Day 21 – Children of the Light
Cantonese
Mandarin
English
"The journey home" is a rugged path filled with obstacles because Satan does not want us to return home to the Father. In fact, our earthly pilgrimage is our journey back to the Father's House.
We cannot be followers of the sons of darkness! We must renounce the devil and its lies, and refuse to let it have dominion over us. The only way to escape the snares of the devil is to run to Jesus to become "children of the light".
"For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober."
Forces of darkness fail to survive in the light, so do our addictions and other secret business. We need to cultivate good habits in a community environment and refuse to nurture bad habits alone in the dark. It is important to know that "community" plays a crucial role in our earthly pilgrimage, that is our journey back to the Father's House.
"And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God."
REFLECTION
Do you act like a lone wolf, that is, do you enjoy doing your own thing without worrying about others' opinions? Or are you willing to be nurtured in a community environment?
Are you determined to choose light over darkness and be "children of the light"?
TODAY'S PRAYER
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
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親愛的阿爸父：原來祢要求我作光明之子，在光明中行走。但過去的我卻糊塗地活於黑暗之中，不自覺地被魔鬼愚弄，養成種種惡習。求祢寬恕我，並以祢的寶血潔淨我。讓我重新振作起來，時常醒寤清醒，永遠活於祢的愛內，生活於光明之中。
以上所求，是靠我們的主耶穌基督。亞孟！
親愛的阿爸父，我願意棄暗投明跟隨你做光明之子。求祢賜予我醒悟的心，反省過錯，悔改更新。以聖事的恩寵抗拒魔鬼的誘惑。求聖神的淨化和光照，指引生活。亞孟。
我的嘴巴說要做光明之子，但是行為卻是黑暗之子。
每天早上起床都向天主許下要做光明之子，但是一天下來到了晚上卻發現自己變成了黑暗之子。因為魔鬼很會化妝，他畫妝成許多美麗的事物來引誘我們，我們不知不覺的就跟隨他走向了黑暗。
人生是一場屬靈戰爭，我們每一天都在戰鬥，若要獲得勝利就必須要時時警醒，不能有一分一秒的疏乎懈怠。
聖母媽媽，求妳保護我，常常保持警醒，不要陷入誘惑。阿門
俗語有云：一念之差，很容易誤入歧途。的確，在現今世代的生活中，「光明」與「黑暗」，給人不斷的拉扯。
在一次靈修培育講座中，神父告訴參加者，天主創造人原是善的，可是因着原祖犯了罪後，人便會出現「陰暗面」，且隨着年齡的增長，和人生經驗越來越複雜，漸漸地使人不經意地被這陰暗境況所籠罩，若人未能及時察覺，就會習以為常，成為了惡習。久而久之，魔鬼便佔據了人的內心，使人不能自拔。
因此，要活在光明，首要條件是敢於面對自己的陰暗面，尤其內心的黑暗，它是會潛藏在人的心底裏，有時會包裝得十分美麗，令人誤以為是正確的，不容易被發現。所以，應常醒寤，應保持內心的省察。聖依納爵神操的操練，正好是幫助我們學習辨別神類——「善神」和「惡神」，「神枯」與「神慰」。這樣，當這靈修經驗日積月累後，走向光明之路就會較能掌握。
主，請幫助我們明辨光明與黑暗，並使我們在生活中，勇於拒絕黑暗，走向光明。
我祈求天主賜給我決心棄暗投明，時時醒悟，成為光明之子！求主府聽我的祈禱??
I have always wanted to be children of the Light, but due to my own weaknesses, I do often choose to remain in darkness ~ my comfort zone, doing the least but reaping the most. On the one hand I know the importance of a community, but I get frustrated easily with the conflicts among its members, though knowing that there ought to be hurdles on our way back Home. I hate to be a liar, but I do have many addictions which hinder my progress on my journey Home. Do help me Lord!
轉發第21天心得：
今天我特別去體會小兒子回家的艱難歷程。他沒有錢，沒有吃的，也沒有遮風擋雨的住處，當初離家有多狠，走得多遠，現在回去就有多辛苦。的確，靠他自己沒有辦法抵達目的地。他需要協助，有人陪他一程，給他指路；有人施捨吃的，提供他短暫歇腳的地方；有人安慰他，給他包紮傷口…即使到了家，別人怎麼看他的眼光，他一定也很在意。我也有如他一般迷途的時候，也會感受孤寂痛苦，多麼慶倖有朋友和家人的一路扶持！感恩的同時，也發現自己也有過一種莫名的優越感而輕忽過身邊冷淡或很久不進堂的弟兄姐妹，現在想來是如此自私和高傲。我們都是亞巴郎的子孫，同樣的血脈和身份，最後的要成為最先的！
在疫情下，沒有公開彌撒，沒有堂區活動，更加令我感受到團體對培養及鞏固信德的重要性，幸好我們還能以文字互相溝通，互相扶持。
主耶穌基督是光明之子，只要跟隨他，與他同行，便會遠離黑暗。主，求你扶持，求你指引，帶領我奔向光明的道路。
谢谢。魔鬼太精明了。耶稣，请帮助我们。
I determine to choose light over darkness and be the “children of light” and involve in the functions in the Church.