瑪爾大的信德

若望福音　11:19-27
(關於路加福音 10:38-42，請看 瑪爾大與瑪利亞 )

這篇福音，是在耶穌令拉匝祿死而復活的事件中，瑪爾大和耶穌之間的對話。當時拉匝祿已經死了四天，他的姊妹瑪爾大來迎接耶穌。他們好幾天前已派人告訴祂拉匝祿病了，可是祂現在才來到。雖然瑪爾大有點埋怨祂來遲了，但她的話顯示她對耶穌懷有很大的信德。她相信耶穌本來可以醫治拉匝祿的病；即使現在死了，天主仍會俯聽耶穌的祈求。

當耶穌對她說：「你的兄弟必定要復活。」瑪爾大的回應是她相信在世界末日時，所有亡者都會復活。可是耶穌指的是他現時便會復活，藉此給予重大的啟示：「我是復活，我是生命；信從我的，既使死了，仍要活著；凡活著而信從我的人，必永遠不死。」

耶穌能醫好病者，也能讓我們藉著祂而得到永生，這兩個道理不難明白，但何以祂說凡活著而信從祂的人，必永遠不死？其實耶穌的意思是，雖然我們肉身必定經歷死亡，但相信並遵從祂的話的人，會藉著祂的救贖而進入永恆的生命。這和祂另一場合的教導，是吻合的，因祂說過：「誰如果遵行我的話, 永遠見不到死亡。」(若8:51)

天主有時會透過我們的危難，讓更多人看見祂的光榮，歸向祂，正如祂讓拉匝祿先死，而後復活。如瑪爾大一樣，我們該相信，祂愛我們每一位，並終究會拯救我們。如果你在困境中已經等了很久，差點陷入絕望時，主問你：「你信麼？」你要怎樣答？

「主，我信你是默西亞，天主子，要來到世界上的那一位。」亞孟。

John 11:19-27
(Please read Martha and Mary regarding Luke 10:38-42)

Today's gospel is the dialogue between Martha and Jesus when Jesus arrived after Lazarus has been dead for four days. Martha, Lazarus' sister, came to meet Jesus, and though a bit disappointed He didn't arrive in time, she was still hopeful, because she believed anything He asked of God, God will give Him.

When Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” She didn't disagree because she believed they will all resurrect in the last day. However Jesus meant Lazarus will rise immediately, and revealed a very important truth about Him: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

It is easy to understand that Jesus can heal the sick and those who believed in Him will have everlasting life, but what does he mean by “anyone who lives and believes in me will never die”? Though our body will perish, if we believe in Jesus and follow His way, we will enter an everlasting life, which is consistent with what He said earlier, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” (John 8:51)

Sometimes through our sufferings, God reveals His glory and attracts more people to Him. In Lazarus' example, it “is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Similar to Martha, we shall always trust in Him even at our hardest times, because God loves us. If Jesus asks you, “Do you believe this?” What will you answer?

“Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” Amen.