你是否有味的鹽及世界的光?

by Paul Yeung
2014-02-09

常年期第五主日


依撒意亞先知書 58:6-10


上主這樣說:「我所中意的齋戒,豈不是要人解除不義的鎖鏈,廢除軛上的繩索,使受壓迫者獲得自由;折斷所有的軛嗎?豈不是要人將食糧分給飢餓的人;收容無地容身的窮人,到自己的屋裡;見到赤身露體的人,給他衣服;不要避開你的骨肉嗎?

「如果這樣,你將光芒四射,有如黎明;你的傷口將會迅速復原;你的救援要走在你前面。上主的光榮要作你的後盾。

「那時,你如呼喊,上主必要俯允;你若哀求,他必回答:『我在這裡!』

「你如果從你當中消除欺壓,及指手畫腳的行為和虛偽的言談;你如果把你的食糧,施捨給飢餓的人,滿足貧窮者的心靈;那麼,你的光明要在黑暗中升起,你的黑夜將成為白晝。」

保祿宗徒致格林多人前書 2:1-5


弟兄姊妹們:

就是我從前到你們那裡時,也沒有用高超的言論或智慧,給你們宣講天主的奧義,因為我曾決定,在你們當中,不用知道別的,只知道耶穌基督,就是那被釘在十字架上的耶穌基督。

而且,當我到你們那裡的時候,又軟弱,又恐懼,又戰兢不安;並且我的言論和我的宣講,並不在於智慧動聽的言詞,而是在於聖神和他德能的表現,為使你們的信德,不是憑人的智慧,而是憑天主的德能。

瑪竇福音 5:13-16


那時候,耶穌對門徒說:

「你們是地上的鹽,鹽若失了味,可用什麼使它再鹹呢?它再毫無用途,只好拋在外邊,任人踐踏罷了。

「你們是世界的光;建在山上的城,是不能隱藏的。人點燈,並不是放在斗底下,而是放在燈台上,照耀屋中所有的人。

「照樣,你們的光,也當在人前照耀,好使他們看見你們的善行,光榮你們在天之父。」

Rassemblement européen de Taizé 2013 à Rome

Rassemblement européen de Taizé 2013 à Rome
© Catho Bordeaux, Eglise Catholique en Gironde

我們都被召叫成為地鹽世光,這是每個基督徒活在世上不可推卸的使命。

我們不是為自己而活,而是為他人而活。當我們成為世界的光,我們把天主的臨在帶給其他人,讓他們走近基督,這不是靠我們自己的光,而是反映在我們身上那基督的真光。我們要為世界「調味」,不是靠我們的智慧,而是天主的智慧,為延續基督在二千多年前為我們犧牲在十字架上的愛。

但我們如何實行這個使命?透過我們的愛德行動!我們要成為有形的標記,讓世界感受到天主對人的愛與關懷及祂的臨在! 我們更應特別以愛德,幇助那些被剝奪權利及不能自我保護的弱勢社群。

這就是我們如何活出真正基督宗徒的精神。當我們燃亮自己,我們才可燃亮他人,將黑暗變成光明,乏味的變成味道豐富。讓我們先感謝天主賜給我們的神恩及才能,做善行而不領功,不驕傲。那麼,我們的光便能為彰顯天主的光榮而照耀。
聖經不斷提示這個信息,就是如果我們不善用天主無條件賜給我們的禮物,祂便會把這些禮物取去,賜給會善用它們的人。(參考:瑪 5:13-16, 瑪 25:14-30, 瑪 25:29, 1 格前 4:2, 1 伯前 4:10-11)

讓我們做有味的鹽及世界的光吧!大家彼此活出基督的精神!

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time


Isaiah 58:7-10


Thus says the LORD:

Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own.

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!

If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5


When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of Spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Matthew 5:13-16


Jesus said to his disciples:

“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?

It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

You are the light of the world.

A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.

Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.

Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

We are all called to be salt of the earth and light of the world. This is the undeniable mission of every Christian on earth.

We do not live for ourselves but for others. By being the light of the world, we bring God's presence to others, drawing them to Christ, not by our own light, but as a reflector of His true light. We need to season the earth, not with human wisdom, but with God's wisdom. We also need to preserve Christ's love for the world, even though His death on the Cross was some 2000 years ago.

But how do we do it? By our actions of love! By living as a visible sign for the world to feel God's love, care, and presence. This love has to be directed especially to those who are deprived, the less privileged, the voiceless!

This is how we live out our lives as true disciples of Christ. As we light up ourselves, we also light up others, turning them from darkness to light, from tasteless to tasty. By first giving thanks to God for our gifts and talents, and then doing good works without taking the credit or being arrogant, our light will shine, all for the greater glory of God.

This message is consistent throughout the Bible - if the gifts given freely to us by God are not used, they will be taken away and given to those who treasure and make good use of them. (Ref: Matthew 5:13-16, 25:14-30, 25:29, 1 Corinthians 4:2, 1 Peter 4:10-11)

Be salty and bright! Be Christ for one another!

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