主題：為甚麼應該每日讀經？
耶穌基督的復活，是我們信仰的核心。
在現代社會，大部份人都接受過科學的訓練，他們會要求科學鑑証。那麼，耶穌基督的復活有甚麼科學的証據留下呢？很可惜，年代久遠，當年保留下來的証據，未必符合現代人的要求。而現存的，就祇有聖經和代代相傳的見証人。讓我們先檢查聖經以外的証人，我是指教會歷代的聖人。
早期的教會歷史可以說是一部「教難史」。一方面，猶太人認為基督徒相信一個木匠是天主，所以是邪教，便要消滅基督徒。掃祿的故事，相信大家很熟悉了（宗8:1-3）。另一方面，羅馬帝國信奉多神，連凱撒也是「天神之子」。在他們眼中，不肯敬拜眾神的基督徒是無神論者，危害國家安全。在戰敗或天災人禍出現時，基督徒便成了應手的代罪羔羊！「殉道者」一辭，是「作見證」的意思。殉道者成為教會的聖人，因為他們以自己的血，為耶穌基督的復活作見證。因此，他們的証言是可信的！
二千年來，耶穌基督不離不棄地與教會同在：在聖體聖事中，在聖言之中，在祈禱和敬禮之中；並且在關鍵的時刻，顯現給特選的聖人聖女，派遣他們扶持面對挑戰的教會。例如在教父時期，出現了聖奧思定，聖亞大納削等聖人，駁斥異端，捍衛真理，清楚地解釋三位一體的道理。在中古時代，出現了聖本篤、聖方濟等聖人，生活出福音的真精神。在宗教改革時代，出現了聖女大德蘭，聖依納爵等聖人，在靈修及傳教事業上作出貢獻。到了現代，出現了加爾各答的聖德蘭修女和聖教宗若望保祿二世，向日益世俗化的世界作出強而有力的福音見証。在不同的時代，他們回應復活的主的召叫，以生命顯赫地見証耶穌基督的復活，如何幫助世人，活出更豐盛的生命。
上述的聖人，都有一個共同的特點：他們熱愛聖經，尤其是福音。作為平信徒的我們，縱使我們不是蒙召過轟轟烈烈的聖人生活，我們也可以透過讀經，與耶穌基督契合，這是多麼幸福的一回事啊！
各位主內的兄弟姊妹，倘若我們的信德，祇停留在慕道班的階段，甚至嬰兒領洗的階段，我們的信德足夠得勝世界嗎？所謂「學如逆水行舟，不進則退。」讀經祈禱，就是保存信德，增進信德的不二法門。大家有理由掛著教友的名份而不讀經，不祈禱嗎？
猶太教，伊斯蘭教和基督宗教，是世界性的一神宗教，大家都相信宇宙間祇有一個神明。不過，基督宗教所相信的真神是比較複雜的，是三合一的！我們怎樣得知唯一真神是「三位一體」的呢？就是憑耶穌基督的啟示。耶穌基督是何許人也？所有基督徒都相信耶穌基督是天主子降生成人，祂既是天主，又是有血有肉的人。是祂啟示給我們，天主是三位一體的。以上所說的兩點，即天主是三位一體的；耶穌基督是真人真天主，是所有稱為基督徒的人所信奉的。否則，縱使你能滾瓜爛熟地背誦聖經，你若不信奉上述兩點，你也沒有資格做基督徒。我們憑甚麼相信耶穌基督的啟示呢？就是憑祂的復活，所以我說「耶穌基督的復活是我們信仰的核心。」
讀經需要運用腦袋和心靈。例如，今天的宗徒大事錄，記載了耶路撒冷教會初期的生活。信徒們變買了所有的財產，把所得全部交到宗徒手裡，按各人的需要分配（宗2:45），過著最原始的共產主義生活。為甚麼今天領洗入教，沒有這個要求呢？運用腦袋，我們知道早期的信徒，相信耶穌基督升天後不久，很快會重臨。既然如此，現世的財富又有何用呢？最好的用途，就是按耶穌基督在最後晚餐時，頒布的彼此相愛的新誡命（若13:34），把財物分施給有需要的兄弟姊妹。所以，這種原始的共產主義生活便出現了。但這祇局限在耶路撒冷教會在未遭受迫害之前，後來迫害出現了，門徒向世界各地散開了。他們領會到耶穌基督，不祇是為了復興以色列國（宗1:6），而是為了拯救全人類的心意。拓展天國是一個漫長的事業，原始的共產主義生活便結束了，但拯救全人類的心靈卻開展了。
若望宗徒說得好：「凡是天主所生的，必得勝世界；得勝世界的勝利武器，就是我們的信德。」（若一5:4）我們既已領洗入教，就是天主所生的，我們便有能力拓展天國，使天國在世界出現，這就是若望所指的「得勝世界」。我們憑甚麼得勝世界，拓展天國呢？就是我們的信德，就是相信耶穌基督是三位一體的天主子。我們的信德從哪裡來呢？今天的福音說得很清楚明白：「這些所記錄的，是為叫你們信耶穌是默西亞，天主子；並使你們信的人，賴祂的名獲得生命。」（若20:31）我們的信德，是來自聖經，來自福音。
2012年反省
天主保祐！
Second Easter Sunday, Year B
Theme: Why Should We Daily Study the Bible?
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the core of our faith.
Most people have received science education in the society today. They will demand scientific evidence. Then what scientific evidence has the resurrection of Jesus Christ left behind? Unfortunately, it was a long time ago. The evidence might not meet the criteria of modern people. What we have today are the Bible and the generations of witnesses. Let us examine the extra-biblical witnesses first, I mean the saints of the Church throughout the ages.
The history of the early Church is a book of persecutions. On one hand, Jews considered Christians heretics because they believed that a carpenter was God. It was blasphemous and Christians had to be wiped out. I am sure all of you are familiar with the story of Saul (Acts 8:1-3). On the other hand, the Roman Empire worshipped many deities. Even Caesar was honoured as God's Son. In their eyes, Christians who refused to worship gods were atheists. They were treacherous to the security of the Empire. Whenever they lost battles or disasters struck, Christians became handy scapegoats! The word "martyrs" means "to bear witness". The Church honoured martyrs as saints because they bore witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ with their blood. Thus, their testimony is credible!
For two millennia, Jesus Christ has never abandoned the Church. He is present in the Holy Eucharist, in the Word, in our liturgy and adorations. Furthermore, during critical times, he appeared to chosen individuals and sent them to support the Church in crises. For example, during the Age of the Church Fathers, we have St. Augustine and St. Athanasius etc. rebuking heresies, defending orthodoxy and explaining the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity. During the Middle Ages, we have St. Benedict and St. Francis of Assisi etc. to live out the true spirit of the gospels. During Reformation, we have St. Teresa of Avila and St. Ignatius etc. to raise our spirituality and evangelization. In modern days, we have St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta and St. Pope John Paul II to bear forceful witnesses to the gospel in this increasing secular world. Throughout the ages, these saints responded to the call of the risen Lord, bearing witnesses brilliantly to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and helping humanity to lead a more abundantly fruitful life.
These saints have one thing in common: they loved studying the Bible, in particular, the gospels. As laity, even if we are not called to lead a radiantly saintly life, we can still abide in Christ through studying the Bible. How blessed we are!
Brethren, if our faith remains in the stage of catechumen or even infancy baptism, is our faith strong enough to overcome the world? It is well said, "Learning is like rowing against the current, if we make no progress, we recede." There is no better way to maintain and increase our faith than studying the Bible and praying. Do you have any reason to call yourself a Catholic but study no Bible and say no prayer?
Judaism, Islam and Christianity are global monotheistic religions. All three believe that there is only one deity in the universe. However, the deity that Christians believe in is more complicated. It is three in one! How do they know that this unique God is a Trinity? Jesus Christ reveals it to them. Who is this Jesus Christ? All Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the incarnate Son of God. He is God clothed in flesh and blood. He reveals to us that God is triune. All who claim to be Christians believe in these two article of faith: that God is triune and Jesus Christ is both human and divine. Otherwise, even though you are able to recite the biblical passages, you are not qualified to be a Christian. Why should be believe in the revelation of Jesus Christ? It is because he came back to life after death. That is why I said earlier that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the core of our faith.
We need our brain and our heart to study the Bible. For example, in the first reading today, we learn the life of the Jerusalem Church in her early stage. Believers sold all they had, put the proceeds before the apostles to distribute according to each one's needs (Acts 2:45). They were practising a primitive communism. Then, why don't we need to do that when we were baptized into the Church? Using our brain, we know that early Christians believed that Jesus Christ would return soon after his Ascension. What was the best way to spend their money? The best way was to follow the new commandment of loving each other, which Jesus gave during the Last Supper (John 13:34), and gave it to the needy brethren. Thus, a primitive communistic way of life started. But that was confined to the Church of Jerusalem before persecutions began. During subsequent persecutions, believers spread throughout the world. They began to understand that Jesus did not come to restore Israel (Acts 1:6), but to save all humanity. Expanding the Kingdom of Heaven is a long endeavour. The end of primitive communism had come and the heart to redeem all humanity began.
St. John the Apostle says well, "For whoever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith." (1 John 5:4) We were baptized and thus born of God. We have the power to expand the Kingdom of Heaven, to actualize it in this world. This is what John meant by "overcomes the world". With what do we overcome the world and expand the Kingdom of Heaven? It is our faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Triune God. Where does this faith come from? The gospel today spells it out clearly, "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:31) Our faith comes from the Bible, from the Gospels.
God bless!
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