Theme: Where should we put our hope?
We begin a new Liturgical Year today, Year B on this First Advent Sunday. We will spend the whole year reading the gospel of St. Mark. The gospel according to St. Mark gives us a lively picture of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is a man of actions, of powerful actions. His teachings are simple, direct and therefore easier to understand. Thus, if you want to have a full picture of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the gospel of St. Mark is the best to start with.
For example, the gospel message today is clearly spelt out in the passage, "Watch, therefore, you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming!" (Mark 13:35) Why should you care about the coming of the Lord? It is because he shall bring us a better tomorrow. Today, life is miserable. When the Lord comes, life shall be joyful. Today, life is unfair. When the Lord comes, life shall be full of justice etc. It is the hope for a better future that keeps us going.
Where there is hope, we have the direction and motivation to work hard, even to suffer exploitation. For example, why did you borrow huge sums of money and leave your family members behind to work here in Hong Kong? It is because you could earn more money here and remit it back home for your families to improve their livelihood. The hope for a better future keeps you working.
As Catholics, we look forward to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ because by then, the Kingdom of Heaven shall be fully realized. "God will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away." (Revelation 21:4) When the Lord comes to bring us to heaven, we don't want to be left behind. Thus, Jesus advises us to keep watch and not let Him find us asleep.
What does "find you asleep" (Mark 13:36) mean to you? Does it mean that you are lazy and fall asleep? No! Nobody is lazy in Hong Kong. All of them are very hard working. Children have to do their homework and go to tuition, learning violin and ballet etc. Even old people gather cardboard paper on the streets to earn a few extra dollars. Therefore, we fall asleep not because we are lazy. On the contrary, we fall asleep because we are exhausted in our studies, in our work, in our ambition and in our making money etc. Jesus gives us a warning! Do not exhaust yourselves. Take a break on Sundays to go to Church to pray, to help the needy, to take care of the sick and visit prisoners. Then you can build up a good relationship with God and with men. When the Lord comes, He will not find you sleeping in exhaustion. Rather, you find Him in the least of the brethren you are serving. (Matthew 25:40)
Young people are the hope of our future. The Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong makes the new liturgical year, the Year of the Youth. We encourage them not to lose hope in themselves. Be courageous because the Catholic Church listens to your opinions. Participate more in the life of the Church and in the Hong Kong SAR government which is also trying to incorporate more young people into her offices.
When there is no hope, we have no motivation to press ahead. For example, adults are realistic and mature after long years of working while young people are more idealistic. In Hong Kong, adults keep telling the young people that it is impossible for Hong Kong to be independent. The independence of Hong Kong has no future etc. However, some young people do not see the way the adult see. They believe that life shall be better, fairer and happier when Hong Kong shakes off the control from Beijing. Therefore, these young people keep on fighting for the independence of Hong Kong.
Keep this in mind. Not only are young people the hope of our future, the needy people too are our hope.
God bless!
將臨期第一主日（乙年）
主題：我們的希望在哪？
今天我們開始新的禮儀年，乙年，在未來一年我們會讀【馬爾谷福音】。它為我們描繪出一個行動型的天主子，耶穌基督的言行。祂的教訓簡單直接，與其他福音相比，較為容易明白。倘若要介紹耶穌基督的生平和言行，【馬爾谷福音】是首選。
例如今天所選讀的福音，教訓非常清楚：「所以，你們要醒寤，因為你們不知道，家主甚麼時候回來。」（谷13:35）為甚麼我們要留意主的回來呢? 因為祂會帶來更美好的明天。今天，生活艱苦。當主重臨時，生活將會變得喜樂。今天世上充滿不公義，當主再度來臨時，世上將充滿公義等。就是這份對美好未來的期望，支撐著我們不斷奮鬥向前。
那裡有希望，那裡就有努力的方向和動機，甚至樂意受苦，受剝削。例如，不少外籍傭工，不惜舉債，也要離鄉別井，拋下家人來香港工作，為的是甚麼呢？不就是賺取多些金錢匯返家鄉，改善親人的生活嗎？對更美好的未來滿懷希望，促使人不辭勞苦地奮鬥。
作為天主教徒，我們期待主耶穌基督的再度來臨，因為天國將會全面地在人間實現。那時，「天主要拭去我們眼上的一切淚痕，以後再也沒有死亡，再也沒有悲傷，沒有哀號，沒有苦楚，因為先前的都已過去了。」（默21:4）當主來帶領我們往天國的時候，沒有人想被遺下。因此，耶穌基督告誡我們要醒寤，不要睡著了。
為你，「正在睡覺」（谷13:36）是甚麼意思？是否我們躲懶貪睡呢？不會！香港沒有懶人，所有人都勤奮工作。小朋友忙於功課、補習、學琴、學芭蕾舞等。連長者也在街上拾荒，多賺幾塊錢。所以我們不是因懶惰而睡著了。相反，我們是因為學業、工作、野心或賺錢等勞累而睡著了。耶穌警告我們，不要透支了自己。在主日要休息，要到聖堂參與禮儀，要幫助貧困，照顧病人，探望囚犯。這樣做，我們與天主與近人建立良好關係。當他再度來臨時，我們不會因透支而睡著了。反而，我們在所服事的最小兄弟中找到主。（瑪25:40）
青年人是我們未來的希望。香港教區把新的禮儀年定為「青年年」。我們鼓勵青年人不要失望。要鼓起勇氣，因為天主教會願意聆聽你們的意見。積極投入教會的生活和香港特區政府吧，她正努力吸納更多青年人加入政府部門。
倘若失去了希望，何來奮鬥的動機呢？例如，成年人的閱歷使他們變得現實和成熟，青年人卻較為理想化。在香港，成年人不斷告訴青年人，香港是沒有可能獨立的，香港獨立是沒有前途的等等。但部份青年不像成年人一樣看事物，他們相信一旦香港擺脫了中央政府的操控，生活會更好，更公平，更快樂。因此，部份年青人仍為香港獨立奮鬥。
請緊記！不但青年人是我們未來的希望，貧窮者也是我們的希望。
天主保祐！
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