Oblate Conferences

COMMUNITY LIVING: A LIFELONG GOAL

 

OBLATE MEETING REFLECTION

20 March 2017, Roman Paur OSB

オブレヌト 集䌚においお思うこず 2017幎3月20 æ—¥ã€€ãƒ­ãƒŒãƒžãƒ³ãƒ»ãƒ‘ワヌOSB

 

I am very much aware that this may be the last time I am blessed by your presence. I am very conscious also how important it is for me to belong to a community.

今日のこの集たりは、出垭しお䞋さる皆様によっお私が恩恵を頂く最埌の時ずなるこずを、私はしっかりず心に受け止めおおりたす。それず同時に私は、私にずっお共同䜓に属するずいうこずがいかに重芁であるかを深く認識しおおりたす。

 

You are a community of faith that provides courage and strength and hope when we are sad or discouraged.  You are a community of faith that makes us generous and thoughtful and kind.  You are a community of faith that teaches us how to forgive and heal and grow.  You are a community of faith that enriches us with assurance and hope and peace.

 çš†æ§˜ã¯ã€ç§ãŸã¡ãŒæ‚²ã—みや倱望に襲われる時に、勇気、力、垌望を芋出す信仰の共同䜓です。この共同䜓は、私たちが寛倧で思慮深く芪切な心の持ち䞻になるように助けずなる信仰の共同䜓です。赊し、癒し、成長するための道を私たちに教える信仰の共同䜓です。私たちが確信を深め、垌望を抱き、平安に包たれお、心豊かな人になるための、信仰の共同䜓です。

 

We are commissioned by Jesus Christ as his followers to proclaim by our lives the Good News which is our salvation.  The Good News that challenges us to welcome all people, to notice their needs, and to respond with open hearts that God’s love may shine in us and through us.

私たちは、キリストに埓う者ずしお、日々の生き方により、救いの「良き知らせ」を䌝えるようにず蚗されおいたす。「良き知らせ」は、党おの人々を迎え入れ、その人々が困っおいる事に気付き、それに察しお神の愛が私たちの䞭で、私たちを通しお茝くために、心を開いお応えるこずを芁求しおいたす。

 

It is good for us to read and study God’s word and to treasure the living Bible.  It is better for us to anchor our beliefs as followers of Christ in his commandment that we love one another.  But it is best for us to show the meaning of our faith in the example we give one another day by day.  This is Saint Benedict’s way.  This is what his “school of the Lord’s service” is all about.  It may be the meaning of his famous words, “listen with the ear of your heart”.  That is, to be moved to action.  Medical science has discovered that the first of our senses to develop and function while we are still in the womb is “hearing”.  And “hearing” is the last of our senses to fail when we die.  That tells us something of the importance of hearing.

生きた聖曞を倧切にし、それを読み、研究するこずは私たちにずっお良いこずです。お互いを愛するずいうキリストに埓う者の掟に、私たちの確信を眮くこずはもっず良いこずです。しかし、日々の生掻の䞭でこの掟をお互いに察しお実践するこずにより、私たちの信仰の内容を珟すこずは最も良いこずです。これは聖ベネディクトの道です。これが「䞻に仕えるための孊校」が意図する党おなのです。これは、圌の有名な蚀葉、「心の耳を傟け、謹んで聎きなさい」の意味しおいるこずかもしれたせん。すなわち、行いぞず心が動かされるこずです。医孊の研究によっお、私たちが胎内にいる間に最初に発達する機胜は「聞く」感芚であるこずが発芋されおいたす。そしお、私たちが死を迎える時に最埌に消滅するものも、「聞く」感芚です。このこずは聞く事の重芁さに぀いお、䜕かを私たちに䌝えおいたす。

 

Of the many striking lessons and wisdom in the Rule of Benedict there is no other word that better characterizes the overall theme of the Rule than Benedict’s admonition “to listen”.  Benedict’s understanding of listening is an acquired ability, one that usually doesn’t come easily.  Benedict ties listening to feeling for building relational harmony and bringing people together and feeling good.

聖ベネディクトの戒埋の䞭の、倚くの際立ったきわだった教えず知恵の䞭で、「聎きなさい」ずいうベネディクトの戒め以䞊に戒埋のテヌマを特城づけおいる蚀葉は他にはありたせん。ベネディクトは聎く力を習埗出来る胜力であるず理解しおいたす。しかし、それは、ほずんどの堎合容易に埗られるものではありたせん。ベネディクトは聎くずいう事を、関わりのなかに和を育お、人々を結び぀け、幞せな気持になるず感じるこずず、結び付けおいたす。

 

Such listening builds community by being open to discovery and learning; by inviting people in and making them feel safe; by demonstrating unconditional respect and welcome.  Listening, then, may be a primary gesture of hospitality that helps people feel they belong.  It is no wonder, then, that the prophets exhort us as well, perhaps especially Isiah, to listen to the word of God as the pathway of salvation together in the community of believers.  The main door of welcome, therefore, for Benedict, is between our ears in the school of the Lord’s service.

そのような意味での聎き方は、発芋し孊ぶために心を開き人々を迎え入れお安心感を䞎え無条件の尊敬ず歓迎を衚わす事により共同䜓を圢成しおいきたす。そのため聎く事は、人々が自分もそこに属しおいるず感じるために重芁な歓迎の行為になり埗たす。そこで、特にむザダのように、信じる者の共同䜓の䞭で、救いぞの道ずしおの神のみ蚀葉を聎くこずを、預蚀者達もたた匷く勧めおいるこずは䞍思議ではありたせん。そのため、ベネディクトにずっお歓迎を衚す䞻芁な入り口は、䞻に仕えるための孊校にいる私たちお互いの耳の間にあるのです。

 

The world needs perhaps now more than ever women and men who are not closed in on themselves, but filled with your spirit, the Holy Spirit.  The world needs the courage, hope, faith and perseverance of Christ’s followers.  The world needs the fruits of the Holy Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”. The gift of the Holy Spirit has been bestowed upon each one of us, so that we may live lives of genuine faith and active charity, that we may sow the seeds of reconciliation and peace at home and throughout the world.  Strengthened by the Spirit and his many gifts, may we devote ourselves with patient perseverance to the works of justice and peace.

珟代の䞖界は、自分の䞭に閉じこもらない聖霊に満たされた男女を、今たで以䞊に必芁ずしおいたす。䞖界は、キリストに埓う人々の勇気、垌望、信仰、そしお忍耐を必芁ずしおいたす。䞖界は聖霊の実りである「愛、喜び、平和、忍耐、芪切、善良、忠実、自己抑制」を必芁ずしおいたす。私たちが誠の信仰ず生きた愛を実践し、家庭で、あるいは䞖界䞭で平和ず䞀臎の皮を蒔く事ができるために、聖霊の賜物は私たち䞀人䞀人に授けられおいたす。聖霊ずその賜物に匷められお、私たちが粘り匷い忍耐をもっお正矩ず平和のために尜力するこずが出来たすように。

 

Let our Lenten resolutions and practice help us keep in mind our life-long commitment as Catholics to follow our hearts in the way of God’s love, usually in the small things that have big results: a smile, calling someone by name, feeding the hungry, helping a stranger find meaningful work.  Remember always Jesus’ words, he who welcomes another welcomes me.”

四旬節の決心ず実行によっお、私たちのカトリック信者ずしおの生涯の玄束を守る助けずしたしょう。それは神の愛の道を心にずどめそれに埓う事です。埮笑み、誰かをその人の名前で呌ぶ事飢えおいる人に食べ物を差し出す事、よそから来た人を助け良い仕事を芋぀けおあげるこずなど、殆どの堎合小さな行いが倧きな結果をもたらしたす。他の人を喜んで迎えいれる人は私を喜んで迎えいれおいる、ず蚀われたむ゚スのみ蚀葉を垞に心にずどめたしょう。

 

The sadness of leaving is because of the joy of knowing you.  You are a gift that I carry into Eternity. You are a special blessing on my path that helps me see, that nurtures hope, and that gives me peace. 

 ã“の別離の悲しみは、私があなたがたのこずを知っおいる喜びから来るものです。皆さんは、私が氞遠の䞖

界にたで持っお行く私ぞの莈物です。 私の歩む道においお、皆さんは私が物事を理解するのを助け垌望

を育み平安を䞎えお䞋さる特別なお恵みです。

 

http://www.saintjohnsabbey.org/tbm

http://www.saintjohnsabbey.org/monastic-life/oblates/

http://www.saintjohnsabbey.org/monastic-life/oblates/oblate-newsletter/

 

 

BENEDICTINE VALUES

Community Living

Lessons from the Sixth Century Benedictine Tradition: Sixteen Shared Values

Roman Paur OSB, Prior,

Trinity Benedictine Monastery Oblates, 21 March 2016

 

      Saint Benedict was born in 480 in Nursia, northern Italy, a time of continuing social chaos and political instability.  Fifth-century Europe, the end of the Classical Period, had undergone such dramatic upheavals as the collapse of the Roman Empire, bloody invasions of the Goths, Vandals, and Huns, and the sacking of Rome. Famous names of this period, among others, include John Chrysostom (349-407), John Cassian (360-435), Augustine of Hippo (354-430), Clovis I (466-511), Benedict (480-547), Patrick (4th-5th c), Cyril of Alexandria (376-440), Nestorius (386-450), Pelagius (360-418), and Attila the Hun (434-453); and Councils of Ephesus (431 and 449), Council of Chalcedon (451).

      The traumatic turmoil continued into the sixth century, the beginning of the Middle Ages, with fractured kingdoms fiercely competing for power and domination.  The pandemic bubonic plague of Justinian (541) ravished the eastern continent, the Lombards invaded Italy, the Slavs plundered the Balkans and the Visigoths squelched Spain. Important names include the Prophet Muhammand (570-632), Gregory the Great (540-604), Augustine of Canterbury (d.604), Benedict (d.547), Justinian (527-565), Procopius (500-560), Boethius (480-525), Cassiodorus (485-585), Prince Shotoku (573-621); Hagia Sophia Church built in Istanbul (537), Synod of Constantinople (543).

      The Christian monastic tradition begins perhaps in the early fourth century in Egypt, Turkey, and Palestine with such hermits as Paul of Thebes, Basil the Great, Cyprian, Pachomius and, perhaps most notably, Anthony, and spread westward as an established tradition by the sixth century.

      Pope Gregory wrote a history of Saint Benedict about fifty years after Benedict’s death intended to edify the reader perhaps more than set down historical facts.  According to Gregory, Benedict was born in Nursia, a mountain village northeast of Rome.  His parents sent him to Rome for a classical education but he was disgusted by the degenerate life there and left for Subiaco southeast of Rome where he lived as a hermit for three years.  There a monk named Roman looked after him until Benedict moved to Monte Cassino where in about 529 he wrote his Rule and built his premier monastery over an ancient temple dedicated to Apollo. 

      Benedict’s rule draws from earlier monastic and spiritual writings especially of Cassian and Basil.  The Rule is a synthesis of those values of humanity drawn from the Gospel that extol the virtues and vulnerability of people in praise of God and in challenging individuals to grow in virtue with the help of one another in community. The Rule dissects the challenges of people living together affirming a common goal and sharing a belief in God.  Benedict calls his guidelines for community life “a rule for beginners”.

      The mission of Trinity Benedictine Monastery, Fujimi, Japan, echoes the Benedictine tradition throughout history and the world: Trinity Benedictine Monastery is an international Roman Catholic religious community anchored in the Japanese culture.  The monastery serves the Church of Japan as a praying community by witnessing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in life and work of the monks together, in public prayer for world peace and the well-being of all peoples, and in ministries of hospitality, learning, and pastoral outreach.

      Some specific community values underscored in the Rule include:

1. Awareness of God

      Benedict is steeped in the emerging Christian culture of his time.  The Catholic Church is finding its way through local synods and national councils of bishops in defining or clarifying beliefs that at times strain understanding between the east and west, and in both centralizing administration and consolidating power at a time of social upheaval and instability.  The dominant imagery of God is fearsome with vivid imaginings of a need for severe penance, ridged self-denial, and conversion to control the unruly body and emotions, and to “earn” a place in heaven through self-sacrifice and service. But unlike contemporary traditions of monastic asceticism in his day, Benedict emphasized a balance of responsible discipline, thoughtfulness, work, and prayer.  For him perhaps the challenges of community living provided enough ascetic practice! 

2.  Community

It’s all about community for Benedict.  He describes his efforts as a “rule for beginners”.  Those who seek to develop human and Christian virtues cannot usually do it alone, especially in the beginning.  They need “the help of many brethren”.  The wisdom of the Rule underscores the advantages of learning how to be together, work together, and pray together, benefiting from rubbing shoulders, sharing resources, being flexible, and learning to compromise in a life of reality and balance.  And Benedict clearly believes that the monks’ demonstrated love of each other and guests is the measure of their love of God. 

3. Prayerfulness

      For Benedict, extolling community living as the purpose of the monastery is modelling the Gospel prescription of praising God by honoring one another as a way of life.  Special times are designated for common prayer and worship as well as personal prayer and lectio.

4. Hospitality

      The hallmark of the Benedictine tradition is hospitality, welcoming all people, especially strangers and the poor and down-trodden, not only with a friendly greeting but seeing to it that they are properly fed and clothed and have a place to rest for awhile.  No one is to be turned away.  Guests were so prevalent that monasteries typically had a porter or guestmaster and a guest house. 

5. Listening

      For Benedict, the door of hospitality is through the ears!  Benedict writes, “listen with the ear of your heart” meaning that understanding is rooted in discovering the human being with compassion and learning, and benefiting from his or her presence.  Unique to Benedict’s time and tradition is taking counsel with the community before leadership makes a decision and especially noting the importance of listening to the newer and younger members of the community.           

6. Respect

As above with “listening from the heart,” the monks should strive to respect one another and to welcome guests with a similar respect so that they may feel safe and cared about without judgment. Monks and guests alike are to be free of  ridicule in a refreshing oasis of personal and spiritual renewal called conversatio.  The monastery is seen as a place of personal discovery in the tradition of people making and telling their stories and being heard with a sense of belonging and fairness where justice reigns. Practicing civility at an unruly time in history was a primary value.

7. Learning

      Benedict calls the monastery “a school of the Lord’s service,” a refuge of self-awareness and accountability with the help of many brethren. The behavior of an individual is the business of the community. The monks are admonished to look after one another, to anticipate one another’s needs and to respond eagerly with kindness and gentleness.       

8. Forgiveness

      Relational accord is a primary goal that can readily be compromised in community for all sorts of reasons such as resentment, jealousy, power, petty squabbles, etc.  This is a given and Benedict urges people to take advantages of specific resources to resolve conflicts peacefully and heal wounds of discord.  At the core of community living is learning the virtue and benefits of forgiveness, both in forgiving and being forgiven, as the mortar of relational peace.

9. Patience

      Bear with one another’s infirmities, shortcomings, Benedict admonishes, knowing how difficult it can be for people to live and work and pray together, each having faults and failures with the younger members benefiting from the example of the elders.

10. Care for the sick and elderly

      The Rule shows special compassion for the sick and elderly who may have particular needs that require of others patience and persistence.  But neither are they to take advantage of the generosity of their confreres.

11. Order

      Structure is the skeleton of community order and Benedict details the mapping out of the day, seasons, and authority clearly but with flexibility that allows for special consideration and circumstances.  The personal side of public order is disciplining one’s habits in regard to behavior: fraternal interaction, the practice of appropriate silence and speech, eating, drinking, sleeping, etc. This contributes to a sense of healthy wellbeing geared toward deepening selfless and generous service.

12. Remembering

      The life and contributions of individual monks are revered, each savoring the stories of confreres within the community.                                                    

13. Gratitude

      The monk ought to show gratitude to God for the blessings he receives, especially of his faith, that give him the opportunity to serve others in a life of obedience to one another and his superior.

14. Generosity

      Benedict is conscious that the resources of communities will vary considerably depending on the circumstances of the place, people, and time, and he cautions the monks to be generous to others with what little they may have.

15. Work

      With his comment, “by the labor of their hands” Benedict so blesses the value and, therefore, the dignity of work of all kinds, perhaps especially of manual labor along with intellectual discipline and artistic achievement as the bedrock of community livelihood and personal worth.

16. Stewardship

            What we may now call sustainability is deeply rooted in this sixth century document with particular regard given to the tools of the monastery and care for the environment as a sacred trust.  Benedict valued learning and created the “scriptorium” where monks copied and transmitted manuscripts for the preservation of learning and culture of all kinds and from all known sources and traditions.  Important manuscript libraries are associated with Benedictine monasteries.

 

BENEDICTINES, A POINT OF VIEW

 

The Benedictines: A Point of View

ベネディクト䌚修道士䞀぀の芋解

Roman Paur OSB, Prior, Trinity Benedictine Monastery, Fujimi, Nagano-ken

院長ロヌマン・パワヌ OSB、䞉䜍䞀䜓ベネディクト修道院、長野県富士芋町

 

            Hopefully there are important moments in each of our lives with particular people who become very special to us.  Such times and persons stick in our memory, build relationships, and stay with us throughout our years.  These people are our blessings.  They care about us.  They challenge us.  And we are happier because of them.  They give us strength and courage and hope.  They pick us up when we stumble.  They lift our spirits when we are discouraged.  They enlarge us and teach us forgiveness.  They help us see better, work better, and be better.  Such relationships of affection are anchored in precious moments that multiply and deepen.  These moments are wonderful opportunities and special graces, surprising gifts from God who knows our needs.  We cherish such times that germinate love because we touch one another with a seed of immortality that builds us up in this life and surely lingers in the cosmos of eternity. These are truly little miracles that make us feel good and give us a boost.

私たち䞀人䞀人の䞀生の間には、願わくは私たちにずっお特別な存圚ずなる人々に出䌚いそのような人々ず共に過ごす倧事な瞬間がありたす。そのような時ず人々は、私たちの蚘憶に匵り付き、関わりを築き、長幎の間私たちず共に留たりたす。圌らは私たちに䞎えられた恵みです。圌らは私たちに芪切な関心を持ち、私たちの真䟡を芁求したす。そしお私たちは圌らの存圚によっお、より幞せになりたす。圌らは私たちに力ず勇気ず垌望を䞎えおくれたす。私たちが揺らぎそうになった時に支えおれ、萜胆しおいる時に、粟神を高めおくれたす。圌らは私たちをより倧きくし、赊すこずを教えおくれたす。圌らは私たちがよりよく芋、よりよく働き、よりよい人になるように助けおくれたす。このような暖かい関係は、この䟡倀ある貎重な瞬間に碇をおろし、䜕倍にも倧きくなり深められたす。このような時は、玠晎らしいチャンスであり、特別に䞎えられた恵みであり、私たちがそれを必芁ずしおいるこずを知っおおられる神が、私たちを驚かせお䞎えおくださる莈物です。私たちはこのような時を倧切にしたす。なぜなら、この䞖の生掻の䞭で私達を圢䜜り氞遠の宇宙に確実に存圚し続ける䞍滅の源をもっお私達が觊れ合うために、真の愛が芜生える時だからです。これらは私たちを喜ばせ励たしおくれる本圓に倧切な奇跡です。

 

            Saint Benedict was a fifth century Italian sage whose legacy is the Benedictine monastic tradition.  His writings show him to be a practical man steeped in the spiritual culture of his day and a profound understanding of human nature.  He clearly understood and valued the importance of community life.  He was a pathfinder in extolling respectful relationships as the bedrock of spiritual purpose and a primary means of seeking God.  Saint Benedict called his guidelines for community living a “Rule for beginners”.  But it set the bar high in underscoring an awareness that the way to God is through one another and not in spite of one another.  His Rule, therefore, was not for isolated hermits.  The Rule was for people being together and learning from the “rough and tumble” of everyday living how to be respectful and creating moments that become special.

聖ベネディクトはベネディクト䌚修道生掻の慣習を遺産ずしお遺した䞖玀むタリアの賢者です。圌の著䜜は、圌がその時代の粟神文化の䞭で実践的に生掻する、人間性を深く理解した人物であったこずを瀺しおいたす。圌は共同生掻の重芁性を明確に理解し、それを重んじたした。圌は霊的生掻の目的の基本原理ずしお、たた神を探し求める䞻芁な手段ずしお、お互いを尊敬するこずを倧切にした最初の人でした。聖ベネディクトは共同生掻に関する圌の指針を「初心者のための戒埋」ず呌んでいたす。しかし、この戒埋は、神に向かう道においお、共同䜓の他の人々ず共に居なければならないにも関わらず、ず捉えるのではなく、他の人々ず共にお互いを通しお前進しおいくこずであるず認識するこずに重点を眮くこずにより、その基準を高く蚭定しおいたす。それ故、圌の「戒埋」は孀立した隠修士のためのものではありたせんでした。それは、生掻を共にする人々が、日垞の「荒々しく慌ただしい」生掻の䞭で、お互いをどのように尊重し、お互いのために特別な時ずなる瞬間をどのようにしお䜜り出しお行くかを孊ぶための戒埋でした。

 

            In 1931 a small group of Benedictines from the German Abbey of Beuron, settled in Chigasaki (Tonogaoka) south of Tokyo but that community was disbanded in 1939.  The Benedictine monks from Saint John’s Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota, USA, came to Japan in 1947 and established Saint Anselm’s Priory and Parish where they engaged in pastoral ministries.  However, in 1999 they moved to Fujimi in the hope of attracting vocations.  The new monastic facilities were designed by Tokyo-based Ken Takagaki Associates.  The place, newly renamed Trinity Benedictine Monastery, and popular guest house were a quiet and peaceful resource of spiritual renewal that attracted over 17 years many visitors and some Japanese temporary vocations.  However, over the nearly 70 years of the Saint John’s Benedictines in Japan, there were only two Japanese vocations who stayed and one man from mainland China.  Trinity Benedictine Monastery is closing in August, 2016, the last of the Benedictine men in Japan.  There continues to be Benedictine Sisters and Trappist women and men carrying on the tradition in Japan.

1931幎にドむツのボむロン倧修道院から来日したベネディクト䌚修道士たちにより、東京の南方に䜍眮する茅ヶ厎殿が䞘に小さな共同䜓が蚭立されたしたが、1939幎に解散したした。1947幎に米囜ミネ゜タ州カレッゞビルのセント・ゞョンズ倧修道院からベネディクト䌚修道士たちが来日し、聖アンセルモ修道分院ず教区の叞牧に埓事する教䌚を蚭立したした。しかし、1999幎に召呜の垌望を増す為に富士芋に移転したした。新しい修道院は東京にある高垣建築総合蚈画によっお蚭蚈されたした。新しく䞉䜍䞀䜓ベネディクト修道院ず名付けられたこの堎所ず、人々に奜たれたゲストハりスは、静かで平和な霊的刷新の堎ずなり、17幎の間倚くの人々が蚪れ、数名の日本人の䞀時的召呜の堎ずなりたした。しかしながら、日本におけるセント・ゞョンズのベネディクト修道院が存圚した70幎の間に、新しく䌚員になっお留たったのは名の日本人ず䞭囜本土からの名のみでした。日本における最埌のベネディクト䌚男子修道院ずなった䞉䜍䞀䜓ベネディクト修道院は2016幎8月に閉じるこずになり、ベネディクト䌚女子修道院ずトラピスト䌚男子修道院及びトラピスト䌚女子修道院が、日本におけるベネディクトの䌝統を続けたす。

 

            Together we grow conscious of the mutual contribution of the faithful and Benedictines in building up God’s community as a testimony of faith in action.  The Benedictines are privileged to express our common faith with you.  And the faithful are our legacy.  It is your faith that is the salt of the earth and the light of the Christian community and beyond.  It is your faith that we continue to honor as we listen to the Gospel and find courage in Jesus’ healing and comforting words.  It is your faith that holds you in our prayers in creating the miracles of relational healing of people made special.

私たちは、実践による信仰の蚌しずなる神の共同䜓を築き䞊げるために、信埒ずベネディクト䌚修道士の盞互の貢献が倧切であるずいう認識を持っおいたす。ベネディクト䌚修道士は皆さんず共に共通の信仰を衚明する恩恵を頂いおいたす。そしお信埒は私たちの遺産です。皆さんの信仰は地の塩であり、キリスト者共同䜓さらにはそれを超えたより広い䞖界の光です。私たちが犏音を聞き、む゚スの癒しず慰めのみ蚀葉の䞭に勇気を芋出す時に、皆さんの信仰は私たちの誇りであり぀づけたす。

 

            Our miracles make believers out of people, and followers. Believing is seeing.  Our common faith in Jesus as God and savior requires us to welcome and respect all people.  Our faith also commissions us as miracle-makers.  And miracles are what we do, sometimes incidentally, that can open the heart of my friend or neighbor; or husband or wife or son or daughter; and eyes or ears to see better, hear more, understand deeper, and make a difference in being more kind or more thoughtful or more responsible or demonstrate greater respect.

私たちの奇跡は、人々を信ずる人々に、そしお埓う人々に倉えおいきたす。信じるこずは分かるこずです。神であり救い䞻であるむ゚スを信じる私たちの共通の信仰は、すべおの人々を迎え入れ尊重するこずを求めたす。私たちの信仰によっお、私たちに奇跡を行う圹割が䞎えられたす。そしおその奇跡は、時には偶然であっおも、私たちの行いによるものです。その奇跡によっお友人や隣人あるいは倫や劻、たたは息子や嚘の心を開くこずが出来もっずよく芋、もっずよく聞き、もっず深く理解する為に圌らの目ず耳を開くこずが出来たす。私たちの行いは、人々を今たでよりももっず優しく思いやり深く、もっず信頌出来、もっず真の尊敬を衚すこずが出来る人に倉えおいく奇跡ずなりたす。

 

            Trinity Benedictine Monastery is an international Roman Catholic religious community of men anchored in the Japanese culture.  The monastery serves the Church of Japan as a praying community by witnessing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our life and work together, in public prayer for world peace and the well-being of all peoples, and in ministries of hospitality, learning, and pastoral outreach.

宣教䜿呜䞉䜍䞀䜓ベネディクト修道院は日本文化に根ざした、ロヌマ・カトリック教䌚に属する囜際的な男子修道院です。圓修道院は祈りの共同䜓ずしお、共䜏生掻ず仕事、䞖界平和ず党おの人の幞犏を祈り、人々をもおなすこず、孊び、叞牧掻動を通しおむ゚ス・キリストの犏音を蚌しするこずにより日本の教䌚に奉仕しおいたす。

 

COMMUNICATION

 

Listening (Communication)

聎くこず (コミュニケヌション)

Roman Paur OSB 

ロヌマン・パワヌ院長

 

A good deal is written about communication, the meaning of it, the importance of it, the complexity of it, and much, more.  The topic reminds me with a smile of our deceased confrere, Fr Raymond Pedrizetti, who liked to quip, “Who wants to communicate anyway?”  As the philosopher in him, the question was especially poignant because the right response is likely “everyone”, perhaps one of the few philosophical questions that has a clear answer.  But what is communication for human beings and how do we do it?  What is its physiology and psychology and, perhaps, theology?  Does it have any special relevance for monastic living and our spirituality? 

コミュニケヌションに぀いおは今たでにも、その意味、重芁性、耇雑さなどさたざたな事を倚くの人が曞いおいたす。コミュニケヌションずいうトピックを扱うずきに私が懐かしく思い出すのは、故レむモンド・ペドリれッティ神父の蚀葉です。「コミュニケヌションずいうが、いったい誰が望んでいるのかね」ず、茶目っ気たじりによく蚀っおいたものです。哲孊者の粟神を秘めたペドリれッティ神父の深い掞察が蟌められた、たさに的を射る問いです。おそらく正解は「すべおの人」だからであり、これほど明快な正答のある哲孊的な問いはあたり無いかもしれたせん。ずはいえ、人間にずっおコミュニケヌションずは䜕でしょうか。私達はどのようにそれを実践するのでしょうか。コミュニケヌションにかかわる生理孊や心理孊ずは、あるいはその神孊ずは䜕でしょうか。コミュニケヌションは、修道生掻や我々の霊性ず䜕か特別な関連があるでしょうか。

 

I think I’m on pretty solid footing in offering a perspective.  No doubt my thesis can be challenged by learning theorists, language analysts, sociologists, or perhaps even theologians.  But let me summarize what’s come to be meaningful for me.  Perhaps we can start with the reminder that the words in English, communication and community, have a common root, maybe with either one deriving from the other.  The word comes from the Latin, “communis”, meaning to share.  So communication is about community or community is about communication, to become aware of, to acknowledge, to bring together, to belong, to exchange information through common symbols or behavior, to inform, to learn. 

ひず぀の私芋を述べさせおいただくにあたり、私が基にした根拠はかなり堅固なものではないかず自負しおいたす。無論、孊識の深い理論家や、蚀語分析の専門家、瀟䌚孊者などから反論される可胜性はあり、神孊者の䞭にも私の理論に疑矩を唱える人がいるかもしれたせん。それでも、私自身の芖点から重芁だず考えるように至った点に぀いお、たずめおおきたいず考えたした。たず、英語のコミュニケヌションずいう蚀葉ず、共同䜓を意味するコミュニティヌずいう蚀葉には、共通の語源があるずいうこずを心に留めお眮いお䞋さい。双方ずもに他方に由来し、盞互に䜜甚し合っお圢䜜られた蚀葉だず蚀えるのではないでしょうか。語源はラテン語の「コミュニス」であり、「分かち合う」「シェアする」ずいう意味です。ですから、コミュニケヌションは、コミュニティヌ共同䜓ず本質的に深く関わりあっおいたす。逆もたた真で、「共同䜓」ずいえば、その本質は「぀ながり合い、䌝え合う」ずいうこずです。互いに気付き、認め、たずたり、぀ながり、共通の象城あるいは行動を通しお情報を亀換し、䌝え、孊ぶのです。

 

I’ve grouped the topic into three main kinds of communication: gesture, language, and culture. That is to say, “behavior, talk, and art”; or “doing, saying, and creating.” 

以䞋、コミュニケヌションをgesture「所䜜」language「蚀語」culture「文化」の぀のグルヌプに分けお考えおみたす。これは぀たりbehavior「行動」talk「䌚話」art「芞術」のこずであり、たた、doing「行うこず」saying「語るこず」creating「創るこず」ず蚀い換えおもいいでしょう。

 

Gesture: Gesture is about what we do with our bodies before and apart from talking. In the stillness of quiet and the busyness of work, gesture is heavy with symbolic value and is the most effective kind of interrelational communication that sends clear messages across cultures.  Gesture likely expresses who we are, what we’re about, and what we want.  Our new Pope Francis amply illustrates this point in his first few weeks in office in what he does and how he does it.

所䜜ゞェスチャヌ 所䜜ずは、蚀葉を䜿う以前に、蚀葉ずは別に、自分の䜓を䜿っお行うこずの総称です。沈黙の静寂の䞭にあるずきも、劎働の倚忙の䞭にあるずきも、所䜜は象城的な䟡倀に満ちおおり、人間関係のコミュニケヌションの䞭では最も効果的で、異なる文化の枠組みを超えお明確なメッセヌゞを発信したす。私たちは自分が䜕者なのか、どのような生き方をしおいるのか、䜕を求めおいるのかを、所䜜によっお衚珟するのです。新教皇フランシスコは、就任されおから数週間のうちに、ご自分の行いずその行い方を通しお、このこずを豊かに瀺されたした。

 

Usually learned very early in childhood development, our senses are keen to instantly interpret the messages of gesture and to respond, for example, to kindness or rudeness, reflexively.  Typically before we open our mouths we let people know if they are welcome or not, whether we like them or not, whether we are considerate of them or not, whether we’re afraid of them or not, whether we want them or not. 

他者の所䜜に蟌められたメッセヌゞたずえば芪切や無瀌などを即座に解釈する感芚は、私たちが非垞に幌い頃に習埗するのが普通です。そのため、この感芚はかなり研ぎ柄たされおおり、私たちが他者の所䜜に反応する堎合も反射的に行っおいたす。兞型的な䟋ずしお、私たちは他者に察しお口を開いお䜕か蚀う前に、すでに態床で䜕かを䌝えおいたす。その人を受け入れおいるかそうでないか、その人を奜きか嫌いか、その人に配慮しおいるのかいないのか、その人を恐れおいるかいないか、自分にずっお望たしい人かそうでないか、などです。

 

It is the smile, the bow, the handshake, the embrace, the kiss, the gift; it’s also the frown, the nervousness, the shuttered window, the barbed wire, the gun, small or big, the bomb.  We are tuned to these signals of welcome and friendliness or not, of warmth and helpfulness or not, of respectful listening or not.

埮笑み、お蟞儀、握手、抱擁、キス、ギフト。たた、眉を顰める衚情、神経質な態床、雚戞を降ろした窓、匵りめぐらされた有刺鉄線、倧小にかかわらず、銃や爆匟  私たちはこれらの城しるしを芋お、歓迎や友情の有無、暖かさや優しさの有無、聎く耳の有無を芋極めようずしたす。

 

Gesture is the primary building material of community.  It validates our intention.  Gesture invites others in or keeps them out.  It’s a short step to link gesture to Benedict’s use of the word “zeal,” good and bad, always experienced in our behavior.  Gesture also signals presence, a kind of profound prayer. Simple kindly gestures may expand into feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and an attitude of attention toward the needy.  And the first and primary step of enculturation is likely gesture, how we behave among one another. 

所䜜は、共同䜓の圢成にずっお䜕よりも重芁な「建築資材」であり、私たちの意図を認蚌するものです。所䜜によっお、他者を内に招き入れるこずもでき、倖に眮いたたたにするこずもできたす。聖ベネディクトは「熱心」ずいう語を䜿っおいたすが、その善悪にかかわらず、「熱心」は垞に私たちの行動の䞭にあり、所䜜ず非垞に近い関係にありたす。所䜜はたた、存圚の城でもあり、深い祈りの䞀皮です。気取らない思いやりの所䜜が、さたざたな行為ぞ拡倧するこずがありたす。飢える者に食べ物を䞎え、裞の者に衣服を着せ、病人や囚人を蚪ね、貧困者に目を向けるこずなどです。たた、自分にずっお新たな環境に入ろうずするずきには、おそらく所䜜が最初の重芁なステップずなりたす。私たちがその堎に銎染むかどうかは、他者の䞭でどのような行動を取るかで決たるでしょう。

 

We communicate what relationally is most important without opening our mouths before we utter a single word.  A kindly face and reassuring look are the stuff of community accord and the universal language of peaceful wellbeing.  They are the window through which people see us first and through which we connect with others.  Gestures make the biggest and longest-lasting impression about both individual behavior and, for example, the rubrics of common prayer and worship.  Gestures are easy to remember and hard to erase.  Gestures, then, are an outward sign, like the Sacraments, created by us to express meaning, always important, never concealed, and typically tell-tale. 

私たちは、盞手に䜕か䞀蚀発する前に、その人ずのかかわりで最も重芁なものを口を開かずに䌝えおいたす。優しい笑顔や盞手の安心を促す衚情は、共同䜓の䞀臎の蚌しであり、誰にでも通じる平和の蚀葉です。このような衚情は、蚀わば「窓」であり、人々はたず最初にこの窓を通しお私たちのこずを眺め、私たちもたたこの窓を通しお他者ずかかわりたす。ひずりひずりの態床の印象にも、たた䟋えば兞瀌の祈りや祭儀における党䜓的な印象にも、最倧で最長の貢献をするのが私たちの所䜜です。所䜜ずいうものは盞手に蚘憶されやすく、その蚘憶は容易には消しがたいからです。぀たり所䜜ずは、秘蹟のように、垞に重芁で、決しお隠されるこずがなく、たた兞型的に䜕かを物語るずいう意味で、私たちが創りあげる、目に芋える象城です。

 

Gestures say a lot about us.  They express our heart. They clearly tell people who we are, what we’re like, and how comfortable they may be with us.  Gestures, are the foundation of whatever else we may want to communicate because they describe and express our feelings at least at the moment, which is what counts, and probably more long term.  Other words for gesture may be, therefore, behavior and action.  So indeed communication is first about gesture, and then about language and culture.

所䜜は、私たちのこずを雄匁に語りたす。私たちの心が所䜜に衚れたす。私たちが䜕者なのか、どのような生き方をしおいるのか、所䜜によっお人々に䌝わり、その人々は私たちの所䜜を通し、どの皋床ここで安らげるのかどうかを刀断したす。所䜜は、少なくずもその瞬間の私たちの感情を衚したすが、それこそが最も重芁であり、おそらく長きにわたっおその重芁性は増倧するこずでしょう。ですから、所䜜はコミュニケヌションにおける基瀎にあたり、その䞊に他の芁玠が築かれたす。所䜜は、そのような意味では、「態床」たたは「行動」ず蚀い換えるこずもできたす。ゆえに、コミュニケヌションずは実に所䜜に始たり、その次に蚀語ず文化が来るのです。

 

Language: Talking in relational terms is secondary to gesture.  Language may serve to explain our emotions and express or refine thinking and ideas.  Speaking can enhance the learning process, and the same words, if written, can reach beyond the present moment to people near and far. Language, both spoken and written, can draw from the distant past and reach far into the future. Speech and writing preserve and make available the awareness and understanding of history and the development of thought and the evolution of ideas as well as the drama of living at a particular time and place.

蚀語ランゲヌゞ 人間関係においお所䜜の次に䜍眮するものが䌚話です。蚀語は私たちの感情を説明したり、思考や発想を衚珟したり、それらを掗緎させるために圹立぀こずがありたす。䜕かを孊ぶずき、蚀葉に出しお発話するこずによっお孊びを匷化するこずが可胜であり、同じ蚀葉を文字に曞き留めれば、珟時点ずいう制玄を超えお他所にいる人や、かなり遠いずころにいる人にも䌝えるこずができたす。

 

Oral traditions are not only recorded in memory but have become part of written history that testifies to people passing through time and leaving their mark.  So speech is an important late-comer in the development of humanity.  But as important as it is, it is not as instant and essential as gesture is obvious and inevitable.  Linked with gesture, language can ignite our creative instincts, sometimes genius, and build a legacy we call culture.

昔から口承で䌝えられおきた䌝統は、人々の蚘憶に刻たれただけでなく、やがお文字による歎史の䞀郚ずなり、時の流れを超えお人々に真実を語りかけるこずにより、その存圚の蚌しを留めおきたした。ですから蚀葉は、人類の発展史䞊でかなりの時間を経おから登堎したずはいえ、重芁な圹割を担っおいたす。しかし、重芁ではありたすが、所䜜が明癜で䞍可避であるこずを思えば、蚀葉は所䜜ほどの即効性や必然性はありたせん。蚀葉は、所䜜ず連携され、私たちの創䜜意欲に火をずもすこずがありたす。時には倩賊の才を花開かせ、歎史に残る䜜品が生み出されるこずもありたす。これが私たちが「文化」ず称するものです。

 

Language, written and spoken, uses words strung together in a specific conventional structure to communicate awareness, refine understanding and enhance learning.  Words are created to explain, narrate, clarify, and also to confuse and conceal as well.  We wrap our spirituality in words centered in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, and are refreshed through the Sacraments that are essentially expressed in gesture and speech.  Obviously the written word stimulates our lectio divina and can shape our silence. Gesture and words also allow a faith to become a culture.

文字に曞かれた蚀葉も口で語った蚀葉も、ある特定の構造に基づいお組み合わされた耇数の語のたずたりであり、他者に䜕かを知らせる、理解を深める、孊習を促進するなど、目的はさたざたです。䜕かを説く、語る、明らかにするために蚀葉を玡ぐこずもあれば、他者を困惑させたり、䜕かを隠したりするために蚀葉を䜿うこずがありたす。私たちは、肉ずなられた蚀こずばであるむ゚ス・キリストから掟生するさたざたな蚀葉をもっお自分たちの霊性を包み、所䜜ず蚀葉においお本質的に衚珟される秘蹟を通しお新たにされたす。

 

Culture:  Culture is the enduring expression of beauty.  Some people would not define it as such but it may be what counts.  However not everyone sees beauty the same way and some may have a hard time finding it at all.  Culture has numerous faces.  It takes on many forms such as music, painting, sculpture, poetry, and theatre.  It can be born of pleasure or pain.  It can be excited by nature and wonder, or by getting and giving.  Culture releases imagination and shapes exploration and builds on achievement.  It is typically a legacy of very hard work, focused learning, and disciplined talent. 

文化カルチャヌ 文化は、時の流れに耐えるこずのできる矎の衚珟です。文化をこのように定矩するこずに異議を唱える人もいるかもしれたせん。でも、おそらく最も倧切な本質はこの定矩のずおりでしょう。ただ、䜕かを矎しいず感じるかどうかは人それぞれであり、他人が矎しいず感じるものに、自分は矎しさを芋出しがたいず思うこずもありたす。音楜、絵画、圫刻、詩歌、挔劇など、芞術文化はさたざたな顔で珟れ、圢匏は倚岐にわたりたす。悊びあるいは苊しみによっお生み出される芞術がありたす。自然や驚異によっお突き動かされる芞術がありたす。たた、䜕かを埗るこずや、䜕かを䞎えるこずを通しお、沞き立぀心を衚珟する芞術がありたす。

 

The exquisite lacquer work, pottery and calligraphy of Japanese and Chinese artisans, the writings of Dante and Shakespeare, the music of Beethoven and Rachmaninoff, the paintings of da Vinci and Goya, the sculpture of Funakoshi and Michelangelo, the architecture of Takagaki and Gaudi: these creations and countless more are all about beauty and a cultural heritage of pride and awe to be savored, expressions of the communication of talent that tap both feeling and thinking anchored as they are in gesture and language. 

和挢の匠たちの手による玠晎らしい蒔絵、詩歌、曞。ダンテやシェむクスピアの文孊。ベヌトヌベンやラフマニノフの音楜。ダノィンチやゎダの絵画。舟越桂やミケランゞェロの圫刻。高垣建次郎やガりディの建築。この他にも数え切れないほど倚数の創䜜品がありたす。いずれも、その矎しさに畏敬の念を抱き぀぀じっくりず味わうべき誇り高き文化遺産であり、人の所䜜や蚀語に蟌められる感情ず思考の双方が、創䜜者の才胜によっお玡ぎ出され、衚珟された芞術です。

 

So what does this mean as monastics?  How is it relevant?  Historically, there is little question that monks, perhaps especially Benedictine women and men, were key players in the creation, preservation, and transmission of culture.  Additionally, the Rule of Benedict, is likely motivated by the importance of respectful communication as the foundation on which healthy community living is created, the very pathway of godliness.

このこずは、修道者にずっおどのような意味があるのでしょうか。修道生掻ずの関連性は䜕でしょうか。修道者なかでも特にベネディクト䌚修道士・修道女たちが、文化を創造し、保護し、継承するずいう重倧な圹割を歎史的に担っおきたこずは間違いありたせん。加えお、『聖ベネディクトの戒埋』の背景には、敬愛に満ちたコミュニケヌションを䜕よりも倧切にしたいずいう思いがあったはずです。それが健党な共同䜓生掻を圢成する基盀ずなり、敬虔に至る道そのものずなりたす。

 

Gesture, language and art, and the greatest of these is gesture!

所䜜、蚀語、芞術。この䞭で最も玠晎らしいのは所䜜です。

 

COMMUNITY

Abbot John Klassen OSB

倧院長(だいいんちょう) ゞョン・クラッセン

18 March 2013

 

Introduction

One of the many features that distinguishes

the Rule of Saint Benedict from any of its precursors,

especially the Rule of the Master,

is its robust sense of community.

 

Benedict had a genius for reshaping, synthesizing,

and adding new material in his “little Rule . . . for beginners” (Rule, 73. 8). 

He created a structure of community life that is truly sacramental,

functioning as a fundamental graced medium

for each member’s salvation and journey to God. 

 

The word “community” can easily become a buzzword—

like Philadelphia Cream Cheese, just spread it over everything! 

It then lacks the specificity that supports its true meaning and purpose. 

 

Not so for Benedict and his Rule

There are, in fact, numerous elements in the Rule

that give substance and definition to Benedictine community,

such as calling it together for counsel,

coming together at specified times for prayer,

practicing lectio divina,

or having all members take their turns

at serving in the dining room or elsewhere in the monastery. 

 

For Benedict the health of a community

also means disallowing murmuring, complaining, and gossiping. 

 

Each member is given a place in the community

so that each knows where he stands. 

We develop the attitude, the habit, and the skills to treat each person with respect,

even under trying circumstances. 

We never stop referring to the holy purpose of the community.

 

The spiritual goal of life in a Benedictine monastic community

Absolutely essential to the flourishing of Benedictine community

is its high spiritual purpose – to seek God with the Gospel as our guide.

Without that transcendent goal,

life in community very quickly degenerates

to tightly held, self-justifying resentments

and grade-school playground quarrels. 

With that transcendent goal,

we daily surrender to the compassion and mercy of the Gospel,

serving Christ, the servant of all, and the true King. 

“May He bring us all together to everlasting life.”

 

Working to create and renew relationships in community

We know that a vibrant community life

depends on more than structures and high ideals. 

For its inner life,

it depends on the web of human relationships

that provides the context for the daily, human,

grace-filled sustenance that keeps us going. 

 

Benedict gives considerable weight to the practice of charity,

and this is not surprising,

given that love of God and neighbor

are the point, outcome, and pathway of the Gospel. 

In biochemical systems,

water is often a product, or a reactant,

and always the solvent for all transformations.

So it is for love in community:

it is the beginning, the end, and the means. 

 

Relationships with specific individuals wax and wane,

depending on a whole range of variables.

Relationships need time and attention. 

We come into community

and are part of a given peer group. 

As time goes on,

some members of that group make the painful decision to leave.

Sometimes assignments take us away from each other

and despite our best efforts

the strength of the relationship diminishes. 

At others we lose life-giving friendships to death. 

 

These patterns are normal in community life

and require us to constantly re-invest in the life of the community

and in relationship to specific persons. 

 

Sometimes a confrere may challenge me

about the way I am living monastic life,

whether that is my lack of participation in the common life,

my short temper, tendency to procrastinate,

or my fidelity to a medical or physical regimen.

I let that confrere know in no uncertain terms,

I don’t want to hear the criticism, especially not from him. 

As things go their course, the relationship is never healed,

we do the “guy” thing and never talk about it again.

And the relationship becomes superficial,

never having the emotional depth it once had. 

 

The repair of damaged or broken relationships

is an entirely appropriate goal for the season of Lent. 

A key element of this can be a recommitment

to the common elements of our life:

prayer, Eucharist, meals, service.

We may also wish to reach out

and form new friendships.

 

The sacrament of reconciliation 

For all Catholics and especially for clergy

and men and women religious,

the sacrament of confession, as it was called before liturgical renewal,

was a part of a weekly ritual. 

As a result, the experience was repetitive

and for any person tending toward scrupulosity,

it was a nightmare. 

 

The weekly practice also tended to create

a focus on one’s sinfulness.

Since many sins were and are habitual,

not easily changed in the short term,

confessing the same sins week after week

could leave one with the feeling that

“This isn’t working!”  or “I must not have much faith.” 

Finally, I don’t think that there was any sense that

Eucharist contains within it the grace of forgiveness and reconciliation. 

 

In the years since the renewal of the sacrament in both its theology and its name

to either the Sacrament of Penance or the Sacrament of Reconciliation,

I think the practice in the monastery has varied enormously. 

 

In the sacrament of reconciliation

we encounter the saving and healing grace of Jesus Christ.

It contains within itself the practice

of examination of conscience. 

Taking stock each day of how

I have lived the solemn commitments of my life

is part of living in the spirit of the sacrament. 

 

Learning how to give and receive forgiveness each day

from confreres is central to the sacrament.

One only has to remember the outcome

of the parable of the unforgiving slave in Matthew 18

as a warning to put this dimension of sacrament into practice. 

 

Saint Benedict urges us to make peace before the sun goes down.

Sometimes that is not possible or desirable –

we may need more time – but this is not an argument for

letting the damaged relationships smolder. 

The sacrament requires us to make amends for wrongs done,

which probably means pretty often and with alacrity!

 

When we celebrate Eucharist,

we remember that Jesus shed his blood for the forgiveness of sins.

As we live Eucharist we receive,

we are trying to live the reconciliatory dimensions of the Eucharist. 

 

Surely this means knowing from one’s own experience

that between “venial” and “mortal”

there is a range of serious sinfulness

that should neither be reduced to ‘minor faults’

nor blown up to ‘total loss of grace.’

Living as a Eucharistic community means

that we take sin seriously,

that we recognize when we have acted in a hateful way toward another;

when we have spoken in vicious denigration of another;

when we have dismissed another with contempt. 

 

I think it is a good practice to aim to receive

the sacrament of reconciliation on at least a quarterly basis. 

Doing this assures that we engage in a systematic examination

of how we are living the life. 

Speaking our awareness of failing to another human being

puts it on a human scale and opens us to another point of view.

The sacrament can free us from any residual guilt or shame

about the way we have conducted ourselves. 

Finally, an astute confessor may help us re-categorize:

We may be putting something in the moral box

and we may need additional help, say from a good therapist. 

 

We make a solemn vow of conversatio, 

a vow that includes the element of continual conversion

towards greater fidelity to the Gospel. 

Grace is dynamic and always requires our ongoing, attentive response.

We need help every day to be awake,

to be alert for grace, for the power of the Gospel

to more fully present in each one of us

and in the community. 

 

It might be good to approach our Lenten practices

with the same attitude that professional figure skaters when training. 

They fall a lot -- they expect to fall.

The more advanced they are, the more frequently they fall.

The important thing is getting up and trying it again. 

 

LENT

Abbot John Klassen

倧院長(だいいんちょう) ゞョン・クラッセン

February 13, 2013

2013幎2月13日

 

"Remember woman, remember man, that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

「あなたは塵(ちり)であり、塵(ちり)に返(かえ)っおゆくのです。」

"Repent and believe in the Gospel."

「改心(かいしん)しお犏音(ふくいん)を信(しん)じなさい。」

These two short admonitions, though coming from very different parts of the Bible,

form a diptych, two illuminated pages, side by side, turned toward each other, in lively conversation.

これらの短(みじか)い(ふた)぀の戒(いたし)めの蚀葉(こずば)は、聖曞(せいしょ)の異(こず)なった郚分(ぶぶん)から出(で)おいたすが、

この光(ひかり)を攟(はな)぀(に)ペヌゞは、隣同士(ずなりどうし)にならんで、お互(たが)いに向(む)かいあっお、生(い)き生(い)きずした察話(たいわ)をしおいる、二(ふた)぀折(お)りの曞(しょ)のようです。

"Remember that you are dust" --words that God speaks to Adam, immediately after disastrous disobedience.

「「あなたは塵(ちり)である。」それは砎滅(はめ぀)を生(う)む䞍埓順(ふじゅうじゅん)を犯(おか)した盎埌(ちょくご)に、神(かみ)がアダムに話(はな)さ

  ã‚ŒãŸèš€è‘‰(こずば)です。

A play on words because Adam was formed by God out of the earth in that ancient, wonderful story, and received the breath of life from God.

叀代(こだい)の玠晎(すば)らしい話(はなし)のなかで、アダムは神(かみ)によっお土(぀ち)から䜜(぀く)られたした。そしお、神(かみ)か

ら呜(いのち)の息吹(いぶき)を受(う)けたした。これは巧(たく)みな蚀葉(こずば)の遊(あそ)びのようです。なぜなら、ヘブラむ語(ご)

でアダムず土(぀ち)や塵(ちり)はよく䌌(に)た蚀葉(こずば)だからです。

Dust, ashes are a graphic symbol of nothingness, powerlessness over death, of anonymous insignificance.

塵(ちり)灰(はい)は党(たった)く無䟡倀(むかち)な物(もの)、死(し)に察(たい)する無力(むりょく)、名(な)も無(な)い無意味(むいみ)さの写実的(しゃじ぀おき)な象城(しょうちょう)です。

Dreams that are in ashes are gone, done.

儚(はかな)い倢(ゆめ)は、火(ひ)に投(な)げ蟌(こ)たれた朚(き)のように灰(はい)になっおしたいたす。

Ashes warn us that despite all our learning, our technology, all of our uniqueness and individuality, we all end up in the same place - a stern warning indeed.

灰(はい)は、私達(わたしたち)がもっおいる、孊(たな)んできたこず、技術(ぎじゅ぀)、類(るい)のない独自性(どくじせい)ず個性(こせい)にもかかわら

ず、結局(けっきょく)私達(わたしたち)は皆(みな)同(おな)じように終(お)わっおしたうず譊告(けいこく)したす。− 実(じ぀)に厳(きび)しい譊告(けいこく)です。

No amount of spin [Note: “trying to make it sound nice”] can soften that pronouncement.

どのようにしお和(やわ)らげようずしおも、その譊告(けいこく)を軜(かる)くする事(こず)は出来(でき)たせん。

But the other side of the diptych holds another truth, just as profound, and more powerful.

しかしもう䞀方(いっぜう)のペヌゞは、もう䞀(ひず)぀の真理(しんり)を、同(おな)じように深淵(しんえん)でもっず力匷(ちからづよ)く守(たも)っ

おいたす。

"Repent and believe in the Gospel!"

「改心(かいしん)しお犏音(ふくいん)を信(しん)じなさい。」

This evocative invitation and command says to those ashes-- "You've got part of the truth, but not all of it.

この目芚(めざ)めぞの招(たね)きず呜什(めいれい)はこれらの灰(はい)に向(む)かっお呌(よ)びかけたす。−「お前(たえ)は真理(しんり)の䞀郚(いちぶ)

ずなったしかしその党(すべ)おではない。」

Have you ever heard of Jesus the Christ, the Word made flesh, the Word made dust, flesh of our flesh?"

あなたは、肉(にく)ずなり、塵(ちり)ずなり、肉(にく)の肉(にく)ずなったみ蚀葉(こずば)である、む゚ス・キリストのこ

ずを聞(き)いたこずがありたすか。

It is our very situation in which God chose to be revealed.

それは、神(かみ)がお珟(あらわ)れになるために遞(えら)ばれた、私達(わたしたち)の有様(ありさた)そのものなのです。

Because of what Jesus did and the way he did it, we are transformed, not by avoiding or denying the dust around and within us.

む゚スがなさったこず、なさったその方法(ほうほう)によっお、私達(わたしたち)のたわりず私達(わたしたち)の䞭(なか)にある塵(ちり)

を避(さ)けたり吊定(ひおい)したりするこずなく、私達(わたしたち)は倉(か)えられたのです。

We are transformed by completely entering into that darkened state, by going through it.

私達(わたしたち)は、暗闇(くらやみ)の䞭(なか)に完党(かんぜん)に入(はい)り、そこを通(ずお)り抜(ぬ)け出(だ)す事(こず)によっお、倉(か)えられたのです。

It is in our dust that we are saved because of the saving work of Jesus Christ.

む゚ス・キリストの救(すく)いのみ業(わざ)によっお、私達(わたしたち)が救(すく)われたのは、私達(わたしたち)が塵(ちり)であったこず

によるのです。

We celebrate and I mean celebrate the season of Lent because the symbol that appears to spell our doom, is our pathway to life, in Jesus Christ.

私達(わたしたち)は四旬節(しじゅんせ぀)を祝(いわ)いたす。なぜなら私達(わたしたち)の滅亡(め぀がう)を意味(いみ)する象城(しょうちょう)は、む゚ス・キリスト

における呜(いのち)ぞの道(みち)だからです。

Each one of us has been baptized into Jesus Christ.

私達(わたしたち)䞀人䞀人(ひずりひずり)はむ゚ス・キリストの䞭(なか)に入(はい)ったのです。

It is the only reason we are here today.

今日(きょう)私達(わたしたち)がここにいる理由(りゆう)は唯䞀(ゆいい぀)これのみです。

No matter where we are on our spiritual journey, Saint Benedict urges us to prefer nothing to the love of Christ.

私達(わたしたち)が、霊的(れいおき)な旅(たび)のどこを歩(あゆ)んでいおも、聖(せい)ベネディクトは、䜕事(なにごず)もキリストの愛(あい)に勝(たさ)

るこずがないよう、匷(぀よ)く勧(すす)めおいたす。

Nothing: not sex, not gaming, not alcohol, not work, nothing.

䜕事(なにごず)もセックスでもなく、ゲヌムでもなく、アルコヌルでもなく、仕事(しごず)でもなく、䜕(なに)

事(ごず)もです。

To know the love of Christ, we need to know Christ.

キリストの愛(あい)を知(し)るために、私達(わたしたち)はキリストを知(し)る必芁(ひ぀よう)がありたす。

What about taking a Gospel, say, the Gospel of Mark, and reading fifteen verses a day, for fifteen minutes, beginning at the beginning?

犏音(ふくいん)を取(ず)り䞊(あ)げお䟋(たず)えば、マルコによる犏音(ふくいん)を最初(さいしょ)から始(はじ)めお、日(いちにち)節(じゅうごせ぀)分間(じゅうごふんかん)

読(よ)むのはどうですか。

Read it slowly, by yourself, out loud, a few times, and reflect on it.

ゆっくりず䞀人(ひずり)で、声(こえ)を出(だ)しお、数分感(すうふんかん)読(よ)みなさい、そしお静(しづ)かに考(かんが)えなさい。

Fifteen minutes --to love Christ, we have to know Christ.

分間(じゅうごふんかん)。 â€“ ã‚­ãƒªã‚¹ãƒˆã‚’æ„›(あい)するために、私達(わたしたち)はキリストを知(し)らなければなりたせん。

Secondly, the Gospel passage we heard today urges fasting and almsgiving during the Lenten season.

番目(にばんめ)に、今日(きょう)聞(き)いた犏音(ふくいん)では、四旬節(しじゅんせ぀)の間(あいだ)、断食(だんじき)ず斜(ほどこ)しをするこずを勧(すす)めおいた

す。

During this season, at all of our Sunday Masses, there are collections devoted to people who need resources, people who are desperate for help.

この季節(きせ぀)の間(あいだ)、党(すべ)おの䞻日(しゅじ぀)のミサで、お金(かね)を必芁(ひ぀よう)ずしおいる人々(ひずびず)、助(たす)けをどうしおも必(ひ぀)

芁(よう)ずしおいる人々(ひずびず)のために、献金(けんきん)を集(あ぀)めおいたす。

What if we steer the resources that we would normally spend on a snack

and give it to the needy, aware that a small amount of money sometimes goes a long way 

普段(ふだん)は間食(かんしょく)に䜿(づか)っおいるお金(かね)を、困(こた)っおいる人々(ひずびず)にあげるのはどうでしょう。僅(わづ)かのお

金(かね)も困(こた)っおいる人々(ひずびず)にずっおは倧(おお)きな助(たす)けになりたす。

Third, what about repairing relationships that have been damaged, ignored, or taken for granted during the course of this year? 圓然のこずずしお倧切にしない

第番目(だいさんばんめ)に、この幎(いちねん)の間(あいだ)に壊(こわ)れおしたった、無芖(むし)しおいた、そしお圓(あ)たり前(たえ)のこずず

なっおしたった関係(かんけい)を修埩(しゅうふく)するのはどうですか。

What about reaching out a hand of awareness of friendship, a hand of awareness to those around us?

私達(わたしたち)の呚(たわ)りの人々(ひずびず)に察(たい)する、友情(ゆうじょう)を倧切(たいせ぀)にするために、手(お)を差(さ)し述(の)べるのはどうですか。

To love Christ is to love Christ's Body --and that Body is not an abstraction - it is us, right here --and the people in our world.

キリストを愛(あい)する事(こず)は、キリストの䜓(からだ)を愛(あい)するこずです − 䜓(からだ)は抜象的(ちゅうしょうおき)なものでは

ありたせん。− それは、ここにいる私達(わたしたち)です。− そしお、䞖界䞭(せかいじゅう)の人々(ひずびず)です。

To be a Christian is to live with paradox.

キリスト信者(しんじゃ)ずしお生(い)きるこずは、パラドックス(ぱらどっくす)逆説(ぎゃくせ぀)を生きるこずです。

We will carry this gray-black cross on our foreheads, a mark of nothingness, a mark of vulnerability.

私達(わたしたち)は、額(ひたい)のこの灰(はい)色(いろ)の十字架(じゅうじか)、無䟡倀(むかち)な物(もの)の印(しるし)、傷(きず)぀き易(やす)さの印(しるし)を、背負(せお)い続(぀づ)ける

でしょう。

And yet inwardly, in our hearts, we know that everything is already ours in Christ,

including the promise of eternal life.

しかし内面(ないめん)では、私達(わたしたち)はキリストにおいお、氞遠(えいえん)の呜(いのち)の玄束(やくそく)を含(ふく)めた、すべおが私達(わたしたち)の

ものである事(こず)を知(し)っおいたす。

Outwardly we may stumble up the grimy Calvary of our lives.

倖面的(がいめんおき)には私達(わたしたち)は人生(じんせい)のカルノァリオ(かるゔぁりお)の道(みち)を぀たずきながら歩(ある)いおいるかも知(し)れたせ

ん。

 Inwardly our dust is already shining with Easter gold.

内面(ないめん)では、私達(わたしたち)の塵(ちり)はすでに埩掻(ふっか぀)のゎヌルド(ごヌるど)に茝(かがや)いおいたす。

 

MONASTIC INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE

Fr William Skudlarek, OSB

修道諞宗教察話

りィリアム・スクドラヌレック神父OSB

Trinity Benedictine Monastery, Community Formation Conference, April 2013

䞉䜍䞀䜓ベネディクト修道院 共同䜓逊成コンフェレンス、2013幎4月

 

Fr William Skudlarek is the executive director of the Interreligious Dialogue, Rome, and a member of the Vatican Counsel on Interreligious Dialogue.  He has a PhD in pastoral theology from Princeton University.

 

Saint Benedict devotes a good part of his Rule to communal prayer, so it is not surprising that monks have a special interest in liturgy. The Rule’s emphasis on reading and manual labor, and its chapter devoted to the craftsmen of the monastery, no doubt had a lot to do with monks becoming involved in education, agriculture, and the arts. And the tradition of monks being involved in missionary work and pastoral ministry goes all the way back to Saint Gregory, the Benedictine Pope who sent monks to England around the year 600. But interreligious dialogue? Not only does Benedict say nothing about the relationship of monks to those who are not Christians, the same Saint Gregory says that when Benedict came to Monte Cassino, one of his first acts was to tear down the temple of Apollo and build a chapel dedicated to Saint Martin (Dialogues, II, 8). So much for interreligious dialogue!

 

聖ベネディクトは、圌の戒埋のかなりの郚分を共同の祈りに費やしおおりそのため修道士たちが兞瀌に特別の興味を持぀事は驚くべき事ではありたせん。読曞ず劎働を重芖する戒埋ず、修道院の工芞家のこずに぀いお曞かれた章があるこずによっお、修道士たちが教育、蟲業、工芞に埓事するようになったこずは疑う䜙地がありたせん。そしお、修道士たちが垃教の掻動ず叞牧に埓事する䌝統は、600幎ごろ英囜に修道士たちを送った、ベネディクト䌚修道士である教皇聖グレゎリオにたでさかのがりたす。しかし、諞宗教察話はどうだったでしょうか。ベネディクトが修道士たちずキリスト教信者でない人々ずの関係に぀いお䜕も蚀っおいないだけではなく、ベネディクトがモンテ・カッシ―ノに来た時に、最初にするべき事はアポロの神殿を取り壊し、聖マヌティンに奉献する聖堂を建おるこずだず、その同じ聖グレゎリオは蚀っおいるのです。(察話11,8) なんずいう諞宗教察話でしょうか

 

And yet, the Church’s contemporary understanding of the meaning and purpose of interreligious dialogue corresponds well with Benedict’s perception of the monastic life. In Nostra Aetate, the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on the relation of the Church to non-Christian religions, Catholics are urged to engage in dialogue and collaboration with adherents of other religions in order to “recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values” that are to be found there (n. 2).

 

しかしながら、珟代の教䌚の諞宗教察話の意味ずその目的に぀いおの理解は、ベネディクトの修道生掻に぀いおの認識ずよく䌌おいたす。第バチカン公䌚議のキリスト教以倖の諞宗教に察する教䌚の態床に぀いおの宣蚀であるNostra Aetateの䞭で、カトリック信者は、他の諞宗教の信奉者ずの話し合いず協力を通しお、かれらのもずに芋出される「粟神的、道埳的富および瀟䌚的、文化的䟡倀を認め、保存し、さらに促進する」ように勧告されおいたす。

 

Benedict says that one of the signs of a monastic vocation is that a novice is truly seeking God (ch. 58). In the prologue to his Rule he writes, “As we advance in the monastic life and in faith our hearts expand (dilatato corde) and with unspeakable sweetness of love we run the way of God’s commandments.” So perhaps we could say that one of the reasons monks become involved in interreligious dialogue is because they want to expand their search for God by becoming familiar with the spiritual values, teachings, and practices of other religions. They believe that “the Spirit of the Lord has filled the world” (Wis 1:7), and that widening their hearts (dilatato corde) to the work of the Spirit in other religious traditions will draw them nearer to the God they are seeking and who is seeking them.

 

ベネディクトは、修道的召呜の印の䞀぀は、修緎者が真に神を求めおいる事であるず、蚀っおいたす。(第58ç« ) 圌は戒埋の序においお、『修道生掻ず信仰の道を進むに぀れお、わたしたちの「心は広がり」(dilatato corde) ã€è¡šçŸã‚’超えた甘矎な愛をもっお「神の掟の道を走る」ようになる。』ず曞いおいたす。そこで、修道士たちが諞宗教間察話に深く関わる理由の䞀぀は、圌らが他の諞宗教の霊的䟡倀、教え実践に芪しむこずにより、神の探求を広げたいずいう理由によるものであるず蚀えるでしょう。圌らは「䞻の霊は党地に満ちお」(知恵の曞1:7)いるこずず、他の諞宗教の䌝統の䞭の聖霊の働きに、圌らの「心を広げる」(dilatato corde) ã“ずにより、圌らが探し求め、圌らを探し求めおおられる神に、より近づくこずが出来るず信じおたす。

 

The impetus for creating a special monastic organization for interreligious dialogue came from a letter the late Cardinal Sergio Pignedoli, president of what is now the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, sent to Abbot Primate Rembert Weakland in  1974. In it he asked that monks take a leading role in interreligious dialogue because “monasticism is a bridge between religions.”

 

諞宗教間察話の特に修道的な機関を創蚭するきっかけずなったのは、珟圚のthe Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialoguのpresidentである、セルゞオ・ピグネドリ枢機卿が1974幎にレンベルト・りィヌクランド第䞀修道院長に送った手玙でした。その䞭で、圌は修道士たちが諞宗教間察話のために指導的圹割を果たすよう求めおいたす。なぜならば、「修道生掻が諞宗教間の橋ずなる」からです。

 

Cardinal Pignedoli’s request led to the establishment, in 1978, of European and American sub-commissions for interreligious dialogue within an organization that had been created in 1961, the Alliance for International Monasticism (AIM). In 1994, Abbot Primate Jerome Theisen, former abbot of Saint John’s, arranged for the establishment of Dialogue Interreligieux Monastique●Monastic Interreligious Dialogue (DIMMID) as an independent general secretariat of the Benedictine confederation. I have been the General Secretary of this organization since 2008.

 

ピグネドリ枢機卿の芁請は、1961幎に創蚭されたthe Alliance for International Monasticism (AIM)修道院の囜際的提携の䞭のペヌロッパずアメリカの諞宗教間察話のための小委員䌚ずしお1978幎に蚭立されたした。1994幎に、セント・ゞョンズの先の倧修院長であるゞェロヌム・タむセン第䞀修道院長は、ベネディクト連合の事務局ずしおDialogue Interreligieux Monastique●Monastic Interreligious Dialogue (DIMMID)の蚭立の準備をしたした。私は2008幎からこの事務局の事務総長を務めおいたす。

 

DIMMID promotes interest and involvement in interreligious dialogue among Catholic monastic men and women through national commissions, interreligious conferences, and a multi-lingual journal, Dilatato Corde, which can be found on the DIMMID website: www.dimmid.org.  The journal provides a forum where individuals can describe how their hearts have been expanded and their Christian faith deepened by knowledge of other religions, interreligious friendships, and by understanding, and even adopting, spiritual practices from other religious traditions—forms of meditation developed within Buddhism or Hinduism, for instance, or the Muslim practice of dhikr(remembrance of God).

 

DIMMIDは諞宗教間協議䌚である囜内の小委員䌚を通しお、カトリックの修道士ず修道女の間に諞宗教間察話ず、倚蚀語による機関誌Dilatato Cordeに察する興味を高め、積極的参加を促しおいたす。これに぀いおは、DIMMID website: www.dimmid.orgでみるこずが出来たす。

 

DIMMID focuses on dialogue with monks and nuns of other religious traditions, whose monastic way of life, it should be noted, predates Christian monasticism by about a thousand years. To this end, a “Spiritual Exchange” program between Japanese Zen Buddhist monks and nuns and European monastic communities has been ongoing since 1979. In North America, “Nuns in the West” and “Monks in the West” have been meeting since 2004. Individual monasteries, especially in England, France, and Italy, have regular contacts with neighboring Buddhist and Hindu monastic communities. The relationship of Asian Christian monastics with their Buddhist or Hindu counterparts, as well as that of African monastic communities with Muslims or local tribal religions, is more often at the level of informal exchanges rather than organized meetings.

 

DIMMID ã¯ä»–の宗教的䌝統を持った修道士や修道女ずの察話を䞭心にしおいたす。泚意しなければならないこずは、圌らの修道的方法はキリスト教の修道生掻に比べお千幎も前に始たっおいるこずです。いたでは、日本の犅仏教の僧および尌僧ずペヌロッパの共同䜓の「霊的亀流」が1979幎から行われおいたす。北アメリカでは、「西方の修道女」ず「西方の修道士」が2004幎以来䌚合を持っおいたす。特に英囜、フランス、むタリアの個々の修道院は近隣の仏教ずヒンヅヌ教の共同䜓ず定期的に連絡を取っおいたす。アゞアのキリスト教修道者ず仏教あるいはヒンズヌ教に匹敵するもの、たた、アフリカの修道的共同䜓ずむスラム教たたは地方の皮族の諞宗教ずの関係は、組織立った䌚合ずいうよりもしばしば非公匏な亀流のレベルで行われおいるものです。

 

In recent years DIMMID has broadened monastic interreligious dialogue to mean dialogue with other believers about their religious experience and practice. Based on this understanding, DIMMID has formally entered into dialogue with Muslims, whose religious practices, especially the observance of set times for prayer each day, are very “monastic.” The first two international Monastic/Muslim dialogues were with Iranian Shi‘a Muslims and involved Benedictine and Trappist monks and nuns from nine different countries. The meetings took place in Rome in 2011 and Qom in 2012, and their proceedings were and will be published by Liturgical Press in its Monastic Interreligious Dialogue series.

 

最近のDIMMIDは、修道者の諞宗教察話から、他の宗教者ずの宗教的経隓ず実践の亀流ぞずその意味を広げおきたした。この理解のもずに、DIMMIDは公匏にむスラム教埒ずの察話を始めたした。圌らの宗教的な実践、特に毎日の祈りの時間の厳守は非垞に「修道的」なものです。最初の぀の囜際的な修道者ずむスラム教埒の察話は、むランのシヌアむ掟むスラム教埒ず、カ囜のベネディクト䌚ずトラピスト䌚の修道士ず修道女ずの間のものでした。䌚議は2011幎にロヌマで、  2012幎にクムで行われたした。

そしおその内容に぀いおは、Monastic Interreligious Dialogue seriesずしお、Liturgical Pressから出版され、たた続いお出版される予定です。

 

In recent years there has been a growing conviction that to be religious today is to be interreligious, open to receive the insights that other religions can offer, aware that if we know only our own religion, we probably know it and live it in a limited way. Speaking of the knowledge of languages, Goethe said, “They who know one, know none.” Today we recognize how applicable that perception is to the knowledge and practice of Christianity. The day may not be too far off (at least in relation to its 1700-year history) when the same will be true of the knowledge and practice of the Christian monastic way of life.

 

今日宗教的に生きるずは、他の宗教が顕わすこずのできる掞察を心を開いお受け入れ、自分たちの宗教だけを知るこずは、限られた方法で、限られた生き方をしおいるのかもしれないこずに目芚めお、諞宗教的になる事であるずいう確信が、最近では高たっおきおいたす。蚀葉の知識に関しお蚀えば、「䞀぀だけを知っおいる人は、䜕も知らない。」ずゲヌテが蚀っおいたす。今日、私達はこの芋方がいかにキリスト教の知識ず実践に぀いおも蚀えるかに気づいおいたす。同じ事がキリスト教の修道生掻の知識ず実践においおも蚀える日は、少なくずも1700幎の歎史に関連しお蚀えばそう遠くはないかもしれたせん。

 

ON BEING HAPPY

 

The Benedictine Objective of Living Happily a Prayful Life

Trinity Benedictine Monastery, 30 April 2011

Roman Paur, Prior

 

 

Clearly Saint Benedict wants his monks to be happy.  Benedict sets forth in the Rule a pathway of seeking God together that is aimed at being personally content in a community of relational harmony.  This is evident by exhortations that encourage the monks to be thoughtful and considerate of one another; and when there is a difficulty between monks, to drop everything and take care of the problem before it jeopardizes the peace. 

 

Benedict is very much aware that conflicts between brothers don’t just go away and they can disrupt the entire community.  They require deliberate attention and work and learning.  He knows that it is not enough just to pray harder and to ask God for forgiveness.  Benedict commands us to first work it out with the brother if at all possible and then show our gratitude to God in Church.  He reminds us that resolving conflicts between the brothers is a requirement of redemption, the acknowledgement that we are frail and the need for forgiveness.  It is the process of conversatio, on-going learning and growing and change toward a life of peace and happiness.

 

Why does Benedict want to hold the brothers accountable to their commitment of relying on the help of  each other?  Benedict says that for most of us it is much too difficult, too demanding to do it alone.  We don’t have the strength, we can loose heart, we get too distractedm and we can give up.  We need the obedience of one another’s example for encouragement and guidance.  Benedict also knows that a happy monk is a tolerant and forgiving monk. A happy monk is a reliable and responsible monk.  A happy monk is a generous and thoughtful monk.  A happy monk is a contributing and productive monk.  A happy monk is a grateful and prayerful monk.

 

All this takes effort.  And Benedict was careful not to scare us away.  He states that he created a rule for beginners.  He didn’t want to intimidate us by creating an advanced course on how to seek God and get along in the community that is too difficult.  Nothing burdensome or hard, he writes.  It just requires attention.  Perhaps for some our choice is not an easy street but it is very likely far less problematic than the lives and burdens of most other people in the world.  For beginnersmeans for monks who want to learn and who are open to learning and benefiting from our mistakes together.

 

And what are the greatest obstacles to personal learning in community?  Fear and arrogance? Thoughtlessness and lack of generosity? Laziness and ill-will?  Perhaps.  How else do we overcome these obstacles in Benedict’s mind but through the help of one another who are charged to be patient and supportive and kind?  Can we consider our brothers not as barriers but as blessings, not as enemies but as friends, not as devils but as Christ.

 

Psychology too tells us that at the core of a happy person is a sense of fulfillment, a feeling of accomplishment that comes especially from helping others.  So our life as monks ought to help us be generous and expansive in giving of ourselves and in receiving support, taking pride in what we do and how we can contribute.  And along the way on this path, also being acknowledged and praised that gives us a sense of well-being and belonging.

 

Look how they love one another, the message of Easter, with a thankful heart, is the process of Benedictine community living, and the goal of a prayerful life of faith, uncluttered by less important distractions.

 

SEEKING GOD

 

Seeking God   ç¥žã‚’探しもずめるこず

Tony Gorman OSB

Trinity Benedictine Monastery, 5 October 2012

 

Tony Gorman has a PhD in Systematic Theology from Notre Dame University.

 

When I was a novice Father (later Abbot) Timothy explained to us chapter 58 of the Rule of Saint Benedict: “The Procedure for Receiving Brothers.” Verse 7 reads, “The concern must be whether the novice truly seeks God and whether he shows eagerness for the Work of God, for obedience, and for trials.” According to Novice Master Timothy, the translation should be read in this way:  the last part explains the first part. That is to say, “The concern must be whether the novice truly seeks God.”  That is the main point, “Does the novice truly seek God?” According to our formation system, we also ask, Does the junior monk truly seek God. Seniors also ask themselves after many years, “Do I truly seek God?”

私が修緎者であった時、ティモシヌ神父埌に倧修道院長は、聖ベネディクトの戒埋の第章「修友を受け入れる手続き」に぀いお説明したした。第節には、このように曞かれおいたす。「そしお修緎者が神を本心から求めおいるか、たた『神の業』、服埓、詊緎に察しお熱意を瀺しおいるかをよく芋守らなければなりたせん。」ティモシヌ修緎長によるず、この翻蚳は、最埌の郚分が最初の郚分を説明しおいるものずしお読むべきです。すなわち、「修緎者が神を本心から求めおいるかを芋守らなければなりたせん。」ず蚀っおいたす。䞻芁な点は「修緎者は神を本心から求めおいたすか。」ずいうこずです。私達の逊成プログラムでは、有期誓願者に぀いおも、神を本心から求めおいたすかず問いかけたす。長い幎月を過ごした終䞖誓願者もたた、自分自身に問いかけたす。「私は神を本心から求めおいたすか。」

How does one truly seek God? That is explained by the second part of the sentence by three different ways. According to Saint Benedict, the novice truly seeks God (1) by being eager for the work of God. The novice seeks God (2) by being eager to be obedient. The novice seeks God (3) by being eager for trials according to the Latin, “opprobria.” I would like to comment on each of these more specifically.

どのようにしお、人は神を本心から求めるのでしょうか。そのこずに぀いお、二番目の文章に、䞉぀の方法に぀いお説明されおいたす。聖ベネディクトによるず、修緎者は神の業に熱心であるこずによっお、神を求めたす。修緎者は服埓によっお、神を求めたす。修緎者は詊緎ラテン語でopprobriaに耐えるこずによっお、神を求めたす。これらの䞀぀䞀぀に぀いお、詳しく説明したいず思いたす。

What does it mean to be eager for the Work of God?  When Saint Benedict uses the Work of God, he seems to always mean the Liturgy of the Hours.  Perhaps too he is also including whatever celebrations of the Eucharist they had at that time. There is probably no monk that can maintain his first fervor through his whole time in the novitiate and juniorate.  It would seem impossible to keep one’s first fervor for a whole lifetime.  But it would clearly seem to me that if one is not desirous of praying in the community, one must ask oneself if one is truly seeking God in this place. All monasteries address the quality of their prayer on a regular basis.  It is the experience of this community that new comers to our monastery have added to the quality of its celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours and the Mass. Abbot John Klassen has reminded us that we never know what good effect our presence at prayer, even if we don’t feel like being there may be having on a brother who needs our presence.  And as another person noted to me, we never know what effect our presence at prayer is having on ourselves! In the book Searching for God, Cardinal Hume’s conferences as novice master, he encourages prayer for others as a motivation for going to community prayer. The witness of a community praying together is indeed God’s work—God working in us, and however God chooses to use that witness to work in the hearts of others is up to God and we may never know its specific effects.

神の業に熱心であるずは、どのような意味でしょうか。聖ベネディクトが、神の業ずいう蚀葉を䜿うずきには、垞に聖務日課を意味しおいたようです。倚分、その圓時行われおいたご聖䜓の祭儀も含たれおいたでしょう。修緎期ず有期誓願期を通しお、最初の熱意をずっず持ち続けるこずが出来る修道士はいないでしょう。䞀生涯を通しお、最初の熱意を保぀事は䞍可胜でしょう。しかし、はっきり蚀えるこずは、もし、共同䜓の祈りに参加するこずに熱心でなければ、自分はこの堎で、神を本圓に求めおいるかを、自分自身の䞭で問わなければなりたせん。党おの修道院においお、䞀定の定められた祈りは䟡倀あるものずされおいたす。新しく加わった人々が、聖務日課ずミサの䟡倀を高めおきたこずは、この共同䜓が経隓しおきたこずです。ゞョヌン・クラッセン倧修道院長は、私達が祈りの堎に居るこずが、そこに居るこずをあたり意識しおいなくおも、私達の存圚を必芁ずしおいる兄匟にずっお、どれほど良い圱響をもたらすものであるかを、気づかせおくれたした。そしお、他の人が私に蚀ったように、祈りの堎に居る事が、私達自身のために、どれほど良い結果をもたらすか、私達には図りしれたせん。「神を求めお」(Searching for God)の䞭でヒュヌム枢機卿は修緎長ずしおのコンフェレンスで、他の人々のために祈るこずを、共同の祈りに行く動機づけにするこずを勧めおいたす。共同䜓が䞀぀になっお祈る蚌は、真に神の働きです。神は私達の䞭で働かれ、他の人々の心の䞭で働く為に、その蚌をどのように甚いられるかは、神が遞ばれるこずです。そしお、私達は決しお、その特別の結果に぀いお知る事はできないでしょう。

Saint Benedicts asks that the monk be eager for obedience.  We often hear that the Latin word for obedience, is related to the Latin word, “audire” meaning “to hear.”  So of course we remember that in the Prologue, verse 1, we hear, “Listen carefully, my son, to the master’s instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart.” It is not any easier to always be eager for obedience than it is always to be eager for prayer, “on time,” prompt. Yet too it is rather incongruous to say “I really want to be a monk,” and at the same time to say, “I can always put off my responsibilities and do them later.” No doubt superiors find relief in asking someone to do something and seeing that the task has been completed very promptly, within a day, or longer if it is a more arduous task. Whose obedience is greater than that of Jesus Christ? Can we see our obedience as an imitation of Christ?

聖ベネディクトは、修道士に埓順であるこずを求めおいたす。私達は、しばしば、ラテン語の埓順は、「聎くこず」を意味するラテン語の "audire"から来おいるず聞きたす。そこで圓然、「序」の第䞀節 を思い出したす。「子よ、心の耳を傟け、垫の教えを謹んで聎きなさい。」垞に「即座に」埓順であるこずに熱心であるこずは、垞に祈りに察しお熱心であるこずよりも、容易い事であるずは決しお蚀えたせん。しかしながら、「私は本圓に修道士になりたい。」ず蚀いながら、同時に「私の努めを埌回しにし、埌でする事が出来る。」ず蚀うずすれば、぀じ぀たが合わないこずになるでしょう。院長が䜕かをするこずを頌み、その仕事が、その日のうちに、あるいは困難な堎合には数日のうちに、完成されるのを芋お、安心するこずは疑いがありたせん。む゚ス・キリストのように埓順な人がいるでしょうか。私達の埓順は、キリストに芋倣ったものず蚀えるでしょうか。

Saint Benedict asks the novice to be eager for trials. According to my Abbot Timothy, the best way to translate the Latin word, “opprobria” is “humble tasks of service.” In both small communities and large communities there are many opportunities for “humble tasks of service,” cleaning and cooking come immediately to mind!  But all of our responsibilities can be seen as “humble tasks of service.” As to paraphrase Sr. Aquinata Bockmann notes in her book, “Around the Monastic Table,” perhaps there are a number of superiors who would like to be relieved of their burdensome responsibilities and do only cooking and cleaning for a time, without having to worry about other things! The point is that what we are doing in our service to the community, whatever that service may be, is an imitation of Christ washing the feet of the disciples on Holy Thursday. A monk or priest who is only eager to be served would seem to not be meeting Saint Benedict’s admonition to be eager for humble tasks of service. Again as others have noted (S. Aquinata, the Desert Fathers), it also takes humility to receive the service of others, to allow others to help assist us, to admit that we can learn and be helped by others.

聖ベネディクトは、修緎者が詊緎に察しお熱意を瀺すこずを求めおいたす。ティモシヌ倧修道院長によるず、ラテン語の "opprobria" ã®æœ€ã‚‚良い翻蚳は、「謙虚な奉仕の仕事」です。小さい共同䜓においおも、倧きな共同䜓においおも、倚くの「謙虚な奉仕の仕事」があり、掃陀、料理がすぐに頭に浮かびたす しかし、党おの私達の勀めは「謙虚な奉仕の仕事」であるず蚀えたす。蚀い換えるず、シスタヌ・アクむナタ・ボックマンは、「テヌブルの呚りで」の本の䞭で、重い責任から解攟されお、ただその時その時に、他の心配をしないで、料理や掃陀をしおいたいず思う、院長たちが沢山いるだろうず曞いおいたす。これは、どのような奉仕であっおも、共同䜓の為に行っおいる奉仕は、キリストが聖朚曜日に匟子たちの足を掗われたこずに、倣うこずであるずいうこずです。奉仕されるこずにのみ熱心な修道士や叞祭は、謙虚な奉仕の仕事に熱心であるこずを勧める、聖ベネディクトの忠告に埓っおいるずは蚀えないでしょう。たた、他の人々シスタヌ・アクむナタ、砂挠の垫父たちが曞いおいるように、他の人の奉仕を受けるこず、他の人に手䌝っおもらうこず、他の人から孊び、助けられるこずを受け入れるためには、謙虚にならなければなりたせん。

Does the novice, junior, or senior truly seek God?  Is he eager for the Work of God, obedience, and humble tasks of service?  We each answer that question daily. As Father Timothy noted, the initiative of course is on God’s part.  God has already found us and offered us salvation in Christ. Our seeking God is a response to God who has found us, and who seems to be offering us the particular path of monastic life to live our response of love.

修緎者、有期誓願者、そしお、終䞖誓願者は、神を心から求めおいたすか。圌は神の業、服埓、謙虚な奉仕の仕事に熱意を瀺しおいたすか。私達䞀人䞀人は、この質問に毎日答えおいたす。ティモシヌ神父が瀺しおいるように、䞻導暩は、もちろん、神の偎にありたす。神が、すでに私達を芋぀け、キリストによる救いを差し出したした。私達が神を探し求める事は、私達を芋぀け、私達が愛に答える生掻をするために、特別な修道生掻ぞの道を瀺しお䞋さった、神ぞの答えなのです。

                        

THE BIBLE I, ORIGINS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

 

Fr Thomas Wahl

トヌマス・りォヌル

 

The bible is not just a book.  Rather it is an entire library of important documents that are organized into two main groupings, those originating before the time of Christ, called the Old Testament, and those that we composed after Christ’s death, called the New Testament.  The collection of books, letters, and various other documents of the Old Testament were actually written down beginning about 1000 BC by Jewish believers.  The followers of Christ through about 100 AD recorded in written letters and testimonial documents the oral accounts of Jesus in what we now call New Testament. 

 

These documents were written in order to promote various religious messages and to preserve them for future generations.  It is important to understand that nearly all the documents of the entire Bible, as we know them today in translation, were first handed down by word of mouth generation to generation, and only much later written in various languages including Hebrew, Aramaic,  Greek, and Latin.

 

This article focuses on the origin of the New Testament writings.  The twenty-seven New Testament documents were written between 54 A.D. and 100 A.D.  They include the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the Acts of the Apostles, and Book of Revelation.  In addition there are thirteen letters attributed to Paul and eight by other early Christians. These documents were generally accepted in the Church by about the fifth century but only officially approved, codified, by the Council of Trent in 1545.  There are differences, however, between the Catholic and Protestant Bibles in what documents are included based on understandings of historical origins and authenticity of the material.

 

Except for the story of the woman at the well, where Jesus scribbles with his finger on the sand, we never hear of Jesus writing anything.  We have no reason to think he ever wrote anything for publication.  But Jesus was a very effective speaker, and all his communication was done in speech. 

姊通の女性の話の䞭で、む゚スが地面に指で萜曞きした堎面以倖、私たちはむ゚スが䜕かを曞いたこずを知りたせん。圌が出版するために䜕か曞いたず考える必芁はありたせん。しかし、む゚スは巧みな語り郚であり、コミュニケヌションは党お話し蚀葉で行いたした。

 

Jesus himself is reported early in his ministry as sending out disciples two by two to preach in the villages of Galilee.  Given the ease with which the disciples misinterpreted Jesus, I am inclined to think that he might well have required his missionaries to memorize his parables and sayings, rather than leaving the understanding of his message to the disciples’ imagination.  Such memorization was typical of the teaching of rabbis.

 

む゚ス自身、公生掻の初期には、ガリラダの村で説教させるため、匟子を二人ず぀送ったず曞かれおいたす。む゚スの宣教に関わった匟子たちの䟿宜を考えるず、私はむ゚スが圌のメッセヌゞをたずめ䞊げるこずを、匟子たちのずんでもない想像力に任せるよりも、む゚スの䟋え話や話そのものを䞞暗蚘させるこずを求めたのではないかず思いたす。この様な䞞暗蚘は、圓時のラビ(先生)の兞型的な教え方でした。

 

The disciples of Jesus followed his practice of using word of mouth to spread his message.  Indeed, whatever little means of publication existed at the time would be a very inefficient medium to attempt to broadly attract people to the new way of thinking.

 

む゚スの匟子たちは、圌の蚀葉を広めるため、口䌝でみ蚀葉を広めるずいう方法を受け継ぎたした。実際、出版の機䌚がほずんど無かった時代ではあっおも、口䌝は新しい考えに広く人々の関心を匕き付けようずする方法ずしおは、たったく非効率的な詊みでした。

 

The early believers remember a short period of intense activity after the Resurrection in which they attest to having seen the risen Christ, having eaten with him, or seen Jesus eat as a sign of his physical nature.  Jesus is remembered in the New Testament documents especially as putting his teachings and the teachings of the Old Testament into the perspective of His Resurrection and the mission of the disciples.

 

初期の信者たちは、生き返ったキリストを芋た、その圌ず食事を共にした、或は圌が肉䜓の特城である食物を摂るこずを芋たなどず蚌蚀した埩掻埌の短期間ではあったが、粟力的な掻動を芚えおいたす。圌らはたたその時、む゚スは圌自身の教えず旧玄聖曞の教えを解釈しおいるこずを芚えおいたす。圌は、その教えを圌の埩掻ず匟子たちの職務の光の䞭で説明した。

 

The Bible of the early church was the Jewish scriptures in Hebrew that in Greek was called the Septuagint.  There was no plan in the early Church to write a new Bible or add to the Old Testament writings.  It just happened little by little over about a hundred years under the inspiration of the Spirit. 

 

始たった頃の教䌚にずり聖曞ずは、ヘブラむ語で曞かれたナダダ聖曞、たたはギリシャ語䞃十人蚳聖曞でありたした。教䌚には新しい聖兞を曞くずか、ナダダ聖曞に䜕かを远加する考えは持っおいたせんでした神孊者ずしお、私は「聖霊の圱響を受けお"、ず蚀うでしょう。

 

The first documents that eventually were recognized as “scripture” were originally written as a result of the Apostle Paul’s preaching after Christ’s death.  The very first of these, First Thessalonians, illustrates how this happened.

 

埌䞖「聖曞」ず認められるこずになる初期の文曞は、元々、䜿埒パりロの説教を曞き留めたものです。これらの䞭で第䞀番目に曞かれた「テサロニケの教䌚ぞの第䞀の手玙」には、どの様に始たったかが描写されおいたす。

 

Paul had been preaching the Good News of Jesus and starting small communities of believers in Asia Minor (modern Turkey).  He had founded a community in Thessalonica and then moved on.  Unable to revisit this community, he sent his co-worker, Timothy, to see how the Thessalonians were doing and encourage them.  When Timothy brought back a good report, Paul wrote a letter lovingly commending them.  He put their experience into the context of the Good News, and added some further exhortations, some of which were suggested by Timothy’s observations.

 

パりロはむ゚スの良い䟿りを既に䌝えおいたしたが、珟圚のトルコである小アゞアず珟圚のギリシャで、信者の小さな共同䜓を蚭立し出しおいたした。たず、テサロニケで小共同䜓を䜜り、その埌、他所ぞ移動したした。この共同䜓を再蚪問するこずが出来なかったので、圌の協力者であるテモテを送り、テサロニケの人々がどうしおいるかを芋させ、たたそこの男女を励たしたした。テモテが良い報告を持っお垰っお来た時、パりロはテサロニケの人々を耒める䞀通の手玙を曞きたした。パりロは、テモテの報告から気付いたこずも含め、犏音の内容を圌らの生掻に生かすこずを、そしお曎なる励たしを付け加えたした。

 

The next letter that has survived was written to Paul’s churches of Galatia in Asia Minor.  In it he scornfully denounces his converts from paganism for paying heed to Jewish Christian critics.  These critics have asserted that Paul had been wrong in teaching that to be saved they did not need to be circumcised and keep the main points of Jewish observance.

珟存しおいる次の文章である手玙は、小アゞアのガラテアの教䌚に宛おお曞かれたした。その䞭で、パりロはナダダ人キリスト教埒による批刀に泚意を払い、異教に傟いた改宗者を、嘲りを含んで批刀したす。これら批評家は、パりロが救枈に割瀌やナダダ教の䞻な習慣を守るこずは必芁無いず教えるのは間違いだず、力説したす。

 

More letters followed, to Paul’s churches of Philippi, Corinth, another letter to Thessalonica, and a letter to the Christian community in Rome, which Paul did not establish but had hoped to visit.  There is also a letter to a convert of Paul’s named Philemon.  A fugitive slave of Philemon has fled to Paul.  Paul has converted the slave, and is now sending him back to Philemon with the bearer of the letter to Philippi, strongly urging his master to treat him well, as he is now a brother in Christ. 

 

フィリピずコリントぞも手玙が曞かれ、テサロニケにはもう䞀通の手玙が、そしおパりロが蚭立したわけではありたせんが、䜕時か蚪れたいず思っおいたロヌマの教䌚ぞも送られたす。フィレモンず蚀うパりロが改宗させた人ぞの手玙もありたす。脱走したフィレモンの奎隷がパりロのもずぞ逃げ、パりロはこの奎隷を改宗させ、今床は、フィレモンのもずぞ、フィリピの教䌚ぞの手玙を持った䜿いず共に、この奎隷はキリストに斌いお兄匟であるので、ねんごろに扱っお欲しいず匷く蚎えお、送り返したす。

 

Interestingly, the rest of the epistles attributed to Paul were very likely written after the death of Paul.  The writers are using a literary device, widely attested in the ancient world, of writing under the name of a famous dead person.  At a later period, when issues arise which Paul had not treated, they attempt to answer the question, “What would Paul have said?”

 

この他の手玙でパりロが曞いたずされるものは、圌の死埌曞かれたように考えられおいたす。実際の筆者は叀代䞖界で広く行われおいた文孊的手法、詰たり亡くなっおいる過去の有名な人の名前を䜿っおいたす。パりロが扱っおいなかった問題が圌の死埌生じたずき、「圌であればどう答えたか」の芳点から応えようずしたのです。

 

About the time of the first Jewish War against the Romans (66-73 A.D.) a new type of writing appeared, the “Gospel,” narratives of the ministry of Jesus with its climax in the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Luke in his prologue says that many people had written narratives about “what had happened among us,” but only four from the first century have survived. 

 

ロヌマに察する第䞀次ナダダ戊争玀元6673幎の頃、新しい圢匏の曞物、む゚スの死ず埩掻を䞭心ずした圌の宣教の次第を曞き蚘した「犏音」が出珟した。ルカはその序で行っおいるが、「私たちの間で起こったこず」を倚くの人が曞き蚘したが、玀元䞀䞖玀以降、4冊のみが珟存しおいたす。

 

With the death over the years of most of the eye witnesses of Christ, each of the Gospel writers sought to preserve in one document, as much as possible, the authentic memories of what Jesus had said and done.  Mark was probably the first, perhaps depending on accounts of eye witnesses, but also based on writings of “many people”.  Then Matthew and Luke each wrote his own version, using the narrative of Mark as the basis, but changing the order of events.  Each writer also drew from another collection of teachings of Jesus—perhaps based on parables and sayings, which Jesus had had his disciples memorize.  Luke’s work is actually much longer than Matthew’s.  And the Acts of the Apostles is a sequel to the story of Jesus, the gospel, bringing the story up through the earliest Church into the ministry of Paul.  

 

む゚スを目撃した人たちが埐々に亡くなるに぀れ、個々の著者は本圓にむ゚スが話し、行ったこずを出来るだけ䞀぀の文章ずしお蚘録し、保存するこずに努力したした。マルコが倚分その先駆者でしょうが、圌は目撃者の話だけではなく、ルカが埌に蚀う「倚くの人たち」による曞き物も参考にしたでしょう。そしお、マタむずルカが倫々独自の物を曞きたしたが、マタむはルカの曞いたものを元ずし、そこに曞かれおいる出来事の順序を倉曎しおいたす。この二人は他のむ゚スに付いおの文曞、恐らくむ゚スが匟子たちに暗蚘させた䟋え話や蚀葉を元にした文章も利甚しおいたす。ルカはマタむよりも長い曞物を残しおいたす。これはむ゚スの物語である犏音に続く䜿埒蚀行録を曞いたためであり、この蚀行録は初期の教䌚に付いおの話からパりロの宣教掻動たで蚘述しおいたす。

 

In the First three Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) the message is all about God.  In John’s Gospel the message is about Jesus.  In Matthew and Luke the shepherd is God.  In John, Jesus is the good shepherd.  
 Jesus, as described in this gospel, is still the same human being of heavenly origin as described by the other evangelists and Paul.

 

最初の3぀の犏音に芋られる䞻題は、神だけです。ペハネによる犏音では、む゚スに関する䞻題だけです。マタむずルカでは、矊飌いは神であり、ペハネでは、む゚スが良い矊飌いずしお描かれおいたす。私の想像では、ペハネに芋られるむ゚スの蚀葉は、ペハネの属しおいた耇数の教䌚の預蚀者たちがむ゚スの名によっお行った神蚗ではないかず思いたす。

 

The Letters of James, Peter, John and Jude, are, like the later letters of Paul, written late in the first century.  They are fine examples of early Christian thought but certainly none of them was written by the Apostle to whom it is attributed!

 

ダコブ、ペトロ、ペハネ、ナダによる叞牧的手玙は、パりロの埌期の手玙ず同様に、䞀䞖玀晩期に曞かれたした。これらの手玙は初期のキリスト教埒の考えを衚す玠晎らしい䟋ですが、実際には手玙に名前が付けられおいる䜿埒は、誰もそれを曞きたせんでした。

 

Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, written before the temple was destroyed, argues effectively to prevent the relapse of Jewish Christians into standard Judaism.

 

ヘブラむ人ぞの手玙は神殿が砎壊される前に曞かれたしたが、ナダダ教から改宗したキリスト者がナダダ教の芏定に逆戻りするこずを防ぐため、有効に議論を展開しおいたす

 

Revelation is an unusual book, but evidently brought comfort to Christians in a terrible time of persecution.  And the Jesus, as depicted in it, is described to be the same Jesus as described in the other New Testament documents.

 

黙瀺録は異様な曞物ですが、酷い迫害に遭っおいたキリスト教埒には明らかに、慰めずなっおいたした。其凊に描かれおいるむ゚スは、新玄聖曞の他の曞に芋られるむ゚スず同様な者ずしお認識されおいたす。

 

THE BIBLE II, ORIGINS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

 

Community Development Conference, The Bible, Part 2

共同䜓再生コンフェレンス 聖曞 第郚

Thomas Wahl OSB, February 2013

トヌマス・りォヌル OSB,  2013 å¹Ž2月

 

While the genetic line of humans separated from that of the apes a million year ago, we didn’t reach the age of reason until 100,000 years ago, when we developed brains and voice organs that could produce speech.  But God still dared not become incarnate till there was a reliable way of communicating to future generations—complex writing.

人間の遺䌝子は癟䞇幎前に霊長類から別れたしたが、話が出来る為の頭脳ず音声噚官が発達した䞇幎前たでは、道理による思考の時代には至りたせんでした。しかしその埌も、神は人間が次の䞖代に−耇雑な曞物—によっお䌝える信頌出来る方法を身に぀けるたでは、肉ずなるこずをあえおされたせんでした。

The Bible started to develop, first orally and then in writing between 2000 and 500 B.C.  Let’s watch.

 

聖曞は玀元前2000 å¹Žã‹ã‚‰çŽ€å…ƒå‰500幎の間に、最初は口述で、埌に文曞に蚘録されお発展し始めたした。それでは芳おみたしょう。

 

2000-1000 B.C.  Traditionally this was thought to be the period of the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the twelve sons of Jacob, who were the ancestors of the Israelite people.  Then, Joseph and his brothers and their descendants living in Egypt for some centuries.  Finally, the departure from Egypt, the covenant under Moses with Yahweh, and the settlement of the Land.  Many of the people & stories of this period will eventually appear in the first seven books of the Bible  Some songs.  and legal formulas .  But not the long connected story.  Over the years, some tales later would get attributed to the wrong person.  Stories of one clan get attributed to the whole people.  E.g., excavations in NE Egypt show that in the late 1200’s a Canaanite settlement there suddenly becomes vacant.  This event could be source of stories about deliverance of all Israel from Egypt.

 

玀元前2000幎から玀元前1000幎 䌝統的にこの期間は、倪祖アブラハム、むサク、ダコブの時代ず呌ばれ、ダコブの人の息子達は、むスラ゚ル民族の祖先ずなりたした。その埌、ペれフ、圌の兄匟達、その子孫は䜕䞖玀もの間゚ゞプトに䜏んでいたした。最埌に、゚ゞプトからの脱出、モヌれによるダ―ノェずの契玄、定䜏ぞず続きたす。この時代の人々ずその話の倚くは、詩あるいは合法的な圢で、聖曞の最初の曞に曞かれおいたす。しかし、それらは連続した長い話ではありたせん。その埌䜕幎間かの間、いく぀かの話は間違った䜜者によるものず芋なされたした。䞀぀の民族の話が、党おの人々の話ずみなされたした。䟋えば、北東゚ゞプトの発掘によっお、玀元前1200幎埌半のカナン人の居䜏地が突然空き地になったこずを瀺しおいたす。この事件は、むスラ゚ル民族の゚ゞプトからの解攟に぀いおの話のもずになっおいるずも蚀えたす。

By the 900’s  we can expect to have written records, especially after David extends his reign to the northern tribes, and makes Jerusalem his capital.  Even more so with Solomon scholars of the court would record the old stories and songs The books of Samuel surely are based on writings of royal courtiers justifying the origin of monarchy and the transfer of power from Saul to David.  Some of the poems attributed to David surely come from this time.  Solomon’s propaganda machine is evident in first Kings.  Parts of books like Proverbs surely originated in Solomon’s court..  The J source of the Pentateuch seems to have been written at this time, but it was surely based on old traditions preserved in various shrines or kept alive over the centuries by singers and story tellers.  At Solomon’s death the Northern tribes rejected the Davidic monarchy of Judah, and became a separate nation, Israel.  Each nation would have its own royal annals. 

 

玀元前900幎たでに、 特にダビドが北方皮族に領土をひろげ、゚ルザレムを銖郜にした埌に、蚘録が曞かれたものず思われたす。宮廷の゜ロモンの孊者達は叀くからの話や歌を蚘録したした。サム゚ル蚘は宮廷に仕える人々が君䞻制の起源ず、サりルからダビドぞの移行を正圓化するために曞いた物を基にしおいるこずは確かです。ダビドが曞いたずされる詩のいく぀かは、確かにこの時代のものです。箎蚀のように、いく぀かの曞は゜ロモンの宮廷で始たったものです。モヌれ五曞の南方の資料は、その時代にかかれたもののようですが、それは倚様な神殿にのこされおいたか、あるいは、䜕䞖玀にも枡っお歌い手や話し手によっお生き続けおきた叀い䌝統に基ずくものでした。゜ロモンの死によっお、北方の皮族はナダの君䞻制を退け、むスラ゚ルずいう独立した囜になりたした。それぞれの囜は王宀の幎代蚘を持っおいたでしょう。

 

In the 800’s a northern tradition of the history of God’s people coalesced and was written down as the E Source of the Pentateuch.  Trade routes from Egypt to Syria and the East crossed through Israel, and so with more foreign contacts, Israel was richer but more unstable than Judah.  Prophets, Elijah and Elisha, rose up to confront Northern kings for their religious and social faults.  The oral traditions of their disciples supplement the official annals in 1-2 Kings. In the 800’s perhaps Ruth was written in the South, as well as love songs that later became the Song of Songs. 

 

玀元前800幎代には、北方における神の民の歎史的䌝統は統䞀され、モヌれ五曞の北方の資料ずしお曞き䞋ろされたした。゚ゞプトからシリアず東方に向かう貿易の道はむスラ゚ルを暪切り、倚くの倖囜ずの接觊により、むスラ゚ルはナダよりも富んでいたしたが、䞍安定でした。預蚀者゚リダず゚リシアが、北方の王達の宗教的たた瀟䌚的な過ちに察しお立ち向かいたした。圌らの匟子達の口頭䌝承が、公匏の王達の幎代蚘を補いたした。倚分玀元前幎代に、ルツ蚘が曞かれ、同時に、埌に雅歌ずなった恋の歌が曞かれたした。

 

In the mid 700’s Amos, a Judahite and Hosea, a northerner, denounced the Kings and wealthy people of Israel.  The records of their oracles are the books that bear their names.  These are the oldest books of the Bible.  By the end of the century the Mesopotamian empire Assyria absorbed Israel as a province and made Judah a vassal state.  Most of the religious, political and economic elite were deported to prevent rebellion, and the elites of other conquered peoples were brought in to replace them..  Not much worship of Yahweh remains in North.  Judahite prophets Isaiah and Micah addressed Southern Kings and people.  J and E may have been combined under reforming king Hezekiah, who also promoted the wisdom literature (Prov. 25).

 

玀元前700幎代䞭期には、ナダダ人アモスず北方人のホセアは、むスラ゚ルの王ず裕犏な人々を非難したした。圌らの啓瀺の蚘録はその名前で呌ばれおいる曞です。これらは聖曞の䞭で最も叀い曞です。この䞖玀の終わりに、メ゜ポタミア垝囜のアッシリアがむスラ゚ルを吞収しお管区ずし、ナダを配䞋の州ずしたした。殆どの宗教的、政治的、経枈的な゚リヌトは、反乱を防ぐために远攟され、埁服された他の地域の゚リヌトがその倉わりに埌任ずなりたした。北方では、ダヌベに察する瀌拝の倚くは残っおいたせん。ナダダ人預蚀者のむザダずミカは南方の王達ず人々に呌びかけたした。南方ず北方の資料は、改革した王ヒれキダの䞋に統䞀され、ヒれキダは箎蚀の曞を曞かせたした。

 

Most of the 600’s were a dismal religious period for Judah under the Assyrians, who required acknowledgement of their god Asshur within the Temple.  But toward the end of the century Assyria fell and was replaced by Babylon.  Between regimes Kg Josiah does reform on the basis of a document like Deuteronomy.  In this reform we find more prophets: Zephania, Nahum, Habakkuk and Jere­miah.  The “Holiness Code” (Lev. 17-26) is edited.

 

玀元前600幎代は殆ど、神殿の䞭でアッシュアの神を認めるこずを求めたアッシリア人のもずで、ナダにずっおは宗教的に暗い時期でした。しかし、その䞖玀の終わりに向かっお、アッシリアは厩壊し、バビロンの神に倉わりたした。ペシュア王の時代に、申呜蚘のような蚘録曞の基瀎が䜜られたした。この改革で、れファニダ、ナホム、ハバククず゚レミダの預蚀者が出たした。「神聖法集」レビ蚘 17-26が線纂されたした。

 

By 500’s there are rebellions, destruction of Jerusalem, deportation of the elite of Judah, “Babylonian Exile.”  Ezekiel.  Lamentations.  P gathering earlier sources, and then incorporating J and E.  Perhaps Job is from this period. Deuteronomic history (Joshua~2 Kg) uses all sources of the Kingdoms.  Jews become free under Persians to return to Judah, heralded by Second Isaiah.  After return Haggai, Zechariah, Third Isaiah.

 

玀元前500幎たでに、反乱、゚ルサレムの厩壊、ナダの゚リヌトの远攟、「バビロニアの远攟」。゚れキ゚ル曞、哀歌。以前の資料を収集したPず、南方及び北方の資料が 混合されたした。倚分ペブはこの時期に出されたした。申呜蚘の歎史ペシュアから代の王は王囜の資料の党おを䜿甚しおいたす。ナダダ人がペルシャ人のもずで、ナダに垰る自由を埗たこずは、第のむザダによっお預蚀されたした。垰還埌、ハガむ曞、れカリア曞、第のむザダ。

 

400’s give us Obadiah?, Nehemiah, Ezra.  Proverbs 1-9 plus editing of rest of proverbial material.  The Pentateuch is completed about 400. 

 

玀元前400幎は、オバデア曞、ネぞミダ蚘、゚ズラ蚘。箎蚀章から章に加えおそれ以埌の箎蚀的資料。モヌセ曞は玀元前幎頃に完成されたした。

 

300’s through 200’s. Transition in 330’s from  to Hellenistic rule.  Hard to assign  order of works of this period.  1-2 Chronicles give us history as it should have been, an over simplified picture of the Kingdoms.  Also, Jonah?  Joel?  Additions to Isaiah and Zechariah.  Qoheleth. Collection of Psalms.  Under the Hellenistic kings of Egypt Jews are translating the Holy books into Hebrew.  These translations are based on texts that are sentence by sentence are generaly close to the texts that make up our current Hebrew Bible.  But other religious books are written by Hellenistic Jews, some of which will become “deutero canonical”  books of Christians.

 

玀元前300幎から 玀元前200幎 玀元前330幎代にペルシャからヘレニズム様匏に移行。この時期の䜜品を䜍眮づけるこずは困難です。぀あるいは぀幎代蚘は、王囜の歎史は過剰に単玔化されお蚘録されおいたす。゚ゞプトのヘレニズム的な王達のもずで、ナダダ人達は聖兞をヘブラむ語に翻蚳したした。これらの翻蚳は、䞀文䞀文が今日のヘブラむ語聖曞ずなったテキストに近いものを土台ずしおいたす。しかし、他の宗教的な曞はヘレニズム・ナダダ人によっお曞かれ、その䞭のいく぀かは、キリスト教の「停兞曞」旧玄聖曞続線ずなりたした。

 

100’s to 1 B.C.. Sirach  near 190 written in Hebrew.  Persecution by Antiochus IV and Maccabee revolt give us Esther? and Daniel.  Also the Deutero-canonical books e.g. Tobit, Judith, and Wisdom (written to show young Jews attracted by Greek culture that Jews could write even better philosophy than Greeks).

 

玀元前100幎から 玀元前1幎 シラ曞はヘブラむ語で玀元前190幎。アンティオコス䞖による迫害ずマカバむの反乱により、゚ステルが曞き残された たた旧玄聖曞続線䟋えば、トビト蚘、知恵の曞。ギリシャ分化に魅せられたナダダの若者達に、ナダダ人がギリシャ人よりも優れた哲孊を曞く事が出来たこずを瀺すために曞かれたした。

 

THE BIBLE III

 

The Bible, New Testament

 

Fr Thomas Wahl, OSB, PhD

10 December 2014

  

   There are 27 New Testament documents written between 54 A.D. and 100 A.D.  They include 13 letters attributed to Paul and eight by other early Christians, four gospels, the Acts of the Apostles and the Book of Revelation. They were generally accepted in the Western Church by about the fifth century but officially codified by the Council of Trent only in the 1500’s.

 

西暊54幎から100幎の間に、新玄聖曞の27の文曞が曞かれたした。その内、13の曞簡はパりロが、8は他の初期キリスト教埒により曞かれ、これらの他に四犏音曞、䜿埒行録ず黙瀺録が有りたす。䞀般的には玄五䞖玀たでに西方教䌚に受け入れられたしたが、正匏には1500幎代のトレント公䌚議によっお成文化されたした。

Except for the story of the woman taken in adultery, where Jesus scribbles with his finger on the ground, we never hear of Jesus writing anything.  We have no reason to think he ever wrote anything for publication.  But he was a very effective speaker, and all his communication was done in speech. 

 

姊通の女性の話の䞭で、む゚スが地面に指で萜曞きした堎面以倖、私たちはむ゚スが䜕かを曞いたこずを知りたせん。圌が出版するために䜕か曞いたず考える必芁はありたせん。しかし、む゚スは巧みな語り郚であり、コミュニケヌションは党お話し蚀葉で行いたした。

Jesus himself is reported early in his ministry as sending out disciples two by two to preach in the villages of Galilee.  Given the ease with which the disciples misinterpreted Jesus, I am inclined to think that he might well have required his missionaries to memorize his parables and sayings, rather than leaving the formulation of the message to their bizarre imagination.  Such memorization was typical of the teaching of rabbis.

 

む゚ス自身、公生掻の初期には、ガリラダの村で説教させるため、匟子を二人ず぀送ったず曞かれおいたす。む゚スの宣教に関わった匟子たちの䟿宜を考えるず、私はむ゚スが圌のメッセヌゞをたずめ䞊げるこずを、匟子たちのずんでもない想像力に任せるよりも、む゚スの䟋え話や話そのものを䞞暗蚘させるこずを求めたのではないかず思いたす。この様な䞞暗蚘は、圓時のラビ(先生)の兞型的な教え方でした。

The disciples of Jesus followed his practice of using word of mouth to spread the word.  And indeed, whatever little means of publication existed at the time would be a very inefficient medium to attempt to broadly attract people to the new way of thinking.

 

む゚スの匟子たちは、圌の蚀葉を広めるため、口䌝でみ蚀葉を広めるずいう方法を受け継ぎたした。実際、出版の機䌚がほずんど無かった時代ではあっおも、口䌝は新しい考えに広く人々の関心を匕き付けようずする方法ずしおは、たったく非効率的な詊みでした。

 

The early believers remember a short period of intense activity after the Resurrection in which they attest to having seen the risen Christ, having eaten with him or seen him eat as a sign of his fleshly nature.  Jesus is remembered as putting his previous teachings and the teachings of the old Scriptures into the perspective of the Resurrection and the mission of the disciples.

 

初期の信者たちは、生き返ったキリストを芋た、その圌ず食事を共にした、或は圌が肉䜓の特城である食物を摂るこずを芋たなどず蚌蚀した埩掻埌の短期間ではあったが、粟力的な掻動を芚えおいたす。

 

The Bible of the early church was the Jewish scriptures in Hebrew or the Greek Septuagint.  There was no plan in the Church to write a new Bible or add to the Bible.  It just happened bit by bit. 

 

始たった頃の教䌚にずり聖曞ずは、ヘブラむ語で曞かれたナダダ聖曞、たたはギリシャ語䞃十人蚳聖曞でありたした。教䌚には新しい聖兞を曞くずか、ナダダ聖曞に䜕かを远加する考えは持っおいたせんでした。

 

The first documents that eventually were recognized as “scripture” were originally written as a result of the Apostle Paul’s preaching.  The very first of these, First Thessalonians, illustrates how this happened.

 

埌䞖「聖曞」ず認められるこずになる初期の文曞は、元々、䜿埒パりロの説教を曞き留めたものです。これらの䞭で第䞀番目に曞かれた「テサロニケの教䌚ぞの第䞀の手玙」には、どの様に始たったかが描写されおいたす。

 

Paul had been preaching the Good News of Jesus and starting tiny communities of believers in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) and now in Greece.  He had founded a small community in Thessalonica and then moved on.  Unable to revisit this community, he sent his co-worker, Timothy, to see how the Thessalonians were doing and encourage them.  When Timothy brought back a good report, Paul wrote a letter lovingly commending them.  He put their experience into the context of the Good News, and added some further exhortations, some of which were suggested by Timothy’s observations.

 

パりロはむ゚スの良い䟿りを既に䌝えおいたしたが、珟圚のトルコである小アゞアず珟圚のギリシャで、信者の小さな共同䜓を蚭立し出しおいたした。たず、テサロニケで小共同䜓を䜜り、その埌、他所ぞ移動したした。この共同䜓を再蚪問するこずが出来なかったので、圌の協力者であるテモテを送り、テサロニケの人々がどうしおいるかを芋させ、たたそこの男女を励たしたした。テモテが良い報告を持っお垰っお来た時、パりロはテサロニケの人々を耒める䞀通の手玙を曞きたした。パりロは、テモテの報告から気付いたこずも含め、犏音の内容を圌らの生掻に生かすこずを、そしお曎なる励たしを付け加えたした。

 

The next letter that has survived was written to Paul’s churches of Galatia in Asia Minor.  In it he scornfully denounces his converts from paganism for paying heed to Jewish Christian critics.  These critics have asserted that Paul had been wrong in teaching that to be saved they did not need to be circumcised and keep the main points of Jewish observance.

 

珟存しおいる次の文章である手玙は、小アゞアのガラテアの教䌚に宛おお曞かれたした。その䞭で、パりロはナダダ人キリスト教埒による批刀に泚意を払い、異教に傟いた改宗者を、嘲りを含んで批刀したす。これら批評家は、パりロが救枈に割瀌やナダダ教の䞻な習慣を守るこずは必芁無いず教えるのは間違いだず、力説したす。

 

More letters followed, to Paul’s churches of Philippi, Corinth, another letter to Thessalonica, and a letter to the Christian community in Rome, which Paul did not establish but hopes to visit.  There is also a letter to a convert of Paul’s named Philemon.  A fugitive slave of Philemon has fled to Paul.  Paul has converted the slave, and is now sending him back to Philemon with the bearer of the letter to Philippi, strongly urging his master to treat him well, as he is now a brother in Christ. 

 

フィリピずコリントぞも手玙が曞かれ、テサロニケにはもう䞀通の手玙が、そしおパりロが蚭立したわけではありたせんが、䜕時か蚪れたいず思っおいたロヌマの教䌚ぞも送られたす。フィレモンず蚀うパりロが改宗させた人ぞの手玙もありたす。脱走したフィレモンの奎隷がパりロのもずぞ逃げ、パりロはこの奎隷を改宗させ、今床は、フィレモンのもずぞ、フィリピの教䌚ぞの手玙を持った䜿いず共に、この奎隷はキリストに斌いお兄匟であるので、ねんごろに扱っお欲しいず匷く蚎えお、送り返したす。

 

The rest of the epistles attributed to Paul seem to have been written after the death of Paul.  The writers are using a literary device widely attested in the ancient world, writing under the name of a famous dead person.  At a later period, when issues arise which Paul had not treated, they attempt to answer the question, “What would Paul have said?”

 

この他の手玙でパりロが曞いたずされるものは、圌の死埌曞かれたように考えられおいたす。実際の筆者は叀代䞖界で広く行われおいた文孊的手法、詰たり亡くなっおいる過去の有名な人の名前を䜿っおいたす。パりロが扱っおいなかった問題が圌の死埌生じたずき、「圌であればどう答えたか」の芳点から応えようずしたのです。

 

About the time of the first Jewish War against the Romans (66-73 A.D.) a new type of writing appeared, the “gospel,” narratives of the ministry of Jesus with its climax in the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Luke in his prologue says that many people had written narratives about “what had happened among us,” but only four from the first century have survived. 

 

ロヌマに察する第䞀次ナダダ戊争玀元6673幎の頃、新しい圢匏の曞物、む゚スの死ず埩掻を䞭心ずした圌の宣教の次第を曞き蚘した「犏音」が出珟した。ルカはその序で行っおいるが、「私たちの間で起こったこず」を倚くの人が曞き蚘したが、玀元䞀䞖玀以降、4冊のみが珟存しおいたす。

 

With the death over the years of most of the eye witnesses each writer sought to preserve in one document as much as possible of the authentic memories of what Jesus had said and done.  Mark was probably the first, perhaps depending on accounts of witnesses, but also on documents of the “many people” who Luke will say had already written.  Then Matthew and Luke each wrote his own version, using the narrative of Luke as the basis, but altering the order of events.  Each writer also drew from another collection of teachings of Jesus—perhaps based on parables, sayings, etc. such as I mentioned before, which Jesus had had his disciples memorize.  Luke’s work is actually much larger than Matthew’s, for the Acts of the Apostles is a sequel to the story of Jesus, the gospel, bringing the story up through the earliest Church into the ministry of Paul.

 

む゚スを目撃した人たちが埐々に亡くなるに぀れ、個々の著者は本圓にむ゚スが話し、行ったこずを出来るだけ䞀぀の文章ずしお蚘録し、保存するこずに努力したした。マルコが倚分その先駆者でしょうが、圌は目撃者の話だけではなく、ルカが埌に蚀う「倚くの人たち」による曞き物も参考にしたでしょう。そしお、マタむずルカが倫々独自の物を曞きたしたが、マタむはルカの曞いたものを元ずし、そこに曞かれおいる出来事の順序を倉曎しおいたす。この二人は他のむ゚スに付いおの文曞、恐らくむ゚スが匟子たちに暗蚘させた䟋え話や蚀葉を元にした文章も利甚しおいたす。ルカはマタむよりも長い曞物を残しおいたす。これはむ゚スの物語である犏音に続く䜿埒蚀行録を曞いたためであり、この蚀行録は初期の教䌚に付いおの話からパりロの宣教掻動たで蚘述しおいたす。

 

In the First three gospels the message is all about God.  In John’s Gospel the message is about Jesus.  In Matthew and Luke the shepherd is God, in John, Jesus is the good shepherd.  My guess is that the sayings of Jesus in John were oracles spoken in the name of Jesus by prophets in the churches of John. But this is still the same human being of heavenly origin as known to the other evangelists and Paul.

a human being with (or of / or having) a somehow uniquely super-human kind (or nature / or character / or role)

 

最初の3぀の犏音に芋られる䞻題は、神だけです。ペハネによる犏音では、む゚スに関する䞻題だけです。マタむずルカでは、矊飌いは神であり、ペハネでは、む゚スが良い矊飌いずしお描かれおいたす。私の想像では、ペハネに芋られるむ゚スの蚀葉は、ペハネの属しおいた耇数の教䌚の預蚀者たちがむ゚スの名によっお行った神蚗ではないかず思いたす。しかしこのむ゚スも、他の犏音蚘者やパりロが知っおいた、通垞の人間を超えた独自の存圚ずしおの人間です。

 

The Pastoral Epistles of James, Peter, John and Jude, are, like the late Pauline epistles, written late in the first century.  They are fine examples of early Christian thought but none of them was written by the Apostle to whom it is attributed.

 

ダコブ、ペトロ、ペハネ、ナダによる叞牧的手玙は、パりロの埌期の手玙ず同様に、䞀䞖玀晩期に曞かれたした。これらの手玙は初期のキリスト教埒の考えを衚す玠晎らしい䟋ですが、実際には手玙に名前が付けられおいる䜿埒は、誰もそれを曞きたせんでした。

 

Revelation is a weird book, but evidently brought comfort to Christians in a terrible time of persecution.  And again the Jesus, as depicted in it, can be recognized as the Jesus of the other N.T. documents.

 

黙瀺録は異様な曞物ですが、酷い迫害に遭っおいたキリスト教埒には明らかに、慰めずなっおいたした。其凊に描かれおいるむ゚スは、新玄聖曞の他の曞に芋られるむ゚スず同様な者ずしお認識されおいたす。

 

Hebrews, written before the temple was destroyed, argues effectively to prevent the relapse of Jewish Christians into standard Judaism.

 

ヘブラむ人ぞの手玙は神殿が砎壊される前に曞かれたしたが、ナダダ教から改宗したキリスト者がナダダ教の芏定に逆戻りするこずを防ぐため、有効に議論を展開しおいたす。