一萬「塔冷通」值多少？ How Much Is Ten Thousand Talentum?

常年期廿四主日，甲年
主題：一萬「塔冷通」值多少？

耶穌說的比喻，素來包含誇張的成份，使聽眾驚喜，達到印象深刻的效果，例如「撒種比喻」。一般的麥種子可產生23顆麥粒，但比喻中的種子，竟然可以結出百倍的收成，堪稱「神奇種子」！今天的比喻，同樣驚人，大家可知道一萬「塔冷通」（瑪18:24）的市價值多少嗎？對於「塔冷通」的定義，學者眾說紛紜。既然我們用《思高聖經》，姑且按它的定義去理解。《附錄五》有各種度量衡，在那裡可以找到一個塔冷通即是20.5千克的銀。（注意：撒羅滿王的塔冷通是金塔冷通（列上10:14）！）今天的銀價是每千克860.52美元，即6,669.03港元。一個塔冷通折合136,715.12港元，一萬塔冷通，就是十三億港元了（$1,367,151,150）！作為一個人民公僕，竟敢虧空君王十三億元，膽子真大！耶穌誇張嗎？不，今天大有人在！

公道自在人心，所以這篇默想，不必批判貪腐。祇想反躬自問，是甚麼使我們落得如斯田地？
弱肉強食，是野獸的本能。天主按自己的肖像造了人，讓人成為萬物之靈，代表祂管治大地（創1:26）。因此，我們倚重理性，多於倚重力氣和爪牙。天主是自由的，所以祂所創造的人類，也享有高度的自由！因為缺乏自由，人類便無從把天賦的潛質，發揮得淋漓盡致，不能讓天主的肖像，在宇宙間彰顯祂的榮耀。所以，剝削別人，限制別人的自由，「憑權位，張爪牙，殘民以自肥」，就是令天主蒙羞！這也是林肯總統解放黑奴的道德高地！
天主的自由當然是絕對的，但人始終是受造物，不能享有絕對的自由。人的行為應遵守倫理規範：例如「己所不欲，勿施於人」，即「不傷害原則」；即是說，我不想被侮辱，所以我不侮辱別人！更進一步，即道德的金科玉律：「己所欲，施於人」（瑪7:12）；即是說，我希望受到尊重，所以我要尊重別人。這是多麼合情合理，不證自明的規範！從公共利益作為出發點，長遠來說，尊重人權和自由是利多於弊，既保障了個人的生命財產，亦促進社會整體的繁榮和進步。即使是非常現實，不談理想的「功利主義」也支持。可惜，「秀才遇著兵，有理說不清」。在沒有槍桿子的支撐下，連務實的「功利主義」也得不到統治者的垂青。這是近代社會的現實。在中國春秋時代的孟子，曾提出「王何必曰利？亦有仁義而已矣…上下交征利，則國危矣！」（孟子．梁惠王上）的儒家仁政思想，是多麼美麗的治國理想！孟子懂得從長治久安的政治理念出發，游說君王；可惜統治者更懂得選擇儒家思想中的「大一統」概念，鞏固自己的中央集權；對人民的仁政卻欠奉！即使在中國實踐了二千年，到頭來也是一場空。現代的政治思想，並不比古代的政治思想，更有效地鉗制騎在人民頭上的獨裁者。難道一定要流血革命，纔可爭取到少許應得的權利嗎？難道人類運用理性所建立的倫理道德，不足以駕馭人類「喪失了的原始恩寵」所做成的後遺症嗎？

根據一些學者的意見，魔鬼妒忌人，因為天父有意提升人的地位，決定聖子降生成人，而不是降生成天使，並且要求天使朝拜那既是人又是天主的祂！部份不願意服從的天使便墮落成為了魔鬼！魔鬼明白自己不是天主的對手，轉而攻擊人類。牠找到人的死穴，就是人不會滿足於祇是天主的肖像，人類渴望成為天主！所以牠誘惑人類的方法，就是令人懷疑天主的愛，挑動人相信自己，多於相信天主（創3:5）！就這樣，罪惡便進入了世界，以後便是歷史了。在失落了原始恩寵之後，人的意志猶如脫韁野馬，不顧後果，想做就去做；人的情慾，不再為了共融，而是四出發洩；人的理智，不是為了追求真相，卻用來建構虛榮，宣佈「上帝已死」…先知說得真對：「牛認識自己的主人，驢也認識自己主人的槽，以色列卻毫不知情，我的百姓卻一點不懂。」（依1:3）大敵當前，人類卻拒絕了天主，反而認賊作父，太失敗了！

虧空君王十三億元，絕對不是出於疏忽，絕對不是出於偶然。有點理智的人，怎可以想盡辦法去做這樣的事呢？有甚麼理由可以說服世人，這樣做是正確的呢？除了他的妻兒外，還可以找到其他受益人嗎？這不是自私的情慾是甚麼？作為一個年薪五百萬元的公務員，他要不消費，不停工作二百六十多年纔賺到這筆錢！不是處心積慮的意志，可以虧空這麼多嗎？誠然，這是誇張的手法，旨在展示出，人單憑一己的力，絕不可能做出正當的事，絕不可能自我完善，改善自己的處境！個人的舒適方便，總會連累別人受苦，要別人為你付出代價！我們應該寬恕這樣大奸大惡的人嗎？

朱熹解釋孔子的「忠恕之道」說得好：「盡己之謂忠，推己之謂恕」（論語集注）。其實「忠」是不足夠的，沒有良心的規範，盡己祇落得虧空十三億的下場，不是嗎？對於「忠」，「恕」可以起制約作用。「恕」，在於推己及人，設身處地，站在對方的立場體會事物，也就是今天流行的所謂「同理心」。這樣做，消極地不會做出損人利己的事。積極地，這就是寬恕的核心意義：體諒別人的困難，不再計較對方的不足。即使是沒有宗教信仰的倫理學，也可以達到這樣的境界！作為自稱天主教徒的我們，這樣做，可以幫助另一個天主肖像站起來，給他一個機會，從新擦亮天主的光榮，何樂而不為呢？相反，拒絕寬恕，祇會在彼此心中，累積怨氣，產生分裂；寬恕卻帶來喜樂，而喜樂是聖神的果子（迦5:22），是符合天父的旨意，何樂而不為呢？

依恃自己的能力，懷疑天主對人類的愛，是「原罪」的後果，是人人的通病。基督徒應該已經清醒過來，看出這是魔鬼的技倆。因此，讓我們服從主耶穌的指導，寬恕得罪我們的兄弟，讓彼此得以鬆綁，讓每一個天主的肖像，可以自由自在地發展，光榮在天之父。
天主保祐！

2017年講道
圖片鳴謝：journals.plos.org, demo.inwordbible.com

Twenty Fourth Ordinary Sunday, Year A
Theme: How Much Is Ten Thousand Talentum?

There are hyperbolic elements in Jesus' parables, with the aim of surprising the audience, leaving them with deep impressions, for example, the "Parable of Sower". Ordinary wheat grains usually yield 23 folds. However, the seeds in the parable yield a hundredfold. They are truly "miracle seeds"! Today's parable is stunning. Do you know how much is ten thousand talentum (Matthew 18:24)? Scholars disagree how talentum was defined but since we use the Studium Biblicum Version, let's follow its definition. In Appendix V we can find measurement systems. There we see that a talentum was 20.5 kg of silver. [In case of King Solomon, his talentum was gold (1 Kings 10:14)!] Today, the silver price is USD860.52 per kg, i.e. HKD 6,669.03 per kg. Thus, 1 talentum is equivalent to HKD136,715.12 and ten thousand talentum would be HKD1.3 billion ($1,367,151,150)! As a civil servant, how he dared to embezzle so much money from the king! Was Jesus exaggerating? No! There are many such people nowadays!

There is no need for me to criticize corruption in this meditation. All conscientious people know it is wrong. Rather, I would ask myself how a person could be so fallen from grace!
Beasts follow the rule of the jungles. But men were created in the image of God who delegates us the stewardship of governing the earth (Genesis 1:26). Thus, we rely more on rationality then physical strength, sharp teeth and claws. God is free. Thus men enjoy a high degree of autonomy! It is because without freedom, men would be unable to actualize God sent potentials. The images of God would be unable to render God His due glory on earth. Thus, exploitation and restriction on others' freedom, abusing authority to fatten oneself at the expense of citizens is shaming God! That was the moral high ground on which President Lincoln stood to abolish slavery!
Of course God's freedom is absolute. But we are mere creatures. We don't enjoy absolute freedom. Our behaviours should follow moral norms. For example, the Harm Principle: "What I dislike, don't do unto others". That is to say, I don't want to be humiliated. So, I won't humiliate others! Advance one step further, we come to the Golden Rule: "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you." (Matthew 7:12) That is to say, I expect respect. So, I respect others. How reasonable these self-evident moral norms are! From the perspective of common good, in the long run, there are more advantages when we honour human rights and liberty. Not only shall life and property be protected, but the society will also prosper and progress. Even realistic utilitarianism supporters who don't talk about abstract ideals advocate such norms. Unfortunately, without the backing of the military, people in power simply ignore them. This is the situation of modern society. In ancient China before the period of Warring States, Mencius advocated Confucianism, saying "King, why talk about utility? Beneficence and justice will do … When people of all levels seek utility, their country would be in real danger!" (Mencius, 1 King Hui of Liang) How beautiful an ideal of beneficence and justice rule it was! Mencius knew how to persuade the Marquis with long stability. Unfortunately, people in power knew how to make use of the Confucian concept of "Grand Unity" to secure the centralization of powers while beneficence and justice were in short supply! After two millennia of implementation in China, it came to null. Modern political ideas, compared with ancient counterparts, are no better in restraining tyrants from trampling upon their subjects. Do we really need bloody revolutions to secure a little bit of rights which we deserve? Isn't the rational morality we have built unable to rein in the complications caused by the loss of Original Grace?

According to some scholars, the Devil envies human beings because the Father wanted to elevate the status of men and decided that the Son should incarnate to be a man and not an angel. Moreover, God wanted all angels to adore the Son who is both human and divine! Some angels refused and became devils. The Devil knows well that it is not on a par with God. So it turned to men instead. It spotted their Achill's heel: men would never be satisfied to be simply an image of God. They desire to be God! Therefore, the Devil entices men to doubt God's love and to believe in themselves more than in God (Genesis 3:5)! In this way, sin entered the world and the rest is history. After losing the Original Grace, human will becomes a wild horse with no rein. He wills to do whatever fancies him without regard to consequences. His desires are not for communion but gratification. His intellect seeks not the truth but vainglory, declaring "God is dead" … How right is the prophet when he says, "An ox knows its owner, and an ass, its master's manger, but Israel does not know, my people has not understood." (Isaiah 1:3) When the enemy is at the front door, men reject God and yield. How disappointing!

Embezzlement of 1.3 billion is absolutely no negligence or a coincidence. How can a rational person rack his brain to do such a thing? What cause can you bring up to persuade people that it is right? Other than his wife and children, who can benefit? If this is not selfish greed, what is? As a civil servant who earns five million per annum, he needs to work for more than 260 years, not spending a single cent, to earn this sum of money! Without a persistent will, can he embezzle that much? Of course, this is an exaggeration in order to show that on our own, we are absolutely unable to do things right, absolutely unable to perfect ourselves and to improve our situation! Somebody else has to pay for our personal comfort and convenience! Should we forgive such an evil man?

Zhu Xi did well when he expounded the Confucian concept of "fidelity" and "forgiveness". He says, "Putting up our utmost for the other is fidelity. Putting ourselves in other's shoes is forgiveness" (Concordance on Analect). In fact, it is not enough to uphold fidelity. Without the constraint of the conscience, putting up our utmost would only end up embezzling 1.3 billion, wouldn't it? Forgiveness is able to rein in fidelity. Putting ourselves in other's shoes, feeling the heat from other's perspective is similar to what we call empathy today. In this way, negatively we won't harm others for our benefits. Positively, and this is the core of forgiveness, we are able to feel other's difficulties. We don't count against their inadequacies. How lofty this morality is even without faith! As Catholics, we forgive so that another image of God may stand up, is given another chance to polish God's tarnished glory. Why not forgive? On the contrary, refusing to forgive will build up more animosity and schism. Forgiveness brings joy and joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). It is definitely the Father's will. Why not forgive?

Reliance on oneself and doubting God's love for us are the consequences of the "Original Sin". Nobody is exempted. Christians should have known this Devil's modus operandi well. Thus, let us obey Lord Jesus' instruction. Forgive our brethren so that both of us are relieved of the bondage. Let every image of God develop in freedom to glorify our heavenly Father.
God bless!