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In This Issue

Parish Notes

Photos of Last Sunday's Dinner

Letter from the Bishop

The Propers

Sermon

Đại Ý Kinh Văn

Upcoming Events

Mar 28-30

Grade 7-8 PYM Weekend at Shrine Mont

Saturday, March 29

Feed the Homeless at Bailey's Crossroads Shelter, 9:30 AM

Sunday, March 30:

Lenten Forum: St. Timothy's Mission at Pine Ridge -- with trailer from "Dakota 38", 12 PM

Saturday, April 5

Pollinator Garden Day, 9 AM - 2 PM

Sunday, April 6:

Forum on Transition, 12 PM

Saturday, April 12

Pollinator Garden Day,

9 AM - 2 PM

Sunday, April 13

Palm Sunday

Thursday, Apil 17

Maundy Thursday service, 7:30 PM

Friday, April 18

Good Friday services, at 12 Noon and 7:30 PM

Sunday, April 20

EASTER DAY service at 10:30 AM

Sunday, April 27

Baptism of Catherine Adams, 10:30 AM

Pancake after church

Odeon Concert, 4 PM

Friday, May 2

Majorie Lee's Piano Student Recital, 6:00 PM

Saturday, May 3

Feed the Homeless at Bailey's Crossroads Shelter, 9:30 AM

Trinity School Music Program, 6:30 PM

Sunday, May 4

Forum after church: Pollinator Garden

Sunday, May 11

(Mother's Day)

Baptism of Margot Miller

Saturday, May 17

Yard Sale, 9-2

Sunday, May 18

Celebration of Westlawn Ministry -- Potluck

Altar at Easter 2013

Birthdays

March

27 Bob Cascella (today!)

28 Keith Gardner

31 Jennifer Phan

31 Gisela Johnson-Harbers

April

5 Douglas Payne, Jr.

8 Philip Nicholson

10 Joseph Dubas

11 Anna Chanu

17 Hong Nguyen

17 Audette Frazer

19 Savannah Frizzell

21 Cheryl Gardner

22 Amy Phan

23 James E. Ellis IV

24 Lindsay Gardner

27 Pat Gardner

28 Carolyn Auld

30 Cate Johnson

Our Prayer List

We remember in our prayer:

Cathy Anderson, Dee Bailey, Kari Boeskov, Brandon, Jane Chapman, Marie Cosimano, Tim Clary, Dorothy Connelly, John Davis, Michael Dickinson, Loretta Dougherty, Nance Finegan, Luis Garay, Carolyn Gawarecki, Louise Gibney, Jean Graham, Katherine Hafele, Margaret Ellis Harris, Alek Hensley, Leslie Hogan, Cindy Hogman, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Michael Horn, Mary Isibel, Lindsay Johns, Gray Johnson, Jamie Kaplon, Geoff Kent, Quinn Kimball, Alice King, Peter Kosutic, Susan Lawrence, Bruce Lineker, Lois Magrogan, Evelyn Morgan, Danielle Morgan, Que Nguyen, Chick Nixon, Mary Esther Obremskey, Olive Oliver, Jim Owens, Gary Owens, William Ross, Fern Shuck, Irene Skowron, Josh Smithers, Inez Stanton, Candi Stewart, Patrick Stefl, Barbara Stefl, Kara Stryker, Walter Sushko, George Thomas, Elizabeth Trigg, Tammy Vanphung, Michael Weekes, Warren Weinstein, The Crowley Family, The Westfall Family, Meredith Wiech, Bernard Williams, Rudy Zimpel.

____

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

stpats3241@gmail.com 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: Kathy Oliver; Junior Warden: Bill Houston;

Registrar: Winnie Lebo;

Treasurer: Kathy Oliver;

Other members of the Vestry: Elisabeth Nguyen, Milton Thomas, Amelia Nicholson, Victoria Kennedy, Ann Nelson.

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: Bill Houston (Kathy Oliver, 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

Join Our List

March 27, 2014

Parish Notes

- On Sunday, March 30, our Lenten series will feature Tina Pinkard from St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Herndon. She has been visiting the Pine Ridge Indian reservation in South Dakota for the past fourteen years as a volunteer. Come hear about the problems and promises of the Lakota Indians, and Jay and Victoria Parrotta's special connection to the Lakota nation.

- Would you like to participate in the furniture ministry of the Falls Church Community Service? FCS volunteers pick up and deliver donated household items for distribution to those in need in our Falls Church area. They work either on Saturday or on Sunday afternoon. If you would like to participate in this good work, please let Tinh+ or Catherine Dubas know.

- "Together We Can Make A Difference." Let us fill the cart with items for the needy in the Falls Church area and take them to FCS at Knox Presbyterian Church on Palm Sunday after church. Most needed are: paper products (toilet tissue, paper towels, disposable diapers and wipes), coffee, rice, jelly, canned fruits (not pineapple), and vegetable oil.

- Would you like to offer flowers in "memory of a loved one" or as an "offering of thanksgiving" at Easter? Cost is $12, payable to the Altar Guild. There is a form that comes in the Sunday leaflet, but you can also call and leave a message at 703-532-5656, or send an email to stpats3241@gmail.com. Checks should be made payable to the "Altar Guild of Saint Patrick's," earmarked "Easter Flowers," and mailed to Saint Patrick's Church, 3241 Brush Dr., Falls Church, Virginia, 22042, or dropped in the alms basin during worship.

Feed the Homeless 4

- Volunteers are needed for the upcoming Feed The Homeless at Bailey's Crossroad this Saturday, March 29th, at 9:30 AM. Please contact Liz at elisabethnguyen@gmail.com if you wish to lend a hand or to make cupcakes. Donations of money for the purpose are welcome. Please make your check payable to Saint Patrick's Church with "Feed The Homeless" on the memo line.

- Please pray for our youth attending the 6th & 7th PYM Weekend at Shrine Mont, March 28-30: Kate Burgess and Marie Van Beek. Gladys and Robert Van Beek will be their chaperones at the event. The date for the 8th Grade event is May 16-18, and Senior High November 7-9. For any PYM information, please speak with our Bobby Dubas.

- Happy Birthday to Bob Cascella!

- Volunteers are need for the installation of St. Patrick's Pollinator Garden. Please join us in breaking the ground and planting needed vegetation, on

Saturday, April 5th and Saturday, April 12th, 9-2 pm. Volunteers please bring your work gloves, water bottle and sunscreen. Please RSVP by dropping an e-mail for Lois Cascella at loiscascella@hotmail.com, or call her at 703-560-7579.

- Love Life -- Lent 2014: http://ssje.org/ssje/lovelife/ Sign up to receive short, daily video from the Brothers of the Society of Saint John The Evangelist that delve deeply into the gospel that shapes their community life.

- Copies of the Lenten Journey Calendar are still available in the narthex! Please take one home and enjoy the suggestions for the rest of your journey through Lent. For today, March 27th, the calendar suggests, "Since Lent is a time to prepare for baptism, review the promises made in baptism, page 304 of the Book of Common Prayer."

Photos of Last Sunday's Dinner

Many thanks to Liz Nguyen and to those who assisted her for the delicious meal with the Feed-the-Homeless menu, on Sunday, March 23rd. On this occasion, Kuni Kuek, 20, surprised us with her visit from Michigan. In 1999, Saint Patrick's sponsored her family as refugees from the Sudan. Kuni was 4 years old at that time, and she came with her mother Aker Ryak and brother Chol Kuek. The dinner raised more than $400.00 for the Feed-the-Homeless Fund. After dining we gathered for Compline. It was an enjoyable and meaningful evening at church.

Those who work in the kitchen

Kuni Kuek and her St. Pat's friends

Group picture following Compline

A Letter from the Bishop

3/10/2014

Dear Diocesan Family,

Today is an important day for our Diocese. We finally can say, with great thankfulness, that the Diocese of Virginia no longer is involved in property litigation. The U.S. Supreme Court has denied the Falls Church CANA's petition. That means The Falls Church Episcopal is free to continue to worship and grow in its home church buildings.

Although today marks an official and much anticipated end to the litigation, it also marks a beginning. We will now be able to focus fully our attentions on the many truly exciting ministries all over our Diocese. I pray that those in the CANA congregations will join us in turning this fresh page.

It is most appropriate that this decision comes at this time, following January's Annual Council, where we gathered under the theme, "Awake, My Soul, Stretch Every Nerve." In the spirit of renewal I have felt all over the Diocese, I invite you to join me and your brothers and sisters in 182 congregations as we explore new ways to awake our collective souls; as we take a fresh look at our shared ministries; as we stretch every nerve, beyond our comfort zones; and as we breathe new life into the mission we do together in the name of Jesus Christ.

Our Dayspring team already has been making great headway in identifying sources of renewed energy and vision involving those properties that have been returned to us as a result of the litigation. I have no doubt that this spirit of renewal will be enhanced by today's decision. Please join us on this missional journey that will stretch and inspire us as we find new ways to connect our faith community to the needs of the world.

On this special day, I would like to recognize the clergy and lay leaders of The Falls Church Episcopal, a congregation that has continued to grow in love throughout this prolonged legal process. As always, our prayers remain with all of those affected by the litigation - brothers and sisters who now have the precious opportunity for a new beginning.

Faithfully,

The Rt. Rev. Shannon S. Johnston
Bishop of Virginia

The Propers

Sunday, March 30, 2014

This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday in Lent

Texts:

Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14;

John 9:1-13, 28-41

Collect:

GRACIOUS FATHER, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Last Sunday's Sermon

Lent 3 - Year A - March 23, 2014

Text: John 4:5-15, 19-26, 39-42

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

Many people say that a passage in the Bible can come with new meanings each time it is read.
That is true.
Sometimes you find new insights when you read between the lines.

Sometimes the passage surprises you with things said and things not said.

As Christians, we believe that God's Word can inspire us through the Holy Spirit.

The gospel story for today is about the Samaritan woman, but it actually speaks about Christ.
--------------------------
For two thousand years, Christians have been pondering the questions,
"Who is Jesus?"
and, if he is the one for us to follow,
"What is he about?"
-----------------------
Four years ago, I went to New York for a church meeting.
The bus was delayed,
and rush hour traffic in New York was so bad,
that when I found my way to the retreat house it was 8 PM.

House of the Redeemer, NY

The church house was huge, and its doors were locked at that time.
I stood in the dark at a strange place.
I was tired and feeling a little insecure.
Then I saw a sign on the iron fence, which read,
"House of the Redeemer."
"Ah, Yes." I said to myself. "I've come to the right place.
I will have shelter for the night."
--------------------
The sign "House of the Redeemer" reminded me of the faith that I grew up with.
The word "Redeemer" reminds me of where I belong.
The Heavenly Father, the Creator, is also the Redeemer.
I believe that He is always near,
and that He knows me well.
Is it true that we are blessed because we believe?
-----------------
The Samaritan woman who encountered Jesus in the story we read today was a "nobody."
First, she belonged to an ethnic group that was despised by the Jews;
and second, she was low even in her own society.
There was not even a name for her in the story.
Preachers often describe her as a whore,
and many commentators keep guessing her "sins,"
based on the mentioning of how many husbands she had.
Yet the text itself does not say anything about her as being sinful.
She might have outlived her husbands,
and might have remarried each time a husband died.
The husband, whom she had at the time she spoke with Jesus,
might not be hers to keep for the rest of her life.
Imagine how miserable her life was,
and how poor she was,
materially as well as spiritually.
The jar that she carried may be the only thing of value that she possessed.

The water from the well will certainly satisfy the needs of her family.
Yet Jesus knew the woman.
He had seen her at the well before he came to meet her.
She is a Samaritan,
an "outsider."
------------------
Jews and Samaritans hated each other.
In Year 9 AD,
during the Jewish Feast of the Unleavened Bread,
the Samaritans came into Jerusalem in secret,
and they scattered human bones in the Jewish temple.
------------
In Year 50 CE, some Jews were murdered
and the blame was upon the Samaritans.
Strong men of Jerusalem went to the Samaritan villages,
where they burned all the houses
and killed all the Samaritans they could find,
men and women, young and old. (1)
---------------------
Notice the woman's attitude when she first met Jesus, a Jew,
"Why do you come to me to ask for a drink?"
In other words, "I don't want to have anything to do with you."
------------------
Is this really because of the animosity between Jews and Samaritans?
Maybe Jesus approached her at a wrong time?
Or maybe she was just an angry person.
She had a lot of wounds in her life.
The worst of them might have been the pain of rejection.
We all thirst for acceptance and for love.
Many of us suffer from self-rejection,
thirsting for the applause and approval of the world. (2)
-------------------
There are two realms that one must choose to belong to:
the realm of darkness and the realm of light.
There is the Holy Spirit that opens the eyes of those yearning
to see the truth.
There is God's love that satisfies all the human needs --
the peace that the world cannot give.
---------------
As the story goes, Jesus speaks of what happened in her life. The mentioning of her situation surprises her and touched her spiritual thirst.
The Samaritan woman finally realizes
that the stranger who came to her is not just a male Jew.
She says to Jesus,
"Sir, I see that you are a prophet."
The word "see," in the Gospel of John, means "believe."
To see is to believe.
Grace happens when one finds him/herself able to believe.
By believing, one is moved from the realm of darkness into the realm of light,
from eternal death to eternal life.
------------------
Then the woman mentions what she has learned about the Messiah,
and Jesus says,
"I am He, the one who is speaking to you."
In the original version of the Gospel,
Jesus says, "I AM." (Not "I am He.")
-------------
In the Old Testament Book of Exodus,
Moses heard God calling him from the burning bush.
Moses asked for God's Name.
The reply was, "I AM."
"I AM" is the identity of God.
Jesus is more than a prophet.
He is the I AM.
--------------
God himself has come to her.
The I AM has been standing beside her.
He is the LIGHT, and He speaks with her tenderly.
God himself is her Redeemer and Savior.
This Jesus the Christ is God, and He is the Savior of all people --
Jews and Samaritans,
black and white,
yellow and red.

All along, the woman had always thought of herself as a "nobody."
She might have even hated herself.
Yet at the encountering with Christ,
she comes to know that in God's eye she is somebody.
God loves her, and that is enough for her.
The Messiah told her everything she did,
and yet he accepted her anyway. (3)
Her thirst has been quenched.
---------------------
The Samaritan woman represents us.
God knows all about what we did,
but his love for us never changes.
God does not demand perfection.
Paul says in today's Second Reading that
we are justified by faith,
and by believing we may have peace with God through Christ.
Christ is our shelter.
All we have to do is
to accept God's acceptance of us. (4)
----------------------
Isn't that wonderful?
----------------------
Yet God's love does not come without challenges.
First we must renounce evil.
And then there is a command to love the way he loves us.
Can we love someone without demanding perfection?
Can we love and forgive someone
even if we know of what he or she has done?
There is the call for us to believe and come to the Light,
and to thirst for the Spirit,
and to love the way Jesus loves.
The water He gives quenches our thirst for ever.
Amen.

_________________

(1) See http://renewpartnerships.org/articles/jewish-cb/

(2) See Henri J. M. Nouwen, Life of the Beloved -- Spiritual Living in a Secular World.
(3) Anna Carter Florence, Feasting on the Word, Year A, Volume 2, Page 97.
(4) Ward B. Ewing, Feasting on the Word, Year A, Volume 2, Page 90. Quoting from Paul Tillich's writing, "We are accepted by God although being unacceptable according to the criterion of the law, and all we must do is accept this acceptance."

B�i Giảng Ch�a Nhật Tuần Trước

Ch�a Nhật Thứ Ba của M�a Thống Hối -- 23 th�ng 3, 2014

Kinh Văn: Gioan 4:5-15, 19-26, 39-42

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

Nhiều t�n hữu Kit�-gi�o n�i rằng

mỗi khi đọc lại một đoạn Kinh Th�nh

th� cảm nhận những � nghĩa mới cho m�nh.

Điều đ� c�.

C� thể l� hiểu kinh văn s�u xa hơn

khi "đọc giữa những gi�ng chữ"

(theo lối diễn tả trong Anh Ngữ),

nghĩa l� đọc được tư tưởng của người viết,

hay l� niềm tin của những độc giả của thời xa xưa.

Cu~ng c� thể l� kh�m ph� một v�i chi tiết

trước đ�y m�nh kh�ng để �,

hoặc l� thắc mắc

tại sao t�c giả bỏ qua một điều n�o đ�.

Truyện t�ch Ph�c �m h�m nay

l� truyện về một phụ nữ d�n Samari,

song chủ yếu lại l� về Đức Ki-t�.

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

Suốt hai ng�n năm qua,

t�n hữu Kit�-gi�o suy nghĩ nhiều về c�u hỏi:

"Gi�su l� ai?"

v�, nếu Gi�su l� đấng m�nh phải theo,

th� m�nh phải theo Người như thế n�o?

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

House of the Redeemer, New York

V�i năm trước đ�y t�i đi New York

để họp chuyện nh� thờ.

Xe bu�t tới trễ,

v� đường ở New York v�o giờ tan sở đ�ng nghẹt.

Khi tới được nh� nguyện,

l� nơi c� chỗ ở v� hội họp, th� đ� 8 giờ tối.

Ng�i nh� thật lớn,

đường phố tối om v� vắng tanh, cửa kh�a.

T�i đứng trong b�ng tối ở một nơi xa lạ,

mệt mỏi v� hơi bất an.

Song t�i chợt nh�n thấy một c�i biển tr�n h�ng r�o sắt,

đề chữ "House of the Redeemer." (Nh� của Cứu Ch�a).

T�i mừng, nghĩ "�, đ�y rồi.

M�nh đến đ�ng chỗ.

Đ�m nay c� chỗ ngủ."

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

D�ng chữ "Nh� của Ch�a" mang t�i về niềm tin

đ� học từ nhỏ.

Chữ "Redeemer" (Đấng Cứu Chuộc)

khiến t�i nhớ t�i thuộc về ai.

Cha Thi�n Thượng,

Tạo H�a của mu�n lo�i,

lại l� Đấng Cứu Chuộc.

Ng�i lu�n ở gần,

v� Ng�i biết t�i tỏ tường.

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

Người phụ nữ sắc tộc Samari gặp Đức Gi�su h�m ấy kh�ng được ai coi trọng.

Thứ nhất, b� nầy thuộc giống d�n

m� người Do Th�i khinh khi.

Thứ hai, ngay cả l�ng x�m Samari

cu~ng kh�ng coi b� ra g�.

Người viết truyện cu~ng kh�ng n�u được t�n của b�.

Nhiều người giảng đạo Ki-t�-gi�o

liệt b� v�o phường điếm đĩ,

v� nhiều người giải kinh cứ đo�n b� nhiều "tội"

v� truyện kể rằng b� c� nhiều đời chồng.

Song t�c giả kh�ng hề n�i rằng b� l� người tội lỗi.

C� thể l� b� sống dai hơn mầy �ng chồng vắn số,

v�o thời chưa c� thuốc men.

Người chồng m� b� đang ở với,

v�o l�c b� gặp Đức Gi�su,

chưa chắc đ� sống được trọn đời với b�.

Thử tưởng tượng sống như thế đau khổ biết mấy.

R� r�ng, đ�y l� người hết sức ngh�o khổ.

Ngh�o cả vật chất lẫn tinh thần.

C�i v� nước b� đội tr�n đầu rất c� thể

l� t�i sản qu� nhất trong nh�.

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

Đức Gi�su biết r� b� nầy,

trước khi b� thấy Ch�a.

Ch�a cố � đến để hỏi chuyện.

Nhưng người trong cảnh kh�nh tận

kh�ng ngờ Ng�i l� Đấng Cứu Độ Trần Gian.

C�ch n�i của b�

khi gặp �ng Do Th�i nầy

kh�ng mấy lịch sự.

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

Người Do Th�i v� người Samari

gh�t nhau kh�ng đội trời chung.

B�n nầy kh�ng bao giờ đạp ch�n

v�o miền đất của b�n kia.

Năm 9 t�y lịch,

đang m�a Lễ B�nh Kh�ng Men của người Do Th�i,

một nh�m đ�n �ng Samari lẻn v�o th�nh Gi� Ru Sa Lem,

mang xương người v� sọ người bỏ rải r�c trong Đền Thờ,

nơi người Do Th�i coi l� t�n nghi�m hơn hết.

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

V�o năm 50 t�y lịch, ở miền Ga Li L�

c� một người Do Th�i bị giết,

v� d�n ở đ� đổ tội cho người Samari.

Thế l� đ�n �ng Do Th�i ở Gi� Ru Sa Lem

bỏ ngang chuyện đ�nh đ�m của một m�a hội tết,

hung h�n x�ng v�o c�c l�ng Samari,

đốt nh�, giết tất cả,

bất kể đ�n �ng, đ�n b� hay con n�t.

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

Nếu ch�ng ta sống ở Palestine v�o thời Đức Gi�su,

ch�ng ta sẽ hiểu sự kh� chịu của người đ�n b� Samari

khi Đức Gi�su đến gợi chuyện b�n giếng:

"Ủa, sao �ng lại xin t�i cho nước uống?"

Ngụ �: "Mời �ng đi chỗ kh�c."

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

Th�i độ nầy c� phải v� mối hiềm kh�ch giữa người Do Th�i v� d�n Samari?

Chắc l� Đức Gi�su hỏi kh�ng đ�ng l�c?

Hay l� b� nầy c�u kỉnh v� trong đời c� nhiều vết thương?

B� nầy c� nhiều chuyện buồn trong đời.

C� thể đau nhất l� bị người ta ruồng bỏ.

Ch�ng ta đều khao kh�t được người kh�c chấp nhận,

v� ch�ng ta khao kh�t t�nh thương.

Nhiều người trong ch�ng ta tự ruồng bỏ m�nh,

chạy theo tiếng vỗ tay t�n thưởng hay c�i gật đầu chấp nhận của đời.

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

Ph�c �m Giăng n�i r� về hai miền ta phải chọn:

c�i tối tăm v� miền s�ng l�ng.

C� Ch�a Th�nh Thần mở mắt cho người khao kh�t ch�n l�.

C� t�nh thương của Thi�n Ch�a l�m thỏa m�n nhu cầu t�m linh --

tức l� sự b�nh an m� đời kh�ng cho được.

Trong cuộc đ�m thoại,

Đức Gi�su n�u ra nỗi khao kh�t của b� nầy, v� cuối c�ng

b� nhận ra rằng Đức Gi�su l� Đấng Cứu Thế.

B� n�i:

"Thưa Ng�i, t�i thấy Ng�i l� một vị ng�n sứ."

Chữ "thấy," trong Ph�c �m Giăng, nghĩa l� "tin."

Phước hạnh biết mấy nếu ai đ� c� thể tin.

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Khi b� n�i về Đấng Cứu Thế, Đức Gi�su đ�p:

"Ch�nh Ta l� Đấng ấy, l� Đấng đang n�i với b�."

Trong nguy�n bản Hy Lạp, nếu dịch sang tiếng Anh,

c�u Ch�a n�i kh�ng phải l� "I am he," m� l� "I AM."

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"I AM" l� danh hiệu của Ch�a Trời.

B� chắc hẳn biết truyện �ng Mai-sen trong Kinh Cựu Ước.

Mai-sen nghe Ch�a gọi l�nh đạo d�n Do Th�i tho�t �ch n� lệ Ai Cập.

�ng xin được biết t�n của Ch�a Trời, để n�i cho d�n biết m� theo.

Ch�a trả lời: "I AM."

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B� đ� đối diện với Ch�a Trời.

Ch�a đ� đến với một con người bần c�ng.

Ng�i l� SỰ S�NG, đang n�i chuyện với b� một c�ch �m dịu.

Ch�nh Gi�su Ki-t� nầy l� Đấng Chuộc Tội để cứu mọi sắc d�n --

Do Th�i, Samari, da trắng, da đen, da đỏ, da v�ng.

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Trước đ� b� nầy nghĩ rằng m�nh kh�ng ra chi cả.

C� thể l� b� tự gh�t m�nh.

Nhưng sau khi gặp Đức Ki-t�, b� mới biết rằng trước mắt Ch�a

m�nh cu~ng c� gi� trị như mọi người kh�c.

Ch�a y�u b�, v� b� kh�ng c�n cần chi nữa.

Thỏa nguyện. Kh�ng c�n chi khao kh�t nữa.

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Gi�su đ� n�i hết tất cả điều b� đ� l�m trong đời,

song Người vẫn chấp nhận b�.

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Người phụ nữ Samari l� ti�u biểu về ch�ng ta.

Ch�a biết tất cả những điều ch�ng ta đ� l�m,

song t�nh thương của Ng�i đối với ch�ng ta kh�ng hề thay đổi.

Ch�a kh�ng buộc ch�ng ta phải to�n hảo.

Th�nh Phao L� viết trong đoạn Kinh Văn đọc h�m nay

n�i rằng ch�ng ta được Ch�a coi l� c�ng ch�nh v� c� niềm tin.

Qua Đức Ki-t� ch�ng ta được h�a thuận với Đức Ch�a Trời.

Ch�ng ta c� thể t�m được nơi an tr� trong t�nh thương v� sự tha thứ của Ng�i.

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Ch�ng ta c� thể cho rằng Ch�a kh�ng thể n�o chấp nhận m�nh.

Song ch�ng ta chỉ cần tin nhận sự chấp nhận của Ch�a cho m�nh.

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Qu� h�a thay!

Song trong t�nh thương Ch�a c� sự th�ch thức.

Thứ nhất l� m�nh phải chống lại điều �c.

Thứ hai l� m�nh phải thương người như Ch�a thương m�nh.

M�nh c� thể thương m� kh�ng đ�i hỏi người phải to�n hảo?

M�nh c� thể tha thứ họ mặc d� biết điều họ đ� l�m?

Ch�a gọi ch�ng ta đến với Sự S�ng,

kh�t khao Đức Th�nh Thần,

v� thương y�u, y như Đức Gi�su đ� y�u thương.

Uống thứ "nước" Ng�i cho th� kh�ng bao giờ kh�t nữa.

Amen.

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

The Rev. Tinh T. Huynh

Rector of Saint Patrick's Church