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Posts Tagged ‘commandments’
Fr. Ho talks about the Sixth to Tenth Commandment
The Sixth Commandment is "Thou shalt not commit adultery"; it calls us to purity in word and action. The Seventh Commandment is "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife"; it calls us to purity in thought. Sex is sacred, because it creates life, which is sacred - sex has no place outside the marital covenant. We often treat others as objects to use and fulfill our own desires. A saint once said that it is impossible to dialogue with someone with impure thoughts, for one would lose internal peace. We mustn't only avoid sinning, but also the occasions of sin. Positively, we can receive help from the Sacraments, especially Holy Communion and Confession. Negatively, we should avoid idleness, which can lead us to temptation. The Seventh Commandment is "Thou shalt not steal", the Eight Commandment is "Thou shalt not bear false witness", and the Tenth Commandment is "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods". All three concern justice towards our neighbour's reputation and property. We mustn't gossip or speak carelessly, or else we will steal others' reputations. Lying is usually a venial sin, but becomes a mortal sin once it severely harms another's reputation or leads them to sin.
Publish date: 2019 - 11 - 23
【Spiritual Talk】 Fr. Ho talks about the Fifth Commandment
The Fifth Commandment is "Thou shalt not kill": we must not needlessly cause or risk the harm or death of ourselves or other people, both physically and spiritually. When we cause another to commit a venial sin or a mortal sin, we cause them spiritual harm and death respectively. Oftentimes, we use people as tools for personal benefit instead of using tools to benefit people. We have no right to destroy human life, because God created us each with an eternal soul - we reflect the glory of God which gives us dignity no matter how weak we are. But when humans are extremely old or young, they are especially vulnerable to abuse - euthanasia in old age and abortion in young age. Western society is losing its respect for human life and becoming a culture of death, but pagan Mexico used to sacrifice humans to their gods and was eventually converted to Catholicism by Mary's apparition at Guadalupe as a pregnant woman.
Publish date: 2019 - 11 - 16
【Spiritual Talk】 Fr. Ho talks about the Fourth Commandment
The first Three Commandments concern loving God above all, while the Fourth through Tenth Commandments concern loving one's neighbours as oneself. The Fourth Commandment is "honour your father and mother" - we must love, respect, obey, and help our parents; we must avoid despising, disrespecting, disobeying, and not caring about them. Just as the Church calls us to respect other legitimate authorities placed over us, our parents are representatives of God in the family and He blesses us through them. There are some exceptions to this Commandment, such as when our parents ask us to commit a sin - in these cases, we must not obey for to do so would place them above God. We ought also to help our parents materially and spiritually, such as ensuring they receive the Sacraments before death and praying for them after they have died. Children have a special duty to obedience when they have not become adults yet. But as one becomes an adult, one takes up complete responsibility for their actions and is no longer bound to obey their parents but should still listen to their advice and respect them. Jesus too obeyed His parents for His first thirty years on earth, and then obeyed God the Father in His final three years.
Publish date: 2019 - 11 - 9
【Spiritual Talk】 Fr. Ho talks about the Third Commandment
The Third Commandment is to keep the Sabbath day holy. It calls us to attend Mass and avoid unnecessary work on Sunday in honour of the day Jesus rose from the dead and the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles during Pentecost. Fr. Chu once told a story during a homily, saying that someone gave a beggar six of the seven coins in their pocket. The beggar hit the person, stole the seventh coin, and left. Oftentimes, Fr. Chu explained, we are like the ungrateful beggar. God gave us six days to do our work but we often ignore Him and even that seventh day we steal from Him. If we do our work, studies, and chores for God, then we can temporarily pause them to focus on God on Sunday. If we cannot even let go of these duties temporarily, then we have placed them above God and made them into idols. In certain circumstances, if there is no priest nearby or if one cannot step away from caring for someone, for example, it is impossible to attend Mass on Sunday. In these cases, one must increase personal worship of God. We have four reasons to attend Mass: adoration, reparation, thanksgiving, and supplication. Sunday is a foretaste of Heaven, prevents us from being enamoured of the present life, and reminds us to place God first.
Publish date: 2019 - 11 - 2
【Spiritual Talk】 Fr. Ho talks about the Second Commandment
The Second Commandment is "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord your God in vain" - we can only use the name of God with veneration and good reason, not for cursing or making false oaths. Usually, using His name while swearing constitutes venial sin, but it can be a mortal sin if one blasphemes God. Likewise, it is venial sin to wish little misfortune on someone, but mortal sin to wish big misfortune. In certain circumstances, we must make oaths to affirm that we are speaking the truth, such as in court. To ensure we make good oaths, three conditions must be met: the oath must be necessary, one cannot lie during the oath, and one cannot make an oath to do evil. Oaths are our medicine for our lost trust in each other - they compensate for this defect in human nature and we only make them if necessary. Traditionally, making oaths unnecessarily is considered a venial sin but lying during an oath is a mortal sin. Vows are not merely promises to God, but constitute major duties to God, such as those professed by those in the religious life. Moreoever, because we must honour the name of God, we must also honour the names of His beloved saints. Neither is swearing acceptable, for just as we use the local language when travelling abroad, we must also use heavenly language if we wish to enter Heaven.
Publish date: 2019 - 10 - 26
【Spiritual Talk】 Fr. Ho talks about commandments
Among the Ten Commandments, the first three concern loving God and the last seven concern loving your neighbour. Some command us to do things; these are positive commandments. Others forbid us from doing things; these are negative commandments. Positive commandments are to be followed in certain circumstances, but negative commandments hold at all times and places. There are three levels to assessing morality: (1) the object, (2) the intention, and (3) the circumstances. Some actions are objectively wrong and we cannot justify them with an intention to do good. An evil intention can make a good action evil, but neither can a good intention make an evil action good. Circumstances can modify the morality of an action; for example, performing evil in front of others increases the harm. We should strive to do good actions with good intentions under good circumstances.
Publish date: 2019 - 9 - 21
Ask Fr. Francis – Commandments
Fr. Francis will address some questions around the commandments of the Church, and how we should understand these commandments. Fr Francis will also address the question about whether the Catholic church is committing the same problems as the Pharisees when formulating new laws and regulations.
Publish date: 2018 - 1 - 6
Is Jesus’ law of love a continuity or a discontinuity to the law of Moses?
Jesus' authority as the risen Christ underwrites the interpretation of the Law
Publish date: 2017 - 11 - 5
Have you chosen?
“If you choose, you can keep the commandments.” (First Reading, Sirach 15:15)
Publish date: 2017 - 2 - 12
Spiritual Talk – 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year B)
On the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year B), Fr. Anthony Ho explains to us Jesus' discourse on the meaning of God's commandments in the Gospel of Mark. He teaches us that merely abiding by the commandments is not enough, we must align our actions with our hearts, truly honouring God with both mind and action, in order to truly follow Him.
Publish date: 2015 - 8 - 29
Love of God Entails Love of Neighbor
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Love of God Entails Love of NeighborEdmond Lo The first reading of this Sunday is part of the so-called Book of Covenant (Ex 20:22-23:19), which contains a collection of mainly casuistic laws. These are secular laws that emerged from practice; they serve to build up a realistic social order in […]
Publish date: 2014 - 10 - 26
Denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees
天主吩咐過司祭和肋未人，人民十分之一的收成該獻於聖所，並歸於上主。法利塞人只關注這些事情，卻忽略了天主更重要的教導。他們嚴格仔細地計算穀物十分之一的奉獻，卻沒有在交易中履行正義、沒有憐憫窮人、沒有重視對上主的信德，這些其實都是更重要。忽略什一之物比忽略仁義的罪疚輕得多，所以主耶穌斥責他們：「瞎眼的嚮導！你們濾出蚊蚋，卻吞下了駱駝。」 可是避免有人聽見了以為可忽視什一之物的奉獻，耶穌補充說：「這些（公義、仁慈與信義）固然該作，那些（捐獻十分之一的薄荷、茴香和蒔蘿）也不可放過。」這些話表明天主的一切誡命，無論最大還是最小的，都該履行。這也提醒人不要以為捐獻了地上的產物就不會犯罪；其實除非他們小心讓自己遠離罪惡，否則他們的奉獻對他們毫無益處。 出於同樣的理由，耶穌責備法利塞人虛偽，對外面的人和在家顯露不同臉容。祂並不是指責他們洗擦杯盤的認真，而是他們表裡不一，因此耶穌形容他們「好像用石灰刷白的墳墓；外面看來倒華麗，裏面卻滿是死者的骨骸和各樣的污穢」。祂譴責人賣弄無謂的審慎，卻忽視執行有益的道德，因用的是杯盤的裡面，如果充滿罪污，清洗外面又有什麼好處呢？我們需要的是內心良知的純潔，那麼身體也就可能變得潔淨。 The Lord had commanded, that for the maintenance of the Priests and Levites, whose portion was the Lord, tithes of every thing should be offered in the temple. Accordingly, the Pharisees (to dismiss mystical expositions) concerned themselves about this alone, that these trifling things should be paid in, but overlooked other weightier […]
Publish date: 2013 - 8 - 27
The Greatest Commandment
Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” You shall love, not ‘fear,’ for to love is more than to fear; to fear belongs to slaves, to love to sons; fear is in compulsion, love in freedom. Whoever serves God in […]
Publish date: 2013 - 8 - 23
True Freedom
迦拉達書 5:1,13-18, 路加福音 9:51-62 「自由」二字很容易被用作放縱自己的藉口。我們也許會誤以為能隨心所欲，就是自由，但忘記了為所欲為是要承擔後果。 在樂園中，蛇哄騙女人說，吃知善惡樹上的果子決不會死。(創世紀 3:1-5) 這個魔鬼的詭計，結果令人類的祖先忘卻天主的勸誡，犯了原罪，也透露了人類在遵守天主誡命時的軟弱。「就只此一次吧！」「其實也沒甚麼大不了……」我們很容易給自己不同的理由去明知故犯，要付出代價時才後悔。 不明白的人，會覺得教會的規條是束縛，但真正的束縛，其實是罪。 耶穌對那些信他的猶太人說:「你們如果固守我的話，就確是我的門徒，也會認識真理，而真理必會使你們獲得自由。」聽見的人回答說:「我們是亞巴郎的後裔，從未給任何人做過奴隸；怎麼你說：你們要成為自由的呢？」耶穌答覆說:「我實實在在告訴你們: 凡是犯罪的，就是罪惡的奴隸。」(若望福音 8:31-34) 綑綁我們的罪，可以是外在的金錢、名利、物質或肉體上的享受，也可以是我們內在的邪念、慾望、仇恨，甚至憂慮，它的不同化身，令我們往往身陷其中而不自知，但聽守天主的聖言，能一步一步帶我們走出罪惡，認識真理，享受真正的自由。 聖保祿宗徒也為此忠告信徒：「你們蒙召選，是為得到自由；但不要以這自由，作為放縱肉慾的藉口，但要以愛德，彼此服事。」(迦拉達書 5:13) 為了愛天主，讓我們願意放下自我，接受祂的改造；為了愛近人，讓我們願意放下私心，不被邪惡的思想或行為支配，彼此包容服侍，以愛活出天主兒女的身份。 主耶穌，請讓我們懂得固守祢的話，甘心放下我們本性想追求的一切，為能認清真理，得到那真正的自由。亞孟。 Galatians 5.1, 13-18, Luke 9.51-62 ‘Freedom’ can easily become our excuse to self-indulge. We may think that doing what we want is freedom, but overlook the fact that what we do always comes with consequences. In the Garden […]
Publish date: 2013 - 6 - 30
Sermon on the Mount: Revenge
瑪竇福音 5:38-42 「以眼還眼，以牙還牙」這法律是為了壓止雙方的仇恨才頒佈的。當一個人想報復，他會否只滿足於把他所受的傷害還給對方？我們不是看見一些人受過一些微不足道的傷害，卻馬上策劃謀殺，對他的敵人做盡一切邪惡的事而仍然不能歇止他的盛怒嗎？面對這種殘酷而無法估量的怒氣，法律用「以眼還眼，以牙還牙」制定了一個界限；這就是說，一個人對另一個人造成了任何傷害，他就要受到同樣的對待。 留意耶穌沒有說「凡人向你索取你就把所有都給他」，祂是說「求你的，就給他」；你只需誠實地給他你所能給他的。若是有人索取金錢去壓迫無辜的人又怎樣呢？我們只需要在我們和他人都沒有受傷害的情形下給他所要求的。 有人也許會認為基督這個命令跟人民的公眾利益有所矛盾；他們說當敵人掠奪他的財產時，這樣做會令他們受苦。我們要明白基督的教導，要在我們的心預備好以後才能遵守。以仁慈待人，不以怨報怨，這些需要忍耐的訓誡，一定要靠我們的意志才能實行。 （本文以英文為準） Matthew 5:38-42 This law, ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth’ (lex talionis), was enacted to repress the flames of mutual hate, and to be a check on their undisciplined spirits. For who when he would take revenge, was ever content to return just so much harm as he had […]
Publish date: 2013 - 6 - 17
Sermon on the Mount: Oaths
Matthew 5:33-37 The Lord has taught to abstain from injuring our neighbor, forbidding anger with murder, lust with adultery, and the putting away a wife with a bill of divorce. He now proceeds to teach to abstain from injury to God, forbidding not only perjury as an evil in itself but even all oaths as […]
Publish date: 2013 - 6 - 15
Fulfilled, not kept
瑪竇福音 5:27-32 耶穌強調祂來世上，是為了滿全法律，我們要注意祂用的字眼：是滿全，而不僅只是遵守。滿全法律的是耶穌，當我們因天主的恩寵變得愈來愈俏似祂，祂就會在我們內做祂的工作，把法律活至圓滿。 耶穌說：「凡注視婦女，有意貪戀她的，他已在心裏姦淫了她。」耶穌教我們不單要避免在婚姻以外的性行為，也要戒絕所有對他人的淫穢思想。祂賜給我們的是一顆純潔的心和貞潔的思想。 耶穌說如果我們的眼睛或手使我們犯罪，砍下它來扔掉，為我們更好。在這個年代，我們把犯罪看得很輕，尤其是跟性有關的罪。耶穌用了誇張的方法，就是要警告我們，寧可失去肢體也不要犯罪！ 在耶穌的時代的以色列，只要男方依照規例，離婚是容許的。但耶穌說要滿全婚姻的法律，是要愛我們的配偶。當耶穌活在我們內，我們會愈來愈愛我們的配偶和孩子，根本不可能有離婚的念頭。 讓天主改造我們吧！有耶穌活在我們內，我們才可以渡真正的基督徒生活。 Matthew 5:27-32 Jesus emphasized that He came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfil it. He used the word “fulfil”, not “keep”. It is Jesus who fulfills the Law. And we, who are more and more in him, and He in us do what He does. Jesus […]
Publish date: 2013 - 6 - 14
Pope Francis: Ask for the grace to watch our words
教宗方濟各在週四早上的彌撒講道中求天主賜恩寵讓我們留意自己的言語，因為我們的軟弱使我們傾向侮辱、誹謗他人。 教宗的講道是關於耶穌在今天福音中跟門徒說的話：「除非你們的義德超過經師和法利塞人的義德，你們決進不了天國。」 教宗指出這教導緊接著真福八端，耶穌已保證祂來不是要廢除法律，而是要滿全它。教宗說基督要的是「有連貫性的改革」：「由播種到收成果實」。 教宗提醒，任何人渡基督徒生活都要面對更高的要求，而不是更大的優勢。他說耶穌提出的這些要求，特別關乎到弟兄之間關係的不和睦。如果我們的心對弟兄懷有不好的想法，當中一定有問題，我們一定要作出改變。教宗也指出「對弟兄的憤怒是一種侮辱，是近乎致命的，足以殺死他」。 教宗說：「我們不需要去見心理醫生也知道，貶低另一個人是出於我們自己無法成長，而要以輕視別人令自己覺得受重視。這種手法很醜陋。」教宗指我們所有人都走在同一條路上，直至終結。如果我們不視他人如手足，對侮辱人的和被侮辱的，都會有很壞的後果。「如果我們不好好控制舌頭，我們就是失敗。」「侵略的行為，就像加音對亞伯爾那樣，在歷史上不斷重複。」教宗認為這不是因為我們壞，而是因為我們是罪人，我們軟弱。因此採取比較「容易」的方法，用侮辱、誹謗去處理問題，而不用適當的手法解決。 教宗這樣總結：「我會祈求天主賜予我們恩寵，去看守我們的舌頭，去留意我們如何談論他人。這是一個小補贖，但會結很多果實。…我們向天主祈求這恩寵，去使我們的生活適應這新的法律，這溫良、愛與和平的法律，並至少稍為修整我們的舌頭，稍為修整我們對他人的評價以及情感上的衝動，使我們不致輕易發怒和侮辱別人。求天主賜我們這恩寵。」 May the Lord grant us the grace to watch our tongues and be careful of what we say of others, because through our weakness and sin, we often find it easier to insult and denigrate than say or do good. This was the lesson at the heart of Pope […]
Publish date: 2013 - 6 - 13
Pope Francis: True progress is in trusting the Spirit
（生命恩泉文摘編輯小組翻譯）教宗方濟各在週三早上的彌撒談及兩個極端令教會的進步受到威脅：害怕作任何改變令教會不能向前，或是一個傾向去接受現今文化作出的所有改變。 教宗的講道是關於今天福音中耶穌的話(瑪竇福音5:17)：「你們不要以為我來是廢除法律或先知」他說這篇章緊接著真福八端，表達出新的法律比梅瑟的法律有更高要求。教宗說這法律是「盟約的果實」，一定要透過這盟約才能理解。「這個盟約，這個法律是神聖的，因為它把人帶到天主那裡。」教宗方濟各把這法律的滿全比喻為一個花蕾成熟，開出美麗的花朵。耶穌表達了法律的滿全。 教宗也指出聖保祿兩次談及不要中斷歷史的法律和聖神的法律之間的連貫性。 「法律滿全的時刻，就是法律成熟到一個地步，成為聖神的法律…在法律邁向成熟的旅程中，我們需要宣講耶穌，這總是包含恐懼；恐懼聖神帶給我們的自由。聖神的法律使我們自由！這自由會令我們有點害怕，因為我們會把聖神的自由和人的自由混淆。」 教宗繼續說：「聖神的法律帶領我們走上一條不斷分辨天主旨意的道路，而這令我們害怕。」教宗提醒這恐懼會帶來兩個誘惑。第一是「走回頭路」，說「我們可以走到這一步，但不能超越這一步」，而最終變成「停在這裡吧」。他說這試探就是懼怕自由，懼怕聖神。一個基於害怕而決定「安全至上比較好」。 「這就是走回頭路的誘惑，因為往後走比較『安全』，但只有在聖神內才會有完全的保障，而祂會帶你向前，這要求我們有信德——如聖保祿所說，這是更高的要求，因為耶穌對我們說『即使天地過去了，一撇或一畫也決不會從法律上過去』，這是更高的要求！但這不會給我們人性的保障。我們不能操控聖神，而這就是問題所在！這是一個引誘！」 教宗指出還有另一個試探：那種「不成熟的進步主義」，妨礙我們前進。這引誘潛伏在文化之中，而我們沒有自我抽離。 「我們在這文化中提取一部份價值觀，這裡一些，那裡一些…他們想立這條法例嗎？好，就這樣立法吧。就把分界線放寬一點吧。而最後，讓我告訴你，這不是真正的進步。這是不成熟的進步主義，就像少年熱衷得到一切，而最後怎樣？你會出錯…就像在結冰的道路上行車，車會滑行越軌…這就是現時的另一個誘惑！我們在教會歷史的這一刻，我們不能走回頭路或越軌！」 教宗總結：在聖神內的自由才真正使我們自由，在這道路上我們不斷分辨天主的旨意，不向後走也不越軌。讓我們祈求耶穌給我們聖神的恩寵，使我們向前邁進。 資料來源 Source: True progress is in trusting the Spirit
Publish date: 2013 - 6 - 12
Grave sins, lesser sins
Matthew 5:17-19 Since all things that happened from the very beginning of the world to the end of it, were in type and figure foreshown in the Law, that God may not be thought to be ignorant of any of those things that take place, he therefore here declares, that heaven and earth should not […]
Publish date: 2013 - 6 - 12
Love God, love our neighbours
馬爾谷福音 12:28-34 在今天的福音中，一位經師問耶穌在一切誡命中，那一條是最大的。耶穌回答說：「「第一條是：『…你應當全心、全靈、全意、全力愛上主，你的天主。』第二條是：『你應當愛近人如你自己。』再沒有別的誡命比這兩條更大的了。」 當時的法利塞人會遵守律法上的條文，卻完全忽略了誡命的精神。耶穌說的這兩條誡命，第一條總括了十誡中的首三誡，其餘的七誡都包含在愛人如己之中。 法利塞人遵守律法，不是出於愛天主，而是自我吹捧。他們對律法的執著不但沒有令他們愛近人，更令他們輕視那些未達到他們的標準的人。 愛天主和愛人是有密切聯繫的。當我們以愛對待近人，我們就是透過愛他們而愛天主。我們因愛他人而做的一切，就成為了對天主的愛的表達方式。 Mark 12:28-34 In today’s gospel, one of the scribes asked Jesus “Which is the first of all the commandments?”. Jesus replied: “The first is this: … You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your […]
Publish date: 2013 - 6 - 6
