主日讀經反思　Sunday Scripture Meditation　（30/01/2011）

本主日讀經︰
索福尼亞先知書　2:3; 3:12-13
聖詠　146[145]:7,8,9,10
格林多前書　1:26-31
瑪竇福音　5:1-12

默想︰

人在追求靈性成長的努力中，總會遇到一個勁敵，就是自私。這包括很多種情況。比如自己積極地、不擇手段地去達到自己的目的，比如耶穌看到的那些爭坐首席的人。也有人因疏忽自己本分或是在堅持自己做事方法的時候，給鄰人帶來不便或是損害。這都是自私的表現。自私帶來的是傷害、痛苦和死亡，而關懷可以帶來尊重、平安和生命。聖保祿是一個對福傳大方付出的人，他所有的行動都是為了讓人認識基督耶穌，他日夜掛念著教會團體的成長。其實他自己因著對耶穌的極深的愛而切願死去，早日和耶穌同在天上。然而他掛念著教會團體的成員，希望繼續鞏固他們的信仰。保祿的大方付出使耶穌的教誨傳遍天下，他對教會團體無私、誠摯的關懷改變了團體成員的思、言、行。在今天強調個人主義、享樂主義、消費主義、身分地位的世界，耶穌所講的真福八端，是作祂跟隨者的應有生活態度，是不隨波逐流，不只掛念著自己的工作和收入，但要實踐耶穌的聖訓，榮主救靈，讓更多人認識耶穌基督的基本守則。

讓我們努力，叫耶穌基督因我們受頌揚！

【摘自和平一月號】


Readings (Year A) page 34:
Zephaniah 2: 3, 3:12-13
Psalm 146: 6-7, 8-9, 9-10 Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!
1 Corinthians 1: 26-31
Matthew 5: 1-12a

Today we begin reading the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew's gospel, Jesus is presented as the new Moses. He presents five long discourses by Jesus, which can be seen to match the Pentateuch, the five first books of the Bible, which embody the Jewish Law. Just as the Pentateuch embodies the Jewish way of life, so these discourses embody Jesus' vision of the life he proposes for us. The Sermon on the Mount is the first of these five discourses. It is a collection of sayings and teachings focusing on the personal qualities expected of a disciple of Jesus. It is given on a mountain, just as Moses gave the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai. Jesus' audience consists of the Twelve, his other disciples and all those who wish to hear what he says.

Just as the Ten Commandments are the core of the Jewish way of life and a law to follow, so Beatitudes are the core of the Christian way of life. Yet, they are often largely ignored as guides to Christian living. Strictly speaking, the Beatitudes are not commandments. They are not so much things to be done or rules to be kept as deep-down attitudes of mind. And, in fact, their observance is only possible with a deep love of God and of other people. One can never say about the Beatitudes what the rich man said to Jesus, namely, that he had kept all the commandments since he was young. Let us begin our prayer today that these Beatitudes may be reflected in our life as they were in the life of Jesus.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Shalom – Thoughts for Prayer