S
uy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Ngày 2/1 /2025Nhiều người trong chúng ta ai cũng muốn chọn cho mình con đường thành công nên họ đã phải luôn nghĩ đến sự thành công thành công và tìm mọi cách để đạt tới sự thàng công trong học trường hay trong công việc, Vì sự thành công đó tích lũy được rất nhiều tiền, và có nhiều thế lực. Nhưng ngược lại, Thánh Gioan Tẩy Giả đã dạy chúng ta, "Hãy chuẩn bị đường cho Chúa, san lấp và làm thẳng mặt đường cho Chúa đi." Điều này, do đó, phải là mục đích chính của chúng ta trong cuộc sống.
Qua bài đọc một cho chúng ta thấy là Những tiên tri giả xuất hiện đang chỉ cho chúng ta biết là trọng tâm chính của họ là cái Tôi,, hay họ chỉ muốn đặt bản thân của họ, gia đình họ , hay bạn bè của họ trước những người khác và chỉ nghĩ đến họ trước khi họ nghĩ đến người khác.
Còn Thánh Gioan Tẩy Giả đã bỏ nhà và gia đình để sống trong sa mạc như một ẩn sĩ, không nghĩ đến sự thoải mái, tiên nghi của riêng mình. Chúa Giêsu cũng ra đi bỏ lại Đức Maria, mẹ của ngài một mình ở quê nhà để rao giảng Nước Thiên Chúa cho tất cả mọi người, Ngài đã làm trong sự vâng phục Chúa Cha của Ngàu trên trời. Sống giữa Giái Hội của chúng ta ngày nay, chng ta vẫn còn thấy một số tiên tri giả trong số chúng ta, những người này luôn nghĩ và tin rằng các quy luật của Giáo Hội hôm nay đã lỗi thời, và chúng ta có thể châm chước, bỏ qua một số quy tắc của luật Chúa hay luật của giáo hội để cho hợp điều kiện hay cuộc sống của xã hội hôm tại. Vì Giáo Luật của Chúa quá khắt khe với những điều mà chúng ta muốn, họ cho rằng giáo lý của Thiên Chúa quá khát khe và đã xâm phạm quyền tự do của con người họ hôm nay? . Những sai lầm này đang được trình bày ra đây là sự thật. Trong Giáo Hội sơ khai, các Kitô hữu cũng đã phải đương đầu đấu tranh với những lời giáo huấn đó.
Chúng ta nên biết rằng con đường nên thánh thì rất khó khăn và đầy thử thách, nhưng con đường hẹp này sẽ dẫn chúng ta đến hạnh phúc thật sự và cuộc sống đời đời. Thánh Gioan Tẩy giả đã hướng dẫn các tông đồ của mình đến với Chúa Giêsu. Bây giờ, ông vẫn còn tiếp tục dẫn dắt chúng ta đến với Chúa Giêsu qua lời dạy của Ngài. Nếu chúng ta đã khám phá ra Chúa Giêsu trong cuộc sống của chúng ta, chúng ta phải bỏ lại tất cả mọi thứ phía đằng sau và phải biết tập trung đôi mắt của chúng ta hướng về Chúa Kitô, là Đấng sẽ dẫn dắt chúng ta vào trong cuộc hành trình về đức tin của chúng ta .
Reflection January 2,
There are many false prophets in the world. One tells us to go for success always– success in school, in work, in accumulating a lot of money, in having power, etc. In contrast, St. John the Baptist says, "Prepare a way for the Lord, make straight his paths." This, therefore, should be our main purpose in life. Another false prophet tells us always to put oneself, one's family, one's friends before strangers or the poor. However, St. John left his house and family to live in the desert as a hermit, not thinking of his own comfort. Jesus also left his mother to be an itinerant missionary proclaiming the kingdom of God to everyone. This he did in obedience to his Father in heaven. Still another false prophet tells us that the laws of the Church are antiquated, and that we can bend some of her rules and disregard some of her teachings which seem to encroach on our freedom. These falsehoods are being presented to us as truths. In the early Church, the Christians had to contend with such teachings.
We know that the path to holiness is full of trials and hardships, but this narrow path leads to true happiness, to eternal life. St. John led the apostles to Jesus. Now, he continues to lead us to Jesus through his teachings. If we have discovered Jesus in our lives, we must put everything else behind, or in second place. We should keep our eyes focused on him who leads us in our journey of faith.
January 2, when before Epiphany
“I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” John 1:26–27
Now that our Christmas Octave is completed, we immediately begin to look toward the future ministry of our Lord. In our Gospel today, Saint John the Baptist is the one who points us to that future ministry of Jesus. He acknowledges his mission to baptize with water is one that is temporary and only a preparation for the One Who is coming after him.
As we saw in several of our Advent readings, Saint John the Baptist is a man of great humility. His admission that he is not worthy to untie even Jesus’ sandal straps is proof of this fact. But ironically, it is this humble admission that makes him so great!
Do you want to be great? Deep down we all do. This desire goes hand in hand with our innate desire for happiness. We want our lives to have meaning and purpose, and we want to make a difference. The question is “How?” How do you do this? How do you achieve true greatness?
From a worldly perspective, greatness can often become synonymous with success, riches, power, admiration from others, etc. But from a divine perspective, greatness is achieved by humbly giving God the greatest glory we can with our lives.
Giving God all the glory has a double effect upon our lives. First, doing so allows us to live in accord with the truth of life. The truth is that God and God alone deserves all our praise and glory. All good things come from God and God alone. Second, humbly giving God all the glory and pointing to the fact that we are unworthy of Him has the reciprocal effect of God reaching down and elevating us to share in His life and His glory.
Reflect, today, upon your calling to imitate the humility of Saint John the Baptist. Never shy away from humbling yourself before the greatness and glory of God. Doing so will not demean you or hamper your greatness. Rather, only in the deepest humility before the glory of God is God able to draw you into the greatness of His very life and mission.
Lord, I give all glory and praise to You and You alone. You are the source of all good; without You I am nothing. Help me to continually humble myself before You so that I may share in the glory and greatness of Your life of grace. Jesus, I trust in You.
January 2, when before Epiphany 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, help me to know who I am. I want to know my strengths and my weaknesses, my virtues and my vices, my sinful tendencies, and my collaboration with your grace. Help me to know my mission and my vocation so that I can cooperate in your plan of salvation and the extension of your Kingdom.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Who are You? On Tuesday, December 31, we read the opening of John’s Gospel (John 1:1-18) and were introduced to the testimony of John the Baptist to Jesus as the Light and Word of God: “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” The Judeans sent their priests and Levites to investigate the message and actions of John at the Jordan River. Naturally, they wanted to know whether he was one of the persons promised in the Scriptures: Was John the Christ (the Messiah) foretold by Isaiah and Daniel, the Prophet promised by Moses, or the return of Elijah foretold by Malachi? On the one hand, John denies that he is the Christ, the Prophet, and Elijah. On the other, John is shown to be connected to all three. John is not the Christ, but he is the one who will baptize Jesus and witness the anointing of Jesus as the Messiah by the Holy Spirit. John is not the Prophet-like-Moses, but is called the greatest of all the prophets by Jesus. John is not the physical reincarnation of Elijah, but he does fulfill the prophecy about the return of Elijah and goes forth with the spirit and power of Elijah.
2. I Baptize with Water: John understands himself as the Voice crying in the wilderness. He knows that he fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 40:3-5. The ancient prophecy was about the Lord delivering his people from Babylon to Mt. Zion (Jerusalem), just as he once delivered them from Egypt to Mt. Sinai. “Release from Babylon not only replicates the former exodus from Egypt but anticipates a greater salvation in the future, when God will come in the flesh to deliver the world from sin and death. It is through the Incarnation of the Word in Jesus Christ that the glory of the Lord is more fully revealed (John 1:14). Those who received the baptism of John were not regenerated. But they were prepared by the ministry of the forerunner, who cried out to prepare the way for Christ, in whom alone they could be regenerated. For his Baptism is not by water only, as John’s was, but is also by the Holy Spirit” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Isaiah, 70). Isaiah foresaw the anointing of the Messiah, not with oil, like the prophets, priests, and kings of Israel, but with the Spirit of the Lord (Isaiah 61:1). John the Baptist will bear witness to this spiritual anointing of the Son of God (John 1:32-34).
3. Christs and Antichrists: The First Letter of John, our First Reading, contains a wonderful play on words. He contrasts the “antichrists” – those who deny that Jesus is the Christ – with the “christened” (the anointed) – with those who confess that Jesus is the Christ. John is trying to protect the Christian community from heretics and their heretical teachings. He calls them antichrists, liars, deceivers, and false prophets. By contrast, those who have been anointed (christened), abide in the Father and the Son, receive the promise of eternal life, are taught what is true, and have unshakeable confidence. This is not the arrogant and self-righteous confidence that characterized many of the scribes and Pharisees, but the humble confidence of a child who fully trusts in the care of their heavenly Father, in the grace of Jesus Christ, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I have been blessed by your divine grace. I now share in your divine sonship through the Sacrament of Baptism. When I lose your grace through sin, bring me back through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
January 2, 2018 -John 1: 19-28 The Power of Humility.
In this reading, John the Baptist demonstrates the attitude fundamental to making Christ known: humility. John the Baptist had the chance to be considered the Messiah, the Christ. True, eventually the deception would become known, but for a while, he could have had all of Israel at his feet. All too often today, people give in to temptation and compromise their principles to get glory and power for a day — think of businessmen who inflate their company’s profits, or scientists who fake their results. Their inevitable downfall is tragic. St. John the Baptist knows that the only way he can serve God and fulfill his mission in life is to direct all glory to God and none to himself, never presuming to be more than he is. We, too, can live as true Christians and make Jesus present to others only if we put aside our pride and vanity.What makes John the Baptist’s message effective is that he doesn’t just preach his message; he is his message. He preaches penance, but first, he lives it, going out into the desert and living an ascetic life. He baptizes with water, but first, he gets into the water. If we want to make Jesus known to others, we first have to know him ourselves. We cannot preach the essence of the Gospel, the message of love, if we don’t live love in our daily lives. We can’t criticize, judge others, and always “look out for number one” (where “one” is ourselves) and still hope to be an effective apostle of Christ. However, if with the help of God’s grace, we do our best to put love into action, then words will hardly be necessary. Our example alone will change people’s lives.Conversation with Christ: Lord, when I look at myself and my life, I see that too often I have been selfish, focused on what I enjoy and on what I want. Help me to love you above all things. Help me want to make you known by living love, even at the cost of my pride and comfort.\
REFLECTION January 2,
The Christmas holidays are over. Hopefully we have spent the past weeks in love and thanksgiving to the newborn Son of God. Hopefully our families have become closer and grateful for the blessings of the past year. Even if the past year wasn't so good, we must still be grateful for the greatest blessing God has given to us – His beloved Son Jesus. Now as we begin a new year, let us be reminded to let the Holy Spirit guide us in our daily undertakings. Let God be a light for our paths and a lamp for our eyes. He has filled us with His Truth so let Him remain with us always. St. John the Baptist was a man filled with the Holy Spirit. He was always telling the people to wait for the coming of the Messiah. His life was in function of another – Jesus, the Anointed One. He called men to repent and amend their sinful ways. For him, Jesus is the One who will renew everything. Let us believe in his words which should serve as a light for our paths. Let us "make a straight path for the Lord." Let us live uprightly in anticipation for the coming of the Messiah in our lives.
January 2,
Opening Prayer: Holy Spirit, teach me how to pray. I ask you for what you know I need. Let me encounter you in your greatness and acknowledge the truth of who I am before you.
Encountering Christ:
1. He Must Increase: St. John the Baptist teaches us a lesson about humility in this passage. His followers looked up to him, even to the point of wondering if he was the Messiah who would come. But John clearly knew his mission. He would point out the true Messiah, and he would disappear. In another Gospel passage, he said to his disciples, “I must decrease; he must increase” (John 3:30), as he was looking in Jesus’s direction. John the Baptist reminds us that one thing matters: not fame or glory, but that people encounter Jesus in us. If we have faith in Jesus, we have everything we need.
2. The Voice: Jesus is the Word—the Word through which the Father created everything, the Word who became flesh to save us from sin. John the Baptist knew that he was not the Word. The Word was given to him. He knew himself to be merely a voice. But he knew that his calling was a very important and irreplaceable mission. God wants to use our talents, our gifts, and who we are to communicate himself to mankind, in much the same way John the Baptist did. Every morning we can offer the Lord our hands, our feet, our voice, and our heart so he can use them to point people to salvation. He is the protagonist, but he wants us to be part of his great story of salvation. What we do to spread the Gospel makes a difference in the eternal life of others.
3. The Voice of the Saints: St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, whom we celebrate today, were, like St. John the Baptist, great examples of people who lent their voice to Christ. Both gave their life to God in the monastic life, but God called them to the episcopate. As bishops, they had to speak strongly against heresies of the time. When have you ever experienced God filling you with courage and wisdom to do his will? He wants to remind us that our mission is his work, not ours, and that he will accomplish it in and through us if we let him.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart more like yours. Today I renew my trust in your grace working through me, even when I do not see it. I could never take the credit for what you do in and through my life because I have experienced my own frailty, and I know the good that happens is yours.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will look for opportunities to practice humility and remember that you are the protagonist in my life and vocation.
Mọi điều về Thiên Chúa Đấng thiêng liêng
của chúng ta đều là sự thánh khiết, kể cả Danh Ngài. Chính Thiên thần Gabriel
là người đầu tiên gọi tên Chúa Giêsu cho mẹ Người: “Này đây bà sẽ thụ thai và
sinh hạ một con trai, và đặt tên là Giêsu” (Lc 1,31). Tổng lãnh thiên thần chỉ
là người đưa tin nên danh hiệu Chúa Giêsu là do Cha trên trời đặt cho Người.
Thánh
Phêrô là một trong những Tông đồ đầu tiên nhân danh Chúa Giêsu mà nói một cách
có uy quyền khi ngài chữa lành một người què và nói rằng: “Vàng bạc tôi không
có, nhưng điều tôi có, tôi cho anh: nhân danh Chúa Giêsu Kitô, Nazorean, hãy
đứng dậy và bước đi” (Cv 3:6). Thánh Phaolô cũng ca ngợi thánh danh Chúa Giêsu
khi ngài nói: “…nhân danh Chúa Giêsu, mọi đầu gối trên trời, dưới đất và dưới
đất đều phải quỳ xuống, và mọi lưỡi đều tuyên xưng Chúa Giêsu Kitô là Chúa, để
tôn vinh”. của Đức Chúa Cha” (Phi-líp 2:9–10). Thánh Phaolô rao giảng đầy quyền
năng nhân danh Chúa Giêsu đến nỗi ngay cả một số nhà trừ quỷ Do Thái lưu động
cũng cố gắng bắt chước ngài bằng cách ra lệnh cho ma quỷ: “Nhân danh Chúa Giêsu
mà Phaolô rao giảng, tôi ra lệnh cho các ông” (Cv 19:13).
Trong suốt lịch sử của Giáo hội, tên của
Chúa Giêsu đã được kêu cầu như một công cụ của đức tin cá nhân vào Con Thiên
Chúa, đặc biệt là để ra lệnh cho ma quỷ hoặc đơn giản là cầu nguyện với Chúa
Giêsu theo cách lặp đi lặp lại và cá nhân. Lễ phụng vụ Thánh Danh Chúa Giêsu đã
được Giáo hội cử hành trong nhiều thế kỷ, đặc biệt là trong các dòng tu khác
nhau. Vào thế kỷ 15, Thánh Bernardine thành Siena, một tu sĩ dòng Phanxicô, đã
thực hiện sứ mệnh rao giảng cổ võ lòng sùng kính Thánh Danh. Ông khuyến khích
mọi người tôn kính danh Chúa Giê-su bằng cách đặt ba chữ cái Hy Lạp đầu tiên
của tên Ngài trên cửa nhà họ: IHS. Ngày nay, chữ lồng tiếng Hy Lạp này của tên
Chúa Giêsu thường được nhìn thấy trong các nhà thờ trên đền tạm, bàn thờ và cửa
sổ kính màu. Vào thế kỷ thứ mười sáu, Thánh Ignatius Loyola có lòng sùng kính
mãnh liệt đối với Thánh Danh Chúa Giêsu đến nỗi ngài đã nhận nó làm dấu ấn của
mình với tư cách là tổng quyền của dòng Tên mới thành lập của ngài; chữ lồng đó
vẫn là con dấu chính thức của Dòng Tên cho đến ngày nay.
Có sức mạnh to lớn trong tên được nói của
Chúa Giêsu. Việc lặp lại danh Ngài một cách cầu nguyện hoặc đọc to danh Ngài sẽ
mang Ngài đến gần và mang lại cho chúng ta sức mạnh, miễn là chúng ta niệm danh
Ngài với đức tin. Danh Chúa Giêsu xua tan nỗi sợ hãi, khơi dậy niềm tin tưởng
và kết hợp trái tim bạn với Người. Đáng buồn thay, Danh Thánh Chúa Giêsu thánh
thiện đến nỗi tên ác quỷ thường cám dỗ người ta kêu lên như một lời nguyền rủa
khi tức giận, mà không thèm để ý tới việc mình đang làm.
Khi chúng ta cử hành lễ nhớ thánh hôm nay,
chúng ta hãy suy ngẫm lời cầu nguyện dưới đây được gán cho Thánh Bernardine
thành Sienna, một tu sĩ dòng Phanxicô đã nhiệt thành nói đến danh Chúa Giêsu.
Ngoài ra, hãy dành thời gian nhắm mắt lại và cầu nguyện lặp đi lặp lại danh
Ngài. Trong ngày của chúng ta, bất cứ khi nào chúng ta cảm thấy lo lắng hay sợ
hãi, hãy gọi tên Chúa Giêsu. chúng ta hãy biết và tin rằng danh thánh của Chúa
chúng ta mang Ngài đến gần chúng ta và Ngài ban ân sủng dồi dào cho chúng ta.
Lạy Chúa Giêsu, Danh Chúa đầy vinh quang,
ân sủng, tình yêu và sức mạnh! Chúa là nơi ẩn náu của những ai ăn năn, là ngọn
cờ chiến tranh của chúng con ở đời này, là liều thuốc cho tâm hồn, là niềm an
ủi của những ai than khóc, là niềm vui của những ai có đức tin, là ánh sáng của
những ai rao giảng đức tin chân thật, là tiền công của những ai người làm việc
cực nhọc, chữa lành người bệnh. Đối với Chúa lòng sùng kính của chúng con khao
khát; Với Chúa mà lời cầu nguyện của chúng con đã được nhận; chúng con hân hoan
chiêm ngưỡng Chúa. Ôi Danh Chúa Giêsu, Chúa là vinh quang của các thánh đến
muôn đời. Amen.
January 3—The Most
Holy Name of Jesus, Optional Memorial
Reflection: Everything
about our divine Lord is holy, including His Name. It was the Archangel Gabriel
who first spoke the name of Jesus to His mother, “Behold, you will conceive in
your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus” (Luke
1:31). The Archangel was
only a messenger, so the name of Jesus was given to Him by the Father in
Heaven.
Saint Peter was one of the first Apostles to speak with
authority in the Holy Name of Jesus when he healed a crippled man saying, “I
have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of
Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk” (Acts 3:6). Saint Paul also exalted the holy name of Jesus when he said,
“…at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth
and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–10). Saint Paul preached with power in the name of Jesus so often
that even some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to imitate him by commanding
demons, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches” (Acts
19:13).
Throughout the history of the Church, Jesus’ name has
been invoked as an instrument of personal faith in the Son of God,
especially to command demons or simply to pray to Jesus in a repetitive and
personal way. The liturgical Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus has been
celebrated by the Church for many centuries, especially within various
religious orders. In the fifteenth century, Saint Bernardine of Siena, a
Franciscan friar, went on a preaching mission promoting devotion to the Most
Holy Name. He encouraged people to revere Jesus’ name by placing the first
three Greek letters of His name on their doors: IHS. Today, this Greek monogram
of Jesus’ name is commonly seen in churches on tabernacles, altars, and in
stained glass windows. In the sixteenth century, Saint Ignatius of Loyola had
such a strong devotion to the Most Holy Name of Jesus that he adopted it as his
seal as general of his newly founded order of the Jesuits; that monogram
remains the Jesuits’ official seal today.
There is great power in the spoken name of Jesus. Repeating His name
prayerfully or speaking it aloud brings Him close and gives you strength,
provided you recite His name in faith. The name of Jesus casts out fear,
arouses trust, and unites your heart to His. Sadly, the Most Holy Name of Jesus
is so holy that the evil one often tempts people to invoke it as a curse when
angry, without even considering what they are doing.
As we celebrate this holy memorial today, ponder the prayer below that is
attributed to Saint Bernardine of Sienna, the Franciscan who spoke so fervently
of Jesus’ name. Also, take time to close your eyes and prayerfully repeat His
name over and over. As you go about your day, anytime you feel anxious or
fearful, speak the name of Jesus. Know and believe that the divine name of our
Lord brings Him close to you and bestows His grace in abundance.
Prayer: Jesus, Name full of glory, grace, love, and strength!
You are the refuge of those who repent, our banner of warfare in this life, the
medicine of souls, the comfort of those who mourn, the delight of those who
believe, the light of those who preach the true faith, the wages of those who
toil, the healing of the sick. To You our devotion aspires; by You our prayers
are received; we delight in contemplating You. O Name of Jesus, You are the
glory of all the saints for eternity. Amen
January 3—The Most
Holy Name of Jesus
John testified
further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and
remain upon him. I
did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On
whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will
baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son
of God.” John
1:32–34
It’s interesting to note that in the Gospel of John, Saint John
the Baptist never baptized Jesus, as is depicted in the Gospels of Matthew,
Mark and Luke. Instead, in the Gospel of John, John the Baptist simply
witnessed the descent of the Holy Spirit from a distance, and then spoke the
quoted line above. The next day, the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the “Lamb of
God,” and two of his own disciples left the Baptist to follow Jesus.
Why is there this
apparent discrepancy between the Gospel of John and the three Synoptic Gospels?
Though it’s hard to answer that for certain, one thing that is made uniquely
clear in the Gospel of John is that the Baptist was given a unique spiritual knowledge
by the Father that Jesus was the “Lamb of God.” In this Gospel, the revelation
of Who Jesus was did not take place in a way that everyone present heard and
saw. Rather, John’s Gospel focuses upon the interior realization that John the
Baptist received from the One Who sent him. And the One Who sent him was the
Father in Heaven.
One spiritual truth worth pondering from the account of the
Gospel of John read today is that the conviction and certainty given to the
Baptist about Jesus’ identity was so certain that he knew Who Jesus was beyond
any shadow of a doubt. This personal revelation given to the Baptist changed
his life. From that moment on, all he did was point people to Jesus.
As you ponder this spiritual revelation about Jesus that the
Baptist received from the Father in Heaven, consider for yourself what would be
more convincing. Would it be more convincing to hear an audible voice from
Heaven declare Who Jesus was? Or to receive this same knowledge through an
interior and spiritual communication from the Father? If you believe that the
former, the external and audible voice, would be more convincing, then you
might want to pause and think again. The truth is that God’s clearest and most
certain form of communication to us is one that is internal. And even if there
were an audible voice spoken from Heaven, as depicted in the Synoptic Gospels,
that Voice would have to also be interiorly confirmed by faith in the hearts of
the hearers so as to convince them on the deepest level.
Reflect, today, upon the spiritual truth that God the Father
wants to speak to you in the depths of your own soul so as to draw you into a
certainty about Himself and all that He has spoken as true. Do you hear God
speak? Have you allowed yourself to be convinced by His Voice? Listen to Him
today and allow all that He speaks to you to become the source and goal of all
that you say and do in life.
Father in Heaven, You have revealed to me Who You are and Your
plan for my life in many ways. And though You are always speaking to me, I
acknowledge that I do not always listen. Please open my soul to You more fully
so that I may come to faith and be certain of Your love and Your perfect will
in my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
Jan 3—The Most Holy
Name of Jesus 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I am called to give witness to
the power of your grace and merciful love. Inspire me to know what to say and
when to say it. Grant me the courage to not be silent when I need to speak up.
Encountering the Word
of God
1. Lambs and
Sins: When John gave
testimony to Jesus, he proclaimed him as the Lamb of God, who takes away the
sins of the world. This harkens back to the faith of Abraham, who trusted on
Mount Moriah, that God would one day provide a lamb for sacrifice. When the
people of Israel offered a lamb, it was a symbol of their own self-offering.
The lambs offered daily in the Tabernacle of Moses, in the Temple of Solomon,
and in the Second Temple, were ineffective to “take away” the sins of God’s
people. The sacrificial lambs were a sign that pointed to something greater.
This something greater was the sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God, on the
Cross. John was inspired by the Holy Spirit to proclaim this great mystery at
Jesus’ Baptism: Jesus was the Lamb whose sacrifice would effectively cleanse us
from the stain of sin. Unlike the sacrifice of lambs in the Temple, Jesus’
sacrifice does not need to be repeated. When we celebrate the mass, we are
sharing in the unique sacrifice of Jesus and not repeating it.
2. The Spirit
Descended like a Dove: John
not only testified to Jesus as the Son of God, but he also testified to the
anointing and cleansing Spirit of God. At the Jordan River, John saw the Spirit
descend like a dove on Jesus. This image of Spirit hovering over the waters
harkens back to the creation of the world, and the image of a dove harkens back
to Noah, when he released the dove as the flood waters began to recede. What
this means is that the Spirit, through the Sacrament of Baptism, brings about
our new creation in Christ. And just as the flood waters in the days of Noah
swallowed up the evil of the world, the waters of baptism swallow up our sin
and cleanse us from the evil of sin.
3. The Mystery of
Baptism: When we are
baptized, we share in the death and resurrection of Jesus. The plunging into
the water represents our share in Jesus’ passion and death. When we rise from
the water, this represents our share in Jesus’ resurrection. We die to our old
selves and put on the new man in Christ. We are transformed. We become children
of God and are empowered to act in righteousness. Baptism is only the beginning
of eternal life in us. The seed of grace, bestowed through Baptism, awaits its
cultivation in works of charity and its consummation in the glory of heaven. In
this life, we know God dimly through faith. In the life to come, we will see
God as he is. In this life, we struggle to know the mystery of God as a
communion of three divine persons. In heaven, we will not struggle or see dimly
as through a darkened mirror but will know God as he truly is.
Conversing with
Christ: Lord Jesus, bring me
more deeply into the mystery of your divine life. Increase my faith so that I
may confess you more confidently. Increase my hope so that I may trust more
fully in you and your promise of eternal life. Increase my charity so that I may
be united more perfectly in bonds of love with God the Father and my brothers
and sisters.
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Ngày 3 tháng Giêng, Trước lễ Ba Vua
Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Thánh Gioan Tẩy Giả gọi Chúa Giêsu
là “Chiên Thiên Chúa, Đấng xóa tội trần gian!” Trong tiếng Do Thái, từ “cừu
non” vừa có nghĩa là người hầu vừa có nghĩa là cừu non (một con vật). Chúa
Giêsu là tôi tớ Thiên Chúa đã được các ngôn sứ nói đến, là Đấng đã đến thế giới
của chúng ta để hy sinh chính mình cho mọi người trên thế giới này vì tội lỗi
và tội nguyên tổ của chúng ta.
Trong đoạn này, danh tính của Chúa Giêsu được tiết lộ. Thánh
Gioan nói rất rõ ràng rằng: “Tôi đã thấy Thánh Thần như chim bồ câu từ trời
xuống đậu trên Người. Tôi không biết Ngài, nhưng Đấng sai tôi làm phép rửa bằng nước đã bảo tôi rằng: ‘Ngươi thấy Thánh
Linh ngự xuống trên ai thì chính người ấy sẽ làm phép rửa bằng Đức Thánh Linh’. Cuối cùng, ông tuyên bố:
"Đây là người được Chúa chọn!"
Qua đoạn Phúc Âm hôm nay, Thánh Gioan đã mang đến
cho chúng ta môt suy nghĩ về con người của Chúa Giêsu trong cuộc sống của chúng
ta. Chúa Giêsu là "Con Chiên" là vật hiến tế Thiên Chúa Cha cho chúng
ta để cứu chúng ta khỏi tội lỗi và sự Ngài đã ban phép Rửa của Ngài cho chung ta chúng ta với ơn Chúa Thánh Thần. Ngài đến để
mang chúng ta về cùng Chúa Cha, Và chúng ta, là những người con đã được chọn là
con của Thiên Chúa. Thiên Chúa đã yêu thương chúng ta rất nhiều, nhiều đến nỗi
Ngài đã ban cho chúng ta chính con của Ngài là Chúa Giêsu đến thế gian này để
Cứu chúng ta và đưa chúng ta lên ngang hàng với Chúa.
Ngài cũng còn ban Chúa Thánh Thần xuống để hướng dẫn chúng ta và
ban ơn lành cho cuộc sống của chúng ta. Những nến tảng cụ thể nào là kinh
nghiệm của riêng chúng ta "những người được chọn!" Nhưng chúng ta có
thực sự để tâm đến tầm quan trọng này? Chúng ta có chấp nhận Chúa Giêsu là Đấng
Cứu Độ của chúng ta và cho phép Chúa Thánh Thần hướng dẫn chúng ta? Chúng ta
biết rằng nếu chúng ta chấp nhận điều này, thì nó sẽ biến đổi cuộc sống của
chúng ta hoàn toàn và biến chúng ta thành người tôi tớ và là con chiên như
chính Chúa Giêsu. Chúng ta đã sẵn sàngchưa, để chấp nhận và đón nhận sự thay
đổi trong cuộc sống của chúng ta?
REFLECTION January 3: John 1:29-34
In today’s Gospel,
John the Baptist calls Jesus "the Lamb of God who takes away the
sins of the world!" In Jewish language, the word "lamb"
means both servant and lamb (an animal). Jesus is the servant of God spoken by
the prophets, who came to our world to sacrifice himself for all people in this
world because of our sins and our original sin. In this passage, the
identity of Jesus is revealed. John makes it very clear that:“I saw the
Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know
him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you
see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the
Holy Spirit.” Finally, he declares, "This is the
chosen one of God!"
This very beautiful passage brings us to reflect on who Jesus is
in our life. Jesus is our "Lamb" who saves us from sinfulness and who
baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. - He comes to bring us back to the Father for
we, too, are chosen daughters and sons of God. God loves us so much that he
gave us Jesus to be our Savior... and his Spirit to guide us in our life. -
What concrete way of experiencing our being "chosen ones!"
But do we really give importance to this? - Do we accept Jesus
as our Savior and allow his Spirit to guide us? We know that if we accept this,
it will turn our lives totally and lead us to become servants and lambs like
Jesus himself. Are we ready to accept and embrace this change in our
life? Now we can ask the Lord to pour his Holy Spirit upon us
to deepen our faith, hope, and love for God and for the plan he has for our
life.
January 3 Lễ Kính tên Cực Trọng Đúc Chúa Giêsu.
“Đây là Chiên Thiên
Chúa! "”
Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm
nay, chúng ta thấy Thánh Gioan Tẩy giả đã gọi Chúa Giêsu là “Con Chiên Thiên
Chúa”, và do đó lời nói của Thánh Gioan có nghĩa chỉ chúng ta biết cái sứ vụ
của Chúa Giêsu là Đấng cứu chuộc chúng ta khỏi tội lỗi. Theo như sách Xuất Hành,
thì Máu của con chiên trong đêm “Vượt Qua” (Xuất Hành 12) đã giải thoát dân
Israel khỏi Ai Cập và khỏi sự nô lệ khổ cực và sự chết
Thánh Phaolô trong bức thư thứ Nhất viết cho dân thành Corintô Ngài đã nói: “Ðức Kitô đã chịu hiến tế
làm chiên lễ Vượt Qua của chúng ta. (1 Cor 5: 7). Máu mà Ngài đã đổ ra cho
chúng ta trên thập giá để tẩy rửa, chữa lành và giải thoát chúng ta khỏi tất cả
mọi ách nô lệ và tội lỗi, và “Vì lương bổng của tội là sự chết..." (Rô-ma 6:23) và "sự hủy diệt của
cả cơ thể và tâm hồn trong địa ngục "(Mt 10:28).
Thánh Gioan cho chúng ta thấy là sứ vụ cứu độ của Chúa Giêsu là: để ban cho chúng ta cuộc
sống của Ngài như là sự hy sinh để chuộc tất cà tội lỗi mà chúng ta đã mắc
phạm. Nhờ Chúa Thánh Thần, Thánh Gioan Tẩy giả đã nhận ra rằng Chúa Giêsu là
con chiên con còn tơ hoàn hảo, trong trắng chưa hề có chút tì vết được dâng lên
Thiên Chúa Cha để làm lễ vật hy sinh để đèn bù tất cả những tội lỗi mà con người chúng ta đã
mắc phạm, để hủy bỏ những khoản nợ của tội lỗi, và giải thoát chúng ta khỏi sự
chết và sự tàn phá cơ thể và tâm hồn trong địa ngục.
Khi Thánh Gioan nói rằng ông không biết Chúa Giêsu (Gioan 1: 31, 33), ông đã đề
cập đến vần để Tiềm ẩn thực sự của thiên tính Chúa Giêsu. Nhưng, Chúa Thánh
Thần trong giờ đó tiết lộ cho ông ta biết rằng bản chất thực sự của Chúa Giêsu,
như vậy mà thánh Gioan đã làm chứng điều này rằng Chúa Giêsu chính là Con Thiên
Chúa. Làm thế nào chúng ta có thể chắc chắn được
rằng Chúa Giêsu thực sự là Đấng Kitô, Con Thiên Chúa hằng sống? Qua Chúa Thánh
Thần, chúng ta đã được biết đến Chúa Giêsu Kitô bằng những món quà của đức tin.
Thiên Chúa ban cho chúng ta Thánh Thần của Ngài để giúp đỡ chúng ta và hướng
dẫn chúng ta biết luôn luôn mở rộng trái tim và tâm trí của chúng ta để nhận ra
và thấu hiểu được mầu nhiệm Cứu độ cao cả và kế hoạch của Thiên Chúa để chúng
ta có thế hợp nhất tất cả mọi thứ trong Con của Ngài, là Chúa Giêsu Kitô Chúa
chúng ta (Eph 1:10).
Meditation January 3rd: "Behold
the Lamb of God!"
Saint John calls Jesus
is the Lamb of God and thus signifies Jesus' mission as the One who
redeems us from our sins. According to the book of Exodus, The blood of
the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) delivered the Israelites in Egypt from
slavery and death. Saint Paul said the 1st letter
to Corinthians that: The Lord Jesus freely offered up his life for us on the
cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 Corinthians 5:7). The blood
which he poured out for us on the cross cleanses, heals, and frees us from our
slavery to sin, and from the "wages of sin which is death" (Romans
6:23) and the "destruction of both body and soul in hell" (Matthew
10:28).
Saint John points to Jesus' saving mission; to offer up
his life as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Through the Holy
Spirit, Saint John recognized that Jesus was the perfect unblemished lamb
offered by the Father in heaven as the one and only sacrifice that could cancel
the debt of sin, and free us from death and the destruction of body and soul in
hell.
The Holy Spirit reveals who Jesus truly is the Son of
God and Savior of the world :
When
St. John says he did not know Jesus (John 1:31,33) he was referring to the
hidden reality of Jesus' divinity. But, the Holy Spirit in that hour revealed
to John to know that Jesus' true nature, such that John bore witness that this
is the Son of God. How can we be certain that Jesus is
truly the Christ, the Son of the living God? The Holy
Spirit makes the Lord Jesus Christ known to us through the gift of
faith. God gives us his Spirit as our helper and guide who opens our
hearts and minds to receive and comprehend the great mystery and plan of God to
unite all things in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:10).
Now
let’s ask the Lord Jesus to pour his Holy Spirit upon us to deepen our faith,
hope, and love for God and for the plan he has for our life. Lord
Jesus Christ, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit and let me grow in the
knowledge of your great love and truth. Let your Spirit be aflame in my heart
that I may know and love you more fervently and strive to do your will in all
things."
Jan 1- Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
Suy Niệm: Luca 2:16-21 (1 Thang Gieng Lễ Mẹ
là Mẹ Thiên Chúa.)
Hôm nay chúng
ta Mừng lễ Mẹ là mẹ Thiên Chúa, Khi tưởng nhớ đến Đức Maria là chúng ta ghi nhớ
đến những hồng ân của Thiên Chúa, Vì Thiên Chúa đã làm biết bao việc kỳ diệu
tuyệt vời cho những con người thấp hèn, khiêm tốn, với tấm lòng đơn sơ.
Vậy hôm nay chúng ta mừng lễ Đức Mẹ là Mẹ Thiên Chúa. Chúng ta cần phải
tự hỏi: Làm thế nào mà Đức Maria nhận được một vinh dự như vậy? Trong thư Thánh
Phaolô gửi tín hữu Galatians đã hé mở cho chúng ta thấy. Như chúng ta đã được biết, "Thiên Chúa
đã sai Con một của Ngài xuống thế gian và được sinh ra bởi một người nữ, theo
quy định của luật định thế gian ..." Không có gì đặc biệt về "người nữ."
Nhưng đấy không phải là cái nhìn sâu sắc quan trọng vào các ân sủng của Thiên
Chúa với Mẹ Maria và mỗi người chúng ta? Thiên Chúa thực hiện việc làm của Ngài
qua con người bình thường đơn sơ của thế gian này để biểu sự hiện kỳ diệu của
Ngài. Qua cuộc sống đầy đức tin đơn sơ của Mẹ Maria đã có, mỗi người chúng ta,
hãy chia sẻ và hy vọng trong vinh quang. Khi chúng ta chào hỏi nhau "Happy
New Year!" Giáo Hội Mẹ đòi hỏi chúng ta tôn vinh Mẹ Thiên Chúa. Một trong
nhiều lý do tốt để tôn vinh Mẹ Maria hôm nay là chúng ta rất vui mừng hồ hởi bởi
vì chúng ta đang bắt đầu một năm mới của cuộc sống, Và ai là người xứng đáng được
gọi là Mẹ của sự sống hơn là Mẹ Thiên Chúa? Mẹ Maria đã cho Chúa Giêsu môt cuộc
sống con người bình thường, như Chúa Giêsu nói: "Ta đến để họ (con người)
có thể có sự sống, và có nmột cuộc sống thật đầy đủ" Một cuộc sống thể chất tốt đẹp, thì sẽ
có một cuộc sống tinh thần tốt đẹp
hơn, đó là điều sẽ làm cho mọi người
chúng ta đưọc hạnh phúc trong năm mới này!
God bless you in the coming new year.
REFLECTION January 1: Luke
2:16-21
To
remember Mary is to remember the God of grace, who does great things for the
lowly, the humble, and the simple-hearted. Yet today we proclaim Mary as the mother
of God. We need to ask ourselves: How did Mary get such an honor? St. Paul's letter to the Galatians provides a
clue. We are told, "God sent forth his Son born of a woman, born under the
law..." Nothing very special about "the woman." But isn't that
the key insight into God's ways of grace with Mary and each of us? God works
through the simple ordinary people of the world to manifest his wonders.
Through the simple faith-filled life of Mary we have, each of us, a share in
and a hope of glory. As we greet one another "Happy New Year!" Mother
Church asks us to honor the Mother of God. One of the many good reasons for
honoring Mary today is that we are happy because we are beginning a new year of
life. And who deserves to be called the Mother of Life more than the Mother of
God? She gave human life to Jesus who said: "I came that they may have
life, and have it to the fullest." A better physical life, a better
spiritual life - that will make everyone happy in this NEW YEAR!
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, the Mother of God
The Octave Day of Christmas, January
1
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart. Luke
2:19
Today, January 1, we complete our
octave celebration of Christmas Day. It’s an often overlooked liturgical fact
that we celebrate Christmas Day for eight straight days. We do this also with
Easter Day, which concludes with the great celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday.
On this, the eighth day of the
Octave of Christmas, we turn our focus to the unique and beautiful fact that
God chose to enter our world through a human mother. Mary is called the “Mother
of God” for the simple fact that her Son is God. She was not the mother of her
Son’s flesh alone, nor the mother only of His human nature. This is because the
Person of Jesus, the Son of God, is one Person. And that one Person took on
flesh within the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Though becoming the Mother of God
was a pure gift from Heaven and not something that Mother Mary merited on her
own, there was one particular quality that she had that made her uniquely
qualified to fulfill this role. That quality was her immaculate nature.
First, Mother Mary was preserved
from all sin when she was conceived within the womb of her mother, Saint Anne.
This special grace was a grace that was imparted to her from the future life,
death and resurrection of her Son. It was the grace of salvation, but God chose
to take that gift of grace and transcend time to impart it to her at the moment
of her conception, thus making her the perfect and pure instrument necessary to
bring forth God into the world.
Second, Mother Mary remained
faithful to this gift of grace throughout her life, never choosing to sin,
never wavering, never turning from God. She remained immaculate throughout her
life. Interestingly, it is this choice of hers, to forever remain obedient to
the will of God in every way, that makes her more fully the Mother of God than
the simple act of bearing Him within her womb. Her act of perfect unity with
the will of God throughout her life makes her, also, the perfect mother of
divine grace and mercy and perpetually the spiritual Mother of God, continually
and perfectly bringing Him into our world.
Reflect, today, upon these most
solemn mysteries of our faith. This eighth day of the Octave of Christmas is a
solemn celebration, a celebration worthy of our pondering. The Scripture above
reveals not only how our blessed Mother approached this mystery but also how we
are to approach it. She “kept all these things, reflecting on them in her
heart.” Ponder these mysteries, also, in your own heart and allow the grace of
this holy celebration to fill you with joy and gratitude.
Dearest Mother Mary, you were graced
with a grace beyond any other. You were preserved from all sin and remained
perfectly obedient to the will of God throughout your life. As a result, you
became the perfect instrument of the Savior of the World by becoming His
mother, the Mother of God. Pray for me that I may ponder this great mystery of
our faith this day and ever more deeply rejoice in the incomprehensible beauty
of your motherly soul. Mother Mary, the Mother of God, pray for us.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Jan 1- 2025- Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
Opening Prayer: Mary, I venerate you today
as the Mother of God. You said “Yes” to God every moment of your life. I want
to say “Yes” to God as you did. Help me and guide me with your maternal care
today.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Incorporation into Israel: The Gospel of Luke tells us
that, on the eighth day, the baby Jesus was circumcised. This was to fulfill
the Law of Moses. Circumcision was a covenant sign of being incorporated into
the people of Israel. It was originally a penitential sign for Abraham, who
tried on his own to advance God’s promise of numerous descendants by having
relations with his wife’s servant, Hagar. In response, God invited Abraham to
be blameless (Genesis 17:1) and commanded that he be circumcised (Genesis
17:11). Later this sign was commanded by Moses as the rite of initiation into
the family of Israel (Leviticus 12:3). As a sign, physical circumcision points
to something else, to a deeper reality – the need for us to spiritually
circumcise the heart by consecrating it to God and cutting away its rebellious
inclinations (Leviticus 26:41; Deuteronomy 10:16). “God circumcises the hearts
of believers in Baptism (Colossians 2:11-12), just as he promised Moses he
would do in the time of restoration (Deuteronomy 30:6). As a result, this
spiritual procedure makes the literal procedure unnecessary and outdated in the
new economy of grace (1 Corinthians 7:19; Galatians 6:15; Philippians 3:3)” (Ignatius
Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 260).
2. Born to Ransom Those Under the
Law: Paul’s
Letter to the Galatians, our Second Reading today, is a spirited defense of the
Gospel he has been preaching throughout Asia Minor. The letter was a response
to those who spread a different Gospel among those living in Galatia. In short,
those who preached a false gospel – called Judaizers – “labored to bring the
Galatians under the yoke of circumcision and other burdensome laws of the Old
Covenant (Galatians 6:12-13). In doing so, they promoted a false gospel that
implicitly denied the sufficiency of Christ’s death for our salvation
(Galatians 2:21)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 331).
What Paul preaches is that God sent his Son, born of Mary, to redeem us. Jesus
was born
“under the law,” and we see in the Gospel how the Holy Family was obedient to
this law. Jesus accomplished our redemption – our release from sin, the “works
of the law,” and the curses of the Old Covenant – by his sacrificial death and
the shedding of his blood on the Cross: “The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ,
however, marks a turning point in covenant history where circumcision is now
set aside, along with the entire body of liturgical and ceremonial legislation
promulgated by Moses. Through his Cross, Christ has redeemed us from the curses
of the Old Covenant (Galatians 3:13) and unleashed the blessings of the New
Covenant in a powerful way” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament,
330).
“under the law,” and we see in the Gospel how the Holy Family was obedient to
this law. Jesus accomplished our redemption – our release from sin, the “works
of the law,” and the curses of the Old Covenant – by his sacrificial death and
the shedding of his blood on the Cross: “The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ,
however, marks a turning point in covenant history where circumcision is now
set aside, along with the entire body of liturgical and ceremonial legislation
promulgated by Moses. Through his Cross, Christ has redeemed us from the curses
of the Old Covenant (Galatians 3:13) and unleashed the blessings of the New
Covenant in a powerful way” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament,
330).
3. Reborn through Baptism: When we embrace Christ in
faith (Galatians 3:7) and receive Baptism (3:27), we become spiritual
descendants of Abraham and adopted children of God (Galatians 4:1-7). Baptism
is the sacrament of faith and the rite of initiation that replaces circumcision
(Colossians 2:11-12). We are incorporated through Baptism into the Body of
Christ. We are reborn as children of God through the waters. Through the waters
of Baptism, our sins are washed away, and divine grace is poured out in our hearts
to transform us into new creations.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you made the
womb of Mary your holy dwelling place. You lovingly sanctified her and guided
her along the path of holiness. Dwell in me today and sanctify my soul with
your grace so that I may bring your merciful love to those around me.
REFLECTION January 1,
Opening Prayer: Holy Spirit, through this prayer lead my soul
to a deeper faith, a stronger hope, and a more passionate love for God and
others. Strengthen my faith through the example of Mary, mother of Jesus and my
mother, so I can live my life helping to bring Jesus to the world like she did.
Encountering
Christ:
1. The Light of
Faith: After the
Annunciation, the Gospel tells us that the angel departed from Mary (Luke
1:38). The angel had not explained how every detail of Jesus’s birth would
happen, how Joseph would finally take her into his home, how they would have to
travel to Bethlehem for the census. Like all of us, Mary had to hold on in
faith to the promise. She had to trust God although she did not know the
specifics. Mary must have been consoled when the shepherds arrived at the
manger and shared the story about the angels appearing to them. Their visit was
a confirmation that everything was happening according to God’s plan. At times
we can feel like our faith gives us just enough light to take the next step. We
can be consoled and grateful when Our Lord sends little confirmations to
encourage us along the journey.
2. Mary’s Heart: “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on
them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). Mary knew how to make a prayer of her life. She
had learned that she could discover the hand of God in everything, and she knew
that the story of salvation was unraveling before her eyes. She was awed before
the mystery, the baby she was holding in her arms. Being always open and
receptive to the life of God within her prepared her for the mission of being
the Mother of God. In our life, God is also speaking constantly through our
circumstances. Our own stories of salvation are being unraveled every day.
Blessed Mother, pray that we are receptive and open!
3. The Shepherds: Mary noticed how the shepherds were poor
and simple, not wealthy or powerful. But that might have not surprised her,
since she knew how God had chosen her, how he had looked at her lowliness (Luke
1:46), and through her sought to establish a kingdom with no end (Luke 1:33).
Mary did not hesitate to humbly share in the joy of salvation with those
shepherds. She opened her heart to glorify God with them. Let us look at the
example of Mary, Mother of God and our mother, and learn to humble ourselves,
opening our hearts to love all people unconditionally, expecting that God will
do amazing things through us for his glory.
Conversing with
Christ: Lord Jesus, thank you
for becoming a man like us. Thank you for the gift of your mother. Help me to
learn from her so I can also bring you to today’s world and share your love as
she did.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I want to find some
time to pray a rosary or a decade of the rosary to ask Mary, your mother and my
mother, to help me live my faith as she lived it.
Suy
Niệm Tin Mừng Ngày thứ 7 trong Tuần Bát Nhật Giáng Sinh (31/12)rong khi chúng ta đang sống với ngày cuối cùng của một năm, chúng ta cần
nên nghe lại Tin Mừng của John nới về sự hiện diện của Chúa Giêsu. Chúa Giêsu
chính là Lời của Thiên Chúa đã mang ánh sáng vào bóng tối của thế giới chúng
ta. Chúng ta đã và đang thấy những bóng tối trong những ngày chúng ta đang sống
đây và chúng ta có thể lo sợ rằng những bóng tối này sẽ càng ngày càng lan rộng
lớn to hơn trước. Nhưng Lời Chúa là "một ánh sáng tỏa sáng trong bóng tối,
một ánh sáng mà bóng tối không thể chế ngự được".
Bài đọc thứ Nhất hôm nay Thánh Gioan nhắc nhở người Do Thái và chúng
ta "những người phản Chúa Kitô đã xuất hiện." Đây chính là tất cả
các hành động của sự tham lam, lạm quyền, tham nhũng, ghen tương và tất cả
những hành động của sự bất công và bóc lột người khác.
Những hành động này không những chỉ là mối đe dọa cho xã hội, nhưng
chúng còn luôn ở bên chúng ta và đang làm “ô nhiễm” cuộc sống tâm linh mỗi
người chúng ta. Nhưng, nhờ qua phép rửa mà chúng ta đã được kết hợp với Chúa
Kitô, qua Chúa Kitô, chúng ta đã được ưu đãi bằng ân sủng trong Chúa Thánh
Thần. Qua Phép Rửa, chúng ta cũng như Thánh Gioan Tẩy Giả đã được mời gọi
để làm chứng nhân cho Sự Sáng và đem
niềm hy vọng và lòng tự tin đến với những người đang sống trong bóng tối và sự
sợ hãi. Cũng giống như Thánh Gioan đã nói với chúng ta là: tình yêu thật sự sẽ
xua tan tất cả những sự sợ hãi của chúng ta.
Lạy Chúa Cha Toàn năng, xin giúp
chúng con được chia sẻ hoàn toàn cuộc
sống của của chúng con trong Chúa Giêsu, Chúa của chúng con, vì nhờ Ngài, đã
đem ơn cứu độ của Ngài đến cho chúng con.
Reflection
Dec 31, 2106 SG
As we come to the end of another year, we need to
hear John's message about Jesus the Word bringing light into the darkness of
our world. We have seen much darkness in recent days and we fear that there may
be even greater darkness ahead. But the Word is “a light that shines in the
dark, a light that darkness cannot overpower”. As the first reading reminds us
“several antichrists have already appeared.” These are all the agents of greed
and corruption, agents of injustice and exploitation.
These are not just faraway threats. They have always been with us and
each one of us is tainted with them. But, through our baptism and our
incorporation into Christ, we have been endowed with the grace and truth that
come to us through Him. We are called, like John the Baptist, to be witnesses
of light bringing hope and confidence among those who live in fear and
darkness. As John tells us elsewhere, true love casts out all our fear. Father, help us to share fully in the life of
Jesus our Lord, for through Him, comes the salvation that all are searching
for.
Seventh Day in the
Octave of Christmas, December 31
What came to be through
him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines
in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:3–5
What a great image for meditation: “…the light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” This line completes the unique
approach taken by John’s Gospel to introduce Jesus, the Eternal “Word” Who
existed from the beginning and through Whom all things came to be.
Though there is much to meditate on in the first five lines of
John’s Gospel, let’s consider that ending line about light and darkness. Within
the material world, there is much we can learn about our Divine Lord from the
physical phenomenon of light and darkness. If we briefly consider light and
darkness from the perspective of physics, we know that the two are not two
opposing forces fighting with each other. Rather, darkness is simply the
absence of light. Where there is no light, there is darkness. Similarly, heat
and cold are the same way. Cold is nothing other than the absence of heat.
Introduce heat and the cold disappears.
These basic laws of the physical world also teach us about the
spiritual world. Darkness, or evil, is not some powerful force fighting against
God; rather, it’s the absence of God. Satan and his demons do not try to impose
a dark power of evil on us; rather, they seek to extinguish the presence of God
in our lives by getting us to reject God through our choices, thus leaving us
in spiritual darkness.
This is a very significant spiritual truth to understand,
because where there is spiritual Light, the Light of God’s grace, the darkness
of evil is dispelled. This is clearly seen in the line “and the darkness has
not overcome it.” Overcoming the evil one is as easy as inviting the Light of
Christ into our lives and not allowing fear or sin to turn us from the Light.
Reflect, today, upon the very real spiritual battle that takes
place each and every day within your soul. But reflect upon it in the truth of
this Gospel passage. The battle is easily won. Invite Christ the Light, and His
Divine Presence will quickly and easily replace any darkness within.
Lord, Jesus, You are the Light Who dispels all
darkness. You are the Eternal Word Who answers every question in life. I
invite You into my life this day so that Your Divine Presence may fill me,
consume me and lead me down the path toward eternal joys. Jesus, I trust in
You.
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Ngày
thứ 7 trong Tuần Bát Nhật Giáng Sinh (31/12)
Ba trăm sáu mươi sáu
ngày hay 365 trong một năm, Chúa Giêsu đã luôn hiến dâng chính mình Ngài cho
chúng ta trong Bí Tích Thánh Thể. Lời đã hóa thành nhục thể và Ngài đã tự mình
hiến dâng chính mình lên Thiên Chúa Cha để làm của Lễ Hy Sinh trong sự yêu
thương. Ngài đã sẵn sàng hiến dâng chính Ngài cho chúng ta nếu như chúng
ta muốn Ngài. Đối với chúng ta, là những người con riêng của Ngài, Ngài đã đến.
Trong
ngày cuối cùng của một năm, chúng ta hãy quét dọn tẩy rửa tâm hồn và lấy
đi tất cả những rác rới trong linh hồn đã thải ra trong cả một năm.
Chúng ta hãy hoàn tất những việc làm dang dở của chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy ăn năn
và xưng ra tất cả những tội lỗi của chúng ta để làm hoà với Thiên Chúa. Và
chúng ta cũng hãy tha thứ và hòa giải với tất cả những ai đã phạm lỗi và phản
nghịch lại chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy đáp lại những lời mọi gọi của Thiên Chúa.
Chúng ta không nên đợi cho đến năm tới để xin nhận những ân sủng của năm nay.
Chúng ta không nên để những hành trang (tham vọng, tội lỗi) trong những
năm vừa qua làm khó khăn hơn cho chúng ta để đáp ứng những thử thách của những
năm kế tiếp. Khi Chúa Giêsu chịu chết trên Thập Giá, Ngài nói: "Mọi sự đã
hoàn tất." Chúa Giêsu đã vinh danh Chúa Cha bằng cách hoàn thành các công
việc mà Chúa Cha đã trao phó cho Ngài làm. Thánh Phaolô cũng đã cầu nguyện:
"Nhưng mạng sống tôi, tôi kể như không đáng nói tới, miễn sao tôi hoàn tất
vận nghiệp của tôi, và công việc phục vụ tôi đã lĩnh nơi Chúa Giêsu, đoan chứng
giảng Tin Mừng về ân sủng của Thiên Chúa.” (Act 20:24).
Chúa
hoàn tất những gì Ngài đã bắt đầu cho chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy để Ngài kết thúc
năm nay với sự bình an của Ngài đang ngự trị trong trái tim của chúng ta.
"Lạy Thiên Chúa Toàn Năng, là Cha của sự sáng, Ngôi Lời vĩnh cửu của Chúa
đã nhảy xuống từ Trời trong sự im lặng của màn đêm. Xin Chúa hãy mở rộng tâm
hồn và trái tim của chúng con, để chúng con có thể nhận ra được cuộc sống của
Ngài và mở mắt của chúng con cho thấy rõi sự sáng chói của bình minh, để cuộc
sống của chúng con được tràn đầy vinh quang và hòa bình của Chúa. "
REFLECTION The
7th day in the Octave of Christmas
Three hundred and
sixty-six days this year, Jesus offered himself to us in the Eucharist. The
Word became flesh and he made himself lovingly available in case we wanted him.
To us, who are "His own, He came."
On this last day of
the year, let us take out all the garbage of all the years. Let us finish any
unfinished business. Let us repent and confess all our sins. Let us forgive all
who have sinned against us. Let us be reconciled with those who have something
against us. Let us answer every calling from God. Let us not wait till next
year to accept the graces of this year.
We
don't want the baggage of past years to make it more difficult for us to meet
the challenges of next year. When Jesus died, He said: "It is
finished." Jesus gave glory to the Father by finishing the work the Father
gave him to do. Paul prayed: "I put no value on my life if only I can
finish my race and complete the service to which I have been assigned by the
Lord Jesus." The Lord finishes what He starts. Let Him finish up the year
today with His peace reigning in our hearts.
The 7th day in the Octave of Christmas
Opening Prayer: Holy Spirit, open my eyes to recognize
the light that Jesus brings with his incarnation. Prepare my heart to
contemplate the central mystery of my faith with greater love and gratitude
today.
Encountering
Christ:
1. The Greatest
Mystery: St. John started
his Gospel account by drawing us into the meaning of the mystery of the
Incarnation. Let us pause and contemplate with awe and adoration. Who is this
Jesus, this baby who was just born in Bethlehem? He is the light that existed
from the beginning, the Word God spoke as he said, “Let there be light”
(Genesis 1:3). He is the coeternal life that gives life to everything that
exists. He is the fullness of glory, and does not depend on any creature. And
after sin came into the world, his eternal love and mercy did not want humanity
to dwell in darkness. In the greatest act of love ever told, he took on human
nature and “made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). He came to give us the
gift of being God’s sons and daughters, the gift of grace. He came to reveal
the Father. What an amazing mystery of love.
2. The Gift of a
Father: The Gospel
passage mentions that God gave those who accepted Jesus as the light “the
power to become children of God” (John 1:12). Jesus came to reveal that God
wants us to be his adopted sons and daughters, born not only from natural
generation, but by God’s choice. We receive this gift at our baptism, and we
strengthen it through the sacraments and a life of prayer. How many times do we
walk through life as orphans, allowing the lies of the enemy to make us believe
that we are alone, that there is no one to guide us, that everything is up to
us? As we contemplate the love of God in the incarnation, let us stop and
remember God’s presence as a Father and turn to him with the confidence of the
children of God, as Jesus taught us.
3. Accepting the Gift: As he was describing the gift of the
Word of God made man out of love for us, St. John the Evangelist also mentioned
that “the world did not know him” and “his own people did not accept him” (John
1:11). We know that God created us free, and we are free to accept his gift or
to reject it. There are many times in our lives when we reject the gift Jesus
has come to give us, and we opt to put other things before God. We believe in
those moments that happiness will come from material things: money, power,
fame, worldly pleasures, or comfort. We doubt that we can trust God with our
happiness, and we try to secure it ourselves. Can we decide today to accept the
gift of peace that surpassses all understanding which Jesus came to bring us through
his incarnation this Christmas?
Conversing with
Christ: Lord Jesus,
thank you for revealing the Father to us. Thank you for the gift of grace and
peace you brought through your incarnation. Thank you for becoming a man like
us to show us the way. I want to accept your gifts in my life.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I want to
strengthen my spiritual life by making a good examination of conscience and
preparing myself to go to confession during this Christmas season.
