A Circuit Breaker in Life.

During a pandemic, everywhere goes into lockdown, except Singapore which uses an unusual sounding term to my ear - "circuit breaker".  Well, here I am now in my room isolating due to catching the virus and so I learn the wisdom of Singapore, for this time alone is truly a circuit breaker in life.  

On first learning of the possibility of my contracting the virus, I went into shock and then denial, followed closely by forcefully diving into acceptance and doing something about it.  What caused my forceful, personal response, acting not to be driven by denial?  I hold it is my key sense of responsibility and my commitment to human solidarity and respect.  Not by accident, these remain with me as the three key words I have learnt from the experience of this pandemic.   I could do no other.  

What have I found as I spend time alone?  Life is truly fragile.  One's tenure over life is fleeting.  So much that may seem important simply goes to one side.  The busyness about time consuming, essential matters and tasks just subsides.  The importance that one places on so many daily relationships is placed within perspective.  While they add to the colour of life, they come and go.  Key to sustaining a life that makes meaning is the invested, purposeful engagement we have with primary others in our sphere of influence.  That takes a lot of work.  We invest too little in such essential engagement and too much in what is easy and fanciful.  Still, no matter what, life goes on. It is true that no one is indispensable, not even me. 

Circuit breaker is a good term to name this experience of human lockdown, shared or individual.  For better or worse, it makes you stand back and look at life, reflect on what really matters and hopefully appreciate with renewed vigour what are the true treasures of a worthwhile life.  Perspective is the gift it offers.   

    

Keep Promoting

Within the comedy of errors that is our world, Myanmar has become a theatre of evil.  Presently, there is an art exhibit at the Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre, showing the tragedy that Myanmar has become under the weight of the greed and lust for power of the few.  

One may rightly state that Myanmar does not stand alone.  What about Syria, Yemen, Libya and so the list goes on?   For me, the difference is that Myanmar is right next door to where I live and I know many Burmese as good people, friends and colleagues.  

This exhibit reminded me of a classic movie in my life, "Apocalypse Now", starring Marlon Brando as the rogue US military officer, operating alone and isolated within the jungles of a war torn Vietnam.  His crime was that he had taken waging war too far.  He had to be stopped. 

The point of the movie was that extreme evil could thrive in the harsh, far away jungles of a Vietnam because it first exists in the fine streets of major cities in the civilized world.  Evil begins with us.  

As Lia, who runs SEAJunction, said to me, while visiting this exhibit, "Keep promoting".  Keep promoting what is good; keep promoting human dignity; keep promoting peace.  Viva la revolucion del'amor!

 

We are called to be revolutionaries.

 

Archbishop Oscar Romero, saint and martyr

How often do we treat religion as an escape valve or a magic potion to get where or what we want?  Let us not do religion such a disservice.  Let us neither spiritulaize nor individualize our faith.  By doing so, we are devaluing that which is at the core of our being, of our shared identity as humanity on this earth.    

T have read more than once that "the gospel is about transformation or nothing at all."  This is a powerful statement, highlighting that the gospel is not just a document we read, reflect upon and respect.  It is so much more.  It actually is the living Word of God, impacting us at the very heart of who we are as a people on a journey of life; transforming us, a people of faith.    

The gospel transforms us at every level of our being - spiritual, personal, communal, social.  The gospel is a revolutionary document, revolutionizing us.  Our faith calls us to be revolutionaries for the life, good and dignity of all.   We are not called to be revolutionaries in the line of Karl Marx or Che Guevara, but as followers of Jesus of the gospel.  

Pope Francis names it as we are called to be "revolutionaries of tenderness". 

"What is tenderness?" he asks.  It is not about being mushy or nice.  Rather "it is the love that comes close and becomes real.  It is a movement that starts from our heart and reaches the eyes, the ears, the hands."  Powerful!  

As we finish Christmas for another year,  Francis presents a lasting image of the Christ child.  Simply put - "By being born in a manger, God himself launches the only true revolution that can give hope and dignity to the disinherited and the outcast: the revolution of tenderness."  

Viva la revolucion!   

2022 Begins

The lead up to Christmas Day is huge.  Then the day comes, it goes, and, all of a sudden, another year begins. So here we are.  Where to from here?   

In his homily for the Solemnity of the Epiphany, Pope Francis focuses on "the crisis of faith in our lives and in our societies".   This brings me back to two constant life themes arising for me in these times - mystery and spirituality. 

 

Life is a mystery.  We are rational beings.  We are not meant to be stupid nor naive, but neither do we have to answer every question nor be able to explain away every unknown in life.  Sometimes, it is simply life just is.  Accept it.  Mystery allows us to see life in new ways, that take us beyond our physical senses.  This is not magic nor escape.  It is rather a concept that allows us to accept that we cannot grasp every detail of life, nor do we need to.  We are limited, fragile beings, not gods.  Mystery enables us to move beyond the dysfunction of control to being people of depth and vision, prophets in our time.  We are so much more than what we see, hear and feel everyday.  

Mystery's partner is spirituality, enabling us to enter into the depths of our being and reality.  Spirituality matters. Both show us the way.  It is always good to stop and smell the flowers.  At the beginning of another year, it is a good and natural time to stop, to reflect, to ponder, to renew.  So we can re-engage our world and continue with the task of transforming it in the light of the gospel, no longer being burdened by it as if it is simply a heavy and useless load.    

Let 2022 Begin

 A Prayer for our Earth - A Prayer for 2022 

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe

and in the smallest of your creatures.

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.

Pour out upon us the power of your love,

that we may protect life and beauty.

Fill us with peace, that we may live 

as brothers and sisters, harming no one.

O God of the poor,

help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,

so precious in your eyes.

Bring healing to our lives, 

that we may protect the world and not prey on it,

that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.

Touch the hearts

of those who look only for gain

at the expense of the poor and the earth.

Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,

to be filled with awe and contemplation,

to recognize that we are profoundly united

with every creature

as we journey towards your infinite light.

We thank you for being with us each day.

Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle

for justice, love and peace.

(A prayer by Pope Francis’ from his encyclical, Laudato Si’.)