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In This Issue
Parish Notes
From the Anglican Communion
The Propers
The Propers
This Sunday's Altar Flowers
Sermon
Đại Ý Kinh Văn

Upcoming Events

 

Saturday, Oct. 5: 

 

- Dental Clinic, 8 AM  

 

- PYM Volunteer Day, @ St. Thomas', McLean

10 AM - 2 PM


Sunday, Oct. 6:

- Blessing of the Animals, 4 PM

   

- Cookies for the Coeds, 5:00 PM

Sunday, Oct 13:  

Confirmation Class, after church

Saturday, Oct. 19:

Feed the Homeless, time TBA.

 

Free Dental Clinic at Saint Patrick's, 9 AM until the 150th patient for the day. 

 

Sunday, Oct. 20:

 

-  Confirmation Class, after church 

 

- Odeon Concert, 4 PM

 

- Youth at the Falls Church, 5-7 PM 

 

 Saturday, Oct. 26:

 

Acolytes' and Young Lectors' Training

 

 

Sunday, Oct. 27:

 

Confirmation Class, after church

 

Harvest Day's Service and Dinner for Youth and Adults, 5:30 PM

 

Saturday, Nov. 2:

 

Bazaar, 9AM -3 PM  

 

Sunday, Nov. 3:

 

Confirmation Class, after church 

 

 

Nov. 8th-10th:

PYM Senior High Weekend @ Shrine Mont

 

Sunday, Nov. 10  

 

- FCS Crop Walk, 1-2 PM 

 

 

Sunday, Nov. 17:

 

- Confirmation Class, after church

- Odeon Concert, 4 PM 

 

- Youth at the Falls Church, 5-7 PM

 

Sunday, Nov. 24:

 

Stewardship Sunday

 

Confirmation Class to Evensong at the National Cathedral, 4 PM 

 

 

Sunday, Dec. 1:

(First Sunday of Advent)

 

ANNUAL MEETING

 

Thursday, Dec. 5:

 

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM

 

Friday, Dec. 6:

 

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM 

 

Sunday, Dec. 8:

 

Bishop Visitation, 2 PM  

 

Tuesday, Dec. 10:

 

Commissions, 6:30 PM

Vestry, 7:30 PM

 

Thursday, Dec. 12

 

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM

 

Friday, Dec. 13

 

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM

 

Thursday, Dec. 19

 

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM

 

Friday, Dec. 20

 

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM  

 

Sunday, Dec. 22

 

Greening of the Church

 

Wednesday, Dec. 24

 

Christmas Eve Worship, 7:30 PM 

 

Saturday, Dec. 28

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM

 

Sunday, Dec. 29

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM  

 

 

 

Altar at Easter 2013      

Birthdays

October

 4   Nghia Nguyen

6   Catherine Leonard

12   Jean Wetrich

12   Viet-Long Tran

14   Hong Van Phan

16   Joe Hiller

17   Natalie Dang-Ellis

17   Jorden Benjamin

22   Emmeline Pizzola

22   Matthew Pizzola

22   Tess Miller

23   Paul Los, Jr.

27   Victoria Coker-Gunter

28   Harriette Benjamin

30   Carolyn Gawarecki

31   Margaret Mills

 

November

 

1   Bennett Miller

4   Brian Dubas

7   William Herbert

8   Katie Wright

9   Colby Leonard

10   Tom Auld

12   Nhung Dang

18   Nam-Tran Mai

24   Thomas H. Wetrich

25   Kiet Samuel Tran


December

 

 4    Irene Graham

 5    Jennifer Moya

 6    Jean Pierre Chanu

10    Winnie Lebo

11    Graham Parvinkarimi

14    Lois Cascella

15    Laurie Los

15    Moi Phan

16    Jean DuBro

18    Jackson DuBro

 25    Amelia Nicholson

28    Paul Los

30    Patricia Phan

31    Trang Diep

31    Chon Kim Huynh

 

Our Prayer List

We remember in our prayer:

 

Dee Bailey, Kari Boeskov, Brandon, Jane Chapman, Marie Cosimano, Tim Clary, Dorothy Connelly, John Davis, Donald DeVaughn, Michael Dickinson,  Loretta Dougherty, The Edsall Family, Dotty Eisenhour, Nance Finegan, Luis Garay, Louise Gibney, Anne Goodwin, Jean Graham, Katie Grosse, Nick Giuliani, Katherine Hafele, Anne & Thomas Edsall, Margaret Ellis Harris, Alek Hensley, Leslie Hogan, Cindy Hogman, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Michael Horn, Mary Isibel, Sarah Jackson, Lindsay Johns, Gray Johnson, Jamie Kaplon, Robert Kelley, Geoff Kent, Quinn Kimball, Jeffry King, Michael Knowles, Peter Kosutic, Susan Lawrence, Lois Magrogan, Colleen Mavrikas, Gregory McGinnis, Margaret Mills, Evelyn Morgan, Danielle Morgan, Ed+ and Margaret Morgan, Que Nguyen, Chick Nixon, Christine Nolan, Olive Oliver, Jim Owens, Gary Owens, Faith Poole, Mandy Rothenhoefer, William Ross, Bill Sitler,  Irene Skowron, Josh Smithers, Inez StantonCandi Stewart, Barbara Stefl, Kara Stryker, Walter Sushko, Steven Talbert, George Thomas, Clara Torres, George Torres, Elizabeth Trigg, Tammy Vanphung, Nhon Thanh Vo, Michael Weekes, Warren Weinstein, The Crowley Family, The Westfall Family, Paula Wiech, Meredith Wiech, Bernard Williams, Donna Wolfe, Rudy Zimple.

 

    

____ 

 

Note: If you have a loved one or friend who needs prayer please call the church and leave a message at 703-532-5656, or write to Tinh+ at

[email protected]  or call him at 703-405-9571.  Also, should a name need be removed from the list, please let Tinh+ know promptly, and give the reason.  

 

 

Saint Patrick's Ministers 

The Ministers of Saint Patrick's Church are the People of this Parish

 

supported by

 

The Reverend  

Tinh Trang Huynh, Rector

 

Ms. Mariko Hiller,  

Music Director

 

Ms. Rachel Burgess,

Nursery Care

 

We serve our Lord as part of the Diocese of Virginia

 

led by

our chief pastors

 

The Rt. Rev. Shannon Sherwood Johnston, Bishop

 

The Rt. Rev. Susan Goff

Bishop Suffragan 

 

and  

The Rt. Rev. Ted Gulick,

Assistant Bishop 

The Vision of St. Patrick's

Saint Patrick's Episcopal Church is a community of care, called to be Christ-centered and multicultural in worship, Christian education and action to proclaim  Christ's love to the world.

   

Previous Issues of the Epistle
Please click here if you wish to see the previous issues of The Epistle

St. Patrick's Organized for Missions and Ministry 

 

SAINT PATRICK'S ORGANIZED

FOR MISSIONS AND MINISTRY

 
Vestry Committee:
Senior Warden: Tom Auld; Junior Warden:  Bill Houston;
Registrar: Winnie Lebo;
Treasurer:  Kathy Oliver; 

Other members of the Vestry:   Elisabeth Nguyen, Milton Thomas, Jocelyne Miller, Pierre Chanu, Chris Nicholson. 

 

GROUPS AND ACTIVITIES

 

Altar Guild:  Lois Cascella;  
Bell Choir:  Mariko Hiller; 
Sunday Service Bulletin:  Diem Nguyen, Steve Lebo;
Offering Counters:  Bob Cascella; Diocesan Council Delegate: Kathy Oliver (Amelia Nicholson, alternate delegate);
St. Margaret's Circle:  Ann Nelson; Telephone Chain:
Alice King; Feed the Homeless:  Elisabeth Nguyen;
Odeon Chamber Music Series:  Mariko Hiller;
Westlawn Elementary School:  Winnie Lebo;
Falls Church Community Services: Catherine Dubas;
Hypothermia Shelter Program:  Hao Nguyen; 
The Epistle Newsletter Editors: Winnie Lebo and Cindy Rhoad; Flea Market:
Chris Nicholson; Prison Ministry: Nancy Burch;
Meals-on-Wheels: Amelia Nicholson;Sunrise/Bluemont:
Michael Knowles   

Church

 

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October 3, 2013
Parish Notes

dental clinic registration  Registration 2

Many thanks to our volunteers who came last Saturday to help with the patient registration for the free dental clinic.  We made appointments to over 300 people, including 10 homeless people from the Bailey's Crossroads Shelter, to come to the Hope For Tomorrow clinic at Saint Patrick's on this Saturday, October 5th and on Saturday, October 19th.  Our Ann Nelson will coordinate support for the team.  If you can help, please sign up.  If so, you may email Tinh+ at [email protected], or put your name on the sign-up sheet in the narthex.
 --------------------

  

- From our Ann Nelson:  A second dental clinic has been scheduled for Saturday, October 5, 2013, at Saint Patrick's.We have been asked to supply lunch and snacks for the dental team (50 people).             

Suggested donations should include sandwiches, snacks, juice, soda, and water.

Please let me know what you will be able to provide. Food may be delivered to the church after 3:00 pm Friday and Saturday morning.  

Any non-perishable food will be saved for the original scheduled dental clinic on Oct 19.

As always , thank you for your generosity.

Ann Nelson

703-560-2429 

[email protected]



Cookies for Co-eds  - Cookies for Coeds have been moved to 5:00 PM, this Sunday, October 6th.  Would you like to participate in sending cookies to our young people who are away from home at college?   We need lots of help gathering *homemade* goodies and packing boxes.  Our Catherine Dubas will make announcements on when the donated cookies should be brought to the church.  Please contact her at [email protected] , or 703-207-0424, to let her know if you will be able to provide cookies and/or join in packing the boxes, or for any questions you may have.  Thank you!

 

blessing the animals  

 

-  Mark your calendar:  On Sunday, October 6, at 4:00 PM we will bless the animals.  Bring your friends and join us in scripture reading, songs (with our friends' enthusiastic voices) and prayers.   Cookies for Coeds will follow this event.  Some of us will have to take their friends home and come back for the cookies packing, because the friends are allergic to chocolate! 

 

 

Acolytes  

 

 

-  Fr. Tinh will train acolytes and young lectors on Saturday, October 26, at 11 AM.   Youth and parents are welcome to lunch on Vietnamese sandwiches following the session.  

 

 

 

What's For DinnerCalling all the talented cooks of Saint Patrick's:  We need your help to make the October 27th's Harvest Day's Dinner for Youth and Adults a success!!! Amelia Nicholson has agreed to coordinate the event and she will be contacting you soon.  The event will begin with Evening Prayer at 5:30 PM;  dinner starts at 6:00 PM.

-  The Bazaar of this year will be held on Saturday, November 2nd, from 9 AM to 3 PM.   Our Kathy Oliver and Debbie Clark will lead us in this event.  More information on the fun day is coming our way soon.  Time to think about what you want to bring for the White Elephant table.  Please mark your calendar and be at church on that Saturday.

- FCS CROP Walk -- Sunday November 10th, 1-2 PM.   The Falls Church Community Service, Inc. (FCS) will be holding its very first "CROP Walk" for hunger relief.  They are planning a 5K walk in the Falls Church area to raise pledges and donations for the FCS food pantry. 

Dash and SavannahPaws for a Cause.  Our Mickie Frizzell and her cat Dash have been volunteering for Fairfax Pets on Wheels.  Won't you please sponsor them for the Paws for a Cause 3K?   The Walk benefits Fairfax Pets on Wheels, Inc. an all-volunteer organization dedicated to providing pet visitation to residents of nursing homes and hospitals since 1987.  The volunteers donate more than 8,000 hours of pet visitation annually.  Visiting with a pet brings back wonderful memories, allowing for a meaningful connection to happier times. Pet visitation has been medically proven to have a calming effect, touching animals helps chase away loneliness, depression, and withdrawal. 
        Visit WWW.FPOW.ORG for more information about FPOW or the walk. 
You can donate through Paypal using the following link: http://www.fpow.org/donate.  On the donation form, please indicate that the donation is in honor of Dash the cat (and Mickie Frizzell) and have FPOW notify her of the donation. 

Bishop JohnstonBishop Shannon will visit Saint Patrick's on Sunday, December 8, 2013. The service on that day will be held in the afternoon.  This will be an opportunity for baptism, confirmation, reception and affirmation of faith.  Fr. Tinh+ will teach a confirmation class that includes four after-church sessions on Oct. 13, Oct. 27, Nov. 10 and Nov. 24, and a visit to the National Cathedral on Saturday, November 30.  Parents and Sponsors of the confirmands are invited to join the class.

Prayers for Pakistan  


About 130 people were killed and 200 injured in a bombing at All Saints' Church in Peshawar, Pakistan, over the weekend. Members of the Diocese of Virginia visited this same church on a visit to Pakistan in January 2013. Learn more about the bombing through  Episcopal News Service or through Titus on Mission, the Rev. Dr. Titus Presler's blog from his perspective as principal of Edwardes College in Peshawar.  
 
In response to this tragedy, Bishop Johnston has written the following prayer for use in our churches. 

Most merciful God, you created all of humankind to know you, to love you and to love one another; hear our cry as we pray to you for our brothers and sisters in the Church in Pakistan, remembering especially the Diocese of Peshawar. Embrace all who are suffering in grief, pain or fear, and bring to them the healing balm of your grace, that they may be comforted and strengthened in this time of great trial. Bless Bishop Humphrey in his leadership and pastoral care, and grant that by the presence of your Holy Spirit, the clergy may minister with power and all people may bear the burdens of this time with steadfast faith and hope. Receive the dead into your eternal company of heaven, and sustain the injured through their wounds until, through your gracious will, they know the fullness of healing in body, mind and spirit. May we, your Church in the Diocese of Virginia, have the grace to walk, work and pray with your faithful people who carry the cross in witness to Jesus Christ our Lord; through Him, who died and rose again so that we all may be one, your Son, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

From Bishop Goff 

Bishop goff  

 

October 1, 2013  

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 

I write to you today to ask you and your congregation to engage in prayer, conversation and action about immigration reform in our nation. This issue is at the heart of our faith as Christians and at the heart of our lives as Americans. Immigration reform that is just - that allows torn families to be reunited, and that offers a reasonable path to citizenship for millions who already support and strengthen our economy - is a matter of faith.

 

Our significant ancestors in the faith were immigrants. Abraham and Sarah were immigrants when they traveled from Ur to Haran to Canaan, following the command of God. The fledgling people of Israel were immigrants as they journeyed long through a desert land and entered a land they had never seen before. Jesus himself began his life as an immigrant when he and his family fled from Bethlehem to Egypt to escape the threat of death, then later traveled from Egypt to Nazareth.

 

Because our ancestors in the faith experienced life as immigrants, Holy Scripture gives us ample instruction about how we are to treat the strangers, foreigners and immigrants among us. In Deuteronomy 10:19 we read, "You ought to show love for strangers, because you also were strangers in Egypt." The book of Exodus tells us, "Do not mistreat or oppress aliens, because you and your people were aliens in Egypt." (Exodus 22:21). Leviticus puts it even more strongly: "When foreigners settle in your land, do not mistreat them. On the contrary, treat them as if they were one of you. Love them as you love yourselves, because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord, the God of Israel." (Leviticus 19:33-34).

 

Based on this heritage of faith, we in the Diocese of Virginia adopted resolution R-9s, "Working for a Just and Humane Immigration Policy," at our Annual Council in 2008. Among other things, we resolved to welcome strangers as a matter of Christian responsibility, to be advocates for their well-being and protection, and to call upon U.S. senators and members of Congress to pursue a just and humane immigration policy.You can read the full text of that resolution here. We as a diocese have not yet lived into this resolution. The time to do so is now.     

 

For we now stand at a crucial crossroads as Christian Americans, as our House of Representatives considers immigration reform. I invite you, indeed I urge you, to make your voice heard on this matter. Whatever your political views, I invite you to:

 

  • Reflect and pray about what Holy Scripture says about the immigrants among us.
  • Talk with the clergy and lay leaders who serve our Latino, Korean and multi-ethnic congregations about the experiences of immigrants in our Diocese of Virginia congregations.
  • Talk with the immigrants you encounter in your daily life.
  • Write, text, e-mail or call your representatives to share your reflections.
  • Participate in activities this Saturday, Oct. 5, the National Day of Respect and Dignity, when there will be gatherings in Sterling, Fredericksburg, Harrisonburg and Richmond to witness for legislation that will lead to just immigration reform. You can learn more about the day at octoberimmigration.org orfacebook.com/NOVAPRESENTE, or from this flyer
  • Join Bishop Gulick and me on the National Mall on Tuesday, Oct. 8, for the Camino Americano rally and concert for Immigrant Dignity and Respect. Details are at octoberimmigration.org.
  • Learn about the life issues facing immigrants in your own community and partner with them for a better life.

 "The righteous will [ask], 'Lord, when was it that we . . . saw you a stranger and welcomed you?' . . . And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.'" (Matthew 25: 38, 40).

 

May our words, our prayers, our reflections and our actions be a blessing to our brothers and sister in Christ.

 

Faithfully yours,

 

The Rt. Rev. Susan E. Goff

Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Virginia  

 

The Propers 

Sunday, October 6, 2013
This Sunday is the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost     
(Proper 22)

Texts:     

Habakkuk 1:1-6

Psalm 37:3-10

2 Timothy 1:6-14

Luke 17:5-10 

 
Collect:    Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve:  Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

This Sunday's Altar Flowers  


The flowers on the altar this Sunday
are to the glory of God,
and are given by Le Cao
as a thank offering

Last Sunday's Sermon 

 

Proper 21 -- Year C -- September 29, 2013
Luke 16:19-31Ps. 146:4-9; 1 Timothy 6:11-19           

Tinh Huynh+
-----------------------------------     

 

This morning, in the letter of Paul to Timothy,

we heard the phrase, "Fight the good fight of the faith."

Sounds militant, doesn't it?

 

Yet in the original language of the letter,

the idea speaks to the energy of an athlete.

The phrase could be better understood as "contest the good contest."

You are called to be like a good athlete in maintaining and living the faith.

One of my close friends is a martial art master.

He began learning the Vietnamese traditional martial art when he was 10 years old,

and since then he never misses a day of practice.

He does mental practice of the fighting art all the time,

in every step and every moment of the daily life.

This is exactly what Paul teaches Timothy about his spirituality.

A follower of Christ has only one thing in his or her mind.

He or she always thinks about partaking of God's heavenly treasure.

-------------

The passage we read this morning follows a warning

against the love of money.

Paul must have observed the behavior of some members of the early Church, and have seen them as

being trapped in the snare of money.

Paul says that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

----------------------

The last verse in today's Second Reading may have caught our attention:

Paul says, "Take hold of the life that really is life."

---------------------

The word "take hold of" that Paul used implies a violent action.

The life that really is life is not something that comes by itself.

You cannot obtain real life just by sitting around.

Paul means we have to grasp, to catch, to run after it in order to seize that "real" life.

-------------------

Oftentimes we think of eternal life as an award for our good deeds,

which is to come after this earthly life ends.

Yet eternal life can begin in the present, here and now.

-------------------

When Jesus spoke about heaven and hell

he did not speak about life in a different realm.

Heaven and hell in the parable of Jesus do not necessarily belong to the afterlife.

--------------------

In the story in Luke, the rich man ends up being in Hades (or hell), and Lazarus the poor beside Abraham (or heaven).

Lazarus is covered with sores, and the dogs come and lick him all over.

Here we have the picture of Lazarus as hungry, weak, despised and humiliated.

By contrast, the rich man enjoys his "good" life.

Jesus describes him as wearing luxury clothing.  

In Palestine of Jesus' time, not many people could have meat every day.

If they were fortunate enough, they would have meat only one day per week.

The people did not use fork or chop sticks.

They did not have dinner napkins, either.

They ate with their hands.

------------------

How did rich people of Jesus' time deal with the sticky hands at their dinner table?

Rich people in that society would use bread to clean their fingers,

and then they threw the hunks of bread to the floor.

They ate bread and threw bread away at the same time.

The dogs under their tables would be better off,

because they could get food.

The poor at the gates get nothing.

-----------------

Did the rich man in the story do anything wrong?

No.  

He did not chase Lazarus away.

He did not scold Lazarus.

He just enjoyed the wealth he had worked hard for.

He might have inherited it from his parents.

------------------

So what was so wrong with the rich man?

He ignored Lazarus.  

He did not see him at all.

He was completely blind about the miseries of the poor.

He was mindful only about himself.

His attitude was an "I-don't-care" attitude. 

------------------ 

The main point of the parable

is not about who goes to heaven and who goes to hell.

It is about care.

God is about care. Jesus is about care.

The rich man was living in hell without knowing it.

He was in no place near God.

He had no single thought about others.

He was very poor in soul.

---------------------

Are we today ignoring the suffering of people and the creatures of God in the world?

Mental illness is something we should think about.  

35% of the population of our country suffer from mental illness.

What about poverty?

What about human trafficking in the world?

We need to be attentive to the suffering of humanity,

and to know that we are all the same in poverty.

--------------------

This teaching is not only for us adults.  

We are to convey it to our children  

-- whether in the conversation at the dinner table,  

or in the attitude toward the poor,  

or in bringing in donations to the basket at the church entrance.

What about the reasons for not throwing away food? 

What about them observing some classmates in school

that nobody seems wanting to make friends with?

Would they want to befriend them  

and make them feel accepted?

Would they believe they want to do so  

because of the word of Christ hidden in their hearts?

We do not have to change the world,

but we can do the little things

that make change happens.

Sometimes we have to overcome our fears

to reach out and help.    

I often receive letters and notes from Westlawn Elementary School thanking us for the gift cards and other donations to help the poor children.

What we are doing at St. Pat's is exactly what the Kingdom of God is about.

Those belonging to the Kingdom are mindful

of the needs of others,

particularly of the poor, the sick,

the orphans and the widows.

A life that really is life is one that is given to Christ.  

It is not merely about what beliefs we hold

in order to go to heaven;

neither is it merely about good works to earn salvation.

It is about partaking in God's heavenly treasure,

like what we said in the collect for today.

Grant us the fullness of your grace,

that we, running to obtain your promises,

may become partakers of your heavenly treasure."

The life that really is life is a journey with our Lord, which results in generosity and care and the joy of love.  

May God's grace fill our heart today.

 

Amen.

 

Đại � Kinh Văn Ch�a Nhật Vừa Qua

Ch�a Nhật, 29 th�ng 9, 2013

Kinh Văn:  Luca 16:19-31; 1 Ti-m�-th� 6:11-19                  MS Tỉnh+ 

--------------------------------------

H�m nay, tại nhiều nh� thờ tr�n to�n quốc Hoa Kỳ, người ta n�i về Sức Khỏe Tinh Thần.  Ch�ng ta nhắc nhau cầu nguyện v� quan t�m đến những người bị bệnh tinh thần.  Nhiều người trong ch�ng ta cu~ng đ� biết rằng 35% người Hoa Kỳ bị bệnh tinh thần.  Trước đ�y, c�c x� hội tr�n thế giới khinh dể, chế diễu hay bỏ qu�n những người bị bệnh tinh thần, v� d�ng một số danh từ ti�u cực để n�i về họ -- chẳng hạn như chữ "đi�n kh�ng" -- v� c�c gia đ�nh c� người bị bệnh thường che dấu.  C�c cộng đo�n tin k�nh Kit�-gi�o cu~ng từng xử sự với người bệnh tinh thần như thế, tin rằng họ bị "quỷ �m."  Gần đ�y, người ta kh�m ph� ra rằng bệnh tinh thần c� t�nh c�ch phổ qu�t, v� c� người cho rằng ai cu~ng c� bệnh tinh thần, kh�ng nhiều th� �t -- người b�nh thường v� người bệnh nặng chỉ kh�c nhau về cấp độ mạnh yếu m� th�i.

 

Ph�c �m Luca 16:19-31 m� ch�ng ta đọc h�m nay l� một ẩn dụ Đức Gi�su kể.  Ẩn dụ kh�ng phải l� một chuyện thật, v� cu~ng kh�ng phải l� hoang đường.  Ẩn dụ của Ch�a l� những c�u chuyện d�ng những th� dụ rất b�nh thường để chỉ cho ta thấy t�m tư của Thi�n Ch�a v� sự sống trong Nước Ch�a như thế n�o.

 

Ẩn dụ nầy tả một người gi�u c� sang trọng ngồi ăn, v� một người ngh�o khổ bệnh hoạn t�n l� "La Xa Rơ" ngồi trước cổng mong một miếng b�nh vụn rớt xuống đất ăn đỡ đ�i m� kh�ng được.  Trong khi ấy anh nh� gi�u nầy chẳng để � v� cu~ng chẳng nh�n thấy.  Loại quần �o người gi�u mặc c� thể s�nh với một chiếc T-shirt gi� 300 đồng h�m nay, hay l� một c�i b�p của mấy b� trị gi� cả ng�n đồng.  V�o thời Đức Gi�su v� trong x� hội Do Th�i, người ta ăn bốc, v� mấy người gi�u c� d�ng b�nh m� để ch�i tay cho sạch để ăn tiếp, v� họ vứt b�nh m� đ� d�ng ch�i tay xuống đất, rồi sau đ� hốt bỏ.

 

Một thời gian sau, cả hai người đều chết, nhưng hồn của họ về hai c�i kh�c nhau.  Người gi�u ở chốn đau khổ.  Người ngh�o kia lại được v�o c�i ph�c.

 

� ch�nh của ẩn dụ nầy kh�ng phải ở chỗ gi�u l� xấu v� ngh�o l� tốt.  Ẩn dụ cu~ng kh�ng cho b� quyết để l�n 'thi�n đ�ng.'  Điểm nhấn mạnh l� chữ "quan t�m"  (tiếng Anh l� "care").  Tội của người gi�u trong dụ ng�n l� c�i tội kh�ng nh�n thấy.  Anh ta chỉ ch� trọng cho c�i sướng của m�nh.

 

Đa số người ng�y nay sống chỉ cho m�nh v� ho�n to�n kh�ng thấy v� kh�ng cảm thấy c�i khổ của nh�n thế.  Họ qu� đ�yđủ cho n�n nhiều khi kh�ng biết l�m g� với đời của họ.  Họ sống phung ph�, v� c�u n�i của họ thường l� "I don't care."  Họ kh�ng biết rằng c�i sung t�c của vật chất chỉ l� giả tạo, v� sự an ủi ch�n thật cho con người c� thể được t�m thấy trong sự quan t�m ủy lạo người khổ hơn m�nh.  Họ chạy trốn khỏi c�i ưu tư l�m người, kh�ng bao giờ muốn đối diện với n�.  Họ gạt qua một b�n nhu cầu của người kh�c.  Họ kh�ng muốn tham dự v�o đời sống tin k�nh của cộng đo�n, v� tại đ� họ bị nhắc về những đau thương nh�n thế.  Đ�y ch�nh l� th�i độ của người gi�u trong c�u chuyện.

 

Quan t�m kh�ng phải chỉ l� bề ngo�i, hỏi han qua loa.  Quan t�m cu~ng kh�ng phải l� tọc mạch để đi xầm x� về chuyện người kh�c.  Quan t�m l� cố gắng t�m hiểu v� th�ng cảm, v� sẵn s�ng g�p một tay gi�p đỡ, trong tinh thần y�n lặng v� đầy t�nh thương.  Trong kinh nghiệm bản th�n, trong đời t�i c� v�i lần c� người trong Hội Th�nh v� b� con gi�p đỡ t�i ch�nh l�c kh� khăn.  Khi nghĩ lại, t�i thấy họ thật l� qu� b�u cho t�i.  T�i nghĩ rằng Ch�a dạy t�i noi gương ấy v� tập t�nh

rộng r�i. Quan t�m kh�ng phải l� t�m c�ch uốn nắn người kh�c theo � m�nh, m� l� chấp nhận họ kh�ng điều kiện.

 

C�u hỏi cho ch�ng ta trong tuần lễ nầy l� ch�ng ta c� c�i nh�n của Ch�a về những người chung quanh v� về ch�nh m�nh chăng?  Khi ch�ng ta gặp một người đứng ăn xin ngo�i đường, tr�ng c� vẻ mạnh khỏe v� th�ng minh, ch�ng ta nghĩ g� về họ v� nghĩ g� về m�nh? 

May God bless and keep you, and may God grant us peace. 

 

The Rev. Tinh T. Huynh

Rector of Saint Patrick's Church