by pleung | Apr 1, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
“Not what I will, but what you will.” (Mk 14:36)
Jesus is in the Garden of Olives, a piece of land called Gethsemane. The long-awaited hour has arrived. It is the crucial moment of his existence. He falls to the ground and with confident tenderness prays to God, calling him “Father.” He asks him, “Take this cup away from me” — an expression that refers to his passion and death. Jesus prays that that hour may pass. But in the end he submits completely to the Father’s will:
“Not what I will, but what you will.”
Jesus knows that his passion is not a chance event, nor simply a decision taken by men, but rather, a design of God. He will be taken to trial and rejected by men, but the “cup” comes from the hands of God. Jesus teaches us that the Father has a design of love for each one of us, that he loves us personally, and if we believe in this love and reciprocate with our love — this is the condition — he directs all things toward good. For Jesus nothing happens by chance, not even his passion and death. And this was followed by the Resurrection, whose solemn feast we are celebrating this month. The example of the risen Jesus should be a light for our life. We should interpret all that happens to us, all that takes place, all that is around us and even all that makes us suffer as something that God wills or that he permits, because he loves us. So then everything will have meaning in life, everything will be extremely useful, even what might seem in that moment to be incomprehensible and absurd, even what might plunge us into mortal anguish, as happened to Jesus. With him we need only to repeat, with an act of total trust in the Father’s love:
“Not what I will, but what you will.”
His will is that we live, that we joyfully thank him for the gifts of our life. His will is not, as we might sometimes think, something that we must resign ourselves to, especially when we encounter suffering. Nor is it merely a sequence of monotonous acts that we carry out in our lifetime.It is his voice that continues to make itself heard within, inviting us. It is his way of expressing his love and bringing us to the fullness of his life. We could depict it with the image of the sun, whose rays are like his will for each one of us. Each one walks along a ray, distinct from the ray of the person next to us, but always along a ray of the sun, that is, the will of God. So we all do only one will, that of God, but it is different for each one of us. Furthermore, the closer the rays come to the sun, the closer they come to one another. For us too, the closer we come to God, by carrying out the divine will more and more perfectly, the closer we draw to one another … until we are one. By living in this way, everything changes in our life. Instead of associating only with people we like and just loving them, we seek the company of whomever God wills us to be with. Instead of preferring the things that please us the most, we look after those that the will of God suggests to us, and we give preference to them. Being completely intent on doing the divine will in each moment (“what you will”) will lead to our being detached from everything else, and from ourselves as well (“not what I will”). This detachment is not something deliberately sought after — we seek God alone — but in actual fact it is attained. Then our joy will be full. We need only to immerse ourselves entirely in each fleeting moment and in that instant carry out the will of God, repeating:
“Not what I will, but what you will.”
The past no longer exists; the future is not yet here. Just as someone traveling by train would never think of walking up and down the aisle to reach his destination sooner but remains seated, so we should remain in the present. The train of time moves ahead on its own. We can love God only in the present moment given to us by saying our own “yes” — a vigorous, total, very active “yes” to his will. So let us be happy to give that smile, carry out that job, drive that car, prepare that meal, organize that activity. Let us love all those who are suffering around us.Not even trials or sufferings should frighten us if, with Jesus, we recognize God’s will in them, that is, his love for each one of us. Indeed, we could pray in this way:“Lord, help me not to fear anything, because all that will happen will be nothing other than your will! Lord, help me not to desire anything, because nothing is more desirable than your will. What matters in life? What matters is doing your will. Grant that nothing may depress me or exalt me, because in everything I find your will.”
Chiara Lubic
by pleung | Mar 1, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
「看，上主的婢女，願照袮的話成就於我吧!」（路1：38）
如同天主對聖母瑪利亞所做的一樣，祂也要向我們每一個人顯示祂對我們的計劃，並使我們認識自己的真正身份。祂好像在問我們:「你想要我使你和你的生命成為一項傑作嗎？那麼跟隨我所指示的道路，這樣你就能變成那一直在我心目中的你。事實上，從亘久之前我已經想到你，並且愛著你；我呼喚了你的名字。當我向你講及我的旨意時，就是在向你展示你真正的自我。」
因此，祂的旨意不是一個強行加諸我們身上的負擔，而是祂對我們的愛，以及祂對我們的計劃的啟示：這份愛及計劃崇高如同天主自己，像祂的聖容一樣那麼迷人、那麼美麗：是天主把祂自己賜給我們。天主的旨意好像一條金線，一個串連我們今世以及來世生命的神聖主題；它從永恆走到永恆：它首先存在於天主的思想中，然後出現在這個世上，最後永存於天堂裡。
但為能完全實現天主的計劃，祂要求我，也要求你的同意，就如同祂要求聖母瑪利亞的同意一樣。只有這樣才能實現祂對我、對你所道出的聖言。所以我們也像聖母瑪利亞一樣被召叫這樣說：
「看，上主的婢女，願照袮的話成就於我吧!」
當然天主的旨意對我們來說並非時常都清楚。像聖母瑪利亞一樣，我們也必須要求上主的光照，才能明白祂的要求。我們需要誠意地在我們內心聆聽祂的聲音，如有需要，也可以求助於能指導我們的人。但是一旦我們明瞭祂的旨意，我們便要立刻對祂說：『我願意』。事實上，如果我們了解到，祂的旨意是最好的東西，可以成為我們生命中最美麗的事，我們將不會有『必須』聽從及承行主旨的感覺，相反的，我們將會因為『可以』承行主旨而歡喜，因為我們能夠跟隨祂的計劃，使祂為我們設想的東西成為事實。這是我們所能做的最好、最聰明的事情。
因此聖母瑪利亞所說的：「看，上主的婢女」，這就是我們以愛回應天主愛的心聲。這句話令我們時常抱著聆聽及順從的心情朝向祂；我們的內心只有一個願望，就是承行祂的旨意，為能成為祂心目中的我。
然而，有時候祂對我們的要求可能看似荒謬。我們可能認為另一種做法會更好。我們想為自己作主，我們甚至要忠告天主，告訴祂該做甚麼和不該做甚麼。但是如果我們相信天主是愛，並且信賴祂的話，那麼我知道，無論祂為我和那些接近我的人有甚麼計劃，都是為了我和他們的好處。所以我將自己交託給祂，完全信賴祂的旨意；我全靈渴慕祂的聖意，以致與它完全吻合；因為我明白到，接受祂的旨意就是接受祂、擁抱祂、以祂來滋養我自己。
我們必須相信一切都不是偶然發生的。任何一件事，無論是喜樂的、看似無關緊要的或痛苦的、在家庭中、在工作上、或在學校裡的情況、在身體或道德的健康狀況，都是有意義的。每件事情、境況和人，都能帶來一個天主的訊息，每件事物都有助於實現天主的計劃。只要我們像聖母瑪利亞一樣承行天主的旨意，將會漸漸發現到祂的計劃。
「看，上主的婢女，願照袮的話成就於我吧!」
我們應該如何生活這句生活聖言呢？我們對天主聖言的承諾，要具體地表現在每一刻，妥善地並且完全地落實祂的聖意所要求我們去做的行動。我們應該全心全意地投入要做的事情中，並將其他的事情都擱置一邊，放棄任何其他的思想、欲望、記憶或行動。
當我們面對每一種天主的旨意，無論是痛苦的、喜樂的或無關緊要的也好，我們都能重複說：「願照袮的話成就於我吧！」或如同耶穌在『天主經』中教我們的一樣：「願袮的旨意奉行。」讓我們在做每個行動之前說：「願照袮的話成就於我吧！」「願袮的旨意奉行。」如此，我們便能連續地、一刻接著一刻地把每一塊小石片砌成一幅美妙、獨一無二、不會重複的生命壁畫。這塊生命的壁畫是上主一直為我們每個人所設想的。
盧嘉勒
[1] 本月的生活聖言曾於2002年12月刊登
by pleung | Mar 1, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word (Lk 1:38).
We are fortunate. By doing God’s will moment by moment we can build up the unique and marvellous mosaic of our lives that he has always had in mind for us.
To each of us, as to Mary, God wants to reveal his idea for us: he wants to let us know our true identity. He seems to say, ‘Do you want me to make you and your life into a masterpiece? Then follow the path I will show you and you will become what you have always been in my heart. In fact, from all eternity, I have thought of you and loved you and I have uttered your name. By telling you my will, I am revealing your true self.’
So his will is not an imposition that constrains us, but it is the unveiling of his love for us, of his project in us. God’s will is sublime like God himself, fascinating and enthralling like his face: it is God who gives himself. The will of God is a golden thread, a divine pattern woven through the whole of our earthly life and beyond. It is a plan that starts from eternity and goes to eternity. At first it is in the mind of God, then on this earth and, in the end, in Paradise.
But in order for God’s design to be completely fulfilled, God asks for my assent, for your assent, as he did with Mary. This is the only way to fulfil the word that God has uttered about me, about you. So we too, like Mary, are asked to say:
Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.
Certainly, his will is not always clear to us. Like Mary we too will need to ask for light to understand what God wants. With great sincerity we must listen well to his voice within us and, if need be, ask advice from those who can help. But once we have understood his will, we want to say ‘yes’ to him straightaway. If, indeed, we have understood that his will is the greatest and most beautiful thing that could happen in our life, we will not resign ourselves to ‘having to do’ the will of God. Instead we will be glad to ‘be able’ to do the will of God, to be able to follow his plan, so that his idea for us might come about. It is the best and most intelligent thing we can do.
Mary’s words ‘Here I am, the servant of the Lord’, therefore, become our loving response to God’s love. They keep us always turned towards him, in an attitude of listening and of obedience, wanting only to do his will, to be as he wants us to be.
Sometimes, nonetheless, what he asks of us can seem absurd. It would seem better to us to do something different; we would like to decide for ourselves. We might almost want even to advise God and tell him what to do and not do. But if I believe that God is love and trust him, I know that what he sets up for my life and for the lives of those close to me is for my good and theirs too. So I put myself in his hands, I abandon myself to his will with full trust, and I want it with the whole of myself, to the point of being one with it, knowing that to welcome his will is to welcome him, embrace him and be nourished with him.
We must believe that nothing happens by chance. No event, whether it be joyful, indifferent or painful, no encounter, no situation in the family, at work or at school, no physical or moral condition, is without meaning. On the contrary, every event, situation or person bears a message from God. Everything contributes to the fulfilment of God’s design, which we will discover bit by bit, day by day, doing the will of God as Mary did.
Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.
So how can we live this Word? Practically speaking our ‘yes’ to the word of God means doing well and completely all that he asks us to do in every present moment. We should devote ourselves wholeheartedly to whatever we are doing, putting aside everything else, letting go of any thoughts, desires, memories, actions that have to do with anything else.
We can say in front of every will of God, whether it be painful, joyful or indifferent, ‘Let it be with me according to your word’, or, as Jesus taught us in the ‘Our Father’: ‘Your will be done.’ Let’s tell him this before each of our actions: ‘May it be done’, ‘Your will be done.’ We will compose, moment by moment, piece by piece, the marvellous, unique and unrepeatable mosaic of our lives that the Lord has always had in mind for each one of us.
Chiara Lubich
(First published December 2002)
by pleung | Feb 6, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
“Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” (Rm 8:14)
This passage is at the heart of the hymn Paul sings to the beauty of Christian life, to its newness and freedom. These are the result of baptism and faith in Jesus, which graft us fully to him, and through him, to the dynamics of Trinitarian life. By becoming one person with Christ, we share in his Spirit and in all his fruits, the first of which is becoming children of God.
Even though Paul speaks of “adoption” (cf. Rm. 8:15; Gal. 4:5), he does so only to distinguish it from the status of natural sonship, which applies solely to the only Son of God. Ours is not a purely juridical relationship with the Father, however, as it would be as adopted children, but something substantial that changes our very nature, like a new birth. This is so because our entire life is animated by a new principle, by a new spirit, the very Spirit of God.
And we should never stop rejoicing, with Paul, for the miracle of death and resurrection that the grace of baptism brings about in us.
“Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God”.
These words speak to our Christian life, into which the Spirit of Jesus introduces a dynamic tension that Paul summarizes as the contrast between flesh and spirit. By the word flesh, he means the whole person (body and soul), with all our inherent fragility and selfishness. These are constantly opposed to the law of love, and indeed, to Love itself, which was poured into our hearts (cf. Rm. 5:5).
In fact, those who are led by the Spirit must face the “good fight of the faith” (1 Tim 6:12) in order to curb all the inclinations to evil and to live in accordance with the faith professed in baptism.
But how? We know that for the Holy Spirit to act we need to do our part. In writing these words, St. Paul had in mind, above all, a certain duty that we have as Christians, that of denying ourselves and winning the battle against selfishness in its many and varied forms.
It is this dying to ourselves that produces life, so that every self-denial, every renunciation, every “no” to our selfishness is the source of new light, peace, joy, love and inner freedom. It is an open door to the Spirit.
Giving more freedom to the Holy Spirit, present in our hearts, will enable him to bestow upon us a greater abundance of his gifts and lead us along the journey of life.
“Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God”.
How can we live these words? Above all we have to become increasingly aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. There is an immense treasure in the depths of our being, but we are not as conscious of it as we could be. We possess an extraordinary wealth, but for the most part, it lies unused.
In order to hear and follow his voice within us more readily, we have to say no to everything that is against the will of God and yes to everything that is his will: no to temptation, with a clear-cut refusal of its suggestions; yes to the tasks that God has entrusted to us; yes to loving every neighbor we meet; yes to the trials and difficulties we encounter …
If we do this, the Holy Spirit will guide us, giving our Christian life that vigor, that savor, that zest and that brightness that naturally follow when it is authentic.
People around us will realize we are not only children of our own natural family, but sons and daughters of God.
Chiara Lubich
by pleung | Feb 6, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
「凡受天主聖神引導的，都是天主的子女。」(羅8：14)
這句生活聖言綜合了聖保祿宗徒詠讚基督徒生活中最美麗的精華，提及基督徒嶄新的生活與自由。這些都是聖洗及對耶穌信德的果實，使我們完全進入祂之內，並經由祂，進入天主聖三生活的動力中。藉著與基督合為一體，我們分享祂的聖神和聖神的所有果實，其中第一個就是成為天主的子女。
即使保祿談到「義子」 的名份，他這樣做純粹是為要澄清我們與天主唯一獨生子之間的區別。
可是，我們與天主的關係跟一般義父義子的關係不同，並不純粹是法定的關係。我們與天主的關係能著實改變我們的本質，使我們有如新生的一樣。這是因為我們的生命因著一份新的準則而具有一份新的精神，即天主的聖神而變得生氣蓬勃。
這樣，我們將與聖保祿一起，因著聖洗的恩寵在我們內產生死而復活的奧蹟，而時常歡欣雀躍。
「凡受天主聖神引導的，都是天主的子女。」
這句聖言談到我們基督徒的生活，耶穌的聖神在我們內傾注了一份動力，保祿將這份動力濃縮在肉體和精神的對立關係中。當保祿談到肉體的生命時，他的意思包含肉身與靈魂，並具有本身的脆弱和私心，這正與愛的法律相違背，與那傾注在我們心中的天主的愛對立起來 。
事實上，凡受聖神引導的人必須每天「奮力去打這場信仰的好仗」 ，為能夠抑制所有邪惡的傾向，並能遵照在洗禮中宣示的信仰而生活。
但要怎樣才能做得到呢？
若要天主聖神能夠在我們之內推行祂的工作，我們必須作出回應。當聖保祿書寫這句話時，他特別想到基督徒要棄絕自己的責任，並對抗以不同形式呈現出來自私。
正是透過這份死於自我，我們才能孕育新的生命。所以，當我們每次能夠自制，每次能夠棄絕自我，每次摒棄自己的私心時，我們都可以找到新的光照、平安、喜樂、愛與內心的自由；並且找到通往聖神的道路。
所以，如果我們給予內心的聖神更大的自由與空間，祂將能給予我們更豐沛的恩賜，並在生命的旅途上不斷引導我們。
「凡受天主聖神引導的，都是天主的子女。」
那麼，我們應該怎樣實踐這句聖言呢？
首先，我們要時常更加醒覺天主聖神在我們內的臨在。其實在我們內心深處，有一份無限的寶藏，但我們卻沒有意識到。我們擁有一份卓越非凡的財富，但我們卻很少加以利用。
然後，為叫我們能夠聆聽到和跟隨祂的聲音，我們必須拒絕一切違反天主旨意的事情，同時接納所有祂的意願。就是說在誘惑的時刻，要克制自我，抗拒一切的引誘；此外還要履行天主托付給我們的職責；願意向近人付出我們的愛；並接受所有我們遇到的考驗與困難等。
如果我們這樣做，天主聖神將會引導我們，這樣我們的基督徒生活便會充滿著韻味、活力、鬥志與光輝，這些都是真正基督徒生活必定擁有的質素。
於是，在我們周遭的人必定會發覺到我們不單只是屬於自己的家庭，而且也是天主的子女。
盧嘉勒
by pleung | Jan 6, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
「眾信徒都是一心一意，凡各人所有的，沒有人說是自己的，都歸公用。」（宗4:32）
二零一一年一月份 生活聖言
今年一月十八日至廿五日，世界多處地方都會慶祝『基督徒合一祈禱週』，而有些地區則在聖神降臨節才舉行。
盧嘉勒女士慣於每年一月，對合一祈禱週所選取的聖經章節作一個解釋。
今年特別為『基督徒合一祈禱週』而選定的聖言取自宗徒大事錄：「他們專心聽取宗徒的訓誨、時常團聚、擘餅、祈禱。」（宗2:42）為幫助大家反思和生活這句聖言，我們建議大家一起默想盧嘉勒在1994年對宗徒大事錄第4章32節的解釋。
「眾信徒都是一心一意，凡各人所有的，沒有人說是自己的，都歸公用。」（宗4:32）
本月的聖言是取自宗徒大事錄，描寫當時情景的文句之一（參閱宗2:42；5:12-16）。它的作者概括地給我們介紹了耶路撒冷的初期基督徒團體。這個團體的特色就是它清新的氣息、精神上的活力、祈禱及生活見證，尤其是它強烈的合一。其實這份合一就是耶穌要求祂的教會所要具備的，而是一個不能與其他團體混淆的標誌，並且也成為教會多結果實的原因。
在聖洗聖事中，所有接受耶穌教訓的人都領受了聖神。由於祂是愛與合一之神，所以祂令所有信徒跟復活的基督合而為一，並叫他們克服彼此之間因種族、文化及社會階層的差異而造成的分歧。
「眾信徒都一心一意，凡各人所有的，沒有說是自己的，都歸公用。」
不過，讓我們更仔細地看看這種合一，在不同層面上有什麽含意。
聖神在信友中的工作，首先以促進心靈及思想方面的合一為主，來幫助人們在弟兄共融的生活中克服那些妨礙合一的各種情緒。
達致合一的最大阻礙，就是我們的個人主義，及我們對自己的思想、觀點及喜好等執著的態度。正由於我們的自私，我們才豎立藩籬，在排斥異己之餘，也孤立了自己。
「眾信徒都一心一意，凡各人所有的，沒有說是自己的，都歸公用。」
聖神所締結的合一，必然要在信友的生活中反映出來。思想上及心靈上的合一需要在具體生活中落實，表現出團體的精神，包括跟有需要的弟兄姊妹分享自己的財物。因為真正的合一不能容忍團體有某些人生活富裕，但同時另有些人卻連基本生活的需要也缺乏。
「眾信徒都一心一意，凡各人所有的，沒有說是自己的，都歸公用。」
我們該怎樣把本月的聖言實踐出來呢？
既然這句話是要強調耶穌再三囑咐的共融與合一，並且為了實現這點，祂已將自己的神賜給了我們。所以，讓我們努力聆聽聖神的聲音，並在所有層面上增進這份共融，尤其是在精神的層面上，要克服內心已存有的分裂的因素。假如我們一方面想與耶穌保持合一，但又同時在彼此間維持分裂的狀態，各人都以自我為中心地處事、各走各路、彼此判斷及排斥，實在是一種矛盾。因此，既然上主要我們合一，我們的確要再次悔改，歸向上主。
此外，這句聖言也有助於我們更明白到，存在於基督徒的信仰與自私地運用財物兩者之間的矛盾。它要幫助我們在能力範圍之內，跟所有的窮人實現真正的團結及和衷共濟的精神。
何況，我們更在本月舉辦基督徒合一祈禱週，這句生活聖言將催促我們為彼此之間的合一祈禱，並推動我們強化存在於自己及其他教會弟兄姊妹之間互愛的關係。我們與他們都一樣在聖洗中分享了同一的信德及同一基督的精神。
盧嘉勒
by pleung | Jan 6, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
“The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.” (Acts 4:32)
January 2011 – Become one
Once again this year, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will be celebrated from 18–25 January in many parts of the world. Others celebrate it at Pentecost.
In the past, Chiara took the passage of Scripture chosen for the Week of Prayer for her monthly commentary. This year the Biblical phrase is: “They were faithful to the teaching of the apostles, the common life of sharing, the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). In the same spirit, we offer what Chiara wrote in 1994 in her commentary on Acts 4:32.
“The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.”
With these words, the author of the Acts of the Apostles offers us a sketch of the first Christian community of Jerusalem (see also 2:42; 5:12-16). That community was characterized by remarkable freshness and spiritual dynamism, by prayer and example — above all, by a great unity, which Jesus wanted to be the unmistakable sign and source of fruitfulness for his Church.
The Holy Spirit, given in baptism to all those who welcome the words of Jesus, is the spirit of love and unity. He therefore made all the believers one with the risen Lord and with one another, overcoming differences in race, culture and social class.
“The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.”
Let’s take a closer look at what this unity was like.
Above all, in the dynamics of mutual exchange, the Holy Spirit united the believers in heart and mind by helping them to overcome those attitudes that make this difficult.
In fact, the greatest obstacle to unity is our individualism, the attachment to our own ideas and to our personal viewpoints and tastes. Our selfishness builds barriers that isolate and exclude us from those who are different.
“The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.”
As a result, the unity brought about by the Holy Spirit was reflected in the life of the believers. Unity of mind and heart was lived out and expressed concretely by sharing goods with those in need. Precisely because their unity was genuine, it did not tolerate having some in the community lacking in their basic needs while others were living in abundance.
“The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.”
How can we live this month’s passage? It emphasizes the communion and unity so strongly advocated by Jesus, who gave us the gift of His Spirit to accomplish it.
For this reason then, we will seek to grow in this communion on all levels by listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit — on the spiritual level, above all, by overcoming the seeds of division that we have within us. It would be a contradiction, for example, to want to be united to Jesus and at the same time to be divided among ourselves, behaving in an individualistic way, each one walking alone, judging one another and perhaps excluding one another. So we need to make a renewed conversion to God, who wants us to be united.
Furthermore, this Word of Life will help us to understand more clearly the contradiction that exists between Christian faith and the selfish use of material goods. It will help us to achieve an authentic solidarity with those who are in need, within the limits of our possibilities.
Since this is also the month in which we celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, these words urge us to pray and to strengthen our bonds of unity, loving and sharing with our brothers and sisters of different churches, with whom we have in common, through baptism, the one faith and one spirit of Christ.
Chiara Lubich
by pleung | Dec 2, 2010 | Focolare, Word of Life
「在天主前沒有不可能的事。」（路1：37）
二零一零年 十二月份
聖母瑪利亞在領報時問天使説：「這事怎能成就？」（參閱路1：34）她得到的答案是：「在天主前沒有不可能的事。」天使還用了依撒伯爾在老年懷了男胎的例子來證明天主的大能。於是瑪利亞相信了，並成為天主的母親。
『天主是全能的』這個稱號在舊約中出現過多次，特別是用來表達祂具有降福、審判、引導事件的發展和實現祂的計劃的能力。
天主的全能只有一個限制，就是人的自由。雖然人是被天主召叫去分享祂同樣的能力，但人能夠違反天主的意願，卻因而使自己變得軟弱無能。
「在天主前沒有不可能的事。」
〔……〕這句聖言令我們對天主聖父的愛懷有無限的信心，因為由於天主存在，而且祂本身是愛，那麼完全信賴祂就是合乎邏輯的結果。
所有的恩竉，包括現世的和精神上的，可能和不可能得到的恩賜都來自祂大能的手。天主把它們賜給那些求恩的人，也給那些沒有祈求的人，因為如同福音所說一樣，在天之父「使太陽上升，光照惡人，也光照善人。」（參閱瑪5：45）祂要求我們所有人如同祂一樣，以同樣的博愛，並透過「在天主前沒有不可能的事」的信德去行事做人。
「在天主前沒有不可能的事。」
我們應該如何在日常生活中實踐這句聖言呢？
無論在個人的生活裡，或是與他人的關係中，我們多多少少都要面對困難及痛苦。有時我們也會感到無助，因為我們了解到自己一方面想擺脫自己所依戀的人或事物，但又同時感到捨不得，以致使自己成了這些關係的奴隸。我們也經常要面對冷漠及自我主義的圍牆，並會因為無法處理事情而變得沮喪。
在這些時刻，這句聖言可以幫助我們。耶穌讓我們體驗到我們自己的無能，當然不是要使我們氣餒，而是為要幫助我們更深入地了解「在天主前沒有不可能的事」，為叫我們去體驗祂聖寵的超凡力量，尤其是我們看見自己微薄的力量不足以應付時，祂的力量更能彰顯出來。
「在天主前沒有不可能的事。」
假如我們曉得在特別困難的時刻重複憶述這句聖言，我們將得到其中蘊藏的力量，並且能以某種方式去參與天主的全能。然而，這裡有一個先決條件：我們要生活上主的旨意，並在我們的周圍努力推廣那已傾注在我們心中的愛，使它發放光芒。如此，我們將與全能的主對祂的受造物所懷有的愛完全一致。既然為祂而言，沒有不可能的事，那麼一切有利於實現祂為每個人和為整個人類的計劃的事更是可能的。
可是，也有一個令我們生活出這句聖言，並體驗到它的種種效力的特別時刻，這就是在祈禱中。
耶穌曾說，無論我們因祂的名向天父祈求甚麼，祂都會賜給我們。讓我們嘗試為內心深切的願望而祈求，並堅信為天主而言，沒有不可能的事，包括：解決令人絕望的處境、促進世界和平、使人從重病中康復過來、在家庭或社會衝突中重獲安寧。
此外，如果我們聯合其他人一起為同一件事而祈求，透過互愛達致同心合意，那麼向天父祈禱的就是在我們中間臨在的耶穌自己，按照祂的許諾，我們將會獲得天主的俯允。
有一天，我們懷著對天主的全能和祂的愛的信德，為一位患病的朋友祈禱，希望在X光片上看到的腫瘤能好像一個人為的錯誤或一個幻象而『消失』。祈禱所得的結果也確實如此。
這種無限的信賴，使我們感到身處於天父的懷抱中。對祂來說，一切都是可能的。在生命的種種際遇中，我們應該保持這份信賴。這不是說我們將時常獲得我們所要求的。這位全能者既是我們的天父，無論祂的子女們知道與否，祂總是為了他們的好處才施展祂的大能。對我們來說，最重要的就是去生活，並同時培養這份信心，相信在天主前沒有不可能的事。這樣我們將會體驗到我們從未經歷過的平安。
盧嘉勒
註：本月的聖生活言已於1999年12月份發表
by pleung | Dec 2, 2010 | Focolare, Word of Life
“Nothing will be impossible for God” (Lk 1:37).
December 2010
When Mary asked the angel at the annunciation, “How can this be?” the answer she heard was, “Nothing will be impossible for God,” and to confirm it, she was given the example of Elizabeth who in her old age had conceived a son. Mary believed and she became the Mother of the Lord. God is all powerful and is frequently called by this name in the Scriptures, especially when expressing the power he has of blessing, of judging, of directing the course of events, and of achieving his plans.
There is only one limit to the omnipotence of God: the freedom he gave human beings who can either oppose his will and thus become powerless, or choose what they are called to: to share God’s own power.
“Nothing will be impossible for God.”
These words open us up to an unlimited confidence in the love of God the Father, because if God exists and his being is Love, what logically follows is that we can have complete trust in him. In his power are all graces: temporal and spiritual, possible and impossible. And he gives them to those who ask and also to those who do not ask because, as the Gospel says, the Father “makes his sun rise on the bad and the good” (Mt 5:45). What he does ask of all of us is to act the way he does, to have the same universal love, supported by the faith that:
“Nothing will be impossible for God.”
How should we put these words into practice? At one time or another we all face difficult, painful situations both in our personal lives and in our relationships with others. We sometimes feel helpless because we realize we have attachments to things and to people that enslave us and from whose chains we would like to be freed. Often too we find ourselves up against walls of indifference and selfishness and we feel discouraged in the face of events that seem to be more than we can handle.
In these moments, the Word of Life can pick us up. Jesus lets us experience our own limitations, not to discourage us, but to help us understand more deeply that “Nothing will be impossible for God,” and to prepare us to experience the extraordinary power of his grace, which is manifested precisely when we see that we cannot manage on our own.
“Nothing will be impossible for God.”
If we remind ourselves of this word of God in the most critical moments, we will experience its energy, for it brings us to participate, in a certain way, in the very omnipotence of God. There is, however, one condition: we must align ourselves with God’s will and try to show to others the love that has been put into our hearts. By doing so, we will be in unison with God’s all-powerful love for everyone. This will contribute to fulfilling his plans for every person and for all of humanity.
There is a special moment that enables us to live this Word of Life and to experience all its effectiveness. It is in prayer.
Jesus said that he will grant us whatever we ask the Father in his name. Let’s try then to ask him for what is most important to us now, firmly believing that for him nothing is impossible: solutions to desperate cases, peace in the world, cures to grave illnesses, peace and unity in family and social conflicts.
Moreover, if we ask united with others, in the full accord of mutual love, then it is Jesus himself in our midst who prays to the Father and, according to his promise, we will obtain what we ask for. One day, with this faith in the omnipotence of God and in his love, we prayed for a friend who had an x-ray that revealed a tumor. We asked that the tumor would not be there when the x-ray was taken again. And that’s exactly what happened. A boundless trust that makes us feel we are in the arms of a Father for whom everything is possible, should be our constant virtue. This doesn’t mean that we will always obtain what we ask for. God’s omnipotence is that of a Father and he always uses it only for the good of his children, whether they realize it or not. What’s important is that we remain aware that nothing is impossible for God. Then we will experience a peace we have never known before.
Chiara Lubich
by pleung | Oct 2, 2010 | Focolare, Word of Life
「你應當愛近人如你自己。」（瑪22：39）
二零一零年 十月份 生活聖言
我們在舊約聖經中也可以找到這樣的一句話（參閱肋未紀 19：18）。耶穌為了答覆一個狡猾的問題，便把自己置身於偉大的先知和法律傳統中，因為那時的人正在尋找一條能綜合整個傳統，即上主在聖經中種種訓導的原則。與耶穌同時代的一位猶太經師希里爾（Hillel）曾說：「你不應對鄰人做你所憎厭的事；這就是全部的法律。其餘的，只是註解而已。」（參閱 Shabbat 31a）
對希伯來人的師傅而言，我們對近人的愛源於對天主的愛，因為天主按照祂自己的肖像造了人。因此，愛天主而不愛祂的受造物是不可能的：這是愛近人的真正動機，而且這也是「法律中一個偉大和普遍性的原則」（猶太經師阿基巴（ Akiba）對肋未紀 19：18的評論）。
耶穌除了重申這項原則外，還補充了一點，祂指出愛近人的誡命與第一條最大的誡命（即全心、全意和全靈愛天主的誡命）相似。祂肯定這兩條誡命相似之餘，也同時把它們永久地連在一起，使整個教會傳統都按照耶穌的這個意思去生活。若望宗徒稍後亦將敏銳而清楚的指出：「那不愛自己所看見的弟兄的，就不能愛自己所看不見的天主。」（若一 4：20）
「你應當愛近人如你自己。」
整部福音清楚地指出，我們的近人就是每一個人，無論是男或女、朋友或敵人，我們都應尊敬、體諒和重視他。對近人的愛既是普及性的，同時又是個別的。它環抱全人類，同時又能具體地為自己身旁的人服務。
但誰能給我們一顆如此寬大的心，並在我們心裡激起莫大的善意，以致陌生人為我們來說也變得與近人無異，使我們能超越對自我的愛，為能在他人身上認得出這個需要愛的『自己』呢？這是天主的一份恩賜。事實上，它正是天主「藉著所賜予我們的聖神，已傾注在我們心中」的愛（羅 5：5）。
因此，它不是平凡的愛或簡單的友誼，也不只是博愛精神，而是在領洗時已傾注在我們心中的愛：這份愛是天主自己的生命，也是我們能分享到的天主聖三的生活。
所以，愛包含一切，但為能好好的把愛落實，我們需要從福音和聖經上去理解它的一般特性，並歸納出其中的一些基本要素。
首先，為眾人而死的耶穌，透過愛每一個人，教導我們真正的愛是向所有人付出的。這種愛和一般人性的愛不同，因為後者只侷限在親戚、朋友和一些相熟的人之間。反之，耶穌所要求的真愛，不容許有歧視。它不注重對方是否可愛或可憎、美麗或醜陋、成人或孩童、同胞或外國人、同一教會或其他宗派、同一信仰或其他宗教人士。這份愛指向每一個人。我們必須同樣去做：去愛每一個人。
再者，真愛令人主動的去愛，而不等待其他人先來愛我們。一般而言，人性的愛只會去愛那愛自己的人。相反的，真愛叫人採取主動，如同天父那樣首先愛了我們，因為當我們還是罪人的時候，即沒有踐行愛時，天父已派遣了聖子來救贖我們。
因此，我們要愛所有人並且要率先去愛。
真愛的另一個特質是：在每個近人身上看見耶穌。耶穌在最後審判時，會對我們這樣說：「你對我做了。」（參閱瑪25：40）。這句話將同樣適用於我們對別人所做的善事和惡事上。
真愛令我們愛朋友，也愛自己的敵人，對他們施恩並為他們祈禱。
耶穌還願意祂帶到世上的愛能具有相互性，因為人與人要彼此相愛，才能達致合一。
真愛的所有這些特質，能幫助我們更加瞭解，並妥善的活出這個月的生活聖言。
「你應當愛近人如你自己。」
對！真愛令我們愛人如己。我們應嚴格按照這句話的意思把它實踐出來：我們必須真正地把他人視為另一個自己；我們怎樣看待自己，也應怎樣看待他人。真愛令我們曉得與受苦的人一起受苦，與喜樂的人一同喜樂，分擔他人的重擔。如同聖保祿所說的一樣，我們要與被愛的對象打成一片。因此，真愛並非感情用事或只是滿口美麗的言詞，而是建基於具體的行動。
其他宗教的信徒也會努力這樣做，因為在所有宗教裡都蘊藏著相同的『金科玉律』。這條規律要求我們「己欲立而立人，己欲達而達人」。甘地曾以一個非常簡單而有效的方式去解釋：「我不能在傷害你的同時，自己卻安然無恙。」（參閱 穆罕斯（Wilhelm Muhs）《心之語》(Parola del Cuore)，米蘭 1996年，第82頁）
因此，這個月是個好機會讓我們再次專注對近人的愛。我們的近人具有許多不同的面孔，因為他包括了隔壁的鄰居、自己的同學、朋友和親戚，但是也包括那些透過電視帶入我們家中的，尤其那些因戰爭和自然災禍而受著痛苦煎熬的容貌。以前由於大家相距千里，我們不認識他們，現在他們也變成了我們的近人。
真愛將會在每一個情況下都提示我們該怎樣做，而且它會以耶穌聖心作準繩，逐漸的把我們的心胸擴展開來。
盧嘉勒
（本月的聖言曾於1999年10月份發表）
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