主題:一個祈禱經驗
首先讓我們澄清一些背景資料。提洛和漆冬是外邦人的城市（瑪15:21）。為甚麼耶穌會跑到去外邦人的城市呢？事緣耶穌公開批評法利塞人對天主的虔敬是虛偽的（15:8-9），為了避免進一步的衝突，耶穌退避到外邦人的城市，希望給時間他們冷靜下來。
今天的事蹟耳熟能詳，我們已知道信德的重要和耶穌救贖的普世性。因此，我想和大家從祈禱的角度，默想這段事蹟的意義。
所有的宗教都有祈禱，它是宗教生活的一個重要部份。很奇怪，天主是全知的，而且耶穌曾告訴我們，「因為你們的父，在你們求祂以前，已知道你們需要甚麼。」（6:8），那麼，為甚麼我們還要向天父祈禱呢？豈不是多此一舉嗎？所以我想以祈禱的角度反省今天的事蹟，看這客納罕婦人的故事，對祈禱有甚麼啟發？請注意，我所說的祈禱，不是指唸經那一種，而是指每天與天主，與耶穌基督獨處十到十五分鐘的「優質時間」。
首先，這婦人的經驗，是一個具體的祈禱經驗。她與耶穌對談，求耶穌為她解決困難，最後得到耶穌的應允。耶穌是「達味之子」，是個具體，真實和可親近的人，而不是「不食人間煙火」的神仙。
其次，在起初，「耶穌卻一句話也不回答她。」（15:23）我相信這是我們所有人的經驗。請問在座之中，誰人在祈禱中聽到耶穌的回應呢？很罕有！的確，我們需要有恆心和耐性來祈禱。因為天主回應與否，不是我們可以強求，可以控制的。
第三，這婦人把自己的苦況告訴耶穌，既做得對，又做得不對。祈禱不是憑空地自言自語，而是把自己的實際生活經歷，作為祈禱的材料，向天父傾訴。所以這婦人做對了。可是，這些生活中的困苦，是「真實」的嗎？婦人疼惜自己的女兒，來求耶穌解救她，是最自然不過的，是母愛的表現！可是，我們日常為糊口，奔波勞碌，擔起多重的角色。哪一個是真正的自己呢？很多時候，我們需要應付手上急迫的事物，但不一定是我們所需要的事物！來到天父前祈禱，祂已知道我們的需要，可是，我們未必知道自己的真正需要和「真正的我」的需要。在祈禱中，在與耶穌基督交談的過程中，我們可以發現自己的真正需要，那個真正的我的需要。最後，婦人不是說:「主，援助我的女兒吧！」，而是說:「主，援助我吧！」（15:25）終於她看到自己的需要！她求耶穌援助她，她做對了！固然，她的女兒是痊癒了（15:28）。不過，我相信那婦人得到的，不止於此！
第四，原來我們祈禱的時候，天上的聖人聖女，我們的主保，天使甚至聖母瑪利亞也來為我們轉禱的！且看耶穌的門徒不是也為這婦人向耶穌說句話嗎（15:23）？所以，雖然看來是我們與耶穌基督的私人時間，其實，當我們祈禱的時候，是整個教會陪伴著我們祈禱！
各位兄弟姊妹，不要灰心，努力改進自己的祈禱習慣，在祈禱中從新發現自己的真我，並與整個教會一起祈禱！
為猶太人，所有非猶太人就是「外邦人」。外邦人之中，有些是可以合作的，彼此包容的，例如羅馬人。有些外邦統治者的宗教政策是強制性的，令他們憎惡，例如希臘人。今天，瑪竇福音說是一個「客納罕婦人」（15:22）。為猶太人，客納罕地是一個令他們既愛且恨的地方。天主所應許流奶流蜜的福地，就是客納罕。可是，客納罕人又是誘惑以色列人拜偶像的外邦人，導致他們遠離天主、亡國充軍的人。瑪竇福音的讀者，會鉤起這份又愛又恨的心情。但這婦人稱耶穌是「達味之子」（15:22）即是說，這婦人和門徒一樣，承認耶穌是「默西亞」，是同路中人。瑪竇的讀者，會對這婦人增加一份同情感。
沒有信仰的人，通常會取笑有信仰的人迷信。更嚴重的，有人把宗教信仰看成為「人民的鴉片」，荼毒人民成為沒有理性，沒有獨立思考能力的人，貶低人性尊嚴。殊不知，有宗教信仰反而提高了人的道德操守。基督信仰強調人是按天主的肖像所創造，天主為每個人都有一個完美的目標。可惜人的生活環境，受到罪惡的污染，人感染了自私的習性，又受到了壞朋友的影響，壞制度的束縛，沒有能力達到天主心目中的目標。信靠主耶穌非但不是迷信，反而能恢復人本來的面貎，並且把人提升到成為天主子女的境界。因此有信仰並不貶低人性尊嚴，反而令人更像一個人！
天主保祐！
2014年默想
Twentieth Ordinary Sunday, Year A
Theme: A Prayer Encounter
First of all, let us clarify some background information. Tyre and Sidon were Gentile cities (Matthew 15:21). Why did Jesus go to Gentile cities? It was because Jesus had openly criticized the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. They only paid lip service to honouring God (15:8-9). In order to avoid further conflicts, Jesus withdrew to Gentile cities, giving the Pharisees time to cool down.
We are very familiar with this story. We already know the importance of faith and the universality of Jesus' salvation. Thus, I would like to meditate the meanings of this story from the perspective of prayer.
All religions have rites and ceremonies. Prayers are an essential part of religious life. It is a bit strange. God is omniscient and Jesus tells us, "For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." (6:8) Then why do we pray to the Father? Is it redundant? That is why I want to reflect on the story today from the perspective of prayers to see what it tells us about prayers? Please note that when I say "prayers", I do not mean "prayer recitation". I mean spending 10 to 15 minutes of quality time with God, with Jesus in solitude.
Firstly, the experience of this woman was a concrete prayer experience. She talked with Jesus, begged him to solve her problems and was eventually answered. Jesus is the "son of David", a concrete, real and approachable person, not an imaginary fairy.
Secondly, at first, "Jesus did not answer her a word." (15:23) I believe this is the experience of us all. Who among you have heard Jesus' answer in your prayers? Very rare indeed! Truly, we need perseverance and patience in our prayers. It is because we cannot force and control God to answer.
Thirdly, this woman told Jesus her plights. She did it right as well as wrong. Prayer is not a monologue out of thin air. Rather, we make use of our concrete daily life experiences as the materials of our prayer. We pour out our hearts to the Father. She did it right. However, are those difficulties in our daily life genuine? The woman loved her daughter, begged Jesus to save her. This was mother-nature and nothing can be more natural. However, in our hectic life making a living, we have taken up many different roles. Which one is our true self? Often, we need to handle the more urgent things which however may not be what we need! When we pray before the Father who already knows our needs, we however may not know our true needs or the needs of our true selves. In prayers, in talking with Jesus Christ, we may discover our true needs, the needs of our true selves. In the end, the woman did not say, "Lord, help my daughter!" but "Lord, help me." (15:25) In the end, she saw her needs. She begged Jesus to help her. She did it right! Of course, her daughter was healed (15:28). But I am sure the woman received more than that!
Fourthly, how amazing that when we pray, the saints, our patrons, angels and even the BVM intercede for us! Didn't the disciples say something for the woman (15:23)? Thus, although we are spending some private time with Lord Jesus, the whole Church is actually praying with us!
Brethren, don't be discouraged. Work hard to improve your prayer habits. In prayers, let us rediscover our true selves and pray with the whole Church!
For the Jews, all non-Jews were Gentiles. Among Gentiles, some could work together and were tolerant to each other, such as the Romans. Some rulers imposed intrusive religious policies and were abominable, such as the Greeks. Today, Matthew mentions a "Canaanite woman" (15:22). For the Jews, Canaan was a place of love and hate. The Promised Land on which milk and honey flowed was Canaan. However, the Israelites adopted Canaanite idolatry practices and deserted God. They ended up being conquered and exiled. In the minds of the readers of Matthew, this Canaanite woman would call up these complex feelings. But this Canaanite woman also called Jesus "son of David" (15:22). That is to say, like the disciples, this woman acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah, that she cherished the same hope. So, the readers of Matthew would be more sympathetic towards her.
People who don't believe in God usually tease people who do as superstitious. Worse still, some people even claim that religion is the opiate of the masses. It makes them irrational, lacking independent thinking and tramples on their dignity. On the contrary, religions raise the morality of men. Christianity teaches that men were created in the image of God who has a perfect target for each one of us. It is regrettable that our living environment has been contaminated by sins. We become selfish and are influenced by bad companions and fettered by bad institutions. We do not have the ability to reach the targets God sets us. Believing in Lord Jesus is not superstitious. Furthermore, it restores our original nature and elevates us to the status of children of God. Thus, religion does not deprave our dignity. On the contrary, it makes us more human!
God bless!
No comments:
Post a Comment