(瑪13:47-53)
新與舊真是完全的二分，完全的對立嗎？
其實，耶穌已清楚表示過祂來不是廢除法律和先知（即所謂的「舊約」）而是來成全它（瑪5:17）耶穌來是把「舊約」提升為「新約」，而不是來推翻「舊約」。就如今天的福音所說，「從他的寶庫裡，提出新的和舊的東西。」（13:52）
可惜，人類沒有聽從耶穌基督的教訓，甚至在教會的歷史中，同樣有人試圖以各種理由去否定「舊約」：例如說耶穌基督以祂的死而復活已建立「新約」，取代了「舊約」，所以基督徒不必研讀「舊約」了；或者說「舊約」中的所謂天主實在太殘忍，太暴力了，有違耶穌寬恕人，愛人的教訓；所以基督徒應刪除聖經中的「舊約」或「舊約」的部份經典等……
飲水要思源，做人不可忘本。「破舊立新」所得到的「新」祗會是一個沒有過去，沒有根基的「新」。這個「新」又怎樣可以持久呢？當我們藉著洗禮，清除原罪本罪而成為一個「新人」的時候，為甚麼我們仍然犯罪，需要辦「修如聖事」呢？因為洗禮後那「舊我」仍然存在。我們要運一生的歲月，把這「舊我」逐漸提升成為「新我」。但這個「舊我」是有可貴的成份的，是值得保存在寶庫之中，不一定要完全推倒的。
天父，請讓我們辨別到舊事物中的珍貴部份，給它們應得的對待。亞孟。
很多人為了政治目的，發動不少「破舊立新」的運動。把對手塑造成阻礙進步的「舊勢力」，自己是先進的「新思維」，是社會的未來。結果是把對手拉倒了，卻賠上了沉重的代價，連自己的根，自己的源頭都乾涸了。
OLD AND NEW
(Matthew 13:47-53)
Are new and old two opposite poles of a dichotomy?
Actually, Jesus has already made it clear that he did not come to abolish Torah and Prophets (the so called "Old Testament"). He came to fulfil them (Matthew 5:17). Jesus came to upgrade the Old Testament into the New Testament, not to overthrow the Old Testament. To quote today's text, "brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old." (Matthew 13:52)
It is a pity that men reject Jesus' teaching. In Church history, there were people who attempted with various reasons to deny the Old Testament: for example, Jesus has already set up the New Testament with his passion and resurrection to replace the Old Testament. Therefore, it is not necessary for Christians to study the Old Testament. Or the so called God in the Old Testament was too brutal and blood thirsty. He did not fit into Jesus' teachings of forgiveness and love. Therefore, Christians should mutilate part or all of the Old Testament from the Bible etc...
When we drink, we should think about where our water comes from. When we are successful in the society, let us not forget where we came from. The "New" we achieve by abolishing the "Old" is a "New" without a past, without a foundation. How can this "New" last? In receiving baptism which washes away our Original Sin and our Actual Sins, we become a new creature. Why then do we continue to commit sins and need to go to Confession? It is because our "Old Self" still exists after baptism. We need to spend our whole life to sublime this "Old Self" gradually into a "New Self". But there must be something precious in this "Old Self", worth keeping in our treasure. It is not necessary to throw all of it away.
Heavenly Father, let us discern precious things in old stuff and give them an appropriate treatment. Amen.
Many people ignite political movements to abolish the old and establish the new. They demonize their rivals as old reactionary forces that hinder progress and they themselves are progressive new mentality, the future of the society. Consequently, they succeed in defeating their rivals at a high cost. They uproot themselves and dry out their sources.
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