主題：自愛愛人
猶太人著重遵守法律，因為他們的法律，是上天所賜的。天主是不可見的，但梅瑟在西乃山，從天主手中接過了刻上「十誡」的兩塊石版。這是實實在在來自天上，幫助人獲得救恩的啟示，所以猶太人非常重視它。「十誡」是一些放諸四海皆準的倫理大原則，在現實生活中可以起指導的作用，但不能判斷具體細節的對與錯。例如「安息日」應該怎樣「安息、休息」呢？可否生火煮食嗎？可以步行多遠呢？可否搬屋、安床或者剪髮嗎？所以，梅瑟按「十誡」的精神，和當時的社會環境，制定了613條法例，說明甚麼應該做，甚麼不能做，幫助人民解決生活上的疑難。這樣，有點像我們中國人農業社會的「通書」，按它的指示，哪一天翻土，哪一天落種子等等。在古代，一本「通書」的確足以指導人度過一生。同樣，梅瑟的613條法律，足夠一個猶太人，一生受用，獲得救恩。
按馬爾谷福音的記載，有一個法學士挑戰耶穌，考問耶穌，要耶穌在梅瑟的613條法律之中，找出最大的一條。耶穌既是天主子，這問題怎能難倒他？耶穌於是從容不迫地把答案道出。路加的描述卻不一樣，第一，法學士問的題目不一樣。雖然不一樣，但最終總會仍會回到同一條「最大誡命」的問題去。為甚麼？因為對於所有當代的猶太人，如何獲得永生的答案祗有一個，就是遵守來自天上的，梅瑟所傳授的613條法律。不是「信耶穌得永生」嗎？對不起，這是後來的基督徒所發明的。既然「守法律得永生」，但法律又有那麼多，很自然便會追著問：「在那麼多的法律當中，最重要，最大的法律是那一條呢？」所以無論怎樣問，都會殊途同歸，回到「最大誡命」的問題去。
按路加的記載，耶穌並沒有自己答，而是反問那法學士，給提出問題的人一個機會，自己回答。有人認為耶穌這樣做，展示了他的聰明才智，但我覺得路加的手法，不是在標榜耶穌的智慧，而是耶穌的慈悲。雖然法學士是明知故問，想在耶穌的答案中找錯處，但耶穌仍然慈悲地對待他。因為正如第一篇讀經所說，天主已經把真理，放在每個人的口中、心中，「就在你口裡，就在你心裡，使你遵行。」（申30:14）所以，縱使做耶穌的敵人，法學士仍然擁有真理，耶穌也能從他身上，發掘出真理，讓他親口道出真理。慈悲的耶穌，希望他親口說出真理，並從中領會，從此不再與天主作對，要愛主愛人。路加所描述的耶穌，是何等慈悲的天主。各位兄弟姊妹，身為耶穌的門徒，我們有沒有這一份的胸襟，包容與我們作對的人。縱使他們與我們為敵，我們仍相信，天主在他們的心裡，埋藏了永生的種子，得救的真理？
「愛近人如你自己」不是耶穌教導的，而是梅瑟的教訓。今天，我想和大家反省的，是我們愛自己嗎？真奇怪，愛自己，為自己爭取利益，是最自然不過的事，我們怎會不自愛呢？話雖如此，但現實生活中，我們往往做了些傷害自己的事而不自知。讓我們看看「守安息日」的誡命吧。
大家已坐在聖堂內，參與主日彌撒，不是已經滿全了「守安息日」的誡命嗎？倘若大家風雨不改，每個主日都參與彌撒。那麼，天主對我尚有何求呢？的確，在法律的條文上，大家的確是無懈可擊。不過，天主是重質不重量的。耶穌曾說過，因為天主是神，所以我們應該以心神及真理，崇拜天主。（若4:24）這條「守安息日」的誡命的精神，在於提醒我們，放下手上的工作，休息下來，以便我們能以心神和真理，崇拜天主。因此，倘若我們為了建立事業，或者追求夢想，而沉迷於工作之中，沒有讓自己停下來，享受與天主共聚的歡樂時光。這樣做，對自己有益嗎？又或者埋首於工作之中，甚至沉迷在一些不良嗜好之中，為的是逃避一些令自己難堪的人際關係。這樣做，對自己有益嗎？又或者為了兩餐溫飽，養妻活兒而兼幾份工作，結果熬壞了身體。這樣做，對自己有益嗎？手機已經是日常生活中的必需品。它令我們的生活更方便。可惜，手機可以完全充塞了你的時間，無論是行或是坐，是食或是上廁，總是機不離手。這不但令您的眼睛和手指勞累，更關閉了你的心靈，使您看不見身邊的人的需要，使您不能在有需要的近人身上，看見等待你去服事的耶穌基督。這樣做，對自己有益嗎？你這樣不愛惜自己，你還有能力愛近人，從而愛天主嗎？
今天的福音中，法學士問耶穌，「誰是我的近人？」是自我中心，以自己為出發點。耶穌說了一個比喻，教導法學士設身處地，從他人角度看事物，以他人的需要為出發點。耶穌問，「誰是那遭遇強盜者的近人？」如果我們不遵守安息日的精神，沒有留一點時間給自己休息、喘息，沒有留半點空間給天主與您享受歡樂時光，啟示給您真理大道。您沒有愛惜自己，如何談得上愛人如己呢？
請大家對自己慈悲一些，對身邊的人慈悲一些，暫時放下手上的工作，親親自己，親親家人，親親近人，親親天主。
天主保祐。
Fifteenth Ordinary Sunday (Year C)
Theme: Loving Yourself, Love Others
Jews placed importance on the Torah because it was given by God who was invisible. But Moses went up Mount Sinai and received the two tablets on which God wrote the Ten Commandments with His finger. It was something concrete that came down from the heavens, a revelation that helped people receive salvation. Thus, the Jews took the Ten Commandments seriously. The Ten Commandments are universal moral principles which guide our daily life. However, they do not discriminate the rightness and wrongness of concrete details. For example, how should we rest on Sabbath? Can we cook with live fire? How far are we allowed to walk? Can we move house, set our bed or cut our hair? Therefore, Moses followed the spirit of the Ten Commandments and the social situation at that time to hammer out 613 precepts, telling people what should be done and what was forbidden to do. These precepts help people deal with queries arisen in daily life. From this perspective, they were similar to the "Almanac" of ancient Chinese agricultural society which instructed people on which day to dig the ground, to plant the seeds etc. Such an Almanac was adequate to guide farmers to lead their whole life. Similarly, the 613 Mosaic precepts were sufficient for a Jew to obtain salvation during his life time.
The gospel according to St. Mark tells of a teacher of the Torah who challenged Jesus, asking Jesus which among the 613 precepts the greatest commandment was. Jesus was the Son of God. How could such an easy question unseat him? Jesus leisurely gave him the answer. Luke's narrative is different. First of all, the question was different. Although the question posed was different, it would end up the same "greatest commandment" question. Why? It was because for the contemporary Jews, there could only be one answer to the question of inheriting eternal life. It was "to observe the 613 Mosaic precepts handed down from the heavens". Why not "believing in Jesus to have eternal life"? Sorry, it was a latter invention of Christians. Since we could inherit eternal life by the observance of Torah and there were so many precepts, naturally the follow-up question would be, "among the many precepts, which is the greatest, the most important commandment"? Therefore, whichever way people asked, it would end up returning to the question of the greatest commandment.
According to the narrative of Luke, Jesus did not answer the question himself. He asked the teacher of Torah back, giving the questioner an opportunity to answer his own question. Some people opine that Jesus showed his intelligence and wisdom in doing so. However, I think Luke did not try to manifest Jesus' wisdom, but his mercy. Although the teacher of Torah posed the question to trap Jesus, Jesus accepted him mercifully. From the first reading today, we learn that God has put the truth, "in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it." (Deuteronomy 30:14) Therefore, even though the teacher of the Torah was an enemy of Jesus, he still possessed the truth. Jesus was able to unearth the truth in him, allowed him to speak out the truth. The merciful Jesus wished that speaking the truth, the teacher of the Torah was able to understand not to go against God anymore but to love the Lord and his neighbour. How merciful is the Lucan Jesus! Brethren, we are followers of Jesus. Do we have the breadth of mind to tolerate our antagonists? Even though we are enemies, do we still believe that God has buried in their hearts the seed of eternal life and the truth of salvation?
"Love your neighbour as yourself" was not taught by Jesus, but by Moses. Today, I would like to reflect with you on the topic of whether we love ourselves. Isn't it funny? Loving oneself and fighting for our own benefits are the most naturally thing to do. How can we not love ourselves? But in reality, we have always done harmful things to ourselves without our knowing it. Let me take "Observe the Sabbath" as an example.
You are sitting in the Church, attending mass. Haven't you fulfilled the "Observe the Sabbath" commandment? If without regard of the weather, you attend all Sunday masses, what else can God ask of you? True, according to the letters of the Law, you are impeccable. But God looks at the quality rather than the quantity. Jesus has once said, "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:24) This commandment reminds us to put down the work at hand for a moment. Take a break so that we may be able to worship God with spirit and truth. Therefore, if you want to build up your career or to pursue your ideal so much so that you indulge in your work and do not give yourself a break to enjoy a happy hour with God, will it do you any good? If you work like a workaholic, or get addicted to substances in order to run away from some difficult relationships, will it do you any good? If in order to earn a living; to feed your wife and children, you take several jobs at the same time and subsequently fall sick, will it do you any good? Mobile phones have become a daily necessity. Unfortunately, they tend to occupy all your time. Whether you walk or sit, eat or poo, your mobile is always in your hand. Not only are your eyes and fingers strained, your heart becomes closed. You are not able to see the needs of your neighbours, to see Jesus who is waiting for you to serve him. Will it do you any good? You do not love yourself. Do you still have spare strength to love your neighbour and with that, love God?
In the gospel today, the teacher of Torah asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbour?" The question is egocentric, beginning from oneself. Jesus told a parable to teach him to put himself into others' shoes, to begin from the needs of the others. Jesus asked, "Which of these three proved neighbour to the man who fell among the robbers?" If we cannot observe the spirit of the Sabbath, leaving ourselves a little time to rest, to recoup; if we do not leave a little room to enjoy the happy hour with God, for Him to reveal the truth to you, you do not love yourself. How can you love your neighbour as yourself?
Be merciful to yourself. Be merciful to your neighbour. Put down your work for a while. Hug yourself. Hug your family members. Hug your neighbour. Hug God.
God bless.
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