常年期第十九主日，乙年
主題：如何滿足人類的渴求？
雖然是簡單的一句「天主按自己的肖像造了人」（創1:27），但它卻蘊藏著極其深刻的意義。首先，在一切受造物中，即使人類自稱為「萬物之靈」，但在許多方面，始終不及天使，沒有天使的大能。「世人算甚麼…竟使他稍遜於天使，以尊貴光榮作他冠冕」（詠8:5-6）沒有人會反對這一點，不論是甚麼文化，「天神比人強」是不爭的觀念。但天使與人類都是受造物，即是說，彼此都是有限的，祇是不同程度的有限而已。既然是有限的，那麼，理論上是沒有能力永恆地運動；要保持著運動狀態，是必須補給的。那麼，天使也需要食糧來補充「體力」了！
我們不知道天使吃甚麼，但猶太人有「天使食糧」的觀念，類似中國人有王母娘娘宴請神仙的蟠桃一樣。這天使的食糧就是「瑪納」。在描述「瑪納」的時候，達味的樂官阿撒夫，把它描述為「天使的食糧，世人可以享受」（78:25）。不要以為瑪納是「露水昇化之後…留下稀薄的碎屑，稀薄得好像地上的霜」（出16:14），便是乏味的營養劑。它被稱為「天使的食糧」，不但因為它從天而降，「像胡荽的種子那樣白，滋味好似蜜餅」（16:31）；而且「具有各種美味，適合各人的口味…合乎取食者的嗜好，隨著人的願望而變化」（智16:20-21）好不誇張！以色列人在曠野漂泊了四十年，經常抱怨梅瑟，卻從來沒有投訴「瑪納」乏味，原來就是這個原因！為甚麼是這樣呢？《智慧篇》的作者解釋說：「這表明你對待兒女如何恩愛」（16:21）！天降瑪納四十年，表示了天主對以色列人的恩愛，把他們當作兒女看待。
可幸人類是按天主的肖像所造，無論人類如何遠離天主，他們內在的本性，總會帶領他們回歸根源。始終血濃於水，中國人怎會不愛他們的祖國，人類又怎會希望永遠離開他們的造物主！這不是自尋死路是啥？所以請放心，耶穌基督今天在福音中所說的話，並沒有排斥任何人在得救之門外。「凡不是派遣我的父所吸引的人，誰也不能到我這裡來」（若6:44），聽起來好像定下了「父所吸引」的條件，試問有誰不是按天主的肖像所造，不渴望歸根呢？為免誤會，耶穌基督立即跟著說：「在先知書上記載：『眾人都要蒙天主的訓誨』凡由父聽教而學習的，必到我這裡來。」（6:45；依54:13；耶31:34）眾人都有機會，有能力聽教；分別在於是否接受，是否願意學習。拒絕天主的邀請，拒絕謙遜學習，結果失去得救的機會，是咎尤自取！
可能就是這種在私慾偏情影響下的歸根傾向，形成了人類無止境的各種慾望，甚至為了滿足私慾而偽善和作惡，結果拒絕了法律和先知的教訓，離棄了先前的盟約！但天主明白和憐愛世人，所以祂親自來滿足人類無限的慾求！我們應該這樣理解耶穌基督在今天的福音所說的「生活的食糧」，因為這樣纔顯出「天主的肖像」的深刻意義！雖然人類天性歸向他們的造物主，但原罪傷害了這歸根的傾向，使人類改變了方向，追求那些空虛的事物，不能滿足我們真正渴求的事物。人類便長期生活在善惡的抉擇，生死抉擇的張力之中，有待耶穌基督的拯救。
各位兄弟姊妹，我們比猶太人幸福得多。耶穌基督所說的「我是從天上降下的生活的食糧」（6:51）包含了兩度障礙，第一個是「從天上降下」。猶太人因為了解耶穌基督的身世，認識他的父母和兄弟姊妹（6:42），所以不能跨越這度障礙。但作為天主教徒，我們相信耶穌基督是天主子，是真人真天主，我們跨越了第一度障礙，祇剩下第二度障礙：「生活的食糧」。我們真心接受並相信耶穌是「生活的食糧」嗎？所以上一個主日，我問大家相信世上有神蹟嗎？這是一個更難的障礙，讓我們下星期繼續默想「生命之糧」的教訓吧！
天主保祐！
2018年講道
圖片鳴謝：free4kwallpapers.com
Nineteenth Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: How Does God Satisfy Men’s Desires?
Although it is simply a “God created mankind in his image” (Genesis 1:27), its meaning is profound.First of all, among all creatures, mankind is the “Zenith of Creation”. But in many ways, men are inferior to angels whose might we lack. “What is man that you are mindful of him … Yet you have made him little less than a god, crowned him with glory and honour” (Psalms 8:5-6). Nobody would disagree. Whatever culture or civilization, “Angels are mightier than men” is indisputable. But both angels and men are creatures. That is to say, they are finite in different degrees. As they are finite, then theoretically they are unable to move perpetually. In order to keep moving, they need spending energy. Then angels also need food of some sort to supply them energy!
We don’t know what food angels take, but Jews have the concept of “the bread of angels”, something similar to the peaches with which the Empress of Paradise served the fairies in Chinese legends. This angelic bread is manna. In describing manna, Asaph, a Davidic music official says, “Man ate the bread of angels” (78:25). Don’t image that manna is bland because “When the layer of dew evaporated, fine flakes were on the surface of the wilderness, fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground” (Exodus 16:14). It is called “the bread of the angels” not only because it came down from heavens, but also “It was like coriander seed, white, and it tastes like wafers made with honey” (16:31). Moreover, it was “endowed with all delights and conforming to every taste … serving the desire of the one who received it, was changed to whatever flavour each one wished.” (Wisdom 16:20-21) No wonder the Israelites who had always been complaining to Moses in the wilderness for forty years didn’t utter any dissatisfaction about manna! Why? The author explains, “For this substance of yours revealed your sweetness toward your children” (16:21) For forty years God gave Israelites manna to show them sweetness, treating them like His children.
In this context, we understand how demanding the Jews had been in requiring Jesus to perform a sign before believing in him in the gospel reading last week (John 6:30). Not only should it be a sign from heaven, but it should also be able to satisfy different flavour each one wished! Don’t blame the Jews for being stubborn because this is all too human. Men were created in the image of God. Although they are finite flesh and blood, they are full of infinite desires. I’m afraid only an infinite God is able to satisfy them! We don’t know whether God had created them in this way in the first place or it was the consequence of losing the Origin Grace. No matter what, mankind is overwhelmed by infinite desires and is unable to deliver themselves. It is indisputable that men are unable to meet their own needs with their own efforts or to free themselves from the bondage of sins. Thus, when men fancy that they are able to achieve salvation through observing the laws of Moses, or the laws of the Church, or even rules they make up (Luke 15:19), this is Pelagianism. It is naivety and even hypocrisy!
Fortunately, men were created in the image of God. No matter how far they have gone astray, their nature deep inside would bring them to their roots. Blood is always thicker than water. How can Chinese not love their mother country and how can mankind wish to depart from their Creator! This is self-negation, isn’t it? Thus, be assured that Jesus Christ does not set any condition to ban certain groups of people from attaining salvation in what he says in the gospel today. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him” (John 6:44) It sounds like Jesus setting a “the Father who sent me draw him” condition. But who was not created in the image of God and is not drawn to the Father? In order to avoid misunderstanding, Jesus Christ immediately says, “It is written in the prophets: ‘They shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.” (6:45, Isaiah 54:13, Jeremiah 31:34) Everyone has the opportunity and the ability to listen. The difference is whether you accept and are willing to learn. Rejecting God’s invitation, refusing to learn humbly and losing the opportunity to receive salvation, you blame nobody but yourself!
Probably our tendency to return to the Creator is hampered by concupiscence which generates infinitely all sorts of desires in us. In order to satisfy these desires, we even become hypocritical and do evils. Consequently, we reject the teachings of the Law and prophets, abandoning the previous covenant! But God understands us thoroughly and has mercy on us. He comes to gratify the infinite desires of mankind in person! This is how we should understand what Jesus Christ teaches in the gospel today about “the living bread” because it manifests the profound meaning of the image of God! Man’s natural tendency to return to God is damaged by the Original Sin which changes its course. We seek vanity which cannot satisfy our genuine needs. Men constantly live in the tendency to choose between good and evil, life and death. We long for the salvation of Jesus Christ.
Brethren! We are more fortunate than the Jews. Jesus Christ says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven” (6:51) which consists of two obstacles. The first one is “came down from heaven”. The Jews knew Jesus, his parents and siblings (6:42). Because of that, they were unable to overcome the first obstacle. But as Catholics, we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, truly divine and human. We have overcome the first obstacle and there remains the second one: “the living bread”. Do we genuinely believe that Jesus Christ is the living bread? That was why I asked you last week whether you believed in miracles. This is a more challenging obstacle. Let us keep meditating this teaching of “the living bread” next week!
God bless!
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