我是個「外邦人」，我和我的家人在耶路撒冷猶太人的社區中間住了七年。我們會說希伯來文，熟知也尊敬猶太人的文化和宗教。事實上，即使在我們回到加拿大數年後，我們的孩子仍然覺得自己比較像以色列人，而不像加拿大人。

        我在加拿大的朋友經常如此說：「住在聖地一定棒極了，尤其在過聖誕節和復活節的時候！」嗯……住在聖地是很棒，但卻不是因為你所講的理由。在以色列聖誕節基本上並非一個節日，至少在他們的月曆上不是。聖誕節前夕，在伯利恆耶穌降生的地方，會有特別的活動，但在耶路撒冷、特拉維夫、海法以及這些城市之間的鄉鎮，聖誕節都和任何普通的日子沒有兩樣。至於復活節的時候，你可以看到羅馬天主教或東正教的朝聖者，背著栩栩如生的十字架，走在耶路撒冷城中的「痛苦之路」（Via Dolorosa）上；更正教徒則是配合日出一大清早，在墓園裡舉行崇拜；但，一般而言，這天對以色列人來說，也不過如平常一樣。在以色列慶祝基督教的節日是一大諷刺──這個國家最有名的人物，不被祂自己的百姓所記念，而是被那些「外邦人」所尊崇。到目前為止，耶穌仍不是「您民以色列的榮耀」。

        但祂的確是「照亮外邦人的光」，西面當時抱著那才八天大的嬰孩耶穌，親口說了這個預言。耶穌將成為外邦人之光，在當時這是個很新的想法，並且毫無疑問的是指著未來。不過，那個未來就是我們的現在──我們這些外邦人都接受福音了。以色列人卻還未擁抱這嬰孩。所以，我們正活在「外邦人的時候」，與以色列人承認彌賽亞之間的過渡時期。那日將是多麼榮耀啊！那日將很快來臨；西面的預言終必應驗。

        主阿，謝謝您在我們還作外邦人的時候光照了我們。願我們的光也能照亮別人，包括您的選民以色列。奉主耶穌基督聖名，阿們！

English

        I’m a Gentile; a Gentile who, with his family, lived among Jewish friends and neighbors for seven years in Jerusalem. We speak Hebrew (Kathy and the children, fluently – I, not so fluently), and we have an intimate knowledge of, and great respect for, Jewish culture and religion. In fact, even after being back in Canada for a few years, our kids still feel more Israeli than Canadian.

        Friends and acquaintances here have often remarked, “It must have been wonderful to live in the Holy Land! Especially at Christmas and Easter!” Well, yes it was – but not for the reasons you’d expect. Christmas is basically a non-event, at least in terms of the Israeli calendar. There are special events in “Manger Square” on Christmas Eve in Bethlehem, but in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, and all places in between, Christmas day is just like any other day. At Easter you’ll see groups of Roman Catholic or Orthodox pilgrims carrying life-like crosses along the Via Dolorosa in the Old City, and Protestant groups holding a sunrise service at the Garden Tomb, but again, for Israelis, generally, it’s just another day. That’s is remembered not by His own but by the “Goyim”, the Gentiles from the “outside”. Right now, Jesus is anything but “the glory of Your people Israel”.

        But He is “revelation to the Gentiles”. Which suggests that Simeon, as he held the eight-day-old infant Jesus, spoke prophetically. The notion that Jesus would be a revelation to the Gentiles was definitely novel, and undoubtedly future. That future, however, is now – we Gentiles have received the message. And Israel has yet to embrace the baby, So, even as I write these words and you read them, we’re living in an historically dynamic tension between the ”time of the Gentiles” and the day when Israel will recognize her Messiah. What a day that will be! And it may be soon. Simeon’s words will be fulfilled.

        Thank You Lord for the Light to bring revelation to us as we are Gentiles. May we let our light shine to all others including Your people Israel.