The Shepherd is out of town?

This week, Bishop P asked me to mediate in what was seemingly a dispute between him and a western Sister in his diocese.  I heard his story and how he was not willing to engage in further discussion with her as he did not want to cause any upset.  His request was that I ring Sister and listen to her, then passing on the message from him that he only seeks cooperation and teamwork. 

So I ring Sister.  I discover that she has the same message, seeking only cooperation and teamwork.  She wants to tell the Bishop that there are no hard feelings and that she is grateful for his trying to make things better.  So all ended well and all parties seemed happy to pursue their pastoral relationships in the diocese. 

So it makes me wonder.  What happened here?  A misunderstanding? Communication breakdown?  Cultural mischief? 

Interestingly, Bishop P was fearful of any anger arising.  Thais are so fearful of anger. They run away from it all the time.  Yet conflict is real, issues do arise and anger does happen.  It is part of life.  In avoiding it, when it does happen, anger is quite something.  I explained to him that when we from the west speak stronger than usual that does not mean that we are necessarily angry. 

Bishop P went on to comment that westerners are arrogant and that western arrogance was part of this.  I smiled to myself as doesn't he realise that I am a westerner?  Whom does he think I am?  Then I thought how we westerners living here can identify arrogance in Thais.  Maybe this highlights a point for reflection.  We can see arrogance in each other but we don't recognise and own the arrogance within us. 

Tomorrow is a Buddhist holiday.  It is Asalha Puja day.  It is the day that remembers Buddha's first teaching to his disciples.  This may be a very poignant time for reflecting on what really does go on here.  I may never quite get it as it always has a mystery element.  Peace.