主題：「非暴力」─ 和平日五十周年
我們剛慶祝的聖誕，是紀念耶穌基督，和平君王的誕生。祂把和平，帶來這個充滿罪惡，沒有和平的世界。教會是耶穌基督所建立的。因此，促進世界和平，教會責無旁貸。
一九六二年十月十一日，聖教宗若望廿三世召開梵蒂崗第二次大公會議。十月十六日，發生了「古巴導彈危機」。核戰隨時一觸即發，全人類陷入自我毀滅的邊緣。十月廿二日，美國總統甘迺迪發表全國講話，讓美國人民為核戰，作好心理準備。十月廿四日，聖教宗若望廿三世透過蘇聯駐羅馬領使館，向克里姆林宮拍發電報：「我乞求各國政府，不要對人類的呼喊，置若罔聞。請您們全力拯救和平。」教宗願意從中調停，協助美國總統甘迺迪與蘇共總書記赫魯雪夫達成秘密協議，古巴導彈危機終於在十月廿八日結束。
和平是我們的基督信仰的本質。「真福八端」指出締造和平的人是有福的，因為他們要稱為天主的子女（瑪5: 9）。所以，基督徒蒙召是為了做一個締造和平的人。屆此五十周年，教宗方濟各提出「非暴力」的中心思想。他說，既然暴力源自內心，那麼，非暴力的訓練必須從家庭開始。家庭是一個訓練場，是家中各個成員學習溝通和表示彼此關懷的地方。磨擦甚至衝突是在所難免的。解決這些磨擦和衝突，不能使用暴力，包括語言暴力。因為使用暴力一定有人會受傷，而暴力祗能達到表面上的和平，問題並沒有解決，而是把它埋藏到更深的地方。這樣做是危險的，後患無窮，因為我們不知道這些被抑壓了的情緒，在何時何地會失控地爆發。所以，解決衝突的有效方法，是交談，尊重、慈悲、寬恕和關懷他人的益處。這份「愛的喜樂」會從家庭滿溢到社會上和世界上。教宗呼籲世人立即停止家庭暴力、停止虐待婦孺、解除軍備及銷毀核武。
今天教會慶祝「天主之母」節。在這一天同時慶祝「和平日」是很有意義的。聖母懷孕天主子耶穌基督，把祂帶來世上。耶穌基督幫助世人與天父和好，把真正與持久的和平帶來這個紛亂的世界。祂是和平的君王。瑪利亞使我們明白，和平不是我們可以爭取到的，和平是天主的恩賜。那麼，「和平」是可能的嗎？為天主，沒有不可能的事。且看，若祂願意，祂可以由自己的受造物，由一個童貞女所生。這是完全違反人類的邏輯，是不可能發生的。實際上真的發生了。所以，祗要天主願意，和平是可能的。因為天主主動與罪人和好。
各位兄弟姊妹，讓我們反省自己的家庭生活，各個家庭成員的關係。讓彼此尊重、關懷對方的益處，成為我們家庭生活的常規，讓和平從我們的家，流溢到天水圍社區之中。
一九六三年四月十一日，聖教宗若望廿三世發表【和平於世】通諭，呼籲所有善意人士，致力世界和平，以談判而不是以武器，解決衝突。六月三日，聖教宗若望廿三世逝世，由真福保祿六世繼任。這位教宗上任不久，便在十一月發表電台廣播，關注難民問題。到一九六五年十二月八日，梵蒂崗第二次大公會議結束，正式開始了天主教的現代化。一九六七年，真福保祿六世發表【民族發展】通諭，把正義與和平連結起來。沒有公義，何來和平？沒有和平，人類何來發展？一九六八年一月一日，真福保祿六世呼籲全球善意人士，守一月一日為「和平日」。
「因為和平是必須的，又卻是受威脅的…若不尊重和平的堅實基礎：即真誠，公義，國與國之間的友愛，根本談不上和平…『維穩』雖然做到面表的安定，卻不是真正的和平。祗會做成不斷的叛亂和戰爭…和平不是『和平主義』…和平高舉生命的普世價值：就是真理、正義、自由、仁愛。」
這些真是先知性的講話。從此，歷任教宗會藉這一天，發表一些天主教的社會訓導，例如：促進人權、兄弟友愛、修和、維護生命、向暴力說不、發展與團結、與天主與眾生和好、尊重良心、關顧窮人、注意家庭、婦女是和平的導師、沒有寬恕就沒有正義，沒有正義就沒有和平等。到了今天，已是第五十屆了！
人可以怎樣領受「和平」呢？歷任教宗的訓導，離不開友愛和寬恕。這一切都可以從聖母瑪利亞身上看到。聖母在世時對表姐、對加納婚宴的主人，與及升天後多次的顯現，都表現出她對世人的愛護。耶穌基督在十字架上寬恕傷害祂的群眾，相信也是聖母瑪利亞自小教導的成果。正如教宗方濟各所說，「非暴力」必須從家庭開始培養訓練。
天主保祐！
Feast of Mater Dei (Year A)
Theme: Non-violence, Golden Anniversary of Word Day of Peace
We have just celebrated Christmas to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the King of Peace. He brought peace to this sinful world which lacks peace. The Church was established by Jesus Christ. Thus, promoting world peace is our mandatory responsibility.
On October 11, 1962, St. Pope John XXIII officiated the opening of the Vatican Council II. October 16 saw the beginning of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Nuclear war was imminent. Humanity was at the brink of self-annihilation. October 22, U.S. President Kennedy delivered a televised address to the nation, psychologically preparing the people for a nuclear war. October 24, St. Pope John XXIII telegraphed a message to Kremlin through the Soviet embassy in Rome. He said, "We beg all governments not to remain deaf to this cry of humanity. That they do all that is in their power to save peace." He even offered to mediate between Kennedy and Khrushchev to reach secret deals. The Cuban Missile Crisis ended on October 28.
Peace is part and parcel of Christianity. The Beatitudes teach that "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9) Thus, Christians are called to be peacemakers. On this Golden Jubilee, Pope Francis makes non-violence the theme. He says, "If violence has its source in the human heart, then it is fundamental that nonviolence be practiced before all else within families …The family is the indispensable crucible in which spouses, parents and children, brothers and sisters, learn to communicate and to show generous concern for the good of one another." Frictions and even conflicts are inevitable. We cannot resort to violence, including verbal violence, to resolve these conflicts because violence hurts. Even if it seems peaceful on the surface, the problems are not solved but buried deeper. This is dangerous because we do not know when and where these repressed emotions will erupt beyond control. Therefore, "conflicts have to be resolved not by force but by dialogue, respect, concern for the good of the other, mercy and forgiveness. From within families, the joy of love spills out into the world and radiates to the whole of society … I plead for disarmament and for the prohibition and abolition of nuclear weapons … I plead with equal urgency for an end to domestic violence and to the abuse of women and children."
Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of "Mary, Mater Dei". It is very meaningful to celebrate the "Day of Peace" on the same day. The BVM carried and gave birth to Jesus Christ who helped humanity reconcile with the Father, thus bringing genuine and everlasting peace to this world of confusion. He is truly the King of Peace. The BVM made known to us that we cannot achieve peace which can only be bestowed by God. Then is peace possible? For God, nothing is impossible. See, if He wishes, He could even be born of a virgin, a creature of His own hand. This goes totally contrary to human logic and is impossible. But it did. Thus, if God so wishes, peace is possible because God has taken the initiative to reconcile with sinners.
How do we receive peace? The social teachings of popes are mostly loving care and forgiveness. These are clearly shown by the BVM. We can see her concern for humanity in her care for her cousin Elizabeth, the host of Cana wedding banquet and her many apparitions after her assumption. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, he forgave the people who killed him. I trust this was the fruit of the training the BVM gave him as a child. Just as Pope Francis said, non-violence must be practiced in families.
Brethren, let us reflect on our own family life, on the relations among family members. Let respect for each other, concern for the good of one another become the routine of our family life. Let peace overflow from our families to the community of Tin Shui Wai.
On April 11, 1963, St. Pope John XXIII issued the "Pacem in Terris" encyclical, appealing all people of good will to resolve conflicts by negotiation, not by recourse to arms. June 3, St. Pope John XXIII died and was succeeded by Blessed Pope Paul VI. Soon after installed as pope, Blessed Paul VI addressed the refugee problem in a radio broadcast in November. The Vatican Council II ended on December 8, 1965. The modernization of the Catholic Church officially began. In 1967, Blessed Pope Paul VI issued the "Populorum Progressio" encyclical. He linked justice and peace together. Without justice, where comes peace? Without peace, where comes developments? On January 1, 1968, Blessed Pope Paul VI invited all men of good will to keep January 1 a "Day of Peace".
"… today, Peace is both necessary and threatened … One cannot rightly speak of peace where no recognition or respect is given to its solid foundations: namely, sincerity, justice and love in the relations between states … Oppression … is not peace which will exist --- even if, perchance, oppression is able to create the external appearance of order and legality --- but an unceasing and insuppressible growth of revolt and war … Peace is not pacifism … it proclaims the highest and most universal values of life: truth, justice, freedom, love."
These were truly prophetic words. Since then, popes made use of the occasion to issue social teachings of the Catholic Church. For example, promotion of human rights, fraternity, reconciliation, defending life, say no to violence, development and solidarity, reconciliation with God and Creation, respect of conscience, opt for the poor, family, women are teachers of peace, without forgiveness, there is no justice & without justice there is no peace etc. Today, it is already the 50th anniversary.
God bless!
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