Vancouver, Canada

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.

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.

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?

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?