聖三主日

承先啟後

讀經一：(申4:32-34,39-40)：上主是唯一的神
讀經二：(羅8:14-17)：信徒是天主的兒女
福　音：(瑪28:16-20)：吩咐門徒因聖三之命施洗
中國文化： 先意承志。

天上地下的一切權柄全交給了我，所以，你們要去使萬民成為門徒，因父、及子、及聖神之名給他們施洗，教訓他們遵守我所吩咐你們的一切。看！我同你們天天在一起，直到今世的終結。（瑪28:18-20）

門徒在這裡接受的是一種「完全的」任務，即要使「萬民」成為門徒，不分種族、膚色、國籍、性別、階級，也不論智、愚、貧、富。總之，是要使「萬民」成為門徒。

他們從前也曾被耶穌差遣，不過那是一種「有限度」的任務，只限於向以色列人傳報喜訊。耶穌甚至曾經吩咐過他的門徒：「外邦人的路，你們不要走；撒瑪黎雅人的城，你們不要進。」（瑪10:5）。

其實當時連耶穌自己的任務，也有一段時期是有限度的：「我被派遣，只是為了以色列家迷失的羊。」(瑪15:24)

今天，耶穌在世上的任務已經完成，他就要回到天父那裡，向他的父覆命了。到了這時候，耶穌的權柄已經是絕對的和普遍的，因此他交給門徒的任務，也是普世性的，再不局限於以色列，而是要使普世的「萬民」，都成為門徒。

傳福音、向普世傳福音，必須超越一切種族和疆界；這是耶穌交給門徒的任務，也是交給整個教會的任務。教會要向普世萬民，傳播福音的喜訊。

在耶穌的最後交託中，除了「萬民」這個普遍的特質外，還包含了三個重要因素：
一、成為門徒；
二、施洗；
三、遵守耶穌的教訓。

教會除了遵照耶穌的命令給人施洗外，最重要的不是使基督徒成為「信徒」，而是要使他們成為「門徒」。

「成為門徒」象徵他們因為景仰師傅的一切，而願意追隨師傅，觀察師傅的為人，聆聽師傅的訓導，並要效法師傅，和師傅一起生活、一起工作、一起奮鬥。

耶穌召叫最先的那兩個門徒，就是因為接受了耶穌的邀請：「你們來看看吧」，所以便和耶穌一起生活，一起「住下了」（參看若1:35-39）。

耶穌的門徒和耶穌一起生活，傳播福音；孔子的門徒和孔子一起周遊列國，傳揚仁愛；墨子的門徒和墨子一起，度一種十分刻苦的生活，推廣兼愛；在各種武術的傳承中，徒弟們都是因為和師傅相處久了，而能夠繼承和發揚師傅的武功。

這些都是門徒，而不單單是信徒。

有些門徒甚至可以透過高度的專注，和艱苦的鍛鍊，而青出於藍、勝於藍。光耀了師門，發揚了道統。

門徒的另一特質，是要專心聆聽師傅的話，全心按照師傅的吩咐去生活：「遵守我所吩咐你們的一切。」

童話故事阿拉丁神燈中的那位巨人，一顯現出來就會向神燈的「主人」恭敬地說：「主人，你的意願，就是我的命令！」（Master, your will is my command!）

孔子認為最好的孝子要「先意承志」，即是說，要有能力在父母未表達意願以前，便已按照父母的意願去執行。

按師傅的話去生活，這是做門徒最重要和最必要的條件。

我們彌撒的前半部是聖言的宣讀，這要求我們專心去聆聽上主的話，以了解他的聖意；後半部是祭祀的舉行，這要求我們以生命去作奉獻，不單奉獻我們自己，也奉獻我們所有的一切，包括我們的時間、金錢、才能和愛心，以表達我們對上主至高無上的欽崇。

沒有聆聽和對天主聖言的實踐，也就沒有對天主的敬禮和欽崇。不按耶穌的話去生活的人，也不能做耶穌的門徒。耶穌並不需要口頭的侍奉，或是嘴巴的敬禮。

我們先要自己做了耶穌的門徒，按耶穌的教訓而生活，然後才能使別人也做耶穌的門徒，按耶穌的教訓而生活。這就是信仰上的承先啟後。

我們無論是作神父的、作修女的、作父母的、或作老師的，都有承先啟後的責任。用信仰去啟發信仰，用生命去引起生命。教會就是這樣傳下來的。

 

圣三主日

承先启后

读经一：(申4:32-34,39-40)：上主是唯一的神
读经二：(罗8:14-17)：信徒是天主的儿女
福　音：(玛28:16-20)：吩咐门徒因圣三之命施洗
中国文化： 先意承志。

天上地下的一切权柄全交给了我，所以，你们要去使万民成为门徒，因父、及子、及圣神之名给他们施洗，教训他们遵守我所吩咐你们的一切。看！我同你们天天在一起，直到今世的终结。（玛28:18-20）

门徒在这里接受的是一种「完全的」任务，即要使「万民」成为门徒，不分种族、肤色、国籍、性别、阶级，也不论智、愚、贫、富。总之，是要使「万民」成为门徒。

他们从前也曾被耶稣差遣，不過那是一种「有限度」的任务，只限於向以色列人传报喜讯。耶稣甚至曾经吩咐過他的门徒：「外邦人的路，你们不要走；撒玛黎雅人的城，你们不要进。」（玛10:5）。

其实当時连耶稣自己的任务，也有一段時期是有限度的：「我被派遣，只是为了以色列家迷失的羊。」(玛15:24)

今天，耶稣在世上的任务已经完成，他就要回到天父那里，向他的父覆命了。到了这時候，耶稣的权柄已经是绝对的和普遍的，因此他交给门徒的任务，也是普世性的，再不局限於以色列，而是要使普世的「万民」，都成为门徒。

传福音、向普世传福音，必须超越一切种族和疆界；这是耶稣交给门徒的任务，也是交给整個教会的任务。教会要向普世万民，传播福音的喜讯。

在耶稣的最后交托中，除了「万民」这個普遍的特质外，还包含了三個重要因素：
一、成为门徒；
二、施洗；
三、遵守耶稣的教训。

教会除了遵照耶稣的命令给人施洗外，最重要的不是使基督徒成为「信徒」，而是要使他们成为「门徒」。

「成为门徒」象徵他们因为景仰师傅的一切，而願意追随师傅，观察师傅的为人，聆听师傅的训导，并要效法师傅，和师傅一起生活、一起工作、一起奋斗。

耶稣召叫最先的那两個门徒，就是因为接受了耶稣的邀请：「你们来看看吧」，所以便和耶稣一起生活，一起「住下了」（参看若1:35-39）。

耶稣的门徒和耶稣一起生活，传播福音；孔子的门徒和孔子一起周游列国，传扬仁爱；墨子的门徒和墨子一起，度一种十分刻苦的生活，推广兼爱；在各种武术的传承中，徒弟们都是因为和师傅相处久了，而能够继承和发扬师傅的武功。

这些都是门徒，而不单单是信徒。

有些门徒甚至可以透過高度的专注，和艰苦的锻炼，而青出於蓝、胜於蓝。光耀了师门，发扬了道统。

门徒的另一特质，是要专心聆听师傅的话，全心按照师傅的吩咐去生活：「遵守我所吩咐你们的一切。」

童话故事阿拉丁神灯中的那位巨人，一显现出来就会向神灯的「主人」恭敬地说：「主人，你的意願，就是我的命令！」（Master, your will is my command!）

孔子认为最好的孝子要「先意承志」，即是说，要有能力在父母未表达意願以前，便已按照父母的意願去执行。

按师傅的话去生活，这是做门徒最重要和最必要的条件。

我们弥撒的前半部是圣言的宣读，这要求我们专心去聆听上主的话，以了解他的圣意；后半部是祭祀的举行，这要求我们以生命去作奉献，不单奉献我们自己，也奉献我们所有的一切，包括我们的時间、金钱、才能和爱心，以表达我们对上主至高无上的钦崇。

没有聆听和对天主圣言的实踐，也就没有对天主的敬礼和钦崇。不按耶稣的话去生活的人，也不能做耶稣的门徒。耶稣并不需要口头的侍奉，或是嘴巴的敬礼。

我们先要自己做了耶稣的门徒，按耶稣的教训而生活，然后才能使别人也做耶稣的门徒，按耶稣的教训而生活。这就是信仰上的承先启后。

我们无论是作神父的、作修女的、作父母的、或作老师的，都有承先启后的責任。用信仰去启发信仰，用生命去引起生命。教会就是这样传下来的。

 

TRINITY SUNDAY

Follow our Ancestry - Enlighten Posterity

First Reading ( Deut 4:32-34,39-40 : The Lord is the only God
Second Reading ( Rom 8:14-17 ) : The faithful are children of God
Gospel ( Mt 28:16-20 ) : Jesus commanded the disciples to baptize in the name of the Holy Trinity
Chinese Classics
“Act before the request”(1)

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. ( Mt 28:18-20 )

What the disciples received here is a ‘total’ commission, that is, they are to make ‘all nations’ become disciples, regardless of race, nationality, colour, gender or class, and no matter whether intelligent or not, rich or poor, all peoples are to become disciples. Previously they had been commissioned by Jesus to preach the good news to the Israelites only; but that was a ‘limited’ commission. Jesus even instructed them thus: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans”( Mt 10:5 ) Actually, there was a time when Jesus' own ministry was limited: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” ( Mt 15:24 )

Today Jesus' mission on earth is completed; he is about to return to his Father to give a full account of his mission. By now his authority is absolute and universal. Hence, his commission to his apostles is also universal. It is no longer limited to the Israelites alone, rather, they are to make disciples of ‘all nations’. Spreading the good news to all peoples necessitates going beyond all races and beyond boundaries; that is what Jesus commissioned the apostles to do, and what he has commissioned the church to do. The church must proclaim the good news to all the peoples of the whole world.

Besides this universal dimension, Jesus' commission embodies three important factors: 1) becoming disciples 2) administering baptism 3) obeying Jesus' teachings. The Church is not only to fulfil Jesus' injunction to administer baptism, most important is not that people become Christian and then ‘believers’, but that those who believe become ‘disciples’.

To ‘become a disciple’ signifies that the disciple esteems all that Jesus is and does and is willing to follow the Master, observe and listen to him, and also imitate the Master, live, work and struggle together with the Master.

Jesus called the first two disciples because they accepted his invitation: ‘come and see’. Therefore they ‘remained with him’ and followed his lifestyle. (cf. Jn 1:35-39).

Jesus' disciples lived together with him in order to spread the good news; Confucius' disciples traveled all over the country with Confucius to spread the spirit of benevolence; Mozi's disciples lived an extremely hard life together with their master, to spread a spirit of pacifism. In promoting any kind of martial art or kung fu, if the disciples have stayed long enough with their master, they are able to continue the master's martial skills and promote them. All of these are disciples, not just believers.

Through steady concentration and painstaking practice, some disciples can surpass their masters in their inherited techniques. Thus they glorify the master and extend his tradition. Another characteristic of discipleship is to listen attentively to their masters, wholeheartedly living out the master's commands. As Jesus said, “obey everything that I have commanded you.”

In the story of “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp”, whenever the genie appeared, he would respectfully say to the ‘master’ of the magic lamp: “Master, your will is my command”. Confucius thought that the best filial son must “act before the request.”(1) This means one should be able to perform one's parents' wishes even before parents express them. The most important and most necessary condition for a disciple is to live according to the wishes of the master.

The first part of the Eucharistic celebration is listening to the Word of God. This demands that we pay close attention to what is being read so that we can discern God's will for us. The second part is the sacrificial offering. This calls us to offer our lives as our response, not merely offering ourselves as such, but including all that we have, our time, our money, our talents and our heart. This total offering expresses the supreme worship we owe to God.

Not to listen attentively to the word of God or neglecting to put his word into practice is tantamount to refusing to pay reverence or homage to God. Those who do not live according to Jesus' word cannot be Jesus' disciples. Jesus does not need an offering or adoration that is lip service only.

We first must be Jesus' disciples ourselves and live according to his word. Only then can we suggest to others to become Jesus' disciples and live according to his word. This is the first and last requirement of our faith.

Whether we are priests, sisters, parents or teachers, we all have a responsibility to nurture this kind of radical faith: to use our faith to inspire faith, our life to elicit life in others. This is how the life of the church is passed on to others.

(1)先意承志。