Watching Fr PE Abraham these days is like watching a comedy movie! But yesterday as I spent the whole evening and night, reading the correspondence of Br Gabriel (to cull out something for his mortuary letter), I realised that things were not always rosy, especially in the beginning. Today with all the sophistication and modernisation, I still bemoan the shortage of time! God alone knows how these senior confreres managed their affairs with practically not even half of the facilities we enjoy today - cell phones, e-mail/internet, travel comforts, computers/laptops, well-furnished structures, a/c fitted four wheelers... !!
Though I pull Fr PE's leg for his "zeal" for the missions, I am a big fan of his. Not that I agree with all that he has in his head and all that he speaks (frankly, I hardly agree with any of it!). But I do admire his zeal to live the Salesian life. He does not have any big and varied interests. Just one or two things (a four-wheeler being one of them and a small sip of sprite during supper, that too if and when it is available - he says that helps him get good sleep and not get up very many times in the night!)! But that's it. Few things and happy with that. The rest of his energies - which we otherwise dissipate, on making lists of what we want and what we need - he spends on writing books and plays and conjuring up ideas and talks on 'mission'.
I am sure he must have picked it up from the earlier Salesians. Great example of how simplicity of life can free us for greater dedication and service.
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