常年期第廿四主日，乙年
主題：體會天主的事
天主按自己的肖像創造了人（創1:27）。因此，在萬物之中，人類有能力與天主溝通同行（5:24, 6:9, 48:15）。作為天主的肖像，人類在各方面當然不及天主；但究竟他們有多大能力，真是難以估計！倘若條件有利的話，他們便會有機會把實力展示出來。所以為了他們圓滿的發展，「自由」是一個重要的因素。天主當然明白自由對人類發展的重要性，既然祂自己本身是自由的，所以天主非常尊重祂的傑作、祂自己的肖像，並給予他們很大的自由來表達這份尊重。在動物領域中，天主祇會安排最低限度的生存本能給人類，讓他們享有最大程度的自由，發展出創世以前，在祂心中對每個人所懷有的計劃（弗1:4）。
天主是愛（若一4:8）；人類也懂得走出自我中心，為他人設想，甚至達到自我犧牲的程度！且看每個偉大的母親，和為了保衛國家而戰死沙場的士兵，他們把「愛」表達得淋漓盡致。天主是公義的，賞善罰惡；人類也有明辨是非的能力，並且為了讓群居有秩序地展開，人類社會定下了法律，解決由互動所產生的衝突，這是人類在社會層面上所公義的表現。天主是三位一體的，有祂內在的團體生命；而大部份人類都是群居的，共融團結，互相扶持，讓每個個體得到發展。這是人類有禮的表現。最後，天主創造了天地萬物，人類也有很多的創意，發現及發明了各式各樣的科技，改善生活環境。這是人類有理性，有智力的表現。正如孟子所說，「仁、義、禮、智」這四種美德，是與生俱來，經過不斷的練習，可以發展至完美，即所謂的「止於至善」！天主的肖像真是無可限量！
但在現實世界裡，天主的肖像們同樣做出各式各樣的邪惡，有如兩星期前，第二十二主日的福音所列舉的一樣：「惡念、邪淫、盜竊、兇殺、姦淫、貪吝、毒辣、詭詐、放蕩、嫉妒、毀謗、驕傲、愚妄」（谷7:21-22）。是認知不足，好心做壞事嗎？例如，科學家發明了抗生素，消滅那些致病的微生物；結果，細菌不斷進化成為有抗藥性的「超級病菌」，令醫生束手無策。是意志軟弱，向惡勢力低頭，為了自保而為虎作倀嗎？是意識形態上犯了錯誤嗎？為了「超英趕美」，為了「人定勝天」，組織群眾鬥爭。結果破壞了生態平衡，造成飢荒。官員們雄心萬丈地經濟改革，讓部份人先富起來…結果造就了一群暴發戶，他們氣大才疏，妄顧倫理，一切向錢看…
在今天的福音裡，耶穌基督向門徒透露了祂拯救世界的計劃。撒殫曾千方百計探聽這個計劃（瑪4:1-11，路4:1-13），並努力借助人類的手，加以破壞（若12:5，瑪26:53，谷15:32）。不但在最後關頭，在耶穌基督受難時進行破壞，而且在這些事發生之前，伯多祿也曾成為了撒殫的一隻馬前卒，衝擊耶穌基督。倘若與【瑪竇福音】一起閱讀，情況更顯嚴峻！因為在伯多祿宣認耶穌是默西亞後，耶穌基督立伯多祿為教會的磐石（瑪16:18a）。可惜，這「磐石」竟然是如此脆弱，不堪一擊，被撒殫利用來意圖阻止耶穌進行救世的計劃！可幸天主子預先保護了伯多祿，可以有回頭堅固兄弟的機會（路22:32），讓教會得以建立並保存，以至「陰間的門不能戰勝她！」（瑪16:18b）
其次，倘若伯多祿（當然包括全人類）根本沒有體會「天主的事」的能力，就不會，並且不應該受到責備，因為錯不在伯多祿！雖然天主是一個不能明白的奧秘（依55:9），但天主總會做一些人類能明白的事，否則人類怎能與天主溝通呢？既然耶穌基督責備伯多祿，便證明了人類是有能力體會天主的事，祇不過伯多祿（還有全人類）沒有好好運用自己的能力去體會天主的事，反而把精力放在人的事上，沒有盡好門徒/受造物的本份，所以受到責備！那麼，甚麼是「天主的事」？甚麼是「人的事」呢？
首先，伯多祿會不會出於自私的原因，諫責耶穌呢？且看，他已經捨棄了一切跟隨耶穌（谷10:28），但耶穌的方案，令伯多祿的「投資」，一夜之間化為烏有。為保利益，因此伯多祿諫責耶穌。這論點看來合理，但伯多祿沒有權力的野心，門徒中有野心的，可能是雅各伯和若望兩兄弟（10:37）。按馬爾谷福音的描述，伯多祿好像是宗徒的發言人，多次代表門徒回答耶穌的問題。但看來，他是被其他門徒驅使居多。例如今次，耶穌並不是當眾責斥伯多祿，而是「轉過身來，注視著自己的門徒，責斥伯多祿。」（谷8:33）在聖神降臨前的伯多祿，完全沒有半點領導才能！因此，伯多祿出於自身利益的考慮來諫責耶穌，很難成立。
其次，沒有強大的惡勢力，迫使伯多祿屈服，或者以利益誘惑他合作（例如猶達斯的例子）。因此，伯多祿不是因為意志軟弱而諫責耶穌。第三，雖然伯多祿不是「熱誠黨」，但並不排除他與一般猶太群眾一樣，對「默西亞」懷有期望，渴望這位天主派來的「受傅者」，驅逐異邦統治者，復興以色列國（宗1:6）。如今，耶穌基督卻提出一個與復國完全相反的方案（谷8:31） ，是一個不能令人接受的方案！因此，意識形態上的錯誤，可以解釋伯多祿諫責耶穌基督的部份理由。
最後，我認為「人的事」與「天主的事」很近似，容易混淆，以至伯多祿一念之差，好心做了壞事。甚麼是「天主的事」呢？雖然人類沒有能力明白天主所做的一切，但一定有能力明白其中的一部份，即使是極其微不足道的一部份。這些部份一定是與人類有關，更準確地說，是與人類的得救有關，例如天主是愛。所以，這些我們能夠明白的「天主的事」，也是「人的事」，因此容易混淆！伯多祿不一定為了自身的利益，有可能他是為了耶穌的益處，纔勸諫祂不要白白去送死！且看他怎樣忠心一片，在猶太人逮捕耶穌時，伯多祿拔劍拒捕（若18:10）；甚至冒著生命危險，潛入大司祭庭院，企圖營救耶穌，最後以「三次不認主」告終（18:16-27）！所以我傾向理解伯多祿諫責耶穌，是好心做壞事！
各位兄弟姊妹，我們應以伯多祿為鑒，提防「好心做壞事」。因為這樣做，顯示出我們關心「人的事」，多於「天主的事」。對己對人，絕對沒有好處！
天主保祐！
2018年講道
圖片鳴謝：Wikipedia
Twenty Fourth Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: Think As God Does
God created mankind in His image (Genesis 1:27). Thus among all creatures, mankind has the ability to communicate and to walk with God (5:24, 6:9, 48:15). As images of God, we’re not on a par with God in all manners. However, how great are our capabilities is difficult to estimate! If the conditions are favourable, they shall have the opportunities to manifest. In order to fully develop these potentials, freedom is one of the essential elements. Of course God knows the importance of freedom for human development. Since He Himself is free, He respects His masterpieces, His images very much and gave them great liberty to show this respect. Among animals, God only arranges minimum survival instincts for mankind so that they may enjoy the greatest degree of freedom to manifest the plan He had in mind for all of us before the foundation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4).
God is love (1 John 4:8). So is mankind able to emerge from egocentrism. For the sake of others, their altruism is even able to attain the level of self-sacrifice! Just take a look at the heroism of mothers or soldiers who die in action defending their countries. They manifest love to the full. God is righteous, awards the blessed and punishes the wicked. Mankind also has the ability to discern the good from evil. For the sake of ordered living in the society, laws are passed to resolve conflicts caused by interpersonal interactions. This is a manifestation of righteousness on the societal level. God is trinite. There is a communal element in the inner life of the godhead. Most mankind lives in groups and in communion, supporting each other, allowing individuals to develop. This shows their solidarity. Lastly, God created all things visible and invisible in this universe. Mankind is also creative, discovering and inventing all sorts of technologies to improve the living environment. This is an expression of human rationality and intellect. Just as what Mencius says about the human virtues: Benevolence, righteousness, Orderliness and Intelligence are inborn. Through continual practices, they will develop into perfection, i.e. Stop only at Ultimate Goodness! God’s images are truly unstoppable!
But in real life, God’s images also wreck all sorts of evils, listed two weeks ago in the gospel reading of the Twenty Second Ordinary Sunday, “evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.” (Mark 7:21-22) Is it due to inadequate understanding thus paving the way to hell with good intentions? For example, scientists invented antibiotics to kill microorganisms which cause diseases. In the end, microorganisms evolve into Superbugs which are antibiotics resistant so that diseases become untreatable. Is it due to a weakness in will, surrendering to evil influences such that people turn into accomplices for the sake of self-preservation? Is it due to ideological errors? In order to supersede UK and US, to defeat heavens, the state mobilizes the mass to struggle. In the end, ecology is damaged, inviting famines. Mandarins ambitiously invest in economic reforms, allowing a minority to become rich first … In the end, a new class of nouveau riche who measures everything in terms of money arises …
In the gospel today, Jesus reveals to the disciples His salvation project which Satan had tried hard to unearth (Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13). Moreover, it also tried to disrupt the project through human hands (John 12:5, Matthew 26:53, Mark 15:32). Not only did Satan try to sabotage during Christ’ Passion, but before that, it also made use of Peter to hinder Jesus. If we read the story with Matthew’s narration, the trap was stark! It was because after Peter’s declaration of the Messiah identity of Jesus, Jesus made Peter the Rock upon which He would build His Church (Matthew 16:18a). Regrettably, this Rock proved to be fragile. Satan made use of him to prevent Jesus from executing the project! Fortunately, the Son of God had protected Peter whom He has given the opportunity to repent and to strengthen his brothers. (Luke 22:32) Thus, the Church is established and preserved so that “the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against.” (Matthew 16:18b)
Jesus Christ’s rebuke is pregnant with meanings. “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” (Mark 8:33) The original meaning of “Satan” is adversaries and enemies. Peter was a mere mortal, thus not Satan, the Prince Devil. Peter was only a nobody who is one of the stumbling blocks to the salvation project. Thus, Jesus Christ rebuked Peter as Satan. Secondly, had Peter (including all mankind) possessed not the ability to think as God does, he would not have been, and should not have been rebuked because it was not his fault. Although God is an unfathomable mystery (Isaiah 55:9), God must have done something which mankind is able to understand. Otherwise, how is mankind able to communicate with God? Now that Christ rebuked Peter which shows that mankind has the ability to think as God does. Only that Peter (including all mankind) does not make good use of this ability. Instead, they spend their energy thinking as man does. They have not discharged their duty as disciples/creatures and are rebuked as such! Then what does it mean to think as God does and to think as human beings do?
First of all, was it possible that Peter rebuked Jesus out of selfish reasons? Look, he had given up everything to follow Jesus (Mark 10:28) but Jesus’ project would nullify Peter’s “investment” overnight! To protect his investment, Peter rebuked Jesus. This logic sounds reasonable but Peter was not ambitious. Among the disciples, James and John would be more probable candidates (10:37). In the narrations of Mark, Peter looks like the spokesman, representing the disciples to answer Jesus’ questions. But taking a closer look, he seemed more likely to be pushed around. Take for example this time, Jesus did not simply openly rebuked Peter, but “he turned around and, looking at His disciples, rebuked Peter” (8:33). Before the Descent of the Holy Spirit, Peter did not show any leadership! Thus, it is difficult to establish for certain that Peter rebuked Jesus out of selfish interests.
Secondly, there was no devilish influence to bend Peter or benefits to induce his cooperation (e.g. Judas’ case). Thus, Peter did not rebuke Jesus out of a fragile will. Thirdly, although Peter was not a Zealot, it does not rule out the possibility that Peter harboured a Messianic anticipation like any other Jews. They longed for an Anointed One sent from God to drive away the Gentile rulers and to restore the kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6). Now, Jesus’ proposal went contrary to the restoration of Israel (Mark 8:31) and this is totally unacceptable! Thus ideological errors may account for part of the reasons for Peter to rebuke Jesus.
Lastly, I think that “thinking as human beings do” and “thinking as God does” are so closely related that they can easily be mixed up. Thus, Peter did something bad out of good intentions. What does it mean to “think as God does”? Although mankind is unable to understand everything God does, at least they are able to understand some, even very insignificant parts. These parts must be related to mankind, or more precisely, related to the salvation of mankind, for example “God is love”. Therefore, these things which God thinks are also what human beings think. Thus, they can easily be mixed up! Perhaps Peter was not thinking of his own interests but for the sake of Jesus, rebuked Him not to die in vain! Peter had been very loyal to Jesus. When the Jews arrested Jesus, Peter drew a sword to resist (John 18:10). He even took the risk to enter the High Priest’s courtyard to seek an opportunity to rescue Jesus but ended up denying the Lord three times (18:16-27)! I prefer seeing Peter doing evil with good intentions!
Brethren! We should look upon Peter as a warning sign. Don’t do evil with good intentions. It shows that we care more about human thinking than God’s thinking. It does nobody any good!
God bless!
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