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Tuesday, 30 May 2017

基督徒是世界之福 Christians are blessings of the World

基督徒是世界之福
(若17:1-11a

這一篇不單祗是耶穌基督的臨別贈言,更是祂的臨別祈禱。
在這一段祈禱中,耶穌基督特別為留在世上的教會而祈禱。雖然祂說:「我為他們祈求,不為世界祈求,祗為祢賜給我的人祈求…」(若17:9)好像基督不關心世界,不為世界祈求。但是,這是一個錯覺。

第一,耶穌基督跟著說:「從今以後,我不在世界上了,但他們仍在世界上…」(17:11)即是說,耶穌基督為我們祈求(17:9),而我們仍在世界上。因此,蒙受了耶穌基督的祈禱所祝福的我們,有責任把所領受的祝福,帶給世界。我們在世上成了其他人的福源。所以耶穌基督不必為世界祈求了,為世界祈求的責任已落在我們身上了。

第二,雖然在若望福音中,「世界」是反對耶穌基督的猶太宗教領袖的代號,但是,倘若我們把「不為世界祈求」解釋為「耶穌不為反對祂的猶太宗教領袖祈求」,是沒有根據的。難道天主願意看見罪人喪亡嗎(則18:23,伯後3:9)?因此,胸襟廣闊的耶穌基督沒有理由不關心世界,因為祂關心祂門徒的安危、祂教會的安危。

作為耶穌基督在世的見証人,基督徒有責任為世界的需要祈求。這個世界缺乏資源嗎?不是,而是缺乏符合公義的分配。即使世界缺乏資源,我們也不怕,怕祗怕分配不均。我們有能力令分配符合公義嗎?基督徒沒有這種權力。所以我們要為世界向天父祈求資源獲得公平的分配。這個世界缺乏建樹人的關係,很多人沒有別人關心,更有很多人生活在受剝削的關係之中。真理使人自由,愛使人充滿生命。基督徒擁有真理和愛,所以他們是世界的福源。讓我們為世界祈求。
父啊!我願意跟隨耶穌基督的榜樣,獻上我微不足道的生命,讓這世界變得更公義、更自由和更有生命力。亞孟。

生命恩泉


Christians are blessings of the World
(John 17:1-11a)

This piece of text is not simply a farewell speech. It is also a parting prayer. In this prayer, Jesus Christ prays in particular for the Church on earth. Although he says, "I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom thou hast given me ..." (John 17:9) It seems that Jesus does not bother with the world, does not pray for it. However, it is an illusion.

First of all, Jesus continues, "And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world ..." (17:11) That is to say, Jesus Christ prays for us (17:9) and we are still in the world. Thus, we who are blessed by the prayer of Jesus Christ have the responsibility to carry this blessing and give it to the world. We become a source of blessing for the other people on earth. Therefore, it is not necessary for Jesus Christ to pray for the world. Praying for the world has become our responsibility.

Secondly, although in the gospel of John, "the world" is synonymous with those Jewish religious leaders who opposed Jesus, it would be groundless for us to interpret "I am not praying for the world" to mean "Jesus does not pray for the Jewish religious leaders". Does God find pleasure in the death of sinners (Ezekiel 18:23, 2 Peter 3:9)? Thus, Jesus who has a big heart has no reason not to care about the world because He cares about the safety of His disciples, the security of His Church.

Being the witnesses of Jesus Christ on earth, Christians have the duty to pray for the needs of the world. Is there a scarcity of resources on earth? No. The world lacks a fair way of distribution. Even if the world lacked resources, we would not fear. What we fear is an unfair distribution. Do we have the capability to make distribution fair? Christians lack the authority. So, we pray to the Father for the world to seek a fair way to distribute resources. Actually, this world lacks edifying relationships. Many people are marginalized and many more are living in exploitative relations. The truth shall make us free. Love shall make us full of life. Christians possess both truth and love. They are truly a source of blessing for the world. Let us pray for the world.
Father! We are willing to follow the example of Jesus Christ to offer up our negligible lives to make the world fairer, freer and fuller of life. Amen.

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