受訪者： Father Richard Soo
烏克蘭天主教
加拿大新西敏教區副主教
過去幾個月來，相信我們在生活上一個最大的改變，便是多了時間待在家中。為壓平「疫情曲線」，防止新冠肺炎擴散，竟讓成千上萬民眾重拾安家之逸。哪怕是清理日久失理的車庫，又或是優化一些烹調食譜，甚或是廢枕忘餐地把玩電競，我們都「被」耗上更多時間在家。根據美國媒體網站 The Verge 報導，串流影片網 Netflix 於本年首季便增加了 1,580 萬訂戶，是原先預估的 720 萬的雙倍，遠超每年平均增長率 22%。華盛頓郵報引述 Netflix 公司的季度公佈 -「我們正活於一個社交受限的不確定時空，人們皆轉向娛樂媒體尋求鬆弛、連繫、安慰、及刺激。」毋庸置疑，過去數月，確實不少人都如筆者一般，鑽進不同的串流媒體尋找娛樂。撰文之際，便讓我能有藉口去逃避成為家中三名幼子的「娛樂」，重拾「我的選列」中的電影及紀錄片。
「凜冬烈火」Winter on Fire 是由葉夫根尼·艾菲尼夫斯基(Evgeny Afineevsky)執導的時序式紀錄片，記錄了烏克蘭在 2013-2014 年冬季的親歐盟學生示威，繼而爆發的大規模反腐運動，要求總統維克托·亞努科維奇(Viktor Yanukovich)下台的史實。對於我們大多數人來說，觀看此片猶如看其他的紀錄片，帶著一份無關痛癢的抽離感。然而對於列治文東正天主教會的蘇啟德神父，卻是截然不同的經歷；加上作為一華裔後人的身份，親歷及見証香港的雨傘運動及對近日反對港版國安法的示威，蘇神父有着一份迴然的感受及連結。以下便是本報於八月六日與蘇神父所作訪問的撮錄。
郭：你的教會在烏克蘭革命中有何參與？教會為何會捲入這政治旋渦中？
蘇：讓我先給你一點背景資料。其實烏克蘭革命發生的時間正是雨傘運動前的數月，開始時只有寥寥可數的一些學生對烏克蘭及歐盟的輕微經濟糾紛的示威。但在一個主日早晨，當我查看我的 Twitter 時，關於烏國基輔市的新聞排山倒海般湧至。我正想開著電視，Twitter 的新聞上載速度比電視新聞更快。有一點我沒想到的，是教會的參與竟然比我想像的來得多；這是當日在動亂中親歷其境的主教數月後告之我才得悉。
關於當時烏克蘭的政治環境，或許我需要給你多些資料。當時執政的是一親蘇政府，當然不是實體的蘇維埃共產政權，但卻是一個被稱為那「老黑巨頭」Kleptocracy 的，操控著差不多所有機關，藉此賄賂俄羅斯及莫斯科，是一個令人民極度失望的腐敗政權。整個慘劇源於警察對一個無關重要的貿易糾紛集會的攻擊。當時卑詩省的新西敏教區主教 Ken Nowakowski 正在當地與牧首開會。半夜主教收到緊急電話告之急需幫忙，因學生正在受襲。他立即叫醒牧首，聯同其他主教，長驅直入衝突發生的基輔市獨立廣場，站在示威者與警察兩陣之中，直望警員眼中，告之他們如欲傷害孩子，先傷我們。此情此景恰似香港牧者所作所言 -「不要傷害孩子」！
不少在場學生乃是新開辦天主教大學的學子，在校他們均有學習關於人權、自由等基於基督信仰的理念及聖經的立場。當他們被警察襲擊時，我們的介入非因任何政治爭拗立場，而是「為尊嚴之革命」；非因經濟訴求，而是關係到何為人。
教會從一開始便參與其中，開門讓傷者棲息。當中的米迦勒金頂修道院 Mykhaylivs'kyi zolotoverkhyi monastyr，當地的一所東正教教堂，堂內圍繞著的是一個個的聖像，而在地上的卻是躺滿一個個受傷的身體。我們列治文教會在獨立廣場中建了一個小禮拜堂，其後卻在警方的突襲中被毀，然而我們仍在當中每日每時的不斷為要求禱告及悔罪的示威者祈禱。神職人員亦在場輔導、聆聽、守望。
在談話中，蘇神父向我分享了更多烏克蘭教會的歷史背景：
我們其實沒有很長久參與社會運動的歷史。我們只是如一般教會的 - 傳福音、領人歸主、透過聖言及聖禮幫助信徒成聖。及至第二次世界大戰末期，蘇聯侵佔烏克蘭，教會驀然落入一個兩難間 - 順服蘇共政權、或是身陷囹圄。政府不需要教會放棄信奉上主，只要我們切斷與梵帝岡及羅馬天主教會的關係，加入以莫斯科監控下美其名的蘇共東正教會，成為官方教會。當時所有主教一致拒絕妥協，最終全被流放到西伯利亞，當中包括死在集中營，到至今仍找不到屍首的首位加拿大主教，相信他的遺體已被丟棄在叢林被野獸吃掉。
我們的教會沒有尋求社會公義，然而環境卻把社會公義推向教會，迫使教會不得不面對及回應。
頃刻之間，教會落在此嚴竣的處境中，我們成為了殉道士的教會。那些被流放西伯利亞的、被送進集中營的、被迫轉向地下的，部份今天依然活著，而這群餘民卻成就了烏克蘭教會的屬靈生命。我們沒有時間做神學，但禱告生活卻模造了我們的神學。所以當示威開始，我們因著意識到自己的所是，故我們便立刻回應。我們不附從暴行，我們身處其中乃為成就和平。我們對暴力有切膚之痛，我們痛恨暴力。然而此恨卻非個人層面，卻是國家性打壓人民、欺負孩子、迫逼教會的制度暴力。我們努力地耕耘及為之禱求的是，將來我們的孩童及教會身處之地能得以自由。所以我們為真理發聲、為福音站台。
郭：我現在明白，你們的教會如何在堅守福音，甚至在逼迫下，也站穩不移。亦因此，我看見教會因不向腐敗政權靠攏而得人民的信賴與肯定。
蘇：作為有源遠歷史的教會，我們的優勢是承傳著教會一直流傳下來的文化。我們不只念記在共產政權下的殉道士，在我們的禱告集中，我們也不忘初代教會在羅馬極權下殉道的信徒。忽然我們驚覺，原來這些都不是遠古的故事，而是我們也活生生的參與其中，實實在在的活著，當中每一生命都有名有姓，每一事件都是又真又實。我們活在聖經經歷中，而我們便要繼續活出箇中的傳統 - 立穩於真理，必要時更要抗拒君王。當然我們期望各人都能竭力順服掌權者，但按照我們的經歷，在情非得已下，我們便要在 - 上帝及其福音、與政權與君王間，二選其一。
郭：我看見這正是今天香港的處境，教會似乎來到一個作決定的臨界點，實非易事。過去英治時代下的香港，教會享受著不同的優待，然而今天在中共的管治下，情況亦不再一樣。過去降服政權絕對是優差，因帶來的是恩寵與福蔭。就如數年前我們看電影「十年」，當中所描述就當時來說只像癡人說夢。但今天，殘酷而傷感的，是發現現實卻如戲般活現眼前 - 過去想不會發生的，今天不想卻竟發生。作為一個親歷烏克蘭革命的一員，面對香港今日的境況，你會有什麼話向身處水深火熱中的弟兄姊妹說呢？
蘇：當我向一位烏克蘭修士談及香港現今情況時，對方驚訝地回應道：「那比烏克蘭更糟！」過去那相對和平及享有宗教自由的香港下，誠如使徒保羅在主後約 35 年，於羅馬書13:1所言：「在上有權柄的，人人當順服他，因為沒有權柄不是出於上帝的。凡掌權的都是上帝所命的。」然而 50 年後，使徒約翰於身處一截然不同的政治環境中所寫的啟示錄，卻讓我們看見另一面的基督徒反應。誠言當代君主絕非服於基督主權，更甚的是他更被形容為敵基督。因此我們要認清如何適當地引用不同經文回應不同的處境，這是我們必須下的苦功。作為教會，我們一定要為真理發聲。在我們從烏克蘭的經歷學到的是 - 寧可受壓被除，強於委曲求存、沒有靈魂。耶穌説：「人若賺得全世界，卻喪了自己，賠上自己，有甚麼益處呢？」(路加福音 9:25)
後記
根據我們所宣告的「使徒信經」，我們是一「聖而公之教會」(one holy Catholic Church) - 合一伏於我們救主耶穌基督之主權下的一個教會。作為主的門徒，我們奉召去活出主的福音。不單傳揚一個拿死後上天堂護照的福音，而是見証一賜予生命、改變生命、調較生命的好消息，並於每日生活中把它好好地活出來。當主耶穌教導門徒禱告 - 「願祢的國降臨，願祢的旨意成就」，這不是誦經之言詞，猶如莊達睿牧師 (Rev. Darrell Johnson) 所言，當我們以此禱告時，「所表達的乃是，在主復臨日子以先，永活的主於當下要把看不見的去展现、把已隱藏的去彰顯。」莊牧師續言，「而基督門徒擁有的，是無上的專利，以收生婆、助產士身份去服事普世，禱求 — 「願祢的國降臨」。
誠如電影「魔戒首部曲：魔戒現身」中的一段對白 --
佛羅多 (Frondo) : 「我渴望此等事不用發生在我的時代。」
甘道夫 (Gandalf) :「我亦不想那些活著的須要看見這時勢，但這不由得他們決定。我們唯一須要決定的，是在這賦與我們的時代中，應當作什麼！」
我們活在這世代，我們要決定在這賦予給我們時代中要去作什麼呢？
A Freely-made Decision Under an Involuntary Situation
(An Interview with Father Richard Soo)
By Pastor Wayne Kwok
One of the many changes in the last few months is that we have spent a great deal of time at home. The need for isolation in order to help "flatten the curve"—to slow down the spread of the Novel Coronavirus, has allowed thousands of us to rediscover the comforts of home. Whether it be cleaning up the junk-filled garage, perfecting a baking recipe, or spending endless hours on a video game, we all have had more time at home than we might have necessarily preferred. According to The Verge, in the first quarter of this year alone,"Netflix added 15.8 million subscribers, more than double the 7.2 million that were expected — a growth of more than 22 percent year over year." "We live in uncertain times with restrictions on what we can do socially and many people are turning to entertainment for relaxation, connection, comfort and stimulation," the company said in its own quarterly investment letter as quoted in The Washington Post. Undoubtedly, many of us have had to resort to various streaming services to keep ourselves entertained during these past few months. I, for one, if given more time by myself and not needing to become the entertainment for my three toddlers, would have surely liked to catch up on a few more movies and documentaries that have been sitting in "My List". This article gave me the legitimate reason to do just that.
Winter on Fire is a documentary by director Evgeny Afineevsky, which chronicles a period of civil unrest in Ukraine during 2013 and 2014. What began as student demonstrations supporting European integration grew into a violent revolution calling for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovich. For many of us, we would watch this documentary like many others; distant and unrelated. However, for Father Richard Soo of Richmond Eastern Catholic Church, the experience couldn't be more different due to his personal connection to the events that unfolds in this documentary. Moreover, being a Chinese descendent, he holds extraordinary connections and ties as he witnessed the unfolding of Hong Kong's Umbrella movement and recent demonstrations against the National Security Law. The following is a précis of an interview with Father Richard one evening on August 6, 2020.
Interviewer:
What was your church's involvement in the Maidan Revolution in Ukraine? How did the church get involved in a political unrest?
Soo:
[Let me give you a bit of a background.] The Maidan Revolution started just a few months before the Umbrella movement of Hong Kong. At first, it was just a bunch of students protesting against a minor trade deal that fell through between Ukraine and the European Union. Then one Sunday morning as I checked my Twitter feed, as if all hell had broken loose, it was flooded with news pouring out from Kyiv, Ukraine. I turned on the TV, and my Twitter was feeding faster than what the news was reporting. What I hadn't known was that the Church was much more involved than what I initially thought. For it was months after when I found out from my bishop that he was there, physically there in the midst of all the chaos.
[A little background on the political situation of Ukraine at that time.] The government was a post-Soviet government—it's no longer officially communist, but it was part of what they called Kleptocracy—the Oligarch, or tycoons own most of everything and they pay bribes to Russia and Moscow. It was a very corrupt organization, keeping the people down. [The whole ordeal was] sparked over something insignificant, a trade deal, but when the police attacked, Bishop Ken Nowakowski, the Eparchial Bishop of New Westminster, who happened to be there for a meeting with the head of the church, the patriarch, he received a phone call in the middle of the night saying, 'Bishop you have to help us, they are attacking the students.' So he wakes up the patriarch, along with a few other bishops there, and they drive down to Maidan, where the attacks were going on, and stood in between the protestors and the police. They tried to make eye-contact with the police to convey the message that, if you want to hurt the kids you would have to hurt us first. It was much like the seniors in Hong Kong who told the police, 'Don't hurt our kids'.
Some of the students were from the newly established Catholic university, so they have been taught human rights, democracy, ideologies that was based on the Christian, the Catholic, the scriptural point of view. When the police attacked our students, we became very much involved. Hence, it was not so much a political debate, but it was a "Revolution of Dignity". It was not an economic policy, it was human being.
The Church was involved from the first moment. The Church opened its doors to people who were injured. One of the Orthodox churches, Mykhaylivs'kyi zolotoverkhyi monastyr (Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery), in the sanctuary where all the icons stands around the church, the floor was filled with injured bodies. Our church built a chapel right on the protest square, Maidan, which later was destroyed when the police made an offensive raid. The protestors asked for prayers and confession, and we would pray with them every day, every hour, on the hour. There were clergies providing counselling, hearing confession and praying with people."
As we continued our conversation with Father Richard, he shared a bit of background on Church in Ukraine.
We didn't have a long history of social protest. We are just a regular church—convert people, bring them to Christ, help them in their sanctification and growth through Word and Sacraments. At the end of the Second World War, the Soviet Union took over Ukraine, and suddenly our church was given a choice—submit to the Soviet Union or go to prison. We had a choice. We didn't have to give up God. We could join the Russian Orthodox Church which was controlled by Moscow, but we had to give up our ties with the Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican, we had to basically become a State Church. All our bishops refused, so they were all taken to Siberia, including the First Bishop of Canada who died in a concentration camp. We don't even know where his body is. We think they just threw his body out into the wild and the animals ate it.
Our church didn't go looking for social justice. Social justice was forced upon us by the situation, and we had to respond.
Suddenly, we found ourselves in this difficult situation. Suddenly, we became a church of martyrs. The people who went to Siberia, who went to concentration camps, the priests who went into underground churches, some are still alive today, and this has become part of our spiritual life. We haven't had time to do theology, it has simply been integrated into part of our prayer life. So when the protest started, we instinctively reacted because this is who we are. We don't condone the violence, but we were there to make peace. We understand the violence, but regret the use of violence. It was not the individual cases of violence, but the State's violence against the people, our children, and the church. We were working and praying towards a future where the children and the church can be free.
We spoke the truth and stood for the Gospel.
Interviewer:
I now see how your church, even under persecution, stands firm for the Gospel. And I can see how the church gained accreditation from the people for not siding with the corrupt government.
Soo:
The advantages of being an old church is that we have a culture that is passed down to us. Not only do we remember the martyrs under communism, but in our church prayer books, we remember the martyrs under the Romans. Suddenly, these are no longer stories of the distant past, they are very alive for us. We remember their names, we remember the things that happened to them. We live in this Biblical experience, and we continue to live out of that tradition—of standing for the truth, against the king if necessary. Surely we would want everybody to get along and obey the government when we possibly can, but we have experiences when that is not possible. We have to choose God and the Gospel on one hand, and the government and the emperor on the other.
Interviewer:
I see this is exactly what is happening in Hong Kong. We have come to a point where the churches are needing to make that decision. It is difficult, as Hong Kong had been a British colony in the past. We have received privileges, but now under communist China, it is very different. In the past, submitting under authority is fine because it is actually a blessing. Even a few years ago when we watched the movie, "Ten Years", we thought it portrayed a picture that is more grim than reality. But today, it is exactly what the reality is; and that is the sad part. What we thought wouldn't happen, happened. As someone who has witnessed the situation in Ukraine, and now you observe a similar situation unfolding in Hong Kong, is there a message you would like to pass on to our fellow brothers and sisters who are in the midst of this turmoil?
Soo:
When I describe the situation in Hong Kong to one of the Ukrainian priest, he was shocked and responded: "That is worse than what happened in Ukraine!"
What you described as peaceful and religiously-free Hong Kong, we find that in the Scripture where Paul said in Romans 13:1, "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God", that is around year 35. Fifty years later, we have the Revelation of Saint John, a totally different political situation, and a totally different Christian reaction. Certainly, the emperor was not the authority of Christ, the emperor can easily be described as the anti-Christ. Therefore, we have to discern which Bible verse applies to which situation. This is the task we must all undertake.
As the church, we have to speak the truth. From what we learned in Ukraine, it is better to be persecuted and dismantled than to compromise and lose your soul. Jesus said, "For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" (Lk 9:25)
Postlude
According to the Apostle Creed, we are "one holy catholic Church"—the one Church under the lordship of our Saviour Jesus Christ. As disciples we are called to live the Gospel. Not merely to preach it as a passport to heaven in the life after, but as a life- giving, life-changing, life-altering good news that penetrates every part of our daily lives. When Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done", these are not words we simply recite. When we pray, as Darrell Johnson colourfully illustrates, "it means something like 'Living God, even before the Day of the Lord, reveal what is invisible, manifest what is hidden.'" He continues, we have the
"incredible privilege, to serve the world as midwives, as labor coaches, praying, 'your kingdom come.'"
As a quote in The Fellowship of the Ring by Tolkien,
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
We are living in such a time. What will we decide to do with the time that is given to us?