中華諸聖及真福（慶日）

今天，教會紀念中華諸聖和真福。讓我們重溫真福若望保祿二世於2000年10月1日宣佈一百二十位中華殉道先列為教會聖人的講道：

「上主的規誡能悅樂心情！」聖詠上的這句話正好說明奧斯定趙榮和他在中國殉道的一百一十九位同伴的經歷。在流傳下來的見證中，我們可以看到他們當時的心境，他們內心平安，充滿喜樂。

今天教會感謝天主，祂以這些中華兒女的聖德光輝祝福及照耀教會。大禧年不正是光榮他們傑出見證的適當時刻嗎？那十四歲的王亞納不怕逼她背教者威脅，伸著頭頸，容貌煥發地喊道：「天堂的門為大家打開了！」那十八歲的郗柱子，已被砍去了右手，正在繼續被斬時，毫無畏懼地呼喊：「每一塊肉，每一滴血，都告訴你們，我是教友。」

八十五位不同年紀、身份的中國男女，包括：神父、修道人和教友，他們也為同樣的信念和喜悅作了證，他們以獻出生命來肯定自己對基督和對教會永恆不變的忠貞。這些事蹟發生在幾個世紀之間和中國歷史上一個複習和艱困時代。現在舉行的禮儀不是為那些歷史階段作評斷的適當時刻，這樣的評斷可以、也應該在另一個場合進行。今天，教會舉行這個隆重的宣聖大典，目的只在承認那些殉道者的勇敢和言行一致是我們每個人的表率，這對高尚的中華民族是個榮耀。

在殉道者的行列中，也有三十三位男女傳教士。他們遠離自己的家鄉，設法生活在中國人的環境中，他們懷著愛心學習中國人的生活特性，只希望向中國人宣講基督，並為他們服務。他們的墳墓就在那裏，這幾乎意味著他們永遠屬於中國，他們固然有人性的不足，卻真正地熱愛這個國家，為這個國家耗盡一切力量。富格辣主教回答那位握著劍，準備殺他的總督說：「我並沒有害過無何人，卻為不少人謀過幸福。」

願聖母瑪利亞諸聖之后扶持所有基督徒和所有馴服於聖神的人，令基督的光傳遍世界的每個角落。

資料來源：
宣聖禮儀圖片及教宗講道撮要

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of Chinese martyrs. Let us revisit the words of Blessed John Paul II when he canonized the martyrs on October 1, 2000:

"The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart" (Responsorial Psalm). These words of the Responsorial Psalm clearly reflect the experience of Augustine Zhao Rong and his 119 companions, martyrs in China. The testimonies which have come down to us allow us to glimpse in them a state of mind marked by deep serenity and joy.

Today the Church is grateful to her Lord, who blesses her and bathes her in light with the radiant holiness of these sons and daughters of China. Is not the Holy Year the most appropriate moment to make their heroic witness shine resplendently? Young Ann Wang, a 14-year-old, withstood the threats of the torturers who invited her to apostatize. Ready for her beheading, she declared with a radiant face: "The door of heaven is open to all", three times murmuring: "Jesus". And 18-year-old Chi Zhuzi, cried out fearlessly to those who had just cut off his right arm and were preparing to flay him alive: "Every piece of my flesh, every drop of my blood will tell you that I am Christian".

The other 85 Chinese men and women of every age and state, priests, religious and lay people, showed the same conviction and joy, sealing their unfailing fidelity to Christ and the Church with the gift of their lives. This occurred over the course of several centuries and in a complex and difficult era of China's history. Today's celebration is not the appropriate time to pass judgement on those historical periods: this can and should be done elsewhere. Today, with this solemn proclamation of holiness, the Church intends merely to recognize that those martyrs are an example of courage and consistency to us all, and that they honour the noble Chinese people.

Resplendent in this host of martyrs are also the 33 missionaries who left their land and sought to immerse themselves in the Chinese world, lovingly assimilating its features in the desire to proclaim Christ and to serve those people. Their tombs are there as if to signify their definitive belonging to China, which they deeply loved, although with their human limitations, and for which they spent all their energies. "We never wronged anyone", Bishop Francis Fogolla replied to the governor who was preparing to strike him with his sword. "On the contrary, we have done good to many".

May Mary, Queen of All Saints, support the steps of Christians and of all who are docile to the Spirit of God, so that the light of Christ the Saviour will spread to every part of the world.

References:
Cappella Papale for the canonization of 123 new saints, Homily of John Paul II