放心！是我！ Take Courage! It is I

常年期第19主日，甲年
主題：放心！是我！ Take Courage! It is I.

我們的信仰建基在【聖經】的啟示之上，第四世紀的聖葉理諾曾說過，「不認識聖經，就不認識基督」。【聖經】是一個小型圖書館，藏有73本書，組成《舊約》和《新約》。《新約》是相對地新，成書在公元第一世紀，是兩千年前的文字。可想而知，《舊約》更古老，成書距今不少於二千六百年。想了解這些古老的經典，必須借助考古學、文字學等等的幫助。可幸教會內有不少前輩聖人，把他們研習【聖經】的心得累積，流傳後世，讓我們有所依據，不至錯解經文。與聖葉理諾同時代的聖奧思定曾這樣說：「新約隱藏在舊約中，而舊約則顯露在新約中」。很多《舊約》事蹟是《新約》事蹟的象徵，例如『諾厄方舟』（創6:14）象徵『教會』；『逾越節羔羊』（出12:3）象徵『耶穌基督』；『過紅海』（出14:15-29）象徵『聖洗聖事』等等。但『象徵』始終是『象徵』 ，在細節上與現實有一定距離，所以只應『意會』其主旨，而不應強求所有細節都一致。例如，耶穌在第17主日宣講的『撒網比喻』說：「網一滿了，人就拉上岸來，坐下，揀好的，放在器皿裡；壞的，扔在外面」（瑪13:48）。對於二千年前加里肋亞省的捕魚業來說是正確的，因為以當時的技術水平只能近岸作業。但現代人出海網魚，是遠洋作業。在海上航行一兩個月後才撒網。網一滿了會即時在船上揀選漁獲，而不是駛回岸才揀！主旨仍是保留好的，拋棄壞的，細節就不應『強人所難』了。所謂「大德不踰閑，小德出入可也」（論語‧子張）。

雖然耶穌在宣講『撒網比喻』時沒有提到『船』，但倘若沒有『船』的話，怎樣在海中『撒網』呢？因此，無論是《舊約》的『諾厄方舟』，或是《福音》的『撒網比喻』，都是一脈相承，用『船』象徵『教會』，是『天國』的雛型，是一個由蒙恩得救的人所組成的共融團體，一個有待末日才圓滿的團體！從這個角度默想，今天的福音選段蠻有意義！

今天選段的上文是耶穌基督剛完成了『五餅二魚』神跡，群眾吃飽了，門徒們收集了12筐碎塊（瑪14:20）。按瑪竇的記載：「耶穌即刻催迫門徒上船，在祂以先到對岸去；這其間，祂遣散了群眾」（14:22）。但瑪竇沒有記載耶穌遣散群眾的原因，馬爾谷〔伯多祿的秘書〕也沒有記載，只有耶穌所愛的門徒若望有記載（若6:15）。可見只有一本『官方的、權威的、統一的』福音並不是一件好事，耶穌基督便會失去了一個更『立體化』的面貎！

『海』從來都是一個充滿凶險的地方。耶穌宣講『撒網比喻』時只是輕描淡寫，完全沒有提及教會在茫茫人海，網羅眾生時會遇到『險象環生』的情況。雖然今天門徒們不是撒網捕魚，只是航行到對岸，但人海的凶險，卻實實在在地呈現眼前！對於一個由人組成的團體，凶險不外乎『內憂』與『外患』。『外患』是指與其他團體競爭資源，或者更大範圍的政治和文化迫害。『內憂』是指組織架構上的破綻、領導階層的無能，錯判形勢、成員之間貎合神離，各懷鬼胎等等，都會引發團體的內耗衰落。教會作為人世間一個有形可見的團體，『內憂』與『外患』都是不能倖免的。在『外患』方面，教會能做到的並不多，保祿宗徒教訓信徒要「為眾君王和一切有權位的人〔祈禱〕，為叫我們能以全心的虔敬和端莊，度寧靜平安的生活」（弟前2:2）。『絃外之音』是希望信徒能在不受干擾的環境中，生活他們的信仰。在『內憂』方面，正如『撒網比喻』所說，教會中人有好有壞，其中必定有混水摸魚的人潛伏當中。即使揭發了，也以『救人靈魂是最高的法律』為理由，仍然留他們在教會內。教會是開放給『罪人』的教會，每個人在教會內的淨化進度不同，衝突磨擦，在所難免。教會中有很多有識之士，在神學和禮規上的爭論沒完沒了，間中甚至出現『裂教』的現象。這是教會獨有的『內憂』，其他團體很快便會『排除異己』，能說內外口徑統一的『官腔』了！教會擁抱『罪人』所產生的『內憂』，有如耶穌基督復活後仍然保留著的『五傷』，可能要到末日才會消失！

不得不提，天主運用的象徵，不局限於文字，例如（達5:25）；還有令人意想不到的行為。例如天主指示依撒意亞先知裸體赤足而行三年（依20:1-6）；指示歐瑟亞先知娶一個娼婦為妻，生淫亂的子女（歐1:2）。同理，我們在『耶穌基督步行海面』的神跡，可以默想到祂這個意想不到的行動，有針對著教會『內憂』的象徵意義。
西滿在這次神跡中的表現，得到耶穌基督不折不扣的評價：「小信德的人哪，你為甚麼懷疑？」（瑪14:31b）後來，耶穌基督竟然給他起名為『磐石』，即委派西滿一個新使命，就是要在這『磐石』上建立祂的教會（16:18）！天主要在這位『小信德的人』身上建立祂的教會，這『天國的雛型』豈不是『岌岌可危』嗎？這位『磐石』三次在人前否認耶穌，證明了他性格衝動，而且在困局當前的時候，他沒有解決困難的能力！由伯多祿領導的教會，真的能『穩操勝券』嗎？ 保祿宗徒說：「…基督愛了教會…使她在自己面前呈現為一個光耀的教會，沒有瑕疵，沒有皺紋，或其人也類似的缺陷；而使她成為聖潔和沒有污點的」（弗5:25; 27）！教會真的可以有這樣光耀的一天嗎？耶穌卻對我們說：「放心！是我。不必害怕」（瑪14:27）！ 真的可以如此樂觀，可以不害怕嗎？

親愛的兄弟姊妹，倘若我們害怕，我們擔心教會在不稱職的牧者領導下，不能渡過各式各樣的危機：財政醜聞、性侵醜聞、神職人員老化、聖召危機、主日參加禮儀的人數下跌、教友離婚率高企…，真是個『千瘡百孔』的團體！主耶穌在今次神跡中的說話和行動，可以給大家安慰鼓勵，幫助各位堅持相信到底嗎？
天主保祐！

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2023年反省
圖片鳴謝：gemini.google.com

『修和聖事』可以寬恕踐踏耶穌的罪嗎？ Can Confession Absolve Stomping on Jesus?

【一牧一棧系列（V）】
『修和聖事』可以寬恕踐踏耶穌的罪嗎？（若14:1-6）

昨天默想過選擇性地聽從耶穌的訓誨，有如『舉腳踢耶穌』（若13:18b）。今天讓我們默想耶穌的著名『金句』：「我是道路、真理、生命，除非經過我，誰也不能到父那裡去」（14:6），反省信耶穌的其他形式。

昨天我們已經默想過『信耶穌』不僅包括了實行祂的訓誨（13:17），並且不可以選擇性地實行（13:18b）。今天選讀的經文更指出，『除非經過耶穌，〔否則〕誰也不能到〔天〕父那裡去』。語氣聽〔看〕來非常絕對，世上沒有捷徑、其他途徑或方法，可以與天父修好，獲得永生。只有實行耶穌教導的一條路，是『不二法門』…等等！那麼，對於從沒有聽聞過耶穌的人，例如孔子、老子和釋迦牟尼…等等，天父一定會安排耶穌以外，別的途徑與他們修好，使他們也可以認識耶穌，獲得永生。先知說：「因為我〔上主〕不喜歡任何人喪亡」（則18:32）；「因為祂〔天主〕願意所有的人都得救，並得以認識真理〔耶穌基督〕」（弟前2:4）。至於那些聽過耶穌，卻選擇拒絕耶穌的，便要為自己的選擇負上倫理責任了。至於那些取巧的、言行不一的信徒，同樣也要為自己的所作所為，負上責任。

由遠藤周作同名小說改編的電影『沉默』（1971; 2016），引發我們反省信仰耶穌的其他形式。當天主看著信徒受酷刑迫害仍默不作聲，仍沒有伸出援手的時候，有些勇敢的信徒捨命殉道，有些卻為了保命而踐踏十字架苦像。他們可算是舉腳踢耶穌，踐踏耶穌的叛徒了。
為了自衛或保衛無辜者而被迫殺人，倫理和法律會減免這些人的責任。同理，在教難時基督徒被迫選擇保命，要負上倫理責任嗎？伯多祿也是為了保命而三次否認自己的師傅，與電影『沉默』中部份日本基督徒『踏繪』，有甚麼分別呢？伯多祿流芳百世，『踏繪』的基督徒在有生之年被唾棄，受良心的責備，是應得的嗎？還是另類的殉道呢？

各位親愛的兄弟姊妹，對那些有意或無意踐踏了耶穌而內咎的人，我會這樣安慰他們：『耶穌是道路…要經過祂才可以到達天父那裡。倘若不踐踏祂，難道你在祂上面爬行到天父那裡嗎？』希望可以博得他們一笑，亞孟。
天主保祐！

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生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：copilot.microsoft.com

[One Shepherd One Fold Series --- V]
Can Confession Absolve Stomping on Jesus? (John 14:1-6)

Yesterday when we meditated on selectively observing Jesus’ teachings, we came to the conclusion that it is equivalent to raising one’s heel against Jesus (John 13:18b). Today, let us meditate on the famous proof-text, viz. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6) so as to reflect on other ways to believe in Jesus.

Yesterday we meditated that “believing in Jesus” involves not only practising His teachings (13:17), but also refraining from selectively putting His teachings into practice (13:18b). More than that, the passage today points out explicitly that “Unless through Jesus, nobody can come to the Father”. The text sounds absolute. There is no other way, no other shortcut to reconcile with the Father and attain eternal life. There is only one way and no alternative … etc. Then for those who had not heard of Jesus, such as Confucius, Lao Tsu, Siddhartha Gautama … etc., the Father must have arranged other ways, other than Jesus, to reconcile them with Him, so that they might know Jesus and attain eternal life. The prophet says, “For I find no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies” (Ezekiel 18:32). God “wills everyone to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth [i.e. Jesus Christ]” (1 Timothy 2:4). As for those who have heard of Jesus but choose to reject Him, they need to bear the moral responsibilities of their choices. As for those who do not practise what they preach, they too would be held accountable for their actions.

The movie “Silence” (1971; 2016) which was based on a Japanese novel by Shusaku Endo, sheds light on other ways to believe in Jesus. When God remained silent and did nothing in view of the tortures and persecutions suffered by Christians, some courageously embraced martyrdom while some stomped on crucifixes in order to save their skins. In most people’s eyes, those who stomped on crucifixes are traitors.

When people are forced to kill out of self-defence or defence of the innocent, their moral and legal responsibilities are diminished. Similarly, when Christians are forced to choose survival during religious persecutions, are they exempted from moral responsibilities? Peter denied his own Master three times to survive. Was there any differences between Peter and those Japanese Christians who stomped on crucifixes, the Fumi-e? Peter was canonized. Do those Christians who had stomped on crucifixes deserve other people’s despise and condemnation from their own consciences for the rest of their lives? Or is it another form of martyrdom?

Beloved brethren! To those who regret stomping on Jesus deliberately or what not, I would console them, lighten their hearts in this way, “Jesus is the way … only through Him can we come to the Father. If you do not stomp on Jesus, would you rather crawl on Him to the Father?” Amen.
God bless!

如何變成『不是主的羊』？ How To Become “Not His Sheep”

【一牧一棧系列（II）】
如何變成『不是主的羊』？（若10:22-30）

相信很多讀者一定喜歡唱《我是主的羊》（頌恩275首），它除了旋律輕快外，唱起來感覺良好！但大家可有想過，自己會變成『不是主的羊』嗎？我不是指教難當前，大家在迫害和酷刑下背教。領洗時所領受的聖油，已為我們打上了不滅的印記（格後1:22）。雖然紋身可以用鐳射磨滅，但聖神的印記，不是宗教迫害或者政治迫害可以磨滅的。既然如此，我們怎可能會變成『不是主的羊』呢？

今天的福音選段，給了我們一點端倪。時間是『重建節』（若10:22），猶太人慶祝當年在瑪加伯兄弟領導下，推翻了褻瀆聖殿，禁制猶太教的希臘統治者，光復聖殿，重新祝聖祭壇（加上4）。福音中的猶太人，在『重建節』期間於聖殿追問耶穌是否他們所期待的默西亞，很明顯他們渴望耶穌好像當年的瑪加伯一樣，領導他們擺脫羅馬帝國的統治！不過，推翻羅馬帝國的殖民統治，並不符合天父的旨意。所以耶穌說：「你們不是屬於我的羊」（若10:26b），因為他們不聽耶穌的聲音，也不跟隨祂（10:27）。

各位親愛的兄弟姊妹，天父是慈悲的，祂「願意所有的人都得救，並得以認識真理〔即耶穌基督〕」（弟前2:4）。即使當時這些猶太人不是屬於主耶穌的羊，他日他們會屬於基督君王，也未可知。事實上，主耶穌的第一代門徒，全部都是猶太人。但前車可鑒，即使在血統上是亞巴郎的後裔，宗教上是虔誠，甚至狂熱的猶太教徒，即使是羊，也未必是屬於主的羊！關鍵在於是否聽耶穌基督的聲音，步武祂的芳表！在那裡可以聽到耶穌的聲音呢？聖葉理諾〔聖熱羅尼莫〕曾留下名句：『不認識聖經，就不認識基督。』所以，勤讀聖經吧，我們可以認識祂，繼而跟隨祂了，以免變成了『不是主的羊』。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：gemini.google.com

[One Shepherd One Fold Series --- II]
How To Become “Not His Sheep” (John 10:22-30)

I trust many of you must enjoy the hymn “His Sheep Am I” written by Orient Johnson. The melody is sweet and feels good! But have you ever thought of your becoming “not His sheep”? I am not talking about religious persecutions in which we are forced and tortured to renounce Jesus. The chrism we received in Baptism banded an inerasable seal upon us (2 Corinthians 1:22). Tattoos on our flesh can be erased with laser but religious and political persecutions are unable to erase the seal of the Holy Spirit. Then, how can we become “not His sheep”?

The gospel passage today may give us some clues. The time was the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22) when the Jews commemorated the rededication of the Second Temple and her altar in Jerusalem after the Maccabees brothers had led the people to shake off the sacrilegious Seleucid oppression (1 Maccabees 4). In the gospel, the Jews pressed Jesus at this same Feast of Dedication to clarify whether He was their long anticipated Messiah. Obviously, they wanted Jesus to lead them shaking off the colonial rule of the Roman Empire, like what the Maccabees had done before! But overthrowing the colonial rule of the Roman Empire was not the Father’s will. So Jesus said, “You are not among my sheep” (John 10:26b) because those Jews did not hear His voice and did not follow Him (10:27).

Beloved brethren! The Father is merciful. He “wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth [i.e. Jesus Christ]” (1 Timothy 2:4). Even though at that time those Jews did not belong to Lord Jesus, it is possible that some day they shall belong to Christ the King. In fact, Jesus’ first generation disciples were all Jews. We should learn from their history. Even though they were Abraham’s offspring by blood; pious to the point of being zealous, they might not necessarily belong to the flock of the Lord! The key is whether they hear Christ’s voice and follow His exemplar! Where can we hear Jesus’ voice? St. Jerome said well, “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ”. Thus, study the Scriptures diligently so that we may know Him and follow Him. Otherwise, we will become “Not His Sheep”. Amen.
God bless!

右盜是希望的傳承者 The Penitent Thief Is A Messenger of Hope

耶穌基督普世君王節（丙年）
主題：右盜是希望的傳承者

不同的文化會在不同的日子慶祝新年，作為國際大都會的香港，華洋雜處，市民大眾除了慶祝一月一日的西洋新年之外，也會慶祝華人的農曆新年！教會有她的曆法，圍繞著救主的降生、受難、復活和在末日重臨，來慶祝天主的救贖工程。今天我們慶祝主耶穌基督將會在末日時，以君臨天下的姿態，審判生者死者。作為天主教徒的我們，會在下一個主日，慶祝教會禮儀年的開始，就是「將臨期」。禮儀顏色用紫色，象徵了以悔改來預備迎接天主子的重臨。又為了照顧教友的神益，加深對【聖經】，尤其是對三部《對觀福音》的認識，用三年的時間閱讀【聖經】與我們的得救有密切啟示的章節：甲年讀《瑪竇福音》，乙年讀《馬爾谷福音》及丙年讀《路加福音》，從不同的角度，立體地敘述天主子的言行。

在記載耶穌釘十字架受難的敘述中，《瑪竇》和《馬爾谷》異口同聲地說「同祂一起被釘在十字架上的強盜，也這樣譏誚祂」（瑪27:44），「連與祂一起釘在十字架上的人也辱罵祂」（谷15:32）。但剛纔聽到《路加福音》的記載卻不一樣，一個譏誚同釘的耶穌，另一個卻承認耶穌為王。路加醫生的記載可信嗎？要知道三位聖史都不在現場，因為幾乎所有的門徒都為了自保而躲藏起來，只有「耶穌所愛的門徒」若望、耶穌的母親瑪利亞和一些跟隨耶穌的婦女，留在刑場守候。按教會的傳統記載，路加醫生在聖母的晚年，照顧她的健康。所以，路加醫生的釘十字架記載更可信！

《路加福音》是寫給外邦人讀的，告訴他們天父是慈悲的（路6:36）、天主子耶穌基督拯救被社會所拋棄的人（6:20-22）、天父樂意把聖神賜給求祂的人（11:13）。我們今天慶祝「耶穌基督普世君王節」，可是今天的福音選段所描述的，不是一個住在雕闌玉砌的宮殿裡，戴著皇冠，身穿龍袍，坐在龍椅上，左右有宮娥侍候的皇帝；而是一個頭戴茨冠，一絲不掛、以十字架為龍椅和左右有兩個罪犯護駕的「君王」！正如今天第二篇讀經所說，宇宙萬物都是源於祂，最後亦歸於祂（哥1:16-17）。祂不須要人世間的財富與權勢稱王，反而選擇了與窮人和被社會遺棄的人在一起。試問天主為了罪人的悔改，還有甚麼沒有做呢（依5:4）？讀到這裡，甚麼人會最感到安慰和鼓舞呢？恃財傲傲物的人，還是無權無勢的人呢？

現在讓我們默想釘在耶穌基督左右兩邊的罪犯。常言道：「人之將死，其言也善」，看來有點不正確。路加這樣記載說：「懸掛著的凶犯中，有一個侮辱耶穌說：你不是默西亞嗎？救救你自己和我們吧！」（23:39）為甚麼這個凶犯有這樣的行為呢？既然難逃一死，他說這番話可以讓他死得舒服些嗎？當然不會！我覺得當時這個凶犯仍有相當的生命力，於是心存僥倖，期望耶穌真是他心目中的「默西亞」，便慫恿耶穌從十字架上跳下，領導群眾驅逐羅馬人，推翻殖民統治，重建以色列國等等（宗1:6），這是他「得救」的最後機會！因此，他的說話也可算是「善」的。路加沒有說明他的相對位置，傳統上教會把天父所祝福的位置，即普世君王的右邊（瑪25:34），留給另一個凶犯，並稱他為「右盜」。

現在讓我們把注意力集中到「右盜」的身上吧，他把「盜亦有道」表現得淋漓盡致！路加記載他「應聲責斥說：你既然受同樣的刑罰，連天主你都不怕嗎？…我們所受的，正配我們所行的；但是，這個人從未做過甚麼不正當的事」（路23:40-41）。和其他猶太人沒有分別，他相信天主賞善罰惡。但更重要的，是他害怕天主的懲罰！雖然出於害怕懲罰而不做壞事是低層次的道德，但總比那些天不怕地不怕，喪心病狂的惡人相對地好。這位「右盜」尚有公義之心，懂得辨別善惡。有能力辨別善惡，就有「悔改」的可能！願意悔改纔是得救的道路，「右盜」已踏出了第一步！接著他說：「耶穌，當你來為王時，請你紀念我！」（23:42）看，他知道自己難逃一死，但他並沒有心存僥倖，求耶穌救他離開這個死局。望著即將死去的耶穌，他竟然相信耶穌將會為王，這是何等的信德！他不知道耶穌過多少歲月之後為王，但他把一切希望，都寄託在耶穌身上，這是何等的望德！雖然我們找不到他有甚麼愛主愛人的善行，但耶穌已接納他到天堂去：「我實在告訴你：今天你就要與我一同在樂園裡」（23:43）。從這一個許諾開始，天主寬恕了「右盜」所有的罪過，賜給了他恩寵，「右盜」可以平安地、沒有半點恐怖地，等待羅馬兵來打斷他的腳，送他上路（若19:32）。

各位請注意，執事不是「撥冷水」，這個「今天」並不表示第一個「耶穌受難日」，因為「在天主前一日如千年，千年如一日」（伯後3:8; 詠90:4）。亞當吃了禁果當日沒有死（創2:17），而是活到930歲（5:5）便是一個好例子。「右盜」可能也要在煉獄，滿懷「望德」地度過若干歲月，纔可以升天堂！另一方面，執事我很想知道，耶穌怎樣拯救在左邊的凶犯！祂不是願意所有的人都得救（弟前2:4）嗎？是的，「在天主前沒有不能的事」（路1:37）。可能天主藉著「右盜」平安的面容，給了「左盜」一份安慰和鼓舞。「左盜」在痛定思痛，筋疲力竭之餘，放下自己的執著和妄想，把一切「得救的希望」，交託到一同被釘的耶穌手裡，亦未可知。

親愛的兄弟姊妹！不要小覷「右盜」的角色。即使是一個不堪的人物，亦能做一個「希望的傳承者」。在未來一年，讓我們向「右盜」學習，成為更出色的「希望的傳承者」，亞孟。
天主保祐！

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2022反省
圖片鳴謝：grok.com

願你們平安 Peace Be With You

傳教節，丙年
主題：願你們平安 Peace Be With You

今年傳教節的主題是『願你們平安』，是耶穌復活後顯現給宗徒們的第一句說話（瑪28:9; 路24:36; 若20:19）。這句祝福和傳教有甚麼關係呢？若望福音繼續說：「就如父派遣了我，我也同樣派遣你們」（20:21b）。耶穌基督其實重複一次祂在最後晚餐時所說的話，就是剛纔所聽到的福音片段：「就如祢派遣我到世界上來，照樣我也派遣他們到世界上去」（17:18）。現在讓我默想「平安」與「傳福音」的關係。

「平安」一詞在【新約】一共出現過69次。而【新約】的27本書中，只有在《若望一書》找不到「平安」一詞。可見「平安」是基督信仰的重要環節，例如在「聖神九果」之中，「平安」排第三位（迦5:22）！「平安」一詞可以指內心沒有遺憾或者心安理得等等；亦可以表示外在的安全和穩定。【新約】成書在羅馬帝國時代，基督信徒在當時只是一小撮無權無勢的人，容易成為「代罪羔羊」，經常遭受迫害！保祿宗徒是羅馬公民，在法律面前享有特殊的保障。所以他寫信給弟茂德時說：「為眾君王和一切有權位的人〔祈禱〕，為叫我們…度寧靜平安的生活」（弟前2:2）。暗示了基督徒生活在困難和迫害中，但保祿對羅馬法律是有信心和樂觀的。伯多祿是猶太人，在羅馬法律面前毫無保障，他早已作出最壞的打算。所以在他的書信中，並不奢望享有外在的平安。在勉勵信徒時，他只有寫：「你們要為主的緣故…服從帝王…總督…因為這原是天主的旨意：要你們行善，使那些愚蒙無知的人，閉口無言」（伯前2:13-15）！對於迫害基督徒的羅馬帝國，伯多祿只能無奈地用「愚蒙無知的人」，為他們的惡行開脫！小結：【新約】所說的「平安」，絕大部份是指內心的無憾和心安理得。

再進一步觀察，發現「平安」與「恩寵」，一同出現在【新約】的18節經文當中，佔總數超過四份之一。可見基督徒的平安，與天主的恩寵，有非常密切的聯繫！沒有天主的恩寵，人就沒有平安。這「恩寵」是甚麼呢？就是天人之間再沒有罪惡的隔閡。在起初，就是「原罪」令亞當與妻子躲藏起來，不敢與天主「趁晚涼散步」（創3:8）！原罪把天主與亞當阻隔了。有了恩寵，表示人的原罪、本罪都消失了，與天主沒有隔閡了。

首先，我們可以獲得天主的恩寵嗎？可以的！因為耶穌在最後晚餐時曾承諾說：「我把平安留給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們；我所賜給你們的，不像世界所賜的一樣。你們心裡不要煩亂，也不要膽怯」（若14:27）。這個承諾再次印證，基督徒的平安，不是指外在的安全和穩定。且看，自從在廣島投擲了第一枚原子彈後，世界「和平」便建立在美國和蘇聯之間的「同歸於盡Mutual Assured Destruction MAD」軍事戰略原則之上。在這種瘋狂（MAD）的軍事原則之下，核戰仍可能隨時爆發。世人只有心煩意亂生活在核戰的陰霾之下，何來「平安」可言呢？主耶穌卻在最後晚餐承諾，為我們爭取天父的恩寵，這是基督徒，以至全人類的希望之所在！慈悲的主在十字架上，為我們償還了所有罪債，銷除了天主與世人之間的隔閡。

其次，我們可以怎樣獲得天父的恩寵呢？耶穌開始公開宣講時已經說了：「你們悔改，信從福音罷」（谷1:15）。我們要做的，就是回頭改過，相信天主的慈悲。耶穌基督是真人真天主，是我們高不可攀的。但祂送給我們聖母瑪利亞作為母親（若19:27），她是一個充滿恩寵的人（路1:28），她是所有信徒可以學習的典範。在她身上，我們可以找到很多可以效法的德行：例如全心信靠、謙卑、服從、關心別人的需要等等。我們照樣做（10:37），便可以得到主耶穌所承諾的恩寵。而且作為聖母的子女（若19:26），她一定會為我們轉禱，幫助我們獲得所需要的恩寵。況且，主耶穌也鼓勵整個教會說：「你們小小的羊群，不要害怕！因為你們的父喜歡把天國賜給你們」（路12:32）。憑這句話，我們明白平安和恩寵絕非個人與天主的關係那麼簡單，而是涉及整個團體─小至一個家庭，大至全人類─與天主的關係。

團體對個人生存與發展的重要性，是非常明顯的。我們生活的世界，是一個凶險的世界，一個危機四伏的惡劣環境。倘若我們只顧自己個人的利益，只會單打獨鬥，各家自掃門前雪。不久我們會先後倒下，結果 整個家庭，整個單位，整隊軍隊，全軍覆沒，國破家亡。我們惟有守望相助、彼此扶持；分工合作、各展所長，纔能一起渡過難關，繼而繁榮興盛。因此，「建立團體」是所有組織和社群必須苦心經營的業務。

只要放眼觀察，一定會發現有些團體只是曇花一現，存在了一段時間便因為成員老化而解散了；有些卻好像長春樹一樣，不斷茁壯成長，甚至開枝散葉。分別在哪？前者的成員之間的關係緊密，以至新成員無法融入。沒有辦法挽留新血，就是致命傷！這是一個團體的「內憂」。「外患」就不用說了，敵強我弱，遲早會被強大的敵人吞併甚至消滅。一個團體的人數和成員的質素，決定了這個團體的強弱！當然，沒有招募新血的意識和行動，這個團體何來新成員呢？又怎能強大起來呢？

所以耶穌升天前，吩咐祂的宗徒們說：「去使萬民成為門徒，因父及子及聖神之名給他們授洗」（瑪28:19）；「你們往普天下去，向一切受造物宣傳福音」（谷16:15）；「當聖神降臨於你們身上時，你們將充滿聖神的德能，要在耶路撒冷及全猶太和撒瑪黎雅，並直到地極，為我作證人」（宗1:8）；為甚麼要傳福音，勸人加入教會呢？因為這是耶穌的願望，就是今天福音所說的：「願眾人都合而為一」（若17:21）！在短短的8節經文中，一共出現了4次，可謂重中之重！是全人類合而為一，因為全人類都是「天主的肖像」（創1:26）。當眾人都在基督內合而為一的時候，何愁「敵強我弱」，被敵人合併呢？哪來外患呢？當眾人都合而為一的時候，何來「挽留新血」的問題呢？不全情投入福傳，這個「眾人合而為一」的願望，怎會實現呢？

親愛的兄弟姊妹！多一個靈魂信主，我們在世上便少一個敵人，多一點安寧。所以傳福音不是52個主日中的其中一個名為「傳教節」的事；不只是教會的事，更是全人類生死攸關，與天主修和的大事，人人有責。且讓我引述國父孫中山先生，一位信仰基督的革命家的遺言。他團結了眾人的努力，把中國從帝制解放出來，邁向更民主共和的制度，能夠在新時代繼續發展繁榮。他說：「現在福傳尚未成功，凡我同志，務須依照福音方略，貫徹到底，完成救世大業。是所至囑」。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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2022年反省
圖片鳴謝：grok.com

天主對我們滿懷希望 God Puts His Hope On Us

常年期第八主日，丙年
主題：天主對我們滿懷希望 God Puts His Hope On Us

今天福音的內容很豐富，且讓我們慢慢品嚐。
一開始，耶穌說了一個顯而易見的比喻：「瞎子豈能給瞎子領路？不是兩人都要跌在坑裡嗎？」（路6:39） 但接著，祂又說：「沒有徒弟勝過師父，凡受過完備教育的，僅相似自己的師父而已。」（6:40）這兩句經文有甚麼關聯呢？倘若「沒有徒弟勝過師父」，何來「青出於藍」，人類文明又何以進步呢？除非，這位師父是「天主子、默西亞」（瑪23:10）。是的，耶穌基督是我們的導師，我們是祂的追隨者，能相似祂是我們畢生追求的目標！那麼，按上文下理推斷，一個瞎子給其他瞎子領路，是指師徒的關係了，卻是一個不理想的師徒關係，即孟子所說的「人之患，在好為人師」（孟子‧離婁上）的情況。自己是門外漢，卻喜歡在眾人面前說三道四，指手劃腳，滿足自己的虛榮！

那些不學無術的人，破壞力有限；但「專家」可不同了，他們對社會國家的影響之大，不容忽視！所以耶穌宣講這番教訓，是針對當代的「專家」說的。這班「專家」是誰？耶穌在跟著的「眼中大樑和木屑」言論中（路6:41-42），稱他們為「假善人」，他們的身份，呼之欲出！
是的，法利塞人曾是以色列人的民族英雄，他們在充軍巴比倫的時候，編纂了《希伯來經典》，重塑以色列人是「天主選民」的身份，安穩了亡國奴的心靈，對上主天主重新燃起幫助他們復國的希望。天主並沒有令他們失望，充軍五十年後，波斯王居魯士成為了他們的默西亞（依45:1），解放他們回國，重建被毀的聖殿。時移勢易，這些民族英雄中，部份人漸漸忘記了自己是「以色列師傅」（若3:10）的使命而淪為「法律專家」、「法學士」、「經師」，甚至以法律的專業知識，謀取私利，並用來迫害耶穌！耶穌以「瞎子」來形容他們，的確恰當！耶穌基督並沒有拒絕法利塞人，祂說：「假善人啊！先取出你眼中的大樑，然後纔看得清楚，以便取出你兄弟眼中的木屑」（路6:42b），仍然指望他們能履行「以色列師傅」的使命，讓猶太人能憑遵守梅瑟法律而得救。引而申之，耶穌基督並不要求我們成為完美無缺的聖人之後，纔去啟導別人，向外教徒宣講福音。祂要求我們認真面對自己的不善之處，謙遜地加以改進，「先取出你眼中的大樑」，便可以成為「師傅」，有效地啟導未奉教的人。

人與人之間的溝通，總離不開說話。今天的第一篇讀經，是古人對我們說話，留給後世的智慧和忠告：「篩篩子，總留下一些渣滓；人的言談，也總有些不乾不淨」（德27:5）。人不是天主，不能像天主一樣，「言出必行」（則17:24; 22:14; 24:14; 36:36）。怎樣判斷「乾淨與否」呢？簡單地說，就是「聽其言而觀其行」。孔子說：「視其所以，觀其所由，察其所安，人焉廋哉？人焉廋哉？」（論語‧為政）就是說，我們聆聽一個人的說話，要審視他的動機、觀察他的行為、了解他的態度，他就無所遁形了！有誰不喜歡聽甜言蜜語、奉承的話呢？但不少人為了達到目的，不惜搬弄是非、挑撥離間…難怪不少人墮入「電話騙案」，我們能不小心辨別嗎？

親愛的兄弟姊妹，退一步想，天主是眾人的大父，人類是祂按自己肖像所創造的傑作。人類雖然不幸墮落了，失去了祂的光榮和恩寵（羅3:23），但祂是多麼渴望所有人的得救（則18:32; 弟前2:4）。既然祂對我們滿懷希望，正如耶穌基督對法利塞人滿懷希望一樣。所以在這「望德禧年」，讓我們以希望的朝聖者身份，耐心地接待所接觸到的人，散發出天主對眾人的希望，亞孟。
天主保祐！

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2022年默想
Picture Credit: dreamstime.com, catholicpreaching.com

The Lord Will Multiply A Million Fold 主會百萬倍增加恩寵

Thirty-Second Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: The Lord Will Multiply A Million Fold 主會百萬倍增加恩寵

There were different types of widows in the Old Testament. Thus, we must understand their stories together with their backgrounds. Unlike many other societies in which superstitious people thought that somehow, widows caused the death of their husbands and thus widows were accursed and the general public had better avoided them, the fates of Jewish widows depended very much on their fertility or whether they had children. It was because with a male child, the relatives of the deceased husband had to take care of the child and thus the widow mother. There was also a custom of Levirate marriage in which the brother of a deceased man was obligated to marry his brother’s widow to give birth to a son for the deceased brother in order to continue the lineage of the deceased man. If the widow were not too old to bear children, this would be her second safety net! All these rules were charitable and equivalent to modern day social security measures to take care of the poor and the disadvantaged. In Genesis 38, we find the famous story of the widow Tamar whose father-in-law failed to do her justice through Levirate marriage.

We usually have a wrong impression that widows must be poor like the widow of Zarephath who was collecting a few sticks to prepare the last cake for herself and her son and then waited for starvation (1 Kings 17:12). Not necessarily so! Indeed, in today’s gospel reading, we hear of Jesus’ criticism of the evils of scribes, “They devour the houses of widows …” (Mark 12:40a) In fact, widows could be widows whose deceased husbands were rich! In the Old Testament, there was a beautiful and rich widow called Judith who was able to charm an enemy general Holofernes with her beauty and beheaded him (Judith 13:8), a femme fatale indeed! From the nativity story of Jesus in the gospel of Luke, we know of a widow prophetess Anna who spent more than 63 years in the Temple “worshipped night and day with fasting and prayer” (Luke 2:37b). Somehow, the Temple took care of some widows at least in the early years of Jesus. Time had really changed. Instead of the Temple taking care of widows, like what she had done during the early years of Jesus, some thirty years later, the poor widow was obliged to offer her two brass coins in the Temple treasury! The story of this poor widow has immortalized the concept of poor widows throughout the ages when the Church carries the baton of the Temple to take care of widows. Paul wrote about widows in his epistles to the churches (1 Corinthians 7:8, 1 Timothy 5:5). The Acts recorded the incident of establishing deacons to take care of the distributions of provisions to the poor and the widows within the early Church (Acts 6:1). The stories of poor widows are worth telling because they manifest the mercy of God (Psalms 146:9). Before God, who is not a poor widow?

Twelve years ago, I was elected a deacon candidate. I could not remember the gospel reading of the rite of election because during the whole celebration, the story of the poor widow who offered two brass coins filled my head. I was very much elated because despite all my shortcomings, the Lord accepted my poverty. “For they [the rich] have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood” (Mark 12:44). The Lord does not measure our performance by quantity: namely the amount of money or the length of service etc., but by the quality of our heart: namely our sincerity and loving-care. My 7-day pre-ordination retreat further confirmed this. I wept for seven days for the deeply repressed shortcomings in my soul in contrast to Jesus’ mercy. Wounds were uncovered but there was not sufficient time to nurse and to heal. In the end, the image of Jesus’ Stigmata told me that I had to live with my shortcomings, to carry them forever without healing in order to become a wounded-healer! I learnt that it is the heart that counts, not the quantity. As for the quantity, I have no doubt that the Lord would multiply the widow’s brass coins as He did with the five loaves and two fish. He is more than capable to provide for our needs. Moreover, He would also transform the hearts of the donors like He did with the water in the Cana banquet. If the merciful Lord was able to transform water into wine, would it be impossible for Him to transform the vanity of the wealthy people into genuine piety and charity? Meditate deeper, hadn’t Jesus transformed one of the Boanerges (3:17) into an apostle who always wrote on the topic of love? Had not Jesus transformed the Christians-hunter Saul into the apostle Paul, the Christianity founder? Jesus’ multiplicative and transformative powers inspire great hope in all of us. Meanwhile, we should not despise the insignificant services of the others, and only see the importance of our own contributions because the Lord may multiply the graces of the insignificant services of insignificant people a million-fold!

Some people have a more realistic temperance. They question how the poor widow would survive her days ahead! The kind-hearted and realistic readers worry that when she had no more money, she would be starved to death in the days to come. There was no mention of her child. She might be too old to get married again or if she had a child, it would only be a daughter not counted by the deceased husband’s relatives. Then her burden would be greater! I posed the same question to my legionaries and they told me that the worry was unnecessary. Unlike modern people who lock themselves up in their own flats and rooms without knowing their neighbour, it was not so in ancient times when the community was more closely knitted. People in a village knew each other well. In contrast, it is not uncommon today for people to call the police to break into flats when they smell of the stench of rotting corpse of home alone neighbour next door! In short, the widow’s neighbour would take care of her daily needs and in return, she might do some house chores for her neighbour. That might also account for the source of her two brass coins! Not long afterwards, when the early Church came into existence on the Pentecost, this poor widow might be among the first 3000 converts and started the trend of widow membership, making the Church a more conspicuous sign of God’s mercy on earth! Thus, the Church is on her right path nowadays in upholding the “preferential option for the poor”. “Love for widows and orphans, prisoners, and the sick and needy of every kind is as essential as the ministry of sacraments and preaching of the Gospel” (Pope Benedict XVI, “Deus Caritas Est”, §22, 2005).

Beloved brethren! Representing God on earth, the People of God should take care of widows and orphans until the social services departments of a state are able to take over the mission. Then the Church shall move on to feed the hunger of other disadvantaged. We don’t have to worry about the resources because God will provide (Genesis 22:8) and multiply. Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: reddit.com/r/AncientCoins

傳教容易信教難 It is EASY to Evangelize but DIFFICULT to Believe

追福系列（三）
傳教容易信教難（路13:22-30）

天主固然「願意所有的人都得救，並得以認識真理」（弟前2:4），但事實擺在眼前，願意信教得救的人並不多。一方面，大部份已經奉教的教友，認為傳教是聖職人員的任務，與自己無關。他們樂意為聖召祈禱，為傳教事業捐獻，卻不願意向身邊的親友「講耶穌」。即使知道身為教友有傳福音的本份，也會以不同的藉口，把輕而易舉的傳福音工作，看成登天的難事：我沒有時間、我沒有口才、我怕講異端，誤人子弟、我怕被拒絕、我怕政權打壓、我怕…其實，時間是天主賞賜的，「在天主前一日如千年，千年如一日」（伯後3:8; 詠90:4），何來沒有時間呢？說話的又不是你，而是聖神透過你說話（瑪10:20; 谷13:11），何來沒有口才呢？又怎可能說異端呢？如何你怕被拒絕，你一定沒有享受過靈魂的舒暢，天主的安慰了！「憂愁焦思雖然齊集我的心神，祢的安慰卻舒暢了我的靈魂」（詠94:19）。倘若你怕現世的政權，「你們不知道我們連天使都要審判嗎？」（格前6:3）對於凱撒，何懼之有呢？

另一方面，聽到天主願意與罪人修和的福音後，不是人人都會輕易接受這真理的。今天的福音指出，聽眾要有「竭力由窄門而入」（路13:24）的心理準備；相信耶穌基督有如參加障礙賽，聽福音的人要「過五關，斬六將」，衝破很多關卡。首先，他們要排除宗教信仰是迷信的偏見；其次，宗教信仰不是教人行善避惡的倫理道德那麼簡單；第三，認真面對我們一手創造的科技，並不能消滅邪惡，帶來公義與幸福；第四，人擁有永生的可能；最後，末日已經迫在眉睫！且看「人工智能」正迅速崛起，不斷挑戰「人之所以是人」的防線。「智人 homo sapiens」已經失守了，下一道防線是「道德/價值觀」，最後是「靈性/永生」。很多人仍然躲在自己的「安樂窩」裡，不知大限將至。

但願天主繼續看顧著我們，亞孟！
天主保祐！

生命恩泉

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Gospel Chase (III)
It is EASY to Evangelize but DIFFICULT to Believe (Luke 13:22-30)

Of course God our saviour “wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4), but in reality, not many people are willing to believe and be saved. On one hand, most of the laity think that evangelization is the task of the clergy. It is none of their business. They are willing to pray for vocation and donate for evangelization, but are reluctant to “talk Jesus” among relatives and friends. Even if they know that it is the duty of the baptized to proclaim the gospel, they would deploy various excuses to make evangelization as difficult as flying to the moon: I have no time; I am not eloquent; I fear I may speak heresies, misleading the audience; being rejected feels bad; I fear that the state would suppress; I fear … In fact, time is given by God, “That with the LORD one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day” (2 Peter 3:8; Psalms 90:4). How can we have no time? “It will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10:20; Mark 13:11), how come we have no eloquence? And how can the Spirit speak heresy? If you are afraid of being rejected, your soul must have never enjoyed God’s comfort! “When cares increase within me, your comfort gives me joy” (Psalms 94:18). If you are afraid of worldly rulers, “Do you not know that we will judge angels?” (1 Corinthians 6:3). Then what is so fearsome about Caesar?

On the other hand, after hearing the good news that God wills to reconcile with sinners, not everybody will receive this truth easily. The gospel text today says that the audience should psychologically be prepared “to strive to enter through the narrow door” (Luke 13:24). Believing in Jesus Christ is like participating in steeplechases. The audience need to overcome many obstacles. Firstly, they need to eliminate the prejudice that faith in God is irrational. Secondly, religious faiths are not simply morality that teaches people to do good. Thirdly, we need to acknowledge that the technology that we create is unable to eliminate evil and to bring justice as well as happiness. Fourthly, men possess the potential of eternal life. Lastly, the end is close at hand! Take a look at the recent quick rise of AI which continuously challenges our bulwark of “What makes human human”. Homo Sapiens has lost. Our next defence is “morality/value system” and the last one is “spirituality/eternal life”. Many people are still hiding in their comfort zone, not knowing that the end is imminent. Pray that God continues to look upon us. Amen!
God bless!

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Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

The Meaning Of Hope 希望的意義

Thirtieth Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: The Meaning Of Hope 希望的意義

We are approaching the end of the liturgical year. Thus, the message conveyed in the readings is pregnant with end time themes. One of the existential puzzles humanity confront is the problem of suffering. How can a benevolent God allow men to suffer for no meaningful purposes? Turn the perspective around and we will ask with what can we sustain long periods of sufferings? In the readings today, I find some enlightenments with which you don’t have to agree.

The first reading from Jeremiah is very encouraging and gives some of us a lot of hope. I said “some of us” because Jeremiah seems to refer to a minority. God speaks through Jeremiah in these words, “Shout with joy for Jacob, exult at the head of the nations; proclaim your praise and say: The LORD has saved His people, the remnant of Israel” (Jeremiah 31:7b). Didn’t St. Paul write that God our Saviour “wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4)? Then why does the LORD only save the remnant of Israel, but not all? Let’s face it! The idea of “hell” has always been in God’s mind probably even before Creation. Thus, the hell is NOT nothing. It won’t be empty. At the end of the world, Satan and the rebellious angels will be exiled there and they will not be lonely. People who have abused in their earthly life the freedom of will that God gave them will join Satan in hell. The hell is NOT a joke. Satan and the fallen angels would definitely find pleasure in torturing the pitiful humanity in hell! When the prophets announce that the LORD would save the remnant of Israel, they have already hinted at this eventuality: that a portion of humanity, a portion of God’s images, would be lost and end up in hell!

Has God not been fair, telling us His likes and dislikes, so that we will not be condemned in hell? No! He has worked for more than three millennia to save as many of us as possible. He made friends with Abraham and raised his offspring into a Chosen People. He established a covenant, the Sinai Covenant with them and gave them the Torah to guide them. To honour His pledge to Abraham, the Chosen People would be a blessing to the nations, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will find blessing in you” (Genesis 12:3). You may complain that the Torah is too harsh and God does not hesitate to establish a new covenant with the Chosen People as He has promised in the second half of Jeremiah’s prophecy in this chapter. God says, “See, days are coming --- oracle of the LORD --- when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31). In short, God does not hesitate to give humanity a second chance. How do we know that the new covenant is not as harsh as the old one? The Bible is an open book which everyone may inspect. Let’s read on! “I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people … Everyone, from least to greatest, shall know me --- oracle of the LORD --- for I will forgive their iniquity and no longer remember their sin” (31:33-34). Judge for yourself! Which court on earth would forgive your debts and no longer remember your crimes? What else can we demand from such a merciful God? Tell God what else God has NOT done to guarantee us a room in heaven!

Jeremiah’s prophecy is saturated with images of hope. God says, “Look! I will bring them back from the land of the north; I will gather them from the ends of the earth, the blind and the lame in their midst. Pregnant women, together with those in labour --- an immense throng --- they shall return” (31:8). What’s “the land of the north”? Jeremiah was referring to the Babylonian Empire in the north which would conquer Judah. Why “gather them from the ends of the earth”? Since the Babylonian Captivity, Jews have been scattered around the globe. This scattering became worse after their second revolt against the Roman Empire which resulted in the Jews being banished from Palestine since the second century. The Jewish diaspora has a long history and is very different in essence from the overseas Chinese communities. Still, God’s promise is full of hope because among the remnant are pregnant women together with those in labour! Hong Kong suffers from an extremely low birth rate, worse than those highly prosperous developed regions in this planet. Therefore, it is not an economic indicator but a political indicator! It is a vote of no confidence to the political system. With the approach of the 1997 handover, many people voted with their feet. Those who remained voted with their wombs. The 2019 social movements resulted in another wave of migration and another drop of fertility rate as well as house prices! God’s pledges in Jeremiah 31 are truly encouraging! In contrast to the policy of importing economic talents from the land of the north to fill up the economical capability void created by the brain drain as well as the fertility drop, God includes the blind and the lame as well as the pregnant and those in labour! Who is wiser, the LORD God or the mandarins working in air-conditioned offices? I will suspend my judgment and I advise you to follow me because only time could prove! I confess that I have been guilty of being imprudent in raising the comparison although I am painfully aware of the speculation of other political commentators.

The gospel today tells the story of Jesus restoring the sight of Bartimaeus and Jesus concludes the story by saying, “Go your way; your faith has saved you” (Mark 10:52). It seems that the main theme of the Eucharistic celebration today is “faith”. I beg to differ. I opine that the main theme should be “hope”. Of course, “faith” is fundamental. Before we place our hope in God, we should have faith in Him first and not with other deities. We believe that the LORD God is almighty as well as faithful. He will honour His pledges and promises. However, “hope” describes better our present state because we need to remember that God has a different time-frame from ours. His grand plans usually take eons to accomplish. Before God honours His pledges and promises, we need to remain hopeful and patient. Therefore, I offer to meditate today’s gospel from the stand point of Bartimaeus.

We do not know whether Bartimaeus was born blind or not. Let us assume that he was, then we have another incident of healing a man born blind recorded in John 9. In John 9, Jesus’ key message is, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind” (John 9:39). Jesus was referring to the religious authority who treated Him as an enemy. In the story of Bartimaeus, he called Jesus “Son of David” which means the Messiah. At that time, most Jews anticipated the Messiah, an offspring of King David, to liberate them from the Roman colonial rule. Thus, when Jesus foretold His passion and resurrection, the Apostles failed to accept Him. They were expecting a military leader instead of a suffering servant whom God has in mind (Mark 8:33). We do not know whether Bartimaeus shared the same anticipation with the other Jews or not. From how the other people treated him, “And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent” (10:48), we may concluded that the blind were excluded from the mainstream ideology of the time. In fact, from Bartimaeus’ point of view, how could a military leader restore his sight? Moreover, Jews usually thought that illness might be a punishment from God. Thus, when Bartimaeus replied, “Master, I want to see” (10:51), most likely, he was begging Jesus to forgive his sins. Thus, while most people, including the Apostles were blind to Jesus’ true mission, blind Bartimaeus saw clearly that Jesus, the Messiah and the Son of Man has the authority to forgive sin on earth (2:10), to reconcile God and sinners! We do not know how long had Bartimaeus been blind. But I am sure the news about Jesus of Nazareth must have given him a hope of seeing and the patience to suffer prejudices and ill-treatments against the blind in the society.

Beloved brethren! Do you place your hope in Jesus, or entrust your security in power and wealth? Make sure you do not embrace a false hope. Otherwise, you will be extremely disappointed on the Last Day. Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

To Speak New Languages 說新語言

Mission Sunday, Year B
Theme: To Speak New Languages 說新語言

The gospel passage today is taken from the second ending of the gospel according to Mark. The first one ends with the pious women “fled from the tomb, seized with trembling and bewilderment. They said nothing to anyone for they were afraid” (Mark 16:8). How can a gospel, which is supposed to be a good news, end in such a negative manner? Therefore, we have a more positive and longer ending that hints at Jesus’ apparitions mentioned in the other gospels, namely the apparition to Mary Magdalene and the two disciples returning to Emmaus and of course it includes Jesus’ ascension.

The passage today reports how Jesus appeared to the Eleven at dinnertime (16:14) and commissioned them to proclaim the good news. It must have been the first Easter evening when Matthias was not yet chosen from a bigger circle to replace Judas (Acts 1:26). The narrative of this apparition in Mark is significant in highlighting the importance of the “college” of Apostles in the Church. Matthew and Mark clearly state that Jesus appeared to the Eleven while narratives in the other two gospels suggest the presence of other disciples (Luke 24:33-36; John 20:19-29). When Paul wrote to the Ephesians, he says, “You are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the capstone” (Ephesians 2:19b-20). Paul pointed out an important truth, namely that apostles are the foundation of the House of God, i.e. the Church. Believers in general are the members of this House of God. What these people believe are handed down from the Apostles who for about three years had lived with and to learn from Jesus Christ who would send them forth to preach the good news (Mark 3:14). The Eleven/Twelve would bear witness and to hand down their first-hand experience to believers. That is also what nowadays the congregation profess weekly on Sundays when they recite “I believe in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church”! Not only is Pope Francis the 265^th successor to St. Peter, but all Catholic bishops are also consecrated by bishops whose consecration line goes all they way back to the Apostles!

Another point of interest in the narration of the Great Commission of Jesus is the extensive target of evangelization. Unlike the other Synoptic Evangelists, Mark wrote, “He [Jesus] said to them, ‘Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature’” (16:15). Not only should we proclaim the good news to all nations/peoples all over the whole world, but we should also proclaim the gospel to every creature, to cats, crocodiles, serpents, wolves, trees, mountains, waterfalls and rivers as well as the whole Creation. We don’t have the King Solomon’s Ring. How do we proclaim the resurrection of Jesus to birds and COVID virus? If we are not able to proclaim the good news to them, how can they believe? Mark continues, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned” (16:16). Then all animals would be condemned! In fact, how do we know and decide/judge that an animal believes or not? They do not possess souls like human. Do they need salvation? But Paul shares the same sentiment with Mark when he wrote, “For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; for creation was made subject to futility … in hope that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Romans 8:19-21). From a mega perspective, the Creation is currently suffering from different types of pollutions that are caused by human greed and irresponsibility. Therefore, it is fair to describe the situation as a “slavery to corruption”. When Pope Francis issues papal documents, unlike his predecessors, he seldom issues an encyclical which has the highest binding authority in the Catholic Church. He usually issues apostolic exhortations and motu proprios which are less binding in the Church. Of his eleven years of pontificate so far, Pope Francis has only issued two encyclicals: Laudato si in 2015 which deals with the care for our planet; and Fratelli tutti in 2020 on brotherhood and social friendship in the post-COVID era. All humanity are related and we owe our Mother Nature an apology! Mark’s narration provides a broader vision for us.

Some people feel offended to read that “whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16b). Such a language contradicts what today’s second reading expresses. Paul writes to Timothy and says, “[God our saviour] wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). God is merciful no matter how sinister human beings can be. In the Old Testament, God had already spoken through the prophets His merciful intention, “For I find no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies --- oracle of the LORD God. Turn back and live” (Ezekiel 18:32).
Alas! People are selective in their hearing and enjoy quoting texts out of context. Perhaps John’s famous proof-text is clearer in this topic but again it is usually NOT quoted in full. John writes, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:16-17). Therefore, when Jesus says in Mark that whoever does not believe will be condemned, the person is not condemned by God. If not by God, then by whom? The person himself! The person has abused the freedom which God gives and chooses NOT to believe and follow/obey, thus cutting himself off from the True Vine (10:5), from the Tree of Life (Genesis 2:9), from the life of God. During the Last Supper, John proclaims that He is the Way, and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). But modern people prefer fashionable trends to Jesus Christ, the Truth and His gospel. God cannot contradict Himself. He is free and therefore He respects the freedom of His images and will not impose salvation on those who choose NOT to believe. In short, God would not stop sinners from committing sins. In his writing against disordered homosexuality, Paul writes vividly, “God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies” (Romans 1:24). Sinners need to take part in their own salvation and cannot just fold their hands to wait passively for God’s deliverance. Jesus’ advice is clear and simple, “This is the time of fulfilment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). God has done all the preparations. It is up to us to take the first step: to repent and to believe in Jesus Christ.

The gospel text today contains many threads of thoughts, one of which rings particularly loudly in my ears. “These signs will accompany those who believe: …, they will speak new languages” (16:17). The ability/fluency to speak new languages is essential for missionaries to proclaim the good news to peoples of a different tongue. Ordinary Catholics believe but we are not missionaries preaching overseas. What new languages are we able to speak here locally? In fact, all believers are the People of God, and therefore all are missionaries whether they travel overseas or not because evangelization is not the privilege of the clergy nor of the consecrated religious. The new languages we speak are the language of love and care.
First of all, we do not gossip and spread rumours to hurt or to harm others. This is the base line and minimum requirement of being a Catholic: to speak truth. Secondly, we show care and concern for the good of the people in need. Indeed, each person is different. What consoles one may not be helpful to another. Here, attentive listening is essential. We need to cater our language and our tone appropriately for the needs of our neighbour. Indeed, we are speaking a new language of love to each of the different people we meet!

Beloved brethren! Pray that the merciful God infuses us with the fire of the Holy Spirit to heal the wounds of the Creation. Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

Render To Caesar What Belongs To Caesar

Render To Caesar What Belongs To Caesar

by Deacon Alex Kwok

Catholics hold dual nationality. This is a reality beyond dispute. Catholics belong to the Kingdom of Heaven as well as the local state. Thus, we have to live with two different sets of laws, God’s laws as well as local laws. Each local government has her own legislature to define laws appropriate to the local living conditions. What about God’s laws? We can find God’s laws in the Bible which was nearly 2 millennia old. You and I are historical animals living in a particular time and space. Therefore, we need to adapt God’s laws to the living conditions of the present age. For example, the Torah which Moses wrote, requires that people should offer burnt offerings and sacrifices at the place God chooses as His dwelling place (Deuteronomy 12:11). During the time of kings, the place was the Jerusalem Temple which was destroyed in 70 A.D.

Nowadays, there is no Jerusalem Temple anymore and we do not offer burnt offerings because Jesus Christ is our perfect Paschal Lamb. Thus, the Church has a set of canon laws to help Catholics lead their lives in the modern world. We no longer observe Sabbath which celebrates God’s rest after Creation; but the Lord’s Day, the first day of the week to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. To meet the need of Catholics living in commercial societies like Hong Kong, the Church sets up anticipatory Sunday masses for parishioners who need to work on Sundays etc.

The Catholic Church seems to be very conservative in matters of marriage, but it is for the spiritual good of the faithful. First of all, the Church has to acknowledge the validity of civil marriages of non-believers because marriage is a natural human right and it serves social functions such as settling inheritance disputes. But the Church sees the union as something more than ordinary social contracts. Marriage is a covenant because Christ takes the Church as His spouse. Therefore, matrimony is one of the seven sacraments. Thus, in order for Catholic marriages to be valid, the Church requires clergy to marry Catholic couple, a man and a woman, in a church. This is a clear example to demonstrate how Catholics have to observe two different sets of laws. The good Lord’s teaching is relevant here. When Pharisees and Herodians joined hand to trap Jesus, asking Him whether it was lawful to pay tax to Caesar, the good Lord gave us a crystal clear guideline: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17). Beloved brethren! What things are NOT God’s?

Alas! People in power are more prone to playing God, grasping everything. Power blinds them so easily that they forget who the boss is. In secular terms, people vote them into office. They are mere stewards of the people they serve rather than being masters lording over the commoners. However, authority corrupts them so that they invest their efforts to fatten themselves instead of eradicating poverty; divert resources to build white elephant projects to prove themselves among world leaders instead of improving the living conditions of low-income families, creating more job opportunities for school leavers, enhancing the marketability of worker’s skills and guaranteeing basic health care for all etc.

Beloved brethren! Let us join the Pope to pray for political leaders in August. “For kings, and for all in authority; that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:2). May God infuse the fear of the Lord in their mind and love in their hearts so that they work for integral human development and for the common good. May they turn their gaze to meet the needs of the poor and the unemployed. Amen.
God bless!

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Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

Do You See John the Baptist Today? 今天你看到洗者若翰嗎？

Second Advent Sunday, Year B
Theme: Do You See John the Baptist Today? 今天你看到洗者若翰嗎？

Christians have acquired a perspective of the world different from the mundane secular way because of their faith in Lord Jesus Christ. While a commercial society like Hong Kong encourages people to be hardworking and persuade her citizens that effort pays, Christianity tells followers of Christ to leave everything in God’s hand because He shall provide (Genesis 22:8). Modern societies advocate utilitarianism and cost-benefit-analysis while Christ teaches poverty (Luke 6:20b; Matthew 5:3); the societies ambition while Christ meekness (5:5) etc. Everybody agrees that no man is an island. All of us need to live in a social network. While most people prefer building networks with likeable, powerful and wealthy people, Jesus Christ advises people to see and seek Him among the needy and the socially marginalized (25:40)! In short, secular worldviews see not human beings but carbon based objects for exploitation. In contrast, Christianity sees the dignified human beings in their souls.

As we are still in the first stage of Advent season in which we meditate on the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, in other words, the end of the world, we are expecting Christ the Universal King to restore and renew this sin-infested world. The first reading today reassures us that the end of the world is a time of consolation. The Lord God shall comfort us, instead of destroying us in His second coming. “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and proclaim to her servitude has ended, that her guilt is expiated, that she has received from the hand of the Lord double for all her sins” (Isaiah 40:1-2). Indeed, we seem to have increased our benefits when we are selfish and exploit others but we shall suffer all the consequences of sinning in the future. The punishment may have already begun the moment we sin. Most likely, we start to notice only years or even decades later that we are repaying the debts! By then, we might have repaid more than double the damages we had made. We would have repented earlier if we had known the extent of damages we caused in sinning. Therefore, the earlier we repent the better. Knowing this is comforting enough for even the worst sinner of the world who used to believing that he is irredeemable! No! The good news is that our God wants none of this. On an individual level, He “wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). On a broader level, “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19). Thus, the end time is comforting for followers of Christ.

In order to receive this gospel of consolation and reconciliation, people must prepare their hearts. This was where John the Baptist came in. He came to prepare the hearts of the Jews who were anticipating a liberator, the Messiah who would deliver them from the colonial Roman rule. No, God has a grander plan. Isaiah foretold the mission of the Baptist with this oracle, “Every valley shall be lifted up, every mountain and hill made low; the rugged land shall be a plain, the rough country a broad valley” (Isaiah 40:4). The gospel of Mark summarizes those high, low, rugged and rough qualities into one sentence, the mission statement of the Baptist, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths” (Mark 1:3b). The gospel continues to describe his message. “John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (1:4). This message is simple: Repent and your sins will be forgiven! To repent means to lift yourself up out of your comfort zones, to make low your arrogance, to become simple like powerless children instead of being calculating like a strategist; and lastly to maintain a meek attitude instead of an imposing stance towards others to get things done in your way. Not only shall life be easier but you shall obtain more graces from the Lord God.

Let’s take a look at the image of John the Baptist and how effective it is, “John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey” (1:6). This image is unique. We are unable to locate any similar counterpart in the Old Testament. This unique image of “A voice of one crying out in the wilderness” (1:3a) might portray in the hearts of contemporary Jews a righteous prophet who was fearless in criticising Herod Antipas. However, this image does not have the same effect on modern readers. We can only find a homeless self-murmuring stinking beggar listlessly wandering in the city who does not attract faithful disciples but thugs of children to stone him. What can we make out of such a Baptist in societies like Hong Kong? If Pope Francis is right is exhorting us to learn from the poor and that the poor evangelize us, what can we learn from those homeless Baptists in Hong Kong?

It is superficial and tempting to see the pitiful homeless as an accusation against the powerful and the wealthy in the society; a protest against the collusion of civil-servants with merchants, of oppressive as well as exploitative policies against the minorities like what John the Baptist accused Herod Antipas against his setting a bad example. Yes, as spokepersons of God, Christians have the responsibility to criticize the evils they see. However, it is not as shallow as such. We should never bark aloud the evils of the powerful and wealthy but forget to look at the positive teachings of the merciful Lord. So, let us survey deeper what theology of poverty Pope Francis distills from the Scriptures for us.

1. In 2013, eight months after being elected Pope, Francis promolgated his first Apostolic Exhortation in which he says, “I want a Church which is poor and for the poor. They have much to teach us … We need to let ourselves be evangelized by them. The new evangelization is an invitation to acknowledge the saving power at work in their lives and to put them at the centre of the Church’s pilgrim way” (Evangelii Gaudium, #198). What can we learn from the poor? Pope Francis elaborated this point in subsequent messages issued on the World Day of the Poor.
2. “Let us welcome them [the poor] as honoured guests at our table; they can be teachers who help us live the faith more consistently. With their trust and readiness to receive help, they show us in a quiet and often joyful way, how essential it is to live simply and to abandon ourselves to God’s providence” (2017 Message, par. 7). Indeed, most of our sins are sins of insistence of our autonomy and rejections of God’s providence. Are we able to see how the poor live more correctly in the sight of God?
3. “Christ’s disciples … are called to honour the poor and to give them precedence, out of the conviction that they are a true presence of Jesus in our midst” (2018 Message, par. 7). Pope Francis reaffirms once more the fundamental stance of the Church: option for the poor.
4. “The poor are persons to be encountered; they are lonely, young and old, to be invited to our homes to share a meal; men, women and children who look for a friendly word. The poor save us because they enable us to encournter the face of Jesus Christ” (2019 Message, par. 9). This is the very challenge. Do we see the face of Christ in the poor?
5. “The freedom bestowed through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ makes us individually responsible for serving others, especially the weakest. This is not an option, but rather a sign of authenticity of the faith we profess” (2020 Message, par. 8). Faith in Christ gains us freedom. With freedom, we became responsible for our words and deeds. Here lies our freedom. Either we choose to help the needy, making our faith an authentic faith, or we choose not to extend a helping hand, making ourselves contradictory persons. We begin seeing more concrete examples.
6. “The poor … know well how to respond with generosity … The poor often teach us about solidarity and sharing … They retain the dignity of God’s children that nothing and no one can take away from them” (2021 Message, par. 6). The poor teach us solidarity and sharing. Their dignity of God’s children cannot be denied.
7. “The sense of weakness and limitation that we have experienced in these recent years, and now the tragedy of the war with its global repercussions, must teach us one crucial thing: we are not in this world merely to survive, but to live a dignified and happy life … Encountering the poor enables us to put an end to many of our anxieties and empty fears, and to arrive at what truly matters in life, the treasue that no one can steal from us: true and gratuitous love. The poor, before being the object of our almsgiving are people who can help set us free from the snares of anxiety and superficiality” (2022 Message, par. 8). We are entitled to a dignified and happy life which the poor can teach us.
8. “The Book of Tobit teaches us to be realistic and practical in whatever we do with and for the poor. This is a mtatter of justice; it requires us to seek out and find one another, in order to foster the harmony needed for the community to feel itself as such. Caring for the poor is more than simply a matter of hasty hand-out; it calls for reestablishing the just interpersonal relationships that poverty harms” (2023 Message, par. 8). Therefore, caring for the poor is a matter of justice which Christianity insists.

Beloved brethren! We don’t need to talk theology fluently. What we need to do is to seek out the poor and seal a relationship with them. Amen.
God bless!

Before we finish, let us enjoy some timely Handel music.

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2020 Reflection
Picture Credit: shutterstock.com

Are The Prudent Virgins Selfish? 明智的童女自私嗎？

Thirty-Second Ordinary Sunday, Year A
Theme: Are The Prudent Virgins Selfish? 明智的童女自私嗎？

Some civilizations are very pragmatic. For example, one finds a lot of practical knowledge in the Chinese culture and less analytic philosophy. There are world renowned classics such as “孫子兵法The Art of War”, “墨子Mozi”, “黃帝內經The Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor” and “九章算經The Nine Chapters” etc. Of course, there are philosophy classics, such as “易經The Book of Changes” and “道德經Dao De Jing”. But they are more poetic than their Greek counterparts which are more analytic. Moreover, ancient Chinese philosophers quickly gravitate towards morality instead of investigating being-ness or the essence of existence! Perhaps the languages they speak have already delimited the ways of thinking available to them. Thus, it is important to know yourself. It applies to both individuals and civilizations alike because language plays the most essential part in their communications. In Chinese, 「知人者智，自知者明。He who knows others is discerning, he who knows himself is intelligent. 勝人者有力，自勝者強 He who overcomes other is strong, he who overcomes himself is mighty.」 （道德經Dao Te Jing）After all, when you attain a certain level of awareness, language does not seem to matter anymore!

In the case of “智wisdom”, it appears only in 22 verses among pre-Qin Chinese classics. Most of them tie with “仁beneficence”. In them we read 「仁智」 together in the same breath, showing the moralistic tendency of Chinese philosophy. There are a few instances of 「聖智」, but we need to be careful with the word 「聖」 because among pre-Qin Chinese classics, it appears in 146 verses covering a wide range of usages. It does not mean being holy, other or sacred in the Judaea-Christian sense! Anyway, wisdom is among the 五常five Chinese Constant Virtues, viz. 仁beneficence, 義righteousness, 禮propriety, 智wisdom and 信trustworthiness. Wisdom is more or less, equivalent to “prudence” of the Greek cardinal virtues.

Thus, in the Chinese eyes, the five wise virgins in the parable today were not wise at all because they did not show any beneficence towards their needy fellow sisters. “No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves” (Matthew 25:9). It was probably prudent of them not to share oil but such a decision backfired to badmouth them. They sounded rather selfish, treating their fellow sisters like rivals. Doesn’t Jesus teach us to “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you” (7:12)? Put themselves in the shoes of the foolish virgins, the prudent ones would also want somebody to help them by sharing oil with them. Later, Jesus also teaches us to help the needy, viz. the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the homeless, the sick and the imprisoned. In helping the needy, we are serving the Lord, our King (25:40). Furthermore, their refusal to share seems to go against the doctrine of “communion of saints”! Judging from these criteria, the so-called wise virgins did not deserve to enter the Kingdom of Heaven! But we should not judge the prudent virgins too harshly because the foolish virgins were not the needy who were unable to make ends meet. Moreover, the “communion of saints”, namely helping the needy fellow Christians is not a compulsory commandment. Helping needy fellow sisters is meritorious only because it is voluntary. Therefore, there are not sufficient evidences to condemn the prudent virgins.

The Chinese way of seeing things does not have the final say. It is because there are many other ways to understand the parable. First, we should try to interpret a piece of text with other passages from the same book. So, where else in Matthew can we find lamp and light? In Chapter 5, Jesus says, “Nor do they light a lamp … Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (5:15-16). Therefore, the lamp and thus the light of the virgins symbolizes the good deeds we have done on earth. Then the oil must be the desire and the will to serve the needy. If this interpretation is correct, how can we share the desire and the will to serve the needy with others unless you are a saint like St. Francis of Assisi or St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who were able to inspire others to pursue generously the beatific poverty? Thus, we cannot brand the prudent virgins selfish because the desire and the will to serve and help the needy is the virtue of charity which cannot be shared and do not emerge overnight. The perfection of virtues come from practices.

Though we do not have sufficient evidence to condemn the foolish virgins, the Lord does. He says, “Amen, I say to you, I do not know you” (25:12). Please notice that the word “know εἴδω” appears 43 times in Matthew, 21 times rendered as “know” and 20 times “see”! Let’s not talk about the intimacy conveyed by the word “know” for the time being. Just imagine, the Lord tells you in the face, “I do not see you … help the homeless on the streets, care for the hospitalized, join masses on Sundays, adore the Eucharist and confess your sins etc. in Church …” How can those practising Catholics help you? They cannot do it for you. Those practising Catholics have done their share in showing you examples. It is up to you to follow or not. If your priorities in life are different from theirs, it is your choice and your responsibility and not theirs. In fact, if we turn to the intimacy nuances of the word “know”, it is all the more obvious that your relationship with the Lord is unique and nobody can take your place and do it in your stead. Alas! Modern people care more about their comfort, convenience and security than the salvation of their souls. What else can we do?

As for the issue of the “communion of saints”, it is true that we cannot transfer our “merits” because they are not transferable as shown above. However, the prudent virgins can still intercede for those foolish virgins! The stories of Abraham (Genesis 18) and Moses (Exodus 32) are instructive. Since the prudent virgins are already in the company of the bridegroom like the saints in heaven who have better access to the heavenly King. Therefore, the prudent virgins may beg the Lord, not out of the “merits” they have achieved, but out of His benevolent mercy, to open the heavenly gate, admitting those foolish virgins. Such an act of intercession is what the Lord wants and would lead to a very happy ending for the whole universe! The Lord says, “This is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what He gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day” (John 6:39) and “He wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Lord, Your Will be done! Amen.
Beloved brethren! Let us pray that the victorious Church in heaven remember to intercede for us. Amen.

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2020 Reflection
Picture Credit: ainvaresart.com

天國無疆界 Royaume des Cieux Sans Frontière

天國系列（二）
天國無疆界（瑪13:36-43）

比喻是一些簡單易明的故事，有它們的局限性，因此祇能表述真理的某些部份。在常年期第十六主日，福音記載了耶穌基督用「莠子的比喻」來講述「天國」的奧秘（瑪13:24-30）；今天祂解釋當中事物所象徵的意義（13:37-43b），大家可以自己閱讀理解。我倒想在這裡反省耶穌基督沒有解說的事物，或許可以拾獲一些寶貝，也未可知！

首先，故事發生在「主人的田裡」（13:24），驟耳聽來好像包含了「地域、界限」的觀念，難道「天國」有「疆界」嗎？當然沒有！天主創造了整個可見與不可見的宇宙，所以，祂的管治權包羅萬有，超越了任何疆界。所謂「普天之下，莫非王土；率土之濱，莫非王臣。」（詩經‧北山）注意，我在斷章取義！【聖詠】說得最清楚：「我若上升於高天，祢已在那裡；我若下降於陰府，祢也在那裡」（詠139:8）。除了物理的空間外，還有心理上的空間。古今中外，也會用「田地」來象徵心靈。它是一片更深廣遼闊的空間，所以【聖詠】的作者這樣說：「上主，祢鑒察了我，也認清了我…祢由遠處已明徹我的思考…我的舌頭尚未發言，上主，看，祢已經知悉周全」（139:1b-4）。的確，天主願意所有的人都得救，並得以認識真理（弟前2:4），既然天主無處不在，並且因為祂願意所有人得救，祂無微不至地照顧著祂所創造的萬物和人類，所以「天國」是沒有「疆界」的。

「莠子比喻」的主題，指出天主在今世終結前，容許惡人存在，准許惡事發生。因此，我們面對發生在我們四周的罪惡時，固然應該哀慟（瑪5:4），但不可因此而懷疑天主對人類的慈愛，失去了得救的希望。因為天父喜歡以痛苦激發我們的潛質，藉挫折培養我們的堅忍。世界是充斥著各種罪惡，國家如是，教會亦不會例外。

親愛的諸位，在你們的眼中，今天的教會醜聞纏身，但請不要對耶穌基督的慈愛，失去信心和希望，離開祂的新娘。
天主保祐！
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：jw.org

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Kingdom of Heaven Series (II)
Royaume des Cieux Sans Frontière (Matthew 13:36-43)

Parables are some simple stories which are easy to understand. They have limitations and therefore can tell only some parts of the truth. On the Sixteenth Ordinary Sunday, the gospel passage tells us that Jesus Christ makes use of the Parable of Wheat and Weeds to narrate the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 13:24-30). Today He explains what the images symbolize (13:37-43b). I’m sure all of you are able to understand the Lord’s explanation. Therefore, I would rather meditate on what Jesus Christ has not explained. Perhaps we may be able to unearth some more gems!

First of all, the story happens “in his field” (13:24). It sounds as if it is carrying the concept of “border and territory”. Does the Kingdom of Heaven have border(s)? Of course not! God created all the visible and invisible things in the known universe. Thus, His sovereignty embraces all and transcends all boundaries. Allow me to quote out of context, “Under the wide heaven, isn’t all the king’s land? Within the sea-boundaries of the land, aren’t all the king’s servants?” (Bei Shan, Book of Poetry). The Psalter sings more plainly, “If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I lie down in Sheol, there you are” (Psalms 139:8). Other than the physical space, there is also the psychological one. Throughout all ages, all peoples deploy “the field” to symbolize the heart. It is a deeper, broader, wider and more comprehensive space. Earlier the Psalter sings, “Lord, you have probed me, you know me … you understand my thoughts from afar … Even before a word is on my tongue, Lord, you know it all” (139:1b-4). Indeed, He wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). Since He is omnipresent and because He desires all to be saved, He takes care of His Creation and men meticulously. Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven has no borders.

The theme of the Parable of Wheat and Weeds tells us that before the end of this age, God allows the wicked to live and evil things to happen. Thus, when sins are happening around us, we should mourn (Matthew 5:4) but we should not thus doubt God’s mercy towards us and lose the hope of salvation. It is because the Father likes to stimulate our potentials with pains and to build up our endurance with frustrations. The world is infested with sins, so are the nations. The Church is not exempted.

Beloved brethren! In your eyes, may be the Church today is scanalized. Please do not lose faith and hope in the mercy of Jesus Christ and leave His Bride.
God bless!

Let Us Pray For A Eucharistic Life

Let Us Pray For A Eucharistic Life

Deacon Alex Kwok

After nearly a month of relocation preparations, our church renovation is in full swing. Masses are celebrated in two different venues: OLMC at Star Street 1 and St. Francis’ Canossian School Chapel next door, less than a hundred metres away. Our parish priest Fr. Thomas Law ensures that there are enough priests to celebrate; sufficient number of extraordinary ministers, acolytes, lectors, choristers and ushers to serve masses because the Eucharistic celebration “is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time, it is the font from which all her power flows” (SC #10)¹. The parish has the obligation to provide enough number of masses in a solemn and decent environment for all parishioners and visitors to draw strength from so that “Nobody is left out”.

Our Lord who promises to give us living water (John 7:38) is the font. To honour His pledge to accompany us until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20), Jesus Christ who is now seated at the right hand of the Father, defending us as our Mediator (Isaiah 53:12; 1 Timothy 2:5) against Satan’s accusations day and night (Revelation 12:10), makes Himself present among us in at least four different manners.

1. John the Apostle and Evangelist tells us that Jesus Christ is the Word of God with whom the Father created the known universe (John 1:1-3). For our sake, God inspires elected people to write and hand down His Word for posterity. We encounter Jesus Christ when we read the Bible in a prayerful manner.
2. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Thus, when Catholics come together to pray, Jesus is present among us. The Eucharistic celebration is the most comprehensive manner of community prayer. We confess our sins, listen to the Word of God and sing psalms to thank and praise the Lord together.
3. During the Last Supper, Jesus Christ instituted the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist (26:26-28). When we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in mass, we become one with Him (John 6:56) and one with all who participate in the same Eucharist all over this planet.
   
4. Lastly, Jesus reveals to us that we are able to serve Him among the poor, the needy, the marginalized and the abused, “And the King will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:40). Thus, we continue to visit the homeless at eleven different locations all over Hong Kong during the renovation project on Friday evenings.

Brethren! What else has our Lord not done to make Himself accessible and available? Now, the ball is in our court. If you are unable to spare time reading the Bible on a daily basis, you can at least stop to pray for a mere five minutes a day. If you don’t know what to pray for, look around you to see what is happening in your neighbourhood, in this city or even a wider region. Matthew 25:40 quoted above might inspire your prayer. If you are overwhelmed by so many things happening around you that you are tired of making choices, why don’t you join the Pope to pray for the challenges facing humanity? At the beginning of each year, the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (aka Apostleship of Prayer) will publish the Papal prayer intentions for the whole year for us to pray.

What a remarkable coincidence! While we start renovating our church, the Apostleship of Prayer will pray for a Eucharistic life in July, namely that Catholics may place the celebration of the Eucharist at the heart of their lives, transforming human relationships in a very deep way and opening to the encounter with God and all their brothers and sisters. I suggest you make this your prayer intention during this renovation project. If you would like to know more, check out the following website². God bless!

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¹Sacrosanctum Concilium, Vatican II Constitution (1963)
²https://popesprayerusa.net
Photo Credit: scholarblogs.emory.edu/candlerdmin/

The Catholic Spirit 公教精神

Solemnity of Pentecost, Year A
Theme: The Catholic Spirit 公教精神

My mom was an iron lady. Since her arrival in Hong Kong, she refused to forsake her beloved dialect and insisted on using it for more than six decades. Yet, without her knowing it, her dialect underwent imperceptible shift. I knew it even when the coach I travelled on was tens of miles away before arriving at my home town in Zhongshan. Hearing the mother-dialect was extremely soothing and uplifting for no reasons.

As a medium of communication, both written and spoken languages change over time. Even if all humanity had descended from one man, say Adam in the book of Genesis, the scarcity of resources would force his descendants to move out to explore and develop new terraces. In a few generations, they would develop new vocabulary to describe new things they encountered. They would pick up new sounds to narrate events they had never seen before. New idioms would develop in smaller groups into sub-cultures which other groups would not understand easily. It is not necessary to take a God to confuse human language (Genesis 11:7). Therefore, the Tower of Babel is an etymology story to explain why the descendants of one family, namely Noah’s three sons, would speak different languages. Who else would be powerful enough to achieve such a feat if not God? I would argue that it is natural for human beings not to understand each other through the passage of time and the expansion of space!

Furthermore, where there is a will, there is a way. If human beings had wanted to understand each other, to make all information accessible to all, no disparity of languages would have prevented them from doing so. See how people use sign-languages to overcome language barriers and how missionaries are able to learn local dialects to preach the good news. Traditionally the Pentecost story could be interpreted as a remedy to the confusion of languages which might result from human pride as suggested in the story of the Babel Tower. Failure to understand each other breeds conflicts among groups. Conflicts would lead to tribal wars and eventually world wars! Humanity learnt a painful lesson in the previous century. Enough is enough. Through dialogues it is possible to resolve conflicts and reach common grounds. Like the etymology of the Babel Tower, it seems that it is not necessary to take a Holy Spirit to enable the pilgrims to hear the Galileans speak in their own native languages (Acts 2:7-8).

The fact is, it takes years for the missionaries to learn new languages to proclaim the gospel but a breakdown of good-will would totally wipe out decades of Herculean missionary efforts. The Chinese Rites controversy in the 17^th and 18^th China was a case in point. Therefore the Pentecost narrative is necessary and reasonable. First of all, the Pentecost pilgrims from all over the world would return again next year. They would not stay long in Jerusalem. The disciples of Jesus would not have enough manpower and time to convert those pilgrims. Secondly, both Peter and Paul instructed the disciples to obey/pray for rulers (1 Timothy 2:1-4, 1 Peter 2:13-17). It was because Christians need a relatively safe and stable environment to practise their faith and to proclaim the gospel. However, the Jewish Sanhedrin and the Roman Empire were hostile to the Christians. The 120 disciples needed divine intervention to enrol enough members, 3000 on day one (Acts 2:41), to kick-start a new religion! In other word, the Holy Spirit is essential in the establishment of the early Church in Jerusalem. Therefore, the Pentecost narrative can still be an etymology, namely the Genesis of the Catholic Church!

While the Babel etymology explains the origin of the diversity of languages despite the unity of humanity, the Pentecost etymology explains the unity of peoples despite their cultural diversity. Not only is the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17), but He is also the Spirit of unity. Unlike the Father and the Son whom we are able to identify more easily, the Holy Spirit is less concrete. He is like “the wind [which] blows where it wills” (3:8a). We are able to know of its existence only by the trails and the “fruit” He leaves behind, namely but perhaps not exclusively, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness [and] self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). These traits are essential for the well-being of a community which consists of different peoples and all walks of life. “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were given to drink of one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13). In the Pentecost narrative, more peoples are named, “Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travellers from Rome, but Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs” (Acts 2:9-11a). At least sixteen regions of the then known world around the Mediterranean Sea are mentioned. The Holy Spirit becomes the uniting principle of the baptized. Thus, He is the spirit of unity and the community which He binds together is Catholic, i.e. it is universal and excludes no one!

How can we stay together with peoples who threaten to deplete our resources or perhaps who are rivals for the scarce resources available at hand? The story of the institution of deacons in Acts 6 is a case in point. It shows that the allocation of resources within a community can be a source of schism. We are grateful that the leaders of the early Church had listened to voice of the Holy Spirit and were able to resolve the disputes in a peaceful and pragmatic manner. “Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task” (Acts 6:3). Thus we see how the Holy Spirit actively helped build the early Church just as He helped the Son of God incarnate and He transubstantiates the bread and wine into the body and blood of the Lord during the celebration of masses. Perhaps the gospel reading today is able to shed more light on the role of the Holy Spirit.

On the first Easter evening, Jesus appeared to His disciples, gave them peace and commissioned them to reconcile the world with God. “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.’” (John 20:21-23). The Father sent the Son of God to reconcile sinners to Him. Similarly, Jesus Christ commissioned the Church, not just to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19a), or to proclaim the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15), or to preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins to all nations (Luke 24:47), but to be ambassadors of reconciliation to the world (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). People would easily misunderstand and question the authority of the Church to forgive sins. No! Jesus has given the Church the Holy Spirit to carry out the reconciliation ministry. Only God can forgive and the Church, which the Holy Spirit empowers, is the minister of God’s righteousness only. Peace is achieved through reconciliation.

Brethren! Let us invoke the Holy Spirit to empower us in the ministry of reconciliation. Amen.
God bless!
2020 Reflection
Picture Credit: ncregister.com