福音釋義 甲年 常年期 第三十四主日 基督君王節 林思川神父執筆
【福音:瑪二五31-46】
耶穌對他的門徒說:31「當人子在自己的光榮中,與眾天使一同降來時,那時,他要坐在光榮的寶座上,32一切的民族,都要聚在他面前;他要把他們彼此分開,如同牧人分開綿羊和山羊一樣:33把綿羊放在自己的右邊,山羊在左邊。34那時,君王要對那些在他右邊的說:我父所祝福的,你們來罷!承受自創世以來,給你們預備了的國度罷!35因為我餓了,你們給了我吃的;我渴了,你們給了我喝的;我作客,你們收留了我:36我赤身露體,你們給了我穿的;我患病,你們看顧了我;我在監裡;你們來探望了我。37那時,義人回答他說:主啊!我們什麼時候見了你饑餓而供養了你,或口渴而給了你喝的?38我們什麼時候見了你作客,而收留了你,或赤身露體而給了你穿的?39我們什麼時候見你患病,或在監裡而來探望過你?40君王便回答他們說:我實在告訴你們:凡你們對我這些最小兄弟中的一個所做的,就是對我做的。41然後他又對那些在左邊的說:可咒罵的,離開我,到那給魔鬼和他的使者預備的永火裡去罷!42因為我餓了,你們沒有給我吃的;我渴了,你們沒有給我喝的;43我作客,你們沒有收留我;我赤身露體,你們沒有給我穿的;我患病或在監裡,你們沒有來探望我。44那時,他們也要回答說:主啊!我們幾時見了你饑餓,或口渴,或作客,或赤身露體,或有病,或坐監,而我們沒有給你效勞?45那時,君王回答他們說:我實在告訴你們:凡你們沒有給這些最小中的一個做的,便是沒有給我做。46這些人要進入永罰,而那些義人卻要進入永生。」
節日起源
天主教會在禮儀年的最後一個主日,慶祝「主耶穌基督普世君王節」。這個節日原是教宗Pius XI在1925年所訂定,當年他為了紀念尼西亞大公會議1600週年,透過頒佈Quas primas通諭強調:對抗現世中各種毀滅力量,最有效的救援方法是承認基督的王權。於是教宗Pius XI訂定十月的最後一個主日為基督君王節,當時的想法是使這個節日和諸聖節相連,因為耶穌基督的勝利特別在顯示聖人及被選者的身上。
在1970所新頒佈的教會禮典中,將這個節日移到禮儀年最後一個主日,基督君王節的重心因而轉為強調末世性的意義:被舉揚的主不僅是教會禮儀年的目標,更是我們整個世上旅程的終點,耶穌基督「昨天、今天、直到永遠,常是一樣」(希十三8),祂是「『阿耳法』和『敖默加』,最初的和最末的,元始和終結」(默二二13)。
最後審判的「啟示」
瑪竇福音的末世言論中有兩個高峰,首先是「人子來臨的先兆」(二四29-31),其次是「世界末日的審判」(二五31-46),而這段經文就是本主日的福音內容。這是一個刻意安排的審判場面:「人子在光榮中,與眾天使一同降來……一切民族都要聚在他面前。」它不是一個比喻,而是一個圖像性的「啟示言論」:人子坐在審判寶座上,分別義人和罪人,並且給予決定性的判決:永罰或永生(二五46)。最後審判時的標準是具體地愛近人的行動,因為耶穌自己和一切受苦的人認同:「你們對我這些最小兄弟中的一個所做的,就是對我做的。」
經文結構
這段經文的結構十分清楚,先是一個交待事情發生情景的「引言」(二五31-33),接著便是整個審判過程的報導(34-45),其中以完全對稱的方式表達出審判者和義人(34-40)以及和罪人(41-45)之間的對話,而最後便是審判的執行(46)。
整篇經文是一個修辭學上的傑作,以極度尖銳的方式表達出決定性的思想:審判的標準在於對人子最小兄弟(姊妹)所做的愛德行動;或者疏忽了對這些「最小者」- 意思是受苦者和身陷困境者 - 應盡的責任。
經文的背景
人子出現的情景,明顯地受到舊約中默示文學所描述的「上主的日子」(岳四1-2;匝十四2-3;依六六18)的影響。人子來時將分別義人和罪人,如同牧人分開綿羊和山羊一樣。這裡反映出一個巴勒斯坦地區的生活背景,當地人在白天把一切牲畜放在一起牧放,到了夜裡則分別關在不同畜欄中,因為山羊需要比較溫暖的地方。此外,福音經也用了一般常用的象徵:右邊是好的,而左邊則是不好的象徵。
個人的審判
最後的判決是根據每個人作為而訂的,每一個人都要站立在審判寶座前,依據他是否有愛德行為而被審判。雖然「一切民族」都聚集在審判寶座前,但這裡卻明顯的並非「民族性的集體審判」,而是針對每一個人獨立施行的審判。
在愛德行動中和耶穌相遇
福音中提出六種具體的「愛德」行動,只是一些例子,真正的愛德行為當然遠超過這些。真實的、行動的愛,是瑪竇福音中特別重要的思想(五7,九13,十二7),對初期基督徒而言,耶穌的宣講遺留在世間最大的效果,就是滿全祂的愛的命令。因此,福音直接把這些愛德行為和耶穌聯繫在一起:凡是對耶穌的最小兄弟所行的愛德,都是對他做的。這說明義人在「最小者」身上和耶穌相遇,雖然他們可能在當時並未察覺。
審判的君王就是世上的耶穌
如何了解審判的人子和最小者的認同呢?人子之所以如此說話,一方面因為祂曾經在人群中生活,立下了愛的榜樣,並要求大家照樣去行;另一方面祂現在以生活的、末世的審判者的身分再次出現,要求大家交帳。這裡我們清楚的看出現世和未來的關係:審判的君王(人子)就是曾在世上生活的耶穌。
這些「最小者」是人子的「兄弟」,這樣的思想大概來自於信仰團體中彼此以兄弟稱呼(五22-24),但在普世性福傳和末世性審判的視野中,被擴展到一切的人。福音強調這是一個施於「一切民族」的審判,暗示在福音經文形成之時,福傳時代業已開展,因此,普世各民族都將面臨末世性人子的審判。
審判的確定性
經文最後以極簡短的方式敘述了審判的執行:忽略而未實行愛德誡命的人,必遭受永遠的處罰;而義人則將獲得永生。這個經文所描繪的圖像,當然不能被了解為具體的審判過程;作者的目的在於強調審判者人子的話具有決定性的效力。這是初期教會對耶穌愛德誡命繼續反省後,以令人印象深刻的方式呈現出來的結果。
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( 0 / 0 )茄子的妙用
茄子,又名落蘇,有青茄、白茄、紫茄3種,性能相同。
茄子內含維生素A、B1、B2、C及脂肪蛋白質等。
經科學試驗,茄子含有豐富的維生素P;每公斤茄子含維生素P達7200毫克。
維生素P,能增強人體細胞間的粘著力,降低膽固醇,可以保持微血管的堅韌性。
多吃茄子,對血管硬化有抑制作用。在食療上,有降低高血壓、防止微管破裂的特殊功能。
美國醫學界在「降低膽固醇十二法」中,茄子榮居榜首。
茄子更含有抗癌成份。現代科學已知茄子含有「龍葵素」,此物質能抑制消化系統腫瘤的增殖。
防癌專家建議︰茄子可作為癌症病人常用的食物。
茄子還能防治咯血、老人斑、壞血病、對痛風患者也有一定效用。
茄子的吃法,最好不用油炒。可將茄子洗淨切塊/條狀在鍋中蒸熱,取出,拌入蔥花、蒜泥、麻油和醬油拌食。
確是一道養生保健的健康菜餚。
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( 0 / 0 )The Duck & the Devil
There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm.
He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods.
He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target.
Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner.
As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck.
Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved!
In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile; only to see his
sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing..
After lunch the next day Grandma said, 'Sally, let's wash the dishes'
But Sally said, 'Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.'
Then she whispered to him, 'Remember the duck?'
So Johnny did the dishes.
Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, 'I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.'
Sally just smiled and said, 'Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help'
She whispered again, 'Remember the duck?' So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's; he
finally couldn't stand it any longer.
He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.
Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, 'Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.'
Thought for the day and every day thereafter?
Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done... And the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.) ..whatever it is...You need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing.
He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.
The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness;
He not only forgives you, but He forgets.
It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.
Go ahead and make the difference in someone's life today.
Share this with a friend and always remember:
God is at the window!
When Jesus died on the cross; he was thinking of you!
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( 0 / 0 )For female friends
Subject: How to stay Married
A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.
For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one
day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover. In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside. She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $95,000.
He asked her about the contents. "When we were to be married," she
said, "my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to
never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should
just keep quiet and crochet a doll."
The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only
two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with
happiness.
"Honey," he said, "that explains the doll, but what about all of
this money? Where did it come from?"
"Oh," she said, "that's the money I made from selling the dolls."
A Prayer.......
Dear God, I pray for Wisdom to understand my man;
Love to forgive him; And Patience for his moods; Because
God, if I pray for Strength, I'll beat him to death.......
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( 0 / 0 )The Holy Alphabet... This is Beautiful
Whoever came up with this one must have been filled with the Holy Spirit!
Although things are not perfect,
Because of trial or pain,
Continue in thanksgiving
Don't even think to blame.
Even when the times are hard,
Fierce winds are bound to blow,
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know.
Imagine life without His love,
Joy would cease to be,
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts thee to see.
Move out of 'Camp Complaining',
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone.
Quit worrying about the future,
Redeem the time at hand,
Start every day with prayer
To 'thank' is God's command.
Until we see Him coming,
Victorious in the sky,
We'll run the race with gratitude,
Xalting God most high.
Yes, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Zion waits in glory... where none are ever sad!
'I AM Too blessed to be stressed!' The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything.
Love and peace be with you forever, Amen.
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