作者：許德謙
今年聖誕節，焦點特別被約瑟吸引。一個謙虛溫柔沉默的陪伴和見證者。但也許是平安夜裏面一個最常被忽略的人物。
平安夜，因為羅馬帝國要做戶籍記錄，約瑟陪着身孕已重的太太回家鄉，以為可以有個旅店，再找個接生婆….可是最後只好找個馬廄，草草把孩子生了出來。驚惶、狼狽、滴汗。一個男人，何曾懂接生、照顧孩子和太太等等重要工作呢？這夜，他一切要從零學起。
更何況，這不是他選擇要受的苦難——戴綠帽的非議、養大一個非己出的孩子、孩子長大所走的路會將父母的心都刺透。
馬利亞謙卑順服成為救世主基督降生的器皿，固然值得肯定。沒有約瑟在旁見證支持幫助，我想像不到馬利亞可以完成這艱巨的任務。
過去五年，香港人受了許多不是他們要選擇的苦難。大家都是彼此的苦難的經歷者、見證者和陪伴者。誰也不知道這條道路會走到何處，正如當年約瑟也不確切知道將會到何處，他只是每一步聆聽上處的引領（如通過夢的引導）。
願上主的靈開啟我們的心，讓我們更明白，怎樣成為彼此的苦難的經歷者、見證者和陪伴者。
▉ Become companions, witnesses, and fellow travelers for each other
This Christmas, my attention has been particularly drawn to Joseph—a humble, gentle, and silent companion and witness. Yet, he is perhaps one of the most overlooked figures of Christmas Eve.
On Christmas Eve, due to a census mandated by the Roman Empire, Joseph accompanied his heavily pregnant wife back to his hometown. He likely expected to find an inn and perhaps a midwife to assist. Yet, in the end, they could only find a stable, where the child was born hastily. Panic, awkwardness, and sweat filled the night. How could a man, with little understanding of childbirth, caring for a newborn, or tending to his wife, suddenly be tasked with such vital responsibilities? That night, he had to learn everything from scratch.
Moreover, this suffering wasn’t something Joseph chose—enduring the stigma of being cuckolded, raising a child that wasn’t biologically his, and knowing that the path this child would walk would pierce the hearts of his parents.
Mary’s humility and obedience in becoming the vessel for the Savior’s birth are certainly commendable. Yet, without Joseph’s presence to witness, support, and assist her, it is hard to imagine how Mary could have completed such an immense task.
In the past five years, the people of Hong Kong have endured much suffering that they did not choose. We have become each other’s fellow sufferers, witnesses, and companions through these trials. None of us knows where this road will lead, just as Joseph in his time didn’t fully understand where his path would take him. He simply listened step by step to God’s guidance, such as through dreams.
May the Spirit of the Lord open our hearts, so we may better understand how to become companions, witnesses, and fellow travelers in each other’s suffering.