復活期第六主日 2018年05月06日


復活期第六主日

愛主之道在愛人

讀經一:(宗10:25-26,34-35,44-48):聖神傾注在外邦人身上
讀經二:(若一4:7-10):愛主之道在愛人
福 音:(若15:9-17):彼此相愛的命令
中國文化: 畫鬼易;畫犬馬難

「凡是愛人的,都是天主所生,也認識天主。那不愛人的,就不認識天主,因為天主是愛。」
(若一4:7-8)

「凡是」愛人的:即是說所有愛人的人,或每一個愛人的人,不分性別、階級、國籍、宗教,都是天主所生的,都是由天主來的,都是屬於天主的。

傳說聖若望在老年時,已沒有精力講長篇大論的道理,他只是不停斷說:「小子們,要彼此相愛!」「假如你們能夠彼此相愛,就夠了。」

他的門徒聽多了便感到有點不耐煩,有人就問他為什麼來來去去都是只講一個「愛」字。他就告訴他們:耶穌的全部宣講,不過也是只得一個「愛」字而已!

事實上,耶穌在他的臨別贈言中,也是這樣向門徒說:「這就是我的命令:你們要彼此相愛,就像我愛了你們一樣。人若為朋友付出生命,就再沒有比這更偉大的愛了。你們如果遵守我的命令,你們就是我的朋友。」(若15:12-14)

耶穌說得十分對,愛人就是誡命的全部。所以保祿才說:「因為全部的法律包括在這句話內:愛你的近人如你自己。」(迦5:14)

作為一個天主教信徒,我們很易明白要愛天主,要「愛天主在萬有之上」,事實上,我們的整個宗教陶成,也是在努力去學習愛天主。這是完全正確的。但如果我們細讀耶穌的話,我們不難發現,耶穌最掛心的倒不是我們能否愛他,而是我們能否彼此相愛。真像一個在病危中的爸爸或媽媽,他或她最最關心的,不是子女們能否愛父母、孝順父母,而是子女們能否彼此相親相愛。

如果耶穌是我們,他大概會說:「如同我愛了你們,你們也要愛我。」他要說這些話,本來也是天經地義的,因為他絕對值得我們以愛還愛、以心體心。

但他沒有要求我們愛他,他要求的是我們彼此相愛!今天我們口口聲聲說要愛主,但我們的主卻心心念念要我們愛人。這個主的心不是比我們的心大無數倍嗎?

說真的,「愛天主」確是比「愛人」容易一點。在愛天主上,我們能做什麼呢?不是唸唸經、去去教堂便算了嗎?但愛人就不那麼簡單了,尤其如果要我們去愛一個不大可愛的人,或愛一個我們不大喜歡的人,就更不容易了。

中國就有一則「畫鬼易」的故事。有人問一個畫家,畫什麼比較容易,他說:「畫鬼易」,因為沒有人見過鬼,你隨便怎麼畫,別人都沒有資格批評。但畫犬畫馬就不一樣了,你畫的跟人人見過的犬和馬不一樣時,人人都會說你畫得不像。所以他說「畫犬馬難」。

如果愛天主只是指做一些宗教行為,那確是十分容易的事。但如果要我們去愛人,去和那些不易相處的人相處,那就很不容易了。

在愛人上,今天的福音還進一步告訴我們一些基督徒愛的特點。耶穌說:「父怎樣愛了我,我也怎樣愛了你們;你們要存留在我的愛內。」(若15:9)

基督徒的愛是有源頭、有根據、有中心,並且是一脈相承的。聖父愛聖子,聖子愛我們,我們在父和子的愛中彼此相愛,這就是一脈相承;而且我們還要仿效耶穌的表樣、按照耶穌的標準去愛:「就像我愛了你們一樣」。

我們不只是愛人,我們要像耶穌一樣愛人。天父和耶穌的愛給我們指出了方向,也提高了我們愛的素質和層次。

天主的愛給我們指出方向,因為無論我們喜歡與否,或在任何環境中,我們都要愛,都要努力去愛、學習去愛。這是天主給我們的命令。

天主的愛提高我們愛的素質,因為我們要以天主的標準去愛:那就是完全的、無條件的愛。因為耶穌愛我們並不在於我們可愛,因為他在我們是罪人時便愛我們,因為他為愛我們甚至死在十字架上:「沒有比這更偉大的愛了」。

這就是我們要做到的愛,這就是基督徒愛的素質。我們要在愛人時愛天主,我們要在天主內愛人,愛得更真誠,愛得更徹底。

 

复活期第六主日

爱主之道在爱人

读经一:(宗10:25-26,34-35,44-48):圣神倾注在外邦人身上
读经二:(若一4:7-10):爱主之道在爱人
福 音:(若15:9-17):彼此相爱的命令
中国文化: 画鬼易;画犬马难

「凡是爱人的,都是天主所生,也认识天主。那不爱人的,就不认识天主,因为天主是爱。」
(若一4:7-8)

「凡是」爱人的:即是说所有爱人的人,或每一個爱人的人,不分性别、阶级、国籍、宗教,都是天主所生的,都是由天主来的,都是属於天主的。

传说圣若望在老年時,已没有精力讲长篇大论的道理,他只是不停断说:「小子们,要彼此相爱!」「假如你们能够彼此相爱,就够了。」

他的门徒听多了便感到有点不耐烦,有人就問他为什么来来去去都是只讲一個「爱」字。他就告诉他们:耶稣的全部宣讲,不過也是只得一個「爱」字而已!

事实上,耶稣在他的临别赠言中,也是这样向门徒说:「这就是我的命令:你们要彼此相爱,就像我爱了你们一样。人若为朋友付出生命,就再没有比这更伟大的爱了。你们如果遵守我的命令,你们就是我的朋友。」(若15:12-14)

耶稣说得十分对,爱人就是诫命的全部。所以保禄才说:「因为全部的法律包括在这句话内:爱你的近人如你自己。」(迦5:14)

作为一個天主教信徒,我们很易明白要爱天主,要「爱天主在万有之上」,事实上,我们的整個宗教陶成,也是在努力去学习爱天主。这是完全正确的。但如果我们细读耶稣的话,我们不难发现,耶稣最掛心的倒不是我们能否爱他,而是我们能否彼此相爱。真像一個在病危中的爸爸或妈妈,他或她最最关心的,不是子女们能否爱父母、孝顺父母,而是子女们能否彼此相亲相爱。

如果耶稣是我们,他大概会说:「如同我爱了你们,你们也要爱我。」他要说这些话,本来也是天经地义的,因为他绝对值得我们以爱还爱、以心体心。

但他没有要求我们爱他,他要求的是我们彼此相爱!今天我们口口声声说要爱主,但我们的主却心心念念要我们爱人。这個主的心不是比我们的心大无数倍吗?

说真的,「爱天主」确是比「爱人」容易一点。在爱天主上,我们能做什么呢?不是念念经、去去教堂便算了吗?但爱人就不那么简单了,尤其如果要我们去爱一個不大可爱的人,或爱一個我们不大喜欢的人,就更不容易了。

中国就有一则「画鬼易」的故事。有人問一個画家,画什么比较容易,他说:「画鬼易」,因为没有人见過鬼,你随便怎么画,别人都没有资格批评。但画犬画马就不一样了,你画的跟人人见過的犬和马不一样時,人人都会说你画得不像。所以他说「画犬马难」。

如果爱天主只是指做一些宗教行为,那确是十分容易的事。但如果要我们去爱人,去和那些不易相处的人相处,那就很不容易了。

在爱人上,今天的福音还进一步告诉我们一些基督徒爱的特点。耶稣说:「父怎样爱了我,我也怎样爱了你们;你们要存留在我的爱内。」(若15:9)

基督徒的爱是有源头、有根据、有中心,并且是一脉相承的。圣父爱圣子,圣子爱我们,我们在父和子的爱中彼此相爱,这就是一脉相承;而且我们还要仿效耶稣的表样、按照耶稣的标准去爱:「就像我爱了你们一样」。

我们不只是爱人,我们要像耶稣一样爱人。天父和耶稣的爱给我们指出了方向,也提高了我们爱的素质和层次。

天主的爱给我们指出方向,因为无论我们喜欢与否,或在任何环境中,我们都要爱,都要努力去爱、学习去爱。这是天主给我们的命令。

天主的爱提高我们爱的素质,因为我们要以天主的标准去爱:那就是完全的、无条件的爱。因为耶稣爱我们并不在於我们可爱,因为他在我们是罪人時便爱我们,因为他为爱我们甚至死在十字架上:「没有比这更伟大的爱了」。

这就是我们要做到的爱,这就是基督徒爱的素质。我们要在爱人時爱天主,我们要在天主内爱人,爱得更真诚,爱得更彻底。

 

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

We Love God by Loving All People

First Reading ( Acts 10:25-26,34-35,44-48 : The Holy Spirit comes to the Gentiles
Second Reading ( 1 Jn 4:7-10 ): The Way to love God is to love others
Gospel (Jn 15:9-17 ) : The command to love all people
Chinese Classics:
“Drawing ghosts is easy; drawing a dog or a horse is difficult.”(1)

“Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 Jn 4:7-8 )

“Whoever” loves others means that all those who love others, or each person who loves others, no matter their gender, class, nationality or religion, are born of God, come from God and belong to God.

It is said that when St. John the Apostle had grown old he no longer had the energy to give long homilies. He would only say over and over, 'My little children, love one another!' and 'If you can love one another, that is enough.' Hearing the same thing all the time, his disciples grew bored and asked him why he repeated the same words so often. He answered, “All of Jesus' preaching can be summarized in the one word, 'Love!'”

Actually in his farewell address, Jesus said the same words to his disciples, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you” (Jn 15:12-14 )

What Jesus said was true, to love one another is the whole of the commandments. That is why Paul said, “For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ( Gal 5:14 )

We Catholics easily understand that we must love God, even to loving God 'above all things.' In fact our entire religion is about using all our efforts to learn how to love God. That is entirely correct. But if we read Jesus' words carefully, we easily discover that Jesus' concern was not whether we could love him or not, but whether or not we could love one another. It is like a mother or father with a terminal illness, his or her greatest concern is not whether the children would continue to love and revere their parents but whether the children would love each other.

So if Jesus were us, he might say, 'As I have loved all of you, you also must love me.' Certainly Jesus could say that, because he is fully worthy of our reciprocal heartfelt love. But he never asked us to love him, he only asked us to love one another! Nowadays we often say we love God, but our Lord only wants us to love one another. Is it not true that our Lord's heart is so much greater than our own?

Actually 'to love God' is easier than to love other people. What can we do to love God? Would it be to pray fervently, or go to church regularly? But to love others is not so simple. Especially if we must love a person who is really unlovable or one whom we dislike - then it becomes even more difficult.

There is a Chinese story about drawing ghosts. Someone asked an artist what was easier to draw. He answered, “Drawing ghosts is easy; drawing a horse or dog is difficult” (1) The reason is that no one has ever seen a ghost, so no matter what you draw no one is qualified to criticize you. But to draw a dog or horse is different. If what you draw does not resemble the dog or horse people have seen, they will say that you do not draw very well. Therefore the artist said, “Drawing ghosts is easy; drawing a horse or dog is difficult.” (1)

If loving God refers only to some external religious practices, that certainly is not difficult. But if it means we must love one another, get along with people who really are not easy to get along with, that can be very difficult.

In speaking of the special characteristics of Christian love, today's Gospel goes a step further. Jesus said, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love” ( Jn 15:9 ) Christian love has a source, a basis, a focal point, and also a heritage. God the Father loves the Son, God the Son loves us, and within that love of the Father and Son we love one another. That is our heritage; moreover, we must imitate Jesus' example, and love according to his criterion, “Love one another as I have loved you

We are not only to love others, we must be like Jesus in our love for one another. The love of the Father and Jesus points out the direction and raises the quality and level of our love. God's love gives us the direction because whether we like it or not, and under whatever circumstances, we must love, make every effort to love, learn how to love. That is the command God has given us.

God's love raises the quality of our love because we must love according to God's criterion: totally and unconditionally. It is because Jesus loves us, not because we are worthy of love for when we were still sinners he loved us, but because he loved us even to dying on the cross: “No one has greater love than this

That is the love we must have, that is the standard of Christian love. In loving our neighbor we must love God, and in loving God love all of humankind, with a love that is all-embracing and sincere.

(1)畫鬼易;畫犬馬難

 

 

現場講道(粵語)

教友證道


神父講道


現場講道文稿

主日八分半(彌撒講道)

粵語講道


普通話講道



 

徐錦堯@fr.luketsui.idv.hk 2024