牧羊人憑甚麼作見證 With What Did Shepherds Bear Witness

【見證系列（三）】
牧羊人憑甚麼作見證（路2:16-21）

曾幾何時，一個牧羊人成為了以色列國的元首。「上主召叫了放羊時的達味，為牧放自己的百姓雅各伯，為牧放自己的人民以色列，他以純潔的心牧養了他們，他以明智的手領導了他們」（詠78:71-72）。他又是大部份《聖詠》的作者，和孔子相似，以禮樂教化國民。因此不少的聖詠都流露出上主天主是善牧的讚歎（23:1; 28:9; 80:2; 100:3）。官吏們也戴上了牧者的光環，一如在中國文化中，官吏是人民的「父母」一樣。可惜現實總歸現實，手握權力者之中，總有虐兒的「父母」，大有殘民以自肥的「牧者」，以至先知們口誅筆伐他們（耶10:21；則34:2）。牧羊人的經濟貢獻不及商賈，社會地位低微，在後來的世代中，已經淪為被歧視的一群，祇能在城鄉以外生活了！那麼，他們憑甚麼作見證呢？

首先，先知絕不能是自命的，而是天主按自己的旨意所揀選的。例如在《瑪竇福音》所載有關天主子降生的敘述，天主揀選了賢士作代言人，向大黑落德及全耶路撒冷宣告悔改。於是環繞著東方智者與猶太暴君的一場角力，加上天主藉天使的干預，啟示了天主子是普世君王的身份。在《路加福音》的敘述中，天主揀選的是卑微的牧羊人，向世人宣示，祂不但是祂的百姓雅各伯的善牧，祂更是普世萬民的善牧。牧羊人傳揚了一大隊天軍對天主的讚頌：「天主受享光榮於高天，主愛的人在世享平安」（路2:14）。「主愛的人」是誰？是貧窮的人、哀慟的人、溫良和善的人、受欺壓剝削的人、憐憫人的人、心裡潔淨的人、締造和平的人和為義而受迫害的人（瑪5:3-10）。不論國籍語言，膚色宗教，天主子已經以善牧的身份，為他們交付了性命，把他們贖回（20:28; 谷10:45），「為叫他們獲得生命，且獲得更豐富的生命」（若10:10b）。

親愛的讀者，無論你負擔著甚麼包袱，天主須要你向某些人作見證。保祿說得好：「對軟弱的人，我就成為軟弱的，為贏得那軟弱的人；對一切人，我就成為一切，為的是總要救些人」（格前9:22）。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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生命恩泉
Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

[Mission Series III]
With What Did Shepherds Bear Witness (Luke 2:16-21)

Back in the day, God made a shepherd the head of the Israel kingdom. “From tending ewes God brought him, to shepherd Jacob, His people, Israel, His heritage. He shepherded them with a pure heart; with skilled hands he guided them” (Psalms 78:71-72). He is also the author of many psalms with which, like Confucius, he taught and cultivated the Israel people. Thus, many psalms sing praises to the LORD God as the Good Shepherd (23:1; 28:9; 80:2; 100:3). Mandarins also put on the halo of “shepherds”, just like their Chinese counter-parts who were called “parents”. Let us be realistic! Among the people in power, there must exist some abusive parents and shepherds who fatten themselves instead of their sheep. Their abominations could not escape the prophets’ indictments (Jeremiah 10:21; Ezekiel 34:2). The economic contribution of shepherds was lower than merchants or even artisans. Their social status was low too. In subsequent generations, they were socially marginalized and could only live outside cities and towns. With such a low status, with what could shepherds bear witness?

First, prophets cannot be self-appointed. God chooses them according to His will. For example in the Nativity narrative of the gospel of Matthew, God chose the Magi to be His spokespersons to proclaim repentance to Herod the Great and the whole Jerusalem. The wrestling between the eastern Magi and the Jewish tyrant, together with God’s interventions through angels, revealed the identity of the Son of God as the King of the Universe. In the narrative of the gospel of Luke, God chose the negligible shepherds to tell the whole world that He is not only the Good Shepherd of Jacob His people, but is also the Good Shepherd of all peoples on earth. The shepherds told people the praises of heavenly hosts, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom His favour rests” (Luke 2:14). Whom does God favour? The poor, the mournful, the meek, the oppressed, the merciful, the clean of heart, the peacemakers and the persecuted for the sake of righteousness (Matthew 5:3-10). The Son of God has offered up His life as the Good Shepherd to redeem all nationalities and tongues, colours and religions (20:28, Mark 10:45), “So that they might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10b).

Beloved brethren! Whatever burden you are bearing, God needs you to bear witness to His love to some people. Paul says well, “To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some” (1 Corinthians 9:22). Amen.
God bless!