在我的神职生涯里我主持过不少葬礼仪式。在一些葬礼中，有时亡者的家属甚至是一些亲朋戚友会在葬礼弥撒结束后说几句话。通常他们会正面陈述亡者在生前已经完成了某些事情，或是过得很精彩等等的话。虽然这些都是友善的肺腑之言，但有时想知道当那个时刻到来时，什么样的词语是我希望被别人记住的？别人又怎样看待我？
在今天的福音中，我们看见了许多赞美与爱戴达味的好词。这样赞美的话仿佛是歌颂对于达味崇高的敬意与悼念达味的荣誉。尽管达味曾犯了通奸和谋杀乌黎亚并试图掩饰的罪行，但达味最后还是寻求天主的帮助与宽恕，以谦卑的心懊悔以及悔改，让他更为崇高。另一方面，我们看到了黑落帝王在福音中被描绘为一个软弱、自私与骄傲的国王。他还被骗将洗者若翰砍首只为“赏赐”黑落狄雅的女儿为他献舞。
达味王死后遗留下许多人们对他的赞美而黑落帝王因骄傲与不去反省让他留下世人对他的轻蔑和嘲笑。我们会不会像达味一样被人们怀念以及赞美？还是我们会像黑落帝王最终的那样？
我们中的大多数人会在生活中的一段时间内，从一个点飞行到另一个点。我们中有些人可能会搭飞机去度假、工作、读书或拜访亲友。无论我们因什么原因飞行，都会有一定的局限性，好让飞行安全，免于延迟或危险的状况 。例如：我们众所周知的液体不能带入机舱， 在行李寄舱时，必须存储在合适的瓶子或容器中，不只如此，还有一个限制：可检入的液体容量（通常约100ml）。甚至行李寄舱也有重量限制。例如：经济舱通常是20公斤。我们中有些人可能会认为20公斤好像可存放很多，但当我们收完行李时，就会发现很容易超重。
在今天的福音中，耶稣也限制了门徒们在实行使命中所能带的“重量”。为什么耶稣设置这样的限制？有人会说：耶稣这样做，好让祂的门徒们不会有太多的事物阻碍。更深的含义：耶稣其实在教导他的门徒们，当然也包括我们，身为门徒，有天主的恩典就足够了。其他我们想要或需要的都不重要，在时机成熟时，必会赐予我们。我们是否愿意摆脱我们常依赖的事物，知道祂会给予我们，进而仰赖天主的恩典？
Some of us seem to like comparing one person or thing to another. For example, we may have been compared to a classmate or school mate who seemed smarter than we are; or we have been compared to another person who is more athletic than us; or we have compared one item to another. Even in church, we sometimes hear of comparisons: a parish priest being compared to the previous one; or a leader of a parish ministry compared to the previous one; or even one church compared to another. But as Christians, what sort of attitude should we have towards comparison? Should we compare in the first place?
In today’s reading, St. Paul admonishes us: “After all, what is Apollos and what is Paul? They are servants who brought the faith to you. Even the different ways in which they brought it were assigned to them by the Lord. I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God made things grow. Neither the planter nor the waterer matters: only God, who makes things grow. It is all one who does the planting and who does the watering, and each will duly be paid according to his share in the work. We are fellow workers with God; you are God’s farm, God’s building.” The reading reminds us that we should not be comparing one person or thing to another, since ultimately, we are serving God, not to boost our ego or to serve ourselves. Each of us have got our own task and our own talents and gifts, so we should use such talents and gifts not to show how great we are, but to glorify God. May we stop all these comparisons, which can create jealousy, enmity and resentment, and instead devote ourselves to serving God and serving others.
Life on this earth is a journey, and throughout this journey, we need to make choices. Sometimes the choices we make are spiritual, sometimes worldly. But whatever choice we make, we need to be prepared for the outcome, which could be good or bad. Some people choose to focus on only worldly matters, and limit or even totally ignore spiritual matters. Others choose to focus on spiritual matters, while not forgetting worldly matters, since we still need to live and survive. What about you? Are you only interested in worldly matters? Or have you made effort to grow spiritually and grow closer to God?
In today’s reading, St. Paul reminds us that “An unspiritual person is one who does not accept anything of the Spirit of God: he sees it all as nonsense; it is beyond his understanding because it can only be understood by means of the Spirit. A spiritual man, on the other hand, is able to judge the value of everything, and his own value is not to be judged by other men.” At the end of the day, everything of this world is only temporary. Everything that the world has to offer won’t last, and we too won’t live forever. It is up to us to decide whether we want to risk our eternal future or make necessary effort and preparations while we still have opportunities to do so.
我们时常会因为做了一些了不起或困难的事认为一切都是靠自己的努力或才能。当中不少人自我膨胀接着就骄傲了起来。事实上我们经常都会让名利或才能左右我们，但是这样的成功与才能真的只是通过自己的努力吗？而我们又是否能在每一次的情况下仅通过自己的努力，成功的让所有事情迎刃而解？
在今天的福音中，达味在天主的帮助下把周围所有的敌人都制服了成了以色列君王当时最大的势力帝国。这一切的名利让达味冲昏了头，认为一切都是自己的功劳，以色列人民的努力。达味并没有意识到一切都是天主所赐，自大的他下令要统计人口，显然他想知道他的军队的力量以彰显他的大能以及他的王国有多辉煌。最后，他骄傲的行为得罪了天主让他及以色列人遭到了天主的惩罚。
每一天结束后要谨记我们一切所得的成就与成功都是在上主的帮助下完成的。我们一切的能力或天赋都是靠天主的恩宠，所以我们必须时刻赞美天主而不是仅仅为自我满足或自我感觉良好。让我们在天主下保持谦卑，并要感谢主，一切荣耀永归于天主。
We sometimes come across people who call themselves experts in a particular subject or a particular field of study. Such persons may claim to know a lot about the subject or field of study, but as we know, many subjects or fields of study evolve or change over time. Nothing is permanent and nothing remains the same, since what we know yesterday, may become old news, or obsolete, or no longer relevant today or tomorrow.
In today’s reading, we are reminded of an expert whose wisdom goes beyond any wisdom of man. The reading tells us: “As scripture says: I shall destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing all the learning of the learned. Where are the philosophers now? Where are the scribes? Where are any of our thinkers today? Do you see now how God has shown up the foolishness of human wisdom? …For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” Since God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, let us not become so proud, arrogant or conceited about wisdom found here on earth. Instead, let us remain humble and do our part in remaining in right relationship with God, and submit to His wisdom, since His wisdom is ageless and limitless.
In everything that we do, there needs to be some sort of preparation. For example, if we want to do well in an examination, we would need to study smart and get sufficient rest, so that we would be prepared and remain alert while attempting the examination. If we want to remain healthy, we would need to ensure we have healthy food, live a healthy lifestyle, exercise and go for regular medical checkups to detect any potential illnesses eatly. The same goes for our soul: if we want to keep our soul clean, we need to be regular in going for confession and doing penance. We do all these things because we do not know what is going to happen in the future, so we need to be well prepared.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus warns us “Stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming… You too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”Jesus is not asking us to be extremists and focus only in our spiritual life, but also to take care of our lives too. There is a time and place for everything, and if we remain alert and vigilant, then there is no need to worry, since we are making efforts to stand ready. May we not be caught off-guard, but remain prepared to be with the Lord.
Every once in a while, we come across people who try to scare others into believing that the world is going to end. They then try to cajole such persons into parting with their wealth, supposingly in preparation for the end of days. But if the end of days is really coming, why would anyone need wealth? Surely such wealth would not mean anything to anyone anymore, since the world would likely be destroyed and we would cease to exist as humans, and end up where we have chosen to be for all eternity. Such persons claiming such things are merely trying to cheat others of their wealth, and once they have gotten the loot, they would make a run for it.
In today’s reading, St Paul reminds us: “To turn, brothers, to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we shall all be gathered round him: please do not get excited too soon or alarmed by any prediction or rumour or any letter claiming to come from us, implying that the Day of the Lord has already arrived. Never let anyone deceive you in this way.” Instead of worrying too much about the end of the world, perhaps we should make more effort in remaining in good relationship with God. When we are in good relationship with God, then there is no reason to fret or fear, since God will be our help and guide.
我们许多人花了很多时间等待。我们等待宝宝出生，等待我们的孩子长大，甚至独立，我们等待我们的退休，我们还必须等待迟到的人，我们等待公车或火车等等。很多时候，无论我们正在等待什么，迟早会显示出来 。
在今天的福音中，我们看到西默盎和亚纳在等待，他们已经等了很久，最后他们的愿望被实践。当玛丽亚和若瑟献耶稣于圣殿，应验了天主将带来救世主的承诺。天主的救恩已来到，祂的子民带着祝福的蜡烛和灯光游行，象征着救赎的光已经在教会和世界闪耀。救赎之光已经照耀着我们，但我们仍然等待。我们正等待我们能与主永远同在的那一天。
直到我们最终能再与主同在，让我们像玛丽亚和若瑟，西默盎和亚纳，在祈祷中继续等待天主，并做好准备，回应祂的旨意。
What do you do when you are really down in the doldrums, when you feel as if there is no hope, when things look bleak and there does not seem to be any way out, when there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel? Would you give up and think that all is lost? Would you despair and go into severe depression, or even end it all? Or would you still trust in God, knowing that no matter how bad things may seem, He will help us out in His time?
In today’s reading, we see how God is about to rescue the Israelites and give them life again: “Then he said, ‘Son of man, these bones are the whole House of Israel. They keep saying, “Our bones are dried up, our hope has gone; we are as good as dead.” So prophesy. Say to them, “The Lord says this: I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. And I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live, and I shall resettle you on your own soil; and you will know that I, the Lord, have said and done this – it is the Lord who speaks.”” This reading shows us that God is not going to abandon us, no matter how bad or hopeless the situation may seem. Are we patient and humble enough to wait for God to save us? Would we be discerning enough to recognise when He comes to deliver us?
