Theme: Be Present Physically & Spiritually
Does anyone of you receive cakes, or cards or gifts on your birthdays?
In the gospel reading today, Jesus says, "And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) Jesus Christ is able to make this promise because He is the Son of God. He is able to keep His promise. Not only does He stay spiritually with us, but He also stays physically with us in the Holy Eucharist. He loves us. He gives Himself to us in the Holy Eucharist. He is able to do this because Jesus Christ is our God.
However, we are all too human. Sometimes, we may not be able to be present physically as well as spiritually at the same time. Imagine you are speaking with your friend, or your family members or even your child over the phone. She is not here physically. Yet you enjoy the company and share your love over the phone. Imagine again you invite another person to dinner. However, you can sense that she is not there. There is something else occupying her mind. Will you enjoy the dinner? If you have a choice, which one do you prefer, physically present or spiritually present? When we are not able to make the best of both worlds, we prefer the spiritual presence because at least we can share our love. Out of love, we travel here far away from home to work and send money home to our loved ones. Out of love, we give our friends birthday cakes, cards and gifts. Even though we are not able to be present physically, we wish our love may last long enough in the token of cakes, cards and gifts.
Why does Jesus make this promise of staying with us until the end of the age? On one hand, it is an expression of His love. On the other, it is because He gives us a mission to accomplish. To order to ensure that we are able to get it done, He equips us with the strength we need by staying with us. What mission does Jesus Christ commission us? "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them ... teaching them ..." (28:19-20). There are four actions here: to go, to make disciples, to baptize and to teach. In short, Jesus Christ commissions us to build up a bigger family, a community of redeemed people, a People of God, the Church. It is a mission of love, a mission of spreading God's love.
Out of love, we leave behind our families to work overseas. Similarly, out of love, we leave behind the comfort of our homes and the people we are familiar. We go and meet strangers in a foreign land, to know them, to engage them, to serve them, to be present physically as well as spiritually to share God's love with them. We do not choose likeable people to be our employers. Similarly, we do not choose likeable people to make disciples. We reach out to all and do not discriminate: the hungry, the thirsty, those who have no dignity, refugees, the sick as well as prisoners (25:35-36). This is respect. We respect all people alike because all of them were created in the image of God, because we are brothers and sisters in Christ. Of course, we respect their freedom. We cannot impose our faith upon them. Our job is to go and make disciples. Whether people want to be baptized or not, it is God's business. Our job is to be present, both physically and spiritually to tell people that the Father loves them, that Jesus Christ loves them and that the Holy Spirit loves them.
The God we believe in is a great and difficult mystery. Throughout the centuries, theologians have tried to make God understandable to us. They have tried different jargons and images in order to highlight some aspects of our God. For example, God is almighty. Heavens and earth are the manifestations of His power. We call this Creator the Father. "Father" was a good image in ancient times. The father is the origin of a family. He is the breadwinner of the family and sustains the family. So, the "father" has been a good metaphor for God because God created and sustains the whole universe. However, time has changed. Those who go to work and sustain the families are mothers and daughters. So, we should bear in mind the limitations of these jargons when we talk about the mystery of God in terms of the Blessed Trinity. Thus, don't feel offended if people argue that God should be a mother-figure! Bear with them.
If God is such a great and difficult mystery, how can we explain this mystery to people? Don't worry. Jesus promises to stay with us to help us till the end of the age. Just remember the two most essential features of our God. They are His love and His omnipresence. John the Apostle says, "God is love." (1 John 4:8, 16) Out of love, God created us. Out of love, He sends Jesus Christ to save us after we have fallen. Out of love, He continues to send the Holy Spirit to guide us and support us. Out of love, Jesus Christ stays with us physically and spiritually within the Church and outside the Church among the poor and the needy. We see God in face of all these people. But we also make His presence felt when we love. When we love ourselves, our family members, our friends and colleagues, our employers and the people in need, God the Blessed Trinity is physically and spiritually present among us. When we do these, we put Jesus' commands into practice.
The last command Jesus gives us is to teach people "to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:20) What has Jesus commanded us to do? He gave us a new commandment during the Last Supper, i.e. to love each other as He has loved us. (John 13:34) Therefore, in our words and in our deeds, we should teach other people to love each other. We should set examples by loving each other just as Jesus Christ has loved us. Is it an impossible mission? No. Jesus Christ is with us.
How long are you able to keep those cakes, cards or gifts?
Why do you want to eat the cakes? Do you throw the cards or gifts away? Why do you want to keep them? In order to remember the love of the people who gave you these. So, next time, don't give cakes. Cakes are eaten and easily forgotten. Give something more endurable instead.
Brethren, when we meet people, let us engage them by physically and spiritually present like what Jesus is doing. Then, we are able to demonstrate the love of God, the love of the Blessed Trinity.
God bless!
天主聖三節，乙年
主題：靈與肉的臨在
你們生日的時候，有收到過生日蛋糕、生日咭或生日禮物嗎？
在今天的福音中，耶穌說：「看！我同你們天天在一起，直到今世的終結。」（瑪28:20）耶穌基督有能力許下這個諾言，因為祂是天主子，祂有能力遵守祂的許諾。祂不但靈性上與我們同在，而且祂還能夠實在地臨在聖體聖事內，物質地臨在我們當中。祂愛我們，在聖體聖事內，祂把自己交付給我們。祂有能力這樣做，因為耶穌基督是我們的天主。
但我們不竟是人嘛。有時，我們不能肉體與靈性同時臨在。試想想，當你用電話與你的朋友，家人甚至子女談話的時候，她的肉身根本不在你身旁，但你仍可以透電話，享受這份團聚，分享彼此之間的愛。再想想，你邀請一位朋友共晉晚餐，但你隱約感覺到她心不在焉，正在處理一些要事。你會享受這頓晚餐嗎？倘若你可以選擇，你要她的人，還是她的心呢？當魚與熊掌，二者不可得兼的時候，我會選擇她的心，因為我們最少也可以分享心中的愛。出於愛，我們離鄉別井，來到香港工作，賺錢匯返家鄉我們所愛的人。出於愛，我們送生日蛋糕、生日咭和生日禮物朋友。雖然人不能到，但禮總不可缺少。我們希望蛋糕、咭和禮物，能保存到足夠的時間，表達出我們心中的愛意。
耶穌為甚麼應許與我們在一起，直到今世的終結呢？一方面，這表達了祂的愛。另一方面，祂派遣我們執行一項任務。為了保證我們能完成任務，祂與我們同行，來裝備我們，給我們足夠的力量，來完成任務。耶穌基督差遣我們的任務是甚麼呢？就是「所以你們要去使萬民成為門徒…給他們授洗，教訓他們…」（28:19-20）這裡有四個行動：去、使萬民成為門徒、授洗和教訓。簡而言之，耶穌基督差遣我們去建立一個更大的家庭、一個得救者的團體，天主的子民，教會。這是一個愛的使命，一個傳揚主愛的任務。
出於愛，我們留下家人，飄洋過海到外地工作。同樣，出於愛，我們離開家庭的安樂窩和熟識的人物，去到陌生的地方接觸陌生的人、認識他們、與他們來往、服務他們，身與心一起臨在，與他們分享天主的愛。我們不能選擇可愛的人做我們的僱主。同樣，我們也不能選擇可愛的人做門徒。我們向所有人招手，不歧視任何人：飢饑的、口渴的、沒有尊嚴的、難民、病人和在囚人士（25:35-36）。這是尊重。我們尊重所有的人，因為他們都是按天主的肖像所造，因為他們在耶穌基督內，都是我們的兄弟姊妹。當然我們要尊重他們的自由，我們不可把我們的信仰強加給他們。我們的工作是去使人成為門徒，至於他們是否願意受洗，這是天主的事。我們的工作就是身和心同時臨在，告訴他們天主愛他、耶穌基督愛他，天主聖神愛他。
我們所信的天主是一個偉大而難明的奧秘，自古以來，神學家們努力幫助我們明白天主。他們用了不同的術語和圖像，顯示天主的某些特徵。例如，天主是全能的，天與地都顯示出祂的大能。我們稱這位創造者為「父」。在古代，「父」是一個很適當的形像。父親是家庭的根源，是他賺錢供養整個家庭。因此，「父」曾是一個很好的比喻，來形容天主，因為宇宙萬物都是天主所創造和維持的。可是，時移世易，今天工作養家的多是母親和女兒。所以，當我們用天主聖三來論述天主的奧秘時，我們要意識到所用的術語是有限的。因此，當有人爭論說天主應該是母親的形像時，他們無意冒犯你！忍耐他們吧！
倘若天主是這樣偉大和難以理解的一個奧秘，我們怎能向人解釋呢？不要擔心，耶穌曾許諾與我們同在，直到今世的終結。祇要記著天主最重要的兩個要素就可以了：就是天主的愛和天主無處不在。若望宗徒說：「天主是愛。」（若一4:8，16）出於愛，天主創造了我們；出於愛，當我們犯罪跌倒後，天主派遣耶穌基督來拯救我們。出於愛，天主繼續派遣聖神來指導和支援我們。出於愛，耶穌基督身心都臨現在教會內，和在外面的窮人和有需要的人身上。在所有這些人的臉上，我們看見天主。而且，我們還能藉著愛，實現祂的臨在。當我們自愛和愛我們的家人、愛我們的朋友同事、愛我們的僱主和有需要的人時，天主聖三的靈性和人性，就會臨在我們當中。我們這樣做，便實踐了耶穌吩咐我們應做的。
耶穌最後的命令是要我們「教訓他們遵守我所吩咐你們的一切。」（瑪28:20）耶穌曾命令我們做甚麼？在最後晚餐時，耶穌給我們一條新誡命：「你們該彼此相愛；如同我愛了你們。」（若13:34）因此，我們必須以言以行，教訓別人彼此相愛。我們應立下榜樣，彼此相愛，如同耶穌基督愛了我們一樣。這事怎能成就？不要怕，耶穌基督與我們同在。
你能夠保存這些蛋糕、咭和禮物有多久呢？
你為甚麼會吃這些蛋糕呢？你會把哪些咭或禮物扔掉嗎？你為甚麼想保存它們呢？為了記著這些送禮的人對我的愛。因此，下次不要送蛋糕了。蛋糕吃了之後便容易遺忘，還是送些較耐用的東西吧！
各位兄弟姊妹，當人遇到我們時，讓我們以身心與他們來往，一如耶穌基督所做的。這樣，我們便能展示天主的愛，天主聖三的愛。
天主保祐！
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