主題：收割天主的莊稼
上星期日，剛在復活節前夕領洗的兄弟姊妹在四樓禮堂，籌備了一個名為「猜情尋、捉依恩」的福傳活動。想他們在籌備的過程之中，一定感受到天主不少的恩寵。因為在他們的臉上，可以看到愉快和滿足的笑容。活動的成果當然不能，亦不應該以出席人數來量度。不過，耶穌不是在今天的福音裡說「莊稼多」嗎？為甚麼出席的人數，會未如理想呢？如果他們召開檢討會的話，相信他們一定可以提出很多理由，例如宣傳不足，時間選擇不好，有其他活動同時進行等等。不過，有一個提出了超過五十年的理由，到今天依然沒有解決。就是教友的傳教心態，至今仍未改善。
多年來，天主教教徒，倚賴神職人員和聖堂的傳道員，去履行教會傳福音的使命。自己就負責唸經、領聖事、每主日參加彌撒和捐獻。天主教會不是有「聖教四規」嗎？遵守這四條規定，不就是履行了所有做教友的義務嗎？對了一半，遵守「聖教四規」的確是履行了做教友最低限度的義務，是作為一個天主教徒不得不履行的義務，但不是所有的義務！而且，除了義務之外，還有福利。大部份我所接觸到的天主教徒，包括我自己，都並沒有行使我們的權利，領取到最大的福利。
很多好辯之徒，喜歡拿天主教與基督教比較，指摘天主教崇拜聖人和聖母。的確，天主教會有很多聖人，翻開聖人傳記，除了聖誕節外，幾乎每一天，都紀念一個以上的聖人。為甚麼天主教有那麼多聖人呢？其實，我們每一個人，都是按天主的肖像所做；我們每一個人，都蒙召成為聖人，分享天主的永恆生命。在這麼多蒙召的人當中，有些作出慷慨的回應，成功地與天主建立了深厚的關係，並造福了很多同時代和後世的人，所以獲得教會宣聖，成為天主教的聖人，成為教徒的榜樣。所謂滄海遺珠，亦有很多曾與天主建立深厚關係的人，一生寂寂無聞，沒有被天主教會所宣認。沒有問題，到了世界末日公審判時，一切自有分曉。教會每一天都慶祝聖人的瞻禮，很具體地告訴每一個教友，我們的蒙召是為了加入聖人的行列，為了獲得天主為我們預備了的豐富恩寵。可惜，大部份的教友忽略了如何爭取到更豐富的恩寵，祗滿足於，停滯於最低工資。
我們每一個人，是每一個人，是你和我，你的家人和我的家人，你的同學同事和我的同學同事，你的鄰居和我的鄰居，大家在街上見到的清潔工人和拾荒的長者，新聞報導所見到的遊行人仕、議員和政府官員等等…是我們，不是他們。如果說「他們」的話，他們就是「天主未收割的莊稼」了。我們已經領洗成為教友的人，很多時候低估了世人對天主的渴求。我們曾嘗試向別人「講耶穌，傳福音」，卻得不到接受。我們便覺得尷尬，我們便退縮，從此不敢表露自己的天主教徒身份，在公眾場所用膳前後，也不敢大方地劃十字聖架號。
殊不知每個人都是按天主的肖像所造，天主早已在眾人心底，埋下回歸父家的種子，等待遇上傳福音的人，喚醒那沉睡的種子，再經過悉心的栽培，發芽滋長，成為聖人。即是說，在聖堂之外，其實有很多的人，在惡劣的環境生活，包括物質和精神上惡劣的環境。他們渴望獲得援助，但不知向那裡求助。他們看到天主教的建築物，見到天主教所主辦的學校，所提供的社會服務和醫療服務。但他們不知道如何加入這天主教的大家庭。在此時此地，我們就是「莊稼主人所派遣的工人」，向他們介紹，天主所派的，不單祗是麵粉、奶粉和學位，而是提昇人性的永恆生命。
可能大家仍然以為傳教是神職人員的事。錯！的確，耶穌曾派遣十二宗徒，兩個兩個一起出外傳福音。今天，路加福音為我們記載了，派遣十二宗徒之後，耶穌又派遣了七十二個人，好像十二宗徒一樣，作為他的先鋒，在耶穌到達某地之前，為他開路。復活後，耶穌費了四十日的時間，把一百二十個各散東西的門徒聚集起來。在他升天的時候，他吩咐那一百二十人，即所有的信徒，往普天下去傳福音，以天主聖三之名給人施洗，教訓他們遵守耶穌的命令。所以，傳福音不是神職人員的專利，而是我們每一個人的福利。我說是福利，因為伴隨著傳福音的人的需要，天主會賜下更豐富，更前所未有的恩寵。「前所未有」是因為從前你所需要的，是最低工資。但當你要在人前為耶穌作見証的話，你需要更大的恩寵和力量。天主豈會讓我們「空槍上陣」呢？問題在於我們洗禮之後，躲在自己的「安樂窩」，這「安樂窩」就是「聖教四規」。我們不願意跳出這「安樂窩」，追尋更豐盛、更活潑、享受更大自由的靈性生命。
所以，各位兄弟姊妹，希望你們不要安於現況，你們應該離開你們的安樂窩，走出聖堂之後，在你們的日常生活中，爭取更多的福利，更多的恩寵，把福音傳給你身邊的人：你的親人、同事、鄰居等等。
天主保祐！
Fourteenth Ordinary Sunday, Year C
Theme: To Reap God's Harvest
Last Sunday, those who were newly baptized in this Easter Vigil organized an evangelization function in the function hall on the 4/F. I think the organizers have received a lot of graces from God because they wore smiles of satisfaction on their faces. Of course we should not just the success of a function by the number of people turned up. Nevertheless, does not Jesus say in today's gospel that the harvest is plenty? Why did the number of participants still leave a lot to be desired? If they conducted any evaluation meeting, I believe they would come up with many reasons, such as insufficient publicity, poor choice of timing or clashes with other functions etc. However, I would suggest a five-decade-old reason which is not yet properly solved. It is the mentality of the laity on evangelization.
For centuries, Catholics have relied on clergy and catechists of the parish to handle the evangelization mission. They only pray, receive sacraments, join masses and support the Church financially. Aren't these "Four Precepts of the Church"? Isn't observing these precepts supposed to have discharged all the obligations of a Catholic? You are partially right. Observing these precepts only fulfils the minimum requirements of being a Catholic. You are not a Catholic unless you have done all these. But these are not ALL the obligations. Moreover, besides duties, there are benefits. Most of the Catholics I know, including myself, have not exercised their full rights to receive the maximum benefits.
Many argumentative people like to contrast Catholics with Protestants and accuse Catholics of worshipping saints and the BVM. Indeed, there are many saints in the Catholic Church. Leaf through the pages of any martyrology, you will find more than one saint per day of the year, except on Christmas. Why does the Catholic Church honour so many saints? As a matter of fact, each one of us was created in the image of God. Each one of us is called to be a saint to partake in the eternal life of God. Among the called, some responded generously. They successfully established a deep relationship with God. Their words and deeds benefitted their contemporaries and the future generations. Thus, the Catholic Church canonized them to be saints and exemplars of the faithful. Of course, some were overlooked. They had also established a deep relationship with God but they remained unknown to the world. The Catholic Church had no ways to know about them and canonize them. No problem. On the Judgment Day, everything will be revealed. The Church celebrates the feast day of saints every day to tell the faithful concretely that all of us are called to join the saints, to receive the abundant grace God has prepared for us. Unfortunately, many Catholics do not bother to acquire the abundant grace from God. They are contended with the "minimum wage".
I said, "Each one of us." Each one. You and me, your family members and mine, your classmates or colleagues and mine, your neighbour and mine, the janitors or elders picking up cardboards we see on the street, the protesters, councillors and government officials reported in the news etc. it is "Us", not "them". If we say "them", then they are the "harvest yet to be reaped by God". Most of the time, we underestimate the desire of people to know God. We did try to evangelize, but was not welcome. We felt embarrassed and withdrew. From then, we dare not to reveal our identity as a Catholic. We even dare not to cross ourselves before meals in public.
Unbeknownst to us, everyone was created in the image of God who has planted in the depth of our hearts a seed which urges us to return to our heavenly Father. This seed needs to be awakened by an evangelist. Through careful cultivation, the seed sprouts and develops and we are sanctified. That is to say, outside the Church, there are many people living in adverse environments, both physical and spiritual. They long for help but do not know where to seek. They see Catholic buildings, Catholic schools, Catholic social and medical services. But they know not how to enter this Catholic family. In this time and space, you are "the workers sent by the Master." Your task is to tell them that God not only distributes flour, milk powder and school places. He lifts up our humanity to partake in eternal life.
Perhaps you still think that evangelization is the responsibility of the clergy. Wrong. Indeed, Jesus had sent out the Twelve, two by two to proclaim the good news. Today, Luke tells us that after sending the Twelve, Jesus further sent 72 other disciples as his heralds to places he intended to go. After resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days to gather 120 dispersed disciples. Before Ascension, Jesus commissioned these 120 disciples, that is to say ALL the disciples, to proclaim the gospel to the whole world, baptize people in the name of the Blessed Trinity and teach them to observe all that Jesus had commanded. Therefore, evangelization is not the privilege of the clergy but the benefits of everyone. I said "benefits" because of the needs arising from evangelization work, God gives the missionaries more abundant and unprecedented graces. "Unprecedented" because in the beginning, your needs could be met with the "minimum wages". But now, you have to bear witness for Jesus before the non-believers, you need greater grace and power. How would God allow you to go into the battle field empty-handed? The problem is, after our baptism, we hide ourselves in the "comfort zone" of the "Precepts of the Church". We are contended not to jump out of this "comfort zone" to seek a more abundant and livelier spiritual life in which you enjoy greater freedom.
Brethren, I hope you do not keep the status quo. You should come out of your comfort zone. After stepping out of the Church door, fight for more welfare and graces in your daily life. Pass on the good news to the people near you, your family members, colleagues and neighbours etc.
God bless.
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