Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần thứ
14 Thường Niên
Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta thấy Chúa Giêsu
đã chọn
những người rất bình dân, có thể nói là những người quê mùa chất phát để rao truyền
tin mừng cứu độ của Ngài cho những người khác. Trong
số
các tông đồ đó họ là những người đánh cá, họ là
người thu thuế, và họ có thể là những
người yêu nước. Chúa Giêsu đã không tìm gọi những người giàu có hay những người có học thức, thông minh để thực hiện sứ mệnh của Ngài. Nhưng, Ngài đã chọn những
người đơn sơ thấp kém nhất trong xã hội
nhưng có lòng trung thành và sẵn sàng tin tưởng vào Chúa.
Điều này có nghĩa rằng trong số chúng ta, ai cũng sẽ được kêu gọi để tham gia
vào
công việc truyền giáo. Chúng ta không thể lấy vịn vào cái lý do vì thiếu khả năng, ít học, quá yếu kém hay quá nghèo để làm việc cho Chúa. Qua phép rửa, mỗi người chúng ta đã được nhận ánh nến
sáng của Chúa Kitô, chúng ta được sức dầu như tư tế, và được kêu
mời để đem lời Chúa đến cho người khác.
Chúa Giêsu
ban cho
các môn đệ những sức mạnh và quyền hạn khi họ ra đi để rao
giảng Tin Mừng của Chúa. Trong khi chịu phép
Rửa,
chúng ta cũng nhận được sức mạnh của Chúa Thánh Thần để ra đi làm chứng và rao
giảng Tin Mừng của Chúa. Chúng ta có thể thực hiện việc này bằng những công việc hành
vi đơn giản thường ngày trong cuộc
sống của chúng ta qua
những lời nói, nhưng việc làm, hay qua cách
chúng ta cư xử với người khác. Chúng ta phải biết cố gắng tìm kiếm những cách thức mới để giới thiệu đức tin cho những người không biết Chúa Giêsu và những người không theo những
đường lối của
Ngài. Chúng ta hãy cầu xin Chúa Kitô, ban cho chúng ta
những hồng ơn và sức mạnh cần thiết để
thực hiện sứ mệnh của Chúa trao ban.
REFLECTION
Jesus chose very ordinary men to tell others the ways of his kingdom. Among the
apostles were fishermen, a tax collector, and a patriotic zealot. Jesus did not
look for the richest or the smartest to carry on his mission. He chose those
who could exercise faithfulness and had a willingness to trust the Spirit. This
means that none of us are excluded from participating in the work of
evangelization. We cannot make the excuse that we are uneducated, too weak or
too poor to work for the Lord. We are all called through our baptism.
Baptism
does not only mark our entry into the Church and the reception of the gift of
salvation, but also begins our responsibility of having to share the Good News
of Jesus Christ with others. We are all commissioned, like the apostles, to
bearing witness to God's power. Jesus gives his apostles and disciples
authority as they go out to preach. At baptism, we are similarly given the
authority to proclaim the Good News through the lives we lead and the words
that we speak. We search for new ways to introduce faith to those who do not
know Jesus and to those who do not follow in his ways.
Let us
pray that Jesus gives us the grace and the power we need to carry out his
mission.
Wednesday
of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus
summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to
drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. The names of the
Twelve Apostles are these… Matthew 10:1–2
Imagine being one of the Twelve. When each of them
first encountered our Lord, he could never have imagined what would unfold.
Eleven of them would become the foundation upon which the Messiah built His
Church. Their words and actions have been recorded and proclaimed throughout
the world and will continue to be until the end of time. By God’s will, they
preached far and wide with divine authority. They celebrated the Holy
Eucharist, transforming mere bread and wine into the Most Holy Body and Blood,
Soul and Divinity, of the Lamb of God. Through the laying on of hands, they
imparted the Holy Spirit in fullness. They worked miracles in Jesus’ name, and
most of them bore final witness to Christ by the shedding of their blood.
The reason their lives were so fruitful for God’s
Kingdom is because they were chosen and sent by
the Son of God. It was not their idea. They didn’t construct their own plan for
eternal salvation. They did not map out their futures and execute a vision
according to their own will. Instead, they felt the gravity of the mission for
which they were chosen and acted when sent by the Savior. Their obedience to
the divine will opened the floodgates of Divine Mercy, and grace poured forth
upon the world. When you consider your own life, what are your goals
and ambitions? What plans have you made for the future? If we want to imitate
the fruitfulness of the Apostles, then we are invited to discern for what God
has chosen us and to be prepared to respond with generous obedience when He
sends us.
It’s easy to come up with our own plans in life. We
might want to save up money, succeed at work, have a family, form friendships,
retire at a certain age, and enjoy many good things. Though all these can be
good and might well be part of God’s plan, we must not presume upon His will.
With humility, we must continually seek His guidance, remain open to His
promptings, and surrender our plans to the providence of the One who knows what
will truly bear fruit for eternity.
Reflecting on the radical change of life to which
Jesus called the Twelve invites us to consider whether Jesus also desires a
radical change in our own lives. Certainly, some aspects of our lives are good
and holy. If married with children, God’s will surely includes loving and
caring for one’s family. Within every vocation, however, there are ways in
which we might be called to a new depth of conversion—a radical life of loving,
serving, and building the Kingdom of God in ways we never imagined possible.
By
analogy, consider a person living in poverty who suddenly wins the largest
lottery in history. Imagine, further, that the person is quite worldly. Such a
fortune would radically change the direction of that person’s life—likely not
for the better.
Though God does not promise us a material fortune, He
desires to bestow upon us supernatural treasure of infinitely greater value.
His Mercy is abundant—described by the saints as an ocean, vast and
unfathomable, waiting to be poured out in its fullness upon all of creation.
Through prayer and conversion, we open the floodgates, and God begins lavishing
upon us the priceless treasure of grace. When this happens, our lives
change—because God chooses us and then sends us on ever new and glorious
missions.
Reflect today on the spiritual truth that God has
chosen you for some holy and sacred mission. It might not be glorious in the
eyes of the world, but it will be glorious in Heaven. Be open. Beg for His
grace. Accept your mission. Go wherever He sends you, knowing that you cannot,
now, fathom all that God has in store for you.
Most glorious God, You have chosen me for some
definite purpose. You have called me by name and desire to send me forth to
build up Your Kingdom on earth. I accept my calling and open myself to the
abundance of grace You wish to bestow so that I may fulfill Your perfect will,
doing unfathomable good for Your Kingdom to come. Jesus, I trust in You.
Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time 2026
Opening
Prayer: Lord God, you have
blessed me by welcoming me into the Kingdom of Heaven. Never let me forget such
an awesome gift. You have transformed the old creation into a new creation, and
this will continue until the end of time. I am blessed to share in this
Christian transformation of society.
Encountering
the Word of God
1.
The Twelve: In the Sermon on the
Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus announced that the Kingdom of Heaven was here and
taught his followers how to live as part of it. In the following chapters
(Matthew 8-10), Jesus continued to do things that show he was the King. In the
Gospel, we see the King choose twelve royal officers to help him lead his
growing Kingdom (Bergsma, New Testament Basics for Catholics, 40).
The appointment of the twelve recalls the actions of Solomon, who, when he
ruled over all Israel, appointed “twelve officers over all Israel, who provided
food for the king and his household” (1 Kings 4:7). What “food” will the 12
Apostles provide for the household of God? They will nourish God’s people with
the Bread of Life, through the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and with the Word of
Life, through their teaching. This nourishment continues through the royal,
priestly, and prophetic ministry of Bishops, the successors to the Apostles,
and their coworkers.
2. The Lost Sheep of the House
of Israel: During his earthly life
and public ministry, Jesus concentrated on finding and ministering to the
people of Israel. He invited his twelve apostles to share in that ministry.
They were not to go to the Gentiles or Samaritans yet, but to the Lost Sheep of
the House of Israel. “Their message is simple: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at
hand’ (Mt 10:5-7). While on their preaching journey, they will live according
to the Beatitudes: They will be poor, carrying nothing with them (vv. 8-10).
They will be peacemakers, bringing peace to the homes they visit (v. 13). They
will be pure of heart, as ‘innocent as doves’ (v. 16). And they will be
thoroughly persecuted for the sake of Jesus (vv. 17-23). Jesus grants to them
his very own authority, such that anyone who accepts the apostles will be as
good as accepting Jesus himself: ‘He who receives you receives me’ (v. 40). To
embrace the King’s officer is to embrace the King himself” (Bergsma, New
Testament Basics for Catholics, 43).
3.
To Israel First, Then to All Nations: Jesus’
command not to go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans was not a rejection of
them, but a matter of the sequence of salvation history. God had promised that
the Messiah would come first to the lost sheep of Israel to fulfill his
covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Only after Israel had been given the
opportunity to receive her King would the Gospel be proclaimed to all the
nations. Indeed, after his Resurrection, Jesus will expand the apostles’
mission with the command, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations”
(Matthew 28:19). Jesus will accomplish this mission through twelve ordinary men
whose unique personalities and life experiences will become instruments of his
grace. Peter’s zeal made him a courageous shepherd of the Church. Andrew quietly
brought others to Christ. James was willing to give his life as the first
apostolic martyr, while his brother John became the beloved disciple who
proclaimed the depths of God’s love. Matthew left behind a lucrative career as
a tax collector to bear witness to the fulfillment of God’s promises. Thomas’s
sincere questions gave way to an unshakable confession of faith in the risen
Lord. Simon the Zealot learned that Christ’s Kingdom advances not by political
revolution but by conversion of heart, and even Judas Iscariot stands as a
sober reminder that Christ’s call must be freely embraced and faithfully lived.
Christ did not erase their individual personalities but perfected them,
enabling each to proclaim the same Kingdom in his own distinctive way. The same
Lord continues to build his Church today, calling every Christian to place his
or her unique gifts at the service of the Gospel so that people of every nation
may come to know and love him.
Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not
go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep
of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of
heaven is at hand.’” Matthew 10:5–7
The very last words of Jesus, just prior to His Ascension into
Heaven, expands the mandate we read above that Jesus gave to His Apostles. He
later says, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit…” (Matthew
28:19). Eventually, Jesus sends the
Twelve and all of His disciples to the ends of the earth to proclaim the Gospel
to every creature. But here, prior to the coming of the Holy Spirit, and prior
to the completion of Jesus’ earthly mission, He instructs the Twelve to go only
“to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Thus, Jesus gives a sort of
priority to the preaching of the Gospel to those who have already been
entrusted with the revelations of the Old Testament—that is, the teachings of
the Law of Moses and the prophets.
Though, today, we must all hear the call from our Lord to “make
disciples of all nations,” we must also hear this unique commission to first
preach to those who are already members of the family of God. And though,
today, the Holy Spirit has already come and the Gospel has already gone forth
far and wide, there is still an important spiritual lesson to be learned by
Jesus’ progressive commission from those of the family of God to those who do
not yet know the Gospel.
Start with yourself. By hearing Jesus give special emphasis to His
Twelve to go first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, you should hear
our Lord speaking especially about you. You, who were baptized, have been
confirmed and have received Holy Communion, now have a special obligation to
listen to and respond to the Gospel of Christ. From there, God entrusts you
with the sharing of the Gospel in a special way to those who also share your
faith. For that reason, parents are uniquely obliged to share the Gospel with
their children. Friends within the same faith community are uniquely obliged to
reach out to others who share their faith. And pastors of the Church must do
the same. The Gospel is now universal and must be proclaimed to all people, but
this passage appears to highlight the importance of sharing the Gospel with
fellow disciples of Christ.
We know from our daily life that there are many who profess faith
in Christ who still are not fully evangelized. There are many who have received
the Sacraments but lack the deep faith to which they are called. It can appear
that most fail to worship our Lord every day, and many fail in their prayerful
worship each and every week. Therefore, it is useful to place yourself into
this Gospel passage and to hear our Lord call you to especially devote yourself
to the sharing of the Gospel with those who have already become members of His
Church, even if it is only in name.
If we begin with ourselves, seeking to daily grow deeper in our
life of faith, praying and seeking out the will of God, then God will more
easily be able to use us as He wills to share the faith with those who belong
to God’s family but whose faith may be weak. And for those who are “all in” and
have truly given themselves over to Christ, God will certainly also use you for
the proclamation of the Gospel to those who have not yet come to know Christ
through the gift of faith.
Reflect, today, upon the invitation Jesus gives to you to be His
evangelist. First, look at your own life and do all you can to allow the Gospel
to transform you into a fervent follower of Christ. From there, be open to the
many ways that God wants to use you every day to inspire others to become
followers of our Lord. Start with your family. Pray for them. Be attentive to
the promptings of grace God gives to reach out to them. Then turn your eyes,
also, to the wider community. Allow the Lord to lead, follow His voice, and He
will use you in many ways to help others come to know His burning love for
them.
My universal King, You came to establish Your Kingdom in the lives
of all people. You call all Your creatures to faith in You. Help me to be among
the first who turn to You with my whole heart. Please also use me to become an
instrument of Your saving grace to those whom You’ve put into my life. My life
is Yours, dear Lord. Use me as You will. Jesus, I trust in You.
Wednesday 14th Ordinary Time 2023
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for calling me to
this time of prayer. Again, I ask you to inflame my heart with burning faith,
hope, and charity. Grant me the grace of gratitude for those who first preached
the Gospel to me, and give me the strength to proclaim the Gospel to others.
Encountering Christ:
1. The Names of the Twelve: For some, this list of names can seem like a
skip-worthy section of the Gospels or else a fun piece of trivia to be pulled
out at the next Bible study. However, this passage would have carried some
weight for the original audience of the Gospel of Matthew in the first century
AD. In it, new and old Christians would recognize the names of those who
preached the Gospel to them for the first time, giving thanks to God for these
men. We can insert the names of our parents, catechism teachers, friends, and
parish priests, asking ourselves, “Who was an apostle announcing God’s love to
me?”
2. He Gave Them Authority: Jesus gave authority to the Apostles, meaning that
his power would go with them wherever they went. The Apostles had to learn to
trust in Christ’s power to work through them and boldly preach about the
Kingdom. In our baptism and confirmation, Christ gives us the same boldness and
power to go forth and announce the coming of the Kingdom. For our part, Christ
asks for trust, the same as the Apostles. When I face opportunities to
evangelize, do I place my trust in Christ?
3. The Commission: Jesus has a specific mission for the Apostles on this
trip: to go only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” After the
Resurrection, Christ would give them a new, expanded mission: “Go out to the
whole world.” Still, he had each Apostle in mind for a specific mission. Christ
has a specific mission in mind for each of us as well.
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng
Thứ Ba Tuần 14 Thường Niên.
Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đã chữa
lành một người
bị quỷ ám. Nhưng trớ
trêu thay, những người Biệt Phái và Pharisiêu đã chế nhạo và buộc
tội Chúa Giêsu là hoàng tử, là con của
quỷ vương nên mới có quyền phép để trừ quỷ như thế. Cho những lời cáo buộc
này không có chứng cớ hay cơ
sở gì cả, nhưng những người Biệt Phái và Pharisêu đã buộc phải nói
điều này bởi vì trong lòng họ
cảm thấy
Chúa Giêsu như là một mối đe dọa lớn về quyền lợi cho
họ. Có bao giờ chúng
ta tự thấy chính mình
cũng thường
hay có những tâm trạng tương
tự? Nhiều khi tấm lòng của
chúng ta đã quá hạn hẹp,
quá ích kỷ, tự cao nên chúng ta
đã làm mất
sự kiểm
soát những cái cảm xúc của
chúng ta,
để rồi chúng ta chỉ tay vả buộc tội người khác, ngay cả những lúc
chúng ta chẳng
có một bằng chứng gì.
. Trong phần thứ hai của bài Tin
Mừng, Chúa Giêsu nói đến:
"Lúa chín đầy đồng mà thợ gặt thì ít." Điều này phản ánh tình hình trong Giáo Hội
ngày nay trong thế
giới. Nhiều người có thể đã được
ơn Chúa Thánh Thần soi sáng, nhưng tiếc thay, những người thực sự tham
gia tích cực vào trong việc loan truyền Lời
Chúa thì rất
ít.
Có lẽ chúng ta
có thể học hỏi nơi bài Tin Mừng hôm nay bằng cách là: Thay vì bàn tán, lan truyền những lời chỉ trích, nói hành,
nói xấu hay buộc tội sai người khác và để cho những hận
thù gặm nhấm và chiếm
ưu thế trong tâm hồn của
chúng ta, thì
chúng ta hãy nên cố gắng rộng
lượng, tha thứ và tập
trung vào sự chú ý của chúng ta trong về việc
truyền bá chân lý sự
thật, truyền bá Tin
Mừng Cứu Rỗi và thông điệp tình yêu của Thiên Chúa tới mọi người bằng những việc làm, lời
nói và hành động bác ái trong sự chân thành của chúng ta với những người chung
quanh kể cả những người chúng ta không thích.
REFLECTION
In the first part of
the Gospel, Jesus cures someone possessed by a demon. Ironically, the Pharisees
then accuse Jesus of being the Prince of Demons. This accusation has no basis,
but the Pharisees say this because they see Jesus as a threat to them.
How often do we find ourselves in
the same situation? We lose control of our emotions, and point an accusing
finger at someone, even without proof or merit.
In the second part of the Gospel,
Jesus says, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few." This
reflects the situation in the Church today. Many can be enlightened by the Good
News of our Lord, but those who actively participate in delivering the Word of
God are few. Perhaps we can learn from today's Gospel. Instead of spreading
false accusations and allowing hatred to prevail, let us focus our attention on
spreading the truth and the message of love from God.
Tuesday of the Fourteenth
Week in Ordinary Time 2026
A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus, and when the demon was
driven out the mute man spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like
this has ever been seen in Israel.” Matthew 9:32–33
Imagine being unable to speak. You could not tell your
loved ones about your day, share your hopes, joys, or sorrows. The result would
be deep isolation and loneliness, the plague afflicting this demoniac.
Metaphorically speaking, this demoniac symbolizes us when we do not have
the words to properly express ourselves to another or to God. Our “muteness” is
often the result of confused thinking by which we fail to understand ourselves
in the light of God’s Eternal Truth. Spiritual muteness is akin to speaking
empty words that have no root in divine wisdom. We may speak much, but if our
hearts are not attuned to God, our words become noise rather than prayer,
reaction rather than revelation, or ramblings rather than the sincere sharing
of our hearts.
What does it mean to truly communicate with another? It’s
not the multiplication of words, speaking over another, winning an argument, or
showcasing yourself and your ideas for others to see. True communication begins
with the truth—God’s Truth—alive within our souls. When that happens, when our
minds are elevated by the gift of faith and our hearts are perfected by divine
wisdom, our words become meaningful. When we speak, whether we say much or
little, we do more than express words or ideas—we express ourselves, our union
with God, our love for others, and the charity God places within us.
Ultimately, words are meant to serve the building up of
God’s Kingdom. Even mundane communications, such as “What would you like for
dinner tonight?” can be spoken in a way that builds God’s Kingdom. But just as
words can be vessels of grace, they can also become instruments of harm. When
they are spoken in self-centeredness, anger, or gossip, they tear down rather
than build up, and inflict damage on God’s Kingdom.
In today’s Gospel, we are invited to see the demoniac as
a symbol of the times when we speak empty or even harmful words rather than
God’s Word. When we speak God’s Word, even in casual speech, we express God’s
love as it radiates within our souls. A gentle encouragement, a consoling
question about another’s day, a sharing of a joyful encounter, or any other
expression of God’s love shining through our human heart is the communication
we must strive for.
By literally driving the demon out of the man, Jesus gave
witness to His divine power and freed the man from his spiritual affliction.
When the Word made flesh casts out the demon and the man speaks, it is more
than a miracle of speech—it is a restoration of identity. Christ, the Eternal
Word, restores human language to its sacred purpose: to give voice to truth, to
unite persons in love, and above all, to glorify God.
Continuing the metaphor, Jesus also wants to drive out
the muteness within us—that is, our sin and every evil temptation to speak
empty or damaging words instead of expressing divine truth with charity.
Spiritual muteness becomes most deafening when our words echo the evil one’s
lies and temptations.
When we allow Christ to purify our hearts and minds, He also loosens our
tongues. He gives us the grace to pray with authenticity, to speak with
clarity, and to witness with courage. This is the fruit of true deliverance—we
are freed from evil and empowered for communion.
Reflect today on the astonishment of the crowd who cried
out, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!” When God frees us from
the burden of empty or harmful speech, our natural response will be
astonishment and praise. We are made to express love and truth and to share our
lives with others within that love and truth. When this happens, we realize the
muteness with which we previously struggled and delight in the freedom we
attain.
Eternal Word of the Father, speak into the silence of my
heart. Drive out all confusion, fear, and sin that renders me mute before You.
Heal my soul, loosen my tongue, and teach me to speak Your truth in love. May I
never be afraid to proclaim Your goodness, build others up, and strengthen Your
Kingdom by giving glory to Your holy Name. Jesus, I trust in You.
Tuesday of the Fourteenth
Week in Ordinary Time 2026
Opening
Prayer: Lord God, I am willing to
be sent by you. I strive to hear your call every day and place all that I am at
your service. I will shepherd those in my care and lead them to restful waters.
I will work in your vineyard and harvest good fruit for your Kingdom.
Encountering
the Word of God
1.
The Rejection of the New Moses: The
ten mighty works of Jesus in Matthew 8-9 recall the ten mighty works the Lord
performed through Moses in Egypt. Yet just as Pharaoh hardened his heart
against God’s saving power, many of Israel’s leaders hardened their hearts
against Jesus. While the crowds marveled at Christ’s authority over disease,
demons, sin, and even death, the Pharisees refused to recognize the coming of
God’s Kingdom. Rather than glorifying God for inaugurating the long-awaited New
Exodus through Jesus, the New Moses, they accused Jesus of casting out demons
‘by the prince of demons’ (Matthew 9:34). Their accusation reveals a tragic
spiritual blindness and hardness of heart: the very works that should have led
them to faith instead became occasions for unbelief. Just as Pharaoh sought to
kill Moses, so also the leaders of Israel would plot to kill Jesus. Just as
Moses and the people would be saved by passing through the Sea, so also Jesus
would be raised to life through his Baptism on the Cross.
2.
Raising Up New Shepherds and Laborers: Jesus
does not answer the Pharisees immediately. Instead, Matthew shows Jesus’
response through action. Seeing the crowds, Jesus was “moved with compassion,
because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd”
(Matthew 9:36). Israel’s leaders had failed in their vocation. Like Pharaoh,
they burdened God’s people instead of leading them to flourish in freedom.
Later, Jesus will say that they “tie up heavy burdens, hard to carry, and lay
them on people’s shoulders” (Matthew 23:4). In contrast, Jesus comes as the
Good Shepherd whose yoke is easy and whose burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).
Because the harvest is abundant and the laborers are few, he will appoint the
Twelve, share his own authority with them, and send them to continue his
mission of teaching, healing, and gathering God’s scattered flock.
3.
The Harvest is Still Plentiful: There
is a beautiful irony at the end of today’s Gospel. Jesus first commands his
disciples, “Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest”
(Matthew 9:38). Then, in the very next chapter, those same disciples become the
answer to their own prayer. Jesus calls the Twelve by name, shares his own
authority with them, and sends them to preach the Kingdom, heal the sick,
cleanse lepers, cast out demons, and gather the lost sheep of Israel. Through
apostolic succession, Christ continues to entrust this mission to the bishops,
priests, and deacons who shepherd and serve his Church in every generation. Yet
the harvest is still plentiful, and every baptized Christian has a share in
Christ’s mission of leading others to him according to his or her vocation. As
we pray for an increase in holy vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and
religious life, we should also ask the Lord to make us faithful laborers in his
harvest, ready to share the Gospel with compassion, courage, and confidence
that he continues to work through those whom he sends.
Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and
illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:35–36
Jesus was quite zealous for souls. Zeal is an energy, a passion
and a drive to accomplish some task. The task that Jesus was zealous for was
the conversion of every heart that He encountered. As He walked from town to
town, encountering person after person, Jesus could see into their hearts. He
saw that so many people were “troubled and abandoned.” He could see they were
like “sheep without a shepherd.” And this moved Him to compassion with a zeal
to become their Shepherd, to remove the trouble from their hearts and to let
them know they were invited to belong to His new Kingdom.
The image of Jesus encountering numerous people who were troubled
and abandoned is a good image to ponder. The reason is that this is us. Each
one of us has our own interior troubles. We can feel alone, confused, uncertain
and lost at times. The person who doesn’t feel this way is either a perfect
saint or is not being honest. Deep holiness and union with God does, of course,
cure this interior struggle that many have. In that case, the person clearly
knows they belong to the family of God, understands himself or herself as a son
or daughter of God, and finds deep peace in this truth. But for those who
struggle, this Scripture passage is especially for you.
First of all, to be “troubled” could be caused by many things. For
some, they struggle with memories of the past, broken relationships, a lack of
direction, serious sin, anger and the like. So the first question to honestly
ponder is whether or not you have a troubled heart. Even the greatest of saints
will find some areas they struggle with. So what is that for you?
Secondly, feeling “abandoned” is a heavy cross. The reason Jesus
came was to enable us to belong to His family. That is accomplished by the gift
of eternal salvation which must begin now. By receiving the forgiveness of sins
and growing in a life of prayer, we come to know God in a very intimate and
personal way. Yes, He is the Almighty God and Creator of all. But He is also
deeply personal and intimate, and He wants to form a real relationship of love
with you.
If you struggle with either of these, being troubled and/or
abandoned, then consider the zeal that Jesus has for you. His tireless and
extensive travels, by foot, while He was engaging in His public ministry,
should be seen as a sign to you of His zeal to come to you, personally, to
become your Shepherd. He wants to lift every burden and clear the way for you
to discover your place in His family. The “Gospel of the Kingdom” that Jesus
preached was one that invited everyone to become a member of that Kingdom. As
He comes to you, know that His heart is filled with compassion for you, just as
it was when He traveled the countryside so long ago. He sees you, gazes at your
heart with love, and never takes His eyes off of you in your need, weakness and
sin.
Reflect, today, upon the zeal that Jesus has for your own eternal
salvation and holiness of life. You cannot make it through this world without
Him. Let Jesus seek you out, come to you, speak to you and invite you to allow
Him to shepherd you. He wants to do so with every fiber of His being; let Jesus
fulfill His mission in you.
My divine Shepherd, You seek out all people with the greatest of
zeal and compassion. You see every hurting and broken heart, and You desire to
heal each one. Thank You for coming to me, dear Lord, for being my Shepherd and
Guide. Help me to see You as You gaze at me in my weakness and pain. And help
me to open my heart to You now and throughout my life. I love You, my Lord.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Tuesday 14th Ordinary Time 2023
Opening Prayer: Jesus, I know evangelization is a great task and that few
go out into the field as you did to work. I commit myself once more to your
service, Lord Jesus, and I pray for all of those who you are calling to this
task. Lord, send laborers to your harvest!
Encountering Christ:
1. The Doubters: Even
as Christ goes about doing good works and casting out demons, there remain the
Pharisees, who claim that his power derives from a lower source. These people
spread doubt about Christ’s power, for their sanctimony and learning blind
them. Christ looks instead to the crowd, who are humble and open to his
teaching and healing.
2. The Shepherd and the Flock: Christ has the heart of a shepherd who sees the
flock abandoned and alone. He is supremely empathetic, taking the sorrows of
Israel upon himself, and he wants to be their comforter, so he teaches in their
synagogues and heals their sicknesses. Christ calls every Christian to imitate
this love—to look out on the world with the eyes of shepherds, to see how we
can console and guide the flock, each in our own way.
3. Help Wanted: Christ
calls some of us to a deeper commitment to shepherding and consoling the flock
as souls consecrated to his service in religious life or in the clerical state.
The ending of this Gospel is like a “help wanted” sign posted at the front of a
store. “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.” What have I done to
promote vocations in the past? Is Christ moving me now to work with young men
or women discerning vocations?
Tuesday 14th Ordinary Time 2022
Opening Prayer: Jesus, have mercy on me. Too often, I have wandered, like
a sheep, away from your truth. If it is your will to send me out as a laborer,
grant me the humility to seek always your ways and your wisdom, that others
may, through me, be guided back to you.
Encountering Christ:
Are We the Bringer or the One Brought?: The demons had taken away the possessed man’s very
ability to speak. It is only because he was brought to Jesus, St.
Matthew’s Gospel recounts, that he could be healed, and could then speak for
himself. Do we (gently) bring to Jesus those who cannot even speak his
name? Do we guide those around us toward an encounter with the living God
of love? Or, perhaps, we are, or were, like the mute man in the story, the one
brought to Jesus for restoration. In either circumstance, we should praise
Jesus. “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be always in my
mouth” (Psalm 34:2). With the praise of Jesus on our lips, we will be powerful
evangelizers, sons, and daughters with hearts full of gratitude for all Jesus
does for us.
Jesus Is Powerful, Yet He Wants Our Assistance: Jesus didn’t just heal a little bit, here and
there. The Gospel reminds us he went to “all the towns and villages,” preaching
the Good News, healing the sick, and driving out demons. But his work was not
completed alone. Crowds began to gather and Jesus asked his followers for their
help. The “harvest” (of souls) was abundant, but the “laborers” were few,
even in Jesus’ time. Later, as the infant Church was growing, the Apostles
appointed the first deacons to help them with the ministry (Acts 6:1-15). How
do we assist him in our life? Are we open to his call and obedient to his
instructions, or do we let worldly cares or technological distractions drown
out his voice?
How Often Do We Wander?: Jesus saw the crowds and was “moved with pity” for
these “sheep without a shepherd.” Our urbanized modern world may not
provide us with many encounters with sheep, but those who heard this Gospel
before around 1940 had experienced what sheep can be—aimless, looking only for
the next sweet patch of grass, dispersing widely when they sense a threat. Like
sheep, we sometimes spend our energy on things outside of God’s will. Or we let
others (who may be more lost than we are) lead us astray. When our faith is
threatened, we run. Jesus, then and now, wants us to be led by him and by his
Church to the truth and love that he has in store for us. He will always
be our Good Shepherd. We need only turn to Him and be reconciled.
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai
Tuần 14 Thường Niên
Tin Mừng cho chúng ta thấy
hai phép lạ của Chúa Giêsu thứ nhất là chữa bệnh xuất huyết cho người
phụ nữ bị xuất huyết nặng bằng cách cho bà chạm vào chiếc áo choàng
của Chúa Giêsu và thứ hai là đà cho cô con gái trẻ của viên chức hội đường Do thái được sống lại. Đức
tin của chúng ta có bao giờ mạnh mẽ như người phụ nữ bị xuất huyết trong tin Mừng? Vì bà đã tin
rằng nêwsu chỉ được chạm vào áo choàng của
Chúa Giêsu thì bà ấy sẽ được chữa khỏi? Và bà đã được chữa khỏi.
Trong
lần đọc 1 chúng ta nghe ông Giacốp cất lời thề với Thiên Chúa, Đức Chúa Trời của tổ tiên Ábraham,
và Thiên Chúa của cha ông là Isaac. Niềm tin của chúng ta đối với Thiên Chúa được thử
thách trong những thời điểm khó khăn, trong những bi kịch bất ngờ, khi chúng ta
có những thảm họa to lớn
trong tự nhiên, khi chúng ta thấy bệnh tật và những cái chết bất ngờ. Chúng tôi
không hiểu tại sao. Và chúng ta biết rằng Thiên Chúa không đem lại bất cứ điều
xấu xa cho chúng ta; Nhưng Chúa đã cho phép chúng ta phải chịy những hay những việc không
lành để thử thách lòng tin của chúng ta.
Chúng ta
có thể không có đức tin mạnh mẽ như người phụ nữ bị xuất huyết trầm
trọng hoặc như viên chức hội đường Do thái giáo tin rằng Chúa Giêsu có thể làm cho con gái của ông được sống. Chúng
ta hãy cầu nguyện xin Thiên Chúa ban cho chúng ta có được đức tin
mạnh mẽ như vậy Có một bài hát nói rằng:
"Có thể có những phép lạ khi chúng ta biết tin
tưởng, cho dù hy
vọng có mong manh, nhưng hy vọng này vẫn chẳng
thể bị dập tắt.. Ai mà
biết được những phép màu nào đang chờ đón khi chúng ta biết tin
rằng qua một cách nào đó, chúng ta sẽ làm
được? Chúng ta sẽ làm được khi chúng tacos lòng tin.
REFLECTION
The Gospel reading
narrates two miracles of Jesus: the cure of the woman with the severe bleeding
merely by her touching the cloak of Jesus and the bringing back to life of the
young daughter of the synagogue official. Is our faith ever as strong as the woman's
who believed that by merely touching the cloak of Jesus she would be cured? And
she was cured.
In the
first reading we hear Jacob making a vow to God, the God of Abraham, and the
God of Isaac. Our faith in God is tested in difficult times, in unexpected
tragedies, when we have great disasters in nature, when we see disease and unexpected
deaths. We do not understand why. And yet we know God does not cause evil
things to happen; he allows evil things to happen.
We may
not have the strong faith of the woman with the severe bleeding or of the
synagogue official who believed that Jesus could bring her daughter back to life.
Let us pray that God would give us such strong faith.
There
is a song which goes, "There can be miracles when you believe; though hope
is frail, it's hard to kill. Who knows what miracles you can achieve when you
believe that somehow you will? You will when you believe."
Monday of the Fourteenth
Week in Ordinary Time
While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward, knelt down before him,
and said, “My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she
will live.” Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. A woman
suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the
tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I
shall be cured.” Matthew 9:18–21
Call to mind one of the most painful and difficult
moments in your life. Perhaps you endured a serious illness or the illness of a
loved one. Perhaps you suffered a deep humiliation or walked with someone close
to you through his or her humiliation. Maybe you lost a job, faced mounting
bills, and felt helpless. Suffering comes in many forms, and God only permits
such trials because, in His wisdom, He perceives a greater good that can come
through our patient endurance—if we place all our hope and trust in Him.
In today’s Gospel, we meet two unrelated individuals,
each burdened with intense suffering. First, a father kneels before Jesus and
sorrowfully announces that his daughter has just died. In a remarkable act of
faith, he pleads with Jesus to come and lay His hand on her, confident that she
will live again. As Jesus proceeds with him, a woman who has suffered silently
for twelve years from a hemorrhage approaches from behind and touches the
tassel of His cloak, believing that even such a simple act will bring her
healing.
The sudden death of a beloved daughter and twelve years
of physical and emotional anguish are heavy crosses. Though our own trials may
differ, we are invited to see ourselves in both of these suffering souls,
especially during times of great hardship.
The grieving father likely also felt powerlessness. He
who had lovingly provided for his daughter from birth—feeding her, protecting
her, guiding her—now stands helpless before death, a force he cannot overcome.
Or so it seems.
The woman with hemorrhages suffered both the physical
toll of her affliction and also the social and spiritual isolation imposed by
the Mosaic Law. According to Levitical law, her continual bleeding rendered her
ritually unclean and cut her off from public worship and communal life. Because
her bleeding was constant, so too was her separation—a painful, unending exile.
There was nothing she could do to fix her condition. Or was there? In the face of suffering, each of us must choose: Either
we turn to God in radical faith and surrender, or we fall into despair,
resentment, and rebellion. Suffering rarely leaves us indifferent—it either
purifies or hardens the heart. That is why every trial poses a question to us:
Will I respond in faith or retreat into bitterness?
Both of these suffering souls refused to surrender to
despair. Instead, they turned to Jesus with bold and humble faith—one publicly
kneeling, the other quietly reaching out. In both cases, their trust was met
with Divine Mercy.
What the Mosaic Law deemed unclean, Jesus welcomed and
restored. He is not defiled by the woman’s touch—He makes her clean. In this,
Christ reveals that He is the fulfillment of the Law, the source of every true
healing, especially the healing that comes through the Sacraments. In the
Eucharist, Reconciliation, and Anointing of the Sick, we too may “touch His
garment,” and receive the grace that restores what is broken.
Reflect today on the consoling truth that no suffering is
too deep, no exile too long, no loss too final for Christ. Whether your wounds
are fresh or old, whether you can cry out or can only whisper a prayer in
silence, reach for Him. Kneel before Him. Touch the hem of His garment in faith
through prayer, the Sacraments, and trustful surrender. He will not turn away.
He sees your pain, and if you let Him, He will enter into it, speak words of
courage, and raise you up.
My empathetic Lord, You see the sufferings of Your
people, and Your Heart is moved with compassion for us. When trials arise in my
life, help me to see them as gifts—opportunities to step out of my indifference
and trust wholeheartedly in You. I believe that You will never permit me to
endure anything for which Your grace is not sufficient. Jesus, I do trust in
You.
Monday 14th week of Ordinary Time 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you ask me to reach out to you in faith and
respond to your generous and merciful love. I am surrounded by unbelief in you
and the devastating effects of sin. Do not let me be overcome or fail when I am
tempted. If I do fail, bring me back to you, forgive me, and wash away my
sorrowful tears.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Your Faith Has Saved
You: The ten mighty works of Jesus in
Matthew 8-9 look forward to the mighty sacramental works of the Church. In
today’s Gospel, we hear about two of Jesus’ mighty works: curing a woman
suffering from hemorrhages for 12 years and restoring a young girl from death
to life. The woman only had to touch the tassels of Jesus’ cloak to be healed.
The tassels themselves were not magical. Jesus emphasizes that it was her faith
in him, not the tassel, that cured her physical illness and saved her from her
spiritual illness. When we go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we, like the
woman, seek to touch the tassel of Jesus’ cloak. We believe that Jesus has
granted authority to his apostles and their successors to forgive sins. Even if
we have suffered the effects of our sins for twelve or more years, we know that
they can be forgiven through the sacrament. Like the woman who heard the words,
“Courage, daughter. Your faith has saved you,” we hear words of consolation
when we are dismissed from the sacrament: “The Lord has freed you from your
sins. Go in peace.”
2. The Little Girl
Arose: The second mighty work in today’s
Gospel also points forward to the Church’s sacraments and our future
resurrection from the dead. Jesus did not become ritually unclean when the
woman with a hemorrhage touched the tassel of his cloak. Nor did Jesus become
ritually unclean when he touched the dead girl’s hand. Instead of becoming
ritually unclean, “Christ’s divine power goes out from him to raise the child
from the dead” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 136). In the
same way, the Church, through her Bridegroom, has the divine power to purify us
from our uncleanliness and sin. As Christians, we believe “in the resurrection
of the body from the dead.” What does “rising from the dead” mean? The Catechism answers:
“In death, the separation of the soul from the body, the human body decays and
the soul goes to meet God, while awaiting its reunion with its glorified body.
God, in his almighty power, will definitively grant incorruptible life to our
bodies by reuniting them with our souls, through the power of Jesus’
Resurrection” (CCC, 997). We believe that our mortal bodies will one day
come to life again. But how the resurrection of the body will come about
exceeds the possibilities of our imagination and understanding.
3. The Power of Personal
Encounter with Christ: Both miracles in today’s Gospel reveal how salvation
comes through Christ and takes the form of a personal encounter with Jesus. The
woman reaches out in persevering faith to touch the tassel of his cloak, while
Jesus reaches out to take the dead girl by the hand. In each case, contact with
Christ overcomes what seemed impossible: a twelve-year illness is healed
instantly, death gives way to life, fear is replaced with courage, and despair
yields to hope. Today, the Lord continues to invite us into this life-giving
encounter with him through the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Under the humble
appearances of bread and wine, we receive not merely a reminder of Christ, but
Christ himself – his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. As we approach the altar
with faith, we touch, as it were, the hem of his garment and receive the one
who has conquered sin and death. The Eucharist strengthens us to persevere in
faith amid life’s trials, casts out our fears by filling us with the presence
of the risen Lord, and gives us a foretaste of the eternal life that will reach
its fullness when he raises our bodies on the last day. As Jesus said, “Whoever
eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the
last day” (John 6:54). Hello?
Monday 14th week of Ordinary Time 2023: Matthew 9:18-26
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years
came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself,
“If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.” Jesus turned around and saw
her, and said, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” And from
that hour the woman was cured. Matthew 9:20–21
What a tremendous amount of faith this woman had! She had suffered
for many years and continued to suffer with her hemorrhages. How did she know
that touching Jesus’ cloak would cure her? The only answer to that is faith.
Faith is not just wishful thinking or hoping. Faith is a certain knowledge,
given by a special grace and revelation from God, by which a person freely
assents to belief. God spoke to her heart, she listened, she responded, and she
was cured.
One thing that is very inspiring in this Gospel story is the
humility with which this woman approached Jesus. She didn’t feel as though she
needed to bother Jesus, to speak to Him, or to trouble Him with her problem.
Instead, in her humility, she presented her need to Jesus through her gift of
faith, interiorly and silently, and the grace of God was given her because God
sees the heart and responds to such humble and sincere faith.
Imagine if everyone had this depth of faith in our Lord. Imagine
if all of us knew, with the deepest conviction of certitude, that God would
take care of every need we have. And imagine if we turned to our Lord with this
deep conviction of certitude every day with every need. If we could do that,
then our Lord would be able to continually care for us in every way.
One key component to this woman’s healing is that it was God the
Father who spoke to her and invited her to touch the cloak of His Son Jesus.
And it was Jesus who sensed the healing she received, since He was in perfect
union with the will of His Father. Therefore, touching Jesus’ cloak was not
simply a magical act by which whatever this woman wanted would be granted to
her. Instead, it was a response to the interior invitation she was given by the
Father.
In our lives, we must work to do the same. Too often we present
our preferences to God and tell Him what we want Him to do. God does not
respond to such requests. Instead, we must seek His will…and His will alone.
This woman knew she would be healed, because God the Father spoke to her in her
mind and heart and inspired her to touch the cloak of Jesus His Son, and she
responded, and the healing took place. God must speak first, we must hear and
respond, and then His will is accomplished.
Reflect, today, upon the gentle Voice of God as He speaks to you
in the depths of your heart. Do you hear Him? What is He inviting you to do?
What healing does He want to bestow? As you ponder God’s Voice, try to respond
only to Him. Set aside all of your own preferences and ideas of what God should
do and seek only what He is speaking to you. Say “Yes” to Him, do so with
certitude and conviction, and trust that whatever He speaks to you, if you have
faith in what He says, He will do it.
My gentle Lord, You speak to me day and night, calling me to the
healing I need. Help me to hear Your Voice and to respond to You in faith. May
my faith and confidence in You grow strong and become the source of Your
glorious action in my life. Jesus, I do trust in You.
Monday 14th week of Ordinary Time 2023: Matthew 9:18-26
Opening Prayer: Lord
Jesus, I draw close to you now in this short time of prayer I have with you.
Like the woman suffering the hemorrhages, I reach out to touch you in faith. I
kneel before you, if not in body, then at least in spirit, and beg you for
light and grace like the official in this Gospel. Lord Jesus, increase my
faith!
Encountering Christ:
1. Come, Lay Your Hands on Me: This Gospel presents a Jewish official who
approaches Jesus with faith so humble and sincere it practically bleeds through
the page: He kneels before Jesus, presents the case of his dying daughter, and
begs that Jesus come and lay his hands on her, “and she will live.” This man
has something of that confident intuition that can come only from faith. He
knows Jesus will not deny an honest and humble plea. This humble faith is
something we can learn for ourselves from the official. Lord, lay your “hands”
on me in the Eucharist and through others!
2. Let Me Touch You, Lord: At the Encounter Chapel of the Magdala Center in Israel,
there is a beautiful painting of the woman with hemorrhages from this very
Gospel. All we are given to see are a crowd of feet and a hand reaching out to
touch the frayed tassels of a white-and-blue cloak, where a point of light
emanates. In St. Luke’s Gospel, this is the moment where power goes out of
Jesus to heal her of her illness. From this humble woman, we can learn how to
reach out in faith to Our Lord, knowing that contact with him, in whatever
form, will lead to our good.
3. The Girl Is Not Dead, but Sleeping: Jesus arrives at the house to find a crowd “making
a commotion,” not truly mourning the loss of the girl, but moaning as part of
their custom. He already knows these people lack faith, so he sends them away.
They ridicule Jesus, but he moves forward undeterred and brings the little girl
back from the dead. Jesus moves and works in this world regardless of how
people receive his action, but for those who have faith, his works always bless
us, as they blessed this girl and her father in the Gospel.
Monday 14th week of
Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer: Lord
Jesus, there is never a time I do not require your healing touch. My body and
soul long for the perfect health to which only you can restore me. Help me to
have the faith to reach for even the tassel of your cloak, to know that even a
moment in your presence in the Most Blessed Sacrament can be a healing
encounter, every single day.
Encountering Christ:
1.
Faith Revealed in Humility: The Roman official understood the custom when
approaching someone in authority. He knelt down before Jesus and asked boldly
for a miracle, for his daughter’s very life to be restored. Likewise, the
suffering woman was willing to endure the shame of appearing in public in her
condition on the small chance that she might get close enough to Jesus for a
healing encounter. Like these two believers, we need to approach Jesus with our
pride pushed aside. If we truly want him to heal us, we must get beyond the
embarrassment of our past sins and abandon the false facade we put on in front
of the world. Jesus knows how sick we are! He will heal us if we only ask.
2.
Jesus Knows Our Continuing Needs: Jesus did not simply heal the sick and leave
them be. Notice what he said to the cured woman: “Courage!” He knew that her
belief in him, and the witness of her renewed health would require her to be
bold in her faith and in her testimony. He would accompany her for the rest of
her life, making his dwelling with her (John 14:23) if she would allow it.
Jesus led the revived little girl “by the hand,” offering her guidance even
after the crisis had passed. Jesus is “Emmanuel,” God with us.
3. Has
Everyone Heard, But For Us?: The Bible tells of many encounters between Jesus
and those who were physically ill or spiritually tormented; again and again,
the sick were healed by his touch, his presence, and his voice. What, then,
explains our own reluctance to seek his aid when we are sick in body, mind, or
soul? He is there waiting for us. We may not need a dramatic encounter, a
lightning strike, or a violent wind—just the quiet presence of the Lord with us
in prayer, in the Blessed Sacrament, in thoughtful reflection on his word. Why
do we hold back? Do we prefer to remain “sick” because we don’t have the
courage to witness to the healing? Or, like the crowds outside the Roman
official’s home, are we already mourning for what we think is lost?
