The Brick

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street,
going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out
from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw
something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed
into the Jag’s side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, “What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That’s a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?”

The young boy was apologetic. “Please, mister…please, I’m sorry but I didn’t
know what else to do,” He pleaded. “I threw the brick because no one else
would stop…” With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth
pointed to a spot just around a parked car. “It’s my brother, “he said. “He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can’t lift him up.”

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, “Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He’s hurt and he’s too heavy for me.”

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in
his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair,
then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay.

“Thank you and may God bless you,” the grateful child told the stranger. Too
shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy! push his wheelchairbound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: “Don’t go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!”

God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don’t have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It’s our choice to listen or not.

神父講道 – 四旬期第二週 (週一) (2010年3月1日)

聖曹貴英殉道
恭讀聖路加福音 6:36-38
那時候,耶穌向門徒說:「你們應當慈悲,如像你們的父那樣慈悲。你們不要判斷,你們也就不受判斷;不要定罪,也就不被定罪;你們要赦免,也就蒙赦免。你們給,也就給你們;並且還要用好的,連按帶搖,以致外溢的升斗,倒在你們的懷裏,因為你們用什麼升斗量,也用什麼升斗量給你們。」
—基督的福音。

(2nd Week of Lent – Monday)

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke 6:36-38

36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

—The Gospel of the Lord.

往神父講道目錄

一言為定(2010年3月1日)

「你們用什麼升斗量,也用什麼升斗量給你們。」(路6:38)
假若我們如是大方的話,天主比較我們更大方,因為「你們給,也就給你們;並且還要用好的,連按帶搖,以致外溢的升斗,倒在你們的懷裏。」
天主當然不是與我們計較的天主,而是大方的天主。從加納婚宴、伯多祿划往深處捕魚等的例子,便可見一斑。
「一次,伯多祿對耶穌說:「看,我們捨棄了一切,跟隨了你;那麼,將來我們可得到什麼呢?」
耶穌對他們說:「我實在告訴你們,你們這些跟隨我的人,在重生的世代,人子坐在自己光榮的寶座上時,你們也要坐在十二寶座上,審判以色列十二支派;
並且,凡為我的名,捨棄了房屋,或兄弟、或姐妹、或父親、或母親、或妻子、或兒女、或田地的,必要領取百倍的賞報,並承受永生。」 (瑪19:27-29)
伯多祿雖曾三次背主,但當他三次重宣對主的信靠時,耶穌仍然肯定他為教會的『磐石』:
「吃完了早飯,耶穌對西滿伯多祿說:『若望的兒子西滿,你比他們更愛我嗎?」伯多祿回答說:『主,是的,你知道我愛你。」耶穌就對他說:『你餵養我的羔羊。」
耶穌第二次又問他說:『若望的兒子西滿,你愛我嗎?』伯多祿回答說:『主,是的,你知道我愛你。』耶穌就對他說:『你牧放我的羊群。』
耶穌第三次問他說:『若望的兒子西滿,你愛我嗎?』伯多祿因耶穌第三次問他說:『你愛我嗎?』便憂愁起來,遂向他說:『主啊! 一切你都知道,你曉得我愛你。』耶穌對他說:『你餵養我的羊群。』 (若21:15-17)
走天國的路,我們仍然要如履薄冰,不要因為天主是仁慈大方,便疏忽懶惰。
梁達材神父

主日講道 – 四旬期第二主日 (2010年2月28日)

恭讀聖路加福音 9:28-36
那時候,耶穌帶著伯多祿、若望和雅各伯,上山祈禱。正當耶穌祈禱時,他的面容改變,他的衣服潔白發光。忽然,有兩個人,即梅瑟和厄里亞,同耶穌談話。他們顯現在光耀中,談論耶穌的去世,即耶穌在耶路撒冷,必要完成的事。伯多祿和他的同伴,都昏昏欲睡。他們一醒過來,就看見耶穌的光耀,及在耶穌旁邊侍立的兩個人。那兩個人正要離開時,伯多祿對耶穌說:「老師,我們在這裡真好!讓我們搭三個帳棚:一個為祢,一個為梅瑟,一個為厄里亞。」伯多祿原來不知道要說什麼。伯多祿說這話的時候,有一片雲彩遮蔽了耶穌、梅瑟和厄里亞。他們進入雲彩時,門徒就害怕起來。從雲中有聲音說:「這是我的兒子,我所揀選的,你們要聽從祂!」這聲音發出後,只見耶穌獨自一人。在那些日子,門徒都守了秘密,把所見的事,一點也沒有告訴任何人。
—基督的福音。

(2nd Sunday of Lent)

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke 9:28-36

28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Eli’jah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, and when they wakened they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli’jah” — not knowing what he said. 34 As he said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silence and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

—The Gospel of the Lord.

往神父講道目錄

一言為定 (2010年2月28日)

「正當衪祈禱時,衪的面容改變,衪的衣服潔白發光。
(路9:29)
瑪竇福音形容耶穌的容貌「發光有如太陽。」(瑪17:2)可想像耶穌的面容怎樣燦爛奪目,常人不能正視!
這真光原是天主的聖言。
「那普照每人的真光,正在進入這世界; 衪已在世界上;世界原是藉衪造成的;但世界卻不認識衪。」 (若1:9-10)
耶穌的本來面目是純真的,喜氣洋洋的。由於當時的猶太族群,特別是宗教領袖,接受不了這一位充滿智慧的木匠。同時這位木匠絕不賣帳。結果,只有『除掉』這眼中釘才可免除他們公開的被指正(為他們算是羞辱!)。
耶穌顯出光輝的面容,用意何在?
無他,便是讓他的三位摯愛的宗徒能臨危不亂,因為過不多時,他便要身流血汗,痛苦得不像人形。
無論如何,那三位宗徒,實在受不了耶穌在山園祈禱時所流露出那份軟弱,竟然一而再、再而三的熟睡了(逃避!)。
另外,曾肯定要為耶穌出生入死的伯多祿,正如耶穌的預言,雞未啼以前,已三次背叛了主。
不過,耶穌仍輕描淡寫的為他們解窘:「精神固然願意,但肉體是軟弱的。」
耶穌始終是慈悲的天主,他寧願放棄自己的光輝,以爭取我們能活出在天主內的生命。
梁達材神父