The human struggle shared in faith

This past week, our 10am English mass community went on our final pilgrimage for 2025.  One could say it was a great success.  I will say even more as I found it to be a most fruitful and rewarding time, shared in prayer and encounter.  What made it so? 

Our destination was Immaculate Conception church in Sam Sen, a neighbourhood in central Bangkok. We chose there as it is one of the four designated churches, within the archdiocese, for pilgrimage during the Holy Year.  Going there you can see why this choice was made.  

Its history is just fascinating.  Even before Bangkok was ever conceived, King Narai, in 1674, gave this land to a recent arrival, in the Kingdom of Siam, Bishop Laneau.  The land was to be used for a church, the first ever church in Bangkok.  So the history dates back to the very beginning of the local church.  

Today, this is a most Catholic neighbourhood in the midst of Buddhist Bangkok.  This is due to the various comings, over time, of Portuguese, Cambodian and Vietnamese, Catholic communities. 

With the Portuguese came their statue of Mary, which local Thai Catholics have affectionately nicknamed - Kanom Jeen (a Thai noodle).  The Portuguese had originally fled the Dutch in Indonesia, where they had carved this statue of Mary.  They took it with them on their journeys in faith.  First, they fled to Cambodia, later moving from there, with local, Cambodian Catholics to Bangkok, settling at Immaculate Conception parish.  This statue now holds pride of place in the parish, being the centre of local devotion.

It can then be seen that the history of Immaculate Conception poignantly reflects the human and spritual themes of journey, diversity and struggle.  These are all themes that touch upon our lives and community.  So it is a church rich in meaning, speaking to our pilgrimage.  

Much more, ours is an everyday pilgrimage, where we face the human struggle, together in faith.  Such a pilgrimage is a human quest undertaken in human solidarity, together with our one loving God, who is our constant companion.  In this context, our pilgrimage to Immaculae Conception came to be experienced as a purposeful encounter with each other and with God, a vital time and opportunity for enriching life.  .    

See out the old, bring in the new

 

As we reach the end of another church year, it is a natural time to stand back and reflect.  For me, the event of the year was my first experience of an earthquake, on 28th March.  I would choose this as my experience of the year, not to focus on tragedy and disaster, as there is enough of these in our world, but because it was a shared experience within my region.  I could highlight my visit to Norway and Paris, but that might end up in being a narcissistic pursuit, and it was my eperience, shared with a select few.    

This earthquake had its epicentre near Mandalay in Myanmar, a nation that has known multiple crises for far too long - Covid, coup, revolution, floods and now this.  The people of Myanmar are living through a quasi apocalyptic tragedy, suffering shared trauma.  This is highlighted by the reflection of GoDark, a Myanmar influencer and artist who visited Mandalay, post-earthquake.  His reflection is vivid.    

"The city was physically broken, and the people seemed emotionally numb.  Looking at their faces, I couldn't sense much feeling - neither sorrow nor relief .  I kept wishing to see emotion in people again - any kind of emotion - sadness, joy, even anger.  Because perhaps what is most haunting isn't the destruction itself, but the emptiness it leaves behind - the absence of feeling."  

As we stand at the end of  a year, what matters is what we let go, as well as what we hold dear as memories that nourish and teach us.  What may be quiding principles in this quest?  For direction, I refer to the gospel for this past Sunday and see the criteria I need.  So here goes.  

Do we engage the world or simply be passive spectators? 

Do we stay the course or too easily run away and hide, or give up?  

Are we leaders?  

So I ask myself-  Where do I wish to be, physically, emotionally, spiritually?  Where do I choose to stand in life?   Life is a shared journey, full of wonder and surprise.  Yes, there is a fair share of struggle and pain, but there is ever the promise of hope, of a better future, moving ahead as best we can, hand in hand.    .  

“Resilience is not justice. We don’t want to be resilient. We are not begging for mercy. We are demanding accountability.”

Cebu devastated after a recent typhoon

My headline today shares the words of a Filipina, speaking at a Caritas International event, held at COP30, currently continuing in Brazil.  Having experienced devastating typhoons herself, her words come straight from the heart.  What has befallen her country is beyond comprehension and just keeps happening, while the world keeps watching, while maybe even admiring how resilient are the people facing such human tragedies.  Is this our excuse?  Is this how we comfort ourselves from afar?   

Today's reflection arises because this Sunday, in the church, was World Sunday of the Poor, which featured a message from Pope Leo, in which he made two clear and chilling statements..  

"The poor are not recipients of our pastoral care, but creative subjects who challenge us".

"Helping the poor is a matter of justice before a question of charity".   

Leo names it for what it is.  The poor are not written away by our simply offering help or by our admiring how they manage in the midst of tragedy and suffering.  Leo made another statement which stays with me - "Wealth disappoints".  

Money and projects alone are not the answer.   Both keep rolling out, going seemingly nowhere.  I am no expert on love and its practice.  Like everyone else, I am a practitioner of love, and, like everyone else, I pass and fail.  The fact is that, rich and poor, no matter who we are, we are all in this thing, called 'life', together.  We belong together and we will get through it together.  The further my life journey takes me, the more clearly I see that.   

Was this not a lesson of Covid?  Seemingly not, as our world becomes more crazy and more disconnected.  Life is not an 'everyone for themselves' event.  Ultimately, we are 'the same, but different', as a Thai t-shirt reads.  Dignity belongs to all.  We all participate in the wonders and joys of life, not just in its miseries.  It is not about resilience, but about being human together.  

Special

Yet again,someone was kind to me this week.  While kindness may come my way in many forms, from many people, this one particular kindness so struck me.  I must state that I am thankful for every kindness, but this time I was more than thankful, I was overcome.  So, what was different?

Having just returned from Europe, a friend from our English mass community came to see me.  He had wanted to chat about his recent reading on being a Catholic.  On meeting me, he gave me a gift - a bottle of wine.  On talking about his trip, he highlighted his time in Italy.  After he left, I looked at the bottle of wine and saw it was Italian.  So I wondered - Did he or did he not? 

It then hit me like lightning - "He gave me a bottle of Italian wine.  Did it come from Italy?"  

So I rang him to check - "Did you bring me that wine back from Italy?"

"Of course!" - was his reply. 

I was simply stunned that he, or anyone, would go to such trouble for me, bringing a bottle of wine all the way from Tuscany.  

In expressing my amazement and deep gratitude, he simply replied, why wouldn't he do so, after all I had done for him?  I was left speechless, holding a gift that was more than a bottle of wine, but a testimony to that, in someone's eyes today, I am special.  And aren't we all?  What more can I say?  

    

 

Communion in the midst of such simplicity.

Notre Dame of Paris

It took me nearly 69 years to discover Paris, but I finally did it, and what a find it was!  A true treasure in its midst is Notre Dame Cathedral.  Dating back to 1163, being completed in 1345, it has been a dominant presence in Christendom for 860 years.    

So a highlight in Paris was to spend three hours in Notre Dame, on the Sunday afternoon.  I was there for an organ recital, Vespers and mass.  In the midst of this unique opportunity, I found myself sitting there in this grand cathedral of Europe, of the western church, just taking in its sense of history and culture.  This church now restored to its former glory, following the tragic fire of 2019, shone in all its glory, like a sparkling new building.  What an experience!  

Beyond all the grandeur of this great church of Christendom, what I found was that spending three hours there was a simple time of prayer and worship.  It was a time when I felt a sense of communion with the divine.  That was the great gift of Notre Dame to me. 

This was so because, beyond all its grandeur, Notre Dame has a simplicity about it that allows one just to be in its presence and take in the divine.  This was more than visiting a church.  It was an experience of the divine, that I have seldom enjoyed in my life.  This is the true treasure of Notre Dame for me.  .  .   

A sanctuary so simple

Ode to Revolution

The Bastille today

After two and a half weeks away in marvelous Norway and wonderful Paris, I could bore you with a photo parade, but I would never subject you to such punishment.  Instead, I share an insight gained.    

While in Paris, I was excited to go see the Bastille, the location of the defining moment of the French Revolution.  When taken there, I asked my good friend, an expert on Paris - Where is it?  To which I was assured that I was looking at it.  What I saw was a monument surrounded by traffic.. This is it?    

Is this where the revolution led?  It makes me reflect on how to feel about revolution, as a concept for embracing and engendering life.  It exists. It is.  It ever challenges us.  It ever gives us life.  I believe this for revolution is a tool for living the gospel, which is about the transformation of life.  

The gospel assures us that the human quest for more to life, the fullness of life for all, the vision of God for history are always possible where we are, but none of this just happens.  Here lies the challenge to revolution - the revolution of the gospel.  

In the midst of much suffering, we may say that people are resilient and so esxcuse ourselves.  But then I remmeber hearing a poor woman remonstrating - "Stop telling me I am resilient.  I just want to live life like everyone else."

Even if it fails, revolution is ever the call of the gospel, for that allows the gospel to be lived, for it offers the transformation of our whole self, humanity and our world.  My time away in places of beauty and wonder, rich in culture and history, tell me that, no matter what, life is good, a banquet offered for all to savour and enjoy.  In the midst of a harsh and routine reality, this vision is easily lost.  Is it not a revolutionary goal and challenge to ever behold and pursue?  

Life is meant to be celebrated

Sunday 5th October marked 20 years, to the day, that I first arrived in Bangkok, to begin working with and helping migrants and refugees.  For me, this is amazing!  It is a feat I could never achieve alone.  I am sure God is in this, a humble landmark for me, in mission and life.  

As it naturally happened, my anniverasry was observed at mass, for it was also the Church's World Day for Migrants and Refugees.  God works in mysterious and wondrous ways, as the timing of this enabled me to issue a call to our faith community, to help a Migrant Learning Centre for Burmese children, situated in the north of Bangkok.  What better day to reach out to migrant children.  

When two of us arrived from church, at their humble centre, their community had just finished a celebratory lunch to honor the birthday of one of their own.  So the children were already gathewred in good spirits.  I found them so welcoming and hospitable, attentive to my presence and my needs.    

They reminded me that ones supposingly so little or insignificant in the order of our world have so much to tell us and teach us about life.  They often do so in their humble and simple ways, if we only take time to listen.  While we may be busy with many things, they are there waiting to show us the way how to live life with gracefulness, humility and dignity. 

As I go on a time of sabbatical, their gracious voice and kind actions send me on my way.  Life is a celebration, neither measured nor determined by worldly wealth, power or status.