復活期第三主日
主題：我們就是這些事的見證人
無論你是嬰孩時被父母抱來聖堂洗禮，抑或是長大成人出於自己的願望接受洗禮，事實只有一個：「是天主揀選了你，賜予恩寵給你」。每個信天主領洗入教的人都有他們不同的故事。無論你領了洗有多少年，你總會有機會被人問到為甚麼洗禮。你沒有親眼見過2000年前的耶穌，你憑甚麼信耶穌呢？更進一步，你憑甚麼資歷，一如今天的讀經所記載的，做耶穌的見證人呢？
首先，請大家明白，新約聖經所記載的是二千年前的事蹟，是反映耶穌的第一代甚至第二代門徒所要應付的問題。他們尚可以好像法政先鋒一樣，搜集現場証物例如殮布、空的墓穴等，或者請出一些証人，例如天使、婦女和曾目睹耶穌顯現的門徒等，來回應當時對他們偷去耶穌屍體的指控。今天，不但這些人証物証已經不存在，而且今天反對基督信仰的性質已完全不同了。
雖然今天仍有很多人繼續去發掘「挪亞方舟」，很多的科學家繼續研究「都靈聖殮布」，很多教徒敬禮釘過耶穌的十字架或者其他的聖髑，但我們的信仰絕對不是，而且絕對不能建基於這些物質之上。聖經考古或者挖掘研究聖經中提及過的事物固然可以滿足人類的好奇心，但這些物質，真偽難辨，總會有不信的人質疑或挑戰你的發現或研究成果。這些努力對我們的靈性生命有何幫助呢？
假如真的在亞辣辣特山上找到「挪亞方舟」的殘骸又如何？証明了洪水滅世是真正的歷史而不是神話故事，所以聖經記載的事蹟是真的，所以彩虹的確是天主向人類保證不再用洪水消滅世界的信物嗎？從「都靈聖殮布」驗到耶穌的血是AB型又如何？耶穌對人類的愛可以用他的血型說明嗎？各位，我們的信仰不是基於這些物質性的所謂証據之上的。
那麼，我們的信仰基礎是甚麼？正如今天第一篇讀經和福音所記載的，「我們都是見証人。」所以我們的信仰是基於宗徒的見証。二千年來，宗徒們把他們對耶穌基督的信仰，代代相傳到今時今日。這就是我們在主日彌撒中所唸的「信經」所說的：「我信唯一、至聖、至公、從宗徒傳下來的教會。」的意義。
我們不祗聽他們所傳遞的道理，而且我們還要看他們的所作所為，來決定他們的宣講是否可信。所謂「聽其言、觀其行。」
二千年來，千千萬萬的人因信仰復活了的耶穌基督而令到他們的生命得以改善，他們甚至為了這信仰而殺身成仁，捨生取義，成為殉道者，成為烈士；有些人為了回報天主的大愛，他們甘心忍受艱難困苦，四處傳揚福音，做傳教士；有些人為了達到與天主更深刻的契合，隱居山林，默觀祈禱，做隱修士；有些人發揮天主的恩賜，捍衛真理，做神學家；有些人依照耶穌的教訓，去服事在窮人身上的耶穌，做安貧小姊妹。這二千年來，天主因應教會在歷史中所面對的不同挑戰，感召和派遣不同的聖人幫助信徒，邁向永生。這就是「從宗徒傳下來的至聖公教會」的意義，也就是當今教宗方濟各頒布「獻身生活年」的目的，希望大家對各個修會和它們的神恩有所認識，亦明白天主對人類的愛如何多姿多彩，他們以自己的生命回應天主的召叫和恩賜，他們都在說：「我們都是這些事的見証人。」
讓我們反省一下，我們可以怎樣做耶穌的見証人，薪火相傳，把基督信仰繼續傳揚開去呢？
首先，我們要問，我有每天祈禱讀經的習慣嗎？只會唸幾篇經固然不足夠，能用自己的說話向天主禱告是另一個層次，但仍然不足夠。因為祈禱是與天主交談，所以自言自語是無益的，我們要在祈禱中聽到天主對我們說話。
您辨認到天主的聲音嗎？聖經記載了天主的啟示，所以用聖經來祈禱，默想每日讀經的內容是一個很好的祈禱，從中您可以聽到，感覺到天主對您的啟示，對您的支持和對您的慈悲。
有了祈禱讀經的習慣是第一步。讓我們再進一步反省自己對天主的說話，有回應嗎？回應得夠爽快嗎？很多時我們埋怨天主沒有俯聽我們的祈禱，或者天主回應得不夠爽快。其實天主在我們祈求之前已經安排了我們所需要的各種恩寵，是我們沒有爽快地踏出一步，沒有伸手去領取，去回應天主而已。
在我們已習慣了的安樂窩中，再沒有我們所需要的，新的恩寵了。讓我設個比喻。我們祈求所需要的，就好像玩尋寶遊戲中的寶物一樣，須要離開我們習慣了的安樂窩，四出探索纔可以找到。不是盲目的探索，因為我們有聖經作為藏寶圖。
離開安樂窩，踏出一步回應天主的說話豈不就是「做耶穌的見証人」嗎？
您立時的反應可能是：向外人傳教，不是神職人員，或者慕道班導師做的嗎？我沒有足夠的訓練又怎能做呢？其實並非各位想像中的困難。所謂「多有多做，少有少做」。我們是有能力做「小規模」的見証人。如何細小呢？細小得像「酵母」一樣。【拿出堂區通訊，介紹「酵母行動」】
正如廖神父在今期堂區通訊頭版所說的，『領洗不足一年的新教友已經在信仰生活上轉趨冷淡…我們渴望慕道者能儘快投入堂區大家庭，明白信仰的道路實不孤單。』堂區成立了一個「家庭牧民專責小組」，其中一個任務就是在堂區推行「酵母行動」。『顧名思義，這行動的目的是要發揮酵母的作用，讓堂區的教友們作為酵母，引發慕道者積極投入堂區的信仰生活。』
那麼，願意成為「酵母」的教友要做甚麼？要花多少時間呢，會不會很困身呢？放心，廖神父說得很清楚，參加「酵母行動」的教友『認識、鼓勵及陪同慕道者一同參與感恩祭及其他的堂區活動…堂區…會為願意成為「酵母」的教友作出培育及在感恩禮中接受派遣。』
做酵母的教友不用做法証先鋒去証明耶穌的復活，不用做殉道者或修士修女。您們祗做平時的您，讀經祈禱，參加主日彌撒和堂區活動，把您們領洗入教，與耶穌來往，耶穌的復活如何改變了你們的生命等等的故事與慕道者分享就是了。
您回應廖神父的邀請，回應天主的邀請，爽快嗎？
天主保祐。
Third Sunday of Easter (Year B)
Theme: We are witnesses of these things.
Whether you were baptized in your infancy or you made your own choice as an adult to receive baptism, there is only one fact: God chooses you to give you grace. Every baptized person has his own peculiar story. However, no matter how long you have been baptized, there are chances you will be asked why you chose to be baptized. You have not seen Jesus who lived 2000 years ago. What made you believe in Jesus? Furthermore, what qualifications do you have, like the readings today, to make you a Jesus’ witness?
First of all, we need to understand that New Testament writings reflect the problems which the first generation or even second generation Christians had to deal with. They were still able to do CSI, like scrutinizing the Shroud, the empty tomb or putting witnesses such angels, women and those who claimed to have seen the resurrected Jesus through cross-examination. They did this to refute the charges of stealing Jesus’ corpse. Today, these evidences and witnesses no longer exist and the anti-Christianity charges are not the same.
Although nowadays many people continue to excavate Noah’s Ark; many scientists still scrutinize the Shroud of Turin; many believers venerate the cross on which Jesus was crucified or some other relics, I think that our faith absolutely cannot be and should not be based on such physical evidences. Biblical archaeology or excavation expeditions of artefacts mentioned in the Bible can satisfy the curiosity of people, but the authenticity of these items is difficult to determine. Moreover, there will always be skeptics who question or challenge your findings. What good do these endeavours do for our spiritual life?
Suppose you are able to locate the wreckage of Noah’s Ark on Mount Ararat. So what? Does it prove that the Deluge was for real and not a myth, therefore Biblical stories are real and the rainbow is truly a sign of God’s promise never to destroy the world again with floods? Suppose you find from the Shroud of Turin that the blood type of Jesus is AB. So what? What can this blood type prove about Jesus’ love for humanity? Brethren, our faith cannot be based on such physical evidences.
What then is the foundation of our faith? As it is written in the first reading and the gospel today, “We are witnesses of these things.” (Acts 3:15, Luke 24:48) Thus, our faith is based on the witness of the Apostles. For 2000 years, the Apostles passed on their belief in Jesus Christ down the generations to us today. This is the meaning of the Creed we recite on Sundays, “I believe in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.” We do not only listen to their preaching but we also scrutinize their acts to decide whether their witness is trustworthy, to see whether they practise what they preach.
For 2000 years, the life of millions of people has improved for the better because of their belief in the resurrection of Jesus. Some of them even gave up their lives for their faith and became martyrs. Some repaid the great love of God by enduring great sufferings in the proclamation of the gospel as missionaries. Some sought more intimate union with God and retired into the wilderness to become ascetics. Some made good use of God’s gift to defend the truth and became theologians while others followed Jesus’ teaching to serve the Lord in the needy as Little Sisters of the Poor. For 2000 years, in response to different needs arising throughout history, God inspired and sent many different saints to help the faithful to attain eternal life. This is the meaning of Holy Catholic Apostolic Church. This is also the intention of Pope Francis to declare a Year of Consecrated Life, wishing you to know more about the different charisma of the religious orders, to understand the splendour of God’s love towards humanity. These people respond to God’s call and grace with their lives. They are saying, “We are witnesses of these things.”
Let us ponder how we can also be witnesses of Jesus, to pass on and spread Christianity?
First of all, we have to ask ourselves whether we have the habit of daily prayers and scripture reading. Reciting a few set prayers is not enough. Speaking to God in your own words is better but not enough. It is because prayer is a dialogue with God. Mumbling to yourself is of no benefits. We need to hear God speaking to us in prayers. How do we discern God’s voice? The Bible carries God’s revelation. Biblical prayer, meditating daily readings is a very good way to pray. From the verses, you will be able to hear, to feel God’s revelation to you, to support you and show you mercy.
Having built up a habit of praying with the Bible is only the first step. Let us reflect further whether we have responded to God’s word, whether we have responded promptly. Many times, we complain that God does not answer our prayers or God does not answer promptly enough. In fact, God has already prepared for us all sorts of graces we need even before we pray for them. It is we who do not promptly take the first step, stretch up our hands to answer God.
In our comfort zone, we do not need any new graces. Let me give an analogy. When we pray for our needs, we are like playing treasure hunts. We need to step out of our comfort zones to search for those treasures. We do not search blindly. The Bible is our treasure map!
Is not leaving our comfort zone to answer God’s call “bearing witnesses for Jesus”? Your immediate reaction would be: Isn’t preaching the gospel to non-believers the job of the clergy or catechists? We don’t have enough training. How can we do it? In fact, it is not as difficult as you imagine. There is always a right measure for you. We have the ability to be a small scale witness. How small? As small as a yeast!
To quote what Fr. Joseph Liu says on the front page of the latest issue of the Parish Newsletter, “The religious life of the newly baptized turns cold in less than one year ... we wish to help the catechumens to partake in the family of the parish as soon as possible so that they may understand that they are not alone in their faith.” The parish has set up a “Family Pastoral Care Task Force”. One of its tasks is to organize a “Yeast Action” in the parish. “The purpose of this Action is to help our parishioners carry out their function as yeast, to encourage the catechumens to partake in the religious life in the parish.”
So, what do these “yeasts” do? Would it be time-consuming? Fr. Liu assures that parishioners who want to become “yeasts” simply “know, encourage and accompany the catechumens to join mass and other parish activities ... The parish ... will give these “yeasts” briefings and commission them during mass.”
These “yeasts” do not need to collect CSI evidence to prove Jesus’ resurrection, to die a martyr death or become religious brothers or nuns. You simply do what you are doing in your everyday life, saying daily prayers, joining Sunday masses and parish activities, share your experience with the catechumens about your walking with Jesus and the stories of how Jesus’ resurrection changes your life.
Do you respond to Fr. Liu’s invitation and God’s invitation promptly enough?
God bless.
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