黑白之間 Between Black and White

永生系列（三）
黑白之間（谷9:38-40）

「非黑即白」是一個非常容易掌握的邏輯，很多人在不自覺之中接納了，採用了、引申了。「敵我分明」、「正邪不兩立」、「敵人的朋友就是敵人」不是最為人熟悉的道理嗎？殊不知表面的不同，並不能反映出本質上的不同。例如「雞」與「蛋」祇是表面上的不同，本質上都是同樣的DNA，所以「先有蛋」還是「先有雞」的爭論，完全抓不著重點！更何況，在政治的爭論上，扣帽子是慣用的手段，顏色更是最膚淺不過的表面哩。

年青的若望，可能是出於愛主的熱誠吧，便禁止其他人運用耶穌的名字驅魔了。現代的專業團體，可沒有這種「愛主」的情懷了，他們更多是為了保障自己的利益，而提高加入專業的門檻；當今的南韓政府，不也是為了增加醫生的數目而碰釘嗎？本來是為國民服務的伙伴，如今卻成了對立的敵人，恐怕也是「非黑即白」的思維在作祟！

「道不同，不相為謀」（論語．衛靈公）在孔子的時代，或許是正確的；但在今天，難道立場不同，利益不同，就沒有合作的餘地嗎？彼此的分歧，就沒有克服的希望嗎？的確，在短暫的政治生涯中，一定要找到一個共同的敵人，纔有合作和互相尊重的餘地。比拉多和黑落德安提帕，不是因為耶穌而可以冰釋前嫌嗎（路23:12）？耶穌不但動搖了宗教領袖的地位，祂還要審判世界的首領（若16:11），當天主子成了他們共同的敵人時，他們竟然和好了！

親愛的讀者，若望既然做出相反師父意思的行為，師父就應該把他逐出師門！但耶穌基督並沒有這樣做，可見「非黑即白」的邏輯，是大錯特錯的。我們應該保持開放的懷抱，放下判斷的心，向聖母瑪利亞學習，學習她把不明白的事物，默存心中，反覆思想（路2:19, 51）。
天主保祐！

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生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：facebook.com/RomaDowney

Eternal Life Series (III)
Between Black and White (Mark 9:38-40)

“Not black is white” is an extremely easy logic to understand. Many people take it for granted, use it and extend it. Aren’t “demarcate friends and enemies”, “good and evil never co-exist” and “friends of enemies are also enemies” etc. truths most people understand easily? Alas! Superficial differences do not reflect essential differences. For example, chickens and eggs are only superficial differences. Essentially, they possess the same DNA. Therefore, the arguments over “which comes first, chicken or egg?” totally miss the point! Even worse, labelling is a common tactics in political arguments and colouring is the most superficial of all.

Perhaps out of loyalty to his Master, young John forbade others to exorcize in the name of Jesus. Modern guilds do not harbour such loyalty to their masters. They raise the threshold to admit candidates into the chambers more out of protecting their own benefits. Today, doesn’t the Korean government hit obstacles when she intends to increase the number of medical doctors? Previous partners in serving the citizens have turned against each other. Perhaps the black-and-white dichotomy mentality has caused today’s confrontation!

“The Way is not negotiable” (Wei Ling Gong, the Analects) was probably correct in Confucius’ times. But today, is there no room for cooperation when stances are different and interests are different? Are the differences unsurpassable obstacles? Indeed, within the short-span of political life, there must exist a common enemy for different parties to cooperate with and to respect each other. Didn’t Herod Antipas and Pontius Pilate become friends even though they had been enemies formerly (Luke 23:12)? Not only did Jesus uproot the status of Jewish religious leaders, but He also came to condemn the rulers of this world (John 16:11). When the Son of God becomes their common enemy, they reconcile!

Beloved readers! When John did something against the Master’s intention, the Master should expel him! But Jesus didn’t do that. This shows that the Lord doesn’t approve this dichotomy logic. Thus, we should keep an open mind, put away our judgmental attitude and learn from the BVM to keep things we don’t know, reflecting on them in our hearts (Luke 2:19, 51).
God bless!