Rocks are chosen, not born

Twenty First Ordinary Sunday Year A

We all know Simon Peter as the one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. But Peter was not his original name. His original name was Simon, a Hebrew name. In today’s gospel, Jesus gives him a new name. With the new name comes a new identity, a new role and a new mission.

At baptism, each of us is given a Christian name in addition to the name given to us by our family. This is important because like Peter, we too are given a new identity, a new role and a new mission. We are no longer the son or the daughter of so-and-so. We are no longer someone with a particular surname. We are no longer just a member of a particular family. Through our baptism and through our naming, we are now made members of a bigger family – the family of the Church. Through our naming and baptism we are made children of God. As Christians, we are now given a new mission in life.

The gospel tells us the meaning of Peter’s name. It means “rock.” Now, we all can understand the symbolism of the rock – it represents something solid, strong, and stable. Was this the character of Peter? Surprisingly, the Peter that we see in the gospels turns out to be in contrast with this image of the rock. We see Peter as someone who is weak, who changes his position and decision when faced with problems, someone who deserts Jesus and runs away in order to save his own life. Does this mean that Jesus made a mistake by naming Peter as ‘rock’?

The answer is a definite No. Jesus was able to see potential in Peter, although it was not visible to others or even to Peter himself. The choice of God is not based on the ability of the one chosen. Rather, the choice of God transforms the person chosen. This is what vocation is all about. Vocation isn’t about God calling and choosing persons who are worthy and qualified. On the contrary, God often calls those who in the eyes of the world are not qualified or worthy. This is what St. Paul meant in the second reading: “How rich are the depths of God – how deep his wisdom and knowledge – and how impossible to penetrate his motives or understand his methods! Who could ever know the mind of the Lord?”

If we were given a chance to choose the Twelve Apostles, we would perhaps had chosen more qualified candidates – persons who are prayerful, who know their catechism well, who are good leaders, who are unselfish. But Jesus didn’t call any of these. Rather, Jesus called sinners, fishermen, tax collectors, cheats, prostitutes etc. If we are prepared to heed the call of God, in spite of our weaknesses and limitation, his choice will begin the transformation within us.

Our call is always the initiative of God. God chooses us not because of any qualification or merit on our part. God chooses us in spite of our weaknesses and limitations. God chooses the weak to shame the strong. God chooses the foolish to shame the wise. God chooses the sinner to shame the righteous.

Perhaps, this will help us to understand that the leaders of the Church may not always meet our expectations. But our expectations are not important. We will never have perfect leaders. But what is of the utmost importance is this - God’s freedom to choose whoever he wants and his ability to use those persons in spite of their weaknesses. Let us continue to pray for them and for ourselves that we will always be open to the call of God who raises the lowly and humbles the proud.

选最重要的

常年期第十七主日

我要你们想象你的房子着火了! 你没有时间抢救一切. 你只有走一趟的时间及只可拿五样东西. 你会抢救那些? 我给你两分钟想一想. 什么是你最想抢救的呢? 我想你们当中许多人会选择你们的身份证. 如果你刚好在准备学校考试的作业,或许那就是你想要拿走的. 有一些会尽量抢救钱财和珠宝. 其他的,或许会抢救他们的宠物. 你有想过要抢救任何人 – 你家中的另一个成员吗? 没有? 其他的人呢? 是不是东西比人更重要呢?

当然,这只是个想象罢了. 然而,只有在我们面对这样的紧急关头 – 当我们面对一连串的选择时 – 在取舍之间才意识到我们生命中真正看重的东西. 你在火灾中所抢救的东西看来是你所珍惜的. 面对选择,你愿意从中放弃一些为拥有另一些你所珍惜的.

今天,耶稣在福音中告诉我们为我们最重要的并不是物品,不是金钱,不是你所拥有的贵重财产,不是你的大学学位,甚至不是你所爱的人. 不是的. 为我们每一个人最重要的是天国. 耶稣给我们这个比喻: “天国好象是藏在地里的宝贝;人找到了,就把它藏起来,高兴地去卖掉他所有的一切,买了那块地.”
在我们的生命中,没有任何东西,绝对没有可以与天主的国的价值比拟. 那么,什么是天主的国或天国呢? 天主的国不是一个地方或一件东西. 天国描述天人合一及人与人之间的共融美好关系境界. 当我们承行天主的旨意时,天主的国就实现了. 耶稣在告诉我们没有什么比这关系来得更重要.

撒罗满意识到这个真理. 天主尊重撒罗满并允许他选择天主将要赐与的恩惠: “你不拘求什么,我必给你.” 如果天主给我们这样的选择,我们将做怎样的选择呢? 一生的幸福? 财富? 一位好丈夫或一位好妻子? 考试考到好成绩? 权势和名誉? 长寿? 撒罗满并没有选择这一些. 他选择明白天主旨意的智慧. 知道及承行天主的旨意总结天国的意义. 知道天主要我们做什么才是唯一重要的.

当然,人一生中,财产,钱财及人际关系是重要的. 但,是否让这些东西操纵我们的生命呢?这些都是我们的神明及偶像吗? 有一样是肯定的. 这一切我们死后不能随身带走.

让我们不要等到最后一分钟. 让我们不要把人生的一切本末倒置而遗恨面对死亡. 让我们现在就开始储蓄为买下那块地里的宝贝,那颗宝贵的珍珠,就是天国. 让我们把天主放在万有之上.

Choose This Over Others

Seventeenth Ordinary Sunday Year A

I want you to imagine that your house is burning down? There is no time to save everything. You have only enough time to make one trip and you can only take 5 items with you. What would you try to save? I will give you 2 minutes to think about it. Now what are the things that you would most likely try to save? I believe that many of you will go for your identity cards. If you have been preparing an assignment for your school exam, maybe, that’s the item you will try to save. Some of you will try to save as much cash and jewelry as possible. Others may try to save their pet dog. Did you think of saving anyone – another member of your family? No? How about the others, are things more important than people?

Of course, this is all imaginary. However, it is only when we are confronted with a situation like this – a situation of urgency – when we are confronted with a series of choices – to choose this over another, that we will come to realize the things that we really value in life. The things that you have chosen to save from the fire are most likely the things which you value the most. Faced with a choice, you are prepared to choose these over others. You are prepared to sacrifice your other possessions in order to save these.

Today, Jesus tells us in the gospel that the most valuable object for us is not a simple object, it is not money, it is not your most valuable possession, it is not your university degree, it is not even your loved one. No, the most valuable thing for each of us is the kingdom of heaven. Jesus gives us this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.”

Nothing in our lives, absolutely nothing can compare with the value of the kingdom of God. And what is the kingdom of God or the Kingdom of heaven? The kingdom of God is not a place or a thing. The kingdom of heaven describes that perfect relationship where man is united with God and with one another. The kingdom of God materializes when we do the will of God. Jesus is telling us that there is nothing more valuable than this relationship.

Solomon came to realize this truth. God honoured Solomon by allowing him to choose the gift which God would bestow on Solomon: “Ask what you would like me to give you?” If we are given such are choice by God, what would we choose? Happiness for the rest of our lives; riches; a good husband or a good wife; the best results in exams; power and honour; long life. Well, Solomon chose none of these. He chose wisdom to understand the will of God. To know and do the will of God sums up the meaning of the kingdom of heaven. To know what God wants of us is the only thing that matters.

Certainly in life, property, money and human relationships are important. But do these things control our lives? Are these our gods and idols? One thing for certain. We cannot bring any of these things with us to that life after death.

Let us not wait till the very last. Let us not face death with regrets of having mistaken the less valuable things in life for those things that really matter. Let us now start saving up in order to buy that treasure in the field, that pearl of great value, the kingdom of heaven. Let us place God as our highest value and first priority.

力量在于怜悯

常年期第十六主日

常听人说 “力量就是权势.” 谁有力量就操纵一切. 这可能是其中一个原因为什么我们觉得很难去宽恕伤害我们的人. 那也是为什么我们总觉得很难向我们伤害的人道歉. 我们常认为这样的行动是弱者的征兆而被人占便宜.

而今天的读经却提醒我们真正的力量在于怜悯. 那能宽恕,表示怜悯人的才是真正的强者. 读经一告诉我们天主的权力是力量的本源. 但是天主并没有滥用权力. 天主的权力不是用在支配,操纵或审判. 天主最大的权威在于他的仁慈. 他能惩罚罪人,贬抑傲慢的,击败世界强国,但他选择不这样作, “却很温和审判, 极其宽忍治理.” 智慧篇的作者告诉我们天主仁慈待我们是为教训我们 – 好使我们也能彼此以怜悯相待.

怜悯是什么意思呢? 许多人常以怜悯与同情混淆. 怜悯不相等于同情. 怜悯有与别人同甘共苦的意愿,而同情只是一种感觉. 同情使我们保持距离. 我们可以同情所有的战争受害者或非洲饥饿儿童,可是可以选择不作任何事. 怜悯,在另一方面却要求我们有所行动. 怜悯要求我们与别人亲近,体会别人所经历的. 怜悯是设身处地与人分忧.

怜悯,拉丁文的意思是 “共患难.” 如果我们不能与人 “共患难”, 我们永不能对我们的同胞表示怜悯. 换句话说,怜悯就是与其同甘苦,共换难. 除非我们意识到一点,不然我们就很快下判断及批评.

我们必须承认我们的家庭,学校,工作场所及教会团体全是由不完美的人所组成的,我们都是好与怀的组合. 我们好比一块田地长有麦子和莠子. 没有任何方法可以把我们当中的好与怀分开出来. 没有人是怀透的. 同样,也没有人是完美的. 怜悯帮助我们承认我们自己的软弱及有限. 如果我们可以承认我们自己的软弱和需要天主的宽恕及怜悯,我们就会对与我们有相同遭遇的弟兄姐妹们流露怜悯之情. 如果我们要别人完全变好,很可能我们会把他们赶走. 如果这样的情形发生了, 我们不只除掉我们认为是怀的,我们也同时失掉那人潜在的善.

让我们向耶稣怜悯的心学习. 让我们不要太快向我们的弟兄姐妹下判断. 如果我们对别人表示怜悯,我们也会从天主那里得到怜悯.

Strength Means Compassion

Sixteenth Ordinary Sunday Year A

People often say that “Strength means power.” Whoever has strength is in charge. That may be one of the reasons we often find difficulty in forgiving those who have hurt us. That is also the reason why we find it hard to apologise to the other person whom we have hurt. We often think that such actions are signs of weakness and that we will allow others take advantage of us.

But today’s readings remind us that true strength means compassion. He who is able to forgive, he who is able to show compassion is truly strong. In the first reading, we are told that God’s authority has its source in strength. But this strength does not mean that God uses his power indiscriminately. God’s strength is not about domination or control or judgment. God’s greatest strength comes in the form of his compassion. He is able to punish the sinner, humble the proud, and defeat the greatest nations on earth, but God chooses not to do so. Rather, he “is mild in judgment,” and “governs with lenience.” The writer of the Book of Wisdom tells us the reason for this. God is compassionate to us in order to teach us a lesson – that we too should be compassionate with one another.

What is the meaning of compassion? Many people often confuse compassion with sympathy. Compassion is not equivalent to sympathy. Compassion is a decision to enter into the experience, the pain and struggle of the other person. Sympathy is only a feeling. Sympathy keeps us at a distance. We can sympathise with all the victims of war or the hungry children in Africa, and yet we choose to do nothing. Compassion, on the other hand, calls us to action. Compassion is a call to come close to the other person, to experience what he is experiencing. Compassion means walking in the shoes of the other person.

In Latin, compassion means to “suffer with.” We will never be able to show compassion to our fellow men if we have not learnt how to “suffer with” them. In other words, compassion is the ability to see through the eyes of the other person, to think like the other person, to experience the struggles which the other is experiencing. Unless we do this, we will be quick to pass judgment and criticize.

We must accept that our families, schools, work places and church communities are made up of people who are not perfect. Each of us is a bundle of good and bad. We are like the field that has both wheat and darnel, all mixed up together. There is no way of separating the good from the bad within each of us. No one is entirely bad. Likewise, no one is entirely good. Compassion helps us to accept our own weaknesses and limitations. If we can recognize our own weaknesses and our need for God’s forgiveness and compassion, we will also begin to be compassionate with our brothers and sisters who are having the same struggles as us. If we want others to change entirely for the good, there is a possibility that we will chase them away from us. If this happens, not only will we be rid of what we think is bad, we will also risk loosing the good in that person.

Let us learn from the compassionate heart of Jesus. Let us not be too quick in passing judgment on our brothers and sisters. If we have shown compassion to others, we too will receive compassion from God.

Living the Mystery

Holy Trinity Sunday Year A

Do you get a headache whenever you think or talk about the Trinity? Many of us are often caught up in the problem of numbers and mathematics – how can three be one and how can one be three? We often forget that this isn’t what the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is all about. Today’s readings give us three areas of reflection.

The doctrine of the Trinity highlights the fact that God is mystery. In the old testament, like in today’s first reading, we read about God appearing on mountain tops and speaking from clouds. Mystery here doesn’t mean that God has kept many things secret. On the contrary, God has fully revealed himself in the person of Jesus Christ. When we speak of mystery, we are speaking of the limitations of human knowledge. Man may have advanced in science and medicine and many other fields, but he is still unable to explain everything. This is because man is himself a mystery. Life and death are mysteries. The universe is a mystery. Suffering is a mystery. Love is a mystery. And finally God is a mystery. Learning this truth will make us more humble. Learning this truth will make us understand that we do not have all the answers to all the problems in the world. Learning this truth will allow us to depend wholly on God and allow him to take charge of everything.

The second truth which we can learn from today’s feast is that God is a God of relationships. Mystery does not mean that God keeps at a distance. Although we can never fully know or understand the depth of God’s mind, we can still have an intimate relationship with him. In fact, man was created for relationship with God. This is possible only because God chooses to come close to us. He does not come close to us by descending from the clouds. God comes close to us by becoming one of us. God the Son came into the world in order to save it. God the Son became human, became one of us, so that we might become one with God.

God chooses to come close to us because he is love. This is the third truth that we can learn from today’s feast. If there is any quality which can best describe the nature of God, it is Love. The Trinity is not a thing. It is a relationship of persons. The Father loves the Son and the Son loves the Father and this love is perfected by the bond of the Holy Spirit. That is why St. Paul reminds us that we should “grow perfect; help one another, …be united, live in peace” because we are made in the image and likeness of this God of love and peace.

If we are to be signs of the Trinity in today’s world, then we must be people who are able to live with mystery. In other words, we must remind the world that there is more than meets the eye, that there is a greater truth than that which is revealed by science – it is God. We are also called to be witnesses of the Trinity through our way of life. We must strive to build communities where we can live in unity and peace and in mutual forgiveness. When we are able to express this in our actions and words, the Trinity ceases to be a mere concept but becomes alive in each of our lives.

没有 “我们” 与 “他们”

圣神降临 Year A

我们常用“我们”,“他们”… 来指不同的人.“我们” 通常是指与我们认同的人. 我是这组的成员. 我这一组享有共同兴趣及想法. 这一群人都是我的朋友及亲人.

“他们”常指为不属于我们同组的人们. 这些人是我们同组以外的人们. 这些人与我们有许多不同的地方 – 有不同的意见, 不同的言语, 不同背景, 或不同宗教. 而“我们”常与“他们”对立. 他们不是我们的朋友. 我们不信任他们. 我们不喜欢他们.

这通常是我们的想法. 我们常做比较. 我们常看彼此之间的不同而不认同我们之间的共同点. 我们问: “为什么要帮助英文或谈米尔文组呢?”“为什么要照顾外劳的需要呢?” “我们只需照顾我们自己就好了.”

今天的庆典提醒我们在这世界上是没有 “我们” 与 “他们” 之分的. 我们大家都是天主的子女. 我们全是耶稣恩宠的受惠者. 我们蒙召成为天主大家庭的成员. 在这天主大家庭里是不分彼此的. 贫穷的和富有的; 受过教育的和不曾受教育的; 不同语言的和不同文化的人们不被分开. 在天堂里不再有分界.

这是圣神的恩赐. 圣保禄在读经二中提醒我们说: “不论是犹太人, 或是希腊人, 或是为奴的,或是自主的,都因一个圣神受了洗. 都为一个圣神所滋润.” “神恩虽有区别,却是同一的圣神所赐;职分虽有区别,却是同一的主所赐;功效虽有区别,却是同一的天主,在一切人身上行一切事.”

这也是为什么我们不应只为我们所爱的人及朋友祈祷. 我们不应只帮助与我们亲近的人. 我们也蒙召为 “他人” – 为我们的仇敌, 为那些伤害我们的人,那些讲我们坏话的人,与我们意见相左的人,与我们不同肤色或语言的人们祈求.

这是圣神的恩赐也是圣神的挑战. 如果我们要依照圣神而生活的话,我们之间将没有偏见,仇恨和不宽恕的空间存在. 这是因为圣神是合一, 和平及宽恕的神. 复活后耶稣向他的门徒们嘘了一口气并叫他们领受圣神时,圣神的恩赐挑战他们成为缔造和平及修好团体的使者.

将来有一天, 我们会手拉手一起走向天国. 我们会听到耶稣邀请我们每一个人进入新耶路撒冷城. 如果我们现在不能面对我们的仇敌和所有我们不喜欢的人, 我们又怎能死后与他们共处呢? 在天国, 将没有分界线, 没有仇恨或不宽恕. 在那里只有和睦与爱. 当我们还生存在这世界上的当儿,让我们开始为合一及和好努力,因为天堂是今世生活的最佳反映.

今天我们也将委派我们的新教友. 这将是他们成人墓道旅程的最后阶段. 却又是另一段旅程的开始. 身为教会团体,现在是你们的责任欢迎他们并使他们感染到那份归属感. 他们现在已是教会的一份子. 一个充满活力的堂口的其一象征就是成人慕道班. 如果没有慕道者或只有少数的慕道者, 这就是说我们没有履行我们传福音的使命. 我要感谢所有的推动员和陪同员的奉献及服务. 但这不是少数推动员的责任. 成人慕道班也不只是神父的责任. 这是每一个人的责任. 成人慕道班是关系到整个堂口的成长所以它是牵涉到每一个人的. 我呼吁你们每一个人关注成人慕道班. 如果你们当中任何人有兴趣参入墓道团做推动员或陪同员请和我联络.