生活聖言 (2012年8月)

「凡在人前承認我的,我在天上的父前也必承認他,但誰若在人前否認我,我在我天上的父前也必否認他。」(瑪10:32- 33 )

這句話能為所有基督徒帶來極大的安慰與鼓勵。

耶穌以這句話來勸勉我們,要貫徹始終地活出我們對祂的信仰,因為我們永生的目標將取決於我們在今世以怎樣的態度去對待基督。如果我們在人前承認祂,祂曾經說過,這種行動將會成為祂在天父面前承認我們的條件。但是,如果我們在人前否認祂,祂亦會在天父前否認我們。

「凡在人前承認我的,我在天上的父前也必承認他,但誰若在人前否認我,我在我天上的父前也必否認他。」

耶穌在這裡提醒我們,今世終結時將要獲得的償報或懲罰,因為祂的確愛著我們。一位教父曾說過,有時候,對懲罰的恐懼比對償報的嚮往為我們更有效果。因此,祂一方面吸引我們嚮往那無窮的褔樂,但同時,為了拯救我們,祂也令我們對永罰產生畏懼。

其實,耶穌所關心的,只是我們能否與天主永遠在一起,這是唯一重要的事,更是我們生存的主要目的。事實上,唯獨與天主一起,我們才能達到自我滿全的實現,才能滿足我們的一切願望。所以,耶穌勸勉我們在今世就要『承認祂』。但如果在現世我們拒絕與祂建立任何關係,即假如我們否認祂的話,當我們離開這個世界時,我們便會發覺自己將永遠與上主隔絕。

耶穌在我們人生旅程終結時,在天父面前所做的,只是去肯定每一個人在世上所作的抉擇,及由這個抉擇帶來的一切後果。透過公審判的描述,耶穌給我們指出在世上的每個抉擇的重要性與嚴重性,因為牽涉到我們是否能得到永生的問題。

「凡在人前承認我的,我在天上的父前也必承認他,但誰若在人前否認我,我在我天上的父前也必否認他。」

我們怎樣汲取耶穌這句勸言的教訓呢?怎樣按照這句話生活呢?

耶穌自己親口說:「凡在人前承認我的……」。

讓我們下定決心,以純樸及坦誠的態度在人面前承認祂。

我們要克服人性上的羞怯,並且擺脫那庸俗及妥協的生活,因為這種態度只會破壞我們基督徒真正的本質和形像。

要記得我們被召叫是為基督作證。祂願意透過我們去接觸所有的人,並將和平、正義與愛的訊息帶給他們。

因此,我們無論在甚麼環境中,例如學校、家庭,與朋友交往或讀書時,都要為祂作證。

當然,首先我們要以自己的言行作見證的基礎。這包括誠實的生活、純潔的品德、不貪戀錢財,並且分享別人的喜悅和分擔他人的痛苦。

讓我們特別以彼此互愛及合一的生活為主作證,為使耶穌讓每一個願意與祂結合的人所預許的真正平安及喜樂,能夠在今世已經充滿他的心靈,甚至滿溢出來,惠及四周的人。

然後,當那些見到我們這樣生活的人問到:為什麼我們能夠在這艱苦的世界上生活得這麼安祥?這時候,我們應以謙虛和誠懇的態度,按照天主聖神給予我們的啟發而說話,這樣我們也能夠以言語及思想方式為基督作見證。

如此,也許很多正在尋找基督的人將可以找到祂。

然而有時候,我們會被別人誤解及反駁,甚至成為別人譏諷的對象,被人惱恨或迫害。不過關於這點,耶穌已經對我們說過:「如果人們迫害了我,也要迫害你們。」(若15:20)

在這情況下,要知道,我們仍然站在正確的道路上。所以,就算是處於種種考驗中,讓我們繼續以堅毅的精神為祂作證,甚至為祂捨棄生命。因為我們所等待的最終目標,值得我們付出這樣的代價。那時在天上,我們所敬愛的耶穌將會在天父面前永遠承認我們。

盧嘉勒

Word of Life – August 2012

“Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others I will deny before my heavenly Father.”
(Mt 10:32–33)

This word of life is a source of great joy and encouragement for all Christians. With this passage, Jesus calls us to be consistent in living out our faith in him, because our eternal destiny depends on the attitude we have assumed toward him during our lifetime. If we declare ourselves for him before others, he says, he will have reason to declare himself for us before his Father. If instead we have disowned him before others, he will disown us before his Father.

“Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

Jesus reminds us of the reward or the punishment that awaits us after this life because he loves us. He knows, as one Father of the Church put it, that at times fear of punishment is more effective than a beautiful promise. For this reason he increases in us the hope of endless happiness while at the same time, in order to save us, he awakens in us a fear of being condemned.
His aim is that we may live forever with God. This is all that matters. It is the goal for which we have been called into existence. Only with him, in fact, will we reach our complete self-fulfillment, the full realization of all our aspirations. This is why Jesus urges us to “acknowledge” him here and now. If instead we choose not to have anything to do with Jesus, if we disown him now, when we reach the next life we will find ourselves cut off from him forever.
At the end of our lives Jesus will therefore simply confirm before the Father the choice that each one of us has made while here on earth — with all its consequences. By referring to the final judgment, he emphasizes the tremendous importance and seriousness of the decision we make here. Our eternity is at stake.

“Whoever acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven. Whoever denies me before others I will deny before my Father in heaven.”

How can we best take advantage of this warning Jesus has given us? How can we live his Word?
He himself said it: “Everyone who acknowledges me…”
Let us decide to declare ourselves for him before others with simplicity and openness, overcoming our need for mere human respect. Let’s get out of a state of mediocrity and compromise that empties our lives as Christians.
Remember that we have been called to bear witness to Christ: through us he wants to reach all people with his message of peace, justice and love.
We can bear witness to him wherever we are, whether in our family, at work, among friends, at school or in the many different circumstances of our lives. We can do it first of all, through our behavior, through the integrity of our lives, through our purity, through our detachment from money, through our participation in the joys and sufferings of others.
Furthermore, we can express it through our mutual love, our unity, so that the peace and joy promised by Jesus to those united to him will fill our soul even now and overflow onto others.
Perhaps someone will ask us why we act the way we do, why we are so serene in a world that is so fraught with tension. We will then answer with humility and sincerity using those words that the Holy Spirit will suggest to us. In this way we will bear witness to Christ with our words, too, on the level of ideas.
Then perhaps many of those who are searching for him will find him.
At other times we may be misunderstood, contradicted, made the object of derision, hatred and persecution. Jesus alerted us to this possibility: “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (Jn. 15:20).
We are still on the right path, however, so let’s go ahead to bear witness to him with courage even in the midst of trials, even at the cost of our lives. The reward that awaits us is well worth it; it is heaven, where Jesus whom we love will declare himself for us in front of his Father for all eternity.

Chiara Lubich

神父講道 – 常年期第十八週 (週二) (2012年8月7日)

恭讀聖瑪竇福音 14:22-36

群眾吃飽以後,耶穌即刻催迫門徒上船,在他以先到對岸去;這期間,他遣散了群眾。耶穌遣散了群眾以後,他私自上山祈禱去了。到了夜晚,他獨自一人在那裏。船已離岸幾里了,受著波浪的顛簸,因為吹的是逆風。夜間四更時分,耶穌步行海上,朝著他們走去。門徒看見他在海上行走,就驚駭說:「是個妖怪。」並且嚇得大叫起來。耶穌立即向他們說道:「放心!是我。不必害怕!」伯多祿回答說「主!如果是你,請下令,我從水面上走到你那裏去!」耶穌說:「來吧!」
伯多祿回答說:「主!如果是你,就叫我在水面步行你那裏吧!」耶穌說:「來吧!」伯多祿遂從船上下來,走在水面上,往耶穌那裏去。但他一見風勢很強,就害怕起來,並開始下沉,遂大叫說:「主,救我吧!」耶穌立刻伸手拉住他,對他說:「小信德的人啊!你為什麼懷疑?」他們一上了船,風就停了。船上的人便朝拜他說:「你真是天主子!」
他們渡海到對岸,來到革乃撒勒的地方。那地方的人一認出是耶穌,就打發人到周圍整個地方,把一切患病的人,都帶到耶穌跟前,求耶穌讓他們只摸摸他的衣邊;凡摸著的,都痊愈了。

—上主的話。

(18th Week in Ordinary Time – Tuesday)

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 14:22-33

22 Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately he spoke to them, saying, “Take heart, it is I; have no fear.” 28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; 30 but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “O man of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” 34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent round to all that region and brought to him all that were sick, 36 and besought him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well.

—The Gospel of the Lord.

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