We are just human…

by Paul Yeung
2014-03-09

四旬期第一主日


創世紀 2:7-9; 3:1-7


上主天主用地上的灰土,形成了人,在他鼻孔內,吹了一口生氣,人就成了一個有靈的生物。

上主天主在伊甸東部,種植了一個樂園,就將他形成的人,安置在裡面。上主天主使地面生出各種好看好吃的果樹;生命樹和知善惡樹在樂園中央。

在上主天主所造的一切野獸中,蛇是最狡猾的。蛇對女人說:「天主真說了,你們不可以吃樂園中,任何樹上的果子嗎?」

女人對蛇說:「樂園中樹上的果子,我們都可以吃;只有樂園中央,那棵樹上的果子,天主說過,你們不可以吃,也不可觸摸,免得死亡。」

蛇對女人說:「你們決不會死!因為天主知道,你們那天吃了這果子,你們的眼就會開了,將如同天主一樣知道善惡。」

女人看那棵果樹,實在好吃好看,令人羨慕,且能增加智慧,於是摘下一個果子吃了,又給了她的男人一個;他也吃了。於是,兩人的眼立即開了,發覺自己赤身露體,於是用無花果樹葉,編了裙子,圍著身體。

羅馬人書 5:12-19


弟兄姊妹們:

就如罪惡藉著一人,進入了世界,死亡藉著罪惡,也進入了世界;這樣,死亡就殃及了眾人,因為眾人都犯了罪。

沒有法律之前,罪惡已經在世界上,雖然因為沒有法律,罪惡本應不算為罪惡。但從亞當起,直到梅瑟,死亡卻作了王,連那些沒有像亞當一樣,違法犯罪的人,也屬它權下;這亞當原是那未來亞當的預像。

但恩寵決不是過犯所能相比的,因為如果因一人的過犯,大眾都死了;那麼,天主的恩寵,及那因耶穌基督一人的恩寵,所施與的恩惠,更要豐富地洋溢到大眾身上。這恩惠的效果,也不是那因一人犯罪的結果,所能相比的,因為審判固然是由於一人的過犯而來,被判定罪,但恩寵卻使人在犯了許多過犯之後,獲得成義。

如果因一人的過犯,死亡就因那一人,作了王,那麼,那些豐富地蒙受了恩寵和正義恩惠的人,更要藉著耶穌基督一人,在生命中為王了。

這樣看來:就如因一人的過犯,眾人都被定了罪,同樣,也因一人的正義行為,眾人也都獲得了正義和生命。正如因一人的悖逆,大眾都成了罪人,同樣,因一人的服從,大眾都成了義人。


瑪竇福音 4:1-11


那時候,耶穌被聖神領到曠野,為受魔鬼的試探。他四十天四十夜禁食,後來就餓了。

試探者就前來對耶穌說:「你如果是天主子,就命令這些石頭變成餅吧!」

耶穌回答說:「經上記載:『人生活不只靠餅,也靠天主所說的一切話。』」

那時,魔鬼引耶穌到了聖城,使他站在聖殿頂上,對他說:「你如果是天主子,就跳下去,因經上記載:『他為你吩咐了自己的天使,用手托著你,免得你的腳碰在石頭上。』」

耶穌對魔鬼說:「經上又記載:『你不可試探上主,你的天主!』」

魔鬼又把耶穌帶到一座極高的山上,將普世萬國及其榮華,指給他看,對他說:「你如果俯伏朝拜我,我必把這一切交給你。」

那時,耶穌就對魔鬼說:「去吧!撒旦!因為經上記載:『你要朝拜上主,你的天主,唯獨事奉他。』」

於是,魔鬼離開了耶穌,就有天使前來伺候耶穌。

四旬期第一主日 First Sunday of Lent

四旬期第一主日 First Sunday of Lent

我們常常不滿足自己作為人類的身份。我們渴望成為更大的、想要成為天主。這正好製造機會讓撒旦操縱我們的生命。

撒旦最擅長用美麗卻帶欺騙性的言語去引誘我們。而在耶穌被魔鬼試探的過程中,魔鬼甚至引用聖經作為陷阱。他誘惑我們透過依賴世間的權力及財富去逃避受苦,促使我們犯罪而最終帶來更大痛苦。當心撒旦的謊言啊!他以恐懼及不安全的感覺來「餵飼」我們,使我們寧願選擇邪惡而放棄擇善,並去牢牢地執著本應棄絕的事物。可是,我們不要輕視撒旦的智慧,以為靠自己可以匹敵。

相反地我們先要接納並擁抱自己的軟弱及無能,學習接納自己只是人。棄絕自我並相信只要我們有天主,我們便擁有所需要的一切。讓我們不要忘記雖然我們的原祖父母不遵守天主給他們唯一需要嚴守的誡命,但是天主仍然繼續深愛他們及所有世人。試問我們還需要有甚麼更好的保證?當我們可以選擇依靠天主的大能時,為什麼我們一定要執著依賴自己渺小的力量呢?

要知道齋戒、祈禱、及施予能幫助我們去依賴全能的天主而非依賴自己。當我們踏入四旬期時,讓我們決心透過謙卑及服從的心去棄絕自我,跟隨基督!

First Sunday of Lent


Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7


The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,and so man became a living being.

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,and placed there the man whom he had formed. Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow that were delightful to look at and good for food,with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals that the LORD God had made. The serpent asked the woman,“Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?” The woman answered the serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said,‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.$0"2$ But the serpent said to the woman: “You certainly will not die! No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is evil.” The woman saw that the tree was good for food,pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened,and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

Romans 5:12-19


Brothers and sisters:

Through one man sin entered the world,and through sin, death,and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world,though sin is not accounted when there is no law. But death reigned from Adam to Moses,even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam,who is the type of the one who was to come. But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one, the many died,how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many. And the gift is not like the result of the one who sinned. For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation; but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal. For if, by the transgression of the one,death came to reign through that one,how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all,so, through one righteous act,acquittal and life came to all. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners,so, through the obedience of the one,the many will be made righteous.

Matthew 4:1-11


At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights,and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him,“If you are the Son of God,command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply,“It is written: One does not live on bread alone,but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”

Then the devil took him to the holy city,and made him stand on the parapet of the temple,and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you,lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him,“Again it is written,You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain,and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you,if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” At this, Jesus said to him,“Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.”

Then the devil left him and, behold,angels came and ministered to him.

We as human are often times not content to be just human. We desire to be bigger, we want to be God. That makes room for Satan to take over our lives.

Satan uses beautiful but deceptive words to lure and trap us. During the Temptation of Jesus, the Devil even quoted from the Scripture to trap Jesus. Satan tempts us to avoid sufferings by choosing to rely on earthly power and wealth, which in turns leads us to sin and thus causes more sufferings. Beware of Satan's lies! He feeds us with fear and insecurity to lure us to choose evil over good, to hold on to things which should be pruned. But we should not think that we can outwit Satan by our own wisdom.

Paradoxically, we should first accept and embrace our weaknesses and powerlessness, and learn to be just human. Let go of our own ego and trust that because we have God, we have everything we ever need. Let us not forget that there was only one strict commandment from God for the first man and woman and they broke it. Yet God continues to love them and all of us. What further assurance shall we need? Why must we depend on ourselves, limited as we are, when we can rely on God's almighty power?

Fasting, prayers, and alms giving help us to rely not on ourselves but on our Almighty Father. As we begin the Lenten season, let us resolve to deny ourselves, and then follow Christ through humility and obedience.

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