作繭自縛 Digging A Trap for Ourselves

案例系列（二）
主題：作繭自縛（谷6:17-29）

黑落德安提帕與若翰洗者的故事，是典型的「昏君」與「先知」的對決。且讓我們默想黑落德的過錯，以史為鑒！

馬爾谷相當厚道，把黑落德描繪為一個尚有良知，懂得困惑憂鬱的人（谷6:20, 26）。若翰洗者批評黑落德，因為他霸佔了自己兄弟斐理伯的妻子黑落狄雅，犯了十誡和梅瑟的法律（6:17）。何況黑落德位高權重，理應以身作則，做百姓的榜樣。因此，黑落德所犯的姦淫罪，比一般的姦淫罪嚴重得多！黑落德自恃有點小聰明，逮捕了若翰洗者，旨在「保護」他（6:17-19）。 結果聰明反被聰明誤，他的驕傲把自己陷入作繭自縛的困局中。他醉酒，不知節制，是七罪宗的貪饕。在失去節制的狀態下，暴露了他對黑落狄雅女兒的淫念（6:23），是七罪宗的色慾。為免當眾食言，竟然殺死了天主的先知（6:26-27）。個人的顏面比公義和生命還重要，又是驕傲的通病！

天主曾忠告加音說：「你若做得不好，罪惡就伏在你門前，企圖對付你，但你應制服它」（創4:7）。但加音沒有理會，結果因嫉妒和忿怒而殺死了弟弟亞伯爾。黑落德也走上了加音的道路，沒有制服誘惑，反而降服在貪饕、色慾和驕傲之下，做出傷天害理的事。真是顛倒黑白，是非不分，泥足深陷！願上主對他的靈魂慈悲。

聖父，求祢喚醒我們心中的聖神，重振「超見」與「剛毅」之恩，幫助我們明辨是非，抗拒誘惑，避免做出反見證。因我們的主基督，亞孟。
天主保祐！

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生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：creator.nightcafe.studio

Case Study (II)
Theme: Digging A Trap for Ourselves (Mark 6:17-29)

The story of Herod Antipas and John the Baptist is a typical duel between evil kings and prophets. Let us meditate on the mistakes made by Herod Antipas and avoid them!

Mark was lenient when he portrayed a conscientious, perplexed and deeply distressed Herod (Mark 6:20, 26). John the Baptist criticized him because he took the wife of his brother Philip, thus breaching the Ten Commandment and Mosaic Law (6:17). Herod was the tetrarch. He should be setting up exemplar for the people. Thus the adultery he committed was worse than other adulteries in general! Herod prided himself of his cunning. He arrested John the Baptist in order to “protect” him (6:17-19). His wits backfired. His pride put him in a trap he had dug for himself. He lacked temperance and got himself drunk. This was gluttony among the seven deadly sins. In a state in which he had lost temperance, he revealed his sexual desires towards the daughter of Herodias (6:23). This was lust. In order not to break his words in front of all guests, he ordered to have the God’s prophet beheaded (6:26-27). Personal face was more important than justice and life. Once again the mistake of pride!

God had advised Cain, saying: “But if you do not act rightly, sin lies in wait at the door: its urge is for you, yet you can rule over it” (Genesis 4:7). Cain ignored and consequently killed his brother Abel out of jealousy and wrath. Herod trod the same path as Cain. He did not rule over temptations but yielded to gluttony, lust and pride, doing evil things. This is calling black white, wrong right and deeply submerged in mud! May the Lord have mercy on his soul.

Heavenly Father, awake the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Reinvigorate the gifts of counsel and knowledge in us so that we can discern right from wrong, resist temptations and avoid setting bad examples. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
God bless!