神父,請問具體而言試探上主的意思是什麼呢? 耶穌受試探時,魔鬼要耶穌從聖殿頂跳下去,因為天主必定保護他;耶穌說不可試探上主。這裏的意思是不可以抱著懷疑的心,要天主證明自己的能力,甚或違抗天主的計劃,對嗎? 《依撒意亞先知書》七:10-14裏,上主要阿哈次求天主一個徵兆,阿哈次拒絕並說不願意試探上主,然而其實他不願依靠上主。從這個來看,試探上主的核心是抱著懷疑的心去求天主嗎?言行是否試探上主,與那個人的信德的關係是什麼呢? 又如《瑪竇福音》十七:14-20裏,有一個人請門徒治好他的兒子,然而門徒並不能夠。耶穌回答是因為門徒缺少信德。耶穌授給門徒驅魔治病等權柄,但是門徒信德不足辦不到。然而他們沒有試探上主的心,請問這樣和試探上主類似嗎?分別是在哪裏呢? 最後,假如一個人患病苦不堪言,四處求醫不果,於是求天主治好自己,並相信天主必定能治好他,也相信並信賴天主的慈愛、憐憫,對這些並不懷疑;但是他對於自己得到治愈的信心並不足夠,那這樣會是無意中試探上主嗎?如果這人不斷祈求也沒有好轉,而仍然堅信天主的大能和慈愛,但對得到治愈的信心更小了,這樣會無意中試探了上主嗎? 望神父指教,感謝!主佑!
Are Moses, Noah, and Abraham saints? We seldom hear them name to be called as a Saint, but God spoke to these people directly back in the Old Testament.
I would like to invite my Protestant friend to explore our Catholic faith, but one of his hangups is that Catholic do not believe in Sola scriptura. Can you please explain Catholic stands on Sola scriptura? Is this explained in the Bible?
In Exodus 20:5, God says “for I the LORD your God am a jealous God”. But in 1 Corinthians 13:4, St. Paul says “love is not jealous”. If God is love, how would God a “jealous” God?
Dear Fr. Francis, How can I better understand “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ (Mt 5:37)? I’m a bit confused as Jesus had tried to conceal his ID as the Messiah & sometimes asked those who received His healing not to spread the news publicly which seems to contradict this teaching to tell the truth. How should I apply it to my daily life? Should I not take Mt 5:37 literally and need to be flexible if saying the truth might hinder God’s work in certain circumstances? Thank you.
Jesus never broke any commandments and laws in the Old Testament Books of Laws, I wonder does he obey anything in the Wisdom Books, for example, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Sirach? I also wonder how should we view the words of Wisdom Books? Are we also obliged to do as the Wisdom Books says?
Dear Fr. Francis, at the wedding in Cana when Mama Mary told Jesus that there was no more wine, did Mama Mary want Jesus to do a miracle? What was Mama Mary\’s intention at that moment? I am now studying John’s Gospel with a renowned Christian Bible study fellowship and I was told that Mama Mary, like other disciples, wanted Jesus to reveal His identity. I have never given a deep thought on that. Did it also take time for Mama Mary to grow her faith and have deeper understanding of Jesus?
I live in a senior housing complex. They’re planning to form a Bible study group, and it will be led by a Protestant. They say everyone can join, including Catholics, protestants and others. I would like to ask whether I can or whether I should not join such a group. Thanks.
我想問瑪竇福音的第五章與第六章是否前後矛盾? 瑪 (5:15-16) 說: 「人點燈,並不是放在斗底下,而是放在燈台上,照耀屋中所有的人。照樣,你們的光也當在人前照耀,好使他們看見你們的善行,光榮你們在天之父。」但瑪 (6:1)又說:「你們應當心,不要在人前行你們的仁義,為叫他們看見;若是這樣,你們在天父之前,就沒有賞報了。」一章節叫人要看我們的善行,另一章節就叫我們要隱藏善行,讓天主暗中賞報。我們應該怎樣做?
天主是全能的,祂可以感受痛苦嗎?是否由於天主不可以感受到痛苦,所以祂才派遣祂的獨生子耶穌來到我們中間,去受苦受難,並籍此來的拯救我們?另外既然天主是全能的,祂可以選擇用不受苦的方式去拯救世界嗎?例如在人類面前彰顯祂的大能、光榮和大愛,令世人因此受感動而相信。
神父: 在上一封信當中提到的那個美國極端保守天主教團體”Return to Order” 他們在一篇文章中批評教宗 因為他們攻擊教宗認為猶達斯有機會得救是違背聖經教導的 他們引用若望福音第17章第12節來批評教宗的論點 認為該段經文裡面的”喪亡之子”就是指猶達斯 認為猶達斯已經被詛咒 注定喪亡永無得救機會 對此神父有何看法? 此一團體是否有濫用聖經攻擊教宗以達他們目的的嫌疑(如有的話 他們肯定被魔鬼利用自己卻不自知 因為魔鬼最希望教會分裂)?
在創世之初,天主已使世人「稍微遜於天神,以尊貴光榮作他冠冕」﹙ 詠8:6﹚。天神所指是什麼?是天使嗎?是其它靈界事物嗎?這些天神都服從天主的嗎?有沒有不服從的?人到了天主的國會成為天神嗎?還是稍遜於天神?
If I were asked about the problem of Synoptic Gospels, for instance, why are the three Gospels so similar to each other, how should I respond?
在若望福音4:1-3 「耶穌一知道法利塞人聽說他已收徒,施洗比若翰還多──其實耶穌本人並沒有施洗,而是他的門徒──便離開猶太,又往加里肋亞去了。」這段福音章節提及耶穌的門徒施洗。請問,這些門徒的施洗,是與若翰洗者的施洗是同樣性質,只是悔罪的施洗嗎?我在瑪竇福音28:19 裡讀到,耶穌升天前吩咐門徒去使萬民成為門徒,因父、及子、及聖神之名給他們授洗,似乎耶穌復活後才正式吩咐門徒因父、及子、及聖神之名授洗。如此的話,是否因為護慰者聖神未正式降臨,門徒之前所做的施洗只算得上是悔罪的施洗?謝謝!