Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần thứ 7 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần thứ 7 Thường Niên (Mark 9:38-49)
Có bao giờ chúng ta cảm thấy phấn khởi, vui mừng  khi chúng ta thấy những điều tốt lành mà người khác đã làm gì? Tin Mừng hôm nay cho chúng ta thấy, Chúa Giêsu đã khiển trách các môn đệ về sự ghen tuông và lòng ngờ vực của họ. Họ cảm thấy phật lòng và buồn khi thấy có người không phải là người trong nhóm của họ đã làm được những việc tốt lành vì danh Chúa Giêsu Kitô. Không những thế, các môn đệ thậm hậm chí còn " ngăn cấm " người ấy nữa. ( “bởi vì người ấy không cùng trong nhóm chúng ta " ).
            Chúa Giêsu đã trách họ một cách khéo léo: " Không ai lấy danh nghĩa Thầy mà làm phép lạ, rồi ngay sau đó quay lại có thể nói xấu Thầy. " Có phải chúng ta cũng giống như các môn đệ của Chúa hôm nay?. khi chúng ta buồn bã, bực bội vì những người khác (dù thấp bé hơn chúng ta nhưng) đã làm những việc tốt lành hơn, và được nhiểu người nghe theo và mến chuộng hơn chúng ta?        
         Thánh Phaolô nói rằng "tình yêu và đức mến thì nhẫn nhục, hiền hậu, không ghen tương, không vênh vang, không tự đắc, không làm điều bất chính, không tư lợi, không nóng giận, không nuôi hận thù, không mừng khi thấy sự gian ác, nhưng vui khi thấy điều chân thật " (1 Cor 13:4,6 ) .
Đố kỵ và ghen ghét, là đối tác của đức mến. Đó là tội lỗi vì chúng đưa chúng ta đến sự ghen tương và phiền muộn về những việc mà đáng lẽ ra phải làm cho chúng ta vui mừng. Lý do mà chúng ta có thể lo buồn vì những sự tốt lành của người khác làm là vì chúng ta thấy cứ sợ rằng việc tốt lành của người đó sẽ làm giảm giá trị việc đã làm của chúng ta hay làm giảm đi sự xuất sắc của chúng ta và làm cho chúng bị “quê mặt” với người chung quanh hay vì cái “TÔI” bị mất giá hay thua kém kém người khác… . Đố kỵ và ghen tương được thành hình  trong tâm hồn chúng ta khi chúng ta nghĩ rằng ưu điểm hay quyền lợi của người khác đã làm giảm đi cái y tín của mình  hay đem lại sự ô nhục cho chúng ta. Đố kỵ, ghen tương luôn luôn  là sự trái nghịch với đức mến và không  có  tình yêu.
 Làm thế nào chúng ta có thể vượt qua đựợc sự đố kỵ và ghen tương đó ? Với tình yêu mà Thiên Chúa đã đưa vào trong tâm hồn chúng ta qua những ân sũng của Chúa Thánh Thần (Rm 5:5) . Chúa Thánh Thần sẽ thanh tẩy tâm hồn chúng ta và giải  thoát chúng ta thoát khỏi những đam mê tội lỗi đang làm chúng ta bị rối loạn, chẳng hạn như những sự đố kị, ghen tuông, tham lam, cay cú và  đắng cay. Tình yêu của Thiên Chúa là tình yêu quảng đại và vị tha và hướng tới mỗi người chúng ta một cách hoàn thiện.
         Lạy Chúa, xin Tình Yêu của Chúa thanh tẩy và giải thoát chúng con ra khỏi mọi sự đố kỵ và ghen ghét. Xin Chúa thương giúp chúng con biết vui mừng hơn khi thấy người chung quang của chúng con có sự tốt lành hơn chúng con và xin đừng để chúng con biết cay cú, đau buồn hay có sự ghen tương.
 
Wednesday 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Do you rejoice in the good that others do? Jesus reprimands his disciples for their jealousy and suspicion. They were upset that someone who was not of their company was performing a good work in the name of Jesus.
            They even “forbade” the man “because he was not following us”. Jesus’ reply is filled with wisdom: “No one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me.” Are we not like the disciples when we get upset at the good deeds of others who seem to shine more than us?
            Paul says that “love is not jealous... but rejoices in the right” (1 Cor 13:4,6). Envy and jealousy, its counterpart, are sinful because they lead us to sorrow over what should make us rejoice — namely, our neighbor’s good. The reason we may grieve over another’s good is that somehow we see that good as lessening our own value or excellence. Envy forms when we believe that the other person's advantage or possession diminishes or brings disgrace on us. Envy is contrary to love.
            How can we overcome envy? With the love that God has put into our hearts through the gift of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). The Holy Spirit purifies our heart and frees us from our disordered passions, such as envy, jealously, greed, and bitterness. God’s love is a generous and selfless love which is wholly oriented towards our good.  Lord, your love purifies and frees us from all envy and jealousy. Help us to rejoice over our neighbor’s good and not grieve over it.
 
Wednesday 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2024
John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him…” Mark 9:38–39
Why would John and the other disciples try to stop someone from driving out demons? To understand this, imagine the scene. John and the other disciples had come to believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah of God. They witnessed Him perform many miracles and change many lives. As a result, they no doubt wanted everyone to discover Who Jesus was and come to faith in Him. But then they encountered someone they did not know, who was driving out demons in Jesus’ name, and they tried to stop him.
Just prior to this passage, we read the story of a man who had brought his possessed son to Jesus’ disciples and asked them to cure the boy, but they were unable to do so. Perhaps the disciples were a bit humbled by their inability to cast out the demon, and then they witnessed another person, not of their company, who was able to cast out demons in Jesus’ name. This might have added to their feelings of weakness and humiliation, and perhaps that is part of their motivation for trying to stop the man from exercising authority in Jesus’ name.
One common temptation that the evil one issues upon the members of the Church is that of internal division. As followers of Christ, we are all entrusted with the same mission, in different ways. We are called to become instruments of God’s grace for the salvation of souls and the glory of God. But sometimes we fail to act in unison and, instead, see our co-workers as our opponents.
Within our Church today, there are plenty of internal divisions that must cease. Perhaps the best way to accomplish this is to make it a priority to focus upon mutual support. Instead of allowing pride to create jealousy toward those who perform “mighty deeds” by the grace of God, we must work to rejoice in every good that we see. This seems like an obvious statement, but pride and feelings of inadequacy are real temptations that lead us to look down upon those who accomplish the will of God in powerful ways. When we see someone doing something good, we often immediately think about ourselves, wishing we were the ones doing the good work. And when God uses another in a powerful way, we can easily be tempted to see our own inadequacies and failings, rather than glorifying God for the good deeds done by another.
Reflect, today, upon the simple truth that every Christian is on the same spiritual team. We are all called to work toward the goals of the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Try to humbly think about those in your life who do this well and consider your attitude toward them. If you see any form of jealousy, envy or criticism, commit to dispel those attitudes. Instead, seek to have gratitude as you rejoice in the many ways that God uses others for His purpose.
Lord of power and might, You accomplish countless good through the generosity and fidelity of Your people. You constantly use all who follow You to bring forth Your will. Please use me, dear Lord, as an instrument of Your will, and help me to always rejoice in the ways that You bring Your grace forth through others. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, enlighten my mind to know what I can do better, what I am doing wrong, and what I am failing to do. I choose to be on your side today, to imitate your Son, and to be guided by your Holy Spirit.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Salvation Comes to Us Through Christ: God’s will for us is salvation and holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:3). God’s will is that Jesus Christ, his only Son, would redeem us after the fall of Adam and Eve from grace and into sin. Jesus Christ is for us the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through him. This truth is recalled in the Gospel. Someone, who was not a follower of Jesus, was able to cast out demons by invoking and using Jesus’ name. This episode reminds us that all salvation comes through Jesus and his Church. Even though there are men and women outside the visible confines of the Church, they are directed and ordered to the Church, the Body of Christ. Every element of religious truth and holiness, found outside the visible Church, belongs in some mysterious way to Jesus Christ, who is the Truth. Jesus is the perfect Image of the Father, the Word of the Father, and the Son of the Father. All human beings are called to share in that image, in that knowledge, and in that sonship.
2. God is in Charge: In the First Reading, James invites us in his letter to reflect on our lives and understand that God is fully in charge. The rule and measure of our lives is not our will, but God’s will and divine plan. Despite our efforts, we really do not know what our lives will be like tomorrow. And if we look at the whole of our lives – 70, 80, 90 years – in the light of eternity then James’ teaching rings true: “You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears.” By recognizing that God watches over us and will guide us to salvation if we are humble, we see how foolish it is to trust in something other than God. The Psalmist sings that “the wicked trust in their wealth; the abundance of their riches is their boast.” However, they, like all men, will pass away and their wealth will not accompany them to the grave. The Psalmist also notes that man is incapable of redeeming himself. The price of redemption is too high. This truth opens up to the marvelous event of the incarnation: Jesus Christ, true God and true man, is able to pay the price and does, in fact, redeem all men. Jesus Christ himself was innocent and had no need of redemption; but as the innocent Lamb of God, he takes upon himself the filth of our sin.
3. Two Types of Sin: In his Letter, James mentions two types of sins. The first is that of pride, of boasting in arrogance, of choosing not to live according to God’s will. The second type of sin is more subtle: these are sins of omission. Sometimes we know what is right, yet we choose to do evil, committing venial or mortal sin. Other times we know what is right and we choose not to act, we do not do what is right, and commit sins of omission. At the beginning of Mass, we ask God for forgiveness both for the sins that we have committed and for what we have failed to do (sins of omission). The recognition of our sins of omission, should not lead us to scrupulousness or to despair. We know that we cannot redeem ourselves; for apart from Jesus we can do nothing. The recognition of sin is always an opportunity to implore God's mercy and entrust ourselves more fully to him.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are my savior. I cannot save myself no matter how hard I try. I need you. I cannot do anything meritorious without you. Show me how to work with you and your grace today so that I may come to enjoy eternal life with you and the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Living the Word of God: Do I truly act like God is in charge of my life and human history? Do I realize that God knows everything and guides all things? Where are the places of resistance to God’s will in my life? Where am I flourishing as an adopted child of God?
 
Wednesday 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2022
Opening Prayer:  Jesus, I am filled with gratitude for this time I have with you. I struggle to settle myself before you, but here I am, and I know you are here as well. As I recognize your presence, I am struck by your great love for me. You choose to be here for me. You want to know my thoughts and feelings, my worries and successes. I believe that you hear and answer me. I trust in your goodness and kindness; my life is in your hands. Thank you, Lord, for your love that allows me to love you in return.
Encountering Christ:
He Does Not Follow Us: Despite the fact that the individual casting out demons was doing something objectively good, the disciples were upset because he wasn’t part of their group but was using Jesus’ name. We can reflect on times when we have had a similar reaction. Perhaps we were in charge of a program in our parish and someone else started something that felt like competition. Perhaps someone new to the parish suggested unsolicited changes to my project. At such times we might have wished we could do things our way! What do we do when we feel this way? We look to Christ.
Do Not Stop Him: Jesus pointed out that if someone was acting in his name, that person could not speak against him. Collaboration rather than exclusivity is characteristic of the Kingdom. Collaboration requires that we be open to others and their ideas rather than being controlling or cliquish. In his first encyclical, Ad Petri Cathedram, the “Encyclical on Truth, Unity, and Peace, in a Spirit of Charity,” St. John XXIII wrote, “But the common saying, expressed in various ways and attributed to various authors, must be recalled with approval: in essentials, unity; in doubtful matters, liberty; in all things, charity” (n. 72). There are many ways to build the Kingdom, and we must be united in that essential purpose. In Apostolicam Actuositatem, the “Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity,” the Second Vatican Council emphasized, “There are many forms of the apostolate whereby the laity build up the Church, sanctify the world, and give it life in Christ” (n. 16). Encouraging the freedom that allows for legitimate diversity, and praying for those works of God that come through others as well as rejoicing in their successes, are ways we help build the Kingdom.
Whoever Is Not against Us Is for Us: Charity rejoices in others’ successes: “Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury…” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). Jesus asks us to put aside competition and comparison to appreciate and affirm the gifts and talents of others. When we collaborate in charity, we make Christ present in the world in a visible way, for charity is the mark of Christians: "This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). 
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, when I reflect on this Gospel, I feel challenged to look at the way I see others’ efforts. Sometimes I feel threatened by others’ giftedness, their new ideas, or their successes. This shows me how attached I am to my own self-importance and the ways that I have served you. Lord, help me to remember that you called me into existence and that you love me for myself, not for anything I do for you. Give me purity of intention so that I serve you wholeheartedly. Free me from seeking recognition or a personal sense of value in what I do rather than in your love alone, and help me love my brothers and sisters who are also working to build up the Kingdom.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will reach out to recognize and affirm someone in what he or she is doing to build up God’s Kingdom.