The Biblical Creation story is well known. God created the known universe simply by issuing commands (Genesis 1). He spoke and "things" appeared. He did not need any physical matters or any quantum fluctuations to get things done. In short, God created out of nothing "Creatio ex Nihilo". God's word must have been very powerful indeed.
I like to fancy how Jesus multiplied the 5 loaves of bread to feed 5000. I always muse on Einstein's famous E=mc2 formula and transpose it to m=E/c2. With large amount of energy, we can theoretically transform it back to matter. Physicists have been building ever powerful accelerators to collide elementary particles to produce newer particles. They are able to produce more elementary particles that last for a few nano-seconds. The word of the Lord must have been very powerful indeed.
The Psalmist followed the Genesis tradition and said,
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth (Psalm 33:6).
The Prophet Isaiah told us that God is faithful and continues to sustain His Creation. God's word shall not return empty. It will nourish the earth like water.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:10-11).
God's word shall not return empty. What about us?
I like to fancy how Jesus multiplied the 5 loaves of bread to feed 5000. I always muse on Einstein's famous E=mc2 formula and transpose it to m=E/c2. With large amount of energy, we can theoretically transform it back to matter. Physicists have been building ever powerful accelerators to collide elementary particles to produce newer particles. They are able to produce more elementary particles that last for a few nano-seconds. The word of the Lord must have been very powerful indeed.
The Psalmist followed the Genesis tradition and said,
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth (Psalm 33:6).
The Prophet Isaiah told us that God is faithful and continues to sustain His Creation. God's word shall not return empty. It will nourish the earth like water.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:10-11).
God's word shall not return empty. What about us?
Confucius exhorts us to model ourselves on heaven in our actions. He said,
天行健，君子以自強不息。【周易‧乾‧象傳】
Heaven moves continuously. The Righteous man models himself on heaven to transcend himself without rest. (I-Qing, Qian).
This advice matches what Jesus said about God in the gospel of John.
It was Sabbath. Jesus saw a man who had been sick for 38 years. Jesus cured him with his word. The Jews challenged Jesus.
But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working still, and I am working." (John 5:17)
God continues His work even on Sabbath. We should continue our work of self-transcendence without rest.
Confucius further cautions us to be careful with our words.
駟不及舌【論語‧顏淵】
A 4-horse chariot cannot catch up our tongue.
at quadrijuges neque assequuntur linguam (DISSERTAE SENTENTIAE CAPUT VI, PARS POSTERIOR 8)
Later, this becomes an idiom which says 「一言既出，駟馬難追。」A word once said cannot be recalled even by a 4-horse chariot.
子曰：君子恥其言而過其行。【論語‧憲問】
The righteous man is ashamed when his word exceeds his act.
Philosophus ait: sapiens modestus suis verbis, at excedens suis actibus (DISSERTAE SENTENTIAE CAPUT VII, PARS POSTERIOR 28)
We should watch our tongue. Don't gossip. Don't tell lies. Don't make promises casually.
In our Philosophy class tonight, Fr. William Yip also touched on the topic of telling lies. We were studying the philosophy of Gabriel Marcel who also touched on the concepts of being and self. Self is created in an I-You relation. In telling lies, we lose our "self"! It is very harmful for us, not just for the others. We have to teach our students not to tell lies. Simple but true.
天行健，君子以自強不息。【周易‧乾‧象傳】
Heaven moves continuously. The Righteous man models himself on heaven to transcend himself without rest. (I-Qing, Qian).
This advice matches what Jesus said about God in the gospel of John.
It was Sabbath. Jesus saw a man who had been sick for 38 years. Jesus cured him with his word. The Jews challenged Jesus.
But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working still, and I am working." (John 5:17)
God continues His work even on Sabbath. We should continue our work of self-transcendence without rest.
Confucius further cautions us to be careful with our words.
駟不及舌【論語‧顏淵】
A 4-horse chariot cannot catch up our tongue.
at quadrijuges neque assequuntur linguam (DISSERTAE SENTENTIAE CAPUT VI, PARS POSTERIOR 8)
Later, this becomes an idiom which says 「一言既出，駟馬難追。」A word once said cannot be recalled even by a 4-horse chariot.
子曰：君子恥其言而過其行。【論語‧憲問】
The righteous man is ashamed when his word exceeds his act.
Philosophus ait: sapiens modestus suis verbis, at excedens suis actibus (DISSERTAE SENTENTIAE CAPUT VII, PARS POSTERIOR 28)
We should watch our tongue. Don't gossip. Don't tell lies. Don't make promises casually.
In our Philosophy class tonight, Fr. William Yip also touched on the topic of telling lies. We were studying the philosophy of Gabriel Marcel who also touched on the concepts of being and self. Self is created in an I-You relation. In telling lies, we lose our "self"! It is very harmful for us, not just for the others. We have to teach our students not to tell lies. Simple but true.
Dear Lord, allow us to model ourselves on You. Help us put a tight grip on our tongues to speak edifying words. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment