常年期第廿六主日

信行合一

讀經一：(厄18:25-28)：惡人改過可得生命，義人作惡反而喪亡
讀經二：(斐2:1-11)：效法耶穌友愛謙下
福　音：(瑪21:28-32)：二子的比喻
中國文化： 濫芋充數

今天耶穌所說「兩個兒子」的故事，裡面的大兒子說要「做」，卻不去做，而小兒子雖說「不做」，卻做了。這明顯是針對當時的司祭長和民間長老說的。

在耶穌的時代，他最感難受的，是面對那些司祭、長老等人；他們熱心、忠於宗教，是選民中的表表者。但天主親自派遣自己的獨生子來到世上，他們反而不肯相信，還加以排斥，甚至殺害。

厄則克耳先知也有這樣的預言：「義人若離棄正義而作惡，因而喪亡，他是因自己所作的惡而喪亡。惡人若遠離他所做的惡事，而實踐正義和公道，他必能保全生命。」(則18:26-28)

惡人可以得到生命，義人反而喪亡，這是何等的諷刺！名字要來作甚麼？身份有甚麼用處？基督所講究的是具體的生活實踐、真實的生命。

《韓非子》有一個「濫芋充數」的故事，他說：在齊宣王時代，有一群人吹芋（一種吹奏的樂器），每次多達三百餘人。有一位南郭先生也申請加入吹芋的行列，齊宣王很高興地接受了他。齊宣王死後，閩王即位。閩王喜歡獨奏，希望能一一地欣賞每位樂師的技藝。那位南郭先生一知道後，就逃之夭夭了。

為甚麼他要逃跑呢？因為他不懂得吹奏，他只是站在三百人中，裝模作樣。

名與實必須相符。有一次，我見到一位中年太太，我問她為何不加入一個專門為中年婦女而設的善會，她用一種十分不屑的神氣加以拒絕。我問她為甚麼。她說：「這群人每主日彌撒後就去打麻將。不止這樣，她們有些人還放高利貸！」

我也碰到另外一位女士，她常到聖堂，但不肯領洗，我問她為甚麼？她回答說：「我知道教會是不准節育的。等我生了兩個孩子，做了結紮手術之後，我就會入教了。」

看到這兩個人，我感到有點不是滋味，究竟信仰對她們來說，是甚麼一回事呢？它只是為獲得一個基督徒的名字嗎？或者它只像某些基督教徒所強調的，為了「信耶穌得永生」這類廉價的救恩？


耶穌在傳教的時候，一次有人高聲向他說：「懷過你的胎，哺過你的乳，真是有福。」即是說，做耶穌的母親，真是有福。但耶穌卻回答說：「聽天主的話而實行的人，更是有福。」

有些基督教朋友，將這段聖經解作耶穌不承認、不尊重自己的母親。這恐怕只是斷章取義的解釋而已。耶穌的意思是：在他的心目中，任何身份都不足恃，連做耶穌的母親這個身份，都不足恃。真正有價值的，是聽天主的話而實行。

如果我們稍為認識聖經，我們就知道聖母瑪利亞正是一位最聽天主的話而實踐的人。她從領報「看！上主的婢女，願照你的話成就於我罷！」開始，直到生命的終結，一生所實行的，不外都是天主的聖意。所以聖母值得我們尊敬，並不單單因為她是基督之母，更因為她是最承行天父旨意的人。

所以我認為「信耶穌得永生」這句話只說對了一半，因為信耶穌只不過是一個開始；愛耶穌、按耶穌的話生活，才是得到永生的條件。

聖洗聖事被稱為「入門」聖事，因為透過這件聖事我們進入教會的大門。在這個大門裡，我們學做人，我們不斷悔改、更新。聖經學者黎俄內認為：「教會是為接受信仰的奧跡所作的一個準備。」因為教會本身不是目的，她只是一個方法、一條路，她幫助我們經驗信仰、接受基督、活出信仰的生命。

我們必須做個名實相符的教友，即思想像基督，生活像基督，並以福音精神，作生活的準則。

耶穌說：「如果你們彼此相親相愛，人們『因此』就可認出你們是我的門徒。」所以不是領洗紙、不是基督徒的名字使我們成為基督徒，而是我們的生活、我們愛的精神使我們成為基督徒。

讓我們祈求天主，使我們能信、行合一，使信仰和生活能結合在一起，使我們能活出一個更豐盛的生命。

常年期第廿六主日

信行合一

读经一：(厄18:25-28)：恶人改過可得生命，义人作恶反而丧亡
读经二：(斐2:1-11)：效法耶稣友爱谦下
福　音：(玛21:28-32)：二子的比喻
中国文化： 滥芋充数

今天耶稣所说「两個儿子」的故事，里面的大儿子说要「做」，却不去做，而小儿子虽说「不做」，却做了。这明显是针对当時的司祭长和民间长老说的。

在耶稣的時代，他最感难受的，是面对那些司祭、长老等人；他们热心、忠於宗教，是选民中的表表者。但天主亲自派遣自己的独生子来到世上，他们反而不肯相信，还加以排斥，甚至杀害。

厄则克耳先知也有这样的预言：「义人若離弃正义而作恶，因而丧亡，他是因自己所作的恶而丧亡。恶人若遠離他所做的恶事，而实踐正义和公道，他必能保全生命。」(则18:26-28)

恶人可以得到生命，义人反而丧亡，这是何等的讽刺！名字要来作甚么？身份有甚么用处？基督所讲究的是具体的生活实踐、真实的生命。

《韩非子》 有一個「滥芋充数」的故事，他说：在齐宣王時代，有一群人吹芋（一种吹奏的乐器），每次多达三百余人。有一位南郭先生也申请加入吹芋的行列，齐宣王很高兴地接受了他。齐宣王死后，闽王即位。闽王喜欢独奏，希望能一一地欣赏每位乐师的技艺。那位南郭先生一知道后，就逃之夭夭了。

为甚么他要逃跑呢？因为他不懂得吹奏，他只是站在三百人中，装模作样。

名与实必须相符。有一次，我见到一位中年太太，我問她为何不加入一個专门为中年妇女而设的善会，她用一种十分不屑的神气加以拒绝。我問她为甚么。她说：「这群人每主日弥撒后就去打麻将。不止这样，她们有些人还放高利贷！」

我也碰到另外一位女士，她常到圣堂，但不肯领洗，我問她为甚么？她回答说：「我知道教会是不准节育的。等我生了两個孩子，做了结扎手术之后，我就会入教了。」

看到这两個人，我感到有点不是滋味，究竟信仰对她们来说，是甚么一回事呢？它只是为获得一個基督徒的名字吗？或者它只像某些基督教徒所强调的，为了「信耶稣得永生」这类廉价的救恩？


耶稣在传教的時候，一次有人高声向他说：「怀過你的胎，哺過你的乳，真是有福。」即是说，做耶稣的母亲，真是有福。但耶稣却回答说：「听天主的话而实行的人，更是有福。」

有些基督教朋友，将这段圣经解作耶稣不承认、不尊重自己的母亲。这恐怕只是断章取义的解释而已。耶稣的意思是：在他的心目中，任何身份都不足恃，连做耶稣的母亲这個身份，都不足恃。真正有价值的，是听天主的话而实行。

如果我们稍为认识圣经，我们就知道圣母玛利亚正是一位最听天主的话而实踐的人。她从领报「看！上主的婢女，願照你的话成就於我罢！」開始，直到生命的终结，一生所实行的，不外都是天主的圣意。所以圣母值得我们尊敬，并不单单因为她是基督之母，更因为她是最承行天父旨意的人。

所以我认为「信耶稣得永生」这句话只说对了一半，因为信耶稣只不過是一個開始；爱耶稣、按耶稣的话生活，才是得到永生的条件。

圣洗圣事被称为「入门」圣事，因为透過这件圣事我们进入教会的大门。在这個大门里，我们学做人，我们不断悔改、更新。圣经学者黎俄内认为：「教会是为接受信仰的奥迹所作的一個准备。」因为教会本身不是目的，她只是一個方法、一条路，她帮助我们经验信仰、接受基督、活出信仰的生命。

我们必须做個名实相符的教友，即思想像基督，生活像基督，并以福音精神，作生活的准则。

耶稣说：「如果你们彼此相亲相爱，人们『因此』就可认出你们是我的门徒。」所以不是领洗纸、不是基督徒的名字使我们成为基督徒，而是我们的生活、我们爱的精神使我们成为基督徒。

让我们祈求天主，使我们能信、行合一，使信仰和生活能结合在一起，使我们能活出一個更丰盛的生命。

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Love God and Neighbour to the Utmost; Take no ‘Deformities’ into Heaven

First Reading (Num (1:25-29): Israelites take a Census
Second Reading (Jas 5: 1-6): Warning to the Rich
Gospel (Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48) Avoid evil
Chinese classics:
-“There are three friendships which are advantageous and three which are injurious. Friendship with the upright; friendship with the sincere; and friendship with the person of much observation; – these three are advantageous. Friendship with the person of specious airs; friendship with the insinuatingly soft; and friendship with the glib-tongued; these are injurious.”(1)
-“The brave warrior cuts his arm.”(2)

“If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. (Mk 9: 43-48)

A footnote to the above Bible passage says that the original word for ‘hell’ (‘Gehenna’ which has a Greek origin) refers to a valley on the outskirts of Jerusalem where people burned children as a sacrifice to idols. After this evil custom was abolished, the area became a large refuse dump for the city of Jerusalem. The residents burned their rubbish there, and the leftover food caused worms to multiply rapidly. As a result, to the Jews the place represented the sufferings of ‘hell’ where “their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched!”

The Bible emphasizes life and a holistic personality. Each person is an organic whole, each one is a full individual entity. When worshipping God, we must do so “with all our hearts, and with all our souls, and with all our minds, and with all our strength,” ( cf Mk 12:30) and not because it is a rule or a zealous way of performing an external religious rite. We must not spend half our lives serving the Lord God, and the other half serving the enemies of God, for “No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. (Mt 6: 24)

Jesus also tells us that if we are to follow him, we must do so without regret and when doing so, give him our hearts completely. We cannot change our minds constantly, today saying we must bury our father, tomorrow saying we must bid farewell to our family. Jesus thinks that persons ‘as fickle as dripping water’ are not suitable to be his disciples or tread the path to heaven. He says, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (cf Lk 9:57 – 62).

To have a life and personality that are complete and a faith that is holistic, we must watch each word and deed, use every opportunity, perform each act as well as possible. We should use our entire life and energy, to enter into our life, trying to do God’s will and remain closely united to God.

Because Jesus detests those who lead others into sin, splitting personalities, tearing lives apart, even leading people to do evil deeds which destroy their souls, he used some of his strongest words to describe them: “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.” (Mk 9:42)

Sometimes other people are a source of temptation to us, sometimes it is we ourselves. That is why Jesus warns us that if our hand or foot or eyes cause us to sin, it is better to cut the limb off, pluck out the eye, cast the part off. Those who do such things have no reason to come near the all-good and all-beautiful God.

Confucius was a person who loathed friends who were evil and appreciated good friends. He said, “There are three friendships which are advantageous and three which are injurious. Friendship with the upright; friendship with the sincere; and friendship with the person of much observation- these are advantageous. Friendship with the person of specious airs; friendship with the insinuatingly soft; and friendship with the glib-tongued: these are injurious.” (Confucian Analects, Book XVI Ji Shi, Chap 3).

What he meant was that people who are righteous, honest and broad-minded are good friends, those who always try to please, are inconsistent in their speech, boast and flatter (‘speak with a sweet mouth and slippery tongue’), do not make good friends. People who flatter, are ‘two-faced,’ speak ‘honeyed’ words, usually have one aim only, to tempt us to act wickedly and lead us down a devious path, so that we fall into a trap and become their accomplices in evil-doing. Those are the kind of people Jesus rebuked.

This kind of bad example brings disaster to our world. Seeing such bad example opens our eyes to the vast possibility of evil. Because of such bad example the world becomes a big classroom where men and women are taught how to sin!

When confronted with adverse situations like this we must learn to refuse firmly without hesitation; when we become aware of our own weaknesses, we must be ruthless in overcoming temptation. This is what it is meant by “the brave warrior cuts his arm.”

When faced with bad companions, if we do not have sufficient courage to refuse them, we must be strong enough to avoid them. As a popular adage says, ‘It is no use to talk so much.’ Other than this, there is no better way.

(1)益者三友，損者三友。
(2)友直、友諒、友多聞，益矣。
(3)友便辟、友善柔、友便佞，損矣。
(4)壯士斷臂。