From Maryknoll-Stanley, Hong Kong

"Not to know is bad. Not to want to know is worse. Not to hope is unthinkable. Not to care is unforgivable." - African saying

I’m writing today’s blog from Hong Kong. I took Sunday and Monday for myself spending a bunch of time in the chapel and walking around the grounds here at Maryknoll, Stanley. The weather here is really great.

This is my first trip down this way during the Christmas Season and I am really glad that I came this way. One of our priests, Fr. Sean Burke M.M., has over the years amassed a wonderful collection of nativity scenes from all over the world. During this time of year they are all on display here at Stanley and from what I hear quite a few people come to see them. I have taken a number of pictures of the different displays and also of the house to share with you. The house is literally covered with these beautiful nativity sets, so I am sharing with you just a few of the many displays.

I attended a meeting at the house this morning and then headed over to Our Lady of Maryknoll hospital for a meeting with Sr. Marilu and others to plan future trips for the nursing students from Jilin Medical College. Everything went really well and both meetings turned out to be very successful for me. 

This evening I had dinner with my classmate, Fr. Mike Sloboda M.M., who works at the local parish here in Stanley. He treated, so it was a very successful dinner for me too. ^_^ I actually have a few dollars in my wallet as I head home.

I had a few emails from students today and they are now into the heart of the exam schedule. Tomorrow is another full-day of exams and then they have exams on the morning of the 8th and can take off for home after that.

I leave here tomorrow morning for my long flight home. God willing I should be in Michigan around 6:30 on Wednesday night. I am very excited to say the least and can't wait to see some very special people.

Today’s gospel and some comments: 

As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.’ But he answered them, ‘You give them something to eat.’ They said to him, ‘Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?’ And he said to them, ‘How many loaves have you? Go and see.’ When they had found out, they said, ‘Five, and two fish.’ Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men. Mk 6:34-44 

When someone is complaining, a friend of mine always says things like, “Why don’t you fix it yourself?” The effect is like that of turning off a tap: it stops all complaints instantly! But that isn't why he says it. He is a hands-on person by instinct, so his words have great power to challenge – much more than if he were only being provocative. His kind of language is real and practical, “Do it, and we’ll talk about it later!” “Go and see the place yourself!” “Talk to him!” “Let’s do it ourselves!” Very invigorating! He once asked another friend of mine a direct question about something, and she replied evasively, “I’ll have to think about that.” “I’ll wait!” he said. And he waited right there! 

“You yourselves give them something to eat!” Jesus said. And when they began to do it, they found that it worked. Another time he said to a man who had been lying there for thirty-eight years, “Get up!” And when he went to get up he found he could! There are probably miracles everywhere just ready to happen, if only we would do the thing instead of talking about it.