主日講道 - 四旬期第四主日 (2009年3月21日)
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主日講道 - 四旬期第四主日 (2009年3月21日)
恭讀聖若望福音 3:14-21
那時候，耶穌向尼苛德摩說：「梅瑟曾在曠野裡高舉了蛇，人子也應照樣被舉起來，使凡信的人，在祂內獲得永生。」天主竟這樣愛了世界，甚至賜下了自己的獨生子，使凡信祂的人，不至喪亡，反而獲得永生。因為天主沒有派遣子到世界上來，審判世界，而是為叫世界，藉著祂而獲救。那信從祂的，不受審判；那不信的，已受到了審判，因為他沒有信從天主獨生子的名字。審判就在於此：光明來到了世界，世人卻愛黑暗甚於光明，因為他們的行為是邪惡的。的確，凡作惡的，都憎惡光明，也不來接近光明，怕自己的行為暴露出來；然而履行真理的，卻來接近光明，為顯示出他的行為，是在天主內完成的。—上主的話。
(4th Sunday of Lent)
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John 3:14-21
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.
—The Gospel of the Lord.
預告 四旬期第四主日 09年3月22日
信仰生活互動坊、塔冷通心靈書舍
讀經一 編下36：14-16, 19-23 讀經二 弗2：4-10 詠137
主日福音 若3：14-21
耶穌向尼苛德摩說：「梅瑟曾在曠野裡高舉了蛇，人子也應照樣被舉起來，使凡信的人，在他內獲得永生。」
天主竟這樣愛了世界，甚至賜下了自己的獨生子，使凡信他的人，不至喪亡，反而獲得永生。因為天主沒有派遣子到世界上來，審判世界，而是為叫世界，藉著他而獲救。那信從他的，不受審判；那不信的，已受到了審判，因為他沒有信從天主獨生子的名字。
審判就在於此：光明來到了世界，世人卻愛黑暗甚於光明，因為他們的行為是邪惡的。的確，凡作惡的，都憎惡光明，也不來接近光明，怕自己的行為暴露出來；然而履行真理的，卻來接近光明，為顯示出他的行為，是在天主內完成的。
默 想
- 耶穌來到世界，不是為審判，是為拯救。只是我們常捉錯用神，不讓自己領略祂的大愛。
- 曾聽一些教友有如此的想法：我在等待祂的審判，死後我必定下地獄了，生命沒有出路。改變信仰最基本的觀念，正是出路。惡性的、不健康的內疚感，窒礙我們明白祂的愛是何等的廣、闊、高、深。
- 不要灰心，不要放棄，祂永遠等待我們，祂一定記得你。
──準備心神．參與主日感恩祭──
Media missing ‘true story’ of Pope advancing hope in Africa, local leader says
Yaounde, Cameroon, Mar 21, 2009 / 01:55 am (CNA).- An African pro-life leader has noted the stark contrast between hostile media reports on Pope Benedict XVI’s Africa visit and the thousands of Africans who joyously greeted the pontiff as he arrived in Cameroon. He said the “true story” of the Pope’s visit is his inspiration of African Catholics and all people to have “hope” and to address the “root causes” of the continent’s problems.
“I saw over 2,000 people that stayed in heavy rain singing and praying as the Holy Father presided over vespers in the Basilica of Our Lady Queen of the Apostles. This is not a sign of dismay or disillusionment with the Church, but of devotion and joy,” said George Wirnkar, Director of Outreach for Human Life International’s (HLI) Francophone Africa Region.
“Perhaps the historic first visit of the Holy Father to Africa and his providential first stop in Yaoundé, Cameroon should herald an era where the authentic voice of Africans is heard rather than the imposed views of Western press who do not speak for the people of Africa—the continent of hope,” he continued, echoing Pope Benedict’s own description of Africa.
“The true story of the papal visit is that the Holy Father is inspiring African Catholics and all persons of good will to have hope, to deal directly with the root causes of the problems affecting our people, and resist the slogans of the West which offer false solutions to these problems.”
Some Western media outlets had seized upon Pope Benedict’s in-flight comments about condom usage in AIDS prevention programs. He had said:
“It is my belief that the most effective presence on the front in the battle against HIV/AIDS is precisely the Catholic Church and her institutions. I think of the Community of Sant’ Egidio, which does so much, visibly and invisibly to fight AIDS, of the Camillians, of all the nuns that are at the service of the sick.
“I would say that this problem of AIDS cannot be overcome with advertising slogans. If the soul is lacking, if Africans do not help one another, the scourge cannot be resolved by distributing condoms; quite the contrary, we risk worsening the problem. The solution can only come through a twofold commitment: firstly, the humanization of sexuality, in other words a spiritual and human renewal bringing a new way of behaving towards one another; and secondly, true friendship, above all with those who are suffering, a readiness - even through personal sacrifice - to be present with those who suffer. And these are the factors that help and bring visible progress.”
Joseph Meaney, Director of International Coordination for HLI, commented on the Pope’s remarks, saying:
“Pope Benedict gave a thoughtful, spiritual response indicating a solution that is increasingly confirmed by empirical science… The hopeful message articulated by the Holy Father is exactly what HLI is trying to bring to fruition in cooperation with African leaders like George Wirnkar. This is about affirming what is most life-giving in African culture.”
HLI reported that it recently concluded its first Africa conference of Medical Midwifery and Nursing Students for Life. Held March 13-14, the meeting’s more than 125 student participants listened to speakers and discussed pro-life issues.
Conference participants held 10 banners along Pope Benedict’s welcome route expressing support for him.
“Papal visits are usually a time of great spiritual renewal and a time when many people are listening to the Church,” said Wirnkar. “Speaking to physician trainees, practitioners, nurses and other medical professionals about issues which Pope Benedict and Pope John Paul II have taught so clearly is crucial, so the Holy Father’s visit seemed the perfect time to kick off this program.”
“It is vital that pro-life young people are not converted to the pro-abortion or population control mentality while in medical school,” Meaney added, saying the graduates of the program are the pro-life professionals of the future.
“HLI is proud to reach an ever larger audience in Africa with the pro-life message thanks to George Wirnkar and our other leaders,” he said.
Report says 2008 was ‘horrible year’ for Christians in India
New Dehli, India, Mar 21, 2009 / 03:01 am (CNA).- The 2008 annual report of the All India Christian Council has showed that it was a “horrible year” for Christians in India, who were subjected to waves of violence and attacks. The report called the constant persecution Christians were subjected to in the state of Orrisa, “ethnic cleansing” and “the fruit of Hindu-inspired terrorism.”
According to the Fides news agency, the AICC report indicates that there were “106 isolated attacks against Christian persons or structures, which have affected 16 states of India, with an average of 9 acts of violence per month.”
The report divides the attacks in Orissa into two phases, which it says constitute a “black page” for Indian society and for its values of democracy, freedom, pluralism and respect for individual rights.
“It is a true ‘negative record’ in the history of India,” the report stated.
The first phase of the report, described as the fruit of “ethnic cleansing,” occurred “at the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008, when Hindu extremist groups attacked the Christian community, destroying 105 churches, killing 9 Christians, assaulting and raping women, burning more than 730 rooms and damaging 40 businesses.”
The report says that the second phase began on August 23, 2008 and was the “fruit of Hindu-inspired terrorism.” This period of persecution saw 120 deaths (including a Catholic priest), 4640 destroyed homes, 315 towns in which the Christian presence was completely wiped out, 250 churches and places of prayer destroyed or damaged, 13 Christian schools looted, and more than 54,000 people made internal refugees.
