Suy Niêm Thứ hai Tuần 29 Thường Niên

Suy Niêm Thứ hai Tuần 29 Thường Niên
Như cuộc sống hằng ngày chúng ta thấy hiện nay có rất nhiều tờ rơi quảng cáo về cách làm giàu trong các thương vụ mua cổ phiểu, đầu tư trong trong công ty cũng rất giống với người đàn ông mà chúng ta đọc bài trong Tin Mừng hôm nay. Tuy nhiên, có một sự khác biệt. Người đàn ông mà Chúa Giêsu đã nói, đã đủ thông minh để nhận ra rằng ông ta đã có đủ tiền để ông ta quyết định rút lui và không còn tập trung vào việc làm tiền nữa. Nhưng ông ta vẫn còn là một nhà duy vật, một người đã bị vật chất dính nhiễm sâu vào trong máu , trong óc.
            Ngược lại ở xứ tự do, một số các nhà sản xuất đưa ra tiêu đề về tài chính mà chúng ta đọc thường ngày trên báo chí dường như đã bị cưỡng bách điên rồ để cố làm cho công ty của mình mỗi ngày một giàu thêm. Lòng mong muốn của họ là có tổng số tài chính càng nhiều sinh lợi cổ cổ phiếu thi càng tốt cho việc bảo đảm tương lai và muốn số tiền đang có  mỗi ngày càng tăng . Họ tìm cách cạnh tranh và tìm cách tiêu diệt lẫn nhau, để ai đủ mạnh thì sống, nhưng theo thời gian thì họ cũng dẫn họ để sự tiêu diệt chính mình.
            Trong bài đọc thứ nhất hôm nay được giới thiệu về cái “Kế hoạch của long nhân từ và quảng đại của Thiên Chúa." Đây là một thuốc giải độc cho con người chúng ta và có thể còn quý giá hơn nữa là vì nó sẽ làm mất đi cái sự “truyền nhiễm”  hay là  sự lây lan của chủ nghĩa vật chất.       Trong sự thanh thản cầu nguyện chúng ta có thể chiêm ngưỡng kế hoạch yêu thương của Thiên Chúa đã dành cho chúng ta. Khi chúng ta càng dồn công sức của chúng ta cho Thiên Chúa, Thi Ngài càng cho chúng ta nhiều hơn những ân sũng của Ngài. Có lẽ chúng ta cần phải dọn dẹp. quét sạch những kệ trong nhà kho của chúng ta  một chút để chúng ta có chỗ cho nhiều hơn để chất chứa những gì mà Thiêm Chúa muốn cho chúng ta. Lạy Chúa, xin giúp chúng con biết theo bước chân của Thánh Phaolô để làm cho sự phong phú vô 29th Sunday song như Chua đã hứa với chúng con
 
Monday 29th in Ordinary Time
Many of our present-day financial high-flyers are very similar to the man we read about in today’s Gospel. There is, however, one difference. The man, about whom Jesus spoke, was intelligent enough to realize that he had enough money so he decided not to concentrate on making more. He remained a deep-dyed materialist nonetheless.    In contrast some of the financial headline makers we read about today seem to have a crazy compulsion to make more and more and yet more. Their desire for total financial security and ever increasing bank balances drives them to transactions that destroy people who have trusted in them, and ultimately leads them to destroy themselves. In the Bible, today’s first reading is introduced by the words. “Generosity of God’s Plan.” It is an even more precious antidote to the contagion of materialism. In prayerful serenity we can contemplate God’s loving plan for us. The greater capacity we can make available to God, the more he can fill us. Maybe we need to empty the shelves in our barns a little to leave room for even more of his riches. Dear Lord, help me to long with St Paul for the unsurpassable riches You promise us.
 
Monday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” Luke 12:13–15
Imagine if you were exceptionally rich. Would great wealth change your life? For many people, it would. In today’s Gospel, Jesus addresses material wealth directly, identifying greed as a grave danger. Perhaps the most important line He speaks is: “One’s life does not consist of possessions.”
Interestingly, Jesus does not condemn wealth itself. He doesn’t say, “one ought not be rich,” but “though one may be rich.” This phrasing implies that wealth is neither good nor bad in itself. Instead, He condemns two things: greed, which can infect both rich and poor, and the error of allowing wealth to become the foundation of one’s life.
In the New Testament, various Greek words are translated as “greed.” The term used in this passage conveys more than a general desire for wealth. It implies an insatiable craving, often for what rightfully belongs to others, which is a form of injustice. Those who harbor such a desire make the pursuit and longing for wealth the central aim of their hearts. This is not only sinful but foolish, which is why Jesus goes on to tell the Parable of the Rich Fool.
Greed clouds judgment. On a natural level, wealth is often seen as a blessing. One might imagine the pleasures it affords, the security it brings, or even the good it might enable us to do. But Jesus shatters this illusion, not by condemning wealth itself, but by exposing the foolishness of greed.
To be a fool is to believe a lie. Greed leads a person to the false belief that the desire for wealth is a good and noble desire. But it is not. “One’s life does not consist of possessions.” That truth is essential to grasp.
What, then, does one’s life consist of when it is lived well, in justice and truth? It consists of the utmost generosity—a heart devoted entirely to the charity that flows from union with Christ. Jesus’ generosity is without equal. He is the King of Kings who embraced earthly poverty. He is the Creator of all who emptied Himself for our sake. He is the very foundation of life, yet He chose to die for our salvation. His life was one of total self-gift, a love more generous than we can comprehend. We are called to share in that self-giving love. Only in doing so can we discover the true meaning and purpose of our lives and become truly rich in the things of God.
Greed is the opposite of this call. It is self-centered and directly opposed to our dignity. Extreme wealth may bring admiration in the eyes of the world, but the world cannot save us or transform us into who we are meant to be. Only God can do that.
As you examine your heart, what desires do you find? When we act in foolishness, we often find selfish longings, such as the craving for wealth. Perhaps the first step in rooting out this desire is to name it for what it is: foolishness. If we view wealth simply as a good that will improve our lives, we begin to walk the path Jesus warns against. Of course, we must fulfill our duties to provide for ourselves and our families, relying on God’s providence, but there is a fine line between responsible stewardship and the foolishness of an unquenchable desire for more. In the end, perhaps the ideal is to desire only what is necessary for ourselves and our families—no more, no less.
Reflect today on the subtle ways greed might influence your thoughts, choices, or desires. Consider whether you ever equate your worth with what you possess or whether you long for more than what God has given. What is the foundation of my life? If it is anything other than Christ and the generous love He calls you to live, then hear His words anew: “One’s life does not consist of possessions.” Seek instead to become rich in what matters to God—generosity, mercy, faith, and love—and let these be the treasures that define your soul.
Most generous Lord, Your life is the epitome of self-giving. You poured Yourself out completely for us, culminating in the sacrifice of the Cross. Please reorient my soul and purify the desires of my heart, so that I may never seek more than I truly need and that my possessions may never possess me. May You and the charity flowing from Your Sacred Heart be the firm foundation of my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Monday 29th in Ordinary Time 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are my life and my lasting treasure. Help me recognize the goodness of the material gifts you have entrusted to me without becoming attached to them. Free me from greed and teach me to be generous toward those in need. May I seek above all the riches of your grace and the eternal joy of beholding your face.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Rejected Redeemer: As Jesus journeys toward Jerusalem, someone in the crowd interrupts his teaching with a request: “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” Jesus responds by asking, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” His question recalls an earlier dispute involving Moses. When Moses intervened to defend an Israelite who was being mistreated, the man replied, “Who has appointed you ruler and judge over us?” (Exodus 2:14). Stephen recalls this rejection twice in his speech in Acts, emphasizing that God nevertheless appointed Moses to be the ruler and redeemer of his people (Acts 7:27, 35). The parallel invites us to consider Jesus’ identity and mission. Like Moses, Jesus will be rejected by some of his own people, yet through his Passion, Death, and Resurrection, he will accomplish God’s saving work. His rejection will not thwart God’s plan of redemption; it will become the means by which God brings salvation to the world. Jesus does not deny that disputes over inheritance may involve legitimate questions of justice. Rather, he refuses to let the immediate dispute obscure a deeper spiritual danger. He turns to the crowd and warns them: “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one's life does not consist of possessions.” The man wants Jesus to secure his share of an earthly inheritance, but Jesus invites him to consider an inheritance that cannot be measured in money or property. The Lord who is journeying toward Jerusalem will offer something far greater than an earthly possession: reconciliation with God and a share in eternal life.
2. The Folly of Earthly Treasure: Jesus illustrates his warning with the parable of a rich man whose land produces an abundant harvest. Faced with more grain and goods than his barns can hold, the man decides to tear down his barns and build larger ones. His plan seems prudent. He has worked, prospered, and prepared for the future. Yet his plans reveal a deeper problem: he imagines that his abundance can guarantee his security and happiness. Notice how the man speaks to himself. He repeatedly refers to “my” harvest, “my” barns, “my” grain, and “my” goods. He envisions a future devoted entirely to his own comfort: “Rest, eat, drink, be merry!” There is no mention of God, whose providence made the harvest possible, or of his neighbors, who might benefit from his abundance. His possessions have become the horizon of his life. God’s response is startling: “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you.” The man has planned for many years but has failed to prepare for the one reality he cannot control: the end of his earthly life. His wealth cannot purchase another day, and the possessions he has accumulated must pass to someone else. Jesus is not condemning prudent planning, productive work, or the responsible stewardship of material goods. Nor does he suggest that wealth is inherently evil. The problem is greed: treating possessions as the ultimate source of security and making their accumulation the purpose of life. Material goods are gifts to be received with gratitude and administered with responsibility. They become spiritually dangerous when we cling to them as though they belonged to us absolutely and existed only for our own enjoyment.
3. The Meaning of Life: Jesus concludes that the rich man represents everyone who “stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.” This brings us to a fundamental question: If life does not consist of possessions, what gives life its meaning? The parable points us toward our ultimate end: communion with God. We were created not simply to acquire goods, enjoy comforts, or extend our earthly lives indefinitely, but to know, love, and serve God and to share in his eternal life. Our earthly years are precious, but they are also brief. We cannot take our possessions with us when we die. We can, however, use them to grow in love, serve our neighbors, and prepare for the heavenly treasure that endures forever. Jesus makes this practical when he later instructs his disciples to sell their possessions and give alms, thereby providing themselves with an unfailing treasure in heaven (Luke 12:33). He also tells the rich young ruler to sell what he has, give to the poor, and follow him (Luke 18:22). The point is not that every Christian must follow precisely the same pattern of material renunciation, but that every disciple must be willing to place earthly goods at the service of God and neighbor. The lives of Saints John de Brébeuf, Isaac Jogues, and their companions illustrate this radical freedom. These missionaries brought the Gospel to the Indigenous peoples of North America, enduring hardship and ultimately surrendering their lives rather than abandoning their mission. Their witness reminds us that the greatest treasure is not the preservation of earthly comfort but fidelity to Christ and love for those entrusted to our care. To be rich in what matters to God is to become rich in faith, hope, and charity. It is to recognize that everything we possess is a gift and that our stewardship will be measured not simply by what we accumulated but by how faithfully we loved. The wise person does not merely prepare for a long earthly life; the wise person prepares for eternity by living generously today.
 
Monday 29th in Ordinary Time
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I love you, and thank you for all you have done for me. And yet, Lord, I have plea-bargained with you so many times and made my prayer conditional on receiving what I ask. This time, Lord, I want to be completely open –– no strings attached. I am entirely at your disposal in this prayer, confident of your goodwill and grace.
Petition: Lord, I welcome you into my soul. Help me to allow you to enter and rule over the house of my soul. 
1. Speak Lord, Your Servant Is Listening: As curious as it seems, our openness to a message often depends quite heavily on our openness to its messenger. Have you ever rejected somebody’s advice outright, only to embrace it later when it comes from a different person? Have you disregarded a light from God because he revealed it to you through a person you would not have chosen or even imagined God would have chosen? This is the common, simple error of the Nazarenes that Christ felt he had to point out to them. What has Christ been trying to tell me recently? Through whom? Am I ready to listen to him and allow him to use whatever messenger he may choose?
2. Open My Heart to Your Message: Initially, the people of Nazareth in today’s Gospel seemed quite receptive to Christ’s message, delivery, and authority. What they couldn’t stomach was that they believed him just “one of them.” He would later prove himself “too much for them.” Surely, they must have thought that he had forgotten his roots and that his Capernaum fame had gone to his head. But of course, the Nazarenes were neither the first nor the last to fall into the trap of focusing more on the messenger than on the message. This is precisely why Christ brought up the example of Naaman the Syrian, who was rewarded with a cure only after overcoming his rationalism and eating a bit of “humble pie.” (See his story in 2 Kings 5.) Has my hurt pride ever blinded me from listening to what Christ desperately tries to tell me?
3. Lord, I Trust in You: At one point in his public ministry, Christ would tell his listeners, “If you don’t believe the words that I speak, at least believe the works that I do” (cf. John 14:10-11). Why wouldn’t he at least give his own people from Nazareth the same advice and opportunity? Are a few miracles too much to waste on Nazarene soil? We must remember that faith is a gift. It is given and not bargained for or merited. On Calvary, some would taunt him with a similar deal, “If you come down from the cross, then we will believe in you” (Cf. Mark 15:32). We must wonder from whom came the harder blow: from his accusers or from “his own.” A proud demand is especially ugly and hurtful when it comes from a friend or loved one.