Passion lost;

Earlier this past week, I met two friends from New York for a beer. They are both regulars, like me, in Bangkok, and we are all here because of our commitment to the gospel and humanity.

As we all sahre a deep commitment to the Church, guess what we talked about over our second beer? Church!!

One of my New York friends is a strong member of Call to Action, an activist movement in the US Church. She proudly recounts how she marched in the last Gay Pride parade in New York. She was part of the Call to Action contingent that marched in solidarity for gay and lesbian rights in the Church. I think - good on you!!

From there, she proceeded to talk about the issues for which she feels so much passion - married and women priests in the Church. You could feel her passion. Once again, I think - good on you!!

Worryingly, I noticed that that I did not share her passion. I am not against these issues. I just did not feel the passion for them as she does and as I used to. That is what worried me. Where did my passion go?

Where did it go? Submerged under the pressures of a hectic life? Clouded with age? Retreated, thinking what is the use as the institution will never change? Just become sedate, with having found my little corner in the world to do my bit for the gospel?

This question besotted me for the rest of the week. Then on Sunday, I wentto church at Ruam Rudee, a Redemptorist parish here in Bangkok. Here they are building a 10 million USD parish centre. After mass, I was asked by some woman to buy a ticket to help in paying for this building. I just instantly replied:
I would not give one baht to such a building. It is wrong. It is a sin. It is unjust. I live and work here to help the poor in Thailand. We should be giving such money to feed and house the poor.
I then told the woman who I was as I was not going to be anonymous. She was in shock.

A simplistic response by me? Maybe? What mattered for me was that I had rediscovered my passion for the gospel. It has been there all along.