Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ Nhật Mùa Chay

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ Nhật Mùa Chay (Matthew 7:7-12)

“Hễ ai xin, thì sẽ được, ai tìm thì sẽ thấy”

Hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu nhắc nhở chúng ta về sự cần thiết và sức mạnh của lời cầu nguyện. Chúng ta không thể hiểu được cuộc sống Kitô hữu, nếu như chúng ta không có sự liên hệ với Thiên Chúa, và trong những mối quan hệ này, lời cầu nguyện phải được đặt ngay trong trọng tâm cuộc sống. Đây là lý do tại sao, đời sống Kitô hữu của chúng ta là những nhu cầu thường xuyên đòi hỏi và tìm kiếm: như Chúa Giêsu đã nói với các môn đệ.là:“Hãy xin thì sẽ nhận được, hãy tìm thì sẽ thấy, cứ gõ thì cửa sẽ mở” (Mt 07:07),

        Đồng thời, lời cầu nguyện cũng giúp biến trái tim chai đá của chúng ta dần dần trở thành một trái tim biết yêu thương: “Vậy nếu các ngươi tuy là ác, mà còn biết lấy của lành mà làm quà cho con, thì huống hồ là Cha các ngươi, Ðấng ngự trên trời, sẽ ban của lành cho những ai xin Người!”(Mt 7:11).

Kinh Lạy Cha mà Chúa Giêsu đã dậy chính là lời cầu nguyện tóm tắt hữu hiệu và tốt nhất giúp chúng ta để cầu xin Thiên Chúa: “Nước Cha trị đến, Ý Cha thành sự, dưới đất cũng như trên trời.” (x. Mt 6:10). Do đó, Chúng ta không thể dùng kinh Lạy Cha này để xin bất cứ điều chúng ta muốn, nhưng chúng ta có thể xin những gì thực sự là vì lợi ích cho chúng ta và những người chung quanh. Nếu không ai muốn làm tổn thương chính mình, thì mình không nên làm điều gì phật lòng người khác,

            Đôi khi, Chúng ta không nhận ra mối quan tâm của Thiên Chúa đối với chúng ta, bởi vì chúng ta thấy những lời cầu nguyện của chúng ta dường như chưa được đáp lại hoặc thậm chí có thể cảm thấy rằng Thiên Chúa đã không yêu thương chúng ta, Trong những khoảnh khắc như vậy, chúng ta hãy nên nhớ lời khuyên này từ thánh Jerome: “Chắc chắn Thiên Chúa sẽ ban cho những ai xin, những người tìm, sẽ được tìm  thấy, và những ai gõ thì cửa sẽ được mở ra:” Như vậy chúng ta thấy rõ rằng là những ai là người đã xin không nhận được, Tìm mà không thấy, những ai đã gõ mà cửa vẫn không được mở ra, vì họ là những người không biết xin như thế nào, không  biết kiếm tìm như thế nào và cũng không biết gõ như thế. Do dó, . Chúng ta cầu xin Chúa trước hết là cho chúng ta một tâm hồn biết yêu thương giống như của Chúa Giêsu Kitô. 

 

Reflection Thursday 1^st week of Lent

For everyone who asks, receives; whoever seeks, finds

            Today, Jesus reminds us of the need and power of prayer. We cannot understand our Christian life without being related to God, and in this relation, prayer takes a central place. While we live in this world, we Christians find ourselves on a pilgrimage road, but our prayer gets us closer to God, opens up the door of his immense love and brings forward the Heaven delights. This is why, our Christian life is a constant request and search: «Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened» (Mt 7:7), says Jesus to his disciples.

            At the same time, the prayer gradually turns a stone heart into a flesh heart: «As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!» (Mt 7:11). The best summary we can ask God can be found in Our Lord's Prayer: «Your kingdom come and your will be done, on earth as in heaven» (cf. Mt 6:10). We, therefore, cannot ask just anything in our prayers, but something which is really for our own good. If nobody wants to hurt himself, we should not want any damage for others, either.

            We, sometimes, fail to see God's concern for us, for we find our prayers seemingly unanswered or may even feel God does not love us. In such moments, it will do us good to remember this advice from Saint Jerome: «It is certain God gives to he, who asks, that he, who seeks, finds, and that he, who knocks, will be opened: It is clearly seen that he, who has not received, who has not found, who has not been opened, is just because he did not know how to ask, how to seek nor how to knock at the door». Let us, therefore, ask God, in the first place, to give us a loving heart just like that of Jesus Christ.

 

Thursday 1^st week of Lent 2024

Thursday of the First Week of Lent

“Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish?” Matthew 7:9–10

Clearly this is a rhetorical question by Jesus. No parent would hand their son or daughter a stone or a snake if they asked for food. But that of course is the point. Jesus goes on to say, “…how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.”

When you pray with deep faith, will our Lord give you whatever you ask? Certainly not. Jesus did say, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” But this statement must be carefully read within the whole context of Jesus’ teaching here. The fact of the matter is that when we sincerely ask in faith for “good things,” meaning that which our good God wants to bestow upon us, He will not disappoint. Of course, this does not mean that if we beg Jesus for anything whatsoever that He will give it to us.

What are those “good things” that our Lord will most certainly give to us? First and foremost, it is the forgiveness of our sins. We can be absolutely certain that if we humble ourselves before our good God, especially within the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we will be granted the freely given and transforming gift of forgiveness.

In addition to the forgiveness of our sins, there are many other things we need in life, and there are many other things that our good God wants to bestow upon us. For example, God will always want to give to us the strength we need to overcome temptations in life. He will always want to provide for our most basic needs. He will always want to help us grow in every virtue. And He most certainly wants to bring us to Heaven. It is these things that we must especially pray for every day.

But what about other things, such as a new job, more money, a better house, acceptance into a certain school, a physical healing, etc.? Our prayers for these and other similar things in life should be prayed for but with a caveat. The “caveat” is that we pray that God’s will be done. Not ours. We must humbly acknowledge that we do not see the big picture in life and do not always know what will give God the greatest glory in all things. Therefore, it may be better that you not get that new job, or be accepted at this school, or even that this illness not end in healing. But we can be certain that God always will bestow upon us that which is best for us and that which enables us to give God the greatest glory in life. The crucifixion of our Lord is a perfect example. He prayed that that cup be taken from Him, “but not my will but Yours be done.” And, of course, the Father saw the great eternal value in the death of His Son on the Cross and answered that prayer of His accordingly.

Reflect, today, upon how you pray. Do you pray with detachment from the outcome, knowing that our Lord knows best? Do you humbly admit that only God knows what is truly good for you? Trust this to be the case and pray with complete confidence that God’s will be done in all things and you can be certain that He will answer that prayer.

Dear Lord of infinite wisdom and knowledge, help me to always place my trust in Your goodness and care for me. Help me to daily turn to You in my need and to trust that You will answer my prayer according to Your perfect will. I place my life into Your hands, dear Lord. Do with me as you wish. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

 

Thursday 1^st week of Lent  2021

Opening Prayer: 

Lord, how often I forget to ask for what I need. You are always there to help me, yet I rush into my day forgetting that I need your grace, your strength, your wisdom, and your provision. Please fill me with the grace I need to see you in everything so I won’t forget to include you in anything.

 

Encountering Christ:

Promises: “Everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:8). Although these words of Christ seem so simple and straightforward, to receive the promised reward we must live as Christ did, and align our will with his. Christ lived a life of self-denial even before he carried the physical cross. He bore a heavy load by living his life for others. We are also called to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily to follow him (Luke 9:23). Luke includes the word “daily” in his Gospel. We can’t pick up the cross or deny ourselves when it is convenient. We are to do this daily. St. Therese of Lisieux taught us how to do this in her Little Way. She counsels that we are to do our daily tasks with great love, thereby meeting and carrying the cross in the midst of our ordinary life. 

Good Gifts: Do we unwittingly ask the Lord for stones and snakes and then grumble because he hasn’t answered our prayer as we wanted? Our vision is often very limited. Eternity is not in the forefront of our minds. We may pray for help with the bills but neglect a God-given opportunity to practice prudence. We may ask God for physical healing, unaware that our illness is “curing” us spiritually. It is not wrong to ask God for help with whatever we think we need. God wants us to include him in everything that’s on our minds. Yet, it is important to remember that God gives good gifts, gifts of lasting value. He wills for our good and desires eternal union with us. God is concerned with our ultimate salvation. 

The Golden Rule: “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12). Christ trusted the Father. He was not afraid of being left out, of being left behind, or not having his fill of good things. When we trust God, the Golden Rule feels attainable. Knowing that we are loved, we are able to deny ourselves and live for others. Jesus preached the Golden Rule and he lived it with divine perfection. We are called to do likewise, by relying on the Lord’s grace and strength. 

Conversing with Christ: Lord, you are the giver of all good things. Sometimes I get caught up in this world, becoming attached to its goods and forgetting that you give gifts of infinite value. Lord, please help me to seek what is truly valuable. I desire to belong completely to you. Please, continue to draw me near. 

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will meditate on your character, reminding myself of your goodness, faithfulness, generosity, and infinite love and mercy. 

 

REFLECTION

     In the first reading we see the desperate prayer of Esther to be delivered from those plotting against the Jewish people: her prayer was answered, the Jewish people in the kingdom saved and the evil plotters against them exposed and executed.

     In the Gospel reading, part of the Sermon on the Mount where the Evangelist Matthew put together many of Jesus' teachings, Jesus assures us of the efficacy of all prayers: "For everyone who asks, receives; whosoever seeks, finds; and the door will be opened to him who knocks." Why? Because "your Father in heaven [will] give good things to those who ask him!"

     Jesus repeatedly stressed the importance and efficacy of our prayers of petition: we have many needs and are assured that our heavenly Father knows our needs even before we ask him. We should not hesitate to ask: every prayer of ours will be answered, perhaps not in the way we had asked, but in the way helpful to us. We should ask and pray with faith and perseverance, that God will hear our prayer. We should note that the Lord's Prayer, given by Jesus to his disciples at their request, is a series of petitions for our daily needs.

    The short Gospel reading ends with the so-called Golden Rule, "Do to others whatever you would that others do to you." In a way, this is a reiteration of the key commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves.

 

REFLECTION 2017

     In the first reading we see the desperate prayer of Esther to be delivered from those plotting against the Jewish people: her prayer was answered, the Jewish people in the kingdom saved and the evil plotters against them exposed and executed.

     In the Gospel reading, part of the Sermon on the Mount where the Evangelist Matthew put together many of Jesus' teachings, Jesus assures us of the efficacy of all prayers: "For everyone who asks, receives; whosoever seeks, finds; and the door will be opened to him who knocks." Why? Because "your Father in heaven [will] give good things to those who ask him!"

     Jesus repeatedly stressed the importance and efficacy of our prayers of petition: we have many needs and are assured that our heavenly Father knows our needs even before we ask him. We should not hesitate to ask: every prayer of ours will be answered, perhaps not in the way we had asked, but in the way helpful to us. We should ask and pray with faith and perseverance, that God will hear our prayer. We should note that the Lord's Prayer, given by Jesus to his disciples at their request, is a series of petitions for our daily needs.

        The short Gospel reading ends with the so-called Golden Rule, "Do to others whatever you would that others do to you." In a way, this is a reiteration of the key commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves.