主題：吾未見好德如好色者
這幾個月的社會動盪，把市民分化成兩大陣營。在家庭裡、在同學和同事之間，在公私營機構之中和在群組之中，即使沒有把爭論表面化，內心已形成不假思索的條件反射，認為對方是錯的，是不可理喻的。為甚麼會這樣呢？
互聯網表面上可以很民主地，很自由地，提供多方面的資訊。殊不知瀏覽器的cookies技術，為了加快搜尋的速度，用cookies記載著你曾瀏覽過的資料，然後過濾了你「不喜歡」看的資訊，並主動建議你想看的資訊。例如在Youtube，如果你曾看過一些粵劇，Youtube會推薦更多粵劇給你，不用你再浪費時間搜尋。其他的社交平台，例如Facebook也一樣，會推薦一些相關的廣告，群組及你可能認識的朋友給你。結果形成了「回音室效應」，我們再聽不到與我們不同的意見，我們的視野變得非常狹窄，我們認為對方的理由，莫名其妙，不可理喻。在群組，在聚會，在私下或公開場合，我們爭論到面紅耳赤，想讓對方看見真相，想證明自己是對的。我相信大家都是真心的，都是為了對方的好處的。倘若大家有這種真心熱誠，為對方的好處，向他們傳福音，我相信香港的面貎，會完全不同了！可惜，吾未見好福傳如好與人爭辯者！
今天所讀的一段若望福音，是出自耶穌基督被捕前，在最後晚餐所做的「大司祭祈禱」的最後一部份。祂的禱告十分清楚：「願眾人都合而為一！」（若17:21）是不是所有人接受洗禮，成為天主教徒，就可以達到耶穌基督所祈求的「合而為一」呢？我敢說不是。且看今天在香港的天主教會，過往四個月的社會動盪，把香港教區內部的裂痕表面化了！
這三年來，梵蒂岡已召開過不少主教代表會議，討論有關青年的牧民問題。香港教區亦有響應，這兩年的牧民重點是「青年年」和「實‧信‧青年」，由年青有為的神父協調，放手交給青年人推動了不少青年活動，聆聽青年人的心聲，希望可以回應他們的訴求。教宗方濟各強調，青年人不是未來主人翁，青年人是教會的現在，是社會的現在，是世界的現在。但實踐是不可以盲目衝動的，所以這兩年來，教區同時推動研讀DOCAT，它是一本「天主教社會訓導」的濃縮版。教區希望藉著研讀它，可以擦亮所有教友的眼睛，認識到自己在領洗時所領受的先知職務，認識到天主教在迫切的社會議題上的立場。這些社會議題包括生命，家庭，工作，經濟，政治，國際社會，環境和戰爭等。面對這些挑戰著我們信仰的議題，教會本著「四大原則」去處理，當然最後，我們信靠天主的力量。
可惜天主太高估了我們香港教區的實力，在我們還未有充份裝備好自己的時候，今年二月起，便發生了「反對逃犯條例修訂」所引發起的社會動盪！市民大眾眼見抗爭由議會走到街上，由和平遊行變成不斷升級的暴力，無論內心如何焦急，卻無能為力。教友問，天主，祢在哪裡？教友問，教會，我們應怎樣做？教友問，樞機，各位神長，你們為甚麼不譴責暴力？再加上前面提到的互聯網「回音室效應」，很多有知識的教友把矛頭指向樞機，認為他不譴責「暴徒」的暴力，就是默許和縱容他們破壞社會秩序安寧；那邊廂，另一批很有正義感的教友，認為樞機不譴責警察的濫用暴力，就是助紂為虐，是暴政的幫兇！大家都很失望，他們認為自己對，教會錯；他們認為自己愛耶穌，但不再愛教會了！我敢說，他們愛的是自己，而不是耶穌。樞機錯，是因為他沒有代他們說出，他們心裡想說話。所以即使樞機所說的，是耶穌的話，樞機也一樣是錯！
在香港的六大宗教，最少四次發表聯合聲明，呼籲各方克制，停下來兩個月去冷靜反省等。譴責是多麼容易，但於事無補，反而加劇分裂，完全不符合保祿所教訓的修和角色。呼籲各方克制，反省，交談纔是踏出「合而為一」的正著。可惜，當權者聽而不聞，教友覺得太軟弱，隔靴搔癢。結果樞機仍然是錯！
今天我們仍然迷茫，仍未能看到出路。讓我們繼續與耶穌基督一起祈禱，求天父以真理祝聖我們（17:17）。因為真理令人得到自由（8:32），就讓天父的真理，把我們從回音室解放出來，認清真相。願世人知道是天父派遣了耶穌基督，並且愛了教會，如愛耶穌基督一樣。（17:23）
天主保祐！
2016年講道
圖片鳴謝：https://www.nationthailand.com/ann/30346422
Mission Sunday, Year C
Theme: I Have Never Seen Zeal For Virtue Like Lust In these months of social unrest, citizens are divided into two camps. In families, among classmates or colleagues, in public or private enterprises and chat groups, even though controversies brew under the surface, within our hearts, we react like reflexes without thinking that the other side is wrong and unreasonable. How do such reflexes come about?
The Internet is supposed to be delivering information in a democratic and liberal way. However, in order to increase the searching performance, browsers make use of "cookies" to store your preferences and actively suggest information you want to know. For example in Youtube, if you have watched some classical music videos, Youtube will recommend more classical music videos to you to save your searching time. Other social media do likewise. For example, Facebook will recommend commercials you might enjoy and suggest groups or friends that you may know. Consequently, users suffer from the "Echo Chamber Effect". We no longer hear dissident opinions and our horizon becomes narrow. We question the reasonableness of the opposite side. In groups, gatherings, in private or public, we lock in heated arguments. We want to show them the truth. We want to prove that we are right. I believe that you are sincere and argue for their sake. If we apply this sincere zeal for the good of the others in preaching the gospel to them, I believe that the situation of Hong Kong shall be totally different! Unfortunately, I have never seen zealous evangelists like people who are eager to prove themselves right!
As Christians, we are called to be saints. Negatively speaking, sanctification is being blameless before God. Unfortunately, after losing our Original Grace, in other words, falling into the state of Original Sin, "I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want." (Romans 7:19) God knew that we were unable to save ourselves. So He took the initiative to help deliver us. He sent the Son of God to take flesh and repay all our debts. This is what St. Paul says, "God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them." (2 Corinthians 5:19a) This is truly a good news: God took pity on our inability to repay the debts. He made use of the passion of Jesus Christ to repay all the sins of humanity across time. This is the gospel, not complicated at all. St. Paul continues to say, "And entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (5:19b-20) Thus, according to the teachings of St. Paul, evangelization is to be an ambassador of reconciliation, exhorting people to be reconciled to God.
The gospel passage we read today is taken from the last part of the "Prayer of the High Priest" during the Last Supper before Jesus Christ was arrested. His prayer is very clear, "That they may all be one." (John 17:21) Does it mean baptizing all men into Catholicism will fulfil Jesus' prayer that they may all be one? I dare to say negative. Look at the Catholic Church in Hong Kong today, the underlying divisions within the Church have surfaced during these four months' social unrest.
In these three years, Vatican has convened many bishop synods to discuss the pastoral ministry for young people. The Hong Kong Diocese supports by setting the pastoral focus to "Year of the Youth" and "Practice, Faith & the Youth". A young and energetic priest was assigned to coordinate and to delegate autonomy for young people to organize activities, to listen to their views, hoping that the Church is able to meet their demands. Pope Francis stressed that young people were not masters of the future. They are the moment, the moment of the Church, the moment of the society and the moment of the world. But we cannot act blindly. Thus for the last two years, the Diocese promotes studying DOCAT, which is a summary of the Catholic Social Teachings. The Diocese hope that through studying DOCAT, we are able to brush up the vision of the laity, so that they recognize the prophetic ministry which they received during baptism, and to know the Catholic stance on some pressing issues, such as life, family, work, politics, international community, environment and wars etc. The Church based on four principles to handle these social issues which are pressing on our faith. In the end, we trust in the power of God.
Unfortunately, God overestimates the stamina of the Catholic Hong Kong Diocese. Before we are fully equipped, beginning in February, social unrest erupted because citizens object to the Fugitive Bill Amendments. Conflicts spilt out from legislative chamber to the streets, from peaceful demonstrations to escalating violence. Citizens are worried but helpless. The laity asks, "God where are you?" The laity asks, "Church, what should we do?" The laity asks, "Cardinal and clergy, why don't you condemn violence?" Compounded by the "Echo Chamber Effect" mentioned above, many educated laity accuses the Cardinal for not condemning the violence of the rioters. The Cardinal's reticence is encouraging disruption of social stability. On the other hand, some righteous laity accuses the Cardinal for not condemning the brutality of the police. This is siding with the dictator, becoming an accomplice to tyranny! Everybody is disappointed. They think that they are right and the Church is wrong. They claim that they love Jesus but not the Church! I dare to say, they love themselves and not Jesus. The Cardinal is wrong because he did not speak for them, to speak out what they want to speak out. Even though the Cardinal speaks Jesus' messages, the Cardinal is wrong!
Six religions in Hong Kong have made public statements for at least four times. They appeal restrains for all parties and stop for two months to calm down. Condemnation is easy and cheap, but it does not help. Worse, it only quickens divisions. Condemnation goes against St. Paul's teaching of reconciliation. Appealing all sides to restrain, to reflect and to dialog is a correct move towards "Communion". Unfortunately, people in power do not hear it. The laity feels that the public statements are too tame and do not help. Consequently, the Cardinal is still wrong!
Today, we are still lost and do not see any exit. Let us continue to pray with Jesus Christ, asking the Father to consecrate us in the truth (17:17) because the truth will set us free (8:32) Let the Father's truth liberates us from the Echo Chamber. Then we will be able to know the truth. May all humanity know that the Father has sent Jesus Christ and He loved the Church even as He loved Jesus Christ. (17:23)
God bless!
No comments:
Post a Comment