與永生擦身而過 Brushing Past Eternal Life

與永生擦身而過（路12:8-12）

倘若我們有機會在大庭廣眾，承認自己是耶穌基督的門徒，我們的心情會是怎麼樣呢？在不同的處境，我們的心情理應不一樣。在友善的處境，例如教會的節日；在中性的處境，例如到酒樓參加婚宴；在不友善的處境，例如『教難』的時期…等等，我們的脈搏、血壓…等生理反應，肯定不一樣。

在友善的處境承認耶穌是主，不費吹灰之力；在中性的處境承認耶穌是主，沒有人會注意；看來只有在不友善處境承認耶穌是主，才有價值，對嗎？錯！因為我們無論在甚麼處境，我們一切的思、言、行為，天主都看在眼裡。【聖經】說：「人看外貎，上主卻看人心」（撒上16:7），就是這個意思。在任何處境，沒有人能分辨到我們是敷衍了事，還是認真應對，只有天主才能審判我們的良心。上主天主是公義的，我們知道祂會賞善罰惡。

另一個可以影響我們心情的元素，當然是我們『愛耶穌有多深』；而『愛耶穌有多深』才是決定性的因素。無論環境順逆，疾病健康，惟有愛得深刻，愛得敬畏，才不會與主耶穌分離。主在那裡，我們的心也寄託在那裡。正如經上所載：「因為你們的寶藏在那裡，你們的心也必在那裡」（路12:34），那不是永生是甚麼？假如我們只是敷衍了事，虛度了一生，與主耶穌的關係可有可無。離開耶穌， 易如反掌；錯過在人前承認耶穌基督是主的機會，成了家常便飯；與永生擦身而過，還懵然不知！

各位親愛的兄弟姊妹，『學如逆水行舟，不進則退』。靈性生命的成長，同樣是『不進則退』。讓我們呼求天主聖神，重燃已賜給了我們的『剛毅』之恩，努力不懈地向永生邁進。亞孟。
天主保祐！

---

生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：gemini.google.com

Brushing Past Eternal Life (Luke 12:8-12)

If we have the opportunity to profess our identity as Christians in public, what do we feel? Our feelings will differ in different situations. In friendly situations like Church festivals; in neutral situations like attending a wedding banquet in a restaurant; in hostile situations like religious persecutions … etc., our vital statistics such as pulses and blood pressure etc. would surely vary.

Confessing Jesus as Lord in a friendly situation is a piece of cake. Confessing Jesus in a neutral situation attracts no attention. It seems that only when we confess Jesus as Lord in hostile situations would it be valuable, wouldn’t it? Wrong! It is because whatever the situation, God knows our thoughts, our words and deeds. The Bible says, “God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The Lord looks into the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). In all circumstances, nobody is able to tell whether we put up a farce or we are serious. Only God is able to judge our conscience. The Lord God is righteous. We know that He will reward the righteous and punish the wicked.

Another factor that affects our feelings is indeed, how-deeply-we-love-Jesus which is the most decisive factor. In good times or bad, in sickness and in health, only if we love deeply and in fear shall we not part with Lord Jesus. Where the Lord is, there will our hearts be. The Gospel says, “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Luke 12:34). If this is not eternal life, what is? If we lead our life in a fluke manner and listlessly such that our relationship with Jesus is optional. Parting with Jesus is as easy is snapping our fingers. Missing the opportunities to confess Jesus Christ as our Lord would be a routine. Unknowingly, we brush past eternal life!

Beloved brethren! Rest is rust. Similarly, if our spiritual life is not growing, it is dying. Let us invoke the Holy Spirit to re-ignite in us the gift of Fortitude so that we scale the heights of eternal life without fatigue. Amen.
God bless!