那時候,耶穌向門徒說:「在諾厄的日子裏怎樣,在人子的日子裏也要怎樣:那時,人們吃喝婚嫁,直到諾厄進入方舟的那天,洪水來了,消滅了所有的人。又如在羅特的日子裏,人們吃喝買賣,耕種建造,但在羅特離開索多瑪的那一天,火及硫磺自天降下,消滅了所有的人:在人子顯現的日子裏,也要這樣。
「在那一日,那在屋頂上的,不要下來拿取在屋裏的器具;那在田裏的,也同樣不要回家。你們要記得羅特的妻子!不論誰,若想保全自己的性命,必要喪失性命;凡喪失性命的,必要保存性命。我告訴你們:在這一夜,兩個人同在一張床上,一個被接去,而一個被遺棄;兩個女人一起推磨,一個被接去,而一個被遺棄。」門徒問耶穌說:「主,在那裏發生呢?」耶穌回答說:「那裏有屍體,老鷹就聚集在那裏。」
路加福音 17:26-37
耶穌曾多次談及末世,亦即是人子再來、人接受天主審判的日子。沒有人知道這時期甚麼時候會到,但可以肯定這時期必然會來,而且屆時將有很多人喪亡。就像在諾厄和羅特的日子裡,人本來過著平常的日子,災禍卻突然襲來,除了諾厄、羅特和他們的家人因得到天主特別的召叫而躲過危難,其他人無一倖免。
作為耶穌的信徒,我們已得到祂一而再的提示,要時刻為這末世的日子作好準備,因為當那日子到來時,我們才醒覺便已太遲。耶穌也以羅特的妻子來提醒我們,不要留戀世上的事物;天主已為我們準備好永恆的生命,但過份留戀現世,卻會喪失真正而永恆的福樂。所以祂說:「在那一日,那在屋頂上的,不要下來拿取在屋裏的器具;那在田裏的,也同樣不要回家。你們要記得羅特的妻子!不論誰,若想保全自己的性命,必要喪失性命;凡喪失性命的,必要保存性命。」救恩來自天主,但每人對天主不同的回應,會令各人得到不同的命運。正如耶穌說:「兩個人同在一張床上,一個被接去,而一個被遺棄;兩個女人一起推磨,一個被接去,而一個被遺棄。」你想成為被接去的一位,還是被遺棄?讓我們時刻醒悟祈禱,為主而生活,那麼末日何時到來,我們也不會感到措手不及。
這篇默想由生命恩泉文摘編輯小組撰寫,內容以下列文章為根據: Commentaries on the daily readings by Sacred Space, 常年期第三十二週星期五.
Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise one in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.” They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.”
Luke 17:26-37
Jesus described a number of times what the end of the world will be like; though we don't know when this day will come, we are sure that it will come for sure. Similar to the days of Noah and Lot, God's judgment will strike the world by surprise when people were still living their normal lives, and unless they are like Noah and Lot and their families who live a life that pleases God, they will not be spared.
As followers of Jesus, we have received His warning through the scripture and His church repeatedly, that we shall always be prepared for that day, because if we keep postponing our response to Christ and delay our repentance, when that day comes, it will be too late. Jesus also warned us using the example of Lot's wife, who is too attached to the things of her past; God already prepared a place for us in His eternal kingdom, but if we're too attached to this world, we might lose this gift of salvation. As Jesus said, “On that day, someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise one in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it.” Salvation is a gift from God, yet we're responsible for our actions; hence each of us will have our own destiny, depending on our response to Christ. Thus He said, “On that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.” May we stay sober and keep praying, and live our lives consciously in the presence of God, so when the end of the world comes, we will be ready for it.
This reflection is prepared by the FLL Inspire editorial team as a digest of the following two articles: Commentaries on the daily readings by Sacred Space, 常年期第三十二週星期五.