在我牧养的教会里，有些以难民身份来到这里的移民，经过许多年后，才有勇气告诉我，自己曾经目睹的残暴事件，和他们曾经在肉体上受过的残酷虐待和折磨。这些事情使他们领悟到，在自己曾经居住的地方，无论是村庄、小镇、城市，还是国家，他们的前途都是了无希望的。这话怎么说呢？原来那残暴折磨他们的凶手，正是那些本来应该维持治安保护市民的人，其中包括警务人员、国家警卫队、以及国家军队的官员和士兵。
当年罗马帝国夸耀自己带给人民和平、繁荣、稳定，及其法纪统治广及法国以致波斯湾。这样的宣言之所以能名副其实，主要是因为帝国军队的士兵必须遵守严格的纪律和法制。
可是，当耶稣被耶路撒冷的罗马警卫部队拘捕的时候，一切所谓的法纪都荡然无存；他们不顾一切的鞭打与虐待这位无助的囚犯，然后押解祂到刑场。
对，就是这样，耶稣为你我受尽痛苦。
父神啊，今天在世界各地，有人被本应保护他们的人和制度所伤害，我们诚切为这些人祷告。主啊，求祢拯救他们，带领他们到平安稳妥的地方。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
马太福音 27:27-31
27巡抚的兵就把耶稣带进衙门，叫全营的兵都聚集在他那里。"The governor's soldiers ... twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head." — Matthew 27:27-29
For some of the refugee immigrants in a church I served, it took years before they could bring themselves to share with me the stories of atrocities they had witnessed, and of the horrific physical abuse and torture they had endured. These incidents had led them to realize that there was no possible future for them in the village, town, city, and country of their birth. Why? Because the perpetrators of these atrocities and torture were the very people who were supposed to maintain order and protect their fellow citizens: the police, the national guard, the officers and soldiers of their homeland's army.
The Roman Empire prided itself on its claim that it brought peace, prosperity, stability, order, and the rule of law throughout its vast domain, from Gaul (France) to the Persian Gulf. Key to its fulfillment of this claim was the supposed strict discipline and restraint of the soldiers in the imperial army.
Order and discipline disappeared, however, when Jesus came under the custody of the Roman army's garrison in Jerusalem. They seized the opportunity to beat and torture their helpless prisoner even before they led him out to the place of execution.
Again, Jesus suffered all this for you and for me.
Father God, we pray today for people around the world who are victimized by the very people and institutions that should be protecting them. Save them, Lord; bring them to safe places. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
