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Friday 16 November 2018

等候人子 A Rendezvous With the Son of Man

等候人子(路17:26-37

既然天主是一個奧秘,不是我們有能力完全理解的;所以祂想甚麼時候結束這個宇宙,我們也是沒有把握可以準確預測到的。
很奇怪,當耶穌基督講論「人子顯現的日子」是在人不知不覺的情況下來臨時,(路17:30),祂明明在講論時間,但門徒竟然問:「主,在那裡呢?」(17:36)他們不問日子時間,卻問地點位置!他們的智力水平不是這麼低嘛!

並不低!因為耶穌基督也不斷地說地點和位置:屋頂、田地(17:31)、床上(17:34)、磨房(17:35)。因此,門徒問耶穌地點和位置,並沒有錯。試想想,你約朋友相聚,倘若忘記了時間,又沒有辦法聯絡到他,惟有到相約的地點等候他吧!同樣道理,既然不知末日的時間,知道人子出現的地點,在那裡守候,亦是辦法。所以耶穌的門徒並不笨!可惜,耶穌基督的答案依然是難以捉摸!在那裡有老鷹聚集呢?死屍又是甚麼呢(17:36)?

其實,並不難捉摸!教宗方濟各在《你們要歡喜踴躍》宗座勸諭中說:「天主的肖像臨現在我們每一個兄弟姊妹身上,尤其是最微小、軟弱、無助和有需要的兄弟姊妹。」(GE#61)他祇不過重覆耶穌基督有關最後審判的教訓:「凡你們對我這些最小兄弟中的一個所做的,就是對我做的。」(瑪25:40)即是說,當我們守候在那些最小兄弟的身邊時,我們會等候到末日再來的人子!

「吃喝婚嫁…吃喝買賣,種植建造」(路17:27-28)並不是壞事,是正當的事。祗要我們能在做這些事之餘,能隨時放下,「不要下來取」(17:31),卻不忘守候在微小、軟弱、無助和有需要的兄弟姊妹的身邊。在主耶穌基督再度降臨時,我們將會成為第一時間迎接祂的人!
天主保祐!

生命恩泉


A Rendezvous With the Son of Man (Luke 17:26-37)

Since God is a mystery which we are unable to fathom, we have no way to accurately predict when He wants to end the universe.
Strangely, when Jesus was saying that "the day the Son of Man is revealed" will come when nobody notices it (Luke 17:30), he was talking about time. But the disciples asked, "Where, Lord?" They did not ask about the day or time but location! Their IQ should not be that low, should theirs?

Not at all! It was because Jesus kept talking about locations: housetop, field (17:31), bed (17:34) and grinding mill (17:35). Thus it was not wrong for the disciples to ask about locations. Just think about it, you have an appointment with a friend. If you forget the time and there is no way to contact him, the only way to meet him is to wait for him at the rendezvous! Similarly, since we don't know the day and time of the end of the world, wait for him where He shall appear is an option. Thus, the disciples of Jesus were not stupid after all! Unfortunately, Jesus Christ's answer was still ambiguous! Where shall the vultures gather? What does "body" mean? (17:36)

In fact, it is not ambiguous! Pope Francis says in "Gaudete et Exsultate", "For in every one of our brothers and sisters, especially the least, the most vulnerable, the defenceless and those in need, God's very image is found." (GE#61) Our Pope was repeating what Jesus Christ teaches about the Last Judgment, "Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40) That is to say, when we keep serving the least brothers, we shall be able to meet the Son of Man at his Second Coming!

"Eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, buying, selling, planting and building" (Luke 17:27-28) are not bad. They are perfectly legal. Let us be prepared to put all these things down at any moment. "Do not go down to get them" (17:31) Just don't forget to keep serving the least, the weak, the helpless and the needy brethren. When Lord Jesus Christ comes again, we shall be the first to welcome Him!
God bless!

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