Where have all the flowers gone?

Late Sunday afternoon, I heard from more than one friend about Pope Leo's need for an operation.  That is how I leant the news that Leo had shared himself, during his Sunday Angelus address.  He was right to share the news himself, whivh he did so simply, so humbly and in such a matter of fact style.  

I do not minimalise the Pope's personal health struggles, but I do reflect upon the sincere reactions of people around me.  In part, I hold that the combined strength of their reaction to this news is more about them than him.  Why do I say this?  

I think I can safely say that we live in a "bonkers world". a world that knows its more than fair share of distress, thanks to the unpredictable actions and decisions of greedy and misdirected leaders.  In this world, Pope Leo shines as as a light, as a great leader, needed by our troubled world.  Then this news comes on his health which brings its own level of shared stress or anxiety amongst the searching peoples of the world, who are looking for a light, a sign of hope, within a world that is becomeing more unsure and more unsafe.  

I do not believe that Pope Leo planned for the rise of his own leadership, but it has happened because of who he is, his living out his role and the touch of God in his life.  So our present concern for Pope Leo is associated with our concerns for our world.  

When opening the meeting last week, on Amoris Laetitia, Pope Leo himself named this shared insecurity in our world and reflected glowingly upon it.  .  In his address, he focused on the fragility belonging to our common human condition and how our shared fragility shapes us, our relationships and our world.  he went further to claim this human fragility in the name of the Church.  

We know the fragility, the wounds, the failures of our life.  But can we encounter love in the midst of our shared reality and its fragility?  That is the big challenge for the Church, for humanity, for our fragility can empower us to help those excluded, to show our world the mercy and closeness of God's love, to offer the tenderness of a God of love who walks with his people. 

I hear Leo's message, I read it and I am just overcome, overwhelmed, mesmerised by it.  Where have all the flowers gone?  So sung Peter, Paul and Mary over 60 years ago.  When will we ever learn?  Thank God for the Pope Leos in our life and world.  

The Journey Together is Surer

In recent days, there has been serious flooding in Bangkok.  This has attracted international news attention, leading to ones back home kindly enquiring about my welfare.  One even asked for a full report of what I faced at that time, which I happily gave, while remembering that many are still suffering terribly.  So I shared with my friend.

"Yes, there has been an unusual amount of consistent rain, over three to four days, at the end of last week.  This came to a fever pitch Friday afternoon and night, when the rains caused major flooding throughour Bangkok, leading to gridlock traffic and public transport chaos.  I got caught in the latter, while trying to get home after a week of Caritas meetings.  

.  

This led to my adventures, endured in tackling a community challenge, of facing a flood disaster in Bangkok.  It all began at 3.30pm. when my Caritas meetings finished.  Friday peak hour was fast approaching and it was pouring rain.  How then to get home?  I tried for a taxi, but no taxi to be found.  I thought of a motorbike taxi, but they were not going anywhere.  Anyway, I eventually got to the skytrain and then got out to get a bus.  So far, so good.  

I decided to go to my friend's place, just outside Bangkok, as I figured there would be too much traffic in central Bangkok, where I live.  Well, that led to the real adventure as there were crowds at the bus stop, waitnig for buses that never came, in the pouring rain.  

I eventually got a bus to a major mall on the way to my firend's, discovering that, even away from central Bangkok, traffic was at a standstill, literally going nowhere.  So I decided on a dinner break at the mall, as it might get better later in the evening.  It didn't.  

How then to get to my friend's condo, my chosen safe haven in the midst of city chaos?  I followed my friend's advice and the only way to go was for him to pick me up, at the mall.  He, however, was caught in huge traffic. So that meant over two hours of my waiting, but nothing else to do.  Then on the way home with him, I saw the problem - lines of standstill traffic, going back for kilometres.  If there was any taxi or bus, they were going nowhere.  The whole journey home was chaos, taking 8 hours.  Amazing!

I wondered along the way what to do and how to do it.  I was alone and had to trust my own judgement.  Then I looked around and saw I was not alone, as there were crowds around me, all facing the same chaos.  So I just joined the citizens of Bangkok and followed their lead - wait and be patient - and it worked. Well, eventually!  Floodwaters, traffic and the lack of public transport - all at once - were the challenge.  Go with the people.  Follow their shared wisdom.   

Many people are suffering with their neighbourhoods under water, with maybe no electricity, no water, and maybe with the odd croc or snake.  OMG!!!  I so feel for them, but I can say my area, like much of Bangkok is back to normal - whatever that means." 

But above it all, whatever one faces in such chaos, the journey is surer, when taken together.