聖家節

此身誰屬？

讀經一：(創15:1-6;21:1-3)：天主允許賜亞巴郎兒子
讀經二：(希11:8,11-12,17-19)：聖祖的信德
福　音：(路2:22-40)：受割損與獻於聖殿；西默盎及亞納的預言
中國文化： 一願郎君千歲，二願妾身常健，
三願如同梁上燕，歲歲長相見。

滿了八天，孩子應受割損，遂給他起名叫耶穌。一滿了他們取潔的日期，他們便帶著孩子上耶路撒冷去獻給上主，就如上主的法律上所記載的：「凡開胎首生的男性，應祝聖於上主。」並該照上主法律上所吩咐的，獻上祭物：一對斑鳩或兩隻雛鴿。……耶穌的父母按上主的法律，行完了一切，便返回了加里肋亞，他們的本城納匝肋。孩子漸漸長大而強壯，充滿智慧，天主的恩寵常在他身上。(路2:21-24;39-40)

耶穌的父母??若瑟、瑪利亞，都是熱心的猶太人，純樸、忠實、虔誠，一生謹守上主的法律。在這段經文中，我們看到他們正在遵行猶太人的三條古老禮節：割損禮、贖回首生子、取潔禮。

割損禮：每個猶太男孩在出生後八日，都要接受割損，「作為我（天主）與你們之間的盟約的標記……我的約刻在你們的肉體上，作為永久的約。」(創17:11,13)

耶穌接受割損禮，因為他雖然是天主，是眾人的救主，超越一切文化、種族和宗教，但他仍然選擇了要做一個真真正正的猶太人。

耶穌是猶太人，他愛自己的同胞，所以他特別為耶路撒冷的命運而哭泣。耶穌是人，所以他也有一些較親密的朋友，例如伯多祿、若望、瑪爾大一家人等等。耶穌待人真誠，情感豐富，愛心強烈，充滿了悲天憫人的情懷。他是真天主、又是真人，是一個堂堂正正、百分百的、充滿人情味的人。

當然，一個人的肉身割損並不保證他就一定屬於天主，申命紀第三十章第六節，耶肋米亞第九章第廿五節，羅馬書第二章第廿九節，都強調要有心靈的割損，才能使我們真正而完全的屬於天主，才能使我們一生忠於盟約。

贖回首生子：猶太人相信，天主是生命之主，我們由他而來，將來落葉歸根，也要回到他那裡去。所以凡是頭生的男性，無論是人或公牛，都是屬於天主的，是仁慈天主的恩賜，所以要奉獻給上主，再由他手中把首生者贖回來。

耶穌是天主子，瑪利亞和若瑟在行這禮節時，應該會有一種更深刻的感受。他們把耶穌奉獻給天主後，再從天主的手中，贖回這個原屬於天主的大禮物，帶他回家，和他一起生活，和睦、共融、親愛地生活。在奉獻和贖回之間，他們的心是多麼的充滿著感恩和期盼的幸福之情啊！

取潔禮：依猶太人的傳統，婦女生產孩子後，就變為不潔，不能進入聖殿或參與宗教禮儀。她們在不潔的日期期滿之後，要到聖殿按上主的法律獻上羔羊和鴿子以贖罪。買不起羔羊的，可奉獻一對鴿子，這叫做「窮人之祭。」瑪利亞是窮人，她獻上的，正是這種窮人之祭。

割損、贖回、取潔，這三種禮節的背後，都蘊藏著一種很深的信仰：即相信我們都是屬於天主的。天主是萬有之原，是一切幸福的基礎，當然也是幸福家庭的基礎，更是耶穌、瑪利亞、若瑟這個「聖家」的基礎。

有一首詞，描述中國古時女人對丈夫的歸屬、愛慕和依戀。她們沒有自己，只有丈夫。所以她們的一生就只有三個強烈的願望：「一願郎君千歲，二願妾身常健，三願如同梁上燕，歲歲長相見。」

聖家之於天主，在這種歸屬、愛慕和依戀上，一定會有過之而無不及。一個按照天主的聖意而生活，依照天主的法律而辦事的家，也一定是一個以天主為中心的家。

若瑟的故事，我們知道的不多，但單單看他在不明白瑪利亞為何懷孕而仍娶瑪利亞，及聽了天使的報夢而星夜帶著瑪利亞和小耶穌逃難埃及這兩件事，便足夠證明他對天主是如何的信賴和服從了。

瑪利亞的「主之婢女在茲，希唯致成於我，如爾之言」這句名言，更是人類順服天主的千古典範。

至於耶穌，保祿形容他是一個「空虛自己、聽命至死，且死在十字架上」的人，他對天父更是如何完全、絕對的順服！

我曾經見到有些公教家庭在家中掛上一個牌子，上面寫著：「天主是我家之主」，或「基督是我家之主」。這些家庭大概也是以天主為中心的聖家吧？

圣家节

此身谁属？

读经一：(创15:1-6;21:1-3)：天主允许赐亚巴郎儿子
读经二：(希11:8,11-12,17-19)：圣祖的信德
福　音：(路2:22-40)：受割损与献於圣殿；西默盎及亚纳的预言
中国文化： 一願郎君千岁，二願妾身常健，
三願如同梁上燕，岁岁长相见。

满了八天，孩子应受割损，遂给他起名叫耶稣。一满了他们取洁的日期，他们便带著孩子上耶路撒冷去献给上主，就如上主的法律上所记载的：「凡開胎首生的男性，应祝圣於上主。」并該照上主法律上所吩咐的，献上祭物：一对斑鸠或两只雏鸽。……耶稣的父母按上主的法律，行完了一切，便返回了加里肋亚，他们的本城纳匝肋。孩子渐渐长大而强壮，充满智慧，天主的恩宠常在他身上。(路2:21-24;39-40)

耶稣的父母??若瑟、玛利亚，都是热心的犹太人，纯朴、忠实、虔诚，一生谨守上主的法律。在这段经文中，我们看到他们正在遵行犹太人的三条古老礼节：割损礼、赎回首生子、取洁礼。

割损礼：每個犹太男孩在出生后八日，都要接受割损，「作为我（天主）与你们之间的盟约的标记……我的约刻在你们的肉体上，作为永久的约。」(创17:11,13)

耶稣接受割损礼，因为他虽然是天主，是众人的救主，超越一切文化、种族和宗教，但他仍然选择了要做一個真真正正的犹太人。

耶稣是犹太人，他爱自己的同胞，所以他特别为耶路撒冷的命运而哭泣。耶稣是人，所以他也有一些较亲密的朋友，例如伯多禄、若望、玛尔大一家人等等。耶稣待人真诚，情感丰富，爱心强烈，充满了悲天悯人的情怀。他是真天主、又是真人，是一個堂堂正正、百分百的、充满人情味的人。

当然，一個人的肉身割损并不保证他就一定属於天主，申命纪第三十章第六节，耶肋米亚第九章第廿五节，罗马书第二章第廿九节，都强调要有心灵的割损，才能使我们真正而完全的属於天主，才能使我们一生忠於盟约。

赎回首生子：犹太人相信，天主是生命之主，我们由他而来，将来落叶归根，也要回到他那里去。所以凡是头生的男性，无论是人或公牛，都是属於天主的，是仁慈天主的恩赐，所以要奉献给上主，再由他手中把首生者赎回来。

耶稣是天主子，玛利亚和若瑟在行这礼节時，应該会有一种更深刻的感受。他们把耶稣奉献给天主后，再从天主的手中，赎回这個原属於天主的大礼物，带他回家，和他一起生活，和睦、共融、亲爱地生活。在奉献和赎回之间，他们的心是多么的充满著感恩和期盼的幸福之情啊！

取洁礼：依犹太人的传统，妇女生產孩子后，就变为不洁，不能进入圣殿或参与宗教礼仪。她们在不洁的日期期满之后，要到圣殿按上主的法律献上羔羊和鸽子以赎罪。买不起羔羊的，可奉献一对鸽子，这叫做「穷人之祭。」玛利亚是穷人，她献上的，正是这种穷人之祭。

割损、赎回、取洁，这三种礼节的背后，都蕴藏著一种很深的信仰：即相信我们都是属於天主的。天主是万有之原，是一切幸福的基础，当然也是幸福家庭的基础，更是耶稣、玛利亚、若瑟这個「圣家」的基础。

有一首词，描述中国古時女人对丈夫的归属、爱慕和依恋。她们没有自己，只有丈夫。所以她们的一生就只有三個强烈的願望：「一願郎君千岁，二願妾身常健，三願如同梁上燕，岁岁长相见。」

圣家之於天主，在这种归属、爱慕和依恋上，一定会有過之而无不及。一個按照天主的圣意而生活，依照天主的法律而办事的家，也一定是一個以天主为中心的家。

若瑟的故事，我们知道的不多，但单单看他在不明白玛利亚为何怀孕而仍娶玛利亚，及听了天使的报梦而星夜带著玛利亚和小耶稣逃难埃及这两件事，便足够证明他对天主是如何的信赖和服从了。

玛利亚的「主之婢女在茲，希唯致成於我，如尔之言」这句名言，更是人类顺服天主的千古典范。

至於耶稣，保禄形容他是一個「空虚自己、听命至死，且死在十字架上」的人，他对天父更是如何完全、绝对的顺服！

我曾经见到有些公教家庭在家中掛上一個牌子，上面写著：「天主是我家之主」，或「基督是我家之主」。这些家庭大概也是以天主为中心的圣家吧？

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY

TO WHOM DO WE BELONG?

First Reading : ( Gen 15:1-6; 21:1-3) : God promised Abraham descendents
Second Reading : ( Heb 11: 8, 11-12, 17-19 ) : Faith of Abraham
Gospel : (Lk 2: 22-40 ) : Jesus' circumcision and presentation Simeon and Anna's prophecies
Chinese classics:
My husband 1000 years of age my one desire to wish
Myself in good health the second desire
Like those swallows high on the beam together
Year after year always together.(1)

After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus. When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”, and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons…When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.” ( Lk 2:21-24;39-40 )

Jesus' parents, Mary and Joseph, were devout Jews. They were simple, honest and sincere, always obeying God's Law. In the above Scripture passage we see how they acted according to the three ancient tenets required by Jewish law: circumcision, offering and redeeming the first-born son and purification.

Circumcision: Every Jewish male child was to be circumcised on the eighth day after birth. “It shall be a sign of the covenant between me (God) and you... my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant.” (Gen 17 :11, 13 ) Accordingly, Jesus accepted to be circumcised because though he was God, Saviour of humankind above all cultures, tribes and religions, he also chose to be fully a Jewish man. Jesus was a Jew. He loved his fellow-tribesmen and later wept over the fate of Jerusalem. Jesus was human and had close friends, Peter, John, the family of Martha and others. He treated others with fairness and sincerity. He loved deeply and was full of compassion for others. He was truly God and truly man, a friend to all, a person full of passion and emotions.

Of course if a person has been circumcised physically, it does not guarantee he absolutely belongs to God. Many Scripture passages emphasize that there must be interior circumcision before we truly and entirely belong to God. (cf. Deut. 30:6; Jer. 9:25; Rom. 2:29) All these passages emphasize one must be circumcised “in heart and soul” before one can truly belong to God and remain loyal to the covenant throughout life.

Redeeming the first-born son: The Jews believed that God is the Lord of life. We come from Him and when we die we return to Him. Therefore the first-born male, whether human or animal, belonged to God. The child who was a free gift from the merciful God, should be offered to God, then received back from God's hands. Jesus is God's Son. In performing this ceremony, Mary and Joseph without doubt were deeply moved. After they had offered Jesus to God, they received back into their home the gift which had come from God originally! They would live with him in a life of love, peace and unity. In this offering and redeeming their hearts were filled with gratitude and hope for happiness.

Purification: According to Jewish custom, after a woman had given birth to a child, she was unclean. She was not allowed to enter the temple or take part in religious rites. When this period was ended she must go to the temple and according to the Law offer a lamb or dove in reparation. If she could not afford a lamb she could substitute a pair of pigeons, which was then termed “the offering of the poor.” Since Mary was poor she presented the poor person’s offering.

This three-fold rite of circumcision, redemption and purification was a sign of deep religious truth, that we all belong to God. God is the Source of all that is, the foundation of all happiness, indeed the foundation of a happy family, as he was the foundation of the “Holy Family,” Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

There is an ancient poem describing Chinese women's devotion to their husbands and their ardent love for them. They considered themselves as nothing, they lived only for their husbands. So during their lifetime they had only three great desires:

My husband 1000 years of age my one desire to wish
Myself in good health the second desire,
Like those swallows high on the beam together
Year after year always together.(1)

Of course, the Holy Family was filled with an incomparable sense of belonging to God and love for God. Any family who live according to God's will for them is a “holy family”, with God at the centre.

We do not know much about Joseph. But if we look at the two events recorded about the early life of Jesus, his taking Mary as his wife even though he did not understand about Jesus' conception, and again when in a dream he was told to flee to Egypt with Mary and the Child, it is enough to see that he was a man who trusted in God and obeyed Him totally.

Mary's “I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy word.” is the supreme model of humankind's submission to God. As for Jesus, Paul described him as a person who “humbled himself, becoming obedient until death, even to death on a cross.” His obedience to his Father was total, absolute submission!

I have seen some Catholic families who display a plaque upon which is written, “God is the Lord of our Family,” or “Christ is the Lord of our Family.” These are surely holy families who place God at their centre!

(1) 一願郎君千歲，二願妾身常健，三願如同梁上燕，歲歲長相見。