追福系列（四）
生有時、死有時（路13:31-35）
雖然天主超越時空，不受時間的約束，但從聖經的記載中，我們可以看到天主掌握時間，非常到家。例如，為甚麼耶穌不在希臘帝國時代或更早出生，而選擇在羅馬帝國時代呢？學者認為羅馬建築的軍事直道，有利信徒把福音傳遍羅馬帝國。不是嗎？一座喜馬拉雅山脈，足以阻擋聖多默和聖巴爾多祿茂宗徒，把福音傳播到神州大地。又例如天主子耶穌基督為何選擇在在逾越節前榮進耶路撒冷，接受群眾的歡呼：「因主名而來的，當受讚頌」（路13:35, 19:38; 詠118:26），然後受難，而不在其他日子呢？固然，這是標誌著天主子是真正的逾越節羔羊；同時，逾越節是猶太教三大節日之一，散佈在世界各地的猶太僑胞，必須選擇其中一個指定節日，到耶路撒冷朝聖和祭獻。這也解釋了為甚麼天主聖神選擇在五旬節降臨在120位門徒身上，成立教會。可見天主非常有時間觀念，不會早，也不會遲。我經常幻想，倘若猶達斯能沉著氣不自殺，和伯多祿一起等待主耶穌基督兌現祂受難後第三日復活的預言/承諾（路18:33），教會或許會多一位「無間道」的主保，保護身犯險境的間諜了！
親愛的兄弟姊妹，如果你知道哪一天是「第三天」，請你告訴我。
天主保祐！
Gospel Chase (IV)
There Is an Appointed Time For Everything (Luke 13:31-35)
Although God transcends space-time and is free from its constrains, from the narratives in the Bible, we see that God rides time perfectly. For example, why was Jesus not born during the Greek Empire or earlier but chose the Roman era? Scholars believe that the road system which Romans built for military purposes made spreading of the gospel more efficiently in the Roman Empire. Didn’t the Himalayas prevent Ss. Thomas and Bartholomew from preaching the gospel to China? Another example: why did Jesus Christ, the Son of God chose to enter triumphantly into Jerusalem before the Passover to accept the cheers from the crowd, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD” (Luke 13:35, 19:38; Psalms 118:26), then suffered Passion, and not on some other dates? Of course, this symbolizes that the Son of God is the True Pascal Lamb. At the same time, the Passover is one of the three feasts from which overseas Jews should choose to visit Jerusalem for pilgrimage and for offering sacrifice. That also explains why God the Holy Spirit chose to descend on the 120 disciples on Pentecost to set up the Church. It demonstrates that God is very conscious about timing, not too early and never too late. I always fantasize what if Judas were able to restrain his suicidal impulse and had not hanged himself, then he would be able to stay with Peter to wait for Jesus Christ to honour His pledge/prophecy to rise on the third day after Passion (Luke 18:33). Then the Church would have one more patron saint to protect spies who put themselves in hazardous situations to protect their countries!
Is not evangelization the same? Lord Jesus says, “Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I accomplish my purpose” (13:32b). Exorcisms and healings were steps Jesus Christ took to evangelize and He accomplished His mission on the third day with His resurrection. Notice that He accomplished the mission of the Son of God and not the mission of evangelization. We carry the baton to accomplish this mission. Like our Master, we should also evangelize today and tomorrow, and on the third day we accomplish our purpose.
Beloved brethren! If you know which day is “the third day”, please let me know.
God bless!
Picture Credit: https://thevcs.org/salomes-dance
No comments:
Post a Comment