Qua sách Công Vụ Tông đồ, chúng ta thấy các Tông đồ đã quá sợ
hãi, và trốn kín trong căn phòng trên lầu mà các cửa đã được khóa kín, họ
run sợ những người do thái lùng bắt họ mỗi khi nghe những bước chân đi bên
ngoài. Nhưng sau lễ Ngũ Tuần, Họ đã được biến đổi, và bây
giờ họ đã ngang nhiên họ cười vào mặt những kẻ bắt nạt họ
cho dù cái chết đang đe dọa trước mắt. Sau khi họ bị
kéo lê tới trước mặt những nhà chức trách, thầy thượng
tế, họ đã được cảnh cáo là phải im miệng và không được
rao giảng về Chúa Giêsu đã sống lại nữa, nhưng họ đã
phản ứng ngược lại và trả lời rất cứng rắn:” bất cứ điều gì
Chúa muốn, chúng tôi làm, và Thiên Chúa muốn chúng tôi phải tiếp tục việc rao
giảng của chúng tôi”.
Đôi khi chúng ta có thể bị choáng ngợp với sự
sợ hãi, nhưng với ơn thiêng liêng của Chúa Thánh Thần ở trong
chúng ta, chúng ta có thể làm bất cứ điều gì và tuân theo thánh ý của
Thiên Chúa chính là sức mạnh và niềm vui của chúng ta. Bằng những nỗ
lực riêng của mỗi người, chúng ta có thể làm được những việc tối
thiểu; nhưng nếu chúng ta biết dựa vào ân sủng của Thiên Chúa, chúng ta có
thể làm được bất cứ những gì chúng ta muốn làm theo ý Chúa.
Thế giới hôm nay đang cần những chứng nhân biết vui tươi
và can đảm. Lạy Chúa, xin ban cho chúng con sự can đảm không bao
giờ cạn.
Saturday of Easter
Week Sat 2nd April 2016
The apostles had been broken and terrified men. They cowered
behind locked doors, listening in dread for the footsteps of their persecutors.
But after Pentecost, it was a different story. They were transformed, and
they laughed in the face of bullying and death threats. After being dragged
before the authorities, they were warned to keep their mouths shut and not
proclaim the risen Jesus again. Their response was simple: whatever God wants,
we do, and God wants us to continue our proclamation. Sometimes we can be
overwhelmed with fear, but with God’s spirit within us, we can do anything.
Strength and joy come from doing the right thing and obeying the will of God.
The
original shorter ending of Mark ended abruptly with the women running away and
telling no one what they had seen, for they were terrified. It took the
appearance of the Lord and his missioning speech to change their hearts and
minds. Again, fear was powerful, but God can overcome all and make weak people
into courageous witnesses for the faith. Alone and by our own efforts we can do
little; with the Lord’s grace, we can do just about anything. The world needs
joyful and courageous witnesses.
Lord, grant me unfailing courage.
Saturday of Easter Week 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I rejoice today as I
contemplate the great things you have done. I want to proclaim the joy of the
Resurrection to every creature. The mystery of your Son’s Resurrection is the
great sign that fills me with hope for eternal life with yo
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Struggle to Believe in Jesus’
Resurrection: In the
Gospel of Mark, we find a summary of three appearances of the risen Jesus to
his disciples and a record of their different responses. Mary Magdalene saw the
risen Jesus near the empty tomb but only recognized him when she heard him call
her name. She went and announced Jesus’ resurrection to the apostles, but they
did not believe her. On the way to Emmaus, Jesus appeared to Cleopas and
another disciple. They returned to Jerusalem and announced the resurrection,
but the disciples again did not believe them. Only when Jesus himself appears
while they are at table do they believe. On the one hand, Jesus rebukes them
for their lack of faith and hardness of heart; on the other, Jesus gives them
the mission to go out into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel. Their
encounter with the risen Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit will help them
overcome their limitations and they will spread the Gospel to all nations.
Sometimes we ourselves are slow to believe, but this does not negate our
mission to preach the Gospel. Our prayer is: "Lord, I believe, help my
unbelief".
2. The Fearless Proclamation of the
Gospel: In the Acts of the
Apostles, we see Peter and John proclaim the Gospel fearlessly. They are bold
in their witness because they are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Although
uneducated in the Law of Moses, they speak with confidence and authority to those
who have dedicated their lives to the study of Scripture. The Sanhedrin, in
contrast to the disciples, are speechless and unable to explain the remarkable
sign of the healing of the man crippled from birth. “The members of the
Sanhedrin are befuddled, frustrated, and struggling to limit the damage. Their
consultation about Peter and John illustrates the powerlessness of Israel’s old
leadership to effectively counter the apostolic leaders of the renewed Israel”
(Kurz, Acts of the Apostles, p. 83).
3. Obeying God: Jesus commanded the apostles to preach
the Gospel in his name; the Sanhedrin commands them not to speak to anyone or
teach in the name of Jesus. Peter responds that, in this case, they must obey
God rather than the Sanhedrin. It is impossible for them not to speak about
what they have seen and heard. They are witnesses to the Resurrection and their
faith in Jesus is not in vain. They have received a gift from God and want to
share that gift with all men.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you rebuked your
disciples for their unbelief and hardness of heart. Help me to overcome my own
unbelief and stubbornness and fully embrace the new life of your resurrection.
Living the Word of God: How can I fearlessly proclaim the
Gospel to those I meet this upcoming week? Is there someone in particular in my
life – a coworker or a family member, perhaps – that needs to hear the good
news of salvation in Jesus Christ?
Saturday of Easter Week 2024
Opening
Prayer: Lord God, I rejoice today as I contemplate the great
things you have done. I want to proclaim the joy of the Resurrection to every
creature. The mystery of your Son’s Resurrection is the great sign that fills
me with hope for eternal
life with you.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Struggle to Believe in Jesus’
Resurrection: In the
Gospel of Mark, we find a summary of three appearances of the risen Jesus to
his disciples and a record of their different responses. Mary Magdalene saw the
risen Jesus near the empty tomb but only recognized him when she heard him call
her name. She went and announced Jesus’ resurrection to the apostles, but they
did not believe her. On the way to Emmaus, Jesus appeared to Cleopas and
another disciple. They returned to Jerusalem and announced the resurrection,
but the disciples again did not believe them. Only when Jesus himself appears
while they are at table do they believe. On the one hand, Jesus rebukes them
for their lack of faith and hardness of heart; on the other, Jesus gives them
the mission to go out into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel. Their
encounter with the risen Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit will help them
overcome their limitations and they will spread the Gospel to all nations.
Sometimes we ourselves are slow to believe, but this does not negate our
mission to preach the Gospel. Our prayer is: "Lord, I believe, help my
unbelief".
2. The Fearless Proclamation of the
Gospel: In the Acts of the
Apostles, we see Peter and John proclaim the Gospel fearlessly. They are bold
in their witness because they are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Although
uneducated in the Law of Moses, they speak with confidence and authority to those
who have dedicated their lives to the study of Scripture. The Sanhedrin, in
contrast to the disciples, are speechless and unable to explain the remarkable
sign of the healing of the man crippled from birth. “The members of the
Sanhedrin are befuddled, frustrated, and struggling to limit the damage. Their
consultation about Peter and John illustrates the powerlessness of Israel’s old
leadership to effectively counter the apostolic leaders of the renewed Israel”
(Kurz, Acts of the Apostles, p. 83).
3. Obeying God: Jesus commanded the apostles to preach
the Gospel in his name; the Sanhedrin commands them not to speak to anyone or
teach in the name of Jesus. Peter responds that, in this case, they must obey
God rather than the Sanhedrin. It is impossible for them not to speak about
what they have seen and heard. They are witnesses to the Resurrection and their
faith in Jesus is not in vain. They have received a gift from God and want to
share that gift with all men
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you rebuked your
disciples for their unbelief and hardness of heart. Help me to overcome my own
unbelief and stubbornness and fully embrace the new life of your resurrection.
Living the Word of God: How can I fearlessly proclaim the
Gospel to those I meet this upcoming week? Is there someone in particular in my
life – a coworker or a family member, perhaps – that needs to hear the good
news of salvation in Jesus Christ?
Saturday of Easter Week
Opening Prayer: Jesus,
I believe that you are truly present in your word. May the truth of your life,
death, and Resurrection permeate my identity. May I be rooted in your truth and
proclaim your Gospel to every creature in all that I say and do.
Encountering Christ:
Excitement and Urgency: After reading portions of Easter accounts from John,
Matthew, and Luke this week, today we hear Mark’s account. It is interesting to
compare each of the Gospel writers’ accounts of this story and compare their
writing styles, the details they choose to highlight, and the way that each of
them proclaims the Resurrection of the Lord. Mark’s account encapsulates the
other Gospels’ Resurrection accounts. In a single paragraph, Mark concisely
tells how Jesus revealed himself to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18) and how the
disciples did not believe her testimony (Luke 24:11). He gives a two-sentence
account of the appearance of Christ on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35).
Finally, we hear how Jesus appeared to the disciples in the upper room (Luke
24:36-49) and sent them into the world with their mission to baptize and
proclaim the Gospel (Matthew 28:19-20). Mark moves quickly through these
events, bringing a sense of excitement and urgency to the Gospel. Do you feel a
sense of excitement and urgency when you encounter the Gospel and our shared
call to proclaim it to the world?
Christ Our Light: One thing in common with all the Gospel accounts is that
Mary Magdalene went to the tomb just before dawn. The darkness had been
dispelled, and the light of life had risen (John 8:12). Jesus, the radiant
dawn, “comes forth like a bridegroom from his canopy, and like a hero joyfully
runs its course. From one end of the heavens it comes forth; its course runs
through to the other; nothing escapes its heat” (Psalm 19:5-7). During Advent
we pray for the light of Christ to come to us. Now at Easter, we celebrate his
glorious light that has been fully revealed. He is the glorified Christ,
victorious over sin and death. John proclaimed at the beginning of his Gospel
that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it”
(John 1:5). At Easter, Jesus crushed the darkness of death, once for all. This
is surely good news worth proclaiming.
Christ Our Hope: Also in common in all four Gospels is the account of the
Resurrection. “The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our faith in
Christ” (CCC 638). Christ’s mission on earth began in the manger at Bethlehem.
Mary and Joseph cared for him until the time of fulfillment was at hand (cf.
Mark 1:15). He taught and healed the people until his hour–the hour of our
salvation–had come (cf. John 17:1). He suffered, died, was buried, and
descended into hell. He defeated death when he rose again on the third day and
ascended to sit at the right hand of God the Father (Nicene Creed). He did all
this for us so that we could have a share of his Resurrection. He did this so
we too could rise again, not by our own power, but by and through Christ: “He
will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that
enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself” (Philippians
3:21). In the Eucharist, we are given a foretaste of the Resurrection of our
bodies when the glorified, heavenly Body and Blood of Christ are united with
our earthly bodies and we become holy temples for the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit (cf.1 Corinthians 6:19). St. Irenaeus wrote, “Just as bread that comes
from the earth, after God's blessing has been invoked upon it, is no longer
ordinary bread, but Eucharist, formed of two things, the one earthly and the
other heavenly: so too our bodies, which partake of the Eucharist, are no
longer corruptible, but possess the hope of resurrection.” Christ, our hope,
has truly risen! May we confess this truth to every creature, as God commanded.
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, I truly believe that you came to accomplish this
unimaginable truth for all of mankind. You came to teach and heal and to be an
example of virtue for us to imitate. Better yet, you came to set us free from
sin and death, and you were victorious. Help me to live from this deep truth.
Bless me with the confidence I need to fully embrace and live out this truth
and proclaim it to all that I encounter. May my life reflect your self-giving
love to all.
Resolution: Lord,
today by your grace I will share your good news with someone in a genuine,
joyful way.
Saturday
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bảy Tuần Tuần Bát Nhật Phục Sinh
(Act” 4:13-21 ; Mk. 16:9-1)
Hành vi Sợ hãi thường có kiểm soát con người và ngăn cản con
người chúng ta nói lên sự thật. Sự sợ hãi là một vũ khí rất lợi hại . Các quan chức do thái đã đe dọa Phêrô và các tông đồ và ra lệnh cho họ phải giữ thing lặng về Chúa Giêsu và về việc
chữa
bệnh mà các tông đổ đã làm vì
danh Chúa Gisêsu . Trong thời điểm này các tông đồ có thể tất cả đã rút lui để trỡ về với một cuộc sống yên tĩnh
và an bình, nhưng với những điều đó họ khó mà có được một cuộc sống ! Họ không thể giữ im lặng, nhưng
niềm
vui và hân hoan trong họ thì
không
thể kiềm chế được . Khi chúng ta đang thực sự tuân theo Thiên Chúa, thì sẽ có một sức mạnh vượt trội
hơn nhiều so với bất cứ quyền lực trần thế nào;
nhờ đó chúng sẽ lấy mất đi sự sợ hãi của chúng tôi và tăng thêm lòng can đảm và trí
tuệ cho chung ta.
Trong một thời gian , sự sợ hãi và nghi ngờ ngăn cản những
người theo Chúa Giêsu rao giảng Tin Mừng . Họ chỉ không thể tin được rằng Ngài
còn sống. Sự phục sinh đã được không những chỉ là việc khó tin từ thở đó cũng cho tới bây giờ . Nhưng sau này họ đã
có bằng chứng rõ ràng của họ đó là: Chúa Giêsu. Và đó là chìa khóa; chúng ta
không thể thuyết phục bất cứ ai về sự phục sinh , trừ khi đó là điều hiển nhiên
trong cuộc sống của chúng ta. Chúa Giêsu nói với họ hãy đi và loan báo tin mừng cho tất cả các tạo vật;
và điều đó không có nghĩa là bằng lời nói, nhưng bằng tất cả những hành động và
thái độ thường ngày của chúng ta phải đi xa hơn lời nói của chúng ta Chúng ta
phải trở thành những người làm bằng chứng sống cho Chúa Phục Sinh mà chúng ta
đã ta công bố . Lạy Chúa, xin đổ đầy
trái tim của chúng con với niềm vui của
Chúa Phục Sinh
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