主題：撥亂反正
常年期所讀的福音，是默想耶穌內心意景的好材料。
天主聖子奉聖父的差遣，來到世上傳揚福音，召選門徒，建立教會。他榮進耶路撒冷，受難、復活和升天，把其餘的工作，交給天主聖神和教會，直至末日，他要重臨審判世界，作為結束。這是一個偉大的救贖工程，當中免不了要克服各種各樣的障礙。
因此，聖若望宗徒默想天主聖子降生奧蹟的時候，曾寫了以下的一段文字：「他已在世界上，世界原是藉著他造成的；但世界不認識他。他來到了自己的領域，自己的人卻沒有接受他。」（若1:10-11）這就是耶穌所面對的處境。雖然貴為天主子、默西亞、救世主，他誕生的時候卻沒有容身之所，淪落在馬槽之中；雖然他出生時以星光吸引到東方的賢士，前來朝覲，並送上黃金、乳香和歿藥，但卻招致猶太王大黑落德的追殺，聖家要避難逃往埃及。正如西默盎的預言：「看，這孩子已被立定，為使以色列中許多人跌倒和復起，並成為反對的記號。」（路2:34）因此，耶穌在傳福音的時候，治病、驅魔、行神蹟，固然受群眾歡迎，卻受到來自宗教權貴的質疑、責難和反對。他們質疑耶穌赦罪的權柄，質疑他憑甚麼在安息日治病，違反十誡。起初，他們祗是散播謠言，說耶穌瘋了；後來還抹黑耶穌，說他憑魔王的力量驅魔。在耶穌榮進耶路撒冷之後，更發生正面的衝突。耶穌清理聖殿，直接損害了司祭的經濟利益。成了耶穌在一星期內，被釘十字架的導火線。在這樣的背景之下，我們便容易明白今天福音的教訓了。
人背叛天主，可以用「拜偶像」來概括。人忘恩負義，追求人世間的榮華富貴，忘記了天主。這就是「拜偶像」的意義。在耶穌降生之前，偶像的形態多是牛鬼蛇神。今天科學昌明，人不再相信牛鬼蛇神的偶像，而是相信另一種形式的偶像，就是「功利主義」。「功利主義」在耶穌時代已有。若望福音記載了大司祭蓋法說服公議會要剷除耶穌的理由：「叫一個人替百姓死，以免全民族滅亡，這為你們多麼有利。」（若11:50）從前的人注意德行，仁義禮智信，父慈子孝，兄友弟恭。今天講求成本效益，不是公眾的效益，而是私人的利益。為了自己方便下車，塞在車廂入口，或者為了舒適而不讓座與有需要的人仕，這是無禮；為了賺錢，便剝削工人的薪金或工傷賠償，不講仁義和信用；為了自己的職位不留下任何壞紀錄，把責任推卸到其他人或部門身上，令問題日益惡化，這是不智。今天是這樣，耶穌所面對的世界也是這樣。如果不是被自己的利益所蒙蔽，很難想像世人會拒絕天主的慈悲。
所以他說：「我來是為把火投在地上，我是多麼切望它已經燃燒起來！」（路12:49）這是甚麼的火呢？我聯想起在【出谷紀】天主召叫梅瑟時的火。那火焚燒著荊棘，卻沒有把荊棘燒毀。是這景象吸引梅瑟走近天主。沒有燒毀物體的火，還有在五旬節降臨在門徒頭上的聖神。因此，耶穌是多麼切望聖神降臨到世上，吸引世人走近天主。一般而言，我們把五旬節聖神降臨那一天，認為是教會誕生的一天。又有學者認為，教會是在耶穌被長矛所指透的肋旁所誕生的。因此，耶穌是多麼切望在十字架上，被長矛所指透的那一刻，是完成救贖工程的一刻。這是耶穌的心願。耶穌心願是帶來真理，真理有如在黑暗中照耀的真光。為接受天主救恩的人，這真光使人看見真相，獲得解放。可惜，不是所有的人都願意接受事實真相的，他們會出盡九牛二虎之力，去掩蓋事實，逃避現實。因此，耶穌的出現，會引起分裂。但「分裂」是耶穌的心願嗎？
其實，分裂好，還是和平穩定好呢？那就要看是哪一種和平穩定了。依撒意亞先知是這樣描述和平的：「豺狼將與羔羊共處，虎豹將與小山羊同宿；牛犢和幼獅一同飼養，一個幼童即可帶領牠們。」（依11:6）是包含異己的，而不是「維穩」的。用暴力勉強製造出來的和平，把整個國家變成一座監獄，是我們所希望見到的安定繁榮嗎？元朝蒙古帝國，捱不過九十年；蘇聯這個超級大國，也不過七十四年。在天國未實現之前，一切和平穩定，祗不過是功利主義的和平穩定，當利益分配不均出現時，這和平穩定就會動搖，分裂在所難免。耶穌的分析很有見地，一家五口，一對四是不會分裂的，因為小數派是不能堅持下去的，獨裁的模式會出現。二對三的局面纔會出現分裂，因為兩派都能自給自足。不過最後，分久必合，三家歸晉，蘇聯的模式會出現，持續一段時間之後又解體。
各位，基督徒是社會的一份子，參與政治是難免的。九月四日要投票了。讓我們響應樞機的呼籲，選出幫助建設合符天國理想的議員吧！
天主保祐！
Twentieth Ordinary Sunday (Year C)
Theme: Putting Things back into Order
Through the gospel readings on Ordinary Sundays, we may take a glimpse of the inner thoughts of Jesus.
The Son of God obeyed the Father's command to come down on earth to proclaim the gospel, to call disciples and to set up the Church. He entered Jerusalem triumphantly, was crucified, came back to life and ascended into heaven. He left the rest of the mission to the Holy Spirit and the Church until at the end of the world, he will come back to judge the world. This is an enormous project. There are inevitably many obstacles to overcome.
Thus, when he meditated the mystery of Incarnation, John wrote, "He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not." (John 1:10-11) This was the kind of situation Jesus had to face. Even though he was the Son of God, the Messiah and the Saviour, he was born in nowhere and was put into a manger. Even though at his birth, a star attracted the Magi to come to adore him with gold, frankincense and myrrh, he also attracted the murderous actions of Herod the Great. The Holy Family had to flee to Egypt. Just as what Simeon had foretold, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against" (Luke 2:34), when Jesus healed, exorcised and worked miracles during his evangelization, he was naturally welcomed by the crowd. But the religious authorities would question, criticise and oppose him. They questioned his authority to forgive sins, to breach the Ten Commandments for healing on Sabbaths. At first, they spread rumours that he had gone mad. Later, they even smeared him that he exorcized with the power given by Beezebel. After his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, Jesus came to a head-on collision with the authority. His cleansing of the Temple did great harms directly to the economic benefits of the priests. That was the immediate cause of his execution within one week. Bearing this context in mind, we may more easily understand the gospel teaching today.
We use the term idolatry to describe the rebellion against God. Men become ungrateful, pursuing wealth, power and glory and have forgotten God. This is the meaning of idolatry. Before Christ, idols were images of animals and monsters. In the scientific age today, people no longer believe in monster idols. Rather, idolatry takes up a new lease of life --- utilitarianism. There was utilitarianism even in Jesus' days. The gospel of John told us how Caiaphas the High Priest persuaded the Sanhedrin to kill Jesus, "It is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish." (John 11:50) In previous generations, people paid attention to virtues: charity, justice, temperance, prudence and faithfulness etc. Today, we talk about cost-benefit analysis, not the common benefits but personal benefits. In order to alight more conveniently, passengers stand near the door of the carriage, blocking the passage. Or to find comfort in a seat, people neglect the needs of elderly, handicapped or pregnant women. This is self-indulgence. To earn more money, employers exploit workers in their salaries or casualty compensations. This is cruel, unfair and unfaithful. In order not to leave any bad records, we push the blame onto others, leaving the problem to deteriorate, this is foolish. It is, as it was the world Jesus confronted. If men were not blinded by the self-interests, it would be difficult to imagine how men would reject God's mercy.
That is why Jesus said, "I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled!" (Luke 12:49) What kind of fire was it? I think of the fire mentioned in Exodus when God called Moses. There was a burning bush but the bush was not consumed. This sight attracted Moses to come near to God. There were also the tongues of fire which rested on the heads of the disciples on the Pentecost. It was also a fire which does not consume. Thus Jesus desired very much the Holy Spirit to descend on Earth to attract people to come close to God. In general, we think of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Pentecost the birthday of the Church. Some scholars think that the Church was born the moment Jesus' side was pierced. So, how much did Jesus desire the moment he was pierced on the cross to accomplish the moment of redemption! This was the desire of Jesus. He wanted to bring us truth which is the true light that shines through darkness. For those who are willing to accept God's salvation, this true light makes them see the truth and be liberated. Regrettably, not all the people are willing to accept the truth. They spend all their energy to cover up the truth or to misrepresent it and to evade reality. Thus, the coming of Jesus will definitely bring division. But is division Jesus' desire?
Indeed, which is better, division or stability? Then it depends on what kind of stability. This is how Isaiah describes peace, "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah 11:6) It allows plurality and not "stability maintenance". A state-engine can maintain peace with violence, turning a country into a maximum security prison. Do we want this kind of peace and prosperity? The Mongolian Empire could not survive more than ninety years. Soviet Union the Superpower was no more than 74. Before the Kingdom of Heaven comes into being, all peaceful stability is only utilitarian. When the distribution of interests becomes uneven, the stability will rock and division becomes inevitable. Jesus' analysis is sharp. In a family of five, there cannot be a division of one vs. four because the minority cannot last. Dictatorship will appear. Division appears only when two fight against three because both parties can be self-sufficient. But in the end, the Soviet Union model will emerge, last for a number of years and begin its disintegration.
Brethren, Christians are members of a society. Taking part in politics is inevitable. September 4 will be our voting day. Let us obey the appeal of our Cardinal to cast our vote to select legislators who help build a society which follows the ideals of the Kingdom of Heaven.
God bless!
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