聖人慶日:安提阿的大殉道女瑪利納。
聖人出身於小亞細亞南部皮西迪亞(丕息狄雅)的安提阿。自幼喪母,父親為異教司祭。聖人的父親將撫養工作全數交由身為正教信徒的奶娘照顧,而瑪利納信仰的根苗逐漸茁壯。得知女兒成為基督徒後,聖人之父與女兒斷絕關係,而後,瑪利納於十五歲時被捕入獄。
當地總督Olymbrios傾心於她的美貌,希望她放棄自己信仰而成為他的妻子。但瑪利納堅守信仰,總督憤而命人行刑虐待,最後採用火刑。瑪利納於烈焰中對主說道:「袮既藉著袮的名賜我體驗這火焰,那請也賜我經驗聖洗的水。」總督聞言,便令人將她投入鍋鑊,聖人呼求主名,並言道這便是她的洗禮。在聖人全身浸入水中後,有銜著王冠的鴿子與白光自沸湯而出,聖人身上的鎖鏈脫落了,她從中站起,光榮頌揚至聖聖三,身上的傷口全數癒合。
這般異象令在場多人也頌揚天主,並歸信基督。總督聞訊大怒,命人屠殺所有歸信者,超過一萬五千人被殺,而聖人遭到斬首。聖人的遭遇與這番事件是由當時的見證者Theotimos所述。
正教會今日讀經:
格前/ 林前10:12-22
所以,凡自以為站得穩的,務要小心,免得跌倒。你們所受的試探,無非是普通人所能受的試探;天主是忠信的,衪決不許你們受那超過你們能力的試探;天主如加給人試探,也必開一條出路,叫你們能夠承擔。
為此,我親愛的諸位你們要逃避崇拜邪神的事。我想我是對明白人說話;你們自己審斷我所說的罷!我們所祝福的那祝福之杯,豈不是共結合於基督的血嗎?我們所擘開的餅,豈不是共結合於基督的身體嗎?因為餅只是一個,我們雖多,只是一個身體,因為我們眾人都共享這一個餅。你們且看按血統做以色列的,那些吃祭物的,不是與祭壇有分子的人嗎?那麼,我說什麼呢?是說祭邪神的肉算得什麼嗎?或是說邪神算得什麼嗎?不是,我說的是:外教人所祭祀的,是祭祀邪魔,而不是祭祀真神。我不願意你們與邪魔有分子。你們不能喝主的杯,又喝邪魔的杯;你們不能共享主的筵席,又共享邪魔的筵席。難道我們要惹主發怒嗎?莫非我們比衪還強嗎?
Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall. No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.
Therefore, my beloved, avoid idolatry. I am speaking as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I am saying. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. Look at Israel according to the flesh; are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? So what am I saying? That meat sacrificed to idols is anything? Or that an idol is anything? No, I mean that what they sacrifice, (they sacrifice) to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to become participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and also the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons. Or are we provoking the Lord to jealous anger? Are we stronger than he?
瑪/ 太16:20-24
他遂即嚴禁門徒,不要對任人說他是默西亞。
從那時起,耶穌就開始向門徒說明:他必須上耶路撒冷去,要由長老、司祭長和經師們受到許多痛苦,並將被殺,但第三天要復活。伯多祿便拉耶穌到一邊,諫責他說:「主,千萬不可!這事絕不會臨到你身上!」耶穌轉身對伯多祿說:「撒殫,退到我後面去!你是我的絆腳石,因為你所體會的不是天主的事,而是人的事。」
於是,耶穌對門徒說:「誰若願意跟隨我,該棄絕自己,背著自己的十字架來跟隨我。」
Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”
安提阿的大殉道女瑪利納:
格後/ 林後 6:1-10
我們與天主合作的人,也勸你們不要白受天主的恩寵──因為經上說:『在悅納的時候,我俯允了你;在救恩的時日,我幫助了你。』看!如今正是悅納的時候;看!如今正是救恩的時日──我們在任何事上,為避免這職務受詆毀,不但沒有給任何人跌倒的因由,反而處處表現我們自己,有如天主的僕役,就是以持久的堅忍,在艱難、貧乏、困苦之中,在拷打、監禁、暴亂之中,在勞若、不寢、不食之中,以清廉,以明智,以容忍,以慈惠,以聖神,以無偽的愛情,以真理的言辭,以天主的德能,以左右兩手中正義的武器,歷經光榮的淩辱,惡名和美名;像是迷惑人的,卻是真誠的;像是人所不知的,卻是人所共知的;像是待死的,看!我們卻活著;像是受懲罰的,卻沒有置於死地;像是憂苦的,卻常常喜樂;像是貧困的,卻使許多人富足;像是一無所有的,卻無所不有。
Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says: “In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We cause no one to stumble in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry; on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance, in afflictions, hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in a holy spirit, in unfeigned love, in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left; through glory and dishonor, insult and praise. We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful; as unrecognized and yet acknowledged; as dying and behold we live; as chastised and yet not put to death; as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing and yet possessing all things.
路 7:36-50
有個法利塞人請耶穌同他吃飯,他便進了那法利塞人的家中坐席。那時,有個婦人,是城中的罪人,她一聽說耶穌在法利塞人家中坐席,就帶著一玉瓶香液,來站在他背後,靠近他的腳哭開了,用眼淚滴濕了他的腳,用自己的頭髮擦乾,又熱切地口親他的腳,以後抹上香液。那請耶穌的法利塞人見了,就心裏想:「這人若是先知,必定知道這個摸他的人是誰,是怎樣的女人:是一個罪婦。」耶穌發言對他說:「西滿,我有一件事要向你說。」西滿說:「師傅,請說吧!」「一個債主有兩個債戶:一個欠五百德納,另一個欠五十。因為他們都無力償還,債主就開恩,赦免了他們二人。那麼,他們中誰更愛他呢?」西滿答說:「我想是那多得恩赦的。」耶穌對他說:「你判斷得正對。」他遂轉身向那婦人,對西滿說:「你看見這個婦人嗎?我進了你的家,你沒有給我水洗腳,她卻用眼淚滴濕了我的腳,並用頭髮擦乾。你沒有給我行口親禮,但她自從我進來,就不斷地口親我的腳。你沒有用油抹我的頭, 她卻用香液抹了我的腳。故此,我告訴你:她的那許多罪得了赦免,因為她愛得多;但那少得赦免的,是愛的少。」耶穌遂對婦人說:「妳的罪得了赦免。」同席的人心中想道:「這人是誰?他竟然赦免罪過!」耶穌對婦人說:「妳的信德救了妳,平安回去吧!」
A Pharisee invited him to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”