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！

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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!

堅持做外邦人 Persist To Be Gentiles

常年期第27主日，甲年
主題：堅持做外邦人 Persist To Be Gentiles

在《舊約》時代，『先知』是天主的『代言人』，向百姓傳遞天主的旨意。為甚麼天主在《舊約》時代不直接向百姓說話，而須要一個『傳聲筒』呢？理由很簡單，天主在西乃山上頒布『十誡』的時候，向聚集在山下成千上萬的會眾說話，音量必須有如打雷一樣。群眾有甚麼反應呢？「眾百姓看見打雷、打閃、吹角、冒煙的山，都戰兢害怕，遠遠站著，對梅瑟說：你同我們說話罷！我們定要聽從，不要天主同我們說話，免得我們死亡」（出20:18-19）。無論梅瑟怎樣解釋，百姓依然害怕得要死。天主出於憐憫，依百姓的請求，設立一些『傳聲筒/代言人』，向他們說話。梅瑟可算是第一個『代言人』。『天主代言人』宣布天主的『聖旨』，倘若百姓沒有依照天主的旨意行事，『天主代言人』會更苦口婆心地勸勉教訓百姓，甚至宣布懲罰。因為這些懲罰都是發生在未來而切身的事，因此留給百姓的印象最為深刻，以至覺得『天主代言人』主要宣講預言，而忘記了他們宣講的天主旨意和教訓！『先知』的名銜便流行起來，超越了『天主代言人』的原本意思。

『先知』既然要傳達訊息，自然會很用心構思表達的手法，使訊息的效果更大。一般他們會運用比喻，甚至用詩歌加深聽眾的印象。例如，達味王犯了姦淫，並且借刀殺人，謀害了女人的丈夫，遮掩自己的罪行。「達味這樣行事，使上主大為不悅」（撒下11:24），於是上主打發當時的宮廷先知納堂，覲見達味王並責斥他！請注意，皇帝想做而未做，你只是個諫官。皇上不聽從你的意見，你頂多只是頭上『烏紗不保』。但皇帝做錯了事而你去批評他，難道你頸上有三個人頭可以給他斬嗎？倘若你是納堂，怎樣責斥達味王然後能夠『全身而退』呢？放心，天主差遣你去完成任務，一定會幫助你。耶穌曾許諾說：「說話的不是你們，而是你們父的聖神在你們內說話」（瑪10:20）。結果納堂說了一個比喻，讓達味『自投羅網』，立刻認罪懺悔；後來更寫下了動人的《聖詠51篇》！有興趣的兄弟姊妹可以到《撒慕爾紀下十一、十二章》找這個故事。

依撒意亞先知是舊約『四大先知』之首，留下很多神視、針對各民族的神諭、和有關『默西亞』的預言和詩歌，是可以唱的詩歌。今天第一篇讀經就是一個很精彩的例子，它是一個可以唱的比喻，雖然未流行到家傳戶曉的程度，但在有識之士的圈中，例如今天福音提到的司祭長和民間長老，只要提起其中一言半語，例如：「挖了一個榨酒池，築了一個守望台」（依5:2, 瑪21:33），他們便知道是這首『葡萄園詩歌』和內裡的訊息！有一點大家必須明白，在《舊約》時代，人民並不完全清楚天主的啟示，今天的我們都是事情發生後的『事後孔明』，才比前人更明白。所以先知的預言，當時好像已經應驗了，但事實上要到耶穌的出現，才能圓滿。例如：依撒意亞先知曾向阿哈次王，一個聲譽很差的猶大王，預言說：「看，有位貞女要懷孕生子，給他起名叫厄瑪奴耳」（依7:14）。不久，阿哈次的王后果然為他生了一個孩子。聖經學者相信這個孩子，就是後來繼位的希則克雅王。他是20個猶大王之中，少有被稱讚的君王之一。但先知的預言，要過了七百多年後，由聖母瑪利亞來應驗！即是說，先知的預言，可能在更遠的未來，才更深刻地應驗。耶穌的預言何嘗不是這樣！

在

這兩個主日的福音選段中，耶穌基督給司祭長和民間長老一個相同的訊息：「我實在告訴你們：稅吏和娼妓要在你們以先進入天國」（瑪21:31）；「為此，我對你們說：天主的國，必由你們中奪去，而交給結果子的外邦人」（21:43）。稅吏、娼妓、和外邦人在猶太人的心目中，都是罪人。耶穌好像說：罪人比司祭長和民間長老先進入天國，對嗎？教會是天國的雛型，她素來自稱是『罪人的教會』，看來非常合理，不是嗎？

對是對的，但不完全正確，因為事情頗為複雜。我們每個主日在彌撒中唸的『信經』，其中一句敘述基督信徒所組成的教會團體，她的四個特徵：就是『惟一、至聖、至公、從宗徒傳下來』的。『罪人』所組成的教會如何是『至聖』的呢？關鍵在於天主是公義的，必定會賞善罰惡。達味王就是一個很好的例子，他是「隨祂〔上主天主〕心意的人」（撒上13:14），天主扶植他取代不聽命令的撒烏耳王。達味登基後犯了罪，亦懺悔了，天主的懲罰依然降臨到他的家中！但天主同時是慈悲的，「不喜歡任何人喪亡」（則18:32），因此祂給予罪人很多的悔改機會。所謂『人誰無過，過而能改，善莫大焉！』教會內有『修和聖事』，幫助教友改過遷善。因此，對耶穌基督的教訓更正確地理解，應該是『悔改的人比司祭長和民間長老先進入天國』，教會是『痛悔者』的教會。稅吏、娼妓和外邦人都是悔改後加入教會；同理，司祭長和民間長老也可以看到這些罪人的榜樣而痛悔，加入教會。因此耶穌基督是開放的，祂沒有排除司祭長和民間長老悔改的可能。可是他們礙於地位、自尊心、追求聖潔…比一般人更難謙卑地認罪。為這類人，悔改是困難的。放心，為人困難的事，一點也難不倒天主。且看，「天主的道漸漸發揚，門徒的數目在耶路撒冷大為增加，司祭中也有許多人，服從了信仰」（宗6:7）。可見天主的慈悲，的確能夠『戰勝』祂的公義！

親愛的兄弟姊妹，讓我們嘗試從一個更長遠的歷史角度看。大約公元前1400年，以民過紅海，在西乃山與天主訂立盟約。到了大約公元30年，天主藉著耶穌基督在加爾瓦略山上完成救贖，與全人類訂立了新約，耶路撒冷教會成立。過了大約十五個世紀，安逸在歐洲的羅馬教會發生了『宗教改革』。從此基督信仰向『結果實』的，歐洲之外的『外邦人』敞開大門，歡迎他們加入天國，不覺已經超過五個世紀了…雖然歷史上出現過不少與天主聖神合作的人，成為聖人聖女，但整體上人性好像沒有多大的長進，不斷地重犯前人的罪過…時代的步伐好像加快了，倘若我們不悔改，我們便打回原型，變成司祭長和民間長老。惟有好像外邦人一樣悔改，才能保持在天國之內。否則，天主可能要更開放這個永生的『葡萄園』，讓『結果實』的『外星人』加入天國了！亞孟。
天主保祐！

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2023年反省
圖片鳴謝：gemini.google.com

伯多祿是磐石，還是卵石？ Is Peter a Bedrock or a Pebble?

常年期第21主日，甲年
主題：伯多祿是磐石，還是卵石？ Is Peter a Bedrock or a Pebble?

耶穌基督知道自己最終極的任務是拯救全人類，所以在上一個主日，祂首先認同猶太人是『天主選民』，他們有優先權獲得救恩。祂說：「我來是為了以色列家失迷的羊」（瑪15:24），然後才為那位客納罕婦人的女兒驅魔（15:25-28），把天國開放給全人類。這不是種族歧視，而是凡事總應該『按部就班』，不可操之過急，揠苗助長。在建立天國的事業上，耶穌基督並沒有急於草草了事，而是不斷祈禱，確認天父的旨意。即使能吸引到上萬的群眾追隨祂，甚至想擁立祂為『默西亞』，推翻羅馬帝國的殖民統治，耶穌基督並沒有被局部的成功沖昏了頭腦。所以在行了『五餅二魚』神跡之後，祂吩咐宗徒們上船過對岸，然後遣散群眾，之後「私自上山祈禱去了」（14:22-23）。我相信在這次祈禱中，基督獲得了天父的啟示，在十二宗徒之中，找一個『基督的在世代表』！祂找到了，就是那個一腔熱誠，死心塌地跟隨祂的漁夫西滿！當西滿看見自己的師傅步行水面，向他們的船走來時，他竟敢跳進海裡，仿傚師傅步行水面去迎接主！

在地理上，耶穌為客納罕婦人的女兒驅魔之後，繼續在外邦人的地方建設天國，行了第二次增餅神跡，用宗徒們預備了的七個餅和幾條小魚，給4000人，相信是外邦人，吃飽（15:34-39）。及後，法利塞人和撒杜塞人「試探耶穌，前來求祂給他們顯一個來自天上的徵兆」（16:1）。在此之前，法利塞人與經師曾用同一道難題，試探過耶穌（12:38-39）。今次的試探有所不同，法利塞人與自己政黨意見不合的撒杜塞人聯手對付耶穌，可見耶穌的處境相當艱難了。耶穌拒絕了，但仍然承諾會給猶太人「約納先知的徵兆」（16:4）。上一次耶穌想教化法利塞人，解釋了「有如約納曾在大魚腹中三天三夜；同樣，人子也要在地裡三天三夜」（12:40）。可惜法利塞人冥頑不靈，還變本加厲。今次耶穌再沒有解釋了。惟有教訓門徒們「應當謹慎防備法利塞人和撒杜塞人的酵母」（16:6）

以上是今天福音選段的上文，耶穌基督知道是適當的時機，確定祂的『在世代表』是誰，與祂一起在地上建設天國。我們自然會問，天國須要一個怎麼樣的『基督在世代表』呢？一位好像諸葛亮那樣充滿智慧的文官？抑或是好像白起那樣武功蓋世的將軍？還是等一個智勇雙全、令金兵潰不成軍的岳飛呢？全不是！要知道人是有死的，無論怎樣完美的『基督在世代表』也會死。所以耶穌基督揀選的不是甚麼政治家、戰略家、神哲學家…全都不是。【聖經】說：「上主找一位隨祂心意的人，立他為百姓的首領」（撒上13:14）；又說「人看外貎，上主卻看人心」（16:7）。人類被『原罪』腐敗了，常陷入驕傲自大之中而不自知。所以自古以來，天主喜歡以少勝多〔例如基德紅撃敗1000倍兵力的米德揚〕，以弱制強〔例如達味撃倒哥肋雅〕。有如保祿宗徒所說：「天主偏召選世上愚妄的，為羞辱那有智慧的；召選了世上懦弱的，為羞辱那堅強的…為使一切有血肉的人，在天主前無所誇耀」（格前1:27; 29, 民7:2, 撒上17:47-50）。

耶穌來是為成全法律和先知（5:17），所以祂在確立自己的『在世代表』時，又一次引用了先知的預言，來告訴聽眾，祂是來成全天主在【舊約】的承諾。
今天的第一篇讀經選段，發生在一個少有敬畏上主天主的猶大國君王，希則克雅王執政時代。當時在北方有亞述帝國虎視眈眈，希則克雅王沒有聽從依撒意亞先知的勸諫，信靠天主。反而做了一個錯誤的決定，與其他同受威脅的國家一齊靠攏埃及，抗衡亞述。依撒意亞先知傳遞了天主一系列的神諭，其中一個是針對當時的宮殿總管舍布納的神諭。在上主眼中，舍布納是個『自掘墳墓的王宮恥辱』（依22:15; 18）。他做了甚麼邪惡的事，無從稽考；但上主天主已決定由厄里雅金取代舍布納做宮殿總管：「我要將達味家室的鑰匙放在他肩上；他開了，沒有人能關；他關了，沒有人能開」（22:22）。歷史沒有記載厄里雅金做了甚麼公義的事。在亞述帝國兵臨城下之時，舍布納還沒有去世，他與厄里雅金一起代表猶大國出降（依36）！

今天耶穌對西滿說：「我將天國的鑰匙交給你：凡你在地上所束縛的，在天上也要被束縛；凡你在地上釋放的，在天上也要被釋放」（瑪16:19）。驟耳聽起來，西滿好像享有無上的『特權』。其實這『特權』不是屬於西滿個人的，而是屬於這個『基督在世代表』職務的。無論誰，堪當或不堪當的，坐在這個位置上，就須要運用這個『特權』，履行『基督在世代表』的職務。即是建設天國，幫助世人與天父修和，幫助世人與世人修和的艱巨任務，可謂『任重道遠』。『任重』，因為要肩負全人類的生死存亡；『道遠』，因為要鞠躬盡瘁，死而後已！耶穌基督對西滿和西滿的繼承人所說的話，是成全了當初依撒意亞先知的神諭。那『鑰匙』不單是達味宮室的『鑰匙』，而是世人生死存亡的『天國的鑰匙』；那『開關』何止是世上的『開關』，更是天上的『開關』！但為甚麼是西滿呢？其餘十一個宗徒，難道沒有一個比他更合適的嗎？莫非是『蜀中無大將，廖化作先鋒』嗎？

倘若套用保祿宗徒的尺度，西滿伯多祿確實是一個既愚妄〔步行水面事件〕，又懦弱〔三次不認主〕的宗徒。天父卻偏偏揀選了一個既愚妄又懦弱的漁夫，來做第一任『基督的在世代表』。耶穌說：「約納的兒子西滿，你是有福的，因為不是肉和血啟示了你，而是我在天之父」（瑪16:17）。請注意，基督沒有讚賞這位『在世代表』的才幹，而是讚賞他的福氣！天父揀選的人是有福的，包括你和我！耶穌基督不須要一塊堅實的『磐石』來建立祂的教會，只要是天父揀選的就是有福。即使事實證明他是『自握墳墓』、他是『王宮的恥辱』、是一位貪腐的樞機、一個有私生子的教宗、一隻披著羊皮的豺狼、一顆不堪當的『卵石』，也足以擔當這個『宮殿總管』的任務。執事我覺得『磐石』給人一份安全的假像，『卵石』反而讓人經常提高警覺，看清自己的不堪當。因此，『基督的在世代表』是一顆『卵石』更合符天主『以弱勝強』的行事作風！執事我無意否定傳統的『磐石』翻譯，而是邀請大家嘗試用另一個角度看教會的聖職班。

親愛的兄弟姊妹，不要低估自己的實力，埋沒自己的天份，好像約納一樣逃避責任。因為在天主的眼中，我們都是獨特的，才貎雙全的，有待實現的機會。耶穌基督與祂在世的代表，正在努力建設在地上的天國。讓我們慷慨地響應祂的召選，擔當起這個『修和大使』的任務（格後5:18-20）；邀請你所關心的親戚朋友，參加九月中開課的慕道班，亞孟。
天主保祐！

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2023反省
圖片鳴謝：gemini.google.com

建立天國 Building Up the Kingdom of Heaven

常年期第18主日，甲年
主題：建立天國 Building Up the Kingdom of Heaven

從這個主日開始，連續七個主日到第廿四主日，我們進入了『耶穌基督公開生活』的第四部份，即『建設天國』部份。且讓我們重溫前一部份，有關『天國奧秘』的教訓。『天國』是一個頗為複雜難明的概念，所以耶穌基督用『比喻』向群眾宣講，『天國』已靜悄悄地進入了世界。至於『比喻』的含意，耶穌只解釋給門徒知道（瑪13:11）。從耶穌基督的解釋中，我們領略到三個『天國』的意義。『撒播的比喻』（13:1-8）講述人的心有如土地，『天國』是指天主的旨意在人心中運作的不同情况；有失敗的、有艱難的、也有成功的，結出100倍果實。『芥子的比喻』（13:31-32）說『教會』是『天國』呈現在世上可見的組織，由微不足道發展成為一個大家庭，開枝散葉，接納全人類加入的國度。『莠子的比喻』（13:24-30）和『撒網的比喻』（13:47-50）講述末日時有審判，到時『天國』將會圓滿地呈現，義人將在『天國』永享光榮。這個光榮的『天國』，不會是一蹴即至的，而是基督以很大的耐性和希望，經年累月，把『教會』淨煉得來的（弗5:25-27）。今天的福音選段，講述耶穌基督如何在世上開始建立『天國』。

雖然保祿宗徒在處理羅馬教會內有關飲食的爭執時，曾教訓羅馬教會的教友說：「其實天主的國並不在於吃喝，而在於義德、平安以及在聖神內的喜樂」（羅14:17）。但所謂『三軍未動，糧草先行』，所以建立『天國』，必先處理供應飲食的問題，即是如何滋養和維持天國子民的靈性生命，如何幫助他們靈性生命的成長問題。今天我們默想瑪竇宗徒所記載，耶穌基督行五餅二魚神跡，領會祂對有猶太背景的信徒，訓誨些甚麼。

倘若你有參加平日彌撒的習慣，恭喜你，今天耶穌行『五餅二魚』神跡，是回應不久前〔常年期第16周星期一〕的故事。當時法利塞人挑戰耶穌行一個「徵兆」（瑪12:38），即一個來自天上的神跡，例如『天降瑪納』，供應60萬以色列人40年的糧食！倘若耶穌做不到，祂就不是『默西亞』，就不是預言中那位像梅瑟一樣偉大的先知（申18:15）。當日撒殫在曠野試探耶穌時，曾要求耶穌把石頭變餅充飢，來證明自己是天主子（瑪4:3）。法利塞人的要求，與撒殫的誘惑，同出一轍！當時耶穌拒絕法利塞人的要求，並嚴正地指出，這裡有比約納和撒羅滿更偉大的先知和君王（瑪12:41-42）！

天主子言出必行，明智地在適當的時候採取適當的行動。上文說耶穌聽到黑落德安提帕處死了若翰洗者的消息，便乘船私下退到荒野的地方。群眾聽到消息，便從各城步行跟祂去荒野。「祂一下船，看見一大夥群眾，便對他們動了憐憫的心，治好了他們的病人」（14:14）。可見耶穌行神跡，不是為了證明自己是天主子。祂行神跡是為了滿全群眾身、心、靈各方面的需要，引領世人歸向在天之父。請注意，瑪竇沒有記載耶穌向病人宣講甚麼與主與人修和的好消息，而是務實地，具體地治好有病的人！耶穌基督清楚地示範了，傳福音，建天國不是信德道理先行，而是愛德服務先行！

另一方面，既然耶穌是天主子，絕對有能力行驚天動地的神跡。區區『無中生有』，憑空創造足夠的食糧，給5000人吃飽（14:21），又有何難，為甚麼要用五餅二魚（14:17）行神跡那麼麻煩呢？的確，福音記載耶穌所行的神跡，與中國小說，如《西遊記》、《封神演義》中的神跡相比，簡直是『小巫見大巫』。但兩者的寫作目的不同，不應相提並論。『小說』固然影射當代的民情和社會現况，但畢竟以娛樂消遣為主。『福音』「所記錄的，是為叫你們信耶穌是默西亞，天主子；並使你們信的人，賴祂的名獲得生命」（若20:31）。福音是為了我們獲得救贖，分享天主永恆生命而寫的。耶穌來是為了成全法律和先知（瑪5:17），所以祂行的神跡，與《舊約》中的事蹟、神跡，前後呼應。
在達味逃避撒烏耳追殺時，曾在諾布的司祭手中，求來五個供奉天主的餅，與同伴們一起吃，然後繼續上路（撒上21:4）。在列王時代，先知厄里叟─他是先知厄里亞的繼任人─把20個初熟大麥造成的餅，分給100個人吃。他們吃完後，還有剩餘（列下4:42-44）。五餅餅二魚當然不足以給5000人吃飽，所以耶穌的確『無中生有』了很多食物。那『五餅二魚』只是一個標記而已，讓群眾想起達味的『五個餅』事蹟，認識到耶穌可能是默西亞，是達味的後裔；想起厄里叟相似的『增餅神蹟』，認識到耶穌可能是預言中那位有如梅瑟那樣偉大的先知。按若望宗徒的記載，五餅二魚神跡後，「他們〔群眾〕要來強迫祂〔耶穌〕，立祂為王」（若6:14-15）。『五餅二魚』的標記，果然發揮了作用。不過，我們不要太天真，以為行神跡能夠增強看見神跡的人的信德！行神跡只能標誌著天主的臨在、天主的慈悲。看見神跡的人可以誤解、可以認為是騙局、甚至可以用科學方法去解釋所見的表面現象…

親愛的兄弟姊妹，作為耶穌的門徒，教會的一份子，雖然我們沒有耶穌基督的本領，行五餅二魚的神跡，但最低限度我們也可以像門徒一樣，從主耶穌手上，接過祂遞給門徒的『生命之糧』，分給群眾（瑪14:19）！為那些我們認識的，已領洗的弟兄姊妹，可能因為健康理由或其他理由，沒有返聖堂參加彌撒領聖事。試想想你可以怎樣把『生命之糧』，分給他們呢？為那些我們認識的，未領洗的外教朋友，你可以怎樣把『生命之糧』，分給他們呢？第一步當然是幫助他們領洗入教，他們便可以和我們一起享受這『生命之糧』。好機會來了，新一屆『慕道班』將於9月17日開班，2028年4月15日復活節前夕領洗。請關心身邊未領洗入教的家庭成員、親戚朋友，介紹他們參加堂區的慕道班，加入教會，與我們一起享受永生！倘若你已經領有教理班導師證書，請與堂區辦事處聯絡，加入堂區的慕道團。
天主保祐！

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2020年反省
圖片鳴謝：grok.com

聖神如何滋潤我們？ How are We Given to Drink of One Spirit?

五旬節主日，甲年
主題：聖神如何滋潤我們？ How are We Given to Drink of One Spirit?

教會把天主拯救世人的工程，安排在一年之中周而復始地慶祝，加深我們對天主的感恩和虔敬。四部福音記載了耶穌基督的言行。於是教會用三年時間，在主日彌撒，每年集中讀一本『對觀福音』的選段。並且在適當的節日，選讀《若望福音》，使信友充分了解主耶穌的言行。今天是五旬節，教會慶祝聖神降臨，也就是教會的『生日』。三年的主日彌撒讀經，完全一樣！惟一不同的，是第二篇讀經。我們宣讀《格林多前書》三篇不同的選段。

感謝方濟會的神父們，他們參照希伯來文、希臘文及拉丁文各個權威版本，把【聖經】翻譯成為中文，幫助我們祈禱默想，讓我們更容易領會天主的旨意。因為文化上的差異，翻譯能夠做到『信、雅、達』，已經是難能可貴了。作為教友，倘若生活上尤有餘力，學習一點希伯來文或者希臘文是有益的。既可以減慢『腦退化』，更可以深刻地理解經文的意義。例如為今天講道而默想時，其中有一句特別觸動自己的經文，是這樣寫的：「又都為同一個聖神所滋潤」（格前12:13）。 聖神啊！祢想借助這句經文，告訴我甚麼呢？在聖神的督促之下，我開始查考希臘文原文，發現金句中的『所滋潤』，原文是『飲/喝』字的被動式。結果我喝醉了！

且讓我們重溫一點『天主聖三』的道理，我們把它濃縮到每個主日彌撒所唸的《信經》之中。關於『聖神』，我們是這樣唸的：「我信聖神，祂是主及賦予生命者，由聖父聖子所其發」。在宇宙存在之前，只有一個全能的天主。若望宗徒在他所寫的書信中，告訴我們：「天主是愛」（若一4:8）。愛是一股外向的力量，天主這股外向的全能力量，便『情不自禁』地創造了一個適合人類生活的宇宙。再次感謝若望宗徒，在他所寫的福音中，他告訴我們當天主發號司令創造的一刻，『祂』與『祂的命令』便成為我們所認知的『聖父』和『聖子』了。『聖父』是宇宙萬物的起源，『聖子』是祂的言語。祂們之間交流著的『愛情』，就是『聖神』，就是滿溢著生命力的『氣息』。《創世紀》告訴們，當上主天主用地上的灰土形成亞當的時候，「…在他鼻孔內吹了一口生氣， 人就成了一個有靈的生物」（創2:7）。何以見得這『一口生氣』就是『聖神』呢？在《創世紀》第五章所記載上古時代的人物，最短命的拉默客〔即諾厄的父親〕，也有777歲。為了解釋為甚麼當今大部份的人類都活不過120歲，《創世紀》的作者/編輯便作出了以下的解釋：「因為人既屬於血肉，我〔天主〕的神不能常在他內；他的壽數只可到120歲」（6:3）。在這兩段經文互相光照之下，我們可以放膽說：『聖神就是聖父聖子之間交流的氣息』。

『氣息/風』是肉眼所見不到的，只可以憑它的運動所引起的環境變化，來推斷它的存在。天主是永生的天主，所以祂的氣息，就是令萬物擁有生命的氣息。亞當的肉體是由塵土所造，最後還要歸於塵土（3:19）。是天主有生命的氣息，使亞當活起來。亞當的一言一行，便反映出聖神在運行中！以後，《舊約》還記載了『聖神』的一些事跡，例如：當「上主的神」降在民長三松身上時，他赤手空拳，把一隻向他咆哮的小獅子撕裂，有如撕裂小山羊一樣（民14:5-6）；當「天主的神」降在以色列第一任君王撒烏耳身上時，他邊行邊說妙語〔預言〕（撒上19:23）。在巴比倫，「至聖神明的精神」降在達尼爾身上，他為驕傲的拿步高王解夢，預言上主對他的懲罰（達4:6; 21-24）。天主聖神有如風，來無蹤、去無跡；祂讓我們看到千變萬化的形態。到了新約時代，耶穌在約但河受洗後，聖神有如鴿子降下，來到祂上面（瑪3:16）；在耶穌升天後的五旬期，聖神以巨響、暴風和散在各人頭上的火舌，使120個門徒說世界各地的不同語言，為復活了的耶穌作見證。憑此林林總總的表現，我們可以推測到『聖神』的臨在和祂的威力！

在默想我們如何『暢飲』天主聖神，祂又如何『滋潤』我們之前，讓我們先從負面看天主聖神與我們的關係，對比出聖神的『滋潤』，為我們是多麼好。 當法利塞人毀謗耶穌基督仗賴魔王驅魔的時候，祂警告說：「凡出言干犯人子的，可得赦免；但出言干犯聖神的，在今世及來世，都不得赦免」（12:24; 32）。聖神是生命的氣息，所以干犯聖神，就是自尋死路，進入一種永遠的『死亡』之中了，應該是非常可怕的。 另一方面，保祿宗徒告訴我們，聖神停留在我們身上時，我們就會結出九個效果，散發出九種高尚的氣質，就是：「仁愛、喜樂、平安、忍耐、良善、溫和、忠信、柔和、節制」（迦5:22-23）。正如在起初，亞當的一言一行，反映出聖神的運行！同樣，我們說話，是聖神在說話（瑪10:20）；我們關愛身邊有困難的人，是聖神藉我們關愛需要幫助的人。這九個超性的效果，使我們容光煥發，心廣體胖，生活無憂無懼。

當人憂鬱的時候，人會暫時離開令他憂鬱的場合。同理，倘若在我們內的聖神憂鬱了，祂會離開我們，我們便會失去上述九種氣質，最終可能會陷入危險的抑鬱裡，以至痛苦萬分！所以，即使我們已經領了『堅振聖事』、領受了聖神，也不要掉以輕心。因為挽留聖神在心中，也要費點心力。倘若我們在靈修上、在祈禱和讀經上鬆懈了，開始不管制自己的口舌，搬弄是非，挑撥離間；發怒、偷竊、爭吵…保祿宗徒說，我們便會令天主的聖神憂鬱（弗4:25-31）。結果，我們自己也抑鬱了！

相反，不要少覷『喜樂』的重要性。假如信從耶穌基督的福音，沒有帶給你喜樂。信主之後，你的生活沒有變得更喜樂，沒有樂趣，沒有意義…這是一個危險的警號！當你覺得『信耶穌』與『不信耶穌』沒有任何分別時，何必每個主日參加彌撒領聖體呢？你的靈修開始鬆懈了…後果你是知道的。另一方面，喜樂的心情能支撐我們渡過人生中更沉重的痛苦；使我們不那麼拘謹，在祈禱時更容易進入『默觀』階段，享受那非筆墨所能形容的『神魂超拔』、『榮福直觀』；陶醉在天主的神聖愛情之中，好像喝醉了酒一樣！難怪在《舊約》，當「上主的神」降臨在先知們身上時，他們開始說『妙語』。在聽眾眼中，先知們看來好像喝醉了酒一樣！同樣在《新約》，當五旬節聖神降臨在120個門徒身上，為耶穌的復活作證時，群眾也誤會他們喝醉了酒（宗2:13），其實他們是陶醉在天主神聖的愛情中！原來傳福音，是可以好像享受醇醪美酒一樣舒暢的！

各位親愛的兄弟姊妹，基督君王在最後審判時說：「我渴了，你們給了我喝的」（瑪25:35），不是考驗我們有沒有幫助有困難的近人，而是邀請我們和近人一起參加聖神的『品酒大會』，在人世間彼此舉杯勸飲，彼此洗腳（若13:14）。因為我的渴望、你的渴望、全人類的渴望，只有天主聖神才能可以滿足，才能得到滋潤，才能得到完全的陶醉！亞孟。
天主保祐！

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2023反省
圖片鳴謝：doubao.com

還有一個最小的 There Is Still The Youngest

四旬期喜樂主日，甲年
主題：還有一個最小的 There Is Still The Youngest

四旬期來到第四主日，稱為『喜樂主日』。今天的禮儀服式不是沉重的『紫色』，而是喜樂的『玫瑰色』。那麼喜從何來呢？今天的主題是『還有一個最小的』，讓我們默想那些『最小的一個』者，他們喜從何來？
正如《瑪竇福音》所載，不要以為耶穌來是為廢除法律和先知，祂來是為成全它們（瑪5:17）。因此，今天的福音講述耶穌治好胎生瞎子的故事，應驗了先知的預言（依42:18）。瞎子復明，固然是一樁喜樂的事；但耶穌來何止應驗預言，祂更要成全了天主的旨意，邀請心盲的人復明！因為『原罪』的創傷，「所有的人都犯了罪，都失掉了天主的光榮」（羅3:23）。全人類的心眼都在某程度上盲了。那些接受天主子邀請的人，接受耶穌基督的教訓，便能夠在最小的兄弟身上，找到天主（瑪25:40）。至於那些拒絕邀請的人，惟有繼續瞎眼下去，好像福音裡的法利塞人一樣（若9:39）！今天第一篇讀經的故事教訓我們，天主喜歡『鋤強扶弱』，喜歡與『最小的』人同在！天主就是『最小的一個』者的喜樂根源。

讓我們先了解第一篇讀經的上文。以色列人進駐應許福地已有三百年〔大約公元前1350年─1050年〕，由民長領導的聯邦過渡到由君王領導的王國。可惜第一任君王撒烏耳不再信靠一個不可見的天主，天主惟有另覓「一位隨祂〔天主〕心意的人，立他為百姓的首領」（撒上13:14）。為他傅油的先知撒慕爾，也有著天主的心意，便非常傷心（15:35）。這就是今天第一篇讀經的上文。於是撒慕爾依照上主的指示前往白冷人葉瑟那裡，為葉瑟的其中一個兒子傅油，立他為以色列的第二任君王（16:1）！葉瑟叫他的七個兒子來到撒慕爾面前，但天主對撒慕爾說：「人看外貌，上主卻看人心」（16:7），天主沒有揀選他們。當撒慕爾問葉瑟是否孩子們全到了時，葉瑟的回覆便帶出了今天的主題：『還有一個最小的』。注意：這個『最小的』同時意味著『最卑微』的意思。何以見得？因為「他正在放羊」。以色列人進駐客納罕，一個流奶流蜜的富庶土地已有三百年，他們不再是遊牧民族，而是農民、工匠，甚至是商人。而農業之中，耕種比畜牧的經濟效益更大。即使還沒有被社會淘汰，牧羊亦成為被邊緣化的工種了。傳統上以色列家庭的長子，領受父親的祝福，繼承父親的產業，其他的男丁便要向外發展了！因此，一個務農的家庭，便會由最小的兒子，或最低下的僕人負責沒有人願意做的工作─放羊。殊不知天主願意以『善牧』的身份，拯救世人。藉著這個最小的，天主擊倒了單挑的巨人哥肋雅（17:48-51），解救了以色列；後來這位『最小的』，更成為了一人〔上主天主〕之下，萬人之上的以色列君王。

達味為王後過了一千年，到了耶穌時代，世人依然喜歡『以貌取人』，畢竟『日久見人心』要花太多精神和時間了！耶穌基督希望撥亂反正，教導世人真理，擺脫罪惡的奴役，重獲自由（若8:32）。祂在講論『最後審判』時，用比喻教導我們關愛弱小卑微的人，從而找到天主（瑪25:40）。其實在起初天主按自己的肖像創造了人（創1:26），因此人類不但是尊貴的，而且每個人都是獨特的，因為創造他們的天主是包羅萬有的。在起初，人與人之間的分別、團體與團體之間的分別、族群與族群之間的分別等等，都是美好繽紛的。可惜當罪惡開始污染這個世界，人與人之間彼此遮掩（3:7），不再互相認識，便產生了恐懼；男女之別出現了尊卑貴賤管轄服從（3:16），兄弟不再互相守護（4:9），卻因嫉妒與憤怒而互相歧視殺戮；權力的集中更產生了大規模的奴役等等…且看，即使聖祖亞巴郎也沒有公平對待婢女哈加爾和她們的兒子、雅各伯的兒子們也幾乎殺了自己的兄弟若瑟，猶大也欺負了他的媳婦塔瑪爾…人類的罪過，真是磬竹難書！消極地看，天主的大能彰顯在祂轉化人類的惡行成為美善。因此，即使身處險惡，信靠天主的人還有甚麼恐懼（詠23:4）呢？教會作為天主子民，替天行道，實在責無旁貸。因此『梵二』之後，天主教高舉『以貧為先』的旗幟，倡議卑微弱小者的權益，服務『最小的一個』，有如服侍耶穌基督一樣。加爾各答的德蘭修女，就是其中的表表者！

親愛的兄弟姊妹，世界雖然很大，但天主是無處不在的。中東戰火瀰漫，那裡有很多最小的兄弟姊妹正在受苦！雖然看似鞭長莫及，但我們的祈禱是可以無遠弗屆的。且讓我們繼續為和平與及他們急切的須要，努力祈禱吧！香港是一個繁榮的商業社會，難免有被歧視、被忽視的最小者。獨居長者、小數族裔、新移民…總有一個在左右。不要再心盲，視而不見，我們的主耶穌基督就在他們身上。即便我們力量有限，不能解決他們的困難，最小也可以陪伴聆聽，帶給他們希望和安慰。我們都是『希望的傳承者』。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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2023反省
圖片鳴謝：grok.com, copilot.microsoft.com

甚麼帶來真正的希望？ What Brings Genuine Hope?

聖家節，甲年
主題：甚麼帶來真正的希望？ What Brings Genuine Hope?

教宗良十四世在今年的子夜彌撒講道中說：「兄弟姊妹們…讓我們宣告聖誕的喜樂，聖誕是一個信、望、愛的節日。它是『信德』的節日，因為天主由童貞女降生成人。它是『愛德』的節日，因為救主的禮物是一份兄弟友愛的自我交付。它是『望德』的節日，因為嬰孩耶穌在我們心中燃起了希望，使我們成為和平的傳承者。憑藉心中的信、望、愛，我們無懼黑夜，前往迎接新一天的破曉。」當今的世局，全人類都渴望得見世界和平。作為基督的追隨者，我們不斷地向天父祈求世界和平，但世界和平卻遙遙無期。所以，我們極須要「望德」，保持著對上主的信靠，而不是想辦法走捷徑，好像大黑落德一樣，誤入歧途，禍國殃民！

四部福音中，有兩部記載了耶穌的出生及童年。從眾多的口述歷史資料之中，兩位聖史必須有所取捨。瑪竇宗徒希望借助這些資料，證明給有猶太背景的門徒知道，耶穌基督就是他們期待已久的「默西亞」。「默西亞」是甚麼？他是天主從達味的後裔中，揀選一位隨祂心意（撒上13:14）的君王來治理萬民。既然是君王，所以《瑪竇》的聖誕故事，包含了很多帝王之間的角力材料！我們習慣了稱來自東方的「賢士 Magi」（瑪2:1）為「三王」，雖然這翻譯並不忠於原文，但最少也能表達了當時他們在本土的權勢，或者是本土權勢的代理人。他們夜觀天象，知道一位「君王」在猶大地方出生，便從東方遠道而來「朝拜」，探聽虛實。他們直接前往京城耶路撒冷是理所當然的，但卻帶給他們一個「壞消息」，令大黑落德和「全耶路撒冷也同他一起驚慌」（2:3）。因為殘暴的大黑落德近來沒有添丁，所以全耶路撒冷的居民恐怕他要大開殺戒，斬草除根，殲滅那些威脅他王位的人，那管是新生的嬰孩！當知道新生王在白冷誕生（2:5），京城的居民才鬆一口氣。「賢士」不愧是有識之士，當然明白大黑落德的虛偽和民眾的惶恐。即使沒有來自夢中的啟示，也知道應該「由另一條路返回自己的地方去」（2:12）。雖然「賢士」救了聖家三口，卻救不了白冷的無辜嬰孩。奈何！

面對這些苛政和暴力，作為平民百姓，既不是帝王，又不是將相，我們能做到的並不多。在這種情況下，「望德」尤為重要。主耶穌曾說：「惟獨堅持到底的，才可得救」（10:22b）。既然我們能做到的並不多，惟有耐心地仰賴天主兌現祂拯救我們的承諾。我個人覺得聖家三口中，大聖若瑟是最好的望德榜樣。四部福音都沒有留下他的半言隻語，只見他不辭勞苦地履行天主吩咐的任務，鞠躬盡瘁！在不同的時空有不同的困難和挑戰，所以對天主承諾的拯救，也有不同的期望。當COVID在全球肆虐的時期，我們不會期望世界和平，而是期望瘟疫早日受控，科學家早日研發到疫苗。那麼，當今在香港這彈丸之地，我們期望天主怎樣拯救我們呢？又或者我們根本不需要天主的拯救呢？所謂「居安思危」，所以後者不是一個好的態度。

執事個人覺得，人口急速老化是香港需要面對的挑戰。很多長者是獨居的，他們不善社交，學習使用新的社交媒體甚有困難；即使不是獨居的，也是由另一位長者照顧。「以老護老」並沒有緩和問題的嚴重性。這挑戰並非突如其來，而是由來有漸，有跡可尋。上世紀第二次世界大戰後，共產黨解放了中國，令大批經濟活躍的成年人湧到香港避難。他們帶來的資本和人力，使香港在二戰後經濟迅速起飛，市民生活水平提高，舒適方便。當時全世界都出現了一個出生率與經濟成反比的現象，越富裕的地區，出生率越低，可能是「享樂主義」在作祟吧！社會富裕，醫療系統健全，市民變得長壽了。另一方面，大批成年移民湧入香港，四十年後，他們便變成了「銀髮一族」；而當年的政府卻沒有制訂相應的「安老政策」。試想一想，一對年青夫婦，倘若計劃生育兩名子女以保持整體的人口結構，兩口子便要負擔，包括兩夫婦的父母在內一共八個人的生活費，生兒育女的意欲又降低了！政治因素亦不容否定：1997年回歸迫近的移民潮，與及2019年社會運動後的移民潮，使香港流失了很多有經濟能力和生育能力的人，他們有如二戰後的難民，前往更「安全」的地方尋覓會更好的明天！

我們沒有理由批評選擇移民的弟兄姊妹，因為「自由出入一個地域」是基本人權之一，他們只不過在地球這艘太空船的一個艙，遷徙到另一個艙而已。況且，聖家三口不也曾是難民嗎？ 執事我到加拿大探親，那裡是香港人熱門的移民選址；所到的教堂有很多熟悉的教友。到處的教堂生氣蓬勃，移民教友應記一功！香港教區又如何呢？即使青黃不接，也不能輕言放棄！天主曾藉先知許諾：「雅各伯家啊…直到你年老，我仍是一樣〔抱著你、懷著你〕；直到你白頭，我依然扶持你」（依46:3-4）。因此，對於沒有足夠人手照顧長者的問題，作為基督徒又怎能袖手旁觀呢？

親愛的兄弟姊妹，作為平民百姓，我們沒有本領制訂「安老政策」，或者調配公共資源。我們所能夠做的，不外乎陪伴而已。且看，在耶穌的十字架旁站立了祂的母親和祂的愛徒，在羅馬兵監視之下，他們所能做到的，亦只能陪伴受苦的耶穌而已！我們都不是專業人士，長者的痛苦我們沒有本領減輕，但最少我能也可以為他們身、心、靈的健康祈禱，騰出時間去探訪他們，噓寒問暖，甚至陪伴他們覆診，參加長者中心的活動或服務，都在我們能力範圍之內，何樂而不為呢？讓我們聽從教宗的教導，去兌現嬰孩耶穌，這位與我們同在的「厄瑪奴耳」，在世人心中所燃起的希望吧。
天主保祐！

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2019年反省
圖片鳴謝： CoPilot, ideogram.ai

目標 Target

將臨期第二主日，甲年
主題：目標 Target

今日我們仍然圍繞著「希望的傳承者」默想。上一個主日我們默想到「不要追求完美」，即使未準備妥當，也要「坐言起行」，因為我們不知道末日何時降臨。倘若我們要萬無一失纔開始行動，恐怕到了末日也未能踏出第一步！況且，人人都受過「原罪」的傷害，性格和能力上有不同的缺陷。天主願意我們從「失敗中學習和改進」，以「負傷的治療者」身份，更能仰賴上主的助佑，把一個公義和平的願景，一個充滿希望的明天，帶給身邊的人。

讓我們繼續默想今天《依撒意亞》先知書的選段，它的背景是這樣的：葉瑟是達味王的父親。邏輯上「葉瑟的後裔」不一定是「達味的後裔」，先知不直接說「達味的後裔」而說「葉瑟的後裔」，表示這是一個源遠流長，是天主延續對他們的祖先亞巴郎所作的應許。達味的宮廷先知「納堂」曾傳達天主有關達味王如何進一步延續對亞巴郎的承諾，「你〔達味〕的家室和王權，在我面前永遠存在，你的王位也永遠堅定不移」（撒下7:16）！到了依撒意亞先知的年代，達味的王朝已分裂為南北兩國。位於北方的以色列受到亞述帝國威脅，國運岌岌可危。依撒意亞在南國猶大作出今天的預言時，以色列國尚未被亞述征服。後來南國也在以色列國被滅後135年，被巴比倫帝國吞併，達味王朝正式覆亡！那麼，天主的諾言豈不是落空了嗎？怎可能是這樣的呢？經過亡國之痛，猶太人明白這是天主借外族的手，懲罰他們崇拜偶像的罪。猶太人堅信天主的諾言是不會落空的，祂會在葉瑟的後裔之中，即達味的後裔之中，揀選一個「受傅者/默西亞」，來履行天主的許諾。不是「達味王朝」，而是「默西亞王國」，纔是永存不朽的！所以，把希望寄託在天主手中，是明智的選擇！而天主亦樂意藉著祂所揀選的人：即亞巴郎、依撒格、雅各伯、猶大…葉瑟…達味等等的人物，「成為一個福源…使地上萬民都要因你〔亞巴郎〕獲得祝福」（創12:2-3）。

首先，讓我們回想耶穌派遣門徒傳福音的指示。他說：「你們去吧！看，我派遣你們猶如羔羊往狼群中。」（路10:3）。停！耶穌派遣門徒去送死嗎？去做殉道者嗎？試問有誰會肯當「死侍」呢？難怪聖召那麼少，不少修會陸逐倒閉！但如果我們把耶穌的指示與依撒意亞有關「默西亞王國」預言的第一句一起讀，即「豺狼將與羔羊共處」（依11:6），那樣，耶穌的指示變得很清楚了。耶穌派遣祂的門徒去建立「默西亞王國」！ 究竟「默西亞王國」是一個怎樣的世界呢？

依撒意亞繼續預言說：「母牛和母熊一起牧放，牠們的幼雛將一同伏臥；獅子將與牛一樣吃草」（11:7）。母熊的體重不少於500磅，母牛卻有2000磅。一起牧放，相信母熊也不敢隨便攻擊母牛，因為牠們的食物不一樣。牛是吃草的，熊是雜食者。除了果實和植物之外，還會食三文魚、田鼠、野豬甚至身型更龐大的班馬和野牛。所以母牛和母熊和平共處，是可能的！但一提到「熊」，大家一定會聯想到今天的日本，那裡的熊襲擊人類！其實原因很簡單，熊的棲息地被人類霸佔了，在飢不擇食的情況下，便開始襲擊人類！這是人類貪得無厭，妄顧天主的創造，以不可持續發展的速度過份開墾土地，伐木採礦所造成的後果！今天我們不但要呼吸污染了的空氣；飲用污染了的水；被動物襲擊；更受極端氣候影響，是自食其果，罪有應得。但我更想大家注意的，是「獅子將與牛一樣吃草」的一句！這是可能的嗎？

大家可能忘記了，在創造之初，天主在第六天創造了地上的各種走獸和爬蟲，最後按自己的肖像創造人類。然後天主說：「地上的各種野獸，天空中的各種飛鳥，在地上爬行有生魂的各種動物，我把一切青草給牠們作食物」（創1:30）。讀到這裡，我們會一笑置之。吃草的獅子、吃草的飛鳥！拜託了！不要當我是幼稚園學生了！殊不知與今天依撒意亞先知的預言一起讀，就蠻有意思了！原來未來的世界，「默西亞王國」將會把被罪惡污染了的世界，恢復到當初那樣美好。要知道，在《創世紀》第一章的「六日創造」敘述中，一共重複了八次「天主看了認為好」！「默西亞王國」不是甚麼「勇敢新世界」，而是一個在天主面前美好的世界，是取悅天主的世界，天主覺得稱心滿意的世界…正如當年，天主選拔了「一位隨祂心意的人〔達味〕，立他為百姓的首領」（撒上13:14），取代以色列第一任君王撒烏耳一樣！

不但如此，默西亞王國比創造之初更進步！先知說：「在我的整個聖山上，再沒有誰作惡，也沒有誰害人，因為大地充滿了對上主的認識，有如海洋滿溢海水」（依11:9）。這句經文何解？不單是全人類， 而是整個大地，包括所有日月星宿、山岳河流、花草樹木、蛇蟲鼠蟻、貓狗牛羊、獅子老虎等等，都充滿了對上主的認識。牠們怎可能認識【聖經】的教訓呢？大家可能沒有聽過五傷方濟各的生平了，其中一些令人津津樂道的事跡，是他曾感化了一隻凶猛的野狼，解救了不敢出城的古比奧鎮居民。聖方濟各還向其他動物講道，並創作了一首「太陽之歌」，與萬物稱兄道弟。試想想，當你意圖作惡的時候，四周的石頭，樹木，松鼠會開口說話，提醒你天主十誡，真福八端！你還會作惡，還會害人嗎？這不是卡通片的橋段，而是依撒意亞先知在神視所見的「默西亞王國」！

石頭也開口說話？是耶穌說的！首先在今天的福音中，耶穌受洗之前，洗者若翰曾教訓法利塞人和撒杜塞人，不要自恃是亞巴郎的子孫，因為「天主能從這些石頭給亞巴郎興起子孫來」（瑪3:9）。三年後，耶穌榮進耶路撒冷的時候，群眾前呼後擁，有法利塞人擔心會給四周監視著的羅馬兵，一個血腥鎮壓的藉口，便要求耶穌責斥門徒。耶穌卻回答說：「我告訴你們：這些人若不作聲，石頭就要喊叫了！」（路19:40）。人命攸關，耶穌絕對不是開玩笑的！

親愛的兄弟姊妹，我們都知道建立這個「默西亞王國」，絕對不是一件輕而易舉的事。正如保祿宗徒在今天的第二篇讀經所說的，【聖經】教訓我們忍耐，給我們安慰，獲得希望（羅15:4）。所以我們應勤讀【聖經】，吸收對天主的認識，好能像聖方濟各一樣，向萬物，當然包括身邊的人，宣講天主，帶給他們希望，包括森林樹木都有希望。這樣，大地就增加了一點對天主的認識，默西亞王國，即天主的國，就實現多一點了。因此促進天國的臨現，應該是我們每一位天主教徒的人生目標。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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2022年反省
圖片鳴謝：CoPilot, grok.com

逃避責任 Evading Responsibilities

通病系列（三）
主題：逃避責任（瑪23:27-32）

當上主天主問亞當：「莫非你吃了我禁止你吃的果子」時（創3:11），天主只要求一個「是」，或者 「不是」的答案。可惜亞當已經染上「原罪」，不敢承認犯錯，反而為自己開脫，把責任推在天主和女人身上（3:12）。既然人類開始講「理由」，天主便問厄娃吃禁果的理由（3:13a）。厄娃不愧是由男人的材料所造出來的，她把責任推到蛇身上（3:13b）！從此，推卸責任變成了人類的「第二天性」！

加音過分注重自己的成就，結果因嫉妒和忿怒，殺死了弟弟亞伯爾。事後天主對加音說：「你弟弟亞伯爾在那裡？」（4:9a），他答說：「我不知道，難道我是看守我弟弟的人？」（4:9b）這不是「顛倒黑白」和「推卸責任」，是甚麼？加音殺了亞伯爾，怎可以說不知道亞伯爾在哪？這是赤裸裸的顛倒黑白。加音和亞伯爾是兄弟，互相守護是天經地義的事，怎可以推卸這責任呢？可歎放眼天下，盡是加音之流，到處都是「功勞歸自己」，出了亂子便即時「割蓆」。

在天主的安排中，「君王」替天行道，拓展上主的國度；「先知」是上主的代言人，告訴世人天主的旨意。君王與先知，理應像兩兄弟一樣，情同手足。可惜，達味王之前，撒羅滿王之後，隨從上主心意的君王（撒上13:14），少之又少！先知便成了上主惟一的喉舌，成了「公義」的化身。經師和法利塞假善人修建先知/義人的墳墓（瑪23:29），表面上站在先知的一面，實際上是為自己建立「公義」形象的工程，這便是他們「功勞歸自己」的表現。當耶穌指出他們的祖先不聽從先知的訓誨和殺害先知時（21:34-36），便進一步與殺害先知/義人的執拗祖先「割蓆」（23:30），他們不愧是亞當的後裔、加音的子孫！

聖父，求祢喚醒我們心中的聖神，重振「剛毅」與「敬畏上主」之恩，勇於承擔責任，恢復祢創造我們時的本來面貎。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：creator.nightcafe.studio

Common Mistakes Series (III)
Theme: Evading Responsibilities (Matthew 23:27-32)

When the Lord God asks Adam, “Have you eaten from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat” (Genesis 3:11), He demands a “Yes” or “No” answer. Unfortunately, Adam had contracted the “Original Sin”. He dared not to admit his wrongs. Instead, he passed the buck to God and the woman (3:12)! Since humanity started reasoning, then God asked Eve the reason she had eaten the Forbidden Fruit (3:13a). Eve proved herself to be made from Adam by passing the buck to the Serpent (3:13b)! Since then, passing the buck has become the second nature of humanity!

Cain cared too much about his own achievements. In the end, out of jealousy and wrath, he killed his brother Abel. Later, God asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” (4:9a). Cain answered, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (4:9b). If this is not calling black white and evading responsibility, what is? Cain had killed Abel. How could he say he did not know? This denial is blatantly calling black white. Cain and Abel were brothers. Supporting and protecting each other is natural. How could Cain evade this obligation? Sad to say, anywhere we set our sight on nowadays, we see many Cain’s who take all the credits for successes and wash their hands of team-members when a project fails!

In God’s plan, kings execute God’s will and expand the sovereignty of the Lord whereas prophets are spokespersons of God, telling people what God’s will is. Kings and prophets are supposed to be siblings. Regrettably, before King David and after King Solomon, there were only a handful of kings “after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14)! Prophets became the only channel of God’s words, the personification of “Justice”. Superficially, scribes and Pharisees stood on the side of justice when they “build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous” (Matthew 23:29). In reality, they were building up their self-image of righteousness. This was taking credits for themselves. But when Jesus pointed out that their ancestors did not listen to the teachings of prophets and even killed them (21:34-36), they washed their hands of their stiff-necked ancestors who killed prophets and righteous people (23:30). They had proven themselves descendants of Adam and of Cain!

Heavenly Father, awake the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Reinvigorate the gifts of fortitude and the fear of the Lord in us so that we may truthfully bear our responsibility to restore the original states when You created us. Amen.
God bless!

Don’t Be Ungrateful 不要忘恩負義

Seventh Ordinary Sunday, Year C
Theme: Don’t Be Ungrateful 不要忘恩負義

Without God’s help, it is impossible to put our faith into practice because we are faulty and fragile. Last week, Jesus told us that true happiness lies in poverty (Luke 6:20). To be candid, who wants to remain poor in a commercial city like Hong Kong these days? Who doesn’t want to work harder and earn more money, to save up or to invest for the future? Today, Jesus goes further by challenging us to love our enemies and to turn the other cheek when people strike us etc. (6:27; 29). Who don’t want to strike back when unprovoked, bullies start abusing us physically! Unless our survival is under threat, we will definitely stand up to defend our dignity. Jesus has a big heart and prayed for those who crucified him, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (23:34a). He has demonstrated the possibility of showing mercy towards our enemies. As genuine followers of Christ, we too should be doing similar if not the same things. Do not think that Christians are standing on a higher moral ground than the Israelites in the Old Testament. The first reading today refutes our pride and our vainglory.

Saul, the first Israelite king lost favour with God who after King Saul’s disobedience, anointed and appointed David “after His own heart” to be the next ruler of His people (1 Samuel 13:14). Saul was unable to contain his jealousy and attempted to have David killed by the hands of the Philistines but failed (18:17; 25). “Then Saul realized that the LORD was with David … So Saul feared David all the more and was his enemy ever after” (18:28-29). Saul’s story was a tragedy. In the first reading today, we read of the story of how David spared Saul the second time! Previously in a cave occupied by David and his men in the desert near Engedi (24:2) Saul was relieving himself. He was careless not to send his men to clear the cave before he entered! Inside the cave, David listened to the suggestion of his servants, but instead of killing Saul, David simply cut off an end of Saul’s robe. David was so stealthy that Saul was not aware of it until David showed himself and called out after Saul had gone on his way. Perhaps God had made David invisible! What was David’s motive in sparing Saul? The same reason we heard today the second time he spared Saul. Like last time, Saul pursued David with 3000 elite soldiers. This time, King Saul had learnt his lesson. At night, “Saul was lying within the camp, and all his soldiers were bivouacked around him” (26:5b). David and his companion Abishai reached the encampment. Abishai offered to spear Saul to the ground with just one strike for David but David stopped him saying, “Do not harm him, for who can lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed and remain innocent?” (26:9) David was surely the apple of God’s eye (Psalms 17:8). Instead of allowing Abishai to nail King Saul to the ground, David took the spear and the water jug from their place at Saul’s head, “and they withdrew without anyone seeing or knowing or awakening. All remained asleep, because a deep slumber from the LORD had fallen upon them” (26:12b)! Sounds familiar, huh?

Indeed, even without conjuring the “variable of God”, David’s decision was the best strategy! From his defeat of Goliath and all subsequent military successes, David believed that God was on his side, fighting for him. But he was still a fugitive running away from the murderous attempts of the LORD’s anointed one! He had not yet gathered sufficient military strength to confront and combat King Saul. Meanwhile, King Saul was losing the hearts of the people and his madness was worsening. In particular, Saul ordered Doeg the Edomite to kill all 85 priests and slaughtered all living things in the priestly city of Nob (22:18-19) because they had given David and his men shelter and food! Why did Saul order an Edomite to kill the priests? It was because his own guards “refused to raise a hand to strike the priest of the LORD” (22:17b). It was only a matter of time for King Saul to fall and David would surely outlived him if he was patient and careful enough! Had David killed Saul, he would have failed to win the people to his side. I am sure David must have had pity on King Saul who led a life like a wounded animal caged inside his kingship and tortured by his own jealousy and fear. Authority corrupts indeed! Even the king after God’s own heart was not exempted. In the future, David would commit a sin similar to that of King Saul’s after he had sat on the throne. He secretly ordered his commander Joab to send Uriah to the front of the besieged city Rabbath and let the Ammonites kill Uriah to cover up his affair with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife (2 Samuel 11:14)! Sounds familiar, huh? Even the king after God’s own heart was flawed and fragile.

The gospel text that touched my heart today is, “But rather, love your enemies …, for He [the Most High] Himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked” (Luke 6:35d)! I’m sure none of us sitting in the pews are wicked, but we can be ungrateful, particularly for those of us who are advanced in age and positions! People in position would feel that they have sacrificed and contributed a lot to the well-being of the others. The subordinates should at least show gratitude and respect to them more often than they do! In short, people in position have less opportunities to be grateful! Similarly, foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong would be deeply hurt when their family members are ungrateful after they have made all those sacrifices in order to improve the living conditions of their families back home. They have sacrificed their time, their youthfulness and their relationships so that their loved ones may have a fuller life, a better off life back home! Their ungratefulness must have felt like Judas’ betrayal!

Beloved brethren! Very often, we cherish a short-sighted sense of justice in which we expect an “exchange of equivalence”, namely “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” (Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, Deuteronomy 19:21). My experience tells me that when I was able to lend you money, say ten thousand dollars, I could spare it. When I am able to work and sacrifice for my loved ones, I am still healthy. When I am able to contribute to the society in high positions, I am simply discharging the duties expected of me. Suppose you returned the full amount of debt later, I could not care less because I did not need it. However, when I was in need of money, then the ten thousand you returned would mean more than ten thousand to me! Even if you failed to repay me when I was in deep financial troubles, I believe that God shall provide (Genesis 22:8). Just pray for me if you are still unable to repay me. Today, Jesus says, “Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back” (Luke 6:30). Implicitly, Christ is saying that He shall provide and pay you back when you are in need (16:9). This is the hope we should enkindle in whoever is in despair during this Jubilee. Amen.
God bless!

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2022 Reflection
Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

Who Wants To Be Such A King? 有誰願意為王呢？

Solemnity of Christ the Universal King, Year B
Theme: Who Wants To Be Such A King? 有誰願意為王呢？

With a Chinese background, my understanding of kingship would not be identical with the biblical one, if there be such a “biblical kingship” concept. Like most civilizations, the Chinese society has also gone through the evolutionary stage of feudalism. There were kingdoms occupying regions of land/resources as well as subjects under the governance of a mandarin hierarchy headed by a king. Such a structure is necessary in order to handle building projects proportional to the occupied land mass and military campaigns for defence or expansion. Of course, the efficiency and effectiveness of such a structure depends on its designs as well as how the civil servants managed corruptions and power abuses. The Chinese concept of kingship is rather loose. For example, the most powerful players in whatever fields, be it chess and herbal medicine etc., even a horse that has won most races, are entitled kings. With more diversified fields such as poetry, where a “king” title is insufficient to honour all the top players, people would call them “saint”, “fairy” or even “buddha”. In short, when there are players in a field, the most outstanding player would be entitled “king”.

When Yahweh decides not to give up humanity that He created in His own image, He has in mind a long lasting salvation project. Firstly, He befriended some human beings, such as Noah and Abraham, to prepare a path for His only begotten Son to incarnate. He multiplied the descendants of Abraham in Egypt and liberated his 600,000 offspring with earth shaking miracles. Moses was His appointed frontman to execute this project that is a component of a much bigger venture. Then the Israelites, the Chosen People had settled in the Promised Land of Canaan. In the early stage, the 12 tribes were loosely united. In the tradition of Moses, “Judges” arose to unite them to fight against oppressors neighbour. Samuel was the last Judge to unite and settle disputes among the 12 tribes. However, time had changed. The Israelites wanted to follow the examples of other nations. They demanded a king to lead them. Samuel prayed to the Lord who says, “Listen to whatever the people say. You are not the one they are rejecting. They are rejecting me as their king” (1 Samuel 8:7). Samuel explained to the people the privileges of a king and warned them that they would regret and by then the Lord would not answer them (8:11-18)! Perhaps the privileges were too attractive, namely to lord over all his subjects, to take away from his subjects whatever fancies him for his own pleasure. In short, all subjects would become his slaves. The people refused to listen to Samuel’s advice and persisted. At last, Samuel anointed Saul, “a handsome young man. There was no other Israelite more handsome than Saul; he stood head and shoulders above the people” (9:2) to be the first king of Israel. Scrutinizing the history of the Israel kingdom, we find that all Israelite kings were flawed. Saul was disobedient. David was after God’s heart (13:14) but committed adultery and murder. God gave Solomon wisdom (1 Kings 3:12) and he built the first Temple which he populated with idols brought along by his pagan wives and concubines. King Josiah renewed the Covenant with the Lord and started religious reformation (2 Kings 23:1-14) which lasted only 13 years because of his premature death in a military compaign against Egypt (23:29) … Sadly, honourable kingship would only exist in the minds of Plato and Confucius!

Human kingship is doomed from the beginning because human beings do not live longer than 120 years. “The LORD said: My spirit shall not remain in human beings forever, because they are only flesh. Their days shall comprise one hundred and twenty years” (Genesis 6:3). Since no human king would live forever, finding a legitimate successor constantly occupies the minds of kings. Naturally, kings want to retain sovereignty in order to protect their extended families as well as the wealth and privileges they have accumulated. Besides successors, kingmakers are also another major headache for kings. Kingmakers also have their interests to protect. If they were able to put a man on the throne, they would have no qualm in toppling the present occupant who threatened to remove them in order to install a new one in their favour on the throne. If a government is totalitarian, succession is usually bloody and overthrowing emperors usually involves revolutions/rebellions or civil wars. Democratic governments are better only in this respect. Succession through voting is not bloody. Yet, it does not guarantee true liberty, justice and fraternity because the actual rulers of the country are those wealthy corporations behind the powerbrokers. Alas! The hearts and minds of kings/presidents are divided. Where could we find kings who would dedicate their whole beings for the benefits of the subjects under their rules? I am afraid we couldn’t find any in this world.

The Great Depression followed the First World War. The world was becoming the stage of the two most powerful players: The USA, which represents capitalism, and the USSR, which represents socialism. Alas! Both ideologies trample upon the autonomy and dignity of humanity, the image of God. Both of them are elitist in which a minority access, control and consume more than 90% of the resources of this planet, no worse than the privileges described in the First Book of Samuel above. The majority of humanity are like the beggar Lazarus, “who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table” (Luke 16:21a). Two major power blocs emerged to enslave the majority of humanity. It is a form of modern day slavery, which love and justice are in short supply and God forbids! The Church has the obligation to tell the world what sort of kings she needs. In 1925, Pope Pius XI instituted the Solemnity of Christ the Universal King to remind us that while governments come and go, Christ reigns as King forever. However, what kind of kingship Christ is teaching the world?

In the gospel reading today, we may take a glimpse of Christ’s kingship. Interrogated by Pilate whether He was the King of the Jews (John 18:33) and after a few exchanges, Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world … But as it is, my kingdom is not here” (18:36). That is to say, Christ declines to enslave humanity. Translated in modern jargon, Christ respects our autonomy and our right to private property. Of course, the Son of God has no need of slaves. As for state mandarins and CEO’s of multi-national corporations, are you willing to pocket less and share the fruits of production with the labourers? If you are secular and reject religious spirituality as irrelevant, at least a Chinese aphorism might be more palatable to you. Here is ancient wisdom, namely 「藏富於民to stockpile wealth among the commoners」. While you fatten yourselves, forget not to keep your lambs fat! For the sake of sustainable development for future generations, refrain from 「竭澤而漁fishing by draining the swamps」. Christ is the Universal King whose crown is a crown of thorns and whose throne is the cross.

Beloved brethren! Who wants to be such a king, except the Son of Man prophesized in the books of Daniel and Revelation? “He [the Son of Man] received dominion, splendor, and kingship; all nations, peoples and tongues will serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, his kingship, one that shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:14). “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:5-6). This is the kingdom that Jesus refers, a kingdom of priests for the Father, when He replied Pilate (John 18:36). Christ is the supreme High Priest who offers Himself to the Father for the world. Christ the Universal King has made us into a kingdom of priests to offer to the Father for the world. Beloved brethren! Are you ready to join Christ the Universal King?
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: young-catholics.com

The Secret to Be the Greatest 做最大的秘訣

The Twenty-Fifth Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: The Secret to Be the Greatest 做最大的秘訣

Due to time constrains, it is regrettable that we only hear excerpts of the Bible on Sunday celebrations. Without knowing a fuller context, the congregation would wonder why such and such things would happen. Take the first reading of today as an example. We appreciate the efforts of compilers in the Liturgical Commission for making the readings more assessable to the congregation. However, their choice of wording in this case is questionable. It starts like this, “The wicked say: Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us …” (Wisdom 2:12a). The compilers added “The wicked say” to summarize the previous eleven verses! I wonder what those people have done to deserve a “wicked” label? I looked up the text and found that they were rich and powerful people who did not find any meaningful purposes in life. They lamented that death was the only certainty. There was no remedy for their dying. Their births were by chance and their deaths left nothing behind. In between, their lives passed away like the traces of a cloud. Therefore, they chose to enjoy good things such as costly wine and perfumes. How can you criticize people for holding such kind of worldview and leading such kind of affluent life style, which they can afford? All of us are free to choose and to act when we do not harm other people, aren’t we?

The more morally offending thing comes next. In modern jargon, not only was their life style unsustainable but they were also abusing the environment, “Let no meadow be free from our wantonness; everywhere let us leave tokens of our merriment, for this is our portion, and this is our lot” (2:9). I am not sure whether ancient people would be offended because it was very unlikely that they knew of any sorts of pollution with which modern people are familiar. Perhaps what in our eyes are pollutions, such as cattle dung left in the open, were actually chemical free fertilizers. It was part of their environmental protection wisdom! Nowadays, we know that it is definitely unethical to be so irresponsible in damaging the environment, a home common to all humanity now and in the future. But we don’t label those people “wicked”, do we? In fact, the author of Wisdom only describes them as “not thinking rightly” (2:1). People do not think rightly for many reasons. For example, ignorance, lack of education, too busy to make the ends meet etc. As long as the damages done do not harm other people’s lives, labelling those people “wicked” is polemic. Of course, the wicked do not think rightly when they benefit themselves at the expenses of other people. Sometimes, circumstances force people to choose a lesser evil. Therefore, even the righteous may choose a relatively wicked path in order to prevent an even greater evil from happening. Life is truly complex.

When we read further, ethics dictates that those people deserved to be labelled wicked, “Let us oppress the righteous poor; let us neither spare the widow nor revere the aged for hair grown white with time. But let our strength be our norm of righteousness; for weakness proves itself useless” (2:10-11). Indeed, “might makes right” is a wicked principle because we are doing harm to those who are unable to defend themselves. People who approach life and organize it in accordance to this principle are wicked because the law of the jungle reduces us into beasts. As Christians, we do not see the world as a battle field of zero-sum games. “Either you die or I live” is a law only tyrants would lay down. No! God is not a tyrant. His law is instead “Either you live or I die” and He actually dies so that we may live! As Christians, we look for opportunities to create win-win situations. Thus we defend the rights of the voiceless, advocate for the needs of the socially marginalized and opt for the poor etc. Though we inevitably become enemies of the “wicked”, we choose not to label them “wicked” in order to leave dialogues open in the future. If we are true disciples of Jesus, we should also follow the Master’s instructions not to pass judgment on the others (Matthew 7:1). This is what the Master means when after the first Prediction of His Passion, He told the crowd, His disciples and therefore us, to deny ourselves, carry our crosses and follow Him (Mark 8:34).

Jesus knew that His disciples needed more intensive coaching. So, after Jesus had shown the glory of resurrection to the three core disciples on a high mountain, He taught the Twelve again about the imminent Passion a second time. Obviously the disciples had not learnt the lesson yet because on the way, they were arguing about who was the greatest (9:34). Old habits die hard. The Twelve were adults and adult students are known to be hard to teach because modifying mind-sets demands Herculean efforts on the part of adult learners. Jesus is a teacher exemplar on a par with Confucius. His communication skills are superb and His teachings are deep, to say the least. Jesus does not condemn their ambition to be great because such an ambition is a powerful motivator to help people do good in face of difficulties and obstacles. Instead, He passes on to them the secret recipe to become great! “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all” (9:35b). Alas! Many people make use of authority in the wrong way. They abuse authority to herd wealth and benefits for themselves instead of exercising authority to do good for the people who gave them authority in the first place. Stewards, instead of properly discharging their role as servants, have become masters. The awareness of being a servant prevents state officials from lording over the commoners. Such an awareness would urge them to go into ghettoes to experience and to survey the real situations. Then those officials would not draw up impracticable policies inside air-conditioned offices.

Jesus knew that this teaching, like that of the Bread of Life, had been too deep for the Twelve and to the rest of all to receive (John 6:66), He further reinforced our learning by placing a child in their midst and putting His arms around it (Mark 9:6), saying “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me” (9:37). Wasn’t Jesus trying to teach us how to be great? One wonders what a child has to do with greatness. Be careful! Jesus was not teaching us to receive the Kingdom of Heaven with simplicity like a child. No. That would take another occasion (10:15). See how fondly Jesus embraced the child, revealing the modus operandi of God: God loves to do big things through underdogs such as Jael who drove a peg through the temple of Sisera (Judges 4:21) and David who embedded a pebble in the forehead of Goliath (1 Samuel 17:49)! Jesus is telling us to learn from Him. Don’t weary ourselves with pomp and ceremony and cracking a nut with a sledgehammer! Those big shows only serve human vanity and contribute little to the success of a mission. Instead it is a waste of resources. God’s way is the best because it is the most efficient and effective to get things done! The most essential thing is to do God’s will, namely to love God and therefore love the needy. This is the proper way to exercise authority bestowed on us, and thus to become great. Otherwise, people would lament how the mighty have fallen (2 Samuel 1:25, 27)!

Beloved brethren! Let us follow the successful example of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta to do small things with great love. We are surely on the right path! Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: francisxaviersamsen.wordpress.com, creator.nightcafe.studio

Not Thinking As God Does 不體會天主的事

Twenty-Fourth Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: Not Thinking As God Does 不體會天主的事

Today, we read of the story of Peter’s Confession about Jesus in the gospel of Mark and Jesus’ First Prediction of His Passion (Mark 8:27-35). However, Mark’s narrative of Peter’s Confession is incomplete because Peter was reticent about Jesus’ making him the Rock on which to build His Church (Matthew 16:18). Leaving it out diminishes the tension of the following prediction of Jesus’ upcoming Passion. First of all, we have come to the turning point of Mark’s gospel. It was high time Jesus turned towards Jerusalem to accomplish His mission. He and His disciples were heading towards the villages of Caesarea Philippi (Mark 8:27a). Jesus conducted an innocent enough mini-opinion poll among the disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” (8:27b) because He had been preaching the gospel of reconciliation since the death of John the Baptist. It seemed appropriate for Jesus to conduct some mid-term evaluation before He proceeded further. In general, the opinions were positive. People thought that Jesus was John the Baptist, Elijah and probably the Prophet mentioned by Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15). Those opinions had one thing in common. In general, prophets had challenged people in power such as state officials and even kings. More specifically, Elijah and the Prophet mentioned by Moses would appear at the end of world. In short, people anticipated Jesus to be a political Messiah to liberate them from the colonial rule of the Roman Empire just as Moses had liberated the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt. Of course, Jesus’ first question was only an appetizer. The main course was yet to come.

Jesus seemed to know the answer already and He was looking for something else. So He asked the next question, “But who do you say that I am?” (8:29a) Indeed, others’ opinions, whether they be the Pope’s or our catechists’ or what not, are not crucial. It is our personal opinions and thus our personal relationship with Him that Jesus cares. Of course, relationships take time to grow and to mature. Thus our relationships with the Lord might be shallow and naïve at the beginning. When we go through tribulations in our life, we gain more experiences and our perspective would widen. We would invest more affection in the relationship and in turn it becomes more fulfilling and rewarding. Moreover, the growth might not be linear and unidirectional. The projectile might be spiral or zig-zag. Sometimes we might complain and might even want to give up because the relationship proves to be painful and too sour at times! Jesus cares and would carry us through rough times on His shoulder. This is reflected in the popularity of a Christian poem “Footprints in the Sand” which many people lay claim on its authorship last century!

Now, let’s return to Peter’s Confession. How was his confession, namely “You are the Messiah” (8:29b), different from the others’? The weight of Peter’s Confession was downplayed in Mark. Jesus’ remark in Matthew explained why He gave Simon the title “Peter” and on this “Peter” He would build His Church. Jesus says, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father” (Matthew 16:17). This implies that God the Father has chosen, among the Twelve, Simon Peter to be bed-rock of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Of course, Peter was a mere mortal and his personality was flawed. Yet, God has demonstrated throughout the Bible that He likes to choose the underdogs to accomplish His projects, “Lest Israel vaunt itself against me and say, ‘My own power saved me’” (Judges 7:2b). With this piece of extra information from Matthew, the tension of the subsequent prediction of Passion would be more heightened! Even God’s Chosen One would fall nearly immediately! Who on earth could inflate his own ego? So how should we understand Jesus’ calling Peter “Satan”?

Throughout the centuries, people have “demonized” Satan more and more in order to make more money. Originally, the word “שָׂטָן Satan” means adversary. For example, in the story of Balaam, “the angel of the LORD took up a position on the road as his adversary” (Numbers 22:22) and in the story of David, “But the Philistine commanders were angered and said to him [Achish]: ‘Send that man [David] back … during the battle he might become our enemy…” (1 Samuel 29:4). Therefore, when Jesus rebuked Peter, “Get behind me, Satan …” (Mark 8:33b), Jesus might not mean the superhuman arch-adversary, but an obstacle in His salvific mission! But can we understand it as an exorcism to liberate Peter? I opine that this speculation is unnecessary because Jesus explains Himself saying, “You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do” (8:33c). Jesus was talking to Peter and not to Satan. He was correcting Peter’s mistakes. But wasn’t Jesus too demanding and unfair in pitching God against human beings? After all, Simon Peter and all of us are mere mortals. Of course we think as human beings do!

Being human beings should not be an excuse from fulfilling our genuine destiny. Don’t forget that God created us in His own image (Genesis 1:26). It is written in our souls/DNA’s that we should be like God in every aspect to different degrees. Each and every one of us is gifted in different manners, meaning that we are efficient in different aspects, some verbal, others numerical and yet others musical etc. It is our mission to manifest fully all these God-given talents. God is creative. So we are. God is free. So we have freedom which even God respects. God knows good and evil. So we do, though to a limited extent because we do not possess an infinite intellect. God is love (1 John 4:8) so we are able to go out of ourselves to love. This is what St. James means when he says in the second reading today, “Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works” (James 2:18b). What does it mean to love? Simply put, it means to care for and to meet the needs of the poor, of those who are unable to speak for themselves and to fight for their own needs. Lastly, God is majestic. So we are dignified. “That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). Alas! Times and again, we are complacent and hide ourselves inside our comfort-zones. So, the Son of God incarnates and speaks a language which we are able to understand so that with His revelation and guidance, we may emerge from our comfort zones to lead a more authentic, caring and fulfilling life as the adopted children of God.

Beloved brethren! Watching the competitors in the Paralympic Games should inspire us that all of us are capable of going out of ourselves to overcome our limitations to scale greater heights and lead a more fulfilling life. Therefore, Jesus is not demanding the impossible but showing us the way home (John 14:6). His advice is the only effective antidote to help us sail safely through the stormy waters to return to the Father, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34b). Let us put in our efforts like Paralympic archers to find our true home. God will provide. Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

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.

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《論盡神學》每日神糧

Remain Poor To Do God’s Will 貧窮行主旨

Nineteenth Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: Remain Poor To Do God’s Will 貧窮行主旨

Something must have happened to the confident Elijah to make him flee for his life. When he emerged on stage to begin his prophetic career, he proclaimed a drought in this manner, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, during these years there shall be no dew or rain except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1). True to being a prophet, a spokesman for God, Elijah arrogantly passed on God’s message. He had had strong backup from God and was able to defy kings and soldiers. Elijah was able to raise the dead child of a Gentile widow (17:22). After proving to Israelites that Yahweh was the one true God on Mount Carmel, Elijah was able to outrun Ahab’s chariot before the long awaited downpour could them up in Jezreel which is some 34 km from Mount Carmel¹(18:46). Therefore, it puzzles me why when queen Jezebel, who brought in the worship of Baal and those false prophets, threatened to kill him, “Elijah was afraid and fled for his life” (19:3a). What made Elijah feel that God no longer supported him so that he prayed to God for death, “Enough, LORD! Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors” (19:4b)? “My ancestors” might refer to King Saul who lost God’s favour and support and died an inglorious death (1 Samuel 31:9-10). Indeed, meeting God on Mount Horeb, Elijah’s ego must have further been shattered. He had always thought that “the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant. They have destroyed Your altars and murdered Your prophets by the sword. I alone remain” (1 Kings 19:10b, 14b). But the LORD corrected him after giving him his last missions, “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him” (19:18). Perhaps after seeing the truth, Elijah regained his confidence and later even called fire down to consume 50 soldiers and their captain sent by king Ahaziah twice (2 Kings 1:10, 12)! But his manners were different. This transition from being over-confident to despair and back is worth meditating.

We can detect a sense of inflated ego in Elijah when he started his prophetic ministry. For example, in announcing the drought to Ahab, he says, “… during these years there shall be no dew or rain except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1). Should he not say, “… until I pronounce God’s forgiveness”? When he wanted to challenge the false prophets of Baal to show the Israelites who the true God is, he told Ahab, “Now summon all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, as well as the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal…” (18:19). Why not simply, “Now summon all Israel on Mount Carmel”? In front of the Israelites on Mount Carmel, Elijah still insisted, “I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD” (18:22a) though earlier on, Obadiah, the master of Ahab’s palace had told him that “When Jezebel was murdering the prophets of the LORD --- that I hid a hundred of the prophets of the LORD, fifty each in caves, and supplied them with food and water” (18:13b). Such a narration shows an Elijah with a big ego. Elijah had always been obedient to God’s instruction. However, his inflated ego might probably prompt him to overdo what God told him to do. For example, after demonstrating that Yahweh is God, Elijah incited the people to seize the prophets of Baal and to bring them down to the Wadi Kishon where he slaughtered them (18:40). How long would it take for Elijah to kill 450 false prophets single-handedly? He must be a very strong and athletic person because later, Elijah was able to outrun Ahab’s chariot! No wonder he was so abrasive!

Wait! Had Elijah been too overzealous in executing the justice of God? Had God instructed him to kill all the Baal prophets? Look at King Ahab at a later time. God sent Elijah to announce His punishment on Ahab’s murder of Naboth and taking possession of Naboth’s vineyard, Ahab humbled himself and showed remorse (21:27). God suspended His punishment until after Ahab’s death. Unlike the Israelites who had a covenant with God, meaning it was justifiable for the Levites to follow Moses’ command to kill 3,000 worshippers of the Golden Calf (Exodus 32:28), those Baal prophets were brought in by queen Jezebel and had not entered into any meaningful relationship with Yahweh. Would God not want to give them an opportunity to repent and live (Ezekiel 18:32) like Ahab? Perhaps that night, God showed His displeasure of Elijah’s massacre and consequently, Elijah felt that he had lost favour and support from God. Though on the previous day he was able to outrun Ahab’s chariot, Elijah was afraid that he would not be able to outrun again Jezebel’s assassins and had to flee for his life.

After meeting God on Mount Horeb, Elijah had become a mild person and less imposing. When he made Elisha his successor, he went over to the ploughing Elisha and threw his cloak on him (19:19). When Elisha wanted to return home to kiss his parent good-bye, unlike Jesus (Luke 9:61-62), Elijah did not dissuade him. He did not insist but simply says, “What have I done to you?” (19:20). Later, when the two captains of king Ahaziah passed on the king’s command, saying “Man of God, the king commands you, ‘Come down’” (2 Kings 1:9, 11), Elijah replied, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men” (1:10, 12). Elijah did not force God to bring fire down from heaven to destroy the soldiers. Finally, he was able to acknowledge God’s supremacy. It was Yahweh who restored the breath of life of the dead child, withheld and showered rain, sent fire down to consume the altar and the soldiers. What can we learn from Elijah’s coaster roaster journey of life?

The second reading today is able to shed lights on how we should discharge our prophetic ministry received from our baptism. Paul says, “All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ” (Ephesians 4:31-32). Was Elijah not an embodiment of these two verses, turning from a bitter, angry and arrogant man to a compassionate and forgiving prophet? Being Christians, we should go beyond what Elijah has achieved. Paul continues, “As beloved children of God, live in love, as Christ … as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma” (5:1-2). To do God’s will, Christ obeyed and suffered a shameful death on the cross as a fragrant sacrificial offering. Thus, in discharging our prophetic ministry as God’s spokesmen to proclaim God’s love, we Christians should be prepared to suffer blasphemy, defeat, disappointment, rejection and ridicules etc. as a fragrant sacrifice to please God, instead of imposing our superior morality upon others, forcing them to be Good Samaritans. Our intentions are insufficient to justify our means!

Beloved brethren! We are our own greatest enemies and obstacles. Our ambitions, greed, jealousy, pride and vanity tend to push us to overdo God’s will while sloth and lust tend to pull our legs to aim at lower targets. Jesus has already told us how to accomplish God’s work, namely to believe in Him (John 6:29). The Jews demanded miracles from heaven. We do not. Yet, how difficult it is to believe in Jesus in modern societies! Besides overcoming the prevalent scientific superstition in modern times, we need to remove our ambitions, greed, jealousy, lust, pride, sloth and vanity as well. In short, we need to renounce ourselves and remain in poverty financially, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually in order to do the will of God authentically. Otherwise, we will be doing evil in God’s name.
God bless!

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¹https://www.distancesfrom.com/how-far-is-mt-carmel-Israel-from-Jezreel-Valley/HowFarHistory/5962533.aspx
2021 Reflection
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Too Good To Be True 無咁大隻蛤乸隨街跳

Fourteenth Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: Too Good To Be True 無咁大隻蛤乸隨街跳

It is hard for modern people to believe in God. Not only have they been baptized by STEAM curriculum, they enjoy feeding on fake news, rumours and secular values which are flooding the social media in the present age. But modern people are not stupid. In order to protect themselves from scams, they adopt a cynical attitude towards everything. They don’t believe that there is free lunch in this world. There must be strings attached in every offer, there is no commitment in relationships and job security is a myth etc. It is not easy to loosen their prejudices and to earn their trust. Indeed, it is more difficult to convince them to believe in Jesus nowadays than in earlier ages. If calling out to God is any indicator of faith in the Lord, no wonder Jesus lamented, “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8)

Let us begin our meditation with the first reading today taken from the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel had been a priest before the Babylonians suppressed the Judean rebellion in 597 BC. Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king deported the Judean king and his family, members of the upper class, priests and able-bodied males to Babylon to minimize the opportunity of future rebellions. This was the first exile and ten years later came the Babylonian Captivity before which, God called Ezekiel to become a prophet in Babylon and we read of his call today in the first reading. His prophetic ministry was not popular because during this period of time, he was rebuking the idolatry and unfaithfulness of the Israelites. For example, the slaughter of idolaters in Ezekiel 9. When Judah was totally conquered and exiled, Ezekiel changed his tone and began delivering prophecies of consolation, for example the vision of dry bones in Ezekiel 37.

Like the call of Isaiah, the call of Ezekiel began with visions of the glory of God (Ezekiel 1) from which the Swiss author, Eric Von Däniken drew inspiration to write his 1968 best-seller “Chariots of the Gods”. In the text we read today, God brings us down to earth! Don’t assume that my glory and my authority would make your job as my spokesman any easier! I respect the autonomy of rebellious people because without freedom, men would not be able to actualize their potential. “But my people did not listen to my words; Israel would not submit to me. So I thrust them away to the hardness of their heart; Let them walk in their own machinations” (Psalms 81:12-13). In other words, I would not force them to believe in you and thus believe in me. I am not ambitious. You don’t need to be eloquent or convincing. You simply add, “Thus says the LORD God” (Ezekiel 2:4b) at the end of your proclamation and you have done your job! I simply want them to know that I have kept my promise and have sent spokesmen to them, “And whether they hear or resist --- they are a rebellious house --- they shall know that a prophet has been among them” (2:5). When they are condemned on the Judgment Day, they only have themselves to blame! Don’t be discouraged if they don’t heed your exhortations. “You are not the one they are rejecting. They are rejecting me as their king” (1 Samuel 8:7b). Of course, God would also make use of Gentile nations to chasten them so as to ensure that at least a remnant would care about their relationship with Him.

When Jesus returned to Nazareth with His disciples, His folks had already heard of the miracles He had previously performed, viz. exorcisms and healings but not the miracle of five loaves and two fish. In short, Jesus was already famous among his fellow kindred. The gang of disciples would definitely boost His image among His folks in Nazareth. Therefore, when Jesus began to teach in the synagogue, many were astonished and said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty needs are wrought by his hands” (Mark 6:2b)! As the aphorism goes, “Familiarity breeds contempt”. They took offence at Him when people of Nazareth recalled, “Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” (6:3) For some old folks who had seen Him grow up from infancy, they thought they had known Jesus through and through. What good could one expect from a carpenter? His siblings had not been outstanding nor had become some powerful celebrities themselves; nor had had connections with princes! What a big contrast there was with the story of the bleeding woman we read of last week! How could we blame them for their lack of faith? Even Jesus’ own first disciples questioned whether anything good could come from Nazareth (John 1:16). To a certain extent, when the people of Nazareth took offence at Jesus, they were only reflecting their own self-image: Nothing good/great could come from Nazareth! We should feel sorry for them instead of blaming them. Because of their lack of faith, Jesus was not able to perform any mighty deed there and He was amazed at their lack of faith (Mark 6:5-6)! In other words, Jesus was amazed at His inability to work miracles!

Similar things are happening for a totally different reason. As the aphorism goes, “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely”. It was true that many of them were corrupt and self-fattening in the Middle Age. During the Reformation, Protestants rejected the clergy because popes, bishops and even priests enjoyed unrestrained authority. Protestants reformed their hierarchy by removing the office of priests whose main duty was to offer sacrifices but retained the pastoral role of ministers instead. Without priests, Protestants gave up consecrating bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus to offer up as a sacrifice to the Father. Therefore, their theology insisted on the memorial aspect of the Holy Communion and rejected the real presence of the Son of God in it by quoting “Do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19c). In defence, Catholic theologians insisted on the first half of the same verse, “This is my body, which will be given for you …” (22:19b). The Catholic Church believes that Jesus is the Son of God. He speaks and things come into existence. If we reject Jesus’ presence in the bread, we doubt His divinity. Then, we cannot claim to be Christians.

Alas! Their zeal of reformation to remove corruption had blinded the Protestants of the importance of faith in God over man’s integrity and virtues. They rejected the teaching authority of the Church in matters of faith and moral. Instead, Protestants claimed that all believers were equal in authority because of the Holy Spirit. Every believer was able to interpret the Bible, not needing the Magisterium to approve. Therefore, they insisted on “Sola Scriptura” to reject the teaching office of the Catholic Church! They also insisted on “Sola Fide” to reject works of mercy for justification and therefore selling indulgence was wrong.
How can they uphold “Sola Fide” when they failed to accept the words of Jesus to make bread as His body and wine His blood! Jesus would be very much amazed at their lack of faith in His divinity and their inconsistence in reasoning. We should feel sorry for them because without priests, Protestant churches do not have sacraments except Baptism and Matrimony which do not need ecclesiastic ministers. Without the real presence of Jesus in their Holy Communion, Eucharistic miracles would never happen there!

In 1905, Max Weber was able to trace the rise of the spirit of Capitalism to Protestant ethics. I am afraid they are also the breeding ground of modern Scientism which demystifies all articles of faith. There would be no need of a God in rendering truth about reality and the world! It is too good to be true for God to reconcile sinners to Himself in Christ, not counting our trespasses against us (2 Corinthians 5:19)! In ridding the Church of corruption, Protestants shut God out as well. Instead of strengthening faith in the Lord, Reformation ushered in cynicism. Martin Luther and the other reformists had successfully thrown the baby out with the bathwater.
Beloved brethren! God has sent prophets among us to tell us the message of reconciliation. It is a sign of God’s love towards humanity. Don’t hesitate! Embrace it! Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
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