冬藏 Stockpiles in Winter

冬藏

郭志強執事

天主創造了一個適合我們居住的宇宙，並把人類安置在太陽系的第三顆行星─地球上生活。距離太陽近一點的行星如水星金星，或者遠一點的如火星木星，那裡的環境根本不適宜生命發展出多姿多采的面貎。

地球不停地自轉，造成了日夜的交替；它的自轉軸向太陽傾斜，當它環繞太陽公轉時，造成了四季的交替。天主創造了這樣一個有秩序的世界，真教人讚嘆不已。它能讓我們發揮天主所賦予的潛質，彰顯天主的榮耀。無論你是否一個信天主的人，發揮潛質就是每一個人的使命，每個人生命的意義。你可以發揮潛質，為自己爭取更多利益；但作為天主教徒，我們懷著感恩之心，獻出成就，彰顯天主的慈悲。

四季交替，使生命自強不息地開展。農夫們配合著四季的變化，進行耕作，種植出五榖百果，供人食用。從累積得來的經驗，掌握到事物發展的智慧，並以「夫春生夏長，秋收冬藏，此天道之大經也。弗順則毋以為天下綱紀。」來論述。（史記‧太史公自序）作為一個天主教徒，我們不妨默想天主聖子耶穌基督的生平，如何合符「春生夏長，秋收冬藏」的天道。天主聖子並非突然從天而降，而是經過童貞聖母瑪利亞九個月的孕育後，誕生在白冷。再經過三十年在納匝肋的成長，纔開展祂的福傳救世使命，召選門徒，建立教會和聖事，結出初果。受難後埋葬在墳墓裡三天，這不就是天主聖子的「冬藏」嗎？三日後肉身的復活，把人類的本性，提昇到另一個層次。沒有這埋葬冬藏的功夫，何來復活新生的美果！

讓我們觀察「冬藏」時期，自然界是怎樣的。且看蚯蚓屈曲在地裡，爬蟲類動物都「冬眠」了，為的是休養生息。牠們放慢了新陳代謝的速度，趁機會料理受了傷的器官，恢復元氣。明年春天來臨時，便可以破土而出，生育繁殖了。
中國古代的官員從這些觀察，得出在冬天管治社會的規則。他們不會在「仲冬」這個月份大興土木，不會開啟倉廩庫房，不會策動群眾。他們知道這樣做，會宣洩了地氣，民間會因此而發生疫症！個人自處方面，在「仲冬」這個月份要身心寧靜，禁絕嗜慾。做起事來不宜急躁，卻要靜觀事態的變化。（禮記‧月令）這些都是古代中國人的智慧，順應著天時來運作，事半功倍。

環看我們今天生活中的香港，經過半年來的動盪，可以說是進入了嚴冬期：理智上十分混亂，心理上十分傷痛以致麻木，靈性上感到被天主所遺棄…現在是各方面正需要停下來，放慢「新陳代謝」，療傷復原的時候。
將臨期正值「仲冬」，包括了「大雪」和「冬至」兩個節氣，是「冬藏」時期的一部份。那麼，我們更應該值此冬藏的時期，按照禮儀節令，調整靈性生活上的步伐！以「冬藏」的心態度過將臨期，綻放出聖誕節的美果。

將臨期的四個星期，各有不同的主題，包括：希望、平安、喜樂和愛。缺乏這四個元素，我們將得不到復原！讓我們默想：

1. 我們把「希望」寄託在哪？金錢？權勢？還是那個當「貧困的人一呼號，就立即俯允」的天主（詠34:7）呢？那麼，你覺得自己「貧困」嗎？
2. 我們怎樣做，纔可以安枕無憂，可以「平安」呢？累積財富？爭權奪利？還是信靠那位已戰勝了世界的耶穌基督（若16:33）呢？那麼，我們有芥子般的信德嗎（瑪17:20）？
3. 有甚麼事物，可以帶給我們完滿的「喜樂」呢？是卓越的成就嗎？是百世留芳嗎？還是奉耶穌基督之名祈求（若16:24）呢？那麼，我們忘記了向祂祈求？
4. 天主是愛（若一4:8）。當我們實踐愛德，關顧身邊有需要的弱小兄弟姊妹時（瑪25:40），我們便可以找到天主，找到「愛」。

天主保祐！

圖片鳴謝：
https://kknews.cc/zh-mo/health/p4qvq38.html
https://www.camdendiocese.org/the-new-liturgical-year-begins-with-the-season-of-advent/

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Stockpiles in Winter

Deacon Alex Kwok

God created a universe suitable for us to live. He put us on Earth, the third planet in the solar system. Planets closer to the sun, such as Mercury and Venus, or those farther away such as Mars and Jupiter are not suitable for life to flourish because of their environment.
The Earth rotates, turning nights into days. Its rotating axis tilts towards the sun. When it revolves around the sun, four seasons appear. How stunning it is an ordered world God has made! It allows us to actualize God's given potentials, manifesting His glory. Whether you are a believer or not, actualizing one's potential is everybody's mission, one of the meanings of one's life. You may actualize your potentials for personal gains. But as a Catholic, we are grateful to be able to manifest God's mercy with our achievements.

Life unfolds persistently in the seasons. Farmers plough in concerted effort with the seasons to grow fruits and produces for our consumption. Wisdom of development is distilled and aphorized as "Sprouts in Spring and Grows in Summer. Harvests in Autumn and Stockpiles in Winter. These are the grand longitudes of heaven. Ignoring them and you risk making no regulation to follow." (Shiji, Self Introduction). As a Catholic, we may meditate on the life of Jesus Christ, the Son of God to see if it follows the "grand longitudes". The Son of God did not come out of the blue. The BVM had to carry him to term, gave birth in Bethlehem. Only after thirty years of growth in Nazareth did he begin his public ministry, calling disciples, establishing the Church and sacraments, his first fruits. He was crucified, died and was buried in tomb for three days. Is this not the "Stockpiles in Winter" for the Son of God? With his resurrection on the third day, he raises humanity to another level. Without burial, without this "Stockpiles in Winter", how would the fruit of new life come about?

Let us observe what happens in Nature during this "Stockpiles in Winter" season. Earthworms hide underground. Reptiles hibernate in order to rest. They slow down their metabolism in order to heal wounded tissues and organs, to restore vitality. They wait until spring comes. Then, they shall burst out of the ground and flourish.
From the observation of this phenomenon, ancient Chinese mandarins came up with governing regulations applicable in winter. During the month of "Midwinter", there would be no building project, no opening of barns and no mobilization of the mass. They knew that if they did, "earth breath" would leak and plague would surface among commoners! For people conducting their daily life in "Midwinter", they should maintain a tranquil mind and abstain from lust. Don't rush in work but patiently observe changes (Liji, Monthly Calendar). This is the wisdom of ancient Chinese. Working in concert with heavenly time, we will half the effort and double the harvest.

After six months of social unrest, Hong Kong has entered deeply into winter: intellectually confused, psychologically hurt and numbed, spiritually abandoned by God ... All parties need to put a stop to it and slow down the "metabolism". It is time for nursing the wounds to recover.

The Advent Season falls into "Midwinter", including "Big Snow" and "Hibernal Solstice". It is part of "Stockpiles in Winter". Then the more we should follow the liturgical season to adjust the pace of our spiritual life! By spending the Advent season with the attitude of "Stockpiles in Winter", we can bear good Christmas fruits.

There are four themes in the four weeks of Advent: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. Lacking them, we shall never recover! Let us meditate:

1. On what do we put our hope? Money? Authority? Or the Lord who hears when the poor cry out (Psalm 34:7)? If so, do you think you are poor?
2. What must we do in order to rest in peace? Accumulate wealth? Seize power? Or believe in Jesus Christ who has conquered the world (John 16:33)? If so, is your faith the size of a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20)?
3. What things bring you complete joy? Excellent achievement? Being remembered for generations? Or ask in Jesus' name (John 16:24)? If so, have you forgotten to ask?
4. God is love (1 John 4:8). When we practise charity, care for the little and disadvantaged ones around us (Matthew 25:40), we find God, find love.

God bless!