主題：基督徒已被祝聖
教會的禮儀年，每年主力讀一部對觀福音，加深對救主耶穌基督的認識。三年一個循環，今年的主力是路加福音，從耶穌基督的言行，認識天父的慈悲。不過，教會沒有忽略第四部福音，雖然它的故事性不強，讀來比較吃力；即使在說故事的時候，神學反省比較重；但作為成熟的基督徒，不能不涉獵若望福音。
今天的福音，取材自耶穌在最後晚餐時的結束祈禱，學者一般稱之為「大司祭的祈禱」。若望福音的第十三章至第十七章，記載了耶穌在最後晚餐所做的事和所作的教訓，包括為門徒洗腳，勸勉他們要彼此洗腳，履行彼此相愛的新誡命。耶穌並許諾派遣聖神，在他離開為門徒預備地方之後，安慰和教導他們一切。在這時，耶穌啟示了自己與門徒的親密關係：耶穌是葡萄樹，門徒是枝條。與主結合的，能結長存的、永生的果實；那些離開了主的，他們的靈性生命會逐漸凋謝。門徒在世上，受苦在所難免，但耶穌基督許諾末日時祂重臨時，我們將會得到喜樂。教訓完門徒之後，耶穌以「大司祭的祈禱」，結束最後晚餐，起程到革責瑪尼園，開始他的受難。
「大司祭的祈禱」籠統地分成三部份，包括耶穌為自己祈禱、為門徒祈禱和最後為教會祈禱。今天所讀的福音，就是為門徒和為教會祈禱的部份片斷。這裡有一個神學上的概念，需要澄清。就是「祝聖」。「祝聖」是甚麼意思呢？
我想從根源開始考慮，就讓我先解釋耶穌所說：「我為他們祝聖我自己。」（若17:19）這個「祝聖」有甚麼意思呢？耶穌身為天主子，已經絕對神聖了，又何需「祝聖」呢？所以，耶穌在這裡所說的「祝聖」，與第17節的不同。
那麼，我們又怎樣被祝聖呢？從字面的意思看，「祝聖」就是把一件本來並不怎樣神聖的事物，變成神聖。例如：在玫瑰月，妳到聖物部買一串玫瑰念珠。念珠可能是塑膠的、水晶的，甚至珍珠寶石造的。但始終不是怎樣神聖的。然後找神父或者執事，「祝聖」把串念珠，送給朋友，或者留給自己唸玫瑰經用。又例如自來水，本來並不特別神聖的。在復活前夕，神父唸一些經文，祝聖洗禮池中的自來水，水成了神聖的，可以為候洗者洗禮，洗去原罪和本罪；可以用來聖屋、在棺木上或者其他場合灑水，以獲得天主的恩寵和祝福。麵餅並不特別神聖，在彌撒中祝聖之後，成為了聖體聖事，教友分領神糧，滋養靈性的生命。每一個人都可以自由地選擇做任何的工作，但有些人，在人群中被選拔出來，經過祝聖之後，一生祗事奉天主，服務祭台和聖言，成為了神職人員。在這裡，被祝聖了的人和事件，從一般的日常用途，變成了祗有服事天主的特殊用途。
我們蒙召成聖的人，成為一個得救的團體，就是教會。這個團體是神聖的，並不是因為蒙召的人已變成了無可指責的聖人，而是他們是朝著成聖的道路邁進。而這個由耶穌基督所建立的團體，有幫助成員成聖的工具，就是禮儀和聖事。所以主日彌撒唸信經的時候，我們宣認「唯一、至聖、至公、從宗徒傳下來的教會」。為了我們的益處，耶穌基督沒有獨攬一切工作，祂願意我們分擔這份聖化他人，轉化世界的使命。所以，天主祝聖我們，賜予我們恩寵，履行這份轉化世界的使命。倘若我們不傳福音，教會是沒有存在價值的。
今天是傳教節，讓我們領受耶穌基督的聖體聖血之後，既然因聖事已被聖化，就帶著耶穌基督返回自己生活的社區，以言以行，為福音作見証，履行這份聖化他人，轉化世界的使命。
其實，古往今來，所有的宗教活動，都是人與神的交往。人為了各種原因，例如祈福、謝恩、討好、甚至贖罪，都會奉獻一些禮物給他們所信仰的神。神是高高在上的，送禮又豈能苟且。所以，一定要送上一些相稱的、恰當的、神聖的禮物。但怎樣送到神的手裡，送到另一個世界呢？所以，人類通常把禮物宰殺了，然後燒了它，把它送入另一個世界。我們稱這份禮物為「犧牲」。因此，耶穌說祝聖祂自己的時候，祂在宣佈，十字架就是祭台，祂自己就是拯救世界的贖罪犧牲，而且，祂同時也是奉獻犧牲的大司祭。其實耶穌在說：「我為他們犧牲我自己。」也是藉著這份犧牲，我們被祝聖了。
例如水本來可以用來洗衣服，煮飯等。但祝聖了的水，就祗有特殊的宗教用途。可以用祝聖了的水洗衣服、洗地、洗車甚至煮飯嗎？你們覺得可以嗎？一串祝聖了的唸珠，可否掛在頸項上作飾物嗎？祝聖了的聖體，可以用來當作藝術品般展覽嗎？神父可以和女人同居嗎？這樣做就可能構成「褻瀆神聖」了。
從以上的舉例可以看到，「祝聖」的第二個意義，是指藉耶穌基督的救贖，天主從世人之中選拔了一些人出來，經洗禮所祝聖，一生分擔耶穌基督的君王、先知和司祭的職務，事奉天主，成聖自己，聖化他人，轉化世界。
天主保祐！
Mission Sunday (Year C)
Theme: Christians are consecrated
In each liturgical year, we focus on one of the three Synoptic Gospels to know more about Jesus Christ. This year, we focus on Luke. From the words and deeds of Jesus Christ, we know the mercy of the Father. However, the Church does not ignore the fourth gospel. Although its readability is not high because it carries more theological reflections than story-telling, a mature Christian cannot brush the Gospel of John aside.
The gospel reading today is taken from the closing prayer of the Last Supper which scholars usually call "The HighPriestly Prayer" of Jesus. What Jesus did and said during the Last Supper were put down in John 13-17, including washing of the disciples' feet, commanding them to wash each other's feet, to observe the new commandment of loving each other. Jesus further promised to send them the Holy Spirit to console and teach them all things when he left them to prepare rooms for them. He revealed his intimate relationship with them: He is the true vine and they the branches. Whoever abides in the Lord will bear eternal fruits. Whoever leaves him, their spiritual life will gradually wither. It is inevitable for the disciples to suffer persecution but Jesus Christ promised them to return on the Last Day. Then they will be happy. After teaching his disciples, Jesus finished the Last Supper with this "HighPriestly Prayer". After that, Jesus went to Gethsemane to begin his Passion.
The HighPriestly Prayer can be roughly divided into three parts, including Jesus praying for himself, for his disciples and lastly for the Church. The gospel passage we read today is an excerpt from the prayer for the disciples and the Church. A theological terms needs clarification: consecration. What does "consecrate" mean?
I want to start from the root. Let me explain what Jesus says, "And for their sake I consecrate myself." (John 17:19) What does this "consecrate" mean? Jesus is the Son of God and is absolutely holy. Why needs he consecrate himself? Therefore, the "consecrate" here must be different from that found in verse 17.
How are we consecrated? Literally, to consecrate is to make some ordinary things sacred. For example, in this month of the Rosary, you buy a rosary over the counter. The beads can be made of plastic, crystal or even gemstones. The rosary is not yet holy. Then you ask a clergy to bless the rosary and give it to your friend or you keep it for yourself to say the Rosary. And for example, tap water. It is very ordinary. On Easter Eve, the priest says a prayer over the water in the baptistery. The water becomes sacred and is used in baptism to wash away the Original Sin and actual sins, to bless the house, the coffin or any other occasions in order to obtain God's blessing and grace. Bread is not sacred. After the consecration in Mass, it becomes the Holy Communion, the food that nourishes our spiritual life. Everybody is free to choose whatever career he desires but some people are elected from the crowd. After consecration, they dedicate their whole life to serve God, to serve the altar and the Scripture. They become clergy. Here after whatever ordinary is consecrated, it takes up the special purpose to serve God alone.
We are called to become saints. We form a community of the redeemed --- the Church. This community is holy not because her members are blameless saints but that they are moving towards sainthood. Moreover, this community which was established by Jesus Christ has the tools to help her members become sanctified. The tools are liturgies and sacraments. Therefore, we declare that "the Church is one, holy, catholic and apostolic" when we recite the Creed in Mass. For our sake, Jesus does not monopolize the project. He wishes us to share his mission to sanctify others and to transform the world. Thus, God consecrates us and gives us grace to fulfil this mission to transform the world. If we do not preach the gospel, the existence of the Church has no value.
Today is Mission Sunday. After we receive the Holy Communion, we are sanctified by this sacrament. Let us bring Jesus Christ into the community where we live. Bear witness to the gospel. Discharge our mission to sanctify others and to transform the world.
In fact, throughout the ages and locations all religious activities are interactions between men and their deities. For various reasons such as petition, thanksgiving, flattery and even atonement, men would offer up gifts to the deities they believed. Deities are transcending. Offerings had to be exact. They must be compatible, appropriate and sacred. But how could you deliver your offerings to deities, to another realm? Therefore, men usually slaughtered the offerings and burnt them into another world. We call this offering "sacrifice". Thus, when Jesus said that he consecrated himself for our sake, he declared that the cross was the altar. He himself was the sacrifice which redeemed and saved the world. At the same time, he was also the High Priest that offered up the sacrifice. Jesus was indeed saying, "For their sake, I sacrifice myself." With this sacrifice, we are consecrated.
We use ordinary water to wash clothes and to cook rice etc. After consecration, the water serves religious purposes only. Can we wash clothes or cars, clean the floor or cook the rice etc. with holy water? Do you think it is permissible? Can we wear a consecrated rosary as an ornament? Can we use Holy Communion as exhibits? Can priests cohabit with women? These actions can probably be blasphemous.
These examples above illustrate the second meaning of "consecrate". It means with the salvation of Jesus Christ, God chooses the elected from the world, consecrates them through baptism to share the triple ministry of king, prophet and priest of Jesus Christ. They serve God, sanctify themselves, sanctify others and to transform the world.
God bless.
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