Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ 18 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ 18 Thường Niên
Trong bài Tin Mừng ngày nay, chúng ta chứng kiến việc các môn đệ đã không trừ được thần ô uế ra khỏi một cậu bé. Họ sẽ không khả năng trừ được những thần ô uế ra khỏi cậu bé nếu họ không tin rằng họ có khả năng làm như vậy. Điều này có hàm ý cho chúng ta biết là môn đệ này đã tin vào chính bản thân và khả năng của họ, nhưng họ lại quên không đặt niềm tin và sức mạnh của họ vào quyền năng của Thiên Chúa.
Thông thường, chúng ta thấy mình cũng giống như các môn đệ chúng ta quá tự tin, quên Thiên Chúa, và chúng ta quên đi rằng những khả năng, trí tuệ của chúng ta đều là những món quà mà Thiên Chúa đã ban tặng cho chúng ta.  Khi con người chúng ta trở nên giàu có, hay thành công trong sự nghiệp, chúng ta bắt đầu nghĩ rằng chúng ta có khả năng làm bất cứ điều gì chúng ta muốn; và chúng ta nghĩ rằng sự thành công của chúng ta lo do chính tài năng của mình mà không phải do Thiên Chúa đã ban cho. Và vì thế mà chúng ta thường quên cảm tạ và cám ơn Thiên Chúa.
Bài Tin Mừng hôm nay nhắc nhở chúng ta là tất cả những gì chúng ta có được là do lòng nhân từ và rộng rãi nơi Thiên Chúa ban cho chúng ta; Chính nhờ đức tin của chúng ta nơi Ngài mà chúng ta có thể vượt qua bất cứ những khó khăn thử thách nào đến với chúng ta. Khi chúng ta có một đức tin vững mạnh nơi Chúa, chúng ta có thể thấy mọi thử thức, khó khăn như là một cơ hội để mở rộng tâm hồn chính mình cho Thiên Chúa và trải nghiệm tình yêu vĩnh cửu của Ngài đã dành cho chúng ta.
"Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin Chúa củng cố đức tin của chúng con để chúng con biết đặt niềm tin vào quyền năng cứu độ của Chúa.  Xin hãy cho chúng con biết tự tin và có sự kiên trì, đặc biệt là trong những lời cầu nguyện. Và giúp chúng con biết mang lại tình yêu và chân lý cứu độ của Chúa đến với những người mà chúng con sẽ gặp hôm nay và ngày mai.".
 
REFLECTION
In today's Gospel, the disciples fail to drive out the demon that possesses the boy. They wouldn't have tried to drive the demon out of the boy had they not believed that they had the ability to do so. This implies a faith in themselves and their ability, but not a faith in the Lord's power.
Oftentimes, we find ourselves in the disciples' scenario: over-confident, forgetting God, forgetting that our abilities have been gifts from the Lord. Having become wealthy and successful in our careers, we begin to think that we are capable of anything; that our success was driven solely by our own abilities and they were not from God. As a result, often we forget to thank the Lord.
The Gospel today reminds us that all that we have is from God; it is through genuine faith in Him that we are able to overcome whatever challenges come our way. For it is when we have a genuine faith that we find every challenge an opportunity to open ourselves to God and experience His everlasting love for us.
 
Saturday day 18 Ordinary Time-
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ 18 Thường Niên
Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, cho chúng ta thấy là các môn đệ của Chúa Giêsu đã không thể chữa lành cho một cậu bé bị động kinh. Phản ứng của Chúa Giêsu lúc này có vẻ như nghiêm khắc; nhưng thực sự là Chúa đã nóng lòng, muốn cứu cậu bé vì lòng từ bi và tình yêu thương của ngài. Chúng ta có thể nhận ra rõ ràng là Chúa Giêsu đã thất vọng với các môn đệ của Ngài vì họ thiếu niềm tin, và mối quan tâm của Ngài là cấp tốc để đáp ứng với việc giải quyết những nhu cầu khó khăn của cha con cậu bé trong lúc khó khăn này. Với một lời Chúa Giêsu quở trách thần ô uế vì đã gây ra nỗi khổ cho cậu bé này và Ngài ra lệnh cho thần ô uế là “không bao giờ được trở lại và ám hai cậu bé này nữa".
Chúa Giêsu nói với các môn đệ rằng họ có thể "dời được ngọn núi" nếu họ có niềm tin vào Thiên Chúa. Cái biểu hiện để "dời ngọn núi đi nơi khác" là một cụm từ phổ biến của người Do Thái thường dùng để ám chỉ cho những việc làm quá khó khăn, ngoài trí tưởng tưởng của con người. Một người thầy khôn ngoan, là người có thể giải quyết những vấn đề khó khăn đã được gọi là một người "dời núi".  Nếu chúng ta cầu nguyện với niềm tin trông cậy vào Thiên Chúa, thì Ngài cũng sẽ ban cho chúng ta phương tiện và chỉ cách cho chúng ta để vượt qua những khó khăn và những trở ngại. Với đức tin và sự tin tưởng phó thác vào Thiên Chúa, chúng ta sẽ không còn phải sợ sệt và lo ngại khi chúng ta gặp phải những thử thách, khó khăn và thất vọng .
"Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin Chúa củng cố đức tin của chúng con để  chúng con biết đặt niềm tin vào quyền năng cứu độ của Chúa.  Xin hãy cho chúng con biết tự tin và có sự kiên trì, đặc biệt là trong những lời cầu nguyện. Và giúp chúng con biết mang lại tình yêu và chân lý cứu độ của Chúa đến với những người mà chúng con sẽ gặp hôm nay và ngày mai.".
 
Meditation: "Nothing will  be impossible to you"
. In this Gospel incident the disciples of Jesus fail to heal an epileptic boy. Jesus' response seems stern; but it is really tempered with love and compassion. We see at once Jesus' dismay with the disciples' lack of faith and his concern to meet the need of this troubled boy and his father. With one word of command Jesus rebukes the evil spirit that has caused this boy's affliction and tells the spirit to "never enter him again". 
Pray with expectant faith
Jesus tells his disciples that they can "remove mountains" if they have faith in God. The expression to "remove mountains" was a common Jewish phrase for removing difficulties. A wise teacher who could solve difficulties was called a "mountain remover".  If we pray with expectant faith God will give us the means to overcome difficulties and obstacles. When  you meet trials and disappointments how do you respond? With faith and trust in Jesus? "Lord Jesus, help my unbelief! Increase my faith and trust in your saving power. Give me confidence and perseverance, especially in prayer. And help me to bring your healing love and truth to those I meet".
 
Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” Matthew 14:1–2
Herod the tetrarch was one of three brothers and a sister who became 1st-century rulers to succeed their father, Herod the Great, when he died in 4 B.C. Herod governed much of the territory west of the Sea of Galilee, which was the territory in which Jesus spent most of His time during His public ministry. He also ruled a territory just east of the Dead Sea, which is where he had imprisoned and ultimately killed John the Baptist. Herod was known for being a very busy builder and is prominently known for his role in the deaths of Saint John the Baptist and Jesus.
Recall that Herod had taken his brother’s wife, Herodias, as his own, and John the Baptist publicly opposed this. For that reason, Herod had John arrested and ultimately beheaded at the request of Herodias, who took the Baptist’s criticism very personally. Herod, on the other hand, had a strange sort of admiration for the Baptist.
The Gospel passage quoted above reveals a somewhat unusual statement by Herod. After he had killed Saint John the Baptist, he heard about the reputation of Jesus Who was traveling throughout Herod’s territory preaching and performing many mighty deeds. Word spread fast about Jesus and quickly reached even the ears of Herod. So why did Herod strangely think that Jesus must have been John the Baptist raised from the dead? Though we do not know for certain, we certainly can speculate.
In the version of this story found in the Gospel of Mark, we read, “Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him” (Mark 6:20). Herod may have been a man who had a spark of faith but was ultimately ruled by his passions and desire for power. Perhaps that is why he initially kept John the Baptist alive in his prison. It also appears that Herod had some form of either regret or fear over his beheading of John. And it is most likely for this reason that Herod immediately thought of John when he initially heard of Jesus and the “mighty powers” that were at work within Him.
Regret, fear and guilt are common effects of a conscience that is in conflict. Herod the tetrarch is a good example of what happens when we do not resolve that conflict within ourselves. The only way to resolve the interior confusion of a conflicted conscience is to humbly submit to the truth. Imagine if Herod would have repented. Imagine if he would have sought out Jesus, confessed his sins, and begged for forgiveness. What a glorious story that would have been. Instead, we have the witness of a man who has gone astray and remained obstinate in his sin.
Reflect, today, upon this unholy witness of Herod. God can use all things for His glory, and He can even use the example of Herod to reveal to ourselves any similar tendency. Do you struggle with regret, fear and guilt? Does this cause conflict within you? The good news is that this conflict is easily resolved by a humble heart that seeks the truth. Seek the truth by admitting any long-lasting sin you need to resolve and permit the mercy of God to enter in so as to set you free.
My merciful Jesus, You desire that all people experience freedom from the sins of the past. You desire to penetrate our hearts and to bring resolution and peace. Please help me to open my mind and heart to You in the areas that still cause pain and regret, and help me to be set free by Your infinite mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Saturday day 18 Ordinary Time-2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine Persons,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches because you have revealed them, who are eternal truth and wisdom, who can neither deceive nor be deceived. In this faith, I intend to live and die.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Your Little Faith: As Jesus descends the Mount of the Transfiguration with Peter, James, and John, they encounter a man who brought his son to Jesus’ disciples to be cured and freed from demonic possession. The disciples were unable to cure the boy because of their “little faith.” If only they had faith the size of a mustard seed! This is the second time Matthew’s Gospel mentions a mustard seed. The first time was in the Parable of the Mustard Seed. If we read the two stories together, we realize that Jesus is the one who sows the mustard seed. Faith is not a human achievement. It is a gift given by God, sown in our hearts by the Son, and nourished by the water of the Spirit. The virtue of faith begins very small within us but can grow to enormous proportions. We can collaborate with God’s grace and grow in God’s grace, but we always need to recognize it fundamentally as a gift.
2. Israel’s Confession of Faith: In the First Reading, we read Israel’s great confession of faith, known as the “Shema Yisrael,” the first words in the confession translated as “Hear, O Israel.” It is like the creed that many Christians profess at Mass on Sundays. It is a short but powerful summary of Israel’s faith. It recognizes that God is one and that the Lord (YHWH) alone is God. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength. “For Jesus and his contemporaries, the Shema was a touchstone of identity for religious Jews. According to the first-century Jewish historian Josephus, observant Jews recited the prayer twice daily, when they woke up and when they went to bed, reading it from a text they bore with them at all times. To hold the text of the Shema, Jews wore tefillin, or phylacteries: small containers usually made of leather (see Mt. 23:5). It was customary also to inscribe the first words of the Shema on the doorposts at home and on the gates of Jewish towns and cities” (Hahn, The Creed, 17). 
3. New Testament Confessions: When Jesus was asked about the most important Law of Moses, he chose the Shema as the first. The Shema functioned as a confession of faith and reminded the People of Israel – twice daily – of the true doctrine of God revealed to them through Moses. “In its longer form, the Shema also reminded them of the covenant with Israel and its blessings and curses” (Hahn, The Creed, 23). The Old Testament confession is a foreshadowing of the powerful faith of the New Covenant. Peter has just made a powerful New Testament confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16). “The confessions of the New Testament maintain the Old Covenant’s insistent monotheism. Yet they also assert the Christian difference: that God’s Son, Jesus is also divine – he is the Lord – and that there is one Spirit” (Hahn, The Creed, 31). Our faith cannot be reduced to an intellectual assent. It needs to be fiducial and characterized by hope in God’s promises and trust in his grace. As well, it needs to be informed by charity and manifest itself in good works of justice, charity, and mercy. As St. Paul teaches, our faith needs to work through love (Galatians 5:6). 
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I believe in you. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. You have redeemed me from the slavery of sin and the threat of eternal death. I thank you and I praise you today. I love you and offer my life to you to present to the Father.
 
Reflection: Saturday day 18 Ordinary Time-2023
     The first reading from the book of Deuteronomy (Dt 6: 4 – 13) reminds Israel of their covenant to love and serve God "with all [their] heart, with all [their] soul and with all [their] strength."    
     We cannot be Christians only on Sundays, only while we are in church, only when we are in prayer meetings, only when we are around people we like or only when it is convenient for us. We are to be Christians in every thought, word, and deed and in every situation we face each day of our lives.  
     We aim to reach heaven and see God face to face, but not for ourselves alone. Our role as parents and as Christians is to teach our children about God, how to develop a personal relationship with him, and to love him with their whole being. We need to imprint in their minds and hearts that everything comes from God, their talents, their intelligence, everything that they own. Their current position in life is not out of their own doing but because God gave them the capacity and the tools to succeed. Therefore, we owe it to God to serve him and offer our entire lives for his greater glory by serving others. This is our mission, that others may hear the Good News, experience it in their lives and see God face to face at the end of time.
     How can we be reminded of God's faithfulness and love for each of us, to help develop a personal relationship with him? Prayers during the day when the Spirit leads, reading of Scriptures which remind us how God protected and healed his people, partaking of the Eucharist during mass, and the unconditional love of family and friends all point to our one God, one Father who loved us first.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần 18 TN

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần 18 TN
Trong mọi sự, Thiên Chúa là người có những sáng kiến. Chính Chúa là Đấng đă chọn chúng ta. Trong bài Tin Mừng, Chúa Giêsu kêu gọi mỗi mọi người chúng ta hãy trở nên môn đệ đi theo Ngài bằng cách từ bỏ tất cả, bản ngă của chính mình và hãy nhận lấy Thánh giá Chúa ban.
Một sự khác biệt đáng kể là trong thực tế là Thiên Chúa đă phán ra từ đám lửa có hình trái tim cháy cho người Israel; Trong khi Chúa Jêsus đã nói với mỗi trái tim, mỗi tâm hồn riêng biệt của mọi người cúng ta. Qua sức mạnh và quyền năng của Chúa là Thiên Chúa, một dân tộc đă được cứu thoát. Qua việc từ bỏ bản ngă và thế giới của chúng ta như Chúa Giêsu dạy, một trái tim đă được thay đổi, một người sẽ được biến đổi. Do đó, tất cả mọi người được chọn để hợp tác với Đấng Kito, và cả thế giới được Thánh Giá Chúa Kito cứu độ.
Chúng ta có thể bảo vệ lợi ích cá nhân của chúng ta, và sẵn sàng bước ra khỏi cái vỏ ốc an toàn của chúng ta không? Thánh giá của sự cứu rỗi luôn ở trong tầm nhìn của mọi người Kitô hữu. Lạy Chúa Jêsus, xin Chúa ban cho chúng con ân sủng và sự tự do trong nội tâm mà chúng con cần để có thể buông suôi tất cả. Xin cho chúng con đuoc ơn khôn ngoan để chúng con biết rằng cuộc sống của chúng con không phải là của chúng con để tự cứu; nhưng tất cả sự viên mãn đều nằm trong Chúa.  
 
REFLECTION
In everything it is God who takes initiatives. It is God who chooses us. In the Gospel Jesus calls each and every person to be a follower by letting go of the self and taking up the cross.\
A significant difference lies in the fact that the Lord God spoke from the heart of the fire to the people; whereas Jesus speaks to each individual heart. Through the power and might of the Lord God, a nation was saved. Through renouncing the self and the world, as Jesus instructs, a heart is changed, a person is converted. Individuals are thus chosen to collaborate with Christ, and the whole world is saved by the Cross. Can we be less protective of our interests, more willing to come out from our comfort zone? The Cross of salvation is always within sight of the Christian.\\Lord Jesus, give me the grace of interior freedom that I need to be able to let go. Give me wisdom to know that my life is not mine to save; all fullness lies in You.
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Sáu Tuần thứ 18 Thường Niên
Nếu chúng ta nghĩ về cuộc đời của người linh mục hay của người tu sĩ (nam hay nữ tu) hay những giáo dân bình thường biết hiến dâng cả cuộc đời mình để phụng vụ Thiên Chúa trong sự thương yêu mọi người thì chúng ta nghĩ chắc rằng những người này sẽ nhận được nhiều phần thưởng tinh thần. Nhưng nếu chúng ta cũng biết quảng đại và phục vụ tha nhân, chúng ta cũng sẽ nhận được những ân Sủng và hồng ân của Thiên Chua.
Một số người trong chúng ta có thể đã tận tụy thực hiện những lời cam kết của họ trong việc dâng mình, dâng cuộc sống của họ cho Chúa rất sớm, và cũng có một số đã đến trễ. Nhưng trong bất cứ ở thời điểm nào trong cuộc sống, dầu chúng ta có hứa những lời cam kết sớm hay muộn thì điều đó cũng không là vấn đề; những vẫn đề ở đây là sự cam kết với cả tâm hồn, sức mạnh và khả năng của mình đó mới là vấn đề cần chú ý.
Thậm chí cho đến ngày nay, chúng ta có thể tìm thấy rất nhiều nhân vật mẫu như; các linh mục, tu sĩ nam hay nữ, ngay cả thành phần giáo dân, một số người bình thường như chúng ta. Sự chú ý, tận tâm săn sóc và phục vụ cho hạnh phúc của người khác chính là động lực giúp cho chúng ta có thể cống hiến thời giờ và tài năng của mình để giúp đỡ cho người khác và cộng đồng của chúng ta.
Trong khi thực hành công việc thường ngày của chúng ta, nếu chúng ta biết phủ nhận quyền tự do riêng của chúng ta, biết dành những khoảng thời gian rảnh rổi để cầu nguyện, là chúng ta như đang chào đón Chúa đến với cuộc sống của chúng ta và cho phép Ngài tự do đến để hướng dẫn và chỉ đạo ý tưởng những hành động của chúng ta.
Có lẽ những gì mà Chúa đang nhắc nhở cho chúng ta qua Tin Mừng hôm nay đó là "sự hy sinh và phục vụ cho những người khác" chúng ta không cần phải tiêu cực, nhưng thay vào đó, nếu chúng ta thật sự cống hiến thời giờ và chính bản thân của chúng ta cho ý muốn của Thiên Chúa một cách hết lòng trong việc phục vụ những người khác, chúng ta có thể tìm thấy sự thỏa mãn, hạnh phúc và bình an trong cuộc sống của chúng ta. Có phải chúng ta đã sẵn sàng để vươn lên với thách thức của Thiên Chúa?
 
REFLECTION
If we reflect on the life of a priest or a nun or any person who has given his or her life to the service of our Lord, we find plenty of spiritual rewards. Some of these individuals may have made their commitments very early in their lives or some later in their lives. At what point in life the commitment was made does not matter; it is the wholeheartedness of that commitment that matters.
Even today, we can find many role models - priests, nuns, lay religious, some people as common as you and me. Their genuine care for the well-being of other people drives them to dedicate their time and talent to help others and their communities. In fulfilling their tasks, they deny their own freedoms, their free time, but in doing so they welcome our Lord into their lives and allow him to freely direct their ideas and actions. Perhaps what our Lord is reminding us today through the Gospel is that "sacrifice and service for others" need not be negative. Rather, if we give our time and ourselves wholeheartedly to the Lord's will, to serve others, we can find fulfillment, happiness and peace in our lives. Are we ready to rise to God's challenge?
 
Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
“What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?” Matthew 16:26
Would you like to “gain the whole world?” Many people daydream about becoming exceptionally rich and being able to purchase everything they ever wanted. Others dream of doing heroic acts that thrust them into the public spotlight and lead to public admiration. Still, others dream of having great power in this world and being a person of great importance. Though none of these are bad in and of themselves, the inordinate desire for them will damage your relationship with God. And when one of these desires becomes the dominant and all-consuming desire within, the result is that you forfeit your eternal soul.
When we speak of the “world,” we can understand different things. First, this is a reference to all the material things of this world—for example, the best of food and drink, self-indulgence, fleshly pleasures, material wealth, and all that is temporary and passing in this life. Second, the “world” can refer to pride and desire for attention and praise. This is when we become consumed with concern about what others think and say about us. Third, the “world” can refer to the desire for power so as to insert our own will. At a very high level, this is often the cause of wars among countries. One leader has a desire for domination and control. This desire for power and control can also affect each person within any part of that person’s life, including family, friends, work, social circles, etc.\\
The common thread among all three of these examples of worldly desires is the deception that obtaining more of them will satisfy you. Though they may satisfy you in a temporal and passing way, these desires will also have the effect of destroying your soul. This is because we have to choose. Either we seek to satiate the spiritual yearning of our souls, or we will seek to satiate ourselves with the passing promises of the world. We cannot have both.
It should be noted that obtaining wealth, being publicly praised, or being put in a position of power is not evil in and of itself. In fact, any one of these offers potential for good. The problem arises when a person seeks one of these worldly desires for selfish reasons and under the delusion that it will provide fulfillment. Truth be told, any one of those situations imposes a true cross on the person who is seeking to serve God alone. The responsibility that comes with wealth, prestige, or power is real. Therefore, when one or more of these are obtained, they must be handled with detachment and humility.
For example, if one becomes quite wealthy, the precept to live spiritually detached from material things still remains. Thus, in this case, material wealth poses a certain burden in the form of temptation. While this temptation certainly can be overcome and wealth can be used for good, the danger is real and must be regularly acknowledged. Or, if you are praised by many for something you did, or if you are given much responsibility and authority over others, humility and detachment must also increase so that God and God alone remains the single object of your desire.
Reflect, today, upon your desires. What do you want in life? Do you want to “gain the whole world?” Do you desire to gain even some of the worldly ambitions? If so, be careful. Reflect honestly upon your interior desires and work to purify them so that you desire God’s will alone. Once that happens, it will not matter to you if you are rich or poor, publicly praised or criticized, entrusted with earthly power or not. All that will matter is that you use all for the glory of God, in accord with His perfect and fulfilling will.
Most glorious God, Your will is perfect and is the one and only source of fulfillment in life. Please purify my soul of all desires pertaining only to this world. May my one and only desire in life be the fulfillment of Your holy will so that all I have will only be used for Your glory. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday 18 Ordinary Time-2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I desire to lose my life and die to myself to gain eternal life. I will put off my old self and put on my new self through your Son and in your Spirit. I offer you my life and my deeds, empowered by the grace of your Son.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Following Jesus: In the Gospel, Jesus has just rebuked Simon Peter for trying to tempt him from going to Jerusalem to suffer and be killed. Peter was thinking as human beings do and not as God does. Peter has just confessed that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God. However, when Jesus revealed to him that as the Messiah he must suffer and be killed, Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked him. Jesus turned and said to Peter: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men” (Matthew 16:23). Peter is the Rock when he listens to the voice of the Father, but he becomes a stumbling block when he listens to the lies of Satan. Jesus then tells his disciples that not only will he suffer on the Cross, but that they, as his followers, must also carry their own cross. The way of Christ leads to glory but passes through the Cross. If we renounce our cross and try to hold on to the passing things of this life, we risk losing the gift of eternal life.
2. The Son of Man will Repay Each: Throughout his Gospel, Matthew records Jesus’ teaching on poverty, detachment from earthly wealth, and storing up heavenly treasure: the kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor in spirit (5:3); we are to lay up treasure in heaven and not here on earth (6:19-21); we are not to be anxious about our life, for our heavenly Father knows all that we need; we should seek first the kingdom and God's righteousness and all the things we need shall be ours (6:25-34); the one who loses his life on behalf of Jesus will find life (10:39); finally, the kingdom of heaven is worth selling all we possess in order to obtain it (13:44-45). Jesus turns the gaze of the Apostles, and our gaze, from the things of earth to the things of heaven. As we look toward heaven, we see that he is the Son of Man who comes with his angels in the glory of the Father. In fact, three of the Apostles will see the glory, dominion, and kingship of the Son of man in Jesus’ transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8).
3. The Book of Deuteronomy: For the next few days, the First Reading will be taken from the Book of Deuteronomy. This is the Fifth Book of the Bible and concludes the Torah, the teaching or Law of Moses. It takes the form of a last will and testament given by Moses on the Plains of Moab before his death. It is a covenant document that covers the history of the relationship between the Lord and his people. It outlines the Laws that will govern that relationship. It announces blessings for fidelity to the relationship and laws and curses for infidelity. Many of the Laws of Deuteronomy look forward to life in the Promised Land. Some of the Laws Moses gave in the Book of Deuteronomy – like the command to kill the Canaanites and the laws regulating divorce – were not good and awaited their correction and fulfillment by the Messiah, the New Moses. Instead of “utterly destroy your enemy,” Jesus will teach “love your enemy and pray for them.” Instead of permitting divorce like Moses, Jesus will teach about the indissolubility of marriage, the original covenant between man and woman, and the importance of lifelong fidelity.
 
Friday 18 Ordinary Time-2023
Introductory Prayer:  Heavenly Father, help me to seek the things that are above. Help me to seek the things that last forever, so that all the things that I do may give you glory and help my brothers and sisters to grow closer to you, who live and reign with Christ, your Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Petition: Father, give me the courage to take up my cross and follow in the footsteps of your Son
Petition: Father, give me the courage to take up my cross and follow in the footsteps of your Son
1. Friends of the Cross: There are many Christians that are willing to be friends with Jesus in good times. However, there are very few Christians that are real friends of Jesus, who embrace the cross at all times, even in the bad. Of course, it is never easy to be a friend of the cross, but who wants to be a fair-weather fan of Jesus and his Gospel? Our Christian lives are a constant battle. We should never forget that. We all are tempted to escape from the reality of our situation from time to time. Nevertheless, whoever perseveres until the end will be saved and have a fruitful life. We can’t expect to have a glorious eternity full of celebration and joy if we don’t shed some blood, sweat, and tears here on earth for the sake of Christ and the good of our brothers and sisters.
2. Money Can’t Buy You Love: “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?” In other words, Jesus is saying that it doesn’t matter how much money you make, or what kind of car you drive, or what kind of clothes you wear, or what type of degree you have. You might spend your whole life trying to earn millions of dollars and amass all sorts of luxuries and securities, but you will have done all this in vain. You will have missed out on the true meaning of life and the real treasure of love. Don’t make the mistake of continually trying to make life easier and more comfortable for yourself. You will only end up being hopelessly miserable and incredibly lonely.
3. Paybacks Are Tough: “For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.” Jesus will not let us into heaven just because we say we believe in him. He also makes this clear in other teachings throughout the Gospels. Faith alone is not sufficient to be saved. Even Satan and his devils believe — and shudder (cf. James 2:19). Let us reflect on the words of Saint James for further insight: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:14-17).
 
Friday 18 Ordinary Time- Matthew 16:24-28
Introductory Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to seek the things that are above. Help me to seek the things that last forever, so that all the things that I do may give you glory and help my brothers and sisters to grow closer to you, who live and reign with Christ, your Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Petition: Father, give me the courage to take up my cross and follow in the footsteps of your Son.
Friends of the Cross: There are many Christians that are willing to be friends with Jesus in good times. However, there are very few Christians that are real friends of Jesus, who embrace the cross at all times, even in the bad. Of course, it is never easy to be a friend of the cross, but who wants to be a fair-weather fan of Jesus and his Gospel? Our Christian lives are a constant battle. We should never forget that. We all are tempted to escape from the reality of our situation from time to time. Nevertheless, whoever perseveres until the end will be saved and have a fruitful life. We can’t expect to have a glorious eternity full of celebration and joy if we don’t shed some blood, sweat, and tears here on earth for the sake of Christ and the good of our brothers and sisters.
2. Money Can’t Buy You Love: “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?” In other words, Jesus is saying that it doesn’t matter how much money you make, or what kind of car you drive, or what kind of clothes you wear, or what type of degree you have. You might spend your whole life trying to earn millions of dollars and amass all sorts of luxuries and securities, but you will have done all this in vain. You will have missed out on the true meaning of life and the real treasure of love. Don’t make the mistake of continually trying to make life easier and more comfortable for yourself. You will only end up being hopelessly miserable and incredibly lonely.
3. Paybacks Are Tough: “For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.” Jesus will not let us into heaven just because we say we believe in him. He also makes this clear in other teachings throughout the Gospels. Faith alone is not sufficient to be saved. Even Satan and his devils believe — and shudder (cf. James 2:19). Let us reflect on the words of Saint James for further insight: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:14-17).

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần 18 TN

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần 18 TN -Matthew 16:13-20 -
Bài đọc thứ nhất hôm nay cho chúng ta những điều mặc khải đẹp nhất về Thiên Chúa. Thiên Chúa muốn chúng ta thân thiện rất cá nhân với Ngài, Ngài là ai đối với chúng ta? Những sự liên hệ của chúng ta với Ngài sẽ phụ thuộc vào điều này. Có lẽ quan điểm của chúng ta về Thiên Chúa cũng giống như một khung cửa sổ, bất kể ánh sáng mặt trời chiếu vào khung cửa sổ đó ra sao, nhưng ánh sáng được chiếu vào trong căn phòng sẽ phụ thuộc vào kích thước của khung cửa sổ đó.
Qua bài Tin Mừng, nếu chúng ta trả lời theo cùng cách mà thánh Phêrô đã trả lời Chúa “Thầy là Đấng Kitô, Con của Thiên Chúa hằng sống,” điều này có nghĩa là chúng ta biết Ngài; với tất cả các giác quan của chúng ta, chúng ta cảm thấy sự hiện diện của Chúa. Qua bức thư gởi cho dân thành Roma có biết là nếu chúng ta thú nhận với đôi môi của mình và tin vào trái tim của chúng ta là Chúa Giêsu Kitô là Chúa, thì chúng ta sẽ được Chúa biến đổi. Ngài sẽ lần lượt nói với chúng ta là " anh thật là người có phúc, vì không phải phàm nhân mặc khải cho anh điều ấy, nhưng là Cha của Thầy, Đấng ngự trên trời."
Chúng ta phải tuyên xưng bằng với đức tin cùa chúng ta là :Chúa Giêsu chính Ngài là Chúa của chúng ta, sự hiện diện của Ngài bao quanh chúng ta, Ngài có quyền trên tất cả mọi loài kể cả chúng ta, quyền năng của Ngài tuôn đổ trên chúng ta, và chúng ta phải cúi đầu thờ lạy và kính mộ Ngài. Ngài là Chúa Thánh Linh. Chúng ta thực sự được biến đổi trong sự hiện diện của Ngài.
 
REFLECTION Thursday 18th Week in Ordinary Time
Today's first reading is one of the most beautiful revelations of who our God is. Our God wants us to be very personal with Him. Who is He to us? Our dealings with Him will depend on this. Perhaps our view of God is like a window – no matter how brightly the sun shines outside, the light that is allowed to shine into the room will depend on the size of the window.
But if we answer in the same way Peter did, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God," this means that we know him; with all our senses, we feel his presence. The letter to the Romans says that if we confess with our lips and believe in our hearts that Jesus Christ is Lord, then we are changed by God. He in turn tells us "Blessed are you – for it is the Father that reveals this reality to you."
Let us wholeheartedly confess to Jesus that he is our Lord, his presence surrounds us, his Lordship encompasses us, his power overwhelms us, and we bow down and adore him. He is the Holy God. We are indeed transformed in His presence.
 
Thursday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord!  No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!  You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” Matthew 16:22–23
What a shocking statement this must have been that was spoken by Jesus to Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” Jesus said. In the paragraph before this, Peter professed that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus in turn told Peter that he was Petros and on this petra He would build His Church. Petros is the Greek word for a movable rock and petra was an immovable solid rock foundation. Thus, Peter was told that he would be the stone, set upon a solid foundation, by which Jesus would build His Church. Jesus even went on to promise Peter that he would receive the keys to the Kingdom and that whatever he bound on earth would be bound in Heaven.
And then, one paragraph later, Jesus rebukes Peter for thinking “not as God” but as a human being.
Jesus rebuked Peter because Peter could not accept Jesus’ teaching about His coming passion and death. Jesus told Peter and the other disciples that He would soon suffer greatly, be rejected by the chief priest, the scribes and the elders, be killed and then rise on the third day. So Peter went from a profound proclamation of faith, to fear and a rejection of the divine plan of salvation. And for that reason, Jesus went from entrusting much authority to Peter to rebuking him for his weakness and fear.
Fear is often a paralyzing passion. Saint Thomas Aquinas explains that the passion of fear comes from a perceived future evil. Sorrow is the normal reaction to a present suffering such as the death of a loved one. But when the perceived suffering, or apparent evil, is something that has not yet come, then we often react with fear. When that fear is caused by something exterior and out of our control, it tempts us to feel shock, a sense of being overwhelmed and anxiety. In the case of Peter, the thought of Jesus suffering greatly, and being killed, was more than he was able to accept. So Peter says, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.”
Jesus’ rebuke of Peter was an act of true love. It was a way of shaking him free from the paralysis of fear. Jesus wanted Peter to think clearly and to face this future suffering with courage, acceptance, hope and faith. Courage provides strength. Acceptance cures anxiety. Hope produces joy. And faith is the remedy for all fear. These and other similar virtues were necessary if Peter and the other disciples were going to be able to endure the suffering and passion of Jesus. They needed to know that this perceived evil was going to be transformed by the Father in Heaven and used for the greatest good the world had ever known. They needed to know that Jesus “must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly…” It was the Father’s will. And because it was the Father’s will, the greatest good would come from the greatest evil because of God’s almighty power.
Reflect, today, upon that which causes you the most fear and anxiety in your life. When you look to the future, what is it that paralyzes you or at least tempts you to fear and worry? The truth is that any evil or suffering that you foresee has the potential to bring forth the greatest good in your life. Your natural human mind cannot discern this. We must strive to think as God, not as humans, as Jesus says. Try to look at anything that causes you anxiety through the eyes of God alone. Trust that, in faith, all can be used by God for good. Do not doubt but believe and God will begin to bestow upon you the many virtues you need to move forward with peace, courage and confidence.
My suffering Lord, You faced the evil You endured with the utmost courage and love. You never gave in to fear but pressed on, fulfilling the Father’s will. Give me the grace I need to share in Your strength so as to overcome all that tempts me to fear. I love You, my Lord. May I rely upon You for all things. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday 18th Week in Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I contemplate today the wondrous confession of Simon Peter. I too unite my prayer to his confession: Jesus is the Messiah and your Son! I fully accept the path of redemptive suffering and dying to self. I will follow your Son wherever he leads me.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Three Blessings upon Peter: When Simon Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of the living God, Jesus pronounces a threefold blessing upon Peter. Simon, the son of Jonah, is first blessed because he has received a revelation from the heavenly Father. Simon didn’t come to the conclusion that Jesus was the promised Messiah by another human being convincing him of it or telling him. It was a grace and revelation that Simon welcomed and did not hesitate to profess. The second blessing is that Simon will be the rock upon which Jesus will build his Church, and, what is more, the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. Sometimes we hear this line and think that the powers of hell are bashing against the Church and will not prevail, but it is better to read the line as the gates of hell not being able to prevail against and withstand the Church, the mystical Body of Christ. The Rock will be strong to the degree he welcomes and collaborates with the grace of Christ. The third blessing given to Peter is that of the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. This is a reference to the role of the prime minister in the Kingdom of David. The prime minister had the keys to the palace and could choose to let someone in or keep someone out. In like manner, Simon Peter and his successors have been granted a binding and loosing authority. They are commissioned and given authority to teach the people of God, to forgive the sins of the members of Christ’s body (to sanctify), and to govern the Church.
2. Moses’ Infidelity: In the First Reading, we hear the people of Israel complaining and grumbling in the wilderness. They held a council against Moses and Aaron and complained about the lack of grain, figs, vines, pomegranates, and water in the desert. As before, Moses brought the complaint of the people to the Lord, and the Lord responded. It was a subtle command, but the Lord said to Moses, “Take your staff and … order the rock to yield its waters.” Moses wasn’t supposed to strike the rock with his staff. But that is what happened. Instead of ordering the rock to yield its water, Moses struck the rock twice. Water did gush forth, but the Lord said to Moses and his brother, Aaron, “Because you were not faithful to me in showing forth my sanctity before the children of Israel, you shall not lead this community into the land I will give them.” And this came to pass. Moses didn’t lead the people across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land; Joshua, Moses’ successor, did. The place where this rebellion of the people and the infidelity of Moses took place was Meribah. And so, the Psalmist sings: “Oh, that today you would hear his voice: Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, Where your fathers tested me; they tested me though they had seen my works.”
3. Warnings in Psalm 95: Psalm 95 is a psalm of praise. It issues a summons to worship and a warning against unfaithfulness. “This implies that liturgy and life form a unity, so that serving God in the Temple must be joined with a commitment to obeying God when he speaks. Otherwise, hearers risk offending him and forfeiting the blessing of his ‘rest’ (95:11)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, 913). In verses 8-9, the psalm draws lessons from Exodus 17:1-7 and Numbers 20, when the pilgrims of Israel complained about the lack of water and rebelled against Moses. Psalm 95 invites us to “harden not” our hearts and be on guard against stubborn disobedience when God speaks his word. Verse 11 recalls God’s oath of disinheritance in Numbers 14:21-23, when Israel refused to enter into the Promised Land of rest. The Letter to the Hebrews recalls this passage and warns Christians against unbelief (Hebrews 3:8-19). Read in this light, we see how Peter is tempted to harden his heart against Jesus’ words about his upcoming suffering and death in Jerusalem as the Messiah. Peter has to learn that it is through suffering that Jesus will open the gates to heavenly glory.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am humbled as I contemplate how you established the New Covenant through the shedding of your blood and your death on the Cross. You are the eternal high priest, ever faithful and ever merciful! Teach me to live as you did and be a faithful and merciful servant of the Kingdom.
 
Thursday 18th Week in Ordinary
Imagine the agony of the mother in this Gospel passage. Imagine the near-physical pain she felt in the depths of her heart. However, her love nourished her hope and propelled her to seek out Christ. When those we love suffer, we need the same wisdom to seek the Lord. \
Only a mother or father knows the depths of his or her love for a child: “Words cannot express.…” We truly understand love when it involves people we know and love. Contemplate the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Imagine the false accusations, scourging, humiliations and the crucifixion. Now imagine your son or daughter, or mom or dad or a loved one, suffering the same fate. Christ’s passion takes on a new dimension.
"Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters." Faith and humility move Christ’s heart. How easily we adopt a spoiled-child mentality, believing that we deserve more. “The earth doesn’t owe you a living,” a sage once said. “It was here before you.” we will much happier when we acknowledge our littleness and unworthiness, when we recognize our status as creatures of God who gives us life, breath and every beat of our heart. All we possess is a gift of his creative love. We will very happy when we are grateful and let him know this a thousand times a day.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I will praise and thank you a thousand times, and in a thousand ways for all you do for me. Even sufferings, I know, come from your hand for my greater good, although I may not always perceive the good at that moment. Give me the gratitude, faith, and trust to accept my cross and rejoice in your creative love for me.

Lễ Chúa Giêsu biến Hình (6 tháng 8)

Lễ Chúa Giêsu biến Hình (6 tháng 8)
Trong Thánh Kinh, những ngọn núi thường là nơi các thánh đã gặp gỡ Thiên Chúa.  Cũng trên những ngọn núi mà mọi người đã khám phá rất nhiều về Thiên Chúa và chính họ.  Như trong Tin Mừng hôm nay, vinh quang của Chúa Giêsu đã được mạc khải cho các thánh Phêrô, Giacôbê và Gioan. Trong một chớp nhoáng hào quang toả sáng, đã cho chng ta thấy rất rõ rang là Chúa Giêsu không những chỉ là một con người như chúng ta; nhưng Ngàibcũng là Con Thiên Chúa. Những Lề luật và những tiên tri đã được ứng nghiệm một cách sâu sắc trong Đức Chúa Jêsus, Tuy nhiên, trong một thời gian ngắn vinh quang của sự Biến dạng này đã biến đi.  Điều gì sẽ xảy ra sau khi họ xuống núi? Liệu các môn đệ có còn tin rằng Chúa Giêsu là Thiên Chúa? Và họ sẽ làm theo như lời khuyên của Chúa Cha là phải nghe lời Chúa Giêsu? Chúa Giêsu muốn họ luôn ghi nhớ những gì mà Thiên Chúa đã tỏ ra cho họ trên núi.
Có bao giờ chúng ta đã quá kinh ngạc bởi sự hiện diện của Chúa Kitô trong cuộc sống của chúng ta? Có bao giờ chúng ta cảm thấy Thiên Chúa rất gần gũi với chúng ta và có baongiờ chúng ta phát hiện ra rằng Thiên Chúa đang thực sự ảnh hưởng đến cuộc sống của chúng ta?
Trong một khoảnh khắc được gặp gỡ với Thiên Chúa như vậy có thể xảy ra bất cứ lúc nào và nơi nào. Thời điểm như thế thật là một hồng ân mà Chúa đã ban cho chúng ta, Chúng ta có thể trở lại với thời gian đó trong sự yên tĩnh của sự cầu nguyện, hãy nhớ đến dữ kiện đó, thưởng thức những giây phút đó, và vì thế mà chúng ta sẽ được chúc phúc.  Khi chúng ta nhớ lại những giây phút như thế này, khi chúng ta dành thời gian để lắng nghe những lời Chúa Giêsu nói với chúng ta, hay khi chúng ta tận hưởng sự hiện diện của Chúa , chúng ta hãy cho phép Chúa Giêsu để biến đổi cuộc sống và tâm hồn của chúng ta.
Lạy Chúa, chúng con muốn được thấy Chúa, Chúng con mong muốn được nhìn thấy vinh quang của Chúa như ba Tông Chúa yêu mến đã được chứng kiến, nhìn thấy Vinh quang của Chúa..
 
August 6: Transfiguration of the Lord
In Scripture, mountains are often a place of encounter with God. On the mountain people discover more about God and themselves. Today, for an instant, the glory of Jesus is revealed to Peter, James and John. In a flash it is clear that Jesus is not only a human being; he is the Son of God. The law and the prophets are fulfilled in a profoundly new way in Jesus. Yet, in a short time the glory of the Transfiguration disappears. What happens after they come down from the mountain? Will the disciples still believe that Jesus is God? Will they follow the Father’s exhortation to listen to him? Jesus desires that they rememeber what God has shown them.
Have you ever been struck by Christ’s presence in your life? Have you ever felt God very close to you or discovered that God is truly affecting your life? 
Such a moment of encounter with God can happen anywhere. Such a moment is a gift. We can return to it in the quiet of prayer, remember it, savour it…and so be blessed again. When we remember like this, when we take time to listen to Jesus, when we simply enjoy his presence…we allow Jesus to transform us.
Lord, I want to encounter You. I desire to see Your glory.
 
August 6: Transfiguration of the Lord—Feast
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Mark 9:5–7
Just prior to the Transfiguration, Jesus began to reveal to His disciples that He would suffer greatly, be rejected by the elders, be killed and then rise on the third day. This caused much fear for the disciples as they grappled with this unsettling revelation from our Lord. And even though Jesus remained firm with them and even rebuked Peter for his fear, Jesus also gave three of His disciples a very precious gift.
After much traveling, preaching, miracle working and private conversations about His passion with the Twelve, Jesus invited Peter, James and John to go with Him up a high mountain to pray. These disciples most likely had no idea what they would soon encounter. As they made the difficult and arduous journey, their minds must have been pondering not only the mighty deeds done by Jesus in the previous months but also His words about the suffering to come. As they struggled with this, much to their amazement, Jesus “was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white.” Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, representing the Law and the prophets. These two Old Testament figures appeared as a way of saying to these disciples that everything that Jesus was telling them was to take place to fulfill all that had been foretold about Him from of old. Perhaps Jesus thought that if His disciples would not fully listen to Him, then seeing Moses and Elijah would help. But Jesus went even further. The Voice of the Father Himself thundered and said, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Thus, if these disciples would not ultimately listen to Jesus alone, or if even Moses and Elijah failed to convince them, then the last hope was the Father Himself. And Jesus delivered such a grace.
The Transfiguration was a true mercy. These disciples had never seen anything like it before. But it was most likely this act of mercy that ultimately helped them to accept the hard truth that Jesus was trying to teach them about His coming suffering and death. If the Father in Heaven Personally gave witness to Jesus, then everything that Jesus had said was trustworthy.
As we read through the Gospels and the many teachings God has given us through the Church, think about whether there are some teachings with which you struggle? Or in your own life, on a personal level, are there some things you know God wants of you but you find it difficult to accept? When confusion sets in, that means we are not listening, are not fully hearing what God is saying to us or are not understanding. And though we will not see the Transfigured Lord with our eyes and hear the Voice of the Father with our ears as these three disciples did, we must choose to believe all that God has said as if it were the Transfigured Lord, with Moses and Elijah, and the Father Himself speaking clearly and directly to us. “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Those words were not only spoken for the good of the disciples, they are also spoken to us.
Reflect, today, upon this powerful experience given to these disciples by our Lord. Try to place yourself in the scene so as to witness Jesus transfigured in the most glorious way, with Moses and Elijah and with the thundering Voice of the Father. Allow the Father to speak also to you, telling you that all He has spoken through the Scriptures, the Church and within your own conscience is true. Allow this revelation to convince you on the deepest level to acknowledge not only the divinity of Jesus but also to “Listen to Him” in every way.
My transfigured Lord, You are glorious beyond imagination, and You revealed a small glimpse of this glory to Your disciples to help them trust You more fully. May I also trust in You more completely, knowing that all You have spoken to me is true. Please remove any doubt and fear in my life so that nothing keeps me from embracing Your holy will. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Transfiguration of the Lord—Feast 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, it is good that I am here with you. I will listen to your beloved Son and follow him. I believe that he rose from the dead, sits at your right hand, and will come again in glory to judge all the living and the dead. He is the King over all creation, and I am a member of your Kingdom.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Son of Man in Daniel: The prophecy from Daniel in the First Reading is one of the most important in the Old Testament. We see two divine figures. The first is the “Ancient One” or “Ancient of Days.” In the light of the New Testament, we know that this is God the Father who grants kingship, authority, and power to another divine figure, “one like a son of man.” “Son of Man” was the title that Jesus most often used to refer to himself. On the one hand, the title emphasizes Jesus’ human nature and the humility of assuming our human nature through his Incarnation. On the other hand, it identifies him as the divine Savior figure that Daniel prophesied would come at the end of the age (Bergsma, The Word of the Lord: Solemnities and Feasts, 338).
2. The Transfiguration of the Son of Man: Jesus revealed his glory at the Transfiguration and appeared like the Ancient of Days as described in the prophet Daniel. In this way, Jesus manifests that he is truly the Son of God the Father. The Ancient of Days has clothing as white as snow and hair as white as pure wool. In like manner, Jesus’ clothes became dazzling white, and his face shone like the sun. The Son of Man in Daniel was a figure that was both divine and human. He looks like a human being but is also a divine being. The cloud upon which the Son of Man comes is the divine glory cloud, the cloud of God’s majesty. The kingdom that the Son of Man receives from God is an everlasting kingdom. The Son of Man will reign over all creation. Peter has just confessed Jesus as the Messiah, and Jesus needs to refine his disciples’ understanding of the Messiah. “The Christ, the Messiah, was the long-awaited King, whom many expected to victoriously liberate Israel from the Romans. The coming of this King would usher in a new Davidic kingdom of freedom for God’s people. Jesus, however, reveals to His disciples that the way of the Messiah is not the way of political power and might, but rather the way of humility, suffering, and death. Jesus then goes on to say some scandalous things about what it would mean to be a follower of the Messiah: ‘If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me’ (Luke 9:23)” (Gray, The Luminous Mysteries, 89).
3. Peter’s Recollection of the Transfiguration: In his second letter to the Church, Peter invites his readers to contemplate and ponder the mystery of Jesus’ Transfiguration. It was a mystery that he himself witnessed. Peter heard the powerful voice of the Father, saw the hidden glory of the Son, and was enveloped by the consoling cloud of the Spirit. What Peter preaches about the life of Jesus and Jesus’ return is not a myth he devised, but a sure testimony. “Peter and the other apostles are not just telling fables about Christ’s return in glory. They saw his majesty revealed in the transfiguration, the same majesty that will be fully revealed when he comes again in power” (Keating, First and Second Peter, Jude, 151). Peter’s witness is reliable. He saw the glory of Jesus and heard the words of Jesus. What Peter experienced on the mountain at the Transfiguration confirmed and strengthened the witness from Scripture about the coming royal Messiah and divine-human Son of Man.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, by your radiant splendor, cleanse me from the stains of sin. May I be transformed into your likeness and listen attentively to your word. Help me to know how good it is to be in your presence.
 
Reflection August 6: Transfiguration of the Lord—Feast 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, it is good that I am here with you. I will listen to your beloved Son and follow him. I believe that he rose from the dead, sits at your right hand, and will come again in glory to judge all the living and the dead. He is the King over all creation and I am a member of your Kingdom.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Son of Man in Daniel: The prophecy from Daniel in the First Reading is one of the most important in the Old Testament. We see two divine figures. The first is the “Ancient One” or “Ancient of Days.” In the light of the New Testament, we know that this is God the Father who grants kingship, authority, and power to another divine figure, “one like a son of man.” “Son of Man” was the title that Jesus most often used to refer to himself. On the one hand, the title emphasizes Jesus’ human nature and the humility of assuming our human nature through his Incarnation. On the other, it identifies him as the divine Savior figure that Daniel prophesied would come at the end of the age (Bergsma, The Word of the Lord: Solemnities and Feasts, 338).
2. The Transfiguration of the Son of Man: Jesus revealed his glory at the Transfiguration and appeared like the Ancient of Days as described in the prophet Daniel. In this way, Jesus manifests that he is truly the Son of God the Father. The Ancient of Days has clothing as white as snow and hair as white as pure wool. In like manner, Jesus’ clothes became dazzling white and his face shone like the sun. The Son of Man in Daniel was a figure that is both divine and human. He looks like a human being but is also a divine being. The cloud upon which the Son of Man comes is the divine glory cloud, the cloud of God’s majesty. The kingdom which the Son of Man receives from God is an everlasting kingdom. The Son of Man will reign over all creation.
3. Peter’s Recollection of the Transfiguration: In his second letter to the Church, Peter invites his readers to contemplate and ponder the mystery of Jesus’ Transfiguration. It was a mystery that he himself witnessed. Peter heard the powerful voice of the Father, saw the hidden glory of the Son, and was enveloped by the consoling cloud of the Spirit. What Peter preaches about the life of Jesus and Jesus’ return is not a myth he devised, but a sure testimony. “Peter and the other apostles are not just telling fables about Christ’s return in glory. They saw his majesty revealed in the transfiguration, the same majesty that will be fully revealed when he comes again in power” (Keating, First and Second Peter, Jude, 151). Peter’s witness is reliable. He saw the glory of Jesus and heard the words of Jesus. What Peter experienced on the mountain at the Transfiguration confirmed and strengthened the witness from Scripture about the coming royal Messiah and divine-human Son of Man.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 18 Thường Niên:

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 18 Thường Niên: 
Đoạn Tin Mừng chúng ta đọc hôm nay tập trung vào đức tin và sự khiêm tốn của người phụ nữ xứ Canaan, Bà thừa nhận sự thấp kém của mình, bà không xứng đáng như những dân Israel. Nhưng bà có lòng tin là Chúa Giêsu là Đấng Cứu Thế, đấng sẽ đến trong thế gia, Ngài vua Do Thái, và là Con vua Đavít, Ngài có khả năng cứu chữa cho con gái của bà khỏi sự chiếm hữu những thần ô uế và ma quỷ. Thật sự Chúa Giêsu không có ý chê bai hay kỳ thị bà ta là xứ người Canaan khi Ngài dùng chữ "trẻ em" so với "chó". Thay vào đó, Chúa Giêsu muốn thử sự kiên trì và lòng tin của bà ta để xem lòng tin và sự kiên trì, sự nhãn nại của bà có sđi tới đâu.
Trong lãnh thổ Do Thái, Chúa Giêsu đã đi khắp nơi, rao giảng và cố thuyết phục mọi người là chính Ngài là con Thiên Chúa, là Đấng Kitô và Ngài đã gặp phải những sự chống đối và sự thù địch. Thế nhưng trong đất Gentile vùng dân ngoại,  Ngài đã gặp một người xứ Canaa, một người chưa bao giờ gặp, chưa một lần làm quen, thế nhưng bà đã tin.
Không nản chí, người phụ nữ khiêm tốn đã nhận mình như "con chó", và sẵn sàng đón nhặt những mảnh vụn rơi rớt xuống từ bàn ăn. Bà cầu xin lòng thương xót, Chúa Giêsu nhận thấy đức tin to lớn và sự khiêm tốn của bà, Ngài đã ban cho bà những gì bà đã xin ngay trong lãnh thổ của dân ngoại.  Chúng ta nên nhớ là Chúa Giêsu đã đặt một tiền lệ là Ngài chỉ đến với những com chiên lạc trong nhà Israel. Nhưng hôm nay Ngài đã đến với dân ngoại và mở rộng lòng thương xót của Ngài cho tất cả những ai tin vào Ngài.
Là Môn đệ của Chúa Kitô, sứ mệnh của chúng ta là mang sứ điệp cứu rỗi và Tin Mừng của Ngài đến bất cứ những ai tin vào Ngài. Nếu họ từ chối chúng ta, chúng ta cần cầu nguyện cho họ, Như khi Chúa Giêsu đến với những người dân ngoại, chúng ta cũng thế, chúng ta phải tìm cách đến với những người muốn tìm biết Chúa và sẵn sàng đón nhận Tin Mừng Cứu Rỗi của Ngài.
 
REFLECTION Matthew 15:21-28
These verses of the Gospel focus on the great faith and humility of a Canaanite woman, who acknowledges the inferiority of her race as opposed to the Israelites. She is convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, a Jewish King, Son of David, capable of healing her daughter from demon possession. It is not Jesus' intention to belittle her by reminding her of the distinction between Jews and Canaanites, i.e., "children" versus "dogs." Rather, he tests her perseverance, to see how far she would go.
In Jewish territory, Jesus tried to convince people that he was the Messiah and was met with hostility. In Gentile land, he meets a Canaanite who did not know him but believed. Undaunted, the woman humbly took the role of the "dog," willing to pick up the crumbs dropped by the "children" and begged for mercy. Jesus recognizes her great faith. He performs a miracle for a Canaanite in Gentile territory. Here Jesus sets a precedent – his ministry may have initially focused on the Jews but he went to the Gentiles and extended his grace to all who believed in him.
As Disciples of Christ, our mission is to take the message of grace to whomever believes. If we encounter refusal, we pray for them. But as Jesus turned to the Gentiles, we also turn to those who want it and are prepared to receive his message.
 
Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time 2026
At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” Matthew 15:21–23
At first glance, this interaction is surprising. Yet Jesus is performing an act of love toward the Canaanite woman, while at the same time offering an important lesson to His disciples. This act of love and instruction is conveyed through the divine pedagogy—the way God, as a wise and loving Teacher, draws out deeper truths through patient instruction and testing. Jesus leads the woman through a threefold test, each one revealing the increasing depth of her faith.
First Test: The first test comes through Jesus’ silence. The woman cries out from the depths of her heart, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” The disciples likely watched closely to see how Jesus would respond. When He did not answer, they misinterpreted His silence as indifference or irritation, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” Yet the woman does not turn away. She endures His silence, waiting patiently for Him to respond. This shows the first fruit of her faith—perseverance in the face of apparent rejection.
Second Test: Jesus’ next words seem to be a limitation of His mission: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” As a Canaanite from Tyre and Sidon, the woman is, by all appearances, outside the covenant people of Israel. Yet she does not let this discourage her. Instead, she draws even nearer, does Him homage, and pleads all the more: “Lord, help me.” Her faith perseveres, deepening with greater humility and trust.
Third Test: Finally, Jesus presents the most difficult challenge: “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” His harsh words are a further invitation to the woman to reveal her heart. Instead of taking offense or walking away, she accepts the image and turns it into a profession of faith and humility: “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” With this, she reveals a beautiful trust in God’s mercy, recognizing that even the smallest grace from Him is enough. This is precisely what Jesus was drawing out of her—a faith that is humble, bold, persistent, and filled with trust. At that moment, Jesus honors the depth of her faith and boldly proclaims it for the disciples to hear: “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
In this sacred encounter, Jesus reveals the Gift of Counsel in action. This divine gift of the Holy Spirit, perfectly possessed and manifested by Jesus, enables the woman to respond wisely to the mysterious ways of God, especially when those ways are hidden or difficult to understand. The Canaanite woman, moved by divine grace and guided by the wise and loving pedagogy of Jesus, navigates the trials He presents with perseverance, humility, and unwavering trust, ultimately receiving the fullness of God’s mercy. Jesus knew exactly what He was doing. He saw the depth of her heart and, through this gift, skillfully drew that faith to the surface for her own good, for her daughter’s healing, and for the instruction of His disciples. We, too, are called to follow His example, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us and others through the trials of life with patient and discerning love.
Reflect today on this sacred interaction and ask the Holy Spirit to deepen the Gift of Counsel within you, so that you may always recognize God’s hand at work in moments of silence, testing, or delay, and respond with faith, humility, and perseverance. Seek this gift not only for yourself, but also so that God may use you as an instrument of His loving guidance, leading others closer to Him in ways that only He, in His divine wisdom, can orchestrate.
Lord of Perfect Counsel, You teach us in many ways, always guiding us closer to Yourself. Open my heart to Your divine pedagogy, and teach me to persevere through every trial You permit, so that my faith and trust in You may grow ever deeper. Bestow upon me the Gift of Counsel, so that I may respond wisely to Your promptings and help lead others to Your loving Heart. Use me as Your instrument to draw souls to the truth, in ways that only You can design. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus said to his disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44
Today’s Gospel presents us with two very short and similar parables. In the first, quoted above, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a “treasure.” In the second parable, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a “pearl of great price.” Though these parables are very similar to each other, there are also subtle differences worth pondering. It appears that the treasure mentioned in the first parable is discovered almost by accident. The person simply “finds” it. This is in contrast to the second parable, in that the merchant who finds the pearl of great price did so after “searching” for it. 
We often encounter the Treasure of the Gospel without even looking for it. We do so any time God intervenes in our lives without us seeking His intervention. For example, if someone were to offer an act of charity to you without you seeking it out, this is God giving you a treasure of His Kingdom. Or if someone shares with you their faith, or an inspiration they received, this is indeed a treasure given to you by God. The problem is that many times when we are given these treasures of the Gospel, we do not always see them as treasures. Imagine, for example, if the person in this parable were to stumble upon the treasure in the field and fail to open it out of indifference. They see it from a distance, have a bit of curiosity about what is in the box, but they are not energetic enough to actually open the box and look inside. In that case, the person would have no reason to go and sell all that they have so as to buy the field in which the treasure is found.
One clear message that this first parable reveals is that we must be attentive to the countless treasures of God’s graces given to us each and every day. God is so prolific in offering us grace, that we truly do stumble upon His grace all the time. Thus, having eyes to perceive His actions and ears to Hear His Voice is essential.
A second message clearly given in both of these parables is that once we discover the graces God gives us every day, we must foster within ourselves a desire for those graces that is so strong that we are willing to do anything necessary to obtain them. The discovery is made through the gift of faith, but the discovery by faith must then be followed with a zeal that drives our will to conform to that discovery.
Reflect, today, upon two things. First, have you discovered the treasures God has given to you? If you hesitate in answering this, then it’s most likely the case that there is much you have yet to discover. Secondly, as you do discover the riches that come with the gift of faith, then have you allowed that which God has spoken to you to consume you to such a point that you are willing to sell all you have, meaning, do whatever it takes to further accept all God wants to bestow? Resolutely determine to go forth on this holy search and you will find that the riches of grace that you obtain are of infinite value.
My Lord of all riches, You bestow upon me and upon all Your children countless graces every day. The treasures of Your mercy are of infinite value. Please open my eyes so that I can see and my ears so that I can hear so as to discover all that You wish to bestow. May You and the riches of Your Kingdom become the one and only, all-consuming focus of my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday in 18^TH Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, only in heaven will I know the depths of your merciful love. Here on earth I catch glimpses. I see how you have acted throughout history and in my life. One day, I will behold your merciful love face to face.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Have Pity on Me: At first glance, the Gospel passage could make it seem like Jesus was having a bad day or woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Nothing could be further from the truth. Why in the world, then, would Jesus refer to the Canaanite woman as a dog and say that he was sent only to the children of Israel? If we look at the passage in the light of the Old Testament, we see that God tends to test his servants. God tested Noah when he asked him to build an Ark and gather the animals and his family into it. God tested Abraham when he promised him a son and asked him to sacrifice Isaac. God tested Job when he permitted Satan to take away his wealth, his family, and his health. In like manner, Jesus tests the Canaanite woman. Like Noah, like Abraham, and like Job, she passes the test. Instead of turning away, she persists. She doesn’t just double down. She persists a third and a fourth time! She first asks Jesus to have pity on her and release her daughter from the torment of a demon. Jesus answered her with silence. She persists in calling out and Jesus’ disciples ask him about her. When she hears the response of Jesus about only being sent to Israel, she does not give up and instead does homage and asks for help a third time. When Jesus references the separation between Jews (understood as children) and Gentiles (understood as dogs or puppies), she finds a way to make her fourth attempt: “Even the dogs in the house eat the scraps.” She is content with the leftovers and the scraps from the table. She doesn’t demand a place at the table, she only wants the healing of her daughter and her daughter’s release from the powers of darkness.
2. Great is Your Faith: As Jesus points out, the Canaanite woman is a tremendous model of faith. She has heard about the mighty deeds Jesus has done, especially his healings and his exorcisms. She knew that curing the affliction of her daughter surpassed her own power. She was powerless to release her daughter from the torments of the devil. But she believed that Jesus, the Son of David, could. Just as tradition held that Solomon, the first son of David, had the power to exorcise demons, she knew that Jesus, the ultimate Son of David, could exorcise the demon that afflicts her daughter. Her faith is truly great. Neither Jesus’ initial silence, nor the efforts of Jesus’ disciples to silence her, nor the challenge Jesus can stop her prayer of petition.
3. Jeremiah on the End of the Exile: In the First Reading, we read from Jeremiah 31. The end of the chapter contains the prophecy about the New Covenant. Today’s passage speaks about the homecoming of Israel (Ephraim) and Judah. He compares this homecoming – the end of the Exile – with the old exodus: God will bring his people to the Promised Land once again. Jeremiah knows that the chastisement of the Lord will only last for a time. The Lord has scattered the tribes of Israel among the Gentile nations (Jeremiah 31:10), but, because of his everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3), he will correct their behavior and draw them back to himself as a father seeks the return of their first-born child (Jeremiah 31:9). God desires to bestow mercy upon his wayward child (Jeremiah 31:20) (see Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Baruch, 65). The healing of the Canaanite woman’s daughter represents the ingathering of the Gentiles into the New Kingdom of God.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you were sinless from your conception to your death on the cross. You were ever faithful. You knew how to challenge each one of those you encountered. You challenged your mother to ponder the mystery of your divine sonship. And you challenged the Canaanite woman to persist in her prayer. Challenge me today!
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần 18 TN -Matthew 15:21-28
Trong cuộc sống thường ngày, chúng ta hãy nghi ngờ vào sức mạnh và tình yêu thương của Thiên Chúa, vì trong cuộc sống của chúng ta đôi khi phải gặp những sự khốn khó và thử thách, chúng ta đã quên đi tất cả những lúc khi chúng ta đã được Thiên Chúa thương yêu, phù hộ và giúp đỡ, để rồi chúng a đi vào sự tuyệt vọng và danh mất niềm tin nơi Thiên Chúa
           Chúng ta phải có thái độ giống như người phụ nữ Canaan trong phúc âm, bà đã kiên nhẫn khiêm tốn hạ mình để cầu xin Chúa Giêsu chữa lành con gái của bà.  Với sự nhẫn nhục, bà đã không nẳn lòng, mất kiên nhẫn khi Chúa Giêsu đã ví bà chỉ đáng như loài chó,  Nhưng với một lòng tin tưởng, với sự khiêm tốn thấp hèn, người phụ nữ đã , nhẫn nhục quyết tâm và tiếp tục cầu xin Chúa Giêsu cứu chữa con bà. Với lòng tin và sự khiêm tốn  của bà, mà  Chúa Giêsu đã cảm động và đã chữa lành cho con gái của bà.
            Chúng ta có nhẫn nhục, kiên nhẫn, thành tâm và xác tín như người đàn bà xứ Canaan? Chúa Giêsu muốn giúp chúng ta mỗi khi chúng ta gặp phải những khó khăn, nhưng chúng ta phải đến với Chúa với lòng tin tưởng, với sự chân thành, với sự khiêm tốn và kính cẩn. Chúng ta phải cầu nguyện không ngừng để  ân sủng thiêng liêng mà Chúa Giêsu sẽ ban cho chúng ta, nếu chúng ta có đủ kiên nhẫn và khiêm nhu. Thiên Chúa muốn ban cho chúng ta mọi thứ trên trời, nhưng Ngài vẫn luôn hằng mong đợi những tâm hồn có tấm lòng thực tâm mong muốn cầu xin Ngài với một đức tin chân thành.
Lạy Chúa Giêsu, tình yêu và lòng thương xót của Chúa không có giới hạn. Xin cho chúng con có thể tin tưởng vào Chúa luôn luôn và theo đuổi con đường của Chúa với sự bền bỉ bất khuất như người phụ nữ trong Phúc âm hôm nay, Xin Chúa cho chúng con có thêm lòng tin vào quyền năng cứu độ của Chúa, và giải thơát chúng con thoát khỏi mọi sự dữ.