Suy Niệm bài đọc thứ Tư tuần thứ 9 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm bài đọc thứ Tư tuần thứ 9 Thường Niên Scripture: Mark 12:18-27

Cuộc sống hiện tại có thể sẽ mang lại cho chúng ta những cú sốc tàn phá và những gánh nặng đau đớn. Nhiều người trong chúng ta có ít nhất một lần bị cú sốc quá đau đớn đến nổi la chỉ có muốn được chết thôi. Ngay cả cái chết nhiều khi có vẻ như là một sự lựa chọn hấp dẫn hơn là phải tiếp tục sự đau khổ. Nhưng Thiên Chúa còn vĩ đại hơn là bất cứ một sự đau khổ nào mà con người đã phải nhận. Vì Thiên Chúa rất vô cùng rộng lượng và luôn thương xót.
            Như bài đọc trong sách Tôbia, ông Tobit không thể chịu đựng được cái cảnh mù loà của mình nữa và Sarah cũng đã bị  áp đảo tinh thần bởi cái chết liên tiếp của bảy người chồng ngay trong đêm tân hôn.  Cả hai đã cầu mong cho cái chết để cứu vãn sự đau khổ  của họ, nhưng cả hai cuối cùng quay trở lại với Thiên Chúa. Ông Tobit đã được khôi phục và sáng mắt, Còn Sarah đã được cứu sống bởi Tobia và cuối cùng đã kết hôn với anh ta. Cuối cùng, họ đã ca ngợi Thiên Chúa vì lòng thương xót và lòng từ bi mà họ đã được chứng minh.
            Đây là một lời nhắc nhở cho chúng ta biết là không nên dễ chán nãn bỏ cuộc hay đầu hàng bóng tối và sự tiêu cực. Sự đau khổ của con người không phải là ý muốn của Chúa, và Thiên Chúa luôn hiện diện nơi chúng ta để ban cho chúng ta lòng can đảm, niềm hy vọng, và sự chữa lành.             Chúng ta cần phải mở rộng tâm hồn và trái tim của chúng ta cho một cái gì đó to lớn hơn. Sự sống đời đời chắc chắn còn to lớn hơn những gì mà chúng ta có thể tưởng tượng và chúng ta không nên nghĩ về sự sống đời đời của chúng ta theo ý nghĩa hay điều kiện của con người trần thế. Có lẽ chúng ta có thể cho phép Thiên Chúa đến với chúng ta một cách bất ngờ và thách thức chúng ta trong việc trả lời câu hỏi về đức tin của chúng ta.  Lạy Chúa, xin mở rộng long trí và trái tim của của chúng con.
 
Reflection SG
Life can bring us some devastating blows and painful burdens. Many people have at one time or another reached their limit and longed to have their life end. Even death sometimes seems a more attractive option than continued misery and suffering.  But God is greater than any human suffering and God is infinitely merciful. Tobit could not stand his blindness any longer and Sarah was overwhelmed by the death of seven consecutive husbands on her wedding night.
Both longed for death to give them relief, but both ultimately turned to God. Tobit had his sight restored and Sarah was rescued by Tobias and finally married to him. In the end, they praised God for the mercy and compassion they had been shown.
            It is a reminder to us not to give up or to surrender to darkness and negativity. Human pain and misery is not God’s will, and God is always present to grant us courage, hope, and healing. The Sadducees tried to trap Jesus with a trick question about a woman married to seven different brothers.  He replied that they knew neither the Scriptures nor the power of God — their question showed ignorance and a lack of religious imagination. Life in God’s Kingdom is not just a continuation of our earthly life.
            We need to open our minds and hearts to something far greater — eternal life is greater than we can ever imagine and we should not think of it in earthly terms. Perhaps we can allow God to surprise and challenge us in answering our religious questions.  Lord, expand my mind and heart.
 
Wednesday 9^th Ordinary Time 2023
Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers…” Mark 12:18–20
And these Sadducees then go on to present to Jesus a long and unlikely hypothetical scenario in which this woman eventually married all seven brothers after each one died. And at the conclusion of their hypothetical situation, the Sadducees ask Jesus, “At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be?” Of course, Jesus offers them the correct answer and then also states something interesting. He tells the Sadducees that they “are greatly misled.” Just prior to this conversation with the Sadducees, the Pharisees had presented their own question to Jesus in an attempt to trap Him. The difference seems to be that the Sadducees had more sincerity in their pursuit of the truth whereas the Pharisees were more obsessed with their own authority and power.
The Sadducees were considered the more traditional of the religious leaders, in that they accepted only the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament, as authentically revealed. They also did not accept the afterlife or the resurrection of the dead because they believed that the Torah did not explicitly teach those things. The Pharisees not only accepted the Torah but also the rest of what is contained in the Old Testament. The Pharisees also accepted what was referred to as the “tradition of the elders,” which meant that they paid much attention to the scrupulous multiplication of laws and regulations that other Pharisees devised, and they sought to impose those man-made laws upon the people.
In this Gospel passage, the problem with the Sadducees seems to be scrupulosity and rigidity in their approach to the faith. They clearly relied upon human reason, and they applied their human reason to the Torah. And though human reason and logical deduction are helpful and necessary in life, they attempted to solve every matter of faith by their own effort by narrowly and rigidly interpreting the Torah. They did not allow themselves to be open to the deeper wisdom of God that floods one’s human reason when one is attentive to divine inspiration and revelation. Instead, they were black and white in all of their deductions and practices. This rigidity left them “greatly misled.”
In our own lives, we can also become greatly misled when we use the gift of our human reason in a rigid and narrow way. We must never overly simplify the faith, and we must never think that we will easily be able to arrive at all the answers by our own effort. Our constant goal must be to allow our minds to become fully immersed in the deepest wisdom of God and all that He has revealed. The teachings of the Church will guide us, keeping us on the straight path, but it will be the voice of God, speaking to our minds in a real and personal way, that will help us to understand the depth and breadth of God’s Will, His Truth, and Wisdom.
Reflect, today, upon any tendency you have to be like these Sadducees. Are you rigid? Or narrow minded? Do you allow yourself to be misled into thinking you have all the answers? If so, seek humility. Humble yourself before the awesome mysteries of Heaven. Use your mind to probe the truths that God has revealed and be ready to be drawn deeper and deeper into the life of God Himself.
My Lord of infinite wisdom, You are Truth Itself, and You continually reveal Yourself to us. Give me the humility I need to always be open to all divine Truth in my life so that I will come to know You and Your holy will as You desire. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday 9^th Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I believe in your power to raise me to new life. I have already begun to experience your eternal life through Baptism. Teach me each day to share more deeply in your life, in the life of your Son, and in the life of the Spirit.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Sadducees and the Second Test: In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is demonstrating his authority as the Son of David and the New Solomon. He demonstrates divine wisdom and passes each of the tests put forth by the religious authorities. Yesterday, the Pharisees and Herodians asked him a difficult question about earthly, political authority. Today, the Sadducees ask Jesus a difficult question about marriage and eternal life. “The Sadducees were an elite and powerful party within Judaism, consisting of the priestly aristocracy, their families, and supporters. … They had more lenient religious views than the Pharisees, accepting only the Torah (not the Prophets or Psalms) as sacred Scripture, and rejecting traditions that had arisen more recently in Judaism, such as belief in angels, spirits, and the resurrection from the dead (see Acts 23:6-10)” (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 243).
2. Understanding the Power of God and the Scriptures: On the one hand, Jesus tells the Sadducees that their denial of the resurrection from the dead shows that they do not understand the power of God. They do not know that God has the power to restore the dead to life and transform our existence. The Sadducees think that those who hold that there is life after death think that it is a continuation of earthly life. Jesus teaches them that life after death will be different. We will not become angels, since angels are pure spirits and do not have bodies, but will be like the angels and enjoy a glorious and eternal existence. “With this answer Jesus affirms several points denied by the Sadducees: life after death, bodily resurrection, and the existence of angels” (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 244). On the other hand, the Sadducees, by denying life after death, do not understand the Scriptures. Although Jesus could have quoted passages from Wisdom or Maccabees that speak about our life after death, Jesus acquiesces to the fact that the Sadducees only accept the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) and demonstrates the existence of life after death by quoting from the Book of Exodus. Jesus points out that when God reveals himself and his name to Moses, he reveals that he is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This means that the three Patriarchs of Israel continue to have a relationship with God even after their death. The Lord is the God of the living and will bestow eternal life on the elect.
3. Paul’s Last Will and Testament: The First Reading is taken from Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy. Paul is in prison and writes a farewell message to his closest and beloved disciple, Timothy. It reads a last will and testament. It is appropriate to read this letter together with the Gospel of Mark, chapter 12, since Jesus is also preparing his disciples for his passing. The letter 
“is a moving account of how Paul, like a runner crossing the finish line, has reached the end of his apostolic career, with only the crown of martyrdom awaiting him (4:6-9). Young Timothy, instructed by the apostle for more than 15 years, is now asked to take up the mantle of his mentor and continue his ministry of preaching.. With death at his doorstep, Paul hurriedly sends a letter filled with fatherly wisdom and warnings to prepare Timothy for the struggles ahead” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 395). Paul reminds Timothy of the two graces he has received. First, Timothy received the grace (gift) of priestly ministry through the laying on of hands (2 Timothy 1:6). Second, Timothy received the grace of salvation that makes us and enables us to be holy (2 Timothy 1:9).
“is a moving account of how Paul, like a runner crossing the finish line, has reached the end of his apostolic career, with only the crown of martyrdom awaiting him (4:6-9). Young Timothy, instructed by the apostle for more than 15 years, is now asked to take up the mantle of his mentor and continue his ministry of preaching.. With death at his doorstep, Paul hurriedly sends a letter filled with fatherly wisdom and warnings to prepare Timothy for the struggles ahead” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 395). Paul reminds Timothy of the two graces he has received. First, Timothy received the grace (gift) of priestly ministry through the laying on of hands (2 Timothy 1:6). Second, Timothy received the grace of salvation that makes us and enables us to be holy (2 Timothy 1:9).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I do not want to be misled like the Sadducees. Expose the lies of the devil that I am living or have accepted. Correct my thinking. Grant me a true conversion of heart. I want to think as you do and see the world through your eyes.
Living the Word of God: If you were to write a letter, a last will and testament, to your spouse and family, what would you write? What have you learned in your life that you would want to impart? What changes should you make today to live a better life and give a better example?
 
Wednesday 9^th Ordinary Time 2023
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I come before you humbly. As one who has frequently fallen into sin, I know my weakness. Your great love assures me that your grace can keep me on the path to holiness.
Petition: Lord, let me imitate you better in my dealings with my loved ones.
1. If We Only Understood the Power of God: We can be like the Sadducees. It's not that we deny the resurrection of the dead. But we can live as if we don't believe in the power of God. A rash of bad news can leave us on the verge of despair. We might ask: What's the use? Evil seems to be winning on all sides. Families are breaking down. Pornography is rife. Materialism is rampant. Yet, the Almighty remains in charge. "Evil does not have the last word in the world," said Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI on Dec. 22, 2005. We, Christians, are called to be witnesses to hope and joy. Does our life radiate joy? If not, why not?
2. Reading the Scriptures: The study of Scripture is, as it were, the "soul of sacred theology," says Vatican II (see Dei Verbum, 24). Our Lord, in effect, tells the Sadducees: "Because you don't know Scripture, you don't know me. You don't know what I'm about, my message of mercy, my call to repentance, my invitation to seek out the lost sheep." So many of Christ's supposed followers spend their time criticizing the Church, the hierarchy, the parish, and the school. They forget that Christ calls them to build up, not to tear down. If only they knew him better in Scripture. Where do I spend most of my energy day by day? Building up the Church and the community? Or nitpicking at the faults of its members?
3. Like the Angels in Heaven: Marriage is beautiful. It is a sacrament, and an icon, so to speak, of the inner life of the Trinity. But it can bring only relative happiness, at best. Its more transcendent goal is to lead spouses to heaven. In this world, expecting too much of a spouse (or anyone, for that matter) courts disappointment. Humans have weaknesses. Yet, they have their greatness, too. Could not that spouse, that family member, that colleague be saints despite their flaws? Do we see those around us as potential saints? Do we encourage them in their path?
Conversation with Christ: Lord, help me see the greatness in people, their good qualities, and their potential to be apostles. Let me see, too, how I can help them along the path to holiness.
Resolution: Today, I will compliment someone on their genuine virtue.
 
Wednesday 9^th Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I come before you in prayer. I am grateful for this opportunity. Thank you for your willingness to listen to me. Help me to be confident in what I ask from you and attentive to what you tell me. Increase my love for you so that my deepest desire is simply to do what you ask of me. 
Encountering Christ:
“Whose Wife Will She Be?”: “For all seven had been married to her.” In the art of debate, one of the tools employed is the reduction to absurdity; that is, you take the other person’s argument to an extreme to show that if their argument were true, it would lead to consequences patently absurd or contradictory, and thereby false. However, this approach is often reduced to the mere mockery of someone’s argument. That is what the Sadducees attempted with Our Lord. They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, so to disprove arguments for the afterlife, they thought of a ridiculous example. It was not enough to raise their objection with the example of two brothers having married the woman, but seven. Theirs was more of a “gotcha” question; they seemed little open to an answer.
“Are You Not Misled?”: Jesus’s humility and concern for souls shone forth in his encounters with his enemies. Although keenly aware of their insincerity and verbal traps, he nevertheless took their questions at face value in order to teach them and lead them to conversion. He ignored the mockery and instructed their ignorance: “When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven” (Matthew 7:29). Jesus teaches as one with authority. He provided us with a profound pedagogical lesson. Whenever there is a question about the faith, even if couched in ridicule, we have an opportunity to give an answer. We should do so with as much clarity and charity as possible. Our confidence lies not so much in our delivery, important as that is, but in the power of truth and the subsequent work of the Holy Spirit. 
God of the Living: Our Lord revealed a profound truth that goes to the heart of the Sadducees’ disbelief in the resurrection of the dead, starting with what they did believe. They believed in God and in his revelation to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They believed that God spoke to Moses. Therefore, if they believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they implicitly believed in man’s everlasting life. Jesus told them that God still “is” the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, not “was.” Therefore, not only does God still exist, but so do Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God is God of the living. God is the very source of life. God is never “stuck” in the past. Death does not have the last word with God. Our Lord’s Resurrection will make this truth even more abundantly clear.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus Christ, with the aid of your Holy Spirit and the guidance of the Magisterium, continue to lead me from my errors and confusion into all truth (John 16:13). However, I want more than simply seeing clearly; help me to grow in my personal relationship with you. Increase my faith so that I may see your hand at work in even the smallest details of my daily life: a sunset, a flower, a child’s smile. May I have the humility to realize that I still have much to learn about my faith, and the generosity to share the truth about you with others.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will read from either Scripture or the Catechism and then share what I learned with someone else.