□ Nguyễn Trung Tây, SVD
The Thirteenth Sunday, Year C
Why Do You Come To Alice Springs?
She, who suffers with Alzheimer, whom I meet weekly for a pastoral visit. She is by nature a gentle lady.
But today is a freezing day, a gloomy day,
some become downcast, some feel blue, some even become cranky.
Seeing me by the door, she asks, “Who are you? Why do you come to my house? Where are you from? Are you from China?”
I smile, saying the phrase that has become my mantra, “I am from California.”
“Really? You don’t look like the people from California…” She continues, “So… you're from California. So, why do you come here? Why do you come to Alice Springs?”
Why do I come to Alice Springs? A perfect moment for me to reflect, to cogitate, to ruminate about the motive that has brought me to the desert.
Yes, you, who are originally from Vietnam, why did you come to California?
Yes, you, who are from California, why did you come to Central Australia?
You ask me…
You ask Abraham, who was originally from Ur of Chalcedon, why he left his homeland for a foreign country, the land of different culture and language. You ask him.
You ask Simon Peter, the fisherman, who was from Carpernaum, why he left his fishing boat, his fishing career, his wife, everything. You ask him.
You ask Mary Magdalene, whom seven demons were cast out, why she left her town, Magdalene, her loved ones. You ask her.
You ask yourself, who are originally from Ireland, the Philippines, India, the Pacific Islands, to name a few, why you left everything for a new life in Australia. You ask yourself.
Abraham, he left everything for a call from God. And in spite of his old age and an uncertain future, he left his homeland to follow a call from heaven.
Simon Peter, the fisherman, left everything for call from the crazy but lovely guy, Jesus Christ. He left his family and the fishing boat to follow Him wherever He went.
Mary Magdalene, whom seven demons had been driven out, left everything, no doubt, to follow Jesus, the Healer.
And I, who left California, for a call, a call from heaven. I have left my mom and my family in San Jose, California, my career as an Electrical Engineer working for electrical companies in Silicon Valley, and also my personal feelings, the many feelings of a very normal man... to follow the crazy and lovely guy, Jesus. That’s why I am here in Alice Springs.
And above all, on the journey of following Jesus, in spite of being occasionally rejected, I never intend to call fire from heaven like James and John had attempted to do… But, I quietly embrace my cross and choose another road.
On the journey of following Jesus, I have become a homeless person. Indeed, I don’t have any place to call home anymore. I am here now, the Red Centre, and four years ago, Box Hill, Melbourne. After this August, I will be in Sydney. You tell me, where is my home. Indeed, “Foxes have dens, the birds of the air have nests,” but I have become homeless.
I look at the lovely lady who suffers with Alzheimer, saying, “Lady, I am here because of the call from heaven…”
She looks at me intensely, again asking, “You are from California, so why are you in Alice Springs?”
I ask her, “Are you ready for communion?”
She bows her head, saying, “Yes, I am.”
□ Nguyễn Trung Tây, SVD
www.nguyentrungtay.com
The Thirteenth Sunday, Year C
Why Do You Come To Alice Springs?
She, who suffers with Alzheimer, whom I meet weekly for a pastoral visit. She is by nature a gentle lady.
But today is a freezing day, a gloomy day,
some become downcast, some feel blue, some even become cranky.
Seeing me by the door, she asks, “Who are you? Why do you come to my house? Where are you from? Are you from China?”
I smile, saying the phrase that has become my mantra, “I am from California.”
“Really? You don’t look like the people from California…” She continues, “So… you're from California. So, why do you come here? Why do you come to Alice Springs?”
Why do I come to Alice Springs? A perfect moment for me to reflect, to cogitate, to ruminate about the motive that has brought me to the desert.
Yes, you, who are originally from Vietnam, why did you come to California?
Yes, you, who are from California, why did you come to Central Australia?
You ask me…
You ask Abraham, who was originally from Ur of Chalcedon, why he left his homeland for a foreign country, the land of different culture and language. You ask him.
You ask Simon Peter, the fisherman, who was from Carpernaum, why he left his fishing boat, his fishing career, his wife, everything. You ask him.
You ask Mary Magdalene, whom seven demons were cast out, why she left her town, Magdalene, her loved ones. You ask her.
You ask yourself, who are originally from Ireland, the Philippines, India, the Pacific Islands, to name a few, why you left everything for a new life in Australia. You ask yourself.
Abraham, he left everything for a call from God. And in spite of his old age and an uncertain future, he left his homeland to follow a call from heaven.
Simon Peter, the fisherman, left everything for call from the crazy but lovely guy, Jesus Christ. He left his family and the fishing boat to follow Him wherever He went.
Mary Magdalene, whom seven demons had been driven out, left everything, no doubt, to follow Jesus, the Healer.
And I, who left California, for a call, a call from heaven. I have left my mom and my family in San Jose, California, my career as an Electrical Engineer working for electrical companies in Silicon Valley, and also my personal feelings, the many feelings of a very normal man... to follow the crazy and lovely guy, Jesus. That’s why I am here in Alice Springs.
And above all, on the journey of following Jesus, in spite of being occasionally rejected, I never intend to call fire from heaven like James and John had attempted to do… But, I quietly embrace my cross and choose another road.
On the journey of following Jesus, I have become a homeless person. Indeed, I don’t have any place to call home anymore. I am here now, the Red Centre, and four years ago, Box Hill, Melbourne. After this August, I will be in Sydney. You tell me, where is my home. Indeed, “Foxes have dens, the birds of the air have nests,” but I have become homeless.
I look at the lovely lady who suffers with Alzheimer, saying, “Lady, I am here because of the call from heaven…”
She looks at me intensely, again asking, “You are from California, so why are you in Alice Springs?”
I ask her, “Are you ready for communion?”
She bows her head, saying, “Yes, I am.”
□ Nguyễn Trung Tây, SVD
www.nguyentrungtay.com