上善若水 Heavenly Benevolence Is Like Water

主受洗節，甲年
主題：上善若水 Heavenly Benevolence Is Like Water

今天教會慶祝「主受洗節」，今晚「夜禱」之後，「聖誕期」結束，開始禮儀年度的「常年期」，更深入地默想天主子的救世工程。
主耶穌基督三十歲離開祂成長的地方納匝肋，開始進行天父的救世計劃。首先，祂到約旦河接受若翰洗者的洗禮。跟著的四十天，祂在曠野接受完撒殫的挑戰之後，纔開始祂三年的傳揚福音工作。祂所做的工作，與祂的先驅若翰洗者不同：若翰洗者「宣講悔改的洗禮」（谷1:4），並沒有施行任何神跡；最後殉道，被分封侯黑落德安提帕斬首。主耶穌則宣講天主的福音〔即天國〕（1:14）、行神跡顯示天父的慈悲和臨在、召選門徒建立教會、最後亦殉道受難，被釘十字架；但祂卻復活了。

今天教會慶祝主耶穌受洗，很多外教人一定會疑問，「洗禮」只不過是一些繁文縟節，既然耶穌是「一教之主」，祂有必要受洗嗎？祂是想樹立榜樣嗎？要知道祂的榜樣不一定可以跟隨，例如祂曾步行水面、平息風浪等，信徒們可以做嗎？另一方面，有些教友，尤其是接受過神學訓練的教友，會因為耶穌接受洗禮而懷疑祂的天主子身分，「主的受洗」反而成了他們信仰上的絆腳石！既然是與「水」有關，就讓我們循水的方向默想吧！

老子說：「上善若水」（道德經#8），意思是「上天的美善好像水一樣」。那麼，水有甚麼美善呢？首先，不是「水所以載舟，亦所以覆舟」（孔子家語‧五儀解），在下方的水；而是在上方的水，「上水」！《道德經》進一步解釋說：「水善利萬物而不爭」。意思是水滋養萬物，而不強制萬物。遇到接受它、吸收它的，水會滋潤它們；遇到抗拒它的，水會順從對方的反應來運行，繞過它們，很有耐性地琢磨它們。所謂「人望高處，水望低流」。水喜歡俯就卑微弱小的個體，提攜它們。《舊約》的先知們也曾用「水」來描述上主的美善：例如厄則克耳先知有關聖殿流出活水成河，滋養和醫治沿河兩岸的萬物的神視（則47:1-12）。又例如依撒意亞先知預言的天主聖言，即天主子耶穌基督：「譬如雨和雪從天降下，不再返回原處，只有灌溉田地，使之生長萌芽，償還播種者種子，供給吃飯者食糧；同樣，從我口中發出的言語，不能空空地回到我這裡來；反之，祂必實行我的旨意，完成我派遣祂的使命」（依55:10-11）。《聖詠集》的作者也這樣說：「天主常在自己的聖所內居住，是孤兒的慈父，是寡婦的保護」（詠68:6）；「上主對旅客加以保護，上主支持孤兒和寡婦，上主迷惑惡人的道路」（146:9）。可見我們所相信和寄望的天主真是萬美萬善，慈悲對待我們。正如今天的第一篇讀經說：「請看我扶持的僕人，我心靈喜愛的所選者！我在他身上傾注了我的神，叫他給萬民傳布真道」（依42:1）。你和我都是上主選派的，我們要往普天下去，履行祂的旨意，使眾生獲得拯救和祝福（創12:3）。對於心硬的、抗拒的，上主天主會尊重他們的自由，不會強迫他們相信祂、強迫他們去愛祂！上主藉先知痛心地說：「的確，以色列倔強，有如一頭倔強的母牛…厄弗辣因與偶像結了不解之緣：任憑他們罷！他們與醉客為伍…他們必因自己的祭壇蒙受恥辱」（歐4:16-19）！

明白了上主天主的工作模式，讓我們默想為甚麼耶穌接受洗禮。《瑪竇福音》著重信徒在教會內的生活，所以《瑪竇》的內容，充滿教理性，與我們所相信的道理，息息相關。瑪竇敘述「主受洗」的故事，也沒有例外。
首先，水有清潔的作用，用水施行洗禮，象徵消除受洗者的罪過。這就是若翰洗者對來受洗的耶穌說話的背景：「我本來需要受祢的洗，而祢卻來就我嗎」（瑪3:14）。等一等，根據《路加福音》的記載，聖母探訪她的表姊依撒伯爾時，若翰洗者在依撒伯爾的腹中歡躍，母子二人遂充滿了聖神（路1:41）。若翰洗者 不是好像耶穌和聖母一樣，出生時便沒有「原罪」嗎？為甚麼他覺得需要領受耶穌的洗禮呢？況且後來耶穌曾稱讚他說：「我實在告訴你們：在婦女所生者中，沒有興起一位比洗者若翰更大的」（瑪11:11a）。可見他與一般人相比，的確偉大。因為他出生時便沒有「原罪」，不受罪惡的影響，犯罪的機會比一般人低。他求耶穌為他施洗，是因為他謙遜，明白自己的定位。他與「天主的羔羊」（若1:29, 34）相比，不是新郎，而是伴郎，相形見絀。若翰洗者自己曾作證說：「祂應該興盛，我卻應該衰微」（3:30），就是這個原因。所謂「能醫不自醫」，所以若翰洗者渴望耶穌為他施洗。而神父、主教和教宗，即使有赦罪的權柄，亦不可以自己赦免自己的罪，要向其他的鐸兄鐸弟「辦告解」！

那麼，耶穌回答若翰洗者說：「你暫且容許罷！因為我們應當這樣，以完成全義」（瑪3:15），有甚麼意思呢？首先要留意的，是耶穌用「容許」這個詞語。可能大家沒有留意到，施洗者有「酌情權」可以拒絕為某些人施洗的！如果大家不是在嬰兒時手抱著領洗，一定經歷過「見神父、考道理」的程序！是的，神職人員有責任確定成年候洗者是否已經準備妥善，領受重生的「入門聖事」。否則，神職人員有責任押後洗禮，直到候洗者準備妥當才施洗。而嬰兒洗禮並不取決於嬰兒是否明白要理，因為他們未開明悟，未明白天主的恩寵。為嬰兒和為長者施洗，是憑家人和教會的信德，不是憑受洗者本人的信德。因此，為嬰兒施洗是取決於父母是否有能力栽培子女的天主教信仰。例如，他們自己有讀經祈禱、參加彌撒、勤領聖事的習慣嗎？另外，他們的婚姻狀況會否阻礙子女的靈性成長等等。

「容許」一詞比較容易明白，那麼，「全義」是甚麼呢？「完成全義」又是甚麼意思呢？「全義」是指甚麼？試問人類何德何能，何來資格稱為「義」呢？所以在中文【聖經】的翻譯中，「義」是指天主的「公義」，指天主的拯救。倘若天主只創造我們，卻任由我們受罪惡的勞役；不拯救我們，任由我們喪亡，祂便不是一個全能的、公義的天主了。這與洗禮有甚麼關係呢？保祿宗徒給我們解釋了「洗禮」，除了洗淨罪惡之外的另一個重要的幅度。保祿宗徒說：「難道你們不知道：我們受過洗歸於基督耶穌的人，就是受洗歸於祂的死亡嗎？我們藉著洗禮已歸於死亡，與祂同葬了…我們藉著同祂相似的死亡，已與祂結合，也要藉著同祂相似的復活與祂結合」（羅6:3-5）。天主不喜歡任何人喪亡（則18:32），「祂不是死人的，而是活人的天主」（瑪22:32）。因此，耶穌不是為了樹立榜樣，而是為了預示祂的受難、死亡、埋葬和復活而受洗。為了完成救贖工程，受難、死亡、埋葬和復活，缺一不可。這就是「完成全義」的意思。

各位兄弟姊妹，我們既然享受了領洗入教的恩寵，表示天主已召選了我們，成為「萬民的福源」。倘若有朋友覺得「洗禮」只不過是繁文縟節，只要「信耶穌就可以得永生」，洗禮是多餘的。請不厭其煩，耐心地聽他們的意見，再向他們解釋：沒有經過洗禮的死亡，脫去『舊我』，便沒有復活，穿上『新我』的機會。簡單地說，沒有領洗，便依然故我；沒有新我，便沒有超越，沒有永生。亞孟。
天主保祐！

---

2020年反省
圖片鳴謝：copilot.microsoft.com, grok.com

Awakening 覺今是而昨非

Fifth Ordinary Sunday, Year C
Theme: Awakening 覺今是而昨非

As a spokesperson of God, a prophet cannot speak on his own without having received instructions from God first. Logically, God calls a prophet and sends him to proclaim His will. In fact, many books of the prophets begin with the narration of how God’s words/visions came to the prophets. For example, “The word of the LORD came to him [Jeremiah] in the days of Josiah, son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign” (Jeremiah 1:2). “In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens opened, and I saw divine visions” (Ezekiel 1:1). “The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri, in the days …” (Hosea 1:1). Isaiah seems not to be of much difference. The book begins, “The vision which Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah” (Isaiah 1:1). He was just one of the prophets in the south, so we think. Naturally, Isaiah speaks highly of Jerusalem and Sion. For example, we find this text “Many peoples shall come and say: Come, let us go up to the LORD’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may instruct us in His ways, and we may walk in His paths. For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (2:3c).

But Isaiah is no ordinary prophet in the south. Today, we find yet another narrative of the call of Isaiah, which seems to overturn, to renounce his previous mission. Isaiah confesses, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts” (6:5). Even if the Israelites were “a people of unclean lips”, how could Isaiah renounce the words of God which he had previously proclaimed to the rebellious Israelites? Besides trumpeting the glory of Israel, a propaganda of the supremacy of Jacob over all peoples, does not the “For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” show God’s love to Jacob and through Jacob His blessing to humanity? Isaiah was not advocating nationalism but manifesting God’s will. In fact, Jesus quoted Isaiah’s Song of the Vineyard in His Parable of Wicked Tenants, “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press and built a tower …” (Matthew 21:33; Mark 12:1; Isaiah 5:1-2a). So, when Isaiah says that he was a man of unclean lips, he could not be denying God nor negating his former mission. I would suggest Isaiah was undergoing a new awakening of his mission as a prophet. The conversion of Saul to Paul might shed light on a better understanding of Isaiah’s lament.

The second reading today tells Saul’s story forcefully in one single verse, “For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Corinthians 15:9). Saul encountered the risen Jesus on the way to Damascus (Acts 9:5). Later, he became a fervent missionary and changed his name to Paul (13:9). During his preaching of the risen Christ in cities around the Mediterranean Sea, many overseas Jews opposed him. So, when he returned to Jerusalem, the local Jews intended to kill him. Let us listen to how Paul presented himself before the Jews in Jerusalem, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city [Jerusalem]. At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly in our ancestral law and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today” (22:3). Before his conversion, Christians were heretics in Saul’s eyes following a carpenter turned rabbi. Saul genuinely believed that he was doing God’s will when he tried to wipe Christians out to preserve the purity of Judaism! But when Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus, the encounter struck him blind for three days, an awakening blow on his zeal and his understanding of Mosaic Law and Judaism. Saul was able to see a bigger and more catholic picture of God’s will. He understood that the Lord had chosen him to be His instrument “to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites” (9:15b).

Isaiah’s vision in the Temple was a watershed in his ministry. Isaiah might not be a court prophet like Nathan who could see the king at any time in the palace. But at least he had been a “seer”, a “man of God” and was able to command respect from kings and commoners alike. Yet, in his Temple vision, Isaiah became aware of his unworthiness as a prophet, “I am a man of unclean lips living among a people of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5). Actually, even if Isaiah had spoken of the glory of the Israelites in the future, the prophecies could not be his inventions. But suddenly God revealed to him a universal salvation plan. From then on, Isaiah spoke not so much about Jerusalem and Judah but more inclusively, namely the Emmanuel (7:14), the shoot from the stump of Jesse (11:1) and even a Persian Messiah (45:1)!

In the gospel reading today, we find an even more unworthy candidate. Neither was he a legal expert like Saul, nor a prophet like Isaiah. He and his companions were fishermen, who were working in the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1), variously known as Sea of Galilee and Sea of Tiberias, a nobody from nowhere. His routine had been casting nets to catch fish in the night, using a torch to attract the fish to swarm in (5:5a). Catches might be irregular though the lake must have been fertile enough to support several fishing towns along the shore, including Capernaum (4:31). The synoptic gospels mention that Simon had a mother-in-law (4:38). Fishing in the Lake of Gennesaret enabled him to sustain a family with sufficient income to lead a decent enough life. Readers might wonder why, when Jesus had finished preaching from Simon’s boat and told Simon to put out into deep water and lower his nets for a catch, Simon obeyed his command so readily (5:4-5). It was not surprising because previously Jesus had cured his mother-in-law of fever (4:38-39) and perhaps Simon had witnessed the exorcism Jesus performed in the synagogue (4:33-37). However, this catch in the Lake of Gennesaret was so overwhelming that Simon had to fall at the knees of Jesus and say, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man” (5:8b). Never in his fishing career had Simon caught so many fish that their nets were tearing, and two boats were in danger of sinking (5:6-7)! Isaiah, Simon Peter and Paul shared this sense of unworthiness before God. Moreover, each of them took up a different path thereafter. Among the three, Simon Peter was the most unworthy and yet, Jesus intends to build His Church upon this unworthy rock against which the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail (Matthew 16:18).

Beloved brethren! Put our hope in the unfailing Lord. Despite our continual failures and unworthiness, He shall faithfully accompany and support us. St. Paul says well in the second reading today, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me has not been ineffective” (1 Corinthians 15:10a). Let us let go of our vanity and achievements, surrender to His will and bring hope to people “who sit in darkness and death’s shadow” (Luke 1:79a). Amen.
God bless!

---

2022 Reflection
Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

識英雄，重英雄 Hero Respects Hero

識英雄，重英雄 Hero Respects Hero

從耶穌基督與尼苛德摩的對話可知，天主子對法利塞人異常器重，稱他們為「以色列的師傅」（若3:9）。在充軍巴比倫的半個世紀，聖殿已毀，以色列人再沒有地方祭獻天主，司祭已再無用武之地，幾乎式微。當時，惟有依靠這一群學者，憑記憶，或一些搜集得來，殘缺不全的典籍，編撰了今天的猶太教經典，重塑猶太人的選民身份。猶太人經過半世紀的亡國洗禮，仍能有如鳳凰般浴火重生，法利塞人居功至偉！不要忘記，天主費四十年的時間，在曠野清洗出埃及中，習染拜偶像的舊一代；能進入預許福地的，是在曠野中出生的新一代，從沒有跪拜過偶像的新一代。

今次天主用上了五十年，有學者認為是七十年的時間，清洗這群亡國奴，比上一次更徹底！相信居魯士所釋放的，是新一代的猶太人，比進入福地的一代以色列人，應該更勝一籌！可惜，往後的世代，每況愈下，一蟹不如一蟹，把保存選民身份的行動，流於表面化！天主在今天所讀的先知書，早已預言了他們的表面化，祇按文字守法，把法律的精神拋諸腦後。「厄弗辣因，我可對你們作甚麼？因為你們的仁愛有如早晨的浮雲，有如易於消散的朝露」（歐6:4）。

耶穌基督在今天的比喻中，狠批這群由表面化墮落成為「偽善」代名詞的法利塞人。他們這樣祈禱：「天主，我感謝祢」（路18:11b）。這是一個很不錯的開場白嘛！可是後著卻非常失敗，靠踐踏別人來抬舉自己！「因為我不像其他的人，勒索、不義、姦淫，也不像這個稅吏」（18:11c）。更失敗的，竟然斗膽在天主面前，班門弄斧，炫耀自己的美善！「我每周兩次禁食，凡我所得的，都捐獻十分之一」（18:12）！這些比最低要求做多了一丁點的「仁愛」，在人眼前已經是不值一哂，何況在天主面前哩！

可愛的諸位，要知道，耶穌基督是憐惜法利塞人的。在亡國充軍時崛起的民族英雄，到了新約時代，他們做了反面教材的「反面英雄」。但當他們坐在梅瑟的講座上對猶太人所說的，我們要行要守（瑪23:2-3a）。且讓我們向這批英雄致敬，但不可照他們的行為做（23:3b）。
天主保祐！

---

圖片鳴謝：rekishijin.com

A Utilitarian God? 天主功利嗎？

Third Lenten Sunday, Year C
Theme: A Utilitarian God? 天主功利嗎？

In the gospel reading today, we read of the parable of the barren fig tree. Usually we focus on the mercy of Jesus Christ, the gardener who always intercedes for our good at the right hand of God (Romans 8:34). But today, my attention is somehow attracted to an inconsistency which I have never noticed before: God seems to be utilitarian (Luke 13:7). Woe to us if God were utilitarian! His love, mercy, righteousness and truth would all be questionable. Our existence would not be worth living. What a terrible world!

Fortunately, as far as my understanding goes, the Father whom Jesus Christ reveals is not utilitarian.
First of all, in doing anything, it is not necessary for God to do any cost-benefit-analysis before He takes actions. Why? Because God is eternal. He is free in the dimension of time and is able to travel freely to and fro along this dimension. Translating this into the time it takes in getting something done, it is zero. Therefore, God’s energy and power becomes infinite. That’s what we mean in physics when we say theologically that God is almighty. When God’s energy/power is infinite, no work is able to cost God anything. That’s is to say, the word “cost” does not exist in God’s dictionary!
Nevertheless, costs do exist in our universe. Energy has to be dissipated in getting work done because the universe we know exists in time. For example, the energy to get things done, such as the multiplication of bread to feed 5000 people from five loaves and two fish, is huge in our eyes. [Using the famous Einstein formula E=mc², and assuming 100 gm of starch for an adult per meal. Therefore 5000 * 100 gm = 500 Kg of mass should be created. Take the speed of light to be 3 x 108 m/s. It costs God 500*(3x108)² Joules of energy: 4.5x10¹⁶ KJ, where 1 KJ is energy of running a 1 Kilo-Watt heater for 1 second. Given that there are 3.1536x10⁷ seconds a year. The amount of energy God created is enough to run 1 million 1KW heaters for 1.427 million years!] Nevertheless, it is negligible in God’s eye because previously, God fed sixty thousand Israelites for forty years in the wilderness with manna!
From this first premise, we can deduce that if God so wishes, He would save humanity without the need to count the amount of costs, even suffering death to repay all our debts! This is exactly what the Father is doing when He sends His only begotten Son to become flesh (John 1:14) and to die on the cross to redeem humanity. He couldn’t care less the actual costs He has to pay. Costs do not bother Him, but love does. Therefore, the last label we can apply to God is utilitarian.

On the other hand, we find “bad guys” reasoning in a utilitarian manner in the gospels. For example, Jesus had raised Lazarus from dead. The status of the Jewish religious authority was furthered eroded and threatened. Therefore Caiaphas the High Priest wanted to make sure that Jesus should die and persuaded the Sanhedrin to hand Jesus over to the Romans. He said to them, “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” (11:49-50) Killing an innocent person is evil because it breaches the Ten Commandments. But killing the whole nation is an even greater evil. In order to save the whole nation, they were willing to give up the life of one innocent person! To soothe their conscience, they would make up crimes to frame the innocent. It is prudent to choose the lesser evil! The logic was good to the ear and Caiaphas prevailed.
Take another example, when Mary the sister of Lazarus, anointed Jesus with a liter of costly perfumed oil, Judas complained, “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” (12:5) Let’s put aside the motive of Judas’ complaint and simply consider the validity of his logic. His rationale was truly utilitarian. Jesus was only one person whereas 300 days’ wages would be able to feed 300 families! The usefulness of the money would be greater if it were spent on relieving the plights of 300 families instead of on showing gratitude to a single person. The logic was impeccable. But in the end, Judas betrayed Jesus and committed suicide. His demise was tragic. These two examples show that at least God does not buy utilitarianism.

Let’s take a look at the symbols in the parable of the barren fig tree. The master of the vineyard is a symbol of God the Father. Of course the gardener is Jesus Christ who intercedes for us. The vineyard has been a popular image the prophets conjured up to describe the Israelites (Isaiah 3:14, 5:1; Jeremiah 12:10; Ezekiel 28:26; Hosea 2:15; Amos 4:9, Micah 1:6). But vineyard is not the exclusive symbol. There are others, such as the fig tree. Usually fig and vine are mentioned in the same breath, symbolizing the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah (1 Kings 4:25), or Judah alone (2 Kings 18:31; Jeremiah 8:13). Furthermore, Jeremiah had a vision of two baskets of figs, one baskets of good figs and the other evil (24:1-10). The good figs symbolized the Jews exiled to Babylon and the evil ones were those remained behind and relied on the alliance of Egypt. Therefore, when Jesus told this parable, the barren fig tree was Jerusalem, her citizens together with their religious authority.

Here are the master’s words, “For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So, cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?” (Luke 13:7) St. Augustine interpreted the “three years” as three ages in the Salvation History: the age of Patriarchs, the age of prophets and lastly the age of the gospel. God visited the Israelites and interacted with them throughout these three stages and yet the Israelites did not believe and live a righteous life. The fourth year represents the age of the Church. With the help of the Son of God, hopefully the Church, the People of God, is able to bear the righteous fruit which the Father demands etc.
It is not the interpretation by the Church Fathers which troubles me. Rather, it is the utilitarian logic of the master of the vineyard that makes me uncomfortable. “Why should it exhaust the soil?” Some Church Fathers suggested that the Church have more Gentiles than Jews nowadays, the fourth year. The addition of Gentiles would save the day. The soil is not wasted etc. But that’s not the point. How can God reason in a utilitarian manner? If utilitarianism is right, then Caiaphas and Judas cannot be wrong!

Take a step back. The world is full of evil. The story of Job tells us that without God’s permission, evil cannot prevail. Why God allows evil is another thorny question which theologians are having a hard time struggling with. If we accept such a premise, one may argue that God does not approve utilitarianism but allows it to exist. It is a respectable branch of ethics which is guiding a lot of people in their decision making in a rational manner. Indeed, the existence of utilitarianism is not without merits. Plurality is always better than uniformity. If only one ethics system is permitted, the ideology of a country would suffer malnutrition and her culture a poverty of ideas. Lastly, we may argue that God is not utilitarian but most of us readers are. Therefore in order to keep the parable simple, not requiring extra explanations and qualifications, Luke personified the master in a human understandable manner. I will not oppose this argument.

Brethren! Allow me to apologize for such a dry and rational workout. The good Lord says, “Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” (Matthew 7:16) I use this in a defensive manner that I am only a fig tree. Don’t look for grapes in me! I have to confess that for years I have been trying hard not to be so rational but more spiritual, obviously without success. There are some unknown obstacles that divert my efforts. Perhaps I’m applying my efforts in a wrong direction or perhaps I need to let go and entrust my soul into the hand of the Holy Spirit to carry me where it pleases God.
Pray for me.
2019 Reflection
Picture Credit: wchimereflections.blogspot.com

「不遠」有多遠？How Far is “Not Far”?

常年期第三十一主日，乙年
主題：「不遠」有多遠？

在起初，世人誤會了天主，這誤會並非今時今日纔有的新事物。雖然聖經告訴我們，天主是按自己的肖像創造了人類（創1:26），但人類始終是有限的受造物，若不是天主主動把自己啟示給我們，要理解這位無限的造物主，談何容易！我們既有理智、意志和能力，當然可以從四周的事物，發現天主留下的蛛絲馬跡，認知祂的存在，並與祂建立關係，分享祂的永恆生命。這個認知是可能的，是「近取諸身，遠取諸物」（易‧繫辭下）的道理，也是「高天陳述天主的光榮，穹蒼宣揚祂手的化工」（詠19:2）的讚嘆！

誠然，知識有深淺的不同程度，而認知多少卻要看機會與意志。古人憑肉眼，所見的有限，沒有機會看見火星的兩個月亮或者土星的光環；即使攀到了山腰，究竟有沒有足夠的體力登上珠穆朗瑪峰，呼吸到完全沒有污染過的空氣，是意志所決定。宗教信仰也不例外，很多基督徒以為是耶穌基督教導門徒，上愛天主，下愛世人兩大誡命，殊不知這兩大誡命是梅瑟所教導（申6:4-5；肋19:18）。這的確是一場美麗的誤會，是很多基督徒不求甚解使然。其實，耶穌基督在「山中聖訓」已清楚表明祂來不是為廢除法律，而是來成全它（瑪5:17）。且看，在曠野中三次著名的試探中，耶穌基督祇引述【申命紀】的教訓來擊退魔鬼（4:1-11；路4:1-13），並沒有提出任何新見解。即是說，善用梅瑟的法律，足以抗拒魔鬼的誘惑，足以成義。奈何人類駕馭不了天主所賜予的自由，纔踏上自我毀滅之路！此外，耶穌基督並沒有廢除舊教，另起爐灶，自立一個新教派的打算！倘若有信徒說「新約」取代了「舊約」，所以不用再受舊約法律的束縛，不用遵守舊約的法律，或者選擇性地執行有利自己的舊約法律，實在有違耶穌基督的心意，是自欺欺人。相反，基督徒應以耶穌基督所教導的福音精神，履行舊約的規定。例如，基督徒應該奉主日為聖日，是他們的安息日，放下一切不必要的工作，慶祝耶穌基督的復活和我們所獲得的自由！

今天所讀的福音，恰巧記載了一位經師挑戰耶穌基督，甚麼是「第一條誡命」（谷12:28-34），給我們一個默想耶穌基督心意的機會。在默想前，且讓我們參考以下表格，澄清一些疑問。

	申6:5	瑪22:37	谷12:30	路10:27
全心	✔	✔	✔	✔
全靈	✔	✔	✔	✔
全意		✔	✔	✔
全力	✔		✔	✔

【申命紀】和【瑪竇福音】的讀者，是猶太文化背景的，所以，「全心、全靈、全力」已經足以表達整個人。又時移世易，【瑪竇】以「全意」取代了「全力」（【七十賢士本 LXX】也是「全力」）。【馬爾谷】與【路加】是寫給外邦人的，他們受希臘文化影響，以「全心、全靈、全意、全力」，纔能足以代表整個人。馬爾谷和路加，有擅自纂改添加天主說話的嫌疑嗎？沒有！
天主的救恩，先啟示給以色列人，於是在起初，猶太文化的氣色濃厚，祇用三個元素去表達整個人。但天主的救恩豈可以局限在以色列呢？所以，耶穌基督把這誡命「成全」，加入已廣為猶太人所接受的「全意」，使它圓滿，是很有意義的。至於「全意、全力」在【馬爾谷】和【路加】的次序不同，有機會再討論。
文化的差異對「人是甚麼」有不同的看法，這是最合理不過了。以中國文化為例，我們有「魂魄」的觀念，卻沒有「靈魂」的觀念。儒家思想強調「格物致知，誠意正心」（禮記‧大學），與希臘文化的心、意、力的觀念相近，或許也有能力領會第一條誡命了。中國文化與猶太文化都是較為具體務實，抽象的哲理不多，人倫美德的教訓倒不少。少談抽象的心，多說「惻隱之心、羞惡之心、是非之心、辭讓之心」，「人之有是四端者，猶其有四體也」（孟子‧公孫丑上）。所以，在理解最大的誡命時，也許能另闢蹊徑。

其實，申命紀的誡命原文有「你」，是務實的，不能推卸的。但經師的回覆，「不錯，師傅說的實在對：他是唯一的，除他以外，再沒有別的：應以全心、全意、全力愛他，並愛近人如自己」（谷12:32-33）失去了「你」，變得抽離。雖然這種演繹足以應用到一切人身上，卻不與任何一個人扯上關係，真是可惜！倘若經師忘記補上一句「因為我喜歡仁愛勝過祭獻，喜歡人認識天主勝過全燔祭」（歐6:6），恐怕主耶穌基督不會覺得他答得明智，也不會說一句「你離天主的國不遠了。」（谷12:34）

的確，在物理的距離上，這經師與天主子耶穌基督──祂就是天國具體的化身──近在「咫尺」，真是離天主的國不遠！可是，他仍未能脫離猶太權貴的利益集團，與主耶穌對抗，站在基督的對立面，喪失了與天主子結合的機會。所以，在靈性上，這個「不遠」，是「天涯」的不遠！「天涯的不遠」是甚麼意思？因為在天主眼中，千里不外乎咫尺！天主是永恆的，沒有我們人類的時間觀念；祂更是無處不在的，所以祂更沒有人類的空間觀念。為主耶穌基督，天涯祇是咫尺而已。至於我們，所謂「人心隔肚皮」，即使親密如夫妻兄弟，也可以沒有溝通交流，孤獨在人群之中，真是咫尺猶如千里！志同道合的戰友，雖然萬水千山隔阻，仍可交心，不愁寂寞，確是千里猶如咫尺！

所以，各位兄弟姊妹，希望那位經師和所有的基督徒，不要因耶穌基督的讚賞而沾沾自喜。天主是慈悲的，萬里千年也阻不了祂對罪人的愛；但我們始終是微不足道的有限受造物。我們真的要加倍努力，鍥而不捨，憑天主聖神的助祐，纔能寸進！
天主保祐！
2018年反省
圖片鳴謝：free.messianicbible.com

---

Thirty First Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: How Far is “Not Far”?

In the beginning, mankind misunderstood God. This misunderstanding is not something new, something peculiar to the modern world. Although the Bible tells us that God created mankind in His own image (Genesis 1:26), humanity is after all a finite creature. Had the infinite God not taken the initiative to reveal Himself, we would never have been able to know Him! We are gifted with rationality, will and strength. Surely we are able to detect clues left behind by God, to know of His existence, to establish relationship with Him and partake in His eternal life. This knowledge is possible. It is the logic of “Taking nearby clues from our body and far off clues from things outside” (I-Ching Commentary). It is also the awe expressed in “The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the works of His hands.” (Psalm 19:2)

Indeed, knowledge can be shallow or deep but how much one is able to attain depends on opportunities and will power. Ancient people did not have the opportunity to see the 2 moons of Mars or the spectacular Saturn ring. Even if one has reached mid-hill, whether one is able to climb to the top of Mount Everest and breathes in the immaculate air depends on whether one has enough will and strength. Religious faiths are no exception. Many Christians think that Jesus Christ teaches His disciples the two greatest commandments: to love God above all and to love their neighbour. Unbeknown to them, it was Moses who handed these two commandments down (Deuteronomy 65:4-5, Leviticus 19:18). This is truly a happy misunderstanding because many a Christian is not diligent enough to study the Bible. In fact, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ made it clear that He had no intention to abolish the Mosaic Law but to fulfil (Matthew 5:17). Take a look at the three famous temptations in the wilderness. Jesus only quoted passages from Deuteronomy to defeat the Devil (4:1-11, Luke 4:1-12). He did not propose any new teachings. That is to say, making good use of the Mosaic Law is sufficient to overcome the Devil’s temptations and is sufficient to be justified. It’s a pity that humanity is unable to manage the freedom given by God and races towards self-destruction! Thus, if any believer claims that the New Testament has replaced the Old Testament whose laws have no binding on him, that he has no obligation to observe them or selectively obeys those laws which are advantageous to them, he is cheating himself because this is not what Christ wants. On the contrary, we should observe the laws in the Old Testament in the spirit of the gospels. For example, we should make Sunday holy and our Sabbath. Put down unnecessary labour to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and our liberation!

In the gospel passage today, one of the scribes came to challenge Jesus, asking him what the “First Commandment” was (Mark 12:28-34). It provides us with an opportunity to meditate what is in Jesus’ mind. Before we meditate, let us clarify some points from the table below.

	Deuteronomy 6:5	Matthewn22:37	Mark 12:30	Luke 10:27
all heart	✔	✔	✔	✔
all soul	✔	✔	✔	✔
all mind		✔	✔	✔
all strength	✔		✔	✔

Deuteronomy and Matthew were written for readers from Jewish background. Thus, “with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength” was sufficient to represent the whole person. Time changes. Matthew replaces “all your strength” with “all your mind”. (The Septuagint LXX still retains “all your strength”). Mark and Luke wrote for the Gentiles who were living in the Greek civilization. Therefore, in order to represent the whole person, one needs “with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength”. Were Mark and Luke guilty of putting words into God’s mouth? NO!
At first, God revealed His salvation to the Israelites. Thus, the Jewish flavour was heavy and three elements were sufficient to represent the whole person. But God’s salvation is not confined to Israel. Thus, Jesus came to fulfil the law and to enrich the commandment with what the Jews have already accepted by adding the “all your mind”. It is truly meaningful. As for the order of “mind” and “strength”, Mark and Luke are different. Maybe we’ll meditate on this when the opportunity arises.
It is only natural for different cultures to have different conceptions of what man is! Take the Chinese culture for example. We have the concept of “Húnpò” but not the concept of souls. Confucianism emphasizes on “Investigate the nature of things, pursue knowledge, act in good faith and rectify one’s mind…” (Major Studies, the Book of Rites). These concepts are similar to the Greek concepts of heart, mind and strength. Perhaps the Chinese too are capable of discussing the First Commandment. Both the Chinese and Jewish cultures are pragmatic and concrete. There are few abstract world-views but many interpersonal moralistic advices. We seldom speak of heart in abstraction, but “heart of mercy, heart of conscience, heart of righteousness, heart of humility”, “These four hearts are like our four limbs” (I Gōngsūn Chǒu, Mencius). Perhaps the Chinese are able to break new path in understanding the First Commandment.

In fact, there is a “you” in the Deuteronomy version. It is pragmatic and nobody may evade. However, the “you” was missing in the scribe’s answer: “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, ‘He is One and there is no other than He.’ And ‘to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” (Mark 12:32-33) It is detached. Although this rendering is applicable to all peoples, it pinpoints nobody. What a pity! Had the scribe forgotten to add “For it is loyalty that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6), Jesus would not have seen that he answered with understanding and said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (Mark 12:34)

In fact, physically speaking, this scribe was in the proximity of the Son of God, Jesus Christ who is a concrete embodiment of the kingdom of God. He was truly not far away from the kingdom of God. However, he was inside the Jewish authoritative corporate which stood in opposition to Jesus. The scribe missed the opportunity to be in communion with the Son of God. Therefore, spiritually, this “not far away” was actually an unsurpassable “not far away”! What does this unsurpassable “not far away” mean? God is eternal. He has no human concept of time. He is omnipresent. Thus He even does not have the human concept of space. For Lord Jesus Christ, no unsurpassable abyss is too far away. However, we human beings are not connected. Even intimate couples and siblings do not communicate. They feel lonely in the crowd. Their “not far away” is an unsurpassable abyss! For comrades of like-mind, even though they are physically scattered as fugitives all over the world, they are not alone. Their separations are “not far away”!

Brethren, I hope the scribe and all Christians do not congratulate themselves too soon because of Jesus’ praises. God is merciful. Millions of miles and ages are not able to obscure His love of sinners. But we are negligible finite creatures. We need to work extra hard in perseverance with the support of the Holy Spirit to inch towards our sanctification!
God bless!

New Age Movement

Traditionally, educators work on five areas: virtues, intelligence, physique, sociability and aesthetics. As a Catholic Diocesan school, Shung Tak cannot be satisfied with doing just these five areas. In fact, all Christian schools should work on the spirituality dimension as well.
Rev. Fr. Thomas Kwan offers a "Spiritual Education" program for secondary schools. This is a most welcomed move for us. The program is an outgrowth of a spiritual theology course Fr. Kwan was preparing for a post graduate program in the Chinese University. It dawned to Fr. Kwan that instead of serving a few elite graduates, it would benefit more people if the materials were disseminated into secondary schools. However, in doing so, he has to tune down the religious aspects to make them into arousing inner consciousness instead. So far, so good. But there lies the danger of luring teachers and students into gnosticism. As a priest who has gone through rigorous theological trainings, Fr. Kwan is able to guard himself against this danger. However, for teachers and students who have no such theological background, it is another story.

I was not aware of this until one day I read one of the proposed major concerns of our school. It reads "To help students achieve spiritual enlightenment to lead a healthy life." It looks innocent enough. But "spiritual enlightenment" is pregnant with New Age ideas which are incompatible with Christian faith. Unwary school administrators would inadvertently incorporate heretical practices into the school policy. It is a murky story and I have no intention to handle it here. Way back in 2003, the PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR CULTURE & PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE had already issued a document, a Christian reflection on the "New Age" to encourage pastoral workers to meet this new challenge. Interested readers should take a look and read it patiently.

Today, 4 colleagues and I attended a workshop conducted by Fr. Kwan to work out the teaching plan for the new academic year. One of the colleagues shared with me that it is impossible to evaluate the effectiveness of what we plan to do. We have no way to decide whether the improvement shown by students is the result of the implementation of "Spiritual Education" or the result of natural growth. This reminds me of a passage in Hosea.
And she did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who lavished upon her silver and gold which they used for Baal (Hosea 2:8).
God instructed Hosea to marry a prostitute who went after other lovers. This marriage was a symbol of the relationship between God and Israel who turned to idolatry. Though Israel was unfaithful to God, God would not forsake her.
and I will sow him for myself in the land. And I will have pity on Not pitied, and I will say to Not my people, 'You are my people'; and he shall say 'Thou art my God.' (Hosea 2:23)
Therefore, when we implement "Spiritual Education" in our school, we cannot leave God out of the scene.

Dear Lord, guide our steps so that our students may grow in greater awareness of Your loving grace. Amen.

To destroy and rebuild

One of the many ways to cure an illness is to deconstruct and then construct. That partly explains why most of the drug rehabilitation programs in Hong Kong fail. More than 75% of the ex-addicts pick up illegal drugs again after discharge from the institutions. The reason is simple. Once discharged, these ex-addicts meet their "old friends" again. Their will-power is unable to resist the peer-pressure. Therefore, in order to be more effective, the institutions need to pull down the social network of an addict, build up a new one for them. That explains why among those rehabilitation programs, the Christian ones are more successful. Their inmates are converted to Christianity. Their faith in Jesus strengthens their will-power to resist the temptation of drugs. They belong to a fellowship and do not need to rely on their "old friends" after discharge. Less than 25% of discharged ex-addicts pick up drugs again.
Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn, that he may heal us; he has stricken, and he will bind us up.
After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him (Hosea 6:1-2).
That is why we believe that the Bible contains truths for our salvation.

Modern education systems forbid corporal punishments. They advocate dealing with school children leniently. There is some truth in such a philosophy, but it is not the whole truth. The same sentiment was expressed by Hosea. He shared the mentality of the Chosen People.
Let us know, let us press on to know the LORD; his going forth is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth(Hosea 6:3)
The Chosen People expected God to treat them leniently. God would come as the showers, as the spring rains. Alas! God came with wrath and judgment.
What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away.
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light (Hosea 6:4-5).
God hewed, slew and brought down judgment. Surely, we are created with two hands. One of the hands is gentle and the other harsh. Both hands need to work in coordination in order to succeed. As parents, we play both roles: the good guy and the bad guy, the nurturing mother and the law-enforcing father. In our schools, most teachers want to play the good guys only. They want to be loved by their students. Parents even tell lies in order to protect their children from punishment. Their children are the apples of their eyes. Our education officials are afraid of complains. They want to appear good before the public. Our education system fails because the stake holders resent playing the bad guys. Our children would end up in prisons and would not thank us in the future.

Dear Lord, give us moral courage to be bad guys for the sake of our future generation. Amen.

God shall heal us

Yesterday, I wrote from the human point of view. I talked about the justification for our rebelliousness.
Today, let us listen to the word of God. He promises to forgive and to heal. It is not enough just to forgive. God heals.

Hosea is one of the twelve minor prophets. He was a prophet of the Northern Kingdom and in his time, the kingdom was in total chaos. Four of the six kings were murdered in coups. God told Hosea to marry a prostitute who engaged in affair after affair with other men. At last, Hosea was reconciled with this prostitute wife. His marriage was a symbol of the relation between God and Israel. Israel was married to God in the Sinai Covenant. Yet, being unfaithful to God, Israel continued to worship idols. Her life is a portrayal of our relationship with our Creator.

I will heal their faithlessness; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them.
I will be as the dew to Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, he shall strike root as the poplar;
his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon (Hosea 14:4-6 RSV, 14:5-7 MT).
Being rebellious exacts a price on us. It hurts to be rebellious. Wounds are inflicted and need to be healed. We are injured bodily. Interpersonal relationships are damaged. Our hearts are hardened and our souls worn and torn. We may be able to cure bodily injuries but we may not be courageous enough to mend fences. Worst of all, we have no medicine to heal our souls. We need God to dress our spiritual wounds.
God Himself will be as the dew to us. He will treat our souls gently but effectively. He Himself is our medicine. Then, we shall blossom, strike root, spread out our shoots and sent off fragrance. Praise be to God.

We tend to punish swiftly and harshly lest our children will forget and behave badly very soon. However, we should learn from the patience of God and deal with our delinquent gently like dew. Give them time to allow the cure to sink deeply into their hearts and souls. What we lack is patience, not time.

Dear Lord, You are our wonder medicine. Heal our spiritual wounds so that we may bear witness to Your faithfulness and mercy. Amen.

Paul on the defensive for the Israelites

Scholars discover that books in the Bible usually display some chiastic structures, an X like construction where the central idea is located at the centre. In written form, texts can be grouped together into ABCC'B'A' or ABCDC'B'A' etc. Within such a structure, the end echoes the beginning. It is a very powerful and useful literary device. There are 16 chapters in the epistle to the Romans. We expect to find Paul's central theme in Romans 8 and 9, if Paul has used such a literary device in this epistle.

In Romans 9-11, Paul quoted extensively from the Old Testament to defend the position of the Israelites. I always suspect that Paul did not have the Gentiles in his mind when he was writing this epistle. His readers have to know the scripture very well in order to be able to follow his argument. Let me summarize.

1. We owe our salvation through the Israelites (Romans 9:1-5).
2. Many Jews did not believe. Does it mean that God's word has failed? No. God had elected a minority (Romans 9:6-13).
3. Was God being unfair? No. God has mercy on those He wills (Romans 9:14-18).
4. Why does God still find faults? We are God's vessels of mercy. Therefore, we are in no position to ask (Romans 9:19-26).
5. Only a remnant will be saved (Romans 9:27-29).
6. Righteousness is achieved through faith (Romans 9:30-33).

Applying the concept of chiastic structure, we would find the central ideas of Romans 9 in sections 3 and 4. God is fair. Let's accept the reality that God would find fault with us.

7. Paul prayed that the Jews would be saved (Romans 10:1-4).
8. Salvation comes from faith which is manifested by calling on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:5-13).
9. The importance of preaching (Romans 10:14-17) Here, we have one of the mostly quoted Romans verses.
   But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?
   And how can men preach unless they are sent? (Romans 10:14-15a)
10. The Israelites have also heard the Good News (Romans 10:18-21).
11. God had not rejected the people whom He elected (Romans 11:1-10).
12. Through the trespasses of the Jews, Gentiles could have a chance to be saved, thus stirring up the jealousy of the Israel (Romans 11:11-12).

In Romans 11, Paul employed an imagery of branches and grafting to show the relationship between the Jews, Gentiles and God. The Church provides them a meeting ground. Perhaps I should leave this for next time.

Dear Lord, I should thank St. Paul for his beautiful articulation of the importance of preaching. I pray for my audience. May Your Spirit open their minds, make them receptive to Your gospel of reconciliation. Amen.

Appendix:

1. ἀλλ', Ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα. 
   but "Through Isaac shall your descendants be named." (Romans 9:7b, Genesis 21:12b)
2. Κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἐλεύσομαι καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σάρρᾳ υἱός. 
   About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son (Romans 9:9b).
   κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον εἰς ὥρας, καὶ ἕξει υἱὸν Σαρρα ἡ γυνή σου (Genesis 18:10).
3. ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι, 
   The elder will serve the younger (Romans 9:12b, Genesis 25:23b)
4. τὸν Ἰακὼβ ἠγάπησα, τὸν δὲ Ἠσαῦ ἐμίσησα.
   Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated (Romans 9:13)
   καὶ ἠγάπησα τὸν Ιακωβ, 
   τὸν δὲ Ησαυ ἐμίσησα (Malachi 1:2-3)
5. Ἐλεήσω ὃν ἂν ἐλεῶ, καὶ οἰκτιρήσω ὃν ἂν οἰκτίρω. 
   I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion (Romans 9:15, Exodus 33:19b).
6. ὅτι Εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐξήγειρά σε ὅπως ἐνδείξ ωμαι ἐν σοὶ τὴν δύναμίν μου, καὶ ὅπως διαγγελῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ. 
   I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth (Romans 9:17)
   καὶ ἕνεκεν τούτου διετηρήθης, ἵνα ἐνδείξωμαι ἐν σοὶ τὴν ἰσχύν μου, καὶ ὅπως διαγγελῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ. (Exodus 9:16)
7. μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι, Τί με ἐποί ησας οὕτως; 
   Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me thus?" (Romans 9:20b)
   μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι Οὐ σύ με ἔπλασας; ἢ τὸ ποίημα τῷ ποιήσαντι Οὐ συνετῶς με ἐποίησας; (Isaiah 29:16b)
8. Καλέσω τὸν οὐ λαόν μου λαόν μου καὶ τὴν οὐκ ἠγαπημένην ἠγαπ ημένην .
   Those who were not my people I will call my people, and her who was not beloved I will call my beloved (Romans 9:25)
   καὶ ἐλεήσω τὴν Οὐκ-ἠλεημένην καὶ ἐρῶ τῷ Οὐ-λαῷ-μου Λαός μου εἶ σύ (Hosea 2:25 LXX, 2:23 MT).
9. καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ τόπῳ οὗ ἐρρέθη αὐτοῖς, Οὐ λαός μου ὑμεῖς, ἐκεῖ κ ληθήσονται υἱοὶ θεοῦ ζῶντος. 
   And in the very place where it was said to them, `You are not my people, they will be called sons of the living God (Romans 9:26, Hosea 2:1b LXX, 1:0 MT).
10. Ἐὰν ᾖ ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης, τὸ ὑπό λειμμα σωθήσεται:
    λόγον γὰρ συντελῶν καὶ συντέμνων ποιήσει κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. 
    Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved;
    for the Lord will execute his sentence upon the earth with rigor and dispatch (Romans 9:27-28).
    καὶ ἐὰν γένηται ὁ λαὸς Ισραηλ ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης, τὸ κατάλει μμα αὐτῶν σωθήσεται, λόγον γὰρ συντελῶν καὶ συντέμνων ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ,
    ὅτι λόγον συντετμημένον ποιήσει ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ οἰκουμένῃ ὅλῃ. (Isaiah 10:22-23).
11. Εἰ μὴ κύριος Σαβαὼθ ἐγκατέλιπεν ἡμῖν σπέρμα, ὡς Σόδομα ἂν ἐγ ενήθημεν καὶ ὡς Γόμορρα ἂν ὡμοιώθημεν. 
    If the Lord of hosts had not left us children, we would have fared like Sodom and been made like Gomorrah (Romans 9:29, Isaiah 1:9).
12. Ἰδοὺ τίθημι ἐν Σιὼν λίθον προσκόμματος καὶ πέτραν σκανδάλου, καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ' αὐτῷ οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται. 
    Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall; and he who believes in him will not be put to shame(Romans 9:33).
    Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐμβαλῶ εἰς τὰ θεμέλια Σιων λίθον πολυτελῆ ἐκλεκτὸν ἀκρ ογωνιαῖον ἔντιμον εἰς τὰ θεμέλια αὐτῆς, καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ̓ αὐτῷ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ. (Isaiah 28:16)
13. Τίς ἀναβήσεται εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν; 
    Who will ascend into heaven? (Romans 10:6b)
    Τίς ἀναβήσεται ἡμῖν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν (Deuteronomy 30:12)
14. Τίς καταβήσεται εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον; 
    Who will descend into the abyss? (Romans 10:7)
    Τίς διαπεράσει ἡμῖν εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης [the sea](Deuteronomy 30:13).
15. Ἐγγύς σου τὸ ῥῆμά ἐστιν, ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου 
    The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (Romans 10:8)
    ἔστιν σου ἐγγὺς τὸ ῥῆμα σφόδρα ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου (Deuteronomy 30:14).
16. Πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ' αὐτῷ οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται.
    No one who believes in him will be put to shame (Romans 10:11)
    καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ̓ αὐτῷ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ.(Isaiah 28:16)
17. Πᾶς γὰρ ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου σωθήσεται. 
    For, "every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)
    καὶ ἔσται πᾶς, ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου, σωθήσεται, (Joel 3:5 LXX, 2:32 MT)
18. Ὡς ὡραῖοι οἱ πόδες τῶν εὐαγγελιζομένων [τὰ] ἀγαθά. 
    How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news (Romans 10:15b)
    ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων, ὡς πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης, ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά (Isaiah 52:7a)
19. Κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; 
    Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us? (Romans 10:16b, Isaiah 53:1a)
20. Εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος αὐτῶν, καὶ εἰς τὰ πέρατα τ ῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν. 
    Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world (Romans 10:18b, Psalm 18:5a LXX, 19:4 MT)
21. Ἐγὼ παραζηλώσω ὑμᾶς ἐπ' οὐκ ἔθνει, ἐπ' ἔ θνει ἀσυνέτῳ παροργιῶ ὑμᾶς.
    I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry (Romans 10:19b)
    κἀγὼ παραζηλώσω αὐτοὺς ἐπ̓ οὐκ ἔθνει, ἐπ̓ ἔθ νει ἀσυνέτῳ παροργιῶ αὐτούς. (Deuteronomy 32:21b)
22. Εὑρέθην [ἐν] τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ζητοῦσιν, ἐμφανὴς ἐγενόμην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ἐπερωτῶσιν. 
    I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me (Romans 10:20b)
    Ἐμφανὴς ἐγενόμην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ζητοῦσιν, εὑρέ θην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ἐπερωτῶσιν (Isaiah 65:1a).
23. Ολην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐξεπέτασα τὰς χεῖράς μου πρὸς λαὸν ἀπειθοῦν τα καὶ ἀντιλέγοντα. 
    All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people (Romans 10:21)
    ἐξεπέτασα τὰς χεῖράς μου ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν πρὸς λαὸν ἀπειθοῦντα κ αὶ ἀντιλέγοντα (Isaiah 65:2a)

God hurts us in order to heal us?

In the reading of Hosea today, we find several pieces of important, but unrelated texts. It is to be expected because books of prophets are collections of oracles. One might be able to discern certain major themes running throughout the text. But these themes more likely reflect the theological stance of the interpreters rather than the true intentions of the editors of the books. The most important thing is not what themes expert interpreters have drawn out. Rather, it is what effects these words of God have in our life. What benefits does a prophecy such as, say the coming down of the new Jerusalem from heaven, have if we cannot gain any hope in times of difficulties? So, let us turn to the words of Hosea.
Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn, that he may heal us; he has stricken, and he will bind us up (Hosea 6:1).
God is just. He showers us with good things when we follow His right ways. Time and again, we go astray and He punishes us to prod us back to the right track. Of course, bad things happen to the good and righteous. One may choose to resent and resign. But we can also take these sufferings as an opportunity to rid us of our own weaknesses and failings. Probably, we have done good superficially and sufferings are good times for us to grow deeper in our reliance on our God. God is faithful. He hurts us in order to heal our weaknesses.
After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him (Hosea 6:2).
Is this a prooftext in the Old Testament to foretell the resurrection of Jesus on the third day? Did this verse run through Jesus' mind while he was hanging on the cross? Maybe and maybe not. Whichever way we like to interpret it, this is a promise and the hope generated from this promise will carry us through our difficult times.
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6).
Twice, Jesus made use of this verse to teach us that there are more important things to do than offering sacrifices to God. Does God want us to offer sacrifice to show our love to Him? I am afraid offering sacrifices pleases us more than God. It makes us feel more secure because we think God is pleased with our burnt offerings. In reality, God wants something deeper from us. Mercy.
When the Pharisees criticized Jesus for mixing with the tax collectors after he called Matthew, Jesus replied with the idiom that those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick (Matthew 9:12). Furthermore, Jesus quoted this verse from Hosea which is missing from Mark.
Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners (Matthew 9:13).
Be merciful to sinners who need God more than self-righteous people do. God rejoices when sinners repent and return to Him. The self-righteous have difficulty to recognize their own short-comings. They have a longer way to go to receive God's salvation.
Further down when the Pharisees criticized Jesus for allowing his disciples to pluck the heads of the grain to eat on Sabbath, the Jesus in Matthew not only quoted the story of David as he did in Mark, but also quoted how the priests profane the Sabbath in defence. Again, he quoted Hosea, to show that mercy overwrites these Sabbath rites.
And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless (Matthew 12:7).
We tend to live a routine life. Worse still when we focus on the letters and details, and consequently become legalistic, we forget the true spirit of the law --- mercy. Terrible things will be done instead. Instead of observing the Sabbath and other rituals to come closer to God, we will point our fingers at the failures of others in order to elevate our piety, our standing. Ritual laws are transformed into monstrous man-eating regulations. Jesus fought against such tendency by exposing its ugliness.

Dear Lord, help us in whatever we do. Draw us nearer You when we observe our spiritual obligations. Meanwhile, allow us to remember the needs of our neighbours, especially in this season of Lent. Make us good servants of Yours. Amen.

Return to God

Prophet Hosea was a prophet of the Northern Kingdom, a contemporary of prophet Amos. His ministry of prophet lasted roughly from 750 to 730 B.C, and ended a decade before Israel was conquered by Assyria. God told him to marry a prostitute to symbolize the relationship between God and His Chosen People. Today, we read the last chapter of Hosea, foretelling the return of Israel to God. They would give up their false hope of reliance on Assyria, forsake idolatry and be merciful to orphans.
Assyria shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses;
and we will say no more, 'Our God,' to the work of our hands.
In thee the orphan finds mercy (Hosea 14:3).
Politically, they would rely no more on the powerful neighbour Assyria who in fact would conquer them. All along, prophets had been urging people to turn to God for support rather than military might. A powerful army was an illusion. It would trigger an arm race and strain their resources until their economy collapsed. A powerful neighbour was even worse. She would have only one ambition: to conquer and occupy them. Only their God would give them true protection.
Religiously, they would no longer rely on false gods, idols which they made for themselves.
O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you.
I am like an evergreen cypress, from me comes your fruit (Hosea 14:8).
Isn't it funny? How can man rely on things he makes? They will tear and wear. Worse, at critical moments, technological hiccups will spoil his presentations. Nowadays, modern people cherish great confidence in their technology rather than in God. Belief in God looks so old-fashioned and superstitious. Technology has won the day and become a new breed of idols. Hosea urges us to forsake our reliance on them and see clearly who answers our plea.
Socially, they would be more considerate and caring towards the orphans, the needy. Exploitation of the lower class means social injustice. Hosea urges the people to rectify such injustice by taking care of the orphans. In so doing, they are obeying their God.
So, on three different levels, Hosea urged the people to turn to their one true God for effective protection, for reliable support and true love. God's ways are the only right ways. This is how Hosea ends his book.
Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them;
for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them (Hosea 14:9).
The "Parent Drama" ended yesterday when he met the Principal and the 2 vice principals for one and a half hour. The Principal reiterated what actions she had taken to solve the problem. John pointed out the damages he had done to his child. He did not respond to them. Instead, he chose Brenda to be his saving grace to back down. He apologized for the rashness of his actions and thanked Brenda several times before her boss, without acknowledging her authority. Once more, he put Brenda on the table! I think he will be kicked out from the executive committee of the PTA soon.
Today, we held a hunger meal in Shung Tak for the first time. More than 140 students and all Catholic teachers together with Mr. Yuen participated. We ate simple bread and drank only a cup of water. Hymns were sung and prayers were said. There were video and PowerPoint shows and sharing of service experiences from students. This activity was quite successful and we will evaluate and continue next year.

Dear Lord, let us follow Your true ways and build a more caring school, a better society and a brighter world. Amen.

God prefers Judah to Israel

Ephraim and Manasseh were sons of Joseph. When Joshua settled the tribes of Israel among the land of Canaan, there were 13 tribes. The Levites were set aside to serve God and they did not inherit any land. So, the land was divided among the remaining 12 tribes. In a sense, Joseph obtained a double portion of land because of his two sons.
After the death of Solomon, the kingdom of Israel was divided into two. 10 tribes (in the book of 1 Kings, they are referred to as 'all Israel') followed Jeroboam the son of Nebat and made him their king (1 Kings 12:20). At first, they made Tirzah the capital and later Omri built the city of Samaria and moved the capital there. Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin followed the house of David. The tribe of Benjamin was reduced to very few people because of the crime they committed against a Levite (Judges 19-21). Therefore, the southern kingdom was called Judah, keeping Jerusalem their capital.
Therefore, in the book of Hosea, Ephraim, Samaria, Jacob and Israel all refer to Israel. Though Hosea prophesized for Israel, he also mentioned Judah and somehow revealed that God prefers Judah to Israel.
But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will deliver them by the LORD their God; I will not deliver them by bow, nor by sword, nor by war, nor by horses, nor by horsemen (Hosea 1:7).
Though you play the harlot, O Israel, let not Judah become guilty (Hosea 4:15a).
Ephraim has encompassed me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit;
but Judah is still known by God, and is faithful to the Holy One (Hosea 11:12).
Of course, Judah was not without her share of faults. Hosea 5 is a very damning chapter, passing God's judgment on them all. Against Judah, we have the following.
The pride of Israel testifies to his face;
Ephraim shall stumble in his guilt;
Judah also shall stumble with them (Hosea 5:5).
The princes of Judah have become like those who remove the landmark;
upon them I will pour out my wrath like water (Hosea 5:10).
Therefore I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like dry rot to the house of Judah.
When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king. But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound.
For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will rend and go away, I will carry off, and none shall rescue (Hosea 5:12-14).

Of course, God would not give up Israel.
How can I give you up, O Ephraim!
How can I hand you over, O Israel!
How can I make you like Admah!
How can I treat you like Zeboiim!
My heart recoils within me, my compassion grows warm and tender.
I will not execute my fierce anger, I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come to destroy (Hosea 11:8-9).
Hosea devoted the last chapter of his prophecy to tell us that God would restore them so that they might bear fruit. But Israel has vanished from human history after the exile to Assyria. Therefore, Hosea must be talking about the new Israel, the Church.
Before finishing the book of Hosea, let me bring up one more famous quotation taken from Hosea.
Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol?
Shall I redeem them from Death?
O Death, where are your plagues?
O Sheol, where is your destruction?
Compassion is hid from my eyes (Hosea 13:14 RSV).ἐκ χειρὸς ᾅδου ῥύσομαι αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐκ θανάτου λυτρώσομαι αὐτούς, ποῦ ἡ δίκη σου, θάνατε; ποῦ τὸ κέντρον σου, ᾅδη; παράκλησις κέκρυπται ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου. (Hosea 13:14 LXX).
O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?
ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ νῖκος; ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον; (1 Corinthians 15:55)
The RSV translation comes from the Hebrew text. The word 'your plagues' is דְבָרֶיךָ (transliterated as d^evareika). 'ka' means 'your'.
In Septuagint, it becomes 'your judgment, cause, vengeance and penalty' ἡ δίκη σου. It seems to have been corrupted. The 'varei' sound after 'd^e' is missing.
Paul probably was doing some word-play and changed it to 'your victory' τὸ νῖκος to suit his purpose.
When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." (taken from Isaiah 25:8)
"O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?"
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).
Paul changed the Isaiah LXX text from κατέπιεν ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας to κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νῖκος.

My dear Advocate, God punishes and God heals. Through Jesus, death is defeated. Our eternal life is guaranteed. May we become Your ambassadors of peace to bring this good news to all our neighbours. Amen.

Feast of St. Benedict of Nursia

St. Benedict, the Father of Western monasticism and brother of Scholastica, is considered the patron of speliologists (cave explorers). He was repelled by the vices of the city and in about the year 500, fled to Enfide, thirty miles away. He decided to live the life of a hermit and settled at the mountainous Subiaco, where he lived in a cave for three years, fed by a monk named Romanus. He organized the monks into a single monastic community and wrote his famous Rule prescribing common sense, a life of moderate asceticism, prayer, study, and work, and community life under one superior. It stressed obedience, stability, zeal, and had the Divine Office as the center of monastic life; it was to affect spiritual and monastic life in the West for centuries to come. (This is lifted from Catholic Online.)
I caught a flu and am not feeling well. So, I will be short today. In the reading of Hosea today, I found two passages which appear in the gospel of Luke and Matthew.
and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us, and to the hills, Fall upon us.
καὶ ἐροῦσιν τοῖς ὄρεσιν Καλύψατε ἡμᾶς, καὶ τοῖς βουνοῖς Πέσατε ἐφ̓ ἡμᾶς. (Hosea 10:8b LXX)
Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'; and to the hills, 'Cover us.'
τότε ἄρξονται λέγειν τοῖς ὄρεσιν· πέσετε ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς, καὶ τοῖς βουνοῖς· καλύψατε ἡμᾶς· (Luke 23:30)
Notice how Luke exchanged the pair of verbs. Why? Any suggestion?
Jesus was on his way to be crucified. He was consoling the women of Jerusalem and warned them of the coming disaster to Jerusalem in 70 AD. When Jesus quoted Hosea, he respected the intention of Hosea.
and out of Egypt I called my son.
καὶ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετεκάλεσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ. (Hosea 11:1b LXX)
Out of Egypt have I called my son.
ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου. (Matthew 2:15b)
Obviously, Matthew did the translation himself without referring to LXX. Moreover, Matthew did not respect the intention of Hosea. This quotation is out of context and the view is opposite to the intention of Hosea.
When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
The more I called them, the more they went from me;
they kept sacrificing to the Baals, and burning incense to idols. (Hosea 11:1-2)
Matthew applied this prophecy to the nativity story of Jesus. Joseph brought Mary and baby Jesus to flee the massacre of Herod the Great and hid in Egypt. After the death of Herod the Great, the Holy Family returned from Egypt. Matthew wanted the readers to see this as the fulfillment of Hosea's prophecy. Actually, Hosea was not predicting the future. Rather, he recounted the Exodus story in the past! Now, is it legitimate for Christians today to follow Matthew's way of interpreting the scripture? I have trouble following Matthew.

My dear Advocate, let me follow Jesus' footsteps, consoling others while himself was suffering. Grant me such heroic love for my neighbours. Amen.

Knowledge of God

I have to catch up with the reading of Hosea. If we broadly divide the book into two parts, the first 3 chapters make up the first. Chapter 3 consists in only 5 verses. It talks about the redemption of Israel.
So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.
And I said to her, "You must dwell as mine for many days; you shall not play the harlot, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you." (Hosea 3:2-3)
The woman Hosea bought back was Gomer. She would not commit adultery anymore with other men and Hosea would stay with her. Similarly, when God redeems us, we should not go to other idols anymore and God will dwell with us. We should give up our previous sinful way of life so that we may share eternal life with our God.
Then Hosea turned to criticize the priests and other false prophets because they led the people astray.
You (the priests) shall stumble by day, the prophet also shall stumble with you by night;
and I will destroy your mother.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;
because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me.
And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children (Hosea 4:5-6).
It is not clear why God would want to destroy the mother of the priests. Probably it was for the same reason that God would forget their children. God punished the three generations because of their lack of knowledge.
for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me (Exodus 20:5b).
When God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, He had made known to Israel that He would punish idol-worshippers for three to four generations. Therefore, the 'lack of knowledge' Hosea talked about was not any ignorance but idolatry. But it is a bit confusing to read, later on that
Therefore your daughters play the harlot, and your brides commit adultery.
I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your brides when they commit adultery;
for the men themselves go aside with harlots, and sacrifice with cult prostitutes,
and a people without understanding shall come to ruin (Hosea 4:13b-14).
Idolatry would lead to prostitution and adultery (Hosea 4:13b). Fair enough. But God would not punish the women for doing that. He would only punish the men! Prophecy is really difficult to decipher.
Hosea's thesis was simple enough. Idolatry prevents us from gaining true knowledge of God.
Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God.
For the spirit of harlotry is within them, and they know not the LORD (Hosea 5:4).
God would punish them, in order to teach them the truth.
When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king.
But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound.
For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah.
I, even I, will rend and go away, I will carry off, and none shall rescue (Hosea 5:13-14).
God punishes in order to heal. Here comes the famous verse.
Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn, that he may heal us;
he has stricken, and he will bind us up.
After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.
Let us know, let us press on to know the LORD;
his going forth is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth (Hosea 6:1-3)
Hosea 6:2 is probably the only reference of resurrection on the third day in the Old Testament. Previously, the story of King Hezekiah also involves the third day. He fell sick and was dying. Isaiah brought him God's message that he would recover and live 15 years more. On the third day, Hezekiah would go up to the house of the Lord (2 Kings 20:5). In both passages, the knowledge of God would bring life. That is why we have another famous verse from Hosea.
What shall I do with you, O Ephraim?
What shall I do with you, O Judah?
Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away.
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light.
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:4-6).
Our love of God is like a morning cloud, like the dew. We fall short of God's requirement: steadfast love. We also lack knowledge of God when we worship idols, when our hearts are occupied by worldly desires, riches, power and lust. In short, we do not love God enough.

My dear Advocate, You are the Spirit of Love and the Spirit of Knowledge. You are a generous gift from Jesus our Lord. Heat up our stony hearts to love You and our neighbours more. Purge our hearts of love of riches and power. Be my guest and dwell in my contrite heart. Amen.

Overdoing God's will

I should have started reading Hosea on Monday. So, I have to catch up a bit.
Hosea was called to serve as a prophet some three decades before the fall of Israel. His career was rather dramatic because God told him to take a prostitute to be his wife! Hosea was to live out the relationship between God and Israel. God intended to enter into an exclusive and intimate relationship with Israel like a husband. Yet Israel worshipped other gods at the same time. She was an unfaithful wife. Some scholars explain that monotheism did not develop overnight. Therefore, it was understandable that Israel worshipped other gods at the same time. However, it was inexcusable for Israel not to stamp out polytheism after so many years and so many warnings from prophets. Therefore, she ended up being conquered by Assyria, went into exile and vanished from human history. Though Hosea belongs to the Minor Prophets, authors of New Testament quoted from him.
The prostitute Hosea took was called Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim (Hosea 1:3). She bore Hosea a son who was named Jezreel. But the reason would be rather shocking.
And the LORD said to him, "Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel (Hosea 1:4).
Wasn't Jehu chosen by God to destroy the house of Ahab? He was simply doing the will of God. Why would God punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel?
Probably, Jehu, in his eagerness to do God's will, had overdone his job, had shed too much blood in Jezreel. Assyria was also chosen by God as an instrument to punish Israel. Yet, Assyria had overdone his job. So, God punished him in return (Isaiah 10:5-12). This probably was the logic behind God's decision to punish the house of Jehu. Therefore, the first son was a symbol of destruction for Israel.
Pondering over this, shouldn't we be more cautious in doing God's will? Indeed, church history is littered with many witch-huntings and crusades where much innocent blood was shed. So, even if we have obtained a license to kill, don't overkill.
Then Gomer bore Hosea a daughter called Lo-ruhamah, which means 'Not pitied' (Hosea 1:6). What a pitiful name indeed! At the same time, God promised to have pity on Judah!
But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will deliver them by the LORD their God; I will not deliver them by bow, nor by sword, nor by war, nor by horses, nor by horsemen (Hosea 1:7).
Then Gomer gave birth to a son called Lo-ammi, which means 'Not my people' (Hosea 1:9). So, God declared that He would abandon Israel forever. Not quite! God continued to promise redemption.
Yet the number of the people of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which can be neither measured nor numbered; and in the place where it was said to them, "You are not my people," it shall be said to them, "Sons of the living God."
And the people of Judah and the people of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head; and they shall go up from the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel (Hosea 1:10-11).
New Testament authors understood this prophecy to mean the Church. For example:
Once you were no people but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy (1 Peter 2:10).
As indeed he says in Hosea, "Those who were not my people I will call 'my people,'
and her who was not beloved I will call 'my beloved.'"
"And in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,'
they will be called sons of the living God.'" (Romans 9:25-26)
It is time to compare the Greek text and see how much Septuagint was used by New Testament authors.
καὶ συνέλαβεν ἔτι καὶ ἔτεκεν θυγατέρα. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Κάλεσον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς Οὐκ-ἠλεημένη, διότι οὐ μὴ προσθήσω ἔτι ἐλεῆσαι τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Ισραηλ, ἀλλ̓ ἢ ἀντιτασσόμενος ἀντιτάξομαι αὐτοῖς. (Hosea 1:6)
καὶ εἶπεν Κάλεσον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Οὐ-λαόσ-μου, διότι ὑμεῖς οὐ λαός μου, καὶ ἐγὼ οὔκ εἰμι ὑμῶν.(Hosea 1:9)
οἵ ποτε οὐ λαὸς νῦν δὲ λαὸς θεοῦ, οἱ οὐκ ἠλεημένοι νῦν δὲ ἐλεηθέντες.(1 Peter 2:10)
Καὶ ἦν ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης, ἣ οὐκ ἐκμετρηθήσεται οὐδὲ ἐξαριθμηθήσεται, καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, οὗ ἐρρέθη αὐτοῖς Οὐ λαός μου ὑμεῖς, ἐκεῖ κληθήσονται υἱοὶ θεοῦ ζῶντος.
καὶ συναχθήσονται οἱ υἱοὶ Ιουδα καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ θήσονται ἑαυτοῖς ἀρχὴν μίαν καὶ ἀναβήσονται ἐκ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι μεγάλη ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ Ιεζραελ. (Hosea 1:10-11 BHS, Hosea 2:1-2 LXX)
ὡς καὶ ἐν τῷ Ὡσηὲ λέγει·
καλέσω τὸν οὐ λαόν μου λαόν μου καὶ τὴν οὐκ ἠγαπημένην ἠγαπημένην·
καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ τόπῳ οὗ ἐρρέθη αὐτοῖς· οὐ λαός μου ὑμεῖς, ἐκεῖ κληθήσονται υἱοὶ θεοῦ ζῶντος. (Romans 9:25-26)
Again, in prophets, St. Paul relied heavily on Septuagint. He did not freely translate the scripture himself.

God would frustrate Israel's idolatry so that she might return to Him.
Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns;
and I will build a wall against her, so that she cannot find her paths.
She shall pursue her lovers, but not overtake them;
and she shall seek them, but shall not find them.
Then she shall say, 'I will go and return to my first husband,
for it was better with me then than now.'
And she did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and who lavished upon her silver and gold which they used for Baal (Hosea 2:6-8).
Yes, when Israel came to her senses, she would arise and return to her God (Luke 15:17-18).
God would take the initiative to redeem us. He will do it tenderly.
Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.
(Hosea 2:14).
and I will sow him for myself in the land.
And I will have pity on Not pitied,
and I will say to Not my people, You are my people';
and he shall say 'Thou art my God.' (Hosea 2:23).
God would punish Israel with one son. But He would redeem with two. God's mercy is greater than His justice.

My dear Advocate, how encouraging it is to know that Your mercy is greater than Your justice. You are a God of the living. You have created us not for destruction. After days of trials and tribulation, let us live to see Your salvation. Amen.

Offering sacrifices to God

In all religions, people offer sacrifices to their gods. There are many purposes: to pacify them when disasters strike, to ask for favours in times of needs, to thank them for favours granted and to expiate their sins. Sometimes, the sins are so grave that only death would expiate them. Killing an animal in their stead was a clever way out.
Cain, the son of Adam and Eve, was the first to offer sacrifice to God.
In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground (Genesis 4:3). Then came Abel his brother.
and Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering (Genesis 4:4).
But what makes an offering acceptable to God? The following research may throw light on the question.
ObedienceAnd Samuel said, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to hearken than the fat of rams (1 Samuel 15:22).
An open ear and to do God's willSacrifice and offering thou dost not desire;
but thou hast given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering thou hast not required.
Then I said, "Lo, I come; in the roll of the book it is written of me;
I delight to do thy will, O my God; thy law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:6-8)
A broken & contrite heartFor thou hast no delight in sacrifice;
were I to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise (Psalm 51:16-17).
To do justiceTo do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice (Proverbs 21:3).
Mercy & the knowledge of GodFor I desired mercy, and not sacrifice;
and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6, KJV). [RSV uses steadfast love instead.] This is confirmed by Jesus in Matthew 9:13; 12:7.

My God, thank You for allowing me to know what is acceptable to You. Open my ears so that I may obey and do Your will. Justice and mercy are Yours and let me imitate with a contrite heart. Tame my arrogant heart in Lent and thereafter. May I be able to dwell in Your house and praise You forever and ever. Amen.