This is where my week began. Early Sunday morning, I went to my bus stop, in Silom, to catch the bus to go to the cathedral, for mass. What did I find there? A dead body, lying on the rosd, right in front of the bus stop. There had been a motor bike accident. I was stunned. I looked at all the people there - police, emergency services, witnesses, fellow travellers. Everyone was just standing back, doing nothing, not engaging. The whole scene gave me a deep sesne of loneliness, of emptiness. This poor guy before us, lying dead on the road. What an awful way to die, just lying there on your own. I wanted to do something, but what? I felt useless. So I just prayed. I wsa not useless after all. I was praying for this poor soul.
The very next day, I flew up to Mae Hong Son, to join in church celebrations in a refugee camp, for the Karenni, of Myanmar. Their bishop had come for his annual pastoral visit and to confirm 300 children. It was a day of great joy for the community. Despite all their hardships and any suffering, you could feel their faith and experience their deep and strong spirit for life.
This only reinforced and reflected the message shared on the day, that true wealth is knowing and having God, while true poverty is being sad and having no friends. How true! My week has reflected the reality of life. Namely, what is true poverty and what is true wealth, with our going constantly between the two.
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