聖枝主日

大有若無

讀經一：(依50:4-7)：上主的僕人
讀經二：(斐2:6-11)：耶穌貶抑自己聽命至死
福　音：(谷14:1-15:47)：耶穌基督的受難始末
中國文化： 毋聽之以耳；毋聽之以心；聽之以氣。氣者，虛而待物。
我不要成仙，蓬萊不是我的分；我只要地面，情願安分的做人。

「耶穌基督雖具有天主的形體，但並沒有堅持與天主同等的地位，反而空虛自己，取了奴僕的形體，降生成人，與人相似，形態上完全與人一樣，謙抑自下，服從至死，死在十字架上。」（斐2:6-8）

聖枝主日，是一個在禮儀上令我們頗為困惑的主日，這個主日的主題同時兼具光榮和屈辱的內容。我們一方面紀念耶穌光榮進入耶路撒冷，受到萬眾的歡迎、歡呼、喝釆。另一方面，我們卻在群眾「賀三納」的洪亮聲音還未完全消退時，已經隱隱的聽到人們對他的咒罵聲音陸續的出現，這就是隨之而來，在今天福音中所誦讀的，耶穌的「受難始末」。

這個矛盾和不協調的調子，在上述的斐理伯書中，表現得更為清楚。基督雖是真天主，卻也是真人，就是這個真天主又是真人的基督，為我們成了十字架上的犧牲，並以自己的死亡去救贖墮落了的人類。

在這段斐理伯書經文中，我們還可以看到基督的三重面貌，今天就讓我們細心的默想一下，亦從中反省一下我們自己的信仰態度。

一、基督本有神的形體。他本來就是神，就是天主。但是他沒有在這方面死抓住不放。他本應受到尊崇，甚至有權享受人們對他的敬拜，但他的降生成人，卻是一種紆尊降貴、捨棄應有權利的行動。

在我們這個強調民主、人權、自由的時代，我們最重要學到的，甚至唯一學到的，是「爭取」。我們爭取自己的權利、爭取我們認為自己應得的東西。

這些都是對的、應該的。但這不是生命的全部，更不是信仰的全部。

我們有時要為更高的理想，為更深的信仰要求，而超越權利、放棄權利，超越自由、放棄自由。在愛人、愛教會、愛祖國的行動中，平等、自由、權利等等，未必是最關鍵的概念，也不能作為我們的唯一指導思想。

在我們基督徒的詞彙中，除了自由、人權、平等以外，應該還有奉獻、犧牲、獻身、包容、體諒、吃虧是福等等理想。

二、基督空虛自己。即是說，他自我降伏，他脫下了王者的尊榮，他將自己神性的光輝擱置一旁，他使自己寂寂無聞……直至只剩下他的孓然一身，和他那大慈大悲的愛。

不只如此，他的空虛簡直是到了極端的地步：「他服從至死，而且是死在十字架上」，即是說，不只是死，而且是一個奴隸的死，一個屈辱的死。如果說「死有重於泰山，有輕於鴻毛」，那麼基督的那種在十字架上的無辜的死，簡直就是輕到連鴻毛都不如，甚至找不到適當的詞彙來形容了。

不過，正是在他完全自我倒空的時候，他完全地充滿了；正是在他死時，他成了圓滿的他；正是在他一無所有時，「天主極其舉揚他，賜給他一個名號，超越一切名號，致使上天、下地和陰府，一聽到耶穌的名號，都無不屈膝叩拜，眾口同聲宣認耶穌基督是主，以顯耀天主聖父。」（斐2:9-11）

當一個女人放下了少女的一切時，她便變成了母親；當一個人放下了自己的一切成見，而進入另一個人的生命中時，他就成了朋友、知己。

莊子認為聆聽是一種藝術，不單要「聽之以心」，還要「聽之以氣」。他所說的氣是「虛而待物」，是完全的空虛自己，以讓對方的話、對方的一切進入自己的心中。

基督的空虛自己，比莊子的「虛而待物」更為徹底的空虛，所以天父的愛充滿了他，所有人的生命也在他內，而他的愛也充滿了所有的人。

三、「他取了奴僕的形體，降生成人，與人相似，形態上完全與人一樣」。換句話說，他甘心做人，做一個受生老病死所折磨，受成敗得失所困擾和影響的人。他以做人為榮、以做人為樂。

相反地，我們許多人都不願意做人，而只願意做神。我們不願一步一腳印地走人的路，我們要騰雲駕霧，好像那首「乘著歌聲的翅膀」的歌，要飛向永生的彼岸，避開做人的苦痛。

我想起徐志摩的話：「我不要成仙，蓬萊不是我的分；我只要地面，情願安分的做人。」

你說徐志摩接近耶穌一些，還是那些天天想著要做「神」的人更接近耶穌一些呢？

 

圣枝主日

大有若无

读经一：(依50:4-7)：上主的仆人
读经二：(斐2:6-11)：耶稣贬抑自己听命至死
福　音：(谷14:1-15:47)：耶稣基督的受难始末
中国文化： 毋听之以耳；毋听之以心；听之以气。气者，虚而待物。
我不要成仙，蓬莱不是我的分；我只要地面，情願安分的做人。

「耶稣基督虽具有天主的形体，但并没有坚持与天主同等的地位，反而空虚自己，取了奴仆的形体，降生成人，与人相似，形态上完全与人一样，谦抑自下，服从至死，死在十字架上。」（斐2:6-8）

圣枝主日，是一個在礼仪上令我们颇为困惑的主日，这個主日的主题同時兼具光荣和屈辱的内容。我们一方面纪念耶稣光荣进入耶路撒冷，受到万众的欢迎、欢呼、喝采。另一方面，我们却在群众「贺三纳」的洪亮声音还未完全消退時，已经隐隐的听到人们对他的咒骂声音陆续的出现，这就是随之而来，在今天福音中所诵读的，耶稣的「受难始末」。

这個矛盾和不协调的调子，在上述的斐理伯书中，表现得更为清楚。基督虽是真天主，却也是真人，就是这個真天主又是真人的基督，为我们成了十字架上的牺牲，并以自己的死亡去救赎堕落了的人类。

在这段斐理伯书经文中，我们还可以看到基督的三重面貌，今天就让我们细心的默想一下，亦从中反省一下我们自己的信仰态度。

一、基督本有神的形体。他本来就是神，就是天主。但是他没有在这方面死抓住不放。他本应受到尊崇，甚至有权享受人们对他的敬拜，但他的降生成人，却是一种纡尊降贵、舍弃应有权利的行动。

在我们这個强调民主、人权、自由的時代，我们最重要学到的，甚至唯一学到的，是「争取」。我们争取自己的权利、争取我们认为自己应得的东西。

这些都是对的、应該的。但这不是生命的全部，更不是信仰的全部。

我们有時要为更高的理想，为更深的信仰要求，而超越权利、放弃权利，超越自由、放弃自由。在爱人、爱教会、爱祖国的行动中，平等、自由、权利等等，未必是最关键的概念，也不能作为我们的唯一指导思想。

在我们基督徒的词汇中，除了自由、人权、平等以外，应該还有奉献、牺牲、献身、包容、体谅、吃亏是福等等理想。

二、基督空虚自己。即是说，他自我降伏，他脱下了王者的尊荣，他将自己神性的光辉搁置一旁，他使自己寂寂无闻……直至只剩下他的孓然一身，和他那大慈大悲的爱。

不只如此，他的空虚简直是到了极端的地步：「他服从至死，而且是死在十字架上」，即是说，不只是死，而且是一個奴隶的死，一個屈辱的死。如果说「死有重於泰山，有轻於鸿毛」，那么基督的那种在十字架上的无辜的死，简直就是轻到连鸿毛都不如，甚至找不到適当的词汇来形容了。

不過，正是在他完全自我倒空的時候，他完全地充满了；正是在他死時，他成了圆满的他；正是在他一无所有時，「天主极其举扬他，赐给他一個名号，超越一切名号，致使上天、下地和阴府，一听到耶稣的名号，都无不屈膝叩拜，众口同声宣认耶稣基督是主，以显耀天主圣父。」（斐2:9-11）

当一個女人放下了少女的一切時，她便变成了母亲；当一個人放下了自己的一切成见，而进入另一個人的生命中時，他就成了朋友、知己。

庄子认为聆听是一种艺术，不单要「听之以心」，还要「听之以气」。他所说的气是「虚而待物」，是完全的空虚自己，以让对方的话、对方的一切进入自己的心中。

基督的空虚自己，比庄子的「虚而待物」更为彻底的空虚，所以天父的爱充满了他，所有人的生命也在他内，而他的爱也充满了所有的人。

三、「他取了奴仆的形体，降生成人，与人相似，形态上完全与人一样」。换句话说，他甘心做人，做一個受生老病死所折磨，受成败得失所困扰和影响的人。他以做人为荣、以做人为乐。

相反地，我们许多人都不願意做人，而只願意做神。我们不願一步一脚印地走人的路，我们要腾云驾雾，好像那首「乘著歌声的翅膀」的歌，要飞向永生的彼岸，避開做人的苦痛。

我想起徐志摩的话：「我不要成仙，蓬莱不是我的分；我只要地面，情願安分的做人。」

你说徐志摩接近耶稣一些，还是那些天天想著要做「神」的人更接近耶稣一些呢？

 

FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT

Follow the Tides of Life

First Reading ( Jer 31:31-34):God made a new covenant with the new Israelites
Second Reading ( Heb 5:7-9 ) : Jesus learned obedience through his sufferings
Gospel ( Jn 12:20-33):The parable of the grain of wheat
Chinese Classics
- “A hero does not shed tears easily.”(1)
- “If you have not endured the bone-chilling winter, how can you smell the fragrance of the plum flowers!”(2)
- “Ability does not last forever, nor does talent.”(3)
- “Be content and follow the tides of life. Then, sadness and happiness cannot affect you.”(4)

“In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him” (Heb 5:7-9 )

Here, the Chinese translation talks about “weeping and calling out loudly in grief”. According to Studium Biblicum's translation, it means 'to manifest one's sadness by weeping and loudly expressing one's grief.' Another Christian translation says it similarly, 'weeping loudly and calling out in great sadness.' It stresses “crying out one's pain and shedding tears”. What it emphasizes is sadness, tears, crying out in great distress, openly expressing one's sorrow.

There is a Chinese saying, “A hero does not shed tears easily.” (1)Christ would not have shed such tears without reason. But in this instance, he not only wept, he called out loudly, he wailed. Among human beings one would seldom go beyond such agonized wailing. It is an expression of ultimate agony and sorrow.

Jesus was a man, truly human like all of us, except for his sinlessness. Because he was human, he could feel fear, and be afraid of death. When he was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane his fear was so extreme that his sweat became like blood. “In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.” (Lk 22:44 ) One can see it is not an exaggeration when sometimes in Chinese literature such graphic terms are used, for example, 'crying unto shedding blood' or 'the cuckoo bird's tear has become blood.'

Even before this, Jesus' suffering was no small thing. After his triumphant procession into Jerusalem, during his last speech to the crowd, he said, “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say - 'Father, save me from this hour?” ( Jn 12:27 )But he did not forget to add immediately, “It is for this reason that I have come to this hour. ” It seems that his heart and his brain were functioning separately!

As Jesus faced his passion and death, his heart and emotions were troubled and full of fear. These were real emotions and true feelings, much as any of us would have in similar circumstances. But his mind, his thoughts and beliefs, his whole life attitude, would not allow him to contemplate escape. He 'knew' it was for this that he had been born into the world, so when the time had come, he had no reason to flee.

A courageous person is not necessarily unafraid, but is able to face his fear and truly overcome it. There is a legend about a general who before leaving for war, was so frightened that his legs shook. He jokingly addressed his legs, “Tonight you can shiver as much as you want, because tomorrow I must go into battle.”

Christ also was afraid but he was obedient. His submission to his Father was not achieved lightly. His was a lifetime of ongoing struggle before he achieved perfect obedience. He had to endure many struggles before he could overcome himself and attain perfect obedience.

St. Paul said, “Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered” ( Heb 5:8 ) The emphasis here is on 'learning'. Jesus learned to obey and finally succeeded. Before he achieved this, he went through suffering and agony during his entire life. He disciplined himself until he learned to obey. It is something like the saying, ‘every family has its own problems and hardship.’

Life is like a book, it is like refining gold in a big furnace. “If you have not endured the bone-chilling winter, how can you smell the fragrance of the plum flowers!”(2)

Life has its own basic rules and rhythm, success and failure, illness and health, aging and death, etc. It will not be changed because of our preferences nor be lost because of our efforts. Of course we can and should strive with all our strength, use our early years to write the poem of our life so that our lives are useful and happy. We must strive to accomplish our goal in life, but in the end we must accept life as it unfolds, saying a sincere 'yes' to life and committing ourselves to living wholeheartedly!

No matter what life is like, we must commit ourselves to it and accept it. Though there may be risks ahead, we must carry on with life courageously.

To accept and affirm life does not imply a weak acceptance of fate. It is rather going beyond fate, and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, accepting it first and then trying our best to change. This demands of us that we stand on our own two feet, then go forward one step at a time. Ultimately this is the attitude we should have to life.

At first we do not understand life fully. We charge ahead and meet life headlong. We think we can conquer fate, and if we persist to the end, we will be able to change everything. But in the end, we find that “Ability does not last forever, nor does talent”(3). No matter who we are, we find there are things we could not or cannot do, or occasions when no matter what we do, it comes to nothing. At such times, we can only follow what life dictates. As Chuang Tzu said, “We must be content and follow the tides of life. Then, sadness and happiness will not affect us.”(4) Only then do we realize that this is the way to true happiness, and we can be happy in any circumstances of life.

As to this, even Jesus had to learn. How much more so we ordinary human beings!

(1)英雄有淚不輕彈。
(2)不經一番寒徹骨，那得梅花撲鼻香！
(3)力不可終恃，才不可終恃。
(4)安時而處順，哀樂不能入也。