by pleung | Jan 4, 2012 | Focolare, Word of Life
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”
These words of St. Paul to the community at Colossae speak of the existence of a world in which true love reigns, together with full communion, justice, peace, holiness and joy. There, sin and corruption can no longer enter. It is a world where the will of the Father is perfectly fulfilled. It is to this world that Jesus belongs. He opened it up to us by means of his resurrection, by having passed through the arduous trial of his passion.
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”
St. Paul says we are not only called to Christ’s world but that we already belong to it. Faith tells us that through baptism we are engrafted onto him, and as a result we participate in his life, his gifts, his inheritance and his victory over sin and the forces of evil. We have, in fact, risen with him.
As long as we are on earth, however, our membership in this world of Christ is not full and totally unveiled. It is not yet stable and definite. As long as we live, we will be exposed to a thousand dangers, difficulties and temptations that can cause us to hesitate, slow down on our journey or even detour toward false destinations.
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”
We can understand, then, the exhortation of the Apostle: “Seek what is above.” Materially you walk this earth, but spiritually you can leave it; give up the rules and passions of the world in order to let the thoughts and sentiments of Jesus guide you in every situation.
“What is above,” in fact, points to the laws of a higher realm, the laws of the kingdom of heaven that Jesus brought on earth and wants us to fulfill here and now.
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”
How then can we live this Word of Life? It encourages us to not be satisfied with a mediocre life made of half-measures and compromise. It encourages us to conform our lives — with the grace of God — to the laws of Christ.
This Word of Life urges us to live and give witness in society to the values that Jesus brought on earth. It could be a spirit of concord and peace, service to our neighbor, understanding and forgiveness, honesty, justice, integrity in our work, faithfulness, purity, respect for life, and so on.
The possibilities are as vast as life itself, but so as not to remain in the realm of the abstract, let us this month put into practice the law of Jesus that is a kind of synthesis of all the others: to recognize Christ in every neighbor and place ourselves at their service. We will thus prepare ourselves for the final exam of our life.
Chiara Lubich
by pleung | Dec 5, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
「你們當預備上主的道路，修直祂的途徑。」（路3：4）
我們特別被邀請在這將臨期間把這句新的生活聖言實踐出來。這是聖史路加引述那號稱安慰百姓的先知依撒意亞所寫的話。為早期的基督徒而言，這一句話是指耶穌的前驅洗者若翰。
教會在預備聖誕節來臨的期間，向我們介紹這位前驅，旨在邀請我們一同歡樂，因為洗者若翰正是那位宣告君王來臨的使者。若翰所宣告的事實就是：天主將要實踐祂的許諾，寛赦罪惡及賞賜救恩的時刻臨近了。
「你們當預備上主的道路，修直祂的途徑。」
假如這句話帶有喜樂的意思，那麽它更邀請我們去把整個生命指往一個新的方向，把我們的生活徹底改變過來。
洗者若翰呼籲我們去預備上主的道路，但究竟這是一條怎樣的道路呢？
洗者若翰所宣講的耶穌在公開生活和開始宣講前，曾經在曠野裡渡過了一段時期。這是祂所走過的道路。祂在曠野中雖然體驗到和天父之間一份深厚密切的關係，但也曾受盡試探和誘惑，而最後祂卻戰勝了一切。祂甘願如此，好使我們在誘惑中能找到祂的支持。後來，在祂的死亡和復活的事蹟中，我們又看見耶穌再次踏上同一的道路。既然耶穌徹底地完成祂的路程，祂本身便成了我們在逆旅中的『道路』。
耶穌本身就是道路，我們應該跟隨祂，好能徹底地實現我們做人的使命，那就是與上主達到一個圓滿和共融的境界。
我們每個人都被召叫去預備上主的道路，然而耶穌也願意參與我們的生活，這樣，我們也需要修直我們生命的道路，好使祂能夠進入我們內心。
我們要為祂預備道路，因此，那些由於我們有限的觀點所導致；或因為我們的軟弱意志而產生的障礙都應該一一被剷除。
因此，我們必須提起勇氣作出抉擇：選擇我們自己的道路或是選擇天主為我們準備好的道路；我們的主意或是祂的聖意；我們自己定下的計劃，或是由祂全能者的愛為我們所預備的計劃。
當我們作出決定後，就要設法放下我們那種頑固的意願，好能承行天主的聖意。
但甚麼時候才開始去做呢？那些名符其實的基督徒，即聖人們，教導了我們一個明智及實際的方法：就是在此時、在目前一刻，把障礙逐一移去，好使我們的意願不再存在，而讓天主的聖意生活在我們內。
這樣，我們便可以把這句聖言生活出來：
「你們當預備上主的道路，修直祂的途徑。」
盧嘉勒
註：本月聖言已於1997年12月份發表
by pleung | Dec 5, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths” (Lk 3:4).
The Word of Life, taken from Scripture, is offered each month as a guide and inspiration for daily living.
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths”
During this season of Advent we are invited to live a new Word of Life. The Evangelist Luke takes it from the book of Isaiah. The first Christians applied it to John the Baptist, who had preceded Jesus.
The Church, in the period before Christmas, presents us with the figure of John the Baptist, inviting us to rejoice because he is like the messenger announcing the arrival of the king. The time is coming when God will fulfill his promises, forgive sins and grant salvation.
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths”
While this Word of Life is an expression of joy, it is also an invitation to a complete and radical change of direction in our life. John the Baptist invites us to prepare the way of the Lord — but what can be the way?
Jesus’ coming was proclaimed by John the Baptist, but before entering public life to begin his ministry Jesus spent some time in the desert. That was his way. In the desert he found profound union with God, but he also encountered temptation, and by experiencing that he made himself one with all of us. He came out victorious.
We see Jesus follow this way again in his death and resurrection. Since Jesus followed his way to the end, he himself has become “the way” for us who are still on the road.
He is the way we must follow in order to fulfill our calling as human beings to enter into full communion with God.
Each of us is called to prepare the way of the Lord who wants to enter into our life; and we must make the paths of our life straight so that he can come in. We have to prepare the way for him, removing every obstacle one by one, such as those arising from our limited way of seeing things, from our weak will.
We need courage to choose between our way and his way for us, between our will and his will, between a program we have thought of (which may or may not turn out) and the one created by his all-powerful love. Once we have made the decision, we have to work at conforming our own stubborn will to his.
How? Those who have become fulfilled Christians, the saints, teach us a good, practical, intelligent method: do it right now. Moment by moment, let us try to remove the obstacles that keep us from doing his will so that it will be no longer our will living in us, but his. In this way we will have lived the Word of Life:
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths”
Chiara Lubich
by pleung | Aug 31, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
「因為你這個弟弟死而復生，失而復得，應當歡宴喜樂。」（路15：32）
這句話是『浪子回頭』比喻中的最後一句。你肯定聽過這個比喻，它給我們顯示出上主的慈悲多麼偉大！這句話也是路加褔音中整整一章的最後一句。在這一章中，耶穌所講的另外兩個比喻也談及同樣的話題。
你可記得那亡羊的比喻嗎？亡羊的主人為了尋覓那遺失的一隻，便把其他九十九隻丟在荒野裡。（參閱路15：4-7）
你還記得那個婦人遺失了一個銀錢（達瑪）的故事嗎？她一找到後，便把朋友及鄰人都請來，與她一起歡慶。（參閱路15：8-10）
「因為你這個弟弟死而復生，失而復得，應當歡宴喜樂。」
天主以這句話邀請你和所有的基督徒與祂同樂，一起慶祝失而復得的罪人回頭改過。在比喻中的這句話是父親向大兒子說的。長子一生和父親在一起，如今經過了一整天辛勞的工作，見到家中開始了盛大的慶祝，原來是為了弟弟無恙歸來，就生了氣，不肯進入家門。
於是父親便出來，走到這個忠心的兒子面前，就像他走到浪子面前那樣，並設法勸解他。不過父子兩人的心情顯然不同：父親的內心只是一片無邊無際的愛及莫大的喜悅，並切望所有人都能與他同樂；但長子卻充滿對他弟弟的輕視和妒忌，不再認他為弟弟。事實上，當提及弟弟時，他說：「你這個兒子耗盡了你的財產。」（路15：30）
那父親對回頭的浪子的愛心和歡樂，更與長子的態度成了強烈的對比。長子的憤恨顯示出他與父親的關係原來是冷淡，甚至是虛偽的。這個長子辛勤工作，努力盡好他的本份，可是不曉得以兒子的情懷去愛父親。說實話，他只不過像服從主人那樣去服從父親罷了！
「因為你這個弟弟死而復生，失而復得，應當歡宴喜樂。」
耶穌說這句話，是為揭示一種你也可能陷入的危險：就是想過一種中規中矩、著重體面的生活，其動機只是為獨善其身，且能批評那些比不上自己的弟兄。其實，如果你『執著』於完美主義，致力於建立自我，那麼你心中便會充滿自我，及仰慕自我之情。這樣，你便像那留在家中的長子向父親列舉自己的功績：「這些年來我服事你，從未違背過你的命令。」（路15：29）
「因為你這個弟弟死而復生，失而復得，應當歡宴喜樂。」
耶穌說這句話，也是要推翻一種態度，就是相信一個人能否與天主建立關係，完全視乎他是否遵守誠命。不過，連猶太人的傳統也深深意識到，僅僅遵守誡命是不夠的。
耶穌在這個比喻中強調天主的愛。祂叫人明白那本身就是愛的上主率先向人走去，不管他或她是否值得被自己所愛。耶稣但求我們向祂開放自己，好能建立真正的共融生活。當然，你很容易便了解到，要接近『愛的天主』，最大的障礙就是當人只著重行動和功績，而天主所要求的卻是人的心。
「因為你這個弟弟死而復生，失而復得，應當歡宴喜樂。」
耶穌以這句話邀請你抱著一份如天父般浩瀚的愛去對待罪人。耶穌要求你不要用自己的尺度去量度天父對任何人所懷的愛。
正如父親邀請長子去分享浪子回頭的喜樂，同樣，天父也要求你改變自己的態度。即是說，你平素只會傾向輕視和低看的一些人，如今對他們就應該像接待兄弟姊妹一樣。這會引發你內心的真正皈依，因為這使你不再相信自己勝人一籌，並令你避免一種排斥其他宗教信徒或其他宗教的態度，這樣你便能領會到，耶穌帶給你的救恩，純粹是一份天主所賜的愛的禮物。
盧嘉勒
本月的生活聖言曾在2001年3月份發表過
by pleung | Aug 31, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
“But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found” (Lk 15:32).[1]
This passage is found at the end of a well-known parable called “The Prodigal Son.” This parable was told by Jesus to his disciples to demonstrate and manifest the greatness of God’s mercy. It closes an entire chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke in which Jesus narrates two other parables to illustrate the same theme.
One is the episode of the lost sheep. In order to search for that one sheep, the owner left the other ninety-nine in the desert (see Lk 15:4-7).
The other is the story of the lost coin and the joy of the woman when she found it. She calls her friends and neighbors so they may rejoice with her. (see Lk 15:8–10).
“But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”
These are words of invitation that God addresses to you, and to all those who believe, to rejoice with him, to celebrate and to participate in his joy at the return of the sinner who was first lost and then found again. These words in the parable are addressed by the father to his elder son who shared fully in his life. When this elder son returns home from a hard day’s work, he refuses to enter his house where they are celebrating the return of his brother who had left them to squander his inheritance.
The father goes out to his faithful son, just as he went out to his lost son, and tries to convince him to join them. The contrast between the father’s sentiments and those of his elder son is evident: on one side, the father with his immeasurable love and great joy that he wanted everyone to share; and, on the other, the son full of contempt and jealousy toward his brother whom he no longer recognizes as such. He refers to his younger brother, in fact, as “your son … who swallowed up your property with prostitutes” (Lk 15:30).
The love of the father and his joy at the return of his prodigal son serve to emphasize still more the ill feelings felt by the other son who had remained with his father. These ill feelings reveal, however, a cold and — one could say — false relationship between this son and the father. We can deduce from the narrative that it is work and the fulfillment of his obligations that matter most to this son; he does not love his father as a son should. Rather, we feel that he obeys his father as a hired worker would obey his boss.
“But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”
With these words, Jesus points out a dangerous trap that you could fall into: that of a life lived for the sake of appearances, in search of personal perfection which can lead to judging others as less perfect than yourself. As a matter of fact, if you are “attached” to your own perfection, you concentrate on building yourself up to the point of being filled with self-admiration. You act like the son who remained at home, who enumerates his merits before his father: “Look, all these years I have served you, and not once did I disobey your orders” (Lk 15:29).
“But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”
With these words Jesus goes against the attitude of those who see their relationship with God as one based only on the observance of the commandments which is not enough. Jewish tradition is also very clear on this.
In this parable Jesus puts the spotlight on divine Love illustrating the fact that God who is Love takes the first step without considering whether the person deserves it or not, but with the desire that the person be open to establishing an authentic relationship of communion. As one can imagine, the greatest obstacle to God who is Love is precisely the life of those who accumulate actions and deeds while God wants their hearts.
“But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”
With these words, Jesus invites you to extend the same measureless love that the Father has toward those who stray. Jesus calls you not to judge according to your own standards the love that the Father has for each and every person. In inviting his elder son to share his joy for the return of his long-lost son, the Father also asks from you a change of heart: you should welcome as brothers and sisters even those people for whom you nurture sentiments of superiority and even of scorn.
This will work in you a true conversion because it will purge you of your conviction that you are “better.” It will save you from religious narrow-mindedness and allows you to welcome the salvation won by Jesus as a pure gift of God’s love.
Chiara Lubich
by pleung | Jul 9, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
「你們醒寤祈禱罷！免陷於誘惑；心神固然切願，但肉體卻軟弱。」（瑪26：41）
耶穌在革責瑪尼山園中，內心憂悶悲傷，當祂看見伯多祿、雅各伯和若望抵不住睡意而沉睡的時候，就向他們說了上面這句話。祂帶了這三位宗徒前來（他們曾見證耶穌在大博爾山上顯聖容），希望他們跟自己一起祈禱，預備心靈，共渡這個困難的時刻，何況那將要發生的事，對他們來說，也是一個嚴峻的考驗。
「你們醒寤祈禱罷！免陷於誘惑；心神固然切願，但肉體卻軟弱。」
雖然這句話看來是耶穌對宗徒的叮囑，但在當時的境況下，它尤其反映出耶穌的心境和祂怎樣預備自己的心靈去面對考驗。耶穌面臨苦難之際，以整個心神竭力祈禱，去對抗恐懼和可怕的死亡，祂為了承行天父的旨意，把自己完全投入聖父的愛內，並幫助祂的宗徒也這樣做。
在這裡，為面對考驗的人，耶穌是他們的模範，同時，在困境中，祂好像是我們的長兄，在我們身旁扶助我們。
「你們醒寤祈禱罷！免陷於誘惑；心神固然切願，但肉體卻軟弱。」
耶穌經常勸導我們要醒寤，祂指的是永遠不要讓自己被精神上的困倦所戰勝，卻常常要裝備自己，去迎接天主的聖意，在日常生活中去領會生命的真義，尤其在困難和痛苦中，懂得去領悟天主的愛。
醒寤與祈禱是不能分割的，因為祈禱為克服考驗是不可缺少的。藉著聖神的力量，必定可以戰勝人性的軟弱（肉體的軟弱）。
「你們醒寤祈禱罷！免陷於誘惑；心神固然切願，但肉體卻軟弱。」
那麼，我們該怎樣把這句聖言付諸實行呢？在日常生活中，我們的心靈要有所準備：我們每天都會碰上或大或小的考驗。它們可以是普通的考驗，或者是每個基督徒總會遇到的典型的考驗。耶穌告訴我們，醒寤警惕是克服任何考驗的首要條件。我們應該懂得去明認，體會到這些天主容許給我們的考驗，並不是要我們感到氣餒，而是在克服它們時，我們將會在靈性生活上邁向更成熟的階段。
同時，我們需要祈禱，因為在考驗時，我們主要會遇到兩種誘惑：一方面會認為自己可以單獨去克服；另一方面是相反的態度，就是害怕自己應付不來，認為這個考驗已超越自己的力量。可是耶穌卻向我們保證，如果我們醒寤警惕，而且以信德祈求天主，那麼，天父一定不讓我們欠缺聖神的力量。
盧嘉勒
註：本月生活聖言已於1990年4月份發表
by pleung | Jul 9, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
“Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mt 26:41)
These are words that Jesus addressed to Peter, James and John when he found them overcome by sleep during his agony in Gethsemane. He took these three apostles with him — the same three that had witnessed his transfiguration on Mount Tabor — to have them close to him during that extremely difficult time. This was their opportunity to prepare themselves through prayer together with Jesus, because the events about to take place would be a terrible trial for them as well.
“Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
In order to understand these words, we should keep in mind the circumstances in which they were said. What Jesus was giving his disciples was more than words of advice. We should see these words as reflecting his state of mind, that is, how he was preparing himself for the trial.
Facing his imminent passion, he prayed with all his soul, wrestled with the fear and horror of his death and totally entrusted himself to the love of the Father so that he might be faithful to God’s will to the end and help his apostles to do the same.
We see Jesus here as the model for all those who must face trials and, at the same time, the brother who stands by our side in those difficult times.
“Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Jesus often gave exhortations to be vigilant. For him, to be on guard meant not to ever let ourselves be overcome by spiritual “sleepiness.” It meant to be always ready to welcome the will of God, to discern its signs in everyday life and above all to be able to see difficulties and sufferings in the light of God’s love.
Vigilance and prayer are inseparable, because prayer is indispensable for overcoming trials. The fragility of human nature (“the flesh is weak”) can be overcome by the power coming from the Spirit.
“Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
How then should we live this month’s passage? We too should ready ourselves to meet trials: the small and big ones of each day. They are the trials which we cannot help but encounter from one day to the next. Now the first condition for overcoming a trial, any trial, Jesus advises, is to be on guard, to “watch.” It is a matter of discerning, of realizing, that God permits them not to discourage us, but so we can grow spiritually as we overcome them.
And at the same time we must pray. Prayer is necessary because there are two particular temptations to which we are vulnerable in these moments. One is to think we can go it alone. The other is the opposite feeling, that is, the fear of not making it, as if the trial were greater than our strength. Jesus instead assures us that our heavenly Father will not leave us without the power of the Holy Spirit if we stay on guard and we ask him with faith.
Chiara Lubich
by pleung | Jun 1, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
「你們不可與此世同化，反而應以更新的心思變化自己，為使你們能辨別什麼是天主的旨意，什麼是善事，什麼是悅樂天主的事，什麼是成全的事。」 (羅12：2)
這句話出自聖保祿致羅馬人書的第二部份。保祿指出基督賜給了我們真生命、真愛、喜樂及自由，而基督徒的一舉一動應該流露出這些恩賜。基督徒的生命就是藉著聖神的光及德能，以新的方式去履行各種任務及面對困難。
這句聖言與前一句緊密地聯繫在一起。聖保祿在這裡清楚地告訴我們每一個行動應有的特色，亦即是它的基本目標及態度。就是要讓我們的生命成為獻給上主的一個讚頌；一個展現出來的愛的行動，也在於我們恆常努力尋找祂的聖意，追求那最能悅樂主心的態度。
「你們不可與此世同化，反而應以更新的心思變化自己，為使你們能辨別什麼是天主的旨意，什麼是善事，什麼是悅樂天主的事，什麼是成全的事。」
很明顯地，為承行上主的旨意，我們應該首先認識它。不過保祿宗徒讓我們知道要認識上主的旨意並不容易。假如沒有一道特別的神光，我們無法好好地了解上主的聖意。祂的神光幫助我們在種種處境中辨認出祂在我們身上的旨意，並能避免陷入自己的幻覺以及錯謬中。
這就是聖神所賜予的那份恩寵，就是『辨別的能力』，它是構成一個真正基督徒的思想方式所不可或缺的因素。
「你們不可與此世同化，反而應以更新的心思變化自己，為使你們能辨別什麼是天主的旨意，什麼是善事，什麼是悅樂天主的事，什麼是成全的事。」
那麼，我們要怎樣做才能獲得這樣重要的恩賜並加以發揮呢？無疑地，這要求我們對基督徒的信理有相當的認識。但是還不足夠。正如聖保祿所提出的，最首要的是生活，這關乎我們是否慷慨及積極地實踐耶穌的話，並摒棄一切恐懼、疑慮、斤斤計較及庸俗的態度。這也視乎我們是否隨時準備去完成天主的旨意。這是獲得聖神光照的好方法，並能在自己內塑造新的思想模式，正如這句聖言所要求的那樣。
「你們不可與此世同化，反而應以更新的心思變化自己，為使你們能辨別什麼是天主的旨意，什麼是善事，什麼是悅樂天主的事，什麼是成全的事。」
我們要怎樣實踐本月的生活聖言呢？我們要設法獲得那份神光，好能妥善地完成上主的旨意。
讓我們決意時常更深入地了解上主的聖意，特別是天主透過祂的聖言、教會的訓導及我們的本分等，給我們昭示的旨意。
不過尤其要注重生活，因為我們剛才已經看到，真正的光是由生活及愛發放出來的。耶穌將自己顯示給那愛祂的，並實踐祂的誡命的人。(參照若14：21)
如此地生活幫助我們完成上主的聖意，宛如給祂獻上的最佳禮物。天主會喜歡這樣的獻禮，不僅是由於它表達出我們的愛，更由於基督徒更新的生活在我們四周帶出的成果及神光。
盧嘉勒
by pleung | Jun 1, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
“Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Rm 12:2)
This word of life is found in the second part of Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans. The apostle is describing the actions of a Christian as the expression of the new life — real love, real joy and real freedom — that God has given to us. It is Christian life understood as a new way of facing the various situations and problems encountered in everyday life with the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit.
In this verse, which is closely connected to the preceding one, the apostle describes the goal and underlying attitude that should characterize our behavior, that is, to make of our lives a song of praise to God, an act of love carried out across time in the constant quest of his will, of what is most pleasing to him.
“Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.”
It is clear, of course, that in order to carry out the will of God we need to know it. Saint Paul infers, however, that is not always easy. It is not possible to fully grasp the will of God without a special insight to help us discern what God wants from us and avoid the illusions and errors that we could easily fall into.
This particular gift of the Holy Spirit is called “discernment.” It is indispensable to us if we want to acquire an authentic Christian mentality.
“Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.”
How can we acquire and allow this important gift to mature in us? Undoubtedly we need to know the tenets of our faith well.
But that is not enough. Saint Paul affirms that it is above all a matter of living in a certain way, that is, it is a question of generosity, of determination in living the Scriptures, because it implies setting aside one’s fears, uncertainties and mediocrity. It is a question of availability and readiness to carry out the will of God. This is the way to acquire the light of the Holy Spirit and achieve the new mentality asked of us here.
“Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.”
How then can we live this month’s word of life? By trying to merit that light that is so necessary for carrying out the will of God well.
Let us resolve, then, to know his will as it is expressed in his Word, in the teachings of the Church, in the duties required by our state of life and so on.
Let us remember, however, the great importance of living our faith. As we have just seen, true light comes from living as we should and from loving. Jesus manifests himself to those who love him by putting his commandments into practice (cf Jn 14:21).
We will then be able to do the will of God and, by doing so, offer him the most beautiful gift we can. It will be pleasing to him not only because of the love that it expresses, but also because it will spread around us much light and a spirit of Christian renewal.
Chiara Lubich
by pleung | May 2, 2011 | Focolare, Word of Life
「你應全心，全靈，全意，愛上主你的天主。」(瑪22：37)
聖經上的眾多誡命中，那一條才是首要的？這是耶穌的時代，在法學士學院裡其中一個經典課題。在人們眼中，身為師傅的耶穌並沒有迴避這個問題：「究竟在法律中那條誡命是最大的？」祂還以獨創的方式來回答，把對天主的愛和對近人的愛結合在一起。耶穌的門徒永不該把這兩種愛分開，就如他們不能將樹根和樹葉分開一樣。換句話，他們越愛天主，就越能加強自己對兄弟姊妹的愛；他們越愛自己的兄弟姊妹，就越能加深他們對天主的愛。
耶穌比任何人都認識那位我們應真正去愛的天主，而且祂還知道我們應該怎樣去愛祂。上主是祂的父和我們的父，祂的天主和我們的天主(參閱若20：17)。祂個別地愛了每一個人；祂愛我，也愛你：祂是我的天主，也是你們的天主(「你應愛上主，你的天主」)。
由於祂首先愛了我們，所以我們可以去愛祂。因此祂命令我們要具有的愛，就是對祂的厚愛的一份回應。我們可以轉向祂，並懷著耶穌同樣的信心及依賴去稱呼祂：「阿爸，父啊」。我們也能像耶穌一樣，時常與天父說話，告訴祂我們所有的需要、我們的決志和計劃，並且能一再地重複告訴祂我們對祂那份獨一無二的愛。
我們也熱切地等候祈禱的時刻，因為我們可以與祂深入地接觸。祈禱就是我們和天父之間的對話、共融和強烈的友誼關係。在那些時刻，我們能向祂傾吐心中的愛；欽祟祂在萬有之上；光榮祂在宇宙中無所不在；讚美那臨在我們內心深處或在聖體櫃裡的祂；並想到我們無論在那裡：在房間、在工作時、在辦公室中，或當我們與其他人一起的時候……祂都與我們在一起。
「你應全心，全靈，全意，愛上主你的天主。」
此外，耶穌還教導我們另一個愛天主的方法。對耶穌而言，去愛意味著承行天父的旨意，把我們的意志、心靈、精力及整個生命都交付在祂的手裡：祂完全地把自己交付了，為能實現天父給祂定下的計劃。福音讓我們知道，耶穌經常並且完全地轉向天父的慈懷(參閱若1：18)。祂一直存留在天父內，只想說祂從天父那裡聽到的一切，並僅僅去實行天父叫祂去做的事情。但耶穌對我們也有同樣的要求：去愛就是要不折不扣地去做那位『被愛者』的旨意，而且要整個人：『全心，全靈，全意』地投入其中。這是因為愛並不只是一份情感。事實上，耶穌也質問那些只用言語去愛天主的人說：「你們為什麼稱呼我：主啊！主啊！而不行我所吩咐的呢？」(路6：46)
「你應全心，全靈，全意，愛上主你的天主。」
那麼，我們應該如何生活耶穌這一條誡命呢？當然是要培養對上主一份孝悌之心；一份朋友的情誼，但最重要的是實踐祂的聖意。我們對天主的態度應該跟耶穌一樣，總是把目光朝向天父的慈懷，去聆聽祂、服從祂，好能完成祂的事業，除此之外別無其他目的。為要做到這一點，我們在自己的選擇和生活方式上應該是徹底的，因為我們對天主不能夠稍有保留，反而要全心、全靈、全意地去愛祂。這表示要好好地完成所有祂要求我們去做的工作。為能生活祂的旨意並使自己與祂的旨意達到一致，往往要求我們打消自己的意願，並且犧牲我們心中與目前一刻無關的一切，可能是一個主意、一種感覺、一個思考、一種欲望、一段記憶、一件東西、一個人……。
這樣，我們才能專心地履行目前一刻我們該做的事，包括談天、講電話、聆聽、幫助他人、研習、祈禱、用餐、睡覺等，並能專注地生活祂的旨意，即全心、全靈、全意地把每個行動都滿全地、完整地、完美地去完成。心中只懷著一個動機，那就是愛。以致我們在整天的每個時刻都可以說：「是的，我的天主，此時，在這個行動中，我全心、全意的愛袮。」這是我們報答祂的唯一方法，這樣，我們才能說我們愛天主。
「你應全心，全靈，全意，愛上主你的天主。」
為能妥善地生活這句聖言，我們可以常常自我檢討，看看是否把天主真正地放在我們生活的首位。那麼，總括來說，在這個月裡我們應做甚麼呢？就是要重新揀選天主作為我們唯一的理想，作為我們生命的一切，把祂重新置於首位，並在目前一刻完美的生活祂的旨意。我們希望能夠真誠地告訴祂：「我的天主，我的萬有」、「我愛你」、「我完全屬於你」、「你是天主，你是我的天主，我們無限愛情的天主」。
盧嘉勒
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