主題：為真理作見證
上個主日，吳神父向大家解釋了湯樞機的呼籲。樞機呼籲大家，在香港未來各級議會選舉時，包括今天的區議會選舉，作為負責任的教友，除了一般的考慮之外，亦應考慮候選人對家庭，婚姻及性傾向歧視立法的立場，纔作出投票的決定。相信大家在傳媒，已得知這個呼籲，招來不少支持同志運動的社會人士的批評。其實，政治與宗教有千絲萬縷的糾纏。希望政治與宗教完全的分離，主教和神父祗講耶穌，不應講政治。這種想法未免太天真了。即使宗教人士祗希望宣揚真理，教化民眾，與世無爭，政治也會上門找你麻煩。因為我們所生活的社會，資源有限，所以社會成了一個爭奪資源的戰場。當別人覺得你會損害他們的利益，他們必定會攻擊你。二千年前耶穌的遭遇，在每個世代不斷地重演。
當耶穌開始履行他傳福音的使命時，因為他的宣講有權威，並且指出經師和法利塞人所教導的不足之處，影響了他們素來所享有的地位；耶穌到耶路撒冷，進入聖殿祈禱，發現聖殿淪為市集，於是清理聖殿，損害了司祭的利益。耶穌慈悲，治好羅馬百夫長的僕人，又招致仇恨外邦人的熱誠者不滿。最諷刺的是，耶穌是被自己的門徒出賣，被自己的同胞所逮捕，以褻瀆天主的罪名定了死罪（不要忘記耶穌自己是天主!）；再交給羅馬人，換了一個煽動群眾，顛覆國家的罪，借羅馬人的手殺死他。今天的福音，就是羅馬總督審訊耶穌的部份片斷。
讓我們了解多一點比拉多的處境。從歷史書中，我們知道猶大省是羅馬帝國中比較難管治的省份。比拉多被派去做總督，可能因為他在凱撒面前失寵，需要將功贖罪；也可能凱撒器重他，對他有所期望，委以重任。據歷史書所記載他的下場，前者的假設比較可信。無論怎樣，管理猶大省絕對不是一件優差肥缺。比拉多素來鄙視猶太人，他曾用暴力手段，血腥鎮壓騷亂的群眾，結果民怨沸騰，悉得其反。比拉多開始認識到需要與猶太人的領袖合作了。
當比拉多第一眼見到耶穌，就肯定這一個溫良和善，完全沒有任何霸氣殺氣的所謂「猶太人君王」，是一個代罪羔羊，是猶太領袖安排來考驗他的合作誠意的一隻棋。因此，比拉多啟動羅馬司法程序，給耶穌一個答辯的機會。如果耶穌答「是」，那就好辦了，送他去死。如果耶穌答「不是」，就找些理據釋放他，以顯示羅馬司法制度的優越。豈料耶穌反問他是道聽塗說，人云亦云，抑或是真心相信他是君王。其實，耶穌這個問題，是問每一個跟隨他的人的。在斐理伯的凱撒肋雅，耶穌曾問過自己的門徒類似的問題。耶穌不滿足於門徒引述其他人的意見，便直指其心，要求門徒捫心自問，在他們自己的心目中，耶穌是誰。伯多祿代表門徒答覆了他是默西亞、天主子。這是伯多祿的答案。在大家的心目中的答案又是甚麼呢？是慕道班，是主日學的導師，是神父，是教宗的答案嗎？但耶穌要的，是你心目中的答案。
回到比拉多，他有點沉不住氣。「我是判官，你是階下囚。你竟敢反問本官？好，再給你一個答辯機會。你究竟做了怎麼？」倘若耶穌祗是四出宣教，又或者治好羅馬百夫長的僕人，並無任何暴力行為對付羅馬人，便可以放人。否則，不再浪費時間，殺無赦。
耶穌卻借與機會，解釋天主的國並不是他想像中，要以軍事力量宣示主權的世俗國度。並且表示拒絕天國的不是羅馬人，而是心硬的猶太人。可惜，比拉多並不領情。在他的眼中，耶穌祗是個失敗的夢想主義者。所以用諷刺的口吻說：「那麼，你就是君王了？」耶穌以肯定的口吻答覆比拉多，他就是為真理作證的君王。他為此而生，為此而來到世上。耶穌既然不是出自世界的，他的國自然就不屬於這世界，對比拉多和羅馬帝國，一點威脅也沒有。同樣，教會宣講真理，評論政治，一樣對世俗的權勢，並不構成威脅。
當耶穌講完之後，比拉多問耶穌一個令他名垂千古的問題：「甚麼是真理？」這是今天的福音完結後立刻接續的一句，這個也是大家自然會問的問題。不過，比拉多沒有耐性聽耶穌進一步解釋，他想速戰速決，便出去打發猶太領袖走。我們既然是耶穌的臣民，我們便應當要了解耶穌以他一生所作證的是甚麼真理，耶穌又怎樣履行他的君王職務。
「真理」就是我們中國人所說的「道」。所謂「道不遠人。」所以真理是我們可以接觸到，認識到和感受到的。這真理非常簡單：「天主是愛。」天主聖父滿溢的愛，創造了一個適合人類生存的宇宙。創世紀說天主發言，用言語創造整個宇宙。這就是天主聖言，就是維持整個宇宙運行的真道。我們又稱這「聖言」為天主聖子。然後天主按祂的肖像創造了可以和祂溝通交流的人類。人類卻濫用了天主所給予的自由，結果喪失了天主給予的恩寵，污染了這個地球，污染了自己的良心。天主仍不離不棄，想辦法拯救叛逆的人類。於是天主子降生成人，以他的受難償還人類古往今來所有的罪債，以復活提升他們的生命。耶穌就是這樣為「天主是愛」這個真理作證。
天主子升天前聚集了120個信徒，建立教會，宣揚並繼續他未完成的工程，令普世人類獲得救贖。現在就是教會，就是我們為真理作證的時代了。為了保證我們能忠實無誤地保存及傳遞這個真理，並且能成功地完成任務，天父派遣聖神，維護教會，啟發教會，擴展教會。
具體地，我們應如何為這個「天主是愛」的真理作證呢？這是我們每一個人，一生要做的功課。當我們不知所措的時候，除了祈求聖神幫助之外，亦可以聽從教會的訓導。因為教會內有很多偉大的聖人和教宗，留給我們很多幫助人了解天主旨意的寶藏。大家努力吧。
天主保祐。
Feast of Christ the King (Year B)
Theme: To bear witness to the Truth
Last Sunday, Fr. Joseph Ng, our parish priest, explained to us the appeal of Cardinal John Tong to the parishioners. The Cardinal urged that in the upcoming elections of all levels, being responsible Catholics, we should consider the candidates' stance on family, marriage and the legislation of sexual discrimination ordinance on top of other relevant issues when we cast our votes. I believe you have heard from the media that this appeal was criticized by supporters of homosexual movement. In fact, politics and religion are so entangled that it is naïve to try to separate the two, to expect the clergy to speak about only Jesus and nothing political. Even if the Church only wants to proclaim the truth, to shepherd the faithful and wants nothing from the secular world, politics would knock at your door to give you troubles. It is because the resources in the society are limited and the society has become a battlefield to fight for precious resources. When people think that you are harming their privileges, they will fight back. It happened to Jesus 2000 years ago. It has happened throughout every generation.
When Jesus began his public ministry, he spoke with authority and pointed out the inadequacy of the teachings of scribes and Pharisees. It shook up their status among the people. When Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the Temple to pray, he found that the Temple was turned into a market place. He cleansed the Temple and did harm to the financial interests of the priests. Out of mercy, Jesus cured the servant of a Roman centurion. Thus, the Zealots hated Jesus. What an irony when Jesus was betrayed by his own disciple, arrested by his own people, condemned to death for blasphemy (Don't forget he himself is God!). He was then sent to the Romans, accused of stirring up a mob to rebel against the empire. The Jews made the Romans do the dirty job of killing Jesus. The gospel we read today is a section of the trial of Jesus before the Roman Procurator.
Let us know a bit more about the situation Pilate was in. From history books, we know that Judaea was a difficult province to govern in the Roman Empire. Pilate was sent to be the Procurator of Judaea. Probably he had lost favour before Caesar. He needed to work out his redemption in Judaea. Or perhaps Caesar thought highly of Pilate, had great expectation on him to assign him this challenging task. History books suggest the former hypothesis. Either way, being the Procurator of Judaea was not a lucrative job. Pilate had no respect for the Jews. He made use of violence to suppress uprisings. In the end, he got just the opposite of what he intended, creating more resentment among the Jews. Pilate began to understand that he needed to cooperate with Jewish leaders.
At the first sight of Jesus, Pilate was sure that this meek and mild “King of the Jews”, lacking any traces of ferocity, was only a scapegoat which the Jews arranged to test whether he was sincere about cooperation. Therefore, Pilate initiated the Roman judiciary procedure and gave Jesus an opportunity to defend. If Jesus' answer was affirmative, it was easy. Simply sent him to death. If Jesus' answer was negative, find some ways to release him to show off the superiority of the Roman legal system. However, Jesus asked him back whether he was repeating what others had said or he truly thought that he was a king. Indeed, the question Jesus asked, Jesus asked every follower. In Caesarea Philippi, he posed a similar question to his disciples. Jesus was not satisfied when the disciples quoted other peoples' opinions. He asked them pointblank who he was in their hearts. Peter represented all to answer that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. This was Peter's answer. What about yours? Is your answer the catechists', the Sunday school teachers', the priests' or the Pope's? Buy Jesus wants your answer.
Back to Pilate. He became impatient. “I am the judge and you are the prisoner. How dare you to ask me questions! Now, I give you one more chance. What have you done?” If Jesus has only travelled around to preach, or perhaps healed a servant of a Roman centurion and has done no harm to Romans, release him. Otherwise, don't waste time. Kill him.
After Jesus had finished speaking, Pilate asked Jesus a question that immortalizes him, “What is truth?” This follows immediately where the gospel reading ends today. This is also a question all of us will naturally ask. But Pilate could not wait for Jesus' explanation. He wanted to wrap up the whole case immediately and went out to dismiss the Jewish leaders. We are Jesus' subjects. We should try to understand what the truth which Jesus spent his whole life bearing witness is and how he discharged his kingship.
We Chinese speak of “Tao”, the Way to mean “the Truth”. Chinese philosophers say “Tao is not far from us.” Therefore, we are able to get in touch, to know and to feel the truth. Our truth is very simple, “God is love.” The love of God the Father overflowed and resulted in a cosmos which is habitable for humanity. Genesis says that God created heavens and earth with his Word. This Word is the Truth, the Tao and the Way that keeps the cosmos running. We also call this Word, the Son of God. Then God made man in His image so that man is able to communicate with Him. However, humanity abused the freedom God gave them. Consequently, we lost the original grace. We contaminated the earth as well as our conscience. But God does not give us up. The Son of God took up human flesh. He died to repay all the sins, whether they be past, present or future. His resurrection elevates our humanity. This was how Jesus bore witness to the truth that “God is love.”
Before he ascended to heaven, Jesus gathered 120 disciples to build up the Church. She continues his unfinished mission, to help all humanity obtain salvation. Now is the age for the Church, for us to bear witness to the truth. To guarantee that we faithfully keep and spread this truth as well as to accomplish the mission, God the Father sent us the Holy Spirit to protect the Church, to inspire her and to expand her.
Jesus took this opportunity to explain that the Kingdom of God was unlike earthly kingdoms which claimed sovereignty with military might. Jesus also made it clear that it was not Romans, but the stubborn Jews who rejected the Kingdom of God. However, Pilate would not buy this. In his eyes, Jesus was only a disillusioned dreamer. So, he said cynically, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered affirmatively that he was a king to bear witness to the truth. For this he was born and for this he had come into the world. Since Jesus did not come from this world, logically his kingdom does not belong to this world. It will pose no threat to Pilate and the Roman Empire. Similarly, the Church preaches the truth and comment on politics. She does not pose any threat to secular powers.
How do we bear witness concretely to the truth that God is love? This is the life-long work of each and every one of us. When we are lost as of what to do, besides praying to the Holy Spirit to get help, we should listen to the teachings of the Church. It is because we have many great saints and popes who have left behind a treasure trove of teaching to help us understand the will of God. Work hard.
God bless.
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