04/05/2026
亲爱的弟兄姐妹们：
在《Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade》这部电影中，主角寻找的是“圣爵”（即基督在最后晚餐中所使用的杯）。电影中揭示，这个圣器其实只是一个用廉价材料制成的朴素杯子。这不禁让人发问：既然基督使用的是如此简单的杯子，为什么我们今天却要使用昂贵的圣器呢？我们还记得，当玛利亚玛达肋纳用纯‘拿尔多’香液傅抹耶稣的脚时，犹达斯曾说：“为什么不把这香液去卖三百块‘德纳’，施舍给穷人呢？”讽刺的是，这位看似关心穷人的人，却首先出卖了耶稣。
也许答案正体现在玛利亚玛达肋纳的沉默之中。她所使用的昂贵香液，与她所傅抹的对象是相称的——她是在向她的主和救主表达敬意。我们将最好的献给天主，这在我们的生活经验中也能理解：当我们接待尊贵的客人时，总会尽力给予最好的款待。
因此，教会的传统是使用昂贵或更准确地说“高贵”的材料——如金、银或镀金金属——来制作圣器，例如圣爵、圣盘和圣体盅。这并不是炫耀奢华，而是一种深刻的神学表达：对圣体圣事的敬礼。
“实体转变”（Transubstantiation）使饼酒的本质转变为耶稣基督的圣体圣血、灵魂与天主性。这样珍贵的恩赐，理应以我们最珍贵的事物来尊崇。这是一种敬礼的行为——我们以应归于天主的尊严，对待承载基督的圣器。
此外，这也有实际层面的考虑。木制、陶制或普通金属器皿，虽然在历史或考古上可能准确，但它们会吸收液体，因此不适合盛放基督的圣血；玻璃或陶器也容易破碎。相反的，以金银材质制作也能够清楚地区分圣器与我们日常使用的器皿。
金不会生锈、腐蚀或变质，正好象征天主不朽不坏的本性。它的美丽也让人联想到天国的光辉。毕竟，圣体圣事正是“羔羊婚宴”的预尝。金银材质的圣器不仅耐用、易于清洁，还能避免哪怕最微小的圣体颗粒被浪费。根据《罗马弥撒经书总论》第328条（GIRM 328），圣器应由贵金属制成；若使用会生锈或较低等级的金属，则通常应在内侧镀金。
在旧约中，上主亲自指示以色列人使用最好的材料来建造约柜等圣物。教会深信，天主配得最好的——不是因为祂需要，而是因为这表达了我们对祂的爱与尊崇。我想我们无法做得比三位贤士更好了，他们俯伏朝拜圣婴，并献上除了乳香和没药，还有象征宇宙君王与和平之君的黄金。（参阅玛2:11）
愿天主降福你们！
杨光明神父
Brothers and Sisters
In one of the Indiana Jones’ movies, “The Last Crusade” the search was for the Holy Grail (the chalice used by Christ in the Last Supper). In the movie, the original vessel was revealed to be a lowly cup, made of inexpensive material. It therefore begs the question, why do we need to have expensive vessels if Christ Himself used such a lowly cup. Remember how Judas remarked when Mary Magdalene was anointing the feet of Jesus with pure nard. “Should this expensive perfume not be sold and the money given to the poor”. It is ironical that the very man concerned with the poor was the first to sell Jesus out.
Perhaps the answer was supplied by the silence of Mary Magdalene. The use of expensive perfume commensurate with Whom she was anointing. She was paying reverence to her Lord and Saviour. We give the best to our God and this is borne by our experiences too. We go out of our way to ensure that our most exalted guests are pampered. That is hospitality at its best.
Thus, the tradition in the Church is to use expensive or rather “noble” materials like gold or silver or gilt-plated metal for our sacred vessels—chalices, patens, ciboria. The use of expensive metal is not an ostentatious display but rather it represents a profound theological act of reverence for the Eucharist.
Transubstantiation changes the very substances of bread and wine into the substance of the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. This most precious gift ought to be honoured with the use of what is most precious to us. It is an act of adoration where we treat the vessels holding Christ with the same dignity due to God Himself.
There is also a practical component to what we are doing. The use of wood, clay or base metal may be historically or archaeologically correct but they may not be suitable because they can absorb liquids making them unsuitable to hold the Precious Blood of Christ. More than that, glass wares or clay vessels are breakable. Whereas, the use of gold or silver immediately distinguishes the Sacred Vessels from our everyday-use items like our plates or cups.
Gold does not rust, tarnish or corrode which symbolises perfectly the incorruptible nature of God. It is a metal of beauty reminding us of the splendour of heaven. After all, the Eucharist is a foretaste of the wedding feast of the Lamb. Gold and silver are durable, easily cleansed, and prevent the waste of even the smallest particle of the Eucharist. According to GIRM 328, sacred vessels are to be made from precious metal. If they are made from metal that rusts or from a metal less precious than gold, then ordinarily they should be gilded on the inside.
In the Old Testament, the Lord Himself instructed the Israelites to use the best material for the construction of the Ark of the Covenant etc. The Church believes profoundly that God deserves the best, not because He needs it, but because it expresses our love and honour for Him. I suppose we cannot do better than the Magi themselves when they prostrated before the Infant Child and offered Him apart from frankincense and myrrh, gold befitting the King of the universe and the Prince of peace. (Mt 2:11).
God bless
Padre
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