將臨期第一主日

 

把未來提到今天

 

讀經一：(依2:1-5)：上主將把萬民聚集在他的國內

讀經二：(羅13:11-14)：救恩臨近了，應時常醒寤

福　音：(瑪24:37-44)：要醒寤，準備人子來臨

中國文化： 未知生，焉知死；(未知死，焉知生)。

 

「你們要警醒，要隨時準備好，因為在你們想不到的時候，人子便來了。」（參考瑪24:42-44）

 

將臨期是教會禮儀年的新年，教會年曆的第一天。但很奇怪，在新年時，讀經的內容卻是世界末日——基督的再來。

 

耶穌提醒他的門徒要隨時準備，不要像諾厄時代的人，他們不相信洪水滅世；大難將至，仍然醉生夢死。他們嘲笑諾厄，所以那一天洪水來臨時便把他們沖走了。

 

耶穌說「人子」來臨也是一樣，是突然的，人們不防範的時候。所以耶穌說：「你們要準備、要警醒，你們不知道你們的主要在那一天來臨。」(參考瑪24:37-44)

 

在新年講末日是有意義的。這裡我想和大家分享一個重要的主題，就是把未來提到今天；從未來開始，把未來與今日連結起來。

 

孔子有一句名言：「未知生，焉知死。」即是說，若你不明白何謂生命，又怎會明白何謂死亡？若你仍未明白每日能掌握到、觸摸到的生命，又怎能明白那掌握不到、觸摸不到的死亡呢？「未知生，焉知死」，的確很有道理。

 

但這句話的反面也是對的：「未知死，焉知生」。即是說，若不知道何謂死亡，我們今日又怎會知道如何生活呢？正如我們不知道終點，又怎會知道如何行走呢？如果我們不知道要行的路的具體情況，又怎會知道要帶備什麼？我們不知道我們要去的地方是寒冷或是炎熱，又怎會知道要帶備什麼衣服？

 

未來決定今日，死亡決定生命，這就是「未知死，焉知生。」所以我們要肯定死亡、接受死亡、明白死亡，才能知道怎樣去生活——度今天的生活。

 

我曾聽過有人這樣說：「我希望我出生時是哭著的，周圍的人都對著我笑；我更希望我死時是笑著的，周圍的人都對著我哭。」我為何會笑？因為我已經好好地活過，燦燦爛爛的走完了我生命的路。正如聖保祿宗徒說：「這場好仗，我已打完；這場賽跑，我已跑到終點。」所以他才可以自豪地說：剩下的，就是領受永生的冠冕。(參考弟後4:7-8)

我願意將來如何死，便決定了我今日要如何生。這就是把未來提到今天，或即是「從未來開始」(Start from the future)。這並不是高深的道理，生活的例子俯拾即是。例如：若我想讀書成績好，我便要今日努力讀書；若我要戀愛成功，今日我便要學習與人生活，學習了解、接納、容忍、欣賞別人。

 

「未知死，焉知生」。只有當我們知道生命的終點在何處時，我們才能知道要走哪條路。

 

在此，我們需要注意兩點。第一：我們需要很清醒，正如羅馬人書13:11-13說：「你們該認清這個時期。現在已經是你們從睡夢中醒來的時候了。黑夜已深，白日已近。我們要拋棄黑暗的行為，佩上光明的武器。舉止要端莊，好像在白天一樣。」

 

像白天一樣：即是說，要拋棄黑暗的行為，要活在光明中，要很清楚看到未來，看到我們的理想、我們要走的路。依撒意亞先知2:1-5也說：「讓我們攀登上主的聖山，上主將指引我們該走的路。我們要走在這條路上。請看，那時人們要把刀劍鑄成鋤頭，把槍矛製成鐮刀。」

 

這就是我們要創造的世界，我們未來的遠景。在未來，殺人的武器將轉變成生產的工具，製造紛爭戰亂的因素，都要轉變成製造和平的條件。我們知道這就是我們的目標，我們今日就該為此而活。

 

我們要清醒，我們要努力；從今天開始，未來就是我們生命的方向，這方向也就是今日我們所選擇的路。

 

當我們一生努力時，我們才能達到終點，才可以含笑而逝，因為我們已經走完我們的路，完成我們生命。周圍的人會對著我們哭，因為他們失掉了一個好朋友、一個好伙伴、一個美滿人生路上的同路人。他們已失掉了一個能啟發他們的生命，及鼓勵他們為生命而奮鬥的好朋友。

 

如果我們要含笑而逝，讓周圍的人對著我們而哭，我們便要從今天開始，把未來提到今天。

 

讓我們今日便按照我們想完成的生命開始去生活，使我們在死亡時無悔今生。讓我們在新年中想到世界末日，在生命的開始時，想到死亡。

 

讓我們知生又知死，知死又知生。讓我們把未來提到今天—?就從今天開始！

将临期第一主日

 

把未来提到今天

 

读经一：(依2:1-5)：上主将把万民聚集在他的国内

读经二：(罗13:11-14)：救恩临近了，应時常醒寤

福　音：(玛24:37-44)：要醒寤，准备人子来临

中国文化： 未知生，焉知死；(未知死，焉知生)。

 

「你们要警醒，要随時准备好，因为在你们想不到的時候，人子便来了。」（参考玛24:42-44）

 

将临期是教会礼仪年的新年，教会年历的第一天。但很奇怪，在新年時，读经的内容却是世界末日——基督的再来。

 

耶稣提醒他的门徒要随時准备，不要像诺厄時代的人，他们不相信洪水灭世；大难将至，仍然醉生梦死。他们嘲笑诺厄，所以那一天洪水来临時便把他们冲走了。

 

耶稣说「人子」来临也是一样，是突然的，人们不防范的時候。所以耶稣说：「你们要准备、要警醒，你们不知道你们的主要在那一天来临。」(参考玛24:37-44)

 

在新年讲末日是有意义的。这里我想和大家分享一個重要的主题，就是把未来提到今天；从未来開始，把未来与今日连结起来。

 

孔子有一句名言：「未知生，焉知死。」即是说，若你不明白何谓生命，又怎会明白何谓死亡？若你仍未明白每日能掌握到、触摸到的生命，又怎能明白那掌握不到、触摸不到的死亡呢？「未知生，焉知死」，的确很有道理。

 

但这句话的反面也是对的：「未知死，焉知生」。即是说，若不知道何谓死亡，我们今日又怎会知道如何生活呢？正如我们不知道终点，又怎会知道如何行走呢？如果我们不知道要行的路的具体情况，又怎会知道要带备什么？我们不知道我们要去的地方是寒冷或是炎热，又怎会知道要带备什么衣服？

 

未来决定今日，死亡决定生命，这就是「未知死，焉知生。」所以我们要肯定死亡、接受死亡、明白死亡，才能知道怎样去生活——度今天的生活。

 

我曾听過有人这样说：「我希望我出生時是哭著的，周围的人都对著我笑；我更希望我死時是笑著的，周围的人都对著我哭。」我为何会笑？因为我已经好好地活過，灿灿烂烂的走完了我生命的路。正如圣保禄宗徒说：「这场好仗，我已打完；这场赛跑，我已跑到终点。」所以他才可以自豪地说：剩下的，就是领受永生的冠冕。(参考弟后4:7-8)

我願意将来如何死，便决定了我今日要如何生。这就是把未来提到今天，或即是「从未来開始」(Start from the future)。这并不是高深的道理，生活的例子俯拾即是。例如：若我想读书成绩好，我便要今日努力读书；若我要恋爱成功，今日我便要学习与人生活，学习了解、接纳、容忍、欣赏别人。

 

「未知死，焉知生」。只有当我们知道生命的终点在何处時，我们才能知道要走哪条路。

 

在此，我们需要注意两点。第一：我们需要很清醒，正如罗马人书13:11-13说：「你们該认清这個時期。现在已经是你们从睡梦中醒来的時候了。黑夜已深，白日已近。我们要抛弃黑暗的行为，佩上光明的武器。举止要端庄，好像在白天一样。」

 

像白天一样：即是说，要抛弃黑暗的行为，要活在光明中，要很清楚看到未来，看到我们的理想、我们要走的路。依撒意亚先知2:1-5也说：「让我们攀登上主的圣山，上主将指引我们該走的路。我们要走在这条路上。请看，那時人们要把刀劍铸成鋤头，把枪矛制成镰刀。」

 

这就是我们要创造的世界，我们未来的遠景。在未来，杀人的武器将转变成生產的工具，制造纷争战亂的因素，都要转变成制造和平的条件。我们知道这就是我们的目标，我们今日就該为此而活。

 

我们要清醒，我们要努力；从今天開始，未来就是我们生命的方向，这方向也就是今日我们所选择的路。

 

当我们一生努力時，我们才能达到终点，才可以含笑而逝，因为我们已经走完我们的路，完成我们生命。周围的人会对著我们哭，因为他们失掉了一個好朋友、一個好伙伴、一個美满人生路上的同路人。他们已失掉了一個能启发他们的生命，及鼓励他们为生命而奋斗的好朋友。

 

如果我们要含笑而逝，让周围的人对著我们而哭，我们便要从今天開始，把未来提到今天。

 

让我们今日便按照我们想完成的生命開始去生活，使我们在死亡時无悔今生。让我们在新年中想到世界末日，在生命的開始時，想到死亡。

 

让我们知生又知死，知死又知生。让我们把未来提到今天—?就从今天開始！

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

 

Anticipate the Future

 

First Reading (Is 2: 1-5): The Lord will gather all people into His kingdom

Second Reading (Rom 13: 11: 14): Salvation is near, we should stay awake

Gospel (Mt 24: 37-44): Be alert, prepare for the coming of the Son of Man

Chinese Classics:

-“While you do not know life, how can you know about death? (While you do not know about death, how can you know about life?)” (1)

 

“You must keep awake and be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. (cf Mt 24: 42-44)

 

Advent is the New Year Day of the Church's liturgical year, it marks the first day of the Church's calendar year. Strange as it seems, today's Readings are about the end of the world and the second coming of Christ.

 

Jesus reminds his disciples that they must be ready at all times. They should not be like people at the time of Noah who would not believe the flood was going to destroy the earth. Even as catastrophe approached, they remained befuddled. They ridiculed Noah, so when the flood waters came they were all swept away.

 

Jesus said that the coming of the Son of Man would be like that, suddenly, when people were unprepared. Therefore he said, “You must keep awake and be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” (cf Mt 24: 42-44)

 

To talk about the end of the world at the New Year makes sense. At this point I would like to share with you an important topic, and that is bringing the future into the present; beginning with the future, connecting up the future with the present time.

 

Confucius has a famous saying, ”While you do not know about life, how can you know about death?”(1) That is to say, if you do not know what life is all about, how can you understand what we mean by death? If you cannot understand life, something that is within your grasp, which you can manage every day, how can you ever comprehend death which you cannot manage and with which you have little contact.

 

So the saying, ‘while you do not know life, how can you know about death’ really is quite reasonable. But there is another side to the saying and that is, ”while you do not know about death, how can you know about life.” That is to say, how can we live today if we do not know about death? It is similar to not knowing our final destination so we do not know the way to go. If we do not know the general circumstances of the road ahead, how can we know how to prepare? If we do not know if the place where we are going will be hot or cold, how will we know to bring the right clothing?

 

Today is determined by the future; life is determined by death. This is what is meant by the saying, “If you do not know about death, how can you know about life?” We should be positive about death, accept it, try to understand it. Only in that way can we know how to live and especially how to live in the present.

 

Once I heard someone say, “I hope that when I was born I was crying and everyone around me was smiling. But I hope even more that when I die I will be smiling and others will be weeping for me.” Why would I be smiling? Because I would have led a good life, completed my life's journey with glory. It is as the Apostle Paul said,, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race.” It is why he could say with pride, “What remains is for me to receive the crown of eternal life.” (Ref 2 Tim 4: 7-8)

 

I hope that how I die in the future will determine how I live my life today. That is bringing the future into the present. Or as we said, “Anticipate the future.” This is not a sophisticated philosophy of life but a reality that can be illustrated by many examples. For example, if I want to have good results in my studies, I must work hard now; if I hope to have success in dating I must learn how to understand, accept, appreciate and be tolerant of the other.

 

“While you do not know about death, how can you know about life?”(1) Only when we are clear about life's goal can we know the road that leads there.

 

Here we should be aware of two points. First, we must be alert, as it is written in the Epistle to the Romans: “You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. The night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day.” (Rom 13: 11 – 13)

 

To ‘live honorably as in the day’ means to put aside deeds of ‘darkness’ and live in ‘brightness,’ seeing clearly where we are going, what are our ideals and what road we must take. As Isaiah said, “Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths. They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. (Is 2: 1-5)

 

This is the world we want to make, our future vista. In the future weapons that kill will be turned into tools of production, reasons for initiating battles will become terms for peace. We know this is our goal and from this day on we will live for this.

 

We must work hard, we must be sober. From now on we direct our lives toward the future. As of today this road is the direction we choose to take.

 

Only when we put forth lifelong effort into this, can we reach our final destination and be smiling when we die, because we have finished life's journey, completed our life. All those around us will weep for us because they have lost a good friend, a good partner, a good companion, who has traveled together on the same beautiful life journey. They have lost a friend who could enlighten their lives and encourage them to continue the struggle for life.

 

If we want to be smiling when we die and our associates weep for us, we must begin today to bring the future into the present.

 

Let us begin today to live life as we hope it will end so that we will have no regrets at the time of death. At this time of New Year let us reflect on the end of time, as new life begins, let us think of death.

 

Let us understand life as well as death, understand death as well as life. From this day on let us bring the future into the present!

 

(1) 未知生，焉知死；(未知死，焉知生)。