主題：與基督一起宣講福音
上一個主日，教區的教理中心，舉行了第54屆畢業禮。本堂亦有幾位學員畢業，並且更有質素地，投入主日學及慕道班的服務。在此多謝她們的熱心事奉，相信天主一定會賞賜她們更豐富的恩寵。
天主按自己的肖像造了人，並召叫每一個人，無論是信徒或非信徒，做一個頂天立地，無愧於心的人，不要令天主的肖像蒙污。這是第一個聖召，人人有份。在末日審判時，天主看我們的良心，並不看我們有沒有洗禮！
其實，當我們領受洗禮的時候，我們便分享了耶穌基督的三重職務。天主聖父派遣聖子降生成為耶穌基督，以君王、司祭和先知身份，履行天父所委派，分施恩寵的任務。我們也就是透過與耶穌基督一起，履行這些職務，獲得天主的恩寵。
今天的第一篇讀經，就是亞毛斯先知的自白。亞毛斯本來是一個南方的牧羊人，他並不是因為先知高薪厚職，所以放棄牧羊的工作；而是天主提拔了他，賜給他神視的特恩，並派遣他跑到北方的以色列國，宣講悔改。阿瑪責雅是北方貝特耳的司祭，並得到北國君王的寵信。阿瑪責雅感到亞毛斯的宣講，會引起群眾的恐慌，與及威脅到他的地位，於是下逐客令。所謂忠言逆耳，先知的說話，不一定受大眾所歡迎的！那麼，我們憑甚麼去履行先知的職務呢？福音給我們甚麼啟示呢？
今天的福音，好像是對傳教士說的，與一般教友無關。這樣看是錯的，因為我們在領洗時，已分享了耶穌基督的先知身份，所以我們也是傳教士。而且，我們比一般的傳教士更有優勢，他們去不到，接觸不到的地方，我們可以到。那麼，我們在傳福音的時候，難道也要兩個兩個（谷6:7），甚麼也不要帶（6:8）嗎？聖經當然不可以按字面的意義解釋。
為甚麼要「兩個兩個」呢？因為「天主是愛」（若一4:8, 16），這是我們信仰的核心之一。我們需要建立團體，纔可以實踐愛德。所以我們需要「兩個兩個」。
上一個主日的福音，告訴我們納匝肋的鄉親父老拒絕耶穌，結果獲得很少的治療，很少的恩寵。所以，我們不回應耶穌基督的召叫，履行先知的職務，使教外人也能分沾天主的救恩，而我們也因而獲得更豐盛的恩寵，是我們的損失。耶穌基督已習慣了被親人所拒絕！但願我們不在拒絕耶穌基督的人群當中！
那為甚麼要洗禮呢？又或者，為甚麼不等到臨終時纔接受洗禮，一筆鉤銷呢？犯不著洗禮後仍然犯罪，犯罪後辦告解赦罪，再犯罪，再告解…豈不是多此一舉？
其實，世途凶險，邪說當道，道德淪亡。人單憑良心，很難抗衡世俗的挑戰，容易屈服在罪惡的奴役之下。天主不願看見罪人喪亡，祂渴望離開了正路的人，回頭悔改，重返祂的懷抱（則18:23）。所以，天主透過一些人物，進一步召叫我們成為天主的子民，好像舊約的以色列民族一樣，作為天主的選民，獲得天主的恩寵，天主的保護，抗衡世俗的誘惑。我們坐在聖堂裡的人，都是回應了天主的第二次召叫，接受了洗禮，成為祂的子民。領洗入教，就正如聖保祿宗祿所說，穿上了基督的全副武裝，可以抵抗邪惡，屹立不搖（弗6:13-18）。沒有洗禮，就不能進一步領受其他的聖事，其他的恩寵，祇好赤手空拳與世俗肉搏。
當我們幫助遇到困難的人，或者服務弱勢社群的時候，我們在伸張天主的公義，替天行道，拓展天國。我們在履行君王的職務。當我們參加彌撒，祈禱念經，我們代表全人類，包括那些不認識天主，甚至拒絕天主的人，向天主獻上我們的祈禱和祭獻。我們履行著司祭的職務。當我們研讀聖經，並向人講述天主的道理，表達教會的立場時，我們履行著先知的職務。想當初，我們不是被一些天主教徒的榜樣所吸引，開始參加慕道班，接受洗禮的嗎？這些慕道班的導師，都是經過嚴格的訓練，把天主的道理，教會的立場，有系統地傳授給慕道者。他們在履行在領洗時分享到的，耶穌基督的先知職務。
「甚麼也不要帶」又怎能成事呢？
人傾向信靠自己的能力，相信多勞多得，自食其力是一種美德。我們很容易忘記了，是天主幫助我們獲得救恩。帶的東西越少，越能彰顯天主的助力。帶的東西越多，要兼顧的東西多了，越障礙了我們看到耶穌基督與我們一起傳福音。耶穌基督要借助我們的手，治病驅魔；借助我們的嘴，說安慰鼓舞心靈的說話；借助我們的心，去愛被遺棄的人。有甚麼可以阻礙我們，與耶穌基督一起傳福音呢？是我們的知識水平低嗎？是害怕教錯道理嗎？是忙碌，沒有時間讀經，沒有時間上教理班的課程嗎？
天主保祐！
Fifteenth Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: Evangelize Alongside with Christ
Last Sunday, the Diocesan Catechetical Centre celebrated the 54th Graduation Ceremony. Some of our parishioners have finished their studies and will serve the Sunday school and catechumen classes with better quality. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their enthusiastic service. I trust God will abundantly award them with overflowing graces.
God created men in His own image and calls every man, be they believers or non-believers, to lead a righteous life of no regret so as not to blemish the image of God. This is our First Call. Everybody is included. At the Last Judgment, God will judge everybody according to his conscience, not whether he was baptized!
In fact, it is difficult to lead a conscientious life in this evil rampant world. It is difficult to counter secular challenges with our conscience alone. We will easily fall prey to the bondage of sins. God does not enjoy seeing sinners perish. He desires people who have gone astray to repent and return to His bosom (Ezekiel 18:23). Thus, through some people we meet, God takes a further step to call us to be a member of the People of God, like the ancient Israelites whom God chose to give grace and to protect against secular temptations. All of us who are sitting here in this Church have responded to the Second Call of God to receive baptism and become His people. After baptism, like what St. Paul says, we put on the full armour of Christ to hold our ground on evil days (Ephesians 6:13-18). Without baptism, people cannot receive further Sacraments and other graces. They have to fight against evils with their bare hands.
In fact, when we were baptized, we partake in the threefold ministry of Jesus Christ. God the Father sent the Son to be incarnated in the person of Jesus Christ who discharges the mission of dispensing graces through the roles of a king, a priest and a prophet.
When we help the needy or serve the disadvantaged in the society, God's righteousness is done. We serve God's cause and extend the Kingdom of Heavens. We are discharging the ministry of a king. When we celebrate mass and pray, we represent all humanity, including people who don't know God or even reject God, to offer up our prayers and sacrifices. We are discharging the ministry of a priest. When we study the Bible, tell people the truth of God and explain the position of the Church on social issues, we are discharging the ministry of a prophet. Do you remember how you were attracted by exemplar of some Catholics and started joining catechumen class and received baptism? These catechists have received rigorous training to instruct catechumens on salvific truths and the position of the Church. They are discharging the prophethood of Jesus Christ of which they partook during their baptism.
The first reading today tells us how Amos had become a prophet. Amos was only a herdsman of the southern Kingdom. He did not give up his job because prophets were highly paid (in the court). Rather, it was God who chose him, gave him the grace of visions and sent him to proclaim repentance to the Israelites in the north. Amaziah was the priest of Bethel in the north. He had the ears of the king. Amaziah felt the threats of Amos' proclamation which might panic the people. Thus, he decided to throw Amos out of Israel. A prophet's words are hard to swallow. They are not popular. Then, with what can we discharge our prophethood? What does the gospel tell us?
The passage today seems to address missionaries, not ordinary laity. Wrong. It is because we partake of the prophethood of Jesus Christ during our baptism. We too are missionaries. Furthermore, we have advantages over missionaries. We are able to go where they cannot. Then, when we preach, do we really have to go two by two (Mark 6:7) and to take nothing on our journey (6:8)? Of course, we should not take the Bible literally.
Why do we go two by two? It is because God is love (1 John 4:8, 16). This is one of the cores of our faith. We need to build up a community in order to practise charity. Thus we need "to go two by two".
Last Sunday, we read that the folk in Nazareth rejected Jesus. Consequently, there were few healings and little graces. Thus, if we do not respond to the call of Jesus Christ to discharge our prophethood, to help non-believers share God's salvation and in so doing we will also receive more abundant graces, it is our loss. Jesus Christ gets used to being rejected by His folks! Pray that we are not amongst those who reject Him!
Why then should people be baptized? Even more, why not baptize at the deathbed once and for all? Why take the trouble to get baptized and then commit sins; go to confession to beg forgiveness, sin again and confess again and on and on?
How can we accomplish anything if we take nothing on our journey?
Men tend to rely on their own abilities. They believe that reward is proportional to effort and that diligence is a virtue. We easily forget that it is God who helps us obtain salvation. The less you carry, the more manifest God's power. The more you bring, the more attention is diverted to the things you bring along, the less we are able to see that Jesus Christ is working alongside us to evangelize. Jesus Christ wants to make use of our hands to heal and to exorcise, our lips to say edifying words and our hearts to love the abandoned. What can prevent us from evangelizing alongside with Jesus Christ? Our lack of knowledge? Our fear of teaching the wrong things? Our being too busy to study the Bible or to attend catechetical courses?
God bless!
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