主日讀經反思　Sunday Scripture Meditation　(16/5/2010)

本主日讀經︰
宗徒大事錄　1:1-11
聖詠　47[46]:2-3,6-7,8-9
希伯來書　9:24-28; 10:19-23
路加福音　24:46-53

默想︰

耶穌在復活後第四十日升天。按羅馬教會通用禮儀日曆，耶穌升天節是在復活節後第四十天（星期四）慶祝的。很多傳教區（包括香港），為了牧民理由，往往把它延遲至復活期第七主日才慶祝。無論在路加福音或宗徒大事錄裏，聖史路加都記載耶穌已經肉身升天了；另一方面，聖史瑪竇不但沒有提及耶穌升天的事蹟，反而在福音結束時強調耶穌天天和我們在一起（瑪28：20）。這兩本福音的記載，不但沒有矛盾和衝突，反互相闡釋。的確，耶穌的升天，不是從此離我們而去，而是以另一種更緊密的方式，在不同時間，不同地點，超越物質界限地與祂的所有門徒們「天天在一起」。耶穌現時就在教會中，在聖經中，在信眾心內，在聖體內……；但耶穌更希望我們明白，祂更是臨在於我們身邊所有貧窮及被壓迫者的身上。我們對這些最小兄弟姊妹中的一個所做的，就是對祂做的（參閱瑪25：40）。

主耶穌，求祢賞賜我們豐厚的信德和熾熱的愛德，使我們能夠時常在弱小者身上認出祢的臨在；並盡自己的所能，將祢的愛和平安帶給身邊所有的人。

【摘自和平五月號】


Readings (Year C) page 68:

Acts 1: 1-11
Psalm 47: 2-3, 6-7, 8-9 God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
Ephesians 1: 17-23
Luke 24: 46-53

Meditation

The Paschal Mystery of Jesus' passion, death, resurrection, ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit forms one unbroken reality which is to be understood by faith. If Good Friday says Jesus truly died, Easter Sunday says that he is alive. And the Ascension adds that the Risen Living Jesus is together with his Father in glory.
The Ascension, then, is both an end and a beginning. It is the end of Jesus' "historical" life on earth. He is going away, yes, but he is staying with us forever, no longer confined to any one place or any one time. Jesus is not to be found in the sky, in clouds or in "heaven." It is a paradox that only by leaving us in his Ascension could Jesus continue to be with, not just his first disciples, but with all peoples everywhere in every age that has been and is yet to come. And, like those early disciples, we cannot live our Christian life by just gazing at Jesus on altars or in tabernacles. We, too, have to go "into the city," into its most sordid corners, and share the teaching of Jesus, the love of Jesus with family, friends, colleagues and, above all, with the "least of our brothers," those in greatest need.
All are waiting to hear the Word of God, the word of hope, the word of love and compassion, of encouragement and consolation. Today's feast says that Jesus is always with us, that he is in each one of his disciples and that, through them, others also can come to know him.

Lord, You live in us!

Shalom – Thoughts for Prayer