The New York Times Interview: Lee Kuan Yew

Photo courtesy of The New York Times

Lately, he said, he had been looking at Christian marriage vows and
was drawn to the words: “To love, to hold and to cherish, in sickness
and in health, for better or for worse till death do us part.”

“I told her, ‘I would try and keep you company for as long as I can.’
That’s life. She understood.” But he also said: “I’m not sure who’s
going first, whether she or me.”

At night, hearing the sounds of his wife’s discomfort in the next room,
he said, he calms himself with 20 minutes of meditation, reciting a
mantra he was taught by a Christian friend: “Ma-Ra-Na-Tha.”

The phrase, which is Aramaic, comes at the end of St. Paul’s First
Epistle to the Corinthians, and can be translated in several ways.
Mr. Lee said that he was told it means “Come to me, O Lord Jesus,”
and that although he is not a believer, he finds the sounds soothing.

“The problem is to keep the monkey mind from running off into all
kinds of thoughts,” he said. “A certain tranquillity settles over you.
The day’s pressures and worries are pushed out. Then there’s less
problem sleeping.” - The New York Times

I am a Catholic. I am a Christian.

I have friends of other religions and persuasions.
We may or may not have the same beliefs.
We choose to celebrate our similarities.
We choose to respect our differences.

I am glad that MM Lee Kuan Yew was introduced to Christian Meditation.
Yes, it does exist. No need to go looking for it elsewhere.

I have been fortunate enough to have attended the talks of Sr. Mary Niere.
I have attended other contemplative talks and retreats. But I have enjoyed
hers the best.

The Gospel of Contemplation and How to Pray by Sr. Mary Niere are
available at St. Paul's.