|
|
各位教友: 近日，我忙於面試那些申請入讀聖莫尼加小學一年級的小朋友，面試純為探索小朋友及家長對升班所作的準備，從小朋友的對答中，我驚嘆到成年人長大後，往往在勞碌中遺忘了生活之原味，掉棄了不少樂趣。 信仰的根是什麼？作為天主教友，在原生家庭中有什麼熏陶？隨歲月流逝，留在你記憶裡的又是些什麼？ 我記得童年的一些禱文，竟能深深地銘刻在我的心裡，並紮根於我的信仰中。 我詫異於現今不少教友，虔誠的祈禱竟成了稀有元素，較為年青的教友更是對此非常陌生，他們往往搜索枯腸之下，腦海中也找不到禱文的隻言片語。因此，我深信我們該在這方面多加努力。 不久前，我在平日彌撒後以三鐘經作結，三鐘經通常在每天早晨、中午和晚間三段時間分別誦念，人們聽到教堂鐘聲，就放下工作，虔誠祈禱。本週我把這推介給你們： 三鐘經 領：主的天使向瑪利亞報喜， 眾：她因聖神受孕。(聖母經一遍) 領：我是主的婢女， 眾：請依照你的話在我身上成就吧！(聖母經一遍) 領：天主聖子降生成人， 眾：居住在我們人間。(聖母經一遍) 領：天主聖母，為我們祈求， 眾：使我們堪當承受基督的恩許。 請眾同禱 ： 天主，求你把你的聖寵注入我們的心中；我們既因天使的預報，得知你的聖子降生成人，亦願賴著他的苦難，及他的十字聖架，獲享復活的光榮。因我們的主基督。亞孟。 主佑， 莫靖龍神父 (此乃莫神父致教友書信之意譯，書信內容以英文為準) |
|
Dear Parishioners: Hi everybody: For the last couple of weeks I have been in and out attending the interviews for the children who are applying to attend St Monica’s primary in the following school year for early stage one. I am been fascinated to see how the interview goes with the children. This kept me thinking that as we get older, some knowledge is so basic for us that we tend to forget the beauty or learning something basic and important as your name, stories that we like, names of people who are important to us and things like that. The purpose of the interview is trying to assess that children and parents are ready to the move to the next level in their growing process. That there are some basic knowledge that will help to make this transition more easy and smooth. What about faith? Is there a basic knowledge that we learn at home as Catholics that sometimes we take for granted in our adult life? In my experience, I found that my earliest recollections about my faith were some family devotions and prayers that have remain in my memory and somehow have influenced the way I understand and articulate my faith. I notice also that these devotions are kind of fading away from the Catholic practice and the result is that somehow new generations (some not that new) find it hard to understand deeper spiritual insights when there is not the sense that some of those devotions leave in the human soul. I really believe that some of these devotions should be introduced into our lives; usually these devotions are simple prayers, like the rosary, the Stations of the Cross, novenas, and so on. There is one practice that I have been trying to introduce every day after the daily mass: The recitation of the Angelus. The angelus is a devotion in memory of the incarnation that traditionally was recited in Churches, convents, monasteries and houses three times daily: 6:00 am, noon and 6:00pm. Bells were ringed in churches to remind everybody that it was time for the recitation of the Angelus. I want to present this prayer to you this week, hopefully some of you will take it up and in a way “sanctify” your day remembering the mystery of the incarnation and the words of the Angel to Mary. V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary. R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary... V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord. R. Be it done unto me according to thy word. Hail Mary... V. And the Word was made Flesh. R. And dwelt among us. Hail Mary... V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray: Pour forth we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen. Peace in Jesus Fernando Montano MG |