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Fifth Sunday of Lent (Year B)

Reflection

The narrow and wide gates

Fifth Sunday of Lent (Year B)

Jeremiah 31:31-34

The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant, and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD. I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the LORD. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.

Hebrews 5:7-9

In the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

John 12:20-33

Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. “I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.

Paul Yeung

It is human nature to look for shortcuts, seeking for an easy path especially when we go throughsuffering. Yet, we all know that suffering and death are part of life, something we need to accept and embrace with love and courage, instead of to avoid with denial or fear. However, the trend of this world is to attempt to avoid suffering and pain at all cost, increasingly in the name of compassion.

As can be witnessed during natural disasters, compassionate love is often expressed and made complete through suffering. It brings out the noble face of humanity which is a reflection of God’s image. People in many countries are advocating for euthanasia in the name of compassion. But real compassion requires real companionship, like what Mother Mary did for Jesus during His Passion, sharing His suffering. They both know that there is a purpose for His Passion. And Jesus willingly goes through all sufferings and offers up His life to bring about salvation for all.

“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24)

Through His Passion, Jesus has shown us the way to follow God’s will and to embrace our own passion and that of our loved ones. Like the dying of the grain of wheat and the pruning of the branches which are necessary passages to new life, the afflictions we experience in this life are necessary passages to attain holiness, preparing ourselves for eternal life. The fruits will be plentiful as we die to ourselves through which we are sanctified and God glorified. Seeking shortcuts will not only strip away true human dignity and the expression of real compassionate love, but will also deprive ourselves and our loved ones of the opportunity to blossom and bear great fruits of life.

Paul Yeung

Executive Director of Fountain of Love and Life (FLL).

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乙年 四旬期第五主日

主日聖言及反省

窄門與寬門

乙年 四旬期第五主日

耶肋米亞先知書 31:31-34
看,日子將到——上主的斷語——我必要與以色列家和猶大家,訂立新約;不像昔日,我握住他們的手,引他們出離埃及時,與他們的祖先,所訂立的盟約。雖然,我是他們的夫君,但他們已自行破壞了我這盟約——上主的斷語。 在那些日子之後,我願與以色列家訂立盟約——上主的斷語——就是:我要將我的法律,放在他們的肺腑裡,寫在他們的心頭上;我要作他們的天主,他們要作我的人民。 那時,誰也不再教訓自己的近人或兄弟,說:「你們該認識上主,」因為不論大小,人人都必認識我——上主的斷語——因為我要寬恕他們的過犯,不再記憶他們的罪惡。
希伯來人書 5:7-9
當基督還在血肉之身時,以大聲哀號和眼淚,向那能救他脫離死亡的天主,獻上了祈禱和懇求;就因他的虔敬,而獲得了俯允。他雖然是天主子,卻由所受的苦難,學習了服從,且在達到完成之後,為一切服從他的人,成了永遠救恩的根源。
聖若望福音 12:20-33
那時候,在那些上來過節、崇拜天主的人當中,有些希臘人。他們來到加里肋亞貝特賽達人斐理伯前,請求他說:「先生!我們想拜見耶穌。」斐理伯就去告訴安德肋,然後,安德肋和斐理伯便來告訴耶穌。 耶穌開口向他們說:「人子要受光榮的時辰到了。我實實在在告訴你們:一粒麥子,如果不落在地裡死了,仍只是一粒;如果死了,才結出許多子粒來。愛惜自己性命的,必要喪失性命;在現世憎恨自己性命的,必要保存性命,進入永生。誰若事奉我,就當跟隨我;這樣,我在那裡,我的僕人也要在那裡;誰若事奉我,我父必要尊重他。 「現在我心神煩亂,我可說什麼呢?我說:父啊!救我脫離這時辰吧?但我正是為此,才到了這時辰。父啊!光榮你的名吧!」 當時有聲音來自天上:「我已光榮了我的名字,我還要再光榮它。」在場聽見的群眾,便說:「這是打雷。」另有人說:「是天使同他說話。」耶穌回答說:「這聲音不是為我而來,而是為你們。現在,就是這世界應受審判的時候,現在這世界的元首,就要被趕出去;至於我,當我從地上被舉起來時,便要吸引眾人來歸向我。」 他說這話,是表明他要以怎樣的死而死。

Paul Yeung


尋找捷徑是人的本性,尤其是當我們經歷痛苦的時候,往往期望尋找一條容易走的路。然而,我們應知道痛苦及死亡都是生命的一部份,是要我們以愛及勇氣去接納和擁抱,而非以否定及恐懼來逃避。可是,這個世界卻不惜以任何代價來逃避痛苦,並常以慈悲為名。

慈悲的愛常於苦痛中展露及成全,這尤其是於天然災難中能見證得到。它可帶出人性光輝的一面,展露天主的面容。現在很多國家以慈悲為理由提倡安樂死。但是真正的慈悲需要真正的同行,正如聖母陪伴耶穌走祂的苦路,分擔祂的苦痛。他們都知道耶穌受難是有其原因及目的。耶穌甘願地經歷所有苦難,犧牲祂的生命為我們所有人帶來救恩。

「一粒麥子如果不落在地裏死了,仍只是一粒;如果死了,才結出許多子粒來。」(若望福音12:24)

透過祂的苦難,主耶穌為我們展示了成行天主旨意和擁抱自己及他人的苦難之途徑。就於麥子透過死亡及枝條透過修剪才能帶來新生命一樣,我們現世所經歷的苦難是我們成聖和準備永生的必經途徑。若我們能死於自己,我們不但能結出成聖及其他纍纍的果實,更能藉以光榮天主。尋求捷徑不但奪去天主賜予人類真正的尊嚴及我們表達真摰慈悲愛情的機會,更同時剝奪了自己及他人結出生命豐盛果實的能力。

Paul Yeung

Executive Director of Fountain of Love and Life (FLL).
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乙年 四旬期第五主日

主日圣言及反省

窄门与宽门

乙年 四旬期第五主日

耶肋米亚先知书 31:31-34

看,日子将到——上主的断语——我必要与以色列家和犹大家,订立新约;不像昔日,我握住他们的手,引他们出离埃及时,与他们的祖先,所订立的盟约。虽然,我是他们的夫君,但他们已自行破坏了我这盟约——上主的断语。在那些日子之后,我愿与以色列家订立盟约——上主的断语——就是:我要将我的法律,放在他们的肺腑里,写在他们的心头上;我要作他们的天主,他们要作我的人民。那时,谁也不再教训自己的近人或兄弟,说:「你们该认识上主,」因为不论大小,人人都必认识我——上主的断语——因为我要宽恕他们的过犯,不再记忆他们的罪恶。

希伯来人书 5:7-9

当基督还在血肉之身时,以大声哀号和眼泪,向那能救他脱离死亡的天主,献上了祈祷和恳求;就因他的虔敬,而获得了俯允。他虽然是天主子,却由所受的苦难,学习了服从,且在达到完成之后,为一切服从他的人,成了永远救恩的根源。

圣若望福音 12:20-33

那时候,在那些上来过节、崇拜天主的人当中,有些希腊人。他们来到加里肋亚贝特赛达人斐理伯前,请求他说:「先生!我们想拜见耶稣。」斐理伯就去告诉安德肋,然后,安德肋和斐理伯便来告诉耶稣。耶稣开口向他们说:「人子要受光荣的时辰到了。我实实在在告诉你们:一粒麦子,如果不落在地里死了,仍只是一粒;如果死了,才结出许多子粒来。爱惜自己性命的,必要丧失性命;在现世憎恨自己性命的,必要保存性命,进入永生。谁若事奉我,就当跟随我;这样,我在那里,我的仆人也要在那里;谁若事奉我,我父必要尊重他。 「现在我心神烦乱,我可说什么呢?我说:父啊!救我脱离这时辰吧?但我正是为此,才到了这时辰。父啊!光荣你的名吧!」 当时有声音来自天上:「我已光荣了我的名字,我还要再光荣它。」在场听见的群众,便说:「这是打雷。」另有人说:「是天使同他说话。」耶稣回答说:「这声音不是为我而来,而是为你们。现在,就是这世界应受审判的时候,现在这世界的元首,就要被赶出去;至于我,当我从地上举起来时,便要吸引众人来归向我。」 他说这话,是表明他要以怎样的死而死。

Paul Yeung

寻找捷径是人的本性,尤其是当我们经历痛苦的​​时候,往往期望寻找一条容易走的路。然而,我们应知道痛苦及死亡都是生命的一部份,是要我们以爱及勇气去接纳和拥抱,而非以否定及恐惧来逃避。可是,这个世界却不惜以任何代价来逃避痛苦,并常以慈悲为名。

慈悲的爱常于苦痛中展露及成全,这尤其是于天然灾难中能见证得到。它可带出人性光辉的一面,展露天主的面容。现在很多国家以慈悲为理由提倡安乐死。但是真正的慈悲需要真正的同行,正如圣母陪伴耶稣走祂的苦路,分担祂的苦痛。他们都知道耶稣受难是有其原因及目的。耶稣甘愿地经历所有苦难,牺牲祂的生命为我们所有人带来救恩。

「一粒麦子如果不落在地里死了,仍只是一粒;如果死了,才结出许多子粒来。」(若望福音12:24)

透过祂的苦难,主耶稣为我们展示了成行天主旨意和拥抱自己及他人的苦难之途径。就于麦子透过死亡及枝条透过修剪才能带来新生命一样,我们现世所经历的苦难是我们成圣和准备永生的必经途径。若我们能死于自己,我们不但能结出成圣及其他累累的果实,更能借以光荣天主。寻求捷径不但夺去天主赐予人类真正的尊严及我们表达真摰慈悲爱情的机会,更同时剥夺了自己及他人结出生命丰盛果实的能力。

Paul Yeung

Executive Director of Fountain of Love and Life (FLL).

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