Suy Niệm bài đọc thứ Bẩy tuần thứ 9 Thường Niên
Như câu
chuyện của Tobit trong sách Tôbia đến một kết thúc, chúng ta thấy rằng ông ta
và gia đình ông đã phải chịu đựng nhiều đau khổ, thử thách đắng cay trong quá
khứ. Và giờ đây, họ đã ơn của Chúa được may mắn vượt quá những sự hy vọng và
mong đợi của họ. Tobit đã không quên dậy Tobia là không nên quên ơn người bạn
đã đồng hành, hướng dẫn và giúp đỡ con ông là Tôbia và giúp đỡ gia đình ông,
nên ông đã muốn chia một nửa những gì ông ta có để thưởng cho người bạn đồng
hành của con ông. Nói cách khác, Ông Tobit đã muốn dạy cho Tobia biết quảng đại
và rộng lượng với người cộng sự của mình Để đáp lại sự quảng đại và đô
lượng ấy, người bạn đồng hành đã cho Tobia biết rằng, ông thực sự chính
thiên thần Raphael được Chúa gởi đến để thử thách Tobit và giúp ông.
Suy Niệm bài đọc thứ Bẩy tuần thứ 9 Thường Niên
Trong Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta thấy một góa phụ đã dâng cúng tới những hai
đồng xu nhỏ. Như chúng ta biết là một góa phụ thời Chúa Giêsu, là người rất cô
đơn, và nghèo khổ và bần cùng nhất trong xã hội thời đó vì không có sự hỗ trợ
xã hội và họ là những người không có một tương lai vững chắn. Không có ai chăm
sóc cho các nhu cầu cần thiết của họ? Việc bà goá phụ bỏ hai đồng xu nhỏ vào
thùng tiền trong đền thánh, nếu như bà ấy đã giữ lại một đồng xu đẻ mua một tí
cơm cho mình, chắc chắn sẽ không ai trách bà ta. Tuy nhiên, trong cuộc sống đầy
thiếu tốn và mong manh như thế, bà goá phụ này đã tự hy sinh và lựa chọn dâng
cho Chúa tất cả những gì bà có, kể cả mạng sống của bà cho Thiên Chúa. Bà ấy
chính là người anh hùng trong câu chuyện này.
Bà goá phụ trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay chính là điềm tiên báo trước những gì mà
Chúa Giêsu sẽ làm. Khi Chúa Giêsu bước vào thành Jerusalem, nơi mà Ngài sẽ dâng
hiến tất cả những gì mà Ngài đang có, là chính Ngài cho Thiên Chúa Cha cũng là
vì con người chúng ta. Và kết quả sẽ là những ơn phước vô biên mà Chúa ban cho
chúng ta, những phúc lành mà Chúa ban cho không thể đo lường được . Chúa Giêsu
yêu thương mời gọi chúng ta hãy nên quảng đại trong tình thần cũng như vật
chất, nhưng Ngài không không bắt buộc chúng ta. Bằng cách nào mà Chúa
Giêsu đã mời gọi chúng ta chúng ta nên quảng đại?
Lạy
Chúa, xin giúp chúng con biết yêu thương như Ngài đã yêu chúng con, biết hy
sinh và quảng đại như Chúa đang làm ... để biết cho đi những gì chúng ta
có, (tài chánh, thời gìờ) một cách rộng lượng và quảng đại mà không bao giờ
biết do dự.
Saturday 9th
Ordinary Time 2026
Saturday
of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
“Amen,
I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to
the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she,
from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.” Mark 12:43–44
How generous are you? This is a challenging question, yet
one worth considering. Does your generosity reflect God’s boundless generosity?
Do you struggle with selfishness and greed, failing to live out the Gospel call
to poverty, detachment, and charity? Most people likely fall short of this
ideal. Acknowledging this, though difficult, is an act of honesty and humility.
Such humility disposes us to receive an outpouring of heavenly riches, which
far surpass any earthly possessions or attachments we may cling to or desire.
In today’s Gospel, set just days before His Passion,
Jesus warns the people about the scribes. In a previous discourse, He had
highlighted their limited understanding of His divine identity and their overly
legalistic approach to Scripture. Today, He condemns them for their excessive
attachment to external displays of piety—such as “long robes” and public
honors—as well as their greed, neglect of the poor, and hypocritical
religiosity. He concludes His warning with a sobering statement: “They will
receive a very severe condemnation” (cf. Mark 12:38–40).
The scribes likely thought highly of themselves and
sought to outdo one another in outward show. They fasted, meticulously followed
the Law as they interpreted it, recited lengthy prayers in public, and
cultivated a religious culture that held them in high esteem. Yet Jesus’ harsh
condemnation of them was spoken out of love. They, more than anyone in the
Temple area, needed to hear His words and repent. Perhaps some were convicted
by His rebuke, but for most, His words only hardened their hearts—ultimately leading
to their plot to crucify Him.
That same day, Jesus taught the people—and the scribes
who were listening—that the Law’s fulfillment is found in love, not in
multiplying empty displays of piety. When asked by a scribe which commandment
in the Law was the greatest, He proclaimed: “You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your
strength…. You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30–31).
In today’s discourse, Jesus provided the people and the
scribes who were listening with a concrete, visual example of His teaching. He
pointed to a poor widow who placed two small coins in the Temple treasury,
declaring that she had “put in more” than all the others. The coins she gave
were called lepta (sometimes referred to as “mites”), the
smallest denomination in circulation at the time. A single lepton was
worth approximately 1/128 of a denarius, the standard daily wage for a laborer.
In modern terms, if a daily wage were $170 USD, her two coins would amount to
roughly $2.66—a seemingly insignificant sum, yet one of immense spiritual value
in God’s eyes.
When God looks at your generosity, He looks into your
heart and judges according to what He sees. He is not impressed by wealth or
poverty, nor does He measure generosity by the size of a gift. Rather, He looks
at your willingness to put love into action—loving “with all your heart, with
all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” This love is
first directed to God and then expressed through an unwavering love of
neighbor. How much should we give to God and others? Like the poor widow, we
must give our “whole livelihood,” meaning the totality of who you are and what
you can do. That is what Jesus praised, and it is what He expects of us.
Reflect today on the radical generosity to which we are
all called. As finite beings, we cannot meet every need in the world—but that
is not our duty. Our duty is to offer all that we are and have to God in
service of His will. Though such generosity may feel difficult, the pain we
experience does not come from giving but from the remnants of selfishness
resisting detachment. Pray for the grace to be so generous that it purges all
selfishness from your heart, soul, mind, and strength. When that happens, God
will see your goodness and bless you abundantly.
Most generous Lord, You have given me everything and
invite me to offer all in return, out of love for You and my neighbor. Fill my
heart with the grace of radical generosity, that I may give my time, energy,
and resources without hesitation, offering my whole self in Your service. Help
me to see the wisdom in such self-giving, trusting that Your goodness is never
outdone in generosity. Jesus, I trust in You.
Saturday 9th
Ordinary Time 2026
pening
Prayer: Heavenly Father, you see
not as human beings see, but you behold the heart in truth. Free us from all
pride and the desire for human approval, and teach us to give you our whole
selves. May our offerings, however small, be made in sincerity and pleasing in
your sight.
Encountering
the Word of God
1. The
Danger of Honors: Today, we
conclude our daily reading of the Gospel of Mark. One of Mark’s goals in his
Gospel is to focus on what it takes to be a disciple of Jesus. On the way to
Jerusalem, Jesus put his disciples on guard against seeking riches, pleasure,
and power. He wants his disciples, especially the leaders of the Church, to be
detached from earthly treasure, to be faithful to their spouses, and to
exercise authority as humble servants. The lessons in Jerusalem continue these
admonitions. First, Jesus cautions his disciples to “beware of the scribes.”
And Jesus highlights two sinful actions. First, they use their position to seek
earthly honors such as being called “rabbi,” which means “my great one.” They
seek after the best places within the synagogue and outside the synagogue at
banquets. Second, the scribes use their position for financial gain – they
recite lengthy prayers, not to honor God and act as a priestly bridge between
God and humanity, but to get money and exploit the poor. The leaders of the
Church, Jesus knows, will be tempted like the scribes to use their position of
authority for themselves.
2. The
Widow’s Offering: The false piety
of the scribes is contrasted with the true piety of the widow. Jesus observes
how many wealthy people contribute large sums to the Temple treasury, but he
draws special attention to a poor widow who contributes only two small coins.
In human terms, her offering seems insignificant, yet in God’s eyes it is of
immense value because it represents everything she has. Unlike the scribes, who
give to be seen and honored, the widow gives quietly and without calculation,
entrusting her entire life to God’s providence. Her act reveals that true
worship is not measured by external abundance but by total, interior surrender.
She becomes a living image of authentic discipleship, where love of God and
neighbor outweighs all things.
3. True
Greatness in the Kingdom of God: Jesus
uses this moment to reveal a fundamental reversal in the logic of the Kingdom.
What is admired by the world – status, celebrity, beauty, power, and surplus
wealth – is not what God esteems. Instead, God looks upon the heart and values
total trust in him, even when it appears fragile or hidden. The widow’s gift
anticipates the self-gift of Christ himself, who will soon offer everything on
the Cross without reserve. In this way, discipleship is shown not as a partial
offering, but as a participation in Christ’s own total self-giving love. Those
who follow Jesus are called to measure greatness not by what they retain for
themselves, but by what they entrust to God.
Saturday 9th
Ordinary Time 2023
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd
put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow
also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Mark 12:41–42
As soon as Jesus saw this widow contribute her “few cents” worth
of coins, Jesus was moved with love. He immediately used this as an opportunity
to teach a lesson to His disciples. He called them over and explained that this
poor widow had contributed more than anyone because “she, from her poverty, has
contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”
Our Lord judges’ generosity far differently than the world. What
does it mean to be generous? Generosity certainly applies to how you use your
money. But it also applies to your time, energy, commitment, and every other
aspect of your life. To be generous, according to Jesus, is to give all you
have, your “whole livelihood.”
You accomplish this goal when you make God and His holy will the
central and most important part of your life. You can hold nothing back from
Him! Does this mean that if you want to strive for perfection, then you must
give away all you own? Perhaps the best answer is both “Yes” and “No.” The
answer is “Yes” in the sense that we must become completely detached, on an
interior and spiritual level, from everything that is not part of God’s perfect
will. The answer is “No” in the sense that, for most people, it is part of His
holy will that you own a house, a car, other possessions, and do enjoy other
material comforts with your family and friends. The key is the interior
detachment and the central focus upon the glory of God and the total service of
His holy will. Love of God and neighbor, and freedom from selfishness, will be
the guiding factors in these decisions.
With that said, there are certainly some who live in excess and
indulgence in our world and, as a result, are deeply attached to their
extravagant lifestyle. And there are some who are physically poorer who are
just as attached, interiorly, to that which they do not have. For example, what
if this poor widow, instead of giving her last few cents, sat in the Temple
area watching as the wealthy put in large sums of money and allowed herself to
grow in jealousy and greed. This interior attitude would have been in stark
contradiction to the generous and trusting spirit she acquired through her
total generosity. True generosity is a fundamental disposition of our lives. It
means that we have chosen to imitate our Lord through a total self-giving of
ourselves to His holy will. And that does include seeing all that we possess as
belonging to Christ for the service of His holy will.
Reflect, today, upon whether material possessions and wealth
possess you more than you possess them. Are you controlled by desires for more
and struggle with disordered attachments to the things you do have? Are you
able to make love of God and love of neighbor the central focus of your life
and use all that you have, in accord with God’s will, for those purposes?
Reflect upon the generosity in the heart of this humble and poor widow and
allow our Lord to teach you how to be generous through her holy witness.
My generous Lord, You bestow upon us all good things. You enrich
our lives with Your love and mercy which are the true treasures we must seek.
Fill my heart with the same generosity exemplified by this poor widow so that
I, too, will imitate the total self-giving that she lived in imitation of You.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Saturday 9th
week in Ordinary Time 2023
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe in you. To please you is worth more
than any praise or recognition the world can give. I trust that you will always
inspire my heart to love you in all I do. I wish only to forget myself to love
you and those you send my way.
Petition: Lord
Jesus, may I do all for the glory of your name!
1. A Scalpel to My Vanity: The scribes did everything right in the eyes of men.
Jesus could see that it was all a facade. Their robes were for them to be
noticed. People were to pay them tribute for being men of honor. Today that
same vanity is still popular. What we wear, our car, and the titles or letters
that follow our name seem to give us self-worth. Yet, these men of means
brought nothing but condemnation upon themselves. Their position of leadership
and learning placed a great responsibility upon them. However, far from the
great good they could do for others, they used it to take advantage of others.
What deeds do I have to show for any position or learning I have?
2. Eliminating My Egotism: For whom do I live? The scribes lived for themselves. If
they taught, it was to impress others. If they gave, it was to build a
reputation. If they prayed, it was to justify everything they stole from the
poor. They were not evil men; they were ‘good guys.' But they were driven by
self-love. It explained all they did. Even if they happened to do something
just, its worth was empty, for they sought themselves.
3. Behold True Charity: Against the backdrop of so much show and empty parading,
Jesus sees a bright act of virtue. He sees what no one else sees. He saw
someone almost ignored by everyone. The authenticity of her gift was twofold.
She gave quietly, without any thought of winning praise: her gift was for God
alone. And what she gave appeared small but was her all, everything she owned.
Pure charity is done for God and involves the gift of our entire self.
Unreserved offers of service, ever ready to love and serve, when, where and as
I am asked, how rare these are! How do I give? Is my charity ever hidden? In
what ways do I give my entire self to God?
Suy Niệm bài đọc thứ Sáu tuần thứ 9 Thường Niên
Con người chúng ta thường hay phàn nàn với Chúa khi
mọi thứ đã xảy ra không được như ý muốn của chúng ta, cũng như những điều đau
đớn, phiền muộn đã xảy ra. Nhưng khi tất cả mọi thứ tốt đẹp đã xảy ra hoàn toàn
theo như ý muốn của chúng ta, thì con người chúng ta có lúc đã quên cám ơn hoặc
khen ngợi Thiên Chúa , có lúc chúng ta đã quên Thiên Chúa hoàn toàn. Những nhân
vật trong Sách Tôbia đã cực kỳ đau khổ thậm chí đã còn phải trải qua những bi
kịch thật đau buốn. Nhưng lòng thương xót và lượng từ bi của Thiên Chúa luôn
luôn làm việc và hiện diện trong những nỗi gian truân ấy, vì vậy mà cuộc đời
của Tobit, Tobias, và Sarah đã được xoay chuyển, những khó khắn, nguy hiểm, đau
buồn, thất vọng đã được biến thành những sự thành tựu, khôi phục lại sức khỏe
và hạnh phúc. Họ đã bị choáng ngợp bởi tình yêu của Thiên Chúa và không bao giờ
ngừng nghỉ ca ngợi Thiên Chúai. Có lẽ chúng ta có thể biểu hiện cái lòng biết
ơn Thiên Chúa nhiều hơn cho những gì mà Thiên Chúa đã làm và đã ban cho chúng
tôi. Chúng ta hãy cố gắng dành một chút thời giờ để ca ngợi và cảm tạ Chúa.
Lòng biết ơn sẽ xua đuổi và giúp chung ta thoát khỏi bóng tối và sự tiêu cực
trong tất cả những hình thức của nó. Lạy Chúa, giúp chúng con biết tự giác biết
ơn những người đã giúp chúng ta cách này hay cách khác và biết cảm tạ Chúa một
cách chân thành vì những gì Chúa đã làm cho chúng con qua những người chung
quang của chúng con.
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Reflection Friday 9th
Week in Ordinary Time 2026
People
often complain to God when things do not go well or when painful things happen.
But when everything turns out well, sometimes God doesn’t get thanked or
praised! The characters in the Book of Tobit had suffered terribly and even
experienced tragedy. But God’s compassionate mercy was always at work, so
Tobit, Tobias, and Sarah were delivered from danger and restored to health and
happiness. They were overwhelmed by God’s love and never stopped praising Him.
Perhaps we can show more gratitude for what God has done for us and spend a bit
of time praising and thanking God. Gratitude gets rid of darkness and
negativity in all its forms.
Sometimes we think we have Scripture
‘all figured out.’ Jesus showed his listeners how their interpretation of
Scripture was flawed. The Messiah was far more than the son of David — he was
the son of God. The writers of the Gospels all tried to show how the entire
Bible was talking about Jesus in one way or another — even in rather hidden
ways. From start to finish, the Bible is about the mercy, compassion, and care
of God for all humanity.
That is the key with which we can
open the meaning of Scripture. It also records the many ways in which humans
fail to remain on the spiritual path to which God calls them. By meditating on
Scripture and allowing it to speak to our heart, we too can draw on its wisdom
and inspiration. The Lord will be revealed to us in surprising and illuminating
ways. Lord, help me to be
grateful.
Friday of the Ninth Week
in Ordinary Time
As
Jesus was teaching in the temple area he said, “How do the scribes claim that
the Christ is the son of David? David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit,
said: The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I place your
enemies under your feet.’ David himself calls him ‘lord’; so how is he his
son?” The great crowd heard this with delight. Mark 12:35–37
Today’s Gospel presents us with one of Jesus’ many
teachings in the Temple area just days before His Passion. Just prior to this
Gospel, Jesus praised one of the scribes for his understanding of Scripture,
saying to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34). He then turned His attention to a large crowd and
revealed the limited understanding that many of the scribes and teachers of the
Law had about the Messiah.
Though the
scribes rightly understood from Scripture that the Messiah would be born of
King David’s lineage, their understanding of the Messiah was incomplete. Many
believed that, as David’s descendant, the Messiah would be a great king who
would lead the Jewish nation militarily and free them from Roman oppression.
What they failed to understand was that the Messiah was not only a “Son of
David” but also divine.
Jesus quotes Psalm 110:1, one of the most frequently cited Old Testament passages
in the New Testament: “The LORD says to my lord: ‘Sit at my right hand while I
make your enemies your footstool.’” King David, who was inspired by the Holy
Spirit, refers to the Messiah as his lord or master, expressing that the
Messiah would not only be his descendant but also greater than David.
Furthermore, David reveals that the LORD—the Father in Heaven—would exalt the
Messiah to a position of divine authority.
To “sit at my right hand” was a favor granted only to one
who was divine; not even David could sit at God’s right hand. To “make your
enemies your footstool” was a reference to the ancient practice by which a
victorious king would have his enemies lay prostrate before him, placing his
foot upon them as a symbol of absolute dominion. However, Jesus’ kingship is
not merely earthly but spiritual and eternal. The true enemies placed under His
feet are sin, death, and the demons (1 Corinthians
15:25–26, Colossians 2:15).
Though we understand Jesus’ identity as the Son of David,
the Messiah, and God Himself, it is important to humbly recognize that, like
the scribes, we, too, struggle to fully grasp the mysteries of faith. In
Heaven, when we see God face to face in the Beatific Vision, we will receive a
full and immediate understanding of Him in His essence, far greater than
anything we can comprehend today. Though this full revelation will be given to
us at that time, we must continuously strive for greater clarity now.
The first and most foundational step toward that end is
to prayerfully reflect on the Scriptures. This is more than merely acquiring
intellectual knowledge of Scripture, as the scribes did. Study is a human
effort, and while valuable, the only way to arrive at true understanding of
Scripture—and of God, Whom Scripture reveals—is through the guidance of the
Holy Spirit. Here and now, we must be open to illumination that comes only from
God.
Many of the scribes criticized Jesus because they relied
solely on their own interpretation of Scripture. Most of them failed to be open
to the guidance of the Holy Spirit in their study. Perhaps the one scribe who
spoke to Jesus with understanding and was “not far from the kingdom of God”
stirred Jesus’ Sacred Heart with a longing that all scribes—and all of us—would
approach His Word with the same openness.
Reflect today on the scribes and see yourself in them.
Pray for the gift of divine illumination as you spend time in God’s Word,
seeking to follow the example of the one scribe who understood. Invite the Holy
Spirit to guide your understanding so that, like those listening to Jesus in
the Temple, you, too, may understand His Word “with delight.”
My revealing Lord, I pray that one day I may be blessed
with the Beatific Vision, beholding You face to face and comprehending all
mysteries in the fullness of Your divine gift. Until that day, open my mind to
understand and my heart to respond to You. Reveal Yourself and Your Truth to
me, that I may delight in You now and forevermore. Jesus, I trust in You.
Friday 9th
Week in Ordinary Time 2026
Opening
Prayer: Heavenly Father, you
revealed that your Son, Jesus Christ, is both the Son of David and the eternal
Lord seated at your right hand. Grant us the grace to recognize your Son with
faith, reverence, and joyful obedience. May our hearts delight in his kingdom
and proclaim his glory before the world.
Encountering
the Word of God
1. The
Riddle about the Messiah: In the
Gospel, Jesus has met the three challenges to his authority posed by the
Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Scribes, and answered each of their questions
perfectly. The Pharisees needed to stop their emphasis on separation from the
Gentiles and outright rejection of political authorities, the Sadducees needed
to correct their understanding of the afterlife and have hope in the
resurrection, and the scribes needed to return to the heart of God’s law and
not get lost in arbitrary arguments about minutiae and lesser matters. Jesus
has established his teaching authority, and now he sits, teaching in the temple
area. He poses a question to the crowds about the Messiah and asks the people
listening to ponder a riddle found in Psalm 110: “How is it that the Messiah is
both ‘the son of David’ and yet also David’s Lord?”
2. The
Messiah as David’s Lord: Jesus’
question about Psalm 110 reveals that the Messiah is greater than merely an
earthly descendant of David. Many in Israel expected the Messiah to be a
political ruler who would restore the kingdom of David and free the nation from
foreign oppression. To elevate their thinking about the Messiah, Jesus points
to David’s own words: “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand.” If
David himself calls the Messiah “Lord,” then the Messiah must possess a dignity
and authority greater than King David’s. Psalm 110 was widely regarded by
ancient Jews as a messianic psalm, and Jesus uses it to lead his hearers beyond
a merely political understanding of the Messiah. The Messiah is not only
David’s son according to the flesh; he also shares in the authority and reign
of God himself. By drawing attention to this mystery, Jesus begins to prepare
the crowds to understand that the promised Messiah would establish not simply
an earthly kingdom, but the everlasting Kingdom of God.
3.
Jesus’ Messianic and Divine Identity: The
Gospels tell us how Jesus identified himself as both the Messiah and the divine
Son of God. He not only performed miraculous signs but also proposed riddles
for the crowds to ponder. “Thus Jesus is using the question about the Messiah
in Psalm 110 to reveal the mystery of his own divine identity. He is both a
descendant of King David and the Lord of King David. He is both the
long-awaited Messiah and the pre-existent Son of God. In other words, he is
both human and divine. And he reveals all this without ever coming out and
explicitly declaring, ‘I am the Messiah,’ or ‘I am David’s Lord,’ or ‘I existed
from before the dawn of creation.’ Jesus uses the question about the Messiah in
Psalm 110 just as he used the riddle about the Son of Man in Daniel 7 to reveal
and conceal his messianic and divine identity – until the time was right”
(Pitre, The Case for Jesus, 148). Jesus will be revealed as a king
who reigns from the Cross and now sits enthroned at the right hand of the
Father in power. Jesus is the royal Messiah who offers mercy, grace, wisdom,
peace, and eternal life.
Friday 9th
week in Ordinary Time 2023
As Jesus was teaching in the
temple area he said, “How do the scribes claim that the Christ is the son of
David? David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said: The Lord said to
my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I
place your enemies under your feet.’” Mark 12:35–36
At the time of Jesus’ ministry, the Jews understood that the
Messiah would come from the line of David. Furthermore, many thought that the
Messiah would simply be a nationalistic leader who would lead the Jewish nation
out of the oppression of the Romans. Thus, they reduced the Messiah to a
descendent of David who would set them free in a more political way.
In the passage above, Jesus gives clarity to this common
understanding of the Messiah as the “son of David.” The Messiah would not only
descend in human form from David’s ancestral line, He was also David’s “Lord.”
Jesus shows this by pointing to Psalm 110 in which David refers to the
Messiah as his Lord. And though this subtle distinction may not at first seem
to be that important to us today, Jesus clearly makes an intentional effort to
teach this.
One key lesson we should take from this passage is that we must
work diligently to have a correct image of Jesus. Though today we may not see
our Lord as a nationalistic leader who came to set us free from political
oppression, we can often form other erroneous images of Him. For the Jews at
that time, the idea that the Messiah was also the “Lord” of King David was new.
This points to the divinity of the Messiah and His eternal nature. Jesus gives
this subtle clarification and “The great crowd heard this with delight.” We
also must work to delight in a clear and correct understanding of Who Jesus,
the Messiah, the Son of God and Son of Man truly is. So Who is He?
To answer this question, first consider how you see Jesus in your
life. Jesus is your friend, a wise teacher, an inspiring personality, a kind
soul, a merciful leader and a model for us all. But He is also so much more. To
pick only one image of Who Jesus is and to then give that one image excessive
focus in our lives is an error similar to the error that many of the Jews had
at the time Jesus taught them.
The “so much more” is the part we must focus on as we consider the
identity of our Lord. We must see Him as God, the Second Person of the Most
Holy Trinity. As God, He is to be worshiped and adored. And though He was God
from all eternity, He also took on human flesh, uniting humanity with divinity.
And as a human, He permitted Himself to die so that He could rise in His human
nature. This way, if we unite ourselves to Him through a total surrender of our
lives, then we will also die in our sin but then rise with Him to new life. In
so doing, we are given the gift of eternal salvation and are enabled to share
in the eternal life of the Most Holy Trinity. Though much more could and should
be said about the identity of our Lord, this slight glimpse into His life
should help us to avoid the trap of limiting Who He is in our minds and hearts.
Reflect, today, upon the image you have of Jesus. Look for ways
that you may unintentionally limit His greatness and glory in your mind and
heart. Try to expand that image of our Lord that you have and be open to all
that He desires to reveal to You about Himself. The more you do so, the more
you, too, will be filled with “delight” as the Person of our Lord is more
clearly revealed to you.
My infinite and glorious Lord, You are so far beyond our
understanding and comprehension, yet You invite us to come to You so that we
may know You more fully. Give me the grace I need, dear Lord, to shed the
erroneous and limited images of You that I have, so as to come to know You as
You are. Jesus, I trust in You.
Friday 9th
Ordinary Time 2023
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have created and redeemed me. I believe
that you have called me to prayer today. I trust you will teach me to pray and
relish what is right and true, good and beautiful. I love you, Lord, for in you
is all perfection, goodness, and love.
Petition: Lord
Jesus, make my heart more like yours.
1. Speaking for All to Hear: Imagine Jesus teaching in the Temple area, surrounded by
hundreds of spiritually hungry men and women. The scribes stand in the
background and at a distance: cold stares, squinting eyes, full of distrust,
fear, and scheming. He raises his voice enough for even those in the back to
hear. He is speaking to everyone. What are their dispositions? Most of the
crowd does more than hear; they listen intently. They believe that God will
speak to them through Jesus, speak to their needs and hearts, and give them the
love, truth, and inspiration they need. Others listen but superficially. Their
motives are curiosity, entertainment, and vanity – something to talk about. The
scribes don’t listen, except for what might serve their plotting. Jesus still
tries to reach them then and reach me now. Am I open?
2. A Mysterious Identity: Lord and Son - The scribes oppose Jesus for jealousy, ignorance, and
pride…. But the greatest reason is that he acts as though he were the Messiah,
even God himself. How close they are to the truth! Using their own Scriptures,
he points to this truth: somehow the Messiah will be both son and Lord. His
rebuttal of their objections is another effort of his heart to reach out. He
invites them to rise to the level of faith. Reminiscent of his words to his
mother – “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s work” (Luke 2:49) –
Jesus is a son of man by birth, but by origin and mission, he is the Lord, the
Son of the Most High. Do I overcome my pride and ignorance with faith, allowing
God to work at his level, far beyond my comprehension?
3. Hearing with Delight: Prayer is a difficult and challenging art; indeed, it is
much more than an art. We try to focus, reflect and enter into dialogue with
someone we neither see nor hear with our senses. And worst of all, we don’t
usually feel anything: “I get nothing out of it!” While prayer is not about
feelings but rather loving, it is nonetheless an experience that should move us
in some way to change. Listening to Jesus brought “delight” to the crowds. A
neat and convincing argument! The wonderment of discovering truth! The joy and
satisfaction of seeing their champion score a victorious blow! Whatever the
occasion, our experience of Christ in prayer can, at times, produce delight,
but only to the degree that we share or conform our thoughts, desires, and
loves to his. The scribes found no delight, for they shared not his heart and
mind. Where is my delight?
Friday 9th
Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I come before you in prayer. I ask you
to increase my faith so that I may hear and understand what you will tell me.
May my understanding of your word and your mysteries lead me to a deeper love,
and may that love move me to greater obedience to you.
Encountering Christ:
The Lord Said to My Lord: Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1, “The Lord said to my lord: ‘Sit
at my right hand.’” The same psalm says, “Yours is princely power from the day
of your birth” (Psalms 110:3). Therefore, it was quite reasonable for the
scribes to interpret this passage as referring to David’s royal lineage. It was
true that Joseph, Jesus’s foster-father, was of the house of David (Luke 1:27).
However, their interpretation was incomplete. Jesus pointed to the mystery of
the Incarnation. He is truly the son of David and truly the eternal Son of the
Father. Our Lord’s person possesses each nature fully, both human and
divine.
Jesus the Pedagogue: Jesus asked the scribes about something they knew, the
prophecy in Psalm 110, to reveal something they did not yet know about that
same prophecy. That is how we learn. We build from that which we know to learn
something new. So our knowledge of two plus two equals four lays the groundwork
for grasping the sum of four plus four. Jesus is a master teacher. Either by
familiar Biblical references or by simple imagery taken from daily life, Jesus
taught his listeners about himself and his kingdom. One of the primary purposes
of Our Lord’s Incarnation was to make God more accessible to man; this is not
only true in his reality as God and man, but also in his teaching.
The Crowd Heard with Delight: In what did the crowd delight? It would seem in part that
they delighted in Jesus getting the better of the scribes, the Sadducees, and
the Pharisees. This passage came after attempts by Our Lord’s enemies to entrap
him. Now Our Lord asked them a question, and one they could not answer.
Humility rejoices when truth prevails over insincerity. However, they also
rejoiced in the vindication of Our Lord’s doctrine. They were excited that his
teaching showed no fissures, contradictions, or weaknesses. Our intellect
demands that ideas be coherent. Even though they could not fully grasp Jesus’s
teaching, the crowd saw that it withstood all challenges. This reassured and
delighted them.
Suy Niệm
Tin Mừng thứ Năm Tuần thứ 9 Thường niên
Qua
bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu dậy chúng ta là: Chúng ta được ơn cứu rỗi hay
được lên thiên đàng không phải là chỉ biết tuân theo những lề luật hay là cố né
tránh những chuyện khỏi rắc rối, gây ra tội lỗi, Nhưng chúng ta đươc Chúa đảm
bảo là Chúa Kitô sẽ luôn luôn đồng hành với chúng ta khi chúng ta đến với Ngài.
Nếu chúng ta cùng chết với Ngài, chúng ta sẽ cùng được hưởng phúc với Ngài và
nếu chúng ta chịu đựng đau khổ với Ngài ta; chúng ta sẽ cùng đồng hưởng tôn
nhan Chúa trên Trời với Ngài.
Thậm chí nếu chúng ta không trung
tín với Chúa, Chúa Giêsu vẫn luôn trung tín với chúng ta, Ngài không thể từ bỏ
chính mình, và chúng ta là một phần của Ngài, Cuộc sống của chúng ta phải sống
một trong những yêu tố như yêu thương và phục vụ, cũng giống như cuộc đời của
Chúa Kitô. Trong nhiều cách dù nhỏ, hay to lớn, chúng ta cũng phải vác thập giá
của chúng ta và đi theo Chúa. Vì cuộc hành trình đức tin của chúng ta là một
trong những quan hệ với Chúa Giêsu.
Giới răn trọng nhất mà Chúa Giêsu đã dạy cho người luật sĩ
trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay là kim chỉ nam để hướng dẫn cuộc sống của chúng ta.
Yêu Mến Thiên Chúa hết lòng, hết sức và trên tất cả mọi thứ mà ở nơi chúng ta,
và yêu những người chung quanh như chúng ta yêu chính mình, Nếu chúng ta làm
được điều đó, ngay cả những khi chúng ta lầm nỡ, chúng ta sẽ sống, Điều này
trên thực tế là luật pháp duy nhất mà thật sự là Chúa Giêsu đã đã ban cho chúng
ta; tất cả những lề luật khác, đơn thuần
chỉ là biểu hiện của một nguyên tắc cơ bản mà vũ trụ này được cai trị. Tình yêu là động lực đê cho các hành tinh,
các ngôi sao tinh tú được di chuyển trong vũ trụ của chúng ta, và vì vậy “tình
yêu” phải hiện diện trong trái tim của chúng ta, trong tâm hồn, và linh hồn.
Khi chúng ta khép kín tâm hồn và không có tình yêu, chúng ta đã đóng cửa tâm
hồn và để Thiên Chúa ở bên ngoài. Giới răn trọng nhất này nên phải là một phần
suy niệm và kiểm thảo hàng ngày của chúng ta.
Reflection SG
Being
saved or going to heaven is far more than just obeying the rules or staying out
of trouble. We are assured that Christ walks with us as we walk with him. If we
die with him, we will rise with him; and if we endure with him; we will reign
with him.
Even if we are not faithful, Jesus
is ; he cannot deny himself, and we are part of him. Our life must be one of
love and service, just as his life was. In many small ways, and sometimes big
ones, we too must take up our cross and follow him. Our faith journey is a
partnership with Jesus.
The great commandment that Jesus
gave the earnest scribe is the compass by which we guide our life. Love God
with everything that is in you, and love your neighbour as if he or she were
part of yourself. If we do that, even if we have made many mistakes, we will
live. This in fact is the only real law that Jesus gave us - all of the other
laws are merely expressions of this one fundamental principle by which the
universe is ruled. Love powers the planets and stars and all that is in our
universe, and so it must power our hearts, minds, and souls. When we shut out
love, we have shut out God. This great commandment should be part of our daily
meditation and reflection. Lord, help me to pattern my life on
Your love commandment.
Thursday 9th
Week in Ordinary Time 2026
One of
the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Mark 12:28
We continue to read about Jesus’ various interactions,
teachings, and prophetic actions in the Temple area during Passover, just days
before He would be arrested and killed. During the week, Jesus cleansed the
Temple of moneychangers and merchants and was confronted with hostility by
various religious and political factions.
First, a group of chief priests, scribes, and elders challenged
His authority to cleanse the Temple and then unsuccessfully conspired with some
Pharisees and Herodians to trap Him in a legal dilemma. Next, some Sadducees
confronted Him, but Jesus’ answer exposed their misunderstanding of the
Scriptures and the power of God. In today’s Gospel, after witnessing that
exchange, a scribe—impressed by Jesus’ answer—came forward. Rather than trying
to trap Him, he asks a sincere question: “Which is the first of all the
commandments?”
At that time, the scribe’s question reflected a common
rabbinical discussion about the hierarchy of the Law. Perhaps because of the
widespread disagreements among the various religious factions—priests, scribes,
Pharisees, Sadducees—scholars often sought to determine a guiding principle for
what had been identified in Jewish tradition as 613 commandments within the
Torah. Some commandments, like the prohibition of idolatry, seemed weightier,
while others, like dietary laws, were considered less important.
Jesus’ response does not simply rank the commandments; it
reveals their true purpose by uniting them in a way that fulfills the entire
Law. Instead of engaging in legalistic debates, He elevates the discussion by
going directly to the heart of the Law with a twofold summary: “You shall love
the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind,
and with all your strength” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30–31). By doing so, Jesus shows that love—of God first and of
neighbor as an extension of that law—is the foundation and fulfillment of every
commandment.
The scribe’s response—“Well said, teacher”—demonstrates
both humility and wisdom, and Jesus affirms his understanding: “You are not far
from the Kingdom of God.” This interaction contrasts with the previous
confrontations between Jesus and the religious leaders. Rather than trying to
trap or discredit Jesus, the scribe listens attentively and responds with
sincerity, and “No one dared to ask him any more questions” (Mark 12:32, 34).
Many in the crowd had likely been following Jesus’
encounters with the various religious and political factions throughout the
week. At first, they may have been uneasy, seeing the repeated attempts to
discredit Him. But as Jesus responded with authority and truth, they witnessed
the growing contrast between those who sought to manipulate the Law for their
own purposes and those who, like this scribe, genuinely desired to understand
it.
Our own lives are sometimes burdened with controversy and
division. Whether in politics, religion, academics, or daily life,
disagreements arise that can easily lead to contention. When unchecked, these
conflicts can foster division, hostility, and even obsessions that steal our
peace. Jesus’ interaction with this scribe offers us a path forward: the way of
humble inquiry, sincere dialogue, and the pursuit of Truth grounded in love.
When we approach discussions with a heart open to God rather than with a desire
to win an argument, we draw closer to His Kingdom.
Reflect today on the witness of this scribe. Though
Jesus’ teaching on love of God and neighbor is of paramount importance, so is
the example this scribe set in pursuit of the Truth. Consider your own approach
to God’s Truth by examining your daily interactions with others. Do you
struggle with being combative, resort to trickery, or obsess over being right
and getting your way? Or do you seek the Truth that brings understanding and
unity? Seek to imitate this scribe in humility and sincerity, and you, too,
will not be far from the Kingdom of God.
Lord of Perfect Love, the fulfillment of Your Law is
found in the pure and holy love of charity. Help me to love You above all
things, and from that love, to see and treat others as You do. May my love for
You transform me into an instrument of Your divine charity, that through me,
Your love may bring healing, unity, and peace. Jesus, I trust in You.
Thursday 9th
Week in Ordinary Time 2026
Opening
Prayer: Lord God, I seek to know
your will. I promise throughout the day to go to your Son and eagerly listen to
his words so that I may know how to act. Pour out your Spirit into my heart to
guide my actions.
Encountering
the Word of God
1. The
Third Test: In the Gospel of Mark,
the third dispute (Mark 12:28-34) is not explicitly called a test as it is in
the Gospel of Matthew (22:35). The scribe seems to approach Jesus in sincerity
and asks him a question about the 613 commandments contained in the Law of
Moses (the Torah). One of the things the scribes, the scholars of the Law,
often sought for in the Law was an overarching principle or first commandment
that summarized and grounded all the other commandments (Healy, The
Gospel of Mark, 246). When asked by the scribe what he thought about this
question, Jesus identified the commandment to love God with our entire being as
the first and greatest commandment. He quoted Deuteronomy 6:4-5. This was the
Israelite confession of faith, known as the Shema (“Hear”). “In fidelity to
Deut 6:7 devout Jews recite the Shema every morning and evening. Jewish homes
usually have a mezuzah, a little box containing the Shema inscribed on
parchment, affixed to the doorpost (see Deut 6:9). Orthodox Jewish men (and
sometimes women) wear tefillin (or phylacteries), leather boxes containing the
Shema, on their head and hand during prayer (Deut 6:8)” (Healy, The
Gospel of Mark, 247). The Shema affirms that the Lord (YHWH) alone is God.
As the creator of all things, God deserves all that we are in return.
2.
Loving God and Loving Neighbor: Jesus
does not stop with love for God as the first commandment, but announces the
second greatest commandment and quotes Leviticus 19:18: “You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.” To love is to will the good for someone. We are called
to love others and will what is good for them just as we seek what is truly
good for ourselves. Love of God and love of our brothers and sisters go
together. As the First Letter of John teaches, we are liars if we say we love
God but do not love our fellow human beings (1 John 4:20). The scribe saw that
Jesus, the New Solomon, passed the third test. Jesus imparted true wisdom about
the meaning of our earthly life (give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God
what is God’s) in the first test and the nature of our life after death (God is
the God of the living) in the second test. He now teaches in the third test how
love is at the center and foundation of everything.
3.
Loving with an Undivided Heart: Jesus
teaches us today that the Christian life is not primarily or principally about
external obedience to rules, but about a total gift of ourselves to God in
love. The commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength
challenges us to examine whether God truly occupies the center of our lives. It
is possible to practice religion outwardly while allowing our hearts to become
divided by selfish ambition, distraction, resentment, or attachment to worldly things.
Yet authentic love for God transforms every aspect of life — our thoughts,
decisions, relationships, work, and use of time. At the same time, Jesus
reminds us that love for God must overflow into concrete love for our neighbor,
especially through patience, forgiveness, generosity, and concern for those who
suffer. The saints show us that holiness consists above all in this twofold
love. Each day, then, we should ask the Lord for the grace to love him more
completely and to see his image in every person we encounter. The more we
remain rooted in the love of God, the more our lives become a living reflection
of the greatest commandment.
Thursday 9th
week in Ordinary Time 2023
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to
him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any
more questions. Mark 12:34
Finally, we have the witness of one of the religious leaders, a
scribe, who got it right. The passage above is the conclusion of the
interaction with this scribe who asks Jesus which of all the commandments is
the first and greatest. Jesus gives the twofold answer that we are to love God
above all, with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and our neighbor as
ourselves. The scribe then responds to Jesus’ answer by saying, “Well said,
teacher. You are right…” And then Jesus compliments this scribe with the quoted
passage above.
Recall that almost all of the Pharisees were continually rebuked
by Jesus because of their self-righteous arrogance. The Sadducees were also
chastised but often to a lesser degree. And now we have a scribe who outshines
them all. The scribes were primarily functionaries who copied or created
various liturgical and legal documents. Some of the Pharisees were also
scribes. And most of the time, when Jeus condemned the Pharisees, He also
condemned the scribes. But this scribe is different. This scribe appears to not
only be interested in Jesus’ answer but also manifests “understanding” of what
Jesus said to him. Don’t underestimate the importance of this gift of
understanding.
In order to truly understand that which our Lord speaks to us, we
must be open. And openness requires humility. Humility is a virtue that is
contrary to a “know-it-all” attitude. It’s a disposition of mind and heart that
listens to God speak, hears what He says, comprehends all truth by the gift of
grace, and prayerfully submits to that truth. Humility enables us to look
beyond ourselves for the answers to the most difficult questions in life. It
enables us to turn to the one and only source of truth, Jesus Christ Himself.
And the fruit of this humble openness is the gift of understanding. It’s an
understanding of the mysteries of life which is beyond our natural intellectual
capacity. The grace of God is able to teach and form the humble soul and fill
it with clarity of vision and an acceptance of the deepest truths.
Reflect, today, upon Jesus’ words to this scribe. “You are not far
from the Kingdom of God.” Does Jesus also speak these words to you? Have you
humbly sought out the answers to the many questions of life by turning to our
Lord? More specifically, are you able to look at your life and rejoice in the
fact that God has also given you His gift of understanding? If not, then look
within and consider which questions you most need to bring to Jesus. Place them
before Him and then listen, be open and be ready to respond when He speaks.
Hearing and responding to our Lord will result in our Lord saying these same
words to you.
My Lord of all Truth, You look upon the humble souls with
graciousness and mercy, and You reveal to them the mysteries of the Kingdom of
Heaven. Please give me the gift of humility, dear Lord, so that I may always
turn to You with every question in life. Fill me with the gift of understanding
so that I may know how to love and serve You more faithfully each and every
day. Jesus, I trust in You.
Thursday 9th
Week in Ordinary Time 2023
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I come before you humbly. As one who has frequently
fallen into sin, I know my weakness. Your great love assures me that your grace
can keep me on the path to holiness.
Petition: Lord,
help me live according to the New Testament.
1. Getting Beyond Myself: A scribe asks Jesus a pointed question and assumes that
there is only a one-step answer. Jesus goes beyond a one-step response and
links the love of God with the love of neighbor. "Whoever says he is in
the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness" (2 John 1:9).
Christianity is not strictly a me-and-Jesus affair; such faith can fall into
self-centeredness and disdain for the world. We are called to be leaven in the
world, to bring light to the darkness. Jesus wants us to be his arms, legs, and
voice in the world. Am I content to say prayers and make weekly Mass but to do
little else? Might God be asking me to get more involved in the parish? In the
school? In some charity work?
2. The Gift of Self Is the Greatest Gift: The scribe senses that burnt offerings are insufficient.
Burnt offerings are something external to us. We let go of things (money, used
clothes, old furniture) much faster than we let go of our time and our way of
thinking. We give things but not ourselves. Am I loathe to give more of my time
to help the Church? Why?
3. Fear of God’s Demands: The scribes understood that Jesus was raising the bar on
religious observance. Sacrificing a sheep or a goat wasn't enough anymore.
Christ wanted them to give of themselves, and that left them uneasy. The Old
Testament sacrifices gave way to the New Testament sacrifice of self. That's
what Jesus wanted; that's what Jesus himself gave. He gave himself up to a
cross to confound our self-love. Does it scare me to die to myself? To my
whims? What is Jesus asking of me that makes me uneasy?
Suy Niệm bài đọc thứ Tư tuần thứ 9 Thường Niên
Cuộc sống hiện tại có thể sẽ mang lại cho chúng ta
những cú sốc tàn phá và những gánh nặng đau đớn. Nhiều người trong chúng ta có
ít nhất một lần bị cú sốc quá đau đớn đến nổi la chỉ có muốn được chết thôi.
Ngay cả cái chết nhiều khi có vẻ như là một sự lựa chọn hấp dẫn hơn là phải
tiếp tục sự đau khổ. Nhưng Thiên Chúa còn vĩ đại hơn là bất cứ một sự đau khổ
nào mà con người đã phải nhận. Vì Thiên Chúa rất vô cùng rộng lượng và luôn
thương xót.
Như
bài đọc trong sách Tôbia, ông Tobit không thể chịu đựng được cái cảnh mù loà
của mình nữa và Sarah cũng đã bị áp đảo
tinh thần bởi cái chết liên tiếp của bảy người chồng ngay trong đêm tân
hôn. Cả hai đã cầu mong cho cái chết để cứu vãn sự đau khổ của họ,
nhưng cả hai cuối cùng quay trở lại với Thiên Chúa. Ông Tobit đã được khôi phục
và sáng mắt, Còn Sarah đã được cứu sống bởi Tobia và cuối cùng đã kết hôn với
anh ta. Cuối cùng, họ đã ca ngợi Thiên Chúa vì lòng thương xót và lòng từ bi mà
họ đã được chứng minh.
Đây là
một lời nhắc nhở cho chúng ta biết là không nên dễ chán nãn bỏ cuộc hay đầu
hàng bóng tối và sự tiêu cực. Sự đau khổ của con người không phải là ý muốn của
Chúa, và Thiên Chúa luôn hiện diện nơi chúng ta để ban cho chúng ta lòng can
đảm, niềm hy vọng, và sự chữa lành.
Chúng ta
cần phải mở rộng tâm hồn và trái tim của chúng ta cho một cái gì đó to lớn hơn.
Sự sống đời đời chắc chắn còn to lớn hơn những gì mà chúng ta có thể tưởng
tượng và chúng ta không nên nghĩ về sự sống đời đời của chúng ta theo ý nghĩa
hay điều kiện của con người trần thế. Có lẽ chúng ta có thể cho phép Thiên Chúa
đến với chúng ta một cách bất ngờ và thách thức chúng ta trong việc trả lời câu
hỏi về đức tin của chúng ta. Lạy Chúa,
xin mở rộng long trí và trái tim của của chúng con.
Reflection SG
Life
can bring us some devastating blows and painful burdens. Many people have at
one time or another reached their limit and longed to have their life end. Even
death sometimes seems a more attractive option than continued misery and
suffering. But God is greater than any
human suffering and God is infinitely merciful. Tobit could not stand his
blindness any longer and Sarah was overwhelmed by the death of seven
consecutive husbands on her wedding night.
Both
longed for death to give them relief, but both ultimately turned to God. Tobit
had his sight restored and Sarah was rescued by Tobias and finally married to
him. In the end, they praised God for the mercy and compassion they had been
shown.
It is a reminder to us not to give
up or to surrender to darkness and negativity. Human pain and misery is not
God’s will, and God is always present to grant us courage, hope, and healing.
The Sadducees tried to trap Jesus with a trick question about a woman married
to seven different brothers. He replied that they knew neither the
Scriptures nor the power of God — their question showed ignorance and a lack of
religious imagination. Life in God’s Kingdom is not just a continuation of our
earthly life.
We need to open our minds and hearts
to something far greater — eternal life is greater than we can ever imagine and
we should not think of it in earthly terms. Perhaps we can allow God to
surprise and challenge us in answering our religious questions. Lord, expand my mind and heart.
Wednesday 9th
Ordinary Time 2026
Wednesday
of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,
came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for
us, ‘If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must
take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.’ Now there were seven
brothers…” Mark 12:18–20
The Sadducees were a Jewish
sect composed mainly of the Temple leaders, including many priests. They held
theological and political views that differed significantly from those of the
Pharisees. The Sadducees accepted only the Torah (the first five books of the
Old Testament) as authoritative, whereas the Pharisees recognized the entire
Hebrew Scriptures, including the Prophets, historical books, and Wisdom
literature, and upheld a highly developed oral tradition based on centuries of
rabbinic interpretation. This led to tension and theological disagreements.
The Sadducees denied the
resurrection of the dead, the immortality of the soul, and the existence of
angels—all of which were central to Pharisaic belief—because they believed
those truths were not found in the Torah. They believed that God’s blessings
were given for this life and that when one died, the soul perished with the
body.
Despite their theological
disputes with the Pharisees, both groups found common ground in opposing Jesus.
Today’s Gospel illustrates the Sadducees’ failed attempt to trap Jesus in a
legalistic theological dilemma, using the law of Levirate marriage (cf. Deuteronomy 25:5–10) to challenge the doctrine of
the resurrection.
The Sadducees took their turn to trap Jesus not only to prove Jesus wrong
but also to justify their beliefs before the Pharisees. They pose an extreme
hypothetical scenario, in which seven brothers successively marry the same
woman, each dying childless and ask: “At the resurrection when they arise,
whose wife will she be? For all seven had been married to her” (Mark 12:23). Their intent is not to seek truth, but to mock the very idea of life
after death.
Jesus responds, not with
complicated legal reasoning, but with divine wisdom that lifts their minds
beyond earthly concerns. He begins by rebuking their limited understanding:
“You do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” (Mark 12:24). Then, He offers a twofold response (cf. Mark 12:24–27).
First, Jesus addresses the question of marriage after the resurrection:
“When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage,
but they are like the angels in heaven.” After the resurrection of the dead,
human existence will be radically transformed. Earthly institutions such as
marriage—good and holy as they are—belong to this world, not the next. In the
life to come, every soul will find its perfect fulfillment in the Beatific
Vision.
Second, Jesus refutes their
denial of the resurrection of the dead using the Torah: “As for the dead being
raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush,
how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob’? He is not God of the dead but of the living.”
Though the Sadducees had built
their entire theology on the Torah, they failed to recognize the implication of
God’s words to Moses. If God is “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” then
these patriarchs must still be alive in His presence. God did not say,
“I was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” but “I AM.” With this
statement, Jesus shatters their disbelief and unveils the reality of eternal
life. Perhaps even the Pharisees enjoyed His answer.
Reflect today on the central
truth Jesus revealed to the Sadducees: The soul is immortal, and those who die
in God’s grace will rise again to live eternally in His presence, in perfect
communion with all the angels and saints. This truth must always be our focal
point in life. Too often, we live as the Sadducees did—as if this life is an
end in itself. By turning our eyes toward eternity, we not only better our
lives here and now, but we also live in the hope of Heaven, knowing that all we
do now must be for the sake of eternal treasure in the life to come.
My eternal Lord, I believe in
the promise of Heaven and the coming of the New Heavens and Earth, when all
souls will rise and receive their eternal reward or judgment. As I journey
through this life, keep my eyes fixed on eternity, and let my hope be firmly
rooted in the resurrection to come. Jesus, I trust in You.
Wednesday 9th
Ordinary Time 2026
Opening
Prayer: Lord
God, I believe in your power to raise me to new life. I have already begun to
experience your eternal life through Baptism. Teach me each day to share more
deeply in your life, in the life of your Son, and in the life of the Spirit.
Encountering
the Word of God
1. The
Sadducees and the Second Test: In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is demonstrating his authority as the
Son of David and the New Solomon. He demonstrates divine wisdom and passes each
of the tests put forth by the religious authorities. Yesterday, we read how the
Pharisees and Herodians asked him a difficult question about earthly, political
authority. Today, we read that the Sadducees ask Jesus a difficult question
about marriage and eternal life. “The Sadducees were an elite and powerful
party within Judaism, consisting of the priestly aristocracy, their families,
and supporters. … They had more lenient religious views than the Pharisees,
accepting only the Torah (not the Prophets or Psalms) as sacred Scripture, and
rejecting traditions that had arisen more recently in Judaism, such as belief
in angels, spirits, and the resurrection from the dead (see Acts 23:6-10)”
(Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 243).
2.
Understanding the Power of God and the Scriptures: On the one hand, Jesus
tells the Sadducees that their denial of the resurrection from the dead shows
that they do not understand the almighty power of God. They are ignorant of the
fact that God has the power to restore the dead to life and transform our
existence. The Sadducees think that those who hold that there is life after
death think that it is a continuation of earthly life. Jesus teaches them that
our lives after death will be different. We will not become angels, since
angels are pure spirits and do not have bodies, but we will be like the angels
and enjoy a glorious and eternal existence. “With this answer Jesus affirms
several points denied by the Sadducees: life after death, bodily resurrection,
and the existence of angels” (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 244). On
the other hand, the Sadducees, by denying life after death, do not understand
the Scriptures. Although Jesus could have quoted passages from Wisdom or
Maccabees that speak about our life after death, Jesus acquiesces to the fact
that the Sadducees only accept the Torah (the first five books of the Bible)
and demonstrates the existence of life after death by quoting from the Book of
Exodus. Jesus points out that when God reveals himself and his name to Moses,
he reveals that he is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
This means that the three Patriarchs of Israel continue to have a relationship
with God even after their death. The Lord is the God of the living and will
bestow eternal life on the elect.
3.
Living in the Light of the Resurrection: Jesus’ teaching about the
resurrection calls us to live with our hearts fixed on eternal life rather than
merely on earthly concerns. The Sadducees were so absorbed in the limits of
this world that they could not imagine the new and glorious life that God
desires to give his faithful ones. We can fall into the same temptation
whenever we live only for worldly success, comfort, possessions, or
recognition, forgetting that our true homeland is in heaven. Christ reminds us
that God is “not God of the dead but of the living,” and therefore every aspect
of our lives should be shaped by the hope of the resurrection. This hope gives
us strength to persevere through suffering, to remain faithful in times of
trial, and to seek holiness even when the world mocks or rejects it. By prayer,
frequent reception of the sacraments, meditation on Sacred Scripture, and acts
of charity, we begin even now to live the life of heaven on earth. The more we
entrust ourselves to the power of God, the more we learn to live not merely for
what passes away, but for the eternal communion with the living God for which
we were created.
Wednesday 9th
Ordinary Time 2023
Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus
and put this question to him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If
someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the
wife and raise up descendants for his brother.’ Now there were seven
brothers…” Mark 12:18–20
And these Sadducees then go on to present to Jesus a long and
unlikely hypothetical scenario in which this woman eventually married all seven
brothers after each one died. And at the conclusion of their hypothetical
situation, the Sadducees ask Jesus, “At the resurrection when they arise whose
wife will she be?” Of course, Jesus offers them the correct answer and then
also states something interesting. He tells the Sadducees that they “are
greatly misled.” Just prior to this conversation with the Sadducees, the
Pharisees had presented their own question to Jesus in an attempt to trap Him.
The difference seems to be that the Sadducees had more sincerity in their
pursuit of the truth whereas the Pharisees were more obsessed with their own
authority and power.
The Sadducees were considered the more traditional of the
religious leaders, in that they accepted only the Torah, the first five books
of the Old Testament, as authentically revealed. They also did not accept the afterlife
or the resurrection of the dead because they believed that the Torah did not
explicitly teach those things. The Pharisees not only accepted the Torah but
also the rest of what is contained in the Old Testament. The Pharisees also
accepted what was referred to as the “tradition of the elders,” which meant
that they paid much attention to the scrupulous multiplication of laws and
regulations that other Pharisees devised, and they sought to impose those
man-made laws upon the people.
In this Gospel passage, the problem with the Sadducees seems to be
scrupulosity and rigidity in their approach to the faith. They clearly relied
upon human reason, and they applied their human reason to the Torah. And though
human reason and logical deduction are helpful and necessary in life, they
attempted to solve every matter of faith by their own effort by narrowly and
rigidly interpreting the Torah. They did not allow themselves to be open to the
deeper wisdom of God that floods one’s human reason when one is attentive to
divine inspiration and revelation. Instead, they were black and white in all of
their deductions and practices. This rigidity left them “greatly misled.”
In our own lives, we can also become greatly misled when we use
the gift of our human reason in a rigid and narrow way. We must never overly
simplify the faith, and we must never think that we will easily be able to
arrive at all the answers by our own effort. Our constant goal must be to allow
our minds to become fully immersed in the deepest wisdom of God and all that He
has revealed. The teachings of the Church will guide us, keeping us on the
straight path, but it will be the voice of God, speaking to our minds in a real
and personal way, that will help us to understand the depth and breadth of
God’s Will, His Truth, and Wisdom.
Reflect, today, upon any tendency you have to be like these
Sadducees. Are you rigid? Or narrow minded? Do you allow yourself to be misled
into thinking you have all the answers? If so, seek humility. Humble yourself
before the awesome mysteries of Heaven. Use your mind to probe the truths that
God has revealed and be ready to be drawn deeper and deeper into the life of
God Himself.
My Lord of infinite wisdom, You are Truth Itself, and You
continually reveal Yourself to us. Give me the humility I need to always be
open to all divine Truth in my life so that I will come to know You and Your
holy will as You desire. Jesus, I trust in You.
Wednesday 9th
Ordinary Time 2023
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I come before you humbly. As one who has frequently
fallen into sin, I know my weakness. Your great love assures me that your grace
can keep me on the path to holiness.
Petition: Lord,
let me imitate you better in my dealings with my loved ones.
1. If We Only Understood the Power of God: We can be like the Sadducees. It's not that we deny the
resurrection of the dead. But we can live as if we don't believe in the power
of God. A rash of bad news can leave us on the verge of despair. We might ask:
What's the use? Evil seems to be winning on all sides. Families are breaking
down. Pornography is rife. Materialism is rampant. Yet, the Almighty remains in
charge. "Evil does not have the last word in the world," said
Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI on Dec. 22, 2005. We, Christians, are called to be
witnesses to hope and joy. Does our life radiate joy? If not, why not?
2. Reading the Scriptures: The study of Scripture is, as it were, the "soul of
sacred theology," says Vatican II (see Dei Verbum, 24). Our Lord, in
effect, tells the Sadducees: "Because you don't know Scripture, you don't
know me. You don't know what I'm about, my message of mercy, my call to
repentance, my invitation to seek out the lost sheep." So many of Christ's
supposed followers spend their time criticizing the Church, the hierarchy, the
parish, and the school. They forget that Christ calls them to build up, not to
tear down. If only they knew him better in Scripture. Where do I spend most of
my energy day by day? Building up the Church and the community? Or nitpicking
at the faults of its members?
3. Like the Angels in Heaven: Marriage is beautiful. It is a sacrament, and an icon, so
to speak, of the inner life of the Trinity. But it can bring only relative
happiness, at best. Its more transcendent goal is to lead spouses to heaven. In
this world, expecting too much of a spouse (or anyone, for that matter) courts
disappointment. Humans have weaknesses. Yet, they have their greatness, too.
Could not that spouse, that family member, that colleague be saints despite
their flaws? Do we see those around us as potential saints? Do we encourage
them in their path?
