在旅途中行走的人生

這張照片是我08年暑假在泰國的時候拍的，今天重新翻看，突然覺得非常喜歡，甚至把它設置爲了我的VISTA桌面背景。這幅圖景表面看只是拍花了的一張照片，其實，卻未嘗不是我們人生的展現。因爲，人生亦好像一個旅途，一站接著一站，我們或許可以坐下來休憩，但終究，我們也不過是匆匆過客。

或者，我們連坐下來休息的機會都沒有，回過頭來，所走過的路，也從未清晰。

想起那首歌，離開是爲了回來。

http://mp3.baidu.com/m?f=ms&rn=&tn=baidump3&ct=134217728&word=%C0%EB%BF%AA%CA%C7%CE%AA%C1%CB%BB%D8%C0%B4+&lm=-1

P.S，這首粵語歌現在出了國語版，大概這裡面第一個鏈接就是，大家不妨聼聼咯。

離開是為了回來（粵語）
曲詞:林一峰 
  
明天就要飛走
朋友都輕鬆奉上祝福旅途愉快
留低是個選擇離開亦未算放開一切壓抑
如愛上一個人一起上路
才驟覺尚有一些心野
行程未想好起點經已太遠
人進進出出在我生命
季節更改幻變天地歲月流過
遺憾若是放不下仍可學習去感激得到過的
如放棄一個人孤身上路
才驟覺尚有一些心軟
忙著讓傷口盡快風乾沿路風光沒心機細看
明明是太軟弱偏裝作硬朗
倘若結束為了重新開始乾掉了酒為了重新斟滿
旅途落泊能讓記憶穩固偶然下雨懷念陽光可愛
歡樂太短為了回憶千次
失掉瑰寶為了尋找安慰
我離別你全為太專心愛怕忘掉了世間的色彩
離開是為了回來
從機艙機望向跑道迅速身處萬尺高空我留下你
城市跟天空大概一樣容納著敵友從不知道偏心
曾遇上幾個人一心靠近
才驟覺尚有一些心癮
離別再上路不管遠或近*
朋友都輕鬆奉上祝福旅途愉快 
Over...

挺久之前寫的關於泰國的幾句話，這裡也分享給大家吧，一直沒有發出來，本來是想整理成一篇文章了，可惜太懶惰，只有請大家見諒了：

08暑假在曼谷呆了8天，住在好朋友的傢，每天4點起床去市區，認識了很多當地人，在朋友教書的教會學校，他們對我很好，也帶我吃了很多當地的美食，當然自己也每天一個人拿張地圖出去閒逛，用心的去體會這個國家。後來我發現，我真的變得非常喜歡泰國了，特別是她的淳樸與善良，也發現泰國遠遠不是過去我們想象的那樣一個充斥色情的國家，反而相對很多其他的開放國家，顯得非常的傳統與保守。所以開始很想有機會或許可以到泰國做幾年義工，或者去教中文也行。開始只是朋友們的熱情邀請，後來真的變成我的一個夢想了。

除此之外，圖景中這模糊的速度，是不是也是一種自由呢？

CHENGDU, China (UCAN) -- Young Catholics shared the joys and challenges they experienced in relating to Protestants during a gathering held to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

About 30 people attended the Jan. 18 event, organized by the Chengdu Catholic Youth Fellowship, and held at Immaculate Conception Cathedral, or Ping'anqiao Catholic Church, in downtown Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, southwestern China.

That day was the start of the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, observed Jan. 18-25 in many parts of the world. This year's theme is That they may become one in your hand (Ezekiel 37:17).

The three-hour Jan. 18 event included sharing on ecumenical experiences, Bible readings and prayers.

One participant, Mary, shared how she and a Protestant colleague developed a deep friendship and would often pray together. She added that her company has quite a number of Christians, and they have decided to start each working day with communal prayer.

Another participant, Teresa, shared how she became friends with a Protestant who migrated from another part of the country and was working in the area where her shop was located. Teresa later brought her to visit a Catholic Church.

Other Protestants later warned this migrant not to take part in any Catholic activities or to have anything to do with Catholics, Teresa continued. However, the friend told Teresa that the Catholics she had met had given her "a feeling of being part of a family." As a result, she decided to maintain these friendships.

Deng Xinmo, a 17-year-old Catholic, spoke with UCA News after the gathering. The program, she said, "made me realize that no matter whether one is a Catholic or a Protestant, we all have the mission to love."

Kevin Sun, an organizer, was not sure if any Protestants attended the event. He explained that the Chengdu Catholic Youth Fellowship had sent invitations to members of two Internet chat rooms it runs, comprising Catholics and Protestants, and participants were not required to reveal their denominations.

Nonetheless, Sun acknowledged that most participants at the gathering were from the youth group and other groups based at Ping'anqiao Church.

A Church source also told UCA News that many chat-room members had left Chengdu to return home for the Lunar New Year, which falls on Jan. 26, so the small turnout was not surprising.

Sun admitted that the path toward Christian unity in mainland China is not easy. "Some Protestants have misunderstandings about the Catholic Church, while some Catholic clergy are worried that Catholics are being attracted" to the Protestant Churches, he explained.

The youth group had organized only one previous activity to mark a unity week, but members say it has held frequent dialogues with the Protestant Church and the local Young Men's Christian Association, with which many group members volunteer.

Besides praying for dialogue, understanding and unity among the Christian Churches, the Jan. 18 gathering also prayed for the unity of the Catholic Church in China and for dialogue and understanding among Protestant denominations.

The youth group also appealed to its members and other participants to join any Protestant gathering during the special week so as to spread the message of unity.

The Chengdu Catholic Youth Fellowship, founded in 2004, holds weekly gatherings, monthly retreats and Bible sharing sessions for its more than 170 members, who are mostly university students. It also organizes occasional Taize-style prayer meetings and visits to Protestant groups, elderly people living alone and the poor.

Chengdu lies 1,530 kilometers southwest of Beijing.

END

中國  成都教友「合一祈禱周」分享與基督教徒接觸的經驗 

【天亞社．中國成都訊】中國西南部四川省成都教區的青年天主教徒，在「基督徒合一祈禱周」舉行分享會，暢談與基督教徒相處的喜樂與挑戰。

由「成都天主教青年團體」主辦的分享會於一月十八日，在成都市聖母無染原罪主教座堂（又稱平安橋天主堂）進行，約卅人參加。四川省會成都位於北京西南一千五百卅公里。

全球各地教會每年舉行基督徒合一祈禱周活動，今年的主題為「在你手中成為一根」（則37：17）。分享會當日正是一月十八至廿五日祈禱周的首天。

為時三小時的分享會〔圖〕，包括分享合一經驗、讀經及祈禱。活動參加者大部分為青年團體的成員，也有其他堂區小組的成員參加。

參加者瑪利亞分享自己怎樣與一位基督教同事建立深厚友誼，並經常一起祈禱。同時，她亦指出，由於其公司有很多基督徒，大家每天早上都會先以祈禱來開始一天的工作。

另一教友德蘭則分享她與一位初到成都工作的基督教徒結為朋友的經過，其後更邀請該朋友參觀天主教堂。德蘭指出，後來有些基督教徒告誡她朋友不要參加天主教的活動，也不要與天主教徒接觸。然而，朋友告訴她，與天主教徒在相處過後，發覺他們給她「家人般的親切感」，於是決定與天主教朋友維持友誼。

十七歲天主教徒鄧莘沫在分享會後告訴天亞社：「這次分享會讓我明白無論天主教還是基督教，大家都共同肩負著『愛』的偉大使命。」

活動組織者之一孫超倫表示，青年團體通過其下兩個由天主教徒與基督教徒組成的QQ群組發出邀請，而當天活動沒有要求參與者表明身分，故他不確定是否有基督教朋友出席分享會。不過，他指出，參加者主要來自青年團體，以及平安橋教堂其他小組的成員。

另一教會人士告訴天亞社，由於很多聊天室成員已提前離開成都回家鄉度春節，因此參加人數不多，是意料中事。

孫超倫認為，中國大陸基督徒合一的道路仍然困難重重，因為「一些基督教徒對天主教存在誤解，而天主教神職人員則擔心教友被吸引到基督教會」。

雖然這次是成都青年團體第二次舉辦合一周活動，不過，該團體經常與本地的基督教會及基督教青年會交流，而很多團體成員更是青年會的義工。

十八日的分享會除了為基督教的對話、瞭解及合一祈禱，同時也為中國天主教會內部的合一，以及基督教各宗派間的對話及理解而祈禱。主辦單位也鼓勵各參與者在合一周期間，參與基督教的活動，以傳達基督徒合一的信息。

成都天主教青年團體於二零零四年成立，有逾一百七十名成員，大部分為大學生。他們定期組織每周聚會、每月退省及聖言生活分享。此外，他們也會不定期的舉行泰澤祈禱會、探訪基督教團體、孤寡老人和窮人。

【完】（天亞社英文新聞見CH06517.1533期2009年1月20日）

已經搬家一陣子了，雖然還是亂糟糟的，不過仍然很享受住在新環境之中的感覺。

新傢的地址通告一下大家，因爲總是回去拿信也不是那麽現實的事情。不過還是想說，昨天媽媽幫我拿回來兩封信，一封奶奶從香港寄來的，一封Julie從澳門寄來的，都讓我挺溫暖的。也想到我的很多的朋友們，謝謝你們，天主祝福你們。

 

新傢的地址是：

中國（大陸）四川省成都市

武侯區機頭

清水河公園

（西三環路内側，東坡大道時代尊城旁）

清江雅舍

13棟104

孫超倫（收）

My new home address is:

Kevin Chaolun Sun

13-104

Qing Jiang Ya She

Qing Shui He Park

Ji Tou, Wu Hou Destrict

Chengdu, Sichuan Province

China(P.R)

今天也是大年三十，在心底真誠的祝福你們新春快樂，新年蒙福。

人們經常很過分，不合情理和自私自利；
但不管怎樣還是寬恕他們吧！ 

你要親切待人，人們可能會誣告你自私和居心叵測；
但不管怎樣，還是親切待人吧！ 
  
你要是功成名就，就會贏得虛偽的朋友和樹立起真正的敵人；
但不管怎樣，還是成功吧！ 

你要是誠實坦率，人們可能會欺騙你；
但不管怎樣，還是誠實和坦率吧！ 

你的多年苦心建樹，某人可能會將它毀於一旦；
但不管怎樣，還是建樹吧！ 

你要是得到了寧靜與快樂，別人可能會嫉妒你；
但不管怎樣，還是快樂起來吧！ 

你今日的善舉，人們經常會在明天忘掉；
但不管怎樣，還是行善吧！ 

把你最好的奉獻給這個世界，這個世界卻可能永遠不會知足；
但不管怎樣，還是要把你最好的奉獻給這個世界吧！ 

因為，歸根究底這一切都只是你和天主之間的事情；
無論如何決非你和他們之間的事情。 


（PS：這首詩經常被人以為是印度加爾各答的德雷莎修女的手筆，因為在她住所的牆壁上貼著這首詩。但實際上是肯特寫的，他寫這首詩的時候，年方19歲。這首詩於1968年首次由哈佛學生社出版。） 

 
jesus4chengdu.blogbus.com成都天主教青年團體

去年翻出來的一篇文章 

<本文寫於三年前的2004年5月15日，那是我高中三年級臨近高考的日子，最近重新在日記本上看到，決定拿出來跟大家分享。 > 

總在想，隨著信仰的深化，有時見到一些對基督信仰妄加篡改的事，就會特別生氣，或者聽說一些誣衊教會的話也會很憤怒，甚至有時，這種情緒化已經讓原本的理性暗淡。 

由此，也總想到時常遇到的那些仇視著他們心中所誤解的天主教的新教弟兄，想到在他們面前那時常顯得困難而難以繼續的溝通，又想起我起初正是因此而開始轉而在天主教中探尋和構築基督徒的信仰。 

看到他們和有時也在我身上顯露的問題，似乎讓人覺得這愛的信仰怎麼竟讓人愈發的不懂得去愛了呢？接受了這愛的信仰的我們帶給這世界的究竟是更多真誠的愛與寬恕，使世界更加共融呢？抑或恰恰相反而增加了世界的分裂呢？ 
 
的確，從個體的事件上看，無神主義否定神的存在，使福音的傳播變得艱難，甚至影響基督徒的共融，讓我們如何能愛；伊斯蘭原教旨主義攻擊基督信仰迷惑人心更是可惡；而摩門教宣揚極端異端，蠱惑善良的基督信徒也更是可恨；而一些新教弟兄狹隘自首，製造基督徒分裂紛爭亦是令人難以接受。 
  
但是，基督召叫我們接受信仰為的是什麼呢？不正是希望我們用基督的愛與包容來充滿整個世界嗎？不正是要我們用愛去化解世界的仇恨與分裂，建設團結合一的人類大家庭嗎？否則，他難道會希望我們用我們的聖寵來炫耀並製造世界更多的分裂嗎？ 

而愛人如己難道僅僅是狹隘的規限於佔社會少數的基督徒嗎？甚至是更加有限的教會內部？ 

那麼，我們又應當怎樣看待和接納以上這些人呢？怎樣以何種心情去與他們相處呢？ 

首先，我們的視野不應僅僅局限於以上列舉的這些不同之處。其實，只要退兩步放寬我們的視野，便會很清楚的發現，以上這些人與我們的共同點遠遠大於他們與我們的不同。 

人類大家庭的每一個人，無論信仰著什麼或者什麼都不信，在他們心中，都擁有著基督的肖像以及那建立在他們心中的來自上帝的法律，這份良心使人類有著共同的善良，此外，無論他們是否同意，他們都在無時無刻的服務著天主，即使他們並不知道。 

在這樣的基礎之上，信仰共產主義的弟兄姊妹與我們一樣追求著一個大同的人類世界，他們把那稱作共產主義社會，而我們則習慣於稱之為天堂。而且，天堂絕不僅僅存在於生後，而是在現在，當我們努力追求更加和諧互愛的社會之時，便已經開始的，這一點，教會時常強調。 
  
除了擁有這些共同之處外，信仰伊斯蘭教的穆斯林與我們信仰著同一位天主，他們堅定的將真主置於生命的首位，此外，他們也把亞伯拉罕奉為信德之父，無論在世界的什麼地方，我們都能看到他們在每周用他們的方式來感恩、讚美和禮拜天主，而且，他們承認生於童貞女的耶穌是最偉大的先知之一。 

而在此之上，自稱為耶穌基督後期聖徒教會的摩門教信徒，也同樣稱耶穌為主，他們堅信並實踐著愛的信仰，並在很多倫理問題上堅守著人性的尊嚴，他們閱讀《聖經》並遵守著近乎嚴苛的行為準則。 

而除了擁有著以上種種共同點之外，更虔誠的堅信著與我們完全相同的基督福音的基本信理的新教弟兄，一直以來都懷著極大的熱忱，在全世界傳布著基督的福音，並極大的促進了《聖經》的傳播，他們，更是我們親如一家的弟兄姊妹！ 
  
除此之外的第二點是，如果說他們存在錯誤，那麼我們也理所應當寬恕他們，去學會與他們相處與合作。這並不是說我們去刻意忽略我們的不同和迴避是非，但是，我們也是罪人，只有耶穌可以判斷，這權柄不在我們，耶穌不允許並厭惡我們去充當判官。而更加重要的是，這所謂的錯誤，其實並不是這些善良的人們所有意識犯下的，事實上在大多數情況下，普通人對事實毫不了解，他們只是跟隨他們領袖和創始人的訓導而已。而導致這些的，那人性的軟弱之罪，我們自己也時常在犯。 

因此，正如我們時常說的，世人的罪皆相同，然而耶穌基督卻接納了滿懷罪孽的我們，而我們又怎能不去接納我們的弟兄姊妹呢？再反觀我們自己，基督信徒的確擁有著唯一的百分之百正確的通往永恆生命的道路，擁有著天主所親創的信仰，擁有著主耶穌所賜予的特別的愛與眷顧。 
  
然而，這是我們自己努力與智慧所換來的嗎？不是！這些都不過是主白白的賜予和祝福，這祝福也更是一種使命與責任，而決不成其為我們自誇炫耀的資本，也更不是讓我們製造人類分裂的絲毫理由。 

Beneath the cross of Jesus.

I fain would take my stand.

The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land.

A home within a wilderess,

a rest upon the way from the burning of the noontide heat

and the burdens of the day. 

在耶穌的十字架之下。

我樂意停留，

因他是巨大岩石背後的陰涼，在如此疲憊的大地之上；

是荒蕪原野上的溫馨居所；

是在正午熾熱陽光下趕路中的一刻休憩；

是每日勞苦負重擔者的安息…

<以上是我自己翻譯的一首短詩，跟大家分享。我第一次翻譯詩的。呵呵>

淩晨4:59，還沒睡，看了《曼谷殺手》（Bangkok Dangerous），真的是一部很不錯的電影，暑假在香港地鐵中看到介紹片就已經很想看了，今天終于借失眠一嘗心願。我通常是不大愛看過於暴力的電影的，但這部片子，真的相當不錯，絕對不只是動作片而已。每個細節都幾乎完美，扣人心弦和讓人感動，是我想用來形容這部影片的。此外，以曼谷為故事發生地，也勾起了我很多美好的回憶，一個個熟悉的場景，從電影中連接進我的腦海。我真的是越來越喜歡泰國了。七月在曼谷的時候，所一一親歷了那裏純樸的民風，友善的人民，還有很多泰國人身上散發出的樂觀與平和，都真的吸引住了我。以至當有人半開玩笑的邀請我去泰國的教會學校教中文時，我真的還動心了。不知道將來有沒有可能實現，或者又是一個夢吧。We will see.

楊采尼的表演也為影片錦上添花。

Floating Market 水上市集，一個充滿泰國風情的地方。

與泰國青年的友誼，以及這位青年人身上折射出的泰國人的美善和純樸，勾起了我無數的回憶

泰國的警察，就是這麽帥氣

今天很偶然，在一個視頻分享網站輸入“馬英九”三個字，竟然找到了這段2005年《康熙來了》專訪馬英九的視頻。當時他剛剛當選中國國民黨主席，同時作爲臺北市市長接受邀請參加這個節目。

看完錄影，歡笑之餘，算是讓我們感受一下，中國人在民主政體之下，作爲政治領袖可以有的儒雅。也讓我對馬英九的可愛真的有了更直接的認識。同時，第二段中馬英九在笑談到一段跟俄國有關的趣事時展現出的濃烈的愛國心，更是讓我感動。

可以說，這段視頻是同時讓我笑到跟感動到落淚，特別再想到馬英九就任總統以來所面臨的困侷，真的希望臺灣的人民可以給予更多的理解、包容還有愛護。我們應該珍惜在現在這個社會，在唾棄專制體制下的虛僞政治之後，再在所謂民主政治強烈的作秀文化如陰雲般的籠罩之下，中國人，還能擁有一種讓世人不得不尊重的氣質，一份單純與真誠，甚至是一種憨厚和可愛。讓人不禁為中華民族文化的厚重寬廣而感到自豪。

看了這段專訪，真的讓我想到很多，特別是看到今天前進中仍充滿不理想的台海關係，乃至臺灣内部國家認同的混亂與危急，同時又讓人不禁展望中國大陸民主政治發展將有的遠景，可能長篇大論也難以言盡。可是，千言萬語卻都化作對臺灣海峽兩岸的深深祝福，希望中國和平進步，希望中國好！同時也想對這日記的主角說一聲：加油！親愛的馬英九總統。

 

以下是這段視頻A B兩部分的鏈接：

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/-qPUMSLUEco/

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/Cr_66BlA1j0/

 

同時分享另外一段視頻，是2000年連戰蕭萬長搭檔競選總統時的一段競選廣告，以反對臺獨保衛國旗為主題：

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEZkU3TK8R0

裏面的背景歌曲叫《中華民國國旗歌》，是一首特別在升旗儀式時唱的歌，但這首歌卻並不是《中華民國國歌》，這種安排似乎在全世界都非常少見：

山川壯麗，物產豐隆，
炎黃世冑，東亞稱雄。
毋自暴自棄，毋故步自封，
光我民族，促進大同。
創業維艱，緬懷諸先烈，
守成不易，莫徒務近功。
同心同德，貫徹始終，青天白滿地紅。
同心同德，貫徹始終，青天白滿地紅。

 

今天晚上很偶然，看了一部很老的電影，《玻璃之城》，呵呵，差不多是99年的片子吧。感覺很不錯，整個是一部很好的電影。平淡中讓觀者不禁唏噓人生的無常。加上電影的很多内容和情景都跟香港大學有關，這也就更增添了一份溫暖的親近感。除了讓我非常想念在香港的朋友們，兄弟姊妹們，也讓我很想念港大，雖然我沒有做過香港大學的學生，但是因爲家人和兄弟的關係，那裏對我來説算是有一份特殊的感情，以前也考慮過申請HKU國際關係研究所的事情，也許有一天真還能作香港大學的學生，算是個小願望吧。

 

説到願望，我好像總有很多願望，也不知道自己的人生究竟會是怎樣，是不是一直這樣做著夢不切實際的走下去，還是有一天會改變。看著身邊的人，畢了業，逐漸好像一天一天變成大人了，我還是用很驚訝的眼神，想著自己怎麽可能會有一天不再是小孩子。

 

另外一方面，香港電影很少觸及嚴肅的政治話題，而這部電影以香港回歸為時空的背景，同時還提到香港早年的保釣運動，這些都算是挺對我的胃口。

 

回過頭來看奧運開幕前100天，百多位大陸、香港、Taiwan、新加坡的華人歌手同唱《北京歡迎你》，覺得有很多感慨。大家站在一起，不管來自哪裏，都把北京作爲自己的傢，誠邀全世界的朋友來家裏做客。這種充滿歸屬感的氣氛，著實讓人感動。 

反過來回想2008年的北京奧運，被無數的紛紛繞繞所打擾，真的是讓人覺得可惜的事情。甚至我自己整個最後將近兩個月的時間都不在國内，在泰國，澳洲都很難感受國内真正的氛圍，最後開幕式、比賽直到閉幕式，人幾乎都在香港，雖然也是在中國的土地上，但氣氛的表達方式畢竟也有不同，再加上畢竟語言上多少有些隔閡。當然本來那個時間段的心情也是重要因素。總之現在想想，還是覺得自己好像錯過了不少東西。 

2008年，也真的是多事的一年，雪災，Tibet暴力事件，四川地震，一個上半年就密集發生這麽多天災人禍，可能真的是老天不賞臉了。聖火傳遞一路的波折，也讓全世界的注意力，似乎都集中在了中國的Human Right、Tibet等政治問題上了，本來奧運會對中國百年難得一遇的凝聚海内外人心的作用，大打折扣。在這種氛圍下，整個好像對Taiwan的民意對大陸的印象也似乎完全沒有加分作用。這些，想來，真的都是很可惜的事情。 

中國今年真的吃了不少虧，Tibet的事情也是一樣，明明是被人搞了，卻在國際上沒有一個人相信，人人關注的，好像都是中國爲什麽不讓它independant，爲什麽壓制它的Freedom。這些雖然令人生氣和充滿遺憾，但回過頭來想想，能不能有所反思跟總結，纔是更重要也更具建設性的。

這篇是2010年1月31日完成，因為太長，所以不想放在首頁。 

BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THE THOUGHTS ON

THE CONSTITUTION OF SACRED LITURGY

47 YEARS LATER

Introduction

 

After the Reformation, Catholic Church began to renew the church and facing the challenge from Protestant Church. It’s obviously not an easy process. Right after the Reformation, Church called the Council of Trent to respond the Protestant Movement and the willing to renew the Church within the Catholic Church. Council of Trent is one of the most important and influencial Ecumenical Council in the Church History, even people said no any other council had passed as many new Doctrines as this Council. However, mostly, the attitude and atmosphere in Council of Trent is pretty defensive, it’s just trying to maintain the stable of Catholic Church, deeling with lots of practical problems of the church, it does work, but it’s only about how to keep the power and unity of the church as same as before. Many old and fundamental problems in the church has not been solved until the 20^th Century.

 

When time come to the 20^th Century, after all the development of Science and Technology, the world had changed a lot, many things which was impossible in the pass became ture, long distance travelling by air-plane, television, telephone, Internatinal Media, United Nations and so on. All of these influence people’s life and the world very much.

 

At the same time, after the Reformation, Protestant have been developing very fast, they are continued to improve itself for the needs of time, they are also very active and popular among young people in many countries, and gain a lot of success on missionary works. And at the same time, the situation in the Catholic Church is not that positive, especially in the West, when most of people are getting rich. The atmosphere wihin Catholic Church is still quite boring, the leadership and structure is still like a Concentration of Power. Lay people has almost no space on the mission of the Church.

 

In front of such a huge challenge, October 1962, Pope John 23^rd called a new Ecumenical Council in Vatican City, which is known as the Vatican II Council. Over 2000 Bishops from all over the world had attended this Council, and until now 4 members of the Council had become Pope. There are 4 aims of this Council: 1) the renewal of the people of God; 2) the adaptation of the times, 3) ecumenism and 4) evangelization.

 

According to this, it’s clear that this Council planed to answer all the questions and challenges in front of the church and all the faithful. The Constitution of Sacred Liturgy (Latin name:Sacrosanctum Concilium) is the very first document of this Council, Pope John Paul II called it the “the first fruit” of the Vatican II Council. It published on December 4, 1963, two years before the end of the Council

.

Thoughts and Now

 

In the Constitution of Sacred Liturgy, there are Seven Essential Concepts, I think this might be helpful for us to understand what does this document want to tell us and what did the Council and all the bishops expect to change through this document? These seven concepts are as follows: 1) The Paschal Mystery; 2) Liturgy as “Summit and Source” of the Church’s Life; 3) Full, Active and Conscious Participation; 4) Image of Church; 5) Inculturation; 6) Renewal of Liturgical Books, Music, Art and Artefacts of Liturgy; 7) Education and Formation. Then let us one by one to talk about the expectation and today’s fact 47 years after this document. 

 

 

 

1.1  The Paschal Mystery

 

“The liturgy is made up of unchangeable elements divinely institued and of elements subject to change. These later not only may be changed, but ought to be changed with the passage of time, if they have suffered from the intrusion of anything out of harmony with the inner nature of the liturgy of have become unsuited to it”.[1]

 

In Pope Pius XII’s document Mediator Dei, he also emphasised this part said: “The Sacred Liturgy includes divine as well as human elements. The former, as is clear, cannot be changed in any way by men, since they were instituted by the Divine Redeemer. But the later admit of various modifications as the needs of the age, circumstances, and men require and which the ecclesiastical hierarchy, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, approves”.[2]

 

“Anyone who has kept abreast of recent theological development will be aware of the new approach to the study of the sacraments. The sacraments are now viewed in their biblical and liturgical dimensions, and as such are seen to be the pivot and centre of the Christian life. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, while it is disciplinary, is also doctrinal in intent. Its aim is to give the Mass and the other sacraments greater meaning in our lives.[3]”

 

Eucharist as the Paschal Mystery is always the center meaning of the Catholic Liturgy. As the above documents mentioned, Holy Catholic Church believes this part is the unchangeable elements of the Liturgy. Vatican II Council and the Constitution of Sacred Liturgy did maintain the belief on this. Even today, people still believe Eucharist is the Paschal Mystery as same as it before the Vatican II Council, and as same as all the Christians generations by generations after the death of Jesus Christ.

 

And about the understanding on nature of Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist, which is very controvertial between Catholic and Protestant since the Reformation, Catholic Church still maintain its traditiaonal understanding on this issure and didn’t change anything about it until today.

 

 

 

1.2  Litury as “Summit and Source” of the Church’s Life

 

Again in the Constitution of Sacred Liturgy, it says, “Nevertheless, the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the church is directed; it is also the source from which all its power flows. For the goal of apostolic endeavor is that all who are made children of God by faith and Baptism should come together to praise God in the midst of his church, to take part in the sacrifice and to eat the Lord’s Supper.”[4]

 

As it tells, the Council and the document proclamed clearly that Catholic Church still consider Liturgy as the Summit and Source of Church’s Life. This understanding is still the traditional understanding on Liturgy, but at the same time, it ensured that Liturgy is not the only activity within the Church, this gives new space for faithful to organize many new movement and fellowship.

 

However, “Summit and Source” is the Theological Conclusion of the Church Fathers of the Council, practically, I’m doubt how many people seriously and rationally believe in it, especially after the renewal of the importance of Bible and Bible Reading, I’m wondering if it’s better to say Bible is the “Summit and Source” rather than emphasis the Liturgy. At the same time, although the church did get renewal after the Council, new Liturgy gave the church much energy than before in facing the challenge of the time, however, today the situation in front of Catholic Church is still very serious! A big part of Catholics didn’t practice their faith, didn’t go to church; at the same time we lost a lot of believers every year, some left the church, some became Protestant.

 

Obviously, if we really want our liturgy become the “Summit” of Church’s life and individual Christian life, we must consider how to deeply renew our liturgy and adapt it for the needs of people especially young generation.

 

At the same time, when we talk about the liturgy and try to renew our understanding on it, one of the most essential ways is trying to go back to the situation of early church, think about what did they do and understand? In the early Church, Christians went to Temple and Synagogue as other Jewish, they tried to convert Jewish and Gentiles to be Christian in the Temple, Synagogues, street and working places, at the same time, they also gathered in their own community, broke bread and ate it as same as the Lord’s Supper before the Passion and memorize the death and resurrection of Christ the Lord which is similar to the Eucharist today. However, it seems they concentrate more on converting people and taught them the faith on Jesus, and at least it’s quite difficult for us to imagine that most of Early Christians could understand the Liturgy as the “Summit and Source” of Church’s Life.

 

 

1.3  Full, Active and Conscious Participation

 

This is one of the most exciting part of the Constitution, it indeed talks about the most important problem on our liturgy, this is about the very core of it, for a long time, in the Liturgy after Council of Trent, Eucharist had been celebrating only in Latin, the structure and arrangement of the liturgy seem like it’s also a business of the Priests.  Most of local faithful could not speak and understand Latin, so the whole celebration became only a show, many faithful could only say rosary during the Eucharist, it’s actually very bad and leading a wrong direction for the Christian Gathering. Full, Active and Conscious Participation of liturgy became nonsense for most of people.

 

In the Constitution of Sacred Liturgy, it says, “It is very much the wish of the church that all the faithful should be led to take that full, conscous, and active part in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy, and to which the Christian people, ‘a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people’ (1 Pet 2:9, 4-5) have a right and to which they are bound by reason of their Baptism.”[5]

 

For this porpuse, the Council almost totally changed the celebration way of the Eucharist. The Altar is no longer on the back wall of the church, it has been moved to the Phisical center of the worship space, and the Priest and faithful would be face to face during the Eucharistic Celebration.

 

After talking about the ideal participation, it also offers clear guidance to us: “In the restoration and development of the sacred liturgy the full and active participation by all the people is paramount concern, for it is the primary, indeed the indispensable source from which the faithful are to derive the true Christian spirit. Therefore, in all their apostolic activity, ,pastors of souls should energetically set about achieving it through the requisite formation.

 

Yet there is no hope of achieving this unless pastors of souls, in the first place, themselves become fully imbued with the spirit and power of the liturgy and attain competence in it. Thus it is absolutely essential, first of all, that steps be taken to ensure the liturgical training of the clergy.”[6]

 

In many countries, it did change a lot of the situation of the local church, however, it seems there are still a big distance towards the Council’s expectation. At the same time, church still continue to loss its members especially young people, in Sunday Mass, many youths don’t want to attend the Mass, even some young people are sending SMS or play their mobile phone during the Mass.

 

 

About the participation of the Liturgy, it recall my two months’ memories in Taize, an Ecumenical Monastic Community in France. Before I went there for the first time, I thought most of young people who go there must be very religious, actually it’s not true, many young people I met there told me they almost never go to church in their home countries, some of them are not really Christian, even their parents dislike church very much, if parents knew Taize is such a Religious place, they will not pay for their children this trip. However, when they got Taize, they go to Prayer three times a day, many times, they could stay in the church and pray for many hours, and even a whole night with candel. It’s really amazing. Every year, especially in Summer, about 5000 young people go to Taize every week. They love there very much, even many of them continue to stay there for 3 months or a whole year. This kind of experience gives me a lot of reflection on the Liturgy. Why the Prayer Meetings in Taize are such attractive? I think the most important elements are simplicity and welcome. In Taize, people feel very relax in the Prayer, the Prayer Meeting itself is very simple, it’s not necessary for you to learn the structure of the Prayer Meeting, you can just enjoy it; at the same time, you could just sit down on the ground, no chair and no knealing stool, it’s not necessary for you to learn when you should stand, sit or kneal down.

 

For sure, it doesn’t mean we should move out all the chairs and stuffs in our church, but we do need to reflect much more about how to fullfill the good willing of the Council and renew our church and liturgy deeper.

 

 

1.4  Image of Church

 

Sacred Liturgy as the most important activities of the Catholic Church, obviously at the same time they became the Image of Church, so I will now talk about too much independantly on this part.

 

1.5  Inculturation

 

Inculturation is one of the most important and obvious part of the Liturgy Changes. Before the Vatican II Council, local church could only celebrate Mass in Latin, most of local people cannot understand it, it almost lost its meaning as a gathering of faithful, full, active and conscious participation is also totally impossible. After the Council, every local church could celebrate Mass in the local language, this new policy free the church a lot! The importance of it is also too obviously to be necessary to talk any more here.

 

At the same time, Bible began to be translated in to local language and every lay people are encouraged to read the Bible. The Ecumenical Council also make some special arrangement of every local church, so that some local elements could become a part of the Liturgy Celebration, and the church become much more colorful than before. For instance, the use of Traditional Chinese Incense in China especially Taiwan and the Colorful Echarist Celebration in Africa and South America.

 

1.6  Renewal of Liturgical Books, Music, Art and Artefacts of Liturgy.

 

When you change a lot of the structure and understanding of the Liturgy, you should also change the Liturgical Books, Music, Art and Artefacts of Liturgy at the same time. You could also see the change of the arrangement in the Church Building especially for the place of Altar and the arrangement of seats, and the New Style Church also became popular in many places.

 

“In a series of deceptively simple statements, Vatican II decreed the reform of virtually every liturgical book in the Roman Catholic Church. Like those at the Council of Trent, the bishops at Vatican II did not attempt the work of revision themselves. This was given to a series of commissions, special committees, and Roman congragations that continue the work today.”[7] According to this, we get to know that the Church is still trying to improve the Liturgical Books even today.

 

1.7  Education and Formation

 

As we mentioned before, Vatican II Council and all the Fathers of the Council considered the Liturgy as the “Summit and Source of Church’s Life”, so that the liturgy plays a rather important role in Education and Formation for the faithful. By the Bible Reading, Homily and all the Prayer and Sacrafice, faithful could learn a lot about their faith and be aware they are a part of the Christian Community.

 

Conclusion

 

Constitution of Sacred Liturgy as the “first fruit” of Vatican II Council continues to influence the church and all the faithful very much even today! As the mission of the Constitution has not been fully fullfilled yet, we should continue to renew and reflect our liturgy so that we could keep the church always to be fresh and full of Holy Spirit.

 

 

Bibliography 

 

Amiot, Francois. History of the Mass. London: Burns & Oates, 1959.

Ehrman, Bart D. A Brief Introduction to the New Testament. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Flannery O.P, Austin. eds. The Basic Sixteen Documents Vatican Council II. Dublin, Ireland: Dominican Publications, 2007.

Foley, Edward. From age to age. Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2008.

Theisen, Reinold. Mass Liturgy and the Council of Trent. Collegeville, Minnesota: St. John’s University Press, 1965.

Tierney, Dom Mark. The Council and the Mass. London: Burns & Oates Ltd, 1965.