Stand Up and Raise Your Heads

Advent in Christian tradition is more than a matter of the preparation for Christmas decoration and activities , but rather the time to prepare ourselves to welcome the coming of Jesus, for tears will be wiped away and justice will be restored. This is the background for the understanding of the text, Lk 21: 25-33.

In order to understand the text, I would like to draw your attention of progressive reading. The first stage is the readers are suffered from injustice, such as, poverty, political oppression from both the Roman Empire and the religious leaders and violence. The text is definitely a word of comfort and encouragement.

There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (v.25-26)

‘What is coming upon the world’ is about the realization of the sovereignty of God’s kingdom. The evil nation and unjust people are distressed by the roaring of the sea and the waves, not the poor and the oppressed, for justice and salvation of God’s kingdom would be established soon. Since this text is placed before the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus, God’s kingdom is assumed to be realized in Jesus and this reflects in the aspiration of the people. Due to this, they are encouraged by Jesus’ saying ‘stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near’ (v.28).

The second stage is the delay of the coming of Jesus. The people expect that God’s kingdom is realized in Jesus’ entering in Jerusalem, but they are disappointed. After the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, they expect that Jesus would come soon, but in fact they have been waiting for many years, and nothing has been occurred. In this situation, Jesus says,

Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. (v.29-31)

This is a great comfort, for Jesus keeps his promise. But how do we interpret the natural phenomenon and socio-political development in relation to the nearest of the coming of God’s kingdom? First, we come across of a saying that the darkest the day is, the nearest the daybreak comes. This’ true, but the question is how to know that we are at the moment of the darkest. Ironically, we experience the darkest hasn’t arrived yet. Second, it focuses on the calculation of the time of the coming of Jesus. They endeavor to calculate the frequency of earthquake, the scale of war and all forms of disasters in order to justify that Jesus comes closer. During the 1970s, there is a widespread belief of that the EEC is the anti-Christ mentioned in the Book of Revelation 13. My Norwegian friend tells me that one of the considerations of the people whether Norway should join EEC is that Norway is a Christian nation, and it is unchristian to join the anti-Christ. All we know that the EEC now is more than 20 nations. Speculative argument is always very appealing and interesting, but this is just for fun. Anyway, no matter what they are doing in order to respond to the delay of the coming of Jesus, the purpose is to encourage people to ‘stand up and raise our heads, because our redemption is drawing near.’

Now our current is whether we are in stage 2 or we move to stage 3 when we are reading this text. I suggest we are in stage 3, for what make us unable to stand up and raise our heads is not dominated by our suffering. We are unable to raise our heads, because a woman named 劉霞in our country is under house arrest for 2 years without reasonable reason. How can the so-called great nation China not be able to tolerate a woman? We are unable to raise our heads, for we are shame for our country. We cannot stand up, for the young people have less opportunity and their will are defeated. Several headmasters of secondary schools share with me that it takes 5 years for a young teaching assistant to be a teacher. ‘This city is dying’ is what we have experienced. In this moment of time, Jesus says

Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

It is not about the speculation of the coming of God’s kingdom as what the people in stage 2 are doing, but rather an invitation to live in the nature and to give time to the nature and from there we are not only able to discern the coming of God’s kingdom, but also to feel the presence of God’s graciousness. We need to retrieve our heart back to discern God’s kingdom. Nevertheless, the high-rise buildings have blocked our view to discern the signs, the shopping malls have replaced the sign coming from the nature, and our daily life dominated by calculation and efficiency have hardened our hearts. Let’s be encouraged by living in the nature so that we can stand up to say ‘NO’ to injustice, and raise our heads to speak out, not because we are unbeaten, but because God’s kingdom is coming.

認識真理之道

按教會年，今日是教會年的大除夕，而教會傳統選擇以「耶穌是王」作為一年結束的主題。今日所讀經文（約十八32-38）正以耶穌是王為主題。經文描述將耶穌交給羅馬帝國的猶太人指控耶穌自稱是猶太人的王，藉此將叛亂者這莫須有的罪名加在耶穌身上，使他死罪。在這背景下，彼拉多就審問耶穌是否猶太人的王。耶穌回答他的國不屬這世界。一方面，耶穌的回答使彼拉多舒了一口氣，因為沒有叛軍要推翻羅馬政權。另一方面，他如何跟猶太人擺平這事。但與此同時，耶穌又承認他是王，並說，「我特為真理作見證。凡屬真理的人，就聽我的話。」耶穌說了這話後，彼拉多帶著疑問地說，「真理是甚麼？」作為屬真理的信徒來說，你會如何回答彼拉多的疑問。

我們習慣相信真理是愈辯愈明，但所謂愈辯愈明的真理不必然是真理。基本上，真理不是一種客觀知識，所以，真理不是一個被分析和被觀察的客體。反而真理是主體，自主地和主動地向我們揭示。我們是被動的和被接觸的多於主動的。當耶穌說，「我是道路、真理、生命」（約十四1），這可以是一個可辯論的命題，但查實，這是耶穌向我們的揭示，不需要我們認同和批准。揭示不是不容許辯論，而是他要求以有別於辯論態度去迎接他。其中包括放下對真理形形式式的操縱，並以看見和實踐認識真理。所以，今日的問題不是「真理是甚麼？」，而是我們要成為甚麼的人，才可迎接真理。

堅持真理固然是一種美德，但我們要問：這被堅持的真理真是對真理的順服還是一種掩飾自己的恐懼呢？猶太人未能認識耶穌所揭示的真理，因為他們被他們對猶太人的王的框架下所限制。若說投入信仰，法利賽人比誰人都投入，但沒有因此，他們認識耶穌所代表的真理。近這一個月再燃起有關同性戀受歧視的討論。有教會認為同性戀議題是教會生死存亡的課題，並認為這是維護教會成聖的必須。結果，他們將同性戀看為一種性行為，而看不見這關乎社會接納，歸屬感。同時，他們只看見同性戀的不正常，卻看不見他們也可以是真理的傳遞者。

教會習慣以聆聽來描述對真理的認識，因為聖經是上主的話，但當聖子已道成肉身，充充滿滿有恩典，有真理住在我們當中時，我們就不只有聆聽，更可以看見。事實上，當彼拉多問有關真理的問題時，他不是從聆聽產生，而是從看見耶穌而來。不論是聆聽還是看見，它不是一種純左腦的邏輯分析和推論思維。聆聽與看見要求我們培養出一種能力去感受、欣賞和驚訝。對於新教傳統的基督徒，我們並不習慣注視，因為在高舉聖經下，其他信仰豐富遺產一一消失。相對來說，天主教和正教會卻保全了很多視覺藝術的遺產和傳統，以致他們可以看見耶穌。不妨多注視這些聖像，讓我們可以看見真理。事實上，以看見來認識真理也是我們社會對真理的要求，我們社會要看教會的生活來認識耶穌。教會就是一個聖像，即一個救恩的視窗，讓人看見真理。

若實踐是驗證真理，這驗證條件就是自由。耶穌說，真理使我們得自由（約八32）。面對猶太人迫害和彼拉多審問，耶穌沒有恐懼，反顯出一份自由。這使我想起昂山素姖所說免於恐懼的自由。她說，權力者恐懼，因為他們恐懼失去權力。至於受壓者恐懼，因為他們恐懼權力者的權力。欺壓者和被欺壓者都在恐懼下，失去自由面對他者和做回自己。真理使人得自由，就是要打玻恐懼的循環，讓人邁向自由。然而，自由不是放縱，但正如馬丁路德說，「We Christians are free from all, but subject to all。」

當以為真理是透過理性和思辨可以獲取時，我卻要指出放下對真理的執著、培育看見的能力和體驗自由是更基本。

沒有冠冕的事奉 (可十31-45)

這是馬可福音第三次記載耶穌預言他將要遇害的事，但門徒照舊不明白和不肯接受耶穌所說的。門徒不會明白和認同耶穌所說的，因為他們參加耶穌運動是為了推翻羅馬政權，重建以色列國，沒有一個人會抱著註定失敗的態度參加一場運動。從約翰和雅各自信地向耶穌問，「賜我們在你的榮耀裡，一個坐在你右邊，一個坐在你左邊」就反映出他們對推翻羅馬政權已有一定勝數。

面對門徒的提問、誤解和虛榮，耶穌說，「可是坐在我的左右，不是我可以賜的，而是為誰預備就賜給誰。」對於耶穌的回答，我相信約翰和雅各可能很不舒服。第一，耶穌的回答指出不買人情。約翰和雅各是親身在耶穌變像一事上三個門徒其中二個（可九2-3）。一方面，這獨特經驗反映他們是耶穌重視的人；另一方面，因他們有這獨特經驗，以致他們可能自覺他們比其他門徒更優越。聖經對雅各的認識不多，但至於約翰，他是耶穌所愛的門徒，甚至被耶穌吩咐照顧他的母親。所以，當約翰和雅各向耶穌提及他們要坐在耶穌的左右邊時，他們覺得很自然。縱使這可能是他們一廂情願，但他們的期望是很人性的。例如，當你跟某某人關係相熟後，你可能會期望他對你有點方便和優待。然而，耶穌對約翰和雅各要求的態度是不買人情，即跟耶穌如何密切不會有特殊優待。

誰可以坐在耶穌的左右邊？耶穌的回答指出這不是可賺取，不一定按論功行償原則。表面看來，這是違反常理的，但若留意耶穌曾說，「只是有在後的，將要在前；有在前的，將要在後」（路十三30）的話，我們對耶穌的回答就不需太驚訝了。論資排輩是我們習慣的一種人際生活，但問題是，「為何年資深就等於比年資淺更能勝任某些工作？」因此，論功行償就是打破官僚，肯定多勞多得。某程度，這做法是公平的，但這可能走向一種工具理性，即將效率和成就成為唯一的標準。例如，你在教會地位在於你奉獻有多少，事奉有多少。以上兩種思維正是約翰和雅各的態度。一方面，他們二人是頭兩個人跟隨耶穌，即最資深的。另一方面，他們可能比其他門徒更投入耶穌運動。例如，他們被稱為雷子（可三17）。雖是如此，但耶穌指出一個人的資深度、成就和投入與誰坐在耶穌左右沒有必然關係。

澄清門徒的提問後，耶穌將門徒的問題從「賜我們在你的榮耀裡，一個坐在你右邊，一個坐在你左邊」轉化為「你要坐在貧窮人和有需要者的左右邊。」這就是「在你們中間誰願為首，就要作眾人的僕人」的意思。門徒的關注是一個上下和高低的問題，而耶穌的關注卻是一個平等和同在的問題。對門徒來說，榮耀和權力是核心，但對耶穌來說，服務是核心。然而，我們需要小心解讀耶穌的話，因為很多人以耶穌的話拒絕承擔領導和被按立為牧師，甚至誤以為尋求按立牧師者是一種權力慾。耶穌不是反對有人坐在他榮耀裡的左右邊，而是他反對以坐在他的左右邊成為跟隨他的目的。所以，基督徒不應將謙卑等同不承擔領導的責任，反而認清楚所謂領導是為要服務。

在預言和解釋他將要經歷的遭遇後，耶穌上耶路撒冷，踏上一條苦難之路。一方面，耶穌的預言是向門徒說清楚，不要對他有錯誤期望，即受難不是榮耀。另一方面，耶穌給門徒再一次選擇，即是否願意跟耶穌上耶路撒冷。同樣，這也是耶穌今日向我們發出的問題：沒有冠冕的事奉（掌聲、被記念、免稅收據），你願意事奉嗎？

Following Jesus as welcome children (Mk 9:30-37)

There are at least two forms of understanding. First, I don’t understand, because I do not have relevant knowledge. So, please explain and teach me. Second, I do not want to understand, because it is against my wish or expectation. The latter is the attitude of the disciples towards what Jesus has said about his own suffering. In fact, this is the second time of Jesus’ talking about his suffering (the first is on Mk 8:31). Are the disciples so stupid that they are not able to understand what Jesus has said? If not, why don’t the disciples want to understand? According to Mark, understanding Jesus’ suffering is not simply about knowledge and information, but that it demands a change of life. In this Jesus’ second saying of his death, the disciples are asked to ‘welcome one such child in my name’, and this is the disciples find it hard to accept.

Those who have been teaching chilren Sunday School would definitely feel happy, for you not only welcome children, but also welcome Jesus and God the father. But don’t be too early to be happy, for children in Jesus’ usage is not just about a matter of age. Rather children is a symbol of those children who are vulnerable, helpless, marginalized, and despised, and therefore, they can be children as well as adults. Jesus is asking the disciples to welcome these people. Apparently, this is a noble act, but this is not a favourable act. We praise what Mother Teresa has done for the poor, but we would not choose to do it. We teach our children to show respect and appreciation to cleaners, but we won’t encourage our children to be cleaners.

In this summer, we have a good experience of welcome children. When the government insists to introduce national education to schools, a parent concern group is formed in order to defend the freedom of thought of their children. Its slogan is 良心話事，守護孩子 (our conscience speaks, and defends our children). A mother shares,

我只是一個好平凡的師奶，平時只是照顧子女飲食，叫他們不要打太多機，預備他們上課的午餐，我只係吾想個仔被洗腦，吾想個仔日日食毒藥，如果我作為媽媽，我不保護他，誰來保護他？

This movement has successfully appealed to the public. Many people join it in order to defend the children. The movement against the national education tells us that first, welcome children is more than giving them a home, sweeties and toys, but also defending their freedom of thought. Second, welcome children is learn to be the voice of the voiceless. And at the same time, we have to ask ourselves whether our voice has covered the children voice, and make them voiceless. Third, welcome children requests one to leave one’s comfort zone to do to do small things (such as, distributing black ribbon) and even pick up a unwelcome role. Welcome children is a conscientious act. It has no reward, no glory and no guarantee of success. Also, welcome children is an egg’s act against the wall. There is no romance in the struggle, and there is no hero, but only servant and tiredness.

I would say that these mothers are more able to understand (認同) what Jesus has said about himself, ‘The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.’ It is because their welcome of children shares the features of Jesus life, not victory and power, but rather misunderstanding, suffering and servanthood. In contrast, the disciples are reluctant to admit that suffering is the destiny of Jesus, not because they do not want their Master to suffer, but because they do not want to suffer with their Master. They may have a pure heart to follow Jesus at the beginning, but now it is the glory, power and victory that matter most.
  
By sharing with the disciples that he would be suffered and killed, Jesus reminds them that following him would not bring one to glory and power. Rather it demands discipleship characterized by welcome children. It is in such kind of act that we understand what the suffering of Jesus is, and it is in such kind of act that understanding is following.

剩下絕食的身體---反國民教育的反思

不可因人貧寒就搶奪他，也不可在城門口欺壓困苦人，因耶和華必為他們辯護，也必奪取那搶奪者的命。（箴言廿二：22-23）

貧寒人與困苦人都是社會中的弱勢，但令人感到疑惑的，他們仍要受到不公平對待。一方面，他們沒有得到應得的憐憫，反而進一步被剝奪。另一方面，他們的弱勢理應對有權者不會產生嚴重威脅，但在審判官前（當時的審判處是東面的城門口）卻得不到公義。這是顛倒常理，違反正義，但這卻真實地發生了，甚至到今天也是如此。這兩個月來發生有關國民教育科一事的爭論正是一個例子。

在國民教育科一事上，誰是弱者？明顯地，弱者是學生，不但因為他們沒有機會參與討論他們將要接受的教育，更因為他們沒有得到免被洗腦的保護。有人認為強調學生的參與是不切實際，因為他們缺乏所需要的知識。但問題是：（一）我們從沒有嘗試邀請他們參與討論。再者，學民思潮的學生所反映出來的思辯能力足以說服我們的偏見。（二）當國民教育本身仍存在一定程度的爭議性時，學生就不應成為白老鼠，反應受更大保護。

除了學生外，家長是弱者。一方面，當政府從家庭搶走對孩子教育的話事權後，很多家長被迫成為教育制度的幫凶去壓迫孩子（例如，考入名校和考試）。我承認我的說法有點偏頗，因為有很多學校確實成為孩子成長很重要的幫助，也有家長沒有做好家長的責任。雖是如此，但每年看見家長們為其子女找幼稚園、小學和中學時那種焦慮時，我會說，家長已失去反抗教育制度的能力，甚至不自覺地成為其擁護者。當家長被剝奪其對子女教育權而被要求要對教育制度的信任時，這制度卻濫用他們對它的信任，使他們變得脆弱，沒有反抗能力。

老師，甚至學校也可能是弱者之一，尤其那些受政府津貼的學校。例如，每年小學和中學中央派位，學校都不知道報導其校的學生人數。教育局可以透過控制派多少個學生來要脅學校配合。意即，若學校長期不合作，政府可以令學校縮班，甚至面對殺校的危機。在這背景下，我們就明白相關報導帶來的白色恐怖。教育局8月底向全港65間官校發出「限閱文件」，命令校長記錄官校教師對國教科的取態，指若有教師罷課，教育局將「視乎個案的實際情况考慮如何處理」。教育局又口頭向校長提出，要上報周一（9月3日）「穿黑衣行動」當日，穿黑衣、繫黑布帶的師生人數並記錄在案。

強調學生、家長和老師等是弱者沒有企圖製造二元思維，也無意將他們受害化。事實上，在這反國民教育這場爭辯中，我們看見反對國民教育者中只剩下自己的身體可以抗爭。他們以絕食表達他們自主，拒絕被控制，卻被批評為激進。他們每晚拖著疲累身體參與集會，以同在表達他們的立場，拒絕被安排，卻被批評為無政府狀態。他們沒有政治籌碼，也不倚靠任何政黨，他們只有的就是絕食的身體、出席的身體和疲累的身體。雖然這些身體只會被消耗下去，但他們義無反顧用這屬於他們的身體，仍去抗爭。他們不是要爭取更大的政治權力和經濟利益，只是很簡單地要取回思想的自由和被剝奪的教育子女的話事權。可惜的是，他們的權利被蔑視了。（一）政府說，你住在香港，就要學我認為你要學的國民教育。但問題是：為何香港人要從國民教育界定？（二）政府說，國民教育已經過咨詢，獲廣泛支持。但問題是：為何仍有很多人表達不滿？為何他們的聲音沒有被反映？（三）政府說，有學校願意開科。但問題是：他們的接受是被利誘結果還是出於自由？

不知是否政府被絕食的身體、出席的身體和疲累的身體所感動還是被立法會選情的考慮，梁振英昨晚決定5年任期內不會將國民教育獨立成科。無論如何，學生、家長和學校等可以先回家休息，計劃下一步如何監察政府。貧窮人和困苦人的力量不是甚麼政治力量，只是一股正義力量，並由此產生一種感染力。很多人參與支持反國教，因為他們被絕食的身體、出席的身體和疲累的身體感動了。聖經說：耶和華必為貧寒人和困苦人辯護，也必奪取那搶奪者的命時，上主不但被他們的遭遇打動了，也被他們的堅持與正義感染了，以致他義無反顧為他們辯護，參與絕食、出席集會，削髮，並以審判者的身分向政府宣判，你不但錯誤，更是不正義，要為此負責任。

民間反對國民教育科大聯盟接受政府的讓步，事情似乎暫時結束，但抗爭並沒有停下來。然而，教會要從這事反思．面對絕食的身體、出席的身體和疲累的身體時，上主選擇了．你站在哪裡？