Blog of Fr. Peter Leung

CONFESS YOUR SINS

“Dear children! In this time of renunciation, prayer and penance, I call you anew: go and confess your sins so that grace may open your hearts, and permit it to change you. Convert little children, open yourselves to God and to His plan for each of you.  Thank you for having responded to my call.” Message of February  25, 2009

On Ash Wednesday, also known as Clean Wednesday we begin Lent, the intensive season of liturgical year when we prepare for Easter. In her message of 25 February Our Lady makes us aware that Lent is the time of renunciation, prayer and penance.

In his 2009 Lent message Pope Benedict XVI says: “At the beginning of Lent, which constitutes an itinerary of more intense spiritual training, the Liturgy sets before us again three penitential practices that are very dear to the biblical and Christian tradition – prayer, almsgiving, fasting – to prepare us to better celebrate Easter and thus experience God’s power that, as we shall hear in the Paschal Vigil, “dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy, casts out hatred, brings us peace and humbles earthly pride” (Paschal Præconium). The Pope continues by saying: “Denying material food, which nourishes our body, nurtures an interior disposition to listen to Christ and be fed by His saving word …. Through fasting and praying, we allow Him to come and satisfy the deepest hunger that we experience in the depths of our being: the hunger and thirst for God. At the same time, fasting is an aid to open our eyes to the situation in which so many of our brothers and sisters live… It is good to see how the ultimate goal of fasting is to help each one of us, as the Servant of God Pope John Paul II wrote, to make the complete gift of self to God ».

The center of Our Lady’s tonight’s message  is a call to confess our sins because this is the way grace opens our hearts and changes us. Jesus established the Sacrament of Reconciliation for all sinful members of the Church, for all those who fall into a grave sin and lose the grace of Jesus. Confession creates an opportunity for us to convert and to regain grace. That is why the fathers of the Church have referred to confession as  «another board for salvation after the wreckage of grace».

A sincere confession always leads to a complete conversion, where the meaning of conversion is a change of one’s entire life, actions and beliefs.  It is a complete shift. A shift like that happened, for example, to St. Paul , St. Augustine , St. Francis and to many other saints. Conversion leads us to denying our sinful way of life and pagan customs directing us towards our complete surrender to God, to his plan and actions, as Our Lady calls us to do. Besides the negative side related to denying, as we deny such things like food, alcohol, cigarettes, gambling and other additions, Lent has a positive side too, which is our decision that we shall pray more, forgive more, love our fellow men more, worship Jesus in the most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar more,  and help others more. Let us include both sides in our spiritual life in order for us to truly experience the fullness of Easter joy.

Fr. Danko Perutina
Medugorje 26/02/2009

「你們因我的名，無論向父求什麼，祂必賜給你們。」（若16:23）

世上就存有這般令人費解的矛盾現象：一方面，人永無止境地追尋摸索，在生命的考驗中為需求而擔心，仿彿失恃孤雛，深感無助；在另一方面，天主身為眾生的慈父，渴望分施祂的恩澤，以祂的大能去滿足祂子女的願望及需要。

好比「空的」在尋覓「滿溢的」，又像「滿溢的」在尋覓「空的」，只可惜兩者永不碰頭，一如凹凸不相合那般。

人天賦的自由便可帶來這樣的禍害。

無論如何，對認識祂的人，天主始終是「愛」。

且聽耶穌說什麼：

「你們因我的名，無論向父求什麼，祂必賜給你們。」

福音上有一些話，耶穌過不久會重複的說，並慷慨地作出祂的承諾。耶穌以不同的語氣和不同的解釋，來教導我們該怎樣求得我們所需的。

只有天主才能說這種話。祂的大能無窮無盡。一切恩許都在祂的權能之下：包括物質的、精神的、可能的或不可能的恩許。

但小心聽清楚。

耶穌教你該「如何」把你的需要呈遞到上主面前，祂說要：「因我的名」。

即使你有小小的信德，這幾個字都能使你如虎添翼。

看，耶穌在世上生活過，祂曉得我們和你茫茫無盡的需求，祂怎會視若無睹！於是，當我們去祈禱時，祂甘願成為我們的中保，猶如對每個人說：「去吧，到父跟前，因我的名義，懇求祂這個，或那個，還祈求這個。」祂知道聖父不會拒絕祂，因為祂是聖子，又是天主。

你不是以自己的名義到聖父面前，而是因基督的名。有一句諺語說：「兩國絕交，不斬來使。」

當你因基督的名到聖父面前時，你只是執行使者的職務。

雙方的交易便能迅速達成。

許多基督徒都是這樣祈禱的，他們可以給你引證無數承受了的恩澤。他們天天不斷地領受這些恩澤，從他們身上不期然地彰顯天父無微不至的關懷與愛護。

「你們因我的名，無論向父求什麼，祂必賜給你們。」

說到這裡，你可能會說：「我求過不知多少次了，也因基督的名，但我仍然得不到。」

這也有可能。但我先前已提過，耶穌在福音中其他地方也邀請我們去祈求，並進一步解釋該怎樣去求，可能你忽略了。

譬如，祂要求人「留存」在祂內，即活在祂的聖意內，才能獲得所求的恩寵。

因此你所求的事，可能與天主在你身上的計劃大相逕庭，而天主也許認為這件事不能助你善渡此生或福延來生，甚至祂知道這件事可能會遺害你一生。

祂既是你的父親，怎能忍心不顧一切，而滿全你的願望呢？祂豈不是在欺騙你嗎？祂不會這樣做的。

因此，你祈禱前該先和祂定下協議，這樣說：「父啊，因耶穌的名，我想求你這件事，假如你認為是好的話。」

假若你所求的恩許，與天主聖愛為你安排下的計劃互相脗合，這句話便成為當然的諾言：

「你們因我的名，無論向父求什麼，祂必賜給你們。」

也可能你祈求恩許，而私下卻毫不情願遵照天主要求你的方式去生活。在這情況下，你認為天主答應你的要求是合理的嗎？天主不只願意賜給你一件恩寵，祂更願意給你圓滿的喜樂。只有那些遵照天主誠命和天主的聖言而生活的人，才會得到這一切恩許。只是沉思默想是不夠的，還要坐言起行。

假如你這樣做，便會得到一切。

總之，你真的願意得到恩寵嗎？

不論什麼事情，都可以向天主祈求，以基督之名，並首先立志承行主旨，下定決心遵行天主的法規。

天主萬分樂意賜給我們恩寵。只可惜許多時候是我們拒絕了祂的善意。

盧嘉勒

註：生活聖言是每個月從聖經中抽出來的一句話，為讀者提供日常生活的指引和靈感。盧嘉勒女士自普世博愛運動早期，就為每月的生活聖言撰寫註釋。自她於2008年3月14日去世後，她的著作再次被刊載。這個月的註釋源於1978年11月的生活聖言，當時她向著一群基督徒分享。

恭讀聖瑪竇福音 7:7-12
那時候，耶穌向門徒說：「你們求，必要給你們；你們找，必要找著；你們敲，必要給你們開。因為凡是求的，就必得到；找的，就必找到；敲的，就必給他開。或 者，你們中間有那個人，兒子向他求餅，反而給他石頭呢？或者求魚，反而給他蛇呢？你們縱然不善，尚且知道把好的東西給你們的兒女，何況你們在天之父，豈不 更將好的賜與求他的人？
「所以，凡你們意人給你們做的，你們也要照樣給人做：法律和先知全即在於此。」

—這是基督的福音。

(1st week of Lent – Fri.)

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 7:7-12

7 “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good  things to those who ask him! 12 So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

—The Gospel of the Lord.

往神父講道目錄

 

 Homily [6:32m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1464)

Mar 1, 2009 – Homily – 1st Sunday of Lent

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

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English

信仰生活互動坊、塔冷通心靈書舍

3月5日　(週四)　 瑪7：7-12　 (其他經文──艾：四補丙：10-12, 17-19 詠138)
耶穌向門徒說：「你們求，必要給你們；你們找，必要找著；你們敲，必要給你們開。因為凡是求的，就必得到；找的，就必找到；敲的，就必給他開。或者，你們中間有那個人，兒子向他求餅，反而給他石頭呢？或者求魚，反而給他蛇呢？你們縱然不善，尚且知道把好的東西給你們的兒女，何況你們在天之父，豈不更將好的賜與求他的人？
「所以，凡你們願意人給你們做的，你們也要照樣給人做：法律和先知全即在於此。」

默　想

• 這一段福音，最精彩的是最後一句：你們願意人給你們做的，你們也要照樣給人做。
• 這就是道德–不要用雙重標準！再高一點的，就是待人寬，律己嚴！
• 若能做到這樣，世界必不再一樣。最低限度，是你周圍的世界。

3/2/2009

(Source: http://medjugorje.hr)

Bruno Volpe spoke with Mons. Giovanni Battista Pichierri, Bishop of Trani, in Puglia, who declared, “I think that the prudent position of the Church on the topic is just and legitimate. The visionaries continue to speak, therefore, it is necessary to wait. But if the faithful are coming in such a great numbers, there must be a positive reason for it”.

The position of the Church is however very cautious. “This is true. There is a directive that prohibits the pilgrimages led by the Bishops and diocesan priests, but lately – in front of the extent and the evidence of the phenomenon – this rigidity is being a little attenuated”.

Excellence, do you have personal knowledge of people and faithful from your Diocese who have been converted and have changed their life or their lifestyle thanks to Medjugorje? “Off course, and I have no reason to deny it. I know good people who, before the visit to Medjugorje, were not true and authentic Christians, and they returned from there literally transformed. From this point of view, it seems to me appropriate to speak of a place of grace”.

What do you mean when you speak of a place of grace? “Conversion, accepting the sacraments that were rejected or abandoned for a long time, is a grace. I can affirm that this happens in Medjugorje, and with certain permanence. Conversions may also happen in other places, but if they are recorded in such abundance, I think that the hand of God is at work, his mighty will”.

Why is the Church so prudent? “It must be said that – concerning Marian apparitions – the Church leaves us free to believe or not to believe, for they are not a dogma of faith. The Church has given approval to many apparitions. Concerning Medjugorje, precisely because the visionaries – that I think healthy of mind continue to speak, which means that the visions are not closed – the Church has decided to defer the judgment. But postponement in itself does not mean denial”.

Some malicious tongues have even spread the suspicions of presumed religious business. “This seems to me exaggerated and unfair. I do not exclude the presence of some cunning ones, but this phenomenon is very diverse and often present around Shrines and Basilicas. I do not understand why some underline this when they speak about Medjugorje, and pretend that it does not happen in others places. All together, if there are those who draw economic benefit in a dubious way, they will answer in front of their conscience, but my opinion is that if this is happening, it is happening not only in Medjugorje”.

A famous retired Archbishop, an exorcist, wrote that it could be a matter of a satanic deceit. “With all the respect for my brother bishop and friend, whom I esteem, I do not agree with him. I think that this is an exaggeration. Many conversions happen in Medjugorje, which means that people come closer to God. Satan is doing exactly the opposite, he is dividing. In this case, Satan would toil against himself, which seems to me little credible indeed”.

Let us speak about Mary, who is this sweet creature? “The daughter of Zion, free from original sin, designed from God for the plan of salvation. She is the woman who said YES, she is contributing to the plan of salvation, restoring and repairing the negative act committed by Adam and Eve. Mary is indeed the Holy One, and a sure way that makes us reach the grace of God”.

Bruno Volpe

http://www.pontifex.roma.it

Message of March 2, 2009

“Dear Children, I am here among you. I am looking into your wounded and restless hearts. You have become lost, my children. Your wounds from sin are becoming greater and are distancing you all the more from the real truth. You are seeking hope and consolation in the wrong places, while I am offering to you sincere devotion which is nurtured by love, sacrifice and truth. I am giving you my son. ”

親愛的孩子們：
我現在和你們在一起。我看到你們受傷的和不安的心靈。孩子們，你們已失落了。你們的罪過使你們的傷口越來越大，使你們越來越遠離真理。你們在錯誤的地方去尋找希望和安慰。我帶給你們的卻是以愛、犧牲和真理去培養出來的真誠敬禮。我送給你們的是我的親子。

（二零零九年三月二日）

梁達材神恭譯