可以保持緘默嗎？ Can We Maintain Our Reticence?

【福傳系列（六）】
可以保持緘默嗎？（瑪5:33-37）

讓我們先澄清為甚麼法律接受「發誓」程序。猶太文化對法治，貢獻良多。他們不但留下「十誡」給後世，而且是他們提出「凡殺人的案件，應依據幾個人的口供，纔可處決殺人犯；惟獨一人作證，不足以將人宣判死刑」（戶35:30; 達13:36-41）。倘若真的祇有一個見證人，如何是好？憑甚麼推翻見證人的話，而接受被告喊冤呢？倘若見證人在說真話，難道因為少了一個見證人而讓犯法的人逍遙法外嗎？於是，發誓求天主做見證，成了權宜之計。因為猶太人相信，沒有人膽敢妄呼天主的聖名，來支持自己行不義。兩個見證人合謀行不義，誣告蘇撒納，就是一個好例子，說明即使有兩個見證人，也不能保證裁判是公義的。

於是耶穌基督便杜絕了這個權宜之計，這個「發誓」程序。因為世界之大，除了相信天主的人之外，還有很多不相信天主存在的人；和表面相信，但心裡仍懷疑的人。即使他們按法律條文發誓，他們未必是真心的。他們的心是怎樣，祇有天主知道，法庭是無法確實的！天主子的要求是簡單易行的：「你們的話當是：是就說是，非就說非；其他多餘的便是出於邪惡」（瑪5:37）。

「是就說是，非就說非」，不需要潤飾、加重語氣、畫蛇添足、圓滑地不傷感情、不令當事人尷尬等等，不是最簡單易行嗎？可惜人性受了「原罪」污染，再加上沒有靈性生命的修煉，人總會說些「多餘」的話來潤飾，來加強說服力，令場面不會尷尬…結果，「毒藥」披上了「糖衣」，而真話卻被埋藏在厚厚的「調味料」之下，你們來判斷是否邪惡！

古語有云：「一言既出，駟馬難追」，可見說話是不應隨便出口的。且看，據《對觀福音》的記載，耶穌基督受審時，不是保持緘默，並沒有為自己爭取公義的裁判嗎？所以，我們可以跟隨基督的榜樣，選擇保持緘默。不過，一切應以天主的旨意為依歸，正如達尼爾的例子一樣。上主俯聽了蘇撒納的喊冤，「便感了動了一個青年人的聖善心靈，這青年名叫達尼爾」，為她申冤（達13:45-49）。請注意，這已經超出了「發誓」的範圍，而是憑「良心」說話了。

親愛的朋友，你知否救人的靈魂，是最大的法律嗎？而最大的誡命，不出愛主、愛人。所以關顧身邊的人靈性的死活，實在義不容辭。向他們宣講與天父修和的福音吧！成功與否，由天父決定，不用我們操心。放心大膽宣講吧，我們祇不過是祂的器皿，略盡綿力而已。亞孟。
天主保祐！

---

生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：shop.artuk.org, www.sohu.com, grok.com

[Evangelization Series VI]
Can We Maintain Our Reticence? (Matthew 5:33-37)

Let me clarify why the law accepts the procedure of “Oath-taking”. The Jewish culture contributes a lot to the rule of the law. Not only did they leave the posterity the Ten Commandments, but the Jews also enshrines, “Whenever someone kills another, the evidence of witnesses is required to kill the murderer. A single witness does not suffice for putting a person to death” (Numbers 35:30, Daniel 13:36-41). If there is only one witness, what is to be done? With what can we overturn the words of the witness and accept the not-guilty pledge of the defendant? If the witness speaks the truth, shall we set the culprit free because there is one witness short? Thus, invoking God as a witness became a compromise. The Jews believe that nobody dare to call upon the name of God to support his wickedness. The case of two elders framing Susanna illustrates well that having two witnesses is unable to guarantee a fair judgment.

Jesus Christ wants to eradicate this compromise, this oath-taking procedure. The world is big. Besides people who believe in God, there are many who do not believe in the existence of God and those who believe with reservation. Even if they take oath according to the letters of the law, they may not be genuine. Only God knows their conscience. The court of the law is unable to ascertain! The demand of the Son of God is simple and easy, “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No’. Anything more is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37).

Isn’t “‘Yes’ means ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ means ‘No’”, no need to embellish, to emphasize, to decorate, not to offense sensibility and not to embarrass etc. simple and easy? Regrettably, humanity is contaminated by the “Original Sin”, together with a lack of spiritual exercises, men tend to embellish, to convince, to be diplomatic … Consequently, poison puts on a sweet coat, and the truth is buried under thick layers of dressings. It is evil, isn’t it?

As an aphorism goes, “A four-horse chariot is unable to chase after a spoken word”. Look! According to the narratives of the Synoptic gospels, when Jesus was on trial, didn’t He remain reticent and did not fight for a righteous judgment? Thus, we can follow the example of Jesus and choose to remain silent. However, God’s will be done, like the case of Daniel. God heard the prayer of Susanna, “stirred up the Holy Spirit of a young boy named Daniel” to fight for her justice (Daniel 13:45-49). Notice that this has already gone beyond “oath-taking” and arrived at “speaking from the conscience”.

Beloved brethren. Don’t you know that the salvation of souls is the supreme law in the Church? The greatest commandment does not go beyond loving the Lord and loving your neighbour. Therefore, there should be no hesitation in taking care of the well-being of the spiritual life of the people around you. Proclaim the gospel of reconciliation to them! There is no need to worry about successes or failures because the Father decides. Proclaim boldly! We are merely His vessels contributing negligible efforts. Amen.
God bless!