奧運－最緊要好玩

執筆之際，奧運會已完滿閉幕，並沒有恐怖活動發生。對香港觀眾來看，今次奧運會有以下值得關注議題。第一，有關電視台免費轉播一事。雖然最後無線與亞視合作在免費電視台播放，但世界性大型節目的獨家轉播權始終是一個還未解決的問題。究竟奧運是一個商業活動還是一個公共利益活動？若與公共利益無關，奧委會就不會要求獲取轉播權的電視台需要提供約240小時免費轉播。那麼，兩年後舉行的足球世界杯又當如何看待？政府有何角色？第二，奧運與國家意識關係。當香港正就推行國民教育一事鬧得熱烘烘時，奧運帶出若干問題值得我們留意。當香港單車選手李慧詩獲銅牌時，整個城市都為她感到興奮和雀躍。這應被解讀為一種分離意識還是國家意識？事實上，一日有香港以獨立身分參與國際活動時，這問題一日就無法釐清。另一方面，當劉翔絆倒和女子羽毛球雙打于洋和王曉因打消極波而被取消資格時，香港人如何評論這些事？這與國民教育的關係又如何？

說回來，若奧運精神是參與，不是勝利，我們如何維護這奧運精神。第一，拒絕將奧運成為一項商業活動。然而，自1984年奧運引入商業參與時，奧運本身就避不開與商業糾纏。最簡單，電視台轉播權已是一項商業運作。如何減少商業反轉來決定奧運成為重要議題之一。第二，拒絕將奧運成為一項政治活動。雖然奧委會拒絕任何政治標語帶入競賽和不列得獎牌排名，但當國旗高升和國歌奏起時，某種國際角力已出現了。為了克服以上困難，奧委會刻意提升奧運的道德性。例如，強調奧運的友誼精神和奮鬥、比賽時的更快、更高和更強和公平競賽等價值。然而，奧運的道德性卻製造新一輪問題。運動本身只是一場遊戲而已，不需太認真，贏輸問題不大，絕不需背負國家和個人榮辱感。競賽規則和公平競賽是基本，因為這有助提升遊戲的刺激性和可觀性。最緊要好玩和感覺良好是運動的基本。至於運動對個人的道德意義，這只是個人的事，不需過份吹捧。我不贊成報紙對李慧詩個人辛酸史的描述，因為這是一種將奧運道德化，使運動不再是運動，成為工貝。坦白說，今日奧運之所以有消極比賽、食用藥物、不仁道的訓練等出現就是對奧運太認真，甚至太有道德性（國家比個人重要），反而回復它的遊戲性質時，我們就更輕鬆地看待運動。這是我對我喜歡英超聯賽曼聯的態度。

種子

2011 - 12年度幼稚園畢業典禮（基督教香港崇真會）


生日使我們聯想起蛋糕、春節使我們聯想起利是。那麼，畢業聯想起甚麼？（同學、家長和老師的回應。）我聯想起兩件事。第一，畢業袍。只有在畢業禮才穿上畢業袍，所以，我今日會穿上畢業袍（穿袍行動），跟你們一齊畢業。第二，禮物。它可以是畢業證書、文具、雪糕一杯，甚至去尖沙咀行街。至於禮物，讓我跟你們講一個故事。


昨晚，我作夢。（你們有發夢嗎？夢見甚麼？）

我夢見我進入一間商店，站在服務台後面是一位天使。

我問，「這裡賣甚麼？」

他說，「這裡甚麼都有。」

我問，「這是否一間超級市場？」他沒有答，只微笑。

我很興奮地說，「我想要公仔麵、菊花茶、世界和平、好朋友．．．」（道具）

天使說，「不好意思，你誤會了。我們不是買果子，卻買種子的。我們有愛的種子、誠實的種子、好奇的種子、創意的種子、友誼的種子．．．」（預備種子）

跟果子不同，種子需要心力和耐性培植。當愛的種子、誠實的種子、好奇的種子和創意的種子成長後，你們就有很愛、有誠實、有好奇、有創意的果子，甚至可以跟人分享。你們要甚麼種子？（同學回應）（預備種子和小袋）

各位家長，學校可能沒有成功為你們的孩子考上名校，但肯定的，老師在他們心靈上已播下愛的種子、誠實的種子、好奇的種子和創意的種子。同樣，你們的孩子也在學校播下歡樂的種子、希望的種子和創意的種子。讓我們悉心培養在他們心靈中的種子。

你認識你所跟隨的耶穌是誰嗎？(可六45-52)

對於門徒因耶穌在海面上走而甚驚慌的反應，作者馬可的評論是「因為他們不明白那分餅的事，心裡還是愚頑。」馬可的評論是否中肯？我們先要理解他所指的分餅是一回甚麼的事。若按故事的上下文，分餅應該是指我們熟識的五餅二魚的故事。對馬可來說，以五餅二魚餵飽五千人絕對是一件神蹟，而門徒應該從中認識耶穌是上主的兒子，但問題是，門徒似乎沒有從中認識耶穌的身分，以致他們因耶穌在海面上走而被嚇呆，甚至認為他是鬼怪。門徒的愚頑不是因為這是人的正常反應，而是因為他們還未真正接受耶穌是上主的兒子。讓我跟你們分享教會近日一件驚慌的事。



基督徒認識耶穌是祂滿有恩典和憐憫，而典範例子是與罪人、妓女和稅吏一同吃飯。罪人、妓女和稅吏等是否在耶穌眼中是罪人還是他們是被罪者？若他們是罪人，耶穌與他們吃飯的重點可能就是勸導他們不要再犯罪；若他們是被罪者（即受害者），耶穌與他們吃飯的重點就是要表達他站在他們一方，接納他們，挑戰傷害他們的人和制度。那一個理解正確？我們不知道耶穌是否有勸導他們不要犯罪，但從法利賽人對耶穌與罪人、妓女和稅吏吃飯的不滿意卻反映耶穌與他們吃飯的行動是挑戰主流社會對他們的標籤。耶穌的吃飯表達他們被上主所愛，也應被社會尊重而不是排斥。相反，若耶穌勸導罪人、妓女和稅吏悔改的話，我相信法利賽人必然很支持耶穌。至於耶穌是否有勸導他們和如何看他們的身分，這是耶穌與他們的事，與周遭的人無關。為何周遭的人那麼緊張？


有教會（香港浸信會聯會、基督教宣道會香港區聯會及中國基督教播道會總會）選擇以刊登廣告，以神的設計、神的律法和神的審判批評同性戀行為是罪，而不是刊登廣告，邀請他們一同吃飯，建立友誼，挑戰社會歧視。聲明說，「呼籲基督徒效法基督，要對罪惡心思行為絶不妥協，惟對陷入罪途及有相關傾向的人，則應予愛心關懷並援助（約三：17）；教會更須向會眾推行相關的聖經教導，以達成基督的大使命！」為何他們的呼籲沒有提及社會對同性戀的歧視，甚至多年來對他們造成的傷害？為何他們的呼籲不是朋友的邀請，一起吃飯，建立友誼？這些教會豈不是經歷和宣講那與罪人、妓女和稅吏吃飯，並滿有恩典和憐憫的上主，但他們對待同性戀卻完全忘記了上主的恩典。為何教會對同性戀變得如此驚慌，甚至「見鬼」？按馬可評論，「因為他們不明白耶穌與罪人、妓女和稅吏一同吃飯，心裡還是愚頑。」


門徒因耶穌在海面上走而感驚慌，因為他們將這行為聯想起鬼怪。門徒的聯想不是不可理解的，因為以捕魚為生的門徒對海上鬼怪的故事並不陌生。那麼，門徒的愚頑不必然因為他們不信，而是因為他們對耶穌的認識受制於他們昔日的經驗。一方面，昔日經驗指人生經驗。另一方面，昔日經驗也指信仰的經驗。以信仰經驗為例，信仰經驗讓我們對耶穌有很基礎的認識，但同時，我們要擺脫經驗的固定性，以致經驗沒有侷限我們，反而讓我們去開拓。例如，在福音書的記載中，患病的都被耶穌醫治。耶穌是醫治者是我們對耶穌很基礎的認識，但我們不應侷限以此對耶穌的認識。否則，當我們的病情或親朋的病情得不到醫治時，我們就很難接受耶穌是醫治者。另一例子就是早期教會所面對的情況。一方面，猶太人受猶太教主義所限，未能認識耶穌是彌賽亞。另一方面，成為基督徒的猶太人仍受猶太教主義所限，未能完全接受外邦人成為基督徒。然而，沒有猶太人彌賽亞經驗，我們不可能理解耶穌的身分。然而，個人的驚慌不只是對個人的影響，更由此影響周遭的人，因為他們被視為鬼怪了。我們與罪人、妓女和稅吏一樣，都是罪人和蒙恩的人，不要看待他們的鬼怪。


你認識你所跟隨的耶穌是誰嗎？祂餵飽五千人、在海面上走、與罪人、妓女和稅吏一同吃飯、醫治病人。這樣的一位主如何讓我們面對人生的不幸和突發、社會中的貧窮者、同性戀者和患病者。在驚慌中，耶穌向我們說，「不要怕！」我們要認識我們所跟隨的耶穌。

Aliens in their homeland (Mk 6:1-6)

    Jesus’ being rejected by his town is best described as an alien in his native town. Alien here is not related to the movie Alien about external invasion to the earth. Neither is this related to one's immigration status. But rather it is an experience of being rejected, marginalized and exclusion. Jesus’ experience strikes me in two ways. First, what is the purpose of Mark to give a record of this story? Second, why isn’t Jesus honored by his town? Regarding the first question, it seems to me that Mark intends to use this Jesus’ particular experience to establish a thesis that Jesus is not only not honored by his town, but also by the Jews and even his created world. Although this is not explicitly expressed in Mark’s Gospel, this thesis is fully articulated in John’s Gospel. John writes,

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. (Jn 1:10-11)

Jesus’ historical experience of being not honored by his town is one of the his many, and finally, Jesus is ended up in crucifixion. Mark reminds us that this is the Lord whom we follow, and we Christians share the same destiny of our Lord Jesus.

    Apart from the theological implication of that Jesus is not honored by his town, there are political reasons. For instance, there is a suggestion that the radicalness of Jesus makes the people of his town hesitate to ally with him, for they do not want to be involved in the conflict with Pharisees. Another suggestion considers that there may be some people in Nazareth that have a high social status, and therefore, Jesus’ high reputation would be considered as a threat to them. These are possible reasons. But having an experience of my native land being colonized, I would suggest that Jesus not being honored is due to a kind of colonialized mentality found in Nazareth. Let me explain this. During the time of being colonized, the people of Hong Kong, 96% are Chinese, struggled to enter English-speaking schools, gave priority to purchase western products, and looked up to the Westerners. Ironically, the people of Hong Kong looked down on the Chinese language, the Chinese products and even the Chinese people. This may be because China was weak and uncompetitive at that time. There is truth in it. Nevertheless, the post-colonial theory reminds us that the experience of looking up on the West has been turned into a discourse that shapes our mind and even becomes our life, and as a result, we no longer question the discourse and accept this as the right and reasonable thing to do. Even though Hong Kong is no more a colony, the colonial mentality of looking up to the West and the Chinese authorities has not been challenged.

    In the light of the post-colonial theory, we have a different understanding of Jesus' experience of being rejected by his home town. At the time of Jesus, Nazareth was a small town with a population of around 600-800 people. It is definitely incomparable with a big city like Jerusalem in terms of opportunities, prosperities and civilization. It is common for the people of Nazareth to admire a big city. Therefore, they do not honor Jesus, not just because they do not have trust in him, but also because they do not have confidence in themselves. They are looking up to the big city, and believe that everything from big city is better than the local. Thus, Jesus’ experience reminds us that first, the colonial discourse is not only taken place in a colonial status, but at anytime and anyplace. Second, the colonial discourse is not just a belief, but it can deprive one’s potentiality, and even one’s identity. The Bible says

Jesus could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them.

    If my introduction to the post-colonial theory to understand Jesus’ experience is acceptable as one of the reasons of Jesus’ being rejected, our immediate concern is what this would mean for the followers of Jesus. First, we should be aware of and critical of different kinds of colonial mentality featured by both Chinese and western cultures, capitalism and liberalism that limits the freedom of our faith in Jesus. Second, we should have self-confidence so that we can have faith in our brothers and sisters, and their life can be blossomed. It is not their untrustful, but rather it is our suspicious that makes us disbelief.

    Being alien in his home is the experience of Jesus in Nazareth. We have seen how such status can deprive his potentiality and even his life finally. In fact, Jesus’ experience is found in different corners of our world, such as, Palestinians in the so-called Israelite land, ethics groups in Myanmar, people like Liu Xiaoboa and Ai Weiwei in China, homosexuals in Hong Kong. When the disciples at the time of Jesus are sent to teach, heal and cast out demons, let us go to teach the gospel of grace and embrace, heal the wound caused by exclusion and cast out the demon of ideology represented by suspicious and post-colonial mentality.

Believe the unbelievable (Mk 5;21-24, 35-43)

An event happened 30 years ago. When I finished the high school and applied for university, I was advised not to apply more than one (there is no JUPAS at that time), for this was treated as an act of unbelief to God. My mentor explained that if this was God’s will, one application was enough. Is what he said true? What is faith in God?

The story of Jairus is an example of faith. Put straightly, it is about to believe even in an unbelievable and impossible situation. When he knew that Jesus arrived the shore, he quickly went to meet Jesus, and requested him to heal his daughter at the point of death (v.23). At this moment, Jairus had a strong faith in Jesus in two ways. First, he believed that Jesus had the power to heal, and second, Jesus was willing to heal. Anyway, Jesus was touched by Jairus’ sincere. Unfortunately, Jairus’ daughter was dead before they arrived at his home. The story said nothing about any emotional disturbance of Jairus when he heard the news. Rather Jesus responded immediately by saying that ‘Do not fear, but believe’ (v.36). Jesus’ word was definitely a comfort to Jairus, but whether his daughter was really dead remained a problem for Jairus. If she was dead, what believe meant or whether believe could change the reality. We do not know whether Jairus’ daughter is dead or not, but the story is that it is Jesus who brings life to Jairus’ daughter.

The Bible does not go on to describe how Jairus reflects from this experience. As an observer, I have learnt three insights about ‘Do not fear, but believe’ from Jairus’ experience. First, the emergence of fear is not because we are afraid of something, such as, crockcoaches, but because we do not see any possibilities. Aung San Sui Kyi rightly explains that fear discourages one in pursuit for love and justice, and at the same time, fear makes one to be violence in order to cover up his fear. The latter is exactly what the police are in responding to the protestors in these two days. I have left Cheung Sha Wan Church for 23 years, and many people might have commented that the church would not be able to sustain too long, for there is no significant increase of the number of participants. This is true, but we should not be discouraged either giving in or madly looking for survival skill, not because we believe that we will bounce back one day, but because there is a mission to be completed.

Second, in order not to be discouraged by the disappointed reality, we have to be suspicious of the so-called reality. From the eyes of the people at that time, Jairus’ daughter is dead, and this is uncontroversial. But this is not what Jesus understands. Jesus says she is sleeping. This is not necessarily related to the power of Jesus, but rather this is about a different perspective. I am not suggesting that we should be optimistic all the time, but rather the reality is more than what we have seen. We Christians know this better. Death is the reality, but it is not just about the end. Ironically, there is resurrection in death. July 1 Rally has been held for 15 years, but there is nothing significant achievement, except 2003. Despite this, we should not be discouraged, for we are pleased to see the consciousness of the people is rising.

Third, when we focus on the reality, we may have forgotten that God is in human history. God is not a guest, but an actor in human history. God is never indifference. Jairus’ daughter is lucky, but this may not be the experience of many patients. Despite the fact of that we may not have the same experience as Jairus’ daughter, this would not discredit that God is in history. Since God is in history, the world is not as static and determined as what we see. God has his time, and we have to have faith in him.

Fatalism is alienated from the Christian faith, for the future is not yet determined, and God is in human history. However, there is a tendency that some Christians have turned to a kind of utopianism, and hold that God will do what they believe. Obviously, their belief in God is more about a manipulation of God instead of that ‘let God be God’. Returning to my experience that I have shared at the beginning, it is a mistake to reduce our faith in God to just a matter of one application. Why doesn’t God’s will have many options? Perhaps, the core issue is neither one nor many applications, but rather we should not be discouraged by the so-called reality. There are different dimensions of reality and God is in history.

耶穌到底是誰? (可四36-41)

透過耶穌對病患者的醫治、驅鬼和對大自然的控制，門徒認識耶穌不僅是先知中的一位，更是上主的兒子。今日所讀的聖經關乎耶穌對大自然的控制。經歷耶穌平靜風和海後，門徒彼此說，「耶穌到底是誰？」（節41）


福音書有關耶穌對大自然的控制只有這則故事，但不因只有這則故事，耶穌對大自然的控制就是次要。相反，沒有對大自然的控制，我們對耶穌是上主兒子的理解就不完整，因為耶穌的救贖只限於個人層面。事實上，人類從來離不開大自然對人生活的影響。從種植到畜牧，從房子設計到衣著等等無不受大自然的影響和決定。當時門徒的社會對大自然有兩種體會，第一，他們對大自然的變化沒太多掌握。雖然他們從觀看天色的轉變而預測天氣變化，但對於不動聲色和來得很急的大自然變化是無從入手。明顯例子，門徒與耶穌開船就是對風浪沒有任何預測能力，只看見眼前的平靜，以致他們不知道大旋風已開始形成。第二，因大自然力量是不可預測，而其力量也超出人類可以對抗，人不但感覺微少，更將大自然成為崇拜的對象。透過對大自然的崇拜，人希望從中獲得看顧。因此，當耶穌有能力控制大自然時，門徒都被嚇呆了，因為他們跟隨的耶穌竟比大自然力量還要大。作者將這事記錄，因為他要指出耶穌不只是赦罪和醫治的主，更是大自然的主。

以上對耶穌的認識可能不是當下生活的體驗。不計算人為製造出來的破壞外，我們經歷不同程度的地震、颶風、水災和旱災。若耶穌比大自然力量還要大，甚至有能力控制大自然的話，我們如何理解耶穌對當下大自然破壞我們的生活，甚至取去我們親友的性命而沒有甚麼行動。我們也跟門徒一樣呼喊，「我們喪命，你不顧嗎？」（節38）對香港人來說，我們相對地沒有遇上太多大自然帶來的傷害，但我們的國家和鄰近的國家正經歷不同程度大自然力量的破壞。我們與他們一起向上主呼喊「我們喪命，你不顧嗎？」

坦白說，我沒有答案。我不明白為何上主不停止汶川地震，也不明白為何上主不停止日本海嘯等。若真的要解辯的話，我有以下的嘗試：

第一，聖經用「斥責」來描述耶穌對風的吩咐。「斥責」一詞本身帶有趕除鬼魔勢力的意含。因此，耶穌不是「斥責」大自然的風和海，而是其背後的黑暗勢力。事實上，這是耶穌時代的人對大自然的理解，即大自然是有意識的。然而，今日的我們對大自然理解已有別於耶穌時代。雖然我們同樣受制於大自然，但大自然不是一個有意識和被邪惡勢力所控制。地震和風浪是大自然的秩序，與黑暗力量沒有關係。因此，耶穌不停止地震和颶風不是他不顧及人類的生命，而是他也尊重大自然的內在秩序。重點不在於停止，而在於人類與大自然如何相處和共融.

第二，面對門徒的呼喊，耶穌以行動回應了，但同時，他向門徒說，「為甚麼膽怯？」「你們還沒有信心嗎？」若相信耶穌是大自然的主，也相信上主是看顧我們的主，我們理應不需因面對生活的艱難而膽怯。我們甚至可以這樣說，大自然的破壞力沒有使我們膽怯，失去對上主的信心。問題是：這真的可以嗎？或許，這些問題的基本問題是，「耶穌到底是誰？」若他是一位逢凶化吉的上主，他可能要被更換了，因為他沒有解決我的困難。又若他是一位有能力，但拒絕行動的上主，他可能要被批評了，因為他視而不見。「耶穌到底是誰？」這是一個客觀問題，也是一個主觀問題。你會如何從你的生命遭遇中回答？

以上的嘗試並沒有解答我們的問題：為何上主不停止汶川地震？但以上嘗試帶出新一輪問題，即「耶穌到底是誰？」讓我跟你們分享一個故事：

.............................................

我會抱怨上主，但他是有恩典的上主。

種子與果實

人生第一次被邀請在幼稚園畢業禮 (六所幼稚園) 擔任主禮嘉賓. 帶著戰慄心情引用一個希伯來故事作為題辭: 我夢見我進入一間商店 站在服務臺後面是一位天使 我問，「這裡賣甚麼？」 天使回答，「任何你想要的東西。」 我說，「那真好！我想世界和平、家庭快樂、沒有饑荒．．．」 天使趕著回答，「等一等，你誤會了．我們這裡不賣果實，只賣種子．」