【天主經系列（五）】
「平常心」與信德之間的平衡（瑪9:14-25）
「聖灰星期三」的默想，再次提醒我們「守齋」是靈修的基本功，藉著與饑餓的兄弟姊妹為伍，學習他們對天主的信德。今天讓我們從一個病人身上，學習她的信德！「靈修」的目的是為了與天主建立良好的關係，一般可分為三個階段：「淨路」是指淨煉靈魂，滅除惡習；「明路」是指在除去罪惡的過程中，獲得天主聖神的光照，認清天主的旨意；最後到達「合路」，與天主聖三完全的結合，享受「榮福直觀」，和心靈的通透等。在一眾靈修傳統中，有些派別強調不要強求，一切都按天主的旨意。例如運用「聖言頌讀」作祈禱的時候，不要強求獲得第四階段的「默觀」經驗；又例如做「意識省察」時，不應追求「神慰」的經驗，而應該以「平常心」進行所有靈修的操練，不刻意追求財富或貧窮，權力或卑賤，健康或患病等等。倘若運用這個原則來判斷，我們不應該向這個患血漏病的女人學習，因為她追求痊癒！福音中的首長也不對，既然女兒死了，就讓她安息吧，在末日復活時，她一定會復活（若11:24），何必強迫天主出手，使她現在就復生哩！
請嘗試設身處地，以一位長期病患者的心想一想。十二年來求醫和遭受親人和團體排斥的經歷一定不好受，經濟一定拮据，很容易會產生放棄的念頭，不敢妄想有痊癒的一日。要知道遇上困難挫折時，放棄容易，堅持到底艱難。耶穌曾兩次說：「惟獨堅持到底的，纔可得救」（10:22, 24:13）！這個患了十二年血漏病的婦人之所以得救，正是她能堅持到底，沒有放棄信靠天主，因而獲得耶穌基督的讚賞：「女兒，放心吧！妳的信德救了妳」（9:22）。作為父親，堅持對天主的信德，不但讓女兒復生，而且「這消息傳遍了那整個地區」（9:26），使眾人光耀在天之父（5:16）！
「平常心」是正確的，但不可走向極端，要與堅持信德，取得平衡。
天父啊！願祢的名受顯揚。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：catholicweekly.com.au
Balance Between Holy-Indifference and Faith (Matthew 9:14-25)
[The Lord’s Prayer Series V]
Our meditation on Ash Wednesday reminded us that fasting is a basic exercise of spirituality. Accompanying our starving brethren, we learn from them enduring trust in God. Today let us learn from the faith of a sick woman!The purpose of spiritual exercises is to establish a good relationship with God. Usually the gradual spiritual growth involves three stages of development, namely the “Purgative stage” in which we purify our souls and remove sinful habits; the “Illuminative stage” in which the souls receive illumination from God to discern His will and lastly, the “Unitive stage” in which our souls come to total union with the Blessed Trinity, enjoy beatific visions and transparency of hearts and mind. Among traditions of spirituality, some schools emphasize not to force God’s hand. Do everything according to God’s will. For example, in doing “Lectio Divina”, do not desire to obtain the experience of “Contemplation” in the fourth movement; in doing the “Ignatian Examen”, do not seek the experience of “Consolation” deliberately. Applying “Holy Indifference” in doing spiritual exercises, we do not seek wealth nor poverty, power nor humility, health nor sickness etc. If we apply this principle of “Holy Indifference”, we should not learn from the bleeding woman because she sought recovery! The official in the gospel was not right. His daughter had died. Let her rest in peace and she “will rise, in the resurrection on the last day” (John 11:24). Why force the hand of God to raise her now!
First, we should stop judging (Matthew 7:1) anybody, not the official nor the bleeding woman!
Let us put ourselves in the shoes of this chronic patient. The experiences of seeking medical treatments as well as rejections from relatives, friends and community for twelve years must have been extremely bad. The financial situation was grim. It would be easy for her to give up and dared not to dream of the day of recovery. When people encounter difficulties and frustrations, it is easy to give up and hard to persevere. Jesus speaks twice, “Whoever endures to the end will be saved” (10:22, 24:13)! This bleeding woman had been suffering for twelve years. She was healed because she persevered and did not give up putting her faith in God. Thus, Jesus praised her saying, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you” (9:22). As a father, perseverance in trusting God not only brought his daughter back to life, but also spread this news throughout all that land (9:26), leading people to glorify the heavenly Father (5:16)!
“Holy Indifference” is correct but we should not go to the extreme. We must balance it with perseverance in faith.
Heavenly Father! Holy be Your name. Amen.
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