昔日文章

近年因疫情關係，我們在公眾地方也需要配戴口罩，大多只能看到對方的眼睛，好像已經很久沒看過別人的臉了。你期望以真面目示人嗎？這次我們共讀繪本的主角，一直不敢以真面目示人， 究竟他有甚麼苦衷？到最後又能否解決？   主角來了， 他名叫M a r t y，是一位火星人，現在居住在地球上。你可能不知道他的存在，因為他一直掩藏自己的身份。Marty可以算得上是偽裝大師，只要看看他的衣櫥你就知道了，他高超的喬裝技巧能瞞得過所有人。在多番準備下，他順利在一家咖啡店找到工作，在那裡結識了朋友，他很喜歡那兒的顧客，但他仍然堅持偽裝，因為他知道只要別人識穿他的身份，肯定會驚慌逃跑。有時候Marty也感到有點寂寞，不過他也會遇上跟他一樣孤獨的人。有一天，他看到一班人在舉行化妝巡遊，他也樂在其中，離開的時候更有點依依不捨。一天晚上，他再找不到合適的偽裝衣服，於是他決心製作一套新的服飾。那套新衣非常創新，而且使人注目，不過問題來了，人們對他的關注引來了好奇心，好奇心則使人懷疑，懷疑他的人開始進行調查， 調查得出的結果是：Marty是個外星人。他的身份被揭穿了，Marty只好東躲西藏，直到一個名叫Jake的男孩發現他。Jake告訴Marty會為他找到一個合適的地方， 讓他好好當自己。Jake把Marty帶回家中，在那裡他不用再偽裝，可以正常地上學，和同學一起學習和大笑。現在Marty雖然仍然是火星人，但他已是地球的一分子，跟他的好友一起生活。     共讀指引 一個火星人獨自生活在地球上，還要掩飾自己的身份， 那種感覺肯定是非常孤獨的，而且還要常常提心吊膽，恐怕別人識穿自己的真正身份。家長跟孩子共讀時，可跟他們一起代入主角的心境，設身處地嘗試感受Marty的心情， 這有助孩子投入故事，更能感受Marty後來融入地球生活的快樂。在現實生活中，雖然我們不是外星人，但有些時候也會因為太在乎別人的看法，而收起真正的自己，例如跟別人閒談時，談到自己喜歡的藝術和文學，好像很曲高和寡，甚至格格不入，久而久之我們便索性戴上面具，避而不談。這時候我們的心境也許就像Marty一樣，既孤獨又不自在。事實上，每個人也需要一些能讓我們安心地呈現自己的朋友。要遇上這樣的朋友，也許需要一點緣分，但同時也視乎我們是否願意主動表達自己。如果我們時刻都戴著面具，極力偽裝，人們又怎能認出我們真正的面貌呢？與此同時，我們也應該接納身邊的朋友，他們也有各自己的性格和喜好。這樣我們才能和而不同，好好相處。     《Marty》 作者 : Rachel Noble 繪者 : Zoey Abbott 出版社 : Holiday House I S B N : 978-0823446629

Personal Details  • Feast Day : 6 February Virgin and Martyr  • Born: Around A.D.290  • Died: 6 February A.D.303. (or A.D.311)  The parents of Saint Dorothy were devoted Catholics. They were martyred for holding on to their faith. There is no plentiful information about the life story of Saint Dorothy. Dorothy lived in Asia Minor, in the now major city of Cappodocia in Turkey.  During Emperor Diocletian’s time, Saint Dorothy vowed not to get married and refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods. As such she was found guilty by the Roman governor. She was cruelly tortured and executed. At that time, Saint Dorothy was just more than ten years old.  Dorothy was thought to be executed on 6 February A.D.311. On her way to the place of execution, a young pagan lawyer said to her in mockery, “If there is a real paradise, please send me some fruits and flowers from your garden.” Dorothy gave her promise and knelt down and prayed for his wish. When Dorothy finished her prayer and on her execution, suddenly an angel from Heaven carrying a basket filled with three roses and three apples appeared to her. After her death, a little angel sent the basket to the young lawyer. He received the basket and recognized that the flowers and fruits were not local products from Turkey. The young lawyer at once confessed and was converted and baptised to be a Christian. Later, he was also martyred. Nowadays, apples and roses are often depicted in the portrait of Saint Dorothy.  The name of Saint Dorothy carries the meaning of “the gift from God”.  Little Quiz  • Why did the young lawyer want to make a mockery of Saint Dorothy? What was the result?  • What do you like to learn and follow from the life story of Saint Dorothy? 

Personal Details  • Feast Day : 9 March Non-martyr saint  • Born : A.D.1842  • Died : A.D.1857  • Canonized : A.D.1954 Patron saint of juvenile  Saint Dominic Savio was born in a village in Italy in 1842. He came from a typical peasant family. He had great love for God since boyhood and was determined to become a priest.  When Saint Dominic Savio was at the age of twelve, Saint John Bosco was recruiting youngsters at Turin. Dominic Savio enrolled and became the beloved student of Saint John Bosco. On that day, after Father Bosco had talked face-to-face with him, he knew that Savio was the chosen one by God and he would lead a holy life. Savio joined the Oratory of Saint Francis de Sales founded by Father Bosco and assisted in the founding of the Sodality of Mary Immaculate.  Savio was a person with earnestness. He diligently performed every job in his daily life. He would not be negligent of his trivial duties. He always said, “I must try my best to do my job, no matter they are big or small. When praying, pray piously, when playing, play wholeheartedly and joyfully.” When Father Bosco set up the Salesian Order, he did not have a chance to join because he passed away two years earlier.  The health of Dominic Savio was steadily deteriorating at the beginning of 1857. He was sent home from the Oratory to recover from his ill health in Febraury 1857. His illness was diagnosed as inflammation. It was not cured after continued treatment. Dominic was sure that his death was approaching. He asked his parents to send for the parish priest and asked to be given the Anointing of the Sick (last sacraments) in preparation for death and died peacefully.  Dominic Savio was beatified in 1950 in the Catholic Church and was canonized four years later in 1954. At the age of fifteen, he is the youngest non-martyr to be canonized in the Catholic Church. He is the patron saint of juveniles. Little Quiz  • Which great saint did Saint Dominic Savio meet during his boyhood? What happened to him afterwards?  • Which good virtue of Saint Dominic Savio do you want to model after? Why? 

Personal Details  • Feast Day : 5 February Virgin Martyr  • Born : 3th century A.D.  • Died : 5 February A.D.251  Saint Agatha is one of the four highly regarded martyred virgin saints of the early Catholic Church. The other three are Saint Cecilia, Saint Lucy and Saint Agnes. These four saints were martyred for holding on to the Christian faith.  Saint Agatha was born in Sicily. She belonged to a rich and important family. Agatha loved God since childhood. She wanted to dedicate her life wholeheartedly to Him and decided not to get married. Agatha was very beautiful, someone proposed marriage to her when she was at the age of about ten and she rejected him. One day, a local high ranking official also came to court her. He thought that Agatha would promise to marry him because he was rich and powerful. Agatha, nevertheless, kept her vows and firmly refused him. The official was very angry and imprisoned Agatha. He expected her to give in when faced with intimidation and temptation. Nevertheless, Saint Agatha simply affirmed her belief in God. The official had beaten Saint Agatha up, and burned her body with a glowing rod. Agatha simply closed her eyes and prayed to God asking for strength to overcome the temptation.  Lastly, on the night of 5 February 251 A.D., Agatha went back to her heavenly home after cruel tortures. She was panting when she said her final prayer, “Lord, my creator, you have always protected me since the cradle, you have taken me from the love of the world and given me patience to suffer. Receive my soul.” Little Quiz  • Why did Agatha refuse to marry the local official?  • What did Agatha do when she was about to die? What was the reason behind her action?