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20101213 Burning Love Leads to Joyful Heart 喜樂是仁愛的果實

昨天是將臨期第三主日,禮儀主題是「喜樂」。有些神父主持彌撒時,穿上桃紅的祭披,祭台旁燃點桃紅色的將臨期蠟燭。

追求喜樂

人,是渴望喜樂。聖多瑪斯.阿奎諾St. Thomas Aquinas指出,人真正的喜樂來自滿全;但滿全不可能從財富、美貌、權力或聲譽獲得,而只能從無限美善的天主內分享。

聖多瑪斯續稱:主觀來說,至尊的喜樂是在於人因達到被受造的目的,以享受滿全及滿足的境界。客觀來說,至尊的喜樂是實在擁有那能滿全人的善。天主就是我們客觀的至尊喜樂。而我們主觀的至尊喜樂是在於在光榮中擁有天主和享見天主。

天堂前奏

現實生命中,我們可享有某程度的喜樂,但不能享有完滿的喜樂;人只能在天堂上,從天主得到完滿的喜樂。在世上,我們越愛天主,就越喜樂

聖人是世上最喜樂的人。守天主誡命 ——— 愛主愛人———喜樂的秘抉。「喜樂」並非德行,而是愛德的果實。

一九八九年弟茂.杜能神父Fr. Timothy Dolan(現任紐約總主教)在華盛頓(哥倫比亞特區)工作,有時會協助仁愛會修女愛滋病院的牧靈。某復活節前夕,一個本來燥緒仇腔的病人,要求接受聖洗聖事。杜神父問其原委,他答道:「我對基督宗教或天主教一無所知,甚至一生都痛恨宗教。這三個月等待死亡時,我看到所有服侍病人的修女,她們都很快樂!即使我咒罵她們,她們仍舊用體貼的目光看著我;替我清潔嘔吐物、洗傷口、更換尿片時,她們臉上常掛著笑容;喂我進食時,我看到她們眼裡的光芒。我唯一知道的,她們內心快樂,但我卻不然。問她們為何心感快樂,她們都答說『全因耶穌』。我也要『耶穌』!我要受洗!我也要這個『耶穌』!」這病人受洗後,在翌日復活節逝世。

有關「喜悅」,仁愛會的創辦人,真福德蘭修女說過:

「喜悅就如用愛編織的網,專為捕捉靈魂。」

「喜悅的心自然是充滿愛火的一顆心。」

「喜悅富感染力;所以,常喜悅罷。」

「要讓人離開你的時候,更美善、更快樂。」

「不論想不想笑,還是要常用微笑對待每一個人。在家中以微笑互相看待。」

「把心中愛天主的喜悅共同分享 ——— 特別是你的家人。讓一起祈求成聖。」

「效法耶穌,不為己而活,卻為別人而生。主內的喜悅,是我們的力量。」

Yesterday was the third Sunday of Advent. The theme of the liturgy was “joy.” In some churches, rose vestments were worn and rose candles were lit, as expressions of joy.

Quest for happiness

We human beings yearn for happiness. St. Thomas Aquinas pointed out that the perfect fulfillment of men is the source of true happiness. This perfect fulfillment cannot be found in riches, beauty, power, or fame. Human beings are fulfilled by the infinite good, God Himself.

St. Thomas pointed out that ultimate subjective happiness is the state of fulfillment and satisfaction in a person who has obtained the end for which he is made. Ultimate objective happiness is the reality which, when possessed, will render the person subjectively happy. God is our objective happiness, and our ultimate subjective happiness consists in possessing God in the beatific vision.

Foretaste of heaven

In the present life we can attain a degree of happiness, but not perfect happiness. Only God possessed in the beatific vision can make us perfectly happy. Here on earth, the more we love God, the happier we are.

The saints are the happiest people, and the secret of true happiness is the Commandments of God, which can be summed up by love of God and love of neighbour for God’s sake. Joy is not a virtue, but the fruit of the virtue of charity.

In 1989 Father Timothy Dolan (now Archbishop of New York) ministered in Washington, D.C. Sometimes he assisted at a hospice for dying AIDS patients conducted by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity.

One Holy Saturday a patient who used to be very violent and hateful asked for the sacrament of baptism. Father Dolan asked the patient to explain to him why he desired to enter the Church.

The man said, “I know nothing about Christianity or the Catholic Church. In fact, I have hated religion all my life. All I do know is that for three months I have been here dying. These sisters are always happy! When I curse them, they look at me with compassion in their eyes. Even when they clean up my vomit, bathe my sores, and change my diapers, they are smiling; when they spoon-feed me, there is a radiance in their eyes.

“All I know is that they have joy and I don’t. When I ask them in desperation why they are so happy, all they answer is ‘Jesus.’ I want this Jesus. Baptize me and give me this Jesus! Give me joy!”

The man was baptized, and died on Easter Sunday.

I would like to share with you some sayings of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta regarding joy and its sharing:

“Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.”

“A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love.”

“Joy is very infectious; therefore, be always full of joy.”

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.”

“Let us make one point, that we meet each other with a smile, when it is difficult to smile. Smile at each other, make time for each other in your family.”

“Keep the joy of loving God in your heart and share this joy with all you meet, especially your family. Be holy – let us pray.”

“Like Jesus we belong to the world living not for ourselves but for others. The joy of the Lord is our strength.”