與自己及世界建立和平 Peace in us and the world

與自己及世界建立和平  Peace in us and the world

周偉文

斯里蘭卡在復活節於天主教堂崇拜及酒店發生連環炸彈爆炸案，超過300人死亡，震撼著全世界人的心。事發後「伊斯蘭國」組織承認策劃事件，但斯里蘭卡政府承認十天前已收到情報，有極端伊斯蘭教組織將發動襲擊，政策官員缺乏溝通，引致沒有採取任何措施防止襲擊的發生，有關官員，難辭其咎。

The world was shocked by the Easter Sunday bomb blasts at Sri Lankan Catholic churches and hotels have killed more than 300 people. The ISIS has claimed the responsibility but the Sri Lankan government admitted they had lead 10 days ago to tell external terrorist support were there to organise attack; but due to unforgivable lack of communication that the government did not take any precautionary measure to avoid the attack.

現時證據顯示，襲擊由當地一個伊斯蘭教極端組織，在國際恐怖份子協助下，策劃了這一次行動。恐怖份子往往由於覺得自己受到壓制，故意使用暴力方式，傷害無辜及沒有關聯國家的平民百姓，製造恐慌，叫敵人對自己產生害怕。恐怖份子不少是由民族主義、宗教狂熱者或進行革命抗爭者等。

It now appeares that a local Islamic extremeists body aided by international force was responsible for the attack. They employed this fear and violent tactic on mass innocent public as an revenge on the suppression of their activities. Many terrorists are made up of nationalism, religious fanatics or revolutionary fighters.

受苦節本來是記念耶穌基督為人類的罪，獻上自己的生命作為贖罪祭，三天後復活，展現著神愛的本質。相信的人從神願意犠牲，學會饒恕，進而也展現出神愛的屬性，生命得到救贖。在復活節進行大規模的恐怖活動，正是要叫人對神的愛及拯救失去信心。在應該展現和平、愛及寬恕的力量的時候，恐怖份子要人震攝在暴力、仇恨及無休止的苦毒之中。
Easter is here for us to remember God’s love by sending Jesus to earth and to resurrect three days after death so that we could have salvation from our sins. These are lessons of sacrafice and forgiveness for believers, showing them God’s love and presence of a saviour. Terrorist acts during Easter is there to destroy our faith on God’s love and salvation. Amid a designated time of peace, love and forgiveness, terrorists want us to go through bitterness of violence and hatred.

不管你有沒有宗教信仰，我們對人生總要存有盼望，我們才能有勇氣面對將來的挑戰。恐怖份子就是要我們對將來失去信心，放棄掙扎，向暴力屈服。
Irrespective of whether you have religion or not, we must have hope of life in order to keep walking amid challenges. Terrorism aims to make us no faith thus to give up facing violence.

今天，全世界人的心都在與這些受傷害的人走在一起，新西蘭總理阿德恩在基督城恐襲後曾說：「我們是一體的，他們就是我們。」，表明的是我們與所有無辜受傷害的人是連在一起的，這就是愛的表現。

The world’s hearts go with these victims and their loved ones. After the Christchurch shootings, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern addressed the Parliament saying: “Together we are One. They are us.” meaning we are with anyone who suffered, this is the meaning of love.

在生活之中，不少人內心也常為苦毒所困住。這樣的人，他們看到別人，總是見到別人虧負他的一切，心中也常有不平，要用各種手段尋求報復。有人會自己欺騙自己，故意作出屈往正直，傷害別人。這樣的人，其實和這些恐怖份子一樣，被心中的苦毒所欺騙。
Some people’s daily lives are also trapped with bitterness. They only tell how others are doing harm on them and they always want a pay back. Just like those terrorists, these people keep cheating themselves and hurting others due to their perceived bitterness.

只有把心中的苦毒放下，人才能與自己和世界重新建立和平。

Only when we can release our bitterness, we can rebuild the peace with ourselves and this world.