「心裡潔淨」的意義 The meaning of Purity of Heart

常年期第八主日（甲年）
主題：「心裡潔淨」的意義

聖經告訴我們，雖然天主是人類的造物主，但祂與人類建立的關係，卻有如人類的「婚姻」關係。是一個排他的、愛的關係，是一個永遠的盟誓。出於愛，祂把以色列人從埃及解放出來，在西乃山頒布「十誡」，以結盟的方式表達祂對以色列人的愛。請注意，全能的天主，竟然用盟約來約束自己，的確是匪夷所思。惟一的解釋就是天主愛按祂肖像所造的人類。從這個角度看，十誡對我們的約束，是為了人類的益處，是出於天主的愛。
第一誡禁止我們敬拜別的神，「上主，你的天主是忌邪的天主」（出20:5）。即是說，天主是「呷醋」的，排他的。天主要求我們對祂專一，這就是「心裡潔淨」本來的意義。真福八端是這樣說的：「心裡潔淨的人是有福的，因為他們要看見天主。」（瑪5:8）就是說，耶穌許下諾言，當我們一心一意信靠天主，全心全意地事奉祂的時候，我們便能看見祂，便能在天主內獲得滿足。但是，如果我們三心兩意，希望透過其他方法加大自己的益處，例如擺風水陣改變命運、或者練習靜坐冥想來增加自己的智慧，超越自我、或者到黃大仙廟求「平安符」；或者賺更多的錢來買更大的權力來控制更多的別人。這樣做，我們會更肖似天主的愛子耶穌基督嗎？我們佩接受天主的愛嗎？這是天主所願意看到的嗎？

有很多的事物會障礙我們，使我們不能保持心靈的潔淨，不能一心一意信靠天主。
第一是金錢。人生在世，總不能朝不保夕，惶恐終日。人需要有「安全感」。在現代社會，金錢可以增加人的安全感。在今天的香港社會，有樓就有安全感。因此，累積的金錢愈多，居住面積愈大，安全感就愈大。而且，為了預防意外造成的損失，買保險便應運而生。可惜安全感是很主觀的，因為每個人對承受風險的能力不同，有些人無論賺多少錢，擁有多少個住宅單位，心裡永遠都不會感到安全，結果變成了金錢的奴隷，成了「樓奴」，喪失了自我。所以今天的福音提醒我們「…不能事奉天主而又事奉錢財。」（6:24）
讓我們認真想一想，金錢和物業真的能保証我們的安全，能供給我們安全感嗎？舊約聖經有很多故事，告訴我們現實並非如此。例如著名的「納波特葡萄園」的故事（列上21），為了保衛祖傳的葡萄園，納波特惹來殺身之禍。後來，天主為納波特復仇，懲罰那陷害他的君王與王后，令他們相繼死於非命。納波特是被自己的物業所害死的。相信大家也聽過達尼爾先知在獅子坑中過了一晚的故事。試問面對一群飢餓的獅子，你拿著千萬家財，可以保存你的性命嗎？那麼，天主內可以給我們安全感嗎？這樣就要檢討我們自己與天主的關係了！

其次是生活中的「掛慮」。人的能力和注意力都是有限的，所以我們應該把精力放在最重要的事物之上。可惜，我們經常把我們的精神和注意力，放到次要的事物上。甚麼東西是次要的呢？就是那些必需的事物。聽來很奇怪，為甚麼必需的事物反而是次要的呢？很簡單，缺乏空氣和水，人會死。但平日你會否注意自己的呼吸，注意飲水呢？不會。除非您生了病，靠機器協助呼吸或者「吊鹽水」。食物必需經過消化纔能吸收，可是，我們不需要注意我們的腸胃是如何蠕動的。衣食住行是必需的，但既然是必需的，祗需要做到最低的要求便可以了。在社會上生活，金錢是必需的，祗要賺取到足夠養妻活兒便可以了。例如運動員，他們當然必需注意飲食，但他們的注意力和能力，決不會放在飲食之上，而是在操練之上；同樣，設計師或工程師，是不會把精神和注意力放在自己的衣著和住屋之上。因此，我們應正確地分配我們的注意力，把少許的精力放在必需的事物之上，而把大部份的精力放在追求夢想，追求理想之上。誠然，沒有理想或夢想，人依然可以生活。所以，理想和夢想是不必要的。可是，您們沒有聽過這樣的電影對白嗎：「做人如果無夢想，同條鹹魚有咩分別呀？」這是有道理的。雖然追求夢想理想是不必要的事物，卻是符合天主的旨意，因為是尋求和建設天主的國。天主在眾人身上埋下了祂的肖像，埋下了潛質，有待我們每個人好好地發揮，配合起來建設天國。所以，耶穌在今天的福音裡，提醒我們「不要憂慮說：我們吃甚麼，喝甚麼，穿甚麼？」（瑪6:31）這些是必需的，所以做到最低要求就可以了，不應把全副精神放在那裡。耶穌跟著說：「你們先該尋求天主的國和它的義德，這一切自會加給你們。」（6:33）耶穌再一次提醒我們要全心全意，一心一意地信靠天主，尋求天國的臨現，追逐天主所引領的理想，發揮天賦的潛質；其他的，天主自會照顧，這就是「心裡潔淨」的精神所在。

在婚姻生活方面，對配偶全心全意，對第三者不作非份之想，就是「心裡潔淨」的意義，我們稱這德行為「貞潔」。夫婦一起生活，柴米油鹽是必需的，工作賺錢交租是必需的，教育兒女是必需的，所以不要把全副精神放到那裡。玫瑰花不是必需的，所以要精心選購最美麗的玫瑰花，送給妻子。不祈禱不會失業，不能與太太一起祈禱仍可以生活。所以要努力安排家庭中的靈修，爭取與太太一起參加彌撒，在四旬期一起領聖灰、守齋和拜苦路。教宗方濟各在【愛的喜樂】說：「以天主的目光默觀我們所愛的人，並在他們身上看見基督。」（AL#323）既然在配偶身上可以看見基督，看見天主，我們還會三心兩意嗎？
天主保祐！

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Eighth Ordinary Sunday (Year A)
Theme: The meaning of Purity of Heart

The Bible tells us that although God was the Creator of men, the relationship He builds up with humanity is like marriage. It is an exclusive, loving relationship, an eternal covenant. Out of love, God liberated the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. He brought them to Mount Sinai to give them the Ten Commandments, expressing His love in the form of a covenant. Indeed, it is mind-boggling for an almighty God to submit Himself to the constraints of a covenant. The only explanation is His love for men whom He made in His image. From this perspective, the constraints which the Ten Commandments impose on us are for our good and come from God's love.
The first Commandment forbids us to worship other gods, "for I the Lord your God am a jealous God." (Exodus 20:5) That is to say, God is jealous and exclusive. God demands us to be faithful. This is the original meaning of "the pure in heart." The Beatitudes read, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8) That is to say, Jesus promised that when we trust God in one mind, serve Him with all our heart, then we will be able to see Him, be able to obtain satisfaction in God. But if we have second thoughts and want to increase our benefits with other means, e.g. to change our destiny with fung-shui settings, or to increase our intelligence and transcend our ego with meditations, or to implore a "peace charm" from Wong Tai Sin, or to make more money to buy more power so as to control more people, will we become more like Jesus Christ, the beloved Son of God? Do we deserve the love of God? Does God want to see this?

There are many obstacles which prevent us from keeping our hearts pure so that we cannot trust God in one mind. The first one is money. Men cannot live in fear all the day. Men need a sense of security. In modern societies, money increases this sense of security. In Hong Kong today, owning an apartment gives you security. Thus, the more money you accumulate, the more space you live in, the greater the sense of security. Moreover, to contain losses in accidents, people buy insurance. Unfortunately, the sense of security is very subjective because people differ in their ability to take risks. Some people never feel secure no matter how much money he earns or how many apartments he owns. Consequently, he becomes a slave of money, a slave of apartments and loses his self. Thus the gospel today reminds us that "you cannot serve God and mammon." (6:24)
Let us think again, can money or property guarantee our safety or provide us with a sense of security? Many stories in the Old Testament tell us otherwise. In the famous story of "Naboth's vineyard" (1 Kings 21), in order to protect the inheritance of his fathers, Naboth got murdered. Later, God revenged for Naboth so that both the king and the queen who orchestrated the murder repaid with their bloods. In short, Naboth was killed because of his vineyard. I believe you must have heard of the story of Daniel in the lions' den. Ask yourself, before a pack of hungry lions, will millions of dollars save your life? Then, can God give us a sense of security? It's high time we assessed our relationship with God!

The second one is daily worries. Our ability and attention are limited. Thus, we need to put them on the most important things. Unfortunately, we often put our strength and attention on secondary things. Which things are secondary? They are the necessary things. Doesn't it sound strange for necessary things to be secondary? It is simple. You die if you are deprived of air and water. But do you pay attention to your own breathing or drinking? No! Unless you are sick and rely on mechanical ventilation or undergo intravenous therapy. Food must go through digestion before absorption but we never pay attention to the peristalsis in our digestive tract. Clothing, food, shelter and transport are daily necessities. Since they are necessary, we can be satisfied with the minimum requirements. Living in a society, money is necessary. We only need to earn enough to feed our wives and children. Think of athletes. Diet is important but they will not put their strength and attention on diet but on coaching. Similarly, a designer or an engineer will not spend time on their own clothes or apartments. Thus, we should have a proper distribution of our attention, a little amount on necessary things and the most part on pursuing ideals and dreams! Surely, a man can survive without dreams or ideals. Thus ideals and dreams are not necessary. But have you not heard the famous line in a movie, "If a man has no dreams, what is the difference with a salted fish?" This is true. Although chasing dreams is not necessary, it fits into God's will because it is the seeking and building of God's Kingdom. God buries His image and potentials in us, waiting for us to make good use of it to build up the Kingdom of Heaven together. Thus, Jesus reminds us today, "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'" (Matthew 6:31) These are necessary. Thus simply meeting the minimum requirements is enough. Don't spend all your strength on them. Jesus then continues, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well." (6:33) Jesus reminds us once more that we should trust God with all our minds and hearts, seek the presence of the Kingdom of Heaven, pursue the ideals inspired by God and actualize our potentials. God will take care of the rest. This is the spirit of "purity in heart".

In married life, spouses devote to each other with all their hearts and minds. There is no room for the third party. This is "purity in heart" and we call this virtue "chastity". When they live together, "fuel, rice oil and salt" are necessities, earning money to pay rent is a necessity, educating children is also a necessity but we should not devote all our strength and attention to them. Roses are not necessary. Therefore, we should choose and buy the most beautiful roses for our wives. We will not lose our job even if we do not pray. We still lead our life even without praying with our wives. Therefore, work hard to organize family prayers, fight to go to masses with our spouses, receive ashes, fast and attend the Stations of the Cross in Lent together. In Amoris Lætitia, Pope Francis says, "... to contemplate our loved ones with the eyes of God and to see Christ in them." (AL#323) If we can see Christ, see God in our spouses, shall we have second thoughts?
God bless!

天主的公義是怎樣的 What is God's justice like?

常年期第七主日（甲年）
主題：天主的公義是怎樣的

人是按天主的肖像所做，故此，雖然人並不完美，但人仍有很多天主的特質。例如，天主是愛，人亦懂得愛的喜樂、愛的藝術；天主聖三是創造者，人亦有很多創意，並且在集體創作時，造出很多比個人獨力所能開發的更偉大的事業；天主是自由的，人亦享有自由，使他能把天主所賜的潛質，發揮到淋漓盡致。我們發覺到，人能做怎麼，或者擁有甚麼，都是出於天主，與天主有關的。且看，天主聖三是一個團體，人亦必須在團體中纔能生存。人在社群中生活，經常要作出取捨，放棄部份自由，遵守規矩，使整個社群能健康地運作和成長。甚麼規矩呢？就是運用一些「公平原則」去分配有限的資源。於是，我們反過來推測，天主也是公平的，公義的。不過，人的公義，始終和天主的公義，有天淵之別。

首先，人沒有能力掌握完全的資訊，所以作出決定時，是有一定程度的誤差。例如，法庭在証據不足的時候，不得不釋放一個殺人兇手或者錯判一個無辜的人。再加上人的貪念和自私，很多的公營或私營機構所作出影響民生的決定，都祗能在形式上公平（例如在投票決定時得到多數票地通過），但實質上是不公義的決定（例如一小撮人享受不合比例的利益）。

今天的福音，耶穌以「真福八端」有關「渴慕正義」的精神，來反省人類的「公平原則」。首先，耶穌針對看來公平的「以牙還牙、以眼還眼」原則，希望我們反省天主的公義要求的是甚麼。在人的層面，「以牙還牙」已經是非常公平了。在原始的人類社會，有力就是有理。你傷害我一個成員，我報仇殺你十個，來展示我的實力，讓你以後不敢再來侵犯。但梅瑟提出「等價交換」的原則，就是限制以色列人一個換一個。殺人就要填命，所以你殺我一個人，就把殺人兇手交出處決吧；你打脫我一顆牙，就讓我打掉你一顆牙！真的是公平嗎？我們很容易便看到這原則不能放諸四海皆準，很容易會發現到不合理的光景。例如，連環殺人犯殺害了十條人命，但他祗得一條命，又怎能等價交換呢？另一方面，一個已經沒有牙的人，又可以拿甚麼來還一隻牙給別人呢？因此，「殺人填命，以牙還牙」，說來動聽，但實行起來卻引出諸多的不公平。

在天主的眼中，所有人都是祂的子女，所以祂不希望骨肉相殘。「殺人填命」是錯的。既然一個天主的肖像，天主的傑作已經被殺害了，為甚麼要殺死另一個天主的傑作來陪葬是公平呢？殺死他可以令亡者復生嗎？在天主的眼中，豈不是雙重的損失嗎？
上星期已分析了殺人是出於忿怒，若能掌握和管理好自己的忿怒，便不會殺人了。報復不是即時的，故此不是出於衝動，而是懷恨在心，冷靜地部署復仇大計。因此要處理的，是容人的量。要有足夠大的寬容，使報復的心理不會滿溢。所以耶穌說，「若有人掌擊你的右頰，把另一面也轉給他…拿你內衣的，你連外衣也讓給他…強迫你走一千步，你就同他走兩千步。」（瑪5:39-41）就是說，不要為自己設下容忍的底線。例如，我頂多祗陪你走五百步，迫我陪你行一千步實在太過份了。耶穌說，看在天主份上，不設底線，多多益善。陪天主的肖像走一千步太少了，行二千步罷；祗給天主的傑作一件內衣，太不敬了，連外衣也讓給他。誠蒙賜教，掌擊我的右頰。可是，我是個愚蠢的人，一掌未能領教，請連左頰也打罷。

你會問做人怎可能沒有底線呢？還有原則可言嗎？甚麼也容許嗎？
要知道天主的公義，是人類公義的基礎。但天主的公義是甚麼呢？就是祂的旨意得以承行。人世間所有冤假錯案，祗有在末日公審判時，來一個了斷，所有枉死的人得到申冤。依撒意亞先知和聖詠集，不斷強調天主的正義在於祂的拯救。人被罪惡所傷害，不能完滿地發揮和完成天賦的潛質。天主的救贖在於釋放我們，使我們能達標，能完成目標。這就是天主的公義。從另一個角度看，天主是完美的，所以祂的作品是有質素保証的，但祂不會消極地毀滅不完美的作品來保証質素。每一件未完美的，天主會仔細琢磨他，使他完美。天主樂意看到祂的傑作能完滿發展，不願意看見他們互相破壞，互相殘殺。所以，「天主使太陽上升，光照惡人，也光照善人；降雨給義人，也給不義的人。」（5:45）天父就是這樣彰顯了自己的公義。同樣，耶穌期望我們，如同天父一樣成全（5:48）

所以，我們要泛愛眾人，包括我們的仇人，為迫害我們的人祈禱。（5:44）其實，最能傷害我們的，不是外人，而是自己人，自己的親人。正如教宗方濟各在【愛的喜樂】宗座勸諭所說，「家家有本難唸的經」，沒有家庭是完美的（AL#325）。但相信天主，祂要以家庭的愛幫助我們成長、成熟、成聖。「渴慕正義」的精神不在於把資源、把家務「平均分配」、不在於「以牙還牙」，在家中互相糾纏廝殺，而是在於每個人能從罪惡的束縛中釋放出來，得以自由地，沒有束縛地發展到天主心目中的目標。耶穌邀請我們不要為容忍設下底線，把左頰也轉給攻擊我們的人，有心理準備陪伴傷害我們的人付出多一倍的損失，是為了幫助自己，幫助他人，達到天父給我們各人定下的目標。大家努力，祈求聖神的助祐，在家中按「真福八端」的精神生活，互相扶持，在家庭生活中成聖。
天主保祐！

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Seventh Ordinary Sunday (Year A)
Theme: What is God's justice like?

Men were created in the image of God. Thus, though imperfect, men possess many characteristics of God. For example, God is love. Man is able to appreciate the joy of love, the art of loving. The Blessed Trinity is the Creator and man is creative. In collective creation, men are able to do greater things than an individual alone. God is free and men also enjoy freedom so that their God given potentials may fully develop. We discover that what we can do or possess all come from God, related to God. Take a look. The Blessed Trinity is a community and men must live in a community to survive. When men live in a community, they must give and take. They have to sacrifice some of their freedom, follow rules so that the whole community may move and grow. What are those rules? We apply some equality principles to distribute limited resources. Thus, we deduce that God must be fair and just. However, the justice of men is far below par God's justice.

Why? First of all, men are unable to gain access to complete information. When we make decisions, there will always be inaccuracies. For example, the court has to acquit a murder suspect or find an innocent person guilty because of incomplete or inaccurate evidence. On top of that, there is human greed and selfishness. Many decisions affecting the public can only be fair on the surface (e.g. passing a motion by a majority vote) but in fact an unfair one (e.g. a minority getting a disproportionate share of advantages).

In the gospel today, Jesus makes use of the spirit of "hunger and thirst for righteousness" to reflect on our principles of justice. First of all, Jesus took on the equality principle of "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" to help us understand the principle of divine justice. On the human level, "a tooth for a tooth" is already very fair. In savage societies, might is right. You harm one of my members, I will kill yours ten to show my might and deter you from coming back. But Moses laid down a principle of "homovalent exchange" to contain damages. Blood is repaid by blood. So, you kill one of my men. Then, hand over the murderer for execution. You break one of my teeth. Then I break one of yours. Isn't it fair enough? We can easily see the flaws in this principle. For example, imagine a serial killer who has killed ten people but he has only one life. How can any exchange be of the same value? On the other hand, what can a toothless man give in exchange for another man's tooth? Therefore, "a tooth for a tooth" sounds fair but in practice, it brings out much injustice.

In God's eyes, all of us are His children. Therefore, He does not want to see us kill each other. Blood is repaid by blood is wrong! An image, a masterpiece of God is killed, how can killing another masterpiece to bury with the dead masterpiece be fair? Will the killing bring the dead back to life? In the eyes of God, isn't this a double loss?
Last Sunday, we learn that murder springs from anger. If we can manage our anger, we will not kill. But revenge is not immediate. It is not impulsive but rationally planned. Therefore, we need to manage our tolerance. We must have a big enough tolerance so that vengeance will not overspill. Jesus says, "But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if anyone would … take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." (Matthew 5:39-41) That is to say, do not set yourself a bottom line of tolerance. For example, I am prepared to walk half a mile. It is unreasonable of you to force me to walk a mile. Jesus tells us, for the sake of God, not to set any bottom line. The more is the better. It is too little to walk with the image of God for one mile. Walk two miles. It is not respectful to give the masterpiece of God your coat only. Give him your cloak as well. The image of God strikes my right cheek to teach me a lesson. But I am not smart. One strike is not enough to press the message across. Strike my left cheek as well.

You may ask how there can be no bottom line and no principle. Is anything permissible?
Firstly of all, we need to know that the justice of God is the foundation of human justice. But what is the justice of God? It is that His will be done. There are many cases on earth in which justice is miscarried. They can only be rectified in the Last Judgment at the end of the world. Isaiah and the Psalms stress repeatedly that the justice of God is His salvation. Humanity is harmed by sins and is unable to fully actualize the potentials given by God. God's salvation is our liberation from bondages so that we may reach the target which God intends for us. This is the justice of God. From another perspective, God is perfect so the quality of His production is guaranteed. But God will not destroy His products to guarantee the quality of His production. He will carefully polish any imperfect product to make it perfect. God loves to see the full development of His masterpieces. He does not want to see them harming, killing each other. Thus, "he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (5:45) This is how the Father manifests His justice. Similarly, Jesus expects us to "be perfect, as your heavenly Father, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (5:48)

Thus, we need to love all men, including our enemies, "to pray for those who persecute you." (5:44) In fact, those who hurt us most are not outsiders, but family members. Just as what Pope Francis says in Amoris Lætitia, "No family drops down from heaven perfectly formed; families need constantly to grow and mature in the ability to love…" (AL#325) Believe in God, He will help us grow, mature and sanctified. The spirit of "hunger and thirst for justice" does not mean sharing resources, time, space and house chores equally. It does not mean applying "a tooth for a tooth" within the family but to release every member from the bondage of sins so that they may freely develop into the target God intends them. Jesus invites us not to set a bottom line of tolerance. Turn the other cheek. Be prepared to pay double the price in order to help ourselves and others to reach the target God sets for everybody. Let's work hard and pray to the Holy Spirit for support. Let us lead our family life in the spirit of the Beatitudes, supporting each other in our sanctification in family life.
God bless!

以溫柔聖潔度婚姻生活 Lead the married life in tenderness and holiness

常年期第六主日（甲年）
主題：以溫柔聖潔度婚姻生活

所有的文明，都建立了婚姻制度，用來保障男女雙方能在一個有支援的環境中，建立家庭，生兒育女，享受夫妻生活。中國人說甚麼「夫唱婦隨」、「鸞鳳和鳴」、「琴瑟和諧」、「相敬如賓」、「舉案齊眉」等，表達了中國人心目中，夫婦和諧地相處的境況。不過，在現實生活中，中國人是一個很務實的民族，於是有一句「兄弟如手兄，夫妻如衣服」的俗語，給貪新忘舊的男人一個任性的藉口。不幸「任性」成了破壞美滿婚姻的毒藥。

基督徒很嚴肅地看待婚姻，把婚姻生活看作「聖洗聖事」的完滿，是一所「成聖的訓練場」。透過聖洗聖事，我們脫去舊我，蒙召成聖，成為一個新造的人；再透過婚姻生活中各種甜酸苦辣鹹的經歷和磨煉，使我們更肖似天主聖三，使我們得以成聖。婚姻生活不是王子與公主結婚的童話故事，家庭亦不是「從此快快樂樂地生活下去」的埸所。婚姻生活、家庭生活既享有很多權利，同時亦要分擔義務。這些權利和義務，是以愛來凝聚的，而愛並不是抽象的。

教宗方濟各在去年頒佈的【愛的喜樂】宗徒勸諭中，非常具體和實際的地說：「在家庭裡，有三句話是不可少的。讓我在此重提一次：『請』、『謝謝』、『對不起』。這三句話非常重要！…在家庭裡，我們不應表現霸道，而應問：『可以嗎？』；在家庭裡，不應表現自私，而應學習：『謝謝。』；在家庭裡，當察覺自己做錯事，應懂得說：『對不起。』那麼家庭必享有平安喜樂。」（AL #133）

「真福八端」有如十誡，指導基督徒如何在生活中成聖。「十誡」是一般人、所有人所應遵守的，但「真福八端」是基督徒的生活態度，基督徒之所以是基督徒，就是生活出這些特徵。所以，按「真福八端」的精神度婚姻生活，家庭生活，就是藉家庭生活成聖的步驟。過去兩個星期，我重覆提到「真福八端」中的「溫良」和「憐憫」是獲得喜樂平安的家庭生活，必須具備的態度，而「哀慟」就是面對困難和危機時的應有態度。今天的福音，繼續發揚「真福八端」的精神。讓我們默想這些教訓如何應用到家庭生活中。

「真福八端」教導我們應該「溫良」。甚麼是「溫良」呢？教宗在【愛的喜樂】中指出，溫良是出於對別人的尊重。為甚麼要尊重家人呢？難道做父親的，要尊敬自己的子女嗎？這樣，中國人的「三綱五常」，那些倫理道德的基礎豈不蕩然無存了嗎？但信天主的人，相信所有的人都是天主按自己的肖像所造的，所以夫婦不能佔有對方（AL#320），祗可以妥善地愛護對方，令她沒有皺紋、使她聖潔而沒有污點。（弗5：27）；子女亦不是父母的財產，他們有自己的人生（AL#18）做父母的應幫助他們成長和學習處理困難，而不是強迫他們達成自己的願望。無論做夫妻抑或是父母，總要尊重對方的人格和自由，不可強加自己的意願到對方身上。尊重對方就會戰戰兢兢地接近他們，惟恐傷害到對方，剝奪了對方的自由（AL#127）。這樣相處就不會任性、不會隨意發怒、不會惡言相向、繼而使用暴力…。

今天，耶穌提昇了「不可殺人」的誡命到不可發怒的層次，因為殺人的根源來自憤怒。人為甚麼在家中發怒呢？因為在外面受了氣，而家中的成員又不跟隨我的旨意。為甚麼希望別人跟隨我的旨意呢？因為人自私，渴望擁有和控制。這樣就違反了「溫良」的精神了。所以，當我們能以「尊重」取代忿怒，以「溫良」取代暴力。這樣，我們就做到了「溫良」的真福。

「真福八端」所說的「心裡潔淨」原本指「一心一意」欽崇一天主在萬有之上。但人缺乏安全感，要買保險，留有後路，拜天主之餘也拜財神。不能「一心一意」，就不能「心裡潔淨」了。由這個專一的意思，引申到夫妻關係，就是婚姻的排他性，從一而終，不容許第三者的出現。而「心裡潔淨」就從信仰上引申到性倫理之上了。今天，耶穌提昇了「不可姦淫」的誡命到不可放縱自己的慾望，不可見異思遷而離婚的層面上去。【愛的喜樂】一再強調「預防勝於治癒」，所以教宗要求為人父母的，除了自己不任性，不貪慕美色，見異思遷之外，更要幫助子女接受正確的性教育，使他們加深自我認識，發展自控能力，培養喜樂和相愛的重要習性，從而導引他們的性衝動（AL#280）。

因為時間所限，今天祗能和大家分享婚姻生活的一鱗半爪。請記住，婚姻是一件聖事，天主藉這聖事祝福夫婦，賜給他們聖寵，幫助他們善度婚姻生活。沒有這些祝福和恩寵，婚姻生活就好像建築在沙土上房屋（AL#8）。一切取決於人的自由選擇。就讓我們本著「真福八端」的態度生活，白頭到老，永結同心，在婚姻生活中成聖。
天主保祐！

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Sixth Ordinary Sunday (Year A)
Theme: Lead the married life in tenderness and holiness

The social institution of marriage exists in all civilizations to protect men and women so that they may build a family, raise their children and enjoy their married life in a supportive environment. Many Chinese idioms express the harmonious state between husbands and wives. For example, "Husbands sing, their wives follow", "Phoenix couple hark harmoniously", "Qin and zither pluck harmoniously", "Couple respect each other like guests" and "Raise the bowl to the level of the brows" etc. However, in real life situations, Chinese men are a pragmatic people. They have an idiom "Brothers are like limbs while couples like clothes" which gives men an excuse to be capricious. Unfortunately, capriciousness is a poison to a happy family life.

Christians take marriage seriously. They see marriage as the fulfilment of the Sacrament of Baptism, a training ground for sanctification. Through Baptism, we take off our old selves, are called to sainthood and become a new creation. Then through the various sweet, sour, bitter, chilly and salty experiences and trials in the marriage life, we become more like the Blessed Trinity. We are sanctified. The married life is not a fairy tale of the marriage between a prince and a princess. Nor is the family a place where they live happily thereafter. There are many privileges in the married, family life. It carries many obligations at the same time. These privileges and obligations are glued together with love and love is not abstract.

In "Amoris Lætitia" the Apostolic Exhortation which he issued last year, Pope Francis makes it concrete and says, "In the family, three words need to be used. I want to repeat this! Three words: 'Please', 'Thank you', 'Sorry'. Three essential words! In our families when we are not overbearing and ask: 'May I?'; in our families when we are not selfish and can say: 'Thank you!'; and in our families when someone realizes that he or she did something wrong and is able to say 'Sorry!', our family experiences peace and joy." (AL #133)

Like the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes guide Christians to lead a life to sanctification. The Ten Commandments are meant for all men whereas the Beatitudes are the proper attitudes of Christians. Christians are Christians because they live out these characteristics. Thus, leading the married life in the spirit of the Beatitudes in the family is the staircase to sanctification. In the past two weeks, I said again and again that "meekness" and "mercy" of the Beatitudes are essential attitudes to achieve a joyful and peaceful family life whereas "mournfulness" helps us face difficulties and challenges in life. Today, the gospel passage continues to develop the spirit of the Beatitudes. Let us meditate how these teachings apply to our daily life.

The Beatitudes demand us to be meek. What is meekness? In Amoris Lætitia, Pope Francis points out that tenderness come from the respect we pay others. Why should we respect our family members? How can a father respect his children? Then the foundation of Chinese morality, the "Three Mainstays and Five Constant Virtues" will be shaken. For those who believe in God, we believe that men were created in God's image. Thus, "each spouse realizes that the other is not his or her own." (AL#320). They can only love their spouses carefully, make them "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5:27) Similarly, "children are not the property of a family, but have their own lives to lead." (AL#18) Parents should help them grow and learn how to handle difficulties instead of imposing their own ambitions on them. Whether being spouses or parents, they should respect the personality and freedom of the others and should not shove their own will down the others' throat. With respect, we "approach a person with … a certain dread of causing them harm or taking away their freedom." (AL#127) In this way, we will not be capricious, will not be angry whimsically, will not bark at each other and resort to violence …

Today, Jesus elevates the "Thou shall not kill" Commandment to the level of anger control because anger is the root of murder. Why do we vent our anger on our family members? It is all because we were scolded in our work and our family members do not obey our will. Why do we want others to follow our will? It is because men are selfish. They desire to possess and to control. This goes against the spirit of meekness. Thus, when we replace anger with respect, violence with tenderness, we achieve the Beatitude of Meekness.

"Purity of heart" means worshipping God with one heart one mind. But men lack a sense of security. They buy insurance and prepare contingency plans. They worship both God and Mammon. If we cannot devote ourselves completely to God, our hearts are not pure. Applying this idea to spousal relationship, it becomes the exclusivity of marriage. Till death we part and have no room for the third party. "Purity of heart" has migrated from religion to morality. Today, Jesus elevates the "Thou shall not commit adultery" to lust control, forbidding divorce for the sake of novelty. Amoris Lætitia emphasizes "prevention is better than cure". Therefore, the Pope told parents, besides not being capricious, lustful and desirous of novelty, they should give children proper sex education so that "The sexual urge can be directed through a process of growth in self-knowledge and self-control capable of nurturing valuable capacities for joy and for loving encounter." (AL#280)

Due to the shortage of time, I can only share with you bits and pieces about married life. Remember, marriage is a sacrament with which God blesses husbands and wives, gives them grace and help them lead a good married life. Without these blessings and grace, married life is like a house built on sand (AL#8). Everything is decided by our free choice. Let us live out the spirit of the Beatitudes. May the hair of husbands and wives greys together and their hearts lock in one and be sanctified in their married life.
God bless!

推測【思高聖經】沿用「亞巴郎」而不用「亞巴辣罕」的原因 Why does the Chinese Catholic Bible insisting on using Abram?

推測【思高聖經】沿用「亞巴郎」而不用「亞巴辣罕」的原因

「Abram亞巴郎」在聖經中祗出現了54次，而「Abraham亞巴辣罕」共231次。【思高聖經】卻堅持沿用「亞巴郎」，在創世紀十七章的註釋說：「…從本章6節亞巴郎一名應作『亞貝辣罕』，但因亞巴郎一名已習用，故不改。」 ¹

從數字上看，這個理由欠信服力，因為不公平。的確在創世紀第十一章至十七章五節，「亞巴郎」共出現了52次，習慣了。但在創世紀餘下的章節，「亞巴辣罕」出現了109次，餘下的122次散見在出谷紀及其餘的書卷。翻譯不是為求「信、雅、達」嗎？從文化上看，在英語世界，認識Abraham的人不一定知道他原本是稱為Abram的。所以，【思高聖經】的取態，不是「習慣」那麼簡單。且看瑪竇福音廿一章「二子的比喻」的翻譯，無論是希臘文，拉丁文，英文或其他語文，都說是第一個兒子起初說不去葡萄園工作，後來改變主意，依父親的意願去了。惟有【思高聖經】力排眾議，譯出「後一個」兒子起初不去，後來悔改去了。我曾去信請教黃國華神父，他說他們根據一個有權威的手抄本譯的，選擇它，因為它配合「最後的將成了最先的」福音教訓！所以，堅持不用「亞巴辣罕」的原因，不應是用了52次而成了習慣那麼簡單。

用中文讀創世紀很吃虧，因為創世紀是一本來源紀，嘗試解釋為甚麼這地方、那個人叫這樣的名字。「亞巴郎Abram」由ab+ram組成，是「Abiram阿彼蘭」（戶16:1）的縮寫。Ab希伯來文解作「父親」，而abi解作「我的父親」。「ram/rum郎/蘭」在希伯來文，解作「崇高的」，因此，「阿彼蘭」可解作「我的父親是崇高的」，「至高者是我的父親」等。於是，「亞巴郎」可解作「崇高之父」、「至高之父」，甚至「至高者是我的父親」等。

「raham辣罕」又是怎樣解呢？
可惜，希伯來文竟然沒有raham一字！它是一個「文字遊戲word play」，是跟著的兩個字 「萬民hamon goyim: of many nations」所串成，但串成的字不是希伯來文！即是說，創世紀的作者，想解釋「亞巴辣罕」是「萬民之父」的意思，但不要期望造出來的字是完整的希伯來文。

我猜想（祗是猜想，未向黃神父求証，所以絕對可以討論），真福雷永明神父一定很清楚知道，聖經從創世紀第十七章六節起，已不再用Abram。但在「至高者是我的父親Abram」與「萬民之父Abraham」之間，他（或他的團隊）選擇了指向天主，而不是指向個人的翻譯─「亞巴郎，至高者是我的父親」─是深厚靈修的成果。的確，亞巴郎豈祗是「萬民之父」，他更是我們的「信仰之父」（羅4:16，彌撒感恩經第一式）。因此，沿用「亞巴郎」是可取的，可敬的。

郭志強
2017年2月9日

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¹一九六八年十二月香港初版，一九八四年六月台灣六版，29頁

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A Hypothesis on why the Chinese Catholic Bible (Studium Biblicum version) insists on translating Abraham亞巴辣罕as Abram亞巴郎

"Abram" appears 54 times in the KJV Bible and "Abraham" 231 times. The Chinese Catholic Bible (Studium Biblicum version) insists on translating "Abraham" as "Abram". In its footnote on Genesis 17, it says "... beginning at version 6 of this chapter, "Abram" should read "Abraham". Since "Abram" has been habitually used, therefore we do not change it."

Numerically, the reason is not convincing because it is unfair. Truly, "Abram" appears 52 times between Genesis 11 and 17:5. It is in habitual use. However, in the remaining parts of Genesis, "Abraham" appears 109 times and 122 times in the rest of the Bible. Shouldn’t translations be faithful? From the cultural point of view, in the English speaking world, people who know "Abraham" might not know that he was originally called "Abram". Therefore, the decision of the translators in Studium Biblicum must be more than "being habitual".

Take a look at her translation of the "Parable of the Two Son" in Matthew 21. Despite the fact that all known versions of the passage --- Greek, Latin, English or whatever --- tell a story in which the first son refused to work in the vineyard at first but changed his mind later, Studium Biblicum insists on making the second son refused first and repented later. I wrote to Fr. Placid Wong, OFM to seek his opinion. He said that the translation was based on an authoritative manuscript. They chose it in order to harmonize it with the gospel teaching of the last becoming the first. Thus, I suspect that insisting on not using Abraham must be more than being habitual.

Reading Genesis in Chinese is disadvantageous. Genesis is a book of etymology. It tries to explain why a location or a person is called by such names. "Abram" is made up of ab+ram. It is a contraction from Abiram (Numbers 16:1). "ab" means "father" in Hebrew and "abi", "our father". "ram/rum" means "exalted". So, "Abiram" means "My father is exalted" or "The Exalted One is my Father" etc. Therefore, "Abram" means "The Exalted father" or even "The Exalted One is my Father" etc.

What about "raham"?
Unfortunately, there is no such word "raham" in Hebrew! It is a word play of combining the following two words "hamon goyim, of many nations" into one which results in an alien word. That is to say, the author of Genesis wanted to explain that "Abraham" means "the father of many nations" but don’t expect it to be a legal Hebrew word.

I hypothesize (I have not sought proof from Fr. Placid Wong, OFM. There is still room for discussion) that Blessed Fr. Gabriele Allegra OFM must have known very clearly that the Bible no longer uses "Abram" since Genesis 17:6. But between "Abram: the Exalted One is my Father" and "Abraham: The father of many nations", he (or his team) chose a rendition which points to God and not to man --- "Abram: the Exalted One is my Father". It is a choice of deep spirituality. Indeed, Abram is more than "the father of many nations". He is "the father of our faith" (Romans 4:16, Eucharistic Prayer I). "Abram" is a good and respectable choice.

Deacon Alex Kwok
February 9, 2017.

家庭生活中的「味」 Various tastes in family life

常年期第五主日（甲年）
主題：家庭生活中的「味」

人有五官，包括視覺、聽覺、嗅覺、味覺和觸覺，都是為了生存而進化出來的。不過，隨著生活環境的改變，我們倚重了某些感官，包括視覺和聽覺，而忽略了其餘感官。科學家對視覺聽覺作了很多的研究，可見我們對它們的重視。反觀其餘的感官，就少了研究，並不那麼重視。其實這是不妥當的，因為其餘這三種感官所接收的訊息，在我們的神經系統中停留的時間比較長，所以有助我們的記憶。相信大家都有經驗，嗅到某些香氣，嚐到某些味道，立刻令你記起某個地方、某些人物或某些事件，鉤起您的感情。

在進食的時候，我們通常把味覺和嗅覺聯合運用，講究食物的香和味。生活水平高了，更要求食物在視覺上悅目；再進一步，追求進食過程中，色香味的變化。人的味覺能辨別酸、苦、甘、辛和鹹；除了味的類別之外，還有濃淡的分別。我們更把人生的際遇與味道配對，用「含辛茹苦」、「辛酸血淚」來形容艱難的生活，用「甜蜜」來形容談戀愛，甚至用「味如嚼爉」來形容枯燥無味的生活。而五味之中，「鹹」是最重要的，它能調和及提昇其他味道的感覺，令它更適合人的口味。最為人熟悉的例子莫過於吃西瓜的時候要加少許鹽，襯托出甜味。用味道來形容生活，的確是十分傳神。所以，今天的福音是特別有意義的，因為生活必須有味道。度有意義的生活，令人回味無窮。否則，生活失去意義，生活變得枯燥無味。

可惜社會變了，生活傾斜了。人的生活富裕了，追求快樂，逃避痛苦變得理所當然。在香港，很多外國引入的食物，全部加甜了。為甚麼呢？科學家告訴我們，甜的食物，例如朱古力，在我們的身體內產生「安多酚」，給我們愉快的感覺。其實要產生「安多酚」除了吃甜品外，還可以做運動，出一身汗。吃甜品和做運動，您會怎樣選擇呢？「好逸惡勞」是人類，尤其是現代人的傾向。所以很多人寧可食甜品而放棄做運動，結果變得癡肥甚至患上糖尿病。

今天的福音是緊隨「真福八端」之後，而「真福八端」是基督徒生活的大憲章，指導我們如何生活。生活就是祗顧「一味」追求快樂，追求甘甜的味道，濃郁的味道嗎？「真福八端」不是這樣說。神貧，是苦中帶甜的。哀慟，是酸辣的，令人流淚的。溫良是清淡溫馨的甜，飢渴慕義是辣的；憐憫是鹹和苦的；心裡潔淨是澹泊而酸甜的；締造和平，四出奔走是酸甜帶鹹的。最後，為義而受迫害，可以說是濃烈而五味俱全的。

今天的福音，把基督徒比喻為「地上的鹽」（瑪5:13a），是有道理的。基督徒應該是最有味道的人，而五味之中，以鹹味最為重要。所以基督徒應有「鹹」味。是甚麼意思呢？是指基督徒應有人情味，當他們按「真福八端」生活的話，他們便是充滿人情味的人。跟著，耶穌警告說，「鹽若失了味…再毫無用途，祗好拋在外邊，任人踐踏。」（5:13b）所以，當福音說「鹽失了味」，就是指失去了基督徒本質的有形無實的基督徒，即是那些自稱基督徒，但不按「真福八端」來生活的人。

教會以各種形式，幫助基督徒按「真福八端」生活。去年的慈悲禧年，就特別強調「哀慟、溫良和憐憫」。今年教區以「婚姻、家庭、生命」作為牧民的焦點，延續慈悲禧年的精神，就是在家庭生活中，實踐真福八端，尤其是「哀慟、溫良和憐憫」。
首先，我們應該實踐的，就是「憐憫」家中的成員，不以自我為中心，卻從其他家庭成員的益處出發，體諒他們的困難，原諒他們的過失。這將會是有血有淚的，所以是痛苦的，所流的眼淚是鹹的。在家同檯吃飯的時候，您祗顧著自己的手機嗎？您夾餸的時候有沒有留給其他人呢？您有關懷家人近來遭遇到甚麼事件，還是祗顧吃自己的飯呢？一家人是不可以懷有「隔夜仇」的，「不可讓太陽在你們含怒時西落。（弗4:26）

對家人「溫良」，就是溫柔地對待家人，小心翼翼地相處，唯恐傷害了他們；應尊重他們，不願強加自己的意願到他們身上。這甜蜜是清淡的。夫妻是相愛的，兄弟姊妹是友愛的，見証「天主是愛」。做子女的，有沒有顧及父母工作的辛勞，分擔他們的家務呢？有沒有渴望換手機，而沒有顧及家中的經濟狀況呢？子女選科的時候、參觀大學開放日的時候，作為父母的有沒有變成怪獸呢？

「哀慟」就是鼓起勇氣，面對罪惡和痛苦，所以是酸的，是辣的。基督徒是不會停滯在哀慟的階段。他們憑天主的恩寵，化哀慟為力量，解決產生罪惡和痛苦的問題根源。新婚夫婦是濃情蜜意的，日子久了，很多事情變得理所當然了，缺乏溝通了，甚至因工作關係，出現第三者了…繼續逃避痛苦，離婚收場嗎？還是以「哀慟」的精神面對問題，尋求輔導去處理問題呢？用諱疾忌醫的態度對待病苦，或者交通意外、失業和老化，還是面對現實去處理呢？

作為基督徒，作為「地上的鹽」，要有人情味，活出「真福八端」的精神，體驗天主賜予我們一生之中的各種種滋味，不枉此生。
天主保祐！

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Fifth Ordinary Sunday (Year A)
Theme: Various tastes in family life

We have five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch which are consequences of evolution for survival. As our living environment changes, we rely on some senses, such as sight and hearing more than the others. Scientists have done a lot of researches on sight and hearing. This shows the importance of these two senses. The remaining senses receive less attention. However, it is not proper because the information received through these senses stays longer in our nervous system and facilitates our long term memory. I am sure all of us must have gone through such experiences as when you smell or taste something, immediately you recall a location, or a person or some events and their accompanied emotions.

When we have our meals, usually we make use of our senses of smell and taste together. When our living standard improves, we demand the food to look pleasing. Still more, we seek changes of colours, smell and tastes during the process of consumption. Our taste buds can detect five different sensations: sour, bitter, sweet, chilly and salty. On top of that, our tongue can tell difference in concentrations. Furthermore, we like to label our life experiences in terms of tastes. For example in Chinese, we use "to savour chilliness and drink bitterness", "chilly, sour and bloody tears" to describe a harsh life and "sweet like honey" to talk about dating. We even describe a meaningless and routine life as "taste like chewing wax". Among the five tastes, saltiness is the most important. It is able to harmonize and sublime other tastes to make them more enjoyable. The best known example is to add a pinch of salt on water melon to bring out its sweetness. Using tastes to describe life is very vivid. Therefore, the gospel passage today is meaningful in a special way because life must be savoured. Leading a meaningful life brings infinitely many tasteful memories while a meaningless one is void and tasteless.

Unfortunately our society has changed and become lope-sided. Our life has become affluent. Seeking happiness and avoiding pains have been taken for granted. In Hong Kong, many foreign dishes are sweetened. Why? Scientists tell us that sweet food, such as chocolate, stimulates our brain to secrete endorphin which produces the sense of happiness. There are other ways to produce endorphin such as working out. Now between eating desserts and working out, what would you choose? Laziness is a human, in particular modern men's, inclination. Many people prefer eating sweet snacks to working out in gymnasium. Consequently, many people become obese or have contracted diabetes.

The gospel passage today follows immediately the Beatitudes form the Magna Carta of Christian life. They are guidelines of how Christians should lead their life. Do we seek only pleasure, sweetness and strong tastes in life? The Beatitudes say not. Spiritual poverty is bitter and sweet. Mournfulness is sour and chilly. Meekness is lightly and warmly sweet. Hunger for justice is chilly. Mercy is salty and bitter. Purity of heart is a dilute sweet-sour. Running around for peace making is sweet-sour mixed with saltiness. Lastly, persecution for the sake of justice is a strong taste of all five.

In the gospel passage today, it is reasonable for Jesus to compare Christians to the "salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13a). Christians should be tasteful people. Among the five, saltiness is the most important as shown above. Thus Christians should be "salty"! What does that mean? It means Christians should be compassionate. When they follow the Beatitudes to lead their life, they will be full of compassion. Jesus warns, "If salt has lost its tastes ... it is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men." (5:13b). When the gospel says, "salt losing its taste", it means losing the essence of being a Christian. Such a Christian only claims to be Christian but is no longer a Christian because he does not lead his life according to the Beatitudes.

The Catholic Church helps us to lead a life in accordance with the Beatitudes in various ways. Last year, the Jubilee of Mercy stressed more on being "mournful, meek and merciful". This year, the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong makes "marriage, family and life" the focus of pastoral ministry in order to continue the spirit of the Jubilee of Mercy. That is to say, we put the Beatitudes, in particular mournfulness, meekness and mercy into practice in our family life. First of all, we should be merciful towards our family members. We should not be egocentric but start with the benefits of the other family members, understand their difficulties and forgive their faults. Surely there will be blood and tears. That is why mercy is bitter and the tear of mercy is salty. When you have meals at home, are you still holding your mobile phone? When you take the vegetables, do you leave some for the others? Do you care about what is going on recently with the others or just eat your own dish? Family members should not hold grudges overnight. St. Paul says, "Do not let the sun go down on your anger." (Ephesians 4:26)

Meekness towards family members means to treat them tenderly, cautiously lest hurting them. Respect them and refrain from imposing your will on them. This sweetness is light. Love between husband and wife, among siblings bears witness to "God is love". As children, do we care about the exhaustion of parents and share the house chores? Do you desire to buy a new mobile without caring about the financial situation of the family? When children choose subjects, visit open days of universities, do parents turn "monsters"?

Being mournful is to face evil and pains courageously. Thus it is bitter and chilly. Christians do not stop short being mournful. With the grace of God, they turn mourning into strength to deal with the sources of evil and pains. Newlyweds are sweet. But in time, many things are taken for granted and communication is in want. Because of work, the "third party" appears ... Should we continue to evade pains and end up in divorce? Or should we face the problem in the spirit of mournfulness to seek counselling to handle the problem? Are we reticent and refuse to talk about illness, accidents, unemployment and ageing in the family or face the reality to handle them?

As Christians, as the salt of the earth, we must be compassionate to live up the spirit of the Beatitudes, to savour all sorts of tastes God bestows us in our life. Then we will not waste our life.
God bless!

運用恩寵 Making use of Grace

二月四日
（谷6:30-34）
主題：運用恩寵

擁有錢財的人，會顧慮如何保值和增值。同樣，充滿天主恩寵的人，自然會擔心天主的恩寵會不會流失。答案是肯定會的！
上文提到做基督徒，第一要遵守誡命，第二要培養良好的生活習慣，第三要心存謙下。做齊三樣，天主的恩寵便會滾滾而來。問題在於，我們能保存這滾滾而來的恩寵，使它不致於流失嗎？倘若流失比輸入多，恐怕晚節不保了！其實這種想法是錯誤的，因為恩寵是一種很有趣的東西，是沒有辦法儲存的，祗能運用的。即是說，倘若我們不運用天主的恩寵，它便會逐漸消失。

舉例，音樂家、藝術家的天賦，我們稱之為「寵佑」，是天主的恩寵，幫助我們完成一件任務。倘若不運用來作曲、演奏和創作的話，這些恩寵便會「生銹」甚至消失。世上還有另外一種事物，有如恩寵，不運用便會消失。它就是「時間」。其實，我們在世時間的長短，不也是天主的恩寵嗎？

既然「時間」和「恩寵」都是不運用便消失的「物體」，要「保存」它的惟一辦法就是不斷運用它。而作為耶穌基督的跟隨者，運用「時間」和「恩寵」的最有效方法，莫過於培養一顆憐憫的心。因為作為門徒，師傅做怎麼，我們跟著做怎麼，雖不中不遠矣。且看耶穌對癩病人（谷1:41，路17:13）；附魔人（谷5:19）；大夥群眾（6:34，8:2）；附魔兒童父子（9:22，路9:38）；巴爾提買（谷10:47）；納因城的寡婦（路7:13）等人的憐憫，表露無遺。所以，倘若我們未能拿出憐憫的心，我們算不上是基督徒。

屯積恩寵，與屯積錢財沒有分別，最後祗會化為烏有。惟有不斷地對人、對大地慈悲，我們會獲得更多天父的慈悲─我們的終極救贖。
天父啊！讓我們親見祢的慈愛，並以愛還愛。亞孟。

生命恩泉

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February 4, 2017
(Mark 6:30-34)
Theme: Making use of Grace

People who possess money worry about how to keep or even increase value. Similarly, people who are filled with God's grace worry about losing it. The answer is affirmative!
As mentioned in previous article, being Christians, the first step is to keep the commandments. The second step is to build up good habits and the third is to be humble. With these three steps, God's grace will continually flow to you. The problem is whether we can keep the grace coming without losing it. If the outflow is bigger than the inflow, we will run out of grace in the end! This way of thinking is wrong because grace is an interesting thing. We cannot keep it. We can only use it. That is to say, if we do not make use of God's grace, it will vanish.

For example, we call the talents of musicians and artists "actual grace". It is a grace which helps us accomplish a mission. If it is not used in composing, in performing or in creating, this grace will rust in time and even vanish. There is one other thing on earth which, like grace, will vanish if not used. It is "time". In fact, isn't our life span on earth a grace of God?

If "time" and "grace" vanish unused, the only way to "keep" them is to make use of them. As followers of Jesus Christ, the most effective way to make use of "time" and "grace" is to cultivate a compassionate heart. As disciples, imitating what our Master did will not miss the mark. See how Jesus showed compassion to lepers (Mark 1:41, Luke 17:13); the possessed (Mark 5:19); great crowds (6:34, 8:2); father and possessed son (9:22, Luke 9:38); Bartimaeus (Mark 10:47) and the widow in Nain (Luke 7:13). So, if we do not possess a compassionate heart, we are not Christians.

Accumulating grace is not different from accumulating money. Both will vanish in the end. Only by being compassionate to men and to the earth can we obtain more mercy from the Father --- our ultimate redemption.
Heavenly Father, Let us see Your mercy with our own eyes and love all in return. Amen.

虛心渴慕天主的慈愛 Humbly desire God's mercy

二月三日
主題：虛心渴慕天主的慈愛

是甚麼事物令人拒絕天主的恩寵呢？黑落德王的故事是一個經典的個案。
權勢削弱了黑落德的自我約束能力。當自己兄弟斐理伯的妻子黑落狄雅，主動投懷送抱時候，黑落德便把梅瑟的法律拋諸腦後，掃到地氈底，肆無忌憚地享受飛來艷福。當若翰洗者履行先知的任務，苦口婆心告誡他的時候，這是天主給予黑落德一個悔改的機會。可惜黑落德沒有理會。之後，黑落德高估了自己的聰明，以為把洗者若翰收監，便可以保護他不受黑落狄雅的謀害。可惜，酗酒進一步削弱了他的自衛能力。他當眾許下的諾言，不但暴露了他心底的淫慾，更把自己推向騎虎難下的處境。最後，黑落德敗於自己的淫慾（貪戀黑落狄雅的女兒）和驕傲（為了誓言和同席的人）之下，殺死了洗者若翰。

從黑落德王的個案，可見遵守天主的誡命，是第一度防線，亦是領受天主恩寵的基本功。現代人，尤其是接受過少許神學訓練的人，很容易看輕罪過，覺得祗要凡事憑良心做人，問心無悔，便不算犯大罪。這是危險的。且看，黑落德也是「好心」監禁洗者若翰，結果做了壞事。所以，第二步必須下苦功修德，培養健康的生活習慣，掌握自己的慾望。孔子曾這樣說：「吾未見好德如好色者。」【論語‧子罕】可見，人不能低估性慾的生命力，我們必須把它昇華，去建設家庭、社會和文化。最後，我們必須存心謙下，不能讓驕傲充昏頭腦，作出後悔莫及的決定。因謙遜而認識到自己的不足，全心渴求天主的恩寵。這樣，天主恩寵必滾滾而來。
天父啊！讓我們能真心渴慕祢的慈愛。亞孟。
生命恩泉

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February 3, 2017
(Mark 6:14-29)
Theme: Humbly desire God's mercy

What makes people reject the grace of God? The story of Herod Antipas is a classic case.
Authority reduced the self-restrain of Herod. When his brother's wife Herodias seduced him, Herod forgot all about the Mosaic Law and swept them under the carpet and enjoyed this unasked for affair. In discharging his prophetic role, John the Baptist reprimanded him. Actually, God was giving Herod an opportunity to repent. It was a pity that Herod ignored it. Then Herod overestimated his own intelligence. He thought that by putting the Baptist in his custody, Herodias would not have any chance to murder the Baptist. Unfortunately, drunkenness further reduced his self-defence. When he vowed in the public, not only was his lust exposed, but he also pushed himself into a dilemma. In the end, Herod was defeated by his own lust (of Herodias' daughter) and pride (of his vow and before his guests) and had the Baptist beheaded.

From the case of Herod, we can see that obeying the commandments is the first line of defence. It is also the foundation of receiving God's grace. Modern people, especially those who have received some superficial theological trainings, do not take sins seriously enough. They feel that when they act according to their conscience without regret, the wrongs are not sins. This attitude is dangerous. Take a look at Herod. He put the Baptist into prison out of good intention. In the end, he killed the Baptist. Thus, the second step is to work really hard to cultivate noble virtues, to build up healthy daily habits and to take control over our desires. Confucius said, "Ego nondum vidi, qui amet virtutem sicut amat pulchram speciem." (Analect IX:17) Thus, men should never underestimate the potency of sexual desires. We have to sublime it to build up our family, society and civilization. Lastly, we need to be humble. Don't allow our mind to be drunk with pride and make regrettable decisions. Let humility make us know our inadequacy and desire God's grace with our whole heart. Then, God's grace will flow non-stop.
Heavenly Father, allow us to truly desire Your mercy. Amen.

祭天 Offering Sacrifice to Heavens

二月二日 獻主節
（路2:22-40）
主題：祭天

很多天主教徒，尤其是年青人，總覺得參加彌撒十分沉悶，浪費時間。禮儀是重覆的，了無新意。所唱的聖歌是不外幾首，而且領唱的人或歌詠團的水準，真是不敢恭維。讀經員經常錯讀字，十分騷擾；神父的講道，就不用多說了…試問這樣的一小時，豈不浪費時間？
這是很多人的心底話，堂區的禮儀組應要面對問題，總不可逃避現實，把責任推在別人身上。但另一方面，參加彌撒的人，亦有責任調節自己的心態。

古往今來，人類都有宗教的情緒和經驗。祭神是所有宗教的指定敬禮動作，人類把犧牲品宰殺了，焚燒了，送禮到天上去。中國人在特定的時間，三牲酒禮，祭天地鬼神祖先等。以色列人亦有各種不同的全燔祭、素祭和贖罪祭。作為天主教徒，我們明白，祭天是與天主交往的一個不可或缺的信仰行動。我們藉著祭天的儀式，表達對天主的感謝，感謝祂賜下的各種恩惠。此外，透過祭天的儀式，我們向天主求恩，除了表達我們對天主的信賴，亦向天主訴說我們的困難和需要。最後，祭天的儀式還有贖罪的功效，補償我們的罪過。這個祭天的儀式，就是彌撒。

祭天，應該選擇最好的犧牲品，以表達虔誠。上主沒有惠顧加音的祭品，恐怕不是天主徧愛羔羊，可能是加音把最好的保留給自己（創4:5）。基督徒所有最好的犧牲品，莫過於耶穌基督自己。而且為了遵從耶穌基督的吩咐（瑪28:20），天主教徒每天都舉行彌撒。可能太多了，習慣了，便生厭惡。所以我說我們有責任調節自己的心態。且看天子祭天，必須齋戒沐浴，是多麼莊嚴的一回事。因此，我們應抱莊嚴的心態，參加彌撒。首先聆聽天主的聖言，重溫天主的救贖工程。繼而呼求天主聖神降臨禮品之上，再奉獻上耶穌基督，並領受基督的聖體聖血…這是多麼美好的天國筵席啊！
天父啊！我們有幸能預先參與天國的筵席，領受祢的恩寵。讓這來自天上的神糧，解除我們的飢渴，賜予我們力量，在世努力拓展天國。亞孟。

生命恩泉

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Feast of Presentation of the Lord
February 2, 2017.
(Luke 2:22-40)
Theme: Offering Sacrifice to Heavens

Many Catholics, especially young ones, always feel that joining mass is very boring and a waste of time. The liturgy is repetitive and bare threaded. The hymns are few to choose from. The standard of cantors is far from desirable. The lectors always mispronounce and are very annoying. The homilies of priest are ... forget it. Isn't such an hour a waste of time?
These are sincere complaints from many people. The Liturgy Group of parishes cannot simply brush the problem away or blame the others. On the other hand, participants of mass have the responsibility to adjust their mind-set.

From time immemorial, human beings have sensed religious sentiments and experiences. Offering sacrifices have become religious routines. Men slaughter sacrificial animals and burn them to send them up to deities above. Chinese offer sacrifices at specific times to worship heaven, earth, deities, ghosts and ancestors etc. Israelites have different holocausts, grain offerings and guilt offerings etc. As Catholics, we understand that offering sacrifices is an indispensable religious action to interact with God. With these sacrificial liturgies, we express our gratitude to all the graces He bestows on us. Moreover, through these liturgies, we seek favours from God. Not only do we express our faith in God, but we also tell God our difficulties and necessities. Lastly, through these sacrificial liturgies we have our sins atoned. This liturgy is Mass.

We should choose the best sacrifice to express our piety. God had no regard for Cain and his offering, not because God liked the smell of lambs more but perhaps Cain kept the better portion for himself (Genesis 4:5). The best sacrifice Christians can offer can only be Jesus Christ himself. Furthermore, to obey the last instruction of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:20), Catholics celebrate mass daily. Perhaps as a result, familiarity breeds contempt. Thus, I said earlier, we have the responsibility to adjust our mind-set. In ancient times, Emperors fast and bathed before offering sacrifice to heavens. See how solemn offering sacrifice is. Thus, we should also celebrate mass solemnly. First of all, we listen to the Word of God to re-live the redemption project of God. Then, we invoke the Holy Spirit to come down upon the bread and wine, offer up Jesus Christ himself and afterwards we receive the Holy Communion, the Body and Blood of Christ ... How wonderful and beautiful a Heavenly Banquet it is!
Heavenly Father, we are blessed to be able to enjoy a foretaste of the heavenly banquet and receive Your grace. Let this heavenly nourishment quench our hunger and thirst, give us strength to build up the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Amen.

恩寵上加恩寵 Grace upon grace

二月一日
（谷6:1-6）
主題：恩寵上加恩寵

福音好像不斷鼓吹人要有信德，人要信靠天主。寫福音不是遊說人信奉耶穌基督，還有其他原因嗎？
且看，有信德的血漏婦人獲得醫治，有信德的會堂長，死去的女兒也可以復活；另一方面，在納匝肋沒有信德的鄉紳父老，一點兒益處也得不到。看來，信德引發神蹟，神蹟反過來加強了信德，成為一個良性循環；另一方面，因為熟識耶穌的背景，所以對他沒有信心，沒有足夠的信德引發神蹟，沒有神蹟反過來加強信德，成為一個惡性循環。難怪馬爾谷在講述這一系列神蹟前說：「因為凡有的，還要給他；凡沒有的，連他所有的，也要從他奪去。」（谷4:25）天主就是這樣做事，行神蹟來吸引人相信祂，所謂「用神蹟增強信德」嗎？

事實上，「神蹟增強信德」的邏輯是錯誤的。且看在福音中，不同的人對神蹟的反應是不盡相同的。有人在耶穌所行的神蹟中看到天主的慈悲、天主的臨在、天主對人的親切，因此會更信靠天主。另一方面，很多與耶穌為敵的權貴，不斷地質疑批評耶穌的言行。縱使耶穌行過了很多神蹟，仍挑戰耶穌施行一些滿足他們條件的，所謂「來自天上」的神蹟（8:11）。耶穌所行的神蹟，並沒有令這些權貴對他改觀，並沒有增加這些人對天主的信德。所以，神蹟是不能增強人的信德。那麼，馬爾谷所說的「有」是甚麼呢？是恩寵！接受了天主恩寵的人，會恩寵上加恩寵（若1:16）。那不接受天主恩寵的人，連他僅有賴以在世上行走的恩寵，也要被褫奪。這是多麼可憐的事啊！其實，拒絕天主恩寵的人，何止納匝肋的鄉紳父老或者當代的猶太權貴呢？我們怎可以不謙卑地接受天主的恩寵呢？
天父啊！讓我們在祢內，找到安息。亞孟。

生命恩泉

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February 1, 2017
(Mark 6:1-6)
Theme: Grace upon grace

The gospels advocate non-stop that men should have faith. Men should trust in God. If not persuading people to believe in Jesus Christ, what else writing gospels?
Look, the bleeding woman was cured because of her faith. His dead daughter was raised to life because the ruler of synagogue had faith. On the other hand, Nazareth locals lacked faith and they gained nothing. It seems that faith triggers miracles and miracles strengthen faith, thus forming a beneficent cycle. On the other hand, Nazareth locals knew Jesus too well. They did not have enough faith in him to trigger miracles. Without miracles to strengthen their faith, a vicious cycle was formed. No wonder Mark, before narrating a series of miracles, says, "For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away." (Mark 4:25) Does God work in this way, using miracles to attract people to believe Him, the so called, "using miracles to strengthen faith"?

In fact, the logic of "using miracles to strengthen faith" is wrong. Take a look at the gospels, different people reacted in different manners to miracles. Some people saw the mercy of God, the presence of God, His kindness to men and thus believed in Him more. On the other hand, many nemesis of Jesus kept questioning Jesus' words and deeds. Even though Jesus had worked many miracles, they still challenged Jesus to work miracles that met their requirements, those so called "a sign from heaven" (8:11). The many miracles Jesus had done failed to change the mind of those religious leaders, failed to increase their faith in God. Therefore, miracles cannot strengthen people's faith. Then, what is the "have" which Marked mentioned? It is grace! Those who have received God's grace will receive "grace upon grace" (John 1:16). Those who reject God's grace, the little they have to walk in this world will be taken away from them. How pitiful! In fact, were Nazareth locals and contemporary Jewish leaders only among those who reject God's grace? How can we not humbly receive the grace of God?
Heavenly Father, let us find rest in You. Amen.