Catholics have lived an intense Lent of preparation, with works of charity, for Holy Week and Easter Sunday
ASIA/CHINA - Catholics have lived an intense Lent of preparation, with works of charity, for Holy Week and Easter Sunday
Rome (Agenzia Fides) - Chinese Catholics have been living a spiritually intense Lent in preparation for Holy Week and Easter, through prayer and works of fraternal charity, in union with the Universal Church. According to information sent to Agenzia Fides, across continental China, in Hong Kong, and in Taiwan, all the parishes and ecclesial base communities are participating in various charitable and spiritual works. The following are examples of just a few of the activities taking place.
In the diocese of Tang Shan, in the continental province of He Bei, some 600 faithful participated in a Lenten retreat on Sacred Scripture. According to a local priest, “we help the faithful to live a simple faith, yet with sound doctrinal and biblical foundation. If we live Lent well, we will celebrate Holy Week and Holy Easter well, and we will be able to better understand the full meaning behind this intense liturgical season in the Church.” After 4 days of retreat, the faithful returned to their normal daily life and divided themselves into 4 teams for doing charity work. They have also begun 16 Bible-study groups, to spread the Word of God.
During the Lenten retreat held in the parish of Saint Ignatius in Hong Kong, a very contemporary theme was chosen for reflection and dialogue: “Youth Devastated by Drugs.” As the theme resonated with many, the faithful were moved to make a commitment to fight the tragic reality according to Christ’s teachings, in imitation of Jesus on the Cross.
Close to 90 people attended the retreat held in Assumption of Mary Parish in Keelung, in the Archdiocese of Tai Pei (Taiwan), that had as its theme: “For your sake, Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). In light of the coming Pauline Year, the priest encouraged the faithful to take an active part in evangelization. During Eucharistic Adoration, the priest helped the faithful to reflect on their life and to make an examination of conscience. About 60 people went to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, in preparation for Easter Sunday. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 17/3/2008; righe 27, parole 352)
我們坐下後不久，見到一位中年的女士來到講台上。她健步如飛，說話簡單，清楚有力。她說意大利語，但有英語即時傳譯。我是第一次聽到有關福音強而有力的見證。當時我還不知她便是盧嘉勒女士，但已給了我非常深刻的印象。
耶穌同門徒一起吃晚餐時，心神煩亂，就明明地說：「我實實在在告訴你們：你們中有一個要出賣我。」門徒便互相觀望，猜疑他說的是誰。他門徒中有一個是耶穌所愛的，他那時斜依在耶穌的懷裡，西滿伯多祿就向他示意說：「你問他說的是誰？」那位就緊靠在耶穌的胸膛上，問他說：「主！是誰？」耶穌答覆說：「我蘸這片餅遞給誰，誰就是。」耶穌就蘸了一片餅，遞給依斯加略人西滿的兒子猶達斯。隨著那片餅，撒殫進入了他的心，於是耶穌對他說：「你所要做的，你快去做吧！」同席的人誰也沒有明白耶穌為什麼向他說了這話。不過，有人因為猶達斯掌管錢囊，以為耶穌是給他說：你去買我們過節所需要的」，或者，要他給窮人施捨一些東西。猶達斯一吃了那一片餅，就立時出去了：那時，正是黑夜。
Seminar: ‘The Eucharist’ 
可敬的普世博愛運動共同會長巴神父
恭讀
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Laz’arus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Laz’arus was one of those at table with him. Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it. Jesus said, “Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Laz’arus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Laz’arus also to death, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.
逾越節前六天，耶穌來到伯達尼，就是耶穌從死者中喚起拉匝祿的地方。有人在那裡為他擺設了晚宴，瑪爾大伺侯，而拉匝祿也是和耶穌一起坐席的一位。那時，瑪利亞拿了一斤極珍貴的純「拿爾多」香液，敷抹了耶穌的腳，並用自己的頭髮擦乾，屋裡充滿了香液的氣味。那要負賣耶穌的依斯加略猶達斯——即他的一個門徒——便說：「為什麼不把這香液去賣三百塊『德納』，施捨給窮人呢？」他說這話，並不是因為他關心窮人，只因為他是個賊，掌管錢囊，常偷取其中所存放的。耶穌就說：「由她吧！這原是她為我安葬之日而保存的。你們常有窮人和你們在一起；至於我，你們卻不常有。」有許多猶太人聽說耶穌在那裡，就來了，不但是為耶穌，也是為看他從死者中所喚起的拉匝祿。為此，司祭長議決連拉匝祿也要殺掉，因為有許多猶太人為了拉匝祿的緣故，離開他們，而信從了耶穌。
