Bình thường, cuộc sống của chúng ta cũng giống như vua Hêrôđê nghĩa là chúng ta có "một cuộc sống rất bình thường" của người Công giáo. Có nghĩa là chúng ta tự để mình rơi vào trong một cái thói quen. Chúng ta đi nhà thờ, làm công việc hay nghĩa vụ của mình theo như “một cái máy” vì luật buộc như việc xưng tội một năm một lần, đi “xem lễ”, rước lễ, và rồi về nhà, thế là xong, cuộc sống xay vòng ngày qua ngày giống như thế. Bằng cách nào đó, đôi khi người Kitô giáo chúng ta có vẻ hầu như cảm nhận thấy rằng, cuộc sống đạo của chúng ta đạo chẳng có gì lấy làm hào hứng và vui thích cho lắm.
Tất nhiên, chúng ta ai cũng muốn thấy Chúa Giêsu, nhưng chúng ta chẳng nỡ bỏ công sức ra để tìm kiếm Chúa. Chúng ta không nhìn thấy và không nhận ra sự cần thiết của sự từ bỏ hay thoát khỏi cái vỏ không trống rỗng để tìm kiếm những sung túc, sự sung sướng và sự thoải mái của chúng ta, để đáp ứng lại cái sự mời gọi của Chúa Giêsu, đặc biệt là những nơi Ngài hiện diện trong những vùng ngoại ô, làng quê héo lánh, hay ở nơi những người đang sống bên lề xã hội, những người nghèo khổ và bị ruồng bỏ. Nhưng chúng ta cũng đã nhận được sự cảnh báo là trong ngày Phán Xét, khi chúng ta được đưa ra trước quan toà Chúa Giêsu, chúng ta cũng đừng ngạc nhiên, nếu Chúa nói với chúng ta là: "Ta không biết ngươi là ai".
Lạy Chúa, xin giúp chúng con biết dùng thời gian của Chúa ban cho chúng con một cách khôn ngoan, để chúng con luôn thực sự và thành tâm đi tìm kiếm Chúa giữa lòng người và dòng đời mà chúng con đang sống, biết nhận ra Chúa trong người anh em nghèo khó, tật nguyền đang sốnh ngay nên cạnh chúng con.
The Gospel reading yesterday described how Jesus sends his closest disciples on mission. This expansion of Jesus’ mission draws the attention of Herod Antiphas, the tetrarch of Galilee. Herod is curious about Jesus because he had heard about Jesus and the miracles Jesus was performing. As a result, Herod desires to see Jesus. Not because he really believed in Jesus' message but because he merely wanted to satisfy his curiosity. So, Herod remains in his palace waiting for the day when he can see Jesus. It never occurs to him to go out and look for Jesus. In the meantime, life goes on as usual. Often, we can become “life as usual” Catholics. We fall into a routine. We go to church, fulfill our religious obligations, receive Communion, and go home. Nothing changes, just as expressed by the writer in the first reading. Nothing really exciting happens to our faith and in our relationship with God. Somehow it seems as though there’s nothing joyful about being a Christian.
Of course, we would like to see Jesus but we do not look for him. We do not see the need to go forth from our comfort zone, outside our homes or parish, to meet Jesus, especially where he is present in the peripheries, in the marginalised, the poor and outcasts. But be warned. In the end when we do meet Jesus, do not be surprised if he says, “I do not know you”. Lord, help me to seek You always.
Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead”; others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”; still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.” Luke 9:7–8
Herod the tetrarch, also known as Herod Antipas, ruled the Jews of Galilee for some forty-two years. He began his reign in 2 BC and continued to reign until he was exiled by the Roman Emperor in 37 AD. During his reign, he spent much time in Tiberias, one of the main cities on the western edge of the Sea of Galilee. Most of Jesus’ ministry took place within the region of Herod’s domain, all of Galilee, so Herod was very aware of the many stories about Jesus.
Today’s Gospel concludes by saying that Herod kept trying to see Jesus. Of course, Herod, just like anyone living in that region, could have traveled to where Jesus was preaching so as to listen to Him at any time. But he didn’t do that. Instead, he continued to receive reports about Jesus and remained curious about Him, trying to find a way to figure out Who Jesus was.
Try to imagine what would have happened if Herod would have traveled to where Jesus was preaching so as to listen to Him with an open heart. If he would have done that, and truly listened, Herod would have received one of the greatest gifts imaginable. He would have received the gift of faith and conversion and would have begun down the road toward eternal salvation. But Herod was living an immoral life. He was known to be a cruel leader and also an unrepentant adulterer. He loved his power and was quite jealous of it. Herod most likely knew, at least in the back of his mind, that if he were to listen to Jesus, he would have to change. And he most likely didn’t want to change.
This presents us all with a powerful lesson. Each one of us can easily dismiss various communications and invitations from our Lord, because, deep down, we do not want to change. God is speaking to us all day long, every day of our lives. He is constantly offering us His message of the full Gospel. And though you may be open to much of what God says, there are most likely parts of His divine message that you either knowingly or unknowingly do not listen to. The key to being able to hear everything that God wants to speak to you is to be disposed to completely change in any and every way that God wants you to change.
Reflect, today, upon Herod. First, reflect upon his curiosity about Jesus. This is a good quality, in that it’s much better than being indifferent. From there, think also about the fact that Herod never went to Jesus to listen to Him. His first meeting with Jesus was on the night of His arrest, when he interrogated our Lord and made fun of Him. As you consider Herod’s obstinacy, use it as an examination of your own life. Where you see any small reflection of obstinacy, fear of change or a closed heart, seek to remedy that by turning to our Lord telling Him you are open to all He wishes to say and that you are ready and willing to change in any way He calls you to do so. Do not fear the change our Lord wants of you. Embracing that change will land you on the quick and narrow road toward true holiness of life.
My ever-present Lord, You call to me day and night, inviting me to change as I listen to Your holy Word. I thank You for these constant promptings of grace and commit myself to remain open to all that You ask of me. I choose You, my Lord. And as I turn to You, I pray that I will have the courage I need to respond wholeheartedly to Your call. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I surrender my life into your hands. I commend my spirit to your care. Guide my steps today and help me understand the meaning of my life. Help me to know the path I have trod and the steps I need to take.
1. What if Life is Meaningless? The author of Ecclesiastes, known as Qoheleth or the Preacher, “looks at the world almost exclusively from the standpoint of human reason, experience, and observation” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, 66). The Preacher recognizes that God is Lord over the world, but does not examine our relationship with God in great detail. “From this limited perspective, in which faith is often left out of the picture, the author can only conclude that everything is ‘vanity’ (1:2; 12:8). One could say that Ecclesiastes reveals the problem to which of the Bible offers the solution, namely, that life is meaningless if death is our ultimate destiny and if man has no hope for happiness that reaches beyond the grave” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, 66). Saint Bonaventure takes a different point of view, and says that the three books attributed to Solomon represent three stages of spiritual growth: Proverbs teaches us how to live wisely in the world, Ecclesiastes teaches contempt for worldly things, and the Song of Songs teaches us love for heavenly things. (see Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, 67).
2. A Pessimistic View of the Endless Cycle of Life and Nature: The First Reading is taken from the prologue to Qoheleth’s book, which announces that man’s work and labors are in vain. The Preacher is meditating on the cycle of life and the cycle of nature. Generations of men come and go, the sun rises and sets, the wind comes and goes, and the rivers rush to the sea yet are continuously filled only to rush back again. Everything seems only to return to where it started. The Preacher also contemplates human history and sees it repeating itself: what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun (1:9). Finally, the Preacher wonders who will remember what was done in the past and concludes that not even things to come will be remembered.
3. The Culmination of History in Jesus Christ: The answer to this pessimistic view of life, of the world, and of history is found in Jesus Christ and his revelation. Nature is indeed cyclical, but human history is not. It is linear and culminates in Jesus Christ. Everything leads up to the Incarnation, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. And, after this event, everything is different. The Kingdom of God is inaugurated and awaits its definitive establishment at the end of time. Jesus Christ gives us reason to hope. He has opened up for us the way to salvation. We can follow his path and enter into communion with him. We do not seek Christ like Herod. Herod was perplexed by Jesus’ mighty deeds and was curious. He sought to see him only to see a miraculous sign. The people also begin to wonder: Who is Jesus? Is he another prophet like Elijah or John? Who is he?
3. The Culmination of History in Jesus Christ: The answer to this pessimistic view of life, of the world, and of history is found in Jesus Christ and his revelation. Nature is indeed cyclical, but human history is not. It is linear and culminates in Jesus Christ. Everything leads up to the Incarnation, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. And, after this event, everything is different. The Kingdom of God is inaugurated and awaits its definitive establishment at the end of time. Jesus Christ gives us reason to hope. He has opened up for us the way to salvation. We can follow his path and enter into communion with him. We do not seek Christ like Herod. Herod was perplexed by Jesus’ mighty deeds and was curious. He sought to see him only to see a miraculous sign. The people also begin to wonder: Who is Jesus? Is he another prophet like Elijah or John? Who is he?
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the culmination of all human history. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Guide me as I walk toward my eternal destiny. You know where I will stumble and where I will be faithful. Help me especially when I am weak and beset by temptation.
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe in you, I hope in you, and I love you. Grant me a sacred reverence for supernatural phenomena and a holy fear of the Lord. Lord, I humbly ask for the presence of mind to be in awe before you and approach the tabernacle with great reverence.
1. Worldly Power: Wordly power seduces the powerful into believing that he or she can control all outcomes. Hearing about Jesus agitated Herod, most likely because he had a guilty conscience for having beheaded John. Perhaps he also worried about the possibility of another prophet more popular than John. And he certainly felt that all the commotion was getting out of hand. Herod sought out Jesus to assuage his concerns, but might he also have had a glimmer of authentic curiosity? When we seek Jesus in prayer, does anxiety prompt us, or do we look for him with hearts motivated by healthy, loving curiosity?
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