主題：不斷祈禱
今天的故事，與三個月前，常年期第十七主日所讀的路加福音第十一章，同出一轍，都是教訓我們祈禱時不要灰心，祗要堅持祈禱，就能發現天父的旨意，我們的祈禱便能按父的旨意祈求，當然會得到天父的俯允。路加為甚麼會重覆記載耶穌的教訓呢？更好說，為甚麼耶穌要用兩個不同的比喻，教訓同一個道理呢？
其實，兩個比喻是有分別的。第十一章的故事，是求朋友幫助，滿足一些實質的需要。這個故事教訓我們天主一定會滿足我們物質上，甚至靈性上的需要。第十八章的故事，是求法官為自己申冤。這裡有末世的意味。而且，耶穌在故事結束時，加了一句很神秘的說話：「但是，人子來臨時，能在世上找到信德嗎？」（路18:8）「人子來臨時」，當然是指末日。所以，第十八章的故事，是與末日有關的。
探監多了，總聽到不少不公義的故事，牽涉有毀滅証據的執法人員、有貪財而未盡力的大律師、有護短的法官、有邪惡的獄吏等等。雖然不能盡信，但對司法制度的信心，不無動搖。這些執法司法人員，可以隻手遮天。蒙冤受屈的人，在這樣嚴密的制度內，恐難得以申雪，永不超生。在這種情況下，祈禱有用嗎？在香港目前的政治氣候，令追求民主的人，十分氣餒。除了處處插手的中央官員之外，更有效忠於中央政府的本地官員、有忖摩中央心意的本地黨員、有投機取巧的商人等等。在這處處碰壁的情況下，祈禱有用嗎？人世間實在有很多令人氣餒的事，祈禱有用嗎？另一方面，耶穌不是說過天父在我們祈求祂之前，已經知道我們的需要（瑪6:8），祈禱豈不是多此一舉？
且看今天的第一篇讀經，若蘇厄在山下與阿瑪肋克人作戰，梅瑟在山上高舉雙手。梅瑟在祈禱罷！每當他雙手高舉，以色列人佔上鋒；每當梅瑟因疲倦而垂下雙手，以色列人便敗退。【出谷紀】告訴我們，亞郎和胡爾，一人一邊，托著梅瑟的手到黃昏，直至若蘇厄徹底擊敗阿瑪肋克人為止（出17:8-13）。如果天主為以色列人作戰，為甚麼這樣麻煩呢？
這兩天為教友主持退省，主題是如何在生活中經驗天主的臨在。祈禱當然是不二法門，於是我把「時辰祈禱」作為整個退省的主要骨幹，與他們一起體驗聖本篤的「祈禱與工作」的靈修。不多久，上述的疑問便出現了。很奇妙地，今天早上的的第二篇「誦讀」，【聖奧思定致普勞巴書】正好解答了這個疑問。聖奧思定說：「我們的主天主…願意我們在祈禱中練習我們的願望，以準備領受天主為我們所預備的恩惠…我們的信德越深，望德越強，願望越熱切，我們接受那恩惠的能力也就越大…我們也用口禱祈求天主…激發我們更努力加強這種願望。因為願望越熱切，所得到的效果也越豐富。」
原來祈禱是用來擴闊我們的胸襟，來承受天主為我們所預備了的恩惠。所有疑團解開了！天主竟然透過祈禱─不是隨便的祈禱，而是有紀律的祈禱─解除了我們心中的疑惑。明白了！
我們有甚麼物質上或靈性上的需要，儘管祈求吧！直到我們準備好了，到時所需要的恩惠便會出現。我們有甚麼受委屈的地方，儘管向天主申訴吧！直到我們準備好了，到時天主會替我們申冤。儘管天主為以色列人作戰，以色列人總要發展自衛的能力，和學習處理勝敗。人總不能永遠做「飯來張口」的人罷，果真如此，豈不浪費了大量的潛能嗎？
梅瑟的例子告訴我們，祈禱也要有適當的支援，否則不能持久，不能生效。那麼，「亞郎」和「胡爾」，象徵了甚麼？亞郎善於辭令，在法魯王面前是梅瑟的先知，代言人（出4:14-15, 7:1），而且他是大司祭。所以，持久的祈禱是離不開有紀律的禮儀。梅瑟五書記載胡爾的不多，猶太塔爾木的傳統說梅瑟上山領受十誡時，以色列人殺了胡爾，威嚇亞郎為他們造一隻金牛。可見胡爾信主的堅定。因此，信德是持久不衰地祈禱的支柱。當然，你或者有更好的演繹。
各位兄弟姊妹，讓我重複一次上星期的呼籲，「不斷祈禱，事事感謝。」（得前5：17-18）
天主保祐！
Twenty-ninth Ordinary Sunday (Year C)
Theme: Pray unceasingly The story today is similar to that read three months ago, the gospel reading of the Seventeenth Ordinary Sunday, Luke 11 which teaches us to pray perseveringly. When we insist on praying, we will be able to discover the Father's will and we will be praying according to His will and of course our prayers will be heard. But why did Luke write again the same teaching? Or better still, why did Jesus tell two different parables to teach the same lesson?
In fact, the two parables are different. In the story of Luke 11, we pray for the needs of others in order to satisfy their needs. The story assures us that God will meet our material and even spiritual needs. In the story of Luke 18, we pray for our own vindication. It is eschatological. Moreover, at the end of the story, Jesus said enigmatically, "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8) Of course, "When the Son of Man comes" means the end of the world. Therefore, the story in Luke 18 is eschatological.
After visiting prisons for a while, I would naturally pick up some injustice stories involving law-enforcers who destroyed evidence, greedy barristers who did not work for the best interests of their clients, partial magistrates who cover their colleagues and evil custodians in the prisons etc. Although we must take these stories with a pinch of salt, our faith in the judiciary system will nevertheless be shaken. Those law-enforcers are so powerful and the system is nearly water-tight. The chances are slim for those who have been framed to see justice done. In these situations, what is the use of saying prayer? The political climate of Hong Kong today is very discouraging for people fighting for democracy. Other than the omnipresent interference of mandarins from the Central Government, there are local officials loyal to the Central, local Communists who conjecture the intention of the Central and opportunist businessmen etc. Being blocked on all fronts, what is the use of saying prayer? There are far too many frustrating things in the world. What is the use of prayer? On the other hand, doesn't Jesus say that our Father knows what we need before we ask him (Matthew 6:8)? Isn't prayer redundant?
Take a look at the first reading today. While Joshua was fighting the Amalekites below, Moses held up his hand at the top of the hill. Moses must be praying! Whenever his hands were raised, the Israelites prevailed. Whenever Moses was tired and lowered his hands, the Amalekites prevailed. Exodus tells us that Aaron and Hur held up Moses' hands, one on one side and the other on the other side until the going down of the sun. Then Joshua won the battle (Exodus 17:8-13). If God was fighting for the Israelites, why took such troubles?
These two days, I was conducting a retreat with the parishioners. The theme was to experience the presence of God in daily life. Of course prayer is indispensable. So, I made the Liturgy of the Hours the backbone of the entire retreat to experience with them the Benedictine spirituality of "Ora et Labora". Before long, the query mentioned above surfaced. Miraculously, in the Lectio altera of Officium lectionis, "A letter to Proba by St. Augustine" answers the query. St. Augustine said, "Our Lord and God ... wants us rather to exercise our desire through our prayers, so that we may be able to receive what he is preparing to give us ... The deeper our faith, the stronger our hope, the greater our desire, the larger will be our capacity to receive that gift ... We also pray to God in words ... and spur ourselves on to deepen it. The more fervent the desire, the more worthy will be its fruit."
So, prayers enlarge our desires to receive what God has prepared for us. All puzzles are unlocked. God clears up all the queries in our hearts about prayers through a prayer, not casual prayers but disciplined ones. Eureka!
Be there material or spiritual needs, just pray until we are ready. The time will come and the gifts will appear. Whenever we are unfairly treated, just complain to God until we are ready! The time will come when God will vindicate. Even though God fought battles for the Israelites, somehow, they needed to develop their self-defence skills and to learn how to handle victories and defeats. A man cannot be sloth. Otherwise, he would have wasted a lot of his potentials.
The story of Moses tells us that without proper supports, prayers do not endure and be effective. So, what do "Aaron" and "Hur" symbolize? Aaron was fluent and he acted as Moses' prophet, i.e. spokesman before Pharaoh (Exodus 4:14-15, 7:1). Moreover, he was the High Priest. Therefore, persistent prayer is inseparable from discipline liturgy. The Pentateuch speaks little about Hur. Jewish Talmud tradition has it that when Moses when up the mountain to receive the 10 Commandments, the Israelites killed Hur to intimidate Aaron to build them a golden calf. We see then that the faith of Hur was strong. Thus, faith is the pillar of perseverant prayers. Of course, you may come up with a better interpretation.
Brethren, let me repeat the appeal of last Sunday, "pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).
God bless!
 |
 |
No comments:
Post a Comment