabel's sterility is not a problem. God wants to perform such a miracle because of His love for us, his creatures.
But Zechariah, on this occasion, does not show much supernatural faith: «How can I believe this? I am an old man and my wife is elderly, too» (Lk 1:18). He has an excessively human way of looking at things. He lacks trust in God's plans, which are always bigger than ours: in this case, nothing more than the Incarnation of the Son of God for the salvation of mankind! The angel finds an “absent-minded” Zechariah, slow in Godly matters, a bit “off the air”.
With Christmas being only a few days away, may the angel of the Lord find us ready, just as Mary was. It is necessary that we try to keep ourselves in the presence of God during the day, to intensify our love for Jesus Christ in our prayer, to receive Holy Communion with devotion: because Jesus is going to be born and come to us! We should have a supernatural outlook about all our affairs. We need such a vision in our professional work, in our studies, in our apostolate, even in our daily setbacks. Nothing escapes divine providence! With the certainty and joy of knowing that we are cooperating with the angels and the Lord in the loving, salvational plans of God.
 
December 19, Advent Weekday
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.” Luke 1:13–15
Unlike Saint Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Zechariah doubted the angel of the Lord’s revelation. Our Blessed Mother encountered the Archangel Gabriel at the Annunciation and responded, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and when Joseph awoke, “he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him” (Matthew 1:24).
Today, we are given a similar scene to ponder. Zechariah and Elizabeth are identified as being “righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly” (Luke 1:6). In other words, Zechariah was a holy man of God. While he was standing at the altar of incense located in the Holy Place, just outside the veil of the Holy of Holies, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to him to announce that his wife had conceived a child in her old age. Gabriel further reveals, “He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:15–16).
Given Zechariah’s personal holiness and the extraordinary revelation he received from Gabriel, he should have believed what Gabriel said without hesitation. When he failed to do so, Gabriel said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words…” (Luke 1:19–20).
This chastisement was clearly for Zechariah’s benefit. Despite his lack of faith, God wanted him to participate in His divine plan of salvation. The chastisement was not a punishment in a punitive way. It was meant to instill greater faith in him, and it accomplished its purpose.
Most of us are more like Zechariah than we are like our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph. Despite our best intentions and attempts to remain faithful to God’s will, we stumble. When that happens, we must see any consequences as a gift of love from God. Chastisements come in many forms. They are meant to wake us up to a greater obedience to God’s will.
Reflect today on any ways that your sins have resulted in consequences. It takes deep humility to admit our sins and take responsibility for their effects. Though it is easy to be angry, to point the finger elsewhere, and to justify our actions, doing so is a rejection of God’s loving chastisement meant for our good. Strive to imitate Zecharaiah by humbly changing when your sin results in consequences so that God can bring good into your life, even from a lack of faith and obedience to His will.
Most merciful Lord, You chastise those whom You love so as to redirect them to Your holy will. When I sin, please help me to accept the consequences with humility and as a motivation to turn back to You in fidelity and love. Please make me holy in imitation of Zechariah, Saint Joseph, and our Blessed Mother. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Reflection on Dec 19 -2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you sent your angel Gabriel in the fullness of time to announce the day of your salvation. I welcome your saving grace. My mouth is filled with your praises, and I sing to your glory! Be my rock of refuge and rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Zechariah Offers the Tamid (the Daily Sacrifice) and Encounters Gabriel: The past two days, we read the first chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. Today, and the days leading up to Christmas, we will read the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel. The Gospel opens with the priest Zechariah being chosen to burn incense in the sanctuary of the Temple. He was a member of one of the twenty-four divisions of priests. Twice a year, each of the twenty-four divisions served in the Temple. One of their tasks was to offer the daily sacrifice, called the tamid, in the morning and in the evening. There were so many priests at the time that this responsibility was chosen by lot. At the time, a priest would only offer this sacrifice once in their lifetime. When Zechariah entered the sanctuary, he encountered the angel Gabriel, who announced that Zechariah, despite his old age, would father a son.
2. The Nazirite Vow: Among the things that Gabriel says about Zechariah’s future son is that his son will take the Nazirite vow. Gabriel says: “he will drink neither wine nor strong drink.” This was one of the three things that characterized a Nazirite (Numbers 6:1-21). The other two things were not to cut their hair and not to touch a dead body. Zechariah’s son, John, will be dedicated or consecrated to the Lord for special service like a Nazirite (Numbers 6:5; Judges 13:4). John will not only be consecrated for service but be filled with the Holy Spirit as a prophet. He will be a New Elijah who will bring the people to repentance in preparation for the coming (advent) of the Lord and his Messiah.
3. Zechariah’s Unbelief: The situation of Zechariah is very understandable. He is now old and childless. His wife is barren, and they have no one to carry on their line. He and his wife were righteous and blameless. And yet, when the angel of the Lord assured him that he and his wife would conceive a son, he doubted. He was righteous and blameless, yet not perfect. Would any one of us have done better? Don’t we usually think in natural, human terms, and aren’t we slow to trust in God’s supernatural power? The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth invites us to lift up our gaze toward heaven and entrust our petitions to the Father, who will grant us what we ask in Jesus’ name. Zechariah’s unbelief was punished with nine months of silence. This enabled him to ponder the angel’s message and God’s power. His nine months of silence, however, came to an end in a beautiful prayer of benediction, which the Church prays every morning in the Liturgy of the Hours. 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am your servant and desire to grow in faithfulness to you. I consecrate my actions, words, and thoughts to you today.
 
December 19 Advent Weekday
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I thank you for sending your only-begotten Son to be with us and save us. I praise you for your marvelous works. Help me to know my role in your plan of salvation and sanctification.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Question of Jesus’ Genesis: Yesterday, we began our reading of the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke. We meditated on the genealogical lineage of Jesus in the Gospel according to Matthew. The genealogy, however, didn’t actually mention who generated Jesus. Instead of saying, “Joseph begat Jesus,” it said that Jesus was born of Mary. It left the question of Jesus’ genesis or generation open. Today’s Gospel answers that open question. Matthew says: “This is how the genesis (birth) of Jesus Christ came about … [Mary] was found with child through the Holy Spirit.” This means that, in addition to Jesus’ human origin as the “son of Mary,” Matthew reveals to us that Jesus has a divine origin and genesis!
2. The Virginal Genesis of Jesus: Mary is introduced by Matthew as a woman “betrothed to Joseph.” This means she was Joseph’s wife, but that they did not yet live together. To understand this, we need to recall that in ancient Judaism, there were two stages in the marriage process. A couple would begin the first stage by exchanging their consent before witnesses. After this betrothal, the wife would continue to live with her parents for up to a year. Often, the husband would use this time to prepare their future home. The second stage of marriage, often celebrated a year after the betrothal, was the couple’s “coming together,” in which the marriage was consummated. But Matthew insists that when Joseph took Mary “into his home,” they did not consummate their marriage on their wedding night or in the months leading up to Jesus’ birth. This provides grounds for the Church’s teaching that Mary remained a perpetual virgin and yet was the Mother of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She is the Virgin Mother!
3. “YHWH saves” and “God-with-Us”: The angel commands Joseph to name the child of Mary, “Jesus.” The name “Yeshua” in Hebrew means “YHWH saves.” And the angel indicates that Jesus will save his people from their sins. Jesus saves us not only from the consequences of sin – from eternal separation from God – but also from sinning. He came to enable us to live holy lives (see Bergsma, Word of the Lord: year A, 42). Matthew indicates that all of this took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.” In Hebrew, “Im” means “with,” the suffix “nu” means “us,” and “el” means “God.” In Jesus, God is truly with us, because Jesus is true God and true man. This makes Jesus the perfect high priest. He is the perfect bridge (pontifex) between God and man. He is perfectly faithful as the Son of God, and he is perfectly merciful because of his solidarity with us.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, the Righteous Shoot of David, reign in my heart! Make it yours. Dispel any darkness or evil so that I may walk in your light. You, the Son of God, are truly with me and dwell within me.
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Ngày 19/12/ Luke 1:5-25
Đã có bao giờ chúng ta chứng kiến một phép lạ hay đã có những kinh nghiệm về những sự kiện dường như không thể xảy trên cuộc đời trần thế này? Đã có bao giờ chúng ta đặt câu hỏi là tại sao lại có những sự việc đã xảy ra trong thế giới này mà con người chúng ta không thể giải thích được, ngay cả khoa học hiện đại cũng không thể chứng minh được? Như ông Dacaria, ông đã không thể tin được là vợ của ông là bà Elizabeth vẫn có thể mang thai và sinh con được khi cả hai ông bà đang ở trong cái tuổi già khi thiên sứ đến và báo tin cho ông là vợ ông là bà Elizabeth sẽ mang thai và sinh cho ông một một người con trai.
Việc chúng ta nghi ngờ về sự quan phòng của Thiên Chúa cho chúng ta có thể cản trở sự nhận dạng, hay đánh giá đúng mức về những phúc lành của Ngài đã và đang ban cho chúng ta. Và những sự nghi nhờ có thể sẽ ngăn trở chúng ta thực hiện những kế hoạch của Thiên Chúa trong cuộc sống của chúng ta và cũng có thể ảnh hưởng dây chuyền tới những người khác khi chúng ta nói "Không" với những gì Thiên Chúa muốn nơi chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy mở mắt để nhìn, mở đôi tai để lắng nghe, mở rộng trái tim để tiếng nói của Thiên Chúa qua ơn Chúa Thánh Thần, và để cho ý nghĩ của chúng ta luôn biết kết hợp với ý muốn của Thiên Chúa và để cho kế hoạch của Thiên Chúa được thực hiện nơi chúng ta, và những quyết định của chúng ta làm ảnh hưởng đến những người khác trong việc theo Chúa, và được trở nên thành tựu.
            Khi chúng ta để cho Thiên Chúa hoạt động trong chúng ta và đi vào cuộc sống của chúng ta, các phép lạ sẽ xảy ra ngay trong cuộc sống của chúng ta như lòng chúng ta hằng ước muốn, Vì vậy, chúng ta hãy chuẩn bị sẵn sàng để đón Chúa sắp đến với chúng ta trong Mùa Vọng này, Hãy chuẩn bị cho ngày giáng sinh của Chúa trong tâm hồn chúng ta. Đây là thời gian và là mùa của triều đại của Chúa Thánh Thần khi người hiếm muộn sinh con và mang lại những hoa quả của Thiên Chúa đến với nhân loại.
 
Reflection on Dec 19
Have we ever experienced or heard of seemingly impossible events that occurred against all odds? Have we ever questioned how in the world this happened as there is no scientific explanation for it?  Just like Zechariah. It was hard for him to believe that his wife Elizabeth could still bear a child at her advanced age, even when the messenger was a messenger from God! 
 Our doubts regarding God's providence may hinder us from recognizing, appreciating His blessing and may not allow us to effect God's plan for our life and for those that may be affected by our saying "No" to what He wants of us.  Let us open our eyes, ears, heart and mind to God's voice through the Holy Spirit so that our will is aligned to God's will and that God's plan for us, and for others affected by our decision to follow Him, will come to fruition.

Suy niệm Tin Mừng, Dec 18 Matthew 1:18-25

Suy niệm Tin Mừng, Dec 18 Matthew 1:18-25
Trong phúc âm hôm nay, chúng ta thấy sự yếu hèn của Thánh Giuse, Vì ngài cũng chỉ là con người như thấp hèn như chúng ta. Nhưng với là con người thích sự công chính, và nhờ vào sự cầu nguyện và tin vào lời của Thiên Chúa, mà thánh Giuse đã nhận Đức Maria làm vợ và nhận đứa trẻ trong lòng bà là Đấng Cứu Thế như lời đã hứa. Cũng Như Đức Mẹ, Thánh Giuse là một mô hình của đức tin cho chúng ta, Nhờ Thánh Giuse là một người công chính, một nhân chứng trung thành mà một phần kế hoạch cứu rỗi của Thiên Chúa đã được thực hiện.
Còn chúng ta, chúng ta đã sẵn sàng để tin vào lời Chúa đã hứa,? Ngay cả trong những khi chúng ta phải đối mặt với hoàn cảnh khó khăn bối rối và những vấn đề nan giản không lối thoát?
Thiên Chúa đã không để cho chúng ta phải mồ côi một mình, nhưng Ngài đã đem chính Con một của Ngài là Đức Giêsu Kitô, Đấng Cứu Thế đến với chúng ta. Vì vậy chúng ta hãy nên chuẩn bị tâm hồn để đón mừng Chúa Giáng sinh, Chúa Nhập Thể với tâm hồn trong sang và vui tươi. Chúng ta cũng hãy canh tân đức tin và niềm hy vọng của chúng ta vào Thiên Chúa và trong công cuộc cứu chuộc của Ngài.
            Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin Chúa đến để cứu chúng con thoát khỏi mọi tội lỗi và sức mạnh của sự chết, Xin Cho chúng con luôn luôn được vui mừng với sự cứu rỗi của Chúa và luôn biết tin tưởng vào những kế hoạch thiêng liêng mà Chúa đã sắp sẵn cho con.
 
REFLECTION
Joseph was a just man. In the Bible, as consequently in our Christian life, the justice which matters most is never any mere human social or political justice but only the justice of God. Joseph’s justice, as well as his relationship with Mary, is only known to us from Scripture. The Word of God, is therefore revealed to us only as part of the mystery of the Incarnation. A first superficial and common notion is that Matthew accepted that Joseph was just with respect to the law of Moses, which seemed to demand that, not knowing how Mary came to be pregnant, he should divorce Mary, but being a kindly man, he decided to do this “quietly” or secretly. This notion, however, is not adequate or commensurate with the whole atmosphere of holiness and divine mystery which pervades the whole Gospel account. A more reasonable explanation is that Joseph was a holy man, sensitive to the presence of God and this would have naturally led him to the realization that somehow Mary’s situation was the work of God and that he should withdraw so as not to interfere with God's work. Teach us, Lord, to be just and sensitive to Your presence in our lives so that we may never be a hindrance to Your work
 
December 18, Advent Weekday
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. Matthew 1:24
The human person is a fascinating subject of study. Throughout the ages, countless philosophers, theologians, and social scientists have sought to understand the complexities of human nature. Within the Catholic philosophical tradition, Saint Thomas Aquinas stands out as an influential and trustworthy teacher on this topic.
Aquinas teaches that while a person sleeps, the external senses are inactive. However, sense images within the imagination can still be active to varying degrees, depending on the depth of sleep, leading to the formation of dreams. Human reason is not entirely inactive during sleep, but it operates in a diminished capacity, which often results in dreams being nonsensical. Because the intellect’s judgment is not fully engaged, the content of dreams is generally neither moral nor immoral.
There is, however, another form of dream that transcends the normal and natural type. This is exemplified in Joseph’s dream. In such divinely inspired dreams, like Joseph’s, human reason is fully active—not because of the natural workings of the imagination—but because the dream is a direct result of divine intervention. In Joseph’s case, his reason and intellect were fully engaged, allowing him to comprehend the divine message delivered by the angel. He was presented with a choice, and with his reason fully operative, he freely chose to say “Yes” to God’s communication, thus embracing his role in the divine plan.
This “Yes” to the divine plan is clearly illustrated in the passage quoted above. Upon awakening, Joseph “did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him.” His choice was made during his divinely inspired dream, and his will fully acted upon this decision when he awoke.
Though divinely inspired dreams like Joseph’s are uncommon, they do happen. We, however, do not need to wait for such a dream to imitate Joseph’s obedience to God’s will. Like Joseph, we have been given divine Truth. For us, that Truth comes primarily through Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church. The writings of the saints also help clarify all that God speaks to us.
At times, our imaginations can lead us astray, much like in a dream. When we allow irrational thoughts to dictate our actions, we might find ourselves filled with anxiety, worry, and confusion. Imitating Joseph does not mean waiting for a divine dream; rather, it means actively engaging our minds with divine Truth as revealed through the Church and Sacred Scripture. We must then listen to that truth, dismiss irrational thoughts, and use our reason to command our will to act in obedience to God’s will.
Reflect, today, on whether you tend to dwell on irrational ideas or whether you turn your intellect to divine Truth as the basis for what you believe and how you act. Just as Joseph trusted in the Truth revealed to him by the angel and acted upon it, we too must place our trust in the Truth and act accordingly.
My trustworthy Lord, You have revealed to us all Truth as is given to us through the Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church. When my imagination leads me astray into obsessive thinking and worrying, please speak to me and help me to hear Your voice. May every decision I make and action I take be in accord with Your Truth. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday 3rd week of Advent- 18, 2021
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I thank you for sending your only-begotten Son to be with us and save us. I praise you for your marvelous works. Help me to know my role in your plan of salvation and sanctification.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Question of Jesus’ Genesis: Yesterday, we began our reading of the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke. We meditated on the genealogical lineage of Jesus in the Gospel according to Matthew. The genealogy, however, didn’t actually mention who generated Jesus. Instead of saying, “Joseph begat Jesus,” it said that Jesus was born of Mary. It left the question of Jesus’ genesis or generation open. Today’s Gospel answers that open question. Matthew says: “This is how the genesis (birth) of Jesus Christ came about … [Mary] was found with child through the Holy Spirit.” This means that, in addition to Jesus’ human origin as the “son of Mary,” Matthew reveals to us that Jesus has a divine origin and genesis!
2. The Virginal Genesis of Jesus: Mary is introduced by Matthew as a woman “betrothed to Joseph.” This means she was Joseph’s wife, but that they did not yet live together. To understand this, we need to recall that in ancient Judaism, there were two stages in the marriage process. A couple would begin the first stage by exchanging their consent before witnesses. After this betrothal, the wife would continue to live with her parents for up to a year. Often, the husband would use this time to prepare their future home. The second stage of marriage, often celebrated a year after the betrothal, was the couple’s “coming together,” in which the marriage was consummated. But Matthew insists that when Joseph took Mary “into his home,” they did not consummate their marriage on their wedding night or in the months leading up to Jesus’ birth. This provides grounds for the Church’s teaching that Mary remained a perpetual virgin and yet was the Mother of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She is the Virgin Mother!
3. “YHWH saves” and “God-with-Us”: The angel commands Joseph to name the child of Mary, “Jesus.” The name “Yeshua” in Hebrew means “YHWH saves.” And the angel indicates that Jesus will save his people from their sins. Jesus saves us not only from the consequences of sin – from eternal separation from God – but also from sinning. He came to enable us to live holy lives (see Bergsma, Word of the Lord: year A, 42). Matthew indicates that all of this took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.” In Hebrew, “Im” means “with,” the suffix “nu” means “us,” and “el” means “God.” In Jesus, God is truly with us, because Jesus is true God and true man. This makes Jesus the perfect high priest. He is the perfect bridge (pontifex) between God and man. He is perfectly faithful as the Son of God, and he is perfectly merciful because of his solidarity with us.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, the Righteous Shoot of David, reign in my heart! Make it yours. Dispel any darkness or evil so that I may walk in your light. You, the Son of God, are truly with me and dwell within me.
 
Thursday 3rd week of Advent- 18, 2021, Matthew 1:18-25
Opening Prayer: Lord, help me quiet my heart. Let the outside world fall away. In this time with you, I seek to grow in love and faith. Do not let the concerns of the day mar this opportunity to spend time with you. 
Encountering Christ:
Gentle Righteousness: Joseph was faced with a devastating series of events. He had become betrothed to Mary in a binding religious ceremony, committing to her as his wife. Since the precepts of his time dictated a waiting period between the formal betrothal and taking her into his home as his wife, her pregnancy was a terrible shock to him. He had every reason to believe that his betrothed wife had been unfaithful. Yet, instead of bringing down the full wrath of the law on Mary, he planned to divorce her quietly. She could have been put to death for adultery, and Joseph, as heartbroken and mortified as he must have been, simply did not want that. What a gentle and kind heart he must have had. Are we as gracious and kind when we believe we have been wronged?
The Dream: Joseph was a practical man, a carpenter who made his living working with his hands. Yet, he was also a student of Scripture and a man of prayer. When the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, it might have been easy for Joseph to wake up and convince himself that he had not had a visitation from an actual angel. On the contrary, his heart and soul were open to the extraordinary possibility that the Scripture was, at last, being fulfilled. The more time we spend in prayer and in studying the word of God, the more ready we are to hear the Lord when he speaks to us. 
The Prophecy Fulfilled: It is hard to imagine the wonder and awe mixed with fear that both Joseph and Mary must have experienced during this tumultuous time. Joseph did exactly what the angel told him to do, despite the difficulty it must have caused him. There may have been gossip about Mary’s pregnancy. They faced the hardship of traveling to fulfill the census when his young wife was about to give birth. Joseph had a quiet strength and he drew this strength from his obedience to God’s will. As St. Teresa of Avila was to say so many years later, “I know the power obedience has of making things easy which seem impossible” (Interior Castle, preface). The consequence of Joseph’s obedience was the fulfillment of the prophecy; Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” 
Conversation with Christ: Lord, help me to keep you first in my life, to keep my focus on you. By reflecting on the amazing events surrounding Jesus’ birth and the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, my faith and trust in you are strengthened. You are my Lord, the author of my life. I surrender my life to you. 
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will make an act of faith as I pray this daily offering:
Eternal Father, I offer you everything I do this day: my work, my prayers, my apostolic efforts, my time with family and friends, my hours of relaxation; my difficulties, problems, and distress, which I shall try to bear with patience. Join these, my gifts to the unique offering which Jesus Christ, your Son, renews today in the Eucharist. United to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, may my life today may be of service to you and to your children, and help consecrate the world to you. Amen.
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng 18 Tháng 12
Trong Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta được nghe kể là Đức Maria đã đính hôn với Thánh Giuse và mỗi người đang còn sống riêng trong thời gian tìm hiểu. Theo phong tục Do Thái thì khoảng thời gian tìm hiểu này là khoảng một năm, Trong thời gian đó hai người sống với gia đình riêng của họ, vẫn tách biệt không gần gũi nhau. Vì vậy, khi biết Đức Maria đã thụ thai, thì việc này coi như thể là Đức Maria đã phạm tội ngoại tình và phản bội Thánh Giuse trong thời gian của mà họ đang hứa hôn. Theo như luật Môisen, Đức Maria sẽ bị ném đá cho đến chết vì đó là hình phạt cho tội ngoại tình.
            Khi Thánh Giuse được thiên thần hiện ra và báo tín, ông ấy vẫn không thể hiểu được chính xác sự việc đã xảy ra là như thế nào, qua Chúa Thánh Thần, Thiên Chúa đã trở thành một con người trong lòng Đức trinh nữ  Maria. Tuy thế, ông vẫn chọn là Tin vào lời tin báo của Thiên Chúa. Trong bối cảnh và tình hình khó khăn này, ông sẵn sàng chọn tin vào Chúa mà không còn phải lo sợ. Ông đã chọn để nói với Thiên Chúa một tiếng “xin Vâng”.     Câu chuyện giáng sinh của Chúa Giêsu bao gồm những người biết chấp nhận những sự may rủi trong Thiên Chúa, thay vì đồng ý với những gì vật chất mà họ muốn và có thể hiểu hay kiểm soát được, ngay cả Đức Maria và Thánh Giuse đã chọn để đặt niềm Tin vững chắc vào Thiên Chúa, ngay cả những khi họ không thể đoán được hay nhìn thấy con đường phía trước mà họ sẽ phải đi tới.
            Trong chính những khoảnh khắc khó khăn như thế, sẽ làm lòng tin tưởng vững mạnh vào Chúa của chúng ta được nảy nở và phát triển vững mạnh hơn. Lòng tin vững mạnh như thế sẽ làm hài lòng Thiên Chúa. Với sự hợp tác này sẽ đem lại những phúc lành của Thiên Chúa cho cuộc sống của chúng ta và phúc lành cho những người xung quanh chúng ta.
            Lạy Chúa, xin Chúa giúp chúng con không phải lo sợ và giúp chúng biết nhận ra tiếng của Chúa và tin tưởng vaò Lời Chúa trong cuộc sống của chúng con.
 
Reflection Dec 18
In today’s Gospel we hear that Mary and Joseph are engaged or betrothed. This was a period of approximately one year during which time the two people lived with their own families, still apart from one another. So when Mary is found to be with child, it appears as though she has been unfaithful to Joseph during their time of betrothal. The law prescribed death as punishment for adultery.
            When Joseph received the angel’s message, he could not have understood exactly how, through the power of the Holy Spirit, God had become a human being in Mary’s womb. However, he chose to trust God's message. In the midst of this difficult situation, he chose not to be afraid. He chose to say ‘yes’ to God.
            The story of Jesus’ birth includes people taking risks in God. Instead of agreeing to only what they could understand or control, both Mary and Joseph choose to trust deeply in God even when they cannot see the road ahead. It is precisely in such moments of vulnerability and deep trust in God that our faith grows. Such trust pleases God. Such cooperation leads to blessing for our lives and blessing for those around us.
Lord, help me not to be afraid. Help me to recognize and trust Your voice in my life.