主題：威士忌的比喻
為甚麼耶穌要求富貴少年要捨棄一切，然後跟隨祂呢？讓我講一個故事，玩一個數學遊戲去幫助大家明白耶穌的用心。執事從前是一位教師，有幸在市區一所有名的男校執教了二十年。雖然談不上甚麼桃李滿門，但大部份的學生都成了社會上的棟樑，做老師的我總算老懷安慰。幾個星期前的一個晚上，這些非常念舊的同學邀請執事出席他們在尖東一間酒店舉行的畢業35周年晚宴。席間飲酒當然不在話下。試想像一下，執事要了一杯九江雙蒸，剛喝下了半杯，有位政商界才俊拿一瓶價值2500英鎊的35年的威士忌來孝敬您。您會怎樣處理手中飲剩的半杯雙蒸呢？
以下是執事的個人意見，您不一定要同意。如果您選擇A，這是您的自由，但一個飲酒的人竟然放棄品嘗三萬元一支的威士忌，「人一世，物一世」，我會替您可惜。如果您選擇B，您竟然用價值十數塊錢的雙蒸來破壞差不多三萬元的威士忌的香醇，這真是暴殄天物，罪大惡極。而且這一杯不倫不類的雞尾酒會令您更易醉倒，到頭來享受不到真正的雙蒸或者真正威士忌的滋味。如果您選擇C，這與B的選擇分別不大，雖然您把雙蒸和威士忌分開了，但您舌頭上的味蕾仍然受到雙蒸的影響，除非您飲完雙蒸之後用蒸餾水漱口。很明顯，執事是選擇D的。理由很簡單，讓我計算給大家看吧。
如果您選擇A，您的胃裡有一杯或更多的雙蒸，但沒有任何威士忌，三萬元的威士忌等於零。如果您選擇B，您的胃裡有一杯雙蒸，半杯威士忌，二份雙蒸對一份威士忌，威士忌佔⅓。如果您選擇C，您的胃裡有一杯雙蒸，一杯威士忌，五五之比，威士忌佔½。如果您選擇D，不但您舌頭上的味蕾沒有受雙蒸的干擾，同時您的胃裡祗有半杯雙蒸，一杯或更多杯威士忌，威士忌佔⅔以上。很明顯，D是最好的選擇。這個「威士忌的比喻」與今天的福音有甚麼關係呢？
我們相信天主愛我們，祂為我們預備了很多很好的永恆福樂。注意，是永恆的，不是人世間任何的幸福快樂可以比擬的。永恆的福樂與現世的幸福相比，不祗是大海的水和沙灘上的一個小洞所能盛載的水可以比擬的。耶穌邀請我們悔改，跟隨祂善用在世的歷鍊，修道成聖，預備他日在天上分享天父的永恆生命。有些人拒絕耶穌的邀請，依然故我，繼續飲他的九江雙蒸，繼續做他的無神論者。這是他的自由，耶穌是不會強迫他的。但他這樣做，他不悔改，不清理好自己的罪性，這些罪性他日必會影響他，拖累他分享天主永恆生命的能力。試想想當一個人飲九江雙蒸以至肝硬化，又如何享受健康的生活呢？
大部份的人以度結婚生活來回應耶穌的邀請，他們成家立室，在家庭生活中與配偶及兒女一起相親相愛，一起成聖。這些人既飲九江雙蒸，同時又飲35年的威士忌。他們有家庭生活，又抽時間讀經祈禱，參加堂區大家庭的生活，促進靈修，兩全其美。當然，他們仍以家庭生活為重。倘若兩者之間發生衝突，例如沒有時間了，失業了等。他們會毫不猶豫地限制追求永生所要付出的時間和金錢上的代價，放棄理想，放棄靈修。今天福音裡的富少年，他從小便守誡命，並渴望追求更高層次的永生，很有潛質取代將來猶達斯所留下的空缺。所以耶穌欣賞喜愛這位有理想，有潛質的富少年。很可惜，富少年限制了自己所願意付出的代價，同時亦限制了他將來永生上的得益。家庭與靈修的得益，不高於2對1之比。
自從梵二恢復終身執事職之後，教會提供了選擇C。部份已婚或未婚男士，可以付出更多精神時間，回應耶穌的聖召，投入靈修和教會內的聖言服務與代表教會在社會上愛德服務。雖然他們被祝聖為神職人員，但他們並沒有放棄家庭生活。他們橫跨靈性與世俗兩個範疇，經常徘徊在靈性與世俗之間，有如保祿所說的，徘徊在討好天主與討好太太之間。在家庭與靈修的得益，不高於五五之比。
有些人蒙召，放棄俗世生活，放棄家庭生活，全心全意修道，跟隨基督傳福音。這的確是困難的，尤其是在今天的香港，整個社會的風氣都在政府帶領之下變得急功近利，例如政府的基建投資，要在五年內歸本；教育、醫療及房屋等素來是穩安香港的服務，也要自負盈虧。有誰還會這麼奢侈地想知道「為承受永生，我該作甚麼呢？」。有的。如果執事早一點知道這班尊師重道的學生預備了三萬元的威士忌來孝敬我，執事還會不會這麼傻，飲九江雙蒸呢？可惜，執事知道得太遲，正如聖奧思定在他的【懺悔錄】所說，「天主，我愛祢實在愛得太遲。」
這個星期，請大家回家反省「百倍賞報」的其中三個教訓。首先，在耶穌要求我們捨棄的人際關係之中，沒有提及哪一個親蜜的關係？為甚麼沒有？第二，在為天國而捨棄的事物之中，哪一樣是沒有「百倍賞報」？為甚麼沒有？最後，選一個/一件對您非常重要的人或事物，想一想他/它對您有多麼重要，多麼好。然後想像一下把他/它的重要性或好處放大一百倍會是怎樣？
請大家在心裡評論這四種做法的優劣。我給大家一分鐘時間，與坐在旁邊，十八歲以上的兄弟姊妹交換意見。請各位家長向未成年的小朋友解釋飲酒會上癮的害處。
請注意，每個人的處境不同，您的選擇是沒有對錯之分。你一定有個別的因素，影響你所作的抉擇。例如您「愛祖國，用國貨」，你是不會購買或使用任何進口貨的；又或者你很有冒險創新精神，樂於嘗試新的雞尾酒，所以你會混和來飲，說不定會帶來意外的驚喜；又或者你非常「環保」，你不想浪費任何飲品和食物，所以你飲勝你杯中的雙蒸之後纔飲威士忌。話雖如此，您的選擇是會帶來不同效果的。
但這一切，耶穌已事先張揚，二千年前祂已許諾「誰為了傳福音的原故所捨棄的，天主要百倍償報。」其實又何止百倍呢？九江雙蒸十八元一大瓶，35年的威士忌，網上曾見過18600英鎊，超過港幣二十二萬元。天主為鍾愛祂的人所預備的，又何止百倍的百倍（即一萬倍）的償報呢？
天主保祐。
Twenty eighth Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: The Parable of Whiskey
Why did Jesus demand the rich young man to renounce everything in order to follow him? Let me tell you a story and do some calculations to help you understand the intention of Jesus. I had once been a teacher in an urban elite boy school for twenty years. I am rather contented that most of my students have become part of the establishment in the society. A couple of weeks ago, these loyal students invited me to a hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui to celebrate their 35th anniversary of graduation. In such a delighted occasion, we drank. Imagine, I ordered a glass of “Double Distillate”, a local Chinese wine, and after sipping half a glass, an accomplished old student came along to honour me with a bottle of 35-year-old whiskey worth more than £2500. How would you handle the remaining half glass of “Double Distillate”?
The followings are my personal opinions only. We agree to disagree. If you choose A, this is your choice which I respect. However, as somebody who drinks, it is rather pitiful to miss this once-a-lifetime opportunity to try out a bottle of $30,000 whiskey. If you choose B, you are going to spoil the pleasure of this $30,000 whiskey with a $18 DD. It is a sin to be so wasteful. Moreover, this cocktail may get you drunk more easily. In the end, you are not able to enjoy the genuine taste of your DD, or the whiskey. If you choose C, there is not much difference with option B. Although you separate the DD and the whiskey, your taste buds are still affected by the DD, unless you rinse you mouth with distilled water after you finish your DD. Obviously, I choose D. The reason is simple. Let me show you the calculation.
If you choose A, there will be one or more glasses of DD in your stomach but not any whiskey. There is 0% of $30,000 worth of whiskey in your stomach. If you choose B, there is one glass of DD and half a glass of whiskey. Two portions of DD vs. 1 portion of whiskey. Whiskey is ⅓ by volume. If you choose C, there is one glass of DD plus one glass of whiskey, fifty fifty. Whiskey is ½ by volume. If you choose D, not only are your taste buds free from DD aftertaste, at the same time, there are half a glass of DD and one or more glasses of whiskey. Whiskey is more than ⅔ by volume. Obviously D is the best option. How does this parable of whiskey relate to the gospel?
We believe that God loves us. He has prepared much eternal happiness for us. Pay attention! The happiness is eternal and nothing on earth can be compared to it. Contrasting eternal happiness with worldly happiness is more than what the comparison between the water in the oceans and the water in a small puddle can show. Jesus invites us to repent, to follow him and make good use of our experiences in this world to attain sanctification so as to equip us to share the eternal life of the Father in the future. Some people reject the gospel message, preferring DD to whiskey, atheism to Christianity. This is their freedom and Jesus would not coerce them. But if they continue not to repent; not to cleanse themselves of their sinfulness, this sinfulness will weigh them down; will prevent them from partaking in God’s eternal life. Can somebody who suffers cirrhosis enjoy a healthy life?
Most people respond to Jesus’ call in married life. They build up families and attain sanctification with their spouses and children through loving each other at home. They drink both DD and 35-year-old whiskey. They lead a married life and are able to take time to study the Bible, to pray and join the bigger family of parish to enhance their spirituality. They enjoy the best of both worlds. However, their family life is more important. If conflicts arise between their family life and spiritual life, e.g. there is no leisure time or become unemployed etc., they will not hesitate to limit the price they are willing to pay to attain eternal life. They will not hesitate to give up their ideals, to give up spirituality. The rich young man in the gospel today had already kept all the commandments since he was young. He desired to seek a higher level of actualization --- eternal life. He would have had the potential to fill up the vacancy left by Judas. So, Jesus liked this idealistic and promising rich young man. Regrettably, this rich young man limited the price he was willing to pay and at the same time, limited how much benefit he would attain in eternal life. The benefit between family and spirituality will not exceed 2 vs. 1.
Since the restoration of permanent diaconate at Vatican II, the Church provides option C. Some married or even unmarried men are able to devote more time and energy to respond to Jesus’ call. They are able to immerse themselves in spirituality, to serve the Word in the Church and to represent the Church to serve the needy in the society. Although they are consecrated clergy, they don’t have to abandon their familial life. They oscillate between the sacred and the mundane. Just as what St. Paul says, between pleasing the Lord and pleasing their wives. The benefit between family and spirituality will be roughly half and half.
Some are called and are able to renounce their worldly life, their family life. They are able to devote themselves totally in sanctification and evangelization. This is very difficult, especially in Hong Kong where the whole society, led by the government, looks for instant successes. For example, all government investments in infra-structure projects must be returned within 5 years; education, medicine and housing whose services helped stabilize the society in the past have to support themselves now. Who then would afford the luxury to want to know what to do to inherit eternal life? There are such people. If I had known earlier that my loyal students would honour me with a bottle of $30,000 worth of whiskey, I would not have had been so stupid as to drink DD. Regrettably, I knew it too late, just as what St. Augustine wrote in Confessions, “Late have I loved thee!”
This week, meditate on three teachings in this “one hundredfold reward”. First, which intimate relationship is not mentioned in the list of things to abandon? Why? Second, in the list of things to abandon for the sake of evangelization, which one does not have the promised one hundredfold reward? Why? Lastly, choose somebody/something which is very important to you. Think about how important, how good it is to you. Then imagine what will it be like after enlarging it one hundredfold?
Quickly assess the merits of each option. Share your opinions with your neighbour of 18-year-old or above. Parents should explain to your underage children the risk of alcoholism.
You should understand that our situations are unique. There is no right or wrong choice. Your choice is based on some unique factors of yours. For example, you may be very patriotic. You will never buy or consume any imported goods. Or you may be very adventurous and want to try out a new cocktail. Perhaps it will bring you surprises. Or perhaps you are very environmentally friendly. You don’t want to waste any food or drink. Therefore you drink up the DD before filling your glass with whiskey. However, whatever you choose, there are consequences.
But Jesus has already made this known two thousand years ago and promised that whoever abandons such and such for his sake and for the gospel will receive one hundredfold what he has abandoned. In fact, God’s reward will not merely be one hundredfold. A big bottle of DD costs $18. One 35-year-old whiskey found on the web costs £18600, exceeding $220,000. For those whom God loves, can the reward be capped at 100 times one hundredfold?
God bless.
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