We are remnants of the Church, of Israel, and ultimately of God
Fr. Anthony Le

I'm inspired by a lot of people here. My homily might be a little bit longer than usual. Just kidding, you don't have to be worried. Children, may I have your hands raised, where are you at? Awesome, how are you? That's it. How are you? Did you feel good when your mama and daddy brought you out of bed today, and brought you to school in the church today this morning, 'No'? We just got an honest answer over there. That's awesome. Well today you are in church together with us, with your parents, with the entire Parish Community, to celebrate a very beautiful week, school week. I want to take this opportunity to be a teacher. I'm going to teach you one word, one word only - 'Remnant'. How many of you know that word? 'Remnant'. Do you know how to even spell it?

“Remnant” This is a very unique word in the Bible. The reason why it's Unique is because it describes a group of people, so small, so insignificant, that nobody even seemed to pay attention to. That they are actually the group of people who makes our faith possible today. But we have today in the church, what we have today in the world, what we have today in the Catholic Church. It makes it possible because of this group. We call them remnants of Israel.

and here's a story. Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, Israelite people gathered together. But they were invaded by Babylonians, by the Syrians. Destroyed them left and right. So, for those who remain, a very small group of Israelites gather themselves and call a remnant of Israel. This group of people, small as it was, they declared to live by the Commandments of God. They won't buy into the foreign religion, they won't believe in the ancient Egyptian gods, they won't give in worshiping the emperor whatever that might be, they won't give in sacrificing their Sabbath rest, they won't violate 10th commandment, they won't cheat, they won't lie. They’re going to live by what God taught them.

Subsequently, many centuries, it occurred to be that Mary and Joseph and Jesus belong to this remnant of Israel. Remnants of Israel, Mary and Joseph and Jesus, were so poor, they lived with this group, and they vowed to carry out what God wanted them to do. Amazing isn't it? Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, do you know them? Children, do you know them? Oh, come on. Do you know them? Do you know how important they are to us? Don’t you? Don’t you? Don’t you? (Loud answer of Yap...) that’s what I want to hear. Say yes with conviction, say yes with power. and we know that today's gospel, why Jesus so emphasis on the fact that you and I, if you are poor in spirit, if you are meek and humble, if you are mourning, if you are working hard for peace, if you have purity of heart, if you are even being persecuted for what right that you try to stand up for. he wants you and I to know we belong to that remnant of the church, remnant of Israel.

We are those who belong to Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. And the reason why he says that, because the remnants of Israel, they suffer tremendously, they suffered for the loss of their own country, they Mourn for the loss of their own family members. Victims of violence, Victims of suppression, victims of Their Own people casting them aside. And they're looking for peace; they do not look for peace from the government. They look for peace from God. So I want you to know, you and I, we are part of this remnant of the church. We dare to be poor in spirit because we rely on God. we know he's real, we know that we could trust him, we know that we could count on him.

Look on the cross, what did Jesus do? Can you shout out loud to me what he does? He died for you and for me on the cross. Our love for us. Amazing isn't it? We could count on him, we could also, if we are suffering in pain, if by suffering loss of any kind, we could actually count on God to make up for it. We could count on him, because God is everything. He could give us everything. we could count on him, really if we are being chastised, if we are being persecuted, if we are being looked out upon. Because we believe in God, we believe in Jesus, we believe in Joseph, we believe in Mary, we believe in human dignity, we believe in truth, and goodness, and beautiful faith.

Oh my young people, that is the word I want you to learn today - 'remnant', remnant of Israel. Thanks to this group we have Mary, Jesus, and Joseph. Thanks to Mary, Jesus, and Joseph, who live by the mission, they got entrusted to them that you and I are here. Learn well; learn well with your subjects. Together with your teachers, together with your parents learn well so that you and I remain that identity. We are remnants of the Church, of Israel, and ultimately of God.

我們是教會的遺民、以色列的遺民，最重要的是，天主的遺民
安神父

今天是開學的第一個主日，我很高興今天有很多人來參加彌撒，孩子們，你們在哪裡？ 請舉手。太棒了，你好嗎？ 你的媽媽和爸爸一早把你從床上叫起來，帶你去教堂，你感覺好嗎？“不”？ 這是一個誠實的答案。 棒極了。 今天你及你的父母親、和整個堂區的教友都在這裡慶祝開學的第一週。 藉此機會，讓我作老師來教你一個字，‘Remnant’。 你們有多少人知道這個字 — ‘遺民’。 知道這個字怎麼拼嗎？

"Remnant”，遺民。 這是一個在聖經中非常獨特的字。它描述一群人，他們人數很少，微不足道，沒有人注意。 但他們卻是保留了我們信仰的一群人。 今天我們在這裡所傳播的，向世界作證的，以及教會中擁有的一切，都是因為這一群人的堅持才存留下來。 這群人也被稱為“以色列遺民”。

在耶穌誕生前數百年，以色列人聚集在一起，但被巴比倫和敘利亞人征服了。以色列這個民族被摧毀了。他們之中有一小群人存留了下來。 這群人雖然數目少，但他們嚴格遵守天主的誡命。 不相信外來的宗教，不相信古埃及的眾神，更不崇拜羅馬皇帝。他們遵守安息日必須休息的規定，不違背天主十誡，不欺騙也不說謊，依據上主的啟示來生活。

幾百年後，瑪利亞、若瑟和耶穌都是以色列遺民的一份子。 以色列遺民，瑪利亞、若瑟和耶穌，都非常的貧困。但是他們遵從天主的指示要完成上主賦予的任務。 這是多麼地神奇。若瑟、瑪利亞和耶穌，你認識他們嗎？ 孩子們，你們知道他們有多重要嗎？ 不是嗎？（孩子們大聲回答 Yes）這就是我想听到的。 帶著信心說“是”，帶著力量說“是”。 在今天的福音中，耶穌說，如果你性情謙卑，態度溫和，或心裏哀慟，如果你致力促進和平，內心純潔，為捍衛正義而受迫害， 你就是教會的遺民，以色列的遺民。

我們是屬於瑪利亞、若瑟和耶穌的。 那麼耶穌為什麼說我們是以色列的遺民？因為以色列的遺民受了極大的苦難。他們經歷了失去國家的苦，失去親人的哀痛，受到統治者的暴力鎮壓，並且被自己的同胞遺棄。 他們尋求和平，但不是與施暴者妥協的和平。他們追求天主的平安。 容我告訴你：你和我，我們都是教會的遺民。 我們的靈魂渴望著天主， 那位真實的，可信的，可依靠的天主。

現在讓我們看看十字架上的耶穌，祂到底做了什麼？ 你能大聲地告訴我祂做了什麼嗎？ 祂被釘死在十字架上救贖我們的罪債。耶穌的愛令我們信賴。當我們受苦，遭受損傷，受迫害，被人看不起，我們可以期待天主的助佑。 天主擁有一切，祂可以滿足我們的期望，讓我們仰望祂。我們相信耶穌，若瑟，和瑪利亞。我們也相信人的尊嚴，真理、善良，各種美德，和這美麗的信仰。

年輕人，“遺民”就是我要教你們的字。以色列的遺民，多虧了這個小小的團體，我們有了瑪利亞、耶穌，和若瑟。 感謝瑪利亞、耶穌，和若瑟，他們交付自己的生命來達成天主賦予他們的使命。我們要好好學習在校的科目。 我們也要和老師，父母一起來學習如何保持我們自己的身分— 教會的遺民、以色列的遺民，最重要的是，天主的遺民。