Qua Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta Thánh Phêrô dường như đã thấy chính mình đang bị rơi vào trong một tình huống khó xử mà chúng ta không thể chứng minh được một sự kiện mà chúng ta tin là có thật và đúng. Sau khi quay lưng lại với Chúa Giêsu, ông đã nhận thấy rằng mình đã có được một cơ hội khác, có lẽ ông đã nghĩ Chúa đã có sự nghi ngờ về lòng trung thành, và sự thành thực của ông. Nhưng Chúa Giêsu tin tưởng hoàn toàn vào thánh Phêrô và Ngài đã yêu cầu ông tiếp tục sứ mệnh quan trọng mà Đức Giêsu đã uỷ thác Giáo Hội của Chúa cho Thánh Phêrô, là hãy chăm sóc đàn chiên của Ngài. Với sự tin tưởng nơi thánh Phêrô, Chúa Giesu đã bất chấp tất cả những sự thiếu xót, những thất bại trong quá khứ của ông Phêrô kể cả cái tội phản bội và chối Ngài ba lần.
Chúa Giêsu luôn sẵn sàng ban cho chúng ta một cơ hội thứ hai, nếu chúng ta biết nhìn nhận những tội lỗi và những yếu kém và thiếu xót của chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy nhìn thẳng vào trái tim của chúng ta và hãy thử cảm nhận tình yêu của Chúa Giêsu đã được thể hiện trong cuộc sống của chúng ta như thế nào. Chúng ta hãy thử cảm nhận mỗi buổi sáng khi Chúa cho mặt trời mọc lên cho chúng ta và mỗi cái cầu vồng Ngài cho chúng ta thấy được sau cơn mưa… Hãy chiến đấu và hãy ráng giữ lấy những cảm nhận đó trong tâm khảm của chúng ta. Hãy Ở lại với Chúa Giêsu và theo Ngài.
REFLECTION
Have we ever been in an awkward situation where we couldn't prove a point we believe is real or right? Perhaps it can be some experience we would like to share with our friends so that can to learn from it, or some theory we failed to explain in class. But we know we are right, even if we realize that we'll lose our credibility to others.
Peter seems to find himself in a similar situation. After turning his back on Jesus, he finds himself being given another chance. Perhaps there may be doubts regarding his loyalty and faithfulness. But Jesus believes in Peter and he asks him to continue this important mission. Jesus entrusts Peter with his church, with looking after his flock in spite of his past failings and transgressions.
Jesus is always willing to give us a second chance. Let us look into our hearts and feel how his love is shown in our lives. Feel each morning as he makes the sun rise for us and each rainbow he shows us after the rain. Hold on to it. Fight for it. Stay with Jesus and follow him.
Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter
It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written. John 21:24–25
As we conclude our Easter season, we are given the conclusion of the Gospel of Saint John to ponder. Recall that John’s Gospel has been a central focus throughout the Easter Season. Therefore, if you have been prayerfully reading the Gospel for Mass each day for the past several weeks, then you have truly immersed yourself in this holy Gospel.
The Gospel of Saint John is much different from the other three Synoptic Gospels. John’s language is mystical and symbolic. John presents the seven miracles as the seven “signs” that reveal Jesus’ divinity. Jesus is identified as I AM, the Son of the Father, the Vine, the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the Eternal Word, and more. John points to the Crucifixion as Jesus’ hour of glory in which He takes up His throne of the Cross for the salvation of the world. And John’s teaching on the Eucharist is truly profound.
John states that the reason he wrote his Gospel was so “that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). John clearly loved our Lord and understood Him, not only by personal experiences while Jesus was alive on earth but also through a profound level of prayer in his later years. And this depth of understanding and mystical knowledge is communicated in such a way that the reader is easily drawn into John’s prayerful understanding.
As John concludes His testimony about Jesus, he states something worth pondering. He states that Jesus did so many things that were not recorded by him or others, that if they were all written down, the whole world would not contain the books that would be written. First of all, everything that was written down could be the source of prayerful study for a lifetime. John’s Gospel alone could never be exhausted of its meaning. But then consider this final line of John’s Gospel and try to take it as a literal statement for a moment. If that statement were literally true, that the whole world could not contain the books that would record all that Jesus did, then this fact should leave us with a holy awe. In fact, the reason this must be true is because what Jesus did within each and every mind and heart He touched is truly indescribable. Volumes upon volumes could not thoroughly describe it. His divine action of saving souls, rescuing people from sin and death, and pointing them to eternal life is more than our feeble minds can fully comprehend.
Reflect, today, upon the holy Gospel of Saint John. As we do conclude this Easter Season and our reading of John’s Gospel, allow yourself to sit in awe of the infinite activity of our divine Lord in the lives of those who have turned to Him. Consider every movement of grace in their lives that has been accomplished with such care and love by our Lord. Reflect upon the fact that for eternity you will be contemplating the Eternal Word made Flesh, the Messiah, the Great I AM, the Son of the Father and every other name given to Him Who is our God and King. Saint John loved our Lord and understood Him deeply because he spent his life prayerfully pondering all that Jesus did. Continue to commit yourself to this holy pondering so that you will be drawn more deeply into this contemplation with holy awe.
Jesus, Messiah, You are truly beyond comprehension in Your beauty, glory and holiness. You are God from God and Light from Light. You are the Great I AM, and all the books in the world could not properly describe the depth of Your greatness. Fill my mind and heart with the gift of deep spiritual insight so that I, like Saint John the Evange
Saturday 7th of Easter 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, throughout the season of Easter I have been meditating almost daily on your Word in the Gospel of John. Help me recall the lessons I have learned this Easter and put them into practice so as to be a faithful member of your family, the Church.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Purpose of the Gospel of John: The Gospel of John was written so that we may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31). Just as John said earlier that Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples which were not written in his Gospel, today’s Gospel passage states that there are many other things that Jesus did, but that all the books in the world could not contain them. This gives us some indication of the breadth and depth of Jesus’ actions (Ephesians 3:18). Today’s Gospel passage also puts us on guard against vain curiosity and vain speculation about the future. When Peter asks what will happen to John, Jesus tells him not to concern himself with this and that what is important is that Peter follow him. This does not mean that we shouldn’t care about others or their salvation. It is a reminder, though, that ultimately God is in charge and we only collaborate with God. If we are docile to his will, God will show us the path that leads to life in Christ. The Holy Spirit will guide us along that path that leads to salvation. We can also see today that, in Christ, God’s revelation is complete. God has said everything in his Word, Jesus Christ, and there will be no other word than this one. “No new public revelation is to be expected before the glorious manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Dei Verbum, 4). Even if Revelation is already complete, it has not been made completely explicit; it remains for the Christian faith gradually to grasp its full meaning over the course of the centuries (CCC, 66). Private revelations do not belong to the deposit of faith; they do not improve or complete Christ's definitive Revelation, but help to live more fully by it in a certain period of history (CCC, 67).
2. The Transmission of Divine Revelation: The Gospel was handed on to us orally and in writing: orally by the apostles who handed on what they received from the lips of Christ or at the prompting of the Holy Spirit; in writing by the apostles and others associated with the apostles who, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, committed the message of salvation to writing (CCC, 76). Sacred Scripture, then, is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit (Dei Verbum, 9). We welcome God's Revelation and respond to God in faith. Our faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ (Romans 10:17). This is why Paul asks in the Letter to the Romans: “How can we hear this word without a preacher and how can we preach without being sent?” Paul, we see in the First Reading, uses every opportunity to preach the Gospel of Christ. Before his journey to Rome, Paul defends himself before the Roman Governor Festus and King Herod Agrippa II and, during his defense, he challenges the king to respond to his message that Jesus is the Christ. If Herod believes in the prophets, then what does he say about their fulfillment in Jesus Christ? When Herod dodges the question, Paul says that he will pray to God for him to become a believer in Christ, for Paul desires the salvation of all who hear him.
3. Paul in Rome: After a very eventful trip, involving hurricane-force winds and a shipwreck on the Island of Malta, Paul arrived in Rome, where he was able to give witness to Christ for over two years. He was under house arrest during the first two years of his time in Rome but could receive visitors. He first encountered the Jewish leaders and explained why they should listen to him: “first, he remains a loyal Jew, having done nothing against his people or their ancestral customs; second, he is not a criminal by Roman standards, and for this reason the Romans wanted to release him; third, it was only because of objections to his release by Jews in Jerusalem that he was forced to appeal to Caesar” (Kurz, Acts of the Apostles, 382). Paul spends all day bearing witness to the Kingdom of God and trying to convince the Jews about Jesus. He shows how Jesus fulfills the entire Old Testament – the law of Moses and the Prophets. Some Jews were convinced; others were not. After preaching first to the Jews, Paul once again turns his attention to the Gentiles: “Let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.” During those two years under house arrest, Paul proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught all who came to him about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, your Apostles proclaimed your Gospel to the ends of the earth. They were faithful and endured persecution. They believed in you, hoped in your promises, and lived your charity. Help me to imitate them, proclaim the Gospel, and endure trials and suffering for the sake of your name.
Living the Word of God: As the Easter Season comes to an end, we thank God for all he has done for us through his Son Jesus Christ. We were poor and miserable and enslaved by sin. Now, our high priest, the Lamb of God, has released us and bestowed divine sonship and eternal life upon us. He intercedes for us in heaven before the Father and prepares a place for us in the Father’s house. Each day we are called to grow in our knowledge of God and love for him. We grow to the degree we allow God to reign in us and work in us and through us.
Saturday 7th of Easter - Encountering Christ:
What about Him: “Peter turned and saw the disciple” and he compared himself to John. He asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Why are we always concerned about what the other person receives, and whether or not we receive what we think we deserve from God? Peter and John were friends, and their friendship was built on their relationship with Christ. Peter took his eyes off Jesus and looked at John, “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 20:2). Peter might not have been jealous of John’s relationship with Christ, but he wanted to know what John’s path of discipleship would be. Sometimes a person becomes so familiar to us, we think we know who they are, and we judge them. Peter “saw” the disciple, and he thought he knew him. As Mother Mary Francis, PCC, says in But I Have Called You Friends, friendship begins with respect, which comes from the Latin roots “to look again” (14), but often we fail to truly see them for who they are. “The trouble is that we think we know people, and we really don’t know them at all. So we must look again and again and then again and gradually we shall get to know these people…we shall never completely understand another person. This is part of the wonder of Christ” (15-16).
You Follow Me: John’s path of discipleship would be different than Peter’s. “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours?” Why do some seem to have an easier path than others? The story of the soul who wanted to trade in his cross for a lighter one is a good reminder. No sooner had his guardian angel taken him to the place with crosses, he saw giant tree limbs, huge iron bars, and then he found a light cross made of a couple of twigs. “I’ll take this one!” he cried. His guardian angel replied, “This is the cross you already carry.” Our cross is tailor-made to fit our shoulders, and we have to trust that God knows what he is doing. This boring desk job, the teenager who won’t answer when I ask about her day, the wife who stares at her Instagram, the husband who works late, the disease that is slowly progressing—these crosses are given lovingly by Our Lord who gives us the grace to embrace them, carry them, grow into them.
His Testimony Is True: John asserted the truth at the end of his Gospel. He bore witness to Christ by his word and by his life. Truth can often be a fuzzy notion. When a wife asks her husband if her jeans are flattering, the best answer is always “Yes.” But Jesus is more concerned about our hearts, and if we are being faithful to ourselves and the truth that is in us. He has given us a mission and everyone is different. He called most of the Apostles to martyrdom but John lived out his life on the island of Patmos, where he composed the Book of Revelation. They were all faithful to Christ’s call to testify to the truth until the end of their days on earth.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, you know I sometimes fail to love those closest to me, those I live with, and those in my own family. Help me to be a voice of encouragement to those around me.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will support someone who is struggling to live his or her vocation by sending them a note or giving a word of encouragement.
Thứ Bẩy sau tuần thứ 7 Phục Sinh
Suy Niệm đoạn kết Tin Mừng thánh Gioan (John 21:20-25) ,
Trong bài đọc thứ nhất, chúng ta được nghe việc Thánh Phaolô đến Rome trong xích sắt và gông cùm. Trong thời gian ở đó, Thánh Phaolô đã tìm cách để gặp gỡ những người La Mã gốc Do Thái để giải thích trường hợp của mình với họ. Ngay cả trong hoàn cảnh khó khăn, Phaolô đã nắm lấy cơ hội để rao giảng Tin Mừng của Chúa Giêsu Kitô cho người Do Thái ở đó. Trong đoạn kết của Tin mừng theo Thánh Gioan hôm nay cho chúng ta thấy ông Phêrô nóng lòng muốn biết số phận của người mộn đệ Chúa yêu, Nhưng Chúa Giêsu nói với Phêrô là đừng quan tâm việc đó, vì việc đó chẳng có liên quan gì tới Phêrô cả, Việc của Phêrô là “hãy theo Chúa”. Phêrô và Phaolô cà hai đều là những Tông đồ cao cả của Chúa Kitô, Nhưng hãy coi sự khác biệt giữa hai người:
- Phaolô gặp Chúa Kitô trên đường đến Damascus để bắt đạo. Ông đã hứa hoàn toàn theo Chúa Kitô. Tất cả cuộc sống của ông đã mong muốn và dành cho việc rao giảng về Chúa Giêsu kitô và sự cứu rỗi của Ngài.
- Mặt khác, còn Phêrô lúc nào cũng lúng túng và loạng choạng trong những ngày theo làm môn đệ của Chúa. Có những lúc chúng ta nghĩ rằng Phêrô làm được việc, nói đúng ý Chúa thì ngay lúc ấy ông lại nói sai hoặc làm điều làm mất lòng Chúa. Tuy nhiên, theo thời gian, nhờ ân sủng Chúa ban, Phêrô đã lớn lên và trưởng thành trong đức tin và trở thành vị lãnh đạo thực sự của Giáo Hội ban đầu theo như ý của Chúa.
---- Là môn đệ của Chúa Kitô, chúng ta sẽ không bao giờ và không thế nào có thể giống nhau hoàn toàn,.Mỗi người chúng ta đều có cái độc đáo riệng, có mỗi cá tính và sự suỹ nghĩ riêng, khác nhau. Vì thế Đức Kitô mời gọi chúng ta theo Chúa vì cái bản chất riêng, hay năng khiếu riêng của mỗi người.Như vậy, chúng ta không có sự so sánh giữa mình với những người khác hoặc các sứ vụ và thiên chức của họ. Chúa Giêsu mời gọi chúng ta theo Ngài, theo kế hoạch riêng mà Ngài dành cho chúng ta. Chúng ta phải dành nhiều thời giờ cầu nguyện để xin ơn Chúa thánh thần soi sáng để biết thánh ý Chúa cho cuộc sống của chúng ta hơn là chúng ta phải quá bận tâm để so sánh hay phân bì về những gì người khác đang làm hoặc không làm cho Chúa
Saturday 7th of Easter 2024
Just before the beginning of today's Gospel, Jesus says to Peter, "Follow me." Peter starts walking behind Jesus. His mind should be focused on "follow me," on discipleship, but it's wandering. Jesus had just confirmed Peter's appointment as chief shepherd of his flock and had hinted Peter would die a martyr. So as he's walking behind Jesus, Peter looks back at John and asks Jesus, "What about John? What's going to happen to him?" Jesus is a bit short-tempered with Peter, "That's none of your business, Peter, your business is to follow me."
Peter has fallen into a very common human failing: not looking at oneself to find worth and value, but looking to another person as a point of comparison against which to measure one's own worth. It didn't matter that Peter and John were to die different types of death. That one was to die a violent death and the other was to live a long life and come to his end in peace, did not make the two apostles rivals in honor or prestige nor did it make the one greater or less than the other. If each of them followed the path Jesus assigned to him, both would be his servants, his disciples.
This is the source of our glory: not being greater than other men or women, but being in the service of the Lord in whatever capacity he has allotted to each of us. Let's ask ourselves today: Do we find our glory in the service of Christ, or do we insist that our worth can be determined only by how we measure up against the success of others in Christ's service
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