基督苦難主日，乙年
主題：服從就是投降嗎？
現代社會，強調個人的自主，鼓勵敢言的態度。可是，人從來不可以獨自生存。所以，獨立自主必須與公共利益配合。否則文明的社會，祇會變成是另一個「依法辦事」，弱肉強食的森林了！天主為甚麼要用釘十字架這樣殘酷痛苦的方法，去拯救罪人呢？雖然保祿輕描淡寫地歌頌耶穌基督的謙卑，「他貶抑自己，聽命至死，且死在十字架上」（斐2:8），但長久以來，這仍然是一個令人困惑的課題。連身為天主子的耶穌基督，在山園祈禱的時候，就這一點，也曾掙扎過：「阿爸！父啊！一切為祢都可能：請給我免去這杯罷！」（谷14:36）。自主與服從的矛盾，沒有比耶穌基督的死更彰顯出來。我們不得不承認，以我們有限的受造物本性，是沒有可能明白當中的奧義。那麼，服從就是最好的辦法嗎？現代人的自主，是沒有價值，並不是一個進步的思想嗎？
有人會說，倘若我們不服從，不與天主合作，我們成為了別人進入天國的絆腳石，阻擋著天主的計劃，令天國不能順利開展。因此，服從是最好的辦法。但是，我要問，倘若我們不運用天主所賜予的理智，盲目服從，我們是否失職呢？福音告訴我們，即使人類是出於自私或者自大，天主也可以運用我們的惡事，來達成祂的旨意。例如奧古斯都凱撒的人口統計（路2:1），在不知不覺中，使救世主出生在白冷，應驗了先知的預言（瑪2:5-6），證明了天主的確是歷史的真正主宰。同樣，倘若群眾沒有期望默西亞驅逐羅馬帝國的統治、猶達斯沒有貪財、猶太權貴沒有嫉妒（若11:50）和比拉多沒有妥協，耶穌基督根本走不上十字架，比拉多也不會與黑落德安提帕和好（路23:12）。可見，天主並不會抹煞個人的自主，而是以高超的智慧，把所有人的所作所為，編織到祂的全盤大計之中。惟有尊重個人的自主，纔有追究倫理責任的可能。倘若張三不由自主地殺死李四，法官祇可以判張三誤殺，而不是謀殺！倘若人類沒有自主的能力，末日的審判就沒有意義了。
心理學家佛羅姆曾寫過一本書，名為《逃避自由》，分析二戰時，為甚麼部份德國納粹軍官，會做出那些滅絕人性的惡行。佛羅姆指出，自由自主可以是很令人不安的一回事。為了消除這份不安，很多人寧願放棄自由自主，臣服於極權之下！放棄了自主的服從，人不但逃避了自主的不安，更逃避了倫理後果。因為對於被迫的行為，人不用傷腦筋考慮行為是否利多於弊，不用理會良心的責備，不用負上倫理上的義務，並減輕了法律上的責任。但這樣做是有代價的，一方面個人會喪失了成長的機會；而另一方面，社會亦會陷入極權統治的境況！
出於自主的服從，是負責任的表現，所以是有價值的，因為你要動腦筋把事情做好。這個「好」不單是功利主義上的好，更要滿足倫理和真理的要求。
教宗方濟各在《以父親的心》宗座牧函中反省了大聖若瑟七個作為父親的特徵時，曾提及聖若瑟是一個「服從的父親」。這標題聽來矛盾，但實際上點出了人生的不少兩難。教宗以《瑪竇福音》記載聖若瑟的四個夢，與及《路加福音》記載他怎樣服從羅馬凱撒的人口統計要求，和猶太習俗的要求生活，指出聖若瑟是一個服從的榜樣。
的確，信仰不是「人民的鴉片」，並不走捷徑去解決問題。因為當聖若瑟自主地服從的時候，他「要睜開雙眼，面對現實，並為它接受個人的責任」！從這一天起，聖若瑟要傾全力地保護這個他不能親近的天主之母和來歷不明的天主子！佛羅姆在《逃避自由》一書指出的，是不健康的不自主服從。聖若瑟所展示的，是「願照你的話成就於我吧！」（路1:38），是「不要照我所願意的，而要照祢所願意的」（谷14:36），是有價值的自主性服從，是基督信仰的服從。自主與服從，沒有矛盾！
各位兄弟姊妹，服從好像是投降，其實並非如此；自主與服從，看來是矛盾的；但耶穌基督、聖母瑪利亞和大聖若瑟，聖家三口，給我們展示了自主的服從，是帶給世界救贖，帶給世界希望的行動。願聖神助祐我們，明辨天父的旨意，並自主地服從，讓天國可以臨現人間。
天主保祐！
2018年講道
圖片鳴謝：nationalshrine.org, fineartamerica.com
Passion Sunday, Year B
Theme: Is Obedience Surrender?
Modern society stresses autonomy and encourages assertiveness. But man is unable to exist alone. Thus, independence and autonomy must work hand in hand with the common good. Otherwise, a civilized society would only be another “might is right” jungle ruled by legal technicalities!Why did God make use of such a cruel and painful crucifixion to redeem sinners? Although Paul has written a hymn singing praises to the humility of Jesus Christ, “He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8), this remains a perplexing topic. Even the Son of God, Jesus Christ Himself has struggled over this during the Agony in the garden, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me.” (Mark 14:36) The contradiction between autonomy and obedience has never been more manifested than in the death of Jesus Christ. We cannot but acknowledge that with our finite creature nature, it is impossible for us to understand the mystery. Then, is obedience the best policy? Is the autonomy advocated in modern times worthless, not a progressive idea?
Some people may argue that if we don’t obey and don’t cooperate with God, we’ll become an obstacle to other people who want to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, blocking God’s plan and hindering the expansion of the Kingdom. Therefore, obedience is the best policy. But I would ask, if we don’t make good use of the rationality given by God and obey blindly, aren’t we doing our jobs properly? The gospels tell us that even if men act out of selfishness or vanity, God is able to make use of our wickedness to do His will. For example, the census of Augustus Caesar (Luke 2:1) unintentionally made the Saviour be born in Bethlehem, thus fulfilling the prophecy (Matthew 2:5-6), showing that God is truly lording over human history. Similarly, had the Jews not anticipated the Messiah to expel Roman Imperialism, had Judas not been greedy, Jewish authority not been jealous (John 11:50) and Pilate not compromised, Jesus Christ would not have been able to go to the cross, Pilate and Herod would not have reconciled (Luke 23:12). Thus, God would never deny our autonomy. Instead, with unfathomable wisdom, He would weave all our actions and deeds into His grand plan. Only when personal autonomy is respected could it be possible to talk about moral accountability. Had Mr. X killed Mr. Y not out of autonomy, the judge would not have returned a murder verdict, but manslaughter! Had human beings lost their autonomy, the Last Judgment would have been meaningless.
Erich Fromm has written a book called “Escape from Freedom” to explore why Nazi commanders during World War II had committed such atrocities. Fromm opines that freedom and autonomy can be unsettling. In order to eliminate this anxiety, many people would rather abandon this freedom and autonomy and surrender to totalitarianism! Surrendering one’s autonomy, not only would men escape from the anxiety of autonomy, but also moral consequences. Since actions are carried out under duress, men don’t have to rack up their brains to do cost benefit analysis. They may ignore their conscience, don’t have to bear any moral obligation and their legal liabilities diminished. However, there is a price to pay. On one hand, personal growth disappears and on the other, the society will collapse into a totalitarian state! Obedience out of autonomy manifests a sense of responsibility. Thus it is worthy because you need to rack up your brain to get things done well. This goodness is not only a utilitarian goodness, but it must also meet the demands of morality and truth.
In his apostolic letter “Padris Corde”, Pope Francis reflects on the seven characteristics of the fatherhood of St. Joseph. He mentions that St. Joseph is “An Obedient Father” which sounds paradoxical. However, it points out many dilemmas in life. The Pope makes use of the four dreams in the gospel of Matthew and the demands of Roman census as well as the Jewish customs mentioned in the gospel of Luke to show that St. Joseph is an exemplar of obedience.
Superficially, obedience is no big deal but in fact, obedience out of autonomy is to engage with reality and not to escape from it! Take the example of how St. Joseph handled the problem of the BVM getting mysteriously pregnant before marriage. Had St. Joseph obeyed the Law, exposed the Virgin to shame so that the crowd might stone her to death, it would have been the most efficient decision. In this way, St. Joseph obeyed the Law, not out of autonomy. He incurred no moral obligation or legal responsibility! He remained a just man ruled by law. But he had no love. He would be as hypocritical and cold-blooded as the Pharisees! When he, out of love, “yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly” (Matthew 1:19) there was an element of autonomy. He did not follow the Mosaic laws blindly but attempted to override the letters of the law with the spirit of the law which is charity. This is a step forward. A Jew only needed to write a divorce letter to divorce his wife. It was not costly and thus a very ideal choice. But for some unknown reasons, there were inexplicable struggles in his hear! Perhaps he doubted if charity was really the spirit of the law, if charity could really override the letters of the law. When an angel revealed God’s will to him in a dream, Joseph had all the reasons not to obey the revelation in a dream because it went against the law which had been effective! However, St. Joseph chose to obey! Pope Francis says, “Obedience made it possible for him to surmount his difficulties and spare Mary.”
Indeed, religion is not the opium of the people. It is not a shortcut to solve problems. It is because when St. Joseph obeys out of autonomy he “confronted reality with open eyes and accepted personal responsibility for it”! From that day on, St. Joseph had to commit totally to the protection of the Mother of God whom he could not touch and the Son of God who came out of thin air! The obedience mentioned in Fromm’s book is an unhealthy obedience lacking autonomy. What St. Joseph manifests is the “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38), the “But not what I will but what you will” (Mark 14:36). It is a valuable obedience out of autonomy, the Christian obedience. Autonomy and obedience is not contradictory!
Brethren! Obedience looks like a surrender but in fact, it is not. Autonomy and obedience look contradictory but Jesus Christ, the BVM and St. Joseph, viz. the Holy Family has shown us that obedience out of autonomy brings redemption to the world. It is an action that gives the world hope. May the Holy Spirit help us discern the Father’s will. Let us obey out of autonomy to actualize the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
God bless!
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