A better future

“Sympathy is an opiate, to the flagging human spirit. It is strongly addictive, and it encourages the recipient to closet themselves in their existing inadequacy. You must decide on a beneficial future. Then, you must do what you were taught as a child. You must look where you are going and press the pedals. Get off your bed and walk!” The loud voice of an oversized black priest booms through the community centre, that is crowded with survivors, all gaping at him in amazement. It is two days since the tragedy that left so many people dead, and the homily from this stranger comes as a jolt to them.

One strangled voice responds from the derelict audience; “We have nowhere to go!”

This lone reaction is followed by a crescendo of similar protestations….

“We need help!”

“It wasn’t our fault!”

“We have lost everything!”

…….. Until, after several moments the entire group is in uproar.

“Silence!” The voice of the priest thunders out. Its intervention is followed by uneasy anticipation of an impending confrontation. It grows in front of them, like some Genie that has been released from the bottle and it seems inevitable.

To break the spell Father Michael takes out his iPhone, his fingers scrutinise the screen and almost immediately, the voice of Neil Diamond singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ is heard. The priest raises the phone above his head so the sound can be heard more effectively…..

Sweet Caroline

Good times never seemed so good

I've been inclined

To believe they never would

But now I

Look at the night and it don't seem so lonely

We filled it up with only two

And when I hurt

Hurting runs off my shoulders

How can I hurt when holding you

One, touching one

Reaching out, touching me, touching you…

Voices from the audience join in on the chorus, then more and more of them

Sweet Caroline

Boom, boom, boom…

The more adventurous thump their hands to the sky with each ‘boom’. Soon a lady from the front is standing on the podium conducting and shouting out the words, until the entire room is singing its heart out…..

Reaching out

Touching me

Touching you

Sweet Caroline

Boom, boom, boom …

Father Michael leaves the stage and moves around the back of the group, ignored now by the increasingly raucous crowd. He sees an abandoned old man, lying deserted on the floor and he leans down, puts his arm under the man’s shoulder and helps him to stand up. Once on his feet, the man leans on his walking cane with his left hand and takes small steps forward as he croaks out the words to the song. The priest moves back and smiles when the man raises his right arm to shoulder height and makes tentative thrusting gestures when the room resounds to the boom, boom, boom.

Archbishop Cowley and two other priests are focussed on the six-o-clock news, when Father Michael joins them in the dining room. He is hungry and oblivious to the television as he takes a plate and fills it with a slice of pizza from the culinary feast, which is still laid out in its delivery box in the centre of the table. The archbishop interrupts him as he pours himself a glass of red wine; “Father Michael! They are talking about you.”  

Michael turns to look at the television. On the large screen is a picture of the people he had been with at the community centre, several of whom are being interviewed.

“His name was Father Michael and he helped drag us out of out feeling of self-pity and look forward”

“He got us all singing Sweet Caroline!”

“He was loud and aggressive, but he was probably what we needed. Now we can focus on finding the culprits and pursuing them.”

Then the picture turns to the old man; “He got me up and helped me to walk again. He was wonderful.”

The archbishop and the other two priests break into spontaneous applause. “Well done, Michael. What did you say to them?”

Michael closes his eyes for a moment before he responds, “I suggested that they look to the future, to the achievements and happiness that lies in front of them. It’s what we all should do.”

Father Thomas responds, “But we celebrate the life of Jesus. That is in the past.”

Father Michael shakes his head; “No! We celebrate his example and the teachings he gave to us: ‘Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect’.

“Romans twelve two,” Archbishop Cowley adds. “What do you discern as good and acceptable Michael?”

“Good is question of discernment.” Father Michael says softly

Father Thomas responds, “And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone”

“We all strive for God’s perfection.” Michael whispers, nodding. “Many of us get side-tracked by everydayness; by the mishaps that force us to focus on our difficulties, on our pain and suffering. To raise one’s eyes up towards the horizon and to see a bright future when one is lying on the ground in discomfort is almost beyond comprehension. But we can call the one who stops to help a ‘good’ Samaritan. We can see the helper’s actions as ‘good’, particularly when they are done with understanding and without sympathy.”

As he speaks, they are interrupted by the intrusive sound of the telephone ringing. The youngest priest, Father Bertrand, gets up and walks over to the old-fashioned handset on the sideboard. As he does so, Archbishop Cowley uses the remote to turn down the volume from the television.

“Hello! Yes, he is here” The young priest holds out the handset towards Father Michael; “It’s for you!” he says.

“Who is it?” Michael asks without moving. Father Bertrand grimaces; “It’s the BBC”

 Michael shakes his head and smiles; “tell them to call back tomorrow. We are having supper!”

Three sets of eyes gaze in his direction.

“He has asked that you call him back tomorrow. We are having supper.” Bertrand takes a pencil from the sideboard and jots something onto a notepad that is next to the telephone: “Thank you, I will!”

When he comes back to the group, he hands the piece of paper to Michael; “They have asked that you call them.”

Michael looks up at him and he takes the paper, with the number written on it: “I will call them. Perhaps I can persuade them that this is not a story about me, but one about the human spirit that raises our focus towards a better future”