【神貧系列（IV）】
「自以為是」之害（瑪16:13-23）
猶太人自恃是「天主的選民」，因而自視過高，民族主義濃厚，卑視外邦人。終於在公元136年第三次（有學者名之為第二次）反抗羅馬帝國的叛亂遭受鎮壓後，被帝國驅逐出境，在沒有任何政權/國家保護之下，在世界各地流離失所達十九個世紀之久，到第二次世界大戰之後，纔有機會重返巴勒斯坦立國。直到今天，有關土地的主權問題上，仍然與居住了十九個世紀的巴勒斯坦人，不斷兵戎相見。
回顧教會的歷史，亦不乏「自以為是」的毛病。教會自第四世紀君士坦丁凱撒登基後，得到帝國的撐腰，壯大地來。教會成了說拉丁語的「天主之城」，凌駕世上（歐洲）所有的國度。固然，在羅馬帝國沒落之時，教會亦義無反顧地負起捍衛歐陸文明的艱巨使命，抗拒野蠻民族的入侵，同化他們成為信仰天主的子民。過了第一個千年，說拉丁語的西方教會與說希臘語的東方教會分裂了。當大家都覺得自己是正確的時候，試問怎可能不分裂呢？
五百年前，說拉丁語的西方教會聖職班，仍生活在「天主之城」內，與「文藝復興時代」、「大航海時代」脫節了；同時各國諸侯不服教宗的權威，百姓不滿主教神父的貪污腐敗，「宗教改革」一觸即發；隨之而來的，是此起彼落，長達190年的宗教戰爭（公元 1522-1712年），信奉天主教的統治者迫害國內的新教徒，新教國家則血腥鎮壓效忠羅馬教宗的人民…有誰會覺得自己是錯的呢？《聖詠集》不是這樣教訓君王嗎？「詭詐欺騙的人，不得住在我的宮中，說謊不實的人，不得在我眼前存在。我每日清早要滅絕在國內所有的罪人，我要由上主的城內剷除所有作惡的人」（詠101:7-8）。原來「自以為是」要付出沉重的流血代價！
親愛的讀者，耶穌基督是大能的天主子，在祂手上，即使是一塊並不光彩的廢石，亦足以建立萬世的基業（詠118:22）！我們信靠的，不是有破綻的制度，有缺陷的聖人，而是一位大智大能和大愛的天主子耶穌基督。亞孟。
天主保祐！
Poverty Series (IV)
The Harm of Self-Righteousness (Matthew 16:13-23)
Jews are proud of being “God’s Chosen People”. Their inflated ego bred a strong nationalism as well as prejudice against Gentiles. At last, they were crushed by the Roman Empire in 136 A.D. in their third (some scholars say second) revolt and were driven out of the Empire. Without the protection of states or governments, Jews became fugitives all over the world for some nineteen centuries until after WWII were they able to return to Palestine to rebuild their country. As of this writing, the dispute between Israelites and Palestinians over the sovereignty of the land continues with no ending in sight, leading to unceasing military conflicts.
Looking back at the history of the Church, we may easily find similar self-righteous problems. When Constantine Caesar ascended the throne, the Church was allowed to practise her faith in public and was growing from strength to strength. She became the Latin-speaking “City of God” excelling above all kingdoms on earth (Europe). Without hesitation, when the Roman Empire began to decline, the Church shouldered the tremendous burden of defending and preserving European civilization against barbarian invasions. She managed to convert them to become members of the People of God. After the first millennium, the Latin-speaking Roman Church split with the Greek-speaking Byzantine Church. When everybody thought that he was in the right, how would schism NOT happen?
Five centuries ago the clergy of the Latin-speaking Roman Church were still living inside the “City of God”. They lost touch with the Age of Renaissance and the Age of Exploration. At the same time, princes respected Papal authority no more while commoners hated the corruption of priests and bishops. “Reformation” was an arrow on a fully-drawn bow! Once ignited, 190 years of religious wars (1522-1712 AD) followed. Catholic rulers persecuted Protestants subjects while Protestant countries oppressed bloodily people loyal to the Roman Pontiff … Who would feel that they were in the wrong? Doesn’t the Psalms teach kings, “No one who practises deceit can remain within my house. No one who speaks falsely can last in my presence. Morning after morning I clear all the wicked from the land, to rid the city of the LORD of all doers of evil” (Psalms 101:7-8). “Self-righteousness” carries a heavy price tag of blood-shed!
Some Protestant scholars opine that Peter in Greek, πέτρα, a feminine noun (Matthew 16:18), is just an ordinary stone, not a bed-rock. I quite agree with this interpretation. After all, the personality of Simon Peter was flawed and boasting him as the “Rock” would give the Church a false sense of security, leading her to commit “self-righteousness” errors more easily! How wise and merciful Jesus Christ was in giving Simon this new name!
Beloved brethren! Jesus Christ is the mighty Son of God. In His hand, even an inglorious, rejected stone is sufficient to build an everlasting kingdom (Psalm 118:22)! We trust not in and rely not on flawed institutions and blemished saints but the Wise, Mighty and Merciful Son of God Jesus Christ. Amen.
God bless!
生命恩泉
Picture Credit: pensamientopentecostalarminiano.org
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