牧者心聲

關於耶穌基督愛的故事，我們第一時間會想起祂道成肉身，為世人的罪釘身十架，流血捨命，成就救恩。我們也會想到祂在加利利和猶太地區醫病趕鬼、接納罪人、為門徒洗腳的事蹟。我們更知道，祂在醫治被視為不潔的痳瘋病人時，不避污穢，按手在他身上；也曾刻意叫喚血漏婦人，要她公開見證暗中得痊癒的經歷，讓她可以重新被社群接納。此外，我們會想起祂曾抱起被門徒責備的小孩子，為他們按手祝福；甚至曾恩待前來捉拿祂的大祭司的僕人，使他被削掉的右耳復原。

福音書的作者亦記述了其他有關耶穌與門徒和母親馬利亞之間相處的片段，讓我們從中看見祂意在言外、細膩雋永的愛：

（一）拿但業是耶穌最早呼召的四位門徒之一。他的同鄉腓力告訴他，耶穌就是舊約聖經所預言的彌賽亞。然而，拿但業不以為然，他看不起來自拿撒勒的耶穌，但仍願意去見祂。耶穌初見拿但業，便當面稱讚他心無詭詐，彷彿不知道被對方「睇唔起」。拿但業問耶穌怎會認識自己，得到的回答竟然是：「腓力還沒去叫你，你在無花果樹下的時候，我就看見你了。」（約一 48，新漢語）耶穌早就看見拿但業，並且選擇看見他的優點，「無視」他對自己出言不遜。

（二）耶穌在被出賣前，早已知道彼得將三次不認祂。於是祂事先告知彼得，讓他有心理準備（雖然彼得當下無法接受自己會這樣），更鼓勵他不要失掉信心，因他終必回頭，屆時可以堅固弟兄。耶穌沒有因太愛彼得而避免他犯錯；祂知道他會犯錯，因此為他跌倒後不致失去信心禱告，期盼他在過程中認清自己的軟弱、重建信心，甚至甘願被他背棄。

（三）耶穌十二歲隨父母上耶路撒冷守節，節期過後獨自留在聖殿學習。三天後馬利亞尋見耶穌，向祂表達焦急之情。耶穌知道自己應當留在天父的殿中，但仍願意跟父母回家，事事順從他們。到耶穌三十歲出來傳道，與母親一起出席迦拿婚宴。酒用完了，馬利亞期望兒子能夠幫忙。雖然耶穌回答母親，尚未到顯出自己能力的時候，但祂隨即便施行水變酒的神蹟。耶穌並沒有因為自己是神的兒子，就以從神而來的視角輕看地上的母親；反倒選擇默然順服，以行動表達對她的愛。祂為母親做的最後一件事，就是把站在十字架下的她，託付給自己所愛的門徒照顧。

弟兄姊妹，你還想到哪些耶穌「愛在細節」的片段？

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此文章相關經文出處：可一 41-42，五 32-34，十 13-16；路二 41-51，二十二 31-34、50-51；約一 44-48，二 1-11，十九 26-27。

  When we think of stories about the love of Jesus Christ, what first comes to mind is His incarnation, His crucifixion for the sins of the world, and His shedding of blood and sacrifice of His life to accomplish salvation. We also recall how He healed the sick, cast out demons, welcomed sinners, and washed His disciples’ feet in Galilee and Judea. We know, too, that when He healed a man with leprosy who was considered unclean, He did not shy away from reaching out His hand to touch him. He also deliberately called forward a woman who had suffered from bleeding, inviting her to testify publicly about the healing she had received in secret, so that she could once again be accepted by her community. Furthermore, we remember how He took little children who had been rebuked by His disciples into His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them. He even showed kindness to the servant of the high priest who had come to arrest Him, restoring his right ear after it had been cut off.

  The Gospel writers also recount other moments in Jesus’ interactions with His disciples and His mother Mary, revealing the subtle, profound, and enduring love He expressed, often without words:

  (1) Nathanael was among the first four disciples called by Jesus. Philip, who came from the same town, told him that Jesus was the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. Nathanael, however, was skeptical and looked down on Jesus because He came from Nazareth. Nevertheless, he was willing to meet Him. When Jesus first met Nathanael, He immediately commended him for being a man without deceit, as though He were unaware that Nathanael had looked down on Him. When Nathanael asked how Jesus knew him, he received this unexpected reply: “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you” (John 1:48). Jesus had already seen Nathanael and chose to recognize his good qualities, “overlooking” the disrespectful words Nathanael had spoken about Him.

  (2) Even before His betrayal, Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him three times. He therefore told Peter in advance, preparing him for what was to come (although Peter could not accept at the time that he would do such a thing). Jesus also encouraged him not to lose faith, knowing that Peter would eventually turn back and be able to strengthen his brothers. Jesus did not seek to prevent Peter from making mistakes simply because He loved him so deeply. Knowing that Peter would stumble, He prayed that his faith would not fail after his fall. He hoped that through this experience, Peter would recognize his own weakness and rebuild his faith. Jesus was even willing to endure being disowned by him.

  (3) When Jesus was twelve years old, He accompanied His parents to Jerusalem for a festival. After the festival, He stayed behind in the temple to learn. Three days later, Mary found Him and expressed how anxious she had been. Although Jesus knew that He should be in His heavenly Father's house, He willingly returned home with His parents and was obedient to them in everything. When Jesus began His ministry at about thirty years of age, He attended a wedding in Cana with His mother. When the wine ran out, Mary hoped that her son could help. Although Jesus told His mother that the time for Him to reveal His power had not yet come, He nevertheless proceeded to perform the miracle of turning water into wine. Jesus did not look down on His earthly mother from a divine perspective simply because He was the Son of God. Instead, He chose to quietly submit to her wishes, expressing His love for her through His actions. The last thing He did for His mother was to entrust her, as she stood beneath the cross, to the care of the disciple whom He loved.

  Brothers and sisters, what other moments can you recall in which Jesus demonstrated His “love in the details”?

¹ Scripture references: Mark 1:41-42; 5:32-34; 10:13-16; Luke 2:41-51; 22:31-34, 50-51; John 1:44-48; 2:1-11; 19:26-27.