Blog of Fr. Peter Leung

16 November
A person who has charity

A person who has charity is not proud; does not love to dominate others; can never be heard finding fault with their conduct; does not love to speak about what others are doing. A person who has charity does not question the intentions of others, does not believe he can do things better than they do; never places himself above his neighbour. On the contrary, such a person believes that others always do things better than he does. He does not take offence when a neighbour is given preference. If he is despised, he is still happy, because he thinks that he deserves even more contempt.
You see that in order to love the good God and your neighbour it’s not necessary to be very erudite or rich. It’s enough to try and please God in everything that we do, doing good to all, to the good and bad alike, to those who harm our reputation as to those who love us.

Saint John Vianney

Scritti scelti
Città Nuova, Roma 1988, p. 117

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月16日
他人的优点

谁有爱德就不骄傲自大：他不喜欢支配他人；从不批判他人的言行举止；也不爱谈论他人的所作所为。谁有爱德就不审视他人做事的意向；从不自视胜人一筹；也不凌驾他人之上；相反，总是觉得别人做的比自己好。如果挑选别人，他也不会感到不舒服；如被鄙视，依然保持心情愉快，因为他认为应受到更大的轻视。
你们看，为了爱美善的天主和近人无需学富五车，也无需家藏万贯；只要我们在所从事的一切中寻求中悦天主；向所有的人行善，不论善人，还是恶人，不论破坏我们声誉的人，还是喜爱我们的人。

圣若望玛利亚维亚乃（San Giovanni Maria Vianney）

摘录
新城出版社，罗马1975，第117页

15 November
A daily battle

Sometimes it happens that the limits and defects of others make it difficult to carry out this holy obligation to recognise the figure of Jesus in them. In a deceptive way, this can lead us to give up our interest in them and so feel things are fine and that in thse cases the commitment to love is lessened or has ceased. We need to know how to forgive as Jesus forgave. From the example of the Teacher we learn that there are no excuses or extenuating circumstances for not loving as Christ wants us to love or better as he himself has loved us…
The capacity of seeing the good side of others is the best antidote against the pernicious tendencies that tend to highlight the negative and slanderous, so common in society. We have a battle on our hands to be fought every day in our daily relationships with our brothers and sisters.

Card. Claudio Hummes

Sempre discepoli di Cristo
San Paolo, Milano 2002, p. 113

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月15日
英勇的战斗

许多时，由于别人的缺点和有限，我们很难在他们身上认出耶稣来，而没有履行这份神圣的义务。这一点，可能会误导我们对他们失去兴趣；同时感觉心安理得；甚至会认为在这样的光景下，停止或减少对他们爱的职责。需要学会如同耶稣一样的来宽恕。我们从耶稣导师的表样中去学习，无论在什么情况下，都需要去爱，就如基督愿意我们彼此相爱，更好说，如同他爱了我们一样的爱去爱。
这种欣赏他人优长的能力是最好的方法来矫正那盛行于社会中的否定和诋毁别人的恶性倾向。为此，在与兄弟的关系中，我们天天都要卷入这场英勇的战斗。

胡麦斯枢机（Card. Claudio Hummes）

基督的永恒使徒（Sempre discepoli di Cristo）
圣保禄书局,米兰2002,113页

14 November
With the eyes of Christ

Love of neighbour is thus shown to be possible in the way proclaimed by the Bible, by Jesus. It consists in the very fact that, in God and with God, I love even the person whom I do not like or even know. This can only take place on the basis of an intimate encounter with God, an encounter which has become a communion of will, even affecting my feelings. Then I learn to look on this other person not simply with my eyes and my feelings, but from the perspective of Jesus Christ…
Going beyond exterior appearances, I perceive in others an interior desire for a sign of love, of concern. This I can offer them not only through the organizations intended for such purposes, accepting it perhaps as a political necessity. Seeing with the eyes of Christ, I can give to others much more than their outward necessities; I can give them the look of love which they crave.

Benedict XVI

Deus caritas est 18

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月14日
具备基督的眼光

对近人的爱在于我在天主内、与天主一起去爱，也去爱那些我不喜欢的人，甚至我不认识的人。这只有在与天主亲密的相遇中才可能实现，这个相遇已经成为意志的共融，进而达到情感的触动。
这样我学习着去看待另一个人，不只是以我们自己的眼光和情感去看待对方，而是从耶稣基督的角度去看。……在他人的表面现象的背后，我发现对方内在的渴望，期待着一份爱的关注和表现，我并不只是透过有关的组织来满足这份需求，也不只是因为政治上的需要。如果我以基督的眼光去看，我可以给予别人远比其外在的需要更多的东西，就是给予他所需要的那份爱的关注。

教宗本笃十六世

《天主是爱》通谕 18

13 November
You are members of one another

If you are in class, recognise one another; if you are in the workshop, recognise one another; if you are in the housing estate, recognise one another; if you are in the parish, recognise one another: you are members of one another if you are members of Christ. This is the most revolutionary sentence that can be expressed: “you are members of one another”.
That’s how Mother Teresa of Calcutta sees the man out in the open, in the sewer, who is dirty and indeed “debris”, and welcomes him as a member of Christ, that is, hers. And this recognising one another must be seen. If it is not seen by others then it doesn’t exist, it is not true. It must be seen because this is witness to Christ. This is the first expression of our yearning for Christ.

Luigi Giussani

Parole ai preti
SEI, Torino 1996, pp. 70-71

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月13日
你们彼此互为肢体

无论在教室学习；或在车间工作；或在平民之家生活；或在堂区服务，你们都应该认识到和体现出：你们是基督的肢体，你们彼此之间则互为肢体。这是一句无与伦比最富有革新性的话：“你们彼此互为肢体”。
如此，加尔各答的德肋撒修女在肮脏的、污染严重的下水沟里所看到的人，甚至已是残骸，她收留他们如同基督的肢体，他的一员。这种认知应当有目共睹，若未被别人意识到，则并非真实。它应当被看到，因为这是为基督所作的见证，这是热爱基督的最高表现。

卢益智•朱萨尼（Luigi Giussani）

致司铎书（Parole ai preti）
SEI出版社，都灵 1996，第70-71页

12 November
No longer master of himself

Since God is love, the priest can never separate the service of God from love for his brothers and sisters, committing himself to the way of charity. Apart from anything else, he has been tasked with teaching a doctrine in which the double commandment of love sums up the whole law: love for God and love for neighbour. The priest cannot implant and spread this teaching if he himself is not an authentic witness to love.
As a pastor of Christ’s flock, he cannot forget that his master reached the point of giving his own life out of love. In the light of such an example, the priest knows that he is no longer master of himself, but that he must make himself all things to all people, accepting every sacrifice connected with love. That presupposes a heart that is generous and open to understanding and friendship with everyone.

John Paul II

Angelus
18 February1990

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月12日
不再是自己的主人

由于天主是爱，司铎总不可以把爱兄弟和服侍天主二者分开，他应该完全致力于爱德中。另外，司铎承担教导的责任，其中，全部法律总括为两点：爱主和爱人的诫命。如果司铎自己尚未成为此爱真实的见证，他就不应该教导和传达此项教义。
基督羊群的牧人应切记，导师耶稣曾以爱为自己的羊群牺牲了性命。在此表率的光照下，司铎懂得他不再是自己的主人，而应该是大众的仆人，同时相应地以爱心接纳每一种牺牲。也就是说要预备一颗慷慨和开放的心，来怜悯和同情所有的人。

教宗若望保禄二世

三钟经讲话
1990年2月18日

11 November
Weak with the weak

For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I might by any means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings..

First Letter to the Corinthians
9, 19:23

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月11日
对软弱的人，我就成为软弱的

我原是自由的，不属于任何人；但我却使自己成了众人的奴仆，为赢得更多的人。对犹太人，我就成为犹太人，为赢得犹太人；对于在法律下的人，我虽不在法律下，仍成为在法律下的人，为赢得那在法律下的人；对那些法律以外的人，我就成为法律以外的人，为赢得那些法律以外的人；其实，我并不在天主的法律以外，而是在基督的法律之下。对软弱的人，我就成为软弱的，为赢得那软弱的人；对一切人，我就成为一切，为的是总要救些人。我所行的一切，都是为了福音，为能与人共沾福音的恩许。

圣保禄宗徒致格林多前书 9：19-23

10 November
You chose them

You have sent me among people. Having loaded on my shoulder the weight of your powers and the strength of your grace, you told me to go. Your word that sent me far from you among those you want to save, among humanity, was hard and almost harsh.
Even before your word consecrated me for this mission I had indeed already always dealt with them.
I loved to love and to be loved, to be a good friend and to have good friends. It is lovely to be that way with people and also easy. Because you go only to those you choose and stay as long as you choose.
But now, no. The people to whom I am sent – you choose them, not me. Nor do I have to be their friend, but rather servant. And the fact that I start getting board is not a sign to leave, as it once was, but rather your command to stay.

Karl Rahner

Tu sei il silenzio
Queriniana, Brescia 1969, p. 63

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月10日
是你，而非我拣选了他们

你派遣我到众人之中；肩负你权柄的重担和协同你恩宠的力量，你对我说：你去。你以严厉和近乎生硬的话语，派遣我到远离你的地方，来到你愿意拯救的受造物那里，到人群中。
是的，我很早就和他们交往，远在你的言语尚未祝圣我致力于此项使命之前。
我愿意付出爱和接纳爱，愿意结交益友并拥有许多挚友。与他们相处，是多么美好，并且也很容易。因为我们只是和自己选择的人交往，并且按自己的喜好来决定去留。
但现在并非这样：我被派遣照顾的人群，是你，而非我选择的；也不是我应该成为他们的朋友，而是他们的仆人。事实上，如今若我感到厌烦时，已不再象从前，意味着会撒手不管，一走了之，而是因你的命令留在他们中间。

卡尔•拉内（Karl Rahner）

你是沉默（Tu sei il silenzio）
Queriniana出版社，布雷西亚 1969, 63页

9 November
Making a home for others

A generous person, who has found his home in God, must become in turn a home for many others. We can offer each other a spiritual home and this is a real task. To make a home for someone means being disinterested. Paul speaks of a constant flow of people. He would like to be “all things to all men.”
If we manage to give ourselves in this disinterested way to people, and to offer them a spiritual homeland, we will more easily lead them to their homeland in God. If something is lacking, it means that a link in the chain is not in the right place. We must therefore enable people to make homes for one another.

Josef Kentenich

P. Wolf, Berufen – geweiht – gesandt, Schönstatt,
Vallendar-Schönstatt 2009, p. 91

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月9日
为他人创立家园

一个在天主内找到寓所的高贵之人，也应该成为许多人的寓所。我们有一个确切的任务，就是相互提供一个神修的家园。对我来说，成为他人的家园，就是不容自己有任何私心杂念。保禄宗徒谈到“人群川流不息”，他愿意“对一切人，成为一切”。
如果我们能够以此方式把自己无私的奉献给他人，且为他们提供一个神修的家园，那么，我们将很容易地引领他们在天主内找到自己的家乡。若是依然有所缺乏，则说明有一链扣衔接不当。因此，需要众人相互地成为彼此的家园。

若瑟•肯特尼克（Josef Kentenich）

沃尔夫神父
（P. Wolf, Berufen – geweiht – gesandt）
Schönstatt出版社，Vallendar-Schönstatt 2009, 91页

8 November
The best art of all

Given the growing scarcity of priests in local Churches, and the continual demand for liturgical services, there is a danger that the priest’s life becomes a series of sacred actions, and becomes deprived of deep personal relationships with his neighbours…
In order to become people of communion and dialogue, we must give our full attention to each person. Everyone is a son or daughter of God, everyone is of infinite value.
According to the Pastoral Rule of Saint Gregory the Great, which over the centuries has had a great influence on pastors, “the best art of all” is the ability to lead those entrusted to our service to God.
But how can we guide others, without the constant effort to establish interpersonal relationships with them in the love and truth of Christ, without listening to our neighbours, and without being empty of ourselves in front of each human being?

Toni Weber

E. Cambón – S. Cola, L’ansia di Toni Weber
Città Nuova, Roma 1994, p. 44

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月8日
众艺之艺

面对在许多地方教会神职人员的日趋减少和礼仪服务的诸多需求，存在着一种危机：即神父的生活有可能沦为一连串的宗教行动，而缺乏深入的人际关系。……
为成为共融和对话之人，我们应该时刻认真地关注每一个人：人人都是天主的子女，都有无穷的价值。
根据大圣额我略的牧灵原则，这原则影响着多世纪的牧者生活。“众艺之艺”是一种引导托付给我们为其服务的群羊走向天主的能力。如果没有在基督的爱和真理内恒久的努力，来建立人与人之间的深层关系，如果没有空虚自己来聆听我们每个近人的心声，我们如何能引导他人呢？

托尼•韦伯（Toni Weber）

托尼•韦伯的焦虑
（E. Cambón – S. Cola, L’ansia di Toni Weber）
新城出版社，罗马1994年，44页。

7 November
Draw them into your heart

Jesus crucified… who, rich as he was, made himself poor and “emptied himself, to assume the condition of a slave” (cf Ph 2:7), can teach priests the correct attitude they ought to have towards the people entrusted to their service…
This is how Christ was, and this is how he wants his priests to be. To serve, to “make themselves one” with everyone right to the end, except in sin… in order to win over the greatest number to Christ (cf 1 Cor 9:19)
Open up a dialogue with each neighbour, understand everyone, and draw them into your heart!
If priestly service is sustained by this passionate love, this service from the heart, the priest will see the marvel that the Holy Spirit calls Christians to reveal to the world today in the part of the Church entrusted to him: the royal priesthood, convinced believers, whose commitment goes much further than their Sunday devotions. They live their baptism by dying moment by moment in Christ, in love for him and among them, and in him rising again.

Chiara Lubich

Il sacerdote oggi, il religioso oggi
Gen’s 12 (1982/6) p. 5

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月7日
用心接纳每个人

被钉在十字架上的耶稣……，原是富有的，却甘为贫穷；“自我空虚，取了奴仆的形体”（斐2：7）。他懂得教导司铎以基督徒纯真的态度――服务――，来面对所托付给他们的每一个人。
这便是基督，他要求司铎这样生活，为众人服务，除了罪过之外，彻底地与所有人“打成一片”，……为基督赢得更多的人（参格前9：19）。
敞开心门接纳每个近人，与他们展开对话，理解他们！
拥有炽热爱情的铎职服务若是发自内心，司铎将会在托付给他的教会内，看到圣神召叫基督徒彰显给世界的奇事——王家的司祭；热心和信念坚定的教友们，不只是善尽主日的本分，更是时刻在基督内，死于自我，爱主爱人，生活互爱，在基督内重生，生活出他们的领洗誓愿。

卢嘉勒

当今司铎与会士 （Il sacerdote oggi, il religioso oggi）
《新青》12（1982/6） 5页

6 November
If you love, you are

What seems to me important is that you approach priesthood with the desire to be able to die for everyone, to die to oneself for everyone. Douse every flame of knowledge or heroism and just be love. God is love. If you love, you are. If you do not love, you are not.
You must consider the other, whoever they are, as irreplaceable, unique in the world…
How many times have we read in St Paul that even if I have the gift of prophecy and give away all I have, without charity I am nothing. The whole Gospel is there. “Whatever you did to the least, you did it to me.” Whatever I do to the biggest scoundrel in the world, I do it to Jesus. This is how we can light up the night…
If you become convinced of this, it is the big discovery. You understand that at last the world could be better.

Silvano Cola

Being One 18 (2009/3), p. 40

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月6日
爱使人活出自己

我觉得这点十分重要：接近司铎职务渴望着能够为所有的人牺牲，为所有的人死于自己。熄灭知识的一切火苗，只是成为爱。天主是爱。若是你爱，你将成为你自己；若你不爱，则相反。
要尊重别人，尊重任何人，因为每一个人都是不可替代的，在世上是独一无二的 ……
多少次我们恭读了圣保禄书信：即使我有预言之恩及奉献自己所有，如果我没有爱，为我毫无益处。全部福音的精髓就在于此，“你对我最小的弟兄所做的，就是对我做的”。我对世上最不幸的人所做的任何事就是我对基督所作的。
这就是照亮黑夜的能力。…… 若是人们坚信这一点，就会有所顿悟，并明白到世界终于有希望了。

司万诺•科拉（Silvano Cola）

著作和见证
《新青》，Grottaferrata 2007，53-54页

5 November
To become “Eucharist” for others

For the greater majority, this “giving of one’s life” that Jesus speaks of is not accomplished through blood. It is achieved in the many small actions of everyday life, in putting ourselves at the service of others, including those whom, for whatever reason, might seem “inferior” to us….
To serve means to become “eucharist” for others, to identify ourselves with them, to share their joys and sorrows (cf Rm 12:15), to learn to think with their heads, to feel with their hearts, to live their lives “to walk in their moccasins” as an Indian proverb says.

Card. François-Xavier Van Thuan

Testimony of Hope
Daughters of St. Paul, Boston, 2000, p. 71

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月5日
为人食粮

在大多数情况下，耶稣要求我们“付出生命”，并非要流血牺牲，而是在每日众多小小的行动中，在为他人服务时；还有，由于某些因素，那些表面看来比我们显得“卑微”的人，都是我们服务的对象。
服务意味着成为他人的“食粮，如同圣体”，与他们打成一片，分享他们的喜乐和痛苦，学会换位思考，将心比心，易地而处，正如印度谚语所言：“穿上对方的鞋走路”。

阮文顺枢机

希望的见证
新城出版社，罗马2008 第十版，96-97页。

4 November
Generate Christ

We should do everything we do in charity, in order to overcome all the innumerable difficulties that we have to experience daily. In that way, we will have the strength to generate Christ in ourselves and in others.

Saint Charles Borromeo

Acta Ecclesiae Mediolanensis
Milano 1599, p. 1178

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月4日
孕育基督

你们的所作所为都应在爱中进行，这样才有可能战胜那日日体验且不胜枚举的困难；也因此我们将有能力在自己和他人内孕育基督。

圣嘉禄（San Carlo Borromeo）

Acta Ecclesiae Mediolanensis
米兰 1599，1178页

3 November
Head in the sense of being Servant

Jesus Christ is head of the Church his body. He is the “head” in the new and unique sense of being a “servant,” according to his own words: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45). Jesus’ service attains its fullest expression in his death on the cross, that is, in his total gift of self in humility and love. “He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:7-8). The authority of Jesus Christ as head coincides then with his service, with his gift, with his total, humble and loving dedication on behalf of the Church. All this he did in perfect obedience to the Father; he is the one true Suffering Servant of God, both priest and victim.
The spiritual existence of every priest receives its life and inspiration from exactly this type of authority, from service to the Church…
In this way the priests, as the ministers…will be in their person the “model” of the flock, which for its part is called to display this same priestly attitude of service toward the world.

Pope John Paul II

Pastores dabo vobis 21

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月3日
首领即是仆人

耶稣基督是祂的教会，也就是祂身体的「头」。祂之所以为「头」是根据祂为「仆人」的新而独特的意义而言，照祂自己的话说：「人子不是来受服事，而是来服事人，并交出自己的性命，为大众作赎价」(谷十，45)。
耶稣的服务，当祂死于十字架上时，达到了最完美的表现，那也就是在谦逊和仁爱之中，将自我完全交出。「……却使自己空虚，取了奴仆的形体，与人相似，形状也一见如人；他贬抑自己，听命至死，且死在十字架上……」(斐二，7-8)。
耶稣基督身为「头」的权威，同祂对教会的服务、祂的恩赐、祂的谦和仁爱的奉献，完全吻合。祂所做的一切是对父圆满的服从；祂是那唯一真正的受苦的天主之仆，是司祭也是牺牲。
也正因此特有的权威，也就是献给教会的服务，使每位司铎的属灵存在，完全有了生命并活跃起来。……
这样司铎身为圣职人员……，将会是羊群的模范，而这些羊群也被召以司祭同样的态度给全人类做出服务。

教宗若望保禄二世

《我给你们牧者》劝谕 21

2 November
The Father’s embrace

When I close my eyes for the last time on earth, the people around me will say, “he is dead”. That is in fact a lie. I will be dead for those who see me, for the ones who are there.
My hands will be cold, my eyes will no longer see, but in reality death does not exist because as soon as I close my eyes on this earth I will be open to the infinite things of God.
We will see him, as St Paul says, face to face, as he really is (1Cor 13:12). And the words of chapter 3 in the book of Wisdom will be fulfilled: God created man to be immortal, for immortality, he created him according to his own nature.
Immortality is already within us, therefore, so death is none other than the final emergence of my true identity, my being with God. Death is the moment of the Father’s embrace, eagerly awaited in the heart of each and every created being.

Oreste Benzi

Testamento spirituale

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月2日
拥抱天父

当我紧闭双目离开尘世时，近在身旁的人将会说：“他死了”。其实，这是一个谎言。我的死亡只是为那些近在身旁可以看见我的人而言。我的双手将是冰冷的，眼睛将不再睁开；但事实上，死亡并不存在；因为，当我在此世永闭双目的瞬间，正是我目睹无穷天主的那一刻。正如保禄宗徒所言，我们将面对面的观看天主的圣容（参阅格前13:12）。智慧篇第三章也言及：天主创造了不死的人类，为使他永存，他按照自己的属性创造了人类。
因此,在我们内早已存有不灭的属性,为此，死亡就是永远地展现我的本质，即我与天主的结合。死亡是与圣父相拥的时刻，每个人和所有受造物都热切期待着这一时刻。

奥莱斯特•奔兹（Oreste Benzi）

神修遗训(Testamento spirituale)

1 November
Jesus is mirrored in them

The saints are like many small mirrors in which Jesus Christ contemplates himself.
In his apostles (Jesus) contemplates his zeal and his love for the salvation of souls; in the martyrs he contemplates his patience, his sufferings and his painful death; in the solitary he sees his dark and hidden life; in virgins, he admires the purity without stain, and in all the saints, his limitless charity so that, in admiring the virtues of the saints, we do nothing other than admire the virtues of Jesus Christ.
Saints did not all start well, but all finished well.

San Giovanni Maria Vianney

Scritti scelti
Città Nuova, Roma 1975, p. 94

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

11月1日
诸圣，耶稣的镜子

诸圣犹如耶稣的镜子。
耶稣在其门徒身上，观赏他为拯救人灵而怀有的热忱和爱情；在殉道者身上，凝视他的忍耐、苦难和他痛苦的死亡；在孤独者身上，透视他晦涩而隐藏的生命。在贞女身上，惊叹他毫无瑕疵的纯洁；在诸圣身上，默观他的无限大爱。故此，我们称羡诸圣的德行，就是在钦佩基督的美德。
虽然不是全部的圣人都有圣善的开始，但诸圣全部都有圣善的结束。

圣若望玛利亚维亚乃（San Giovanni Maria Vianney）

摘选
新城出版社，罗马1975，94页

「駱駝穿過針孔，比富人進天國還容易。」（瑪19：24）(1)

這句話會使你感到驚奇嗎？
我相信你有理由感到困惑不解，並反省一下自己應該怎樣做才對。耶穌說的話都不是偶然的。因此，你該認真的衡量這句話，不要輕看了它的意義。
不過，讓我們先弄清楚耶穌說這句話的真正含意，看看祂以怎樣的態度來對待富有的人。祂和富人的交往是很密切的。祂對只把一半財產捐獻出來的匝凱說：「今天救恩來到了這一家。」（路19：9）
此外，宗徒大事錄中記載：在初期的教會裡，捐獻財物是各人自願的事，為此完全地捨棄一切並不是必須的。
因此，耶穌的心意並不只是去建立一個人人都捨棄一切錢財，去跟隨祂的團體。然而祂卻說：

「駱駝穿過針孔，比富人進天國還容易。」

那麼耶穌所譴責的究竟是什麼？當然不是世上的財富本身，而是那些對財富執著不放的人。為什麼？理由很簡單：因為所有的一切都是屬於天主的，但是富人卻以為他們所擁有的財物是屬於自己的。
事實上，財富在人的心中很容易取代了天主的位置，使他們變得盲目，也很容易讓一切惡行滋生。保祿宗徒曾經這樣寫過：「至於那些想望致富的人，卻陷於誘惑，墮入羅網和許多背理有害的慾望中，這慾望叫人沉溺於敗壞和滅亡中，因為貪愛錢財乃萬惡的根源；有些人曾因貪求錢財而離棄了信德，使自己受了許多刺心的痛苦。」（弟前6：9-10）
柏拉圖也曾確定地說過：「一個極之善良的人絕不可能同時又是極之富有的。」那麼，擁有財富的人該有怎樣的心態才對呢？他們必須懷有一顆對天主完全開放的心，意識到自己只不過是這些財富的管理人，並知道他們管理財富的方式將影響到社會的福祉，這是教宗若望保祿二世的見解。
由於財富本身並不是邪惡的，我們無需鄙視它，卻要懂得善用它。並不是我們的手要遠離財富，而是我們的心。我們該懂得如何利用財富，造福人群。
因此，富人可以擁有財富，卻應該是為了他人的益處。

「駱駝穿過針孔，比富人進天國還容易。」

可能你會說：我真的並不富有，所以這句話與我無關。你可要當心，當門徒們聽了這句話後，驚異地問耶穌的問題正好是：「這樣，誰還能得救呢？」（瑪19：25）這個問題清楚地說明了耶穌的話是對每一個人說的。
一個已經捨棄了一切，跟隨基督的人，心中仍可能眷戀著許許多多的事物。一個窮人如果惡言咒罵碰了一下他的包袱的人，這時候這個窮人在天主面前也算是一個富有的人。

「駱駝穿過針孔，比富人進天國還容易。」

盧嘉勒

（１）本月聖言取自1979年7月份生活聖言

“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mt 19:24)

November 2009

The Eye Of A Needle

Does this sentence make a certain impression on you?
I think you may have reasons to be perplexed and to consider what would be the best thing to do. The words of Jesus are never used loosely. It is therefore necessary to take these words seriously, without trying to water them down.
Let us try to understand the real significance of these words from Jesus himself, from his way of behaving with the rich. He frequented the company even of well-to-do persons. To Zaccheus, who had given away only half of his possessions, he says: “Salvation has entered your house.”
Furthermore, the Acts of the Apostles show us that in the early Church the communion of goods was practiced freely, and hence, the concrete renouncement of one’s possessions was not compulsory. Therefore, it is not that Jesus thought of founding only a community of persons who are called to follow him by leaving behind all they possess.
And yet he says:

“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

What does Jesus condemn, then? Certainly not the goods of this earth in themselves, but the attachment to wealth by the rich.
Why? The answer is clear: it is because all things belong to God and the rich behave as if their riches are their own.

The fact is that riches easily take the place of God in the human heart. They blind the vision and make it easier for all sorts of vices to take root. The Apostle Paul wrote: “Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains” (1 Tim 6:9-10).

Even in earlier times, Plato already affirmed: “It is impossible for an extraordinarily good person to be at the same time extraordinarily rich.”
What, then, should be the attitude of people who have possessions?
They must have a heart that is free and totally open to God, so that they feel that they are administrators of their goods, and know that – as Pope John Paul II said – they are mortgaged to society.

Since earthly goods are not bad in themselves, we should not despise them, but we must use them well. We must keep our hearts detached from them, not our hands. Because whoever is rich, is so for the good of others.

“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

But perhaps you’ll say: “I am not really rich, so these words are not meant for me.”
Be careful. The question that the dismayed Apostles asked right after this statement of Christ was: “Who then will be saved?” This clearly tells us that Christ’s words were somehow addressed to everybody.

Even someone who has left all things to follow Christ may have his or her heart attached to so many things. Even a poor person who curses at anybody who touches his or her belongings may be looked upon by God as a “rich” person attached to earthly treasures.

By Chiara Lubich

The Word of Life, taken from Scripture, is offered each month as a guide and inspiration for daily living. From the Focolare’s beginnings, Chiara Lubich wrote her commentaries on each Word of Life, and after her death last year, her early writings are now being featured once again. This commentary, addressed to a primarily Christian audience, was originally published in July 1979.