Pope Francis said that “the first chapters of the Book of Genesis describe the progressive expansion of sin in human affairs ... Yet, in these first pages of the Bible, another, less striking, much more humble and pious story is also written, which represents the release of hope.
While almost everyone behaves in a wicked manner, making hatred and conquest the great engine of human affairs, there are people who are capable of praying to God with sincerity, capable of writing mankind’s destiny in a different way.” Abel, Enosh, and Noah were humble people who walked with God and prayed.
The fundamental temptation of the Old Testament is commonly presented as lack of trust in the Word of God. Abraham is a model in trusting the Word of God. Pope Francis called Abraham “the man of the Word.” The Catechism states: “Abraham’s heart is entirely submissive to the Word and so he obeys. Such attentiveness of the heart, whose decisions are made according to God’s will, is essential to prayer, while the words used count only in relation to it. Abraham’s prayer is expressed first by deeds: a man of silence, he constructs an altar to the Lord at each stage of his journey.” (ccc,2570)
Pope Francis commented: “In reading the Book of Genesis, we discover that Abraham experienced prayer in constant faithfulness to that Word, which periodically appeared along his path. In short, we could say that in Abraham’s life faith becomes history.... The God of Abraham becomes ‘my God,’ the God of my personal history, who guides my steps, who does not abandon me; the God of my days, companion in my adventures; the God Providence.”
Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, had a mysterious vision: “And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.” (Gen 28:12) According to a Biblical commentary, “The Angels descend to earth bringing God’s counsel and help; they ascend to heaven carrying man’s aspirations and prayers to the throne of God. The vision thus assured Jacob of divine help.” Jacob’s ladder is a beautiful symbol of prayer.
According to Pope Francis, Jacob was a “self-made” man: “with his ingenuity, his cunning, he manages to obtain everything he wants. But he lacks something. He lacks a living relationship with his own roots.” However, another spiritual experience changes him: “Before confronting his elder brother Esau, Jacob wrestles all night with a mysterious figure who refuses to reveal his name, but who blesses him before leaving him at dawn. From this account, the spiritual tradition of the Church has retained the symbol of prayer as a battle of faith and as the triumph of perseverance.” (CCC 2573)
The Holy Father said, “Wrestling with God: a metaphor for prayer. At other times Jacob had revealed himself capable of dialoguing with God, of sensing him as a friendly and close presence. But that night, through a lengthy struggle that nearly makes him succumb, the patriarch emerges changed. A change of name, a change in his way of life and a change in personality: he emerges changed. For once he is no longer master of the situation — his cunning is of no use to him — he is no longer a strategic and calculating man. God returns him to his truth as a mortal man who trembles and fears, because in the struggle, Jacob was afraid. For once Jacob has nothing but his frailty and powerlessness, and also his sins, to present to God. And it is this Jacob who receives God’s blessing, with which he limps into the promised land: vulnerable and wounded, but with a new heart.”
Share your thoughts and contribute to the ongoing conversation by sending us a Letter to the Editor.
祈禱是一場信德的戰鬥
教宗方濟各說：「創世紀初篇，描述了人類罪惡的開始和延續 … 不過，聖經的這些初篇，亦細訴了人類的謙遜及對天主的熱誠，釋放出一股希望。似乎人類的敗壞，使每個人都浸淫在仇恨與征服中，卻還是有些人向天主真誠祈禱，讓人類能夠譜寫截然不同的新篇章。」亞伯爾、厄諾士和諾厄，這些謙卑的人，仍與天主同行，向祂祈求。
舊約普遍闡釋，搆成人類基本的誘惑，是對天主的話缺乏信任所致。亞巴郎對天主的絕對信從，是一個典範。教宗方濟各稱亞巴郎是「聖言的人」。天主教教理指出「亞巴郎一聽到天主的召喚，便『遵照天主的吩咐』，立刻動身。他的心完全降服於『天主的聖言』，聽從祂的命令。由內心聆聽而作出服從天主的決定是祈禱的本質，語言在其次。但亞巴郎的祈禱先表達在行動中：他緘默寡言，他在旅途中的每一階段，都給上主建造一座祭壇。」（教理#2570）
教宗方濟各補充說：「閱讀創世紀，我們會發現亞巴郎的祈禱，是持續忠於每一階段的聖言。簡單地可以說，亞巴郎的信德，寫進了他生命的歷史 … 亞巴郎的天主，變成了『我的天主』、個人歷史的天主；祂帶領著我的腳步，不會離棄我；我日復日的天主，是一切經歷的良伴，是天主的護祐。」
亞巴郎的孫子雅各伯夢裡看到異象：「他作了一夢：見一個梯子直立在地上，梯頂與天相連接；天主的使者在梯子上，上去下來。」（創28:12）釋經解說：「天神下降，把天主的指引與援手，帶給人間；天神上升天堂，把人間的願望和祈禱，帶到天主台前。這異象給雅各伯肯定了天主給他的助祐。」雅各伯的梯子，是祈禱美麗的標記。
據教宗方濟各稱，雅各伯是一位「自我形造者」。他說：「他的獨特性和狡猾，能攫取他所想得到的；另一方面，他卻缺乏了『同根生』的關係。然而，靈性的經歷改變了他：「他對抗大哥厄撒烏之前，與一位神秘人物整夜搏鬥，那人不願透露自己的姓名，但離開前在黎明時分祝福了他。教會靈修傳統視此一敘述為祈禱的象徵：祈禱是信德的戰鬥和堅持到底的勝利。（教理#2573）
教宗又說：「與天主搏鬥是祈禱的象徵。另一廂記載，雅各伯竟然又能和天主對話，彷彿是天主親密的好友。但那個整夜長時間的搏鬥，幾乎使他屈服，讓這位聖祖出現了改變 ─ 名字改變了、生命改變了、品格改變了。他不再自我主宰 ─ 他的狡猾再不中用、不再是心謀遠慮的人了。天主把雅各伯轉化個凡人，他也會顫抖、恐懼，而且終將一死。當他在天主面前，認識自己除了兄弟情誼之外，便一無所有；那一刻，雅各伯只能獻給天主他自己的脆弱、無力和罪愆。而正是這樣的雅各伯領受了天主的祝福，一走一瘸地進入應許之地：他脆弱受傷，卻擁有一個全新的心。」
Share your thoughts and contribute to the ongoing conversation by sending us a Letter to the Editor.