主題：小信德的人
其實在大眾傳媒，宗教一直有市場。大概每十年，總會有新演繹的「耶穌傳」，或者「梅瑟與法魯」之類的電影，所以美國人並未能完全把天主趕出國外。例如在2013年，電視播放十集的【聖經】片集，從《創世紀》講述到《宗徒大事錄》。片集中經常出現的對白是「天主與我們同在」，是在成功渡過難關後，例如過了紅海，由主角呼喊出來。可以說，這是基督徒向世俗化了的世界，一句清晰響亮的宣言。我是個吹毛求疵的人，覺得不是味道。在成功的時候，纔察覺到天主與我們同在。那麼在困難的過程中，難道天主躲了起來嗎？好像祂在成功時，纔現身邀功！
其實，耶穌的一生，不是展示了天主如何在困難的過程中，與我們同在嗎？一開始，耶穌基督誕生在馬槽；為了逃避大黑落德的追殺，聖家成為逃往埃及的難民；祂在納匝肋成長，並不富庶；三年的公開生活，祂用一句「但是人子卻沒有枕頭的地方」（瑪8:20）來概括；祂在最後的公開教導時，提醒聽眾在貧困和有需要的人身上尋找祂（25:40）；最後，祂接受當時最大的恥辱，當眾赤條條地釘死在十字架上；死後被埋葬在別人的墳墓裡！即是說，耶穌基督，可見的天主，並沒有躲起來。祂一直在困苦中，陪伴著受苦的人：在世界貿易中心雙塔內、在反修例運動的衝突現場、在快要崩潰的醫護人員身旁、在貝魯特大爆炸現場，擁抱著死傷者…「天主去了哪？」，你看不見嗎？就在無辜的人、受苦的人那裡！為甚麼我們看不見呢？因為我們好像宗徒們一樣，好像大部份人一樣，都是「小信德的人」（14:31）！在成功時纔看到天主，在絕望的時候，看不見祂陪著我們受苦！
有時候，福音的教訓好像有點矛盾，其實不然。例如：耶穌教我們祈禱時，不用多說，「因為你們的父，在你們求祂以前，已知道你們需要甚麼。」（6:8）另一方面，祂又鼓勵我們恬不知恥地祈禱，好像可以藉著祈禱，改變天主的思想一樣（路11:5-8，18:1-7）！莫非瑪竇的天主與路加的天主，不是同一個天主嗎？當然是同一個天主！不要忘記，祈禱是我們與天主交談。在上的不一定是天主，有所求的不一定是人。為甚麼耶穌不可以用「寡婦」自居？那個「不怕天主，不敬重人的判官」（18:2），不是我們的寫照嗎？天主有如寡婦，在我們這個硬心腸的判官身邊，不斷給我們機會，敲我們的心門，想我們接納祂，接受祂的恩寵。祂會恬不知恥，不斷地糾纏我們，直到我們回頭！天主會成功嗎？耶穌跟著說的一句，表達出祂的憂心：「人子來臨時，能在世上找到信德嗎？」（18:8）可見，未能在受苦和無辜的人身上看到基督，是沒有信德的指標和證據，在末日用來量度我們！
今天福音的故事，發生在「五餅二魚」神蹟之後。這個神蹟，理應加強了門徒的信德。最少，他們知道放棄現有的一切，跟隨耶穌基督，絕對是一個正確的「投資」。「五餅二魚」神蹟，即使未能令他們看到「天主與他們同在」，最少也證明了跟隨耶穌基督，將會不愁衣食！後者不是信德，而是商業的，現實的謀算！憑謀算，教會是不足以應付，緊隨著成功而來的，一浪接一浪的衝擊！
可能天未亮，四周還是漆黑一片，能見度低的緣故，當「耶穌步行海上，朝著他們走來」時，在沒有師傅同在的情況下，門徒們方寸大亂，大叫「是個妖怪」（瑪14:25-26）！這個對現實環境的反應，是可理解的。伯多祿認出是耶穌的聲音，可能是為了堅固兄弟的信德（路22:32）罷，「遂從船上下來，走在水面上，向耶穌那裡去。」（瑪14:29）請注意，是「從船上下來」，是小心翼翼地，是謹慎的表現，而不是一時衝動的行為。這與另一次海上經歷不同，可能是同一地點，但是在耶穌復活後發生。伯多祿不是從船上下來，而是「縱身跳入海裡」（若21:7）。這次不是小心翼翼地、謹慎地從船上下來，是信德的表現！前者需要耶穌基督出手，收拾殘局，伯多祿因為「小信德」而顏面無存（瑪14:30-32）；後者伯多祿獲得耶穌基督的寬恕，並委以牧養教會的重任（若21:15-17）！
「謹慎」是四樞德之首，能幫助我們的信仰，不會陷入迷信和狂熱。但過份著重謀算，反令我們懷疑天主對我們的愛，看不到天主一直陪在我們身邊，同甘共苦。準確地拿捏謹慎與信德的平衡，真的不容易！前者可以修煉，後者有待天主的恩賜！
主啊！請增加我們的信德罷！（路17:5）亞孟。
2017講道
圖片鳴謝：usinessinsider.combat, thesun.co.uk
Nineteenth Ordinary Sunday, Year A
Theme: You of Little Faith
On September 1, 2001, a terrorist attack in USA shocked the whole world. Many people saw with their own eyes, scenes after scenes of tragedy stream live on the TV screen. These scenes pierced the souls of the Americans and the Western countries. Many people asked where God had been. Why did He allow so many innocent people to get killed? Some people would answer that it was because USA had become too secular. The people had kept God out of families, schools, economy, society, politics and culture. So, this terrorist attack was a "wake-up" call from God etc. Nineteen years have elapsed. The whole world is suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic. Many people put up the same answer to the same old question: Where has God been? I'm surprised why the minds of so many people remain stagnant? Is it that they really have successfully driven God out of the door? Why, when disasters strike, do they make God a scapegoat and make religious faith a fig-leaf? For cultures which reject Christianity, asking where God has been is meaningless. Secondly, this pandemic can be explained with many other factors. We don't need God to be a variable in our explanations.
In fact, religion has market in mass media. Once every decade, there would be a new movie on Jesus Christ, or Moses & Pharaoh. Therefore, the Americans have not kicked God out completely. For example, in 2013, a 10-episode TV series called "The Bible" was aired which covered from Genesis to Acts. One of the favourite lines which is often put into the mouth of the heroes after victory, such as crossing the Red Sea, is "God is with us!" This is a loud and clear Christian declaration to the secularized world. But I'm a hair-splitting person who is not too happy with the line. Only after victory did people see that God was with them. Then did God hide Himself in the process of struggle? It sounds like He emerged after victory only to claim the credit!
In fact, hasn't the life of Jesus shown us how God stays with us all the time in difficulties? From the start, Jesus was born in a manger. In order to evade the murderous attempt of Herod the Great, the Holy Family became fugitives fleeing to Egypt. Jesus grew up in Nazareth, not a well off town. In His own words, Jesus describes His three-year public ministry in these words "But the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head" (Matthew 8:20). In His last public teaching, He reminded us to look for Him among the poor and the needy (25:40). At last, He embraced the most shameful death of the time, naked crucifixion before all eyes. Even His tomb was somebody else's! That is to say, Jesus Christ, the visible God, does not hide away. All the time, He stays with those who suffer: inside the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre, on the clashing ground during the Anti-Extradition Bill unrest, next to the collapsing medical staff, embracing the dead and wounded at the Beirut explosion! Where has God been? Don't you see Him? He's among the innocent and suffering! Why don't I see Him? It is because like the Apostles and most people, "O you of little faith" (14:31)! You see Him in victory but in time of despair, you don't see Him suffering with you!
Sometimes, gospel teachings seem contradictory but actually they are not. For example, Jesus teaches us not to babble in prayer because "Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." (6:8) On the other hand, He encourages us to pray with perseverance. It looks as if praying without becoming weary, we can change God's mind (Luke 11:5-8, 18:1-7)! One wonders if the God of Matthew is the same God of Luke! Of course the same God! Don't forget, prayer is a dialogue between God and man. The one on top is not necessarily God and the one who begs is not necessarily a man. Why can't Jesus be the widow? Isn't the judge who "neither feared God nor respected any human being" (18:2) an accurate portrait of ours? God is like a widow, standing next to us, the heart harden judge, giving us many opportunities, knocking on the door of our hearts, hoping that we accept Him, receive His grace. He would persevere and keep bothering us until we repent! Will God be successful? The next sentence uttered by Jesus indicates His worry, "But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (18:8) Thus, we can safely draw the conclusion that the inability to see Christ among the innocent and the suffering is an indicator and evidence of our lack of faith. At the end of the world, we'll be measured accordingly!
The gospel story today happened after the Five Loaves & Two Fish miracle. We expect this miracle to have strengthened the faith of the disciples. At least, they knew that abandoning all that they had at the moment to follow Jesus Christ was an absolutely correct "investment". Even if they were unable to see "God is with us" in the miracle, at least it proves that they wouldn't have to worry about food supply in the future! The latter is NOT faith but commercial and realistic calculation! With calculations, the Church would be unable to combat waves after waves of shock after an initial success!
Perhaps it was not yet dawn, pitch dark all around and visibility was low, when "He came toward them, walking on the sea". Without the company of the Master, the disciples were perplexed and cried out in fear "It is a ghost" (Matthew 14:25-26)! This was an understandable reaction to the concrete real life situation. Recognizing the voice of Jesus and perhaps wanting to strengthen the brothers (Luke 22:32), "Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus" (Matthew 14:29). Notice that, it is "got out of the boat", showing that Peter was cautious and prudent. He was not impulsive. The action was totally different from another incidence at the sea, probably the same spot but took place after Jesus' resurrection. This time, Peter did not get out of the boat, but "jumped into the sea" (John 21:7). It was neither cautious nor prudent. It was an act of faith! In the former case, Jesus had to stretch out His hand to catch him. Peter lost his face because of his little faith (Matthew 14:30-32). In the latter case, Peter received Jesus' forgiveness and commission to tender the Church (John 21:15-17)!
Prudence is the first of the four Cardinal Virtues. It prevents our faith from becoming superstitious and fanatic. But over-calculation makes us question God's love for us, rendering us unable to see God suffering alongside us. The balance is extremely delicate! The former can be cultivated, the latter at God's pleasure!
Lord! Increase our faith! (Luke 17:5). Amen.
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