若翰致命（瑪14:1-12）
「遂差人在監裏斬了若翰的頭。」（瑪14:10）
淫亂確是「七罪宗」之一。新舊約分別記載了兩個犯姦淫的君王，一個真心懺悔，最終成為救世主的祖先。一個拒絕天主的慈悲，落得按經外的歷史記載，被放逐並客死異鄉。在黑落德安提帕身上，我們看到人拒絕天主慈悲所帶來的惡果。
達味淫人妻子，殺人丈夫，簡直不把天主的十誡，放在眼內。天主派納堂先知斥責他，達味立刻認錯，獲得天主的寬恕。不過，他仍受到天主的懲罰，淫亂和刀劍不離達味的子女！黑落德在兄弟斐理伯未去世前，接收了他的妻子和女兒。這樣做，簡直不把梅瑟的「為兄立嗣」法律，放在眼內。天主出於慈悲，沒有立刻懲罰他，祗派了若翰洗者，一位先知，告誡他。結果若翰洗者遭受監禁，最後身首二處。
當上一國之君太長時間了，便忘記了天主的恩寵助祐。達味在晚年目睹發生在自己兒女身上的一切，雖然好像是天主的懲罰，卻令他更感受到天主的眷顧。黑落德拒絕了天主藉若翰洗者所傳達的慈悲後，落得每況愈下，靈性上不斷走下坡。不聽先知的勸告，更動了殺機。礙於群眾的壓力，尚約束到自己殺人的衝動。豈料在生日宴會上，酒精削弱了約束力，他便肆無忌憚地殺了天主的先知，走上了不歸之路。
達味與黑落德的際遇，一再提醒我們，雖然天主願意所有的人得救，但倘若我們拒絕天主的慈悲，拒絕悔改，當惡貫滿盈的時候，我們的靈魂已經沒有空間，容納天主的慈悲了，結果就是「哀號和切齒」了。
天父啊！請賜下祢的聖神，祂是愛德之神。求祂軟化我們冰冷的心，痛悔改過，獲得祢的寬恕。亞孟。
《論盡神學》
"He sent and had John beheaded in the prison." (Matthew 14:10)
Lust is truly one of the Seven Capital Sins. The Testaments recorded two adulterous kings. One of them truly repented and subsequently became the ancestor of the Saviour. The other rejected God's mercy and died in exile according to extra-biblical history. In Herod Antipas, we see what rejection of God's mercy can end up in.
David committed adultery with Uriah's wife and killed the husband. He did not heed the Ten Commandments of God. God sent the prophet Nathan to reprimand him and David immediately repented and received forgiveness. Yet, David still suffered God's punishments. Incest and blood sheds plagued his children. Herod Antipas took the wife and daughter of his brother Philip even before his death, ignoring the Levirate law. Out of mercy, God did not punish him immediately. Instead God sent the Baptist, a prophet to rebuke him. Consequently, John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded.
When one became king for too long, it was easy to forget God's grace and help. In his old age, David saw what happened to his children. Though the events looked like God's punishments, David felt more God's provision instead. Herod rejected the mercy which God showed through the Baptist and his soul spiraled downhill. Not listening to the exhortation of God's messenger, Herod was infused by a murderous intention. Popular pressure could restrain him for a while but not long. On his birthday banquet when the restrain was weakened by alcohol, he had God's prophet beheaded and there was no turning back.
What happened to David and Antipas remind us once more that although God wants everybody to be saved, if we reject God's mercy, refuse to repent and when the cup of wrath overflows, there will be no room for God's mercy. Consequently, there will only be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Heavenly Father, grant us Your Holy Spirit who is the spirit of charity. Soften our icy hearts so as to repent and receive Your forgiveness. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment