Towards the end of the morning session, Ramesh asked an interesting question to the animator. The theme was negative feelings like anger, revenge, hatred, sadness... He asked, "Do these issues which seem to plague us religious, also trouble the lay people?" He had a point in asking this question, namely that the lay people do not seem to be very much troubled by these aspects; whereas for us religious these really make or break our lives!
Reflecting on that question I would say that the issues we face are all the same - religious or not - for after all, we are human beings. However, why is it a married couple somehow has the grace to live their trouble marital life in a rather decent manner, while we make such a mess for everyone - including ourselves - in religious life? Perhaps because we have the best of everything and hence the inability to see God's hand in what we go through. Lay people are willing to see that because they believe and trust in God more than we do!
Reflecting on that question I would say that the issues we face are all the same - religious or not - for after all, we are human beings. However, why is it a married couple somehow has the grace to live their trouble marital life in a rather decent manner, while we make such a mess for everyone - including ourselves - in religious life? Perhaps because we have the best of everything and hence the inability to see God's hand in what we go through. Lay people are willing to see that because they believe and trust in God more than we do!
Ramesh's question probably stems from the general problem that the young clerics have of thinking that they are somehow different from other people. It is rather easily answered. Give him a pinch. If it hurts, then it is most likely that he belongs to the same human race.
ReplyDeleteAbout the second aspect of the question, all human beings have the same feelings-positive and negative. The reason why it "seems" as if lay people are not as troubled as the clerics, is largely because most lay people do not have the time, opportunity and the privilege of wallowing in themselves. Those of the lay people who enjoy the same opportunities for self-indulgence, do it too.
Most of the time, people have no choice but to get out and show up for life irrespective of how they feel.