Wednesday 21 June 2017

耶稣圣心庆典 - 2

人体内有各种器官,心脏是其中一个比较重要的部分。一个人可能脑死,只要他的心脏还跳动,他还是活着的。在我们社会中,心被当着是爱的标记。人们在日常生活里所表达的爱和天主赐给我们那份爱,有天渊之别。

在今天的第一读经里,我们见证天主对以色列人那种宽宏大量,迟于发怒的爱,感到非常敬佩;虽然他们经常背叛和违反天主的诫命,祂还是迟于发怒,不降祸于他们因为祂是天主,祂是圣者,祂不是毁灭者。读经中提到“我的心已经转变,我的五内已经感动,我不再按我的盛怒而行事, 不再毁灭以色列,因为我是天主,而不是人, 是住在你们中的圣者, 不是来消灭你们”。由此可见天主的威能和伟大。

同样的在第二读经里,天主派遣他的圣子到世界上来拯救和坚强我们,显示祂对我们无微不致的博爱. “ 救祂依照祂丰富的光荣,藉着他的圣神, 赐以大能,坚强你们内在的人。愿基督因着你们的信德,住在你们心中,使你们的爱的扎根建基。这样你们就能同众圣徒,领悟基督的爱是怎样的长,阔,高,深,并知道基督的爱是超过人所能理解的,那么你们就会充满天主的一切富裕了”。今天的福音也提醒我们天主无限伟大的爱,尤其是当他把圣子派遣到世上,为救赎我们而在十字架上牺牲自己的奉献,令我们倾崇敬佩。

既然天主那么宠爱我们,那么, 我们如何去回应?是否也应该把这份爱传给周遭的人?请不要忘记: 天主并没有把这份爱赐给特定的人或是特定的团体;祂把爱传给每个人:好人坏人,富翁,穷人,卑微贵贱,一视同仁。耶稣把圣心献给我们正是再提醒大家千万不可戴着有色的眼镜去传爱。让我们在没有任何压力下,虚心归于天主和祂建立一个更密切的关系。让耶稣圣心引领我们,使我们也能像耶稣不分彼此去爱每个人,。建立一个美满的天主教会的大家庭。

Friday 16 June 2017

基督聖體聖血

在日常的生活中, 我們會覺擦或聽到各種評語。假如這些話沒有后續的行動,那可不必理會。例如有個人對你說『我愛你』那麼你就要注意他是否認真或是信口齒黃罷了。其實這句話可以在很多方面聽到,電視前,廣告裡,收音機中等等﹔對人們來說已經失去了意義。因此,我們注重的不是甜言蜜語而是以實際的行動來証明一切。

今天我們歡慶耶穌聖體聖血瞻禮的同時,也記得祂曾經說過祂愛我們。耶穌沒有說謊。他的話是付諸以行的。他給了我們寶貴的聖體和聖血,甘願犧牲自己為了拯救世界,為我們贖罪。每當我們在彌撒中領聖體或是朝拜聖體時,我們應該感到很榮幸,很特別,因為受到天主恩寵 和愛的滋養。

可是,很多教友們不把主耶穌的恩寵當成寶貴的恩賜,完全沒有好好准備參加彌撒,沒有辦告解,也沒有做足一小時前的齋戒就領聖體,更不必說靜默祈禱或穿上最好的衣物到聖堂參加彌撒﹔沒有准備身心的潔淨就隨便領聖體。反而,當受邀參與皇宮或重要宴會時,大家都會好好准備,好好打扮一般后又規規矩矩地出席現場。那麼大家對參與彌撒盛宴時,是否做好同樣的准備?

今天,讓我們大家懷著感恩的心情,感謝天主的愛,因他把聖子賜給我們,好讓那些相信祂的人們都能得到永生。為報答主耶穌賜給了我們他的聖體和聖血的恩惠,讓我們每次參加彌撒前也好好地准備自己,以純潔的身心迎接主耶穌到我們心中,滋養我們的靈魂﹔也把耶穌的愛傳給別人吧!

Thursday 15 June 2017

Friday of Week 10 Year 1

These days, I notice fewer and fewer people going for confession regularly. Quite often, I observe many people going for confession only during the Advent and Lent season, where the Sacrament of Reconciliation is held from parish to parish at different days and times. But how many people actually make effort or take the trouble to go for confession regularly, perhaps at least once a fortnight, or if necessary once a week? This gives me the impression that many have become less sensitive to sin as they are influenced by the ways of the world. The irony here is that these people would have no qualms in bathing regularly or putting on expensive perfumes, but neglect to "bathe" their souls regularly.

In today's Gospel, why did Jesus tell us to “tear out your eye, or cut off your hand and throw them away if they cause you to sin?” What Jesus is trying to tell us is that He wants us to choose life and happiness by doing what is good rather than choosing death and suffering by doing evil. This also means we must find out if there is any relationship or activity or group that causes us to sin and separate us from God. If there is, we must cut it off from our life, with help and grace from God. If we have committed sin, we must cut it off by going for confession, and not allow the sin to fester and ruin our soul. Are we willing to take action by going for confession regularly so that our soul would be scrubbed clean? Let us not procrastinate further, and let our loving God cleanse our soul (through the Sacrament of Reconciliation) and heal us back to a healthy relationship with Him.

Wednesday 14 June 2017

Thursday of Week 10 Year 1

Every once in a while, we come across certain persons who do church work or get involved in church activities or church ministries, but with the intention of being seen, or being heard, or being known by others, or even to receive praise or admiration from others. Such persons seek attention and would use various ways and means to appear to be invaluable, or indispensable, thinking that without them, the activity, ministry, or even the church, would collapse. Some have even gone so far as to make it a habit in taking lots of pictures of themselves being involved in such activities or ministries, to show others their abilities, accomplishments, or how capable they are. But are such attitudes or behaviour compatible to how a Christian should behave and conduct? Are such attitudes or behaviour following the ways of Christ?

In today's reading, we are reminded: "For it is not ourselves that we are preaching, but Christ Jesus as the Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake." Moreover, the reading reminds us: "And we, with our unveiled faces reflecting like mirrors the brightness of the Lord, all grow brighter and brighter as we are turned into the image that we reflect; this is the work of the Lord who is Spirit." This means that our efforts and involvement in various church activities or ministries, should not be to blow our own trumpet or to show off or even to feed our pride and ego, but to serve others with humility and joy, knowing that our efforts are ultimately for the glory of God. Are we willing to let go of our pride and ego, and become vessels who reflect the brightness of the Lord to others?

Friday 9 June 2017

圣三主日

基督徒的信仰基础就是相信天主圣三。那就是说任何自称为基督团体而又不相信天主圣三的,就是非基督徒。然而,讲解天主圣三并不是一件简单的事。而且,所谓三等于一或是一等于三,从数学和逻辑学角度看来,那是天大的笑话。无论如何我们还可以从人际间的关系来体验和了解一二。

今天的读经里, 我们可以看到天主所扮演不同的角色,来了解天主圣三的奥义。读经一提到天父创造天地万物,为了要给我们世界各种美好的事物, 有如父亲给予孩子们各种好的服务。第二读经中提到耶稣,天主圣子。祂把天主圣三揭露给我们知道。因为耶稣,我们体验到天父的慈爱和体贴。祂以天主圣子降生成人, 来到世上为了救赎犯罪累累的人类而甘愿在十子架上牺牲自己。在福音中,天主圣神降临到我们之中指引又帮助我们也和我们同住,更引领我们去认识真理。在我们领圣洗时,圣神的恩赐就不断地在我们身上运行;而在我们领坚振时更巩固了我们是天主子女的地位。

上述有关的一切对我们有什么意义?我们不须要了解天主圣三的神学奥秘, 但是要记得天主如何以个别和群体的身份揭露给我们。天主就是爱,就是圣三, 就是群体,三位一体,息息相关。让我们模仿天主圣三的好榜样,博爱为怀;在天主的大家庭里,好好地活出圣三的精神和典范。