It is good to be free

I discover through my work with migrants that slavery is not a thing of the past but still very much with us, just under a different name.  What I find lacking is that the modern name - human trafficking - sounds so antiseptic and just does not express the full impact of such a human evil.

There are the tragic victims of modern slavery but sadly it reflects how all of us are enslaved in some way or another.  We all experience people, systems, dynamics or behaviours that hold us down or back.  We may or may not be aware of these harsher realities in our lives but they are there.  Then at times, we consciously make ourselves aware of what is enslaving us so as to stand up and act for ourselves.  These are the good times.  These are times when, no matter what the fear may be inside, we feel good and strong about life and ourselves.  This is telling us we are doing the right thing and we can do it no matter what.   

St Bernard of Clairvaux

My week began in such a context.  It is time yet again to stand up for me and not just keep doing good work and helping people.  While good work and helping our neighbour are essential to life, there is something much more basic to life.  This is what gives meaning to who we are.  I often say that who we are is much more important than what we do.  I always say and know so well that control does not work and that success and perfection are not a part of the equation in life.  It all leads to personal disaster.  Then I read St Bernard of Clairvaux who so passionately reminds us what life is all about.  He names the Spirit as the kiss of the mouth between the Father and the Son.   God freely chooses to share that kiss with us and we become the kiss of the kiss.  We are the kiss of the divine kiss.  Wow!

Life is about so much more than what we experience and know.  When I feel constrained in life, I remember the Anglican Bishop of Durham of the days of Maggie Thatcher when I was studying in London.  Back then he was publicly crucified by political foes for making his stance in defence of the common citizen.  Yes, he was controversial.  Yes, he had dodgy theological stances.  Yes, he was not of the stature of a Bernard of Clairvaux figure.  Still despite all that, he made his mark, being a church figure of his day dedicated to the plight of the suffering working person and the poor.  He stood firm against all opposition.  His episcopal motto says it all: Non illegitimi carabundum - Don't let the bastards get you down.  So stand back world.

PS - I did stand up for myself.  I was ready for the worse but the outcome was just totally from left field.  Such is Thailand.  More on this next week.  "Always expect the unexpected."