PHOTO: Mary van Balen
There is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of them.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 from Mid-morning reading
Today, I walked to a Buddhist festival at a temple in Thailand. A friend who knows of my interest in spirituality suggested that I might want to see it. The evening was warm and humid after an afternoon downpour, but not unpleasant.
As I wandered through the temple grounds, many sights reminded me of parish festivals at home: children hoping to take a gold fish home, games, rides, and lots of food. Of course, plenty of things were different: Monks were chanting as were ever changing groups of laypeople who, after offering orange buckets filled with ordinary items for the monks daily use, knelt and joined in their prayer. No hotdogs or cotton candy, but roasted chestnuts and sweets that included sweet corn as well as chocolates.
Some people purchased a lotus flower, incense sitcks, a candle, and gold leaf squares before stepping over the lintel leading into a shrine of Buddhas. People knelt and prayed, stuck their candles in sand-filled containers and rubbed the gold of the Buddha images.
The evening was an interesting mix of booths, games, food, rides, and prayer. When I looked up the readings for today’s liturgy of the hours I was struck by what Paul had to say: One God, many people; different tasks, different people, same God working in them all.
Our world is groaning under the weigh of wars, struggles against injustice, and ravages of disease. Environmental challenges loom ahead of us. Partisan politics in this country stall work and honest debate in a variety of issues.
I don’t think the Creator of all the earth’s people overlooks one honest prayer or the one who uttered it. I think God’s Spirit resides in us all. No prayer is lost, no person is overlooked, no effort for love and peace expended in vain.
As Paul continues in 1 Cor.: “God has arranged the body and that there may not be disagreements inside the body, but that each part may be equally concerned for all the others. If one part is hurt, all parts are hurt with it. If one part is given special honour, all parts enjoy it.”
Tonight I had the opportunity to walk with a part of God’s body that I do not usually see. My prayer was for peace, for understanding, and for courage to work with those different from myself as well as those who are more the same. Only together, can we bring peace and justice to the world.
© 2011 Mary van Balen
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