进堂咏
坐于革鲁宾之上的天主,求你降来,显示你的慈颜,拯救我们。(咏80:2,4)
集祷经
全能的天主,求你以荣耀的光辉充满我们的心灵,并藉你唯一圣子的来临,驱除长夜的黑暗,显示出我们都是你光明的子女。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(厄里亚还要再来。)
恭读德训篇 48:1-4, 9-11
当时,兴起了一位激烈如火的先知厄里亚,他的言辞炽热如火炬。他使人民遭遇饥荒,因他嫉恶如仇,使人民的数目大减,他因上主的一句话,关闭了苍天;同样,他也三次使火下降。啊,厄里亚!因你的奇迹,你是多么荣耀!谁能自夸与你相似?你乘着火马车,被火旋风卷去;你受命随时备妥,为在上主发怒以前,平息上主的义怒,为使父亲的心转向儿子,为使雅各伯的各支派恢复旧观。看见你的人,和安眠于爱的人,是有福的!
--上主的话。
答唱咏 咏80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19
【答】:天主,求你使我们回心转意,显示你的慈颜,好拯救我们。
领:以色列的牧养者,恳求你留心细听,坐于革鲁宾之上者,求你大显光荣,求你发显你的威能,快来作我们的救星!【答】
领:万军的天主,求你领我们回去,求你从高天之上垂视而怜恤!求你常看顾这葡萄树,和你右手种植的园圃,保护你所培养的小树。【答】
领:愿你右手扶持你右边的人。并扶助为你所坚固的子民!从此,我们再不愿意离开你,赐我们生存,为能传扬你名。【答】
福音前欢呼
领:亚肋路亚。
众:亚肋路亚。
领:你们当预备上主的道路,修直他的途径!凡有血肉的,都要看见天主的救援。
众:亚肋路亚。
福音(厄里亚来了,人们却不承认他。)
恭读圣玛窦福音 17: 10-13
众门徒从山上下来时,便问耶稣说:“那么,为什么经师说:厄里亚应该先来呢?”耶稣回答说:“厄里亚的确要来,且要重整一切;但我告诉你们;厄里亚已经来了,人们却不认识他,反而任意待了他;照样,人子也要受他们的磨难。”门徒这才明白耶稣给他们所说的,是指的洗者若翰。
--上主的话。
献礼经
天主,求你悦纳我们诚心献上的礼品,愿我们能藉此祭献,获得你的救恩。因主耶稣基督之名,求你俯听我们的祈祷。亚孟。
领主咏
主说:我很快就要来到,按照各人的行为,给与应得的报酬。(默22:12)
领圣体后经
天主,求你广施慈恩,使我们藉刚才所领受的神粮,远离罪恶,以迎接即将来临的圣诞佳节。因主耶稣基督之名,求你俯听我们的祈祷。亚孟。
德训篇对厄里亚精彩而生动的忆述,反映厄里亚在忠信的选民心中所激起的希望。他炽热如火炬的言辞,恢复了人对天主的信赖和忠诚。在众目之下乘火马车在火旋风中辉煌而去的厄里亚,令人期望他回来完成他的伟业。伯多禄、雅各伯和若望目睹耶稣显圣容,下山时,希望耶稣告诉他们天国的光荣何时临现,并设想天国光荣的临现跟厄里亚再来有关。耶稣告诉他们,天国在祂进入世界的时候已经临现人间,尤其当祂展开祂的公开生活时,天国更昭然在目。耶稣且向他们暗示,若翰洗者便是他们所期待的厄里亚。随着时间过去,即使耶稣亲自和他们在一起,安慰和坚强他们,门徒仍需要挣扎去接受一个非如他们料想的天主之国的光荣。但天国确实与他们同在,并在现时与我们同在。若翰洗者,以他的生命作代价,为婚姻观念抗辩。若翰洗者宣扬的婚姻观,如果能被接纳并付诸实行,世界会无比幸福。只要是在耶稣的恩宠内,并遵照祂的命令去行去宣讲,每个人都可以为世界带来欢乐,并吸引人分享永恒的天国的欢乐和光荣。
天父,愿卑微的我,以我卑微的方式,也能作祢天国的传信者,引导人归向祢。
The colourful, exciting language used about Elijah is a measure of the hope that he aroused in the hearts of faithful members of the Chosen People. His fiery preaching had brought about a restoration of faith in and loyalty to God. His spectacular departure raised hopes that he would come back to finish the job he had started.
In today's Gospel, Peter, James and John saw Jesus in glory. As they descended the mountain with Jesus they wanted him to tell them when the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven would be established. They were presuming that it would have some connection with the "return" of Elijah. Jesus told them, however, that the glory of the Kingdom had already been established. It had been established by his very coming into the world and in particular when his public mission had started. He implied that John the Baptist was the Elijah they had been expecting.
As time went by, even with Jesus' consoling and strengthening presence, the disciples probably ruefully accepted the fact that the Kingdom was not going to be quite as exciting and glorious as they had expected. It was, however, there with them. It is with us now by what we say and do in the grace of Jesus and at his behest we can bring a happiness to the world which will attract people to the joy and glory of the final, definitive Kingdom of Heaven.
Heavenly Father, may I, too, in my own simple way, be a herald and a pointer to Your Kingdom.
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