Stay Alert To See the Needs of Neighbour 經常留意近人的需要

First Advent Sunday, Year C
Theme: Stay Alert To See the Needs of Neighbour

For me, purple is not only a cold colour, but it also conveys a gloomy mood which is exactly what many people are feeling since 2019. It never rains but pours. When the social unrest subsided, pandemic erupted. In fact, we’re not so sure whether the social unrest has truly subsided. Perhaps it is hibernating! No wonder our northern neighbour, who prefer overkill to oversight, imposes overdoses of security measures to nip future unrest in its bud! When the developed countries are talking about the third vaccination while many underdeveloped countries are not able to afford the first, a new strain of more infectious COVID-19 virus comes on stage … If this is a narration of an Advent Season, it is truly a rather long season. Despite the gloomy outlook ahead, I meet many pregnant ladies on my way to work. I wonder where their faith in the future comes from. Then, it dawns to me that the tribulations before the end are birth pangs which prophets of the Old Testament, e.g. (Isaiah 13:8, Jeremiah 13:21) as well as St. Paul (Romans 8:22, Galatians 4:19) like referring to. Therefore, we shouldn’t focus on the pains and labour at the moment. Instead, we should listen to the advice of John and gaze in hope to the joy at the end. “When a woman is in labour, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.” (John 16:21)

On this first Advent Sunday, I would like to meditate on this verse taken from the gospel passage today, “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise” (Luke 21:34). Many moralists have already pointed out that pains and sufferings are indispensable for our survival. For example, after enumerating a list of successful historical figures, Mencius drew the conclusion that “life springs from sorrow and calamity, and death from ease and pleasure.” (Mencius, II Gao Zi) We still agree with this ancient wisdom as one of our modern aphorisms goes, “No pain, no gain”. However, perhaps life has been too easy for this generation. The last World War ended more than seven decades ago and world economy has since been very vibrant. The living standard of most people on earth keeps improving. Had this pandemic not come uninvited, the market would have been extremely bullish. Making money has never been so easy. Pains seem to be something which could only unearthed in the past … Thus, many governments are caught unprepared to deal with the outbreak of this pandemic which is indeed a surprise and a wakeup call for all of us.

Brought up in this post-war era, seeking pleasure and avoiding pains seem to be natural human dispositions for these two generations of people. Who on earth would enjoy and actively seek pains unless one is a masochist, isn’t it? By definition, a masochist/sadist is a pervert and therefore, these behaviours and attitudes are culturally disapproved. So how can we blame people who seek relief and refuge in becoming an alchoholic, a workaholic and in substance abuses? They have never gone through sufferings in famines and wars. How do they come to know the survival values of calamities? Poor humanity, they have become so fragile. When suicide rates go hand in hand with economic prosperity, social scientists deny it and explain it away. After tasting the sweetness of affluence, who wants to go back to poverty? This is exactly what Christians of modern era have to battle against. Doesn’t Jesus Christ make poverty the very first Beatitude (Matthew 5:3)? Regrettably, even though Pope Francis claims that the Beatitudes are the identity card of Christians (Gaudete et Exsultate #63), who cares?

Being Christ’s ambassadors of reconciliation on earth (2 Corinthians 5:19-20), we shall keep on discharging our duties even if our proclamation falls on deaf ears. Very commandable indeed! But when we proclaim the good news to people that God is not counting their trespasses against them, are we able to inspire hope in those who are desperate and seek refuge in substance abuses or the like? One of the reasons for people to restort to substance abuses and the like is to fill their interior void. When people reject God, nothing on earth is able to fill up this inner black hole! What can we do? There are also people who believe in God but are unable to tolerate God’s schedules. They see bad things happening to good people. They witness prisons filled up with political prisoners but God seems not to notice or care. They can no longer take their faith in God seriously because justice is not seen done! If you try to explain to them that Jesus Christ shall judge the living and dead at the end of the world, they want to see immediate vengeance instead! Modern men are brought up in advanced technology. They take speed and convenience for granted. Patience, which agricultural societies demanded, is in short supply. “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) is alien to them. Immediate gratification of wants is the norm rather than the exception. How can we blame these people when they take justice to mean vengeance and prefer condemnation to reconciliation?

Lord, I really don’t know how to proceed because there is no turning back to agricultural societies. Nowadays, even agriculture is technological advanced to produce greater yields. How do we cultivate the virtues of long-suffering and hope among these impatent people? From afflictions! St. Paul’s famous exhortation is relevant here. He says, “Affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint.” (Romans 5:3-5) We have come a full circle and returned to the survival value of pains and sufferings. Of course, modern people may not buy the wisdom of St. Paul or Mencius because they were brought up in an era of immediate gratification and convenience. Where else can we turn? It seems that we have run out of all options.

Brethren! In His ineffable wisdom, God leaves us signs to remind us of His merciful presence. On the 33^rd Sunday, we meditated on the theme of “The poor you will always have with you” (Mark 14:7) In fact, despite improvements in the living standard of most people, poverty stares us down and teases our advances in modern technology which have failed miserably to eradicate poverty. By turning our attention to the needy instead of turning to ourselves, we may have the opportunity to see clearly our own inadequacy. By staying alert always to the needs of our neighbour, we may be able to liberate ourselves from egoism and humbly seek repentance. Let poverty be our guide to steer us away from despair and keep hoping in God’s redemption.
God bless!
2015 Reflection
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