忠信聰明的僕人 Faithful & Wise Servant

八月廿五日 （瑪24:42-51）
「究竟誰是那忠信聰明的僕人…呢？主人必要委派他管理自己的一切財產。」（瑪24:45,47）

倘若人生有如一個訓練場的話，我們在這一生之中，需要成就多少能力，纔能在天主面前，算得上是忠信和聰明呢？
相對地，「忠信」的要求比較清楚，就是服從主人的吩咐，即是說，無論如何，要努力履行天父的旨意。當然，首先應認識到天父的旨意是甚麼。這個也不難，保持讀經和祈禱的習慣，和找個神師來指導你靈修，那就可以知道天父的旨意了。

「聰明」就比較難下定義了。因為世俗所認為「聰明」的，保祿宗徒卻認為是「愚昧」（格前3:19）。怎辦呢？甭愁，我相信保祿宗徒是不會反對「謹慎」這個美德的。但謹慎始終不是聰明，還有甚麼美德可以補充呢？
天主要委派這個僕人管理一切財產（瑪24:47）可以給我們一點兒提示。

首先，不要妄想你是惟一一個管理「一切財產」的僕人。天主的「一切財產」，不下於整個已知的宇宙。但憑你一個人，你有能力管理整個宇宙嗎？姑且借用默示錄帶有象徵意義的「十四萬四千人」（默7:4; 14:1, 3）罷。他們應該都是忠信和聰明的僕人。所以，另一個條件是有能力與十四多萬人合作，管理整個宇宙。你能與這麼多人一起工作嗎？注意，是整個宇宙，而不是把它分割成十四萬四千份，然後各據一方。因此，我深信「謙遜」是其中一個不可缺少的德行。否則，十四萬四千人有十四萬四千個各不相讓的意見，這個宇宙還可以正常運作嗎？

再者，有鑑於這樣龐大的工程，少了「毅力」又怎能成事呢？甭愁，到了末日，我們不再受時間的約束，我們祗要有鍥而不捨的毅力，有甚麼事不能完成呢？ 因此，我深信「謹慎」、「謙遜」和「毅力」三個美德，可以幫助我們達到「聰明」的資格。你有沒有補充呢？
聖父啊！但願在祢聖子重臨之日，我們沒有虐待其他僕人或者喝醉了。亞孟。

生命恩泉

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"Who then is the faithful and wise servant ...? He will set him over all his possessions." (Matthew 24:45, 47)

If life is a training field, what must we score in this life in order to be counted faithful and wise before God?
"Being faithful" is relatively obvious. To obey what the Lord tells you to do. That is to say, you strive to do the Father's will. Of course, you must first of all know what the Father's will is. This is not difficult. Build up the habit of studying the scriptures, praying and following the advice of a spiritual director. Then you are able to know the Father's will.

"Being wise" is more difficult to define. It is because St. Paul teaches that what the world regards as wise is folly with God (1 Corinthians 3:19). Then, what can we do? I believe that St. Paul would not disagree that prudence is a virtue. But prudence is not wisdom. What more virtues do we need?
That God will set this servant over all his possessions can perhaps give us a little hint (Matthew 24:47).

First of all, don't be arrogant to think that you are the only steward set over all God's possessions which are no less than the known universe. Can you handle the whole universe alone? Let us make literal use of the symbolic number 144,000 (Revelation 7:4; 14:1, 3). These must also be faithful and wise servants.

Therefore, another virtue must be the ability to work with 144,000 people to take care of the whole universe. Can you work with so many people? Notice that it is the whole universe, not cutting it up into 144,000 parts and you take one. Therefore, I am convinced that humility must be another indispensable virtue you need. Otherwise, 144,000 souls insist on 144,000 different opinions. Can this universe run properly?

Moreover, such an astronomically gigantic project cannot work without perseverance. Don't worry. At the end of the world, we will no longer be constrained by time. With perseverance, what can't we accomplish?

Therefore, I am convinced that prudence, humility and perseverance are the three virtues that help us achieve wisdom. What more do you suggest?
Heavenly Father, we pray that when You Son comes again, he will not find us drunk or abusing other servants. Amen.