Published by admin on 05 Sep 2008
信仰生活互動坊、塔冷通心靈書舍
9月6日 (週六) 路6：1-5 (其他經文──格前4：6-15 詠145)
一個安息日，耶穌經過麥田時，他的門徒掐了麥穗，用手搓著吃。有幾個法利塞人說：「為什麼你們做安息日不准做的呢？」耶穌回答說：「你們沒有讀過：達味和同他在一起的人，在饑餓時所做的嗎？他怎樣進了天主的殿：拿起供餅來吃了：又給了同他在一起的人吃。這供餅原不准他人吃，而只准司祭吃。」耶穌又向他們說：「人子是安息日的主。」
默 想
Published by admin on 04 Sep 2008
恭讀聖路加福音 5:33-39
那時候，法利塞人和經師對耶穌說：「若翰的門徒屢次禁食，行祈禱；法利塞人的門徒也是這樣；而你的門徒卻又吃又喝！」耶穌回答說：「伴郎與新郎在一起的時 候，你們豈能叫他們禁食？但日子將要來到，當新郎從他們手中被劫去時，在那些日子，他們就要禁食了。」他又對他們講比喻說：「沒有人從新衣服上撕下一塊作 補釘，補在舊衣上的；不然，新的撕破了，而且從新衣上撕下的補釘，與舊的也不相稱。也沒有人把新酒裝入舊皮囊的；不然，新酒要漲破皮囊。酒要流出來﹐皮囊 也破了﹐所以新酒應裝入新皮囊。也沒有人喝著陳酒，願意喝新酒的，因為他說：還是陳酒好。」—這是基督的福音。
(22nd week in Ordinary Time - Fri.)
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke 5:33-39
33 And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” 34 And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” 36 He told them a parable also: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it upon an old garment; if he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new; for he says, `The old is good.’”
—The Gospel of the Lord.
Published by admin on 04 Sep 2008
信仰生活互動坊、塔冷通心靈書舍
9月5日 (週五) 路5：33-39 (其他經文──格前4：1-5 詠37)
法利塞人和經師對耶穌說：「若翰的門徒屢次禁食，行祈禱；法利塞人的門徒也是這樣；而你的門徒卻又吃又喝！」耶穌回答說：「伴郎與新郎在一起的時候，你們豈能叫他們禁食？但日子將要來到，當新郎從他們手中被劫去時，在那些日子，他們就要禁食了。」他又對他們講比喻說：「沒有人從新衣服上撕下一塊作補釘，補在舊衣上的；不然，新的撕破了，而且從新衣上撕下的補釘，與舊的也不相稱。也沒有人把新酒裝入舊皮囊的；不然，新酒要漲破皮囊。酒要流出來，皮囊也破了，所以新酒應裝入新皮囊。也沒有人喝著陳酒，願意喝新酒的，因為他說：還是陳酒好。」
默 想
Published by admin on 04 Sep 2008
恭讀聖路加福音 5:1-11
那時候，耶穌站在革乃撒勒湖邊，群眾擁到他前要聽天主的道理。他看見兩隻船在湖邊停著，漁夫下了船正在洗網。他上了其中一隻屬於西滿的船，請他把船稍微划開，離開陸地；耶穌就坐下，從船上教訓群眾。一講完了，就對西滿說：「划到深處去，撒你們的網捕魚吧！」西滿回答說：「老師，我們已整夜勞苦，毫無所獲；但我要遵照你的話撒網。」他們照樣辦了，網了許多魚，網險些破裂了。他們遂招呼別隻船上的同伴來協助他們。他們來到，裝滿了兩隻船，以致船也幾乎下沉。西滿伯多祿一見這事，就跪伏在耶穌膝前說：「主，請你離開我！因為我是個罪人。」西滿和同他一起的人，因了他們所捕的魚，都驚駭起來；他的夥伴，即載伯德的兒子雅各伯和若望，也一樣驚駭。耶穌對西滿說：「不要害怕！從今以後，你要做捕人的漁夫。」他們把船划到岸邊，就捨棄一切，跟隨了他。
—這是基督的福音。
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke 5:1-11
1 While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennes’aret. 2 And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, 7 they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zeb’edee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
—The Gospel of the Lord.
Published by admin on 03 Sep 2008
（梵蒂岡電臺訊）教宗本篤十六世九月三日上午從岡道爾夫堡夏宮乘直升機回梵蒂岡，在保祿六世大廳接見八千多位來自各國的朝聖人士，向他們講解聖保祿宗徒皈依的經過和意義。教宗自從今年七月初離開梵蒂岡城，前往夏宮後，就沒有再回到梵蒂岡。直到現今，一切暑期的重大活動都已經漸漸結束和平靜下來之後，才又恢復正常的周三公開接見活動。
教宗早在幾個月之前，便已經向大家預報他要開始介紹講解有關聖保祿宗徒的一切。由于種種大小事務和暑期休假，他一直無法好好地講解這個新系列的要理。現在總算到了時候。這次教宗說他要談的是聖保祿宗徒在前往大馬士革路上的經驗遭遇，一般稱這個經驗遭遇爲保祿的“ 皈依”。自從那個經驗遭遇後，保祿出人意外地開始把他原先認爲最高理想的當做一種損失，當做廢物。教宗自問：爲保祿到底發生了什麽事，致使他有了一百八十度的轉變？
教宗告訴眼前的各國信友，有兩種資料來源可以說明這件事，第一種來自聖史路家所寫的《宗徒大事錄》，第二種來自保祿宗徒自己所寫的書信內容。關于第一種資料《宗徒大事錄》第九、第二十二和第二十六章的記載，一般讀者所注意的可能是發生在保祿身上的那些奇异的現象，例如他瞎了眼、從馬背上摔下來、從天上傳下來的聲音、瞎眼的處境、眼瞎的痊愈、以及守齋等等外在的現象。其實，這些外在的事迹都指向這個事件的中心，那就是：復活的基督像一道燦爛的光芒照射到保祿身上，幷向他說話，這改變了他的思想和整個人生。教宗强調：“復活的基督的光芒使保祿的眼睛變成了瞎子，他原先內在的狀况外在看來也是如此，在基督光芒和真理的照耀下，保祿先前的一切都是瞎盲。由于事後保祿受洗，接納基督，他的雙眼才得以複明，使他真正看清事實”。
古代教會也稱聖洗聖事爲光明的聖事，因爲聖洗賦給人光明，使人看清事實。教宗說：“聖保祿不是被一種思想，而是被一個事件，被他無法抗拒的復活的基督的臨在所改變，這個臨在和這個相遇是如此地强烈，致使保祿永遠也無法存疑。就是這個事件和相會根本改變了保祿的一生。從這方面看，我們可以、也應該談保祿的皈依 ”。
然而，教宗也提到另一個有關聖保祿皈依的資料記載，那就是保祿宗徒自己寫的許多書信。教宗說聖保祿自己從未仔細談過他皈依的事迹，這可能因爲他假設每個人都已經知道他的生平歷史，他先前對教會的迫害，以及事後竟變成了基督的熱心使徒的緣故。而這一切改變幷非因爲保祿經過一番深刻的反省，而完全因爲一個强烈的事件、因爲與復活的基督相會所致。教宗指出：聖保祿即使沒有詳細談他與主相會的經過，但他也多次强調這個極爲重要的事實，他說自己是耶穌復活的見證，這個見證是他直接從基督那裏得到的啓示，同時也領受了做宗徒的使命。聖保祿藉此教人知道這就是他的使徒任務和新生命的基礎。
教宗指出這兩個資料來源之後表示：“我們可以發現《宗徒大事錄》和保祿書信這兩個資料來源內容一致，都指向一個基本事實：復活的基督向保祿講話，召叫他從事使徒的工作，使他成爲真正的宗徒，成爲復活的見證，肩負向外邦人、向希臘羅馬世界傳播福音的使命”。
教宗于是指出一個很有意思的觀察，他說爲什麽聖保祿宗徒從未把他與基督相遇的事迹看作他的皈依？教宗認爲理由可能很多，但他以爲最明顯的是：聖保祿宗徒生命的大轉變不是他心理轉變過程的結果，也不是自己理智和精神演變或成熟的成果，而是完全來自外在的因素。換句話說，聖保祿的改變不是他的思想發生變化，而是因爲他遇到耶穌基督。從這方面看，聖保祿的改變不是單純的皈依，不是他自我的成熟，而是他的死亡與復活；死于自己，活于耶穌基督。沒有任何方式可以解釋聖保祿生命的更新，任何心理分析都無法澄清和解决這個問題。只有與基督强烈相遇這件事才是瞭解在聖保祿身上到底發生什麽事的關鍵。從這裏，我們也才能够瞭解爲什麽先前對保祿是有利的事，如今都成了廢物的理由。因爲如今，聖保祿所重視的只有在基督內生活。
Published by admin on 03 Sep 2008
Interview With Mariologist Mark Miravalle (Part 1)
By Irene Lagan
STEUBENVILLE, Ohio, SEPT. 3, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Private Marian apparitions serve to remind mankind that God exists, and to provide an opportunity to conduct a “global examination of conscience,” according to Mariologist Mark Miravalle.
The professor of theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville will be a speaker at the 22nd International Mariological Marian Congress, to begin Thursday in Lourdes.
The congresses, held every four years, are sponsored by the Pontifical International Marian Academy. This year’s theme is “The Apparitions of the Most Holy Virgin Mary: Between History, Faith and Theology.”
Benedict XVI named Cardinal Paul Poupard, retired president of the Pontifical Councils for Culture and Interreligious Dialogue, as his special envoy to the Marian conference. The Pope will visit the shrine later this month for the 150th anniversary of the Marian apparitions.
Miravalle, author of “Mariology: A Guide for Priests, Deacons, and Seminarians, and Consecrated Persons” (Queenship Publishing), discusses in the first part of this interview with ZENIT the significance of the congress and the importance of Marian apparitions for our times.
Part 2 of this interview will appear Thursday.
Q. What is the significance of this congress, one week before the Pope’s visit to Lourdes, and what is the significance of Benedict XVI’s Lourdes pilgrimage?
Miravalle: The Holy Father does not hesitate to celebrate authentic Marian private revelation nor does the Church, as is evidenced by his Lourdes visit. Pope Benedict is quick to acknowledge one of the world’s most renowned Marian fonts of conversion, grace and healing that has flowed to the five continents through the true apparitions of the Immaculate Conception at Lourdes.
Pope Benedict XVI, as did John Paul II before him, also acknowledges the organic connection between the Lourdes apparitions and the particular trials of the sick throughout the world, which is recognized every year on the Lourdes anniversary of Feb. 11, now designated as the World Day of the Sick.
This Holy Father is very much following the course of John Paul II in highlighting Our Lady’s co-redemptive role with Jesus as the perfect model for the people of God on how we should patiently “offer up” our sufferings and illnesses in union with Christ for the mysterious release of grace for others, making us co-redeemers as well.
Hopefully, the anticipatory Mariological-Marian congress can help prepare for the Pope’s visit by presenting and articulating the theology of the Church regarding Marian private revelation.
Q. What is the purpose of this congress?
Miravalle: I believe the purpose of the conference is to theologically and scientifically examine the domain of Marian private revelation, in its nature, its history, and its contemporary relevance.
As Rene Laurentin summarized, the Church essentially examines the three criteria of message, phenomena and spiritual fruits when discerning a reported revelation.
Laurentin also mentioned once that if Lourdes happened today it would probably not be accepted in light of the heightened scepticism and rationalism of our times. In this age of greater rationalism, materialism, consumerism and humanism, the possibility of the supernatural seems more and more diminished for the common person.
And yet, God continues to “interfere” in human history by sending the Mother of Jesus, particularly in times when a more rationalistic vision has made acts of Christian faith more difficult. The human family needs to be reminded, sometimes in a dynamic and supernatural way, that God exists, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a universal call, that we all will be held responsible for our human choices, and that, over all, the world could benefit from a type of “global examination of conscience” on how well we are responding to the ubiquitous invitations from the “Hound of Heaven,” as the poet [Francis] Thompson refers to God, for personal salvation and for world peace. But it remains up to us to respond.
The Church is appropriately both cautious and open to the domain of private revelation. She can never run the risk of losing credibility as guardian of public revelation by a too hasty confirmation of a reported private revelation, let alone something false. And yet, we can see the sublimely generous fruits of authentic Marian private revelation, which is but a heavenly spark to compel the world to living the saving message of the Gospel in the fullness of the Church, and as well to assist the Church’s ongoing mission of evangelization.
Imagine the 16th century without Guadalupe, or the 19th and 20th centuries without Rue du Bac, Lourdes and Fatima. While always remaining obedient to the Church’s definitive judgment on a given revelation, we should thank God for the tremendous graces and blessings brought to the world through the avenue of authentic Marian apparitions.
Q: Are there more reported and approved Marian apparitions in this age than in other ages?
Miravalle: There have been more apparitions approved in the contemporary era than in any other era in the Church’s history. We must keep in mind that the nature and purpose of private revelation is never to replace public revelation contained in Scripture and Tradition, but rather to accentuate the more challenging aspects of the Gospel. For example, the call to be more generous in prayer, to fasting regularly, and to committed conversion, which alone leads to a spiritual peace of heart.
If true Marian apparitions are on the increase in our times, it means our age is in greater need of encouragement to live generously the prayer and sacramental life of the Church. We should be grateful, but we should also, as Blessed Pope John XXIII said in his Feb. 18, 1959, Lourdes address, “listen attentively to the salutary warnings of the Mother of God,” which seek to “guide us in our conduct.”
Q: What topic will you be discussing at the Lourdes congress?
Miravalle: My presentation will be on the theme of Mary’s unique cooperation in the redemption as it appears in the 19th- and 20th-century approved Marian apparitions.
In the apparitions of the “Miraculous Medal” in 1830, Lourdes in 1858, Fatima in 1917, Amsterdam in 1945, and Akita, Japan, in the 1970s, the theme of Our Lady’s co-redemption, as well as the Marian call for Christian co-redemption by the people of God is a pronounced, consistent theme.
The Mother of Jesus uniquely shared as “Co-redemptrix” with Jesus in accomplishing the world’s redemption. But we are all called to offer prayer and penance to God in reparation for sin and for the conversion of sinners throughout this Marian message to the modern world.
Bernadette echoed Our Lady’s call for “penance, penance, penance.” Our Lady of Fatima asked the children visionaries to daily pray the rosary for conversion of sinners and world peace, to “make of everything you can a sacrifice,” and Our Lady appeared as “Our Lady of Sorrows” during the Oct. 13, 1917, apparition of the solar miracle.
The statue of the Lady of All Nations at Akita, Japan, wept 101 times and the apparitions and phenomena were declared supernatural by Bishop [John] Ito of Niigata after consultation with Cardinal [Joseph] Ratzinger in 1984. The apparitions of the Lady of All Nations, approved by Bishop [Joseph] Punt of Amsterdam as authentic in 2002, furthered the call for Christian co-redemption as well as for the solemn definition of Mary as co-redemptrix, mediatrix and advocate.
It should be no surprise that the truth of Our Lady’s unique role with Jesus in redemption as taught explicitly by the magisterium during the last two centuries is mirrored in the domain of ecclesiastically approved private revelation from the same historical time period.
Q. The theme of Mary as co-redemptrix is also the subject of discussion concerning a possible fifth Marian dogma. What would be the potential benefits of proclaiming this dogma at this time for the Church?
Miravalle: I believe a papal definition would have numerous positive effects for the Church. It would articulate this perennial doctrine of Our Lady’s unique role, which is entirely dependent on Jesus Christ, divine and human redeemer of all, with the greatest possible scriptural and theological clarity. It’s hard to think of a more a capable pontiff for such a definition than our own genial Pope-theologian, Pope Benedict, if he would so desire to make this proclamation.
I also believe that this dogma would serve the ecumenical mission of the Church by assuring other Christian traditions that the Catholic Church does distinguish between Jesus Christ as the divine and human Redeemer upon whom all redemption depends, and the unique participation of his immaculate human mother in the history of salvation.
The dogma would also focus the people of God upon their Christian duty to participate in the salvation of others. Would this not be the antidote to the isolation and loneliness of so many? Is this not answering the call to the new evangelism, and the call of Our Lady of Fatima to pray and do penance for the conversion of sinners? It would in fact be a clear answer on the part of the Church for all those who fear that suffering is meaningless. On the contrary, for the Christian, human suffering is always supernaturally and eternally redemptive.
— — —
On the Net:
Miravalle’s “Mariology”: www.queenship.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6568
Published by admin on 03 Sep 2008
信仰生活互動坊、塔冷通心靈書舍
9月4日 (週四) 路5：1-11 (其他經文──格前3：18-23 詠24)
耶穌站在革乃撒勒湖邊，群眾擁到他前要聽天主的道理。他看見兩隻船在湖邊停著，漁夫下了船正在洗網。他上了其中一隻屬於西滿的船，請他把船稍微划開，離開陸地；耶穌就坐下，從船上教訓群眾。一講完了，就對西滿說：「划到深處去，撒你們的網捕魚吧！」西滿回答說：「老師，我們已整夜勞苦，毫無所獲；但我要遵照你的話撒網。」他們照樣辦了，網了許多魚，網險些破裂了。他們遂招呼別隻船上的同伴來協助他們。他們來到，裝滿了兩隻船，以致船也幾乎下沉。西滿伯多祿一見這事，就跪伏在耶穌膝前說：「主，請你離開我！因為我是個罪人。」西滿和同他一起的人，因了他們所捕的魚，都驚駭起來；他的夥伴，即載伯德的兒子雅各伯和若望，也一樣驚駭。耶穌對西滿說：「不要害怕！從今以後，你要做捕人的漁夫。」他們把船划到岸邊，就捨棄一切，跟隨了他。
默 想
Published by admin on 02 Sep 2008
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Lk 6:27-28).
“Love your enemies.” These are very strong words. They completely overturn our way of thinking, and they force us to make a sharp turn in our life’s direction!
Let’s face it. We all have an enemy of one kind or another.
My enemy might be my next-door neighbor, that unpleasant busybody I try to escape from every time I see her approach the elevator I’m taking.
It could be that relative who mistreated your father thirty years ago and you haven’t spoken to since.
It could be that classmate you refuse to look in the face since he got you into trouble with the teacher.
Your enemy might be the girl who was your friend but dropped you to hang out with someone else.
Or it could be the salesperson who cheated you.
Quite often we look at politicians as enemies if their opinions are different from ours.
And, as always, there are people who see some priests as their enemies and then hate the Church.
All of these people and many, many others whom we consider enemies have to be loved.
They have to be loved?
Yes. They have to be loved! However, this is not merely a matter of changing our feeling of hatred into another feeling that is more benign.
We have to do much more than that.
This is what Jesus says:
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
As we can see, Jesus wants us to overcome evil with good. He wants us to have a love that is carried over into concrete actions. We might wonder why Jesus is asking this of us.
The fact is he wants us to pattern our lives after the life of God, his Father, who “makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust” (Mt 5:45).
This is the point: we are not alone in the world. We have a Father, and we should be similar to him. Furthermore, he has the right to ask this of us because when we were still his enemies, when we were still living in darkness, he was the first to love us by sending us his Son who died in such a terrible way for each one of us (see 1 Jn 4:19).
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you….”
This lesson had a big impact on little Jerry, an African American boy from Washington, D.C. Because of his high I.Q., he was admitted to a special class, a class with all white children. But his intelligence alone was not enough to win him acceptance. Everyone disliked him because he was black. Then Christmas came. The other children exchanged gifts with each other, but they left Jerry out. Naturally, the young boy cried. When he got back home, however, he remembered the words of Jesus, “Love your enemies.” So, with his mother’s permission, he bought gifts which he distributed with love to all of his “white brothers and sisters.”
“Love your enemies… pray for those who mistreat you.”
One day, a girl from Florence named Elizabeth was heading into a church to go to Mass when, all of a sudden, a group of girls her own age started to make fun of her. It really hurt her. She wanted to scream back at them, but instead she smiled. While she was in church Elizabeth prayed for them. As she was leaving, they came up to her and asked why she had behaved the way she did. She explained that since she was a Christian she had to love in every situation. She said this with great conviction. The following Sunday she discovered that what she had done had borne fruit. When she entered the church she saw those same girls sitting attentively in the first pew.
These experiences show how children understand the Word of God. Because of this they are “grown-ups” in God’s eyes.
Perhaps we too ought to take steps to remedy certain situations in our own lives, all the more so since we will be judged by the way we judge others. We ourselves are the ones who give God the measure by which he will measure us (see Mt 7:2). Do we not really believe what we often pray, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” (see Mt 6:12)? So, let’s love our enemies! Only by doing this can we heal disunity, break down barriers and build up the community.
Is it difficult? Painful? Does the mere thought of it keep us awake at night? Be strong! It is not the end of the world: all it takes is just a little effort on our part, and the remaining ninety-nine percent will be done by God, and then in our hearts will flow a river of joy.
Chiara Lubich
Published by admin on 02 Sep 2008
信仰生活互動坊、塔冷通心靈書舍
9月3日 (週三) 路4：38-44 (其他經文──格前3：1-9 詠33)
耶穌從會堂裡出來，進了西滿的家。西滿的岳母正發高熱，他們為他祈求耶穌。耶穌就走到他身邊，叱退熱症，熱症就離開了她；她立刻起來服侍他們。日落後，眾人把所有患各種病症的，都領到他跟前，他就把手覆在每一個人身上，治好了他們。又有些從許多人身上出來的魔鬼吶喊說：「你是天主子！」他便叱責他們，不許他們說話，因為他們知道他是默西亞。天一亮，耶穌就出去到了荒野地方；群眾就尋找他，一直來到他那裡，挽留他不要離開他們，他卻向他們說：「我也必須向別的城傳報天主國的喜訊，因為我被派遣，正是為了這事。」他就常在猶太的各會堂中宣講。
默 想
Published by admin on 02 Sep 2008
（梵蒂岡電臺訊）教宗本篤十六世八月三十一日星期天中午在岡道爾夫堡夏宮帶領各國朝聖人士頌念三鐘經的機會中，向他們談了兩個主題，一個是十字架爲得救的必要，另一個是如何解决移民問題。
關于十字架的必要這個問題，教宗是從當天彌撒的福音引發出來的。教宗先指出上個星期日的彌撒福音談的是聖伯多祿對耶穌基督的純正信仰，他稱耶穌基督爲默西亞，永生天主之子。但這個主日的彌撒福音告訴我們的，却是伯多祿宗徒相反的一面，教宗指稱這個主日的福音雖然延續上主日的，但內容則指出伯多祿信德的尚未成熟，仍然非常世俗化，因爲當耶穌開始談耶路撒冷在等待他的命運時，也就是耶穌必須在那裏受很多的苦，遭殺害，然後復活的命運時，伯多祿宗徒便把耶穌拉到一邊，抗議說：“主，千萬不可！這事决不會臨到你身上！”。
教宗說:“顯然地，耶穌和他這位宗徒有兩種相對的想法。伯多祿按照他人性的邏輯，深信天主一定不會讓他的聖子經由死在十字架上的方法，來完成他的使命。耶穌的看法則相反，他知道天父因著對人類無限的愛，所以才派遣他來爲人類獻出生命。如果這項使命必須付出苦難和十字架的代價，也義無反顧。當然，耶穌知道自己終將復活。因此，伯多祿的反對即使出于好意和對老師真誠的愛，但在耶穌聽來仍然像是一種誘惑，引誘他拯救自己，而事實上只有他犧牲性命，才能爲我們每個人贏得新的和永恒的生命”。
教宗繼續說：“如果天主聖子爲了拯救我們而必須受苦幷死在十字架上，這當然不是天主聖父殘酷的計劃。真正的原因乃是天父必須治療我們嚴重的疾病，這個疾病嚴重到必須使用聖子的血才能奏效。的確如此，耶穌以他的死亡和復活戰勝了罪惡和死亡，重建了天主對宇宙萬有的統治權。然而，這項戰鬥至今尚未完成，邪惡仍然存在，而且在世世代代中持續下去，直到我們今天。戰爭的恐怖、對無辜者施暴力、使弱者受害的貧窮和不正義，這一切若不是敵對天國的邪惡，那是什麽？若不使用戰勝仇恨的愛和不畏懼死亡的生命這種沒有武裝的力量，我們如何來面對那麽多的野蠻？這就是耶穌所使用的神秘力量，他不怕被誤解和遭許多自己的人的遺弃”。
最後，教宗說；“爲了完全實現救援的工程，救贖主繼續讓樂意背起十字架追隨他的男男女女加入他的使命行列。就像基督一樣，基督信徒背起十字架幷不是任君選擇的事，而是有待我們以愛來擁抱的使命。我們今天這個世界似乎被分裂和破壞的力量所統治，然而基督却不斷以他清楚的邀請建議我們說：誰願意做我的門徒，就應該拒絕自己的自私自利，和我一同背起十字架”。
頌念三鐘經之後，教宗談到最近特別嚴重的移民問題。他說這幾個星期以來從北非非法移民到歐洲來的事件特別多，他們爲了逃避逆境而前來歐洲尋找希望，其中不乏在穿越地中海時遇難，使希望變成了悲劇。教宗說移民現象從有人類便存在，是民族和國家之間的關係的特徵。今天，移民現象成了緊急事件，這個現象一方面要求我們懷著關懷的態度，另一方面也要求有效的政治對策。
教宗知道許多各級政府機構正在積極處理非法移民的問題，他贊許幷鼓勵這樣的努力，希望各方面本著負責任和人道的態度。教宗也呼籲移民的祖國負起責任，解决造成非法移民的原因，徹底根除和移民發生關係的各種犯罪形式。
Published by admin on 01 Sep 2008
信仰生活互動坊、塔冷通心靈書舍
9月2日 (週二) 路4：31-37 (其他經文──格前2：10-16 詠145)
耶穌下到加里肋亞的葛法翁城，就在安息日教訓人。人都十分驚奇他的教訓，因為他的話具有一種權威。在會堂裡有一個附著邪魔惡鬼的人，他大聲喊叫說：「啊！納匝肋人耶穌，我們與你有什麼相干？你來毀滅我們嗎？我知道你是誰：你是天主的聖者。」耶穌叱責他說：「不要作聲！從這人身上出去！」魔鬼把那人摔倒在人中間，便從他身上出去了，絲毫沒有傷害他。遂有一種驚駭籠罩了眾人，他們彼此談論說：「這是什麼事，他用權柄和能力命令邪魔，而他們竟出去了？」他的名聲便傳遍了附近各地。
默 想
Published by admin on 31 Aug 2008
It has been 1 year since frpeterleung.com has been launched.
Over the year, site visitors came from all over the world, despite of visitors from HK, China, Canada, USA, statistics show that there were also visitors from Australia, France, Japan, Germany, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Sydney, Taiwan, Thailand and United Kingdom, etc…
There were other visitors from:
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Austria |
Belgium |
Brazil |
Cuba |
Czech Republic
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Egypt |
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Indonesia |
Norway
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Portugal |
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Slovak Republic |
Romania
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Ukraine |
There were more countries that not listing here as well.
Thank you for everyone’s support & your prayers for evangelical mission.
Published by admin on 31 Aug 2008
信仰生活互動坊、塔冷通心靈書舍
9月1日 (週一) 路4：16-30 (其他經文──格前2：1-5 詠119)
耶穌來到了納匝肋，自己曾受教養的地方；按他的習慣，就在安息日那天進了會堂，並站起來要誦讀。有人把依撒意亞先知書遞給他；他遂展開書卷，找到了一處，上邊寫說：「上主的神臨於我身上，因為他給我傅了油，派遣我向貧窮人傳報喜訊，向俘虜宣告釋放，向盲者宣告復明，使受壓迫者獲得自由，宣佈上主恩慈之年。」他把書卷捲起來，交給侍役，就坐下了。會堂內眾人的眼睛都注視著他。他便開始對他們說：「你們剛才聽過的這段聖經，今天應驗了。」眾人都稱讚他，驚奇他口中所說的動聽的話。並且說：「這不是若瑟的兒子嗎？」他回答他們說：「你們必定要對我說這句俗話：醫生，醫治你自己吧！我們聽說你在葛法翁所行的一切，也在你的家鄉這裡行吧！」他又說：「我實在告訴你們：沒有一個先知在本鄉受悅納的。我據實告訴你們：在厄里亞時代，天閉塞了三年零六個月，遍地起了大饑荒，在以色列原有許多寡婦，厄里亞並沒有被派到她們中一個那裡去，而只到了漆冬匝爾法特的一個寡婦那裡。在厄裡叟先知時代，在以色列有許多癩病人。他們中沒有一個得潔淨的，只有敘利亞的納阿曼。」在會堂中聽見這話的人，都忿怒填胸，起來把他趕出城外，領他到了山崖上——他們的城是建在山上的——要把他推下去。他卻由他們中間過去走了。
默 想
Published by admin on 30 Aug 2008
(Source: Medjugorje - Caritas)
The statue on Apparition Hill was vandalized some time last night. The Community of Caritas members were told earlier through Marija, that the left arm and nose were broken. It has been reported to the police and is under investigation at this time.
The picture clearly shows the damage done to the statue on Apparition Hill. (The nose and arm are missing).
The statue was found desecrated around 5:00 a.m. Friday morning by pilgrims who had gone up early to pray.
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Here’s another photo from medjugorje.net:
Published by admin on 30 Aug 2008
2008年8月29日 - 默主哥耶分享 by Agnes Chin & Halina Ip (多倫多中華殉道聖人堂)
Aug 29, 2008 - Medjugorje Sharing from Chinese Martyrs Catholic Church in Toronto
Topic: Pray for the non-belivers
日期 |
主題 |
分享 |
錄音長短 |
29-08-2008 |
訊息分享: 為不相信天主者祈禱 |
Agnes Chin |
29:45 |
見証分享 ： |
Halina Ip
|
14:50 |
Published by admin on 30 Aug 2008
Gospel Commentary for 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap
ROME, AUG. 29, 2008 (Zenit.org).- In this Sunday’s Gospel we hear Jesus who says: “Whoever wants to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. Because whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
What does it mean to “deny” yourself? And why should you deny yourself? We know about the indignation of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche over this the request of this Gospel.
I will begin answering these questions with an example. During the Nazi persecution, many trains full of Jews traveled from every part of Europe to the extermination camps. They were induced to get on the trains by false promises of being taken to places that would be better for them, when, in fact, they were being taken to their destruction. It happened at some of the stops that someone who knew the truth, called out from some hiding place to the passengers: “Get off! Run away!” Some succeeded in doing so.
The example is a hard one, but it expresses something of our situation. The train of life on which we are traveling is going toward death. About this, at least, there are no doubts. Our natural “I,” being mortal, is destined for destruction. What the Gospel is proposing to us when it exhorts us to deny ourselves, is to get off this train and board another one that leads to life. The train that leads to life is faith in him who said: “Whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.”
Paul understood this transferring from one transport to another and he describes it thus: “It is no longer I who lives, Christ lives in me.” If we assume the “I” of Christ we become immortal because he, risen from the dead, dies no more. This indicates the meaning of the words of the Gospel that we have heard. Christ’s call for us to deny ourselves and thus find life is not a call to abuse ourselves or reject ourselves in a simplistic way. It is the wisest of the bold steps that we can take in our lives.
But we must immediately make a qualification. Jesus does not ask us to deny “what we are,” but “what we have become.” We are images of God. Thus, we are something “very good,” as God himself said, immediately after creating man and woman. What we must deny is not that which God has made, but that which we ourselves have made by misusing our freedom — the evil tendencies, sin, all those things that have covered over the original.
Years ago, off the coast of Calabria in southern Italy, there were discovered two encrusted masses that vaguely resembled human bodies. They were removed from the sea and carefully cleaned and freed. They turned out to be bronze statues of ancient warriors. They are known today as the Riace Warriors and are on display at the National Museum of Magna Grecia in Reggio Calabria. They are among the most admired sculptures of antiquity.
This example can help us understand the positive aspect of the Gospel proposal. Spiritually, we resemble the condition of those statues before their restoration. The beautiful image of God that we should be is covered over by the seven layers of the seven capital sins.
Perhaps it is not a bad idea to recall what these sins are, if we have forgotten them: pride, greed, lust, wrath, gluttony, envy and sloth. St. Paul calls this disfigured image, “the earthly image,” in contrast to the “heavenly image,” which is the resemblance of Christ.
“Denying ourselves,” therefore, is not a work of death, but one of life, of beauty and of joy. It is also a learning of the language of true love. Imagine, said the great Danish philosopher Kierkegaard, a purely human situation. Two young people love each other. But they belong to two different nations and speak completely different languages. If their love is to survive and grow, one of them must learn the language of the other. Otherwise, they will not be able to communicate and their love will not last.
This, Kierkegaard said, is how it is with us and God. We speak the language of the flesh, he speaks that of the spirit; we speak the language of selfishness, he that of love.
Denying yourself is learning the language of God so that we can communicate with him, but it is also learning the language that allows us to communicate with each other. We will not be able to say “yes” to the other — beginning with our own wife or husband — if we are not first of all able to say “no” to ourselves.
Keeping within the context of marriage, many problems and failures with the couple come from the fact that the man has never learned to express love for the woman, nor she for the man. Even when it speaks of denying ourselves, we see that the Gospel is much less distant from life than it is sometimes believed.
[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]
* * *
Father Raniero Cantalamessa is the Pontifical Household preacher. The readings for this Sunday are Jeremiah 20:7-9; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16:21-27.
Published by admin on 30 Aug 2008
信仰生活互動坊、塔冷通心靈書舍
讀經一 耶20：7-9 讀經二 羅12：1-2 詠63
主日福音 瑪16：21-27
耶穌開始向自己的門徒說：他必須上耶路撒冷去，長老、司祭長和經師要使他受許多痛苦，並且要殺害他，但是第三天他要復活。伯多祿便拉耶穌到一邊，勸諫他說：「主啊，千萬不可這樣！這事絕不可臨到你身上！」耶穌轉身對伯多祿說：「撒殫，退到我後面去！你是我的絆腳石，因為你所體會的，不是天主的事，而是人的事。」
於是，耶穌對自己的門徒說：「如果有人願意跟隨我，就該捨棄自己，背著自己的十字架，跟隨我。誰若願意保存自己的性命，反而會喪失生命；但是，誰若為我的緣故，喪失自己的性命，反而會得到生命。人即使賺得了全世界，卻喪失了自己，有什麼益處呢？人還能付出什麼代價來換回自己呢？人子將要在他父的光榮中同他的天使降來，那時，他要按照每人的行為對待每人。
默 想
──準備心神．參與主日感恩祭──
往神父講道目錄
