掌握自己的情緒有何難？ Is Managing Our Emotions Difficult?

【福傳系列（四）】
掌握自己的情緒有何難？（瑪5:20-26）

在星期二的默想中，我曾說：「我們很容易把『真理』理性化和抽象化，以至『真理』祇在頭腦裡，不在肺腑中！」，今天的福音說明了，真理決不停留在腦袋裡，要實踐到情緒裡去！

憤怒是一種基本的情緒，發怒就是宣洩這情緒。我們稱有些憤怒為「義怒」，是符合理性的和受約束的。其他的發怒，祇是一時的痛快，後果嚴重。例如在中國的戰國時代，我們可以找到「義怒」與肆意「發怒」的對比。事緣秦王嬴政想侵佔安陵，唐睢向安陵君自薦做說客，希望秦王罷手，以免生靈塗炭。知道來意後，嬴政對唐睢發怒說：「天子之怒，伏屍百萬，流血千里」！唐睢從容地答道：「若士必怒，伏屍二人，流血五步，天下縞素，今日是也。」挺劍而起。嬴政立刻投降，放棄侵佔安陵的計劃（戰國策‧魏策四），嬴政總算能在緊急關頭掌握到自己的情緒。但在起初，加音不聽從天主的警告，放任自己的憤怒，結果殺死了自己的弟弟亞伯爾（創4:5-8）！可見人不單要「知善惡」，更要掌管和修煉自己的情緒！能掌握到自己和別人的情緒，沒有比這更重要的靈修了！

梅瑟法律有明文規定「不可殺人」（出20:13），是十誡之一；又規定「以命償命」（21:23），但仍要處理一些誤殺或報血仇的個案，所以要經過「裁判」的程序。依據幾個見證人的證言，纔可以宣判死刑，處決殺人犯（戶35:30）。可見「應受裁判」不一定會死！

耶穌基督要求門徒的義德，要超過經師和法利塞人的義德（瑪5:20），是甚麼意思呢？天主子要求我們不應像經師和法利塞人那樣僵化地遵守法律條文，而應該以立法的本意和初心，履行法律條文。「不可殺人」的初心就是尊重生命和尊重生命的創造主！但耶穌基督更進一步地提昇了「不可殺人」的精神，要求門徒掌握自己的情緒。向自己的兄弟說「瘋子」，比說「傻子」的後果更嚴重。說「傻子」祇受「裁判」，未必會死；但說「瘋子」肯定會遭受懲罰，而且是下地獄！

親愛的朋友，耶穌基督的忠告是輕鬆的，並不沉重難做。倘若你發覺到弟兄有埋怨你的事（瑪5:23）…注意，是弟兄埋怨你，覺得你對他不公平！即使你沒有不公平，主吩咐你主動地找你的弟兄，釋出善意，與他修和。看！這完全不是對錯的問題、腦袋的問題，而是修煉情緒的功夫！你主動修和頂多是損失了少許面子或尊嚴。若能少一個敵人，多一個朋友，何樂而不為呢？ 亞孟。
天主保祐！

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生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：feeds-drcn.cloud.huawei.com.cn, grok.com, creator.nightcafe.studio

[Evangelization Series IV]
Is Managing Our Emotions Difficult? (Matthew 5:20-26)

In the meditation on Tuesday, I said that we “would easily made truth rational and abstract so much so that it remains in our heads and not in our hearts!” The gospel passage today tells us that truth must not remain in our heads. We need to practise it in our emotions!

Anger is basic emotion. Showing fury is venting this emotion. We call some instances of anger “righteous” because they are rational and restrained. Other wraths are gratifying with serious consequences. For example, during the Warring Era in Chinese history, we can easily find contrasts of righteous anger and aggressive anger. One such story goes: Ying Zheng, King Qin wanted to invade Anling. Tang Ju volunteered to lobby, hoping that King Qin would stop lest commoners suffered. After knowing Tang Ju’s intention, King Qin was furious and said, “When an emperor is in wrath, millions die and blood streams for thousand miles!” Tang Ju calmly replied, “When a commoner has to be angry, 2 persons fall, blood streams for 5 steps. The whole country mourns and it is today”. Tang Ju drew his sword and rose. Ying Zheng immediately yielded and abandoned the invasion plan (Zhan Guo Ce, Wei Ce#4). Ying Zheng was sensible enough to manage his emotions at the critical moment. But in the beginning, Cain did not listen to God’s warning. He let his anger take over him and killed his brother Abel (Genesis 4:5-8)! Thus, not only must we know Good from Evil, but we also need to manage and discipline our emotions! There is no spirituality more important than managing our emotions and others’!

Mosaic laws clearly forbid murder (Exodus 20:13). It is one of the Ten Commandments. Moreover, it is stipulated that “You shall give life for life” (21:23). But cases of homicides or blood vengeance need a judgment procedure to decide. 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). Thus, going through judgments does not necessarily results in death!

Jesus Christ demands the disciples’ righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). What does it mean? The Son of God demands that we should not observe the letters of the Law rigidly as scribes and Pharisees did. We should follow the letters in the spirit, the original intentions when the regulations were written. The spirit of “Thou shalt not kill” is to respect life and to respect the Creator of life! But Jesus further elevates the spirit of no-murder and demands the disciples to manage their emotions. The consequence of calling his brother a “Fool” is more serious than calling his brother “Raqa” which only receives judgment and not necessarily death. But calling his brother a “Fool” will be punished in hell!

Beloved friends. The advice of Jesus Christ is light and not burdensome. If you recall that your brother has anything against you (Matthew 5:23) … Pay attention, it is your brother who has something against you, feeling that you have been unfair to him! Even if you have done nothing unfair, the Lord tells you to take the initiative to visit your brother, extend your good will and reconcile. Look! It is not a matter of right and wrong which is a rational question. Instead, it is a matter of disciplining your emotions! Taking the initiative to reconcile costs you a little face or dignity. If in the end you win a friend and lose an enemy, why not? Amen.
God bless!