"Ta bảo thật cho các ngươi..”
(Mt 25:40) Chúa Giêsu nói , " Vì khi Ta đói, các ngươi đã cho
ăn; Ta khát, các ngươi đã cho uống; Ta là khách lạ, các ngươi đã tiếp rước; Ta
trần truồng, các ngươi đã cho mặc; Ta đau yếu, các ngươi đã thăm nom; Ta ngồi
tù, các ngươi đã đến thăm"(Mt 25:35-36) Qua
những đoạn Tin Mừng trên, Chúa Giêsu đã
cho chúng ta thấy trong thực tế Ngài là ai, Ngài
chính là Thiên Chúa, và làm
cách nào để chính ta có thể được trở nên
một với Ngài, Thiên Chúa này là Thiên Chúa hằng
sống, Thiên Chúa này được gọi là Emmanuel (Thiên Chúa ở cùng chúng ta) Và
Chúa cũng đã cảnh cáo chúng ta là
ngay cả những người tốt lành và thánh thiện cũng
khó mà nhận ra được Ngài ngay trong
cuộc sống hằng ngày của họ .
Hôm
nay, mỗi ngày, bất cứ nơi nào, ở khắp mọi nơi, Chúa
đến với chúng ta trong hình ảnh của những người khó nghèo và thấp hèn nhất
trong những người khó nghèo, Chúa
đến với chúng ta trong hình ảnh của những người
anh chị em đau yếu bệnh tật mà
chúng ta ruồng bỏ, không thèm để ý tới, những không dám đến
gần chúng ta để cầu xin sự giúp đỡ, hay bố thí.
Chúng ta có thấy, Chúng ta
có cảm nhận được? Cái Ý nghĩa đó
chính là Emmanuel (Thiên Chúa ở cùng chúng ta) đang
ở ngay trước mặt chúng ta, đang làm
cho trời đất run rẩy. Và làm cho chúng ta
run sợ. " hãy mở lòng rộng lượng !
Hãy mở lòng! Hãy mở lòng”
Vua Siam ra lệnh trong bộ phim, The King and I. Theo
nghĩa đen Thiên Chúa ra lệnh cho chúng ta "hãy mở
lòng rộng lượng! Hãy mở
lòng! Hãy mở rộng đôi bàn
Tay của chúng ta, tâm hồn
của chúng tôi, toàn thể con người chúng ta, nếu chúng ta muốn được Chúa
tiếp đón chúng ta
vào trong nước Trời trong ngày phán xét. Lạy Chúa, Chúa ở cùng chúng
con. Chúng con có thể làm được gì để giúp Chúa ngay bây giờ và ngay tại đây?
Reflection:
"I tell you the truth" Jesus
says," when you gave food, when you offered a drink, when you clothed
someone, when you visited the sick, when you visited those in prison you did it
to me."
Jesus tells us,
shows us who in reality he is who is God, how to find and be one with him, this
God who is truly alive, this God called Emmanuel And the Lord warns us, that
even the good and saintly people would have difficulty recognizing him in their
day to day life.
Today,
everyday, anywhere, everywhere, he comes to us in the guise of the poorest of
the poor, of the suffering unwanted brethren of ours, asking for our help, most
of the time not even daring to beg for help from us. Do you see, do you sense?
The thought that it is Emmanuel in front of me makes heaven and earth tremble.
It makes me tremble. "Extend! Extend! Extend! The king of Siam commands in
the movie, The King and I. God
literally commands us to "Extend! Extend! Our hands, our hearts, our whole
being, if we want the Lord to "welcome us into his kingdom on the last
judgment. Lord, Emmanuel, may I help you
here? Now?
Monday of the First Week of Lent 2026
Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in
his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one
from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” Matthew 25:31–32
Throughout history, rulers have vied for power, and countless
wars have been fought over ambitions for political control. Even in modern
democracies, there is constant strife over who should lead. Yet, in the end,
there will be only one King Who will sit upon His glorious throne forever.
Today’s Gospel reminds us that although civil
governance plays an important role in our earthly lives, we must never lose
sight of the One Eternal King. When Jesus returns in all His glory, accompanied
by the entire Celestial Hierarchy of Heaven, all justice and righteousness will
be fully established. Each of us will appear before Him as Judge. At that
moment, and for eternity, only one thing will matter: How did I live while on
earth?
Too often, the temptation to live as though this
life is an end in itself dominates us. When faced with injustice, we may
respond with anger. When our preferred political party is not in power, we can
become disillusioned, considering it a tragedy. Many are seduced into believing
that accumulating more material goods leads to greater happiness, and poverty
or simplicity is undesirable, a sign of failure. Yet, in the end, one thing
alone will matter and one thing alone will endure—charity.
In the passage above, Jesus uses the image of a
shepherd separating sheep from goats. This familiar image to the people of His
time depicts the end of the age. During the day, a shepherd often allowed sheep
and goats to graze together, just as God permits all people—the righteous and
the unrighteous—to live in this world together. But at night, the shepherd
would separate the sheep from the goats. Sheep, being more docile, obedient,
and faithful, represent those who live according to God’s will. Goats, often
more unruly and independent, symbolize those who live selfishly.
The contrast is striking. Faith, hope, and charity are not
abstract ideas; they are supernatural virtues that win for us a place in the
eternal Kingdom of God. Self-centered living, worldly ambitions, and unruly
passions extinguish these virtues, leading to God’s judgment and condemnation
at the end of time.
Knowing these truths should instill vigilance and
hope in us. Vigilance will help us remain faithful members of God’s true
Kingdom, living out charity toward God and others. Hope will inspire us to live
with an eternal perspective. Worldly ambitions will pass with this life. But if
our hope is set on the eternal Kingdom, it will lead us to holiness and a
deeper union with God.
Reflect today on the eternal promises our Lord
makes to us. At the end of time, He will separate the sheep from the goats. We
must never forget that while God is perfectly merciful, He is also perfectly
just. If His mercy is not embraced through repentance and conversion, His
justice must be satisfied in the end. But if His mercy is embraced, it
perfectly fulfills justice, and we will live with Him as our King and Shepherd
forever.
My merciful and just King, at the end of time,
You will return with all Your angels to judge the living and the dead,
establishing Your eternal Kingdom. I pray that I will be counted among Your
sheep. Please grant me the grace of humility and repentance so that I may grow
in love for You and in charity toward all. Jesus, I trust in You
Monday of the First Week of Lent 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, one day I will stand before your throne and
truly see how I lived my life on earth. I hope that I will see a life filled
with love and service, and not selfishness and sin. Help me to keep this day of
judgment ever present in my mind and heart and prepare for it as I should.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Salvation and Good Works: At the beginning of
Lent, it is good to be reminded by the Gospel that not only should we give
up certain things, but also that we should do certain
things. We can’t reduce Lent to two days of fasting and abstinence from meat on
Fridays. Before considering the need to do good works, we need to remember that
scripture teaches salvation is given to us by God as a free gift: “By grace you
have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift
of God – not because of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Scripture also teaches that the good works, empowered by grace, are a criterion
for salvation and insists that God will judge us according to our good works:
“And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had
done” (Revelation 20:12). In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us that, “those
welcomed into the kingdom are those who have performed works of mercy. Those
who have not performed such works ‘go away into eternal punishment.’ It is the
presence or absence of works that determines one’s future destiny”
(Barber, The Role of Works in the Final Judgment, 168).
2. With God, all things are Possible: The good works of mercy performed by the
righteous are the result of their embracing of the gospel. We are called to be
perfect (Matthew 5:48) and can only attain this perfection because God makes it
possible (Matthew 19:26). On our own and by our own natural powers alone, we
cannot attain God’s holiness, life, and perfection. God is the one who renders
our good works meritorious. On our own, we can build up debt through
sinful actions, but, with God, we can build up heavenly credit through good
actions: “Sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven” (Matthew 19:21). These good works will store up heavenly
treasure only when they are empowered by God’s grace and when we do them united
to Christ. Apart from Jesus Christ, we can do nothing that avails for salvation
(see John 15:5).
3. A Return on the Gift of Grace: The understanding of gift-giving in the
First Century sheds light on the dynamic of the gift of God’s grace. Back then,
gifts were almost always given with the expectation of some return. Gifts were
reciprocal. Sometimes this return was made through gratitude and praise. Other
times, the receiver responded with faithfulness, loyalty, and obedience. The
return could also be made through service or by maintaining the relationship.
Finally, the return could be made through further giving or beneficence. In each
case, the initial gift was not given back in the same way. Instead, the return
of the gift was seen as a realization or fruit of the gift. When God gives his
grace to us, he does not expect to receive it back in the same way. We can add
nothing to God’s perfection, nor can we give him something that he lacks. But
we can use the gift of his grace wisely and bear fruit here on earth for his
kingdom. God is a good Father who wants us to use the gifts he gives us. He
wants us to feed the hungry, satiate the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe
the naked, visit the imprisoned, care for the sick, bury the dead, instruct the
ignorant, counsel the doubtful, admonish sinners, comfort the afflicted,
forgive offenders, bear wrongs patiently, and pray for the living and the dead.
God will judge us and is not indifferent to how we use the gift of his grace.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you came to us as a humble servant
but will return to us as a glorious judge. Have mercy upon me and prepare me
for this encounter. I cannot hide anything from you. All will one day be laid
bare. Teach me to serve my brothers and sisters as you did.
Monday of the First Week of Lent 2024
Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in
his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one
from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” Matthew 25:31–32
What an image to ponder! Try to imagine this scene. At one
definitive moment in the future, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity,
now also in human form as the “Son of Man,” will return to earth in glory
surrounded by all the angels of Heaven and will sit upon His new and glorious
throne. In front of that throne, every person of every nation ever to exist
will be gathered together, and each person will be judged according to their
deeds. Those who served our Lord and treated the least of His brothers and
sisters with mercy and compassion will hear Jesus say, “Come, you who are
blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world.” Those who did not serve Christ and did not treat the least ones
with mercy will be sent off to eternal punishment as Jesus says to them,
“Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and
his angels.” On that day, only one thing will matter, because eternity will be
determined with permanence. All that will matter is whether you will be placed
on our Lord’s right so as to inherit eternal life, or on His left and sent into
the eternal fires.
Sometimes, as we journey
through life, we can lose sight of this glorious day. When we think of God and
Heaven, it is easy to fall into the presumption that Heaven is guaranteed to
us. God is kind and merciful, and He loves us. Therefore, we presume that
Heaven is for certain and only the most horrible people will end in hell. But
this is not how Jesus depicts the Day of Judgment.
Jesus explains that at the time
of judgment, the righteous will be astonished by the fact that caring for those
who are hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, ill, or imprisoned was the same as
showing love for God. Likewise, those who neglected the same people will be
astonished that they failed to love God by failing to love the least of Jesus’
brothers and sisters. Do not take this teaching lightly. Jesus does not mince
His words. He is abundantly clear and definitive.
In your life, who are these
“least ones” of which Jesus is speaking? The hungry and thirsty are not only
those with physical needs but also those who have spiritual longings that need
to be satisfied. They are those lost or confused in life who need to be given
direction. The stranger might be anyone who is lonely and easily ignored. The
naked might be those who cannot manage to care for their needs. The ill could
be those who are elderly or suffering in various ways. And the imprisoned could
include those bound by sin who need help to be set free. Do not fail to seek
out our Lord as He is present in those all around you.
Reflect, today, upon those in
your life who seem most lost and most in need of your compassion. Those to whom
we do not feel like reaching out are those who most often need our compassion
and mercy. The “least ones” are often those we judge, condemn or ignore. Call
to mind the person who seems least deserving of your love and know that Jesus
is living within them, waiting for you to love Him by loving them.
Most
merciful Lord, Your compassion is great and Your judgment is real. Help me to
always keep my mind upon that final and glorious day on which You will return
in all Your splendor and glory to judge the living and the dead. May I truly
heed Your words and prepare for that day by loving You in all people,
especially in those most in need. Jesus, I trust in You.
Monday of the First Week of Lent – 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I will stand before your throne and see how I lived my
life on earth. I hope that it will be filled with love and service and not
selfishness and sin. Help me to keep this day of judgment present in my mind
and heart and prepare for it as I should.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Holiness Code of Leviticus: God wanted Israel to become a “holy nation.”
Every Israelite was called to be holy for the Lord God is holy. Israel’s call
to divine holiness meant separating themselves from sin and uncleanliness and
dedicating or consecrating themselves to God. Leviticus 17-25 is called the
“Holiness Code.” It details and teaches the Israelites how to be holy. The
First Reading is taken from the part of the Holiness Code that deals with holy
actions. It fleshes out many of the Ten Commandments. While it commands many
things that we should not do, the passage concludes with something we should do
and what Jesus has declared as the second greatest commandment: “You shall love
your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39).Our holiness, then, is connected to
the love of God above all things and the love of our neighbor. At the end of
our lives, we will be examined on how we loved or did not love.
2. The Last Judgment: At the Last Judgment, Jesus will act as a royal shepherd and
divide the sheep from the goats. The docile sheep are the righteous and the
stubborn goats are the unrighteous. The righteous are those who dedicated their
lives to feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, caring
for the sick, and comforting prisoners. The unrighteous are those who lived
indifferent to the poor and needy. Those who neglect the poor, neglect Christ;
and they are condemned, banished from the Kingdom, and punished with eternal
fire. Those who serve the poor, serve Christ; and they are glorified, inherit
the Kingdom prepared for them, and share in eternal life.
3. How Our Good Works are Meritorious: The good works of charity that we accomplish
are meritorious only because we are united with Christ as we do them and they
are empowered by divine grace. The meritorious good works of charity we
accomplish in and through Christ will be rewarded with eternal salvation.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you came to us as a humble servant but will
return to us as a glorious judge. Have mercy upon me and prepare me for this
encounter. I cannot hide anything from you. All will be laid bare. Teach me to
serve my brothers and sisters as you did.
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Hai tuần thứ 2
Mùa Chay:
Con
người chúng ta có cái tính rất là dễ thương là rất thích đổ lỗi cho người khác
hay rất dễ bào chữa cho những lỗi lầm mà chúng ta phạm. Đôi khi có
lúc không phải do lỗi của chúng ta; nhưng cũng có những trường hợp ngoài sự kiểm soát của chúng ta, mà chúng ta đã phải mang những
hậu quả của những sự lựa chọn thiếu may mắn và cách mà chúng ta đã đi lạc khỏi con
đường của Thiên Chúa.
Lời than trách
của tiên tri Daniel đặt trách nhiệm cho sự tàn phá Jerusalem và cuộc sống lưu vong ở
Babylon ngay
trên vai người Do Thái của mình. Sự tôn thờ ngẫu tượng, ngoại tình, và bất công và tất cả bao nhiêu tội lỗi họ gây
ra, và bây giờ họ phải gặt hái những đắng
cay.
Tuy nhiên, ngay cả khi đó, Chúa luôn có sự tha thứ và hứa cho họ trở lại với cuộc sống mới và khôi phục Thành Thánh của lại sau
một thời gian. Nhìn nhận trách nhiệm và phải có
sự thay đổi trong tâm hồn là những bước khởi đầu cho con đường dẫn đưa
chúng ta đến
tới sự chữa lành và
bình phục.
Như người xưa thường nói," Ác
giả, ác báo", có nghĩa là lời nói và hành động của chúng ta, sớm hay muộn gì rồi sẽ trở lại với chúng ta. Chúa Giêsu cảnh báo chúng ta đừng xét đoán người
khác, nếu chúng ta
đối xử tốt
với mọi người, thì
chúng ta sẽ được được Thiên Chúa đối xử tương tự
trong ngày phán xét.
Không ai có đủ hoàn
toàn đạo đức để đánh giá người khác. Chúa Giêsu cũng khuyên chúng ta là con cái thực sự của Thiên
Chúa Tối Cao,
chúng ta phải
biết nhân từ và yêu thương mọi người như chính
Thiên Chúa thương yêu chúng ta. Không có
sự xét
đoán, không có sự ưu đãi , không
có điều kiện chỉ biết thương yêu giống như Thiên Chúa. Khi chúng
ta từ bỏ một ý thức luân lý
và thiêng liêng vượt trội hơn những người khác và bắt
đầu biết
yêu thương, chúng ta sẽ được bình
an với chính mình và thế giới, và chúng ta sẽ gây ảnh hưởng lây đến những người xung quanh chúng ta. Lạy Chúa, giúp chúng
con đừng bao giờ phán xét người khác
Monday first Week of Lent
It is very easy to make excuses and
blame others when our world comes crashing down on us. For sure, sometimes it
is due to no fault of our own — strictly circumstances beyond our control. But
often we are only bearing the consequences of the very poor choices we have
made and the ways we have strayed from God's path. The lament in Daniel lays
the blame for the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile in Babylon squarely on
the shoulders of the Israelites themselves. Idolatry, infidelity, and injustice
all came together at once and they must now reap the bitter harvest. Even then,
however, there is forgiveness and the promise of new life and restoration after
a time. Accepting responsibility and having a change of heart is the first step
on the road to healing and recovery.
There
is an old saying, ‘What goes around comes around’, meaning that our words and
actions come back to us sooner or later. Jesus warns us not to judge others —
if we do, we will be held to the same judgment.
No one is morally qualified to judge another. Jesus also exhorts us to
be real sons and daughters of the Most High by being just as merciful and
loving as God is. No judgment; no preferential treatment; no conditions — just
love, just like God. When we give up a sense of moral and spiritual superiority
over others and begin loving, we will be at peace with ourselves and the world
— and we will influence those around us. Lord, help me not to judge others.
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