Religion and humanity

 From a letter to the editor (The Hindu, 8 August 2000)

I know a Christian gentleman who lived in this little town,' who used to care for the poor people who came to him.  Among the poor people who used to go to him was an old man in his 70s whose eyes were bad.  The Christian gentleman got him a pair of spectacles.  As years went by the old man became practically blind. "One day he came to this gentleman and asked him if he would receive him into the Christian faith.  The gentleman asked him, "Why do you want to change your religion? You could as well remain a Hindu."  The answer the old man gave was a gem.  "You know every day I meet a lot of people as I beg through the streets around.  People of all religions.  People who worship God in their different ways. But I have a feeling that your way must be the best one, because every time I come to your door, I feel I am a human being."

Jesus the migrant

One thought that has recurred in my mind this advent is the fact that the one whose birthday we celebrate, the feast which practically means so much for most of the western world, Christmas which means so much to so many in so many different ways is actually the celebration of a migrant birth!!  

That Jesus was born outside his own home, his own parent's house, that too in a stable, a lowly place considered fit only for domestic animals, is so often repeated in our sermons and reflections, but we can sum it all into one word: being a migrant, a refugee, a stranger in a lowly and lonely place.  Amazingly we celebrate this birth with such great festivities, yet choose not to be disturbed by the way we treat the stranger and the lonely, the 'other'.  

Not just the child Jesus, but practically every other Biblical character was a refugee, a migrant at some crucial point of his or her life, if not the entire life itself: Abraham was on the move, after he thought he had set his roots,  Moses had to flee from his brother, Joseph was sold into slavery and imprisoned in Egypt... why, even Adam was evicted from his first home, by none other than God himself!! 

While there are numerous generous and noble people today (as in times before) who open their hands and hearts to the migrants and refugees, it is alarming to see the modern world speckled with countless refugee camps and agonising immigration processes that dehumanise persons - most often, in the name of securing the dignity of other human beings.  

So I ask myself, how justified am I everytime I claim something as 'mine'... my land, my home, my property, my inheritance, my rights... what is the cost of making something 'mine'?  Can there be a 'mine' wherein the other is not denied 'his'?  How do I happily make the journey from 'mine' to 'ours'? 

For peace

A recent article on BBC debates the legitimacy of the air strikes on Syria (Syria air strikes: Were they legal?).  While it does not necessarily justify the Western attack, it does lay bare the loopholes in the whole political system whereby collection action or response is blocked, thereby leading individual states to take action.  This action by individual states, rather than the UN Security council, though "illegal" goes by the same regulations as that laid down by the Security council.  The article certainly shows the actual inefficiency of international bodies, like the UN, when it really matters. 

Even after years of technological advancement and a history replete with wars and destruction, we have still not mastered the art of consensus building.  If at all, the consensus (albeit partial) arrived at, is for destruction and not peace!  Wonder if there is anyone, the common folk, surviving in Syria!  They are bombarded by the regime, the rebels, the Kurds, the Turks, the neighbours, the Russians, the West.  Know not what else is left to be bombed.  God alone knows what information and stories those surviving are fed with - leave alone, food and water!  And after all this, we still expect those surviving to be 'normal'? 

Time and again, our actions prove that national, political, religious, economical factors outweigh humanitarian concern. Wonder what's more precious than human life and dignity? 

Short skirts?

It has been brought to my notice that in Kerala, a bishop, exhorting his faithful to a spiritual life, through his pastoral newsletter recommended (among others) that girls should not wear short dresses to Church.  While certainly he has the good of his people and their spiritual growth at heart, he is perhaps focussing on some non-essentials.

That youngsters come to Church is itself a great sign of the growing faith.  To state that one should be dressed neatly and look dignified is one thing.  But the length of one's dress need not always be the standard measurement of one's character or spirituality.

While I do agree that many of the traditional practices have been a great help in building the Church and spreading the faith, I also believe that they need not be practiced merely because 'it has been so'. Rather those practices need to be explained in terms of contemporary context and made meaningful for today.

Moreover, would like to really know, whose problem is it if girls come with short skirts?  Of the girls themselves? Of boys? Of elders? Or of the parish priest himself?  I'm sure it is not of the girls themselves.  Well then, whose-so-ever else is the problem, they need to ask themselves what exactly is their problem?  The newsletter would do good to balance its statement on skirts with this issue too.  

Biblical Discrimination

In the first reading of this morning, we hear St Paul compare the Christians to the children of the "free-wife" and not the "slave-born".  As I was reading the passage aloud during the Mass, I felt a bit odd and offensive.  Somehow I did not like the disparaging way Paul was speaking of Hagar.  Not only that the way he was segregating those born of Hagar, that too for no fault of theirs, was not something I found decent.

Know not in what actual context Paul was trying to make this point but the idea of one being supreme or better than another because you are born of one woman and not so good or of lower quality just because you are born of another, is not fair.  Perhaps it has something to do with what struck me last night. A mother is a mother - anywhere in the world.  A woman has the same love and affection for the child just as another mother. The modes of expression or degree may vary, but no one can discount the love a mother has for her child.

Getting back to the reading, one cannot and should not hold Hagar or least of all, her children responsible for any wrong-doing.  That she did not continue in the plan of God for Israel does not make her or her offspring bad.  What's more, Yahweh is said to have offered her some means of survival and life.

Why should we human beings feel envious (or claim any other virtue) and then attribute God of having chosen us, above others?  

Visitors to DBNJ

Yesterday and today we had a string of visitors and sponsors... of various things and sorts.  Some sponsoring food, some cash, some clothes, some sweets, some offered books, some stationery and some basically to enquire about the possible modes of involvement.  It is rather taxing to meet them all and worse still is the amount of time that is consumed in speaking and interacting with these guests. While on the one hand, it is a good sign that people would like to get involved in the lives of these children in their own ways.  However, on the other hand, some do it out of pity.  That's quite pitiful!  Such 'pity' acts I always discourage and brush away.  Because that truly belittles the children, of which I do not approve.  I'd like to give the child an integrity and dignity which it is due... not some pity.  I aim to help children grow with pride and honour, able to ride upon their own confidence and not on someone else's leftovers.

One thing that sponsors first observe among our children is the spontaneity and their joy at being here.  No long faces or sad looks.  They are at home with the staff, with us Fathers and Brothers, and among themselves too.  They need not act before guests and put up a facade, like in some other childrens' homes.  They are the same as everyday, every other time.

(the temptation to take snaps of these guests always tugs at my hands but I resist... would like to keep the focus on the children) 

The fire within...

The other day Fr Maliekal was speaking about Moses and his interaction with the Egyptians, his fellow Hebrews and his subsequent encounter with God. He highlighted the transition of Moses from one who was all strength and power (wherein he tries to settle things with the oppressive Egyptian and intervenes during the fight between the two Hebrews) to one who surrenders to God and His plan (before the burning bush) and that too with lots of reservations - I'm unable to speak, I'm not courageous!  What happened to that vigorous Moses? What happened to his fire?

I believe this is a real transformation.  I set out on my own and then in due time and occasion ask God to add His bit to my effort.  It is not that I initially set out in rebellion against God or out of pride.  No, not at all!  Rather I set out in respect and confidence that I've been blessed by God with those skills and energies to do my bit on His behalf.  As much as I can, I do... for what I'm able to achieve, is again not totally my own, but something gifted by Him.

Contrary to this strategy is the one wherein I 'surrender' outright and do nothing! This is a real lame excuse, according to me, of very many who call themselves spiritual or pious.  If God did not consider you and me worth anything, He'd have made us as sticks or stones, not human beings!  So rather than insult the creator or one who gifted me with what I have, I put to use these to do my bit.  That's prayer; that's respect; that's partnership; that's treating God as a person! 

A proper attitude towards women

Though not very keenly but I did follow the news about Nirbhaya, India's new-found braveheart, who breathed her last after being raped and brutalized last month.  It was sad to hear her pass away... sadder still is the news that keeps trickling in.  The initial fervour of stronger action and tougher laws as protection and equal dignity to women is now being diverted to fights and blame-games between media, police, laws, ministers and the medical fraternity. While I hope something worthwhile and truly noble emerges out of this whole tragic incident... that Nirbhaya's struggle for life will have brought about something substantial for those still undergoing the trauma, is my hope.

Initially I was skeptical of all the protests and candle-lit vigils held in Delhi. But when I saw that the protests continued also on the midnight of December 31, I was all praise for those young and old braving the cold and the temptation to forget it all and just celebrate the new year!

As for me, I strongly believe that more than law and patrolling, it is a proper attitude towards women in our families that will help our society.  In a culture where boys are preferred (in every sense of the word and for all matters, except that of doing household chores!) girls too need to be treated with equal dignity and respect.  Only when children, and subsequently young men and adults begin to see women as another human being, as a person with feelings, sentiments, hopes, desires and dignity, will this sort of upmanship and violence end.

And as someone rightly pointed out, violence against women is caused not by anger against them, but is in fact, a response (of men) to our incapacity to be able to respond to situations better than women. Hence instead of accepting the fact that women do compliment us and are in certain fields better than men, use the muscle power and 'subdue' them. 

Pope's message: Strive for Human Rights

The other day I received a mail containing the text of the Holy Father's message to the Indian Bishop's contingent. I was also pleasantly surprised to see the tone of the message. There wasn't any straight-forward indication of proclamation or preaching and baptising... rather it was very encouraging! The Pope himself indicating that fight for human rights and dignity would be the best channel of presenting Christ in the Indian context. Now that's some broad thinking!

Here is an extract:

"I encourage you, dear brothers, to carry forward the Church's efforts to promote the well-being of Indian society through continued attention to the promotion of basic rights - rights shared by all humanity - and by inviting your fellow Christians and the followers of other religious traditions to take up the challenge of affirming the dignity of each and every human person. ... I pray that the followers of Christ in India will continue to be promoters of justice, bearers of peace, people of respectful dialogue, and lovers of the truth about God and about man".

Christmas, justice and dignity

Fr Wilson has asked me to share the homily for the midnight Mass tomorrow. I really do not want to, not for lack of reflections but for want of being a mere reflective participant. Furthermore, my sermon would not be any different from a talk that I will give/share with kids or any other group, depending on their interest level.

All the same, I ask myself, what exactly does Christmas mean? I 'know' that it is the bd'ay of Jesus and all that stuff. But what does it mean for me? As I reflect about this, I feel that Christmas is perhaps the greatest feast of justice and dignity (I still 'know' that it is a feast of love, but that I only 'know' still). Why is it about justice and dignity? Because God in his greatness could not think of any other greater means of reaching out to His beloved than by being one among them. That too not just anyone among them, but being the lowliest, the least, the weakest and the most vulnerable among them... a baby, a carpenter, an ordinary person.

In this sense, the Christmas banner of the ANS website, makes sense... it has an infant in the womb of the mother... the most vulnerable and dependent creature on the face of the earth, a baby!

Taking responsibility

Taking responsibility is something most of us shrink away from. We always feel secure and safe when "I" am not the one responsible. But worse are those who claim for privileges without taking any risks or any responsibility of what they are upto or entrusted with. The primary reason we shirk responsibility is that is a headache or in blunt words, a pain in the ****. Yet unless we start taking responsibility we do not grow, we do not change, we do not progress. In other words, we die! We only breathe and walk about without a thought, without a bit of life in us, that we can pass on to another with dignity and pride.

A hunger for justice

I really cannot believe this, but I'm doing this: reading a book that too on the eve of the SPCSA meeting in the Provincial house. With all the preparations being done and to be done, here I am reading a book on Globalisation and justice. Only proves what Raphael (my assistant in Yercaud) used to say, "Only a busy man will find time to do more! Give a lazy man something to do and he never finds time!" Anyway, just to say, I'm busy!!

But here's a very provocative prayer that I found in the afterword (written by Theodore M. Hesburgh) of the book Globalisation, Spirituality and Justice: Navigating the Path to Peace by Daniel G. Groody:

Give bread to those who hunger, and to those who have bread, give them a hunger for justice.

I think this is a very genuine and realistic prayer. Most often we expect those oppressed to fight and reclaim their lives, but we fail to see that much before dignity, respect, honour, glory, fame, pride, the people need food to survive. Without addressing the basic need of hunger, it is difficult to 'empower' them to fight for dignity. This is where we need to stand by them. Even to the crowds that followed Jesus, He fed them. He did not preach to them long on empty stomachs! He knew the close link between the stomach and the heart/head.

Standing for values... at the cost of human life!

While in very many parts of India there is violence, destruction and bloodshed, it is interesting to take note of how politicians and media polarise issues and colour facts - each to their own advantage. However, the most deplorable of all amidst this whole cacophony is the neglect of human life and dignity. Lost in a debate of words and churning out of concepts is the real value and sense of life - a living person.
After all the education attained, the degrees secured, the 'standard of life' we claim to attain, how can we be so fickle minded to overlook the most essential and be carried away by words, emotions and prejudices - none of which are mine, neither are most rational and least of all humane! Haven't we reached a level of critical consciousness capable of seeing through things and concentrating on the most essential? Each one fights for something or the other: religion, rights, freedom, secularism, party, name, fame, property... but ultimately I wonder if it strikes anyone, what if there is no human life at all? Would all these exist without life?
As I mull over these disturbing questions, i realise the thoughts on human life and dignity sound familiar. Then I remembered the Strenna!! There had to be Orissa, Karnataka, Delhi... all that for me to understand and be touched by the Strenna!