主題：回應聖召
天主是愛（若一4:8），而我們是按天主的肖像創造出來的，並吩咐我們管理祂為我們，適合我們生活的宇宙大地（創1:26）。祂賜給每人不同的恩寵，不同數目的塔冷通，去完成這個使命（瑪25:14-30）。因為天主是愛，所以這是一個愛的使命。從瑪竇福音中「塔冷通比喻」的教訓中，我們明白到天主並不苛刻，祂並沒有要求我們做驚天動地的大事，祇要求我們不要埋沒這些天賦的恩寵，按良心生活，做個頂天立地，無愧於心的人就可以。這是全人類的第一個聖召，適用於每個人身上。所以，在「山羊綿羊的比喻」中，復活升天了的主耶穌基督，在末日重臨審判生者死者的時候，祇提出最低的要求，以有沒有實踐六個「形哀矜」作為進入永生的標準（25:31-40）。比喻中，君王沒有提及洗禮或參加主日彌撒，祂祇要求我們去愛，去關懷弱小！
不過，世界被罪惡所污染，變得邪惡。我們每天所呼吸的，是污染了的空氣；所食用的，是被各式各樣的有害物質和病毒所污染的水和食物；這些祇危害我們肉體的健康，可是更嚴重的，就是我們所耳濡目染，充斥著歪理的社交媒體所提供的娛樂和資訊！這些東西危害著我們靈魂的健康！天主是愛，祂怎會忍心看著我們無助地掙扎呢？因此，祂賜給部份肯回應祂召叫的人，成為天主子女的特恩，獲得祂賜予的聖神，抗衡世俗的邪惡（路11:13）。這是天主對全人類的第二個聖召，就是召選他們藉著「入門聖事」，成為天主教徒。在教會內，繼續領受其他聖事，獲得天父經常的保護和照顧。領受了入門聖事，我們分擔了耶穌基督的三重職務，就是君王、先知和司祭的職務。君王的職務，就是替天行道，拓展天國，服務弱小；先知的職務，就是成為天主的代言人，宣講真理，對抗謊言歪理；最後，司祭的職務，就是耶穌基督在若望福音所說：「天主是神，朝拜祂的人，應當以心神以真理去朝拜祂。」（若4:24）作為天主教徒，我們有責任履行司祭職務，為自己和代表未信仰天主的人，獻上屬神的朝拜和祈禱，例如為他們唸玫瑰經，獻彌撒。
為蒙召成為天主子女的我們，領洗入教是一條成聖之路，是邁長的，是需要有人同行的。同行的人就組成了教會。今天，全世界約有13億1,300萬天主教徒，佔全世界總人口17.7%。但全球神職人員，祇得41萬4,500人，即平均每位神職人員，需要照顧3,167位教友。在香港教區永久居民中，教友人數為399,000人，連同212,000其他國籍天主教徒，香港教區共有611,000教友，佔全港人口8.17%。教區共有322位神職人員，即平均每位神職人員，需要照顧1,898位教友。但這個數字嚴重低估了實際情況，因為祇有三份一的神職人員，直接參與牧民工作，接觸教友，照顧教友靈性上的需要；其他的三份之二，需要全力投入管理和教化的工作，因為擁有13億1,300萬成員，的確是一個龐大的組織，需要投放大量人手到管理和教化的工作上。尤其在教化上，因為教會所扎根的世界裡，鼓吹著各式各樣的歪風：例如，以人的賺錢能力，去衡量一個人的價值，而不是以他的人性尊嚴；以功利主義去衡量生命和人際關係的價值，形成沒有利用價值的便可以拋棄的「死亡文化」，所以墮胎和安樂死在世界各地變成合法化；鼓吹個人自由，不理會責任和公益，以致社會繼同性戀非刑事化後，邁向性別多元化，同性婚姻合法化等，動搖和破壞蒙天主所祝福的婚姻和家庭生活。教會兀立在這世界之中，要成為地上的鹽，世界的光（瑪5:13），有賴大量神職人員，專注研究倫理神學，確立正確的社會訓導，讓教宗頒布通諭及宗座勸諭，給面對世俗挑戰的天主子民正確的教化，成聖自己，聖化他人，轉化世界！41萬4,500位教會的公務員，真是任重道遠。
這是作為天主教徒的第三個聖召，就是以婚姻生活，或者獻身生活，光榮天主。大部份人行婚姻生活成聖的道路，祇有三千份一的人，走神職人員成聖之路。以這兩種生活方式成聖，並不容易。但天主樂意額外灌注恩寵，幫助度婚姻生活和修道生活的人，克服困難，成聖自己，光榮天主。母親節適逢聖召主日，是一個很好的機會，默想作為母親的聖召。的確，母親帶我們進入這個世界，母親教養我們長大成人，認識造物主。母親的使命是完全愛的使命，她們是司鐸聖召的榜樣！
各位兄弟姊妹，時代不斷變動，教會面對不斷變化的挑戰。我們沒有百份百成功的策略，解決問題，無論是教會的內憂抑或是外患。讓我們信靠愛我們的天主，向祂祈求，賜給我們聖神，建設祂的天國。
那為甚麼祇得三千份一人以修道生活成聖呢？是教會訂立的條件過份嚴格嗎？不會，進入聖神修院辨別自己有沒有做教區神父的聖召，學歷要求是預科，即是考完DSE，但沒有入大學的3322要求。所以不是教會要求過份嚴格。其實，天主又怎會吝嗇祂的恩寵呢？是人好像富貴少年一樣，捨不得已經擁有，或者可能擁有的財富和成就嗎（路18:23）？這可能是最大的原因。香港作為一個商業社會，大部份人以功利主義作為思考模式，急功近利，很少人有遠大高尚的抱負。其實，即使是功利主義，也應考慮長遠的利益。缺乏神職人員，缺乏捍衛倫理價值的隊伍，對社會整體，有害無益。是因為很多人好像伯多祿一樣，對自己缺乏信心，怕帶給教會醜聞，於是好像耶穌基督召喚他時，伯多祿反而請求耶穌離開他，因為他是個罪人嗎（5:8）？的確，作為宗徒之長的伯多祿，竟在危急關口，為了保命，三次否認耶穌基督（22:54-62），真是羞家。但天主的慈悲和恩寵是如此偉大，耶穌基督在復活後，不是三次問伯多祿愛祂否，並差遣伯多祿照顧教會嗎？可見天主是非常渴望我們不要害怕回應召叫，不要害怕接受恩寵。
天主保祐！
Fourth Easter Sunday, Year C
Theme: Answering God's Call
God is love (1 John 4:8) and we were created in the image of God to govern the universe which was created in such a way that is suitable for humanity to live (Genesis 1:26). He gave us different graces, different number of Talents to accomplish this mission (Matthew 25:14-30). Since God is love, this mission is a mission of love. From the Parable of Talents in Matthew, we understand that God is not harsh at all. He does not ask us to do ground-breaking works. He just wants us not to bury our talents, but to lead a life according to our conscience without regrets. This is the first call to all humanity, applicable to everybody. Thus, in the Parable of Sheep and Goats, when the risen Lord comes to judge the living and the dead on the Judgment Day, He demands only the minium requirements, using the six Corporal Works of Mercy as the criteria to enter eternal life (25:31-40). In the Parable, the King does not mention baptism or going to Sunday masses. He only demands us to love and to care about the needy!
But the world is contaminated by sins and becomes evil. What we breathe everyday is polluted air. What we eat and drink are water and food polluted with poisonous chemicals and viruses. Those are detrimental to our physical health. More seriously, we are fed with callous entertainments and fake news on the mass media. These are harmful to our spiritual health. God is love. How could He bear to see us struggling helplessly? Thus He gives those who answer His call special graces to become His children and gives us the Holy Spirit to counter secular evils (Luke 11:13). This is God's second call to all humanity. That is, to become Catholics with the Rites of Christian Initiation. Joining the Church, we can continue to receive other sacraments to be protected and taken care of. Through receiving Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion, we partake in the threefold ministries of king, prophet and priest. As kings, we work on behalf of God to extend the Heavenly Kingdom through serving the needy. As prophets, i.e. spokesmen of God, we declare the Truth to countact lies and fallacies. Lastly, as priest, just as what Jesus Christ teaches, "God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth." (John 4:24) As Catholics, we have the responsibility to discharge the priestly ministry by offering spiritual worship and prayer for ourselves and as representatives of all those who do not yet believe in God. For example, we say the Rosary and offer masses.
As the People of God, entering the Church through baptism is a long road to sanctification. We need companions. These co-pilgrims form the Church. Today, there are 1,313,000,000 all over the world, about 17.7% of the world population. But there are only 414,500 clergy. That is, each clergy serving about 3,167 Catholics. Among the permanent residents of the Catholic Hong Kong Diocese, there are 399,000 Catholics. Together with 212,000 other nationalities, there are 611,000 Catholics in total, about 8.17% of the Hong Kong population. There are 322 clergy in the Diocese, i.e. in average each clergy serves nearly 1,900 laity. But this number seriously underestimates the actual situation. It is because only about one-third of clergy directly take part in pastoral work, getting in touch with the laity to meet their spiritual needs. The other two-thirds have to commit themselves in the governance and teaching roles. 1,313,000,000 members make a huge organization which absorbs a huge number of administrators and teachers. In particular, the teaching office is essential. It is because the Church is grounded in a world which entertain all sorts of fallacies. For example, the value of a person is measured by his ability of making money and not his human dignity. In a utilitarian society, the value of life and inter-personal relationship is measured by its utility, thus creating a "death culture" in which anything which is of no utility can be dispensed of. Thus abortion and euthanasia are legalized in many parts of the world. The society advocates personal freedom and ignaores duties and common good. Thus after the decriminalization of homosexuality, gender plurality is drummed up and same-sex marriage is legalized. In so doing, marriage and family life which God bless are shaken and damaged. The Church stands alone in the world to become its salt and light (Matthew 5:13). She needs a large number of clergy to focus on the study of theological ethics to establish the correct social teachings of the Church, allowing the Pope to promulgate encyclicals and apostolic exhortations to give correct teachings to the People of God who are being challenged so that they may sanctify themselves, sanctify others and transform the world! 414,500 civil servants of the Church are undertaking a Herculian task.
This is the third call to all Catholics to glorify God through married or consecrated life. Most people take the married life to sanctification. Only one-three thousandth of people take the clergy way. Both styles of life to sanctification is not easy. But God is happy to infuse extra graces to help those who lead a married life or a consecrated life to overcome difficulties, to sanctify and to glorify God. Today is Mother’s Day as well as Vocation Sunday. It is a good opportunity to meditate the vocation of mothers. Truly, mothers brought us into this world. They rear us up and show us the Creator. The mission of mothers is a mission of total love. They are exemplars of priestly vocation!
Brethren, the age is changing constantly. The Church is facing constantly changing challenges. We do not have sure-win strategies to solve all problems, be they internal or external. Let us put our trust in the God who loves us, beg Him to send us the Holy Spirit to build up His Church.
Why then do only one-three thousandth of people take the clergy way to sanctification? Does the Church set too harsh the requirements? No. In order to enter the Holy Spirit Seminary to discern whether you have priestly vocation, you only need to finish DSE, not even 3322, the minimum requirement to enrol in university. Therefore, the requirements of the Church are not harsh. In fact, how would God be a miser in showering us with grace? Or do people, then like the rich young man, not willing to forsake what they possess or would possibly possess, money or achievements (Luke 18:23)? Probably it is the biggest factor. In a commercial society like Hong Kong, most people think in a utilitarian manner. They look for quick gain and lack long term noble causes. However, to be utilitarian, one need to think for long term benefit as well. In the long run, a society will suffer if there are not enough clergy teams to defend the moral values of this society. Or do people, like Peter, lack faith and fear bringing down the Church with scandals? So when Jesus Christ called him, Peter asked Jesus to leave him alone because he was a sinner (5:8). Truly, it was scandalous for Peter, who is the Prince of the Apostles, to deny Jesus Christ three times to save his own skin (22:54-62). But how great are the mercy and grace of God! After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, didn't He ask Peter 3 times whether he loved him and sent him to take care of the Church? Thus, we see how God desires us not to be afraid to answer His call and not to be afraid to accept grace.
God bless!
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