Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ 12 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ 12 Thường Niên

Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu nhắc nhở mọi người chúng ta rằng khi chúng ta xây nhà trên cát, nó cũng giống như việc xây dựng niềm tin của chúng ta vào sự lãnh đạo sai lầm và những lời tuyên bố giả dối. Đây là loại đức tin sẽ không kéo dài. Thay vào đó, để xây một ngôi nhà được vững chắc, bền lâu, chúng ta phải xây trên một nền tảng bằng đá chắc, có nghĩa là "nên xây dựng cuộc sống của mình vào Thiên Chúa," vì Thiên Chúa ví chính Mình như là "Đá Tảng". Ở đây, Chúa Giêsu nhắc lại những mối quan hệ trong giao ước giữa Thiên Chúa với dân Israel tại Sinai. Bất chấp tất cả những gì đã xảy ra trong lịch sử của Israel. Thiên Chúa vẫn luôn luôn trung thành với giao ước.

            Chúng ta nên tránh xa những nhà lãnh đạo sai quấy, những người tìm cách dẫn đưa chúng ta đến gần với họ hơn là đến gần với Thiên Chúa. Ơn gọi của chúng ta cũng như các môn đệ, là sống để làm theo ý muốn của Thiên Chúa và không ngừng xây dựng mối liên hệ giữa chúng ta và Thiên Chúa theo tinh thần của giao ước mới giữa Thiên Chúa và chúng ta. Đó là một cuộc sống biết dựa vào sự quan hệ với Thiên Chúa bằng niềm tin không thể sụp đổ, Với niềm tin vững mạnh vào Thiên Chúa chúng ta sẽ chẳng còn sợ gì, cho dù là sức mạnh của bảo tố cỡ nào đi nữa, thì nó cũng không thể lay chuyển được chúng ta.

 

Reflection:

            In his sermon, Jesus tells the people that when we build our house on sand, it is like building our faith on false leadership and false claims. This type of faith will not last. Instead, to build our house on a rock, means to “to build one’s life on God,” since God is Himself is “the Rock”. Here, Jesus recalls the covenant relationship established by God with the people of Israel at Sinai. Regardless of all that had happened in the history of Israel, God has always remained faithful to the covenant.

We should avoid false leadership or claims that seek to lead us closer, not to God, but to the leader himself or herself. Our call as disciples is to do God’s will and to constantly build on the covenant relationship between God and us. A life build on this covenant relationship with God cannot fall, no matter how strong the forces against it.

Lord, help me build my trust in You alone.

 

Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. Matthew 7:28–29

These lines conclude the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew’s Gospel chapters 5–7. In that lengthy sermon, Jesus touches on many topics and presents us with a summary of all we need to know in our lives of faith. In these concluding lines of His sermon, the words “astonished” and “authority” should stand out. Why were the crowds astonished at Jesus’ teaching? Because His teaching was new and relied upon a new authority that the people hadn’t experienced before.

The authority with which the scribes taught was based upon their knowledge of the traditions handed down to them from earlier teachers. The scribes studied long and hard and then presented what they had learned. This was the form of religious teaching that the people were used to receiving.

Jesus, however, arrived on the scene and astonished the crowds, because He spoke with a new authority that they had not seen before. Jesus’ authority came forth from His very Person. It was not based upon what He had studied and learned from those who preceded Him. Instead, when He spoke, it was He Himself Who was not only the mouthpiece of the New Law of grace, He was also the Author of the Law and its source.

Try to ponder the idea of authority. For example, a child knows that a parent has authority over them. They may not like it at times, but they understand that they do not set the rules of the house but must abide by the rules set by their parents. Or consider the authority of civil leaders. Law enforcement officers, for example, have an authority entrusted to them by their office. They are not only well versed in the rule of law, they can also enforce it and everyone knows it.

Similarly, Jesus did not just know about the new and glorious truths He taught. He did not simply learn them from the Father in Heaven and then pass them on verbally. Instead, when He taught, He did so as the One Who knew the New Law of grace, the One from Whom it originated, and the one and only Person sent to enact and enforce this New Law.

Reflect, today, upon the New Law of grace and mercy taught by our Lord, especially as it is contained in the lengthy Sermon on the Mount. Reading those words is much more than something we study and learn. The words themselves are alive; they are the Word of God. Reading them makes present to us the same authority that the crowds experienced in Jesus’ time. Everything Jesus taught was and is new, deep, profound, transforming and alive. And when He teaches it, He also establishes His divine authority to enforce it upon the world. This is good news, because His New Law is not an imposition; it is the one and only source of freedom and new life. Reflect upon this New Law of our Lord and pray that you will more fully come under its authority.

My glorious Lawgiver, You taught as One with authority. Today, as Your holy Word is read and proclaimed, You continue to exercise Your new and glorious authority of love and mercy. Please help me to listen to You and to always submit myself to Your authority so that I am governed by Your New Law of grace. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time  2024

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I want my house and my life to be built wisely on solid rock and not foolishly on shifting sand. I promise to listen to the life-giving words of your Son and act on them. May I accomplish your heavenly will in all that I do.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Last Kings of Judah: To understand the First Reading, it is good to recall that the reforms of King Hezekiah (715-686 B.C.) and King Josiah (640-609 B.C.) failed to stem the tide of divine judgment against the Kingdom of Judah. The sins of King Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, were abominable: Manasseh “not only rebelled against God’s covenant but perfected evil in Judah and Jerusalem as never before. He even sacrificed his own children on the fiery altar of the pagan god Molech and ordered the death of thousands of Jewish children on altars outside of Jerusalem” (Hahn, A Father Who Keeps His Promises, 223). These sins sealed the fate of Jerusalem and not even the reform of King Josiah was enough to correct the evil. “Despite Josiah’s desperate efforts to renew the covenant, Pharaoh Necho defeated and killed him in battle at Megiddo. Three months later [Necho] deposed Josiah’s son, Jehoahaz, and installed Jehoiakim as a puppet king. Jehoiakim’s ‘reign’ was therefore already bondage” (Levering, Ezra & Nehemiah, 40). Josiah’s son, Jehoiakim, reigned in Judah for eleven years, but “did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done” (2 Kings 23:37). In 605 B.C. the Babylonians marched into Palestine and made Judah a vassal state after defeating the Egyptians at the Battle of Carchemish (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The First and Second Book of the Kings, 108).

2. The Fall of Jerusalem: Two decades after the reforms of King Josiah, Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians in the spring of 597 B.C. and a major deportation of Judean exiles to Babylon occurred. The King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, carried away the royal family along with skilled workers and soldiers from Jerusalem. In place of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar appointed Mattaniah, Jehoiakim’s uncle, as king and changed his name to Zedekiah. In response to Zedekiah’s rebellion against Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar returned a decade later, in 586 B.C., to lay siege to Jerusalem and carry the Judeans away into captivity. The Book of Chronicles says this about Zedekiah’s reign: “He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God; he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord, the God of Israel. All the leading priests and the people likewise were unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 36:12-14). Psalm 78 is taken from Book Three of the Psalter. The Psalm “contrasts the promises of the Davidic kingdom and Zion with the reality of Israel in exile. If Israel is God's ‘inheritance’ why have the nations been allowed to overcome them? If God has loved Zion so much and has made it His sanctuary, why has God allowed his Temple to be defiled and destroyed? Like many of the Davidic psalms, it ends with a promise to offer todah [thanksgiving] once the restoration has occurred (v. 13)” (Barber, Singing in the Reign, 110).

3. The Conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount: In the Gospel, Jesus, the son of David, concludes his Sermon on the Mount with two teachings: the first is the need to do the will of the Father in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven; the second is to listen to Jesus’ words and act on them. The two teachings go hand in hand: Jesus is the one who reveals to us the will of the Father. Every time we read the Gospel in prayer we are listening to Jesus’ words. By keeping his commands, we remain in his love (John 15:10). God’s word enables us to find the path that leads to harmony with God’s loving will. In Jesus of Nazareth, Pope Benedict taught that we can discern God’s will and recognize it in our conscience, but that we also need Jesus to draw us up to himself and into himself, so that in communion with him we can learn God’s will (see Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, Vol. 1, 148-150).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you have built your house on rock. It will never fail or be destroyed. Teach me how to build my house properly. May I truly be in this world a Temple of your Spirit, a spiritual house of prayer, sacrifice, and merciful love.

Living the Word of God: How is my “house”? Are the foundations of my life – my faith – solid? What relationships are in urgent need of repair? What needs to be touched up? What needs to be remodeled? What needs to be expanded? Are the poor welcome in my house? Do people encounter God’s love in my house?

 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần thứ 12 Thường Niên

Trong thời đại của sự hài lòng tức thời và sự tiến bộ của kỹ thuật và công nghệ, chúng ta rất dễ bị nản lòng khi mọi thứ không theo ý muốn của chúng ta. Thánh giáo hoàng John Paul II gọi đó là " quán cà phê Công giáo ", nơi mà chúng ta chỉ chọn các nguyên tắc và giá trị thuận tiện cho chúng ta và chúng ta sẵn sàng bỏ qua các vấn đề khác. Có bao nhiêu người trong chúng ta hôm nay bị chế giễu tại chỗ làm việc vì chúng ta chịu đựng quá nhiều nỗi khó khăn và bị chê là chúng ta không thực tế? Hay chúng ta tự diễn giải về những lời giáo huấn của Giáo hội theo sở thích của chúng ta và hợp lý hóa cho những gì chúng ta thực sự biết là sai nhưng cố biện minh để làm cho nó có vẻ đúng?

            Thiên Chúa là tấm gương của chúng ta về sự trung tín. Ngài rất yêu chúng ta không phải "vì... " mà là "bất chấp". Như chúng ta được thấy hình ảnh trong các dụ ngôn về đứa con hoang đàng (Lc 15: 11-32) và những người làm công trong vườn nho (Mt 20: 1-16), tình yêu thương và sự độ lượng, nhân từ của Ngài dành cho mỗi người chúng ta đều như nhau. Ngài không dành sự thiên vị nhiều hơn cho những người "ngoan ngoãn hơn", "trung thành hơn" hay "chăm chỉ hơn", Niềm tin và tình yêu của Ngài dành cho mỗi người chúng ta không đổi, không ai hơn không ai kém hơn.

            Đức tin không phải là kết quả của những lời cầu xin hoàn toàn hay thành khẩn, không bị ảnh hưởng bởi những hoàn cảnh riêng biệt. Nhưng đức tin phải được tại nên như bất kỳ một mối quan hệ nào bằng với thời gian và nỗ lực. Cầu nguyện liên tục, thường xuyên lãnh nhận các bí tích và tìm cách nghe Lời Chúa thường xuyên hơn; những điều này sẽ giúp chúng ta giữ được đức tin của chúng ta mạnh mẽ, để khi chúng ta gặp phải khó khăn, chúng ta không nhanh chóng phàn nàn hay chạy trốn mà chúng ta phải hiên ngang đối mặt với những rắc rối, khó khăn của chúng ta và như thế, chúng ta sẽ nhìn thấy được có bàn tay của Chúa đang giúp và nâng đỡ chúng ta thoát khỏi những sự khốn khó và đem chúng đến với sự hoàn hảo. Khi chúng ta nhìn thế giới bằng đức tin, chúng ta không chỉ đơn giản nhìn thấy những cái tốt và xấu; thay vào đó, chúng ta thấy Thiên Chúa tiết lộ chính Ngài cho chúng ta.

 

REFLECTION

In this era of instant gratification and technological advancement, it is very easy to get discouraged when things do not go our way. Pope John Paul II called it "cafeteria Catholicism," where we choose only the principles and values that are convenient to us and ignore other issues. How many of us today would scoff at Job for enduring so much hardship and say he's not being practical? Or interpret the Church's teachings according to our preferences and rationalize or justify what we intrinsically know as wrong in order to make it seem right?

            God is our example of faithfulness. He loves us not "because of" but "in spite of." As illustrated in the parables of the prodigal son (Lk 15:11-32) and the workers in the vineyard (Mt 20:1-16), his love and generosity extend equally to all. He does not favor those who are "more obedient," "more loyal," or "more hardworking." His faith and love are constant.

            Faith is not the result of fulfilled petitions. It is not affected by circumstances. It is established like any relationship with time and effort. Constant communication (prayer), receiving sacraments, seeking to hear the Word of God – these helps keep our faith strong, so that when difficulties arise, we are not quick to complain and run away but rather face our troubles and see God's hand molding us into perfection. When we view the world with faith, we do not simply see good and bad; instead, we see God

Thứ Tư Sau Chúa Nhật 12 Thuờng niên

Thứ Tư Sau Chúa Nhật 12 Thuờng niên - Gospel Mt 7:15-20

Trong Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đã cảnh báo chúng ta rằng cái dáng bên ngoài có thể bị đánh lừa chúng ta. Chúng ta không thể chỉ đánh giá con người bởi sự cái dáng đẹp trai, hay xinh xắn bề ngoài, nhưng chúng ta phải tìm hiểu nội tâm và sự suy tính của người đó.  Một con sói có thể mặc da cừu, nhưng điều đó không làm cho nó trở thành một con cừu. Đó là một sự lừa gạt, nó cố tạo ra cái giáng con Cừu ngây thơ vô tội, nhưng thật tình nó giả cừu đề gần cừu và giết cừu con để ăn thịt. Một con cừu thật sự không bao giờ có thể ăn thịt đồng bọn, thực sự nó không bao giờ có thể làm được cái điều gian ác đó. Một con sói đội lốt cừu, nó có thể thay đổi hình dáng bề ngoài của nó nhưng sẽ không thể thay đổi cái bản chất bên trong nham hiểm độc ác của Sói. Sói vẫn hoàn là sói cho dù có có dáng dấp bề ngoài của nó là những thừ gì!.

            Nhìn những hành vi của mình, những người chung quanh chắc chắn sẽ thấy được cái bản chất thật của mình, chùm nho có được từ cây nho, và những bụi gai không thể nào sản xuất được những chùm nho, đó là bản tính tự nhiên của thiên nhiên. Trái táo không bao giờ có thể thấy từ một dây leo. Tất cả mọi thứ đều có tính chất bẩm sinh riêng biệt trong thiên nhiện

            Chúng ta cần phải nhận thức được việc đúng hay sai trong cuộc sống của chúng ta và sống theo luân lý đạo đức như một người chính trực. Tiên tri Isaia đã cảnh báo: " Khốn thay những kẻ bảo cái tốt là xấu, cái xấu là tốt,những kẻ biến tối thành sáng, sáng thành tối,(Ê-sai 5:20).

            Để chúng ta tránh được những sai lầm trong cuộc sống cá nhân của chúng ta, chúng ta phải thiết thực, thật lòng và tin tưởng nơi Thiên Chúa, với lời của Ngài, và ân sủng của Ngài đó đặc điểm và cá tính! Những người thực sự thành tâm với Thiên Chúa, họ biết rằng sức mạnh của họ không tùy thuộc chính bản thân họ, nhưng là tùy thuộc nơi Thiên Chúa, Thiên Chúa sẽ ban những gì chúng ta cần đến, Ngài luôn luôn ở bên cạnh và sẵn sàng giúp chúng ta mỗi khi cần.

            Thành quả của một môn đệ được đánh dấu bằng hy vọng, đức tin và tình yêu, công lý, thận trọng, dũng cảm và tiết độ. Để theo Chúa Giêsu Kitô, chúng ta cố nên tìm kiếm những việc làm hữu ích giống như việc trồng hoa quả tốt trong cuộc sống của chúng ta, xa lánh, chối bỏ bất cứ điều gì tạo ra hậu quả xấu xa.

             Chúng ta hãy cầu xin Chúa Giêsu Kitô, Chúa chúng ta giúp cho chúng ta biết can đảm để sinh hoa đẹp, trái tốt vì phần rỗi của chúng ta, chúng ta biết chối bỏ bất cứ những điều gian ác hay gây ra gương mù, gương xấu cho người chung quanh. Xin Chúa giúp chúng ta được lớn mạnh trong đức tin, hy vọng, tình yêu trong Chúa trong sự công bằng, bác ái.`

 

Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time - Gospel Mt 7:15-20

            In the Gospel today, Jesus warns us that appearances can be deceiving. We can’t just judge people by the appearance; we have to find out what’s inside the Heart and brain. A wolf can wear a sheepskin, but that doesn’t make him a sheep. It’s a trick. He’s trying to look innocent, but he wants to eat the sheep, something a real sheep could never do. A wolf in sheep clothing may change his outward appearance but does not change his inner nature. He is still a wolf regardless of his appearance, and his behavior will show his true nature. Grapes come from grapevines and nowhere else. Thorn bushes cannot produce grapes. It’s not in their nature.  Apples can never grow from an ivy tree. Everything has an innate nature that will show through.

            We need to be aware of a true or false teacher in our lives and live according to moral truth and upright character. The prophet Isaiah warned against the dangers of falsehood: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness (Isaiah 5:20). How do we avoid falsehood in our personal lives? By being true, true to God, his word, and his grace, and that takes character! Those who are true to God know that their strength lies not in themselves but in God who supplies what we need.   The fruit of a disciple is marked by faith, hope and love, justice, prudence, fortitude and temperance.  To follow Jesus Christ, we seek to cultivate good fruit in your life and reject whatever produces bad fruit.  We ask our Lord Jesus to give us the courage to bear good fruit for His sake and reject whatever will produce evil fruit. Ask Him to help us grow in faith, hope, love, sound judgment, justice, courage, and self control.

 

Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

“Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.” Matthew 7:16–17

“So by their fruits you will know them.” This is how our Gospel passage for today concludes. It offers us an exceptionally practical way by which you can discern the working of God in your own life and in the life of others.

When you look at your own life, what good fruit, born for the upbuilding of the Kingdom of God, do you see? Some people may find little to no fruit born, either for good or bad. Such complacency is, in and of itself, bad fruit. Other people may see an abundance of fruit, thus producing many consequences in this world. They influence the lives of many, and their public actions make a true difference. Sometimes for good…and other times for evil.

When discerning the actions of God in our world, we must first be very objective. The evil one is always very deceptive and regularly presents his bad fruit as good. For example, the legalization of abortion is often presented by many within our world as a “right to choose” or a “health service.” But the intentional death of any unborn child is clearly “bad fruit” from a “rotten tree.” There are even many so-called “humanitarian groups” or very wealthy “philanthropists” who present their work as “good fruit,” when it is anything but good. And on the contrary, there are many who work hard to bring forth a greater respect for life from the moment of conception to natural death, or strive to uphold the sacredness of marriage as God designed it, or work to promote the freedom to worship in accord with the will of God, but are labeled by the secular world as prejudiced, bigoted, fearmongers and even hateful. But their work, done very sacrificially, truly does bear good fruit for the Kingdom of God.

How about your own life? When you examine your actions and the fruit born of those actions, from where does that fruit originate? Does it come from a false sense of compassion, a misguided “charity,” and a fear of being criticized for standing for the truth? Or does it come from a deep love of God, an awareness of the truth God has revealed to us, and through a courageous proclamation of the pure Gospel?

Good fruit, born from the heart of the Father in Heaven, will always mirror the truths of our faith. A false sense of compassion, false accusations, persecutions and the like will flow from the rotten trees in our world. We must work diligently to be those good trees that bear the good fruit coming from God. This requires a radical commitment to do what is right in the face of the evil all around us.

Reflect, today, upon these images Jesus presents. Do you see clearly both the good and bad fruit around you? Is your life helping to foster the lies of the evil one or the truth and love of God? Look at the fruit your life bears, as well as the fruit within our world, in an objective way, comparing it to the clear and unambiguous teachings of Jesus. Seek out that good fruit with all your heart and do all you can to bring it forth, no matter the cost, and you will not only save your soul, you will also help feed others with the good fruit of Heaven.

My Lord of all truthfulness, You and You alone define the good and evil in our world. Your truth reveals the good fruit that is born to nourish the growth of Your glorious Kingdom. Give me courage and clarity of mind and heart so that I may continually do all that You call me to do so as to bring the good fruit of the Kingdom to all in need. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time 2024

 Opening Prayer: Lord God, I want to be a good tree in your orchard. Prune me and nourish me so that I may bear good fruit for your Kingdom. Cut away the stubbornness of my heart. Fill me with the warm light of your Son and the life-giving water of your Spirit.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Warning against False Prophets: In the Gospel today, Jesus warns his followers to be on guard against false prophets, who claim to speak for God, but actually teach in opposition to the Gospel. They are wolves dressed like sheep. How can we distinguish false prophets from true teachers? “Jesus tells us to examine their behavior. On the principle that like produces like, we are to evaluate the fruits of their lives. If their actions and their character show forth good things such as grapes and figs, then the prophet is a good and trustworthy tree. However, if the works of the alleged prophet produce prickly thistles or a harvest of bad fruit, then he has blown his cover – the self-styled prophet is really a rotten tree that cannot be trusted” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 120).

2. Josiah, the Last Good King of Judah: The First Reading records the discovery of the Book of the Law in the Temple, while King Josiah reigned. When the Book of Sirach praises the great men of the Bible, it says this about King Josiah (640-609 BC): “The memory of Josiah is like a blending of incense prepared by the art of the perfumer; it is sweet as honey to every mouth, and like music at a banquet of wine. He was led aright in converting the people and took away the abominations of iniquity. He set his heart upon the Lord; in the days of wicked men he strengthened godliness” (Sirach 49:1-3). The only truly good kings of Judah were Hezekiah and Josiah. In Chronicles, Hezekiah and Josiah are each described as authentic sons of David; each acts like a new Solomon without Solomon’s faults. Already as a boy, Josiah “began to seek the God of David his father,” and he “walked in the ways of David his father” (2 Chronicles 34:2-3). Josiah was a religious and liturgical reformer: he was “zealous for the temple and the organization of the Levitical ministry and liturgy” (Hahn, The Kingdom of God as Liturgical Empire, 183). Josiah’s reform and renewal efforts (around 622 B.C.) were a response to finding the Book of the Law in the Temple. “He receives this book as the word of God, and it leads him to repentance and to seek prophetic insight and guidance so as to better understand it and order the life of the kingdom by its precepts” (Hahn, The Kingdom of God as Liturgical Empire, 183-184). He renewed and reestablished the covenant and enshrined God’s Law once more as the heart of the kingdom’s spiritual and community life. Josiah is the only king of Judah to fulfill the threefold injunction of Deuteronomy 6:5: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” As the author of Second Kings, writes: “Before him [Josiah] there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might” (2 Kings 23:25).

3. Josiah’s Reforms and the Prophet Zephaniah: Josiah instituted ten reform measures for Judah and two for the northern kingdom (for Bethel and Samaria) (2 Kings 23:4-18). The destruction of the altar at Bethel is noteworthy: “Bethel had been a holy site since the days of Jacob (Genesis 28:10-15; 35:1-4). But under Jeroboam I who established a golden calf there, it had become an idolatrous shrine, and under Jeroboam II it was identified as ‘the king’s sanctuary, and... a temple of the kingdom’ (Amos 7:13). Ancient pedigree notwithstanding, the altar at Bethel was destroyed by Josiah, who also ordered the destruction of all other worship sites in Samaria. In his religious vision for Judah, the Temple in Jerusalem was to be the only place of authorized worship of [the Lord]. This conforms to the prescriptions of Deuteronomy 12” (Leclerc, Introduction to the Prophets, 209). Zephaniah was one of the prophets who prophesied during the reign of King Josiah and his prophecies can be seen as either anticipating Josiah's reform efforts (if he prophesied before 622 B.C.) or supporting them (if he prophesied after 622). The dominant theme of his book is the Day of the Lord: God is coming to judge and punish in response to the pervasive sin of Judah and its neighboring cities. Zephaniah’s judgment culminates with the indictment of Jerusalem and, like the prophet Micah, he “indicts the entire ruling establishment for its wrongdoing: the officials, judges, prophets and priests” (Leclerc, Introduction to the Prophets, 215). God, we are told, will seek out and put an end to these evildoers. Even though the threat of exile and destruction looms over the people, Zephaniah refers to the survival of the remnant of Judah. From this remnant, the people of Judah will be recreated; they will no longer be proud or haughty but rather humble and lowly. They will seek the Lord, “they shall do no wrong and utter no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths” (Zephaniah 3:13). God will defeat those who oppress his people and bring his people home and restore their fortunes.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the Davidic king and good shepherd who protects me from the ravenous wolves dressed as sheep. Take the fruit I produce today, purify it, transform it, and offer it to the Father as a pleasing sacrifice.

Living the Word of God: What kind of fruit have I produced for the Kingdom of God? Am I swayed by the messages of false prophets? Or am I like King Josiah, who places God’s Word at the center of his life, and seeks to love God with all his being?

 

Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer: Lord help me to deeply embrace your teaching in these lines of Scripture so that, by your grace, I produce only good fruit.

Encountering Christ:

Beware: False prophets have always plagued believers. These days, many succumb to false prophets such as politicians, Hollywood stars, or Instagram influencers. The fruits of these prophets are divisiveness, confusion, loneliness, and disorientation. People look for God on apps like HeadSpace, in meditation closets, or exercise classes, completely missing that God revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Our Lord counseled us to “beware” of these “rotten trees.” Like all false prophets, these lead us away from truth and happiness. If we partake of their fruit, we will not experience the peace and joy Our Lord wants to give us. 

Bearing Good Fruit: Jesus said good trees bear good fruit and cannot bear rotten fruit. Spiritually speaking, why is this so? Because good trees are rooted in Christ and fed by the Spirit. They know they owe their existence to God and give glory to him in their goodness. The fruit they bear is the spiritual consequence of a life aligned with God’s will for them. Their fruit is God’s doing, not theirs. 

You Will Know Them:  If it’s possible to know false prophets by their bad fruit, why are so many people taken in by them? One possibility is that people choose the “low-hanging bad fruit” over the less accessible good fruit. To discern good fruit from bad fruit, we must know Jesus Christ. We have to put some effort into reading, studying, asking questions–in other words, seeking–and praying. As we draw closer to Christ he gives us ways to discern good fruit from bad fruit, and good trees from bad ones. As we grow in holiness, not only do we more easily recognize good fruit, but by his work within us, we bear good fruit of our own, such as forgiveness, humility, chastity, love, mercy, and self-control. 

Conversing with Christ:  Lord, false prophets abound, and their fruit seems attractive and satisfying. Protect me and those I love from consuming bad fruit. May your presence be so powerful within me that I cannot help but bear good fruit for your glory. 

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will ardently pray for the leaders in our world who are drawing people away from the Gospel. 

 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Tư, tuần 13 Thường Niên

            Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay cho chúng ta thấy rằng ma quỷ có thật, hiện hữu và chúng luôn tìm cách để xâm nhập vào tâm hồn và ngay cả thân xác để hãm hãi chúng ta. Ma quỷ luôn tìm cách để tách biệt chúng ta ra khỏi tình yêu của Thiên Chúa bằng cách cám dỗ và làm cho chúng ta mù quáng và không nhìn nhận ra đâu là sự thật, và ngăn cản chúng ta làm những gì đẹp lòng Thiên Chúa.

            Làm thế nào ma quỷ và sự ác có thể thành công trong việc áp đạt quyền lực của chúng trên chúng ta?  Ma quỷ sẽ tìm cách và làm bất cứ điều gì khiến cho mọi người chúng ta phải tách rời xa Thiên Chúa, chẳng hạn như việc chúng làm cho chúng ta tin rằng chúng ta là bậc thầy của chính mình, bằng cách tập trung và đạt sự chú tâm của chúng ta vào các giá trị bên ngoài, như tham lam,ích kỷ, tự đại...

            Một khi chúng ta đang sống trong đường lối của Thiên Chúa trong tình yêu, chân lý và sự thật, Nhưng nếu chúng ta lại để cho bóng tối, với tham vọng và những lời nói dối len lỏi vào trong tâm hồn của chúng ta vả từ đó ma quỷ sẽ nắm lấy cơ hội đó đễ làm chúng ta khoe khoang, chia rẽ chúng ta và Thiên Chúa. Tuy nhiên, Thiên Chúa sẽ bao bỏ rơi chúng ta mà Ngài còn ban cho chúng ta những ân sủng và cứu chúng ta trong những tình huống tuyệt vọng, ngay cả những khi chúng ta đã làm những việc mất lòng Chúa như Chúa Giêsu đã giải thoát và cứu chữa người bị quỷ ám trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay. Điều duy nhất mà chúng ta cần phải làm là phải biết đặt niềm tin của chúng ta trong bàn tay thương yêu vô biên của Chúa, hãy tin tưởng và chắc chắn rằng Ngài sẽ không bao giờ bỏ rơi chúng ta.

            Lạy Chúa, xin giải thoát chúng con thoát khỏi mọi sự dữ của những điều gian ác, và những sự cám dỗ của tội lỗi và  ma quỷ.

 

REFLECTION WEDNESDAY, 12TH Week in Ordinary Time (2017)

     We live in a world of contradictions. Lots of people today say one thing but mean another. It is easy to be victims of so-called religious leaders who show compassion but have hidden agenda; they know and say the right words, like a performance they do.

      But as much as we need to be wary of false prophets and others who use religion to advance their selfish intentions, we do have to reflect on how we should live our Christian faith.

      A leader I knew and respected told me that the worst thing you could do to a person is to make him/her believe that you care for him/her, when indeed you do not. A so-called leader by name could do that, but a true leader strives to make a genuine connection with others, know them well and see where they are coming from.

      Jesus lived and taught the people in the way he wanted us to live. He made efforts to know his followers, to know their dreams and their fears. He connected with those he met, sinners and true followers. He did this out of his love for

people. It is this kind of love he urges us to live.

      There are no prerequisites to the following of Christ: it is free of hypocrisy and of trappings. All we have to do is to love Christ and allow ourselves to be loved by him: no pre­conditions or pretenses needed.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Ba 12th Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Ba 12th Thường Niên
Hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đã đưa ra cho chúng ta ba lời khuyên: Lời khuyên đầu tiên, "Không đem vật thánh cho cho chó, hoặc ném ngọc trai trước mõn lợn.
            Chúa Giêsu đã cho chúng ta thấy sự tương phản giữa vật hiếm quý như ngọc trai và của thánh, và những con vật dơ bẩn như chó và lợn. Ngọc trai là vật có giá trị rất lớn và thậm chí được coi là vô giá được đem ra so với sự thánh thiện bởi vì Thiên Chúa là đấng thánh, là tất cả,  Ngài mời gọi chúng ta đến để chia sẻ sự thánh thiện vô cùng quý báu và vô giá, ở đây Chúa Giêsu muốn nói đến sự quan tâm của Ngài là Đức tin trong sự tinh khiết. Một đức tin mà đã được Thiên Chúa thánh hóa.         
            Theo các giáo huấn của Giáo hội đã dạy:  Không ai được nhận lãnh Mình và Máu Thánh Chúa ngoại trừ những người đã được rửa tội và đã xưng tội, dọn mình sạch sẽ, vì thế mà Chúa đã nói: "Không cho chó những gì là vật thánh" Chúa Giêsu mời gọi chúng ta đến tham dự vào bàn tiệc Thánh với Người, nhưng chúng ta phải đến một cách xứng đáng.
            Chúa Giêsu đã tóm lược giáo lý trong Cựu Ước "bất cứ điều gì bạn muốn người ta làm cho bạn, bạn hãy làm như vậy với họ" (Mt 7:12). Luật yêu thương không phải chỉ là đòi hỏi bạn tránh gây thương tích hoặc gây tổn hại cho người khác, Nhưng tình yêu tuyệt vời là một tình yêu đòi hỏi vô điều kiện và Tình yêu này phải được tỏ ra cho tất cả mọi người.
            Nếu chúng ta có thể làm cả những gì điều trên, chúng ta đã đi đúng đường mà Chúa muốn. Con đường dẫn chúng ta đến cuộc sống đời đời. Chúa đã cho chúng ta sự tự do lựa chọn con đường mà chúng ta sẽ đi, Con đường rộng thênh thang hay con đường nhỏ hẹp gồ gề khó đi.  Xin Chúa cho chúng ta được khôn ngoan để chọn con đường sẽ dẫn đến cuộc sống đời đời hơn là con đường dẫn đến cái chết và sự tiêu diệt..
            Nếu chúng ta để tình yêu và sự khôn ngoan của Thiên Chúa cai trị tâm hồn chúng ta, chúng ta có thể tin tưởng vào sự hướng dẫn và ân sủng của Người để đi theo con đường của tình yêu và sự thánh thiện
 
Reflection Tuesday 12th Odinary Gospel Mt 7:6, 12-14
Today, the Lord makes three recommendations. The first one, “Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine”. Second one: “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you”. And the third one is: “Enter through the narrow gate.” Jesus makes a contrast in which “assets” are associated with “pearls” and to what “is holy”; and “dogs and pigs” to what is impure. Pearls were of very great value and even considered priceless. The same with holiness because God is all-holy and he invites us to share in his holiness which is very precious and priceless as well. Jesus’ concern here is purity, the purity of the faith which has been entrusted to us by God the most holy.  The early church referenced this expression with the Eucharist. According to the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, a first century church manual stated: Let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist except those baptized into the name of the Lord; for, as regards this, the Lord has said, 'Do not give what is holy to dogs.' The Lord Jesus invites us to his table, but we must approach worthily. 
            Jesus summed up the teaching of the Old Testament law “So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them” (Matthew 7:12). The law of love requires more than simply avoiding injury or harm to one's neighbor. Perfect love, a love which is unconditional and which reaches out to all, always seeks the good of others for their sake and gives the best we can offer for their welfare. When we love our neighbors and treat them in the same way we wish to be treated. Loving God with all that we have and are and loving our neighbor as ourselves. How can we love our neighbor selflessly and show them kindness and concern for their welfare?  If we empty our hearts of all unkind and unloving thoughts and sentiments, then there will only be room for kindness, goodness, charity, and mercy. Saint Paul reminds us in the letter to the Romans that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Romans 5:5).  It is the love of God that fuels our unconditional love for others, let the Holy Spirit transform our life with the purifying fire of God's love.  If we can do both what recommends above, we are on the right track the way that leads to fulfillment and life versus the way that leads to destruction and death. The Lord gives us freedom to choose which way we will go. Ask him for the wisdom to know which way will lead to life rather than to death and destruction. In the book of Deuteronomy teach us: “See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil. ...Therefore choose life that you and your descendants may live (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). If we allow God's love and wisdom to rule our hearts, then we can trust in his guidance and grace to follow the path of love and holiness.
 
Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.” Matthew 7:13–14
Is fear helpful? That depends. It depends upon which form of fear we are speaking of. First, there is a form of fear that is contrary to faith. It’s a fear that leads us to doubt and even despair. It’s a fear that results from the attack of the evil one and others who may sin against us. This form of fear is unhealthy and must be overcome through a faith that turns to our Lord with the utmost confidence and hope.
But there is also a holy fear that is most useful and one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Recall the Proverb that says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…” (Proverbs 9:10). At a minimal level, this holy fear makes you aware of your sins and the consequences of those sins, especially serious sin. And this holy fear leads you to fear the punishment that results from sin, leading you to avoid serious sin. But the ideal form of “fear of the Lord” we must strive for is “filial fear,” which is the holy fear of a son or daughter of God. This fear is one that is grounded in a profound love of God and leaves you so filled with a wonder and awe of the glory, goodness and majesty of God that you are filled with a desire to please Him and give Him great glory with your life. Thus, this “fear” leads you to a desire to avoid even the smallest of sin, because, in your love of God, you not only want to avoid offending Him, you also want to honor Him to the greatest extent possible.
The Scripture passage above should lead us to, at a minimum, a fear of not entering the gate to the “road that leads to life.” It is useful to consider Jesus’ teaching in a very straightforward way. Jesus essentially says that it is quite easy to walk through the gate that is “wide” and down the road that is “broad” in this life. In other words, it’s exceptionally easy to embrace a life of sin and head toward “destruction.” Jesus further says that those who walk through this wide gate and down this broad road are “many.” This fact should be the cause of our honest daily examination. If this broad road is so easy, then we should honestly admit that we can easily find ourselves walking it.
The “narrow gate” and the “constricted” road are found and walked by only a “few,” according to Jesus’ words. Again, we should take notice of this and take it seriously. Jesus would not say this if it were not true. Therefore, if the gift of the fear of the Lord is alive in your life, and if you truly are a son or daughter of God, then you will daily strive to be one of those “few” who find this narrow way to holiness. And, ideally, you will do so out of your love for God and your desire to give Him the greatest glory you can.
Reflect, today, upon this challenging teaching of our Lord. Take Him at His word and evaluate your life in light of this teaching. What are you doing in life to be certain that you are one of those few who have begun to walk through this narrow gate? Does your love for God leave you with such a wonder and awe of the greatness of God that your deepest desire is to not only please Him but to glorify Him fully with your actions? Strive to enter the narrow gate and the constricted road and do not turn back. Though this requires much determination, sacrifice and love, the goal and end of the road are worth it.
My most magnificent Lord, You and You alone are worthy of all glory, honor and praise. May everything I do in life lead to Your glory and may I avoid everything that harms my relationship with You. I love You, dear Lord. Help me to love You and glorify You with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
 Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you have entrusted me with awesome gifts. I am a steward of the sacred. I have received the natural gift of life and the supernatural gift of eternal life. I receive the Body and Blood of your Son in the Eucharist and your mercy in Reconciliation. Do not let me cast these gifts away but guide me to use them as I journey on the narrow path to you.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Bringing the Sermon to a Close with the Golden Rule: In Matthew 7, Jesus begins to conclude the Sermon on the Mount with a series of insights into how we should live in the Kingdom of God. The Gospel Jesus preached and the Kingdom he established are holy and are like pearls that have been entrusted to us. We are commanded by Jesus to not misuse these gifts or waste them. We should not profane what is sacred. Jesus summarizes his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount with the golden rule: “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.” Ultimately, what we desire is love – to be in a loving relationship with God and with our brothers and sisters. We want God and others to be merciful toward us, and so we are called to practice mercy. We want to be forgiven by God and by others, and so we are called to forgive. We want God and others to be truthful, faithful, and just, and so we are called to be truthful, faithful, and just. We want others to use their material wealth for the good of society and the poor, and so we are called to use our material goods properly.
2. The Narrow Gate: Human life is often presented in the Bible as a choice between two ways. For example, the story of Adam and Eve was a choice between loving and obeying God and eating from the Tree of Life and rejecting and disobeying God and eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses placed before the People of Israel death and misery, life and happiness (Deuteronomy 30:1-5). He urged them to choose life! Jesus also uses the image of two different paths that lead to two different outcomes. There is the wide gate and road that many choose that lead to destruction and death. There is also the narrow gate and road that few find that lead to flourishing and life.
3. Good King Hezekiah: The story of Israel’s and Judah’s kings is often tragic. None of Israel’s 19 kings are good and only a few of the 19 kings of Judah are good. One of the good kings was Hezekiah, who reigned from 729-686 B.C. Hezekiah trusted in the Lord and did what was right in the eyes of the Lord (2 Kings 18:3). He was a reformer who destroyed the idols being worshipped in Judah. When threatened with invasion by Sennacherib and the Assyrians, Hezekiah at first sought the military support of the Egyptians even though the prophet Isaiah counseled against it (Isaiah 30:1-5; 31:1-3). The First Reading tells us that Hezekiah went to the Temple of the Lord and humbly prayed to be delivered from Sennacherib. “Hezekiah rends his garments in mourning because of the Assyrians’ mockery of Yahweh and goes immediately to the Temple to pray for the Lord’s help. There he addresses God as the creator of heaven and earth, enthroned above the cherubim and king over all the kingdoms of the world. This confession of the ultimate kingship of Yahweh is a remarkable renewal of Israel’s ancient faith in God as their true king and deliverer” (Gray and Cavins, Walking with God, 192). Isaiah delivered God’s reply to Hezekiah, pronouncing judgment on the arrogant Assyrians and words of comfort for Jerusalem. Sennacherib’s army will lay siege to Jerusalem but be mysteriously vanquished by a plague. Hezekiah composed a song of thanksgiving for his deliverance, promising to sin of God’s salvation all the days of his life. “He recounts how God has ‘cast all my sins behind [God’s] back’ (Isaiah 38:17), signaling his understanding that the heart of redemption is not physical well-being but the forgiveness of sins” (Gray and Cavins, Walking with God, 193). Hezekiah did not cast the pearl of the kingdom before the swine of the Assyrians. He walked through the narrow gate in humility and attained life.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, the narrow gate and road are the path you took. I want to follow you on that path and carry my cross each day. Strengthen my resolve to continue on the way that leads to eternal life with the Father and the Church in glory.
Living the Word of God: Which gate and road have you chosen? If you are on the wide path, ask God to show you the narrow path and place you on it. If you are already on the narrow path, who can you invite to join you as you journey toward eternal life? Ask God to enlighten you in prayer as to why the path is narrow.
 
Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer: 
Lord, these are sobering words. Enlighten me and help me to draw the lessons from this reflection that you have for me on this day.
Encountering Christ:
1.              Pearls to Swine: What a vivid description Our Lord used to show us how he wants us to evangelize! When we speak of the beauty of knowing Christ to others, love demands that we first prayerfully assess their receptivity. It takes mature discernment to know what to say, how to say it, and when it will be well received. If we’re overly enthusiastic, too forceful, or speak in a churchy tone (i.e., quoting line-and-verse of the latest encyclical to someone who doesn’t even know Jesus), our listener may “tear us to pieces.” Additionally, if we overshare or proffer books, website links, etc., too much too soon, we may fail as the Lord’s emissary. Jesus wants his disciples to communicate first and foremost his love. For this purpose, he sent his Spirit to teach us what to say (Luke 12:12).
2.              The Golden Rule: What a world we would live in if people abided by the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Our workplaces, our homes, and our communities would be a little slice of heaven on earth. This rule of life applies equally to Christians and non-Christians because the point of reference for behavior is not Christ, per se, but ourselves. However, Christ told us later in the Gospel of John to do what he has done (John 13:15). In this case, the model for our behavior is Christ himself. Not only are we to do for others what we would have them do to us, but we are called to imitate Christ’s love for others: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). We can fulfill this lofty command only by relying on the Lord’s grace.
3.              The Narrow Gate: We can certainly surmise, looking around at our current culture, that there are many broad roads leading to destruction. But, as faithful followers of Christ, how are we expected to respond to Our Lord’s description of the narrow and constricted gate that leads to life? Only a few find it. How many is “a few”? Would this “few” include me, my family members, those I pray for, my grandparents, my future grandchildren? The best response to Jesus’s warning is to practice the sometimes elusive virtue of hope. “Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 1817). Full of hope, we emanate peace in our dealings with others, reflecting the love of Christ in our countenance. 
Conversing with Christ: Lord, in these short lines of Scripture your admonitions are very challenging. I need to be discerning before I speak about you, to love others as you love them, and to enter through the narrow gate. And of course, I want to bring my loved ones with me. Without your grace, I can truly do none of these things. You make it very clear that I am to love you, depend on you, and trust you with everything and everyone I care about. Please send your Holy Spirit to bring me peace and confidence so that I may radiate not anxiety of any kind, but only your joy.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will pray ardently for those you place on my heart and have hope that you will bring them through the narrow gate to heaven

Suy Niệm in Mừng Thứ Hai Tuần thứ 12 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm in Mừng Thứ Hai Tuần thứ 12 Thường Niên

Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu đã dậy chúng ta không nên phán xét bất cứ ai và chúng ta cũng chẳng có quyền xét đoán ai cả (ngoài chúa Giêsu là đấng thẩm phán nhân từ) bởi chúng ta không thể hiểu những gì đã và đang xảy ra cho người khác và chúng ta chẳng hiểu nổi những đau khổ riêng của họ. Hơn nữa chúng ta không có đủ những sự kiện bằng cớ để lên án người khác. 

            Chúa Giêsu đã nói một trong những lý do mà chúng ta thường làm hằng ngày là lên án người khác vì muốn tìm cách để dìm họ xuống và đưa mình lên cao hơn hơn ai hết. Trong khi chúng ta đang săm soi tập trung vào những thiếu sót nhỏ nhặt của người khác, mà chúng ta không nhìn ra cái sai, cái xấu của mình vì chúng ta đang bận rộn và tìm cách để che đậy những cái khuyết điểm nghiêm trọng của chính chúng ta; trong đó có những tội nói hành, nói xấu, nói sau lưng người khác đệ uy tín của họ.   Mặt khác, chúng ta thường không thích hay miễn cưỡng để khen thưởng hay khíck lệ hay đánh giá về một người nào đó một cách khách quan.

Hôm nay Chúa muốn chúng ta hãy chịu khó nhìn vào chính mình một trung thực hơn và không nên xét đoán, phê bình những người khác một ách tiêu cực, Bời vì chúng ta thường nghĩ tốt về mình và nghĩ xấu về người khác, thích khoe khoang về mình nhiều hơn là những gì chúng ta cần phải nghĩ đến về những người khác nữa.

Lạy Chúa xin giúp chúng con biết lắng nghe, và đừng bao giờ xét đoán người khác, biết khiến tốn mà không khoe khoang về chính mình và nghĩ tới sự thật, và biết tôn trọng những người khác.

 

12th Week in Ordinary Time

There must be few of us to whom today’s Gospel does not apply. How many of us can say that we never sit in judgment on others, that we never speak disparagingly of others? Gossiping is one of our favorite pastimes and it is done mostly in the absence of those we criticize. We don’t have the courage to say things to a person's face.

Yet, as Jesus says, we have no right to pass judgment on anyone because, so much of the time, we simply do not have all the facts nor can we enter into the mind of another person. And, as Jesus says, one of the reasons we knock people down is to lift ourselves up. While we are nitpicking focusing on the trivial failings of others, we are actually trying to cover up our own much more serious shortcomings — of which behind-the-back bitching of others is one. On the other hand, we are often very slow to offer an objective appraisal of another person when asked.    

Let us take an honest look at ourselves and reflect on the content of our conversations with others. It usually says a lot more about ourselves than what we think we are saying about others.

 

12th Week in Ordinary Time

Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Jesus said to his disciples: “Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?” Matthew 7:1–3

Sadly, this tendency is far more common than most of us would like to admit. We live in a world in which it is very common to condemn, criticize and judge. This growing secular tendency, in turn, powerfully influences our thinking and actions.

Why is it so easy to judge others? Why is it so easy to see the failures of others, dwell on their sin, point out their weaknesses and speak of their faults to others? Perhaps part of the reason is that many people are not at peace within their own souls. In an unfortunate way, condemning another brings with it a certain twisted satisfaction. But it’s a “satisfaction” that will never satisfy. The desire to condemn, criticize and judge will only grow all the stronger the more these actions are committed. If you struggle with these sins, then listen to the words of Jesus. “Stop judging…”

Oftentimes the person who judges others does not even realize they are judging. This is why our Lord poses the question, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?” If that stings even a little bit, then know that our Lord asks that question of you. And He asks it with deep love for you, desiring that you will hear Him, understand, and respond. 

The truth is that being judgmental of others causes far more harm to the one who judges than to the one who is judged. Certainly being judged is not pleasant. But the act of being judged by others is not a sin. However, the act of judging others is a sin. And it can be a grave sin. This sin leaves the one who judges with an empty and angry heart. Love is lost in the soul who judges.

If these words seem unpleasant, that’s because they are. But sometimes we need to face the unpleasant truth in order to change. The Cross was unpleasant, but it was also the greatest act of love ever known. Facing our sin of judgmentalness is unpleasant, but doing so is the only way to be free. Honesty with ourselves is an act of love given to God, to ourselves and to those whom we need to stop judging.

Reflect, today, upon these challenging words from Jesus. Read the Scripture passage above a few times and then prayerfully ponder it. Use it as an examination of your own conscience. Try to be honest, humble and attentive to any ways that Jesus speaks this to you. Some will find that they have grave tendencies toward judgmentalness. Others will see less serious ways. But everyone who lacks complete perfection will find some ways in which they need to be more compassionate, merciful, forgiving and understanding of others. Be open to these truths and allow our Lord to lift the heavy burden of this sin from your own life.

My merciful Lord, You and You alone are the true Judge. Only You judge with mercy and justice. Give me the grace I need to abandon my own self-righteous judgmentalness so that I will be free to love You and to love others with my whole heart. Free me from the burden of these sins, dear Lord, so that I can more easily see Your goodness in others and rejoice in Your presence in their lives. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

12th Week in Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer: 

Lord, you know human nature so well! Bless me as I reflect on your words so that I may be a messenger of your mercy, not of judgment.

Encountering Christ:

1.         Stop Judging: Jesus’s command was pretty clear in this passage—in one sense. Rash judgment and criticism of others is a sin, one that can easily become a habitual pattern of mind and speech. It is this tendency Jesus warns us against here. Why is it that, in an emotional encounter, it can be a lot easier to criticize someone than to stay silent or praise them? Jesus said, “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). We need to form our hearts to look at the positive in life’s circumstances! As St. Maximilian Kolbe says, “Do not criticize! To speak only of the faults of others does not represent total reality, for every man, in addition to his faults, also has virtues, a good side.” 

2.         Judging Has Consequences: Did you ever notice that when you smile at a stranger, he or she has a tendency to smile back? A small sliver of heavenly joy has been shared between two souls. Unfortunately, however, when we adopt a critical caustic tone toward others, they tend to respond with the same tone, and no joy has been exchanged. Perhaps blinded by the wooden beam in our own eye, we have closed ourselves off to a sharing of goodness by judging the other. What we fail to notice is the presence of a divine spark in that person. Jesus is there, even if they’re not aware of it. A harsh word spoken against our brother or sister is spoken against Christ.  

3.         Removing His Splinter: Jesus calls us to live virtuous lives (to extract the beam from our own eyes) so that we can prayerfully judge the actions of others. How else are we to remove the splinter from our brother’s eye? Once we have identified the beam in our own eye and realized our complete dependence on God for the grace to reform, we are ready, with great charity, to identify a splinter in another’s eye and strive to help remove it as an act of familial love. 

Conversation with Christ: Lord, over and over again you call me to recognize my sinful nature, the beam in my eye, and turn to you for mercy and forgiveness. Then, full of love and gratitude for the freedom I have been given to live as a child of the Father, humbled not hypocritical, I am prepared to approach others as an extension of your mercy and invite them to turn away from sin. This loving fraternal correction bears no resemblance to criticism or rash judgment that stems from a hardened heart.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will examine myself for “beams” that blind me from seeing your presence in my brother or sister.

 

Monday 12th in Ordinary (Bishop Baron) Time 2017

            Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus commands us to stop judging others. He asks, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?” We are exceptionally good at seeing the fault in others, but we are exceptionally adept at ignoring it in ourselves.          There was a very popular book that came out when I was a teenager. It was called, I’m Okay and You’re Okay. It represented the culture of exculpation and feel-good-about-yourself. Not many years ago, Christina Aguilera crooned, “I am beautiful in every single way and your words can’t get me down.” Look at so many of the debates today: the attitude that is winning is one of self-invention and self-assertion. Who are you to tell me how to behave?

            In all of this, we are fundamentally looking away from our guilt, our fault, our darkness. We are effectively drugging ourselves, dulling the pain of real self-consciousness. In the process, we turn ourselves into God, pretending to be absolute, flawless, and impervious to criticism. So “remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye..”