Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần thứ 6 Phục Sinh

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần thứ 6 Phục Sinh

Tin Mừng này hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu nói về sự xuất hiện của Chúa Thánh Thần, Đấng an ủi chúng ta. Chúa Thánh Thần chỉ có thể đến khi Chúa Giêsu đã được lên trời. Đó là việc rất tốt lành mà Chúa Kitô đã để lại cho chúng ta, bởi vì không có sự ra đi của Ngài, Ngài không thể sai Chúa Thánh Thần đến với chúng ta. Chúng ta có thể thấy rằng Đức Chúa Thánh Thần vẫn luôn tồn tại với chúng ta tới ngày nay bởi vì chúng ta thấy bảy ơn thánh của Chúa Thánh Thần đang sống trong chúng ta. Tất cả chúng ta có thể nhận được những ơn Chúa Thánh Thần như là những thành quả của sự khôn ngoan, ơn hiểu biết, ơn biết lo liệu, ơn Sức Mạnh, ơn Thông minh, ơn đạo đức, và ơn Kính sợ hãi Thiên Chúa. Những ơn này giúp chúng ta được sống hạnh phúc với Thiên Chúa. Tất cả những việc làm tốt của chúng ta có mục tiêu mang đến sự vinh quang không phải là cho chính bản thân mình hay cho một người nào khác, nhưng là đem sự vinh quang cho Thiên Chúa. Chúa Giêsu Kitô đã sống cuộc sống con người của Ngài trong thế giới của chúng ta là để tôn vinh Thiên Chúa. Và Thiên Chúa cũng sẽ tôn vinh Chúa Kitô trong việc Ngài đã sống lại từ cõi chết. Đó là sự thống nhất hoàn hảo và hiệp thông với Chúa Cha, Chúa Con và Chúa Thánh Thần. Thiên Chúa Ba Ngôi cùng làm việc với nhau trong sự hiệp nhất vì lợi ích của con người chúng ta.
 
Reflection:  Acts 17:15, 22-18:1 / Ps 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14 / Jn 16: 12-15  
This Gospel speaks about the arrival of the Paraclete. The Holy Spirit can come only when Jesus would have ascended. It is for our own good that Christ has to leave us, because without his departure, he cannot send us the Holy Spirit. We can see that the Holy Spirit exists today because we see the seven fruits of the Holy Spirit alive around us. We can all receive see the fruits of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord to help us be happy with the Lord. All our good deeds have the ultimate goal to give glory not to others or ourselves, but to God. Christ lived his life on earth for this moment - to give glory to God.  And God glorified Christ in return by resurrecting Him from the dead. There is a perfect unity and communion with Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  The Holy Trinity acts together for our benefit.   
 
Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.”  John 16:12–13
This passage still rings true for all of us today. God wants to reveal to us, within the depths of our consciences, the deepest, most profound and transforming truths that flow from the mind of the Father in Heaven. But we cannot bear it all now. Not fully. And eternity will be spent continually deepening our understanding of all that God reveals. And the process of this ongoing and deepening discovery will fill us with an ongoing and deepening joy. This will be our Heaven, but it must begin now.
First of all, it’s important to understand that God does “have much more to tell you.” Interestingly, coming to know how much you do not already know is itself a form of knowledge. Knowing that there is so much more, that God’s wisdom is infinitely beyond you, that the mind of God compared to yours is incomparable is itself a beautiful truth that must be understood. This truth should both humble you and also fill you with a holy awe of God and the infinite depth of wisdom, truth, beauty and glory contained within Him. This is an essential first step.
Furthermore, by saying that “you cannot bear it now” does not mean that you should not try to bear more and more of the truth that God wants to reveal. In fact, it’s a form of invitation, in that it indicates that there will come a time when you will be able to comprehend more. This should once again foster a hope and anticipation for all that remains hidden to be revealed. Humility in the face of the infinite God is necessary for growth in wisdom and knowledge of God.
How does this growth in wisdom and the knowledge of God happen? It happens by the power and working of the Holy Spirit. It is the “Spirit of truth” who will “guide you to all truth.” But even this statement, once again, implies that this is a process. It is the Spirit Who will “guide” you. And this guidance will continue throughout this life and on into eternity.
This teaching of our Lord begs the question: Have you begun the process? Have you begun to allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into the truth? Have there been concrete moments in your life when you came to know God in a new and profound way that could only have been possible by the power and working of God Himself?
Reflect, today, upon these essential questions. If you have had God the Holy Spirit speak clearly to You, then humble yourself before that truth. Pray for more wisdom and more knowledge of all that you do not know. And if you cannot relate to the idea of there being so much more that is beyond you, then humbly turn to our Lord and beg Him to begin to open your mind to all that He wants to say to you. The infinite mind of our God awaits you to be discovered and embraced. Begin the process today and let Him guide you into all truth.
God of all truth, You, Your wisdom, Your love and all of Your glorious attributes are infinite in nature and are beyond my complete comprehension. As I humble myself before these holy truths, dear Lord, please bestow upon me the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, so that I may open my mind more fully to You by Your grace. May the process of deep discovery be one of great joy and become for me a process that continues into eternity. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday, 6th Week of Easter 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I praise you for who you are and thank you for all you have done for me. You have created all things and guide them carefully to their ultimate end. You sent your Son to redeem me and your Spirit to sanctify me. You have done marvelous things and show, in all things, your love and mercy.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Guiding Spirit: The Gospel reminds us that it is the Holy Spirit who will guide us to all truth. When we reject the Spirit’s guidance we abuse our freedom. However, when we allow ourselves to be guided by the Spirit we are truly free. Just as the Holy Spirit was at work in Paul’s ministry and preaching, the Spirit can also work in us and through us. Ultimately, this world was created for the glory of God. It is not the result of chaos or just one more world in a never-ending series. By allowing the Holy Spirit into our lives we share in the glory of the Son and of the Father
2. Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica and Beroea: The First Reading takes place during Paul’s Second Missionary Journey (A.D. 50-52). The Acts of the Apostles tells us that Paul left the city of Philippi and made his way with Silas and Timothy down to Thessalonica, the provincial capital of Macedonia. Paul preached there in the synagogue for three weeks, proving first that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead, and second that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. Some of the Jews and many devout Gentiles were persuaded by his argument, but the Jews, unfortunately, became envious of the new Gentile converts and attacked the house of Jason, who had received the missionaries into his home (Acts 17:7). Like the previous episode in Philippi, the accusation before the city authorities of Thessalonica against Paul appeals to Roman sensibilities. Jesus, we recall, was brought before Pilate and was accused of presenting himself as a king in opposition to Caesar: “We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king” (Luke 23:2). In Philippi, the people accused Paul of promoting customs unlawful for Romans (Acts 16:21). Now, in Thessalonica, Paul is accused of “acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus” (Acts 17:7). Paul and Silas escaped from Thessalonica by night and went to Beroea, where they preached in the synagogue (Acts 17:10). Once again, the Jews from Thessalonica became envious of the Gentile converts, and they stirred up the crowd against Paul, who had to flee by boat to Athens. Paul wrote two letters to the Thessalonians. The first letter manifests Paul’s concern for the recent converts to the faith, who were left alone to face persecution. “Absent in person and eager to return (3:10), Paul sent the epistle in his place to strengthen them through these difficult times (3:3-5), to encourage them to be chaste and charitable (4:1-12), and to console the bereaved among them with the hope of resurrection (4:13-14)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 371). Paul’s second letter corrects some misunderstandings about Christ’s return.
3. Paul in Athens: In Athens, Paul preached not only in the local synagogue on the Sabbath but also daily in the public square (Acts 17:17), where he had to contend with people belonging to two schools of philosophy in Athens: the Epicureans and the Stoics. On the one hand, the Epicureans did not believe in an afterlife – death is annihilation for them – and held that the world was formed by atoms moving about in a void. The only thing valuable for an Epicurean was pleasure and securing whatever leads to pleasure. The Stoics, on the other hand, held that everything was material and composed of fire, even God. God, for the Stoics, is the primal fire and pervades the entire world. They thought that all things return to the primal fire and this return gives rise to another world identical in every way to the previous worlds. This process never ends and man, after death, continues to exist until his return to the primal fire. Man is encouraged by the Stoics to live according to his rational nature and the laws of the universe, battle against his passions, and find happiness in virtue for the sake of duty. Paul’s approach with the Jews in the synagogues was to show them that Jesus is the Messiah and the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. He takes a different approach with the Gentile philosophers and begins by presenting his doctrine about God, who is the Creator of this world and the source of all life. God, Paul argues, is not material or the primal fire. He is immaterial and spiritual and does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands. God doesn’t lack or need anything. Human beings come from God and are not the result of a chaotic mix of atoms (according to the Epicureans) or a fiery process of the universe (according to the Stoics). God directs and orders both the world and man, so that man will seek after him freely. Paul proclaims that the time of ignorance about the world, man, and God is over, since all truth has been revealed in and through a man whom God appointed and confirmed by raising him from the dead. Things were going well for Paul until he mentioned the resurrection of Jesus. Although some in the crowd, like Dionysius, accepted the faith, the majority of the Epicureans and Stoics could not accept Paul’s doctrine about life after death. They were slow to raise their minds to heavenly things, preferred a purely material explanation of the world, and placed pleasure or virtuous duty as their ultimate happiness. They rejected that man’s true delight is in God alone and did not see that human virtue is not enough for true happiness. Our true happiness, seeing God face to face, is a gift, not a human conquest. This eternal life begins in us in this life through faith, hope, and love.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the true philosopher and lover of wisdom. You teach the truth about all things and the path that leads to true happiness. Welcome me into your school of wisdom and let me learn from you each day.
Living the Word of God: What do I place my happiness in? What do I pursue most in this short life? Money? Possessions? Health? Pleasure? Honor? Seeing the Face of God? How can I correct my pursuit of ultimate happiness?
 
Wednesday, 6th Week of Easter
Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, I come to you in prayer today to encounter you in all your majesty. Open my heart that I may learn from you, get to know you better, and love you more so as to serve you always.
Encountering Christ:
Let Me Introduce You: Yesterday in the Gospel, Jesus was saying farewell to his disciples and today he gave them these comforting words. He introduced his disciples (and us) to the great mystery of the Trinity. Three in one, one in three, what an unfathomable truth! In his great gentleness, Jesus fed us slowly in these verses. We have so much to learn about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Let us keep our hearts open to this pure love and seek to learn more.
The Perfect Guide: The Holy Spirit wants to guide us in truth. It can be difficult to listen in the noisy world in which we live. Devoted time to prayer can help us be less anxious about the things that are to come. With open hearts, let us listen and rely on the truths that the Holy Spirit, that sweet guest of our souls, is whispering to us and wanting us to share with the world which so desperately needs truth.
Generosity: Jesus is never outdone in generosity! Jesus gave us everything that the Father gave to him—everything: our life, our baptism, the Eucharist, our families. How often do we sit and ponder with Our Lord the greatness of his gifts? How can we show our appreciation? How do we receive such great gifts? Love, love, love!
Conversing with Christ: Father, Son, Holy Spirit–Holy Trinity–thank you for this time. Thank you for opening my mind and my heart to experience this pure love, this pure gift of yourself. May I rest and be at peace knowing you are always with us. Open our hearts to this great truth!
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will make a visit to Our Lord in the Eucharist, pondering and giving thanks for The Holy Trinity.
 
Wednesday, 6th Week of Easter: 29th May 2019
Acts 17:15,22-18:1; Jn. 16:12-15
Paul gained the attention of the Athenians by pointing out their statue to an unknown god; something familiar to his audience. Paul was able to use this as a stepping-off point to explain how God, the Creator of the universe and the giver of life to every creature, remained close to each person. Paul spoke in ways that would be understood by his pagan audience. He did not quote Scripture that would be unfamiliar to the Athenians.
Like Paul, when we speak to people about God, we need to use words and images that they will understand. We need to speak clearly and gently for we are not trying to impress with our knowledge; we are asking God to use us to speak to the hearts of others.
There were some things that the disciples would not understand before Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus promised them the Holy Spirit, who would be able to guide them “into all the truth”. Jesus explained that the Father had belonged to him too. Whatever the Holy Spirit told the disciples would be from the Father through Jesus.
There would be a direct communication line from the Father to the disciples through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. How amazing that must have seemed to the disciples! And how amazing it is for us to realize that, if we are open to the Holy Spirit, we have access to God’s message to each of us. Lord, help me to listen to the Holy Spirit