常年期第十六主日

以工作熱誠靈修，以靈修精神工作

讀經一：(創18:1-10)：亞巴郎接待了天主
讀經二：(哥1:24-28)：宗徒所宣講的道即基督
福　音：(路10:38-42)：瑪爾大和瑪利亞
中國文化：發憤忘食，樂以忘憂，不知老之將至。偷得浮生半日閒。行也布袋，坐也布袋；放下布袋，多少自在。三伏閉門披一衲，兼無松竹蔭房廊；安禪不必靠山水，滅卻心頭火亦涼。
耶穌進了一個村莊。有一個名叫瑪爾大的女人，把耶穌接到家中。她有一個妹妹名叫瑪利亞，坐在主的腳前聽他講道。瑪爾大因為要做的事情很多，而心緒煩亂……耶穌對她說：「瑪爾大，瑪爾大！你為了許多事操心忙碌，其實需要的只有一樣。瑪利亞選擇了那最好的一份。」（路10:38-42）
這是一段我們耳熟能詳的經文，有些人用這段經文去說明，精神優於物質，祈禱優於工作，靈修優於從事「俗世」的事務等。
其實，生命本是一個不可分割的整體，也好像人有兩條腿，鳥有兩張翅膀，因此並不存在優劣、輕重、偏廢等問題。聖經上有些講法，例如「施比受更有福」；「人生活不單靠餅，也靠天主的聖言」等，其用意原來都不是為了在兩者間作出比較，而在於突顯那被人忽略了的一部分，從而加以徹底地把它矯正過來。
例如：在一個功利的、貪婪的和講求霸佔的社會中，我們已經不知道什麼叫做分享和施與，所以才要突出「施」的重要；在一個只看到肉身需要的處境中，人已經忘記了天主和一切屬靈的事物，所以才要強調「天主的話」比食物更重要。其實施和受都是有福的，永遠施而不受，並不能使人快樂；我們固然需要天主的話，難道就不需要食物嗎？
今天聖經中瑪爾大的問題並不是指工作的本身，而是指她在工作時的態度出現了問題。她雖然埋首工作，卻不懂得享受工作，所以她的工作才使她「心緒煩亂」。換上了孔子，他就可以在一生的工作和奮鬥中，做到「發憤忘食，樂以忘憂，不知老之將至。」
教宗若望保祿二世在他的《工作通諭》中，曾經在第五章裡提出了「工作靈修」的重點，他認為「教會應發展工作靈修，好能協助人透過工作更加接近天主，參與他的救世計劃，履行基督的司祭、先知和王者的使命，加深與基督的友誼關係。」(工作通諭24)

瑪爾大當時的問題不是工作，而是不懂得如何工作，不懂得欣賞和享受工作，亦未能在工作中實踐「靈修」。
人生有如一首交響曲，有大聲、細聲；有快板、慢板、行板。這一切加起來，才能構成一首多采多姿、抑揚頓錯、扣人心絃的交響曲。
我們的生命也有肉身和靈魂、物質和精神這雙重要素，有工作和祈禱的不同活動，有個人獨處和與人共融的時刻等等。我們雖然要對生命十分認真，但有時也要懂得如何去「偷得浮生半日閒」。我們要拿得起，也要放得下，好像有關布袋和尚那首詩：「行也布袋，坐也布袋；放下布袋，多少自在。」我們有勞碌的生命，也有自在的生命，這一切加起來，才能構成一個耶穌所說的「更豐盛的生命」。
問題是：我們如何才能做得到呢？如何才能使這一切和諧地並存於我們的生命中呢？
畫龍點睛的成語告訴我們，整條龍如果缺少了眼睛，便了無生氣；一有了眼睛，就能騰飛了。龍的身體不能沒有眼睛；龍的眼睛也不能沒有龍的身體。
如果瑪爾大多和耶穌接觸，多一點獲得耶穌的精神，能用耶穌的眼睛看世情，以耶穌的心愛世物，她就可以有一個更豐盛的人生，可以在生命的各種辛勞中甘之如飴，那又怎麼會抱怨妹妹不來幫忙呢？
杜牧的兒子杜荀鶴寫過一首詩：「三伏閉門披一衲，兼無松竹蔭房廊；安禪不必靠山水，滅卻心頭火亦涼。」在三伏時節的大熱天裡，房子上面又無松竹的遮蔭，正是悶熱難當的時候，又如何可以靜心參禪呢？不過，假如我們能把心頭的雜念摒除，完全放鬆自己，進入空無的境界，那就即使是身處火熱之中，亦能爽心如意了。
「滅卻心頭火亦涼」，火亦涼，這是一句多麼發人深省的話。假如瑪爾大能做到這點，她又何致於「心緒煩亂」、操心忙碌、遑遑不可終日地，連侍奉耶穌、為耶穌做多一點點的工作，也感到深受委屈呢？

 

 

常年期第十六主日

以工作热诚灵修，以灵修精神工作

读经一：(创18:1-10)：亚巴郎接待了天主
读经二：(哥1:24-28)：宗徒所宣讲的道即基督
福　音：(路10:38-42)：玛尔大和玛利亚
中国文化：发愤忘食，乐以忘忧，不知老之将至。偷得浮生半日闲。行也布袋，坐也布袋；放下布袋，多少自在。三伏闭门披一衲，兼无松竹荫房廊；安禅不必靠山水，灭却心头火亦凉。
耶稣进了一個村庄。有一個名叫玛尔大的女人，把耶稣接到家中。她有一個妹妹名叫玛利亚，坐在主的脚前听他讲道。玛尔大因为要做的事情很多，而心绪烦亂……耶稣对她说：「玛尔大，玛尔大！你为了许多事操心忙碌，其实需要的只有一样。玛利亚选择了那最好的一份。」（路10:38-42）
这是一段我们耳熟能详的经文，有些人用这段经文去说明，精神优於物质，祈祷优於工作，灵修优於从事「俗世」的事务等。
其实，生命本是一個不可分割的整体，也好像人有两条腿，鸟有两张翅膀，因此并不存在优劣、轻重、偏废等問题。圣经上有些讲法，例如「施比受更有福」；「人生活不单靠饼，也靠天主的圣言」等，其用意原来都不是为了在两者间作出比较，而在於突显那被人忽略了的一部分，从而加以彻底地把它矫正過来。
例如：在一個功利的、贪婪的和讲求霸占的社会中，我们已经不知道什么叫做分享和施与，所以才要突出「施」的重要；在一個只看到肉身需要的处境中，人已经忘记了天主和一切属灵的事物，所以才要强调「天主的话」比食物更重要。其实施和受都是有福的，永遠施而不受，并不能使人快乐；我们固然需要天主的话，难道就不需要食物吗？
今天圣经中玛尔大的問题并不是指工作的本身，而是指她在工作時的态度出现了問题。她虽然埋首工作，却不懂得享受工作，所以她的工作才使她「心绪烦亂」。换上了孔子，他就可以在一生的工作和奋斗中，做到「发愤忘食，乐以忘忧，不知老之将至。」
教宗若望保禄二世在他的《工作通谕》 中，曾经在第五章里提出了「工作灵修」的重点，他认为「教会应发展工作灵修，好能协助人透過工作更加接近天主，参与他的救世计劃，履行基督的司祭、先知和王者的使命，加深与基督的友谊关系。」(工作通谕24)

玛尔大当時的問题不是工作，而是不懂得如何工作，不懂得欣赏和享受工作，亦未能在工作中实踐「灵修」。
人生有如一首交响曲，有大声、细声；有快板、慢板、行板。这一切加起来，才能构成一首多采多姿、抑扬顿错、扣人心弦的交响曲。
我们的生命也有肉身和灵魂、物质和精神这双重要素，有工作和祈祷的不同活动，有個人独处和与人共融的時刻等等。我们虽然要对生命十分认真，但有時也要懂得如何去「偷得浮生半日闲」。我们要拿得起，也要放得下，好像有关布袋和尚那首诗：「行也布袋，坐也布袋；放下布袋，多少自在。」我们有劳碌的生命，也有自在的生命，这一切加起来，才能构成一個耶稣所说的「更丰盛的生命」。
問题是：我们如何才能做得到呢？如何才能使这一切和谐地并存於我们的生命中呢？
画龙点睛的成语告诉我们，整条龙如果缺少了眼睛，便了无生气；一有了眼睛，就能腾飞了。龙的身体不能没有眼睛；龙的眼睛也不能没有龙的身体。
如果玛尔大多和耶稣接触，多一点获得耶稣的精神，能用耶稣的眼睛看世情，以耶稣的心爱世物，她就可以有一個更丰盛的人生，可以在生命的各种辛劳中甘之如饴，那又怎么会抱怨妹妹不来帮忙呢？
杜牧的儿子杜荀鹤写過一首诗：「三伏闭门披一衲，兼无松竹荫房廊；安禅不必靠山水，灭却心头火亦凉。」在三伏時节的大热天里，房子上面又无松竹的遮荫，正是闷热难当的時候，又如何可以静心参禅呢？不過，假如我们能把心头的杂念摒除，完全放松自己，进入空无的境界，那就即使是身处火热之中，亦能爽心如意了。
「灭却心头火亦凉」，火亦凉，这是一句多么发人深省的话。假如玛尔大能做到这点，她又何致於「心绪烦亂」、操心忙碌、遑遑不可终日地，连侍奉耶稣、为耶稣做多一点点的工作，也感到深受委屈呢？

 

 

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Apply the Enthusiasm for Work to Spiritual Development 
and the Earnestness for Spiritual Development to Work

First Reading (Gen 1: 20-21, 23-32): Abraham received the Lord
Second Reading (Col 1: 24- 28: The ‘Way’ the Apostles preached was Christ
Gospel (Lk 10: 38-42): Martha and Mary
Chinese classics:
-“He is a man who in his eager pursuit of knowledge forgets his food, in the joy of its attainment forgets his sorrow, and who does not perceive that old age is coming on “ (1) 
-“ Steal from this floating life a half day of rest.” (2)
-“Walk with this bag of cloth, sit with this bag of cloth. Put away this bag of cloth – how carefree it is” (3)
-“In the hottest days, doors closed and lightly clothed, no pines or bamboo to shade the room and corridor. To practice meditation one needs no mountain water, extinguish the heart's fire to feel cool”(4)

“Jesus entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks... the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part..“(Lk 10: 38-42)

We are very familiar with these verses. Some people use this passage to maintain that spiritual matters are more important than material things, prayer is more meritorious than work, spiritual development surpasses attending to 'worldly' matters and so on.

Actually, life is one undivided entity, we cannot be split into divisions, just as a person ordinarily has two legs and a bird two wings. So it is not a question of better or worse, more or less important, useful or useless. True, there are some Bible phrases, like “To give is better than to receive” or “Human beings cannot live by bread alone, but must rely on God's Word,” and so on. But these are not meant to compare two things, but rather to emphasize a point that may at times be neglected and attempt to correct it.

For example, in an aggressive, covetous society which easily resorts to force, we do not really know what it means to share or to give, so we emphasize the importance of sharing; in an environment where people think only of physical needs and forget about God and things of the spirit, we stress that the 'Word of God' is more important than food. Actually, both to give and to receive bring us joy, and if we only give and never receive we will not be happy. So it is true we need God's Word, but does that mean that we do not need food?

In today's Scripture reading Martha's problem is not about work itself. It is what her attitude towards work revealed. Although she was totally absorbed in her work, she did not know how to enjoy her work. That was why she was 'worried and distracted.' If Confucius were in her place, he would enjoy his work and “be simply a man who in his eager pursuit of knowledge forgets his food, in the joy of its attainment forgets his sorrow, and who does not perceive that old age is coming on.” (1)

In Chapter 5 of Pope John Paul II’s document “On Human Work,” he stresses the importance of the “spirituality of work.”. He believed that “the Church sees it as her particular duty to form a spirituality of work which will help all people to come closer, through work, to God the Creator and Redeemer, to participate in his salvific plan for man and the world and to deepen their friendship with Christ in their lives by accepting, through faith ,a living participation in his threefold mission as Priest, Prophet and King.” (On Human Work, art. 24).

At the time Martha's problem was not the work itself. She did not seem to know how to work, or how to appreciate and enjoy her work. Nor through her work was she able to 'develop spiritually.'

Life can be likened to a symphony, there are loud and soft parts, slow, fast and moderate tempos. It must all come together before it can become an elegant symphony that moves us with its variations and climax.

Our lives include body and spirit, physical and spiritual elements, different activities like work and prayer, time to be alone and time to be with people, and so on. Although we should be very serious about life, sometimes we should also know how to “steal away from this floating life for half a day of rest.” (2) We should be able to take things up as well as let them go, just like the monk with a bag of cloth in the poem:”Walk with the bag of cloth, sit with the bag of cloth, put away the bag of cloth – how carefree it is.” (3). We have lives that are busy and also lives that are leisurely. When we put this all together only then can it become what Jesus called a “richer and fuller life”. The question is: How can we do this? How can we bring about such harmony into our lives?

The proverb, “Dot the eye after drawing the dragon's body” tells us that if the dragon has no eyes, it has no life. Once it has eyes it can fly. The dragon cannot have a body without eyes, or have eyes without a body.

If Martha had had more contact with Jesus and more of Jesus' spirit, if she had been able to see the world through Jesus' eyes and love all creation with Jesus' heart, she then would have had a more fruitful life. She would have been able to taste the sweetness imbedded in life's various hardships. How would she then have complained about her sister not helping out?

Du Mu's son Du Xun Xe wrote a poem, “In the hottest days, doors closed and lightly clothed, no pines or bamboo to shade the room and corridor. To practice meditation one needs no mountain water; extinguish the heart's fire to feel cool.”(3) In the hottest summer days, in a room without the shade of pine or bamboo, the room is unbearable. How can one have a quiet state of mind to practice meditation? But if we can banish the heart's disquieting thoughts, relax totally and enter into a state of emptiness, we can still feel cool and happy even though we are situated in the middle of a fire.

“Extinguish the heart's fire to feel cool.”(4) To feel cool amidst heat is a skill that comes only after deep soul-searching. If Martha had been able to reach that point, how could she have felt so 'distracted,' or frustrated and overworked? Would she ever have complained about serving Jesus and working a bit harder for him?

(1)發憤忘食，樂以忘憂，不知老之將至。
(2)偷得浮生半日閒。
(3)行也布袋，坐也布袋；放下布袋，多少自在。
(4)三伏閉門披一衲，兼無松竹蔭房廊；安禪不必靠山水，滅卻心頭火亦涼。