2018-12-2

朋友们，在今天的福音中，耶稣叫祂的门徒要警醒。今天是将临期的开始，这是教会年历中的警醒、等待和守望的时期。

我们在警醒时期能做什么实际行动？我们能做些什么来具体化将临期的精神？

 

我强烈推荐朝拜圣体这一传统的天主教纪律。在主的跟前花上半个小时或一个小时并不是要达成丰功伟绩——事实上我们什么也做不到——但却是一种特别丰富的灵修守候方式。

 

在圣体前守望时，你可以把心中一直担忧的问题和困境告诉基督，然后说：“主，我在等着你来解决这些问题，请为我指点迷津。我一直以来马不停蹄地忙于计划和担忧，但现在我会让你来解决。”然后在整个将临期中留心观察征兆。

 

还有，你在圣体前祈祷时，让自己加强对天主之物的渴望程度，让自己的心和灵魂扩张。你可以这样祈祷：“主，让我准备好接受你想赐给我的礼物，”甚至可以这样说：“主耶稣，给我一个意外惊喜。”

 

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus tells his disciples to be vigilant. Today marks the beginning of Advent, the great liturgical season of vigilance, of waiting and watching.

 

What practically can we do during this season of vigil keeping? What are some practices that might incarnate for us the Advent spirituality? 

 

I strongly recommend the classically Catholic discipline of Eucharistic adoration. To spend a half hour or an hour in the presence of the Lord is not to accomplish or achieve very much—it is not really "getting" anywhere—but it is a particularly rich form of spiritual waiting. 

 

As you keep vigil before the Blessed Sacrament, bring to Christ some problem or dilemma that you have been fretting over, and then say: "Lord, I’m waiting for you to solve this, to show me the way out, the way forward. I’ve been running, planning, worrying, but now I’m going to let you work." Then, throughout Advent, watch attentively for signs. 

 

Also, when you pray before the Eucharist, allow your desire for the things of God to intensify; allow your heart and soul to expand. Pray, "Lord, make me ready to receive the gifts you want to give," or even, "Lord Jesus, surprise me."