We all play games.

My hero, our world's only great leader (as far as I am concerned), Pope Francis died early morning, Rome time, this Monday past, 21st April.  It was Easter Day. 

When I heard the news, I just felt numb.  There then followed an avalanche of articles on Francis - far too many for any one person to absorb. One article, I read, quoted a theologian, I follow, saying that Francis' greatest writing was "Amoris Laetitia".  I thought - Really?  But I trusted this theologian and so I decided to read again this work of Francis.  What did I discover? 

I discovered a true gem that I had never allowed myself to behold. On the same day that I read it, I observed three people in my sphere of influence, separately playing games with life, maybe playing me.  They were just not being real with me.  As I read Francis, his advice was to let them be, show them love and let them grow in their own way.  Don't berate them.  Rather, embrace them and so, don't play games.  

Then I further read Francis' giving us the primary rule for life - the via caritas.  He named this as the first law for the Christian life, with the primary pastoral principle for living this life as being pastoral mercy.  He highlighted that there is ever the ideal, the vison to be upheld, but always allow for people's fragility, failings and sinfulness, as well as mine.  Never forget there is ever God's mercy.  So be kind, don't play games with each other.    

This was mind-blowing stuff for me.  Do we ever get it?  How often do we taker it seriously?  Do we keep playing those childish games with each other or do we follow life's way of charity?  Do I? 

Thank you, Francis.  You have been a light to my world and now you can embrace our world ever more closely.  God keep you and love you for all eternity.  

Surrexit Christus

An article, that I read as part of my preparation for Easter, stays with me, going beyond being an Easter reading, proving to be a true support for me in mission at this time.  That this happened was more than a coincidence.  This was God at work, showing herself to be truly a mystery full of surprises. 

The article was from The Tablet, being an interview with Rachel Mackenzie, the Director of Rachel's Vineyard UK, reflecting on her healing work with women and men, suffering from grief and guilt post-abortion.  She shares that her "passion for supporting those traumatised by abortion comes from (her) own story of abortion and how God helped her to see the light".  She went even further into her dark struggles in life.  What a statement of confession she shared!  Just humbling! 

I read her life motto.  Powerful!  It is simply, "HOPE - Hold On, Pain Ends".  This is Jubilee Year 2025, which names us as Pilgrims of Hope, with the motto, "Hope does not disappoint".   Our world needs hope more than ever.  Hope is real, but not just because Rachel or I say so.  Hope is real because the resurrection is real. This is a tremendous jump in logic, but it is true.  Factually, the resurrection is the foundation of all hope in our woirld.  As Pope Francis says, the resurrection is more than a "happy ending", for it is an event that "changes our lives completely and forever".  

Our lives, our world are caught up in the resurrection, for Jesus, the Risen Lord, is our intimate friend along the way.  So we continue the struggle of life, no matter what.  So we are caught up in the horrors of war and destruction, remaining ever nourished by the desire for life, even for a better life.  So we know cruel loss, unbearable grief, heartfelt sadness and not be defeated.   

Rejoice, the Lord is truly risen!

  

   

Syncretism - it is in the mixing of cultures and religions

It is Thai New Year, otherwise known as Songkran and as the cause for mad, water fights on the streets of Thailand.  This is the biggest holiday of them all in Thailand.  The country shuts down for family time, for fun time.  More than this, Songkran is a national festival, being both religious and cultural in nature.  It happens on April 13, 14 and 15.  Well, this year April 13 was Palm Sunday.  So you have Songkran and Holy Week happening side by side.  Is this where syncretism happens?  

Does it become the clash of cultural festivals or does it reflect the unison of religion, whatever religion, in the life of a people?  Each festival uses water as its central symbol, but to what effect?  Forces, inside and outside of Thailand, have reduced their lovely New Year festival, celebrating new life, fresh beginnings and respect for family, to water mayhem in the streets.  This is a result of overplaying both the fun and business cards.  So what's new?  Still, one does not want to simply become a spoilsport.  After all, religion's purpose is not to destroy people's fun, but to live life to the full.    

Water is the great symbol of life.  Each religious festival uses water as its central symbol.  Easter uses it to remind us of the divine origin of life and to nourish us for the fullness of life. Thai Buddhism uses water at Songkran to refresh and cleanse us for a fresh start in life.  One religious festival can't be identified with the other, but don't the two speak to each other?  Popular manifestations of enjoyment of these major festivals on both sides diminish or distract, but their original meanings still stand.  

The two are not one by any means.  Each stands alone.  But my reality this week is that the two are sitting side by side, speaking to each other here and now.  You can't divorce the Thais from Songkran, nor can you divorce Christians from Easter.  Each is central to who they are. A Thai cannot have a year without Songkran, nor can a Christian have a year without Easter.  Each festival nourishes life and builds up community, screaming out its core message of the goodness of life and the need to celebrate it.  Is this not the playing field for syncretism?  I do see signs of it in my daily life in My Bangkok.  

Happy Songkran!  Happy Easter!     

It's corruption, stupid!

The real tragedy of the 28th March earthquake for Bangkok was the one collapse of a building under construction, killing about 100 construction workers, seemingly all Burmese.  This tragedy highlighted  corruption as the culprit, not the strength of an earthquake's destructive forces, for the management was using substandard steel.  The destructive forces of the earthquake were let loose elsewhere - in Myanmar, a country suffering tragedy upon tragedy.    

Back to Bangkok.  I discover that an earthquake is about much more than a 45 second, earth-shaking period of time.  Whatever that 45 seconds was for anyone involved, the earthquake becomes about all that follows on from that one short, but seemingly endless timeframe.  

In My Bangkok, the earthquake unearthed corruption.  The real tragedy was man made and it has caused much, needless suffering, and mainly, once again, those who are the most vulnerable suffer the most.   

This collapse of one building under construction revealed double corruption, double tragedy, for it was to be new office space for the Auditor-General, who wrote to his staff about their loss, lamenting the collapse of their new home, while not bothering to even mention the loss of life caused by its collapse. I will say no more.  

I will give the last word to Pope Francis.  Who better?  He stressed that "corruption is an ancient evil, ... named by the Fathers of the Church as 'the Devil's dung'".   So he encourages us to fight its scourge for the sake of constructing a better future, not just better buildings.  Amen to that!  God rest the souls of those tragically killed!  And for what purpose did they die?  This is more than sad.