Homily 5th Sunday Ordinary Time
Franklin Fong, OFM
Last week we were told that a certain kind of boasting is compatible with humility. St Paul called it “boasting in the Lord”.
Today in our first reading from Isaiah we are again to let our light shine before others, to be a city on a hill, to be like seasoning salt. It is our intent that others join us in praise to our heavenly Father, we should not worry about taking pride in our good works. We dare not hide our light in humility since that light is Jesus himself!
Our lives are to have meaning not just for ourselves but for the whole world. They are to have meaning as well for the future of our beloved earth. Everyone of us is related to God and to the universe. We must try to listen to the cries of the oppressed and to practice love and justice if God’s light is to shine upon each of us as we heard in the first reading. So, if we help the poor, we will shine, we will be happy. There will be peace and security.
The Psalm 112 reminds us that God loves those who are just and who love the poor. Those who are just do not cheat, do not deceive, do not manipulate nor do violence to the poor and outcast. We must not be bystanders, but we must have initiatives and are well-motivated.
From the second reading of St Paul’s First letter to the Corinthians we heard how we must get beyond competitive and individualistic living and to focus on communal concerns. Our faith clearly comes from God’s grace and not from other humans. We trace the gift of our faith from the source of our being, God ! Through the many examples of Jesus’ teachings in the coming weeks we will be given many examples of how we too are to bring and carry that light of Christ where it is needed most !
The Gospel of Matthew verses asks us to be relevant to the world. As Christians, we must have a social orientation in that our faith lives must be in a social context and not just in the comfort of our churches or homes. How have we addressed the “signs of the times” in the light of our faith? That light of Christ is needed in the darkness of the widespread poverty, global warming, extreme weather conditions, violence of mass killings, the ongoing racism . I am sure you are well aware of the many places of darkness in our world today!
We should stand proud of our faith and to act accordingly in front of the world. Through our creativity , we can make the message of our faith palatable and credible to incredulous people ! We are to be that voice from God to the world and not simply the echo from that world. We are to be a light from God’s light !
Reflect on how you have brought salt and light into the world. Have you ever considered what and how we are enlightened by and what others see reflected in us?
Brothers and Sisters of the Chinese Catholic Community,
that is the Good NEWs for this 5th Sunday Ordinary Time.
Alleluia Alleluia !
(中文翻譯.原文以英文為準.)
常年期甲年第五主日
鄺神父主日道理中譯本
讀經一: 依撒意亞先知書 58:7-10
讀經二: 聖保祿宗徒致格林多人前書 2:1-5
瑪竇福音: 5:13-16
上週我們聽到，某種自誇與謙遜是互相兼容的。 聖保祿宗徒稱之為“以主誇耀”。
今天，從讀經一依撒意亞先知書中，我們聽到要再次讓我們的“光”照亮他人，像成為他人從遠處也能看見一座建在山上的城市，成為地上的鹽。 我們目的是能讓其他人和我們一起同聲讚美我們的在天之父，我們不需要更不應該擔心為我們所作的善行而感到驕傲。 我們不必隱藏我們的光，因為那光就是耶穌基督!
我們的生活不僅對我們自己而且對整個世界都是有意義的。 生活對我們心愛的世界的未來也具有意義。 我們每個人都與天主和整個宇宙休戚與共。 如果天主的光照耀在我們每人身上，就像我們在讀經一中聽到的教導那樣，我們必須努力傾聽被壓迫者的呼喊聲，努力踐行愛德與正義。 所以，如果我們幫助窮苦人，我們就會發光，我們就會感到幸福。 必將擁有平安與喜樂。
聖詠112 提醒我們，天主愛那些施行正義的人和關愛窮苦人的人。 公正的人不欺騙、不糊弄、不操縱或對窮苦人和流浪者視若無睹。 我們要具有主動性，有動力般成為仁愛正義的人，決不做旁觀者，漠不關心。
從讀經二聖保祿宗徒致格林多人的書信中，我們了解到我們必須超越競爭和個人主義的生活，但專注於社會共同的關注事項上。 我們的信心顯然是來自天主的恩典，而不是來自他人。 我們信仰的恩賜可追溯到我們生命存在的源頭--天主那裏！ 在接下來的幾週裡，通過耶穌基督所教導的事蹟中，我們將獲得豐富的啟發，說明我們也可以把基督的光帶到世上最需要的地方！
瑪竇福音要求我們與世界相連上。 作為基督徒，我們必須具備社會的方向感，因為我們的信仰生活必須活於當下社會環境中，而不僅僅是活於我們舒適的教堂或家中。 我們如何根據我們的信仰應對“時代的徵兆”？ 我們極度需要基督的光照耀於全球廣佈的赤貧地區、地球氣候暖化、極端天氣、大規模殺戮的全球暴力、不斷出現的各種種族主義的黑暗中。 我深信大家很清楚當今世界上現存有許多許多黑暗的地方！
我們應該為我們的信仰感到自豪，並在人們前採取相應的行動。 通過我們的創造力，對沒信仰的人來說，我們可以使用我們可行的和可信的信仰信息去創造溝通對話！ 我們要成為為天主向世界發聲的人，而不僅僅是那個世界的迴聲。 我們要成為天主之光的那光！
請反思您如何成為地鹽和世光。 你有沒有細想過我們是從什麼事情上或生命經歷中、怎樣地被啟發或開悟的? 別人可從我們言行上能察覺到什麼呢？
華人天主教會的兄弟姐妹們, 這是常年期第五主日的好消息。
亞肋路亞, 亞肋路亞！
