Let’s Be Candid About Resurrection 且讓我們誠實地看待復活

Easter Sunday, Year B
Theme: Let’s Be Candid About Resurrection 且讓我們誠實地看待復活

We are historical animals and our understanding evolves with time. It is true in particular for us to fathom the infinite mystery of the Blessed Trinity, the presence of Christ in the Eucharist and that the Church as the Spouse of Christ etc. Therefore, modern Christians should not feel offended when they read of the testimony of Peter in the first reading today. Peter was testifying in the home of Cornelius, a Roman centurion and said; “This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible …” (Acts 10:40). Peter was not denying the divinity of Jesus Christ when he chose the term “This man”. On the contrary, we should not blame Peter for stressing too much about the humanity of Lord Jesus, the Son of God incarnate. It took the Church more than a few centuries to acknowledge the divinity of Jesus. We have our finite languages to blame only. Peter’s proclamation is simple. The God whom Cornelius worships is the God of all peoples. God accepts all who fear Him and act uprightly (10:35). Jesus Christ is the Lord of all (10:36) not just for all peoples on earth but also for all the living and the dead because God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and power (10:38). Though His own disciple betrayed Him and the Romans crucified Him, God raised Him on the third day, thus conquered death. This understanding does not come overnight. It takes time for us to unearth the mystery more deeply. Not only did Peter and John run with different speeds to the empty tomb, but their belief in the Risen Lord also came with different speeds too (John 20:8)!

Sometimes, the wording of Paul’s writings is not easy to follow probably because he was a deep-seated Pharisee before his conversion. We may not be able to appreciate some Jewish thinking that Paul had taken for granted while that Jewish worldview is alien to our cultural background. Take for an example the second reading today. Paul says, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). What does Paul want to convey with the choice of “hidden”? In context, Paul was talking about baptism as a death of the old self in carnal desires and the birth of a new self in spirit and truth. Thus Paul says, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above” (3:1). One literal meaning of “hidden” would then be “burial”. We bury our old self with Christ in baptismal immersion. On another level, some biblical scholars notice that the word “hidden” could probably a word play on “secret knowledge” which was popular among the Colossians. They were interested in angels, astral powers, cultic practices and ascetical disciplines etc. (2:15-18) Paul emphasizes that Christ alone is the reality and through knowing Christ and befriending Christ, we know the Truth!

However, I sense something else in the word “hidden”! In baptism, not only have we died and been buried with Christ, but we have also clothed ourselves with Christ (Galatians 3:27), “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh” (Romans 13:14)! By clothing ourselves with Christ, we may be energized by Him, like Elisha who received the spirit and power of Elijah by picking up the garment Elijah had left behind for him (2 Kings 2:13-14). Putting on clothes gives us power and authority to serve the needy. Perhaps this is what “putting on Christ” means.

On the other hand, clothes hide our nakedness, frailty and shame, thus giving us dignity. Indeed, this was how the Jews understood the forgiveness of sins by God. They thought of it as a covering of sins probably they believed that what had been done could not be undone. So, they believed that when God forgave, God did not remember and did not see their sins which still remained. For example, when the enemies of Jews mocked them for trying to rebuild the Temple, Nehemiah prayed to God, saying, “Do not hide their crime and do not let their sin be blotted out in your sight, for they insulted the builders to their faces!” (Nehemiah 3:37), “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered” (Psalms 32:1, 85:3; Romans 4:7). Not only Paul but some other authors of the New Testament also talk about covering a multitude of sins (James 5:20, 1 Peter 4:8).

What about the concept of cleansing of sins. In the Old Testament, only three Major Prophets spoke of it (Isaiah 1:16, 4:4; Jeremiah 4:14, Ezekiel 16:9). The NT authors advocate a lot about the cleansing of sins by the blood or the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:11; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 John 1:7, Revelation 7:14 etc.). Therefore, it really challenges our imagination to read, “…These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress, they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (7:14b). Of course, it is not a chemical trick! We should not read it literally but should understand its symbolism instead. It is actually a fulfilment of the prophecy by Isaiah who says, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

We greet each other “Joyous Easter” today. But let’s be candid. Do sins bother us after baptism? How often do you seek help and growth through the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Or do you go into the confessional like going into a washing machine, coming out clean? Regret to say that if we don’t receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we are cheating ourselves. If we go too often, we are denying the saving power of Jesus’ sacrifice or the sanctifying ministry of the Spouse of Christ! It is truly a dilemma! The reality is we are branches in time and Jesus is the True Vine in eternity. It takes time for us to secure an enriching and empowering relation with the Lord. We cannot become a super-hero overnight because our sinfulness remains even after baptism!

Beloved brethren! Perhaps a little imperfection is essential for our growth and failures will synchronize our dancing trots with Christ. Whatever our stations in life, bear in mind that proclaiming the Lord’s Resurrection is our major concern because it shows our love and care for our neighbour. If we do not feel the urge to evangelize, our hope becomes dim and our love shall extinguish soon. Amen!
God bless!

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2010 Reflection
Picture Credit: kcmifm.com

猶達斯的角色是必要的嗎？ Is Judas’ Role Indispensable?

猶達斯的角色是必要的嗎？ Is Judas’ Role Indispensable?

筆者無意，亦沒有本領為出賣耶穌的猶達斯平反。筆者祇想理解多一點，慈悲的主有關於猶達斯的一句話。「但是出賣人子的那人卻是有禍的，那人若是沒有生，為他更好」（瑪26:24b）。筆者注意到，這句說話並沒有批評、或判決的意味，而是一個客觀的敘述：猶達斯的結局是悲慘的。這句話反而帶有憐憫和痛惜的意思。究竟耶穌想表達甚麼意思呢？

首先，耶穌並沒有因為猶達斯出賣祂而憎恨他，反而對他說：「你所要做的，你快去吧」（若13:27b）。在革匝瑪尼園，猶達斯用「口親」的暗號出賣祂時，耶穌說：「朋友，你來做的事，就做吧」（瑪26:50a），與若望的敘述吻合。驟耳聽來，猶達斯好像是耶穌執行任務時的伙伴。猶達斯負責出賣耶穌，耶穌負責死在十字架上，替世人贖罪！當猶達斯還有所猶豫不決的時候，耶穌勸他為了大局著想，一起犧牲小我，完成任務。

這是一厢情願的美麗誤會；要知道，在《瑪竇福音》，「朋友」一詞共出現了四次，每次都與「罪人」有關（11:19, 20:13, 22:12, 26:50）。耶穌基督為了拯救罪人，便與罪人為伍，稱兄道弟，治療他們，指示他們應走的道路，回歸父家。所以耶穌稱呼猶達斯為「朋友」，反而是肯定了猶達斯是罪人的狀態，而不是執行任務，出生入死的戰友！

其次我會問，在天主的救贖工程中，必須有「負賣者」這個角色嗎？事實上，即使沒有「負賣者」，耶穌一樣可以前往公議會「自首」；在大司祭面前說他認為是褻瀆的話，被判死刑。用不著犧牲一個宗徒，令他因內疚而自殺（27:3-5），並且遺臭萬年。當然，遺臭萬年的還有比拉多和大司祭。倘若沒有他們兩個，耶穌是死不去的。一個在政治上判耶穌死刑，另一個在宗教上判耶穌死刑，以至耶穌必死無疑。所以這兩個人的角色，比「負賣者」的角色，更為重要，更不可或缺。

那麼，猶達斯有甚麼值得耶穌憐惜呢？我覺得猶達斯的自殺，更合符耶穌的敘述「那人若是沒有生，為他更好」。除了抑鬱狀態導致的自殺外，一般的自殺甚至協助的自殺，都是對天主作出控訴，指摘祂讓自殺者出生在世上，是一個錯誤的決定！自殺者拒絕給天主向他施恩的機會。 若他沒有生在世上，就不會觸犯這個大逆不道，「控訴天主」，拒絕天主的大罪了！注意，耶穌這句嘆息的話，同樣適用於以色列的第一位君王撒烏耳身上，他與猶達斯一樣自殺死了，同樣是一個悲劇性的人物！

親愛的諸位！四旬期今天完結，懇求你們，即使不控訴天主，也要給天主一個機會，向你施恩赦罪，為你披上慈悲的外衣吧（格後5:20）！亞孟。

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圖片鳴謝：catholicregister.org

不再有懸念 No More Opportunism

不再有懸念 No More Opportunism

上主與亞巴郎立約，許下三個諾言：一，他要成為一個大民族；二，成為萬民的福源（創12:2-3）；三，賜客納罕全地〔即今天的巴勒斯坦〕作為他和他後裔的永久產業（17:8）。人總是缺乏耐性，亞巴郎也不例外。天主許諾他要成為一個大民族，但當時他膝下猶虛，而且撒辣又是石女。於是他採納了撒辣的建議，由她的埃及婢女哈加爾給他生下了依市瑪耳（16:15）。但天主的應許並不是由哈加爾所生的兒子實現，而是由出自撒辣所生的依撒格來實現（17:21）！天主的第二個承諾，由「亞巴郎之子、達味之子耶穌基督」（瑪1:1），藉著祂所建立的教會實現了。而且，透過教會，把先知的預言，即「我要使你作萬民的光明，使我的救恩達於地極」（依49:6b），一併實現。當然，耶穌基督把教會交由宗徒們管理、聖化和教導，免不了滲雜了一些人性的元素，有如亞巴郎以自己的方法，實現天主的諾言一樣。藉著天主聖神的助祐，雖然她的表現強差人意，但二千年來總算有驚無險。

很不幸，預言的前半節，即「你作我的僕人，復興雅各伯友派，領回以色列遺留的人，還是小事」（49:6a），雖然實現了，以色列在1948年復國了，但是她並不銳意以「天主選民」的身份，實現成為「萬民福源」的承諾，祇把全部精力，用人的方法來實現天主對亞巴郎的第三個承諾，導致今天的加沙，幾成了人間地獄！誠然，按天主的旨意行事是艱苦的。耶穌基督不是曾教訓我們，要「竭力由窄門而人罷！因為將來有許多人…要想進去，而不得入」（路13:24）嗎？但人總會心存僥倖，依恃耶穌基督的慈悲，做個「悔改的右盜」。

雖然教會不敢妄斷猶達斯必然下地獄，但福音對猶達斯的評價，已經十分明確，不再有懸念（瑪26:24, 27:3-5; 谷14:21; 路22:3; 若6:70-71, 12:6, 13:2, 27, 30; 宗1:18）。可是，現代人心存僥倖，並且喜歡挑戰權威；二十世紀就有不少耶穌傳的音樂劇或電影，為猶達斯進行平反！難道與猶達斯近距離接觸過的人不足信嗎？請注意，我們不能選擇性地相信【聖經】；假如我們不相信福音的敘述，我們盡失信仰耶穌基督的基礎，「我們就是眾人中最可憐的了」（格前15:19b）！

親愛的諸位！不要再心存僥倖，努力尋求天父的旨意罷！
天主保祐！

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圖片鳴謝：the treasury of Brussels Cathedral

死亡的陰影 Shadow Of Death

死亡的陰影 Shadow Of Death

今年的「預報救主降生節」，剛好遇上聖周。即使是節日，也要讓路，移到復活期第二周星期一。進入聖周，所見的仍是死亡陰影，所嗅的還是死亡氣氛。君不見莫斯科音樂廳發生的恐襲，它祇不過是死亡陰影的註腳；加沙多月來不斷惡化的人道危機，也祇不過是死亡氣氛的配料而已。從國家社會層面可以很漂亮地說：「死有重於泰山，有輕於鴻毛」。但死亡總離不開個人的層面，離不開個人的感覺，就是陰暗、腐朽、痛苦、絕望直到失去一切感覺。

天主子之死，不但救國救民，而且贖回了古往今來，不分中外全人類的靈魂。倘若未有人類之前，泰山已經存在的話，或許「重於泰山」，亦足以表述天主子之死的偉大之處。你和我的死，又何足掛齒，用「輕於鴻毛」來表述呢？我今天還在寫，你還在讀，表示生命仍在掙扎下去。在陰暗中收縮瞳孔，努力接收光明；在一片腐朽的氛圍中，不甘同流合污，努力嗅出芬芳；在刻骨銘心的痛苦中，不斷呻吟喘息，找天主辯論；在絕望中，企盼雅威主持公義，直到失去一切感覺為止，這可以是「至善」嗎？

這邊廂，在痛苦中掙扎的凡人，很多都會閱讀《約伯傳》，嘗試尋找答案，獲得安慰。那邊廂，上主天主喜歡與祂按自己肖像所創造的人，進行辯論（約13:3; 依41:1）。那麼，姑且不談天主子，請祢告訴我們，無辜的凡人，他們的受苦，有甚麼意義或價值呢？倘若沒有意義和價值，我們會非常失望。無辜的約伯曾感慨說：「我希望幸福，來的卻是災禍；我期待光明，黑暗反而來臨」（約30:26）。最後，約伯卻認錯，批評自己說的是無智的話！他說：「是我以無智的話，使祢的計劃模糊不明；是我說了無知的話，說了那些超越我智力的話」（42:3）。但我仍不服氣，因為我們不能收回我們說過的無知的話！或許我們忘記了祢是不需要使用眼睛來看宇宙的萬事萬物，「黑暗對祢並不矇矓，黑夜與白畫一樣光明，黑暗對祢無異光明」（詠139:12）。那麼，請祢教導我們不用眼睛來看宇宙的萬事萬物，不再判別對錯吧！

在今天的福音裡，天主子告訴我們說：「你們常有窮人〔即無辜的受苦者〕和你們在一起；至於我，你們卻不常有」（若12:8）。這答覆沒有《約伯傳》中的天主那麼霸氣，我心悅誠服。亞孟。

To The Point of Death 至死

To The Point of Death 至死

As of this writing, my ex-student is dying of lung cancer. From the family members, I learnt that his organs are failing and the only consciousness available is hearing. The hospital staff encourage visitors to speak as much as possible to him to support his passing away. When the appropriate moment comes, the hospital will switch off the life-supporting system. In my last visit which was also the first, I administered the Holy Communion to him. The readings on the monitors fluctuated so vigorously that the nurse had to increase the amount of cardiac drips lest his heart would be overloaded. Today the readings were steady even when I put the Carmelite scapular I brought from my Church on him and thus his condition was deteriorating.

I sat beside his bed for two hours, watching his rhythmic breathings of concentrated oxygen: two inhaling and one exhaling, like almost involuntarily reflexive. Had he become a comatose, I wondered? I started saying the Sorrowful Mysteries in English. After two Hail Mary’s, I could not maintain my composure. My voice became choky and tears were gushing out. I stopped and started all over again in Latin. Then I was able to finish the Sorrowful Mysteries as well as the Glorious Mysteries slowly and steadily within two hours. I must have drowsed off in the course of recitation.

Like all ordinary men, I evaded pains. Seeing my ex-student undergoing excruciating pains, I would imagine my wife, my children and all my loved ones suffering like him. I think most people prefer suffering pains themselves to seeing their loved ones suffer. Who is able to take total control over his own life? Nobody! Alas, suffering is inevitable. If we cannot withstand it, we will conjure up some defence mechanisms to evade it or repress it. Though both English and Latin are not my mother tongue, I feel less pain when I say the Rosary in Latin.

Today, we celebrate the Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem to kick-off His Passion. St. Paul summarizes it in a broad stroke, “He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). Christ is humble because as a king coming into His own land, He was born in a manger; led the life of a carpenter in a small town and lastly entering the capital, riding on a colt (Mark 11:7). They striped him naked to crucify Him and drew lots to divide his garments (15:24) and in the end, His Pharisee friends buried Him in some other people’s tomb (15:46). He truly humbled Himself and possessed nothing on earth!

Jesus obeyed the Father’s will. During the Agony in the garden of Gethsemane, He begged the Father trice to spare Him of this cup of suffering, but not what He willed but what the Father willed (14:36). During and after His arrest, Jesus had many opportunities to evade condemnation but He did not. During the arrest, He would have walked past the band of soldiers in darkness and in confusion as He had done many times before in broad daylight but He did not. He would have remained silent in the Sanhedrin (14:62) and flatly denied to be the king of the Jews before Pilate (15:2) but He did not. He refused to jump down from the cross, abandoning His last chance to evade the cup of suffering and persevered to the end hanging on the cross for six hours (15:25, 34)! He truly became obedient to death, even death on the cross. Jesus did not evade sufferings but embraced them.

At 9:45 pm, I read the message of his passing away. Allow me to stop to grieve. They have been so endearing to me. Amen.

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Photo Credit: Classmates of 5C, 1981.
2021 Reflection

超乎功利主義 Beyond Utilitarianism

超乎功利主義 Beyond Utilitarianism

在這個四旬期默想每日聖言，驚喜一浪接一浪。這首聖詠可以表達我當前的感受：「…我的靈魂，你要讚美上主…一息尚存，我要歌頌天主」（詠146:1-2）。

在中學教「倫理宗教」科出身的我，非常喜歡今天福音的金句。大司祭蓋法對參加會議的眾人說：「你們甚麼都不懂，也不想想：叫一個人替百姓死，以免全民族滅亡：這為你們多麼有利」（若11:49b-50），這不就是赤裸裸的「功利主義」教材嗎？感謝天主，今天祂賜給我一點新的體會。

司祭與法利塞人不同之處，在於他們祇信奉《梅瑟五書》，拒絕「先知」和「聖卷」的權威。「復活問題」是他們與法利塞人最激烈的爭論點；而且他們的代表，撒杜塞人，亦曾就復活問題，設下一個他們以為是滴水不漏的推理，挑戰耶穌（谷12:18-27）。當然他們以失敗告終，並給了耶穌基督一個教訓有關「永生」道理的機會。那麼，大司祭蓋法的功利主義教材，內裡有甚麼《梅瑟五書》的玄機呢？

相信為人最熟悉的律法Torah之一，就是「以眼還眼，以牙還牙」吧。為了彰顯公義，《五書》制訂了不少難免是消極的賠償規條。例如：人死不能復生，但為了彰顯公義，及發揮阻嚇作用，殺人者應判死刑，便有了「…就應以命償命，以眼還眼，以牙還牙…以疤還疤」（出21:23b-25）的法律。不過，律法也有「贖命金」的規條！例如，天主吩咐梅瑟做人口統計，凡20歲以上的以色列子民，都要繳納半「協刻耳」作為「贖命金」，免得在統計時，災禍降在他們身上（30:12-14）。梅瑟「從以色列子民所取的贖命金，應拿來為會幕用。這為子民在上主前是一個記念，也贖回了你們的性命」（30:16）。試想想，「贖命金」制度，不就是後來猶太人被羅馬帝國驅逐出巴肋斯坦，在世界各地沒有國籍地顛沛流離時，憑經商所賺到的財富，用來保命的啟發嗎？倘若是一個貧窮的猶太人又如何保命呢？

不用怕，「如果你的兄弟貧窮，賣了一分家產，他的至親可來作代贖人，贖回他兄弟所賣的家產」（肋25:25）；更進一步，「賣身以後，仍享有贖回的權利；他的任何兄弟可以贖他」（25:48）。俗語有云：「朋友有通財之義」，但猶太人更勝一籌：「兄弟有贖命之義」！我們不得不讚嘆律法Torah的精妙之處，「你們要謹守遵行，因為這樣，在萬民眼中，纔能顯出你們的智慧和見識…」（申4:6-9）。

但律法始終有其局限性，即使有「贖命」的個案，也祇不過是一命填一命而已。有誰可以一命贖回整個民族的命呢？是上主蓋法的天主：「應記得你在埃及也曾做過奴隸，上主你的天主將你贖回」（15:15）！即使我們認為蓋法是個大奸大惡的人，我們不能否定，可能是蓋法的護守天使，暗示蓋法說出這句「叫一個人替百姓死，以免全民族滅亡」的預言，「預言了耶穌將為民族而死；不但為猶太民族，而且也是為使那四散的天主的兒女都聚集歸一」（若11:51b-52）。

天父啊！且讓我一息尚存，繼續歌頌讚美祢。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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圖片鳴謝：nephithyrion.blogspot.com

突破既定框架 Think Outside The Box

突破既定框架 Think Outside The Box

默想今天福音之前，讓我們先澄清一些疑問。今天在另一個場合，「猶太人又拿起石頭來，要砸死他〔耶穌〕」（若10:31），原因「是為了褻瀆的話，因為你〔耶穌〕是人，卻把你自己當作天主」（10:33b）。耶穌回覆猶太人是這樣說的：「在你們的法律上不是記載著：『我說過：你們是神』麼？」（10:34）翻查【舊約】，這句經文出自「我親自說過：你們都是神，人人都是至高者的子民」（詠82:6） ，為甚麼耶穌說是「法律」呢？

按猶太人的經典分三部份：「法律Torah」，是指《梅瑟五書》；「先知Prophets」，是指蘇、民、撒上下、列上下〔前先知〕、依、耶、則及12小先知〔後先知〕；第三部份是「聖卷Writings」，是指盧、編上下、厄上下、艾、約、詠、箴、訓、歌、達（與【聖經】的次序不一樣）。可見《聖詠集》歸「聖卷」部份，為甚麼耶穌說「法律」呢？

首先，《梅瑟五書》中，也包含了很多詩歌，例如《創1》和《出15》。所以詩歌的體裁，不是「聖卷」的專利。現在，且讓我們多讀幾句《詠82篇》，便會明白當中的道理。

「你們不照正義審理，偏袒惡人要到何時。你們應保護受苦的人和孤兒，為貧窮與可憐的人主持正義。應拯救弱小及窮苦的人，由惡人的爪牙拯救他們。」（82:2-4）。讀到這裡，你感覺到《申命紀》的氣息嗎？讓我們繼續讀：「因為上主你的天主是萬神之神，萬主之主，偉大、有力、可畏的天主，是不顧情面，不受賄賂 ，為孤兒、寡婦主持正義，友愛外方人，供給他們食糧和衣服的天主」。詩歌聖詠有這麼長的句子嗎？你的懷疑是正確的，這一句不是（詠85:5），而是（申10:17-18）。要知道「孤兒」和「寡婦」，一同出現在《申命紀》，共11節之多，是全本【聖經】之冠，排第二位的《依撒意亞》也祇有4節！這樣讀來，《詠82篇》，簡直就是從《申命紀》節錄出來一樣！所以，耶穌基督說『我說過：你們是神』出自「法律」，是有根有據的！

可愛的諸位，我們不但領受了一次「讀經不可斷章取義」的教訓，而且還經驗到在處理問題時，要打破一些既定的思想框架。
OMG，我今天默想了甚麼？
天主保祐！

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圖片鳴謝：farthertogo.com

疑點歸被告 The Benefit of the Doubt

疑點歸被告 The Benefit of the Doubt

今天選讀的福音，跳過了耶穌與猶太人之間最火爆、最針鋒相對的爭論部份（若8:43-50）。經文大概講述耶穌慨嘆猶太人冥頑不靈，拒絕接受祂的作證。俗語所謂「相嗌唔好口」，用辭上耶穌說他們的父親是魔鬼（8:44）；他們反脣相稽，說耶穌附有魔鬼（8:48）云云。教會這樣安排，可能因為這段文字，對個人靈修默想沒有多大的幫助，暫時跳過了，並不可惜。他日因緣際會，再探討也未遲。

想深一層，耶穌要講論有關天父的道理，試問有誰能明白和信服呢？祂曾不祇一次慨嘆猶太人固執：「…你們容納不下我的話」（8:37）；「為甚麼你們不明白我的講論呢？無非是你們不肯聽我的話」（8:43）；「出於天主的，必聽天主的話；你們所以不聽，因為你們不是出於天主」（8:47）等等。耶穌的講論，句句都是真理。但天主子又不願意以君臨天下壓倒性的姿態，威迫異見份子收聲，難怪當代的猶太人反脣相稽，說耶穌附有魔鬼。最後更老羞成怒，「拿起石頭來要向祂投去」（8:59a）。這裡的猶太人，和毀謗耶穌憑貝耳則步驅魔的猶太人（谷3:22）一樣，耶穌並不降罪他們，仍然鍥而不捨地教導。所謂「今天且有暫別，他朝也定能聚首」。

天大地大，所有人的知識都有限。作為猶太人，即使是亞巴郎的後裔，天主的選民，有天主替他們作戰，所向披靡，也不應忘記過往，天主藉外國人的欺負，來吸取教訓，悔改回頭。他們沒有勵精圖治，反而執著自己的身份和管見，忘記了『實踐是檢驗真理的惟一標準』，姑且把疑點歸於「異見者 」，給他們辯證的機會。如今敵我不分，盲目地向異見者開刀！聲音是滅了，殉道者是造就了；但深層矛盾仍在！結果公元70年聖殿被毀、65年後猶太人更被羅馬帝國驅逐，不得踏足巴勒斯坦，凡18個世紀之久，種下二戰後中東成為火藥庫的禍根。執政者堅決與天主的承諾作對，不是帶給世人祝福（創12:3），而是生靈塗炭！奈何！

天父啊，容許我們在主受難紀念前，為頑固的「猶太人」執政者祈禱，亞孟。
天主保祐！

「後裔」和「子女」的分別 Difference Between Descendants And Children

「後裔」和「子女」的分別
Difference Between Descendants And Children

剛好昨天是大聖若瑟瞻禮，中斷了由四旬期第四周開始讀的《若望福音》。所以今天所讀福音的第一句，「耶穌對那些信他的猶太人說…」（若8:31a），聽來有點奇怪，因為《若望福音》中的「猶太人」，是指反對耶穌的人，怎麼會信耶穌呢？事緣前一段福音，耶穌在聖殿講論父的時候說：「派遣我來者與我在一起，祂沒有留下我獨自一個，因為我常作祂所喜悅的事」（8:29）。可能聽眾想起祂曾在貝特匝達水池治好無助的癱子（5:2-9）與及後來的五餅二魚神蹟，結果，「當耶穌講這些話時，許多人便信了祂」（8:30）。可惜，祇是曇花一現，最後也是「他們就拿起石頭來要向祂投去；耶穌卻隱沒了，從聖殿裡出去了」告終（8:59）¹ 。

今天的默想，被三句「亞巴郎的後裔/子女」吸引著。起初覺得並沒有甚麼分別，反覆思想後，便看出其中微妙之處。簡單地說，亞巴郎「的後裔繁多，如天上的星辰，如海邊的沙粒」（創22:17），但當中大部份人，不一定全心仰賴上主，愛慕天主！正如耶穌對「那些信他的猶太人」說：「我知道你們是亞巴郎的後裔，你們卻圖謀殺害我，因為你們容納不下我的話」（若8:37）。正如西默盎抱著40日大的耶穌聖嬰所預言說：「看，這孩子已被立定…為叫許多人心中的思念顯露出來」（路2:34-35）。那些一時高興、或者遭受團體壓力，更或者是別具用心的人，遲早會露出真面目。

相反，「假如你們是亞巴郎的子女，你們就該作亞巴郎所作的事」（8:39b）。亞巴郎做過甚麼事呢？他固然不是一個完美的人，為了保命而謊稱妻子是妹妹（創12:13）；但他對羅特的忍讓、為索多瑪的罪人向天主求情、奉命祭獻依撒格等等，足以顯示亞巴郎對上主天主全心的仰賴和愛慕，讓他成為全人類的「信德之父」（羅4:11-12, 16）。萬民要因他的兒子、達味之子，耶穌基督（瑪1:1），蒙受天主的祝福；憑著信德，「並沒有猶太人與希臘人的區別」（羅10:12）。後裔和子女的分別，的確很大！

中國經歷了多次改朝換代，不像南國猶大一樣是「一家的天下」，可以追溯到一個祖先：猶大→雅各伯→依撒格→亞巴郎。這是他們在充軍巴比倫時，艱苦經營得來，重塑自己是天主選民身份的成果。中國人自稱「炎黃子孫」、「龍的傳人」…可是，今天姜姓、姬姓的中國人，還有多少呢？今天，越來越多人拿中國的龍和Loong作笑柄。中國人啊！你們正經歷一場身份危機嗎？
天主保祐！

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¹這一節也佐證了耶穌憐憫淫婦事件，是可以發生在聖殿內。猶太人可以在那裡找到石頭，濫用私刑！
圖片鳴謝：twgreatdaily.com

表面的壞並不壞 Superficially Bad Is Not Bad

表面的壞並不壞 Superficially Bad Is Not Bad

近日在快餐店吃早餐時，望著四周的食客，心中不期然地想，當中有多少人會關心「聽告解」有觸犯「隱匿叛國」罪的可能呢？我相信一個也沒有！不過，我倒想感激掀起這茶杯裡風波的人，讓教會有機會開腔介紹這個令很多人誤解的「修和聖事」。

天主教會有七件「聖事」，是與天主相遇，領受祂的恩典的場合。七件聖事之中，其中一件的施行人，可以不是神職人員，就是「聖洗聖事」。另外一件聖事的施行人，絕對不可以是神職人員，就是「婚配聖事」。其餘五件，必須由神父、甚至主教級的神職人員總有權施行：包括聖體聖事、堅振聖事、聖秩聖事、修和聖事和病人傅油聖事。最後兩件聖事，是屬於治療性的聖事，為了幫助信徒恢復他們肉體上及心靈上的健康。

領受「修和聖事」的信徒要經過五個步驟，纔有效地獲得恩典；包括省察、痛悔、定改、告明及補贖。可以見到的是「告明」部份，所以一般人會稱呼這件聖事做「告解聖事」。信徒按照十誡及其他倫理指引省察，覺得自己做了違反天主旨意的行為；看見後果的嚴重而感到懊悔；決定改過遷善，便找神父辦告解。但有些嚴重的罪行，是保留給主教，甚至教宗，纔可以赦免，一般神父並沒有足夠權力。

假設一個信徒參加了某個「叛國集團」，並有所行動。倘若他省察後，即使後果嚴重，他的良心沒有問題，他是不會去辦告解的。試問法利塞人或撒殫會「痛悔」嗎？當他覺得後果嚴重，讓很多無辜的人受害，他承受不了良心的責備，懊悔不已。但當他覺得改變不了現實，即使他不做，還有千千萬萬人會做，歷史的巨輪在推進，想改變也改變不了，他也不會去辦告解。祇有當他相信倚靠天主的慈悲，一切都是可能的，他纔會進行「告明」的步驟；鑒於邪惡的嚴重性，找主教辦告解。「修和聖事」是治療性的 ，不但為了改善罪人與天主的關係，更給予罪人勇氣和力量改過。最後，或許主教頒布他的補贖，除了閱讀聖奧思定的《天主之城》、或者天主教會的社會訓導之外，還有自首，也未可知！世界各地有「隱匿叛國」罪名的國家，沒有一個在法例之內，豁免「修和聖事」，因為兩者根本沒有衝突。

今天紀念大聖若瑟，福音稱他為「義人」（瑪1:19a），是絕對恰當的。無論是舊約的要求，即嚴格遵守法律；抑或是新約的要求，即全心全意信賴及愛慕上主天主，大聖若瑟完全做到了。從他身上，我們看到義人受苦時應有的態度，一切按天主的旨意行事：娶一個未婚媽媽、舉家逃往異地避難、耐心地守護瑪利亞兩母子、教養耶穌基督，有如己出…
大聖若瑟，為我等祈。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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圖片鳴謝：sspeterpaulgb.org

女人救了亞當，誰來救女人？ The Woman Saved Adam. Who Would Save The Woman?

女人救了亞當，誰來救女人？
The Woman Saved Adam. Who Would Save The Woman?

三月八日慶祝國際婦女節，曾發表過一篇貼文，名為『女人如何救了亞當』，歌頌母性的偉大。因為文字有限，言不盡意，貼文絕無否定/貶低獨身女性對人類大家庭的貢獻。四旬期已接近尾聲，準備進入復活節的高潮。今天安排的兩篇讀經，矛頭直指女性，感覺上殺氣特別重！

《讀經一》講述發生在巴比倫的故事，女主角蘇撒納，「非常美麗，而且敬畏上主」（達13:2），丈夫約雅金是個很富有的猶太人，他的住宅有一個果園（13:4），育有子女（13:30）。故事發生在果園之內，蘇撒納被兩個邪惡的猶太長老誣告陷害，結果天主感動了一個青年人達尼爾的聖善心靈（13:45），為蘇撒納申冤，警惡懲奸，結局大快人心。《福音》的事蹟發生在聖殿，是「耶穌憐憫淫婦」的故事，留給了我們「你們中間誰沒有罪，先向她投石罷」（若8:7b）的名句。結局祇留下天主子和罪婦。

無論在古今中外的社會裡，作為一個女性，既美麗又富有，又有丈夫子女在身邊，蘇撒納的處境是絕對理想和幸福。可惜，仍未能保障她不受罪惡的侵害。福音中的淫婦，既無名無姓，而且祇有她被捕，姦夫卻下落不明；而且，她連喊冤的機會也沒有。可見她代表了社會上備受剝削的苦命人，經常遭受罪惡的虐待！這兩位女性的際遇，足以表達全體女性在社會裡的景況。既然當初女人救了亞當，那麼今天誰來拯救她們呢？

蘇撒納的故事發生在巴比倫的一個果園內，是蠻有象徵性的，這不就是伊甸園內發生的故事嗎？原來撒殫除了使用甜言蜜語之外，牠的代理人也會使用暴力來脅迫受害人的。對於有組織的罪惡，除了投靠慈悲的上主天主外，還有其他出路嗎？福音的故事，是猶太教領袖借淫婦的案件來聚眾攻擊耶穌，卻意外地暴露了法律的局限性和法律專家對法律精神的無知！耶穌用指頭在地上畫甚麼字（8:6b），無從稽考。在明白人心的天主子面前，在場的群眾有誰可以說沒有罪呢？雖然法律來自天主，但執法的人本身都是罪人；他們不但知法犯法，更借法律來迫害異見人士。對於結構化了的罪惡，除了投靠慈悲的上主天主外，還有其他出路嗎？因為終極的結局，無論男或女，是個人與天主的關係，祇有天主纔能定我們的罪。

親愛的諸位，讓我們與聖伯多祿一起向主耶穌祈禱說：「主！惟祢有永生的話，我們去投奔誰呢？」（7:68）亞孟。

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圖片鳴謝：wikipedia.org

倘若是莠子，又如何？ What If It Were Weeds?

Fifth Lenten Sunday, Year B
Theme: 倘若是莠子，又如何？ What If It Were Weeds?

This is the last Sunday in the Lenten season that began with the covenant between God and Noah, then between God and Abraham. We came to the zenith of the Old Testament, the Sinai Covenant on the third Sunday. God gave the Ten Commandments as a sign to this Old Testament. Last Sunday, we read of how Cyrus the king of Persia released the Israelites from Babylonian Captivity to return home and to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. It shows that the LORD God actively intervenes in human history to honour His pledge to Abraham. Today, we hear how the LORD God declares His intention to establish a new covenant! So, the covenant theme runs through the Lenten season in Year B.

In fact, this so called new covenant is actually a renewal and an improved version of the old covenant. Let’s read what the LORD God says through the prophet, “See, days are coming --- oracle of the LORD --- when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31). How is this new covenant different from the old? “I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (31:33b). So, this new covenant is basically the same as the old, “So that He may establish you today as His people and He may be your God, as He promised you and as He swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” (Deuteronomy 29:12). That is why I said earlier that this new covenant was actually a renewal of the previous Sinai Covenant which had been a failure because the Israelites failed to honour their obligations. It was understandable because God put the Law on two stone tablets and people would easily focus on the letters instead of the spirit of the Law. Now in this new covenant, God places the Law in people’s hearts to enhance the tendency to seek the spirit of the Law instead of letters. In order to ensure that the new Israel is able to observe the Law more easily, the Father sent His only begotten Son not to abolish the Law and prophets but to fulfil it (Matthew 5:17). In this way, the new Covenant is an improved version of the old.

However, we should not make the mistake in thinking that the new Covenant has replaced the old and thus, we are free not to observe the old Law. Wrong. Of course, some old practices could not be observed. For example, the second Temple in Jerusalem is destroyed. It is impossible to offer sacrifice in the Jerusalem Temple any more. Furthermore, Jesus foresaw its destruction and taught, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth” (John 4:24). If Jesus does not abolish, neither do we. Therefore, we “Christianise” the old practices. We advocate love as the spirit of the Law (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18); observe the LORD’s Day instead of the Sabbath and offer the non-bloody sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist instead of holocausts etc.

Before we meditate the gospel message today, let us take a look at the context in the gospel of John. Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem after raising Lazarus from the dead at Bethany. “So the crowd (from Bethany) that was with him … continued to testify. This was why the crowd (in Jerusalem) went to meet him, because they heard that He had done this sign” (John 12:17-18). Some Greek pilgrims approached Philip to express their wish to see Jesus. Together with Andrew, Philip reported to Jesus who started teaching them an important teaching recorded in all four canonical gospels. The importance of this teaching is on a par with the miracle of feeding the 5000, Passion and Resurrection because all canonical gospels record it. In John’s version, Jesus says, “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life” (12:25; Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24). However, the Synoptic gospels put this teaching after Jesus’ first prediction of His passion and before His Transfiguration, whereas John put it after the Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem. Why does John arrange it this way? I’m still searching for a meaningful answer.

It is worth meditating how Jesus preluded this important teaching in the gospel of John. He says, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” (John 12:24). I still remember vividly the first time I read this verse during the funeral of Rev. Fr. Enea Tapella, PIME (1929-1977). His noble and heroic life for the service of the physical and mental retarded children has touched the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of people in Hong Kong. Among a group of young secondary school students, I am grateful that we were able to serve the children under his guidance and continued even after his transfer to other parishes. I would say he had planted the seed of diaconate vocation in my heart in those days. Unbeknown to me, my secondary school classmate, Andrew Kung, who had worked with Fr. Tapella earlier and longer was also ordained a permanent deacon in Canada in the same year nine years ago. I pray that we will be able to die and produce much fruit like Fr. Tapella. Interested readers may find more details of the life of this altruistic missionary from the hyperlink below¹. The prelude was paraphrased by Tertullian in his apology, saying, “We multiply when you reap us. The blood of Christians is seed” (Apologeticus, L.13) or more popularly further paraphrased into “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church”. History has proven this right. In fact, it is stupid of worldly powers to persecute Christians as a public spectacle because making them martyrs only helps them evangelize.

I could not resist another teaching of Jesus alluring at the back of my mind, the parable of wheat and weeds. I muse, “What if it is not wheat but weeds? What would Jesus say?” Let’s fire up our imagination and design Jesus’ script. One possible script might be “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of weed falls to the ground and dies, it remains a grain of weed; but if it dies, it produces much weeds!” Are you joking, Deacon? No, I have been troubled by such a possible scenario for quite some time! Don’t we desire to see justice prevail and the wicked perish? I have reservation because I desire to see justice prevail but not at the punishment/death of the wicked. The philosophy of correctional services has changed. Capital punishment of the guilty is ineffective as a deterrence of crimes. People would congratulate each other for a while and they will soon forget. Moreover, the vacancy created by a kingpin would soon be replaced by another and nobody can guarantee that the next chairperson would be a more conscientious one! That is the reason why assassinating a tyrant, such as Qin Shi Huang or Hitler, is always a bad idea! And before the next “king” ascends the throne, a period of warring kingdoms would arise and thus would produce more “weeds” in the future!

Perhaps this may help us understand why God “protected” Cain by putting a mark on him so that no one would kill him at sight (Genesis 4:15b) because seeing the death of one wicked person would inspire more wicked people to come forth to replace the dead one. It also agrees with God’s intention as expressed by another prophet, “I find no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies --- oracle of the LORD God. Turn back and live” (Ezekiel 18:32). The LORD God doesn’t want to see His images, His master-pieces to perish. He reserves vengeance for Himself because He knows how much force to apply but we don’t. Look at the tortures invented throughout the ages in all civilizations and we cannot deny that most of the time, we enjoy overdoing our revenge. Thus, St. Paul reminds believers, “Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the LORD’” (Romans 12:19; Leviticus 19:18a; Deuteronomy32:35a).

Beloved brethren! We are approaching the end of this Lenten season, a period of abundant outpouring graces from the merciful LORD. It is hard but essential to love the unlovable and to pray for the people we hate. Work harder to enter the Kingdom through the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13). Amen.
God bless!
¹HK Diocese Archive

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: reason2bcatholic.com

不要判斷人 Do Not Judge

不要判斷人 Do Not Judge

市民大眾連日來關注立法會有關為履行『基本法23條』的憲法責任而訂立的《維護國家安全條例草案》進行辯論，草案建議包括「隱匿叛國」罪。有宗教背景人士提出，神父聽告解，必須把告解內容保密，會否觸犯「隱匿叛國」罪？天主教香港教區於三月十五日發新聞稿回應，自然有不少教友，悶在心中。他們心愛教會及耶穌基督，祇不過對掌管教會的神長們的表現失望而已。在當今的社會氣氛下，他們納悶是可以理解的。

我們太自我中心，經常批評別人。當然，出於善意的規勸是應該的，而且主耶穌曾教導我們如何規勸兄弟（瑪18:15-17）。倘若沒有渠道可以勸諫長上，姑且暫時「默存心中， 反覆思想」罷（路2:19, 51）；在心中不滿、批評，始終有違主耶穌的教訓（瑪7:1），今天的福音給了我們很好的警剔。

主耶穌曾教導說：「經師和法利塞人坐在梅瑟的講座上：凡他們對你們所說的，你們要行要守」（瑪23:2-3a）。可是，今天福音中的故事，法利塞人對他們派去捉拿耶穌的差役所說的，不是「坐在梅瑟的講座上」權威性的教導，而是針對群眾，氣燄囂張的批評：「這些不明白法律的群眾，是可詛咒的！」（若7:49）立刻便遭受到能獨立思考的同僚，尼苛德摩的糾正，暴露了他們自己也不明白法律：「如果不先聽取人的口供，和查明他所做的事，難道我們的法律就許定他的罪麼？」（7:51）為了自己的顏面，他們惟有胡扯一句：「難道你也是出自加里肋亞麼？你去查考，你就知道：從加里肋亞不會出先知的」（7:52）！
事實勝於雄辯，出現在耶穌顯聖容的厄里亞，他是出自基肋阿得的提市貝（列上17:1），而提市貝在加里肋亞山區（多1:2）；約納先知出自加特赫費爾（約1:1; 列下14:25; 蘇19:13），耶穌基督特別提及這位熱愛祖國的先知，借用他的事跡暗示自己的復活。還有厄里叟、歐瑟亞、納鴻和米該亞等，因為古代的地名與現代有所出入，學者還在研究中。

親愛的諸位，愛耶穌就要按耶穌的教導去生活，愛那不可愛的人，包括教會中的聖職人員。愛包括諒解和關懷，甚至招致損失受傷也甘心，有如主耶穌一樣（若13:34）。一紙傳播處的聲明，並非「坐在主教座上頒布」的當信道理或倫理規範，要行要守，悉隨尊便，不要心中納悶，自尋煩惱。 天主保祐！

圖片鳴謝：upload.wikimedia.org
出自納匝肋的先知，可參考討論區：christianity.stackexchange.com

當暴力成為真理時 When Might Is Right

當暴力成為真理時 When Might Is Right

臨近聖周，默想讀經時也感覺到一股迫近的殺氣！ 今天第一篇讀經是節錄的，殺氣倍增。倘若閱讀《智慧篇》第二章的全部，你不會覺得殺氣騰騰，反而會覺得那些所謂「惡人們」非常可憐！

誠然，人生苦短是事實，但痛苦的感覺，卻完全取決於面對痛苦的態度。即使態度是個人的選擇，旁人不應說三道四，狂妄批評；可是文中「惡人們」所採取的態度，對任何人，包括自己，都沒有益處，客觀地是一個錯誤的選擇，所以不得不口誅筆伐了！
人必有死是客觀的事實（智2:1-5），但「惡人們」的文采，讓讀者產生共鳴之餘，不禁替他們惋惜。面對逃避不了的死亡，「惡人們」 選擇了「趁年青及時…莫讓春花空空溜過…在玫瑰花尚未萎謝以前…到處留下我們歡樂的痕跡…」（2:6-9）等等及時行樂的方案，即奉行「享樂主義」，是他們的自由，旁人實在無可厚非；我們祇能慨歎他們沒有善用手上的資源，建樹社區或至國家，做福社群而已。但當自私對其他人不做成任何傷害時，慨歎亦不會建樹天國，你又何必感慨呢？

可是，他們對經濟作出貢獻，就真的是無可厚非嗎？且看下文分解。《智慧篇》繼續說：「我們要壓迫窮苦的義人，不必顧惜寡婦，連白髮年高的老人，也不必敬重。我們的勢力，就是正義的法律，因為軟弱祇呈現自己無用」（2:10-11）！原來「世上沒有免費午餐」是人生的定律，否則，天主子也不必降生受難，替世人贖罪了。「享樂主樂」除了有上述的社會代價外，真理被扭曲了，暴力取而代之！當「暴力就是真理Might Is Right」的時候，社會國家便會出現窮富懸殊、弱勢社群遭受剝削、長者受虐待等等…，更嚴重的後果，在靈性上，人的心腸被財富和權勢硬化了，要回頭悔改，歸向天主，就更加困難重重了！

可愛的諸位，大家明白以暴易暴，無法根治暴力，解決問題。暴力祇會產生更多更大的暴力，冤冤相報。主耶穌在「山中聖訓」，曾提醒我們「溫良的人是有福的，因為他們要承受土地」（瑪5:5），軟弱並不呈現自己無用，反而蒙受天父的祝福。你相信嗎？你憧憬依撒意亞先知所預言的「默西亞王國」（依11:6-9）嗎？
天主保祐！

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圖片鳴謝：scouterlife.com

梅瑟是耶穌基督的預像 Moses Was A Pre-figure of Jesus Christ

梅瑟是耶穌基督的預像 Moses Was A Pre-figure of Jesus Christ

梅瑟是【舊約】最偉大的人物，相信沒有人可以挑戰他的地位。天主藉著他，把以色列人從埃及解放出來。「過紅海」一役，以色列子民不再走回頭路做奴隸了（出14）。隨後上西乃山與上主天主訂立盟約，把一盤散沙般的以色列子民打造成一個民族（出19-20）。上主天主為他們作戰，橫掃曠野四十年，所向披靡，令所有異族聞風喪膽，甚至請來術士巴郎，詛咒他們，也失敗告終（戶22-24）。

以上是以色列人風光的一面，但另一方面，在埃及四百多年積習了拜偶像的心態，影響他們輕易地懷疑天主對他們的關愛，不斷抱怨天主和祂的僕人梅瑟。今天的第一篇讀經，就是梅瑟上了西乃山40天領受十誡時所發生的事。山下的以色列人沒有耐性，強迫亞郎為他們鑄造一隻金牛，帶領他們重返埃及（出32:1-4）！

天主當然大發雷霆，打算消滅山下的以色列人，再從梅瑟身上，另起爐灶。這樣做，上主 天主仍足以兌現向亞巴郎的承諾（32:9-10）。但梅瑟選擇了為以色列人求情（32:11-13），當中有甚麼道理呢？當年亞巴郎為索多瑪的罪人求情（創18:22-33），背後的動機可能是想保存羅特的性命，因為當時依撒格尚未出生，羅特是他惟一可靠的繼承人。但梅瑟已經有兩個兒子（出18:3-4），沒有繼承的煩惱了。順從天主的旨意，豈不是最佳選擇嗎？問題是梅瑟不能保證他日自己的後裔，不會重蹈今天以色列人的覆轍！倘若今天不制止上主天主大開殺戒，他日自己的後裔，必死無疑。所以梅瑟寧願放棄自己的個人榮辱，也要保住十二支派的命脈，不能自私地祇保存自己肋未一族！結果，上主天主沒有立刻消滅他們，而是讓他們在曠野流浪四十年，讓拜偶像的人在曠野死盡，祇有在曠野中出生，未接觸過偶像的新生代，纔可進入福地！但誰可保證不會出其他亂子呢？

梅瑟和亞郎不能進入福地一事，素來令我困惑不解。梅瑟第二次擊石出水，就是「因為你們沒有相信我，使我在以色列子民眼前被尊為聖，所以你們不得領這會眾進入我賜給他們的土地」（戶20:12）。多年來跟隨上主天主的你和我，間中有所懷疑，跌倒再爬起，在所難免。給罪人悔改機會，不是天主素來的行事方針嗎？《戶籍紀》的解釋，實在難以服眾！

從梅瑟為以色列子民求情一事，可見梅瑟的高風亮節。我反而猜想，是猜想而已，梅瑟寧願自我犧牲，成為代罪羔羊，為以色列子民進入福地前的贖罪祭，來換取新一代以色列子民得以進入福地。梅瑟這樣做符合他的性格，使他更真實地成為耶穌基督的預像，也未可知！
天主保祐！

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圖片鳴謝：downtoearth.org.in

事有緩急先後之分 Let Us Prioritize

事有緩急先後之分 Let Us Prioritize

人生苦短，但想做的事又那麼多，所以必須按緩急先後作出安排。耶穌基督是一位好老師，祂要傳授的訊息不但質素高，而且祂的傳意技巧亦非常到家。讀《若望福音》，可以欣賞到天主子的教學風采。

在三部「對觀福音」，耶穌基督會在祂的教訓中，使用「我實在告訴你們…Amen, I say to you …」的句式，叫聽眾特別留心。但《若望福音》卻用「我實實在在告訴你們…Amen, amen, I say to you …」來加重語氣，沒有例外。不但如此，《若望福音》還有另外一種句式，說明事物的緩急先後。耶穌說了「時候〔要/必/來〕到」共6次，是指必定會實現/發生的事情。例如：「女人，妳相信我罷！到了時候，你們將不在這座山…」（若4:21）；「但時候來到，我不再用比喻…」（16:25）。在其中兩次，耶穌再加上「且現在就是」，表示天國已開始出現在這個世界上了。就是：「然而時候要到，且現在就是，那些真正朝拜的人，將以心神以真理朝拜父…」（4:23）和今天的福音「我實實在在告訴你們：時候要到，且現在就是，死者要聽見天主子的聲音，凡聽從的，就必生存」（5:25）。已經開始倒數了！

默想今天的福音，感受到天主子訊息的迫切性。但為甚麼耶穌基督祇向「死者」說話呢？與我們有甚麼關係呢？很明顯，天主子所說的「死者」，不單是指已沒有肉身生命的人，而且還包括了那些雖生猶死，有如行屍走肉的人，這些人特別需要祂的憐憫。他們可能營營役役地勞碌，沒有撥時間培養自己的靈性生命；或許對教會的表現失望，不再相信她的教導；可能對天父的慈悲失去信心，已經喪失了抗拒罪惡的鬥志等等。無論如何，目前最重要的，是聆聽耶穌基督的教導和跟從祂的指示去生活。給自己機會，齋戒身心、返聖堂祈禱、領受修和聖事和實行愛德服務，這是獲得永生的不二法門。

親愛的諸位，當務之急，尤其是四旬期餘下的日子不多，就是做好以下這兩件功夫：我們必須聽從天主子的聲音，並以心神以真理朝拜父。亞孟！亞孟！
天主保祐！

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圖片鳴謝：monday.com

恩將仇報 Repay Benevolence With Vengeance

恩將仇報 Repay Benevolence With Vengeance

保祿是一個深明法律本質的法利塞人，所以他明瞭法律的不足之處。法律可以提供正確的指標給人跟著去做，同時法律劃出範圍，讓人可以安全地在當中互動，滿足各人的需要。可惜世上任何法律體系，都訂立不到一套「滴水不漏」的法律，總會顧此失彼，即使是天主在西乃山上頒布的法律，也不例外。因此，努力地修訂一套完美的法律，最後祇會「作法自斃」收場。於是保祿對法律作出了以下的定論：「因為沒有一個人能因遵守法律，而在他〔天主〕前成義；因為法律祇能使人認識罪過。」（羅3:20）。法律所欠缺的，須要由天主子來成全。所以耶穌基督說：「你們不要以為我來是廢除法律和先知；我來不是為廢除，而是為成全」（瑪5:17）。

讀今天福音所描述的神跡時，必須提防先入為主的偏見：就是這個人犯了罪，所以天主懲罰他成為癱子38年。錯！雖然我們渴望正義得到伸張，但犯罪與遭遇不幸是沒有因果關係的（若9:3）。我們應該保持開放的心，纔能掌握到福音的訊息。

你或許會抗議說，耶穌不是警告這癱子：「看，你已痊癒了，不要再犯罪，免得你遭遇更不幸的事」（若5:14b）嗎？誠然，耶穌基督教訓癱子和我們，蒙恩痊癒後再犯罪，會遭受比成為癱子更不幸的事；但也不足以證明這人因犯罪而成為癱子。當年，他可能遇上意外，甚至遭人謀害而成為癱子，也未可知！這人成為癱子之前，肯定曾犯罪，但犯罪的人未必會立刻遇上不幸的事，他們甚至福祿壽全，亦大有人在！

「那人就去告訴猶太人：使他痊癒的就是耶穌」（5:15）。癱子恩將仇報嗎？或者他這樣做，是不是耶穌所指的「再犯罪」呢？不是！他在說真話，說真話又怎可能是犯罪呢？至於把「他去告訴猶太人」說成是「恩將仇報」，我們又犯了另一個錯，就是凡事「上綱上線」，不留餘地，令自己沒有「下台階」！即使天主子的死可以追究很多人：包括猶達斯、大司祭、比拉多和被煽動的群眾等等，他們或多或少都有謀害耶穌的動機。但這個癱子沒有，頂多他是「說真話而做了壞事」，有如誠實地告訴一個刺客，他的目標躲藏在甚麼地方！

親愛的諸位！再深入一點反省，我們便不得不承認，當我們每次跌倒犯罪，不就是忘恩負義，恩將仇報，愧對為我們釘十字架的耶穌基督嗎？四旬期快結束了，趕快領受修和聖事吧！ 天主保祐。

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圖片鳴謝：oldmasterq.com

何必曰利 Don’t Focus On Profit Only

何必曰利 Don’t Focus On Profit Only

「喜樂主日」之所以能夠慶祝喜樂，在於天主所應許的新天新地。按今天第一篇讀經的應許，天主計劃要創造的新天新地，包括一座令人喜悅的耶路撒冷，和一個令人歡樂的百姓（依65:18）。在這篇預言中，先知沒有記載新耶路撒冷在建築上的細節，我們無從知道這座新城如何令人喜悅。就「令人歡樂的百姓」方面，他反而描述了不少。

這個「令人歡樂的百姓」有甚麼特徵呢？在年齡方面：「再沒有夭折的嬰兒和不滿壽數的老人；百死去的算是青年，凡活不到百歲的人算是被詛咒。」（65:20）運用近代心理學的術語，健康長壽滿足了人在心理上的「安全需求security needs」。安居樂業亦同樣足以令人安心，所以在香港，很多人寧願犧牲自己的理想和自由，也要做「樓奴」，就是為了滿足安全方面的需要。一旦出現經濟蕭條、朝不保夕的環境，很多人甚至會自殺！

安居樂業在新天新地裡的人，已安心了一大半，但尚未能高枕無憂。先知告訴我們，怎麼樣的環境能保障這百姓的歡樂得以持續。先知說：「不再徒然勤勞，生子不再受驚」（65:23a），意思是新天新地的社會制度（如果有的話）或者環境是公義的，你的勞動成果不會無償地被他人佔有，生兒育女不會受政府干擾！

當然，在新天新地裡，再有沒有生育繁殖的需要，有機會再研究，這裡不考慮了。但今世的當權者即使不接受先知的預言或者基督信仰，也應該考慮為甚麼其他政治家的理念，與先知的預言如此相似。例如孟子所提倡的「王何必曰利？亦有仁義而已矣」（孟子．梁惠王上）的治國方案。倘若當權者能培養出行仁義的百姓，即使經濟蕭條，人民也會出於「義」的動機，與當權者一起勒緊褲帶，共渡時艱。倘若「上下交征利」，人人向錢看，一旦經濟不保，人民必然揭竿起義，推翻當權者。常言道：「創業難，守業更難」。試問急功近利，使大國能迅速崛起，又如何持續地成就萬世基業呢？

天主是忠信的，而且祂是大能大智的，治國又有何難？
天主保祐！

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圖片鳴謝：philomedium.com

Enjoy To Forget Worries 樂以忘憂

Laetare Sunday, Year B
Theme: Enjoy To Forget Worries 樂以忘憂

As an ex-school-teacher for nearly four decades, studying has become my second nature and Confucius my fundamental role model. Don’t get me wrong, as a Catholic, no human being can replace Jesus Christ in my heart.

People enjoy doing many different things and what people enjoy doing is a matter of personal choice. In time, people may discover that they are able to find joy and/or serenity by remaining in a certain state of existence. Confucius and I found joy in studying. Of course, joys and worries are twins. One does not exist without the other party. Once I was racking my brain in pain to come up with a phrase that best described myself to engrave it on a rock seal, the following quote from The Analects popped up, “Learning without satiety and instructing others without being wearied 學而不厭，誨人不倦” (The Analects, Shur Er #2). More than relieving me of the pain, this experience thrilled me and enlightened me. The following quotes from the same source show us what joy and worries Confucius found in studying. He says, “Virtues without proper cultivation, what is learnt without thorough discussions, after gaining knowledge of what is right without moving towards it and not being able to change what is not good are my worries 德之不修，學之不講，聞義不能徙，不善不能改，是吾憂也” （#3）, “With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow; I find joy in the midst of these things飯疏食飲水，曲肱而枕之，樂亦在其中矣” （#16）. “He is simply a man who in his eager pursuit of knowledge forgets his food, who in the joy of its attainment forgets his sorrows, and who does not perceive that old age is coming on其為人也，發憤忘食，樂以忘憂，不知老之將至” (#19). Though Confucius did not have the opportunity to know Christ in person, his moral teachings are on a par with Christianity. I would say Confucius has led an admirably fulfilled life. What more can one expect from life?

The Chosen People have treaded a totally different path. They must learn to unlearn whatever seems profitable for them and put their trust entirely upon Yahweh who liberated them from slavery in Egypt. Their path has been perilous since then. Along the way to the Promised Land and even after settling in it, they “rebelled” against Yahweh and the spokesmen He sent. This is how the first reading of today begins. “In those days, all the princes of Judah, the priests, and the people added infidelity to infidelity … polluting the LORD’s Temple …. Early and often did the LORD, the God of their fathers, send his messengers to them …. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His warnings, and scoffed at the prophets, until the anger of the LORD against His people was so inflamed that there was no remedy” (2 Chronicles 36:14-16) comes from the last chapter of the Second Book of Chronicles. The Books of Chronicles give us from another perspective a summary of the history of ancient Israel but the theme is more or less the same.
In order to redeem the fallen humanity, God called Abraham the ancestor of the Israelites to enter into a covenant with him and Abraham responded faithfully. Through the line of Judah, one of the tribes of this Chosen People, God would send the Messiah-Redeemer to save all the peoples on earth. The LORD God is faithful to the covenant and no matter how rebellious the descendants of Abraham have been He shall keep His promise at all costs. In the unfolding of this Salvation History, the Chosen People were tempted to take shortcuts to gain power and prosperity. They worshipped idols and injustice against the underprivileged was rampant. Thus, the LORD God sent messengers to warn them and lastly made use of external powers to chasten them. Through another hand, the LORD God liberated them again and this is how the Second Book of Chronicles ends, “Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me all the kingdoms on the earth. He has also charged me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. All among you, therefore, who belong to His people, may their God be with them; let them go up” (36:23). After spending fifty (seventy if we include an earlier partial exile) suffering years of Babylonian Captivity, the Jews were joyous at last.

Those who returned home should have been second generation Jews that were born in Babylon. However, would they pick up Babylonian idolatry, like their slave-ancestors in Egypt did? Thanks to the Pharisees who helped them re-define their identity as God’s Chosen People and preserve the purity of their blood, those returned Jews must have learnt a painful lesson and would not practise idolatry any more. However, history keeps repeating itself. Did not the LORD God make the liberated Israelites spend forty years in the wilderness to cleanse them of idolatry picked up in Egypt? The generation that entered the Promised Land was supposed not to practise idolatry and yet what worried Confucius snowballed to be a nightmare in time. God’s Chosen People has not put in sufficent effort to learn and avoid disasters! Had God not been faithful and intervented, the tribe of Judah would have vanished from human history like the rest of the 12 Tribes of Israel! The responsorial Psalm today is a lamentation showing the sorrows of captives in great contrast to the joys of those who were able to return to their homeland. Boney M’s “Rivers of Babylon” popularized this psalm in the 1970’s.

The Chinese culture is rather discreet in talking about intimacy and love. Unlike the Greeks who have three different words to talk about love, the Chinese do not have a comparable vocabulary. If Confucius has an area to improve, perhaps intimacy can be one of the candidates. Yet he preferred spending his remaining energy in studying I-Ching! “If some years were added to my life, I would give fifty to the study of I-Ching, and then I might come to be without great faults 加我數年，五十以學易，可以無大過矣” (The Analects, Shur Er #17). This was his choice and I am sure the Son of God would respect. Alas! Learning is good but no human effort nor standing on shoulders of giants is sufficient to lift a person up high enough to leave the present deplorable state we are in. In fact, whatever one tiny step we achieve through technological advances, we are pushed two steps back by the consequences caused by human greed and ambition. We have witnessed this drama repeatedly since the Age of Enlightenment! How sacarstic! Perhaps we have put our faith in the wrong place. Between the love of God and wealth as well as power provided by Mammon, Jesus advises us to choose wisely (Matthew 6:24). Regrettably, most people choose the latter. As usual, the LORD God shall not give up. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life” (John 3:16). Confucius would not be able to believe in Jesus Christ in his life time. But I know that the LORD God has granted Confucius eternal life because “Whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God” (3:21).

Beloved brethren! Who can accuse Confucius for not living the truth? Not even the Accuser! I hope that we have not put our faith in a better tomorrow away yet. In time of the present difficulties, namely not upholding righteousness, flexing mighty muscles to prove themselves right, hardening of hearts to see the innocent in Gaza perish etc., let us put our hope in the mercy and love of the LORD God to persevere until the end. Meanwhile, continue to learn and enjoy humility of the Lord (Matthew 11:29) to ease our worries. Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: kknews.cc

識英雄，重英雄 Hero Respects Hero

識英雄，重英雄 Hero Respects Hero

從耶穌基督與尼苛德摩的對話可知，天主子對法利塞人異常器重，稱他們為「以色列的師傅」（若3:9）。在充軍巴比倫的半個世紀，聖殿已毀，以色列人再沒有地方祭獻天主，司祭已再無用武之地，幾乎式微。當時，惟有依靠這一群學者，憑記憶，或一些搜集得來，殘缺不全的典籍，編撰了今天的猶太教經典，重塑猶太人的選民身份。猶太人經過半世紀的亡國洗禮，仍能有如鳳凰般浴火重生，法利塞人居功至偉！不要忘記，天主費四十年的時間，在曠野清洗出埃及中，習染拜偶像的舊一代；能進入預許福地的，是在曠野中出生的新一代，從沒有跪拜過偶像的新一代。

今次天主用上了五十年，有學者認為是七十年的時間，清洗這群亡國奴，比上一次更徹底！相信居魯士所釋放的，是新一代的猶太人，比進入福地的一代以色列人，應該更勝一籌！可惜，往後的世代，每況愈下，一蟹不如一蟹，把保存選民身份的行動，流於表面化！天主在今天所讀的先知書，早已預言了他們的表面化，祇按文字守法，把法律的精神拋諸腦後。「厄弗辣因，我可對你們作甚麼？因為你們的仁愛有如早晨的浮雲，有如易於消散的朝露」（歐6:4）。

耶穌基督在今天的比喻中，狠批這群由表面化墮落成為「偽善」代名詞的法利塞人。他們這樣祈禱：「天主，我感謝祢」（路18:11b）。這是一個很不錯的開場白嘛！可是後著卻非常失敗，靠踐踏別人來抬舉自己！「因為我不像其他的人，勒索、不義、姦淫，也不像這個稅吏」（18:11c）。更失敗的，竟然斗膽在天主面前，班門弄斧，炫耀自己的美善！「我每周兩次禁食，凡我所得的，都捐獻十分之一」（18:12）！這些比最低要求做多了一丁點的「仁愛」，在人眼前已經是不值一哂，何況在天主面前哩！

可愛的諸位，要知道，耶穌基督是憐惜法利塞人的。在亡國充軍時崛起的民族英雄，到了新約時代，他們做了反面教材的「反面英雄」。但當他們坐在梅瑟的講座上對猶太人所說的，我們要行要守（瑪23:2-3a）。且讓我們向這批英雄致敬，但不可照他們的行為做（23:3b）。
天主保祐！

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圖片鳴謝：rekishijin.com

How the Woman saved Adam 女人如何救了亞當

How the Woman saved Adam 女人如何救了亞當

今天是「三八國際婦女節」，剛巧主持「苦路善功」，且容我根據《創世紀》的論述，默想婦女的受苦，與耶穌基督受難的異同。

天主說，「人單獨不好，我要給他造個相稱的助手」（創2:18）。很可惜，所有的譯本都把希伯來原文עֵזֶר 淡化為「助手」，其實它是「拯救」的意思。例如，梅瑟給其中一個兒子起的名字（出18:4）或梅瑟對以色列子民的祝福（申33:29）等。因此，天主並沒有為亞當造了一個家務助理或伴侶，而是一個救命恩人。讓我們細看女人如何救了亞當。

女人受到撒殫誘惑後，她也給了亞當一個「禁果」。為甚麼她要這樣做呢？【聖經】說：「女人看那棵樹實在好吃好看，令人羨慕，且能增加智慧」（創3:6a）。女人不想獨自聰明，她希望與亞當分享美好的事物。女人的第一個「拯救亞當」行動，就是把他從呆滯無知中救拔出來，可惜女人好心做了壞事。不過如果成功了，我們還會運用這個「自圓其說」的論點嗎？
當天主問亞當為甚麼吃了祂禁止他吃的果子時，亞當竟然把責任推在天主和女人身上（3:12）。女人替亞當做了罪魁禍首，這是女人第二次救了亞當。因為女人是亞當的「骨中之骨，肉中之肉」，她也分享了亞當的DNA，便把責任推到蛇的身上！恐怕這是全人類從亞當遺傳得來的求生技巧罷！

亞當埋怨天主為他造一個助手，合理嗎？當然不合理。如果婚姻的其中一個功能是生育繁殖，那為甚麼天主不簡單地複製亞當呢？犯不著為他造一個女人。複製人好像是個好主意。天主，請祢給我複製一個「郭執事二號」，讓他做所有苦差而我可以享受人生。對不起，複製人其實是一個餿主意，因為複製人會承襲「原裝正版」的所有毛病。所有的郭執事一號、二號、三號…等等，會有相同的脾氣和疾病！人單獨不好，因為亞當獨自一人不能製造新生命。 與女人合作便會產生新的生命，新的進步變成了可能。感謝女士們的能耐！

啊！親愛的女士們，妳們比男人要流更多的血汗，要做更艱辛的工作！妳們臨產時所捱受的劇痛，祇有在十字架上的耶穌基督所受的苦，纔能媲美。隨後喜樂來了。「婦女生產的時候，感到憂苦，因為時辰來到了；既生了孩子，因了喜樂再不記憶那苦楚了，因為一個人已生在世上了」（若16:21）。親愛的女士們，當耶穌談及妳們的受苦和犧牲時，祂在隱喻自己的受難和復活。男人就不能分享妳們這份尊榮了。難怪天主在《創世紀》宣布「原始福音」時，祂不提亞當，祇提女人。「我要把仇恨放在你（撒殫）和女人，你的後裔和她的後裔之間…」（創3:15）。

親愛的諸位！讓我們，不論男女老幼，跟隨女士們的榜樣，慷慨地犧牲自己，在地上建設天國，令世界成為一片更美好的樂土。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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Youtube片段：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjUx5llhqWo

This year, the International Women’s Day fell on a Friday in the Lenten Season. Thus allow me to take this opportunity to reflect on some similarities between Jesus’ Passion and women’s sufferings, based on the book of Genesis.

God says, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suited to him” (Genesis 2:18). Regrettably, all translations give a water-downed rendition of the Hebrew word עֵזֶר into “helper”. No, it actually means someone who rescues or saves. For example, the name of one of Moses’ son (Exodus 18:4) and an oracle about Judah (Deuteronomy 33:7) etc. Therefore, God did not make a domestic helper or a companion for man but a saviour. Let’s take a look at how the woman saved Adam.

When the woman succumbed to the Serpent’s temptation, she gave Adam a share of the forbidden fruit. Why did she do that? “The woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and the tree was desirable for gaining wisdom” (Genesis 3:6a). The woman did not want to be wise alone. She wanted to share the goodness with Adam. Rescuing Adam from dumbness and ignorance was her first instance to save Adam. Regrettably, as the aphorism goes, “the path to hell is littered with good intentions”. But this rationalization applies only when things turn sour! When God asked Adam why he ate the forbidden fruit, Adam passed the blame to God and the woman (3:12). The woman saved the skin of Adam, her second act of “deliverance”. Since the woman was made from Adam, she shared his DNA and passed the buck to the Serpent! Probably it is a survival skill which all humanity inherits from Adam.

Was Adam fair in blaming God for making him a helper? No, Adam was not fair. If one of the purposes of marriage is to procreate, why did not God simply clone Adam but took the trouble to make him a woman? Cloning seems to be a brilliant idea. God, clone me a Deacon Alex#2 so that he would do all the toils of homily and I could enjoy other good things. Sorry, cloning is a bad and inferior idea because the clone will suffer the same defects as the original. All the Deacon Alex#2, #3 … etc. will suffer the same characters and diseases as Deacon Alex#1 does! It is not good for Adam to be alone because Adam alone was unable to make new life! With a woman, new lives can be made and new advancements can be possible. Thank you ladies for your capability!

Alas! My ladies, you have to work extremely harder than men in blood and sweat! When you give birth, the excruciating pains you suffer in your sacrifice to give new lives are comparable to those suffered by Jesus Christ on the cross. But joy follows. “When a woman is in labour, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world” (John 16:21). My dear ladies, when Jesus was speaking about your sufferings and sacrifices, He was alluring to His Passion and Resurrection. Men are unable to share this honour of yours. No wonder when God pronounced the Proto-gospel in Genesis, He did not mention Adam but the woman, “I will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman, and between your offspring and hers ...” (Genesis 3:15).

Beloved brethren! Let all of us, women and men, young and old, follow the ladies’ examples and be generous in sacrificing ourselves to bring about the Kingdom of Heaven on earth and to make our world a better place. Amen. God bless!

一子錯 One Wrong Move

一子錯 One Wrong Move

雖然我沒有耐性，潛心學習圍棋的技巧，但是觀看棋手的比賽，的確是一件賞心樂事。且看兩位國手，公平地在棋盤上輪流下白子黑子，起初是輕快的；但不久，兩人下子的速度，開始緩慢下來。彼此步步為營，陷入苦心經營的狀態，疏落的棋子在盤面上逐漸形成交錯的地盤圖案，美輪美奐。忽然，一位國手下了一子，竟然將盤面一大幅棋子封殺並提去，局面立刻簡化，對手亦認輸投降。這就是所謂的：「一子錯，滿盤皆落索」的寫照。但敗者錯在哪？是前一步，抑或是前十幾步？恐怕祇有高手纔能看到。

所謂「智者千慮，必有一失」。千算萬算，誰都會有計算錯誤的時候。塔塔科維 Tartakower，一位波蘭裔國際象棋特級大師曾說過：「犯尾二錯誤的棋手勝。」即是說，在對局的遊戲中，勝者並非沒有犯錯的人，祗不過行最後一步誤著的參賽者，把勝利拱手奉上而已。在遊戲中，可以說「勝敗乃兵家常事」。但在現實的戰場上，失敗的代價不但屍橫遍野，血流成河，更可能是喪權辱國，令整個族裔遭受滅絕，實在太可怕了。大家可知，有一個更可怕的命運，正等待著掉以輕心的人？

讀今天耶穌的教訓：「不隨同我的，就是反對我；不同我收集的，就是分散」（路11:23），第一個反應是：「不是那麼嚴重嘛！」倘若你有這樣的反應，請檢討你信耶穌有多真心。在信仰上，世人常犯的毛病就是「選擇性地相信」，當把那些「生硬的、難以接受的」教訓（若6:60）過濾之後，「信耶穌得永生、愛耶穌上天堂」又有何難？且看！耶穌那「吃我的人，要因我而生活」（6:57）的教訓，結果帶來「從此，他的門徒中有許多人退去了，不再同他往來」的後果（6:66）。真巧合，竟然是“666”！

「下棋」雖然是嗜好，但認真起來也是有益的，何況做人處世呢？對於俗世的事，我們也不會掉以輕心，何況是處理有關「永生」的事呢？前車可鑑，上主天主認真地命令亞當不可吃知善惡樹上的果子時，可能亞當覺得吃一個果子，沒有甚麼大不了，便掉以輕心。加音對天主的認真的提示（創4:7），亦掉以輕心。邪惡便有機會像滾雪球般壯大起來，以至天主有必要使用洪水，清洗這個被罪惡污染了的「地球村」。當天主認真的時候，世人竟敢掉以輕心，人類的確頑劣心硬，即使用人類自己的倫理尺度，也覺得自己「死不足惜」！

親愛的諸位，天主是忠信的，時時刻刻都是認真地看待祂的說話。那麼，讓我們也認真地看待耶穌的教訓，與祂一起認真。在祈禱默想中，求主光照，讓我們明白祂甚麼時候「收集」，去何處「收集」，好讓我們也跟隨祂去收集，不至與祂反其道而行，分散了祂的收割。
天主保祐！

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圖片鳴謝：theinitium.com

一切從聆聽開始 It All Begins With Listening

一切從聆聽開始 It All Begins With Listening

「用語」可以反映出一個人，甚至一個團體，有多少修養。教育水平低的人或社團，辭彙貧乏，來來去去祇能重複說幾句「樣板」的話，「用字」動不動就「上綱上線」，斷絕了自己轉彎的餘地。有修養的人則不同，他們掌握的辭彙多，可以精挑細選最合適的「用字」來表述一件事情。他們據理力爭時固然可以折服對手，還可以無傷大雅地開玩笑，甚至罵人的時候，對方仍懵然不知！

讓我們來做一個簡單測試，比較以下兩個讚賞人，造就人的詞語，你認為誰孰高低呢？ 「醒目」與「聰明」。答案：如果你認為「醒目」是低，答對了。為甚麼「醒目」是低呢？如果你認為「醒目」粗俗，所以低，那就答錯了！宋朝詩人梅堯臣作了一首名為《永叔贈酒》的詩，內有一句「一日復一夕，醒目常不眠」，可見「醒目」絕不粗俗。「醒目」之所以敗在「聰明」手下，因為「醒目」祇用眼，不得不敗於眼耳兼用的「聰明」。而且，當頭部不轉動時，「眼界」祇有垂直1300，水平1800左右，而「耳聽八方」，環迴3600，「聽覺」的絕對優勢，顯而易見！

今天的第一篇讀經取自《申命紀》，其中著名的Shema即是「聽」這個字，共出現了90次，無論在數值上或比例上，高居《梅瑟五書》首位，【計：創67次、出50次、肋7次、戶37次；合計251次】可見在信仰上，「聆聽」非常重要。

且看《創世紀》，天主是用「聖言」來創造天地萬物的。所以萬物都與生俱來，擁有聆聽天主的能力。但聖詠的作者，用「日與日侃侃而談，夜與夜知識相傳。不是語，也不是言，是聽不到的語言」（詠19:3-4）來描述這奇妙的「聖言」。真的是「聽不到」嗎？當然不是。是「噪音」在作怪！上主天主怎會想我們聽不到祂的聲音呢？倘若我們聽不到，又怎樣跟隨祂和實行祂的旨意呢？

親愛的諸位，四旬期是改良聽覺的好時機。既然一切都是從聆聽開始，且讓我們趁機養成減少留意噪音的習慣，好更能清晰地聆聽到上主的聲音，增加我們的智慧和辭彙，做個有修養，有靈氣的人。或許在「醒目」與「聰明」之外，聽到更多造就人的詞語，來一較高下！
天主保祐！

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圖片鳴謝：miss-dashwood.blogspot.com

先國家之急而後私讎 Concern National Urgency Before Personal Grudges

先國家之急而後私讎
Concern National Urgency Before Personal Grudges

【聖經】宣揚天主是歷史的主宰，所以是天主為以色列人作戰。例如梅瑟解放以色列人後，選擇走一條「背水一戰」的死路，引誘法魯王「率領600輪精良戰車和埃及所有的戰車」追趕（出14:7），來到紅海。60萬以色列人夾在埃及軍隊與紅海之間。正當埃及軍隊滿以為「我要追擊擒獲，分得獵物，纔心滿意足；我要拔刀出鞘，親手斬滅」（15:9）時，到頭來全軍覆沒有紅海中；天主甚至令日月停頓一整天，直到以色列人擊潰阿摩黎人（蘇10:12-13）。天主經常以少勝多，在基德紅的民眾中，祇挑選三百人，殲滅米德楊的十三萬五千人，「免得以色列對我自誇說：是自己的能力救了目己」（民7:2）。後來，以色列及猶大先後亡國，因為他們不敬拜上主天主了。「崇拜偶像」成了亡國的原因。這就是今天第一篇讀經的背景。故事中的阿匝黎雅和兩個同伴，因拒絕朝拜君王的金像，被拿步高王下令投入火窯中。阿匝黎雅在火窯中祈禱，承認祖先的罪過，就是離棄了上主（達3:29），結果上主將他們「交在無法無天，邪妄無信的仇人手中，又將我們交於一位不義和全世界上最凶暴不仁的君王手中」（3:32）。俗世的史學家，是不會探用這種「拜偶像亡國論」的歷史觀。

中國在先秦時期，亡國是因為經濟和政治改革，追不上其他國家。到了戰國時代，亡國與否便取決於武將能否與宰相合作了。著名的「負荊請罪」故事，就是發生在這個時代。藺相如處處退避廉頗，寬恕他的無禮挑釁，並不是害怕廉頗威猛，而是為大局著想。「強秦之所以不敢加兵於趙者 ，徒以吾兩人在也。今兩虎共鬥，其勢不俱生。吾所以為此（退避廉頗）者，以先國家之急而後私讎也」（史記．廉頗藺相如列傳）。原來「寬恕」可以有非常高尚的目的。

請不要小覷藺相如的「先國家之急而後私讎」是斬釘截鐵的「功利主義」，其實耶穌基督在福音的教訓中，亦採用過不少。作為基督徒，倘若我們有一點藺相如的「先天國之急而後私讎」胸襟，「寬恕七十個七次」（瑪18:22），為了天國，又有何難呢？即使教友祇有半點「先天國之急」的胸襟，教會就不愁缺欠傳教的聖召，不愁沒有人代表基督做「修和大使」了（格後5:20）。

可愛的諸位，中國文化中尚有很多有待發掘的天主啟示，讓我們加倍努力，潛心學習。
天主保祐！

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圖片鳴謝：master-insight.com

納阿曼沒有讀過【三國演義】Naaman Has Not Read the Three Kingdoms

納阿曼沒有讀過【三國演義】Naaman Has Not Read the Three Kingdoms

被耶穌基督點名提及的舊約人物，梅瑟和厄里亞就不用說了，他們在耶穌基督「顯聖容」時同場出現，當然是天主救贖計劃中的重要人物；其他例如撒羅滿（瑪6:29）、約納（12:39）等都是非同凡響的人物。但今天福音中耶穌點名提及的「敘利亞納阿曼」（路4:27），即「阿蘭王的軍長納阿曼」（列下5:1），就有點兒奇怪了。納阿曼除了是外邦人之外，他的表現實在差勁！

可能我們讀過古典小說【三國演義】罷，心目中的武將必定是智勇雙全的人。他既能在千軍萬馬的戰場上衝鋒陷陣，殺敵如入無人之境；而且足智多謀，即使以寡敵眾，亦能鎮定地把敵人殺個片甲不留。因此，我們根本不會放納阿曼在眼內。雖然經文說他「很受尊重愛戴…英勇有為」（5:1），但他怎可以對厄里叟的小小考驗（5:10），沉不住氣（5:11-12）呢？倘若在戰場上，一個小小的「激將法」便足以打亂他的陣腳，置他於死地，他的表現不差勁嗎？

納阿曼所犯的，固然是兵家大忌，亦是我們眾人常犯的毛病：先入為主地把固有的模式，生硬地套在現況，不去考慮其他的可能性！「看，我原想他會出來見我，站在我面前，呼求上主他的天主的名，在患處揮動他的手，治好這癩病」（5:11）。也難怪，納阿曼沒有讀過「三顧草蘆」的故事罷。厄里叟今天不出來見面，明天再來，後天再來，以表示誠意，直到厄里叟現身，親口指示為止，因為他派來傳口訊的使者所說的，可能有所遺漏！納阿曼差勁之處不但在於他胸襟不夠廣闊，氣量不足；更可笑的，是他竟然要求醫生跟他的指定程序來醫治他！難道他以為自己的醫術比天主還要高明嗎？

親愛的諸位，耶穌基督提出一個外邦人作榜樣，因為祂的救恩是普世的。耶穌基督選拔一些有缺點的人作榜樣，一方面祂要鼓勵罪人不要失望，因為罪人是有希望，有機會的；另一方面，基督要教訓人不要自視過高，因為天主所提拔的人，都是有缺點的人；梅瑟如是，厄里亞如是，撒羅滿也不能倖免！你還有本錢狂妄自大嗎？
天主保祐

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圖片鳴謝：ppfocus.com

Ten Commandments Are Only Minimum Requirements 十誡祇是最低要求

Third Lenten Sunday, Year B
Theme: Ten Commandments Are Only Minimum Requirements 十誡祇是最低要求

When we think of this planet as a life-boat flying in the universe, every people or tribe contributes to the building up of this global village. Every civilization leaves behind treasures for all humanity to share now and in the future. To a certain extent, the Ten Commandments which, Moses handed down to us, remain the blue-print of most legal systems in the West. Of course, modern legal systems have gone through generations of improvements, adapting themselves to new situations arising from advancements in technology and global relationships. However, the core values, such as a respect for innocent lives, for familial/marital life, for private property and for truth etc. remain the same.

Today we read of the Ten Commandments recorded in the book of Exodus. There is another version; I would say an improved version in the book of Deuteronomy. If you have read carefully enough, you might have noticed that the core values mentioned above follow the order of the Ten Commandments, “You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour” (Exodus 20:13-16). Usually we have the impression that the earlier ones are more important. For example, the Commandments dedicated to God come first and thus are more important. Though God gave the Ten Commandments and wrote them on stones (31:18) don’t expect the order to be rigid. Take a look at what Jesus told the rich man who wanted to follow Him, “You know the Commandments: ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honour your father and your mother’” (Mark 10:19). Or Paul’s version, “The Commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,’ and whatever other Commandment …” (Romans 13:9). Both Mark and Paul were writing to the same audience, namely the Romans. How do we explain the difference in Commandment order? Unless we are ready to admit that after all, Commandment order is not important! More seriously, both authors omitted the Commandments dedicated to God! How could it be possible?

In Mark’s narrative, it was not an occasion for Jesus to show humility not to speak of the Commandments dedicated to Him. I suspect that we have misunderstood the motive behind the first few Commandments all along. Perhaps God has no intention to demand the Israelites to reserve the first few Commandments for Him. All the Commandments are for the sake of the Israelites. The third one is obvious. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt and slaves did not have the right to rest. Only free people are entitled to rest. Therefore, in observing the third Commandment, the Israelites celebrate their freedom from slavery! The Deuteronomy version explains well, “Remember that you too were once slaves in the land of Egypt, and the LORD, your God, brought you out from there with a strong hand and outstretched arm. That is why the LORD, your God, has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day” (Deuteronomy 5:15). The first Commandment was instrumental in uniting the Israelites scattered all over Egypt, worshipping different deities for four hundred years before God sent Moses to liberate them. So worshipping one true God is essential to build the Israelites into one people and later one nation. In fact, twelve tribes proved to be too many. The Kingdom of Israel broke up into two after the death of King Solomon, ten tribes in the north and two in the south. Obviously, the ten tribes in the north were again too numerous and politically brittle. The Assyrian Empire conquered the kingdom in the north and subsequently ten Israelite tribes vanished from human history. Failure to observe the first Commandment, namely allowing the co-existence of idolatry makes solidarity impossible. Interpret the Commandments in this socio-political manner, the Commandment that forbids invoking the name of God in vain is in fact a demand of respect of their identity as God’s Chosen People. When someone disrespects the LORD God, he disrespects God’s Chosen People as well. How can God’s Chosen People allow such blasphemy! In short, God does not need any Commandment to increase His glory nor could breaching any Commandment do Him any harm. All the Ten Commandments are for the sake of humanity.

For the Israelites, keeping the Commandments was able to guarantee their salvation. They were not wrong because the Son of God acknowledged the effectiveness of the law, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17). However, their legal experts, the Pharisees and scribes had reduced the effectiveness of the law by focussing on the letters of the law instead of focussing on the spirit of the law which the book of Deuteronomy has explained very clearly. How could those Jewish legal experts have missed it! That is why it becomes necessary for the Son of God to come down from heavens to teach them and to die for them! Indeed, while Mosaic law allows divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1), Jesus came to fulfil the law and forbids divorce (Matthew 5:32)! Therefore, I can safely conclude that keeping the Ten Commandments is only the minimum requirements to be Christians.

Indeed, Jesus Christ has given us a new Commandment in order to help us achieve perfection (5:48)! During the Last Supper, Jesus says, “I give you a new Commandment; love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” (John 13:34). In other words, Christians have a higher calling to do more than the bare minimum. We should love until it hurts! For example, “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). It is easier said than done. How can you forgive, not to mention love, somebody who cheats you of all your hard-earned lifesavings? What can you pray for such an accursed scumbag? The problem is buried deep down in our DNA because we were created in God’s image and we have a strong tendency to play God whenever occasion arises! We pass judgments because we see so many injustices in the society. We take vengeance into our hands because the law-enforcers have received bribes and turn a blind eye to the crimes of the wicked and rich etc. In reality, we do not allow God to be God and render Him unemployed! Meanwhile, we enjoy playing God to run the show! In short, we become a self-proclaimed God, in other words an idol, when we do not love one another until it hurts.

Beloved brethren! Before I go, I would like to qualify the phrase “to love until it hurts”. We need to love with prudence otherwise our so-called “love” would do harm instead. In our Legion meeting, a legionary shared the experience of her encounter with a homeless person who begged her for twenty dollars to buy lunch. The legionary had only a 500-dollar banknote in her pocket. Impulsively she said no and felt guilty about it afterwards because she remembered Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 25:40! What advice would you suggest her in such a situation?
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: worldhistory.org

諸罪相通功 The Communion of Sins

諸罪相通功 The Communion of Sins

為甚麼認錯是非常艱難呢？為甚麼辦告解時，要「告明」的罪來來去去總是那幾樣容易啟齒的？我們真的沒有觸犯一些難以啟齒的罪嗎？抑或是我們沒有勇氣告明那些令人髮指的罪呢？教會為信徒服務，以「修和聖事」治療信徒在違反對天主作下承諾的後遺症，有如今天第一篇讀經所說：「將我們的邪惡踏於足下，將我們的一切罪過投入海底」（米7:19）。但教會祇能赦免經過「痛悔」、「定改」及「告明」的罪，說不出的罪，即使悔改了，也沒有辦法赦免，這是不爭的事實。

至於告明最後一句「保險」的經文：「還有我忘記了的罪，或別人因我而犯的罪，也請神父罰我赦我。」是通情達理，照顧了很多善忘的人，和缺乏「自知之知」的人。但天主是全知的，倘若，的確是一個很大機會的「倘若」，辦告解的人濫用了這句「保險經文」，豈不是自欺欺人嗎？可惜「僥倖獲得罪赦」的感覺實在良好，是一個極大的誘因，使人濫用這句「保險經文」！

撰寫這句「保險經文」的神學家明白人性，有「自知之明」的人不多，所以很少人會留意自己的行為會引人犯罪。例如合伙賭博，或者與幾個「朋輩」壯膽，到超市高買；或者與幾個「志同道合」的同志一起看色情視頻，然後做了些難以啟齒的罪行；或者在衣著上跟隨潮流，穿著健身室的衣物，招搖過市，惹人注目，引人作非份之想等等，即使最後犯罪的不是我們，但「我不殺伯仁」，我仍負上「別人因我而犯的罪」的責任，對嗎？

天主教徒相信「諸聖相通功」，意思是信徒在物質上、靈性上有互相幫助的本份。例如保祿宗徒曾在地中海一帶的教會收集捐款，賑濟在猶太面臨飢荒的教會（宗11:27-30）。且讓我大膽地推導一個假設。上面所列舉的例子，其實反映了一個嚴重，但被忽視了的問題，就是「諸罪相通功」。當犯罪的人數超過某個臨界點時，其他人便不覺得罪是罪，即使加入犯罪者行列一起犯罪而不覺得是犯罪，不覺得自己是令他人犯罪的誘因，正鼓勵著更多人一起犯罪！

親愛的弟兄姊妹，從今以後，請你在省察過失的時候，也要省察別人的罪，教會內牧者的罪，國家首長官員的罪，痛悔身邊及遠方弟兄的罪，因為「諸罪相通功」，這犯罪的羅網正覆蓋著每個人！不再是我的罪，而是我們的罪了！願主把我們的罪投入海底。亞孟！

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圖片鳴謝：yoginstyle.com

你可記得天主怎樣「召選」你？ Do You Remember How God Called You?

你可記得天主怎樣「召選」你？
Do You Remember How God Called You?

「潮語」是「潮流語言」的簡稱。它們祇在社會上流行一段時間，隨著社會氣氛而興起，亦隨著社會氣氛的改變而衰落，不再有人運用。這幾年流行一句潮語「毋忘初心」，它隨著社會運動而興起，亦因社會運動的式微，將不會再掛在人的嘴邊了。

每一個有生命力的人，每天都在成長、發展和改變；而且，身處的社會環境或緩或急地變色，因為境外更大範圍的環境亦不斷地波動。所以，「改變」纔是「不變」的真理！聽過「變幻纔是永恆」的歌詞嗎？因此，堅持要「毋忘初心」的人，如果不是「食古不化」的話，恐怕是一些適應能力較低的人了。有一齣1991年由話劇改編成的喜劇，名為 “Other People’s Money”，在尾段的一番演說，頗能道破「毋忘初心」的死穴！

請不要堅持自己的意見是惟一的「標準答案」。因為天主創造我們，每一個都是獨一無二的。我說：「這本歌書的封面是紫色」，你可能會抗議說：「明明是藍色，怎會是紫色！」有人認為【聖經】是天主寫給世人的一本家書，我卻說，【聖經】紀錄了人類如何回應天主的「召選」。閱讀這些回應召選的故事，不但比讀「家書」更有趣味，而且讀來獲益良多。

既然天主創造我們每個人都是獨特的，所以祂「召選」我們的方法，絕不會是一成不變的。且讓我們打破對天主「召選」的成見：我們聽到祂對我們說話，邀請我們替祂工作，好像掃祿歸化（宗9:5）、四個漁夫（谷1:17）、梅瑟（出3:4）、夢見天梯的雅各伯（創28:13）、亞巴郎（12:1）等等。對不起，天主可以一言不發地召叫祂所選拔的人，例如今天所讀到的「看，那作夢的人來了」（37:19）的若瑟。天主以兩個特殊的夢，預示了祂安排給若瑟的使命，把以色列家移植到埃及地方發展壯大！在整個若瑟的故事中，沒有記載天主說的一句話，卻多次記載「上主與若瑟同在」（39:2）。

因此，親愛的弟兄姊妹，即使你沒有聽到上主天主向你說話，祂可能已經運用其他形式召選了你！你記得嗎？注意，你正在因成長而改變，上主天主的召選形式，亦可能隨著你的進化而改變！
天主保祐！

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圖片鳴謝：www.movie-blogger.com