主題：慈悲之母
慈悲禧年已經啟動了。教宗呼籲全球的天主教徒，以慶祝禧年作為啟動，重新默觀天主的慈悲，藉參加禧年的活動，獲得天主的慈悲，並與世人分享天主的慈悲。在慈悲禧年諭書的第24段，教宗吩咐我們在聖母瑪利亞，慈悲之母的身上，重新發現天主的慈悲所帶來的喜樂。今天，就讓我們默想這一位慈悲之母。
今天的福音緊接「聖母領報」的故事。加俾額爾總領天使向聖母傳達天主邀請她作救主母親的旨意，並告訴瑪利亞，她年老的表姐已懷孕六個月之後，瑪利亞立刻起程，從北方的加里肋亞省南下猶大省，探望她的表姐。經過大概數天的行程，到了表姐夫匝加利亞的家裡。一見到表姐，便向她請安。我們今天聽到的，就是聖母的表姐依撒伯爾，聽到請安後的反應。
天使向瑪利亞宣佈天主的旨意之後，幾日之間，瑪利亞已經懷孕，相信連她自己也未必察覺到。但依撒伯爾感覺得到，因為若翰洗者在依撒伯爾一聽到瑪利亞請安的聲音，便雀躍起來。就在這一刻，依撒伯爾充滿了聖神。首先，這半年來她感激天主洗擦了她不孕的恥辱，開闊了她的世界。其次，聖神令她感覺到自己的表妹已經懷孕，而且所懷的，是天主子，是救世主，是她的主宰。最後，天主的母親來探望她，是她的榮幸。於是她開口讚美聖母瑪利亞。教會採納了依撒伯爾的讚美片段，成為教會的祈禱，就是聖母經的一部份。
瑪利亞也感覺到自己已經懷孕。原來天主已經開始了祂的贖世工程，在自己身上施行了偉大的神蹟，就是天主子降生成人的偉大神蹟。現在她正懷孕著耶穌，並帶著耶穌去祝福依撒伯爾和她懷著的若翰洗者。從此，她要成為盛載著天主聖寵的器皿，並分施天主聖寵的人。用教會的術語，聖母成為了一件「聖事」，而且是一件聖寵流溢的聖事，以至她亦成了聖事的施行人。這就是天使向瑪利亞請安：「萬福，充滿恩寵者 ，上主與妳同在」的意義。
天主是慈悲的，所以充滿了天主恩寵的聖母瑪利亞也是充滿慈悲的人。有如天主一樣，聖母對人類的困境，感同身受。所以，在加納婚宴中，當她知道主人家缺酒的時候，便催促耶穌施行他還未準備好的第一個神蹟，將水變酒，為主人家解困。當耶穌公開傳教的時候，她離遠跟隨著，體察到了群眾的疾苦，可能默默地為他們懇求耶穌，治好他們的病，驅逐附在他們身上的邪魔，用五餅二魚為五千人充飢。當耶穌在十字架上，把教會、把世界托負在聖母的手中，請求她成為教會之母、世界之母的時候，她並沒有拒絕，她默默地答應了，在以後的歲月中，成為慈悲的母親，照顧著教會及世人的需要。當眼見自己的親生兒子為人類的罪過死在十字架上時，她感覺到的不單是自己的喪子之痛，並因著慈悲，願意為世人的各種苦痛，承擔起這喪子之痛。她離世升天之後，仍關心世人的困難和需要，在不同的時代和地域，顯現給世人，勸勉他們改過遷善。所以在聖母瑪利亞身上，我們也能默觀到天主慈悲的面容。
一如依撒伯爾在充滿聖神時所說，瑪利亞之所以有福，是因為她相信天主的話必要完成，因為她相信天主的慈悲，並願意和慈悲的天主合作，造福人類。瑪利亞是第一個基督徒，亦是所有基督徒的榜樣。她相信天主的許諾，並謙遜地和天主合作，把耶穌基督帶到世上來，並滿懷母親的慈悲，關懷世人的困難需要。
最後，我呼籲各位，在這慈悲禧年，把整部路加福音，一本充滿慈悲的福音，細心閱讀幾次。相信天主的慈悲，多辦告解，領受天主的慈悲。並效法聖母，懷著天主的慈悲，關懷身邊遇上困難的兄弟姐妹。
天主保祐。
Fourth Advent Sunday (Year C)
Theme: Mother of Mercy
The Jubilee of Mercy has started. The Pope asks us to kick off with the Jubilee celebrations a renewal of contemplating God's mercy and through joining activities in the Jubilee, receive God's mercy and share God's mercy with the world. On section 24 of the Bull of Indictment, the Pope told us to ponder on the BVM, the Mother of Mercy, to rediscover the joy brought about by God's mercy. Today, let us meditate on this Mother of Mercy.
The story today follows immediately after the "Annunciation". Archangel Gabriel told Mary God's will for her to become the mother of the Saviour, and that her cousin Elizabeth had been pregnant for six months in old age. Mary immediately came south to Judah to see her cousin from the northern province of Galilee. After the journey of a couple of days, she entered the house of Zachariah and saw her cousin. Seeing Elizabeth, Mary greeted her. Today, we hear the response of Elizabeth after hearing the greeting.
Mary became pregnant within a few days after the angel's announcement. She might not even be aware of the pregnancy herself. But Elizabeth could feel it because John the Baptist leapt for joy when the greeting voice of Mary reached Elizabeth's ears. At this very moment, she was filled with the Holy Spirit. First of all, for six months, God had taken away her reproach among men for being barren, opening up her world. (Luke 1:25) Secondly, the Holy Spirit enabled her to feel that her cousin was pregnant and she was carrying the Son of God, the Saviour, her Lord. Lastly, she was honoured for the mother of her Lord visited her. She opened her lips and started praising the BVM. The Church adopts this beautiful piece of text to become a prayer of the Church, a part of the Ave Maria.
Now, Mary could feel that she was pregnant. Indeed, God had already started the redemptive project. God had worked a great wonder on her, i.e. the miracle of the incarnation of the Son of God. Now, she was carrying Jesus and brought him along to bless Elizabeth and John the Baptist. From then on, Mary became a vessel carrying God's grace and a dispenser of grace. In Church jargon, Mary has become a sacrament, a sacrament overflowing with grace so much so that she became a dispenser of grace. This is the meaning of the archangel's greeting, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee."
God is merciful. Therefore, Mary who is full of God's grace is also full of mercy. Like God, Mary is empathetic with the plights of humanity. Thus in Cana, when the host had run out of wine, Mary prodded Jesus to work the first miracle to change water into wine to relieve the embarrassment of the host even when Jesus' time had not yet come. When Jesus began his public ministry, Mary followed behind at the distance. She was able to see the sufferings of the people, probably quietly begged Jesus for them, to cure their diseases, to drive out demons and to feed 5000 men with 5 loaves and 2 fish. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, he entrusted the Church and the whole world into the hand of Mary, to beg her to be the Mother of the Church and the Mother of the World, she did not refuse. She quietly obeyed. In the years ahead, she became the Mother of Mercy, taking care of the needs of the Church and all humanity. When she saw with her own eyes how her son died on the cross for the sins of the world, not only did she feel the pains of the loss of her only son, but out of mercy, was willing to take up these pains for all kinds of pains of humanity. After she was assumed into heavens, she still cares for the difficulties and needs of humanity. In different ages and locations, she appeared to us, urging us to repent and turn good. Therefore, in the Blessed Virgin Mary, we can also contemplate the merciful face of God.
Just as what Elizabeth has said, Mary is blessed because she believes that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord. She believes in the mercy of God and is willing to work with God's mercy for the sake of mankind. Mary is the first Christian and also an exemplar for all Christians. She believes in the promise of God and humbly cooperates with God to bring Jesus Christ to this world. Moreover, she is full of motherly mercy, caring for the difficulties and needs of mankind.
At last, I exhort you to finish reading in depth the gospel of Luke, a gospel of mercy, several times in this Jubilee of Mercy. Believe in the mercy of God. Make confessions to receive God's mercy. Imitate Our Lady to show loving care to the needy whom we meet with God's mercy.
God bless.
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