Pastoral Page

S.Ling

9/18/2005

The Autumn Moon

The Autumn Moon

Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival of the lunar calendar. Traditionally in the Chinese culture, tonight is a time for lanterns and togetherness. Family members will come from far and wide for reunion, they will admire the beautiful full moon, and they will share moon cakes while children play with lanterns. All this is expected to take place under the quiet silvery gleam of the moonlight.

The Chinese people have always been fascinated by the moon since ancient time. The Chinese calendar is based upon the wax and wane of the moon. Chinese literature is full of poems and verses inspired by the moon. One of the most beautiful and profound verses were written by Su Tung Po (1036-1101), a famous poet and politician of the Sung Dynasty. He was then in exile in Michow. Thinking of his absent brother, he wrote what is considered the best poem on Mid-autumn by any poet.

"How rare the moon, so round and clear!
With cup in hand, I ask of the blue sky,
'I do not know in the celestial sphere
What name this festive night goes by?'
I want to fly home, riding the air,
But fear the ethereal cold up there,
The jade and crystal mansions are so high!
Dancing to my shadow,
I feel no longer the mortal tie.

"She rounds the vermilion tower,
Stoops to silk-pad doors,
Shines on those who sleepless lie.
Why does she, bearing us no grudge,
Shine upon our parting, reunion deny?
But rare is perfect happiness –
The moon does wax, the moon does wane,
And so men meet and say goodbye.
I only pray our life be long,
And admire the moon together across the miles."

Instead of sorrowing over the inevitable in life, the poet accepted life's joy and sorrow, laughter and tears, union and parting alike with a Stoic peace, just as he accepted the inevitable wax and wane of the moon. This is the Chinese philosophy of life in a nutshell.

Incidentally, the Jewish people of Biblical times also based their calendar upon the moon. King David, one of the greatest Biblical poets, wrote a beautiful poem on the moon as well, as recorded in Psalm 8:

"When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers.
The moon and the stars, which Thou has ordained;

"What is men, that Thou art mindful of him?
And the son of man, that Thou visitest him?
For Thou has made him a little lower than the angels,
And hast crowned him with glory and honor." (Psalm 8:3-5, KJV)

Amidst the inevitable joy and sorrow, laughters and tears, union and parting, life and death of life, God, Who made the heavens, the moon and the stars, Whose name is excellent in all the earth, Whose glory is set above the heavens, care deeply for you and me. God cares so much that He chose to visit us in person through the Incarnation of Jesus Christ His only begotten Son.
When you admire the beautiful full moon tonight, remember, God cares deeply for you amidst the inevitable changes of life.

With love in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Ling