Insulated against social issues

 In quite a few of our Province discussions and meetings, there is a small group of individuals who point out that most of all we do, say and think about is inward looking!  In other words, what happens in the country or even beyond our gates hardly makes an impact on us or on any of our interventions.  We consciously keep ourselves away from anything social or humane matters.  We say all the right things, but still be comfortably untouched by the socio-political-justice dimension of our wider society. 

It is not a matter of jumping into politics or dabbling with political matters.  It is more about looking at those oppressed and marginalised as my brother and sister, because we have One Father.  

My personal take on this conscious denial of the fact is that we have always been - and prefer to continue being - an inward looking, in-house focused congregation and Province.  We set up base and wait for people to come to us.  One of the first things we do when we go to a new place and buy or get a plot of land, is to put up a compound wall.  The wall not only is to prevent others from coming in, but also from letting us move out! We stay insulated.  We build and then spend the rest of our lives and energies safeguarding what we built!  

There is also the fear of safeguarding our FCRA, society status, or our built up image of 'spiritual leaders'! Not that we do not do good work or noble apostolate; but only those who come to us get that assistance.  The wider reality of the society and nation is not our concern!  Living ministry outside our walls is something we dare not venture out for! 

Wine turned into water!

Today's Gospel is about Jesus changing water into wine, during the wedding feast at Cana.  This event is considered significant because it marks the first miracle of Jesus in public. 

For someone who has a great trust in God, the act of converting water into wine is a very consoling and confirming theory. But for one who has his or her whole life being tossed about by the winds of change and nothing seems to be going on according to plans or efforts, it is mostly the theory of wine being changed into water! It is not mere pessimism, but an actual experience of fighting against the current.  And despite all the effort and good will that one puts in, the results are the same: wine into water! 

However, I ask myself, is Jesus present at those moments of wine turning into water?  Is it Him who is doing it?  Perhaps, he is waiting for me to change the water back into wine!  Or perhaps water is the new wine (for me!)

Transplanted cabbages

Bl. Artimedes Zatti, a Salesian brother, whom we commemorate today was an interesting character.  A nurse or a medic by profession, he did much good to those around him, especially the poor, in Argentina.

What appeals to me most of about him, is the fact that in spite of his own person challenges and difficulties, physical, emotional and circumstantial, he did not let them pull him down.  Not only did he make the best of what he was left with - even if it was frail health, or a dilapidated place far from the town, or giving up his dream of becoming a priest and opting to be a brother - but also was constantly thinking about others.  His thoughts were mostly about how he could be of service to those in difficulties and pain.

Even when the hospital that he painstakingly built was usurped by the local authorities, he did not give up his passion to come to the aid of the sick.  That land grab certainly hit him hard.  He was very much affected by it.  Nonetheless he saw it as a transition period.  An opportunity to carry out his service in a different place, in a different style.  "Cabbages grow best, when transplanted," he said, when he had to give up the hospital and move!  

Not this

One of the difficulties in today's era, not that it did not exist earlier, is that in protesting or condemning something of the present or ongoing, we declare, "Not this!"  That this is not what we want.  We detest that the present standards or incidents are far below the 'accepted' norms or expectations.  That these events or policies or plans are not what we want.  But most often what we fail to progress to is to explicate what it is that we actually want.  To merely state 'not this' in protest is nothing noble or progressive.  Such protests can also be carried out by those who want to basically disrupt life and create a diversion.  They are happy to join and sustain the melee because it serves their narrow interests elsewhere. 

Nobility in protest is where we have the courage to stand up for what is right and are able to express that what we stand for; not merely be satisfied with 'not this'.  

Fancy food

With all the craze about specialized diets, one often wonders how on earth did we survive before?  While I am aware that some allergies are life-threatening, I am also aware that these allergies existed even before, what makes them lethal today is that in the process of adapting to the environment, we have lost quite a few immunities we would have had in the past. The earliest one I remember is 'dust allergy'.  When I first heard someone use this as a reason to get a different place assigned for work, other than the library, I laughed!  Today there are multiple examples: gluten free, vegan, diet drinks, sugar-free, ... what not!  Most often these are fancy fads. 

The human body is an amazing piece of work.  It can adapt itself to great variations - perhaps not as varied as some animals, but it does have enormous capacity.  Only if we let it develop can we enjoy diverse conditions of climate, food, drinks, circumstances... But if we pamper it and shield it too much, it will not develop the necessary immunity to fight and at the first slight variation, succumb to illness.  

It's not easy

A brief chat with one of my school mates stuck in the floods of Kerala revealed to me how difficult life can be for people with families and responsibilities to suddenly think of alternative ways of living.  The usual hour or so journey from his office to his home took him two days!  With some suggesting that he move out of Kerala for a couple of weeks, his only reply was, "It's not easy to leave!"

What he meant was not the actual situation of flood or lack of transportation.  He actually meant leaving behind every material possession and even the thought of whom to take along when leaving, made leaving all the more impossible.  He not only needs to see to his own wife and two kids, there is also his parents, his in-laws and others around.  Decisions about whom to send off first, where to and how to are not easy. 

For a religious like me, I'd be ready with my whole life possessions within half an hour.  But I tried to recreate the same scenario if I'm with a hundred children and a huge house.  There is no question of leaving!  The children are the first priority, but where do I send them to and even if I do manage to send them somewhere I also need to keep track of them!  Add to these children those in the neighbourhood who come to your place because their situation is far worse than ours!  Loss of property can be dealt with but how does one cope with loss of life, that too of a dear one.  What to do with the corpse?  How does the family cope with that loss? 

It's not easy!

Aware of being in his presence

It is not just the teenagers of today's modern era who have suicidal tendencies.  Even Elijah, the prophet of the Old Testament, too had similar thoughts.

This is enough, O Lord! Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.

However the angel comes and offers him food and commands him to eat.  The reading concludes with the statement

He got up, ate and drank; then strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.

Well it might be true that it is the food that sustained him on his journey to the mountain.  But it was something more that actually moved him, besides the food.  It was the assurance that God was with him.  The assurance that he still had something to do and that he was not useless.  It is this awareness of God watching him and the mission that he is to carry out that gets Elijah up and going.  He later encounters God (in the gentle breeze) and that strengthens his resolve to carry on.

Most often, in our low moments when we do not see anything we do or say as worthwhile, God assures us, in His own ways, that we are precious and useful. Mere awareness of being in His presence is a great motivator and energizer.

Certain hope

We do so many things in life, some of which are clearly geared towards a far distant dream.  We are hopeful and in a sense sure of achieving that dream - we wouldn't be spending all that time and energy if we were not 'so sure'.  However, not everything has to go our way either.  Things may go haywire and our sustained and years of effort may be totally lost, in view of the intended purpose.  It certainly causes pain and heartache. But I think what causes real pain and suffering is when you realize that the effort is 'wasted' not because it was worthless or you failed, but for some silly and absolutely ridiculous reason as your caste, or religion, place of birth, or some else's like or dislike. How to face angst? Helpless anger?

To see a life, especially a young promising and enthusiastic life, killed in some senseless violence.   To see an activist being murdered for fighting what everyone knows is a just cause.  To hear of a whole family shattered by the rape of a young daughter, only because they belonged to a particular caste, or religion or section of society.  To come to know of a friend who has been denied promotion or benefits due to him only on account of him being of a different group than the one in authority... all of this puts to question the notion of having a dream, slogging it out for it... If all one works for can be wiped off by something so trivial and for no reason, then why strain? 

Yet we do!  We invest our time and energy in our plans.  We slog it out for our dreams.  We plan for years ahead of us.  We hope! If we let doubts or fears grow, we'd not be able to do anything at all! 

(But merely having hope is like walking carefully through a minefield - hoping that we do not step on one!  As long as I'm not the one stepping on, everything is fine.  Doing something about the minefield itself is an act of courage.)  

Poverty and happiness

I watched the hindi movie 'Hindi Medium' today.  Am quite impressed.  A very unlikely situation, but a very realistic one.  Without getting into the debate about the ethics of 'special' schools and education for the 'qualified' - for fear of fast running short of any serious valid arguments - I wish to dwell on the aspect of community support and the role of poverty.

While there are some hyperbolic cinematic liberties in the movie concerning education and living, the one that spot on is that there is greater happiness and joy among the poor than those blessed with material wealth.  While poverty is considered the curse of society, it also offers the most likelihood for happiness.  Living with the minimal brings people together.  It helps one keep one's feet on the ground and one's heart in the right place.  Too much of a comfort brings about distance among people and fosters a sense of suspicion among neighbours.  Most importantly, it is only in dire need that one truly discovers ones true friends and well wishers - something one will never be able to do when one has all one's material needs fully met.

Etiological challenges

To be born in a Catholic family and to grow up as a believer has its own 'conditions'.  Everyone who believes, or does not, has a particular historical origin, an etiology.  An etiological challenge is when one sees some aspect of the causal origins his or her belief as problematic. 

Different spheres have different names: in religious circles it may be called a 'faith crisis'.  However, these etiological challenges help one to cultivate intellectual humility.  A necessary ingredient to avoid fundamentalism.  To be able to see that the other holds beliefs (even contrary to yours) for exactly the same reasons you hold what you believe in.

Etiological challenges also help one to constantly revise ones beliefs.  The possibility of totally giving up of ones beliefs too is not to be ruled out.  However, when done with sincerity and openness, it helps one to render ones initial beliefs more meaningful and inclusive than total abandonment. 

Another advantage is that they help one to move a state of indoctrination to and through experience.  While self-reflection is of great value, social interaction is not to be discounted.  None can avoid an etiology; but to remain ignorant or worse, deny it, is no merit - neither to ourselves, nor to others, least to our belief system itself!  

Burden and strength

The Israelites were slaves under the Egyptians till Moses, under Yahweh's guidance, leads them out of slavery.  The first reading of the day, records God instructing Moses to go to the people of Israel and the Pharaoh to tell them of the end of their slavery in Egypt.

Interestingly the gospel speaks of burden and yoke.  The Lord does not say that He will take away the burden.  Instead He says, "My yoke is easy and my burden light."  There is no talk of taking away the burden or difficulty.  But only the assurance that neither will be too much to bear.

In our moments of difficulty and trial we often pray that the difficulty be taken away, forgetting that a genuine prayer would seek for strength and courage to go through the difficulty.  Even in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed that the cup of suffering be taken away but if it was His Father's will, he was also sure that the Father will give him the necessary grace to endure.

Missionary zeal

The apostles and early disciples of Jesus were truly a brave lot.  They traveled extensively, often to far off unknown places, encountering a totally different culture, language and people, carrying with them and witnessing a 'strange' doctrine.  They were often misunderstood, looked upon with suspicion, treated with prejudice, imprisoned, tortured, mocked at and also sometimes accepted.

And as if these 'extrinsic' factors which were well beyond their area of influence or even grasp, were not sufficient, the inner turmoil of those already professing allegiance to Christ and His gospel... and the church.  The Greek widows complaining of them being neglected in the rationing of alms.  The Pharisees challenging the entry of pagans into the christian faith, asking them to be circumcised and adhering to the Law of Moses as pre-requisites.  The dissensions and betrayals of those claiming to be close collaborators.

Then, I suppose, they also had their own inner demons to fight. Personal anxieties and tensions, likes and dislikes that constantly found themselves pitted against that what they preached, their own fledgling faith...

Truly, if they did all that they did, that too with such passion and zeal, as is evident in what history stands witness to, then how strong and deep was their conviction of their love for Jesus.

Easter hope

Easter Sunday (April 16, 2017)

Easter is a celebration of hope. Breaking open from His tomb Jesus shows us that no difficulties or challenges can overcome us completely. Hope is always a good thing. And no good thing ever dies. It is lack of hope that actually imprisons us and saps all enthusiasm and energy.

The resurrection reminds us of the hope that is never to be lost. It opens our hearts to the reality of this world, a reality that can always be made better than what it is today. Easter offers us hope to embark on this journey. Most importantly Easter challenges us to open our hearts to Jesus. To let Him burst forth through us. That so touched by the Lord and filled with Him, our hearts, like the tomb, cannot but open up and spill Jesus into the lives of all those around us.

My stand?

Palm Sunday

Of the large group of people that welcome Jesus into Jerusalem for the feast there would certainly be present also for the scene where Pilate offers the choice: Jesus or Barabbas.  And perhaps some of the same people who acclaim Jesus as the king, later bay for His blood.

A mob is fickle-minded. It does not have a stand of its own.  It is swayed by a few who wield the power of attraction. Most often a society is nothing but a mob, with most people either being bystanders or sitting on the fence.

Where do I stand? Among the few who manipulate the crowd for my own selfish plans? Or the few who inspire and lead others in the right direction? Or am I one among the spine-less persons with no standing of my own, willing to be swept off my feet by the first attractive idea I hear?

Politics and the enemy

Am presently reading The concept of the political by Carl Schmitt.  Not that I've suddenly grown an interest in politics but as part of the requirement of doing a paper in Political philosophy, I chose to do it on Schmitt.

One of the central themes of this book is the notion of friend-enemy dichotomy that makes anything political.  It makes perfect sense as one author states that the mother's milk of politics is conflict (some say it is money).  And if conflict is so fundamental to politics there also needs to be this 'enemy' with whom one enters into a conflict.

So much so, that in the absence of an enemy, one creates one in order to ensure the survival of politics. The Indian political scenario is a perfect example for this (so is any national politics).  When Pakistan is not the enemy, then the Muslim is. When he isn't then the Dalit is made the enemy.  If not, there is the non-patriotic student.  When there is no one, then Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party is always available.

For once, reading something political is interesting and engaging! 

Overcoming obstacles

One of the pitfalls people over forty fall into is thinking that it is too late. It is an old cliche but the simple fact is that it is rarely too late for anything.

Some years ago a man over sixty was offered US $ 200,000 for a restaurant-motel-service station business that he'd spent his life building up.  He turned the offer down because he loved the business and wasn't ready to retire yet.

Two years later, at age sixty-five, he was flat broke with no income to look forward to but a small Social Security check each month.  The state had built a new highway bypassing his business and he lost it.  Most people would have been crushed by such a blow, but he refused to give up.

Instead he took stock.  There was one thing he knew how to do - fry chicken.  Maybe he could sell that knowledge to others. He kissed his wife good-by and in a battered old car, with a pressure cooker and a can of specially prepared flour, set out to sell his idea to other restaurants.  It was tough going and he often slept in the care because there wasn't enough money for a hotel room.

A few years later he had built a nationwide franchised restaurant chain called Kentucky Fried Chicken.  The man was Colonel Sanders.

Growth

Creative vs getting over with

While at Karunapuram or Kondabada, I rarely gave the students questions or themes to write assignments or papers about.  Mostly it is they who would approach me with topics they wanted to write about.

However, here I find my classmates (at least some of them) rather diffident to come up with a question or theme to write about.  Most often the professors set out a few questions from which we are to choose. Those who wish to write on topics other than those listed, need to get it approved by the professor before hand.

The reason for this 'difficulty' is because we are unable to (as of now) have a comprehensive view of the topic or issue under discussion.  Within that to pin-point one minor topic and come up with a question is therefore challenging.  My former students would come with topics because they have the papers of the past years!! The very notion of copying someone else's work just doesn't arise for my present classmates! They have tasted the thrill of thinking for oneself and thereby enjoy 'creating' stuff, rather than 'getting over' with the academic challenge. The ambiance further assists this 'creative' enterprise.

I suppose this is one of the major differences between the education system between the West and in India. Here education is geared towards helping one reflect for oneself.  In India, education is more about 'getting through'.  

Growing in knowledge

Plato has this interesting thing to say about knowledge and growing in knowledge.

Isn’t it by learning and study, which are motions, that the soul gains knowledge and is preserved and becomes a better thing? Whereas in a state of rest, that is, when it will not study or learn, it not only fails to acquire knowledge but forgets what it has already learned? [Plato, Theaetetus, 153c]

No wonder he was called wise!

Learning from the past, remembering ourselves

That what we hate most in others is often what is most distasteful in us, is a fact of psychology.

This fact can offer some valuable lessons for us while engaging ourselves in the whole debate of immigration and migrants.  Very often those who strongly denounce and protest migrants entering one's own space, are themselves migrants. Those who actually are of the place, from time immemorial have a more considerate and welcoming attitude.  Read the following insightful post titled 'Taking a chance on each other' by Maria K. on her blog Simple Moodlings.

The Americans who today claim the land as their own were once upon a time themselves migrants from other parts of the world in search of a living. The actual natives, the Red Indians, hardly get to say anything.  The paradox is that when denouncing migrants and chasing out the immigrants, people conveniently forget that they too were once immigrants.  The same is true of/in Australia and Europe.

What most people forget is that given a choice, most people would like to get back to their own country, their own place.  Like someone recently stated, 'The journey of every immigrant is always the same: back home'.  No one wants to leave the warmth of his own home unless it becomes too unbearable, inhospitable.  Only when survival itself is threatened does a person uproot himself or herself.  Imagine showing such a person, the affluence of his neighbour... Naturally anyone would want to share in that 'luxury', but what he or she is actually craving for is dignified living.

History repeats itself, but our learning from history rarely does - even if it does, it is too slow!