2005年12月19日将临期第四周星期一

若望

读经一
恭读民长纪　13：2－7,24－25
　　那时，在祚辣有一个人，属于丹支派，名叫玛诺亚，他的妻子是个石女，从未生育。上主的使者显现给那妇人，对她说：「看，你原是个石女，从未生育，但是你要怀孕生子。今后要留心：清酒浓酒都不可喝，各种不洁的东西也不可吃!看，你将怀孕生子，剃刀不可触及他的头，因为这孩子从母胎就是献于上主的；他要开始从培肋舍特人手中拯救以色列。」那妇人遂去告诉自己的丈夫说：「有一个天主的人来到我这里，他的容貌好象天主的使者，极其威严；我没有问他从那里来；他也没有告诉我他的名字。他对我说：看，你将怀孕生子，从今以后清酒浓酒都不可喝，各种不洁的东西都不可吃，因为这孩子从母胎一直到死，是献于天主的。」后来那妇人生了一个儿子，给他起名叫三松；孩子渐渐长大，上主祝福了他。在玛哈乃丹，即在祚辣与厄市陶耳之间，上主的神开始感动他。

答唱咏
答：我要满口赞美你，我要终日颂扬你。
领：上主，求你做我避难所与磐石，获救的保垒，因为
　　你是我的磐石、我的堡垒。天主，求你救我脱离恶
　　人的毒手，由不法之徒的掌中将我救走。答
领：因为我主上主，你是我的寄望，从我幼年时，你就
　　是我的仰仗。我尚在母胎中，你就保护我，我出世
　　以来，就仰赖你。答
领：我要宣扬我主上主的能力，上主，我要传述你独有
　　的正义。天主，我自幼年时，就蒙你教诲，直至今
　　日，我仍宣报你的奇妙作为。答

福音前欢呼
答：阿肋路亚
领：叶瑟的根子，被立为万民的标记，请来解救我们，
　　不要再迟延。
答：阿肋路亚

福音
恭读圣路加福音1：5－25
　　在犹太王黑落德的时候，阿彼雅班中有一位司祭名叫匝加利亚，他的妻子是出于亚郎的后代，名叫依撒伯尔二人在天主前是义人，都照上主的一切诫命和礼规行事，无可指摘。但是，他们没有孩子，因为依撒伯尔素不生育，两人又都上了年纪。正逢匝加利亚轮着他的班次，在天主前尽司祭的职务时，按着司祭的常例，他抽中了签，得进上主的圣所献香。献香的时候，众百姓都在外面祈祷。有一位上主的天使站在香坛右边显现给他。匝加利亚一见，惊惶失措，害怕起来；但天使向他说：「匝加利亚，不要害怕!因为你的祈祷已蒙应允，你的妻子依撒伯尔要给你生一个儿子，你要给他起名叫若翰。你必要喜乐欢跃，许多人也要因他的诞生而喜乐，因为他在上主面前将是伟大的，淡酒浓酒他都不喝，而且，他还在母胎中就要充满圣神；他要使许多以色列子民转向上主，他们的天主；他要以厄里亚的精神和能力，在他前面先行，使为父的心转向儿子，使悖逆者转向义人的心意，并为上主准备一个善良的百姓。」匝加利亚遂向天使说：「我凭着什么能知道这事呢?因为我已经老了，我的妻子也上了年纪。天使回答说：「我是站在天主面前的加俾额尔，奉命来向你说话，报给你这个喜讯。看，你必成为哑吧，不能说话，直到这些事成就的那一天，因为你没有相信我的话：但我的话届时必要应验。」百姓等候匝加利亚，都奇怪他滞留在圣所内。及至他出来后，竟不能与他们讲话，他们这才知道他在圣所中见了异象，他已成了哑吧，只给他们打手势。他供职的日期一满，就回了家。几天以后，他的妻子依撒伯尔受了孕，自己躲藏了五个月，说：「上主在眷顾的日子这样待了我，除去了我在人间的耻辱。」

若望

　　若翰洗者被称作耶稣的先驱，主要因为他宣讲默西亚即将来临的讯息。其实，若翰洗者和耶稣，两位表兄弟的生平，充满着非常相似的事迹：先是若翰洗者被举扬，後是耶稣被举扬，但耶稣总比若翰洗者优胜。所以，若翰洗者是在帮助我们更深入认识耶稣。我们可从天使预报两人的诞生，以及他们两位的诞生记录、宣讲天国、受群众欢迎、丰功伟迹、苦难与死亡当中，细看端详。

　　在圣史的笔下，若翰洗者常是抬举耶稣的人物。我们可以将今日的福音经文，跟预报耶稣诞生的经文对照（路1:26-38）：细看领报的人、天使怎样预报两位即将成孕的胎儿、匝加利亚的怀疑以及玛利亚的负责………。若翰对这一切的回应：「他应该兴盛，我却应该衰微」（若3:30）。

　　谁投身福传工作，谁就在履行若翰洗者的职务，做耶稣的先驱。如果我们为自己追求声誉，我们的工作肯定不会开花结果。我们要像若翰:让耶稣兴盛，自己衰微。

　　　　　　叶瑟的树根，
　　　　　　被立为天主爱万民的标记，
　　　　　　请来解救我们，不要迟延。
　　　　　　亚肋路亚！

若望

旧约讲三松的诞生，新约讲若翰的诞生，有些相似。玛诺亚的妻子和匝加利亚的妻子，原都是石女，素不生育。不生育，被犹太人视为受天主的惩罚。
旧约里讲：“有一个天主的人告诉玛诺亚的妻子，将怀孕生子……清酒、浓酒都不可喝，各种不洁的东西也不可吃……孩子从母胎就是献于天主的”（民13：4-5）。匝加利亚是司祭，旧约中供职的司祭共有二十四班，每班当值七天，每天早晚由抽中签的司祭进圣所献香。匝加利亚在献香时，上主的天使显现给他：“匝加利亚不要害怕！因为你的祈祷已蒙应允，你的妻子依撒伯尔要给你生一个儿子，你要给他起名叫若翰”（路1：13）。司祭的祈祷与众人不同，这也是教友们常请神父代祷的原因。另一点也看出，祈祷要恒心，匝加利亚从年轻一直祈祷到年老，天主才答应给他一个儿子。这可不是一般的儿子，是天主特别拣选的。
“淡酒浓酒他都不喝，他在母胎中就要充满圣神”（路1：15）。天主拣选人是从母胎开始，而且有特别的记号——石女怀孕生子，不喝淡酒浓酒。我们若碰到这样的事，是马上相信，还是像匝加利亚一样按人的想法：“我凭什么能知道这事呢？因为我已经老了，我的妻子也上了年纪”（路1：18）。缺乏信心是人性的通常表现，耶稣在圣经中赞扬的是人的信德，批评的也是人的信德。人有超性的思想也是天主的恩赐。所谓超性，就是在天主内，依靠天主而超出常人的想象和自然规律。
匝加利亚因不信成了哑巴：这给人一些思考，天主不因人的不信而改变计划，同时也给人一个凭证——为何成哑巴？我们有时也会成为哑巴，面对问题不知该怎样回答？面对天主的启示不知怎样……
匝加利亚和天主的天使相遇后，成了暂时的哑巴。有一个明显的变化，他从此要传达天主的信息，讲出赞美天主的语言，匝加利亚的赞主曲由此而诞生——先称谢天主怎样实现了救世的计划，后称述自己的儿子要负的前驱使命。
当人与天主相遇时，就有变化，变得和蔼可亲，仁慈良善，宽宏大方，讲天上的语言。若发觉自己没有变化，就要反省一下：有没有和天主相遇过？
主！耶稣基督！愿我们常常与祢相遇，并在祢内不断更新，做地上的盐，世上的光。

若望

December 19, 2005
Monday of the Fourth Week in Advent


Reading I
Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a

There was a certain man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites,
whose name was Manoah.
His wife was barren and had borne no children.
An angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her,
“Though you are barren and have had no children,
yet you will conceive and bear a son.
Now, then, be careful to take no wine or strong drink
and to eat nothing unclean.
As for the son you will conceive and bear,
no razor shall touch his head,
for this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb.
It is he who will begin the deliverance of Israel
from the power of the Philistines.”

The woman went and told her husband,
“A man of God came to me;
he had the appearance of an angel of God, terrible indeed.
I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name.
But he said to me,
‘You will be with child and will bear a son.
So take neither wine nor strong drink, and eat nothing unclean.
For the boy shall be consecrated to God from the womb,
until the day of his death.’”

The woman bore a son and named him Samson.
The boy grew up and the LORD blessed him;
the Spirit of the LORD stirred him.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17

R. (see 8) My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
For you are my hope, O LORD;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother’s womb you are my strength.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
I will treat of the mighty works of the LORD;
O God, I will tell of your singular justice.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!

Gospel
Lk 1:5-25

In the days of Herod, King of Judea,
there was a priest named Zechariah
of the priestly division of Abijah;
his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,
and her name was Elizabeth.
Both were righteous in the eyes of God,
observing all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren
and both were advanced in years.

Once when he was serving as priest
in his division’s turn before God,
according to the practice of the priestly service,
he was chosen by lot
to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.
Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside
at the hour of the incense offering,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him,
standing at the right of the altar of incense.
Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall name him John.
And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
He will drink neither wine nor strong drink.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,
and he will turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God.
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah
to turn the hearts of fathers toward children
and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,
to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”

Then Zechariah said to the angel,
“How shall I know this?
For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
And the angel said to him in reply,
“I am Gabriel, who stand before God.
I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.
But now you will be speechless and unable to talk
until the day these things take place,
because you did not believe my words,
which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah
and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them,
and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary.
He was gesturing to them but remained mute.

Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.

After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived,
and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,
“So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit
to take away my disgrace before others.”

大地之神

好贴,支持!

哈哈哈哈火

支持!