願祢的國來臨 Thy Kingdom Come

天國系列（一）
願祢的國來臨（瑪13:31-35）

天主說：「人單獨不好」（創2:18），所以人必須群居在團體社區之中，夫妻是最基本的單位。當一個人成家立室，工作糊口，養妻活兒後，便會明白到社區的重要；與外族接觸後，漸漸形成國家觀念，甚至建立了一套「齊家治國平天下」和「世界大同」的政治理想。但理想始終是理想，在現實生活中，有很多內在和外在的因素阻礙了這些理想的實現。例如：「國家」包含甚麼元素呢？要有「疆界」嗎？要說統一的語言嗎？如何界定「國民」的身份呢？憑種族、膚色甚至宗教信仰決定資格嗎？國家必須有「主席」嗎？領導人要有甚麼質素呢…「政治」的確是一門大學問！

既然「國家」是一個這樣複雜的概念，「天國」豈能用三言兩語可以清楚地說明呢？所以耶穌基督祇用比喻向群眾宣講「天國」。對於那些祇是出於好奇的人，聽後不了了之；對於那些有心求道的人，便會進一步追求「天國」的奧秘。

今天讀到的兩個天國比喻，各自點出「天國」的某些特色。「芥子的比喻」指出在開始的時候，天國是微不足道的，但它一定會茁壯成長，開枝散葉，讓天上的飛鳥可以在枝上棲息（瑪13:32）。整個比喻，並沒有道出「國界」的觀念，反而有樹枝，分支的「多樣性」，與及「天上的飛鳥在枝上棲息」的「天下大同」觀念！這個比喻適合用來描述教會的普世性發展。

「酵母的比喻」固然有以小化大的觀念，但重點在於「轉化」；它可以指個人透過學習，使心靈產生的轉化；亦可以指家庭在新加入的成員（初生嬰兒、照顧年邁的父母等）影響下所產生的變化；甚至某種意識形態在一個國家立足生根，成為了統治階層的指導思想！那麼，「天國」的指導思想是甚麼呢？大家不用我說白了罷！
天父，願祢的國來臨。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：i.pinimg.com

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Kingdom of Heaven Series (I)
Thy Kingdom Come (Matthew 13:31-35)

God says, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Thus, men must live in groups and communities. A married couple is the most fundamental unit of a group. When a man sets up his family, earns the livelihood for the family, he begins to understand the importance of the neighbourhood. After getting contact with foreigners, he gradually forms the concept of a nation and even dreams up a political ideology of “managing families, governing states and keeping the world in peace” as well as “global solidarity”. After all, ideologies are ideals. In reality, many internal and external obstacles are hindering the actualization of those ideals. For example, what elements constitute a nation? Is there a border? Should nationals speak the same language? How should nationality be defined, using race, colour or even religious beliefs? Should there be a Chairperson? What qualities should leaders possess … etc. Political science is surely an enormous discipline!

If “kingdom” is such a complicated concept, how can people explain the “Kingdom of Heaven” is a few words? Therefore, Jesus Christ spoke to the crowd in parables when He proclaimed the “Kingdom of Heaven”. For those curious souls, they would stop searching after hearing parables. For those who strived to seek the truth, they would explore further the mystery of the Kingdom.

Today we read of two parables about the Kingdom of Heaven, each of which highlights some aspects of the Kingdom. The parable of the mustard seed tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven has a negligible beginning but it shall flourish and its branches spread wide such that the birds of the sky come and dwell (Matthew 13:32). We do not find any traces of “border” in this parable. Instead, there are branches, plurality as well as “birds of the sky come and dwell” --- showing “global solidarity”! This parable is appropriate for describing the universal growth of the Church.

The parable of leaven describes how the small changes the big, but the key-point is transformation. It may mean spiritual transformation of a person through learning; or changes in families when new members join (newborn babies or taking care of ageing parents etc.); or even an ideology which takes root in a country and becomes the “Torah” of the ruling class! Then, what is the ideology of the Kingdom of Heaven? I’m sure all of you know!
Heavenly Father, may Your Kingdom come. Amen.

A Listening Heart 一顆慧心

Seventeenth Ordinary Sunday, Year A
Theme: A Listening Heart 一顆慧心

There is always a tension between the old and the new, between the juniors and the seniors. People cherishing traditional and conservative views find new things disruptive while people harbouring liberal and progressive views opine that traditionalists are pulling their legs. It is difficult for traditionalists to accept innovations because the old ways are effective. Why bother changing them? Why rock the boat? The progressive thinkers set their eyes on the future as well as their neighbourhood and opine that they are being proactive. We can’t afford to wait lest we’ll be overtaken and be overrun! However, nobody is able to see the future and their assessments of the neighbourhood are different. The future as well as the neighbourhood mean different things to different people. Of course, we cannot stay stagnant forever because “Time and tides wait for no one”. In order to accommodate new ideas, we need to keep our minds open and always fresh. No wonder Jesus says, “People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved” (Matthew 9:17).

Some people opine that religion is an opium for the commoners. People in authority invented some deities for the commoners to worship, to relieve themselves of harsh realities in their daily lives and in the exploitations from social institutions. When you are ill-treated, exploited and cannot find justice on earth, endure to the end [aka in the next world] and you’ll find salvation in the gods you believe, “Whoever endures to the end will be saved” (10:22, 24:13).
In reality, nobody is able to understand all the articles of faith of any global religions. However, men always enjoy playing God and make consequential decisions. Take Christianity as an example, some people think that the Demiurge described in the Old Testament is too cruel and bloody. He kills (Exodus 12:29, 14:28) and orders the Israelites to commit genocides (1 Samuel 15:3). This Demiurge is entirely different from the merciful Father preached by Jesus Christ (Luke 6:36). Therefore, the Old Testament should be excluded from the Holy Bible. Similarly five centuries ago, in order to condemn the corruption arising from the sale of Certificate of Indulgence, Martin Luther removed books from the Old Testament which have Greek renditions only and do not have Hebrew texts in order to uproot the theological basis of selling Indulgence Certificates. Consequently, the Protestant Bible has seven books less than the Catholic Bible. Now fast forward to the early twentieth century, the Hebrew version of one of the deleted books was unearthed but it can no longer be restored in the Protestant Bible! Religion is such a colourful phenomenon and a manifestation of human nature! Describing religion as an opium of the people is at best an oversimplification because of ignorance or perhaps more accurately a political smear.

Adaptation is essential for survival and growth. Though Christianity emerges from Judaism, it is radically different and flourishes. Both of them accept the Ten Commandments as their guideline for living but they practise them in different manners. For example, Jews keep the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week because the Torah says that the Lord rested on the seventh day after six days of Creation (Exodus 20:11). On the other hand, Christians rest and make holy the first day of the week because Jesus Christ resurrected on the first Easter Sunday to liberate us from the bondage of sin (Deuteronomy 5:15)!
Even within Christianity, different denominations disagree to suit their agendas. For example, Protestants take an iconoclastic stance and split the First Commandment into two, the second being “You shall not make for yourself an idol or a likeness of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth” (Exodus 20:4). In order to do away with abusive priests, they insist on the memorial nature of the Holy Communion. Jesus is not present in the bread and therefore they don’t need a class of priests to consecrate the bread! They quote, “Do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19c) to argue. Incidentally, Catholics insist that Jesus is God and what He says is true. Catholics make use of the same quotation, “This is my body, which will be given for you” (22:19b) to argue! Jesus is present in the Sacrament and therefore, we need a class of priests to consecrate the bread! This choice of stance is clearly done after efforts of deliberation and no longer a consequence of ignorance! It is a matter of political agendas. The question becomes whether those decisions follow God’s will!

In the first reading today, we admire the wise choice of King Solomon. He asks for a listening heart to judge Israelites and to distinguish between good and evil (1 Kings 3:9). Biblical scholars are unable to come up with a definite age at which Solomon became king. His age ranges from twelve to thirty! Don’t be surprised by the number twelve because Jehoash was seven years old when his reign began (2 Kings 12:1)! Thus Solomon was sincere when he says, “But I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act” (1 Kings 3:7b). His wisdom was manifested in the story immediately follows: that Solomon ordered to cut a contested baby into halves and give to the two prostitutes claiming to be the mother (3:16-28). Three thousand proverbs and one thousand and five songs were ascribed to King Solomon (5:12). He spent seven years to build the first Temple dedicated to Yahweh and his fame attracted the Queen of Sheba to visit him and test him with subtle questions (10:1)! Thus Jesus says, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike” (Matthew 11:25)

However, his riches and prosperity sowed the seeds of his downfall in his later years. In order to maintained peace with nations and tribes around, King Solomon practised political marriages. “He had as wives seven hundred princesses and three hundred concubines” (1 Kings 11:3). With stability and peace, he managed to make the legendary six hundred and sixty-six gold talents a year (10:14). However, those wives turned his heart to follow other gods … (11:4). After his death, the kingdom was divided into two! What can we learn from the biography of King Solomon? Perhaps we can find the answer in one of his proverbs. He says, “The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord” (Proverbs 9:10a). He lost his fear of the Lord when he allowed his concubines and wives of political marriages to worship their idols in the Temple! It is a pity to see the legendary king lose his listening heart of youth when he set his eyes on power, riches and perhaps lust which make him age quickly.

Brethren, the merciful Lord tells us to let go of worldly desires in exchange for eternal life in the parables of Hidden Treasure and Precious Pearl. He will not force us to give up all we have to buy the treasure or the pearl. We are free to choose. Let’s pray to the Holy Spirit to inspire in us the Fear of the Lord so that with a childlike and listening heart, we will be able to discern God’s will and make the right choice. Amen.
God bless!
2020 Reflection
Picture Credit: stock.adobe.com

Wake Up Calls 暮鼓晨鐘

Sixteenth Ordinary Sunday, Year A
Theme: Wake Up Calls 暮鼓晨鐘

When we return to Ordinary Sundays again after the Easter Season, we contemplate the teachings of Jesus Christ in details. In previous weeks, we meditated on Jesus’ giving the Twelve the authority to exorcise, to cure diseases and to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 10:7-8). He also warned them beforehand of the obstacles and persecutions they would encounter during this evangelization mission which is the raison d’etre of the very existence of the People of God. The Church exists to proclaim the good news of reconciliation until the end of the age. Paul says, “Woe to me if I do not preach it (the gospel)” (1 Corinthians 9:16b). Now that we have the duty to preach it, we have the responsibility to know what the “Kingdom of Heaven” is. The concept of “kingdom” seems to be irrelevant in modern world where very few countries are likely to retain the institution of monarchy.

It is probably correct to say that kings should never have existed. In ancient times, gods were the emperors sitting on the heads of human beings. Nowadays most people don’t believe in gods but believe that all men are equal. It is not right for a single person or a minority of elites to enjoy more privileges than the rest. On the other hand, some kind of a leader will definitely arise when men live in a community. They need to work together to do big projects for the continual existence of the community. It is not wrong for the majority to give up some freedom and privileges so that the leaders to facilitate their service. Therefore, on a social level, leaders whether they are kings/queens, chairpersons, presidents, CEO’s or what not have to exist for the well-being of a group be they empires, republics and corporations etc. Therefore, in between those two ages, kings replaced gods to lead the commoners to fulfil their personal ambitions. Christians are not minorities in the world. We believe that God is the Creator of this known universe. Logically, He has sovereignty over and above everything imaginable. Therefore, the “Kingdom of Heaven” is relevant today and even the future as long as there are Christians on earth.

For at least three consecutive Sundays, the gospel readings focus on the “Kingdom of Heaven”. The concept of a kingdom as a social institution is already a complicated one, not to mention the “Kingdom of Heaven”. How do you convey the message to the crowd? Jesus chose to tell them in parables which are short stories about familiar things in our daily life: farming, fishing, salt, light, leaven, plants, pearls, sparrows and dogs etc. They are easy to understand and remember. Of course, we don’t expect those simple stories to be able to describe the concept completely. One parable may be able to describe one aspect of the Kingdom of Heaven only but together, they will be able to paint a more nearly complete picture of the whole. Thus, Jesus tells us many parables about the “Kingdom of Heaven”. He would explain some parables to the Twelve only. The “Weeds in the Field Parable” which we read today is one of them (Matthew 13:24-30, 37-43).

Incidentally, in the telling of this parable of “Weeds in the Field” Jesus also answers the perennial question why God allows evil to exist alongside the good. I’m sure all of us are familiar with the stories of Abraham sacrificing his only beloved son Isaac and what had happened to Job in the Old Testament. Though the Bible offers us happy endings in both cases, in real daily life, not all people are as lucky. Evils cause sufferings, pains and even deaths on a large scale. Their existence challenges our beliefs in a merciful, righteous and omnipotent God. Therefore, Jesus’ answer is worth meditating.

In the parable when the servants see the wheat and weeds grow up together, they suggest pulling the weeds up. The master replied, “No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them” (13:29). The Lord is actually saying, underneath the ground, the roots of wheat and the roots of weeds entangle with each other. Pulling one up would uproot the other as well. How should we understand this in our reality?
In our daily life, we do see wicked people and righteous people mingle together. We can only judge them by what we can observe on the outside, their words and deeds. However, deep within our hearts and souls, there is a humanity common to all, some essence that makes us human, not animals or robots. I think this humanity, this “image of God” (Genesis 1:26) is “the roots” the Lord refers to in the parable. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they lost the Original Graces which God gave them when they were first created. When those graces are depleted, the “image of God” began to deteriorate, some faster while others slower depending on the environment in which they live. Assuming that they start on the same footing, the righteous may be those who deteriorate slower but it is possible that they may turn bad. Similarly, the wicked may be those who deteriorate faster but we cannot deny the possibility that they may turn good. The prophet says, “When the just turn away from justice to do evil and die, on account of the evil they did they must die. But if the wicked turn from the wickedness they did and do what is right and just, they save their lives” (Ezekiel 18:26-27). It takes time for both the righteous and the wicked to prove themselves!

On the other hand, the existence of evil can also be a wakeup call! In the Beatitudes, Jesus teaches us to be mournful (Matthew 5:4). We mourn when we’re painful. Who on earth wants to endure pains. Alas! Prosperity has taken away our awareness of the importance of pains. Most people seek comfort as well as gratification and avoid pains and sorrows. How are pains essential for us?
First of all, pains remind us not to make the same mistakes that cause pains. We don’t need to make the mistakes ourselves. Seeing others suffer is enough to alert us of the issues. Of course, “Skin for skin” (Job 2:4), when pains touch our bones and flesh, our learning will be deep and long lasting! For example, how many of us mourn for the evil of “human trafficking”, especially youngsters? No we don’t because human trafficking is NOT happening in this city nowadays. How many of us feel the bites of food prices because supply chains are disrupted by the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine? No we don’t because we can afford the prices! That’s a serious spiritual problem. Where has our righteousness gone? Our hearts are in the danger of hardening and becoming complacent!

Secondly, in our comfort zone, everything is under control. We can handle everything efficiently with minimum efforts. In this case, at least two dangers are waiting to ambush us. Since we are in control, we are in the danger of playing God ourselves. We simply don’t need a Saviour God anymore! This is the first danger. The second danger is burying our talents in the ground (Matthew 25:25)! Then a lot of our potentials remain dormant because we don’t need to conjure them up to deal with adversities while we are hiding and enjoying inside our comfort zone. In this case, we need God to break into our comfort zone. Let me assure you, it is going to be excruciating but healing at the same time. We need to conjure up our potentials to put up a fight against evil. We need to continue to do the right things. Going against the worldly current is surely painful but it makes us strong and unleashes our potentials.

Brethren! Let’s pray to our merciful Lord who has ventured into the fearful realm of sins and death to break a new path for us to follow; ask Him to grant us graces and allow us to follow His footsteps to conquer death! Amen!
God bless!

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2020 Reflection
Picture Credit: orthochristian.com

We Are Blessed To Know The Kingdom 我們認識天國是有福的

Fifteenth Ordinary Sunday, Year A
Theme: We Are Blessed To Know The Kingdom 我們認識天國是有福的

In today’s meditation, Jesus’ words are reassuring. He says, “Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it” (Matthew 13:17). We Catholics are truly blessed to have heard and accepted the word of the kingdom but I wonder how many of us are aware of this blessing. Nevertheless, we should at least act on it. Otherwise, we’re building our houses on sand (7:26-27) and our new life in the Lord would become futile. Loving our neighbour is the second greatest commandment Jesus tells us (22:39). In other words, we should care about those who hear the word of the kingdom without understanding it (13:19), those who hear but have no root (13:21) and those who hear but are choked by worldly anxiety and the lure of riches (13:22). Does the salvation of their souls concern us? Do we mourn for those who fall from grace and what about those whose priorities in life do not include their own salvation? If we don’t bother or care, we fail to lead a life in the spirit of the Beatitudes (5:4)! If we fail to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, who else can we blame but ourselves?

It is relatively easy to understand those who hear but are choked by worldly anxiety and the lure of riches because it looks obvious. Thus, let’s consider what prevents people from understanding the word of the kingdom and why people hear but fail to grow root.
Superficially, Jesus seems to be the culprit because He spoke to the crowds in metaphors instead of speaking plainly! Moreover, Jesus explains why He spoke to the crowds in parables whose meanings, i.e. the knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven He would give the disciples (13:11). In such a privileged position, the disciples will gain more and more knowledge while the crowds who are in a disadvantaged position will become more severely disadvantaged (13:12) so much so that they end up knowing nothing about an eternal, fruitful and spiritual life. In so doing, Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled (13:14)! I’m afraid we will find it difficult to accept the fact that the Lord wants the crowds NOT to understand, to convert and to receive His healing (13:15)! The God of Isaiah says, “Make the heart of this people sluggish, dull their ears and close their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and their heart understand, and they turn and be healed” (Isaiah 6:10). But the God of Ezekiel says, “For I find no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies --- oracle of the Lord God. Turn back and live!” (Ezekiel 18:32). How do we harmonize these two positions?

Once again, we should allow for Matthew’s eagerness to quote Old Testament prophecies to affirm Jesus’ status as the long awaited Messiah for the Jewish Christians. Gentile audience like us may find it mind-boggling. Actually it is a matter of understanding the context. God was speaking through Isaiah before the Babylonian Captivity. The Israelites did not listen and God did not force them to listen, to repent as He always does. The Israelites ended up being conquered by the Assyrians and subsequently the kingdom of Judah by the Babylonians. Losing their heritage and identity as God’s Chosen People was a bitter herbal medicine and a wakeup call that would heal them. By then God spoke through Ezekiel to reveal His original intention! God shall honour His pledge to Abraham their ancestor like what He has done many times before and shall give the people of Judah yet another chance! He wants them to listen, to understand, to turn back and live!

So we need to look elsewhere to find out what prevents people from understanding the word of the kingdom. Let’s face it. Modern people think that believing in God is superstitious. They believe more in sciences and technologies and demand evidence. I won’t blame them. Didn’t Thomas the Apostle also demand evidence before he would accept the testimony of his fellow apostles (John 20:25)? Modern people believe in democracy and autonomy too. They think that believing in God and allowing God to take the helm to steer their lives means surrendering their autonomy. No, that is not the cup of tea for modern people.

On the other hand, Christians believe in the testimony of a faith handed down throughout the ages by the witnesses of the martyrs. Like us, those martyrs have never met the risen Jesus Christ in person and yet, they were willing to lay down their lives to bear witness to the love and truth of God. For us, their witness is on a par, if not more superior than “physical” evidences.

To be admissible, scientific evidences must be measurable and reproducible. If what one scientist claims cannot be reproduced and measured in laboratories elsewhere as a process of peer review, the scientist’s so-called “discovery” would never obtain recognition from the scientific community! These criteria are reasonable for most natural sciences except astronomy. It is next to impossible to do astronomical experiments. Astronomers on earth can only passively observe what has happened in the observable universe most of the time. We are just too nanoscopic to manipulate the vastness of the known universe! Now scientific criteria cannot apply to even a respectable natural science such as astronomy, we should not apply them to systematic studies of social phenomena, such as theology because there is a crucial difference between the study objects of physical sciences and social sciences, namely that objects studied in physical sciences do not have memory while those of social sciences have. Human beings are able to remember, to learn and to adapt. They are more worthy of spending resources to study and to understand. Therefore those who dismiss religions as unscientific are applying the wrong tools to understand an essential social phenomenon! In a curious manner, those who blindly worship scientific advancements and reject martyrs’ testimony fulfil Isaiah’s prophecy!

What about the problem of diminishing our autonomy when we believe in God and doing God’s will? It was appropriate in agricultural societies running feudal systems to be loyal and obedient to the emperors but inappropriate for industrial and informational societies nowadays. There is a greater need of freedom in production. Planned economy is simply inferior in competition. Moreover, doesn’t the Bible teach that we were created in the image of God? It follows that we were created equal. Why then should one person lord over us all and to boss us around? Democracy and freedom may not be perfect. But at least they make room for peaceful reforms and improvements. In case of monarchy, oligarchy and tyranny, changes and improvements would only come from bloody revolutions. Therefore, any religion that demands believers to surrender their autonomy to their God is backward, primitive and even savage!

Allow me to borrow a modern day parable to refute. As of this writing, Artificial Intelligence is able to “learn” by “prompting”, sort of spoon-feeding. It may be able to generate surprisingly unexpected moves or outputs but it is not yet able to correct and thus to improve itself. AI relies on us to tell it that the output is unsatisfactory or is simply wrong or what not. Now that AI is unable to improve itself, who is? Who else if not its Creator? Of course, this is only a parable. Technologically, we are improving and advancing. However, what makes us human is not our intelligence which AI is overtaking; but our morality and spirituality. Regrettably, our morality is unable to guide our technological advances. We have suffered enough from unscrupulous and selfish applications of scientific discoveries and technological advances. It is time we stopped playing God and let God take over because His thoughts and acts exalt far above ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). Remember, the Christian God does not impose His will on us. Thus, He will not take away our autonomy but will guide us on the right path as long as we cooperate with Him.

Let’s turn to the second group of people in question. In 2020, Christianity accounts for about one third of the world population. In reality, not many of them are practising. So, what do they look for in Christianity or religions in general? Karl Marx is often paraphrased to say that “Religion is the opium of the masses”. Marx claims that for the oppressed and exploited, religions comfort them, give them a peace of mind by promising them an eternal life of justice and love! What the exploited do not get on earth will be given them in a Utopia on earth or in heaven.

This oversimplification might apply to some religions. However, Christ does not promise His followers that life would be a bed of roses, that they would live happily ever after, that they would become rich and secure etc. Many times, the Lord reminds His disciples to pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:44), expect to be betrayed by friends and family members because they follow Him (10:21-22) and to carry their crosses (10:38, 16:24) etc. Even clergy like us may think that life would be easy and smooth without obstacles because we are servants of God and we are doing God’s will! Woe to us because we have lost sight of what has happened to our Lord in doing the Father’s will (27:46)! When we fail to grow our root deep enough in Jesus Christ through practising our faith in our daily life, we’ll not be able to persevere to the end and be saved (24:13) but give up believing in God midway when persecutions or troubles come because of our faith!

Brethren! We are blessed indeed because God is love (1 John 4:8). He cares for us and does not find joy in our deaths (Ezekiel 18:32). He has given us the Holy Spirit as the first instalment of our salvation (Ephesians 1:14). So, let us cooperate with the Holy Spirit as Christ’s ambassadors of reconciliation, to help the world reconcile with God the Father (2 Corinthians 5:19-20). Amen.
God bless!
2020 Reflection
Picture Credit:catholiccourier.com

All People Are Called To Martyrdom 眾人皆蒙召作見證

Feast of Holy Martyrs and Blessed of China
Theme: All People Are Called To Martyrdom眾人皆蒙召作見證

In the past few weeks, we have heard of Jesus’ sending the Apostles to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven. What Jesus says to the Apostles also applies to us. We have the duty to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven as well. It is because when we were baptized, we partake in the threefold ministry of Jesus the Son of God, namely the ministry as a king to serve, as a priest to offer prayers and sacrifices and lastly as a prophet, a spokesman for God, to proclaim God’s will. Therefore we are also apostles and ambassadors sent forth by Jesus Christ to proclaim the gospel of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Jesus continues to warn us beforehand that evangelization is a challenging mission. Don’t ever think that when God sends you as an ambassador on a mission and therefore life should be as easy as a piece of cake. On the contrary, life with a mission is demanding. It is because God the Father respects our autonomy. He will never impose His good will on us. People are free to accept or to reject their own salvation. Therefore, we should expect to meet oppositions, to stumble upon obstacles and rejections. Don’t lose heart! Our work will never be done in vain. Jesus says, “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven”(Matthew 5:12a).
Last week Jesus mentions our rewards in an indirect manner. He told us that if people accept our witnesses, they would receive reward according to the capacity in which they receive us. When we were baptized, we vowed to reject Satan to lead a holy and righteous life. Therefore, if people accept our proclamation because we are righteous people to them, then they would receive a righteous person’s reward. As I have mentioned earlier, when we were baptized, we become a spokesman of God. So if people accept our proclamation because we are prophets, then they would receive a prophet’s reward (10:41). Assuming that you were not baptized as an infant but went through catechetical instructions for eighteen months before baptism. Then have you not received a righteous person’s reward and a prophet’s reward in the first place so that you decided to attend catechumen classes? Therefore, when we bear witness to the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven, we are handing out salvation to people. Of course they have the autonomy to accept or to reject. If they accept, they receive a disciple’s reward, which is Jesus Christ Himself (10:42)!

Martyrs are martyrs when they bear witness to the truth such as Socrates; or to some universal values such as liberty, equality and fraternity; or even noble causes such as overthrowing a tyrant. Every people, every nation and every language etc. have their share of martyrs. Not only do we celebrate Chinese martyrs but the Catholic Church also remembers Japanese martyrs, Korean martyrs, Roman martyrs and Vietnamese martyrs etc. I racked my brain to find out what makes Chinese martyrs distinctively Chinese. So far, I can only draw the conclusion that “Chinese” is only a location label. As Christians, the Beatitudes are the truth and universal values we uphold. Whenever and wherever we bear witness to the values enshrined in the Beatitudes, we are martyrs. It is not necessary to shed blood to be martyrs because each of us is unique. Our backgrounds are different. Our life stations are different. Our situations are different. Therefore our paths to sanctification are also different and unique. As long as we bear witness to the Beatitudes by leading a beatific life, we are martyrs and saints.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God and is eternal. Therefore, the truth He teaches us is universal and eternal. It applies everywhere and in every age. The Beatitudes are a summary of His teachings and we call them the Magna Carta of the Kingdom of Heaven. They apply everywhere and in every age. Don’t ever say that Jesus taught them two thousand years ago in an agricultural society and therefore they have become irrelevant today in post-industrial and post informational societies like Hong Kong nowadays. Wrong. Not only are the Beatitudes still relevant today but practising them in a commercial society is also becoming more challenging!

It is more challenging because how can we live in poverty when there are so many opportunities nowadays to make money easily? Who wants to mourn when life is so stressful everyday? We prefer watching comedies to watching tragedies, drinking red wine to drinking herbal medicine. Who wants to be meek and be pushed around when being assertive makes you a successful person and helps you climb up the social ladder easily? Who wants to spend time and energy to uphold righteousness when you insist on righteousness, you will earn less and most likely will lose your business? Who wants to be merciful to rivals in a cut-throat society where all interactions are zero-sum games and where there can only be one winner? Which project manager in his right mind do not have plan A, plan B and plan C etc. up his sleeves to lead his team-members? When making peace will lose money, who will not bad-mouth, gossip, smear, stab the back of their competitors and stir up troubles etc.? When we uphold righteousness and advocate for the needs of the exploited, we will be fighting against powerful kingpins and even corrupt government officials. Doing so would cost you your lives. Who wants to die and lose everything? Nobody in his right mind will do this.

Brethren! Let’s examine carefully what the Beatitudes are. They are not moral precepts with airtight logics such as utilitarianism. No. We cannot explain the merits of the Beatitudes in terms of cost-benefit analysis. Not only can we not lead a beatific life with our intellect alone, but we also cannot lead such a life with a strong faith alone too. Instead, we need a strong enough love of God and a love of neighbour in order to lead a beatific life. How can we explain the motives of martyrs who are willing to bear witness to their noble causes with their lives, if not for a love of God or a love of their compatriots?

Why are Christians willing to lead a life of poverty? Sustainability is insufficient to explain such a life style. Instead, it is a love of one’s neighbour because by giving up our wealth, we enrich the lives of the needy.
Why are Christians mournful instead of being cheerful? It is because of their loving care of the well-being of the souls of their neighbour! God does not want to see the wicked die. Instead, He wants to see them repent (Ezekiel 18:32). So Christians do not hide behind merriments. Instead, we mourn for the sufferings of our neighbour from evils.
Similarly, we remain meek and gentle when people push us around because St. Paul reminds us that fighting back will only escalate mutual destruction (Galatians 5:15). God says, “Vengeance is mine” (Romans 12:19, Isaiah 63:4). We do not play God. We follow Jesus’ instructions not to resist evil and turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39).
Nowadays, few people care about eternal life but we Christians care. Therefore, we hunger and thirst for the salvation of souls. In Old Testament jargon, God’s righteousness is salvation and He shows righteousness when He delivers us from evil. So on top of earning a livelihood, our priority is the salvation of souls, the righteousness of God.
Nowadays, a culture of complaints pervades the society. People do not forgive and do not give people a second chance. But our God is patient and wants to build us up. Therefore, for the love of our God and His creatures, we too should be merciful. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we should give people seventy times seven chances (18:22).
A Chinese aphorism goes thus, “To calculate is human and to accomplish is divine 謀事在人，成事在天”It captures very well the essence of Christianity: God’s will be done, not ours! Thus, Christians set sight on doing God’s will and it is not necessary to draw up any other insurance plans.
As ambassadors of reconciliation of Jesus Christ, all of us are peacemakers to reconcile sinners with each other and with God. We will become unpopular and handy scapegoats. We will be overwhelmed by fear but John the apostle assures us, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love” (1 John 4:18)
Lastly, brethren! With a perfect love of God and our compatriots, let us be ready to lay down our lives to uphold God’s righteousness and become heroic martyrs. God bless!
2017 Reflection
Picture Credit: infoans.org

How Much Can We Take? 我們有多大能耐？

Thirteenth Ordinary Sunday, Year A
Theme: How Much Can We Take? 我們有多大能耐？

For us Chinese, the gospel passage today seems to be an obstacle. It is because filial piety enjoys the primacy among all virtues in traditional Chinese morality. Chinese culture emphasizes filial piety for a reason. Parents emphasize it for obvious pragmatic reasons. They don’t have to worry about their livelihood in old age when their children are filial pious. Government emphasizes it because filial piety can easily be extended to obedience of the laws, loyalty to the Emperor and patriotism. As a Chinese aphorism goes, “Filial piety is the first of all virtues.” Therefore, Jesus’ teaching in the gospel passage today seems to go against this aphorism. Jesus says, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37a).

This contradiction is in fact superficial. Let’s travel back to Confucian’s time and imagine the Emperor of Zhou Dynasty says the same words to you. Would you feel offended? Of course not! Confucianism teaches people to love their parents in deeper ways. For example, not only should children take care of the physical needs of their parents but they should also be mindful of not putting their parents in shame. Children should also go in length to entertain the psychological needs of their parents as well. There are famous stories of youngsters and adults doing extraordinary feats to make their parents happy and comfortable. By extrapolation, people need to obey the laws, to defend their countries with their lives and to be loyal to the Emperor for the honour and safety of their parents. Now don’t Catholics acknowledge Jesus Christ to be their King? If we feel offended, we put our loyalty in doubt!

We have to admit our limitations and be humble. There are greater and nobler causes than ours and above those even greater causes etc. Personal goals are “below” familial, below communal, national, humanity and divinity etc. Not only is Jesus Christ our King, but He is also our God! Just think about it. How long do your parental relations last? Seventy years or may be a hundred years. But what about your relationship with Jesus Christ your King? Eternity, right? Thus His causes are the highest and they are simply “the love of God” and “the love of neighbour”! They should be achievable otherwise they are meaningless. Moreover, the Blessed Trinity is the very embodiment of love and mercy. Out of His boundless love, God will help us achieve those greater causes. Yet, we cannot expect the achievement comes without costs and difficulties, perceived or imagined. With their humanity tainted by sins, men need motivation to do harsh jobs. Now, let’s meditate how God motivate us to work hard.

First of all, what is the “harsh job” at hand? We are in the middle of the evangelization discourse in Matthew. Two weeks ago we read of Jesus’ choosing and sending the Twelve to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven. Last week, He warned us of persecutions resulted from proclaiming the truth. Today Jesus continues saying, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me” (Matthew 10:40). Simply put, we are Jesus’ ambassadors of reconciliation. Our mission is to proclaim the gospel of reconciliation with God to the world (2 Corinthians 5:20). Then, what makes people receive our proclamation? Of course, it is the power of the Holy Spirit and not our eloquence or persuasion. No doubt, our words and deeds impress. Just as what the Shunammite woman in the first reading today says to her husband about Elisha, “I know that he is a holy man of God” (2 Kings 4:9) Let’s examine ourselves. After baptism, we partake in the threefold ministry of Jesus Christ, namely king, priest and prophet. As prophets, do people see us as holy men of God like Elisha? Are we too shy to reveal our Catholic identity? How comfortable are we to say graces before meal in a restaurant in front of a roomful of strangers? How ready are we to lend a helping hand to the needy, to stand up for the abused in our workspace, to advocate for the exploited and marginalized in our society? In short, how much are we infused with the Holy Spirit to pursue God’s causes? Of course we don’t expect to be transformed into a superman overnight through baptism. We need to remind ourselves of the need of continuous formation after initiation so that our relationship with the Trinity will grow deeper day by day.

Now, what would be effective in motivating us to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven? In order to accommodate our fragility, the Lord makes use of utilitarian languages again. Let’s see how it works by returning to the story of the Shunammite woman mentioned earlier. She extended her hospitality to Elisha by furnishing a small room for him to take a rest whenever he came to town (4:10). She received Elisha because she knew that he was a man of God. With this hospitality, she was rewarded to have a son born to her (4:17). After some years during harvest time, the son died and Elisha raised the boy from dead and returned him to the mother (4:35). Sons brought security and honour to mothers in biblical times. Jesus probably alludes to this story when He teaches today, “Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward” (Matthew 10:41a). So, receiving a prophet, the Shunammite woman received a prophet’s reward of security and honour and whatever. But Jesus does not stop there. He continues, “and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward” (10:41b). So, who is “a righteous man” in the Bible, and who receives this righteous man and lastly what’s “a righteous man’s reward”? Don’t forget, this righteous man must be at least on a par with prophets!

The story of the enigmatic priest of Yahweh, Melchizedek, literally “king of righteousness” immediately comes to mind. He brought out bread and wine to bless Abram after his victory (Genesis 14:18). In return, Abram gave him a tenth of everything (14:20b). First of all, how righteous is Melchizedek? The bread and wine Melchizedek brought out suggest that he is a pre-image, a type of Jesus Christ. Moreover, the Psalter points out that Melchizedek reveals the eternal priesthood of Jesus (Psalms 110:4). So, when Abram offered tithe to Melchizedek, he was actually worshipping God in the person of Melchizedek! Now that Abram has received “a righteous man” because he is “king of righteousness”, what reward did Abram get? God reaffirms His covenant with Abram a second time in the following chapter! Abram would have descendants like stars in the sky and they would occupy Canaan (Genesis 15:18-21). In Old Testament times, having land and children was a sign of God’s blessing. But it was just the beginning because as the New Testament unfolds, God loves to give us more, Himself!

Brethren! We partake in the threefold ministry of Jesus through baptism. We have become righteous through baptism as well as ambassadors of reconciliation, i.e. prophets! When people receive our proclamation, they will receive “prophet’s reward” and “righteous man’s reward” through us! Brethren! Haven’t we received those rewards to begin with? We are actually carriers of those rewards and have been benefitting from them. How can we not keep passing them on? The more we pass on those rewards, the more we benefit from them! Of course, the merciful Lord will not force us to pass on those rewards because each of us is unique. Some of us might not have the charisma to be preachers or missionaries. Yet, there must be something in us which will contribute to the actualization of the Kingdom of Heaven. Brethren! Discover them and make good use of them! God bless!
2020 Reflection
Picture Credit: thetorah.com