郭志強執事
我們相信天主是生命的主宰，世間所有的生物種類，都是出於祂的創造。當你看見一朵花，一棵樹的時候，你可曾想過，為甚麼自己是一個人，而不是一尾魚，或者是一條牛，甚至是一株草呢？
當你意識到自己是一個人的時候，你可曾想過，你不是一尾魚是多麼幸福的一回事！魚在海裡游來游去，不是很自由自在嗎？當你還沒有被其他大魚或人類捕獲時，你當然自由自在。不過，你始終逃不過，化解在其他生物消化系統內的宿命！作為一條牛的慘況，就不用提了。除了被迫付出乳汁或者勞力之後，最終都成了人類的食物！一株草？算了吧！原來在這行星上生活，人類是最幸福的。想到這裡，你可曾感激造物主創造你做人呢？
人之所以是「萬物之靈」，皆因人是按天主的肖像所造（創1:26a）。故此，人類可以與天主對話溝通，並且有能力代表天主，管理萬物（1:26b）。動物植物，就祇能接受天主的指示而已。這是天主對全人類（包括你和我）的召叫，召叫我們好好地生活出天主的肖像，代表祂管理身邊的事物。這是第一個聖召。
但是，我們的天主不是孤單的一個，而是三位一體，以愛共融的天主。人既是天主的肖像，自然單獨不好（2:18）。所以，人必需群居，在團體（小至兩夫妻，大至社會國家）中生活和成長。在這方面，中國人是先進的。儒家思想著重團體中成員之間的互動關係，並建立了一套完整的五倫關係：即君臣、父子、兄弟、夫妻和朋友。並為每種關係，定下行為的規範：君王施恩，臣子忠誠；父慈子孝，兄友弟恭，夫唱婦隨；朋友之間，言而有信。這樣做，就活出一個頂天立地，無愧於心的人！用天主教的術語，就是活出天主的肖像！凡接觸過中國文化的國家，沒有一個不爭相採納這套倫理道德；即使是沒有接觸過的，他們也發展到另外一些的倫理道德規範，幫助人本著良心生活。
可惜，生活在原罪所污染了的世界裡，人受到私慾偏情的牽制。出於貪婪，很多當權者埋沒了自己的良心，設立了不公義的制度，剝削其他的人，殘民以自肥。在這樣敗壞的世代中，要活出天主的肖像，談何容易！但天主出於慈悲，並沒有放棄祂的創造。因此，祂派遣聖子降生，拯救這個世界，並邀請祂所選拔的人，與祂合作。在人群中，有部份人獲得天主的第二次召叫，進一步成為祂的子女，加入教會，與祂合作，在此世共同建立天國。我們就是這些被選拔的人。你可曾想過，這是何等的福份！
成為天主的子女，在末日光榮的天國呈現時，他們會享有在這光榮的天國中的一席位。這是我們在世上遇到困難迫害時，支持我們絕不放棄的希望。在末日之前，天主留給世界一個天國的雛型，就是教會。天主特別照顧這個教會，協助她在世上拓展天國，抗拒俗世的邪惡，把救恩分送到信仰天主的人手上！因此，成為一位天主教徒，不但可以在莊嚴的教堂舉行神聖的婚禮、子女得享優質的天主教教育、優先進入修女主辦的醫院及安老院和死後入葬天主教的聖地；更可以在堂區中，獲得其他志同道合的信徒支持、從聖事中暢飲天主的聖寵、獲得有學問的神職人員教導和代表堂區，為社區內貧困的市民服務，按耶穌基督的教導，積財於天（瑪6:19-20）。領洗入教，表達出我們對這份幸福的嚮往和爭取這份幸福的決心！你還記得天主怎樣CALL你，而你又怎樣回應，成為祂的子女嗎？
教會像芥子一樣，在聖神降臨後，開始時是微不足道的，祇有三千人。今天，全球有接近十三億天主教徒了 。這樣龐大的一個團體，極需要一隊非常專業的公務員，來服務這十三億天主子民，幫助他們履行領洗入教時所分享到的，耶穌基督的三重職務：君王、司祭和先知。你可知道全球神職人員（主教、神父和執事）的數字嗎？四十六萬六千！即是說，一位神職人員須要照顧約二千七百八十多位教友！相當於一位校長，在沒有教師、職員和工友的支援下，仍要照顧三所學校的同學！誠然，不是每一位男教友都適合做神職人員。我們生活在一個以成本效益為思考準則的功利主義社會中，父母會不惜一切，送子女入讀教會名校，贏在起跑線上，卻絕不考慮將自己的兒子送入修院，去辨明他們的聖召！青年人本身，在目前的教育制度下，建立不了任何理想，短視地追求朋輩的認同，隨波逐流地掘第一桶金；更有甚者，成為宅男，在虛擬的世界裡逃避現實的世界！
各位青年朋友，你們可曾想過，天主第三次CALL你，以某種特定的生活方式，成聖自己，聖化他人呢？天主有CALL你結交異性，成家立室，在婚姻及家庭生活中，與家人一起成聖嗎？抑或天主CALL你，修道成聖，成為一位修會會士（包括修士及修女），聖化天主的子民呢？抑或天主CALL你，成為聖職班的一份子，管理、聖化和教導天主的子民呢？即使沒有信仰的人，也要做「生涯規劃」，向自己和所愛的人負責。倘若連自己也管理不好，又如何履行替天主管理大地任務呢？又如何活出天主的肖像呢？
接聽天主的召叫吧，說不定祂正在找人履行一份優差哩！
天主保祐！
GOD CALLS YOU
Deacon Alex Kwok
We believe that God is the Author of Life. All life forms on earth were created by Him.When you see a flower, or a tree, has it ever come to your mind why you are a human person and not a fish, or a bovine or even a blade of grass?
When you become aware that you are human, have you ever thought about how happy it is that you are not a fish! Isn't the freedom of a fish cruising in the ocean admirable? Of course, only before you are caught by a bigger fish or human beings, are you free. However, you will never escape the destiny of being dissolved in the digestive system of another animal! It is worse to be a bovine. Besides being forced to milk or to labour, you end up on a dish at a table! A blade of grass? Forget it! Humanity is the happiest species living on this planet. When your thoughts come to this far, have you ever been grateful for God created you a human being?
Man is at the apex of Creation because men were created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26a). Thus, men are able to enter into dialogue with God and have the capacity to represent God to manage the Creation (1:26b). Animals and plants can only receive instructions from God. This is God's call to all humanity (including you and me), to live up to the Image of God, to represent God to manage our surroundings. This is our First Call.
Our God is not alone but three persons in one communion of love. Since men were created in God's image, naturally, it is no good for humanity to be alone (2:18). Thus, men must lead a social life and live in a community (from a couple to a society or country) in order to survive and to grow. Here, the Chinese are more advanced. Confucianism emphasizes the interactions among members of a community. It has established Five Canonical Relationships: Emperors and Subjects, Fathers and Children, Siblings, Husbands and Wives and lastly Friends. In each relationship, norms are set up: Emperors must be benevolent, Subjects loyal; Fathers merciful, children pious; Elderly friendly and juniors respectful; Husbands lead and wives follow; among friends, they honour promises. In this way, a man can stand tall and his conscience is clear! In Catholic jargon, to live up to the image of God! No one country which has come across Chinese culture has not incorporated this ethical system. Even for those which have not, they would develop other moral norms to help people lead a conscientious life.
Unfortunately, living in a world contaminated by the Original Sin, concupiscence is pulling our legs. Out of greed, people in authority bury their conscience and devise unfair institutions to exploit people to fatten themselves. It is not easy to live up to God's image in this corrupted age. But out of mercy, God did not abandon His Creation. He sent His Son to incarnate to deliver this world. Moreover, He invites the elected to work with Him. Among humanity, God calls some of them a second time to become His children. They enter the Church, work with Him to build the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. We are these elected. Have you ever thought about how blessed we are!
Becoming God's children, we are allocated a place in the glorious Kingdom of Heaven at the end of the world. This hope will sustain us when we meet difficulties and persecutions on earth. Before the end of the world, God gives the world an embryotic Kingdom of Heaven, the Church. God takes special care of her, support her to extend the Kingdom of Heaven, combat secular evils and dispense graces to believers. Thus, becoming Catholics, not only do we celebrate sacred Matrimony inside solemn churches, enjoy quality Catholic education for children, are taken care of in hospitals and home for the aged managed by nuns and are allowed to be buried in Catholic cemeteries, we can also find support from like-minded parishioners, drink from sacraments various graces of God, are taught by learned clergy and in the name of our parish, serve the needy in the neighbourhood, following the teaching of Jesus Christ to accumulate treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20). Receiving baptism showed how much we desired this blessedness and our determination to get it! Do you remember how God CALLs you and how you respond to become His children?
The Church is like a mustard seed. Soon after the Descent of the Holy Spirit, she was negligible. There were only 3000 followers. Today, there are 1.3 billion Catholics globally. This enormous community needs a team of professional civil servants to serve this 1.3 billion People of God, to help them discharge Christ's threefold ministries they partake through baptism: kingship, priesthood and prophethood. Do you know the number of clergy (bishops, priests and deacons) worldwide? 466,000! That is to say, a clergy has to take care of about 2780 parishioners, equivalent to a principal, without support from any teachers, clerks and janitors, taking care of students in three schools! Truly, not every male parishioner is suitable to be a clergy. We are living in a utilitarian society which thinks in terms of cost-benefit-analysis. Parents would do whatever they can to enrol their children in elite schools so that their children could win at the balkline. But they would never send their sons to seminaries to discern their vocation! Under the present education system, young people do not develop any ideals. Myopically, they seek recognition among their peers and follow the herd to make money. Even worse, some “Otaku” bury themselves in virtual reality to escape from the reality!
Young people, have you ever thought about the third call of God, to sanctify yourselves and other people in a specific life style? Has God called you to befriend the opposite sex to build up a family so as to sanctify with family members in familial life? Or has God called you to a consecrated life, becoming religious brothers and nuns to sanctify the People of God? Or has God called you to become a member of the Hierarchy, to govern, sanctify and teach the People of God? Even non-believers, who out of responsibility towards themselves and the people they love, do career-planning. If you do not manage yourselves well, how can you represent God to manage the world, to live up to the image of God?
Receive God's call. Perhaps He has a gravy train in store for you!
God bless!
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