主題：莠子的命運
這些日子，面對強辭奪理，推卸責任的人，心中固然忿忿不平。他們無視世界是一個地球村，任何的行為總會帶給自己和別人影響！他們自我中心，錯判了形勢。結果作出了錯誤的選擇，做出害己害人的事！雖然我仍堅信天主「願意所有的人得救，並得以認識真理」（弟前2:4），但對這金句的後半段，卻有了另一番感受。在強弱懸殊的形勢下，作為基督徒，祇有為當權者祈禱，希望有朝一日，他們不再像比拉多一樣，面對真理，還問「甚麼是真理？」（若18:38）當然，我必須承認，我並未掌握真理的全部，我希望自己沒有犯著同樣的錯誤，錯判了形勢。
今天的福音，應該可以打消「天主是慈悲的，即使是壞人也可以升天堂」的懸念！
的確，天主的公義，最容易理解的，就是賞善罰惡。雖然我們的善行，並不會增加天父的光榮，但行善始終是祂所喜悅的。所以耶穌基督鼓勵我們行善，讓這些善行有如燈光，在人前照耀，激發其他人行善，讓世人光耀天父（瑪5:16）。這是天主教徒慣常採用的傳福音手法：「小說話，多做事！」
雖然施恩莫望報（6:34），但「賞善」的金句，在福音中俯拾皆是（10:40-42，16:27，19:29，25:34-36）。所以，無論你懷有甚麼企圖行善，天主也會賞賜你。至於「罰惡」方面，瑪竇福音用的字眼是「哀號和切齒」，一共出現過六次。這字眼具體地描述痛苦的表現，與其說是「罰惡」，倒不如說是惡人後悔莫及。這六次所針對的，包括了對耶穌缺乏信德的猶太人（ 8:11-12）；莠子比喻中的使人跌倒和作惡的人（13:42）；撒網比喻中的惡人（13:50）；婚宴比喻中沒有穿禮服的人（22:13）；惡僕和假善人（24:51）和浪費了塔冷通的無用僕人（25:30）。從這六段經文，可以總結出遭受懲罰的，就是那些沒有善用天主所賜予才幹和機會的人，當然也包括濫用權勢和暴力的人！這些是耶穌基督所說的真理，即使不是為了彰顯公義，天主在末日賞善罰惡，是不爭的真理。
耶穌為門徒解釋「莠子比喻」時說：「莠子就是邪惡的子民」（13:38）。我們知道在起初，所有人都是按天主的肖像所造。那麼，這些邪惡的子民是從何而來呢？福音說是來自魔鬼：「那撒莠子的仇人，即是魔鬼。」（13:39）魔鬼沒有創造人類，祇是向人類下手，千方百計把他們「招攬」到自己的陣營（4:8-9）。保祿宗徒也這樣告誡弟茂德：「被魔鬼活捉去順從牠心意的人。」（弟後2:26）那麼，魔鬼成功地引誘到人類的秘訣是甚麼呢？
首先，這個問題是可以思考的，因為魔鬼不能用我們不能明白的方法引誘我們。牠不能控制我們的自由，我們的思想，因為連天主也不容許自己侵犯我們的自由。所以魔鬼祇能用我們理智所能明白的方法，所以魔鬼使用的秘訣，是可以探索的。
我認為心理學家馬斯洛所提出的「需求層次理論」，是一個可以參考的框架，而且符合福音中，「耶穌三退魔誘」的敘述。每個人的生活處境不同，而且社會上資源分配不均，貧富懸殊，是不爭的現實。所以，即使明白「不義之財，理無久享」、凡事應該「取之有道」的倫理原則，為了金錢、愛情和權勢，仍然不顧一切地爭奪，大有人在。最後，懷疑天主的愛，想自己成為天主的誘惑（創3:5），真是魔鬼的必殺技，從亞當開始，幾乎百發百中！即是說，麥子是會變成莠子的！
當然我們要明白比喻的局限性，比喻中的象徵是沒有能力百分百代表所象徵的事物。在生物學上，麥子永遠是麥子，不可能變種成為莠子。拿它來象徵可以改善的人類，是有限的！但我們不用灰心，倘若麥子可以變莠子，「就讓那些莠子變回麥子吧！」（奧思定講道集73A.1）！所以，主人纔容許麥子和莠子一起在田裡生長，直到末日纔判定「義人」和「惡人」！「免得你們收集莠子，連麥子也拔了出來。」（瑪13:29）
的確，生活在世情複雜的世代，要判斷真假正邪，真的不容易。即使對已死的人，也不宜「蓋棺定論」。歷史上不是有很多事件，因為政治氣候不同，對很多人物的功過，作了不同的評價嗎？昨天可以「批林批孔」，今天藉「孔子學院」揚威海外！何況那些還在生的人呢？僕人們不是沒有能力辨別麥子和莠子，而是未到最後一刻，每個人有點像「薛丁格貓」，存在於「量子疊加態」中，生死未卜！憑今天片面的事實，又怎能判斷這是義人，那是惡人呢？所以耶穌基督教訓我們不要判斷人（7:1）。
既然我們每天在罪惡的環境生活，怎樣纔能不致淪為莠子呢？當麥子屈服在誘惑之下，會變成莠子。很明顯，今天想避開誘惑的場所，難比登天。讓我們從耶穌基督三退魔誘的故事中，汲取教訓，倚賴聖神的助祐，以天主作為我們的生活中心。至於如何對待身邊的莠子，保祿宗徒的忠告是有益的：「主的僕人不應當爭吵，但要和氣對待眾人，善於教導；凡事忍耐，以溫和開導反抗的人，或許天主會賜他們悔改而認識真理，使這些被魔鬼活捉順從牠心意的人，能覺悟過來，擺脫魔鬼的羅網。」（弟後2:24-26）我們都是主的無用僕人，且讓我們至少也相信，莠子是可以變回麥子的。
天主保祐！
2017年講道
圖片鳴謝：pinterest.com
Sixteenth Ordinary Sunday, Year A
Theme: The Fate of Weeds
It is frustrating to see government officials argue against reasons and blame everybody but themselves. They do not see the world as a global village. Every single act affects themselves and everybody. They are egoistic and misjudge the situation. Consequently, they make wrong choices, harming everybody, including themselves! Although I still firmly believe that God "wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4), I have another understanding of the second half of the verse. In front of a Goliath, Christians can only pray for people in power that one day, they will not ask in the face of the Truth the same question as Pilate did "What is truth?" (John 18:38) Of course I must confess that I do not have the whole truth. I hope I myself do not commit the same mistake, misjudging the situation.
The gospel passage today shall shatter a wishful thinking that "Since God is merciful. Even evil people will go to heaven"!
Indeed, the easiest way to understand God's righteousness is "awarding the good and punishing the wicked". Although our good deeds do not add glory to the Father, doing works of mercy pleases Him. Thus, Jesus Christ encourages us to do good. Let our good deeds shine like a lamp before others, encouraging people to do good and glorify our heavenly Father (Matthew 5:16). This is the modus operandi of Catholic evangelization: speak less, labour more!
Although we should not seek recompense in doing good (6:34), many verses about rewarding the good are found in the gospels (10:40-42, 16:27, 19:29, 25:34-36). Thus, whatever your motives in doing good, God will recompense. As for punishing the wicked, Matthew uses "wailing and grinding of teeth" six times. This phrase expresses physical pains vividly. I would rather say this expresses the regret of the wicked instead of punishment. Let's survey what people are included: the unbelieving Jews (8:11-12); those who cause others to sin and evildoers in the Parable of Wheat and Weeds (13:42); the wicked in the Parable of the Net (13:50); a man not dressed in wedding garment (22:13); wicked servants and hypocrites (24:51) and the useless servants who bury the talents (25:30). From these six passages, we may draw the conclusion that those who do not make good use of the talents and opportunities God has given them, including those who abuse authority and violence, shall be punished! This is truth spoken by Jesus Christ. Even if it is not for the manifestation of righteousness, God will reward the good and punish the wicked. This truth is indisputable.
Let us reflect from where the weeds come.
Answering the disciples' request, Jesus replies, "The weeds are the children of the evil one." (13:38) We know that from the beginning, all men were created in the image of God. Then from where do these children of the evil one come? The gospel says, "The enemy who sows them is the devil." (13:49) The Devil did not create mankind. It applies all its charm to win mankind over to its side (4:8-9). Paul also advised Timothy as such, "they are entrapped by him (the Devil), for his will." (2 Timothy 2:26) Then, what is the Devil's secret of success in entrapping humanity?
First of all, this question is answerable because the Devil cannot use methods which we don't understand to ensnare us. It cannot overtake our freedom or our will because even God does not allow Himself to violate our freedom. Thus, the Devil can only use methods which our intellect is able to understand. Therefore, it is possible to explore the Devil's secret.
I think the "Hierarchy of Needs" proposed by Maslow the psychologist is a workable frame of reference. It agrees with the Jesus' Temptation narrative. Everybody lives in different situations. The uneven distribution of social resources and the wealth gaps are stark social realities. Even if people know that "unworthy wealth does not last" and there are proper ways to satisfy our needs, still there are many people unscrupulously fighting for money, love and power/esteem. Lastly, doubting God's love and wishing to play God (Genesis 3:5) has always been the Devil's trump card since Adam's time. That is to say, wheat can become weeds!
Of course we should understand the limitations of parables. The symbols employed in parables cannot represent totally the things they symbolize. Biologically speaking, wheat is forever wheat and cannot mutate to weeds. Using it to represent improvable humanity is inadequate! But we shouldn't lose heart. If wheat can become weeds, then "Let those who are weeds be changed into wheat." (St. Augustine, Sermon 73A.1) Thus the Master allows wheat and weeds to grow together in the field and wait until the Judgment Day to pronounce the righteous and the wicked. "No, if you pullup the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them." (Matthew 13:29)
Indeed, it is not easy to distinguish between good and evil in this complicated age. Even for the dead, we are not able to give them a definite evaluation. Throughout history, the fames of historical people shift from time to time depending on the political ethos. Yesterday, let's criticize Lin Biao and Confucius. Today, many Confucius Institutes are established overseas! What about those who are still alive? The servants are not unable to distinguish between wheat and weeds. Rather, everybody is like a Schrödinger's cat which exists in a state of live and death superposition. How can we judge, with fragmented evidence today, a person to be righteous or wicked? Thus, Jesus Christ teaches us not to judge (7:1).
Since we are living in a sinful environment, how do we not become weeds? When wheat succumbs to temptation, it becomes weeds. Obviously, it is next to impossible to stay away from temptations today. Let us learn from the narrative of Jesus' temptation, rely on the support of the Holy Spirit to lead a life centred on God. As for how to deal with weeds, St. Paul's advice is good, "A slave of the Lord should not quarrel, but should be gentle with everyone, able to teach, tolerant, correcting opponents with kindness. It may be that God will grant them repentance that leads to knowledge of the truth, and that they may return to their senses out of the Devil's snare, where they are entrapped by him, for his will." (2 Timothy 2:24-26) May we unworthy slaves of the Lord, at least believe that weeds can transform back into wheat.
God bless!
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