耶穌請派遣我 Jesus, Send Me

耶穌請派遣我（若20:1-2;11-18）

先教宗方濟各在2016年7月22日，把聖瑪利亞瑪達肋納的『紀念日』〔聖多瑪斯稱許她為『諸宗徒之宗徒』〕，升格為『慶日』，不覺已有十年！聖女是一位忠貞的門徒，在十字架下與聖母瑪利亞和若望宗徒，不離不棄，直到耶穌基督的遺體埋葬到墓穴。不但如此，她在第一個復活節黎明時，來到埋葬耶穌的墳墓，相信是為了給耶穌的遺體『補粉』罷！她對耶穌基督的愛慕，的確無微不至！於是天主子賞報她成為看到復活主的第一人，並差遣她向宗徒們宣告祂的升天計劃：「妳到我的弟兄那裡去，告訴他們：我升到我的父和你們的父那裡去，升到我的天主和你們的天主那裡去」（若20:17）。

雖然若望只記載瑪利亞瑪達肋納一個人在第一個復活節黎明的事蹟，但並沒有否定其他婦女的同行（20:30-31）。可是，為甚麼主耶穌派遣瑪利亞瑪達肋納，不是去宣告祂的復活，而是祂的升天計劃呢？理由非常簡單，在當時的猶太文化，即使是幾個婦女的作證，都不會被接納為真。所以當她們回報宗徒們主耶穌的遺體不知所終的時候，伯多祿與若望兩個成年男人，便須要前往墓穴查證作實（20:3-10）！預報救主升天就沒有這個作證上的困難了，因為尚未發生。事實上，在《瑪竇福音》記載的最後一刻，「…有人還心中疑惑」（瑪28:17）。

各位親愛的兄弟姊妹，宣講『天國奧秘』真是那麼困難嗎？我們既然沒有神職人員或傳教士的包袱，理應是十分輕鬆的。為甚麼我們要介意沒有人相信我們的宣講呢？耶穌基督派遣的標準〔倘若有的話〕，應該是對祂愛慕有多深。倘若耶穌不派遣我們，我們反而要擔心，擔心我們在天國留位了沒有，對嗎？ 聖瑪利亞瑪達肋納，為我等祈。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：copilot.microsoft.com

Jesus, Send Me (John 20:1-2; 11-18)

On July 22, 2016 the then Pope Francis elevated the memorial of St. Mary Magdalene to festivity. It has already been a decade! Saint Magdalene is a faithful disciple. She stood by the cross with the BVM and the apostle John until the corpse of Jesus Christ was buried. Not only that, she was the first person to visit the tomb of Jesus before daybreak, probably to further embalm the body of Jesus! Her love of Jesus Christ goes truly down to the tiniest details. Thus the Son of God rewards her to be the first person to witness the risen Lord and to commission her to announce His Ascension plan, “Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’” (John 20:17)

Though John only mentions Mary Magdalene in the first Easter dawn, he does not deny the existence of other accompanying women (20:30-31). But why did Lord Jesus send Mary Magdalene, not to proclaim His Resurrection, but His Ascension plan? The reason is simple. The Jewish custom during that age did not accept the witness of women, however many they might be. Thus when she reported to the apostles that Jesus’ corpse was missing, Peter and John, two Jewish adults, proceeded to the tomb to verify (20:3-10)! Announcing the Ascension of the Saviour has no such difficulty because it had not yet happened! In fact, as reported in the Gospel of Matthew, at the last moment, “…, they [the eleven disciples] worshipped, but they doubted” (Matthew 28:17).

Beloved brethren! Is proclaiming the Mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven really that difficult? We don’t have the burdens of clergy and missionaries. Our hearts are light. But why does nobody listening to our proclamation bother us? The criterion of Jesus Christ’s commission, if there be any, should be how much we love him. Had Jesus not sent us, we would have been worried! We should worry whether there is room reserved for us in heaven, shouldn’t we? St. Mary Magdalene. Pray for us. Amen.
God bless!