教宗方濟各在《你們要喜歡踴躍》宗座勸諭中，指出「玄識論」者的毛病。他們「認為他們提出的解說，可以使整個信仰和整個福音成為可予理解的」（GE#39）；他們「將基督信仰的經驗看作一套思考論述」（#46）。他們有本領，非常理性地解釋聖經中的所有道理，以致天主再不是一個奧秘，按天主的肖像所造的人，再也不是一個奧秘。這些玄識論者，總有一個在附近，甚至是你自己。
法利塞人與玄識論者一樣，非常理性，希望把世上一切事物，掌握操控在手中。我們也與法利塞人相似，對未知之事感到不安。法利塞人問耶穌，天主的國何時要來，好讓他們安心準備。這樣做雖然是人之常情，但是卻否定了天主是一個奧秘。
在福音的另一處，耶穌承認連祂自己也不知道末日的時間，祇有天父纔知道（谷13:32）。聽起來有點不合理，三位一體的成員之一，耶穌基督怎可能會不知道末日的日子呢？又或者，耶穌基督用了一些含糊的說話來描述天主的國，「不在這裡，不在那裡，在你們中間。」（路17:21）在末日，不要在這裡，也不要在那裡去找人子，因為祂要橫跨整個天下。（17:23-24）我相信耶穌基督這樣做，是要我們接受，我們是面對著一個不可理解，不可操控的奧秘─天主！正因為面對耶穌基督，法利塞人感到不安，猶太權貴感受到威脅，所以人子「被這一代所擯棄。」（17:25）當人類面對不能理解的奧秘時，仍堅持以理性的手段處理，而不是謙遜地降服時，他們便會拿出手術刀，嘗試分析解剖這個奧秘。結果，他們殺死了這個奧秘！
人啊！你幾時纔肯謙遜地降服在這神妙莫測的奧秘之前呢？
Humbly Surrender Before Mysteries (Luke 17:20-25)
Pope Francis points out the flaws of Gnostics in his apostolic exhortation "Gaudete et Exsultate". Gnostics think that "their explanations can make the entirety of the faith and the Gospel perfectly comprehensible." (GE#39) They "turn the Christian experience into a set of intellectual exercises." (#46) They have the capability to explain biblical truth in a very rational manner so that God is no longer a mystery. Men who were created in the image of God are no longer a mystery too. Gnostics are everywhere. You may be one.
Both the Pharisees and the Gnostics were very rational. They hoped that everything in the world could be under their control. In a certain way, we are similar to those Pharisees. Confronted by uncertainties, we are anxious. The Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come so that they could prepare beforehand. Although it is natural for human beings to behave like this, it denies the mystery of God.
Elsewhere in the gospel, Jesus admits that even the Son of Man does not know the time of the end of the world. Only the Father knows (Mark 13:32). It doesn't sound reasonable. How can Jesus Christ, who is a member of the Trinity, not know the date and time of the end? Furthermore, Jesus Christ likes to describe the Kingdom of God in ambiguous terms such as, "And no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or, 'There it is.' For behold, the kingdom of God is among you." (Luke 17:21) At the end of the world, don't seek the Son of Man here or there because He would transcend all the space (17:23-24). I believe that Jesus Christ makes such a claim to teach us to accept the fact that we are facing an incomprehensible and uncontrollable mystery --- God! Confronted by Jesus Christ, the Pharisees felt uneasy and the religious authorities felt threatened. Thus the Son of Man "must be rejected by this generation." (17:25) When humanity is facing an incomprehensible mystery and insists on handling it with rationality and refuses to surrender humbly, they would take a scalpel trying to dissect and analyse the mystery. Consequently, they kill that mystery!
Man! When are you willing to humbly surrender in front of this ineffable mystery?
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