Thursday, February 25, 2010

四旬期的起源及意義

──「聖灰禮儀日」是四旬期的開始──
在身上或在頭上灑灰,根據聖經及教會的訓導,象徵懺悔者作補贖與憂愁,也象徵人生命的脆弱與短暫(參閱約:三十,19;四二,6;友:九,1;耶:二五,34;達:九,3;瑪:十一,21:路:十,13) 。教會早期公開舉行懺悔聖事,並有使懺悔者接受苦衣及灰土的儀式。此懺悔聖事及儀式,為公開的罪人是在四旬期的開始舉行,因此這一天就稱為聖灰禮儀日。自第十世紀始,此灑在身上的灰要經過祝福,因而稱之為聖灰,成為教會的一種聖儀。聖灰的祝福及施放禮於彌撒聖道禮儀後,此禮與聖道禮儀形成一種懺悔儀式,在不舉行彌撒的堂區或在彌撒外也可單獨舉行。所用的聖灰取自前一年聖枝主日所用的聖枝。祝福聖灰的導言提示,在頭上撒灰表示懺悔認罪。祝福經文在舊彌撒經中原有的四端,新禮彌撒經書取用了第二端及第三端,但改編了最後的一段經文詞句,以指出四旬期的主要意義,即藉著遵守四旬期而準備慶祝並參與耶穌的逾越奧跡。主禮在頭上施放聖灰時,可唸傳統的一段經句:「人哪,你要記住,你原來是灰土,將來仍要歸於灰土」,這經句源自出:三,19,使人憶及被逐出樂園的情景。新禮又編入了另一任選經句:「你們要悔改、信從福音」(谷:一,15),指出耶穌在四旬期中對我們罪人的召喚。

──四旬期的意義──
「四旬期」指逾越節(復活節)前的四十天準備期,在此時期內,基督徒特別祈禱、刻苦作補贖,尤其守齋,故此舊名稱又叫「封齋期」。四旬期是逾越節(復活節)前的隆重準備期,每一位基督徒也應該為其自己的逾越節作準備,亦即為自己的復活—生活的革新作準備。望教友要藉入門聖事使自己出死人生,作新生的人:已領過洗的教友要藉著追念自己的洗禮,更深一層的進入基督的奧跡,使自己更進一步地基督化;尤其由於我們的罪,每個人要藉守齋.祈禱.作補贖.行善工,淨化自己,以獲得逾越節的恩寵。總之,四旬期是為使基督徒生活革新而訂立的,此時期守齋的法律. 各種禮儀等都有助於我們生活的革新,應該了解其意義並熱心遵行,才能達到目的。

──四旬期的起源──
第二世紀時,基督徒為準備逾越節已有實行兩天齋戒的習慣:第三世紀時,則有不少地區教會將此齋期延長為一週。第三世紀末或第四世紀初在埃及已出現四十天的齋戒期,但此四十天齋期的主要目的起初似乎只是為了紀念主受洗後在曠野裏的四十天齋戒。不過,很快此齋期就取得一種新形式,作為慶祝主死亡與復活奧跡的一種準備。從教會初期始,教會就有全年中於星期三、五守齋的習慣,在四旬期中又將齎戒日延伸到星期一、二及四,羅馬以後又將星期六也定為守齋日。四旬期四十天的概念源自基督徒師法主基督的意願,因為祂在約旦河受洗後曾做過四十天的齋戒(瑪:四,二:路:四,1—2)。教父們把這種習慣視為對梅瑟在西奈山四十天守齋(出:三四,28),以及厄里亞在到曷勒布山途中四十天守齋(列上;一九,8)的一種摹倣。以色列在曠野裡四十年的行程也與四十天守齋習慣的形成有關。 此四十天的齋戒期在起初並非為準備逾越節而設立,而是倣效耶穌,在其受洗後開始,即正月六日(耶穌受洗節)後,就開始守齋。四十天的齋戒期是在公元三五四及三八四年間於羅馬開始。此時期由復活主日前第六主日開始直到聖週四「三日慶典前。然而此四十天在古代也並非每天守齋,因為主日並非守齋日。由於四旬期中共有六個主日,實際上只有三十四天守齋,如果把聖週五、六兩守齋日加上,則共有三十六天守齋。 自從第七世紀以來,特別強調應有完全四十天的守齋,因而必須由前一週中再取過四天,以補足四十個守齋日的數目,這樣「聖灰禮儀星期三」就成了四旬期的第一天:齋戒期的開始。東方教會有同樣的發展過程,早從第四世紀就有四十天守齋的習慣,但由於此地區教友在主日及星期六均不守齋,因而四旬期必須延長到八週,才能有四十個守齋日。

──四旬期齋戒的意義──
守齋(大齋)是指個人每天只用一餐,依照古代習慣,此餐是在晚間進用。以後又加上了小齋,即禁用肉與酒:直到中世紀末期有許多地區也禁食牛奶製品與蛋。但從中世紀始,守齋的規定逐漸有放鬆的趨勢。一般講來,古代教會守齋的規定要比近代嚴厲得多。所謂守齋不僅是指依照教會規定實行禁食,而是指在教會的補贖時期所做的一切刻苦行為,教父稱之為「全面的齋戒」,因為它包括基督徒的全部行為,並且是團體性與公開性的。它與祈禱.朝聖、濟貧有密切而不可分的關係。 四旬齋期之目的是為準備逾越節,即基督奧跡在此慶節中將實現的各層面;
●克服邪惡的勢力:基督徒藉守齋與基督聯合克服人間魔鬼的勢力,正如耶穌曾說的,有些魔鬼「藉祈禱與守齋」才能驅逐(瑪:十七,20)。
●效法基督的苦難;克己苦身是復活的先聲,是分擔基督的救世工程:死於自己才能獲得新生。
●準備領逾越節聖事:古代不僅領聖體前要守齋,領洗前,付洗者與受洗者也要守齋。
●為自己和別人的罪作補贖:四旬期原也是作補贖的時期:古代公開罪人先作補贖,到聖週四才能與教會和好,參與逾越節慶典。
●基督徒從前把齋戒視為領受聖神的一種準備方式,是抵抗惡神的有力武器。也是為領洗及領聖體的一種準備。
●守齋節省下來的金錢可用以濟貧。

Lent 字源自撒克遜語言 Lencten,意思是「春天」。在天主教教會的禮儀年曆中,封齋期是復活節前四十天,在這四十天中,信徒特別以祈禱、克以修身以齋戒等,準備迎接復活的基督。梵蒂崗第二次大公會議的「禮儀憲章」第109段中,說明封齋期有二個特點,一個是準備,即準備接受洗禮,一個是回顧,重新喚起願洗的誓言與恩典。信徒在這段時間,勤於聆聽天主盛筵,並以齋戒準備自己的新,以參與逾越奧績。其實,早期信徒準備復活節,只守一二天的齋戒而已。根據聖人Iraneus的說法,是在復活節前,有的有一天齋戒,有的地區守二天。也有些記載說,是在節日前的四十個小時。按第三世紀「宗徒傳統」的規定,是二天的齋戒。公元325年,在小亞細亞的尼西亞召會開的大公會議的文獻中(The Council of Nicea),第一次出現四十天的齋戒這件事。但這四十天的齋戒,是否是復活節前的封齋期,學者們的看法不一。但在公元360年所舉行的拉奧狄西亞大公會議,很清楚的要求信徒們,在復活節前,遵守四十天的齋戒。所以,我們可以肯定的說,在第四世紀末期,希臘文、拉丁文都有「四十天」這個詞的出現,Quadragesima,可見東方與西方的教會,已正是遵守封齋期。封齋期的主要目的並不在齋戒,而是準備心靈以慶祝復活節。慶祝復活節並不是紀念耶穌基督,天主子進入人的歷史及他所作所為,而是重新體驗、重新活過救贖的奧績,使救贖的恩典,重新在人心中活過來,賦予人靈新的力量,革新生活,有新的生命。因此,心靈準備越完善,越能進入天主的生命奧績中。第四世紀封齋期正是的遵行之後,很快的就與聖理聖事相互關聯,因復活節也是新信徒誕生的日子。這個時候,是整個掉會與這一批即將接受洗禮的人,一起準備心靈,一起祈禱,所以,封齋期也是教會,回顧她誕生的時候,重新悔改,重新進入基督生命奧績的時刻。為了這個緣故,齋戒的期間也定為四十天。星期天是主的日子,每週六天的戒齋,此乃封齋期一共有六週,加上三天。在封齋期第一主日前的天所星期三就開始,那天是聖靈星期三(Ash Wednesday)。在過去封齋期的這些日子,羅馬的牧師團體,每天在不同指定的教堂祈禱參與感恩祭,以表示信徒的合一。每日宣讀固定的聖經章節,有特殊的祈禱文。雖然有一段時間,這個習俗有點沒落,二十世紀出的教宗庇護第十,重新重視封齋期每日彌撒,從1955年之後,除了重大的節日之外,封齋期每日的彌撒,是不能輕易改更的。

Monday, February 22, 2010

四旬期靈修活動 3月7日(星期日)

聖彌額爾堂華語組 將於 3月7日(星期日) 舉辦四旬期靈修活動,邀得黃靜儀修女及傷健聖體御侍團主持朝拜聖體、講座及祈禱,主題〈與耶穌在一起…讓心靈得到醫治〉以廣東話及國語進行,時間為 2:30-5:30pm,地點在 St Michael’s Church,10 Croydon Road, Hurstville,請各位兄弟姊妹通知親友們一同參加。

Friday, February 19, 2010

2010.02.14 農曆新年彌撒 Chinese Community Day

2010.02.09 中國教會現况 The Present Situation of The Catholic Church in China

Commonly, outside people tend to adopt a polarised view of things when they talk about the current situation of the Church in China. They speak about the “open” or “official” Church, and the “underground” Church loyal to the Pope and to the Vatican. But this way of seeing things – as black and white – does not accurately represent the real situation of the Church today on the mainland. This is not to pretend that things are not complicated or to deny that there is a very active “underground” presence in certain areas of China, such as in Fujian Province in the south, in Zhejiang and Hebei Provinces, and in Shanghai city. But underneath the many difficulties facing Catholic people in China, the Church is growing rapidly and unexpectedly; things are certainly developing.

Some figures are relevant here. Before the Communist government came to power in 1949, there were some 3 million Catholics in China. In spite of the difficulties that followed – the destruction of churches, persecution and suffering of the faithful, even death for some - the Church has managed to grow to its present 12 million people. China is a living witness to that truth stated by Tertullian, the early Christian writer, that “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” We are seeing the real fruit of the great suffering of those confined in government prisons and slave-labour camps, and of those faithful Catholics who were murdered for the faith in various parts of the country during the years of great political and social turbulence.

Another consoling fact is that of the 120 or so dioceses in China, more than 90 Bishops are now recognised by Rome, by the Pope. The usual practice today is for the Church in China to seek the approval of Rome secretly before proceeding with the episcopal ordination of any candidate. Few are willing to proceed to ordain an elected candidate for Bishop without this approval.

In Pope Benedict’s Letter to the Church in China in 2007, Chinese Catholics are urged to unite the so-called “open” and “underground” communities (6.4; 7.9). Claims made by entities such as the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association desired by the Government, which place themselves above the Bishops and claim to guide the life of the Church, are inconsistent with Catholic teaching (7.5-6). Bishops must be in communion with each other and with the Pope (5.4). The present College of Chinese Bishops is not recognised by Rome as an Episcopal Conference (8.14). The Holy Father granted full and legitimate episcopal jurisdiction to those bishops who had been consecrated without the prior approval of Rome. Bishops who were ordained bishops without the approval of the Pope were ordained illegitimately but validly, and priestly ordinations by these Bishops, and the sacraments they confer as Bishops and priests, are also valid (10.6). It is licit to celebrate the Eucharist with priests in communion with Rome, even if they are recognised by the civil authorities and keep a relationship with entities approved by the State (10.4).

Concluding his Letter to the Church in China, Pope Benedict nominated 24 May each year, the celebration of Mary Help of Christians, as an annual day of prayer for the Church in China. The choice of this day may be related to the Shrine to Mary under this title at Sheshan, outside Shanghai. As Mary Help of Christians is the national Patroness of Australia, this celebration each year may help to establish a special bond between the Catholic people of Australia and China. The Australian Church this year is joining in world-wide celebrations to mark the fourth centenary of the death in May 1610, of the famous Italian Jesuit missionary to China, Father Matteo Ricci.

~ Fr Paschal Chang, O.F.M.
Feb 9, 2010