進教之佑聖母敬禮

相信香港各堂區已經收到有關進教之佑聖母敬禮的小冊子(隨5月10日的公教報送到各堂區)。適逢進教之佑聖母敬禮200週年,我十分希望各堂區能善加利用這些小冊子,舉辦團體性的敬禮活動,為中國教會祈禱。教宗訂定5月24日是全球為中國教會祈禱日,本人誠邀各位以祈禱、克己為中國教會略盡綿力,使教會藉著聖母的助佑,能面對現時的艱難處境。我也將這些小冊子郵寄給澳門、台灣及全球華人團體,盼望我們能以祈禱的力量,使教會獲得聖母的助佑和保護!

按下面連結可下載「進教之佑聖母敬禮小冊子」PDF版

進教之佑聖母小冊子2015web

剪報?

上星期我還沒有看過政府的那份所謂「民情補充報告」,祇聽說他們剪報式地報告了831後發生的事。我期待的是一份「補充前份報告不足之處」的報告,是要「補足」、「彌補」、「修補」、「認錯」!那時,我的反應當然是失望,甚或忿怒。

許多人說這份報告根本不值得看。我還是出於好奇而看了。原來裡面也提到我的名字。不過,「剪報者」真有本事,如果一個人沒有看過我那段時間裡寫的文章或說過的話,他會當我為「無間道」。祇看那一些「剪報」的人會以為我是站在政府一邊,我是學生們的敵人。

這次我倒不是失望或忿怒。大概是因為我已聽過別人對這報告的反應,我的反應是感到「可笑、可恥」。堂堂的政府竟做這類小動作來混淆視聽。

我在此再次聲明:我和學生們是站於同一陣線。爭取的是共同目標:「真普選」。祇是策略上我們有不同。我更贊同佔中三子的「理性策略」,不贊同學生們的「衝動」。我們面對的是一股邪惡的權力,我們不能期待即時的成功,我們要團結所有公民,沉著氣,堅持抗爭!絕不要把「假嘢」「袋住先」!

 

在歷史的這個時刻

「父啊!天地的主宰!我稱謝你,因為你將這些事瞞住了智慧和明達的人,而啟示給小孩子。」(瑪十一:25)

我正在預備主日的證道時,有人給我說某份英文報紙的「門前惡犬」在向我狂吠。我看了這位「宮殿先知」的大作(七月五日第二版),發覺其也有可取的地方,至少他對「狂熱者」的定義我也可以同意:「狂熱者」不會改變主義,且專注一個題目。

在瑪竇福音同一章的前一段,耶穌對群眾論若翰說:「你們出去到荒野裡,是為看什麼呢?為看風中搖曳的蘆葦嗎?……天國是以猛力奪取的……」(瑪十一:7-12)

若翰這位「狂熱者」膽敢向黑落德說「不可以」,就此拋了他的頭顱,他奪取了天國。(瑪十四:4)

耶穌也說過:「我實在告訴你們:你們若不變成如同小孩一樣,你們決不能進入天國。」(瑪十八:3)

原來以猛力奪取天國的也就是小孩子,天真的小孩子。

最近有人說「我不是細路」。太可惜了,他(她)不是把自己置於天國之外嗎?我希望他(她)今天再作出選擇,回頭是岸,在這歷史的時刻,每一個人都要抉擇站在戰線的哪一邊。「擦亮眼晴,為這黑與白,這非與是,真與偽來做證」。

七一那晚上,我站在遊行終點,從八點到九點……到十點……到十一點,看著那一批又一批的「小孩子」,帶著疲倦但穩定的腳步,在遮打道完成他們的苦路。美麗的香港人!有了你們這城有將來了!

那隻喜歡飛在髒物上的蒼蠅,如果生活在十二世紀初,見到教廷的腐敗,他一定會手舞足蹈,但天主給了教會一位聖方濟各,正是這位傻頭傻腦的乞丐救了教會。

看看日曆,明天是「上海七七事件」的兩週年了。那不識時務的馬主教竟對教宗說:「不要害怕宣講真理,不要擔心我的安危」,是的,祇有真理能使我們自由!

基督,求賜我們步武若翰和方濟各的芳踪!求賜勇氣給那些在曠野裡呼叫的先知!祝福那些不怕凶惡嘴臉,和平地站出來為真理、為自由、為人權、為民主作證的「小孩子們」!

“Children” needed for this historical moment in the history of our city

Every time I turn to the second page of a certain English daily, I see a hidden warning “beware of the dog”. Not a few times I had to overcome the temptation of answering those high sounding platitudes! This time it is barking again at me. (July 5 issue). Poor guy, how can such a this-worldly man understand the father-son relation between Pope Francis and me?!

Anyway I can agree with the definition of “fanaticism”, quoted by him. “Fanatic is one who won’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.” But then, the first half of the definition corresponds to the virtue of constancy or coherence and the second half to the virtue of simplicity, both very much treasured Christian values.

This Sunday’s Gospel passage reads: “Jesus exclaimed: …I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children.” (Math 11:25)

From the same Mathew we read: “Jesus said: …I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven.” (Math 18:3)

Again in chapter 11, Jesus talking to the people about John the Baptist said: “what did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No…up to this present time, the Kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence and the violent are taking it by storm.” (Math 11:7-12)

The “fanatic” John the Baptist dared to say no to Herod and submitted his neck to the blade, he took the Kingdom of heaven by storm. By violence? Yes, with force, with one-mindedness, with the simplicity of a child!

The “learned and clever” columnist’s delights is digging out dirt of the Church, he would feel very high if he lived at the beginning of the twelfth century. But the Lord gave us a Saint Francis, this happy beggar, in his childish simplicity, saved the Church.

Somebody when offered a toy hammer by the students said “I am not a child”. What a pity! He (she) is putting himself (herself) out of the Kingdom of heaven. I hope he (she) may still revise his (her) choice. In this crucial moment of the history of our city everybody has to make a choice on which side of the barricade he (she) wants to stand.

On the night of July 1, I stood at the finishing point of the march watching, from eight o’clock to nine…to ten…to eleven, the arrival of the hundreds and thousands of Hong Kong “children”, they look tired but smiling, “fanatically” finishing their Way of the Cross. With such beautiful people this city has a future.

Tomorrow is the second anniversary of “double seven incident” of Shanghai diocese. Auxiliary Bishop Thaddeus Ma Daqin decidedly disqualified himself from being learned and clever, when, recently, he told the Holy Father not to restrain himself from preaching the truth out of fear that it may cause trouble to him. But he is right, only the truth will make us free!

O Lord. Help us to imitate the example of St. John the Baptist and of St. Francis of Assisi. Give courage to those who dare to be the voice in the wilderness. Bless all your “children” who, even facing all kinds of threat, come out peacefully to witness the truth, to defend human rights and fight for freedom and democracy!

有人對湯樞機不敬,我為他抱不平

徐錦堯神父寫了文章批評我鼓勵香港人6.22出來投票不當。香港的可愛就是我們還有發言的自由,我絕對歡迎徐神父發表意見。

可是在那文章裡,他在我和湯樞機之間大搞挑撥離間的「好事」。這當然太可惜了。而且他也沒有弄清事實,那就更不負責任了。

事關日前我批評了六宗教的新春賀詞,徐神父說那賀詞也有湯樞機簽署,所以我是批評了湯樞機。

事情是這樣的:那賀詞在末段,不提名地,嚴厲批評佔中運動,說那是野蠻行動。但幾個月前香港教區(當然也是湯樞機)早已作出了一個聲明,說我們爭取民主先要用盡理性的對話,到對話不成功時也可考慮一些較激進的行動,如佔中運動。

那新春賀詞的起稿者,不可能不知道天主教香港教區的聲明,他批評佔中運動也就是批評天主教,也就是置湯樞機於少數,對他不敬。我知道湯樞機曾對那賀詞提出異見,起稿者稍作了修改,湯樞機並不滿意,祇是沒有時間再要求修正,那賀詞就「出街」了,湯樞機對此事感到遺憾的。徐神父卻以為湯樞機改變了月前聲明的立場,接受了那賀詞的不同立場。

我絕對沒有批評湯樞機,我是為他抱不平。而且我不能不出聲,因為六宗教一向有個共認的規矩:做任何事要大家一致同意,有六者之一不同意就不做。這次天主教早已出了聲明而「六宗教」的新春賀詞卻批評了那聲明,是違反了那規矩,破壞了六宗教之間多年來來之不易的寶貴的和諧關係。