作者凌宇軒弟兄 (平信徒助理) 全能上主,感謝祢賜下愛子主耶穌基督來到世上,統治和管理我們,伏求上主幫助我們 明白主耶穌基督作為我們君王的真正意義,也讓我們懂得去服從和尊崇。又求祢這個時 刻臨到我們當中,祝福我所分享,弟兄姊妹的思想和領受,都蒙祢保守和悅納,歸榮耀 給祢。祈禱是奉靠主耶穌基督的名禱告。阿們。
根據資料,今時今日,世界上有四十三個國家還有君王制度,真的是那麼多嗎?是的, 因為包括了十多個英聯邦國家,有著同一個查理斯三世國皇。我們每一位在這裡崇拜 的,都生活在有議會和君王立憲制的英國,可能會感覺到英皇的存在比較會是一個象徵 式,沒有主要實際權力的制度,主要管治國家政府官員都是由人民選出來的政黨或人出 任,人民也可以在定期的選舉當中,在少數服從多數原則之下,揀出自己想要的政府班 子。所以,普遍來說現今世代的我們,是好難想像君王管治下的地方是怎麼樣一回事。 而相反地有些國家,在沒有民主選舉而產出來政府之下,雖然沒有君王,但當中的領導 人或政府往往都會被形容為比君王專制政權更加封建,或更加獨裁的手法去治理國家和 人民,相信好多人心裡面都立刻想到一些例子。所以君王管治這個詞語好多時候都不會 讓人有正面的思想,在民主有公民投票選出政府官員的國家中,都認為君王制度統治和 治理國家,已經不是普世價值所認同的價值,大多數人都會認為生活在君王制度,或比 這制度更差的政府之下是痛苦和難受,甚至不能理解當中的狀況。 然而今日教會禮儀年曆卻慶祝基督君王主日,亦是將臨期前主日,這也是整整一年的教 會禮儀年曆已經到達尾聲,新的一年即將展開。基督君王主日,配合今日的經課,提醒 我們基督君王在世界和我們信仰中的獨特身份與王權,也是一個福音在世界上彰顯的表 徵,作為教會禮儀年曆的壓軸高峰及總結,不論對我們認識基督及在世跟從基督,均十 分重要和適切。今日的福音經課當中,我們可以學習和思想主耶穌基督有四個獨特的君 王特徵,這些特徵就算是一個所謂完美的人都未必會擁有,又或者不能仿傚這些特徵, 就讓我們嘗試深入去思想一下,或許我們可以更加持守基督信仰中的救恩內容,幫助我 們活出和宣揚主耶穌基督的模範。 第一,主耶穌基督提及了好多人的基本需要,饑餓,口渴,生病,赤身露體,作客旅, 或下在監裡,祂都知道,明白了解,甚至祂自己都會或預言將會經歷過的狀況,因為上 主透過主耶穌基督,讓祂自己道成肉身,與我們一樣在世界上,與我們同在,渡過在世 的生命。事實上,主耶穌基督是可以在天上作王,在上主帶領之下,遠遠的統治和照顧 萬物及我們每一個,但祂遵從上主心意,來到我們生活當中,三十幾年活生生地宣告祂 在天地之間的王權,彰顯救恩,帶來美好的福份,也讓當時每一個人親自經歷這位天地 間君王的臨在,並且與這位君王建立好好的關係,和為祂在歷史和聖經著作中作見證, 使現今世代的我們藉著可以明白和相信這位君王,就是上主的道成了肉身,與我們一起 生活著。這個就是我們信仰中最重要的恩典憑證,也是我們作為基督君王子民的責任, 去與別人分享這美好的見證。 第二,主耶穌基督作為世界的君王,也是一個盡心盡力的君王,因為祂了解和明白我們 在世界上每一個人,並且更清楚我們對祂心意模糊不清。從福音經課當中看見,主耶穌 基督作為牧羊的人,祂清楚知道那一些是山羊,那一些是綿羊,而今天的舊約經課也描 繪了主耶穌基督牧羊人的特質,就是帶領著屬於牠的羊。當然,世界上任何一個君王, 根本沒有可能和主耶穌基督那種全能和愛心相提並論,認識和愛錫他的所有子民,並且 好像主耶穌基督一樣分辨山羊綿羊。但從好多不同歷史當中,有好多不同君王時期改朝 換代的原因,是不懂得和明白當時統紿人民的需要,以及帶給人民生活和生命的盼望。 主耶穌基督卻因著自己超然的神聖能力,了解我們每一個人所想所作的,而且因為這位 君王為要給予所有人最好的禮物,祂明明的講出分辨山羊綿羊原因,就是要說明祂希望 我們在世界上的每一個人都知道祂自己的心意,希望我們去實行,建立一個屬於祂和上 主永恆,彼此同心相愛扶持的國度。 第三個特徵,也是主耶穌基督作為君王最特別的一個特徵,主耶穌基督列出尊崇祂的方 法不是在於要我們特別好地對這位君王,相反的主耶穌基督要我們好好的對待和幫助在 週遭一個最小的人身上,這位君王要求我們做的,而不是將我們所擁有的財富和利益進 貢給他,我們這樣做,就正如每次崇拜奉獻時的回應禱告一樣,「萬物都是從主而來, 我們把從主而來的獻給主。」,主耶穌基督吩咐我們奉獻給君王的,不單止是財富,最 重要的卻是我們的心思意念,幫助身邊最需要的人,主耶穌基督更加應許這是蒙上主賜 福的,而且可來承受那創世以來為我們,就是君王所心愛的子民,所預備的國度。今日 福音經課訊息好清晰地吩咐我們,做多一些好事和善事在有需要的人身上,這就是主耶 穌基督作為君王,最希望我們每一個子民所要做的事,讓祂心滿意足。從這個教導來 看,基督信徒對別人所做的好事和善事都是我們的君王由心而發地培養我們,為要成全 主耶穌基督的心意,建立上主美好的國度。 最後第四個特徵就是主耶穌基督是天地之間的君王,也是大能的救贖者,所以祂是會憑 著祂所定的公義,和絕對的能力,公平地去施行審判,祂讓祂所愛的人在祂國度裡享 福,分享愛和快樂,直到永遠,與此同時,主耶穌基督都明明說出,祂將那些不會去愛 惜照顧別人的置諸祂永恆國度的門外,因為他們所作的不是主耶穌基督所喜悅,甚至是 不希望出現在祂的國裡。雖然這個審判可能讓人感覺君王沒有給人饒恕或改正的機會, 但從之前所提過君王的三個特徵給我們明白,主耶穌基督不斷讓我們明白和學習祂美好 的道,更用心愛錫我們每一個,並幫助我們,學效祂愛世人的態度,使我們敬愛和尊崇 祂之餘,也去愛我門週圍的人。所以我們每一個都可以選擇作山羊,或是作綿羊的行 為。而這位公平公義的君王,就會以祂的尺度,對我們作出審判,同時間這位滿有慈愛 和憐憫的君王,我們的主耶穌基督,是讓我們去跟從和信靠的。 今天當教會慶祝基督君王主日,下主日就是新的一年,將臨期的開始,教會將會一起迎 接主耶穌基督降生的準備時間。今日的經課讓我們重新去思想這位君王的四個特徵,不 像世上的君王那樣自私和計算,主耶穌基督是愛,也是永恆的道,祂在子民中愛護和看 顧祂的子民,多於看祂自己的需要。主耶穌基督犧性自己,以換取世人在上主裡面的赦 免和救贖。祂也是世界萬物的源頭,也是我們歷代普世教會的元首,祂統領和管治我們 的世界和教會,更會在最後日子對人作出審判,所以祂盼望我們學習和宣揚祂對世人的 愛,讓世人充充滿滿的感受到上主恩典和平安。弟兄姊妹,就我們在這將臨期間作好迎 接的準備,愛神愛人,並學習期待主耶穌基督第二次再臨作天地的君王,拯救在世我們 的每一個。我更盼望弟兄姊妹在期後聖誕節期間,歡歡喜喜慶祝我們君王的降生,帶出 好訊息給我們週遭的人,又將榮耀歸給我們全能的上主吧。阿們。
0 評論
作者Revd Sally Hitchiner 聖馬田堂副主任牧師 眼神接觸是社交互動不可缺少的部分,但要兩個人才可以有眼神交流。 坐輪椅的人經常說,由於他們與站著的人視線水平不能一致,在社交上分外感覺孤立。 視力不佳的人經常說他們在社交傾談中被人忽視。 他們的問題,不在於身體的殘障,而在於他們給社會排斥。 今天福音經課中的年長婦人,正正就是沒有機會與別人眼神接觸。 十八年來她被鬼附纏繞,令她腰背無法挺直。 日復一日,她只能看到地上的灰塵、她自己的腳、別人的腳。 也許她活在痛苦之中。毫無疑問,她必然感到極不愉快。 在當時的社會,她應該不太可能結婚,因此她不會有工作或是配偶為她提供穩定的經濟來源。 當時的社會,不會為殘障者提供足以讓他們有尊嚴地生活的幫助,所以她只能靠別人的憐憫接濟,才能生存下來。 我不禁猜想,即使她的身體狀況容許,她也未必有勇氣與人眼神接觸。 我又不禁會問,究竟有多少人會見到她。 她大概每星期都會去這座猶太會堂。 但人們碰到他們覺得是在受苦或是無用的人,通常都會視而不見。 想像一下,如果今天有一位皇室成員在這裡(也許真有皇室成員在此也不出奇,畢竟這是聖馬田堂!),他們的一舉一動,就是摸摸耳朵,都會被手機拍下來,瞬即在網上瘋傳,被千萬人評頭品足。 但那些被認為比我們受苦更多的人,那些我們認為沒有用的人,卻往往被人忽略。 在環顧四周時,許多人根本沒有注意到他們的存在。 一般來說,苦難是沒有面貌的。 造成這位婦人狀況的成因,是用被動式來描述的。 沒有解釋原因的聲音,沒有理由說明為什麼是她而不是其他人受苦。純粹是 一股力量使她二十年來的大部分時間都彎著腰。 為什麼苦難對一個人的影響比另一個人更大? 苦難不會和你對話,不會給你爭辯的機會。 苦難沒有眼神接觸。 然後就是管會堂的領袖。 他不僅對她視而不見,而且當有人指出這女人時,他還要生氣。 「她為什麼不在會堂不那麼忙碌、少些人往來的日子才來?」 他不斷地對人群說:「有六天應該工作; 在那些日子可以來求醫,不要在安息日。」他的說話是對著群眾講的,但是說話的內容卻是關於那位婦人。大家可能會覺得這一幕有點搞笑;但細想之下,就會領略這是多麼殘酷無情。 然而,在這一切紛攘之中,我們看到了耶穌。 請大家跟我一起回顧這段經課的第一句話。 「安息日,他在一間會堂裡教訓人。 就在那時,一個婦人出現了」-耶穌在安息日教導眾人,突然間這個婦人就不再是隱形的了。 一個婦人出現了。 耶穌不只是看她一眼,而是真的看到了她——當耶穌描述她的痛苦時,他說「漫長的十八年」。她所受痛苦甚大,耶穌切實看到,沒有迴避。 所有的目光都集中在耶穌身上。 他停止教導,對她說話,耶穌叫她走近自己,使她進入每個人的視線。 他觸摸她,告訴她,她已脫離了所有困擾她的事。 在那個殘障人士受壓迫的社會裡,她最大的願望就是重新站立起來。 靠著耶穌,她做到了這一點,並直接與上帝對話。 每個人都聽到她要說的話。 耶穌說,這個婦人是亞伯拉罕的女兒,其他人不應該帶著有色眼鏡看待她。 當宗教領袖想要強調自己不需要從罪得釋放時,總喜歡自稱為亞伯拉罕的子孫。 耶穌告訴他們,這個婦人也是亞伯拉罕的女兒。 「想想你飼養的動物,」耶穌對管會堂的人說,「即使在安息日,你也會解開牠們,帶牠們去取水。」婦人來到會堂置身群眾當中、按照自己需要取水、與同胞一起守安息日,都是應份之事。 她來見耶穌,也是應份之事。 讓我們再來看看之前那一位仁兄,就是管會堂的領袖。 會堂的領袖會受到羅馬人的密切監視。 如果在平日進行醫治,就不會有騷動的風險……身處沒有自由的社會,過於引人注目是一件危險的事。 管會堂的人並非禁止婦人尋求醫治,而是要求她在沒有那麼危險的日子前來。 管會堂的人所說的是出於恐懼,而不是仇恨。 他時常擔心的,是強暴的士兵,可以隨心所欲地關閉這座會堂或殺死其領袖。 管會堂的人也許在疑惑,上帝是否仍然看到祂子民的苦難。 整個猶太民族都屈服在羅馬的邪惡壓迫下。在中東,舉足輕重的政治勢力對他們不屑一顧。 但當耶穌出來傳道時,他沒有對猶太人視而不見。 耶穌看見他們,呼召他們進入大家的視野,伸出手來觸摸他們,醫治他們,將他們從一切痛苦中釋放出來,使他們可以再次讚美神。 耶穌對這個婦人說「漫長的十八年」,也許不是因為他聽到有人說,這婦人不能站直身子,已有這麼多年。 也許是因為他知道,日子雖然漫長,但神從未移開眷顧目光,而是一直與她同在,數算每分每秒。猶太人長年遭受壓迫,神也一直在守望等待。 耶穌知道這些歲月很漫長。 安息日是休息的日子。 耶穌有關安息日的教導是,神的眼目從沒有離開亞伯拉罕的任何一個子孫。 神將會在「大安息日」回來,將他們召喚到全世界的視野中,使他們得自由,並釋放他們,使他們可以再次讚美神。 他們也要帶領大家一同敬拜。 耶穌正是將安息日的概念融入禧年的概念中,禧年是釋放和豐盛應許得以實現的日子。 就像先知耶利米、以西結、哈巴谷一樣,這婦人有如一面鏡子,體現了猶太民族的特徵。 通過進入猶太教堂,而不是遠離人們的視線,這位婦人向她的同胞傳達了一個訊息。 她說,我們可以正視我們如何被奴役,因為我們有出埃及的盼望。 因著她的信心,因著她在聖日前來會堂,展示自己的力量,而不是躲藏起來,她的行為受人千古傳誦。 她不僅僅是魔術師的助手。 她隨時隨地都能讚美上帝,因為她無懼旁人嘲笑譏評,矢志不離群體,本身就是一首永不止息的讚歌。 她實在是基督的肖像,配合耶穌教導眾人。 她不僅是亞伯拉罕的女兒,也是一位先知。 她是我的英雄。 對於每個感覺受到世界忽視的人,他們的訊息無疑是好消息。這好消息是為所有無人理會的人而宣講的。 神看見你了,在這麼多年以來,神一直守望,神的日子快要來到,祂要回來釋放你,使你可以再次歌頌神。這日子也許是世界終局的「大安息日」,但也可能是平常的安息日,或是每天休憩、重新得力的時候,甚至就在此時此刻,在今天的主日聚會、神聖筵席當中。 我們從今天的福音經課中學到的是,每當耶穌出現時,總有意想不到的事情發生。 所以,我必定會定睛注目耶穌。 Eye contact is a key part of our social interactions but it requires two people to do it. Wheelchair users often report that their experience of social isolation is exasperated by not being at eye level with standing people. Those who are partially sighted often say they are ignored in conversations. It's not so much their disability that is the problem as the social exclusion.
The older woman in our gospel today had no opportunity to make eye contact. Eighteen years earlier an evil happened that resulted in her being unable to straighten her spine. Day after day all she can see is the dust on the ground, her feet, other people’s feet. Maybe she’s in pain. She’s certainly in discomfort. In that society, it is unlikely that she would have got married so there would be no stable financial provision either from work or from a spouse. Without a society that provided for dignified assistance for those with disabilities, she would have survived through the pity of others. I wonder how strong her ability would have been to make eye contact even if she had the physical opportunity. And then I wonder how many people saw her. It’s possible she was at this synagogue every week. But people don’t tend to see those they perceive to be suffering or less useful. Imagine if a member of the Royal Family was here today (perhaps they are, you never know with St Martins). Every move they made would be noticed, every scratch of the ear, filmed with mobile phones, posted online and rewatched tens of thousands of times. But those perceived as suffering more than us, those we think aren’t useful, are ignored. In scanning a room, many people simply fail to notice they’re there. Suffering in general is faceless. The reason for her condition is described in passive verbs. There is no voice to offer an explanation, no reason why it is her rather than another person. Just a force that has bent her double for the best part of two decades. Why does suffering affect one person more than another? Suffering doesn’t have a conversation. Suffering doesn’t give you a chance to argue your case. Suffering has no eye contact. Then there’s the leader of the synagogue. Not only does he not see her, when she is pointed out, he is irritated. “Couldn’t she have come on a less busy day when fewer people would have been around?” He keeps saying to the crowd “there are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, not on the sabbath.” He is speaking to the crowd but about her. It would be comedic… if it wasn’t so cruel. But in the middle of this, we see Jesus. Look back at the first words of this passage with me. “Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then a woman appeared” – with Jesus teaching on the sabbath and suddenly this woman is not invisible. A woman appeared. He doesn’t just glance at her Jesus REALLY sees her – when Jesus describes her suffering he says “eighteen long years”. Jesus isn’t afraid to see the extent of her suffering. All eyes are on Jesus. And he stops teaching, speaks to her, calling her to come close to him, into view of everyone. He touches her, saying that she is set free from her all that ails her. In that society of oppression for disability, her greatest desire was to stand straight again. With Jesus she does this, and speaks directly to God. Everyone hears what she has to say. Jesus says that this woman is not the labels they have given her but a daughter of Abraham. The religious leaders often refereed to themselves as sons of Abraham when they wanted to assert their lack of need of liberation. This woman, Jesus tells them, is a daughter of Abraham too. “Think about your farm animals” Jesus says to the synagogue leader “you untie them and lead them to get water on the sabbath” She was right to bring herself to be with everyone, right to get the water she needs. Right to be with her community on the sabbath. Right to come to see Jesus. But perhaps we should look again at our friend the synagogue leader. Leaders of synagogues would have been closely watched by the Romans. If the healing had happened on a weekday it wouldn’t have risked a stir… Being too visible without liberation of their society was dangerous. He’s not asking her not to be healed, but to come on a day that would not be so dangerous. He’s speaking out of fear not hatred. Always in his sight are the violent soldiers who could close down this synagogue or kill its leader on a whim. Perhaps he wonders if God still sees his people’s suffering. The entire Jewish people were bent double under the evils of Roman oppression. They were overlooked in the middle east by more important political powers. But when Jesus is teaching they are not invisible. Jesus sees them, Jesus calls them to come into view, Jesus reaches out to touch them and Jesus will heal them, free them from all that ails them so they can praise God once more. Perhaps Jesus says “eighteen long years” to the woman not because he’s heard someone say she’s been unable to stand up that long. Perhaps he knows it was that long because God never looked away and counted every second with her. God has been watching and waiting for the long years of oppression of the Jewish people too. Jesus knew that the years had been long. The sabbath is a day for rest. Jesus’ sabbath teaching is that God’s eyes have not left any of the children of Abraham. God will return on the Great Sabbath, to call them into view of the whole world, to set them free and to liberate them to praise God again. And they will lead everyone in worship. Jesus is weaving the idea of sabbath into the idea of the Year of Jubilee, the great year of liberation and plenty promised. Just like the prophets Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Habakkuk, she embodied the characteristics of their people as a mirror. By coming into the synagogue rather than staying out of sight, this woman is a message to her people. She is saying it’s ok to face up to how we are enslaved because there is hope of an Exodus. Because of her faith, because of her strength to come to the synagogue on the holy day, not stay hidden away, her actions have been talked about for thousands of years. She isn’t just a magician’s assistant. She is ready to praise God because she has been constantly praising by refusing to leave her community, no matter what they threw at her. She is a picture of Christ. This woman is teaching in partnership with Jesus. As well as being a daughter of Abraham, she is a prophet. She is my hero. Their message is Good News for everyone who feels unseen. This is good news for everyone who is ignored. God sees you, God has been watching for all these long years and the day is coming when God will return to liberate you to sing God’s praises again. Maybe it’ll be that great Sabbath at the end of all time, but maybe it’ll be a regular sabbath, rest and restoration in the everyday even in the banquet we have here in our sabbath gathering, today. What we learn from our Gospel reading today is that anytime Jesus is present there might be interruptions. I’d keep an eye on him. 作者Revd Dr Samuel Wells 聖馬田堂主任牧師 每當我們一起聚集,紀念那些在戰爭中死去的人的時候,我們會分享戰時發生的故事,並很努力地附加意義。在這些故事裡,有些詞語會反覆出現——比如高尚、榮譽、自由和尊嚴。但也許最常見的詞語是一個宗教詞彙:犧牲 。我今天想簡要反思一下我們所理解的三種犧牲。 第一種,捨棄不願去殺人念頭的犧牲。當我們派遣士兵上戰場參戰時,我們其實在要求他們推翻他們從小所學到、一切關於生命的重要事情。請聽一個二次世界大戰中一名士兵的故事。這名士兵的小隊遭到狙擊手襲擊,狙擊手就如狩住一個漁棚,將士兵逐個逐個獵殺。這名士兵非常惶恐、懼怕,但當他闖進了狙擊手所在的小屋,發現自己身處一個空的房間裏,面前有一扇門,通向另一個房間。他知道必需要打破這扇門,但他也非常懼怕打破門後,狙擊手就會殺死他。但實際上,狙擊手被狙擊揹帶卡住了,根本轉身不及。這名士兵回憶道,“他被安全帶纏住了,然後我用左輪手槍射殺他,我感到自責和羞恥。我記得,我傻傻地低聲説了句:‘對不起’,然後就嘔吐大作……我吐滿了一身。” 這件事背叛了我從小所學習,對生命的認知。” 突然地這名士兵被孤立了。他發現自己是一個殺手。現在請聽我說另一個故事,是我的一位朋友,有一天下午在教會禮堂裏聽一位越戰老兵說話。在長桌旁邊的一名年長婦女開始攻擊他,她說:“你沒有資格為你那場不成熟的小戰裝可憐!第二次世界大戰才是真正的戰爭!二戰時你出生了嗎?哼?!我就是在二次大戰中失去一個兄弟的!” 老兵和我的朋友試圖忽略她,把她當作一個平常路過的人。但最終老兵受夠了,瞪着她,平靜而冷酷地説:“你有無試過需要殺人嗎?” 女人挑釁地回答“當然沒有!”那老兵說:“那你有什麼資格告訴我任何事情?” 整個禮堂隨即陷入了漫長而痛苦的沉默,就像在一個客人在主人家中,目睹了一場令人尷尬的家庭爭吵一樣。 然後那位朋友輕聲問老兵:“剛才那女人不肯放過你,逼人太甚,你為了還擊,說出了你在越南需要殺人的事實。那麽殺人在你心裡是不是最糟糕的事?” “是啊,”他説。 “是最糟糕的事的其中一半了。” 我等了很久,他都沒有繼續説下去,只是盯着他的啤酒。最後,我不得不問他:“那麽另一半最糟糕的事是什麼?” 老兵回答:“另一半是,當我們回到家鄉時,根本沒有人理解我們。” 這就是我們期望士兵們作出的第二種犧牲。我們期望他們進入某種層次的經歷,然後因著這些經歷,令他們與群體分開。他們從此進入了一個靜默的世界,因為沒有作過他們這種犧牲的人,是不會真正理解他們。因此士兵戰友之間常常有著某程度的親密感,而這種親密感會因著一起追求更高層次的善行而受苦而有所增強。士兵之間的情誼,往往比他們與妻子之間的情誼更加牢固。 和平紀念日就是去肯定這種親密情誼的尊嚴,以及它的代價。因此今天我們紀念的不僅僅是陣亡者:還有那些生命從此變得不一樣的人——士兵、家人和朋友。彷佛聽到老兵在說:“沒有人理解我們”,回音不絶。國殤紀念主日是一個小小的心意,表達我們“至少在嘗試”的心態。我們的默哀,是感恩的沉默,和努力嘗試理解的心意。 但今天我們還要記得有第三個犧牲。這就是十字架的犧牲。耶穌走上了十字架,因為他知道他是神永不止息的愛的化身,這意味着他將不得不面對死亡。但《舊約》和《新約》的整體已清楚表明,耶穌的犧牲之所以有意義,是因為它是所有犧牲的終結: 耶穌的犧牲除去了罪,並為所有受造物能在上帝的同在裡得到了同得興旺的和平展開序幕。神子的犧牲是結束一切犧牲的犧牲。所以,“結束所有戰爭的戰爭”並不是第一次世界大戰:而是十字架。十字架的好消息從根本上來宣告:戰爭經已結束。 這個真理,值得為之而死。卻不一定值得為它去殺人。 否則我們如何跟被我們殺的人去分享這個好消息呢? 從那場所謂結束所有戰爭的第一次世界大戰至今已過了 105 年,從那宣告停戰的復活至今已過了 2000 年,然而我們仍然在要求我們的士兵做這些令人敬畏的犧牲,而他們也以驚人的勇氣和尊嚴繼續這樣做。有時我會想,假如我們問我們在天上的父,十字架最糟糕的事是什麼,他會停頓很長的一段時間,然後説:“最糟糕的事,是犧牲我的獨生子……不過這只是其中的一半。” 如果我們在沉默中等待,最後鼓起勇氣問天父 “那麽另一半是什麼?”,他會説,“另一半是2000年後,卻仍然沒有人理解。” When we gather together to remember those that have died in war, we share stories and strive to make meanings. And certain words recur – words like noble, and honour, and freedom, and dignity. But perhaps the most common word of all is a religious one: sacrifice. I want to reflect briefly on three kinds of sacrifice in our minds today.
The first is the sacrifice of the unwillingness to kill. When we send soldiers to war we ask them to overturn everything we teach them about life. Consider this story of a soldier in WW2. The soldier was among a company being attacked by a sniper. The sniper was a fishing shack, and was picking off soldiers one by one. The soldier was terrified by fear, but he broke into the shack and found himself in an empty room. There was a door to another room. He realised he needed to break this second door down, but he feared that when he did so the sniper would kill him. But it turned out the sniper was stuck in a sniper harness and could not turn around fast enough. The soldier recalled, "He was entangled in the harness so I shot him with a revolver and I felt remorse and shame. I can remember whispering foolishly, 'I'm sorry' and then just throwing up . . . I threw up all over myself. It was a betrayal of what I'd been taught since a child." Suddenly this man was isolated. He discovered he was a killer. Here is another account, this time of a friend listening as a Vietnam war veteran talks one afternoon in a parish hall. Beside the bar, an older woman began to attack him. "You got no right to snivel about your little half-baked war. World War Two was a real war. Were you even alive then? Huh? I lost a brother in World War Two." The two friends tried to ignore her; she was only a local character. But finally the veteran had had enough. He looked at her and calmly, coldly said: "Have you ever had to kill anyone?" "Well no!" she answered belligerently. "Then what right have you got to tell me anything?" There was a long, painful silence throughout the hall, as would occur in a home where a guest had just witnessed an embarrassing family argument. Then the friend asked quietly, "When you got pushed just now, you came back with the fact that you had to kill in Vietnam. Was that the worst of it for you?" "Yah," he said. "That's half of it." I waited for a very long time, but he didn't go on. He only stared into his beer. Finally I had to ask, "What was the other half?" "The other half was that when we got home, nobody understood." And this is the second sacrifice we expect of our soldiers. We expect them to enter a level of experience that separates them from community, to enter a world of silence, because nobody that hasn’t had to make that sacrifice really understands. Comrades in arms have a level of intimacy that is enhanced by the sense of suffering for the pursuit of a higher good. Soldiers often form bonds with one another that are stronger than the bonds they have with their wives. And Remembrance Sunday is a recognition of the dignity of this intimacy, but also of its cost. For it is not just the fallen we remember today: it is those whose lives were never the same again – soldiers, families and friends. We hear the echo of the veteran’s words ‘nobody understood’. Remembrance Sunday is a small gesture to say, ‘at least we are trying’. Our silence is a silence of gratitude and an effort to understand. But there is a third sacrifice we recall today. And that is the sacrifice of the cross. Jesus went to the cross as one who knew that his embodiment of God’s never-ending love meant he was going to have to face death. But the whole shape of the Old and New Testaments presents Jesus’ sacrifice as only making sense as the last sacrifice, the one that finally took away sin and inaugurated the peaceful flourishing of all creation in God’s company. The sacrifice of the Son of God is the sacrifice to end all sacrifice. So the war to end all wars was not the First World War: it was the cross. The good news of the cross is fundamentally that the war is over. And that is a truth to die for. But not necessarily a truth to kill for. For how can we share that good news with someone we have killed? And yet, 105 years on from the war to end all wars, 2000 years on from the resurrection that proclaimed the war is over, we are still asking our soldiers to make these awesome sacrifices. And with astonishing courage and dignity, they continue to do so. Sometimes I think if we asked our heavenly Father what was the worst part of the cross he would pause for a long time and say ‘the sacrifice of my only Son… that was half of it.’ And if we waited in a terrible silence and finally found courage to ask "What was the other half?", he would say, "The other half was that 2000 years later, nobody understood." |
講道分享輯錄在聖馬田中文堂分享和講道的文字稿,讓弟兄姊妹能在日常重溫,咀嚼講員所分享的話。 類別
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