Pope Francis: Jesus is the secret of a Christian’s benevolence

by FLL Editorial Team
2013-06-17

helping hand教宗方濟各於週一早上的彌撒說耶穌是基督徒的「所有」,是他們善心的來源。他也指出耶穌的正義遠超過經師們的,比起「以眼還眼,以牙還牙」那種公義更勝一籌。

「若有人掌擊你的右頰,你把另一面也轉給他」,教宗在他的講道中集中談耶穌對門徒這些震撼的說話。他說掌擊面頰已經成為取笑基督徒的經典例子。他解釋,在生活中,我們用的邏輯是竭力保護自己的地位,當我們被掌擊,為了保護自己,我們會回對方兩巴掌,因為我們的臉就是尊嚴。而耶穌則說在被掌擊以後,邀請我們把衣服也給他,赤裸在對方前。

教宗指出耶穌帶來的正義,跟「以眼還眼,以牙還牙」的公義截然不同,是另一種正義。當聖保祿說基督徒「像是一無所有的,卻無所不有」,就證實了這一點。基督徒的安全感就是這來基督內的「所有」。「所有」就是耶穌基督。為基督徒,其他都微不足道。教宗提醒我們,「世界的精神說『所有』就是財富、虛榮,意思是在社會中得到好的地位,而耶穌卻是一文不值。」因此,當一位基督徒在被要求走十公里時,卻走了一百公里,「這是因為對他來說,這是『微不足道』的。當有人想拿他的內衣,他能平靜的連外衣也給他。」這就是基督徒善心的奧祕,總是與溫良一起。這就是「所有」,這就是耶穌基督。

「一位基督徒就是一個把心敞開,充滿這份善心的人,因為他已得到『所有』:耶穌基督。其他所有都是微不足道。在面臨抉擇的時候,他總是會選擇『所有』,有那份屬於耶穌門徒的溫良和善心。要這樣生活絕不容易,因為你真的會被掌擊,而且是兩頰!但基督徒就是溫良,就是有這份善心:他會把心敞開。有時我們會遇見一些基督徒,他們的心縮小了…這不是基督信仰:這是自私,偽裝成基督信仰。」

「一位真正的基督徒懂得如何解決這兩極化的張力,在『無所不有』和『一無所有』之間的張力,就如耶穌教我們:『你們先尋求天國和它的義德,這一切自會加給你們。』」

「天主的國是『所有』,其他都是次要的。而基督徒犯的所有錯,教會犯的所有錯,都是源於我們把微不足道的當成『所有』,而把『所有』當成毫不重要的。跟隨耶穌不容易,但也不算是困難,因為在愛的道路上,耶穌會工作,令我們能向前走;是耶穌祂開啟我們的心。」

「當我們面臨被掌擊,被拿外衣,要走一百公里的選擇時,我們一定要向上主祈求,要開放我們的心,要變得溫良和有善心。我們一定要祈求,讓我們不為小事而爭鬥。」

「當人選擇微不足道的事,會為家庭、友誼和社會帶來衝突。衝突會演變成戰爭,一切只為了微不足道的事!讓我們求天主開啟我們的心,讓我們變得謙遜、溫良、有善心,因為我們在祂內得到『所有』,求祂幫助我們避免因微不足道的事製造問題。」

For a Christian, Jesus is “all”, and this is the source of his or her benevolence.
This was the focus of Pope Francis's message during Mass on Monday morning. The Pope also affirmed that the righteousness of Jesus exceeds the righteousness of the scribes, that it is superior to the “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” kind of justice.

“If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also”. Pope Francis focused his homily on Jesus' earth-shaking words to his disciples. The slap of the cheek – he said - has become a classic take used by some to laugh about Christians. In life, he explained, everyday logic teaches us to “fight to defend our place” and if we receive a slap “we react and return two slaps in order to defend ourselves”. On the other hand, the Pope said, when I advise parents to scold their children I always say: “never slap their cheek”, because “the cheek is dignity”. And Jesus, he continued, after the slap on the cheek goes further and invites us to hand over our coat as well, to undress ourselves completely.

The righteousness that He brings – the Pope affirmed – is another kind of justice that is totally different from “eye for eye, tooth for tooth”. It's another justice. This is clear when St. Paul speaks of Christians as “people who have nothing in themselves but possess all things in Christ”. So, Christian security is exactly this “all” that is in Christ. “All” - he added – is Jesus Christ. Other things are “nothing” for a Christian. Instead, the Pope warned, “for the spirit of the world “all” means things: riches, vanities”, it means “to be well placed in society” where “Jesus is nothing”. Thus, if a Christian can walk 100 kilometres when he is asked to walk 10, “it's because for him or for her this is “nothing”. And with serenity, “he or she can give his or her coat when asked for his or her tunic”. This is the secret of Christian benevolence that always goes together with meekness”: it is “all”, it is Jesus Christ:

“A Christian is a person who opens up his or her heart with this spirit of benevolence, because he or she has “all”: Jesus Christ. The other things are “nothing”. Some are good, they have a purpose, but in the moment of choice he or she always chooses “all”, with that meekness, that Christian meekness that is the sign of Jesus' disciples: meekness and benevolence. To live like this is not easy, because you really do receive slaps! And on both cheeks! But a Christian is meek, a Christian is benevolent: he or she opens up his or her heart. Sometimes we come across these Christians with little hearts, with shrunken hearts…. This is not Christianity: this is selfishness, masked as Christianity”.

“A true Christian” – the Pope continued – “knows how to solve this bi-polar opposition, this tension that exists between “all” and “nothing”, just as Jesus has taught us: “First search for God's Kingdom and its justice, the rest comes afterwards”.

“God's Kingdom is “all”, the other is secondary. And all Christian errors, all the Church's errors, all our errors stem from when we say “nothing” is “all”, and to “all” we say it does not count… Following Jesus is not easy, but it's not difficult either, because on the path of love the Lord does things in such a way that we can go forward; it is the Lord himself who opens up our heart”.

This is what we must pray for – the Pope said – “when we are confronted with the choice of the slap, the coat, the 100 kilometres”, we must pray the Lord to “open up our heart” so that “we are benevolent and meek” . We must pray so that we do not “fight for small things, for the “nothings” of daily life”.

“When one takes on an option for “nothing”, it is from that option that conflicts arise in families, in friendships, between friends, in society. Conflicts that end in war: for “nothing”! “Nothing” is always the seed of wars. Because it is the seed of selfishness. “All” is Jesus. Let us ask the Lord to open up our heart, to make us humble, meek and benevolent because we have “all” in Him; and let's ask him to help us avoid creating everyday problems stemming from “nothing”.

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Pope Francis: Jesus is the secret of a Christian's benevolence

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