每日聖言靜思 四旬期第五週 (週二) 3月31日
信仰生活互動坊、塔冷通心靈書舍
3月31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，就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
- 基督徒的生命，正正是由「出於下」邁向「出於上」的方向。
- 出於「下」或「上」有什麼分別？分別可以是雲泥之別。換句話說，是兩種人生觀、價值觀，即關心精神及心靈境界的事，還是俗世雜務、是非的事。
- 那麼，聖與俗是截然不同的兩回事嗎？聖與俗的分界不應在乎外表的形式，關鍵應該是向善有愛，還是缺乏善與愛。
- 再簡單一點說，是關乎指向我們人生的基本抉擇，還是遠離基本抉擇的問題。
- 當人問耶穌「你到底是誰？」的時候，是我們對他究竟有多少認識及愛情。是想跟隨他還是遠離他？那指標不在我們的口，更重要的，是透過我們的心和行動，即見端倪。
God Is Near Those in Need, Pope Assures
Addresses Immigrant Parish on Rome’s Outskirts
VATICAN CITY, MARCH 29, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI encouraged the community of a poor immigrant parish in Rome to have faith that even though God can’t be seen, he is near to those in need.
“We know that the ’sun,’ although hidden, exists, that God is near, that he helps us and accompanies us,” the Pontiff said today upon addressing the small parish of The Holy Face of Jesus at Magliana, which is located on the outskirts of the city.
“So, in this sense we want to journey toward Easter knowing that there are suffering and difficulties in our life but with the awareness that behind it there is the sun of divine Goodness,” he added.
Benedict XVI exhorted his listeners, many of whom gathered in the rain outside the small church, to put themselves in the service of their neighbor, especially those who have problems because of the economic crisis.
He pointed to St. Maximilian Kolbe — who sacrificed his life in the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz to save the life of fellow prisoner who had a family — as an example of charity to follow.
“In our time, marked by a general social and economic crisis, the effort that you are making above all through the parish Caritas and the Sant’Egidio group, to help the poorest and neediest as far as possible, is meritorious,” he said.
Many communities and congregations are active in the parish, which serves some 15,000, many of them poor.
Caritas, the Militia of the Immaculata (founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe), the Padre Pio Prayer Group, the Community of the Risen Jesus, the Neocatechumenal Way and the Community of Sant’Egidio are all active in the parish.
The Congregation of the Poor Daughters of the Visitation run a local nursing home, and brought many of the elderly from the home to see the Pope.
The church was named after St. Maximilian Kolbe in 1982, but changed its name to The Holy Face of Jesus in 2001.
