「至於那些敵對我，不願意我作他們君王的人，你們把他們押到這裡，在我面前殺掉。」（路19:27）
所謂「伴君如伴虎」，稍一不慎便性命難保。做臣僕的，經常要揣摩君王的心情，避免衝撞了他的意願。倘若掌握錯了，輕則貶官，重則誅九族。
時至今日，很難想像上述福音的章節，竟會是出自耶穌基督的口！耶穌基督是不可見的天父可見的肖像，祂不是有如天父一般慈悲的嗎（路6:35-36）？天主不是希望眾人都能得救的嗎（弟前2:4）？為甚耶穌會如此殘暴，指定在他面前誅殺那些不願意接受他為君王的人呢？
耶穌基督是生命的主宰，當人拒絕接受生命的主宰為君王的時候，人還憑甚麼生存下去呢？在末日審判之前，他們的生命，包括自然的生命和超性的生命，會逐漸枯死。他們在生時，不但肉身會承受作惡所帶來的傷害，而且靈魂亦會因犯罪而變得醜惡。到末日審判之後，他們便進入「第二次死亡」。若望宗徒在神視中，看見一個連「死亡和陰府也被投入的火坑，這火坑就是第二次死亡。」（默20:14）而且，若望更列出哪些人會進入第二次死亡：就是「那些怯懦的、失信的、可恥的、殺人的、姦淫的、行邪術的、拜偶像的，以及一切撒謊的人」（21:8）。
可能在信仰路上，我們過份陶醉於天主的慈悲，安慰自己和別人說：「祗要我們悔改，天父一定會寬恕我們。」那麼，請問閣下上次領受修和聖事是在甚麼時候？原本當我們領洗時，我們的名字已記錄在「生命冊」上。殊不知我們在不斷犯罪的過程中，不知不覺地染上「心靈硬化」的毛病，不但向別人撒謊，連自己也欺騙過來。最後，在「生命冊」上除名（3:5）淪落成為「若望榜」上有名的人！
天父啊！可憐我們這些罪人吧！請幫助我們堅持到最後勝利，獲得永生。亞孟。
Cheating and Be Cheated
"But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me." (Luke 19:27)
Serving a king is like journey in the company of a tiger. You get mauled for being careless. Woe to those courtiers. They need to constantly guess the mood of the king and avoid offending his wishes. The price of making mistakes is heavy. They get demoted for the slightest faults. In case of grave ones, nine clans would be butchered.
Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine the verse quoted above would be uttered by Jesus Christ who is the visible image of the invisible Father. Shouldn't He be merciful like the Father (Luke 6:35-36)? Doesn't God want all to be saved (1Timothy 2:4)? Why would Jesus be so cruel as to slay those who do not want him to reign over them?
Jesus Christ is the Author of Life. When people reject the Author of Life to reign over them, from what could they continue to survive? Before the Judgment Day, their life, both natural and supernatural would gradually wither. After the Last Judgment, they would enter the Second Death. In the vision of John, he saw "Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the Second Death, the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:14) And John even made a list of people who would suffer the Second Death: "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the Second Death." (21:8)
Perhaps we have been intoxicated with the idea that God is merciful. We console ourselves and others that "If only we repent, God surely shall forgive us." Then tell me, when did you last receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Our names were written down in the Book of Life the moment we were baptized. However, we contract imperceptibly the hardening of our heart and soul with our continual sinning. Not only do we tell lies to cheat others, we ourselves are also cheated. Lastly, our names are removed from the Book of Life (3:5) and fall back on John's List!
Father! Have mercy on us sinners! Help us to persevere until the final victory to attain eternal life. Amen.
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