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葡萄园的雇工 经文 (玛窦 20:1-16) 天国好像一个家主，清晨出去为自己的葡萄园雇工人。他与工人议定一天一个『德纳』，就派他们到葡萄园里去了。约在第三时辰，又出去，看见另有些人在街市上闲立着，就对他们说：你们也到我的葡萄园里去罢！凡照公义该给的，我必给你们。他们就去了。约在第六和第九时辰，他又出去，也照样作了。约在第十一时辰，他又出去，看见还有些人站在那里，就对他们说：为什么你们站在这里整天闲着？他们对他说：因为没有人雇我们。他给他们说：你们也到我的葡萄园里去罢！到了晚上，葡萄园的主人对他的管事人说：你叫工人来，分给他们工资，由最后的开始，直到最先的。那些约在第十一时辰来的人，每人领了一个『德纳』。 那些最先雇的前来，心想自己必会多领；但他们也只领了一个「德纳」。他们一领了，就抱怨家主，说：这些最后雇的人，不过工作了一个时辰，而你竟把他们与我们这整天受苦受热的同等看待。他答覆其中的一个说：朋友！我并没有亏负你，你不是和我议定了一个「德纳」吗？拿你的走罢！我愿意给这最后来的和给你的一样。难道不许我拿我所有的财物，行我所愿意的吗？或是因为我好，你就眼红吗？这样，最后的，将成为最先的，最先的将会成为最后的。 」 评论 最早来到葡萄园的工人向家主抱怨说：「这些最后雇的人，不过工作了一个时辰，而你竟把他们与我们这整天受苦受热的同等看待。」(玛窦20:12) 葡萄园的家主答覆说：「朋友！我并没有亏负你，你不是和我议定了一个「德纳」吗？拿你的走罢！我愿意给这最后来的和给你的一样。难道不许我拿我所有的财物，行我所愿意的吗？或是因为我好，你就眼红吗？ 」(玛窦20:13-15) 然后，耶稣说：这样，最后的，将成为最先的，最先的将会成为最后的。 」 (玛窦20:16) 葡萄园的雇工的比喻有多种解释。然而，当我们弄清楚什么代表什么之后，这个比喻的意义就变得很清楚了： • 葡萄园的家主是代表天主。 • 雇工人是代表那些被呼召跟随耶稣基督的人。 • 葡萄园是代表世界。 • 葡萄园里的工作是代表跟随耶稣基督的工作 – 就是爱天主和爱邻人。 • 一天的日薪是代表天国。 许多人被呼召在这个世界去跟随耶稣基督－要爱天主和爱邻人。但我们在生命的不同时期蒙召。我们中的一些人在生命早期蒙召，而其他人则在生命后期蒙召。但天国是应许给那些跟随耶稣基督的人。 「最后的，将成为最先的，最先的将会成为最后的。」（玛窦20:16）在葡萄园雇工的比谕中（参阅玛窦20:1-16），「最后的」指的是在第十一个时辰来到葡萄园工作的人，或是那些晚年跟随耶稣基督的人，即使在他们的最后时刻。 「最先的」是指第一个时辰来到葡萄园工作的人，或者那些从小就跟随耶稣的人。 「最后的，将成为最先的，最先的将会成为最后的」的这句话是表明那些回应耶稣呼召的人，无论是首先的或是最后的，还是介于两者之间的，都将获得继承天国的同样的奖赏。 从这个比喻中，我们可以学到两件事：第一，天主是多么慷慨的——无论一个人在生命中多迟开始跟随祂的圣子，天主神都会赐给他同样极大的赏赐，那就是天国。第二，我们不应该嫉妒天主对别人的慷慨； 也就是说，我们不应该嫉妒别人的好运。 在许多的情况下，嫉妒是由于看到或发现到别人拥有而我们没有的东西而引起的。例如，我的邻居有更大的房子或新车，或者我以前的同事现在有了更好的工作，或者我的朋友总是得到新的东西。但在其他的情况下，当一个人感到不公平时，就会产生嫉妒。例如，我在工作更努力，但我的同事升职了，或者我的同事做更少的工作却得到同样的工资，就像「雇工的比喻」中的情况一样。不过，还有些人说，嫉妒的根源与一个人无法看到天主在他们的生活中所提供的一切以及缺乏感恩有关。 圣保禄将嫉妒视为本性私欲的作为之一，并告诫它：「本性私欲的作为是显而易见的：即淫乱、不洁、放荡、崇拜偶像、施行邪法、仇恨、竞争、嫉妒、忿怒、争吵、不睦、分党、妒恨、【凶杀】、醉酒、宴乐，以及与这些相类似的事。我以前劝戒过你们，如今再说一次：做这种事的人，决不能承受天主的国... 凡属于耶稣基督的人，已把肉身同邪情和私欲钉在十字架上了。如果我们因圣神生活，就应随从圣神的引导而行事。不要贪图虚荣，不要彼此挑拨，互相嫉妒。」 （迦拉达书5:19-21, 24-26） 我们怎么能克服嫉妒呢？ 1. 感恩－每当我们开始觉得自己没有得到生命中应得的事物时，我们必须细数自己的祝福，并为此感谢天主。我们相信一切都来自天主；我们不该抱怨天主对我们不公平，而该顺服天主的审判和无限的智慧。 2. 知足－很多时候我们会贬低生活中所得到的祝福。我们倾向于认为，既然很多人都拥有与我们生活中所享受的相同的事物，那就没什么特别的。但世界上有更多的人没有我们享受的最普通的事物。让我们不仅学会对这些事物表示感恩，也学会对我们所得到的感到满足。 3. 兄弟之爱－兄弟之爱不仅意味着做慈善或帮助别人； 它还包括为他人的好运感到高兴。对他人抱持仁慈的态度意味着我们将他们的收获视为我们的收获，并将他们的成功视为我们的成功。从更深的意义上来说，这就是爱你的邻人的真正意义。 反省的问题 1. 您认为家主给最先来作工的雇工的薪水与最后来工作的雇工相同，是否欺骗了他们？为什么？ 2. 你有时候会觉得天主不公平吗？为什么？
The Workers in the Vineyard Scripture Passage (Matthew 20:1-16) The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ So they went off. [And] he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’ When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? [Or] am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Commentary The workers who came first to the vineyard complained to the landowner: “These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.” (Matthew 20:12) The owner of the vineyard responded: “My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? [Or] am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?” (Matthew 20:13-15) Then Jesus said, “Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16) The parable of the workers in the vineyard has been interpreted in many ways. However, the meaning of the parable can become quite clear after we figure out who is represented by what: • The owner represents God. • The workers represent those who are called to follow Jesus Christ. • The vineyard represents the world. • The work in the vineyard represents following Jesus Christ by LOVING GOD AND NEIGHBOR. • The daily wage represents the kingdom of heaven. Many are called to follow Jesus Christ in this world – by LOVING GOD AND NEIGHBOR. But we are called at different times in our lives. Some of us are called early in life, while others are called later in life. But the kingdom of heaven is promised to those who follow Jesus Christ in this world. “The last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16) Within the context of the parable of the workers in the vineyard (cf. Matthew 20:1-16), the ‘last’ refers to the workers who came to work in the vineyard at the last hour, or those who have come to follow Jesus later in life, even if it is at their last hour. The ‘first’ refers to the workers who came to work in the vineyard at the first hour, or those who have come to follow Jesus early in life, even since childhood. That the ‘last’ will be first and the ‘first’ will be last suggests that those who respond to the call of Jesus, whether first or last or in between, will obtain the same reward of inheriting the kingdom of God. There are two things that we can learn from this parable: first, that God is generous – regardless of how late in life someone started to follow His Son, God gives him the same great reward, which is the kingdom of heaven. Second, we should not be envious of God’s generosity to others; i.e., we should not be envious of the good fortune of others. In many instances, envy is caused by seeing or knowing about things that others have which we don’t; e.g., my neighbors have a bigger house or a new car, or someone I used to work with now has a better job, or my friends always get new things. But in other cases, envy is caused when one senses unfairness; e.g., I work harder, but my co-worker got promoted, or my co-workers get the same pay for less work, as was the case in the parable. Still, some say that the root cause of envy is connected to a person's inability to see what God has provided in their life and a lack of thankfulness. St. Paul identifies envy as one of the works of the flesh and he admonishes against it: Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God… Now those who belong to Christ [Jesus] have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. Let us not be conceited, provoking one another, envious of one another. (Galatians 5:19-21, 24-26) How can we overcome envy? 1. Gratitude – whenever we begin to feel that we are not getting what we deserve in life, we must count your own blessings and thank God for them. We believe that all things come from God; and instead of complaining that God is unfair, we defer to God’s judgment and infinite wisdom. 2. Contentment – many times we belittle the blessings that we receive in life. We tend to think that since many people have the same things that we enjoy in life, it is nothing special. But there are more people in the world that do not have the most ordinary things that we enjoy. Let us learn not only to be thankful for these things, but also learn to be content with what we have received. 3. Brotherly love – brotherly love does not only mean doing charity work or helping others; it also includes being happy for the good fortune of others. Having a benevolent attitude towards others means that we look at their gains as our gain and their successes as our success. In a deeper sense, this is what it really means to love your neighbor. Questions for reflection 1. Do you think that the owner cheated the first workers by giving them the same wage as the last workers? Why? 2. Do you sometimes think that God is unfair? Why?
兄弟的矫正 经文 (玛窦 18:15-18) 如果你的弟兄得罪了你，去，要在你和他独处的时候，规劝他；如果他听从了你，你便赚得了你的兄弟；但他如果不听，你就另带上一个或两个人，为叫任何事情，凭两个或三个见证人的口供，得以成立。若是他仍不听从他们，你要告诉教会；如果他连教会也不听从，你就将他看作外教人或税吏。我实在告诉你们：凡你们在地上所束缚的，在天上也要被束缚；凡你们在地上所释放的，在天上也要被释放。 评论 在玛窦福音中，耶稣教导祂的门徒如何对待一直在犯罪但仍留在团体中的门徒们。第一，纠正要私下进行； 如果这不起作用，则应在两到三名证人在场的情况下进行纠正； 如果还不起作用，则应将此事提交教会。如果罪人仍然拒绝纠正，那么他将被逐出教会。被开除出教会可不是小事，因为天主会批准教会的审判；耶稣说：「凡你们在地上所束缚的，在天上也要被束缚；凡你们在地上所释放的，在天上也要被释放。 」（玛窦18 :18); 如果犯罪的人不悔改并与教会和解，那么绝罚就会永远具有约束力。 在格林多前书中，圣保禄敦促格林多的早期基督徒与社区内的罪人脱离关系来保持社区内心的纯洁；他写道：「其实，我写给你们的，是说：若有称为弟兄的，是淫荡的，或贪婪的，或拜偶像的，或辱骂人的，或酗酒的，或勒索人的，你们就不要同他交结；并且同这样的人，连一起吃饭也不可。 」（格林多前书5:11） 根据天主教教理：某些特别严重的罪过会处以绝罚；这是教会给予最严厉的处罚，即罪人不得领受圣事，及执行某些教会行动。并且，按照教会法律，只有教宗、地方主教或获得他们授权的司铎，才能给予赦免。 （天主教教理 1463） 绝罚到底是什么？绝罚是教会施加的惩罚； 这是一种惩戒罚，旨在打破一个人的固执，让他承认自己的罪过，从而悔改并回归教会。 根据1917 年的天主教法典，一个被绝罚的人是被排除在信徒的团契之外（天主教法典2257 条第1 款）；这个方式跟玛窦福音和圣保禄罗致格林多人书中所描述的方式非常相似。然而，这并没有延续在 1983 年的天主教法典； 因此，目前，一个被绝罚的人并不意味着他被“踢出”教会。相反，2021 年对天主教法典进行的修订禁止被绝罚的人做某些在教会内的事情（天主教法典第 1331 条）；例如，领圣事并积极参与教会的庆典。被绝罚的人仍然可以参与弥撒，但禁止他们在教会内服务； 例如，在弥撒中送圣体或读经。 重要的是要记住，教会施加诸如绝罚之类的惩罚，不是为了将罪人拒之门外，而是作为一种「药物」来「唤醒」罪人承认自己的错误，并促使他们悔改并和解与天主和教会。正如在玛窦福音中，耶稣教导门徒将那些拒绝纠正的罪人绝罚，听起来相当严厉；相反，在路加福音中，通过荡子的比喻，耶稣教导我们天主的爱和怜悯；荡子认识了自己的错误并悔改之后，他被父亲欢迎回来父亲的家。 （参阅路加 15:11-32） 反省的问题 1. 绝罚的利弊是什么？ 2. 您认为今天的绝罚方式是否过于宽松？为何？
Fraternal correction Scripture Passage (Matthew 18:15-18) If your brother sins [against you], go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Commentary In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus teaches His disciples how they are to deal with a fellow disciple who sins and yet remains within the community. First, the correction should be done in private; if this doesn’t work, then correction should be done in the presence of two or three witnesses; if this fails, then the matter is to be brought before the Church. If the sinner still refuses to be corrected, then he is to be expelled from the Church. To be expelled from the Church is no small matter, because the Church’s judgment will be ratified by God in heaven; Jesus said: “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18); if the sinner does not repent and reconcile with the Church, then the excommunication remains eternally binding. In his Letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul urges the early Christians in Corinth to maintain their inner purity by disassociating with sinners within the community; he wrote: “But I now write to you not to associate with anyone named a brother, if he is immoral, greedy, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunkard, or a robber, not even to eat with such a person.” (1Cor 5:11) According to the Catechism: Certain particularly grave sins incur excommunication, the most severe ecclesiastical penalty, which impedes the reception of the sacraments and the exercise of certain ecclesiastical acts, and for which absolution consequently cannot be granted, according to Canon Law, except by the Pope, the bishop of the place or priests authorized by them. (CCC 1463) What exactly is excommunication? Excommunication is a penalty imposed by the Church; it is a kind of penalty known as a “censure,” which aims to break a person’s stubbornness and make him realize his wrongdoing, so that he can repent and return to the Church. Under the 1917 Code of Canon Law, an excommunicated person was excluded from the communion of the faithful (can. 2257 §1), pretty much in the way described by Matthew’s Gospel and St. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians. However, this was not carried over in the 1983 Code of Canon Law; therefore, at the present time, a person who has been excommunicated does not mean that he is “kicked out” of the Church. Instead, a revision to the Code of Canon Law made in 2021 prohibits an excommunicated person from doing certain things within the Church (can. 1331); e.g., receiving the sacraments and taking an active part in church celebrations. Excommunicated persons can still come to Mass, but they are prohibited from performing ministerial duties; for example, distributing Holy Communion or reading at Mass. It is important to remember that the Church imposes penalties like excommunication, not for the purpose of keeping sinners out of the church, but as a “medicine” to “wake up” sinners into realizing their wrongdoing and spur them to repentance and reconciliation with God and the Church. Even as Jesus, in Matthew’s Gospel, sounds pretty harsh in expelling sinners who refuse to be corrected from the Church; Jesus, in Luke’s Gospel, teaches us God’s love and mercy in the parable of the prodigal son, who after realizing his wrongdoing and repenting, was welcomed back into his father’s house (cf. Luke 15:11-32). Questions for reflection 1. What are the pros and cons of excommunication? 2. Do you think that the way that excommunication is carried out today is too lenient? Why?
葡萄园的雇工 经文 (玛窦 20:1-16) 天国好像一个家主，清晨出去为自己的葡萄园雇工人。他与工人议定一天一个『德纳』，就派他们到葡萄园里去了。约在第三时辰，又出去，看见另有些人在街市上闲立着，就对他们说：你们也到我的葡萄园里去罢！凡照公义该给的，我必给你们。他们就去了。约在第六和第九时辰，他又出去，也照样作了。约在第十一时辰，他又出去，看见还有些人站在那里，就对他们说：为什么你们站在这里整天闲着？他们对他说：因为没有人雇我们。他给他们说：你们也到我的葡萄园里去罢！到了晚上，葡萄园的主人对他的管事人说：你叫工人来，分给他们工资，由最后的开始，直到最先的。那些约在第十一时辰来的人，每人领了一个『德纳』。 那些最先雇的前来，心想自己必会多领；但他们也只领了一个「德纳」。他们一领了，就抱怨家主，说：这些最后雇的人，不过工作了一个时辰，而你竟把他们与我们这整天受苦受热的同等看待。他答覆其中的一个说：朋友！我并没有亏负你，你不是和我议定了一个「德纳」吗？拿你的走罢！我愿意给这最后来的和给你的一样。难道不许我拿我所有的财物，行我所愿意的吗？或是因为我好，你就眼红吗？这样，最后的，将成为最先的，最先的将会成为最后的。 」 评论 最早来到葡萄园的工人向家主抱怨说：「这些最后雇的人，不过工作了一个时辰，而你竟把他们与我们这整天受苦受热的同等看待。」(玛窦20:12) 葡萄园的家主答覆说：「朋友！我并没有亏负你，你不是和我议定了一个「德纳」吗？拿你的走罢！我愿意给这最后来的和给你的一样。难道不许我拿我所有的财物，行我所愿意的吗？或是因为我好，你就眼红吗？ 」(玛窦20:13-15) 然后，耶稣说：这样，最后的，将成为最先的，最先的将会成为最后的。 」 (玛窦20:16) 葡萄园的雇工的比喻有多种解释。然而，当我们弄清楚什么代表什么之后，这个比喻的意义就变得很清楚了： • 葡萄园的家主是代表天主。 • 雇工人是代表那些被呼召跟随耶稣基督的人。 • 葡萄园是代表世界。 • 葡萄园里的工作是代表跟随耶稣基督的工作 – 就是爱天主和爱邻人。 • 一天的日薪是代表天国。 许多人被呼召在这个世界去跟随耶稣基督－要爱天主和爱邻人。但我们在生命的不同时期蒙召。我们中的一些人在生命早期蒙召，而其他人则在生命后期蒙召。但天国是应许给那些跟随耶稣基督的人。 「最后的，将成为最先的，最先的将会成为最后的。」（玛窦20:16）在葡萄园雇工的比谕中（参阅玛窦20:1-16），「最后的」指的是在第十一个时辰来到葡萄园工作的人，或是那些晚年跟随耶稣基督的人，即使在他们的最后时刻。 「最先的」是指第一个时辰来到葡萄园工作的人，或者那些从小就跟随耶稣的人。 「最后的，将成为最先的，最先的将会成为最后的」的这句话是表明那些回应耶稣呼召的人，无论是首先的或是最后的，还是介于两者之间的，都将获得继承天国的同样的奖赏。 从这个比喻中，我们可以学到两件事：第一，天主是多么慷慨的——无论一个人在生命中多迟开始跟随祂的圣子，天主神都会赐给他同样极大的赏赐，那就是天国。第二，我们不应该嫉妒天主对别人的慷慨； 也就是说，我们不应该嫉妒别人的好运。 在许多的情况下，嫉妒是由于看到或发现到别人拥有而我们没有的东西而引起的。例如，我的邻居有更大的房子或新车，或者我以前的同事现在有了更好的工作，或者我的朋友总是得到新的东西。但在其他的情况下，当一个人感到不公平时，就会产生嫉妒。例如，我在工作更努力，但我的同事升职了，或者我的同事做更少的工作却得到同样的工资，就像「雇工的比喻」中的情况一样。不过，还有些人说，嫉妒的根源与一个人无法看到天主在他们的生活中所提供的一切以及缺乏感恩有关。 圣保禄将嫉妒视为本性私欲的作为之一，并告诫它：「本性私欲的作为是显而易见的：即淫乱、不洁、放荡、崇拜偶像、施行邪法、仇恨、竞争、嫉妒、忿怒、争吵、不睦、分党、妒恨、【凶杀】、醉酒、宴乐，以及与这些相类似的事。我以前劝戒过你们，如今再说一次：做这种事的人，决不能承受天主的国... 凡属于耶稣基督的人，已把肉身同邪情和私欲钉在十字架上了。如果我们因圣神生活，就应随从圣神的引导而行事。不要贪图虚荣，不要彼此挑拨，互相嫉妒。」 （迦拉达书5:19-21, 24-26） 我们怎么能克服嫉妒呢？ 1. 感恩－每当我们开始觉得自己没有得到生命中应得的事物时，我们必须细数自己的祝福，并为此感谢天主。我们相信一切都来自天主；我们不该抱怨天主对我们不公平，而该顺服天主的审判和无限的智慧。 2. 知足－很多时候我们会贬低生活中所得到的祝福。我们倾向于认为，既然很多人都拥有与我们生活中所享受的相同的事物，那就没什么特别的。但世界上有更多的人没有我们享受的最普通的事物。让我们不仅学会对这些事物表示感恩，也学会对我们所得到的感到满足。 3. 兄弟之爱－兄弟之爱不仅意味着做慈善或帮助别人； 它还包括为他人的好运感到高兴。对他人抱持仁慈的态度意味着我们将他们的收获视为我们的收获，并将他们的成功视为我们的成功。从更深的意义上来说，这就是爱你的邻人的真正意义。 反省的问题 1. 您认为家主给最先来作工的雇工的薪水与最后来工作的雇工相同，是否欺骗了他们？为什么？ 2. 你有时候会觉得天主不公平吗？为什么？
The Workers in the Vineyard Scripture Passage (Matthew 20:1-16) The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ So they went off. [And] he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’ When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? [Or] am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Commentary The workers who came first to the vineyard complained to the landowner: “These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.” (Matthew 20:12) The owner of the vineyard responded: “My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? [Or] am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?” (Matthew 20:13-15) Then Jesus said, “Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16) The parable of the workers in the vineyard has been interpreted in many ways. However, the meaning of the parable can become quite clear after we figure out who is represented by what: • The owner represents God. • The workers represent those who are called to follow Jesus Christ. • The vineyard represents the world. • The work in the vineyard represents following Jesus Christ by LOVING GOD AND NEIGHBOR. • The daily wage represents the kingdom of heaven. Many are called to follow Jesus Christ in this world – by LOVING GOD AND NEIGHBOR. But we are called at different times in our lives. Some of us are called early in life, while others are called later in life. But the kingdom of heaven is promised to those who follow Jesus Christ in this world. “The last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16) Within the context of the parable of the workers in the vineyard (cf. Matthew 20:1-16), the ‘last’ refers to the workers who came to work in the vineyard at the last hour, or those who have come to follow Jesus later in life, even if it is at their last hour. The ‘first’ refers to the workers who came to work in the vineyard at the first hour, or those who have come to follow Jesus early in life, even since childhood. That the ‘last’ will be first and the ‘first’ will be last suggests that those who respond to the call of Jesus, whether first or last or in between, will obtain the same reward of inheriting the kingdom of God. There are two things that we can learn from this parable: first, that God is generous – regardless of how late in life someone started to follow His Son, God gives him the same great reward, which is the kingdom of heaven. Second, we should not be envious of God’s generosity to others; i.e., we should not be envious of the good fortune of others. In many instances, envy is caused by seeing or knowing about things that others have which we don’t; e.g., my neighbors have a bigger house or a new car, or someone I used to work with now has a better job, or my friends always get new things. But in other cases, envy is caused when one senses unfairness; e.g., I work harder, but my co-worker got promoted, or my co-workers get the same pay for less work, as was the case in the parable. Still, some say that the root cause of envy is connected to a person's inability to see what God has provided in their life and a lack of thankfulness. St. Paul identifies envy as one of the works of the flesh and he admonishes against it: Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God… Now those who belong to Christ [Jesus] have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. Let us not be conceited, provoking one another, envious of one another. (Galatians 5:19-21, 24-26) How can we overcome envy? 1. Gratitude – whenever we begin to feel that we are not getting what we deserve in life, we must count your own blessings and thank God for them. We believe that all things come from God; and instead of complaining that God is unfair, we defer to God’s judgment and infinite wisdom. 2. Contentment – many times we belittle the blessings that we receive in life. We tend to think that since many people have the same things that we enjoy in life, it is nothing special. But there are more people in the world that do not have the most ordinary things that we enjoy. Let us learn not only to be thankful for these things, but also learn to be content with what we have received. 3. Brotherly love – brotherly love does not only mean doing charity work or helping others; it also includes being happy for the good fortune of others. Having a benevolent attitude towards others means that we look at their gains as our gain and their successes as our success. In a deeper sense, this is what it really means to love your neighbor. Questions for reflection 1. Do you think that the owner cheated the first workers by giving them the same wage as the last workers? Why? 2. Do you sometimes think that God is unfair? Why?
兄弟的矫正 经文 (玛窦 18:15-18) 如果你的弟兄得罪了你，去，要在你和他独处的时候，规劝他；如果他听从了你，你便赚得了你的兄弟；但他如果不听，你就另带上一个或两个人，为叫任何事情，凭两个或三个见证人的口供，得以成立。若是他仍不听从他们，你要告诉教会；如果他连教会也不听从，你就将他看作外教人或税吏。我实在告诉你们：凡你们在地上所束缚的，在天上也要被束缚；凡你们在地上所释放的，在天上也要被释放。 评论 在玛窦福音中，耶稣教导祂的门徒如何对待一直在犯罪但仍留在团体中的门徒们。第一，纠正要私下进行； 如果这不起作用，则应在两到三名证人在场的情况下进行纠正； 如果还不起作用，则应将此事提交教会。如果罪人仍然拒绝纠正，那么他将被逐出教会。被开除出教会可不是小事，因为天主会批准教会的审判；耶稣说：「凡你们在地上所束缚的，在天上也要被束缚；凡你们在地上所释放的，在天上也要被释放。 」（玛窦18 :18); 如果犯罪的人不悔改并与教会和解，那么绝罚就会永远具有约束力。 在格林多前书中，圣保禄敦促格林多的早期基督徒与社区内的罪人脱离关系来保持社区内心的纯洁；他写道：「其实，我写给你们的，是说：若有称为弟兄的，是淫荡的，或贪婪的，或拜偶像的，或辱骂人的，或酗酒的，或勒索人的，你们就不要同他交结；并且同这样的人，连一起吃饭也不可。 」（格林多前书5:11） 根据天主教教理：某些特别严重的罪过会处以绝罚；这是教会给予最严厉的处罚，即罪人不得领受圣事，及执行某些教会行动。并且，按照教会法律，只有教宗、地方主教或获得他们授权的司铎，才能给予赦免。 （天主教教理 1463） 绝罚到底是什么？绝罚是教会施加的惩罚； 这是一种惩戒罚，旨在打破一个人的固执，让他承认自己的罪过，从而悔改并回归教会。 根据1917 年的天主教法典，一个被绝罚的人是被排除在信徒的团契之外（天主教法典2257 条第1 款）；这个方式跟玛窦福音和圣保禄罗致格林多人书中所描述的方式非常相似。然而，这并没有延续在 1983 年的天主教法典； 因此，目前，一个被绝罚的人并不意味着他被“踢出”教会。相反，2021 年对天主教法典进行的修订禁止被绝罚的人做某些在教会内的事情（天主教法典第 1331 条）；例如，领圣事并积极参与教会的庆典。被绝罚的人仍然可以参与弥撒，但禁止他们在教会内服务； 例如，在弥撒中送圣体或读经。 重要的是要记住，教会施加诸如绝罚之类的惩罚，不是为了将罪人拒之门外，而是作为一种「药物」来「唤醒」罪人承认自己的错误，并促使他们悔改并和解与天主和教会。正如在玛窦福音中，耶稣教导门徒将那些拒绝纠正的罪人绝罚，听起来相当严厉；相反，在路加福音中，通过荡子的比喻，耶稣教导我们天主的爱和怜悯；荡子认识了自己的错误并悔改之后，他被父亲欢迎回来父亲的家。 （参阅路加 15:11-32） 反省的问题 1. 绝罚的利弊是什么？ 2. 您认为今天的绝罚方式是否过于宽松？为何？
Fraternal correction Scripture Passage (Matthew 18:15-18) If your brother sins [against you], go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Commentary In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus teaches His disciples how they are to deal with a fellow disciple who sins and yet remains within the community. First, the correction should be done in private; if this doesn’t work, then correction should be done in the presence of two or three witnesses; if this fails, then the matter is to be brought before the Church. If the sinner still refuses to be corrected, then he is to be expelled from the Church. To be expelled from the Church is no small matter, because the Church’s judgment will be ratified by God in heaven; Jesus said: “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18); if the sinner does not repent and reconcile with the Church, then the excommunication remains eternally binding. In his Letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul urges the early Christians in Corinth to maintain their inner purity by disassociating with sinners within the community; he wrote: “But I now write to you not to associate with anyone named a brother, if he is immoral, greedy, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunkard, or a robber, not even to eat with such a person.” (1Cor 5:11) According to the Catechism: Certain particularly grave sins incur excommunication, the most severe ecclesiastical penalty, which impedes the reception of the sacraments and the exercise of certain ecclesiastical acts, and for which absolution consequently cannot be granted, according to Canon Law, except by the Pope, the bishop of the place or priests authorized by them. (CCC 1463) What exactly is excommunication? Excommunication is a penalty imposed by the Church; it is a kind of penalty known as a “censure,” which aims to break a person’s stubbornness and make him realize his wrongdoing, so that he can repent and return to the Church. Under the 1917 Code of Canon Law, an excommunicated person was excluded from the communion of the faithful (can. 2257 §1), pretty much in the way described by Matthew’s Gospel and St. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians. However, this was not carried over in the 1983 Code of Canon Law; therefore, at the present time, a person who has been excommunicated does not mean that he is “kicked out” of the Church. Instead, a revision to the Code of Canon Law made in 2021 prohibits an excommunicated person from doing certain things within the Church (can. 1331); e.g., receiving the sacraments and taking an active part in church celebrations. Excommunicated persons can still come to Mass, but they are prohibited from performing ministerial duties; for example, distributing Holy Communion or reading at Mass. It is important to remember that the Church imposes penalties like excommunication, not for the purpose of keeping sinners out of the church, but as a “medicine” to “wake up” sinners into realizing their wrongdoing and spur them to repentance and reconciliation with God and the Church. Even as Jesus, in Matthew’s Gospel, sounds pretty harsh in expelling sinners who refuse to be corrected from the Church; Jesus, in Luke’s Gospel, teaches us God’s love and mercy in the parable of the prodigal son, who after realizing his wrongdoing and repenting, was welcomed back into his father’s house (cf. Luke 15:11-32). Questions for reflection 1. What are the pros and cons of excommunication? 2. Do you think that the way that excommunication is carried out today is too lenient? Why?