First come, first served!

The rains didn't come as forecaste. It's bright and hot today. My visa runs out next week so I'll have to go renew it today. Hope it wouldn't be a hassle.

Yesterday evening our superior organised a 3rd Mass to be celebrated with Vespers. There were 12 of us for the Mass. Nice and simple - no songs. Yesterday's reading from Job was very powerful - Job was so sure he would see God face to face, it would be a happy moment for Job. The alternative reading from the Book of Wisdom tells us the meaning of death from a positive viewpoint - it is a relief from the burdens of this world. I know that death always brings about the pain of loss, and it's a necessary journey of katharsis for all of us. But with faith as Christians, we know there's something better waiting for us beyond death.

And I was thinking of some of my friends who died - like Boon Hwee who had a heart attack. He was only 18 and we went to secondary school and college together. And Kok Seng whom I heard died while on service, he was a military pilot. And all my family, relatives and friends. One day it'll be my turn to push up the daisies. I've been picking out my own plot in our franciscan cemetary on Mt. Zion but I don't know if I'll get it. It's first come, first served!

And talk about char siu bao without the char siu, yesterday was the big feast of Cardinal Newman - soon to be canonised. They opened his tomb so long venerated by pilgrims and found it empty! There were no bones in there! The mystery deepens.

Today is remedial exams for some of our students. They've been slogging the whole of last week. Me? I must get back to my work. It's so very difficult and demanding.