This Life Was the Light Of the Human Race 這生命是人的光

The Nativity of the Lord, Year A
Theme: This Life Was the Light Of the Human Race 這生命是人的光

Our resources are finite and limited. If we continue to consume in the present manners and are unable to develop newer modes of production and consumption, one day we’ll deplete most of the natural resources on earth. There will be no more clean water to drink and pristine air to inhale. Not only will we live in poverty, we might even barely survive. In other words, there is no free lunch under the sun. As an aphorism goes “No pain, no gain”. Athletes have to undergo rigorous and even hellish trainings in order to win gold medals in the Olympics. By the sweat of their brows, farmers eat bread (Genesis 3:19). When emperors built their Babel Towers, royal entombments and Great Walls, thousands of slaves were toiled to death. All in all, we must pay for the affluence, comfort, convenience or glory we’re enjoying, whether we pay them ourselves or our offspring repay for us. In the latter case, it is immoral of us to leave a mess behind for our children to clean up in the future. In short, when we enjoy happiness which we don’t earn, someone else has to pay for us.

Christmas is a festive and joyful season. We greet each other “Merry Christmas”. However, from what we have discussed above, have you ever thought about who has/have paid for our merriment and/or our happiness in Christmas? Caesar Augustus decreed a census. Many people had to travel around to return to their native towns to enrol (Luke 2:1). Normal productions came to a halt except for tourism and hospitality. Whatever benefits Augustus had had in mind to gain, an economic price had already been paid. Matthew saw this as a fulfilment of a prophecy about the birth of the Messiah (Matthew 2:5-6). Then who had paid or would pay the price for this prophecy? Joseph and the pregnant Virgin had to travel afar from Nazareth in the north to Bethlehem in the south, not to mention other travellers on their way to enrol. The inn had no room to house Joseph and Mary such that the new born king was laid in a manger (Luke 2:7)!

Though I’m a man, I can imagine how painful it is for a woman in labour. In ancient time, delivering a firstborn could be fatal to both the mother and the infant. Though we believe that with special graces, the BVM was exempted from Original Sin at conception, that might not necessarily exempt her from the pain of giving birth (Genesis 3:16) in the first Christmas. Moreover, her pains did not stop there. Simeon prophesized she would suffer alongside with her child unto the end (Luke 2:35). Therefore, we owe our happiness to the BVM and St. Joseph. Wait a minute! Hadn’t some Magi come to adore the Holy Infant and offered the Holy Family precious gifts, viz. gold, frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:11)? Well, at least the Holy Family had gained a small fortune, hadn’t they? I doubt very much carpenters were able to make use of the gold or frankincense which they were not supposed to possess! Those gifts would incriminate them! Indeed, those precious gifts are more symbolic than pragmatic!

I would not spend more time on the Nativity story of Matthew which everybody knows is unsettling further down. It’s high time we return to the gospel text on Christmas Sunday. The text is John’s attempt to rewrite Genesis in light of the Incarnation of the Son of God. I would like to meditate upon. “All things came to be through Him, and without Him nothing came to be. What came to be through Him was life, and this life was the light of the human race” (John 1:3-4). John had spent some sixty years to reflect on his three-year encounter with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. At the beginning of his gospel, John identifies this Son of God as the Word of God which God the Father uttered when He created this known universe (Genesis 1:2). While the author of Genesis populated the seven-day-week cycle with different creatures and crowned the human race with the “image of God” on the sixth day (1:26), John is more concerned with the eternal life in God. To John, the Creation was an outburst of life: human beings, animals, plants and the heaven bodies. That’s what John tries to convey when he says, “What came to be through Him was life” (1:3b-4a). Then how should we understand the next half of the verse, “and this life was the light of the human race” (1:4b)?

The meanings of words evolve through ages. There is the obvious example of “Suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto me …” (Matthew 19:14, KJV) Here, “suffer” means “allow”. Nowadays, “light” usually symbolizes “enlightenment” and “truth” etc. I suspect this philosophical flavour might have been popularized since the Age of Enlightenment when “knowledge” was equated with “power”! I think during the Apostolic Age, “light” symbolized something else because “this life was the truth of the human race” doesn’t make sense to our understanding. Furthermore, John uses the word “truth” when he refers to the truth. E.g. “But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God” (John 3:21) Therefore, John does not use “light” as a synonym of “truth”. Then how is “life” connected to “light” in John? Perhaps we may find the answer in Matthew who says, “Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16).

Risking over-generalization, I opine that during the Apostolic Age, Christians made use of “light” to refer to charitable works. This makes perfect sense in John’s theology. For John, God is love (1 John 4:8). As a Jew, John would not have a chimpanzee in mind when he thought about men as an image of God. Ancient theologians would vaguely associate human souls to God’s image, and further refined the concept to pinpoint creativity, intelligence and the use of languages etc. It was good enough to differentiate humanity from animals during the Middle Age up till the Industrial Revolution. However, when chess grandmasters were defeated by Artificial Intelligence, where else can the human race find a defining criterion for humanity? At the moment, no computer programmers would create “self-awareness” software for A.I. Even if they do, nobody would write “self-sacrifice” programs because it will lead to self-destruction of robots. That’s contradictory and doesn’t make sense for the A.I. industry. Therefore, I opine that charity, not intelligence, is the defining criterion for humanity.

Since human beings were created in the image of God, we are able to love to some extent and in different degrees because God is love. Due to our different upbringings, some of us might only be able to love a little, loving only themselves and other lovable people. On the other hand, some of us might be able to love until it hurts for the good of others, even for our persecutors!
Brethren! Life comes about from love and love pays the price of happiness. Christians should therefore be generous because the Christian God is infinite. There is no scarcity of love in Him. “And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). The Son of God has paid the price on the cross to redeem us all so that we may partake in the eternal life of God. Our happiness is guaranteed! Therefore, be generous!
God bless!
2016 Reflection

Let’s Be Stars

Let’s Be Stars

Deacon Alex

Thank God, COVID measures have relaxed before Christmas. Yet, our economy is battered by the pandemic and yet to recover. Around the city, Christmas decorations are less radiant and less vibrant. In short, festive ambience is in short supply and our mood fails to reach the Christmas climax. Suddenly, we realize how much we rely on the commercials, which stimulate us to spend money, to remind us of the birth of Christ! How true it is for many of us, that there is no room in our hearts to welcome the Holy Infant (Luke 2:7).

Since childhood, we were told that three wise men came from the East to adore baby Jesus. The gospel of Matthew mentions that they offered three gifts, namely gold, frankincense and myrrh. Therefore, we assume that there were three wise men. Actually, the gospel is vague in the exact number. It leaves us room for imagination. Then came “The Other Wise Man”, a novel and later movies about the adventure of the fourth wise men. Compared with the Nativity story in Matthew, which reads more like power struggles among royals, this Fourth Wise Man is more heart-warming. I’m sure you have already heard of the story. If not, look up Wikipedia.

Despite the fact that throughout his journey Artaban, the Fourth Wise Man, failed to meet Jesus in person, he had already found Jesus the moment he helped a dying man. Later, Artaban sold his ruby to save a little boy in Bethlehem and lastly a precious pearl to ransom a slave girl in Jerusalem. In doing those works of mercy, Artaban actually did it for Jesus (Matthew 25:40)! This novel is heart-warming because who on earth have met Jesus in person? This story is narrating our actual experiences and gives us hope. Yes, we are able to meet Jesus when we extend a helping hand to the needy. This too is our aspiration. After all, the Holy Eucharist is only a sign in which Jesus is really present. How much we desire to meet Jesus in person! 【Editor: While we hold dear the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, we can also learn to see and serve His equally ‘real presence’ in the poor and the needy as He says in Mt. 25. May we grow in our desire to meet Jesus in the person of the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, the prisoners and the sick!】

As time moves on, the meaning of some symbols have changed over time. Nowadays, we take “light” to symbolize truth. However, during the time the gospels were written, light symbolized something else. Take a look at the following gospel verse which becomes difficult to interpret if “light” symbolizes “truth”. John writes, “through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race” (John 1:4). What would “the truth of the human race” possibly mean? The gospel of Matthew shows the way: “Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16). Therefore, during the Apostolic age, “light” means “charity” and “love”.

Brethren! We were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26) and God is love (1 John 4:8). Therefore, we are capable of loving to some extent. Some are capable of loving slightly with reservations while others love more fervently. Some love only the loveable while others are able to love even their persecutors. In other words, we’re like stars shining in different luminosities. Furthermore, like the Star of Bethlehem which led the wise men to adore the Holy Infant, we too are stars leading people to meet the great light prophesized by the prophet. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone” (Isaiah 9:1).
Allow me to remind you, my dear readers, that the atmosphere is not always clear and most of the time turbulent. Sometimes, dark clouds may block even sunlights, not to mention our twinkling star lights. But one thing is certain. Dark clouds do not last. So, don’t complain about darkness. Keep shining, however flickling our star lights are, to lead the people in darkness to our merciful Lord, the great light in which our lights will merge! “The one who perseveres to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13), pledged the Lord who is certainly faithful. Amen!

Emmanuel 厄瑪奴耳

Fourth Advent Sunday, Year A
Theme: Emmanuel 厄瑪奴耳

At long last after three weeks of anticipation, God comes to liberate us. It should have been good news to all of us who live in darkness and death’s shadow (Luke 1:79). But regret to say, some people feel comfortable living in slavery, compulsion, obsession and addiction etc. For different reasons, they hide inside their comfort zones. Perhaps some of us don’t know or feel being enslaved by those dysfunctions. Therefore, it would be meaningless to “liberate” them because they don’t feel the need of freedom! They only want comfort! The complaints of the Israelites in the wilderness is a vivid illustration of such a mentality, “If only we had died at the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our kettles of meat and ate our fill of bread! But you have led us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of famine!” (Exodus 16:3) They preferred comfort and security to freedom!

Some people want to hide from God. Probably they are like Adam who disobeyed God and was ashamed of failing his Creator or was afraid of being punished for disobedience (Genesis 3:10). In hind sight, it is naïve of Adam trying to hide from God. There is no such place in the known universe! The Psalter sings this beautifully and deserves to be quoted in full. “Where can I go from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I lie down in Sheol, there you are. If I take the wings of dawn and dwell beyond the sea, Even there your hand guides me, your right hand holds me fast. If I say, ‘Surely darkness shall hide me, and night shall be my light’. Darkness is not dark for you, and night shines as the day. Darkness and light are but one” (Psalms 139:7-12). The Psalter feels encircled and even penetrated. The space we occupy is His! Such is the reality but then in this light, freedom seems to be an illusion.

Is there a better way so that our genuine freedom is guaranteed? Previously, God attempted to restrain His power by establishing successive covenants with the Israelites. In so doing, the almighty God draws boundaries as to what He can and cannot do! “For I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their ancestors’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation; but showing love down to the thousand generation of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:5-6). This is the first of the Ten Commandments which seems to have embedded an understanding of a judgmental God. However, people have overlooked the word “love” in this very first Commandment and focused too much on the word “punishment”. It is true that “punishment” goes first and first impression is so lasting that even a thousand is insufficient to overcome three and four! Alas! Laws written on stones are rigid. So, God chooses a better, a less intrusive and less imposing label for His redemptive action. Perhaps it can be more palatable for humanity. God comes to stay with us --- Emmanuel, in Hebrew. “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us’” (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23). Indeed, this “Emmanuel” theme runs through the whole gospel of Matthew and it forms an inclusio in the gospel whose very last verse reads, “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (28:20). In this final verse before His ascension, Jesus proclaims His divinity. Perhaps we should meditate how Jesus is with us always as narrated in the gospel of Matthew.

As the Holy Infant, Jesus revealed himself through the Bethlehem Star to the Magi, hinting that God’s love is universal and is not confined to the Jews (2:1-2). Fleeing the murderous attempts of Herod the Great, the Holy Family became refugees in Egypt. How paradoxical it is that our Saviour can be found among traditional enemies (2:14-15)! Indeed, no enemy is permanent! After returning from Egypt, He was raised up in Nazareth which was not a respectable town in the north (John 1:46). However, Matthew was able to associate this town with a dedicated and even a consecrated life! “He shall be called a Nazorean” (Matthew 2:23). Jesus is sinless and yet He asked the Baptist to baptize Him in the River Jordan to fulfil all righteousness (3:15). Thus, early in His public ministry, Jesus was eager to accompany sinners in their repentant journey. Not only is our Saviour found among saints but He can also be found among sinners. He dined with tax-collectors and sinners/prostitutes (9:11). But don’t make Jesus wrong. He does not despise the powerful (8:10) or the rich (26:6) and has no difficulty mixing with them. At the end of His life, He was crucified between two robbers (27:38). He challenges His disciples to welcome Him among sinners and enemies.

Miracles are signs indicating God’s presence. In the Old Testament, most of the miracles are overwhelming to show off God’s majesty in fighting battles for the Israelites: splitting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22) and stopping the movement of the sun for half a day (Joshua 10:13). Jesus also did spectacular miracles to reveal His divinity such as calming the sea, driving out demons and multiplying bread to feed 5000 etc. On the other hand, Jesus also works more refined miracles which took care of the needy grass-root people: the lepers, the paralyzed and the blind etc. Though Jesus could not be infected and suffer illness physically, He is able to read minds (Matthew 9:4) and thus to feel their agony. He is in communion with the sick and thus able to console and heal them. Doesn’t Jesus tell the disciples to care for the sick because He is among them? In the miracle of walking on the water, He saved Simon Peter (14:31) whom He would later make the Rock on the Church (16:18). In this particular miracle, Jesus shows that He is in communion with the Church. If we want to find Jesus, find Him in the Church, not in the Temple. The greatest miracle Jesus has ever worked should be the consecration/transformation of bread and wine into His own body and blood (26:26-28). In so doing, He made Himself accessible to all peoples and in communion with all peoples. He is present in whoever believes in this mystery and receives the Holy Eucharist. Lastly, in the Matthean narrative of the Agony in the Garden, Jesus spoke “with me” twice (26:38, 40) while none is found in the narratives of the other two Synoptic gospels. Not only is a powerful walking-on-water Son of God found in the Church, but also an abandoned Suffering Servant of God!

Brethren! The list above is not meant to be exhaustive. With further meditation, I’m sure you are able to unearth more. Are you able to find a class/category of people whom Jesus does not stay with?
May the Lord be with you whichever category of people you are. Amen!
2019 Reflection
Picture Credit: shutterstock.com

What Do You Expect To See? 你想看見甚麼？

Gaudete Sunday, Year A
Theme: What Do You Expect To See? 你想看見甚麼？

Scientists sent probes to Mars, searching for water and thus signs of life beyond our planet. But do we expect to see water in desert and parched land (Isaiah 35:1) and to find abundant flowers blooming (35:2)? The chances are extremely slim. But that does not stop our God working miraculous work of mercy (35:5-7). Nor do our scientists stop their untiring probing. With medical advancements nowadays, it is not necessary to be a god in order to make the eyes of the blind see, the ears of the deaf open and the mute tongue sing (35:6). No wonder these days, scientists have no restrains from playing God! I think it is getting harder and harder for our God to reveal Himself and His will to us because our attention lies elsewhere.

It is a tautology to claim that our perception is conditioned by our experiences. In order to survive and interact in this world, we need to actively construct our world view. Such preconceptions relieve us of reinventing the wheel again and again. It saves energy and proves to be efficient. However, our Creator is a God of surprises! He will always prod us out of our comfort zone to meet the unexpected.
In the gospel reading today, we read of what John the Baptist did after he had been imprisoned by Herod. The Baptist was nearly immediately imprisoned after he had baptized Jesus in River Jordan. They no longer had the chance to meet each other afterwards. Thus, the Baptist could only hear in prison of the rising of a Galilean miracle worker whom he had previously baptized. Perhaps that was the Messiah anticipated by them all. “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3).

How did Jesus answer? He did not deny nor affirm because the Baptist was asking a wrong question. The answer Jesus was going to give went far beyond the Baptist’s question. So, Jesus could only quote the prophecy of Isaiah, “the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them” (11:5, Isaiah 35:5-6a) All right, we all know that Jesus came to fulfil the prophecies of the prophets. What’s so “far beyond”? Well, if we read the prophets out of the context, we’ll miss the surprise. Let’s step back a little. Isaiah says, “Say to the fearful of heart: Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you” (35:4). This time, God takes things seriously. He does not simply send spokesmen to exhort and to console. He comes in the person of Jesus Christ to execute vindication! While the Jews anticipated a human liberator like Moses or even Cyrus, they passed the Son of God by without realizing that He was already here! By quoting Isaiah, Jesus proclaims His divinity. While the Jews anticipated vindication in the form of “To bring retribution on the nations, punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings in shackles, their nobles in chains of iron…” (Psalms 149:7-8), they missed God’s intention to save all, including their conquerors!

Now, Jesus turned to the crowd and made use of poetic rhetoric to draw the attention of the audience to the role of the Baptist. It was because the crowd did not know what to look for in the Baptist. They knew that the Baptist was a prophet. For more than four hundred years leading life under the colonial rule of different empires, the Jews received no revelation from God. It looked as if God had abandoned them because of their idolatry and wickedness. Here came a prophet announcing the advent of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 3:2). The Baptist spoke as if the wrath of God was descending on them (3:7-10) which was a typical prophetic vocabulary. He flatly denied that to be the Messiah (3:11) but failed to make it clear that he was the Elijah who would come before the Messiah (Malachi 3:23-24). Perhaps the Baptist himself was not aware of this particular role of his! It took Jesus to clarify this point to the crowd.

Jesus employed rhetorical questions to bring in the focus. It is common sense that people do not look for reeds, an aquatic plant, in desert (Matthew 11:7). Nor do people look for nobilities in the wilderness (11:8). In order to proclaim God’s message, prophets seldom stayed in deserts for long. God usually sent prophets, such as Samuel and Elijah to confront kings; and Jonah to warn the people. There were even royal prophets working with kings, advising them whether they should go to wars or not. Therefore, the Baptist was a special prophet who preached in an unexpected place --- the wilderness and people were attracted to approach the Baptist by the Holy Spirit. The Baptist did his job of preparing the hearts of the people through repentance and baptism. Jesus affirmed that the Baptist was the Elijah by quoting Malachi instead of quoting Isaiah, “Now I am sending my messenger --- he will prepare the way before me” (Malachi 3:1). Of course, people would be misled by the interpretations and teachings of scribes and Pharisees so that their preconceptions blocked them from seeing the Baptist as the foretold Elijah.

This should give us good food for meditation. Today the Church celebrates Gaudete Sunday. Simply put, we should rejoice because our Saviour is just around the corner. But what Jesus would you expect to meet this Christmas? Of course, not the military Messiah anticipated by the Jews in captivity. Is it the Holy Infant in the manger adored by shepherds? By the Magi? But the Holy Infant was in the past more than two millennia ago! Can the Holy Infant be relevant in this war-torn world today? Well, the prophet says He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:5). Then what peace can it bring? Is the Holy Infant able to bring “quarantined people” together?

Previously, the Pope drew our attention to the plights of refugees when he reminded us of the refugee status of the Holy Family fleeing the murderous scheme of Herod the Great? So, when we do our meditation this Christmas, what image does a Holy Infant in manger surrounded by Mary, Joseph, shepherds and cattle conjure in our mind? Are we able to see in the manger abused children, child labourers and victims of child pornography or something else? Are you aware of parents who impose their ambitions on their children, thus forcing them into another form of slaves? On the other hand, have you seen children bringing their parents back to Church?

Brethren! Hope is not totally lost. Children are our hope. Let’s be patient in adversity. Our salvation is at hand. Amen.
God bless!
2019 Reflection
Picture Credit: By Nilüfer Demir from DHA Agency (Turkey) - Original publication: Published in many sourcesImmediate source: http://www.rewanbej.com/cima-min-weneye-alan-wesand-peter-bouckaert.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47737832

What Fire is Unquenchable? 甚麼火會不滅？

Second Advent Sunday, Year A
Theme: What Fire is Unquenchable? 甚麼火會不滅？

Last Sunday, Isaiah painted a future world of justice and peace where peoples and nations do not engage in battles against each other anymore (Isaiah 2:4). Today, he elaborates further how peoples celebrate plurality together. “The wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat. The calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. The cow and the bear shall graze, together their young shall lie down; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby shall play by the viper’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair” (11:6-8). You might disagree and argue that if wolves do not devour lambs, they are no wolves! Let me assure you. Wolves are still wolves and leopards are still leopards even though they no longer harm the lambs or the goats. How can it be possible? Perhaps the lions and bears are able to give us some clues. They are still lions and bears but they have changed their eating habits (11:7)! Those predators have changed from carnivores to herbivores! How is it possible? What science fiction is this?

Actually, those predators are restored to their original state because when God first created the animals, He gave them green plants for food (Genesis 1:30). That is to say, there was a time when wolves did not prey on lambs and leopards on goats. The story of the fall of our First Parents hints that the ground became cursed because of our sins (3:17). The story of the murder of Abel vividly depicts how “the ground opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand” (4:11). The author seems to suggest that the scent of blood had triggered the evolution of animals with stronger jaws and sharper claws into carnivores. Now, how will the end of the world turn those predatory carnivores back into herbivores? Isaiah explains, “For the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea.” (Isaiah 11:9)

Prophets speak in images and enigmas. So, let’s assume that those predators are symbols of tyrants, bullies and evil people while goats, lambs and cows are symbols of the mild and the weak. At the end of the world, righteousness and peace will prevail when the earth is filled with knowledge of the Lord. Then tyrants, bullies and evil people will no longer prey on the mild and the weak. Let’s imagine what this could possibly mean in the world today. Leaders of all nations, some of whom are strong while some are weak, sit together in peace, viz. Anwar, Biden, Kim, Putin, Salman, Sogavare, Sunak, Tsai, von der Leyen, Xi and Zelenskyy etc. They coexist in peace because the knowledge of the Lord has transformed them. For the Jews, “knowledge” means “intimate union”. Therefore, the wicked will no longer exploit or prey on the disadvantaged, not because they are afraid of the punishments from the Lord. Instead, they are so filled with the Lord’s love that they are hungry and thirsty to exploit no more!

But will the exploited feel comfortable? Even though they may rest assured that they will be safe in the future, they won’t feel comfortable if they want justice done, their version of justice! They have followed St. Paul’s advice to endure to the end (Romans 15:4). Yet it would be regrettable if the communion with the Lord is unable to empower the exploited “to think in harmony with one other” (15:5), thus to forgive those exploitative overlords. It is always a mystery why the Lord allows the good to suffer. At the moment, I could only console myself with the idea that the good Lord allows a certain amount of necessary evil so as to prevent some greater evil. God allows totalitarian atheist states to exist. Perhaps He wants to expose the hypocrisy of powerful democratic states in this world. Again, I could only leave it to the Lord to console and to encourage.

How are we able to obtain the knowledge of the Lord unless He reveals Himself? Therefore, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity incarnated as the Jesus of Nazareth to show us the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6). Before His public ministry, John the Baptist prepared the hearts of the Jews, exhorting them to repent and turn to the Lord. His tone was urgent and harsh. He was harsh towards the Pharisees and Sadducees, calling them “brood of vipers!” (Matthew 3:7) But don’t feel offended. Doesn’t Isaiah’s prophecy mention that “the baby shall play by the viper’s den” (Isaiah 11:8)? Doesn’t Jesus commission the seventy-two disciples, saying “Behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves” (Luke 10:3)? So, don’t be surprised by the imagery!

The Baptist’s vocabulary was urgent: “coming wrath” (Matthew 3:7), “Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees” (3:10) But our distorted sense of justice will easily mislead us to misunderstand his message. When John the Baptist describes what the coming Messiah does, he says, “His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire” (3:12). The unquenchable fire will easily conjure up the image of hell in the audience. Then, we’ll easily associate the wheat with the righteous who will go to heaven and the chaff with the wicked who will go to the unquenchable fire in hell at the end of the world. However, I opine that this logic is too simplistic!

I agree that the wheat is the righteous, but only after the chaff has been removed. Before that happens, the wheat and the chaff form the whole grain, a unity of opposites. The chaff is simply the crust of the wheat which is the image of God (Genesis 1:26). When St. Paul preaches the theology of justification by faith, he says, “All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). All humanity is contaminated by sins which form a crust to block our communion with the Lord. All of us need to repent and to turn to the Lord in order to have this outer crust removed. The crust is not the core and thus repentance is possible. While some cultures bind sinners and sins together, Christian morality insists on the separation of sins from sinners. While sinful actions are deplorable, sinners are redeemable. I believe the imagery of wheat and chaff demonstrates this ethical truth.

Let’s come back to the Baptist’s urgent message. It clearly states that after the chaff has been removed from the wheat, the Son of Man will burn it with unquenchable fire. But I opine that this time dimension is misleading. It is because the Son of Man exists beyond the time dimension. He is eternal and time is meaningless to Him! When we remove the time dimension, the Baptist’s message clearly states that the Son of Man cherishes and treasures the core which is the image of God. He puts the core in heaven while He burns away the chaff with unquenchable fire. So, what should this “unquenchable fire” be? I speculate that it is the furnace of divine love of God instead of hell! “For Love is strong as Death, longing is fierce as Sheol. Its arrows are arrows of fire, flames of the divine” (Songs 8:6). It is mystical and challenging when we put love and death together. Perhaps our concept of hell is more accurately a concept of purgatory. The unquenchable fire of divine love will purify us and rid us of our sinful crust that prevents us from total surrender and communion with the Lord.

Brethren! The issue is not completely settled because without time, repentance becomes not so urgent after all! Then on what ground does the Lord exhort us to stay awake? On one hand, He warns that nobody knows the hour of His second coming. He would appear at the most unexpected moment! That’s why we should always stay awake. But hasn’t He already come, accompanying us until the end of the age in the Eucharist and in our prayers because He is not constrained in the time dimension? Perhaps urgency is also an illusion. Seize the moment and repent because nobody knows at which moment our lives would be cut short. “You have folded up my life, like a weaver who severs me from the last thread. From morning to night, you make an end of me” (Isaiah 38:12). God bless!
2019 Reflection
Picture Credit: thewayofbeauty.org

Stay Awake! 你們要醒寤！

First Advent Sunday, Year A
Theme: Stay Awake! 你們要醒寤

Christians believe in a Creator-God and we are His creatures which are finite beings occupying some volume in space and existing in a span of time. For us, every story has a time line which has a beginning and an end. On the other hand, the Lord, in whom we believe, claims, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (Revelation 22:13). He exists beyond time. Thus, He encompasses the beginning and the end in eternity.
As finite beings, we are unable to know what will unfold in the future. But we believe that our actions have consequences which ripple to the future. Therefore, we do not sit idly and watch passively. We take actions. But we do not act blindly. There should be some sorts of blueprint to follow. Through His spokesmen, i.e. the prophets, the God in whom Christians believe leaves behind some clues of what the end looks like. Here comes the first reading of today. The Lord God gives us a peaceful prospect at the end. Here is the prophecy:

“He shall judge between the nations, and set terms for many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.” (Isaiah 2:4) For our sake, He will bring justice and peace among nations and peoples. But at present, wars are raging in different parts of the globe, Ukraine, Syria and you name it. Not only are soldiers maimed and killed, but common people are also suffering as well. Not only do local peoples suffer but global supply chains are also disrupted. Such disruptions know no border! Natural gas pipes exploded. In short, the effects of local conflicts are spreading globally. In the meantime, powerful countries are sitting on the fence, sponsoring the conflicts with “military aids” to one side or the other. At the moment, the chances of any leaders in this world being able to bring these conflicts to a halt are extremely slim. No wonder, we need a God to take over the control, to judge between the nations, to settle disputes and to set terms for many peoples.

Therefore, the blueprint of the end of the world is a time and space of justice and peace. This blueprint gives us hope and directs our efforts to work towards to. Not only is seeing the end of the world the wish of Christians, but it is also the wish of any decent person. Don’t take us Christians wrong. We welcome, pray for and rejoice in the end of the world. Maranatha! But we won’t take violent actions to hasten it like those doomsday cults because our Lord tells us to stay awake only (Matthew 24:42)! Staying awake is not idle at all. It takes efforts to stay awake.

For example, in the gospel we read in the liturgical year A, Jesus says, “So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” (24:44) In another Synoptic gospel, the Lord also mentions that nobody knows the day or the time, neither the angels nor the Son Himself (24:36; Mark 13:32). Therefore, don’t waste our time, energy and money to chase after those doomsday prophecies. Instead, stay awake and spend your energy in more fruitful ways because we’re convinced that our present actions count.
In fact, Jesus leaves us an enigma to provoke our minds to explore. He makes use of the story of Noah to remind the audience of the need to stay awake. The contemporaries of Noah were leading a “normal ordinary” life of “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage” (Matthew 24:38). Notice that Jesus did not mention the wickedness and evil they were supposed to have committed (Genesis 6:5) but normal ordinary social activities! Jesus continues to mention normal ordinary economic activities, “Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.” (Matthew 24:40-41). The logical question to ask is why the outcome is so different! The different outcomes also show that something other than actions is decisive. Actions in themselves are necessary but not sufficient to count. There is something more! Which means getting baptized; celebrating Sunday masses; receiving the sacraments; studying the Bible and visiting the homeless are necessary but not sufficient for you to be taken to heaven! We should focus on what makes the difference. Family members of Noah also ate, drank and married, didn’t they? So, how were they different from their contemporaries?

Genesis gives us a formula which is not informative at all. “But Noah found favour with the Lord.” (Genesis 6:8) The epistle of Peter may be able to shed some light on this vague formula. “And if He (God) did not spare the ancient world, even though He preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness …” (2 Peter 2:5). So it is leading an ordinary life in righteousness that won Noah the Lord’s favour. With righteousness, Noah was able to keep in touch with God while his contemporaries failed. With righteousness, one man out in the field and one woman grinding at the mill will be taken up to heaven while their counterparts fail. With righteousness, getting baptized; celebrating Sunday masses; receiving the sacraments; studying the Bible and visiting the homeless will win you the Lord’s favour. Otherwise, doing the same things is insufficient for a baptized Catholic to secure a place in heaven! Now then, what is righteousness? We may turn to the apostle whose lips always announce “righteousness”.

In the second reading today, Paul uses the same “awake” language as the Lord does. He says, “It is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed … Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.” (Romans 13:11-12) What are the works of darkness which we need to throw off? Paul enumerates a few examples: orgies, drunkenness, promiscuity, licentiousness, rivalry, jealousy and desires of the flesh etc. (13:13-14). With his Pharisaic background, preaching to the Romans must have been a cultural shock for Paul. But remember Noah’s story. I’m afraid what the Romans had taken to be normal and ordinary must have been extremely evil and sinful according to Paul’s standard.
Let’s put away the righteousness vocabulary for time being and imagine the ways both Noah and his contemporaries ate. If Noah ate with gratitude towards the Lord while the others ate without self-control, the gratitude made a difference. If there is an element of self-giving and sharing instead of selfish gratification in marriage, the sharing of love makes a difference. If there is an intention to glorify God in our work instead of defeating our rivals, the glorification of God makes a difference! If there is the motive to edify and raise your team members up instead of blaming your comrades for failures, such a difference will build heaven on earth!

Brethren! While actions count, motive and attitude differentiate. Staying awake means to be aware of the motive and attitude of our actions. Some motives and attitudes help us keep in touch with God and in the end we will be taken up to heaven while others will imperceptibly lead us away from God and be left behind in hell. Therefore, stay awake!
God bless!
2019 Reflection
Picture Credit: wikimedia.org

Are You Not the Messiah? 你不是默西亞嗎？

Solemnity of Christ the King, Year C
Theme: Are You Not the Messiah? 你不是默西亞嗎？

All canonical gospels put into writing the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ because this is the core of Christianity. Of course, the Evangelists are not omniscient. They could only be selective in their narratives and put down what they think is the most important for all believers. The Synoptic gospels mention that most people present at the crucifixion on Mount Calvary mock Jesus, including the two criminals crucified with Him (Matthew 27:44, Mark 15:32, Luke 23:39). But the Lucan version is different. He is able to record what the two criminals have actually said. We have to thank the Blessed Virgin Mary for retaining this precious piece of material for our meditation! This year for some unknown reason, when I meditated on the gospel text, the Holy Spirit drew my attention to the criminal who reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.” (Luke 23:39) I feel that most of us act like him!

For any sensible person, there must be reasons behind his every action. Otherwise, there cannot be any basis to hold him morally responsible for his action. Just think about it, how can a court of law sentence a robot for any crime? The robot simply follows the instructions of a computer program without any “understanding”. In other words, no mental patients can be criminals. Of course, for the safety and security of ordinary citizens, a government may lock up psychopaths or other categories of people whom the government deems dangerous to the society! In the Passion narrative, the two criminals acted in diametrically different manners towards Jesus. There must be reasons behind and it is meaningful to speculate on their reasons and perhaps we’ll be able to learn from their mistakes and successes.

I feel that the criminal who reviled Jesus on the cross represented most of us. Like most of the contemporary Jews who cheered for Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, this criminal was anticipating a Messiah who would drive out the Romans to restore the Kingdom to Israel. Jesus’ apostles thought likewise and even more confident in this prospect after seeing their Master defeating death and coming back to life (Acts 1:6)! How can we abhor this criminal for his thinking in this manner? Perhaps he was a comrade of Barabbas who, according to Luke, “had been imprisoned for a rebellion that had taken place in Jerusalem and for murder.” (Luke 23:19) Very likely this criminal had also been rounded up together with Barabbas in the rebellion. They took the deliverance of Israel in their hands, perhaps even believing that they were doing God’s will. The rebellion was suppressed. By crucifying Jesus, “the King of the Jews” (23:38), together with two rebels, Pilate was sending a strong message to all Zealots that the Roman Empire was determined to and was capable of crushing any rebellion now and in the future! Now that Jesus was crucified in Barabbas’ stead, to a certain extent has become a Messiah to liberate Barabbas, would it not be reasonable for this criminal to expect this Jesus Messiah to do the same for him? Jesus, what are you waiting for? Don’t you see that I’m dying? Save yourself! Jump down from the cross now and save us! Please … We pray to God in a similar manner! Jesus, don’t you see that I’m suffering injustice in this city? Why do you allow the law enforcers to beat up peaceful demonstrators? Why is the wicked prevailing over the righteous? Why did our Pope sign a secret treaty with atheists? Remove them to save us! Why do you allow the Covid-19 to kill millions of people for such a long time? People are suffering interpersonally and economically, not to mention politically. What are you waiting for? Do something. Wipe out the virus to save us! Please …

All Christians are expected to help actualize the Father’s kingdom (11:2) but most of us have different expectations of what we should do to bring about this kingdom. The criminal who reviled Jesus expected the Messiah to drive out the Romans. But God has a different plan. Take Abraham his ancestor as another example. While Abraham was childless, God promised him that his descendants would be as numerous as stars (Genesis 15:5). God even constrains Himself to honour His pledge by entering into a covenant with a mere mortal (15:18). Since Sarai was unable to bear Abraham any child, so she thought up a possible solution to make God’s promise come true. She told Abraham to have intercourse with her maid Hagar so that she would have sons through Hagar (16:2). They succeeded and Hagar gave birth to Ishmael when Abraham was 86 (16:16). But God has a different plan (17:19) which He revealed only 13 years later when Abraham was 99 (17:1)! Why didn’t God correct Sarai’s mistake immediately and allowed Ishmael to be born? Well you may say that it is because Ishmael was to father the Arabians in the future! But there have been so many battles and bloodsheds between Christians and Muslims ever since! Does God want to see these never-ending sibling rivalries? Brethren! God does not need my defence because His wisdom is unfathomable!

Two weeks ago God revealed His different plan to me. To show support of the newly baptized in the parish I’m serving, I intended to assist in a mass for the neophytes of 2022 at the Cathedral. Regrettably, I failed to catch a bus in time and I made a wrong turn on my way, wasting even more time. I prayed to God to help me arrive in time to the Cathedral … No. God didn’t hear my prayer and ignored my good intention. In the end, I was late and could not join the other deacons to assist mass at the altar. So, I stayed with the neophytes of my parish. During Gloria, my parish priest saw me and sent me to sit with 2 English-speaking neophytes to do simultaneous translation for them because the mass was in Chinese! During homily, the Bishop exhorted the neophytes to help build the kingdom of heaven on earth. They needed to surrender their wills to God’s will! This exhortation was tailor-made for me! Praise be to our merciful God because I didn’t have to wait for 13 years to know His plan!

The criminal who reviled Jesus definitely did not know whom he was speaking to and what he was doing. Like many of us, his complaints were his prayers. But Jesus had already prayed for his being forgiven (Luke 23:34) even before he complained. Perhaps he repented after hearing the repentant thief and started suffering his own punishment patiently for the reconciliation with God, with himself and for the actualization of the righteous kingdom of heaven on earth. He might not go into paradise with Jesus immediately like the repentant thief (23:43) but I’m sure the merciful Father had already forgiven him and would find ways to bring him consolation. After all, he did not have to wait for 13 years before God revealed His plan to him. The merciful Lord came back to life on the third day according to the Scriptures.

Brethren! I would be doing the repentant thief injustice if I ignored his merits. Do you remember his famous “remember me” prayer (23:42)? To be fair, the first person to pray “remember me” to God was Samson (Judges 16:28). Not only did God answer both of them immediately, they have become immortalized by this prayer and all readers of the Bible remember them as well. Did both of them always put their faith in God? Not at all! Both of them are successful because they have not lost their faith in God towards the end of their lives. How consoling their stories are!
God bless!
2019 Reflection
Picture Credit: sammlung.staedelmuseum.de

By Perseverance You Will Secure Your Lives 憑著堅忍保全靈魂

Thirty Third Ordinary Sunday, Year C
Theme: By Perseverance You Will Secure Your Lives 憑著堅忍保全靈魂

In the gospels, Jesus has made it crystal clear that nobody knows the day or time of the end of the world, “But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:32). Jesus also warns, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them!” (Luke 21:8) Yet, that doesn’t dissuade people from speculating and making money from doomsday prophecies. Even though all past prophecies have failed, perhaps this one will hit the jackpot! Actually, most of the prophecies were shrouded in ambiguities. Thanks to those doomsday prophets who made the apocalyptic dates specific and failed. We should not blame Jesus for refusing to reveal the day or time of the Last Judgment. Perhaps by its very nature, the very End should be open-ended like Lucan parables.

Some people take a complacent attitude towards life. After all, all men are mortal. Whatever we do, we’ll end up in dust (Genesis 3:19). Why should we worry and busy ourselves? In the second reading today, St. Paul rebukes such an attitude of those who believe that Jesus Christ would return soon. “We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others.” (2 Thessalonians 3:11) Since we Christians are free people, we are not slaves and are free to keep ourselves busy or otherwise. I suspect what offended St. Paul most was that some people overstep and busy themselves minding the business of others! Yes, such people are truly annoying. So, St. Paul continues, “Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food.” (3:12) Work quietly and don’t disturb the others. How appropriate it is and yet how difficult it is to work quietly for most of us! It is all too easy to lose focus and go after distractors. The same applies to reading Jesus’ messages in the gospels and biblical messages in general.

Take a look at the first reading today which is taken from Malachi 3. Beware of reading it out of context! To be fair, the whole chapter talks about God’s mercy but it is easier to read punishments than mercy. For example, in prophesizing the witness of John the Baptist, Malachi says, “But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand firm when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire, like fullers’ lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the Levites, refining them like gold or silver, that they may bring offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord, as in ancient days, as in years gone by.” (Malachi 3:2-4) Anyone reading this text would be distracted by words like “refiner’s fire” and “fullers’ lye” but has anybody endured any harm due to the Baptist’s witness? Not that I know of. Similarly, the very first sentence of the first reading today is eye-catching and will conjure up the image of the end of the world. “For the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch” (3:19) and we’ll easily miss “But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays” (3:20a) and the healing that follows! Remember what we read last week. Our God is not a God of the dead but God of the living. He purifies and heals and has no intention to destroy and kill!

Let’s read again the gospel text. Again people will easily be distracted by descriptions of false Messiahs (Luke 21:8), wars and insurrections (21:9-10), earthquakes, famines and plagues, near miss of asteroids (21:11), religious and political persecutions (21:12), betrayals as well as deaths (21:16) and hate speeches (21:17) etc. Come on, give me a break. Human history is littered with innumerable events such as these and I’m 100% sure that more will continue to be served! Instead let’s not lose sight of the focus! God is accompanying us in all these tribulations. He’ll defend us against accusations (21:14-15), He assures us that “not a hair on your head will be destroyed” (21:18). What we need to do is to persevere, “By your perseverance you will secure your lives” (21:19). In what should we persevere? That’s the right question to ask! Of course, we should not persevere in decoding the doomsday! Instead, we should keep pace with the Lord. When we claim that God is accompanying us, people would ask “where is your God?” (Psalms 42:3) That’s a very good question! Lord Jesus Christ our God is among the poor, the disadvantaged and the socially marginalized.

In 2016 at the closing of the Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis announced to make the Thirty-third Ordinary Sunday the “World Day of the Poor”. This year, the theme is “For your sakes Christ became poor” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Jesus Christ the Son of God is infinitely wealthy and yet for our sakes He chose to become flesh (John 1:14), was born in a manger (Luke 2:7), crucified like a criminal and was buried in someone else’s tomb! Truly, the Son of Man has no place to rest his head (9:58). He defeated death, came back to life and returned to the Father. And yet, He chose to remain on earth to accompany believers until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20) in the humble species of unleavened bread and grape wine. Moreover, to give us easy access to Him, He is present among the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the homeless, the sick and the imprisoned (25:35-36). He is not aloft and unreachable. Jesus invites us to be in solidarity with Him by “sharing the little we have with those who have nothing, so that no one will go without.” (2022 World Day of the Poor Message) To make life easy, many people prefer ganging up with the wealthy and the powerful. Unfortunately, the Son of God prefers the ricked to the rich, the meek to the mighty! Thus, His Bride the Church opts for the poor since Vatican II.

Brethren! The End is open-ended. The only certainty we have in hand is the unambiguous advice the Son of God gives us, “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” (Luke 21:19) Let us never grow tired of sharing the little we have with those who have not.
God bless!
5^th World Day of the Poor
Picture Credit: caritasbrentwood.org

God of the Living 活人的天主

Thirty Second Ordinary Sunday, Year C
Theme: God of the Living 活人的天主

It is a tautology to say that the theologies of different denominations are not the same. Christians have to uphold two articles of faith in order to claim to be orthodox Christians. Otherwise, they are only heretics or at best unorthodox! The two articles are namely the Blessed Trinity and Jesus Christ is truly divine and human. There are denominations which are fluent in quoting the Bible but are unable to uphold the belief that their God is three-in-one or that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of God! By denying the Blessed Virgin Mary the title of the Mother of God, they deny the divinity of Jesus at the same time! Somehow, these denominations set up extra-constrains on the practice of their faith in order to ensure the “purity” of their beliefs. Regrettably, many of those extra-constrains are politically motivated and their theological ground is shaky. For example, the iconoclasm, that is the destruction of religious icons, images and monuments, which erupted in different eras and regions is mostly political rather than theological. Therefore, whether those extra-constrains are appropriate or not is debatable. Open-mindedness is in short supply. Very few are able to come together, talk and listen to each other, agreeing to disagree. Instead controversies and even blood-sheds are widespread!

“What has been, that will be; what has been done, that will be done. Nothing is new under the sun!” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Religious arguments are nothing new. While Christians of different denominations argue over the real presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, centuries ago, two Jewish sects, the Sadducees and the Pharisees, were arguing over the question of resurrection. I suspect such disagreements reflect a lot about their political inclinations and are also shown in their definition of scriptural canons. The Sadducees belonged to the priestly class. They were rich, powerful and were happy to cooperate with the Roman colonial government in order to maintain the status quo. They only accepted the Torah as canonical. On the other hand, Pharisees arose as the defender of national identity during the Babylonian Captivity. They anticipated the Messiah to liberate them from oppressors and to restore their identity as God’s Chosen People over the Gentiles. For them, the Prophets and Holy Writings such as Psalms, Job, Ruth and Daniel were also canonical.

The question of resurrection is not a simple theological controversy. It is both moral and political. For those who do not find justice in the present political situation, they put their hope in the resurrection of the dead and the Final Judgment, without which leading a moralistic life on earth was futile and martyrdom to defend the faith of their fathers would be meaningless. All the hard work of the scribes and teachers of the law during Babylonian Captivity would come to null ... Therefore, the Pharisees defended the belief in resurrection. On the other hand, the priestly class upheld that offering sacrifices to appease God was of paramount importance for a happy life on earth. Death is a great Equalizer! All men were mortal whether you’re righteous or wicked. Since nobody had come back to life to tell people a different story, therefore, seize the moment and make the best out of whatever had been given you. Forget about resurrection and the Final Judgment! I suspect that the story of the seven brothers was a trump card devised by the Sadducees. Resurrection would result in adultery which God forbids. God would not contradict Himself, would He? The logic was so water-tight that the Pharisees had not yet come up with an adequate rebuke. In the eyes of the Sadducees, Jesus was just a never-heard-of rabbi from the good-for-nothing Galilee. Defeating this carpenter rabbi with the “seven-brother story” was just a piece of cake for them.

The Sadducees were able to defeat the Pharisees with the Mosaic law of Levirate marriage because the Pharisees could never deny any law of Moses. But Jesus was not a Pharisee and He transcends Moses. He was telling all peoples a different story at the moment and would come back to life to vindicate His words. Here is Jesus’ story: Since all men were mortal whether they’re righteous or wicked, they got married to beget children in order to pass on their inheritance and whatever unfinished projects. But with resurrection, “they can no longer die” (Luke 20:36). Even if their hearts and their breath stop they would come back to life and breathe again to continue their unfinished projects! Therefore, men do not need to get married in order to beget children to inherit their wealth/projects any more. Without marriage, there can no longer be adultery because no woman would be owned by any man and vice versa. God does not contradict Himself with resurrection, does He? If death is a great Equalizer, resurrection is an even greater Equalizer!

Jesus does not stop there. He goes deeper and returns to the very beginning. Why do men die? In the story of the Original Sin, death was a containment measure to stop sins from spreading out of control. It was a temporary measure and was not God’s original intention in the Creation. It was temporary because it started its existence after Creation. It is never meant to be eternal! What would be the point of creating the known universe and letting life flourish in it if life ended in death? God would not contradict Himself, would He? So Jesus quoted Moses’ words to show that the Lord is “not God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive” (20:38). Not only does Jesus claim sovereignty over all the living and dead, but He also grants them eternal life in so doing!

Some Pharisees must have been watching the debate and applauded Jesus’ wits (20:39). No! Jesus did not simply want to win an argument. He wants to strengthen the faith of all of us in Him. I’m not God of the dead but God of the living. Don’t be scared by the death which stands between you and Me. Trust in Me and I’ll deliver you and help you transcend death to enjoy “the fruit from the tree of life” (Genesis 3:22)! Had Jesus not come back to life all the brilliant arguments above would have been mere witty sophism. Therefore, the arguments about resurrection must be understood in the light of the Resurrection of the Lord. Furthermore, it is unwise to impose extra-constrains on our faith since God wants us to return to Him with our free-will. The lesser the constrains the better when it comes to approaching and embracing God’s mercy.

Let us follow Peter’s example and confess, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68) Since resurrection is both moral and political, let us lead a righteous life compatible with resurrection: to love God and to defend the welfare of the marginalized.
God bless!
2019 Reflection
Picture Credit: happenings.xrysostom.com/

別人的財物 Other People's Money

別人的財物（路16:9-15）

基督宗教信仰是非常理性的，所以少了迷信和宗教狂熱的機會。今天所讀的福音片段，它的邏輯簡直滴水不漏！基督宗教信仰就是這樣附合理性，怎可能是不合時宜呢？

「小事上忠信的，在大事上也忠信；在小事上不義的，在大事上也不義。」（路16:10）你能找到破綻嗎？你能列舉相反的例子嗎？你能找到一個在雞毛蒜皮的事上不義的人，例如貪小便宜的人，委任他做政府的財相嗎？

從這個基礎上，耶穌進一步推論：「如果你們在不義的錢財上不忠信，誰還把真實的錢財委託給你們呢？」（16:11）「不義的錢財」是甚麼？我們立刻聯想到不勞而獲的「橫財」，例如賭博贏到的錢，甚至「賊贓」！處理「賊贓」不忠信，即私吞「賊贓」，恐怕我們沒有這樣的膽量；但享受賭博贏到的錢，有甚麼不對？對不起，賭場內祇有「莊家」是贏家，最後你祇會得到傾家蕩產的下場，沒有享用「不義的錢財」的機會！所以，「在不義的錢財上不忠信」祇能有靈性的解釋，是指我們由天主白白得來的恩賜，但我們浪費了這些恩寵。即是祇顧享受這些恩寵帶來的利益，而沒有用這些恩寵來服務有需要的人！這是人之常情嘛，何罪之有？如果這樣是有罪，這位天主的要求太高了！但甚麼是「真實的錢財」呢？是黃金？還是永生？

且看耶穌的終極教訓：「如果你們在別人的財物上不忠信，誰還把屬於你們的交給你們呢？」（16:12）「別人的財物」指甚麼？基金經理的客戶？不是！是天主賜給各人的恩寵，是天主的，不是你的。「你們的」應該是指為我們預備了的「天堂留位」！如果我們沒有善用天主的恩寵，誰還會把天堂的一席位，交給我們呢？

信耶穌基督絕不迷信。
天主保祐！
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：washingtonpost.com

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Other People's Money (Luke 16:9-15)

Christianity is very rational, thus reducing opportunities for superstitions or freneticism. The logic of the gospel passage we read today is air-tight! Christianity is so reasonable that it is impossible for it to be irrelevant today!

Are you able to point out the flaw in this statement, “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones” (Luke 16:10)? Are you able to give counter-examples? Are you able to name a dishonest person in small matters, such as somebody who has been greedy in small conveniences or advantages appointed the Financial Secretary in the government?

Upon this foundation, Jesus argues one step forwards, “If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?” (16:11) What is “dishonest wealth”? Immediately come to mind are fortunes such as payoff from a casino or even robbery loots! I’m afraid we don’t have the guts to handle loots dishonestly. But what’s wrong with enjoying payoff from a casino? I’m sorry, bankers are the only winners and you’ll end up losing your last cent and have no chance to enjoy this dishonest wealth! Thus, being “not trustworthy with dishonest wealth” can only have a spiritual interpretation. It means God freely gives us graces but we squander them. That is to say, we enjoy the benefits which come along with those graces but fail to make use of them to serve the needy! Isn’t enjoying benefits a natural human tendency. What’s wrong with it? If that counts a sin, perhaps this God is too demanding! But what is “true wealth”, gold or eternal life?

Let’s read the ultimate teaching, “If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?” (16:12) What is this “what belongs to another”? Clients of fund managers? No! It is the graces God gives you. They belong to God, not to you. “Yours” must refer to “your reserved place in heaven”! If we do not make good use of God’s graces, who will give us the place reserved for us in heaven?

Believing in Jesus Christ is absolutely not superstitious!
God bless!

結局由讀者決定 The End Is Decided By Readers

結局由讀者決定（路16:1-8）

比喻包含令聽眾「意外」的元素，這個「不義管家比喻」，更為突出。這管家確實不義，他既揮霍了主人的財物（路16:1），又在被撤職前，以權謀私，繼續損害主人的利益，為自己留下後路（16:4）。主人竟然會稱讚這樣的管家辦事精明（16:8），聽眾一定會感到意外，很想找出原因！但身為中國人的我們，聽了這個類似「狡兔三窟」的故事，一點也不會感到意外。能在自己的困境中想出一個「三贏方案」，這位管家確實「辦事精明」，令人佩服。我們反而很想知道，這個管家最後可以復職嗎？和「蕩子比喻」一樣，「不義管家比喻」的結局同樣是開放的，取決於管家以後的選擇。

從前，管家並不認識主人原來是「全知」的，便肆無忌憚地「揮霍」──這個字與蕩子「耗費」他的資財（15:13）是同一個字──拿主人的財物給自己享受。被揭後又認識到自己的無能（16:3），卻想到了出路，而且主人還稱讚他。管家可以選擇：

1. 懷疑主人的稱讚，不敢相信「全知」的主人是慈悲的，便決定離開主人。恐怕這管家便會步猶達斯的後塵了。
2. 相信主人真心稱讚他，相信他是慈悲的，便向主人認錯，並許諾從今以後憑自己新發現的潛能，忠誠地服事他，求主人賜給他一次機會。

的確，因循安逸的生活，容易蒙蔽了人對真我的認識。即使發掘到自己真正的潛能，也需要一位慈悲的主人給他翻身的機會。天主就是那位連罪人也稱讚的慈悲上主，祂希望一切都可以大團圓結局。
各位朋友，你相信天主是慈悲的嗎？
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：wikimedia.org

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The End Is Decided By Readers (Luke 16:1-8)

Parables contain surprise elements for readers. This is especially conspicuous in the Parable of the Dishonest Steward. This steward is truly dishonest because he squandered his master’s property (Luke 16:1). Before he was removed from his stewardship, he prepared for his exit by making use of his remaining days to continue embezzling his master’s property (16:4). Unexpectedly, the master commended this dishonest steward for acting prudently (16:8). The audience must be surprised and very much want to know why. As for us Chinese, we won’t be surprised because the plot is similar to the historical background of a well-known idiom, “A prudent hare prepares three lairs”. This steward was commendable because he was able to come up with a three-win solution in an adverse situation. We are more interested to know if the master would appoint him the steward again. Like the Parable of the Prodigal Son, this Parable of Dishonest Steward is also open-ended and the end is decided by the subsequent choices the steward makes.

Previously, the steward did not know that the master is all-knowing. He would fearlessly squander his master’s property --- the same word used in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (15:13) --- that is, wasting his master’s property on his personal enjoyment! Yet, after being reported and knowing his own incompetency (16:3), he was able to come up with a solution and received praises from the master. The steward could choose:

1. Doubting the commendation of the master and daring not to believe that the all-knowing master is merciful, he decides to leave the master. I’m afraid he would follow the footstep of Judas.
2. Trusting that the master’s praises are genuine and believe that the master is merciful. He apologizes to the master and promises to make good use of the newly discovered potential to serve the master loyally. He begs the master to give him a second chance.

Indeed, a complacent life can easily hinder us from knowing our genuine self. Even if we are able to discover our true potentials, we need a merciful master to give us a second chance. God is this merciful Lord who even praises sinners. He wishes us to have a happy ending.
Brethren! Do you believe in God’s mercy?

天主不計較風險 God Doesn’t Count Risks

天主不計較風險（路15:1-10）

「亡羊比喻」很清楚告訴我們，天主子耶穌基督並不信奉「功利主義」。即使祂偶爾運用功利主義的邏輯，也是為了遷就聽眾的道德水平，最終還是希望我們認識天父的慈悲。比喻中的「那個人」，無論他是牧場的主人或是一個普通的牧羊人，為了一隻亡羊而「把九十九隻丟在荒野，去尋覓那遺失的一隻」（路15:4），有得不償失的風險，合化算嗎？要知道在「荒野」中的九十九隻羊，會被狼群侵襲，或者在缺乏照顧之下流失了！「那個人」不計較風險的行動，並不符合「功利主義」的邏輯。

另一方面，用「荒野」來形容教會的處境，非常恰當。今天的教會絕對不是安全地藏身在堅固的堡壘內（詠48:13-14），而是在現世「荒野」中朝聖的、邁向天國的天主子民。她不能保證那九十九隻在「荒野」有牧者照顧的羊，不會被世俗的錯謬思想衝擊，不會對教會失望而離開教會等等，這些的確是教會的現況！

要知道比喻的特點在於故事中的「意外」元素，它令聽眾驚訝而引起反思！違反一般人的「功利主義」思維，正是這個比喻的意外元素。當有限的人計較成本效益時，天主是不計成本地對罪人慈悲。耶穌基督要我們注意的，正是天父的慈悲，祂樂意看見罪人悔改（則18:23），就是這樣簡單！

最後，還有兩個值得默想的課題，留給大家「享受」吧！第一，「無須悔改的義人」帶給天主的喜樂，真的不及「罪人悔改」的喜樂嗎？第二，世上真的有那麼多（九十九比一）「無須悔改的義人」嗎？
天主保祐！
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：behance.net

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God Doesn’t Count Risks (Luke 15:1-10)

The Parable of the Lost Sheep clearly tells us that Jesus Christ the Son of God does not buy utilitarianism. Even if sometimes He makes use of the utilitarian language, He is adapting to the moral level of the audience. In the end, He wishes all of us to know the mercy of the Father. The action of the man in the parable, it doesn’t matter whether he is the owner of the farm or just a hired shepherd, “leaves the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until he finds it” (Luke 15:3) is totally anti-utilitarian. The benefit would never justify the risks! The ninety nine sheep in the desert would fall prey easily to packs of wolves. They might even get lost due to a lack of pastors. The risky action of the man does not follow utilitarian logic.

On the other hand, using “wilderness” to describe the situation of the Church is very appropriate. Today, the Church is no longer hiding herself inside citadels or bulwarks (Psalms 48:13-14), but is a People of God on pilgrimage towards the Kingdom of Heaven. She is not able to guarantee that there are pastors shepherding the sheep in the wilderness and be able to withstand attacks from fallacies, or that they wouldn’t be disappointed with the Church and leave etc. This is truly the present situation of our Church!

Bear in mind that in parables there are surprise elements which trigger reflections of the audience! The surprise element of this parable is how the man acted against the utilitarian mindset ordinary people took for granted. When finite humanity does cost-benefit-analysis, God continues to be merciful towards sinners without counting the costs. Jesus Christ wants us to focus on the mercy of the Father who rejoices when the wicked turn from their evil way and live (Ezekiel 18:23). It is as simple as such!

Lastly, I leave all of you two more topics for your meditation! Firstly, do righteous people bring less joy to God than sinners who repent? Secondly, are there so many righteous people who have no need of repentance, 99 times of number of sinners?
God bless!

信耶穌真不容易 It’s Truly Not Easy to Believe in Jesus

信耶穌真不容易（若6:37-40）

雖然當今教宗不斷地勉勵我們成聖，並安慰我們平凡的生活，也足以讓我們問鼎天堂；但不竟我們都是營營役役，終日奔波勞碌的平信徒，而且生活在這個偽資訊爆炸的世代，相信耶穌已經不容易，「成聖」更是遙不可及！

「相信耶穌」有甚麼難呢？祇是要求你「口裡承認耶穌為主、心裡相信天主使祂從死者中復活起來了」（羅10:9），又不是要你赴湯蹈火（格前13:3），試問難在那裡呢？

姑且不須要你經常把「主耶穌」掛在嘴邊（瑪7:21），要知道「心裡相信」，絕對不是一件輕而易舉的事！今天，人民的知識水平普遍高了，又受過科技教育的洗禮，凡事講求真憑實據。你能拿出憑據，使現代人「相信天主使耶穌從死者中復活起來」嗎？即使今天在耶路撒冷有很多與耶穌受難有關的朝聖點，例如「苦路」、「聖墓大殿」等，讓信徒們緬懷天主子為罪人所付出的沉重代價，懺悔己罪；但對於研究了超過一個世紀的「都靈聖殮布」，教會仍然沒有公開宣認它就是福音記載包裹耶穌遺體的裹屍布；因為教會不願意把她的信仰，全部押在一幅布的真偽之上！教會相信的，是歷代信徒的見證，即各式各樣的「殉道」。現代人會接受這套法則嗎？

相信你有領聖體吧！你向在你心中的耶穌祈禱，祂有多次回應你呢？你看見過其他人辦告解吧！告解後的人有改善嗎？可惜，我們所見的負面見證多，正面的寥寥無幾！所以你愛耶穌，你愛祂的奧體，但你不愛制度化的教會，對嗎？

的確，倘若沒有天主聖神的感動，單憑信徒的努力，聽眾的理智，市民大眾是不會信耶穌的。朋友，你相信耶穌真的可以「凡祂交給我的，叫我連一個也不失掉，而且在末日，我要使他復活」（若6:39）嗎？如果你相信，你憑甚麼相信呢？
天主保祐！
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：shroud.com

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It’s Truly Not Easy to Believe in Jesus (John 6:37-40)

Though the Pope continually encourages us on our path to sanctification and affirms us that even ordinary daily life is sufficient to reserve a place in heaven, after all we the laity are busy earning our livelihood like bees. Moreover, we’re living in an age of fake information explosion. It’s truly not easy to believe in Jesus and “sanctification” is rather beyond reach!

What’s so difficult in having faith in Jesus? You’re only required to “confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9), not to give your body to be burnt (1 Corinthians 13:3), where comes the difficulty?

Even if you’re not required to say “Lord, Lord” (Matthew 7:21) all the day, believing Jesus in your heart in not an easy task! Today, people are literate and have been baptized in education of science and technology. They demand evidence in everything. Can you put forth evidence to convince modern people that “God raised Him from the dead”? Though there’re in Jerusalem many pilgrimage points, such as the Via Dolorosa and the Shrine of the Holy Sepulchre etc. to allow believers to remember the heavy price the Son of God has paid for sinners so that they might feel sorry for their sins, the Church still refuses to recognize the Shroud of Turin, which has been scrutinized scientifically for more than a century, to be the shroud mentioned in the gospels that wrapped the corpse of Jesus. She does not want our faith to bank on the authenticity of a piece of cloth! Instead, the Church puts her trust in the witnesses of the faithful throughout the ages, i.e. all manners of martyrdom. Will modern people accept this paradigm?

You have received the Holy Communion, haven’t you? How many times has Jesus answered when you pray to Him in your heart? You have seen people go to confession, haven’t you? Have they improved afterwards? Regrettably, we have seen many negative witnesses and are able to count positive ones with our fingers! Thus, you love Jesus. You love His Mystical Body but you don’t love the institutionalized Church, do you?

Indeed, without the moving of the Holy Spirit, people will not believe in Jesus, not with their rationality or our efforts. Brethren! Do you truly believe that Jesus is able to honour His pledge, that “I should not lose anything of what He gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day” (John 6:39)? If you do, what’s your evidence?
God bless!

問鼎天堂 Reserving A Place In Heaven

問鼎天堂（瑪5:1-12a）

四年前，教宗方濟各頒布【你們要歡喜踴躍】宗座勸諭，論述「於當代世界成聖的召叫」，並指出「真福八端」是基督徒的身份證（#63）。基督徒在世蒙召成聖，進入天堂分享上主的永恆生命。領洗證明書不是天堂的「入場券」，能活出真福精神纔是！祇要活出八福之一，便足以問鼎天堂！（#64-95）

初期教會經歷幾個世紀教難的洗禮，逐漸茁壯成長，殉道者成為教會所宣認的聖人，信徒們的楷模。到了中世紀，信仰得到深化，傑出的靈修大師輩出，各個修會冒出了不少神魂超拔、奉獻一生服事天主的聖人聖女。時移世易，教友再沒有那麼多殉道的機會或者神魂超拔的恩寵，但把自己的身心完全奉獻給天主的宏願，依然可能實踐。君不見二十世紀雖然經歷過兩次世界大戰，教會仍宣認了不少的聖人。即是說，天主所創造的世界是多采多姿的，纔足以歌頌祂的偉大；同樣，成聖之路不是單一的，圍繞在天主身邊的，應該是形形色色的聖人與天使，日夜不停地讚頌上主。

各位兄弟姊妹，你喜歡度刻苦簡樸的生活嗎？你能完全寄望於上主嗎？你有勇氣體會他人的痛苦嗎？你喜歡與勝利者同流合污，還是站在窮人弱者的一邊嗎？你有寬恕傷害你的人的胸襟嗎？你祇服事一個天主，還是漁翁撒網地東拜龍王，西拜皇母嗎？你有平安的心，靈活的創意，化解矛盾，讓不同的人共融的妙計嗎？你有唾面自乾、堅毅不屈的殉道精神嗎？

各位兄弟姊妹，上述那一款真福適合你呢？
天主保祐！
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：denvercatholic.org

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Reserving A Place In Heaven (Matthew 5:1-12a)

Four years ago, Pope Francis gave the “Gaudete et Exsultate” apostolic exhortation on the call to holiness in today’s world and pointed out that the Beatitudes are like the identity card of Christians (GE #63). They are called to sanctification here and now in order to partake in the Lord’s eternal life in heaven. Baptismal certificates are not admission tickets to heaven. Leading a life of Beatitudes is! We may secure a place in heaven if we are able to live up to one of the Beatitudes! (#64-95).

The early Church had endured several centuries of persecutions and grew. Martyrs were canonized to be exemplars for the faithful. In the Middle Ages, faith deepened and many spirituality masters emerged. Religious orders gave us mystics, consecrated monks and nuns by the scores. Time changes and nowadays, not many martyrdom opportunities or ecstatic graces are available. Still it is possible to dedicate one’s whole soul and whole heart to God. Don’t you see that the Church is able to canonize many saints after the two world wars in the previous century? That is to say, the world God created must be multi-facet in order to sing praises to the majesty of God. Similarly, the path to sanctification is NOT unique. There should be saints and angels of all spots and stripes singing praises ceaselessly to God days and nights.

Brethren! Do you enjoy a simple life? Do you put your hope totally in God? Do you have the courage to empathize others’ sufferings? Do you opt for the winners or the poor? Are you able to embrace those who hurt you? Do you serve God alone, or prepare for other contingency plans with other deities? Do you have a peaceful heart and a nimble creativity to resolve conflicts and build up fellowship? Are you ever ready for martyrdom?

Brethren! Which beatitude suits you?
God bless!

善用天主的慈悲 Make Good Use of God’s Mercy

善用天主的慈悲（路14:12-14）

設宴非同小可，並不簡單。倘若你沒有充足的財富或者地位，你何來設宴的本錢呢？未過中年的受薪層級而能設宴，真是絕無僅有！要知道人過中年，每一天都是天主額外的賞報。原來天主時時刻刻都在賞報我們，用不著等到義人復活的時候。所以，你幾時設宴，請誰都可以。請親戚朋友和富有的鄰人可以，請貧窮的殘廢的瞎眼的更加可以。因為天主不會因為你宴請富有者而拒絕賞報你。但天主會因你宴請富有者而給你小一點的賞報嗎？當然不會！倘若天主與人斤斤計較，有誰還能站得住呢(詠130:3)？

要注意，天主子耶穌基督正在運用著有局限的人類語言，向我們演說天父上智的真理，難免引起我們很多的誤解。例如，耶穌基督勸勉我們行善，便運用了「功利主義」的邏輯。這樣做可以讓大部份人容易明白，但自命清高的人是不願接受的！

要知道天主絕對不會附和「功利主義」的邏輯。天父把惟一的獨生子交給人類釘十字架，替人類贖罪，可見祂做事是不會計較成本的！因此，即使耶穌基督運用「功利主義」的口吻，但祂的心意依然是慈悲的。
為甚麼祂祇說：「但在義人復活的時候」(路14:14)而沒有提及「惡人復活」呢？難道惡人不會復活嗎？要知道聖經沒有提及的事物，並不表示這些事物不存在。天主子不在這裡說「惡人復活的時候」，是不想對惡人過早宣判，祂一再展示了對罪人的慈悲。
慈悲的主，不要讓我們浪費祢的一番好意，請幫助我們善用恩賜，把祢的慈悲廣傳。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：johnsanidopoulos.com

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Make Good Use of God’s Mercy (Luke 14:12-14)

Organizing a banquet is a big deal. If you’re not sufficiently wealthy or highly esteemed, how are you able to afford organizing one? Rarely can a middle-aged salaried worker do it! Indeed, each day is an extra gift from God once you survive past the middle-age. It turns out that God doesn’t wait until the resurrection of the righteous to repay us. He is rewarding us all the time! Thus, you may invite anybody in mind when you plan a banquet. Relatives, friends and wealthy neighbour are welcome. The poor, the maimed and the blind are even better. God will not refuse to repay you because you invite the rich. But will God repay me less if I invite the rich? Of course not! If the Lord keeps account of sins, who can stand (Psalms 130:3)?

Bear in mind that the Son of God Jesus Christ is deploying the limited human language to express the Father’s wisdom from on high. Misunderstanding is inevitable. For example, Jesus Christ exhorts us to do good with a utilitarian logic. Many people find it easy to understand but the moral elitists would definitely reject!

Be assured that God does not buy the logic of utilitarianism. The Father handed His only begotten Son over to be crucified to redeem our sins. It shows that God does not count costs! Thus, though Jesus Christ uses utilitarian languages, His intention is still merciful!
Why did He say “at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:4) and not mention “the resurrection of the wicked”? Would the wicked not resurrect? We should remember that in the Bible, an absence of evidence is NOT the evidence of absence. The Son of God does not mention here the resurrection of the wicked because He does not want to pass judgment on the wicked pre-maturely. It demonstrates once again His mercy towards sinners.
Merciful Lord! Let us not waste Your good will towards us. Help us make good use of Your grace to pass on Your mercy. Amen.

We Are Saved In Unique Ways 因材施救

Thirty First Ordinary Sunday, Year C
Theme: We Are Saved In Unique Ways 因材施救

From what we can gather from the Synoptic gospels, at least two things happened at Jericho when Jesus was on his last trip to Jerusalem. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus healed two anonymous blind men when He left Jericho (Matthew 20:29-34). They called Jesus the Son of David which suits Matthew’s Messianic theme. In the gospel of Mark, Jesus healed blind Bartimaeus when He was leaving Jericho (Mark 10:46-52). The healing suits Mark’s Son of God theme. So, we know for sure that Jesus healed some blind beggars (it doesn’t matter whether there were one or two blind men and whether they were beggars or what not) in Jericho before He went up to Jerusalem. That the blind beggar was NOT anonymous suggests that Bartimaeus must have been a well-known figure in the Marcan community. But Luke chose to report another incident, not a miracle but miraculous none the less. When Jesus entered Jericho, He entered the house of Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector and a rich man (Luke 19:1-10). The story of Zacchaeus is meaningful in at least two ways.

First of all, Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and a wealthy man (19:2). In the eyes of contemporary Jews, he was a public sinner because he worked for the Romans to oppress his own kindred. Moreover, he must have been greedy and collected more than required. But Jesus comes to his defence and says, “This man too is a descendant of Abraham” (19:9). From the lips of the Lord, Zacchaeus was declared to be a descendant of Abraham. No matter how scandalous his previous life had been, he would also inherit the blessings God promised to Abraham! Even a public sinner is allowed to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven! It seems unfair in our eyes because righteousness is essential in keeping a society in proper order. What Zacchaeus did had been self-fattening, selfish and harming the common good. How can it be wrong to label him a sinner, can’t it? This is not a social discrimination as we understand today because this labelling was unable to cause Zacchaeus any harms or disadvantages in the society. At most, it acted as a “curb” on his unscrupulous greed! But when God shows Zacchaeus mercy, God is not contradicting His righteousness. Instead, God is righteous when He gives sinners opportunities to repent and forgive them when they do.

Secondly, the story of Zacchaeus reminds us of another tax collector whom God has also shown mercy. Matthew was a tax collector working somewhere near Capernaum in Galilee in the north. In the early phase of His public ministry, Jesus called him and eleven others to form the core of apostles, the foundation of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. However, it was in the final stage of the public ministry of Jesus that Zacchaeus was called. As mentioned above, all of us, whether we lead a saintly or scandalous life, are called to inherit the blessings pledged to Abraham. We are called to become saints and to partake in the eternal life of God. But each of our calls is unique! Jesus did not call Matthew by his name (5:27) but Zacchaeus by his (19:5). In the case of Zacchaeus, it must have been a very piercing experience when the Lord called him by his name! Indeed, every call is basically a call to personal reconciliation with the Lord. Moreover, their paths to sanctification were also different. Matthew received a “tougher” coaching for some three years and took up the heavy duty to be one of the pillars of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:14). The Bible does not tell us what Zacchaeus has accomplished in the early Church. But that his name was recorded in the gospel indicates that he was prominent in the Lucan community. In one tradition, Zacchaeus the tax collector was the first bishop of Caesarea. Thus, the call of Zacchaeus demonstrates that our paths to sanctification are unique. Some are called to be apostles and others beggars, bishops, deacons, hermits, nurses, priests, teachers and widows etc. We don’t have to hand over half of our possessions to the Church or to the homeless in order to be saved. Allow me to repeat once more, our paths to salvation, to sanctification are unique.

Zacchaeus’ charitable work reminds me of people who quote Paul out of context, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9) and “It is those who have faith who are children of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7), echoing the Lord’s defence of Zacchaeus. From these quotes, those people deny the merits of charitable works. But how can anybody be saved simply by faith alone? Doesn’t Paul continue to say, “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love” (5:6)? Therefore, “faith only” doesn’t save but “only faith working through love” saves! Zacchaeus is a good illustration. Jesus’ call pierces his heart, prompting him to reflect how this rabbi knows his name the first time they meet. His faith in Jesus and his sincerity of repentant are shown by the subsequent actions Zacchaeus pledged to take. “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor”, i.e. faith working through love and “If I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over”, i.e. his sincerity of repentance (Luke 19:8). He must have honoured his pledge otherwise, the name Zacchaeus would not appear in the gospel of Luke. Who is able to see Zacchaeus’ faith without his charitable work (James 2:18)? Only God is and we are not God!

Our God is ineffable. Human languages are inaccurate in describing Him. At most, we can only apply anthropomorphism to make sense of Him. So, God has a face which nobody sees and lives. His strong arms deliver Israel, carrying him on His wings. He can be angry and jealous etc. So, in order to harmonize how an all-knowing and righteous God can be merciful, we read today that, “You overlook sins for the sake of repentance” (Wisdom 11:23). The text portrays God as a father, not as a judge. A father knows the mistakes made by his children but he is tolerant and overlooks those mistakes, hoping that his children will correct their mistakes and improve. A judge is sober and will never overlook details. Growth and development are not his concern. Fairness is. The God Jesus portrays is a father, not a magistrate. That is the good news!

Brethren! God must have called you. Are you on your path to sanctification? Perhaps you have turned lukewarm because there are too many things to handle in order to earn a decent living and to maintain a healthy relationship etc. You must have been very burdened. Zacchaeus too must have felt the squeeze of being a public sinner. Perhaps from his subordinates in the north, he had heard something about this rabbi from Galilee who didn’t mind dining with sinners. Zacchaeus “was seeking to see who Jesus was” (Luke 19:3) and found his salvation (19:9). What about you? Are you seeking to see who Jesus is and find your peace in Him?
God bless!
2019 Reflection
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