選擇耶穌 Opt For Jesus

《論盡神學》--每日神糧
十月廿七日

會堂長因氣惱耶穌在安息日治病，便給眾人說道：「有六天應該工作，你們在這些日子裡可來治病，但不可以在安息日這一天。」
（路13:14）

其實做「假善人」（路13:15）是十分吃力的，我們對他們的辛苦，應該感同身受，引以為戒；並且耐心地以愛德感化他們。按上文可知，耶穌已經有「成千累萬的群眾」想追隨祂（12:1）。所以耶穌在安息日到了這座會堂施教（13:10），會堂長當然求之不得，引以為榮！豈料慈悲的主竟然在安息日治好那個傴僂病婦，會堂長如何是好？

作為會堂長，他一定是個擁護梅瑟法律的人，亦對「妥拉 Torah」，即《梅瑟五書》有相當造詣。遵照《妥拉》的指示，應該處死在安息日工作的人（出31:14-15）。當時是羅馬帝國時代，猶太人不能濫用私刑，而且耶穌是個有群眾、有權威的「辣彼Rabbi」，小小一個會堂長，奈耶穌何！他真是進退兩難，既要維護梅瑟法律，又不敢當眾批評耶穌在安息日在他的會堂治病。他惟有向會堂裡的人說：「有六天應該工作，你們在這些日子裡可來治病，但不可以在安息日這一天」（路13:14）。倘若會眾在可以工作的六天來求醫，親愛的會堂長，沒有耶穌，你能治好他們嗎？到時辛苦你了！在安息日，倘若耶穌在其他會堂治病，你會「氣惱」嗎？很可你會鬆一口氣，所謂「各家自掃門前雪，休管其他會堂瓦上霜」！那麼，作為一個真正的基督徒，我們寧願無風無浪安穩地生活，還是榮幸地接待耶穌呢？

親愛的兄弟姊妹！我們所相信的天主，是個高深莫測的天主，不是我們所能駕馭的天主。做基督徒固然不會無災無難，而且隨時會有意想不到的驚喜，我們準備好了嗎？慈悲的主曾說：「你們常有窮人和你們在一起；至於我，你們卻不常有」（若12:8）！亞孟。
天主保祐！

論盡神學
圖片鳴謝：grok.com

---

“But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, said to the crowd in reply: There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the Sabbath day.”
(Luke 13:14)

It is rather exhausting to be hypocrites (Luke 13:15). We should show them empathy and avoid making their mistakes. Moreover, we should patiently liberate them with charity. From previous passages, we know that crowds in thousands were already following Jesus (12:1). The leader of the synagogue was greatly honoured to have Jesus preaching in his synagogue on Sabbath (13:10). Unexpectedly, the merciful Lord cured a crippled woman on Sabbath in his synagogue. What could the leader do?

As the leader of a synagogue, he should uphold the laws of Moses and be familiar with the Torah which stipulates that if anyone does work on Sabbath, that person must be put to death (Exodus 31:14-15). It was the era of the Roman Empire. Jews were forbidden to resort to lynching. In particular, Jesus was an authoritative Rabbi with thousands of followers. What could the leader of a little synagogue do to Jesus? He was in a dilemma. On one hand, he must uphold Mosaic Law. On the other, he dared not to criticize Jesus publicly to cure in his synagogue on Sabbath. He could only speak indignantly to the congregation and not to Jesus, “There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the Sabbath day” (Luke 13:14). If the congregation came on the six days when work was allowed, dear leader of the synagogue, were you able to cure without Jesus? On Sabbath, had Jesus cured in other synagogues, would you have been as indignant? Perhaps you would be relieved because it was none of your business! Then, as genuine Christians, would you prefer a stable life without winds and waves to being honoured in the presence of Jesus?

Beloved brethren! The God we believe in is unfathomable and uncontrollable. Of course being Christians are not exempted from disasters and persecutions, what’s more, God has in store a lot of surprises for us. Are we ready? The merciful Lord once says, “You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me” (John 12:8). Amen.
God bless!

不信天主不會下地獄 Atheists Won't Go To Hell

《論盡神學》--每日神糧
十月廿六日

那個法利塞人立著，心裡這樣祈禱：天主，我感謝你，因為我不像其他的人，勒索、不義、奸淫，也不像這個稅吏。
（路18:11）

今天的福音告訴我們，耶穌基督的確是「善牧」，對亡羊不離不棄（路15:4）。今天所讀的福音，耶穌一再為「偽善者」講比喻（18:9），苦口婆心地勸導他們悔改。雖然法利塞人是偽善者中的表表者，但世上偽善者何其多，俯拾皆是！

首先，我們假設比喻中的法利塞人，在祈禱的時候沒有撒謊。諒他也不敢，因為即使他能瞞騙蒼生，也決不能逃過天主的法眼，所以可以肯定他的祈禱是真心的。這個法利塞人並非一無是處，無可藥救。且看在祈禱開始的時候，他懂得感謝天主。要知道擁有感恩之心，可以保證一個人不會喪失信德。倘若在末日他被判下地獄，一定是因為其他的罪過，而不是因為他不相信天主！

其次，這個法利塞人的毛病在哪？就是他為了抬舉自己而踐踏別人！他不像其餘犯誡命的罪人，尤其是不像那些替羅馬人迫害同胞的稅吏，他們甘心為虎作倀，從中取利，願天主懲罰他們…比喻中的他，借用其他罪人來襯托自己在道德高位，再看到他在天主前列舉自己所做過沽名釣譽的「善行」（18:12），真是愚不可及，班門弄斧！試問這些微不足道的雙倍齋戒和十一奉獻，在天主前能算甚麼？達味說：「我算甚麼？…其實一切是由祢而來，我們只是將由祢手中得來的，再奉獻給祢」（編上29:14）！這個法利塞人的驕傲，也只是「七罪宗」之一。他是陷於誘惑，只要他能懸崖勒馬，便不會犯下大罪而下地獄了。

但不要小覷惡小而為之，因為驕傲會發展到目中無人，看不見貧困者的需要，不去做愛德服務。偽善者不愛弱小的「天主肖像」（瑪25:40），便會發展到不再愛天主，這纔是下地獄的死罪啊！
天主保祐！

論盡神學
圖片鳴謝：grok.com

---

“The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself: O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity --- greedy, dishonest, adulterous --- or even like this tax collector.”
(Luke 18:11)

The gospel passage today tells us that Jesus Christ is truly the “Good Shepherd” who doesn’t give up on the lost sheep (Luke 15:4). He repeatedly “addressed parables to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else” (18:9), hoping that they would repent. Though “Pharisees” has become synonymous with “hypocrites” who are always there wherever we set our sight on!

Firstly, let us assume that the Pharisee in the parable does not tell lies in his prayers. He does not dare to because even if he is able to cheat everyone, he is unable to cheat God. So, we can be certain that his prayer is genuine. This Pharisee is not irredeemable. In the beginning of his prayer, he thanks God! Remember that a person will never lose his faith if he has a grateful heart. If he were sent to hell at the end of the world, he must have committed sins other than not believing in God!

Then, what is the fault of this Pharisee? He exalts himself by trampling on the others! Unlike the rest who breach the commandments of God, in particular, those tax collectors who work for the Romans to maltreat fellow Jews and gain benefits. May God punish them … In the parable, he makes use of other sinners to exalt himself to moral heights. Moreover, his enumeration of his fame-seeking merits (18:12) before God is truly stupid! How much do these double weekly fastings and tithes count? King David says, “Who am I? … For everything is from you, and what we give is what we have from you” (1 Chronicles 29:14)! Pride is the sin of this Pharisee and is a deadly one. He is in temptation. Pray that he is able to arrest his fall lest he ends up in hell with worse sins.

Don’t commit sins because they are venial. It is because pride will blind us to seeing the needs of the poor and we shall neglect charity. Hypocrites who do not love the images of God in poverty (Matthew 25:40) will become blind to God. This is the mortal sin that send them into hell!
God bless!

天主的全副武裝 The Amour Of God

《論盡神學》--每日神糧
十月廿五日

「不是的，我告訴你們：如果你們不悔改，你們都要同樣喪亡。」
（路13:3; 5）

保祿宗徒告訴我們，作為基督徒是榮幸的。因為我們都是「天主所鍾愛，並蒙召為聖徒的人」（羅1:7; 格前1:2）。天主教有很多優良的教義，幫助教友修德成聖。例如領「修和聖事」有五個階段：省察、痛悔、定改、告明和補贖。當我們認真地經歷這五個階段時，我們在不知不覺之中，更親近了使我們成義、成聖的天主。在「省察」階段，我們可以按「聖教四規」、「十誡」、「七罪宗」和「真福八端」等等，檢討自己對天主、對人、對自己和對受造界做了虧欠的事；或應做未做的事。認識清楚這些「過失」，我們對自己更加了解；然後進入「痛悔」階段…等等。為我們這些凡夫俗子，即使未能高攀成聖，最低限度也不至於喪亡吧！

可惜，基督徒的人生，是一場曠日持久、與撒殫對決的靈性戰爭。而且這場戰爭，並沒有速戰速決的捷徑！我們會失守、會戰敗、會受傷，會飢寒交迫。所以我們必須穿上天主的全副武裝（弗6:13-18），投入這場戰鬥。但我們始終被「原罪」傷害過，以致「先天不足」。我們可能會因為重複地「告明」相同的罪，而覺得自己沒有進步，一無是處而灰心喪志，漸漸失去領修和聖事的動機，從而失去成聖的機會；我們可能介意自己在別人眼中的神聖形像和地位，為了保持這形像而疲於奔命，失去自由，最後覺得疲累不堪，萌生放棄成聖的念頭。

親愛的兄弟姊妹，可幸在這場戰爭裡，我們有很多志同道合的姊妹弟兄，在教會內互相扶持，並肩作戰，我們有主耶穌同行，並不孤獨。亞孟。
天主保祐！

論盡神學
圖片鳴謝：grok.com

---

“By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”
(Luke 13:3; 5)

Paul tells us that it is glorious to be Christians because all of us are “the beloved of God … called to be holy” (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2). There are a lot of good doctrines in Catholicism, facilitating the sanctification of the faithful. For example, there are 5 stages in the Sacrament of Reconciliation: viz. Examination of Conscience, Contrition, Confession, Absolution and Penance. When we go through these five stages genuinely, we get more intimate imperceptibly with the God who justifies and sanctifies. In the Examination stage, we may follow the Precepts of the Church, the Ten Commandments, the Seven Deadly Sins and the Beatitudes etc. to examine the wrongs we have done against God, others, ourselves and the Creation as well as obligations we have failed to perform. Knowing more clearly these commissions and omissions, we are able to know ourselves better. Then we enter the Contrition stage etc. For us mortals, even if we are not sanctified, at least we won’t perish!

Unfortunately, the Christian life is a long-drawn out spiritual battle against Satan. Moreover, there is no Blitzkrieg nor short-cuts to triumph. We will lose ground, be defeated, wounded, starved and frozen etc. Thus we must need to put on the armour of God to throw ourselves into this war (Ephesians 6:13-18). But we have been made deficient after sustaining the wounds of the Original Sin. After confessing the same sins repetitively for innumerable number of times and seeing no progress, we may lose heart and gradually the motivation to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation wanes, thus losing the opportunity of sanctification. We may care too much our saintly image and status in front of the others so much so that we consume a lot of resources for maintenance, thus losing our freedom. At last, we give up the goal of sanctification out of exhaustion.

Beloved brethren! Luckily we are not alone in this spiritual warfare. There are many comrades in the Church, supporting each other, fighting this battle hand in hand with our Lord Jesus. Amen.
God bless!

在煉獄留位 Reserve A Place In Purgatory

《論盡神學》--每日神糧
十月廿四日

「我告訴你：非等還清最後的一分錢，斷不能從那裡出來。」
（路12:59）

從福音的上文下理可知，「那裡」是指監獄（路12:59）。耶穌正在教訓那些「假善人」（12:56），勸他們做「正義的事」（12:57）。甚麼是「正義的事」呢？就是快與你的「對頭」在宣佈「判決」前，與他「了結」，即還清你的欠債，免得你被判入監牢（12:58），受「牢獄」之苦來抵償罪債！

人與人之間，除了金錢之外，還有其他形式的欠債，即那些應該做而沒有做的事。即使人與人之間有親疏之別，對不同的人有不同的責任；但人人都是「天主的肖像」（創1:26），我們彼此都是「兄弟的看守者」（4:9）。所以人與人之間有一種不可推諉的守護責任，不但不可以見死不救，更應該彼此扶持建樹，使近人，尤其是不幸遇上困窘的人（路10:37），得到憐憫、解脫及發展。在中國人眼中，「成人之美」是美德。作為基督徒，這是最基本的「愛德」。所以作為說華語的基督徒，服侍貧困的人是義不容辭的！保祿說得好：「除了彼此相愛外，你們不可再欠人甚麼」（羅13:8）。我們所欠的，就是愛得不足夠！耶穌的教訓既是嚴厲的，卻是充滿著永生的希望。對於在世時愛得不足夠的人，便要到煉獄去償還所欠的愛！待還清最後一分欠債後，便可以離開煉獄，進入永生了！

在甚麼情況下，愛德不足夠呢？若望宗徒說得好：「孩子們，我們愛，不可只用言語，也不可只用口舌，而要用行動和事實」（若一3:18）。保祿宗徒更加直接，他說：「愛情不可是虛偽的」（羅12:9a）。難怪今天的福音選段，矛頭直指「假善人」（路12:56）了。倘若他們繼續自以為是，喜愛群眾的讚美，戴著假面具生活，他們在「自掘墳墓」，為自己在煉獄留位，等還清最後一分「愛德」之後，天堂再見。亞孟。
天主保祐！

論盡神學
圖片鳴謝：grok.com

---

“I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
(Luke 12:59)

From the context, we know that Jesus was talking about “being released from prison” (Luke 12:59). He was talking to “hypocrites” (12:56), advising them to “do the right thing” (12:57). So, what is the right thing to do? To make an effort to settle the matter on the way with your opponent, viz. to repay your debt lest you go to jail (12:58) to compensate for your debt!

In interpersonal relationships, there are other forms of debt beyond monies, viz. obligations not honoured. Though proximity results in different obligations towards different people, all of us are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). We are our brothers’ keepers (4:9). Thus, we owe a binding obligation towards each other. Not only should we extend a helping hand but we should also edify each other, our neighbour, in particular those in distress, so that they may receive mercy, liberation and develop. In Chinese culture, it is a virtue to help someone fulfil his wish. As Christians, extending a helping hand is a basic charity. Thus, for Chinese-speaking Christians, serving the poor is the right thing to do. Paul says well, “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another” (Romans 13:8). “Not loving enough” is our debt. Jesus’ teaching is both severe and hopeful. Those who have not loved sufficiently on earth should go to Purgatory to repay the debt! After paying the last penny, they will leave the Purgatory for eternal life!

Under what circumstances do we not love sufficiently? John says well, “Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18). Paul is blunter. He says, “Let love be sincere” (Romans 12:9a). No wonder today’s gospel passage targets “hypocrites” (Luke 12:56). If they continue to be self-deceiving, enjoy praises from the crowd and live behind masks all the time, they are digging their own graves, reserving their places in the Purgatory. See you in heaven after you have paid the last penny of charity. Amen.
God bless!

異性相吸 opposites attract

《論盡神學》--每日神糧
十月廿三日

「他們將要分裂:父親反對兒子，兒子反對父親；母親反對女兒，女兒反對母親；婆母反對兒媳，兒媳反對婆母。」
（路12:53）

在社會、政治和文化範疇內，一個群體可以是「分裂」的，相反的狀態就是「統一」。統一的群體能成就大業；四分五裂的，甚至是一盤散沙般的群體，遲早會被吞併，在歷史上消失。為了長治久安，有些掌權者不惜消耗資源，把自己所屬的群體，維持在「統一」的狀態，消耗量與「分裂」的程度成正比。四比一容易統一，三比二就難得多了！只有一小撮成員堅持與其他人不同的意見、信念和行動，要達到「統一」是不費吹灰之力的。其實「統一」與「分裂」只是程度問題，是表面的現象，是否須要消耗大量內部資源，以達到表面上的統一，表面上的劃一，則見仁見智了。

基督徒當然不會追求「分裂」，他們倡議的是「在主內共融合一」。共融合一並不要求劃一的意見和行動，只要尊重彼此的不一樣就是。彼此尊重不會做成「內耗」，何樂而不為呢？大自然亦教導我們，物種多樣性是好的，同一物種而沒有變異則容易絕種，亂倫會加劇遺傳病，是大自然的定律！惟有保持群體的多樣性，纔可以熬過不同的環境變化。那麼，對於不在主內的人，即那些未信仰、或不信仰基督的人，基督徒應該以甚麼態度對待呢？

所謂「不同道不相為謀」（論語‧衛靈公），與他們「割席」嗎？繼續保持對話嗎？很明顯，前者不可取，因為斷絕了將來合作的可能，永遠失去共融的機會。可是，繼續保持對話是雙方也願意纔可以進行，不可能是單方面自言自語的。那麼，有甚麼方法可以吸引對方，讓他們願意或者有興趣繼續交談呢？這纔是我們應該用心思考的。

主耶穌的說話（路12:53），表面上是負面的。但細心默想之後，便會發現是「同性相拒」的因素，加劇了「代溝」上的差別！試想想，通常父親疼愛女兒，母親對兒子偏心。所以，請不要灰心，能善用這些「異性相吸」的因素，繼續交談以達到共融，又有何難呢？
天主保祐！

論盡神學
圖片鳴謝：grok.com

---

“A father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
(Luke 12:53)

In social, political and cultural realms, a social entity can be divided. Its opposite is being unified. A unified social entity is capable of doing big projects while divided ones will soon or later be conquered and will vanish in human history. In order to sustain lengthy stability, some people in power are willing to pour in all resources without reservation to keep the entity in a unified state. The consumption of resources is proportional to the degree of division. Four to one is easy to unify while three to two shall be more difficult! When only a few dissidents insist on different opinions, convictions and actions, it is a piece of cake to unify. Indeed, being divided or unified is only a matter of degree and is superficial. There is no hard and fixed criterion how much resource should be consumed to keep a unified look.

Of course Christians do not seek division. They advocate the “communion in the Lord”. Communion does not demand uniform opinions and actions. It only requires all parties to respect individual differences. Mutual respect does not consume resources. So why not? Mother Nature teaches us that bio-diversity is good. A species without any mutation will go extinct easily and incest will augment hereditary diseases etc. This is the law of nature! Only by maintaining diversity within a social entity can they survive environmental changes. Then, how should Christians deal with those who are not in the Lord, viz. those who don’t believe in Christ or have not yet believed in Christ?

Confucius says, “Those whose courses are different cannot lay plans for one another” (Wei Ling Gong, The Analects). Then, shall we severe ties with them? Or should we continue dialogues? Obviously the former is not a good option because it severs future cooperation and we will lose all opportunities of communion. However, keeping dialogues is a mutual effort. Otherwise it will only be a monologue. Then we should think more deeply what attracts the other parties to continue the dialogues.

Superficially, the words of Lord Jesus (Luke 12:53) is negative. But when we meditate more, we will discover that the principle of “like repels like” amplifies the differences in generation gaps! Think about it, usually fathers are lenient to daughters and mothers show favouritism towards sons. Thus, cheers! It won’t be difficult to make good use of the principle of “opposites attract” to continue dialogues until we attain communion.
God bless!

赤裸裸的偽善 Naked Hypocrisy

赤裸裸的偽善

「你們就來補足你們祖先作惡的尺度吧！」（瑪23:32）

無論在甚麼時代，作為天主的代言人，「先知」是一份吃力不討好的使命。倘若你是一位在君王身邊工作的宮廷先知，例如納堂、達尼爾；正所謂「伴君如伴虎」，一不小心便人頭不保了！即使是「隨上主心意」的達味（撒上13:14），亦有犯姦淫、謀殺的時候。作為先知，如何進諫的確有賴天賜的智慧。倘若你為一位在天主眼中視為邪惡的君王服務，你真是進退兩難了！說真話，君王會懲罰你；說假預言，你要死在百姓手中（申18:20）。不在宮廷服務的先知的處境會好些嗎？例如厄里亞、依撒意亞、歐瑟亞等一眾大小先知，他們仍免不了要說一些君王或君王身邊的寵臣，不喜歡聽的說話。因此，在野的先知，例如耶肋米亞、洗者若翰，依然劫數難逃！

在以色列人的歷史中，自從君王從上主手中奪取了領導權之後（撒上8:7），先知成了監察君王的社會良心，幾乎成了君王的天敵。周邊的帝國成了鞭策以色列人悔改的棍棒，亡國後，經師和法利塞人便成了運用經典，解釋天主旨意的專家了。可惜，他們本末倒置，不按先知的教訓，勸誡以色列人履行「公義、仁愛與信義」（瑪23:23），反而憑藉專業知識以自肥，並以虛偽的虔誠掩飾（谷12:40）。即使他們表面上反對羅馬帝國的殖民管治，可是骨子裡仍然為當權者服務，與先知對抗。當權者毫不掩飾地殺害先知，他們卻站在道德高地上，粉飾那滅聲的行徑，「修建先知的墳，裝飾義人的墓」（瑪23:29）！耶穌基督要批評的，正是這種赤裸裸的偽善！

主啊！求祢淨化我們心中對財富榮譽的貪婪，本末倒置的愚昧。賜給我們良心和勇氣，維護弱小者的權益，消滅心中的偽善。祢是天主，永生永王。亞孟。

Naked Hypocrisy

“Now fill up what your ancestors measured out!” (Matthew 23:32)

Whatever ages one is in, being the spokesperson of God, a prophet is a thankless vocation. If you are a courtier prophet serving a king, such as Nathan and Daniel, you had better speak cautiously lest the head on your shoulders will not be secured. As the Chinese aphorism goes, “Serving a king is like dancing with a tiger”. Even if the king is somebody “after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14) such as David, he would also commit adultery and murder. As a prophet, it requires God’s bestowed wisdom to advise a king. If you were serving a king evil in the eyes of God, you would be in a dilemma! Speaking the truth, the king would punish you. Not speaking the truth, you would die in the hands of the people (Deuteronomy 18:20). Would prophets roaming in the wilderness, such as Elijah, Isaiah and Hosea etc. fare better? Sooner or later, they would speak things unpleasant to the ears of kings or courtiers after their hearts. Therefore, prophets in the wild, such as Jeremiah and John the Baptist, were to suffer martyrdom!

In the history of ancient Israel, ever since kings had usurped leadership of the people from the LORD God (1 Samuel 8:7), prophets became the social conscience overseeing kings and made themselves natural enemies of princes. Neighbouring empires became rods chastising Israel to repent. During the Babylonian Captivity, scribes and Pharisees became experts in explaining God’s will in the Scriptures. Regrettably, they sought quick successes and did not teach people to observe justice, charity and fidelity (Matthew 23:23). Instead, they fattened themselves by deploying their expertise and disguising themselves with hypocritical piety (Mark 12:40). Even though they opposed Roman colonial rule on the surface, they sided with the powerful to oppose prophets. People in power killed prophets without remorse. Pharisees stood on high moral ground to whitewash the silencing action of the powerful. “You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous” (Matthew 23:29)! What Jesus Christ wants to criticize is this naked hypocrisy!

Lord! Purge our hearts of the greed of wealth and honour, the stupidity of turning the truth upside down. Bestow on us conscience and courage to defend the rights of the weak and extinguish the hypocrisy in our hearts. You are God, reigning forever and ever. Amen.

---

Picture Credit: crosswalk.com, creator.nightcafe.studio
《論盡神學》每日神糧

瞎眼的嚮導 Blind Guides

「瞎眼的嚮導！你們濾出蚊蚋，卻吞下了駱駝。」（瑪23:24）

「物有本末，事有終始，知所先後，則近道矣。」《禮記．大學》一語道破福音中法利塞人的毛病；與及在現代競爭劇烈的商業社會裡，大部份人容易犯的毛病：就是急功近利，捨本逐末。

即使法利塞人與耶穌為敵，但慈悲的主仍然耐心地教導他們。因為他們是「以色列的師傅」（若3:10），有賴他們指導以色列人，在沒有聖殿可供人民祭祀上主的的時候，如何敬拜天主。即使這裡記載了耶穌基督向法利塞人宣佈的「七禍哉」，用語比一向的言論嚴厲，但請注意，基督並沒有像舊約先知一樣，宣佈懲罰。例如：「看，我必懲罰他們：青年必死在刀下，子女必死於饑荒」（耶11:22）。耶穌基督一心想望他們「回心轉意，得到生存！」（則18:32）即使祂好像對法利塞人宣佈「懲罰」（瑪23:33），但這些都適用於每一個人身上，並沒有針對法利塞人！

法利塞人已成了「偽善」的同義詞，但他們的問題出自更深的層次。法律的條文可見，法律的精神不明顯。文字是死的，不能應付時代的進化。精神是生活的，掌握到了，即使是千變萬化的社會現象，也可以萬變不離其宗地處理！可惜條文容易掌握，精神需要長時間的浸淫，纔能心領神會。「十分之一的薄荷、茴香和蒔蘿」容易量度，「公義、仁愛與信義」（瑪23:23）免不了空泛虛浮。於是法利塞人走捷徑，追求容易見到成績的，卻把重要的生活態度，束諸高閣！他們又怎能履行「以色列師傅」的使命呢？耶穌稱他們為「瞎眼的嚮導」，非常貼切！法利塞人可以心思細密地過濾出不潔的蚊蚋，免得自己被沾污；到頭來卻吞下有如駱駝般的不潔：不為受欺凌的孤兒寡婦伸冤，反而成了欺負他們的罪人（谷12:40），教人如何不婉惜呢？

主啊！祢是不可見的天父可見的肖像，是可見的智慧。求祢不要嫌棄我們鄙陋，賜我們在紛亂的俗世中，能懂得選擇重要的，棄絕次要的，好能更親近祢。亞孟。

“Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!” (Matthew 23:24)

“Things have their root and their branches. Affairs have their end and their beginning. To know what is first and what is last will lead near to what is taught in the Great Learning” (Liji, Da Xue) hits the bullseye in pointing out the fault of the Pharisees as well as the common mistake most people made in a modern competitive commercial society: in order to get results, people cut corners and consequently missing the essential.

Even though Pharisees took Jesus as their enemy, the merciful Lord still taught them patiently because they were “teachers of Israel” (John 3:10). When the Jews could no longer offer sacrifices to God, the Pharisees took up the mission to instruct them how to worship God after the Temple had been destroyed. Even though you find here that Jesus Christ pronounced “Seven Woes” against the Pharisees and the wording was more accusatory than previous discourses, notice that Christ did not pronounce punishment as prophets of the Old Testament did. For example, “I am going to punish them. The young men shall die by sword; their sons and daughters shall die by famine” (Jeremiah 11:22). Jesus Christ only desires that they “Turn back and live!” (Ezekiel 18:32). Even though He seemed to pronounce “punishment” (Matthew 23:33), it applies to everybody and not exclusively to the Pharisees!

Pharisees have become synonymous with “hypocrites”, but their defects lie in a deeper level. Letters of the law are visible but the spirit of the law is less obvious. Letters are dead and are unable to catch up with the evolution of ages but the spirit is live. Once one acquires it, he is able to handle even ever-changing social phenomena with its principle! Regrettably, it is easy to master letters but it takes time to acquire the spirit through immersion. It is easy to measure “tithes of mint and dill and cumin”, but “judgment and mercy and fidelity” are nevertheless vague. So the Pharisees cut corners to get easily visible results and put aside the important and essential life-attitudes (Matthew 23:23)! How could they discharge the duty as “teachers of Israel”? It was appropriate for Jesus to call them “blind guides”! Pharisees could be meticulous in filtering out unclean gnats so that they themselves would not be declared unclean. However, they swallowed camel-size uncleanliness: instead of defending orphans and widows, the Pharisees cheated and exploited them (Mark 12:40). How pitiful it is!

Lord! You are the visible image of the invisible Father. You are our visible Wisdom. We pray that You do not despise our unworthiness. Grant us the wisdom to choose, in this confusing generation, the essential and abandon the secondary so that we may come closer to You. Amen.

---

Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio
《論盡神學》每日神糧

因耶穌基督而絆倒 Offended By Jesus Christ

因耶穌基督而絆倒

【路加福音】告訴讀者，天父是慈悲的。
我們憑甚麼知道那位看不見的天父是慈悲的呢？就是透過可見的耶穌基督。這位天主子是不可見的天父可見的標記，賜給人類救恩，所以祂是「原始的聖事」。單憑祂的所作所為：「瞎子看見，瘸子行走，癩病人潔淨，聾子聽見，死人復活，貧窮人聽到喜訊」（路7:22），足以證明天父是慈悲的，天主子是美善的。那麼，因耶穌基督而絆倒，可能嗎？

福音除了記載天主子如何重整患病及傷殘人士，恢復他們的健康，讓他們再可以過正常的生活外，還記載了宗教領袖與祂的衝突。耶穌基督驅魔（4:35, 41），經師和法利塞人沒有異議，因為驅魔的行為沒有「闖入」他們的管轄領域；耶穌基督潔淨了癩病人後，吩咐他找司祭檢驗（5:14），符合法律的要求，沒有問題。經師和法利塞人並非蠻不講理的人，在他們的認知中，祇有天主纔可以赦罪。眼前的耶穌是一個人，即使祂的教訓非常有權威（瑪7:29；谷1:22；路4:32），祂始終不是天主，所以祂沒有權赦免癱子的罪（5:21）！

這祇是表面的理由而已！試想想，以色列人憑甚麼知道天主赦免了他們的罪呢？憑司祭為他們舉行「贖罪祭」（肋5:5-6）。充軍後出現的經師和法利塞人，運用他們的教導，強化這種理念，當中便牽涉到經濟利益了！如今，耶穌基督祇說一句話，便得罪赦，他們一伙人的經濟利益去了哪？他們在人民心目中的地位去了哪？於是，他們便到處「發掘」更多天主子不守法律的罪證：與稅吏和罪人一起吃喝（路5:30），沒有禁食（5:33），不守安息日（6:2, 7），與羅馬人來往（7:2-10）等等。耶穌基督的善言善行，原來是可以令人絆倒的！

天主子已經為我們償還了所有的罪債，所以不需要再破費獻祭，而是藉著免費的修和聖事，獲得罪過的赦免。不得不要謙虛地承認，中世紀的天主教會沒有吸取教訓，重蹈覆轍，導致「宗教改革」與及後來的戰爭和流血…即使是基督的淨配，也會絆倒！
主啊！我們一再失足犯罪，請幫助我們真心悔改，獲得救贖。亞孟。
論盡神學
圖片鳴謝：johnhembree.com

---

Offended By Jesus Christ

The gospel according to Luke tells the readers that the Heavenly Father is merciful.
With what do we know that the invisible Father is merciful? Through the visible Jesus Christ. The Son of God, who is the visible sign of the invisible Father, dispenses saving grace to humanity. Thus He is the “Primordial Sacrament”. His deeds alone, viz. “The blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them” (Luke 7:22), are sufficient to prove that the Father is merciful and the Son is good. Then is it possible to take offense at Jesus Christ?

Besides narrations of how the Son of God restore the health of the sick and handicapped, allowing them to lead a normal life again, the gospels also tell us His conflicts with the religious authority. The scribes and Pharisees had no objection against Jesus Christ’s exorcisms (4:35, 41) which was not their turf. After cleansing the lepers, Jesus Christ always told them to be examined by the priests (5:14). He had not breached any law. The scribes and Pharisees were not irrational people. In the best of their knowledge, only God could forgive sins. Although this Jesus who was standing before them was very authoritative in teachings (Matthew 7:29, Mark 1:22, Luke 4:32), he was not God. Therefore, he did not have the authority to forgive the sins of the paralytic (5:21)!

This is a superficial reason only! Think about it. How did the Israelites know that God had forgiven them? From the visible “purification offerings” performed by priests (Leviticus 5:5-6). The scribes and Pharisees who emerged after the Babylonian Captivity further reinforced this concept with their teachings. Financial incentives were involved! Now, with the pronouncement of a simple statement, Jesus Christ forgave sins. Where did the economic benefits go? Where would their standing among the people be gone? Thus, they went about digging up evidences of sins committed by the Son of God: eating with tax-collectors and sinners (Luke 5:30); not fasting (5:30); not observing Sabbath (6:2, 7) and dealing with Gentiles (7:2-10) etc. The good deeds and words of Jesus Christ do offend some people!

The Son of God has already repaid all our debts. We don’t need to spend money offering purification sacrifices. Through the Sacrament of Reciliation, which is free of charge, our sins are forgiven. Regrettably, we need to confess humbly that the Catholic Church in the Middle-Age had not learnt the lesson and repeated the same mistake, leading to Reformation and subsequent bloody wars … Even the Spouse of Christ stumbles!
Lord! We fall repeatedly. Help us repent genuinely to receive redemption. Amen.

天主的公義

天主的公義

很多人誤會了天主的公義，就是「賞善罰惡」。這種把複雜事物簡單化的傾向，是人之常情。倘若堅持自己這個膚淺的思想就是真理的全部，恐怕祇會自尋煩惱。例如，如果天主的公義祇可以是「賞善罰惡」，那麼，善人為何會受苦呢？可見天主的公義，不可能祇是「賞善罰惡」那麼簡單！

讓我們從另一個角度考慮。行善可以升天堂，對不對？祇對了一半！倘若行善的結果是升天堂，便違反了一個重要的倫理判斷原則了：就是「動機」。一個為了估名釣譽而捐出兩億財產的富翁，與福音中捐出兩個銅錢的窮寡婦，如何判別他們的優劣呢？其中一個準則就是行為的「動機」！同樣道理，倘若行善不是為了愛天主，或者不是為了解救有困難的近人，而是為了累積功勞給自己升天堂，相信很多人會唾棄這個動機！可見，行善，並不是為了自己，而是為了其他人的益處。這不是耶穌在講述「點燈應放在燈台上」的教訓嗎？「好使他們看見你們的善行，光耀你們在天之父。」（瑪5:15-16）

因此，行善不應該為自己。同理，履行公義也不是為了自己！這樣容易明白。可惜，很多人把「公義」簡單化為「公平」，繼而轉變為「以牙還牙」，目的是為了保障個體，不會受到不合理的傷害…殊不知這樣理解「公義」，反而製造更大的不公義。因為很多人會揮舞著「公義」的旗幟，聚眾攻擊與自己競爭的對手，結果令更多的個體，受到無辜的和更大的傷害。所以，真正的公義，應該是解放受約束的人，使他們不再被別人奴役！

在今天的福音，耶穌一方面教訓司祭長和長老，另一方面讚賞若翰的「正義」。因為若翰的言行，引導了娼妓和稅吏悔改，使罪人與天主修和，從罪惡的奴役中釋放出來！以言以行，協助罪人悔改，合符天主的公義，故然會獲得賞報。但過程中，免不了會受苦，甚至殉道，有如洗者若翰一樣。所以，在賞善罰惡的天主手上，善人也會受苦！
主啊！請賞賜我們剛毅與敬畏上主之恩，好能獲得真正的智慧，不會把事理簡單化。亞孟。
論盡神學
圖片鳴謝: Credo Magazine

---

Rethink God's Righteousness

Many people misunderstand God’s righteousness to be “awarding the good and punishing the wicked”. It is the result of the human tendency to oversimplify complicated things. If we insist on this shallow way of thinking to be the whole truth, I’m afraid we’re only inviting troubles. For example, if God’s righteousness is only “awarding the good …”then why do good people suffer? Thus God’s righteousness can never be that simplistic!

Let’s think along another line. Doing good enables us to enter heaven, doesn’t it? It is only a half-truth! If the fruit of doing good is entry into heaven, it contradicts an important moral principle: viz. motive. How do we judge who is better, a rich man who donates two billion dollars for fame or the biblical poor widow who donates two mites? One of the moral principles is the motive of an action! Similarly, if we do good not for the love of God, or to relieve the plights of the needy neighbour but for earning merits to enter heaven, I’m sure we earn contempt instead! Thus, doing good is not for ourselves but for the sake of others. Isn’t this what Jesus teaches with “Lighting a lamp and setting it on a lampstand”? “That they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly father.” (Matthew 5:15-16)

Thus, doing good is not for oneself. Similarly, doing justice is also not for oneself! This is easy to understand. Regrettably, many people simplify “righteousness” into “equality”, then turning into “a tooth for a tooth” to protect individuals from unreasonable harm … Unbeknown to them, such an understanding of “righteousness” creates a greater injustice. Many people hoist a righteous flag, gather a mob to attack their rivals. Consequently, more individuals are harmed and greater damages are made. Genuine righteousness should instead liberate people from bondage and slavery!

In the gospel text today, Jesus scolded the chief priests and elders on one hand and praised the righteousness of the Baptist. It was because John’s words and deeds made prostitutes and tax-collectors repent. He reconciled sinners and God, liberating sinners from the bondage of sin. Helping sinners repent with words and deeds satisfies God’s righteousness. We shall surely be rewarded. But in the process, we’ll suffer and may eventually are martyred like the Baptist. Thus in the hand of a God who “rewards the good and punishes the bad”, the good may suffer!
Lord! Grant us fortitude and the fear of God in order to obtain genuine wisdom not to oversimply things. Amen.

A Failed Finesse 企圖反客為主

企圖反客為主

假設你是來質問耶穌的司祭長和民間長老的一員。是你先提出問題，為甚麼你會「禮讓」耶穌，先回答他的反問呢？看，你掉進了耶穌設下的兩難局面，給了祂一個脫身的機會！你是原告，為甚麼反而變成了被告，你給耶穌催眠了嗎？

這是不是經師之間的辯論規則呢？提問的經師先回答被問者的問題，表示尊敬對方；並且表示自己有資格提出問題，並且無意浪費被問者寶貴的時間！不是，你們祇是司祭和長老，並不是法學士或「辣彼」，所以這並不是一場學術辯論。正因為有長老在場，這更加是一場法律程序！「催眠」一詞雖然是誇張的筆觸，卻能表達耶穌基督在群眾心目中的權威和震懾力（瑪7:29）！

也難怪司祭們這樣「禮讓」，因為他們理虧！
耶穌基督是天主子，建築聖殿的目的，原本就是為了欽崇祂，讚美祂。而且祂願意認可這人手建造的殿宇，就是祂神聖的身體（若2:21），這是猶太人何等的榮耀！如今天主子清理聖殿，清理自己的地方，好更堪當成為祂奧妙的身體，有何不可？是誰把聖殿不堪當成為天主子的奧體，變成賊窩呢（瑪21:13）？就是這群沒有忠誠地履行職責的司祭長！他們原本是「被告」，竟妄想成為「原告」；自投羅網，結果再敗一仗，活該！

孔子曾說：「不憤不啟，不俳不發，舉一隅不以三隅反，則不復也。」（論語‧述而）即是說，對不發憤苦思的學生，沒有必要去啟發；對苦於找不到適當表達方法的學生，總要引導；對於未能舉一反三的學生，不必浪費時間再教了！這來自「萬世師表」的教學方法，很有參考價值。可以天主子比孔子更慈悲，對於這些被財富權勢，迷惑了心竅的人，耶穌基督還是給他們一個反省認錯的機會！
主啊！請賜下聖神，以上天的智慧，明辨是非的聰敏和勇於實踐真理的剛毅，充滿我們的心，保護我們免於心硬，錯失悔改的機會。亞孟。
論盡神學
圖片鳴謝: wikipedia

---

A Failed Finesse

Imagine you were one of the chief priests and elders who came to interrogate Jesus. It was you who started the interrogation. How could you ‘politely’ reply Jesus’ question? See, you fell into a dilemma, thus giving Jesus an easy exit! You’re the plaintiff. Why had you become a defendant? Were you hypnotized by Jesus?

Was it some kind of engagement rule in scholarly debate among teachers of the law? The interrogator had to answer some counter-questions to show respect, that he was qualified to interrogate and that he had no intention to waste the defendant’s time! No, it was not! You’re priests and elders, not scribes or Rabbis. Therefore, it was not a scholastic debate. Since elders were present, it must have been a legal proceeding! Although the wording, viz. ‘hypnotized’ was meant to be dramatic, it tried to convey the authority Jesus Christ had among the people (Matthew 7:29)!

We shouldn’t blame the priests for their ‘politeness’ because they were on the wrong side!
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The Temple was built to worship and praise Him. He is willing to grant recognition to this man-made temple to be His mystical body (John 2:21). It should be a great Jewish honour! Now the Son of God cleansed His own house to make it worthy to be His mystical body. What could be wrong? Who turned the Temple into a den of thieves not worthy to be the mystical body of the Son of God? They were the chief priests who did not do their job properly! They were defendants who fantasized to become plaintiff! Now that they put their necks into the noose, whom shall they blame but themselves!

Confucius once said, “For those who do not think hard, don’t inspire them. For those who are unable to articulate themselves, guide them. For those who are unable to apply what is learnt to three other areas, don’t waste your time anymore.” (Shu er, Analects). This piece of pedagogical advice is sound. But the Son of God is more merciful than Confucius. Jesus Christ still gives opportunities of repentance to those whose hearts have been suffocated by power and wealth.
Lord! Grant us the Holy Spirit. Infuse our hearts with heavenly wisdom, discerning understanding and fortitude to practise the truth. Protect us from heart-hardening so that we won’t miss the opportunity to repent. Amen.

Burn the Chaff with Unquenchable Fire 用不滅的火焚燒糠秕

用不滅的火焚燒糠秕

在這福音片段，我們找到兩處與「火」有關的文字，並且，是與「祂要」連在一起的。它們分別是：「祂要以聖神和火洗你們。」（路3:16）與及「祂要揚淨自己的禾場，把麥粒收在倉内；至於糠秕，卻要用不滅的火焚燒」（3:17）。

從上文下理得知，兩處的「祂」是指猶太人等待了很久的默西亞，即我們的主耶穌基督（3:15-16），祂要為世人做兩件事。第一個章節比較容易明白，是指耶穌基督升天後，聖神在五旬節，以火舌的形象降臨在120個門徒頭上（宗2:3），教會於是誕生了。祂要派遣聖神，建立教會，藉教會履行祂與世人同在的承諾（瑪28:20）。這是第一個「祂要」。第二個讀來有點奇怪，糠秕並非甚麼堅硬頑固之物，普通一把火，足以把它燒毀，何需「不滅的火」呢？看來必定另有所指。

當我們聽到「不滅的火」，很容易會聯想到地獄，因為福音另一處說：「你一隻眼進入天主的國，比有兩隻眼被投入地獄裡更好，那裡的蟲子不死，火也不滅。」（谷9:47-48）在末日，善人與惡人的肉身一同復活，而復活後的肉身是永不磨損的。善人擁有永不磨損的肉身，在天堂享受永恆的福樂；而惡人永不磨損的肉身，將會與天主隔絕，在地獄受「不滅的火」懲罰，不對嗎？對的，以【瑪竇福音】的背景（瑪3:9-12），是可以這樣理解的；可是，上述這種猶太教「賞善罰惡」的思維，與強調聖神和慈悲的【路加福音】有點格格不入。或許，是指天主以不滅的火，淨煉罪人在世時沒有能力清除，與天主隔絕的障礙。以今天的認知，不竟「糠秕」並非絕對無用或有害之物，它與麥粒之間的對比，並不足以象徵「惡人」與「義人」之間的命運，能勉勵讀者悔改就夠了。
主啊！請以祢現在就以不滅的火，焚燒我們心中的糠秕，讓我們更能愛祢和愛有需要幫助的兄弟姊妹。亞孟。
圖片鳴謝：thefriendlyheretic.wordpress.com
論盡神學

---

Burn the Chaff with Unquenchable Fire

We find 2 pieces of text in today’s gospel related with “fire”. They appear together with “He will”. They are: “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16) and “… to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”(3:17)

From the context, the “He” is the Messiah whom the Jews had been anticipating. He is our Lord Jesus Christ (3:15-16). He’s going to do two things. The first piece of text is easier to understand. It refers to the Pentecost after the Ascension of Jesus Christ. The Church was born when the Holy Spirit would come down upon the 120 disciples in the form of tongues of fire (Acts 2:3). Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit to establish the Church to honour His pledge of being with us always until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). This is the first “He will”. The second one sounds a bit strange. Chaff is not hard nor strong. An ordinary fire would destroy it. Why does the Lord need “an unquenchable fire”? It must be symbolizing something else.

When we read “an unquenchable fire”, we will easily think of hell because it is written in another gospel, “Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:47-48). On Judgment Day, the bodies of both the righteous and the wicked shall come back to life. The resurrected bodies will be imperishable. With an imperishable body, the righteous shall enjoy eternal blisss while the wicked shall be cut off from God and suffer the punishment of “unquenchable fire” in hell, shall they not? It is correct and understandable in the context of the gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 3:9-12). However, this Jewish concept of “awarding the good and punishing the bad” is somehow in contradiction with the Lucan emphasis of the Holy Spirit and mercy. Perhaps there is a possibility that God uses an unquenchable fire to purge the obstacles which cut sinners off from God and which sinners were unable to remove during their life times. As of our knowledge today, “chaff” is not absolutely useless and harmful. Their contrast with wheat is inadequate in symbolizing the different fates of the wicked and the righteous. It has done its job if it is adequate to motivate the readers.
Lord! Please burn away the chaff in our hearts with Your unquenchable fire now. Let us love You and our needy brethren more fervently. Amen.

在審判的日子 On The Day Of Judgment

勇氣系列之三：
「在審判的日子，索多瑪地所受的懲罰也要比你們容易忍受。」（瑪11：24）

原來不單「聆聽」需要勇氣，而且連「看見」也需要勇氣，就是悔改的勇氣！缺乏勇氣，就祇會視而不見，聽而不聞了（瑪13:14）！難怪今天社會上，有很多活在平行時空的人！

在今天的福音裡，耶穌基督嚴厲「譴責那曾看過祂許多異能的城邑，因為他們沒有悔改。」（11：20）為甚麼他們看見了神蹟，仍不悔改呢？
最明顯的答案，就是他們不覺得有悔改的必要。像大部份自以為是的法利塞人和經師一樣，他們不覺得自己有罪。沒有罪，何需悔改呢？即使察覺到自己有不足之處，仍覺得自己比其他人優勝，墮入了「有人墊底」的陷阱中。於是覺得用不著改過遷善，甚至斗膽地在天主面前，炫耀一番（路18：11-12）！

他們真的看不見自己的不善之處嗎？應該是看見的，卻沒有勇氣承認，自己與那些他所鄙視的人，竟然同樣需要天主的寬恕！尤有甚者，他們會把責任推到別人身上，或者找代罪羔羊，自己永遠不會錯。那些道貎岸然的經師和法利塞，祇會按法律指摘替羅馬人服務的稅吏，又怎能接受自己竟然與稅吏一樣歛財（20：45-47）呢？同樣道理，貪污的人，祇會怪責大企業家剝削窮人，又怎會原諒潛入他家中搜刧的盜賊呢？使用暴力的人，又怎能容忍受害人的反抗呢？的確，缺乏了勇氣，又怎能動手術，拿去眼中的大樑呢（瑪7：5）？的確，經師與稅吏、兩者都需要極大的勇氣，承認自己是錯了！

天主不是免去索多瑪的懲罰，而是那些懲罰，是可以忍受的。為甚麼可以忍受呢？可能是有限期的懲罰，例如在煉獄。其餘的，甭用多說了。
主啊！請賜我們勇氣，認清自己的不是，好能悔改，獲得天父的寬恕。亞孟。

圖片鳴謝：cinema.ne.jp
論盡神學

---

Courage Series#3:
It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you. (Matthew 11:24)

Not only does listening need courage, but seeing also needs courage, the courage to repent! Lacking courage, people will look and look and yet not see, listen and listen and yet not hear (Matthew 13:14)! No wonder there are so many people living in parallel universes today!

In the gospel passage today, Jesus "began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented" (11:20). Why didn't they repent even after seeing miracles?
The obvious answer is that they did not feel the need to repent. Like most self-righteous Pharisees and scribes, they did not think they were sinners. Without sins, why needed they to repent? Even if they found inadequacies in themselves, they still deemed themselves superior to others and fell into the temptation of "Not me! Somebody else is worse". Then, they did not need to repent and even dared to boast of themselves before God (Luke 18:11-12)!

Don't they see their inadequacies? Surely they see but they don't have the courage to admit that they and those they despise need the same forgiveness from God! Even worse, they put the blame on others or look for scapegoats. Never can they be wrong. Those decent-looking scribes and Pharisees would apply the laws to reproach tax-collectors who served Romans. How could they acknowledge they plundered people like tax-collectors did (20:45-47)? Similarly, people who take bribes only blame entrepreneurs for exploiting the poor. How can they forgive burglars who break into their houses? And how can abusers tolerate victims who fight back? Indeed, lacking courage, how can they approach the operation table to remove the wooden beam from their eyes (Matthew 7:5)? Indeed, both scribes and tax-collectors need extremely huge courage to admit their sins!

God does not remove Sodom's punishments but makes them tolerable. Why are the punishments tolerable? Perhaps they are limited in time, e.g. in the Purgatory. The rest? You know.
Lord! Grant us courage to see clearly our faults so that we may repent and be forgiven by our heavenly Father. Amen.

人的仇敵，就是自己的家人 One's enemies will be those of his household

勇氣系列之二：
「人的仇敵，就是自己的家人。」（瑪10：36）

你有勇氣聽這句說話嗎？聽得入耳嗎？
首先必需澄清上句所指的「仇敵」，是甚麼意思。注意，原文是指「與天主作對」的意思！即是說，是自己的家人，阻擋我們親近天主，阻擋我們獲得救恩。

在理想的教友家庭中，公教父母把基督宗教信仰，傳授給子女，裝備他們回應天主的成聖召叫；而子女們亦欣然接受這福音，並在成長過程中，按部就班地履行教導。這樣理想化的公教家庭，何來仇敵？的確是令人羨慕的家庭典範，「聖家」三口就是這樣的一個理想公教家庭。

可是，現實帶給家庭很大的壓力，甚至令很多家庭，失去了應有的職能，嚴重的甚至出現家庭暴力，或者父母離異，令家庭支離破碎，家庭成員得不到應有的保障及發展！在這種情況下，上述的福音句子，即使抹去它的宗教元素，亦成了部份現代家庭的寫照！

比較健康的和正常的家庭，也難免受到家庭成員的成長和發展，所帶來的張力所影響！孩子長大了，反叛了，覺得父母的信念過時了，信天主不科學，令他們在朋輩之間蒙羞…丈夫/妻子升職了，工作環境改變了，接觸的同事不同了，工作時間長了，與配偶的關係出現了裂縫…父母老了，反應遲鈍了，脾氣古怪了，性格固執了…這一切都令家庭關係持續緊張，天主好像從家庭中消失了…

請緊記耶穌的教訓！祂不是教導我們要「愛我們的仇人，為迫害我們的人祈禱」（5：44）嗎？誰是我們的仇敵？耶穌說：「就是自己的家人」（10：36）。倘若連家庭中的仇敵也不能愛，遑論外面的仇敵呢？那不愛自己所看見的，遑論去愛那看不見的天主（若一4：20）呢？
主啊！請賜我們勇氣和力量，去愛那些傷害我們最重的人。亞孟。

圖片鳴謝：archive.ru
論盡神學

---

Courage Series #2
One's enemies will be those of his household (Matthew 10:36)

Do you have the courage to hear these words? Are you able to listen?
First of all, let us clarify what "enemies" means. It is ἐχθρός in Greek, meaning "hostile to, hating and opposing God"! That is to say, it is one's household which prevents us from coming close to God, preventing us from receiving salvation.

In an ideal believers' family, Catholic parents should pass on Christianity to their children, equipping them to respond to God's call to sanctification. Children should gladly receive this gospel and put it into practice stage by stage during their growth and development. From where do the "enemies" come in these ideal families? Indeed, these are admirable exemplar families which the Holy Family is one such. However, reality exerts a lot of pressure on families so much so that many families have lost their proper functions. Domestic violence and divorces happen in grave cases, breaking families up and failing to provide protection and growth for their members! In such cases, the quotation above, even with its religious connotation removed, is a realistic portrait of many modern families!
Families which are comparatively healthy and normal are inevitably affected by tensions brought about by the growth and development of family members! Children grow and become rebellious. They feel that parents' beliefs are outdated. Belief in God is outdated and embarrasses them in front of their peers … Husbands or wives are promoted. Working environment has changed. Colleagues are different. Working hours become longer and cracks appear in spousal relationship … Parents are ageing. Their responses are slower. Tempers become queer and personality becomes less flexible … All family relations become tense. God seems to have vanished in families …

Bear in mind Jesus' teaching! Doesn't He teach that we should "love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you" (5:44)? Who are our enemies? Jesus says, "our household" (10:36) If we cannot love those enemies from our household, how can we love enemies from outside? If we do not love whom we see, how can we love God whom we have not seen (1 John 4:20)?
Lord! Grant us courage and strength to love those who hurt us most. Amen.

聽的勇氣 The Courage To Hear

常年期第十五主日，甲年
主題：勇氣系列之一：聽的勇氣

今天耶穌說：「有耳的，聽吧！」（瑪13:9）
聽，除了有耳之外，還要有勇氣。
西諺有云：「人非孤島」。倘若人要生存及發展，有賴與其他人建構成的人際網絡，包括：家庭、學校、工作單位、社交圈子…一直擴展到社會國家甚至全世界。正如我們的財政司陳先生所說，我們在香港打一個噴嚏，美國也會受到影響！這種「蝴蝶效應」，今天已經是不用爭辯的常識了！
眾所周知，人際關係的成敗，溝通是決定性的因素。溝通的渠道有很多，當中，聆聽最重要，但亦最容易受到不同的因素干擾！例如，大家看醫生的時候，假如醫生的眼睛祇顧在電腦看你的檢查報告，沒有聽取你的訴苦，連一句話也沒有跟你說，開了藥方便打發你走。即使他是有名的「神醫」，你對他還有信心嗎？你對他的藥方有信心嗎？下次還會再向他求醫嗎？另一方面，倘若你不聽清楚醫生用藥或者戒口的指示，你的病會痊癒嗎？當然，關係有很多種，不一定是助人受助的關係，但關係總有施予和接受，而且施予者和接受者的角色，是可以互換的。雖然今次你是接受者，你總有機會變成施予者。但無論是怎樣的關係，「聆聽」永遠是必須的。相反，偏見、偏聽、缺乏溝通以至產生誤會，祇會令關係惡化，對雙方都沒有好處。

今天，讓我們集中反省影響聆聽的其中一個因素，就是勇氣。接受者一方容易犯上自尊心重的毛病，沒有勇氣聽到身邊的人，或者施予者告訴自己問題的癥結。有人認為自己是太極高手，內功深厚，沒有可能輸在一個無名小卒手上；有人認為自己健康良好，沒有可能生病；有人認為自己是正義的化身，沒有可能做出不道德的行為…做父母的，做慣了施予者，很難接受自己已經老了，需要倚賴子女照顧了！另一方面，施予者容易犯上高高在上的毛病，抱著一種施捨的心態，沒有勇氣聽到接受者說：「我不需要你所提供的這種幫助，這種施捨！」作為父母的，總想給予子女最好的事物。當子女幼少，不懂事，不懂得選擇的時候，父母當然有責任為他們作出選擇。但在不知不覺之間，子女成長了，有了自己的選擇時，做父母最難做到的，莫過於拿出勇氣，聆聽子女的心聲，接受他們拒絕你們所預備最好的禮物！「他們一定是受到壞朋友的影響，或者老師灌輸了錯誤的價值觀，或者從互聯網上接收了教壞人的資訊…」這些祇不過是自我安慰的防禦機制罷了！

現實給生活的人很大的壓力，給予所有人際關係很大的壓力。每一個還有生命氣息的人，會掙扎生存下去。有些人選擇改造環境，改善關係，使它適合自己生存；沒有條件改造環境的，便改造自己去適應環境。面對惡劣的環境，惡劣的關係，有些人選擇壯士斷臂，犧牲部份肢體甚至理想。短線來說，付出最少代價的，莫過於採取對現實「視而不見，聽而不聞」（13:14）的防禦機制，並相信「明天會更好」！殊不知「聽而不聞」，正是破壞人際關係的，破壞生存環境的致命傷！到最後，關閉了所有溝通的渠道，他們惟有逆來順受，聽天由命，作出消極的不合作。

作為生活在香港的天主教徒，我們未必有改造環境的能力；面對社會的動盪，或者疫情的衝擊，我們可能感到無能為力。但我們對天主所許諾的，充滿仁愛公義的天國，仍滿懷望德，絕不會消極地不與政府合作，不與懷有善意的人合作，不與天主合作！最後，我們會放棄天國的理想，放棄耶穌基督所建立的教會嗎？不會！
保祿宗徒說，我們都是耶穌基督的修和大使（格後5：19-20），宣講的福音是真理，這真理能「直穿入靈魂和神魄，關節與骨髓的分離點，且可辨別心中的感覺和思念。」（希4：12）不過，忠言逆耳，例如愛仇人和為迫害你的人祈禱等，不是沒有恩寵的人能夠接受的。想從外面打破那「視而不見，聽而不聞」的防禦機制是困難的。而要聽福音的人放棄這個防禦機制，必需有無比的勇氣和天主聖神的恩寵，纔有能力接受修和的福音，所以不是人人都可以接受，尤其是身負公職的政治人物。基督徒也要接受現實，就是尊重對方的尊嚴與自由。基督徒容易犯上捨我其誰的救世主心態的毛病，沒有勇氣聽到「基督徒是罪人」或者「我不想聽你講耶穌」的現實！

各位兄弟姊妹，作為天主教徒，我們是多麼幸福啊！因為在我們與天父的關係之中，天父永遠是施予者，我們永遠是接受者。不過，天主知道這是不健康的，因為永遠是接受者，永遠不會長大。所以天主會給予每一個人，即使是最不幸，最失敗的人，都有機會成為施予者！在維持天人關係當中，天主最懂得聆聽，不厭其煩地耐心聽取我們的祈禱。反躬自問，我們有勇氣聆聽耶穌基督的教訓嗎？有勇氣接受悔改的邀請嗎？有勇氣做耶穌基督的修和大使嗎？
天主保祐！

2017年講道
論盡神學
圖片鳴謝：mentalhealth.com

---

Fifteenth Ordinary Sunday, Year A
Theme: Courage Series#1: The Courage To Hear

Today, Jesus says, "Whoever has ears ought to hear." (Matthew 13:9)
Not only do you have ears, but you also need courage to hear.
No man is an island. Our survival and development rely on the interpersonal network we build with others, including family, school, work place, social network … society, country and even the whole world. Just as what our Financial Secretary Mr. Paul says, "USA shall be affected by our sneeze in Hong Kong." This Butterfly Effect is an indisputable common sense nowadays.
As we all know, communication is essential to the success of interpersonal relationships. Among the many channels of communication, listening is the most crucial but is most easily affected by different noises! For example, you consult your physician. What if he never takes his eyes off the computer screen to read your various examination reports and does not listen to your complaints. Furthermore, if without speaking a word to you, he simply sends you away with his prescriptions. Do you have confidence in him, no matter how famous a miracle physician he is? Will you follow his prescriptions, and continue to consult him next time? On the other hand, if you do not listen carefully to his prescriptions or what not to eat, do you think you can be cured? Of course, there are many different kinds of relationships, not necessarily helper and client. But all relationships involve give and take. The roles of giver and taker may interchange. Although you are the taker this time, you always have the opportunity to become the giver. Whatever relationship it is, listening is always essential. On the contrary, prejudice, not listening comprehensively and lack of communication will lead to misunderstanding. When relations sour, both sides suffer.

Today, I want to focus on one particular element which affects listening. It is courage. The taker can easily fall victim to pride and do not have to courage to hear other people or givers mention the gist of the problem. It is unthinkable for a Tai Chi master to be knocked out by a nobody in twenty seconds, for a healthy person to fall sick, for a righteous person to get involved in sexual scandals … parents who have always been givers find it difficult to accept their own ageing and need to be taken care of by children! On the other hand, givers can easily fall victim to a condescendence attitude and do not have the courage to hear the takers say, "I don't need the kind of help you give!" Parents always want to give children the best. When they were young and didn't know what to choose, it was the duty of parents to choose for them. But imperceptibly, children have grown up and have their own choices. The most challenging job for parents is to take the courage to hear the rejection of the best gifts they have prepared for them! "It must be the fault of bad peers, or teachers instilling wrong values or immoral information picked up from the Internet …" All these are but defence mechanisms to soothe oneself!

Reality puts great pressure on living things and on all interpersonal relationships. Every living creature must struggle to survive. Some choose to change the environment, or improve relationships to make them suitable for their survival. Those who lack the resources to change the environment will change themselves to adapt. Confronted by hostile environment or relationships, some choose to sacrifice part of their limbs or ideals. In the short run, the defence mechanism of "look but not understand, look but never see" (13:14) and belief in a better tomorrow will cost the least! Unbeknown to them that this defence mechanism is the very Achilles' heel that destroys interpersonal relationships and the survival environment! In the end, closing up all communication channels, one can only suffer passively and become uncooperative.

As Catholics living in Hong Kong, we may not have the resources to change the environment. Facing social unrests and the pandemic, we may feel helpless. But we still have hope in the Kingdom of Heaven which is full of love and righteousness promised by our God. We shall not passively refuse to cooperate with the government, with people of good will and with God! In the end, shall we abandon the ideal of the Kingdom of Heaven and abandon the Church established by Jesus Christ? Never!
St. Paul says that we are reconciliation ambassadors of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19-20). The gospel we proclaim is the Truth. This Truth "is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) But the Word of God is hard to swallow, e.g. love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you etc. It is difficult for people without grace to receive. It is difficult to break down the defence mechanism of "hear and not understand, look and not see" from the outside. It is even more difficult for listeners of gospel to forsake this defence mechanism without great courage and the grace from the Holy Spirit, in particular, politicians. We Christians must also accept the reality and respect the dignity and freedom of our listeners. We easily make the mistake of playing Saviour and do not have the courage to accept the reality that "Christians are sinners" or "We don't want you to talk Jesus"!

Brethren! We Catholics are blessed! In our relationship with our heavenly Father, He is always the giver and we the takers! However, God knows that it is unhealthy to always be takers because takers shall never grow up. Thus, God gives everybody, even if you are the most unlucky and worst loser, the opportunity to be giver! In maintaining the God-man relationship, God always listens attentively and patiently to our prayers. Let's ask ourselves, do we have the courage to hear the teachings of Jesus Christ, the courage to accept the invitation to repent, and the courage to become reconciliation ambassadors of Jesus Christ?
God bless!

論「交友」 On Companions

論「交友」
三月九日聖灰瞻禮後星期六（路5:27-32）
肋未在自己家中為祂擺設了盛筵，有許多稅吏和其他的人，與他們一同坐席。（路5:29）

在耶穌時代猶太人的社會裡，稅吏是不受歡迎的人物。肋未是稅吏，與他來往的，恐怕亦祇有稅吏和罪人而已（谷2:15）。另一方面，能夠加入法利塞黨的人，恐怕亦祇有那些熟悉經典，自以為高人一等的經師和法學士。當然亦有例外的，例如尼苛德摩和阿黎瑪特雅人若瑟。肋未之流，想加入法利塞黨，一定被拒諸門外；而法利塞人亦不屑與肋未為伍！這是意料中事，但不要忘記，「近朱者赤，近墨者黑」。那麼，你希望參加一個怎麼樣的團體呢？一個聖人/義人的團體？還是一個罪人的團體？

天主教幾乎每一天都會慶祝聖人的瞻禮，這些聖人都非常英勇地，以不同的方式，見証福音的教訓。天主教高舉這些榜樣，鼓勵信徒效法。可惜，在缺乏聖神的推動之下，這些聖人祇不過是「記憶博物館」中的展品，對信徒的生活起不了甚麼作用！（【你們要歡喜踴躍】#139）另一方面，天主教不斷被性侵醜聞所困擾，更與無神權政權妥協，令教會內外人士齒冷…雖然她是號稱「至聖」，並且「由宗徒傳下來」的教會，但她的表現，的確令人喪失信德！伯多祿不是被曾是法利塞黨的保祿猛力評擊嗎（迦2:11-14）？

不過，正因為她是一個罪人的團體，她纔可以邀請到耶穌基督一起坐席！耶穌基督沒有嫌棄罪人，並樂意與他們為伍。所以祂接受若翰的洗禮，跟肋未和他的罪人朋友一同坐席。且看，耶穌基督並沒有加入法利塞黨，提昇自己的社會地位，反而親近罪人，感染他們成聖！很難明白，罪人有甚麼值得耶穌基督的錯愛呢？但小心謹記，既然法利塞人中有尼苛德摩，罪人中也有拒絕悔改，自甘墮落之徒！
天主啊！我寧站在祢殿宇的門限，也不願逗留在惡人帳幕的裡面（詠84:11）。亞孟。

論盡神學

---

On Companions
March 9, Saturday after Ash Wednesday (Luke 5:27-32)
"Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them." (Luke 5:29)

In Jesus' time, tax collectors were unpopular in the Jewish society. Levi was a tax collector. Most likely, only tax collectors and public sinners could be his friends (Mark 2:15). On the other hand, probably only those who were well-versed in Scriptures and the Law, such as those self-important teachers of the law and scribes, could join the Pharisees party. Of course, there were exceptions such as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. Even if people like Levi wanted to join the Pharisees party, they would be rejected because the Pharisees despised their companionship. This was to be expected. Don't forget, birds of the same feather flock together. Then what kind of community would you like to join? A community of saints and righteous people? Or a community of sinners?

The Catholic Church celebrates feast-day of saints nearly everyday. These saints bravely bore witness to gospel teachings in various manners. The Church highlights their examples and encourages the laity to follow them. Unfortunately, lacking the push from the Holy Spirit, these saints are merely show pieces in a museum of memories. They do not help the life of believers! (GE #139) On the other hand, the Catholic Church is scandalized with sexual abuses. Her moral position is compromised by signing deals with atheist regimes. Many people, those within and without the Church, are disappointed. Although she claims to be holy and apostolic, her performance makes people lose their faith! Wasn't Peter criticized harshly by Paul the Pharisee (Galatians 2:11-14)?

Exactly because she is a community of sinners, she is able to invite Jesus Christ to join her at the table! Jesus Christ does not reject sinners and is happy to keep them company. Thus, Jesus received the baptism of John, joined Levi and his sinner friends at the table. Furthermore, Jesus Christ did not join the Pharisees to raise his social status. Instead, he stayed among sinners, influenced them to become saints! It is difficult to understand why Jesus Christ loved these worthless scums! Watch out! Since there was Nicodemus, the Pharisee, there must be sinners who refuse to repent and enjoy falling from grace!
Dear Lord! Better the threshold of the house of my God than a home in the tents of the wicked (Psalm 84:11). Amen.

論「隔絕」 On Separation

論「隔絕」
三月八日聖灰瞻禮後星期五（瑪9:14-15）
耶穌對他們說：「當新郎從他們中被劫去時，那時他們就要禁食了。」（瑪9:15）

「新郎被劫去」（瑪9:15）是甚麼意思？是指耶穌基督受難嗎？不但如此，更進一步指我們會否因為眼見耶穌基督受難，而像伯多祿一樣否認祂？抑或像在刑場上的右盜，眼見一個被虐待到不成人形的死囚，仍然承認祂是君王？我們當然不會否認耶穌基督！可是，不要忘記，教會是基督的奧體。當她被性侵醜聞纏身時，我們仍會信任她嗎？當教宗與迫害信徒的無神論政權簽訂協議時，我們會失望地離開天主教嗎？

保祿宗徒曾這樣問：「誰能使我們與基督的愛隔絕？是困苦嗎？是窘迫嗎？是迫害嗎？是饑餓嗎？是赤貧嗎？是危險嗎？是刀劍嗎？」（羅8:35）他跟著說，他深信世上現存的或將來的事物，沒有一樣能使我們與基督的愛隔絕（8:38-39）。是我們有不離不棄基督的本領嗎？沒有！而是基督對我們不離不棄，耐心地等著我們回頭，讓祂望我們一眼，熔化我們的恐懼，幫助我們悔改（路22:61）！政治交易、性侵醜聞、赤貧甚至迫害等等，都不會使基督放棄我們！

既然如此，「禁食」又有甚麼作用呢？禁食不但戒吃熱血動物的肉，更要絕食，令自己饑餓，令我們感到空虛無力！這樣，我們便會渴求天主來填滿這份空虛！因此，禁食並不會救出被劫去的新郎，而是騰出心靈的空間，去接受不符合我們心意的教宗，去原諒性侵醜聞纏身的教會，去渴求耶穌基督轉身望我們一眼！
天主啊！不要讓我們陷於「自以為是」的誘惑，教導我們禁食，渴求祢的拯救。亞孟。

論盡神學

---

On Separation
March 8, Friday after Ash Wednesday (Matthew 9:14-15)

Jesus answered them, "They days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast." (Matthew 9:15)

What does "the bridegroom is taken away" (Matthew 9:15) mean? Jesus' Passion? Not only this, but also whether seeing the sufferings of Christ, we would deny him like Peter had done? Or whether seeing a broken, disfigured and condemned prisoner on the cross, we would still acknowledge him king, like the repentant thief? Of course we shall not deny Jesus Christ. However, remember that the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. Will you still trust her when she is scandalized with sexual abuses? Will you leave her in disappointment when she signs agreements with an atheist regime which persecutes believers?

St. Paul once says, "What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?" (Romans 8:35) Then he continues and claims that neither present things or future things will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (8:38-39). Are we able not to abandon Christ? No, we aren't. It is Christ who does not abandon us, patiently waiting for us to return, allowing him to gaze upon us, melt our fear and help us repent (Luke 22:61)! Political deals, scandals of sexual abuses, poverty and even persecutions are unable to make Christ abandon us!

Then, what's the use of fasting? We abstain from meat of warm-blooded animals and fast in order to make us hungry and void. With an empty stomach, we feel our powerlessness. Then, we shall desire God to fill up this void! Thus, fasting will not release the bridegroom who was taken away, but will make room in our heart to accept a Pope who doesn't follow our wishes, to forgive a Church which is scandalized by sexual abuses and to desire Jesus Christ to turn and gaze at us!
God! Lead us not into the temptation of self-righteousness. Teach us fasting and hunger for your salvation. Amen.

論「益處」 On Gain

論「益處」
三月七日聖灰瞻禮後星期四（路9:22-25）
「人縱然賺得了全世界，卻喪失了自己，或賠上自己，為他有什益處呢﹖」（路9:25）

用不著喪失了自己，或者賠上性命那麼嚴重。即使是為了賺得全世界，卻賠上自己的健康，失去了享受成果的機會；又或者喪失了親情，不能與家人共享成就，的確沒有益處，的確可惜。但耶穌基督在這一段經文所提出的告誡，並不是指這些人之常情！

基督徒不是蒙召成聖的嗎？作為基督徒，不是富有「犧牲小我，完成大我」的宏願嗎？不是懷有「功成不必我在」的豪情壯志嗎？那麼，賠上健康、性命和親情，又有甚麼大不了呢？教會的禮儀日曆上，不是充斥著以各式各樣方法殉道的聖人嗎？他們為信仰而作出犧牲，名留清史，獲得後世信徒的歌頌。有何不對？

的確，憑表面很難判別誰是革命烈士，誰是殉道者。大家都是為了一個更高尚，更偉大的理想而作出犧牲，實在令人敬佩。不過，革命烈士祇是烈士，不是聖人；至於殉道者，卻是聖人！分別在哪？聖保祿宗徒曾教訓說：「我若捨身投火被焚，但我若沒有愛，為我毫無益處。」（格前13:3）又是「益處」？真巧合！

基督徒，不要忘記，「天主是愛」（若一4:8，16）聖經的教訓是非常明明白白的。我若沒有天主，即使賺得了全世界也是枉然；我若沒有天主，喪失了性命，成為革命烈士也是毫無益處！我若沒有天主，無論怎樣盡力為教會奉獻精神時間，也是在浪費天主所賜的「塔冷通」，白費心機！
天主啊！請不要向我掩面，讓我找到真正的心靈富足。亞孟！

論盡神學

---

On Gain
March 7, Thursday after Ash Wednesday (Luke 9:22-25)
"What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?" (Luke 9:25)

You don't need to lose your life or forfeit yourself in order to suffer. Even if you gain the whole world at the expense of your health so that you are unable to enjoy the fruit of your efforts; or at the expense of your family relations so that they are not able to share your joy of achievement, it is already pitiful. But Jesus Christ does not warn us against these natural consequences!

Aren't Christians called to be saints? As Christians, aren't we filled with the passion of sacrificing oneself for the bigger good? Do we not cherish the noble ideal of ploughing without expecting to see the harvest? Then, losing one's health, life and families is no big deal. Isn't the Church calendar filled with saints who suffered martyrdom in various manners? They lost their lives to bear witness for their faith. They are immortalized and praised throughout the ages. Is there anything wrong?

Truly, it is difficult to differentiate revolutionaries from martyrs. All of them die for a nobler and greater ideal and have earned our respect. But revolutionaries are not saints. Martyrs are. What is the difference? St. Paul says, "If I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:3) It is "gain" again. What a coincidence?

Christians! Don't forget that "God is love." (1 John 4:8, 16) The teaching of the Bible is crystal clear. If I don't have God, it is pointless to gain the whole world. If I don't believe in God, losing my life as a revolutionary is worthless! If I don't have God, it will be a waste of God's given talents to spend all my time and energy to serve the Church!
My God, don't hide your countenance from me. Let me find true satisfaction in you. Amen.

斯是陋室，惟吾德馨 This Modest Shack will Spread its Fragrance for My Virtues

斯是陋室，惟吾德馨
「我的殿宇應是祈禱之所。」（依56:7；路19:46）

天主的殿宇在哪？在聖堂？在主教座堂？抑或是聖伯多祿大殿？既是，又不是。
這些建築物固然是天主的殿宇，讓天主的子民聚集一起歌頌崇拜祂。但它們都是建築物，沒有人在其中時，甚至大部份的人都是遊客時，這些宏偉的建築物，祗亦不過石頭而已。正如【陋客銘】所說：「山不在高，有仙則名；水不在深，有龍則靈。斯是陋室，惟吾德馨。」是內涵決定一件事物的價值，是一個人的德行，讓「陋室」也可以成名。因此，最重要是建築物的內涵：就是在內裡活動的人！

那麼，好像斯德望所說的，聖殿不重要嗎（宗7:44-53）？不要忘記，為了這些言論，他成了第一個基督徒殉道者！
聖殿是重要，但是我們不應依戀聖殿外表的宏偉，它祗不過是天主臨在的其中一個標記。斯德望祗是提醒他們，天主以不同的形式臨在他們當中，不一定局限在聖殿中。天主也臨在於聖殿之外。

事實上，聖保祿曾教訓說：「難道你們不知道，你們的身體是聖神的宮殿…嗎？」（格前6:19）所以，我們的身體也是天主的殿宇。而且，聖保祿進一步教導說：「聖神也扶助我們的軟弱，因為我們不知道如何祈求纔對，而聖神卻親自以無可言喻的歎息，代我們轉求。」（羅8:26）因此，無論我們身在何方，去旅遊找不到天主教堂也好，或者身陷囹圄而不能參與主日彌撒也好，我們都是一座活動聖殿，可以隨時隨地，以心神和真理崇拜天主（若4:23-24）。藉著聖神的推動，我們便可以真實地崇拜天主，而不是進行一些繁文縟節；可以分享天主的生命，而不是在彌撒中納悶。
聖神啊！請降臨到我心中，賜我渴求智慧、明辨是非、剛毅熱心，堅持到底，以獲得永生。亞孟。

【論盡神學之每日神糧】

---

This Modest Shack will Spread its Fragrance for My Virtues
"My house shall be a house of prayer." (Isaiah 56:7; Luke 19:46)

Where is the house of God? The church? The Cathedral? Or St. Peter's Basilica? Yes, and no.
Of course these buildings are God's houses in which the People of God gather and sing praises to worship Him. But these are only buildings. When nobody is inside or most people inside are tourists, these magnificent buildings are mere rocks! Just as a Chinese author wrote, "A mountain needs not be high. People will know it for its deities. A sea needs not be deep. People will worship it for its dragons. This modest shack will spread its fragrance for my virtues." (An Epigraph of a Modest Shack) It is the essence of a thing which decides its value. It is the virtue of a person that makes a modest shack famous. Thus, the most important essence of buildings is the people who interact in them!

Then is it true, like what Stephen claims, that the Temple is not important (Acts 7:44-53)? Don't forget, because of this view, he became the first Christian martyr!
The Temple was important but we should not indulge in her external magnificence. It was only one among the many signs of God's presence. Stephen reminded them that God lived among them in different forms, did not necessarily confine Himself within the Temple. God is present even outside the Temple.

In fact, St. Paul teaches that, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you?" (1 Corinthians 6:19) Thus, our bodies are also God's temples. Furthermore, St. Paul teaches, "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words." (Romans 8:26) Thus, wherever we are, on holidays and could not locate a Catholic church, or in prison and could not join Sunday masses, we are mobile temples which worship God with spirit and truth anytime anywhere (John 4:23-24). Through the moving of the Holy Spirit, we are able to worship God genuinely and not just going through the rubrics. We can partake in God's life and do not feel bored in mass.
Dear Holy Spirit! Come down upon our hearts. Give us the desire for wisdom, the discernment of truth, the fortitude of charity and the perseverance to the end in order to attain eternal life. Amen.

「梅菲定律」以外 Beyond Murphy's Law

「梅菲定律」以外
「恨不能在這一天，妳也知道有關妳平安的事；但這事如今在妳眼前是隱藏的。」（路19:42）

隱藏的，看不見的事物，不一定是隱形的，有可能是我們漠視了那些事物的存在！你有沒有找自己的近視眼鏡的經歷呢？

縱使我們如何周密地安排，萬無一失；但意外始終是意外，我們總會忽略了一些事物，導致意外發生。這就是有名的「梅菲定律」：任何可能出錯的事，必定會發生！這定律的存在，証明了人類認知的局限性。

可是，耶穌所說，將要發生在耶路撒冷的事件，並不是一宗意外。「冰封三尺，非一日之寒。」發生在聖城耶路撒冷的災難，又豈是一個人的責任、或者是一年半載的時間可以醞釀出來的呢？她的毀滅，總有蛛絲馬跡可尋吧！可惜，耶路撒冷的居民，尤其是當中的權貴，選擇堅持己見，漠視了這些訊息，沒有妥當處理。這是「自取滅亡」！

耶穌當然渴望居住在耶路撒冷的人，認清形勢，放下民族主義的狹隘思想，不應堅持由默西亞領導人民推翻羅馬帝國的殖民統治。同樣，耶穌當然渴望我們認清自己的罪過和不足，放下貪婪、驕傲、憤怒、迷色、嫉妒和懶惰等傾向，對它們不要視若無睹，反而認真地處理好它們。雖然這樣修德行善，並不保証我們會一帆風順。但即使橫禍飛來，我們也可以兀立天地之間，問心無愧！這就是耶穌基督的末世言論的重點所在：時時醒寤！個人的醒寤已經這樣艱難，何況一個地方政府，一個國家政權哩！當統治者偏聽，當臣僕揣摩在位者的好惡時，一個城市，一個國家，不出四十年，便會覆亡！耶路撒冷就是一個好例子。
天父啊！請給政府官員們雪亮的眼睛，靈敏的身朵，與及一顆父母愛子之心。讓人民可以安居樂業。亞孟。

【論盡神學之每日神糧】

---

Beyond Murphy's Law
"Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are hid from your eyes." (Luke 19:42)

What is hidden or cannot be seen may not necessarily be invisible. Probably we ignore the existence of those things. Have you ever been looking for your own glasses?

Even if we have made an airtight perfect plan, accidents still happen. We will always overlook something which leads to disasters. This is the infamous Murphy's Law: whatever could go wrong, will go wrong! The existence of this very law proves the limitations of human knowledge.

But what Jesus had spoken about what would happen to Jerusalem was not an accident. "Rome was not built in one day!" How could a single person be responsible for the disaster that fell upon the Holy City, or that the disaster took a few months to brew? There must have been some clues to her destruction for some time. Unfortunately, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, especially those in power chose to insist on their opinions, ignored those signals and did not handle them properly. This destruction was self-inflicted.

Of course Jesus wanted the inhabitants of Jerusalem to discern the situation clearly, to put away their narrow nationalism, not to stubbornly expect a Messiah to lead the people to overthrow the colonial Roman rule. Similarly, Jesus desires us to know our sins and inadequacy, to put away those tendencies such as greed, pride, wrath, lust, envy and sloth. Do not ignore them but handle them seriously and properly. Although cultivating virtues does not necessarily lead to a trouble-free life, when disaster strikes, we will be able to stand tall without the slightest regret. This is the key point of the eschatology of Jesus Christ: be alert! Personal alert is already difficult, not to mention a city or a state. When the head of a state prefers listening selectively and when the subjects work hard to guess his likes and dislikes, a city or a state will fall within forty years. Jerusalem was a prime example.
Heavenly Father! Give the government officials clear sights, sharp hearings and a parental heart so that the citizens may lead a stable life and find job satisfaction. Amen.

自欺欺人 Cheating and Be Cheated

自欺欺人
「至於那些敵對我，不願意我作他們君王的人，你們把他們押到這裡，在我面前殺掉。」（路19:27）

所謂「伴君如伴虎」，稍一不慎便性命難保。做臣僕的，經常要揣摩君王的心情，避免衝撞了他的意願。倘若掌握錯了，輕則貶官，重則誅九族。

時至今日，很難想像上述福音的章節，竟會是出自耶穌基督的口！耶穌基督是不可見的天父可見的肖像，祂不是有如天父一般慈悲的嗎（路6:35-36）？天主不是希望眾人都能得救的嗎（弟前2:4）？為甚耶穌會如此殘暴，指定在他面前誅殺那些不願意接受他為君王的人呢？

耶穌基督是生命的主宰，當人拒絕接受生命的主宰為君王的時候，人還憑甚麼生存下去呢？在末日審判之前，他們的生命，包括自然的生命和超性的生命，會逐漸枯死。他們在生時，不但肉身會承受作惡所帶來的傷害，而且靈魂亦會因犯罪而變得醜惡。到末日審判之後，他們便進入「第二次死亡」。若望宗徒在神視中，看見一個連「死亡和陰府也被投入的火坑，這火坑就是第二次死亡。」（默20:14）而且，若望更列出哪些人會進入第二次死亡：就是「那些怯懦的、失信的、可恥的、殺人的、姦淫的、行邪術的、拜偶像的，以及一切撒謊的人」（21:8）。

可能在信仰路上，我們過份陶醉於天主的慈悲，安慰自己和別人說：「祗要我們悔改，天父一定會寬恕我們。」那麼，請問閣下上次領受修和聖事是在甚麼時候？原本當我們領洗時，我們的名字已記錄在「生命冊」上。殊不知我們在不斷犯罪的過程中，不知不覺地染上「心靈硬化」的毛病，不但向別人撒謊，連自己也欺騙過來。最後，在「生命冊」上除名（3:5）淪落成為「若望榜」上有名的人！
天父啊！可憐我們這些罪人吧！請幫助我們堅持到最後勝利，獲得永生。亞孟。

【論盡神學之每日神糧】

---

Cheating and Be Cheated
"But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me." (Luke 19:27)

Serving a king is like journey in the company of a tiger. You get mauled for being careless. Woe to those courtiers. They need to constantly guess the mood of the king and avoid offending his wishes. The price of making mistakes is heavy. They get demoted for the slightest faults. In case of grave ones, nine clans would be butchered.

Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine the verse quoted above would be uttered by Jesus Christ who is the visible image of the invisible Father. Shouldn't He be merciful like the Father (Luke 6:35-36)? Doesn't God want all to be saved (1Timothy 2:4)? Why would Jesus be so cruel as to slay those who do not want him to reign over them?

Jesus Christ is the Author of Life. When people reject the Author of Life to reign over them, from what could they continue to survive? Before the Judgment Day, their life, both natural and supernatural would gradually wither. After the Last Judgment, they would enter the Second Death. In the vision of John, he saw "Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the Second Death, the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:14) And John even made a list of people who would suffer the Second Death: "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the Second Death." (21:8)

Perhaps we have been intoxicated with the idea that God is merciful. We console ourselves and others that "If only we repent, God surely shall forgive us." Then tell me, when did you last receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Our names were written down in the Book of Life the moment we were baptized. However, we contract imperceptibly the hardening of our heart and soul with our continual sinning. Not only do we tell lies to cheat others, we ourselves are also cheated. Lastly, our names are removed from the Book of Life (3:5) and fall back on John's List!
Father! Have mercy on us sinners! Help us to persevere until the final victory to attain eternal life. Amen.