喜喜歡歡做耶穌的朋友 Rejoicing To Be Jesus’ Friends

喜喜歡歡做耶穌的朋友（若15:18-21）

讀了今天的福音之後，你會後悔做耶穌的朋友嗎？
世界恨耶穌，把祂釘死在十字架上；同樣，世界會迫害耶穌的朋友（若15:18）。你害怕受株連嗎？
世界恨耶穌，「因為他們不認識那派遣我來的」（15:21）天父。經濟繁榮，科技進步，使世人極度自我膨脹。天主變得無關重要，世人開始否定天主的存在，並且有取代天主的氣勢。他們的眼中祗有自己，再沒有天主。在他們看來，耶穌是一個煽惑群眾的滋事份子，人人得而誅之。世界把迫害異見人士合理化了！

世界迫害耶穌的朋友，因為你們不願與世界同流合污，你們不願意屬於世界；並且，你們的行為反映出世界的黑暗（3:20），世界自然不喜愛你們，繼而迫害你們。
你記得這「世界」是指誰嗎？在五月十六日的反省中，我們知道若望筆下的「世界」，就是「那不愛我的，就不遵守我的話」（14:24a）的人。

不要氣餒，「那不愛耶穌的，不遵守耶穌的話的人」，並不可怕。因為他們祇能殺害肉身，而不能殺害靈魂（瑪10:28）。雖然他們獲得一時的優勢，但最後的勝利是屬於天主的。
不要氣餒，「那不愛耶穌的，不遵守耶穌的話的人」，有可能會聽從福音，否則，耶穌也不會說：「如果他們（世界）遵守了我的話，也要遵守你們的。」（若15:20）天主是慈悲的，祂一定會在末日前給「那不愛耶穌的，不遵守耶穌的話的人」足夠的悔改機會。無論「世界」遵守還是拒絕這福音，天主都需要我們作祂的修和大使，為祂宣揚修和的福音（格後5:20）。
主啊！我們喜喜歡歡，因為我們配為祢的名字受侮辱（宗5:41）。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：cp24.com

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Rejoicing To Be Jesus’ Friends (John 15:18-21)

After reading today’s gospel, would you regret to be Jesus’ friend?
The World hates Jesus and crucifies Him. Similarly, the World would persecute Jesus’ friends (John 15:18). Are you afraid to be incriminated by association?

The World hates Jesus “because they do not know the one who sent me” (15:21), viz. the Father. Prosperity and technological advancement inflate the human ego. God becomes irrelevant. Men begin to deny the existence of God and attempt to replace Him. There’s no God in their eyes but themselves. In their view, Jesus was a trouble-maker who incited people to riot. He deserves to die. The World has rationalized the persecution of dissidents!

The World persecutes Jesus’ friends because you don’t go with the flow. You don’t want to belong to the World. Furthermore, your actions manifest their darkness (3:20). Naturally, the World does not love you and shall persecute you.
Do you remember who “the World” is? In the meditation on May 16, we know that John pens “the World” as “Whoever does not love me does not keep my words” (14:24a).

Don’t be discouraged, we don’t need to be afraid of those who don’t love Jesus and don’t keep His words because they can only kill the body but not the soul (Matthew 10:28). Although they prevail at the moment, the final victory belongs to God.
Don’t be discouraged. Those who don’t love Jesus and don’t keep His words might listen to the gospel. Otherwise, Jesus would not say, “If they kept my word, they will also keep yours” (John 15:20). God is merciful. He will give these people sufficient opportunity to repent. Whether “the World” keeps or rejects this gospel, God still needs us to be His ambassadors of reconciliation to proclaim His gospel of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Lord! We rejoice because we are found worthy to suffer dishonour for the sake of Your name (Acts 5:41). Amen!