主題：怎樣計算代價？
老闆請人，刋登招聘廣告，一定會列出入職的條件。凡認為自己符合條件的，便可以應徵。例如請一個辦公室文員，老闆會要求應徵者中學文憑試合格，能操作電腦文書處理，電話應對有禮貎等等…又因為法例規定，不能有種族歧視、性別歧視、家庭崗位歧視等等，廣告中不可以寫祇招聘女性，南亞裔或者單親媽媽免問等等！幸好二千年前還沒有任何形式的歧視條例，否則，耶穌在今天的福音中，提出有三類人，不能做祂的門徒（路14:26-27，33），恐怕有觸犯歧視條例的嫌疑了！
話倒要說回來，老闆提出的條件是否合理，不是應徵者可以質疑的。老闆絕對可以要求來應徵文員的，最少擁有兩個博士學位；至於沒有博士學位的，在社區內必須是有名的孝子！執事是否誇張了些？不是，要知道，科舉考試是唐代發明的；在漢朝，真的是全鄉里所稱揚的孝子，纔可以當「父母官」。在一個人浮於事的時代，掃街也要大學畢業，不足為怪。所以，耶穌基督提出的條件是否合理，我們是沒有資格質疑的。可是，那兩個比喻聽起來，的確有點不合理！耶穌基督不是教導我們要以一顆赤子之心，去追求天國嗎（瑪18:3，谷10:14，路18:16）？即是說，倘若我們想成為祂的門徒，就不應老謀深算，衡量得失，然後去跟隨祂。為甚麼今天，祂卻鼓勵我們要「籌算」、「運籌」呢？豈不是自相矛盾嗎？
經濟學家告訴我們，世上是沒有「免費午餐」的，任何事物一定要付出代價。但經濟學家卻沒有告訴大家，怎樣去計算代價，因為，每個人的價值觀不一樣。例如，有人會數算這三個月來的動盪，帶給香港經濟多少的損失：零售業生意額跌了多少，與上一季來港遊客相比，少了多少「人次」，有多少億資金流出海外，有多少人受了傷甚至死亡，增加了醫療系統的額外開支和破壞了多少公共設施，帶來了時間上的損失等等。以上所提及的因素，是可以用實在的金錢數目來表達代價的。另一方面，有人會著重市民在心理上的創傷有多廣泛，晚晚從電視畫面看到的暴力鏡頭，或者在社交媒體所獲得的資訊，對情緒造成的負面影響有多大，對人際關係的撕裂有多深，多持久；市民對政府及警察失去了多少的信心和信任，青年一代對祖國的愛戴有多低；為未來的管治，帶來多少困難…等等。雖然這些都不能用金錢數目可以表達的代價，但都是真實和重要的代價！
問題在於，在計算的時候，是沒有人有能力把所有的因素和代價，列舉並計算出來的。大份人祇會計算自己認為重要的因素和代價，而不理會其他非常重要，但當前是不會考慮的因素和代價。例如：站在最前線衝擊防暴警察，破壞公共設施的青年人，他們為甚麼選擇押上自己的前途及生命，不理會被捕，受傷甚至死亡的危險呢？這些代價不重要嗎？是重要的。但對於他們來說，一個沒有希望，沒有自由的明天，比失去前途和生命更可怕。兩害取其輕，於是站出來衝擊和破壞。對於出動防暴警察「止亂制暴」的政府，穩定繁榮壓倒一切。今天不「止亂制暴」，經濟會萎縮，會斷送了國家的安全和自己的政治前途。相對之下，民心不再值錢，下一代的生命前途不再值錢了。注意，這裡祇作陳述，不作是非對錯的判斷。
在福音的比喻中，起塔的人，因為沒有籌算他所忽視的因素和代價，例如天氣對施工的影響，材料的漲價等，結果半途而廢，被所有看見的人譏誚（14:29）。保衛國土的君王，運籌比較全面，他不但知道一萬士兵沒有足夠兵力，抵抗兩萬入侵的大軍，更計算到在本土發生戰爭所要付出如何沉重的代價。於是他不會為了個人的榮辱，勉強迎戰；便遣使求和，避免了生靈塗炭。（14:32）耶穌基督也祇作陳述，並不作出道德的判斷。留待讀者，運用智慧對比兩個的決定，孰優孰劣！
耶穌基督列出三個不能做祂門徒的因素，並不是歧視我們，而是提醒我們，做祂門徒必須考慮的代價：有誰不喜歡享受人際關係所帶來的溫馨呢？那麼，你願意選擇俗世中的人際關係，抑或是天國裡大同的人際關係呢？在那裡，天主會把豺狼與羔羊一起牧放（依11:6），警察與示威者都是兄弟姊妹！有誰不喜歡人生完美和成功呢？那麼，你願意選擇俗世的幸福和成就，抑或是世界因你背起十字架，而得以修和呢？你選擇留戀俗世的事物，抑或空虛自己，讓天父以祂無限的慈愛，灌滿你的生命呢？
各位兄弟姊妹，耶穌基督召叫我們成為祂的門徒，並交付出自己的生命，讓我們成聖，修補這被罪惡所破壞，所撕裂的世界。所以，蒙召成聖的我們，應該把眼光放在不是金錢數目所能表達的因素上。信賴天主聖神的助祐，建立一個充滿希望、自由、公義與和平的天國。 天主保祐！
2016年講道
圖片鳴謝：http://rethinkinghell.com/2015/02/13/what-i-would-have-to-deny/
Twenty Third Ordinary Sunday, Year C
Theme: How to Calculate Costs? If a boss wants to hire somebody, he will put up a classified advertisement and list the required qualifications. Whoever thinks that he possesses all those qualities can apply. For example, to hire an office clerk, the boss would require applicants to pass DSE, to be able to handle word processing and be polite in answering phone calls etc. Since sexual, racial and family status discriminations are forbidden by law, the advertisement cannot explicitly state that only female can apply, ethnic minorities or single mother need not to! Luckily, no such discrimination legislation was in force two millennia ago. Otherwise, Jesus would become a suspect of breaching discrimination laws when he declared which three types of people could not be his disciples (Luke 14:26-27, 33)!
Take a step back, no applicants can question the reasonableness of the qualities listed by the boss. It is absolutely legitimate for bosses to demand office clerks to be holders of two doctoral degrees without which, the applicant should be well-known in his neighbourhood to be filially pious! Am I exaggerating? Of course not! Recruitment examination was invented in Tang dynasty. During Han dynasty, only renowned filially pious men could be mandarins. In an age where there is an oversupply of labourers, even degree holders are expected to apply for scavenger jobs. However, these two parables sound unreasonable! Didn't Jesus Christ teach us to seek the Kingdom of Heaven like a child (Matthew 18:3, Mark 10:14, Luke 18:16)? That is to say, if we want to become His disciples, we should not be calculating, follow him after doing cost-benefit analysis. Why then does He encourage us to calculate the cost? Isn't that contradictory?
Economists tell us that there is no free lunch in the world. Everything has a cost. But they do not tell us how to calculate the costs! It is because the value system of everybody is different. For example, some people calculate the economic losses during this turbulent summer: how much business retailers have lost, how the number of tourists have fallen, how many billions of dollars have evaporated overseas, how many people are injured or even have died thus increasing expenditures in our hospital system and how many public facilities have been vandalized and brought about time losses etc. All the factors mentioned above can be expressed in concrete monetary terms. On the other hand, some people focus on how extensively the psychological damages have been inflicted; how large negative feelings and how deep divisions among interpersonal relations and for how long have been caused by coverages of violent clashes on TV and social media; how much confidence and trust in government and police force have lost among citizens and how much the younger generation hate mainland China; what amount of difficulties are generated for future governance of the society etc. Although these costs cannot be expressed in monetary terms, they are genuine and serious costs!
The problem is that nobody is able to list and calculate all the factors and costs. Most people only consider the factors and costs which they deem significant and ignore other very important factors and costs which would not be considered at the moment. For example, as for the radical youngsters who clash with riot police and vandalize public facilities, why do they lay their future and life down on the streets, ignoring the risks of being arrested, injured or death? Are those costs not heavy? They are heavy indeed. But for them, a future without hope and freedom is worse than losing their future and life. Choosing the lesser evil, they clash and vandalize. As for the governments which send riot police to put a stop to chaos and violence, stability and prosperity are paramount. If governments fail to put a stop to chaos and violence today, the economy shall wither and national security as well as political careers will be jeopardized. In contrast, people's trust, lives and futures of the next generation are no longer worthy. Please note that the above are only statements. There is no attempt to pass judgment.
In today's parables, the tower builder was laughed at by onlookers for aborting his project halfway because he failed to calculate the factors and costs which he had ignored, such as weather and fluctuations in material prices etc. (14:29). The king who defended his territory was able to calculate more comprehensively. Not only did he know his ten thousand soldiers were unable to fight off an army of twenty thousand invaders, but he was also able to calculate the heavy tolls on fighting battles in his own turf. Thus, he would not care about his own glory to fight against all odds, but to send a delegation of peace to avoid annihilation (14:32). Again, Jesus Christ only narrates and does not pass judgment, leaving the readers latitude to exercise their wisdom to decide which choice is wiser!
Therefore, when Jesus Christ lists three factors failing which a person cannot be His disciple, he is not discriminating anybody. He just reminds us of the importance of considering the costs of being his disciples: who doesn't enjoy the warmth of interpersonal relationships on earth? Then would you choose interpersonal relationships in the secular world or the beatic interpersonal relationships in the Kingdom of Heaven, where "the wolf is a guest of the lamb" (Isaiah 11:6), riot police and demonstrators are brothers? Who doesn't like a perfect and successful life? Then, would you choose happiness and achievements on earth, or a reconciled world because you carry your cross? Would you desire worldly good, or would you empty yourselves, making room for your Heavenly Father to fulfil your life with His infinite mercy?
Brethren, Jesus Christ calls us to be his disciples and offers up His own life to sanctify us and to mend this world which has been laid waste and torn apart by sins. Thus, as we are called to sainthood, let us fix our sight on factors which cannot be expressed in monetary terms. Trust in the help of the Holy Spirit to build a Kingdom of Heaven which is full of hope, freedom, justice and peace.
God bless!
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