NEW – A Mother, A Son, A Faith Unto Death 母親、兒子與至死不渝的信德

聖女秦邊麗莎與聖童秦春福

河北的一個小村莊裡，住著秦氏一家。母親秦邊氏 (1846-1900)，洗名麗莎是一位虔誠的基督徒，她平日樂善好施，救濟窮人，照料病患，尤其關心那些垂危的孩童，為他們施行聖洗，把愛與信仰傳遞給最需要的人。她以言語與行動，將耶穌基督的福音帶給那些最需要的人。

教難爆發的那一天，麗莎帶著全家在穆家莊守齋祈禱。她明白，唯有藉著祈禱與禁食，她和她的孩子們才能準備好面對那等待著他們的一切。她望著女兒們，柔聲說道：「我看見一個光輝的十字架，周圍有七顆閃耀的星。」這光景像是預告：即將來臨的殉道，將為他們帶來天國的榮耀。

不久，拳匪闖入村莊，將麗莎和長女安納、次女瑪麗、幼女芳嘉押出村外。沿途，許多婦女跟隨著，目睹這一家人面對死亡仍安詳鎮定。麗莎安慰她們說：「請回去吧！將要臨到我們的事，會使你們害怕。但我們不一樣，我們有天主的永福，心中只有喜樂，毫無恐懼。」麗莎與她的孩子們所領受的，是超性的恩寵。

到達刑場後，麗莎與兩位守貞的女兒跪下，高聲呼求主名。槍聲響起，她們同時倒下，生命為信仰獻出。幼女芳嘉幸運地被族人救走，保留了家族的延續。

同一教難中，其子秦春福，洗名西滿 (1886-1900)， 亦以堅定不移的信德作出見證。當時秦家避難途中，有一教外富戶欲招春福為婿，實則圖謀使其背棄信仰。春福洞察其意，毅然對母親說：「母親，不可將肉身看得重於靈魂，我心意已定，決不離開天主；若要死，我願與家人一同為主而死。」

富戶遂暗中通報拳匪。春福知禍將至，為免牽累母親與姊妹，主動請她們離開，自己獨自跪地祈禱，安然等待殉道時刻。拳匪至，不問情由，亂刀齊下。春福於年僅十四歲之時，英勇殉道，光榮歸於天國。

這位母親與她兒子的勇氣與信德，使他們寧願選擇殉道，也不願背棄對天主的信仰。當她教養孩子時，她深知什麼才是真正重要的，也明白人生最終的目標是什麼。當然，如同所有母親一樣，她也希望孩子們能受良好的教育，擁有充實而幸福的人生。哪位父母不是如此期盼自己的孩子呢？然而，當義和團來到他們的村莊施行恐怖迫害時，她明白，自己與孩子們真正渴望的，是無論多麼艱難，都要遵行天主的旨意。她養育孩子時，心中所嚮往的是天堂，而不是世界所能提供的一切。她對天主的愛超越了一切世俗的渴望，甚至超越了求生的本能，以及想保全自己與孩子性命的願望。她知道，死亡只是通往永生的大門，而那位她全心、全靈、全力所愛的主，正在彼岸等待著他們。當她將女兒們聚集在身邊，告訴她們不要害怕時，心中必定懷著這樣的信念。同樣地，當她的兒子春福宣告自己絕不會背棄主時，他心中也懷抱著同樣的信德。她確實把孩子教導得很好。

那麼，我們又是如何教養自己的孩子呢？或者，對於那些孩子已經長大的父母而言，我們是否曾真正教導過他們什麼才是最重要的？雖然我們生活在不同的時代與地方，殉道或許不是我們將面對的現實，但我們是否已經幫助孩子準備好迎向永恆的生命？我們的日子是否只充滿了功課、才藝課與各種活動，而沒有每日與孩子一起祈禱、閱讀聖經的時光？我們是否曾與他們談論那些真正重要的事情？我們是否與他們分享過自己的信仰旅程？他們是否曾在我們身上，看見與主親密來往的生命是什麼模樣？

我們的孩子並不真正屬於我們。他們屬於天主，而天主將他們託付給我們，只有一個目的：幫助他們找到回到天父身邊的道路。對於家中仍有年幼孩子的父母，請與他們談論那些真正重要的事，讓他們看見什麼叫做為天主而生活。對於那些孩子已成年、甚至偏離信仰的父母，請繼續為他們祈禱，相信他們曾領受的聖事恩寵。最重要的是，要記得：天主比你更渴望他們回到祂身邊。最後，對於那些以孫子孫女為喜樂的祖父母們：請用聖水降福他們，把祝聖過的聖牌別在他們衣服上，並向他們講述耶穌多麼愛他們的故事。這些回憶，將深深珍藏在他們的心中。

請愛你們的孩子，並教導他們：天主對他們的愛，更加深厚。

St. Elizabeth Bian Qin and St. Chun Fu Qin- Mother and Son

In a small village in Hebei lived the Qin family. The mother, Bian Qin (1846–1900), whose baptismal name was Elizabeth, was a devout Catholic. She was known for her charity, helping the poor and caring for the sick. She was especially compassionate toward dying children, baptizing them and bringing love and faith to those most in need. She brought the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed to those who needed it the most.

On the day the persecution broke out, Elizabeth gathered her family in Mujiazhuang to fast and pray. She understood that only through prayer and fasting could she and her children be prepared for what awaited them. Looking at her daughters, she gently said:

“I see a radiant cross surrounded by seven shining stars.”

This vision seemed to foretell that the martyrdom soon to come would bring them the glory of Heaven.

Before long, Boxer militants stormed into the village and seized Elizabeth together with her eldest daughter Anna, her second daughter Mary, and her youngest daughter Francisca. As they were led outside the village, many women followed behind, witnessing the family’s calmness and peace in the face of death. Elizabeth comforted them, saying:

“Please go back. What is about to happen to us would frighten you. But we are different. We possess the eternal happiness of God. Our hearts are filled only with joy and without fear.” What Elizabeth and her children were given was supernatural grace.

When they arrived at the execution ground, Elizabeth and her two consecrated daughters knelt down and loudly called upon the name of the Lord. Gunshots rang out, and they fell together, offering their lives for their faith. The youngest daughter, Francisca, was rescued by relatives.

During the same persecution, Elizabeth’s son, Chun Fu Qin (1886–1900), whose baptismal name was Simon, also bore witness with unwavering faith. While the Qin family was fleeing for safety, a wealthy non-Christian man offered to take Chun Fu as a son-in-law, intending to make him renounce his faith. Chun Fu saw through his intentions and firmly said to his mother:

“Mother, we must not value the body above the soul. My heart is decided. I will never abandon God. If I must die, I wish to die together with our family for the sake of the Lord.”

The wealthy man secretly informed the Boxers. Realizing that danger was near, Chun Fu asked his mother and sisters to leave so that they would not be implicated. He himself remained behind, kneeling in prayer and peacefully awaiting martyrdom.

When the Boxers arrived, they attacked him mercilessly with their blades, without question or trial. Chun Fu Qin was only fourteen years old when he courageously suffered martyrdom and entered into the glory of Heaven.

The courage and conviction of this mother and son are what helped them choose martyrdom over renouncing their faith in God. When teaching her children, she knew what was important and what the ultimate goal was. Of course, like any mother, she wanted her children to grow up to be well educated and to have a fulfilling life. Isn’t that what parents hope for their children? However, when the Boxers came and terrorized their town, she knew that what she really wanted for her children and for herself was to follow the will of God, no matter how difficult that would be. She raised her children with Heaven in mind, not for what the world could offer. Her love for God surpassed any worldly desire; even the one to save her own life and the lives of her children. She knew that death was just the door to eternal life and that the Lord whom she loved with all her heart, soul and might was waiting for them on the other side of it. This undoubtedly was in her thoughts when she gathered her daughters around her and told them not to be afraid. This, also was in the mind of her son, Chun Fu, when he proclaimed that he could never abandon the Lord. She taught them well.

How well are we teaching our children? Or for those of us whose children are grown, did we teach them what is important? Even though we live in a different time and place and martyrdom may not be our reality, have we prepared them for their eternal life? Were our days just filled with school work and music lessons or was prayer and reading Sacred Scripture with them a daily experience? Did we talk to them about things that really matter? Did we share our own faith journey with them? Did they see what an intimate relationship with the Lord looks like? Our children are not ours. They belong to God and were given to us for one reason: to help them find their way back to the Him. For parents with children still at home, talk with them about the important things. Show them what living for God looks like. For parents whose children are adults and may have strayed, pray for them. Trust in the grace of the Sacraments that they received. Most importantly, remember that God wants them back more than you. Lastly, for the grandmas and grandpas whose delight are their grandchildren: bless them with holy water, pin blessed medals on their clothing, and tell them stories of how much they are loved by Jesus. These are the memories that they will tuck away in their hearts.

Love your children and teach them that God loves them even more.

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