Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần thứ
Ba Mùa Thường Niên
Ông bà chúng ta có nói "Máu còn đặc hơn nước lã". Trong bài Tin Mừng này, Chúa đã không nói về những mối liên hệ ruột thịt gia đình, bạn bè, hàng xóm và đồng nghiệp của chúng ta, nhưng thay vào đó Ngài đã nhấn mạnh tới mối quan hệ của chúng ta với Ngài và tất cả những người đã thật sự tin vào Chúa và sống trong ơn Nghĩa của Ngài. Chúa Giêsu định nghĩa lại ý nghĩa sự liên hệ của chúng ta không phải chỉ là trong vấn đề xác thịt và máu mủ con người, mà sự liên hệ này bao gồm tất cả nhữ ai nghe, sống và thực hành theo ý của Thiên Chúa, "Đó là những người mà chúng ta thấy và gặp trong mỗi Thánh Lễ, những người sống và làm những việc lành phúc đức và những người theo chân Chúa, đó là những người thật sự là anh em, là chị em của chúng ta.
Thiên Chúa đang thách thức chúng ta hãy trở nên là một người tốt, Chúng ta phải luôn có niềm hy vọng. Chúng ta cũng đừng quên rằng Thiên Chúa có khả năng biến đổi chúng ta để trở nên giống như Ngài, để biết yêu thương nhiều hơn cũng như biết rộng lượng với anh chị em đồng nghiệp của chúng ta.
Ngài cũng mời gọi Chúng ta tiếp tục tìm kiếm sự hướng dẫn của Chúa Giêsu trong việc tăng cường các mối liên hệ đặc biệt mà tất cả đều được bắt nguồn từ lời khen ngợi và phượng thờ Thiên Chúa, là Cha hằng yêu thương của chúng ta.
Reflection TUESDAY, 3rd Week in Ordinary Time
In this gospel, Jesus does not talk about the relationships that we have with our family, friends, but instead, He means to emphasize the relationships that are born through people congregating together to praise Him; those who become one and believe in Him. Jesus redefines the meaning of relationships. It is not just in the matter of flesh and blood, but anyone who "…does God's will…". Those people whom we see at Mass, and those who do good and follow the footsteps of Jesus, these are the people whom we should truly call our brothers and sisters.
Many of us in general have a strong bond with their families. This is overtly practiced by having family reunions, celebrating holidays and birthdays together. There is no problem with this relationship, but Jesus calls us to open up our minds, to welcome new relationships in our life with those who have the same Catholic beliefs, and most especially, to renew our relationship with him. Jesus shares a true and perfect relationship with us. Where in the world can we find someone who is as compassionate, understanding, loving and forgiving as God is? He challenges us to be the best that we can be and helps us to see through the darkness. There is always hope. Let us not forget that Jesus our Lord is capable of transforming us to become like him, to be more loving and generous to our fellow brothers and sisters. He invites us to do this together as a community, as a real family. May we continue to seek his guidance in strengthening these special relationships all rooted in our praise and worship of a loving Father.
Tuesday on 3rd Week of Ordinary Time: 2024
Jesus said many things that caused people to pause and think. Today’s Gospel passage is one of those times. Just prior to the passage quoted above, Jesus was told that His mother and brothers were outside looking for Him. After hearing this, instead of going to greet them, He asked those around Him, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” Then He looked around and answered His own question with the above quoted Scripture.
What may have caused some people to pause and think at that time, and even now when this passage is read, is that Jesus’ comments can easily be misunderstood. Some will conclude that He was distancing Himself from His own family and that He was even disowning them to a certain extent. But nothing could be further from the truth.
First of all, we know that Jesus had a perfect love for His dear mother Mary and that she loved Jesus with a perfect reciprocal love. As for His “brothers,” it was common to refer to one’s extended family (such as cousins) as brothers and sisters. Therefore, these brothers who were coming to see Jesus were relatives to one degree or another. And though our Blessed Mother, the mother of Jesus, was perfect in every way, Jesus’ extended family was not. Recall that some of them thought Jesus was out of his mind and tried to prevent His public ministry.
But back to our question: Was Jesus disowning His family members in some way? Certainly not. Instead, He was establishing a deeper context for His new family in grace. Though biological bonds are a gift and must be respected and cherished, the spiritual bonds established by our joint conformity to the will of God is of much greater importance. Jesus simply pointed to this fact, elevating the spiritual family bond over the purely natural. Of course, it’s also important to point out that Jesus’ mother was first and foremost His mother, not only because she gave physical birth to Jesus, but primarily because she was in perfect conformity to the will of God with Him and, thus, the most intimate member of His family by grace. And the same can be true for all of us. When we conform our wills to the will of God, we become Jesus’ “mother” in the sense that He enters our world through us. And we become His “brothers and sisters” in that we become intimate members of His eternal family and enjoy a profound and spiritual union with Him.
Reflect, today, upon the fact that you are called to be so much more than just a physical brother or sister of Christ Jesus. You are called to the most intimate and transforming familial union imaginable. And this union is more fully accomplished when you seek to fulfill the will of God with your whole heart, mind, soul and strength.
My dear Lord, I desire deeply to become more fully a member of Your most intimate family in grace. Help me to always dedicate myself to the complete fulfillment of the will of our Father in Heaven. And as I conform my will more fully with that of the Father’s, draw me deeper and deeper into union with You. Jesus, I trust in You.
Tuesday on 3rd Week of Ordinary Time 2024
1. The Old Ark of the Covenant: One of the first things that David did after he captured the city of Jerusalem and made it his capital was to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the city. David acted as a royal priest and presided over a kingdom ordered to the liturgical worship and praise of God. The first attempt to bring the Ark from Baala to Jerusalem did not go well (2 Samuel 6:1-10). The people tried to transport it on a cart which was not in accord with the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 10:8). The law stipulated that the Ark was only supposed to be carried by poles and handled by the Levites and not hauled on a cart. The Ark remained in the house of Obed-edom for three months. The First Reading recounts the second attempt to move the Ark to Jerusalem. This attempt was successful and refers to the bearers of the Ark of the Lord and not a cart. The people are now obediently following God’s Laws. As the Ark was brought to Jerusalem, David fully assumed the role of a priest-king. He was dressed like a priest in a linen ephod, sacrificed animals, and danced before the Ark of the Lord.
2. How to Become a Member of God’s Family: In the Gospel, we hear of Mary, Jesus’ mother, and Jesus’ relatives sending word to Jesus in the house at Capernaum that they were outside and wanted to see him. This gave Jesus the opportunity to teach those immediately around him about the new family of God he was creating. Becoming a member of God’s family is not tied to our bloodline or physical ancestry. Doing the will of God is how we become members of God’s family. Mary perfectly accomplishes God’s will.
3. The New Ark of the Covenant: When Mary says to the angel Gabriel, “Be it done unto me according to your word,” she becomes the New Ark of the Covenant. Her journey to her cousin Elizabeth has many parallels with the journey of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Like the Ark, Mary stays in the hill country of Judah for three months. Just as David danced before the Ark, John the Baptist danced before Mary in the womb of Elizabeth. While the old Ark contained manna, the tablets of the Law of Moses, and the rod of the high priest Aaron, Mary, as the New Ark, contains in her womb the Bread of Life, the very Word of God, and our eternal high priest.
Conversing with Christ: You, O Lord, are the king of glory. You are strong and mighty. Enter the gates of my heart and dwell there. Make it a heart worthy of your love.
Resolution: Contemplating the life of our mother Mary is very beneficial to us. She gives us a model to follow. One of our main responsibilities as children of God is to listen to and heed the will of God. God’s will is not opposed to our ultimate happiness. Rather, it is the way that leads to eternal life! What is God’s will for me today? How can I fulfill it?
Tuesday on 3rd Week of Ordinary Time:
1. Make the Family Proud of You: Throughout the world in Jesus’s time and even in many places still today, the most important relationships were blood relationships. Each person was seen primarily as a member of a group related by blood. They were a member of a particular tribe, clan, or family and were expected to work to benefit that group. Nothing was more important.
Ông bà chúng ta có nói "Máu còn đặc hơn nước lã". Trong bài Tin Mừng này, Chúa đã không nói về những mối liên hệ ruột thịt gia đình, bạn bè, hàng xóm và đồng nghiệp của chúng ta, nhưng thay vào đó Ngài đã nhấn mạnh tới mối quan hệ của chúng ta với Ngài và tất cả những người đã thật sự tin vào Chúa và sống trong ơn Nghĩa của Ngài. Chúa Giêsu định nghĩa lại ý nghĩa sự liên hệ của chúng ta không phải chỉ là trong vấn đề xác thịt và máu mủ con người, mà sự liên hệ này bao gồm tất cả nhữ ai nghe, sống và thực hành theo ý của Thiên Chúa, "Đó là những người mà chúng ta thấy và gặp trong mỗi Thánh Lễ, những người sống và làm những việc lành phúc đức và những người theo chân Chúa, đó là những người thật sự là anh em, là chị em của chúng ta.
Thiên Chúa đang thách thức chúng ta hãy trở nên là một người tốt, Chúng ta phải luôn có niềm hy vọng. Chúng ta cũng đừng quên rằng Thiên Chúa có khả năng biến đổi chúng ta để trở nên giống như Ngài, để biết yêu thương nhiều hơn cũng như biết rộng lượng với anh chị em đồng nghiệp của chúng ta.
Ngài cũng mời gọi Chúng ta tiếp tục tìm kiếm sự hướng dẫn của Chúa Giêsu trong việc tăng cường các mối liên hệ đặc biệt mà tất cả đều được bắt nguồn từ lời khen ngợi và phượng thờ Thiên Chúa, là Cha hằng yêu thương của chúng ta.
In this gospel, Jesus does not talk about the relationships that we have with our family, friends, but instead, He means to emphasize the relationships that are born through people congregating together to praise Him; those who become one and believe in Him. Jesus redefines the meaning of relationships. It is not just in the matter of flesh and blood, but anyone who "…does God's will…". Those people whom we see at Mass, and those who do good and follow the footsteps of Jesus, these are the people whom we should truly call our brothers and sisters.
Many of us in general have a strong bond with their families. This is overtly practiced by having family reunions, celebrating holidays and birthdays together. There is no problem with this relationship, but Jesus calls us to open up our minds, to welcome new relationships in our life with those who have the same Catholic beliefs, and most especially, to renew our relationship with him. Jesus shares a true and perfect relationship with us. Where in the world can we find someone who is as compassionate, understanding, loving and forgiving as God is? He challenges us to be the best that we can be and helps us to see through the darkness. There is always hope. Let us not forget that Jesus our Lord is capable of transforming us to become like him, to be more loving and generous to our fellow brothers and sisters. He invites us to do this together as a community, as a real family. May we continue to seek his guidance in strengthening these special relationships all rooted in our praise and worship of a loving Father.
Jesus said many things that caused people to pause and think. Today’s Gospel passage is one of those times. Just prior to the passage quoted above, Jesus was told that His mother and brothers were outside looking for Him. After hearing this, instead of going to greet them, He asked those around Him, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” Then He looked around and answered His own question with the above quoted Scripture.
What may have caused some people to pause and think at that time, and even now when this passage is read, is that Jesus’ comments can easily be misunderstood. Some will conclude that He was distancing Himself from His own family and that He was even disowning them to a certain extent. But nothing could be further from the truth.
First of all, we know that Jesus had a perfect love for His dear mother Mary and that she loved Jesus with a perfect reciprocal love. As for His “brothers,” it was common to refer to one’s extended family (such as cousins) as brothers and sisters. Therefore, these brothers who were coming to see Jesus were relatives to one degree or another. And though our Blessed Mother, the mother of Jesus, was perfect in every way, Jesus’ extended family was not. Recall that some of them thought Jesus was out of his mind and tried to prevent His public ministry.
But back to our question: Was Jesus disowning His family members in some way? Certainly not. Instead, He was establishing a deeper context for His new family in grace. Though biological bonds are a gift and must be respected and cherished, the spiritual bonds established by our joint conformity to the will of God is of much greater importance. Jesus simply pointed to this fact, elevating the spiritual family bond over the purely natural. Of course, it’s also important to point out that Jesus’ mother was first and foremost His mother, not only because she gave physical birth to Jesus, but primarily because she was in perfect conformity to the will of God with Him and, thus, the most intimate member of His family by grace. And the same can be true for all of us. When we conform our wills to the will of God, we become Jesus’ “mother” in the sense that He enters our world through us. And we become His “brothers and sisters” in that we become intimate members of His eternal family and enjoy a profound and spiritual union with Him.
Reflect, today, upon the fact that you are called to be so much more than just a physical brother or sister of Christ Jesus. You are called to the most intimate and transforming familial union imaginable. And this union is more fully accomplished when you seek to fulfill the will of God with your whole heart, mind, soul and strength.
My dear Lord, I desire deeply to become more fully a member of Your most intimate family in grace. Help me to always dedicate myself to the complete fulfillment of the will of our Father in Heaven. And as I conform my will more fully with that of the Father’s, draw me deeper and deeper into union with You. Jesus, I trust in You.
1. The Old Ark of the Covenant: One of the first things that David did after he captured the city of Jerusalem and made it his capital was to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the city. David acted as a royal priest and presided over a kingdom ordered to the liturgical worship and praise of God. The first attempt to bring the Ark from Baala to Jerusalem did not go well (2 Samuel 6:1-10). The people tried to transport it on a cart which was not in accord with the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 10:8). The law stipulated that the Ark was only supposed to be carried by poles and handled by the Levites and not hauled on a cart. The Ark remained in the house of Obed-edom for three months. The First Reading recounts the second attempt to move the Ark to Jerusalem. This attempt was successful and refers to the bearers of the Ark of the Lord and not a cart. The people are now obediently following God’s Laws. As the Ark was brought to Jerusalem, David fully assumed the role of a priest-king. He was dressed like a priest in a linen ephod, sacrificed animals, and danced before the Ark of the Lord.
2. How to Become a Member of God’s Family: In the Gospel, we hear of Mary, Jesus’ mother, and Jesus’ relatives sending word to Jesus in the house at Capernaum that they were outside and wanted to see him. This gave Jesus the opportunity to teach those immediately around him about the new family of God he was creating. Becoming a member of God’s family is not tied to our bloodline or physical ancestry. Doing the will of God is how we become members of God’s family. Mary perfectly accomplishes God’s will.
3. The New Ark of the Covenant: When Mary says to the angel Gabriel, “Be it done unto me according to your word,” she becomes the New Ark of the Covenant. Her journey to her cousin Elizabeth has many parallels with the journey of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Like the Ark, Mary stays in the hill country of Judah for three months. Just as David danced before the Ark, John the Baptist danced before Mary in the womb of Elizabeth. While the old Ark contained manna, the tablets of the Law of Moses, and the rod of the high priest Aaron, Mary, as the New Ark, contains in her womb the Bread of Life, the very Word of God, and our eternal high priest.
Conversing with Christ: You, O Lord, are the king of glory. You are strong and mighty. Enter the gates of my heart and dwell there. Make it a heart worthy of your love.
Resolution: Contemplating the life of our mother Mary is very beneficial to us. She gives us a model to follow. One of our main responsibilities as children of God is to listen to and heed the will of God. God’s will is not opposed to our ultimate happiness. Rather, it is the way that leads to eternal life! What is God’s will for me today? How can I fulfill it?
1. Make the Family Proud of You: Throughout the world in Jesus’s time and even in many places still today, the most important relationships were blood relationships. Each person was seen primarily as a member of a group related by blood. They were a member of a particular tribe, clan, or family and were expected to work to benefit that group. Nothing was more important.
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