日久見人心 Authenticity Will Manifest In Time

日久見人心（瑪23:13-22）

「毋忘初心」是近年來流行的「潮語」，我覺得這句話膚淺有餘，浪漫不足！有些人真的是放棄了理想，改變了初衷，向現實低頭了嗎？抑或他們根本在混水摸魚，是我們自己天真，以為這些人有高尚的「初心」而已！所謂「路遙知馬力，日久見人心」，我們終於認識到他們的真面目。

公元前586年，巴比倫帝國滅了南國猶大，把猶太人充軍到巴比倫去。耶路撒冷聖殿被毀，再沒有舉行祭祀的地方。所有司祭突然失業，人民的宗教生活蕩然無存。眼見天主選民的身份漸漸消失，就在這時候，出現了一群經師和法利塞人，制定了猶太的法律和經典，拒絕與外族通婚，拒絕為巴比倫帝國服務，以保天主選民的身份和血統的純正。他們真是高風亮節，以不流血的筆墨，救國救民。在充軍到巴比倫時，這些經師和法利塞人，可算是金庸所定義的「大俠」了。

同樣是亡國，猶大成為了羅馬帝國的殖民地。但時移勢易，「大俠」已無用武之地，經師和法利塞人已經變成了協助統治者迫害自己同胞的幫兇。加入這個行列的人，從來沒有救國救民的「初心」。 他們掌握的，是讓人得救的法律和經典。可惜他們所追求的，不是天主的救贖（天國），而是一己的私利。難怪耶穌批評他們「給人封閉了天國：自己不進去，也不讓願意進去的人進去。」（瑪23:13）

各位兄弟姊妹，耶穌基督是慈悲的，即使經師和偽善的法利塞人不再是「大俠」，耶穌基督絕對不會放棄任何一個「以色列的師傅」（若3:10）。所謂「愛之越深，責之越切」，難怪耶穌用「禍哉」這樣嚴厲的語氣斥責他們。希望能喚醒他們，悔改回頭，信從福音。
主啊！讓我們認識祢的「初心」，跟隨祢的引導，邁向天國。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：ifiwalkedwithjesus.com

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Authenticity Will Manifest In Time (Matthew 23:13-22)

In recent years, “Forget Not the Initial Aspiration FNIA” is a popular slang. I think it is more naïve than romantic! Do people really forsake their ideal, give up their initial intention and yield to reality? Or we have been too naïve to think that their “initial aspiration” is noble but in fact, they fake to take advantages! As the aphorism goes, “The stamina of a horse will be known in long distance and in time the authenticity of the heart will be revealed.” At last, we know their true colours.

In 586 B.C., the Babylonian Empire conquered Judah and the people were exiled to Babylon. The Jerusalem Temple was destroyed and there was nowhere to offer sacrifices to God. Suddenly priests became unemployed and people had no more religious life. Their identity as God’s Chosen People was vanishing. At this critical moment, a group of scribes and Pharisees emerged to formalize their laws and scriptures. In order to defend their identity as God’s Chosen People and the purity of their bloodline, they refused to marry Gentiles nor to work for the Babylonian Empire. Their character was truly noble and they saved the country and her people, not with steel and blood but ink. During the Babylonian Captivity, those scribes and Pharisees were heroic.

Now that they were under the Roman colonial rule, the situation had changed. The scribes and Pharisees were national heroes no more but accomplices of colonial rulers to subjugate their own fellow countrymen. Those who joined the rank did not have any “initial aspiration” to save the country at all. They possessed the laws and scriptures that are salvific. Regrettably, they sought not God’s redemption (aka kingdom of heaven) but self-interests. No wonder Jesus criticized them, “You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.” (Matthew 23:13)

Brethren! Jesus Christ is merciful. Though the scribes and Pharisees were national heroes no more, He would not forsake one single “teacher of Israel” (John 3:10). The deeper the love is, the more burning the chastisement is. No wonder Jesus uses such harsh words as “Woe to you” against them, hoping to wake them up to repentance and belief in the good news.
Lord! Allow us to know Your “IA”, follow your lead to march towards the KH. Amen.