堅持到底 Endurance to the End

堅持到底（路8:4-15）

祗有路加福音，分析了好土地的特徵，如何結出百倍的果實。
所有的人都聽到了天主的話，但有些人為了種種原因拒絕了。天主的話沒有機會進入心中，不久便消失了。沒有拒絕天主的話的人之中，雖然他們把天主的話聽進心裡，但沒有生根。為甚麼沒有根呢？是沒有「默存在自己心中，反覆思想。」（路2:19）為甚麼不反覆思想呢？因為他們看輕這些話，拿它當人的言語，沒有當作天主的言語領受（得前2:13）另一些人把聽到的福音當作天主的言語領受，但沒有敬畏之心，福音祗不過眾多掛慮中的一個。天主的福音要與其他的掛慮，如錢財和逸樂等，競爭。福音並不享有特殊地位，故此沒有結出成熟的果實（路8:14）。好土地是對天主的言語心存敬畏，以誠實的心接受福音，對自己誠實，對他人誠實，不自欺欺人。這還不夠，在實踐天主的福音時堅忍，不氣餒，不輕言放棄；因為天主是可敬可畏的，祂既許必踐。因此「唯獨堅持到底的，才可得救。」（瑪24:13）

聖比奧神父一生雖然健康欠佳，並且謙遜地負擔著「五傷」的痛苦，他仍默默地聽告解，主持彌撒，服務天主的子民。他的堅忍，令人佩服。除了出於敬畏之心，又如何解釋聖比奧神父的堅忍呢？他的收穫，何止百倍！
父啊！我們相信祢是可敬可畏的。讓我們以誠實善良的心，堅忍到底，獲得永生。亞孟。

生命恩泉

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Endurance to the End (Luke 8:4-15)

Only Luke analyzes what the characteristics of the good soil are and how it produces a hundredfold of grains.
All people hear God's word, but for various reasons, some people reject it. God's word fails to enter their heart and vanishes shortly afterwards. For those who have not rejected God's word, although they receive it with joy into their hearts, there is no root. Why is there no root? They do not "keep all these things, pondering them in their heart." (Luke 2:19) Why do they not ponder? It is because they slight it, "as the word of men but (not) as what it really is, the word of God." (1 Thessalonians 2:13) Some receive it as the word of God but there is no fear in their hearts. The good news is just one among the many cares they have. The word of God needs to compete with other worries such as riches and pleasures of life. The gospel does not enjoy a privileged position. Therefore, their fruit does not mature (Luke 8:14) Good soil receives the word of God with fear and honesty. Being honest to oneself and honest to others. Do not cheat oneself and others. And this is not enough. When we put God's gospel into practice, we need to persevere, not discouraged and give up easily. It is because God is fearsome. He fulfils what he says. Thus, "he who endures to the end will be saved." (Matthew 24:13)

Although the health of Fr. Pio had always been poor and he humbly bore the pains of the stigmata, he continued to hear confessions, celebrate masses and pastor the People of God patiently. His endurance is admirable. Other than a fear of God, what else can we explain the endurance of Fr. Pio? His reward must have exceeded a hundredfold!
Father, we believe that You are fearsome. Let us persevere with an honest and kind heart in order to attain eternal life. Amen.