信德的服从

将临期第四主日讲道主题

今日圣道礼仪的主题是读经一中所记载的，且在福音中应验了的恩许。今天我们看到两个人：以色列著名的达味王和不出名的童贞女——纳匝肋的玛利亚（与梅瑟的姐姐米黎盎同名）。这两个人物之间几乎间隔了一千年的时间，正如圣保禄所解释的，这许多世纪以来的奥秘是隐而不彰的，但现今彰显了出来，而且我们正是这事的见证。

在读经一中，我们看到达味王实感困惑不安，因为自己住在香柏木的宫殿里，而天主的约柜却在帐幕内。达味王向先知纳堂述说了他建造圣殿的计划，纳堂也赞扬这个好意向。可惜二人都没有咨询天主的意愿，天主拒绝了这个计划，反问道：“你要建筑一座殿宇，给我居住吗？”（撒下7:5）古人对此清楚地解释了两点。首先，达味不配为天主建筑殿宇，因为他流过人的血（编上28:3）；其次，达味王在生活中所取得的一切，不论目前还是将来，都是天主的恩赐。“是我拣选你离开牧场，离开放羊的事，作我民以色列的领袖”（撒下7:8）。那么天主的殿宇会如何呢？它将被达味的一个不出名的后裔建立起来，其身份在福音中启示出来。

达味计划在公元前992年左右建造圣殿，天使在公元前7-6年来访纳匝肋人玛利亚（米黎盎）。纳堂宣告了天主的恩许，受天主派遣而来的天使却宣告了恩许的实现。这个恩许是给了一位曾经的牧羊人，他后来因着天主的恩典成了以色列的君王；而此恩许的实现却是给了“一个童贞女”（路1:27），她因着天主的恩宠成为天主子的母亲——Theotokos。恩许的内容是，一个后裔将为天主的名建造殿宇，并建立永恒的达味宝座，及其实现——耶稣的诞生。正是在耶稣基督内，天主的诸多恩许应验了。基督确实为天主的名建造了一座殿宇，是活石之所，奉献中悦天主的属神祭品（伯前2:5），地狱的门不能战胜它（玛16:18）。基督，论血统属于达味的后裔，战胜了死亡，坐在天父的右边，至于无穷之世（默11:15）。

许多世纪以来，那隐而不彰的达味后裔之奥秘，今天彰显给玛利亚，也彰显给我们。其彰显的目为何？保禄解释得非常好，就是要“使万民服从信德”（罗16:26）。信德的服从，就是度信赖天主的生活。旧约的古希腊文版本——七十贤士译本，在翻译哈巴谷先知书中著名的片段时，表达得非常漂亮：“但义人要靠我的信实生活”（哈2：5）。在这种信德的服从中，救主的母亲就是我们的主要例子。她因着信德接受了天使的话，并对天主的旨意说了“是”。玛利亚的回答“照你的意愿承行，扭转了人类历史的进程；人类从此不再与原先一样。

你如何回应今天揭示给你的这个奥秘？你还会坚持天主所不接受的你的个人计划吗？或者你会对天主的计划回答“是”，并遵循信赖之路吗？愿今日的圣道礼仪引你走向信德的服从。阿们！

Obedience of Faith

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Readings

The theme of today’s liturgy of the Word is the promise contained in the first reading and its fulfillment shown in the Gospel. We meet two people today, the famous king of Israel – David and an unknown virgin – Miriam of Nazareth. Almost a thousand years divide both figures and, as Saint Paul explains, it was a time of mystery for centuries covered by silence. Today, this silence is over and we are witnesses to it.

In the first reading, we meet David, who is troubled by the fact that he lives in a house of cedar, and the ark of God under the tent. The king confides in the prophet his plan to build the temple, and Nathan praises the good purpose. Unfortunately, both did not consult God, and He rejects the plan. “Should you build me a house to dwell in?” (2 Sam. 7: 5). The Ancient One makes two things clear. First of all, David is not worthy to build a house for God, for he shed blood (1 Chronicles 28: 3). Secondly, everything that the king has achieved in life and is still going to achieve is God’s grace. “I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be ruler of My people Israel” (2 Sam. 7: 8). What about the house of God? An unnamed descendant of David shall build it and his identity is revealed in the Gospel.

David planned to build the temple around 992 BC, and the angel visited Miriam of Nazareth in 7 or 6 BC. Both, Natan announcing the promise and the angel announcing its fulfillment were sent by God. The promise was handed over to a former shepherd who, by the grace of God, became the king of Israel and the fulfillment to “a virgin” (Luke 1:27), who by the grace of God would become the Mother of God’s Son – Theotokos. The content of the promise was the announcement of a descendant who would build a house for God’s name and establish the throne of David forever, and its fulfillment, the birth of Jesus. It is in Jesus Christ that God’s promises, as many as they were, find their fulfillment. Christ has indeed built a house for God’s name, a house of living stones offering spiritual sacrifices to God (1 Peter 2: 5), and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matt. 16:18). Christ – the descendant of David according to the flesh – having defeated death, sat at the right hand of the Father and reigns for ever (Revelation 11:15).

The mystery of David’s descendant hidden for ages is today revealed to Mary and to us. What is the purpose of this revelation? As apostle Paul explains, it is to make known the “obedience of faith to all the nations” (Rom. 16:26). The obedience of faith is a life of trust in God. The Septuagint – an ancient Greek version of the Old Testament – beautifully expressed it in its translation of the famous fragment from the book Habakkuk: “but the righteous shall live by my faithfulness” (Hab 2: 5). In this obedience of faith, the Mother of the Savior is our primary example. By faith she accepted the words of the angel and said “Yes” to God’s will in her life. Mary’s answer “Let it be to me according to your word” changed the course of the history and humankind shall never be the same.

And how will you respond to this mystery revealed to you today? Will you still insist on your plans, which God does not accept, or will you answer “Yes” to God’s plan and follow the path of trust? May today’s liturgy of the Word lead you to the obedience of faith. Amen.

为主的到来准备妥当

将临期第三主日

根据梅瑟法律，失去土地且被迫服役的以色列农民，每五十年就可能重获土地（参阅肋25:10）。公元前586年，以色列失去土地，被迫流亡。五十年后，在居鲁士（公元前538年）的诏令下他们可以返回家园，并重获土地。在今日的读经一中，充满喜乐的依撒依亚宣告这一恩宠之年。看似不可能的事情逐渐变得可能：恩许之地将再度兴旺起来。“他们要重建古时的废址，兴建往日的荒域，建造倾圮的城邑，数代荒凉的地方”（依61:4）。

在今天的福音中，洗者若翰也唤醒了一个生活在罗马帝国之沉重枷锁下的民族对默西亚充满希望。他如同梅瑟，把百姓带到旷野，又如若苏厄，在约旦河里给他们授洗，还像先知，呼吁他们悔改归向主。这个民族几乎500年来没有经历过这样的事情。随着最后三位先知——哈该、匝加利亚和玛拉基亚的死亡，天主“沉默了”。但其中一位先知在其著作中写了关于厄里亚要在主的日子来临前出现的应许（拉3:23）。

最后，在读经二中，保禄准备得撒洛尼人迎接基督的再来。这个准备包括具体的建议，总共有八个。前三个与基于信仰的生活方式有关：常常喜乐，不断祈祷，事事感谢。接下来的三个与圣神相联系：不要消灭神恩，禁止轻视先知之恩和分辨神恩。最后两个呼应圣经中约伯的形象。得撒洛尼人应该像他一样（参阅约1:1），坚持良善，避免邪恶。这些忠告以后是保禄的祈祷，他求天主圣化他们，保持他们在基督来临时整个人毫无瑕疵。

为了他使命的座右铭，若翰引用了依撒依亚先知的话，我们在前一个主日听到的。他在被人群给与他的任何角色中，不论是默西亚、厄里亚，还是先知，都没有找到自己的。他是为准备这个即将来临的圣言的“声音”。他呼吁人进入旷野，并将其余的事情留给道成肉身的那一位。若翰引导每个人去关注祂的到来。“你们中间站着一位，是你们所不认识的”（若1:26）。认识若翰之后要来的，且由救主亲自启示的这一位，是多么重要！“永生就是：认识你，唯一的真天主，和你所派遣来的耶稣基督”（若17:3）。

今日的圣道礼仪为主的来临准备地方。有些人需要若翰所宣布的祂的第一次来临，另有些人期待保禄笔下的祂的第二次来临。而在我们中间，已有复活的主，由圣神傅油，身穿救恩的衣裳和正义的外衣（依61:1、10）。然而，许多人却不认识祂，另有许多人已经离弃了祂，还有许多人已经习惯了犯罪，以至于无法想象圣洁的生活。正式为了这些人，依撒依亚宣告恩慈时刻即将到来，他们可以在耶稣基督内重塑他们被毁的生命。另一方面，已经经历了这个恩慈时刻的我们，要听取保禄的建议。感谢天主赐予的救恩，并求祂圣洁我们整个的人，而且保守我们“在主耶稣基督来临时无可指摘”。阿们！

Prepared for the coming of the Lord

The Readings:

Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11; Psalm: Luke 1:46-50.53-54 (Isaiah 61:10b); 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28

According to the Law of Moses, Israelite farmers who lost their land and were forced into servitude could regain their land every fifty years (see Lev 25:10). In 586 BC, Israel lost its land and was forced into exile. Fifty years later, after the edict of Cyrus (538 BC), they could return and regain their land. In today’s first reading Isaiah – filled with joy – announces this year of grace. What seemed impossible is going to become possible: the promised land shall flourish again. “The shall rebuild the ancient ruins, raise up the desolations of old, renew the ruined cities, places devastated for generations” (Is 61:4).

John the Baptist also awakened the messianic hopes of a nation living under the heavy yoke of the Roman empire. Like Moses, he led the people out into the desert, like Joshua baptizing them in the waters of the Jordan, and like the prophets he called them to conversion. The nation had not experienced such a thing for almost 500 years. With the death of the last three prophets, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi – God ‘went silent’. But one of them included in his writings the promise about Elijah to precede the coming of the Lord’s day (Malachi 3:23).

Finally, Paul prepares the Thessalonians for the second coming of Christ. This preparation includes specific advice – there are a total of eight of them. The first three relate to the lifestyle that flows from faith: constant joy, prayer without ceasing, and thanksgiving in every life situation. The next three are connected with the Holy Spirit: the prohibition of “extinguishing” the Holy Spirit, the prohibition of disregarding the prophecy and the call to discernment. Finally, the last two evoke the image of biblical Job. Like him (see Job 1: 1), the Thessalonians should hold on to good and avoid evil. These counsel end with the apostle praying that God would complete their sanctity and keep them without blemish at the coming of Christ.

For the motto of his mission, John chose a quote from Isaiah, which we heard on the previous Sunday of Advent. He did not see himself in any of the roles ‘assigned’ to him by the crowds, whether the messiah or Elijah or the prophet. He was the “voice” that preceded the Word. He called the people into the desert, and left the rest to the Incarnate Word. Towards His coming John is directing everyone’s attention. “Among you is one whom you do not know” (John 1:26). How important is to know the One who comes after the Baptist has been revealed by the Savior Himself. “This is eternal life, that all may know You, the only true God and the One whom You sent – JESUS ​​CHRIST” (John 17: 3).

The Liturgy of the Word prepares the world for the coming of the Lord. Some need the first one proclaimed by John, others await the second one, of which Paul wrote. Among us is the resurrected Lord, anointed with the Spirit, dressed in the garments of salvation and the mantle of justice (Isaiah 61: 1, 10). Many, however, do not know Him, many have turned away from Him, and many have become so accustomed to sin that they can not imagine a life of holiness. It is for them that Isaiah proclaims the coming of the time of mercy, the possibility of reconstructing their ruined life in Jesus Christ. On the other hand, we who have already experienced this time of mercy, listen to Paul’s advice. Thanking God for the grace of salvation, we ask Him to complete our holiness and keep us “without blemish at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Amen.

好消息

将临期第二主日讲道重点

 

当犹太难民离开耶路撒冷，前去巴比伦（公元前597年首次流亡）时，他们怀疑自己以后是否还能返回。假先知承诺，他们会在两年后返回（耶28：3-4）。流亡时间超过了耶利米亚先知所预言的70多年（耶25:11）。这些年期间，他们的子女在流亡之地定居下来，结婚，生子，种植，为巴比伦的福祉祈祷（耶29：5-7）。我们在今天的读经一中——“依撒意亚福音”可以得知这一切。他们可以回家，回到他们的祖先曾被迫离开的地方；苦难时期已经结束了。

圣马尔谷这样开始他的福音：“天主子耶稣基督福音的开始”（谷1：1）。这一开始的标志是施洗若翰的出现，他宣布悔改并归向天主。就若翰而言，重要的不仅是他的信息，而且还有宣布信息的地方。旷野代表自由，约旦河代表恩许之地的大门（苏3：1-17）。借着洗礼，天主再次召叫祂的子民进入旷野，与自己的内心交谈（欧2:16）。马尔谷福音中的下一个行动，就是耶稣基督将恩赐德能，这德能是借着洗礼在圣神内赐予的。

读经二是针对那些已经经历过圣神內洗礼的人。他们从复活和荣耀的基督那里接受了信德的恩宠。现在，他们等待，甚至试图加速福音的最终行动——“正义常存的新天新地”（伯后3:13）。但为什么基督迟延呢？伯多禄解释说，看起来似乎是迟延，但实际上并非迟延——时间对于天主是相对的。而且，基督推迟来审判生者和死者，本身就是祂怜悯的标志。天主“不愿任何人死亡，惟愿人人回心转意”（伯后3：9）。

“好消息”是圣道礼仪的主题。我们可以回归至我们信仰的根基，回到天主前。我们生活在罪恶的流亡期间已经太久，忘记了我们的基督徒身份，而且已经开始怀疑天主的恩许。依撒意亚宣布，我们的奴役时期已经结束。施洗若翰帮助我们重温我们辉煌的过去，那时候我们经历了天主的眷顾，并且知道在祂内一切皆可能。圣保禄为我们指出未来。天主留给我们时间，去更新我们对度圣洁和虔诚生活的承诺，好使我们准备好目睹天主恩许的实现——正义常存的新天新地。阿门！

Good News

Readings:

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11

Psalm 85:9-14

2 Peter 3:8-14

Mark 1:1-8

When the Jewish refugees were leaving Jerusalem for Babylon (the first deportation in 597 BC) they wondered whether they would ever return. The false prophets promised that in two years time they would be back (Jer 28:3-4). The exile took much longer – over 70 years as predicted by Jeremiah (Jer 25:11). During those years, the children of the refugees settled down in the place of their exile. They married, had children, plant gardens, and prayed for the welfare of Babylon (Jer 29:5-7). In that situation the “gospel of Isaiah” – our first reading today – finds them. They could return home, to the land their parents were forced to leave; the time of penance had ended.

Saint Mark begins his Good News with a sentence: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). This beginning was marked by the appearance of John the Baptist announcing the possibility of returning to God. In the case of John, it is not only his message that is important, but also the place it was delivered. That desert represents freedom and the river of Jordan the gate to the promised land (Joshua 3:1-17). Through the Baptist, God again calls His people into the wilderness to speak to their hearts (Hosea 2:16). In the next act of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus Christ will enter the stage offering the transforming power of baptism with the Holy Spirit.

The second reading is addressed to those who already experienced the baptism with the Holy Spirit. From the risen and glorified Christ, they have received the grace of faith. Now they await and even try to hasten the last act of the Gospel – “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). But why does Christ delay His coming? The apostle Peter explains that what seems like a delay is not a delay at all – time is relative for God. Moreover, the delay of Christ’s coming to judge the living and the dead is the sign of God’s mercy. God is “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance“ (2 Peter 3:9).

“Good News” is the main theme of the liturgy of the Word. We can return home, to the roots of our faith, to God. We have been living in the exile of sin far too long, we have forgotten our Christian identity, and we have begun to doubt God’s promises. Isaiah announces that our slavery has ended. John the Baptist helps us to revisit our glorious past, those times we experienced God’s providential care and knew that nothing was impossible with God. Saint Peter points us to the future. God gives us time to renew our commitment to a life of holiness and piety, so we can be prepared to see the fulfillment of God’s promise – the establishment of new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Amen.

万军的上主，求你再来！

将临期第一主日 读经分享

一个人（基督）出国旅行（升至天堂），离开家（教会或世界），并给他的仆人（信徒）分配了不同的工作（拯救世界的使命），让其各自负责。他没有告知他自己返回的时间，只提醒他们要时常警惕。福音中的这一邀请“当心、醒悟祈祷”是如何与选自依撒意亚先知书的读经一（依63:16-19，64:2-7）和选自格林多前书的读经二（格前1:3-9）相联系的呢？依撒意亚和保禄都代表福音的守护者，负责为此警惕。不过，他们对主人的迟迟未到所具有的态度不同。依撒意亚心怀绝望；而保禄却满怀希望。

“上主啊，你为什么让我们离开你的道路？使我们的心变硬而不敬畏你？”（依63:17）他大胆呼喊出这一话语，全因植根于犹太人从巴比伦流亡的历史经验（公元前538年以后）。一小撮充满希望和心怀热忱的人，返回巴勒斯坦，重建耶路撒冷及其圣殿，开始新的生活。不幸的是，他们持续不断的种种困难已经磨灭了他们的希望。他们在异教徒环境的影响下很快就偏离了上主的道路。依撒意亚先知在痛苦的祈祷中敢于说，天主的怒气和祂隐藏的面容都不能解决人的罪恶问题（依64:6、8）。“哦！望你冲破诸天降下”（依63:19）。正如在梅瑟时代，天主的荣耀启示一样，依撒意亚看到了解决其问题的方法：这将引导人们悔改。天主，万民之父，是他们的创造者和拯救者。

“（基督）要坚固你们到底”（格前1:8）。圣保禄所面对的，不是失落的流亡返回者，而是一个年轻的神恩团体。格林多人信奉福音，拥有圣神丰富的神恩恩赐，等待基督的启示。希腊文中的“等待”（格前1:7）一词表示急切地期待，也正是福音期望于基督的仆人们的。他们的等待得到基督和天主信实的支持。保禄宗徒毫不怀疑，天主的恩宠会使他们“在我们的主的日子上无暇可指”（格前1:8）。然而，这个信念并没有使他放松警惕心。他必须倾流许多眼泪，付出诸多努力，才能使这个团体走上福音的道路。

依撒意亚之后的2500年，保禄之后将近2000年后的今天，我们面临同样的问题。基督仍然迟迟未到，这种延迟对信徒也有负面的影响。有许多人，本该活于基督，却睡着了——活在罪中。到处都有年轻和热情高涨的团体，但面对基督教生活方式的日益严峻挑战，他们将持续多久，我们无法知晓。所以，让我们用圣咏上的话来为教会祈求：“万军的上主啊，求你要从高天看顾并保护这葡萄树（咏80:15）。恩赐助佑，使我们不再离开你；赐给我们新的生命，传扬你的名”（咏80:19）。

Return, O Lord of hosts

A man (Christ) traveling abroad (ascended to heaven) and left home (Church or the world) and placed His servants (the faithful) in charge, each with his own work (ministry for the salvation of the world). He did not inform them about the time of His return. He only charged them with being watchful. How does this Gospel’s call “take heed, watch and pray” relate to the readings from Isaiah (Is 63:16-19; 64:2-7) and from the first Corinthians (1 Cor 1:3-9)? Isaiah and Paul, both represent the doorkeeper of the Gospel, tasked with being watchful. However, they differ in their attitude towards the delay of the owner’s return. Isaiah is desperate; Paul is hopeful.

“Why do you let us wander, O Lord, from your ways, and harden our hearts so that we fear you not?” (Is 63:17). This daring verse is rooted in the historical experience of the Jewish returnees from the Babylonian exile (after 538 BCE). A small group of returnees full of hope and zeal return to Palestine to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple, and to begin new life. Unfortunately, their continuing hardships have worn out their hope. They fell under the influence of pagan environment and quickly strayed off the Lord’s ways. In his painful prayer, the prophet dares to state that neither God’s anger nor hiding His face solve the problem of people’s sinfulness (Is 64:6.8). “Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down” (Is 64:1). It is in the revelation of God’s glory like in the times of Moses that Isaiah sees the solution to their problem: it would lead the people to conversion. God, the Father of the people, is their Creator and Redeemer.

„[Christ] will confirm you till the end” (1 Cor 1:8). Saint Paul did not face worn out returnees but a young and charismatic community. The Corinthians believed in the Gospel, possessed the fullness of charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit and awaited the revelation of Christ. The word “await” (1 Cor 1:7) in Greek indicates awaiting with eagerness, which the Gospel expects from Christ’s servants. Their awaiting was supported by Christ and God’s faithfulness. The apostle had no doubts, that the grace of God will keep them “blameless in the day of our Lord” (1 Cor 1:8). Yet this conviction did not release him from watchfulness. The apostle had to pour out many tears and put a lot of effort in order to keep this community on the path of the Gospel.

2500 years after Isaiah and nearly 2000 years after Paul, today we face the same problem. Christ delays His coming and this delay has a negative influence on the morale of the faithful. There are many, who have fallen asleep – instead of living **in Christ**, they live **in sin**. Here and there, there are youthful and zealous communities, but how long they will persevere in front of mounting challenges to their Christian way of life remains unknown. Therefore we pray for the Church with the words of psalm: “Hearken, O Lord of hosts, look down from heaven, see and protect this vine” (Ps 80:15); Grant your help so “we will not turn away from You; give us new life, and we will call upon Your name” (Ps 80:19).