主日讀經反思　Sunday Scripture Meditation　（12/9/2010）

本主日讀經︰
出谷紀　32:7-11,13-14
聖詠　51[50]:3-4,12-13,17-19
弟茂德前書　1:12-17
路加福音　15:1-32


默想︰

可還有別的嗎？一切都是因為愛！因而梅瑟的請求蒙接納，使原先作出的裁決得以改變，使降在子民身上的災禍得以撤銷；因而又使原本是個褻瀆者、逼害者和暴力者，且自稱為罪人中的罪魁保祿，成為顯示這寬大為懷的忠信活見證，甚至最終為此殉道；亦因而使瀕臨絕望的浪子得以找到唯一僅餘可依恃的信靠，鼓起勇氣說出「我要起身到我父親那裏去」，甚至不惜降格為傭工的身分！這愛來自一份不甘心：牧人不甘心即使走失的只是一隻羊；婦人不甘心丟失的只是一個小銀幣；父親不甘心小兒子自暴自棄，甚至自甘放棄兒子的身分；也不甘心大兒子雖一直伴在身旁，卻只自視為傭工而非兒子，且不顧手足親情的狹隘思維。這不甘心與堅持，最終為牧人、婦人、父親，帶來的喜悅，足以蓋過此中所付出及經歷的一切艱辛、勞苦、焦慮……。這是牧人的心意，是婦人的掛牽，是父親的日夕期盼，還有誰的過犯重大得無法包容呢？還有誰有藉口頑固到底呢？誰又能拒絕誰悔改回歸呢？

主，教我們分沾多少祢的慈愛浩瀚，緩於發怒，包容一切！

【摘自和平九月號】


Readings (Year C) page 83:
Exodus 32: 7-11, 13-14
Psalm 51: 3-4, 12-13, 17, 19 I will rise and go to my father.
Timothy 1: 12-17
Luke 15: 1-32 (or 15: 1-10)

Meditation

The common theme running through today's liturgy is the immense forgiving love of God. God is a loving Father. He loves in the most unexpected ways. Our God is not just a God who waits to forgive us but rather He is a God who rushes forward to forgive us. This is the vital message of the 3 parables. The Shepherd does not just wait for the lost sheep to return but rather Himself searches for the lost sheep. The woman does not ask someone else to look for the coin but herself searches for it. The father does not just wait for his son to come and ask his forgiveness but rather rushes forward to greet him and even before the son has uttered a word of sorrow, the father has already received him into the family again. That is the way God loves us. He loves us unconditionally.
Let us then be aware of how much God is forgiving us. And having experienced this forgiveness from God, let us in turn strive to extend this same forgiveness to others - to be truly God-like in our behaviour. Yes, the story of God's merciful forgiving love must be our story.

O God, help me to be loving and forgiving to others as You are to me. Amen.

Shalom – Thoughts for Prayer