Suy niệm Tin Mừng
Thứ Ba Tuần 11 TN Mat 5:43-48
Thật là không phải dễ cho chúng ta để có thể yêu thương kẻ thù và cầu nguyện cho những kẻ bắt bớ và hãm hại chúng ta, Nhưng chúng ta cũng không thể phàn nàn hay thắc mắc những gì mà Thiên Chúa muốn dạy chúng ta làm. Chúng ta hãy để tâm, nghiệm xét những hành động mà chính Chúa đã làm cho chúng ta, hôm nay chúng ta nghe được những bài giảng của Chúa Giêsu trên núi, Chúng ta cũng thấy được những tấm gương hoàn hảo, sống động trước mắt chúng ta đó là những việc Chúa đã làm và chứng minh cho chúng thấy những hình sống động trong bài giảng của ngài. tất cả những thứ ấy chính là những động lực giúp chúng ta có nghị lực can đảm, anh dũng trong việc biết yêu thương những kẻ ghét chúng ta và biết tha thứ cho những kẻ thù của chúng ta.
Để yêu một kẻ thù là một quyết định nhất quyết không để cho sự thù nghịch của người khác có thể kiểm soát những phản ứng của chúng ta và làm chủ tâm hồn chúng ta, Đó chính là Tình yêu nhân độ, Yêu thương kẻ thù là chúng ta nhất quyết hỗ trợ những người thù nghịch với chúng ta trong nhiều cách khác nhau để chúng ta có thể đem họ đến gần với ánh sáng cứu độ của Chúa hơn.
Nếu chúng ta thật lòng yêu mến Chúa, chúng ta cũng phải có thái độ từ tâm với anh chị em chúng ta bằng những hành động rộng lượng, biết tha thứ và khiêm tốn vì Chúa Thánh Thần luôn luôn hiện diện trong tâm hồn của chúng ta sẽ giúp đỡ và hướng dẫn chúng ta trong từng giây, từng phút trong cuộc đời để chúng ta không bao giờ phải sa ngã, nóng giận và làm mất lòng Chúa..
Tình yêu đối với những người khác, đặc biệt là những người khó chịu, thù hằn, người ích kỷ và vô ơn đối với chúng ta, phải được chứng tỏ và đánh dấu bằng sự tha thứ, tử tế cùng với lòng độ lượng, Vì đấy là lòng thương xót của Chúa đã thể hiện ra cho chúng ta, Sau cùng, chúng ta đều là những người tội lỗi và có thể trong một lúc nào đó, chúng ta cũng đã có những thái độ cau có, khó chịu, dữ đằn, ích kỷ và vô ơn đối với người khác, Chúng ta hãy nhớ rằng Thiên Chúa yêu thương chúng ta, mặc dầu có những lúc chúng ta đã làm Ngài thất vọng.
Meditation:
What makes the disciples of Jesus different from others and what makes Christianity distinct from any other religion? It is grace - treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated - with loving-kindness, forebearance, and mercy. God is good to the unjust as well as the just. His love embraces saint and sinner alike. God seeks our highest good and teaches us to seek the greatest good of others, even those who hate and abuse us. Our love for others, even those who are ungrateful and selfish towards us, must be marked by the same kindness and mercy which God has shown to us. It is easier to show kindness and mercy when we can expect to benefit from doing so. How much harder when we can expect nothing in return. Our prayer for those who do us ill both breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love to do good in the face of evil.
How can we possibly love those who cause us harm or ill-will? With God all things are possible. He gives power and grace to those who believe and accept the gift of the Holy Spirit. His love conquers all, even our hurts, fears, prejudices and griefs. Only the cross of Jesus Christ can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment and gives us the courage to return evil with good. Such love and grace has power to heal and to save from destruction. Do you know the power of Christ’s redeeming love and mercy?
Was Jesus exaggerating when he said we must be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect? The original meaning of "perfect" in Aramaic is "completeness" or "wholeness - not lacking in what is essential." God gives us every good gift in Jesus Christ so that we may not lack anything we need to do his will and to live as his sons and daughters (2 Peter 1:3). He knows our weakness and sinfulness better than we do. And he assures us of his love, mercy, and grace to follow in his ways. Do you want to grow in your love for God and for your neighbor? Ask the Holy Spirit to change and transform you in the image of the Father that you may walk in the joy and freedom of the gospel.
"Lord Jesus, your love brings freedom and pardon. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and set my heart ablaze with your love that nothing may make me lose my temper, ruffle my peace, take away my joy, or make me bitter towards anyone."
Tuesday 11th
Sunday in Ordinary Time 2026
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father… So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43–45, 48
The Law of Moses, contained in the first five books of the Old Testament, taught the importance of loving one’s neighbor: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:18). “Neighbor” in this context primarily referred to fellow Israelites, reinforcing the bonds of charity and unity among God’s chosen people. However, the Law also commanded kindness toward foreigners: “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress him. He shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself” (Leviticus 19:33–34). God’s command to love was never meant to be limited to Israel alone.
As centuries passed, some teachers of the Law began to distort its meaning. Jesus identifies one such misinterpretation in today’s Gospel: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’” While the command to love one’s neighbor was indeed found in the Torah, the phrase “hate your enemy” was not. Rather, it was a human distortion that had taken root in certain circles. Some Jewish sects, like the Essenes, promoted separation from outsiders, even calling them “sons of darkness” (1QS 1:10). While the Pharisees weren’t as extreme, they often limited love to their own religious and ethnic communities.
Jesus corrects this error by revealing the fullness of divine love: “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Perfect charity is a high calling. It is not selective but reflects the boundless love of God, who “makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). Christ calls His followers to move beyond natural human affection to a supernatural charity that embraces even those who persecute us. This love is not merely a feeling but an act of the will, a participation in the very perfection of God: “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
It’s important, however, to distinguish between the charity that we offer everyone unconditionally and the bonds of unity forged by love that is reciprocal. When charity is offered to those who persecute us, it might feel uncomfortable at first. This form of love, though painful and challenging, has great transformative power. It extends an invitation to the persecutor to turn away from cruelty, repent, and offer love in return.
Love of neighbor takes on a deeper dimension when our neighbor also loves God and reciprocates that love to us. This mutual love is not only naturally consoling but also supernaturally unifying, strengthening both individuals as they grow in holiness together.
Jesus Himself demonstrated the radical nature of the love He commanded on the Cross when He prayed for His persecutors: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). To love as God loves is to transcend worldly divisions and become true children of the Father, offering love to everyone, no matter how they treat us. Though this perfection is difficult to attain, we must never tire of striving for that ideal in our daily lives.
Reflect today on those whom you love. Begin by savoring the consolation and strength you receive from relationships that are mutually reflective of God’s perfect love. Then turn to those who are difficult to love. Resolve to love them and pray for them. Ask God to purify your heart of any hurt or resentment, and strive to reflect the Father’s love. Let His compassion flow through you, like the rain that falls on both the just and the unjust, making you a true child of your Father in Heaven.
God of all perfection, Your love knows no bounds; it is freely offered to all, both the good and the bad alike. Those who receive and reciprocate Your divine love are drawn into communion with You, sharing in Your very life, while those who reject it remain trapped in the darkness of sin. Please free me from all bitterness and resentment, purify my heart, and teach me to love as You love, so that I may truly be Your beloved child. Jesus, I trust in You.
Tuesday 11th
Sunday in Ordinary Time 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I seek to be perfect and merciful as you are perfect and merciful. You are patient and do not give up on me. You seek me out like the lost sheep when I stray, bind my wounds with love, and bring me home to you.
1. Love Your Enemies: Some of the stumbling blocks found in the Old Testament are the commands of Moses to hate and kill enemies, as found in Deuteronomy 20. Many atheists point to these laws as internal contradictions within the Bible and ask, “How could a just and loving God command the extermination of entire peoples, men, women, and children?” One key to respond to this question, is to point out that the Bible itself declares that some of the laws given by Moses in Deuteronomy were not good (see Ezekiel 20:25). While the laws in Exodus given by the Lord God at Mt. Sinai, such as the Ten Commandments, were good, Ezekiel judges that some of the laws in Deuteronomy given by Moses were not good. What Jesus is doing in the Sermon on the Mount is bringing those “not-good laws” in Deuteronomy to fulfillment by correcting them. Just as he had to correct the Law of Moses that permitted and regulated divorce, he also had to correct the Law of Moses that commanded the hatred and extermination of enemies. Love of our enemies and prayer for our persecutors are the way of the New Covenant, which brings the Old Covenant to fulfillment and perfection.
Tuesday 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” Matthew 5:43–45
Jesus continues to deepen and clarify His call to His new command to love of others. The love to which He calls us is radical, total, and can be very challenging at first. He calls us to move far beyond the Old Testament understanding of justice by commanding that we love everyone, including those who persecute us. This call to love is not an option but a command. It’s a requirement for every Christian.
In implementing this command, Jesus gives us not only the command itself but also offers some very practical advice on how we can achieve this depth of love. He says that we should not only love our enemies but that we should pray for them when they persecute us. First of all, an “enemy” is one who tries to inflict some form of harm on us and, generally speaking, sins against us. The common response to these experiences is to defend ourselves and fight back. So the first step is to reject any such temptation. As Jesus said in the Gospel passage prior to this one, “offer no resistance to one who is evil.”
Today’s Gospel passage takes us even further. The practical advice our Lord gives is to “pray for those who persecute you.” This command not only requires that you reject the temptation to “get back” at a person or even to simply “resist” what they do to us. You must now pray for them. Praying for someone who sins against you is an act of the greatest charity and generosity. And it’s a very practical way to imitate the abundant mercy of God. For that reason, praying for your persecutors radically transforms you interiorly and makes you holy. In a sense, the evil another does to you has the potential to be transformed into a gift given to you, because it gives you an opportunity to return prayer for an injury inflicted. And that is a very real and practical gift we must embrace by this new command of our Lord.
Reflect, today, upon those for whom this new commandment calls you to pray. Whose sin has inflicted some hurt or injury upon you or your family? Who do you hold a grudge toward? Whoever comes to mind, commit yourself to deep and sustained prayer for that person. Pray often for them and continue that prayer for as long as the persecution continues. Doing so will transform any and every attempted malice issued toward you into grace for them and holiness for you.
My Lord of abundant mercy, Your command to pray for those who persecute me was first lived by You to perfection. You prayed for those who crucified You as You hung upon the Cross. Give me the grace I need to not only forgive but to also pray for those who have and continue to try to inflict harm upon me. Give me a heart so filled with mercy that every sin committed against me is transformed into love and my own holiness of life. Jesus, I trust in You.
Thật là không phải dễ cho chúng ta để có thể yêu thương kẻ thù và cầu nguyện cho những kẻ bắt bớ và hãm hại chúng ta, Nhưng chúng ta cũng không thể phàn nàn hay thắc mắc những gì mà Thiên Chúa muốn dạy chúng ta làm. Chúng ta hãy để tâm, nghiệm xét những hành động mà chính Chúa đã làm cho chúng ta, hôm nay chúng ta nghe được những bài giảng của Chúa Giêsu trên núi, Chúng ta cũng thấy được những tấm gương hoàn hảo, sống động trước mắt chúng ta đó là những việc Chúa đã làm và chứng minh cho chúng thấy những hình sống động trong bài giảng của ngài. tất cả những thứ ấy chính là những động lực giúp chúng ta có nghị lực can đảm, anh dũng trong việc biết yêu thương những kẻ ghét chúng ta và biết tha thứ cho những kẻ thù của chúng ta.
Để yêu một kẻ thù là một quyết định nhất quyết không để cho sự thù nghịch của người khác có thể kiểm soát những phản ứng của chúng ta và làm chủ tâm hồn chúng ta, Đó chính là Tình yêu nhân độ, Yêu thương kẻ thù là chúng ta nhất quyết hỗ trợ những người thù nghịch với chúng ta trong nhiều cách khác nhau để chúng ta có thể đem họ đến gần với ánh sáng cứu độ của Chúa hơn.
Nếu chúng ta thật lòng yêu mến Chúa, chúng ta cũng phải có thái độ từ tâm với anh chị em chúng ta bằng những hành động rộng lượng, biết tha thứ và khiêm tốn vì Chúa Thánh Thần luôn luôn hiện diện trong tâm hồn của chúng ta sẽ giúp đỡ và hướng dẫn chúng ta trong từng giây, từng phút trong cuộc đời để chúng ta không bao giờ phải sa ngã, nóng giận và làm mất lòng Chúa..
Tình yêu đối với những người khác, đặc biệt là những người khó chịu, thù hằn, người ích kỷ và vô ơn đối với chúng ta, phải được chứng tỏ và đánh dấu bằng sự tha thứ, tử tế cùng với lòng độ lượng, Vì đấy là lòng thương xót của Chúa đã thể hiện ra cho chúng ta, Sau cùng, chúng ta đều là những người tội lỗi và có thể trong một lúc nào đó, chúng ta cũng đã có những thái độ cau có, khó chịu, dữ đằn, ích kỷ và vô ơn đối với người khác, Chúng ta hãy nhớ rằng Thiên Chúa yêu thương chúng ta, mặc dầu có những lúc chúng ta đã làm Ngài thất vọng.
Meditation:
What makes the disciples of Jesus different from others and what makes Christianity distinct from any other religion? It is grace - treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated - with loving-kindness, forebearance, and mercy. God is good to the unjust as well as the just. His love embraces saint and sinner alike. God seeks our highest good and teaches us to seek the greatest good of others, even those who hate and abuse us. Our love for others, even those who are ungrateful and selfish towards us, must be marked by the same kindness and mercy which God has shown to us. It is easier to show kindness and mercy when we can expect to benefit from doing so. How much harder when we can expect nothing in return. Our prayer for those who do us ill both breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love to do good in the face of evil.
How can we possibly love those who cause us harm or ill-will? With God all things are possible. He gives power and grace to those who believe and accept the gift of the Holy Spirit. His love conquers all, even our hurts, fears, prejudices and griefs. Only the cross of Jesus Christ can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment and gives us the courage to return evil with good. Such love and grace has power to heal and to save from destruction. Do you know the power of Christ’s redeeming love and mercy?
Was Jesus exaggerating when he said we must be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect? The original meaning of "perfect" in Aramaic is "completeness" or "wholeness - not lacking in what is essential." God gives us every good gift in Jesus Christ so that we may not lack anything we need to do his will and to live as his sons and daughters (2 Peter 1:3). He knows our weakness and sinfulness better than we do. And he assures us of his love, mercy, and grace to follow in his ways. Do you want to grow in your love for God and for your neighbor? Ask the Holy Spirit to change and transform you in the image of the Father that you may walk in the joy and freedom of the gospel.
"Lord Jesus, your love brings freedom and pardon. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and set my heart ablaze with your love that nothing may make me lose my temper, ruffle my peace, take away my joy, or make me bitter towards anyone."
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father… So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43–45, 48
The Law of Moses, contained in the first five books of the Old Testament, taught the importance of loving one’s neighbor: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:18). “Neighbor” in this context primarily referred to fellow Israelites, reinforcing the bonds of charity and unity among God’s chosen people. However, the Law also commanded kindness toward foreigners: “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress him. He shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself” (Leviticus 19:33–34). God’s command to love was never meant to be limited to Israel alone.
As centuries passed, some teachers of the Law began to distort its meaning. Jesus identifies one such misinterpretation in today’s Gospel: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’” While the command to love one’s neighbor was indeed found in the Torah, the phrase “hate your enemy” was not. Rather, it was a human distortion that had taken root in certain circles. Some Jewish sects, like the Essenes, promoted separation from outsiders, even calling them “sons of darkness” (1QS 1:10). While the Pharisees weren’t as extreme, they often limited love to their own religious and ethnic communities.
Jesus corrects this error by revealing the fullness of divine love: “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Perfect charity is a high calling. It is not selective but reflects the boundless love of God, who “makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). Christ calls His followers to move beyond natural human affection to a supernatural charity that embraces even those who persecute us. This love is not merely a feeling but an act of the will, a participation in the very perfection of God: “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
It’s important, however, to distinguish between the charity that we offer everyone unconditionally and the bonds of unity forged by love that is reciprocal. When charity is offered to those who persecute us, it might feel uncomfortable at first. This form of love, though painful and challenging, has great transformative power. It extends an invitation to the persecutor to turn away from cruelty, repent, and offer love in return.
Love of neighbor takes on a deeper dimension when our neighbor also loves God and reciprocates that love to us. This mutual love is not only naturally consoling but also supernaturally unifying, strengthening both individuals as they grow in holiness together.
Jesus Himself demonstrated the radical nature of the love He commanded on the Cross when He prayed for His persecutors: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). To love as God loves is to transcend worldly divisions and become true children of the Father, offering love to everyone, no matter how they treat us. Though this perfection is difficult to attain, we must never tire of striving for that ideal in our daily lives.
Reflect today on those whom you love. Begin by savoring the consolation and strength you receive from relationships that are mutually reflective of God’s perfect love. Then turn to those who are difficult to love. Resolve to love them and pray for them. Ask God to purify your heart of any hurt or resentment, and strive to reflect the Father’s love. Let His compassion flow through you, like the rain that falls on both the just and the unjust, making you a true child of your Father in Heaven.
God of all perfection, Your love knows no bounds; it is freely offered to all, both the good and the bad alike. Those who receive and reciprocate Your divine love are drawn into communion with You, sharing in Your very life, while those who reject it remain trapped in the darkness of sin. Please free me from all bitterness and resentment, purify my heart, and teach me to love as You love, so that I may truly be Your beloved child. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I seek to be perfect and merciful as you are perfect and merciful. You are patient and do not give up on me. You seek me out like the lost sheep when I stray, bind my wounds with love, and bring me home to you.
1. Love Your Enemies: Some of the stumbling blocks found in the Old Testament are the commands of Moses to hate and kill enemies, as found in Deuteronomy 20. Many atheists point to these laws as internal contradictions within the Bible and ask, “How could a just and loving God command the extermination of entire peoples, men, women, and children?” One key to respond to this question, is to point out that the Bible itself declares that some of the laws given by Moses in Deuteronomy were not good (see Ezekiel 20:25). While the laws in Exodus given by the Lord God at Mt. Sinai, such as the Ten Commandments, were good, Ezekiel judges that some of the laws in Deuteronomy given by Moses were not good. What Jesus is doing in the Sermon on the Mount is bringing those “not-good laws” in Deuteronomy to fulfillment by correcting them. Just as he had to correct the Law of Moses that permitted and regulated divorce, he also had to correct the Law of Moses that commanded the hatred and extermination of enemies. Love of our enemies and prayer for our persecutors are the way of the New Covenant, which brings the Old Covenant to fulfillment and perfection.
Tuesday 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” Matthew 5:43–45
Jesus continues to deepen and clarify His call to His new command to love of others. The love to which He calls us is radical, total, and can be very challenging at first. He calls us to move far beyond the Old Testament understanding of justice by commanding that we love everyone, including those who persecute us. This call to love is not an option but a command. It’s a requirement for every Christian.
In implementing this command, Jesus gives us not only the command itself but also offers some very practical advice on how we can achieve this depth of love. He says that we should not only love our enemies but that we should pray for them when they persecute us. First of all, an “enemy” is one who tries to inflict some form of harm on us and, generally speaking, sins against us. The common response to these experiences is to defend ourselves and fight back. So the first step is to reject any such temptation. As Jesus said in the Gospel passage prior to this one, “offer no resistance to one who is evil.”
Today’s Gospel passage takes us even further. The practical advice our Lord gives is to “pray for those who persecute you.” This command not only requires that you reject the temptation to “get back” at a person or even to simply “resist” what they do to us. You must now pray for them. Praying for someone who sins against you is an act of the greatest charity and generosity. And it’s a very practical way to imitate the abundant mercy of God. For that reason, praying for your persecutors radically transforms you interiorly and makes you holy. In a sense, the evil another does to you has the potential to be transformed into a gift given to you, because it gives you an opportunity to return prayer for an injury inflicted. And that is a very real and practical gift we must embrace by this new command of our Lord.
Reflect, today, upon those for whom this new commandment calls you to pray. Whose sin has inflicted some hurt or injury upon you or your family? Who do you hold a grudge toward? Whoever comes to mind, commit yourself to deep and sustained prayer for that person. Pray often for them and continue that prayer for as long as the persecution continues. Doing so will transform any and every attempted malice issued toward you into grace for them and holiness for you.
My Lord of abundant mercy, Your command to pray for those who persecute me was first lived by You to perfection. You prayed for those who crucified You as You hung upon the Cross. Give me the grace I need to not only forgive but to also pray for those who have and continue to try to inflict harm upon me. Give me a heart so filled with mercy that every sin committed against me is transformed into love and my own holiness of life. Jesus, I trust in You.
No comments:
Post a Comment