生活聖言 (2011年9月)

「因為你這個弟弟死而復生,失而復得,應當歡宴喜樂。」(路15:32)

這句話是『浪子回頭』比喻中的最後一句。你肯定聽過這個比喻,它給我們顯示出上主的慈悲多麼偉大!這句話也是路加褔音中整整一章的最後一句。在這一章中,耶穌所講的另外兩個比喻也談及同樣的話題。

你可記得那亡羊的比喻嗎?亡羊的主人為了尋覓那遺失的一隻,便把其他九十九隻丟在荒野裡。(參閱路15:4-7)

你還記得那個婦人遺失了一個銀錢(達瑪)的故事嗎?她一找到後,便把朋友及鄰人都請來,與她一起歡慶。(參閱路15:8-10)

「因為你這個弟弟死而復生,失而復得,應當歡宴喜樂。」

天主以這句話邀請你和所有的基督徒與祂同樂,一起慶祝失而復得的罪人回頭改過。在比喻中的這句話是父親向大兒子說的。長子一生和父親在一起,如今經過了一整天辛勞的工作,見到家中開始了盛大的慶祝,原來是為了弟弟無恙歸來,就生了氣,不肯進入家門。

於是父親便出來,走到這個忠心的兒子面前,就像他走到浪子面前那樣,並設法勸解他。不過父子兩人的心情顯然不同:父親的內心只是一片無邊無際的愛及莫大的喜悅,並切望所有人都能與他同樂;但長子卻充滿對他弟弟的輕視和妒忌,不再認他為弟弟。事實上,當提及弟弟時,他說:「你這個兒子耗盡了你的財產。」(路15:30)

那父親對回頭的浪子的愛心和歡樂,更與長子的態度成了強烈的對比。長子的憤恨顯示出他與父親的關係原來是冷淡,甚至是虛偽的。這個長子辛勤工作,努力盡好他的本份,可是不曉得以兒子的情懷去愛父親。說實話,他只不過像服從主人那樣去服從父親罷了!

「因為你這個弟弟死而復生,失而復得,應當歡宴喜樂。」

耶穌說這句話,是為揭示一種你也可能陷入的危險:就是想過一種中規中矩、著重體面的生活,其動機只是為獨善其身,且能批評那些比不上自己的弟兄。其實,如果你『執著』於完美主義,致力於建立自我,那麼你心中便會充滿自我,及仰慕自我之情。這樣,你便像那留在家中的長子向父親列舉自己的功績:「這些年來我服事你,從未違背過你的命令。」(路15:29)

「因為你這個弟弟死而復生,失而復得,應當歡宴喜樂。」

耶穌說這句話,也是要推翻一種態度,就是相信一個人能否與天主建立關係,完全視乎他是否遵守誠命。不過,連猶太人的傳統也深深意識到,僅僅遵守誡命是不夠的。

耶穌在這個比喻中強調天主的愛。祂叫人明白那本身就是愛的上主率先向人走去,不管他或她是否值得被自己所愛。耶稣但求我們向祂開放自己,好能建立真正的共融生活。當然,你很容易便了解到,要接近『愛的天主』,最大的障礙就是當人只著重行動和功績,而天主所要求的卻是人的心。

「因為你這個弟弟死而復生,失而復得,應當歡宴喜樂。」

耶穌以這句話邀請你抱著一份如天父般浩瀚的愛去對待罪人。耶穌要求你不要用自己的尺度去量度天父對任何人所懷的愛。

正如父親邀請長子去分享浪子回頭的喜樂,同樣,天父也要求你改變自己的態度。即是說,你平素只會傾向輕視和低看的一些人,如今對他們就應該像接待兄弟姊妹一樣。這會引發你內心的真正皈依,因為這使你不再相信自己勝人一籌,並令你避免一種排斥其他宗教信徒或其他宗教的態度,這樣你便能領會到,耶穌帶給你的救恩,純粹是一份天主所賜的愛的禮物。

盧嘉勒

本月的生活聖言曾在2001年3月份發表過

Word of Life – Sept 2011

“But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found” (Lk 15:32).[1]

This passage is found at the end of a well-known parable called “The Prodigal Son.” This parable was told by Jesus to his disciples to demonstrate and manifest the greatness of God’s mercy. It closes an entire chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke in which Jesus narrates two other parables to illustrate the same theme.

One is the episode of the lost sheep. In order to search for that one sheep, the owner left the other ninety-nine in the desert (see Lk 15:4-7).

The other is the story of the lost coin and the joy of the woman when she found it. She calls her friends and neighbors so they may rejoice with her. (see Lk 15:8–10).

“But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”

These are words of invitation that God addresses to you, and to all those who believe, to rejoice with him, to celebrate and to participate in his joy at the return of the sinner who was first lost and then found again. These words in the parable are addressed by the father to his elder son who shared fully in his life. When this elder son returns home from a hard day’s work, he refuses to enter his house where they are celebrating the return of his brother who had left them to squan­der his inheritance.

The father goes out to his faithful son, just as he went out to his lost son, and tries to convince him to join them. The contrast between the father’s sentiments and those of his elder son is evident: on one side, the father with his immeasurable love and great joy that he wanted everyone to share; and, on the other, the son full of contempt and jealousy toward his brother whom he no longer recognizes as such. He refers to his younger brother, in fact, as “your son … who swallowed up your property with prostitutes” (Lk 15:30).

The love of the father and his joy at the return of his prodigal son serve to emphasize still more the ill feelings felt by the other son who had remained with his father. These ill feelings reveal, however, a cold and — one could say — false relation­ship between this son and the father. We can deduce from the narrative that it is work and the fulfillment of his obligations that matter most to this son; he does not love his father as a son should. Rather, we feel that he obeys his father as a hired worker would obey his boss.

“But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”

With these words, Jesus points out a dangerous trap that you could fall into: that of a life lived for the sake of appearances, in search of personal perfection which can lead to judging others as less perfect than yourself. As a matter of fact, if you are “attached” to your own perfection, you concentrate on building yourself up to the point of being filled with self-admiration. You act like the son who re­mained at home, who enumerates his merits before his father: “Look, all these years I have served you, and not once did I disobey your orders” (Lk 15:29).

“But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”

With these words Jesus goes against the attitude of those who see their relationship with God as one based only on the observance of the commandments which is not enough. Jewish tradition is also very clear on this.

In this parable Jesus puts the spotlight on divine Love illustrating the fact that God who is Love takes the first step without considering whether the person deserves it or not, but with the desire that the person be open to establishing an authentic relationship of communion. As one can imagine, the greatest obstacle to God who is Love is precisely the life of those who ac­cumulate actions and deeds while God wants their hearts.

“But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”

With these words, Jesus invites you to extend the same measureless love that the Father has toward those who stray. Jesus calls you not to judge according to your own standards the love that the Father has for each and every person. In inviting his elder son to share his joy for the return of his long-lost son, the Father also asks from you a change of heart: you should welcome as brothers and sisters even those people for whom you nur­ture sentiments of superiority and even of scorn.

This will work in you a true conversion because it will purge you of your conviction that you are “better.” It will save you from religious narrow-mindedness and allows you to welcome the salvation won by Jesus as a pure gift of God’s love.

Chiara Lubich

神父講道 – 常年期第二十二週 (週四) (2011年9月1日)

恭讀聖路加福音 5:1-11
那時候,耶穌站在革乃撒勒湖邊,群眾擁到他前要聽天主的道理。他看見兩隻船在湖邊停著,漁夫下了船正在洗網。他上了其中一隻屬於西滿的船,請他把船稍微划開,離開陸地;耶穌就坐下,從船上教訓群眾。一講完了,就對西滿說:「划到深處去,撒你們的網捕魚吧!」西滿回答說:「老師,我們已整夜勞苦,毫無所獲;但我要遵照你的話撒網。」他們照樣辦了,網了許多魚,網險些破裂了。他們遂招呼別隻船上的同伴來協助他們。他們來到,裝滿了兩隻船,以致船也幾乎下沉。西滿伯多祿一見這事,就跪伏在耶穌膝前說:「主,請你離開我!因為我是個罪人。」西滿和同他一起的人,因了他們所捕的魚,都驚駭起來;他的夥伴,即載伯德的兒子雅各伯和若望,也一樣驚駭。耶穌對西滿說:「不要害怕!從今以後,你要做捕人的漁夫。」他們把船划到岸邊,就捨棄一切,跟隨了他。
—基督的福音。

(Thursday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time)

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke 5:1-11

1 While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennes’aret. 2 And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, 7 they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zeb’edee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

—The Gospel of the Lord.

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