常年期第十七主日
讀經一（求我主且勿動怒，容我進言。）
恭讀創世紀 18:20-32
那時候，上主說：「控告索多瑪和哈摩辣的聲音，實在很大；他們的罪惡，實在深重！我要下去，看看他們所行的，是否如同我所聽到的控訴一樣。」
三人中有兩人，轉身走向索多瑪。
亞巴郎走近上主面前，說：「你真要將義人同惡人一起消滅嗎？如果城中有五十個義人，你還要消滅嗎？你不會為了其中的那五十個義人，赦免那地方嗎？你決不能如此行事，將義人同惡人一併誅滅；將義人如同惡人一樣看待，你決不能！審判全地的主，豈能不行公義？」
上主答說：「如果我在索多瑪城，找出了五十個義人，為了他們，我要赦免整個地方。」
亞巴郎接著說：「我雖只是塵埃灰土，膽敢再對我主說：如果五十個義人中少了五個，怎樣呢？你就為少了五個，而毀滅全城嗎？」
上主答說：「如果我在那裡找到四十五個義人，我也不毀滅那城。」
亞巴郎再向上主進言說：「如果在那裡找到四十個義人，又怎樣呢？」
上主答說：「為了這四十個義人，我也不毀滅那城。」
亞巴郎說：「求我主且勿動怒，容我再進一言：如果在那裡找到三十個義人，怎樣呢？」
上主答說：「如果在那裡我找到三十個義人，我也不毀滅那城。」
亞巴郎說：「我再放膽對我主進一言：如果在那裡找到二十個義人，怎樣呢？」
上主答說：「為了這二十個義人，我也不毀滅那城。」
亞巴郎說：「求我主不要動怒，容我最後一次進言：如果在那裡找到十個義人，怎樣呢？」
上主答說：「為了這十個義人，我也不毀滅那城。」──上主的話。
答唱詠 詠 138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8
答：上主，我幾時呼號你，你就俯允我。（詠 138:3）
領：上主，我要全心稱謝你，因為你俯聽了我懇切的祈禱。我要在眾神前歌頌你，向你的聖所伏地致敬。
答：上主，我幾時呼號你，你就俯允我。
領：我要頌揚你的聖名，因為你信實而又慈愛。我幾時呼號你，你就俯允我，並增加我的力量。
答：上主，我幾時呼號你，你就俯允我。
領：上主尊高無比，卻垂顧弱小；驕傲的人，在他面前，無所遁形。我雖處於困難之中，你必保全我的性命。你以右手拯救我，並打擊狂怒的敵人。
答：上主，我幾時呼號你，你就俯允我。
領：上主，你必為我完成這工程。上主，你的仁慈永遠常存；求你不要放棄你的作品。
答：上主，我幾時呼號你，你就俯允我。
讀經二（天主使你們與基督一同生活，赦免了我們的一切過犯。）
恭讀聖保祿宗徒致哥羅森人書 2:12-14
弟兄姊妹們：你們既因聖洗與基督一同埋葬了，也就因聖洗，藉著信德，即信使基督由死者中復活的天主的能力，與基督一同復活了。
你們從前因為你們的過犯，和未受割損的肉身，原是死的，但天主卻使你們與基督一同生活，赦免了我們的一切過犯；勾銷了那反對我們，及告發我們違反誡命的罪狀，並把它除去，將它釘在十字架上。──上主的話。
福音前歡呼
領：亞肋路亞。
眾：亞肋路亞。
領：你們所領受的聖神，要使你們成為義子。因此，我們呼號：「阿爸，父呀！」（羅 8:15）
眾：亞肋路亞。
福音（你們求，必要給你們。）
恭讀聖路加福音 11:1-13
有一次，耶穌在一個地方祈禱；祈禱完了，他的一個門徒對他說：「主，請教給我們祈禱，如同若翰教給了他的門徒一樣。」
耶穌對他們說：「你們祈禱時，要說：父啊！願你名被尊為聖！願你的國來臨！我們的日用糧，求你天天賜給我們！寬恕我們的罪過，因為我們自己，也寬恕所有虧負我們的人；不要讓我們陷入誘惑。」
耶穌對他們說：「你們中，有人有一個朋友，半夜去他那裡，給他說：朋友，借給我三個餅吧！因為我的朋友，行路到了我這裡，我沒有什麼可以款待他。
「那人從裡面回答說：不要煩擾我了！門已經關上，我的孩子同我一起在床上，我不能起來，拿給你。
「我告訴你們：這人即使不是為了朋友的原故，而起來拿給他，也要因他厚著臉皮，一直請求，而起來，把他所需要的一切，拿給他。
「所以，我告訴你們：你們求，必要給你們；你們找，必要找到；你們敲，必要給你們開門。因為凡求的，就必得到；找的，就必找到；敲的，就必給他開門。
「你們中間那有做父親的，當兒子求餅時，反而給他石頭呢？或是求魚，反而將蛇當魚給他呢？或者求雞蛋，反而將蝎子給他呢？你們縱然不善，尚且知道把好的東西，拿給你們的兒女，何況在天之父，豈不更會將聖神，賜與求他的人嗎？」──上主的話。
反省
天主要毀滅索多瑪，「上主說：『我要作的事，豈能瞞着亞巴郎？』」天主與亞巴郎，好像一對知心好友互不隱瞞，彼此信任。「你真要將義人同惡人一起消滅嗎？……審判全地的主，豈能不行公義？」亞巴郎的苦苦哀求，既表達橫向的肢體關懷，亦有縱向的天人關係。他前後6次為索多瑪城向上主求情，希望能解救城內無辜的人，因為他堅信天主是公義的，必會因為城中有人相信天主，忠於天主，而心生憐憫，手下留情。
亞巴郎的祈求，有五點值得我們借鏡：
第一，亞巴郎與天主的關係十分密切。當他為索多瑪祈求時，多番強調天主的公義與慈悲，而不是單單以自己的想法祈求。
第二，謙卑。亞巴郎明白自己「只是塵埃灰土」，在天主面前微不足道，但為了索多瑪，他鼓起勇氣，大膽說出他的祈求。亞巴郎的謙卑，不是退縮、怕事，不敢承擔責任的，而是積極進取的。而且，亞巴郎祈求的態度既客氣，又懇切，以敬畏的心與天主交談，而不是命令天主。
第三，為人代禱。亞巴郎關注的不只是自己和親人，更是索多瑪的百姓，由此看出亞巴郎慈悲的心腸。與其說他「討價還價」，不如說是一種鍥而不捨、堅持到底的態度，這正是信靠天主的表現。
第四，聆聽。亞巴郎向天主祈禱，是一問一答的。正因為亞巴郎聆聽天主，才會在過程中不斷與主交談，由此可見，祈禱是雙向的，不應該只是自說自話，更應當聆聽天主的話。
第五，適可而止。當天主說完「為了這十個義人，我也不毀滅那城」這話後，就離開了，亞巴郎也回到自己的帳幕。亞巴郎盡了自己的力量作了該做的事，就安靜等候，不再強求。
實踐
亞巴郎改變了天主的心意嗎？沒有，因為索多瑪連十個義人也沒有，最後難逃毀滅。但天主改變了亞巴郎，使他更明白天主。亞巴郎起初只知道天主是公義的，然而經過一次又一次的祈求後，他開始明白天主的心意。因此，祈禱越堅持、越懇切，並不是要改變天主，而是反過來幫助我們更認識祂，明白祂的心意，實現祂的計劃，使天國臨現人間。
24 July 2022 Catholic Mass Bible Reading https://youtu.be/0F3fZudmzuo First reading Genesis 18:20-32
The Lord said, ‘How great an outcry there is against Sodom and Gomorrah! How grievous is their sin! I propose to go down and see whether or not they have done all that is alleged in the outcry against them that has come up to me. I am determined to know.’ The men left there and went to Sodom while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Approaching him he said, ‘Are you really going to destroy the just man with the sinner? Perhaps there are fifty just men in the town. Will you really overwhelm them, will you not spare the place for the fifty just men in it? Do not think of doing such a thing: to kill the just man with the sinner, treating just and sinner alike! Do not think of it! Will the judge of the whole earth not administer justice?’ the Lord replied, ‘If at Sodom I find fifty just men in the town, I will spare the whole place because of them.’ Abraham replied, ‘I am bold indeed to speak like this to my Lord, I who am dust and ashes. But perhaps the fifty just men lack five: will you destroy the whole city for five?’ ‘No,’ he replied ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five just men there.’ Again Abraham said to him, ‘Perhaps there will only be forty there.’ ‘I will not do it’ he replied ‘for the sake of the forty.’ Abraham said, ‘I trust my Lord will not be angry, but give me leave to speak: perhaps there will only be thirty there.’ ‘I will not do it’ he replied ‘if I find thirty there.’ He said, ‘I am bold indeed to speak like this, but perhaps there will only be twenty there.’ ‘I will not destroy it’ he replied ‘for the sake of the twenty.’ He said, ‘I trust my Lord will not be angry if I speak once more: perhaps there will only be ten.’ ‘I will not destroy it’ he replied ‘for the sake of the ten.’
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 137(138):1-3,6-8
On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord. I thank you, Lord, with all my heart: you have heard the words of my mouth. In the presence of the angels I will bless you. I will adore before your holy temple. On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord. I thank you for your faithfulness and love, which excel all we ever knew of you. On the day I called, you answered; you increased the strength of my soul. On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord. The Lord is high yet he looks on the lowly and the haughty he knows from afar. Though I walk in the midst of affliction you give me life and frustrate my foes. On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord. You stretch out your hand and save me, your hand will do all things for me. Your love, O Lord, is eternal, discard not the work of your hands. On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.
Second reading Colossians 2:12-14
You have been buried with Christ, when you were baptised; and by baptism, too, you have been raised up with him through your belief in the power of God who raised him from the dead. You were dead, because you were sinners and had not been circumcised: he has brought you to life with him, he has forgiven us all our sins. He has overridden the Law, and cancelled every record of the debt that we had to pay; he has done away with it by nailing it to the cross.
Gospel Acclamation Jn1:14,12
Alleluia, alleluia! The Word was made flesh and lived among us: to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God. Alleluia!
Gospel Luke 11:1-13
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying, and when he had finished one of his disciples said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘Say this when you pray: ‘“Father, may your name be held holy, your kingdom come; give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us. And do not put us to the test.”’ He also said to them: ‘Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say, “My friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him”; and the man answers from inside the house, “Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up to give it you.” I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it him for friendship’s sake, persistence will be enough to make him get up and give his friend all he wants. ‘So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. What father among you would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or hand him a snake instead of a fish? Or hand him a scorpion if he asked for an egg? If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’
Gospel of the Lord
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讚美耶穌
凡是能夠學習天主的道理的人是有福的
締造和平的人是有福的
嗡 斯巴亞 嗡 巴威
阿拉伊亞加布倫
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