擁抱失敗 Embrace Failures

福傳系列之六：擁抱失敗（瑪10:24-33）

讀任何一段聖經的文字，必須掌握它的上文下理。一般要認識該段文字之前發生了甚麼事，今天的經文也不例外。
「沒有徒弟勝過師父，沒有僕人勝過他主人。」（瑪10:24）倘若不看上文下理，憑空解釋，會得出有問題的結論。例如：把這句話理解成為「沒有人的成就，能夠超越他的老師」便大錯特錯了。這樣的論點是犯駁的，倘若真是這樣，何來進步呢？要知道庸碌的老師也可以激發出不甘平凡的學生，不少僱主真的沒有能力駕馭本領比他高強的僱員。

所以，我們把它放在上文下理看吧！上文講述的是傳教士所遭受的迫害，本文之中，耶穌也有提及「不要怕那殺害肉身，而不能殺害靈魂的」（10:28）。所以，這句話應該解釋成為「門徒所受的迫害，遠遠不及主耶穌所受的迫害」，因為所有的迫害，耶穌基督都一力承擔了（詠69:10；羅15:3）！

在世俗人的眼中，耶穌是一個失敗者。祂被自己的徒弟出賣，恥辱地死在十字架上。雖然信徒們聲稱他復活了，但到底有多少人，包括信徒們自己，相信他真的復活了呢？倘若用這個角度理解，結論是「門徒的失敗，不及主耶穌的失敗。」那麼，在傳教的事業上，我們還要計較成敗得失，計算成本效益嗎？

「若人們稱家主為『貝耳則步』，對他的家人更該怎樣呢？」（10:25）這裡是「貝耳則步」第一次出現的句子，沒有「上文」可供參考，要到第十二章纔有，這就是「下理」的意思。在那裡，法利塞人譭謗耶穌憑魔王「貝耳則步」驅魔（12:24）。因此門徒們應有心理準備，遭受妒忌的人譭謗。耶穌基督有能力澄清，但我們可能百辭莫辯。即使永遠含冤莫白，也不用氣餒，因為我們不再是僕人，而是有幸成為主的家人了！
主啊！當祢來為王時，請祢記念我（路23:42）。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：steemit.com

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Evangelization (VI): Embrace Failures (Matthew 10:24-33)

In order to read any biblical passages properly, we need to understand the context. Usually, we need to know what happened previously. The passage today is no exception.
“No disciples is above his teacher, no slave above his master.” (Matthew 10:24) If we interpret this verse out of context, we will come up with a questionable conclusion. For example, if we interpret this to mean “Nobody’s achievement can surpass his teacher’s”, this is totally wrong. This interpretation is contradictory. If this is right, where comes progress? We have to admit that incompetent teachers may stimulate students who refuse to be ordinary and there are many employers who can’t handle more outshining employees.

Put into context of previous discourse on persecutions met by missionaries as well as the verse Jesus says, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (10:28) a proper interpretation of verse 24 should be “The persecution suffered by the disciples is less grave than that suffered by Jesus”. It is because Jesus Christ has shouldered all the persecutions for us (Psalms 69:10, Romans 15:3)!

In the eyes of the secular world, Jesus was a failure. He was betrayed by one of His apostles. He died shamefully on the cross. Although his believers claim that He has risen, how many, including Christians themselves, genuinely believe so? Understood in this perspective, the obvious conclusion is “The disciples’ failures can’t surpass Lord Jesus’ failures”! Then, should we care about successes and failures, should we calculate cost-benefit-analysis in evangelization?

“If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!” (10:25) It is the first time “Beelzebul” appears in Matthew. There is no precedence to refer to. We have to wait until chapter 12 where the Pharisees defamed Jesus, say that He exorcised with the power of Beelzebul. Thus disciples should be prepared to meet defamation. Jesus Christ has the power to clarify but we don’t. So don’t be discouraged even if we have been framed because we are no longer slaves but members of the household!
Lord! Remember me when You come into Your kingdom (Luke 23:42). Amen.

春風吹又生 Spring Breezes Will Revive

福傳系列之五：春風吹又生（瑪10:16-23）

世人生活在罪惡中，是不爭的事實。細心觀察，會發現有些人為了自己的利益，會把罪惡制度化，剝削其他人來添加自己的利益。耶穌基督的福音，是得救的真理，而真理必會使人獲得自由（若8:32）。就這樣，傳福音必定會觸及當權者的利益，傳教士甚至教會遭受迫害，在所難免。今天的福音，羅列出不同來源的迫害：公議會、會堂、總督、君王和父兄等（瑪10:17-18, 21），他們都是我們身邊的當權者。可見傳福音真是困難重重。

保祿是一位偉大的傳教士，倘若我們需要找如何面對迫害的榜樣，在他身上找，一定不會落空。他曾說：「但是罪惡在那裡越多，恩寵在那裡也越格外豐富。」（羅5:20）因此，迫害越大，表示我們所傳的福音，觸及了很龐大的罪惡集團，有很多不幸的人遭受到罪惡的奴役。但那裡同時會有格外豐富的恩寵！傳教士可以怎樣？教會可以怎樣？這真是兩難！要麼我們為了苟延殘喘，放棄或者妥協，甚至更改福音的教訓，以迎合當權者！要麼我們堅持到底，接受殉道和禁教的命運！

但耶穌基督不是指示我們，遇到迫害時，我們「就逃往另一城去」嗎（瑪10:23）？是的。但很明顯，每個人的背境和處境不盡相同。所以逃走或留守，完全是個人的自由決擇。前一句不是說：「惟獨堅持到底的，纔可得救」（10:22）嗎？把兩句放在一起，很清楚的是天主對不同人的不同旨意。難道逃走到別處，另起爐灶，繼續傳教，就不是堅持到底，所以不能得救嗎？福音具有無法消滅的生命力，即使目前這裡不能容納它，亦不能否定將來福音在此地發揮光大。主說：「你們心裡不要煩亂；你們要信賴天主，也要信賴我。」（若14:1）我們經常缺乏的，就是這份信賴。我們不認識的，就是福音的生命力。相信天主吧，福音燒不盡，春風吹又生！
主耶穌！請增加我們的信德罷（路17:5），好讓我們更信賴天主。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：iFuun.com

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Evangelization (V):Spring Breezes Will Revive(Matthew 10:16-23)

It is an indisputable reality that men live in sins. When we take a closer look, it is not difficult to see that some people institutionalize sins to benefit themselves. They make use of sinful institutions to enrich themselves at the expenses of their fellow folks. The gospel of Jesus Christ embodies salvific truth and “The truth will set you free” (John 8:32). In this way, evangelization will definitely come into conflict with the interests of the people in power. Persecution of missionaries and the Church is inevitable. The gospel text today enumerates the sources of persecution: courts, synagogues, governors, kings, fathers and brothers etc. (Matthew 10:17-18, 21), in short people in power around us. Thus evangelization is difficult.

Paul was a great evangelist. If we want to look up an exemplar for how to deal with persecutions, we don’t need to go elsewhere. He says, “Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more” (Romans 5:20). Therefore, the greater the persecution, the greater the sinful corporation we have touched on and the more unfortunate people have been enslaved. At the same time, more grace would be available! What can missionaries do? What can the Church do? This is truly a dilemma! Either we continue to survive by abandoning, compromising or even adjusting the gospel teachings to please the powerful, or we persevere to the end, accepting the fate of martyrdom and imperial ban!

But doesn’t Jesus Christ teach that when they persecute us in one town, “Flee to another” (Matthew 10:23)? Yes, He does. But obviously, the background and situation of each individual is different. Whether to flee or to stay is totally a personal choice. Doesn’t the previous verse read, “Whoever endures to the end will be saved” (10:22)? Putting the two verses together clearly shows God’s different will for different people. The gospel has an indestructible vitality. Even if the present situation does not tolerate it, it doesn’t deny its brilliant future. The Lord says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” (John 14:1) What we usually lack is this faith. We don’t know the vitality of the gospel. Have faith in God. The gospel can’t be completely burnt. Spring breezes will revive it!
Lord Jesus! Increase our faith (Luke 17:5) so that we may trust more in God. Amen.

啟發別人的潛能 Raise Others’ Potentials

福傳系列之四：啟發別人的潛能（瑪10:7-15）

在現實世界裡，宣講福音不可以空談，總要有實質的服務伴隨。否則，人們怎能認識天主的慈愛呢？贈醫施藥，辦學掃盲，總要物質上的資源吧！傳教士怎可以不帶分文，翻山渡海，前往落後的地區傳福音呢？我們應該怎樣看待耶穌基督那「不要帶任何物品」的傳教指令呢？

答案在於「因為工人自當有他的食物」（瑪10:10）。表面上，經文指出傳教士不要掛慮衣食住行的問題，因為當地人有責任供應傳教士所需要的。他們所應該專注的，是祈禱和宣講福音。這樣做，傳教士與當地人，便可以建立一種「互生」的關係。當地人供給傳教士生活所需，而傳教士帶給當地人解放的福音，擴闊他們的視野，幫助他們超越目前的處境。沒有福音，當地人繼續與世界脫節和落後；沒有當地人的供養，傳教士不能生存。這就是「互生」關係的重要。說不定日後，傳教士還可以把當地的文化，帶給國際社會，滋潤全人類的生活。倘若傳教士擁有強大的後盾和豐富的資源，他們很難與當地人建立這種互生的關係。

長遠地說，傳教士的目標是在當地建立聖統制，有當地人的主教，祝聖當地人成為神職人員，服務地方教會，甚至輸出傳教士。這種互生的關係對建立本地的聖統制，有甚麼幫助呢？絕對有！缺乏資源，傳教士祇有就地取材；缺乏人才，傳教士祇有就地培訓，開發本地人的潛質。因此傳教士必須具備不但超凡的耐性，更要對天主和對人滿懷信心，不可以急功近利，強求即時的成果！
天父啊！請賜給我們更大的信德，相信祢會借助我們的手，幫助軟弱的人歸向祢。亞孟！
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：sixtone.com

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Evangelization (IV): Raise Others’ Potentials (Matthew 10:7-15)

In the real world, evangelization can’t be empty talks. It must go hand in hand with concrete services. Otherwise, how can people know God’s mercy? Medical and educational services require material resources! How can missionaries travel over the oceans, not bringing any money to preach in backward regions? How do we take Jesus Christ’s missionary instruction of not bringing anything?

The answer is “The labourer deserves his keep” (Matthew 10:10). Superficially, this text points out that missionaries should not worry about food and accommodations because local people have the responsibility to support them. Missionaries should focus on prayers and preaching. In this way, missionaries and the indigenous form a symbiotic relationship. Local people supply the daily necessities of the missionaries while the missionaries bring them the liberating gospel, extend their vision and help them transcend their status quo. Without the gospel, local people remain backward and disconnected with the world outside. Without the support of local people, missionaries can’t survive. This is the importance of symbiosis. Perhaps one day, the missionaries might bring the local culture to the international community and enrich the life of all humanity. If the missionaries possess a strong backup and rich resources, it would be impossible for them to build up the symbiosis.

In the long run, the target of evangelization is to set up the local hierarchy in which indigenous bishops consecrate indigenous clergy to serve the indigenous church and perhaps to send out missionaries. How does such a symbiosis help the local hierarchy? Absolutely! When resources are lacking, missionaries have to dig up local resources. If there is a short supply of priests, train the local people and raise their potentials. Thus, missionaries must possess immense patience and strong faith in God and in men. They should not be looking for immediate results and returns!
Heavenly Father! Grant us greater faith to trust that You shall make use of our hands to help the weak convert to You. Amen

不要好高鶩遠 Don’t Be Ambitious

福傳系列之三：不要好高鶩遠（瑪10:1-7）

所謂「初生之犢不畏虎」，「好高鶩遠，不自量力」是初出茅廬的人容易犯的通病。十二宗徒也不例外，接受了耶穌基督賜予的驅魔治病權柄，心中興奮，豈筆墨所能形容。他們中沒有一個是醫生，也沒有一個是經師或司祭，治病和驅魔，肯定是一件新穎的事物。接過權柄之後，恨不得可以即時試用，看看有多大威力。這種心態，是人之常情。例如，福音另一處記載了七十二門徒歸來復命，因為魔鬼屈服於他們而喜歡（路10:17-20）。

主耶穌不愧是一個偉大的導師，在傳福音的同時，栽培那些傳福音的人。且看，祂派遣十二宗徒，是先往「以色列家迷失了的羊群那裡去」（瑪10:6），而不是外邦人。固然，為了兌現向亞巴郎的承諾，天主優先向以色列家宣講福音，是合情合理的。但歷史告訴我們，接受福音的是外邦人，是有自知之明的人，而不是自恃為天主選民的猶太人。天主選民雖然是最先的，卻成了最後的（20:16；路13:30），多麼諷刺！

除了兌現承諾外，首先向有相同背景的人傳福音，應該比較容易。因為向有文化差異的人傳福音，不但要克服溝通上的困難，還有一個「文化優越感」的誘惑需要克服！試想想，當我們帶著先進的科技（治病驅魔的權柄），到達一個落後的地方傳福音。我們熱衷於解決當地人在糧食上、水源上、醫療上、甚至政治宗教上的問題時，他們會供奉我們為「救世主」。到時，我們有沒有意識到自己不是在傳福音，而是在摧毀當地的文化呢？在傳教歷史上，能實踐耶穌基督「降生」精神的，能讓當地文化基督化而不被掃除，恐怕屈指可數！
天父啊！請賜我們一顆赤子之心，在尊重別人的前題下，宣講解放的福音。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：wikipedia

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Evangelization (III): Don’t Be Ambitious (Matthew 10:1-7)

As the aphorism goes, “A new born calf fears not any tiger”. Fresh graduates usually make the common mistake of being too ambitious. The Twelve were no exception. Their elation after being installed with the faculty to heal and to exorcize is beyond words. None of them had previously been a physician, not a scribe or a priest. Healing and exorcism must be something novel to them. After receiving the authority, they couldn’t wait to exercise it to test how powerful it was. The attitude was only too natural. For example, in another occasion which Jesus had sent out seventy two disciples to preach, they returned rejoicing because demons were subject to them (Luke 10:17-20).

Lord Jesus is truly a great teacher. He builds up the evangelists while they evangelize. For example, He sent the Twelve “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6) instead of the pagans. Of course, in order to honour the pledge to Abraham, that God grants the house of Israel the first priority to receive the good news is reasonable. However, it turns out that the Gentiles are more receptive to the good news because they know themselves better while the Jews, who saw themselves as the Chosen People of God reject the gospel. Although God’s Chosen People come first, they become the last (20:16, Luke 13:30). How paradoxical!

Other than honouring His pledge, preaching the gospel to people with the same background is easier. It is because preaching the gospel to a different culture has to overcome two obstacles. Not only must missionaries overcome communication difficulties, but they must also overcome the temptation of “cultural superiority”! Just think about it, when we bring along advanced technology (the authority to heal and to exorcize) to a backward region to preach, we are eager to solve their various problems such as food, water supply, medicines, religious and even political problems, indigenous people would worship us like their saviours. By then, are we aware that instead of preaching the gospel, we are destroying the local culture? Throughout the mission history, only a handful of cases are able to put Jesus Christ’s incarnation spirit into practice, to Christianize local cultures without destroying them.
Heavenly Father! Grant us a heart of infants to proclaim the liberating gospel while respecting the others. Amen.

你困苦流離嗎？ Are You Troubled & Abandoned?

福傳系列之二：你困苦流離嗎？（瑪9:32-38）

福音中的群眾，不都是住在各城各村的嗎（瑪9:35）？為甚麼耶穌見到他們困苦流離呢（9:36）？可能當時的經濟情況差，說「群眾困苦」是可以理解的。但他們不是移民或者難民，甚至不是好像被警察驅趕的露宿者一樣，不停地遷徙，他們怎會是「流離」呢？因此，我們應該默想，群眾在哪方面困苦流離，引起了耶穌的慈心呢？

有人經濟條件差，但不能安貧樂道，終日營營役役，為了追求好一點的生活質素而四出奔波勞碌。看在耶穌眼中，是多麼流離失所！有人先天條件差，競爭能力弱，時常遭受別人欺負，生活提心吊膽；又不甘心，時常想找機會報復。看在耶穌眼中，是多麼困苦。生活在羅馬帝國的殖民統治下，大部份人受盡制度上的壓迫和剝削，敢怒而不敢言，而默西亞的出現，遙遙無期。看在耶穌的眼中，這些渴望天主的公義，渴望祂來解放的人，就好像失去了牧人的羊群（9:36）。耶穌豈能不動慈心呢？

可是，對於貧窮的人，得到天國有甚麼實用價值呢（5:3）？對於以溫良面對欺凌的人，有希望承受土地嗎（5:4）？那些渴望擺脫極權統治的人民，耶穌基督的解放，何時纔會得到滿足（5:5）？真的要等到末日，耶穌基督的承諾，纔會兌現嗎？

關鍵在於沒有足夠的工人願意投身在傳福音的事業上，改造人心，聖化這個世界（9:38）。世界就好像一塊生長著麥子和莠子的土地，莠子越多，麥子的生存空間越少；相反，麥子越多，莠子越少。越多人接受福音，活出真福八端的精神，兌現耶穌基督的承諾，又有何難呢？
天父啊！請賜下聖神七恩，讓更多人能辨明聖召，踴躍加入福傳的行列。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：ucatholic.com

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Evangelization (II): Are You Troubled & Abandoned? (Matthew 9:32-38)

Weren’t the crowd in the gospel residing in towns and villages (Matthew 9:35)? Why did Jesus see them being troubled and abandoned (9:36)? Perhaps the economy was bad at that time. Therefore, the crowd was understandably “troubled”. But they were not migrants or refugees, not even like the homeless who have to move around continually because the police are chasing them away. How could the crowd be “abandoned”? Thus, we should meditate in what ways the crowd was abandoned such that Jesus’s heart was moved with pity.

The financial situation of some people is bad and they don’t want to suffer poverty. Thus they move around hastily and labour hard to earn themselves a better living quality. In Jesus’ eyes, they are no different from the homeless! Some people are dealt a poor hand. They don’t have much competitiveness and are often bullied by others. Their vulnerability makes them feel like caged all day long. They might want to take revenge when opportunities arise. In Jesus’ eyes, they are really troubled! Living under the colonial rule of the Roman Empire, most people were persecuted and exploited by the system. People could only swallow their fury while the Messiah was nowhere in sight. In Jesus’ eyes, these people who desired God’s righteousness and liberation were like “sheep without a shepherd” (9:36). How could Jesus not be moved with pity for them?

However, for the poor, what practical use is the Kingdom of Heaven (5:3)? For those who are mild before a bully, do they have any hope of inheriting the land (5:4)? For those who want to see the totalitarian rule removed, when shall the liberation of Jesus Christ come to make them satisfied (5:5)? Do we have to wait until the end of the world for Jesus Christ to honour His pledge?

The key to unlock the issue is that there are not enough labourers willing to evangelize, to transform men’s hearts and to sanctify the world (9:38). The world is like a piece of land where wheat and weeds grow together. The more the weeds, the less space the wheat shall occupy in order to survive. On the contrary, where there is more wheat, there will be less weeds. When more people believe in the gospel and live up the spirit of the beatitudes, it wouldn’t be difficult for Jesus to honour His pledge!
Heavenly Father! Grant us the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Let more people discern their vocation and join the league of evangelization. Amen.

福傳為救有自知之明的人 To Save Those Who Know Themselves

福傳系列之一：福傳為救有自知之明的人
（瑪9:18-26）

世上祇有兩種人：「無知」的人和「有自知之明」的人。無知的人可能很快樂，因為他們滿足於現狀，或者無奈地認命。有如井底之蛙，他們不知道自己落後，不知道自己病倒了，不知道自己錯過了獲得康復/解放的機會…

有自知之明的人不一定快樂，因為他們發現自己生活在困苦之中。他們會想辦法改進自己，或者尋求出路，更或者改善周圍的環境。饑餓的會覓食，無知的會學習或者請教別人，有病的會求醫等等…不會坐以待斃。這樣做是要付出勞力，要冒風險，一定是辛苦的！倘若四周沒有糧食，沒有人可以求教，沒有醫生，沒有解放者…有自知之明的人祇能在絕望中掙扎，這是一件多麼痛苦，多麼可憐的事！

慈悲的天主是絕對不會讓他們的眼淚白流，讓他們的努力白費。所以，「傳佈福音者的腳步是多麼美麗啊！」（依52:7，羅10:15）患血漏病的婦人，掙扎了十二年，她的苦況，不單是肉體上的，還有社會強加給她的標籤。背負著雙重枷鎖，她的痛苦可想而知。所以，耶穌基督治好她，是無可比擬的解放和喜樂！

婦人知道自己有病，加上她對耶穌基督的信德，兩者合力救了她（瑪9:22）。周圍的人呢？他們沒有信德嗎？一定有，否則不會跟著耶穌。難道他們沒有病嗎？還是他們不知道自己有病呢？ 恐怕是後者了。所以傳福音成敗與否，其中一個決定性因素是聽福音的人是否有自知之明。耶穌基督不久前說的話真好：「不是健康的人需要醫生，而是有病的人。」（9:12）
天父啊！求祢賜下聖神，掃除我們的無知，讓我們得享祢的救恩。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：sohu.com

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Evangelization (I): To Save Those Who Know Themselves
(Matthew 9:18-26)

There are only two types of people: the ignorant and those who know themselves. The ignorant might be happy because they are satisfied with the status quo or they have surrendered. Like a frog at the bottom of a well, they don’t know that they are backward, that they have fallen ill and that they have missed the opportunity to get well …

Those who know themselves might not be happy because they discover that they’re living in difficulties. They would try to improve themselves, to break new grounds and even to change the environment for the better. Feeling hungry and they look for food. Not knowing things and they learn or ask someone. Being sick and they consult physicians … They don’t want to become sitting ducks. In doing so, they put in efforts and take risks. It must be tough! If there’s no food around, nobody to seek advice, no doctor to consult or no liberator to deliver … How painful and miserable when they struggle in despair!

The merciful God will absolutely not allow their tears or efforts to go in vain. Thus, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news” (Isaiah 52:7, Romans 10:15). The bleeding woman had struggled for 12 years. Her sufferings were more than physical. There were labels imposed by the society on her. Under the burden of double sufferings, her pains were imaginable. Thus how liberating and joyful she was when Jesus Christ healed her!

The woman knew she was sick. This knowledge and her faith in Jesus Christ worked together to cure her (Matthew 9:22). What about the crowd? Didn’t they have faith? Of course they had. Otherwise they wouldn’t have followed Jesus. Were they not sick? Or they didn’t know that they were sick? I’m afraid it was the latter case. Therefore, one of the decisive factors for the success of evangelization is whether the audience know themselves. Jesus Christ spoke well earlier on, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.” (9:12)
Heavenly Father! Grant us the Holy Spirit to wipe away our ignorance. Let us partake Your salvation. Amen.