每週聖人分享 Saints of the week

2024-11-10
	按此詳閲: 今週聖人 按此详阅: 今周圣人 Saint of the week, read more...

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今週聖人: 聖尼各老‧多倫定

生平

聖尼各老在1245年生於義大利，他的父母因無子女而到偏遠的聖尼各老教堂祈求，並許諾假若如願，將來不論男女都奉獻孩子終身事主，母親不久懷孕，孩子生下時奉聖尼各老主教為其主保聖人，取名尼各老。小尼各老虔誠熱心，幼時常效法隱修士躲在岩洞默想祈禱，7歲已每週守齋三次。12歲時，他在彌撒中聽到一位奧思定會神父講道，勸人不要貪戀塵世，之後十分感動，決定棄俗加入奧思定會修道，父母欣然接受。尼各老在修院服從長上，勤奮謙和，而且常行克己，晚間臥地而睡，以石為枕。經數年的準備後，他在1269年晉鐸。1274年，尼各老神父在神視中見到一位與他相識的修士，告訴他自己在煉獄中，請求尼各老神父為他獻一台彌撒減輕痛苦。但尼各老神父之前已被指派主持會院彌撒，無法答應，接著修士向他展示煉獄火海中無數煉靈受苦的景象，令他非常難過，翌日一早便向長上報告神視的經過，懇求讓他為煉靈舉行彌撒，長上答允後，尼各老神父連續七天為他們獻彌撒及日夜祈禱。完成後修士向他顯現並答謝，並告訴他自己和很多煉靈已升天堂。這就是「聖尼各老七日煉靈彌撒」的來源。此後尼各老神父繼續為煉靈獻彌撒，祈禱及守齋苦身，希望他們能早登天國。
1274年他被派往多倫定，度過了餘下的三十多年。當地內戰頻繁，風氣敗壞，尼各老神父充擔和平使者。他在街頭講道，有些人故意在旁揮劍叫囂，希望神父驚惶失態，但他不為所動，搗亂者反而留下聽道悔改。他又幫助窮人，探望病人和囚犯，尼各老神父敬主愛人，一生刻苦，熱愛苦架，無數人因他感動皈依。他在1306年去世，享年六十歲。聖尼各老‧多倫定是煉靈的主保。

反省/效法

聖尼各老曾行無數奇蹟，之後總是對人說自己亦是一個可憐的罪人，吩咐：「別提這事。」他死後這些奇蹟流傳甚廣，他的聖像都與這些故事有關。讓我們默想一下這些故事反映出聖尼各老是一個怎樣的人，我們又在他身上可以學習甚麼。

• 鵪鶉：長上因尼各老神父年老還刻苦齋戒，又患重病，命他吃肉進補，有人拿兩隻煮熟了的鵪鶉給他吃，但他降福後，兩隻鵪鶉都復活飛走，他欣然繼續守齋。
• 麵包：有一次尼各老神父病重，聖母和聖奧思定及聖莫尼加指示他用麵包泡清水而食，他的病便痊癒了。之後他亦祈禱後派發麵包給病人，很多都因而治痊。奧思定會至今仍為紀念聖尼各老而祝福和分發「聖尼各老麵包」給病人，希望他們藉聖人的轉禱得以痊癒。
• 星星：他離世前每晚都有一顆星從他出生的地方移動到多倫定，象徵聖尼各老的聖德。
  

祈禱

天主教教理#1032說：「教會自始便紀念亡者，為他們奉獻祈禱，尤其是感恩祭，為使他們得到煉淨，進入天主的榮福直觀中。教會也鼓勵人為亡者行施捨、得大赦和做補贖」。在煉靈月內，讓我們效法聖尼各老的芳表，為去世的親友恩人，及無人為他們祈禱的煉靈祈禱及做補贖。

願我們學習聖尼各老，敬主愛人，關心貧苦病弱，憐憫煉靈。我們特別為諸眾煉靈祈禱。

聖尼各老‧多倫定，為我等祈。

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今周圣人: 圣尼各老‧多伦定

生平

圣尼各老在1245年生于义大利，他的父母因无子女而到偏远的圣尼各老教堂祈求，并许诺假若如愿，将来不论男女都奉献孩子终身事主，母亲不久怀孕，孩子生下时奉圣尼各老主教为其主保圣人，取名尼各老。小尼各老虔诚热心，幼时常效法隐修士躲在岩洞默想祈祷，7岁已每周守斋三次。12岁时，他在弥撒中听到一位奥思定会神父讲道，劝人不要贪恋尘世，之后十分感动，决定弃俗加入奥思定会修道，父母欣然接受。尼各老在修院服从长上，勤奋谦和，而且常行克己，晚间卧地而睡，以石为枕。经数年的准备后，他在1269年晋铎。1274年，尼各老神父在神视中见到一位与他相识的修士，告诉他自己在炼狱中，请求尼各老神父为他献一台弥撒减轻痛苦。但尼各老神父之前已被指派主持会院弥撒，无法答应，接著修士向他展示炼狱火海中无数炼灵受苦的景象，令他非常难过，翌日一早便向长上报告神视的经过，恳求让他为炼灵举行弥撒，长上答允后，尼各老神父连续七天为他们献弥撒及日夜祈祷。完成后修士向他显现并答谢，并告诉他自己和很多炼灵已升天堂。这就是「圣尼各老七日炼灵弥撒」的来源。此后尼各老神父继续为炼灵献弥撒，祈祷及守斋苦身，希望他们能早登天国。
1274年他被派往多伦定，度过了余下的三十多年。当地内战频繁，风气败坏，尼各老神父充担和平使者。他在街头讲道，有些人故意在旁挥剑叫嚣，希望神父惊惶失态，但他不为所动，捣乱者反而留下听道悔改。他又帮助穷人，探望病人和囚犯，尼各老神父敬主爱人，一生刻苦，热爱苦架，无数人因他感动皈依。他在1306年去世，享年六十岁。圣尼各老‧多伦定是炼灵的主保。

反省/效法

圣尼各老曾行无数奇迹，之后总是对人说自己亦是一个可怜的罪人，吩咐：「别提这事。」他死后这些奇迹流传甚广，他的圣像都与这些故事有关。让我们默想一下这些故事反映出圣尼各老是一个怎样的人，我们又在他身上可以学习甚么。

• 鹌鹑：长上因尼各老神父年老还刻苦斋戒，又患重病，命他吃肉进补，有人拿两只煮熟了的鹌鹑给他吃，但他降福后，两只鹌鹑都复活飞走，他欣然继续守斋。
• 面包：有一次尼各老神父病重，圣母和圣奥思定及圣莫尼加指示他用面包泡清水而食，他的病便痊愈了。之后他亦祈祷后派发面包给病人，很多都因而治痊。奥思定会至今仍为纪念圣尼各老而祝福和分发「圣尼各老面包」给病人，希望他们藉圣人的转祷得以痊愈。
• 星星：他离世前每晚都有一颗星从他出生的地方移动到多伦定，象征圣尼各老的圣德。
  
  

祈祷

天主教教理#1032说：「教会自始便纪念亡者，为他们奉献祈祷，尤其是感恩祭，为使他们得到炼净，进入天主的荣福直观中。教会也鼓励人为亡者行施舍、得大赦和做补赎」。在炼灵月内，让我们效法圣尼各老的芳表，为去世的亲友恩人，及无人为他们祈祷的炼灵祈祷及做补赎。

愿我们学习圣尼各老，敬主爱人，关心贫苦病弱，怜悯炼灵。我们特别为诸众炼灵祈祷。

圣尼各老‧多伦定，为我等祈。

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Saint of the week: St. Nicholas of Tolentine

Life

St. Nicholas was born in Italy in 1245, he took his name from St. Nicholas of Myra, at whose remote shrine his parents prayed to have a child, and promised that if their wish came true, disregard of their child’s gender, they would dedicate this child to God for life. Soon after, the mother became pregnant, and Nicholas was born. Young Nicholas was devoted and often hid in a cave in contemplative prayer like the hermits. At the age of 7, he had been fasting three times a week. At the age of 12, he heard an Augustinian priest preach in mass who persuaded people not to love worldly things. After that, he was very moved and decided to leave the secular world and joined the Augustinian Order, and his parents readily accepted it. In the Order, Nicholas obeyed his superiors, was diligent and humble, and often made self-sacrifices. He slept on the ground at night, using stone as a pillow. After several years of preparation, he was ordained as a priest in 1269. In 1274, Father Nicholas had a vision of a friar whom he had known, who told him that he was in purgatory and asked Father Nicholas to offer a mass for him to reduce his suffering. But because Father Nicholas had previously been assigned to preside over the conventual Eucharist, he could not accept. Then the friar showed him the scenes of numerous souls suffering in the fires in purgatory, which saddened Nicholas. Early the next day, he reported his vision to the superior, begging for him to hold a mass for the souls in purgatory. After the superior agreed, Father Nicholas offered the mass for seven consecutive days and prayed day and night. On completion, the friar appeared to him, thanked him, and told him that he and many souls have now ascended to Heaven. This is the origin of the “Tolentine's Septenary Masses for the Dead”. Since then, Father Nicholas continued to offer mass for the souls in purgatory, prayed, fasted and made sacrifices, hoping that they could ascend to heaven sooner.
In 1274, he was sent to Tolentine where he spent the rest of his life for more than thirty years. That place had frequent civil wars and morality was in decline, Father Nicholas acted as a messenger of peace. He preached on the streets where some people deliberately shouted, waved their swords around him and hoped to frighten him, but he was unmoved, and the troublemakers eventually stayed to listen to him and repented. He also helped the poor, visited the sick and the prisoners. Father Nicholas respected God and loved mankind, lived an austere life, and loved his cross, numerous people were touched by him and converted. He died in 1306 at the age of 60. St. Nicholas is the patron of the souls in purgatory.

Reflection/Imitation:

St. Nicholas had performed countless miracles, but always told people afterwards that he was also a poor sinner, and instructed them: "Say nothing of this." After his death, these miracles spread afar, and his statue is related to these stories. Let's meditate on how these stories reflect on what kind of person St. Nicholas was, and what we can learn from him.

• Quail: In view of Father Nicholas’s old age, austere life and sickness, his superior ordered him to eat meat as supplement. Someone took two cooked quails to him, but after he blessed them, both quails resurrected and flew away. He was happy to continue fasting.
• Bread: Once Father Nicholas was seriously ill. The Virgin Mary, St. Augustine and St. Monica instructed him to eat bread dipped in water, and he was healed. After that, he would pray and then send bread to the sick, and many of them were cured. The Augustinian Order still commemorates St. Nicholas by blessing and distributing the “Saint Nicholas Bread" to the sick, hoping that through the intercession of the saint, they would be cured.
• Star: For a period of time, every night before he died, a star moved from the place where he was born to Tolentine, symbolizing St. Nicholas’ virtues.

Prayer

Catholicism of the Catholic Church #1032 said: “From the beginning the Church has honoured the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead.” During the month of Holy Souls, let us imitate St. Nicholas’s good example, to pray for our deceased relatives and benefactors, and for the souls who have no one to pray for them and do penance.  

May we learn from St. Nicholas, to respect the Lord and love mankind, care about poverty and the sick, and have compassion on the souls in purgatory. We pray especially for the souls in purgatory.

St. Nicholas of Tolentine, pray for us.

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