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2022 年 5 月 7 日／8 日 Click here for English 一個家，真的可以「散聚皆宜」嗎？
黃志剛牧師
想到家庭的聚與散，腦海便出現以下幾個畫面：在離境大堂的不同角落，一個個離港家庭與前來送機的親友揮手道別，相擁流涕（包括祖父祖母摟著孫兒，聲淚俱下）；父親與妻兒帶淚擁抱，然後依依不捨地目送他們乘車離開自己和自己的家國，往鄰國逃避戰火；疫情高峰期間，住院舍的長者染疫送院，家人不能到醫院探望，甚至患者不幸離世，家人也未能見他們最後一面。悲歡離合、生離死別，似乎是每個家庭都要面對的現實。 然而，與家人離別之後，哪天再重聚？我想起聖經中兩個「散聚家庭」。 （一）雅各自出生便與父母和孿生哥哥以掃一同生活，可惜他在母親的教唆下欺騙父親，奪取了原屬於兄長的祝福。為了保命，雅各離開自己的家，寄居異地。20年後，他帶著從異地得來的一切重回故土，與自成一國的兄長復和，並且得以埋葬年邁的父親。本以為可以在老家安享晚年，怎料自己的驕兒約瑟離家探望兄長後一去不返（被兄長出賣），心想自此與約瑟陰陽相隔，但神恩待雅各家，帶領被賣的約瑟成為異邦的宰相，因著兄長在饑荒中到埃及買糧，使「失散」了 22 年的父子在異地重聚，共享天倫。（創二十五～四十七） （二）耶穌 12 歲時跟隨父母上耶路撒冷守逾越節，節期後，祂沒有跟著父母回家，三天之後，雙親在聖殿找到祂，表達了失散的焦急。耶穌一方面反問他們：「你們不知道我必須在我父的家裡嗎？」另一方面「就和他們下去，回到拿撒勒，並且一直順從他們」（路二 49、51，環球聖經譯本）。18 年後，耶穌才離開家庭，履行天父的福音使命，直到被釘於十字架——祂先把母親交託門徒，然後把自己的靈魂交託天父，回到「我父的家裡」。 雅各家先後兩次的分散，都是源於自身家庭的缺失，本是不合宜的，但神卻使用人為的「失散」成就團聚，破鏡得以重圓。少年耶穌曉得祂真正的家是聖殿，是「我父的家」，留在那裡是合宜的，然而，祂同樣重視地上的家庭，因此願意與父母一起回到成長地拿撒勒，與他們共聚 30 年，這也是合宜的。最後，時候到了，耶穌便與他們分離，到天家與天父團聚。不僅是耶穌，在主裡死了（睡了）的家人，也可以在主再來的日子，一家團聚（帖前四 13-17）。 或聚或散，是死是生；在基督裡，總是一家。 Pastor's Sharing Can One Family Truly Be "Separated and Together"? Rev Patrick Wong When I think of the union and separation of families, several scenes immediately come to mind: at different corners of the departure hall, those departing and family and friends who see them off hug and bid farewell to each other in tears (including grandparents and grandchildren weeping together); fathers hugging and sending their wives and children off tearfully to leave themselves and their homeland for neighboring countries to flee the war; during the peak of the pandemic, infected seniors in nursing homes are sent to hospitals with families unable to visit them nor even see them for one last time when they unfortunately pass away. The joys and sorrows of separation in life and in death is the reality that every family has to face. Yet, after separating with family members, when will there be reunion? I can think of two "separated and reunited families" in the Bible. (1) Jacob had lived with his parents and elder twin brother Esau since birth. But at the suggestion of his mother, he deceived his father and secured the blessing that was intended for his elder brother. To preserve his life, Jacob fled home to live in a foreign land. Twenty years later, he brought all he gained in the foreign land back home to reconcile with his elder brother who was then a nation and was able to bury his aged father. Just when he thought he could spend his last years joyfully at his home, his beloved son Joseph did not return after leaving home to visit his brothers (he was sold by his brothers). Jacob thought he would never see Joseph again. But God was gracious to Jacob’s family and led Joseph who was sold to become governor of the foreign land. When his brothers came to Egypt to buy grain during the famine, there was joyful reunion of father and son after 22 years of separation (Genesis 25-47). (2) At the age of 12, Jesus followed His parents to Jerusalem to observe the Passover. When the festival was over, He did not follow His parents home. Three days later, His parents found Him at the temple and expressed how anxious they were at the separation. On one hand, Jesus responded with a question: "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father’s house?" On the other, "he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them" (Luke 2:49, 51). It was 18 years later that Jesus left home to fulfil the gospel mission from the Father. At His crucifixion, He first entrusted His mother with His disciple before committing His spirit into the hands of the Father and returning to "the Father's house." The two separations Jacob's house experienced originated from deficiencies on the part of the family. They were inappropriate. But God turned the separation caused by man into reunion and put what was broken back together. As a teenager, Jesus knew that His real home was the temple, "the Father’s house." It was appropriate to stay there. Nevertheless, He attached equal importance to His family on earth and was therefore willing to return with His parents to Nazareth where He grew up, to spend 30 years with them. That was also appropriate. Finally, when the time came, Jesus separated with them and returned to the heavenly home to be with the Father. Not only Jesus, but family members who have died (fallen asleep) in Him can also reunite when the Lord comes again (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). Whether together or separated, dead or alive, a family in Christ will always be one family. |