Film Review – ‘The Long Excuse’

“The Long Excuse” is a story about Sachio Masahiro Motokia, a celebrity writer, whose wife, Natsuko Eri Fukatsu, dies in a car crash. He does not at first feel the loss and even appears in a TV program with pretended bereavement. Then he meets Yoichi Omiya, a truck driver, who is left with two children to take care of after the death of his wife, Natsuko’s friend, in the same accident. Sachio offers to look after the two kids when Yoichi is at work away from home. He does this probably because he finds it difficult to proceed with his life. It is during this time that he begins to ponder his own life, his disloyalty in marriage and his lack of children. He finally allows himself to face up to his guilt and sadness and finds a renewed purpose to life.

The film is touching but not tear-jerking. In fact, it is beautifully orchestrated between joy and sadness. There are even some good laugh-out-loud moments. I enjoy how Sachio, with the help of Yoichi’s little girl, messes around with the housework. He cares so much about the girl’s sensitivity to seafood that he makes sure there is none even when buying creamy buns. It is a heart-warming scene when the girl actually has to push him from behind when he fails to cycle up a steep slope where her mother used to take her on a daily ride.

Sachio’s dealing with the boy, on the other hand, appeals more to the emotions of the audience. The mature and melancholy boy is deeply grieved at the loss of his mother, secretly lamenting that the misfortune has not fallen on his father instead. Contemptuous of Yoichi’s ignorance and inability to cope, he decides to give up enrolling in high school in order to take care of the family. In the boy Sachio sees a young man with a strong sense of responsibility, who he himself has never been. However, Yoichi’s involvement in a car accident while at work finally convinces the boy of his attachment to his father. Sachio also takes the chance to advise him to treasure everyone in the family for, all of a sudden and for no reason at all, they may be gone forever.

“The Long Excuse” is a love story. It is about love that is lost and then rediscovered. It is a movie that will leave you feeling happy and sad at the same time.

Spiritual Retreat in the Ward – my stay in hospital (3)

For the Holy Week, I had been assigned a few responsibilities. I was to be the commentator for the Mass of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday. Besides, on Good Friday there was the Way of the Cross on the Gia Hill, for which I was the lector at one of the stations. In addition, there was the commemoration of Jesus’ crucifixion in the afternoon. Most importantly, the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday was an occasion I had attended annually over the past years. And the Baptismal ceremony would mean much to me this year as I would be the godmother of one of those to be baptized.

Because of my hospitalization, I was deprived of the chance to participate in all these events. However, I decided not to be left out. And out of the mercy of the kind Lord, I did get involved in the Holy Week commemoration amidst the pain and dizziness.

The lingering dizziness meant that I had to keep my eyes closed most of the time though my mind was wide awake. There was no reading or watching TV. The only thing I could do was to listen to songs on the mobile phone. I chose religious songs appropriate for reflections on Jesus’ agony, death and resurrection. There was one named ‘Four days late’ about Jesus raising Lazarus from death four days after the funeral. I kept playing the song again and again and felt elated each time by the singer’s bright and ringing voice singing the line “He’s still on time!” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=se7yAkqu3Ek).

When the dizziness was less disturbing, I browsed the websites with the hope of stumbling upon the live broadcast of a church event. Very fortunately for me, I visited the site of our Cathedral and was able to watch the ceremony of the washing of feet on Maundy Thursday. I felt touched by our Bishop’s humility in kissing the parishioners’ feet.

 (https://www.facebook.com/secathedralmacau/videos/1776393412374711/)

On Good Friday evening I intently searched on YouTube for videos displaying the devout participating in the Way of the Cross. To my delight, I found one with a voice reading the related Bible verses, guiding the viewer to pray and then meditate on Jesus’ agony station by station. I found this very useful in helping me reflect on Jesus’ great love for us. I looked at the scenes of Jesus’ passion, the cruelty of which I had dreaded previously. Thinking of His suffering, I found my own pain negligible.
(https://hk.video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=yfp-search-sb&p=%E8%8B%A6%E8%B7%AF%E5%8D%81%E5%9B%9B%E7%AB%99+%E9%BB%98%E6%83%B3Youtube#id=6&vid=3431390fb2912055aa0a3a3b89c1a430&action=click)

At other times when there was not a ceremony going on, I watched online sermons of different priests. Actually, I had had the links forwarded to me before but very seldom did I care to watch them as I was preoccupied with either one thing or another. In hospital, however, I managed to pay good attention to the preaching and get really inspired.

Gradually recovering, I was able to do some reading. It was a book assigned by our reading group. Without disturbance from the everyday trifling matters, I enjoyed the reading far more than I usually did. I also got a flood of inspiration ready to share about in my next gathering.

In a way I can see my hospitalization as a spiritual retreat. I did more praying and meditating with an increased awareness of the consolation from God’s presence amidst the pain I went through.

What loving our neighbours means - My stay in hospital (2)

When admitted to the ward well after midnight, I was aware of the presence of a roommate hidden behind a drawn curtain.  

Before daybreak, I heard people talking. It was an old woman’s voice asking to have the diaper changed. So, my roommate was bedridden. I admit, not without a sense of shame now, taking delight in the thought of having the bathroom all for myself, not realizing the high cost entailed. 

With limited mobility, the old lady had a small portable toilet by her bedside, which she would use for defecating. That was the time when I had to wait in the parlour, still attached to an IV tube, until the room was deodorized. It was a long wait despite the availability of a room air- purifier. And this could happen twice a day. I could not help complaining inwardly why she would not use the diaper instead. And, unfortunately, her bowel movements were her most favourite topic, which she would share with everyone of her visitors. Imagine how much this could spoil my appetite if it happened when I was supposed to be enjoying my meal! 

With the pain gradually lessening, however, I found the old lady less troublesome. In fact, she had apologized to me repeatedly for having made the room smelly. She had chosen to use the portable toilet to avoid adding to the trouble of the nurses, who would, otherwise, have to deal with increased messiness of the diaper. And her frequent mentioning of her bowel movements was due to her regret about causing too much trouble to people around her, including me. 

In my Sunday school teaching I have often talked about Jesus’ advice on loving our neighbours as we love ourselves. Who are our neighbours? How should we love our neighbours? I understand that the first step towards loving someone is to put ourselves in his shoes. Without feeling sympathetic about his needs, how can we even talk about loving him? Here is a case to which the truth of the saying can apply so appropriately. The old lady, my roommate, was my neighbour both literally and factually. I became more tolerant of her needs. I could have been a more difficult patient if I had been in her place.

So in the later days, I talked more with her, trying to relieve her of her uneasiness about her bowel problems. And I mentioned her needs in my daily prayer. Her daughter, who came three times a day to bring her meals, asked me to talk to her about Jesus. (She had found me listening to sermons online and decided that I was a Christian.) The old lady, a Buddhist herself, was happy about the idea. She was discharged two days before I was. When I said goodbye to her at the lobby, she promised to pray for me to her Guanyin (觀音). 

Thank you, Lord, for inspiring me with this life experience. With this, I believe I can more easily convince my Sunday school students that loving our neighbours can be a very simple thing we can do in our daily lives.

A blessing in disguise - My stay in hospital (1)

I was admitted to Kiang Wu Hospital with a fever and an acute pain in my right side in the small hours of April 11. And there I stayed for nine days …

On the first few days, in spite of intermittent intravenous medications, there was a lingering fever accompanied by shivering and dizziness. I felt sick to the stomach and the pain kept me awake well into the night. I went to the nurses’ quarters in the middle of the night asking for a pain killer, but was given an ice bag instead. “We understand how much you suffer,” a young nurse, the age of my students, said consolingly, advising me to stay in bed lest I should faint. Medications are not so freely administered, I understand. But when the pain is so unbearable, you just can’t help making unreasonable demands like a child.

When the fever had gone and the pain diminished, I regained my appetite. I ordered meals with much enthusiasm. The nurse who took my temperature showed a more encouraging smile each time. But the one in charge of my blood pressure gave me a less assuring look. The readings were far higher than those I had taken at home. “Did you not sleep well?” Well, that was the problem. For a person with insomnia, a hospital environment could only make the problem worse. So, I’ve got another problem to watch over.

During those days I thought a lot about the human body. It’s strange how much trouble can be caused when a single organ, which used to stay peaceful and unnoticed for years, decides to make itself felt. It causes pain, of which the acuteness and the affected area can increase if unattended to in time. And other organs may join in and the result can be a storm of protest, leaving the victim in great misery. And I finally came to the conclusion that good health matters a lot.

My stay in hospital has been a blessing in disguise. There I underwent a series of medical examinations, which I had disregarded for years. I must admit that ebbing health comes with increased age. I am also aware of the need to cut down on my commitments to ensure a more relaxed lifestyle.

My reflections on the film SILENCE

https://www.filmcomment.com/article/martin-scorsese-silence-interview/

The film ‘Silence’ is, as recommended, a movie too good to miss. It is both challenging and inspirational and can serve as a topic for spiritual reflection.

It is about two Jesuit priests, Rodrigues and Garupe, who, incredulous of the reports about the renunciation of faith of their onetime mentor, Ferreira, went to Japan in search of him. Like most of the other audience, I had been watching with the hope that they would be reunited with Ferreira and would then have the reports proved false. How devastated I felt when later on Rodrigues himself committed apostasy! What followed was equally, if not more, disheartening. He and his mentor, under adopted Japanese names, helped sort through religious iconography gathered from suspected Christians, thus shattering the last bit of my hope of their repentance.

But had Rodrigues given up his faith completely? What had made him decide to trample on the crudely-made image of Christ? Was it not out of his compassion for the few Japanese Christians who were being tortured? When his body was placed in a large round wooden casket ready for cremation after his death, he was holding the tiny crudely-made crucifix given to him when he first came to Japan. Could this have been a sign of his persistent faith? Or could he have evangelized his Japanese wife, who had put the crucifix in his hand, thus helping to plant the seed of the Gospel among the Japanese?

Could his apostasy then be interpreted from another perspective? He could have enjoyed the glory of martyrdom by dying for his faith. But he had chosen instead to live in shame and guilt as a fallen priest for the rest of his life just because of his love for the other Christians. Could such manifestation of love have been an element of true Christianity?

If Rodrigues could be spared criticism, who or what then was to blame for this? He had been praying unceasingly to God for help and guidance. But God seemed to remain silent. Sarcastically, for example, the moment he thanked God for sparing the lives of a few Christian suspects, he heard their horrified screams following the slash of a sword sending a man’s head rolling on the ground! Was God so cruel as to have turned a deaf ear to people’s sufferings? Would praying mean anything at all?

On the other hand, there were times when Rodrigues heard Jesus speaking to him: “I was there when you suffered.” And when Rodrigues was hesitant about trampling on His image, he heard Jesus’ voice, seemingly giving him permission to do so. Was God silent after all? Or could it have been the Devil or a mere illusion due to his subconscious attempts to justify his recantation of faith?

The story has indeed involved such unsettling ambiguities that we audience cannot be satisfied with the black-and-white meanings. I left the cinema with a lot of doubtful thoughts in my mind. However, rather than trying to analyze the ambiguities, I started to reflect on my own faith.

Born in a place and at a time blessed with the freedom of religion, I may easily be critical of others’ lack of faith. I may even claim to be a good Christian. But if I found myself in a place where Christianity were imperiled, could I be so sure of my faith? I admire the courage of the Japanese Christians who, though subjected to persecution, persisted with their hidden faith. They had not given up praying despite God’s silence. ChristKichijiro, the Japanese guide, may have been portrayed as a timid person who gave up his faith repeatedly. But in him I see genuine faith. He kept coming back to Rodrigues for the chance of confession even after Rodrigues had given up his priesthood. And when arrested for the last time, he was found to have cherished a small crucifix in his pocket. If Jesus had forgiven the crucified robber on his right, He would, undoubtedly, have granted ChristKichijiro absolution, too.

Silent as God always seems to be, I believe that He is with us if we keep a close relationship with Him through prayer. I have now decided on a more prayerful life. In my prayer I will always remember the ones who have sacrificed their lives for their faith as well as those who have renounced their faith under duress.

2016 - a Year of Active Encounters with God’s Mercy

Every passing year is to be thankful for and the year 2016 is particularly thankworthy for a number of reasons.



https://angelachonglaikun.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2016-06-16T01:33:00-07:00&max-results=7

On top of the list is my active participation in a variety of activities in celebration of the Holy Year of Mercy, which has just drawn to an end. There were spiritual retreats, Bible reading gatherings, choir singing in concerts, pilgrimages to the local churches, the Opening and Closing of the Holy Door, to name just a few. Even our Sunday school curriculum included acts of charity in association with the theme of the Jubilee Year. In fact, each and every one of the activities was an encounter with the mercy of our Heavenly Father. The most memorable was undoubtedly the pilgrimage to the Holy Land in April. The visits to the places of Jesus’ birth, his baptism, his ministry work and finally his crucifixion have impressed me so greatly that the scenes still remain vivid on my mind, helping me to get more inspired than ever before when doing Bible reading.

In addition, I feel myself more enriched spiritually by attending a few courses. “Bible in 80 Weeks’, which began in June, 2015, drew to its close shortly before the Holy Land pilgrimage. We did not feel the loss for long, though, as another Bible course was soon launched in September, keeping us engaged and motivated for ten weeks in St. Paul’s prison letters. I took great delight not only in the input of the speakers but also in sharing with the group members. I would not have got so much enlightened if I had done only solitary reading.



https://angelachonglaikun.blogspot.com/2016/12/inspirations-from-course-on-catholic.html

But I feel most gratified for having enrolled in the course on “Catholic Social Teaching”. As implied in the name of the textbook used, it was a treasure to be explored, then discovered and finally kept for life. It has brought to light what I used to be ignorant of. I now understand that as a citizen as well as a child of God, I have my commitment to social justice. I also understand better what is meant by “loving God and our neighbours” and ‘building the kingdom of God on earth’. In fact, not only has the course enhanced my sense of belonging to the church, it has made me more emotionally attached to my Christian belief.

https://angelachonglaikun.blogspot.com/2016/09/that-daily-hour.html

Honestly, there have been moments when I doubted God’s presence. I did question God why he had allowed my sister to suffer from a disease terrible beyond words. I even asked why God had created mankind at all. Yes, those had been the moments when my faith was challenged. But it was also during her bitter days, months and years that I witnessed God’s mercy. Initially, she may have blamed God for the miserable state she was in. But over time we saw her gradually pacified with strengthened faith. God had blessed her with patience, courage and perseverance to endure the prolonged ordeal. Though deprived of her speech ability, she prayed with her husband peacefully with her eyes closed every morning. Besides us family members, she would only permit the priests, pastors and nuns to visit her, showing her eagerness to have contact with God through their help. Besides, she also had the fortune of being looked after by kind and caring medical staff. And on the night when she passed away, there was peace on her face, the kind of peace we had not seen for years. We were sad at the loss … we still are. But we do not have the least doubt that she’s now enjoying eternal peace in God’s embrace. From her, I have learned how to be submissive to God’s will with the entire trust in Him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s56n9T4FzM 

My involvement in a documentary film, which was a review of my life as a teacher, was another experience of closeness to God. I am thankful to the producer for including my spiritual life in the documentary. Listening to the interviewed teachers and students sharing about my past, I could not but think of God. Without His support and encouragement throughout all those long years of my teaching career, I could not have overcome the numerous hurdles and challenges all the way along and got my commitments implemented with satisfaction. I still view the documentary every now and then. While relishing the sweet fruits of my efforts, I also remind myself to count my blessings. God has shown caring concern for my passion for language. If it was under God’s guidance that I took up language teaching decades ago, it must have been his arrangement that my freelance work since my retirement is also language-related.

The past year has been an eventful one. Whether it will be remembered more for the happy achievements or the sad losses, one thing is for sure: I will always look back upon it with gratitude for God’s mercy and with determination to seek spiritual enlightenment and enrichment through greater involvement in the service of God.

Inspirations from the Course on Catholic Social Teaching

It was two days before the deadline that I submitted my course enrolment form. I had been hesitant about enrolling in the course on Catholic Social Teaching as I had limited knowledge about the subject. Besides, I thought the implementation of the social mission was only the concern of certain individuals or communities. I was even under the impression that our faith was merely reliant on our personal relationship with God. Social or even world affairs, on the other hand, were far beyond me.



Now, however, I realize that the Catholic Social Doctrine refers to the 11 encyclical letters written by the popes or bishops of different eras in response to the social and political situation of the time, providing new concepts and solutions to existing problems and challenges after careful analysis. Through dialoguing with the world, Social Teaching also provides people of different eras with the values of life in line with their faith as well as social norms coherent with human social behavior. In addition, Social Teaching, based on the evangelical spirit, helps the Christians to reflect on their faith and to make the correct decisions and choices when their conscience happens to conflict with practical issues. Moreover, Social Teaching places emphasis on the Role of the Prophet the Church ought to play, encouraging the Catholics to properly carry out their civic responsibilities, to insist on the truth of Christian faith and bravely put forth their point of view regarding social affairs.



Then what inspirations have I got from the course? What viewpoints do I need to express publicly? I think one of the problems worth reflecting on is that about human rights. For a long time there has been social concern about individual rights. However, the human rights advocated by the church are concerned with the dignity and rights of the individual as well as the overall interests of mass society. As God has entrusted mankind to take care of the world, the use of the earth and its ownership is inseparable.



At present Macau’s society seems affluent. In fact, however, economic development is inclined towards the gaming industry. The government also allows property speculators to maximize their profits by snapping up land unceasingly, resulting in serious social problems: Resources are unevenly distributed; there is a widening gap between the rich and the poor; the rent has soared beyond the means of the average man, low-wage earners are obliged to put up with the poor living conditions in cramped super-tiny slum apartments. The high rent has also caused many shops to wind up their business. Those that manage to survive have to raise the prices of goods, resulting in high living costs and mounting social complaints. “The lack of housing is being experienced universally and is due in large measure to the growing phenomenon of urbanization.35 Even the most highly developed peoples present the sad spectacle of individuals and families literally struggling to survive, without a roof over their heads or with a roof so inadequate as to constitute no roof at all. ( SOLLICITUDO REI SOCIALIS 17) ” God created heaven and earth to enable all mankind to have the opportunity to enjoy all the resources. Land ownership should not be the exclusive right of certain wealth groups. It is definitely social injustice if only a few selfish persons are allowed to grab the resources unceasingly, depriving others of their basic needs. “In using them, therefore, man should regard the external things that he legitimately possesses not only as his own but also as common in the sense that they should be able to benefit not only him but also others. (PASTORAL CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH IN THE MODERN WORLD 9)” Therefore, the government has the responsibility to take every possible measure to put an end to this injustice and ensure that every citizen is entitled to the right of survival.



On the other hand, as a Christian, I also have my responsibility for justice. While taking delight in my possession of a decent shelter, have I turned a blind eye to those who have nowhere to call their home? Have I seen property investment as a means to financial security, thus contributing to the spree of unhealthy speculation unknowingly? In his ‘’SOLLICITUDO REI SOCIALIS” Pope John Paul II said, “ … it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all.” This is the spirit of solidarity advocated by the pope. He put special stress on the care of the poor, considering this the primary and special way to put Christian love into practice. Therefore, if we care only to accumulate wealth and show no concern for the poor and underprivileged, we would be like the rich man who had no compassion for Lazarus. (Luke 16: 19-31)



The course has inspired me of the true meaning of Jesus Christ’s request for us to love God and our neighbors. Besides trying to establish a relationship with God, we should also show a genuine concern about the other members of society. And every effort we make to contribute to social justice is the manifestation of our concern for our neighbors. Of course, my knowledge of Catholic Social Teaching is only skin deep. I am willing to pursue further studies in this field and I hope also to arouse the awareness of its importance among the youngsters through my Sunday school teaching.