(瑪14:1-12)
人必有一死，無論智愚、無論貧富、無論義人或是罪人，最後都難逃歸於灰土的命運。死亡雖然是最肯定的東西，但是在反省死亡的時候，的確令人迷茫。
中國人嘗試在這個奧秘之中尋求一點意義，提出了「死有輕於鴻毛，重於泰山」的分別。這是從功能主義出發，把一個人的死所能帶給其他人或多或少的益處作為標準，來衡量死亡的價值。可是，對死去的人，又有何價值可言呢？
另一方面，很多人的死並不是出於自願的、自然的。為仍然存活的人，難免產生不安、婉惜和慨嘆。
天父啊，我們不再胡言亂語了。讓我甘心接受祢為我們所作的安排吧！亞孟。
洗者若翰是按天主的派遣作為基督的先鋒，最後竟然死在一個無知少女和色迷心竅的分封侯手上。若翰替天主工作，天主竟然和若翰開這麼大的一個玩笑，換來如此收場。若翰，你甘心嗎？就算你甘心，我們的心中仍難免要問，「難道天主不能幫助你逃過這一劫嗎？」可是，質問天主又有何益處呢？原來天主容許死亡出現在人間，是要令好辯的所謂智者，啞口無言。
MEDITATION ON DEATH
(Matthew 14:1-12)
Man is mortal. Whether you are foolish or wise, poor or rich, sinners or righteous men, you cannot escape the fate of returning to dust. Although death is the most certain thing in the world, we feel lost when we reflect on death.
Chinese people try to find some meaning in this mystery. They differentiate deaths which are lighter than a feather and those heavier than Mount Tai. This is a utilitarian approach, trying to evaluate death by the amount of benefits a person's death brings to the others. However, for the dead, what value can we talk about?
On the other hand, there are deaths which are not voluntary or natural. For the living, it will inevitably produce unease, regret and remorse.
John the Baptist followed God's call to become the forerunner of Christ. In the end, he died in the hands of a naïve girl and a lustful tetrarch. John worked for God and what a big joke God played on him, God rewarded him. John, could you swallow it? Even if you could, we would inevitably ask, "Was God unable to deliver you from this suffering?" However, what is the point of heckling God? It turns out that God allows death to appear on earth to make those argumentative sophists speechless.
Heavenly Father, we do not blabber anymore. Let us willingly accept whatever you arrange for us. Amen.
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