Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr. Fernando Cortez

Jesus warns the people and his disciples about the Pharisees. They want to represent the holiness of God’s word but do not follow what they preach. They occupy the “Chair of Moses”- they are the experts, even better than the Jewish priests who have this responsibility. For Jesus, both the priests and the lay Pharisees have failed the people. Instead, we all equal before the Christ. All in service to one another. Greatness will come to those who serve, and seek to be humble.

There is and earlier example of people dedicated to God’s people. The Levites, Moses’ own tribe, chosen to serve God’s people.

The prophet Malachi admonishes the Levites who have forsaken their special covenant with God to serve the people. It is the people of Israel who were asked by God to support the Levites and their families. They lived in cities and villages, but own no land to grow food.

Malachi tells the Levites to remember their privileges and responsibilities, to listen to God who tries to correct them. They are no longer who they were meant to be, called to serve Israel in prayer and sacrifice. Their privileges will become their shame. The people will no longer respect them. They should be Israel’s hope for a good relationship with God.

Paul acts with kindness and mercy. He too learned how to change his ways. He was a Pharisee, an expert in the Law of Moses, but left all that behind to become disciple of Jesus, and even become an Apostle! He was received with kindness, but also with fear by Christians who knew

his past. Paul has learned a new way to share the God Israel. He shares Jesus!

He asks the Thessalonians to remember carefully what he taught them. Not more information about God, but an example of sacrifice and dedication

to them. He loves them like a nursing mother, he shares Jesus with them through his affection for them. It’s message from his heart. He is humble, he works for his living. He gave the Gospel freely. He gives thanks knowing in his heart that the word of God is at work in the Thessalonians.

 Our readings today speak to the people of God and to the Christian clergy as well. Today, all families provide the men and women needed to be priests, deacons, religious and missionaries. As clergy and religious we must remember that we come from families, not from heaven. Not one tribe or nation is privileged to produce the ministers of God. So, like Paul, we must learn first to let go of our privileges and allow Jesus to the One Teacher, the only “Father” of the Church on earth. He is the only Master. We must be ready to serve each other with humility and gentle heart, like Jesus and Saint Paul.

 Pray for your religious priests, brothers and sisters, for priests, bishops, and deacons that they all be first good sons and daughters, and to learn from Jesus the loving tenderness of a nursing mother, to become someone who comes to serve with affection and to share with joy the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

常年期第三十一主日

Fr. Fernando Cortez

主耶穌警告民眾和祂的門徒提防法利賽人。他們想代表神聖的天主聖言，但他們只會說而不做。他們坐在「梅瑟的座位上」�他們是專家，甚至比擔任這個職責的猶太司祭還要好。對主耶穌來說，司祭和法利賽人辜負了民眾。相反，我們在基督面前人人平等。 一切都是為了彼此服務。最大的，該做僕役。我們尋求謙卑。

有一個更早的例子，說明有人獻身服務天主的子民。肋未人是梅瑟自己的支派，被選來服事天主的子民。

因為肋未放棄去服務人民，這個與天主所立的特殊盟約，瑪拉基亞先知勸誡他們。天主要求以色列人民支持肋未人和他們的家人。他們住在城市和村莊，但沒有土地來種植糧食。

瑪拉基亞先知告訴肋未人要記住他們的特權和責任，要聆聽天主改正他們的聲音。他們不再是原本被召叫藉著祈禱和犧牲來服務以色列人。他們的特權將成為他們的恥辱。民眾將不再尊重他們。肋未人應該成為以色列與天主建立良好關係的希望。

聖保祿做事仁慈、憐憫。他也學會如何改變自己。他是法利賽人，是梅瑟法律的專家，但他拋開了這一切，成為主耶穌的門徒，甚至成為宗徒！他受到基督徒的善意款待，但亦有恐懼，他們知道他的過去。聖保祿學會了一種新的方式來分享以色列天主。他分享主耶穌！

聖保祿請求得撒洛尼人仔細記住他的教導。不是更多關於天主的信息，而是給他們犧牲和奉獻的榜樣。他像一位撫育自己孩子的母親一樣愛他們，他透過對他們的愛與他們分享主耶穌。這是他發自內心的訊息。他很謙卑，他為生活而工作，他自由地傳福音。他心裏感謝，知道天主的福音正在得撒洛尼人身上發揮作用。

今天的讀經是對天主的子民和神職人員說的。今天，家庭提供成為神父、執事、宗教人士和傳教士所需的男女。身為神職人員和宗教人士，我們必須記住，我們來自家庭，而不是來自天上。沒有一個部落或國家有特權產生天主的傳道員。因此，像聖保祿一樣，我們必須先學會放棄我們的特權，讓主耶穌成為獨一的師父、地上教會唯一的「父親」。 他是唯一的師父。我們必須準備好以謙卑和溫柔的心互相服務，就像主耶穌和聖保羅一樣。

請為你們的修會神父、修士、修女、神父、主教、執事祈禱，願他們成為天主的好兒女，向主耶穌學習母親一樣的慈愛、溫柔，成為帶著愛心來服務的人。喜樂地分享主耶穌基督的福音。