讓復活與我們走過每一天──RESURRECTION IN EVERYDAY LIFE (Dr. Abraham)- 2010.4.25

主題：讓復活與我們走過每一天
証道：Dr. Kuruvilla Abraham

“The lord is Risen” “He is risen indeed” This is how the members of the early church greeted one another when they met together for worship every Sunday. For them the remembrance of Easter comes around not just once a year. Every Sunday is a celebration of the presence of the Risen Lord in their midst. They deliberately changed the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday for such a weekly remembrance. In fact for them Resurrection is a reality present every day.

“主復活了”。”祂確實復活了。”早期教會的會員每禮拜天聚集做禮拜時，彼此間都會這樣打招呼。對他們來說，復活節的紀念不是一年只有一次。他們在每個禮拜天都是慶祝復活的主與他們同在。為了這樣一個每週一次的紀念，他們特地把崇拜之日從禮拜六改為禮拜日。其實對他們來說，主的復活是每天都在發生的現實。

For many of us Resurrection either happens after our death or once a year when we celebrate this festival in our churches. It seldom makes an impact on our every day life. Look at the experience of the disciples. After crucifixion they were all frightened and disillusioned. Some of them went back to their earlier profession, and as they were out of touch with them for some time they could not make any headway. They lost all hope in themselves as well as in the master whom they had followed.

對許多人而言，復活是我們死後發生的事，或是一年一度人們在教堂里慶祝的節日。它很少影響我們的日常生活。且看門徒們的經驗：在主耶穌被釘死以後他們都害怕、失望。有的復歸他們原先的職業，而因為跟他們的同行們已有相當一段時間脫離聯系，所以就無法前進。他們失去對自己的希望，並且對他們曾跟隨的師傅的希望。

But the appearance of the Risen Lord transformed their lives. The fearful lot has now b turned the world upside down. They did not wait for another world to experience the reality of Resurrection. They proclaimed the active presence of the Risen Lord in their lives here and now. Resurrection made a difference in their lives.

不過主的復活就完全改變了他們的人生。可怕的命運已經讓整個世界上下顛倒。他們並沒有等在死後的世界才體驗復活的現實，而是在宣揚當下的生命中復活的主與我們同在。主的復活改變了他們眼前的生活。

What is the relevance of Resurrection for our everyday life?

那麼主的復活跟我們日常生活有甚麼關係呢？

First, a vision of a new world of relationships and commitments is breaking into our lives. It is not accidental that the Risen Lord appeared first to a group of women who followed him to the end. Their implicit faith is vindicated. All of them named in the Gospel for today have vivid memories of the kind and compassionate presence of their master. The Resurrected Lord appears in the midst of our loving relationships. The Resurrected Lord is present to us through our mutual and responsible relationship with others.

第一，一套嶄新的由關係和義務承諾而組成的世界會進入我們的生活。上主復活，最先向一群曾跟隨祂到底的婦女們顯現：這絕不是偶然的事情。她們無保留的信心得到了證實。這幾位在福音書中被提及的婦女，都能清楚地回憶起上主與他們在一起時的親切和慈悲。復活的主就顯現于我們的友愛關系當中，復活的主就透過人們彼此間相互負責的關係向我們顯現。

Today our life is completely shaped by the world of technology. Seldom do we realize that we are part of a world of faith. But Resurrection reminds us that our lives should also be nurtured by values that are generated by faith.

我們今日的生活完全為科技牽制，我們很少意識到自己也是信仰世界的一部份。但主的復活提醒我們，我們的人生必須從信仰的價值觀中吸取營養。。

Let me take an example from our day to day experience. When my wife goes to a doctor she is subjected to a clinical examination. The doctor wants to make sure by objective tests the proportion of minerals, salt and glucose in her blood. He checks her heart rate.

讓我舉個日常生活中的例子。我妻子去看病時，她必須受臨床身體檢查。醫生想要用客觀測驗查明她血液中的礦物質、鹽、和葡萄糖的比例。他也查她的心跳。

There are scientific/ biological principles that govern our bodies. Our health is dependant on their coherence. But when I relate with my wife those principles and the clinical conclusions about them do not matter.

許多科學或生物學的原理支配著我們的身體，而我們的健康有賴於它們的相互協調。不過當我跟妻子相處的時候，那些原理以及相關的臨床結論都不重要。

Our relationship is based on mutual love and trust. We need scientific and technological principle for a lot of our activity but to reduce everything and every aspect of life to technology is a distortion. We need those values like, love, compassion, mutual respect and care which are generated by faith for living an enriched life.

我們之間的關系基於互相的愛和信任。人類的許多活動都需要科技原理的指導，但是若想把人生的一切都還原於科技，就會產生很大的歪曲。為了活得更有意義，我們需要的是愛、同情、互相尊敬、互相關懷等從信仰而生的價值觀。

Today we are facing many crises of global proportions – financial crisis, ecological crisis and disintegration of families and communities. One may call this a crisis of relationships.

今日我們面臨很多全球性危機：金融風暴、生態危機、家庭和社群的瓦解。後者可以稱之為人際關系的危機。

Listen to theses words from a scientist:

且聽一位科學家的言辭：

“I used to think that top environmental problems facing the world were global warming, environmental degradation and ecosystem collapse…..But I was wrong. The real problem is not these three items, but greed, selfishness and apathy and for that we need a spiritual and cultural transformation. And we scientist do not know ho to do that. We need you”

“我從前以為世界上最嚴重的環境問題就是全球變暖、環境惡化以及生態系統的崩潰。可是我錯了。真正的問題並非此三項，而是貪心、自私和冷漠，而為了解決這些問題需要精神和文化的轉變。我們科學家並不知道怎樣達成這種轉變。我們需要你們。”

He was addressing to a group of church leaders. Proclamation of the faith in Resurrection is an invitation to take this world of relationships seriously. All our relationships are transformed by the power of God. When we treat the other as an object to be manipulated, for our comfort or for our advantage we destroy humanity and God”s creation.

他演講的對象是一群教會的領袖。堅信並宣揚主的復活是請人們重視這個人際關系的世界。我們所有的人際關系都能因神的大能而轉化。當我們把他人當作要操縱的客體而對待、以自己的利益或舒適為重時，我們就會毀壞人性、毀壞神的創作。

The transforming presence of Resurrected Lord, confronting us with a world of commitments and relationships is the source of renewal. Resurrection becomes an everyday reality through our commitment to the other. The faith community , the Church is committed to nurture values necessary for a life of responsible care for the other and for nature.

復活的主帶來的轉化，會讓我們看重人際關系以及做出的承諾，而這就是復興、更生之所由來。透過對他人的承諾，復活就成為日常生活中的現實。信仰的社群，教會，虔誠地致力于培養這種價值觀，使人們願意承擔責任去照看他人和自然

Secondly, the Resurrected Lord creates a community of love. The disciples were frightened and they lost all purpose in living. But a new solidarity built around the Risen Lord created a community that is aware of its responsibility for the other, especially the weak and the marginalized. Wherever there is a community of love the Resurrected Lord is in their midst. I want to express this as a personal testimony.

第二，復活的主創造一個愛的社群。門徒們害怕時就失去了他們人生的目標。可是復活的主造就新的團結，創造了一個充滿責任感的社群，一個尤其關注弱者和邊緣化人的社群。哪裡有愛的社群，哪裡就有復活的主。我想把這個作為我個人的證詞。

The year was 1977. I was in charge of fairly large congregation in the city of Bangalore. A baby girl was born to me and my wife who incidentally is present here. She took ill shortly after her birth and despite good medical care the infection, the meningitis. Caused sever damage to her brain. It was a traumatic experience for us. We asked God, why have you done to this? We were thankful that her life was spared. But to look after a mentally challenged girl was not easy. We tried to understand the meaning of it.

一九七七年的時候，我在班加羅爾一個信徒頗多的教會服侍。當時我妻子生了一個女嬰。出生後不久這女嬰生病，雖然有很好的醫療護理，但腦炎對她的大腦仍造成了很嚴重的損害。這對我們來說是莫大的精神創傷。我們問神，為甚麼讓這個事情發生？我們感激我們的女兒能夠活下去，但是照顧一個大腦受了損傷的女孩兒，並不是很容易的事。我們努力去理解這件事情背後的意義。

Our experience took us closer to many parents who have the responsibility of taking acre of similar children. We prayed like everyone else in similar situation for healing. But God has not granted miraculous healing, but a greater miracle happened. We were led to provide a home for such children. Liza”s Home. There are about 20 people. Some of them like our daughter have no speech; some find it difficult to move around without assistance. They are all from different religions. They live together and it is a community of love.

這個經歷讓我們有機會接近許多擔負同樣責任的父母。像任何處於這種情況的人一樣，我們向神禱告，祈求醫治。不過神賜給我們的，並非奇跡性的治愈，而是更大的奇跡。神帶領我們，為大腦受過損傷的孩子提供療養之所，名叫麗薩的家。現在我們大約照看有二十個兒童。有一部分和我們的女兒一樣不能說話，有的需要幫助才能夠走動。他們來自不同的宗教背景。不過他們一起生活，而且生活在一個愛的社群裏。

When people come to our center I tell them that members of our community have no great skills and not good at speaking any of the languages. But they excel in one thing: they are proficient in God”s language -LOVE. God does not speak Hebrew, or Greek, Chinese or Indian. God knows only one language and our children seem to have excelled in it. In their embrace, their kisses in their dance, in their songs they live out God. . On this day is the Easter. They would have gathered together to praise God. When we break the bread with them and when we share the bread we say BROKEN GOD IN THE MIDST OF BROKEN PEOPLE. This is resurrection for us. A community of broken people united in love. What else is resurrection?

當人們來訪問我們療養所的時候，我總會告訴他們，我們社群的成員們沒有甚麼特別才能，而且不善於講任何人類的語言，但是他們卻精通一種語言：神的語言，就是愛。神不講希伯來語，不講希臘語，不講漢語，不講印度話。神只知道一種語言，而我們療養所的孩子們好像都擅長這種語言。在他們的懷抱中、他們的親吻中、他們的舞蹈中，他們活出神的樣子。今天是復活節，所以他們肯定早已聚集在一起贊美神。我們和他們一起擘餅、分享這餅的時候總會說，”在破碎了的人們當中，破碎了的神”。對我們來說這就是復活的意義。一個破碎了的人的社群在神的愛當中結合為一。復活若非此義，請問有何義哉？

香港中文大學崇基學院禮拜堂 Chung Chi College Chapel, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
主日崇拜時間 Sunday Service Time	星期日上午十時三十分 10:30 a.m., Sunday
地址 Address	香港中文大學崇基學院禮拜堂 Chung Chi College Chapel, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
崇拜以粵語、普通話及英語即時傳譯進行。 The Sunday Service is conducted simultaneously in Cantonese, Putonghua and English with the help of interpretation.
歡迎任何人士參加 All are welcome