耶穌基督在最後晚餐時，曾告訴門徒，他們必會遭受迫害：「人要把你們逐出會堂；並且時候必到，凡殺害你們的，還以為是盡恭敬天主的義務。」（若16:2）殺人竟是盡恭敬天主的義務，聽來的確諷刺！但為宗教狂熱之徒，這是寫照。掃祿就是為了捍衛一神信仰的純正，便狂熱地掃蕩「異端邪說」，四出迫害初期教會的信徒，因為他們把一個木匠拉彼，當作神一般敬拜！中世紀的道明會士及方濟會士，在宗教裁判所，也曾心安理得地大開殺戒！
今天的福音告訴我們，「信的人必有這些奇蹟隨著他們…說新語言…」（谷16:17）看，有史以來的傳教士們，努力學習，並說得一口流利的當地語言，向人民傳福音，成績斐然。大家可曾想過，第一個接觸土著的傳教士，是怎樣與他們溝通呢？身體語言足夠嗎？我相信一定有聖神的助佑，使雙方共同努力，放下對錯的成見，在不斷嘗試、犯錯、再嘗試的努力下，建築了一條方便後世溝通的橋樑。另一方面，有些傳教士或許認為當地的習俗是迷信，應該剷除。他們認為自己擁有絕對的真理，原始部落的文化是落後的。這樣是一面倒的說教，結果原始部落的文化被消滅了！傳教士心安理得，覺得自己是「盡恭敬天主的義務」！殊不知這是文化侵略滅絕。
「說新語言」不單是靠模仿和不斷練習能練成的，也必要聖神的恩寵，放下從前的習慣，對陌生的事物開放。這樣不但減少破壞迫害，更是傳福音的契機！掃祿經過耶穌基督的干預之後，搖身一變，成了一位偉大的傳教士，聖保祿宗徒。
主基督，請賜下聖神，更新我們的心志，學習聆聽新的語言，新的事物。亞孟。
PUT DOWN PREJUDICE TO SPEAK NEW LANGUAGES (Mark 16:15-18)
During the Last Supper, Jesus Christ told the disciples that they would be persecuted. "They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God." (John 16:2) How sarcastic it is to worship God by killing people! But this is a portrayal of fanatics. In order to defend the purity of monotheism, Saul went about routing "heretics", persecuting members of the early Church because they worshipped a carpenter rabbi like God! During the Middle Age, Franciscans and Dominicans killed with a clear conscience in the Holy Inquisition!
The gospel passage today tells us, "These signs will accompany those who believe … they will speak new languages." (Mark 16:17) Behold, throughout history, missionaries have studied hard to preach fluently in local languages. They have been very successful. Have you ever imagined how a missionary and an aborigine communicated in their first encounter? Was body language adequate? I believe the Holy Spirit must have helped both sides put away the prejudice of right and wrong, build a bridge of communication for the generations to come through many trials and errors. On the other hand, perhaps some missionaries thought that the local customs were superstitious and needed to be uprooted. The missionaries thought that they possessed the absolute truth and the culture of local savages was backward and primitive. This was lopsided preaching and in the end, primitive tribal cultures were annihilated! With a clear conscience, those missionaries felt that they were offering worship to God! Unbeknown to them, it was cultural intrusion and annihilation.
"Speaking new languages" cannot be achieved with rote learning and imitation alone. We need the grace of the Holy Spirit to down away what we have learnt and to open ourselves up to unfamiliar things. Not only will such an attitude reduce destructive persecutions, but it is also an opportunity of evangelization! After Jesus Christ's intervention, Saul was converted into an outstanding missionary, St. Paul the Apostle.
Lord Jesus Christ! Grant us the Holy Spirit to renew our hearts and wills to learn listening to new languages and new things. Amen.
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