More than watching

Reflection for April 8, 2017

“Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.”

Apparently the episode of raising Lazarus from the dead was quite an event. As is always the case, some of those who witness miracles draw up lessons for themselves and try to live accordingly. Some view it and then the effect of its grandeur weakens over time. There are always some who are not satisfied to keep it to themselves; they have to tell all and sundry about it. Most often such people do not really let the message sink in themselves. However, there will always be some who will 'report' it to those who they know will not approve of it. Their basic interest is only to watch interesting events from a safe distance. Their only joy and job is to ensure that such 'thrilling events' are witnessed so that they can be gossiped about later.

Everytime we celebrate the Holy Mass is nothing short of a miracle: the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus. What is our response to being part of such a memorial event? Do we draw personal lessons for life and attempt to live better? Or are we only satisfied to grumble about the length of the sermon, or the out of tune choir?

The blame game

Initially everyone cribs about how there is no freedom and no possibility of free thinking, leave alone doing things creatively.  Sooner or later a time comes when even if one has the freedom to perform a task as per one's discretion, one does not exercise it, leaving the decision making to someone else, merely to avoid any responsibility and the added thrill of blaming someone else. Add to that the 'right' to continue grumbling about the lack of freedom!

Give God to ...

The other day Fr KT's sermon was quite revealing... that is only to those who really understood or took pains to see the connection he was subtly making. His main point was that there is a grave danger in giving food to those who are not hungry. To the one who is hungry any food would do. The hungry man is not going to throw a tantrum about the variety of food or anything of that sort. His only and only need is to satisfy his hunger. (Of course, that does not mean you give him thrash.)

On the other hand, giving food to one who is not hungry will incur his wrath and ensure a string of complaints and grumblings. The need is not what you provide but something else. Therefore what you now provide will always have something or the other deficient.

The same applies to human quest for God... and for that matter anything in life. Only those who are tuned in to that direction will progress, others keep wandering and never reach anywhere. (Now that is not a real problem, wandering about, but when they start blaming everyone and everything around them for their present state or keep grumbling, then it surely is something that I personally do not approve of.)

Those who have more, want more

Another lesson that I'm beginning to learn and understand slowly:
Those who grumble most are those who have been blest most!! It is only those to whom much has been given, will want more. Those who have something or little will go about life in a contented way. You give them little more and they'll treasure it. You give them something more again and again, then they will start grumbling about it sooner or later.

That's another of the lesson of the Parents' day!

Blessed are those who do not hate!

It was nearly a month ago that I decided to stick to matters that are relevant while speaking rather than enter is loose talk that often begins by an innocent grumbling session. Though I've been successful to a large extent, as I review my own resolution, I realise I can do much better. So I decided to stick by it for some more time, till I have to make a valiant effort to think or speak otherwise!!

Confirming my belief that the more we grow and the higher we go up the ladder of responsibility the more guarded and defensive we become. We tend to always "protect" ourselves... from God knows what! Children, on the other hand, are least bothered. They like to explore, see things anew, they are not intimidated or too self-conscious. There is the interesting conversation in famous novel The Jungle book, wherein Mowgli is "taught to be civilized" and at one of his 'classes' he hears the word 'enemy' and he asks, "What's that?" He gets the reply, "the one you hate." And the immediate query from Mowgli, "What's hate?"

Who knows Jesus must have spoken of other beatitudes too, which were somehow not recorded and this one would surely be one of those: Blessed are those who do not hate, for they shall always be child-like!

Owning up for myself

Felt nice that I gave a piece of my mind to a couple of Sisters today!! Not that I achieved anything big but just that I let off myself some pressure, some tension mounting the whole day long... and that too today is just the beginning of month long General Chapter... Good Lord!!

It is good to once in a way explicate your thoughts directly to people concerned rather than grumble about the matter to every tom-dick and harry! Today as I take up some more responsibilities I remind myself, it is ultimately I who decide about how I work and therefore, I better own up rather than moan and groan to all and sundry about the workload. If I accept, it is my responsibility and I certainly do not wish to earn the pity of others - at least that is the intention! Help from others, yes but I shall not grieve my 'responsibilities'. No way! Well, sounds a good resolution!

(G)rumblings...

Looking back on the day that went by - or rather yesterday... it is well past midnight - feel nice to have accomplished all that I managed to complete. Knowing that I'd have a hectic day, I'd decided that I would not 'grumble' about anything but do everything with a bit of extra zeal. The latter I managed, not the former! Among the many things that I prepared today was the schedule and rough lesson plan for the Media seminar at Karunapuram. Drawing up the list of means of communication, in the light of the day that was, I thought grumbling too is a form of communication - good or bad, is not the question here. But I feel, just like most communication, what is truly communicated (what the other really grasps) is not what you said but that what you did not say! So am trying to figure out what would it be that I communicated to others when I grumbled. Well, this hour may be too late to figure that out, but it was nice sharing and interacting with Fr Joji!