主題：耶穌守護我們
彌撒是天主教徒最著重的禮儀。在彌撒中我們向天主祭獻，我們與天主結合。出於愛，天主渴望與我們分享祂的永恆生命。在彌撒中，天主透過聖體聖事與我們合一。就算是未領洗的慕道者，或者未能領聖體的教友，天主一樣有辦法與他們合一。耶穌就是透過聖言，進入我們的內心，我們的靈魂。所以能夠每個主日，甚至每天參加彌撒，就算領不到聖體，都是非常幸福的。
教會把聖經中最重要的章節，編作三年的循環，讓我們體會天主對我們的大愛。今年我們集中默想【馬爾谷福音】。上星期我們聽了耶穌平息風浪的神蹟，這神蹟表達出耶穌既是真天主，因為祂是大自然的主宰；耶穌又是真人，因為他和我們一樣，工作了一整天之後，感覺到疲倦睡著了。上星期我們默想如何喚醒我們心中睡著了的耶穌。這個星期我們繼續默想喚醒了的耶穌所行的神蹟，對我們今天的生活有何意義。
馬爾谷講故事十分動聽，例如今天我們所聽到的故事。它的結構有如一份三文治。故事主線是耶穌復活會堂長雅依洛的十二歲女兒(谷5:22)。而中間加插了另一個治病的故事，就是治好患了血漏病十二年的婦人(vv. 5:25-34)。兩個故事放在一起，相得益彰。
首先，我們要明白會堂長是甚麼人。猶太人祗有一座聖殿在耶路撒冷，在那裡祭獻天主，十二歲起就要每年到聖殿一次祭獻天主。那麼安息日就做怎樣呢？在安息日，猶太人就聚集到本鄉的會堂，祈禱、聽「辣比」講解梅瑟的法律和先知的教訓。主理一所會堂的通常都是一些長老或有學問的經師，這些經師、法學士大都是「法利塞黨」的成員。而在福音之中，法利塞人與耶穌在教義上就經常發生爭論，以致在他們的眼中，耶穌成為頭號敵人。雅依洛是會堂長，有很大的機會是法利塞黨的成員。且看他「跪伏在耶穌腳前，求耶穌救他的小女兒。」(vv. 22-23) 可見雅依洛是何等的山窮水盡，走投無路，甚至要放下成見、放下對政黨的忠誠、放下尊嚴來求法利塞黨的頭號敵人，耶穌，可見父愛的偉大，親情的重要。
在途中，就發生了醫治血漏病婦人的事蹟，亦因為這個女人延誤了耶穌，以至雅依洛的女兒失救死了。當僕人傳來噩耗，雅依洛固然晴天霹靂，心中免不了會咒罵婦人間接害死他的女兒。且看，耶穌立刻守護著雅依洛的心神，說了句名言：「不要怕，祗管信。」(5:36) 雅依洛會怕甚麼呢？
雅依洛是會堂長，應該是社會上中上階層的人，衣食無憂。雖然他不是司祭，雅依洛也應該有相當的宗教地位，所以他不會怕落地獄。那麼雅依洛怕甚麼呢？怕心愛的女兒死去。與其他可怕的事物相比，死亡實在是最難過的一關。
在治好血漏病的事蹟中，接觸到耶穌的衣服或耶穌肢體的，大有人在，難道他們沒有病，沒有困難嗎？惟獨血漏病婦人的信德，使耶穌的能量祗在她一人身上生效。其他接觸到耶穌的人也祗是「如入寶山空手回，捉到鹿也不懂脫角。」
雅依洛沒有信德嗎？當然有，否則也不會放下尊嚴去求耶穌。那麼，耶穌為甚麼要立刻守護著他呢？雅依洛固然有信德，血漏病婦人有信德，但死去的女兒如何發信德呢？所以耶穌要鼓勵雅依洛，父母的信德足以令子女，甚至是已死的子女得救。這真是天大的福音。所以，嬰兒是憑藉父母的信德洗禮，以獲得永生。
二千年後的今天，雅依洛的故事有意義嗎？有。
今天的香港人怕甚麼呢？怕沒有普選？怕洗腦？怕大陸同胞搶高物價？怕新沙士？都不是。是怕失業。所以有工開的，會相盡辦法保住飯碗，做到有開工無收工，對剝削的老闆忍氣吞聲，不敢作出半句怨言。結果，犧牲了自己的健康，犧牲了家庭生活，與妻子兒女變得疏離。耶穌說：「不要怕，祗管信。」對您有意義嗎？
今天香港的生活指數高，兩夫妻都要忙於工作，為的是想兒女的生活舒適些，想把最好的東西留給子女。卻付出很大的代價，沒有時間與子女溝通，與他們幾乎隔絕，根本不知道發生在他們身上的事。他們有誤交損友去濫藥嗎？他們有參與童黨欺凌嗎？他們有去佔中嗎？不單在英國，連南韓，印度也有失蹤的青年人，懷疑去了敘利亞，加入ISIS。您們的兒女憤世疾俗嗎？美國最高法院剛作出判決，全美五十個州都要認可同性婚姻。您們的兒女有同性戀傾向嗎？耶穌說：「不要怕，祗管信。」對您有意義嗎？
我們相信耶穌是天主子。宇宙間的一切全在祂的掌握之中。祂的計劃是愛的計劃，祂願意與我們分享祂的永恆生命。我們知道雖然我們暫時不完全明白我們的際遇，但耶穌會為我們作出最好的安排。在上星期的福音中，門徒在生死關頭，叫醒耶穌拯救他們。您叫醒了心中的耶穌未呢？不要等到生死關頭纔「臨急抱耶穌的腳」，其實平時，您應該用您的方法，多與心中的耶穌保存聯系。您失業嗎？信靠祂吧，祂會為您安排一份更適合您，為您的家庭更有益處的任務。您的妻子兒女拒絕和您溝通嗎？信靠耶穌吧，祂既能連死去的女孩也喚醒，耶穌一定可以為您打通與家人溝通的渠道。
天主保祐。
Thirteenth Ordinary Sunday (Year B)
Theme: Jesus is guarding us
Mass is the most important rite for Catholics. In mass, we offer sacrifice to God, in communion with God. Out of love, God wants us to partake in his eternal life. In mass, we become one with God through the sacrament of the Holy Communion. Even for the catechumens who are not baptized, or for those who, for whatever reasons, are not able to receive the Communion, God is able to unite with them. In the Liturgy of the Word, Jesus enters into our hearts, our souls. Therefore, it is a blessing to be able to join mass on Sundays, and even on weekdays. All of us are blessed indeed even though we cannot receive the Communion.
The Church arranges the most important Bible passages into readings within a 3-year cycle for us to relish the great love of God. In Year B, we meditate the gospel of Mark. Last Sunday, we read Jesus’ miracle of calming the storm. This miracle demonstrated the divinity of Jesus because he can lord over the elements. It also showed his humanity. Like us, after the hard work of the whole day, Jesus felt tired and fell asleep. Last week, we meditated on how to wake up the sleeping Jesus in our hearts. This week, we continue to meditate the miracles worked by an awaken Jesus and what these miracles may mean for us today.
Mark is an excellent story-teller. For example, the story we hear today has a sandwich structure. The main plot is the resurrection of the 12-year old daughter of Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue (Mark 5:22). In between is another healing story, the cure of a bleeding woman who had suffered for 12 years (vv. 5:25-34). Putting the two stories together enhances the teachings of each other.
First of all, let us understand what a ruler of the synagogue was. The Jews had only one Temple in Jerusalem where and there only could they offer sacrifice to God yearly ever since they were twelve years old. On Sabbaths, the Jews gathered at local synagogues to pray, to listen to rabbis teaching about the Torah and the Prophets. The rulers of the synagogues were usually elders or learned scribes, teachers of the Law who were usually Pharisees. In the gospels, the Pharisees always clashed with Jesus on doctrines so severely that in their eyes, Jesus was their nemesis. Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue. Most likely he was also a Pharisee. See how he fell at Jesus’ feet to beseech Jesus to save his little daughter (vv. 22-23). It showed how desperate Jairus must have been. He had to put down his prejudice against Jesus, put down his loyalty to the party and his dignity to beg the archenemy of the Pharisees. We can see how great a father’s love can be, how important familial bond is.
The cure of the bleeding woman took place while they were on the way to cure the little daughter. And it was all because of this woman that the cure had been delayed and Jairus’ daughter died. When the servant brought the bad news, the heart of Jairus sank. He must have cursed the woman for killing his daughter indirectly. Immediately, Jesus guarded the heart of Jairus with the famous line, “Do not fear, only believe.” (5:36). What did Jairus fear?
Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue. He occupied the upper middle class of the society and should have no worry about daily living. Even though he was not a priest, he should be able to command a certain amount of religious status and be safe from hell. So what did Jairus fear? The death of his daughter. Compared with other things, death is the most difficult to overcome.
In the story of the bleeding woman, many people came into physical contact with Jesus. Did they not suffer from illnesses or other difficulties in life? However, only this bleeding woman had faith which made Jesus’ power effective in her alone. The others in touch with Jesus would only go away empty-handed.
Today, 2000 years after Jairus, is his story still meaningful? Affirmative.
We believe that Jesus is the Son of God. He has dominion over all things in the cosmos. His plan is a loving plan. He wishes us to share his eternal life. We know that we may not totally understand our present situation. But we trust that Jesus has the best in store for us. Last week, the disciples woke Jesus up to save them from death. Have you awaken the Jesus in your hearts? Do you need to wait till the last minute to beseech help? In fact, we should keep Jesus online in our own ways every day. Are you unemployed? Believe in Jesus. He will assign a more appropriate mission for you and for the good of your family. Do your spouse and children refuse to talk with you? Trust in Jesus who was able to wake up the dead girl. He will clear up all the obstacles in your communication channel with your family.
Did Jairus not have faith? Of course he had. Otherwise, he would not have condescended to beg Jesus. Then, why did Jesus guard him immediately? Of course Jairus had faith. So did the bleeding woman. But how could a dead girl show her faith? Therefore, Jesus had to cheer Jairus up. The faith of parents enables their children, even dead ones to receive salvation. This is truly good news. Therefore, by the faith of parents, infants are baptized to gain eternal life.
What do citizens of Hong Kong fear most today? No universal suffrage? Brainwashing national education? Mainlanders' arrival to beat up living prices or MERS? No. HongKongers fear unemployment. If you have a job, you try your best to keep it so much so that you keep working far beyond your working hours. You dare not murmur a sound of complaint to your exploitative boss. Consequently, you ruin your health, your family life and alienate your spouse and children. Jesus says, “Do not fear, only believe.” Does it make sense to you?
The living standard is high in Hong Kong. Both parents have to work in order to make life a bit more comfortable, to give the best to their children. However a high price has to be paid. There is no time to communicate with the children. Parents are cut off, knowing nothing about what is happening to the children. Do they abuse substances with their peers? Have they joined others to bully the weaklings? Did they go occupying Central? Not only Britain, there are youngsters reported missing in South Korea and India, suspected to have fled to Syria to join ISIS. Are your children antisocial? Last week, the US Supreme Court ruled that all US states must recognize same sex marriages. Do your children display any homosexual traits? Jesus says, “Do not fear, only believe.” Does it make sense to you?
God bless.
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