正文:

So up until this point, the two preceding lectures, we have. Briefly examined how the New Testament presents the church and what the church essentially is concluding that the church is essentially a fellowship namely fellowship with God and fellowship with one another.

咱们上次的两个两次讲座谈到的是在教会是什么? 尤其是新约中教会。 教会是的意义。 那么我们的结论是教会是一种团契是和天主和人和其他人的一种团契。

Now, in highlighting that the church is essentially a fellowship or koinonia, which is the word in Greek, we need to ask ourselves the question, what is unique about the church as a fellowship? Because there are many fellowships, many societies out there, many brotherhoods. Why the church? Why is the church so relevant, so vital for the life of a Christian?

现在，在强调教会本质上是一个团契或希腊语中的 “koinonia “时，我们需要问自己一个问题：教会作为一个团契有什么独特之处？因为外面有许多团契、许多社团、许多兄弟会。为什么是教会？为什么教会对基督徒的生活如此重要？

So for this evening's lecture, I thought that I would present it in a little different way, not strictly theological, but beginning with two stories from the New Testament, in order to then examine how these two stories are relevant for our topic this evening.

今天晚上我想不用神学的语言, 而是用圣经的语言来审视一下圣经中的两个故事, 而且我们要看看这两个故事能够告诉我们教会团契的意义, 是什么呢?

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The first story concerns our Lord's visit. The Lord's visit to the house of Mary and Martha. So Mary and Martha were the two sisters of Lazarus, whom Jesus, as we know, had brought back to life. After his beloved friend had been dead in the tomb for four days. And in the gospel, according to St. Luke, we are told that upon hearing, that Jesus would visit their home, both Mary and Martha were overcome with a lot of joy.

第一个故事与主的拜访有关。主拜访了马利亚和马大的家。马利亚和马大是拉撒路的两个姐妹，我们知道，耶稣曾使拉撒路复活。在他深爱的朋友死在坟墓里四天之后。在圣路加的福音书中，我们得知耶稣将拜访她们家时，马利亚和马大都非常高兴。

Although both sisters were very happy that Jesus could come to their home to be a guest, the two sisters' reactions were indeed different. So what does Martha do? The gospel reveals that Martha is entirely focused on preparing the house, on shouldering all the tasks, on all the things that are associated when we receive someone into our home, which is not necessarily a bad thing. But even when Jesus comes, she continues stressing and overcome with a lot of anxiety.

虽然两姐妹都很高兴耶稣能来她们家做客，但两姐妹的反应确实不同。那么，马大做了什么呢？福音书显示，马大完全专注于准备房子，承担所有的任务，做所有与接待客人时相关的事情，这并不一定是坏事。但是，即使耶稣来了，她仍旧压力重重，焦虑不安。

when Jesus begins to speak, she is still constantly busy. Mary, on the other hand, what does she do? The gospel portrays her as distinctly sitting quietly at the Lord's feet and listening intently at the words of Christ. As the gospel according to St. Luke tells us, she is entirely focused on the only one thing needful. St. Luke tells us, she is not anxious about household chores or what others are doing, but she is very focused on listening intently at the words of Jesus.

当耶稣开始说话时，她还在不停地忙碌。而马利亚呢？福音书描绘了她安静地坐在主的脚前，专注地聆听基督的话语。正如《圣路加福音》告诉我们的那样，她完全专注于唯一需要做的一件事。圣路加告诉我们，她并不担心家务或别人在做什么，而是非常专注地认真聆听耶稣的话语。

So, we have here a very compelling example of what Christian discipleship looks like. A person not focused on secondary things, one totally anxious. So, already with this story, we are taught that in order to follow Christ, we need to totally re-enter, re-orientate our life towards him, towards, as the gospel according to St. Luke tells us, re-orientate our lives to the only one thing needful. Mary's stance is instructive for us today because it reminds us that if we want to be disciples of Christ, we need to put time aside on a daily basis to reflect on this only one thing needful. Namely, we need to nurture our relationship with Christ on a daily basis. We need to bring ourselves into the presence of God. How do we do that? We need to spend some time before God in prayer, listening silently and attentively for his voice, and we need to do this on a daily basis.

因此，我们在这里看到了一个非常有说服力的例子，说明基督徒的门徒训练是什么样的。一个人不是专注于次要的事情，变得彻底焦虑。因此，这个故事已经告诉我们，为了跟随基督，我们需要完全重新投入，重新定位我们的生活，向着他，向着圣路加福音告诉我们的那样，重新定位我们的生活，以唯一需要的事情为目标。马利亚的立场对我们今天很有启发，因为它提醒我们，如果我们想成为基督的门徒，就需要每天抽出时间来思考这唯一的一件事。也就是说，我们需要每天培养与基督的关系。我们需要把自己带到神的面前。如何做到这一点呢？我们需要花一些时间在上帝面前祷告，静静地、专心地聆听他的声音，我们需要每天这样做。

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And a father of the Eastern Church, a saint in the Orthodox Church, Saint Isaac the Syrian, lived in the 7th century, says these words so movingly and very instructive for us. Saint Isaac says, Let every prayer that you offer in the night be more precious in your eyes than all your activities in the day. So according to Saint Isaac, there is nothing more important in life than remaining still, remaining silent. But doing nothing as good, bringing ourselves into the presence of Christ, into the presence of God who loves us beyond imagination, and allowing ourselves to be molded by the very hands that molded the universe.

东方教会的一位教父，东正教的一位圣人，叙利亚的圣以撒，生活在 7 世纪，他说的这些话非常感人，对我们非常有启发。圣以撒说："让你夜里的每一次祈祷，在你眼中都比你白天的一切活动更珍贵。” 因此，圣以撒认为，生命中最重要的事情莫过于保持静止、保持沉默。但做什么都不如把自己带入基督的面前，带入爱我们超乎想象的上帝的面前，让自己被塑造宇宙的那双手所塑造。

So a great temptation for all of us today, is that we can engross ourselves in our work, and whatever else we do to such a great extent, that we can starve ourselves of being spiritually nurtured. We starve ourselves of the only one thing needful. So the example of Mary in this story, is a compelling reminder for the need on a daily basis for silence and reflection. So the example of Mary in this story, is that we must be silent and pray in our daily lives. This is the only important thing. So we must find ways, as St. Paul tells us, from wandering away into endless myths, into fictitious fantasies and distractions. We must reorientate our minds, St. Athanasius would say, back onto Christ.

因此，今天对我们所有人的一个巨大诱惑就是，我们可能会沉迷于我们的工作，以及我们所做的任何其他事情，以至于我们在灵性上无法得到滋养。我们让自己失去了唯一需要的东西。因此，这个故事中马利亚的例子有力地提醒我们，每天都需要静默和反思。因此，故事中马利亚的例子告诉我们，我们必须在日常生活中保持沉默和祈祷。这是唯一重要的事情。因此，我们必须想方设法，正如圣保罗告诉我们的那样，远离无尽的虚言，远离虚构的幻想和杂念。圣亚他那修会说，我们必须调整思想的方向，回到基督身上。

From wandering away into endless myths, there are so many meaningless things, we must stop doing these things, and start to put Christ in the middle of our life. This reflects that we need to turn to Christ every day, and to turn ourselves in the order of the Lord, turning to the People of God every day, to strive and to forgive each soul. Be willful, So we must find on a daily basis time to put aside in order to reflect on what truly matters and where our ultimate future truly lies.

我们必须停止做这些事情，开始将基督置于我们生活的中心。这反映出我们需要每天转向基督，按照主的命令转向自己，每天转向上帝的子民，努力奋斗，宽恕每一个灵魂。因此，我们每天都必须抽出时间来反思什么才是真正重要的，什么才是我们真正的终极未来。

And then the question arises, where does that future truly lie? What is the ultimate purpose for this human person? Saint Kosmas Aitolos, an 18th century saint of the Orthodox Church who was martyred under the Turkish, in reflecting on the ultimate purpose, where the future lies for the human person, says very simply, he says, the birds, they were created for the air. The fish, they were created for the seas. The animals were created for the land and the human person was created for God's future kingdom. In other words, we have no home here on earth. As Saint Paul says, our citizenship is in heaven.

那么问题来了，未来究竟在哪里？人类的终极目标是什么？18 世纪东正教会的圣人科斯马斯-艾托洛斯（Kosmas Aitolos）曾在土耳其人的统治下殉教，他在反思人类的终极目的和未来时说得很简单，他说："鸟儿，它们是为空气而生的。鱼是为海洋而生的。动物是为陆地而生，而人是为上帝未来的王国而生。换句话说，我们在地球上没有家。正如圣保罗所说，我们的天上的公民。

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So our future is God's heavenly kingdom And again to quote from Saint Isaac the Syrian The joy of the future kingdom is stronger than this present life…a love which is sweeter than life …honey and the honeycomb It's a life which is permanent and not fleeting

因此，我们的未来就是上帝的天国，再次引用叙利亚圣以撒的话 未来王国的喜悦比现在的生活更强烈......爱比生命......蜂蜜和蜂窝更甜蜜。 这是一种永久的生命，而不是短暂的。

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So we are called to really focus our attention On the only one thing needful. And in a prayer that Orthodox Christians Read in preparation for Holy Communion. They pray in a very personal and intimate manner. Reading the words of Saint Simeon the New Theologian Orthodox Christians pray 7. “My Christ The triple radiant light, O giver of life My breath My life, My joy and the world's salvation. Notice the intimacy with which Saint Simeon Refers to Jesus Christ his Savior.

因此，我们需要真正把注意力集中在唯一需要的事情上。东正教基督徒在准备领圣餐时会读一段祷文。他们以非常个人化和亲密的方式祈祷。读着新神学家圣西缅的话 东正教基督徒祈祷 7. “我的基督，三重之光，啊，生命的赐予者，我的呼吸，我的生命，我的喜乐和世界的救赎。请注意圣西缅在提到他的救世主耶稣基督时的亲密程度。

Now, if Christ is the only one thing needful, the question which arises is, can we truly encounter him today in the 21st century? And if so, how? And this now leads me to the second story: the story of the road to Emmaus, what that tells us about this encounter. And of course, it shows that we have to look for Jesus Christ in the church to find him. So this story shows us that Christ and and does in fact come to us. And St. John Chrysostom says that Christ comes to us in a profoundly personal and intimate manner, solely focused on us as though we were the only person in the world.

现在，如果基督是唯一需要的东西，那么问题来了，在 21 世纪的今天，我们能真正遇到他吗？如果能，又该如何？这就引出了第二个故事：通往以马忤斯之路的故事，它告诉了我们关于这次相遇的什么。当然，它也告诉我们，我们必须在教会中寻找耶稣基督，才能找到他。因此，这个故事告诉我们，基督事实上来到了我们身边。圣约翰-金口说，基督以一种极其个人化和亲密的方式来到我们身边，只专注于我们，仿佛我们是世界上唯一的人。

This story tells us about two disciples, one is Cleopas, and the other is in the traditional in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, is St. Luke himself. They are both on their way to Emmaus, which is a small town not far from Jerusalem, in the northeast direction. So what do we read in that story? The two disciples, they have just witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus. And because of that, they are greatly disappointed. They are depressed. They are downhearted. And perhaps even despondent. Why? Because the one whom they really love, the one upon whom they had placed all their hope, has now been put to death on the cross.

这个故事讲述了两个门徒的故事，一个是克里奥帕，另一个是东正教传统中的圣路加本人。他们都在去以马忤斯的路上，那是一个离耶路撒冷不远的小镇，在东北方向。我们在这个故事中读到了什么？这两个门徒刚刚目睹了耶稣被钉死在十字架上。因此，他们非常失望。他们很沮丧。他们垂头丧气。也许甚至感到绝望。为什么呢？因为他们真正爱的那位，他们寄予全部希望的那位，现在已经被钉死在十字架上了。

So what do they do? They leave the city of Jerusalem. In other words, they remove themselves from all the crowded clamor and commotion just to find a quiet Pareto and serenity. marine space to reflect and to try to make sense of all that's happened.

那他们做什么呢? 这个故事可以这样的来理解。 他们离开了喧闹的城市, 也就是耶路撒冷, 而到一个寂静的,偏僻的, 没有什么人的地方, 也许去静静的思考和静静的沉默。

So, quite movingly, the Gospel according to Luke again tells us that as they're walking and pondering on what they had just witnessed and trying to make sense of it, at precisely that moment of inconsolable sorrow and sadness, perhaps even despair, it's precisely at that moment that Jesus approaches them. And what is perhaps overlooked about the story and the significance, is the significance of the detail that it is precisely during, this crushing and critical point in the life of the two disciples, where they think that they've lost everything that was ever dear to them, we are told it's precisely at this moment that St. Luke tells us that Jesus himself came near and went with them along the way.

因此，令人感动的是，《路加福音》再次告诉我们，当他们边走边思索刚刚目睹的一切并试图从中找出答案时，就在那悲痛欲绝的时刻，也许甚至是绝望的时刻，耶稣走近了他们。 也许人们忽略了这个故事的意义，这个细节的意义在于，正是在这两个门徒生命中的紧要关头，他们认为自己已经失去了曾经珍爱的一切，圣路加告诉我们，正是在这个时刻，耶稣亲自走近他们，与他们同行。

Christ's love for us is so extraordinarily great for each and every one of us that he comes and finds us in our lives, in our most difficult moments, and extends his life-saving hand to us. In Psalm 34, we read, for example, The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit. If we remember also the story of Mary Magdalene, who runs to the tomb only to find her beloved teacher, not there, and unlike the other disciples who just run back home, we're told, she remains there in a quiet spot, all alone, and simply weeps. She weeps bitterly. And again, it is precisely at that moment that the risen Lord appears to her.

基督对我们每一个人的爱是如此的伟大，以至于他在我们的生活中，在我们最困难的时刻，来找到我们，向我们伸出他拯救生命的手。例如，在《诗篇》第 34 篇中，我们读到：耶和华靠近伤心的人，拯救心灵破碎的人。如果我们还记得抹大拉的马利亚的故事，她跑到坟墓前，却发现她所爱的老师不在那里，不像其他门徒只是跑回家，我们被告知，她独自一人留在一个安静的地方，只是哭泣。她哭得很伤心。就在这时，复活的主再次向她显现。

And we need to be convinced, in the same way that the risen Christ appeared to the two disciples, Luke and Cleopas, in the same way that he appears to Mary, so does he also come to all of us in our most difficult moments and finds us when we're at that most desperate point in our life. Why does he do that? Well, the Gospels tell us, 1 John 4.19, because he first loved us and came out to us. In the church, during the resurrection period, we sing a beautiful hymn, which affirms Christ's promise to remain with us. The hymn that we sing is the following. O your divine, friendly, and sweetest voice, O Jesus, you genuinely promised to be with us, till the end of time. And the hymn continues, for this reason, you being our anchor in life, we rejoice in you. So this hymn reflects precisely what we read in the gospel according to St. Matthew. Where the risen Christ promises, and remember, I am with you always to the end of the age. Christ is with us now, and will forever remain with us unto the ages of ages.

我们需要相信，复活的基督向两个门徒路加和克利奥帕显现，向马利亚显现，同样，他也会在我们最困难的时候来到我们身边，在我们处于人生最绝望的时候找到我们。他为什么这样做呢？福音书告诉我们，约翰一书 4.19，因为他首先爱我们，向我们显现。在教会里，在复活期间，我们唱一首美丽的赞美诗，肯定基督与我们同在的应许。我们唱的赞美诗如下 耶稣啊，你神圣、亲切、甜美的声音，你真正应许与我们同在，直到世界的尽头。赞美诗接着说，为此，你是我们的生命之锚，我们因你而喜乐。因此，这首赞美诗反映的正是我们在《圣马太福音》中读到的内容。复活的基督应许我们，请记住，我永远与你们同在，直到世界的末了。基督现在与我们同在，并将永远与我们同在，直到万世。

So, let us now turn our attention to see how these stories from the scriptures relate to the topic. the first story reminds us that Christ is the only one thing needful. And the second story is a very strong reminder that the risen Christ comes to us when we call out to him in prayer. When we seek his mercy. When we implore, when we seek his assistance, his help. When we ask him to light our way. Incidentally, these... Petitions, asking for God's mercy, asking for his help, asking that he light our way, they are the first three psalms that we read in the small compline service, which is the prayer that Orthodox, that the church has given Orthodox Christians to pray in the evening, the small compline prayer: I have put my hope in you, your good spirit will guide me, guide me on a straight path, Lord, you will give me life. In other words, we ask for a life in those prayers, a life which is victorious over death, a life beyond the grave.

第一个故事提醒我们，基督是唯一需要的。第二个故事强烈地提醒我们，当我们在祷告中呼唤他时，复活的基督就会来到我们身边。当我们寻求他的怜悯时。当我们恳求、寻求他的援助和帮助时。当我们请求他照亮我们的道路时。 顺便提一下，这些... 祈求上帝的怜悯，祈求他的帮助，祈求他照亮我们的道路，这些都是我们在晚祷（compline）中读到的前三首诗歌，也就是东正教的祈祷文，教会规定东正教基督徒在晚上祈祷，晚祷文：我把希望寄托在你身上，你的好灵会引导我，指引我走正路，主啊，你会赐予我生命。换句话说，我们在祈祷中祈求的是一种生命，一种战胜死亡的生命，一种超越坟墓的生命。

So if we place Christ front and center of our life, then anything we do in life is radically transformed. Christ is our true joy, our true gladness. And in one of the hymns that Orthodox after having received Holy Communion, they read this, The voices of your saints who feast are unceasing, and their joy, beholding the ineffable beauty of your countenance, is unending. For you, Christ our God, are the true joy and inexpressible gladness of those who love you.

那么当我们定睛耶稣基督的时候,把它当作为我们生命的焦点的时候, 我们就会体验到那种喜悦。 在我们每次圣礼之后,谢恩的祷告中, 就是领了圣餐之后的谢恩祷告中, 我们的祷词是这样说的, 你的圣徒们的声音,欢庆的声音是永不停止的。 他们的喜悦,因为能够看到你无与伦比的美, 和你的面容,他们的喜悦是没有尽头的。 因为你,基督我们的上帝,是真正的喜悦, 是不可描述的一种, 对那些爱你的人来说是不可描述的一种喜悦。

So, if the joy and gladness of our Lord's future kingdom is a reality without end, is really the purpose of human existence, then, and this brings us to our topic, then it is within the context of the church that we can experience a foretaste already in the here and now of God's future kingdom.

因此，如果我们主未来国度的喜乐和欢欣是一个没有尽头的现实，是人类存在的真正目的，那么，这就引出了我们的主题，那就是在教会的背景下，我们可以在此时此地预尝并体验到上帝未来国度。

So, what is the purpose of human existence to reach the kingdom? How do we get there? Through the church. It is the church which takes us by the hand and leads us towards the only one thing needful. It's the church which leads us before the very gates of paradise, before God's everlasting and indestructible kingdom, already from this life, which one day will pass. It is for this reason that the church is so vitally important. And if we wanted to give a definition of the church as I have in the preceding lectures, we have said that the church is the miraculous presence of Christ here on earth. But now we can also add this second part to our definition. The church is the miraculous presence of Christ here on earth, leading us to God's eternal kingdom. The church is, as we read in Peter's epistle, the church is the house of God, the church is our true everlasting home.

那么，人类存在的目的是什么？我们如何到达那里？通过教会。是教会牵着我们的手，引领我们走向唯一需要的东西。教会引领我们进入天堂之门，进入上帝永恒不灭的国度，脱离终有一天会过去的今生。正因为如此，教会才如此重要。如果我们要给教会下一个定义，就像我在前面的讲座中所说的那样，我们已经说过，教会是基督在地上奇妙的同在。但现在，我们还可以在定义中加上第二部分。教会是基督在地上奇妙的同在，带领我们进入神永恒的国度。正如我们在彼得的书信中所读到的，教会是神的家，教会是我们真正永恒的家。

And in one of the prayers that an Orthodox Christian will read after they've received Holy Communion, they read the following prayer which goes like this, The church is heaven, filled with many lights and guides all the faithful by its light. We stand therein and cry aloud, strengthen this house, O Lord. So the church is the house of God, we can also see the church as our mother who gives birth to us into God's eternal kingdom. In fact, in the 4th century, Saint Cyprian says, you cannot have God as your father, if you do not have the church as your mother. As mother, we are reminded that the church, silently awaits with her arms outstretched, calling us to Jesus Christ, eager to give birth to us into God's eternal kingdom. So this unity or fellowship with Christ, which is the only one thing needful, takes place every time in the Orthodox Christians celebrate the Divine Liturgy.

在东正教基督徒领完圣餐后会念的祷文中，有这样一段祷文："教堂是天堂，充满了无数的光芒，用它的光芒指引着所有的信徒。我们站在其中，大声呼喊：主啊，求你坚固这座房子。因此，教会是上帝的家，我们也可以把教会看作是我们的母亲，她生下我们进入上帝永恒的国度。事实上，早在公元四世纪，圣居普里安（Saint Cyprian）就说过，如果你没有教会作为你的母亲，你就不可能有上帝作为你的父亲。教会作为母亲，提醒着我们，她伸出双臂，默默地等待着，呼唤我们归向耶稣基督，渴望生下我们，进入上帝永恒的国度。因此，这种与基督的合一或团契是唯一需要的，在东正教基督徒每次庆祝神圣礼仪时都会发生。

The Liturgy is a journey that Orthodox Christians take, when they attend Liturgy, and the ultimate destination of the Liturgy is God's Kingdom. We receive a foretaste here and now of God's ultimate Kingdom. The Liturgy begins with, Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Right from the outset, we are given the destination, and the destination is God's ultimate Kingdom.

礼仪是东正教基督徒参加礼仪时的一段旅程，而礼仪的最终目的地是上帝的国度。我们在此时此地就能预尝到上帝最终国度。礼仪以 “赞颂归于父及子及圣灵的国度, 自至永远及于万世"开始。阿门。从一开始，我们就被告知了目的地，而目的地就是上帝的终极国度。

Why is the liturgy front and center in our understanding of the Church from an Orthodox perspective? Because it brings about the very purpose of why the Church exists, namely the Kingdom. So, what I want to do now is just two or three, we don't have much time, but just two or three excerpts from the liturgy, which show how the Kingdom is the destination, and not only is the destination, but we already arrive at that destination by way of foretaste. Immediately after, we receive holy communion, the choir will sing, we have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly spirit, we have found the true faith, worshipping the undivided Trinity. As Christians, we believe we are taken before God's Kingdom, and worshipped together with the angels by way of foretaste, the Trinitarian mystery.

为什么从东正教的角度来看，礼仪在我们对教会的理解中居于首位和中心的位置？因为它带来了教会存在的根本目的，即天国。所以，我现在要做的只是两三个，我们的时间不多，但只是礼仪中的两三个节选，这些节选显示了国度是如何成为目的地的，而且不仅是目的地，我们已经通过预尝的方式到达了目的地。紧接着，我们领受圣餐，唱诗班会唱道：我们已经目睹真光,我们已经领受了属天之灵, 我们已经寻获了真实的信仰,让我们敬拜不可分的圣三一。作为基督徒，我们相信我们会被带到上帝的国度之前，通过预尝的方式与天使一起敬拜三位一体的奥秘。

Another one: You brought us from non-being into being. And when we fell, you raised us up again and left nothing undone until you brought us up to heaven and bestowed on us your kingdom to come. Note there the verb bestowed is in the past tense. And the kingdom is one which is to come. So the liturgy brings us and gives us a foretaste of the kingdom.

This is a preface from the Eucharistic prayer after the creed has been recited. The point that I'm trying to make here is that the liturgy is so important. In fact, the liturgy makes the church because it is within the liturgy that we are brought before the kingdom. And one more example.

另一个 你将我们从非存在带入存在。当我们堕落时，你又使我们复活，并且没有留下任何未完成的事，直到你把我们带到天上，并把你将要降临的国度赐给我们。注意这里的动词 “赐给 “是过去式。而这个国度就是将要来临的国度。因此，礼仪带给我们并让我们预尝了国度的滋味。

这是在诵读完信条后圣餐祷告中的一段序言。我想说的是，礼仪是如此重要。事实上，礼仪造就了教会，因为正是在礼仪中，我们被带到了国度面前。再举一个例子。

The last example that I want to highlight, which again shows the bestowal of God's future kingdom in the here and now, is a prayer that the priest is reading during the Eucharistic prayer. After he says, drink from it, all of you. This is what he says. Remembering then this commandment of the Savior. And in the church, when we remember, we make these events present. The priest reads, Remembering then this commandment of the Savior and all that has been done for us. The cross, the tomb, the resurrection on the third day. All these are past events. And by remembering them, we make them present. So in a sense, we are taken back to the upper room when Christ instituted the divine, the mystical supper.

我想强调的最后一个例子再次表明了上帝的未来国度在此时此地的赐予，那就是神父在圣餐祷告时念的一段祷文。他说："你们都喝吧。他是这样说的 记住救世主的这条诫命。在教堂里，当我们铭记时，我们会让这些事件呈现出来。神父念道：“记念救世主的诫命” "以及为我们所做的一切 十字架、坟墓、第三天复活。所有这些都是过去的事情。通过铭记，我们将它们变成了现在。因此，从某种意义上说，我们被带回了上房，当时基督设立了神圣的、神秘的晚餐。

And the prayer continues, remembering the ascent into heaven, the sitting at the right hand, all these are past events, but then something, we read something which at first sight does not necessarily make sense, because the prayer reads, remembering the second and glorious coming again. The question arises, how can you remember something that hasn't taken place? I have a 10-year-old son, for example, and I say, I remember when my son was 20. It hasn't taken place yet. So when the church remembers something that is yet to come, it is indicating that within the context, within the context of the liturgy, we make a future event present in the here and now, namely we are brought before God's kingdom.

那么在这个祷词中, 有些事件确实是过去的, 比如说他的基督的死和复活是过去发生的事情。 那么他甚至说你的第二次, 荣耀的第二次的再来, 基督再来, 那么这个显然是未来的事情, 将来的事情。 而在这个祷词中呢, 却仿佛是这个事情是已经发生的。 那么这个真的是非常不可思议的。 就比如说，我有一个10岁的儿子, 就比如说我对别人说, 我能够记起他20岁的时候的样子, 一样地让人不可思议。 也就是说在圣礼之中, 当我们记起的时候, 我们把未来也带到了现在, 不仅是把过去带到了现在, 也把未来带到了现在。 那么未来就是天主的国度, 我们在此时此地已经能够去品尝了。

That's why we say that the liturgy in partaking of the body and blood of Christ, Saint Ignatius of Antioch in the second century, refers to Holy Communion as the medicine of immortality. And of course, that follows the words of Christ. Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, drink his blood and have no life. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life. And I will raise the Bible on the last day.

在圣餐礼中我们领受耶稣基督的身体和他的宝血。 那么早在二世纪的时候, 安提阿的圣徒伊格纳丢就曾经说过, 圣餐是能够让我们不朽的灵丹妙药。 在约翰福音中第六章, 耶稣基督自己说的：我真正地告诉你们, 除非你来吃人子的肉, 喝他的血, 否则你们之中不会有生命。 那些吃我的身体, 来食用我的身体和饮我的宝血的, 他们会有永恒的生命。 在末日的时候, 我要使他们能够复活。

So within the context of the church, we are united to Christ, we are united with one another, and it is in this sense that we become truly free, free in the sense of the word that we surpass the constraints of time and space. The church unshackles us and offers a life to us without end.

在教会中通过圣餐, 通过领受基督的身体和祂的宝血, 能使得我们与天主联合, 也与其他的信徒彼此联合。 那么在这种联合之中, 我们会得到一种自由, 这种自由是超越时间和空间的局限的。 那么正是教会使我们得到了自由, 给我们没有穷尽的生命。

So in yearning for this, this future for which we were created, the church bestows this, makes it a reality for us. The church helps us by reorientating us towards Christ, and as St. Paul tells us, if we sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. And of course, if we sow towards our own flesh, St. Paul says we will reap corruption from the flesh. The ultimate purpose for every human being is to be saved, is to be freed from the constraints of time and space, to live forever, for no one to remain in the grave, for all to be enlightened, as we sing in one of the hymns of the church, for the entire universe to be filled with joy through his resurrection.

因此，在向往这一切，向往我们为之而生的未来时，教会赐予我们这一切，使之成为现实。教会帮助我们调整方向，使我们面向基督，正如圣保罗告诉我们的那样，如果我们向圣灵撒种，你就会从圣灵那里收获永生。当然，如果我们向自己的肉体播种，圣保罗说我们将从肉体中收获朽坏。每个人的最终目的都是为了得救，为了摆脱时间和空间的束缚，为了永生，为了没有人留在坟墓里，为了所有人都得到启示，正如我们在教会的一首赞美诗中所唱的那样，为了整个宇宙都因他的复活而充满喜乐。

If this is the purpose for the human person, it is the liturgy which makes that a reality. That's why orthodox theology would claim such centrality on the liturgy, precisely because it brings about the ultimate purpose for which the human person was made.

那么如果我们现在刚才说的这些是人生的真正的目的和意义的话, 那么就是教会中的圣礼仪把这样的一个愿望成为现实, 因此它是我们教会生活中的中心, 因为它是我们这些, 是人生的目的和意义得以实现。

So for orthodox ecclesiology, the liturgy is a central facet of what the orthodox church does. It is the central act because it brings about our fellowship with Christ in his kingdom, already in the here and now. And I'll end with that.

因此，对于东正教教会论来说，礼仪是正教会工作的核心内容。它是核心行为，因为它使我们在此时此地就能与基督在他的国度中相交。我将以此结束我的发言。