Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ Năm Mùa Chay

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ Năm Mùa Chay.
Theo truyền thống của người Do Thái Giáo từ mấy ngàn năm qua cho đến ngày nay, hàng năm Do Thái Giáo có tục lệ là thanh tẩy con người (bản thân của họ) trước ngày lễ Vượt Qua (Passover Feast). Trong những ngày này, nhiều người Do Thái, sẽ đến Giê-ru-sa-lem, hoặc tụ họp với nhau như một gia đình để cùng nhau ăn uống và cử hành ngày Lễ Vượt qua (Passover) lễ tưởng nhớ những ngày mà ông bà tổ tiên của họ được Thiên Chúa cứu ra khỏi sự nô lệ tàn ác trong xứ Ai Cập.
            Chúng ta là những Kitô hữu Công giáo, chúng ta cũng trải qua một cuộc hành trình suốt 40 ngày trong mùa Chay để ăn chay, sám hối và thanh luyện tâm hồn để mừng đón ngày Lễ Vượt Qua ngày mà Chúa Giêsu Kitô đã chịu chết để làm vật hy sinh dâng lên Chúa Cha như con chiên mà ngưòi Do thái đã giết trong ngày Vượt Qua trên đất Aicập, Nhờ máu con chiên đã đỗ ra được bôi trên ngưỡng cửa mà cứu họ sống, thì hôm nay máu của Chúa Kitô cũng đã đổ ra để cứu cho chúng ta được sống. Vì tội lỗi của con ngưới chúng ta đã phân cách chúng ta ra khỏi tình yêu của Thiên Chúa, và Hôm nay, Giáo hội đã dùng thời gian 40 ngày Mùa Chay này mỗi năm để nhắc nhở chúng ta phải ăn chay, và sám hối những lỗi lầm của mình trước mặt Thiên Chúa và anh chị của chúng ta và để giúp  chúng ta biết tìm đường trở lại với Tình yêu của Chúa qua bí tích hòa giải.
Để ăn năn hối cải những tội lỗi của chúng ta, chúng ta nên tự xét mình và kiểm tra những việc làm, những hành động của chúng ta và dốc lòng thống hối, ăn năn đền tôi bằng những việc bác ái và siêng năng cầu nguyện nhiều hơn. Để được đến gần và để đoàn tụ với Thiên Chúa trong tình yêu của Ngài, chúng ta cần phải thực hiện việc thanh tẩy hồn xác của chúng ta, để chúng ta được xứng đáng đón nhận lòng nhân hậu, và thương xót  của Thiên Chúa và được sống trong tình yêu chân thật của Ngài.
            Thật vậy, như những người Do Thái tìm kiếm và rình bắt Chúa Giêsu trong đền thờ, còn chúng ta, chúng ta đang chờ đón sự vinh hiển của Chúa Phục Sinh. Chúng ta hãy chuẩn bị để tiếp đón Chúa  vinh quang trong ngày Phục Sinh của Ngài bằng cách thanh tẩy chính chúng ta và hoà giải với Ngài qua bí tích Giải tội..
            Lạy Chúa Giêsu, chúng con là những môn đệ của Chúa, xin giúp cho chúng con có thể luôn luôn biết can đảm và sẵn sàng hy sinh để tuân thủ với sự mong muốn của Chúa, để sẵn sàng chịu đau khổ và chết cho Chúa vì đức tin, và để chúng con cũng có thể được chia sẻ sự chiến thắng và vinh quang của Chúa trên Nước Trời.
 
Suy Niệm Thứ 7 Tuần thứ 5 Mùa Chay
Thật là buồn để thấy được sự tính toán phức tạp của người Pharisêu. Chúa Giêsu đã chữa lành bao nhiêu người bệnh tật. Chúa Giêsu đã biến cải bao nhiêu người trở lại theo Chúa. Chúa Giêsu cũng đã làm cho kẻ đã chết được sống lại. Thế nhưng những người Pharisêu đang lo lắng, và tìm cách ngăn cản và sát hại Chúa Giêsu.Việc này thật là rất khó khăn cho họ. Vì cuộc sống của Ngài, lời nói của Ngài, và phép lạ của Ngài đều rất thuyết phục. Tất nhiên, những người Pharisêu có thể được thuyết phục, nếu họ chỉ tin rằng Chúa Giêsu là Đấng Thiên sai,  họ sẽ không cần phải làm việc khó nhọc để tìm cách ngăn chặn những người khác tin vào Chúa.
            Họ có vẻ lo lắng với việc ngăn chặn người La Mã đến và phá hủy Thành Jerusalem hơn với việc nhận ra Chúa Giêsu thực sự là Đấng Cứu Thế.  Sự lo lắng của họ không phải là vô căn cứ vì bốn mươi năm sau, một Đấng Thiên sai giả đã bắt đầu một cuộc chiến chống lại quận đội La Mã, và Jerusalem đã bị phá hủy, và người Do Thái đã bị phải lưu đày. Những người Pharisiêu đã đoán đúng về những hậu quả của một Đấng Thiên Sai giả mạo, nhưng họ dường như đã mất hy vọng thực sự ở nơi Đấng Thiên sai thật sự.
            Họ đã sống trong hoài nghi, trong khi người Kitô hữu cần phải được có lòng tin. Họ đã mất hy vọng, trong khi Người Kitô hữu sống bằng hy vọng. Họ yêu chính bản thân của họ và chức vụ của họ và hoàn cảch sồng của họ, trong khi đó người Kitô hữu phải yêu mến Thiên Chúa trên hết mọi sự và yêu thương người khác như chính mình. Những lời của Cai-pha, "thà một người chết thay cho dân, còn hơn là toàn dân bị tiêu diệt.” (Jn 11:51).  đã nói lên với ý định quá thấp kém: Việc làm phản bội một người vô tội vì lời nói và hành động của Chúa Giêsu có thể được xem như không được thuận lợi cho họ vĩ họ sợ những người La Mã bắt bớ. Và Cai-phe đã trở thành một cộng tác viên chp giặc..
            Tuy nhiên, những lời của Caipha cũng được thánh Gioan nói với chúng ta đó là một lời tiên tri. Cai-phe là thầy cả thượng phẩm, và Thiên Chúa đã sử dụng ông ta cho mục đích riêng của Thiên Chúa. “Thà để một người vô tội chết phải chết thay cho chúng ta. Thật là một sự tốt lành vì Chúa đã hy sinh cho tình yêu, chỉ vì tội lỗi của loài người chúng ta, mà Chúa Giêsu đã phải chịu khổ hình, và chịu chết để cứu chúng ta được sống đời đời. Và thật là một sự tốt lành, không phải là vì chúng ta là những kẻ hèn và chúng ta sung sướng khi nhìn thấy người khác chết vì tội lỗi của chúng ta, nhưng bởi vì nếu chúng ta chết vì tội lỗi của chúng ta, chúng ta sẽ không được sống lại, nhưng khi Chúa Giêsu đã chết cho tội lỗi của cả thế giới, người vô tội sẽ đền thay cho những người tội lỗi, Ngài có quyền phó mạng sống của Ngài mình xuống và cho nó được sống lại một lần nữa. Đó là việc tốt lành hơn cho chúng ta là vì một người vô tội phải chết thay cho toàn thế giới, nhưng chỉ khi nào mà con người vô tội có thể, bởi cái chết của mình, tiêu diệt sự chết.
 
Reflection
It is so sad to see the convoluted logic of the Pharisees. Jesus is healing people. Jesus is converting sinners back to following God. Jesus is raising dead people back to life. The Pharisees are worried how they can put a stop to all of it. It will be very difficult. His life, his words, and his miracles are all very convincing. Of course, the Pharisees could have just been convinced. If they had just believed that Jesus was the Messiah, they would not have had to work so hard to prevent others from believing.
            They seem more worried with preventing the Romans from coming and destroying Jerusalem than with whether Jesus was actually the Messiah. Their worries are not unfounded. Forty years later, a false Messiah would start a war with the Romans, and Jerusalem would be destroyed, and the Jews forced to leave. The Pharisees were right about the consequences of a false Messiah, but they seem to have lost real hope in the coming of the actual Messiah.
            They had become cynical, whereas a Christian needs to be trusting. They had lost hope, whereas a Christian lives by hope. They loved themselves and their positions and their situation, whereas a Christian must love God above all things and their neighbors as themselves. The words of Caiaphas, “it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people” are said with the lowest intention: to betray an innocent man because his words and actions might not be looked upon favorably by the persecuting Romans. Caiaphas has turned into a collaborator.
            However, the words of Caiaphas are also, St. John tells us, a prophecy. Caiaphas was the high priest, and God would use him for God’s own purposes. It is better for us that an innocent man should die in our place. It is better, for us, that Jesus gave up his life to save ours. It is better, not because we should be such cowards that we gladly see someone else die for our sins, but because if we died for our own sins, we would not have risen again, but when Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, the innocent for the guilty, he had the power to lay his life down and take it up again. It is better for us that an innocent man should die instead of the whole world, but only if that innocent man can, by his death, destroy death.
 
Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent
So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.” John 11:47–48
Jesus’ public ministry had two primary effects upon the people. For many, they were coming to believe in Him and were hanging on His every word. They sought Him out and began to understand that He was the promised Messiah. This was the response of faith. But the reaction of the chief priests and the Pharisees was far more worldly. In the passage above, we see a group of religious leaders who are completely consumed with worldly concerns to the point that these concerns drown out all matters of faith.
As the Sanhedrin convened and discussed what they should do, Caiaphas, the high priest that year, spoke up and gave advice that perfectly depicts this worldly vision. He said, “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” Caiaphas and many other religious leaders at the time appeared to be far more concerned with their worldly status and power than they were with matters of true faith and eternal salvation. If they were men who deeply loved God and sought only His holy will, then they would have rejoiced that Jesus’ ministry was so fruitful in the lives of the people. They would have offered thanks to God, day and night, for the privilege of seeing the prophecies of old about the Messiah come to fruition before their own eyes. They should have had joy and gratitude, and they should have allowed those spiritual blessings to grow within them and give them the courage they needed to go forth and die with our Lord if necessary. But instead, they chose their comfortable lives and worldly status above the truth, and they decided that Jesus needed to die.
One beautiful truth to reflect upon within this context is that God uses all things for His glory and for the salvation of those who believe. With this meeting of the Sanhedrin, these men began to plot the death of Jesus. Eventually they used deceit, manipulation, intimidation and fear to accomplish their goal. But even though from a worldly perspective these misguided religious leaders “won,” from a divine perspective, God used their evil to bring about the greatest good the world had ever known. Through their malice, Jesus’ passion and death gave way to the new life of the Resurrection.
Reflect, today, upon the fact that God is able to use all things for our good. Be it in the midst of corruption, persecution, discord, sin, illness or any other evil in life, when we turn to God in faith and surrender, He is able to transform all things and bring forth an abundance of good fruit through them if we only let Him and trust in faith. Prayerfully surrender over to God, today, any of the above concerns that have affected you, and allow yourself to believe the simple truth that nothing can keep you from the glorious fulfillment of the will of God. All things can help toward the salvation of your soul and end in God’s eternal glory.
My glorious Lord, You were loved by many but also hated by some. Those with power and authority could not see beyond their worldly ambitions, so they began to plot against You. Give me the grace, dear Lord, to see every act of evil inflicted upon me as an opportunity for You to bring forth good. You are glorious, dear Lord. May You be glorified in all things. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Saturday 5th Week of Lent 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you instituted the feasts of Israel to sanctify the year and to look forward to their fulfillment in your Son. I hope that my year, weeks, and days may continue to be sanctified by prayer and liturgy. 
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Prophecy of Caiaphas: The Gospel of John makes a subtle but important contrast between the high priesthood of Caiaphas and the high priesthood of Jesus. John points out that Caiaphas was “high priest for that year.” In this way, he indicates that Caiaphas’ claim to the high priesthood was very suspect. Instead of reigning for life, high priests, in Jesus’ day, were often appointed by the civil authorities. At the same time, John notes that Caiaphas still exercised a prophetic role. Although Caiaphas was thinking solely in earthly terms, about one man dying so that the nation did not perish, his words are profound when applied to the death of Jesus: Jesus, the innocent Son of God and Son of Mary, dies for us, so that we might live. It truly is better that Jesus takes upon himself our sin and endures the curse of the Old Covenant so that he can forge an unbreakable New Covenant. Caiaphas did not perceive the prophetic depth of his words. Even when the priests call out at the foot of the Cross, “his blood be on us and our children,” they did not know the prophetic depths of their words. They thought they were claiming that they were just in crucifying Jesus. But what they actually said was, “We need to be washed clean by the blood of the lamb.” May his blood be on us and wash us clean!
2. Desert Dwelling: In the three months leading up to his final Passover, Jesus spent time with his disciples in the desert. During this time, he only left the wilderness to go to Bethany to restore his friend Lazarus to life. The town of Ephraim was about 13 miles north of Jerusalem. But it was near the desert and allowed Jesus to spend time with his disciples before his passion, death, and resurrection. He had much to teach them about how they were to exercise leadership in the Church. The other three Gospels emphasize how Jesus taught lessons about poverty, fidelity in marriage, and humility. His disciples are to take up their daily cross, be detached from the things of this passing world, be faithful in love, and humbly serve their brothers and sisters.
3. The Third Passover: Many of the events of the Gospel of John are connected to the Jewish Feasts. In particular, John highlights three Passovers. At the first Passover, Jesus cleansed the Temple and spoke with Nicodemus about the need to be reborn of water and the spirit. At the second Passover, Jesus multiplied the bread and spoke to his disciples about the Eucharist, the bread that gives eternal life. At the third Passover, Jesus will transform the old rite through his sacrifice. He will be the lamb that is sacrificed. His body will be the unleavened bread that is shared. His blood will be the chalice of wine that is drunk. This is the way that we will share Jesus’ one effective sacrifice throughout time until he comes again! Every mass is a new Passover and thanksgiving for the saving action of God.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the true high priest, who is meek and humble of heart, poor in possessions, but rich in the Spirit. You loved your Bride the Church and gave your life to sanctify her and wash her clean.
 
Saturday 5th Week of Lent: 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are faithful to your promises and merciful when we are unfaithful. In the past, you revealed your fidelity and mercy to Moses and your people. Today, you reveal your faithful and merciful love to me through your Son.
 Encountering the Word of God
 1. The Sanhedrin’s Response to the Raising of Lazarus: The response of the Sanhedrin to the raising of Lazarus by Jesus is not one of faith, but one of condemnation. They recognize that Jesus is performing extraordinary signs. But instead of pondering in prayer what this could mean – that Jesus is the Messiah sent by God – they prefer to remain in their blindness (John 9:39-41) and look at things from a very human point of view. If we do nothing, they argue, “the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.” The theme of nationhood and land is a central theme in today’s First Reading as well as yesterday’s First Reading. Yesterday, we read how Abraham was promised both land and nationhood: “I will make nations of you, and kings shall come forth from you ... I will give to you, and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession” (Genesis 17:6,8). This promise to Abraham was then elevated to a covenant: “I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you” (Genesis 17:7).
 2. Ezekiel’s Prophecy: Ezekiel’s prophecy was made when it seemed like the promise made to Abraham about the land and a royal dynasty had failed. The kingdom of David was divided, Israel had long been in exile, Jerusalem had fallen (Ezekiel 33:21), the temple was pillaged, and the king of Judah had been deposed. Ezekiel himself would die in exile in Babylon. Despite all this, God is faithful to his promises. Through Ezekiel, God says that he will gather the scattered children of Israel from among the nations and bring them back to the land promised to Abraham. God will make them one nation: “Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.” There will be a New David, a new servant of the Lord, who will rule over them. God will make an everlasting covenant of peace with them. He will dwell with them. He will be their God and they will be his people. This will be the true fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham: one kingdom, one nation, dwelling with God, united by an everlasting and unbreakable covenant.
 3. Jesus as the Fulfillment of God’s Promises: Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises made throughout the Old Testament: he is the New David, the Servant of God, the one sent to the lost tribes of Israel, the one who proclaims the coming of the Kingdom of God and establishes it, and the one who establishes the New Covenant. This New Covenant was established on the Cross. In the Gospel of John, the high priest Caiaphas does not realize the depth of his prophetic words. He thinks that by condemning Jesus to death, he will eliminate the problem Jesus is causing among the people and preserve the land promised to Abraham. Caiaphas says: “It is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” John, however, knows that Jesus’ death will gather the dispersed children of God: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (John 12:32). John knows that Jesus’ death is key to the inauguration of the reign of God on earth. Jesus dies for us, removes the ancient curse of death, and bestows life on those who receive him in faith and love.
 Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, it is so mysterious to see how people rejected you, your message of merciful love, and your mighty works. You were the innocent one who went about doing good, healing the sick, casting out demons, and feeding the hungry, and yet you were condemned and crucified by your people. Help me to embrace suffering and persecution for the sake of your name.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu Tuần 5 Mùa Chay.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu Tuần 5 Mùa Chay. (Jn 10:31-42)
            Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta cũng thấy Chúa Giêsu đã phải trải qua những hậu quả, những cuộc xung đột với người Do Thái vì họ đã phản ứng mạnh với lời giáo huấn của Ngài về sự hiệp nhất giữa Ngài với Chúa Cha là Thiên Chúa của họ. Đối với họ đó là lời xúc phạm. Họ đã chứng kiến ​​những việc lành Chúa Giêsu đả làm, nhưng tâm trí của họ đã bị che mờ với sự bướng bỉnh của họ trong sự ích kỷ, tự hào và thiếu hiểu biết và cũng như sự quan hệ của họ với Thiên Chúa.
            Chúng ta đang bị thử thách để suy gẫm về việc đem rao truyền lời Chúa của chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy tự đặt câu hỏi cho chính mình là: Tại sao trong số những người mà chúng ta đã phục vụ và tiếp xúc mỗi ngày vẫn cò có người chưa nhận ra tình yêu của Thiên Chúa? Những thách thức này có thể là một lời mời gọi chúng ta hãy tự kiểm tra mối quan hệ của chúng ta với Thiên Chúa. Thánh Gioan Tẩy Giả là một ví dụ tốt để cho chúng ta làm gương vì tháng Gioan đã chỉ đường những người khác đến với Chúa Giêsu và họ tin vào Chúa và chịu phép Rửa. Đây chính là những thử thách khó kăn cho tất cả chúng ta trong các công việc mục vụ của chúng ta. Trong Mùa Chay này, Xin Chúa hướng dẫn chúng ta có một mối quan hệ mật thiết hơn với Thiên Chúa nhiều hơn và để nhờ ân sũng này mà chúng ta có thể suy gẫm thêm về những mối quan hệ của chúng ta với những người khác. "Lạy Chúa, Xin dẫn đưa chúng con luôn đến với Chúa cho dù là trong lời kinh cầu nguyện hay trong những việc làm việc bác ái hằng ngày.”
 
Reflection SG 2-16
Jesus in the Gospel account also experienced the consequences of the conflict of the Jews who reacted strongly to Jesus’ claim of his unity with Father God. For them it was blasphemy. They witnessed the good works of Jesus, yet their minds were clouded with their own stubbornness in their understanding and relationship with God.
            We are challenged to reflect on our own works of ‘evangelization’. If the people whom we serve and reach out to do not recognize God’s love, it may be an invitation to examine our relationship with God. We have a good example in John the Baptist who led the people to Jesus and they believed. This is a challenge to all of us in ministries.
            Let this Lenten season lead us into a more intimate relationship with God so that this may reflect in our relationships with others.  “Lord, lead us to You always whether in prayer or work especially works of charity.”
 
Friday 5th Week of Lent: 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you offer me the gift of divine adoption. I do not deserve this great gift. Your love for me is so great. Help me to correspond to your love and live as your child.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Did Jesus Commit Blasphemy? Yesterday, we read that the Judeans tried to stone Jesus after the autumn Feast of Tabernacles. Today’s Gospel takes place a few months later at the Feast of Hannukah (the Feast of the Dedication) in winter. Once again, Jesus’ words provoke the Judeans to try to stone him to death. At both feasts, Jesus made divine claims. At Tabernacles, Jesus claimed to be “I AM.” At Hannukah, Jesus declared: “The Father and I are one” (John 10:30). At both feasts, the people think mistakenly that Jesus has committed the sin of blasphemy and, according to Leviticus 24:16, must be stoned to death for that sin. The readers of John’s Gospel, however, know that Jesus is the eternal Word and Son of the Father and that he has committed no sin or blasphemy. 
2. Our Sharing in the Divine Nature: Jesus refutes his opponents by quoting Scripture and interpreting Psalm 82:6, which says: “I said, ‘You are gods.’” In its original context, Psalm 82 speaks about the leaders and judges of Israel who failed to act and judge things in a holy way. And yet the Lord God refers to these individuals as “gods” but, on account of their corruption and sin, will die like mortal men. Jesus uses the Psalm to argue that if people like that can be called “gods” by the Lord God, how much more can he, the just one who does what is good, claim to be the Son of God sent by the Father into the world? On the one hand, Jesus uses the text to allude to his divine nature as the Son of God. On the other hand, he refers to our calling to share in the divine nature as adopted children of God.
3. The Fulfillment of the Feast of Dedication: We have to remember that this episode takes place during the Feast of Hannukah or Dedication. Jesus refers to himself as being “consecrated” by God the Father. This helps us understand the relationship between Jesus and the Feast of Dedication: “This festival celebrates the reconsecration of the temple, the place of God’s special presence among the people. As the incarnate Word, whose body is the ‘temple’ (John 2:21), Jesus is the one consecrated by the Father. The rededication of the earthly temple made earthly worship possible again, and Jesus makes possible ‘worship in Spirit and truth’ (John 4:24)” (Martin and Wright, The Gospel of John, 199).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are mighty in your works and invite me to believe in you. I believe in you and your words of everlasting life. You are my savior and redeemer, you are my king and my Lord, you are my life and my resurrection.
 
Friday 5th Week of Lent: 2024
“If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” John 10:37–39
These words spoken by Jesus took place during the feast of the Dedication in Jerusalem. Jesus had been preaching clearly about His relationship with the Father in Heaven, and this was causing some to become outraged to the point of them trying to arrest Him right then and there. But He escaped and went back into the wilderness where He had been baptized by John. As Jesus remained there in the desert, many people came to Him to be with Him and to listen to His words. As they listened, they began to believe.
It’s interesting to note the contrast of reactions. In Jerusalem within the Temple area, among large crowds gathered for the feast of Dedication, Jesus was increasingly rejected and persecuted. But when He returned to the desert and people had to come to see Him, they listened and believed. This contrast presents us with one way in which we will more easily grow in our faith and help others grow in their faith. Specifically, we are invited to go into the “desert” to encounter our Lord, away from the busyness of life, and we must also invite others to join us in such a journey.
It’s true that, while in Jerusalem, there were people who happened to stumble upon Jesus as He was teaching and were moved by His word and came to believe. But it’s also clear that, when people had to commit to the effort of seeking Him out in a deserted place, His words were even more transformative.
In our own lives, within the ordinary activities of life, such as regular attendance at Mass, we will be given the opportunity to hear the Gospel and deepen our life of faith. But all of us need to take time to seek Jesus out “in the wilderness,” so to speak, so as to be even more disposed to hear Him and believe. These “desert experiences” come in many forms. Perhaps it’s an experience as simple as going into your room alone to pray and ponder the Word of God. Or perhaps it’s a participation in a Bible study, an online devotional program, or parish catechesis event. Or perhaps it’s the choice to go away for a weekend or longer for a guided retreat where all you do for some time is pray and listen to our Lord.
Throughout history, saint after saint has shown us the value of going off to pray to be with our Lord, in a place where the many other distractions of life and the many voices of the world are silenced, so that God can speak to the heart and so that we can more fully respond.
Reflect, today, upon the invitation Jesus is giving you to go out to meet Him in the wilderness. Where is that place? How can you accomplish this short journey while keeping up with the important duties of life? Do not hesitate to seek out the desert to which our Lord is calling you, so that you will be able to meet Him there, listen to His voice, and respond with complete generosity.
My Lord Jesus, You are calling me to enter deeper into a relationship of love with You, my divine Lord. Give me the grace I need to say “Yes” to You and to enter into the desert of silence and prayer I need so as to hear Your voice. Draw me to You, my Lord, and help me to more fully believe all that You wish to say. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday 5th Week of Lent: 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you offer me the gift of divine adoption. I do not deserve this great gift. Your love for me is so great. Help me to correspond to your love and live as your child.
 Encountering the Word of God
 1. Jesus’ Works and Signs: In response to their attempt to kill him, Jesus asks the crowd a legitimate question: “I have shown you many works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?" They answer that his works are not the problem. However, his claim that he is the Son of God and therefore equal to God is a huge problem. For them, this was blasphemy, which, according to the Law of Moses, should be punished by stoning (Leviticus 24:16). Putting Jesus to death is a constant theme in the Gospel of John. Sometimes these attempts follow his works or signs. Jesus cures the paralytic on the Sabbath and we read: “This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God” (John 5:18). Jesus multiplies the loaves, and once again: “After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer walked with him. ... Jesus went about in Galilee; he would not go about in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him” (John 6:66; 7:1). The chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest Jesus (John 7:32), but no one laid hands upon him (John 7:44).
 2. Attempts to Kill Jesus: Since the officers and the crowds are being swayed by Jesus’ words and doctrine, the scribes and Pharisees try to trap him by having him contradict either himself or Moses (John 8:6). Jesus avoids their trap and teaches openly that he is the Son of God (John 8:42). The response is to try to stone Jesus: “So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple” (John 8:59). Today’s Gospel takes place at the Feast of the Dedication, during winter, and a couple of months before Jesus’ last Passover. Jesus proclaims once again that he is the Son of God: “The works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness to me” (John 10:25); “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). The response is the same: “The Jews took up stones again to stone him” (John 10:31). Jesus will escape from them, for his hour had not yet come.
 3. Jesus’s Signs and the Act of Faith: It is important to understand the relation between Jesus’ signs in John’s Gospel and the act of faith. The works that Jesus does manifest that he is mighty in power. First, he has command over physical things: he turns water into wine and multiplies the loaves of bread. Second, he has command over sickness: he cures the official’s son from a distance; he heals the paralytic; he restores sight to a man born blind. Third, he has power over death: he will raise Lazarus from the dead. These are divine actions and signs that point to something. The signs do not of themselves lead to faith. The act of faith is a free act of man. The signs testify to Jesus but are not mathematical demonstrations. Another stepping-stone on the way to faith in Jesus is the testimony of John. John did not perform signs like Jesus. He simply preached a baptism of repentance and prepared the way for the Messiah. John testified that Jesus is the Light, the Lamb, the Bridegroom, filled with the Holy Spirit, and mightier than John himself. Faith in Jesus means assenting to the truth that he is the Son of God, equal to the Father. 
 Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are mighty in your works and invite me to believe in you. I believe in you and your words of everlasting life. You are my savior and redeemer, you are my king and my Lord, you are my life and my resurrection.
 Living the Word of God: We are called today to renew our faith in Jesus, who continues to work marvels in our lives and in the life of the Church. Signs and testimony point us in the right direction and confirm the stirring in our hearts. This is the action of grace moving us to faith in Christ, to hope in his promise of eternal life, and to love both God and neighbor.
 
Friday 5th Week of Lent:
Opening Prayer: Lord, as I begin these moments of prayer, reaffirm in my heart that I belong to you. I am a child of the Almighty!
Encountering Christ:
In Control: Unlike the synoptic Gospels, the Gospel of John is highly theological and loaded with symbolism intent on convincing the reader that Jesus is God. In these verses, Jesus was accused of blasphemy because he told the Jews that he and the Father are one. Blasphemy was a sin punishable by death. When they tried to stone him and arrest him, Jesus, full of divine power, simply walked away from the angry mob and back to the river Jordan to continue his work. Jesus was in full control. He knew exactly when and where his ultimate sacrifice would be made, and it was not to be this day. He had more work to do.
Never Wavered: Christ showed by his words and actions that he was aware of who he was—the one whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world. He had been given a mission from the Father and would carry it out until his last breath. This consciousness of his divine Sonship led him to confidently and courageously stand up to attacks against his person. We received a new identity at our baptism. We became, once and for all, children of God. Having confidence in our filial relationship to God, we too can courageously face life’s obstacles. “But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name...” (John 1:12).
Works versus Words: Christ invited the doubting Jews to look at his body of work and not what he had said. Words can often be argued with, but actions speak for themselves. It was almost as if Christ was pleading with them to acknowledge the truth of his message. Their response? They stepped forward to arrest him. Sometimes we’re called to speak out, and sometimes we’re called to act on behalf of the Gospel. Like Jesus, even when we have been completely docile to the Holy Spirit, the souls we’re trying to reach, of their own free will, may reject us and the mission we attempt to fulfill. 
Conversing with Christ: I will face many difficulties in the living of my faith. When I experience struggles, help me to look back on what you have done for me. You make me who I am. I am your beloved child. I am resistant to all obstacles when I remember this.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ Năm Mùa Chay.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ Năm Mùa Chay.
Đoạn kết của bài Tin Mừng hôm nay cho chúng ta thấy Chúa Giêsu đã bị những người Do Thái ở Jerusalem muốn tìm cách giết Ngài sau khi Ngài cho họ biệt sự thật về Ngài là Con Thiên Chúa, nhưng bằng cách nào đó Chúa Giêsu đã biến mất trước mặt họ và ra khỏi khuôn viên đền thờ mà họ không hay biết.
Sự việc này đã từng xảy ra một cách tương tự khi Chúa Giêsu trở về Nazareth và rao giảng trong hội đường ở làng Nazarét; Tất cả những người đồng hương của Ngài lúc đầu đã tỏ vẻ ngạc nhiên vì những lời giảng dạy của Ngài, Nhưng sau đó vì ghen tức mà họ đã muốn giết Ngài bằng cách muốn ném Ngài xuống vực đá. Chúa Giêsu cũng đã ra đi trước mặt họ và thoát nạn dịp đó.
Trong Tin Mừng Thánh Lễ ngày mai, chúng ta sẽ đọc một đoạn trích từ chương 10 của Tin Mừng Thánh Gioan, chúng ta cũng sẽ thấy một sự cố tương tự: Người Do Thái tìm cách muốn giết Chúa Giêsu, nhưng bằng cách nào đó, Ngài đã bỏ đi trước khị họ có thể ra tay. Tất cả những sự kiện đó đã chỉ cho chúng ta đến một chân lý vĩ đại hơn. Đức Giêsu có thể từ chối cái chết theo như những cách vửa nói trên vì Ngày và thời giờ của Ngài chưa đến. Ngài có thể tránh cái chết thẳm hại trên thập giá, nhưng nếu Ngài làm như vậy, Ngài đã không vâng lời và bất trung với Chúa Cha.
            Sau khi cầu nguyện trong vườn Cây Dầu, sau bữa Tiệc Ly, khi người Do Thái và lính La Mã đến bắt Ngài, Chúa Giêsu đã không hề chống cự hay tìm cách thoát than, nhưng Ngài sẵn sàng đầu hàng, và sẵn lòng, lặng lẽ để kẻ thù của mình bắt đem đi. Ngài đã rửa chân cho các môn đệ và ban cho chúng ta Bí Tích Thánh Thể. Sứ vụ mục vụ của Ngài gần như hoàn tất. Việc còn lại mà Ngài phải làm nữa đó là cái chết trên thập giá để cứu con người chúng ta khỏi tội lỗi, và đem con người chúng ta về tình yêu và lòng thương xót của Thiên Chúa..  Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin ban cho tâm hồn và trái tim của chúng con luôn luôn được biết mở rộng để đón nhận chân lý và sự thật mà Chúa đã tiết lộ cho chúng con qua sự cứu rỗi của Chúa.          
 
Reflection
At the conclusion of Jesus’ discourse to the Jews in Jerusalem during the Feast of the Tabernacles, his listeners attempted to kill him but Jesus somehow disappeared and slipped out of the Temple precincts.     Something similar happened when Jesus returned to Nazareth and preached in the synagogue; his listeners were first of all amazed by his teaching and then wanted to kill him by throwing him over a cliff. Jesus also escaped on that occasion. Tomorrow, when we read an extract from chapter 10 of John’s Gospel, we see a similar incident: the Jews wanted to kill Jesus but he somehow escaped. These incidents point to a greater truth.  Jesus could refuse death in this way because his time had not yet come. He could avoid death because in doing so he was not being unfaithful to his Father.
            In the Garden of Olives after the Last Supper, when the Jews and Romans came to arrest him, he does not make any attempt to escape but surrenders willingly and quietly to his captors. He has washed the feet of his disciples and given us the Eucharist. His ministry is almost finished. It only remains for him to die on a cross to save us from our sins.
            Lord Jesus, grant that our hearts may always be open to the truth which You have revealed for our salvation.
 
Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area. John 8:58–59
When Moses encountered God in the burning bush, God revealed His name: I AM. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that this revelation of God’s name “​​is at once a name revealed and something like the refusal of a name.” It expresses that God is “infinitely above everything that we can understand or say.” He is the “hidden God.” He is also a “God who makes himself close to men” at each and every moment of our lives (See CCC #206).
In our Gospel today, Jesus identifies Himself with this hidden God. He states that He alone knows His Father and that the Father glorifies Him because He is the great I AM. To the people of that time, this was a shocking revelation, at least to those who failed to comprehend this truth in faith. But that mysterious name reveals to us not only the essence of God, it also reveals how we ought to relate to this infinite, hidden, exalted and glorious God.
As Jesus revealed His identity, He did not say, “before Abraham came to be, I was.” He says, “I AM.” This reveals that Jesus not only existed before Abraham, but that His existence transcends all time. He always and everywhere IS. Though this might seem overly philosophical to some, it is an important concept to understand for two important reasons. First, it gives us greater insight into God. But, second, it reveals to us how we ought to relate to God every day.
God is not a God of the past. He is not a God of the future. He is a God of the present moment. If we are to enter into a relationship with God, then we must realize that we can only encounter Him in the present moment. He is the Here and Now, so to speak. And we must seek Him here and now, in this present moment alone.
Sometimes we find ourselves dwelling on the past. To the extent that our past has helped or hurt us in this present moment, we need to address it. But the way this is done is by seeking God’s healing grace today, allowing the past to disappear into His abundant mercy. Other times we try to live in the future, becoming anxious about what is to come. But God does not dwell in the future for, to Him, all time is here and now. Therefore, we ought not to become anxious about the future, worry about it or try to live in it now. All we have is this present moment, and it is in this moment that God comes to meet us. He is here, and we must meet Him here, turning to Him and His grace today.
Reflect, today, upon this deep and mysterious revelation from our Lord. Think about his identity as the great “I AM.” Ponder that name. Ponder its meaning. See it as a way by which Jesus is inviting you to encounter Him in this present moment alone. Live in this moment. The past is gone; the future is not yet here. Live where God exists, here and now, for that is the only place that you will meet our Lord.
My Lord, You are the Great I Am. You transcend all time. Help me to meet You today, to let go of the past, to look forward to the future, and to live with You in this moment alone. As I meet You here, dear Lord, help me to love You with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent 20245
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I praise you for your marvelous works and the covenant you have made with us. Even though we acted like rebellious children and abandoned you, you did not abandon us. You are faithful forever.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Power to Save People from Death: In his debate with the Pharisees after the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus doubles down and claims not only that he reveals the truth that sets us free (John 8:31-32, but also that he has the power to save people from death (John 8:51). The two claims are related. The grace and Spirit Jesus pours out upon believers not only frees us from the power of sin but also liberates us from eternal death. In both claims, Jesus invites us to abide in his word (John 8:31) and to keep his word (John 8:51). These claims make Jesus’ opponents think of Abraham and the prophets. They think Jesus must be possessed to think that his word can do something that neither Abraham’s words nor the words of the prophets could do. They ask almost sarcastically: “Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died?” (John 8:33). They are mistaken, thinking that when Jesus speaks about his word preserving someone from death, he is speaking about bodily death and not spiritual or eternal death.
2. Greater than Abraham: Jesus’ opponents ask him to declare his identity: “Who do you make yourself out to be?” (John 8:53). John’s readers know that Jesus is the eternal Word of the Father, that Jesus is the Bridegroom, that Jesus is the Son of Man, that he is the giver of the water of the Spirit, that he is equal to God the Father, that he is the new Moses who gives his body as the Bread of Life, that he is the source of living water, and that he is the Light of the World. Jesus’ opponents continue to refuse to accept Jesus’ claims. Jesus now claims to be greater than Abraham, who actually rejoiced when he saw Jesus’ day (John 8:56). This is an allusion to the manifestations of the divine to Abraham in Genesis 15 and 17. “In Genesis 17:17, Abraham laughed at God’s words that he and Sarah would conceive a child in their old age. The verb ‘rejoiced’ in John’s Gospel interprets Abraham’s laughter as joy rather than astonishment. In Genesis 15:13-16, God appeared to Abraham and revealed the future events of the exodus to him. … John 8:56 seems to imply that this revelation to Abraham included the knowledge that the Messiah would be his descendant” (Martin and Wright, The Gospel of John, 169).
3. The Response to Jesus’ Declaration that “I AM”: When Jesus’ opponents point out that Jesus is less than fifty years old and couldn’t possibly have seen Abraham who lived closer to two thousand years before Jesus, Jesus declares that he doesn’t just have a human origin, but also has a divine origin. Thus, the debate with the Pharisees after the Feast of Tabernacles culminates with Jesus declaring his divine identity (John 8:58). In a way, this is the fulfillment of the feast, which looked forward to the day when God and his Messiah would dwell and tabernacle among his people once again. Jesus declares openly that his identity is “I AM,” the divine name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:15. Just as the chief priests will condemn Jesus to death when he declares his divine identity at his trial, here his opponents try to kill him thinking he has committed blasphemy by claiming the divine name for himself.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I embrace in faith the mysteries of your life but recognize that I can never fully comprehend or exhaust them. I welcome this and will seek to share more deeply in the mysteries of your life through the liturgy and the service of charity.
 
Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent 2024
Encountering the Word of God
 Opening Prayer: Lord God, I praise you for your marvelous works and the covenant you have made with us. Even though we acted like rebellious children and abandoned you, you did not abandon us. You are faithful forever.
 1. Jesus, the Light of God: In John 8, Jesus continues his long discussion with the Judeans in the Temple (John 8:2-58). The chapter began by narrating Jesus’ encounter with the scribes and Pharisees, who tested him and wanted him to contradict either his doctrine of mercy by allowing the stoning of the adulteress or to contradict the Law of Moses by prohibiting it (John 8:3-11). Jesus successfully avoided the trap, revealed their hypocrisy, and restored the adulteress to life. Jesus then proclaimed that he is the light of the world and that those who follow him will have the light of life. He also introduced the theme of his divine sonship, referring to God as his Father (John 8:12-20). Just as he is the Light and bestows the light of life on us, so also he is the Son and can bestow divine sonship on us.
 2. Jesus, the Son of God: When Jesus is lifted up on the Cross, lifted from the grave, and lifted into heaven, the people will know that he is equal to God because he is the eternal Son of God (John 8:21-30). To those who believe in him, Jesus reveals that true freedom is achieved not by physical descent from Abraham, but through sharing in the faith of Abraham (8:31-41). The people are challenged by Jesus’ teaching and signs and can no longer remain indifferent to him: they either reject him and belong to the devil (8:44-47) or accept him and share in his divine sonship. The children of the devil are slaves to sin; the children of the Father enjoy the freedom of the Spirit. Those who remain in the Word of God will never see death.
 3. Abraham Saw Jesus’ Day: In today’s Gospel, Jesus once again takes up the story of Abraham and says “Abraham rejoiced to see my day.” The Judeans do not know how to understand this saying. Jesus is less than fifty years old and Abraham died long before his appearance. How, then, did Abraham see this day of Jesus? We first need to understand that Jesus’ day is the day of the coming of the Messiah, the day of the Lord, the day when the promises made to Abraham are fulfilled (Genesis 12:2). The First Reading today recalls the second of the three covenant promises made to Abraham: the promise of a great name and royal descendants. There are several possible ways to understand Abraham “seeing” the day of Jesus. The first way Abraham saw this day is by faith. Abraham believed in and trusted God and saw the fulfillment of God’s promises through the gift of faith. He saw Jesus’ day with the eyes of faith. In response to his act of faith, God rewarded Abraham with a covenant that promised that one of his descendants would arise to bless all nations (Genesis 22:16-18). The second way Abraham saw the day of Jesus is at the manifestation of Mamre (Genesis 18:1-8). This happened when three men approach the tent of Abraham, share a meal, and promise that Sarah will give birth to a son. There is an ancient tradition that the central figure is none other than the Son of God. The third and most probably way is Abraham saw the day of Jesus at the binding of Isaac on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:1-18). Abraham’s son Isaac was spared that day and Abraham foresees the future day when God himself will provide the Lamb of sacrifice. Just as Isaac, the son of the promise, carried the wood up the hill and was placed on the altar of sacrifice, so, one day, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, will carry the wood of the Cross up the same mountain and be sacrificed for our sins. Abraham received his son Isaac back alive and thus “sees a preview of the Father surrendering his Son to death and receiving him back in the Resurrection” (see Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The New Testament, 179).
 Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I embrace in faith the mysteries of your life but recognize that I can never fully comprehend or exhaust them. I welcome this and will seek to share more deeply in the mysteries of your life through the liturgy and the service of charity.
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ Năm Mùa Chay.
Đoạn kết của bài Tin Mừng hôm nay cho chúng ta thấy Chúa Giêsu đã bị những người Do Thái ở Jerusalem muốn tìm cách giết Ngài sau khi Ngài cho họ biệt sự thật về Ngài, và Ngài là Con Thiên Chúa, nhưng bằng cách nào đó Chúa Giêsu đã biến mất trước mặt họ và đi ra khỏi khuôn viên đền thờ mà họ không hay biết.
            Sự việc này đã từng xảy ra một cách tương tự khi Chúa Giêsu trở về Nazareth và rao giảng trong hội đường ở làng Nazarét; Tất cả những người đồng hương của Ngài lúc đầu đã tỏ vẻ ngạc nhiên vì những lời giảng dạy của Ngài, Nhưng sau đó vì ghen tức mà họ đã muốn giết Ngài bằng cách muốn ném Ngài xuống vực đá.  Nhưng Chúa Giêsu cũng đã ra đi trước mặt họ và họ cũng chẳng dám làm gì.
            Tất cả những sự kiện đó đã cho chúng ta đến một chân lý, một sự thật vĩ đại hơn. Đức Giêsu có thể từ chối cái chết vì Ngày và thời giờ của Ngài chưa đến. Ngài có thể tránh cái chết thẳm hại trên thập giá nếu như Ngài muốn, Ngài đã làm như vậy, Nhưng Ngài không làm thế, Ngài chấp nhận cái chết thảm hại vì Ngài đã chọn để vâng theo ý Chúa Cha.
            Sau khi cầu nguyện trong vườn Cây Dầu, người Do Thái đem lính đến vây bắt Chúa Giêsu, Ngài đã không hề chống cự hay tìm cách thoát thân như những lần trước, mà Ngài đã sẵn sàng đầu hàng, và lặng lẽ để kẻ thù đến bắt mình đem đi. Ngài đã rửa chân cho các môn đệ và ban cho chúng ta Bí Tích Thánh Thể. Sứ vụ mục vụ của Ngài gần như hoàn tất. Việc còn lại mà Ngài phải làm nữa đó là cái chết trên thập giá để cứu con người chúng ta khỏi tội lỗi, và đem con người chúng ta về với tình yêu và lòng thương xót của Thiên Chúa.           
            Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin ban cho tâm hồn và trái tim của chúng con luôn luôn được biết mở rộng để đón nhận chân lý và sự thật mà Chúa đã tỏ lộ cho chúng con biết được qua sự cứu rỗi của Chúa bằng cái chết trên Thập Giá.       
 
Reflection
At the conclusion of Jesus’ discourse to the Jews in Jerusalem during the Feast of the Tabernacles, his listeners attempted to kill him but Jesus somehow disappeared and slipped out of the Temple precincts.     Something similar happened when Jesus returned to Nazareth and preached in the synagogue; his listeners were first of all amazed by his teaching and then wanted to kill him by throwing him over a cliff. Jesus also escaped on that occasion. Tomorrow, when we read an extract from chapter 10 of John’s Gospel, we see a similar incident: the Jews wanted to kill Jesus but he somehow escaped. These incidents point to a greater truth.  Jesus could refuse death in this way because his time had not yet come. He could avoid death because in doing so he was not being unfaithful to his Father.
            In the Garden of Olives after the Last Supper, when the Jews and Romans came to arrest him, he does not make any attempt to escape but surrenders willingly and quietly to his captors. He has washed the feet of his disciples and given us the Eucharist. His ministry is almost finished. It only remains for him to die on a cross to save us from our sins.
            Lord Jesus, grant that our hearts may always be open to the truth which You have revealed for our salvation.