每週聖人分享 Saints of the week

2024-06-30
	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: 聖張懷祿、聖郗柱子

生平

121位中華殉道聖人之中，有兩位還未接受洗禮，但卻為了宣認自己的信仰而為主捨命，接受了血洗。血洗的意思是雖然沒有接受水洗，卻透過為基督而死、並與基督同死而受洗，雖然沒有聖事形式，卻結出聖洗的果實（天主教教理＃1258）。
聖張懷祿生於1843年河北衡水縣諸葛店村，57歲才開始學習教理，家人反對但無法阻止。他因年紀已大，記憶力差，不論如何努力，學習道理經文都進展甚慢，教友一起念經時，其他人琅琅上口，他卻無法記住經文，往往被人譏笑，張懷祿從不動怒，滿懷信心回答：「天主會教我如何救靈魂。就不會念經，讀問答，也不成問題。」1900年6月，當地的流氓趁庚子拳亂向教友勒索銀錢，信友需攤湊交付，張懷祿當時只慕道半年，但覺得自己是準教友，亦跟其他教友一起攤湊。一個月後，義和團進村搜殺信徒，教友都聞風先遁，張懷祿卻因年老走避不及被逮，村中的外教人甚至勒索過教友的流氓都力証他不是教友，但張懷祿卻有意殉道，懇切地説：「我真是個奉教人，我雖然不會念經，卻會恭敬奉教人的天主。」聖張懷祿求仁得仁，死在刀槍之下。享年57歲。
聖郗柱子生於1882年河北深縣得朝村，17歲時見到村中教友的善表，從他們口中聽到天主教的道理，便決心皈依。他是個目不識丁的鄉下人，學習經文教理不易，但無阻他的熱誠。當時教難方興，他的父母家人都反對他奉教，最初勸他風波平靜後才開始，後來恐嚇侮辱、毆打冷待，甚至過年全家歡慶時罰他捱餓，用盡一切方法阻止他，但他信教之念從不動搖。1900年6月為避義和拳民，郗柱子跟隨村中的教友逃出村外，但別村的信徒都怕拳民混入，只收教友，不敢放一個未受洗的外來人入村。郗柱子一個人在亂世中四處奔走，徬徨無依，幸好有一位教友收留他在家做工。該處離得朝村很近，不久父母寄信命他回家，並答應准他奉教。7月20日郗柱子在回家途中碰上拳民，他坦承自己奉教，被硬拉到廟中拜神像，他拼命拒絕掙扎，又被拖回村受刑。郗柱子自知必死，經過家門跪下給裏面的父母請安，家人卻狠心置之不理。到達刑場之後，郗柱子跪地劃十字聖號，表示已準備妥當，惡徒一刀砍斷他的右臂，他英勇地説：「我是教友，你們能把我千刀萬剮，可是每一刀，每一塊肉，每一滴血，都告訴你們説：我是教友。」眾人聽了非常憤怒，刀槍齊下，把他剁殺。聖郗柱子享年18歲。他殉道後全家都奉教成為信徒。

反省/效法

中國天主教教難中，最慘烈莫過於庚子拳亂。據學者統計，單是山西一省，中國教友死亡人數便有數千到一萬人，有些只是嬰兒。當時有些教徒背教保命，偏偏聖張懷祿和聖郗柱子未受洗禮卻堅認奉教，捨生殉道，做常人認為愚蠢的事，但其實他們充滿智慧，選擇了直達天堂的捷徑。生活在推崇考量得失、聰明外露的世代，我們會否有他們的勇氣和智慧，做損害自己利益但跟隨天主的「蠢事」呢？

祈禱

聖張懷祿和聖郗柱子未必熟習經文，但他們不用口舌誦經，而以鮮血獻上禱詞。聖郗柱子在刑場劃一個十字聖號，已勝千言萬語。願我們也學習兩位血洗者，在生活中以行動化作最虔誠的禱詞。

願我們學習聖張懷祿和聖郗柱子的勇氣和智慧，被挑戰時仍為自己的信仰作証。

聖張懷祿和聖郗柱子，為我等祈。

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今周圣人: 圣张怀禄、圣郗柱子

生平

121位中华殉道圣人之中，有两位还未接受洗礼，但却为了宣认自己的信仰而为主舍命，接受了血洗。血洗的意思是虽然没有接受水洗，却透过为基督而死、并与基督同死而受洗，虽然没有圣事形式，却结出圣洗的果实（天主教教理＃1258）。
圣张怀禄生于1843年河北衡水县诸葛店村，57岁才开始学习教理，家人反对但无法阻止。他因年纪已大，记忆力差，不论如何努力，学习道理经文都进展甚慢，教友一起念经时，其他人琅琅上口，他却无法记住经文，往往被人讥笑，张怀禄从不动怒，满怀信心回答：「天主会教我如何救灵魂。就不会念经，读问答，也不成问题。」1900年6月，当地的流氓趁庚子拳乱向教友勒索银钱，信友需摊凑交付，张怀禄当时只慕道半年，但觉得自己是准教友，亦跟其他教友一起摊凑。一个月后，义和团进村搜杀信徒，教友都闻风先遁，张怀禄却因年老走避不及被逮，村中的外教人甚至勒索过教友的流氓都力证他不是教友，但张怀禄却有意殉道，恳切地说：「我真是个奉教人，我虽然不会念经，却会恭敬奉教人的天主。」圣张怀禄求仁得仁，死在刀枪之下。享年57岁。
圣郗柱子生于1882年河北深县得朝村，17岁时见到村中教友的善表，从他们口中听到天主教的道理，便决心皈依。他是个目不识丁的乡下人，学习经文教理不易，但无阻他的热诚。当时教难方兴，他的父母家人都反对他奉教，最初劝他风波平静后才开始，后来恐吓侮辱、殴打冷待，甚至过年全家欢庆时罚他挨饿，用尽一切方法阻止他，但他信教之念从不动摇。1900年6月为避义和拳民，郗柱子跟随村中的教友逃出村外，但别村的信徒都怕拳民混入，只收教友，不敢放一个未受洗的外来人入村。郗柱子一个人在乱世中四处奔走，徬徨无依，幸好有一位教友收留他在家做工。该处离得朝村很近，不久父母寄信命他回家，并答应准他奉教。7月20日郗柱子在回家途中碰上拳民，他坦承自己奉教，被硬拉到庙中拜神像，他拼命拒绝挣扎，又被拖回村受刑。郗柱子自知必死，经过家门跪下给里面的父母请安，家人却狠心置之不理。到达刑场之后，郗柱子跪地划十字圣号，表示已准备妥当，恶徒一刀砍断他的右臂，他英勇地说：「我是教友，你们能把我千刀万剐，可是每一刀，每一块肉，每一滴血，都告诉你们说：我是教友。」众人听了非常愤怒，刀枪齐下，把他剁杀。圣郗柱子享年18岁。他殉道后全家都奉教成为信徒。

反省/效法

中国天主教教难中，最惨烈莫过于庚子拳乱。据学者统计，单是山西一省，中国教友死亡人数便有数千到一万人，有些只是婴儿。当时有些教徒背教保命，偏偏圣张怀禄和圣郗柱子未受洗礼却坚认奉教，舍生殉道，做常人认为愚蠢的事，但其实他们充满智慧，选择了直达天堂的捷径。生活在推崇考量得失、聪明外露的世代，我们会否有他们的勇气和智慧，做损害自己利益但跟随天主的「蠢事」呢？

祈祷

圣张怀禄和圣郗柱子未必熟习经文，但他们不用口舌诵经，而以鲜血献上祷词。圣郗柱子在刑场划一个十字圣号，已胜千言万语。愿我们也学习两位血洗者，在生活中以行动化作最虔诚的祷词。

愿我们学习圣张怀禄和圣郗柱子的勇气和智慧，被挑战时仍为自己的信仰作证。

圣张怀禄和圣郗柱子，为我等祈。

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Saint of the week: Saint Huai Lu Zhang, Saint Zhu Ze Chi

Life

Among the 121 Chinese martyrs, two had not been baptized, but they gave up their lives for the Lord and received baptism of blood. Those who suffer death for the sake of their faith without having received baptism are baptized by their death for and with Christ. This baptism of blood brings about the fruits of baptism without being a sacrament. (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1258).
St. Huai Lu Zhang was born in 1843 in Zhukotian, Hengshui County, Hebei Province. He began to learn the catechism at the age of 57. Although his family opposed it, they could not stop him. Because of his age and poor memory, no matter how hard he tried, his progress in learning the catechism and prayers was slow. When church members prayed together, they were fluent, but he could not remember the prayers and was teased by others. Huai Lu Zhang never got upset and answered with confidence: "God will teach me how to save my soul. Even though I do not know how to pray or answer questions, it is not a problem." In June 1900, during the Genzi Boxer uprising, local scoundrels extorted the faithful for money, and they had no choice but to pay. Huai Lu Zhang was only a catechumen for six months, but he regarded himself as a prospective church member, and he also paid money to the extortionists. One month later, the Boxers entered the village to search for believers and kill them. Most Catholics escaped prior to the invasion, but Huai Lu Zhang’s old age hampered his escape, and he was caught. The non-Catholic villagers and even the extortionists declared firmly that he was not a Christian, but he deliberately wanted to be martyred and said earnestly: "I am really a Christian. Although I don’t know how to pray, I know how to worship the God of all the faithful." St. Huai Lu Zhang’s wish was granted, and he died under swords and spears at the age of 57.
St. Zhu Ze Chi was born in 1882 in Dezhao village in Shen Xian, Hebei Province. At the age of 17, he witnessed the piety of the Catholics in his village, heard about the catechism from them, and became determined to become a Christian. He was an illiterate villager, so it was not easy for him to learn the prayers and the doctrines, but it did not lessen his enthusiasm. At that time, the church was being persecuted; his parents and his family all opposed his conversion. They initially persuaded him to start after things have calmed down. Later, they threatened, insulted, beat him up, and ignored him. In the New Year, he was even starved as a punishment. They tried everything to deter him, but his determination to be a believer never wavered. In June 1900, in order to avoid the Boxers, Zhu Ze Chi followed the faithful of his village to look for shelter elsewhere, but the faithful in other villages only accepted Christians, as they fear that a non-Christian person may be a Boxer in disguise. Zhu Ze Chi was rejected everywhere in trouble times. Fortunately, a believer took him in to work at his home. The place was very close to Dezhao Village. Soon his parents sent him a letter ordering him to return home and promised to let him be converted. On July 20, Zhu Ze Chi was accosted by Boxers on his way home. He admitted that he was a Catholic and was dragged to the temple to worship the idol. He resisted strongly and was dragged back to the village to be executed. He knew that he would die and when he passed in front of his home, he knelt to pay respects to his parents inside, but his family cruelly ignored him. After arriving at the execution ground, Zhu Ze Chi knelt down and made the sign of the Cross, showing that he was all ready. The villain cut off his right arm but he bravely said: “I am a Christian. you can cut me into a thousand pieces, but every piece of my flesh, every drop of my blood, will tell you that I am Christian.” The crowd was furious and killed him with knives and spears. St. Zhu Ze Chi died at the age of 18. After his martyrdom, his whole family became Catholics.

Reflection/Imitation:

Among the Chinese faithful who were persecuted, the most tragic was during the Gengzi Boxer Uprising. According to scholars’ statistics, in Shanxi province alone, the number of Chinese faithful who died range from thousands to 10,000 people, some were mere babies. At that time, some believers renounced their faith to keep their lives, but St. Huai Lu Zhang and St. Zhu Ze Chi who were not baptized, firmly declared their faith and wanted to die as a martyr. They did what the ordinary people thought as stupid, but they were actually full of wisdom and chose the shortcut to heaven. When we need to make a choice in our everyday lives, will we have their courage and wisdom to do the "stupid thing" that sacrifices our own interests to follow God?

Prayer

St. Huai Lu Zhang and St. Zhu Ze Chi may not be familiar with prayers, but they did not pray with their lips, but offer their prayers with their blood instead. St. Zhu Ze Chi made the sign of the cross in the execution ground, which is better than saying thousands of words. May we also learn from these two Baptism of Blood saints, and let our actions become the most devout prayers in our lives.

May we learn the courage and wisdom of St. Huai Lu Zhang and St. Zhu Ze Chi, to be a witness of our faith when we are challenged.

St. Huai Lu Zhang and St. Zhu Ze Chi, pray for us.

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