Theme: Difficulties Are Tools of Purification
Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. We celebrate His sudden arrival at the Temple (Malachi 3:1) to meet His people. Who are His people? Simeon is a representative of His people. The gospel says, "This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him." (Luke 2:25) He is righteous, meaning he keeps all God's commandments. This is a sign of faith and charity. He is devout, totally committed to God. This is a sign of faith and hope. He awaits the consolation of Israel. It means, like all the Jews at that time, they were waiting for the Messiah to liberate them from the Roman colonial rule. Their life had never been easy ever since they were conquered by the Babylonians. Then sovereignty changed hands continually, Persians, Greeks and finally the Romans. Now, salvation arrived, but in the form of a new born baby. Is God joking?
Where can we find God and see Him? In the Temple? In the Church?
At this moment, who are the needy? When most citizens are in fear of infection of the novel coronavirus, we can see many needy people around us. There are the exhausted frontline doctors and nurses. There are senior citizens queuing up for hours in vain to buy surgical masks, to highlight just a few. Everybody is under threat. We too are under threat. But are we able to offer a helping hand? Yes, we are. We have advantages over the others!
Secondly, we are Christians. We have faith and we believe in God. We have hope and we put our hope in God. We have love and we are ready to share God's love with others. In short, we are less self-centred. We are always ready to reach out to lend a helping hand, thus serving our Lord Jesus Christ among the needy! With the support of the Holy Spirit, we are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). Let our charity and prayers be good seasonings, making our sacrifices pleasing to God. Stay home and do not go out unless it is necessary. In this way, we lessen the burden on the front line medical staff. If we are able to manage, visit the elderly and spare them a surgical mask. When we stay indoors, remember to pray for the front line medical staff who are working overtime and in constant dangers of being infected. We are the light of this world (5:14). Let our good work show off our faith and hope in God, "to shine on those who sit in darkness and death's shadow." (Luke 1:79)
Before we finish, it would be unfair not to say a few words about Anna, the widow and prophetess. Though the gospel does not record any words spoken by Anna, we should pay attention to her age which was 84. Let us suppose she was 84 when she met infant Jesus in the Temple. Let us further assume that Anna was an ordinary Jewish girl who was usually given to marriage at 14. She became a widow seven years later at 21, which was 63 B.C., the year Judah became a Roman colony. Therefore, her widowhood was a symbol of all the Jews suffering under Roman colonial rule! How did she spend her days of suffering? "She never left the Temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer." (2:37) Furthermore, "she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem." (2:38)
Brethren! Anna and Simeon are our examples. Even in time of difficulties and sufferings like today, we persevere in our faith in God. We embrace those difficulties and sufferings with joy because they purify us, to enable us to see God. We continue to worship Good with fasting and prayer. Let us bear witness to God's love for us with our charitable works in our daily life.
A recurring theme in the gospels is that God shall appear in the most unexpected manners. Like today, Simeon discovered salvation in infant Jesus! Our God is a God of surprises! When clouds of darkness gather, we know that behind the clouds, there is the bright shining sun. This is faith.
It seems that our God loves to play hide and seek with us. I'm sure all of you are familiar with what Jesus teaches us about the Last Judgment. He encourages us not to turn to the rich and the powerful to find Him, but to find Him among the poor and the needy. He says, "Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40) Here, Jesus talks about the rewards waiting for those who do works of mercy: to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to give shelter to the homeless, to care for the sick and to visit the imprisoned (25:35-36). As followers of Jesus Christ, we believe in His words and His promises of our rewards in the future. At the moment, what we need to do is to serve the needy with joy because we are deemed worthy to serve and to suffer for the Lord (Acts 5:41).
First of all, most of us do not read Chinese. I suppose you do not indulge yourselves in reading social media in Chinese. Therefore, you shall not be affected by at least half of the misinformation, rumours and fake news floating around the world! You shall less easily become panicking. You shall be in a better position to calm your friends and employers down because you are able to cross check the information from overseas!
God bless!
Picture Credit: wordonfire.org
獻主節，甲年
主題：困難就是磨練
今天教會慶祝「獻主節」，紀念主「忽然進入祂的殿內」（拉3:1），與祂的子民相遇。誰是祂的子民呢？西默盎就是其中的一個代表。福音說：「這人正義虔誠，期待以色列的安慰，而且聖神也在他身上。」（路2:25）西默盎是正義的，指他遵守了所有天主的誡命，是信德和愛德的表現。他是虔誠的，完全地委身天主。這是信德和望德的表現。他期待以色列的安慰，是指西默盎與其他猶太人一樣，等候默西亞來把他們從羅馬殖民地統治解放出來。自從亡國給巴比倫之後，猶太人未曾有過好日子。政權不斷易手：波斯、希臘到最後是羅馬帝國。現在，救恩出現了，卻是一個初生嬰兒。天主在開玩笑嗎？
人人都知道生活是艱難的。當我們看別人時，尤其是身邊成功的朋友和僱主，我們經常看見他們的「幸運」。我們羨慕他們擁有健康、財富、交際手腕、知識和事業，我們很少看到自己的蒙福。其實，生活並不簡單，我們所看見的所謂「幸運」，通常是表面的，背後有層層的掙扎，不為外人道。可能是他們不願意我們知道，又或者那些真是天主的祝福，裝備他們負擔更大的責任，接受更多的挑戰。我們的天主是看不見的。我們靠信德引導我們尋找祂。而且，我們要有一顆潔淨的心，纔能看見祂和祂的祝福（瑪5:8）。幸好，艱難痛苦可以磨練我們，煉淨我們，讓我們可以看見天主，並獻上悅樂天主的祭品（拉3:4）
哪裡可以找到天主，看見祂呢？在聖殿，在聖堂嗎？
目前，誰是有需要的人呢？當市民大眾陷入受新型冠狀病毒感染的恐慌時，我們發現身邊有很多有需要的人。有疲憊的前線醫護人員，有排了幾小時也買不到一個口罩的長者…目前人人自危，我們還可以伸出援手嗎？可以！我們有優勢！
再者，我們都是基督徒。有信德，我們相信天主。有望德，我們寄望於上主。有愛德，樂意與人分享天主的愛。簡而言之，我們沒有那麼自我中心。我們隨時隨地伸出援手，服事臨現在貧困者之中的主耶穌基督。藉聖神的助祐，我們是地上的鹽（瑪5:13）。讓我們的愛德工作和祈禱，成為好的調味料，獻上悅樂天主的祭品。留在家中，沒有必要就避免外出。這樣，我們減輕前線醫護人員的負擔。如果應付得來，探訪長者，送給他們一個口罩。留在室內時，記得為超時工作，冒受感染風險的前線醫護人員祈禱。我們是世界的光（5:14）。讓我們的善行，彰顯我們對天主的信德和望德：「光照那坐在黑暗和死影中的人。」（路1:79）
在結束前不提及這位寡婦先知亞納，對她有點不公平。雖然福音沒有記載她的隻言片語，我們應注意她84歲的事實。假設她見到耶穌聖嬰時就是84歲，再假設她與其他猶太少女一樣，14歲出閣。七年後21歲守寡，那正是公元前63年。在這一年，猶大成了羅馬帝國的殖民地。因此，她的守寡象徵了猶太人在羅馬殖民統治下的痛苦！她如何度過這些難苦的日子？「她齋戒祈禱，晝夜事奉天主，總不離開聖殿。」（2:37）而且，「她前來稱謝天主，並向一切希望耶路撒冷得救贖的人，講論這孩子。」（2:38）
各位兄弟姊妹！亞納和西默盎是我們的榜樣。在艱難痛苦的今天，請堅持對天主的信德。我們以喜樂擁抱這些艱難痛苦，因為它們淨化我們，幫助我們看見天主。我們繼續以守齋祈禱事奉天主。讓我們以日常生活中所行的愛德服務，見證天主對我們的愛。
福音經常出現的一個主題，就是天主會在出奇不意的景況出現。像今天的福音，西默盎在耶穌聖嬰身上看出救恩！我們的天主的確是一個令人驚喜的天主！當烏雲密佈的時候，我們相信烏雲背後有陽光。這就是信德！
天主好像喜歡和我們玩捉迷藏一樣。我相信大家都非常熟悉耶穌基督有關最後審判的教訓。祂鼓勵我們不要在權貴那裡找祂，卻在貧窮和有需要的人那裡找。祂說：「我實在告訴你們：凡你們對我這些最小兄弟中的一個所做的，就是對我做的。」（瑪25:40）在這裡，耶穌基督論述行哀矜的人將來會受到的賞報：飢者食之，渴者飲之，裸者衣之，收留旅人，照顧病人和探望囚者（25:35-36）。作為耶穌基督的門徒，我們相信祂的教訓和應許。目前，我們祇要以喜樂的心服事有需要的人。喜樂，因為我們配服事主和為祂受苦（宗5:41）。
首先，大家不懂中文（對英文團體講道）。相信大家沒有時間瀏覽中文的社交媒體，因此，大家受偽訊息，謠言和假消息的影響減半！大家沒有那麼容易產生恐慌，你們更能安撫你們的朋友和僱主，因為你們可以運用海外資訊校對！
天主保祐！
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