主題：喜從何來？
今天是將臨期的「喜樂主日」。請問喜從何來呢？正如進堂詠所說：「你們應當喜樂！應當叫眾人知道你們的寬仁，主快來了！」原來我們現在遭受著生活的壓迫，並不喜樂。主快來了，祂會消除我們現在的枷鎖，圓滿我們的本性，帶給我們滿足和喜樂。
洗者若翰真是一位好先驅，他知道自己的位置，不會喧賓奪主。雖然身陷囹圄，仍把握最後機會，導人歸主！他的確是我們的好榜樣。所以耶穌基督隨後在群眾面前讚揚洗者若翰 。在曠野中生活的人，一定是刻苦堅強的人，不會像蘆葦般搖擺不定，隨風擺柳，為了討好群眾（11:7）！洗者若翰不會！穿細軟衣服，在王宮裡打滾，是阿諛諂媚的人（11:8），洗者若翰也不是！他不討好群眾，不奉承權貴，知所進退，祇為真理作見證。所以耶穌基督稱讚洗者若翰說：「在婦女所生者中，沒有興起一位比洗者若翰更大的。」（11:11）
讓我們默想耶穌基督的教導，如何在繽紛的世事裡，看到天主的真理。
為了治療我們遲鈍了的心，我們需要從內心入手，我們不但要以耶穌基督的眼光看這世界，同時要以祂的心愛這世界。我們不單看到兩個陣營的撕裂，也要看到兩代之間的諒解，銀髮族不再把青年人當做「廢青」，青年人不再把長輩當做「廢老」；這是基督所喜愛的。跟從前不一樣了，大家不再像奴隸般，各家自掃門前雪地工作賺錢，群眾之間守望相助的精神又重新出現了；這團結共融是基督所樂意建立的。在這半年，大家有機會看清楚社會上的種種不公義，市民的社會意識提高了，並以手上的一票，重新建立一個為市民服務的議會；以公義締造和平，這不是天國的願景嗎？暴力在物質上和心靈上所造成的傷亡，不是金錢所能夠完全治療的，有賴耶穌基督，這位復活後仍保留祂的傷痕的「受傷的治療者」，細心治理。耶穌基督是如何渴望尋找和包紥這些受傷的羊，復活死去的羊呢！
各位兄弟姊妹，讓我們以耶穌基督慈悲的目光看這紛亂的社會，看清楚真相，履行天主的旨意，做修和大使，宣講福音喜訊，好像洗者若翰一樣，雖然在艱難痛苦之中，但卻獲得了圓滿和喜樂。
但救主基督不是在二千年前已來了嗎？而且，在瑪竇福音的最後一句，祂許諾與我們天天在一起，直到今世的終結（瑪28:20）。所以，除了耶穌受難日之外，教會每天舉行彌撒聖祭，使耶穌基督臨現到聖體聖事中，實踐祂同我們天天在一起的諾言。那麼，「主快來了」是甚麼意義呢？
「主快來了」有兩個意義。第一：是指世界末日，耶穌基督普世君王會再來，重整宇宙的秩序。在這個意義裡，我們是完全被動的，除了恆心祈禱，保持醒悟之外，沒有甚麼可以做了。第二，世上還有很多人，看不見耶穌基督的臨在，有待作為基督徒的我們，幫助耶穌基督，誕生在這些人的心裡。在這個意義裡，我們還有很多未完成的工作，需要努力完成。
基督教訓我們不要尋求表面的繁榮奢華，因為在王宮那裡是找不到先知，找不要說真話的人的，要到曠野裡找；另一方面，不要在曠野裡找看風駛艃，搖擺不定的「蘆葦」，因為從那些嘩眾取寵的人口中，也不會找到真理。
可惜，我們可能生活在這個被罪惡污染了的世界太長久了，我們對別人的缺點，別人的錯，特別敏銳，特別容易看到。雖然我們作為基督徒是不該這樣的，但是為了保護自己，我們習慣了這樣專注別人的罪過！結果，我們的心遲鈍了，看不到天主的救贖，錯過了悔改痊癒的機會（依6:10）！例如在這半年來的社會動盪之中，我們很容易看到暴力，看到設施的破壞，看到不公義和看到社會的撕裂等等。可是，有沒有人嘗試從這些災難現場中，看到天主的手「到現在一直工作」（若5:17）呢？我們既然相信耶穌基督與我們天天在一起，為甚麼我們在這些破壞之中，找不到祂的臨在呢？難道我們祇懂得在世界末日，基督從天而降，君臨天下，卻不懂在日常生活中，在最小的兄弟中，看到基督君王嗎（瑪25:40）？
天主保祐！
圖片鳴謝：https://medium.com/@christinasemmens/today-is-gaudete-sunday-the-third-sunday-of-advent-3d9f7f557187
Gaudete Sunday, Year A
Where Does Joy Come From?
Today is Gaudete Sunday. Where does joy come from? The answer is found in the Introit, "Rejoice in the Lord always ... Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near." At the moment, we cannot rejoice because we are oppressed in life. The Lord is near. He shall break our fetters; realize our humanity, thus bringing us fulfilment and joy.
John the Baptist is the forerunner of Jesus Christ (Luke 1:76). He sternly proclaimed repentance and baptized people to prepare their hearts to receive the emerging Messiah. Consequently, he offended Herod and was imprisoned. Did the Baptist rejoice in prison? Before his arrest, he says, "The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete." (John 3:29) Since "John heard in prison of the works of the Messiah" (Matthew 11:2) his joy has been made complete because he has accomplished his mission as the forerunner. Why then did he send his disciples to question Jesus? Our patron saint, St. Jerome says well, "John asks this not because he is ignorant but to guide ... his disciples to Christ, intending that when they met him, the disciples would observe his appearance and powers and believe in him!"
John the Baptist is truly a good forerunner. He knew his position and did not outshine his Lord. Although he was imprisoned, he still took the last opportunity to lead people to the Lord. The Baptist is really our good exemplar. Thus, Jesus praises John before the crowd. People living in the wilderness have to be austere and strong. They would not be swayed by the wind like reeds, trying to please everybody (11:7). No, the Baptist would not! Those who wear fine clothing going about in palaces are bootlickers (11:8). No the Baptist was not! The Baptist did not seek to please the crowd nor flatter the powerful. He positioned himself well, only to bear witness to the truth. Thus Jesus praises him, saying "Among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist." (11:11)
Let us meditate Christ's teaching on how to discern God's truth in the glamourous world.
To heal our sluggish hearts, we need to start with our hearts. Not only do we see this world with Jesus' gaze but at the same time also love this world with His heart. Not only do we see the division between the two camps, but we also see the closing of generation gap. The elderly do not brush away the young as worthless and vice versa. This is what Christ loves. Unlike previously, now we no longer work like slaves on our own. The spirit of solidarity emerges once more. Christ is happy to see this communion built. Over these six months, we have the opportunity to witness many kinds of social injustice. The social consciousness of the citizens has been raised. With their ballots, they rebuild a council accountable to the citizens. Isn't this, making peace through justice, the vision of the Kingdom of Heaven? Violence has inflicted physical, psychological and spiritual wounds and casualties which money cannot completely heal. We rely on Jesus Christ, the wounded healer who retains His wounds after resurrection to dress our wounds. How much Jesus Christ desires to seek and nurse these wounded lambs and to raise the dead ones!
Brethren! Let us look at this turbulent society with the merciful gaze of Jesus Christ, to see clearly the truth, to do God's will, to be ambassadors of reconciliation and to proclaim the good news. Like John the Baptist, may we obtain fulfilment and joy in spite of the presence of sufferings.
But hadn't Christ the Saviour already come two millennia ago? Moreover, in the last sentence of the gospel of Matthew, He promises to be with us always, until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). Thus except on Good Friday, the Church offers mass every day, actualizing His presence in the sacrament of the Holy Communion, thus honouring His promise. Then, what does "the Lord is near" mean?
There are two meanings. Firstly, it means at the end of the world, Jesus Christ, King of the Universe would come again to restore order in the universe. In this respect, we are totally passive. There is nothing we can do other than perseverance in prayers and vigilance. Secondly, many people are still unaware of the presence of Jesus Christ. They are waiting for us Christians to help Jesus Christ incarnate in their hearts. In this respect, a lot of works need to be done.
Christ teaches us not to look at prosperity on the surface because in palaces we will not find prophets or people who speak the truth. We need to look for them in the wilderness. On the other hand, do not look for swaying "reeds" because from the lips of those who seek to please the crowd, there is no truth.
Regrettably, we have been living for too long in a world contaminated by sins. We are very sensitive to others' wrongs and easily find faults with others. Although as Christians we should not be like this, in order to protect ourselves, we become very used to focussing on others' trespasses. Consequently, our hearts are made sluggish and we are not able to see God's redemption, miss the opportunity to repent and be healed (Isaiah 6:10)! For example, during the last six months of social unrest, it is easy to see violence, to see public facilities vandalized, to see injustice and social division etc. However, does anybody try to see in those ruins God's hand is at work until now (John 5:17)? If we believe that Jesus Christ is with us always, why can't we find His presence in those destructions? Are we only able to see Him coming down in glory on Judgment Day and unable to see Christ the King among "one of these least brothers of His" in our daily life (Matthew 25:40)?
God bless!
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