《一根刺》A Franciscan Benediction
曲:Josh Spier
詞:Ruth Marlene Fox
編:林思漢
粵詞:梁孟傑
願主賞賜我一根刺,
來喚醒真我:毋遮掩;
求叫這根刺刺得真摯,
叫我心不再求其敷衍;
叫我們:能無懼突兀、面對面!
叫我們:莫再矯飾、轉折、口心不一致!
願主差我這根刺,
去刺穿、識破、離開風花雪月;
塵世多詭詐、多陰險;
容我這不安:一一逼我正視!
叫我們:全力尋自由與正義!
願我們:絕不輕率過目前!
願見主正道:全兌現!
願主憂傷的心,我心裏栽;
教我感觸:苦楚、饑荒、戰禍!
叫雙手張開,撫卹傷心與悲哀!
以愛扭轉,合力建將來!
又願恩主傾福、顛覆我心思:
叫我夠蠢可相信:憑我們兩手,可改變!
叫主手可作成世上各種不可以!
叫主光可照明世上每一分一寸!
我願!
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
關於《一根刺》
2016年仲夏,美國天主教神師Dan J. Miller在網上分享一篇作者未詳的祝文,並補充說坊間版本繁多,連標題也不只一個,包括A Franciscan Blessing及Four-Fold Benedictine Blessing等等。身為作家的Miller素來嚴謹看待出處,這次也不敢怠慢,一番尋訪過後確認原祝詞出自北達科他州理查頓聖心修院(Sacred Heart Monastery in Richardton, North Dakota)本篤會修女Ruth Marlene Fox的手筆。Fox修女在回覆Miller時憶述祝文背後的小故事:
八十年代Fox任職狄金森州立大學(Dickinson State University)校牧期間,她獲邀在該校某屆畢業班早餐會上祝福。Fox搜索枯腸亦苦無合用稱心的現成材料,乾脆揮筆自撰;始料未及的是,這篇臨時祝文不但祝福了當時一群宗派背景各異的準畢業生,後來也祝福着更廣泛、更多不勝數的人,甚至衍生出多個版本(包括由澳洲當代作曲家Josh Spier譜寫的詩歌、經他改編的歌詞以及後來以Spier版本為藍本的粵詞) 。Fox在接受Miller訪問期間謙卑地宣認,這祝禱文乃受聖靈逐字逐句默示。
以下是Fox原汁原味的祝詞:
A Non-traditional Blessing
May God bless you with discontent with easy answers, half-within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, abuse, and exploitation of people, so that you will work for justice, equality, and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you will reach out your hand to comfort them and to change their pain to joy.
May God bless you with the foolishness to think you can make a difference in this world, so that you will do the things which others tell you cannot be done.
If you have the courage to accept these blessings, then God will also bless you with:
happiness—because you will know that you have made life better for others
inner peace—because you will have worked to secure an outer peace for others
laughter—because your heart will be light
faithful friends—because they will recognize your worth as a person.
These blessings are yours—not for the asking, but for the giving—from One who wants to be your companion, our God, who lives and reigns, forever and ever. Amen.
Sister Ruth Fox, OSB
Spier為創作樂曲而所重寫的歌詞主要出自Fox上半篇祝文。他以明快的節拍、嚴肅的小調以及漸漸遞增且越趨零碎的切分節奏(syncopated rhythm),把關鍵詞discomfort的意象形諸樂音,活畫無遺。粵譯則進一步把這discomfort喻為「一根刺」,這根刺不獨刺向光怪陸離的世界,同時也在在如「芒刺在背」、刺痛自己,以致我們無從敷衍、必須正視這不安,摸着上主的心腸,致能與祂同憂、同愚、同工。