圣人于一七八六年在里昂附近出生。历经不少困难和波折,终于晋升铎品,被委任亚尔斯堂区主任。圣人在任四十二年,以宣讲、克己、祈祷和爱德,奇妙地使他的堂区复苏和发展。他协助前来悔罪的人,驰名遐迩,各方信众蜂拥而来,请求指导。一八五九年安逝。教宗庇护十一世立他为普世神职人员的主保。
进堂咏
我要赐给你们一些随从我心意的牧者,以智慧和明智牧养你们。(耶3:15)
集祷经
全能仁慈的天主,你曾使圣若翰.维雅纳在牧灵工作上,具有超众的热忱;求你帮助我们效法他的榜样,并赖他的代祷,以爱德感召众人归向基督,来日也能与他们共享永恒的幸福。因你的圣子、我们的主耶稣基督,他和你及圣神,是唯一天主,永生永王。亚孟。
读经一(上主派了我来,给你们宣布这一切。)
恭读耶肋米亚先知书 26:11-16,24
司祭和先知对官员和全体人民说:“这人该死,因为他预言反对这城,你们也亲耳听见了。”耶肋米亚遂答覆官员和全体人民说:“是上主派我预言你们刚才听到的一切反对这殿和这城的话。现在你们应该改善你们的品行和作为,听从上主你们天主的劝告,上主就必会后悔自己曾决意要给你们降的灾祸。至于我,看,我已在你们手里,你们看着怎样好,怎样对,就怎么对待我。但你们却要切实知道:你们若杀害我,便是给自己和这城与其中的居民招来无辜的血债,因为实在是上主派了我来,给你们当面宣布这一切。”
官员和全体人民于是对司祭和先知说:“这人不该死,因为他是奉上主我们天主的名,向我们发言。”
惟有沙番的儿子阿希甘一手卫护耶肋米亚,不让他交在人民手中,遭受杀害。
--上主的话。
答唱咏 咏69:15-16,30-31,33-34
【答】:上主,求你按你丰厚的慈爱应允我。
领:天主,求你从污泥中把我救出,不要让我沉没:救我脱离恨我的人,走出大水旋涡,求你不要让波浪淹没我,深渊吞灭我,也不要让地窖合上自己的口埋葬我。【答】
领:天主,我既贫乏而又忧苦,愿你的救助赐给我卫护:我要用诗歌赞美天主的名号,并要用感恩的心给天主增耀。【答】
领:卑微的人们,你们要观看,并要喜庆,寻求天主的人,你们的心必要兴奋,因为对贫苦的人,上主常予俯听;对他的俘虏,他决不会看轻。【答】
福音前欢呼
领:亚肋路亚。
众:亚肋路亚。
领:为义而受迫害的人是有福的,因为天国是他们的。
众:亚肋路亚。
福音(黑落德派人斩了若翰的头,他的门徒去报告给耶稣。)
恭读圣玛窦福音 14:1-12
那时,分封侯黑落德听到耶稣的名声,就对他的臣仆说:“这是洗者若翰,他由死者中复活了;为此,这些奇能才在他身上运行。”原来,黑落德为了他兄弟斐理伯的妻子黑落狄雅的缘故,逮捕了若翰,把他囚在监里,因为若翰曾给他说:“你不可占有这个女人!”黑落德本有意杀他,但害怕群众,因为他们都以若翰为先知。
到了黑落德的生日,黑落狄雅的女儿在席间跳舞,中悦了黑落德。为此,黑落德发誓许下,她无论求什么,都要给她,她受了她母亲的唆使后,就说:“请就地把若翰的头放在盘子里给我!”王十分忧郁,但为了誓言和同席的人,就下令给她。遂差人在监里斩了若翰的头,把头放在盘子里拿来,给了女孩;女孩便拿去给了她的母亲。若翰的门徒前来,领了尸身,埋葬了,然后去报告给耶稣。
--上主的话。
献礼经
上主,求你接纳你子民为纪念圣若翰.维雅纳而献上的礼品;愿这赞颂之祭,为我们带来永远的救恩。因主耶稣基督之名,求你俯听我们的祈祷。亚孟。
领主咏
人子来不是受服侍,而是服侍人,并交出自己的生命,为大众作赎价。(玛20:28)
领圣体后经
上主,我们在今天圣若翰.维雅纳的纪念日,领受了天上的食粮;求你赏赐我们藉此圣事,获得力量,在世效法圣人为主作证,来日同享永远的福乐。因主耶稣基督之名,求你俯听我们的祈祷。亚孟。
今天新旧二约都记载了天主的仆人为天主发言,而被当权者迫害。在读经一,先知耶肋米亚被司祭们控告,他向官员自辩,申明若民众不听从他并将他杀害,便会招致血债。福音记载黑落德因害怕群众,而不敢杀害洗者若翰,只把他收监,但后来为保面子,草率下令将他斩首。本月的总祈祷意向,祈愿在囚者能得到公平对待及应有的人性尊严,并得到悔改的恩典。福音巧合地道出在囚者面对的不公,无罪的若翰无辜被处决,身首异处,没有抗辩的机会,更遑论有尊严地死去。耶肋米亚幸得贵族沙番之子阿希甘保护,才幸免于难。对于黑落德,群众支持若翰是道德的准绳;另一方面,民众因忠言逆耳而认为耶肋米亚该死,成为一股恶势力。现实生活中,我们大多不是当权者,但我们既为群众之一,便应团结社会的力量,本着天主的公义为在囚者争取公平对待。我们公开的表态及舆论正是信仰的见证,也反映我们基督徒的价值观。对于犯罪的人,我们不仅要维护他们的人性尊严,也应怀着希望,以宽仁的心等待他们悔改。
主啊!祢宽赦罪人,求赐我们悔改的恩典。
Not many people like to be told that they are living in sin. Nor do they wish to be told that God is angry with them and wants to destroy their place of worship and their city. Yet, this is precisely what the temple priests and prophets, and people of Judah were told by the prophet Jeremiah. And it upset them tremendously. As such, the priests and prophets accused Jeremiah of blasphemy, the penalty for which is death. Fortunately, a number of people were not afraid to speak up on Jeremiah's behalf, and as a result, he was not put to death.
Many centuries later, John the Baptist spoke out against Herod for living in sin. Herod wanted to put John to death but he was afraid of the people, who considered John to be a prophet. Later, Herod eventually has John killed because he was afraid to be seen by his guests as someone who did not keep his oath. Unlike the prophet Jeremiah, John did not have anyone speaking up on his behalf. Herod was the only person who could have saved him, but he did not because of fear.
Perhaps, someone will need you to speak up in truth on his or her behalf today. Or you may be called upon to say or do what is right although it may upset or disappoint another person. Would you do it? Or would you rather not because of fear?
Lord, help me speak up for truth.
|