耶穌來不是為審判 Jesus Did Not Come To Condemn

天主聖三節，甲年
主題：耶穌來不是為審判 Jesus Did Not Come To Condemn

首先，讓我們先理解第一篇讀經的上文。那裡提到『西乃山』和『兩塊石版』，莫非是『十誡』嗎？錯，因為頒布『十誡』是記載在《出谷紀》的第二十章，今天讀的是第三十四章，是另一回事，一件與『十誡』有關的事跡！事緣由梅瑟領導的六十萬以色列男丁，帶同家眷離開埃及，渡過了紅海，行了六十日，來到西乃曠野（出19:1）。天主準備在西乃山，與這個全人類的福源（創12:3）訂立盟約。以色列百姓「在萬民中將成為我〔天主〕的特殊產業…成為司祭的國家，聖潔的國民」（出19:5-6）。於是梅瑟帶著他的侍從若蘇厄上了山四十天四十夜（24:12-18），即離開了為奴之地的埃及一百天之後，天主交給梅瑟「兩塊約版，即天主用手指所寫的石版」（31:18）。「版兩面都寫著字，前面後面都有字。版是天主做的，字是天主寫的，刻在版上」（32:15-16）。可惜梅瑟在山上逗留了四十日之久，生死未卜。於是百姓迫亞郎為他們造一尊神像，帶領他們返回埃及，亞郎便為以色列百姓鑄了一隻金牛！當梅瑟與若蘇厄下山時，看見百姓正在祭獻金牛。梅瑟在盛怒之下，打碎了上主親手造的兩塊約版！今天第一篇讀經所記載的，是梅瑟在事後重造兩塊石版，獨自一人再上西乃山「同天主一起，停留了四十天四十夜，沒有吃飯，也沒有喝水；把盟約的話，即十句話，寫在石版上」（34:28）。今次不是天主用手指寫在約版上，而是梅瑟自己，逐隻字鑿回去的！怪只怪自己一時衝動，控制不了情緒之過！不過天主並沒有虧待梅瑟，從此，「梅瑟的臉皮發光。以後梅瑟再用首帕蒙上自己的臉」（34:35）。梅瑟成了耶穌的預像，一個『可見的天主』的預像！

默想這一篇讀經的事跡時，不禁被『寫在石版』所觸動。它可能給予世人一種恆久的感覺，一種不變的印象。可惜這種感覺是表面的，這種印象不是真實的！因為時代是在不斷發展之中，科技的進步，越來越急促。且看，我們的教宗良十四世，在半個月前，不是頒布了一份有關『人工智能』的通諭嗎？可見死守曾經是行之有效的規矩，而不因應時代的變化而修訂的，遲早會被時代淘汰。所以死守盟約和法律的文字，而忘記了法律的精神，對個人、對家庭、對社會國家，有害無益！先知們看透這種流弊，便不斷向以色列百姓傳達天主的旨意，解釋法律的精神。在訂立『西乃山盟約』後大概850年，天主藉耶肋米亞先知，向我們通報了祂的心意說：「看，時日將到─上主的斷語─我必要與以色列家和猶大家訂立新約…我要將我的法律放在他們的肺腑裡，寫在他們的心頭上；我要作他們的天主，他們要作我的人民」（耶31:31; 33）。天主很清楚表示，祂要重新與猶太人，還包括全人類，建立『新約』。這『新盟約』與舊的『西乃山盟約』是一脈相承的，天主仍然是我們的天主，我們仍然是天主的人民。但是盟約的條文，不再是寫在石版上，而是寫在全人類的肺腑裡。

可惜罪惡早已把大部份人的心硬化了，有如石版。所以天主在宣布訂立『新盟約』的同一時間，透過另一位先知公告，祂要為全人類做『換心手術』！天主說：「我還要賜給你們一顆新心，在你們五內放上一種新的精神，從你們的肉身內取去鐵石的心，給你們換上一顆血肉的心…如此，你們要居住在我賜給你們祖先的地方；你們要作我的百姓，我作你們的天主」（則36:26; 28）。 這樣，天主確保了盟約的有效性！因為天主要在我們的五內放上一種新的精神，就是天主聖神；上個主日我已經說了，聖神是聖父與聖子之間交流互動的愛。天主聖神保證了我們的心，不再被罪惡硬化為鐵石的心。厄則克耳讓我們知道，換心後，我們才是天主的百姓，祂仍是我們的天主，與「西乃山盟約」是一脈相承！

大家還記得記載在《若望福音》裡的一個啞謎嗎？在某個帳棚節的最後一天，耶穌在聖殿施教有關天主聖神的道理，群眾當然莫名其妙（若7:37-39）。後來的一個清晨，耶穌在聖殿教訓百姓的時候，經師和法利塞人帶來了一個犯姦淫時當場被捉到的婦人，挑戰耶穌是否認同，按梅瑟法律，用石頭砸死那個淫婦（8:4-5）。耶穌沒有直接回答，「卻彎下身去，用指頭在地上畫字」（8:6）。他們不斷地追問，耶穌便說了著名的金句：「你們中間誰沒有罪，先向她投石罷！」（8:7） 又彎下身去，繼續在地上寫字。二千年來，人們都好奇地想知道耶穌究竟在寫甚麼。有人提出耶穌在寫出在場的每一個人的罪，所以在這個事跡中，福音說：「從年老的開始到年幼的，一個一個地都溜走了」（8:9）。這個推測是不對的，因為與今天的福音選段矛盾！今天選讀的福音是這樣說的：「因為天主沒有派遣子到世界上來審判世界，而是為叫世界藉著祂而獲救」（3:17）。

要緊記，審判是在末日才進行的。當我們一息尚存，天主仍開放悔改的機會給我們。當死亡的一刻來臨，我們進入『私審判』的程序。那時我們脫離了肉身的束縛，和時空的束縛，一生的善行與私慾偏情，即時全部呈現眼前。不需要任何判官，我們的良心足以審判自己了！到了世界末日的時候，是我們向全人類，向所有生者及復活起來的死者交代的時候。那時耶穌基督，將會君臨宇宙，按《瑪竇福音》第二十五章施行審判！聖若望宗徒教導我們說，末日未到之前，在天主面前日夜指控我們的是撒殫（默12:10）。相反，保祿宗徒教導我們說，已升天坐在天主右邊的基督耶穌，卻「日夜代我們轉求」（羅8:34）。

那麼，耶穌用指頭在地上寫甚麼呢？
首先，以指頭在石版上，在牆上…等等寫字，是【聖經】表達天主身份的手法。所以，耶穌正在以天主的權威，不但教訓那些在場的經師和法利塞人，而且在教訓全人類。因為耶穌是在「地上」寫字，而上主天主是「用地上的灰土形成了人」（創2:7）的。因此，耶穌是在應驗先知的預言，「我要將我的法律放在他們的肺腑裡，寫在他們的心頭上」（耶31:33）。即是說，耶穌正在把天主的盟約和法律，寫在我們的心裡，而不是把我們的罪過，寫在我們的肺腑裡，這樣做將會是一個相當恐佈的地獄永火懲罰！那為甚麼是「從年老的開始到年幼的，一個一個地都溜走呢」？很簡單，倘若尚未悔改信耶穌，年紀越大的，累積的罪過越多，觸犯了法律的機會越高，越想逃避良心的審判。他們中沒有一個掌握悔改的機會，留下向耶穌懺悔，相信並跟隨耶穌。誠為可惜。那個淫婦卻不同，耶穌不但在她心裡重寫法律，更從死亡邊沿把她拯救出來。她真幸福！

各位親愛的兄弟姊妹，在新約時代的文化氛圍，『愛』有三個層次：『情愛 ero』，是指男女之間的愛；『友愛 philo』是指喜愛或志同道合，惺惺相惜的愛；和『捨己為人的愛 agape』是指母愛或肝膽相照，樂意作出犧牲的愛。若望宗徒說『天主〔聖三〕』的本質就是『愛』，是最高級別的agape（若一4:8）。我們可以從天主子降生成人，代替世人以死贖罪，最後從死者中復活，確保信從祂的人能夠享受永恆的生命。今天我們慶祝天主是愛，我們可以如何回報天主的愛呢？我相信大家一定知道怎樣做！
天主聖三保祐！

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2023反省
圖片鳴謝：gemini.google.com

我要去叫醒他 I Am Going To Awaken Him

四旬期第五主日，甲年
主題：我要去叫醒他 I Am Going To Awaken Him

一般人每天都按自己的生活崗位，來回在『工作』與『休息』之間。即使是退休人士也不例外，只是『工作』的形式不同罷了！一般人都是『日出而作，日入而息』；白日工作，黑夜休息。即使是當『夜更』的人，顛倒了日夜，也總需要休息。睡眠是最自然的『休息』方法，能夠恢復人類身、心、靈的疲倦。相信大家也曾品嘗過失眠的滋味，不大好受。倘若為了某些原因，一個人長時間被剝削睡眠，他的意志和精神狀態甚至會崩潰，為了獲得休息而放棄對抗。這是用來對付俘虜、奴隸，甚至人質和嘴硬的間諜，一個非常有效的不流血手段！在現實生活中，睡眠是那麼舒適，以至很多人即使是醒了，也喜歡『賴床』一番，等到最後一刻才爬起身，匆忙地趕回工作崗位！

在今天的福音選段中，耶穌說：「我們的朋友拉匝祿睡著了，我要去叫醒他」（若11:11）。從下文可知，耶穌不是指拉匝祿在『休息』，而是『死了』（11:13）。大家或許會奇怪，信徒『死了』不是『安息主懷』嗎？對不起，這是後世的思想，並不是當代信徒的思想。難怪門徒第一個反應是『一個病人能睡，能休息』不是一件好事（11:12）嗎？當耶穌說清楚『睡著了』是指『死了』的意思，多默的反應是：「我們也去，同他一起死罷！」（11:16），顯得多默是個俏皮可愛，童心未泯的人。很明顯，『睡著了』等同『死了』還不是當代通用的辭彙。當時的慣用語是「與祖先長眠」（撒下7:12）、「長眠不醒」（耶51:39）或者直接說「斷了氣」（列上17:17; 德38:24）。到了《新約》時代才開始把『睡著了』等同『死了/長眠』（瑪28:13; 宗7:60; 格前7:39…）來使用。因此當耶穌說：『我要去叫醒他〔拉匝祿〕』，便是指祂要前往伯達尼復活祂的好朋友拉匝祿。

請注意，在耶穌時代，不是所有猶太人都相信『復活』的。例如出自司祭集團的『撒杜塞』黨，他們只信奉《梅瑟五書》的權威，來鞏固司祭集團的地位。撒杜塞人曾挑戰耶穌，提出『婦人曾嫁七兄弟』的假設案例，去推翻有關『復活』的學說（瑪22:23-32）。他們是既得利益集團，當然是希望保存現狀。沒有『復活』，就沒有『後顧之憂』，不用擔心在『復活』後受懲罰！誰人鼓吹『復活』的學說呢？諷刺地是與耶穌作對的『法利塞』黨！他們不但接受《梅瑟五書》的權威，同時亦承認《先知書》的教訓是來自天主，而先知的言論，很多帶有『公義』的思想，勸籲百姓棄惡行善。要知道猶太教的《先知書》除了大小先知外，還包括了《若蘇厄》、《民長紀》、《撒慕爾紀上下》和《列王紀上下》。但《先知書》的教訓並不明確！當中有提及先知厄里叟復活婦人的兒子（列下4:8-37）；甚至一個死屍接觸到厄里叟的駭骨便復活起來（13:21）！但先知也明確地說：「死去的人不會再活，幽魂也不會復生」（依26:14）。是天主子耶穌基督在回覆撒杜塞人的挑戰時，明確地教導『復活』。

在默想『復活拉匝祿』的故事時，發覺眾人的思維只停留在『不死』的層面，對『永生』的觀念仍然非常模糊！例如，當瑪爾大去迎接耶穌時，對祂說：「若是你在這裡，我的兄弟決不會死」（若11:21）。當瑪利亞也來到見到耶穌時，哭著說同樣的話：「主！若是你在這裡，我的兄弟決不會死」（11:32），令耶穌也流淚了（11:35）。原來耶穌真是一個有血有肉的人，不是『不食人間煙火的神仙』！在場有些人便說：「這個開了瞎子眼睛的，豈不能使這人〔拉匝祿〕也不死麼？」（11:37）。『人皆有死』是常識，所以他們所說的『不死』，只不過是『暫時還沒死去』的意思。此前耶穌反問瑪爾大時：「我就是復活…凡活著而信從我的人，必永遠不死，妳信麼」（11:25-26），瑪爾大只能夠『答非所問』，因為『我就是復活，就是生命…即使死了，仍要活著…必永遠不死』為她太複雜，太深奧了！事實上，即使有所謂『不死之身』，也只不過是『暫時還沒死去之身』。但耶穌教導的、示範的，是 『死而復活』，是『永遠的不死』，這才是『永生』。因為耶穌所啟示的天父，「不是死人的，而是活人的天主」（瑪22:32），這已經是耶穌榮進耶路撒冷之後的事了。

耶穌來不是為廢除法律和先知，而是為成全它們（5:17）。所以『耶穌復活拉匝祿』的事跡，是具體地應驗了厄則克耳先知的預言。預言的上文是厄則克耳先知的『枯骨復生神視』，『枯骨』象徵了當時亡國充軍的以色列人。天主派遣厄則克耳向那些絕望如枯骨的以色列人預言，天主要打開他們的墳墓，領他們出來（則37:12）。不但如此，天主還要把祂的神傾注在他們內（37:14）。否則，他們只不過是雖生猶死的『喪屍』而已！耶穌基督來就是為成全這一切，祂不但從墳墓中叫醒拉匝祿，後來更在五旬節，把天主聖神「傾注在他們〔信徒們〕內」（宗2:4），使他們充滿永生的氣息，開始把福音傳遍普世。

現實歸現實，我們不能小覷罪惡和死亡的威力。且看還有那麼多人，包括已蒙恩得救的信徒，仍然在『裝睡』，在『賴床』哩！他們沒有領受『堅振聖事』，沒有領受了聖神嗎？有是有的，但可能連聖神也『睡著了』！問題在於處於犯罪的狀態帶來很有害而暢快的刺激！眾所周知，吸煙濫藥有害健康，但『癮君子』們戒不了；賭博令人傾家蕩產、妻離子散、欠債累累，但『病態賭徒』仍大有人在；『婚外情』破壞家庭幸福，但仍然有很多人甘心不顧禮教和名份做『第三者』；落得始亂終棄收場，冤孽纏身，損人而不利己，何苦呢？結論：『賴床』的人與『睡著了』的人沒有分別，同樣是『難以自拔』，須要耶穌基督主動地「去叫醒他」（若11:11b）！

親愛的兄弟姊妹，請不要再懷疑天父對罪人的慈愛。祂從來沒有離開我們身旁。我們無論如何不堪當，如何自愧形穢；但在祂的眼中，我們都是祂的肖像，祂的子女，祂的傑作！耶穌基督已經升天，「在天主右邊，代我們轉求」（羅8:34）。因此，天主子會問：「我將派遣誰呢？誰〔在人世間〕肯為我們去〔叫醒那些睡著了和那些賴床的人〕呢？」（依6:8a）。倘若各位現在還沒有準備好，還沒有依撒意亞那『捨我其誰』的氣概（6:8b），不要緊，呼求聖神降臨，重振已領受在心中的『聖神七恩』；活出『真福八端』的精神；催促我們做『希望的傳承者』，向絕望有如枯骨的人，廣傳對天父的希望，朝氣蓬勃地結出『聖神九果』罷！亞孟。
天主保祐！

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

上主是否在我們中間？ Is Our Lord In Our Midst?

四旬期第三主日，甲年
主題：上主是否在我們中間？ Is Our Lord In Our Midst?

今天是『三八婦女節』，感激各位女士對人類大家庭的貢獻。小弟覺得用『撐起大半邊天』不足以讚賞各位的功勞，我比較喜歡《創世紀》的原文。「上主天主說：『人單獨不好，我要給他造個與他相稱的助手』」（創2:18）。在父系社會，中外的翻譯都有意無意地不忠於原著。其實『我要給他做個救命恩人』是更忠實的翻譯！所以在『三八婦女節』，我要感激婦女們不斷地保衛著男人，做他們的『救命恩人』！

中國文化素來講究務實，即使有『治國、平天下』的理想，也必先『修身、齊家』。作為仁人君子，欲成家立室，娶妻應『求淑女』！《詩經》的第一篇，相信大家不會陌生。所謂「窈窕淑女，君子好逑」就是這個意思。男人應該追求的理想配偶，不是美貌或富貴的黃花閨女，而是賢良淑德的婦女。當然，自己條件低的時候，惟有降低要求，退而求其次了。

《舊約》有三個「井旁相遇」的求偶故事，有著同一脈絡：一個從外地來身份高貴的男士，在井旁與一位少女相遇；少女款待他到家中與她的家人相識，最後那位高貴的男士迎娶了這位在井旁遇到的少女，大團圓結局。這三位身份高貴的男士分別是依撒格（由亞巴郎的僕人做代表）、雅各伯和梅瑟。聖經學者普遍認為這三位《舊約》人物都是耶穌基督的預像，在他們的生平事蹟中，可以找到天主子的身影。今天的福音記述了耶穌基督在井旁把自己啟示給一個撒瑪黎雅婦人，且讓我們默想這個在井旁「求偶」故事的真諦罷。

福音中的撒瑪黎雅婦人是一個「公開的罪人」，她遇人不淑，先後嫁給五個男人，最後和第六個男人同居（若4:18）。她在烈日當空的時間來打水（4:6-7），很明顯是在逃避別人的閒言閒語！雖然她明知自己有罪，但她沒有尋求幫助，沒有想辦法解決問題；卻選擇了逃避，這可能是在當時的社會制度下，她惟一可以做的事罷。她逃避面對自己、逃避面對別人、逃避面對天主！無論在理論上或者道義上，這位撒瑪黎雅婦人，絕對不會是正人君子的求偶對像。但身份高貴的天主子明白罪人的困難，祂偏偏主動向婦人伸出援手，「追求」她，有如《舊約》中三個「井旁相遇」求偶的故事一樣！為甚麼會這樣呢？保祿宗徒在今天的第二篇讀經寫得好，他說：「為義人死，是罕有的事；為善人，或許有敢死的；但是，基督在我們還是罪人的時候，就為我們死了，這證明了天主怎樣愛我們」（羅5:7-8）。在《舊約》，只要相信天主和遵守盟約的人，便是『天主的子民』。到了《新約》，相信耶穌基督和愛祂的團體─教會─便是『基督的新娘』！天主教非常重視婚姻是有原因的，婚姻不但是「七件聖事」之一，而且婚姻標誌著基督對教會的愛。保祿宗徒在論述婚姻的神聖時說：「你們作丈夫的，應該愛妻子，如同基督愛了教會，並為她捨棄了自己，以水洗，藉言語，來潔淨她，聖化她，好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，或其他類似的缺陷；而使她成為聖潔和沒有污點的」（弗5:25-27）。耶穌基督深愛全人類：相信的、不信的；善良的、邪惡的；有用的、無用的…祂願意為所有人捨棄了自己，並且有耐性地教化他們、使他們成為聖潔。人類又如何回應呢？且看這位撒瑪黎雅婦人！

一開始她以種族和性別作盾牌，劃清界線（若4:9），有如現代的無神論者指摘信耶穌的人迷信、落伍和不科學一樣！耶穌針對她的需要，也是全人類的需要，就是對『水』，即『生命』的渴求。耶穌以『活水』吸引她：有了這『自來水』，她就不須要再來打水，不用再遇上她不想接觸的人…撒瑪黎雅婦人卻聰明地質疑耶穌誇大其辭，沒有能力給她『活水』（4:11），有如無信的人挑戰基督徒，『你們的天主在哪？叫祂出來，我便信祂。』不少信徒在遇上不如意事、挫折、長期病患或者世局動盪等等…時，也不知不覺地和無信的人一樣，懷疑天主對他們的愛，有如今天的第一篇讀經所說：「上主是否在我們中間？」（出17:7）他們希望天主立刻行神跡，解決他們的尷尬、困難和不便。在這方面，撒殫是成功的，『原罪』對人類本性的傷害實在大，以至信徒洗禮後，仍然戒除不了『舊我』的惡習！

不要以為領洗入教便解決了所有問題，且看那個撒瑪黎雅婦人，當耶穌透露了她的過去，令她信服之後，她又提出一個信仰上的問題（若4:19-20），為撒瑪黎雅人爭一口氣。我們何嘗不是一樣嗎？當我們以為自己是信耶穌的時候，我們也會為一些禮儀上的小節：『口領聖體更虔誠』；『離開聖堂不用再蘸聖水』；『唸耶穌基督時要鞠躬』；『已婚的執事不可束聖索象徵貞潔』等等…或神學上的爭論點：『耶穌真實臨在聖體內』；『聖母瑪利亞死後，靈魂肉身蒙召升天』；『信者得救，洗禮只不過是繁文縟節，不洗禮也可得救』；『聖經怎能沒有錯？科學證明了宇宙在一億三千萬年前的大爆炸誕生，所以用六日創造天地萬物是錯的』；『教宗主教也只不過是人，有甚麼重要？』等等…而喋喋不休地與人一決雌雄！贏了又如何呢？何必傷了共融呢？最後，福音大團圓結局，撒瑪黎雅婦人成了希望的傳承者，向她所逃避的同鄉傳福音（4:29-30）。

親愛的兄弟姊妹，向身邊的人傳福音無疑是困難的。他們會好像撒瑪黎雅婦人當初一樣，用不同的方法，逃避自己，逃避我們，甚至拒絕天主，把我們拒諸門外。他們可能會劃清界線、可能挑戰我們的信念、可能自暴自棄，變得不可接近，甚至傷害關心他們的人等等…憐憫他們罷，求天主也憐憫他們罷。要知道上主天主是言出必行的，祂曾藉先知說：「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55:11）！耶穌基督就是從上主天主口中發出的言語（若1:1; 14），祂給全人類展示了天父的慈悲，和怎樣履行天父的旨意。先知說：「趁上主可找到的時 ，你們應尋找祂；趁祂在近處的時候，你們應呼求祂」（55:6）！「上主在我們中間」（民11:10; 耶42:5），傳福音又有何難呢？
天主保祐！

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

起來，不要害怕！ Rise, Be not Afraid

四旬期第二主日，甲年
主題：起來，不要害怕！

今天的福音選讀『耶穌顯聖容』片段，讓我們先了解這件事跡的上文。話說耶穌基督傳福音、召選門徒已有一段時間。既然祂快要前往耶路撒冷受難，耶穌便在跟隨祂的人當中，選定一個領袖來團結和帶領那些蒙恩得救者所建立的團體─『教會』。於是祂在斐理伯凱撒勒雅揀選了西滿伯多祿作為教會的磐石（瑪16:18），並首次透露祂的受難復活計劃（16:21）。可惜門徒們未有充份的心理準備，承受不了這訊息所帶來這麼大的衝擊。伯多祿直諫耶穌，結果被耶穌當眾痛斥（16:23）。耶穌明白門徒們的困難，於是六日後，祂帶著三名「入室弟子」，上了一座高山，把自己天主性本體的光榮，呈現給他們，加強他們的信德（17:1-3）。後來伯多祿在他的書信中，作了見證（伯後1:16-21）。

讓我們繼續澄清一些疑問。首先，猶太法律嚴禁製造雕像偶像。那麼，門徒憑甚麼知道與他們師傅談論的是梅瑟和厄里亞呢？解釋這個並不難，門徒可能聽到他們與耶穌交談的內容，只是沒有記載下來而已。但不可不知，考古學家估計，梅瑟是公元前1300年的人物，而厄里亞是公元前900年的人物。耶穌可能是用公元前1000年（即達味為王的時候）的希伯來文與他們交談，門徒未必聽得懂！所以最有可能是一些視覺上的標記，例如用刻了十誡的石版來象徵梅瑟；用火或其他事物象徵厄里亞。

其次，要解釋厄里亞的出現，沒有甚麼疑難。因為聖經記載，天主派了一輛火馬拉的火車接了厄里亞升天（列下2:11），有如「與天主往來，然後就不見了，因為天主將他提去」的哈諾客（創5:24）一樣。所以猶太人認為厄里亞是沒有死去的。但聖經記載梅瑟死時120歲，由天主將他埋葬，並且沒有人知道埋葬地點（申34:6-7）。可能天主用心良苦，不希望梅瑟有如他做的『銅蛇』一樣，在後世淪為偶像（列下18:4），便隱藏了埋葬梅瑟的地點。但怎樣解釋梅瑟在『耶穌顯聖容』出現呢？要知道在猶太人的心目中，梅瑟這位解放者，雖死猶生。這也解釋了為甚麼伯多祿想「在這裡搭三個帳棚」，供奉耶穌、梅瑟和厄里亞三人（瑪17:4）！更重要是梅瑟在『耶穌顯聖容』的出現，印證了後來耶穌有關天主「不是死人的，而是活人的天主」（22:32）的教訓！
最後，為甚麼三個門徒在光耀的雲彩中聽到聲音，就「俯伏在地，非常害怕」（17:6）呢？猶太人素來相信天主隱藏在光耀的雲彩中（出16:10），所以三個門徒覺得自己正在近距離接觸天主。現代人普遍接受了科技的洗禮，很難想像猶太人對天主敬畏的地步。以色列人覺得自己不潔，所以害怕直接接觸天主，認為凡聽到祂的聲音（20:19），或者看見祂或祂的面，必死無疑（民13:22; 出10:28） ，所以三個門徒是害怕死亡！

害怕死亡是人之常情，如何消除這種情緒，不外乎『逃跑』便是『對決』。在強弱懸殊的情況下，『對決』必死無疑，除非為了更高尚的理想或者犧牲自己以換取其他人的存活；更何況誰有本領與天主對決呢？但門徒的反應又不是逃跑，是甚麼呢？其實『逃跑』不一定要『跑』，可以不做任何動作，貌似死亡的『詐死』；倘若對方是有理性的話，還可以求情！天主是全知的，『詐死』是行不通的，所以門徒們是向天主求情！明白了這些以後，我們便可以更好地默想這神跡對今天的我們，有甚麼啟示。

今天的世代，一切都在急促變化。以往行之有效的方法和程序，已再不管用！在各式各樣的人際關係、經濟關係和社會關係中，產生了不少焦慮、無奈、不安、失望、憤怒和害怕。它們糾結在一起，形成了一種說也說也不清的精神狀態，束縛著我們心靈。領洗加入教會讓我們享受到天父恩賜的平安，有如伯多祿所說：「主啊！我們在這裡真好！」（瑪17:4）但當天父啟示祂的聖意，邀請我們有如亞巴郎一樣，成為「萬民的福源」時（創12:3），我們卻又有如門徒一樣，怕得要死（瑪17:6）。我們會找到很多藉口，婉拒天父的邀請：「吾主，請原諒！我不是個有口才的人…」（出4:10）、「我主，請原諒我！我憑甚麼拯救以色列…」（民6:11）「哎呀！我主上主，我太年輕…」（耶1:6）…等等。好像依撒意亞那樣慷慨地說：「我在這裡，請派遣我」（依6:8）的，實在鳳毛麟角。這些『詐死』技倆，能逃過天父的法眼嗎？相信天父心裡，必定啼笑皆非！

各位親愛的兄弟姊妹，從經學角度看，「不要害怕」在《瑪竇福音》出現過6次：天使在耶穌復活後對婦女說了一次（瑪28:5），耶穌用其餘的5次，在不同場合安慰、鼓勵和教訓傳福音的門徒和婦女，這為我們才有意義！
首先，天父不需要，也不希罕我們為祂搭帳棚或建造宏偉的聖殿、聖堂（依66:1）。相反，祂「尋找那些以心神以真理朝拜祂的人」（若4:23）。耶穌基督曾說：「我是道理，真理和生命」（14:6），比拉多卻在真理面前問：「甚麼是真理？」（18:38）聖葉理諾曾說：「不認識聖經，就不認識基督」。因此，勤讀聖經，認識耶穌的言行，有助我們把祂「默存在心，反覆思想」（路2:19; 51）。有耶穌在心中，我們更有動力履行愛德，讓這點光、這點善行，在人前照耀，使他們光榮我們在天之父（瑪5:16）！
其次，我們應該有怎樣的『心神』呢？『心神』即現代語『生活態度』。耶穌基督在『山中聖訓』教導的『真福八端』：神貧、哀慟、溫良、飢渴慕義、憐憫別人、心裡潔淨、締造和平、為義而受迫害等，就是基督徒應有的生活態度，先教宗方濟各稱『真福八端』為『基督徒的身份證』。賴天父的助祐，有缺陷的我們是有希望做到的，也有能力倡議這些價值！

各位親愛的兄弟姊妹，耶穌說：「起來，不要害怕」（17:7）。後來祂在最後晚餐說：「我實實在在告訴你們：凡信我的，我所做的事業，他也要做，並且還要作比這些更大的事業，因為我往父那裡去」（若14:12）。祂做到的，我們也可以做到。祂現在天父的右邊，不斷地為我們轉求（羅8:34），所以我們能無懼撒殫的破壞，做更大的事業了！我們還有畏首畏尾的餘地嗎？『起來』，我們不再『詐死』，長留在安樂窩之中。我們應該好像門徒們一樣，不要害怕，『下山』去做更大的事業，做『希望的傳承者』。亞孟。
天主保祐！

2023年反省
圖片鳴謝：grok.com
視訊片段：新蜀山劍俠（1983）

天將降大任於斯人也 God Coaches Us To Be Top Athletes

常年期第二十主日，丙年
主題：天將降大任於斯人也 God Coaches Us To Be Top Athletes

俗語有云：「日防夜防，家賊難防」，是有道理的。從外面來的敵人或者侵略者，比較容易發現；但為所有組織或個人，最難應付的就是「內鬼」。敵人一旦裡應外合，我們必死無疑，能夠生存下來的都是僥倖！我們連續兩個主日默想「七罪宗」，認識到這七個「內鬼」的危險。但很明顯，只認識到這些「內鬼」是不足夠的。就如即使有最先進敏銳的雷達，在敵人發射導彈的一刻已經發現了它；但沒有戰略性的反導彈系統，我們也只是坐以待斃！所以，即使察覺到誘惑的存在，但我們自身卻缺乏保祿宗徒所說「與罪惡爭鬥」（希12:4）的能力，我們同樣是「甕中之鱉」，只會束手就擒。

傳統上，教會鼓勵我們使用任何人都有能力做得到的方法，避免犯罪，那就是「立刻逃離現場」！雖然是消極和被動，卻是安全而有效的方法。今天，教會安排的主日讀經，倡議一個主動積極的方法，與罪惡爭鬥，就是「擁抱迫害」！聖奧思定教導我們讀【舊約】事蹟時，尋找基督的預像，或者天主子如何應驗法律和先知（瑪5:17）。例如依撒格服從父親亞巴郎，背負「全燔祭」用的柴上山（創22:6），便預示了耶穌基督服從天父的旨意，背負十字架上山被釘。因此，依撒格是耶穌的預像。【舊約】四大先知之一的耶肋米亞，因為宣講天主的旨意而遭受迫害，也成為了基督的預像！

事緣猶大國在昏庸無能的君王領導之下，崇拜偶像，遠離天主。所以天主決意把他們交在巴比倫帝國手中，流放充軍五十年，反省作為天主特選民族的身份，並編輯了【舊約】的大部份。耶肋米亞奉天主的差遣，向百姓宣講「投降巴比倫，得以保存性命」的訊息（耶38:2-3）。朝廷的主戰派，豈能放過耶肋米亞先知呢？他們便從任人擺佈的君王口中取得許可，逮捕了耶肋米亞，丟到蓄水池裡，打算餓死他（38:9）。後來，厄貝得默肋客〔מֶלֶךְ עֶבֶד希伯來文的意思是「君王的僕人」〕營救了耶肋米亞，原來他是一個外藉宦官（38:7）。真嘲刺，但充滿象徵意義！天主的僕人耶肋米亞，須要有缺陷的君王僕人協助，纔能完成任務。同樣，天主子也須要我們這些軟弱的罪人，與他合作，完成拯救世界的任務！

在第二篇讀經，聖保祿宗徒教導我們，原來「為義而受迫害」，真是有福的（瑪5:10）。他所指的「眾多如雲的證人」（希12:1），是指那些從亞伯爾開始到瑪加伯時代，憑信德和望德承行天主旨意而遭受迫害的人。因著天主子的受難復活，他們的受苦被耶穌基督所肯定，並沒有白費，反而賺得了永生。耶穌基督就是我們的榜樣，祂「輕視了凌辱，忍受了十字架，而今坐在天主寶座的右邊」（12:2）。儒家思想也有相同的教訓：「故天將降大任於斯人也，必先苦其心志，勞其筋骨，餓其體膚，空乏其身，行拂其所為」。為甚麼生活要是這樣的呢？孟子留下了這樣的名句：「然後知生於憂患而死於安樂也」（孟子‧告子下）。的確，安逸的生活使現代人容易染上「三高」，惟有勤做身、心、靈的運動，纔可以保平安！怎樣做呢？在生活中難免有不如意的事，與其動不動便投訴，讓其他人知道自己受委屈，爭取別人的同情；倒不如謙遜地反躬自問，像聖母瑪利亞一樣，「默存心中，反覆思想」（路2:19, 51），尋求天父的旨意。

在福音中，耶穌所說的「切望燃燒起來的火」（路12:49），若翰洗者作證是指「聖神」（3:16）。聖神是聖父與聖子彼此交流的愛，足以更新、復興整個宇宙。至於耶穌所說的，非常焦急直到它得以完成的「應受的洗禮」（12:50），是指祂的受難（谷10:39）。天主子是真人真天主，只有祂纔可以運用祂的受難死亡，償還古今中外，全人類已犯、未犯的罪債！世人遭受了「原罪」的傷害，不會輕易接受耶穌基督的福音。接受或拒絕天主子的福音，必會造成分裂。而這分裂，是達到終極和平之前必經的階段。

親愛的兄弟姊妹，讓我們呼求天主聖神，重新激發沉睡在我們心中的「聖神七恩」，使我們以上智、聰敏、超見和明達之心，明辨是非真理；懷著孝愛、敬畏上主之情，以剛毅不屈的意志，擁抱迫害，承行天父的旨意。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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2022年反省
圖片鳴謝：ideogram.ai, as1.ftcdn.net

羔羊是善牧 The Lamb Shepherds

復活期第四主日，丙年
主題：羔羊是善牧 The Lamb Shepherds

今天選讀的福音很短，倘若我們不知其上文下理，很容易會穿鑿附會，錯解經文，所以我們須要認識這段經文的背景。若望宗徒以福音的整篇第十章，論述了天主子耶穌基督是世人的「善牧」，可見「善牧」的重要性。「牧羊人」這個觀念，由來已久。聖祖是逐水土而居的遊牧民族，對牧羊人一點也不會陌生。離開埃及進入天主預許的福地，即客納罕之後，經歷「民長時代」進入「君王時代」，天主挑選了一個「隨祂心意」的牧羊人達味，取代撒烏耳成為以色列國的第二任君王（撒上13:14）。他團結了十二支派，使以色列國在客納罕地開始壯大。到他的兒子撒羅滿繼位後，憑智慧和政治手腕，把國力推到顛峰，以色列國得以長治久安。天主起用一個「隨祂心意」的牧羊人（耶3:15）做君王，預示了在末世，天主子要以「善牧」的身份，領導和管治天主的國。後來的當權者，相信自己多於相信天主，結果被權力腐化了他們的心，以色列國也分裂了。在撒羅滿之後的「君王時代」，先知們諷刺地採用了「牧羊人」來象徵朝廷裡的貪官污吏，甚至君王，（依56:11; 耶23:1-2; 則34:23）；警告他們說，天主要懲罰不稱職的牧者，並且要親自來牧放自己的羊群（依40:11; 耶23:4; 則34:15-16）。

有一點是值得大家注意的，天主親自牧放自己的羊群，除了「尋找、包紮、療養和看守」外，祂更要「按正義牧放他們」（34:16），並且要「在肥羊與瘦羊之間施行審判」（34:20）！所以不要自欺欺人，妄想地獄並不存在；或者地獄即使存在，慈悲的天主會清空它云云！的確，天主是慈悲的；但任何「地獄不空，誓不成佛」之類的話，祇不過是一時的豪情壯語，絕不能當作真理看待；至於會否清空地獄，還有很多其他因素影響。天主的思維，人無從理解；況且，即使「祂的愚妄總比人明智」（格前1:25a）。所以不可輕視天主所預告的審判！而且，天主子耶穌基督在祂受難前宣講的末世言論中，最後講的比喻正是綿羊與山羊之間的審判。天主子不但向猶太人講這個審判，更是向古今中外的人類講；對曾經聽過福音，或者沒有機會聽過耶穌生平言行的人講。為了對全人類公平，審判並沒有要求領洗、祈禱和領聖事等等，而是按天主所賜予的良心，作最低的要求。天主子甚至事先張揚了六條「考試」題目，祇要良心未泯，還有少許惻隱之心的人，總可以在天堂爭取到一席位（瑪25:40）！天主並不要求我們做驚天動地的事，祂祇要求我們去愛那些最少兄弟中的一個！祂定下如此低的門檻，誰還可以投訴天主不公義、不慈悲呢？

天主按自己的肖像創造了我們（創1:26），所以祂尊重我們的自由意志。雖然祂慈悲，但祂絕不會強迫我們相信祂，我們有自由拒絕祂的慈愛！今天的第一篇讀經記載了猶太人出於妒忌，反對保祿所宣講的耶穌基督，並加以辱罵（宗13:45）；最後還把保祿和巴爾納伯驅逐出境。天主的審判在哪？就在他們「斷定自己不配得永生」（13:47）。所以，用不著天主來施行審判，是邪惡的人自己判斷了自己不配得永生！
回到今天福音的上文，猶太人在耶路撒冷慶祝「重建節」時，耶穌也來慶祝聖殿的重光。猶太人圍起祂來，追問祂，迫耶穌公開宣布祂是否默西亞！這是對耶穌一個很大的誘惑/挑戰，耶穌基督固然是默西亞，而且天主子是不能說謊的。但耶穌知道，那個時刻不是公開自己是默西亞的時候，因為宗徒們還沒有充足的準備。倘若祂現在公開宣布自己是默西亞，羅馬政權一定會來通緝祂，並且把宗徒們一網打盡。所以耶穌答覆說：「我已告訴了你們，你們卻不相信；我以我父的名所作的工作，為我作證，但你們還是不信，因為你們不是屬於我的羊」（若10:25）。的確，耶穌曾向他們宣講天父的慈悲和寬恕，並且行神跡加以證明；但他們心硬，仍不相信，還來迫害耶穌。他們已經自己審判了自己。到這裡，耶穌開始講述今天的福音片段，講述怎麼樣的羊，纔是屬於祂的，屬於天國的。

耶穌說：「我的羊聽我的聲音，我也認識他們，他們也跟隨我」（10:27）。耶穌在公開傳道的時候，並沒有排除任何群組，但不是所有聽眾都接受耶穌的教訓。正如依撒意亞蒙召時，天主對他說：「你去對這民族說：你們聽是聽，但不明白；看是看，卻不理解」（依6:9）。為甚麼會這樣呢？儒家思想可以提供一點線索！相信大家也曾聽過，甚至用過「心不在焉」來描述一些不用心做事的人。原文是：「心不在焉！視而不見，聽而不聞，食而不知其味」（禮記‧大學）。這段文字與天主的話語竟然有如此吻合之處，真是令人驚訝。而且《禮記》一針見血地指出問題的核心所在：就是「心不在焉」。其實耶穌也曾強調「心」的重要性，祂說：「你們的寶藏在那裡，你們的心也必在那裡」（瑪6:21; 路12:34）。耶穌所說的「寶藏」，就是永生。因此，「心」是獲得救恩，獲得永生的關鍵所在。可是在群眾中，有人覺得耶穌的教訓，並不符合他們的期望。例如那些憑專業知識吞沒寡婦家產的法學士、那些自以為是，喜歡受人敬拜的法利塞人、那些覺得耶穌正在威脅著自己地位的人等等。他們的心追求財富、虛榮和權勢，這是他們的「寶藏」。他們把「心」放到那裡去，所以他們拒絕耶穌，甚至想盡辦法去陷害祂！結果反而在審判自己，斷定自己不配得永生！

耶穌在『真福八端』曾傳授給我們「正心，修心」的秘訣：就是神貧、哀慟、溫良、渴求天主的救贖、一心一意尋覓天主、對人慈悲、締造和平；並且無懼犧牲小我，完成大我（瑪5:3-10）。這樣，我們便能安心地完全把自己交託在天主的手中，便能聽到祂的聲音，接受祂，並且樂意跟隨這位帶領我們獲得永生的「善牧」。今世的掌權者用錯了方法來統治人民，他們恃強凌弱，認為「槍桿子出政權」，擁有強大殺傷力武器，纔能鎮壓叛亂，保證和平！殊不知這些暴力，祇能傷害肉體，卻不能贏取心靈。相反，耶穌的溫良和善，為祂贏取了無數的跟隨者，甚至殉道者。因為天主子自願捨棄了自己的生命，成為真正的「逾越節羔羊」，一次而永遠地把世人的罪債一筆鈎銷！正如今天第二篇讀經所描述的：「那在寶座中間的羔羊要牧放他們，要領他們至生命的水泉那；天主也要從他們的眼上拭去一切淚痕」（默7:17）。牧放羊群的是羔羊，不是萬獸之王！

親愛的讀者，感謝天主，樞機團剛選出了新一任的聖伯多祿繼承人，良十四世。願天主聖神帶領他，鼓舞他，以善牧的風範，牧放天主的子民。今天又是「聖召主日」，讓我們祈求天主聖神，感召更多青年男女，以犧牲小我，完成大我的精神，慷慨回應，獻身為天主的羊群服務。不要忘記在我們身邊的母親們，她們都是活生生的「善牧」，她們犧牲了自己的事業、精神、健康和時間，使子女活出更豐盛的生命。願天父豐厚地降福她們，報答她們。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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2022年反省
圖片鳴謝：ideogram.ai

Happiness Breeds Woes 福兮禍之所伏

Sixth Ordinary Sunday, Year C
Theme: Happiness Breeds Woes 福兮禍之所伏

Last week, we read of Jesus’ making the four fishermen “fisher of men” (Luke 5:10b). A lot of things happened before we arrived at the narrative today, including healings, calling more disciples, conflicts with Jewish religious authorities and choosing the Twelve etc. Today, we hear of the Lukan beatitudes, the start of a collection of Jesus’ teachings to the public. Before we meditate on the Lukan version of beatitudes, we need to harmonize its differences with the Matthean version. The first contrast is the location. The Matthean version took place “up the mountain” (Matthew 5:1) while the Lukan version “down … on a stretch of level ground” (Luke 6:17). The contrast is understandable because Matthew wants to tell his audience that Jesus Christ is a greater teacher than Moses who went up Mount Sinai to receive the Law from Yahweh to teach the Israelites how to become a holy People of God; whereas Luke wants to tell the disciples that Jesus Christ, the merciful Son of God came down from heaven to teach us, pitiful sinners, how to return to the merciful Father in heaven. The second contrast is the number of Beatitudes. There are eight in Matthew and only four in Luke. Why? Whose version is more original?

First of all, Luke was not present when Jesus proclaimed the Beatitudes but Matthew was. In Luke’s own words, “Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received” (1:1-4). Luke has done a lot of research before he puts into writing the biography of Jesus. Let’s be realistic. Are you able to remember, without opening the gospel of Matthew, the eight Beatitudes? You cannot blame Luke for distilling for us from his collection the best teachings of Jesus Christ in public. As for Matthew’s version, we can only have a greater confidence that it is closer to the source, but we cannot guarantee that Matthew put it into writing while he still remembered! Surely he has done some editorial works to present Jesus’ teachings according to his agenda.
Secondly, Luke deploys a different format, namely four woes follow immediately to lay before the audience a stark different consequence in making fundamental choices (6:24-26). Modern psychologists agree that the attention span of common people are limited to seven plus or minus two. Therefore, eight, or in the Lukan version, four plus four, is the optimal arrangement.
Thirdly, Luke uses the second person to make the beatitudes and woes more personal. In the second and third groups, Luke even adds the word “now” to stress the immediacy of Jesus teaching. You don’t wait until the end of the world to see the fulfilment of God’s promises and condemnation! After ironing out the differences, let us dive into the Lukan beatitudes.

With the advent of the age of artificial intelligence, men can no longer hold on to intelligence to define their humanity. If what make human human are their virtues, we would naturally ask what the highest form of virtue is. Let us sample the major civilizations to obtain a rough sketch. Greeks advocate the four cardinal virtues, namely prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance. Christians uphold three theological virtues, namely faith, hope and charity. In St. Paul’s words, “So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). But we cannot ignore her roots, namely Judaism. What is the highest form of virtue for the Jews? We find them in the first reading and the Responsorial Psalms today, namely, to follow the guidance of Torah. In Jeremiah, we find the Lukan version in reverse, namely the curse (Jeremiah 17:5-6) before the blessing (17:7-8). Jeremiah deploys the well-known image in Psalms 1, which is the Responsorial Psalm today, to remind the audience of the importance of making the right choice. Again, the warning goes first, but with a twist. So what incurs the curse? “Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD” (17:5). While Jeremiah was direct and point-blank as a prophet, the Psalter was more sophisticated and mature as a poet. The Psalter wraps blessedness in a negative way! “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers. Rather, the law of the LORD is his joy; and on His law he meditates day and night” (Psalms 1:1-2). So, while Matthew is pedagogical and catechetical like a prophet in listing the beatitudes in a positive sequence, Luke is more meditative like the Psalter in laying before the audience blessings and woes side by side.

When St. Ambrose, a Church Father, wrote an Exposition on Luke, he was able to derive the remaining beatitudes through the four cardinal virtues! From poverty through temperance, he derived purity of hearts; hunger through justice, derived compassion/mercy; weeping through prudence, peace; and lastly persecution through fortitude comes meekness. St. Ambrose’s eloquence is commendable and we are on the right path when we pay greater attention to virtues rather than intelligence. But I love St. Ambrose’s meditation more. For the sake of sinners, the Son of Man incarnated and made Himself poor. He hungered in the wilderness to teach us how to withstand temptations. He wept for humanity when He entered Jerusalem in triumph (Luke 19:41-44) and lastly, He received hate, insults and rejection when He was crucified outside Jerusalem! In short, the four Lukan beatitudes suffice our salvation!

How can we deal with blessings and curses at the same time? I opine that we have to understand the spirit of the Middle Way. Simply put, do not go to the extreme. When Jesus blesses the poor, He wants us to come close to the Father. Don’t forget that poverty can be an evil when it prevents people from fully develop the image God intended for us when He created us. He gave us original graces and potentials to develop and grow. Eradication of poverty is a laudable project but accumulating wealth can also be harmful at the expenses of our physical health, our relationships with others and most important of all, with God. Jesus warns, “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). Simply put, money can be our slave or our master. Manage it wisely to benefit yourselves and the needy. Then being rich is blessing and not a curse! Alas! The commercial society is instilling a wrong kind of value-system among the general public. It encourages people to labour harder in order to gain more. Many people simply follow the herd because they believe that following the flow is the safest strategy in life. However, when we do not discern the will of God and go to the extreme, we fall into this slavery trap and lose sight of our true destiny!

Beloved brethren! Laozi says well, “Misery! Happiness is to be found by its side! Happiness! Misery lurks beneath it! Who knows what either will come to in the end? 禍兮福之所倚，福兮禍之所伏。孰知其極？” (Dao De Jing #58) You can be cautious to avoid going to the extremes. Or you may let go, surrender to God’s will and allow Him to take charge of your life. Or you may take the wheel of your life in your own hand, make mistakes and crash. Then learn from your mistakes, get up to drive a wounded vehicle again. I am sure no single path is applicable for all. Each one of us is unique and our paths are ours to take. Nobody can take your place and walk in your stead. In the end, God holds you, and you alone, accountable. Amen.
God bless!

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2022 Reflection
Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

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!

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2022 Reflection
Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

The Lord Is Our Justice 上主是我們的正義

First Advent Sunday, Year C
Theme: The Lord Is Our Justice 上主是我們的正義

Today Catholics begin a new liturgical year, Year C in which most of the Sunday gospel readings are taken from the gospel according to Luke. We have entered the Advent Season in which we anticipate and celebrate the advent, the coming of Christ who came two millennia ago. From December 17 on, we shall celebrate this. Before that, we anticipate His second coming at the end of the world. For the last two millennia, the world has never been peaceful. Injustice is rampant at all levels and love is in short supply. Consider the injustice of slavery. In ancient times, slaves did not rest and worked until they died. Thus, the third Commandment, namely that we should rest on Sabbath/the Lord’s Day, was revolutionary in celebrating the dignity of humanity and their entitled freedom. Nowadays, labourers rest on statutory holidays so that after rest, they will produce more! It is common nowadays for both parents to work, leaving their children to the care of grandparents or domestic helpers. Many salesmen have to meet their monthly quota. The major works of teachers serving schools with a shrinking in-take are to do cross-border promotions in order to keep their schools afloat. Many highly paid middle managers die abruptly out of exhaustion at their work-desks … It is slavery nonetheless in new forms. Thus, we Catholics welcome the end of the present world order, the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that He will come again in glory, as He has promised to clean up the mess humanity has created.

In the first reading today, we read of the prophecy proclaimed by Jeremiah. Through him, God says, “The days are coming --- oracle of the LORD --- when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 33:14). But what promise did God refer to? It is better to search from the source, not Israel nor Isaac but Abraham. What has God promised Abraham?
God spoke to Abraham, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All families of the earth will find blessing in you” (Genesis 12:2-3). God promised Abraham that he would become a great nation! A nation consists of at least two components: people and land. But at that time, Abraham was 75 and because his wife Sarah was barren, they did not have a son. The second part of the promise made Abraham the source of blessing for all the families on earth. Thus, this promise carries with it a mission: to be a source of blessings for the others! God reveals His plan step by step. It was vague at first and He clarifies later. So some time later after Abraham had settled in Canaan, God reveals more clearly when Abraham complained that he had no son, “Look, you have given me no offspring, so a servant of my household will be my heir” (15:3). Then, God clarified His earlier promise, saying “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so … will your descendants be” (15:5). Abraham put his faith in the LORD who continued to affirm, “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession” (15:7). Lastly, God promised, “I will make you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings will stem from you” (17:7). In fact, Israel is not the only nation made up of descendants of Abraham. Abraham also fathered Ishmael, the ancestor of the Arabians, from Hagar. Now that God has honoured His promises to Abraham with nations in Canaan. But it is not the end of the story. How shall Abraham and his descendants become a source of blessing to all humanity? So, God guaranteed Abraham saying, “I will maintain my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting covenant, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you” (17:7). Human beings are unable to honour their pledges completely but God is able to because He is eternal while men are mortal. For example, the LORD God renewed His promise to Abraham with his grandson Jacob at Bethel in his dream of the ladder, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham you father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you are lying I will give to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and through them you will spread to the west and the east, to the north and the south. In you and your descendants all the families of the earth will find blessing.” (28:13-14) Here, we find a renewal of God’s pledges of land, descendants and blessing to Abraham and his descendants.

With my poverty of Islamic knowledge, I am not able to comment on the blessings Islam has brought to the families of the earth. Now, how does God honour His pledge of blessing, at least through the branch of Israel? In human history, after Babylonian Captivity, Israel has only been an independent nation briefly during the Hasmonean Dynasty during the Greek Empire and became a puppet state during the Roman Empire. After the Second Jewish Revolt in 132-135 AD, all Jews were banished from the Roman Empire until the modern Israel nation established in 1948. At the moment, Israel has engaged in bitter battles with the Arabian nations. So, we need to look for God’s blessings to humanity elsewhere!

The prophecy text of Jeremiah ends with this verse, “This is the name they shall call her [Jerusalem]: ‘The LORD our justice’” (Jeremiah 33:16b). Don’t interpret God’s justice in human terms: fairness, impartiality, equality, an eye for an eye and tit for tat etc. In prophets and wisdom literature, we always find “justice” and “salvation” spoken in the same breath: “My mouth shall proclaim your just deeds, day after day your acts of deliverance, though I cannot number them all” (Psalms 71:15). “The LORD has made known His salvation: His righteousness has he openly showed in the sight of the nations” (98:2). “…My righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation” (Isaiah 51:8b). That is to say, God’s justice is His salvation! Out of love, God created us. God’s justice lies in His helping us to attaining the target He set individually and personally for us. Regrettably, we failed Him and missed the target He set for us as His images. It would be unjust of God to leave us alone to fend for ourselves, struggling and suffering in the slavery of sins. His justice lies in saving us, delivering us from the bondage of sin and attaining in fullness the image He set for us. In the gospel reading today, Jesus speaks directly God’s redemption without confusing the audience with the flowery language of justice and salvation. Instead, Jesus conjures up the image of the Kingdom of God to fulfil God’s promise to Abraham. Jesus says, “But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand” (Luke 21:28). Then the redeemed will become the People of God and together they form the Kingdom of God, visibly the Church. “In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near” (21:31). This is how the LORD honours the promise He made to Abraham and the house of Israel and Judah namely, that Abraham and his descendants would be a source of blessing for the families on earth.

Of course, as the People of God, we should not fold our hands and do nothing, passively waiting for the LORD to deliver us. What should we do? St. Paul sets us a target. In the second reading today, Paul sets us some milestones: namely, “love one another” (1 Thessalonians 3:12) and “be blameless in holiness” (3:13). Loving one another and being blameless in holiness are easier said than done. Consider the case of love. Indeed, many people fail in their love because they know what they themselves like but don’t consider what is good for the others. I am a diabetic. My friends give me chocolates because they are tasty and enjoyable. They don’t know what is good for me! Paul knows that practising love and holiness is difficult. Therefore, he reminds the audience to rely on God. Thus, Paul writes, “May the LORD make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all … so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His holy ones” (3:12-13).

Beloved brethren! Do not just desire to love but to know and understand the other parties in order to love them better. At last, the good LORD advises us, “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life” (Luke 21:34). It is because when our hearts are full of anxieties, drunkenness and drowsiness, it would be difficult for us to know and understand the people whom God gives us to love. Similarly, when Jesus advises us to “Be vigilant at all times”, He is not telling us to keep watch on when the end of the world will arrive. Instead, we should be vigilant to see who need help and find the best way to love them. Be vigilant at all times to surrender your seats to the elderly, the disabled and the pregnant. Don’t bury your heads in your mobile when you travel on public transport. Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: wikiart.org, tofugu.com

Listen and You’ll Find Hope 聆聽就有希望

Thirty-First Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: Listen and You’ll Find Hope 聆聽就有希望

Christians and Jews share a high percentage of their scriptures. We know that the Christian Bible is made up of two Testaments, namely the Old Testament and the New Testament. Most of the books of the Old Testament came from the Jewish Scriptures. In the book of Jeremiah, we find “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). Therefore, Christians are justified in creating another collection of books written after the establishment of the early Church; and calling the collection, the New Testament! So, it is not wrong to view Christianity as an outgrowth from Judaism. The Jews divide their Scriptures into three sections: Torah, Prophets and Holy Writings whereas Christians follow the division of a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Septuagint (LXX) into four sections: Pentateuch, History, Wisdom Literature and Prophets. Obviously, the two sets of collections would not be identical. Luckily, both Torah and Pentateuch contain the same books attributed to Moses.

The Torah is the most important collection of scriptures for Jews. The Sadducees who belonged to the priestly class accepted only the Torah whereas the Pharisees accepted all three collections as authoritative. Here are some basic statistics about the Torah/Pentateuch. There are 50 chapters in Genesis, 40 in Exodus, 24 in Leviticus, 36 in Numbers and 34 in Deuteronomy. Furthermore, the frequencies of the word “hear/listen” in these five books are: 63 in Genesis [1.26 per chapter], 50 in Exodus [1.25], 7 in Leviticus [0.29], 33 in Numbers [0.92] and 91 in Deuteronomy [2.68]! No wonder within the five verses of the first reading today, the word “hear” appears twice (Deuteronomy 6:3, 4)! Scholars believe that Deuteronomy is a collection of three parting speeches of Moses delivered to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land. Moses knew that the LORD barred him from entering the Promised Land. Furthermore, he knew all too well that the Israelites were stiff-necked (appear some 7 times within the Torah). He was anxious for their future in the Promised Land, “so that you, that is, you, your child, and your grandchild, may fear the LORD, your God, by keeping, as long as you live, all his statutes and commandments …, and thus have long life” (6:2).

Let’s re-visit how God created the known universe. In the book of Genesis chapter one, a priestly hymn describes how God spoke and things were created: light, firmament, oceans and land masses, sun and all celestial bodies etc. … But before the creation of men, God seemed to be speaking to a stone-wall. The Creation was not yet able to respond meaningfully to His words. So, on the sixth day, God created human beings in His own image which then was able to respond to His words! What is the appropriate response towards speaking? Of course it must be hearing/listening. Speaking together with listening establishes a connection, a relation between two parties.

Before one can keep all God’s statutes and commandments, one must know them first. Throughout the ages, the scribes and Pharisees were able to draw up 613 laws scattered among the five books in Torah to help the Jews practise their faith. It was in this context that a scribe challenged Jesus and asked Him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” (Mark 12:28) and Jesus quoted him the “Shema Israel” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) and “Love your neighbour as youself” (Leviticus 19:18). Most of us would be easily attracted by the word “love” in these two commandments. However, I opine that listening takes precedence over love because it is meaningless to love without firstly establishing a connection, a relationship! As I have mentioned earlier, listening to God establishes our relationship with Him. Listening enables us to know/discern the will of God and then to respond. Obeying God’s will means loving God. Not listening to God or not following His commandments means we severe our connection with God. We literally cut ourselves away from God, away from our source of life. As the Chosen People of God, how did the Israelites/Jews perform? The Prophets and the Wisdom Literature are littered with God’s complaints: “For this is a rebellious people, deceitful children. Children who refuse to listen to the instruction of the LORD” (Isaiah 30:9); “Listen, my people, I will testify against you. If only you will listen to me, Israel!” (Psalms 81:8) Even up to today, the Israelites have demonstrated to the whole world what would happen to a Chosen People who do not listen to the LORD God!

The second reading today is an excerpt from Hebrews 7. We should read the whole chapter in order to understand the logic flow. The main theme of the second reading tells us the superiority of Jesus’ High Priesthood over the high priests of Torah. According to Jewish Law, high priests must come from the house of Aaron whereas chief priests and lower class priests from the tribe of Levi. Remember, Jesus was a descendant of Judah, not of Levi. He could not be a priest, not to mention, the High Priest, according to the law. The levitical High Priests were inferior because they had to offer sacrifice for their own sins before they could offer sacrifice for the people (Hebrews 7:27) whereas Jesus, the Son of God needs not to offer sacrifice for Himself! The author of Hebrews quoted the Psalms to prove that God the Father had vowed to make the Son an eternal High Priest, “The Lord has sworn and will not waver: ‘You are a priest forever (7:21) according to the order of Melchizedek (7:17)” (Psalms 110:4). Verses 1 to 3 in Psalms 110 points to someone from the tribe of Judah and of course, God’s vow must be as valid as, if not stronger than the levitical laws.

Jesus is our hope because He is able to answer at least two problems in the first of all the commandments. Firstly, ordinary people and modern ones in particular are multi-tasking. We do many things at the same time by scheduling our tasks into different time-slots, urgency being the criterion. Therefore, how can modern people love God with ALL their hearts, ALL their souls and ALL their strength? For non-believers, the concept of God is irrelevant and they would allot no time and no energy to entertain it. As for believers, I am afraid only the consecrated religious would be able to love God with ALL their strength. Secular clergy will have a lot of management tasks to handle. They are torn between loving God and maintaining an expanding Church! What can listening to Jesus help those poor souls? Jesus is the embodiment of the word of God and the author of Hebrews writes, “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart” (Hebrew 4:12). After establishing connection with Jesus, He is able to penetrate our souls and spirit. When we are open to Him, He is able to transform us and make it easy for us to discern the Father’s will and obey it.

Now that we are enabled/empowered, how are we guaranteed to channel ALL our efforts to follow God’s will? Of course it is unrealistic to accomplish the target of total devotion overnight. But there is a hope that Jesus would make up what is lacking in us. In His public ministry, Jesus has demonstrated times and again His transformative and multiplicative powers: namely the miracle of transforming water into wine at Cana (John 2:9) and the miracle of five loaves and two fish to feed 5000 men (6:9-13)! The Responsorial Psalm today also drops us a great hint. Our response is, “I love you, LORD, my strength” (Psalms 18:2)! When the LORD becomes our strength, how can we not love the LORD God with ALL our strength! The transformative power of Jesus shall tune our strength into God’s strength. Thus, the author of Hebrews is right in saying, “Therefore, He [Jesus] is always able to save those who approach God through Him” (Hebrews 7:25a).

Beloved brethren! Listen to the word of God and be stiff-necked no more. In the word of God, we will find salvation. Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: answeredfaith.com

身教更有力 Actions Speak Louder Than Words

追福系列（五）
身教更有力（瑪5:1-12a）

擁有聖金口若望的神恩固然好，但傳福音不一定需要有能言善辯的口才，因為是聖神藉著你說話。的確，我們不完全理解我們的對象，我們真的不知道那一句說話能觸動到他們的心靈，接受天主對他們的慈悲。我認為傳福音，身教可能比言教更有力。

今天教會慶祝「諸聖節」，紀念前人為我們建立了的萬世基業。當中有不少無名英雄，他們走過成聖的道路，各式各樣，不一而足。他們也應該是福傳的成功人仕，對建樹天國作出過貢獻，所以天主子在天國為他們預備了一席位（若14:2-3）。他們成聖的道路，也是他們福傳的方法，他們以身作則，宣講福音的喜訊。

他們當中，有些人選擇了神貧的生活方式，不為世物所約束，自由自在地為更有價值的永生作見證；有些人雖然遭受不幸，以致終日以淚洗面，但他們仍然展示出天主的安慰和心靈的舒暢（詠94:19）；天主喜歡使競爭者相咬相吞，同歸於盡（迦5:15），讓溫良的人反而承受土地；天主喜歡為那些備受剝削的人出頭，祇要他們向祂呼求，天主便會使他們「飽享穀、麥、酒、油、小牛小羊；他們的心靈要好像受灌溉的田園，再也不感憔悴」（耶31:12）；憐憫人的人展現出天主慈悲的面容，讓身邊的人和自己，回心轉意，投奔上主，接受到天主的憐憫。一如經上記載：「因為上主你們的天主是慈悲的，是仁愛的；如果你們轉向祂，祂決不會轉面不顧你們」（編下30:9b）。人們不再有如舊約時代的以色列人一樣，害怕看見天主，以為看見天主的面容，必死無疑（出3:6; 申18:16; 民13:22; 列上19:13…）。懷著痛悔的心情，這樣的心怎會不潔淨呢？能夠懷著敬畏的心情，問心無愧，經常在上主面前行走，看見天主，真是指日可待！

親愛的兄弟姊妹，這些都是平凡的生活方式，跟著去做，足以成聖，足以福傳，一點也不困難。讓我們彼此互勉。
天主保祐！

生命恩泉

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Gospel Chase (V)
Actions Speak Louder Than Words (Matthew 5:1-12a)

Possessing the charisma of St. John Chrysostom is of course good but evangelization does not need an eloquent and persuasive tongue because it is the Holy Spirit who speaks through you. Indeed, we do not fully understand our target audience. We really don’t know which words are able to touch their soul and their heart to accept God’s mercy towards them. I opine that as far as evangelization is concerned, actions speak louder than words.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of All Saints to commemorate our predecessors who have laid down the foundation for the Kingdom of God. There have been many anonymous heroes whose paths of sanctification are different from each other’s. They should also be successful in evangelization and have contributed to the building up of the Kingdom of God. Thus the Son of God has prepared a room for them (John 14:2-3) in heaven. Their paths of sanctification must also be their means of evangelization. They proclaimed the good news of the Lord with their actions.

Among them, some chose to lead a life of spiritual poverty, not constrained by worldly possessions and bore witness in freedom to the more superior values of eternal life. Some suffered misfortunes and mourned all days but they were able to show God’s consolation and spiritual joy (Psalms 94:19). God likes to make competitors bite and devour one another (Galatians 5:15), leaving the meek to inherit the land. God likes to advocate for the exploited. When they call upon His name, they would enjoy, “The grain, the wine, and the oil, flocks of sheep and cattle; They themselves shall be like watered gardens, never again neglected” (Jeremiah 31:12). The merciful manifest God’s merciful countenance, help their neighbour together with themselves to repent and turn to the Lord and receive His mercy. As it is written, “The LORD, your God, is gracious and merciful and He will not turn away His face from you if you return to Him” (2 Chronicles 30:9b). People are no longer afraid to see the face of God like the Israelites were in the Old Testament. They thought that if they saw His face, they would surely die (Exodus 3:6; Deuteronomy 18:16; Judges 13:22; 1 Kings 19:13 …). How can a contrite heart not be pure? Walking with a pious fear before God without a guilty conscience, the day to see God can be numbered!

Beloved brethren! Those are just ordinary life styles. Following them would sanctify and evangelize. It is not difficult at all. Let us encourage and support each other.
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

瞎眼的嚮導 Blind Guides

「瞎眼的嚮導！你們濾出蚊蚋，卻吞下了駱駝。」（瑪23:24）

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is Injustice Idolatry? 行不義與拜偶像無異

Sixteenth Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: Is Injustice Idolatry? 行不義與拜偶像無異

In the first reading today, the Lord pronounced punishment on the bad shepherds/rulers of Judah who destroyed and scattered the flock of the Lord (Jeremiah 23:1). The Lord would take care to punish their evil deeds because they had not cared for the people whom the Lord had entrusted them (23:3). The Lord would raise up a righteous branch for David, meaning the Messiah, as king to reign and govern wisely (23:5). “This is the name to be given him: The Lord our justice” (23:6b). We may wonder what a good shepherd as demonstrated by Jesus “When He disembarked and saw the vast crowd, His heart was moved with pity for them for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34), has to do with justice and why a good shepherd should be righteous! Thus, we need to read the entire previous chapter to know the context.

King Josiah was a good king of Judah because he restored Yahwist worship and destroyed Baalist altars and images throughout Jerusalem and Judah. Regrettably in his campaign against the Egyptian support of the collapsing Neo-Assyrian Empire, a stray arrow mortally wounded him in the battle at Megiddo (2 Chronicles 35:20-24). His sons did not follow the footsteps of their regal father to continue the religious reform King Josiah had started. The Lord says, “They have deserted their covenant with the LORD, their God, by worshipping and serving other gods” (Jeremiah 22:9). The Lord continued to enumerate their sins and pronounced His judgment. Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim, sons of Josiah, and Jeconiah, son of Jehoiakim, cared more about building beautiful palaces to prove themselves among kings (22:15), but set their eyes and hearts on nothing except their own gain, on shedding innocent blood and practicing oppression and extortion. They would die in exile (22:12, 26), and would be given the burial of a donkey beyond the gates of Jerusalem (22:19) and their descendants would never sit upon the throne of David to rule over Judah again (22:30)! Now, it is getting more complicated because not doing justice is equivalent to idolatry!

After reading Jeremiah 22, we may wonder what vainglory, self-fattening, oppressing the poor, extorting the rich and shedding innocent blood etc. have to do with idolatry, worshipping and serving other gods.
Let us meditate from another perspective. In the Sermon on the Mount, the first Beatitude says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Further down Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters … You cannot serve God and mammon” (6:24). Obviously, riches and wealth can be an obstacle between our relationship with God. In fact, between God and men, there are many obstacles preventing men from approaching God. Wealth is just one of those many obstacles, such as jealousy, lust, power and sloth etc. These capital vices boost our ego at the expense our neighbours. They tempt us to take advantages of those who cannot defend and speak for themselves. Meanwhile, we no longer feel that we need God who is becoming irrelevant in our modern world. With knowledge and technology, we are better able to control the world. God is less and less able to wreak havoc in our lives. Thus we rely less and less on His mercy. When we have wealth and power, instead of serving the people, we are able to lord over the people to fatten ourselves. We do not need God as a guiding principle in our daily encounter with other souls! There is no incentive to improve our relationship with the Lord and with our neighbour. That is to say, we can afford to lead a lazy life which is convenient and comfortable. In our spirit, we replace our Creator whom we are not able to control, with more controllable objects such as wealth and power which become idols that carry us further and further away from the Lord! In our deeds, not only do we marginalize the poor, but we also marginalize God. When we start oppressing the poor, shedding the blood of the innocent, we are actually oppressing God and shedding His blood (25:45) because the King is present in them! On the contrary, understanding that we are only stewards of what God entrusts us, when we make good use of our power to serve the poor, of our wealth to relieve the needy, we are doing the will of the Lord. How can we be far away from Him?

In this light, we see why the poor are blessed because they have nobody to turn to, not their relatives, nor their neighbour, nor the states but the Lord! Let us meditate on a particular group of poor people whose life may shed light on our understanding of the blessing of poverty. Among the poor, the elderly citizens are the most vulnerable, physically, emotionally and financially. There is only one direction for their health to go. Sooner or later, they will be unable to take care of themselves and have to rely on family members or care-takers at home or in the institutions. Are the elderly able to afford such a life style financially? With the advances in medical technology, we expect them to outlive the people they know and become lonely. Depression and dementia begin to emerge and the elderly will find it more and more difficult to communicate with the world outside. Beloved brethren! Remember that the elderly are our path finders. They go before us into uncharted waters where we will go in the future. Nowadays, our society is witnessing the rise of a fast ageing population. This is anticipated but we fail to attract the young to join the caring profession. Decades of prosperity and political uncertainty discourage young couples to give birth and raise children. The society is lacking economically active young people, not to mention attracting them to join the caring professions. The future of the aged is grim. Perhaps by then we have robotic caretakers. But I doubt whether computers are able to program human emotions into robots! In short, a gloomy future is awaiting our elderly citizens whom we will surely join! Technologically, intelligent machines are able to sustain our economy and solve our financial problems. But when there can only be robotic care-takers to meet our needs in old age, are we ready to live with it? Remember, spiritual life is not a luxury reserved for a small number of enlightened elites. All of us are entitled to a fulfilled life physically, emotionally, financially as well as spiritually.

Beloved brethren! It is wise to stay poor in spirit. Then we don’t need to prove anything to others because the Lord has promised us the kingdom of heaven. We don’t need to worry about tomorrow because the Lord will provide. Helping people reconcile with their Creator is our only mission and successes or failures should not be our concern. It is God’s concern. Stand by the disadvantaged and advocate the rights of the needy. We will travel light and have nothing to rely on but we’ll have everything we need to accomplish our missions. The Father’s will be done on earth. Amen.
God bless!

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: nightcafe.studio

倘若是莠子，又如何？ What If It Were Weeds?

Fifth Lenten Sunday, Year B
Theme: 倘若是莠子，又如何？ What If It Were Weeds?

This is the last Sunday in the Lenten season that began with the covenant between God and Noah, then between God and Abraham. We came to the zenith of the Old Testament, the Sinai Covenant on the third Sunday. God gave the Ten Commandments as a sign to this Old Testament. Last Sunday, we read of how Cyrus the king of Persia released the Israelites from Babylonian Captivity to return home and to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. It shows that the LORD God actively intervenes in human history to honour His pledge to Abraham. Today, we hear how the LORD God declares His intention to establish a new covenant! So, the covenant theme runs through the Lenten season in Year B.

In fact, this so called new covenant is actually a renewal and an improved version of the old covenant. Let’s read what the LORD God says through the prophet, “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). How is this new covenant different from the old? “I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (31:33b). So, this new covenant is basically the same as the old, “So that He may establish you today as His people and He may be your God, as He promised you and as He swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” (Deuteronomy 29:12). That is why I said earlier that this new covenant was actually a renewal of the previous Sinai Covenant which had been a failure because the Israelites failed to honour their obligations. It was understandable because God put the Law on two stone tablets and people would easily focus on the letters instead of the spirit of the Law. Now in this new covenant, God places the Law in people’s hearts to enhance the tendency to seek the spirit of the Law instead of letters. In order to ensure that the new Israel is able to observe the Law more easily, the Father sent His only begotten Son not to abolish the Law and prophets but to fulfil it (Matthew 5:17). In this way, the new Covenant is an improved version of the old.

However, we should not make the mistake in thinking that the new Covenant has replaced the old and thus, we are free not to observe the old Law. Wrong. Of course, some old practices could not be observed. For example, the second Temple in Jerusalem is destroyed. It is impossible to offer sacrifice in the Jerusalem Temple any more. Furthermore, Jesus foresaw its destruction and taught, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth” (John 4:24). If Jesus does not abolish, neither do we. Therefore, we “Christianise” the old practices. We advocate love as the spirit of the Law (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18); observe the LORD’s Day instead of the Sabbath and offer the non-bloody sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist instead of holocausts etc.

Before we meditate the gospel message today, let us take a look at the context in the gospel of John. Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem after raising Lazarus from the dead at Bethany. “So the crowd (from Bethany) that was with him … continued to testify. This was why the crowd (in Jerusalem) went to meet him, because they heard that He had done this sign” (John 12:17-18). Some Greek pilgrims approached Philip to express their wish to see Jesus. Together with Andrew, Philip reported to Jesus who started teaching them an important teaching recorded in all four canonical gospels. The importance of this teaching is on a par with the miracle of feeding the 5000, Passion and Resurrection because all canonical gospels record it. In John’s version, Jesus says, “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life” (12:25; Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24). However, the Synoptic gospels put this teaching after Jesus’ first prediction of His passion and before His Transfiguration, whereas John put it after the Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem. Why does John arrange it this way? I’m still searching for a meaningful answer.

It is worth meditating how Jesus preluded this important teaching in the gospel of John. He says, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” (John 12:24). I still remember vividly the first time I read this verse during the funeral of Rev. Fr. Enea Tapella, PIME (1929-1977). His noble and heroic life for the service of the physical and mental retarded children has touched the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of people in Hong Kong. Among a group of young secondary school students, I am grateful that we were able to serve the children under his guidance and continued even after his transfer to other parishes. I would say he had planted the seed of diaconate vocation in my heart in those days. Unbeknown to me, my secondary school classmate, Andrew Kung, who had worked with Fr. Tapella earlier and longer was also ordained a permanent deacon in Canada in the same year nine years ago. I pray that we will be able to die and produce much fruit like Fr. Tapella. Interested readers may find more details of the life of this altruistic missionary from the hyperlink below¹. The prelude was paraphrased by Tertullian in his apology, saying, “We multiply when you reap us. The blood of Christians is seed” (Apologeticus, L.13) or more popularly further paraphrased into “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church”. History has proven this right. In fact, it is stupid of worldly powers to persecute Christians as a public spectacle because making them martyrs only helps them evangelize.

I could not resist another teaching of Jesus alluring at the back of my mind, the parable of wheat and weeds. I muse, “What if it is not wheat but weeds? What would Jesus say?” Let’s fire up our imagination and design Jesus’ script. One possible script might be “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of weed falls to the ground and dies, it remains a grain of weed; but if it dies, it produces much weeds!” Are you joking, Deacon? No, I have been troubled by such a possible scenario for quite some time! Don’t we desire to see justice prevail and the wicked perish? I have reservation because I desire to see justice prevail but not at the punishment/death of the wicked. The philosophy of correctional services has changed. Capital punishment of the guilty is ineffective as a deterrence of crimes. People would congratulate each other for a while and they will soon forget. Moreover, the vacancy created by a kingpin would soon be replaced by another and nobody can guarantee that the next chairperson would be a more conscientious one! That is the reason why assassinating a tyrant, such as Qin Shi Huang or Hitler, is always a bad idea! And before the next “king” ascends the throne, a period of warring kingdoms would arise and thus would produce more “weeds” in the future!

Perhaps this may help us understand why God “protected” Cain by putting a mark on him so that no one would kill him at sight (Genesis 4:15b) because seeing the death of one wicked person would inspire more wicked people to come forth to replace the dead one. It also agrees with God’s intention as expressed by another prophet, “I find no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies --- oracle of the LORD God. Turn back and live” (Ezekiel 18:32). The LORD God doesn’t want to see His images, His master-pieces to perish. He reserves vengeance for Himself because He knows how much force to apply but we don’t. Look at the tortures invented throughout the ages in all civilizations and we cannot deny that most of the time, we enjoy overdoing our revenge. Thus, St. Paul reminds believers, “Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the LORD’” (Romans 12:19; Leviticus 19:18a; Deuteronomy32:35a).

Beloved brethren! We are approaching the end of this Lenten season, a period of abundant outpouring graces from the merciful LORD. It is hard but essential to love the unlovable and to pray for the people we hate. Work harder to enter the Kingdom through the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13). Amen.
God bless!
¹HK Diocese Archive

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2021 Reflection
Picture Credit: reason2bcatholic.com