主題：誰人替你捱了刀？
創造我們的天主是看不見的，能看見的是祂臨在或者經過時所留下的痕跡，我們稱呼這些痕跡為「神蹟」：例如從天降下毀滅兩座城市的硫磺和火（創19:24）、分開的紅海（出14:22）、截停了的約旦河（蘇3:16）和停頓了的太陽（10:13）等等。其實，祇要放眼大自然，無論是風和日麗的日或者滿天星宿的夜，都會令人神往，讚嘆造物主的偉大，高不可攀。我們面對祂的創造，或者祂所施行的神蹟，無不衷心敬畏，油然而生孝愛之情！
可是，對於其他的人，因為世間的資源分配不均衡罷，我們會把他們視為競爭對手：爭食物、爭地盤、爭配偶。遇上比自己強的，我們可能會退避三舍，保障自身的安全，保留實力。面對比自己弱小的，我們不會放他在眼內，輕而易舉地驅逐他，或者征服他，作為自己的奴隸。可見人類比較動物優勝的地方，不在於鋒利的爪牙，而是在於制度！那些勢均力敵的，最難處理！惟有用計，減低損害，否則兩敗俱傷，得不償失！所以，和其他人相處的時候，會發展出各種各樣的手段。例如，為了顯示自己的實力、特質，我們會虛張聲勢，目標是使對手知難而退，同時亦為了吸引異性，有如孔雀開屏一樣！久而久之，我們發展了一種成功的手段/制度，稱為「驕傲」。為了力爭上游，成為持份者，人必須奉承上級，爭取功勞，出賣同事，欺壓下屬。與此相反，假如你沉默，你不展示自己的實力，就不能吸引到老闆和異性的注意，成了沒有持份的人，成了社會上的失敗者！在這個俗世之中，「謙遜」不是成功的手段/制度！
在今天的福音中，為甚麼「被邀請的客人，爭選首席」（路14:7）呢？無他，是為了擊敗對手，親近主人，以為可以獨佔主人的恩惠！於是耶穌指出一個很簡單和審慎，待人接物應有的禮貎：你不知道主人邀請了甚麼客人，自己在主人所邀請的客人中，佔第幾位。所以，正確的做法，是任由主人安排吧！倘若真的要先行坐下，最安全的辦法是坐「末席」，因為其他任何一個位置，總比「末席」更有地位！
耶穌喜歡在比喻中，引用「宴席/婚宴」象徵「天國/永生」。在耶穌時代的猶太人社會，婚宴是人生最快樂的事情，富有人家的婚宴，可以長達三日三夜！
「主人」象徵天主，祂邀請所有人進入天國，分享祂的永生。雖然在其他比喻中，耶穌已經指出永生是天主白白的恩賜，不是人類憑自己的努力，可以賺取得來的（瑪20:1-16），但耶穌亦提醒我們，要為享受永生的婚宴，造一件與我們的「蒙召成聖」相稱的「禮服」（22:12）。因此，被邀請的人中，總會有穿著更「名貴」禮服的客人，便會出現比你更尊貴的客人了（路14:8）。倘若我們沒有「謙遜」的美德，卻有「驕傲」的毛病，想與其他人比較誰的「禮服」更尊貴，炫耀自己在世時，曾多麼努力成聖，結果祇會自取其辱（14:9）！
耶穌基督再用另一個比喻來教導我們謙遜，教訓我們要邀請那些沒有能力報答我們的人（14:13-14a）。邀請那些不能報答我們的人，祇是為了不想「要回請而還報你」嗎（14:12）？與謙遜有甚麼關係呢？當然不是表面的那麼簡單！
眼光短小，目中無人，是驕傲者的特徵。所以耶穌基督教導我們不要短視，不要尋求即時的滿足，今世的賞報。因為塵世與永恆相比，祇是大海中的一滴水，大地上的一顆灰塵！我們應追求恆久的賞報，就是「在義人復活的時候」，即末日時候的賞報（14:14b）。
讓我們進入更深一層的默想！為甚麼邀請那些貧窮的、殘廢的、瘸腿的和瞎眼的人，便可以得到永恆的賞報呢？要知道謙卑的人之所以是謙卑，是因為他們尊重每一個人，認為所有的人都非常重要，認為他們比自己偉大，即使是那些貧窮的、殘廢的、瘸腿的和瞎眼的人。他們都是天主按自己的肖像所創造（創1:26），是獨特的，有尊嚴的，不容輕視的！雖然他們在現世沒有能力回報，但在末日，耶穌基督會替他們回報。在瑪竇福音第二十五章的比喻，耶穌基督清楚明白的宣佈，祂臨在於所有弱小者的人身上。所以服事弱勢社群，就是服事主耶穌（瑪25:40）；欺壓毆打手無寸鐵，沒有反抗能力的老弱婦孺的暴徒，每一刀，每一棍，都是打在耶穌基督身上（羅15:3；詠69:10）。
人啊！要知道你每天醒來還呼吸著，是天主對你何等的慈悲，是何等偉大的神蹟！因此，面對著臨在於弱勢社群，沒有持份的人身上的天主，你能不謙遜、孝愛和敬畏嗎？
父啊！寬恕他們吧！因為他們不知道他們做的是甚麼（路23:34）。亞孟。
2019講道
圖片來源：https://mtulode.com/1470/opinion/is-torture-justified-when-used-for-national-security/
Twenty Second Ordinary Sunday, Year C
Theme: Who Was Chopped In Your Stead? God our Creator is invisible. What we see are signs of His presence or passing-by. We call these signs miracles. For example, the brimstone and fire that destroyed two cities (Genesis 19:24), the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:22), the cutting off of the River Jordan (Joshua 3:16) and a sun that stood still (10:13) etc. Indeed, take a look at the Mother Nature, whether on one fine day or a starry night, one shall be enchanted and stand in awe of the unfathomable designs of the Creator before whom or whose miracles, one bends with fear and piety!
However, perhaps because of the uneven distribution of resources, we treat each other as rivals, fighting for food, territory and mates. Before stronger ones, we take flight to safety in order to conserve our strength. Before weaker ones, we look down on them, easily chase them away or conquer and enslave them. Thus, humans excel over other animals not in their sharp claws and teeth but in institutionalization! The most difficult rivals to handle are our equals! We resort to frauds and tricks lest we end up in a Pyrrhic victory! Thus, in dealing with people, we develop all sorts of means. For example, to show our hands, we bluff to scare our rivals off and win potential mates over, such as what peacocks do! In time, we develop an effective means/institution called PRIDE. In order to win and to become a stake holder, we bribe our bosses, steal others' credits, betray teammates and trample on subordinates. On the contrary, if you are reticent and do not exhibit your talents, your bosses or potential mates will never pay attention to you. You are not a stake holder. You are a loser in the society! In this secular world, HUMILITY is not an effective means/institution!
In today's gospel, why were those who had been invited choosing the places of honour at the table (Luke 14:7)? It was nothing but racing against rivals, coming close to the host in order to take all favours from the host! Thus, Jesus gave them a simple and prudent piece of advice on etiquette: You have no idea whom the host has invited, what place you occupy in the guests list. The correct manner is to follow the host's arrangement! If you really have to take a seat for a moment, the best seat is the lowest place because any other place is better than the lowest place! However, such a strategy is insufficient to prove that humility is better than pride. Jesus' advice does not prove that "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." (14:11) In fact, Jesus took the opportunity to talk about the question of kingdom of heaven and eternal life.
Jesus likes to make use of banquets in his parables to symbolize kingdom of heaven/eternal life. During Jesus' time, wedding banquet was the happiest event in one's life. Wedding banquets thrown by the rich could last for three consecutive days and nights!
The host symbolizes God who invites all to enter the kingdom of heaven and to partake in His eternal life. Although in other parables, Jesus has pointed out that eternal life is a gift and not a wage (Matthew 20:1-16), he also reminds us that in order to enjoy the wedding banquet of eternal life, we have to put on a "wedding garment" compatible to our call to sanctification (22:16). Thus, among those invited, there shall always be guests whose wedding garment is more precious and thus a more distinguished guest than you (Luke 14:8). If you do not have the virtue of humility but the vice of pride, you might want to compare whose garment is more distinguished, trying to show off how much effort you have put in sanctification during your lifetime. Consequently, "you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place." (14:9)
Jesus Christ uses one more parable to teach us humility. He teaches that we should invite those because of their inability to repay (14:13-14a). Do we do so only because we don't want them to invite us back and we have repayment (14:12)? What has this to do with humility? Of course it is deeper than it appears!
Being short-sighted and haughty are characteristics of the proud. Thus, Jesus Christ teaches us not to be short-sighted, not to seek immediate gratification and rewards in this age. Comparing to eternity, this secular age is no more than a drop in the ocean, a grain of dust on earth! We should seek eternal rewards "at the resurrection of the righteous", the reward on Judgment Day (14:14b).
Let us meditate deeper! Why inviting the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind would earn you the eternal reward? Know what makes the humble humble is that they take everybody seriously. They think that everybody is very important. Even the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind are greater than they are because God created those according to His image (Genesis 1:26). God made those people unique, dignified and ignore them at your own risk! Even though those people are unable to repay, on Judgment Day, Jesus Christ shall repay in their stead. In the parable we find in Matthew 25, Jesus Christ declares unambiguously that He is present among the needy. Thus, when we serve the disadvantaged in the society, we serve the Lord Jesus (Matthew 25:40). When we oppress and beat up the unarmed, the aged, the weak, the women and children, every cut and bruise we inflict with knives and rods, we inflict them on Jesus Christ (Romans 15:3, Psalms 69:10)!
Men! Know thee that when you are able to wake up and breathe at day break, God has shown great mercy on you. It is such a great wonder and miracle! Therefore, can you not be humble, pious and frightened before the God who is present in the disadvantaged and in the non-stake holders?
Father! Forgive them! For they know not what they do (Luke 23:34). Amen.
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