主日讀經反思　Sunday Scripture Meditation　（10/04/2011）

本主日讀經︰
厄則克耳先知書　37:12-14
聖詠　130[129]:1-2,3-4,5-6,7-8
羅馬書　8:8-11
若望福音　11:1-45

默想︰

今天福音第三十五節說：「耶穌流淚了」。唯獨這裏，亦只此一次，可以說，我們看見耶穌「哭了」！也許，這令我們感到驚奇，但亦同時鼓勵我們探索發生在耶穌身上，極富啟發性的一件事件。拉匝祿、瑪爾大和瑪利亞都是耶穌的好朋友，此情此景，耶穌哭了，自然不過，也符合人情。

然而，在若望筆下，耶穌復生拉匝祿的故事，用詞激烈，明顯地叫人感到耶穌是非常之傷心。這是否因為耶穌自覺正面對一股老是要破壞美好的人生，要將人的性命結束的惡勢力？

一些聖經注釋家相信，耶穌之所以如此傷心，除了這個可能性之外，尚有其他。他們相信耶穌感到有點失望、沮喪、甚至是氣憤，是因為在祂周圍的人，包括祂的門徒及祂的摯友瑪爾大及瑪利亞，都未能在信仰路上的關鍵時刻，與祂同心同德。
他們仍未能擺脫肉身的生命，瀟灑地迎向不受世俗煩擾的飄逸永生。他們部分人，仍要待祂戰勝死亡，從死者中復活了，才能領悟多一點點。

主，我信，請補助我的無信。

【摘自和平四月號】


Readings (Year A) page 69:
Ezekiel 37: 12-14
Psalm 130: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
Romans 8: 8-11
John 11: 1-45

In verse 35 of today's Gospel we learn that Jesus wept. For this once let us say that Jesus cried. That Jesus "cried" might startle us and encourage us to look again at a very revealing happening in Jesus' life. Jesus cried because Lazarus was his friend and because Martha and Mary were very close to him and he felt sorry for them. To cry in such circumstances is natural and human.

The words, however, used to describe Jesus' reaction to the whole episode of Lazarus' death and burial suggest more. They are very strong. Jesus seems to have been very upset.

Some commentators believe that Jesus was disappointed, frustrated and even angry that so many of the bystanders, including even his disciples and his close friends Martha and Mary were, as yet, unable to accompany him on a crucial journey of faith.

They were still so wedded to the life of the body and to the life of the sensible world that they could not make their own the possibility of a life in some way independent of bodily and worldly realities. It would take his own resurrection, his own conquest of death to convince at least some of those who were at the tomb of the reality of a life beyond the life we can see and hear and touch .

Lord, I do believe. Help Thou my unbelief.

Shalom – Thoughts for Prayer