Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai tuần 19 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai tuần 19 Thường Niên- Matthew 17:22-27

Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu cho chúng ta biết rằng đối với Chúa là Thiên Chúa thì việc đóng thuế đền thờ không cần thiết, nhưng không phải vì thế mà Ngài sẽ làm gương xấu cho người khác, nên Chúa đã bảo Phêrô đóng thuế đàng hoàng hoàng (bằng đồng tiền lấy được từ trong miệng một con cá mới được câu lên.)

Trong thực tế, chúng ta cần phải thưc hành những nhiệm vụ của chúng ta một cách chu đáo, để chúng ta có thể làm gương cho những người khác bắt chước những gì mà họ nên phải làm, Có bao giờ chúng ta đã cảm thấy khó chịu khi trốn tránh trách nhiệm hoặc nghĩa vụ của chúng ta? Trong tin Mừng hôm nay, Các môn đệ cũng đã được Chúa Giêsu cho biết rằng, "Con Người" sẽ bị phản bội, bị chối bỏ và bị Xét xử v phải chết mọt cách đau đớn và nhục nhã trên Thập Giá. Tuy nhiên, Chúa Giêsu đã sẵn sàng chấp nhận cái chết với sự phản bội của các môn đệ, cũng như, chấp nhận những vấn nạn to lớn mà họ có thể phải nhận được trong một số phận tương tự trong cuộc sống trần thế khổ đau của chúng ta, chúng ta phải luôn tìm kiếm và Xin Chúa giúp chúng ta có thêm can đảm và sức mạnh để chịu đựng những thử thách trong đời này.

Giá cứu chuộc của Chúa Giêsu đã phải trả như là của lễ chuộc tội cho tất cả những tội lỗi chúng ta và để giải thoát chúng ta, Qua cái chết và sự phục sinh của Người, Chúa Giêsu đã cho chúng ta sự tự do vô biên,  để chúng ta được sống như con cái của Thiên Chúa. Để giúp chúng ta luôn luôn có thể được sống trong tự do và được hướng dẫn bằng gương sáng của tình yêu và chân lý.

 

REFLECTION

     Throughout the Old Testament we see God's love for those who obey him and his punishment for those who disobey his commands. He has loved and fulfilled his promises to his chosen people, Israel, beginning with Abraham and Isaac. Led by Moses, God freed Israel from slavery in Egypt and brought them to their promised land.     

In the Gospel reading Jesus predicts his passion, death and resurrection. He also shows his respect for civil authorities by paying tax for himself and Peter, "The sons, then, are tax-free. But so as not to offend these people... take the coin [in the fish you catch] and let it pay for you and for me." Christians have to be law-abiding citizens of their countries: they are citizens of this world and of God's kingdom.

 

Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?” When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the subjects are exempt. But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you.” 

Prior to this minor miracle, Jesus had just told His disciples for the second time about His coming passion. Again, this was difficult for them to hear. Recall that after the first prediction of Jesus’ coming passion and death, Jesus took Peter, James and John up the mountain and was Transfigured before them. The Transfiguration was meant, in part, to dispel the fear of the disciples and to give them hope for that which was to come. And now, after Jesus’ second prediction of His passion, another miracle was performed for Peter, personally, to help encourage him and give him hope.

Imagine if you were Peter. Imagine following through with Jesus’ instructions by going to the sea, dropping in a hook, pulling out a fish and then opening its mouth. Peter must have been filled with hope and excitement as he pulled this fish in, wondering if Jesus’ words would come true. And as soon as Peter saw the coin, just as Jesus said, he must have been in awe. Slowly, the fear and anxiety he was experiencing at this second prediction of Jesus’ passion and death would have begun to subside as Peter witnessed yet another incredible sign from his Lord.

God performs miracles in our lives every day. The problem is that we often fail to discern them. Any time His glorious power works within us to strengthen us or fills us with courage, hope, charity and every other virtue, this is a miracle of transforming grace. God always knows what we need in life. He knows our struggles and doubts. At times, He is silent so as to draw us deeper through intentional prayer and acts of faith. And at times, we suddenly find that we receive a new clarity in life that is the result of His grace at work.

Jesus knew that Peter needed this extra grace of this personal miracle so that he could move beyond his fears and struggles and place all of his trust in Jesus. Jesus was trustworthy. This is the conclusion Peter would have arrived at. He was trustworthy. Therefore, everything He said should be believed. What a wonderful conclusion for us all to arrive at.

Reflect, today, upon the ways that God has assured you of His divine presence and action in your life. Though the assuring miracles God has performed in your life may not be physical in their manifestation, God’s workings can be just as convincing if we clearly perceive them. What does God want to assure you of in your life? What struggle or doubt do you struggle with? If you struggle, turn your mind to the ways that God has been present and active in your life. Ponder His intervention and the ways He has cared for you and led you. Be grateful and allow the memory of what God has done to be your strength today and the source of hope when you need it the most.

My miraculous Lord, Your action in my life is truly glorious and amazing. You never fail to provide for me when I am in need. Help me to turn to You whenever I struggle so as to be filled with new hope in You. You are always faithful, dear Lord. I do place all my hope in You. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

Monday 19^th Ordinary Time 2025

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you have made me your child through your Son and your Spirit. You know my rebellious moments and my docile moments. You know all things. Help me to be a better child who listens to you, imitates your Son, and is docile to your Spirit.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Second Foretelling of His Death and Resurrection: In the Gospel, Jesus foretells his death and resurrection a second time. The first time he did this, Peter reacted very strongly and took Jesus aside to rebuke him and say: “God forbid, Lord.” This second time, no one opposes Jesus, but they become greatly distressed and overwhelmed with grief. The third time Jesus foretells his death, James and John affirm that they will drink the chalice of suffering with Jesus. Taken together, we can discern a movement along the way to Jerusalem from forceful opposition, to anguished resignation, to shared acceptance. In his first announcement of his death and resurrection, Jesus said simply that he must suffer many things from the elders and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed. The second time, Jesus says that as the Son of Man, he must be delivered into the hands of men and that they will kill him. The third time, he says that the chief priests and scribes will condemn the Son of Man to death and deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked, scourged, and crucified. The third provides the most details about his upcoming suffering and indicates how exactly he will be killed. Crucifixion was the worst kind of death as it was a cruel form of torture and slow killing. 

2. The Question of the Temple Tax: The discussion about the Temple tax immediately follows the second passion prediction. “The juxtaposition is deliberate: Jesus will be killed, finally, for shutting down the temple temporarily (Mt 21:12-17), and so the temple finds mention now, but the story will also show Jesus to be an obedient and loyal Jew” (Huizenga, Behold the Christ, 303). Those who posed the question to Jesus were somewhat hostile and this is indicated in Matthew by the questioners calling him “Teacher.” Jesus’ subsequent discussion with Peter reveals that Jesus is more than a teacher, for he is the Son of God. Jesus asks Peter: Do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax “from others” or “from sons”? While kings take tolls and taxes from their people and from the nations they rule, no king taxes his own sons and daughters. They are exempt: “The king in this analogy represents God; Jesus as God’s Son (3:17; 17:9) is the Son of the King. Just as the royal sons in a secular kingdom are exempt from paying the king’s taxes, so too Jesus, as God’s Son, is free from paying a tax for God’s house, the temple” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 223). Jesus is the ultimate Son of God; his followers are also sons of God. Like Jesus, they should be exempt. “But Jesus, careful to avoid scandal, instructs Simon Peter to pay the tax, which he’ll obtain not from Jesus’s or the disciples’s funds but through a miracle” (Huizenga, Behold the Christ, 304).

3. Circumcise your Hearts: The First Reading, taken from the Book of Deuteronomy, employs a powerful image – the circumcision of the heart. Moses has just recalled the breaking of the Sinai covenant and the renewal of that covenant. What is Israel to do now after 40 years of desert wandering, and ready to enter the Promised Land? They are to fear the Lord with humility, follow the Lord’s ways exactly, love and serve (worship) the Lord with all their heart and soul, and keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord. Moses looks forward to a day in the future when God will establish a New Covenant that will be interior rather than exterior. He employs the image of circumcising the heart. “Circumcision is an outward sign of an inward act. Removing the foreskin of the flesh symbolizes the need to cut away the stubbornness of the human heart and consecrate it to the Lord through obedience (Jeremiah 4:4). To have an uncircumcised heart is to be unresponsive to God and unfaithful to the demands of his covenant (Jeremiah 9:25-26)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, 29).

 

Monday 19^th Ordinary Time 2024

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you have made me your child through your Son and your Spirit. You know my rebellious moments and my docile moments. You know all things. Help me to be a better child, who listens to you, imitates your Son, and is docile to your Spirit.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Prophet Ezekiel: The word of the Lord came to the priest Ezekiel while he was in exile in Babylon, in the “land of the Chaldeans.” The prophet heard God’s word and his call in 593 B.C., four years after being deported from Jerusalem into exile in Babylon. While the prophet Isaiah saw the Lord in the Temple of Jerusalem and heard the seraphim proclaim the holiness and glory of the Lord of Hosts, the prophet Ezekiel saw a vision of the likeness of the Glory of the Lord in a foreign land, outside the Temple. The Lord, the God of Israel and all creation is omnipresent: The winged creatures and coals of fire recall Isaiah’s encounter (Isaiah 6:1-8), and the fire, storm, and clouds reflect the revelation at Sinai (Exodus 19:1-25; 24:1-8). “But unique to Ezekiel are the images of chariot, wheels, and wings swirling together and offering a sense of the dynamic freedom and agility of [the Lord’s] splendor (cf 2 Kgs 2:11)” (Duggan, The Consuming Fire, 311).

2. Ezekiel’s Vision: Ezekiel's vision is both a sign of hope and a sign of judgment: hope because the Lord reveals himself to his people in exile; judgment, because the glory of the Lord is about to depart from the Temple in Jerusalem. “The movement of the Lord’s glory away from the Temple in Jerusalem and the promise of its returning to the restored Temple provide the framing of the text. By means of the Exile, the Lord will transform his people so that he will be able to dwell in their midst (48:35; cf. 3:12)” (Duggan, The Consuming Fire, 311). Ezekiel sees, above the firmament, above the angels, and seated on a likeness of God’s throne, a likeness in human form. Daniel will see one like a son of man come before God’s throne and receive dominion, glory, and kingship. John will see a similar vision in the Book of Revelation. Exiled on the island of Patmos, he will see one like a Son of man (Revelation 1:13). Like Ezekiel, John also sees four living creatures around God’s throne: one like a lion, one like an ox, one like a man, and one like an eagle. They sing: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:6-8). When the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to God, the twenty-four elders fall down in worship, casting aside their crowns and singing: “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Revelation 4:9-11).

3. The Second Foretelling of His Death and Resurrection: In the Gospel, Jesus foretells his death and resurrection a second time. The first time he did this, Peter reacted very strongly and took Jesus aside to rebuke him and say: “God forbid, Lord.” This second time no one opposes Jesus, but they become greatly distressed and overwhelmed with grief. The third time Jesus foretells his death, James and John affirm that they will drink the chalice of suffering with Jesus. Taken together, we can discern a movement along the way to Jerusalem from forceful opposition, to anguished resignation, to shared acceptance. In his first announcement of his death and resurrection, Jesus said simply that he must suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed. The second time, Jesus says that as the Son of Man, he must be delivered into the hands of men and that they will kill him. The third time, he says that the chief priests and scribes will condemn the Son of Man to death and deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked, scourged, and crucified. The third provides details about his upcoming suffering and indicates how he will be killed. Jesus’ discussion with Peter also reveals his divine sonship. He asks Peter: Do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax “from others” or “from sons”? While kings take tolls and taxes from their people and from the nations they rule, no king taxes his own sons and daughters. They are exempt: “The king in this analogy represents God; Jesus as God’s Son (3:17; 17:9) is the Son of the King. Just as the royal sons in a secular kingdom are exempt from paying the king’s taxes, so too Jesus, as God’s Son, is free from paying a tax for God’s house, the temple” 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Lễ kính thánh Laurensô Tử đạo- Agu 10, 2026

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Lễ kính thánh Laurensô Tử đạo- Agu 10, 2026
Trong bài đọc thứ nhất, Thánh Phaolô cho chúng ta biết rằng chúng ta càng gieo nhiều hạt giống thì chúng ta sẽ gặt hái được nhiều hơn. Phần này, thánh Phaolô đề cập đến các Kitô hữu những người đã giúp đỡ xây dựng  Giáo Hội địa phương của họ. Nếu chúng ta quảng đại, chúng ta có thể giúp được nhiều người trong cộng đồng của chúng ta. Nhưng Chúa Giêsu còn đi xa hơn nữa, Như trong Tin Mừng, Ngài nói rằng khi chúng ta biết dâng hiến cuộc sống của mình cho người khác, thì kết quả là sẽ có nhiều người sẽ nhận được sự cứu rỗi.
Hôm nay chúng ta mừng lễ Thánh Laurensô, phó tế, tử đạo.  Việc tử đạo vinh quang của ông đã tác động mạnh mẽ đến các Kitô hữu trong thời đại của ông. Việc dâng hiến cuộc sống của mình cho Chúa Kitô một cách vui vẻ, ông đã củng cố đức tin của họ. Theo truyền thuyết, khi thánh Laurensô bị nướng trên lò củi cháy cho đến chết, ông ta nói đùa, "Làm ơn quay người tôi lại để nướng bên kia, vì  thịt cuêa tôi bên này đã chín rồi."
Thiên Chúa ưa chiộng những người vui tính. Ngài muốn chúng ta dành thời gian và nỗ lực của chúng ta để giúp đỡ những người khác. Chúng ta không thể làm được những điều này một cách xuông sẻ nếu chúng ta không có sự trợ giúp của Chúa Thánh Thần.
Tin Mừng luôn nhắc nhở chúng ta là những người yêu mến cuộc sống của họ, họ sẽ tự hủy diệt cuộc sống của chính họ, và những ai khinh thường cuộc sống của họ trong thế giới này, họ sẽ có được cuộc sống vĩnh cửu với Thiên Chúa. Đó là bản chất của con người là nếu chúng ta yêu mến cuộc sống của chúng ta, chúng ta phải bảo tồn nó. Tuy nhiên, Thánh Laurensô đã làm ngược lại; ngài nhìn cuộc sống của ngài xa hơn cuộc sống ở trần gian, ước muốn của ngài là mong được ở bên Chúa nhiều hơn. Đấy là những gì Chúa Giêu đã làm cho chúng ta.
 
REFLECTION
In the first reading, St. Paul says that the more we sow, the more we will reap. He was referring to the help Christians give to their churches. It is true that if we are generous, it helps many people in our communities.
But Jesus goes further, In the Gospel he says that when we offer our lives for others, the result is the salvation of many.      
Today is the feast of St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr. His glorious martyrdom made a strong impact on the Christians of his time. By offering his life cheerfully for Christ, he strengthened their faith. According to legend, as Lawrence was being burned to death, he jokingly remarked, "Please turn me over because I am already well-done on this side." God appreciates a cheerful giver. He wants us to offer our time and effort to helping others. We cannot do this just by ourselves but with the help of the Holy Spirit.
The Gospel says that those who love their life destroy it, and those who despise their life in this world keep it for everlasting life. It is human nature to love life and to preserve it. Yet St. Lawrence did the opposite; he looked beyond his earthly life, desiring more to be with God in the next. This is exactly what Jesus did for us.
 
Feast of Saint Lawrence,
Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. (Jn. 12:24-26)
Saint Lawrence, whom we honor today, has been highly revered by the Church since the time of his martyrdom in the mid-third century, at around the age of thirty-three—the same age at which our Lord laid down His life. Lawrence is believed to have been one of the seven deacons of Rome, likely serving as archdeacon. He was entrusted with the distribution of the Church’s goods to the poor and is said to have shared a close friendship with Pope Sixtus II.
When Emperor Valerian began persecuting the Church in 257, he issued an edict ordering the execution of bishops, priests, and deacons. On August 6, 258, Pope Sixtus and several deacons were martyred. According to Saint Ambrose, Lawrence rejoiced over their heroic deaths and grieved because he had not died alongside his spiritual father.
Soon afterward, Lawrence was arrested and commanded to surrender the Church’s treasures. Instead, he distributed the goods to the poor and, when brought before the prefect, presented the poor themselves as the true treasures of the Church. Enraged by this bold act, the prefect sentenced Lawrence to death by roasting on a gridiron. Tradition holds that Lawrence, with holy defiance, declared as he burned, “The flesh is roasted, turn it and eat.”
Saint Lawrence, like all martyrs, accomplished more for the Church in death than he could have in life. He embodies Jesus’ solemn words in today’s Gospel: “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” It may be said that every martyr dies twice: first, through the total surrender of self in loving service and detachment from the world; and second, through physical martyrdom. To “hate” one’s life in this world means to live with total abandonment to God’s will, free from self-centered pursuits. Living in this way prepared Lawrence for his final sacrifice.
The Church honors those who embraced physical martyrdom because they become living icons of Christ’s sacrificial love. They are visible expressions of the Gospel, and their witness bears tremendous spiritual fruit.
Consider, for example, what might have happened had Lawrence fled persecution to preserve his life. Those who loved him may have understood and even encouraged such a choice. He could have continued serving the poor and died in obscurity. But he did not. Today, we remember him not simply because of his courage, but because God chose to make him an enduring icon of the Gospel for generations. Just as Christ’s brutal death became the greatest act of love in history, so too does Lawrence’s participation in that love perpetuate Christ’s sacrifice—one in which we, too, are called to share.
Reflect today on the example of Saint Lawrence and the deep meaning of Jesus’ words. Are you also willing to become that grain of wheat, falling to the ground, dying to self, and bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God? What attachments, fears, or self-centered desires do you still cling to that deter you from the spiritual witness of martyrdom? God is calling us to a deeper detachment from this world so that we may live more fully for Him. Though physical martyrdom may not be asked of you, the spiritual martyrdom of daily self-giving is a path all are called to walk. Imitate Saint Lawrence by embracing that path with courage, joy, and total trust in God’s providence, so that your life, too, may produce much fruit for eternity.
My sacrificial Lord, You filled Saint Lawrence with such fervent love that he counted death as gain, trusting in the abundant fruit his martyrdom would yield. Grant me that same courage and willing spirit, that I may die to self each day and live only for You. May my life bear rich and lasting fruit for the coming of Your Kingdom. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, August 10, 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, Lord God, you revealed your love through the self-giving of your Son and through the heroic witness of Saint Lawrence the Deacon. Free my heart from selfishness and attachment to earthly possessions. Give me generous hands to serve the poor, a joyful spirit in works of charity, and the courage to give of myself without seeking recognition or reward. May I discover that in losing my life for Christ, I truly find it.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Servants of Jesus: The Gospel for the Feast of Saint Lawrence provides us with the pattern of Christian life. It is nothing more than a sharing in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus compares himself to a grain of wheat that must fall into the earth and die before it bears abundant fruit. His death is not a tragic end but the very means by which he brings eternal life to the world. Those who belong to Christ are called to share in this same mystery. Just as a seed must die before new life springs forth, so Jesus enters into death to bring us everlasting life. The same principle governs Christian discipleship: we bear lasting fruit only by dying to ourselves in love and becoming channels of God’s life for others. This is why Jesus tells us that whoever loves his life loses it, while whoever is willing to surrender it for his sake will preserve it for eternal life. To “hate” our life in this world does not mean despising the gift of life, but refusing to cling to anything – including sin, selfish ambition, or earthly comforts – that would separate us from God or hinder our faithful service to him.
2. Saint Lawrence: Saint Lawrence embodied this Gospel with remarkable fidelity. One of the seven deacons of the Church of Rome, he served during the fierce persecution of Emperor Valerian. When Pope Sixtus II became bishop of Rome in A.D. 257, he ordained Lawrence as a deacon and entrusted him with the administration of the Church’s material goods and charitable works. Lawrence became responsible for caring for widows, orphans, the poor, and all those in need. His ministry reminds us that Christian charity is not merely philanthropy but a visible expression of Christ’s own self-giving love. After Pope Sixtus II was arrested and martyred on August 6, 258, tradition records that he foretold Lawrence would soon join him in martyrdom. The prophecy was quickly fulfilled when the Roman prefect ordered Lawrence to hand over what he believed to be the Church’s vast treasures.
3. The Church’s Treasure: According to Saint Ambrose, Lawrence requested three days to gather the Church's treasure. During that time, he sold many of the Church’s valuables and distributed the proceeds to the poor. When he appeared before the prefect, he presented the poor, the sick, the widows, and the disabled, declaring, “These are the treasures of the Church.” The prefect, enraged by Lawrence’s bold witness, condemned him to death. Although some historians believe he may have been beheaded like Pope Sixtus II, the ancient Christian tradition holds that he was roasted alive on a gridiron. Even amid his terrible suffering, Lawrence’s joy remained unshaken. Tradition remembers him humorously telling his executioners, “Turn me over; I'm done on this side.” His courage flowed not from stoic endurance but from a heart consumed by the love of Christ. As Pope Leo the Great preached, the fire that burned Lawrence outwardly was weaker than the fire of divine charity burning within him. Having learned from Christ that a grain of wheat must die to bear fruit, Lawrence surrendered his life with joy, leaving the Church an enduring example of generous service, unwavering fidelity, and victorious hope. Lawrence is the patron saint of cooks, chefs, deacons, firefighters, and comedians!
 
Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, August 10
Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.” 
Saint Lawrence, whom we honor today, has been highly revered by the Church since the time of his martyrdom in the mid-third century, at around the age of thirty-three—the same age at which our Lord laid down His life. Lawrence is believed to have been one of the seven deacons of Rome, likely serving as archdeacon. He was entrusted with the distribution of the Church’s goods to the poor and is said to have shared a close friendship with Pope Sixtus II.
When Emperor Valerian began persecuting the Church in 257, he issued an edict ordering the execution of bishops, priests, and deacons. On August 6, 258, Pope Sixtus and several deacons were martyred. According to Saint Ambrose, Lawrence rejoiced over their heroic deaths and grieved because he had not died alongside his spiritual father.
Soon afterward, Lawrence was arrested and commanded to surrender the Church’s treasures. Instead, he distributed the goods to the poor and, when brought before the prefect, presented the poor themselves as the true treasures of the Church. Enraged by this bold act, the prefect sentenced Lawrence to death by roasting on a gridiron. Tradition holds that Lawrence, with holy defiance, declared as he burned, “The flesh is roasted, turn it and eat.”
Saint Lawrence, like all martyrs, accomplished more for the Church in death than he could have in life. He embodies Jesus’ solemn words in today’s Gospel: “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” It may be said that every martyr dies twice: first, through the total surrender of self in loving service and detachment from the world; and second, through physical martyrdom. To “hate” one’s life in this world means to live with total abandonment to God’s will, free from self-centered pursuits. Living in this way prepared Lawrence for his final sacrifice.
The Church honors those who embraced physical martyrdom because they become living icons of Christ’s sacrificial love. They are visible expressions of the Gospel, and their witness bears tremendous spiritual fruit.
Consider, for example, what might have happened had Lawrence fled persecution to preserve his life. Those who loved him may have understood and even encouraged such a choice. He could have continued serving the poor and died in obscurity. But he did not. Today, we remember him not simply because of his courage, but because God chose to make him an enduring icon of the Gospel for generations. Just as Christ’s brutal death became the greatest act of love in history, so too does Lawrence’s participation in that love perpetuate Christ’s sacrifice—one in which we, too, are called to share.
Reflect today on the example of Saint Lawrence and the deep meaning of Jesus’ words. Are you also willing to become that grain of wheat, falling to the ground, dying to self, and bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God? What attachments, fears, or self-centered desires do you still cling to that deter you from the spiritual witness of martyrdom? God is calling us to a deeper detachment from this world so that we may live more fully for Him. Though physical martyrdom may not be asked of you, the spiritual martyrdom of daily self-giving is a path all are called to walk. Imitate Saint Lawrence by embracing that path with courage, joy, and total trust in God’s providence, so that your life, too, may produce much fruit for eternity.
My sacrificial Lord, You filled Saint Lawrence with such fervent love that he counted death as gain, trusting in the abundant fruit his martyrdom would yield. Grant me that same courage and willing spirit, that I may die to self each day and live only for You. May my life bear rich and lasting fruit for the coming of Your Kingdom. Jesus, I trust in You.

Suy Niệm Chúa nhật 19th thường niên (A)

Suy Niệm Chúa nhật 19th thường niên (A) (Cầu nguyện quan trọng nhất)
Hôm nay chúng ta đã nghe một đoạn Tin Mừng rất tuyệt vời nói về vai trò của việc cầu nguyện trong cuộc sống của chúng ta. Câu chuyến chúng ta vừa nghe cho chúng ta biết rằng kinh nghiệm của Phêrô trong cơn bão ngoài biển hồ, Ngài và các tông đồ khác đang ở trên thuyền, để băng qua biển hồ Ga-li-lê, khi các Sứ đồ đang chèo qua hồ, thì gió bảo nổi lên, sóng lớn. Càng về đêm, gió bão càng dữ dội; họ không thể chèo nữa, bởi vì họ không thể điều khiển con thuyền của mình trong cơn bão to và sóng lớn. Chúng ta hãy dừng lạn vài phút để cùng nhìn lại hình ảnh sống động này; Đó là cuộc sống của Giáo Hội trong những cơn bão tố của lịch sử, cũng như những cơn bão tố cuộc đời của mỗi người Kitô hữu chúng ta mà đang cố gắng vượt qua những cuộc chiến đấu, gian khổ mà chúng ta không thể tránh khỏi trong cuộc sống này. Các Tông đồ bỗng thấy Chúa Giêsu , đi trên mặt nước đến gần dưới ánh sáng mặt trăng chiếu rọi. Họ không nhận ra Chúa Giêsu, thầy của họ. trong lòng họ ầy sợ hãi; vì họ nghĩ đó là con ma.
Nhiều khi trong cuộc sống, Thiên Chúa đang hành động trong chúng ta mà chúng ta không nhận ra đó là Thiên Chúa hoặc hiểu ngay được đó là Chúa bởi vì chúng ta quá sợ hãi và lo âu. Khi ông Phêrô làm chủ được tình hình, ông xin Chúa Giêsu cho phép ông đi trên nước đến với Chúa và Phêrô bước ra khỏi thuyền, bước từng bước một, và ông cũng đi được trên mặt biển đầy bão tố. Lúc đầu, ông ta vui mừng khôn xiết khi nhìn vào khuôn mặt tươi cười của Chúa Giêsu đang tiến về phía mình. Nhưng sau đó ông cảm thấy xung quanh gió mạnh và sóng to hơn. Ông bắt đầu lo sợ, không nhìn vào Chúa Giêsu nữa mà nhìn vào những cơn sóng đang dồn dập tới ông. Và ông ta bắt đầu chìm vào trong nước.
Cầu nguyện là cách giữ cho con mắt trái tim chúng ta tập trung vào Đấng Kitô, để ân sủng của Ngài có thể giúp đưa chúng ta đi qua cuộc đời đầy giông bão một cách an toàn. Chừng nào cuộc sống cầu nguyện của chúng ta còn mạnh mẽ, thì những cơn sóng cám dỗ, chán nản và tội lỗi không thể dâng trào xung quanh và lôi cuốn chúng ta được, nhưng có Chúa Giêsu Kitô trước mặt giữ gìn chúng ta được bình an. Chính Chúa Giêsu đã ban cho chúng ta một vũ khí bí mật việc để tăng trưởng trong cầu nguyện: Bí tích Thánh Thể, và Thánh Thể là sự hiện diện thực sự của Chúa Kitô, trong mình và máu, trong linh hồn và thần tính.
Trong thế giới bận rộn này, chúng ta cần tìm kiếm thời gian và một nơi mà chúng ta có thể tìm thấy Chúa Giêsu và ở với Ngài. Bí tích Thánh Thể là nền tảng vững chắc cho đời sống cầu nguyện lành mạnh. Khi chúng ta Rước Chúa, khi chúng ta ngắm nhìn Mình Thánh trong Thánh Lễ, khi chúng ta đến, quỳ gối trước Nhà Tạm hoặc khi chúng ta cầu nguyện trong giờ Chầu trước Thánh Thể, chúng ta đang làm những gì Phêrô đã làm khi bước ra khỏi thuyền đánh cá đó: tập trung cái nhìn của chúng ta vào Chúa Giêsu Kitô, chúng ta nên nuôi dưỡng mối quan hệ cá nhân của chúng ta với Ngài; cầu nguyện với Ngài, Đấng mà tình yêu và ân sủng mang lại ý nghĩa, sự hướng dẫn và sức mạnh cho cuộc sống của chúng ta.
Hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu Kitô đã nhắc mình với chúng ta trong Thánh Lễ này, chúng ta hãy tự cân nhắc c hính mình trong đời sống cầu nguyện và hãy hứa với Người rằng chúng ta sẽ không bao giờ để một ngày nào trôi qua mà không đến thăm Người trong lời cầu nguyện, để nói chuyện với Người từ trái tim đến tận đáy lòng trong Bí tích Thánh Thể, dù chỉ một phút, để Người có thể tiếp tục đào sâu sự hiệp thông tâm hồn của chúng ta với Chúa, chỉ có thế thì chúng ta mới tìm được hạnh phúc.
 
 Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) (Prayer Matters Most)
Today we hear a beautiful Gospel passage about the role of prayer in our life. The passage we just heard tells us that Peter's experience during the storm, He and the other Apostles were in the boat, crossing the Sea of Galilee. Then, as the Apostles are crossing the lake, the weather goes bad. The night progresses, the wind storm gets worse; they cannot row anymore, because they just can't control their boat and make any progression.
Let’s take a look at this image of life; It was the life of the Church in the storms of history, and the life of every one of us a Christian trying to navigate through inevitable struggles and hardships in life. The Apostles suddenly see Jesus approaching, walking across the surface of the water, illuminated by the light of the moon. They don’t recognize Jesus, their master. They are really scared; they think it's a ghost.
Many times, God's action in our live, and we don't recognize it was God or understand it right away; because we are scared and afraid of it. Peter takes control of the situation: he asks Jesus to enable him to walk across the violent waves; and Peter steps out of the boat, takes one step, then another, and soon he too is walking across the surface of the stormy sea. At first, he is overjoyed as he looks into the smiling face of Jesus, his master and walks towards him. But then he feels the strong wind and the waves around him seem to get bigger. He takes his eyes off Jesus to look at them and as soon as he does that. He starts to sink.
Prayer is keeping the eyes of our heart focused on Christ, so that his grace can bring us safely through our stormy lives.  As long as our prayer life is strong, waves of temptation, discouragement, and sin can surge and billow all around us, but our Lord Jesus Christ will keep us safe.
Jesus himself has given us a secret weapon for growth in prayer: the Eucharist. And the Eucharist is the real presence of Christ, body, blood, soul, and divinity. In this busy world, we need to find time and find a place where we can be sure to find Our Lord Jesus and to be with Him. The Eucharist is the solid foundation for a healthy life of prayer. When we receive Holy Communion, when we gaze upon the Host at Mass, when we come and kneel before the Tabernacle or when we pray in adoration before the Eucharist, we are doing what Peter did as he stepped out of that fishing boat:   focusing our gaze on Jesus Christ our Lord, cultivating our personal relationship with Him; praying to Him whose love and grace gives meaning, direction, and strength to our lives.
Today, as Jesus Christ recommits himself to us in this Celebration, let's recommit ourselves to a healthy life of prayer. Let's promise him that we will never let a day go by without coming to visit him in prayer, to speak with him heart-to-heart in the Eucharist, even if only for a minute, so that he can keep deepening our soul's communion with God, in whom alone we will find happiness.
 
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 
Fear always clouds our vision. Today’s Gospel takes place the night after Jesus fed 5,000 on a mountain near the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, using only five barley loaves and two fish. Afterward, He withdrew to pray alone and sent the disciples ahead of Him by boat, directing them toward the town of Gennesaret, just south of Capernaum. While great miracles occurred the next day in Gennesaret, something just as remarkable took place during the night’s journey across the sea.
The disciples found themselves rowing against a strong headwind, making the journey slow, arduous, and perilous This scene is a vivid image of our journey through life. Life is rarely “a bowl of cherries,” as the saying goes. It often feels laborious, filled with hardships, and some trials may seem never-ending. If life feels this way, today’s Gospel is especially for you.
During the fourth watch of the night, between 3 and 6 a.m., as the disciples continued struggling against the waves, they saw a figure walking on the sea, coming toward them. While we may be familiar with the idea of Jesus walking on water, for the disciples, this would have been an unimaginable and terrifying sight. They did not recognize Him—not because His appearance had changed, but because fear blinded them. This still happens in our lives. We can misinterpret suffering or divine silence as abandonment. But Jesus allowed their fear precisely so He could confront it directly: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” In His divine wisdom, Jesus knew that countless disciples would read this story and ponder this moment until the end of time.
What message is He giving us? The courage that comes from recognizing God in our midst allows us to conquer fear—especially in our moments of suffering, when the path ahead seems hard, dangerous, and without end. By a supernatural instinct, Peter utters the perfect prayer in this moment of uncertainty: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you…” When we recognize God amid our trials, focus our gaze on Him, and pray this prayer, God will always answer, “Come.”
Peter sets the pattern for this bold, trusting prayer, but he falters in remaining faithful to it. Yet even this is allowed by God, for our instruction. Making an act of courageous faith does not guarantee we will not stumble. Peter sank not because he lacked faith entirely, but because fear began to overwhelm his trust. And in this, Jesus teaches us another lesson: Even when our faith wavers, we must not give in to despair. Peter did not drown—he cried out once more, “Lord, save me!” and Jesus immediately reached out His hand.
Despair is the true enemy of faith. Though fear and the growing force of the wind weakened Peter’s faith, he remained hopeful even in his weakness. And it was this hope—however trembling—that moved Jesus to stretch out His divine hand and save him.
Reflect today on any trial or suffering you endure that tempts you to fear. Confront that fear head-on. Rebuke it. Look for Jesus, who comes to you in the midst of the trial, walking on and through that very storm. Know that it is truly Him, drawing near. As you overcome fear, keep your eyes fixed on Him, not on the storm. This is what strengthens our faith and enables us to keep moving forward toward the goal: Jesus’ hand of divine grace.
My saving Lord, though You permit trials in our lives, You always offer the grace we need to endure them patiently and to overcome them with trust and hope in You. Help me, Lord, to always see You in my suffering and confusion. May I never give in to despair, but instead grow in faith as I walk toward You. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
Opening Prayer: Lord God, open my heart to recognize your presence in my life. When storms arise, strengthen my faith so that I may look to your Son and not be overcome by fear. Teach me to listen for your voice in the silence and to receive with gratitude the gifts you have given through your covenant and your Son, Jesus Christ. May I trust in your providence and follow you with a faithful heart.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Lord who Walks on the Waters: After the multiplication of the loaves, Jesus sends his disciples ahead of him across the Sea of Galilee while he goes up the mountain to pray. During the night, the disciples encounter a violent storm, and Jesus comes to them walking upon the waters. This action reveals far more than Jesus’ power over nature. Throughout the Old Testament, walking upon the waters is an action associated with God alone. Job asks, “Who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea?” (Job 9:8). The Psalms proclaim that the Lord treads upon the waves of the sea (Psalm 77:20). By walking upon the waters, Jesus reveals his divine identity and manifests that he is the Lord who rules over creation. When the disciples see him, they are terrified, but Jesus tells them, “Take courage; it is I; do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27). The words “it is I” or “I AM” echo the divine name revealed to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). Jesus is not merely offering encouragement; he is revealing that God himself has come among his people. Peter’s attempt to walk upon the water teaches us that faith allows us to share in Christ’s power, but only as long as we remain focused on him. When Peter looks at the wind and waves instead of Jesus, he begins to sink. The storms of life do not overcome us when our eyes remain fixed on the Lord.
2. The Lord who Speaks in the Whisper: The First Reading presents Elijah fleeing from Queen Jezebel after his victory over the prophets of Baal. Discouraged and afraid, Elijah encounters the Lord on Mount Horeb. The prophet expects God to reveal himself through powerful signs: a strong wind, an earthquake, and a fire. Yet the Lord is not found in these dramatic manifestations. Instead, Elijah encounters God in “a still small voice” or “a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12). This passage teaches us that God’s presence is not always revealed through extraordinary experiences. The Lord often speaks in the quiet depths of the heart, where we must become still enough to listen. In a world filled with noise and distraction, we can easily miss the gentle voice of God calling us to conversion, encouraging us in difficulty, and guiding us in our vocation. Like Elijah, we must learn to recognize that God is present not only in moments of great power but also in moments of silence and prayer. The same Lord who calms the storm on the Sea of Galilee also speaks in the quiet whisper on Mount Horeb. Whether God reveals his presence through a mighty act or a gentle word, he invites us into deeper trust. The question is not whether God is speaking, but whether we have become quiet enough to hear him.
3. The Lord who Gives Gifts: In the Second Reading, Paul combines both lamentation and celebration. He is grieving for Israel, yet acknowledges seven blessings that Israel received at Mount Sinai. He wishes that his kinsmen would welcome an eighth blessing. The first gift was that of divine adoption: Israel has been adopted as God’s first-born son (Exodus 4:22; Hosea 11:1). The second gift was to witness God’s glory at Mount Sinai, in the Tabernacle of Moses, and the Temple of Solomon. The third gift was to be heir to the covenants that God made with Abraham, Moses, and David. The fourth gift was the Law of Moses, which gave Israel knowledge of the difference between good and evil, righteousness and sin, and purity and impurity. The fifth gift was that of worship. The Law of Moses instructed Israel in sacrificial worship. The sixth gift was the three promises made to the seventh gift – that of the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God promised land, royalty, and blessing. And Israel enjoyed the initial fulfillment of all three promises. Paul now hopes that they will embrace the ultimate, eighth gift – the gift of the divine Messiah, Jesus Christ. “Israel’s greatest blessing is the gift of a divine Messiah. Of all the endowments bestowed on Israel, none surpasses the mystery of God coming in the flesh as an Israelite with the mission of saving his people from their sins (Romans 11:26-27; Matthew 1:21)” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 155-156). Christ, the “eighth gift,” and rose on the eighth day and brought about the fulfillment and perfection of all the previous gifts.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ 18 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ 18 Thường Niên
Trong bài Tin Mừng ngày nay, chúng ta chứng kiến việc các môn đệ đã không trừ được thần ô uế ra khỏi một cậu bé. Họ sẽ không khả năng trừ được những thần ô uế ra khỏi cậu bé nếu họ không tin rằng họ có khả năng làm như vậy. Điều này có hàm ý cho chúng ta biết là môn đệ này đã tin vào chính bản thân và khả năng của họ, nhưng họ lại quên không đặt niềm tin và sức mạnh của họ vào quyền năng của Thiên Chúa.
Thông thường, chúng ta thấy mình cũng giống như các môn đệ chúng ta quá tự tin, quên Thiên Chúa, và chúng ta quên đi rằng những khả năng, trí tuệ của chúng ta đều là những món quà mà Thiên Chúa đã ban tặng cho chúng ta.  Khi con người chúng ta trở nên giàu có, hay thành công trong sự nghiệp, chúng ta bắt đầu nghĩ rằng chúng ta có khả năng làm bất cứ điều gì chúng ta muốn; và chúng ta nghĩ rằng sự thành công của chúng ta lo do chính tài năng của mình mà không phải do Thiên Chúa đã ban cho. Và vì thế mà chúng ta thường quên cảm tạ và cám ơn Thiên Chúa.
Bài Tin Mừng hôm nay nhắc nhở chúng ta là tất cả những gì chúng ta có được là do lòng nhân từ và rộng rãi nơi Thiên Chúa ban cho chúng ta; Chính nhờ đức tin của chúng ta nơi Ngài mà chúng ta có thể vượt qua bất cứ những khó khăn thử thách nào đến với chúng ta. Khi chúng ta có một đức tin vững mạnh nơi Chúa, chúng ta có thể thấy mọi thử thức, khó khăn như là một cơ hội để mở rộng tâm hồn chính mình cho Thiên Chúa và trải nghiệm tình yêu vĩnh cửu của Ngài đã dành cho chúng ta.
"Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin Chúa củng cố đức tin của chúng con để chúng con biết đặt niềm tin vào quyền năng cứu độ của Chúa.  Xin hãy cho chúng con biết tự tin và có sự kiên trì, đặc biệt là trong những lời cầu nguyện. Và giúp chúng con biết mang lại tình yêu và chân lý cứu độ của Chúa đến với những người mà chúng con sẽ gặp hôm nay và ngày mai.".
 
REFLECTION
In today's Gospel, the disciples fail to drive out the demon that possesses the boy. They wouldn't have tried to drive the demon out of the boy had they not believed that they had the ability to do so. This implies a faith in themselves and their ability, but not a faith in the Lord's power.
Oftentimes, we find ourselves in the disciples' scenario: over-confident, forgetting God, forgetting that our abilities have been gifts from the Lord. Having become wealthy and successful in our careers, we begin to think that we are capable of anything; that our success was driven solely by our own abilities and they were not from God. As a result, often we forget to thank the Lord.
The Gospel today reminds us that all that we have is from God; it is through genuine faith in Him that we are able to overcome whatever challenges come our way. For it is when we have a genuine faith that we find every challenge an opportunity to open ourselves to God and experience His everlasting love for us.
 
Saturday day 18 Ordinary Time-
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ 18 Thường Niên
Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, cho chúng ta thấy là các môn đệ của Chúa Giêsu đã không thể chữa lành cho một cậu bé bị động kinh. Phản ứng của Chúa Giêsu lúc này có vẻ như nghiêm khắc; nhưng thực sự là Chúa đã nóng lòng, muốn cứu cậu bé vì lòng từ bi và tình yêu thương của ngài. Chúng ta có thể nhận ra rõ ràng là Chúa Giêsu đã thất vọng với các môn đệ của Ngài vì họ thiếu niềm tin, và mối quan tâm của Ngài là cấp tốc để đáp ứng với việc giải quyết những nhu cầu khó khăn của cha con cậu bé trong lúc khó khăn này. Với một lời Chúa Giêsu quở trách thần ô uế vì đã gây ra nỗi khổ cho cậu bé này và Ngài ra lệnh cho thần ô uế là “không bao giờ được trở lại và ám hai cậu bé này nữa".
Chúa Giêsu nói với các môn đệ rằng họ có thể "dời được ngọn núi" nếu họ có niềm tin vào Thiên Chúa. Cái biểu hiện để "dời ngọn núi đi nơi khác" là một cụm từ phổ biến của người Do Thái thường dùng để ám chỉ cho những việc làm quá khó khăn, ngoài trí tưởng tưởng của con người. Một người thầy khôn ngoan, là người có thể giải quyết những vấn đề khó khăn đã được gọi là một người "dời núi".  Nếu chúng ta cầu nguyện với niềm tin trông cậy vào Thiên Chúa, thì Ngài cũng sẽ ban cho chúng ta phương tiện và chỉ cách cho chúng ta để vượt qua những khó khăn và những trở ngại. Với đức tin và sự tin tưởng phó thác vào Thiên Chúa, chúng ta sẽ không còn phải sợ sệt và lo ngại khi chúng ta gặp phải những thử thách, khó khăn và thất vọng .
"Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin Chúa củng cố đức tin của chúng con để  chúng con biết đặt niềm tin vào quyền năng cứu độ của Chúa.  Xin hãy cho chúng con biết tự tin và có sự kiên trì, đặc biệt là trong những lời cầu nguyện. Và giúp chúng con biết mang lại tình yêu và chân lý cứu độ của Chúa đến với những người mà chúng con sẽ gặp hôm nay và ngày mai.".
 
Meditation: "Nothing will  be impossible to you"
. In this Gospel incident the disciples of Jesus fail to heal an epileptic boy. Jesus' response seems stern; but it is really tempered with love and compassion. We see at once Jesus' dismay with the disciples' lack of faith and his concern to meet the need of this troubled boy and his father. With one word of command Jesus rebukes the evil spirit that has caused this boy's affliction and tells the spirit to "never enter him again". 
Pray with expectant faith
Jesus tells his disciples that they can "remove mountains" if they have faith in God. The expression to "remove mountains" was a common Jewish phrase for removing difficulties. A wise teacher who could solve difficulties was called a "mountain remover".  If we pray with expectant faith God will give us the means to overcome difficulties and obstacles. When  you meet trials and disappointments how do you respond? With faith and trust in Jesus? "Lord Jesus, help my unbelief! Increase my faith and trust in your saving power. Give me confidence and perseverance, especially in prayer. And help me to bring your healing love and truth to those I meet".
 
Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” Matthew 14:1–2
Herod the tetrarch was one of three brothers and a sister who became 1st-century rulers to succeed their father, Herod the Great, when he died in 4 B.C. Herod governed much of the territory west of the Sea of Galilee, which was the territory in which Jesus spent most of His time during His public ministry. He also ruled a territory just east of the Dead Sea, which is where he had imprisoned and ultimately killed John the Baptist. Herod was known for being a very busy builder and is prominently known for his role in the deaths of Saint John the Baptist and Jesus.
Recall that Herod had taken his brother’s wife, Herodias, as his own, and John the Baptist publicly opposed this. For that reason, Herod had John arrested and ultimately beheaded at the request of Herodias, who took the Baptist’s criticism very personally. Herod, on the other hand, had a strange sort of admiration for the Baptist.
The Gospel passage quoted above reveals a somewhat unusual statement by Herod. After he had killed Saint John the Baptist, he heard about the reputation of Jesus Who was traveling throughout Herod’s territory preaching and performing many mighty deeds. Word spread fast about Jesus and quickly reached even the ears of Herod. So why did Herod strangely think that Jesus must have been John the Baptist raised from the dead? Though we do not know for certain, we certainly can speculate.
In the version of this story found in the Gospel of Mark, we read, “Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him” (Mark 6:20). Herod may have been a man who had a spark of faith but was ultimately ruled by his passions and desire for power. Perhaps that is why he initially kept John the Baptist alive in his prison. It also appears that Herod had some form of either regret or fear over his beheading of John. And it is most likely for this reason that Herod immediately thought of John when he initially heard of Jesus and the “mighty powers” that were at work within Him.
Regret, fear and guilt are common effects of a conscience that is in conflict. Herod the tetrarch is a good example of what happens when we do not resolve that conflict within ourselves. The only way to resolve the interior confusion of a conflicted conscience is to humbly submit to the truth. Imagine if Herod would have repented. Imagine if he would have sought out Jesus, confessed his sins, and begged for forgiveness. What a glorious story that would have been. Instead, we have the witness of a man who has gone astray and remained obstinate in his sin.
Reflect, today, upon this unholy witness of Herod. God can use all things for His glory, and He can even use the example of Herod to reveal to ourselves any similar tendency. Do you struggle with regret, fear and guilt? Does this cause conflict within you? The good news is that this conflict is easily resolved by a humble heart that seeks the truth. Seek the truth by admitting any long-lasting sin you need to resolve and permit the mercy of God to enter in so as to set you free.
My merciful Jesus, You desire that all people experience freedom from the sins of the past. You desire to penetrate our hearts and to bring resolution and peace. Please help me to open my mind and heart to You in the areas that still cause pain and regret, and help me to be set free by Your infinite mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Saturday day 18 Ordinary Time-2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine Persons,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches because you have revealed them, who are eternal truth and wisdom, who can neither deceive nor be deceived. In this faith, I intend to live and die.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Your Little Faith: As Jesus descends the Mount of the Transfiguration with Peter, James, and John, they encounter a man who brought his son to Jesus’ disciples to be cured and freed from demonic possession. The disciples were unable to cure the boy because of their “little faith.” If only they had faith the size of a mustard seed! This is the second time Matthew’s Gospel mentions a mustard seed. The first time was in the Parable of the Mustard Seed. If we read the two stories together, we realize that Jesus is the one who sows the mustard seed. Faith is not a human achievement. It is a gift given by God, sown in our hearts by the Son, and nourished by the water of the Spirit. The virtue of faith begins very small within us but can grow to enormous proportions. We can collaborate with God’s grace and grow in God’s grace, but we always need to recognize it fundamentally as a gift.
2. Israel’s Confession of Faith: In the First Reading, we read Israel’s great confession of faith, known as the “Shema Yisrael,” the first words in the confession translated as “Hear, O Israel.” It is like the creed that many Christians profess at Mass on Sundays. It is a short but powerful summary of Israel’s faith. It recognizes that God is one and that the Lord (YHWH) alone is God. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength. “For Jesus and his contemporaries, the Shema was a touchstone of identity for religious Jews. According to the first-century Jewish historian Josephus, observant Jews recited the prayer twice daily, when they woke up and when they went to bed, reading it from a text they bore with them at all times. To hold the text of the Shema, Jews wore tefillin, or phylacteries: small containers usually made of leather (see Mt. 23:5). It was customary also to inscribe the first words of the Shema on the doorposts at home and on the gates of Jewish towns and cities” (Hahn, The Creed, 17). 
3. New Testament Confessions: When Jesus was asked about the most important Law of Moses, he chose the Shema as the first. The Shema functioned as a confession of faith and reminded the People of Israel – twice daily – of the true doctrine of God revealed to them through Moses. “In its longer form, the Shema also reminded them of the covenant with Israel and its blessings and curses” (Hahn, The Creed, 23). The Old Testament confession is a foreshadowing of the powerful faith of the New Covenant. Peter has just made a powerful New Testament confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16). “The confessions of the New Testament maintain the Old Covenant’s insistent monotheism. Yet they also assert the Christian difference: that God’s Son, Jesus is also divine – he is the Lord – and that there is one Spirit” (Hahn, The Creed, 31). Our faith cannot be reduced to an intellectual assent. It needs to be fiducial and characterized by hope in God’s promises and trust in his grace. As well, it needs to be informed by charity and manifest itself in good works of justice, charity, and mercy. As St. Paul teaches, our faith needs to work through love (Galatians 5:6). 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I believe in you. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. You have redeemed me from the slavery of sin and the threat of eternal death. I thank you and I praise you today. I love you and offer my life to you to present to the Father.
 
Reflection: Saturday day 18 Ordinary Time-2023
     The first reading from the book of Deuteronomy (Dt 6: 4 – 13) reminds Israel of their covenant to love and serve God "with all [their] heart, with all [their] soul and with all [their] strength."    
     We cannot be Christians only on Sundays, only while we are in church, only when we are in prayer meetings, only when we are around people we like or only when it is convenient for us. We are to be Christians in every thought, word, and deed and in every situation we face each day of our lives.  
     We aim to reach heaven and see God face to face, but not for ourselves alone. Our role as parents and as Christians is to teach our children about God, how to develop a personal relationship with him, and to love him with their whole being. We need to imprint in their minds and hearts that everything comes from God, their talents, their intelligence, everything that they own. Their current position in life is not out of their own doing but because God gave them the capacity and the tools to succeed. Therefore, we owe it to God to serve him and offer our entire lives for his greater glory by serving others. This is our mission, that others may hear the Good News, experience it in their lives and see God face to face at the end of time.
     How can we be reminded of God's faithfulness and love for each of us, to help develop a personal relationship with him? Prayers during the day when the Spirit leads, reading of Scriptures which remind us how God protected and healed his people, partaking of the Eucharist during mass, and the unconditional love of family and friends all point to our one God, one Father who loved us first.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần 18 TN

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần 18 TN
Trong mọi sự, Thiên Chúa là người có những sáng kiến. Chính Chúa là Đấng đă chọn chúng ta. Trong bài Tin Mừng, Chúa Giêsu kêu gọi mỗi mọi người chúng ta hãy trở nên môn đệ đi theo Ngài bằng cách từ bỏ tất cả, bản ngă của chính mình và hãy nhận lấy Thánh giá Chúa ban.
Một sự khác biệt đáng kể là trong thực tế là Thiên Chúa đă phán ra từ đám lửa có hình trái tim cháy cho người Israel; Trong khi Chúa Jêsus đã nói với mỗi trái tim, mỗi tâm hồn riêng biệt của mọi người cúng ta. Qua sức mạnh và quyền năng của Chúa là Thiên Chúa, một dân tộc đă được cứu thoát. Qua việc từ bỏ bản ngă và thế giới của chúng ta như Chúa Giêsu dạy, một trái tim đă được thay đổi, một người sẽ được biến đổi. Do đó, tất cả mọi người được chọn để hợp tác với Đấng Kito, và cả thế giới được Thánh Giá Chúa Kito cứu độ.
Chúng ta có thể bảo vệ lợi ích cá nhân của chúng ta, và sẵn sàng bước ra khỏi cái vỏ ốc an toàn của chúng ta không? Thánh giá của sự cứu rỗi luôn ở trong tầm nhìn của mọi người Kitô hữu. Lạy Chúa Jêsus, xin Chúa ban cho chúng con ân sủng và sự tự do trong nội tâm mà chúng con cần để có thể buông suôi tất cả. Xin cho chúng con đuoc ơn khôn ngoan để chúng con biết rằng cuộc sống của chúng con không phải là của chúng con để tự cứu; nhưng tất cả sự viên mãn đều nằm trong Chúa.  
 
REFLECTION
In everything it is God who takes initiatives. It is God who chooses us. In the Gospel Jesus calls each and every person to be a follower by letting go of the self and taking up the cross.\
A significant difference lies in the fact that the Lord God spoke from the heart of the fire to the people; whereas Jesus speaks to each individual heart. Through the power and might of the Lord God, a nation was saved. Through renouncing the self and the world, as Jesus instructs, a heart is changed, a person is converted. Individuals are thus chosen to collaborate with Christ, and the whole world is saved by the Cross. Can we be less protective of our interests, more willing to come out from our comfort zone? The Cross of salvation is always within sight of the Christian.\\Lord Jesus, give me the grace of interior freedom that I need to be able to let go. Give me wisdom to know that my life is not mine to save; all fullness lies in You.
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu Tuần thứ 18 Thường Niên
Nếu chúng ta nghĩ về cuộc đời của người linh mục hay của người tu sĩ (nam hay nữ tu) hay những giáo dân bình thường biết hiến dâng cả cuộc đời mình để phụng vụ Thiên Chúa trong sự thương yêu mọi người thì chúng ta nghĩ chắc rằng những người này sẽ nhận được nhiều phần thưởng tinh thần. Nhưng nếu chúng ta cũng biết quảng đại và phục vụ tha nhân, chúng ta cũng sẽ nhận được những ân Sủng và hồng ân của Thiên Chua.
Một số người trong chúng ta có thể đã tận tụy thực hiện những lời cam kết của họ trong việc dâng mình, dâng cuộc sống của họ cho Chúa rất sớm, và cũng có một số đã đến trễ. Nhưng trong bất cứ ở thời điểm nào trong cuộc sống, dầu chúng ta có hứa những lời cam kết sớm hay muộn thì điều đó cũng không là vấn đề; những vẫn đề ở đây là sự cam kết với cả tâm hồn, sức mạnh và khả năng của mình đó mới là vấn đề cần chú ý.
Thậm chí cho đến ngày nay, chúng ta có thể tìm thấy rất nhiều nhân vật mẫu như; các linh mục, tu sĩ nam hay nữ, ngay cả thành phần giáo dân, một số người bình thường như chúng ta. Sự chú ý, tận tâm săn sóc và phục vụ cho hạnh phúc của người khác chính là động lực giúp cho chúng ta có thể cống hiến thời giờ và tài năng của mình để giúp đỡ cho người khác và cộng đồng của chúng ta.
Trong khi thực hành công việc thường ngày của chúng ta, nếu chúng ta biết phủ nhận quyền tự do riêng của chúng ta, biết dành những khoảng thời gian rảnh rổi để cầu nguyện, là chúng ta như đang chào đón Chúa đến với cuộc sống của chúng ta và cho phép Ngài tự do đến để hướng dẫn và chỉ đạo ý tưởng những hành động của chúng ta.
Có lẽ những gì mà Chúa đang nhắc nhở cho chúng ta qua Tin Mừng hôm nay đó là "sự hy sinh và phục vụ cho những người khác" chúng ta không cần phải tiêu cực, nhưng thay vào đó, nếu chúng ta thật sự cống hiến thời giờ và chính bản thân của chúng ta cho ý muốn của Thiên Chúa một cách hết lòng trong việc phục vụ những người khác, chúng ta có thể tìm thấy sự thỏa mãn, hạnh phúc và bình an trong cuộc sống của chúng ta. Có phải chúng ta đã sẵn sàng để vươn lên với thách thức của Thiên Chúa?
 
REFLECTION
If we reflect on the life of a priest or a nun or any person who has given his or her life to the service of our Lord, we find plenty of spiritual rewards. Some of these individuals may have made their commitments very early in their lives or some later in their lives. At what point in life the commitment was made does not matter; it is the wholeheartedness of that commitment that matters.
Even today, we can find many role models - priests, nuns, lay religious, some people as common as you and me. Their genuine care for the well-being of other people drives them to dedicate their time and talent to help others and their communities. In fulfilling their tasks, they deny their own freedoms, their free time, but in doing so they welcome our Lord into their lives and allow him to freely direct their ideas and actions. Perhaps what our Lord is reminding us today through the Gospel is that "sacrifice and service for others" need not be negative. Rather, if we give our time and ourselves wholeheartedly to the Lord's will, to serve others, we can find fulfillment, happiness and peace in our lives. Are we ready to rise to God's challenge?
 
Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
“What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?” Matthew 16:26
Would you like to “gain the whole world?” Many people daydream about becoming exceptionally rich and being able to purchase everything they ever wanted. Others dream of doing heroic acts that thrust them into the public spotlight and lead to public admiration. Still, others dream of having great power in this world and being a person of great importance. Though none of these are bad in and of themselves, the inordinate desire for them will damage your relationship with God. And when one of these desires becomes the dominant and all-consuming desire within, the result is that you forfeit your eternal soul.
When we speak of the “world,” we can understand different things. First, this is a reference to all the material things of this world—for example, the best of food and drink, self-indulgence, fleshly pleasures, material wealth, and all that is temporary and passing in this life. Second, the “world” can refer to pride and desire for attention and praise. This is when we become consumed with concern about what others think and say about us. Third, the “world” can refer to the desire for power so as to insert our own will. At a very high level, this is often the cause of wars among countries. One leader has a desire for domination and control. This desire for power and control can also affect each person within any part of that person’s life, including family, friends, work, social circles, etc.\\
The common thread among all three of these examples of worldly desires is the deception that obtaining more of them will satisfy you. Though they may satisfy you in a temporal and passing way, these desires will also have the effect of destroying your soul. This is because we have to choose. Either we seek to satiate the spiritual yearning of our souls, or we will seek to satiate ourselves with the passing promises of the world. We cannot have both.
It should be noted that obtaining wealth, being publicly praised, or being put in a position of power is not evil in and of itself. In fact, any one of these offers potential for good. The problem arises when a person seeks one of these worldly desires for selfish reasons and under the delusion that it will provide fulfillment. Truth be told, any one of those situations imposes a true cross on the person who is seeking to serve God alone. The responsibility that comes with wealth, prestige, or power is real. Therefore, when one or more of these are obtained, they must be handled with detachment and humility.
For example, if one becomes quite wealthy, the precept to live spiritually detached from material things still remains. Thus, in this case, material wealth poses a certain burden in the form of temptation. While this temptation certainly can be overcome and wealth can be used for good, the danger is real and must be regularly acknowledged. Or, if you are praised by many for something you did, or if you are given much responsibility and authority over others, humility and detachment must also increase so that God and God alone remains the single object of your desire.
Reflect, today, upon your desires. What do you want in life? Do you want to “gain the whole world?” Do you desire to gain even some of the worldly ambitions? If so, be careful. Reflect honestly upon your interior desires and work to purify them so that you desire God’s will alone. Once that happens, it will not matter to you if you are rich or poor, publicly praised or criticized, entrusted with earthly power or not. All that will matter is that you use all for the glory of God, in accord with His perfect and fulfilling will.
Most glorious God, Your will is perfect and is the one and only source of fulfillment in life. Please purify my soul of all desires pertaining only to this world. May my one and only desire in life be the fulfillment of Your holy will so that all I have will only be used for Your glory. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday 18 Ordinary Time-2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I desire to lose my life and die to myself to gain eternal life. I will put off my old self and put on my new self through your Son and in your Spirit. I offer you my life and my deeds, empowered by the grace of your Son.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Following Jesus: In the Gospel, Jesus has just rebuked Simon Peter for trying to tempt him from going to Jerusalem to suffer and be killed. Peter was thinking as human beings do and not as God does. Peter has just confessed that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God. However, when Jesus revealed to him that as the Messiah he must suffer and be killed, Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked him. Jesus turned and said to Peter: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men” (Matthew 16:23). Peter is the Rock when he listens to the voice of the Father, but he becomes a stumbling block when he listens to the lies of Satan. Jesus then tells his disciples that not only will he suffer on the Cross, but that they, as his followers, must also carry their own cross. The way of Christ leads to glory but passes through the Cross. If we renounce our cross and try to hold on to the passing things of this life, we risk losing the gift of eternal life.
2. The Son of Man will Repay Each: Throughout his Gospel, Matthew records Jesus’ teaching on poverty, detachment from earthly wealth, and storing up heavenly treasure: the kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor in spirit (5:3); we are to lay up treasure in heaven and not here on earth (6:19-21); we are not to be anxious about our life, for our heavenly Father knows all that we need; we should seek first the kingdom and God's righteousness and all the things we need shall be ours (6:25-34); the one who loses his life on behalf of Jesus will find life (10:39); finally, the kingdom of heaven is worth selling all we possess in order to obtain it (13:44-45). Jesus turns the gaze of the Apostles, and our gaze, from the things of earth to the things of heaven. As we look toward heaven, we see that he is the Son of Man who comes with his angels in the glory of the Father. In fact, three of the Apostles will see the glory, dominion, and kingship of the Son of man in Jesus’ transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8).
3. The Book of Deuteronomy: For the next few days, the First Reading will be taken from the Book of Deuteronomy. This is the Fifth Book of the Bible and concludes the Torah, the teaching or Law of Moses. It takes the form of a last will and testament given by Moses on the Plains of Moab before his death. It is a covenant document that covers the history of the relationship between the Lord and his people. It outlines the Laws that will govern that relationship. It announces blessings for fidelity to the relationship and laws and curses for infidelity. Many of the Laws of Deuteronomy look forward to life in the Promised Land. Some of the Laws Moses gave in the Book of Deuteronomy – like the command to kill the Canaanites and the laws regulating divorce – were not good and awaited their correction and fulfillment by the Messiah, the New Moses. Instead of “utterly destroy your enemy,” Jesus will teach “love your enemy and pray for them.” Instead of permitting divorce like Moses, Jesus will teach about the indissolubility of marriage, the original covenant between man and woman, and the importance of lifelong fidelity.
 
Friday 18 Ordinary Time-2023
Introductory Prayer:  Heavenly Father, help me to seek the things that are above. Help me to seek the things that last forever, so that all the things that I do may give you glory and help my brothers and sisters to grow closer to you, who live and reign with Christ, your Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Petition: Father, give me the courage to take up my cross and follow in the footsteps of your Son
Petition: Father, give me the courage to take up my cross and follow in the footsteps of your Son
1. Friends of the Cross: There are many Christians that are willing to be friends with Jesus in good times. However, there are very few Christians that are real friends of Jesus, who embrace the cross at all times, even in the bad. Of course, it is never easy to be a friend of the cross, but who wants to be a fair-weather fan of Jesus and his Gospel? Our Christian lives are a constant battle. We should never forget that. We all are tempted to escape from the reality of our situation from time to time. Nevertheless, whoever perseveres until the end will be saved and have a fruitful life. We can’t expect to have a glorious eternity full of celebration and joy if we don’t shed some blood, sweat, and tears here on earth for the sake of Christ and the good of our brothers and sisters.
2. Money Can’t Buy You Love: “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?” In other words, Jesus is saying that it doesn’t matter how much money you make, or what kind of car you drive, or what kind of clothes you wear, or what type of degree you have. You might spend your whole life trying to earn millions of dollars and amass all sorts of luxuries and securities, but you will have done all this in vain. You will have missed out on the true meaning of life and the real treasure of love. Don’t make the mistake of continually trying to make life easier and more comfortable for yourself. You will only end up being hopelessly miserable and incredibly lonely.
3. Paybacks Are Tough: “For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.” Jesus will not let us into heaven just because we say we believe in him. He also makes this clear in other teachings throughout the Gospels. Faith alone is not sufficient to be saved. Even Satan and his devils believe — and shudder (cf. James 2:19). Let us reflect on the words of Saint James for further insight: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:14-17).
 
Friday 18 Ordinary Time- Matthew 16:24-28
Introductory Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to seek the things that are above. Help me to seek the things that last forever, so that all the things that I do may give you glory and help my brothers and sisters to grow closer to you, who live and reign with Christ, your Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Petition: Father, give me the courage to take up my cross and follow in the footsteps of your Son.
Friends of the Cross: There are many Christians that are willing to be friends with Jesus in good times. However, there are very few Christians that are real friends of Jesus, who embrace the cross at all times, even in the bad. Of course, it is never easy to be a friend of the cross, but who wants to be a fair-weather fan of Jesus and his Gospel? Our Christian lives are a constant battle. We should never forget that. We all are tempted to escape from the reality of our situation from time to time. Nevertheless, whoever perseveres until the end will be saved and have a fruitful life. We can’t expect to have a glorious eternity full of celebration and joy if we don’t shed some blood, sweat, and tears here on earth for the sake of Christ and the good of our brothers and sisters.
2. Money Can’t Buy You Love: “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?” In other words, Jesus is saying that it doesn’t matter how much money you make, or what kind of car you drive, or what kind of clothes you wear, or what type of degree you have. You might spend your whole life trying to earn millions of dollars and amass all sorts of luxuries and securities, but you will have done all this in vain. You will have missed out on the true meaning of life and the real treasure of love. Don’t make the mistake of continually trying to make life easier and more comfortable for yourself. You will only end up being hopelessly miserable and incredibly lonely.
3. Paybacks Are Tough: “For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.” Jesus will not let us into heaven just because we say we believe in him. He also makes this clear in other teachings throughout the Gospels. Faith alone is not sufficient to be saved. Even Satan and his devils believe — and shudder (cf. James 2:19). Let us reflect on the words of Saint James for further insight: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:14-17).