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？
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！
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。
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。
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?
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!
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.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment