主題： 世人算甚麼？
主受洗節標誌著聖誕期的結束，它把聖誕期默想天主聖子降生成人的奧秘，推到最高峰！天主子降生成人，是一個我們無法理解，祇能讚嘆的奧義，就是天主愛人的奧義。整個聖誕故事的敘述，沒有提供任何理據或者線索證明天主愛人，祇告訴我們天主正在積極地干預人類的歷史，使聖子順利降生：異星、人口普查、天使指導牧羊人、奉獻聖殿、賢士朝覲、逃難埃及…直到主受洗節，三位一體的天主明確地告訴我們，無論人類如何不堪當，天主愛人！
無論是古代的中國或者希臘，都認為仙界與凡間，有不可跨越的差距。在中國的民間故事，仙女思凡，便犯了天條，貶落人間受罰。古希臘哲學認為人的靈魂來自「宇宙靈魂」，被困在肉體內，死後纔獲得解脫，重返宇宙靈魂！這些例子告訴我們，無論中外，肉體和人世間的一切，都是次等的劣貨。因此，創造宇宙，超越萬有的天主，竟然降生成人，居住凡間，簡直不可思議！這就是聖誕期內需要默想的課題。今天的讀經一，沒有嘗試解釋，祇表述出一個事實：「因為我的思念不是你們的思念，你們的行徑不是我的行徑！」（依55:8）
出於大能，天主創造了宇宙，把人類放置其中。萬物理應認識這位造物主，所以先知說：「牛認識自己的主人，驢也認識自己主人的槽」（1:3）；詩人也說：「高天陳述天主的光榮，穹蒼宣揚祂手的化工。」（詠19:2）祂特別厚待人類，所造的宇宙是一個適合人類生活的友善宇宙；祂並且按自己的肖像來造人，造了一個有尊嚴，有能力與祂溝通的受造物，並派遣他們代表自己，管理這個宇宙（創1:26）。原本這是一件美好的事，可惜被撒殫和人類自己一手破壞了！天主是公義的，不會對自己創造的人類，見死不救。所以祂親自下凡，拯救世人。這就是聖誕節所慶祝的事件，聖誕節所默想的奧秘。
其實，人算甚麼？人有甚麼好？
各位兄弟姊妹，與其胡思亂想，自尋煩惱，倒不如聽從先知的忠告：「趁上主可找到的時候，你們應尋找祂；趁祂在近處的時候，你們應呼求祂。」（依55:6）那裡可以找到上主呢？在不斷掙扎的良心中、在揭到陳舊的經書中、在有矛盾衝突的團體中和在弱勢社群中！天主不是在寧靜中纔可以找到嗎（列上19:11-13）？執事介紹的，全部都是高壓力的地方，可以找到天主嗎？相信我，天主喜歡挑戰難度，在那裡可以展示祂的大能：慈悲。天主不在安樂窩中！
這句「你是我的愛子」是非同凡響的，因為是天父的作證，比人世間任何的作證更偉大（若一5:9）！正如耶穌基督後來在最後晚餐，建立聖體聖事所做的一樣，天主子一句話，麵餅就成了祂的身體，葡萄酒成了祂的血（谷14:22-25）！天父的作證，是對耶穌基督整個人說的，不可能祇對祂的神性部份說是祂的愛子，耶穌基督的人性部份沒有份兒！這種思想是異端，在公元431年的厄弗所大公會議已經討論過。當時有人提出聖母祇可以稱為「基督之母」，不能稱為「天主之母」，因為如果天主有母親，有來源，就不是天主了！大公會議捍衛天主子的神性和人性，不能分割，所以瑪利亞是「天主之母」。同樣道理，耶穌基督人性部份，也是天父的愛子！其實，我們不應該說人性部份，好像在天主子位格內的天主性人性，是可以分拆開一樣！
不用說那些在高位的不仁者了，且說那些平民百姓，那些對其他人傷害有限的人吧。不提那些在高位的人，因為耶穌基督拒絕憑權勢救贖世界（路4:5-8）。被罪惡污染了的人性，有甚麼價值呢？順利的時候，懂得感恩的少，自我膨脹的多（18:11-12）；遇上困難時，怨天尤人的多，韜光養晦的少，甚至把負面情緒，發洩到別人身上（戶22:23-29）；失敗的時候，認錯的少，推卸責任的多（創3:11-13）！但天主竟然這樣信任人類，讓天主子降生成人，與那些自我膨脹的人、失望的人和推卸責任的人相處，組織造就他們，並為他們釘死在十字架上，教我們如何明白天主的行徑呢？
天主保祐！
2015年講道
圖片鳴謝：Wikipedia
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Year B
Theme: What Is Man?
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord marks the end of the Christmas season. It pushes the meditation of the Incarnation mystery to the climax! The Incarnation of the Son of God is ineffable. We can only stand in awe before the mystery that God loves humanity. The narratives of Nativity do not provide any evidence or clue why God loves men. They just tell us that God is actively intervening human history to ensure that the Son of God is born: the star, the census, angels sent shepherds, consecration in the Temple, the Magi visit, taking refuge in Egypt … until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord when the Trinine God clearly declares His love of humanity despite its frailty!
Ancient people living whether in China or Greece believed that there was an immeasurable distance between the deity realm and the human realm. In Chinese legends, fairies who contemplated earthly lives would be exiled and punished on earth. Ancient Greek philosophy speculated that human souls came from the Cosmic Soul. They were imprisoned in human flesh and at death were released and returned to the Cosmic Soul! These examples show that both in the East and the West, people believed that flesh and everything on earth were of inferior qualities. Thus, it is unthinkable that the Creator of the Universe who transcends all would take flesh and live among men! This is what we contemplate during the Christmas season. The first reading today also does not attempt to explain but to state a fact, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways." (Isaiah 55:8"
Out of great might, God created the universe and put men there. Creation should know their Creator just like what the prophet says, "An ox knows its owner, and an ass, its master's manger." (1:3" The Psalmist also says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the works of his hands" (Psalms 19:2" God lavishly decorated men. He built a universe suitable for men's habitation. He created men in His image, a dignified creature with which He is capable of communicating. Then He sent them to manage the universe in His stead (Genesis 1:26". It would have been perfect had it not been wrecked by Satan and men themselves! God is righteous. He would not allow men to die without extending a helping hand. Thus, He descended on earth in person to deliver them. This is what Christmas celebrates and the mystery we meditate.
Today, our meditation reaches the climax. When, from the clouds, the Father says, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased" (Mark 1:11" He says to Jesus Christ who is truly divine and human. The divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ is one of the central articles of Christianity faith. It is called Christology which is a study of how the divinity and humanity are perfectly combined in the person of the Son of God. How to articulate this "dual-nature-in-one-person" correctly was a hard theological nut to crack for the early Church.
In fact, what is man? What good is man?
Brethren! It's better to take heed of the prophet's exhortation, "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near" (Isaiah 55:6" than to meditate blindly. Where is the Lord? In a struggling conscience, in a worn Bible, in a community full of conflicts and among the disadvantaged! Isn't God found in a light silent sound (1 Kings 19:11-13"? Your recommendations are high tension situations. Are you sure God's there? Trust me. God loves challenges where He may show off His might: mercy. God is absent in comfort zones!
This "You are my beloved Son" is no ordinary statement because it is the Father's testimony for the Son. "The testimony of God is surely greater" (1 John 5:9"! Just as how Jesus Christ established the Sacrament of Eucharist during the Last Supper, in a word from the Son of God, bread is turned into His body and wine His blood (Mark 14:22-25", the Father's testimony speaks of Jesus Christ as a whole, not as a collection of parts. It is impossible for this testimony of Christ's Sonship to be directed exclusively to the divinity of Christ alone and the humanity of Christ has no part of it! This is heresy. The Council of Ephesus in 431 had already deliberated on this issue. At that time, some people reasoned that the BVM could only be called the "Mother of Christ" and not the "Mother of God". Had God had a mother, a source, God would not have been God! The Council defended the indivisibility of the divinity and humanity of the Son of God. Thus the BVM is the Mother of God. Similarly, the humanity of Jesus Christ is also the beloved Son of the Father! In fact, we should not say the humanity, suggesting that in the person of the Son of God, His divinity and humanity are separate entities!
Forget those maleficent people occupying top posts. Let's talk about commoners who can do limited harm to others. Not mentioning people on top because Jesus Christ refuses to redeem the world with power (Luke 4:5-8". What worth is a humanity contaminated by sins? When life goes smoothly, few feel thankful while many self-inflate (18:11-12"; when life turns difficult, many grumble while few stay low, some even vent their frustrations on others (Numbers 22:23-29"; when life goes wrong, few confess while many blame (Genesis 3:11-13"! How comes God trusts such a humanity and allows His Son to take up flesh, live among the self-inflated, the despair and people who look for scapegoats, edify and organize them and be crucified for them on the cross. How are we able to understand God's way?
God bless!
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