復活期第六主日，乙年
主題：一個不對稱的關係
當我們說「天主是一個奧秘」的時候，是指憑著理性，人類無法完全明白天主是甚麼一回事，是甚麼樣的道理。經過幾十年的反省，若望領悟出一點頭緒，他說：「天主是愛。」（若一4:8）這是探索天主的一個很好的起步點，是神學上的一個突破點，但問題並未得到簡化。因為「愛」本身也是一個奧秘，雖然愛是一個比較容易理解的現實，但又是一個未能完全破解的現象。不是嗎，人與人之間的關係，很多都展示出愛是甚麼？且看夫妻之間、父母子女之間、兄弟姊妹、老師同學、朋友同事甚至政府與人民之間的關係。誠然，有很多的關係是剝削性的，甚至是兩敗俱傷的。但也有更多是互相補助，讓彼此增長的。愛之所以是奧秘，在於它是怎樣「發生」。剛好今天是母親節，在今天反省這份不對等的愛，真是蠻有意思。
毫無疑問，母愛是偉大的。那種忘我的犧牲，不但令人歌頌，更是其他形式的愛所追求的典範。是甚麼讓母愛「發生」的呢？不問還可以，問了反而是一個費解的疑團。是賀爾蒙作祟嗎？是進化的結果嗎？是未雨綢繆嗎？是責任感嗎？每一種解釋都不能令人滿意，可見母愛，甚至是更廣義的愛，的確是一個奧秘。把天主說成是愛，是若望的創見。他把素來高不可攀的天主帶到人間，讓人可以稍為領悟。
當然，是天主首先願意親近人類，纔主動把自己啟示給我們（若15:16a）。否則，我們根本沒有能力去認識祂。三位一體的天主，選擇了降生成為人，從不可見的境界進入可見的世界：「就是我們聽見過，我們親眼看見過，瞻仰過，以及我們親手摸過的生命的聖言」（若一1:1）。即使是可見的，但我們仍沒有能力把它放在顯微鏡下，觀察研究！即使是看見過復活的基督，也祇能驚訝，甚至朝拜，而沒有辦法明瞭祂為甚麼要替我們受難！倘若我們說：「因為天主比我們大，所以我們沒有辦法明白祂」，肯定有很多人不會同意。比我們大的事物多的是，人類憑著有創意的心志，有系統的研究精神，正在把人類對宇宙間萬事萬物的無知，逐一掃除和解決。所以，倘若天主祇是比我們大，更準確地說「天主比我們的心大」（3:20）人類的神學研究，很有信心能明瞭天主的奧秘，我們且走著瞧！
但若望說這句話時，不是指著理性層面說的，而是指著倫理層面說，執事我祇是斷章取義而已。全文是「…在祂面前可以安心；縱然我們的心責備我們，我們還可以安心，因為天主比我們的心大，祂原知道一切。」（3:19-20）若望說的「心」是「良心」，是倫理層次上的良知，而不是理性上的心智。為甚麼我們犯了罪，受到良心的責備，我們還可以安心呢？因為天主是全知的，認識和明白一切；而且祂是愛，祂犧牲自己，造就我們，讓我們可以得到成長，成聖！我們憑人世間的母愛，那份不惜為了子女而自我犧牲的愛，領悟到天父的行動，不是愛，還可以是甚麼呢？在這一種不對等的關係中，愛表現在強者照顧弱者的事實；弱者佔據了「優勢」，強者反而佔據了劣勢，真是矛盾！強者之所以是強，就在於他們在劣勢之下，仍然有能力屹立不倒。看來，這就是天主喜歡用的行為模式了。祂喜歡挑選軟弱的人替祂做事，以小勝多。祂顯現給厄里亞時，不在山崩地裂和烈火的威儀之中，而在「輕微細弱的風聲」中（列上19:12）。祂決定擊敗魔鬼，消滅罪惡和死亡，並不用驚天動地的神蹟，而是用十字架上的苦難。祂渴望所有人得救，但從不強迫所有人相信天主子耶穌。所以保祿得到以下的結論：「天主偏召選了世上愚妄的，為羞辱那有智慧的…那些一無所有的，為消滅那些有的」（格前1:27-28）。
耶穌說：「如果你們遵守我的命令，便存在我的愛內」（若15:10）既然真愛不是一廂情願的，那麼，我們可否反過來向耶穌說：「如果祢遵守我的命令，便存在我的愛內」呢？這樣問，好像有點大逆不道，挑戰造物主至高無上的權威。對不起，這真是人類犯罪後的「本性」，不願意服從權威！但當天主子耶穌基督降生，成為人類大家庭的一份子的時候，祂已預備了服從天父的旨意，並樂意遵守「彼此相愛」的誡命，互相造就成聖。
細心想想，耶穌基督是真理，祂的命令也就是真理，令人獲得自由發展的真理，因為萬物是出於祂，並憑祂維系（哥1:16-17）。所以，祂的命令絕不會矛盾，不會造成破壞。祂的命令是公平的，不會偏袒個別成員。即使部份人「先富起來」，也是因為他們肩負重任，幫助其他人富起來。至於我們，我們會發出怎麼樣的命令呢？恕我愚昧，我暫時還沒想到有甚麼可以必須補充的命令，遑論更好、更高的命令了。
天主保祐。
2018年講道
圖片鳴謝：DailyVerses.net
Sixth Easter Sunday, Year B
Theme: An Unequal Relationship
When we say “God is a mystery”, we mean to say that with rationality, men are unable to completely understand what God is and what principles God follows. After decades of reflection, John came up with a clue. He says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). This is a good starting point to explore God and a breakthrough in theology but the problem is not simplified. It is because love in itself is also a mystery. Although love is a more easily understandable reality, we have not yet completely cracked the enigma of this phenomenon. Don’t many interpersonal relationships show love? Take a look at the relations between spouses, parents and children, siblings, teachers and disciples, friends and colleagues, even between the government and the people. There is no doubt that some relationships are exploitative and even destructive for both parties, but many more are complementary and edifying to each other. The mystery of love lies in its genesis. It’s Mother’s Day today. How meaningful it is to reflect on this unequal love!
Nobody questions the greatness of motherly love. We sing praises to its altruistic sacrifice and it becomes a paradigm for other forms of love. How does motherly love come about? Asking this question reveals an enigma. Is it a hormonal effect? A consequence of evolution? A preparation for the future? Or a sense of responsibility? No attempted explanation is satisfactory. Thus, motherly love in particular, and love in general, is truly a mystery. John is creative when he describes God as love. He brings the lofty God down to earth and accessible to men such that we may understand a little bit more.
Of course, it must be God who is willing to approach men first and thus takes the initiative to reveal Himself to us (John 15:16a). Otherwise, men don’t have the ability to know Him. The trinite God chose to incarnate as a man, coming down from the invisible realm to the visible world, “What we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life…” (1 John 1:1) Even when He becomes visible, we are still unable to examine and study Him under the microscope! Even when they saw the risen Christ, the disciples could only be amazed and even adore and yet nobody was able to understand why He suffered for us! If we say, “God is greater than us. Thus we are unable to understand Him”, I’m sure many people would disagree. There are many things greater than us. With a creative mind and a systematic as well as determined spirit, humanity is wiping out ignorance of and solving puzzles found in the known universe. Thus, if God is greater than us, or more accurately “God is greater than our hearts” (3:20), we are confident that our theological studies would help us understand God’s mystery. Let’s wait and see!
But when John spoke the statement mentioned above, he did not mean the rational level but the moral level. I just took the liberty to quote it out of context. The full text is “… reassures our hearts before Him in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.” (3:19-20) The “hearts” John talks about is our conscience in the moral sense, not the intellect in the rational sense. How can our hearts be reassured when we have sinned and our conscience condemns us? It is because God knows everything. Moreover, He is love. He sacrifices Himself to build us up, to help us grow up and be sanctified! With the motherly love on earth, that altruistic love, we understand the Father’s action. If it is not love, what is? In this unequal relation, love is revealed in the care the strong shows the weak. The weak is in advantage while the strong is in disadvantage. How paradoxical! The strength of the strong is shown in their capability to remain standing even in disadvantage. This seems to be the modus operandi of God. He likes to choose the weak to accomplish His will, the minority to defeat the majority. He revealed Himself to Elijah not in the majesty of earthquakes or fires, but in “a light silent sound” (1 Kings 19:12). When He decides to defeat Satan, to wipe out sins and death, He did not work earth-shattering miracles but the passion on the cross. He desires all to be saved but does not force people to believe in His Son Jesus. Thus Paul comes to this conclusion, “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise … to reduce to nothing those who are something.”(1 Corinthians 1:27-28)
Jesus says, “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love.” (John 15:10) Since it takes two to tangle, can we turn the table and say to Jesus, “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love”? Such a retort seems rebellious, challenging the supreme authority of the Creator. I’m sorry, ever since our fall, it’s our second nature to disobey authority! But when Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnated to become a member of humanity, He’s prepared to obey the Father’s will and the commandment to “love each other”, to help each other to attain sanctification.
Jesus Christ is the truth. His commandments are truth which helps us develop in freedom. It is because “All things were created through Him and for Him … and in Him all things hold together.”(Colossians 1:16-17) Thus, His commandments won’t be contradictory and do no damage. His commandments are fair and won’t be partial to individual members. Even though some members prosper first, they shoulder responsibility to help others prosper. As for us, what commandments would we give? Forgive my ignorance. At the moment, I can’t think of any necessity to supplement His commandments, not to mention better or higher commandments.
Brethren! Obviously, in Christ’s love we are in an advantaged position, unceasingly receiving grace to move ahead towards sanctification. Let us remain and stay assured in His love, love each other and bear fruit that will remain (John 15:16)!
God bless.
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