Wherever you go

Dormition Theotokos

In Thailand, two days celebrating womanhood come together over the next few days- the Queen's Birthday on 12 August and the Assumption of Mary on 15 August.  Both present an ideal for humanity coming from lived reality, and lived reality can sometimes be harsh as I was reminded this past week. 

You see I was asked in my duties to proof read a statement given in a local Church abuse case.  Yes, I only had to reword the English so that the report could be presented in an acceptable way to the proper authorities.  A simple task it would seem but a task that I found had an unplanned and incredible impact on me.  After reading the report, I felt dirty.  It is hard to explain but that was the feeling.  I then also felt the strong urge to clean myself and so I found myself naturally going to the chapel to get clean.  It was an experience that happened within a simple chain of events but it was also a strong and eerie experience.  What was it about this experience? 

Some of the description was quite vivid and upsetting, even revolting.  It showed how evil can co-exist with good in any person's life. I do not want to dwell on this but I do wish to acknowledge that the experience was very real for me and it made me think about life, humanity, good and evil, about me.

Within the context of this one week, I am experiencing how we can act so horribly towards each other but also know that, alongside such harsh realities, there ever remain the ideal and the hope of humanity with our purpose and quest for good ever alive.  We do live in the midst of strong forces for good and evil.  We do live within a paradox that is life but ultimately what is good is the way we choose and go.  We follow the way of those before us, knowing that where Mary has been and gone, there we also shall go and be, and we believe this with hope beyond hope.