天主之母

读经：

户6：22-27;

咏67：2-6.8;

迦4：4-7;

路2：16-21

荣福童贞玛利亚被赋予的最美称呼之一是Theotokos——天主之母。玛利亚届时生育了道成肉身的天主子；而且因着祂的降临，世界从此不再与原先一样。因为事实上，“时期一满”（迦4：4），玛利亚开启了新的一年。新的365天呈现在我们眼前。我们希望这些天都充满着天主的祝福；然而，只有当基督进入我们的生活时，此愿望才能实现。“天主派遣了自己的儿子来，生于女人”（迦4：4）。玛利亚将基督带到世上，玛利亚也能把基督带入我们的生活中。

我们和牧羊人一起，抛弃一切，跑到白冷去看望躺在马槽中的婴儿（路2:16）。我们跪在马槽旁，得蒙祝福。这祝福包括天主的护佑、怜悯、恩宠和“shalom -和平”，而此“shalom ”又包含繁荣、健康和一种满足感。在耶稣内，我们看到主的光耀容貌，因为“他是不可见的天主的肖像”（哥1:15）。在耶稣内，我们发现智慧和知识的一切隐秘宝藏（哥2：3）。基督临到此世，进入我们的生活，更加确定了天主的仁慈和美善。“天主爱世人，甚至赐下了自己的独生子”（若3:16）。

看着躺在马槽中的婴儿，我们不能忘记，祂来是“拯救我们”脱离法律的束缚（迦4：5）。今天，我们掩盖了这句话的革命性讯息。梅瑟所给予以色列人的神圣律法，变得无法承受。首任教宗将此律法比作轭，“连我们的祖先和我们自己都不能负荷的轭”（宗15：10）。在圣保禄的教导中，法律、罪恶和死亡创造了奴役人类的黑暗社会，“因为罪恶借着诫命乘机诱惑了我，也借着诫命杀害了我”（罗7:11）。基督就是从这种束缚中解救我们。这是多么美妙的交换！圣神代替了石版，天主儿女的自由代替了囚禁。

我们以天主子女的自由和满盈的祝福开始新的一年。现在是起身回家的时刻。我们再次注视上主诞生的场景，默想玛利亚“将一切默存心中”（路2:19），我们发现一份邀请，用圣经祈祷的邀请。我们蒙召将基督带到世上，但要使之成为可能，我们必须先让天主的圣言活在我们心中。因此，我们必须阅读圣言、默想圣言，并将圣言默存心中。“漠视圣经就是漠视基督”（圣热罗尼莫）。让我们在新年的开始下定决心，每日读经！

赎罪祭

读经:

创15：1-6， 21：1-3

咏105：1-6、8-9

希11：8.11-12、17-19

路2：22-40

在以色列——旧约子民伊始之初，有一对夫妻：亚巴辣罕和撒辣。在教会——新约子民伊始之初，也有一对夫妻：若瑟和玛利亚。两对夫妻都从天主那里得了恩许要有后裔。对前者，此恩许给了亚巴辣罕，他娶了妻，但年老未孕，没有子嗣（创16：1）。对后者，此恩许给了童贞女，她不认识，或者很有可能她决定不认识“男人”（路1:34；若望·保禄二世在“男人和女人，祂创造了他们”中的教导）。两个恩许都已实现。关于撒辣，圣经说：“上主照所许的，眷顾了撒辣；上主对撒辣实践了他所说的话”（创21：1）。玛利亚和若瑟今天献耶稣于圣殿（路2:22）。

两个儿子——依撒格和耶稣，都是天主恩许的儿子。两位母亲——撒辣和玛利亚，凭借信心和信德回应了此恩许，并得到了“怀孕生子的能力”（希11:11）。因着孩子的诞生，两个婚姻成了两个家庭。亚巴辣罕的家庭出现在以色列的开始，圣家出现于教会的开始。而且这两个家庭并不相互对立；反之，若瑟、玛利亚和耶稣之家，植根于亚巴辣罕、撒辣和依撒格之家。 “亚巴辣罕之子，达味之子耶稣基督的族谱”（玛1：1）。据玛窦所说，若瑟是达味的后裔（玛1：2-16；路1:27）。正如圣家植根于亚巴辣罕之家一样，教会也是从以色列成长起来的。因此，赐给亚巴辣罕的恩许得以实现。“请你仰观苍天，数点星辰，你的后裔也将这样多”（创15：5-6）。

当天主的恩许与信德相遇时，奇迹便会随之而来。当一个人相信在天主内没有不可能的事，而且相信上主有能力实现祂的恩许时候，伟大的事情就会发生。撒辣怀抱她的独生子，惊讶地说：“我在他老年，却给他生了个儿子”（创21：7）。玛利亚高声唱道：“全能者对我做了奇事”（路1:49）。依撒格的诞生是一个奇迹，耶稣基督的诞生也是一个奇迹。在父母的照顾下，两个孩子都长大成人，天主的恩宠常在他们身上（路2:40）。

今天，玛利亚和若瑟把婴儿耶稣带到耶路撒冷圣殿。根据编年纪记载，这座殿宇是被建在摩黎雅山上的（编下3：1）；而就在这同一座山上，亚巴辣罕曾把儿子依撒格献给天主（创22：2）。而且，依撒格爬山时肩上背着祭献要用的柴火（创22：6）；同样的事情会发生在基督身上。在耶稣受难日（圣周五），祂肩背十字圣木，攀登加尔瓦略山。上主的使者阻止了亚巴辣罕的手，因此这位圣祖“把依撒格得了回来以作预像”（希11:19）。这个预像包含了关于耶稣死而复活的预言。

两个家庭之间间隔了将近两千年的时间，但是他们又是如何趋同。在他们的历史中，我们看到了圣奥斯定简洁表达出的奥秘：“新约隐藏于旧约，旧约彰显于新约”。在读经一（创21 ：1-3）和读经二（希11：11-12、17-19）中所呈现的有关依撒格的故事中隐藏了基督的奥秘，这在献耶稣于圣殿的情景中彰显了出来（路2：22-40）。“他自己就是赎罪祭，赎我们的罪过，不但赎我们的，而且也赎全世界的罪过”（若一2：2）。

The Mother of God

Readings: Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 67:2-6.8; Galatians 4:4-7;Luke 2:16-21

One of the most beautiful titles given to the Blessed Virgin Mary is Theotokos. Mary gives birth in time to the incarnate Son of God, and with His coming, the world will never be the same again. Indeed, “the fullness of time has come” (Gal 4:4) and Mary opens the door of the new year. There are 365 new days ahead of us. We want them to be filled with God’s blessing, but it can only happen when Christ enters our lives. “God sent forth his Son begotten of a woman” (Gal 4: 4). It was Mary who brought forth Christ into the world, and it is Mary who can bring Christ into our lives.

Together with the shepherds, we throw everything and run to Bethlehem to see the infant lying in the manger (Luke 2:16). When we kneel down by the manger, we receive a blessing. It includes God’s protection, mercy, grace and “shalom – peace,” that is, prosperity, health and a sense of fulfillment. In Jesus we see the shining face of the Lord, because “He is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). In Jesus we find all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3). The coming of Christ into this world and into our lives is the confirmation of God’s mercy and His kindness. “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” (John 3:16).

Looking at the infant lying the manger, we cannot forget that He came “to redeem us” from the bondage of the Law (Gal 4: 5). Today, we gloss over the revolutionary message of this sentence. The holy Law given to the Israelites by Moses became impossible to bear. The first Pope compared this Law to a yoke, “which neither our fathers nor we could bear” (Acts 15:10). In the teaching of Saint Paul, Law, Sin and Death create a triad that enslave humans. “For sin, having received a stimulus by the commandment, deceived me and thereby killed me” (Romans 7:11). It is from this bondage that Christ releases us. What a wonderful exchange. Instead of the stone tablets, the Holy Spirit, and instead of captivity, the freedom of God’s children.

We begin the new year in freedom of God’s children and full of blessing. The moment is coming to get up from our knees and return to our homes. Once again, we look at the scene of the Lord’s birth, and in Mary pondering “all these words in her heart” (Luke 2:19), we find an invitation to prayer with the Scriptures. We are called to bring Christ to the world, but to make it possible, the Word of God must live in our hearts. Thus, we must read, ponder, and keep it in our hearts. “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ” (Saint Jerome). Let the daily reading of the Holy Bible become our New Year’s resolution.

The Atoning Sacrifice

Readings: Gen 15:1-6; 21:1-3; Psalm 105:1-6.8-9; Heb 11:8.11-12.17-19; Luke 2:22-40

At the beginning of Israel – the people of the Old Covenant – there is a couple: Abraham and Sarah. At the beginning of the Church – the people of the New Testament – there is also a couple: Jospeh and Mary. Both couples received from God the promise of a descendant. In the first case, the promise was addressed to Abraham, an old man married to a woman, who had borne him no children (Gen 16:1). In the second case, the promise was given to the virgin, who did not know and most probably decided not to know “a man” (Luke 1:34, the teaching of John Paul II in “Man and Woman He created them”). Both promises has been realized. With regard to Sarah, the Scripture says: “As the Lord foretold, he took care of Sarah and fulfilled his promise” (Gen. 21: 1). And Mary and Joseph are offering today Jesus in the temple (Luke 2:22).

Both sons – Isaac and Jesus – are children of God’s promise. Both mothers, Sarah and Mary, responded to this promise with faith and by faith they received the “power for conception” (Heb 11:11). With the birth of these children, both marriages were transformed into a family. Abraham’s family stands at the beginning of Israel, and the Holy Family at the beginning of the Church. However, these families do not stand in opposition to each other. On the contrary. The family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus is rooted in the family of Abraham, Sarah and Isaac. “This is the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matt. 1: 1). According to Matthew, Joseph was a descendent of David (Mt 1: 2-16, Luke 1:27). Just as the Holy Family has its roots in the family of Abraham, so the Church grew out of Israel. Thus, the promise given to Abraham was fulfilled. “Look at the sky and count the stars if you can count them. So shall Your offspring be. “(Gen. 15: 6).

When God’s promise meets with faith, miracles follow. When a person believes that nothing is impossible for God and that the Lord has the power to fulfill what He has promised, great things take place. Holding in her arms her only child, Sarah said in astonishment: “Yet I gave birth to a son despite an advanced age” (Gen. 21: 7). And Mary cried: “The Almighty has done great things to me” (Luke 1:49). The birth of Isaac was a miracle and so was the birth of Jesus Christ. Under the loving care of their parents, both sons grew and became strong, and God’s grace rested upon them (Luke 2:40).

Today Mary and Joseph bring the infant Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem. According to the Chronicles, this temple was built on Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1), on the same hill where Abraham once offered his son Isaac to God (Gen. 22:2). Moreover, Isaac, while climbing up the mountain, carried the wood for the burn offering on his shoulders (Gen. 22: 6). The same will happen to Christ. On Good Friday he will carry the wood of the cross while climbing the hill of Golgotha. The angel of the Lord restrained Abraham’s hand and the great patriarch “obtained [his son] in a parable” (Heb. 11:19). This parable contained a prophecy about the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Nearly two thousand years set the two families apart, and yet how convergent their fate is. In their history, we glimpse at the mystery succinctly expressed by Saint Augustine: “The New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old is unveiled/manifested in the New”. In the story of Isaac presented to us in the first (Gen 21:1-3) and the second reading (Heb 11:11-12.17-19) lies hidden the mystery of Christ revealed to us today in the scene of Jesus’ presentation in the temple (Luke 2:22-40). “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world“ (1 John 2:2).

道成肉身

圣诞节的圣道礼仪可说是重重叠叠，共有四组读经，分别为：（1）“守夜弥撒”，（2）“子夜弥撒”，（3）黎明弥撒，（4）当日弥撒。教会借此强调我们所参与庆祝的事件之伟大。

前夕弥撒圣道礼仪 – 一个名字的意义为何？

*依62：1-5；咏89：4-5、16-17、27、29（2a）；宗13：16-17、22-25；玛1：1-15 *

前夕弥撒礼仪中的各读经以名字为中心。在福音中，复兴的耶路撒冷将被给予一个新的名字（依62：2），与救主出生有关的有两个名字。“耶稣”的意思是“天主拯救”，“厄玛奴耳”的意思是“天主与我们同在”（玛1：21-23）。基督的诞生应验了所许诺给达味的，即一个后裔将为天主的名建造殿宇（宗13：22-23）以及依撒依亚的预言——有位贞女要怀孕生子，给他起名叫厄玛奴耳（依7:14） 。

这两个名字向全世界宣告了两个根本真理：天主救人脱离罪恶，祂不会离开我们做孤儿。天主与我们同在这一真理——许多人经常否认的事实——是玛窦福音的主要讯息。它如此开始，也如此结束。“看！我（复活的耶稣）同你们天天在一起，直到今世的终结”（玛28:20），是福音的最后一句。在耶稣内，天主与我们同在，并且人人以耶稣的名义屈膝叩拜。

子夜弥撒圣道礼仪 – 天主恩宠的显露

*依9：1-6；咏96：1-3、11-13（路2:11）；铎2：11-14；路2：1-14 *

基督的降生是天主赐给所有人救赎恩典（铎2:11）。在依撒依亚的诗歌中，这一天照亮了黑暗，它的喜乐将与因丰硕收获和战胜敌人所带来的喜悦相比。看哪，奴役时代已经结束了。

路加将这一天置于一个历史背景中。凯撒·奥古斯都从公元前44年到公元14年统治罗马帝国。他结束了内战，并使帝国步入太平、安全和繁荣时期，以口号“和平的罗马-Pax Romana”而闻名。当路加写福音的时候，帝国的宣传者创造了一个有关其神圣起源的神话，将其置于祭坛上，并要求像敬拜神一样敬拜他。

真正和平君王的诞生，发生在远离帝国首都的地方，而且不曾被人注意。事情发生在半夜，由天使歌咏团和贫苦的牧羊人庆祝。那谁又会想到，这样一个孩子的诞生，竟是一个一统“全世界人民”的邪恶帝国结束时期的开始（路2：1）呢？看哪，在黑暗中行走的百姓看见了一道皓光，光辉已射在那寄居在漆黑之地的人们身上（依9:1）。让我们来敬拜祂。

黎明弥撒圣道礼仪 – 圣诞节的意义

依62：11-12；咏97：1、6、11-12；铎3：4-7；路2：15-20 *

当天主把罪人交在实行惩罚者之手中时，百姓哭喊着：“上主离弃了我，吾主忘掉了我”（依49:14）。今天，天主向充军巴比伦而返回的人们、贫苦的牧羊人，以及今天参与感恩祭的我们宣布，我们永远不会被遗忘。随着基督的降生，我们的救恩来了，我们已经成为一个圣洁的民族，被上主赎回（依62：11-12）。

圣诞节的意义，被圣保禄漂亮地定义为“我们的救主天主的良善，和祂对人的慈爱”（铎3：4）。这种慈爱的伟大在于强调其不堪当的特点。基督不是因为我们正义的行为在来到世间。作为基督徒的我们，可以到白冷荣耀咏赞道成肉身，这一事实证实了一个真理，即天主的恩宠，借着我们的救主耶稣基督，已经丰厚地倾注在我们身上（铎3：6）。

牧人“为他们所见所闻的”（路2:20）赞美光荣天主，而我们赞美光荣天主，因为在基督内祂使我们成为永生的承继者（铎3：7）。因此，我们与天使一起唱出第一首颂歌：“天主受享光荣于高天，主爱的人在世享平安”（路2:14）。

日弥撒圣道仪式 – 基督-天主最后的话

*依52：7-10；咏98：1-6（3c）；希1：1-6；若1：1-18 *

在黎明弥撒中，依撒依亚宣布，我们永远不会被天主抛弃（依6：11-12）。现在熙雍的守望者看到天主回到熙雍（依52：8）。对我们来说，那些守望者就是致希伯来人书的作者和圣史若望。二者所看到的都远远超出了创造的故事，大爆炸的理论和达尔文有关物种起源的假说。在创造宇宙之前，圣言就与天主同在，万物都是借着祂而受造、而存在（创1：1-24；若1：3）。致希伯来书告诉我们，天主在古时，曾多次并以多种方式，借着先知对我们的祖先说过话；但在这末期内， 他借着自己的儿子对我们说了话（希1：1-2）。

圣十字若望在给希伯来书的这一部分做注释时写道：“如今若有人还愿意向天主请示，或要求某种神视或启示，那似乎是凌辱天主；因为他并不完全注视基督，反而在基督以外，去寻找其他新奇事物”（圣十字若望）。道成肉身不仅是天主最后的话，也是世界末期的开始，在此期间光进入了世界。对天主之子的诞生，世界将做出如何反应？她会来就这光，还是停留在黑暗中？她会接受祂，还是拒绝祂？

圣言成了血肉，居住在我们中间，为的是要拯救人类。在马槽里，我们看到了母亲怀里的圣婴；但是当我们举目向上时，我们看到战胜罪恶和死亡的哪位凯旋者，坐在天父的右边（希1：3），“ 超乎一切率领者、掌权者、异能者、宰制者，以及一切现世及来世的可称呼的名号以上”（弗1:21）。伟大是我们信仰的奥秘竟如此伟大！

圣诞节快乐！！！

The Word Became Flesh

The liturgy of the Word of God for Christmas can be overwhelming. We have four groups of readings: (1) for the Vigil Mass, (2) for Mass at Midnight, (3) for Mass at Dawn and finally (4) for Mass during the Day. In this way, the Church emphasizes the greatness of the event that we are participating in.

1. Reflection for Christmas Vigil;

2. Reflection for Midnight;

3. Reflection for Christmas Day – at the Dawn;

4. Reflection for Christmas Day – during the Day.

Merry Christmas!!!

Christ – the Final Word

*Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98:1-6 (3c); Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18*

At the Celebration at the Dawn Isaiah announced that we would never be abandoned by God (Isaiah 6: 11-12). Now, the watchmen of Zion see God returning to Zion (Is. 52:8). For us, those watchmen are the author of the letter to the Hebrews and John the Evangelist. Both look far beyond the story of creation, the theory of the Big Bang, and Darwin’s hypothesis about the origin of species. Before the creation of the universe the Word was with God and everything that exists has been created through this Word (Gen 1:1-24; John 1:3). The letter to the Hebrews shows us how in time past God has spoken in various ways to our forefathers in faith. The last Word that God has spoken to us is Jesus Christ (Heb 1: 1-2).

Commenting on this fragment of the Hebrews Saint John of the Cross writes: “Therefore, anyone who wished to question God or to seek some new vision or revelation from him would commit an offense, for instead of focusing his eyes entirely on Christ he would be desiring something other than Christ, or beyond him“ (St. John of the Cross). The incarnation of the Word is not only the last word of God, but also the beginning of the last days in which light has come into the world. How will the world react to the birth of the Son of God? Will it come to this light or remain in the dark? Will it accept Him or reject Him?

The Word became flesh and dwelled among us in order to redeem humanity. In the manger we see the Holy Babe in His Mother’s arms, but when we lift our eyes up, we see the Victor over sin and death sitting at the right hand of the Father (Heb 1: 3) “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:21). Great is the mystery of our faith.

The meaning of Christmas

*Isaiah 62:11-12; Psalm 97:1,6,11-12; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:15-20*

When God put His sinful people in the hands of those who executed punishment, the people cried out: “The Lord has forsaken me; the Lord has forgotten me” (Isaiah 49:14). Today, to the returnees from the Babylonian captivity, to the poor shepherds and to us gathered at this morning Eucharist, God announces that we shall never be forgotten. With the birth of Christ, our salvation has come and we have become a holy people, redeemed by the Lord (Isaiah 62: 11-12).

The meaning of Christmas is beautifully defined by Saint Paul as “the goodness and mercy of our Savior, God, to people” (Titus 3: 4). The greatness of this mercy emphasizes its undeserved character. Not because of our righteous works Christ came into the world. The fact that we as Christians can come to Bethlehem and sing a carol in honor of the Word made flesh, confirms the truth that God’s grace has been generously poured out on us “through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3: 6).

The shepherds praise and glorify God “for all they have heard and seen” (Luke 2:20), and we praise and glorify God that in Christ He made us heirs of eternal life (Titus 3: 7). Therefore, together with the angels, we sing the first carol: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14).

The appearance of God’s grace

*Isaiah 9:1-6; Psalm 96:1-3,11-13 (Luke 2:11); Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14*

Christ’s birth is the appearance of God’s grace bringing salvation to all people (Titus 2:11). In poetic language of Isaiah, this day illuminates the darkness, and its joy compares to the joy brought by abundant harvest and victory over enemies. Behold, the time of slavery has come to an end.

Luke situates this day in a historical context. Caesar Augustus ruled the Roman Empire from 44 BC till 14 CE. He ended the period of civil wars and ushered the empire into the times of peace, security and prosperity, known under the slogan of “Pax Romana”. When Luke wrote his Gospel, the propagandists of the empire created a legend about his divine origin, placed him on the altars and demanded divine worship for him.

The birth of the true Prince of Peace takes place far from the capital of the empire and passes unnoticed. It happens in the middle of the night, and is celebrated by angelic choirs and poor shepherds. Who would have thought then that this birth was the beginning of the end of an evil empire that covered the “people of the whole world” (Luke 2: 1)? Behold, on people living in darkness and the shadow of death the light has finally shone (Is 9:1). Let us come and worship.

What’s in a name?

*Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 89:4-5,16-17,27,29 (2a); Acts 13:16-17,22-25; Matthew 1:1-15*

The readings for the Vigil Mass center around the name. A new name shall be given to restored Jerusalem (Is 62:2) and two names related to the birth of the Savior are mentioned in the Gospel. Jesus means “God saves” and Emmanuel “God with us “(Matt. 1: 21-23). The birth of Christ fulfills the promise given to David about a descendant who will build a house for God’s name (Acts 13:22-23) and Isaiah’s prophecy about a virgin bearing a son with the symbolic name of Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14).

These two names announce to the world two fundamental truths: God saves people from their sins and He does not leave us alone. The truth that God is with us – a reality so often denied by many – is the main message of Matthew’s Gospel. It is how it starts and it is how it ends. “Behold, I [the risen Jesus] am with you all the days until the end of the world” (Matt 28:20) is the last sentence written on its pages. In Jesus, God is with us, and at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow.