Posted 2 月 2, 2014 by FLL Editorial Team in
 
 

獻主耶穌於聖殿

獻主節（慶日）

瑪拉基亞先知書 3:1-4

上主天主說：「我要派遣我的使者，在我前面預備道路。你們所尋求的上主，必要忽然進入他的殿內。你們所期望的盟約使者！看！他來了——萬軍的上主說。

「但是，他來臨之日，有誰能支持得住？他顯現時，有誰能站立得住？因為他像煉金者用的爐火，又像漂布者用的滷汁。他必要坐下，像個溶化和煉淨白銀的人，煉淨肋未的子孫，精煉他們，像精煉金銀一樣，使他們能懷著虔誠，向上主奉獻祭品。那時，猶大和耶路撒冷所獻的祭品，必能悅樂上主，有如昔日和往年。」

致希伯來人書 2:14-18

孩子既然都有同樣的血肉，基督也取了同樣的血肉，為能藉著死亡，毀滅那握有死亡的權勢者——魔鬼，並解救那些因死亡的恐怖，一生當奴隸的人。其實，他沒有援助天使，而援助了亞巴郎的後裔。因此，他應當在各方面相似弟兄們，好能在關於天主的事上，成為一位仁慈和忠信的大司祭，以補贖人民的罪惡。他既然親自經過試探，受了苦，也必能扶助那受試探的人。

路加福音 2:22-32

按梅瑟的法律，一滿了他們取潔的日期，耶穌的父母——若瑟和瑪利亞，便帶著孩子上耶路撒冷，去獻給上主，就如上主法律所吩咐的：「凡開胎首生的男性，應祝聖於上主。」並該照上主法律所吩咐的，獻上祭品：一對斑鳩或兩隻雛鴿。

那時，在耶路撒冷有一個人，名叫西默盎。這人正義虔誠，期待著以色列的安慰，而且聖神也在他身上。他曾蒙聖神啟示：自己在未看見上主的受傅者以前，決見不到死亡。西默盎因聖神感動，進入聖殿；那時，抱著嬰孩耶穌的父母正進來，要按照法律的慣例，為耶穌行禮。西默盎就雙臂接過耶穌，讚美天主說：「主啊！現在可照你的話，放你的僕人平安去吧！因為我親眼看見了，你在萬民前準備好的救援：為作啟示異邦的光明，你百姓以色列的榮耀。」

© Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P.

Simeon beholds his Salvation
© Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P.

這主日是聖誕節後第四十日，被教會定為「獻主節」。按照舊約法律的規定，每個首生的男嬰，都屬於天主，但父母能透過祭獻把兒子贖回(戶18:15)。同時，婦女分娩後滿了取潔的日期，也應到會幕門前，奉獻規定的祭禮(肋12:2-8)，所以在梵二前這慶節也被稱為「聖母取潔節」。

事實上，耶穌就是聖殿的主，正如瑪拉基亞先知書預言：「你們所尋求的上主，必要忽然進入他的殿內。」(拉3:1)所以祂的來臨，是為與願意相信祂的人相遇；若瑟在聖殿把祂祝聖於上主，也不過是為滿全梅瑟的法律。

西默盎因聖神的感動和啟示，進了聖殿後認出救主耶穌，並讚美祂為「啟示異邦的光明，百姓以色列的榮耀」(路2:32)。這啟示在眾人前肯定了祂尊貴的身份，也在提醒我們，這萬邦的光明已臨到我們中間；雖然祂沒有罪，卻願意成為我們中的一位，經歷羞辱、痛苦和死亡。如希伯來書中形容，祂是個「仁慈和忠信的大司祭」(希2:17)；透過親自經歷這些苦痛和試探，祂必能扶助同樣受試探的人。

在這獻主節，讓我們重溫主耶穌基督降生成人的奧秘，以及祂對我們的愛。讓我們全心相信這個因著愛而成為有血有肉的人的天主子，願意跟我們分享祂的天主性，並助我們戰勝誘惑和罪惡，一同邁進天主永生的王國。

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Malachi 3:1-4

Thus says the Lord God: Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; and suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek, and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the Lord. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord, as in the days of old, as in years gone by.

Hebrews 2:14-18

Since the children share in blood and flesh, Jesus likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the Devil, and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life. Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

Luke 2:22-32

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

This Sunday is forty days after Christmas, and is celebrated as the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. According to the Jewish Law, every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord, and redeemed through an offering at the temple (Numbers 18:15). Also, women who gave birth shall wait until the days of her purification to be fulfilled, and then give a purification offering to the priest (Leviticus 12:2-8), hence this feast used to be called the Purification of Our Lady.

Though Jesus was presented at the temple like every other Jewish firstborn male as in the Law of Moses, He is actually Lord of the temple, as it was prophesied: “The lord whom you seek will come suddenly to his temple; the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.” (Malachi 3:1) Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Simeon confirmed Jesus’ identity as God’s anointed one, describing Him as “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for [His] people Israel,” (Luke 2:32) when he met baby Jesus in the temple.

May we also recognize Jesus as this “light” that reveals to us the path to salvation, and remember that Jesus, being “a merciful and faithful high priest before God” (Hebrew 2:17), is willing to become one of us, whom though without sin, has gone through trials, sufferings and death, so that He can in turn help those who are in trials and sufferings, and save those who believe in Him. May we be once again touched by His love and mercy, and grow in faith that He will guide us on to the path of holiness, and help us conquer temptations and sins, so we can together enter into the everlasting kingdom of the Lord.

參考 References:
4th Sunday: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord -2 February, 2014 (Vatican Radio website)
每日讀經 – 2月2日 獻耶穌於聖殿
Presentation of the Lord (Feast) – Living Space
天主教香港教區教理中心「主日教理」- 獻主節


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