「真我」內的新舊寶藏 New & Old Treasures in Authentic Self

真我系列之四：
「真我」內的新舊寶藏（瑪13:47-53）

耶穌的門徒中，也有幾個法利塞人和經師，著名的包括尼苛德摩和阿黎瑪特雅人若瑟（若19:38-39），還有保徒宗徒（宗9:5）。他們的經歷，正好說明耶穌今天所說的「從他的寶庫裡，提出新的和舊的東西。」（瑪13:52）

讓我正式定義這幾天所說的「真我」吧，它就是天主心目中的我。雖然我是按天主的肖像所造，但因為喪失了原始恩寵（簡稱「原罪」）的緣故，我這個天主肖像，未能達到天主心目中的藍圖。而且，我們生活在歷史中，受到時空的限制，要經歷一段時間，困在有限的空間內磨練，纔漸漸達標，還原真我。所以每個人的經驗是獨特的，無論怎樣不愉快，都是珍貴的！今天流行的所謂「集體回憶」，無疑在一輩人的靈魂留下痕跡，但始終痕跡的深度，各人不同。

教會收錄了很多保祿的言論，可以驗證上面提及的「新的和舊的東西」。在歸化前，掃祿這個法利塞人，熱愛祖傳的法律，以捍衛正道為己任（迦1:14），所以對新興的基督信仰，窮追猛打。歸化後，基督的復活，光照了他對舊約法律的理解。保祿但覺天主的救恩，頓然變得清晰明朗！他在書信中的論述，必先以他從前的強項─舊約法律為起點，道出無論如何履行法律，均不足以令人在天主前，無可指摘；然後他再論述「因信成義」的道理。可以說，歸化前的掃祿所追求的，祇不過是舊的寶貝。足以把他的真我，發揮得淋漓盡致，要靠新的寶貝！不過，沒有舊的寶貝，新的寶貝便失去了根基！
天父啊！我們感謝祢，祢以最新，最好的寶貝，養活培育了我們的真我。亞孟。

生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：providenceonline.com

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Authentic Self Series IV
New & Old Treasures in Authentic Self (Matthew 13:47-53)

Among the disciples of Jesus, there were a few Pharisees and scribes such as the well-known Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea (John 19:38-39) as well as Paul (Acts 9:5). Their experiences illustrate what Jesus says today, “Who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old” (Matthew 13:52).

Allow me to define officially what I meant by "authentic self" on the last few days. It is the "me in God's mind". Although God created us in His image, we are in the state of deprivation of the original grace (aka Original Sin). We have not accomplished the blueprints in God's mind. Moreover, we live in history and are limited within space and time. We need to go through polishing within a confined space and time to restore the authentic self. Thus, the experiences of each of us are unique. Whether they are painful or not, they are precious. Today, it is fashionable to speak of "collective memories" which leave in each of our souls scratches of uniquely different depths.

The Church has collected many treatises of Paul's to demonstrate the "the new and old" mentioned above. Before conversion, Saul was a Pharisee, "a zealot for my ancestral traditions." (Galatian 1:14) Thus, he was frenetic towards destroying the newly emerged Christianity. After conversion, the light of Christ's resurrection illuminated his understanding of the laws in the Old Testament. Suddenly, God's salvation became crystal clear to Paul! In his letters he wrote subsequently, he started with his strength, the Jewish laws, to explain how observing them did not justify one before God. Then he proceeded to explain the doctrine of "justification by faith". Before conversion, Saul sought the old treasures. But it took the new treasures to fully realize his authentic self! Of course, without the old treasures, the new ones lose their foundation!
Heavenly Father! We are grateful that You cultivate our authentic selves with the latest and the best treasures. Amen.