教皇方濟(jì)各為何深得人心
In the modern era, Europe has never had fewer practicing Christians. The United States, according to a Pew survey released this week, is trending in the same direction, led by millennials wary of pontifical certainty.
在現(xiàn)代世界,歐洲保持宗教習(xí)慣的天主教徒從來沒有像現(xiàn)在這么少。在美國,皮尤(Pew)本周發(fā)布的調(diào)研顯示,美國也在走向同一個方向,原因是新千年一代對于篤定的宗教信念已經(jīng)厭倦了。
So why is Pope Francis smiling? For that matter, how did a 78-year-old man with only one working lung become perhaps the most radiant, powerful and humane figure on the global stage? It’s a paradox, but as much of the world has become less identified with organized religion, the leader of the most organized of religions is more popular than ever.
那么為什么教皇方濟(jì)各(Pope Francis)還能笑出來?或者說,這個已經(jīng)78歲、只有一個肺的人,是怎樣成為全球舞臺上最引人注目、最有權(quán)勢,也最有人情味的人的?這是一個悖論:盡管全世界越來越不認(rèn)同宗教組織,但作為組織最嚴(yán)密的宗教的領(lǐng)袖,教皇卻比以往任何時候都更受歡迎。
Whether he’s cleaning the feet of the homeless, dialing up strangers for late-night chats or convincing a self-described atheist like Raúl Castro to give a second look at the Catholic church, the pope who took the name of a nature-loving pauper is a transformative gust.
無論是為無家可歸者洗腳,深夜撥通陌生人的電話與他聊天,還是說服自稱無神論者的勞爾·卡斯特羅(Raúl Castro)對天主教再做思索,這位以熱愛自然的貧窮圣人名字為名的教皇是一場轉(zhuǎn)變潮流的颶風(fēng)。
In advance of his visit to the United States later this year, Francis has a chance to move hearts and minds on a couple of intractable issues. He’s called out climate change skeptics and will soon unveil a major encyclical on the environment. Think about that: The church that put Galileo under house arrest for promoting sound science is now challenging the science deniers in power.
在今年晚些時候訪問美國之前,方濟(jì)各還有機(jī)會在一些棘手的議題上贏得民眾的心。他與懷疑氣候變化的人正面交鋒,并將很快發(fā)布一份關(guān)于環(huán)境的重要通諭。想想看:那個因為伽利略(Galileo)宣揚確鑿的科學(xué)觀點而將其軟禁的教會,如今正在挑戰(zhàn)否認(rèn)科學(xué)的當(dāng)權(quán)者。
This puts him directly at odds with the Republican leadership, and the Koch brothers, who have funded a group that recently accused Pope Francis of “being misled by ‘experts’ at the United Nations.” Speaker John A. Boehner may find that he’s getting more than he bargained for, inviting the pope to become the first pontiff to speak before a joint session of Congress in September.
這讓他與共和黨領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層,以及科赫(Koch)兄弟直接產(chǎn)生了矛盾,科赫兄弟資助的一個團(tuán)體最近指責(zé)方濟(jì)各“被聯(lián)合國的‘專家’誤導(dǎo)了”。眾議院議長約翰·A·博納(John A. Boehner)或許會發(fā)現(xiàn),他邀請方濟(jì)各今年9月在國會聯(lián)席會議上發(fā)言之舉,會產(chǎn)生意想不到的后果。屆時,方濟(jì)各將成為首位這樣做的教皇。
Francis’s predecessor, while a cardinal, once signed a letter saying homosexuality was “an objective disorder.” This pope would rather focus on the millions of poor clinging to a thin lifeline than talk about people’s sex lives. He speaks truth to power on Armenian genocide, on a Palestinian state, on the Islamic nihilists who behead people of other faiths.
方濟(jì)各的前任在擔(dān)任樞機(jī)主教的時候,曾在一份簽名信件中稱同性戀是“客觀的病態(tài)”。相較而言,本屆教皇寧愿關(guān)注掙扎在生命線上的數(shù)百萬窮人,而不是人們的性生活。他在當(dāng)權(quán)者面前,就亞美尼亞種族滅絕、巴勒斯坦建國、斬首不同信仰者的伊斯蘭虛無主義者等議題講出了真相。
But for all of that, something else explains why the world is so enamored of this pope. Long after we’ve forgotten what his position is on Catholic doctrine, we will remember the serenity of Pope Francis — his self-deprecating lightness of being.
盡管有諸多因素,但另外一件事卻可以解釋這個世界為什么如此迷戀這位教皇。我們忘記他在天主教教義上的立場許久之后,還會記得方濟(jì)各教皇的安詳和他平易近人的態(tài)度。
His smile is just shy of goofy; it’s embracing, certainly not the tight facial clench of the seasoned diplomat. Rather than hide behind the trappings of power and empire, he projects a sense that he’s an average man who’s in on the joke. He’s the leader of 1.2 billion Catholics. Anything he says is parsed and taken apart for larger meaning. And yet, he shrugs and laughs, the body language behind the most memorable line uttered by a pope in our time: “Who am I to judge?”
他的笑幾乎稱得上憨厚。這讓人感到親近,而老練的外交官們臉上緊繃的表情則不然。他沒有躲藏在權(quán)力和帝國等外物的背后,而是展示出了一種普通人的氣質(zhì),并且喜歡開玩笑。他領(lǐng)導(dǎo)著12億天主教徒。他說的每一句話都會被解讀、分析,以查看是否包含更大的意義。然而,他時而聳聳肩,時而開口大笑,這些肢體語言讓我們想起,這個時代的教皇講出的最令人難忘的話是:“我有什么資格去進(jìn)行指摘?”
Just after he was named pope, in a gathering of the Vatican elite who had selected him, he looked at the thicket of clerical power and said, “May God forgive you for what you’ve done.” He smiled. They laughed. In March 2013, humor took up residence in the corridors of St. Peter’s Square, and has never left.
就在他被提名教皇之后,在選出他的梵蒂岡高層舉行的一次會議上,他思索著這個神職所帶來的棘手權(quán)力,微笑著說,“愿上帝寬恕你們做出的決定。”當(dāng)時,眾人捧腹大笑。2013年3月,幽默就在圣彼得廣場站穩(wěn)了腳跟,之后再也沒有離開。
Shortly thereafter, a longtime acquaintance told Francis he hardly recognized the Jesuit known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio. What happened? The pope said that he was, indeed, a changed man, as John L. Allen recounts in his new book, “The Francis Miracle.” The pope said he was filled with “interior freedom and peace, and that sense has never left me.”
不久之后,一位與方濟(jì)各相識已久的人說,他簡直認(rèn)不出那個叫做豪爾赫·馬里奧·伯格里奧(Jorge Mario Bergoglio)的耶穌會士了。到底發(fā)生了什么?教皇說他的確變了一個人,約翰·L·艾倫(John L. Allen)在他的新書《方濟(jì)各奇跡》(The Francis Miracle)中這樣寫道。教皇說他心中充滿了“內(nèi)在的自由與平和,這種感覺再也沒有消失”。
The surprise phone calls continue. He’s pope, he can call anyone he wants. Putin on Line 1. Obama on Line 2. Jay Z on hold. But a few weeks ago, he dialed up an Italian man, Franco Rabuffi, who was suffering from an illness. Rabuffi didn’t believe it was the pope and hung up. The pope called a second time, and again Rabuffi hung up. On the third time, they connected.
突然給人打電話的做法仍在繼續(xù)。他是教皇,他想給誰打電話都可以,普京在1號線,奧巴馬在2號線,讓Jay Z先等等。然而就在幾周前,他撥通了身患疾病的意大利男子弗朗科·拉布斐(Franco Rabuffi)的電話。拉布斐不相信那是教皇,就把電話掛了。教皇又撥了一次,拉布斐又掛了。第三次,他們得以交談。
“I was speechless,” Rabuffi told the Vatican newspaper, “but Francis came to my rescue, saying what happened was funny.”
“我都說不出話來了,”拉布斐對梵蒂岡一家報紙說。“但是方濟(jì)各挽救了我,他說發(fā)生的事情很有趣。”
In March, the pope visited Naples, a wonderful city, its ancient warrens torn apart by mafia corruption and poverty. He challenged the violent Camorra, calling for an end to “the tears of the mothers of Naples.” In words that only a former bouncer could use, Papa Francesco said, “Corrupt society stinks.”
3月,教皇訪問那不勒斯,這座美麗的城市里滿是古舊的巷陌,然而現(xiàn)在它卻被貧困和橫行的黑幫撕裂了。他直面兇殘的黑幫克莫拉(Camorra),呼吁不要再讓“那不勒斯的母親流淚”。方濟(jì)各教皇用只有前酒吧保安才會用的詞語說道,“墮落的社會臭氣熏天”。
Last year, he was asked about his secret to happiness. He said slow down. Take time off. Live and let live. Don’t proselytize. Work for peace. Work at a job that offers basic human dignity. Don’t hold on to negative feelings. Move calmly through life. Enjoy art, books and playfulness.
去年,有人問他幸福的秘訣是什么。他回答道,慢下來、花些時間在工作以外的事情上。享受生活,寬以待人。不要說教。努力促進(jìn)和平,從事的工作要能給人基本的尊嚴(yán)。不要執(zhí)拗于負(fù)面的情緒。平和地度過人生。享受藝術(shù)、書籍,也要享有童心。