|
作者
|
內容
|
|
Cecil
|
Posted -
2006/1/10 上午 09:48:35
|
|
|
A sermon by Pope St Leo the Great
The Lord has made his salvation known to the whole world
The loving providence of God determined that in the last days he would aid the world, set on its course to destruction. He decreed that all nations should be saved in Christ.
A promise had been made to the holy patriarch Abraham in regard to these nations. He was to have a countless progeny, born not from his body but from the seed of faith. His descendants are therefore compared with the array of the stars. The father of all nations was to hope not in an earthly progeny but in a progeny from above.
Let the full number of the nations now take their place in the family of the patriarchs. Let the children of the promise now receive the blessing in the seed of Abraham, the blessing renounced by the children of his flesh. In the persons of the Magi let all people adore the Creator of the universe; let God be known, not in Judaea only, but in the whole world, so that his name may be great in all Israel.
Dear friends, now that we have received instruction in this revelation of God’s grace, let us celebrate with spiritual joy the day of our first harvesting, of the first calling of the Gentiles. Let us give thanks to the merciful God, who has made us worthy, in the words of the Apostle, to share the position of the saints in light, who has rescued us from the power of darkness, and brought us into the kingdom of his beloved Son. As Isaiah prophesied: the people of the Gentiles, who sat in darkness, have seen a great light, and for those who dwelt in the region of the shadow of death a light has dawned. He spoke of them to the Lord: The Gentiles, who do not know you, will invoke you, and the peoples, who knew you not, will take refuge in you.
This is the day that Abraham saw, and rejoiced to see, when he knew that the sons born of his faith would be blessed in his seed, that is, in Christ. Believing that he would be the father of the nations, he looked into the future, giving glory to God, in full awareness that God is able to do what he has promised.
This is the day that David prophesied in the psalms, when he said: All the nations that you have brought into being will come and fall down in adoration in your presence, Lord, and glorify your name. Again, the Lord has made known his salvation; in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
This came to be fulfilled, as we know, from the time when the star beckoned the three wise men out of their distant country and led them to recognise and adore the King of heaven and earth. The obedience of the star calls us to imitate its humble service: to be servants, as best we can, of the grace that invites all men to find Christ.
Dear friends, you must have the same zeal to be of help to one another; then, in the kingdom of God, to which faith and good works are the way, you will shine as children of the light: through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.
|
|
Cecil
|
Posted -
2006/1/10 上午 10:18:16
|
|
|
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Brothers, let us follow the magi, let us leave our pagan customs. Let us depart! Let us make a long journey so as to see Christ. If the magi had not left and gone a long way from their country, they would not have seen Christ. Let us also leave earth’s interests. So long as they remained in their country, the magi saw only the star; but when they left their homeland, they saw the Sun of justice (Mal 3:20). Or rather, let us say: if they had not generously set out on their journey, they would not even have seen the star. Thus, let us also rise up, and even if everyone in Jerusalem is troubled, let us run to where the Child is. On entering the house, they found the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their coffers and presented him with gifts.
What motivated them to prostrate themselves before this child? There was nothing remarkable in the Virgin or in the house, no object that could have struck their eye and attracted them. And yet, not content with prostrating themselves, they opened their treasure, gifts that are not given to a human being but only to God ?frankincense and myrrh symbolize divinity. What was their reason for acting in this way? The same as that which made them decide to leave their homeland, to depart on this long journey. It was the star, that is to say, the light with which God had filled their heart and which led them little by little to a more perfect knowledge. If there hadn’t been that light, how could they have given such homage when what they saw was so poor and humble? If there is not material grandeur but only a crib, a stable, a mother who is lacking in everything, it is so that you might see the magi’s wisdom more clearly, so that you understand that they came not to a human being but to a God, to their benefactor.
|
|
Ignatius
|
Posted -
2006/1/13 下午 11:03:27
|
|
|
聖良一世大教宗講道集–上主在全世界顯示了祂的救恩
天主仁慈的上智曾決意在此世的末期，拯救那處於淪亡之途的世界。祂便決定在基督身上去拯救萬民。
關於拯救萬民的事，天主在古代曾應許古聖祖亞巴郎，要賞給他無數子孫。這些子孫不是生於肉體，而是藉信德而生。因此他們可比作眾多的星辰。因為這萬民之父所應希望的不是地上的後裔，而是來自天上的。
但願天下萬民都進入古聖祖的家庭。也願那預許的子孫在亞巴郎的後裔身上領取祝福，這祝福曾被他肉性方面的子孫所擯棄。但願普世萬民在三賢士的代表下，朝拜宇宙的造主。但願天地的創造者不但在猶太，而且在全球各地為人共知，到處彰顯祂偉大的聖名，一如在以色列。
親愛的諸位，我們既已知天主恩寵的這些奧蹟，讓我們歡欣慶祝我們開始得救、萬民蒙召的良辰，感謝天主的仁慈。誠如保祿使徒所說的：「我們要欣然感謝那使我們有資格，在光明中分享聖徒福分的天父，因為是祂由黑暗的權勢下救出了我們，並將我們移置在祂愛子的國內。」因為一如依撒意亞先知所說：「在黑暗中行走的百姓，看見了一道皓光，光輝已射在那寄居在漆黑之地的人們身上。」他又論及萬民向上主說：「看哪！那不曾認識你的民族，將呼求你；那不曾認識你的百姓，也要奔向你。」
從前亞巴郎曾見到這個日子而歡欣不已：他知道了那一天，他信德的子孫將因他的後裔、基督，蒙受祝福，他也預見那一天他由於信德將成為萬民之父；「他就光榮天主，且堅信天主所應許的，也必能完成。」
達味在聖詠裏，也歌詠這個日子說：「上主，你創造的萬民齊來欽崇，歌頌讚揚你的聖名。」又說：「上主宣佈了祂的救恩，將祂的正義顯示給萬民。」
我們確實知道，當三位賢士隨著異星的引導，從遠方而來、承認並朝拜天地的君王時，以上所說的就已經實現了。這顆星也請我們效法它服從的榜樣，並竭盡所能，為那吸引眾人來投奔基督的恩寵服務。
親愛的諸位，在這種服務工作上，你們該彼此幫助，使你們藉信德及善工能抵達天國，並在天國中作為光明之子、射出燦爛的光輝；這是靠我們的主耶穌基督，祂和父及聖神，永生永王。亞孟。
|
|
Cecil
|
Posted -
2006/1/14 上午 10:11:12
|
|
|
這是主顯節的當日禮讚選讀.
|
|
