2021 07 30
Article by Wilson Loo
小天使隨伴笨驢兩老往省北蘇市參加完小女兒婚禮，回到老家，吃過晚飯，一眾在後院乘涼，兩老有些兒神不守舍，小天使看在眼內，打笑說：『怎麼啦，捨不得啦？』兩老相對凝視了片刻，笨驢打開話匣：『非也，非也，男大當婚，女大當嫁，我等實在為小女找得個如意郎君，樂極忘形而已。婚禮歡宴，雖因疫情而極度簡單，卻隆重而親切，使我倆更浸淫於其中，現重歸日常，有點兒要適應適應而已。』
笨驢稍頓，曰：『講起適應，近日新冠疫情， 隨著接種疫苗人數不斷增加，疫情明顯好轉，疫情居家限聚令，快將解除，我等宅男宅女，可有一段時間適應矣，欣聞教會亦快將回復實體崇拜，『疫中情』也可『功成身退』矣。
小天使彈指一算，『對啊, 『疫中情』與教友共渡時艱， 自去年三月廿一日開始,不經不覺已差不多一年半了，今天『出版』的已是第161期,是鳴金收兵的日子矣，是將目光從疫情的挑戰中轉過來，看看疫後的挑戰矣。』
小天使沉思片刻，若有所悟，曰：『回顧過去年半極富挑戰性的日子，眼見地球村很多事物都因新冠疫情在改變，經濟活動改變了，生活作息改變了。但也更徹底暴露了世界的貧富懸殊，人命貴賤的天淵之別，而更易看見人性兩極, 這邊廂，有盡忠職守，『站在活人死人中間，瘟疫就止住了』 民16：48； 那邊廂, 有自私自利，自以為是， 妄信謠言， 害己害人的. 』
笨驢接曰：『這段困難的日子著實帶來不少挑戰，唯亦帶來不少屬靈反省的機會，更親身經歷到使徒保羅在羅馬書第五章所講，『…就是在患難中，也是歡歡喜喜，因為知道患難生忍耐，忍耐生老練，老練生盼望，盼望不至於羞恥… 因為所賜給我們的聖靈，將神的愛澆灌在我們心裡。』羅 5：3－5
笨驢續曰: 『這年半以來，我們從患難到忍耐，從忍耐到老練，從老練到盼望，此刻如同走到長長漆黑隧道的盡頭，外面的耀眼強光把我們照射得頭眩眼花，看也看不得清楚，前路如何走,卻真是要洞悉聖靈的帶領，行出天父的心意。林寶珠牧師在她七月份的牧函,可真是神給我們的合時雨。祈望教友細心閱讀，更將牧函內的問題，加以祈禱作答. 』
小天使搶著說，『五個問題，且聽我道來：
我們究竟是誰我們究竟是誰--作為一間教會，作為一種聖工，作為居住在密市或周邊作為一間教會，作為一種聖工，作為居住在密市或周邊地方的一名基督徒？地方的一名基督徒？
現在我們從疫情隔離限制之下走出來，作為一間教會，我們應向甚麼現在我們從疫情隔離限制之下走出來，作為一間教會，我們應向甚麼方向，甚麼目標再出發呢？目的地何在呢？你認為神在呼召我們作甚方向，甚麼目標再出發呢？目的地何在呢？你認為神在呼召我們作甚麼的工呢？麼的工呢？
我們怎樣才能去到目的地，達到我們的目標呢？我們怎樣才能去到目的地，達到我們的目標呢？
為要見到此事工得以成就，為達到此目標，我自己願意作甚麼的工，為要見到此事工得以成就，為達到此目標，我自己願意作甚麼的工，我自己願意付出甚麼呢？我自己願意付出甚麼呢？ 我在頌主堂的身份是甚麼我在頌主堂的身份是甚麼?? 我是誰呢我是誰呢??
當上帝細看頌主堂時，上帝看見甚麼呢？』當上帝細看頌主堂時，上帝看見甚麼呢？』
笨驢曰：『真棒，小鬼頭，此事就交你代辦好了，你替我聯絡各團契小組，
笨驢曰：『真棒，小鬼頭，此事就交你代辦好了，你替我聯絡各團契小組，請她們在跟著數星期，為此祈禱，求聖靈帶領，回答以上問題，並將答請她們在跟著數星期，為此祈禱，求聖靈帶領，回答以上問題，並將答案記錄下來，林牧師亦會同步作此屬靈練習，計劃案記錄下來，林牧師亦會同步作此屬靈練習，計劃在秋季時大家一齊聚在秋季時大家一齊聚集，看看神為頌主堂並每一個信徒預備了甚麼。』集，看看神為頌主堂並每一個信徒預備了甚麼。』
小天使一聲『領命』， 飛奔去了。飛奔去了。
Little angel accompanied stubborn donkey and spouse to Sault in Northern Ontario to attend the wedding of their younger daughter. Having returned to their hometown and having had dinner, they gathered in the backyard to enjoy the shade. The elderly couple seemed a bit ill at ease. Little angel took it to his heart, and said, "What's the matter? Missing your girl, eh?” The two elders stared at each other for a moment.
Stubborn donkey opened the chatterbox: "No, no. When men and women grow up, they get married. We are really happy for our daughter that she finds such a nice young man as her life time companion. The wedding and the reception were so simple due to pandemic restrictions, and yet so elegant and cozy, that made us all the more totally immersed in it. Now that we are back to our daily routine, it probably would take us a bit more time to adjust.”
Stubborn donkey paused for a while, and continued. “ Talking about adjustment, with the increasing number of people getting the Covid vaccine, the pandemic situation is gradually improving: restrictions are being lifted in stages. We who have remained to a large extent homebound, would need some time to readjust to the change. As well, the church will soon be restarting in-person worship, so, the “Love in Pandemic” email network, having fulfilled its objective successfully, can be put on a halt.”
Little angel did some calculations, “Oh, yes, “ Love in Pandemic” has been accompanying our parishioners since the lockdown from March 21 last year, for a total of nearly one-and-a-half-year now. Today’s issue is number 161. It has served its purpose well and is a good time for it to wind down, so that we can shift our focus from the challenges IN the pandemic to the challenges AFTER the pandemic!”
Little angel contemplated for a while, continued, “Looking back at the past one-and-a-half year, life has really been challenging. So much has changed in the global village: economic activities have changed, livelihood for so many has changed. And the pandemic also completely exposed the disparity between the rich and the poor in the world and the vast difference in the value of lives of the rich and the poor in the eyes of men. It’s all too easy to see the polarities of human nature. On the one hand, there are those who are dedicated to their duties and “stood between the living and the dead. And the plague stopped” (Numbers 16:48). On the other hand, there are those who are selfish, self-righteous, believe in rumours, and disregard harm to oneself and others.
Stubborn donkey nodded, “ Indeed this past 18months have brought with it many challenges, but they also provide many opportunities for spiritual reflection. Some people have personally experienced what Paul the apostle wrote in Romans, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Rome 5:3-5)
Stubborn donkey continued, “In this year and a half, we have learnt to persevere during our pandemic challenges; and from perseverance, we have improved in our experience and character; and from our experience and character, we learnt to hope. We are now near the exit of a long dark tunnel. The bright light from the outside makes us feel dizzy so that we cannot see clearly. We don’t know which way to take. Surely we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit, so that we can walk along the path of our Lord. The pastoral letter from Rev. Maria Ling in July arrives at God’s perfect timing. It is sincerely hoped that all parishioners will read it through, pray on it, and then answer the five questions put forward to us.
Little angel rushed to say, “ Yup, 5 questions, let me tell you,
Who are we? As a church, as a ministry? As Christians living in and around Mississauga?
Where are we as a church headed now as we come out of this time of isolation and quarantine? Where do you think God is calling us to go?
How will we get there?
What work am I willing to do to make this, see this happen? Who am I within St E’s?
What does God see when God looks at St E’s?
Stubborn donkey commented, “good job, naughty. Well, maybe we will ask you to handle this task. Do go and liaise with all the fellowship group leaders, and the non-group members, requesting them to pray for this exercise in the coming few weeks, ponder over these questions and then put down their answers on paper. Rev. Maria Ling will also be doing the same spiritual exercise, and hope to discuss on these questions/topics in the fall season, so as to discern what the Lord has prepared for St. Elizabeth’s Church and for each parishioner.”
Little angel replied, “no problem” and hastily dashed out to coordinate the spiritual exercise among the parishioners.