四旬期第一主日

日跌七次的義人

讀經一：(創2:7-9;3:1-7)：原祖父母違命
讀經二：(羅5:12-19)：罪惡雖多，恩寵卻更豐富
福　音：(瑪4:1-11)：耶穌三退魔誘
中國文化：暴虎馮河，死而無悔者，吾不與也。必也，臨事而懼，好謀而成者也。

在今天的讀經中，耶穌三次受魔鬼誘惑，也三次戰勝了魔鬼。讓我們簡單重溫這故事：

有一次，耶穌被聖神領往曠野，受魔鬼試探。他守了四十天嚴齋後，便感覺饑餓了，魔鬼就來對他說：「你若是天主子，就命這些石頭變成餅吧！」他回答說：「經上記載：人生活不只靠餅，也靠天主口中的言語。」

於是魔鬼再引他到聖殿頂上，對他說：「你若是天主子，就跳下去，因為經上記載：他為你吩咐了自己的天使，用手托著你，免得你的腳踫在石頭上。」耶穌對他說：「經上又記載：你不可試探上主，你的天主！」

魔鬼又把他帶到一座高山上，給他看世上的一切榮華富貴，對他說：「你若朝拜我，我必要把這一切交給你。」那時，耶穌對他說：「去罷，撒殫！因為經上記載：你要朝拜上主，你的天主，唯獨侍奉他。」（參考瑪4:1-11）

耶穌基督貴為天主子，三次受誘惑。他的表樣告訴我們，我們每一個人很難避免受誘惑，而且我們在受誘惑的過程中，難免會有軟弱的時候。但聖經告訴我們不要害怕，這一切都是源於原罪。

我們的原祖父母背叛了天主，把罪帶到世上來，使我們都變成易於犯罪，擁有一個軟弱的身體，就如保祿在羅馬人書說：「罪惡藉著一個人進入了世界，死亡也藉著罪惡而來。如此，死亡便殃及全人類。」（參考羅5:12-19）

保祿在羅馬人書中所描述的罪惡泛濫，已到了十分可怕的地步：所有人都犯了罪，無論是否選民或信神與否，大家都是罪人。他甚至形容我們由內至外，都好像生滿毒瘡一樣。但保祿宗徒的重點並不在於對罪惡的描寫，他最後要帶出的是：恩寵遠遠勝過罪惡。他說：「恩寵決不是過犯所能比較的，因為既然由於一個人的過犯眾人都死了，這樣，天主的恩寵，更要豐富地賜予眾人。就如因一個人的過犯，全人類都被定了罪，同樣，因一個人的正義行為，全人類都獲得正義，並獲得生命。」

我們都是人，都會受誘惑，都有軟弱和跌倒的時候。基督徒有一個特點，就是完全不怕自己會跌倒、或曾經跌倒、或將會跌倒。奧斯定說了一句很好的話：「當我聽到聖經上提及義人每天七次跌倒時，我就感到很安慰。」

奧斯定自己有很獨特的經驗，他年青時是個放蕩不羈的人，當他回憶過去時，他講了兩段小逸事。他說他有時會去偷別人園中的水果，理由並非在自己的園中沒有水果，而是要體味偷東西的樂趣。

他又說，他有時與青年朋友一起講犯罪的經驗時，他會自豪地告訴別人，他連犯的罪也比別人的多、比別人的大。這樣，他便連犯罪也勝過別人了！就是這樣的一個奧斯定說，當他看到聖經說義人每日跌倒七次時，感到很安慰。

其實亦只有義人才能每日跌倒「七次」，而不義的人卻可能一生只跌倒「一次」，因為他跌倒了就永遠不爬起來，他也就不可能會再跌倒第二次！

一個義人可以每日跌倒七次，因為他每一次跌倒都不會灰心、失望，他會不斷地掙扎著爬起來。

今天也是慕道者的甄選禮，甄選禮就是慕道者申請要求接受洗禮。我希望各位慕道者記著，洗禮是一件聖事，也是一個我們願意終生接受基督的標記。在領洗後我們會有一個新的價值觀、新的人生觀。以後我們對誘惑和罪惡，都應有不同的態度。

領洗後我們仍然會經驗到自己的軟弱，我們會經驗到自己仍然是罪人，有時可能犯罪更多。但這些都不重要，更重要的是我們在基督內會重拾信心，重新面對自己。

基督自己也曾受過三次誘惑，所以我們不怕受三次、三十次、三千次的誘惑。我們甚至不怕曾經跌倒，因為無論我們以往的生命如何，我們總可以為過去劃上句號，揭開生命新的一頁，重新開始。

孔子說：「暴虎馮河，死而無悔者，吾不與也。必也，臨事而懼，好謀而成者也。」（論語‧述而）意思是說：孔子不會學那些光憑勇氣就徒手打虎，遇河就冒然游過去，至死也不知後悔的人；他要在遇大事時懷著戒懼之心，然後運用機智去完成該做的事。

如果我們善用我們曾經有過受誘惑的、甚至犯罪的經驗，我們就更容易「臨事而懼，好謀而成」，以戰戰兢兢的心情，依靠著那位賜給我們力量的天主，去勇敢的面對一切誘惑了。

四旬期第一主日

日跌七次的义人

读经一：(创2:7-9;3:1-7)：原祖父母违命
读经二：(罗5:12-19)：罪恶虽多，恩宠却更丰富
福　音：(玛4:1-11)：耶稣三退魔誘
中国文化：暴虎冯河，死而无悔者，吾不与也。必也，临事而惧，好谋而成者也。

在今天的读经中，耶稣三次受魔鬼誘惑，也三次战胜了魔鬼。让我们简单重温这故事：

有一次，耶稣被圣神领往旷野，受魔鬼试探。他守了四十天严斋后，便感觉饥饿了，魔鬼就来对他说：「你若是天主子，就命这些石头变成饼吧！」他回答说：「经上记载：人生活不只靠饼，也靠天主口中的言语。」

於是魔鬼再引他到圣殿顶上，对他说：「你若是天主子，就跳下去，因为经上记载：他为你吩咐了自己的天使，用手托著你，免得你的脚碰在石头上。」耶稣对他说：「经上又记载：你不可试探上主，你的天主！」

魔鬼又把他带到一座高山上，给他看世上的一切荣华富贵，对他说：「你若朝拜我，我必要把这一切交给你。」那時，耶稣对他说：「去罢，撒殚！因为经上记载：你要朝拜上主，你的天主，唯独侍奉他。」（参考玛4:1-11）

耶稣基督贵为天主子，三次受誘惑。他的表样告诉我们，我们每一個人很难避免受誘惑，而且我们在受誘惑的過程中，难免会有软弱的時候。但圣经告诉我们不要害怕，这一切都是源於原罪。

我们的原祖父母背叛了天主，把罪带到世上来，使我们都变成易於犯罪，拥有一個软弱的身体，就如保禄在罗马人书说：「罪恶藉著一個人进入了世界，死亡也藉著罪恶而来。如此，死亡便殃及全人类。」（参考罗5:12-19）

保禄在罗马人书中所描述的罪恶泛滥，已到了十分可怕的地步：所有人都犯了罪，无论是否选民或信神与否，大家都是罪人。他甚至形容我们由内至外，都好像生满毒疮一样。但保禄宗徒的重点并不在於对罪恶的描写，他最后要带出的是：恩宠遠遠胜過罪恶。他说：「恩宠决不是過犯所能比较的，因为既然由於一個人的過犯众人都死了，这样，天主的恩宠，更要丰富地赐予众人。就如因一個人的過犯，全人类都被定了罪，同样，因一個人的正义行为，全人类都获得正义，并获得生命。」

我们都是人，都会受誘惑，都有软弱和跌倒的時候。基督徒有一個特点，就是完全不怕自己会跌倒、或曾经跌倒、或将会跌倒。奥斯定说了一句很好的话：「当我听到圣经上提及义人每天七次跌倒時，我就感到很安慰。」

奥斯定自己有很独特的经验，他年青時是個放荡不羁的人，当他回憶過去時，他讲了两段小逸事。他说他有時会去偷别人园中的水果，理由并非在自己的园中没有水果，而是要体味偷东西的乐趣。

他又说，他有時与青年朋友一起讲犯罪的经验時，他会自豪地告诉别人，他连犯的罪也比别人的多、比别人的大。这样，他便连犯罪也胜過别人了！就是这样的一個奥斯定说，当他看到圣经说义人每日跌倒七次時，感到很安慰。

其实亦只有义人才能每日跌倒「七次」，而不义的人却可能一生只跌倒「一次」，因为他跌倒了就永遠不爬起来，他也就不可能会再跌倒第二次！

一個义人可以每日跌倒七次，因为他每一次跌倒都不会灰心、失望，他会不断地挣扎著爬起来。

今天也是慕道者的甄选礼，甄选礼就是慕道者申请要求接受洗礼。我希望各位慕道者记著，洗礼是一件圣事，也是一個我们願意终生接受基督的标记。在领洗后我们会有一個新的价值观、新的人生观。以后我们对誘惑和罪恶，都应有不同的态度。

领洗后我们仍然会经验到自己的软弱，我们会经验到自己仍然是罪人，有時可能犯罪更多。但这些都不重要，更重要的是我们在基督内会重拾信心，重新面对自己。

基督自己也曾受過三次誘惑，所以我们不怕受三次、三十次、三千次的誘惑。我们甚至不怕曾经跌倒，因为无论我们以往的生命如何，我们总可以为過去劃上句号，揭開生命新的一页，重新開始。

孔子说：「暴虎冯河，死而无悔者，吾不与也。必也，临事而惧，好谋而成者也。」（论语・ 述而）意思是说：孔子不会学那些光凭勇气就徒手打虎，遇河就冒然游過去，至死也不知后悔的人；他要在遇大事時怀著戒惧之心，然后运用机智去完成該做的事。

如果我们善用我们曾经有過受誘惑的、甚至犯罪的经验，我们就更容易「临事而惧，好谋而成」，以战战兢兢的心情，依靠著那位赐给我们力量的天主，去勇敢的面对一切誘惑了。

First Sunday of Lent

A Just Person May Falls Seven Times a Day

First Reading ( Gen 2:7-9;3:1-7 ) : Our first parents disobeyed God
Second Reading ( Rom 5:12-19 ) : When sins are many, God's grace is even greater
Gospel ( Mt 4:1-11 ) : Jesus rejected Satan's temptations three times
Chinese Classics:
The Master said, “I would not have him live with me, who will die without regret by attacking a tiger unarmed, or cross a river without a boat. My associate must be the man who proceeds to action full of solicitude, who is fond of adjusting his plans, and then puts them into execution.” (1)

In today's Scripture reading, Jesus was tempted by the devil three times and repudiated the devil three times. Let us review the story:

Once Jesus was sent by the Holy Spirit into the desert to be tempted by Satan. After fasting forty days and nights he was hungry. The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, order these stones to be turned into bread." Jesus answered, ‘It is written, One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

Next the devil led him to the highest pinnacle of the temple and said "If you are the Son of God," Throw yourself down, for it is written: 'He has commanded his angels to hold you up by the hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’

Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms and splendour of the world and said to him, "All this I will give you if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” ’ (Ref Mt 4:1-11)

Jesus Christ was the Son of God and was tempted three times. His example teaches us that it is difficult for any one of us to avoid temptation, and in the course of being tempted there inevitably will be times of weakness. But Scripture tells us not to be afraid, as all of this stems from original sin.

Our first parents disobeyed God and brought sin into the world so that we all have become prone to commit sin. Our bodies are weak and as St. Paul said in his Letter to the Romans, “Sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all’ (Ref Rom 5:12-19)

In the Letter to the Romans Paul spoke of sin having already reached a fearful stage: all human beings have sinned. Whether they are part of the Chosen People or do not believe in God, all people are sinners. Paul describes us as having running sores, as if our internal dispositions have spread to our bodies. But his main point is not about a description of sin but rather that grace will triumph over sin. He says: ‘The free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man's trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift abounded for the many. Therefore just as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all.’

We are all human and we all can be tempted. We are weak at times and we sometimes fall into sin. Christians do have one salient point, we are not afraid that we will fall. St. Augustine had an apt saying: “I am very consoled when I read the words of Scripture ‘that the just person falls seven times a day.”

Augustine himself had a rather unique experience. As a youth he was quite a wayward person. After his conversion he recalled two incidents. He said that he sometimes stole fruit from other peoples' gardens, not that his own garden had no fruit but because he wanted to enjoy the satisfaction of stealing.

He also said that sometimes when he shared an experience of wrong-doing with other young people he would boast that he had committed more and bigger crimes than others. In this way, even in committing sin he was greater than others! It was this same Augustine who said that he was comforted by the Scriptural passage about the righteous person falling seven times a day.

In fact only a righteous person could fall ‘seven times’ whereas those who are not righteous may fall only “one time” during a lifetime. Because when he falls he will never rise again, so it is
impossible for him to fall a second time!

The righteous person may fall seven times a day because each time he falls he does not succumb to discouragement or despair. He is determined to rise up again.

Today we have the Rite of Election (catechumens' second step in the Rite of Initiation) during which the catechumens' ask for Baptism. I hope each one will bear in mind that Baptism is a Sacrament which symbolizes that we wish to commit ourselves to Christ for our entire lives. After we are baptized we have a new set of values and a new perspective on life. Thereafter we also should have a different attitude towards temptation and sin.

After baptism, we may still experience our weaknesses and the fact that we are still sinners and may still sin again. That is not important, what is important is that we regain confidence in the power of Christ and face ourselves anew.

Even Christ was tempted three times, so we should not be afraid to be tempted three times, thirty times, three thousand times! We do not even fear past failures, because no matter what our past has been like, we can always put a full stop to it and open up a new page of life and begin anew.

Confucius said, “I would not have him to live with me, who will die without regret by attacking a tiger unarmed, or crossing a river without a boat. My associate must be the man who proceeds to action full of solicitude, who is fond of adjusting his plans, and then putting them into execution.”(1) (Confucian Analects, Book VII, Shu R, Chapter 10) What Confucius meant was that he would not behave like those people who would go to fight a tiger unarmed or recklessly swim across a river,. then die without feeling regret. Confucius believed that when dealing with important events, one should proceed with caution, using our intelligence to complete the tasks allotted to us.

If we make good use of our experiences of temptation, even of past sins, it will be easier for us to respond like the man Confucius described: “he proceeds to action full of solicitude who is fond of adjusting his plans, and then puts them into execution.” (1) Proceeding with caution, meanwhile depending on God who give us strength, we can courageously face whatever temptations life brings.

(1)暴虎馮河，死而無悔者，吾不與也。必也，臨事而懼，好謀而成者也。