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Thursday 3 March 2016

天主的手指 THE FINGER OF GOD

天主的手指(路11:14-23

天主降下第三個災難懲罰埃及時,吩咐亞郎用他的棍杖,拍打埃及地上的塵土,變成蚊蚋。埃及的巫師認為這是「天主的手指」(出8:19)後來,天主在西乃山上,用手指在兩塊石版之上,寫下十誡(出31:18,申9:10)。這就是「天主的手指」在舊約的記載。它既表示天主的能力,又指導著人應如何生活。耶穌以天主的手指驅魔,不但展示了天主的大能,更指導了我們如何生活。

人的心魔有許多,有些是外來的,更有不少是源於自我。人是按天主的肖像所做,有著無限的命運。世間的有限事物,很難給予完全的滿足。但在追求無限和超越的過程中,為了走捷徑,我們會很容易誤入歧途,例如濫用藥物,或招魂惹鬼,不能自拔。結果,除了天主的慈悲之外,哪裡還有救贖呢?倘若執迷不悟,固執起來,拒絕天主的慈悲,又哪裡能逃脫地獄的永火呢?那些譭謗耶穌的人,恐怕祗有自取滅亡的下場了。

四旬期正是天父大發慈悲的日子,「慈悲禧年」更是天主廣施慈悲的時期。「趁上主可找到的時候,你們應尋找祂;趁祂在近處的時候,你們應呼求祂。」(依55:6)讓我們聽從教宗的規勸,履行神形哀矜,禁食,施捨並祈禱,軟化冥頑的心靈,尋求天父的慈悲,回歸父家。亞孟。


THE FINGER OF GOD (Luke 11:14-23)

When God sent the third plague to punish the Egyptians, He instructed Aaron to strike the dust of the earth with his rod. The dust became gnats. The Egyptian magicians could not duplicate the miracle and they told Pharaoh that that was the finger of God (Exodus 8:19). Later, on Mount Sinai, God wrote the Ten Commandments on two stone tablets with His finger (Exodus 31:18, Deuteronomy 9:10). Only these three passages contain the "finger of God" in the Old Testament. They show the power of God as well as the right way to lead our life. Jesus exorcized with the "finger of God". Not only did he show God's glory, but he also showed us the right way of life.

We have many obsessions in our hearts. Some comes from without while many more originate from within. Men were created in the image of God. We have an infinite destiny. Worldly finite things can hardly satisfy our desires completely. But when we seek after infinity and transcendence, we may cut corners and go astray, such as substance abuses and mediumship so much so that we are unable to kick the practices off. In the end, where comes redemption except from the mercy of God? If the practitioners remain unrepentant and reject God's mercy, where else can they go but the eternal fire of hell? I am afraid those who blasphemed Jesus had chosen calamity for themselves.

The season of Lent is a time of mercy of the Father, in particular when Lent coincides with the Jubilee of Mercy. "Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon Him while He is near" (Isaiah 55:6). Let us follow the exhortation of the Pope, perform spiritual as well as corporal works of mercy, fast, give alms and pray so as to soften our hardened hearts. Seek the mercy of the Father and come home. Amen.

http://fll.cc/inspire/gods-finger/

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