| 堺在住司祭 ダニエル神父 皆さん‼ あなたの初心を覚えていますか？ 新しい年が明けて、一年を良く過ごすため自ら念押しをした初心、 新しい学校に入学してこれから共にする友達を見ながら感じた初心、 就職して新しい職場に出勤した日の朝、鏡の前でときめきながら立っていた自分自身の顔を見て念じた初心をまだ覚えていますか？ この世に生まれ私の指を握っていた小さな赤ちゃんの温もりを感じながら保った新しい生命に対する初心、恐れもありましたがときめきがもっと大きかった洗礼式の時 神様の前で誓った初心、今朝目覚めながら 新しい1日を与えてくださった神様に感謝して祈った初心を皆さんは覚えていますか？ 私たちは毎瞬間、全てのところで初心を保ちます。 しかしその初心を続けて覚えることは決して生易しいことではありません。 私たちが歩んで行く人生という道とは真っ直ぐにそして正しく伸びている平地だけではありません。 時には高低さが激しい、でこぼこな道も、また近づきたくない茨の道も、そして思ったより大回りするくねくねと曲がった道もあります。 しかし、私たちが人生という海の上で迷子になってしまった時、私たちの道を照らしてくださる灯台、つまりあらゆる出発点で自ら決めたその初心を思い出せば、私たちはいつでも最初に戻ることができます。 私の知り合いの中に、自分自身の初心を今までただ一瞬も忘れず完全に守って来られた方がいらっしゃいます。その初心のため蔑視され、時には罵倒され、また無視され、殴られたこともあります。しかし、自分の初心を忘れずいつもその場で私たちを待ってくださいます。 もしかすると、街の派手やかな灯りに隠され見ることのできなかったあの方の御姿、楽しいキャロルに遮られ聞くことのできなかったあの方の御声… 今度のクリスマスはあの方の御姿と御声に自分の目を開き、耳を傾けたらどうかと思います。 そろそろ2017回目で、変わることのない初心を持って私たちのところに来られるあの方のため、各自の心に小さな飼い葉桶を置く席を備えて見たらどうでしょうか。 たまにはあなたを忘れてしまう私たちにもかかわらず, 相変わらずそういう風な私たちを気遣ってくださるあの方の初心に感謝を捧げます。 主の嬉しい降誕 おめでとうございます。 Initial Resolution Fr. Daniel Have you ever had experiences that you make resolutions when you want to begin something new? Your New Year`s resolutions, for example. Or have you ever determined to try to be considerate to your friends on the first day of your new school? I am wondering if you could remember your resolutions on the first day of your new job while looking at your-self in the mirror feeling nervous? Do you remember your resolutions about new life while holding the tiny fingers of your new born baby? Do you remember the resolutions you made when you were baptized and feeling happy about it? Do you remember that morning when you were praying and being grateful to God because you woke up to a new day? We try to keep our first resolutions in mind no matter when and where. However, it is not easy to do it all the time. We face difficulties in life and often times we forget our resolutions. This is perhaps because the road of our lives is not always flat and straight. Along the way, it could be bumpy and winding. There are times that we also walk along thorny paths and stormy waters. However, even though we lose our way on stormy waters, we could find our way back if we can find the lighthouse that will cast light along the dark paths. In other words, if we could recall back our initial resolution in life, we can always go back to the right place. I know of somebody remained faithful to his resolution and kept it always in his mind. Because of this, he was despised, humiliated, neglected and even was put to death by the people. However, no matter how much he was persecuted, he never forgets his promise, his original intention to save us all. He is always there and is mercifully waiting for us to come back to him. Sometimes, we cannot see and recognized Him because of too much dazzling lights in the streets. We fail to hear his voice because we are so overwhelmed by the loud voices around us. This coming Christmas, why don't we look and listen to Him in the silence of our hearts? This year`s Christmas can also be called the 2017th Christmas in time. He who remained faithful to his promise will once again come into our lives. We can welcome and prepare a little dwelling place, a manger for Him in our hearts. Despite our imperfections, failures and forgetfulness, He never forgets us and always cared for us. With all these, there is nothing we give but our gratitude and thankfulness. A Merry and Blessed Christmas To All! |