主題：把福音的真光照耀世界
按教會的禮儀年，在甲年的主日彌撒中，我們誦讀【瑪竇福音】。希望大家在丙年，已讀完了【路加福音】，從今天開始，我們拿起新約的第一本書，以瑪竇的眼光，默想耶穌的生平和教訓。
雅各伯娶了兩個表妹和表妹們的婢女，四個女人為他生了十二個兒子和一個女，就成了將來的十二支派。當若蘇厄帶領以色列人進入並佔領天主所預許的福地客納罕，並且把領土分配給十二支派的時候，肋未一族是供奉天主的支派，他們沒有分配到任何土地，由其他支派以十一奉獻供養。若瑟是雅各伯所愛的細表妹所生的兒子，所以，若瑟的兩個兒子，就是厄弗辣因和默納協，一個代表了若瑟，一個代表了肋未，分了福地中央部份的兩份。此外，雅各伯有四個兒子，是兩個婢女所生的，他們的後裔支派，祗分到福地的周邊地帶，與外族為鄰，成了應付外族侵略的第一道防線。在北部有納斐塔里和阿協爾，東部有加得，西部有丹。則步隆是大表妹所生的最後一個兒子，也被分派到北方去。希望大家對以色列還未被達味王統一之前的形勢，有所認識。而依撒意亞先知所說的則步隆和納斐塔里的位置，相當於耶穌時代的加里肋亞省。在北方與外邦人的地方相連，所以沒有地位。按若望福音記載，當十二宗徒之一的斐理伯，興高采烈地告訴納塔乃耳，他已找到了默西亞，就是出身納匝肋的耶穌的時候，納塔乃耳冷冷地回應一句：「從納匝肋還能出甚麼好事嗎？」（若1:46）由此看來，猶太人對加里肋亞的歧視是根深蒂固的。
另一方面，依撒意亞先知亦提及到米德揚，他是亞巴郎百多歲的時候，在妻子撒辣死後再娶的妻子所生的，論輩份是雅各伯的叔父。亞巴郎為了使撒辣所生的兒子依撒格成為唯一的繼承人，逐把晚年所生的一眾兒子，「打發他們向東去，住在東方。」（創25:6）當年梅瑟在埃及殺了人，就是逃到米德揚地方避難（出2:15），娶了米德揚的司祭的女兒為妻。當十二支派分配福地的時候，這些米德揚人在以色列人的眼中，雖然是住在一起，都視之為外族。按民長紀的記載，當以色列人崇拜偶像的時候，天主讓米德揚人，好像蝗蟲一樣，連續七年，三十萬人來搶奪以色列人的收成。後來，以色列人悔改，呼求天主，天主便召叫默納協族的基德紅，帶領三百人，殲滅米德揚人。依撒意亞先知所說的：「有如在米德揚那天一樣」（依9:4）就是指這一段天主從外族手中解放以色列人的歷史，亦表達了當代猶太人對默西亞的期望，期望他從羅馬帝國手中，解放他們。
不過，瑪竇非常清楚明白耶穌基督的默西亞任務，不在於驅逐羅馬人，重建以色列國，而是以他的聖死與復活，消滅罪惡，建立天國；天國的出現，不在於改朝轉代，而在於改造人心。舊約時代的十二支派，象徵了受祝福的天主子民。到了新約時代，便以教會的形式繼續存在。教會是天國的子民所組成，是天國有形可見的制度，所以，普世的教會是建築在十二宗徒的基礎之上，再由主教，宗徒們的繼承人，主持在世界各地的地方教會。正如十二宗徒以聖伯多祿為長，故此，由聖伯多祿所建立的羅馬教區的主教，也成了聖伯多祿的繼承人，我們稱他為教宗。今天所讀的召叫首批宗徒的故事，就是有關耶穌基督建立教會的故事。
教會的使命是在世上建立天國。但建立天國是不是要驅逐羅馬人，改朝換代呢？不是。瑪竇福音寫得非常清楚，「耶穌走遍了全加里肋亞」（瑪4:23a）：他不是在有權勢地位的人中間，而是在被歧視的人中間服務。耶穌「在會堂施教，宣講天國的福音」（4:23b）：他沒有離開猶太教的會堂制度，或者想改變社會上任何不公義的制度，而是在改造人的心，歸向天主。耶穌「治好民間各種疾病、各種災殃」（4:23c）：他沒有空談一些美麗的理想，宣揚死後的善報，而是具體實際地解決當前的民生問題。教會既然是耶穌基督所建立的，當然有責任繼承耶穌基督的工程，在貧窮的、被歧視的人中間服務；宣揚福音的精神，教導耶穌基督的真理，改造人心；並且實踐愛德工作，解決民生問題。
但願教會的見証，有如皓光，照耀「那坐在黑暗中的百姓，那坐在死亡陰影之地的人。」（4:16）願基督徒的善行，有如燈「放在燈台上，照耀屋中所有的人。」（5:15）
今天的讀經，記載了耶穌開始傳教和召叫首批門徒的故事。瑪竇寫福音給有猶太教背景的信徒，他刻意揭示耶穌的言行如何應驗舊約的預言。在聖誕故事之中，瑪竇就把耶穌基督降生的事蹟，如何應驗了舊約的五個預言，展示在讀者面前，証明耶穌基督就是他們期待已久的默西亞。同樣，今天所讀的耶穌開始傳教的故事，在瑪竇眼中，又一次應驗了先知的預言。不過，在理解先知的預言之前，讓我們上一堂聖經地理課！
天主保祐！
Third Ordinary Sunday (Year A)
Theme: Let the true light of the gospel shine on the world
According to the liturgical year of the Church, we read the gospel of Matthew on Sundays of Year A. I hope you have finished reading the gospel of Luke last year, Year C. Starting from today, let us take up the first book of the New Testament to meditate on the words and deeds of Jesus through the eyes of Matthew.
In the gospel story today, we read of the beginning of Jesus' public ministry and the calling of the first apostles. Matthew wrote for Jewish Christians. He deliberately highlights how the words and deeds of Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies. In the Nativity story, Matthew shows his readers how the events in the birth of Jesus Christ fulfilled five prophecies to prove that Jesus is the Messiah they have been longing for. Similarly, in the story of the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, Matthew proves once more how Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah. But before that, let us take a Biblical geography lesson.
Jacob married his two cousins and their maids. Together the four women bore him twelve sons and one daughter. They would be the twelve tribes of Israel. When Joshua led the Israelites to enter and occupy Canaan, the Promised Land and divided it among the twelve tribes, Levites who served God did not share the land but received tithes from the other tribes. Joseph was the beloved son born of the beloved cousin Rachel. His two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, represented Joseph and Levi to share the middle parts of the Promised Land.
But Matthew knew very clearly that the mission of Jesus Christ was not to drive away the Romans to rebuild Israel, but to destroy sins and build up the Kingdom of Heaven with his Passion and Resurrection. The breaking in of the Kingdom of Heaven was not meant to change dynasties but to reform the hearts of men. The twelve twelves of Israel in the Old Testament symbolized the blessed People of God. In the New Testament era, it continues to exist as the Church. The Church is made up of the People of the Kingdom of Heaven. She is the visible institution of the Kingdom. Thus, the Universal Church is built upon the foundation of the Twelve Apostles and the bishops who are Successors of the Apostles manage the Local Churches all over the world. Just as St. Peter is the Prince of the Twelve Apostles, the Bishop of Rome which was established by St. Peter is the successor of St. Peter. We call him the Pope. Today, we read of the story of the call of the first apostles. It is about the building up of the Church by Jesus.
The mission of the Church is to build up the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. But does the building of the Kingdom mean driving out the Romans, changing the dynasty? No! The gospel of Matthew writes very clearly, "And he went about all Galilee" (Matthew 4:23a): Jesus did not go about the rich and powerful, but ministered among the despised. Jesus "teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom" (4:23b): He did not demolish the existing Jewish institutions, or wanted to change any unfair social systems but to change men's hearts, turning them to God. Jesus "healing every disease and every infirmity among the people" (4:23c) Jesus did not sell empty talks of beautiful ideals, doing good and going to heavens but concretely solved the problems of the wellbeing of the citizens. Since the Church was established by Jesus Christ, she has the mandate to carry out the project of Jesus, to serve among the poor and despised; to proclaim the spirit of the gospel, teaching Jesus' truth to the people to change their hearts and to practise charity to solve social problems.
May the witness of the Church, "like a great light which dawns upon people who sit in darkness and shadow of death," (4:16) and may the charity of Christians, like a lamp "on a stand, and gives light to all in the house." (5:15)
On the other hand, Jacob had four sons born of the two maids. Their descendants shared the peripherals of the Promised Land, neighbouring the aliens and became the first defence line against invasions. Naphtali and Asher were on the north, Gad on the east and Dan on the west. Zebulun was the last son born of Leah whom Jacob did not love. His tribe was also assigned to the north. I hope you have built up a picture of the division before the unification by King David. Thus, the location of Zebulun and Naphtali mentioned by Isaiah were equivalent to Galilee in Jesus' time. It was neighbouring Gentile land and thus of low status. According to the gospel of John, when one of the apostles Philip told Nathanael excitedly how he had found the Messiah in Jesus of Nazareth, Nathanael coldly replied, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46). From this, we see how deep seated the prejudice Jews had against Galilee.
On the other hand, Isaiah also mentioned Midian who was one of the sons born of the centenarian Abraham after the death of Sarah. He was the uncle of Jacob! In order to ensure Isaac, the son of Sarah, became his first-born, Abraham sent all these sons away "eastward to the east country." (Genesis 25:6). After Moses had killed a man in Egypt, he fled to the land of Midian (Exodus 2:15), married a daughter of the priest of Midian. When the twelve tribes divided the Promised Land, these Midianites, though living with the Israelites, were seen as aliens. According to the book of Judges, when the Israelites worshipped idols, for seven years, God let the Midianites, like 300,000 locusts looted the harvests of the Israelites. Later, when the Israelites repented and cried to the Lord, God called Gideon of Manasseh to lead 300 men to destroy the Midianites. When Isaiah said, "as on the day of Midian" (Isaiah 9:4), he was referring to this piece of history in which God delivered them from Gentiles. It also expressed the Messianic expectation of the contemporary Jews who anticipated the Messiah to liberate them from the Roman rule.
God bless!
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