Blog of Fr. Peter Leung

“God of all the ages,
on my visit to Jerusalem, the ‘City of Peace,’
spiritual home to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike,
I bring before you the joys, the hopes and the aspirations,
the trials, the suffering and the pain of all your people throughout the world.
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
hear the cry of the afflicted, the fearful, the bereft;
send your peace upon this Holy Land, upon the Middle East,
upon the entire human family;
stir the hearts of all who call upon your name,
to walk humbly in the path of justice and compassion.
‘The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul that seeks him!’ (Lam 3:25)“

–Pope Benedict XVI
Prayer Placed in the Western Wall
Jerusalem
12 May 2009

恭讀聖若望福音 15:18-21
那時，耶穌對門徒說：「世界若恨你們，你們該知道：在你們以前，它已恨了我。若是你們屬於世界，世界必喜愛你們，有如屬於自己的人；但因你們不屬於世界，而是我從世界上揀選了你們，為此，世界才恨你們。你們要記得我對你們所說過的話：沒有僕人大過主人的；如果人們迫害了我，也要迫害你們；如果他們遵守了我的話，也要遵守你們的。但是，他們為了我名字的緣故，要向你們作這一切，因為他們不認識那派遣我來的。」
—基督的福音。

(5th Week of Easter – Saturday)

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John 15:18-21

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, `A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all this they will do to you on my account, because they do not know him who sent me.

—The Gospel of the Lord.

往神父講道目錄

 

 Homily [7:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1054)

By John Jalsevac

May 14, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Under the threat of dark clouds and sometimes through pouring rain, a record-smashing crowd of 12,000 Canadians today gathered on Parliament Hill for a rally and then marched through the streets of Ottawa in protest against 40 years of legalized abortion in Canada.

The number of participants significantly exceeded last year’s record-breaking crowd of 8,000, making it by far the largest crowd in the 12 years that the march has taken place.

Those in attendance included 18 Members of Parliament.

Jim Hughes, the president of Campaign Life Coalition, the pro-life group which organizes the annual event, told LifeSiteNews that he was thrilled with the turnout. “It’s a real blessing,” he said, “especially the growing number of young people that are here.”

“This is going to make a difference,” said Hughes, who pointed out that pro-life Canadians are beginning to mark the date of the march on their calendars, and are going out of their way to make it every year. “We’re having a real impact here,” he said.

Today’s events began in the morning with interdenominational prayer services at the Canadian Reformed Church and St. George’s Anglican Church, and two Catholic masses at Notre Dame Basilica and St. Patrick’s Basilica.

Eyewitnesses at the Catholic masses said that both churches were filled to, and beyond, capacity. Approximately 900 people squeezed into St. Patrick’s Basilica, while over 1,100 overflowed Notre Dame. As well, an additional 200 or so at each location had to watch the mass on a screen in the basement of each church, due to the lack of space.

Hughes said he was especially pleased by the unprecedented show of support from the Canadian Catholic bishops, with 11 bishops celebrating at the masses. This was the first year in the history of the march that the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has thrown its official support behind the event.

At 3 p.m., after the rally on Parliament Hill and the march, representatives of Silent No More Awareness Campaign began delivering powerful testimonies about their personal experiences with abortion, repeatedly moving their listeners to tears. Just as the clock on the Hill was striking 3:00, many in the crowd marvelled that the sun suddenly broke through the clouds for the first time that day and soon afterwards the sky cleared with hardly a cloud in sight. Also, some pointed out that as each of the Silent No More Awareness speakers was introduced, as if on cue a strong wind would blow, with the strongest occuring when the Canadian leader of the group, Angelina Steenstra, was introduced.

(Source: Ottawa Citizen)

‘Life is defined as being from conception to natural death,’ MP says

By Tony Spears, The Ottawa Citizen

May 14, 2009

Thousands turned out on Parliament Hill in Ottawa May 14, 2009 for the twelfth annual National March for Life.
Photograph by: Chris Mikula, The Ottawa Citizen

OTTAWA — Thousands swarmed Parliament Hill on Thursday to protest 40 years of legal abortion in Canada.

“We were hoping to grow the 8,000 we had last year and we did it,” said triumphant organizer Jim Hughes, who pegged the crowd at 10,000.

Even a steady rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of the protesters. From under their umbrellas they cheered the politicians who stood to speak against abortion.

“I’ve grown up in the shadow of liberalized abortion,” thundered Conservative MP Jeff Watson.

“Life is defined as being from conception to natural death,” said Liberal MP Paul Szabo.

Conservative MP Rod Bruinooge, chair of the Parliamentary Pro-Life Caucus (PPLC) was encouraged “to see so many people still interested in acknowledging the unborn as being valuable.”

There has been snickering at the PPLC’s “secretive” reputation in the mainstream media, but Bruinooge was unwilling to confirm even the size of the caucus in an interview. He did say about 25 were on hand for the protest, all of them apparently from the Conservative or Liberal parties.

Men dominated the podium, with Conservative MP Kelly Block a lone female presence.

So it was up to girls visiting from Holy Trinity High School in Oakville, Ont., to say if they felt represented on stage.

“Yes, but not fully,” said Sophie Pigon, a Grade 10 student who is firmly anti-abortion.

“I don’t think that they understand 100 per cent what it really is to have an abortion. How are they to know? They can’t ever carry a child.”

In 1969, the Trudeau government passed an amendment to the Criminal Code legalizing abortion if a hospital committee deemed the health of the mother to be in danger. In 1988 the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the entire section, ruling that “forcing a woman, by threat of criminal sanction, to carry a foetus to term” violates the right to security of the person set down in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Until then abortion doctors faced life in prison.

聖蒙福 三十三天祈禱奉獻 －第十九天

聖路加福音  18:15-30

耶穌祝福兒童
有人也把嬰孩帶到耶穌跟前，要他撫摸他們；門徒們見了便斥責他們。耶穌卻召喚他們說：「你們讓小孩子們到我跟前來，不要阻止他們！因為天主的國正屬於這樣的人。我實在告訴你們：誰若不像小孩子一樣接受天主的國，決不能進去。」

富少年
有一個首領問耶穌說：「善師，我要做什麼，纔能承受永生？」耶穌給他說：「你為什麼稱我善呢？除了天主一個外，沒有誰是善的。誡命你都知道：不可奸淫，不可殺人，不可偷盜，不可作假見證；應孝敬你的父母。」那人說：「這一切我自幼就都遵守了。」耶穌聽後，便向他說：「你還缺少一樣：把你一切所有的都變賣了，施捨給窮人，你必有寶藏在天上，然後來跟隨我！」那人聽了這話，異常悲傷，因為他是個很富有的人。

財帛的為害
耶穌見他如此，便說：「那些有錢財的人，進入天主的國是多麼難啊！駱駝穿過針孔，比富有的人進入天主的國還容易。」聽眾遂說：「這樣，誰還能得救呢？」耶穌說：「在人所不能的，在天主是可能的。」

棄俗從主的報酬
伯多祿說：「看，我們捨棄了我們的一切所有，跟隨了你！」耶穌向他們說：「我實在告訴你們：人為了天主的國捨棄了房屋、或妻子、或兄弟、或父母、或子女，沒有不在今世獲得多倍，而在來世獲得永生的。」

第二階段：第一週

——————————————————–

Total Consecration by St. Louis Marie de Montfort – DAY 19

Luke 18:15-30

[Jesus and the Children]
And they brought unto him also infants, that he might touch them. Which when the disciples saw, they rebuked them. But Jesus, calling them together, said: Suffer children to come to me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Amen, I say to you: Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a child, shall not enter into it.

[The Rich Aristocrat]
And a certain ruler asked him, saying: Good master, what shall I do to possess everlasting life? And Jesus said to him: Why dost thou call me good? None is good but God alone. Thou knowest the commandments: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shalt not bear false witness: Honour thy father and mother. Who said: All these things have I kept from my youth. Which when Jesus had heard, he said to him: Yet one thing is wanting to thee: sell all whatever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. He having heard these things, became sorrowful; for he was very rich.

[The Danger of Riches]
And Jesus seeing him become sorrowful, said: How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God. For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it, said: Who then can be saved? He said to them: The things that are impossible with men, are possible with God.

[The Reward of Renunciation]
Then Peter said: Behold, we have left all things, and have followed thee. Who said to them: Amen, I say to you, there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, Who shall not receive much more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

Prayers for the First Week Preparatory Period

信仰生活互動坊、塔冷通心靈書舍

若15：18-21　 (其他經文──宗16：1-10　　詠100)
耶穌對門徒說：「世界若恨你們，你們該知道，在你們以前，它已恨了我。若是你們屬於世界，世界必喜愛你們，有如屬於自己的人；但因你們不屬於世界，而是我從世界上揀選了你們，為此，世界才恨你們。你們要記得我對你們所說過的話：沒有僕人大過主人的；如果人們迫害了我，也要迫害你們；如果他們遵守了我的話，也要遵守你們的。但是，他們為了我名字的緣故，要向你們作這一切，因為他們不認識那派遣我來的。」

默　想

• 如果我們過於在乎別人怎樣看自己，皆因我們太附屬於世界，以致欠缺那種超越的能力──超越自己、超越內心掙扎的決心與視野 (Horizon)。
• 當然人要超越此時此刻的自己，的確非常困難。但上主的救恩正要給我們能力，去嘗試突破自己的限制，為求更肖像天主，更回復上主造我們的模樣。
• 若我們更體會自己是屬於上主的，整個人才開始可以「定」下來，不時調校生命的定位，茁壯成長，學會如何愛自己、愛別人、愛天主。

14/05/2009

（梵蒂岡電臺訊）教宗本篤十六世中東聖地七天朝聖之旅很快地將于今天五月十五日午後兩點鐘完全結束，從以色列特拉維夫國際機場乘以色列航空公司專機返回羅 馬。七天不算短的朝聖訪問之旅，為八十二嵗的教宗本篤十六世是一項相當繁重的使命任務，尤其他所訪問的國家地區是全球局勢最緊張、問題最多也最複雜地方， 這更增加了他這次旅途精神和體力的沉重感。自從抵達約旦後，教宗就不停地奔波，他拜訪，接見，朝聖，發表講話；而這樣的律動更是越來越緊湊，直到最後一 刻。想來，教宗應該相當疲憊。

繼十三日在白冷城的全天訪問朝聖之後，十四日一早教宗又搭乘直升機，飛往耶路撒冷北方一百一十公里遠的納匝肋城，作一天的朝聖訪問。在這裡停留至下午七點才又乘直升機回到耶路撒冷城。

納 匝肋和白冷一樣，是最受全球基督信徒嚮往的地方，這兩地有耶穌誕生的地方，有他隱居的地方，有耶穌、瑪利亞和若瑟的聖家。比起耶路撒冷，這兩座小城要溫馨 得多。納匝肋在耶路撒冷以北一百一十公里。教宗乘的直升機飛了四十五分鐘才到。納匝肋這個字希伯來語的意思是盛開的花，它像一個半圓形的露天劇場一樣，向 整個加利肋亞地區敞開著。從這座小城放眼，可以看到加利肋亞遠近一波又一波的平緩山丘。納匝肋是以色列國内最大的阿拉伯人城鎮，也是加利肋亞地區最重要的 行政中心。舊城區有四萬居民，基督信徒和伊斯蘭教徒都有。一九四八年以色列建國後，猶太人開始在納匝肋四周山丘上建築住宅區，有三萬人之多。

納 匝肋雖然早在銅器時代就有人居住，但真正開始有歷史記載，成爲歷史性城鎮，是從福音時代開始。聖母瑪利亞的領受天使報喜，聖家從埃及返國後的舉家定居，耶 穌童年至三十嵗這段長時期的隱居生活，都在納匝肋度過。耶穌的親戚，包括母親瑪利亞那邊和養父若瑟那邊的，也都住在這裡，他們保存著對聖家的記憶，這裡與 耶穌和聖家有關的一切都被改變成敬禮場所，直到今天仍然如此。第五世紀時，開始有非希伯來人的基督信徒前來這裡定居。第六世紀初葉，當地的猶太人和入侵的 波斯人勾結，把納匝肋城的聖堂和隱修院破壞殆盡。

公元六二九年，東羅馬帝國拜占庭皇帝埃拉克利奧（Eraclio）大勝波斯軍隊，把猶太 人和波斯人都趕出納匝肋城。過不多幾年，阿拉伯人又入侵佔領，起初還容忍基督宗教，後來變本加厲，致使基督信徒難以生存。十字軍東征，恢復了聖地的尊嚴， 基督信徒重新過著太平的生活。但曾幾何時，埃及伊斯蘭教蘇丹薩拉丁又在公元一一八七年佔領了聖地。但這位君王對基督信徒還算寬大，納匝肋終于在一二四零年 歸還給基督信徒。但二十三後，埃及蘇丹比巴爾斯（Bibars）又把納匝肋的聖堂和隱修院全都毀了。此後四百年間，納匝肋成了無人問津的貧窮村落，除了幾 個伊斯蘭教徒住在那裏外，沒有任何生氣。到了公元一六五零年，黎巴嫩山酋長和加利肋亞王子法赫雷迪内才把納匝肋聖母領報的地點贈送給天主教方濟各會會士。 會士們在這裡建造了一座稱爲“新家”的會院。公元一七九九年，法國皇帝拿破侖曾在這裡住過。今天，這個地方每年有朝聖旅客約一百萬，佔以色列外國旅客的一 半。這個有加利肋亞之花美稱的城鎮最重要的一條道路叫做“保祿六世路”，為紀念一九六四年元月五日保祿六世教宗的來訪。
教宗抵達納匝肋第一項、也 是最主要的活動，是在名叫“陡峭山”自然形成的半圓形劇場為地方教友主持彌撒聖祭。祭壇非常寬敞，面向信眾呈半圓形，信友的座位像階梯一樣逐漸升高。從座 位上可以遠眺納匝肋城鎮四周山區，景色非常動人。彌撒祈禱意向是家庭，因爲一年來聖地舉行家庭年，教宗的來到正好為他們舉行家庭年閉幕彌撒。這台彌撒以拉 丁禮節舉行，使用的語言包括拉丁語、希臘語、阿拉伯語和英語。

教宗在講道中向當地教會各種禮節信友致意，他們的參與象徵著教會的普遍性。 教宗也特別向在場的以色列總統佩雷斯表示謝意，感謝他在百忙中前來參禮。教宗指出聖地家庭年的結束意味著當地家庭開始展望未來，成爲社會未來希望的標記。 在彌撒結束時，教宗為將要建在納匝肋的國際家庭中心的基石行祝福禮。他邀請衆人祈禱，希望這座家庭中心能大力提升當地的家庭生活的重要性，支持有需要的家 庭，推動家庭肩負它在社會上位無可取代的角色。

納匝肋是聖家的所在地，教宗的講道自然提到聖家，他指出家庭在社會中的意義和角色，也提到 今天世界各地家庭的處境。他強調：“我們這個時代的男男女女多麽需要重新按照家庭的基本真理來生活，這個真理是社會的基礎。而夫妻兩人的生活見證為培養成 熟的良知和締造愛的文明是多麽重要”。教宗又說：“在家庭裏面，不論是最小的嬰兒或最老的雙親，都應該因自己的身份、而不因他們的功能或其他目的而受到尊 重”。

教宗更指出：“家庭是建設一個有秩序、善於接納人的社會的基石。在這方面國家扮演的角色在支持家庭肩負教育使命，在保護家庭體制和家庭天賦的權利，使家庭都能在有尊嚴的環境條件下生活和發展”。

彌撒結束時，教宗為納匝肋國際家庭中心、若望保祿二世紀念公園、本篤十六世大學的基石舉行祝福禮。

十 四日這天下午三點五十分，教宗在納匝肋方濟各會會院接見以色列新任總理内塔尼亞胡，兩人敍談半小時。之後，教宗在當地聖母領報朝聖地聖堂會見加利肋亞地區 各不同宗教的領導人士，向他們問候致意，並勉勵各宗教信徒繼續合作，消除緊張局勢，促進和平與尊重人權。教宗指出：基督信徒與其他宗教固有的傳統有相同的 看法，他們相信和平乃是來自天主的恩典，但如果缺乏人的努力配合，和平仍然無法實現。

接見加利肋亞地區各宗教領導人士後，教宗便到聖母領報的地點和聖家的遺址朝聖，並在這座紀念聖母領報的朝聖地聖堂與這個地區的主教、神父、修會會士修女、教會組織成員舉行晚禱。這才結束繁忙的一天，乘直升機返回耶路撒冷。

14/05/2009

（梵蒂岡電臺訊）教宗本篤十六世14日上午在納匝肋的峭壁山爲當地信友們主持了一台感恩祭典，結束聖地天主教會慶祝的家庭年。關于這台彌撒的盛况，本台特派員皮耶馬利尼從當地作了以下的報道：
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4 萬5千名信友以一股勢不可擋的熱情和節日歡樂的氣氛迎接教宗本篤十六世來到加里肋亞，教宗在納匝肋峭壁山大片平地上爲他們主持了一台彌撒。納匝肋是以色列 境內最大的阿拉伯城市，在整個聖地中是天主教徒人數最多的地方。這個城市俯臥在四周的丘陵當中，這些丘陵儼然一道天然屏障，將她保護起來。童貞瑪利亞就是 在這裏領受天使的報喜，耶穌就是在這裏，納匝肋的家中度他的生活。

這台彌撒結束了聖地教會慶祝的家庭年，40位主教和250位神職人員參 加共祭。本篤十六世稱贊基督信徒家庭按照天主計劃成聖的聖德，指出這個聖德在于忠于一男一女經由婚姻盟約而被祝聖的整個一生，向天主賜予的新生命這一禮物 開放。教宗說：“世界需要再次擁有這一真理，好建設愛的文明。事實上，家庭是建設一個井然有序和稱心如意社會的第一塊磚石，爲此國家蒙召叫要支持家庭從事 的教育使命。同樣，以愛建立的家庭便成了‘家庭教會’，信仰和祈禱的場所，每個成員真正持久的益處在這個場所得到親切關懷。”說到這裏，教宗談到母親、父 親和子女的主要角色，他首先提到聖母瑪利亞。他說：“納匝肋令我們想到承認幷尊重天主賜予女性的尊嚴及使命，她們的特恩和才能：可以是家庭的母親，也可以 蒙召度修會生活。女性爲創立一種環境扮演著不可或缺的角色，即兒童們在這個環境中學習愛和欣賞他人、做正直和尊重別人的人、學會仁慈和寬恕的品德。”

若 瑟是天主立爲聖家之長的義人，在若瑟身上耶穌學會了剛毅憐憫、出言必行、正直和埋頭苦幹的品德，能够在他身上看到爲愛的服務所立的權威，這個權威比尋求統 治的權力更能結出果實。教宗說：“我們的世界多麽需要像若瑟這樣的榜樣、嚮導及沉著的力量啊！”教宗邀請青年們效法耶穌，不僅尊敬父母，也要協助父母更圓 滿地發現愛給予我們生命的完整意義。教宗說：“在納匝肋的聖家中，是耶穌教導瑪利亞和若瑟關于天主之愛的一些崇高事情，他的在天之父是各種愛的首要泉源。 ”

本篤十六世在彌撒講道中也提到基督信徒和穆斯林近幾年在納匝肋的緊張關係，這種關係是由在耶穌降生大殿後面建清真寺計劃引起的。他邀請 這兩個團體爲建造橋梁而努力，爲和睦共處找到途徑。教宗說：“讓人人抗拒仇恨和偏見的摧毀力量，這個力量在摧殘人的肉體之前，已經扼殺了他的靈魂！”最 後，教宗感謝當地教會爲愛德機構和學校所從事的努力。

希臘默基特禮節負責加里肋亞教會的主教厄利亞·沙科在向教宗的致詞中說：“學校是教 會的首要優先工作，因爲它是傳播耶穌的訊息及修和的工具。我們爲學校的生存而奮鬥，付出很大犧牲，却勇往直前。”厄利亞主教也談到基督信徒流亡國外這一悲 痛現實和加里肋亞的幾個村莊被以色列徵用，村民流落他鄉的慘痛現象，這些村民要求返回自己的家園。他控訴了在聖地的教會遇到的巨大困難和面臨的危險。

彌撒結束後，教宗降福了建3個機構的基石，這3個機構是：將在納匝肋建起的家庭國際中心；將以本篤十六世命名的聖地第一所阿拉伯基督信徒大學和若望保祿二世紀念公園，這個公園是以色列政府主張和動工建的，要建在真福山上，這位教宗在2000年舉行彌撒的同一個地點上。