BLESSED LANTERN FESTIVAL

A Blessed and Holy Festival of Lights to All Those in East Asia Who Keep It! 

Dear Faithful in the Missionary Diocese of East and South East Asia, 

At this blessed Festival of Lanterns, when lights shine brightly and families gather in joyful reunion, the Missionary Diocese of East and Southeast Asia extends heartfelt greetings to all our brethren in Christ and to friends near and far.

Holy Scripture declares: “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” And again our Lord saith, “I am the Light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

As lanterns illumine the night and households partake together of sweet tangyuan in unity and gladness, we behold a sign of that greater Light which hath shone upon the nations. Christ our Lord is the true Light, who gathereth the scattered, comforteth the sorrowful, and bringeth brightness to those who dwell in darkness.

May this season be to you a time of health and gladness, of peace and holy fellowship within your households. May the love which is of God bind you together; and may the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

May the Light of the World shine upon the lands of the East, establishing righteousness and truth, that all peoples may walk in His light and behold His everlasting glory.

Collect for the Season

Almighty and Everlasting God, who didst send thine only-begotten Son to be the Light of the world, to scatter the darkness and to reveal the truth; Grant, we beseech thee, that in this season of light and reunion thy heavenly brightness may dwell in our hearts; build up our families in love, establish us in the truth of thy Word, and preserve us in thy peace; that we, being made light in the Lord, may shine before the world to the glory of Christ, until we come to that kingdom where there is no night; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

元宵佳節快樂！

值此元宵佳節，燈火輝煌，萬家團圓之際，我東亞及東南亞傳道教區，謹向主內眾弟兄姊妹並各方親友致以誠摯問安。

經上記著：「那光是真光，照亮一切生在世上的人。」（約翰福音一章九節）又云：「我是世界的光；跟從我的，就不在黑暗裡走，必要得著生命的光。」（約翰福音八章十二節）

元宵之夜，燈彩交輝，象徵光明勝於幽暗，和樂驅散愁苦；闔家圍坐，共嘗湯圓，寓意圓滿與合一。此等美善風俗，亦與福音所啟示者相合：主基督乃真光，臨到世間，使分散者得聚，使憂傷者得慰，使黑暗之地見大光。

願眾人於此佳節之中，身心康健，家庭和睦，彼此相愛，如聖經所言：「要彼此相愛，因為愛是從　神來的。」（約翰壹書四章七節）又願主所賜之平安，保守你們的心懷意念，在基督耶穌裡（腓立比書四章七節）。

願世界的光照耀東方之地，興起義與真理，使眾民行在主的光中，見證祂永遠的榮耀。

元宵節季節祝文（Collect）

全能永生的　神，祢差遣獨生愛子耶穌基督，為世上的光，照亮黑暗，顯明真理，並使凡信祂的，不至滅亡，反得永生；求祢在這光明與團圓的時節，將祢天上的恩光澆灌我們，使我們的家庭在愛中得建立，在真道上得堅固，在平安中得保守；又使我們在世作光作鹽，顯出基督的榮耀，直到那永遠無夜之國度，藉著同一主耶穌基督，與祢和聖靈，一同永生，一同作王，世世無盡。阿們。

東亞及東南亞傳道教區 敬賀