Blog of Fr. Peter Leung

ASIA/CHINA – Diocese of Ning Xia holds a Solemn Mass for the newly-baptized of 2007, accompanied by the community on their journey in the faith
Ning Xia (Agenzia Fides) – “Our Christian family does not forget their brothers and sisters who have been baptized during 2007. We unite in asking the Lord to bless them.” These were the words of Bishop Li Jing, recently assigned Auxiliary Bishop for the Diocese of Ning Xia, during the Mass celebrated in honor of the 200 newly-baptized faithful, who were also presented with a medal. The solemn celebration took place on the Fourth Sunday of Lent, March 2. In 2007, there were 107 people baptized in the Easter Vigil. Among those baptized, were also entire families who converted to Catholicism, from grandparents to small children. Bishop Jing explained in the homily that, “in welcoming our brothers and sisters baptized during this year, we ask the Lord to bestow His blessing upon them. We hope that the faith they have received in Baptism may be strengthened and that they may truly live as Christians.” Some of the newly-baptized shared their enthusiasm, most importantly in gratitude for a year of Christian life, expressing their appreciation for the love and care that they have received from the Christian community.
The story of the evangelization of the Ning Xia diocese dates back to 1879, thanks to the work carried out by Fr. Karel Van Sante and Fr. Alfons Bermyn, CICM (Scheut Missionaries). In 1922, an Apostolic Vicariate was established and on March 18 of the same year, the CICM province of Ning Xia was formed. The Diocesan Congregation of the Missionaries of Mary was founded by the then Apostolic Vicar Bishop Gaspar Scotte, CICM, in 1931. Today, the diocese of Ning Xia has over 8,000 faithful, 14 churches and chapels, 1 Bishop, and an Auxiliary Bishop, who was recently consecrated, with the approval of the Holy See. In addition, there are 10 priests, 1 deacon, 5 seminarians, 13 religious sisters, and 4 novices of the Missionaries of Mary. The religious administer 3 clinics. Every year, there are close to 200 baptized. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 7/3/2008; righe 24, parole 328)

為瑪利亞無玷聖心凱旋的勝利作奉獻準備 – 三十三天祈禱奉獻
33 Days Prayer Consecration Preparation for the Triumphant Victory of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

訊息：

「我的天使，我的天使，我的心多麼欣慰！這一刻，我的勝利已顯露出來了。我曾對你們說過，我的勝利總是先在心裏感受到的，今天，我在你們的心中也感受到了。你們藉著奉獻，在我內變得日益親近，日益堅強。正像我曾對你們說過的，聖神令這個承諾結實纍纍。

奉獻是一個行動，首先，要把心與天主連結在一起，並轉化它，使它肖似天主，繼而與天主所創造的受造物心心相連，轉化成他們一樣。現在，我請求你們專心一意，只注意我的心，專注力變得穩定，我便時刻臨在你們跟前。你們將會在自己的心中，也就是我的心中找到力量。我的天使，現在，你們各位都在探索，就這樣來尋找我的無玷聖心吧。當你們只是看見我的心時，才可邁步向前；這是一份真正的恩寵，是我所曾答允你們的禮物。我曾說過，我要把一切都賜給你們，這是我一個莊嚴的承諾。你們所需要的只是那些在我內找得到的東西，就是天主聖三的結合，一個最完美的結合，這是我要帶領你們前去的地方。

你們要在我的無玷聖心內找尋信心和每一個問題的答案。我向你們保證，這就是為什麼我是你們的庇蔭。我藉著你們來分施這一份深厚的恩寵，是為了合一。在我內，只有在我內，才找到團結力和方向感。

現在，我帶來一個指引，跟隨著這指引，便可在這短促的時間內，把必須要完成的事，辦得最圓滿，並且是你們最意想不到的。你們找尋，只可著眼於我所教導過的事物，並且都要是天主渴望完成的事。

記著，存留在我內，就是藉著我無玷聖心的恩寵合而為一，通過這扇大門，到達我聖子的心裏去。」93-8-29

引導：

這奉獻是把領洗時的許諾作一個完美的更新。領洗前，我們交付了給罪惡；在洗禮中，我們已交付了給耶穌。在誠懇地宣誓奉獻和更新這些許諾時，我們藉著聖母瑪利亞把自己交付給耶穌，我們是最純潔的，因為我們仿效聖母瑪利亞的心，這奉獻是一個完美的途徑，是天主所計劃的途徑。

就像領洗時所許諾的一樣，我們在這奉獻中，棄絕一切源於邪惡的事物，不過，現在我們這行動更有深意，因為我們藉著聖母瑪利亞，把心交給了耶穌。這樣，藉著尊敬祂那位最偉大的、充滿恩寵的受造物，我們向祂致以最高的崇敬。我們屬於聖母，也就是屬於祂。

指示：

天主時常渴望向心靈說話，而不是向思想說話。思想充滿太多個人意願，心卻依然是靈魂的進口。當聖母瑪利亞要求我們開放心靈時，本質上也是在要求我們的靈魂張開，接受她的恩寵。透過我們的奉獻，我們發覺到她的心在我們內跳動，她的心要把自己從考驗和痛苦中取得的力量賜給我們。在這行動中，我們的內心產生了變化；我們的靈魂被塑造成一個恩寵的盛器，就像天主對聖母瑪利亞的要求一樣。

她要求我們不斷對她的無玷聖心保持專注，因著這專注，我們得到她的護佑，並給她緊抱在慈母的懷中。我們該在日常的所有工作中，向她的無玷聖心求助。我們在她內找到了庇蔭。

默想：

啊，瑪利亞無玷之心！我懷著熱切的心情，祈求在妳的無玷聖心內找得庇蔭，我祈求能在一切事上都向妳求助。我從妳的指導和護佑中，找尋團結力和方向感。親愛的母親，請妳教導我，無論思、言、行為都以妳的聖心為依歸。請妳把勝利的喜樂注滿我的心，使我在憂患之時，能憑藉它的支持。請引領我這漂泊的靈魂進入妳聖心的深處，妳在這聖心中把天主聖三的愛情、安慰和憐憫賜給了我。

「基督也為你們受了苦，給你們留下了榜樣，叫你們追隨他的足跡。」（伯前2：21）
每日禱文

 

 Prayer of Consecration (Day 20) [18:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (4702)

VATICAN – Benedict XVI in the Angelus: Christ “is the image, indeed, the incarnation of God who is love, mercy, and paternal and maternal tenderness, of the God who is Life”; additional appeal for the Holy Land and Iraq
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The resurrection of Lazarus, narrated in the Gospel for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Liturgical Cycle A, says Benedict XVI, is “the last great sign worked by Jesus, after which the high priests and the Sanhedrin meet, and plot to kill Him. They even plan to kill Lazarus himself, as he is the living proof of Christ’s divinity and Christ is the Lord of life and death.” Prior to the recitation of the Angelus on March 9, the Pope explained that “in reality this Gospel passage shows Jesus as true Man and true God.” The evangelist focuses on Jesus’ friendship with Lazarus and his sisters, Martha and Mary. It was so profound, that Jesus shows His “sincere compassion for the pain of his death,” and even weeps. However, Jesus also demonstrates his “absolute power” over death, “expressing God’s view of physical death with the metaphor of sleep… The death of the body is a sleep from which God can awaken one at any moment.”
“Christ’s heart is divine and human: in Him, God and Man are perfectly united, with neither separation nor confusion,” the Pope continued, “He is the image, indeed, the incarnation of God who is love, mercy, and paternal and maternal tenderness, of the God who is Life. That is why He says to Martha, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, he will live; whoever lives and believes in me, will never die.’” And Jesus later asks Martha: “Do you believe this?” This is a question that “Jesus addresses to each one of us; a question that certainly overwhelms us, it overwhelms our ability to understand, and it asks us to entrust ourselves to him, as he has entrusted himself to the Father…Yes, O Lord! We too believe, despite our doubts and our darkness; we believe in you, because you have the words of eternal life; we want to believe in you, who gives us a trustworthy hope of life beyond life, of authentic and full life in your kingdom of light and peace.”
Following the Angelus, the Holy Father renewed his appeal for the Holy Land and Iraq, saying, “In recent days, violence has again left a trail of blood in the Holy Land, fuelling a downward spiral of destruction and death that seems to have no end. While I invite you to pray with insistence to the Lord Almighty for the gift of peace for the region, I wish to entrust to His mercy the many innocent victims and express solidarity with the families and the injured. I also encourage the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to continue negotiations in order to build a peaceful and just future for their peoples. I ask that all, in God’s name, leave behind the tortured path of hatred and revenge, and pursue the responsible paths of dialogue and trust. This is my request, for Iraq as well, while we still fear for the fate of Archbishop Rahho and for the many Iraqi people who continue to suffer blind and meaningless violence that is certainly contrary to the will of God.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 10/3/2008; righe 36, parole 523)
Links:
Complete text of the Holy Father’s address, in various languages
http://www.evangelizatio.org/portale/adgentes/pontefici/pontefice.php?id=1047

信仰生活互動坊、塔冷通心靈書舍

３月１１日　(週二)　若8：21-30　　　(其他經文──戶21：4-9 詠102)
耶穌向法利塞人說：「我去了，你們要尋找我，你們必要死在你們的罪惡中；我所去的地方，你們不能去。」猶太人便說：「他說：我所去的地方，你們不能去；莫非他要自殺嗎？」耶穌向他們說：「你們是出於下，我卻是出於上；你們是出於這個世界，我卻不是出於這個世界。因此，我對你們說過：你們要死在你們的罪惡中。的確，你們若不相信我就是那一位，你們必要死在你們的罪惡中。」於是，他們問耶穌說：「你到底是誰？」耶穌回答他們說：「難道從起初我沒有對你們講論過嗎？對你們我有許多事要說，要譴責；但是派遣我來者是真實的；我由他聽來的，我就講給世界聽。」他們不明白他是在給他們講論父。耶穌遂說：「當你們高舉了人子以後，你們便知道我就是那一位。我由我自己不作什麼；我所講論的，都是依照父所教訓我的。派遣我來者與我在一起，他沒有留下我獨自一個，因為我常作他所喜悅的事。」當耶穌講論這些話時，許多人便信了他。

默　想──Ø　耶穌和法利塞人說這些話，真的是對牛彈琴，又或是牛頭不對馬嘴。
Ø　為什麼會這樣？因為法利塞人一直都虛偽地關心天主的國，他們真實「關心的」，是世界的事。但耶穌卻不斷真心地說天國的事。
Ø　但是，天和地真的這樣二分化嗎？非也。耶穌時常說，做在一個最小的兄弟身上，就是做在祂身上。
Ø　所以，法利塞人若能真心關心天國，不理會地上的權勢，他們也會找到天國的，其中一個例子就是在夜間前往見耶穌的尼苛德摩 (3:1-15)，他有真誠，所以就能領會到耶穌所說的話，最後他還為耶穌的屍體塗上貴重的香料呢！

READINGS
March 9, 2008

From John Main OSB, “The Oceans of God” (December 1982), THE PRESENT CHRIST (New York: Crossroad, 1991), pp. 111-112, 116-117.

Our life is a unity because it is centered in the mystery of God. But to know that unity we have to see beyond ourselves and with a perspective greater than we generally see with, when self-interest is our dominant concern. Only when we have begun to turn from self-interest and self-consciousness does this larger perspective begin to open. Another way of saying that our vision expands is to say that we come to see beyond mere appearances, into the depth and significance of things. . ..not just . . .in relation to ourselves but . . .to the whole of which we are part. This is the way of true self-knowledge and it is why true self knowledge is identical with true humility. Meditation opens up for us this precious form of knowledge, [and] this knowledge becomes wisdom. . when we know no longer by analysis and definition but by participation in the life and spirit of Christ. [. . .]

The greatest difficulty is to begin, to take the first step, to launch out into the depth of the reality of God as revealed in Christ. Once we have left the shore of our own self we soon pick up the currents of reality that give us our direction and momentum. The more still and attentive we are, the more sensitively we respond to these currents. And so the more absolute and truly spiritual our faith becomes. By stillness in the spirit we move into the ocean of God. If we have the courage to push off from the shore we cannot fail to find this direction and energy. The further out we travel the stronger the current becomes, and the deeper our faith. For a while the depth of our faith is challenged by the paradox that the horizon of our destination is always receding. Where are we going with this deeper faith? Then, gradually we recognize the meaning of the current that guides us and see that the ocean is infinite.

Leaving the shore is the first great challenge, but it is only necessary to begin to face the challenge. Even though the challenges may become greater later, we are assured that we shall be given everything we need to face them. We begin by saying the mantra. Saying the mantra is always to be beginning, to be returning to the first step. We learn in time that there is only one step between us and God. . . .Christ has taken it in himself. He himself is the step. . . . The only way to know Christ is to enter his personal mystery, leaving ideas and words behind. We leave them behind in order to enter the silence of full knowledge and love to which meditation is leading each of us.

After Meditation, from Theodore Roethke, “The Far Field,” COLLECTED POEMS (New York: Doubleday, 1961), p. 200.

I learned not to fear infinity,
The far field, the windy cliffs of forever,
The dying of time in the white light of tomorrow,
The wheel turning away from itself,
The sprawl of the wave,
The on-coming water.