智慧人生篇章 第50期:奥运拉近你我

 　　On the train yesterday I sat next to a family with some very excited children who were off on holiday. You couldn't help being caught up in their sense of excitement and anticipation¹. I know just how they feel. I keep wanting to say: Are we there yet? For the past five years as head of Multi-faith Chaplaincy for the London Organising Committee I've seen the Olympic site grow from a brownfield construction area into a park providing world-class sporting facilities and beautiful riverside parkland. In the east of the park is the Olympic Village where thousands of athletes and officials from over 200 nations have moved in during these past two weeks in time for tonight's spectacular² opening ceremony. Up until a couple of weeks ago the Village seemed empty of life, lots of activity but no real buzz³. This week that's all changed. It's come alive as the sun has shone and thousands of young athletes from all over the world have made it their home, staying in beautiful well equipped rooms and apartments. A state of the art gym and training facility is housed in the new school building, as is the Multi-faith Centre. This is in the heart of the Olympic Village, and houses prayer rooms for all the different faith communities. A team of over 50 chaplains is on hand, working on shifts⁴ to offer spiritual refreshment⁵ and help, to support and befriend, and to serve the Games community, which consists of 16,500 athletes and officials, and across the Games 200,000 staff and volunteers, and reporting it all 20,000 media and broadcasters. We are there for those of all faiths and those with no faith. St Paul in his letter to the Romans writes, "May the God of steadfastness⁶ and encouragement grant⁷ you to live in harmony with one another."I was very moved last week as the Christian⁸ chaplains on the team helped their Muslim colleagues prepare a large hall for the first Friday prayers of Ramadan moving over 300 chairs. A bare young Muslim man who as he left hugged me to say thanks for providing such a facility. This week I've witnessed young men and women from all over the world living side by side greeting each other, making new friends, laughing and sharing their love of sport. This is all truly in the Olympic spirit. I pray that the world may watch and learn to live in harmony.",

　　昨天在火车上，有一家人坐在我旁边，正值学校放假，孩子们都兴奋不已。大家都不由得被他们的激动与期待之情所吸引。我感同身受，一路上不停在想：我们到了吗？在过去的五年里，我作为伦敦奥运筹委会多信仰教士的领导，见证了奥运场馆从废弃的轻污染建筑工地变为河水环绕的提供世界级运动设置的绿色公园，公园的东边是奥运村，在过去的两周内，为了能及时参加今晚精彩绝伦的开幕式，来自200多个国家数以千计的运动员和官员下榻此处。就在两周前，奥运村还显得毫无生气，虽然十分热闹，但人们并不太兴奋。这个星期，情形大不一样。阳光明媚，奥运村开始焕发生机，世界各地的上千名年轻的运动员在这里安顿下来，住进设置齐全的公寓。 先进的健身房和训练器材放置在新教学楼里。多信仰中心也在那里。它位于奥运村的中心地带，为各个信仰的团体提供祷告室。在祷告室附近有一个由50多位教士组成的小组，他们轮流值班，帮助众人赶走心灵的疲惫，提供精神上的帮助，给予支持与照顾，为整个奥运社区服务，其中包括16500名运动员和官员，20万名员工和志愿者，以及两万家媒体和广播电台。我们在那里为任何有信仰和无信仰的人服务。圣保罗在给罗马人的信中写道，“愿上帝能鼓舞你们，让你们坚定信念，和睦相处。”上周，基督教的教士们帮助他们的穆斯林同事为首个周五斋月祷告布置大厅，搬动了300多只椅子。我被他们的行为深深感动。一位年轻的穆斯林在离开时拥抱了我，对我们提供的帮助表示感谢。这周，我目睹了来自世界各地住在相邻的房间的年轻男女相互问候，结交朋友，在欢声笑语中分享他们对运动的热爱。这正是奥运精神倡导的。我恳请全世界都去留意这一点，并学习如何和睦相处。

1 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

2 spectacular   

adj.引人注目的，出色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• This is a spectacular film.这是一部场面壮观的电影。
• This is the most spectacular financial crash of the decade.这是10年里最引人注目的金融破产事件。

3 buzz   

v.充满了激动或活动的声音，发出低沉的声音

参考例句：

• My brain was in buzz.我的脑袋嗡嗡响。
• A buzz went through the crowded courtroom.拥挤的法庭里响起了一片乱哄哄的说话声。

4 shifts   

n.转换( shift的名词复数 )；切换键；（汽车等的）变速；更换v.改变( shift的第三人称单数 )；去掉；摆脱掉；换挡

参考例句：

• The action of the novel shifts from Paris to London. 小说情节从巴黎移到了伦敦。
• I work split shifts in a busy restaurant. 我在一家繁忙的餐馆上间隔班。

5 refreshment   

n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点

参考例句：

• He needs to stop fairly often for refreshment.他须时不时地停下来喘口气。
• A hot bath is a great refreshment after a day's work.在一天工作之后洗个热水澡真是舒畅。

6 steadfastness   

n.坚定，稳当

参考例句：

• But he was attacked with increasing boldness and steadfastness. 但他却受到日益大胆和坚决的攻击。 来自辞典例句
• There was an unceremonious directness, a searching, decided steadfastness in his gaze now. 现在他的凝视中有一种不礼貌的直率，一种锐利、断然的坚定。 来自辞典例句

7 grant   

vt.同意给予，授予，承认；n.拨款；补助款

参考例句：

• If you grant my request, you will earn my thanks.如果你答应我的要求，就会得到我的感谢。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

8 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。