S
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu tuần thứ 19 Thường
Niên
Trong bài Tin Mừng chúng ta nghe câu chuyện người Pharisêu tìm cách để cài bẫy Chúa Giêsu bằng câu hỏi là một người đã có vợ có được phép ly dị vợ của mình không?. Đó là một cái bẫy để bắt tội Chúa Giêsu. Nhưng với Chúa Giêsu, Ngài luôn bảo vệ những giao ước và những điều cam kết của hôn nhân như đã được dự tính trước, và chính Ngài đã giải thích là việc ông Môisen cho phép họ ly hôn chỉ vì những “người Do Thái này đã cứng lòng". Lời dạy của Chúa Giêsu hôm nay rất thẳng thắn và đơn giản là hôn nhân là một sự cam kết lâu dài và một giao ước vĩnh viễn “vì sự gì Thiên Chúa đã liên kết thì loài người không được phân chia. (Mt 19:6).
Reflection
The Gospel reading from Matthew is the story of the Pharisees’ attempt to trap Jesus by asking if a man can divorce his wife. Jesus defends the commitment of marriage as originally intended and explains that divorce was allowed in the time of Moses only because of the “hardness of the hearts” of the Jewish people at the time. Jesus is very straightforward in his expectation that marriage is a permanent commitment.
As God told the Israelites, “…it was not your sword or your bow. I gave you a land that you had not tilled and cities that you had not built, to dwell in; you have eaten of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.” For any of us who have been married for a long time, it is totally evident that we have not accomplished that long-term commitment on our own but with God’s grace.
Lord, remain in us and may Your love bring to perfection the love You have put in us.
Friday
of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted.” Matthew 19:11
This was Jesus’ response to a lengthy discussion about the indissolubility of marriage. One of the reasons that “Not all can accept this word…” is because marriage, and every other vocation, requires wholehearted sacrifice and selflessness. When this is not present, and when the selfless living that is required of us turns to selfishness, then every conflict becomes a heavy burden. A burden that is unbearable without grace.
What is love? What form of love is required in marriage and every other vocation? What love is required of parents and grandparents? The answer is the same to all of these questions. We must love with complete selflessness and in a sacrificial way. Love, in its truest form, always looks to the good of the other and never focuses upon oneself.
Only grace can enable us to live a life based on true love. Our fallen human nature tends to “navel gaze,” meaning, we tend to go through life thinking about ourselves—“What will make my life better? How will this affect me? This person has hurt me. I don’t want to do this or that, etc.” It is very difficult in life to turn our eyes from ourselves to the love of others. This is why Jesus said that this form of love can only be embraced by “those to whom that is granted.” And those to whom this depth of love is granted are those who are open to God’s transforming grace in their lives.
One reason that it is very difficult to love in a completely selfless way is because it requires us to live by grace. Our feeble human minds cannot arrive at the high calling of charity by itself. It is only by grace that we will understand that selfless living is not only best for those whom we are called to love, but it is also best for us. And in the context of married life, parenting, other vocations and every other situation in life, if our love is always focused upon the good of the other, and if our lives imitate the total sacrifice of Christ, then we will see God do great things through us. As He does, we will also see God do great things in us. The bottom line is that we only become who we were made to be when we live like Christ. And He lived a life that was unconditionally sacrificial and selfless.
Reflect, today, upon the high calling of love that you have been given. Can you accept this teaching of our Lord? Has an understanding of the nature of true love been granted to you by grace? And if so, are you doing all you can to live a life of selfless sacrificial love in union with Christ Jesus? As you examine your life and your relationships, especially with those closest to you, consider how well you act as Christ to them. Consider whether you forgive, turn the other cheek, seek mercy, compassion, understanding, gentleness and every other virtue and fruit of the Holy Spirit. Where you are lacking and find selfishness, do not hesitate to beg our Lord to grant you the grace to not only understand your high calling of love, but to also embrace it in your actions to the fullest degree. Then, and only then, will you be able to live the vocation to which you have been called.
My loving Lord, Your love is beyond all comprehension. It is a love that can only be understood by the gift of Your grace. Please do grant me the grace I need to not only understand and to receive Your love in my life but to also offer Your love to all. May my life become an ongoing instrument of the perfection of love that You lived. Jesus, I trust in You.
Friday 19th Ordinary Time
1. First-Century Discussions About Divorce: When the Pharisees approached Jesus to test him with a question about marriage and divorce, we need to recall the division between the then-current schools of thought on divorce. One of the schools, led by Rabbi Hillel the Elder (who died around A.D. 10), was more liberal and taught that a man could divorce his wife for any reason. Specifically, he gave the example of a burnt dinner as a reason for divorce. The other school was more conservative and was led by Rabbi Shammai. He taught that adultery or a serious transgression was the only reason for divorce. The Pharisees had heard that although Moses permitted divorce in the Second Law (Deuteronomy 24:1-4), Jesus forbade divorce and remarriage in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:32). The Pharisees saw “an opportunity to discredit Jesus by pitting him against Moses. Jesus evades the trap by quoting the words of Moses from Genesis (19:4-5) and then turns the tables by showing that the Pharisees are the ones out of touch with God’s true intention for married life as revealed in the Torah” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 40).
2. Revoking Moses’ Concession: When Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, he brought the Old Law to fulfillment. He did this in various ways. Some Laws of Moses needed to be interiorized. Not committing the external sin of adultery, for example, needed to be grounded in not committing the interior sin of lust. However, some Laws of Moses need to be corrected. The laws about hating and killing enemies needed to be corrected. As well, the law of Moses permitting divorce needed to be corrected. The law in Deuteronomy (24:1-4) tolerating the practice of divorce and limiting its abuses was a concession Moses granted because of the people’s hardness of heart and not because it was God’s original intention. “Jesus described divorce and remarriage as a legal concession to the sinfulness of Israel (Mt 19:8). But instead of reaffirming these practices, he revoked the Mosaic permission and restored the original standard of lifelong marriage that God instituted at creation” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Deuteronomy, 46).
3. God’s Unfaithful Bride: The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel contains two allegories about Israel as God’s unfaithful bride. One is found in Chapter 16, which is today’s First Reading. The other is found in Chapter 23. The language in both was so graphic that ancient rabbis restricted who was allowed to read them. Today’s passage alludes to the origin of the city of Jerusalem. It was originally a Canaanite city and was the last city to fall to the Israelites under King David. The reading speaks about how God saw the city grow and how he betrothed her by covering her with the corner of his cloak. God made a covenant with her under King David and he dressed her as a queen. Instead of being a faithful bride and queen, the city of Jerusalem chose to play the harlot and slaughter her own children. This is a reference to the infant sacrifices offered to the pagan god Molech in the valley of Hinnom under King Solomon and the other Judean kings. Pagan shrines proliferated in Jerusalem and the city made alliances with and paid tribute to the Egyptians, the Assyrians, and the Babylonians (Ezekiel 16:24-33). The passage ends with God acknowledging that his people have broken the covenant. This is likely a reference to the covenants of Sinai and Deuteronomy under Moses. God also promises that he will remember the covenant made when his people were young. This is likely a reference to the covenant oath made to Abraham. God promises to establish a new covenant, called here “an everlasting covenant.” This new covenant will be a renewed marriage relationship that will be established when God forgives the sins of his people (Ezekiel 16:59-63) (see Bergsma and Pitre, A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament, 845).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the Bridegroom who died and rose from the dead for your Bride. You shed your blood on the Cross and poured out water from your side to cleanse her from sin and unite her to yourself in an unbreakable bond of love. Cleanse me from sin and unite me to yourself!
REFLECTION
In today’s Gospel Jesus teaches about the sanctity and permanence of marriage. Now we begin to see why the love of a husband and wife is a sacrament of God’s love. The Father and the Son; while remaining distinct give themselves utterly to each other, and this mutual giving is the Holy Spirit.
So when two people come together in love and form one flesh, they mimic the love between the Father and the Son. And when their love gives rise to a child, this mimics sacramentally the spiration of the Holy Spirit. Father, mother, and children are evocative of the divine Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And this is why Jesus speaks so forcefully about marriage, and why his Church, at its best, has echoed him up and down the centuries. It is because marriage is such a sacred sign that the Church has sought so assiduously to protect it.
I know that the Church gets a bad rap for surrounding marriage and sexuality with so many rules. I realize that libertarians through the ages have fought against the supposed uptight moralism of the Church. But human beings always surround precious things with laws, restrictions, and prohibitions.
REFLECTION
In the Gospel reading the Pharisees, in efforts to trap Jesus, question him about marriage and divorce. In his reply, Jesus acknowledges Mosaic law which allowed divorce (due to their "stubborn hearts"). At the same time he affirms what the union of man and wife had been in God's plan: "Man has now to leave father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one body? So they are no longer two but one body; let no one separate what God has joined."
Marriage is a very important institution in the Church and in civil society. The family is at the core of the Church and of civil society. The proper rearing and education of children are key to society's growth and prosperity.
Divorce is now allowed in most countries. The Catholic Church does not allow divorce.
The last extraordinary meeting of bishops in Rome focused on the family. Recognizing the difficulties and problems of many failed marriages, the Church has tried to improve its procedures and processes for marriage annulments. Pope Francis has spoken much about proper care, respect and understanding of couples whose marriages have failed, who have separated or obtained civil divorce or have re-married.
Let us pray for so many whose marriages have failed for whatever reason.
Trong bài Tin Mừng chúng ta nghe câu chuyện người Pharisêu tìm cách để cài bẫy Chúa Giêsu bằng câu hỏi là một người đã có vợ có được phép ly dị vợ của mình không?. Đó là một cái bẫy để bắt tội Chúa Giêsu. Nhưng với Chúa Giêsu, Ngài luôn bảo vệ những giao ước và những điều cam kết của hôn nhân như đã được dự tính trước, và chính Ngài đã giải thích là việc ông Môisen cho phép họ ly hôn chỉ vì những “người Do Thái này đã cứng lòng". Lời dạy của Chúa Giêsu hôm nay rất thẳng thắn và đơn giản là hôn nhân là một sự cam kết lâu dài và một giao ước vĩnh viễn “vì sự gì Thiên Chúa đã liên kết thì loài người không được phân chia. (Mt 19:6).
The Gospel reading from Matthew is the story of the Pharisees’ attempt to trap Jesus by asking if a man can divorce his wife. Jesus defends the commitment of marriage as originally intended and explains that divorce was allowed in the time of Moses only because of the “hardness of the hearts” of the Jewish people at the time. Jesus is very straightforward in his expectation that marriage is a permanent commitment.
As God told the Israelites, “…it was not your sword or your bow. I gave you a land that you had not tilled and cities that you had not built, to dwell in; you have eaten of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.” For any of us who have been married for a long time, it is totally evident that we have not accomplished that long-term commitment on our own but with God’s grace.
Lord, remain in us and may Your love bring to perfection the love You have put in us.
He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted.” Matthew 19:11
This was Jesus’ response to a lengthy discussion about the indissolubility of marriage. One of the reasons that “Not all can accept this word…” is because marriage, and every other vocation, requires wholehearted sacrifice and selflessness. When this is not present, and when the selfless living that is required of us turns to selfishness, then every conflict becomes a heavy burden. A burden that is unbearable without grace.
What is love? What form of love is required in marriage and every other vocation? What love is required of parents and grandparents? The answer is the same to all of these questions. We must love with complete selflessness and in a sacrificial way. Love, in its truest form, always looks to the good of the other and never focuses upon oneself.
Only grace can enable us to live a life based on true love. Our fallen human nature tends to “navel gaze,” meaning, we tend to go through life thinking about ourselves—“What will make my life better? How will this affect me? This person has hurt me. I don’t want to do this or that, etc.” It is very difficult in life to turn our eyes from ourselves to the love of others. This is why Jesus said that this form of love can only be embraced by “those to whom that is granted.” And those to whom this depth of love is granted are those who are open to God’s transforming grace in their lives.
One reason that it is very difficult to love in a completely selfless way is because it requires us to live by grace. Our feeble human minds cannot arrive at the high calling of charity by itself. It is only by grace that we will understand that selfless living is not only best for those whom we are called to love, but it is also best for us. And in the context of married life, parenting, other vocations and every other situation in life, if our love is always focused upon the good of the other, and if our lives imitate the total sacrifice of Christ, then we will see God do great things through us. As He does, we will also see God do great things in us. The bottom line is that we only become who we were made to be when we live like Christ. And He lived a life that was unconditionally sacrificial and selfless.
Reflect, today, upon the high calling of love that you have been given. Can you accept this teaching of our Lord? Has an understanding of the nature of true love been granted to you by grace? And if so, are you doing all you can to live a life of selfless sacrificial love in union with Christ Jesus? As you examine your life and your relationships, especially with those closest to you, consider how well you act as Christ to them. Consider whether you forgive, turn the other cheek, seek mercy, compassion, understanding, gentleness and every other virtue and fruit of the Holy Spirit. Where you are lacking and find selfishness, do not hesitate to beg our Lord to grant you the grace to not only understand your high calling of love, but to also embrace it in your actions to the fullest degree. Then, and only then, will you be able to live the vocation to which you have been called.
My loving Lord, Your love is beyond all comprehension. It is a love that can only be understood by the gift of Your grace. Please do grant me the grace I need to not only understand and to receive Your love in my life but to also offer Your love to all. May my life become an ongoing instrument of the perfection of love that You lived. Jesus, I trust in You.
1. First-Century Discussions About Divorce: When the Pharisees approached Jesus to test him with a question about marriage and divorce, we need to recall the division between the then-current schools of thought on divorce. One of the schools, led by Rabbi Hillel the Elder (who died around A.D. 10), was more liberal and taught that a man could divorce his wife for any reason. Specifically, he gave the example of a burnt dinner as a reason for divorce. The other school was more conservative and was led by Rabbi Shammai. He taught that adultery or a serious transgression was the only reason for divorce. The Pharisees had heard that although Moses permitted divorce in the Second Law (Deuteronomy 24:1-4), Jesus forbade divorce and remarriage in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:32). The Pharisees saw “an opportunity to discredit Jesus by pitting him against Moses. Jesus evades the trap by quoting the words of Moses from Genesis (19:4-5) and then turns the tables by showing that the Pharisees are the ones out of touch with God’s true intention for married life as revealed in the Torah” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 40).
2. Revoking Moses’ Concession: When Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, he brought the Old Law to fulfillment. He did this in various ways. Some Laws of Moses needed to be interiorized. Not committing the external sin of adultery, for example, needed to be grounded in not committing the interior sin of lust. However, some Laws of Moses need to be corrected. The laws about hating and killing enemies needed to be corrected. As well, the law of Moses permitting divorce needed to be corrected. The law in Deuteronomy (24:1-4) tolerating the practice of divorce and limiting its abuses was a concession Moses granted because of the people’s hardness of heart and not because it was God’s original intention. “Jesus described divorce and remarriage as a legal concession to the sinfulness of Israel (Mt 19:8). But instead of reaffirming these practices, he revoked the Mosaic permission and restored the original standard of lifelong marriage that God instituted at creation” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Deuteronomy, 46).
3. God’s Unfaithful Bride: The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel contains two allegories about Israel as God’s unfaithful bride. One is found in Chapter 16, which is today’s First Reading. The other is found in Chapter 23. The language in both was so graphic that ancient rabbis restricted who was allowed to read them. Today’s passage alludes to the origin of the city of Jerusalem. It was originally a Canaanite city and was the last city to fall to the Israelites under King David. The reading speaks about how God saw the city grow and how he betrothed her by covering her with the corner of his cloak. God made a covenant with her under King David and he dressed her as a queen. Instead of being a faithful bride and queen, the city of Jerusalem chose to play the harlot and slaughter her own children. This is a reference to the infant sacrifices offered to the pagan god Molech in the valley of Hinnom under King Solomon and the other Judean kings. Pagan shrines proliferated in Jerusalem and the city made alliances with and paid tribute to the Egyptians, the Assyrians, and the Babylonians (Ezekiel 16:24-33). The passage ends with God acknowledging that his people have broken the covenant. This is likely a reference to the covenants of Sinai and Deuteronomy under Moses. God also promises that he will remember the covenant made when his people were young. This is likely a reference to the covenant oath made to Abraham. God promises to establish a new covenant, called here “an everlasting covenant.” This new covenant will be a renewed marriage relationship that will be established when God forgives the sins of his people (Ezekiel 16:59-63) (see Bergsma and Pitre, A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament, 845).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the Bridegroom who died and rose from the dead for your Bride. You shed your blood on the Cross and poured out water from your side to cleanse her from sin and unite her to yourself in an unbreakable bond of love. Cleanse me from sin and unite me to yourself!
In today’s Gospel Jesus teaches about the sanctity and permanence of marriage. Now we begin to see why the love of a husband and wife is a sacrament of God’s love. The Father and the Son; while remaining distinct give themselves utterly to each other, and this mutual giving is the Holy Spirit.
So when two people come together in love and form one flesh, they mimic the love between the Father and the Son. And when their love gives rise to a child, this mimics sacramentally the spiration of the Holy Spirit. Father, mother, and children are evocative of the divine Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And this is why Jesus speaks so forcefully about marriage, and why his Church, at its best, has echoed him up and down the centuries. It is because marriage is such a sacred sign that the Church has sought so assiduously to protect it.
I know that the Church gets a bad rap for surrounding marriage and sexuality with so many rules. I realize that libertarians through the ages have fought against the supposed uptight moralism of the Church. But human beings always surround precious things with laws, restrictions, and prohibitions.
REFLECTION
In the Gospel reading the Pharisees, in efforts to trap Jesus, question him about marriage and divorce. In his reply, Jesus acknowledges Mosaic law which allowed divorce (due to their "stubborn hearts"). At the same time he affirms what the union of man and wife had been in God's plan: "Man has now to leave father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one body? So they are no longer two but one body; let no one separate what God has joined."
Marriage is a very important institution in the Church and in civil society. The family is at the core of the Church and of civil society. The proper rearing and education of children are key to society's growth and prosperity.
Divorce is now allowed in most countries. The Catholic Church does not allow divorce.
The last extraordinary meeting of bishops in Rome focused on the family. Recognizing the difficulties and problems of many failed marriages, the Church has tried to improve its procedures and processes for marriage annulments. Pope Francis has spoken much about proper care, respect and understanding of couples whose marriages have failed, who have separated or obtained civil divorce or have re-married.
Let us pray for so many whose marriages have failed for whatever reason.
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