主題：吾主，來罷
試想像沒有日夜交替的生活，是何等痛苦！祇有日，沒有夜，便沒有休息的機會，生命很快便會耗盡。相反，祇有夜，沒有日，長時間處於黑暗之中，便完全沒有生機，生命慢慢在黑暗中萎縮凋謝。同樣道理，一年有春夏秋冬四季的交替，萬物便得到機會蘊釀，發芽，生長和收成。因此，教會把耶穌基督拯救人類的歷程，祂怎樣降生成人，傳福音，受難復活，建立教會等的事蹟，分配到一年中的時節，幫助教友反省自己得救蒙恩的經驗。將臨期是教會禮儀年的開始，用四個星期的時間，預備心靈來慶祝救主耶穌基督的降生。
首先，按【瑪竇福音】所載，耶穌基督在升天前曾說：「看！我同你們天天在一起，直到今世的終結。」（瑪28:20）那麼，何來信徒會呼求「主！快來」，好像耶穌基督不是同他們在一起似的呢？按【宗徒大事錄】的記載，五旬節聖神降臨之後，教會迅速發展，人數日增。當時的信徒，一厢情願，以為耶穌基督不久會回來，應驗今天福音所說的，把他們「提去」（24:40-41）。所以「他們把產業和財物變賣，按照每人的需要分配」（宗2:45），過著原始的共產生活。他們一方面履行耶穌基督彼此相愛的誡命；另一方面，末日將至，財富變得沒有用了！他們經常成群結隊前往聖殿祈禱，並挨戶舉行獨特的擘餅禮，重現耶穌基督的臨在，即後來發展到今天的彌撒（2:46）。所以，信徒非常清楚地感受到耶穌基督如何兌現祂升天前的承諾，同他們天天在一起，直到世界末日！
另一方面，我們要知道初期教會所在的社會環境。那是第一世紀的耶路撒冷，猶太人受著羅馬帝國的殖民地統治。初期教會的基督徒，大部份是猶太人和一些說希臘語的猶太僑民。在殖民地統治下，與羅馬公民比較，祇不過是二等公民，遭受著不公平的對待。後來，信徒們漸漸發覺到，耶穌基督重臨的日子，遙遙無期。而且生活在羅馬帝國的統治下，不但遭受不平等的待遇，還受到同胞的排斥。處於被迫害的惡劣環境中，他們對耶穌基督重臨，解放他們，為他們申冤，進入天國，享受永生的渴求，更形迫切，便出現了「吾主，來罷！」（格前16:22）的呼求。
問題是既然耶穌基督與我們天天在一起，又如何重臨呢？
湯漢樞機在今年的將臨期牧函中，指出作為香港的天主教徒，我們應如何面對當前香港的困局。
主內的兄弟姊妹，讓我們在這將臨期內，更深刻地體驗天天在我們心內，在禮儀中，與我們同在的耶穌基督，並在社區內重新發現祂的臨在。最後，信靠祂的慈愛，渴求祂的重臨。「吾主，快來！」
今天的時局，給了我們很多啟發。眼見社會的動盪，很多人抱怨教會沒有發聲，譴責各方面的暴力，甚至有包庇暴徒之嫌！很多人的心中不斷問，天主，祢在那裡？祢的公義在那裡？祢既慈悲，又全能，為甚麼讓惡人當道，義人受苦呢？忽然，那位與我們天天在一起的耶穌基督，好像消失了！原來當我們的信德受到考驗，受到衝擊，感受到迷惘的時候，很自然，即使在理智上我們知道耶穌基督就在身邊，但感性上會覺得距離祂很遠，祂甚至消失了。所以呼求「吾主，來罷！」而且，直到今天，還沒有人有任何可行的策略，解決當前的困局。很自然，我們渴求耶穌基督，普世的君王重臨，為我們收拾這殘局！
天主保祐！
圖片鳴謝：https://christhum.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/maranatha/
First Advent Sunday, Year A
Theme: Maran atha
Imagine how painful life would be without day and night. With only day without night, there would be no time to rest. Our life would easily and quickly burn out. On the contrary, with only night without day, life withers in the long duration of darkness. Similarly, there are seasons in a year. Life can hibernate, sprout, grow and bring forth fruit. Thus, the Church lays Jesus Christ's salvation project: Incarnation, evangelization, passion, resurrection and establishment of the Church etc. out in a year to help us remember our redemption experience. The Advent Season is the beginning of the Church's liturgical year. We spend four weeks to prepare our souls to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Church reads important biblical passages in a three-year cycle to deepen the faithful's understanding of their salvation history. She also reads the three Synoptic Gospels in three years to make them familiar with the words and deeds of Jesus Christ. In Year A, we read the Gospel according to St. Matthew. As Catholics, we have the duty to know the teachings of the gospel and put them into practice in our daily life to reveal the merciful face of Jesus Christ to the world. At the beginning of the Advent Season, our Apostolic Administrator, Cardinal John Tong makes use of the theme "Maran atha" in his Advent message in response to the present situation of Hong Kong.
First of all, according to the gospel of Matthew, Jesus says before His Ascension, "Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."(Matthew 28:20) Then, why should the faithful call out "Maran atha", like Jesus Christ has not been with them? According to the Acts of the Apostles, after the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Pentecost, the Church expanded rapidly. They believed, admittedly a wishful thinking, that Jesus Christ would return soon to fulfil what the gospel passage says today, "to be taken παραλαμβάνω" (24:40-41). Thus, "they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one's need" (Acts 2:45), leading a primitive communist life. In so doing, they obeyed Jesus Christ's "love each other" commandment on one hand, and on the other, wealth was no longer useful due to the imminent end of the world! "Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes," to actualize the presence of Jesus Christ which evolved through time to become the mass we celebrate today (2:46). Thus, the faithful feel concretely how Jesus Christ honours His promise at Ascension, staying with them always till the end of the world!
On the other hand, we need to know the social situation of the early Church. It was Jerusalem in the first century where Jews were subjected to the colonial reign of the Roman Empire. Most of the faithful in the early Church were either Jews or Greek-speaking Jews returned from overseas. Under the Roman colonial government, they were second class citizens receiving unfair treatments. Gradually, the faithful discovered that the Parousia would take a long time to come. Moreover, suffering unfair treatments under Roman rule and being rejected by fellow Jews, their desire for the return of the Lord became burning. They yearned for liberation and seeing justice done. They ached entering the kingdom of heaven and enjoying eternal life. They called out "Maran atha"(1 Corinthians 16:22).
If Jesus Christ is with us always, how does He come again?
In his Advent message, Cardinal John Tong points us a way out of the present crisis.
Brethren! In this Advent Season, let us experience more deeply in our hearts and in liturgy the Jesus Christ who always stays with us and rediscover His presence in our neighbourhood. Lastly, trust in His mercy. Desire His return. Maran atha!
The present situation enlightens us on this issue. Seeing the social unrest, many parishioners complain the Church for being reticent in condemning violence on either side. She is even guilty of sheltering and encouraging the rioters! Many people keep asking where God is, why justice is not seen done. If God is merciful and almighty, why does He allow the wicked to run rampant and the righteousness suffer? Suddenly, the one who is always with us seems to have vanished! Indeed, when our faith is challenged and bombarded, when our feel lost, naturally, even though intellectually we know that Jesus Christ is staying with us, emotionally He seems far away and even disappeared. Thus, we cry out "Maran atha". Moreover, until today, nobody is able to offer a strategy to solve the present crisis. Naturally, we desire Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe to return and clean up the mess for us!
God bless!
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