2020 05 08
作者 Article by: Joel Chiu
後日就是母親節﹐先在此預祝各位身為母親的﹐或是曾作受洗嬰孩的代母者﹐都得從上而來的福佑。上主日的經課中﹐詩篇是選用第廿三篇「主—耶和華是我的牧者」。我在加拿大聖公會的網站讀到一篇Bobby McFerrin特別給他母親寫的英文版本﹐我嘗試把它譯成中文﹕ 詩篇第廿三篇（獻給我的母親）—Bobby McFerrin 主是我的牧者，所有我需要的我全部都有； 她把我放在如茵的綠草場上躺臥﹐帶領我到可安歇之地的水邊。 她使我心力更新，有過能改， 引領我行當走的美善路徑﹐讓我滿心得賞詩歌。 我雖然步行經過又黑暗又使人鬱悶的谷底﹐在那裏沒有任何事物使我顫抖； 因為她說過不會拋開我而不顧，我必在她的照顧中。 在我敵人面前，她為我擺設筵席； 她用油膏我的頭，使我的杯滿溢。 她的美善信實必一生隨著我，我必要住在她的殿中，直到永遠。 但願榮耀歸於我們的「母親」和「女兒」，至聖上帝， 起初這樣﹐現在這樣﹐將來也這樣﹐永無窮盡。阿們！ 仍然記得主復活日清晨，最先與復活的主相遇的跟隨者是幾位婦女，當中路加福音說有雅各的母親，可見母親是耶穌有多看重的。當前疫情似是有所緩和（安省前日週三錄得確診一萬八千七左右），假如有母親基於任何原因，受影響以致產生精神健康問題，相信大有能力的上帝可以好像醫治患了十二年經血不止的女病人那般，治癒她們。讓我們別忘記效法耶穌去重視母親同時能在社會上推動同樣的重視。
創造萬物的上主啊：我們謙恭到主前，以尊敬、勇氣和真誠向你尋求智慧、愛心和你的慷慨施與。求你幫助我們明白甚麼導致人們失望；領我們幫助人們做出改變﹐重新修復他們的屬靈生命。我們感謝所有對這個社會作出貢獻的各個母親和仕女；同時祈求你使他們尋得有你內住的平安。 求你賜各個家庭和親朋得安慰﹐幫助他們恢復健康又找到以他們所愛戴的人為榮的方法。求你賜我們力量，令人們不會墮進與我們傳統教導不和諧一致的生活方式。創造萬物的上主啊：求你修補我們的圈子﹐以優美的方法把我們修復好。禱告奉你的名和聖子締造和平的耶穌基督之名而求。阿們！
It is Mothers’ day this coming Sunday, I wish every mother or God mother a blessed day full of warmth. Psalm selection for last Sunday was The Twenty-third Psalm. I happened to have read a new version authored by Bobby McFerrin dedicated to his mother. Here it is:
The 23rd Psalm (Dedicated to My Mother) – Bobby McFerrin
The Lord is my Shepherd, I have all I need,
She makes me lie down in green meadows,
Beside the still waters, She will lead.
She restores my soul, She rights my wrongs,
She leads me in a path of good things,
And fills my heart with songs.
Even though I walk, through a dark and dreary land,
There is nothing that can shake me,
She has said She won't forsake me,
I'm in her hand.
She sets a table before me,
in the presence of my foes.
She anoints my head with oil,
And my cup overflows.
Surely, surely goodness and kindness will follow me, All the days of my life,
And I will live in her house,
Forever, forever and ever.
Glory be to our Mother and Daughter,
And to the Holy of Holies,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen.
It is still in my mind that it can be read from the Gospel according to Saint Luke that at early dawn on the day Jesus was raised from the death, among his followers those whom Jesus met and talked to the earliest were a few women including Mary the mother of James. It indicates that Jesus gave women a great honour in that passage. Now that the pandemic seems to have started to be under control (Confirmed case in Ontario on Wednesday, day before yesterday sat at around 18.7k). No matter based on what this COVID-19 related cause(es) leading to her physical and/or psychological sickness, I have faith that our Almighty God will heal like Jesus healing the woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years. Let us strive to find ways to honour women as Jesus did and promote this honour in all of society.
Creator, we come to you with humility, respect, courage, and honesty, seeking your wisdom, generosity and love. Help us to understand those things that lead our people into despair; guide us to help make changes and restore the spirituality of our people.
For all the mothers and alike, we give thanks for their contributions to our society and pray that they have found peace with You.
Give your comfort to family and friends, help them to heal and find ways to honour their loved ones. Give us strength to prevent our people from falling into ways of life that are not in harmony with our traditional teachings. Creator, mend our circle, restore us the good way; we ask this in your name and the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, the Peacemaker. Amen.