啟發別人的潛能 Raise Others’ Potentials

福傳系列之四：啟發別人的潛能（瑪10:7-15）

在現實世界裡，宣講福音不可以空談，總要有實質的服務伴隨。否則，人們怎能認識天主的慈愛呢？贈醫施藥，辦學掃盲，總要物質上的資源吧！傳教士怎可以不帶分文，翻山渡海，前往落後的地區傳福音呢？我們應該怎樣看待耶穌基督那「不要帶任何物品」的傳教指令呢？

答案在於「因為工人自當有他的食物」（瑪10:10）。表面上，經文指出傳教士不要掛慮衣食住行的問題，因為當地人有責任供應傳教士所需要的。他們所應該專注的，是祈禱和宣講福音。這樣做，傳教士與當地人，便可以建立一種「互生」的關係。當地人供給傳教士生活所需，而傳教士帶給當地人解放的福音，擴闊他們的視野，幫助他們超越目前的處境。沒有福音，當地人繼續與世界脫節和落後；沒有當地人的供養，傳教士不能生存。這就是「互生」關係的重要。說不定日後，傳教士還可以把當地的文化，帶給國際社會，滋潤全人類的生活。倘若傳教士擁有強大的後盾和豐富的資源，他們很難與當地人建立這種互生的關係。

長遠地說，傳教士的目標是在當地建立聖統制，有當地人的主教，祝聖當地人成為神職人員，服務地方教會，甚至輸出傳教士。這種互生的關係對建立本地的聖統制，有甚麼幫助呢？絕對有！缺乏資源，傳教士祇有就地取材；缺乏人才，傳教士祇有就地培訓，開發本地人的潛質。因此傳教士必須具備不但超凡的耐性，更要對天主和對人滿懷信心，不可以急功近利，強求即時的成果！
天父啊！請賜給我們更大的信德，相信祢會借助我們的手，幫助軟弱的人歸向祢。亞孟！
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：sixtone.com

---

Evangelization (IV): Raise Others’ Potentials (Matthew 10:7-15)

In the real world, evangelization can’t be empty talks. It must go hand in hand with concrete services. Otherwise, how can people know God’s mercy? Medical and educational services require material resources! How can missionaries travel over the oceans, not bringing any money to preach in backward regions? How do we take Jesus Christ’s missionary instruction of not bringing anything?

The answer is “The labourer deserves his keep” (Matthew 10:10). Superficially, this text points out that missionaries should not worry about food and accommodations because local people have the responsibility to support them. Missionaries should focus on prayers and preaching. In this way, missionaries and the indigenous form a symbiotic relationship. Local people supply the daily necessities of the missionaries while the missionaries bring them the liberating gospel, extend their vision and help them transcend their status quo. Without the gospel, local people remain backward and disconnected with the world outside. Without the support of local people, missionaries can’t survive. This is the importance of symbiosis. Perhaps one day, the missionaries might bring the local culture to the international community and enrich the life of all humanity. If the missionaries possess a strong backup and rich resources, it would be impossible for them to build up the symbiosis.

In the long run, the target of evangelization is to set up the local hierarchy in which indigenous bishops consecrate indigenous clergy to serve the indigenous church and perhaps to send out missionaries. How does such a symbiosis help the local hierarchy? Absolutely! When resources are lacking, missionaries have to dig up local resources. If there is a short supply of priests, train the local people and raise their potentials. Thus, missionaries must possess immense patience and strong faith in God and in men. They should not be looking for immediate results and returns!
Heavenly Father! Grant us greater faith to trust that You shall make use of our hands to help the weak convert to You. Amen