Với Đấng Kitô, không có ai là “người xa lạ”. Bất cứ ai xưng Chúa Kitô là Chúa và Thiên Chúa của họ, thì họ đã được liên kết với Chúa Kitô một cách đặc biệt. Đây là thông điệp chính trong bài đọc. Trong bài thứ Nhất, các Kitô hữu không phải người Do Thái đã được nhắc nhở rằng, bất chấp vị thế văn hóa hay xã hội của họ, nhưng vì đức hạnh và mối quan hệ của họ với Đức Kitô thì họ sẽ không còn là những kẻ xa lạ nữa. Thay vào đó, họ là những công dân, là đồng bào của Giáo Hội cùng với các Kitô hữu Do Thái. Cả hai đều có quyền bình đẳng và hoàn toàn là thành viên gia đình của Thiên Chúa.
Hình ảnh của một tòa nhà cho thấy sự thống nhất tồn tại giữa người ngoại và người Do Thái trong Giáo hội. Họ là những thành phần được các tông đồ và tiên tri kết tạo làm cấu trúc mà chính Chúa Kitô là nền tảng. Tòa nhà Giáo Hội đã được liên kết với nhau trong Chúa Kitô, phát triển thành một đền thánh, nơi Thiên Chúa ngự trong Thánh Linh.
Qua bài Tin Mừng, Ý tưởng, không có ai là “người xa lạ đối với Đấng Kitô”. Mặc dù ông Thomas là một tông đồ, nhưng ông Thomas là một “người xa lạ” bởi vì ông không trải nghiệm được những gì mà các tông đồ khác đã làm và đã được trải nghiệm. Đó là, sự xuất hiện của Đấng Kitô. Tuy nhiên, Chúa Giêsu không 'loại trừ' ông Thomas. Khi ông Thomas yêu cầu Chúa Giêsu đưa ra được bằng chứng là Chúa Giêsu đã sống lại thật, Chính Chúa Giêsu đã không phủ nhận lời yêu cầu tìm kiếm bằng chứng của ông Thomas.
Có lẽ, chúng ta có thể nghĩ đến hoặc cảm thấy rằng chúng ta là những người ngoài hay xa lạ của Giáo Hội khi chúng ta so sánh với những người khác mà chúng ta cho là thánh thiện hơn hoặc những người tích cực tham gia nhiều hơn trong các sinh hoạt trong giáo xứ hay trong cộng đồng. Với Chúa Giêsu, không một ai có thể bị loại trừ. Qua phép rửa tội, chúng ta đã được trở nên một với Chúa Giêsu Kitô và chúng ta cũng được thông phần như tất cả mọi người trong Giáo Hội của Chúa Kitô. Chúng ta không bao giờ phải cô đơn, một mình! Lạy Chúa, Chúng con cảm ơn Ngài vì đã khiến chúng con được trở thành một phần của Chúa.
With Christ, there are no “outsiders”. Whoever professes Christ as their Lord and God, are linked to him in a special way. This seems to be the key message in the readings. In the first reading, Gentile Christians are reminded that, regardless their cultural or social standing, by virtue of their relationship with Christ, they are no longer strangers. Instead, they are fellow citizens of the Church together with Jewish Christians. Both have equal rights and are full members of God's family.
The image of a building indicates the unity that exists between Gentiles and Jews in the Church. They form part of the structure which has its foundation the apostles and prophets, where Christ is the capstone. The whole building, having been fit together in Christ, grows into a holy temple, where God dwells in the Spirit.
The idea that there are no ‘outsiders’ in Christ can also be seen in the Gospel passage. Although he was an apostle, Thomas was an ‘outsider’ because he did not experience what the rest of the apostles did. That is, the appearance of the Risen Christ. Yet, Jesus did not ‘exclude’ Thomas. When Thomas asked for proof that Jesus has risen, Jesus himself did not deny Thomas the evidence he was seeking.
Perhaps, we may think or feel we are the ‘outsiders’in church when compared to others whom we deem to be holier or more involved. To Jesus, no one is excluded. By virtue of baptism, Jesus makes us one with him and with the rest of the church. We are never alone! Lord, thank You for making me part of You.
“Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” John 20:27–29
Thomas the Apostle, in many ways, represents each and every one of us in this exchange with Jesus. We’d like to believe that we always believe and are not unbelieving. But it’s important to admit the humble truth that we may not believe as deeply as we should. And it’s important to reflect upon our own reaction to the blessings that others receive that we do not.
Recall that Thomas was not among the other Apostles when Jesus first appeared to them. Therefore, when Thomas returned and heard that Jesus had appeared and that he missed His appearance, he clearly felt bad. Unfortunately, the sorrow Thomas felt at not being present when the Lord appeared to the others left him with a certain bitterness rather than joy. This is the sin of envy. Envy is a certain sorrow over the blessings others receive that we do not. Ideally, Thomas would have rejoiced at the blessing that the other Apostles received by encountering the risen Lord. But, instead, his sorrow at missing this even left him sad. He said, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Why was Thomas absent from this encounter with our Lord? Perhaps it was by divine providence, in that God wanted Thomas to set an example for us. If so, then one example Thomas set was that we must humbly rejoice in the blessings others receive when we are not also the recipient. Of course, if Thomas were there, then it would have been easier for him to share in the joy. But, in many ways, Thomas’ absence provided him an even greater opportunity. An opportunity that he failed to embrace.
When you see others receive blessings from God, how do you respond? Many people respond by immediately looking at themselves, wishing they were blessed in the same way. They struggle with envy. They think, “I wish I had received that blessing.” This form of envy is not always easy to see. For that reason, Thomas is given to us as a witness of what not to do in this situation.
Of course, Thomas is not a horrible person, which is why Jesus does later appear to him. That time, Thomas spoke words that are traditionally spoken as a devotion by the faithful at Mass when the Consecration occurs. He said, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus then gently rebukes Thomas by saying, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” But this gentle rebuke was an act of love, in that Jesus wanted Thomas to ponder the reason for his unbelief. Jesus clearly wanted Thomas to examine the unbelief caused by envy, which appears to have led to an intentional lack of faith.
Reflect, today, upon this holy Apostle. Today, Saint Thomas the Apostle is among the great saints in the Kingdom of Heaven. God used him to teach us these important lessons about envy, humility and faith. Let his weakness, from which he fully recovered, help you examine your own struggle with envy over the blessings that others receive that you do not. Learn to rejoice always in the ways that God is at work in our world and learn to grow in humility, so that when others are blessed in ways that you are not, you react as Saint Thomas ultimately did: “My Lord and my God!”
My most generous Lord, You pour forth Your blessings upon others, day and night. As I see those blessings, help me to overcome all temptations toward envy so that I may rejoice in Your grace given to all. You are my Lord and my God, and I thank You for every way that You bless my life and the lives of those around me. Fill me with a deeper gratitude, dear Lord, for every grace and blessing I see every day, especially those graces not given directly to me. Jesus, I trust in You
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I renew my faith in your Son. I humbly ask for help to overcome any unbelief that remains. I trust in you, Lord, and will spend my life in the service of your Kingdom. Grant me your peace.
1. The Personalities of Peter and Paul: Last week we celebrated the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. They were two different men with different personalities, yet both encountered Jesus and dedicated their entire lives to him. Peter was a man who understood the depth of his sin and was attentive to the voice of God and the inspirations of the Spirit. He was a man who wept and repented immediately when he failed, was somewhat primary in his actions, but could also be bold when empowered by the Spirit in proclaiming the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. Paul’s energy level and courage were extraordinary. He was fearless as he was more aware of God’s power working in and through him rather than of his limits. He was less cautious than Peter, but not imprudent. He was able to confidently confront those in authority (Galatians 2:11-21), but could also submit to them for the good of the local Church (Acts 21:22-26). Paul, we know, was difficult to get along with and was constantly on the move. Peter’s message was simple and straightforward: to the Jews he proclaimed that God raised Jesus of Nazareth from the dead and made him both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:22-36); to the Gentiles he proclaimed that Jesus will judge the living and the dead and that he who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43). His straightforward style differs from Paul, who meditated and wrote at length on the relationship between Jews and Gentiles, between the Old Law and the New. Paul approached the argument from different angles and builds up his case in an articulate way. Peter is aware of Paul's more difficult style and even wrote to other Christians that some of the things that Paul writes are hart to understand (2 Peter 3:16).
3. Our Personality: Our temperaments, characters, and personalities all differ. Some of us are like Peter – sentimental, attentive to the needs of others, cautious at times, but not timid. Some of us are like Paul – passionate, demanding with others, bold, but not imprudent. And some of us are like Thomas – realistic about life, eager to experience things first-hand, insecure at times, yet capable of profound thoughts and acts of heroism. Despite their differences, all three became great saints: they united themselves to God through Jesus Christ and sought to bring others into God’s family. They placed their talents and gifts at the service of the community and of the Gospel. Peter stayed in or near Jerusalem for over a decade and ministered primarily to Jewish Christians. He then went to Rome and ministered to the growing Christian community as their bishop. Paul went west and ministered to the Jews and Gentiles of the Roman Empire. Thomas went east and spread the Gospel to Syria, Persia, Western India, and even reached Southern India. All of us are encouraged by the saints and challenged by them: their lives are “standards, living points of reference to what it means to give glory to God, to do the will of the Father, and to be like Christ” (O’Callaghan, Christ Our Hope, 146)
Lời nguyện:
Lạy Chúa Giêsu, Chúa đã kêu gọi các tông đồ của Ngài lãnh đạo Hội thánh mới của Ngài, và đặt Thánh Phêrô đứng đầu và Thánh Phaolô làm tông đồ cho dân ngoại. Trong sự kết hợp với Vị Đại Diện của Chúa Kitô trên đất, và các giám mục đang hiệp thông với Ngài với tư cách là những người kế vị các tông đồ, hãy giúp chúng con cũng nhận ra lời mời gọi trong ơn gọi của chúng con để phục vụ Chúa như một nhân chứng để thu hút mọi người xung quanh của chúng con nhận thức về Chúa là Chúa cứu thế của họ và Chúa là Đường, Sự thật và là Sự sống.
• Qua Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta phải trả lời thế nào cho câu hỏi của Chúa Giêsu: "Người ta nói Con Người là ai?"
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe in you! Strengthen my faith so it may be living and active.
Doubting Thomas: Thomas rightly attained the appellative “doubting” after this scenario, but what an opportunity this afforded him as well! Thomas was graced with an appearance from Jesus himself, and the invitation to put his finger into Jesus’s wounded side. In this passage, Jesus proved that he will do whatever it takes to help us overcome our doubts. Doubts are a normal part of being human, but also an open door to something more for those who strive to reach out and put their finger into Jesus’s open wounds.
No comments:
Post a Comment