主題：為甚麼耶穌基督啟示自己給我們
按照香港現時的法例，倘若我們獨留不足16歲的兒童或少年人在家，我們可能會被檢控虐待兒童罪！但香港社會的現況，很多父母需要外出工作，纔能維持到一家的生活水平。平日孩子們上學，在學校有老師看管，但假期又怎麼辦呢？請祖父母到家看管？找鄰居照顧？尋求社區中心的暫託服務可以嗎？當然，要多謝從菲律賓、印尼、泰國甚至斯里蘭卡請來的外佣，母親纔可以出外工作，多賺金錢以維持生活水平！但照顧兒童的問題，並沒有解決，祇是把問題從香港轉嫁到菲律賓、印尼和泰國而已！而且，不是一兩天暫託的問題，而是幾年合約，拋夫棄子的問題，其嚴重性，可想而知！這些外佣，必須妥當解決照顧家中兒童的問題，否則縱然在香港賺錢比菲律賓多，但最後可能換來婚姻破裂，兒女誤入歧途，真是得不償失！
耶穌基督在最後晚餐時所面對的，是更嚴重的問題。固然，宗徒們已經是成年人，不是16歲以下的少年，但他們和耶穌基督一起生活，祇不過三年時間，在靈性上，可以說是幼稚的三歲孩童。現在耶穌基督要離開他們，去受難、復活，然後升天，要到末日纔回來審判生者死者。這是相當長的一段時間，耶穌基督有甚麼辦法，照顧這些門徒，避免出現「樹倒猢猻散」的後果呢？關鍵在於與他們建立一份超性的愛德，把他們彼此聯繫，並與自己保持聯繫！
讓我們看看今天的福音片段的上文罷。耶穌說：「接受我的命令而遵守的，便是愛我的人；誰愛我，我父也必愛他，我也要愛他，並將我自己顯示給他。」猶達斯─不是那個依斯加略人─遂問他說：『主，究竟為了甚麼祢要將祢自己顯示給我們，而不顯示給世界呢？』」（若14:21-22）
耶穌基督的教訓是絕對不一樣的。
其次，耶穌基督的要求是高的，基督徒彼此相愛要好像耶穌基督愛了我們一樣。（13:34b）耶穌基督對我們的愛，在於完全的自我交付和犧牲，使我們獲得豐盛的生命。在最後晚餐，祂建立聖體聖事滋養我們的靈魂；祂死在十字架上為我們償還罪債，並賜給我們自己的母親聖母瑪利亞，作為教會的母親，照顧我們；升天後，祂派遣聖神協助教會應付世途的艱險。可見耶穌基督的愛，是非常全面的。
首先，這個猶達斯即是馬爾谷福音宗徒名單裡的達陡（谷3:18），或者路加福音宗徒名單裡雅各伯的兄弟猶達（路:16），而不是出賣耶穌的加略人猶達斯。
其次，達陡所提出的問題，是非常重要的，是後世所有基督徒需要不斷提醒自己的一件事。生活在俗世中的基督徒，如何保持基督徒的身份，不會被世俗所同化、所吞噬呢？世俗的人標榜「愛，大愛，平權的愛」，與基督徒所標榜的「彼此相愛」有甚麼分別呢？大眾傳媒所樂於報導的，和所投資製作的節目中所謂的愛，通常是可愛的男神、女神之間的互相追求，強調的是一份溫馨或者激情的感覺。那麼，不可愛的人物呢？試問掃地的亞嬸，洗廁所的外判清潔女工，我們關懷愛護她們嗎？倘若愛祇有激情的感覺，祇有慾望的滿足或者利益的追求，而沒有彼此的尊重和對後代子孫的責任，難怪越來越多國家把同性婚姻合法化了！
首先，「彼此相愛」是耶穌基督在最後晚餐時所頒布的新誡命（若13:34a），因為是誡命，所以基督徒別無選擇，祇有服從。又因為是誡命，是應該做的，所以不能期望得到任何報酬。即是說，附帶任何條件的愛，不是基督徒的愛。例如：如果你考試取得90分，爸爸送部PS4給你；如果你乖，帶你去迪士尼樂園；如果妳減30磅，妳的男朋友會好愛妳！這些「如果」，這些有條件的，都不是基督徒的愛。
天主保祐。
Sixth Easter Sunday, Year C
Theme: Why Does Jesus Christ Reveal Himself to Us
According to the Ordinances in Hong Kong, if we leave minors under 16 unattended at home, we would be charged with ill-treatment of children. But in the present situation of Hong Kong, many parents have to work together in order to sustain a certain level of living standard. During ordinary days, children are taken care of in schools. But what about holidays? Ask the grandparents to come to watch over them? Ask neighbours to look after them? Or seek respite care service for children from community centres? Of course, we should thank domestic helpers from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and even Sri Lanka for releasing mothers to work, making more money to maintain a certain living standard! But the problem of child care is not solved. It is only transferred from Hong Kong to the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand! Moreover, it is not a problem of a few days' respite care but the problem of contractual absence, abandoning husbands and children for a couple of years. The severity of problem cannot be ignored. If those domestic helpers fail to arrange things properly, even though they earn more money in Hong Kong than at home, their marriages might be neutralized and their children become delinquent. Is it worthwhile?
During the Last Supper, Jesus Christ had to deal with a graver problem. Of course, the disciples were adults, not under 16 minors. But they had lived with Jesus for only three years. Spiritually, they were still naïve kids. Now Jesus had to leave them behind, himself to be crucified, to come back to life and then to ascend to heavens. He shall come back only at the end of the world. This is going to be a long time. What should Jesus Christ do to take care of those disciples, to prevent them from dispersal in his long absence? The key is to build up a supernatural charity to join them together and to maintain a link with them!
Let us take a look at the context of the gospel passage today. Jesus says, "Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him." Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, "Master, what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?" (John 14:21-22)
The command of Jesus Christ is totally different.
Secondly, the demand of Jesus Christ is heavy. Christians should love one another just as Christ has loved us (13:34b). Christ's love for us is a total self-giving and sacrifice in order to give us abundant life. During the Last Supper, he established the Sacrament of Holy Communion to nourish our souls; he died on the cross to repay our debts and he gave his mother, the BVM to be the Mother of the Church to look after us; after the Ascension, he sent the Holy Spirit to help the Church weather through worldly adversities. His love for us is comprehensive.
First of all, this Judas is the Thaddeus of Mark's Apostles' list (Mark 3:18) or Judas the son of James (Luke 6:16) and not the traitor, Judas from Kariot.
Secondly, the question Thaddeus raised is of extreme importance. All Christians in subsequent generations have to keep asking themselves this question. How do Christians living in a secular world keep their identity without being assimilated or swallowed up by the world? Secular people uphold "love, universal love and love of equal rights". How does it square with the "loving each other" which Christians uphold? The kind of love which mass media enjoy reporting and investing in programmes, is usually the dating of beautiful ladies and handsome men. They focus on the feelings and passion. Then what about unlovable people? Do you love and care about the aged janitor who sweeps the ground or the outsourced janitor who cleans the toilets? If love is only a passion, a satisfaction of desires and the pursuit of interests without mutual respect and a responsibility to the future generations, no wonder more and more countries are legalizing same-sex marriages!
First of all, "loving each other" is a new commandment Jesus Christ gave in the Last Supper (John 13:34a). Since it is a commandment, Christians have no choice but to obey. And since it is a commandment, we should do it without expecting any reward. That is to say, Christian love is not conditional. For example, if you score 90 marks in tests, daddy will buy you a PS4; if you are good, mother will bring you to Disneyland; if you shed 30 lb., your boyfriend will love you! With these if's, these conditions, it cannot be Christian love.
God bless!
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