Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Mathêu Thứ Tư Tuần 21 TN-

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Mathêu Thứ Tư Tuần 21 TN-23:27-32
            Thật dịp tốt để chúng ta thấy chính bản thân của chúng ta trong hình ảnh người Biệt Phái trong bài Phúc Âm hôm nay. Điều nguy hiểm nhất là khi chúng ta nghĩ rằng những lời quở mắng của Chúa Giêsu chỉ dành cho những người bà con hàng xóm láng giềng của chúng ta mà không phải cho chính chúng ta. Chúa Giêsu nói với chúng ta hôm nay trong Tin Mừng. Ngài cảnh báo chúng ta rằng chúng ta đưa ra những luật pháp và luân lý đạo đức để làm tăng thêm gánh nặng cho người khác trong khi chúng ta được miễn trừ hay tự tha thứ cho mình vì tội lỗi và hành vi tội lỗi mà chúng ta đã mắc phạm. Chúng ta dễ dàng dùng miệng lưỡi để giải thích với những cách trình bày hợp lý và chúng ta vặn vẹo, lúng túng biện minh cho tội lỗi của chúng ta, trong khi đó chúng ta thích chỉ trích, lên án, phán xét và tất cả những người khác dưới ánh sáng mặt trời, cho dù họ bất cứ là ai, là bạn bè hay là các đối thủ cạnh tranh của chúng ta, hay họ là những người bà con hàng xóm và những người thân của chúng ta. Ví thế, đối với điều này mà Chúa gọi chúng ta là những người mù.
            Chúng ta bị mù bởi vì chúng ta không nhìn thấy tội lỗi của chúng ta. Chúng ta cần phải rửa sạch bên trong cái chén trước khi chúng ta có thể rữa sạch cái chén bên ngoài. Và vì cái chén đó có chứa đầy tất cả các lỗi lầm, tội lỗi bên trong đó mà chúng ta đã mắc phạm mỗi ngày trong cuộc sống thường nhật của chúng ta. Chúa Giêsu đã uống từ cái chén này, đã uống cạn tội lội lỗi, tính hư nết xấu, những tham vọng của chúng ta. Ngài rửa sạch bên trong cái chén đó và đã tha thứ tất cả các tội lỗi của chúng ta. Và vì vậy chúng ta phải vượt qua chính mình để ân sủng của Thiên Chúa giúp chúnga biết tha thứ cho những người xúc phạm đến chúng ta.
 
REFLECTION Wednesday 21^st Ordinary Time
It is good to see ourselves inside this Gospel as Pharisees. The greatest danger is to think that these words are meant for our neighbor and not for us. Jesus is speaking to us today in the Gospel. He is warning us that we put on laws and morals that weigh and burden others while we excuse ourselves for the sins and offenses we commit. We are easy to explain with rational logic and we squirm out of sin by justifying it, while we criticize, condemn, and judge everyone under the sun, whether they be from the government, our competitors, or our
neighbors and relatives. For this the Lord calls us BLIND.
We are blind because we fail to see our own sins. We need to clean the inside of our cup before we can clean the outside of our cup. And the cup contains all our sins and misdeeds that we commit every single day. The Lord has drunk from this cup and has forgiven our sins, and so must we transcend ourselves to God's grace and forgive those who offend us.
 
Wednesday 21^st Ordinary Time
Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.”  Matthew 23:27–28
This would not have been an easy thing for the scribes and Pharisees to hear. It is a hard truth, spoken by our Lord, partly in an attempt to shake them free of their sin. And even though they may not have enjoyed hearing this clear condemnation spoken, since it came from the Savior of the World, we can be sure that these are words of the deepest love and were spoken so that these men would repent and change their ways.
Perhaps each of us, at times, feels like criticizing another. Most often, when we feel this way, it stems from our own personal sin of anger. Perhaps we were hurt by another and that hurt results in a desire for a form of vengeance that comes from anger. But this was not the case with Jesus.
First, these words were spoken by Jesus to his disciples and to the crowds of people, not only to the scribes and Pharisees. So in many ways Jesus spoke this for the good of those who were suffering under the misguided leadership of these religious leaders. But Jesus knew that these leaders would also hear His words, so He spoke those words to them. But unlike us, He did it out of perfect virtue so as to care for their souls.
At times, each one of us needs to hear Jesus rebuke us in love. If any of the scribes and Pharisees were open at that time, then Jesus’ words would have first stung them to the heart but then had the powerful effect of challenging them to change. They needed this and so do we. When we become stuck in our sins, especially if obstinacy sets in, then we need to allow Jesus to challenge us firmly. Such a challenge can be rattling, but that rattling is sometimes necessary. Emotion and passion can lead to sin, but it can also lead to repentance and conversion. The passion with which Jesus spoke became an instrument by which their own passions made them sit up and take notice. The result was that they either became more steeped in their sin or they repented. And though most became even more steeped in sin, which ultimately resulted in their persecution and death of Jesus, we can hope that there were some who did repent, such as Nicodemus.
Reflect, today, upon the strength of Jesus’ words to these religious leaders. Though they were supposed to be both “religious” and “leaders,” they were neither. They needed Jesus’ strength, courage and firmness. They needed to be confronted directly and receive the hard and clear truth about their sin. Reflect upon what it is in your own life that Jesus wants to say to you. Is there an area of your life in which our Lord needs to address you with passion, strength, clarity and firmness? Most likely there is. Perhaps not in an area of serious sin like it was with these scribes and Pharisees, but if we are open, Jesus wants to powerfully go after every sin within us. Open yourself to Him and allow Him to help rid you of the sins with which you struggle the most. And be grateful for this grace when He does.
My passionate Lord, You hate sin but love the sinner. You perfectly desire to rid me of all sin and all attachment to sin. Please open my mind and heart to hear Your rebukes of Love so that I may respond to Your invitation to repent with all my heart. I love You dear Lord. Free me from sin so that I may love You more. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday 21^st Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you have blessed me by welcoming me into the Kingdom of Heaven. Never let me forget such an awesome gift. You have transformed the old creation into a new creation, and this will continue until the end of time. I am also blessed to share in this transformation of society.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Twelve: In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus announced that the Kingdom of Heaven was here and taught his followers how to live as part of it. In the following chapters (Matthew 8-10), Jesus continues to do things that show he is the King. He also chooses twelve royal officers to help him lead his growing kingdom (Bergsma, New Testament Basics for Catholics, 40). The appointment of the twelve refers back to Solomon, who, when he ruled over all Israel, appointed “twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household” (1 Kings 4:7). What “food” will the 12 Apostles provide for the household of God? They will nourish God’s people with the Bread of Life, through the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and with the Word of Life through their teaching.
 2. The Lost Sheep of the House of Israel: During his earthly life and public ministry, Jesus concentrated on finding and ministering to the people of Israel. He invited his twelve apostles to share in that ministry. They were not to go to the Gentiles or Samaritans yet, but to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel. “Their message is simple: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand’ (Mt 10:5-7). While on their preaching journey, they will live according to the Beatitudes: They will be poor, carrying nothing with them (vv. 8-10). They will be peacemakers, bringing peace to the homes they visit (v. 13). They will be pure of heart, as ‘innocent as doves’ (v. 16). And they will be thoroughly persecuted for the sake of Jesus (vv. 17-23). Jesus grants to them his very own authority, such that anyone who accepts the apostles will be as good as accepting Jesus himself: ‘He who receives you receives me’ (v. 40). To embrace the King’s officer is to embrace the King himself” (Bergsma, New Testament Basics for Catholics, 43).
3. The Sons of Israel: In the First Reading, we learn about the sons of Israel going to Egypt to procure rations during the famine. The ten sons of Jacob had sold their brother, Joseph, into slavery many years prior, and, in the First Reading, we see them kneel before Joseph without realizing that it was their brother. This event was a fulfillment of the dream Joseph had, the dream that angered his brothers so that they plotted to get rid of him. Joseph concealed his identity and wanted to teach his brothers a lesson. Many of the elements in the story look forward to the Resurrection of Jesus. Just as Joseph was sold to Gentiles for twenty pieces of silver by Judah and his eleven brothers, so also Jesus was sold to Gentiles for thirty pieces of silver by Judas and abandoned by eleven disciples. Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, who did not recognize him at first, after he was exalted to the throne of Egypt. They didn’t recognize him after spending three days in prison. Similarly, Jesus was revealed to his disciples, who did not recognize him at first, after he was raised from the dead on the third day.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd who seeks out your lost sheep, brings your lambs to restful waters, nourishes your flock with good pasture, and protects your flock from demonic wolves. Teach me to be a good shepherd.
 
Wednesday 21^st Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I patiently await the return of your Son in glory. I do not know the day nor the hour, but I will do my best to be watchful and ready. I will work in your vineyard and extend your Kingdom as I can, empowered by your grace.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Hypocritical Scribes and Pharisees: Today’s Gospel finishes our reading of the seven woes pronounced by Jesus upon the scribes and Pharisees. Each one of them reveals an aspect of their hypocrisy. On the outside, the scribes and Pharisees present themselves as: authentic teachers about God and his law; untiring in their zeal to make converts; men of truth and of their word; men who faithfully fulfill even the minutiae of the law; men of purity and holiness; upright men; and defenders of God’s messengers. In truth, the scribes and Pharisees are only wearing a mask. Instead of teaching the way that leads to heaven, they teach in such a way that keeps them out and hinders the entry of others into God's kingdom. Instead of bringing the nations to worship the one, true God, they introduce them into a dead religion. Instead of speaking the truth, they find ways to lie under the appearance of solemn piety. Instead of fulfilling the essence and heart of the law, they neglect this and focus exclusively on the minor details. Instead of living a holy life from within, they mask the evil intentions of their heart with external observance. Instead of a life of righteousness, they live a contradiction between a beautiful exterior and a filthy interior. Lastly, they think they are better than their ancestors, who persecuted and killed the prophets, but in actuality they are about to condemn the Son of God to death. What is more, the Pharisees accuse Jesus and his disciples of their own faults. They accuse him of blasphemy and false doctrine. They attack his disciples and try to sow doubt about Jesus. They accuse Jesus of working by the power of the devil, the “father of lies.” They point out when Jesus breaks the Sabbath rest and when his disciples do not fast as evidence against Jesus’ teaching. They accuse Jesus’ disciples of impurity since they neglect the ritual washing before meals. They accuse Jesus of eating with the unrighteous, with sinners and tax collectors. Finally, they are plotting to put Jesus to death.
2. Second Thessalonians: Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians is one of encouragement, hope, and consolation. Confusion about the timing of Christ’s second coming (Parousia) “has led certain believers into strange and disorderly conduct. We can infer from Paul’s comments in 3:6-15 that some in Thessalonica were so convinced that Jesus would return at any moment that they had quit their jobs and stopped working for a living” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 379). That is not the right way to live. Christ’s Kingdom is present and yet grows until the end of time when Jesus will return in glory. We need to live in such a way that we are always ready and always prepared for our definitive encounter with him. Paul criticizes the behavior of those who refuse to work and “seems annoyed that his readers have not heeded his earlier appeals to ‘work’ diligently (1 Thess 4:11) and ‘admonish the idle’ (1 Thess 5:14). The congregation is charged with addressing this problem decisively but charitably (2 Thess 3:14-15). In Paul’s mind, these freeloaders who live on the charity of others will better prepare themselves for Christ's return by working than by sitting around waiting” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 379).
3. Jesus, Our Model: The filial, loving obedience of Jesus Christ, not the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees, is our model for Christian life. As Christians, we are called to teach, through our words and actions, in the name of Christ. We are sent out to the ends of the earth to preach and baptize. Every word of ours should be full of truth and seek the glory of God. We need to live according to the new law of charity, moved by the Holy Spirit. There should be a conformity between our actions and purity of heart. We are righteous insofar as we believe in Christ, welcome God’s grace, and work with charity and love. We are called to defend the faith and spread the faith as messengers of God’s word.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, call me out if I am a hypocrite. I never want to give the false appearance of being righteous and holy if my heart is far from you. Fill me with your grace and transform my way of being and acting.

Alpha

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần 21 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuần 21 Thường Niên
Bài Tin Mừng Hôm nay, Chúa Giêsu tiếp tục các cuộc tấn công về “sự khốn nạn” của những người Biệt Phái và kinh sư.  Trong bài đọc hôm nay Chúa Giêsu đã giúp hiểu được hai điểm. Trước tiên, Ngài cáo buộc những biệt phái hay Pharisêu vì cái sự tỉ mỉ về các quy luật nhỏ nhen trong khi đó lại lơ là đi những vấn đề khác quan trọng hơn nhiều, chẳng hạn như đừng nên phán xét người khác, mà nên có lòng từ bi, bác ái và nhân hậu và biết trung thành với Thiên Chúa. Họ hay lấy chuyện nhỏ, xé lớn ra (tỏ vẻ hoảng sợ với những con “lăng quăn” trong nước uống của họ, nhưng họ lại "nuốt cả nguyên con lạc đà", có nghĩa là, họ bỏ qua những điều thực sự rát là quan trọng: như thương yêu loại, anh chị em của chung quanh, thực hiện sự tha thứ và chăm lo giúp đỡ những người nghèo khổ và thiếu thốn.
Trong phần thứ hai, Ngài chỉ trích họ vì họ chỉ tập trung vào những thứ bên ngoài, vật chất, về hình ảnh dung mạo của mình, họ muốn ngừoi khác ca tụng, vinh danh và được ngưỡng mộ đối vì sự hiểu biệt rộng rãi của họ và việc giữ luật của họ. Nhưng họ lại là chính những ngôi mộ được quét vôi trắng, có cái vẻ đẹp ở bên ngoài, nhưng bên trong đầy những giòi bọ, hôi hám, vì sự lạm quyền, gian lận và tham ô. Thật là một sự không có sự tương đồng giữa những gìthể hiện ở bên ngoài và những gì họ có thực sự đang ở trong tâm hồn của họ.
Bao nhiêu người trong chúng ta đã liêm chính hoàn thiện, do đó, những gì mà người khác nhìn thấy nơi chúng ta họ cũng cứ tưởng đó là những gì mà thực sự đang có ở ngay bên trong tâm hồn của chúng ta?.
Lạy chúa Giêsu, xin giúp cho chúng con biết sống hoàn thiện, liêm chính, biết tha thứ, không cố chấp, biết thương yêu và nhường lẫn nhau, để cho lời nới và việc làm của chúng con nên được đi đôi với nhau, nhờ đó mà chúng con có thể được sống hoà bình và hoà mình với anh chị em chúng con của chúng con.  
 
Tue 26th Aug 2014  21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jesus continues his attacks on the Pharisees and Scribes. We should really see this as a criticism of the legalistic mind. Not all the Pharisees and Scribes were hypocrites and we can find their like in our own Christian communities and it is likely that Matthew is thinking of Christian Pharisees rather than those who criticized Jesus. In today’s reading Jesus makes two points. First, he accuses Pharisees of being scrupulous about the tiniest regulations while being neglectful of much more important issues such as judgement, compassion and faithfulness to God’s will.
They strain out tiny insects (which were regarded as ‘unclean’) from their drinking water but then “swallow the camel”, that is, ignore the really important things like loving all our brothers and sisters, practicing forgiveness and taking care of the poor and needy.
In the second part, he criticizes them for focusing only on the externals, on their image, what people could see so that they could be admired for their observance of the Law. But they are like whitewashed tombs, lovely on the outside but inside are full of strench and corruption. There is no real similarity between what appears on the outside and what they really are inside.  How many of us have perfect integrity, so that what people see is also what really is going on inside us?
 
Tuesday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time
“Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.” Matthew 23:24–26
Imagine if someone were to offer to wash the dishes after dinner and all they did was to wash the outside of the cups and bowls but left the inside untouched and then placed them back in the cupboard. The next time you would go to use them, you would find them looking good until you took them down and saw the dried liquid and food inside. This is the image that Jesus uses to describe the Pharisees. They only cared about the external appearance and ignored the more important interior of the soul.
Jesus also used the contrasting images of straining out the gnat and swallowing the camel. This was a reference to the laws in Leviticus that forbade the Israelites from eating “swarming creatures,” such as gnats and other bugs, (Leviticus 11:41–45) as well as the meat of camels (Leviticus 11:4). Saying that the Pharisees “strain out the gnat and swallow the camel” was a figure of speech by which Jesus accused the Pharisees of distorting the smallest details of the law while ignoring the most important ones. For example, the Pharisees required everyone to strain all liquid before drinking it, just in case a gnat accidentally was present in that liquid, but they cared little about true justice when it came to killing the Son of God. For these reasons, the Pharisees had become “blind guides” and “hypocrites,” incapable of leading people to holiness.
The bottom line is that Jesus is telling us that we must truly become holy, not just appear so. God sees the heart and judges the heart. The only other person who can see your heart is you. Therefore, we must also hear this condemnation of the Pharisees so that we will understand the importance of looking into our own souls first and foremost. From there, from the holiness within, our exterior will also radiate the holiness of God.
One of the documents of Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes, beautifully speaks to us about the conscience: “Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a man. There he is alone with God, Whose voice echoes in his depths” (#16). This “secret core and sanctuary” within us is what Jesus is most concerned about. Very often we are tempted to be far more concerned about how we look to others than how we truly are inside. For example, the person who lives a sinful double life may go to great lengths to look holy to others, doing all they can to hide their sin from others. On the contrary, someone might be living a very holy life but be falsely accused by another publicly, causing much pain. In the former case, as long as the person is not found out, they appear at peace. In the latter case, even though the person is living a good and holy life, if they are falsely accused, they may be tempted to despair as their public image is shattered.
What others think and say about us is ultimately out of our control to a lesser or greater degree. What is within our control is that which is within us. Our interior life, that secret core, that sanctuary within where we meet God, must become the focus of our energies. Exteriorly, it ought not matter that others praise us or criticize us. What matters is that which is true, and only you and God can look into your heart to see that truth. The Pharisees failed to understand this essential truth. They put all their energy into their public image, neglecting that which was most important, making them incapable of leading others to God.
Reflect, today, upon your soul. How often do you look inside yourself? Are you able to be honest with yourself, acknowledging your sin and being grateful for your virtue? Or are you among those who are more concerned with how you look to others? Turn your eyes to the secret sanctuary within because it is there, in that secret core, that you will meet God, grow in holiness and then radiate that true holiness within our world. When that happens, God will also be able to use you to be a true guide to holiness for others.
Lord of true holiness, You desire to cleanse my soul, and You invite me to meet You there within. Please give me the grace I need to care more about my holiness within than the external perceptions and judgments of others. May I become holy, dear Lord, and learn to become an instrument of that holiness for others. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Tuesday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I am willing to be sent by you. I strive to hear your call every day and place all that I am at your service. I will shepherd those in my care and lead them to restful waters. I will work in your vineyard and harvest good fruit for the Kingdom.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Tenth Mighty Work: The ten mighty works of Jesus recall the ten works of Moses in Egypt. The works of Moses and those of Jesus were met with hardness of heart. Pharaoh refused to believe in the Lord God, and here, the Pharisees refuse to believe in the Lord Jesus. While the crowds and Jesus’ disciples were amazed at Jesus’ displays of power and authority in healings, exorcisms, and the command over nature, the Pharisees had a much different reaction. Instead of glorifying God and giving thanks that the time of salvation and the New Exodus had come, they accused Jesus of working in league with the devil: “He drives out demons by the prince of demons” (Matthew 9:34).
2. The Need for New Shepherds and Laborers: How does Jesus respond to the accusation of the Pharisees in the Gospel of Matthew? By appointing the Twelve, granting them authority to do the works he was doing, and sending them out. The hardness of heart of the Pharisees revealed that Israel needed new leaders, God’s flock needed new shepherds, and the abundant harvest needed new laborers. The heart of Jesus was moved with pity for the people. They were being unnecessarily burdened by the Pharisees and their traditions. Just as Pharaoh had subjected the people of Israel to hard labor, the Pharisees were tying up heavy burdens for the people and not helping to carry them (Matthew 23:4). By contrast, the yoke and burden of Jesus will be light (Matthew 11:29-30). That is because we do not carry it alone, but carry it with Christ. Jesus’ apostles will be appointed to help the people they shepherd carry the yoke of Christ.
3. Wrestling with God: Recently, a clinical psychologist has written a book about the psychological dimension of the Genesis stories. Concerning the First Reading, in which Jacob wrestles throughout the night with the Lord God, Peterson writes: “Jacob, like Abram, began his adventure on the wrong foot. Both men both determined to set themselves straight, despite their substantial flaws, and make a covenant with God to do exactly that. That is a decision; a moral decision, and it is the decision to begin the journey up – to mount the spiral of Jacob’s Ladder toward the highest good. They then face a horizon of expanding opportunities, each of which demand, in sequence, a sacrifice of increasing magnitude – a maturation and transformation of character. In the case of both protagonists, this transformation proceeds to a point so revolutionary that the men who undergo it are in some sense reborn, and become new people. Hence their new names, Abraham, ‘father of nations,’ and Israel, ‘he who wrestles with God’ If that wrestling is done in the proper spirit, there is no difference whatsoever between those two newly bestowed, fully integrated, and properly sacrificial identities” (Peterson, We Who Wrestle with God, 293).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, teach me to pray as I ought. Bring me to deep contemplation so that I may know you and see how to shepherd your sheep and how to labor in your vineyard. I will strive to imitate you, the Good Shepherd, in all that I do.
 
Tuesday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I hope to hear words of blessing and not woe when I encounter you at the moment of my death. I do not want to neglect the heart of your divine law. May I be just in all my works. May I be merciful to those around me. May I be faithful to your word.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Heart of the Law: In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus continues his series of seven woes. Today, he accuses the scribes and Pharisees of neglecting what is most important in God’s Law. Jesus has just declared that the two greatest commandments are love for God and love for neighbor (Matthew 22:34-40). The problem, however, was that the scribes and Pharisees mistakenly concentrated on lesser, more external things in the Law of Moses and were blinded about the importance of the interior acts of the heart. They were attentive to lesser matters like clean dishware, ritual washing before meals, human traditions, and paying taxes on spices. But by forgetting the weightier things of the law, their hearts were far from God. Ultimately all human beings will be judged by God and before God all will be revealed. We will not be able to hide behind lame excuses, sophistical interpretations, or false justifications. We will be judged on how we have loved, how we have been merciful with our brothers and sisters, and whether or not we have been faithful to God and his Law.
2. Jesus’ Return in Glory: In the First Reading, Paul tells the Thessalonians that they should not be alarmed by a forged letter about the second coming (Parousia) of Jesus Christ. He tells the community that it is true that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead and that those who believe will be taken up into the glory of heaven, but also that we do not know the day nor the hour of Jesus’ return. Paul teaches that before Jesus’ return a great apostasy will occur and that the antichrist – the man of lawlessness and the son of perdition who exalts himself – will appear. This is in agreement with the signs of the end-times that Jesus spoke about in the Gospels. When we contemplate the end times, it is important to remember that Jesus has triumphed and will triumph over the evil one. This is a cause for our hope. We place our hope in God who is fully worthy of our trust and capable of fulfilling our desire for eternal life. We hope in the divine promise of salvation made present to us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the true Witness to the Father, and the sending of the Holy Spirit (O’Callaghan, Christ Our Hope, 11-14). The Holy Spirit gives life to the promise of salvation and makes it present in our hearts.
3. The True Way of Christian Perfection: Our words and actions cannot be like those of the scribes and Pharisees. Too often we are tempted like them to neglect the weightier matters of the law of charity and mistakenly think that we are justified by secondary, external works done without charity. In the New Law of grace and charity, it is important to hold fast to the person of Jesus and share in his free, loving, and filial obedience to the will of the Father. The way of Christian perfection leads us to the love of God and neighbor, to a further detachment from possessions, and to the following of Christ. As Christians, we believe that God chose us in Christ to be holy and to share in divine glory. Those who follow Christ must stand firm and hold fast to the teachings of the Apostles. God’s grace brings consolation and eternal comfort to our hearts; his grace enables us to do good works and to proclaim the Gospel of salvation to our brothers and sisters.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you reserved your harshest judgment for the Scribes and Pharisees. They were supposed to be the good shepherds of your people and yet they often were obstacles between the people and the Father. Help me to be a good shepherd and eradicate any hypocrisy in my life.
 
Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Ba Tuẩn 21 TN-Matthew 23:23-26
“đừng xét đoán theo bề ngoài nữa, nhưng hãy xét đoán cho công minh"."(John 7:24) Người Kitô hữu chúng ta thường hay bị buộc tội là "xét đoán" mỗi khi chúng ta lên tiếng phản đối và chống lại những hoạt động đầy tội lỗi.. Tuy nhiên, đó không phải là ý nghĩa của câu Kinh Thánh trên đã nói , "Đừng xét đoán." có một loại phán xét công chính trong sư công minh, chính trực mà chúng ta phải có nghĩa vụ, phải thực hiện, với sự nhận định cẩn thận trong sự sáng suốt.  Chúa Giêsu truyền dạy cho chúng ta phải thực hiện và đem Lời của Ngài đến với thế gian;. nói lên sự thật, để ngăn chặn con đường tội lỗi. Xin Chúa cho chúng ta có thể có can đảm làm theo lệnh truyền của Ngài, nhờ vào ân sũng và sự khôn ngoan mà Chúa Thánh Thần truyền đạt đến cho chúng ta. .
 
Meditation:
“Stop judging by mere appearance, and make a right judgment." (John 7:24) Christians are often accused of "judging" whenever they speak out against a sinful activity. However, that is not the meaning of the Scripture verses that state, "Do not judge." There is a righteous kind of judgment we are supposed to exercise—with careful discernment. Jesus commanded us to carry His Word into the world; to speak the truth; to stop sinful ways. May we courageously follow His command, through the grace and wisdom imparted within us by the Holy Spirit.

Suy Niệm thứ Hai tuần thứ 21 Thường Niên.

Suy Niệm thứ Hai tuần thứ 21 Thường Niên.
"Khốn thay cho các ngươi, Ký lục và Biệt phái giả hình, vì các ngươi khóa Nước Trời chận người ta lại! Các ngươi sẽ chẳng vào đã rồi, mà những kẻ muốn vào, các ngươi cũng chẳng để cho vào!”(Mt 23:13)
Hôm nay Chúa Giêsu tố cáo những người Pha-ri-si này đã đóng cửa thiên đàng trước mặt mọi người. Đó là một lời cáo buộc đáng kinh ngạc. Nhưng họ đã làm điều đó như thế nào? Vì như chúng ta thấy Luật mà họ đưa ra đã làm cho một số người phải chịu gánh nặng với những quy định nghiêm ngặt của. Một số người đã bỏ lỡ tấm lòng yêu thương gắn liền với luật pháp Môi-sen. Những người khác cố gắng lôi kéo mọi người rời xa Chúa Giêsu bằng sự giảng dạy của họ. Nhưng chúng ta hãy thử nhìn vấn đề này theo cách khác. Rốt cuộc, nếu chúng ta có thể đóng và khóa chật cánh cửa, thì chúng ta cũng có lý do và cũng có thể mở cánh cửa đó và còm rộng ra nữa! Đó là sự thật tuyệt vời đã được nồng kín trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay. Chúng ta thực sự có thể mở cánh cửa thiên đường cho người khác!
            Theo Kinh thánh, cánh cửa này chính là Chúa Giêsu! Ngài là “cửa” và “con đường” (Gioan 10:9; 14:6). Ngài là chiếc thang lên thiên đàng (1:51). Nhưng làm thế nào chúng ta, những con người nhỏ bé, có thể mở được cánh cửa đặc biệt như vậy? Thưa chúng ta có thể làm được bằng cách mở rộng tấm lòng, trái tim mình ra! Bằng cách đó, mọi người có thể đến gặp Chúa Giêsu, Đấng sống trong chúng ta, và tìm ra con đường riêng cho chính mình để có được mối quan hệ với Chúa. Cũng như có nhiều cách để đóng một cánh cửa, cũng có nhiều cách để mở cách cửa lòng của chúng ta. Chúng ta có thể mở tâm hồn của chúng ta qua những hành động tử tế và yêu thương. Chúng ta có thể cố gắng khuyến khích ai đó. Một trái tim nhân hậu, tha thứ có thể làm được điều đó. Hoặc chúng ta có thể tìm kiếm cơ hội để chia sẻ về sự khác biệt mà Chúa Giêsu đã tạo ra trong cuộc đời của chúng ta.
            Chúa Giêsu đã nói rằng những người Pha-ri-siêu này đã đi quá xa; thậm chí đã vượt qua biển cả, băng núi, vợt đồi để tìm người khác và dạy cho họ sống theo đường lối của họ (Mt 23:15). Trong khi họ không bằng lòng với kết quả cuối cùng mà họ thu hoạch được, thì cách họ nỗ lực hết sức để thu phục mọi người thật đáng chú ý. Cách họ họ thâu hoạch được thành quả! Tương tự như vậy, nếu chúng ta muốn đưa người khác đến cửa thiên đàng, chúng ta cũng phải hết sức nỗ lực kết nối mối quan hệ với họ. Những cuộc trò chuyện thân thiện qua điện thoại, những bữa trưa bình thường và những thứ tương tự có thể mang đến những cơ hội mới để gặp gỡ. Tất nhiên, chúng ta không thể theo đuổi tất cả mọi người. Nhưng chúng ta có thể theo đuổi một số người chúng ta để ý tới. Thậm chí chúng ta có thể bắt đầu với danh sách ba cái tên. Với một số lời cầu nguyện, một số kế hoạch và một số sự tiếp cận, chúng cũng có thể có được đặc quyền giữ cửa thiên đàng mở khi một người bạn của chúng ta đã được bước vào! “Lạy Chúa, xin Chúa chir cho chúng biết biết ai mà Chú đang nhờ con mở cửa thiên đàng cho họ.?”
 
Wau- Meditation: Matthew 23:13-22- 21st Week in Ordinary Time
“You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance.” (Matthew 23:13)
            Jesus accused these Pharisees of shutting the door of heaven in people’s faces. That’s a startling allegation. But how did they do it? Some burdened people with stringent rules. Some missed the heart of love embedded in the laws Law of Moses. Others tried to steer people away from Jesus by their teaching. But let’s try to look at this from the other way around. After all, if you can close and lock a door, it stands to reason that you can also unlatch one and throw it wide! That’s the awesome truth tucked away in today’s Gospel. We can actually open the door of heaven for other people!
            According to the Scriptures, this door is a person: Jesus! He is the “gate” and the “way” (John 10:9; 14:6). He is the ladder to heaven (1:51). But how can we, small humans that we are, open such a special door? By opening ourselves up! That way, people can come to see Jesus, who lives in us, and find their own way to a relationship with him.
            Just as there are several ways to close a door, there’s more than one way to open it. We can open it through acts of kindness and love. We can try to encourage someone. A forgiving, compassionate heart can do it. Or we can look for opportunities to share about the difference that Jesus has made in our lives.
            Jesus said that these Pharisees went to great lengths—even traversing sea and land—to find other people and train them in their ways (Matthew 23:15). While he frowned on the end result, the way they went the extra mile to win people over was remarkable. It worked! Similarly, if we want to usher people through heaven’s door, we too will have to go out of our way to build relationships with them. Friendly phone conversations, casual lunches, and the like can provide new opportunities to open up. Of course, we can’t pursue everyone. But we can pursue a few. You could even start with a list of three names. With some prayer, some planning, and some reaching out, you may even get the privilege of holding heaven’s door open as a friend walks through!
            “Lord, is there someone for whom you’re asking me to hold open heaven’s door?”
 
Monday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.” Matthew 23:13
Today begins Jesus’ “Woe to you…” condemnations of the scribes and Pharisees. He issues seven subsequent condemnations. The one quoted above is His first. At the time, Jesus’ condemnations of these religious leaders fell mostly on deaf ears. They were obstinate and would not listen to what Jesus had to say. But it’s useful to note that these condemnations appear to actually be spoken about the scribes and Pharisees to the disciples and the crowds to whom Jesus was speaking.
Though there are many lessons we can learn from our Lord, let’s consider the first thing He says. He condemns hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is essentially saying one thing and doing another. It’s a disconnect between what we say and what we do. Hypocrisy can also come in the form of trying to present oneself as if one has every virtue under Heaven but in reality cares little for the clear doctrine and moral precepts given us by God. In the scripture passage, the scribes and Pharisees claimed to be leading people to salvation, but they were condemning the very source of salvation. On one hand, some of what they taught was true, but they failed to teach with the virtue that comes from God. On the other hand, some of what they taught was flat-out erroneous, because they were more concerned about their public persona than they were about the truth. Essentially, they were hypocrites, because their words and actions were neither united in the truth nor lived through the virtues given by God.
These two opposing tendencies seem to be a source of much division within our Church today. On the extreme “right,” we have those who preach doctrine but fail to exercise the necessary virtue so as to be effective instruments of those truths. And on the extreme “left” are those who act as if so-called virtue is all that matters. They deemphasize the clear and unambiguous moral and doctrinal truths that were given to us by our Lord, so that others will praise them for appearing kind, accepting and compassionate toward all. The problem is that one cannot exclude truth from virtue or virtue from truth. Compassion is not compassionate if it lacks truth, and the truth is not true if it is not presented with the virtues by which our Lord wants them brought forth. And though the scribes and Pharisees appear to be more focused upon their interpretations of various truths to the exclusion of virtue, their struggle with hypocrisy is just as real for those on both extremes today.
Reflect, today, upon the importance of embracing each and every moral and doctrinal precept given by our Lord. We must embrace everything He says with every fiber of our being. Reflect, also, upon how you express these teachings of Jesus to others. Do you strive to present the full Gospel with the greatest virtue? The deeper the truth, the more necessary is the virtue with which it is presented. And the more virtue you have, the better instrument of the full truth you will be. Strive to overcome every form of hypocrisy within your life by working toward true holiness. Holiness is wholeness. The Truth united to virtue. Only then will you escape from the condemnation of our Lord, but you will also thrive as a pure instrument of His saving grace.
My saving Lord, You desired deeply that the religious leaders of the time be powerful instruments of Your saving Gospel by presenting all truth in pure love. Please free me from every error so that Your holy Word will be alive in me and will be sent forth to others through the manifestation of the many virtues You wish to bestow. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Monday 21st Ordinary time B 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you ask me to reach out to you in faith and respond to your generous and merciful love. Unbelief in you and the devastating effects of sin surround me. Do not let me be overcome or fail when I am tempted. If I do fail, bring me back to you, forgive me, and wash away my sorrowful tears.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Your Faith Has Saved You: The ten mighty works of Jesus in Matthew 8-9 look forward to the mighty sacramental works of the Church. In today’s Gospel, we hear about two of these mighty works: curing a woman suffering from hemorrhages for 12 years; restoring a young girl from death to life. The woman only had to touch the tassels of Jesus’ cloak to be healed. The tassels themselves were not magical. Jesus emphasizes that it was her faith in him, not the tassel, that cured her physical illness and saved her from spiritual illness. When we go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we, like the woman, seek to touch the tassel of Jesus’ cloak. We believe that Jesus has granted authority to his apostles and their successors to forgive sins. Even if we have suffered the effects of our sins for twelve or more years, we know that they can be forgiven through the sacrament. Like the woman, who heard the words, “Courage, daughter. Your faith has saved you,” we hear words of consolation when we are dismissed from the sacrament: “The Lord has freed you from your sins. Go in peace.”
2. The Little Girl Arose: The second mighty work in today’s Gospel also points forward to the Church’s sacraments and our future resurrection from the dead. Jesus did not become ritually unclean when the woman with a hemorrhage touched the tassel of his cloak. Nor did Jesus become ritually unclean when he touched the dead girl’s hand. Instead of becoming ritually unclean, “Christ’s divine power goes out from him to raise the child from the dead” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 136). In the same way, the Church, through her Bridegroom, has the divine power to purify us from our uncleanliness and sin. As Christians, we believe “in the resurrection of the body from the dead.” What does “rising from the dead” mean? The Catechism answers: “In death, the separation of the soul from the body, the human body decays and the soul goes to meet God, while awaiting its reunion with its glorified body. God, in his almighty power, will definitively grant incorruptible life to our bodies by reuniting them with our souls, through the power of Jesus’ Resurrection” (CCC, 997). We believe that our mortal bodies will one day come to life again. How the resurrection of the body will come about exceeds the possibilities of our imagination and understanding.
3. Jacob’s Ladder to Heaven: In the First Reading, we continue to read from Genesis and hear the story of Jacob’s vision of a ladder stretching from heaven to earth. When Jacob journeyed from Beer-sheba to Haran, the homeland of his grandfather Abraham, he came upon a shrine. This was near the place where Abraham had built an altar (Genesis 12:8). Here, Jacob has to make a choice between continuing to live a life of deceit and treachery or striving upward toward the good and God himself. As the story of Jacob unfolds, we see him mature, sacrifice himself, and work hard for fourteen years to gain the hand of his beloved, Rachel. The ladder, which leads to a covenant relationship with God, anticipates Christ, the Way of the New Covenant: “Jacob’s ladder is a prophetic image of Christ, who bridges heaven and earth by the union of his divine and human natures (John 1:51). This makes him the one, perfect mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:9)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, 94).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you cared for your two daughters in the Gospel. You restored Jairus’ daughter to life and healed the woman of her affliction. Care for me in the same way. Restore me to life when I am dead through sin. Restore me to health when I am sick through sin.
 
Monday 21st Ordinary time B 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I have no desire to be like the scribes and Pharisees. Help me to rid my life of any hypocrisy. I want my yes to mean yes and my no to mean no. I want my actions to conform to my Christian faith. I will strive to imitate your Son as best as I can, empowered by your grace and moved by your Spirit.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Entering the Kingdom of Heaven: The Kingdom of Heaven is a central theme in Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus begins his public ministry preaching that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and urges repentance from sin and belief in the Gospel. This Kingdom belongs not to the prideful and those attached to earthly treasure, but to the poor in spirit and to those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Attachment to riches makes it hard to enter the kingdom of heaven. However, those who sell everything to follow Jesus will reign with him (19:27-30). Those who observe the commandments of God and teach the commandments to others will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven. The childlike and the humble enter the Kingdom (18:1-4). We are to pray for the coming of the Kingdom (6:10). We are to seek first the Kingdom and not obsess about our earthly needs (6:33). The Apostles are sent out to the lost sheep of Israel and are to preach that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand (10:7). Good and bad people will coexist in the Kingdom until the end of time (13:24-30). Both will be gathered into the royal wedding feast, but ultimately they will be separated from one another at the end of the age (22:1-14). Our King is merciful and we are to imitate his mercy (18:35). The Kingdom will continue to grow like a seed into a great tree and yet is like a hidden treasure buried in a field or a pearl of great price. It is worth selling everything we possess to obtain it. Jesus gives Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven (16:19) and gives some authority to the other apostles (18:18). Jesus has just told his Apostles and disciples to observe the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees (23:2), but, at the same time, warns them that the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees keeps them from entering the Kingdom and hinders others from entering into the Kingdom. To enter the Kingdom, our righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees (5:20). The scribes and Pharisees are blind guides leading the blind, using sophistry to justify their evil actions. They make false oaths by the temple or by the temple altar and hold that only oaths made by the gold of the temple or by the gift on the altar oblige them. Earlier Jesus commanded the people not to swear oaths at all. If every word that they say is truthful, there is no need to swear oaths to back up what they say (5:33-37).
2. The Parousia of Jesus according to Second Thessalonians: In his Second Letter to the Thessalonians, Paul encourages the Church to endure sufferings and persecutions so that they may be considered worthy of the Kingdom of God. The Acts of the Apostles (17:1-9) tells us how Paul preached in the synagogue and persuaded some of the Jews, a large number of Greeks, and some prominent women to accept Jesus as the Messiah. This made the other Jews envious. A mob formed and started a riot in the city. The mob dragged the believers before the city officials, who only let them go when they posted bond. Paul and Silas escaped the city at night. Paul had first-hand experience of the persecution in Thessalonica and prayed that God might bring to fulfillment his plan of salvation in the Church and that Jesus Christ may be glorified in them and they in Christ. The Christian community was united by their faith in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ. The source for this bond of communion is the grace and peace that comes from the Father and the Son. Paul gave thanks to God because the Thessalonians were growing in faith and love and were patiently enduring persecution on account of their faith. In his letter, Paul will go on to correct a misunderstanding in the community about Christ’s glorious second coming (parousia). There is a series of events that must take place before the day of the Lord, the day of judgment. While it is true that the return of Christ is imminent, none of us know the day nor the hour of his return. Jesus will come like a thief in the night and so we must always be ready.
3. The End Times and the Definitive Establishment of the Kingdom: The Kingdom of God is present yet awaits definitive establishment at the end of time. Since the day of Christ’s Ascension and the day of Pentecost, we are living in the end times. We are already at the last hour (CCC, 670). The present time is the time of the Holy Spirit and of witness to Christ, but it is also a time marked by ‘distress’ and the trial of evil which does not spare the Church and ushers in the struggles of the last days. It is a time of waiting and watching (CCC, 672). The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through a final Passover and ultimate trial. In this way, she imitates and follows Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection. “The kingdom will be fulfilled, then, not by a historic triumph of the Church through a progressive ascendancy, but only by God’s victory over the final unleashing of evil, which will cause his Bride to come down from heaven. God’s triumph over the revolt of evil will take the form of the Last Judgment after the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world” (CCC, 677).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I pray for the coming of your Kingdom. I will work to spread your Kingdom in the world around me. I pray that you fully reign in my heart, in my family, and in my community. Come, Lord Jesus!

Bài Giảng Chúa Nhật thứ 21 Thường Niên – Năm C

Chúa Nhật 21 Thường Niên Năm C

"Hãy cố gắng vào qua cửa hẹp" Phải chăng điều này ngụ ý rằng nếu chúng ta không cố gắng vào qua cửa hẹp, chúng ta sẽ không được cứu rỗi? 

Khi suy ngẫm về tình yêu và lòng thương xót của Chúa Giêsu, chúng ta nhận ra rằng tình yêu của Người lôi kéo chúng ta đến với "sự thật, con đường và sự sống" [Ga 14:6] để chúng ta có thể tìm thấy ơn cứu rỗi nhờ lòng thương xót của Người. Nhưng, để đủ điều kiện đón nhận lòng thương xót của Thiên Chúa, chúng ta phải hoán cải, chúng ta cần phải hoàn toàn thay đổi tâm hồn và ăn năn. Chúng ta phải cam kết sống đức tin vào Chúa Giêsu bằng cách bước theo Chúa Giêsu, và phục vụ Chúa Giêsu với sự quy phục hoàn toàn.

Thật không may, nhiều người trong chúng ta ngày nay không thực sự sống đức tin vào Chúa Giêsu Kitô. Họ tự nhận mình là người Công giáo nhưng họ không thực hành đức tin của mình. Họ không lãnh nhận các Bí tích. Vì họ không lãnh nhận các Bí tích, đặc biệt là Bí tích Hòa giải và Bí tích Thánh Thể, họ đang sống trong tình trạng tội lỗi triền miên và họ đang từ chối món quà sự sống đời đời trong Vương quốc Thiên Chúa.

Nhiều người trong chúng ta đã chọn con đường thế gian bằng cách đi theo con đường rộng dẫn đến sự đoán phạt, và tránh né cánh cổng hẹp dẫn đến Thiên Đàng. Để bước qua cánh cổng hẹp, chúng ta phải bỏ lại tất cả những hành lý dư thừa; chúng ta phải cố ý đi qua nó. Điều thú vị cần lưu ý trong dụ ngôn này là những người cố gắng vào Thiên Đàng đã nói: "Chúng tôi đã ăn uống với Ngài."

Họ đã ăn uống với Chúa Giê-su, những lời này ngụ ý rằng họ đang lãnh nhận Bí tích Thánh Thể. Nếu đúng như vậy, tại sao họ lại bị hư mất? Tại sao Chúa Giêsu nói rằng Ngài không biết họ? Có hai câu trả lời cho câu hỏi này.

Thứ nhất, nó có thể ám chỉ những người lãnh nhận Bí tích Thánh Thể một cách không xứng đáng. Về vấn đề này, Thánh Phaolô nói: "Ai ăn bánh hay uống chén của Chúa cách bất xứng, thì sẽ phải trả giá cho Mình và Máu Chúa. Vậy, ai ăn bánh và uống chén của Chúa, thì ăn uống án phạt mình. Vì vậy, trong anh em, có nhiều người ốm đau bệnh tật, và cũng có nhiều người chết." (1 Côrintô 11:27-30) Nói cách khác, những ai rước lễ trong tình trạng tội lỗi, họ sẽ phải chịu án phạt. Chúa Giêsu đã thiết lập Bí tích Giải tội vì một lý do. Nếu chúng ta muốn rước lễ, chúng ta phải sạch tội trọng. Trước tiên, chúng ta cần đi xưng tội.

Lý do thứ hai có thể giải thích tại sao nhiều người hư mất cũng được tìm thấy trong Thư thứ nhất gửi tín hữu Côrintô. Trong câu 3:11, chúng ta đọc: "Vì không ai có thể đặt nền móng nào khác ngoài nền móng đã đặt, là Đức Giê-su Ki-tô." [1 Côrintô 3:11]

Nói cách khác, Chúa Giê-su đã đặt một nền tảng, đó là Hội Thánh Công Giáo. Không ai có thể đặt một nền tảng khác và tuyên bố rằng đó là nền tảng của Chúa Giêsu Kitô. Việc tham dự hiệp thông trong một Hội Thánh Tin Lành, nơi các tín đồ không tin vào sự Hiện Diện thực sự đang diễn ra của Chúa Giêsu trong Bí tích Thánh Thể, cũng giống như việc tham dự một bữa ăn mà Chúa Giêsu không hiện diện. Mặc dù các tín đồ của một Hội Thánh  Tin Lành như vậy có thể tuyên bố đã ăn uống với Chúa Giêsu, nhưng sự thật không phải vậy. Chúa Giêsu không biết họ vì họ không ngồi cùng bàn với Ngài trong Hội Thánh của Ngài.

Chúng ta đã thấy nhiều tôn giáo có nhà thờ trong khu phố của chúng ta, nhưng những tôn giáo này không phải do Chúa Giêsu thiết lập. Như chúng ta đã biết, Giáo hội Anh giáo được Vua Henry VIII thiết lập vào năm 1534, Giáo hội Báp-tít được John Smyth thiết lập vào năm 1607. Giáo hội Khoa học Cơ Đốc được Mary Baker Eddy thiết lập vào năm 1879. Và danh sách còn dài. Tất cả những giáo hội này có thể tự nhận là Giáo hội chân chính, nhưng không thể như vậy. Khi Chúa Giêsu trao chìa khóa Nước Trời cho Thánh Phêrô, Người phán: "Còn Thầy, Thầy bảo anh: Anh là Phêrô, và trên tảng đá này, Thầy sẽ xây Hội Thánh của Thầy..." [Mt ​​16:18-9]

Tôi xin nhắc lại Lời Chúa Giêsu: "Thầy sẽ xây Hội Thánh của Thầy," chứ không phải Hội Thánh của họ. Chỉ có Một Hội Thánh, Thánh Thiện, Công Giáo và Tông Truyền, được Chúa Giêsu thiết lập. Không ai có thể đặt nền móng nào khác ngoài việc bổ sung vào nền móng hiện có của Hội Thánh Công Giáo Thánh Thiện để phát triển Thân Thể Chúa Kitô. Bất cứ ai xây dựng một nền móng khác, thì hành động đó là bất tuân Thiên Chúa, là chối bỏ nền móng của Chúa Giêsu Kitô vì cho rằng nó không hoàn hảo.

Đó là xây dựng một nền móng do con người tạo ra, cho rằng nền móng mới này tốt hơn nền móng của Chúa Giêsu Kitô. Thật vậy, nhiều người đã lạc lối vì họ không chọn cửa hẹp. Họ thích một tôn giáo không quá khắt khe, một tôn giáo không bắt buộc phải tham dự Thánh lễ mỗi Chúa Nhật. Họ phủ nhận sự Hiện diện thực sự đang diễn ra của Chúa Giêsu Kitô trong Bí tích Thánh Thể sau khi bánh và rượu đã được thánh hiến. Họ muốn theo cách của họ, chứ không phải theo cách của Chúa.

Theo họ thì :”Ý tôi là họ ủng hộ phá thai, án tử hình, ly hôn, hôn nhân đồng giới, bất cứ điều gì, và tất cả mọi thứ, miễn là nó phù hợp với các xu hướng hiện đại thay đổi từng năm, tùy thuộc vào ý thích của con người...”

               Thưa anh chị em trong Chúa Kitô, cửa hẹp tượng trưng cho những gian khổ trong cuộc sống của những người theo Chúa Giêsu. Chúa Giêsu phán: "Giữa thế hệ vô tín và tội lỗi này, ai hổ thẹn về Ta và lời Ta, thì Con Người cũng sẽ hổ thẹn về người ấy khi Người ngự đến trong vinh quang của Cha Người cùng với các thiên sứ thánh." (Mác 8:38) Chúng ta còn hy vọng cứu rỗi nào nếu Chúa Giêsu hổ thẹn về chúng ta? Không! Chúng ta còn hy vọng cứu rỗi nào nếu chúng ta chối bỏ Hội Thánh Duy Nhất của Chúa Giêsu để thuộc về một Hội Thánh khác do con người lập nên? Không! Liệu Đấng sáng lập Hội Thánh khác đó có cứu chúng ta không? Chắc chắn là không! Chúng ta còn hy vọng cứu rỗi nào nếu chúng ta ăn Bánh hay uống Chén Thánh trong tình trạng tội lỗi đang tiếp diễn? Không!

               Chúa Giêsu phán hãy cố gắng bước vào cửa hẹp. Vì vậy, chúng ta không thể chạy theo những xu hướng hiện đại. Chúng ta không thể thuộc về bất kỳ Hội Thánh nào khác ngoài Hội Thánh do chính Chúa Giêsu thiết lập. Chúng ta không thể muốn theo đường lối của mình mà không theo đường lối của Chúa.

               Thưa anh chị em trong Chúa Kitô, chúng ta hãy cùng suy ngẫm về những lời này trong tuần tới. Chúng ta hãy đánh giá sự vâng phục Thiên Chúa, sự phục vụ và sự quy phục Thánh Ý Ngài. Với lòng thành tâm, chúng ta hãy cầu nguyện với Chúa Giêsu, xin Ngài biến đổi chúng ta để chúng ta luôn đẹp lòng Ngài.

 

Homily for 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C

            "Strive to enter through the narrow gate"  Is this implying that unless we strive to enter through the narrow gate, we have no salvation? When we consider the love and mercy of Jesus, we come to perceive that His love draws us towards "the truth, the way and the life" [Jn. 14:6] so we may find our salvation through His mercy.  But, to qualify for the God’s mercy, we must be converted, we need to completely change of heart and repentant. We must commit living faith in Jesus, by following Jesus, and serve the Lord Jesus in full submission. Unfortunately, many us today are not really practicing our living faith in Jesus Christ. They call themselves Catholic but they are not practicing their faith. They are not receiving the Sacraments.

Since they are not receiving the Sacraments, especially the sacrament of Confession and the Holy Eucharist, they are living in an ongoing state of sin and they are rejecting the gift of eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Many of us have chosen the worldly ways by taking the wide road to condemnation, and avoiding the narrow gate to Heaven.

To get through a narrow gate we must leave behind all our excess baggage; we must go through it on purpose. What is interesting to note in this parable is that those who tried to enter Heaven, they said, "We ate and drank with You."  They ate and drank with the Lord Jesus, these words implying they were receiving the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. If such is the case, why are they lost? Why does Jesus say that He does not know them? There are two possible answers to this question.

First, it may refer to those who receive the Holy Eucharist in unworthy manner. On this subject Saint Paul said, "Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying. " (1 Cor. 11:27- 30)

In other words, those who receive Holy Eucharist in a state of sin, they will receive judgment against themselves.   The Lord Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Confession for a reason. If we want to receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, we must be free of mortal sins. We need to go to confession first.

The Second possible reason as to why many are lost is also found in the First Letter to the Corinthians. In verse 3:11, we read, "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid, that foundation is Jesus Christ." [1 Cor. 3:11] In other words, Jesus has laid one foundation, the Holy Catholic Church. No one can lay another foundation and claim that it is the foundation of Jesus Christ. To partake in communion in another Church where its members do not believe in the ongoing real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist is to partake in a meal where Jesus is not present.  While the members of such a Church may claim to have eaten and drank with Jesus, such was not the case. Jesus does not know them because they did not sit at His table in His Church.

We have seen many religions that have churches in our neighborhood but these religions are not instituted by Jesus Christ. As we know The Anglican Church was instituted by King Henry VIII in 1534, The Baptist Church was instituted by John Smyth in 1607. The Christian Science Church was instituted by Mary Baker Eddy in 1879. And the list goes on. All these churches may claim to be the true Church, but such cannot be. When Jesus gave the keys to the kingdom of Heaven to Saint Peter, He said, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church..." [Mt. 16:18-9]

Let me repeat these Words of Jesus, "I will build my church," not their Churches. There is only One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church that was instituted by Jesus.  No one can lay any foundation other than by adding to the existing foundation of the Holy Catholic Church for the growth of the Body of Christ. Anyone who builds another foundation, such is being done in disobedience to God, in rejection of the foundation of Jesus Christ as being imperfect. Such is building a manmade foundation, claiming that this new foundation is better than the foundation of Jesus Christ. Indeed, many are lost because they do not choose the narrow gate.

They prefer a religion that is not too demanding, one that does not make it mandatory to attend Mass every Sunday. They reject the ongoing real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist once the bread and wine have been consecrated. They want their way, not God's way.

By that I mean they support abortion, the death penalty, divorce, same sex marriage, anything, and everything, if it embraces the modern trends that change from year to year, depending on the whims of the people.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, the narrow door is symbolic of the hardships of life for those who follow Jesus. Jesus said, "Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mk. 8:38)

What hope do we have of salvation if Jesus will be ashamed of us? None!  What hope do we have of salvation if we reject the One Church of Jesus so we can belong to another one that was man made? None! Will the founder of that other Church save us? Certainly not! What hope do we have of salvation if we eat the Bread or drink the Cup in an ongoing state of mortal sin? None!

Jesus said to strive to enter the narrow door. As such, we cannot afford to follow the modern trends. We cannot afford to belong to any Church other than the Church that was instituted by Jesus Himself. We cannot afford to want our way versus God Way.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us reflect upon these words in the coming week. Let us assess our obedience to God, our servitude, and our submission to His Divine Will. With a sincerity of heart, let us pray to the Lord Jesus, asking Him to transform us in such a way that we will always be pleasing in His eyes.

 

 

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Chúa Nhật thứ 21 Thường Niên – Năm C

Thiên Chúa luôn luôn có ý định bao gồm tất cả những dân tộc trên trái đất trong kế hoạch cứu chuộc của Ngài. Trong sách tiên tri Isaia, Thiên Chúa hứa sẽ thu gộm tất cả các quốc gia và tiếng nói về thành một và sẽ công bố vinh quang của Ngài trên tất cả mọi miền trên thế giới. Trong lúc chúng ta cố gắng để kết hợp những người khác và loại bỏ những rào cản và định kiến, là chúng ta đang thực sự công việc làm của Chúa. Và mỗi khi chúng ta làm gương tốt về lòng từ bi, sống cuộc sống thánh thiện, và công lý, chúng ta đang hùng hồn rao giảng Lời Chúa.

            Những thử thách mà chúng ta đã gặp trong cuộc sống này không phải là sự trừng phạt nhưng cơ hội. Nếu chúng ta kiên nhẫn, yêu thương, dũng cảm, và ngay chính trong những nghịch cảnh, chúng ta sẽ được biến đổi nhiều hơn và nhiều hơn nữa và đưọc trở nên giống như hình ảnh của Chúa Kitô. chúng ta hãy đáp ứng với những thách thức của chúng ta mỗi ngày trong sự háo hức.     Đó là một cánh cửa hẹp thực sự sẽ dẫn chúng ta đến vương quốc của Thiên Chúa. Đó là những đạc điểm mà được gọi là tình yêu, khiêm tốn, lòng tốt và phục vụ,  không có cách nào khác.

            Không ai có có thể huởng  được cái ảnh hưởng đặc biệt hoặc đặc quyền, và không ai có thể bắt nạt hoặc thao tác người khác để tìm cách vào Nước Trời. Trong thực tế, chúng ta sẽ ngạc nhiên, vi đối với một số người đứng đầu bây giờ sẽ người sau hết, và những người đấng sau hết cuối cùng sẽ được đưa lên trước. Cách mà Thiên Chúa đối xử với con người rất khác là với con người. Sự giàu có, quyền lực, và những thành tựu trong cuộc sống này không có nhiều ý nghĩa, trừ khi chúng ta biết dùng nó để làm việc lợi ích và giúp người khác.  Lạy Chúa, xin giúp chúng con có đủ kiên trì và can đảm để chúng con có thể làm việc của Chúa..

 

Refection Sunday 21th Ordinary Time -C

God has always intended to include all the peoples of the earth in His plan for redemption. In Isaiah, God promises to gather all the nations and tongues into one and to proclaim His glory in all lands. When we strive to include others and to remove barriers and prejudices, we are really doing God’s work. When we set an example of compassion, holiness, and justice, we are eloquently proclaiming the word of God.

The many trials that meet us in life are not intended as punishments but opportunities. If we are patient, loving, courageous, and upright in the face of adversity, we will be transformed more and more into the image of Christ. Let us meet the challenges of each day with eagerness. 

            It is a narrow door indeed that leads to the kingdom of God. It is called love, humility, kindness, and service; there is no other way. No one has any special influence or privilege, and no one can bully or manipulate their way into the kingdom. In fact, we will be surprised, for some who are first now will be last, and those who are last will be first. God’s ways are very different from those of humans. Wealth, power, and achievements in this life mean very little unless they are exercised for the good of others.

Lord, may I always be doing Your work.