Indian traffic

Traffic in the major cities of India can be at times horrific.  Although Hyderabad is far better than other metropolitan cities of the country, there are days and times, when things come to a standstill, for long.  

Hence I prefer to ride the bike in the city when visiting communities within the city or for any other office purpose.  It reduces the travel time by half, easily.  

Added to the traffic blues are the parking woes.  Hence bike travel is ideal. Of course, manoeuvring a bike through the erratic Indian traffic comes with its own risks! Everytime I ride the bike in the city I remember one of my former Rectors, while in the UK.  He loved to ride the bike, but he couldn't even imagine riding one in India!  

My basic take on the traffic issue is that the basic infrastructure is in place for a convenient and smooth travel.  Although there are some hiccups like road works, bottlenecks, potholes, and the encroachment of the pavement and even the main road by street vendors, these are not the worst contributors to the traffic.  What builds congestion and heavy traffic on our Indian roads is our driving habits.  We have rules, but none are respected, leave alone followed.  Our erratic driving skills contribute most to the heavy traffic on the city roads. 

That said, the same driving skills also sharpen our senses to a great extent!! For we need to drive not just using one's own mind, but all the while anticipating what the other drivers and riders on the road are thinking and going to do, while driving! 

The young leading the way

When Don Bosco was writing the regulations for the oratory of St Francis de Sales and the rules for the fledgling Salesian congregation, he adopted varied tactics.  When it came to the oratory itself, he was no stickler for rules.  But he did write down 'guidelines' more as a reflection and help to others working with him, rather than as a formal code book.  That he had to greatly alter this style, he learnt it the hard way, while writing and submitting his Rules for the congregation to the Vatican. 

Another aspect that comes out more strikingly in his guidelines for the oratory (more than the boarding schools, which came under the jurisdiction of the State and needed formal approval) is the direct engagement of the young people themselves in the everyday running of the house.  While it is true that there were priests and teachers and Don Bosco himself, but it was the boys themselves who were actively involved in the running of the place.

Young people need to be trusted and given responsibilities, rather than shielded from them.  One of my own greatest learnings and joys at Navajeevan, Ramanthapur was this pedagogy of letting boys take charge of things. These boys (just like most of those with Don Bosco then) were already living their life out on the street - all on their own.  They certainly knew what decision-making means, especially the consequences of them.  Adding my trust to their abilities and giving them that freedom made a huge difference to the way things were carried out in the house. 

Bible as a rule book?

A couple of days ago I was in a group that was discussing the Bible.  One point mentioned therein was that the Bible is not a rule book.  While some felt that it basically boils down to that, others weren't sure.  I feel the book is certainly not a rule book.  It is more of an inspiration and a guide book.  A recommendation of instructions, at the most.  But not merely a list of do's and don'ts. 

Imagine a game without boundary or rules.  Without instructions of any kind.  It would be too confusing to everyone.  The players could do anything and everything.  The spectators watching the game would not understand head or tail of it - there wouldn't be anything to understand! 

The Bible too is like a motivational guide, if I were to speak in non-religious terms.  I do things or behave in a particular manner, not merely because the Bible-says-so, but because inspired by what I find in the Bible, I choose to be or do so.  I feel inspired by what it says and internally fell the thrill of living by those values.  

Every change is 'bad'

Speaking of change and progress, there is always the risk of stepping out of set standards and going beyond accepted norms.  All discoveries and inventions have a streak of 'mistake'.  If Columbus had taken the known route, he'd never have discovered new land.  If the astronomers never dared beyond the visible limits of the sky, they'd never have landed on the moon or explored the outer galaxies. If Jesus were to have been 'faithful' to the Jewish laws as taught in his times, there'd be no Christianity  today.  If Mother Teresa were 'obedient' to the RNDM regulations and practices, there'd never be the Missionaries of Charity today.  While every change may not necessarily be an improvement, every improvement is initially looked with suspicion and normally considered 'not good'.

Obedience and rebellion

A couple of days ago in the Gospel reading there was this exclamation made by some who witnessed Jesus calming the sea and the wind, "... who is this?  Even the wind and the seas obey him!"

When I came across this particular statement I was wondering what could the person mean by 'even' the wind and seas?  For all practical purposes there was hardly anyone who 'obeyed' Jesus.  Perhaps the twelve whom he called to be his apostles.  But not sure if there were others whom he called and turned down his invitation.  Just because it is not recorded does not mean that there weren't any.  But for the rest there was hardly anyone who really followed his orders.  The religious and political authorities of his times were in no mood of taking instructions from a carpenter.  All the crowds that came to listen to Jesus heard him speak but follow his directives?  Doubtful.  The one cured of his leprosy, in the reading of yesterday was ordered strictly not to tell anyone of his cure and what did he do? He went about shouting!

In the recently released booklet on the life of Sean Devereux, the opening chapter is the testimony of his mother Maureen Devereux.  In the first para itself she writes

...ever since he was put into my arms, his mind was made up.  If I wanted him to go right, he went left.

There is something in human nature that makes following commands and orders distasteful.  The rebellious streak in the human DNA is something that makes obedience a real challenge.  No wonder it is one of the three vows of religious life - on par with poverty and chastity.  But it is also true that all inventions and discoveries were actually the result of breaking set norms and regulations.  No new knowledge or discovery is possible if everyone faithfully follows trodden path.  Among the religious it is those who refuse to be bound by rules and regulations and authorities that go on to make history.  However there is a fine line between being rebellious and being disobedient. Only those who have trod that fine line go on to positively impact the world; the rest, leave no good behind. 

Prevention vs cure

Two days preceding the first day of the new year, the newspapers were abuzz predicting a sharp rise in medical emergencies arising due to heavy drinking.  The NHS rolled out the 'drunk tanks' to cater those engaging in the new year revelry rather than burden the A & E services.  There were some suggesting that such party goers who booze too much, to then be a burden to themselves and others, should be made to pay at such drunk tanks.  The whole focus was on cleaning up, but nowhere did I read anything about prevention.  No one really questioned the very act of getting drunk beyond one's capacity!  It's new year! So what??  So is it for those who are then forced to take care of the dazed.  So is it for the families and friends of such 'zombies' who have to then spend the days to come helping the person recover, besides doing their own tasks... leave alone celebrate the new year themselves!  While rolling out 'drunk tanks' is a measure of 'taking the hospital to the sick', preventing people from falling sick is also necessary.  When one is very well capable of addressing the cause of an illness, and thereby preventing it altogether, one should not take pride merely in doling out the balm which can be applied after falling ill.

This morning was greatly amused by the following group of Kiwis who 'built' an island off the shore to defy the ban on drinking in public places - claiming that they were drinking in international waters.  I'm sure none of them went beyond the limit or else they'd have been carried off by the waves to Australia!  But a very creative idea indeed!

On high! Read the news here

Breaking laws

Laws – civil or ecclesial – rest on years of experience and wisdom. Only the one who has understood and lived the law to its fullest has the right to break it. For he has mastered the spirit and thereby found that precious thing for which the law, in the first place came into existence. The rest of us are invited to first live by the law and in the process discover the real meaning, spirit and depth, rather than reject it outright.

Humanly speaking for someone used to living by the rules is not burdensome, this logic works. But for those who perceive any rule or law as restraining and going against one's freedom, this takes time to sink.  From another perspective, any attempt to question the law need not be considered as an attempt to overthrow the law or rule.  It could be that the person questioning is only keen to really understand the law.  Thus the occasion could also be used as an opportunity to discuss the spirit of the law.  

Stuck to the 'law' of Jesus

Reflection for the readings of April l, 2017

Opinions are always divided. Convictions too are varied. Some people who heard Jesus were convinced about him being a prophet, or the Messiah. The Pharisees were convinced otherwise. While the conviction of the people was based on what they had experienced of Jesus themselves, the Pharisees' conviction arose from their knowledge of the law. They preferred to keep the law than to let it be questioned by a personal experience.

Today, as disciples of the Lord, we too can be like the Pharisees. We too can be so caught up with following what Jesus said rather than seek for a genuine personal experience of Him and thereby live the 'law' to its fullest.

Rules and norms

Rules are valid only in a society which accepts rules and in which the situation is such that rules are applicable. Where rules don't apply, rules don't have power. When the situation is anything but normal, no rules apply.

To create tranquility, security, and order and thereby establish the normal situation is the prerequisite for legal norms to be valid. Every norm presupposes a normal situation, and no norm can be valid in an entirely abnormal situation (Schmitt 1966, p. 46).

However crazy it may seem, but the inverse of it is also valid.  That rules, standards and strict policies are needed to bring an unruly situation under control and establish normalcy.  To create a peaceful society, one needs rules!

Why swear?

There are several reasons for justifying swearing (not the 'taking oath' swearing!).  Most common and acceptable among them is that it expresses best what one feels.  They rather than tell, manifest very forcefully what one is actually feeling.  That indeed is true.  However an argument can be made to the effect that we could coin a sound which would convey this, perhaps even with the same effect.  Say 'yuck' in contrast to 'shit'.

That and several other reasons put together brings me to fact that most swear words are taboo words.  They find their meaning and connection with things that are not considered 'good' or 'pure'.  So using a swear word is like a double attack.  Defy a broken rule!

I think that the whole notion of swear words and their rationale lie in the human conscious (or sub-conscious) need for polarity or duality. Our very thinking is dualistic.  We need 'bad', to show what is 'good'.  We want the 'impure' to retain the notion of 'purity'.  So however consciously we abhor 'evil' or 'bad' or 'impurity' we still need it to prove its counterpart.

So can a 'civilized' society totally do away with swear words? Never. It may not have the ones that we are used to hearing, but it certainly will have its own version.  If 'shit' isn't, 'yuck' would be!

Novena to Don Bosco: Hard Work

Novena to Don Bosco

(Remembering DON BOSCO and the significant people who shaped his life and works)

Day 5: Fr Michael Rua 

(The first successor of Don Bosco) 

HARD WORK

Fr Michael Rua who joined Don Bosco as a small boy, later became a Salesian Priest and was appointed the Rector Major after the death of Don Bosco. He was made Rector of the minor Seminary at Mirabello, the first Salesian house after Turin (Rome), when he was just just 26 years old. Such was the confidence that Don Bosco had in Rua, his 'Chief Collaborator' for 36 years.

When he died, on April 6, 1910, at the age of 73, the Salesian Congregation had grown from 773 Salesians to 4,000, from 57 houses to 345, from 6 Provinces to 34, in 33 countries.

You and I will always go halves in everything. 

The words of Don Bosco to Michael Rua, as he took his hand and made a gesture of dividing his hand, when he did not have a medal to give him. He was a little boy of 8 when he attended the Oratory of Don Bosco for the first time, along with his elder brother, in September 1845. 

There is only one who could deserve the accolade of martyr of work: Fr Rua. 

Words of Don Bosco himself in August 1876, when asked if it was true that some Salesians died of overwork. 

Don Rua was called the 'living rule' for his austere fidelity and practice of the rules of the community, and at the same time he was also known as the 'king of kindness' for the fatherliness he displayed.
(Click here to download the pdf file for display)

Odd speed breakers

Here in England, some of the speed breakers are not all along the road. They are like square blocks of elevated road, two on each side. They look and feel odd, but I suppose do the same work of slowing traffic down.  Luckily they are all marked in white.

One good thing about the road system here: every bit is marked.  Where one should go, which turn to take, where not to go, where to stop and where not to... all of it and much more is marked out. As I prepare myself for taking the theory test, I realize there are more rules than one can actually remember!  But I suppose they would not be in place if not for ensuring safety of everyone on the road.

Last point: No charity on the road. Wait for professional help to arrive.  That seems to be the mantra in case of any accident. One is not expected to carry out evacuation or relief work as a civilian. No moving of injured people. No helping people out of an accident vehicle.  No jumping in the river in case someone is drowning (call for help).

Need for standards/absolute

Every sphere of life demands and is guided by standards or absolutes.  Measurements that make things right or wrong, good or bad, healthy or unhealthy.  Bereft of these set, decided and accepted standards, language itself is difficult.  Anti-establishment or anti-structuralists have long fought this 'standardization' of some aspects, at the cost of exclusion of the other; by some over and above others; for now vs forever.  It is also interesting to note that those criticizing the very notion of standards or absolutes, cannot then propose alternatives!

While set benchmarks help in one way, they also restrict in another sense.  Just like the compound wall around a house, prevents others from coming in, it also 'imprisons' those within!  That without these standards, nothing really moves, is perhaps not entirely false.  We just cannot do without them - even if one demolishes an existing one, it can be done only by erecting another (unconsciously, mostly).

The eternal debate and all dissension is then a result of deciding who, by what criteria, for what purpose, sets the standards, the absolutes.

Driving and traffic

While crossing the road here in London, someone asked me, "Why do you look left and right? It is enough to look only to your right. Unless you are at a crossroad."

I replied, "I come from India!" She did not have anything else to ask or say!

Honestly traffic here in London is quite busy, but very very orderly.  It is a week since I landed in London and my room is next to the road.  I've been out almost every day but I am yet to hear a vehicle honk!  Drivers are very polite and smooth.  They wait, let others pass straight rather than sneak in fast or the little window they get.

I'd be getting a few driving lessons from this weekend - thanks to Fr John who arranged for someone to assist me.  However, with the Indian driving license I can drive for one year.  But as I was telling Fr Sean yesterday, it is not driving that I need to learn, but driving as per rules!

...that's more like an Indian driving scenario!

Do not seek to be merciful… Act arbitrarily

Reflections on the Year of Mercy (4)
(courtesy: Fr T.D. John)

Do not seek to be merciful… Act arbitrarily, without accountability 

The talk of proper procedures is a big joke. Where is the thrill of being the boss if I am to be accountable? Why should I follow procedures when I am in charge? Did I reach this far to be bound by common rules and procedures? I have the right to do what I want. I am not accountable to anyone.

During this year of mercy, I will announce that I will take arbitrary decisions and not follow any procedures. I will be careful to be accountable for my dealings.

Statutory Warning: If you follow procedures, people will feel safe and take responsibility.

Spiritual Worldliness

Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, speaks of the danger of 'Spiritual Worldliness' His words are quite disturbing: 

This worldliness can be fueled in two deeply interrelated ways. One is the attraction to gnosticism, a purely subjective faith whose only interest is a certain experience or a set of ideas and bits of information which are meant to console and enlighten, but which ultimately keep one imprisoned in his or her own thoughts and feelings. The other is ... trust only in their own powers and feel superior to others because they observe certain rules or remain intransigently faithful to a particular Catholic style from the past.  ... In neither case is one really concerned about Jesus Christ or others. (EG 94)

I think the last line sums up the yardstick of measuring the depth of our devotion, piety and spirituality. 

Demystifying 'community'

On February 12, 2013 The Hindu carried an interesting article by Sanjay Srivastava on it Op-Ed page, titled "Pathology of the hurt sentiment".  It shed some interesting light and presented some refreshing facts about community and feelings. As I read the article then, something struck me but I couldn't figure out what.  So I preserved that page and it has been rolling on my table (which is often clean of any papers except my planner) since then.  I picked it up again today and it occurred to me that perhaps there is some lesson for me about our Salesian or religious community in this article. So here are the excepts that led me to this insight:

A community is not a monolithic object and not all members of a community enjoy equal rights and privileges.  In fact, very frequently, the idea of not hurting public sentiments only serves to mask the fact that it is the attitudes of the most privileged that are being protected from criticism.  There are, actually, not only communities, but also individuals with different interests, and relationship to power and privilege.  

A note about the past, history... tradition:

When public commentators are urged not to hurt public sentiments, it is an an implicit plea to allow past practices and beliefs to dictate contemporary life. 

Continual glorification of the past is, in fact, a frequent indicator of contemporary cultural nervousness. 

Demands for respecting public sentiments are not only premised on the idea that there is a homogenous public out there, but that sentiments and beliefs are themselves unchanging.  Further, that the slightest questioning of an established way of thinking will lead to civilizational chaos, disharmony and social disarray. 

The idea of 'community' is, in the final analysis, both an objective reality as well as fiction.  For, we might, for instance, pray in a similar manner to many others (and the act forms an actual religious community), but to think that all members of a community must continue to believe in ideas that might have been prevalent a hundred years ago is to present a fairytale version of what community life should be about.  

Some bells about radical life of witness, community life, upholding tradition, preserving our heritage, identity, and the upcoming Salesian Brothers' Congress are ringing in my ears! 

For what...

It is said that in a race between the lion and the deer, often the deer wins. That's because the lion runs for food, whereas for the deer it is a matter of life and death, sheer survival! This only proves that purpose is more important than need. 'For what' is a greater challenge than 'if what'.

Every time Brothers approach me for some permission or request, I mostly and only ask them, "for what?" Only and only if their reason is valid and genuine do I grant them their request, even if it is something odd or 'not in the rule book'. And they dread me for binding them to that choice for that particular reason; I ensure that they enjoy that privilege, exactly for the purpose reported to me and not anything else.

Effecting changes

The readings of the day have leprosy as one of its common elements. I focus here on the Gospel dimension of it. Jesus, having cured the leper, sends him off with the clear instructions of presenting himself before the high priest and making an offering for his cure... thus proving his cure and redeeming himself from being accursed. It may seem odd that Jesus is endorsing what was written in the Mosaic law. Most of the time we see Jesus, either breaking it or re-interpreting it. Now here he is seen endorsing it as it is. Reflecting on this I find, that Jesus' acts of re-interpretation or rejection or even endorsing were based purely on the good of all involved. He wanted all concerned to grow holistically. His passion and action for change was based on this principle, not just a personal whim or a discomfort for tradition.

That's a good lesson for people like me who have the authority or rather, are priviledged with authority, to bring about changes. What is my criterion when I introduce changes, big or small in my community life? Am I driven by zeal for common good and welfare or is it personalistic?

Price of being a Catholic

Today on more than one occasion the difficulty of 'retaining' the Catholic laity cropped up in our discussions. The difficulty was that people are steady and in large numbers too, leaving the Catholic Church, either with an explicit choice for non-Catholic but Christian denominations or just don't appear in Church anymore. While I do not wish to comment on the first reason, I do believe one of strong reasons for the latter is the following: Christianity has too 'lists of dos and dont's' There are the sacraments to adhere to, the Sunday obligation to fulfil, the feast day attendance at the Church and for procession, the approval of the Parish Priest for all of these and more... Hinduism, on the other hand, has very little or no such binding obligations at all. One need not go to any temple all his life, a lady may never practice most of the rites and rituals of a Hindu rite, yet they can very well claim to be a Hindu. No one would accuse them of 'leaving' Hinduism. Perhaps this is another reason why Hinduism is viewed more as a 'way of life' than a structured religion. Catholicism demands much, while general Hinduism expects nothing much!