7. 四十－白孟德神父（Fr. Charles Belmonte Lopez）語錄

Forty is used to symbolize a time of testing, purification, and trial. The rain during the Great Flood lasted forty days and forty nights. Each time Moses went up Mount Sinai, he remained there for forty days and nights. The Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples for forty days before ascending into Heaven. Interestingly, forty is even significant within human nature, in that we develop within our mother’s womb for forty weeks before being born.

四十這個數字通常象徵著考驗、凈化和試煉的時刻。諾厄時代大洪水期間，雨持續下了四十晝夜。每次梅瑟上西奈山，他都在那裡駐留了四十晝夜。以色列人在曠野中漂流了四十年。復活後，耶穌向門徒顯現了四十天，然後上升天堂。有趣的是，為人性而言四十歲至為重要，因為我們在出生之前，在母親的子宮內孕育了四十周。

Our Lord spent forty days and forty nights in the desert being tempted by the devil while He fasted and prayed. Thus, it should also be seen as a symbol of our entire life here on earth. The wording not only symbolizes our entire lives, but the “days” represent the many graces and blessings we sometimes receive, while the “nights” represent the crosses we sometimes endure.

吾主在沙漠中度過了四十晝夜，受到魔鬼的試探，而他禁食和祈禱。因此，它也應該被視為我們在世界上整個生命的象徵。這個措辭不僅是象徵著我們的一生，而且「白天」代表我們有時得到的許多恩典和祝福，而「黑夜」代表我們有時要忍受的十字架。

First, we see that Jesus not only endured temptation, but he also confronted it. We must never be afraid to confront and reject temptations directly and confidently when the Holy Spirit is in the lead.

首先，我們看到耶穌不僅忍受了試探，而且也直接面對試探。在聖神的帶領下，我們永遠不要害怕直接和有自信地面對與拒絕誘惑。

A second important lesson is that Jesus voluntarily fasted during this time in the desert. This illustrates the importance of the virtue of temperance in our life. As Jesus, when we choose, we should not consider only to the need of the moment (I am hungry…) but mainly from the perspective of the past time (does it fit with my commitments as a Christian?) and the time to come (and then what?).

第二個重要的教訓是，耶穌在這段時間裡自願在沙漠中禁食。這說明了節制的美德在我們生活中的重要性。如同主耶穌一樣，當我們在做出選擇時，我們不應該只考慮當下的需要（我餓了……），而主要應該從過去時間（這樣做是否符合我身為基督徒的承諾？）和在未來時間要如何做（之後呢？）以這樣的觀點，不斷地反省改進。

Today’s challenge: Set yourself free from that bad sentiment, resentment, or envy towards that person. Forgive and forget.

今天的挑戰：讓自己擺脫那些個人不良的情緒、怨恨或嫉妒；試著原諒和忘記。