Blog of Fr. Peter Leung

「不要隨我的意願，惟照你的意願成就罷！」　（路22:42）

你可記得這句話嗎？這是耶穌在橄欖山上革責瑪尼園中祈禱時向聖父說的話。就因為這句話，祂隨後所受的苦難、聖死和復活才顯得有意義。耶穌在心靈深處強烈的體驗，也在這句話中表露無遺。那時候，祂的人性深深抗拒天父所要求的死亡，並因而引致內心痛苦得像被撕裂了一樣。
可是基督並不是等到那天才順應天主的旨意。相反地，祂一生都這樣做了。
假如這是基督一生的行徑，這便應該是每一個基督徒的生活態度。
所以，你也該在自己的一生中重複這句話：「不要隨我的意願，惟照你的意願成就罷！」

雖然你已經領了洗，成為教會的兒女，但也許直到今天你從未從未這樣想過。
也許你認為這只是一句無可奈何的話，在沒有選擇的餘地時才表達出來。但這種解釋並不正確。
且聽我說吧！在你一生歲月中，有兩種生活方針可供你選擇：一是隨你自己的意願，做你喜歡的事；另一種是自由地選擇承行天主的旨意。
同樣，你會有兩種完全不同的經驗：前者轉眼便會令你失望，因為你要運用你有限的思維及方法，你短暫的夢想和不足的氣力去攀登生命的高峰。但遲早你會發覺，你所過的只是呆板枯燥的生活．沒有甚麼成果，前景灰黯，有時候還令你失望。雖然你設法過一種多采多姿的生活，但是仍不能夠滿足自己心底的渴望。這是不容否認的事實。
還有，在你生命終結時，除了由親友灑下的幾滴淚水外，你也不會留下任何值得追念的痕跡。隨後一切就都煙沒在整個無情的、健忘的宇宙中。
後者的生活方式卻叫你重複這句話：「不要隨我的意願，惟照你的意願成就罷！」請看，天主就像太陽。太陽的光線照射到眾人身上，代表著天主對每個人的聖意。基督徒或者善心人，都被召喚在自己與他人不同的光線內走向太陽。這樣他才會完成天主在他身上定下的奇妙美好計劃。
假如你也照樣做，你將會踏入一個你從未夢想過的神聖歷程。你將成為一項偉大事業的主角，但同時又在觀看這奇事，因為天主要在你身上工作，然後透過你也在全人類中施行祂的工程。
那時在你身上發生的一切，無論苦樂禍福，特殊的事（例如成功和幸運的事，意外或親人的逝世），或平常的事（例如日常的家務、工作、學業），一切的一切都會獲得新的意義，因為它們都是由愛的天主親手送給你的。一切祂所願意或准許發生的事，都是為使你從中得到裨益。開始時只要你有這樣的信德，稍後你便能用靈魂的眼睛看到，一切事物都是由一縷金線穿引而連繫在一起的，並且交織成一幅漂亮的剌繡；那便正是天主在你身上的計劃。
可能這美好的前景吸引著你，也許你也真誠地願意生活得更有意義。那麼聽著：首先讓我告訴你該在什麼時候承行天主的旨意。
請你細心想一想：過去的已成過去，不能再追悔，你只能將它交在天主慈愛的手中；至於將來，將來仍未來到，你只有在當它到達眼前時，才可以把它好好的生活出來；在你掌握之中的只有眼前，所以你要在現在的時刻去實行這句話：
「不要隨我的意願，惟照你的意願成就罷！」
當你在旅程中──而生命本身也是一個旅程──你會乖乖地坐在車廂的座位上，而絕不會在車廂裡跑來跑去。但假如我們只曉得夢想將來和悼念過去的話，就是做著同樣沒有多大意義的行為。
事實擺在眼前：時間會自動地過去。我們只需要在現時這一刻中穩守崗位。有一天我們將會完成此生的本份。
要是你問：「怎樣才可以分辨出天主的旨意和我自己的意願呢？」
在目前一刻中去分辨出天主的旨意並不難，我教你一個辦法，留心傾聽你的內心，那裡有一個細微的聲音，也許往往被你窒息了，以致變得模糊不清。但留心細聽，那是天主的聲音。它會告訴你那一刻該去讀書，或該去愛那需要你的人，或該去工作，或該去克服誘惑，或該去盡你做基督徒的本份，或盡市民的責任。它也要求你去聆聽那些因主的名而向你講話的人，也要求你勇敢地面對困難的境況……
請聽，請細聽！不要充耳不聞，那聲音是你所能擁有的最寶貴的東西。所以，跟從它吧！
於是慢慢地你便會寫下自己的生平，而這段歷史既屬人性，也是神聖的，因為是你和天主合作執筆寫成的。你也將會見到奇事：只要人願意盡他一生的努力去實踐這句話：「不要隨我的意願，惟照你的意願成就罷！」你就會見到天主在一個人身上可以完成什麼樣的化工。
盧嘉勒

“Not my will but yours be done.”

Do you remember these words? Jesus addressed these words to the Father in the garden of Gethsemane. These words give meaning to his passion, which was followed by his resurrection. They express the drama unfolding within Jesus in all its intensity. It is the inner laceration provoked by his human nature’s deep revulsion facing a death willed by his Father.
Christ, however, did not wait until that day to conform his will to that of God. He had done it all his life.
If this was how Christ behaved, then it ought to be the attitude of every Christian. You too should repeat in your life:

“Not my will but yours be done.”

Perhaps you never thought of it, even if you were baptized and are a son or daughter of the Church.
Perhaps you might have used this sentence as an expression of resignation—something one does when he or she has no choice. This, however, is not its real meaning.
Listen: in life you can go in one of two directions. You can do your own will, or you can freely choose to do God’s will. In the former, you will soon experience disappointment by attempting to climb the mountain of life using your limited ideas, your resources, your dreams and your own strength. All this, sooner or later, will transform your life into an experience of boredom, inconclusiveness, dullness and, at times, despair.
Your existence will be colorless in spite of your efforts to make it interesting; despite everything, the deepest part of you will not be at peace. You should admit it, for you cannot deny it.
Furthermore, at the end of your life, you will depart without leaving a trace—only a few tears and then inexorable, total oblivion.
If, instead, you do the will of God, you will re-live Jesus’ words:

“Not my will but yours be done.”

Let us imagine that God is like the sun. A ray from the sun falls on each one of us. Each ray is the divine will for me, for you, for everyone.
Christians and all people of good will are called to move towards the sun, keeping to their own ray of light which is unique and distinct from all the others. By doing so, they will fulfill the wonderful and particular plan that God has for them.
If you do the same, you will find yourself involved in a divine adventure you never even dreamed of.
You will be, at the same time, both actor in and spectator of something great that God is accomplishing in you and through you in humanity.
All that will happen to you—joys and sufferings, graces and disgraces, significant events (success and good fortune, accidents and the loss of those dear to you) as well as seemingly insignificant events (routine work at home, in the office or at school)—everything will acquire new meaning since all have been offered to you by God who is love.
Everything that he wills or permits is for your own good. At first, you will accept it in faith and later you will actually experience that there is a golden thread connecting all the events of your life and forming a beautiful embroidery—it is the plan of God for you.
Maybe this prospect is attractive to you. Maybe you sincerely want to give a deeper meaning to your life. Then you should consider this first: when to do the will of God. Just think for a moment: the past is gone and you cannot run after it; you can only leave it to God’s mercy. The future is not here yet – you will live it when it becomes the present. Only the present is in your hands. In the present, you have to live the words:

“Not my will but yours be done.”

When traveling by train—and life is also a journey—you usually remain in your seat. You wouldn’t think of walking back and forth to get there faster. But this is what we do if we live our life dreaming of a future which is not yet here, or thinking of a past which will never return.
No, time moves forward on its own. We must remain rooted in the present and then we will reach the fulfillment of our lives here.
You will now ask me: how do I distinguish God’s will from mine? It is not difficult to distinguish God’s will from our own if we remain in the present. I will tell you one way to do it. God speaks within you. Perhaps in the past, his voice has too often been smothered by you and is now barely audible. But try to listen, God speaks to you (see Jn 18:37 and Rev. 3:20). He tells you when it is the moment to study, when it is the moment to help someone in need, when to work, when to overcome a temptation or to fulfill one of your duties as a Christian or as a citizen. The voice of God within you urges you to listen to those who speak to you in his name; it helps you face difficult situations courageously….
Don’t silence this voice—it’s the most precious treasure you possess. Follow it. You will then build, moment by moment, the story of your life, a story that is both human and divine because it is made by you in collaboration with God. And you will see wonders. You will see what God can work in people who say with their whole lives:

“Not my will but yours be done.”

By Chiara Lubich

「誰若願意跟隨我，該棄絕自己，天天背著自己的十字架跟隨我。」(9:23)

不要以為你在世上生活，就一定可以如魚得水。
不要以為透過收音機和電視機能把世界帶進你的家中，你就可以隨心所欲地收聽每一個廣播和收看每一個電視節目。

不要以為你走在大街小巷中，就可以肆無忌憚地觀望四週張貼著的海報，無拘無束地向報攤或書店購買任何一種刊物。

不要以為你置身於這個社會中，就可以認同世俗任何一種生活方式，例如：任意放縱及不道德的生活、墮胎、離婚、仇恨、暴力、盜竊等行為。
萬萬不能！你生活在這個世界上，可是你並不「屬於這個世界」。（參閱若17:14）

這點使你與其他人截然不同，讓你置身在那些不貪戀世物，而懂得聆聽天主的聲音的人群中。天主的聲音存在於每個人的心中，假如你靜心去聆聽，它就會把你帶進一個不屬於這個世界的國度裡。在那裡存有真愛、公義、純潔、溫良、和善、神貧的生活。總之，人人都曉得自我約制。

為甚麼有許多青年為能找到一點寧靜，並為領略到一些偉大的潛修者的秘訣，而逃去東方，例如印度呢？這些潛修者透過長期的克己和死於舊我，而能散發一種真愛，以致能感動所有接近他們的人。

這些青年的行徑是一種對喧囂的世界，以及對外在或內在的噪音所產生的自然反應，因為這些聲音煩擾著我們，不讓我們靜下來聆聽上主。
但，是否真的需要走到印度去？在二千年前，耶穌基督不是曾經對你說：「捨棄自己……捨棄自己……」嗎？

安逸和舒適的生活並不適合於基督徒。假如你願意跟隨耶穌，祂對你的要求也是一樣的高。

世界好像洶湧的江河般向你侵襲，但你必須逆流而上。對基督徒來說，世界好比一個密麻的叢林，他們要戰戰兢兢，步步為營的走過去。但他們應該在何處踏足？就是在基督經過世界時所親自留下的足印上：在祂的聖言中。今天，祂再次對你呼喚：

「如果有人要跟隨我，就得捨棄自己，天天背負他的十字架來跟隨我。」

這樣的生活或者會使你遭受他人的蔑視、誤解、譏笑和毀謗；也會使你覺得被孤立，令你丟難堪，並邀請你去放棄一種表面化的基督徒生活方式。
還不僅於此：

「…天天背負他的十字架來跟隨我。」

無論你接受與否，每一個生在世上的人都會受痛苦的煎熬，而你也不例外。每天總會有大大小小的痛苦接踵而來。

難道你想逃避這些痛苦？想反抗？令你想去咒罵？如果你是這樣的話，那麼你就不是真正的基督徒了。

基督徒愛十字架，也愛痛苦，即使要含著淚水，他也會繼續去愛，因為他知道這一切都是有價值的。耶穌本可以運用數之不盡的方式來拯救人類，但祂卻揀選了痛苦，這絕不是偶然的。

可是，不要忘記，祂背負十字架，為人類而被釘死後，從死者中復活了。
假如你不會漠視言行一致的基督徒生活帶來的困苦和生命中的際遇，並能用愛去迎接痛苦的話，那麼，復活也會成為你生命的終向。你將體會到十字架是給你帶來喜樂的途徑，一份你從未體嚐過，從現世已經開始的喜樂。你的靈性生命也會開始成長，天主的國在你心中要鞏固起來。漸漸地，外間的世界會由你的視野中消失，如同幻影般逝去。那時你便不會再羨慕別人了。
這樣你才是真正跟隨基督的人：

「如果有人要跟隨我，就得捨棄自己，天天背負他的十字架來跟隨我。」

好像你所跟隨的耶穌基督一樣，你將成為今日那充滿創傷的人類的「光」和「愛」。

盧嘉勒

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23).

Come After Me - November 2008

We can’t think that just because we are in the world we can take to it like a fish to water.

We can’t think that simply because the media offers us all kinds of choices we are free to watch every program.

We can’t think that just because we walk the streets of the world we can freely look at all the ads and billboards and buy just any publication at the newsstand or bookstore.

We can’t think that just because we are in the world we can live as we please, the way everyone else does, following along passively accepting abortion, divorce, hatred, violence or embezzlement. We can’t.

We are in the world; no one can deny that. But we are not of the world (see Jn 17:14).

This makes a great difference. It puts us among those who don’t live according to what the world says, but rather according to what the voice of God suggests to us from within. God lives in the heart of every human being. If we listen to him, he will lead us into a kingdom that is not of this world, a society in which true love, justice, purity, meekness and selflessness are lived, where self-control is the norm.

In the past many young people journeyed to India and the Far East, hoping to find some peace of mind and to discover the secrets of the Eastern spiritual masters, who, after a long process of self-mortification, frequently radiate a more genuine kind of love that touches the people they meet.

The quest of these young people was a very natural reaction to the uproar in the world, to the noise around us and within us that leaves no room for silence in which to hear God’s voice.

However, it is not necessary to go to India. Two thousand years ago Christ urged us to deny ourselves. If we are Christians, we cannot expect to lead a comfortable and easy life. Christ did not, and he will not ask any less of us if we want to follow him.

The world, with all its attractions and negative aspects, is coming at us head on like a rushing river, and we must go against the current. It is also like dense underbrush in which a Christian must look very carefully where to step. And where should we step? In the footsteps that Christ himself laid down for us while here on earth. These footsteps are his words.

Today he repeats to us Christians: “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself….” If we follow Christ, we may be laughed at, misunderstood, scorned, slandered or isolated. We must be ready to lose face, to give up the easygoing, socially acceptable way of being a Christian. And there is more:

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Whether we like it or not, suffering is a part of everyone’s life, ours as well. Sufferings great and small come our way every day.

If we try to avoid them, to rebel against them, or if we feel like cursing them, then we cannot be called followers of Christ.

Christians love the cross; they love suffering even amidst tears, knowing that suffering has a value. God had countless ways at his disposal by which he could have saved humankind. Yet he chose to use suffering.

We know that Jesus rose after carrying his cross and being crucified. We are also destined to rise (see Jn 6:40) if we accept the sufferings that come from living an authentic Christian life and those that each day brings with love, rather than despising them. By doing so we will see that even here on earth, the cross is a way that leads to a joy we have never before experienced. We will begin to grow spiritually, and the kingdom of God will become firmly established in us. Little by little the world’s attractions will fade away before our eyes and seem as if they are made of cardboard. And we will no longer envy anyone.
Then we will be able to call ourselves followers of Christ.

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

And like Christ, whom you have followed, you will be light and love for the countless suffering people in today’s world.

The Word of Life, a sentence of Scripture, is offered each month as a guide and inspiration for daily life.

By Chiara Lubich

2008年10月

「你們給，也就給你們；並且還要用好的，連按帶搖，以致外溢的升斗，倒在你們的懷裡。」（路6:38）

你曾否收過朋友一份禮物，並且感到需要回報這份厚意呢？你這樣做不僅是為了還這筆人情，更是為表示一份知恩報愛的心。相信這樣的經驗，你一定試過了！　　假如你懂得這樣來對待朋友，更何況那本身是愛的天主呢？

每次當我們因祂的名給近人施予甚麼，祂都會回報我們。真正的基督徒時常會有這樣的經驗，而且每次都是一份驚喜，因為天主豐富的想像力和心思是層出不窮的。我可以給你舉出千萬個例子，更可以搜集成書。那時你便會看到這句聖言所形容的情景是多麼真確：「還要用好的，連按帶搖，以致外溢的升斗，倒在你們的懷裡。」這句話表示天主回報人時是多麼豐厚及大方。

以下的經驗發生在普世博愛運動的早期：「在羅馬城中，夜幕低垂，在一幢房子的地下層，住著幾個立志實踐福音的女青年。正當她們互道晚安，準備就寢時，突然門鈴響起來。誰還會在這個時刻到訪？原來是一位慌張、沮喪的先生。那人告訴她們：明天他和他的家人將要被逼遷，因為他欠下了房租。

這些女青年彼此相望一下，就已心照不宣地知道怎樣做。她們從抽屜裡拿出幾個信封，裡面存放著她們所剩下來的薪水，以及準備支付煤氣、電話及水電費的錢，毫不猶豫把所有的錢都給了那位先生。

那天晚上，她們都懷著愉快的心情安然入睡，因為她們深信將會有「另一位」去照顧她們。

天還未亮，電話就響起來，原來又是那位先生的聲音：「我馬上坐計程車來！」這些女青年一邊等候，一邊對他選用的交通工具感到驚訝。

那位客人臉上的表情已告訴她們事態有所轉變：「昨晚我剛回到家裡，就發現我承受了一筆意想不到的遺產。內心告訴我，要把其中一半和你們分享。」她們得到的數目，正好是她們慷慨地付出的兩倍！」

「你們給，也就給你們；並且還要用好的，連按帶搖，以致外溢的升斗，倒在你們的懷裡。」（路6:38）

你曾有過相似的經驗嗎？如果沒有，請記住，以後當有人向你求甚麼，你要慷慨無私地給予，並不要期待任何回報。

試試看！但決不應為察看結果而做，卻要出自一份對天主的愛。　　也許你會說：「但我兩袖清風，沒有甚麼分施給他人。」

但這不是真的。只要我們願意的話，便能找到無窮盡的財寶，例如閒暇的時間、一顆赤誠的心、一個友善的微笑、一個忠告、我們的知識、一份平安的心境、甚至一句話，因為它有助於說服那些富有的人，給那些沒有什麼的人分施……。

或許你仍會說：「但我不知道誰是施予的對象。」看看你的周圍：你還記得那在醫院中臥病的朋友嗎？那孤苦伶仃的寡婦、那由於成績欠佳而灰心的同學、那滿面愁容的失業青年、那期待援手的小兄弟、那個被監禁的友人、那不知所措的學徒……？

基督便在他們內等候著你。

你要採納基督徒行事做人的新態度，即一種充滿福音精神和自我開放的態度，不會為任何事情而擔憂。所以，放棄追尋物質所帶來的保障而依靠上主吧！這樣就證明你對天主懷有信德，而且很快你便會獲得祂的賞報，因而曉得自己所相信的確是真實的。

當然，天主回報你，不是為使你致富，而是為使其他人，讓許多人看到我們因施予而獲得的類似小奇蹟般的回報，他們也會照樣的去做。

天主這樣做，因為我們擁有越多時，就越能給予更多。因為祂要我們成為祂財富的管理人，讓每樣事物都在我們周圍的團體中流通，直到能夠像初期耶路撒冷團體那樣：「在他們中，沒有一個貧乏的人。」（宗4:34）

難道你不覺得你可以藉此獻出一分力量，共同去推進世人所期望的一個社會性的革新嗎？

「你們給，也就給你們。」毫無疑問，耶穌首要指出的是將來在天上的賞報，但其實我們在世上所獲得的報酬，已是這份賞報的前奏和保證。 盧嘉勒

“Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap” (Lk 6:38).

Get Generous

Has it ever happened that you received a gift from a friend and then felt you had to reciprocate — not so much because you felt obliged to pay the person back, but simply out of love and gratitude? I’m sure it has.
If you feel this way, imagine how God must feel, God who is love.
He reciprocates every gift that we give to any neighbor in his name. True Christians experience this frequently. And each time it is a surprise. We can never get used to the inventiveness of God.

I could give you a thousand examples of this. I could even write a book on this subject alone, and you would see how true are the words, “…a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.” God always reciprocates with generosity.
Here is one example. Night had fallen in Rome. In their basement apartment, a small group of young women who wanted to live the Gospel were wishing each other good night. Then the doorbell rang. Who could it be at this hour? At the door they found a panic-stricken young father. He was desperate: the following day he and his family were going to be evicted because they had been unable to pay their rent.
The women looked at one another and then, in silent accord, went to the dresser drawer. There they kept what was left of their salaries. In envelopes marked “gas,” “electricity” and “telephone” were the small deposits they had set aside for these bills. Without a moment’s worry about what would happen to them, they gave all the money to their visitor.
That night they went to bed very happy. They knew Someone else would take care of them.
Just before dawn the phone rang. It was the same man. “I’ve called a taxi, and I’m coming right over!” Amazed that he should have chosen to come by taxi, they awaited his arrival. As soon as they saw his face they knew something had changed. “Last night, as soon as I got home,” he said. “I found I had received an inheritance I never dreamed I would get. My heart told me I should give half of it to you.” The amount he gave them was exactly twice what they had generously given him.

“Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.”

Haven’t you also experienced this? If not, remember that the gift must be given with no self-interest, without hoping to get it back, and to whomever asks.
Try it. But not so that you can see if it works, but because you love God.
You might be tempted to say, “I have nothing to give.”
That’s not true. If we want to, each of us can discover that we possess inexhaustible treasures: our free time, our love, our smile, our advice, our peace, our words that might persuade someone who has to give to someone who has not.
You might also say, “I don’t know whom to give to.”
Just look around you: don’t you remember that sick person in the hospital, that widow who always feels lonely, that boy in your class who failed and got discouraged, the young man who is sad because he can’t find a job, your little sister or brother who needs a helping hand, that friend who is in prison, that new person at work who is unsure of herself? In each person, Christ is waiting for you.

Put on the new way of behavior that comes from the Gospel and is the mark of a Christian. It is the exact opposite of having a closed mind or being concerned only about ourselves. Stop putting your trust in this world’s goods, and start relying on God. This will display your faith in him, and you will see from the gifts you receive that your faith is well founded.
It becomes apparent, however, that God does not give as he does in order to make us rich. He acts in this way so that many, many others, seeing the little miracles that happen to us as a result of our giving, may decide to do the same.
God also gives to us because the more we have the more we can give. He wants us to be administrators of his goods and see to it that they are distributed throughout the community around us, so that others might be able to repeat what was said of the first Christian community, “There was no needy person among them” (Acts 4:34).
Don’t you think that in this way you too can help give a solid spiritual basis to the social change that the world awaits?

“Give and gifts will be given to you.”

When Jesus said these words, undoubtedly he was thinking first and foremost of the reward we will receive in heaven. But the reward we receive on this earth is already a foretaste and a guarantee of our heavenly reward.

      Chiara Lubich

「應愛你們的仇人，善待惱恨你們的人；應祝福詛咒你們的人，為毀謗你們的人祈禱。」（路6：27-28）

「你們該愛你們的仇人。」這句話的確震撼人心！它把我們一貫的想法完全倒轉過來，並催逼所有人去扭轉已往的生活方針！　　無需掩飾，因為我們每個人心中都有一些或大或小的仇人。　　這仇人可能是隔壁那個既令人討厭又好管閒事的太太，每次你總想避免與她使用同一座升降機……　　他可能是那個在三十年前寃枉過你父親的親戚，你從此再沒有跟他打過招呼了……　　他也許是班上那個坐在後排的同學，自從他向老師告你的狀，之後你便再也沒有瞧他一眼……或是那位與你分手，並與他人相好的女朋友……或那個曾欺騙過你的商人……

我們也會把那些持不同政見的人視作仇人。

此外，經常也會有人仇視神父和敵視教會。

總之，以上種種，還有其他數之不盡被我們稱之為「仇人」的，我們都應當去愛他們。

真的要愛他們嗎？對！我們要愛他們！但不要以為只是把憎恨的情緒轉化成一種較為友善的態度就足夠了。我們需要做的不止於此。

聽一聽耶穌怎樣說： 「應愛你們的仇人，善待惱恨你們的人；應祝福詛咒你們的人，為毀謗你們的人祈禱。」

你看，耶穌願意我們以善勝惡。祂要求我們以實際的行動去表達我們的愛。

我們會問：為甚麼耶穌對我們會有如此的要求？

事實上，耶穌願意我們以天父的生活作我們行為的榜樣，因為祂「使太陽上升，光照惡人，也光照善人，降雨給義人，也給不義的人。」（瑪5：45）

關鍵就在於此：我們在世上並不是孤單地生活，我們有一位天父，因此我們應該肖似祂。不僅如此，天主更有權利要求我們這樣做，因為當我們仍然與祂為敵；當我們還生活在罪惡中，祂卻首先愛了我們，並派遣自己的聖子，為我們眾人去承受一個那麼駭人的死亡。（參閱若一4：19）

「應愛你們的仇人，善待惱恨你們的人；應祝福詛咒你們的人，為毀謗你們的人祈禱。」

小小的謝利也學會了這個道理，他是一位來自華盛頓的黑人男孩。由於他智商過人，因而被編入尖子班，班上全是白人兒童。可是，謝利的聰明才智仍無法使他的同學明白他們是平等的，反之，人人都基於他的膚色而討厭他，甚至在聖誕節所有同學交換禮物時，也不讓他參與。謝利自然傷心地哭起來。然而，他回家後，卻記起耶穌的話：「應愛你們的仇人。」於是，他得到媽媽同意，買了禮物，懷著愛心把禮物分給班上的「白皮膚的兄弟姊妹」。 「應愛你們的仇人，善待惱恨你們的人；應祝福詛咒你們的人，為毀謗你們的人祈禱。」

有一天，住在佛羅倫斯的伊莉莎正拾級前往教堂參與彌撒，一群與她年紀相若的青少年開始嘲笑她，令她非常難堪！她本來想反駁她們幾句，最後卻向她們報以微笑。進入教堂後，伊莉莎為這群女孩熱切祈禱。當她踏出教堂時，這群女孩上前問她剛才為甚麼這樣做。她向她們解釋自己是個基督徒，所以在任何情況下都應該去愛，她說話時滿懷信心與熱誠。到了下一個星期天，伊莉莎看到她的見證帶來了成果。她進入教堂，看見那群青少年正專注地坐在教堂的前排。

以上兩個經驗顯示出孩童如何領會天主的聖言，因此在天主的眼中，他們是「最大的」。

也許我們也有必要處理過往的某些問題，況且我們現在怎樣判斷人，將來也要接受怎樣的審判。事實上，是我們親自製定了準則，讓上主來審判我們（參閱瑪7：2）。我們不就是這樣向天主祈禱：「求你寬免我們的罪債，猶如我們也寬免得罪我們的人」（參閱瑪6：12）嗎？所以，讓我們去愛仇人吧！唯有這樣做，我們才能彌補分裂，排除障礙，並把團體建立起來。

這是一個嚴峻的要求？令人難堪嗎？想起來就難以入睡嗎？鼓起勇氣罷！這並不是天大不了的事！我們只需要做好自己小小的部分，其餘的百分之九十九則由天主來完成……並在我們心中將會湧出喜樂的長河。

盧嘉勒

此文取自1978年5月份生活聖言

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Lk 6:27-28).

“Love your enemies.” These are very strong words. They completely overturn our way of thinking, and they force us to make a sharp turn in our life’s direction!
Let’s face it. We all have an enemy of one kind or another.
My enemy might be my next-door neighbor, that unpleasant busybody I try to escape from every time I see her approach the elevator I’m taking.
It could be that relative who mistreated your father thirty years ago and you haven’t spoken to since.
It could be that classmate you refuse to look in the face since he got you into trouble with the teacher.
Your enemy might be the girl who was your friend but dropped you to hang out with someone else.
Or it could be the salesperson who cheated you.
Quite often we look at politicians as enemies if their opinions are different from ours.
And, as always, there are people who see some priests as their enemies and then hate the Church.
All of these people and many, many others whom we consider enemies have to be loved.
They have to be loved?
Yes. They have to be loved! However, this is not merely a matter of changing our feeling of hatred into another feeling that is more benign.
We have to do much more than that.
This is what Jesus says:

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

As we can see, Jesus wants us to overcome evil with good. He wants us to have a love that is carried over into concrete actions. We might wonder why Jesus is asking this of us.
The fact is he wants us to pattern our lives after the life of God, his Father, who “makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust” (Mt 5:45).
This is the point: we are not alone in the world. We have a Father, and we should be similar to him. Furthermore, he has the right to ask this of us because when we were still his enemies, when we were still living in darkness, he was the first to love us by sending us his Son who died in such a terrible way for each one of us (see 1 Jn 4:19).

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you….”

This lesson had a big impact on little Jerry, an African American boy from Washington, D.C. Because of his high I.Q., he was admitted to a special class, a class with all white children. But his intelligence alone was not enough to win him acceptance. Everyone disliked him because he was black. Then Christmas came. The other children exchanged gifts with each other, but they left Jerry out. Naturally, the young boy cried. When he got back home, however, he remembered the words of Jesus, “Love your enemies.” So, with his mother’s permission, he bought gifts which he distributed with love to all of his “white brothers and sisters.”

“Love your enemies… pray for those who mistreat you.”

One day, a girl from Florence named Elizabeth was heading into a church to go to Mass when, all of a sudden, a group of girls her own age started to make fun of her. It really hurt her. She wanted to scream back at them, but instead she smiled. While she was in church Elizabeth prayed for them. As she was leaving, they came up to her and asked why she had behaved the way she did. She explained that since she was a Christian she had to love in every situation. She said this with great conviction. The following Sunday she discovered that what she had done had borne fruit. When she entered the church she saw those same girls sitting attentively in the first pew.
These experiences show how children understand the Word of God. Because of this they are “grown-ups” in God’s eyes.
Perhaps we too ought to take steps to remedy certain situations in our own lives, all the more so since we will be judged by the way we judge others. We ourselves are the ones who give God the measure by which he will measure us (see Mt 7:2). Do we not really believe what we often pray, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” (see Mt 6:12)? So, let’s love our enemies! Only by doing this can we heal disunity, break down barriers and build up the community.
Is it difficult? Painful? Does the mere thought of it keep us awake at night? Be strong! It is not the end of the world: all it takes is just a little effort on our part, and the remaining ninety-nine percent will be done by God, and then in our hearts will flow a river of joy.

Chiara Lubich

「你的眼睛就是身體的燈。幾時你的眼睛純潔，你全身就光明。」（路11：34）

每天從早到晚，你都能在許多近人身上認出耶穌的臨在。
假如你的眼睛是純潔的，你將能看見天主。天主是愛，愛能謀求共融合一，並贏取別人。
可是，多少人卻懷著據爲己有的目的，錯誤地看待世上的人與事物，他們的目光無論是出於自私或嫉妒，或其他，總而言之，都是來自罪惡。有些人只看到自己，一心想著支配自己的靈魂，他們的目光呆滯，因為他們心裡煩悶鬱結。
人的靈魂是按照天主的肖像而造成的，因此是愛。假如愛變得自私自利，就好像火焰得不到燃料的供應，必要熄滅。
你要往外看，不要顧影自憐，也不要指望他人與事物本身。你該尋求在你之外的天主，為能與祂結合為一體。
天主居住在每一個富有生氣的靈魂的深處；假若靈魂失去了生命力，則相似一個等待著上主來臨的聖體櫃，這份期盼成爲了它的喜樂與生存的因由。
為此，你要以愛去看待每一位近人。愛就是給予和饋贈。禮尚往來，你所付出的愛將得到近人的回應。
為此，愛等如『愛』與『被愛』——正如在天主聖三內的生活一樣。
居於你內的天主能吸引眾人的心靈，點燃在他們內的天主聖三的生命。事實上，藉著天主的恩寵，這份生命早已棲息在他們之內，只是熄滅罷了。
你無法在一個房間亮燈，直到你把電流的正負兩極連接起來。
天主在我們內的生活也是如此。這份生命必須運行不息，才能從我們身上發出一道光，為基督作證。基督使天人合一，祂就是連接天與地，人與人之間的那一位。
因此，你要為每一位近人付出自己，透過弟兄把自己獻給耶穌。這樣，耶穌將會恩賜祂自己給你。這就是愛的法律：「你們給，也就給你們。」（路6：38）
為了愛耶穌，讓近人來支配你自己吧。讓他們『吞噬』你，好像吞食聖體一樣。你要完全徹底地奉獻自己，為弟兄服務，亦即為天主服務，這樣，他們將會親近你和愛護你。愛弟兄就是滿全地承行天主的聖意，這是耶穌的誡命：「我給你們一條新命令：你們該彼此相愛。」（若13：34）
愛是超性的火焰，能燃燒眾人的心，把它們完全地熔合為一。
這時，在你內，你將再找不到自己，也找不到你的近人，卻找到「愛」，即那位活在你內的天主。
「愛」令你跨越自己去愛其他兄弟姊妹。由於你的眼睛是純潔的，你將能在他們身上找到自己，而眾人也會合而為一。
這時，在你周圍將逐漸形成一個團體，正如耶穌的時代，首先有十二位宗徒，然後是七十二位門徒，之後是千千萬萬的人……
福音的真光透過愛顯得引人入勝，牽動人心，吸引著衆人去跟隨它。
最後，也許你甚至會死在十字架上，效法你的『師傅』。可是你要為那釘你在十字架上的人而死，如此，愛將會獲得最終的勝利。
然而，你為眾人心靈而付出的生命氣息，將永存不朽。
它將結出纍纍的果實，豐盛的成果，帶來平安與喜樂，並會打開天堂的大門。
天主的光榮將會日益增長。
可是，你要在塵世成為完美的「愛」。

盧嘉勒

“The lamp of the body is your eye. When your eye is sound, then your whole body is filled with light” (Lk 11:34)

In however many neighbors you meet throughout your day, from morning to night, in all of them recognize the presence of Jesus.

If your eye is sound, the one who looks through it is God. And God is Love, and love seeks to unite by winning over.

How many people, in error, look at others and at things in order to possess them. It may be a look of selfishness or of envy which in either case is sin. Or people may look within their own selves, and be possessive of their own souls, their faces lifeless because they are bored or worried.

The soul, because it is made in the image of God, is love, and love that turns in on itself is like a flame, that because it is not fed, dies out.

Look outside yourself, not in yourself, not in things, not in persons; look at God outside yourself and unite yourself to him.
He lives in the depths of every soul that is alive, and if dead, the soul is the tabernacle of God that awaits him as the joy and expression of its own existence.

Look at every neighbor then with love, and love means to give. A gift, moreover, calls for a gift, and you will be loved in return.

Understood in this way, love means to love and be loved: as in the Trinity.

God in you will attract other hearts, igniting the life of the Trinity in them, which may already rest in them through grace, although extinguished.

You cannot light up a space—even if electricity is available—until the current’s two poles are brought together.

The life of God in us is similar. It must circulate in order to radiate outside of us and give witness to Christ, the One who links heaven to earth, and people with one another.

Look, therefore, at every one of your neighbors. Give yourself to them in order to give yourself to Jesus and Jesus will give himself back to you. It is the law of love: “Give, and gifts will be given to you” (Lk 6:38).

Out of love for Jesus, let your neighbors possess you. Like another Eucharist, let yourself “be eaten” by your neighbors. Put your entire self at their service, which is service to God, and your neighbors will come to you and love you. The fulfillment of God’s every desire lies in fraternal love, which is found in his commandment: “I give you a new commandment; love one another” (Jn 13:34).

Love is a Fire that penetrates hearts and makes them perfectly one.

When this happens you will no longer find yourself, nor your neighbor; you will find Love, which is God living in you.

And Love will go out to love other brothers and sisters because since your eye is sound, it will see itself in them and all will be one.

And around you will grow a community, just as around Jesus there were first twelve, then seventy-two, then thousands….

The Gospel is fascinating – because it is Light turned into love – it attracts us and draws us to follow it.

Then you might even die on a cross, so as not to be different from the Master, but you will die for whoever crucifies you, and so love will have the ultimate victory.

But your lymph – poured out for the hearts of others – will not die.

It will be fruitful, by propagating, bringing joy and peace and opening up Paradise.

And the glory of God will grow.

But while you are here on earth, be perfect Love.

Chiara Lubich

(Source: www.focolare.org)

Part of this text is published in Essential Writings (New City Press, 2007), pp. 80-81.

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「所以，凡你們願意人給你們做的，你們也要照樣給人做：法律和先知即在於此。」（瑪7：12）
你可曾對永恆飢渴過？你曾否在心中感到一份強烈的渴望去擁抱那無邊無際的宇宙？
也許，你曾否在心底裡對自己的作為感到不愜意，對自己的一切都感到不滿？那麼，假如你能找到一條可以圓滿實現你夢想的方程式；一個使你一生無悔的生活模式，你必定滿心歡喜。
福音中有一句格外發人深省的話。我們只需要稍為領略其中的含意，便足以令我們歡欣雀躍。這句話綜合了我們一生應有的本份，並總結了天主銘刻在每個人心中的法律。請細聽：

「所以，凡你們願意人給你們做的，你們也要照樣給人做：法律和先知即在於此。」
這就是基督帶到世上來，而且是人所共知的「金科玉律」。對此，聖經的舊約早有記載；古羅馬帝國的作家兼哲學家塞內加（Seneca）也格外重視；中國的偉大思想家孔子亦加以弘揚；還有其它不勝枚舉的例子。由此可見，這一條金科玉律在天主心中的位置何其重要，祂多麼切願全人類都能把它奉為生活的基本法則。
這句話文筆優美，猶如一句座右銘。
請你再聽一遍：

「所以，凡你們願意人給你們做的，你們也要照樣給人做。」
讓我們以這種態度去愛每一位在日常生活中與我們相遇的近人吧。
讓我們易地而處，想像一下自己在別人的處境時，希望別人會怎樣對待自己，我們便照樣去對待別人。
天主在我們內心的聲音會提醒我們在不同的境況下，應如何恰到好處地去表達這份愛。
別人感到飢餓嗎？我們應這樣想：「我餓了！」，並立即給他們食物。
別人受到不公平的對待嗎？我要感同身受！
別人處身在黑暗與疑惑中？猶如我置身其中。讓我們去安慰他們，分擔他們的痛苦，直到他們找到光明，得到舒緩，我們才安心。我們正希望別人如此對待我們。
別人有殘障嗎？我願意去愛他們，好像自己的身心也感受到他們的殘缺一樣。愛會啟發我們找到適當的方法去幫助他們，讓他們感到自己與別人無異，甚至比別人額外多了一份恩寵，因為身為基督徒的我們明白痛苦的重大價值。
讓我們以這種態度去愛所有的人，不存任何歧視，不區分可愛或討厭；年老或年青；朋友或敵人；本國同胞或外國人；俊美或醜陋。福音的精神涵蓋所有的人。
我隱約聽到竊竊私語……。
我能理解……也許我所說的似乎很簡單，但是，它卻要求我們作出極大的改變！我們一貫的思想和行為模式與此相距甚遠啊！
讓我們鼓起勇氣！嘗試去做吧！
假如我們每天能這樣生活，我們將不負此生。到了晚上，我們甚至再也認不出自己來。一份前所未有的喜樂將充盈我們的心靈，一股嶄新的力量將灌注到我們心中。天主將與我們同在，因為祂與那些願意去愛的人在一起。
我們的日子將一天比一天更圓滿。
我們間或會遲緩下來；受到誘惑；感到灰心洩氣；試圖放棄；甚至想返回從前的生活方式……
但我們不要這樣做！振作起來吧！天主會賜予我們恩寵。
讓我們時常不斷重新開始。
只要能堅持到底，我們將看見世界逐漸在改變。
我們將明白福音使我們的生活更引人入勝。它照亮世界，使我們的人生增添意義，同時具有解決我們所有問題的原則。
直到我們能夠把這份非凡的經驗傳遞給別人，例如我們的親人、那些能夠理解我們的朋友，或任何我們感到需要與他們分享的人，否則我們決不罷休。
希望將會再次呈現。

「所以，凡你們願意人給你們做的，你們也要照樣給人做。」

盧嘉勒

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets” (Mt 7:12)

Have you ever experienced a thirst for something infinite? Have you ever felt in your heart a consuming desire to embrace immensity itself?
Or perhaps, deep down, you’ve felt dissatisfied with what you do, with who you are. You’ll be happy to know that there is a formula for achieving the fullness you long for, a way of life that won’t leave you regretting how you spent your day.
One Gospel phrase in particular makes us stop and think. As we grasp something of its meaning, it fills us with joy. It captures everything we should do in life and sums up the laws that God has inscribed in the depths of every human heart.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets”

This is the “golden rule” that Christ brought, although it was already widely known. For example, the Hebrew Scriptures include it, and Seneca, the ancient Roman author and philosopher, also knew of it. In Asia the Chinese thinker Confucius taught it. This shows how close it is to God’s heart, how he wants all people to make it the basic rule of their lives.
The passage forms a neat turn of phrase—it sounds like a motto:

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you”

Let’s love each neighbor like this, every neighbor we meet during the day.
Let’s imagine we are in others’ circumstances and treat them as we would want to be treated if we were in their place.
The voice of God within will suggest how to express love appropriately in each situation.
Are they hungry? Let’s say to ourselves, “I am hungry,” and give them something to eat.
Are they being unjustly treated? So am I.
Are they in darkness and doubt? I am too. Let us speak words of comfort and share their suffering, not resting until they find the light and experience relief. It’s how we would want to be treated.
Do they have a disability? I want to love them to the point of almost feeling their infirmity in my own body and heart. Love will suggest a way for me to help them feel no different from others and, indeed, that they have received an added blessing, because as Christians we know the value of suffering.
And let’s continue with everyone, not drawing any distinctions between those we find pleasant and those we do not, between young and old, friend or enemy, fellow citizen or foreigner, beautiful or not. The Gospel includes everyone.

I can almost hear the murmurings, and I understand. Perhaps my words seem simplistic, but what a change they demand! How distant they are from our usual ways of thinking and acting!
Take courage; let’s try it!
A day spent like this is worth a lifetime. In the evening we won’t even recognize ourselves. A joy never felt before will fill our hearts, and we will experience new strength. God will be with us, since God stands with those who love.

Fulfilled days will follow, one after another.
From time to time, we may slow down, be tempted to get discouraged or want to stop. We may want to go back to the way we lived before….
Instead no! Take courage! God’s grace is there for us.
Let’s always begin again.
By persevering, we will see the world around us slowly change.
We will understand that the Gospel makes life more interesting. It lights up the world, gives flavor to our existence and contains a principle for resolving all our problems.
We will not be satisfied until we have communicated our extraordinary experience to others; to those friends we feel will understand, to our relatives, to anyone with whom we feel the urge to share it.
Hope will be born yet again.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.”

Chiara Lubich

「那遵守祂命令的，就住在祂內，天主也住在這人內。」（若一3：24）

當你愛一個人時，你會渴望永遠與他在一起。這也是天主的意願，因為祂就是愛。祂創造我們，為了讓我們能與祂相遇。唯有與祂達致親密共融的關係，我們才會得到圓滿無缺的喜樂，因為唯獨祂可以滿足我們的心靈。祂從天降下，為能與我們在一起，並引領我們與祂達致共融。

聖若望宗徒在這篇書信中談到天主與我們彼此『居住』在對方內，即天主在我們內，我們在祂內，並提醒我們耶穌在最後晚餐中向門徒提出祂最深切的渴求：「你們存留在我內，我也存留在你們內。」耶穌借葡萄樹與枝條的比喩來解釋，我們與祂的連繫應是如何牢固和具有生命力（參閱若15：1-5）

可是，我們怎樣才可以與天主達致共融呢？

若望宗徒毫不猶疑地指出，我們只需要遵守祂的命令。

「那遵守祂命令的，就住在祂內，天主也住在這人內。」

我們是否需要遵守很多的命令，才能與天主達致這份共融呢？

不！不需要，因為耶穌早已把所有的命令濃縮成為一條誡命。本月的生活聖言緊接著若望一書的這句話：「祂的命令就是叫我們信祂的子耶穌基督的名字，並按照祂給我們所出的命令，彼此相愛。」（若一3：23）

唯一的命令就是相信耶穌，並如同祂愛了我們那樣彼此相愛。

既然當天主居住在我們中間，人生才是滿全的；那麽，惟有『愛』是我們能夠實現自我的途徑。若望宗徒對此深信不疑，因而他在整篇書信中不斷地重複說：「那留在愛內的，就存留在天主內。」（若一4：16）；「如果我們彼此相愛，天主就存留在我們內。」（若一4：12）

根據教會的聖傳，若望宗徒在晚年的時候，每當有人問及主的訓誨，他總是不斷地重複新誡命的內容。如果有人問他為何不談別的，他便回答說：「乃由於這是主的命令！如果我們能夠付諸實行，便已足夠了。」

同樣，每句天主的聖言必定會引導我們去愛，無一例外，因為天主是愛。祂的每一句聖言都包含著愛，是愛的表達，如能把它們實踐出來，便會轉化為愛。

「那遵守祂命令的，就住在祂內，天主也住在這人內。」

本月的生活聖言邀請我們去相信耶穌，並整個人全然地依附祂，遵循祂的訓誨，堅信祂就是天主的愛，正如若望宗徒在這篇書信中教導我們的，祂為了愛我們而捨棄自己的生命（參閱若一3：16）。甚至當我們感到祂好像很遙遠，感覺不到祂的存在，或當困難和痛苦來臨……，我們仍深信不疑。

懷著堅定的信念，我們將會懂得如何按照祂的榜樣去生活，並且遵守祂的命令彼此相愛，如同祂愛了我們一樣。

即使那人看來已不再可愛，或當我們感到自己的愛很薄弱、徒勞無功、得不到回報，我們仍然要愛。我們持守不渝的愛，將能振奮我們彼此之間的關係，甚至變得更真誠，更深厚，而且我們彼此之間的合一將會吸引天主親臨我們中間。

「那遵守祂命令的，就住在祂內，天主也住在這人內。」

以下是一對夫婦的經驗：「我和丈夫彼此相愛，心心相印。婚後的頭幾年，一切都很美滿。但最近，他顯得筋疲力盡。日本的男性需要承受如千斤重擔的沉重工作壓力。

一天晚上，他下班回家，坐到餐桌旁準備吃晚飯。我正要坐在他身旁，他竟大聲呼喝我滾開，並說：『你不工作，就沒有權利吃飯！』

我哭了一整夜，想過要離開家庭，跟他分手。第二天，千思萬緒繼續纏繞著我，揮之不去：『我嫁給他真是一個錯誤，我不能再跟他相處下去了。』

下午，我和一群跟我分享同一基督信仰的朋友傾訴這件心事。他們以極大的愛心來聆聽我。我跟他們分享之後，又找到所需要的力量和勇氣重新開始。

我回到家中，再次為我的丈夫準備晚餐。他下班回家的時間愈接近，我內心的恐懼就愈強烈：『他今天會有什麼反應？』但內心有一把聲音對我說：『擁抱這份痛苦吧！不要放棄！繼續去愛！』

這時，他正好在門前出現，還給我送上一個蛋糕，對我說：『我為昨天發生的一切向你道歉！』」

盧嘉勒

“Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in him, and he in them.”

When you love someone, you want to stay with them always. This is also God’s desire, God who is Love. He created us so that we would be able to meet him, and we will only have the fullness of joy when we reach intimate union with him, for he is the only one who can satisfy our hearts. He came down from heaven to be with us and lead us into communion with him.
John, in his letter, speaks about remaining or dwelling within each other, God in us and we in him, reminding us of that compelling appeal made by Jesus at the last supper, “Remain in me, as I remain in you.” And with the parable of the vine and the branches, he explained how strong and vital the link is that unites us to him (see Jn 15:1-5).
But how can we reach union with God?
John does not hesitate: we just have to observe his commandments:

“Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in him, and he in them.”

Are there many commandments that must be followed in order to reach this unity?
No, because Jesus condensed them all into one. Just before stating the Word of Life that has been chosen for this month, John reminds us, “And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us” (1 Jn 3:23).
Believing in Jesus and loving one another as he loved us: these are the only precepts.
If human existence finds its fulfillment in God’s living among us, there is only one way to be fully ourselves: by loving! John is so convinced of this that he keeps repeating it throughout the letter: “whoever remains in love remains in God, and God in him” (1 Jn 4:16); “if we love one another, God remains in us” (1 Jn 4:12).
Tradition holds that when John was very old, he was asked about the Lord’s teachings and he always repeated the words of the new commandment. If they asked him why he didn’t speak about anything else, he would answer, “Because it is the commandment of the Lord! If we put it into practice, that is enough.”
That’s how it is with every Word of Life: without fail they all lead us to love. It can’t be otherwise because God is Love, and each of his words contains love, expresses love and, if put into practice, transforms us into love.

“Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in him, and he in them.”

This month’s Word of Life invites us to believe in Jesus and adhere with all our being to his person and teachings. It invites us to believe that he is the love of God—as John teaches us again in this letter—and that for love he gave his life for us (see 1 Jn 3:16). It invites us to believe even when he seems far away, when we don’t feel his presence, when difficulties arise or suffering comes.
Strengthened by this faith, we’ll know how to live by his example and obey his commandment to love each other as he loved us.
We’ll know how to love even when someone no longer seems lovable, even when we have the impression that our love is inadequate, useless, not returned. By loving this way, we’ll revive all our relationships, making them ever more sincere, ever deeper, and our unity will attract God’s presence among us.

“Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in him, and he in them.”

Here’s one couple’s experience: “We were really in love, my husband and I. Everything was fine during the first years of our marriage. Lately, however, he has been very tired and stressed out. Here in Japan, the responsibility to work weighs down on a man’s shoulders like a ton of bricks.
“After coming home from work one evening, he sat down at the table for supper. I was about to sit down next to him when he shouted at me to go away, ‘You don’t have the right to eat because you don’t work!’
“That whole night I cried and thought about leaving and splitting up. The next day thousands of thoughts continued to nag at me: ‘I made a mistake in marrying him. I can’t live with him anymore.’
“In the afternoon I spoke with my friends, those with whom I share the desire to live an authentic Christian life. They listened with much love. From this communion with them I found the strength and courage I needed to start over.
“I went home to prepare once again my husband’s supper. As the hour of his return from work drew closer, however, my fear returned and grew stronger. ‘How was he going to react tonight?’ But a voice inside of me was saying, ‘Don’t give up. Welcome this suffering. Continue to love.’
“Just then he appeared at the door. He held out a cake he bought for me. ‘I’m sorry for what happened yesterday,’ he said.”

Chiara Lubich

Mariapolis 2008 in Canada

 

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「主的神在那裡，那裡就有自由。」（格後3：17）

　　聖保祿宗徒寫信給他特別鍾愛的格林多城的基督徒，因為他曾在公元五十至五十二年間，與他們一起生活了差不多兩年，向他們播下聖言的種子，並奠定了基督徒團體的根基，猶如一位父親撫育了他們（參閱格前3：6-10；4：15）。

　　幾年後，當保祿回去探望他們時，竟受到他們中的一些人公然挑戰他身為宗徒的權威（參閱格後2：5-11；7：12）。保祿趁此機會重新確認自己的偉大職務。首先，他並不是自作主張去傳揚福音，而是受到天主的感召。為他來說，天主的聖言再沒有模糊之處，因著天主聖神的光照，令他從基督耶穌身上所發生的一切中全然地明白了聖言。因此，他能夠完全自由地把聖言生活出來，並加以宣講。聖言讓他能夠進入與主深邃的共融之中，他逐漸在主内被轉化，甚至蒙受主同一的自由之神所帶領。

「主的神在那裡，那裡就有自由。」

　　今天，一如昔日保祿宗徒的時代，復活的主耶穌透過祂的聖神繼續在人類歷史，尤其在基督徒的團體中施行化功。祂讓我們也能領悟福音具備一切嶄新之處，並且把聖言寫在我們的心中，好能成為我們生活的法則。

　　我們並沒有受到那些強加於我們身上的外在法律所驅使；更不像奴隸那樣，被迫去遵守那些難以令人信服或認同的規例。基督徒的言行舉止是由一套內在的生活原則來指引，這原則是由聖神藉聖洗聖事置放在他內的。此外，他也聽從聖神的呼聲，不斷地向他重複耶穌的說話，讓他領會聖言具備一切美妙之處，表達出朝氣活力和充滿喜樂，並能因時制宜；聖神又教導他如何把聖言落實在生活中，並賜給他力量實踐出來。

　　藉著聖神，上主親自來到我們內居住和行事，使我們成為一部活生生的福音。

　　讓上主，祂的聖神，祂的聖言來指引我們罷，這才是真正的自由！這與徹底實現我們的自我協調一致。

「主的神在那裡，那裡就有自由。」

　　可是，我們都知道，為能讓聖神施行祂的化功，我們必須毫無保留地聆聽祂。如果有需要的話，更要隨時樂意改變我們對事物的看法，並徹底地遵從聖神的聲音。

　　我們很容易被一些風俗習慣和社會風氣所帶來的壓力束縛著，因而作出錯誤的選擇。

　　為了實踐本月的生活聖言，對於一些在我們内心出現的不良事物；或每當我們受到誘惑；或不按照福音的精神去生活，我們需要懂得堅決地說『不』。而每當我們感到天主在召喚我們要按真理和仁愛去生活時，我們則需要學習心悅誠服地對祂說『是』。

　　我們將發現在十字架和聖神之間存在著一種因果的關係。每一次的切割、每一份的修剪、每一次當我們對自私自利說『不』時，將猶如一個泉源，能為我們帶來新的光照、平安、喜樂、愛、內心的自由和自我的滿全；又猶如一扇門向聖神敞開心扉。

　　在五旬節期間，天主聖神會更豐沛地賜下祂的恩典，並引領我們，而我們將被認出是天主真正的子女。

　　我們將更能擺脫罪惡的束縛，並能更自由地去愛。

「主的神在那裡，那裡就有自由。」

　　當一位聯合國官員在巴爾幹半島的某個國家執行他的最後一項任務時，他找到了這份自由。雖然這項任命極具挑戰性，卻能為他帶來優厚的報酬。然而其中一個最大的困難，就是要長時間離開家人。況且在回家時，他發覺自己不能放下沉重的工作包袱，或擱置心中的憂慮，無法專心去關愛妻子和兒女。

　　這段時期，他突然接獲通知被調往同一區域的另一個城市，而攜眷上任根本是不可能的事，因為當時國家之間雖已簽訂和平條約，但敵對的狀態仍然持續。

　　該怎麽辦？什麼是更重要？事業還是家庭？因此，他跟妻子詳細地討論這事情。倆人長久以來都一起度有深度的基督信仰生活。他們一起祈求聖神光照，並尋求天主對他們的家庭所懷有的聖意。最後，他們作出決定，辭去他的高薪厚職。在這個專業裡，的確是一個極不尋常的決定。

　　他分享說：「我之所以有力量作出這個抉擇，那是我與妻子之間生活互愛的成果。她從來沒有讓我感到我給她帶來生活的重擔。至於我，在經濟穩定和事業之上，我揀選了家庭的幸福，而我也獲得了一份內在的自由。」

盧嘉勒

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor 3:17)

The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians of the city of Corinth, who were especially dear to him. He had lived among them for almost two years, between the years 50 and 52, sowing the word of God and laying the foundations of the Christian community to the point of generating it like a father (see 1 Cor 3:6-10; 4:15).
A few years later, when he went back to visit them, some members of the community publicly challenged his authority as an apostle (see 2 Cor 2:5-11; 7:12), and this became a moment to reaffirm the greatness of his ministry. It was not on his own initiative that he was announcing the Gospel, but because he was moved to do so by God. The word of God for him was no longer veiled, for the Holy Spirit had enabled him to understand it in the light of what had taken place in Christ Jesus. This is why he could live it and proclaim it with complete freedom. It enabled him to enter into communion with the Lord, to be transformed into him to the point of being guided by the Lord’s own Spirit of freedom.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom”

The risen Jesus, the Lord, continues today, as in Paul’s time, to act in history through his Spirit, especially in the Christian community. He enables us, too, to understand the Gospel in all its newness, and he writes it on our hearts so that it becomes our law of life.
We are not guided by laws imposed on us from the outside; we are not slaves forced to obey regulations that we find unconvincing or that we do not share. A Christian is moved by a principle of interior life that the Spirit has placed within through baptism, and by the Spirit’s voice repeating the words of Jesus, making them understood in all their beauty─expressions of life and joy. The Spirit makes these words timely, teaches us how to live them, and infuses within us the strength to put them into practice.
It is the Lord himself who, thanks to the Holy Spirit, comes to live and act in us, making us a living Gospel.
To be guided by the Lord, by his Spirit, by his word─this is true freedom! It coincides with the fulfillment of what is most profound in our being.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom”

But we know that for the Holy Spirit to act, we must be completely ready to listen, change our way of seeing things if necessary, and then adhere fully to what the Spirit’s voice suggests.
It is easy to allow ourselves to become slaves to pressures from fixed customs and social mores that can lead us to make wrong choices.
In order to live the Word of Life this month, we need to learn to say a decisive “No!” to those negative things that surface in our hearts each time we are tempted to settle for ways of acting that are not in line with the Gospel. And we need to learn to say “Yes!” to God with conviction each time we feel he is calling us to live in truth and in love.
We will discover the connection between the cross and the Spirit as cause and effect. Each cut, each pruning, each “No!” to our selfishness is a source of new light, peace, joy, love, inner freedom, self-fulfillment. It is an open door to the Spirit.
During this time of Pentecost, he will be able to bestow his gifts more abundantly: he will guide us, and we will be recognized as true sons and daughters of God.
We will become ever more free from evil, ever more free to love.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom”

It was precisely this freedom that a U.N. officer found during his last assignment in one of the Balkan states. The missions entrusted to him were rewarding, although extremely demanding. One great difficulty, however, was that he had to be away from his family for prolonged periods. Also, when he returned home, he found it hard to leave the burdens of his work at the door and devote himself, free of worries, to his children and wife.
Suddenly he was told that he would be transferred to another city in the same region. Bringing his family with him to that city was unthinkable because, in spite of recently signed peace agreements, hostilities continued.
He wondered what to do. What was more important, his career or family? He spoke at length about it with his wife, with whom he had been sharing an intense Christian life for a long time. They asked for light from the Holy Spirit, and together they attempted to understand God’s will for their family. Finally, they came to a decision: to leave his job, a highly sought-after position. It was a most unusual decision in that professional environment.
“The strength to make this choice,” he said, “came from love; love on the part of my wife, who never made me feel the burden of the hardships I had brought on her. As for me, I had sought the good of the family, beyond economic security and career interests, and I found inner freedom.”

Chiara Lubich