除夕圍爐，將親朋好友連結起來，分享新年美好盼望；
教會聖餐，讓每一個人合而為一，一起分享永恆生命。
李亮神父：
雖然我隻身在台，過節容易讓人非常寂寞，但我還是非常喜歡農曆新年。許多人在年前會從海外、遠處回鄉，大家聚在一起，見見所有的家人，用愛與團圓邁向新的一年。過去一年中，他們家中可能有悲有喜。
然而，我認為年前大掃除有其象徵性的意義。潛意識地描繪出，人們意圖從過去一年老舊、悲傷回憶中，從生命傷心不幸中，藉著大掃除洗滌心靈。這和灶神要去天上稟報這戶人家是否打掃乾淨無關，而是親朋好友們刻意地抹去所有壞的回憶，在除夕晚上不說任何不吉祥的話。
家家戶戶除舊迎新，全家人都聚在餐桌前圍爐，這樣的習俗實在很美好，二至三代同堂，包括祖父母、父母、兒孫等。有些好心人還會關心除夕夜仍隻身在台的外國人，他們沒有家人可以一起過節，這些人會邀請外國人一同圍爐，彼此交換禮物、發送紅包。
作為隻身在台的東正教司祭，除夕讓我注意到華人會非常喜愛聖餐的。除夕就像是聖經上所說的天國意象。用愛與喜樂的心，仔細預備食物，食物就是給予我們生命所需要的養分。重要的是大家要心存愛和情誼，以相互憐憫疼惜的心，來享用這頓晚餐。
除夕就好比我們在教會中所慶祝的聖餐。不同處在於除夕所精心預備的食物，仍舊只是食物。若這晚餐能讓人們緊密合一，該會多麼美好呢？從這觀點來看，除夕圍爐是用晚餐將所有受邀前來的人們都連結起來。親友共享佳餚，也分享未來的美好盼望。這些食物也有其象徵意義。人們會替菜餚取個幸福、成功、豐富、吉祥的名字。
東正教基督徒在每次聖餐中也是這樣慶祝，並獻上更多的愛、更深的愛，這是多麼美好的一件事。因為食物最後成為了神自己。神降世為人是為了成為我們生命的泉源，成為我們的晚餐。就像食物轉化成為我們的血液和肉體，同樣的方式，神在聖餐中也成為我們的肉體、我們的身軀，與我們合一，並讓我們彼此合一。這就是神無窮無盡的愛。
I love so much the Chinese New Year, although I am so alone and I feel so lonely. On Chinese New Year eve the people are gathered together. People from abroad and from faraway cities go to their hometowns to meet all their family and to enter the New Year with love and unity. From the previous day they clean their houses from the birthday or bad thing.
I think cleaning the house is very symbolic meaning. Subconsciously depicts that we clean our hearts from old, sad memories that the previous year and the sad incidences of the life caused. It is not the kitchen God who reports if the house is clean. It is the consciousness of the family and friends, which erases the bad memories, and forbids any sad words to be spoken that night.
All family gets together around the table. I think this is so beautiful. Ordered generations about two or three generations. The grandparents, parents, children, even grandchildren all get together. Some kind people care that night of the New Year about the lonely foreigners who have nobody, no family to invite them, and kindly invite them to eat together. Gifts of love, the red envelopes are exchanged.
Being the lonely priest of the Orthodox Church, the New Year’s Eve reminds me how the Chinese people would love the Eucharist. And that the New Year’s Eve is the image of the kingdom of heaven as the bible says. The food is prepared carefully with love and joy, and is what gives us life. But it is important that this supper must be enjoyed with love and with friendship and with compassion.
The New Year’s Eve is what we celebrate in the church. The Eucharist. The difference is that this Chinese food, which the family and friends prepare so good and so carefully, remains food. It could be so beautiful if this is this supper could become some more deep union for the people. And from one point of view unites the people invited to the supper. The family and the friends share the same food, and hopes. The food has very symbolic meaning. The names of the thing, to be eating they have meaning of happiness ah good luck success prosperity.
It is so beautiful and that the Orthodox Christians celebrate the same thing in every Eucharist. By much more love, more deep, because the food finally becomes God himself. God becomes human in order to be our source of life, our supper. As the food becomes our blood and our flesh, by the same way, God in the Eucharist becomes our flesh our body, and unites us.. This is the ultimate love.
Fr. Jonah
