A Typical Christmas?

Nothing seems typical in Bangkok, Thailand - let alone Christmas Day. In a Buddhist country, Christmas Day is just another working day in the life of the people. Yes, they have the decorations, the silly music (which I love), the Santas and the shopping but apart from enjoyment and another shopping opportunity I don't know what it means to Thais. Maybe that is the same for back home.

The day had its highs for me. As a priest, I was pleased with myself as I gave a decent homily at mass on Christmas as a time to celebrate our humanity which is so intertwined with the divine. As a man, I was so happy to discover that soemone else follows my blogsite. Thanks Amy! Maybe that is why I am doing another entry today. I did all the right things - give presents to everyone, ring home and even pay the rent. All looked good for a perfect day but can anything or anyone be perfect in this world? I am sure we all know the answer to that.

So given the tasks of the morning, I was off for an afternoon of Australian Christmas which meant off to Australian friends in Bangkok for food, drink and a swim. As always with any Christmas gathering, there was to be added surprise but Thai style. The surprise was the unexpected but welcome guest for Christmas lunch.

Thai style came in the form of the young Laotian mother who asked to come along and see a farang Christmas. Her son was already coming to join my friends' son and mum wanted to tag along. So here she was at Christmas lunch.

Like everyone, she has a story. She was from a poor Lao background but had met and married a wealthy and older Swiss Canadian. THe husband died and left her with a son and lots of money. It is quite a typical story of this part of the world. The place is full of such couplings and it is a not so uncommon outcome.

The son goes to one of the most exclusive schools in Bangkok where there is no shortage of Thai parents who exude wealth and elitism. Mum remember is Lao and not Thai, and a simple one at that. This allows for a messy life situation for herself and her son as neither is really meant for such a robust and harsh environment. Despite how she got there, she may have money but she is out of her depth. So it seems that mum is not so happy and finds release in the bottle.

What really may seem so unusual at home in Brisbane is truly a typical Bangkok story. Bangkok is a place where one at times has to work hard to keep one's sanity or to stay in touch with reality. The end of this C hristmas Day was to give proof to this.

Very simply, after she left we discussed the harshness and loneliness of her situation. Noting that she at least had money, I named that she had options such as looking to another school which would be more friendly. The discussion with my friends continued a little further until I stated that it was her problem. This invited an immediate "You are just another uncompassionate Catholic priest". I don't want to dwell on this as this happened aat the end of a rugged Christmas lunch campaign. So it was time when anything may be said and not to be taken too seriously.

It did however make me think about me and here. I actually sit with owning not that I am uncompassionate. Rather I sit with this - living in Bangkok and seeing and experiencing all I come across in the area of love and relationships has the effect of making me cynical about love, life, relationships and people. That is a frightening realisation to own and name. A Bangkok can make one cynical about the very good and basic things of life. Understandable maybe but it mkaes one realise just how much we need sane friends to stay not only sane but also healthy and appreciative in approaching life. Thank God for my good friends of this Christmas Day who kick me when I need it and are just such good friends, such good foundations of reality in the midst of world that can be quite mad or unreal. As I said at the end of yesterday on leaving my friends, we need each other so much to keep sane. As was then pointed out to me, and how true, living here is like living in Graeme Greene novel - The Power and The Glory???

The el Prado

The el Prado Museum in Madrid is quite something and so accessible. My favourite was El Greco. Then to my delight, I discovered a Franciscan church near the cathedral that was painted by El Greco. So you can guess what I did. I would go to this church to pray and just to savour in the works of El Greco. It was all prayer. The works were just awe inspiring and I coiuyld just sit there and stare and wonder. It was an incredible experience.

Escorial

Escorial was the Palace for Phillip II of Spain. He was King during the 16th century and the Philippines were named after him. He was a devout Catholic and lived quite an ascetical lifestyle, or so they say.

Actually, as you go on the tour of this great palace, you are shown Phillip's bedroom and it is not grand at all, being situated right beside the high altar of the basilica within the palace itself. There is a door that opens out from Phillip's bedroom onto the sanctuary. The idea was that Phillip could stay in his room and just be there right beside the altar.

Yes, the palace includes a basilica and is used even today as an active place of worship and liturgical celebration. It is the church where novices in the Order in Spain make their first profession. It is all quite something.

Escorial today is a pleasant drive from Madrid. It is also the name of the modern town that sits beside it. It is a place for tourists to visit and get a taste of an empire but it is much more. It is a national treasure, being the burial place for the Kings and Queens of Spain, with every Spanish king since Phillip being buried there. It is a huge complex and much of it lies in the care of the Augustinians who were entrusted with its care 100 years ago by the then government.

So there the Order lives and ministers. There they have a college, a university and a novitiate for the Order, among other things. The overall impression is of a magnificent building complex that is grand and extensive, full of history and treasure but also full of present life, and there is the Order in the midst of it all. Everything in it is big - including the community room and the community dining room. Just amazing!