Blog of Fr. Peter Leung

聖達甦一世(達瑪穌)教宗

 恭讀聖瑪竇福音　11:11-15
我切實告訴你們：「在婦女所生者中，沒有出過一個比授洗的若翰更大的；但在天國中最小的也比他大。從授洗的若翰的日子起直至今日，天國是以猛力去爭奪的， 用強力的人就奪取了它。因為所有的先知和法律所作的預言都到若翰為止。如果你們願意接受的話，他就是那位要來的厄里亞。有耳聽的，聽吧！」

─這是基督的福音。

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 11:11-15

Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John; 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Eli’jah who is to come.15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

—The Gospel of the Lord.

往神父講道目錄

 

 Homily [6:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1161)

信仰生活互動坊、塔冷通心靈書舍

12月11日　(週四)　 瑪11：11-15　    (其他經文──依41：13-20   詠145)
耶穌對群眾說：「我實在告訴你們：在婦女所生者中，沒有興起一位比洗者若翰更大的；但在天國裡最小的，也比他大。由洗者若翰的日子直到如今，天國是以猛力奪取的，以猛力奪取的人，就攫取了它，因為眾先知和法律講說預言，直到若翰為止。若是你們願意接受，他就是那位要來的厄里亞。有耳的，聽吧！」

默　想

• 這裡耶穌說：「天國是以猛力奪取的。」問問自己，我們的心究竟有多在乎天國的事？是否覺得十分遙遠和抽象？
• 天國不在遠方，只要我們願意，天國就在我們心中。
• 要抓住天國，是要我們付諸決心的；也是自己歸向自己的心的一個行動。
• 「有耳的，聽吧！」怎樣聽？能否用心靈的耳朵來靜聽？聽上主的聲音，聽近人的聲音，聽自己心靈深處的聲音？

 10/12/2008

（梵蒂岡電臺訊）教宗本篤十六世十二月十日星期三上午，在梵蒂岡保祿六世大廳主持例行的公開接見活動，會晤來自世界各地的朝聖人士，並根據聖保祿宗徒的教導，向他們講論基督爲人類開創新歷史的道理。教宗強調：沒有一個人是自己變爲基督信徒的，只有與耶穌基督相會後才可能。這天，羅馬的天氣雖然陰冷下雨，但保祿六世大廳還是坐滿了各國朝的聖人士。

教宗講解當天的要理時，開宗明義便指出：反真理，反天主的聖意，就是妄用自由。這樣的態度污染人的生活，尤其污染人際基本關係，也就是人與天主的關係，男女之間的關係，以及人與大自然的關係。根據聖保祿宗徒的教導，這樣的污染被耶穌基督所消除淨化，人類歷史因此有了嶄新的開始，這樣的開始不是因著驕傲自大，而是因著愛和真理。

教宗於是當著各國朝聖人士面前自問：耶穌到底是怎麽來到我的生命中，而且怎麽改變我的生命呢？教宗說聖保祿對這個問題的基本答復是：耶穌藉著天主聖神來到我們生命中，並改變我們的生命，因爲天主聖神在五旬節那天創造了新人類。聖神在當時的確創造了團結一致的新人類，他藉著兩個要素，就是宣講天主聖言和聖事，尤其是聖洗聖事和聖體聖事，克服了人類彼此的分裂。

教宗因此指出：信仰不是我們思想的成果，而是天主的恩賜；信仰不來自閲讀聖經，而是來自聆聽聖經；信仰不只是内在的事物，更是與天主的關係；這個關係承認天主的存在，承認天主宣報並創造共融。

教宗強調：只有基督才能建立教會，我們都是從教會那裏領受信仰的，沒有人可以自成爲基督信徒。領受信仰必須經由聖洗聖事，這件聖事遠超過單純的洗滌，更是死亡與復活。基督信仰不純粹屬於精神界，也包括物質肉體。因此，成爲基督信徒不是美容手術，不是給幾乎已經完美的生命加添什麽美好的事，而是一個新的開始，一種重生，是死亡與復活。

教宗接著談到聖體聖事，他根據聖保祿的教導指出：天主對人類許下的新盟約是經由耶穌基督愛的犧牲而完成的，這個犧牲就是我們在彌撒聖祭中舉行的聖體聖事。舉行這件聖事意味著耶穌把自己獻給我們。他對我們所表示的愛是爲了使我們相似他，是爲了建立一個嶄新的世界。在聖體聖事中，耶穌不但和我們每個人，而且也和我們的近人結合為一。所以，耶穌基督把我們衆人都結合在他身上。這就是爲什麽我們說舉行聖體聖事卻不關懷他人，乃是妄用這件聖事的道理。

教宗因此根據聖保祿宗徒有關教會如身體的教導結論說：“教會不只是一個社團，不只是一個組織，好像國家一樣；教會更是一個身體，一個有機體”。

10/12/2008

（梵蒂岡電臺訊）“人的權利是每個人的尊嚴不可侵犯和卓越的表達，是超越任何差异和各種歧視所表現的人舉世無雙的聖召。批准幷列舉出人權的1948年的普世宣言是人類文明的一個里程碑，重申了人類進步不只是以科學、技術和經濟先進來衡量，也尤其著重精神價值和道德生活進步的首要地位。”以上是聖座正義與和平委員會發表的一份文告中所闡述的思想，文告中强調“重新肯定這些原則和這些價值成爲慶祝這件盛事的主要目標”。梵蒂岡聖座將于12月10日下午舉行慶祝活動，目的“爲紀念普世人權宣言發表60周年幷爲這件盛事表達敬意，這項宣言于1948年12月10日，也就是造成灾難的第二次世界大戰結束的第二天由聯合國起草。”聖座新聞室在11月13日召開的記者招待會已經預先公布，12月10日的慶祝活動分爲反省和研討性的紀念活動，届時聖座國務卿貝爾托內樞機主教和世界勞工組織秘書長胡安·索馬維亞將發表言論，意大利總統納波利塔諾和馬耳他騎士團團長馬修·費斯廷會士將出席。在紀念活動之後，將是一場古典音樂會，由法蘭克福的勃蘭登堡·施塔茨交響樂團演奏，指揮是西班牙人英瑪·沙拉女士，她將是在梵蒂岡指揮交響樂團的首位女性。教宗本篤十六世也將莅臨，欣賞音樂會。音樂會開始前，紀念阮文順樞機的聖瑪竇基金會要頒發2008年的年度獎，今年獲獎的是5位人物和機構，他們尤其在社會及和平領域作出了貢獻。慶祝活動中的音樂會由聖瑪竇基金會和瑞士瓦舍龍-康斯坦丁鐘錶公司贊助。

1204（580字）xiao

盧森堡大公國元首亨利大公拒絕在使安樂死合法化的法律上簽字

（梵蒂岡電臺訊）盧森堡大公國的元首亨利大公出于良心理由，周一拒絕在使安樂死在這個歐洲心臟的小王國合法化的法律上簽字，他的態度導致盧森堡政治危機。信奉天主教的亨利大公的拒絕在政界高峰造成了震動，如果國會12月在二讀中通過這個法律，安樂死就成爲合法的途徑。爲補救大公的拒絕，使安樂死合法化，按照這個君主政體小國的憲法規定，總理容克爾提議修改憲法，使大公失去否决權。容克爾總理是基督社會黨的領導人，在今年2月的一讀中也曾反對實行安樂死，使下院以30票贊成，26票反對的結果一分爲二。容克爾也曾談到，他3月份在梵蒂岡蒙教宗接見時，也同教宗談了這個問題。經過衆所期待的閉門協商後，總理說他願意尊重大公的意願，也尊重國家的利益。憲法修訂該當得到國會三分之二議員的同意。盧森堡大公國有48萬居民，85%是天主教徒，繼比利時、荷蘭之後，這個小國將是第三個爲末期病人施行安樂死的歐洲國家。這些末期病人在身心上受很大痛苦幷且沒有好轉的希望，至少兩個醫生和一個專家組護理他們。

亨利大公今年50歲，擔任盧森堡元首已有8年，已婚，有5個子女。他受到信德的支持，沒有向國會的壓力低頭。盧森堡的總主教弗朗克向本台指出：

答：大公按他的良知不願在這項法律上簽字，這在以前從未有過，是第一次發生。大公以這種方式表現出他是個有原則的人，根據自己的良知，即基督信徒的良知行事。我認爲，大公所作的是一個卓越的見證。總理提議修改憲法：根據憲法第34條，大公批准和頒布法律。現在修訂法律就是取消批准這部分。這使盧森堡感到輕鬆，政治危機得以避免。試想，處在金融危機中的一個小國怎能再經得住政治危機。

問：對大公的這一强硬舉動，你們如何反應，意義何在？

答：大公首次面對這個問題，就是說還有關于經濟、運輸等等的法律，但是這次的法律關係到人的生命。

問：你們如何度過對安樂死合法化進行爭論的這段時期？

答：我們作爲教會予以反對。教會希望人的尊嚴要得到尊重，人能够在有真正的尊嚴中死去，死時緊握一個人的手，而不是死在一個人的手裏。

 08/12/2008

（梵蒂岡電臺訊）十二月八日是聖母始胎無染原罪瞻禮。這天是梵蒂岡和意大利國定假日，所以就如前一天星期日一樣，在中午時分有許多各國教友聚集在梵蒂岡聖伯多祿廣場，為和教宗一起特別向聖母致敬和祈禱，因爲這一天是聖母最偉大的節慶，並聆聽教宗有關聖母的講話。

教宗說：“今天我們隆重慶祝的瑪利亞始胎無染原罪奧蹟，提醒我們記住信仰上兩個基本真理，一個是原罪，另一個是基督的恩寵克勝原罪，這個勝利以最卓越的方式閃耀在至聖瑪利亞身上。教會所稱呼的原罪的存在是個極爲明顯的事實，只要我們觀看四周、尤其是我們内心，便一目了然。邪惡的經驗是那麽強烈，以致令人不得不自問：邪惡到底從哪裏來的？對信徒來說，這樣的疑問更爲深刻：如果天主是絕對的善，他創造了一切，那麽邪惡從哪裏來？”。

聖經前幾頁就以敍述天主創造天地和原祖父母墮落的事跡，回答了每個時代的人對這幾個基本問題的詢問。教宗說：“天主創造一切是爲使他們生存，他尤其按照自己的肖像創造了人。天主並沒有創造死亡，然而死亡卻因著魔鬼的嫉妒而進入世界。魔鬼反抗天主，欺騙人類，引人背叛天主。這就是自由的悲劇，天主卻爲了愛而接受這個悲劇到底，不過他許下將有一個生於女人的兒子要踏碎蛇的頭”。

教宗繼續說：“這個女人被預定要成爲救贖主的母親，這位救贖主貶抑自己到極點，為恢復我們原來的尊嚴。那位女人在天主眼中一向有個面貌和名號，就是充滿聖寵者，就如天使到納匝肋拜訪她的時候所稱呼的名字”。

教宗最後說：“我們在無染原罪瑪利亞身上默觀那拯救世界的美的反映：那個美就是在基督聖容上閃耀的天主的美。這個反映在瑪利亞身上的美是純淨、謙虛的，沒有任何驕傲自大。童貞瑪利亞就是以這樣的容貌于一百五十年前在露德顯現給聖女伯爾納德的，而在許多朝聖地聖母也是這樣受到瞻仰敬禮的”。

八日這天下午四點鈡，教宗按照傳統習慣，前往羅馬市中心西班牙廣場無染原罪聖母雕像前，帶領羅馬市政府及市民向無染原罪聖母獻花致敬，表達羅馬全城一向對聖母的孝愛。

Madrid, Dec 10, 2008 / 03:52 pm (CNA).- As Spain celebrates the 30^th anniversary of its Constitution, a group of young people has covered the monument to the Constitution in Madrid with white crosses in reparation for the thousands of legal abortions that have taken place in the country.

The lawn that surrounds the monument was covered in white crosses, resembling a cemetery. The young people also posted a large sign on the lawn that protested the fact that the Magna Carta defends respect for life from conception to natural death and yet, abortion is legal. The sign read: “Article 15 of the Constitution: Everyone has the Right to Life: No abortion.”

Enrique Jaureguizar, director of “Doctors for Life,” said the protest was intended to convey that the Constitution is not respected in Spain, and he warned that because of the legalization of abortion, each year more than 112,000 children die in the country, which equals more than 300 abortions per day.

The U.N. General Assembly

New York, Dec 9, 2008 / 09:13 pm (CNA).- A coalition of pro-life and pro-marriage groups on Wednesday will present to the United Nations a petition containing at least 350,000 signatures asking that U.N. member states interpret the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as protecting unborn children from abortion and protecting the traditional family.

The petition’s sponsors will present the signatures at U.N.’s New York headquarters and in private meetings with ambassadors.

The Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-FAM) was the primary organizer of the petition drive, called “U.N. Petition for the Unborn Child and the Family.” It was joined by the Pro-Life Federation of Poland, the Institute of Family Policy of Spain, United Families International of the US, and U.S.-based Concerned Women for America.

The coalition sponsoring the petition formed in response to petition efforts by the pro-abortion groups International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and Marie Stopes International which are calling for a right to abortion to be recognized on the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The U.N. Petition for the Unborn Child and the Family asserts that the rights presented in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are inherent to every person and that governments should extend the right to life to all members of the human family, including the unborn child. It also asks governments to protect the family as “the fundamental group unit of society,” giving special assistance to mothers and children and promoting the rights of parents.

“We are proud not only to match but far surpass the efforts of pro-abortion groups,” said Austin Ruse, president of C-FAM. “We launched our drive only two months ago and have generated more than 300,000 names from all over the world.”

Ruse said, “I suspect that Marie Stopes and IPPF will present a few thousand names. This shows what we have known all along; that abortion is supported mostly by elites while everyday people are for protecting the unborn child.”

CNA spoke with Ruse about the petition in a phone interview on Tuesday.

He reported that the reaction to the petition presentations has been “very positive” among member states. On Tuesday it was presented to various ambassadors at the U.N. representing Poland, the Holy See, Fiji, and Uganda.

Ruse explained that the petition is being presented to delegations which head important U.N. committees.

He added that he suspected abortion rights groups will receive the petition very badly, as it was created in response to their petition.

“Ours is going to be significantly larger than theirs,” he said, reporting that a recent Marie Stopes International petition had only 1,000 signatories.

“I suspect they will be at our press conference asking difficult questions,” he said, predicting their reaction to be “profoundly negative.”

Ruse told CNA that abortion advocates are engaged in a “multifaceted” international effort to advance their cause through the United Nations. U.N. Committees are directing governments to change their laws on abortion and are reinterpreting existing treaties to include the right to abortion.

He cited the commission charged with reinterpretation of the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in which the commission claimed to have found a right to abortion.

These committee decisions are then interpreted as new norms and cited by national authorities.

“The High Court of Columbia overturned abortion laws based on these reinterpretations,” Ruse explained.

However, Ruse was optimistic about the pro-life petition drive.

“Our petition is up to 350,000 signatures, and it’s going higher every day,” he told CNA, noting that signatures have come in from at least 168 countries.

Ruse said the petition calls on governments to return to the original understanding of certain clauses in the Declaration, especially those dealing with the right to life, the right to marry, the right of parents to educate their children, and the place of the family as the basic unit of society.

“We are determined to keep this alive to see if we can hit one million signatures by the next General Assembly meeting in the fall,” he continued, noting that the goal seeks to equal the number of signatures collected for a recent anti-death penalty petition.

After only a few weeks of collecting signatures, Ruse told CNA, “We’re a third of the way there.”

The petition is available on the C-FAM web site at http://www.c-fam.org/publications/id.95/default.asp

Vatican City, Dec 10, 2008 / 11:37 am (CNA).- The Paul VI Hall held around 5,000 faithful this morning, who listened to Pope Benedict unfold St. Paul’s teaching on the sacraments. When people receive the sacraments, he explained, they encounter the Spirit of Jesus in a way that changes their spirit and their body.

The Holy Father began his catechesis by indicating how “from St. Paul we have learned that there is a new beginning of history in Jesus Christ … formed by the ‘yes’ He pronounced to the Father … out of love and truth.”

“How can we enter,” the Pope asked, “into this new beginning, this new history? … How can Jesus reach my own life, my own being? The fundamental response of St. Paul, of all the New Testament, is: by the Holy Spirit.”

Benedict XVI then pointed out that the Holy Spirit “at the Pentecost created the beginning of a new humanity, a new community: the Church, the body of Christ.”

The spirit of Christ “touches me within … using two visible elements: the Word of announcement and the Sacraments, in particular Baptism and the Eucharist. … Faith comes not from reading but from listening. It is not only an interior experience but a relationship,” the Pope said.

The Holy Father then explained how the new humanity established by Christ comes into being through the Church, which the Holy Spirit established at Pentecost.

“For this reason, the Word of announcement becomes Sacrament. … No-one can baptize himself; … no-one can become Christian by himself. … We can only become Christian through the meditation of others, and this gives us the gift of faith. … Autonomous Christianity is a self-contradiction. … These ‘others’ are, in the first place, the community of believers, the Church. … Only Christ can constitute the Church, Christ is the true giver of the Sacraments.”

Lest we confine the new creation brought by Christ to the spiritual realm, Pope Benedict emphasized that, “Being Christian is more than a cosmetic operation that embellishes life … it is a new beginning and rebirth, death and resurrection. … It is not purely spiritual but involves the body, the cosmos, and extends to the new earth and to the new heavens.”

On the subject of the Eucharist, the Holy Father pointed out that St. Paul speaks of the institution of this Sacrament in his First Letter to the Corinthians, and he explained that “with the gift of the chalice of the new covenant Christ gives us the true sacrifice, the only true sacrifice is the love of the Son.”

The Pope then turned to the unity that is established between the believer and Christ and the believer and the Christian community by the Eucharist.

Referring to chapter ten of the First Letter to the Corinthians in which St. Paul speaks of us becoming “one body, for we all partake of the one bread,” Benedict XVI affirmed that “the realism of the Church is much more profound and authentic than that of the nation State, because Christ truly gives us His Body, converts us into His Body … and unites us to one another. … The Church is not just a corporation like a State, it is a body; it is not an organization but an organism.”

As he finished his thoughts on the sacraments, Pope Benedict touched on the Sacrament of Matrimony, which St. Paul defines as “a great mystery.”

“Married love has as its model the love of Christ for His Church,” the Holy Father said.

Having a “rewarding experience of true marriage” will happen if “a constant human and emotive development remains united to the effectiveness of the Word and the significance of Baptism,” he counseled. The Pontiff also spoke of how “participating in the Body and the Blood of the Lord consolidates the union and makes it visible, a union that grace then makes indissoluble.”