神父的話                

生活的聖言

將臨期的第二主日，不論是甲年，乙年或丙年的讀經，皆是有關洗者若翰出現在猶太曠野，宣講說：「你們悔改罷！因為天國臨近了。」由於我們的猶太兄弟姊妹，包括洗者若翰及聖瑪竇在內，都不能發出YHWH（主）的讀音，於是只好把「天主的王國」譯為「天國」。

當我們讀到這篇有關悔改的福音時，腦海聯想到什麼呢？我們人類不時作出錯誤的判斷及行為。當我們反省思察時，往往會作出更正和覺得後悔。然而，很多時候會因不能改正而感到沮喪。改不來的原因會否是因為我們背離了福音真正的信息呢？洗者若翰並非告訴我們悔改是為了使其他人更愛我們；或鄰居不會再打擾我們；或因為悔改後使我們能釋懷。真正的信息是：「你們悔改罷！因為天國臨近了。」

悔悟不是為了自身的利益。我們悔改是要把一切在心裡不聖潔的東西倒空，好使我們能迎接主到的來臨，並居住在我們心中。悔改的行為應出於喜悅和感恩之心。這可比喻說為我們的心不夠寬大，去容納所有的快樂；悔改卻能令我們的心膨脹起來，去接受這永恆的福樂！

聖言會阮德賢神父

The Living Word    

Every second Sunday of Advent, whether it is year A, B or C, our Gospel reading is always about John the Baptist appeared and preached in the desert of Judea saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" Since our Jewish brothers and sisters, including John the Baptist and Matthew, can not utter the word YHWH (GOD), therefore, kingdom of heaven is mentioned instead of 'the kingdom of God'.

When we hear the message of repent, what does come to mind? As human beings, we are never too far from making mistakes and taking the wrong courses of action. At the end of the day when we make self-examination of conscience, we can make many resolutions to change or/and to repent. Yet, often times it seems to be not working and it is frustrating. Could it be that our resolution to change and repent does not work because we have separated our resolution apart from the message of the Gospel, from the Kingdom of God? John the Baptist did not preach, Repent, so that people can love you, or your neighbors will not bother you, or even so that you might feel better. But rather, the message was "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!"

Repentance is not for self-interest reasons or for self-grandiosity. We repent by emptying everything unholy in our hearts so to make room to welcome God, who becomes flesh and wishes to dwell within us. We repent purely out of happiness and gratitude. It is like our hearts are so little to hold in all the joys, and repentance is the only means to expand our hearts bigger and bigger to receive this everlasting happiness.

Rev. Nick Hien Nguyen, SVD