2021 04 20
作者 Article by Wilson Loo
四月某星期六早晨，疫情第三波居家令生效兩日，笨驢與老伴吃過早餐，急急走到書房，準備開啟電腦，參與教堂『復興與更新』網上退修會, 入到書房，見小天使已大模廝樣的坐在電腦前。
『喂， 小鬼頭， 怎麼啦，今早怎麼不去後院跟松鼠們玩耍，要做個宅居天使乎？』笨驢問『不』小天使一本正經答道,『想聽聽那個『復興與更新』退修會，看看兩講者對現今全球疫情二波未平，三波又起，每個人都身處水深火熱之困境下，帶出甚麼『正能量』，好讓我小天使學習學習.以便同街坊分享！』
退修會準時開始，小天使正襟危坐。 全神貫注，屏着呼吸, 一口氣由頭聽到尾，到曲終人散，舒一口氣，頻點頭，曰，『精彩，精彩』， 轉過頭來問笨驢曰，『你可明白講者所言嗎？』
笨驢稍作思索， 曰，『余主教的『更新的腳步』講到教會長大成人，應滿有基督成長的身量，不應再作小孩子，信徒應各盡自己恩賜，建立教會， 用愛心說誠實話，他更介紹幾則人事管理及信徒溝通之手則， 及處理衝突之方法， ， 對教會的更新，乃肺腑之言也』. 『你呢，小鬼頭，可有甚麼分享？』
小天使滿有得著的說，『李牧師的『看哪， 我將一切都更新了』講論，如黃河之水，萬馬奔騰，滔滔不絕，又似連珠炮， 彈無虛發，他開門見山指出更新是上帝的工作，人是問題所在，而新天新地不是在遙遠的將來，因為神不斷在更新，論述握要,發人深省; 跟著他藉著啟示錄第廿壹章的新耶路撒冷，提出明白更新的三條鎖匙，首先,由城門的十二支派名字，指出神是更新的神，十二支派在舊約的歷史裏面有著無數個人及民族被神更新的例子；然後由城牆十二根基使徒名字，指出神藉著神的道，主耶穌的福音進行更新的工作，更新人與神， 人與人. 人與『羅馬』及『外邦人』的關係; 最後，從城門的十二顆珍珠及其舊約典故，指出神對我們的苦難困境是極之看重. 在結語中李牧師呼籲大家讓聖靈帶領，辯識神的旨意，看看神在此時此地， 特別在此困苦時刻，在做甚麼，更新甚麼？ 自己？ 家庭？ 教會？叫我們憑信心盼望，謙卑等候，祈禱倚靠。』
小天使說畢， 望著笨驢，四目交投，各自心中千言萬語，不知從何說起，唯有閉目合十祈禱交託，求天父憐憫，帶領復興更新，榮神益人。阿們。
Early one Saturday morning in April, when the stay home order due to the third wave of the Covid pandemic was announced two days ago, stubborn donkey and spouse had just finished their breakfast. They hurried into their study, hoping to turn on their computer for the “Restore and Renew” online retreat. They found that little Angel was already there, sitting in front of the computer like someone really important.
“Hello, naughty one, why are you not out in the backyard playing with your squirrel friends?” Asked stubborn donkey.
“Nope”. Little Angel answered seriously. “I want to listen to that “Restore and Renew” retreat. I want to see what the two speakers have to say and what “positive energy” they have to offer when the whole world is brought to its knees by this Covid-19 virus, now that the third wave is savaging fiercely, even the second wave has not fully subsided. I really want to learn from them and share it with my friends.
The retreat started on time. Little Angel sat upright, fully concentrating. He held his breath, and listen attentively from start to the very end. As the retreat drew to a close, little Angle exclaimed, “splendid!, splendid.” He turned and asked stubborn donkey, “ do you understand what the speakers said?”
Stubborn donkey paused and said, “ In Bishop Yu’s talk on ‘Renewed step’, he talked about the church growing up to be an adult, saying that being a grown up, he should not act like a child anymore but rather possess the qualities of Christ our Lord. The faithful should make the best use of their gifts from God to serve the church. They should speak the truth in love. He also introduced to us some useful and practical aspects in human management and communication strategies and conflict resolution. I think they are very appropriate and thought provoking, and indeed very helpful for reviving and renewing a church.”
“How about you, little naughty?” Little Angel, feeling very satisfied with what he has learned, said, “ Rev. Lee’s talk on “I am making everything new” made me feel as if I was crossing the rapids in Yellow River, with waters powering by my side and like it was never-ending. Never is one word wasted! Right from the start, he pointed out that renewal was God’s work. Men actually were where problems lie. And the “new heaven and new earth” were not in the distant future, because God was constantly renewing in history. The message was so succinct and to the point, and really thought provoking. Then Rev. Lee used the “new Jerusalem” passage from Revelation chapter 21 to illustrate the three keys in understanding renewal. First, he pointed out that the names of the twelve tribes on the twelve gates reminded us of the fact that our God was God of renewal. He had been constantly doing renewal in Israel throughout history, from the patriarchs onwards. Second, he noted that the names of the twelve apostles on the 12 foundations of the wall of the city denoted the gospel. He cited examples whereby God used his word and the gospel to renew and revive relationships- men with men, men with God, men with “Rome” and “gentiles”. Thirdly, Rev. Lee noted that the 12 gates were each made of a pearl. Quoting from the old testament, Rev. Lee indicated this denoted that God was very concerned and cared about our sufferings. In the conclusion, Rev. Lee asked us to humble ourselves, to let the Holy Spirit guide us and help us to discern the will of God, to try to understand what our God is doing and renewing at this time and this place, especially during such difficult times. He put forward a question for us, “Is He renewing ourselves, our families or our church?” Rev. Lee reminded us to have faith in the Lord, to pray for his guidance and to trust Him.
Little Angel paused and stared at stubborn donkey. Both were deeply moved, having millions of words in their hearts but not knowing how to express them. They closed their eyes in prayers, lifting everything to the loving hands of the Lord, praying for His mercy, guidance and renewal, to glorify God. Amen.