四旬期第三主日

為有源頭活水來

讀經一：(出17:3-7)：梅瑟擊石出水
讀經二：(羅5:1-2,5-8)：我們藉著信仰基督得與天主和好
福　音：(若4:5-26,39-42)：向撒瑪黎雅婦人談論活水
中國文化： 半畝方塘一鑑開，天光雲影共徘徊；
問渠那得清如許，為有源頭活水來。
一日不讀書，便言語無味；三日不讀書，便面目可憎。
同君一席話，勝讀十年書。

今天的讀經是關於活水的。

耶穌有一次行得疲倦，到了一個撒瑪黎雅人的地方（撒瑪黎雅人被猶太人視為外邦人，是猶太人瞧不起的一群），在井邊遇見一個撒瑪黎雅婦人，耶穌於是向這女人要水喝。這女人覺得很奇怪，為何一個猶太人竟然會向一個撒瑪黎雅婦人要水喝？隨後，耶穌便開始與婦人談論有關活水的道理。

耶穌說：「喝這井水的人仍會感到口渴，但誰若喝我給的水，便永遠不會口渴：並且這水將會在他內成為泉源，湧出活水，使他得到永生。」

接著耶穌便和這女人作了一番辯論：究竟要在甚麼地方朝拜天主？這女人向耶穌說：「你們的祖先說要在耶路撒冷朝拜天主，但我們的祖先卻說在這座山上。」

耶穌的回答簡單而直接：「女人，你相信我吧！時候到了，你們將不在這座山上，也不在耶路撒冷朝拜父。真正朝拜天父的人，要以心神和真理朝拜他。因為，這樣的朝拜正是父所要的。天主是神，所以朝拜他的人，也應該以心神和真理去朝拜！」（參考若4:5-26,39-42）

這是一番很出名的話。天主不是住在聖堂的圍牆內，也不是被局限在天主教或基督教的圈子中。天主是神，是無所不在的至上神。他無始無終，超越時間與空間的限制。朝拜這位神，必須以心神、以真理去朝拜。

當耶穌和這婦人談話時，門徒們帶了食物回來，但耶穌卻說不感到饑餓，因為他的食物就是履行天父的旨意，完成父交給他的工作。能夠和人談論生命的重要問題，這就是他的食物。

經文提到的活水，使我想起宋朝朱熹亦寫過一首關於活水的詩，題目是《觀書有感》，表達他在讀書時的一種感覺或感受。

在朱熹的書房門外，有一個小池塘，這池溏的水很澄清，天上的雲倒映在水中，十分漂亮。於是，朱熹便寫了這首詩：「半畝方塘一鑑(鏡)開，天光雲影共徘徊；問渠(她)那得清如許，為(因為)有源頭活水來。」意思是，眼前的小池塘雖然只有半畝大小，但卻波平如鏡，十分清澈；天上的雲倒映在池水上，好像在跳舞。若要問這水為何能這樣清澈？那是因為她有一個活水泉，不斷有活水流入。

朱熹認為書便是活水，是活水的泉源。所以古人也說：「一日不讀書，便言語無味；三日不讀書，便面目可憎。」

人要不斷讀書，才會不斷有新思想、新朝氣、新靈感灌注在我們的生命內。沒有書，連我們的生命也會變得枯燥乏味，所以書便成了我們的活水泉，是令我們容光煥發的「護膚品」。

今天讀經講的活水有三層意義：

第一、基督自己便是活水。他是生命的泉源，若我們能進入他的心中，我們便如暢泳在活水泉內，在活水的汪洋中。基督是生命的泉源，也是生命的活水。

第二、基督的教訓便是活水。他的說話給我們指示了方向，讓我們看出應如何走我們生命的道路。他說：「我就是道路、真理及生命。」他的教訓可以光照我們的生命，他的說話就成為我們生命的活水。

第三、耶穌的榜樣也是活水。他不單告訴我們道路及方向，更親自實行出來，讓我們看到如何可以按天主的旨意去生活。他不單是個指路人，還是個帶路人。

讓我們今天就走近基督，走近這活水泉，讓基督進入我們的生命中，也讓我們自己投入基督的生命中。我們要在基督內暢飲這活水，使我們不再口渴，讓這活水從我們的生命流出，以滋潤自己的生命。

更希望作為一個基督徒，以後當我們與人交往、談話時，我們的言語及行為都能滋潤別人、解別人的口渴。讓人有「同君一席話，勝讀十年書」的感受。

四旬期第三主日

为有源头活水来

读经一：(出17:3-7)：梅瑟击石出水
读经二：(罗5:1-2,5-8)：我们藉著信仰基督得与天主和好
福　音：(若4:5-26,39-42)：向撒玛黎雅妇人谈论活水
中国文化： 半亩方塘一鉴開，天光云影共徘徊；
問渠那得清如许，为有源头活水来。
一日不读书，便言语无味；三日不读书，便面目可憎。
同君一席话，胜读十年书。

今天的读经是关於活水的。

耶稣有一次行得疲倦，到了一個撒玛黎雅人的地方（撒玛黎雅人被犹太人视为外邦人，是犹太人瞧不起的一群），在井边遇见一個撒玛黎雅妇人，耶稣於是向这女人要水喝。这女人觉得很奇怪，为何一個犹太人竟然会向一個撒玛黎雅妇人要水喝？随后，耶稣便開始与妇人谈论有关活水的道理。

耶稣说：「喝这井水的人仍会感到口渴，但谁若喝我给的水，便永遠不会口渴：并且这水将会在他内成为泉源，涌出活水，使他得到永生。」

接著耶稣便和这女人作了一番辩论：究竟要在甚么地方朝拜天主？这女人向耶稣说：「你们的祖先说要在耶路撒冷朝拜天主，但我们的祖先却说在这座山上。」

耶稣的回答简单而直接：「女人，你相信我吧！時候到了，你们将不在这座山上，也不在耶路撒冷朝拜父。真正朝拜天父的人，要以心神和真理朝拜他。因为，这样的朝拜正是父所要的。天主是神，所以朝拜他的人，也应該以心神和真理去朝拜！」（参考若4:5-26,39-42）

这是一番很出名的话。天主不是住在圣堂的围墙内，也不是被局限在天主教或基督教的圈子中。天主是神，是无所不在的至上神。他无始无终，超越時间与空间的限制。朝拜这位神，必须以心神、以真理去朝拜。

当耶稣和这妇人谈话時，门徒们带了食物回来，但耶稣却说不感到饥饿，因为他的食物就是履行天父的旨意，完成父交给他的工作。能够和人谈论生命的重要問题，这就是他的食物。

经文提到的活水，使我想起宋朝朱熹亦写過一首关於活水的诗，题目是《观书有感》 ，表达他在读书時的一种感觉或感受。

在朱熹的书房门外，有一個小池塘，这池溏的水很澄清，天上的云倒映在水中，十分漂亮。於是，朱熹便写了这首诗：「半亩方塘一鉴(镜)開，天光云影共徘徊；問渠(她)那得清如许，为(因为)有源头活水来。」意思是，眼前的小池塘虽然只有半亩大小，但却波平如镜，十分清澈；天上的云倒映在池水上，好像在跳舞。若要問这水为何能这样清澈？那是因为她有一個活水泉，不断有活水流入。

朱熹认为书便是活水，是活水的泉源。所以古人也说：「一日不读书，便言语无味；三日不读书，便面目可憎。」

人要不断读书，才会不断有新思想、新朝气、新灵感灌注在我们的生命内。没有书，连我们的生命也会变得枯燥乏味，所以书便成了我们的活水泉，是令我们容光焕发的「护肤品」。

今天读经讲的活水有三层意义：

第一、基督自己便是活水。他是生命的泉源，若我们能进入他的心中，我们便如畅泳在活水泉内，在活水的汪洋中。基督是生命的泉源，也是生命的活水。

第二、基督的教训便是活水。他的说话给我们指示了方向，让我们看出应如何走我们生命的道路。他说：「我就是道路、真理及生命。」他的教训可以光照我们的生命，他的说话就成为我们生命的活水。

第三、耶稣的榜样也是活水。他不单告诉我们道路及方向，更亲自实行出来，让我们看到如何可以按天主的旨意去生活。他不单是個指路人，还是個带路人。

让我们今天就走近基督，走近这活水泉，让基督进入我们的生命中，也让我们自己投入基督的生命中。我们要在基督内畅饮这活水，使我们不再口渴，让这活水从我们的生命流出，以滋润自己的生命。

更希望作为一個基督徒，以后当我们与人交往、谈话時，我们的言语及行为都能滋润别人、解别人的口渴。让人有「同君一席话，胜读十年书」的感受。

Third Sunday of Lent

The Foolishness of the Cross

First Reading : ( Ex 20:1-17 ) : The Ten Commandments
Second Reading : ( 1 Cor 1:22-25 ) : Jesus is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles
Gospel : ( Jn 2:13-25 ) : Jesus cleansed the temple in Jerusalem
Chinese Classics:
-“Bad fortune promotes the good; good fortune gives rise to the bad”.(1)
-“Way of the Mean” (2)

For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.” (1 Cor 1:22-25 )

This verse in the bible is full of contradictions and opposing thoughts. Actually, Jesus himself is a symbol of contradiction. On the 40th day after his birth, when Jesus was presented in the Temple, Simeon uttered this prophecy, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed ” ( Lk 2:34 ) Those closest to Jesus also would face a similar fate, a fate destined for contradiction and opposition. Hence Simeon said to his mother “the inner thoughts of many will be revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul too ”( Lk 2:35 )

Because Christ is a symbol of opposition, so the cross too has become a symbol of contradiction. Before we discuss our faith in Christ, let us look at some realities in our own lives. Do those with ideals encounter more difficulties? Are those who stand up for their own principles in greater danger? Are those who speak and act differently than their peers more likely to be ostracized by them? Is someone who dares to speak out against persons in power be more likely to be condemned?

Christ became a sign of contradiction to people because he was different from others: his thinking, his values, his behavior were different from the people of his time, especially that of the rich and powerful. The God whom Jesus preached was different from the god of other religious groups. The religion Jesus had in mind was not the religion of others of his time: his standard of morality and ethics was different from others also.

If life is so full of contradictions, then Christians often must find a balance between two extremes, and find unity among the contradictions. This is what Confucius referred to as “the Way of the Mean”.(2) “Mean” does not mean to stand in the middle, with an undecided or lukewarm attitude. “Mean” means to find a right balance and achieve equilibrium between two extremes.

Lao Tzu once said, “Bad fortune promotes the good; good fortune gives rise to the bad. (1)” What Lao Tzu meant is that there is no absolute standard for good and bad fortune. It is quite possible that the two are interchangeable. Underlying bad fortune may be something good; within good fortune, there may be something harmful. Everything comes full circle. When people have reached the heights, they may easily fall. We often see this phenomenon in everyday life.

Even more vividly in religious lives, we can see elements of the two extremes and contradictions: heaven and earth, present life and the life to come, spirit and matter, soul and body, active and passive, belief in oneself and belief in God. Sometimes there seem to be elements of two extremes, and we must find a balance. These are the two “legs” of our faith, and we must walk with both legs. We must develop the two legs together, simultaneously balancing them, not one bigger or stronger than the other.

However, the objective fact is that in the actual life of the Church, different people hold different dispositions towards the two elements. For example, some emphasize present life more than future life, others choose the spiritual over the material. Or on the contrary, some people believe in the present life only, and don't believe in any kind of future life. They emphasize material satisfaction only, and neglect the spiritual altogether.

Yet the contradiction of the cross goes much deeper than that. Because the cross bears contradiction within its very self and contains within itself the two extremes. The cross itself is the greatest contradiction. When Christians look upon the cross and the figure of Christ on it, we see right in his dead body the resurrected Christ - not just resurrection after death, but the very affirmation of resurrection in the midst of death. We believe that the Christ who died actually lives now among us.

By living such a theology, we affirm the value of this world, present life, matter, our bodies, and at the same time reaffirm the value of heaven, life after death, spirit and soul. We must rely on ourselves and at the same time trust in God, and in living in God trust ourselves. In other words, because we firmly believe in heaven, life after death, spirit and soul, we, even more than other people, affirm the world, present life, our bodies and material things. We live out our faith in our actual living, and through our faith, elevate our concrete lives. This is the contradiction of the cross.

The Jews looked for a God who always conquered; the Greeks believed God was so high above us that if he died on the cross, he could not be a saving God. To them, the Christ on the cross was the most foolish among the foolish.

What about ourselves? What kind of Christ is the Christ in whom we believe?

(1)禍兮福之所倚，福兮禍之所伏。
(2)中庸之道。