職青退省
青年牧民組於1月27－28日在天主教舂坎角靜修院舉行了職青退省。是次退省由夏志誠輔理主教及金容載神父帶領，並有超過20位在職青年報名。
退省的主題為《我們如何在生活與工作中連繫信仰?》。透過自我省察、細讀聖經章節、泰澤祈禱、修和聖事、靈修指導、感恩聖祭及互相代禱，參加者均在短短兩天內體驗到天父滿滿的愛、接納、欣賞及寬恕。參加者更在離開靜修院前為自己定下新的靈修目標，期待回歸煩囂的城市後可依靠著祂的力量，在工作崗位上有更深度地度基督徒的生活。
以下為數位參加者的分享:
Carrie:
今次是我第一次以「職青」的身份參與天主教靜修院避靜。當中，我有很多收獲，是因為今次的避靜是特別為在職青年而舉行，更加切合自身經歷，易產生共鳴，尤其是在夏主教聖經分享的環節。
我以前曾說過人生有很多事，前人已經歷過，而聖經一直都有答案引領我們。我們得益多少，則取決於我們是否理解及閱讀天主給我們的聖言。夏主教教曉了我們要學懂「聆聽」，聆聽天主的聖言，聆聽弟兄姊妹們的分享，從中找到天主。
《路加福音》其中一段經文提及瑪爾大與瑪利亞對待耶穌的態度。瑪爾大「為伺候耶穌忙碌不已」，甚至因為妹妹瑪利亞的表現而前來向耶穌訴苦，埋怨她好像漠不關心地任她一人操勞。有趣的是，瑪爾大並沒有直接對瑪利亞表達不滿，卻要求耶穌命令瑪利亞：「主！我的妹妹丟下我一個人伺候，你不介意嗎？請叫她來幫助我吧！」耶穌回答時先兩次呼喊她的名字：「瑪爾大，瑪爾大」，這種發言方式顯示出下面的話具有特殊的嚴肅性和重要性。耶穌指出「瑪爾大為了許多事操心忙碌，其實需要的惟有一件。」
為「許多」事情操心的態度和惟獨「一件」必要的事，這二者形成明顯的對立。這種表達方式清楚地強調：真正重要的事只有一件，而瑪利亞正是選擇了聆聽耶穌的話。最後耶穌說：「瑪利亞選擇了最好的一份，是不能從她手裡奪去的。」這也說明了為什麼耶穌不答應瑪爾大的請求，要求瑪利亞去幫忙她。耶穌對瑪利亞的稱讚說明，為得到永生的產業重要的不是「做什麼」，而是首先要專心聆聽天主聖言。
我們一直都處於忙碌之中，試問除了參加彌撒，你們有否聆聽天主的聖言，做天主叫我們所做的事，愛人如己，實行天主的旨意？
夏主教的分享給我們職青帶來很多新的見解。我們經常會反問天主︰「若天主你是愛我們的，為何人生仍充滿很多惡意，挑戰及痛苦。」夏主教亦分享了一個例子，有些父母愛自己的子女，會替他們完成功課，可是想深一層，這樣的愛能否令子女成長？應用在天主作為父親對我們的愛，若我們不經歷挑戰及苦難，我們能成長嗎？很多人只會在痛苦中尋找天主，快樂時卻忘記天主。我們應當在人生每一個成長時刻，不論好與壞，都應當聆聽天主聖言，遵循天主訓導。正如聖經所記載︰「我和你們天天在一起，直到今世的終結。」記着耶穌一直陪同我們成長，自他背起那充滿人性惡意、痛苦的十字架開始，耶穌一直與我們在一起。
經常聽到這句話：打開我們的心，不要那樣心硬。但是我們有否實行天主旨意呢？我們應當更加肖似耶穌，不要因為弟兄姊妹與我們的不同而排斥他們 。
Kane:
I want to write about my reflections on the St. Margaret Youth Retreat. I found the journey to be very enlightening, having a weekend to spend in Stanley, to really just to think, reflect and to pray. I really appreciate the different Bible studies that we had, especially on the many different Bible verses that we are very familiar with but with new insights that we have not thought of. In general, the Youth Retreat allowed us to get closer to God as it was such a great getaway from the business of Hong Kong. One of the highlights for me was the Taizé prayer, where we prayed and sang Taizé songs by the cross. I also really enjoyed the opportunity to speak to Bishop Ha and Father Kim. I was able to really share about my experience and asked them for spiritual direction.
I haven’t done a Youth Retreat in Hong Kong ever, so this is my first Youth Retreat. I’m really happy that I’ve joined. When I was younger, I went to Sunday School at St. Margaret Church, but as I grow older, I don’t really feel I am a part of the community at St. Margaret, so I’m really happy for this opportunity to go to the Youth Retreat, where I get to bond with different St. Margaret people and to have a community where like-minded Catholics could share about their faith and explore their spiritual journey. I look forward to joining the next Youth Retreat. I want to give my heartfelt thanks to St Margaret Youth as well as Bishop Ha and Father Kim to help organize this retreat!
我第一次參與退省，短短兩天靜下心情，留給我很多深刻的反思、聖經的理解，和更多與天主相處的時間。特別感恩夏主教和金神父一同前來，帶領我們一起活動和祈禱。
活動圍繞着青年人的煩惱。進入靜修環節前，聽着大家分享，我也鼓起一點勇氣講出一些看法，包括對工作的不適應或不愉快，和自己解決不到的壓力。面對每天新的挑戰，漸漸不知道該怎樣消去。
來到靜修院後，我們便開始圍坐着閱讀聖經，帶到了更深一層的討論，我一邊聽一邊記錄章節。本來想，時間會過得很漫長，但能夠聽到神父的講解，一點點的解開心中的結，對從前、過去，到現在，找到了新的看法，更重要是認識天主的愛。這趟活動有大家在一起，十分之難忘。
Mandy
Dear Melody (To myself – ten years ago),
I hope this letter finds you well, and I apologise for not reaching out sooner. Please be aware that you are always present in my thoughts.
Recently, I attended a retreat session with the Catholic Youth led by Bishop Ha and Father Kim. During the retreat, we engaged in an activity where we randomly picked cards featuring different animals to discuss how the animals reminded us of ourselves. One particular card caught my attention that immediately brought you up in my mind—a reindeer with prominent antlers.
A reindeer with sharp antlers
Reindeers, by nature, engage in frequent and intense sparring battles using their antlers to protect their interests. As you graduate and embark on your journey into the workforce and the wider world, I understand you experience heightened values conflicts. Unsurprisingly, you have always become highly vigilant and defensive, always having your inner “antlers” ready for use. You may relate to the words of David in the Psalms, who spoke of hearing whispers and experiencing terror from every side (Psalm 31:13) as if confining one’s soul within a besieged city. All these have taken a heavy toll on you.
“My yoke is easy.”
I recall you constantly asking yourself, surely in a world where the prevailing values run in opposition with Christian values, the lives of Christians should have been more complex and more challenging to bear? Bishop Ha revisited Jesus’s words and actions with us during the retreat. He reminded us of Jesus’s saying that his yoke is easy and his burden is light (Matthew 11:30). Jesus walks inside us as we grapple with challenges and confusion, which he only knew too well.
Road to Emmaus
Bishop Ha also drew our attention to the cover of the retreat booklet, which featured the biblical scene of the Risen Christ walking with Cleopas and another anonymous traveller on the road to Emmaus, listening patiently to Cleopas’s doubts and anxieties upon witnessing the crucifixion (Luke 24:13-35). Bishop Ha suggested that as we come across people with different values and temperaments, we may cultivate understanding, patience and sympathy as Jesus did.
Strive to imitate Christ, the prince of peace. Make peace with others and the world we are living in, and eventually, make peace with your past. Some years later, you may re-consider the need to uphold your antlers constantly.
There are so many other rewarding experiences and insights one can gain from the retreat. I will leave you to find out for yourself. I have just signed up for more retreats in the future. We will catch up soon.
With love and support,
You, ten years later.
青年牧民組藉此再次感謝夏主教及金神父，在百忙之中抽空為我們帶領是次職青退省。如大家有興趣參與本堂區的職青團體或了解日後的職青活動，請把聯絡方法交到堂區詢問處，並備註：「青年牧民組收 — 職青查詢」，以便義工聯絡。主佑!
青年牧民組
