主題：我在這裡，請派遣我！
雖然說，每個人都是天主獨特的創造，所以每個人成聖的道路不一樣；但萬變不離其宗，成聖就是看每個人對天主的愛有多深。天主所想念的，成了我們所想念的；天主所鍾愛的，成了我們所鍾愛的，還不成聖嗎？當人類生活在被罪惡污染了的環境下，愛天主的心志受到了障礙，走成聖的路變得艱難。天主對我們不離不棄，大發慈悲，主動派遣聖子來到世上，拯救我們，幫助我們。耶穌基督在約旦河受洗的時候，天父親自作證耶穌基督是祂所喜悅的愛子（瑪3:17）。所以，愛慕耶穌基督，服從祂的命令行事，應該離奉行天父的旨意不遠（6:10）。
我們有幸領受洗禮，加入教會，在這個得救的大家庭裡共融生活，互相扶持，體現天主聖三的內在共融生命。在波濤汹湧的人海中，教會有如一艘救生艇，給予遇溺者一線生機。時日久遠，這救生艇變成了一艘豪華郵輪，船上的人過著舒適安全的生活，令人羨慕，但另一方面，亦令部份人自慚形穢，不敢加入！
在他們眼中，信教的人很虔誠，而且高不可攀。論社會地位，教徒多是賺錢能力高的成功人士，佔據了社會的中上層。談吐間，教徒常把耶穌掛在嘴邊，能說高超瀟灑的理論；他們經常在神聖而寧靜的教堂內祈禱，和出席名人的慈善籌款晚會。現在手機大行其道，在群組中經常收到不少他們轉發的短訊，內容多是寫得很漂亮的哲理！教徒就是這樣愛他們的天主嗎？
福音告訴我們，天主是主動的，有如善牧。祂知道亡羊不懂得如何返回安全的羊棧，便放下九十九隻羊，跑出去尋找牠（18:12）。但是大部份的教徒，放不下身處的安樂窩。他們祇做一些慣性的事務，不思進取，不回應時局的變化，十年如一日，依然故我地虔誠！多年來他們為聖召祈禱，卻不會鼓勵自己的子女加入獻身生活的行列；他們會捐助傳教活動經費，卻不會在現場出現，頂多遠距離「報佳音」、派傳單，卻不願意走入人群中，與人交談，分享得救蒙恩的喜樂。
天主是慷慨的，祂不會吝惜自己所付出的一切，不會計較人類是否堪當，祇要他們肯相信祂所派遣的天主子，便毫無保留地賜予恩寵！信徒呢？和大部份沒有信仰的人一樣，斤斤計較別人對他們有沒有益處。倘若沒有，便置諸不理。向教外人講耶穌？我沒有神學訓練，我不善辭令…我還是把精力放到其他更有可為的事業去罷！保祿宗徒不是說：「眾人能都作宗徒？豈能都做先知？豈能都做教師？」（格前12:29）各司其職便是好！多漂亮的辭令，多熟悉的經文啊！
的確，我們不是天主，不可能像天主一樣慷慨、像天主一樣主動，但最低限度，我們也應該有主動，有慷慨的意志吧！我們總不應以便宜的，不假思索的轉發來歷不明短訊的行為，取代與人分享蒙恩得救經驗的機會；不應盤算成敗得失之後，纔向「有機會」信主的人游說。是的，被拒絕是掉臉的，不好受的。可是，沒有經過磨難，我們又怎可能成長，怎可能完美呢？不經過奮鬥得來的成就，又怎會珍惜呢？他日在天主的審判台前，我們又可以拿甚麼來交代呢？
我們領受入門聖事時，不是從堅振聖事領受了聖神嗎？我們的聖神七恩去了哪？我們選擇安逸，而不是思念天上的事（哥3:2），怕增添煩惱。聖神的智慧去了哪？跟隨世俗的一般見識，不知道「磨難生忍耐…」（羅5:3），不知道「天主的國…在於義德、平安以及在聖神內的喜樂」（14:17）聖神的聰敏去了哪？貪圖虛榮，彼此挑撥、互相嫉妒，而不是隨從聖神的引導行事（迦5:25-26），聖神的超見去了哪？明哲保身，臨危退縮（弟後4:16），聖神的剛毅去了哪？依附權貴，堅持一己學識，輕視聖經和教會的教導（3:16），聖神的明達去了哪？沉迷於世俗和老婦的無稽傳說，忘記了虔敬上的操練（弟前4:7），聖神的孝愛去了哪？出於懼怕而屈服於那殺害肉身，而不能殺害靈魂的政權，而不害怕那能使靈魂和肉身陷於地獄中的（瑪10:28），聖神的敬畏上主去了哪？「敬畏上主是智慧的肇基」（箴9:10），難怪連聖神的智慧也失掉了！聖神有如活水，失去了聖神，我們的心靈有如一塊在震怒之日無雨無水之地（則22:24），有如枯骨（37:11-14），沒有半點生命氣息！
天主保祐！
2017年講道
圖片鳴謝：freebibleimages.org
Mission Sunday, Year A
Theme: Here I Am, Send Me!
Although each one of us is unique as a creature of God and our path of sanctification is not the same, sanctification is nothing but how much we love God. Think what God thinks and love what God loves. Isn't it sanctification? When we are living in a sin infested world, our will to love God is hindered and the path of sanctification becomes demanding. But God does not forsake us. Out of mercy, the Father sent His beloved Son to deliver us and to help us. When Jesus Christ was baptized in the River Jordan, the Father bore witness that Christ is His beloved Son with whom He is well pleased (Matthew 3:17). Thus, loving Jesus Christ and obeying His commandment should not be far from doing the will of the Father (6:10).
We are blessed to have been baptized into the Church. In this big family of the redeemed, we lead a life of communion, supporting each other and actualizing the inner communion life of the Blessed Trinity. In this turbulent world, the Church is like a lift boat, giving the drowning people a ray of hope. As time goes by, this lift boat has become a luxury ocean liner in which passengers are leading a life of comfort and safety. It is admirable but some would feel too ashamed to join.
In their eyes, church-goers are pious and lofty. As for their social status, church-goers are successful people with high earning power, occupying the middle and upper classes of the society. In their high-sounding talks, Jesus' name is always invoked. They pray in sacred and tranquil churches and appear in celebrity charity shows. Now that mobile phones have become a necessity, church-goers always forward short message of poetically written philosophies. Are these ways of loving their God?
The gospels tell us that God takes the initiative like a good shepherd. He knows that the lost sheep does not know the way back to the fold. Thus, He leaves behind the ninety-nine other sheep and goes in search of the stray (18:12). But most church-goers do not get out of their comfort zones. They do routines only, not proactive, do not respond to social changes and are as pious as they have always been for decades! Year after year, they pray for vocation but never encourage their children to join the consecrated. They donate to evangelical activities but do not appear on the ground. At most, they sing carols from a distance and do not go into the crowd to engage in dialogues to share the joy of salvation.
God is generous. He does not count the costs and does not screen for the qualified. Whoever believes in the Son He sent, He shall grant them grace without reservation! How are the church-goers? Like most unbelievers, they calculate to see if they would gain any benefit before they act. If there is no benefit, they don't bother. How can I tell the story of Jesus to non-believers? I have no theological training and I am not fluent … Better put my energy elsewhere! Paul says, "Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?" (1 Corinthians 12:29) We had better occupy our proper positions! How beautiful such excuses are and how knowledgeable the scriptures!
Truly, we are not God. We are not as generous and take the initiative like God. But at least, we should have the will to be generous and the will to take the initiative! We should never forward messages from unknown sources without a thought to replace the opportunity to share our joy of deliverance. Nor should we assess the costs and only after that do we begin persuading "potentially successful candidates" to believe in Jesus! It is true that we lose face when we are rejected. We feel bad about it. However, if we do not go through hardship, shall we grow up and shall we become perfect? Will we treasure achievements which come without challenge? On Judgment Day, what could we put before God to account for the talents He gave us?
Didn't we receive the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Rites of Christian Initiation? Where have the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit gone? We don't want to get into troubles. We choose comfort and security instead of thinking of what is above (Colossians 3:2). Where has our Wisdom of the Holy Spirit gone? We follow the crowd and know not that "affliction produces endurance …" (Romans 5:3), not knowing that "the Kingdom of God is … righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (14:17). Where has our Understanding of the Holy Spirit gone? Being conceited, we provoke one another. We are envious of one another and follow not the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:25-26). Where has our Counsel of the Holy Spirit gone? Concerned with self-preservation and dare not to put up a fight in view of adversity (2 Timothy 4:16), Where has our Fortitude of the Holy Spirit gone? Bending our knees to people in power, insist on our knowledge and ignore the teachings of the Bible and of the Church (3:16), Where has our Knowledge of the Holy Spirit gone? Indulging in profane and silly myths and forget training in devotion (1 Timothy 4:7), Where has our Piety of the Holy Spirit gone? Bending our knees to "those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul" out of fear but are not afraid of "the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna" (Matthew 10:28), Where has our Fear of the Lord gone? "The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord." (Proverbs 9:10) No wonder the Wisdom of the Holy Spirit has vanished. The Holy Spirit is like a living water losing which, our soul is like "an unclean land receiving no rain at the time of God's fury" (Ezekiel 22:24), like dry and lifeless bones (37:1-4)!
Brethren! If our spiritual life has become routine, dry and lifeless, and we fail to see any exit ahead, how can we obey Jesus Christ's commandment to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19)? Not obeying the commandment of the Saviour, how can we do the Father's will? Don't be discouraged because God is happy to take the initiative. He will never forsake us. Ask! The Father in heaven is very much happy to give generously the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him (Luke 11:13). Be filled with the Holy Spirit, overflowing with love to care about the safety of those who have not yet believed. Share with them the joy of salvation so that they may receive the peace and consolation of the Holy Spirit. Even if people look but not see and listen but not hear, let us be bold to say to the Father, "Here I am! Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8)
God bless!
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