主題：走出安樂窩
在公眾地方甚至在家中，家長用手機做「電子奶嘴」，令幼兒安靜，已經不再是甚麼新鮮的事物。大家都知道這樣做，對孩子的成長有害。奈何古往今來的家長，沒有時間和方法教養子女，便選擇了這些「糖衣毒藥」。執事並非誇張，相信大家最近也聽過，世界衛生組織公佈了，一歲以下的幼兒，應完全遠離熒幕；兩歲至四歲使用熒幕，每天不可超過一小時，而且越少越好。
教養子女，要作出取捨和犧牲。小朋友是十分敏感聰明的，父母合力教養他們，真是鬥智鬥力。打罵的方法對孩子的成長有害，眾所周知。但當父母用奶嘴這下策的時候，孩子會感覺到父母投降了，放棄了，不再關心愛護他們了。他們得到的是短暫滿足，而不是父母的愛。這樣對孩子的成長，與打罵同樣有害。「奶嘴」成了母愛的替代品，成了躲避缺乏母愛的安樂窩，這是多麼可憐的事！成年人會倚賴其他的事物，作為他們的「奶嘴」。
福音的故事，告訴我們即使是正常的成年人，一樣會躲在安樂窩裡。耶穌基督來到世上，希望帶給信仰祂的人，豐富的生命。要得到生命的發展，必需走出安樂窩。自以為是的法利塞人和經師，感覺到耶穌基督動搖了他們在人民心目中的地位，便躲在偽善和知識的安樂窩裡，攻擊耶穌基督，並拒絕了祂的真理；司祭們看見耶穌基督清理聖殿，損害他們的利益，便躲在權威和地位的安樂窩裡，質問耶穌基督憑誰給的權力行事，並拒絕了祂愛德的邀請。即使是相信耶穌基督，並與祂一起生活了三年的宗徒，在冒險跟隨了耶穌基督一段時間之後，當遇上困難挫折時，亦躲回自己的安樂窩中。
十二宗徒滿懷期望，放棄一切，跟隨了耶穌基督三年。伯多祿代表他們，宣認耶穌基督，就是他們所期待的默西亞（路9:20），把他們從羅馬人的殖民統治，解放出來，復興以色列國（宗1:6）。在榮進耶路撒冷時，大家雄心勃勃，勝利在望。可惜不足一個星期，事情的發展急轉直下，眼見耶穌被出賣、被判罪、被羅馬人釘死。事出突然，縱使耶穌基督事先三次預言受難，他們仍毫無心理準備，被殺個措手不及！為了保命，迫於無奈否認師傅，並且躲藏起來！即使耶穌基督復活了，並且顯現給躲在屋裡的他們，他們仍不敢相信，不敢離開以往的安樂窩。耶穌基督復活後的顯現，是神出鬼沒的。在升天前的四十天，耶穌基督並不是天天顯現給門徒。結果，伯多祿多日不見耶穌基督顯現，為了不讓自己胡思亂想，便聯同其他兄弟，重操故業，出海打魚（若21:3）。
今天的福音，記載了多默宗徒，走出自己安樂窩的事蹟。
第二次是在最後晚餐時，耶穌基督表示要暫時離開他們，回到天父那裡，為他們預備地方，然後回來接他們去（14:2-3）。耶穌基督補充了一句：「我去的地方，你們知道往那裡去的路。」（14:4）多默是個實事求是的人，他很坦率地表達他的無知，說：「主！我們不知道你往那裡去，怎麼會知道那條路呢？」（14:5）這個問題，給我們一個機會，聽到一句非常重要的真理。耶穌基督說：「我是道路、真理、生命，除非經過我，誰也不能到父那裡去。」（14:6）
最後，當十個門徒對多默說，當他不在場時，主顯現給他們（20:25a）。試問誰能接受這些話呢？多默不相信，是絕對合情合理的，也難怪多默提出這麼苛刻的條件─親眼看見，並用指頭探入釘孔，用手探入肋旁─纔相信（20:25b）。這些條件是多默自己提出的，可以令他安心相信。三年來對耶穌基督所建立的信心，因著祂的受難，已完全崩潰了。為了自保，多默祇能退縮到自己感到安全的安樂窩裡。
耶穌基督教導我們相信天父的慈悲，因為天主是愛。出於愛，天主創造了和救贖了我們。罪分裂了我們與天主之間，我們與兄弟姊妹之間和我們對自己的共融和信任。沒有了信任，我們要求保証，要求證據。我們因為失敗挫折，對自己失去信心，連自己也不敢相信自己。同事所做的並不符合我們的期望，我們對別人失去信心。我們祈求天主幫助我們，但天主卻毫無反應，於是我們懷疑天主的存在！我們惟有躲回到自己的安樂窩中。【左傳】記載了這樣一段「周鄭交質」的故事，很有啟發性。周平王與鄭武公之間失了信任，以交換人質作擔保。注意，不是諸侯之間的對等地位，而是下兩級的侯爵，竟然與天子交換人質。可見當時的法制禮教，已淪落到何等敗壞的地步！結果，天子死後，鄭侯竟然派軍隊去收割王畿內的麥。可見，沒有信任，沒有信心，甚麼證據都是沒有用的！
感謝耶穌基督，祂體諒多默和我們的軟弱不足，祂願意扶持堅強我們。祂復活了，並主動接觸我們。凡被祂接觸的，噓一口氣的一切，都會充滿生命力，都會更新成長（20:22）。多默不再倚賴他所規定的證據，便承認耶穌基督是他的天主（20:28）。
除了伯多祿和若望之外，我們對其餘的宗徒，認識不多。從若望福音，我們亦祇能得到一鱗半爪的描述。因此，對宗徒們的脾氣性格，祇能作出一些推測。有關多默宗徒的描述有三處。首先，是復活拉匝祿的故事。拉匝祿病倒時，耶穌基督沒有立刻去醫治他；到拉匝祿死了以後，耶穌基督纔出發。但門徒憂慮猶太人會加害祂，想勸阻祂。多默明白到門徒是沒有辦法勸阻耶穌基督的去向，惟有說個笑話，化解緊張的情緒，同時表達不願冒險前往的意向，試問有誰會樂意尋死呢？
各位兄弟姊妹，大家願意接觸復活的主基督，走出圍困著和窒息著我們的安樂窩嗎？
天主保祐！
Second Easter Sunday, Year C
Theme: Leave Our Comfort Zone
In public places and even at home, it is no longer news to see parents use "electronic pacifier" to tranquilize infants. We all know that it is harmful for their growth. Unfortunately, ancient and modern parents have no time and methods to raise their children properly and choose such sugar-coated poisons. I am not exaggerating. I think all of you have heard of the recent WHO guidelines on children's screen time limits. WHO recommends that infants under one should stay away from screen completely. Those between two to four should spend no more than one hour a day on screen, the less the better.
Raising children needs to make choices and sacrifices. Children are very sensitive and smart. Parents need to outwit as well as out-strengthen them. Everybody knows that scolding and beating them are harmful to their growth. But when parents use pacifiers, children sense that their parents have surrendered, have given up loving and caring them. What infants get is temporary gratification, but not parental love. It is as harmful as scolding and beating. Pacifiers have become the substitute of motherly love, a comfort zone to hide away from the lack of motherly love. How pitiful! Adults rely on other things to be their pacifiers.
The gospel stories tell us even normal adults hide away in their comfort zones. Jesus Christ came to bring abundant life to those who believe in him. In order for our life to grow, we must leave our comfort zone. The self-righteous Pharisees and scribes felt that their respect among the people was shaken and threatened by the presence of Jesus Christ. They hid in the comfort zone of their hypocrisy and professional knowledge to attack Jesus and rejected his truth. Priests saw Jesus Christ cleanse the Temple and incur them financial damages. They hid behind the comfort zone of their authority and status, challenged Jesus where his authority came from and rejected His invitation to love. Even the apostles who believed, stayed with Jesus for three years and risked following Him for a time, returned to their comfort zone when difficulties and frustration descended.
The Twelve were full of hope, had abandoned everything to follow Jesus Christ for three years. Representing the Twelve, Peter declared that Jesus was the Anointed, the Messiah whom they had been anticipating (Luke 9:20) to liberate them from the colonial Roman rule and rebuild Israel (Acts 1:6). During the triumphant entry into Jerusalem, everybody was elated because victory was in sight. Unfortunately, in less than one week, things turned sour fast and saw Jesus being betrayed, condemned and crucified by the Romans. It happened so suddenly that even though Jesus had announced thrice that he had to suffer, the disciples were overwhelmed unexpectedly. In order to survive, they had no choice but to deny, to abandon their master and to hide away! Even though Jesus Christ had come back to life and appeared to them in the house, they did not dare to believe and leave their comfort zones. Jesus' apparitions were sporadic. Before He ascended into heaven, Jesus Christ did not appear to His disciples regularly everyday. Consequently, not seeing Jesus Christ for many days, Peter together with some other disciples resorted to fishing in order to stay sane (John 21:3).
The gospel story today tells us how Thomas came out of his comfort zone.
The second narrative took place at the Last Supper. Jesus told the disciples that he would leave them temporarily for the Father's house to prepare a place for them and would come back to take them (14:2-3). Jesus added, "Where I am going you know the way." (14:4) Thomas was a realistic person. He was candid enough to express his ignorance and said, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" (14:5) This question gives us an opportunity to hear an extremely important truth. Jesus Christ answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (14:6)
Lastly, when the ten apostles told Thomas that during his absence, they had seen the Lord (20:25a). Who dares to believe in such words? Thomas' disbelief was absolutely reasonable. We should not blame Thomas for setting such harsh criteria --- seeing the nailmarks, putting his finger into the nailmarks and his hand into his side --- to believe (20:25b). These criteria were set by Thomas himself so that he could feel comfortable believing. The faith which he had built in Jesus Christ collapsed at His Passion. In order to survive, Thomas had to resort to his comfort zone where he felt safe.
Jesus Christ teaches us to believe in the mercy of the Father because God is love. Out of love, God created and redeemed us. Sins divide the communion and trust we have with God, with our brethren and with ourselves. Without trust, we seek guarantee and evidence. We lose faith in ourselves in failures and frustrations. We lose faith in our brethren when they do not meet our expectations. We doubt the existence of God when we pray to Him and He does not answer! We can only hide in our comfort zone. A "hostage exchange" story in Zuo Zhuan is very inspiring. King Ping of Zhou and Duke Wu of Zheng failed to trust each other. They exchanged hostages as guarantee. Notice that King and Duke were of different ranks. Such an exchange indicated the collapse of the feudal system! Consequently, after the death of the King, the Duke sent armies to reap the wheat harvest in the royal farmland. Thus, without trust, without faith, guarantee and evidence are worthless!
Thank you Jesus! He knows Thomas' and our inadequacies. He is willing to support and strengthen us. He is alive and takes the initiative to contact us. Whatever He touches and breathes on shall be infused with life, renewed and grow (20:22). Thomas no longer relied on the evidence he demanded and acknowledged Jesus Christ to be his God (20:28). Brethren, are you willing to touch Christ the Risen Lord, break out of the suffocating comfort zone in which you are imprisoned?
Other than Peter and John, we know very little about the rest of the apostles. In the gospel of John, we find a few narratives. Thus, we can only speculate their temper and personality. We find three narratives of Thomas. We find the first one in the resurrection of Lazarus. When Lazarus fell sick, Jesus did not go to heal him immediately. Jesus stopped tarrying only after the death of Lazarus. But the disciples worried that the Jews would stone Him. They wanted to dissuade Him. Thomas knew that the disciples would be unable to dissuade Jesus. Thus, he cracked a joke to ease the tension and expressed his reluctance to take risk. Who would enjoy seeking death?
God bless!
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