常年期十四主日，乙年
主題：以貎取人，失之子羽
所謂「士別三日，刮目相看」。在納匝肋人眼中的木匠，離開家鄉到外地尋找發展機遇。不到半年，竟然能行神蹟，講道有權威，名噪一時，還帶著幾個門徒，衣錦還鄉。納匝肋的鄉親父老，理應歡迎這個木匠，禮待他纔是，為甚麼會對他起反感(谷6:3)呢？從經文所得，納匝肋人因為認識這個木匠，認識這木匠的母親瑪利亞，認識這木匠的兄弟姊妹，所以起了反感。這反感合理嗎？
以上是運用現代城市人的心態，幻想鄉村小鎮生活的結果。我們認為是成就的事，他們未必歡迎；我們認為是「衣錦還鄉」的事，他們可能覺得帶來騷擾！例如，他們的會堂，可能由一個他們所愛戴的法利塞人主理。今天來多了一位師傅，小鎮可能容不下，供養不起！納匝肋沒有治病或驅魔的需要嗎？當然有，但治病驅魔不會是日常生活的事，恐怕他們更需要一個木匠，重操故業。納匝肋不是個有地位的小鎮(若1:46)，現在出了一個有名氣的人，不是一件好事嗎？這明顯是現代人的價值觀，在納匝肋人的心目中，這些名人祇會增加他們的麻煩。為甚麼呢？因為倘若人們知道耶穌在納匝肋活動，一定會蜂擁而至。到時這個小鎮，如何接待，如何應付呢？例如，當凱撒下令所有人回鄉登記，結果白冷的客棧滿座，以致耶穌被迫降生在馬槽(路2:7)；又例如超過五千人跟隨耶穌，怎樣解決糧食供應的問題呢(若6:5)？即使耶穌天天在納匝肋行五餅二魚神蹟，也還有其他居住的問題和政治的問題要處理。羅馬帝國會容忍這樣有威脅性的聚集嗎？因此，對耶穌起反感，不無道理。納匝肋人的故事，真是令人感慨。天主一番好意，竟然祇得小數人接受，耶穌基督自己，也始料不及(谷6:5-6)。
耶穌基督在納匝肋生活超過三十年，在這小鎮長大。祂的母親瑪利亞，和祂的親人，仍然生活在這裡。所以耶穌基督對納匝肋所有的人，一定有一份鄉里之情。如此，祂一定非常渴望祂的同鄉，可以分沾天主的救恩。如今祂的善意，祂的渴望，即天父的善意，天父的渴望被拒絕，耶穌基督的感受，何止是「詫異」(6:6)那麼簡單？耶穌基督遭受拒絕，這不是第一次，也不會是最後一次。想當年瑪利亞快要分娩的時候，也因為客棧已經沒有地方，纔有把生下的聖嬰，放在馬槽的一幕。身為天主子的聖嬰，那有感覺不到的道理呢？不過，慈悲的天主，是不會介意的。所以，耶穌不會感到冒犯，祇會替納匝肋的同胞感到可惜而已。
是甚麼令納匝肋人錯失良機呢？是瞧不起低下階層的工人嗎？是歧視瑪利亞未婚懷孕嗎？注意，聖若瑟已經逝世，未能再維護瑪利亞和她的兒子了！兩母子在若瑟死後的生活，相信是艱難的。但這一切都是次要，倘若納匝肋人的思維，陷入了「以偏概全」的模式，那就大事不好了！「以偏概全」思維是甚麼意思呢？
「偶像」是把一個神秘不可知的神，簡單化成為容易明白，可以控制的物體。這就是教宗方濟各在【你們要歡喜踴躍】宗座勸諭指出的兩個成聖障礙之一：唯識論。偶像是很吸引的，因為在不可知的存有面前，人類感到不安。在離開埃及為奴之地的過程中，以色列人雖然見到神蹟，但是見不到天主，祇見到天主的代言人：梅瑟！如今梅瑟上了西乃山四十天領受「十誡」，以色列人的不安，可想而知。金牛是可見的而天主是不可見的。金牛是可以控制的，但天主是不可控制的。所以，金牛比較容易給予群眾安慰。結果在群眾的心中，這金牛成了賴以得救的神，足以取代天主的地位！
另一方面，把一個人簡單化了，他變成容易明白，容易控制。當我們面對一個陌生人的時候，我們會嘗試把他簡單化，給他套上一個容易明白，容易控制的框架：耶穌是一個木匠，容易明白，容易來往！倘若他的表現，不附合大家的期望，例如，今次以一個先知，一個師傅的姿態出現，納匠肋的鄉親就不知怎樣接納祂，惟有對祂起反感了！不要以為兩者比較，「以貎取人」的後果並不嚴重。倘若對象是普通人的話，拒絕一個普通人的後果不會太嚴重。可是，耶穌基督是天主嘛，拒絕天主的後果，與接受一個偶像是天主，是沒有分別的。兩者同樣會喪失救恩，所以不能掉以輕心！
各位兄弟姊妹，不要把事物簡單化，否則，不但會損失一個人才；更嚴重的，會損失了進入天國的機會！
天主保祐。
2018年講道
圖片鳴謝：pinterest.com
Fourteenth Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: Don’t Judge On Appearance Alone
As the aphorism goes, “After absenting for three days, a man should be newly appraised.” In the eyes of the Nazareth folks, this carpenter had left home to seek opportunities outside. In less than six months, he was able to perform miracles. His homilies were authoritative. His fame soared and now, bringing a group of disciples home, he returned in glory and honour. The Nazareth folks should have welcomed this carpenter. Why did they take offence at him (Mark 6:3)? From the scripture, the Nazareth folks took offence because they knew this carpenter, his mother Mary and his siblings. Was this reaction reasonable?
The assessment above is based on a modern urban mentality coupled with a fantasy of country life. What we regard as achievements may not be welcomed by country folks. What we regard as a glorious return would be intrusions and nuisances for them. For example, their synagogue might be run by a beloved Pharisee. Would this small town be able to accommodate and support yet one more newly arrived Rabbi? You may wonder if Nazareth had need of healings and exorcism. Of course there was demand for such services. But healing and exorcism wouldn’t be daily business. I’m afraid they needed a carpenter to return and pick up his tools more. Nazareth had not been a respectable town (John 1:46). Now there arose a famous person. Wasn’t it a good thing? Obviously, this is the value system of modern people. But in the minds of the Nazareth folks, this famous person would bring them more troubles. Why? If people knew that Jesus stayed at Nazareth, they would rush here. Then how could Nazareth handle this sudden influx of people? For example, when Caesar ordered all subjects to return to their home towns for registration, all the inns in Bethlehem were full so that Jesus was forced to be born into a manger (Luke 2:7). Another example is the miracle of five loaves and two fish. When more than 5000 people followed Jesus, how would you handle the problem of feeding so many people (John 6:5)? Even if Jesus worked 5 loaves and two fish miracle every day, you still had to handle the housing and political problems. Would the Roman Empire tolerate such a threatening gathering? Thus, it was not unreasonable to take offence at Jesus. The story of the Nazareth folks is regrettable. Only a handful of people accepted the good will of God. Even Jesus Christ could not anticipate this (Mark 6:5-6).
Jesus Christ had spent more than three decades in Nazareth. He grew up there. His mother Mary and His relatives were still living there. Therefore, Jesus Christ must have an emotional bond with the Nazareth folks whom He must have desired very much to partake in God’s salvation. Now that His goodwill and desire, i.e. the Father’s goodwill and desire were rejected, His feelings would not simply be amazed (6:6)! This was not the first time Jesus Christ was rejected, nor would it be the last. When Mary was about to give birth, all the inns were full so that the new born Holy Infant was placed in a manger. It was impossible for the Holy Infant, the Son of God not to feel anything about it at all! Of course, God is merciful. He didn’t mind. Thus, Jesus would not be offended. He would only feel pity for His fellow folks.
What made the Nazareth folks miss this golden opportunity? Were they too proud to despise lower class artisans? Did they prejudice against Mary’s unwed pregnancy? Joseph had already died. He was no longer able to protect Mary and her child! After Joseph’s death, the life of Mary and Jesus could be difficult. But all these are secondary. If the mentality of the Nazareth folks tended to oversimplification, it would be disastrous! What does an oversimplification mentality mean?
Let us analyse the difference between idols and icons. Though both of them are handicrafts, icons lead men to God and encourage people to glorify God. Idols are diametrically opposite. They make people forget God, leave God and give glory to objects and even man! In the Old Testament, no idols can surpass the “Golden Calf” in Exodus. “Aaron … made a molten calf. Then they cried out, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.’” (Exodus 32,4) In the New Testament, wealth can be an idol. Jesus Christ has warned against serving God and mammon (Matthew 6:24). In modern times, when politicians strive for personal cult, they make themselves Saviour of the people, replacing God! Modern idols are no longer inanimate objects anymore. They have evolved and are able to speak, to see, to hear, to smell, to feel, to walk and even to speak (Psalms 115:5-7)!
Idols oversimplify an ineffable God into something understandable and controllable. Pope Francis has pointed out in his apostolic exhortation “Gaudete et Exsultate” that this is one of the two obstacles against sanctification: Gnosticism. Idols are attractive because men feel anxious before the Unknown. When the Israelites departed from Egypt, they saw miracles but not God. They also saw God’s spokesman, Moses! Now that Moses had gone up Mount Sinai for forty days to receive the Ten Commandments. The anxiety of the Israelites was imaginable. The Golden Calf was visible while God was not. The Golden Calf was controllable but God was not. Thus the Golden Calf was more capable of pacifying the crowd. Consequently, the Golden Calf had replaced God to be their Saviour God!
On the other hand, oversimplifying a person makes him easier to understand and to control. When we meet a stranger, we try to simplify him, putting on him an easily understandable and controllable frame of reference: Jesus the carpenter was easy to understand and easy to interact! If His actions did not meet people’s expectations like this time, He appeared as a prophet and a Rabbi, the Nazareth folks did not know how to interact with Him. They could only take offence! Comparing the two examples of oversimplification, don’t underestimate the consequences of judging a person on appearance alone. Had the person been a commoner, the consequences of rejecting him could not be too harmful. But Jesus Christ is God. The consequences of rejecting God or worshipping an idol as God are the same in the end. Both of them cost us our salvation. We can’t afford to be complacent!
Brethren! Don’t oversimplify things. Otherwise, not only do we miss a talent but also the opportunity to enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
God bless!
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