Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Tư tuần thứ Hai Phục Sinh

 Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Tư tuần thứ Hai Phục Sinh
Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay chứa đựng một câu Kinh Thánh rất phổ biến: đó là "Thiên Chúa yêu thương thế gian đến nỗi Ngài đã ban Con Một của Ngài, để ai tin vào Con của Ngài thì không bị hư mất, nhưng sẽ được sống đời đời. Đối với Thiên Chúa, Ngài sai Con của Ngài đến với thế gian không phải là để lên án thế gian, nhưng là qua Chúa Con mà cả nhân loại được cứu rỗi ".
            Câu Kinh Thánh này cho chúng ta thấy được tầm quan trọng mà chúng ta phải xác tín rằng: trong Kitô giáo thì chính tình yêu của Thiên Chúa là nguyên lý căn bản và  năng động cho sự cứu rỗi thế giới. Việc này cho thấy rằng Thiên Chúa trong bản tính con người là Chúa Giêsu, mà chúng ta tin rằng Ngài cũng là một với Thiên Chúa. Bằnh với một tình yêu vô biên và tuyệt vời Thiên Chúa đã ban tặng cho thế giới chúng ta Người Con độc nhất của Ngài. Qua Chúa Giêsu, chúng ta biết rằng "thế giới", có nghĩa là, toàn thể tạo vật, và đặc biệt là nhân loại con người là đối tượng của tình yêu cứu độ của Thiên Chúa. Vì vậy, Thánh Gioan đã nói: "Bề rộng của tình yêu Thiên Chúa là thế giới của loài người trong đó Chúa Kitô đã chết, và độ sâu của tình yêu Thiên Chúa là món quà quý giá nhất của Ngài đó chính là Con yêu dấu của Ngài."
            Điều này nhắc nhở chúng ta là Thiên Chúa đã muốn chia sẻ "sự sống đời đời" của Ngài với chúng ta biết bao nhiêu. Là người Kitô hữu, chúng ta được mời gọi để tham dự  vào sự hiệp thông trong sự sống lại với Chúa Giêsu, và đến để chia sẻ sự cứu rỗi này trong đức tin. Với một Đức tin như thế, chúng ta cần phải có những hành động liên tục hướng tới Chúa Giêsu, và tận hiến chính mình cho Chúa  Kitô trong việc chấp nhận Chúa là Thiên Chúa như Ngài đã tỏ lộ chính Ngài cho chúng ta, vâng chính Ngài là Con yêu dấu mọi đàng, là biểu tượng cao nhất của tình yêu Thiên Chúa.
 Lạy Chúa, chúng con cảm tạ ơn Chúa vì Chúa đã tỏ lộ tình yêu của Thiên Chúa cho chúng ta biết.
 
Reflection SG 2016
The Gospel reading today contains one of the most popularly quoted verses in the Bible: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved.”
            These verses show how important is the conviction that in Christianity it is God’s love which is the dynamic principle for the salvation of the world. It shows that the God whom Jesus revealed, and whom we believe, is a God who is motivated by a love so great that He has gifted the world with His own Son. Through Jesus, we learn that the “world”, that is, the whole of creation, and in particular its human inhabitants, who are the object of God’s saving love. Therefore, as one writer puts it, “The breadth of God’s love is the world of mankind for whom Christ died, and the depth of God’s love is His most precious gift, His only beloved Son.”
            It reminds us how much God wants to share His own “eternal life” with us. As Christians, we are called to enter into a life-giving communion with Jesus, and come to share in this saving “life” through faith. Such faith calls for a constant movement towards Jesus and, the giving of ourselves to him and in accepting him as he has revealed himself, that is, the only beloved Son, the supreme expression of God’s love.    Lord, thank You for revealing God’s love to us.
 
Wednesday 2nd Week of Easter 2024
Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter
“God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” John 3:16
We continue, today, to read from the conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus, the Pharisee who ultimately converted and is venerated as one of the early saints of the Church. Recall that Jesus challenged Nicodemus as a way of helping him to make the difficult decision to reject the malice of the other Pharisees and to become His follower. This passage quoted above comes from Nicodemus’ first conversation with Jesus and is often quoted by our evangelical brothers and sisters as a summary of the whole Gospel. And indeed it is.
Throughout Chapter 3 of John’s Gospel, Jesus teaches about light and darkness, being born from above, wickedness, sin, condemnation, the Spirit and much more. But in many ways, all that Jesus taught in this chapter and throughout His public ministry can be summed up in this short and to-the-point statement: “God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” This short teaching could be broken down into five essential truths.
First, the Father’s love for humanity, and specifically, for you, is a love so deep that there is no way we will ever fully understand the depths of His love. 
Second, the love the Father has for us compelled Him to give us the greatest gift we could ever receive and the greatest gift the Father could give: His own divine Son. This gift must be prayerfully pondered if we are to come to a deepening understanding of the infinite generosity of the Father.
Third, as we prayerfully enter deeper and deeper into our understanding of this incredible gift of the Son, our only appropriate response is faith. We must “believe in Him.” And our belief must deepen just as our understanding deepens.
Fourth, we must realize that eternal death is always possible. It is possible that we eternally “perish.” That realization will give even greater insight into the gift of the Son, in that we will realize that the first duty of the Son is to save us from eternal separation from the Father.
Lastly, the gift of the Son from the Father is not only to save us but also to draw us to the heights of Heaven. That is, we are given “eternal life.” This gift of eternity is of infinite capacity, value, glory and fulfillment.
Reflect, today, upon this summary of the whole Gospel: “God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” Take it line by line, prayerfully seeking to understand the beautiful and transforming truths revealed to us by our Lord in this holy conversation with Nicodemus. Try to see yourself as Nicodemus, a good person who is trying to understand Jesus and His teachings more clearly. If you can listen to these words with Nicodemus and accept them deeply in faith, then you, too, will share in the eternal glory these words promise.
My glorious Lord, You came to us as the greatest Gift ever imagined. You are the gift of the Father in Heaven. You were sent out of love for the purpose of saving us and drawing us into the glory of eternity. Help me to understand and believe all that You are and to receive You as the saving Gift for Eternity. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday 2nd Week of Easter 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you sent your Son into the world to save it. He is the light who overcomes the darkness of evil, sin, and death. By dying he destroyed our death. By rising he established the way to eternal life with you. Grant me a deeper participation in the life, death, and resurrection of your Beloved Son.
Encountering the Word of God
The Father did not Abandon his Children: In the Gospel, John proclaims the great truth of our salvation. God the Father did not abandon his children to death after the original sin but sent his only-begotten Son so that those who believe in him might have eternal life. John contrasts two responses to Jesus. Some prefer darkness and hate the light of Christ. They do evil, hoping that the darkness hides their deeds. But there are also those who live the truth that comes from the light of Christ. They do good works, and they know that everything they do is seen by God. 
The Sin of Religious Envy: These two responses to Christ are on display in the first reading. The high priest and the Sadducees refuse to accept the light. They fall into the sin of religious envy. The Sadducees are envious of the great following the Apostles are gathering because of the signs and wonders they do in the name of Jesus Christ. Their envy leads them to persecute the Apostles and throw them in jail. Throughout the Bible, we see that this type of envy is a deadly sin (Mark 7:22; Romans 1:29; Galatians 5:21). Cain was envious of his brother Abel, whose sacrifice was pleasing to God, and rose up against him and killed him (Genesis 4:4-8). The brothers of Joseph became envious of him (Acts 7:9) and sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:11). Saul is envious of David and tries to kill him (1 Samuel 18:8-16). The Book of Wisdom teaches that: “through the devil’s envy death entered the world” (Wisdom 2:24). Jesus himself knew that he was delivered up out of envy (Matthew 27:18; Mark 15:10). The tenth commandment requires that envy be banished from the human heart. Envy, the Catechism teaches, is a form of sadness at the sight of another’s goods and an immoderate desire to have them for oneself; it is a refusal of charity and often comes from pride. Christians combat envy through good-will, humility, and abandonment to the providence of God (CCC, 2554).
Trust in the Lord: The Apostles, unlike the Sadducees, trust in the Lord and live in the truth. They know that the angel of the Lord delivers those who fear the Lord. They are blessed because they take refuge in the Lord. They seek the Lord and he delivers them. The angel of the Lord commands them to continue preaching in the temple about the new life they have received through Jesus Christ. This new life is the beginning of eternal life and is lived in the light of Christ. We turn from envy through grace and the desire for God as our supreme good. We are satisfied, not by material possessions or natural talents, but by God.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I trust in you as my king, my savior, and my redeemer. You are my Lord and my God. Help me overcome any temptations to envy so that I can focus on loving others and seeking their good.
Living the Word of God: Have I fallen into the sin of envy? Do I know that the remedy for envy is mercy? Instead of being sad when others have good fortune, I need to be compassionate when someone suffers misfortune. Envy is rooted in the love of self. Mercy is rooted in the love of neighbor. How can I drive envy out of my heart today? How can I practice mercy and compassion?
 
Wednesday 2nd Week of Easter
Opening Prayer: Lord, let there be light in my soul as I reflect on your profound words in today’s Scripture verses.
Encountering Christ:
John 3:16: These are some of the most famous words of Scripture. We see this passage written on signs at public venues, prominently displayed on the faces of sports players, and printed on t-shirts. It’s no wonder—this simple phrase assures us that God is love, that he loved us enough to sacrifice his Son for our good, and that we need not die because eternal life awaits us. Our greatest two fears are not being loved and dying. If we can believe in Jesus, we need not fear any longer! But belief can be costly, can’t it?
I Believe: Belief in God requires our turning away from sin and striving to live according to the commandments and Church teaching. But many in our modern, post-Christian, individualistic society believe that obedience to God is a price too high to pay. It restricts “freedom,” they complain. How foolish! If God so loved the world as to give his Son in sacrifice, then we can trust that his commandments are also for our own good. It can be very hard to conform our lives to the commandments and Church teaching, but that’s one important way we show that we believe! It’s one beautiful way to show our love for God! And through our obedience, we experience true freedom as Jesus told us in John 8:32: “...the truth will set you free.” 
Condemnation: When we refuse to believe in Jesus, we “have already been condemned.” We are condemned even before we die as we wallow in unrepentant sin, enslaved by our passions. This spiritual reality binds us to the darkness, but even more tragically, we miss out on the delight and wonder of coming to know our loving God here and now. Life can be wonderfully illuminated by God’s light–in the faces of our loved ones, in the glories of nature, in the experiences of his grace–or we can choose to live in darkness day after day. All it takes is a little faith to break free of darkness. “Lord, I do believe, help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).
Conversing with Christ: When my own “works are done in God” I radiate your light and, by your grace, can reach into another’s darkness to help him or her break free. Lord, I want to be an instrument of your light for many of my family and friends. Please continue to bless me with your grace so that I may “let my light shine before others” (Matthew 5:16).
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will reach out to one person with a kindness, knowing that your light is shining through me.
 
Suy Niệm Thứ Tư Tuần thứ Hai Phục Sinh
Quyền năng Thiên Chúa vượt xa các quy tắc và cấu trúc nhân tạo của con người . Điều này được thấy rõ trong bài đọc thứ nhất hôm nay. Các tông đồ đã bị bắt và bị giam cầm. Tuy nhiên, nhờ quyền năng của Thiên Chúa, họ đã được đưa ra khỏi nhà tù và tiếp tục hướng dẫn để rao giảng trong các đền thờ mà họ ngoan ngoãn vâng lời Thiên Chúa và thực hành. Chính trong bối cảnh này mà các tín hữu và môn đệ của Chúa Giêsu, đã đáp lại với những tiếng gọi của Chúa để tiếp tục sứ mạng của Chúa Giêsu, Nhất định họ phải có niềm tin vào sự can thiệp của Thiên Chúa; và tất cả có thể được tiến hành tốt trong tình yêu của Thiên Chúa. Tuy nhiên tình yêu của Thiên Chúa không phải là những cảm giác mơ hồ hay cảm giác tình cảm mà là một tình yêu phải trả giá. Thiên Chúa đã cho chúng ta những gì là thân yêu nhất với Thiên Chúa; đó là Con của Ngài, là Chúa Giêsu Kitô đã chết cho chúng ta để cho chúng ta thấy tình yêu của Thiên Chúa như là tình yêu của Cha  mẹ và Ngài đã thực hiện lời hứa của Ngài là ban cho chúng ta "sự sống đời đời". Do đó sự cứu rỗi là trọng tâm sứ mệnh của Chúa Giêsu trên trái đất này.
            Làm thế nào để chúng ta có thể đáp ứng lại với lời kêu gọi của Chúa, để tiếp tục sứ mệnh của Chúa Giêsu trong bất cứ nơi nào chúng ta đến và trong mọi hoàn cảnh trong cuộc sống (kinh nghiệm tích cực và tiêu cực) của chúng ta. Có phải chúng ta chuẩn bị để vượt xa hơn những cơ cấu và các quy tắc và chọn con đường dọi ánh sáng của Chúa Kitô thay vì bóng tối? Để kiểm tra động cơ thúc đẩy của chúng ta trong tất cả các lời nói và hành động của chúng ta, chúng ta được mời tham dự những thách thức, thử thách để thực hành việc xem xét và kiểm thảo chính mình  mỗi ngày;  kiểm thảo (kiểm tra) cuộc sống của chúng ta hàng ngày trong ánh sáng của Chúa Kitô,  để thấy sự hiện diện của Thiên Chúa trong kinh nghiệm cuộc sống hàng ngày của chúng ta. Như những người được Phục Sinh trong Chúa Kitô, chúng ta được gọi là những người mang ánh sáng của Chúa Kitô và là các nhân chứng tình yêu của Thiên Chúa cho tất cả mọi người.
 
Reflection: 2014
God’s power goes beyond man-made rules and structures.  This is clearly seen in the first Reading. The apostles were arrested and imprisoned. Yet by the power of God, they were taken out of the prison and further instructed to preach in the temple which they obediently carried out. It is in this context that the believers and followers of Jesus, in responding to the call to continue the mission of Jesus, ought to have faith in the intervention of God — that all may be well (Julian of Norwich) in God's love.  However God’s love is not vaguely sentimental feeling but a love that costs.  God gave what was most dear to God — His Son, Jesus Christ whose death reveals God's love as the Father/Mother and the fulfillment of God's promise of ‘eternal life’. Hence salvation is central to Jesus’ mission on earth.
            How do we respond to this call, to continue Jesus' mission wherever we are and under all circumstances in life (positive and negative experiences). Are we prepared to go beyond structures and rules and choose the path of light of Christ instead of the darkness? In order to check our motivations in all our words and actions, we are invited to take up the challenge to practice the Daily Examine — to check our life daily in the light of Christ, and to see God’s presence in our daily life experiences.  As Easter people, we are called to be bearers of light and witnesses of God’s love for all.