Life - Death

The Devil's Sinkhole, Texas

I just read the latest post of my confrere Fr Luke on his response to the bone marrow transplant via stem cells which almost happened. It certainly was a blow that the donor Canada pulled out at the last minute  from donating her cells. Life can be frustrating indeed. He was that close to getting the needed treatment to curing his leukemia.

Memento Mori

Something for us to reflect upon this Sunday afternoon...

Healing...

It had been some weeks of minor turmoil for myself as I had to deal with death, 'abundant life' and my coping with these two rather conflicting items that occasionally want to grab my attention.

So, I thought I would just get away a bit and give myself a treat away from the pressures of conflict and headed towards the Bay to soak in the flora and fauna of the Gardens. The trip was refreshing and managed to heal some parts of my humanity and, at the same time, got to use my Gardens Annual Pass (individual).

Super Trees and OCBC Sky Way

The displays and flow of plants, trees, flowers including the panoramic sites that are available there were soothing and quietening elements that gently cleansed whatever that was the tsunami of emotions inside of me.

What I couldn't express properly for healing, the Gardens there helped put things in perspective, in its own unique manner. Whether death or life, it is important to understand how precious life really is and there is no effective value that can be placed upon a life that is lived out well in God.

Life as we encounter it may not be perfect but it has to be seen as one that is unique and sustained by God, no matter how messy it may be. Because it is sustained by God, all troubles will certainly see its day and will soon pass - those, too, will soon pass.

(more pics here)

Mortality

Image via Wikipedia

Okay, so we have passed through Halloween's, All Saints' and now we have All Soul's.

All speak of the reality of a supernatural  order that points to something greater than our being. It also shows up our own mortality and how we constantly struggle with the issue of death. It is in this mood that it is difficult not to feel a little melancholic or sober with a dash of fear that one really can go anytime.

It is really laughable when you consider the fact that we may come from all walks of life, with different status and level of intelligence and 'greatness'. However, at the end of it all, we all return to dust that we are...

But to stop here and say nothing else would be totally selling ourselves short - as we always like to do.

The Christian response (and of which I am happy to be part of this great calling) is one of hope, wonder and peace to this question of death. It is because, this response is open to the greater transcendence that continues to pervade our dimension even if we choose to ignore it. We are 'hardwired' for the transcendent and and there is something within our being that 'pushes' us to seek the beyond. When we suppress or deny this 'inner wiring' that is there, it shows up in retaliation through different strains of reaction.

One interesting manner which this comes about, is the current fascination of many young people with vampirism, zombies, and all dark natured related items. The industry that services this fascination thrives in bringing about all sorts of activities, books, movies and related collectibles, thereby creating an industry of sorts which is very profitable and, yes, self-indulging.

Image via Wikipedia

As Christians, we know that our hardwiring is towards a God whom we call Father and Jesus Christ points us the way to Him, as did many countless other saints and holy men and women. It is because of this beacon that constantly blazes the path towards our eternal heritage of sons and daughters of God that we are, we can be reassured and walk in this life a better and enlightened person who knows what it means to have faith, hope and charity.

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Mixed Blessings

This week has certainly been quite a sombre affair with two priests passing away. Both Frs Tom O'Neil and Albert Renckens have been called back to the Lord after serving in our archdiocese so fruitfully for many years. They have been great pillars within their respective communities (Jesuits and Sacred Heart Fathers) and contributors to the Major Seminary through their tireless teaching in Liturgy and Philosophy. They will be missed. May their souls rest in peace.

Meanwhile, on the flip side, the celebration of the feast of St John Vianney this evening I (which I celebrated) saw an unusual higher amount of penitents coming for confessions. I was caught by surprise by them when I went to the confessionals 20 mins before Mass and found a long queue. I had to stopped the confessions a little more than 5 minutes before Mass as I had to celebrate Mass. I had told the remaining penitents to come back later after Mass as I would be by the confessional after that too. After mass, the queue was even longer, so much so, Fr Luke had to come by to help out! Must be the effect and presence of John Vianney (the promise of the indulgence may also contributed to this) ...

A day of mixed blessings indeed!

Tragedy

It has been quite difficult the past week to penned any entry here because I couldn't find the proper words to relate to the series of events and experiences that unfolded which were tragic and sudden.

It began with my previous entry about not being safe anywhere in the world anymore, in the wake of the Mumbai attacks. This was followed later by the news of a Singaporean being killed in that attack. I found out, to my utmost surprise, that she was the wife of a former catechist I knew in my previous parish of Holy Family! Suddenly a face in the news began to take on a sense of urgency and familiarity which I haven't experienced before. It is as though someone in my family has died. Though I have never met Hwei Yen personally before, I knew Michael enough to know that he literally worshipped the ground that she walked on and to loose her suddenly like this, in such a tragic manner, is certainly devastating. CWM has some insightful thoughts on this, especially on the couple, himself a friend of Micheal and a parishioner of Holy Family, which says a lot for the love lost in a, somewhat, cruel manner.

Hwei Yen who died at such a young age of 28, prompts one to sober up quickly and pause a while to think on the magnitude of the loss. That she had a full life ahead of her, tragically cut short, and possessing a disposition that saw her as a bright, sensitive and loving person, makes her death all the more heartbreaking.

Like CWM I have no straight answers as to why this thing can happen to someone who was utterly unfortunate to be at the wrong place, at the wrong time.