主題：先知的賞報，完美的賞報
聖經的教訓，應該是放諸四海皆準的真理。但始終天主默感猶太人寫聖經，礙於文化上的差異，有部份道理，聽在中國人的耳裡，容易產生誤會，需要多一點解釋纔能接受。例如「先知」的概念。
舊約聖經有先知，我們自然會問，新約有沒有「天主的代言人」呢？當然有。不過是在耶穌升天之後纔有。有耶穌在，還需要先知代表天主說話嗎？不必了。所以，新約時代的先知是聖神降臨後，在教會內出現的一個職份。聖保祿宗徒曾這樣說：「天主在教會內所設立的：第一是宗徒，第二是先知，第三是教師，其次是行異能的，再次是有治病奇恩的、救助人的、治理人的、說各種語言的。」（格前12:28）。今年我們所讀的瑪竇福音，注重教會的生活，當中有不少章節曾提及「先知」，而且一開始便警告教友「要提防假先知！他們來到你們跟前，外披羊毛，內裡卻是兇殘的豺狼。」（瑪7:15）由此可見，初期教會是有先知的職務的，但他們並不是駐守在一個固定的地方，而是馬不停蹄，四出宣講的。按第二世紀的文憲所記載，一個逗留超過兩天的宣講者，是假先知；一個索錢的宣講者，是假先知；一個祗說不做的，是假先知。（【十二宗徒訓誨錄】XI）
我們跟著會問，為甚麼教會今天祗有「主教、神父和執事」這三級神職班，卻沒有先知職呢？這是教會在歷史中進化的結果，先知的職務已普遍化了。各位在領洗的時候，已分擔了耶穌基督的「司祭、君王和先知」的三重職務。大家已分擔了作為天主的代言人的角色，傳福音的使命，不再是個別人士的專利了。這就是聖伯多祿宗徒的理想：「至於你們，你們卻是特選的種族，王家的司祭，聖潔的國民，屬於主的民族。」（伯前2:9）。所以我們都是舊約所說的「天主的人」，「天主的代言人」。我們都是先知。
今天的福音提到，「誰接納一位先知，因他是先知，將領受先知的賞報。」（瑪10:41）是甚麼意思呢？今天的第一篇讀經出自舊約列王紀下，給我們一個近似的說明。厄里叟是厄里亞先知的徒弟和繼承人，也是一個充滿傳奇的先知。他曾做過的神蹟，例如增餅、醫治癩病人和復活死人，將來耶穌也會再做。
那麼，在教會時代的「先知賞報」又如何呢？
各位兄弟姊妹，傳福音不要計較成敗得失，因為接納福音與否，都不是因為我們的功勞，而是出於天主的慈悲。我們祗不過是天主的代言人而已。在我們以前的先知，亦有不少失敗的例子嘛！反過來，我們要經常引用聖保祿宗徒話提醒自己，他說：「我若不傳福音，我就有禍了！」（格前9:16）
在以色列人離開埃及，過了約旦河進入福地，達味建立他的王朝以前，天主素來就是以色列人的領導者，以色列人的君王。當以色列人要求好像其他民族一樣有君王的同時，便出現了「先知」。他們以「天主的人」（申33:1）、「神視者」（撒上9:9）和「天主代言人」（10:18）的身份，抗衡濫權的君王。這些天主的代言人宣佈天主的旨意，向敗德的君王進諫和斥責他們的惡行，在亡國時安慰和鼓勵百姓。間中，天主會啟示他們，吩咐他們宣佈未來要發生的事。其中有小部份代言人，甚至能行神蹟。不用多說，這些能力是來自天主，而不是他們本身修煉得來的。中文卻把這些代言人翻譯成為「先知」，令人誤會他們是有預知未來和擁有特異功能的人物，而忘記了背後派遣他們的天主。這種根深蒂固的誤會，已經是沒有辦法改正的了。所以，請大家緊記，中文聖經所說的「先知」，是指「天主的代言人」。
厄里叟的故事之所以值得研究，是因為他的行實有耶穌的影子，他的一些表現，亦符合耶穌的教訓。例如故事中，厄里叟並不貪圖這個婦人的富貴，每次經過，祗是借宿一宵，並不戀棧婦人的供奉。這樣做，符合了【十二宗徒訓誨錄】不逗留超過兩天的要求。在厄里叟的故事中，他的僕人竟然有名字。在聖經中有名有姓的人，必定是重要的人物。且看，婦人和她的丈夫是由始至終都是沒有名字的。所以，這個革哈齊有可能是厄里叟的徒弟和繼承人。可惜，在後來醫治癩病人的神蹟中，革哈齊貪財，拿了厄里叟所拒絕的賞金，結果得了癩病的懲罰。耶穌的門徒猶達斯，不也是因為貪財而喪命嗎？
讓我們看看那富貴婦人，因為厄里叟是天主的人而接待了他，得到了甚麼賞報呢？對！一年後，她為丈夫生了一個兒子。注意，婦人做夢也不敢想像會有兒子，因為丈夫已經老了，這兒子是天主主動賞賜的！不但如此，後來兒子急病死了，這婦人跑去求厄里叟，厄里叟便去復活了他。這就是舊約時代的「先知賞報」了！是意想不到，而且符合您個人需要的賞報。
我們都是先知，所以，凡接納我們的人，無論是給我們一杯涼水，或者聽我們傳福音作見證的，都會獲得「先知賞報」。是怎麼樣的賞報呢？就是獲得耶穌基督，獲得生命之源本身。在舊約，天主恢復了丈夫的生命力，使他倆老年得子。當他的兒子喪失了生命之後，天主使厄里叟使兒子復生，使夫婦倆老年無憂。但夫婦倆的生命力仍會衰退。今天，凡接納我們，加入教會大家庭的人，就是接納了耶穌基督，生命的源頭，他們將能分享天主永恆的生命，他們的生命力將永不衰退。這豈不是最完美的賞報嗎？我們尚有何求呢？這就是教會時代的「先知賞報」！
天主保祐！
Thirteenth Ordinary Sunday (Year A)
Theme: A Prophet's Reward, a Perfect Reward
The teachings of the Bible should be universal truths. However, God inspired the Jews to write the Bible. Due to cultural differences, some truths would bring up different connotations. It needs a bit of explanation to remove misunderstanding. For example, the concept of "Prophet".
There were prophets in the Old Testament. We will naturally ask if there were any spokesmen of God in the New Testament. Of course there were, but only after the Ascension of Jesus. When Jesus was still on earth, did God need another spokesman? No. Therefore, prophets of the New Testament were a ministry in the Church after the Descent of the Holy Spirit. St. Paul once said, "And God has appointed in the Church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues." (1 Corinthians 12:28) The gospel of Matthew we read this year focuses on Church life. Many passages talk about "prophets" and the very first one warns the believers to "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." (Matthew 7:15) From this, we see that there was a ministry of prophets in the early Church but they did not stay at one place. They roamed around to proclaim the gospel. According to a second-century document, a false prophet was a spokesman who stayed for more than two days; who sought money and who did not practise what he taught (Didache XI).
We would naturally ask why the Church Hierarchy today has bishops, priests and deacons only and no prophets. This is the consequence of Church evolution. The ministry of prophet has become universal. When we received our baptism, we partake in Christ's three-fold ministry of priest, king and prophet. We have become God's spokesmen. Evangelization is no longer the privilege of a few. This is the ideal of St. Peter who says, "You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people." (1 Peter 2:9). So, all of us are men of God, spokesmen of God mentioned in the Old Testament. We are prophets.
The gospel passage today mentions, "He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward." (Matthew 10:41) What does it mean? The first reading today from 2 Kings gives us an approximation. Elisha was the disciple and successor of Elijah. He was also a legendary prophet. He had worked many miracles such as multiplication of bread, curing a leper and raising the dead which Jesus would repeat in the future.
Then what about the Prophet's Reward in the age of the Church?
Brethren, do not worry about the results of evangelization because people accept the gospel not because of our efforts but the mercy of God. We are only spokesmen of God. Were there not many failures among prophets before? On the contrary, we need to constantly remind ourselves of the words of St. Paul, "Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" (1 Corinthians 9:16)
When the Israelites left Egypt, crossed River Jordan to enter the Promised Land and before David built up his dynasty, God had always been their leader, their king. When the Israelites demanded a king like other nations, prophets appeared too. They came as "the man of God" (Deuteronomy 33:1), "the Seer" (1 Samuel 9:9) and "the Spokesman of God" (10:18) to counter-balance abusive kings. These spokesmen of God announced the will of God, advised and even scolded evil kings. When the kingdom was conquered, they consoled the exiled people. Sometimes, God revealed and instructed them to announce what would come in the future. A small percentage of them could even work miracles. Needless to say, these powers came from God, not from their meditation. In Chinese, these spokesmen were translated as "xianzhi, men of premonition". People would easily misunderstand that these people have special powers to know the future or work wonders and forget the God who sends them. This deep-seated misunderstanding is impossible to eradicate. So, bear in mind that "xianzhi" in Chinese Bible means "spokesmen of God".
The story of Elisha is worth studying because we can find Jesus' image in his deeds which also followed the teachings of Jesus. For example, Elisha did not set eye on the woman's wealth. He only stayed overnight and did not crave for the woman's provision. He fulfilled Didache's requirement of not staying for more than two days. In this story, it is surprising that the servant of Elisha had a name. Remember, only important people have names in the Bible. Even the wealthy woman and her husband did not have names. Therefore, this Gehazi might possibly be the disciple and even successor of Elisha. Regrettably, in the cure of a leper, Gehazi was greedy and took what Elisha had refused. Consequently, he was punished with leprosy. Wasn't Judas, Jesus' disciple, died because of greed?
Let us see what reward the wealthy woman received when she received Elisha because he was a holy man of God. Yes, one year later, she bore her husband a son. Notice that the woman dared not to dream of a son because her husband was already old. This son was God's reward out of His initiative! Not only that, later her son died. She went to beg Elisha and Elisha went to raise the boy from dead. This was the prophet's reward of the Old Testament. It is unexpected and meets your needs.
All of us are prophets. So, whoever receive us, whether it be a cup of cool water, or heeding our witness of the gospel, shall receive the Prophet's Reward. What exactly shall be the reward? To receive Jesus Christ, the source of life itself! In the Old Testament, God restored the vitality of the husband so that he had a son in his old age. When the son died, God sent Elisha to raise the son so that the couple had no worry in their old age. But their vitality still waned. Today, whoever receive us and join the Church shall receive Jesus Christ, the source of life. They shall partake in the eternal life of God. Their vitality shall never wane. Isn't this the perfect reward? What else can we ask for? This is the Prophet's Reward in the era of the Church!
God bless!
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