恭讀聖瑪竇福音 3:1-12
那時候,洗者若翰出現在猶太曠野,宣講說:「你們悔改罷!因為天國臨近了。」這人便是那藉依撒意亞先知所預言的:「在曠野裡有呼號者的聲音:你們該當預備上主的道路,修直祂的途徑。」這若翰穿著駱駝毛做的衣服,腰間束著皮帶,他的食物是蝗蟲和野蜜。那時,耶路撒冷、全猶太,以及全約但河一帶的人都出來,到他那裡,承認自己的罪過,並在約但河受他的洗。他見到許多法利塞人和撒杜塞人,來受他的洗,就對他們說:「毒蛇的種類!誰教你們逃避那即將來臨的忿怒?那麼,就結與悔改相稱的果實罷!你們自己不要想:我們有亞巴郎為父。我給你們說:天主能從這些石頭,給亞巴郎興起子孫來。斧刀已放在樹根上,凡不結好果子的樹,必被砍倒,投入火中。我固然用水洗你們,為使你們悔改;但在我以後,要來的那一位,比我更強,我連提祂的鞋也不配,祂要以聖神及火洗你們。祂的簸箕已在祂手中,祂要揚淨自己的禾場,將祂的麥粒收入倉內,至於糠秕,卻要用不滅的火焚燒。」
—基督的福音。
(2nd Sunday of Advent)
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 3:1-12
1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” 4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair, and a leather girdle around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sad’ducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit that befits repentance, 9 and do not presume to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
—The Gospel of the Lord.
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小時候的某一天,家姐要孭弟弟,我便幫她取那放在雙人床上層的孭帶,怎料一不小心,踩著媽媽放在床欄的「綢仔衫」,就由床上層掉下來,右手手腕的骨斷了,當時我哭得很厲害! 之後十多天,媽媽清早就背著我到街市裏看跌打。每次回家我都帶著細小一套的「煮飯仔」,那些媽媽賞我乖的獎品,陪伴我多年。偶然從媽媽裏取得話梅乾和花生,我就和弟弟玩「煮飯仔」﹗日後媽媽為我們六個化骨龍而拼活,無暇親親我們,但她背著我時的溫馨,看見我斷了手時緊張的神情,錢緊得很也願花一點來安慰我,這份母愛我永記於心﹗現在身為人母,更要提醒自己多給予兒女被愛的經驗,且身教重於言教﹗
是的﹗正如神父在講道中提到,我們不能像法利塞人和撒杜塞人一樣「偽善」。「偽善」就是只做表面的功夫。相信是關乎於人與天主沒有親密的經驗;更輕忽了在歷史中,天主如何介入人類的生活中並啟示出愛的真諦﹗沒有經驗就沒有信賴,沒有信賴就沒有真心﹗
「那麼,就結與悔改相稱的果實罷!」瑪3:8 祈求聖神開啟我們的明悟,教導我們如何悔改皈依,如何與耶穌建立親密的關係,如何信賴祂,並結出相稱的果實﹗