Suy Niệm Thứ Bảy sau khi Thứ Tư Lễ Tro

 

Suy Niệm Thứ Bảy sau khi Thứ Tư Lễ Tro

Hôm nay chúng ta tiếp tục một cuộc hành trình với tâm hồn thống hối và ăn năn của chúng ta để chúng ta có thể tìm thấy đường về với Thiên Chúa với bản thân đích thực như Chúa đã tác tạo ra chúng ta.  Cuộc hành trình mùa chay này sẽ đưa chúng ta đến ngã tư đường, nơi mà chúng ta sẽ gặp gỡ Chúa Giêsu trên con đường dẫn tới đồi Calvary (Núi sọ). Nhất định chúng ta sẽ được mời để cùng sống và cùng đồng hành với Đức Kitô trên con đường Ngài đến sự khổ hình, chịu đóng đinh và bị chết treo trên thập giá.   Để đạt tới điểm đó trên đường với Đức Kitô,  trước hết, chúng ta cần phải biết chuẩn bị bằng cách mở rộng vành tai để nghe lại những lời của các tiên tri, những người đã hướng dẫn chúng ta tới con đường mà chúng ta phải sống trong cuộc sống này, và chúng ta cũng phải biết mở rộng tâm hồn và cho phép Chúa Thánh Thần đến và sống trong chúng ta để giúp chúng ta biết thay đổi tâm hồn, và biến cho tâm hồn của chúng ta nên giống như của Chúa.

Trong đọc thứ Nhất, chúng ta tiếp tục được nhắc nhở rằng con đường trở lại với sự sống trong sự viên mãn, có ý nghĩa, có sức khỏe, trong an bình và ơn cứu độ chỉ có thể được nếu như chúng ta biết tỏ lòng thương xót, biết cứu giúp những kẻ nghèo đói cơ hàn, biết đáp ứng được những sự mong muốn của người đau yếu, bệnh tật và thiếu thốn,

Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đã cho chúng ta những lời khích lệ, Ngài cho chúng ta biết là Ngài đến không phải để kêu mời những người công chính, đạo đức, nhưng Ngài đến để kêu gọi những người tội lỗi biết ăn năn hối cải. Chúng ta hãy thẳng thắn thừa nhận lỗi lầm và khuyết điểm của chúng ta với chính Mình và với Chúa, để xin ơn tha thứ, thêm sức mạnh và lòng tin để chúng ta có thể theo Chúa trọn con đường đến tới Calvary ngay trong cuộc sống đầy những cám dỗ và cặm bẫy hôm nay.

 

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

We continue during these first few days after Ash Wednesday to deepen our understanding of what the Lenten season should mean for us. We begin a journey of repentance and conversion that will lead us back to the Lord and to the authentic selves we were created to be. Our journey will finally take us to the crossroads where we will meet Jesus travelling along his own path to Calvary. There we will be invited to accompany Him and be with Jesus on his way to crucifixion and death.

To reach that point on the road, however, we must first prepare ourselves by opening our ears to the words of the prophets who will point out for us the way we must travel, and open our hearts to the Lord who will encourage us to let him enter and change them for us, making them more like his own. Today we hear a continuation of yesterday’s reading from chapter 58 of the Prophet Isaiah. In these verses we are reminded that the road back to life, to fullness, to meaning, to health, peace and redemption can only be travelled by those who ‘pour themselves out for the hungry’ and ‘satisfy the desire of the afflicted.’

Our Gospel offers us the encouraging words of Jesus that he came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. We should then feel free to admit our sinfulness and weaknesses, both to ourselves and to the Lord, for it was indeed for the likes of us that the Lord came into this world.  Lord, lead me back to You so that I may know my authentic self.

Saturday after Ash Wednesday2026

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?” Luke 9:23–25

Today’s Gospel presents us with one of the great paradoxes of our faith: the only way to save one’s life is to lose it by taking up Christ’s Cross and following Him. This truth defies human reason; we can only fully grasp it through divine revelation. The wisdom of the Cross is hidden and transformative, revealing a deeper reality that our natural instincts might miss.

Imagine gaining the whole world. What would that look like? From a secular perspective, it could mean possessing immense wealth, enjoying complete freedom, acquiring fame, and holding worldly power. Is it possible to attain all that the world offers and still save your soul? What if you were charitable, giving ten percent to the poor? What if you lived in luxury without being attached to it? Is that truly feasible?

Though some might convince themselves it is, Jesus’ life teaches us otherwise. He wasn’t wealthy by worldly standards. He had no earthly power in the conventional sense. He didn’t seek comfort or luxury. His singular focus was the salvation of souls, and He lived that mission fully.

This raises another question: Was Jesus happy in this life? His earthly existence was marked by hardship. He was born in a cave, escaped Herod’s attempt on His life as an infant, and likely lost Saint Joseph at a young age. He endured 40 days of intense temptation by satan, was rejected by His own people in Nazareth, and, though loved by many, was hated by others. Ultimately, He was betrayed, unjustly condemned, beaten, and crucified.

Is that happiness? Not in a worldly sense. But Jesus’ happiness was in doing the will of His Father. This obedience, this perfect fulfillment of His divine mission, brought a happiness beyond our human comprehension—a deep, abiding joy rooted in perfect love and surrender to God’s plan.

As we begin Lent, a good question to ask ourselves is: “Am I happy?” Many people struggle with this question. Like our Lord, we endure trials, suffering, and disappointment. Jesus wasn’t exempt from these; He faced the full range of human experience. He likely faced rejection as a boy because He was different. He knew the sorrow of losing loved ones and faced the daily demands of work to help support His family.

In the mystery of the Incarnation—God becoming man—the Son of God intimately shares in every human suffering. He understands our struggles and sorrows firsthand. This is why Jesus can look at us with compassion and say, “I understand.” He is not only divine and transcendent, He is also intimately close, having lived through the very trials we face.

It is this reality that makes His words in today’s Gospel so powerful: “Take up your cross daily and follow me.” The Cross is the roadmap to true happiness. Our human nature might seek to avoid suffering, but Jesus invites us to embrace it with grace, uniting it with His own suffering. Through the Cross, we find victory and fulfillment in ways that our natural reasoning could never grasp.

Reflect today on the wisdom of the Cross. Human reason alone will never fully comprehend it or accept it as the path to happiness. Let God’s truth elevate your mind to see beyond the false promises of the world. Embrace the Cross with trust, knowing that it is the gateway to true joy, peace, and eternal life.

My wise Lord, too often I rely on my limited understanding, trying to find happiness through worldly means. Grant me Your gift of wisdom so I may see the glory of the Cross and the sacrifices to which You call me. Help me take up my Cross daily and follow You, trusting that it is the true path to the fulfillment I seek. Jesus, I trust in You.

Saturday after Ash Wednesday2026

Opening Prayer: Lord God, on this fourth day of Lent, I bow before you in reverence and humility. I do not deserve to be called your child, and yet you have welcomed me into your holy family. I count your Son as my brother, and your Spirit as the bond of our love.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Calling Sinners to Follow: In the Gospel, Jesus’ first words to Levi are not “repent,” but “follow me.” This is an important detail. The attraction and draw of the good is prior to and more fundamental than the decision to change one’s life. God is the first mover. When Jesus sees Levi at the customs post, he knew the depths of his soul. He knew his strengths and weaknesses, his successes and failures, and his temptations and deepest desires. Jesus knew the heights of holiness and perfection he could achieve. What was important was that Levi abandon the pursuit of earthly wealth and begin to accumulate heavenly treasure. We can only store up treasure in heaven with Jesus. Without Jesus, we cannot. Let us abandon our sinful ways and embrace the way of Jesus this Lenten season.

2. Calling Sinners to Repentance: At the same time, the call to follow Jesus cannot be separated from the call to repentance (metanoia). Repentance means a radical change in mindset. It means not only turning from a life of sin to a life in God but also having the same sentiments and strategic mindset of Jesus. By walking with Jesus, entering into communion with him, and living with him, we learn what it is that we need to repent from. Living in communion with the Divine Physician, we are healed from the sickness caused by sin. The initial trust we place in Jesus, who invites us to follow him, can flourish as we adopt the mindset of Christ in all that we think, say, and do.

3. Calling Sinners to be Healed: The Pharisees refused to share in Levi’s banquet. They thought that they were remaining separated from sin and sinners. They didn’t want to become contaminated by sinners like Levi. Jesus, by contrast, had no hesitations about attending a banquet with tax collectors and sinners. “While Pharisees sought salvation through separation, Jesus brings salvation through association” (Martin, Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life, 151). In the Gospel, Jesus compares himself to a physician. This means that Jesus sees sin, “not so much a crime to be punished as a disease to be cured. Jesus brings healing of body and spirit, cleansing a man of leprosy (5:12-13) and forgiving the sins of a paralytic (5:17-20). Jesus must associate with those who are in need of spiritual healing, just as he attends to those who need physical healing” (Martin, Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life, 151).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you have called me to follow you. Your way, the way of every Christian, leads to the Golgotha. I naturally tend to resist shouldering the burden of the cross. And yet, in the depths of my heart, I want to be another Simon of Cyrene and walk with you under your yoke.

Saturday after Ash Wednesday2024

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Luke 5:27–28

Levi had a good life. He made good money and had steady employment as a tax collector. But in an instant, he gave that all up to follow Jesus, and his life immediately changed for the good.

This short story of the call of Levi is one that we should take note of. Though you most likely have already made the choice to follow Christ, that choice needs to be deepened each and every day. And the witness of Levi is one that should inspire you to do so.

Oftentimes, when we sense God calling us deeper and closer to Him, when we sense that He wants us to follow Him more completely, we might pause and hesitate. It’s common for people to want to think through such a decision and weigh the “pros and cons” before stepping out in faith. But don’t do that. The witness of Levi’s immediate choice to leave all else behind and follow Christ is given to us so as to invite us to do the same.

How is Jesus inviting you, today, to imitate the radicalness of Levi? What is He calling you to walk away from so as to more fully serve Him with love and totality? If you do not know the answer to that question, say “Yes” to our Lord anyway. Tell Him that you want to imitate Levi and that you want to wholeheartedly commit yourself to a complete and radical following of His holy will.

It’s also interesting to note that as soon as Levi made the choice to follow Jesus, he held a dinner at his house for Jesus and other tax collectors. Levi was not afraid to let others know of his choice, and he wanted to offer his friends the opportunity to do the same.

Reflect, today, upon the person and call of Levi. And as you begin this Lenten season, use Levi’s call and response as an opportunity to hear Jesus calling you. You may not be called to “leave everything behind” literally, but express your willingness to do so anyway. Put no conditions on your choice to follow our Lord and you will be eternally grateful you did.

My precious Lord, You call all of your children to follow You without reserve. You call us to be ready and willing to abandon all that this life has to offer so as to obtain so much more. Give me the grace I need to trust You enough to say “Yes” to You today, tomorrow and all days. My life is Yours, dear Lord. Do with me as You will. Jesus, I trust in You.

Saturday 6th Ordinary Time 2024

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you have given me this sacred time to encounter you. Draw me into the silence of the desert so that I can hear your voice more clearly. Grant me the grace to respond to you in love with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind.

 Encountering the Word of God

 1. Responding to Isaiah’s Call: The First Reading from Isaiah touches on some of the things we need to leave behind. These include things like seeking ourselves, making false accusations, and engaging in malicious speech. We cannot follow Christ if we are solely focused on following our own ways apart from God. We cannot live in the Truth if we are filled with falsehood. We cannot enjoy divine blessings if our hearts are full of malice. The First Reading also speaks about having God in our lives. When we have God, light will conquer the darkness. The Lord will guide us. He will renew our strength. He will nourish us. All of these have to do with divine grace. Grace enlightens us through faith. Through grace, the Lord empowers us to walk along the path that leads to heaven. Grace purifies us, restores us, and strengthens us. And, in the Eucharist, we are given the spiritual food we need for the journey.

 2. Responding to Christ’s Call: In the Gospel, Levi’s response to Christ’s call is a model for us to imitate this Lent. Levi is involved in and busy with the affairs of the world. Yet he hears the voice of Jesus Christ who says: “Follow me.” This is the heart of every Christian vocation: leaving behind the things of this world, responding to God’s call, following Jesus Christ, and serving God’s people.

 3. The Divine Physician: Jesus compares himself to a physician who heals the sick. In his public ministry, Jesus often cured physical sickness. But this was a sign that pointed to something greater. Jesus wants to heal the spiritual sickness caused by sin. When Jesus says that the righteous do not need to repent, it is important to remember that we are only made righteous by God’s grace. And so, both sinners and the righteous need Jesus, but in different ways. Sinners need to repent from sin and for Jesus, the divine physician, to heal them and restore them with his grace. The righteous need to persevere in righteousness and for Jesus to sustain them, guide them, nourish them, and help them flourish with his grace.

 Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you call me, like Levi, to follow you. Help me discern today what this means. Help me to know what I have to leave behind and what I have to embrace. Strengthen my heart with your grace so that I can turn away from what keeps me from following you.

Suy Niêm Thứ Sáu sau Thứ Tư Lễ Tro

Suy Niêm Thứ Sáu sau Thứ Tư Lễ Tro (Is. 58:6, Matthew 9:14-15).
Trên thực tế sự chay tịnh là một việc làm rất có giá trị và hiệu quả của đời sống tinh thần, Việc chay tịnh giúp chúng ta làm chủ được những sự ham muốn của chúng ta và khắc phục những tật xấu nơi chúng ta. Việc ăn chay còn giúp chúng ta đổ bỏ đi (empty) tất cả những rắc rưới trần thế như niềm tự hào, lòng ích kỷ trong tâm hồn của chúng ta để chúng ta có thể mở rộng tâm của chúng ta để đón nhận lời của Thiên Chúa. Việc ăn chay cũng giúp cho chúng ta thấy rõ hơn về những yếu điểm của chúng ta. Đó thực sự là một cuộc chiến tranh tinh thần chống lại những sự ác đang tiềm ẩn ngay trong tâm hồn của chúng ta.
`=         Trong bài đọc Thứ Nhất hôm nay,  Tiên Tri Isaia cho chúng ta biết là:Thiên Chúa cảnh báo chúng ta là cần phải để ý và chống lại mối nguy hiểm trong việc ăn chay. Sự nguy hiểm đó là gì?  Ăn chay có thể là một mối nguy hiểm và thiệt hại cho đời sống tinh thần của chúng ta, nếu như chúng ta ăn chay với những mục đích riêng,  có nghĩa là chúng ta xem việc ăn chay này như là một cách để tự khoe khoang hay tự biện hộ chính mình. Cách tốt nhất để tránh sự nguy hiểm ấy là chúng ta cần phải biết hãm mình, làm việc tông đồ giúp nguời với tấm lòng từ tâm, bằng tất cà những khả năng mình sẵn có. Việc ăn chay sẽ mang lại cho chúng ta những hoa quả tinh thần tuyệt vời khi chúng ta biết quay lưng lại với chính bản thân mình để làm những việc bác ái, xã hội với lòng biết thương xót đến người khác.Nếu không thì việc ăn chay này sẽ trở thành vô nghĩa, như Tiên tri Isaia khiển trách những người ăn chay mà chỉ biết tranh giành ảnh ưởng, cãi nhau và chưởi bới nhau vì mối lợi riêng tư.. Hơn nữa, việc ăn chay phải được thực hiện trong một ý thức với giá trị cao hơn trong tâm hồn chúng ta.
 Mỗi Mùa Chay, chúng ta được mời gọi để tẩy sạch tâm hồn và bản thân để sống lại như là một người Kitô hữu tốt hơn trong Chúa Nhật Phục Sinh. Vì vậy, chúng ta nên phải chọn lựa sự ăn chay của chúng ta như thế nao trong Mùa Chay Thánh này?
  Lạy Chúa, xin vì việc ăn chay, hãm mình và những việc làm bác ái từ tâm sẽ mở rộng tâm hồn của chúng con để chúng con biết đón nhận được quyền năng và ơn chữa lành trong tình yêu của Chúa . Lạy Chúa, chúng con biết rằng những tội lỗi và sự những thiếu xót của  chúng con luôn luôn đi trước chúng con, Vì vậy,  Lạy Chúa xin Chúa chấp nhận trái tim tan vỡ và lòng khiêm tốn của chúng con và ban cho chúng con đươc ơn tha thứ.
 
Friday after Ash Wednesday
“This, rather, is the fasting that I wish,” (Is. 58:6).
 Fasting is a very valuable and fruitful practice of spiritual life. It is through fasting that we master our desires and overcome our vices. It is fasting that also helps us to empty our hearts from earthly “rubbish” and pride in order to be totally open to God’s voice. However, anyone who has ever fasted even for a short time, knows how difficult this practice is. Many times temptations attack us more often when we fast. Fasting also shows us more clearly the whole truth about our weaknesses. It is a real spiritual battle against evil that is in us and around us.
In today’s reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah God warns us against another danger of fasting. What is this danger? Fasting always brings harm to our spiritual life when we carry out our own pursuits that means when we see it as a way of self-perfection or self-justification.  The best way to avoid this danger is the way of charity. Fasting will bring wonderful spiritual fruit when I turn away from myself in order to do the work of mercy — releasing those bound unjustly, setting free the oppressed and not turning my back on my own. Lord, may fasting and acts of charity open my heart to the healing power of Your love. O Lord, I know my offense; my sin is always before me. Accept, O Lord my broken and humble heart and grant me Your forgiveness.
 
Friday after Ash Wednesday 2026
 The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” Matthew 9:14–15
Fasting is an essential spiritual discipline. It signifies humility, repentance, and a sincere turning toward God, while also strengthening the virtue of temperance. This enables us to overcome inordinate desires for food, drink, and other appetites of the flesh. Given its significance, John the Baptist’s disciples were surprised to see that Jesus’ disciples were not fasting. They approached Jesus with a genuine question, seeking to understand. Jesus responded with a profound truth, explaining why fasting was not yet necessary for His disciples.
In His rhetorical reply, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” Jesus identifies Himself as the Bridegroom whose presence brings joy and celebration. While He was with them, fasting was not needed. However, Jesus makes it clear that a time will come when the Bridegroom will be “taken away”—referring to His Passion and death—and at that time, fasting would be essential as His disciples take up their own crosses to follow Him.
This passage not only teaches us about fasting, it also offers insight into how we should respond to both spiritual consolations and times of dryness in prayer. When we experience God’s closeness, we should respond with gratitude and joyful praise. However, when those consolations fade, God invites us to enter into a deeper spiritual journey—through fasting, increased prayer, and penance. God often gives us moments of consolation to prepare us for the more challenging periods when our faith is deepened and purified. Thus, we should savor the joyful moments but embrace the difficult ones as opportunities for even greater spiritual growth.
It’s also important to note the disposition of John’s disciples in this Gospel. Unlike the Pharisees who often questioned Jesus with malicious intent, John’s disciples came in humility with a sincere desire to understand. They were not trying to trap Jesus or find fault with Him; they genuinely sought clarity. John had already pointed them to Jesus, identifying Him as the Lamb of God. When they noticed a difference in practice—that Jesus’ disciples were not fasting—it was difficult for them to reconcile that with their own spiritual customs. Rather than doubting or criticizing, they approached Jesus openly, and He responded to them with gentle instruction.
This teaches us a vital lesson: We must approach God—and others—with humility and openness, especially when we are confused or in conflict. When misunderstandings or disagreements arise, it’s easy to condemn or judge, but doing so is a lack of humility and rarely leads to peace or reconciliation. Like John’s disciples, we must always seek to understand, especially in matters of faith.
In our relationship with God, this humble disposition is essential. When things don’t go as we expect, we can become frustrated, even feeling abandoned by God. In such moments, it’s tempting to distance ourselves from Him or rely on our own understanding. However, any conflict or confusion we experience in our spiritual lives is never because God is distant or indifferent. It is often our sin, lack of trust, or misunderstanding that clouds our judgment. God’s will is always perfect, and we must approach Him with faith, knowing that He never abandons us.
Reflect today on the example of John’s disciples who approached Jesus with a heart open to understanding. Use their example in your own life, especially when you experience confusion or conflict—whether with God or others. Embrace humility and openness, and you will be granted the grace of understanding and peace.
My perfect Lord, You are always present to me, always attentive, and always leading me into Your perfect will. When I become confused, grant me the graces of humility and openness, so that I may seek Your will and come to know Your way. Help me to approach others with the same humility and charity, free from judgment and harshness, so that Your peace may reign. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday after Ash Wednesday 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I recognize that I have sinful tendencies. I recognize my weakness and inability to overcome them. With you, all things are possible. I trust in you and am confident in the help of your grace.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Fasting Twice a Week: The disciples of John the Baptist were concerned that Jesus’ disciples did not seem to practice fasting. The Pharisees fasted twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. The disciples of John the Baptist likely fasted also on Mondays and Thursdays. These two days were considered the “market days” in first-century Judaism. Rural people would come into the towns and villages to buy and sell. Many synagogues in the first century held public readings of the Torah on those Market days. The Pharisees likely wanted to be an example to the people, especially on the day when they would encounter them. When the Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 B.C., the Jews had a practice of fasting. They fasted because God’s Spirit left the Temple. They were fasting because they were mourning the absence of God with his people. And so, the Pharisees would fast twice a week to do penance because God’s Spirit had left the Temple. In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees were still waiting for the visible return of God’s Spirit. 
2. Celebrating with the Bridegroom: Although the Pharisees would fast twice a week, they did not fast during a week-long wedding feast. When Jesus calls himself the bridegroom, he is announcing the return of God’s Spirit. God is not absent, but present to the people in the Person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the redeemer Bridegroom sent by God the Father. While Jesus the bridegroom is present, his disciples, called elsewhere the “friends of the bridegroom,” and the other wedding guests, should not fast.
3. The Days will Come: Jesus uses the question about fasting to speak about his death and ascension into heaven. The day of Jesus’ death will be his wedding day. “Although the disciples cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, Jesus concludes the parable by declaring that the time will come when his disciples will take up fasting” (Pitre, Jesus the Bridegroom, 90). By speaking about “being taken away,” Jesus is referring to a particular part of the seven-day wedding celebration in First-Century Judaism – the night of consummation. “On the night of consummation, the bridegroom would leave his friends and family and enter into what was known as the ‘bridal chamber’ (Hebrew huppah) in order to be united to his bride, not to emerge again until morning” (Pitre, Jesus the Bridegroom, 90). Jesus, the bridegroom, will be taken away on the Cross on his wedding day. His bridal chamber will be the cross. And as we await the return of our bridegroom at the end of time, we should, at times, practice fasting.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you fasted forty days and forty nights to give us the supreme example of self-denial. When tempted to turn stones into bread to satisfy your hunger, you resisted. When tempted with the wealth of the kingdoms of the earth, you resisted. When tempted to make a display to earn the admiration of the crowds, you resisted. Help me in my battles against the unquenchable desire for pleasure, the insatiable hunger for luxury, and the insistent craving for renown. 
 
Friday after Ash Wednesday
“The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”  Matthew 9:15
Our appetites and fleshly desires can easily cloud our thinking and keep us from desiring only God and His holy will. Therefore, in order to curb one’s disordered appetites, it is useful to mortify them by acts of self-denial, such as fasting. But during Jesus’ public ministry, when He was daily with His disciples, it appears that self-denial was unnecessary for His disciples. One can only speculate that this was because Jesus was so intimately present to them every day that His divine presence sufficed to curb any and every disordered affection.
But the day did come when Jesus was taken away from them—first by His death, and then shortly after by His Ascension into Heaven. After the Ascension and Pentecost, Jesus’ relationship with His disciples changed. It was no longer a tangible and physical presence. It was no longer a daily dose of authoritative teaching and inspiring miracles that they saw. Instead, their relationship with our Lord began to take on a new dimension of conformity to Jesus’ Passion. The disciples were now being called to imitate our Lord by turning their eyes of faith to Him interiorly, and exteriorly acting as His instrument of sacrificial love. And for that reason, the disciples needed their passions and fleshly appetites under control. Hence, after Jesus’ Ascension and with the beginning of the disciples’ public ministry, they greatly benefitted from fasting and all other forms of mortification.
Each one of us is called to be not only a follower of Christ (a disciple) but also an instrument of Christ (an apostle). And if we are to fulfill these roles well, our disordered fleshly appetites cannot get in the way. We need to allow the Spirit of God to consume us and lead us in all that we do. Fasting and all other forms of mortification help us to stay focused upon the Spirit rather than upon our weaknesses and fleshly temptations.
Reflect, today, upon the importance of fasting and mortification of the flesh. These penitential acts are not usually desirable at first. But that’s the key. By doing that which our flesh does not “desire,” we strengthen our spirit to take greater control, which enables our Lord to use us and direct our actions more effectively. Commit yourself to this holy practice and you will be amazed at how transforming it will be.
My dear Lord, I thank You for choosing to use me as Your instrument. I thank You that I may be sent by You to share Your love with the world. Give me the grace to conform myself more fully to You by mortifying my disordered appetites and desires so that You and You alone can take complete control of my life. May I be open to the gift of fasting and may this penitential act help to transform my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday after Ashwednesday 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you promised to be a bridegroom for your people, the bride you have chosen. Your love for her is deep and profound. Grant me the grace to experience this love and to love you in return.
 Encountering the Word of God
 1. Hypocritical Fasting: The prophet Isaiah today presents us with two different types of fasting. The first kind is hypocritical fasting. This is where someone has all the outward appearances of fasting but, at the same time, tolerates injustice and neglects the needs of the poor. When the hypocrite asks why God is ignoring their penance and fasting, God responds that while they are fasting, they are doing evil things, like exploiting others and fighting with others. Because of this, God asks the hypocrite a rhetorical question: “Is this really an acceptable fast?”
 2. Fasting and Love: Isaiah teaches us that the type of fasting that God truly desires from us goes hand and hand with love for our neighbor. Our fasting is useless if we continue to turn our back on those in need around us. We learn in the New Testament, that when we help the oppressed, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and shelter the homeless, we are doing these things to Christ, our bridegroom. These deeds of righteousness, justice, and charity are woven into our wedding garments! (Matthew 22:11-13; Revelation 19:7-9). Isaiah promises blessings for those who care for the poor and oppressed. Their light will shine, their wounds will be healed, the glory of God will protect them, and the Lord will answer their prayerful cry for help.
 3. Jesus the Bridegroom: When the disciples of John ask Jesus about the practice of fasting, Jesus responds that his disciples will fast one day when he, the Bridegroom, is taken away from them. Jesus is referring to the day of his passion, crucifixion, and death. This is when Jesus will consummate his marriage to his bride, the New People of God. In our day, Jesus the Bridegroom has been taken away and yet also mysteriously remains with us in the Eucharist and intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father. Because of this, it is good that we dedicate time both to fasting and to feasting while we await the return of our Bridegroom at the end of time (Matthew 25:1-13).
 Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you have the greatest love for your Bride, the Church. You laid down your life for her and poured out your cleansing blood for her on the cross. You have prepared a home for her in heaven. Help me to imitate you today in giving myself to others so that I may reach my heavenly home.
 Resolution: Lent is an appropriate time to fast as we contemplate the passion and death of our Bridegroom on the Cross. Easter will be an appropriate time to feast and celebrate the resurrection of our Bridegroom. Let us make sure that our fasting this Lent goes hand in hand with generous charity for the poor. Otherwise, our fasting this Lent is in vain.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm sau thứ Tư lễ tro

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm sau thứ Tư lễ tro (Luke 9:22-25 )
Hôm nay chúng ta đã vào mùa Chay, việc nhận tro trên trán của chúng ta như là một dấu chỉ của sự ăn năn, Những lời mời gọi từ bỏ tội lỗi và trở về trung thành với Tin Mừng vẫn còn vang lên trong tâm tư mỗi người chúng ta như một lời nhắc nhở về những gì là Mùa Chay.  Thiên Chúa đã tạo dựng con người và ban cho chúng ta có sự tự do và chúng ta phải biết chọn theo cách của Thiên Chúa là làm việc tốt, hay chúng ta cũng có thể chọn lựa sự đi ngưọc chiều, làm những điều xấu xa theo cách hướng dẫn của ma quỷ.   
            Thật sự, không phải là dễ đàng để chúng ta làm theo cách của Thiên Chúa là tuân theo luật pháp của Ngài, Vì như cuộc sống vật chất trong thế giới hôm nay rất dễ làm cho chúng ta tự tách rời chính mình ra khỏi tình yêu của Đức Kitô.  Sự phát triển tâm linh chỉ có thề đạt được khi chúng ta sẵn sàng để lựa chọn và làm những cái tốt trong tất cả, chứ không phải là chỉ làm những cái tốt mỗi khi chúng ta cảm thấy thích hay vì tư lợi cá nhân. 
Ông Môisen đã đặt dân Do thái trước một sự lựa chọn: Môt giao ước sống trong cuộc sống với Thiên Chúa hay là một cái chết không có Thiên Chúa. Thiên Chúa đã hứa với mọi người rằng nếu họ tuân theo Giới Răn hay luật pháp của Ngài, Ngài sẽ đem họ vào vùng đất Hứa mà Ngài đã dành cho tổ tiên của họ, nơi mà họ sẽ tận hưởng cuộc sống với đầy đủ tự do và sung túc. Nhưng một cái giá phải trả, là họ phải sẵn sàng chấp nhận lệ thuộc hoàn toàn vào Thiên Chúa, Đó là sự lựa chọn của họ.
            Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu mời gọi chúng ta hãy vác thập giá của chúng ta và theo Chúa để dược sống đời đời với Ngài.  Sự chọn lựa một cuộc sống với Chúa không phải là dễ dàng, Ví chúng ta phải hy sinh những thú vui và sự ham muốn riêng. Chúng ta có những lựa chọn cho những cái giá trị của chúng ta, và những điều quan trọng đối với chúng ta. Chọn lựa một sự sống có nghĩa gì đây? Một sự sống có ý nghĩa là một cuộc sống có Thiên Chúa trong cuộc sống hiện tại này, và sự sống trong Nước Trời cho ngày mai. Mùa Chay là cơ hội hàng năm để chúng ta hứa làm lại cuộc đời của chúng ta để được sống gần với Chúa Giêsu. Đó là một cơ hội để dâng hiến cuộc sống còn lại của chúng ta cho Thiên Chúa. Chúa Giêsu luôn luôn mong muốn chúng ta theo sát bên Ngài một cách  chặt chẽ hơn, và yêu thương Ngài tha thiết hơn.
 
REFLECTION
Yesterday we began the season of Lent by having ashes placed on our foreheads as a sign of repentance. The call to turn away from sin and to be faithful to the Gospel still rings out as a reminder of what Lent is all about. Each day we are given the option to choose God's ways and to do good or to be led astray by the devil. It is not always easy to follow God's laws. There are many influences around us that can separate us from the love of Christ. Spiritual growth is attained only when we are willing to choose good at all times, not just when we feel like it. There is a saying among athletes when training: "No pain, no gain." Sacrifice is necessary when we want to attain a particular spiritual goal.
Moses set before the people a choice: the covenant of life with God or certain death without God. God had promised the people that if they obeyed his laws, he would bring them to the land, which he had set aside for them, where they would enjoy life to the fullest. But there was a price to pay. They had to be willing to give themselves completely over to God. The choice was theirs.
             In today's Gospel reading, Jesus invites us to take up our cross and follow in his steps to eternal life. Choosing life is not always easy. It means sacrificing certain desires. We make choices every day which represent our values, what is important to us. What does it mean to choose life? It means that we desire life with God both now and in the heavenly kingdom when our time on earth is over. We all stumble and fall in our desire to follow the Lord. Lent is an opportunity for us to recommit our lives to Jesus. It is a chance to dedicate our lives to the Lord. Jesus always desires that we follow him more closely, and love him more dearly. Let us recommit our lives to Jesus, taking to heart the words that Moses spoke so long ago: "Choose life then ... that you may live in the love of the Lord your God, obeying his voice, clinging to him; for in this your life consists."
 
Thursday after Ash Wednesday 2026
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?” Luke 9:23–25
Today’s Gospel presents us with one of the great paradoxes of our faith: the only way to save one’s life is to lose it by taking up Christ’s Cross and following Him. This truth defies human reason; we can only fully grasp it through divine revelation. The wisdom of the Cross is hidden and transformative, revealing a deeper reality that our natural instincts might miss.
Imagine gaining the whole world. What would that look like? From a secular perspective, it could mean possessing immense wealth, enjoying complete freedom, acquiring fame, and holding worldly power. Is it possible to attain all that the world offers and still save your soul? What if you were charitable, giving ten percent to the poor? What if you lived in luxury without being attached to it? Is that truly feasible?
Though some might convince themselves it is, Jesus’ life teaches us otherwise. He wasn’t wealthy by worldly standards. He had no earthly power in the conventional sense. He didn’t seek comfort or luxury. His singular focus was the salvation of souls, and He lived that mission fully.
This raises another question: Was Jesus happy in this life? His earthly existence was marked by hardship. He was born in a cave, escaped Herod’s attempt on His life as an infant, and likely lost Saint Joseph at a young age. He endured 40 days of intense temptation by satan, was rejected by His own people in Nazareth, and, though loved by many, was hated by others. Ultimately, He was betrayed, unjustly condemned, beaten, and crucified.
Is that happiness? Not in a worldly sense. But Jesus’ happiness was in doing the will of His Father. This obedience, this perfect fulfillment of His divine mission, brought a happiness beyond our human comprehension—a deep, abiding joy rooted in perfect love and surrender to God’s plan.
As we begin Lent, a good question to ask ourselves is: “Am I happy?” Many people struggle with this question. Like our Lord, we endure trials, suffering, and disappointment. Jesus wasn’t exempt from these; He faced the full range of human experience. He likely faced rejection as a boy because He was different. He knew the sorrow of losing loved ones and faced the daily demands of work to help support His family.
In the mystery of the Incarnation—God becoming man—the Son of God intimately shares in every human suffering. He understands our struggles and sorrows firsthand. This is why Jesus can look at us with compassion and say, “I understand.” He is not only divine and transcendent, He is also intimately close, having lived through the very trials we face.
It is this reality that makes His words in today’s Gospel so powerful: “Take up your cross daily and follow me.” The Cross is the roadmap to true happiness. Our human nature might seek to avoid suffering, but Jesus invites us to embrace it with grace, uniting it with His own suffering. Through the Cross, we find victory and fulfillment in ways that our natural reasoning could never grasp.
Reflect today on the wisdom of the Cross. Human reason alone will never fully comprehend it or accept it as the path to happiness. Let God’s truth elevate your mind to see beyond the false promises of the world. Embrace the Cross with trust, knowing that it is the gateway to true joy, peace, and eternal life.
My wise Lord, too often I rely on my limited understanding, trying to find happiness through worldly means. Grant me Your gift of wisdom so I may see the glory of the Cross and the sacrifices to which You call me. Help me take up my Cross daily and follow You, trusting that it is the true path to the fulfillment I seek. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday after Ash Wednesday 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I need to learn how to lose my life to save it. This is no easy task. The temptations are many and I know my weaknesses. Grant me the anointing of your Spirit and the power of your grace to resist the allure of evil this day.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Imitation of Christ: In today’s Gospel, Jesus first speaks about himself and what will happen to him in Jerusalem. He did this at least three times on the way to Jerusalem. But after speaking about himself, he turns his attention to his disciples and how they must imitate his life. Imitation of Christ is good. And it is good to ask ourselves when confronted with choices, “What would Jesus do?” From the Gospel, we know that Jesus would opt for mercy, forgiveness, love, justice, kindness, patience, joy, piety, communion, unity, poverty, meekness, and peace. All of these Christ-like virtues are worthy of imitation. 
2. Sharing in Christ’s Life: Imitating Jesus’ life, however, is not enough. The Christian life is not about simply imitating or emulating the life of our teacher. Imitation of Christ needs to give way to identification with Christ and sharing in Christ’s life. In the beginning, Jesus invites men and women with the words, “follow me.” At the Last Supper, however, he invokes the image of a branch united to the vine. We have become members of the Body of Christ through the Sacrament of Baptism. His blood is coursing through our veins through the Sacrament of the Eucharist. His Spirit is living within us through the Sacrament of Confirmation. We are sons and daughters of the Father, we are brothers and sisters of the Son, and we are temples of the Spirit. Our everyday lives need to correspond to the gift we have received in Christ.
3. Christian Paradoxes: The Gospel today is an example of the paradox of the Christian life. We are familiar with these paradoxes in the Beatitudes. If we want to be happy, we need to be poor. If we want to be happy, we need to mourn. If we want to be happy, we need to suffer persecution for the sake of Jesus’ name. Today, we hear: If we seek to save our lives, we will lose them. But if we lose our lives, we will save them. There is a contrast here between earthly life and heavenly life. If we focus all our efforts on building up earthly treasure and happiness, we will not gain eternal life. However, if we are detached from this world and use things like earthly treasure wisely, then we will gain salvation and enjoy eternal life with God. By gaining the world, we lose ourselves. By renouncing the world, we gain the new heavens and the new earth.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I will follow you as your disciple. As I contemplate your life, I see your humble service, your hidden prayer, and your innocent suffering. I promise to serve my brothers and sisters in need, to pray as you did to the Father, and to accept and offer the suffering that comes my way.
 
Thursday after Ash Wednesday
Jesus said to his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” Luke 9:22
Jesus knew He would suffer greatly, be rejected and killed. How would you deal with that knowledge if you somehow knew this about your own future? Most people would be filled with fear and become obsessed with trying to avoid it. But not our Lord. This passage above shows just how intent He was on embracing His Cross with unwavering confidence and courage.
This is just one of several times that Jesus began to break the news to His disciples about His pending fate. And each time He spoke this way, the disciples for the most part remained either silent or in denial. Recall, for example, one such reaction of Saint Peter when he responded to Jesus’ prediction of His Passion by saying, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you” (Matthew 16:22).
In reading this passage above, the strength, courage and determination of our Lord shine through by the fact that He speaks so clearly and definitively. And what motivates Jesus to speak with such conviction and courage is His love.
Too often, “love” is understood as a strong and good feeling. It’s perceived as an attraction to something or a strong liking of it. But that’s not love in the truest form. True love is a choice to do what is best for another, no matter the cost, no matter how difficult. True love is not a feeling that seeks selfish fulfillment. True love is an unwavering strength that seeks only the good of the person who is loved.
Jesus’ love for humanity was so strong that He was driven toward His pending death with great power. He was unwaveringly determined to sacrifice His life for us all, and there was nothing that would ever deter Him from that mission.
In our own lives, it’s easy to lose sight of what true love actually is. We can easily become caught up in our own selfish desires and think that these desires are love. But they are not.
Reflect, today, upon the unwavering determination of our Lord to sacrificially love us all by suffering greatly, by enduring rejection, and by dying upon the Cross. Nothing could have ever deterred Him from this love. We must show the same sacrificial love.
My loving Lord, I thank You for Your unwavering commitment to sacrifice Yourself for us all. I thank You for this unfathomable depth of true love. Give me the grace I need, dear Lord, to turn away from all forms of selfish love so as to imitate and participate in Your most perfect sacrificial love. I do love You, dear Lord. Help me to love You and others with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday after Ash Wednesday
Opening Prayer: Lord God, your word today contains a mysterious paradox. Somehow, I will live by dying. The world you created for me is beautiful and good in so many ways and yet can be misused and lead me away from you. Help me to live in this world as I should and to use all things for your glory.
Encountering the Word of God
 1. Covenant Fidelity and Infidelity: When God makes a covenant with man, there are a series of blessings and curses attached to the covenant. This is recalled in today’s First Reading from Deuteronomy. Moses tells the people that if they are faithful to the covenant – obeying the commandments, loving God, and walking in God’s ways – then God will bless them. If the people are unfaithful – turning their hearts away from God, choosing other gods, and serving other gods – then they will perish. The Lord God has set before the people two paths. One path unleashes the blessings of the covenant – fruitfulness, abundance, prosperity – and leads to life and communion with God. The other way triggers the covenant curses: affliction, economic difficulty, political ruin, exile, and suffering. The curses of the covenant are not just punishments inflicted by God on those who are unfaithful, they are also an attempt by God to correct his children. This means that the first purpose of the covenant curses is to help the people to repent and change their sinful ways. However, if the people choose to persist in their sin, then they continue on the path that leads to death and separation from God.
 2. Why are the Faithful Tested? The promise of covenant blessing does not mean that if we are faithful to God and the covenant, our lives will be free of suffering or trial. What Jesus promises today is the opposite: that his authentic and faithful disciples will experience the cross daily. This is one of the greatest mysteries and paradoxes: if we try to keep hold of earthly life, we will lose eternal life; however, if we die to ourselves and this passing world, we will gain eternal life. If we try to avoid our cross, we will lose our lives. If we embrace the cross, we will be saved. Jesus warns us today that it is meaningless to chase after material wealth and seek to gain the whole world. We were made for so much more.
 3. Choose Life by Dying to Self: Choosing life means choosing to follow Christ and take up our cross each day. Choosing life means losing our life for Christ and gaining eternal life. In prayer at the beginning of each day, it is good to renew our commitment to choose life. And at the close of each day, we should look back to see when we chose life and when we chose death, when we chose eternal life and when we chose the passing world, and when we chose to love God and our neighbor and when we chose ourselves over others and God.
 Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, your life in many ways was a paradox. You were the king of all creation, yet lived in poverty and had nowhere to lay your head. You were innocent, yet condemned to a shameful death. You were humiliated, yet this was the path that led to your glorification. Your death leads to life for all. Help me today and always to ponder and live this mystery of the paradox of Christian life.