基督聖體聖血節
完全犧牲手冊
讀經一:(出24:3-8):盟約的血
讀經二:(希9:11-15):基督的血潔淨人心
福 音:(谷14:12-16,22-26):耶穌為人類獻出體血
中國文化: 文章是案頭的山水,山水是地上的文章
民不畏死,奈何以死懼之?
進餐時,耶穌拿起餅,祝謝後,把餅分開,遞給門徒說:「你們拿去吃罷!這是我的身體。」然後又拿起杯來,感謝後,遞給他們,他們都喝了。耶穌說:「這是我的血、盟約的血、為大眾所傾流的。」(谷14:22-24)
我們的生命是一部書,基督的生命也是一部書。如果我們懂得欣賞,連這個世界也會變成一部書、一部大書。
張潮的《幽夢影》說:「文章是案頭的山水,山水是地上的文章」。意思是:我們可以從文章去看到地上的山水,我們也可以把地上的山水、田園、風物,當作一篇文章去看,看出造化的神奇,參透宇宙的秘密。
如果基督是一部書,我們在這上面可以讀到什麼?我們讀到的是他的愛、他的偉大、他為人類而作的犧牲。
他為愛而犧牲,為我們而犧牲;他完全的愛,導致他完全的犧牲。他的整個生命,就是一部顯示他如何為人而完全犧牲的《完全犧牲手冊》。
耶穌以天主之尊,降生而成卑微的人。神人之別,比起人禽之別還要大無數倍;但是他選擇了做人。這是第一重犧牲。
他進入世界而又選擇了一個弱小的民族、一個細小的國家,並要成為一群亡國奴的一員。就連他的家鄉也特別受人歧視,以致竟然有人說:「從納匝肋還能出什麼好事嗎?」(若1:46)這是第二重犧牲。
他降生成人而又選擇做窮人。他的養父是木匠,他的母親是個樸素之極的鄉村姑娘。這是第三重犧牲。
他的門徒多是不學無術的漁夫;和他交往的人,也多半是社會上的邊緣人和低下層的人士。出身不好,交遊微賤。中國人說:「未觀其人,先觀其友。」看到耶穌的朋友,怎麼還會有人瞧得起耶穌這個人呢?這是第四重犧牲。
他的生活本身也很清苦,他對自己的形容是:「狐狸有穴,天上的飛鳥有巢;但是人子卻沒有枕頭的地方。」(路9:58)說自己是擁有整個宇宙的天主,但竟然是居無片瓦、貧無立錐!這是第五重犧牲。
當他身懸十字架的時候,他上不到天,下不到地,群眾捨棄了他,門徒躲了起來,連他天天掛在口邊的至愛的天父,也隱藏不見、靜默無聲。唯一支持他,而又愛莫能助的,只有十字架下悲痛欲絕的母親,和十二人中的「一個」門徒。這是第六重犧牲,也是一個人能作到的最後而完全的犧牲。
他還可以犧牲什麼?中國人說:「民不畏死,奈何以死懼之?」因為當一個人連死都不怕時,他便可以什麼都不怕了,因為死亡是最終的結局。死了,就什麼都完了。
但耶穌的犧牲卻是超越了死亡的界限,死亡沒有讓他完全自由、解脫;他在完全犧牲以後,還在繼續犧牲。
他建立了聖體聖事!
「你們大家拿去吃!」他成了人們的食糧,他把自己放在我們的手中,在所有人的手中:好人、壞人,堪當的、不堪當的,善人、惡人,信徒、非信徒……。
他怎樣才能保護自己?他不需要保護自己!他是最強大的,卻成了最柔弱、最易受傷的。他成了一個最易受傷的人、一個最易受傷的天主。
這不是一次過的行動,而是永久的贈與。只要那裡有人,他便會毫無選擇地??或更好說,他已經作了這樣的選擇??作他們的食糧,進入他們的心中。
我們呼之,他就來,揮之,他就去。他屬於我們,完全屬於我們。他已經豁出了。
他的血也注定要為大眾傾流、流到盡。他沒有想過他流的血有沒有用,因為這不在他的權下,而完全在我們的權下。
只要我們不願意,他不能拯救我們;我們絕對可以使他的血白白的傾流淨盡!如果我們真的能狠起心腸,對著他的大愛冷笑,他便只能在那裡無助地顫抖、幽怨地長嘆。
但為什麼竟會有人讓這個完全犧牲的天主,白白犧牲、白白流血呢?你又會如何回應這個完全為你犧牲、作你食糧的天主呢?
基督圣体圣血节
完全牺牲手册
读经一:(出24:3-8):盟约的血
读经二:(希9:11-15):基督的血洁净人心
福 音:(谷14:12-16,22-26):耶稣为人类献出体血
中国文化: 文章是案头的山水,山水是地上的文章
民不畏死,奈何以死惧之?
进餐時,耶稣拿起饼,祝谢后,把饼分開,递给门徒说:「你们拿去吃罢!这是我的身体。」然后又拿起杯来,感谢后,递给他们,他们都喝了。耶稣说:「这是我的血、盟约的血、为大众所倾流的。」(谷14:22-24)
我们的生命是一部书,基督的生命也是一部书。如果我们懂得欣赏,连这個世界也会变成一部书、一部大书。
张潮的《幽梦影》 说:「文章是案头的山水,山水是地上的文章」。意思是:我们可以从文章去看到地上的山水,我们也可以把地上的山水、田园、风物,当作一篇文章去看,看出造化的神奇,参透宇宙的秘密。
如果基督是一部书,我们在这上面可以读到什么?我们读到的是他的爱、他的伟大、他为人类而作的牺牲。
他为爱而牺牲,为我们而牺牲;他完全的爱,导致他完全的牺牲。他的整個生命,就是一部显示他如何为人而完全牺牲的《完全牺牲手册》 。
耶稣以天主之尊,降生而成卑微的人。神人之别,比起人禽之别还要大无数倍;但是他选择了做人。这是第一重牺牲。
他进入世界而又选择了一個弱小的民族、一個细小的国家,并要成为一群亡国奴的一员。就连他的家乡也特别受人歧视,以致竟然有人说:「从纳匝肋还能出什么好事吗?」(若1:46)这是第二重牺牲。
他降生成人而又选择做穷人。他的养父是木匠,他的母亲是個朴素之极的乡村姑娘。这是第三重牺牲。
他的门徒多是不学无术的渔夫;和他交往的人,也多半是社会上的边缘人和低下层的人士。出身不好,交游微贱。中国人说:「未观其人,先观其友。」看到耶稣的朋友,怎么还会有人瞧得起耶稣这個人呢?这是第四重牺牲。
他的生活本身也很清苦,他对自己的形容是:「狐狸有穴,天上的飞鸟有巢;但是人子却没有枕头的地方。」(路9:58)说自己是拥有整個宇宙的天主,但竟然是居无片瓦、贫无立錐!这是第五重牺牲。
当他身悬十字架的時候,他上不到天,下不到地,群众舍弃了他,门徒躲了起来,连他天天掛在口边的至爱的天父,也隐藏不见、静默无声。唯一支持他,而又爱莫能助的,只有十字架下悲痛欲绝的母亲,和十二人中的「一個」门徒。这是第六重牺牲,也是一個人能作到的最后而完全的牺牲。
他还可以牺牲什么?中国人说:「民不畏死,奈何以死惧之?」因为当一個人连死都不怕時,他便可以什么都不怕了,因为死亡是最终的结局。死了,就什么都完了。
但耶稣的牺牲却是超越了死亡的界限,死亡没有让他完全自由、解脱;他在完全牺牲以后,还在继续牺牲。
他建立了圣体圣事!
「你们大家拿去吃!」他成了人们的食粮,他把自己放在我们的手中,在所有人的手中:好人、坏人,堪当的、不堪当的,善人、恶人,信徒、非信徒……。
他怎样才能保护自己?他不需要保护自己!他是最强大的,却成了最柔弱、最易受伤的。他成了一個最易受伤的人、一個最易受伤的天主。
这不是一次過的行动,而是永久的赠与。只要那里有人,他便会毫无选择地??或更好说,他已经作了这样的选择??作他们的食粮,进入他们的心中。
我们呼之,他就来,挥之,他就去。他属於我们,完全属於我们。他已经豁出了。
他的血也注定要为大众倾流、流到尽。他没有想過他流的血有没有用,因为这不在他的权下,而完全在我们的权下。
只要我们不願意,他不能拯救我们;我们绝对可以使他的血白白的倾流净尽!如果我们真的能狠起心肠,对著他的大爱冷笑,他便只能在那里无助地颤抖、幽怨地长叹。
但为什么竟会有人让这個完全牺牲的天主,白白牺牲、白白流血呢?你又会如何回应这個完全为你牺牲、作你食粮的天主呢?
Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)
A Book of Total Sacrifice
First Reading ( Ex 24:3-8 ) : The blood of the covenant
Second Reading ( Heb 9:11-15 ) : The blood of Christ purifies us
Gospel ( Mk 14:12-16,22-26 : Jesus offered his Body and Blood for all people
Chinese Classics
- “Literary writing is scenes of nature seen from a desktop. Nature scenes are the basis for literary writing.”(1)
-“The people do not fear to die. What is gained therefore by threatening them with death?”(2)
While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.’ (Mk 14: 22-24)
Our life is a book. The life of Jesus is also a book. If we know how to appreciate it, this world too can become a book, a voluminous work.
Zhang Chao in The Shadow of a Dream wrote, “Literary writing is scenes of nature seen from a desktop. Nature scenes are the basis for literary writing.”(1) What he meant was that from a piece of writing we can enter into and enjoy mountains and streams of the whole world. We also can look on mountains and streams, fields and pastures, the wind and all creatures as a piece of writing, and from it see the wonders of creation and the mystery of the universe.
If Christ were a book, what could we read in it? What we read would be his love, his greatness and the sacrifice of his life for all humanity. It was because of love that he sacrificed himself for us. His total love brought about his supreme sacrifice. His whole life is a revelation of how he sacrificed himself completely for love of us. In other words, his whole life is a 'book of total sacrifice'.
Jesus put aside his infinite Godhead, and became a lowly human being. The difference between God and humans far surpasses that between humans and animals. But Jesus chose to become a human being. This is the first level of sacrifice. When he came into the world, he chose to become part of a powerless nation of people, a small country, a subjugated people. Even his native village was ridiculed so much that it was said: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”(Jn 1:46) This is the second level of sacrifice.
He became a human being and chose to be poor. His foster father was a carpenter; his mother was a simple village maiden. This is the third level of sacrifice. His disciples were illiterate fishermen. More than half of those with whom he socialized were marginalized people from the lower social strata. His background was not prestigious, his friends were poor and lowly. The Chinese often say, “Before looking at a person, look at the person's circle of friends.” Looking at his friends, who would look up to someone like Jesus? This is the fourth sacrifice.
His life-style was poor and simple. He said of himself, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Lk 9:58) This man claims to be Lord of the universe and yet he has no fixed abode! This is the fifth level of sacrifice. When his body hung upon the cross, suspended between heaven and earth, the crowd deserted him and his disciples abandoned him. God the Father whom he loved the most and to whom he had prayed daily, was silent and hidden from him. The only ones who supported him, full of love but helpless, were his sorrowing mother who stood at the foot of the cross, and 'one' of the twelve apostles. This is the sixth sacrifice and the ultimate, total sacrifice a person can make.
What more could he sacrifice? There is a Chinese saying, “The people do not fear death. What is to be gained by threatening them with death?” (2) If a person does not fear even death, then there is nothing else to fear. Death is final, the ultimate end.
But Jesus' sacrifice transcended the limits placed by death, his dying did not leave him completely free. That is to say, having sacrificed himself totally, he continued to offer himself. He instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist!
“Take and eat!” He becomes our food. He puts himself into our hands, into the hands of all sorts of people, good and bad, worthy and unworthy, believers and unbelievers alike. How can he protect himself? But there is no such need! He is almighty, yet he becomes the weakest and most easily wounded of all. He becomes the most vulnerable God. And this is not a single act done once for all, it is an everlasting gift. As long as there are people, he chooses without hesitation, or better still, has chosen already, to become their food, enter into their inmost being.
We send for him and he comes. We dismiss him and he goes. He belongs to us, he is totally at our disposal. He is willing and ready for any risk. His blood is destined to be poured out in full for all of us. He does not consider whether this outpouring is useful or not. He has no say at all, he is entirely under our control.
If we are unwilling to be saved he is powerless to save us; it is absolutely within our power to cause his blood to have been poured out in vain! If we really harden our hearts and scorn his love, he can only look on helplessly, sighing with great sadness.
How is it that there are really people who would allow this God who makes such a supreme sacrifice, sacrifice himself and shed his blood in vain? And you, how do you respond to this God who sacrifices himself so completely for you and becomes for you the very Bread of Life?
(1)文章是案頭的山水,山水是地上的文章。
(2) 民不畏死,奈何以死懼之?