我們肯立刻給主開門嗎？ Would You Open the Door to the Lord Immediately?

我們肯立刻給主開門嗎？（路12:35-38）

我們承認耶穌基督是主。祂要求我們在這個世界上，建設一個充滿正義和平的天國。這是祂離世升天時的遺囑，也是教會存在世上的目的（瑪28:19）。不傳福音，教會也沒有存在的理由，把她解散可也！所以，今天的福音所指的「把腰束起，把燈點著」（路12:35），就是教會傳福音的使命。「束著腰」就是為了工作，做主人吩咐的工作，而不是做自己喜歡做的，或者做賺錢最多的工作。「點著燈」就是為了照亮四周的人，就是向萬民介紹耶穌基督的道路，祂的真理和祂的生命（若14:6），指點出生命的終向和永生的可貴！這不就是傳福音，建設天國嗎？

至於「等候主人，給他開門」（路12:36）有甚麼意義呢？作為主人，當然要等到僕人的工作，有了滿意的成果纔會回來。太早，僕人還沒有完成他的任務，主人沒有甚麼可以獎賞這僕人；太遲，僕人可能已經取代了主人的地位！其實，主人十分清楚明白甚麼時候出現，接收僕人的成果是最理想的。作為僕人的，又應該如何自處呢？我們祇知道要傳福音，但我們根本不知道主人給我們多少時間去傳福音！主人回來的一刻，一定是突如其來的。到時，你會問心無愧地立刻開門迎接主？抑或突然發覺沒有甚麼可以向主人交代，惟有給主人吃「閉門羹」，拒祂於門外呢？
主啊！我會努力以赴，當祢來接我回歸的時候，我不會令祢空手而回。亞孟！

生命恩泉

圖片鳴謝：https://aleteia.org/2019/02/07/this-painting-of-jesus-knocking-at-a-door-is-the-most-traveled-work-of-art-in-history/

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Would You Open the Door to the Lord Immediately? (Luke 12:35-38)

We acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Lord. He demands us to build up a righteous and peaceful Kingdom of Heaven on earth. This is His last will before He ascended into heavens and this is the raison d'être of the Church. (Matthew 28:19) If she does not evangelize, her existence is meaningless. We can disband her! The gospel passage today, "Gird your loins and light your lamps" (Luke 12:35) speaks about this very mission. "Gird your loins" is to work, to do what the Lord tells you to do. Neither is it the work you enjoy doing nor the work that earns most. "Light your lamps" is to brighten people around with the Way, and the Truth and the Life of Jesus Christ (John 14:6). This is the final destination of our life and the preciousness of eternal life. Isn't this evangelization, the building up of the Kingdom of Heaven?

What does "awaiting the master's return and opening immediately" mean? (Luke 12:36) The Lord knows how long He should wait until the works are satisfactory before He returns. If He returns too early, the servants have not accomplished their tasks and there would be nothing for the Lord to reward. If He returns too late, the servants might have usurped His place! Indeed, the Lord knows what the perfect timing would be to reap the harvest. As servants, how should we handle the situation? We only know that we should evangelize but we don't know how much time the Lord gives us to preach! Surely the Lord would return at the most unexpected moment. Then, are you ready to open the door immediately to welcome Him without regret? Or would you suddenly discover that you have nothing to submit to the Lord such that out of fear, you can only attempt to shut the Lord outside?
Dear Lord, I will work diligently so that when You come to take me home, we shall not return with empty hands. Amen.