Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần 11 Thuong Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần 11 Thuong Niên, Matthew 6:24-34
Qua bài tin mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu an ủi chúng ta trong những lo lắng của cuộc sống, Chúa khuyến khích chúng ta hãy tin tưởng vào sự Quan Phòng của Chúa. Những lo lắng phiền muộn nhiều khi thường xuyên áp đảo cuộc sống nội tâm chúng ta và khiến chúng ta mất đi sự bình an trong tâm hồn. Ngài an ủi chúng ta bằng cách cho chúng ta thấy rằng Thiên Chúa luôn chăm sóc và lo lắng giúp đỡ chúng ta, chúng ta sẽ thiếu thốn gì, và đây là lý do tại sao điều quan trọng là chúng ta phải cần lo làm việc cho Nước Trời và công lý của Ngài.
            Chúng ta đã được Thiên Chúa yêu thương và được tạo ra trong hình ảnh của Ngài, và Ngài hứa với chúng ta là Ngài không bao giờ bỏ rơi chúng ta. Do đó, chúng ta có thể tin chắc rằng cuộc sống của chúng ta luôn nằm trong bàn tay thươngbyêu, tốt lành của Thiên Chúa. Nếu Thiên Chúa có tầm nhìn xa và chăm sóc thế giới của chúng ta và các sinh vật trong thế giới này, như hoa cỏ ngoài đồng, chim rú trong rừng, thì Ngài có rất nhiều lý do hơn để Ngài chăm sóc chúng ta vì chúng ta là con cái của Ngài! Trong cuộc sống, chúng ta đôi lúc có những vấn đề phải lo lắng về, nhưng chúng ta không nen để tâm hồn của chúng bị dày vò bởi những vấn đề riêng của chúng ta, Vì chúng ta biết Thiên Chúa ở với chúng ta, đón chúng ta tới với Ngài và Ngài luốn đến với chúng ta.
            Lạy Chúa, là Thiên Chúa lòng lành xin cho chúng con tình yêu của Chúa và những điều chúng con cần phải sống đúng với phẩm giá con người, xin giúp cho con biết tin tưởngvào sự Quan phòng của Chúa, và xin Chúa dạy con biết làm thế nào để chia sẻ với người khác những gì hóa mà Chúa ban riêng cho chúng con.
 
Meditation:
What does the expression "serving two masters" and "being anxious" have in common? They both have the same root problem - being divided within oneself. The root word for "anxiety" literally means "being of two minds." An anxious person is often "tossed to and fro" and paralyzed by fear, indecision, and insecurity. Fear of some bad outcome cripples those afflicted with anxiety. It's also the case with someone who wants to live in two opposing kingdoms - God's kingdom of light, truth, and goodness or Satan's kingdom of darkness, sin, and deception - following God's standards and way of happiness or following the world's standards of success and happiness.
Who is the master in charge of your life? Our "master" is whatever governs our thought-life, shapes our ideals, and controls the desires of our heart and the values we choose to live by. We can be ruled by many different things - the love of money and possessions, the power of position and prestige, the glamor of wealth and fame, and the driving force of unruly passions, harmful desires, and addictive cravings. Ultimately the choice of who is our master boils down to two: God or "mammon". What is mammon? "Mammon" stands for "material wealth" or "possessions" or whatever tends to control our appetites and desires.
            There is one master alone who has the power to set us free from slavery to sin, fear, pride, and greed, and a host of other hurtful desires. That master is the Lord Jesus Christ who alone can save us from all that would keep us bound up in fear and anxiety. Jesus used an illustration from nature - the birds and the flowers - to show how God provides for his creatures in the natural order of his creation. God provides ample food, water, light, and heat to sustain all that lives and breathes. How much more can we, who are created in the very image and likeness of God, expect our heavenly Father and creator to sustain not only our physical bodies, but our mind, heart, and soul as well? God our Father is utterly reliable because it is his nature to love, heal, forgive, and make whole again.
            Jesus taught his disciples to pray with confidence to their heavenly Father: Give us this day our daily bread. What is bread, but the very staple of life and symbol of all that we need to live and grow. Anxiety is neither helpful nor necessary. It robs us of faith and confidence in God’s help and it saps our energy for doing good. Jesus admonishes his followers to put away anxiety and preoccupation with material things and instead to seek first the things of God - his kingdom and righteousness. Anxiety robs the heart of trust in the mercy and goodness of God and in his loving care for us. God knows our needs even before we ask and he gives generously to those who trust in him. Who is your master - God or mammon?
"Lord Jesus, free me from needless worries and help me to put my trust in you. May my first and only concern be for your glory and your kingdom of peace and righteousness. Help me to live each day and moment with trust and gratitude for your providential care for me."
 
Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2026
“So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” Matthew 6:31–34
In the fifth century, Saint Augustine wrote The City of God, one of the most important works in Catholic thought and Western philosophy. In it, he contrasted the Christian “City of God” with the pagan “City of Man,” responding to those who blamed Christianity for the decline of the Roman Empire. He writes: “Thus, two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly city by a love of self to the point of contempt for God, and the heavenly city by a love of God to the point of contempt for self. The former glories in itself, while the latter glories in the Lord.” (XIV.28)
At the time, the once-mighty Roman Empire was in steady decline, and many falsely attributed its downfall to the rise of Christianity. Augustine, however, defended the faith, offering a profound theological and philosophical exposition of history, divine providence, and the ultimate destiny of humanity. By contrasting these two fundamental orientations of civilization—the City of Man, built on self-love and earthly glory, and the City of God, founded on divine love and eternal truth—Augustine illuminated the true path to human flourishing and salvation.
Augustine’s words echo Christ’s teaching in today’s Gospel, offering clarity and encouragement to the faithful of his time who labored to build up the growing Catholic Church. Today, his insights remain just as relevant, guiding the Church amid a world increasingly consumed by materialism and secular values.
Which “city” is more attractive to you? If we are to truly build the City of God—or the Kingdom of God, as Jesus calls it—we must remain vigilant against the many secular influences that pull us away from the Gospel and the work of building God’s Kingdom.
As Jesus teaches, the pagans seek and worry about the things of this world, often at the expense of what is eternal. Yet our Heavenly Father knows our needs, and so we must cultivate an interior disposition of trust in His providence. While we are called to act responsibly, providing diligently for ourselves and our families, we must ultimately recognize that it is God who sustains us when we cooperate with His will. We must do so without fear.
Jesus does not condemn responsible stewardship of material goods; rather, He warns against worldly anxiety. As a fundamental disposition, we must always “seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.” When we do so, “all these things will be given you besides.” In other words, if our greatest love is to build God’s Kingdom in our hearts, our families, and our society, we can trust that He will provide for our needs, freeing us to focus entirely on His divine work.
Jesus concludes today’s Gospel with consoling words: “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” This is not a license for imprudence or irresponsibility, as if we are called to live a carefree life without foresight. Rather, it is an invitation to trust in divine providence, living in confidence that when our primary concern is God and His will each day, He will provide for our needs in due measure.
Reflect today on whether you truly “seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.” The best way to discern this is to prayerfully examine the deepest desires of your heart. When your desire is for God’s Kingdom, you will experience peace and interior order. When your heart clings to worldly concerns, you will be anxious and burdened by many things. Strive to order your desires properly, and God will lavish upon you all that is good and necessary for a joyful participation in the glorious and eternal City of God.
Most glorious King, You came to establish Your Kingdom in our hearts, our families, and our world. Too often, I fail to recognize its glory and instead labor to build an earthly city of passing pleasure, wealth, and comfort. Draw me ever closer to You, Lord, and open my eyes of faith, that I may seek only Your will and become a true instrument of the Kingdom You desire to establish. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, my heavenly Father, you know what I need even before I ask you. You provide me with earthly food and drink and with heavenly food and drink. You clothe me with the robe of righteousness and shelter me under your wing. Help me to trust in you more fully each day and abandon myself to your loving care.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Loving and Serving God: One of the greatest temptations we face in life is to make money (mammon) our god. We can obsess over it and focus almost all our attention on it. We can place our trust more in it than in our Creator. What Jesus teaches us in the Sermon on the Mount is that we were made for much more than making and hoarding money. Jesus frames the topic with the word “service,” which in Hebrew also meant “worship” (avad). In the Exodus story, the people were called to serve/worship the Lord God and not Pharaoh. Will we worship and serve money, or will we worship and serve the Lord? No one can serve – totally and exclusively – two different lords. Here, Jesus uses a Semitic expression that compares two things with the words love and hate. Jesus invites us to love God and hate mammon. This means that we are called to love God more than money. Instead of serving money, we need to be good administrators and use our wealth to serve others.
2. Worldly Anxiety vs. Heavenly Trust: Jesus warns against stockpiling earthly treasures, exhorting his disciples to build treasure in heaven by good deeds. This can be done only if we are free from anxiety through the knowledge that the Maker of all things is our provident and caring Father. Anxiety and fear imprison, whereas faith in the Father frees us to give and trust, to be satisfied with our ‘daily bread,’ allowing us to ‘seek first the kingdom of God” (Gray and Cavins, Walking with God, 262). Jesus lists three specific areas of concern that represent the necessities of life: eating, drinking, and clothing. “While these are important, they are not the ultimate goal of life. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? We should look after these basic needs, but focus on what is more important” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 110). We will not conquer worldly anxiety unless we trust more fully in our heavenly Father and his providential care.
3. Seek First the Kingdom of God: Instead of seeking wealth first, we are called to seek the Kingdom of God first. “Jesus assures his disciples that, if they put God’s Kingdom first, God will care for their earthly necessities as well” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 112). Seeking God’s Kingdom first “does not mean not seeking anything else; it is a matter of priorities” (Martin, Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life, 120). The verb “seek” has the sense of “keep seeking” or being on a permanent quest. “The kingdom of God is the reign of God, inaugurated by Jesus and to be brought to fulfillment at the end of this age. Jesus’ disciples are to strive to live under God’s reign now so that they can enter into its fullness” (Martin, Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life, 120). Divine righteousness is found in the Kingdom and communicated through the Sacraments of the Church. By grace, we have been saved and made righteous. We are called to seek out God’s saving grace and cooperate with this grace to build up the Kingdom of God in this world.
 
Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus said to his disciples: “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24
Mammon is another word for money. Jesus is clear that you must choose to serve either God or money, but not both. A divided heart does not suffice. Saint John of the Cross, in His spiritual classic “Ascent to Mount Carmel,” explains something similar. He says that our desires must become completely purified to the point that all we desire is God and His holy will. Every other desire in life must be purged away so that we are singularly devoted to God. Does this mean that God and God alone should be the object of all of our love? Yes, indeed. But that truth must be properly understood.
When we consider the calling we have been given from God to love, it is true that we must love not only God but also many other things in life. We must love family, friends, neighbors, and even our enemies. Hopefully we also love other aspects of our lives, such as our vocation, our job, our home, a certain pastime, etc. So how do we love God with singular devotion when we also have many other things we must love?
The answer is quite simple. The love of God is such that when we make God the singular object of our love and devotion, the love we have for God will supernaturally overflow. This is the nature of the love of God. As we love God, we will find that God calls us to love Him by loving other people and even various aspects of our lives. As we love what God wills us to love and as we express our love for all that is contained in the will of God, we are still loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.
But back to our Scripture above. Why is it that we cannot love God and money? “Mammon” in this passage must be understood as a love that becomes an unhealthy attachment and desire. Money is such that we can “love” it by allowing our desires for it to become disordered and, thus, exclude the will of God from that “love.” Money is not evil when it is used solely in accord with the will of God. In that case, the money we use will give God great glory. But when money, or any other object of our desire, begins to take on a life of its own, so to speak, then that desire will be at odds with our love of God. To love God and God alone means we love God and all that He wills us to love in life.
Reflect, today, upon the necessity of being singularly devoted to God. As you commit yourself to this exclusive love, consider also whom and what God calls you to love in and through Him. Where does His perfect will lead you, and how are you called to show your love of God through the love of others? Consider, also, any ways in which you have allowed an unhealthy attachment to money or anything else in life to distract you from the one and ultimate purpose of your life. Allow God to purge those unhealthy desires and false “loves” from your heart so that you will be free to love as you were made to love.
My Lord and God, You are worthy of all of my love. You and You alone must become the single focus of all of my love. As I love You, dear Lord, help me to discover all that Your will directs me to love more and all that Your will calls me to detach from. May I choose only You and that which is contained in Your holy and perfect will. Jesus, I trust in You.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần 11 TN

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần 11 TN

Qua bài tin mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu nói với chúng ta “đèn của thân thể là con mắt” (Mt 6:22). Thánh Tôma cho rằng khi nói về mắt Chúa Giêsu là đề cập đến ý định, lòng muốn của con người. Khi nào ý định của chúng ta ngay lành, thì lòng của chúng ta phát sáng hướng vào Thiên Chúa, tất cả các hành động của chúng ta là tươi sáng, rực rỡ, nhưng khi ý định của chúng ta trở nên mờ ám hay trở nên “tối tăm”, và không có cái đen tối nào sẽ tối bằng cái đen tối nhất trong lòng của chúng ta! (x. Mt 6:23)
            Nếu chúng ta giận dữ, ý định của chúng ta thường độc ác hay không được thẳng thắn, bởi chỉ vì chúng ta thiếu một số ý nghĩa tốt đẹp, Nhưng chúng ta sống chỉ nghĩ tới vật chất, như thể chúng ta được sinh ra để làm ra tiền, để gây dựng tài sản vật chất hay chồng chất cho sự giàu có mà chúng ta không lòng trí để có thể nghĩ đến sự tốt đạp khác nữa.
            Đó là những nguyên nhân làm cho chúng ta lừa dối nhau, làm chúng ta đau khổ, làm cho chúng ta lo lắng và đau đớn và không thể tìm thấy hạnh phúc như chúng ta mong muốn, Nhưng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đưa ra cho chúng ta một bài học, một đề nghị khác:” Hãy tích trữ cho mình những kho tàng trên trời, nơi mối mọt không làm hư nát, nơi trộm cắp không đào ngạch và lấy đi được (Mt 6:20).
            Thiên đàng là nhà kho nơi mà các việc làm (hành động) tốt được lưu trữ, và chắc chắn đây là một kho báu vĩnh viễn dài lâu, Chúng ta hãy chân thành và thành thật với chính mình: đâu là những nỗ lực mà chúng ta phải hướng đến? Đúng thế, những Kitô hữu tốt phải học và lao động một cách trung tín để kiếm sống, để nâng cao đời sống gia đình, để đảm bảo tương lai của họ và một cuộc sống yên bình khi đến tuổi già hưu, và họ cũng phải làm việc với mục đích để giúp đỡ những người khác nữa... Tất cả những điều này thực sự chính là một đặc trưng của một Kitô hữu chân chính, ngay lành. Nhưng nếu những gì mà chúng ta luôn luôn đang tìm kiếm, muốn có nhiều và có nhiều hơn nữa, thì chúng ta đang đặt tâm hồn và lòng của chúng ta trong những sự mong ước giàu có vật chất mà quên đi tất cả những việc làm phúc đức.
            Hãy tỉnh thức đừng để những thứ vật chất lôi kéo chúng ta vào khoảng trống rỗng mà thực tế chỉ là tạm bợ, bởi vì cuộc sống của chúng ta hôm nay chỉ qua là một chiếc bóng, có đúng là đó là sự thật không? “Nếu thế ánh sáng nơi chúng ta lại thành bóng tối, thì tối biết chừng nào!” (Mt 6:23).
 
Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.” Matthew 6:22–23
Every Scripture passage, in a spiritual sense, can teach us many lessons. Saint Thomas Aquinas, in his commentary on Matthew’s Gospel, offers one interpretation to the passage quoted above by saying that the “eye” in this passage refers to your intention and “your whole body” refers to all of your actions that follow from your intention. Therefore, when your intentions are in line with God’s will, the actions that follow will be also. This is a very practical and useful lesson for your journey toward holiness.
With this insight from Saint Thomas, we must look at our intentions in an honest and complete way. What are your intentions in life? It’s easy for us to form various intentions that may seem good as well as some that are contrary to the will of God without even realizing it. We may intend to get a good night’s sleep on one occasion. Or intend to have fun with family and friends on a certain day. Or we may intend to cook a good meal, clean the house, do well at work, etc. There are many momentary intentions that are good and are a normal part of daily living. However, the most important intention to consider is that which is the deepest of them all. What is the most central, foundational, and fundamental intention by which your life is directed?
The primary intention that you should work to acquire is to give God the greatest glory possible in all that you do. Giving glory to God is accomplished when you choose Him and His holy will above everything else in life. When this is the deepest and most fundamental intention of your life, everything else will flow from it. All secondary intentions and actions will align with this central focus and work toward its accomplishment. But when there are other “first intentions” that you have on the most fundamental level, then all the rest of your intentions and actions will be misguided and directed in a disordered way.
Reflect, today, upon the most fundamental intention you have in life. Doing so will require a considerable amount of interior reflection and honesty. It will require that you sort through the many things that motivate you and the decisions you make each and every day. Reflect upon the primary purpose of your life, which must be to give God the greatest glory possible by choosing and living His perfect will. Do all of your daily actions align with this ultimate goal? Commit yourself to the holy work of examining all of your actions in this light so that you will more fully achieve the purpose for which you were created.
God of all glory, You and You alone are worthy of all my praise. Your will and Your will alone must become the foundation of all that I choose in life. Give me the spiritual insight I need to look deeply at all that motivates me and all of my most interior intentions in life. May all of my intentions and all of my actions have as their goal Your eternal glory. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2026
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” Matthew 6:19–21
Today’s Gospel is one that many find difficult to take literally. It is common for people to dream of wealth and material possessions. In an attempt to reconcile our Lord’s teachings with their desires, they might justify the pursuit of riches by promising to be generous with the poor. But what is the ideal we should strive for?
Jesus’ exhortation is clear: The treasures of this world—money, possessions, power—are fleeting. They are subject to decay, theft, and loss. In contrast, spiritual treasures—virtues, good works, acts of charity, and growth in holiness—are eternal. Recall Luke’s version of the Beatitudes, in which Jesus plainly states, “Blessed are you who are poor…” (Luke 6:20). Was Jesus speaking metaphorically, or does literal poverty bestow great blessedness?
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is recorded slightly differently: “Blessed are the poor in spirit…” (Matthew 5:3). By adding “in spirit,” He emphasizes an interior disposition of detachment from worldly goods. He calls us to be free from the attachments that hinder our union with Him. However, we must be cautious not to assume that we can possess or desire great wealth and remain truly “poor in spirit.” While some are called to use material goods wisely, in accord with God’s will, the Gospel ideal is a simplicity of life that fosters detachment from material security.
One reason this teaching is difficult to embrace is that material comforts provide a false sense of security. We often find satisfaction in abundance, yet struggle to believe that a life of simplicity and detachment could bring even greater joy. Jesus does not call us to destitution but to a life free from excessive attachment to wealth, where our true security rests in God.
Imagine winning an all-expenses-paid trip to the most luxurious resort in the world, offering unparalleled comfort and experiences. Such a prize would naturally seem desirable, even fulfilling. But Jesus’ teaching today reminds us that no earthly luxury can compare to the eternal riches of Heaven. The question remains: where do we set our hearts? If we place our ultimate hope in worldly goods, our vision will be darkened, preventing us from seeing the greater good that awaits. But if we seek first the Kingdom of God, our hearts will be filled with His light, guiding us to treasures that will never fade.
Though material things are not evil in themselves, Jesus desires that our hearts be properly ordered toward the greater good. He does not condemn wealth itself but warns against its dangers when it becomes an obstacle to spiritual growth. Recall that Jesus did not say it was impossible for the rich to enter His Kingdom, but that it was difficult (cf. Matthew 19:23–24; Mark 10:25). The challenge lies in the attachments wealth creates, fostering a false sense of security and self-sufficiency rather than reliance on God.
For this reason, there is great wisdom in choosing the easier path—not only the path to Heaven but also the path to abundant riches in Heaven. That path is one of intentional simplicity, freely embracing a life detached from material excess, so that our desires are purified and freed from worldly temptations. This call to detachment is not only for those who are wealthy but also for those who have little, yet remain consumed by an insatiable longing for more.
Reflect today on the profound spiritual truth that when we embrace simplicity—both outwardly and inwardly—we cultivate a deeper trust in God’s providence and find our true wealth in His grace. Such spiritual wealth will remain with us for eternity. Choosing it is an act of divine wisdom, leading to eternal rewards beyond imagination, where neither moth nor decay can touch the treasures we store in Heaven.
Lord of all riches, You bestow upon the poor and humble treasures beyond imagination. Please free me from inordinate desires for worldly wealth, and set my heart on the true riches of Heaven. Grant me the grace to be disciplined in my possessions and, even more so, in my heart, so that I may desire You and Your will above all else. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, the things of this passing world often vie for my attention. I know that they cannot ultimately satisfy me or bring me ultimate happiness. You alone satisfy. Love alone will last for eternity. May I love you above all things and with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Debt of Sin: More than any other Gospel, the Gospel of the tax-collector turned Apostle, Matthew, employs economic language to speak about spiritual realities. Heaven is a place to store up treasure, sinful actions incur debt, the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a pearl of great price, God is a king who entrusts his wealth (talents) to his servants for them to invest it, the rich young man is invited by Jesus to sell everything and give to the poor, the laborers in the Lord’s vineyard are given generous wages, and the vineyard of the Lord will be leased out to other tenants. The Lord’s Prayer, which Jesus has just given in the Sermon on the Mount, teaches us to ask God to forgive, remit, or cancel our debts. The debts in question concern what we have incurred due to our sins. Almsgiving is seen as an act that earns heavenly treasure, and this treasure delivers from death and punishment. Heavenly treasure redeems us from the debt of sin (see Eubank, Wages of Cross-Bearing and the Debt of Sin, 50-51). The meaning of the petition in the Lord’s Prayer is made clearer in the Parable of the ungrateful servant (Matthew 18:23-35): “Sin puts one in danger of becoming a debt-slave, but God will cancel the debts of those who ask him, provided that they in turn cancel the debts of their fellow servants” (Eubank, Wages of Cross-Bearing and the Debt of Sin, 56).
2. Treasure in the Heavens: The three examples of righteous deeds done in secret – almsgiving, prayer, fasting – were examples of how to earn a wage for righteous deeds from God rather than from people. Today’s Gospel passage approaches the question of heavenly treasure from a different angle. In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus contrasts the ephemerality of earthly treasure with the eternity of heavenly treasure. “Earthly treasures are here today and gone tomorrow. Pursuit of such wages is antithetical to the pursuit of heavenly wages. The parables of the treasure hidden in a field and of the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-45) make a similar point: the kingdom is like a treasure that compels a person to sell all her possessions in order to gain it” (Eubank Wages of Cross-Bearing and the Debt of Sin, 81).
3. Reviewing our Heavenly Bank Account: When we make an examination of conscience, it is like a review of the ledger of our heavenly bank account. We can imagine it as follows. The first column of the ledger has the time, day, month, and year of an action. The second column summarizes the action. The third column records if the action was sinful and resulted in a debt that wounded or broke our relationship with God. The fourth column is for credits – heavenly treasure – stored up through righteous deeds of charity toward God and neighbor, empowered by grace. The fifth column has our balance. A daily review of this ledger can keep us on track. A yearly review of the ledger – in a retreat setting, perhaps, or at the end of the year – is also important. If we see insurmountable debt, we know the way out: humility before God, sacramental forgiveness, and deeds of charity. If we see heavenly treasure, this is not a cause for pride or self-righteousness, but for thanksgiving. We only have treasure in the heavens because God is with us, Jesus has merited it for us, and we have worked with God’s grace.
 
Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, the things of this passing world often vie for my attention. I know that they cannot ultimately satisfy me or bring me ultimate happiness. You alone satisfy. Love alone will last for eternity. May I love you above all things and with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Athaliah, the Usurper Queen: During the past few days, we have read about the prophet Elijah in the northern kingdom of Israel and how he led the efforts to combat paganism and the worship of Baal. Today, we read about the southern kingdom of Judah, the reigns of Queen Athaliah (842-837) and King Joash (837-796), and how the priest Jehoiada led the efforts against paganism and the worship of Baal. Our First Reading tells the story of the rise and fall of Athaliah, the usurper queen. Athaliah’s son, Ahaziah (the King of Judah), was killed by archers by order of Jehu, the King of Israel. Athaliah flew into a rage and began killing the members of the royal family of Judah. She wanted to exterminate the house of David. She almost succeeded, but thanks to Jehosheba, Joash (Athaliah's grandson) was taken away and hid in the temple for six years. On the one hand, Jehosheba's actions parallel those of Jochebed and Miriam who saved the baby Moses from the wrath of pharaoh. On the other, the story prefigures the wrath of King Herod who tried to kill Jesus, of the house of David. Not only did Queen Athaliah try to exterminate David’s house and line, but she also introduced the worship of the pagan god Baal into the Jerusalem temple.
2. Joash the King and Jehoiada the Priest: When six years had passed, in the seventh year, the priest Jehoiada prepared to show Joash to the people. After proclaiming Joash king, crowning him, and anointing him, Jehoiada commands that Queen Athaliah be put to death outside the temple of the Lord. Jehoiada then made a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people. Led by King Joash and the priest Jehoiada, the people destroyed the altars and images of Baal throughout the land of Judah. Joash reigned for forty years in Jerusalem and he did what was right because Jehoiada the priest instructed and guided him. Nevertheless, although the altars and images of Baal were destroyed, the high places were not taken away and the people of Judah continued to sacrifice and burn incense on the high places. In response, King Joash began to collect money to repair the Temple, the house of the Lord. After the death of Jehoiada the priest, however, the princes of Judah came before the king and convinced him to forsake the house of the Lord and serve other gods and idols. In response, the Lord God sent prophets to Judah and Jerusalem to bring the people back to him. These prophets testified against the people, but the people would not give heed (2 Chronicles 24:17-20). Today’s psalm recalls the covenant made with David. God promised him that if his sons (his descendants) keep his covenant, their sons will forever sit upon his throne. “The covenant with David is a divine gift or ‘grant’: God binds himself by divine oath, swearing unwavering fidelity and promising unconditional blessings and everlasting kingship to David and his offspring. This covenant of grant seems to reward David’s single-minded dedication to restoring Israel as a priestly kingdom and building a house for the ark of the covenant” (Hahn, The Kingdom of God as Liturgical Empire, 70-71). The life of King Joash exemplifies the two teachings in today’s Gospel. Under the guidance of Jehoiada, Joash’s heart is in the right place and he sees clearly. He works to eliminate pagan worship and restore God’s Temple. Towards the end of his life, however, he allows himself to be swayed by the princes of Judah and permits the worship of idols. His heart was turned from God and reigned over the Kingdom of Judah in darkness. He became spiritually blind.
3. Store Up Treasure in Heaven: Up to this point, Jesus's Sermon on the Mount has dealt with the paths to true beatitude (5:3-12), the mission of his disciples (5:13-16), and the fulfillment of the law (5:17-48), and has given indications about almsgiving, prayer, and fasting in secret (6:1-18). Now, in the next section of his sermon, Jesus teaches his disciples how they should use their material possessions in this world and trust in divine providence (6:19-34). What matters ultimately is not earthly treasure, but heavenly treasure. Earthly treasures pass away and we can’t take them with us when we die. We can store up heavenly treasure, that lasts forever, through righteous deeds, done not out of vanity or for show, but out of love. Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting are done not to be seen by others, but for God alone. The difference between building up earthly treasure and building up heavenly treasure is paralleled by the difference between spiritual blindness (darkness) and walking by the light of Christ. “Christ's teaching here shows that the way one approaches wealth affects the entire self. The sound, generous eye illumines like a lamp; the selfish, greedy evil eye leaves a person in darkness” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 109).

Suy Niệm thứ Năm Tuần 11 Thường Niên

Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2023: Scripture: Matthew 6:7-15
Suy Niệm thứ Năm Tuần 11 Thường Niên
Chúng ta có tin rằng Lời Chúa có quyền năng xay chuyển và biến đổi cuộc sống của Chúng ta hôm nay không? Tien tri  Ê-sai nói rằng lời của Thiên Chúa giống như mưa rơi và tuyết tan, làm cho đất khô cằn mọc lên sự sống và trở nên phì nhiêu (Ê-sai 55:10-11). Lời Chúa có sức mạnh xuyên thấu tâm hồn khô khan cằn cỗi của chúng ta và biến chúng thành nguồn suối sự sống mới. Nếu chúng ta để lời Chúa bén rễ trong lòng mình, thì lời ấy sẽ biến đổi chúng ta nên giống như Thiên Chúa và Chúa sẽ ban sức mạnh cho chúng ta để chúng ta có thể bước đi trên con đường yêu thương và thánh thiện của Chúa.
Hôm nay qua Tin Mừng chúng ta nghe Chúa Dạy: “Nếu anh em tha lỗi cho người khác, thì Cha anh em trên trời cũng sẽ tha thứ cho anh em. Nhưng nếu anh em không tha thứ cho người khác, thì Cha anh em cũng sẽ không tha lỗi cho anh em.” (Mt 6:14–15) Thật là tuyệt vời, đã biết bao lần Chúa khuyên dạy chúng ta là hãy tha thứ. Phần lớn Bài giảng trên núi của Chúa Giêsu mà chúng ta đã nghe đọc các trong thánh lễ mỗi ngày suốt cả tuần liên tục kêu gọi chúng ta hãy tỏ lòng thương xót và sẵn sàng tha thứ cho người khác. Và trong đoạn cuối của bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đã chỉ cho chúng ta thấy được những hậu quả của việc không biết nghe theo những lời giáo huấn của Người.
Đoạn Tin Mừng này là một phần phụ lục của kinh “Lạy Cha” ngay trước đó. Kinh Lạy Cha cho chúng ta bảy lời cầu xin, một trong số đó là “xin tha tội cho chúng con, như chúng con cũng tha kẻ có nợ chúng con.” Thật thú vị khi chúng ta nhận thức được rằng ngay sau khi Chúa Giêsu dạy chúng ta lời cầu nguyện này với bảy lời cầu xin, thì Ngài đã nhấn mạnh lại một lần nữa : “Nếu anh em tha lỗi cho người khác, thì Cha anh em trên trời cũng sẽ tha thứ cho anh em. Nhưng nếu anh em không tha thứ cho người khác, thì Cha anh em cũng sẽ không tha lỗi cho anh em.” (Mt 6:14–15) Hôm nay Chúa Giêsu muốn nhấn mạnh câu này nhằm bảo đảm với chúng ta về mức độ nghiêm trong của lời cầu xin này với Chúa Cha.
Trước tiên, Chúa Giêsu chỉ bảo chúng ta cầu xin sự tha thứ “như chúng ta đã tha thứ.” Nhưng sau đó Ngài nói rõ rằng nếu chúng ta không làm như vậy, chúng ta sẽ không được Chúa tha thứ. Điều này sẽ thúc đẩy chúng ta hết sức cố gắng để hoàn toàn tha thứ cho người khác từ tận đáy lòng mình.
Chúng ta cần tha thứ cho ai? Đôi khi, sự tha thứ có thể là một sự cố gắng khó hiểu. Hành động tha thứ trở nên khó hiểu khi cảm xúc của chúng ta không phản ánh sự lựa chọn mà chúng ta đưa ra theo ý muốn của mình. Một kinh nghiệm thông thường là khi chúng ta đưa ra sự lựa chọn trong nội tâm để tha thứ cho người khác, chúng ta vẫn cảm thấy tức giận đối với họ. Nhưng những cảm giác rối loạn này không nên để chúng ngăn cản chúng ta và chúng ta cũng không nên cho phép chúng gây ra sự nghi ngờ về những gì chúng ta cần làm. Tha thứ trước tiên là một hành động của ý chí. Đó là một sự cầu nguyện có lựa chọn để chúng ta nói với người khác rằng chúng ta không đổ lỗi cho họ. Sự tha thứ không thể giả vờ nói rằng họ đà không làm gì có tội vói chúng ta. Ngược lại, nếu ho đã không có tội thì họ đâu có cần sự tha thứ. Vì vậy, chính việc tha thứ cũng là một sự thừa nhận tội lỗi cần được tha thứ.
Khi chúng ta lựa chọn tha thứ cho người khác, mà nếu cảm xúc của chúng ta không vẫn còn bức súc,chưa thật tâm lúc đó,  chúng ta hãy nên tiếp tục tha thứ cho họ ngay trong tâm hồn của chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy cầu nguyện cho họ. Chúng ta hãy cố gắng thay đổi cách chúng ta nghĩ về họ. Đừng chăm chăm suy nghĩ về những sự tổn thương mà họ đã gây ra cho chúng ta. Thay vào đó, chúng ta hãy nghĩ về phẩm giá con người của họ, tình yêu mà Chúa dành cho họ và tình yêu mà chúng ta cần phải tiếp tục nuôi dưỡng để yêu thuơng họ. Hãy tha thứ, tha thứ và tha thứ lần nữa. Đừng bao giờ dừng lại và đừng bao giờ mệt mỏi với hành động độ lượng này. Nếu chúng ta làm được điều này, chúng ta thậm chí có thể khám phá ra rằng cảm xúc và niềm đam mê của chúng ta cuối cùng đã phù hợp với sự lựa chọn mà chúng ta đã làm.
            Hôm nay, chúng ta hãy suy ngẫm về bất cứ cảm giác tức giận kéo dài nào mà chúng ta trải qua. Chúng ta nên giải quyết những cảm xúc đó bằng sự lựa chọn hoàn toàn và tự do để tha thứ cho người mà đã làm chúng ta  phải tức giận. Làm như vậy ngay bây giờ, sau ngày hôm nay, ngày mai và cứ tiếp tục mỗi ngày.  Chúng ta phải tiếp tục tấn công chống lại sự tức giận và đắng cay bằng cách lấn át sự tức giận này bằng hành động yêu thương, tha thứ và chúng ta sẽ thấy rằng Thiên Chúa sẽ bắt đầu giải thoát chúng ta thoát khỏi gánh nặng nặng do thiếu sự tha thứ gây ra.
Lạy Chúa Giêsu Thánh Thế, Chúa luôn đầy lòng thương xót và tha thứ của chúng con, Chúa ban cho chúng con sự tha thứ hoàn toàn và kêu gọi chúng con cũng làm như vậy đối với người khác. Chúng con cầu nguyện xin Chúa rộng lượng với lòng thuơng xót của Chúa trong cuộc sống của chúng con. Chúng con xin lỗi Chúa vì tội lỗi và thiếu xót của chúng con và chúng con cầu xin lòng thương xót của Chúa. Để đổi lấy món quà thiêng liêng này, hôm nay chúng con cam kết với Chúa là chúng con sẽ cố gắng tha thứ cho tất cả những ai đã phạm lỗi với chúng con. Đặc biệt chúng on sẽ tha thứ cho những người mà chúng con vẫn còn tức giận. Lạy Chúa, xin giải thoát chúng con tránh khỏi những cơn giận dữ này, để chúng con có thể gặt hái những lợi ích trọn vẹn nơi lòng thương xót của Chua ngay trong cuộc sống này của chúng con. Lạy Chúa Cgieessu Thánh Thể, chúng con xin tin vào nơi Chúa. Amen,
 
Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Father in heaven, you have given me a mind to know you, a will to serve you, and a heart to love you. Give me today the grace and strength to embrace your holy will and fill my heart with your love that all my intentions and actions may be pleasing to you. Give me the grace to be charitable in thought, kind in deed, and loving in speech towards all.
Do you believe that God's word has power to change and transform your life today? Isaiah says that God's word is like the rain and melting snow which makes the barren ground spring to life and become abundantly fertile (Isaiah 55:10-11). God's word has power to penetrate our dry barren hearts and make them springs of new life. If we let God's word take root in our heart it will transform us into the likeness of God himself and empower us to walk in his way of love and holiness.
“If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” Matthew 6:14–15
It’s truly amazing how often our Lord exhorts us to forgive. Much of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, from which we have been reading all week, continually calls us to offer mercy and forgiveness to others. And in the passage above from the end of today’s Gospel, Jesus offers us the consequences of not heeding His exhortations.
This passage is a sort of addendum to the “Our Father” prayer which immediately precedes it. The Our Father prayer gives us seven petitions, one of them being “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” It’s interesting to note that as soon as Jesus taught us this prayer with its seven petitions, He then re-emphasized one of those petitions by stating it again as is seen in the passage quoted above. This added emphasis should assure us of the seriousness of this petition.
At first, Jesus simply tells us to pray for forgiveness “as we forgive.” But He then makes it clear that if we fail to do so, we will not be forgiven ourselves. This should highly motivate us to make every effort possible to completely forgive others from the deepest depths of our hearts.
Who do you need to forgive? Forgiveness can be a confusing endeavor at times. The act of forgiveness gets confusing when our feelings do not reflect the choice we make in our will. It is a common experience that when we make the interior choice to forgive another, we still feel anger toward them. But these disordered feelings should not deter us nor should we allow them to cause doubt in what we need to do. Forgiveness is first an act of the will. It’s a prayerful choice to say to another that you do not hold their sin against them. Forgiveness does not pretend that no sin was committed. On the contrary, if there were no sin committed, then there would be no need for forgiveness. So the very act of forgiving is also an acknowledgment of the sin that needs to be forgiven.
When you make the choice to forgive another, and if your feelings do not immediately follow after, keep forgiving them in your heart. Pray for them. Try to change the way you think about them. Do not dwell upon the hurt that they have inflicted. Think, instead, about their dignity as a person, the love God has for them and the love you must continue to foster for them. Forgive, forgive and forgive again. Never stop and never tire of this act of mercy. If you do this, you may even discover that your feelings and passions eventually align with the choice you have made.
Reflect, today, upon any lingering feelings of anger you experience. Address those feelings by the free and total choice to forgive the person with whom you are angry. Do so now, later today, tomorrow and on and on. Go on the offensive against anger and bitterness by overwhelming it with your personal act of forgiveness and you will find that God will begin to free you of the heavy burden that a lack of forgiveness imposes.
My forgiving Lord, You offer the perfection of forgiveness to me and call me to do the same toward others. I pray for Your forgiveness in my life. I am sorry for my sin and beg for Your mercy. In exchange for this holy gift, I pledge to You today to forgive everyone who has sinned against me. I especially forgive those with whom I remain angry. Free me from this anger, dear Lord, so that I may reap the full benefits of Your mercy in my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2026
Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This is how you are to pray: ‘Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name…” Matthew 6:7–9
Many pagans of Jesus’ time believed they could manipulate divine action by sheer persistence, lengthy incantations, or empty repetition. Jesus contrasts this with true prayer, which is about trust in the Father’s providence, not coercion. Christian prayer is not about forcing God’s hand but about uniting our hearts to His will.
Saint Thomas Aquinas offers profound insight into the Lord’s Prayer: “Since prayer is the expression of our desires before God, we should only ask for what we ought to desire. The Lord’s Prayer not only contains everything we should desire, but it presents them in the proper order—thus shaping not only our petitions but also our hearts” (Summa Theologiae, II-II, 83.9).
According to Saint Thomas, prayer begins with truth entering the mind. Before we can choose and desire what is good, we must first recognize what is truly good in the eyes of God. For that reason, the first three petitions of the Lord’s Prayer focus on God’s glory—the highest good—rather than our needs:

• “Hallowed be Thy name” expresses the desire that God’s holiness be recognized, honored, and made known both within us and through our witness in the world.

• “Thy Kingdom come” is a plea for God’s reign to be established in our hearts and ultimately in the fulfillment of His Kingdom at the end of time.

• “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is a petition that our wills be conformed only to God’s divine will, seeking to obey Him as the saints and angels do in Heaven.

Once truth enters the mind, the will must choose it by grace. At first, we often pray these petitions out of duty, but as grace strengthens the will, we begin to love them. From there, the will’s repeated choice to say “Yes” to God’s truth allows our desires to be reordered, forming habits—virtues—within us. After seeking God’s glory first, we turn to our own needs, acknowledging our total dependence on Him in the light of Eternal Wisdom:

• “Give us this day our daily bread” expresses our desire for material sustenance and spiritual nourishment through the Eucharist. As our hearts are transformed, we come to hunger not only for earthly provision but for the Bread of Life, Christ Himself.

• “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us” is a plea for God’s mercy, teaching us that we must extend forgiveness to everyone if we hope to receive it. Over time, grace enables us to desire mercy more than vengeance, forming our hearts in charity.

• “Lead us not into temptation” asks for God’s help in avoiding situations that might lead us to sin. The more we grow in grace, the more we come to despise sin rather than desire it.

• “Deliver us from evil” is the final and most complete petition—a plea for liberation from ALL evil: sin, satan, and all that separates us from God. Here, desire reaches its highest purification in which the soul longs for final union with God, free from all evil, and attains it through purified desire.

Reflect today on this perfect prayer. Meditate on each petition, allowing each word to shape your mind, will, and desire. Pray it slowly and attentively, letting grace enlighten your mind, strengthen your will, and transform your affections. If you pray these words without fully feeling them at first, persevere and allow grace to work within you, leading you to the point that you truly love what you pray so that you desire rightly, trust fully, and love completely.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2026
Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, I ask today that your name be hallowed throughout the whole world, that your reign be extended to all peoples, and that your will be accomplished here on earth. Grant me the bread of life, forgive my sins, strengthen me in times of tribulation, and deliver me from all evil.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Past Kingdom: One way to understand the second petition in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy Kingdom Come!” is to contemplate the past, present, and future of the Kingdom. We need to understand the prefiguration of the Kingdom in the Old Testament, the establishment of the Kingdom by Jesus in the New Testament, and the definitive establishment of the Kingdom that will come at the end of time. Hints of the Kingdom of God are found in Genesis. God reigns over all things and is their Creator and Lord. God created Adam and Eve and granted them a share in his reign and commanded them to “have dominion” over the earth. Adam and Eve were not faithful to their royal vocation and rebelled against God. God did not abandon humanity and promised a royal dynasty to Abraham. The descendants of Abraham, the twelve tribes of Israel, were also offered the promise of being a royal priesthood. After crossing the Red Sea, they sang, “The Lord reigns” (Exodus 15:18). Like Adam and Eve, the tribes of Israel rebelled against God and chose to serve an idol. But God did not abandon Israel and was faithful to his covenant promise. The Lord called David, made him king, and promised that his kingdom would last forever (2 Samuel 7). When the Kingdom of David was decimated by the Assyrians and the Babylonians, the prophets promised that David’s Kingdom would be restored. And during the Babylonian Exile, the prophet Daniel foretold that the Kingdom of God would be established during the time of a fourth earthly kingdom, the time of the Roman Empire (see Daniel 2 and 7). 
2. The Present Kingdom: This background helps us understand Jesus’ announcement of the Kingdom in the Gospels. The people were waiting for the royal son of David, the Messiah, to restore the Kingdom of David. Jesus often spoke about the mystery of the Kingdom of God in parables. On the night of the Last Supper, the Kingdom of God was entrusted to the Apostles (Luke 22:29), who were charged with governing the Kingdom as servants and shepherds. The seed and beginning of the Kingdom of God are present in the Church. As Jesus taught in his parables, the Kingdom will grow during the centuries and welcome all peoples and nations. It will transform society. When we pray “Thy Kingdom Come!” we are asking God to extend his reign throughout the world and in the human heart. In the Eucharist, the Kingdom of God is in our midst (CCC, 2816). “By the second petition, the Church … prays for the growth of the Kingdom of God in the ‘today’ of our own lives” (CCC, 2860).
3. The Future Kingdom: Christ already reigns through the Church. “Though already present in his Church, Christ’s reign is nevertheless yet to be fulfilled ‘with power and great glory’ by the King’s return to earth. This reign is still under attack by the evil powers, even though they have been defeated definitively by Christ’s Passover. Until everything is subject to him, ‘until there be realized new heavens and a new earth in which justice dwells, the pilgrim Church, in her sacraments and institutions, which belong to this present age, carries the mark of this world which will pass, and she herself takes her place among the creatures which groan and travail yet and await the revelation of the sons of God.’ That is why Christians pray, above all in the Eucharist, to hasten Christ's return by saying to him: Maranatha! ‘Our Lord, come!’” (CCC, 671). When Jesus ascended into heaven, he told the apostles that the hour had not yet come for the glorious establishment of the messianic kingdom awaited by Israel. The hope for the definitive establishment of the Kingdom remains. “The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection. The kingdom will be fulfilled, then, not by a historic triumph of the Church through a progressive ascendancy, but only by God’s victory over the final unleashing of evil, which will cause his Bride to come down from heaven (Revelation 13:8; 20:7-10; 21:2-4). God’s triumph over the revolt of evil will take the form of the Last Judgement after the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world” (CCC, 677). “In the Lord’s Prayer, ‘thy kingdom come’ refers primarily to the final coming of the reign of God through Christ’s return” (CCC, 2818). 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần thứ 11 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần thứ 11 Thường Niên
Tin Mừng hôm nay đưa ra cho chúng ta ra một câu hỏi rất khó: nếu chỉ có một mình Thiên Chúa, mà không có ai khác chứng kiến được những việc tốt mà chúng ta đã làm thì điều này có đủ cho cho chúng ta thoả mãn?
    Những khi chúng ta làm việc gì đó mà có ai công nhận và khen ngợi, thì việc này có thể là một cái khích lệ lớn cho chúng ta, Tuy nhiên, nếu chúng ta cứ thích dựa vào lời khen, hay sự ca ngợi của những người khác thì những việc làm này cũng sẽ tạo cho nền tảng cuộc sống của chúng ta trở nên lung lay, cũng giống như người ngu xây nhà trên cát. Vì như ông bà chúng ta thường nói “mật ngọt thì chết ruồi..” người mà khen ngợi chúng ta,  là người đang hại chúng ta.  Khi nhận những lời khen ngợi, con người thường hay có cái tự đắc, rồi từ tự đắc sinh ra tự cao, ngạo mạn rồi đâm ra khinh người... Vì thế những khi chúng ta không nhận được những lời khen ngợi của người, chúng ta lại đâm ra thất vọng, tâm hồn đâm ra buồn chán... cũng vị cái tạo tự cao và ngạo mạn!
Trong chương 6 Tin Mừng Thánh Mathêu hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu mời gọi chúng ta nên quan hệ mật thiết với Thiên Chúa và sự liên hệ này, Thiên Chúa phải là trung tâm cuộc sống của chúng ta. Điều này chỉ có thể được khi chúng ta "khép kín cửa" lòng vỉ kỷ, ngạo mạn của chúng ta, khi chúng ta biết sống trong sự khiêm tốn khi được nhận những lời khen của người khác, chúng ta phải biết chấp nhận những cái yếu kém và thiếu xót, lỗi lầm của chính mình và biết vui tươi với những lời chê bai hay chỉ trích của người khác, và cũng nên tìm cái thất bại, những chê bai để mình biết cố gắng mà sửa đổi.
Chúng ta cần nên dành nhiều thời giờ với Thiên Chúa, dù chỉ có một vài phút mỗi ngày với Chúa, chúng ta sẽ thấy sự thay đổi, Chúa Thánh Thần sẽ giúp chúng ta từ từ nhận biết ra rằng việc tốt chúng ta làm vì danh Chúa chứ không phải làm để cho những người khác chú ý mà khen ngợi chúng ta, Khi chúng biết dành thời giờ với Thiên Chúa, chúng ta sẽ nhận ra rằng chúng ta đang được Chúa yêu thương chúng ta một cách trìu mến, sâu đậm.    "Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin cho chúng con một đức tin sống động, một niềm hy vọng vững chắc, lòng bác ái nhiệt thành, và một tình yêu tuyệt hảo cho Chúa. Xin cho chúng con sự nhiệt tình và niềm vui trong những suy nghĩ và những ân sủng của Chúa
 
Reflection 2017 (SG)
Sometimes giving can seem like a burden, and we can get tired of constant appeals from charities and collections. But Paul challenges us — giving (wisely, not carelessly) is an honour, privilege, and a source of joy and blessing. We take part in the works for which the money is collected — we are a needed support. Give generously — and not only money, but time and energy — and you will receive much more in the sense of peace and joy.
            Loving our enemies sounds weird and even impossible, but Jesus was insistent. Anyone can love their friends and those who love them — that’s easy! But when we love our enemies and persecutors — well, that shows that we are extraordinary, even godlike. For that is how God loves — without distinction or conditions. He loves the wicked and the good, the holy and the sinners. God has no enemies, and neither should we. If we are able to love in this fashion, people will know that we are the ‘real thing’ — children of the Most High God.
            There will also be the satisfaction of knowing that we are taking part in the healing of the world. Pray for the most difficult and unlovable — it is a holy work and pleasing to God. After a while, it will even become pleasing to us, for we will be transformed in the process.
Lord, help me to love even the most difficult.
 
Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2026
Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.” Matthew 6:1
Authenticity draws others in. A person who lives with genuine humility and virtue naturally inspires trust. In contrast, hypocrisy—an outward display of righteousness without interior virtue, done for human approval rather than for God—breeds distrust and repels others. In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls His disciples not to seek human recognition, but the quiet approval of the Father. True holiness is not performed for others to see but lived in the hidden presence of God, who sees and rewards what is done in secret.
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus highlights three essential religious practices—almsgiving, prayer, and fasting—to contrast authentic righteousness with hypocrisy. The “hypocrites” He addresses—the scribes, Pharisees, and other religious leaders—had transformed these sacred acts into performances, prioritizing human recognition over devotion to God.
When the hypocrites gave alms, they would “blow a trumpet” before them, symbolically announcing their generosity. While it is unlikely that the Pharisees literally sounded a trumpet when giving alms, Jesus uses this metaphor to expose their interior disposition—one focused on self-glorification rather than genuine charity. Just as a herald’s trumpet blast announces an important decree, these leaders ensured their charitable acts drew maximum attention.
In contrast, Jesus teaches the proper way to give alms: “But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you” (Matthew 6:3–4). Jesus employs exaggerated language to drive home His point. The phrase “do not let your left hand know what your right is doing” is a striking metaphor for absolute humility in charity. Almsgiving should be done with such purity of heart that it seeks neither public recognition nor bolsters personal pride, but is done solely for the glory of God.
Similarly, when the hypocrites prayed, they loved to position themselves “in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them.” Their concern was not communion with God but public recognition. Such a display is more an act of self-exhibition than true prayer. In contrast, Jesus teaches that authentic prayer takes place in “your inner room” where one prays to the Father in secret. This metaphor underscores the true purpose of prayer: not to be seen by others but to enter into genuine, intimate communion with God (cf. Matthew 6:5–6).
Finally, Jesus points out that when hypocrites fast, they deliberately “look gloomy” and “neglect their appearance” to ensure that others take notice. Their fasting is not a sacrifice to God but a display for human admiration. In contrast, true fasting should be hidden, undertaken in a spirit of self-denial—not to impress others, but to curb disordered appetites and offer a humble sacrifice to the Father.
Jesus emphasizes that the hypocrites’ approach to these three practices produces only fleeting rewards: “Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.” Their “reward” is hollow and passing—the admiration of others impressed by their outward display—and bears no merit before God. Only humble and authentic almsgiving, prayer, and fasting bear eternal fruit, drawing us deeper into God’s grace and securing a reward that endures in His Kingdom.
Reflect today on the authenticity of your spiritual practices. Are you content with God alone seeing your good deeds? While we ought not hide our devotion out of fear or embarrassment, we must ensure our motives remain pure—seeking only God’s glory and others’ good. Strive to be humble, authentic, and sincere in all you do, and your Father will see your goodness and bless you with His eternal rewards.
Most glorious Lord, You alone are worthy of all glory, honor, and praise. I am but Your humble servant, blessed to share in Your life and mission. Purify my intentions and grant me the grace to act always with sincerity and pure devotion. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I want to fight the good fight in the daily battle of prayer. Help me to banish greed from my heart so that I may care for the poor around me. Help me to overcome my sinful tendencies so that I may be docile to the inspirations of your Holy Spirit.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Wages for Secret Almsgiving: In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus identifies three ways we can earn heavenly wages and store up heavenly treasure. Earlier in the Sermon, Jesus pointed out that the righteousness practiced by the Pharisees was insufficient to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Here, Jesus fleshes this out by contrasting how hypocrites do pious deeds to be seen and praised by others and how his followers ought to do them in secret. When the hypocrites give alms, they want everyone to know about it. They give, not so much to help the poor and alleviate their misfortune, but to win the praise of others. And that is their reward or wage. Human praise is what they seek, and that is what they get. By contrast, when the disciples of Christ give alms, they are to do so quietly and in secret. There is no need for a trumpet to announce their gift. There is no need to make sure the coins clang loudly in the Temple receptacles. The followers of Christ are not to seek human praise but divine glory. And the Father, who sees these actions of almsgiving done in secret, will compensate us, both in this life and the next.
2. Wages for Private Prayer: When the hypocrites pray, they want everyone to know about it. They pray not to enter into communion with the Lord, but to be seen by others. They do not wake up early in the morning and go to the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13; Luke 5:16), climb the mountain, or enter the cloud to pray (Luke 9:28). Instead, the hypocrites wait until the synagogue is full on Sabbath or until the marketplace is full of people, and there they make their loud prayer for everyone to see. Like the prayer of the Pharisee in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 18:9-14), it is not really a prayer made to God but to themselves. They are showing off that they can make eloquent discourses about pious things, but, in truth, they haven’t even taken the first step in prayer. Prayer begins not in the mind that thinks up interesting and eloquent things to say aloud, but in the depths of a humble, contrite heart moved by divine grace. And the Father who sees the disciple of his Son praying in this humble way, will compensate us, both in this life and the next.
3. Wages for Hidden Fasting: When the hypocrites fast, they want everyone to know about it. It is more like going on a diet and wanting everyone to know how much weight you lost, rather than giving up something good, like food, and making a sacrificial offering to God. The hypocrite receives their reward from others, who say things like, “How good you look!” “How good you are!” “You have such will-power!” and “I wish I could be like you!” The follower of Christ fasts not because they want human praise, but because they know this will strengthen them to resist the temptation of disordered pleasure in the future. Fasting, in the twenty-first century, takes many forms, such as fasting from certain foods, dessert, alcohol, shopping, gaming, complaining, and social media. And the Father, who sees this hidden fasting, will compensate us, both in this life and the next.
 
Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 2023
“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” Matthew 6:16–18
Many today have abandoned the holy practice of fasting. Fasting is a powerful penitential practice that bestows great benefits upon the soul. The act of self-denial from certain food and drink, choosing instead simple nourishment from time to time, such as bread and water, or a reduced amount of food, greatly strengthens the soul and disposes a person to many spiritual blessings. Too often, we live for fleshly satisfactions and fall into the trap of trying to indulge our appetites on a regular basis. But doing so has the negative effect of tempting us to neglect the more important spiritual desires for holiness. By depriving ourselves of sensory delights from time to time, we become more disposed to seek the true and lasting delights that come only from God’s grace. Therefore, this passage above presumes that we do regularly fast and engage in other forms of self-denial. 
Do you fast? Do you engage in other forms of self-denial on a regular basis? Daily prayer, reading the Scriptures, learning about the lives of the saints, and regular participation in the Sacraments all lead us closer to God and make us holy. But fasting and self-denial are also very important, so it is essential that we strive to embrace them as a part of our spiritual growth.
In this passage, Jesus specifically calls us to seek the interior rewards that come from fasting and self-denial. He points out that if we use fasting as a way of gaining praise from others, then we lose the spiritual benefits of our fasting. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving must all be done in a way that they are as hidden as possible so that our acts are truly sincere and not done so as to receive the earthly rewards of the admiration of others.
Additionally, the lesson taught in this Gospel can also be applied to other areas of our lives. For example, if you are suffering from some illness or some form of bodily pain or discomfort, then of course you should seek the necessary medical attention. But these physical ailments also offer us another opportunity for spiritual growth when they are embraced in a silent and interior way. Even our pain or discomfort can be transformed into grace if we choose to embrace it with joy, offer it to God as a sacrifice, and keep it to ourselves as a silent gift given to God.
Reflect, today, upon your practice of fasting, as well as every other opportunity you have each day to make silent and interior sacrifices to God. If you do suffer from some daily cross that is beyond your control, then try to turn it into a spiritual offering to our Lord. And if you are able to freely embrace fasting on a regular basis, then try to prayerfully commit to this practice. Try to do it every week, especially on Friday in honor of the Good Friday sacrifice made by our Lord. Don’t underestimate the value of these hidden sacrifices. Make them a regular part of your spiritual life and God will bestow upon you many spiritual riches from Heaven.
My sacrificial Lord, You denied yourself of many earthly delights, especially when You fasted for forty days in the desert. Help me to take seriously this obligation to fast and to mortify my appetites. And help me to do so in a hidden way. May my life continually imitate Your perfect sacrifice so that I may become more like You every day. Jesus, I trust in You.