各位弟兄姐妹，
有不少人说近几年我们人类生活的世界可谓多灾多难，已持续三年的新冠疫情还没有完全结束，经济严重滑坡，各种战争、冲突暴力、恐怖事件、危害灾难等一个接一个叠加，不禁感叹“何时是个头”。我可肯定，所有这些都不是天主的本意，而且是跟天主的本意背道而驰的。现在我就以今天弥撒第二篇读经《罗马书》中的一句话“受造之物仍还有希望”为道理题目，跟大家分享今天的弥撒圣经。
一、天主是言出必行的神
今天弥撒的读经一由第二依撒依亚所写，目的是鼓励所有意志颓废、消沉的人。因为在以色列人流亡巴比伦期间，有许多人对天主失去信心，认为他的话无法实践，他的许诺难以实现，因此他们觉得返乡、建国、重建耶路撒冷根本没有希望。先知看到很多以色列人这种悲观失望的心理，就鼓励他们说：“从我口中发出的言语，不能空空地回到我这里来；反之，它必实行我的旨意，完成我派遣它的使命。”也就是说，天主言出必行。因为天主的诺言忠实不欺，天主的言语有创造力，一说必有结果。如：
1.天主创造天地一命就成。
天主说：“有光!”就有了光。（创1:3）
天主说：“让我们照我们的肖像，按我们的模样造人，……”天主于是照自己的肖像造了人，就是照天主的肖像造了人：造了一男一女。（创1:26-27）
2.天主救助人类一命就成。
若望福音第一章说“圣言与天主同在，圣言就是天主。圣言在起初就与天主同在。万有是藉着他而造成的；凡受造的，没有一样不是由他而造成的。”（若1:1-3）圣言就是天主圣子，就是降生成人的耶稣基督。耶稣基督在救人时常常是一命就成。如：
马尔谷福音记载，有一个癞病人来到耶稣跟前，跪下求他说：“你若愿意，就能洁净我。”
耶稣动了怜悯的心，就伸手抚摸他，向他说：“我愿意，你洁净了罢!”癞病立时脱离了他，他就洁净了。（谷1:40-42）
若望福音记载，耶稣来到拉匝禄的坟墓前，大声喊说:“拉匝禄!出来罢!”死者便出来了。（若11:43-44）
天主的话是言必行、行必果。
二、将来荣耀远胜现世苦
在今天弥撒的读经二罗马人书中，圣保禄宗徒鼓励人在世要甘心受苦，因为现在的苦楚与未来所受的光荣是不可比较的。
一是，世上的万物都在希望获得这光荣。我们人类在原祖父母犯罪背叛天主后，心身失去了和谐，被罪恶所捆绑，被魔鬼控制，很希望有一天得到解脱，享受天主儿女的光荣自由。
其它万物在人类堕落后也退化，同时也失掉了和谐，它们处在“败坏”的状态下，是出于不得已，因为天命如此。但是它们都希望能脱离束缚，得到生存和生活的和谐。
二是，世苦短暂、苦尽甘来。就如一个孕妇，在经历了十个月的怀胎和产痛后，迎来的新生命诞生带来的喜乐。
教宗方济各在解释这篇读经（罗八18-23）时说，“希望就是一直在张力之中生活；懂得我们不能在现世安居：基督徒的生活是‘在张力之中持续前行’。一位基督徒如果失去这观点，他的生活就会变得停滞不前，事物静止不动就会腐朽。让我们设想一下水的状态：当水一直静止不流动时，就会腐臭。一位基督徒如果没有能力展望、没有在张力之中走向彼岸，他就会缺少某些东西，最终会堕落。少了希望就不是信德”。
三、种子的果实倍于种子
今天弥撒的福音讲的是撒种的比喻，有一个人在给地里撒种的时候，有的种子落在路旁，有的种子落在石头地里，有的种子落在荆棘地里，也有的种子则落在好地里。落在路旁的、落在石头地里的和落在荆棘地里的种子，不是被飞鸟吃掉了，就是被太阳晒焦而死，被荆棘窒息而死，只有落在好地里的种子才结出果实，有结一百倍的，有结六十倍的，也有结三十倍的。虽然撒在四块地里的种子，只有一块地里的种子结出了果实，但一块地里结出的果实，要比撒在四块地里的种子加起来，还要多得多。因此，耶稣撒种的比喻带给我们每个人希望和追求。
农民出去撒种的时候，他的心里不会盼望每粒种子都有收成，他十分明白有一些种子会落到别的地方，不能生长。但这一切都不能阻止他继续出去撒种，因为不管效果如何，收获如何，工作不能停止，也不要灰心，继续去做，必会看到收成。
圣保禄宗徒在讲到“大量捐助的善果”时说：“小量播种的，也要小量收获；大量播种的，也要大量收获。”（格后9:6）
结语
各位弟兄姐妹。圣保禄宗徒劝勉我们说“受造之物仍怀有希望，脱离败坏的控制，得享天主子女的光荣自由。”因为天主是言出必行的神、将来荣耀远胜现世苦、种子的果实倍于种子。并让我们大家时刻牢记教宗方济各的话：希望该当是基督徒呼吸的空气，希望的空气，“你如果怀著希望，就不会失望”。愿忠信的天主降福你们！阿门！
Since they had no root they withered away
Are you hungry for God’s word? Brothers and sisters in Christ. Matthew tells us that Jesus taught many things to those who came to listen and learn. Jesus’ teaching method was a very simple one. He used parables – short stories and images taken from everyday life to convey hidden truths about the kingdom of God. A good image can speak more loudly and clearly than many words. Jesus used the ordinary everyday to point to another order of reality – hidden, yet visible to those who had “eyes to see” and “ears to hear”. Jesus communicated with pictures and stories, vivid illustrations which captured the imaginations of his audience more powerfully than an abstract presentation could.
What does the parable about seeds and roots say to us about the kingdom of God? Any farmer will attest to the importance of good soil for supplying nutrients for growth. And how does a plant get the necessary food and water it needs except by its roots? The scriptures frequently use the image of fruit-bearing plants or trees to convey the principle of spiritual life and death. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8; see also Psalm 1:3).
Jesus’ parable of the sower is aimed at the hearers of his word. There are different ways of accepting God’s word and they produce different kinds of fruit accordingly. There is the prejudiced hearer who has a shut mind. Such a person is unteachable and blind to what he or she doesn’t want to hear. Then there is the shallow hearer. He or she fails to think things out or think them through; they lack depth. They may initially respond with an emotional reaction; but when it wears off their mind wanders to something else. Another type of hearer is the person who has many interests or cares, but who lacks the ability to hear or comprehend what is truly important. Such a person is for ever too busy to pray or too preoccupied to study and meditate on God’s word. He or she may work so hard that they are too tired to even think of anything else but their work. Then there is the one whose mind is open. Such a person is at all times willing to listen and to learn. He or she is never too proud or too busy to learn. They listen in order to understand. God gives grace to those who hunger for his word that they may understand his will and have the strength to live according to it.
This parable of Jesus is a warning to those who hear and who preach the word of God. What makes us ineffective and unresponsive to God’s word? Preoccupation with other things can distract us from what is truly important and worthwhile. And letting our hearts and minds be consumed with material things can easily weigh us down and draw us away from the treasure that lasts for eternity. God’s word can only take root in a receptive heart which is docile and ready to hear what God has to say. One lesson is clear: the harvest is sure. While some seed will fall by the wayside and some fall on shallow ground and never come to maturity, and some be choked to death by the thorns; nonetheless a harvest will come. The seed that falls on good soil, on the heart that is receptive, will reap abundant fruit. Are you teachable and eager to learn God’s truth?
Lord, help me to guard the word you have planted in my heart that no doubt or temptation may keep me from believing and obeying you. May I be fruitful in your service and may I never fear to speak of you to others and to share with them the good news of the gospel.
