主題：可以愛耶穌但不愛教會嗎？
來自香港某所以英國統治者命名學校的學生，寫信給當今英女皇陛下，把香港目前的困局，描述成為「最黑暗的時日」，並請女皇支持他們捍衛民主和自由！可能有人會抹黑他們，向前殖民地主子搖尾乞憐；再加一條邀請外國勢力干預香港事務的「通番賣國」罪名，更有點像吳三桂當年引清兵入關，加速明朝的覆滅一樣云云…在我眼裡，這些青年人，無論香港有多少缺陷，仍然熱愛這片家園。他們有能力獨立思考，跳出成年人的思想框架，四處尋覓出路，不輕言放棄。縱然方法笨拙，仍不失「屢敗屢戰」的態度，精神可嘉。
反觀這168天以來，教會內固然有不少兄弟姊妹，努力祈禱，祈求天主出手解困。另一方面，有為數不少的教友，不停抱怨教區神長在這場運動中的表現，未能令他們滿意。一方面，有些教友覺得教會向政權叩頭，不敢開罪政府，不敢譴責警察濫暴，沒有擔當社會良心和履行先知的角色！他們甚至質問，當人民需要他們的時候，當示威者被虐殺，被捕人士被自殺，教堂被警察闖入和大學被圍的時候，教會的牧者在哪！另一方面，有些教友覺得教會為了討好青年一代，不敢指出他們叛逆的錯誤，反而開放聖堂包庇他們，默許鼓勵他們暴力的行為。這樣做是斷送青年人的前途，推青年人墮入萬劫不復的死地！注意，這些抱怨的教友，大部份都是有識之士；他們的見解，絕非一般婦孺之見！教會的表現，令他們失望地離開教會，不再參加彌撒，領受聖事了。其實，因為神職人員令人失望的表現而離開教會，原因多不勝數。有些人因為求助遭到拒絕，或者神職人員狂莽自大的脾氣、喜歡弄權、或者貪污甚至性侵…有些是個別的，有些是集體的。教友們不能接受一個這樣醜惡的教會，他們質問天主在那裡，為甚麼公義得不到彰顯。最後，他們聽不到天主的答覆，便憤然離開教會！
真的，天主的思念不是我們的思想，我們的行徑也不是天主的行徑（依55:8）。
今天的福音，給我們很大的挑戰！「耶穌，當你來為王時，請你紀念我！」（路23:42）被釘的凶犯看到了甚麼？一個眾叛親離，被虐待到遍體鱗傷，和他一樣被釘在十字架上等死的耶穌基督！他憑甚麼說出「當你來為王時」？眼前是一個自身難保，一敗塗地的垂死之人。這樣一個軟弱無能的耶穌，不就是教會今天的寫照嗎？或許我們更像另一個凶犯，教導耶穌如何做救世主：「你不是默西亞嗎？救救你自己和我們吧！」（23:39），指導我們的牧者，如何與香港市民，渡過當前的困局。他們期望會有奇蹟出現！對不起，沒有！耶穌斷了氣，兩個凶犯最後也被打斷雙腿死了（若19:32），相信耶穌，或者懷疑祂奧體的人，一樣會死！
君臨天下的耶穌基督尚未出現，當下可以看到的，是由一群沒有號召力的平庸牧者所領導的，醜聞纏身的教會。看到這模樣的教會，你願意好像與耶穌一起被釘的凶犯一樣，相信耶穌基督會紀念你，願意借助祂奧體成員的手，去祝福這個多災多難的世界嗎？
祂所揀選為祂工作的人，沒有一個是無可指摘的。亞巴郎可以為了保命，要求妻子在人前認做自己的妹妹（創12:12-13）；依撒格懦弱（創26）；雅各伯狡猾（創27，30）；梅瑟是個殺了人的逃犯（出2:12-15）；天主篩選來擊敗十三萬米德楊大軍的300個基德紅麾下的戰士，是「用舌頭舔水像狗舔水似的」（民7:5），一點也不像精銳的部隊。耶穌基督的祖先達味王，他的曾祖母盧德，是個外族摩阿布女子（盧1:4）。雖然說「天主的看法與人不同：人看外貎，上主卻看人心」（撒上16:7），但當天主派撒慕耳為達味傅油的時候，難道祂不知將來達味王的姦淫和殺人勾當嗎（撒下11）？
天主保祐！
圖片鳴謝：wallpapertag.com
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Year C
Theme: Can I love Jesus without loving the Church?
A group of students from a school named after a British Monarch wrote to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. They described the present dire situation in Hong Kong as "This is our darkest hour" and pleaded Her Majesty's "support in defence of freedom and democracy of our home." Probably people would bad-mouth them for begging and wagging their tails at their former master. These students committed treason, inviting foreigners to interfere the internal affairs of Hong Kong. This is like Wu Sangui who allowed Manchu army passage into the Middle Kingdom, thus quickening the demise of Ming Dynasty etc. But in my eyes, these young people love their home, no matter how tattered Hong Kong is. They are able to think independently and jump out of the mind set of most adults. They leave no stone unturned to find paths and do not give up easily. Though their means are stupid, their never-say-die attitude is commendable.
Looking back on these 168 days, many parishioners pray hard, beseeching God to deliver. On the other hand, many others are not happy with and complain about the actions of the clergy in this social unrest. On one hand, some parishioners blame the Church for kowtowing to the State, not daring to offend the government and to condemn the excessive brutality of the police. The Church fails to act as the conscience of the society and to fulfil her prophetic role! They even query the where-about of the clergy when they were needed most, when demonstrators were brutally killed, arrested people had suicide imposed on them, one church was raided and the universities were sieged. On the other hand, some parishioners feel that the Church is trying to please the young. They dare not to point out the mistakes of their rebellion. On the contrary, they open up Church premises to shelter the rioters, are reticent about their violence, thus encouraging them. Consequently, they kill the future of the youngsters and push them to hell. Notice that most of these unhappy parishioners are well educated. The Church does not meet their expectations, disappoints them. Thus they leave the Church, do not go to mass or receive sacraments anymore. In fact, there are many innumerable reasons people feel disappointed and leave the Church. Some seek help but are rejected. Or some clergy are arrogant, power-thirsty, corrupt or even sexually abusive... some individually and some collectively. Parishioners cannot accept such an ugly Church. They question where God is and why righteousness is not seen done. Lastly, not hearing any answer from God, they quit bitterly!
Truly, God's "thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are our ways His ways" (Isaiah 55:8). None of the people He chose to serve Him is blameless. In order to save his life, Abraham told his wife to tell people that she was his sister (Genesis 12:12-13); Isaac was a coward (Genesis 26); Jacob was cunning (Genesis 27, 30); Moses was a fugitive guilt of manslaughter (Exodus 2:12-15); Gideon's 300 men who would defeat a 130,000 Midian army were chosen because they who "lap up the water as a dog does with its tongue" (Judges 7:5) did not look like any professional soldiers. King David, the ancestor of Jesus Christ, had a Moabite Ruth as his great-grand-mother (Ruth 1:4); Even though "God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The Lord looks into the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7), when He sent Samuel to anoint David, didn't God know the adultery and murder King David would commit in the future (2 Samuel 11)?
The gospel passage today is really challenging! "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." (Luke 23:42) What did this criminal see? A forsaken, tortured Jesus Christ on his last breath like him! By why could he say, "When you come into your kingdom"? Crucified next to him was someone who could not save himself, a total failure who was passing away. Isn't this weak and incompetent Jesus a portrait of the Church today? Perhaps we are more like the other criminal, teaching Jesus how to be the Saviour, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us." (23:39), teaching our pastors how to weather through this social unrest with the citizens of Hong Kong. They are expecting miracles! Sorry, there shall be none! Jesus breathed His last. The two crucified criminals died after their legs were broken (John 19:32). People who believe in Jesus, or doubt His Mystical Body die without exception!
The Jesus Christ who shall come in glory and majesty has not yet arrived. What we can see now is a Church led by mediocre pastors and ridden by scandals. Seeing such a Church, are you willing to be the criminal who trusts that Jesus Christ would remember him, would still bless this worn and torn world with the hands of members of His Mystical Body?
Jesus Christ chose an impulsive (John 18:10) but timid (Luke 22:61-62) Peter to be the rock upon which He would build His Church (Matthew 16:18), chose a Pharisaic Paul (Acts 23:6) to be the Apostle to the Gentiles. Other than a handful of Sanhedrin members, Jesus loved to befriend sinners and social outcasts. Such actions angered the religious authorities (Luke 5:30) and they even defamed him (Mark 3:22). Jesus called these marginalized people to form a redeemed community. During the Last Supper, Jesus did not choose expensive stuff but took ordinary unleavened bread and consecrated it into His body. On the road to Damascus when He appeared and converted Saul, He revealed to him an important dogma: What is the Church? The Church is the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 12). Although He was the Son of God, Jesus Christ did not slight the simplicity of unleavened bread nor that the Church was made up of sinners. He is willing to be present in the humble unleavened bread and the scandal ridden Church to express His unreserved love for humanity! He is the Good Shepherd, looking everywhere for lost sheep and redeems them. He promises to stay with the Church until the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)
God bless!
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