Suy Niệm Lời Chúa Thứ Sáu Tuần thứ Nhất Mùa Chay. (Mat 5:20-26)
Trong Tin Mừng hôm nay Chúa Giêsu kêu gọi chúng ta nên thánh. Ngài đã mặc nhiên đề cập đến các lề luật trong sách Lêvi câu 19:02 "Các ngươi phải thánh thiện, vì Ta, Ðức Chúa, Thiên Chúa của các ngươi, Ta là Ðấng Thánh."
Khi đưa ra về chủ đề về sự thánh thiện này, Chúa Giêsu đã nói theo một cách gợi nhớ những lời của tiên tri thời trước. Tôn giáo đòi hỏi một mức độ công bình cá nhân nhất định, nhưng phải luôn luôn biết nghĩ đến những người khác. Và cũng phải có những thái độ thích hợp nữa, nghĩa là chúng ta không trở nên giận dữ với người khác hay dùng những ngôn từ thô lỗ để làm nhục hay lăng mạ người khác. Vì cuối cùng chúng ta cũng sẽ phải làm hòa với những người này trong một tinh thần chung, trong những trường hợp công lý được đòi hỏi phải hòa giải trước khi dâng của lễ hiến tế cho Thiên Chúa trên bàn thờ. Do đó, lời cầu nguyện trên những lễ vật hôm nay cũng phản ảnh bài Tin Mừng, vì chúng ta cầu nguyện là xin cho những lễ vật mà chúng ta dâng lên Thiên Chúa có thể mang lại cho chúng ta được sức mạnh trong ơn cứu rỗi của Thiên Chúa.
Lạy Chúa Giêsu, như Chúa đã dạy chúng con cách thức để vào được Nước Thiên Chúa, Xin Chúa giải thoát chúng con thoát khỏi con đường tội lỗi và dẫn đưa chúng con đến sự thánh thiện mà Thiên Chúa, Cha chúng ta đã đòi hỏi nơi chúng con.
Reflection:
A man once asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life (Mt 19:16-22). On that occasion Jesus responded with the consolingly simple answer: “keep the commandments”. In today’s Gospel he goes much further and calls us to holiness. He may be implicitly referring to the command in Lev 19:2 “Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy”. As he develops this theme of holiness, Jesus speaks in a way reminiscent of the great prophets. Religion demands a certain level of personal righteousness, but must always take other people into account.
Then, too, proper attitudes such as not becoming angry with someone and not using abusive language to another person will eventually mean a general spirit of reconciliation with others, even in cases where justice is demanded, reconciliation closely tied in with the gifts we present at the altar of God. The prayer over the gifts today thus responds to the Gospel, for we pray that the gifts we offer may bring us God’s saving power.
Lord Jesus, as you teach us the ways to the Kingdom of God, free us from sinful ways and lead us to that holiness which God, Our Father, asks of us.
Friday Frist week of Lent 2024
“Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Matthew 5:26
Was our Lord here giving legal advice regarding a criminal or civil case and how to avoid prosecution? Certainly not. He was presenting us with an image of Himself as the just Judge. And He was exhorting us to show mercy to anyone and everyone who could be seen as our “opponent.”
Forgiveness of another is essential. It can never be withheld. But forgiveness is actually not even enough. The ultimate goal must be reconciliation, which goes much further. In this Gospel above, Jesus exhorts us to “settle” with our opponents, therein implying reconciliation. The RSV version of the Bible says it this way, “Make friends quickly with your accuser…” Working to foster a “friendship” with one who has accused you, especially if it is a false accusation, goes far beyond simply forgiving them.
To reconcile with another and to reestablish a true friendship means that you not only forgive but also do all you can to ensure that you reestablish a relationship of love with that person. It means that you both put your grievance behind you and start anew. Of course, that takes both people to cooperate in love; but, for your part, it means that you work hard to establish this reconciliation.
Think about someone who has hurt you, and, as a result, your relationship with them has been damaged. Have you prayerfully forgiven that person before God? Have you prayed for that person and asked God to forgive them? If so, then you are now ready for the next step of reaching out to them in love to mend your relationship. This takes great humility, especially if the other person was the cause of the hurt and especially if they have not spoken words of sorrow to you, asking for your forgiveness. Don’t wait for them to do so. Look for ways to show that person that you love them and want to heal the hurt. Don’t hold their sin before them or hold on to a grudge. Seek only love and mercy.
Jesus concludes this exhortation with strong words. Essentially, if you fail to do all you can to reconcile and reestablish your relationship, you will be held accountable for it. Though this may seem unfair at first, it is clearly not, because this is the depth of mercy that our Lord offers us every day. We will never be adequately sorry for our sin, but God forgives and reconciles with us anyway. What a grace! But if we fail to offer this same mercy to others, we essentially limit God’s ability to offer this mercy to us, and we will be required to pay back “the last penny” of our own debt to God.
Reflect, today, upon the person who comes to mind with whom you need to fully reconcile and rekindle a relationship of love. Pray for this grace, commit yourself to it and look for opportunities to do so. Do it without reserve and you will never regret your decision.
My most merciful Lord, I thank You for forgiving me and for loving me with such perfection and totality. Thank You for reconciling with me despite my imperfect contrition. Give me a heart, dear Lord, that always seeks to love the sinner in my life. Help me to offer mercy to the fullest extent in imitation of Your divine mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.
Friday 1st week of Lent 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, grant me your grace today so that I can share in your righteousness. Do not let me break communion with you. I want to live in your love and be your faithful child.
Encountering the Word of God
1 . Individual Repentance: While the Book of Leviticus gives guidelines for an annual repentance by the community of Israel, the prophet Ezekiel speaks about the need for individual repentance and conversion from sin. The sinner can convert to good just as the righteous person can turn to evil. God, Ezekiel teaches, does not rejoice when the wicked die in their sin. Rather, God rejoices when a person turns away from sin and begins to enjoy new life! This message from Ezekiel fills us with hope. Our past sins, once they are forgiven by God, are not a cause for despair. If God were to hold all our past sins against us, then the Psalmist rightly asks: “Who can stand before the Lord?” It is only through divine forgiveness, through washing ourselves in the Blood of the Lamb, that we can stand before God in the heavenly Temple. With the Lord there is true redemption and mercy!
2. True Righteousness: In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us that he has come to call sinners. Jesus’ message reaches the ears of those who humbly recognize their need for God. Yet his message also falls on the deaf ears of the Pharisees who think they are righteous because of the deeds they accomplish. The scribes and Pharisees unwittingly trusted in their external, detailed fulfillment of the Law of Moses. They forgot, however, the heart of God’s Law – that true holiness and righteousness are bound to the love of God and neighbor. That is why Jesus exhorts his disciples to surpass the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. The condition for entry into the Kingdom is not the external and Pharisaical fulfillment of the Law of Moses, but child-like simplicity and humility, repentance from sin, and true righteousness based on collaboration with the grace merited for us by Christ.
3. Reconciliation: Jesus’ exhortation to true righteousness is followed by the command to be reconciled with those we have offended. In this way, Jesus brings the Fifth Commandment to fulfillment and shows that it excludes being angry with others, judging others, and expressing our anger by calling someone an idiot or a fool. Peace, and not anger, is the path to holiness. Unrighteous anger destroys relationships; authentic peace builds them up. Both Ezekiel and Matthew invite us today to be reconciled with God, to turn from sin, and to be reconciled with our brothers and sisters.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to live righteously. This is possible because you merited grace for us. Your grace is powerful and brings me to share in your divine life. Grant me your grace today!
Resolution: Is there anyone in my family or friend circle that I need to be reconciled with? What steps can I take towards this reconciliation?
Friday Frist week of Lent 2021
Opening Prayer: Lord God, grant me your grace today so that I can share in your righteousness. Do not let me break communion with you. I want to live in your love and be your faithful child.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Individual Repentance: While the Book of Leviticus gives guidelines for an annual repentance by the community of Israel, the prophet Ezekiel speaks about the need for individual repentance and conversion from sin. The sinner can convert to good just as the righteous person can turn to evil. God, Ezekiel teaches, does not rejoice when the wicked die in their sin. Rather, God rejoices when a person turns away from sin and begins to enjoy new life! This message from Ezekiel fills us with hope. Our past sins, once they are forgiven by God, are not a cause for despair. If God were to hold all our past sins against us, then the Psalmist rightly asks: “Who can stand before the Lord?” It is only through divine forgiveness, through washing ourselves in the Blood of the Lamb, that we can stand before God in the heavenly Temple. With the Lord there is true redemption and mercy!
2. True Righteousness: In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us that he has come to call sinners. Jesus’ message reaches the ears of those who humbly recognize their need for God. Yet his message also falls on the deaf ears of the Pharisees who think they are righteous because of the deeds they accomplish. The scribes and Pharisees unwittingly trusted in their external, detailed fulfillment of the Law of Moses. They forgot, however, the heart of God’s Law – that true holiness and righteousness are bound to the love of God and neighbor. That is why Jesus exhorts his disciples to surpass the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. The condition for entry into the Kingdom is not the external and Pharisaical fulfillment of the Law of Moses, but child-like simplicity and humility, repentance from sin, and true righteousness based on collaboration with the grace merited for us by Christ.
3. Reconciliation: Jesus’ exhortation to true righteousness is followed by the command to be reconciled with those we have offended. In this way, Jesus brings the Fifth Commandment to fulfillment and shows that it excludes being angry with others, judging others, and expressing our anger by calling someone an idiot or a fool. Peace, and not anger, is the path to holiness. Unrighteous anger destroys relationships; authentic peace builds them up. Both Ezekiel and Matthew invite us today to be reconciled with God, to turn from sin, and to be reconciled with our brothers and sisters.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to live righteously. This is possible because you merited grace for us. Your grace is powerful and brings me to share in your divine life. Grant me your grace today!
Resolution: Is there anyone in my family or friend circle that I need to be reconciled with? What steps can I take towards this reconciliation?
Friday Frist week of Lent
Opening Prayer: Lord, as I reflect upon this Gospel please help me to see what I am clinging to, so that I may detach and cling only to you.
Encountering Christ:
Settle Quickly: Self-righteous anger is toxic. Like any sin, it can blind us to goodness, truth, and love. Our Lord was urging his listeners to resolve their issues so that they could put anger aside. When we feel angry and unforgiving, it truly is foolish to think we can come to Mass expecting union with God. The fruit of the Spirit is peace, and we have no peace if we choose to withhold love from others. Because we’re human, we should not be surprised when we are tempted in this way, but we must lean on our Father all the more, asking for grace to replace our pride with humility, our anger with peace. St. Paul reminds us, “Do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:19). We are called to live humbly and to trust in the Lord.
Judgment: Jesus tells us that the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees subjected them to judgment. They determined they were righteous because they adhered to the law. Jesus calls us to surpass them by living not the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law, which is love. Jesus warns that when we fall short of loving well, there are spiritual consequences, and we may face earthly consequences as well. Living the Ten Commandments is truly a road map to happiness, both temporally and spiritually.
Gift: By divine design, we have the power to build up and the power to tear down. Jesus is showing us in this Gospel that we inhibit our capacity to love others when we hold on to self-righteousness, anger, or unforgiveness. Since we have been loved unconditionally from above, we are called to extend this love to those Jesus places on our path. The sacrament of reconciliation can empower us to do so by washing away our sin and restoring our peaceful equilibrium.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, you lived in complete freedom, never allowing the injustices directed toward you to separate you from the Father. Your dignity was so firmly rooted in your Father’s love that nothing anyone said could shake you. Lord, sometimes I allow the thoughts, opinions, and actions of others to get the best of me, which produces anger and hardening of my heart. I can feel victimized and become determined to justify myself by seeking revenge or refusing to love. Lord, please soften my heart. Help me to be so firmly rooted in your love that I am not swayed by the people around me. Please Lord, help me to accept your unconditional love and then give me the willingness to extend it to those around me, especially those who are hardest to love.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will make a plan to go to confession (as soon as possible) and confess any grudge, lack of charity, justice, or generosity that I hold onto. I will pray for those people who have hurt me and whom I have hurt in return, and if possible I will reach out in love toward those people whom I have hurt or who have hurt me. God, please fill me with the grace to set right my wrongs.
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