主日讀經反思　Sunday Scripture Meditation (06/02/2011)

本主日讀經︰
依撒意亞先知書　58:7-10
聖詠　112[111]:4-5,6-7,8-9
格林多前書　2:1-5
瑪竇福音　5:13-16

默想︰

距今約八十一年前，一個六十一歲的老夫子在十天內行了二百四十一哩，且有成千上萬的群眾與他同行。當他們到達海邊，老翁用手拿起一小堆海鹽。他這一舉動，是為吸引世界注意他們「爭權益、反權勢」的抗爭，這舉動也改變了世界。這個樸實的人，不會故意傷害生靈，更不會傷害他人，甚至對那些蓄意傷害他和同伴的人亦如是。他以非暴力方式去爭取自由。他用鹽來做他爭取自由的第一個象徵。耶穌召叫我們成為祂的門徒，做地上的鹽，就是召叫我們做基本的要素，不是要我們假裝成為事物的中心，我們不需要把福音加鹽加醋以便於入口。福音本身已能給人神益。要成為地上的鹽，我們只需努力活出真我，只需要去愛，如同主和人怎樣愛了我們就是了。如果我們渴求活得圓滿，我們必要有鹽以及是鹽。我們必須要和飢餓的人分享我們的食物，給無家可歸的、被壓迫的人一個居所，給赤身露體的人衣服穿。這樣，我們的生活才能活現百般美味，這美味是天主和這些人給予我們的。

天主，願我們都像聖雄甘地，能認出鹽的重要。仰賴祢的聖寵，願我們都能成為團體的鹽

【摘自和平二月號】


Readings (Year A) page 34:
Isaiah 58: 7-10
Psalm 112: 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.
1 Corinthians 2: 1-5
Matthew 5: 13-16

Almost 81 years ago, a 61-year old man walked some 241 miles in ten days. He was joined along the way by thousands of others and when they reached the shore of the sea, seeking world publicity as a “battle of right against might” he picked up a tiny lump of natural sea salt and changed the world. This simple man, not wanting to intentionally harm anything that lives, much less other human beings – not even those who may do him and his companions the greatest wrong – preached non-violence in his struggle for freedom. The initial symbol he chose for the struggle was salt. Salt! We may easily take salt, cheaply available in shakers everywhere around us, for granted and miss its significance. And so we may well miss the message in the Gospel today when Jesus calls us as his disciples to be the salt of the earth.

The Gospel is efficacious without any of our embellishments. To be salt for the world we only need be ourselves to the best of our ability, we need only love as we are loved. If we desire our lives to be full we must have and be salt; we must season the world. We must share our bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless and clothe the naked when we see them. By acting thus our lives are seasoned and enriched by these people and by God. Like Mahatma Gandhi, may we recognize the significance of salt and with God’s grace may God season our communities through us.

Lord, form us to be the salt of the earth!

Shalom – Thoughts for Prayer