2018-1-5

朋友们，在今天的福音中，纳塔乃耳认出耶稣是天主子及以色列的君王。如纳塔乃耳一样，我们一旦认定耶稣的身份、一旦确定祂是至善，那就必须放弃其他所有至高无上的东西。正如我曾多次提过，每个人都有某样东西或某种价值观被视为最好的，其他一切都以此为重心。

 

也许是金钱、物质上的东西、权力地位或他人的敬重。也许是你的祖国、政党或种族。也许是你的家人、孩子、妻子、丈夫。

 

这些都没错、都不坏。但是你若把其中任何一样当作绝对的重心，事情就会出岔子。当你把其中任何一样看作终极的或决定性的善，你的精神生活就会乱七八糟。当你绝对执着地献身于其中任何一样，你就会崩溃。

 

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Nathaniel recognizes Jesus as the Son of God and King of Israel. Like Nathaniel, once we make the decision for Jesus, once we determine that he is the supreme good, then every other claimant to supremacy must fall away. As I’ve argued many times before, every one of us has something or some set of values that we consider greatest. There is some center of gravity around which everything else turns.

 

Perhaps it is money and material things. Perhaps it is power and position. Perhaps it is the esteem of others. Perhaps it is your country or your political party or your ethnic identity. Perhaps it is your family, your kids, your wife, your husband.

 

None of this is false; and none of these things are bad. However, when you place any of them in the absolute center of gravity, things go awry. When you make any of them your ultimate or final good, your spiritual life goes haywire. When you attach yourself to any of them with an absolute tenacity, you will fall apart.

 

2018-1-6

朋友们，今天的福音讲述的是耶稣受洗。对于耶稣受洗，我们首先要紧记的是整件事令人尴尬。这位是首批基督徒所称的天主之子、除免世罪的无罪羔羊、成了血肉的圣言，为什么祂来寻求悔改的洗礼呢？

 

这是在所难免的：若翰在耶路撒冷以北的郊区、约但河岸边施洗。而他的主张毫不含糊：悔改。来受洗的人是要摆脱自己的罪恶；他们在承认自己的过错。

 

《圣经》经文通常都会在爱火中蕴含讽刺。耶稣在开口说话之前，就已经通过这个震惊世人的身份逆转来教授、表达信德的核心。通过受洗这一举措，天主放下自己的荣耀、谦卑地加入我们的罪恶行列、与我们站在一起、担起我们的重担。

 

Friends, today's Gospel tells the story of the baptism of Jesus. The first thing we must keep in mind about the baptism of Jesus was that it was embarrassing. Here is the one that the first Christians maintained was the Son of God, the sinless lamb who takes away the sins of the world, the Word made flesh. So why is he seeking a baptism of repentance?

 

There is no way around it: John was working in the country north of Jerusalem, along the banks of the Jordan river. And his theme was unambiguous: repent. Those who came to him were coming to have their sins dealt with; they were admitting their guilt.

 

As is usually the case with the Bible, there is an irony in the fire. Before ever a word passes Jesus’ lips, he is teaching, in fact communicating the heart of the faith, by this stunning reversal. In this gesture, God lays aside his glory and humbly joins us in our sinfulness, standing with us, assuming our burden.