89.5月21日 主耶穌升天及福傳的使命－白孟德神父（Fr. Charles Belmonte Lopez）語錄-譯者:林豪

The Apostles and all the disciples, were scared and disconcerted at Jesus’ death. They were unwilling and slow in believing his Resurrection. But, when the Lord entered the heights of heaven, not only were they affected with no sadness, but were even filled with great joy.

宗徒們和所有的門徒們，都對主耶穌的過世而感到害怕與不安。他們不願意且很慢地才相信祂的復活了。但是，當我主上升高天時，他們不僅沒有悲傷，甚至充滿了極大的喜樂。

In heaven, Jesus is forever. He is our Mediator before the Father and communicates to us the joy and strength to live fully, as he did, for the Father. Jesus always forgives us (cf. Acts 5:31). In the mystery of the Ascension, Jesus fulfills the priestly role assigned to him by the Father: to intercede for his members, “for he always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb 7:25).

在天堂，主耶穌是永恆的。祂是我們在天父面前的中保，並向我們傳達喜樂和力量，使我們像祂一樣，與天父圓滿地生活。主耶穌總是寬恕我們（參見宗5：31）。在升天的奧秘中，主耶穌履行了天父賦予祂祭司的角色：為祂的肢體轉求：「因為祂常活着，為他們轉求。」（希7：25）。

And Jesus confirms us in the same vocation as intercessors on behalf of the People of God, in the place we are. Thus, we fulfill his last command to evangelize, given before the Ascension: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20). There is a real connection between the grace that Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, instilled in our hearts in baptism, and our mission as heralds of his Gospel. No apostle can forget that the Ascension is linked to the fact that the Holy Spirit will come, and Christ will continue to be present through word and sacrament. Our whole mission consists in making Christ present.

主耶穌以同樣的聖召認定我們，在我們崗位上，代表天主的子民作為代禱者。因此，我們履行祂在升天前，所發出傳福的最後使命：「所以你們要去使萬民成為門徒，因父及子及聖神之名給他們授洗，教訓他們遵守我所吩咐你們的一切。」（瑪28：19-20）。主耶穌藉由聖神在洗禮中，澆灌在我們心中的恩典，與我們作為祂福傳使命的傳播者之間，存在著真正的聯繫。任何宗徒都不能忘記，升天與聖神將要降臨的事實有關，主基督將繼續地藉由聖言與聖事臨在著。我們的整個使命是在於，使主基督臨在。

The responsibility for the future of the Church rests on our shoulders. But we rest assured that the glorified Christ will sustain us. The victory and triumph of his Ascension and his elevation to the right hand of the Father will be communicated to future generations of the Church through us and through the proclamation of the mystery that we should make. What a wonderful call we have received! How lucky we are! What an exciting way to spend the only life we have!

教會未來的責任落在我們肩上；但是我們確信，榮耀的主基督會支持我們。祂勝利與光榮的升天，以及祂被提升到天父右邊，將透過我們，並藉由宣揚我們應該執行的奧秘，以傳達給未來的教會。我們接受了多麼美妙的召喚！我們是多麼幸運啊！以多麼令人振奮的方式，來度過我們唯一的生命！