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.
Friday, 11 July 2008
Thursday, 10 July 2008
Feast of Chinese Martyrs
China has a deep rooted culture of her own. She has her own language, her own religions and philosophy. She even absorbs and transforms Indian Buddhism into Chinese Buddhism and spreads it to the Far East and South East Asia. Therefore, it is not easy for Christianity to incarnate in the Chinese soil. God intends salvation for all, including Chinese. Therefore, the incarnation of Christianity in China has been a real challenge for missionaries for more than four centuries. If the Jews had killed Jesus and persecuted Jewish Christians, we Chinese have a fair share of martyrs as well and today, we celebrate the Feast of Chinese Martyrs who had laid down their lives for the love of Christ. Now that the relation between the Chinese government and Vatican is improving, we pray that our fellow men may partake this salvation and be counted children of God.
Today, we read Romans 8:35-39. It is a lovely manifesto for Christians undergoing persecution.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8:35)
The love of Christ sustains us and enables us to endure hardship of all sorts.
Paul then quoted Psalms 44 which cries out to God for help. Once again, he quoted verbatim from the Septuagint instead of translating it himself.
As it is written, "For thy sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."
καθὼς γέγραπται
ὅτι ἕνεκεν σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν,
ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς. (Romans 8:36)
ὅτι ἕνεκα σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν,
ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς. (Ps 44:23 BHS, Ps 43:23 LXX)
We understand that our sufferings are meaningful. We share the Passion of Christ which brings salvation for all. Our sufferings are redemptive as well. Therefore, we embrace sufferings, be they illness, depression, poverty, persecution, disgrace, loss of loved ones and even death. Jesus himself went through these out of his love for all men. His love will see us through. We count ourselves blessed to suffer for Christ.
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)
My dear Advocate, I am not the stuff of a martyr. Yet, may my sufferings be peace sacrifices acceptable to You. I am no hero. Yet, I pray for my children and my students. May they benefit from the hardship we go through for them. All the Chinese saints and blessed martyrs, pray that the preaching of Christianity may enjoy greater freedom without hindrance in our motherland. Amen.
Today, we read Romans 8:35-39. It is a lovely manifesto for Christians undergoing persecution.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8:35)
The love of Christ sustains us and enables us to endure hardship of all sorts.
Paul then quoted Psalms 44 which cries out to God for help. Once again, he quoted verbatim from the Septuagint instead of translating it himself.
As it is written, "For thy sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."
καθὼς γέγραπται
ὅτι ἕνεκεν σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν,
ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς. (Romans 8:36)
ὅτι ἕνεκα σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν,
ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς. (Ps 44:23 BHS, Ps 43:23 LXX)
We understand that our sufferings are meaningful. We share the Passion of Christ which brings salvation for all. Our sufferings are redemptive as well. Therefore, we embrace sufferings, be they illness, depression, poverty, persecution, disgrace, loss of loved ones and even death. Jesus himself went through these out of his love for all men. His love will see us through. We count ourselves blessed to suffer for Christ.
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)
My dear Advocate, I am not the stuff of a martyr. Yet, may my sufferings be peace sacrifices acceptable to You. I am no hero. Yet, I pray for my children and my students. May they benefit from the hardship we go through for them. All the Chinese saints and blessed martyrs, pray that the preaching of Christianity may enjoy greater freedom without hindrance in our motherland. Amen.
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
St. Michael Catholic Cemetery, Happy Valley
Today, I accompanied 4 students to a North Western Deanery Catholic School joint school visit to the St. Michael Catholic Cemetery in Happy Valley. Fr. Patrick Sun was the Spiritual Director and he led a very meaningful morning prayer before our journey. It rained and sometimes poured the whole morning. However, God had been very kind to us. When we were indoors (say inside the Chapel), it was pouring. When we walked among the tombs, the rain stopped. May God be praised forever.
The Cemetery is a familiar site for me. Here lies a lot of memories. I said a little prayer before the tomb of Mr. Joseph Liu, my secondary school principal, under whom I attended my instruction class and got baptized. He drove an Italian Fiat. May he continue to pray for this incompetent student.
What remains of Fr. Tapella P.I.M.E. is only a plaque in the Chapel. The altar was decorated with symbols of A and W; CR. Above the altar, there was a mural of "Our Lady of Sorrows", sort of Michangelo's Pietà. There is an inscription "In Pace Christi, Hic Requiescupit" above the mural. In those youthful good old days, Fr. Tapella led a group of enthusiastic youngsters to visit the physically and mentally handicapped children in Choi Hung. We went picnicking and camping in Sai Kung. These formative years left deep impressions in my soul. I am deeply grateful for his selfless sacrifice for the service of the needy and the formation of youngsters. I learned the true meaning of charity from him. Dear Father, re-enkindle in this fragile man Christ's love for the needy.
I went to the burial ground of the LaSallian Brothers. The last Brother I know of is Brother Austin. In my LaSallian days, he had already retired and spent his days giving private tuition of French to La Salle boys, free of charge. He carried with him a chess set and played with students on the campus. When he saw me and Erminia, he politely lifted his cap and greeted her mistress. Dear Brother, may I follow your footsteps and devote my retirement days for the formation of young men.
Then, I brought my students to visit the ossuary of Fr. John Baptist Wong, the founding principal of Shung Tak. He also composed sacred music which we still sing in Masses on Sundays. Dear Father, pray for Shung Tak. She will be celebrating her Golden Jubilee. May she start a new era and continue to render Catholic education for the young people in the region.
The Cemetery is full and there is no more room for burial. It is a history book recording the early years of Colonial Hong Kong. There is a burial ground for the Canossian Daughters of Charity. They came to Hong Kong in 1848. There were a lot of abandoned girls and the living environment was extremely poor. They worked hard for them. 1850 recorded the first casualty. Sr. Calixle Forcade died of exhaustion.
On the civilian side, there were government officials old and new (e.g. Peter Tsao who retired as the Chief Secretary in 1991), medical practitioners who fought rampant plagues, a King's Counsel, John Joseph Francis, who fought for Bishop Raimondi over educational issues against the Colonial government, a Portuguese printer Noronha and the legendary movie actress Lin Dai（林黛）etc.
As for the bishops of Hong Kong, I could find the ossuaries of Raimondi, Valtorta, Francis Hsu and Peter Li (I might probably have missed those of Piazolli and Pozzoni). I couldn't locate that of Bianchi. He was fondly remembered by the ShungTakians. Cardinal John Baptist Wu rests on the burial ground together with some priests whom I know. When one more priest dies, the oldest occupant will be moved to the ossuary, leaving room for the newly arrived.
The most remembered sign of the Cemetery is the couplet at the main gate. It reads 「今夕吾軀歸故土，他朝君体也相同。」Notice that the word 「体」is in simplified Chinese instead of traditional. It was supposed to be a translation from Latin by a priest. Many people have tried to trace its origin. Fr. Louis Ha has given us a valuable reference. He said that it was part of a quotation from Ashes and dust by Alcuin of York. It reads
Quod nunc es fueram, famosus in orbe, viator,
You are now, traveller, what I once was,
et quod nunc ego sum, tuque futurus eris.
and what I am now you will one day become.However, who was the priest that penned the Chinese couplet?
My dear Advocate, thanks a lot for this wonderful history lesson. It is a perfect ending for this academic year. Our D&T teacher, Mr. Ng Wai Leung, died an untimely death in this academic year. His demise reminds us the vanities of life. May we treasure every day that You give us and lead it fully for Your glory. Amen.
The Cemetery is a familiar site for me. Here lies a lot of memories. I said a little prayer before the tomb of Mr. Joseph Liu, my secondary school principal, under whom I attended my instruction class and got baptized. He drove an Italian Fiat. May he continue to pray for this incompetent student.
What remains of Fr. Tapella P.I.M.E. is only a plaque in the Chapel. The altar was decorated with symbols of A and W; CR. Above the altar, there was a mural of "Our Lady of Sorrows", sort of Michangelo's Pietà. There is an inscription "In Pace Christi, Hic Requiescupit" above the mural. In those youthful good old days, Fr. Tapella led a group of enthusiastic youngsters to visit the physically and mentally handicapped children in Choi Hung. We went picnicking and camping in Sai Kung. These formative years left deep impressions in my soul. I am deeply grateful for his selfless sacrifice for the service of the needy and the formation of youngsters. I learned the true meaning of charity from him. Dear Father, re-enkindle in this fragile man Christ's love for the needy.
I went to the burial ground of the LaSallian Brothers. The last Brother I know of is Brother Austin. In my LaSallian days, he had already retired and spent his days giving private tuition of French to La Salle boys, free of charge. He carried with him a chess set and played with students on the campus. When he saw me and Erminia, he politely lifted his cap and greeted her mistress. Dear Brother, may I follow your footsteps and devote my retirement days for the formation of young men.
Then, I brought my students to visit the ossuary of Fr. John Baptist Wong, the founding principal of Shung Tak. He also composed sacred music which we still sing in Masses on Sundays. Dear Father, pray for Shung Tak. She will be celebrating her Golden Jubilee. May she start a new era and continue to render Catholic education for the young people in the region.
The Cemetery is full and there is no more room for burial. It is a history book recording the early years of Colonial Hong Kong. There is a burial ground for the Canossian Daughters of Charity. They came to Hong Kong in 1848. There were a lot of abandoned girls and the living environment was extremely poor. They worked hard for them. 1850 recorded the first casualty. Sr. Calixle Forcade died of exhaustion.
On the civilian side, there were government officials old and new (e.g. Peter Tsao who retired as the Chief Secretary in 1991), medical practitioners who fought rampant plagues, a King's Counsel, John Joseph Francis, who fought for Bishop Raimondi over educational issues against the Colonial government, a Portuguese printer Noronha and the legendary movie actress Lin Dai（林黛）etc.
As for the bishops of Hong Kong, I could find the ossuaries of Raimondi, Valtorta, Francis Hsu and Peter Li (I might probably have missed those of Piazolli and Pozzoni). I couldn't locate that of Bianchi. He was fondly remembered by the ShungTakians. Cardinal John Baptist Wu rests on the burial ground together with some priests whom I know. When one more priest dies, the oldest occupant will be moved to the ossuary, leaving room for the newly arrived.
The most remembered sign of the Cemetery is the couplet at the main gate. It reads 「今夕吾軀歸故土，他朝君体也相同。」Notice that the word 「体」is in simplified Chinese instead of traditional. It was supposed to be a translation from Latin by a priest. Many people have tried to trace its origin. Fr. Louis Ha has given us a valuable reference. He said that it was part of a quotation from Ashes and dust by Alcuin of York. It reads
Quod nunc es fueram, famosus in orbe, viator,
You are now, traveller, what I once was,
et quod nunc ego sum, tuque futurus eris.
and what I am now you will one day become.However, who was the priest that penned the Chinese couplet?
My dear Advocate, thanks a lot for this wonderful history lesson. It is a perfect ending for this academic year. Our D&T teacher, Mr. Ng Wai Leung, died an untimely death in this academic year. His demise reminds us the vanities of life. May we treasure every day that You give us and lead it fully for Your glory. Amen.
Monday, 7 July 2008
On humility
Today is the fourteenth Ordinary Sunday of Year A. Zechariah told us that the Messiah would humbly ride on a colt into the Holy City, Jerusalem.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Lo, your king comes to you;
triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass (Zechariah 9:9).
And we know that Jesus was that Messiah. He was humble. As the Word of God, he worked with the Father to create this universe. He deserved our honour and glory. Yet, he refrained from using his power to demand our surrender of our free will. He allows us to say no to his invitation. He only encourages us to take his yoke and learn from him.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30).
Remember, it is a yoke, a burden and a challenge. Yet he is gentle and humble. He does not coerce. He understands our needs and entices us into accepting his help.
Therefore, humility does not mean admitting our own ignorance and incompetence. Rather, it means refraining from making use of one's might and strength. Imagine a Karate black-belt. If he is not humble, a lot of people will be hurt. Unfortunately, many movies portray those assertive and trigger-happy people as heroes, rather than those who refuse to settle disputes with sheer brute force. Christians are expected to follow the example of Christ and Matthew has laid down eight rules of life in the Beatitudes: poor in spirit, mournful, meek, righteous, merciful, pure in heart, peaceful and willing to suffer persecution (Matthew 5:3-12).
As a Chinese Christian, we can draw inspiration from the fertile soil of Confucianism. What examples has Confucius set up for us? The following is inevitably in Chinese.
孔子的仕途並不順利，在魯國當過三年官，見到魯定公沉緬女樂，不理朝政之後，又一次帶著學生周遊列國，去推銷「仁政」的政治理想。還是他的學生的推銷手法高明，當孔子停滯在衛國的時候，冉有（即「子有」）遊說魯國的權臣季孫，結果安排到魯哀公接見孔子。故事記載在【孔子家語‧儒行解】。
孔子在衛，冉有言於季孫曰：國有聖人而不能用，欲以求治，是猶郤步而欲求及前人，不可得已。今孔子在衛，衛將用之，己有才而以資鄰國，難以言智也，請以重幣延之。季孫以告哀公，哀公從之。
其實，當時的孔子，已經一把年紀。所以，他把心血都傾注到「六經」的修訂上。
從【儒行解】，我們可以一睹儒者的行為風範。孔子就儒者的十五方面，向哀公詳細解釋。包括了：自立、容貌、備預、近人情、特立；剛毅、自守、為任、憂思、寬裕；舉賢援能、特立獨行、規為、交友、尊讓。
最後一點「尊讓」，是總結，亦與今天所談的「謙遜」近似，姑抄錄如下：
「夫溫良者，仁之本也，慎敬者，仁之地也，寬裕者，仁之作也，遜接者，仁之能也，禮節者，仁之貌也，言談者，仁之文也，歌舞者，仁之和也，分散者，仁之施也，儒皆兼而有之，猶且不敢言仁也，其尊讓有如此者。」
「仁」是儒家的核心思想，「仁」的方方面面，儒者兼而有之，猶且不敢言仁，這不就是耶穌所教訓的「謙遜」嗎？
孔子的教訓，有很多地方與耶穌或保祿的教訓，不謀而合。例如「自守」一段，讀過之後，你可能有似曾相識的感覺。
「儒有忠信以為甲冑，禮義以為干櫓，戴仁而行，抱義而處，雖有暴政，不更其所，其自守有如此者。」
Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace;
besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:13-17).
My dear Advocate, I am an arrogant man. Guide my steps in humility. I pray that I may lead an authentic Chinese Christian life. Amen.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Lo, your king comes to you;
triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass (Zechariah 9:9).
And we know that Jesus was that Messiah. He was humble. As the Word of God, he worked with the Father to create this universe. He deserved our honour and glory. Yet, he refrained from using his power to demand our surrender of our free will. He allows us to say no to his invitation. He only encourages us to take his yoke and learn from him.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30).
Remember, it is a yoke, a burden and a challenge. Yet he is gentle and humble. He does not coerce. He understands our needs and entices us into accepting his help.
Therefore, humility does not mean admitting our own ignorance and incompetence. Rather, it means refraining from making use of one's might and strength. Imagine a Karate black-belt. If he is not humble, a lot of people will be hurt. Unfortunately, many movies portray those assertive and trigger-happy people as heroes, rather than those who refuse to settle disputes with sheer brute force. Christians are expected to follow the example of Christ and Matthew has laid down eight rules of life in the Beatitudes: poor in spirit, mournful, meek, righteous, merciful, pure in heart, peaceful and willing to suffer persecution (Matthew 5:3-12).
As a Chinese Christian, we can draw inspiration from the fertile soil of Confucianism. What examples has Confucius set up for us? The following is inevitably in Chinese.
孔子的仕途並不順利，在魯國當過三年官，見到魯定公沉緬女樂，不理朝政之後，又一次帶著學生周遊列國，去推銷「仁政」的政治理想。還是他的學生的推銷手法高明，當孔子停滯在衛國的時候，冉有（即「子有」）遊說魯國的權臣季孫，結果安排到魯哀公接見孔子。故事記載在【孔子家語‧儒行解】。
孔子在衛，冉有言於季孫曰：國有聖人而不能用，欲以求治，是猶郤步而欲求及前人，不可得已。今孔子在衛，衛將用之，己有才而以資鄰國，難以言智也，請以重幣延之。季孫以告哀公，哀公從之。
其實，當時的孔子，已經一把年紀。所以，他把心血都傾注到「六經」的修訂上。
從【儒行解】，我們可以一睹儒者的行為風範。孔子就儒者的十五方面，向哀公詳細解釋。包括了：自立、容貌、備預、近人情、特立；剛毅、自守、為任、憂思、寬裕；舉賢援能、特立獨行、規為、交友、尊讓。
最後一點「尊讓」，是總結，亦與今天所談的「謙遜」近似，姑抄錄如下：
「夫溫良者，仁之本也，慎敬者，仁之地也，寬裕者，仁之作也，遜接者，仁之能也，禮節者，仁之貌也，言談者，仁之文也，歌舞者，仁之和也，分散者，仁之施也，儒皆兼而有之，猶且不敢言仁也，其尊讓有如此者。」
「仁」是儒家的核心思想，「仁」的方方面面，儒者兼而有之，猶且不敢言仁，這不就是耶穌所教訓的「謙遜」嗎？
孔子的教訓，有很多地方與耶穌或保祿的教訓，不謀而合。例如「自守」一段，讀過之後，你可能有似曾相識的感覺。
「儒有忠信以為甲冑，禮義以為干櫓，戴仁而行，抱義而處，雖有暴政，不更其所，其自守有如此者。」
Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace;
besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:13-17).
My dear Advocate, I am an arrogant man. Guide my steps in humility. I pray that I may lead an authentic Chinese Christian life. Amen.
Sunday, 6 July 2008
Amos the social critic
Amos begins with judgment pronouncements on the nations. Among the 8 nations criticized, Judah and Israel stood apart for their sins. Take a look at the offences mentioned, the reasons they were judged and punished by God.
Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:23-24).
Therefore, let me collect the famous passages on social justice found in Amos.
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are in the mountain of Sama'ria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their husbands, `Bring, that we may drink!' (Amos 4:1)
Seek the LORD and live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph,
and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel,
O you who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth! (Amos 5:6-7)
Therefore because you trample upon the poor and take from him exactions of wheat,
you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins --
you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate (Amos 5:11-12).
Woe to those who lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the midst of the stall;
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David invent for themselves instruments of music;
who drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! (Amos 6:4-6)
Hear this, you who trample upon the needy, and bring the poor of the land to an end,
saying, "When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain?
And the sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale,
that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great, and deal deceitfully with false balances,
that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and sell the refuse of the wheat? (Amos 8:4-6)
When Pope Leo XIII published an encyclical letter on the condition of the working classes, the Rerum Novarum, on May 15, 1891, he did not quote any passage from Amos who found favour among progressive social action advocates.
Well, may be I should stop here. But before I leave Amos, I should give him a fair hearing. Amos did not just pronounce annihilation of Israel such as
"Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the surface of the ground;
except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob," says the LORD (Amos 9:8).
God would leave a remnant of Judah! Amos ends with a hopeful note.
I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.
I will plant them upon their land, and they shall never again be plucked up out of the land which I have given them," says the LORD your God (Amos 9:14-15).
After all these reflections, Amos remains, at least for me, a champion of social justice.
My dear Advocate, I am a pessimistic man. It is a luxury for me to pray that justice and righteousness would flow like an ever-flowing stream. I pray that I am not a perpetrator of injustice. Help me treat my children, my students and my subordinates with fairness and justice. Amen.
- Damascus:
they have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron (Amos 1:3b). - Gaza:
they carried into exile a whole people to deliver them up to Edom (Amos 1:6b). - Tyre:
they delivered up a whole people to Edom, and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood (Amos 1:9b). - Edom:
he pursued his brother with the sword, and cast off all pity, and his anger tore perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever (Amos 1:11b). - Ammon:
they have ripped up women with child in Gilead, that they might enlarge their border (Amos 1:13b). - Moab:
he burned to lime the bones of the king of Edom (Amos 2:1b).
- Judah:
they have rejected the law of the LORD, and have not kept his statutes,
but their lies have led them astray, after which their fathers walked (Amos 2:4b). - Israel:
they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes --
they that trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth, and turn aside the way of the afflicted;
a man and his father go in to the same maiden, so that my holy name is profaned;
they lay themselves down beside every altar upon garments taken in pledge;
and in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined (Amos 2:6b-8).
Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:23-24).
Therefore, let me collect the famous passages on social justice found in Amos.
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are in the mountain of Sama'ria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their husbands, `Bring, that we may drink!' (Amos 4:1)
Seek the LORD and live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph,
and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel,
O you who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth! (Amos 5:6-7)
Therefore because you trample upon the poor and take from him exactions of wheat,
you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins --
you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate (Amos 5:11-12).
Woe to those who lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the midst of the stall;
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David invent for themselves instruments of music;
who drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! (Amos 6:4-6)
Hear this, you who trample upon the needy, and bring the poor of the land to an end,
saying, "When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain?
And the sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale,
that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great, and deal deceitfully with false balances,
that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and sell the refuse of the wheat? (Amos 8:4-6)
When Pope Leo XIII published an encyclical letter on the condition of the working classes, the Rerum Novarum, on May 15, 1891, he did not quote any passage from Amos who found favour among progressive social action advocates.
Well, may be I should stop here. But before I leave Amos, I should give him a fair hearing. Amos did not just pronounce annihilation of Israel such as
"Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the surface of the ground;
except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob," says the LORD (Amos 9:8).
God would leave a remnant of Judah! Amos ends with a hopeful note.
I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.
I will plant them upon their land, and they shall never again be plucked up out of the land which I have given them," says the LORD your God (Amos 9:14-15).
After all these reflections, Amos remains, at least for me, a champion of social justice.
My dear Advocate, I am a pessimistic man. It is a luxury for me to pray that justice and righteousness would flow like an ever-flowing stream. I pray that I am not a perpetrator of injustice. Help me treat my children, my students and my subordinates with fairness and justice. Amen.
Saturday, 5 July 2008
When your action backfires
We have been fed passages from Amos and gained the impression that he was a social critic. He prophesized against Israel and the rich who exploited the poor of the land. When we read the whole book this week, we form a somewhat different impression. Today, I would like to collect from Amos passages which tell us that God would frustrate our evil plans.
For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel:
"Seek me and live; but do not seek Bethel, and do not enter into Gilgal or cross over to Beersheba;
for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nought." (Amos 5:4-5)
Therefore because you trample upon the poor and take from him exactions of wheat,
you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine (Amos 5:11).
Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD?
It is darkness, and not light;
as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him;
or went into the house and leaned with his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him (Amos 5:18-19).
O you who put far away the evil day, and bring near the seat of violence? (Amos 6:3)
Do horses run upon rocks? Does one plow the sea with oxen?
But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood --
you who rejoice in Lodebar, who say, "Have we not by our own strength taken Karnaim for ourselves?"
"For behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel," says the LORD, the God of hosts;
"and they shall oppress you from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of the Arabah." (Amos 6:12-14)
What conclusion can we draw from these passages?
One sentence: 謀事在人，成事在天。
Whatever our plans, if they bend justice, God will frustrate us. If they do not follow God's will, God will surely not be happy. He will allow the plans to go all the way to fruition. Then, they backfire and burn us. God will allow us to build pleasant vineyards, but we shall not drink their wine. God will allow us to carry out our selfish plans, but God will extract a high price from us.
These days, our boss seems to have emerged from his depression which has lasted a long time. He has successfully brought down his subordinates. A different person has surfaced, more lively, more friendly. Yet, he will be leaving us soon. Too little, too late. Six long years have been wasted.
My Advocate, I pray for his best. May he realize his ideals in the new posting. May he get along well and make everyone he meets a little bit happier, a little bit more fulfilling. Amen.
For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel:
"Seek me and live; but do not seek Bethel, and do not enter into Gilgal or cross over to Beersheba;
for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nought." (Amos 5:4-5)
Therefore because you trample upon the poor and take from him exactions of wheat,
you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine (Amos 5:11).
Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD?
It is darkness, and not light;
as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him;
or went into the house and leaned with his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him (Amos 5:18-19).
O you who put far away the evil day, and bring near the seat of violence? (Amos 6:3)
Do horses run upon rocks? Does one plow the sea with oxen?
But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood --
you who rejoice in Lodebar, who say, "Have we not by our own strength taken Karnaim for ourselves?"
"For behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel," says the LORD, the God of hosts;
"and they shall oppress you from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of the Arabah." (Amos 6:12-14)
What conclusion can we draw from these passages?
One sentence: 謀事在人，成事在天。
Whatever our plans, if they bend justice, God will frustrate us. If they do not follow God's will, God will surely not be happy. He will allow the plans to go all the way to fruition. Then, they backfire and burn us. God will allow us to build pleasant vineyards, but we shall not drink their wine. God will allow us to carry out our selfish plans, but God will extract a high price from us.
These days, our boss seems to have emerged from his depression which has lasted a long time. He has successfully brought down his subordinates. A different person has surfaced, more lively, more friendly. Yet, he will be leaving us soon. Too little, too late. Six long years have been wasted.
My Advocate, I pray for his best. May he realize his ideals in the new posting. May he get along well and make everyone he meets a little bit happier, a little bit more fulfilling. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)