主題：甚麼是真理？
我們天主教徒相信聖經是天主的說話，所以我們按照聖經的教訓生活。但世人不一定接受聖經的權威。例如，最近立法會某位議員提出研究如何制訂政策，承認「同性結合」的議案，結果遭到否決。在辯論的過程中，一位信奉基督教的議員提出要維護傳統的「一男一女，一夫一妻」的婚姻制度，立刻受到另一位信奉基督教的議員，引用終審法院的判詞反駁，說「一男一女，一夫一妻」的婚姻制度，從來不是香港原本的婚姻制度，而是1972年從英國，一個基督教國家引入的制度，不值得支持。固然，這位議員有斷章取義，歪曲了終審法院判詞的嫌疑。另一方面，她這樣說，言下之意，「一男一女，一夫一妻」是基督宗教的婚姻制度，中國人不信耶穌，所以不必遵守這些從西洋引入，強加在我們頭上的制度。這當然是歪理。為甚麼？當年明朝的曆法，推算日食失敗；而耶穌會利瑪竇神父引進西洋曆法，準確地預測到日食的時間。倘若你是當時明朝的皇帝，你會否說：「這是從西洋引入，強加在我們頭上的制度。我們拒絕使用西洋曆法！」呢？當然，來自外國的東西，不一定全是好東西。祇顧崇洋，當然不妥。同樣，凡是外來的東西，都會對本土構成不利。這種排外的思想，同樣不可取。詩經有云：「他山之石，可以攻玉。」所以在真理面前，倘若執迷不悟，損失的祇有自己！可惜，在香港的議會內，就是充斥著這麼多說歪理的議員，的確令人失望！
今天的世界，崇尚民主、自由和人權。教會慶祝「基督普世君王節」，好像和世界唱反調。教會真的是反潮流嗎？
可惜，不但君王制度被濫用，連「人權」的概念亦漸漸被濫用了。出於自私，部份有權有勢的人，要求一些他們不應該擁有的權利，並美其名為「平權」；或者通過法例，強迫大部份人接納一小撮人享受自私的利益！這種種做法，實在是不公義和不合理的。由此可見，背棄了「真理」，連表面上好像有價值，有意義的行為事物，都變成了傷害和剝削他人的制度。
今天的福音的下一句，是比拉多問耶穌：「甚麼是真理？」（若18:38）可能在比拉多的心目中，強權就是真理，法律就是真理。可能比拉多根本沒有興趣知道真理是甚麼。不過，耶穌基督在最後晚餐時，回覆多默宗徒的疑問時曾說過：「我是道路、真理、生命。除非經過我，誰也不能到父那裡去。」（14:6）
各位兄弟姊妹，雖然耶穌基督對比拉多說：「我的國不屬於這世界。」（若18:36）但祂不是降生成人，為我們釘十字架贖罪嗎？所以耶穌基督的國，不是政治性、世俗性的國度，而是靈性的國度。我們對抗的是魔鬼，這是一場在世界上進行的靈性戰爭。既然我們接受耶穌基督作為我們的君王，即使世人不接納聖經的教訓，我們也有責任，以言以行，向世人展示耶穌基督教訓的超越性，讓他們作出明智自由的選擇。請大家繼續以真福八端的教訓，作為我們生活的指標。一方面努力成聖，另一方面，幫助他人成聖，並聖化這個世界，成為耶穌基督的國度。
首先，為甚麼人類社會，會出現君王制度呢？人類比其他物種更優勝的地方，就是他們的組織能力強，有本事造出大型的工程如萬里長城，有組織地改變他們的生活環境，有系統地消滅對手。在這幾方面，君王制度，是成功的制度。人民祇要付出小許的代價，飼養一個君王，便可以安居樂業，何樂而不為？可惜，人類的歷史中，昏君暴君多，賢君少。昏庸殘暴的個體，濫用了君王制度，殘民以自肥，以致民不聊生，官迫民反。「人權」的概念，就是出自反抗暴君的濫權。人民為了保障自己的生命和辛苦累積得到的財產，惟有發動革命，推翻暴政，要求君王承認人民有生存權，有私產權；要求君王也要受法律約束，不得胡作非為。在法律面前，人人平等。天子犯法，與庶民同罪。為的是希望自己的生命財產，得到保障。其實，發動革命，付出的代價是沉重的。這些最基本的人權，就是流血流汗爭取回來的。
耶穌基督是天主子，是不可見的天父，可見的慈悲。祂降生成人，展示回歸父家的途徑。祂是真理的化身，祂賜給世人生命。「天主是愛」（若一4:8）就是真理。出於愛，天父創造一個適合人類居住的宇宙；出於愛，天主按自己的肖像造了人類；出於愛，天父沒有放棄犯罪的人類，反而派遣聖子降生救贖人類，以真理解放人類，以聖子的血償還人類的罪債。出於愛，天主派遣聖神作為護慰者，陪伴教會成長，直到聖子耶穌基督在末日重臨，君臨宇宙，審判生者死者！所以，耶穌基督是君王，一個「以正義審訊微賤者，以公理判斷世上的謙卑者，以口中的棍杖打擊暴戾者，以唇邊的氣息誅殺邪惡者」的君王。（依11:4）
天主保祐！
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Year B
Theme: What is Truth?
We Catholics believe that the Bible is the word of God. Thus, we live according to the teachings of the Bible. However, people in the secular world do not necessarily accept the authority of the Bible. For example, recently a legislator tabled a motion to study the formulation of policies to recognize "same-sex union" which was subsequently vetoed. During the debate, a legislator with Christian background wanted to add a clause to respect the family values cherished in the existing marriage institution based on "one man and one woman". Immediately, another legislator with Christian background hit back, quoting the verdict of the top court that "one man and one woman" is a Christian marriage ideology introduced to Hong Kong in 1972. It has never been our original marriage institution. We have no obligation to uphold it. To be frank, this legislator might be guilty of quoting the verdict out of context. Moreover, she was suggesting that "one man and one woman" is a Christian ideology and since most Chinese do not believe in Christ, there is no obligation to obey such an ideology imposed on us from the West. Of course this reasoning is blatantly wrong. During Ming Dynasty, the court failed to predict solar eclipses, using the Ming Calendar. Matteo Ricci, a Jesuit priest made use of Western Calendar and correctly predicted solar eclipses! If you were the Ming Emperor at that time, would you say, "This Calendar came from the West and is an institution imposed upon us. We refuse to use Western Calendar"? Surely, not all things from the West is good. Xenophilia is wrong. Similarly, all alien things are harmful to local system. Such a xenophobic mentality is also wrong! The Classic of Poetry says, "Rocks from other mountains are able to polish jade." If your stubbornly reject the Truth, at the end of the day, you shall only be a loser! Unfortunately, the legislative chamber is made up of so many illogical legislators. How disappointing!
In the world today, people uphold democracy, freedom and human rights. The Church seems to be going against the flow by celebrating the Solemnity of Christ the King. Is the Church going against the current?
Unfortunately, not only is the institution of kings abused. Even the concept of human rights is also gradually abused. Out of selfishness, some people in power demand to enjoy rights which they are not entitled and embellish it as "equality of rights". Or they pass laws to force most people to accept the selfish benefits of a handful of people. Such actions are unjust and unreasonable. Thus, we see that without the "Truth", all those superficially valuable and meaningful actions and things shall become a harmful and exploitative institution.
The verse immediately after today's gospel is: Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" (John 18:38). Perhaps in Pilate's mind, might was right or law was truth. Perhaps Pilate was not even interested in knowing the truth at all. However, during the Last Supper, when answering Thomas' question, Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (14:6)
Brethren, although Jesus Christ told Pilate, "My kingdom does not belong to this world." (John 18:36), didn't He become flesh to be crucified to repay our sins? Thus, the kingdom of Jesus Christ is not a political secular kingdom. It is a spiritual kingdom. We are fighting against Satan. It is a spiritual battle whose battlefield is the world. Since we accept Jesus Christ to be our King, even though people do not accept the teachings of the Bible, we have the responsibility to demonstrate the superiority of Christ's teachings to the world with our words and deeds. Let them make a wise and free choice. Let us continue to make the teachings of the Beatitudes as our guiding principles in life. On one hand, we work hard towards sanctification. On the other, we help others sanctify and together sanctify the world to become the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
First of all, why did kings appear in human society? Humanity is superior over other species on world because their ability to organize is strong. They are able to build mega projects such as the Great Wall, to modify deliberately their living environment and systematically annihilate their rivals! On all these fronts, the institution of kings is a successful institution. People only have to pay a little price to keep a king. Then they are able to live and work peacefully. Why not? Unfortunately, human history is full of foolish rulers and tyrants while good kings are few to come by. Many foolish and brutal individuals abuse the kingship institution. They feed on the subjects and oppress them so much so that people are forced to rebel. The idea of human rights came from fighting back against abusive tyrants. People want to protect their own lives and their hard earned estates. They could only set off revolutions to overthrow tyrany. They demand kings to recognize the right to life and the right to private property of the people. All should be equal before the law. They demand kings not to be above the law but to refrain from abusing their authority. People only want to protect their lives and their private property. Indeed, people pay a heavy price to start revolutions. These basic human rights came from sweat and blood.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the visible mercy of the invisible Father. He incarnated to show us the Way to return to the Father. He embodies the Truth and gives Life to men. The truth is "God is love." (1 John 4:8) Out of love, the Father created a cosmo suitable for men to live. Out of love, God created men in His own image. Out of love, the Father did not abandon the fallen men. On the contrary, He sent the Son to redeem humanity, liberate them with the Truth and repay our debts with the blood of the Son. Out of love, God sends the Holy Spirit to be the Advocate to accompany the Church to develop until the Son, Jesus Christ comes again in glory at the end of the world to judge the living and the dead. Thus Jesus Christ is king who "shall judge the poor with justice, and decide fairly for the land's afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked." (Isaiah 11:4)
God bless!
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