因材施教 To Teach According to Aptitude

【見證系列（六）】
因材施教（若1:35-42）

保祿宗徒是傳福音的表表者，他的名句：「對一切人，我就成為一切，為的是總要救些人」（格前9:22b），可以說是傳福音，作見證的楷模。可惜，很多聖職人員和慕道班導師，沒有因應聽眾的差異，重覆著十年如一日，無懈可擊的道理，向派遣他們的教區交差。在他們身上，我們找不到保祿宗徒所說的「聖神九果」中，最顯而易見的一果：喜樂（迦5:22b-23a）。他們做錯了嗎？絕對沒有！因為他們的責任是宣講福音，至於用甚麼方法：依書直說，還是「近取諸身，遠取諸物」，因材施教，是他們個人的修煉。聽眾心靈的改變，始終是天主聖神的工作！可是，倘若保祿做得到，其他努力學習本地語言的傳教士前輩做得到，我們怎可以不嘗試呢？

且看，耶穌召選做漁夫的四個兄弟時，不是說：「來跟隨我！我要使你們成為漁人的漁夫」（瑪4:19）嗎？耶穌向群眾講的，不是抽象的天國道理，而是群眾在實際生活中所接觸到的事物：撒種、酵母、牧羊人、無花果樹、油燈和婚宴等等。事實上，上主天主不會強迫人相信祂，所以宣講福音的喜訊後，天主讓人思想沉澱，考慮接受與否。又好像今天福音中的兩個門徒：安德肋和斐理伯，他們跟隨耶穌，是在洗者若翰第二次作證「看，天主的羔羊！」（若1:29, 36）之後，是經過思考沉澱的。耶穌的邀請更加明顯：「你們來看看吧！」他們於是去了，看了祂住的地方；並且那一天就在祂那裡住下了（1:39a），可見信徒追隨耶穌，完全是出於自願的。每年領洗的人數，不可完全歸功於神職人員、修女和慕道班導師的口才或感染力，是天主聖神在每個人心內的更新！

親愛的讀者，讓我們一起呼求聖神，更新我們的心靈，在禧年成為一個對天主充滿希望的朝聖者，為天父的愛作見證。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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生命恩泉
Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

[Mission Series VI]
To Teach According to Aptitude (John 1:35-42)

St. Paul is an exemplar of evangelization. His aphorism, “I have become all things to all, to save at least some” (1 Corinthians 9:22b) can be a motto for all evangelists. Regrettably, many clergy and catechists repeat their impeccable homilies/catechisms year after year without adapting to their audience. They get done their jobs assigned by the diocese. On them, we are not able to experience the most obvious fruit of the Holy Spirit mentioned by Paul: Joy (Galatians 5:22b-23a). Are they wrong? Absolutely NOT! It is because their responsibility is to proclaim the gospel. As for the means: following the books, using the context, adapting to the aptitudes of the audience etc. are their personal stamina. After all, changing the hearts and souls of the audience is the work of the Holy Spirit! However, if Paul and other missionaries, who work hard to learn local dialects, could do it, how can we not try?

When Jesus called the four fisherman brothers to be disciples, did He not say, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19)? What Jesus spoke to the crowd was not abstract theology of the Kingdom of Heaven, but concrete things the crowd came in touch with in their daily life: sowing seeds, yeast, shepherds, fig trees, lamps and wedding banquets etc. In fact, the LORD God does not force us to believe in Him. Therefore, after the proclamation the good news to us, God gives us time to reflect and to decide whether to accept it or not. Look at the two disciples mentioned in the gospel reading today: Andrew and Philip. They followed Jesus after John the Baptist gave the second testimony, “Behold, the Lamb of God” (John 1:29, 36). They must have reflected and decided. Jesus’ invitation is more obvious, “Come and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with Him that day (1:39a). Thus, believers in Jesus follow Him out of their own choices. We should not attribute the number of people baptized and confirmed every year to the eloquence and charisma of the clergy, nuns and catechists. It is the renewal of hearts done by the Holy Spirit!

Beloved brethren! Let us invoke the Holy Spirit to renew our hearts and souls to become a pilgrim full of hope in God to bear witness to His love in this Jubilee year. Amen.
God bless!