【慈幼通訊社
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2016 年
08月
08
日羅馬慈幼總部訊】
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「總會長決不會讓慈悲禧年白白離我們而去，定會幫助我們在這方面跟隨教會的步伐。他邀請我們接納這教會偉大事件的恩寵，發掘慈幼神恩所帶來的慈悲果實。」以上就是副總會長 Cereda 神父，對總會長「慈悲如同天父」信函所作的評語。《慈幼會會議實錄 423》
慈悲禧年猶如深植於後修和時代教會的泥土中，願意我們運用「慈悲的療藥，而非大殺傷力武器」，邀請我們在世上，以撒瑪黎雅人的精神服務。這棵樹植根於對教宗若望保祿二世「富於仁慈的天主」及教宗本篤十六世「天主是愛」的反省及經歷，並透過教宗方濟各的言行結出美果。
鮑思高神父經過了漫長的皈依道路，才能認出並接納救主慈悲。他童年眼中天主的形象，以他身處年代的神學背景來說，是一個嚴厲可怕的天主，祂的義怒在其美善中得以緩和。他在賈發束神父及瓜拉神父的教導下，得以學會較為平衡的道德標準。他貧窮而困苦的童年，尤其令他領悟到天主的美善、溫良與慈悲，而非嚴苛的一面。
總會長對世上每所慈幼會院的慈悲經歷大感興趣。衝突、原教旨主義、以天主之名的暴力、不義，如此一切都亟需慈悲；世界各地的痛苦，都引起我們的同情。另一方面，除非我們感受到天主的寬恕與慈悲，尤其在修和聖事中，否則無法施予慈悲。
在我們的神恩中，慈悲表示擁有與善牧耶穌同一顆心；這表示實踐預防教育法，臨在與青年之中，因為沒有緊密的接觸，我們無法傳遞慈悲。最後，慈悲需要我們環境中的社會公義；否則這只是虛無的表達。
總會長在結尾時，邀請我們認出慈悲母親 ─ 聖母，並呼求她。讓她成為我們的導師。
總會長「慈悲如同天父」的信函，已刊載於慈幼會網頁 sdb.org。
“Merciful like the Father”. A Salesian Reading of the Jubilee Year
(ANS - RMG –Roma, 08 August 2016) – “The Rector Major could not let the Jubilee Year of Mercy pass without helping us to deeply tune in with the whole Church. He invites us to welcome the grace of this great ecclesial event and to discover the fruits of mercy that the Salesian charism can bring”. Thus writes Fr. Cereda, the Vicar of the Rector Major, on the Letter of the Rector Major “Merciful like the Father” (AGC 423).
The Year of Mercy is like a tree rooted in the soil of the post-conciliar Church that wanted to use the “medicine of mercy, rather than taking up arms of severity”, and that invited to a Samaritan service in the world. It is a tree that has grown feeding on the reflection and experience of “Dives in misericordia” of John Paul II and of “Deus Caritas est” of Pope Benedict XVI. It is a tree that is bearing its ripe fruits in the words and actions of Pope Francis.
Don Bosco went through a long journey of conversion to recognize and welcome the mercy of God. His vision of God as a child, in the theological context of his time, is one of a severe and terrible God, whose justice is sometimes mitigated by His providing goodness. It will be at the school of don Cafasso and don Guala that he will learn more balanced morals. It will be especially in the accompaniment of his poor and difficult youth that he will definitely acquire not the rigor, but the goodness, benignity and mercy of God.
The Rector Major wonders what should the experience of mercy be in each Salesian house in the world. Conflicts, fundamentalisms, violence in the name of God, injustices, all these invoke the offer of mercy; the geography of suffering calls us to compassion. On the other hand, we can never offer mercy unless we ourselves have experienced God’s forgiveness and mercy, especially through the sacrament of Reconciliation.
In our charism, mercy means having the same heart of Jesus, the Good Shepherd; it means putting into practice the Preventive System and living our presence together with the youth, because without proximity we cannot communicate mercy. Finally, mercy requires social justice in our environments; otherwise it is an abstract and void expression.
Concluding his Letter, the Rector Major invites us to recognize and invoke Mary, Mother of Mercy. Let us let Her be our Teacher and Guide.
The Letter of the Rector Major “Merciful like the Father” is available on sdb.org website.