真我的成長 The Growth of the Authentic Self

真我系列之五：
真我的成長（瑪13:54-58）

經過三十年的成長，耶穌基督的「真我」顯露出來了，祂的智慧和奇能，令看著祂長大的同鄉，感到驚訝！（瑪13:54）他們之所以驚訝，是因為他們用了既定的框架來看待耶穌：甚麼「木匠的兒子」、甚麼「他的母親…他的弟兄…他的姊妹」。這種視野並沒有錯，卻未能掌握真理的全部。試問誰無父母？但「虎父」一定無「犬子」嗎？那個父母對出人頭地的子女會不滿呢？所以既定的視野可以用，但應抱開放的態度，說不定天主為我們安排了驚喜！

福音中除了幾個宗徒外，從來沒有人以「天主的肖像」（創1:26）、「天主的聖者」（依12:6）、「天主的聖子」（詠82:6）來看待耶穌基督！這些視野在舊約時代已經啟示了，可能以色列人對天主敬畏有加，不敢褻瀆，不敢高攀，以致從來沒有人用這種視野看待身邊的人。但天主對我們的愛，是何其浩瀚。祂為我們所預備的，是「人心所未想到的。」（依63:3，格前2:9），天主的確是一個充滿驚喜的天主。

天主子降生成人，不但展示了人性的真我，並造就了這真我，令它可以攀登到更高的地步：天主的聖者、天主的子女！耶穌基督以祂的受難和復活，造就了人性的真我！作為蒙召成聖的基督徒，我們享有的「天主肖像」、「天主聖者」和「天主義子」的真我，已經揭示了。讓我們也以這個視野，看待所接觸到的鄰人，並造就他們的真我，破繭而出。
天父啊！求賜我們天主聖神，助「真我」健康成長，成聖，成為祢真正的子女。亞孟！

生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：shutterstock.com

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Authentic Self Series V
The Growth of the Authentic Self (Matthew 13:54-58)

After thirty years of growth, the authentic self of Jesus Christ began to manifest. His wisdom and mighty deeds astonished His native folks (Matthew 13:54). They were astonished because they applied an established perspective to look at Jesus: the carpenter's son, his mother … brothers … and sisters etc. This perspective is not wrong but it is not the whole truth. Who doesn't have parents? But is "like father like son" always right? Which parents would not be satisfied with their children's achievements? Established perspectives are useful but we should be open to surprises which God has in store for us!

Except for a few apostles, nobody in the gospels applied the "image of God" (Genesis 1:26); the "Holy One of Israel" (Isaiah 12:6); "offspring of the Most High" (Psalm 82:6) on Jesus Christ! These perspectives have been revealed in the Old Testament. Probably the Israelites were awe-struck by God. They dared not to blaspheme or to approach God so much so that they have never applied these perspectives on people around them. But God's love for us is so boundless. He has prepared for those who love Him "what has not entered the human heart" (Isaiah 63:6, 1 Corinthians 2:9). Our God is a God of surprises indeed.

The Son of God took flesh to become man. Not only did He manifest the "authentic self" of humanity, but He also raised this "authentic self" up to a higher dimension: the Holy One of God, the Children of God! Jesus Christ edified the authentic self of humanity with His Passion and Resurrection. As Christians called to sanctification, our authentic selves as the images of God, the Holy Ones of God and the Adopted Children of God have been revealed. Let us apply these perspectives on the neighbour we meet and help their authentic selves emerge.
Heavenly Father, grant us the Holy Spirit to help our authentic selves grow healthily, be sanctified and become authentic children of Yours. Amen.