主題：謙遜的意義
常年期的福音，正好幫助我們體會耶穌的心境。在今天福音中的場景，耶穌看見客人爭坐首席，他的心有甚麼感想呢？他心痛，正因為人的驕傲自大，他纔要死在十字架上。
人之所以自大，其中一個原因是「孤陋寡聞，井底之蛙」，不承認「一山還有一山高」的道理。稍有成就便稱王稱霸。天主不需要用更強大的對手，把你打得遍體鱗傷，祗用一個微不足道的感冒病毒，便足以在泳池中挫敗你。人啊，你憑甚麼可以驕傲，可以趾高氣揚呢？路加福音中的耶穌，以諷刺的口吻，教訓那些驕傲自大的人。不要忘記「一山還有一山高」的道理，否則會自取其辱。所以謙虛是最安全的做法。
我祗當過教師，所以祗能從學校舉一些例子與大家分享。從學校的經驗所得，我發覺到人之所以自大的另一個原因，是「地位」問題。作為一個教師，最容易犯的，也就是這個毛病。為人師表，在學科上，人們期望「阿Sir永遠是對的」。在道德上，家長把子女交託到你手上，培養他們作為社會的未來棟樑，「阿Sir永遠是對的」。不知不覺，老師變成自大的人，因為他永遠是對的。有朝一日，老師變成了自大的校長。讓我介紹我所認識的其中兩位校長。香港的學校，按學生的學習能力，分為三個級別。第一級學校的學生，學習能力最高。
設宴並不單單為了果腹，或者慶祝一些人生大事。設宴還是炫耀自己財富和地位的大好機會。上次擺酒你有「老鼠斑」招待我，今次我擺酒用「龍蠆」回敬你，而且天九翅面還灑上金箔等等。為了打擊這種炫耀自我的風氣，耶穌教訓設宴的人，與其浪費金錢於虛榮之中，倒不如善用手上的財富，幫助貧困傷殘的人，積財於天。把金錢投資在不能回報你的窮人身上，在末日，天主會替他們報答你。這就是基督徒的理財哲學。「要用不義之財結交朋友，為在你們匱乏的時候，好叫他們收留你們到永遠的帳幕裡。」（路16:9）這是耶穌的許諾，還不照他的方法投資？
幫助窮人的時候，也應謹慎，不可心浮氣燥。成語「嗟來之食」的故事告訴我們，要尊重接受幫助的人，因為他們都是按天主的肖像所創造出來的。我們要感激他們，讓我們有機會運用天主的恩賜。不要忘記，我們的能力和成就，都是來自天主的祝福。倘若我們忘記了天主，這就是驕傲。倘若我們懂得感謝天主的恩賜，懂得把光榮歸於天主，這就是謙遜。因為我們認清楚自己原是一無所有，原是塵土。這就是歷代的聖人，例如聖本篤，聖方濟各和聖依納爵等所教導的「謙遜階梯」了。
慈悲禧年祗餘下四份之一的時間。大家有沒有趁禧年而實行神哀矜、形哀矜、朝聖、辦告解和領聖體等等的行動呢？加把勁積財於天吧！
天主與人之間的最大隔膜，莫過於人的自大。按【創世紀】的記載，人不服從天主的命令，吃了天主所禁止吃的「知善惡樹」上的果子。這是人類的第一宗罪，是出於人心底的渴望，想自己變成天主。針對這個毛病，天主聖子謙遜地降生成為一個有血有肉，受時間和空間所限制，比天使還要低等的人類。在世時顛沛流離，嘗盡人世間各種的苦難，並且作出最大的謙遜，不堅持自己的意願，反而絕對服從天父的旨意，在十字架上受難。耶穌為我們指示了，「謙遜」就是通往天國的「窄門」，「窄」是因為謙遜要求我們棄絕自己，並且要背負十字架，跟隨耶穌，學習耶穌的謙遜。
A君是由一所第三級的學校空降到第一級的學校當校長。在籌備學校金禧慶祝的時候，她召來幾位副校長，把幾年前她前任學校慶祝銀禧的程序，交給他們，祗說了一句「照著辦」。
B君是教育署退休高官，也是空降到一所第一級的學校當校長。有關資訊科技方面，她會對電腦科主位說：「電腦這樣新的科技，我不太懂。拜託你了。」有關編製學校時間表方面，她會對數學科主位說：「這些邏輯如些複雜，不是我的強項。拜託你了。」等等。大家以為哪一位校長會是成功的呢？A君祗做了三年便另謀高就，B君做了六年纔榮休。「滿招損，謙受益」不是古有名訓的嗎？因此，除了見識膚淺之外，地位也可以令人驕傲自大。
天主保祐！
Twenty Second Ordinary Sunday (Year C)
Theme: The meaning of Humility
The gospel readings of Ordinary Sundays reveal the feelings in Jesus' heart. In the situation of the gospel reading today, what would come across Jesus' mind when he saw that the guests were fighting for places of honour? His heart ached because he died on the cross because of human pride.
One of the reasons why men are proud is that they have a tunnel vision. They do not accept the fact that there is no final frontier. With a little achievement, they declare themselves kings. God does not need to pitch him against a stronger rival to crush him. To save his face, God made use of a negligible flu virus to beat him in the swimming pool. Man, with what can you be proud? In the gospel story today, Jesus made use of sarcasm to mock the proud. If you forget the reality that nobody can be the champion forever, you only put yourself to shame. Humility is always the best policy.
I have only been a teacher and can only share with you examples from schools. From these experiences, I discover another factor which causes people to become proud. It is "status". Teachers easily fall prey into this trap. As a teacher, people expect you to be always right in your subject matters. As an exemplar, parents entrust their children into your hands to build up their character. Teachers are always right. Imperceptibly, teachers become arrogant because they are always right. One day, they become abrasive principals. Let me give you two real life examples. Schools in Hong Kong are ranked into three bandings according to the learning abilities of the students. Students in Band One schools have the highest learning ability. Mr. A, who came from a Band 3 school, became the principal of a Band 1 school. In preparation for the Golden Jubilee of the school, he called upon the vice principals, gave them a program of the Silver Jubilee of his previous school and told them to follow. Mr. B, who retired from the Education Bureau, also became the principal of a Band 1 school. In the area of Information Technology, he told the Computer Panel head, "Computer is so novel. I don't understand. I trust you." In making the time table of the school, he told the Mathematics Panel head, "The logic is so complex. It is not my cup of tea. I trust you." etc. Which of them is a successful principal? After three years, Mr. A left to look for another job. Mr. B happily retired six years later. Isn't "Pride invokes damages and humility benefits" a maxim since antiquity? Thus, besides a lack of knowledge, status can make people proud.
We don't simply feed our belly or celebrate a big event when we throw a banquet. It is also an opportunity for people to show off their wealth or status. Last time, you treated me with humpback grouper. This time, I repay you with a giant grouper. Even more, golden foils are sparkled on shark fin soup etc. To dampen this craze for pride, Jesus exhorted them that instead of wasting money on vanity, why not make good use of your wealth to help the poor and handicapped in order to transfer your wealth to heaven? Invest your money on the poor who cannot repay you. On Judgment Day, God will repay you for them. This is the Christian philosophy of finance management. "Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations." (Luke 16:9) This is Jesus' promise. Should you not follow his advice to invest?
When we help the poor, we should be careful and watch our temper. There is a Chinese idiom "Yell at the hungry" which reminds us of respecting those who receive help because they were also created in the image of God. We should be grateful because they give us an opportunity to exercise talents which God has bestowed on us. Don't forget. Our abilities and achievements came from God. If we forget God, it is pride. If we thank God for the bestowal and give glory to God, it is humility. It shows that we understand that we are nothing. We are just dust of the earth. This is the "degrees of humility" taught by the saints throughout the ages, such as St. Benedict, St. Francis and St. Ignatius.
Three quarters of the Jubilee of Mercy have passed. Have you taken the opportunity to accomplish spiritual and corporal works of mercy, to go pilgrimage, to do confession and receive Holy Communion? Work harder to transfer your wealth to heaven.
The biggest barrier separating God and men is nothing but pride. According to the story of Genesis, men disobeyed God and ate the fruit on the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This was the first sin resulted from the desire to become God. Targeting this fault, the Son of God humbly incarnated and took flesh, constrained by time and space, a little lower than the angels (Psalm 8:5). He led a life of refugees on earth, going through all kinds of difficulties and with great humility, he did not insist on his own will but to obey the Father's will totally to die on the cross. Jesus showed us humility is the narrow gate through which we reach the kingdom of heaven. It is narrow because humility demands us to abandon ourselves, carry our crosses and follow Jesus, to learn humility from him.
God bless.
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