Jun 19-20, 2021
From the Pastor’s Desk: Rev. Simon Lee

Dear brothers and sisters of RCAC,

Last week we talked about the danger of falling into compassion fatigue, when we are on the verge of burnout but keep going because of our “compassion.” How did Jesus our compassionate Lord prevented from falling into compassion fatigue?

We have no doubt that Jesus while on earth was a person who had amazing power, wisdom, and love, because He was the Son of God. But we also know that Jesus was a human being just like us, fully divine while being fully human. We see the human side of Jesus when he showed His sadness, anger, frustrations…, and physical needs for water, food and rest. He endured all the trials and temptations that humans experience, even greater ones.   The writer of Hebrews tells us “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb 4:15, 16) So as a human being, he experienced among other things, fatigue, and this despite His great compassion. There are in fact 21 verses in the Bible that refers to or show the compassion of God and in Christ. Some examples in Jesus: “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” (Mt 9:36) Again, in Mt. 14:14, we read, “When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.” (cf. Mt. 20:34; Mk. 8:2-3)

When faced with these fatigues, what did Jesus do? After a long period of teaching, and after hearing the terrible news of the brutal death of John the Baptist who was his “forerunner,” he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself (Mt 14:13). After his failure to find rest because the crowds followed him, and after another day of ministries and performing a miracle to feed tens of thousands of followers, Jesus again continued his quest for rest. We read, “Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.  And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone…” (Mt. 14:22,23) Jesus sought to rest and pray to the Father at the end of each of His gruesome travel and tiring ministries. Therein lies the secret of His ability to overcome physical and compassion fatigue, and continued to display His power as the Son of God.

The pandemic has taken a lot out of us, especially those of us who are trying to keep up with serving others despite not being able to meet together. Many of us have repeatedly conducted our teaching, caring, witnessing and preaching ministries online. Many of us are experiencing Zoom fatigue, I know I am. We have all done this out of love and compassion. Lest we fall into physical and compassion fatigue, let us live out the life of faith with full reliance on God.  If and when we go back to some form of “normal” or go into a “new normal,” at the Church and start to be busy doing things again, may we remember that that must include and indeed do so pre-emptively, rest.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Your pastor,

Rev. Simon Lee

Jun 19-20, 2021
李耀全牧師

親愛的列宣家弟兄姊妹：

上期與弟兄姊妹探討身體與慈憐疲勞，足在一些熱心服侍或牧會的人仕身上容易發生的。尤其是在疫情大流行期間壓力倍增，但輔助者往往力不從心，以同情心堅持下去，結果便疲憊不堪，陷入慈憐疲勞！

為何耶穌也有這困惑呢？耶穌在世時是擁有驚人的能力、智慧和愛心的人，因為他是神的兒子。但我們也知道，耶穌和我們同樣是一個人，他既是完全的神，又是完全的人。當耶穌表現出他的悲傷、憤怒、沮喪……以及面對水、食物和休息的身體需求時，我們看到了他人性的一面。他忍受了人類經歷的所有考驗和試探引誘，甚至更大的考驗。希伯來書的作者告訴我們：“因為我們的大祭司並不是不能同情我們的軟弱，他像我們一樣，也曾在各方面受過試探，只是他沒有犯罪。”(來 4:15, 16) 因此，作為一個人，儘管他極為富於憐憫，但他還是經歷了疲勞等其他肉身的需要。事實上，聖經中有 21節的經文提到或顯示出神和基督的憐憫心腸，其中有關耶穌的一些例子：“他看見群眾，就憐憫他們，因為他們困苦無依，像沒有牧人的羊一樣。”(太9:36)。我們在馬太福音14:14再次讀到：“耶穌上了岸，看見一大群人，就憐憫他們，醫好了他們的病人。” (參:太 20:34;可8:2-3）

當耶穌面對疲憊不堪時，祂會怎樣做？在經過長時間的教導及聽聞作為他 “開路先驅”的施洗約翰慘死的可怕消息後，他獨自乘船從那裡退到了曠野(太14:13)。但他因著群眾緊迫地跟隨他而無法得到歇息時，又在經過整天的工作和施行神蹟餵飽成千上萬群眾後，耶穌再次尋求休息安歇。經文記載：“耶穌立刻催門徒上船，叫他們先到對岸去，他卻留下來叫群眾散開。他解散了群眾，就獨自上山去禱告。到了晚上，他還是獨自一人在那裡” (太14:22-23)。耶穌在每次令人驚怕的旅程和極度勞累的事工結束後，都尋求休息安歇並向父神祈禱。這就是祂有能力克服肉體和同情心的疲勞，並繼續展示祂作為神兒子得能力的秘訣所在。
在大流行中筆者發覺自己現時比往時更忙碌。疫情大流行帶來我們很多的損失，尤其是我們這些不由自主地無法見面，卻仍然從未鬆懈，努力地服侍別人的人。我們當中大多數的人不斷地透過網上的教導、關懷、見證和傳講信息去事奉。其中的不少的人也經歷到“視頻會議疲勞”(屏幕疲勞症)，我知道自己就是其中之一。我們都是出於愛和關懷/同情而這樣做的。為免於我們陷入身體和同情心的疲勞，讓我們全然倚靠神去實踐信心。若是當我們回到某種形式的“常態”或進入“新常態”，又重新在教堂內開始忙於做事時，請記得，我們必須不忘包括休息在內，並且確實要防範於未然地這樣做，休息，像耶穌忙裡偷閑，在父神裡重新得力。
但那些仰望耶和華的人，必重新得力；他們必像鷹一樣展翅上騰；他們奔跑，也不困倦，他們行走，也不疲乏(賽40: 31)。

您的牧者,
李耀全牧師

Jun 12-13, 2021
From the Pastor’s Desk: Rev. Simon Lee

Dear brothers and sisters,

The pandemic that has devastated us for the last year and a half may soon have run its course, at least we hope so. It has been too long, too tragic, and too sad, for too many. We have all been put to the test in our faith, and we all wonder who will be left standing at the end of the long period of desolations we have to endure. Personally, this past many months have been most trying as I have never experienced anything like it in all my years of ministry. The challenge came in the form of COVID hitting my oldest daughter which also led to Lydia and I having to be self-isolated for 14 days. It came at the same time as the loss of many of my closest colleagues and classmates, and esteemed teachers and veteran pastors due to different illnesses. Also, the difficulties of the ministries seemed to be compounded and more overwhelming when one cannot deal with them face to face, or rely on the knowledge and past experiences one has accumulated. But ultimately the pandemic put to the test on who I am as a person. How I and we all fare at the end depends on what we are made of, whether we are just living a Christian form of life or whether we are truly living the Christ life, the authentic life of faith, lived in the way Christ lived.

It is inevitable that when we go through any trials, whether physical, mental, spiritual, or relational, whatever the nature of the trials is, and even when we are doing things out of care and compassion, fatigue inevitably sets in over time. For those who are the business of caring for others, psychologists call this “compassion fatigue.” The concept comes from “metal fatigue” in big, engineered machines like airplanes that are made of the best metal alloys that are sturdy and last for a long time, even after countless hours of flight. However, after logging thousands and thousands of hours of flight, eventually, even the strongest material starts to become more fragile and run into risks of breaking down, causing terrible accidents.

The concept of “compassion fatigue” is applied to loving and devoted caregivers and health and service providers including those who are in ministries.  It is different from “burnouts” which now refers to the results of being overworked and the experience of overwhelming pressure in different situations. It often happens before a person fall into in a burnout situation but is already on the verge of it. In fact, the reason for not quite falling into a burnout situation is the care and compassion the person has that keeps the person going despite the real need of slowing down, resting and resetting.  Therein lies the danger for us as Christians, we know that we need to live by faith and serve with compassion, but despite our best intention, because we are but human, we will experience physical and compassion fatigue, especially when we try so hard against all odds.

Even Jesus with all His compassion had to fight physical and compassion fatigue at the end of days of ministries of teaching and caring. He had to take time off on His own to pray to the Father till the early hours of the morning (Mt 13, 14). But at the end of all his trials, Jesus was able to walk on water, unlike Peter, the disciple “of little faith” who wanted to be like Jesus but doubted and as soon as he moved his eyes away from Jesus and saw the wind and the water, he sank and cried out desperately for help. There are many lessons we can learn from this familiar story, especially when we are hopefully seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in this pandemic, but I would just like to focus here on one, “compassion fatigue”, learning from Jesus to take rest.  (Continue next week)

Your pastor,

Rev. Simon Lee

 

Jun 12-13, 2021
李耀全牧師

親愛的列宣家弟兄姊妹：

在過去一年半以來令我們身心交瘁的疫情大流行可能很快就會結束了，至少我們希望如此。對於太多人來說，這已經是太長，太難過，太令人悲傷了。我們都經歷了信仰的考驗，我們都在問，在我們必須忍受的長期傷心寂寞時間結束時，誰會站立得穩。就我個人而言，過去的幾個月是最艱難的，因為我在多年的事奉中從未經歷過這樣的事情。對我切身挑戰的是我的大女兒受到病毒感染，這也導致我和師母不得不自我隔離14 天。與此同時，我也面對著許多最親密的同工和同學，以及我所尊敬的老師和資深牧者，也因不同的疾病而離世。此外，在無法面對面處理，或不能依靠所積累的知識和過去的經驗時，令事奉的困難似乎更加複雜和更為難以承受。但至終，這疫情考驗了我到底是何等人。我或我們如何存活，取決於我們是由什麼所形成(構成)的，我們是否只是過著一種外表基督徒的生活形式，或是我們真的活出基督的生活，真確的信仰生活，以基督的方式去生活。

當我們經歷任何考驗時，無論是在身體、心理、靈性或是人際關係的各方面，不論考驗的性質如何，即使我們所作的是出於關懷和同情心，隨著長時間的付出，感到疲倦是在所難免。對於那些專責關心服侍他人的人，心理學家稱之為“慈憐疲勞”。這個概念來自大型工程機械(如飛機)的“金屬勞損(metal fatigue)”，這些機械由最高質料的金屬合金製成，堅固耐用，即使經歷無數小時的飛行也能持續很長時間。然而，經過成千上萬小時的飛行，最終，即使是最堅固的材料也會開始變得更得脆弱，而且面臨崩潰的風險，從而導致可怕的意外事故發生。

這個概念應用於充滿愛心和忠誠的關顧者以及健康和服務提供者，包括那些投身於事奉的人，被稱為“慈憐疲勞”。與“耗盡”不同的是指工作過度以及在不同情況下承受壓倒性壓力引致勞累的結果。通常在一個人陷入耗盡狀態之前，已經是處於這種疲勞狀態的邊緣了。事實上，導致耗盡的原因是出於這人對他人的關切與同情，令他儘管在明顯有需要放緩步伐時，仍不休息及重新調整。即使我們基督徒也是面臨著耗盡危機的。我們知道需要憑信心生活並以同情心服侍，但儘管我們的本意是最好的，但由於我們只是人，尤其是當我們如在困難重重的情況下仍不斷作出努力時，我們會經歷身體和同情心的疲勞。

在結束昔日教導和關懷事工的日子裡，即使是滿懷憐憫的耶穌，也不得不與身體和同情心的疲勞爭持。他不得不獨自抽出時間向天父祈禱，直到清晨(太14:13,14)。但在他所有的考驗完結時，耶穌能夠在水面上行走，不像彼得這個“小信”的門徒，他想與耶穌一樣行在水上做卻存著懷疑，當他一旦將視線從耶穌身上移開，看到風和海浪時，他便沉了下去，並絕望地呼救。我們可從這個熟悉的故事中可學到不少教訓，尤其是當我們盼望在這疫情中看到隧道盡頭的曙光時，但我只想在此集中於“慈憐疲勞”這方面去看並向耶和華學習安息。(下期續)

您的牧者,
李耀全牧師

 

 

May 29-30, 2021
李耀全牧師

疫情漸緩、解封有望、詩篇拙譯、與眾互勉、等待重返、主恩同頌！

詩84   在COVID-19 疫情中，自由意譯作反思之用

1耶和華我主我的元帥啊！ 您的聖所真是可愛無比。

2 我靈極之渴想返回耶和華我主的教會，

我身心也向永活的神歡呼歌頌。

3 耶和華我主我的元帥啊！我的王我的神啊！

真羡慕在你的聖所旁邊，連麻雀也找到棲身之所,

燕子也為自己找到安全又可安置她小燕的窩巢 。

4 有福 的人就是如此在你殿中找到安息， 可以在那裡不斷讚美你。            （細拉）

5 有福的人也就是靠你得力 ，彷彿在他們心中有個GPS的地圖指向聖所。

6 會眾長途跋涉地經過泣城(列城)的大街小巷，

神卻使這枯城成為活泉，春雨又把城處處蓋滿成為福杯滿溢的綠洲，

7 他們愈走愈起勁，愈走近教堂愈興奮，

直到每人可去到敬拜我主我神。

8 耶和華我主我的元帥啊！ 求你垂聽我的禱告；

我們先賢的神啊！ 求你側耳細心聽。  （細拉）

9 神啊！ 求你垂顧我們的救主，

求你眼目看守你的受膏者基督。

10在你聖所逗留一日 ，勝過能在別處停留千日；

我寧願選擇站在神的殿之門口等候，也不願在罪惡之城内與罪人同流合污。

11   因為耶和華我主我神是保護我的君王 (是太陽、是盾牌 )，

耶和華我主傾賜給我豐盛的生命(恩惠和榮耀)；

因他連一樣好處都沒有保留而不給那些生活正直的人。

12   耶和華我主我的元帥啊！有福的人就是那完全倚靠你的人。 (李譯, 26/05/2021)

 

May 29-30, 2021
From the Pastor’s Desk: Rev. Simon Lee

 

How spectacular is your house, O God Almighty!

My soul longs to be back at church,

my whole being yearns desperately to be back in your sanctuary,

where I can sing heartily with joy to you the living God.

How I envy the birds that find a home there, and

the sparrows can also find a safe haven there, to nest and raise their young,

right next to the sanctuary, O my King, and my God.

How blessed are those who can find rest in your house,

constantly singing praise to you!

How blessed are those who find strength in you,

in each soul is found a GPS leading them to church

In going through the windy roads and heavy traffic of the weeping city,

God creates many oases of refreshing water, blessings from early rain!

After the road most travelled by many fellow travellers,

every seeker of God can personally approach their God and worship Him.

O Lord God Almighty, hear my prayer,

listen carefully, O God of our forefathers!

Behold our protector,

look with favour on the face of Christ, your anointed One!

One day spent in your sanctuary is better than a thousand spent elsewhere.

I would rather linger and wait at the entrance of the church!

than mix in with the crowds in the parlours and casinos of the wicked world.

For you O Lord God are a royal protector,

and you O Lord, shower me with an abundant life – gifts and honour

The Lord does not hold back extravagant blessings

from those who walk with integrity.

O Lord Almighty,

How blessed is the one who trust fully in you!                       (SL, May 26, 2021)