主題：主愛的人在世享平安
在這一夜，我們慶祝救主的降生。因為祂不但帶給全人類希望，更帶給世人平安。說起「平安」，原來我們每主日所唸、所唱的【光榮頌】開頭的兩句，就是出自路加福音的聖誕故事（路2:14）。不過，在翻譯的過程中，「主愛的人在世享平安」，就出現了不同的演繹。例如，大家可記得「新生王」歌的重句部份嗎？「天主榮福樂天庭，善人在地享太平。」那麼？究竟是「主愛的人」抑或是「善人」呢？是否「新生王」歌為了遷就旋律纔寫成這樣呢？
原來希臘文原文和拉丁文的翻譯都是「在地上平安給人類、善意」。這個「善意」亦可解作「快樂、滿足、喜悅」等等「美好」的意思。在一般的情況下，希臘文和拉丁文都是把形容詞放在名詞之後，所以「善人」在拉丁文是「人善」，「惡人」是「人惡」等等。因此，希臘文和拉丁文都可以理解為「在地上平安給善意的人」，大部份的英文翻譯都是採取了這個意思翻譯。所以，「新生王」歌的歌辭，並非是遷就旋律所致，而是對原文的其中一種理解。
根據KJV的經驗，我們如何評價思高版聖經的翻譯呢？「主愛的人」與「善意的人」哪一個比較好呢？我個人認為「善意的人」加入了道德判斷的條件，排除了心懷惡意、恨意、貪婪、懶惰和迷色等等的人，不及KJV那樣包容。「主愛的人」則不同，試問世間有誰不是天主所愛的呢？無論你有多少惡意、恨意、貪婪、懶惰和迷色，天主依然愛你，給你悔改機會，刷新在你身上的天主肖像，並且以各種各樣的聖事滋養你，使在你內的天主肖像，達於圓滿美善。翻譯成「主愛的人」，或者是「主所喜悅的人」包容了所有的人，符合若望福音所說：「因為天主沒有派遣子到世上來審判世界，而是為叫世界藉著祂而獲救。」（若3:17）它既解決了KJV的不對稱問題，卻有KJV的包容。所以是目前最好的翻譯。
那麼，我們既是天主所愛的人，我們有「平安」嗎？
耶穌基督不但使世界自由，並賜給我們擺脫罪惡束縛的自由，從而獲得平安。我們有焦慮，因為我們祗注意自己的需要和自己的困難。我們不快樂，因為身邊的人做事，不符合我的期望！政府因為青年人參加社會運動而憂慮，因為他們不專心學業。家長憂慮女子的學業，覺得進不了大學便沒有前途。可是，很多在社會上成功的人士，不一定是大學畢業的，而且，在天主的計劃裡，祂希望我讀大學嗎？讀醫科嗎？抑或是召叫我成為一個服務窮人的社工或神職人員呢？很多成年人都憂慮健康，害怕死亡，使藥廠賺大錢。可是，生老病死不是人人必經的階段嗎？生命不是掌握在天主的手中嗎？我們有需要如此過份焦慮嗎？耶穌基督所教導的「天主經」，不是教導我們求天父賜給今天的日用糧嗎？把明天的焦慮留待明天，即是說，把一切交托給天父照顧，大家領會到多少呢？
各位兄弟姊妹，讓我們把一切，我們的生命、健康、事業、家庭、香港社會、我們的祖國和整個亞洲、整個世界，完全交托到天父的手中，完全按祂的旨意開展。讓我們獲享天賜的平安，全世界得享太平。
這裡不得不提1611年的英文KJV翻譯，它把經文譯成「在地上平安、喜悅歸予人。」這是多麼幸福的翻譯，耶穌基督的出生，帶來了平安和美好的一切！惟一的缺陷是不對稱，天主祗有光榮，人卻有平安和喜悅。但這個翻譯比其他的翻譯更勝一籌之處，在於天主的平安是施予所有的人，不局限於「善意的人」。
所謂「人無遠慮，必有近憂。」真的，我們一日生活在這軀殼之內，一日就必須滿足各種各樣生理、心理、人際關係、經濟、社會及文化的需要。需要得不到滿足，便會產生焦慮，哪來平安呢？
耶穌基督的誕生給我們甚麼啟示呢？
試想像一下，蜘蛛俠如何自由自在地在長、闊和高三度空間翻騰。現在他身處兩座相當緊貼的大廈之間，追捕一些歹徒。蜘蛛俠從三度空間困在二度空間之中。不幸，他跌落一條極狹窄的管道裡，並逃避著一隻怪獸從後追殺。現在，蜘蛛俠祗得一度空間的自由。聖子的降生也有相似。身為宇宙的主宰，素來不受任何限制，可以隨心所欲的天主，卻從無限度的空間之中，把自己降格到生活在祗有三度空間的人類世界裡。例如：祂失去了第四度空間的自由，即「時間」的自由。祂花了九個月的時間在瑪利亞的胎中成長，祂不像孫悟空一樣，一出生便是成年人等等。祂有人類的軀殻和它所帶來的不方便：如飢饑、疲倦、有人類的喜怒哀樂，並且會死去！耶穌基督所做的一切，都是為了服從天父的旨意，拯救這個被罪惡所束縛的世界。即是說，耶穌基督犧牲了自己的自由，以換取這個世界的自由！
祝各位聖誕快樂！
天主保祐！
Mid-Night Mass, (Year B)
Theme: Peace on Earth to Men God loves
This night, we celebrate the birth of our Saviour. It is because not only does he bring us hope, but also peace.
When peace is mentioned, it reminds us that the first sentences of Gloria we sing on Sunday masses come from the Lucan nativity story (Luke 2:14). However, there are many renditions on "Peace on earth to Men God loves" in the process of translation. For example, the Douay-Rheims Bible translates it as "and on earth peace to men of good will." Well, which one is right, "men God loves" or "men of good will"?
The Greek original is "καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκία" and the Latin translation is "et super terram pax in hominibus bonae voluntatis" This "εὐδοκία" can mean "good will, delight and satisfaction etc." all sorts of good things. Usually, in Greek and Latin, they put the adjective after the noun. Thus "good men" in Latin becomes "men good" and "bad guys" is "guys bad" etc. Thus, in Greek and Latin, the sentence can be understood as "and on earth peace to men of good will". Most of the English translations take this interpretation. But this is only one of the many interpretations.
From the KJV experience, how shall we evaluate the John Duns Scotus Chinese translation? Which is better, "men God loves" or "men of good will"? Personally I think that "men of good will" is morally judgmental. It excludes those of evil will, hatred, greed, sloth and lust etc. It is less tolerant than KJV. "Men God loves" is different. Whom on earth does God not love? No matter how much evil, hatred, greed, sloth and lust you harbour, God still loves you and give you chances of repentance to polish the image of God in you. Moreover, He nourishes you with all sorts of sacraments so that the image of God in you may be fully realized. "Men God loves" includes all. It agrees with what John's Gospel says, "For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him." (John 3:17) It solves the asymmetry of KJV but as tolerant as KJV. Therefore, it is so far the best translation I know of.
Well then, since we are loved by God, do we have peace?
Let us imagine Spider Man and how he swings freely in the three dimensions of length, breadth and height. Now, he is chasing some criminals between two closed built mansions. He is confined from three dimensions to two. Unfortunately, he falls into a very narrow tunnel, chased from behind by a monster. Now, Spider Man has only one degree of freedom. The incarnation of the Son of God suffers a similar fate. The Author of the Universe is unlimited and free to follow His heart. But from His infinite freedoms, he degraded Himself into the three dimensional world of humanity. For example, He lost his fourth degree of freedom, the freedom of time. He had to spend nine months in the womb of the BVM to grow, unlike the Monkey King who was fully grown at birth etc. He took upon himself human flesh and all its inconveniences such as hunger, exhaustion, all sorts of emotions and even death! Jesus Christ did all these to obey the will of the Father to save this world from the bondage of sins. That is to say, Jesus Christ sacrificed his own freedom in exchange for the freedom of the world!
Not only has Jesus Christ set the world free, but he also gives us the freedom from the bondage of sins so that we can have peace. We suffer anxiety because we only focus on our needs and our difficulties. We are unhappy because people do not meet our expectations! The government worries about young people taking part in social activism because they do not focus on their studies. Parents worry about the studies of their children, thinking that there is no future without a university degree. However, many successful people in the society are not university graduates. Moreover, is it God's plan for me to study in the university? Does God want me to study medicine? Or does God calls me to become a social worker to serve the needy or even to be a clergy? Many adults worry about their health and are afraid of death, thus fattening the pharmaceutical companies! But isn't birth, ageing, sickness and death natural stages of life? Does God not sustain our lives in His hand? Do we need to be so excessively worried? Jesus teaches us the Lord's Prayer. Does he not teach us to ask the Father today for our daily bread? Let tomorrow's worries for tomorrow. That is to say, entrust everything into the hands of the Father. How much do you buy?
Brethren, let us entrust everything, our life, health, career, family, the Hong Kong society, our mother country, the entire Asia and the whole world into the Father's hand, that they unfold according to His will. Let us enjoy this heavenly bestowed peace. Let the whole world enjoy peace.
Here, I cannot ignore the 1611 KJV translation. It reads, "and on earth peace, good will toward men." How lovely this translation is! The birth of Jesus Christ brings peace and all sorts of good things to us! The only flaw is its asymmetry. God only has one thing, glory while men have two, peace and good will. But this translation is better than others in one way. God's peace is given to all, not just to "men of good will".
"Life is a huge bag of worries". Indeed, as long as we dwell in our flesh, we have to meet all sorts of physiological, psychological, interpersonal, economic, social and cultural needs. When needs are not met, anxiety arises. Where can we find peace?
What does the birth of Jesus Christ reveal us?
Merry Christ!
God bless!
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