Barefoot mum runs 3k race for daughters education

 Ms Ramabai Ranvir, a working mother of two daughters, in Pune (Maharashtra, India), and a widow for the last 14 years, single handedly supporting the education of her daughters, worked another miracle (besides the consistent one already mentioned, as do most mothers!) a few days ago.  

She heard of a prize money of Rs 3,000 (Euros 30) for a race being organised in her vicinity, from her employer (the Police academy).  The previous day her younger daughter, studying in another town, had called her asking for some money to pay her food and rent - and Ms Ramabai had none to spare! So when she heard of the prize money, she hopped onto the pickup vehicle transporting the police aspirants to the race venue.  No prior running practice or experience, wearing a saree, being the only one running without shoes, her slippers giving way during the race forcing her to run barefoot, aged 40+, no breaks on the course... none of these mattered.  Nothing at all! All that mattered was her daughters education, for which the immediate focus was the finish line and the prize! 

And she won!!! She was awarded Rs 5,000/- (Euros 50) instead!

A single parent slogging day and night, saving every penny for her children, with the sole dream of educating them for a better life and future, is itself no ordinary miracle in everyday life.  A miracle most mothers perform, everyday, everywhere, at all times, even without realizing it.  Add this incident to that L  O   N   G  and INVALUABLE miracle list of a mothers determination and courage! 

Maximilian Kolbe

 Today we commemorate the feast of Maximilian Kolbe, the saint of the holocaust who offered his life in exchange for that of his fellow prisoner.  

What drives home for me on this day, as I recall his heroic act of sacrifice, is what I remember telling my students years ago:  Dying for Christ is rather easy; what isn't is living like Christians!  

Speaking during a lesson in Anthropology, in the section on human emotions and habits, I recall making this point very emphatically to the students (not that I prepared for it; it was very very extemporary). The Church did not make Kolbe a saint purely because he, at that crucial point of time, offered himself as a substitute to the fellow prisoner.  It is because the Church and we recognise that he could act so, because he was used to it.  Making a choice for the good of the others, placing the other before oneself, being selfless were virtues ALREADY practised and lived by this man.  The act in that prison, was not an on the spur reaction, without thought and preparation. Of course, none immediately.  But certainly he had made placing the other before oneself, a habit; not a once in a way act.  

Maximilian Kolbe could die for his companion (and God) because he LIVED for God and his people!  He didn't have to make a big sacrifice at that point of time; because he had consistently and consciously made such decisions and choices, for long, until that time! 

Most people think that he died of starvation and thirst in the prison; he didn't. He, along with three others (out of the 10) isolated and starved, as a deterrent for the other prisoners to try to escape the prison, survived even after two weeks.  And since the Nazi guards wanted to end this 'lesson' quick and for need of space, decided to end the episode by injecting the lethal injection of carbolic acid.  And so it was that after being deprived of food and water for two weeks, he was administered the carbolic acid injection! 

Making others feel at home

 A couple of days ago the readings of the Mass spoke of the only widow who was helped in Israel; then the only leper who was healed on the Jewish soil, and that too him being a Syrian, a non-Jew. The Gospel of the same day speaks of Mary as the chosen one to be the mother of the Messiah. 

What was special about the widow of Zarephath who was helped by Elijah?  What earned her a miraculous supply of food till the next harvest?  Her generosity towards a stranger. In spite of being hungry and well aware that sharing the only morsel of food she had, would result in the early starvation of her son and herself, she chose to offer the last morsel of food to a total stranger. She sacrificed.  She shared.  That too for a stranger. 

What was different about Naaman, the leper, that resulted in him being the only person to be healed by the Jewish prophet? He was open to the advice of everyone. He listened.  He listened to the advice of a slave girl who recommended that she visit the Jewish prophet to get rid of his leprosy.  He listened to his servants when in a rage he wanted to return from the doorstep of the prophet's house.  In spite of him being the army commander, he was open to kind words of others.  

Most importantly, even his servants felt comfortable to share with him their views.  They did not feel frightened or scared of him.  They respected him and hence wished him good.  This would have been  possible only because he was genuinely good to them!  

Sacrifice and purpose

Sacrifice or detachment without a purpose is like going to the beach and returning without even getting ones feet wet in the sea! Good, but not noble enough.  Having a purpose and higher motive ennobles the already good act of giving up something. Good to sacrifice, but let's not sacrifice the purpose! 

Giving up meals or meat or something favourite for the season of Lent, could be a health benefit but if one wishes to make it a Lenten special, it has to be linked to Jesus.  

Tying our own feet...

More than ever, I've come to realise that the more we invest in infrastructure, the more we are tying down our own selves, especially in terms of our apostolate. With our ever increasing craze to build structures, even with already built buildings lying idle or under utilised, we tend to push for newer buildings. 

The skewed logic being: We needed the space, so we built. But over the years, the numbers are constantly dwindling and in quite a few places we hardly have any resident students or boarders. And since the building is there, we feel the need to fill it up with children. Even if the need isn't that or has totally changed.  So the reason for staying behind and doing the same work as before is that there is the building!!  

I'm reminded of an incident in Hollywood which struck me very deeply...Ward Kimball was an animator for the Walt Disney Studios in the 1930’s. He was on the team for the first full-length animated feature by the Disney studio, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937).

He spent 240 days working on a single four-and-a-half-minute scene. In that scene, the dwarfs were cooking a meal for Snow White, and he covered every detail. When the time came, to review the film, Walt Disney personally reviewed the scene and commented: “That scene is hilarious. It’s terrific.” 

Then, he added, “But, I think it interrupts the flow of the movie so we need to cut it out!” 

So off went that scene - 240 days of immense work, scrapped in order to preserve and enhance, the greatness of the film! 

I wish we had that courage and vision of Ward Kimball to be able to see the greater picture and adapt accordingly, however painful it may be. 

I managed to get a clip of the same production... 

Giving up for giving

It is one thing to fast when one has plenty to eat and choose from and totally another when one has nothing to eat in the first place!  I think if we are to build up the triadic relationship with God, the other and myself, we need to graduate from merely 'giving up' to 'giving' - with a spiritual intent.  In that way, all three are involved: we are doing it for God, benefitting the neighbour or the needy and helping oneself too in this whole process. 

While 'giving up' has its merits, it is lesser than 'giving' because it ends up with me alone!  Or at the most God and me!  There could be a laissez faire effect wherein the needy benefit but when I decide to share with the other what I've denied myself, then the good reaches the other directly and instantly.  

The generous widow

Elijah is told to meet the widow in Zarephath and he goes.  He finds the widow picking twigs to prepare the last morsel of food she has for her son and herself.  And Elijah tells her to first prepare something for him.  Sincerely doubt if it was Elijah's own desire for food to ask of her bread, that too from someone who is so poor!  

No sensible woman in the right state of mind would do that: offer the last morsel of food that she is left with for her child and herself to a total stranger.  Yet she does this.  She shares the last morsel of food with this complete stranger merely because he asks her.  

The story can be about Elijah who moves to that place merely on the Lord's command.  At the same time it is very much of that widow who is generous enough to share the least she has with someone in need.  There are so many such men and women who selflessly share their gifts, resources and even their own lives for the sake of others... hope the Lord never empties their bowl and jug too!  

Simon of Cyrene, the epitome of (most) religious

Simon of Cyrene, who is roped in to help Jesus carry his cross, presents a glimpse of a particular personality type.  Most of us live this personality or this trait very often in our life - especially religious.

Simon is there on the scene by chance.  Or could be there by choice.  But him getting dragged in to assist Jesus is pure chance!  No way did he volunteer for it (doesn't look so).  The soldiers may have asked for volunteers to come forward.  Simon may have thought of volunteering.  Maybe he did.  Nonetheless, the point is this: He knew for certain that the cross was not his.  He was safe!  He only had a guest appearance!  Of this he was sure.  From the citadel of that certainty it is not very difficult to help Jesus!  With my securities in place, I lose nothing. So lending a helping hand to someone is fine. 

All he had to do was play the role for that intermediary period, till Golgotha or till the soldiers decide to let go of him.  No smart moves!  He didn't protest the persecution and the torture.  He wouldn't.  He was not seen or heard before.  He is not seen or heard after this event.  This is exactly the mission mode most religious happily engage in: doing good (occasionally or very often), but from within the comfort zones one wouldn't risk leaving.  But we are called - and we profess, in response - to be more than mere part-time charity doers or organisers.  We are meant to be the radicals.  We are called to be His disciples, all the time, everywhere, for all.  Even if it entails not being with Jesus on his way to Calvary - like John the Baptist - because, we have already walked that way!  

Zaccheus and the rich young man

Kevin offered an interesting insight into the reading of this day.  The passage is that of Zaccheus.  He said, he was wondering what new or different could he share about his passage from the Gospel that we have heard so many times. 

He then said that he noticed something in the structure of the Gospel itself.  The story of Zaccheus follows that of the rich young man and the poor blind man.  The curing of the blind beggar is so to say, sandwiched in between the stories of the two rich men. 

The young man and Zaccheus were both rich in wealth.  Both of them were keen to meet Jesus.  The young man had some idea of how to become better, but that he had already mastered.  He knew not what next.  Zaccheus, on the other hand, knew exactly what he had to do.  He was aware of his corrupt dealings and what needed to be done to shun that burden of guilt.  Once Jesus arrives on the scene, all that Jesus does is give that final push!  The young man, asks for further instructions.  However, on knowing what that entails, he is hesitant to go down that road.  Zaccheus, does not need further instructions.  All that he has is a self-invitation of Jesus to dine with him.  He then rattles off his next mode of living! 

At what stage of life am I?  Am I aware of what the Lord wants of me? If aware, am I willing to undertake that what He wants of me?  Am I conscious of what I need to give up, if I am to follow the Lord?  Am I ready for that? 

I suppose, the same questions arise in the intermediary context of poor blind man.  Another lesson, we can draw from these three stories together is that no matter what our financial situation is, we are always in need!  

The meaninglessness of the cross

As part of the Student Cross walk we carried a 35 kg cross ahead of us all along the journey.  We took turns carrying it in 3s. 

Trying to gather in the 'harvest' of this pilgrimage that I undertook, I was wondering what role did the cross play in this whole episode.  Primarily it was I guess a re-enactment of the way of the cross Jesus was made to walk.  Then there is the witness value - people watching us know what exactly are we doing and who we are.  And then the whole idea of sharing in the suffering and pain of Jesus himself. 

However, what nags me about the whole cross was what we did after we reached our destination!  We literally abandoned it.  We propped it up against the wall and then on Saturday some of our group members decorated it with flowers - that's because it was part of the tradition.  So I'm asking myself, why did we carry the cross?  If it was witness value, we could very well do better than that.  Merely carrying the cross in that sense would be no better than a fashion show cake walk.  Just to show others.  But what use did others have of this 'show'? 

Linda, Melbin, Neetu, Lessly, George, David
Andrea, Saju and Sijo
with the decorated cross

Perhaps this inability to find the sense in the act of carrying the cross stems from a deeper question I've been asking myself:  What 'use' or help has this act of mine undertaking this physically tiring journey, has been to others?  Self-inflicted torture with apparently no benefit for anyone else... how meaningful and useful is that?  Is this truly a Christian expression of love and sacrifice?

Well I may be too close to the event itself, to really see the whole picture, but for now I'm letting the experience of the past week just sink in.  

Dating God can be a nightmare!

A couple of days ago, the incident of a group of priests being asked to leave the pub because the doorman assumed them to be members of a stag party, wearing clerical habit, hit the news and has since become quite a sensation.  However, what surprised me more than the event itself was the news article published in the Daily Mail a few days ago.  Now the Daily Mail is anything but serious news is known to everyone.  Most often it is sleaze and gossip.  But for it to run an article stating why these men chose to be priests was quite amazing and really stood out for me.  I only happened to by chance come upon the article for I rarely pick up this particular newspaper, except for the daily sudoku, crossword and scrabble.

Here are a few points that stood out for me, most significantly about the recruitment and formation of priests:

• The expense of training a young man to be a priest is enormous and lengthy.  Is the person we have after ordination, really worth the expense and time and energy spent all along?  For the time, money and energy invested, what sort of person should this be?  What quality and mettle would this person be made of by the time of his ordination?  
• These men are different but not totally ignorant of the world in which they live and work.  They are people totally immersed in its everyday life.  Now that includes movies, TV shows, popular celebrities, trending talks and videos, ... they may not be huge fans of any but they certainly know it all.  They are not ignorant 'saints' who live in some fantasy world.  They've seen the world - they continue to know the world.  
• The influence of inspirational models ... (in the case of most of these priests, the life and death of John Paul II) it is enormous.  They may not be perpetual models of inspiration, but the trigger they offer in knowing more of Christ and the Church is sufficient enough to 'seduce' them for life. 
• When scandal and mistakes of past haunt the present it is easy to become depressed or even totally avoid or even label the whole church as 'bad'.  The alternative, choose to become 'good'. 
• All of these young men had great opportunities for a career in the world.  They did have high-paying jobs.  Yet they gave it up for they truly felt called for something other than career and money.  Now as priests earning a pittance compared to what they earlier earned, they have no regrets about the money.  The contentment is evident in what you have at hand.  
• What we give up as priests and religious are essential elements of human nature.  But everyone makes sacrifices - even married people.  And are happy to do so.  So it is not what we give up that matters most, but with what attitude we give up what we sacrifice that counts. 
• Liked the comment of one of the priests: We are dating God, building a relationship.  And ...dating God can be a nightmare! 

Read the whole article here.

A philosopher risks life

For once, heard something good of a philosopher... rather philosopher doing good for the world in practical terms: French philosopher Dufourmantelle drowns rescuing children

She believed that 'life begins with risk'.  (Photo source)

Dufourmantelle died trying to save two children from drowning.  An advocate of taking risks, she died living out the principles she spoke about! 

Love as self-giving

Reflection for April 26

“For God so loved the world...”

The book The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall, speaks of different types of gifts one can offer to others: of work, of friends, of learning, of time, of dreams, and finally of oneself. To give someone several material gifts but keep oneself reserved or away does not really make the other happy and even renders those given gifts meaningless. What truly matters is not the gift as such but the involvement of the one giving that gift.

We human beings are relational beings. However much we may possess, we still crave for the warmth of human love and fellowship. God understands this need of ours and gives us the best, the ultimate gift: of Himself.

All talk of love is empty and meaningless unless it involves a self-less giving of oneself. God shares with us not merely His thoughts, His plans for us, the material gifts we are blessed with but also His own Son and the Spirit – not to forget His other sons and daughters, whom we encounter day in and day out.

Called to love and serve

Reflection for Maundy Thursday (April 13, 2017)

By washing the feet of his apostles, Jesus offers them one of his last practical lessons in apostleship: service. As this particular act goes hand in hand with the institution of the Eucharist, it also gets endorsed by the command, 'Do this in my memory'. The tradition of washing the feet of 12 persons on this day is more than a dramatization of what Jesus did at the last supper. It is to be a response to the command of humble service.

Priesthood, then is seen not merely as means of sharing love and the sacrament, but that of service too. A priest, by his very consecration, is called to love and serve. He is called to do it with and for a divine purpose, much higher than mere human respect and feelings. Unless this divine dimension is perceived by those whom we serve, we fail in our mission as apostles.

To be true to one's vocation of priesthood is to be true men of prayer and service. These two dimensions are not to be seen as different or one following the other. They are so intertwined that one flows into the other. Jesus, even in his last moments on earth, shows how deeply these two aspects are inter-related while in the Upper room.

Of martyrdom

Regarding martyrdom and crusades...

A religious community, a church, can exhort a member to die for his belief and become a martyr, but only for the salvation of his own soul, not for the religious community in its quality as an earthly power; otherwise it assumes a political dimension. Its holy wars and crusades are actions which presuppose an enemy decision, just as do other wars (p. 48) [Schmitt, C. (2007) The concept of the political Chicago: The university of Chicago press.] 

Am not very sure if in the process of canonization, especially those considered martyrs, this element of distinguishing between dying for faith and dying for the Church is taken note of.  And I wonder if the latter is worth dying for.  For a person, a principle, yes! For a structure? Possible, but wouldn't that be political rather than spiritual?

This distinction between the political aspect and the spiritual aspect is good to understand the difference between the Church and the Kingdom of God.  That both these need not be the same, especially when the Church is understood with all its administrative and "political" tassels.

Lenten joy

Every year when we come round to this time of the year when we have to plan for the community Lenten penance, and discussion is most often around giving up food, I invariably remember my second year at Kondadaba as Dean and administrator.  That was the year when we did not receive the annual subsidy from Rome.  We were in a tight fix.  We were scraping on the savings of the previous years.  Not that we were desperate, but we really had to tighten our belts.

Now for a group of 70 young men, who were used to having good food and quite a bit of luxury to suddenly feel the pinch of it was not easy.  However, during one house assembly I presented them the financial difficulty we were going through and asked the Brothers to bear up.  Honestly I did expect some repercussions.  However, I was surprised at the way the Brothers rose up to the occasion.  Not only did they not complain or grudge but came forward with suggestions and actually carried out most of them, even without telling me, as to how to cut expenses.  What really touched me was the joy with which they bore up with the inconveniences.  It was not tolerated. They were happy to be part of a community.

So towards the end of the year, when we had the community meeting to decide on the Lenten penance, there was again suggestions of what to give up and abstain and all.  After some time I got up and sincerely acknowledged the sacrifices made by the community all through the year, that too joyfully.  And hence, I said, you need not do more than what we have already been doing.  Let's just continue with greater joy!  There was a huge round of applause.

In all my years of handling money/administration, that was the happiest year - not just for me but for the whole community!

Most of those in that academic year...

Novena to Don Bosco: Detachment

Novena to Don Bosco

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

Day 4: Fr Borel
(First Helper of Don Bosco)

DETACHMENT 

Fr Borel, the first one to help Don Bosco at the Oratory, when the latter began to work solely for his poor boys. He was a good, short, simple and popular Diocesan Priest. He was affectionately called the 'little priest' because of his short stature. However, he inspired Don Bosco through his selfless and tireless hardwork. 

If you really love your boys, you must be ready to make this sacrifice too. 

Words of encouragement given by Fr Borel to Don Bosco, in 1844, when the oratory was in its infancy and Don Bosco had to go around begging for money. 

He appeared to be a little priest not counting for much, but ten good priests could hardly have done the good that this great servant of God has done. 

Words uttered by a weeping Don Bosco while Fr Borel was on his deathbed on September 9, 1873. 

Fr Borel was so generous and detached that on his deathbed he had nothing in his possession, not even enough money for his own funeral.  

(Click here to download the pdf file for display)

Mother Mary's choice

We celebrate today the feast of the Immaculate Conception.  A very difficult feast to explain to young people of our modern times.  I suppose so is the virgin birth and the assumption and practically so every feast of Our Lady.  Most defy logic and rational thinking.  However, if one is to view her life comprehensively and not in bits and pieces, each event makes complete sense.

Coincidentally reading Markings, I could not but relate the following quote of Dag Hammarskjold with this idea that Mother Mary's life was one about choice.  More than God choosing her it is about she choosing God, at every turn of her life. That point I suppose every youngster will comprehend.

The opportunity was given you anew -- as a privilege and a burden. The question is not: why did it so happen; or, where is it leading; or, what is the price? It is only: how do you make use of it? And about that only one can judge.

Social sins

A very comprehensive quote (by Gandhiji) summing up our modern attitudes:

Grace vs Hard work

Anything freely received is not much appreciated.  Neither will it be.  Perhaps it shouldn't be!  A product or something 'earned' which has your sweat mingled, will anytime be more satisfactory than something received, even if grand, but without any effort on my part.

(Now that's for someone whose conscience is still sensitive. For those whose conscience is blunted and hardened such gains without hardwork, toil, sacrifice, sweat and pain will be perfect benefits of life).

Nothing can ever supersede the genuine joy, satisfaction and pride of a hard earned meal!

God's grace flows in abundance in nature, in life... and it is for free.  But if I don't make that minimal effort to make the most of it, I'll be like a golden pot with a large hole at the bottom!