主題：堅持到底
一個罪人之所以是罪人，是他從前不按天主的旨意行事，沒有達到天主心目中的理想。在世人的眼中，他作奸犯科，違反了天主的誡命，是個罪人。如今他按天主的旨意行事，令天主滿意他的行徑，我們稱之為「悔改」。在我們的眼中，他改過自身，重新做人，按天主的旨意行事，他便成了一個義人。即是說，罪人可以透過「悔改」，成為好人，成為義人。
另一方面，一個義人之所以是義人，是他一向按天主的旨意行事，並且奉公守法。在眾人的心目中，他是其他人的榜樣，是一個好人，一個義人。但真是好人難做！
今天福音中的比喻，告訴我們，天主不會計較我們的過去，祗要求我們現在遵行祂的聖意。所以，無論你過去是義人還是罪人，祗要你遵行祂的旨意，你便得救。倘若過去你是罪人，現在你悔改了，你便是義人。倘若過去你是義人，你必須堅持到底，保持義人的狀態。
有甚麼事物會令義人失足犯罪，招至喪亡呢？這纔是今天值得我們思考的課題。
本來人是按天主肖像所造，因此人性原是美善的。可惜，「原罪」破壞了這美善，令人喪失了原始的恩寵，使人的性情慾望產生偏差，使人有犯罪的傾向，我們稱這些傾向為「私慾偏情」。教會傳統的教訓有「七罪宗」，就是驕傲、貪吝、嫉妒、忿怒、迷色、貪饕和懶惰。（CCC 1866）這些傾向令人違反天主的旨意，令人犯罪。保祿宗徒曾慨歎說：「我們幾時住在這肉身內，就是與主遠離。」（格後5:6b）我們又怎樣應付這些「私慾偏情」呢？傳統的靈修用打苦鞭的方法，今天我們可以多讀經、祈禱和過澹泊的生活，減低這些傾向的吸引力。當然少不了勤領修和聖事和祈求天主聖神的助佑。
天主說：「人單獨不好。」（創2:18）可見人是群居的生物。人又受天主所囑託，管理這個世界。所以人改造大自然的環境，使它更適合人類群居。又設立社會制度，方便人與人的共處和發展。可惜，原罪所扭曲了的人性，建設了不少剝削弱勢社群的制度和思維，把罪惡擴散開去，令更多的人做違反天主旨意的事。例如：十誡要求我們孝敬父母。如今，地產發展商所建築的「納米樓」，祗適合單身人仕居住，不能成家立室，不能與父母同住，侍奉他們。試問香港的新一代可以如何孝敬父母呢？十誡禁止殺人。如今，除了墮胎合法外，越來越多國家把「安樂死」合法化。「安樂死」其實是協助一個病人自殺，而且死的方法並不安樂舒服。可惜，社會鼓吹功利主義，生命不再神聖，而是一堆數目字和價錢。十誡禁止偷竊。如今生產商貪圖暴利，製造不符合標準的產品，又貪圖方便，不負責任地污染環境。十誡禁止說謊。今天的政客和傳媒，為了自保或者一己的私利，搬弄是非！很多人隨波逐流，說甚麼「人在江湖，身不由己」，甚麼「我不做，別人也會做」，甚麼「長痛不如短痛」等等的謬論，為自己的罪行辯護。我們又可以怎樣抗拒這些制度性，結構性的誘惑呢？
首先，我們必先有渴望和決心，選擇跟隨天主的旨意。這就是「上智」之恩。我們求天主聖神讓我們明白作為耶穌門徒應做的事。這就是「聰敏」之恩。明辨是非，避免罪惡是「超見」之恩。有勇氣堅持到底是「剛毅」之恩。有能力明白天主和教會的訓導，是「明達」之恩。以對天主和對教會的「孝愛」作為動力。在一切事上，「敬畏上主」，以上主的旨意為優先。惟有憑恃聖神的七恩，纔能抗拒世俗，在社會上擔當先知和君王的角色。
願我們都能堅持到底，獲得救恩。
他必須堅持到底，纔能得救。（瑪24:13，希3:14）否則，就好像今天的先知書所說的，倘若義人一旦不按天主的旨意行事而作惡，他必會受罰，招至喪亡。（則18:24）即是說，義人必須努力保持正義的狀態到最後一刻，纔能得救。真是好人難做啊！因此，得救必須完成兩個步驟：「悔改」與「堅持到底」。
教會傳統的教訓有所謂「三仇」，就是魔鬼、肉身和世俗。這些都是誘惑我們偏離正路的根源。
「魔鬼」是天使級的受造物，能力比我們強。所以，祗能以祈禱和禁食抗拒它（谷9:29），並請求天主派遣祂的天使來保護我們。
天主保祐！
Twenty Sixth Ordinary Sunday, (Year A)
Theme: Perseverance to the End
A sinner is a sinner because he did not follow God's will, had not attained God's ideal for us. In the eyes of men, he has committed crimes and breached God's commandments. He is a criminal. Now that he follows God's will and God is happy with his behaviours, we call this "Repentance". In our eyes, he turns a new leaf and leads a life according to God's will. He becomes righteous. That is to say, a sinner may, through repentance, become a good man, a righteous man.
On the other hand, a righteous man is righteous because he has always followed God's will and he observes the laws. In the eyes of the public, he is an exemplar, a good man, a righteous person. But it is truly difficult to be good! "But he who endures to the end will be saved." (Matthew 24:13, Hebrews 3:14) Otherwise, like what is read in the first reading today, if a righteous man does not follow God's will and commits iniquity, he shall not live. (Ezekiel 18:24) That is to say, a righteous man has to keep his state of righteousness until the last minute in order to be saved. How difficult it is to be righteous! Thus, salvation comes in two steps: repentance and perseverance to the end.
In the gospel today, the parable tells us that God does not care about our past. He only requires us to carry out His will now. Thus, it does not matter whether you were wicked or righteous, if and only if you follow His will now, you will be saved. If you were wicked, you are righteous when you repent. If you are already righteous, you have to keep on being righteous.
What would make a righteous man fall, commit sins and die? This is what we should reflect today.
We were created in the image of God. Humanity should be beautiful and perfect. Regrettably, the Original Sin destroyed this perfection. We lost this Original Grace. Our inclinations become devious and we tend to commit sins. We call these inclinations concupiscence. Traditionally, the Church teaches "Seven Capital Sins" which are Pride, Avarice, Envy, Wrath, Lust, Gluttony and Sloth. (CCC 1866) These tendencies push people to go against God's will and commit sins. St. Paul laments, "While we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:6b) How do we resist concupiscence? Traditional approach was self-flagellation to mortify the flesh. Today, we study the Bible and pray intensively. We lead a life of poverty to reduce the attraction of these forces. Of course, frequent reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and praying for help from the Holy Spirit are essential.
God says, "It is not good that the man should be alone." (Genesis 2:18) So, we see that men are social animals. Men also act on behalf of God as a steward to this world. Thus, we modify the natural environment to make it suitable for men to live. We set up social institutions to help humanity live together and develop. Unfortunately, the Original Sin has twisted our humanity. We build systems to exploit the disadvantaged and ideologies to justify evil. Through these systems, we spread evil and force more people to go against God's will. For example, the Ten Commandments demand us to honour our parents. Today, developers build nano-flats which are suitable only for a single people to live alone. People cannot build up families and live with their parents. How are the new generation of Hong Kong able to honour their parents? The Ten Commandments forbid killing the innocent. Today, besides the legalization of abortion, more and more countries pass euthanasia laws. Euthanasia means assisting a sick person to commit suicide. It is not comfortable or good at all. Unfortunately, utilitarianism prevails. Life is no long sacred but a bunch of numbers and prices. The Ten Commandments forbid stealing. Today, greedy manufacturers make sub-standard products and for convenience, contaminate the environment irresponsibly. The Ten Commandments forbid bearing false witness. Today, many politicians and media make fake news to promote their self-interests. Many people follow the game and justify their evil actions with all sorts of excuses and fallacies, such as "I am in the system, I have no choice", "Even if I don't do it, others will do" and "We need to contain damages" etc. How do we resist these institutions, ideologies and structural sins?
First of all, we must have the desire and determination to choose to follow God's will. This is the grace of "Wisdom". We implore the Holy Spirit to help us understand what Christians should do. This is the grace of "Understanding". To be able to discern the right from wrong, to avoid evil is the grace of "Counsel". The courage to persevere is the grace of "Fortitude". The ability to understand the teachings of God and the Church is the grace of "Knowledge". With "Piety" as our driving force, we proceed with "The Fear of God" in everything we do. God's will become our top priority. Only with these gifts of the Holy Spirit can we resist the secular world and take up the offices of prophets and kings in the society.
Traditionally, the Church taught that there were "Three Enemies": the Devil, our concupiscence and the secular world. These are the sources of temptations that pull us away from the right path.
The Devil is an angelic creature, much more powerful than we are. Thus, we can only resist with prayer and fasting (Mark 9:29) and ask God to send His angels to protect us.
May we endure to the end and be saved.
God bless!
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