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Forgiving Your Brother From Your Heart(2)／Kaoru Takakura

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　　　　(1)より続く


To be a Christian was an emotional experience for me to seize the real freedom.

Forgiving Your Brother From Your Heart(2)／Kaoru Takakura


One day, a student came to Professor Worth's office and said, "I forgot to register in your class, but I want to register and take the mid-exam now." I happened to be there in the office, and heard all about the conversation. It was already after the mid term exam, and I was just amazed of such a rude student, and thought Professor Worth would tell the student that's all your fault and I cannot accept your request. But in the next moment, Professor Worth silently said to the student, "There are many famous physics scientists who made many mistakes at the beginning of their life." Of course, after that, he let the student take the exam. Some people might say it is not good to treat the student so indulgently. But I believe, Professor Worth faced and encouraged this particular student in the most suitable way knowing that it is an indulgence in general.

These wonderful encounters with the professors made me face to Christianity seriously. Like the scripture read today, Matthew chapter 18th verses 21 to 35, I have learned about forgiving later as I started knowing the Bible. Because of the supports by colleague professors, I could continue my studies while raising my two daughters and working as an assistant and a teacher in ICU. When my children became independent and my reserach work settled down, I met with a wonderful Catholic sister and had a chance to learn Christianity. Two years later, I was baptized.

To be a Christian was an emotional experience for me to seize the real freedom. The real freedom is the freedom from myself, which is the separation from lust, ostentation and human pride. I thought that being Christian is the separation from egoism, and to have right eyes to behold. Of course, this is an ideal, and I'm still on the way to reflect on myself. In 1998, I had my academic leave and spent the time in the States to study. When I came back in Japan after the 5 months of the leave, my husband came to the airport, and told me that he decided his mind to receive baptizm while I was in the States. I was very surprised because we had always talked that what is so different about Christianity from the other religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism or Islam. And my husband was always defensive about Buddhism in such kind of discussion. So, I couldn't believe what he said in a moment. The sister who taught Christianity said when I was baptized, "Everybody has their own time to feel and accept Jesus." This sister had faced to so many different people and their lost souls, and shared Christianity in her life, but after a painful battle against cancer, she passed away in 2000. She left words for us, "I am a traveler, just passing by. I am not the object of this world, but of the Almighty God."

I keep wondering if I can be free from myself and serve the others in my entire life.


Now, let us pray,

Our Father, thank you for this opportunity to share my message in this chapel today.
Look upon us with your tender mercy,
And let us serve each other with deep faith here in ICU.
Behold us, and make us stronger to walk through this difficult time.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray, Amen.


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To be a Christian was an emotional experience for me to seize the real freedom.

Forgiving Your Brother From Your Heart(1)／Kaoru Takakura

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The teachers just seemed to be supporting the students as much as they could. I always remember one very small thing about Professor Worth. It's a really small memory, but for me, it is still very clear.


　Forgiving Your Brother From Your Heart(1)
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Kaoru Takakura, Associate Professor of Physics, Division of Natural Sciences
A message (translation) given at Chapel Hour, November 6, 2002 (Original)

Forgiving Your Brother From Your Heart

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Translated by Gakushi Mark S. Tomita (Student of Lang. Div.)
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Hello everybody. I'm Kaoru Takakura, an associate professor teaching physics in the division of natural sciences. I'm honored to be here to share my message with you today.

It was 34 years ago when I first came to ICU in 1968. The days were dreamy time for me to be able to dedicate myself only to the education and research here in ICU. I've come through the 34 years without realizing the time has passing by, but it feels like just a moment. In these years, I've had many wonderful encounters with the professors, colleagues and the students here.

ICU, recently, has been known as the best school for the satisfaction level among the students in Japan. Why, has ICU got such a high reputation among all the Japanese universities? When this started being heard, some people outside of ICU said the it is just a misunderstanding of people who do not know the reality of ICU. Some years ago, we even invited the person who said this to the school festival, and had a debate about the reputation on ICU. But at that time, I believed that this kind of high reputation is not just a misunderstanding, but it might be the reality of our school.

No matter if the reputation is actually wrong or true, a question came up with the point why such kinds of debates were often held. Apparently, this school has huge campus, but does not have such excellent buildings or facilities. Also, the professors' number is limited compared to the other universities. It must be difficult for our school to hire a lot of professors and prepare the environment of various areas for the students. But still, the satisfaction level of the ICU students are very high. Why is this so? I believe that it is because of the whole school's attitudes to the students which is strongly based on Christianity spirit. Whole school means everything related to our school life including the professors, the staffs and the maintenance people. I see this school is taking very seriously about human relation ships between the professors and the students, and the positions of the students and professors are equal. In some other schools, students are sometimes concerned as just helpers in research projects of teachers. But I think that ICU has given such a high reputation because the whole school has been facing to the individual students very seriously. As results of such attitudes, this school has sent many honorable and enthusiastic people into the world. Thsese people are working in the world with their real creativity and social service but without their self-centered ambition and their lust for fame. The attitude of ICU toward the students is totally different from the other schools. This can be also said about the human relationships in our campus between professors and professors, porfessors and staffs, and students and professors in our campus, and I believe that this atmosphere has had good influences on the students in ICU for a long time.

Thinking about such kind of things, I always think about Professor Donald C. Worth. He is a great founder of physics department in ICU. He is a person dedicated himself to the natural science division from early years of ICU and retired in 1990. When I came to ICU in 1968, I really thought how strange this school was. I wasn't quite sure of what is so strange about, but something was totally different especially about the relationship between the students and the teachers. Students were not like normal students in other schools and the teachers were neither normal. The teachers were dedicating so much to the students in ICU which was totally opposite from normal Japanese universities. The teachers just seemed to be supporting the students as much as they could. I always remember one very small thing about Professor Worth. It's a really small memory, but for me, it is still very clear.

　(2)へ続く

The teachers just seemed to be supporting the students as much as they could. I always remember one very small thing about Professor Worth. It's a really small memory, but for me, it is still very clear.

詩篇１４８ マシューヘンリー(2)

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　　詩篇１４８　マシューヘンリー(2)
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Considering that this earth, and the atmosphere that surrounds it, are the very sediment of the universe, it concerns us to enquire after those considerations that may be of use to reconcile us to our place in it; and I know none more likely than this (next to the visit which the Son of God once made to it), that even in this world, dark and as bad as it is, God is praised: Praise you the Lord from the earth, v. 7. As the rays of the sun, which are darted directly from heaven, reflect back (though more weakly) from the earth, so should the praises of God, with which this cold and infected world should be warmed and perfumed.

I. Even those creatures that are not dignified with the powers of reason are summoned into this concert, because God may be glorified in them, v. 7-10. Let the dragons or whales, that sport themselves in the mighty waters (Ps. civ. 26), dance before the Lord, to his glory, who largely proves his own omnipotence by his dominion over the leviathan or whale, Job xli. 1, &c. All deeps, and their inhabitants, praise God--the sea, and the animals there--the bowels of the earth, and the animals there. Out of the depths God may be praised as well as prayed unto. If we look up into the atmosphere we meet with a great variety of meteors, which, being a king of new productions (and some of them unaccountable), do in a special manner magnify the power of the great Creator. There are fiery meteors; lightning is fire, and there are other blazes sometimes kindled which may be so called. There are watery meteors, hail, and snow, and the vapours of which they are gendered. There are airy meteors, stormy winds; we know not whence they come nor whither they go, whence their mighty force comes nor how it is spent; but this we know, that, be they ever so strong, so stormy, they fulfil God's word, and do that, and no more than that, which he appoints them; and by this Christ showed himself to have a divine power, that he commanded even the winds and the seas, and they obeyed him. Those that will not fulfil God's word, but rise up in rebellion against it, show themselves to be more violent and headstrong than even the stormy winds, for they fulfil it. Take a view of the surface of the earth (v. 9), and there are presented to our view the exalted grounds, mountains and all hills, from the barren tops of some of which, and the fruitful tops of others, we may fetch matter for praise; there are the exalted plants, some that are exalted by their usefulness, as the fruitful trees of various kinds, for the fruits of which God is to be praised, others by their stateliness, as all cedars, those trees of the Lord, Ps. civ. 16. Cedars, the high trees, are not the fruitful trees, yet they had their use even in God's temple. Pass we next to the animal kingdom, and there we find God glorified, even by the beasts that run wild, and all cattle that are tame and in the service of man, v. 10. Nay, even the creeping things have not sunk so low, nor do the flying fowl soar so high, as not to be called upon to praise the Lord. Much of the wisdom, power, and goodness of the Creator appears in the several capacities and instincts of the creatures, in the provision made for them and the use made of them. When we see all so very strange, and all so very good, surely we cannot but acknowledge God with wonder and thankfulness.

II. Much more those creatures that are dignified with the powers of reason ought to employ them in praising God: Kings of the earth and all people, v. 11, 12. 1. God is to be glorified in and for these, as in and for the inferior creatures, for their hearts are in the hand of the Lord and he makes what use he pleases of them. God is to be praised in the order and constitution of kingdoms, the pars imperans--the part that commands, and the pars subdita--the part that is subject: Kings of the earth and all people. It is by him that kings reign, and people are subject to them; the princes and judges of the earth have their wisdom and their commission from him, and we, to whom they are blessings, ought to bless God for them. God is to be praised also in the constitution of families, for he is the founder of them; and for all the comfort of relations, the comfort that parents and children, brothers and sisters, have in each other, God is to be praised. 2. God is to be glorified by these. Let all manner of persons praise God. (1.) Those of each rank, high and low. The praises of kings, and princes, and judges, are demanded; those on whom God has put honour must honour him with it, and the power they are entrusted with, and the figure they make in the world, put them in a capacity of bringing more glory to God and doing him more service than others. Yet the praises of the people are expected also, and God will graciously accept of them; Christ despised not the hosannas of the multitude. (2.) Those of each sex, young men and maiden

詩篇１４８ マシューヘンリー(1)

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　　詩篇１４８　マシューヘンリー(1)

　　P S A L M S　PSALM CXLVIII.

Matthew Henry　Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

This psalm is a most solemn and earnest call to all the creatures, according to their capacity, to praise their Creator, and to show forth his eternal power and Godhead, the invisible things of which are manifested in the things that are seen. Thereby the psalmist designs to express his great affection to the duty of praise; he is highly satisfied that God is praised, is very desirous that he may be more praised, and therefore does all he can to engage all about him in this pleasant work, yea, and all who shall come after him, whose hearts must be very dead and cold if they be not raised and enlarged, in praising God, by the lofty flights of divine poetry which we find in this psalm. I. He calls upon the higher house, the creatures that are placed in the upper world, to praise the Lord, both those that are intellectual beings, and are capable of doing it actively (ver. 1, 2), and those that are not, and are therefore capable of doing it only objectively, ver. 3-6. II. He calls upon the lower house, the creatures of this lower world, both those that can only minister matter of praise (ver. 7-10) and those that, being endued with reason, are capable of offering up this sacrifice (ver. 11-13), especially his own people, who have more cause to do it, and are more concerned to do it, than any other, ver. 14.
An Invitation to Praise.

1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. 2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. 3 Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. 4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. 5 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. 6 He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.

We, in this dark and depressed world, know but little of the world of light and exaltation, and, conversing within narrow confines, can scarcely admit any tolerable conceptions of the vast regions above. But this we know,

I. That there is above us a world of blessed angels by whom God is praised, an innumerable company of them. Thousand thousands minister unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before him; and it is his glory that he has such attendants, but much more his glory that he neither needs them, nor is, nor can be, any way benefited by them. To that bright and happy world the psalmist has an eye here, v. 1, 2. In general, to the heavens, to the heights. The heavens are the heights, and therefore we must lift up our souls above the world unto God in the heavens, and on things above we must set our affections. It is his desire that God may be praised from the heavens, that thence a praising frame may be transmitted to this world in which we live, that while we are so cold, and low, and flat, in praising God, there are those above who are doing it in a better manner, and that while we are so often interrupted in this work they rest not day nor night from it. In particular, he had an eye to God's angels, to his hosts, and calls upon them to praise God. That God's angels are his hosts is plain enough; as soon as they were made they were enlisted, armed, and disciplined; he employs them in fighting his battles, and they keep ranks, and know their place, and observe the word of command as his hosts. But what is meant by the psalmist's calling upon them, and exciting them to praise God, is not so easy to account for. I will not say, They do not heed it, because we find that to the principalities and powers is known by the church the manifold wisdom of God (Eph. iii. 10); but I will say, They do not need it, for they are continually praising God and there is no deficiency at all in their performances; and therefore when, in singing this psalm, we call upon the angels to praise God (as we did, Ps. ciii. 20), we mean that we desire God may be praised by the ablest hands and in the best manner,--that we are pleased to think he is so,--that we have a spiritual communion with those that dwell in his house above and are still praising him,--and that we have come by faith, and hope, and holy love, to the innumerable company of angels, Heb. xii. 22.

II. That there is above us not only an assembly of blessed spirits, but a system of vast bodies too, and those bright ones, in which God is praised, that is, which may give us occasion (as far as we know any thing of them) to give to God the glory not only of their being, but of their beneficence to mankind. Observe,

1. What these creatures are that thus show us the way in praising God, and, whenever we look up and consider the heavens, furnish us with matter for his praises. (1.) There are the sun, moon, and stars, which continually, either day or night, present themselves to our view, a

讃美歌" HIMSELF" By: A. B. Simpson

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　　　　　　讃美歌" HIMSELF" By: A. B. Simpson

Once it was the blessing,
Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling,
Now it is His Word.
Once His gifts I wanted,
Now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing,
Now Himself alone.

Once 'twas painful trying,
Now 'tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation,
Now the uttermost.
Once 'twas ceaseless holding,
Now He holds me fast;
Once 'twas constant drifting,
Now my anchor's cast.

Once 'twas busy planning,
Now 'tis trustful prayer;
Once 'twas anxious caring,
Now He has the care.
Once 'twas what I wanted
Now what Jesus says;
Once 'twas constant asking,
Now 'tis ceaseless praise.

Once it was my working,
His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him,
Now He uses me.
Once the power I wanted,
Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored,
Now for Him alone.

Once I hoped in Jesus,
Now I know He's mine;
Once my lamps were dying,
Now they brightly shine.
Once for death I waited,
Now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored
Safe within the vail.