「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!