心臟的監護權-現在的話

時代廣場遊行，作者：亞歷山大·陳（Alexander Chen）

WE 正生活在危險的時代。但意識到這一點的人卻很少。我所說的不是恐怖主義、氣候變遷或核戰的威脅，而是更微妙和陰險的威脅。敵人的攻擊已經在許多家庭和人心中佔據一席之地，並且正在設法在全世界範圍內造成不祥的破壞：

Noise.

我說的是精神上的噪音。聲音對靈魂如此響亮，對心臟如此震耳欲聾，以至於一旦發現它的聲音，它就會掩蓋上帝的聲音，麻木良知，使眼睛看不見現實。它是我們時代最危險的敵人之一，因為戰爭和暴力會傷害身體，而噪音卻是靈魂的殺手。而一個封閉了上帝聲音的靈魂可能永遠不會再聽到他的聲音。

NOISE

這個敵人一直潛伏著，但也許比今天更多。使徒聖約翰警告說噪聲是敵基督精神的預兆：

不要愛這個世界或世界上的事物。如果有人愛這個世界，天父的愛就不在他裡面。對於世界上的一切，感官的慾望，對眼睛的誘惑以及自命不凡的生活，不是來自天父，而是來自世界。然而，世界及其誘惑正在消失。但是，凡遵行上帝旨意的人都將永遠存在。孩子們，這是最後一個小時；就像您聽說敵基督者即將來臨一樣，現在有許多敵基督者出現了。（約翰一書1：2-15）

肉體的慾望，眼睛的誘惑，自命不凡的生活。這些是公國和大國向不知情的人類發出爆炸聲的手段。

慾望的噪音

One cannot surf the internet, walk through an airport, or simply buy groceries without being assaulted by the noise of lust. Men, more than women, are susceptible to this because there is a stronger chemical response in men. It is a terrible noise, for it pulls not only the eyes, but one’s very body into its path. To even suggest today that a half-clad woman is immodest or inappropriate will draw bewilderment if not scorn. It has become socially acceptable, and at younger and younger ages, to sexualize and objectivy the body. It is no longer a vessel for transmitting, through modesty and charity, the truth of who the human person truly is, but has become a loudspeaker blaring a distorted message: that fulfillment comes ultimately from sex and sexiness, rather than the Creator. This noise alone, now broadcast through rancid imagery and language in nearly every facet of modern society, is doing more to destroy souls than perhaps any other.

誘惑的聲音

In the Western nations in particular, the noise of materialism—the enticement of new things—has reached a deafening pitch, yet few are resisting it. Ipads, ipods, ibooks, iphones, ifashions, iretirement plans…. Even the titles themselves reveal something of the potential danger that lurks behind the need for personal comfort, convenience and self-pleasure. It is all about “I”, not my brother in need. The exportation of manufacturing to third world 國家（通常通過可憐的工資本身造成不公正）引起了低成本商品的海嘯，隨後是無休止的廣告浪潮，這些廣告使自己而不是鄰居成為最優先考慮的圖騰。

But the noise has taken on a different and more insidious tone in our day. The internet and wireless technology continually serve up a vast array of high definition color, news, gossip, photos, videos, goods, services—all in a split second. It is the perfect concoction of glitz and glamor to keep souls enamored—and often deaf to the hunger and thirst in their own soul for the transcendent, for God.

We cannot deny that the rapid changes occurring in our world also present some disturbing signs of fragmentation and a retreat into individualism. The expanding use of electronic communications has in some cases paradoxically resulted in greater isolation… —教皇本篤十六世，8年2008月XNUMX日在紐約約克維爾聖約瑟夫教堂發表演講； 天主教新聞社

裝扮的噪音

St. John warns about the temptation to “pride of life.” This is not limited to simply wanting to be rich or famous. Today, it has taken on a more cunning temptation, once again, through technology. “Social networking”, while often serving to connect old friends and family, also feeds into a new individualism. With communication services like Facebook or Twitter, the trend is to put one’s every thought and action out there for the world to see, fostering a growing trend of narcissism (self-absorption). This is really in direct opposition to the rich spiritual heritage of the Saints in which idle chatter and frivolity are to be avoided, as they cultivate a spirit of worldliness and inattention.

心臟的保管

當然，所有這些噪音絕對不能被認為是邪惡的。人體和性行為是上帝的恩賜，而不是可恥或骯髒的障礙。物質的東西既不是好事也不是壞的，它們只是……直到我們將它們放在心中的聖壇上，使它們變成偶像為止。和互聯網也可以很好地利用。

在拿撒勒家和耶穌的事工中， always the background noise of the world. Jesus even walked into “the lions den,” eating with tax collectors and prostitutes. But He did so because He always maintained 心臟的監護權。 聖保羅寫道：

不要讓自己適應這個時代，而要因自己的思想更新而改變……（羅馬書12：2）

內心的監護意味著我不專心於世界事物，遵循其不敬虔的方式，而專心於王國，上帝的方式。這意味著重新發現生活的意義，並使我的目標與之吻合……

……讓我們擺脫所有依附在我們身上的負擔和罪惡，並堅持不懈地參加擺在我們面前的種族，同時讓我們始終注視著耶穌，信仰的領袖和完善者。來12：1-2）

In our baptismal vows, we promise to “reject the glamor of evil, and refuse to be mastered by sin.” Custody of the heart means avoiding that first fatal step: being sucked into the glamor of evil, which, if we take the bait, leads to being mastered by it.

……每個犯罪的人都是犯罪的奴隸。（約翰福音8:34）

Jesus walked among sinful people, but He kept Hi s heart unstained by continually seeking first the will of the Father. He walked in the truth that women were not objects, but reflections of His own image; in the truth that material things are to be used for the glory of God and the good of others; and by being small, humble, and hidden, meek and gentle of heart, Jesus shunned the worldly power and honor that others would have bestowed on Him.

KEEPING CUSTODY OF THE SENSES

In the traditional Act of Contrition prayed in sacramental Confession, one resolves to ‘sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin.’ Custody of the heart means avoiding not just the sin itself, but those well-known traps that would cause me to fall into sin. “製作 沒有肉的規定,” said St. Paul (see 籠中之虎.) A good friend of mine says that he hasn’t eaten sweets or had any alcohol in years. “I have an addictive personality,” he said. “If I eat one cookie, I want the whole bag.” Refreshing honesty. A man who avoids even the near occasion of sin—and you can see the freedom in his eyes.

情慾

Many years ago, a married fellow worker was lusting after the women who were walking by. Noting my lack of participation, he snorted, “One can still look at the menu without having to order!” But Jesus said something quite different:

…每個看著一個有情慾的女人的人都已經懷著通奸的心意。（太5:28）

在我們的色情文化中，一個人如何才能避免眼睛陷入通姦罪？答案是收起菜單 all together. For one thing, women aren’t objects, commodities to be owned. They are beautiful reflections of the Divine Creator: their sexuality, expressed as a receptacle of life-giving seed, is an image of the Church, which is a receptacle of the life-giving Word of God. Thus, even immodest dress or a sexualized appearance is a snare; it is the slippery slope that leads to wanting more and more. What is necessary, then, is to keep 眼睛的監護:

身體的燈是眼睛。如果您的眼睛是健康的，那麼您的整個身體就會充滿光明。但是如果你的眼睛不好，你的整個身體就會一片漆黑。（太6：22-23）

The eye is “bad” if we allow it to be dazzled by the “glamor of evil”: if we allow it to wander around the room, if we peruse the magazine covers, sidebar internet pictures, or watch movies or shows that are indecent.

Avert your eyes from a comely woman; gaze not upon the beauty of another’s wife——through woman’s beauty many perish, for lust for it burns like fire. (Sirach 9:8)

It is not a matter then of just avoiding pornography, but all forms of indecency. It means—for some men reading this—a complete transformation of the mind as to how women are perceived and even how we perceive ourselves—the exceptions we justify that, in reality, snare us, and drag us into the misery of sin.

唯物主義

一個人可以寫一本關於貧困的書。但是，聖保羅也許最好地總結了這一點：

If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that. Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction. (1 Tim 6:8-9)

我們總是為更好的事情而為次要的事情四處逛逛，從而失去了對心臟的監護權。誡命之一是不要貪圖鄰居的東西。耶穌警告說，原因是人們無法將自己的內心在上帝和瑪蒙之間（佔有）。

沒有人可以擔任兩個主人。他要么恨一個人而愛另一個人，要么獻身於一個人而鄙視另一個人。（太6:24）

保持心臟的監護意味著在很大程度上獲得我們的需要而不是我們要，而不是ard積，而是與他人，尤其是窮人分享。

當您本應將施捨奉獻給窮人時，您所ho積的多餘財富，您所擁有的多餘衣物更喜歡被蛾子吃掉而不是為窮人穿衣，以及您選擇看待是躺在懶散中，而不是花在為窮人買食物上，我說，所有這些事情在審判日將為您作見證。 -英石。羅伯特·貝拉明 聖徒的智慧， 吉爾·哈卡德爾斯（Jill Haakadels），第166

保持力

心臟監護權也意味著要注意我們的言語，擁有 保管我們的舌頭. For the tongue has the power to build-up or tear down, to snare or liberate. So often, we use the tongue out of pride, saying (or typing) this or that in hopes of making ourselves appear more important than we are, or to please others, gaining their approval. Other times, we simply release a wall of words to entertain ourselves by idle chatter.

There is a word in Catholic spirituality called “recollection.” It means simply to remember that I am always in God’s presence, and that He is always my goal and the fulfillment of all my desires. It means recognizing that His will is my food, and that, as His servant, I am called to follow Him in the path of charity. Recollection then, means that I “gather myself up” when I have lost custody of my heart, trusting in His mercy and forgiveness, and once again committing myself to loving and serving Him in 現在用我全部的心，靈魂，思想和力量。

When it comes to social networking, we need to be careful. Is it humble to paste pictures of myself that stroke my vanity? When I “tweet” others, am I saying something that is necessary or not? Am I encouraging gossip or wasting other’s time?

我告訴你，在審判之日，人們會為他們所說的每一個粗心大意的單詞做出解釋。（馬太福音12:36）

將您的心想像成爐子。你的嘴是門。每次打開門，都是在散發熱量。當您關上門，在神的同在中被追憶時，他神聖的愛之火將越來越熱，以至於當時機成熟時，您的言語可以建立，解放並促進他人的康復- 溫暖 others with God’s love. At those times, even though we speak, because it is in the voice of Love, it serves to stoke the fires within. Otherwise, our soul, and that of others, grows cold when we keep the door open in meaningless or s inful chatter.

你們當中甚至都不能提及不道德或任何污穢或貪婪，就像在神聖的人中間一樣，不要s昧，愚蠢或挑逗性的談話，這是不合時宜的，而是感恩節。以弗所書5：3-4）

陌生人和旅行者

Keeping custody of the heart is foreign sounding and counter-cultural. We live in a world that encourages people to experiment with a multitude of sexual acts and lifestyles, plaster themselves all over YouTube, seek to become a singing or dancing “Idol”, and be “tolerant” of anything and anybody (except practicing Catholics). In refusing this kind of noise, Jesus said that we would look odd in the world’s eyes; that they would persecute, mock, exclude and hate us because the light in believers would convict the darkness in others.

對於每一個做惡事的人來說，他們討厭光，卻不直面光，所以他的作品就不會暴露出來。（約翰福音3:20）

Keeping custody of the heart, then, is not some outdated practice of bygone ages, but the constant, true, and narrow road that leads to Heaven. It’s just that few are willing to take it, to resist the noise so that they can hear the voice of God that leads to eternal life.

對於您的寶藏所在，您的心也將…… Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few. (Matt 6:21; 7:13-14)

對世俗財產的熱愛是一種鳥糞，它纏繞著靈魂並阻止了它飛向上帝。 —河馬奧古斯丁, 聖徒的智慧， 吉爾·哈卡德爾斯（Jill Haakadels），第164