What exactly we trust in. Who do we trust in?

Fr. Anthony Le

There are two very striking images in the first reading. The first one has to do with the barren bush in the desert; the second one has to do with a tree planted nearby the running streams. very striking images to describe. the state of being of those who trust in human beings, so it's like a barren bush, no life, dying gradually. or like a planted tree, those who trust in God. Like a tree near the running stream. So, my brothers and sisters trust in God does matter. Trust in man, human beings also matter.

There's a story about a couple caught in the middle of a storm. The boat being tossed back and forth, the storm getting so strong, that the woman was so afraid, crying out loud, calling on her husband, screaming, calling for help. but the husband was calm, didn't react, but he closed his eyes, holding tight to the boat. This woman keeps screaming and says: are you not afraid? Don’t you know that we are about to die here? The storm is getting so strong. and the man did not say a word. Pulled out his pocket, a big knife, and waved around. And he shouted to her are you afraid? and this woman laughed, laughed, and laughed. Are you kidding me? You’re joking. I'm not afraid of you, because you love me. And now the man talks and he says: well just like that, I trust in almighty God, that if we survive, good. if we don't, also good. What can we do at this moment? other than trusting in the good lord, and stay calm. Amazing, isn't it?

For the baron bush, for those who trust in human beings, you have the experience of trusting in someone and disappointed later. I realized when my dad was not perfect. a quiet experience when I heard his confession. I always thought that my father was the perfect man. it turned out not to be the case. I always thought that priest was angelic on the high pedestal, until I became one. I thought that life in the catholic church, and the parish life, is awesome. all the people who go to church love God, with all their heart, to all the minds, with all their strength. well, you know that, not always the case.

Trust in men, the gospel, the author, the prophet Jeremiah, did not ask not to trust in men. no, that is not the case. Trusting is a fundamental act of living. we could not help but trust. but yet trusting completely in human beings, when we know we are limited, when we are weak, we are, my goodness, not so wise either. We trust completely when we know that we can only see so far, do so much, say so much, know so much. and so much we don't. So much limitation that we have, then, that would be a recipe for disaster. That's the reason why the author of the book of Jeremiah reminds us that we should not completely place our trust in the hands of men. If we do so, we really commit suicide, really. But yet he offered another solution. That we shall trust in the good lord. Given what we know about him, given what we have witnessed throughout the history of mankind, and how God has remained faithful. He is quick in mercy, and very slow in punishment.

In the same way, my dear brothers and sisters, when we look at our lord Jesus, when we look at him the way he dealt with those who are considered outcasts, those who consider themselves nothing. women caught in adultery, women at the well, men with possession, men with all sorts of sins, and diseases. How did our lord treat them? How did they follow him? For those who trust in the Lord, knowing that he's credible, God is all good, God is all loving, God is all patient, and kind, toward those he created. Knowing that God could not do wrong, God could not go against his promise, God could not withhold his blessing from his children. Our lord Jesus repeatedly mentions that to all those who follow him: if you trust in me, you shall have life, if you follow my commandments, you have life, even if you die you shall have life.

In today's gospel saying, Luke reminds you and I once again, what we should follow, and how we should trust. for those who are poor today, for those who are sick today, for those who are being persecuted today, if you fix your eyes not on this world alone, if we don't fix our eyes on material goods alone, if we don't fix our eye on stability that the government provides, if we don't fix our eyes on the very current moment, present moment here. And yet we look beyond, we see eternal life, we see beyond what we are suffering, and then we are blessed, because at that moment we see with God's vision. we don't just see with limited vision that human beings do. That's the reason for the four woes. Following up woe to you who are rich now, you're going to suffer, those woe to you if you are filled now, you're going to experience hunger, because you already experienced consolation. he's trying to say if at this moment all we care, or we trust all our life, place a big bet on this government, on that community, on this person, on this financial security, then later on what else do we have? We are doomed.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, we have a choice to make, and we have a beautiful opportunity to really re-examine our life, our community, and see what exactly we trust in. Who do we trust in? Should I trust in mankind completely, or should I play my trust in God. Therefore, I learned to trust my brothers and sisters, knowing that the good lord is with me, knowing that my brothers and sisters are weak and sinful, my brothers and sisters are limited too. Should I trust them with love, with mercy, with kindness, should I trust them with the wisdom of God?

So, my dear brothers and sisters, we are called to trust in God, so that we could trust one another. we are called to trust in him, so that we could truly love one another. so that we could truly share our life, because we learn once again, like our lord he trusts in us. He trusts in us knowing that we are not holy, knowing that we are wicked, knowing that we are weak, and frequently changing our mind constantly. but he trusted his life, his faith, his church to you and to me. It is not so much about whether we should be trusted, it's about whether we should trust God and therefore learn to trust one another.

Only then we could become like a tree running nearby the running stream. During a difficult time, like a drought, we still flourish and our leaves will still be green. Our shoots will still reach the water, we still have life. That's why the good lord dares to say: blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of the kingdom of God. oh, my dear brothers and sisters, only then, love has meaning, only then sacrifice has meaning, only then trust truly has meaning. Because at this moment, trust becomes an act of surrendering to God, so that allows him to use us as a tool to make you, and the world, and community, all a better place. only then, love perhaps when we do this valentine's things. Love now it's no longer an emotional response but actually a commitment of life, a way we see the world through the lens of our lord. He loves to the end that kind of sacrificial love. So, my dear brothers and sisters, once again, a barren bush or a flourishing tree? Trust in men without God or trust in God? Only to trust in one another, love one another, and show our faith in such a way. Only then richness has tremendous potential, only then, persecution becomes a new way of being with God, only then, only then, the reward of eternal life is guaranteed.

我们到底信什么？又信谁？

今天读经ㄧ给了我们两张图片。第一张图，代表了相信人类自己可以解决所有问题的人。这种人就像一株生长在贫瘠沙漠中的荒芜灌木，没有生命，逐渐的死亡。第二张图。代表了信靠天主的人。就像生长在溪流边的树木。高大强壮，枝叶茂盛，不断地成长。兄弟姐妹们，信靠天主的确很重要。信靠人有能力可以解决问题，的确也很重要。

有一对夫妇坐的船在暴风雨中陷入困境。船来回颠簸，暴风雨又是如此的猛烈，女人害怕极了。大声哭泣，呼唤丈夫，尖叫，呼救。但丈夫却很平静，没有反应，只是闭上了眼睛，紧紧地抓着船。女人尖叫说：你不害怕吗？难道你不知道我们即将死在这里吗？那人一言不发。从他的口袋拿出一把大刀，向四周挥舞，对她喊：你怕不怕？这个女人笑了，说：你在跟我开玩笑吗？我不怕你，因为你爱我。丈夫回答说：我信任全能的天主，如果我们活下来，那就太好了。如果我们活不下来，也很好。的确，这个时候除了信任主，保持冷静，我们还能做什么？他的回答是不是很了不起？

对于贫瘠灌木，那些完全信任人类的能力的人，请问，你是否有过信任过某人，后来感到失望的经历。我一直认为我的父亲是个完美的人。但当我听到他的忏悔时，我意识到他并不完美。我一直认为神父是站在高台上的天使，直到有一天我成了神父，我发现事实上并非如此。我认为天主教会，和教区的生活，非常美好。所有去教堂的人，都全心，全意地爱天主，全力以赴。您也知道，事实上并非如此。

福音，先知，耶肋米亚，并没有要求我们不要信任人。信任是一种基本的生活反应。信任是我们本性的一部分。但是我们知道，我们是有限的，软弱的，也不那么聪明。我们只能看到这么多、做这么多、说这么多、知道这么多。如果我们明知有许多的限制，但仍然完全信任我们的能力，那将会导致严重的灾难。所以耶利米亚提醒我们，不应该把全部的信任放在人的手中。他提供了一个解决的方案。要我们信靠主。

天主在人类历史中所作的，祂的信实，祂快速的怜悯施恩，而缓于惩罚。使我们认识了祂。让我们看看我们的主耶稣，他是如何对待那些被抛弃的人，通奸的人，井边的女人，附魔的，有各种罪孽的，和患病的人。看看我们的主是如何对待他们的？他们是怎么跟随他的？那些信靠主的人，知道天主是可信的，良善的，慈爱的。天主对他所创造的人都是耐心和仁慈的。天主不会做错事，不会违背他的应许，会给他的孩子们祝福。我们的主耶稣反复的说：信靠我，你就会有生命，遵守我的诫命，你就会有生命，即使你死了，也会重生。

在今天路加福音中，耶稣用四福四祸来提醒我们，应该追随什么，信任什么。首先是四福，今天的穷人，病人，受迫害的人，你们的眼光不要只看这个俗世，以及祂所提供的物质，或是政府的辅助。你们要向远处看，来看看永生。你们会看到了在受过苦难后，会得到永远的祝福。就在此刻，我们不是用人的眼睛来看，而是用耶稣的眼睛来看。 至于四祸，祂说：如果你追求财富，你将会受苦，如果你总是填满了你的肚腹，你将会经历饥饿。因为在这个现世，你已经得到了慰藉。耶稣就是说，如果我们一生的关注都是，这个政府、那个社区、这个人、或拥有多少的财务，既然你的关爱，都赌在这个俗世上，你是不是放弃了对于将来的指望呢?

亲爱的兄弟姐妹，这是一个很好的机会来重新审视我们的生活。看看我们到底信什么？又信谁？信任人，还是天主。信天主可以学会如何信任我的兄弟姐妹们。因为善良的主与我同在，并且知道我的兄弟姐妹和我一样是软弱有罪的，有限的。我应该以主的爱、怜悯、和仁慈来信任他们，我应该以天主的智慧来信任他们。

亲爱的兄弟姐妹们，我们蒙召信主，来学习相互信任，彼此相爱，来分享我们的生命。我们的主信任我们，知道我们不圣洁，是邪恶的，是软弱的，并且是善变的。但他把他的生命、他的信仰、他的教会托付给你和我。我们应该信任天主，从而学会彼此信任。只有这样，我们才能像一棵种在奔流溪旁的树。即使在干旱的时侯，我们仍然蓬勃生长，枝叶茂盛。树根伸展到水里，充满了生命。主说： 为义而受迫害的人是有福的。亲爱的兄弟姐妹，只有牺牲的爱才有意义，只有信任才有意义。在这一刻，信任主就是一个向天主降服的行为，只有这样，我们才能作为祂工具，使你，我，世界，和这个社区变得更美好。只有这样，在这个情人节，爱不再是一种情感的反应，而是一个生命的承诺，一个通过主的眼睛看世界的方式。看到耶稣爱到最后，那种牺牲的爱。亲爱的兄弟姐妹们，你要成为一棵不毛的灌木，还是一棵茂盛的树？你要成为一个不信天主的人，还是信天主的人？我们要彼此信任，彼此相爱，并以这种方式来显示我们的信仰。只有这样的富足才有巨大的潜力，只有为爱而受迫害，才能与天主同在，必有永生的赏报