Today, the institution of family is at risk. On one hand, people acknowledge the importance of the institution called marriage and family, to the stability of the society. For example, among the 30 articles of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), getting married and founding a family appear in Article 16, prior to property right (#17), religious freedom (#18) and freedom of speech (#19) etc. Article 16, paragraph 3 acknowledges its importance by stating that "The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State."
On the other hand, people allow this important institution to be threatened and corroded without giving it proper protection. It began with adultery which was once punishable by death in ancient times. Nowadays, extra-marital affairs are not even frowned on at all. Divorce, though tolerated by Moses, had been a social stigma. Nowadays in some countries, more than 50% of marriages end up in divorce. Moreover, economic affluence proves to be a curse to family. High living standards force both parents to work to their exhaustion, leaving very little time for spouses and family members to share some quality family time. When the claims of human rights are blown out of proportion, same-sex civil unions want to have their legal status upgraded to marriage so as to enjoy equal rights! A number of countries have legalized same-sex marriage, allowing two men to become spouses to found a family. Some countries even allow them to adopt children. In short, our families are at risk. Our children are at risk. Adults are mature enough to fend for themselves. They might be able to survive infidelity, divorce and even the disorderliness of gay marriage. What about the children?
In the gospel reading today, we read of the story of the Holy Family fleeing to Egypt to evade the murderous attempt of Herod on the life of Infant Jesus. Though the Son of God had incarnated to become its member, the Holy Family did not fight against political persecutions with miracles.
Let's take a closer look at the so called Holy Family. It began with a single-parent family. When Mary gave the consent to become the mother of Jesus, she became an unwed mother. She had participated in a social problem. Depending on the number of unwed mothers at that time, the social costs of this social problem vary. Stoning them to death was the cheapest and thus the most favoured solution in ancient times. The Holy Family has an inglorious beginning.
Luckily, Joseph stood up to bear this social cost. Together with the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph would protect this Son of God at all costs. However, Joseph was only a carpenter, an artisan. He was not able to earn much money and power. Furthermore, he lived in Galilee, an outskirt of Judaism. Greek and Gentile influences were strong. The cultural milieu could not command any respect (John 1:46). Indeed, God had chosen rather unwisely according to human standard. At first, the Holy Family was not holy at all. Nor could their situation improve after receiving the gifts from the Magi. The Holy Family simply could not use those gifts without running into troubles. So, what made the Holy Family holy must be something else. It is total dedication to God. All three of them dedicated their lives totally to doing the will of God. No miracles nor power could make one holy. Rather, it is humble submission to God's will that makes one holy.
Let's face it. God took up flesh to become man not to tinker with humanity but to help us transcend humanity. God did not choose a royal family to provide power and respect for the birth and growth of Jesus. He chose an ordinary peasant girl and her betrothed husband at the margin of Jewish land. God did not vapourize Herod the Great immediately or even before Herod was able to give the order to massacre the Innocent Infants in order to protect the Holy Infant. No, God's intervention was minimum --- sending messages to Joseph in dreams.
To a certain extent, our present situation is similar though less severe than that confronting the Holy Family. We are still able to put up some resistance against the legislation of same-sex marriage in Hong Kong. We do not know who will win the day. We do not expect God to intervene either. If the worst comes to the worst, we will follow the example of the Holy Family to protect the Holy Infant by fleeing to the archenemy of HKSAR to wait for the demise of those who sought the child's life (Matthew 2:20).
My sweet Holy Infant, your presence is enough to prod us ahead to build up a society conducive to the healthy development of family life. Amen.
Sunday 29 December 2013
Thursday 26 December 2013
GRACE & BLESSING FROM THE LORD 2013
Christ is the Best Gift that God gives us.
Light and Life He gives us.
May the Light of Christ
Illuminate and Inflame our hearts, making us
Gifts to our Brethren.
May I wish you
Every Grace and Blessing
from the Lord
I thank Fr. Seàn, who taught me Greek and Theological Propædeutics in HKCBI, for correcting my mistake in greeting people Merry Christmas.
Sunday 22 December 2013
The Problem faced by St. Joseph
For us Christians, Jesus is the Son of God, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity. This is a distinctively Christianity doctrine, not shared by the other monotheistic religions such as Judaism and Islam. Like any other doctrines, it must have gone through a development before it comes down to the final form as we know it today.
St. Paul wrote his epistles before the gospels were written. For example, biblical scholars opine that the letter to the Romans was written in early 58 A.D. Luke, a disciple of Paul, followed the teachings of Paul to write the gospel of Luke in around 62 A.D. Even here, we see a development of the views on Jesus being the Son of God. For Paul, Jesus is the Son of God because of his resurrection from the dead, which is the core of his proclamation of the gospel.
"and designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:4)
On the other hand, in the gospel of Luke, Jesus is the Son of God not because of his resurrection but of his incarnation.
"And the angel said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God." (Luke 1:35)
Jesus is the Son of God from the very beginning. Subsequently, Satan tested him and the demons recognized him.
To both New Testament authors, the Holy Spirit makes Jesus the Son of God, whether it is the beginning or the end of Jesus' earthly existence.
Now, let us return to meditate on the gospel reading today, on the problem St. Joseph faced when Mary was found to be pregnant. Let us put ourselves in his shoes. St. Joseph had no idea who violated Mary and even when Mary told him that the child was the work of the Holy Spirit, how would Joseph accept this so called explanation? The Torah did not offer much help for cases of betrothed virgins. Deuteronomy 22 could not deal with a man who was missing in this case. As for the woman, her life would be spared if the case took place in the open country where nobody would come to rescue her even if she cried for help. But since "the man" was missing, there was no way to determine where it happened. Therefore, the Torah could not give any guidance. Surely Mary would not be the first woman violated by a "missing man". There must be in place some customs to deal with it. No matter what customs they might be, Mary and similar victims would be the only person to bear the burden, some kind of public shame. Stoning her to death would still be a legitimate option. There might be other forms of public shame, depending on the particular social and political situations of different towns. But Joseph did not want to put Mary to shame.
Matthew is ambiguous as to how public Mary was found to be pregnant. From what Joseph resolved to do, we hypothesize that it was not yet a public knowledge. Just think about it. How could Joseph divorce (ἀπολῦσαι) Mary quietly (Matthew 1:19)? It would be a contradiction. Joseph could follow the Torah to write a divorce letter to free Mary from her marriage obligation so that she would be able to marry her "missing man". In so doing, it could not be done in private.
One way to resolve this contradiction is to look for another translation of the word ἀπολῦσαι. This word which is usually translated as divorce (ἀπολῦσαι) can be rendered as "send away". Therefore, we have to assume that Mary's pregnancy was not yet public so that Joseph could send her away quietly and Mary had to leave Nazareth. Here, an angel intervened and the rest is history.
Joseph was a righteous man. He was righteous not just because he followed the Torah but because he did not want to put Mary to shame. He had a big heart and cared about the needs of Mary, his betrothed wife. He did not take Mary as his property which he was entitled to as a betrothed husband. St. Joseph thought about what the best for Mary was. St. Joseph is a role model for husbands.
St. Joseph, pray for us husbands and men. Amen.
St. Paul wrote his epistles before the gospels were written. For example, biblical scholars opine that the letter to the Romans was written in early 58 A.D. Luke, a disciple of Paul, followed the teachings of Paul to write the gospel of Luke in around 62 A.D. Even here, we see a development of the views on Jesus being the Son of God. For Paul, Jesus is the Son of God because of his resurrection from the dead, which is the core of his proclamation of the gospel.
"and designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:4)
On the other hand, in the gospel of Luke, Jesus is the Son of God not because of his resurrection but of his incarnation.
"And the angel said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God." (Luke 1:35)
Jesus is the Son of God from the very beginning. Subsequently, Satan tested him and the demons recognized him.
To both New Testament authors, the Holy Spirit makes Jesus the Son of God, whether it is the beginning or the end of Jesus' earthly existence.
Now, let us return to meditate on the gospel reading today, on the problem St. Joseph faced when Mary was found to be pregnant. Let us put ourselves in his shoes. St. Joseph had no idea who violated Mary and even when Mary told him that the child was the work of the Holy Spirit, how would Joseph accept this so called explanation? The Torah did not offer much help for cases of betrothed virgins. Deuteronomy 22 could not deal with a man who was missing in this case. As for the woman, her life would be spared if the case took place in the open country where nobody would come to rescue her even if she cried for help. But since "the man" was missing, there was no way to determine where it happened. Therefore, the Torah could not give any guidance. Surely Mary would not be the first woman violated by a "missing man". There must be in place some customs to deal with it. No matter what customs they might be, Mary and similar victims would be the only person to bear the burden, some kind of public shame. Stoning her to death would still be a legitimate option. There might be other forms of public shame, depending on the particular social and political situations of different towns. But Joseph did not want to put Mary to shame.
Matthew is ambiguous as to how public Mary was found to be pregnant. From what Joseph resolved to do, we hypothesize that it was not yet a public knowledge. Just think about it. How could Joseph divorce (ἀπολῦσαι) Mary quietly (Matthew 1:19)? It would be a contradiction. Joseph could follow the Torah to write a divorce letter to free Mary from her marriage obligation so that she would be able to marry her "missing man". In so doing, it could not be done in private.
One way to resolve this contradiction is to look for another translation of the word ἀπολῦσαι. This word which is usually translated as divorce (ἀπολῦσαι) can be rendered as "send away". Therefore, we have to assume that Mary's pregnancy was not yet public so that Joseph could send her away quietly and Mary had to leave Nazareth. Here, an angel intervened and the rest is history.
Joseph was a righteous man. He was righteous not just because he followed the Torah but because he did not want to put Mary to shame. He had a big heart and cared about the needs of Mary, his betrothed wife. He did not take Mary as his property which he was entitled to as a betrothed husband. St. Joseph thought about what the best for Mary was. St. Joseph is a role model for husbands.
St. Joseph, pray for us husbands and men. Amen.
Monday 16 December 2013
Jesus' view on the Messiah
Through the Prophet Nathan, God promised David an eternal kingdom.
"... I will establish his throne forever." (2 Samuel 7:13)
God's promise never fails. But in reality, Israel was conquered by Assyrians and Judah Babylonians. When the Jews returned from the Babylonian Exile, they pondered on how God's promise would fulfill. Thus, they developed a Messianic expectation. God would raise a Messiah from the line of David to restore the kingdom of David. This Messianic kingdom would last forever. Since the Babylonian Exile, Judah only managed to achieve a brief independence for a brief period of less than a century when the Greek Empire fell into in-fighting. Then the Romans appeared and colonized Judah once more in 63 B.C. It was during this Roman colonization time that Jesus was born.
Under the Roman rule, self proclaimed Messiahs arose to lead the Jews to fight for independence. For example, Theudas and then Judas the Galilean. They rose and were crushed (Acts 5:36-37). The same uprisings repeated in 70 A.D. and 132 A.D. From these events, we could understand that during the Roman rule, Jews expected the Messiah to be a military leader to liberate them. Jesus refused to be cast a military Messiah. So, today we read of Jesus' answer to the Baptist's question: Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another? (Matthew 11:3)
Here is Jesus' reply.
And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see:
the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them." (Matthew 11:4-5)
Jesus the long awaited Messiah came to liberate the lowly and afflicted. He did not come to restore the kingdom of Israel. Instead, he came to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. God, not the rulers of the earth, stands up for the blind, the lame, the lepers, the deaf, the dead and the poor etc. So, these are the people whom God wants to gather into His Kingdom.
What Jesus has started, he delegates to his Church to continue his mission. Jesus taught. The Church continues to teach. Jesus sanctified. The Church continues to sanctify. Jesus acted. The Church continues to act in Jesus' manner. Jesus was political. Therefore the Church cannot be apolitical. How could Jesus be apolitical when it came to the allocation of resources? He needed to recover what was due the exploited and the outcasts. The Church needs to continue Jesus' mission to stand up for the exploited and the poor to recover what is due them. No wonder Jesus is deemed a revolutionary by some. The Church cannot avoid to be revolutionary when the situation demands. When the society is structured in such a way as to discriminate and marginalize the disadvantaged, the Church must act to deconstruct the injustice to make the world a better place for all, including the rich and the poor, the powerful and the lowly to live in. Jesus is meek and mild. So must the Church be. She is to fight injustice in a meek and mild way. How do you fight a powerful injustice with a meek and mild force? Here lies the paradox and demands prudence.
Dear Lord, the HKSAR government has started consultation on universal suffrage. I pray that we may contribute to make this initiative a success, to bring about a society with more justice. Amen.
"... I will establish his throne forever." (2 Samuel 7:13)
God's promise never fails. But in reality, Israel was conquered by Assyrians and Judah Babylonians. When the Jews returned from the Babylonian Exile, they pondered on how God's promise would fulfill. Thus, they developed a Messianic expectation. God would raise a Messiah from the line of David to restore the kingdom of David. This Messianic kingdom would last forever. Since the Babylonian Exile, Judah only managed to achieve a brief independence for a brief period of less than a century when the Greek Empire fell into in-fighting. Then the Romans appeared and colonized Judah once more in 63 B.C. It was during this Roman colonization time that Jesus was born.
Under the Roman rule, self proclaimed Messiahs arose to lead the Jews to fight for independence. For example, Theudas and then Judas the Galilean. They rose and were crushed (Acts 5:36-37). The same uprisings repeated in 70 A.D. and 132 A.D. From these events, we could understand that during the Roman rule, Jews expected the Messiah to be a military leader to liberate them. Jesus refused to be cast a military Messiah. So, today we read of Jesus' answer to the Baptist's question: Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another? (Matthew 11:3)
Here is Jesus' reply.
And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see:
the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them." (Matthew 11:4-5)
Jesus the long awaited Messiah came to liberate the lowly and afflicted. He did not come to restore the kingdom of Israel. Instead, he came to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. God, not the rulers of the earth, stands up for the blind, the lame, the lepers, the deaf, the dead and the poor etc. So, these are the people whom God wants to gather into His Kingdom.
What Jesus has started, he delegates to his Church to continue his mission. Jesus taught. The Church continues to teach. Jesus sanctified. The Church continues to sanctify. Jesus acted. The Church continues to act in Jesus' manner. Jesus was political. Therefore the Church cannot be apolitical. How could Jesus be apolitical when it came to the allocation of resources? He needed to recover what was due the exploited and the outcasts. The Church needs to continue Jesus' mission to stand up for the exploited and the poor to recover what is due them. No wonder Jesus is deemed a revolutionary by some. The Church cannot avoid to be revolutionary when the situation demands. When the society is structured in such a way as to discriminate and marginalize the disadvantaged, the Church must act to deconstruct the injustice to make the world a better place for all, including the rich and the poor, the powerful and the lowly to live in. Jesus is meek and mild. So must the Church be. She is to fight injustice in a meek and mild way. How do you fight a powerful injustice with a meek and mild force? Here lies the paradox and demands prudence.
Dear Lord, the HKSAR government has started consultation on universal suffrage. I pray that we may contribute to make this initiative a success, to bring about a society with more justice. Amen.
Sunday 8 December 2013
向洗者若翰學習
將臨期第二主日（甲年）
主題：向洗者若翰學習
讓我們來想像下，門徒向群眾宣講耶穌復活的初期是怎樣的。當時無聖經，更沒有梵二的4大憲章，有的祗是舊約的46部書。當時無彌撒，在耶路撒冷的門徒祗有在聖殿祈禱、祭獻並在家中舉行擘餅。當時福音並未成書，有的祗是門徒憑記憶宣講耶穌的言行。當時無聖洗聖事，有的祗是沿用猶太人的洗禮。可以說當時是沒有系統，沒有組織的。當一班人信從了你的宣講，再接受你的洗禮之後，就成為了你的門徒，而不是天主教徒。格林多前書1章告訴我們教會一開始就陷入了分裂的危機。因為當時洗禮未曾統一，各施各法。計有保祿的洗禮、阿頗羅的洗禮、伯多祿的洗禮和基督的洗禮。可能還有其他教派的洗禮，例如洗者若翰的洗禮。
洗者若翰的一派是不容忽視的。首先，耶穌曾受洗者的洗禮。其次，根據若望福音的記載，伯多祿的哥哥安德肋原本是洗者的門徒，後來改為跟隨耶穌。洗者若翰被黑落德殺死之後，他的門徒開始離開約旦河一帶逃避迫害，他們比基督徒至小早三至四年到達厄弗所，他們有起步早的優勢。大家試想一想，當基督徒遇上洗者若翰的門徒時，會發生甚麽事？
首先，基督徒要如何回應一個不爭的事實，就是耶穌曾受洗者若翰的洗禮呢？耶豈不是洗者若翰的門徒，洗者豈不是基督徒的老祖宗嗎？基督徒要稱呼洗者的門徒為「大師伯」了。在傳福音的初期，基督徒如何處理這個尷尬的局面呢？
還有，基督徒的洗禮與洗者的洗禮有何不同，有何優勢？如果可以選擇，為甚麽要選擇基督徒的洗禮而不是洗者的洗禮呢？
宗徒大事錄19章記載了保祿在厄弗所遇到一些門徒。保祿詢問他們領受了聖神沒有，他們說連聖神也沒有聽過。保祿再進一步問清楚他們接受了甚麽洗禮。原來他們受的是洗者若翰的洗禮。於是，保祿向他們解釋了若翰洗者是耶穌的前驅。之後，這些門徒奉耶穌的名再一次受洗。當保祿為他們覆手的時候，聖神便降臨到這些門徒身上，他們就開始講各種語言和先知話。
宗徒大事錄19章，一次過解決了上述的兩個困難。根據舊約的傳統，默西亞來臨之前，厄里亞先知會首先出現，作為默西亞的前驅，為他鋪路。耶穌是默西亞，而洗者就自然成為了耶穌的前驅了。前驅的地位又豈能與默西亞的地位媲美呢？而且，就算洗者悔改的洗禮可以赦罪，都不及基督徒賦予聖神的洗禮。
時至今日，天主教的洗禮，已發展成為很有系統的「入門聖事」。成年人在復活節前夕，領受洗禮，堅振與及聖體聖事。其中，接受完洗禮的人，藉堅振聖事領受聖神，得到「聖神七恩」。今天所讀的依撒意亞先知書，就提到這聖神的七個恩典了。讓我們重溫這七樣神恩如何幫助我們做一個名副其實的基督徒。
智慧之恩幫助我們生活在這花花世界之中，仍能愛慕靈性的事物。
生活在這充滿錯謬的世俗世界之中，聰敏幫助我們發現真理，明白如何正確地處世待人。
超見之恩幫助我們明辨是非，獲得正確的判斷。
獲得正確判斷之後，我們還需要剛毅之恩，鼓起道德勇氣，不怕困難去力行正義。
明達是知識，幫助我們了解天主的心意，掌握行善避惡的途徑。
擁有了上述的超人力量，更加需要虔敬與敬畏天主之心的約束，纔不會狂妄自大，濫用天主的恩賜。耶穌三退魔誘就是最好的榜樣了。
其實，洗者若翰也是基督徒的好榜樣。他在聖母探訪依撒伯爾時，在母胎中已領受了耶穌帶給他的聖神，令他手舞足蹈。在他身上，我們可以見到聖神七恩運作的點滴。
他蒙智慧之恩，愛慕天主，放棄繼承父親的司祭之職，而接受了做先知的聖召。聰敏之恩令他知所進退，明白耶穌的出現，就是他引退之時。超見之恩，幫助他正確判斷法利塞人、撒杜塞人和黑落德的錯謬。剛毅之恩令他不懼強權，直斥黑落德的不是，連黑落德亦佩服他、想保護他。明達之恩幫助他選擇了在曠野過清貧的生活，體會天主的心意，避開都市的繁華去履行其先知之職，成為曠野中的呼號者的聲音，默西亞的前驅。虔敬和敬畏天主就不用多說了。
擺在我們眼前的洗者若翰就是一個基督徒的好榜樣。做基督徒就有責任好像洗者一樣，做耶穌的前驅，向身邊的人傳福音。今天，我們的聽眾的教育水平高了，所以，我們不能停滯在教會初期沒有組織、沒有系統的狀況。否則，我們不但被聽眾辯駁到每言以對，而且還成了耶穌基督的反見証。
在信德年結束的時候，教區宣佈未來一年是「學習年」，去認識梵二的精神。所以，我請大家每日讀經，祈禱，深入認識我們信仰的根源。其次留意並參加堂區及教區在未來一年所安排的學習活動，使我們這個二千年的古老信仰，不致與時代脫節。
天主保祐。
2nd Advent Sunday, Year A
Theme: Learn from John the Baptist
Let us exercise our imagination and try to envision what it would be like when the disciples proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus. There were no Bible or Vatican II constitutions. There were only the 46 books of the Old Testament**. There was no mass. Disciples in Jerusalem prayed at the Temple and broke bread at homes. There was no gospel. The disciples recalled the words and deeds of Jesus from memory. There was no sacrament of Baptism. The first disciples made use of the Jewish customs of cleansing available. At that time, there was no system or organization. When people believed in your proclamation and received baptism from you, they became your disciples and not Catholics. The First Epistle to the Corinthians informs us how at the start, the church fell into the crisis of division. At that time, baptism was not unified. There were baptisms of Paul, of Apollo, of Peter and of Christ. There were probably baptisms of other sects such as the baptism of the Baptist.
The followers of the Baptists formed a movement which Christians could not ignore. First of all, Jesus received baptism from the Baptist. According to the gospel of John, Andrew, the brother of Peter, was at first a disciple of the Baptist. Later, the Baptist told him to follow Jesus. After the death of the Baptist at the hand of Herod, the followers of the Baptist left the area around River Jordan to run away from persecution. They must have reached Ephesus at least three to four years before the Christians. They enjoyed the advantages of early starters. Let us imagine what would happen when a Christian met a follower of the Baptist?
Firstly, how would the Christian respond to the undisputed fact that Jesus was baptized by the Baptist? This made Jesus one of the disciples of the Baptist who would be the Patriarch of all Christians. Christians had to greet the followers of the Baptists as seniors. How would early Christians handle such an embarrassing situation in their preaching? Moreover, what did Christian baptism offer which the Baptist’s baptism could not offer? If there was a choice, why should people choose Christian baptism instead of the Baptist’s baptism?
Acts 19 tells us that Paul met some disciples in Ephesus. Paul asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit which they replied they had never heard of. Paul further asked them what baptism they had received and it was the Baptist’s. Paul then explained to them that the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus. So, they received baptism once more in the name of Jesus. When Paul lay hands on them, the Holy Spirit came down to them and they began to speak in tongues and prophesied (Acts 19:1-7). This passage solves the two previously mentioned embarrassments once and for all. According to the Old Testament tradition, before the coming of the Messiah, Elijah appeared first as the forerunner to prepare his way. Jesus is the Messiah and naturally the Baptist his forerunner. How can the status of a forerunner compare to that of the Messiah? Even if the baptism of repentance of the Baptist can forgive sins, it is incomparable to the Christian baptism that gives the Holy Spirit.
Nowadays, the Catholic baptism has developed into the systematic Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Adults are baptised on the eve of Easter. They receive Baptism, Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist. In Confirmation, they receive the Holy Spirit and its seven gifts. In the passage taken from Isaiah today, we find the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Let us revise how these seven gifts help us lead a truly Christian life.
The gift of wisdom helps us love spiritual things in this materialistic world which is full of false and competing views. The gift of understanding helps us grasp the truth and know how to deal with people in the right ways. The gift of counsel helps us discern right from wrong and make the right judgment. After making the right judgment, we need the gift of fortitude to act according to justice with moral courage. The gift of knowledge helps us know the will of God and ways to do good and avoid evil. Gifted with these supernatural powers, we need piety and the fear of the Lord to discipline ourselves, to prevent us from becoming arrogant and abuse God’s gifts. Jesus’ struggle with the Devil’s temptations is a good model.
In fact, John the Baptist is also a good model for Christians. When the Blessed Virgin Mary visited Elizabeth, the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit and leapt in his mother’s womb. In him, we can glimpse the working of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
With the gift of wisdom and the love of God, the Baptist gave up the priestly office inherited from his father and accepted God’s call to be a prophet. The gift of understanding made him know that it was time for him to “retire” with the rise of Jesus. With the gift of counsel, he was able to judge the errors of the Pharisees, Sadducees and Herod Antipas. The gift of fortitude made him fearless of the cruelty of Herod who admired him and even wanted to protect him. The gift of knowledge helped him choose to lead a life of poverty in the wilderness to discern the will of God and to avoid the vanity of city life to carry out his prophetic office. The Baptist became the voice in the wilderness and the forerunner of the Messiah. Piety and the fear of the Lord need no further elaboration.
Placed before our eyes is John the Baptist, a good model for Christians. Like the Baptist, Christians have the duty to be forerunners in this world to proclaim the gospel. Today, the education level of our audience is high. Therefore, we cannot afford to remain unsystematic and unorganized. Otherwise, not only will we be confounded speechless, but we will also become a counter-witness for Christ.
With the closing of the Year of Faith, the Diocese announces that the coming year shall be the Year of Learning for us to deepen our understanding of the spirit of Vatican II. Here, I invite all of you to read the scripture everyday. Pray and know more deeply the roots of our faith. Pay attention and participate in the learning activities organized by our parish and the Diocese so that our 2000-year old faith will not become irrelevant in modern time.
God bless.
** To be more precise, the canon of the Old Testament was not yet fixed. The first Christians were probably using parts of the Septuagint.
主題：向洗者若翰學習
讓我們來想像下，門徒向群眾宣講耶穌復活的初期是怎樣的。當時無聖經，更沒有梵二的4大憲章，有的祗是舊約的46部書。當時無彌撒，在耶路撒冷的門徒祗有在聖殿祈禱、祭獻並在家中舉行擘餅。當時福音並未成書，有的祗是門徒憑記憶宣講耶穌的言行。當時無聖洗聖事，有的祗是沿用猶太人的洗禮。可以說當時是沒有系統，沒有組織的。當一班人信從了你的宣講，再接受你的洗禮之後，就成為了你的門徒，而不是天主教徒。格林多前書1章告訴我們教會一開始就陷入了分裂的危機。因為當時洗禮未曾統一，各施各法。計有保祿的洗禮、阿頗羅的洗禮、伯多祿的洗禮和基督的洗禮。可能還有其他教派的洗禮，例如洗者若翰的洗禮。
洗者若翰的一派是不容忽視的。首先，耶穌曾受洗者的洗禮。其次，根據若望福音的記載，伯多祿的哥哥安德肋原本是洗者的門徒，後來改為跟隨耶穌。洗者若翰被黑落德殺死之後，他的門徒開始離開約旦河一帶逃避迫害，他們比基督徒至小早三至四年到達厄弗所，他們有起步早的優勢。大家試想一想，當基督徒遇上洗者若翰的門徒時，會發生甚麽事？
首先，基督徒要如何回應一個不爭的事實，就是耶穌曾受洗者若翰的洗禮呢？耶豈不是洗者若翰的門徒，洗者豈不是基督徒的老祖宗嗎？基督徒要稱呼洗者的門徒為「大師伯」了。在傳福音的初期，基督徒如何處理這個尷尬的局面呢？
還有，基督徒的洗禮與洗者的洗禮有何不同，有何優勢？如果可以選擇，為甚麽要選擇基督徒的洗禮而不是洗者的洗禮呢？
宗徒大事錄19章記載了保祿在厄弗所遇到一些門徒。保祿詢問他們領受了聖神沒有，他們說連聖神也沒有聽過。保祿再進一步問清楚他們接受了甚麽洗禮。原來他們受的是洗者若翰的洗禮。於是，保祿向他們解釋了若翰洗者是耶穌的前驅。之後，這些門徒奉耶穌的名再一次受洗。當保祿為他們覆手的時候，聖神便降臨到這些門徒身上，他們就開始講各種語言和先知話。
宗徒大事錄19章，一次過解決了上述的兩個困難。根據舊約的傳統，默西亞來臨之前，厄里亞先知會首先出現，作為默西亞的前驅，為他鋪路。耶穌是默西亞，而洗者就自然成為了耶穌的前驅了。前驅的地位又豈能與默西亞的地位媲美呢？而且，就算洗者悔改的洗禮可以赦罪，都不及基督徒賦予聖神的洗禮。
時至今日，天主教的洗禮，已發展成為很有系統的「入門聖事」。成年人在復活節前夕，領受洗禮，堅振與及聖體聖事。其中，接受完洗禮的人，藉堅振聖事領受聖神，得到「聖神七恩」。今天所讀的依撒意亞先知書，就提到這聖神的七個恩典了。讓我們重溫這七樣神恩如何幫助我們做一個名副其實的基督徒。
智慧之恩幫助我們生活在這花花世界之中，仍能愛慕靈性的事物。
生活在這充滿錯謬的世俗世界之中，聰敏幫助我們發現真理，明白如何正確地處世待人。
超見之恩幫助我們明辨是非，獲得正確的判斷。
獲得正確判斷之後，我們還需要剛毅之恩，鼓起道德勇氣，不怕困難去力行正義。
明達是知識，幫助我們了解天主的心意，掌握行善避惡的途徑。
擁有了上述的超人力量，更加需要虔敬與敬畏天主之心的約束，纔不會狂妄自大，濫用天主的恩賜。耶穌三退魔誘就是最好的榜樣了。
其實，洗者若翰也是基督徒的好榜樣。他在聖母探訪依撒伯爾時，在母胎中已領受了耶穌帶給他的聖神，令他手舞足蹈。在他身上，我們可以見到聖神七恩運作的點滴。
他蒙智慧之恩，愛慕天主，放棄繼承父親的司祭之職，而接受了做先知的聖召。聰敏之恩令他知所進退，明白耶穌的出現，就是他引退之時。超見之恩，幫助他正確判斷法利塞人、撒杜塞人和黑落德的錯謬。剛毅之恩令他不懼強權，直斥黑落德的不是，連黑落德亦佩服他、想保護他。明達之恩幫助他選擇了在曠野過清貧的生活，體會天主的心意，避開都市的繁華去履行其先知之職，成為曠野中的呼號者的聲音，默西亞的前驅。虔敬和敬畏天主就不用多說了。
擺在我們眼前的洗者若翰就是一個基督徒的好榜樣。做基督徒就有責任好像洗者一樣，做耶穌的前驅，向身邊的人傳福音。今天，我們的聽眾的教育水平高了，所以，我們不能停滯在教會初期沒有組織、沒有系統的狀況。否則，我們不但被聽眾辯駁到每言以對，而且還成了耶穌基督的反見証。
在信德年結束的時候，教區宣佈未來一年是「學習年」，去認識梵二的精神。所以，我請大家每日讀經，祈禱，深入認識我們信仰的根源。其次留意並參加堂區及教區在未來一年所安排的學習活動，使我們這個二千年的古老信仰，不致與時代脫節。
天主保祐。
2nd Advent Sunday, Year A
Theme: Learn from John the Baptist
Let us exercise our imagination and try to envision what it would be like when the disciples proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus. There were no Bible or Vatican II constitutions. There were only the 46 books of the Old Testament**. There was no mass. Disciples in Jerusalem prayed at the Temple and broke bread at homes. There was no gospel. The disciples recalled the words and deeds of Jesus from memory. There was no sacrament of Baptism. The first disciples made use of the Jewish customs of cleansing available. At that time, there was no system or organization. When people believed in your proclamation and received baptism from you, they became your disciples and not Catholics. The First Epistle to the Corinthians informs us how at the start, the church fell into the crisis of division. At that time, baptism was not unified. There were baptisms of Paul, of Apollo, of Peter and of Christ. There were probably baptisms of other sects such as the baptism of the Baptist.
The followers of the Baptists formed a movement which Christians could not ignore. First of all, Jesus received baptism from the Baptist. According to the gospel of John, Andrew, the brother of Peter, was at first a disciple of the Baptist. Later, the Baptist told him to follow Jesus. After the death of the Baptist at the hand of Herod, the followers of the Baptist left the area around River Jordan to run away from persecution. They must have reached Ephesus at least three to four years before the Christians. They enjoyed the advantages of early starters. Let us imagine what would happen when a Christian met a follower of the Baptist?
Firstly, how would the Christian respond to the undisputed fact that Jesus was baptized by the Baptist? This made Jesus one of the disciples of the Baptist who would be the Patriarch of all Christians. Christians had to greet the followers of the Baptists as seniors. How would early Christians handle such an embarrassing situation in their preaching? Moreover, what did Christian baptism offer which the Baptist’s baptism could not offer? If there was a choice, why should people choose Christian baptism instead of the Baptist’s baptism?
Acts 19 tells us that Paul met some disciples in Ephesus. Paul asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit which they replied they had never heard of. Paul further asked them what baptism they had received and it was the Baptist’s. Paul then explained to them that the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus. So, they received baptism once more in the name of Jesus. When Paul lay hands on them, the Holy Spirit came down to them and they began to speak in tongues and prophesied (Acts 19:1-7). This passage solves the two previously mentioned embarrassments once and for all. According to the Old Testament tradition, before the coming of the Messiah, Elijah appeared first as the forerunner to prepare his way. Jesus is the Messiah and naturally the Baptist his forerunner. How can the status of a forerunner compare to that of the Messiah? Even if the baptism of repentance of the Baptist can forgive sins, it is incomparable to the Christian baptism that gives the Holy Spirit.
Nowadays, the Catholic baptism has developed into the systematic Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Adults are baptised on the eve of Easter. They receive Baptism, Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist. In Confirmation, they receive the Holy Spirit and its seven gifts. In the passage taken from Isaiah today, we find the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Let us revise how these seven gifts help us lead a truly Christian life.
The gift of wisdom helps us love spiritual things in this materialistic world which is full of false and competing views. The gift of understanding helps us grasp the truth and know how to deal with people in the right ways. The gift of counsel helps us discern right from wrong and make the right judgment. After making the right judgment, we need the gift of fortitude to act according to justice with moral courage. The gift of knowledge helps us know the will of God and ways to do good and avoid evil. Gifted with these supernatural powers, we need piety and the fear of the Lord to discipline ourselves, to prevent us from becoming arrogant and abuse God’s gifts. Jesus’ struggle with the Devil’s temptations is a good model.
In fact, John the Baptist is also a good model for Christians. When the Blessed Virgin Mary visited Elizabeth, the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit and leapt in his mother’s womb. In him, we can glimpse the working of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
With the gift of wisdom and the love of God, the Baptist gave up the priestly office inherited from his father and accepted God’s call to be a prophet. The gift of understanding made him know that it was time for him to “retire” with the rise of Jesus. With the gift of counsel, he was able to judge the errors of the Pharisees, Sadducees and Herod Antipas. The gift of fortitude made him fearless of the cruelty of Herod who admired him and even wanted to protect him. The gift of knowledge helped him choose to lead a life of poverty in the wilderness to discern the will of God and to avoid the vanity of city life to carry out his prophetic office. The Baptist became the voice in the wilderness and the forerunner of the Messiah. Piety and the fear of the Lord need no further elaboration.
Placed before our eyes is John the Baptist, a good model for Christians. Like the Baptist, Christians have the duty to be forerunners in this world to proclaim the gospel. Today, the education level of our audience is high. Therefore, we cannot afford to remain unsystematic and unorganized. Otherwise, not only will we be confounded speechless, but we will also become a counter-witness for Christ.
With the closing of the Year of Faith, the Diocese announces that the coming year shall be the Year of Learning for us to deepen our understanding of the spirit of Vatican II. Here, I invite all of you to read the scripture everyday. Pray and know more deeply the roots of our faith. Pay attention and participate in the learning activities organized by our parish and the Diocese so that our 2000-year old faith will not become irrelevant in modern time.
God bless.
** To be more precise, the canon of the Old Testament was not yet fixed. The first Christians were probably using parts of the Septuagint.
Sunday 1 December 2013
Paradoxes of Advent
It was an exhausting day today. Perhaps the Lord wants me to rest and ponder over all that have happened today and cherish them.
Today, the Catholic Church begins a new liturgical year, the First Sunday of Advent. The key message of the gospel is to stay alert and get prepared for the unexpected second coming of the Lord. Yes, he will return at a time when most of us do not expect him. So, he will not come during the Advent season since most of the Catholics pray and expect his second coming in Advent. Here lies the paradox. When we expect him to come, he will not come. Then, when we think he will not come this year, he comes. Will he comes to end this world? Truly, only God knows!
Fr. Milanese shared his perspective on the attitude of Catholics towards the second coming of Christ. Again, there is paradox. Christians are like ordinary secular citizens. We eat, drink and marry like them. But our similarity ends there. We are different from ordinary secular citizens. We keep in mind the second coming of Christ and are told to get alert and prepared. On one hand, we are ordinary secular citizens. We must be in order to make Christianity relevant to secular citizens we relate in our daily life. On the other, we are different because we look beyond this present life. Then, Fr. Milanese brought up the theme of the upcoming year --- the year of Learning the documents and spirit of Vatican II. Here lies the paradox and tension. The more we are different from secular citizens, the less relevant our messages will be to them. So, we cannot be preachy. We bear witness with our lives. Action speaks louder than words.
Today, the Holy Spirit Seminary Theology and Philosophy College celebrates the 21st Graduation ceremony. The College chooses to celebrate on the first Sunday of Advent for a good reason. Their mission is to prepare the seminarians as well as the educated laity to evangelize. John the Baptist is the prototype. He prepared the Jews for the arrival of the Messiah. We graduates have received much training, thus have taken up a similar mission to proclaim Christ like John the Baptist.
Cardinal John Tong made use of the Institution Narrative as an image to exhort us. Jesus took up the bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to his disciples. Similarly, we are the bread. God took us up (chose us), blessed us (trained us) broke and gave us (sent us) to the world to bear witness. A good analogy and a paradox. We come together for dispersion.
Dear Lord, we long and prepare for Your second coming. But You are already with us till the end of the world. Amen.
Today, the Catholic Church begins a new liturgical year, the First Sunday of Advent. The key message of the gospel is to stay alert and get prepared for the unexpected second coming of the Lord. Yes, he will return at a time when most of us do not expect him. So, he will not come during the Advent season since most of the Catholics pray and expect his second coming in Advent. Here lies the paradox. When we expect him to come, he will not come. Then, when we think he will not come this year, he comes. Will he comes to end this world? Truly, only God knows!
Fr. Milanese shared his perspective on the attitude of Catholics towards the second coming of Christ. Again, there is paradox. Christians are like ordinary secular citizens. We eat, drink and marry like them. But our similarity ends there. We are different from ordinary secular citizens. We keep in mind the second coming of Christ and are told to get alert and prepared. On one hand, we are ordinary secular citizens. We must be in order to make Christianity relevant to secular citizens we relate in our daily life. On the other, we are different because we look beyond this present life. Then, Fr. Milanese brought up the theme of the upcoming year --- the year of Learning the documents and spirit of Vatican II. Here lies the paradox and tension. The more we are different from secular citizens, the less relevant our messages will be to them. So, we cannot be preachy. We bear witness with our lives. Action speaks louder than words.
Today, the Holy Spirit Seminary Theology and Philosophy College celebrates the 21st Graduation ceremony. The College chooses to celebrate on the first Sunday of Advent for a good reason. Their mission is to prepare the seminarians as well as the educated laity to evangelize. John the Baptist is the prototype. He prepared the Jews for the arrival of the Messiah. We graduates have received much training, thus have taken up a similar mission to proclaim Christ like John the Baptist.
Cardinal John Tong made use of the Institution Narrative as an image to exhort us. Jesus took up the bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to his disciples. Similarly, we are the bread. God took us up (chose us), blessed us (trained us) broke and gave us (sent us) to the world to bear witness. A good analogy and a paradox. We come together for dispersion.
Dear Lord, we long and prepare for Your second coming. But You are already with us till the end of the world. Amen.
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